I want to spend my life
00:00:01.63\00:00:07.64
Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Removing pain
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Lord, let my words Let my words
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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Hello, and welcome to
another 3ABN Today program.
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We are so thankful and
grateful that you joined us
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as you do each and every day.
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And it's a blessing to
come maybe into your living room
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if you're watching on
television, the internet,
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maybe you're driving in your car
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and listening on the radio.
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Hopefully you're not
looking at your phone
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while you're
driving and watching 3ABN.
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We have a
YouTube channel as well.
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We stream live there. We do.
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What is the address that...
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Basically look up 3ABN.
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You go to YouTube
and just look up 3ABN
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and there's the live
stream there and it's great.
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It is.
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So many people where maybe
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the internet
doesn't buffer as well,
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you can get it on
YouTube and that's wonderful.
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It is.
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And that's something new
that, oh, in last few months
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and it's been
received very well.
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But anyway, thank you always
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for your prayers and
support of the ministry of 3ABN
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because it's a
team effort, isn't it?
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You think about it, you know,
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sometimes that you may
feel a little isolated,
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don't know where you live.
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We're here in Thompsonville,
the thriving metropolis of...
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I think it changed
the population sign
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to 550 I think...
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It used be 600 so.
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So I'm not
quite sure but anyway,
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sometimes we're on the
middle of nowhere feels like
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but it's neat how technology
connects us all together.
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But the key thing is that
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we're all spreading
the gospel together.
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So your financial support,
your prayers for the ministry,
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someday in heaven we'll get
the full picture of the impact
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of everyone working together.
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And it's a
blessing to be with you.
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Now our topic
today, what is it about?
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It's exciting, isn't it?
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Our topic today
is Courage to Stand.
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Yes.
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I think it's so vital
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how to live a
godly principled life
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in the midst of a
world of compromise.
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So we're going to talk
today about how to stand.
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It's a difficult
thing sometimes to stand
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and to do that.
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We're going to
talk about how to stand,
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how not to compromise,
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maybe some of the
consequences of compromise
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and what that looks like
and then how God can enable us
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by the power of
His Spirit to stand up.
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'Cause standing up is a
difficult thing sometimes
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especially when you feel like,
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"I'm all alone, and
I'm the only one standing."
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You know, that's true.
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I grew up in West Virginia
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and we had a creek that
ran through our property
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and it was, you
know, didn't run very fast
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but wow, when
it would rain hard,
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all that water would
run down the mountains
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and into the valley and
into the particular creek
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that ran through our property
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and it would
become a raging stream.
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Well, I had a brilliant
idea, not really brilliant,
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to try and go into the stream
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when it was flooding just to
see what it was like and wow,
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it was hard to stand
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against the current
of the raging stream.
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You know, it's hard sometimes,
like you were mentioning,
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to stand against what may
be the stream of the majority
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of what the world,
the direction it's going.
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But it's hard to stand.
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But we want to show you today
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through the Bible
how to stand with Christ,
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obviously, by our side.
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But we have some
guests with us today
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that really aren't guests.
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They're part of our 3ABN family.
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And I have Jason Bradley.
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We have Jason Bradley here.
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I consider you my neighbor
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because your office
and your mom's office
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is right next to mine.
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And we're glad to
have you here today.
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Tell us what's your
title is here at 3ABN?
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The title is
3ABN's Dare to Dream,
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Assistant to
the General Manager.
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So Assistant to
the General Manager
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at Dare to Dream.
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That's a little
mouthful there. It is.
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For a minute, it's
like, he wears so many hats,
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now what's his title again?
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Yeah. He wears many hats.
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So Dare to Dream
is doing very well
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and I appreciate the
work that you and your mom
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and everyone else are doing.
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And the Lord is
blessing us. Amen.
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Sitting next to
you is Mollie Steenson,
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the Vice
president, General Manager...
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Can I say Mom in
a respectful way?
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Absolutely.
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3ABN and the
woman of great advice,
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godly advice and
it's good to have you here
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with us today too.
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And your office is
down the hall from Jason
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and myself and Jill and
others, close to you, Pastor CA.
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Right across the
hall. Yeah, that's right.
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I'm not calling her Mom either.
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Well, I have due
respect for you, Mollie.
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I do appreciate the counsel
you've given to us "kids"
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at 3ABN.
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You know, I have felt
motherly to this ministry
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for many, many years.
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You know, how a
mother protects her child,
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and I felt like 3ABN to
some degree was my child,
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and I'm here to protect it.
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Amen. Yeah.
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And it's a blessing you
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and your husband Pastor Hal for,
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I don't know, so many
years, seems like forever
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but it's been
probably 20, 30 years
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you're involved with 3ABN.
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What a blessing.
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Sitting next to you
is Pastor CA Murray...
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Good to be here.
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Who wears, I don't
know, can we count the hats?
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I don't think we can.
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You are the General
Manager of the Proclaim network,
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and of course the
producer of this program.
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You're usually
sitting in this seat
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or the one that Jill
is sitting in right now.
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But thank you,
Pastor, for all that you do
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and your wife Irma
to the ministry of 3ABN.
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It's pleasure.
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I don't remember how many...
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12 years, 13
years, going on 13 years.
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But they go so fast
they seem somewhat compressed
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because you come for the Lord,
you really don't track time.
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You look back and say,
"Boy, how much time has passed."
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But it has been a true honor
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and blessing to
serve in this capacity.
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You know, it's interesting to me
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is you know after a while,
00:06:04.03\00:06:05.36
it seems like,
Pastor, you've been here
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for much longer
than 12 or 13 years.
00:06:06.76\00:06:09.33
Jason, I think you've been here
was it two or three or four?
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Three. Three.
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You know, after a while,
you just become such families
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like you can't imagine
life really without the people
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we have here.
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And I think it
just seems to me like,
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Jay's been here for
at least eight or ten.
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You know, you just kind
of that thought process like,
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you've been here...
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you can't imagine it without so.
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But it's a
blessing to work together.
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We truly enjoy
working with each one of you
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and all the
others that are here.
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Amen.
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We want to get into
our topic, don't we?
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We do, absolutely.
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Before we do that, we
better go to some music.
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So let's go to our music.
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We have Scott
Michael Bennett with us.
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It's always a blessing
when he ministers to us.
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When he sings, when he plays,
it's not just a showmanship,
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it is from his heart,
from his walk with God
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and it comes through.
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And the song that he
will be doing today is
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"Name above all names".
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It's the name above all names
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And who will declare it
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Who will declare it
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It's the name above all names
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And who will shout
it to a dying world
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Who will declare my name
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And who will shout my name
in the midst of the nations
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Who will take
the shield of faith
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And the sword of my word
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And declare my
name to a dying world
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He who has declared me thus far
00:08:05.25\00:08:11.39
Will walk in even greater power
00:08:11.42\00:08:18.09
For the sands of
time are running out
00:08:18.13\00:08:24.50
But my name will be declared
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In this final hour
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I am Jehovah I am that I am
00:08:32.37\00:08:37.85
And my trumpet
shall soon call out
00:08:37.88\00:08:45.82
I formed the
worlds with a whisper
00:08:45.85\00:08:51.83
But I'm getting ready
00:08:51.86\00:08:55.60
I'm getting
ready I'm getting ready
00:08:55.63\00:09:01.70
To shout
00:09:01.74\00:09:08.14
It's the name above all names
00:09:08.18\00:09:15.25
And we will declare it
00:09:15.28\00:09:19.02
We will declare it
00:09:19.05\00:09:21.89
It's the name above all names
00:09:21.92\00:09:28.70
And we will shout
it to a dying world
00:09:28.73\00:09:35.57
It's my will to
possess all of your life
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I'll take it all
so surrender to me
00:09:48.15\00:09:53.79
For I'm building an army
00:09:53.86\00:09:57.23
To go in my name
00:09:57.26\00:10:00.63
And my words in your mouth
00:10:00.70\00:10:03.47
Shall set the captives free
00:10:03.50\00:10:08.07
I am Jehovah I am that I am
00:10:08.10\00:10:13.58
And my trumpet
shall soon call out
00:10:13.61\00:10:21.52
I formed the
worlds with a whisper
00:10:21.55\00:10:27.56
But I'm getting ready
00:10:27.59\00:10:31.36
I'm getting
ready I'm getting ready
00:10:31.39\00:10:37.57
To shout
00:10:37.60\00:10:43.81
It's the name above all names
00:10:43.84\00:10:51.08
And we must shout
it to a dying world
00:10:51.11\00:10:57.89
It's the name above all names
00:11:09.33\00:11:16.20
And we must declare it
00:11:16.24\00:11:19.94
We must declare it
00:11:19.97\00:11:22.61
It's the name above all names
00:11:22.64\00:11:29.65
And we must shout
it to a dying world
00:11:29.68\00:11:37.53
Amen. Thank you,
Scott Michael Bennett.
00:11:47.44\00:11:49.40
Powerful song.
00:11:49.44\00:11:50.81
There is no other
name above Jesus Christ.
00:11:50.84\00:11:52.61
We thank the Lord for Him
being our Savior and our God.
00:11:52.64\00:11:56.01
If you're just now joining us,
00:11:56.04\00:11:57.38
we're talking about the
topic today of Courage to Stand.
00:11:57.45\00:12:00.75
You know, we are in this world
00:12:00.82\00:12:02.15
that seems like we're
bombarded on many sides.
00:12:02.18\00:12:04.32
And sometimes it's
easy to compromise.
00:12:04.35\00:12:07.96
And go with I think...
00:12:07.99\00:12:09.32
Sometimes, I think many times.
00:12:09.36\00:12:10.96
True. That could be easy.
00:12:10.99\00:12:12.36
I think about, you know,
they talk about our peers,
00:12:12.39\00:12:15.20
you know, as teenagers
00:12:15.23\00:12:16.56
especially I remember hearing
a lot of talk about that.
00:12:16.60\00:12:18.57
You know, when
you're a teenager,
00:12:18.60\00:12:19.93
you know, being
impressed with your friends
00:12:19.97\00:12:21.77
and going in bad directions.
00:12:21.80\00:12:23.34
But even as adults,
00:12:23.41\00:12:24.74
we can be bombarded all the time
00:12:24.77\00:12:26.11
like you were saying.
00:12:26.14\00:12:27.48
And it's the
decisions that we make.
00:12:27.51\00:12:28.84
So today, we want to
be talking about that.
00:12:28.88\00:12:30.21
We have with us Jason
Bradley, good to have you here.
00:12:30.25\00:12:32.68
Mollie Steenson,
Pastor CA Murray.
00:12:32.71\00:12:35.08
And I'm thinking
about 500 years ago,
00:12:35.12\00:12:38.02
Martin Luther nailed
the 95 Theses to the door,
00:12:38.05\00:12:41.02
didn't he?
00:12:41.06\00:12:42.39
And took a major stand,
00:12:42.42\00:12:43.83
you know, we were
talking about this, Mollie,
00:12:43.86\00:12:45.19
before and that is by
him taking that stance,
00:12:45.23\00:12:48.03
it changed church history.
00:12:48.06\00:12:50.17
I want to read real
quick what he said here.
00:12:50.20\00:12:53.77
It says, I don't
want to get it wrong,
00:12:53.84\00:12:55.97
"My conscience is
captive to the Word of God.
00:12:56.00\00:13:00.31
I cannot and will
not recant anything,
00:13:00.38\00:13:04.45
for to go against conscience
is neither right nor safe.
00:13:04.48\00:13:08.98
Here I stand, I can do
no other, God help me."
00:13:09.02\00:13:13.76
And, Mollie, I know that he
was going against the church
00:13:13.79\00:13:15.49
which was powerful.
00:13:15.52\00:13:16.86
Yeah, the church hierarchy,
the church leadership,
00:13:16.93\00:13:18.86
they come to him
and told him recant...
00:13:18.89\00:13:20.60
Or else. Or else we
will excommunicate you.
00:13:20.63\00:13:23.57
Now just we had
Sabbath School recently.
00:13:23.60\00:13:26.30
And it was in Paul
writing to the Galatians.
00:13:26.33\00:13:32.67
And he used the word,
00:13:32.71\00:13:34.18
"If anybody teach
any other gospel to you
00:13:34.21\00:13:37.05
other than what I
have taught to you,
00:13:37.08\00:13:39.15
let it be a curse, he
used the word, anathema."
00:13:39.18\00:13:41.92
Anathema, that's a
strong, powerful word.
00:13:41.95\00:13:44.52
And what it
means is for the church
00:13:44.55\00:13:47.96
for the ecclesiastical
power to excommunicate you.
00:13:47.99\00:13:51.43
So what the church hierarchy
00:13:51.46\00:13:52.93
was saying to Martin Luther was,
00:13:52.96\00:13:54.33
"We will write
anathema over you.
00:13:54.36\00:13:56.23
We will excommunicate you."
00:13:56.26\00:13:58.17
And that's when he
stood up then and said,
00:13:58.20\00:14:01.70
"Excommunicate me, but..."
00:14:01.74\00:14:04.57
It's almost like he was saying,
00:14:04.61\00:14:05.97
it's better to
obey God than man.
00:14:06.01\00:14:08.34
Oh, absolutely.
00:14:08.38\00:14:09.71
And that changed the
whole course of church history,
00:14:09.74\00:14:13.15
as we know it today.
00:14:13.18\00:14:14.52
Where would we be today without
the Protestant Reformation?
00:14:14.55\00:14:18.82
You're absolutely
right. We're talking now.
00:14:18.85\00:14:20.96
We're already getting into this.
00:14:20.99\00:14:22.32
Why does it
matter for you to stand?
00:14:22.36\00:14:24.86
Why should we take a stand?
00:14:24.89\00:14:26.80
Does it even make a difference?
00:14:26.83\00:14:28.16
Now, obviously, it's
what we're talking here.
00:14:28.20\00:14:29.73
In the case of Martin Luther,
it made a huge difference.
00:14:29.76\00:14:32.33
But why do you think it...
00:14:32.37\00:14:34.27
Why does it matter
if we take a stand?
00:14:34.30\00:14:36.64
And I could say,
"I'm just one person,
00:14:36.71\00:14:38.24
I'm not a Martin Luther."
00:14:38.27\00:14:39.91
Why does it
matter if I take a stand?
00:14:39.94\00:14:42.38
I mean, if you
don't stand for something,
00:14:42.41\00:14:44.08
you'll fall for anything.
00:14:44.15\00:14:45.48
And when you look at
Christ in His life, He stood.
00:14:45.51\00:14:48.95
He came, He spared no expense
to come and die for our sins.
00:14:48.98\00:14:54.82
So for someone who
loves us that much,
00:14:54.86\00:14:59.39
why wouldn't we stand?
00:14:59.43\00:15:01.20
You know, why not stand?
00:15:01.23\00:15:03.23
Amen. That's a
good point. Pastor CA?
00:15:03.26\00:15:05.00
I think, you
know, in your life...
00:15:05.03\00:15:11.07
I'll put it this way,
00:15:11.11\00:15:12.44
to justify your
existence on this planet,
00:15:12.47\00:15:15.64
to justify the
air that you breathe,
00:15:15.68\00:15:17.68
and the space that you take,
and the life that you live,
00:15:17.71\00:15:21.82
you've got to
have some set of rules
00:15:21.85\00:15:26.12
or laws or something
to undergird who you are.
00:15:26.15\00:15:29.96
If not then it's the
Wild West, it's free for all.
00:15:30.03\00:15:32.69
There's got to be something
00:15:32.73\00:15:34.20
that justifies
my existence here.
00:15:34.23\00:15:39.13
I cannot just live for myself
or buy myself or unto myself.
00:15:39.17\00:15:43.14
And once I accept Christ
as the foundation of my life,
00:15:43.17\00:15:48.18
then if I'm going
to be true to myself,
00:15:48.21\00:15:51.68
and true to my God,
00:15:51.71\00:15:53.05
and true to the
world that I inhabit,
00:15:53.08\00:15:57.39
I've got to stand for something.
00:15:57.42\00:15:59.49
My life has got to
have some kind of meaning.
00:15:59.52\00:16:01.59
It's got to stand for something.
00:16:01.62\00:16:03.22
And if I don't
establish rules for myself
00:16:03.26\00:16:07.23
which is my stand
then I'm just here,
00:16:07.30\00:16:09.90
I'm just breathing, I'm living.
00:16:09.93\00:16:12.37
You know, someone said one time,
00:16:12.40\00:16:14.27
said, there are some people
00:16:14.30\00:16:15.64
who will die having never lived.
00:16:15.67\00:16:18.54
If you're going to live,
00:16:18.57\00:16:19.91
it means you're going to have
00:16:19.94\00:16:21.28
to establish your
life on something.
00:16:21.31\00:16:23.38
And once you
find that something,
00:16:23.45\00:16:24.78
it's important that you
stay with that something.
00:16:24.81\00:16:27.05
If it is truth, you
determine that it's a truth
00:16:27.12\00:16:29.75
and then you
establish your life on that.
00:16:29.78\00:16:31.95
And that's what our
living is all about.
00:16:31.99\00:16:34.79
You know, and
it's not just enough
00:16:34.82\00:16:37.13
when we see
something that is wrong for us
00:16:37.16\00:16:40.93
to be offended that
this is taking place.
00:16:40.96\00:16:43.80
We need to make that stand.
00:16:43.87\00:16:45.27
What is it...
00:16:45.30\00:16:46.84
The reason the world
is in the condition...
00:16:46.87\00:16:49.27
Some of the things have happened
00:16:49.30\00:16:50.64
that have happened is
because good men and women
00:16:50.71\00:16:54.28
didn't stand up and say
anything and so things, like,
00:16:54.31\00:16:58.28
had we in this
United States of America,
00:16:58.31\00:17:00.98
had the majority stood
up and spoken would prayer
00:17:01.02\00:17:04.72
have ever been
taken out of the schools.
00:17:04.75\00:17:07.06
See, it's because we
were offended by it perhaps.
00:17:07.09\00:17:11.86
We didn't approve of it perhaps,
00:17:11.89\00:17:13.90
but we didn't say anything.
00:17:13.93\00:17:15.26
We didn't stand up
00:17:15.30\00:17:16.67
and we weren't
counted as CA was saying.
00:17:16.70\00:17:19.63
Why do you think it...
00:17:19.67\00:17:21.00
I wanna say, maybe the motive,
00:17:21.04\00:17:22.60
why wouldn't we
want to stand up?
00:17:22.64\00:17:25.37
Do you think... I'm
not saying this is not...
00:17:25.41\00:17:26.88
If we want to include ourselves
00:17:26.91\00:17:28.24
or just we're talking about
standing, do you think fear?
00:17:28.28\00:17:31.35
Yes, I think fear
would definitely be a factor.
00:17:31.38\00:17:35.42
Maybe be receiving a label
or being considered an outsider
00:17:35.45\00:17:38.82
or being called names
or whatever the case may be
00:17:38.85\00:17:42.86
but, you know, at
the end of the day,
00:17:42.89\00:17:46.33
you have to be able to
live with yourself too.
00:17:46.36\00:17:48.63
And you need to be
able to represent God.
00:17:48.66\00:17:53.74
I think as a human
race we sort of like to be,
00:17:53.77\00:17:55.54
I don't want to say popular,
we all want to be accepted,
00:17:55.57\00:17:58.04
we want to have approval.
00:17:58.07\00:17:59.41
And it's interesting,
00:17:59.44\00:18:00.78
I don't know if
you've ever done this.
00:18:00.81\00:18:02.14
I'd tried this a few times.
00:18:02.18\00:18:03.55
But been like in a busy area
00:18:03.58\00:18:04.91
and just start looking
up at nothing in the sky.
00:18:04.95\00:18:06.48
And you will start
gathering people just to see
00:18:06.51\00:18:08.25
what you're looking at.
00:18:08.28\00:18:09.62
And the more crowd
you get, the more...
00:18:09.65\00:18:12.02
You've tried to
do that, sweetie,
00:18:12.05\00:18:14.29
looking up at
nothing in the sky?
00:18:14.32\00:18:15.72
Well, I've just
pointed at something actually.
00:18:15.76\00:18:17.63
Yes, kind of cool.
00:18:17.66\00:18:19.16
This is the first
time I heard about this.
00:18:19.19\00:18:21.26
Well, I wasn't
experimenting on you.
00:18:21.30\00:18:24.50
Okay, I feel better.
00:18:24.53\00:18:25.87
So it's interesting
though because, you know,
00:18:25.90\00:18:27.64
you get someone that
starts to turn the tide,
00:18:27.67\00:18:29.74
you know, everyone wants to see
00:18:29.77\00:18:31.11
what someone else is
and no one wants to be
00:18:31.14\00:18:32.47
not included.
00:18:32.51\00:18:33.88
Everyone wants to be
included in something,
00:18:33.91\00:18:35.24
and we want to or...
00:18:35.28\00:18:37.28
You know, it's also hard
to, I guess I don't know,
00:18:37.35\00:18:41.28
even with my own self too,
00:18:41.32\00:18:42.68
it's like when someone asks
00:18:42.72\00:18:44.09
in a congregation
everybody to stand,
00:18:44.12\00:18:46.99
I've tried to sit
just for the sake of it.
00:18:47.06\00:18:48.49
And it makes you
feel very uncomfortable
00:18:48.52\00:18:50.16
even though I agree
with what's being said,
00:18:50.23\00:18:51.63
you know, just to
see what it feels like.
00:18:51.66\00:18:52.99
Because then you feel like
everybody is staring at you.
00:18:53.03\00:18:54.56
I don't know whether
everybody is staring at me.
00:18:54.60\00:18:56.30
We just feel like,
"Why is he sitting down?"
00:18:56.33\00:18:58.63
It's interesting
when everybody stands,
00:18:58.67\00:19:00.04
usually everybody stands.
00:19:00.07\00:19:01.40
Everyone has to raise their hand
00:19:01.44\00:19:02.77
and everyone raises their hand.
00:19:02.80\00:19:04.14
It's just interesting
how we are sort of...
00:19:04.17\00:19:05.51
The crowd mentality.
00:19:05.54\00:19:06.88
Oh, there you go.
00:19:06.91\00:19:08.24
As you are told to
make, I don't know,
00:19:08.28\00:19:10.35
to make a stance
sometimes can be scary.
00:19:10.38\00:19:13.08
And possibly not
fear but possibly,
00:19:13.11\00:19:16.25
you know, I'm sure
Jill will take care of that.
00:19:16.28\00:19:19.49
I'm sure Jill will
stand up and so why should I.
00:19:19.52\00:19:22.52
So you wait for
the next person to
00:19:22.56\00:19:24.93
or you wait for
the other person to
00:19:24.96\00:19:26.53
and then it doesn't get done.
00:19:26.56\00:19:29.56
If we'll all do our part,
the whole gets accomplished
00:19:29.60\00:19:32.73
that there is
something for all of us to do.
00:19:32.77\00:19:34.87
You know, I'm
convicted in my soul
00:19:34.90\00:19:39.71
that when you come to Christ,
00:19:39.74\00:19:42.18
one of the
things that He gives you
00:19:42.21\00:19:43.55
is the ability to stand for Him.
00:19:43.58\00:19:47.32
I remember years
ago, we were in Russia.
00:19:47.35\00:19:48.88
And we were on a train
going from Moscow to Nizhny.
00:19:48.92\00:19:52.65
And there, Irma
and I was sitting here
00:19:52.69\00:19:55.16
and there were two
men in business suit
00:19:55.19\00:19:56.52
who's sitting about as
close as Jill and Greg are.
00:19:56.56\00:19:59.59
And during that four hour ride,
00:19:59.63\00:20:00.96
they never made
eye contact with us.
00:20:01.00\00:20:02.33
We were looking for excuse
to try to engage with them.
00:20:02.36\00:20:07.54
And sitting that close,
00:20:07.57\00:20:08.90
you would think your eyes will
make contact just accidentally
00:20:08.94\00:20:11.17
because we're kind of
looking for them to look up.
00:20:11.21\00:20:13.61
They looked out the window,
they looked at the ceiling,
00:20:13.68\00:20:15.04
looked at the floor,
they looked at each other,
00:20:15.08\00:20:16.41
they never looked at us.
00:20:16.44\00:20:17.81
And we found that a lot
that there was this culture
00:20:17.85\00:20:20.52
of just stay below the radar.
00:20:20.55\00:20:22.45
Don't do anything to
make yourself conspicuous
00:20:22.48\00:20:25.32
or obvious, just live
your life and stay quiet.
00:20:25.35\00:20:29.49
And there're Christians I
think who would like to do that,
00:20:29.52\00:20:31.79
don't take a stand,
don't ruffle the feathers.
00:20:31.83\00:20:35.36
But Christ says, "If you
don't stand up for Me on earth,
00:20:35.40\00:20:38.87
then I'm not going to
stand for you before My Father
00:20:38.90\00:20:40.74
which is in heaven."
00:20:40.77\00:20:42.10
So there is a call,
00:20:42.14\00:20:43.51
once we assume
the name of Christ
00:20:43.54\00:20:46.98
that we take all
that comes with that name,
00:20:47.01\00:20:50.38
which means sometimes
standing out in a crowd,
00:20:50.45\00:20:53.62
swimming against the
tide, swimming upstream,
00:20:53.65\00:20:56.89
and being less
popular than you would be
00:20:56.92\00:21:00.69
if you just went
along with everybody else.
00:21:00.76\00:21:02.79
And yet, that's the
call to the Christian
00:21:02.82\00:21:05.09
to stand for Him, for
Jesus which means sometimes
00:21:05.13\00:21:07.90
you're not going to
be a popular person.
00:21:07.93\00:21:09.86
Could you imagine if everyone
00:21:09.90\00:21:11.80
just stuck to
their comfort zone,
00:21:11.83\00:21:15.20
what this life would be like?
00:21:15.24\00:21:16.84
What this world would be like
if everybody was just focused
00:21:16.91\00:21:20.11
on just remaining
in their comfort zone?
00:21:20.18\00:21:23.75
We'd be in a world of trouble.
Yes, we would. Yeah, we would.
00:21:23.78\00:21:26.05
I agree with that.
00:21:26.08\00:21:27.42
And, you know, we're talking
about like the courage to stand
00:21:27.45\00:21:30.59
but in my opinion,
00:21:30.62\00:21:32.55
let's look at what
the opposite of that is.
00:21:32.59\00:21:34.86
What is the opposite of
that? That's compromise.
00:21:34.89\00:21:36.93
It is compromise.
00:21:36.96\00:21:38.29
The opposite of
compromise is courage to stand.
00:21:38.33\00:21:41.13
And what is compromise?
00:21:41.16\00:21:42.70
Let me read you the
definition of compromise.
00:21:42.73\00:21:45.67
"Accepting a standard that
is lower than is desirable."
00:21:45.70\00:21:49.84
Do you know what that
is, lowering your standard.
00:21:49.87\00:21:53.04
You've got a
standard and you'll lower it.
00:21:53.07\00:21:55.54
Compromise, the opposite
of that courage to stand.
00:21:55.58\00:22:00.62
You know, I think about
the... Go ahead, Pastor.
00:22:00.65\00:22:02.05
You were going to
say something? Go ahead.
00:22:02.08\00:22:03.42
No, I was just gonna popping
in a text, I'm in Romans 13:14.
00:22:03.49\00:22:07.96
"But put on the
Lord Jesus Christ,
00:22:07.99\00:22:09.82
and make no provision for
the flesh to fill its lust.
00:22:09.86\00:22:14.03
So the word provision
is a very interesting word,
00:22:14.10\00:22:17.00
and I don't have time
to go through all of it.
00:22:17.07\00:22:18.67
But he's saying, don't
place yourself in situations
00:22:18.70\00:22:22.74
that are going to
mitigate against your success.
00:22:22.77\00:22:25.57
Sometimes you can do things
to almost assure your failure.
00:22:25.61\00:22:28.91
You know, you're living a life,
00:22:28.94\00:22:30.35
you're doing things
you're going to fail.
00:22:30.38\00:22:32.08
Years ago, I
wrote my first book,
00:22:32.11\00:22:34.68
"I Will Fear No Evil".
00:22:34.72\00:22:36.08
And there was
this young lady there
00:22:36.12\00:22:38.19
who was beginning
to come to the Lord,
00:22:38.22\00:22:41.19
married, two
children, and she went out.
00:22:41.22\00:22:44.96
And went to a
party which she had not,
00:22:44.99\00:22:48.70
shouldn't have gone to
00:22:48.73\00:22:50.47
but she had her
first hit of crack.
00:22:50.50\00:22:53.64
Back then, they didn't
know as much about crack
00:22:53.67\00:22:55.90
as they do now.
00:22:55.94\00:22:57.31
One of the
thing they didn't know
00:22:57.34\00:22:58.67
is that you can become
hooked after one sampling,
00:22:58.71\00:23:02.68
terribly hooked and if you
are an addictive personality
00:23:02.71\00:23:05.91
then it's even...
00:23:05.95\00:23:07.32
the exit is even harder.
00:23:07.35\00:23:10.49
So she's hooked now.
00:23:10.52\00:23:12.45
Her husband
leaves, she's by herself,
00:23:12.49\00:23:14.26
she's raising two kids,
00:23:14.29\00:23:15.62
and then she tells a
story of being out late at night
00:23:15.66\00:23:18.83
on a Friday night.
00:23:18.86\00:23:20.20
And she says, "I'm going
to church tomorrow morning.
00:23:20.23\00:23:21.93
In four or five
hours, I'll be in church.
00:23:21.96\00:23:23.77
But here I am in the darkness,
00:23:23.80\00:23:25.13
trolling the streets
trying to get crack."
00:23:25.17\00:23:27.14
Her two kids, young children
are in bed by themselves,
00:23:27.17\00:23:30.14
anything could happen,
00:23:30.21\00:23:31.54
but here I am trying
to get crack late at night
00:23:31.57\00:23:33.31
on a Friday night.
00:23:33.38\00:23:34.71
When she went to that party,
00:23:34.74\00:23:36.08
she never thought
that two years later,
00:23:36.11\00:23:38.18
she'd be out in the
street on Friday night.
00:23:38.21\00:23:40.92
But she made provision for that.
00:23:40.95\00:23:43.79
That Friday night
was prefigured the day
00:23:43.82\00:23:46.12
she went to that party.
00:23:46.15\00:23:48.59
And the train, you make
A decision then B, C, D,
00:23:48.62\00:23:51.46
are made for you.
00:23:51.49\00:23:52.83
You're not in control anymore.
00:23:52.86\00:23:54.23
So he is saying if you want
to stand, don't make provision,
00:23:54.30\00:23:59.03
don't work
against your own success
00:23:59.07\00:24:01.17
which we can sometimes do.
00:24:01.20\00:24:02.70
So when you see things coming,
00:24:02.74\00:24:05.41
you've got to
say, "No" right away.
00:24:05.44\00:24:06.78
You've got to divorce
yourself on that right away
00:24:06.81\00:24:09.24
in your friends,
the places you go,
00:24:09.28\00:24:11.41
the things you do.
00:24:11.45\00:24:12.78
All makes provision for failure.
00:24:12.81\00:24:14.45
And if you want to stand,
00:24:14.48\00:24:15.82
then do things
that will mitigate
00:24:15.85\00:24:17.39
in favor of your success.
00:24:17.42\00:24:19.29
Amen, well said,
Pastor. Yeah, absolutely.
00:24:19.32\00:24:21.79
You know, how do we...
00:24:21.82\00:24:23.63
We'll more fill into this...
00:24:23.66\00:24:24.99
But how do we stand?
00:24:25.03\00:24:26.70
You know, you said
if we want to stand,
00:24:26.73\00:24:28.20
we make no
provision for the flesh.
00:24:28.23\00:24:30.97
I mean, that's powerfully said
00:24:31.00\00:24:32.43
because the choice that
she made going to the party
00:24:32.47\00:24:35.94
affected years down the road.
00:24:35.97\00:24:38.17
And sometimes, I
think when we make a choice,
00:24:38.21\00:24:40.58
we don't realize, "I'm standing
for something at this point."
00:24:40.61\00:24:43.11
You know, I might be saying,
00:24:43.14\00:24:44.48
"Jay, oh, I'm just
making a choice for X, Y or Z."
00:24:44.51\00:24:47.22
You don't
realize the consequences
00:24:47.25\00:24:49.88
that come from that.
00:24:49.92\00:24:51.32
Yeah.
00:24:51.35\00:24:52.69
And by not making a choice,
00:24:52.72\00:24:54.06
you're making a choice
till you're taking a stance.
00:24:54.09\00:24:56.49
I'd like to share with you guys,
00:24:56.52\00:24:57.86
1 Corinthians 16:13, 14
00:24:57.89\00:25:01.53
and this is from the
New King James Version.
00:25:01.56\00:25:04.60
Let me just get that.
1 Corinthians 16:13, 14.
00:25:04.63\00:25:11.37
My Bible's King James so I
had the printed on out here.
00:25:11.41\00:25:15.94
Are you guys
there? Yep. All right.
00:25:15.98\00:25:17.55
"Watch, stand fast in the faith,
00:25:17.58\00:25:20.12
be brave, be strong.
00:25:20.15\00:25:21.95
Let all that you
do be done with love."
00:25:21.98\00:25:25.05
You know, there is a right
way and a wrong way to stand.
00:25:25.09\00:25:29.66
When taking a stance,
00:25:29.69\00:25:31.03
you should be
representing Christ
00:25:31.06\00:25:32.73
and not misrepresenting Christ.
00:25:32.76\00:25:36.40
So at the end, it says,
00:25:36.43\00:25:38.50
"Let all that you
do be done with love."
00:25:38.53\00:25:42.00
You know, you can take a stance,
00:25:42.04\00:25:44.47
you see some
people take a stance
00:25:44.51\00:25:46.78
where it's law,
law, law, law, law,
00:25:46.81\00:25:49.94
similar to the Pharisees.
00:25:49.98\00:25:51.68
And then you see some that are
love, love, love, love, love.
00:25:51.71\00:25:56.05
But Christ had a
balanced portion,
00:25:56.08\00:26:02.06
very balanced.
00:26:02.09\00:26:03.43
And that's extremely important,
00:26:03.46\00:26:06.33
you know, you
have to take a stance
00:26:06.36\00:26:08.83
where you accurately represent
the character of Christ.
00:26:08.86\00:26:12.60
That's true.
00:26:12.63\00:26:13.97
You think about
Jesus overlooking,
00:26:14.04\00:26:15.47
remember the triumphal entry
00:26:15.50\00:26:17.61
coming over the Mount of Olives,
00:26:17.64\00:26:19.04
and He uttered
those scathing rebuke
00:26:19.07\00:26:21.41
with tears in His voice.
00:26:21.44\00:26:23.04
"Oh, Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, how much I loved you
00:26:23.08\00:26:26.08
and I would have
gathered you under my arms
00:26:26.11\00:26:27.98
as a mother hen
gathers her chicks."
00:26:28.02\00:26:30.82
But you would not do that,
00:26:30.89\00:26:32.52
so making those
statements and stance
00:26:32.55\00:26:34.69
but with love, it's important.
00:26:34.72\00:26:36.16
Yes, Mollie.
00:26:36.19\00:26:37.53
Well, I've got 1
Corinthians 10:13...
00:26:37.56\00:26:40.20
Yeah, that's a good one
too. We'll look at that.
00:26:40.23\00:26:42.86
And it's talking
about temptation.
00:26:42.90\00:26:45.13
1 Corinthians 10:13. Yeah.
00:26:45.17\00:26:46.67
And how many of you been tempted
00:26:46.74\00:26:48.60
and we're tempted perhaps too,
00:26:48.64\00:26:52.41
this lady was tempted to do
00:26:52.44\00:26:53.81
that first hit of crack cocaine.
00:26:53.88\00:26:56.51
You can look at
the man in the gutter.
00:26:56.54\00:27:01.58
We call them gutter
alcoholics, I guess.
00:27:01.62\00:27:04.19
And realize if that man had
never taken the first drink,
00:27:04.22\00:27:08.79
he wouldn't be there today.
00:27:08.82\00:27:10.33
And you are
being tempted to take
00:27:10.36\00:27:11.99
that first drink not realizing
00:27:12.03\00:27:14.10
that is where you
could very easily wind up,
00:27:14.13\00:27:18.97
that courage to stand in
the face of this temptation.
00:27:19.00\00:27:22.67
But we are so blessed that
the scripture tells us that,
00:27:22.70\00:27:25.74
"No temptation has overtaken us
00:27:25.77\00:27:28.78
except such as is common to man,
00:27:28.81\00:27:31.51
but God is faithful,
00:27:31.55\00:27:33.21
who will not
allow you to be tempted
00:27:33.25\00:27:35.25
beyond what you are able,
00:27:35.28\00:27:36.62
but with the temptation will
also make the way of escape,
00:27:36.69\00:27:42.66
that you may be
able to bear it."
00:27:42.69\00:27:44.73
That is so encouraging
to me to know that no matter
00:27:44.76\00:27:48.26
what the situation,
God is there with me.
00:27:48.30\00:27:50.87
And He will make me an overcomer
00:27:50.90\00:27:53.00
in the midst of this situation.
00:27:53.03\00:27:55.07
Give me that
courage to stand. Yes. Amen.
00:27:55.10\00:27:58.21
I think one of the
things that help you to stand
00:27:58.24\00:28:00.18
also is associating yourself
with brothers and sisters
00:28:00.21\00:28:03.85
who will walk in the
same way you're walking.
00:28:03.88\00:28:05.21
Amen.
00:28:05.25\00:28:06.58
I'm in 1 John
00:28:06.61\00:28:08.78
1:7,
00:28:08.82\00:28:14.06
"But if we walk in the light
00:28:14.09\00:28:19.86
as He is in the light,
00:28:19.89\00:28:21.66
we have
fellowship with one another,
00:28:21.70\00:28:23.57
and the blood of Christ His
Son cleanses us from all sin."
00:28:23.60\00:28:28.74
Now what is light?
00:28:28.77\00:28:30.21
Well, two verses before in
1 John 1:5, the Bible says,
00:28:30.24\00:28:35.28
"God is light."
00:28:35.31\00:28:36.64
Amen.
00:28:36.68\00:28:38.01
So what you've got to
do is stay in the light
00:28:38.05\00:28:41.45
and out of the shadows.
00:28:41.48\00:28:43.99
The other day, I
went in the bathroom,
00:28:44.02\00:28:45.72
turned the light,
00:28:45.75\00:28:47.09
there was a fairly
large spider in the bathroom.
00:28:47.16\00:28:50.03
And it headed for the dark.
00:28:50.06\00:28:51.69
Now anybody knows me,
particularly my wife knows me
00:28:51.73\00:28:54.30
and bugs just cannot
be in the same place.
00:28:54.33\00:28:56.23
I was going to
tear that bathroom apart
00:28:56.26\00:28:57.60
trying to get that one spider.
00:28:57.63\00:28:58.97
You were after that spider.
00:28:59.00\00:29:00.34
Yeah, he wasn't
invited, he didn't have a key,
00:29:00.37\00:29:02.17
he shouldn't have been there.
00:29:02.20\00:29:03.54
So he had to go.
00:29:03.61\00:29:05.17
But he headed for the dark.
00:29:05.21\00:29:06.61
So I moved a wastebasket,
00:29:06.68\00:29:08.38
then he scooted
under the plunger,
00:29:08.41\00:29:10.08
then he scooted under
the toilet bowl cleaner.
00:29:10.15\00:29:12.88
But, you know,
I'm throwing things,
00:29:12.91\00:29:14.32
'cause he's got to go.
00:29:14.35\00:29:16.92
So I got it, you know,
00:29:16.99\00:29:18.32
but he was heading for the dark.
00:29:18.35\00:29:21.12
He did not want
to be in the light.
00:29:21.16\00:29:22.49
And I thought about that
that there are some people
00:29:22.52\00:29:24.69
who actually run from light.
00:29:24.73\00:29:26.53
They become
accustomed to darkness.
00:29:26.56\00:29:29.30
So one of the things
you want to do to mitigate
00:29:29.33\00:29:31.30
in favor of your
standing is stay in the light.
00:29:31.33\00:29:34.74
Don't head for the darkness.
00:29:34.77\00:29:36.10
One of the things
that the Spirit gives you
00:29:36.14\00:29:37.51
when you come to
the Lord is discernment.
00:29:37.54\00:29:39.37
You begin to...
00:29:39.41\00:29:41.21
And it's not
perfect but you grow.
00:29:41.24\00:29:42.84
You can say,
"This is going to help,
00:29:42.88\00:29:45.11
this is going to hurt.
00:29:45.15\00:29:46.48
This is going to build me up,
this is going to tear me down.
00:29:46.51\00:29:49.12
This friend is going
to lead me to Christ,
00:29:49.15\00:29:50.69
this friend is
going to take me away."
00:29:50.72\00:29:52.05
So you begin making
changes in your life
00:29:52.09\00:29:54.69
on the basis of is it
light or is it darkness.
00:29:54.72\00:29:57.86
And it does mean something
you have to just jettison.
00:29:57.89\00:30:00.43
Certain things you got
to just get out of your life
00:30:00.50\00:30:02.03
'cause they're
not going to help you.
00:30:02.06\00:30:03.40
But always pursue light.
00:30:03.47\00:30:04.97
And if you walk in the light,
00:30:05.00\00:30:06.40
you'll find nice people to
walk in the light with you.
00:30:06.43\00:30:08.50
Amen. And you
walk together in light.
00:30:08.54\00:30:10.91
So you get
fellowship with one another
00:30:10.94\00:30:12.57
but you also get the
blessing of the presence of God
00:30:12.61\00:30:14.68
which makes you
stronger so that you do stand.
00:30:14.71\00:30:17.48
That's excellent.
Yeah, excellent advice.
00:30:17.55\00:30:19.68
And Mollie, I'm thinking too,
00:30:19.71\00:30:21.05
I'm sure there's
someone that's watching
00:30:21.08\00:30:22.42
that is maybe on
that line of trying
00:30:22.45\00:30:24.62
to figure out.
00:30:24.65\00:30:25.99
Do I accept Jesus or do I not?
00:30:26.02\00:30:27.96
If I accept Jesus, my
life is going to have to change
00:30:27.99\00:30:31.26
and we're going to have to
go from the dark for the light.
00:30:31.29\00:30:33.40
So any encouragement
that you could give to them
00:30:33.43\00:30:35.43
because, you know, it's
hard to make that stance.
00:30:35.46\00:30:38.07
You know, I was
raised in a Christian home,
00:30:38.10\00:30:39.63
you know, but
still there's choices
00:30:39.67\00:30:41.00
we have to make.
00:30:41.04\00:30:42.37
But I know someone I'm sure
00:30:42.40\00:30:43.74
is struggling going
from dark into light.
00:30:43.81\00:30:45.14
Should I go?
00:30:45.17\00:30:46.51
Ugh? My whole life
is going to change.
00:30:46.54\00:30:47.94
Well, you know, in
thinking about that,
00:30:47.98\00:30:52.11
men love
darkness rather than light
00:30:52.15\00:30:55.22
but if you are
even contemplating this
00:30:55.25\00:31:00.96
coming out of
darkness and into light.
00:31:00.99\00:31:03.46
That is the power of the
Holy Spirit convicting you.
00:31:03.53\00:31:07.00
See, the purpose
of the Holy Spirit
00:31:07.03\00:31:09.13
is to draw you out of
darkness and into light.
00:31:09.16\00:31:12.10
That means that God
in His infinite power
00:31:12.13\00:31:15.50
and mercy sees you
and knows you personally
00:31:15.54\00:31:19.31
and is personally drawing you.
00:31:19.34\00:31:22.44
And standing at the doorpost
of your heart and knocking.
00:31:22.48\00:31:27.22
All you have to
do is open that door.
00:31:27.25\00:31:29.25
And you think, "Oh,
I could never quit this
00:31:29.28\00:31:31.45
or I could never quit this."
00:31:31.49\00:31:32.82
Oh, yes, you can,
00:31:32.85\00:31:34.19
with the power of God at work
in your life and helping you.
00:31:34.26\00:31:37.56
God is more interested,
it concerns Him more,
00:31:37.63\00:31:40.70
He cares more that
you will have an eternity
00:31:40.73\00:31:44.17
in His presence than you do.
00:31:44.20\00:31:46.00
God loves you.
00:31:46.03\00:31:47.37
He loves you so much,
He gave His life for you.
00:31:47.44\00:31:50.61
The life of His
only begotten Son
00:31:50.64\00:31:52.94
and now He's drawing you,
00:31:52.97\00:31:54.81
He's wooing you.
00:31:54.84\00:31:56.18
That's God working in your life.
00:31:56.21\00:31:57.91
All you have to do
is just yield to that,
00:31:57.95\00:32:00.98
say yes to God and
just watch the mighty,
00:32:01.02\00:32:04.09
the might change,
00:32:04.12\00:32:06.15
the revolution is
going to happen in your life.
00:32:06.19\00:32:08.69
Amen. Amen. Well
said, Mollie, yeah.
00:32:08.72\00:32:10.96
What an encouragement.
00:32:10.99\00:32:12.33
If you think about it,
00:32:12.36\00:32:13.70
just basically it's
to surrender, isn't it?
00:32:13.73\00:32:15.60
Because, you know, I
think humanly we at times worry,
00:32:15.63\00:32:17.83
"Oh, boy, let's see.
00:32:17.87\00:32:19.20
My friends will
probably have to change.
00:32:19.23\00:32:21.70
What am I going to
do on the weekends?"
00:32:21.74\00:32:24.14
You know, all that type of stuff
00:32:24.21\00:32:25.54
or just think
they could be changed.
00:32:25.57\00:32:26.91
Absolutely.
00:32:26.94\00:32:28.28
But think about...
00:32:28.31\00:32:29.64
Remember before you
met and you all may not
00:32:29.68\00:32:31.15
because you all may
have become Christians
00:32:31.18\00:32:32.51
early in your life.
00:32:32.55\00:32:33.92
I was 26 years old
00:32:33.95\00:32:35.38
and I was like this
basically good person,
00:32:35.42\00:32:37.95
I didn't smoke, drink, you know,
00:32:37.99\00:32:39.32
I've told Jill all this before.
00:32:39.35\00:32:41.19
And I was second
grade Sunday school teacher.
00:32:41.22\00:32:44.13
So, you know, I will, but...
00:32:44.16\00:32:45.66
You were in church.
00:32:45.69\00:32:47.03
I was in church, but I
hadn't even made Jesus Christ
00:32:47.10\00:32:50.17
the Lord of my life,
00:32:50.20\00:32:51.53
but when I made Jesus
Christ the Lord of my life,
00:32:51.57\00:32:54.14
my whole life changed.
00:32:54.17\00:32:56.00
There was a
working power within me
00:32:56.04\00:32:58.47
that hadn't been there before.
00:32:58.51\00:33:00.28
Things that were
dull became bright.
00:33:00.31\00:33:03.65
And yeah, I lost
some of my friends,
00:33:03.68\00:33:07.15
but all the new
friends that I have gained.
00:33:07.22\00:33:08.55
Think what you've
gained. That's right.
00:33:08.58\00:33:09.92
Look at what you've gained.
00:33:09.95\00:33:11.29
There always God before you...
00:33:11.32\00:33:12.65
Who can be against you?
Nobody can be against you.
00:33:12.69\00:33:16.09
Amen. Powerful.
00:33:16.12\00:33:17.46
I'm thinking of Roman 12.
00:33:17.53\00:33:19.73
It talks about one
of the verses in there
00:33:19.76\00:33:21.90
as much as lies in you.
00:33:21.93\00:33:23.70
"Live peaceably with all men."
00:33:23.77\00:33:26.17
And so how do we put
those two concepts together.
00:33:26.20\00:33:30.84
We're talking about
the courage to stand,
00:33:30.91\00:33:32.94
and making sure we
stand as men and women of God.
00:33:32.97\00:33:37.08
And stand for
principle and not compromise
00:33:37.15\00:33:40.12
as the opposite would be.
00:33:40.15\00:33:41.48
But in the midst of that,
00:33:41.52\00:33:42.92
I'm also supposed to as
much as possible live at peace
00:33:42.95\00:33:46.25
with my brothers and sisters.
00:33:46.29\00:33:47.76
So if I'm to live at
peace with my husband Greg,
00:33:47.79\00:33:50.43
that would indicate then
00:33:50.46\00:33:52.66
that there has to be
some compromise, right?
00:33:52.69\00:33:55.13
It's not all my
way or not all his way,
00:33:55.16\00:33:57.87
right, in a marriage.
00:33:57.90\00:33:59.23
You have some
of that compromise.
00:33:59.27\00:34:00.94
So does that mean that
compromise is always wrong?
00:34:00.97\00:34:05.97
So in other words,
I can't start a riot
00:34:06.01\00:34:08.14
for one of my beliefs.
00:34:08.18\00:34:11.85
You know...
00:34:11.88\00:34:13.21
Live peaceably with all men.
00:34:13.25\00:34:14.58
Right, so does that mean
there is a time for compromise.
00:34:14.62\00:34:17.39
And if so when would be
the time for compromise?
00:34:17.42\00:34:21.22
Well, that's deep.
00:34:21.26\00:34:23.86
I think that when you
are peaceably among men,
00:34:23.93\00:34:29.66
you have to make sure that
you stand firm in your belief
00:34:29.70\00:34:34.34
but also recognize that God,
00:34:34.37\00:34:37.01
that Jesus Christ
has given us the choice
00:34:37.04\00:34:40.08
on whether or not
we choose to serve Him.
00:34:40.11\00:34:43.11
We do right by Him first.
00:34:43.14\00:34:46.28
And you know, if it involves
us abstaining from something,
00:34:46.31\00:34:52.42
we don't have to
push that on them.
00:34:52.45\00:34:53.99
If they choose to go
at different direction
00:34:54.06\00:34:55.99
then that's their choice.
00:34:56.02\00:34:57.36
Yeah, that's true.
00:34:57.43\00:34:58.76
But by our example,
00:34:58.79\00:35:00.13
we can still live
peacefully among them,
00:35:00.16\00:35:03.47
we just choose
not to do something,
00:35:03.50\00:35:06.40
does that make sense?
00:35:06.43\00:35:07.77
Yeah, it does.
00:35:07.80\00:35:09.64
You know, 'cause I
know we'll have persecution.
00:35:09.67\00:35:11.01
You know, because, you know,
00:35:11.04\00:35:12.37
Seventh-day
Adventist Christians,
00:35:12.41\00:35:13.78
you know, we are
standing on the Bible
00:35:13.81\00:35:15.14
and you know there's opposition.
00:35:15.18\00:35:16.51
You know, today, I
think of Martin Luther.
00:35:16.54\00:35:18.31
When he nailed that to the door,
00:35:18.35\00:35:19.68
I don't think,
Mollie, that he had an idea of
00:35:19.71\00:35:21.88
how that great
reformation will come from that.
00:35:21.92\00:35:23.89
I don't think he did.
00:35:23.92\00:35:25.25
But you know, by one
person taking a stand,
00:35:25.29\00:35:26.89
there was
opposition that came to it.
00:35:26.96\00:35:30.23
Yeah, that's a
great question actually.
00:35:30.26\00:35:31.59
How do you live
peaceably with all men?
00:35:31.63\00:35:32.96
I don't think it was on purpose
that he caused a big uproar,
00:35:32.99\00:35:35.40
it's just he took a stand
and then the devil realized
00:35:35.43\00:35:37.90
that and he took his arrows
and try to fight against it.
00:35:37.93\00:35:40.57
And don't you think,
00:35:40.64\00:35:41.97
I know Mollie is
getting ready to say something.
00:35:42.00\00:35:43.34
Don't you think
that the Bible says
00:35:43.37\00:35:44.71
as much as lieth in you, right?
00:35:44.74\00:35:46.34
So it doesn't say that...
00:35:46.37\00:35:47.71
Oh, I get your point.
00:35:47.74\00:35:49.08
You live peaceably
all the time, right?
00:35:49.11\00:35:50.85
Because to me if you like
the temperature 75 degrees
00:35:50.88\00:35:55.12
and I like it 78 or whatever,
okay, that's a mood point.
00:35:55.15\00:35:58.75
That is not a
biblical issue, okay?
00:35:58.79\00:36:00.76
So to me that we live peaceably,
00:36:00.79\00:36:02.59
that's a compromise.
00:36:02.62\00:36:03.96
76 degrees.
00:36:04.03\00:36:05.36
If it is...
00:36:05.39\00:36:06.73
Right, if it is a
matter of principle...
00:36:06.76\00:36:08.10
Yeah, difference.
00:36:08.13\00:36:09.46
Something that's
from the Word of God,
00:36:09.50\00:36:12.17
we are required to
stand by what God says.
00:36:12.20\00:36:14.90
Yeah, absolutely.
I'm sorry, Mollie.
00:36:14.94\00:36:16.27
See that was the only
point I was going to make
00:36:16.30\00:36:17.94
was that depends on
what you are compromising.
00:36:17.97\00:36:21.24
That's correct.
00:36:21.28\00:36:22.61
You never
compromise the Word of God,
00:36:22.64\00:36:24.51
you never compromise truth,
00:36:24.55\00:36:25.88
you never compromise the
integrity of your character
00:36:25.91\00:36:28.78
because that is again
lowering your standard.
00:36:28.82\00:36:32.62
And there is a
gentleman, it was Hacksaw Ridge,
00:36:32.65\00:36:34.72
I know his last name was Doss.
00:36:34.76\00:36:36.56
Desmond Doss.
00:36:36.59\00:36:37.93
Wow, I couldn't
remember Desmond,
00:36:37.96\00:36:39.29
I don't know,
okay, did he compromise?
00:36:39.33\00:36:42.46
No, he did not.
00:36:42.50\00:36:43.87
See in the face of all...
00:36:43.90\00:36:45.23
If you read this man's...
00:36:45.27\00:36:48.14
What he experienced
with his fellow soldiers
00:36:48.17\00:36:51.47
and he's absolute,
he would not compromise.
00:36:51.51\00:36:56.31
And because he
didn't compromise,
00:36:56.34\00:36:59.01
look at how God honored him.
00:36:59.05\00:37:00.42
And that's one of the
scriptures that I have.
00:37:00.45\00:37:02.42
Well, if you stand for
God, He will reward you
00:37:02.45\00:37:05.12
and He will bless you.
00:37:05.15\00:37:06.49
So because Desmond
Doss didn't compromise,
00:37:06.52\00:37:10.13
because he stood for truth,
00:37:10.16\00:37:12.86
then look at
some of those soldiers
00:37:12.89\00:37:16.77
that had persecuted him.
00:37:16.80\00:37:19.17
He saved their lives by
the power of God working,
00:37:19.20\00:37:23.07
you know, through him.
00:37:23.10\00:37:24.44
And so because of
him not compromising,
00:37:24.47\00:37:27.81
now these men
that had saw his stand,
00:37:27.84\00:37:32.31
do you know they
got a whole introduction
00:37:32.35\00:37:35.28
to what a true Christian is.
00:37:35.32\00:37:36.69
Yeah, amen. What a
testimony and witness.
00:37:36.72\00:37:39.05
Pastor CA?
00:37:39.09\00:37:41.26
Proverbs says,
Proverbs 16, I think 7,
00:37:41.29\00:37:44.93
"When a man's
ways pleases the Lord,
00:37:44.96\00:37:46.49
he causeth even his enemies
to be at peace with him."
00:37:46.53\00:37:50.20
So your first
obligation is to please God.
00:37:50.27\00:37:54.87
Amen.
00:37:54.90\00:37:56.24
The truth is because
you pleased the Lord,
00:37:56.27\00:37:59.91
there are some who you
will de facto displease,
00:37:59.94\00:38:05.11
for so
persecuted they the prophets
00:38:05.15\00:38:07.12
which were before you.
00:38:07.15\00:38:09.18
So since your life is
at enmity with the world,
00:38:09.22\00:38:13.46
there are some
elements of the world
00:38:13.49\00:38:14.89
that will never be
pleased with your life.
00:38:14.92\00:38:17.63
That you cannot do too much
00:38:17.66\00:38:20.00
about except
continue to serve the Lord.
00:38:20.03\00:38:22.46
And when upfronted or confronted
00:38:22.50\00:38:26.67
to lead with Jesus.
00:38:26.74\00:38:28.97
But the truth is
that righteousness
00:38:29.00\00:38:32.57
is a rebuke to unrighteousness.
00:38:32.61\00:38:35.54
So as you're living your life,
00:38:35.58\00:38:36.95
you're gonna come
up to against people
00:38:36.98\00:38:39.08
who may not
necessarily dislike you,
00:38:39.11\00:38:41.38
it's the righteousness
that they see in you.
00:38:41.42\00:38:43.69
Your light shining kind
of highlights their darkness.
00:38:43.72\00:38:46.86
So you have to lead with
Jesus under the realization
00:38:46.89\00:38:50.63
that everybody is
not going to be pleased
00:38:50.66\00:38:52.29
with what you do.
00:38:52.33\00:38:53.70
So your first obligation
is to God and to live for God.
00:38:53.73\00:38:57.40
And to live as
Christ asks you to live.
00:38:57.47\00:38:59.70
There will be some
00:38:59.73\00:39:01.07
who that light will
actually shine on them
00:39:01.10\00:39:02.90
and make them want
to come to that light.
00:39:02.94\00:39:04.91
But there were
some like that spider
00:39:04.94\00:39:06.78
that would run from that light
00:39:06.81\00:39:09.31
and just fine
light too much for them
00:39:09.34\00:39:11.41
to bear at that point in time.
00:39:11.45\00:39:12.78
And it's not the
light's fault. No.
00:39:12.81\00:39:14.15
I mean, you know, it's
a choice. It just exposes.
00:39:14.22\00:39:17.32
Jay, you were going
to say something. Sorry.
00:39:17.39\00:39:19.09
Yeah, well, Pastor Murray
definitely touched on that.
00:39:19.12\00:39:22.89
With the fact that
light exposes darkness,
00:39:22.92\00:39:25.36
you know, sometimes
having come out of the world,
00:39:25.39\00:39:29.00
I used to be in the world,
00:39:29.03\00:39:30.37
I left the church when I was 14.
00:39:30.40\00:39:32.83
I still had to go to
church but I wasn't there
00:39:32.87\00:39:35.30
and not there for
the right reasons.
00:39:35.34\00:39:38.21
But having come out of that
and, you know, seeing friends
00:39:38.24\00:39:42.61
that I used to have
when I was in the world,
00:39:42.64\00:39:45.81
and them seeing
the difference not
00:39:45.85\00:39:48.45
because of
anything that I have done
00:39:48.48\00:39:50.12
but because God's
been working on me.
00:39:50.19\00:39:52.32
And the Holy Spirit is
been working on my heart.
00:39:52.35\00:39:55.89
They feel
uncomfortable using profanity.
00:39:55.92\00:39:58.76
They feel, you know,
00:39:58.79\00:40:00.13
it's because the light
is exposing their darkness.
00:40:00.20\00:40:04.97
I mean, it's humbling,
00:40:05.00\00:40:07.44
you know, to see
that, so that's...
00:40:07.47\00:40:10.54
You were willing to surrender,
I mean, that's the key.
00:40:10.61\00:40:13.21
That's it. That is the key.
00:40:13.24\00:40:14.58
You know what, God was
calling out for your heart
00:40:14.61\00:40:16.11
and you were willing to say,
00:40:16.14\00:40:17.48
"Yes, Lord, I
want to follow You.
00:40:17.55\00:40:19.08
Yes, I want to
stand for You." Amen.
00:40:19.11\00:40:23.22
Yeah, I like Jason too earlier
you were mentioning about
00:40:23.25\00:40:25.55
it's how we stand too.
00:40:25.59\00:40:27.59
Because it seems
like in this day and age
00:40:27.66\00:40:29.09
with all the
social media and stuff,
00:40:29.12\00:40:30.46
people are trying
to make statements.
00:40:30.53\00:40:32.36
You know,
there's an obscure person
00:40:32.39\00:40:34.03
that we don't know,
00:40:34.10\00:40:35.43
all of a sudden
becomes an internet sensation
00:40:35.46\00:40:37.87
because of
something, maybe even evil
00:40:37.90\00:40:39.77
that they have done.
00:40:39.80\00:40:41.14
You know, and
sometimes we understand
00:40:41.17\00:40:42.50
that they want to make
a statement of some sort.
00:40:42.54\00:40:44.87
So, you know, even in religion,
00:40:44.91\00:40:46.61
you know, or some type
of conviction that we have.
00:40:46.68\00:40:48.81
I think one of the
most powerful things
00:40:48.84\00:40:50.55
is the way we live our
life on a day-to-day basis.
00:40:50.58\00:40:54.35
And not look for the attention,
and not look for any of that.
00:40:54.38\00:40:57.09
And I think as Christians,
all of us can do that.
00:40:57.12\00:41:00.09
One thing that Satan seeks
to do is divide and conquer.
00:41:00.16\00:41:02.86
Yes.
00:41:02.89\00:41:04.23
And, you know, as he's
seeking to divide and conquer,
00:41:04.26\00:41:09.03
it can enter into
the church as well.
00:41:09.06\00:41:10.60
Oh, he can.
00:41:10.67\00:41:12.00
You know, his thing is to
be an accuser of the brethren,
00:41:12.03\00:41:15.40
you know, and we
have to recognize
00:41:15.44\00:41:18.37
that we're not the Holy Spirit,
00:41:18.41\00:41:21.24
nor can we do the
Holy Spirit's job.
00:41:21.28\00:41:24.15
We don't know
men's heart or motives.
00:41:24.18\00:41:28.05
You know, the Bible
says, "By their fruits,
00:41:28.08\00:41:29.62
you shall know them."
00:41:29.65\00:41:31.62
So in those instances,
00:41:31.65\00:41:32.99
like internet
sensations and stuff like that,
00:41:33.02\00:41:35.06
it's like, "What are
you trying to accomplish"
00:41:35.09\00:41:41.13
in that sense, you know.
00:41:41.16\00:41:43.16
"Are you trying
to bring glory to God
00:41:43.20\00:41:45.30
or are you taking a
Pharisee type approach."
00:41:45.33\00:41:51.07
Well, I think there's some
people that are in our church,
00:41:51.11\00:41:52.51
you know, they've
come in barely less than
00:41:52.54\00:41:53.88
maybe three have
been radio watching 3ABN
00:41:53.91\00:41:55.68
and we know their
testimony very well.
00:41:55.71\00:41:57.68
You know, they take a stance.
00:41:57.71\00:41:59.05
They are the only
one in their family.
00:41:59.08\00:42:00.42
They believe that
Saturday is the Sabbath.
00:42:00.45\00:42:02.38
And so they make a stance.
00:42:02.42\00:42:03.79
And maybe their family may
not necessarily persecute them
00:42:03.82\00:42:05.99
but definitely don't
agree with their stance.
00:42:06.02\00:42:09.29
And that has to be hard.
00:42:09.32\00:42:10.73
I don't know what that's like
00:42:10.76\00:42:12.09
because I grew up in the
Seventh-day Adventist home.
00:42:12.13\00:42:13.90
But I know that
making decisions like that...
00:42:13.93\00:42:16.67
I don't know.
00:42:16.70\00:42:18.03
It has to be hard
but at the same time,
00:42:18.07\00:42:19.40
there's got to be great peace.
00:42:19.43\00:42:20.94
You know that, because you know
00:42:20.97\00:42:22.30
like you all have been
talking about is truth.
00:42:22.34\00:42:24.51
We're falling where God is
asking us to do in the Bible.
00:42:24.54\00:42:26.71
And you can't
go wrong with that.
00:42:26.78\00:42:28.11
So there is peace
with following God,
00:42:28.14\00:42:29.91
though maybe our
family or friends
00:42:29.94\00:42:32.91
maybe persecute us
in a certain sense.
00:42:32.95\00:42:36.72
Do you have something, Mollie?
00:42:36.79\00:42:38.12
Well, I just
recalled when Hal and I
00:42:38.15\00:42:41.49
came out of
darkness and into light,
00:42:41.52\00:42:43.73
you know, we
didn't just make Jesus
00:42:43.76\00:42:46.16
the Lord of our life, we
got born-again, born-again.
00:42:46.19\00:42:48.90
We were headed
in this direction,
00:42:48.93\00:42:50.50
all of a sudden we were
headed in this direction.
00:42:50.57\00:42:52.67
Well, as long as we were
headed in this direction,
00:42:52.70\00:42:55.14
in the wrong direction,
we were kind of rocking along
00:42:55.17\00:42:57.87
with lot of our
friends, loved ones.
00:42:57.91\00:43:00.78
And they liked us,
00:43:00.81\00:43:02.91
you know, maybe they
could say it would be good
00:43:02.94\00:43:05.38
if they quit doing some of
this or doing some of this.
00:43:05.41\00:43:07.95
But then when we've made the...
00:43:07.98\00:43:09.98
Not just a little change
00:43:10.02\00:43:11.35
but the 100% change
00:43:11.39\00:43:13.46
started following
the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:43:13.49\00:43:15.79
Then they were...
00:43:15.82\00:43:18.49
I don't know if it brought
00:43:18.53\00:43:19.86
conviction to
their what, harder heart,
00:43:19.89\00:43:21.23
but then they thought
00:43:21.26\00:43:23.20
we were just
going way overboard.
00:43:23.23\00:43:25.13
There is no need for us
00:43:25.17\00:43:26.50
to have to go down
to Lakeland, Florida,
00:43:26.53\00:43:28.44
and go to
college and be preachers.
00:43:28.47\00:43:30.41
We were going into the ministry.
00:43:30.44\00:43:31.84
Well, why do
you have to do that?
00:43:31.87\00:43:33.21
You don't have to lead.
00:43:33.24\00:43:35.11
And they had
all of these reasons
00:43:35.14\00:43:36.95
coming against us, telling us
00:43:36.98\00:43:38.31
why we shouldn't
do what we were doing,
00:43:38.35\00:43:40.22
but we knew we have
to be obedient to God.
00:43:40.25\00:43:43.12
Give our life to the Lord.
00:43:43.15\00:43:44.55
And I've told
you all this earlier,
00:43:44.59\00:43:47.36
they said, "Leave them alone.
00:43:47.39\00:43:49.22
It'll pass over."
00:43:49.26\00:43:52.19
And Hal and I at the
time would laughingly say,
00:43:52.23\00:43:54.73
"Yeah, all not
only did pass over,
00:43:54.76\00:43:56.40
Passover is when
we got born-again."
00:43:56.43\00:43:58.60
Not only did at Pentecost,
00:43:58.63\00:44:00.07
when you receive the
infilling of the Holy Spirit,
00:44:00.14\00:44:02.40
but it's going to
tabernacle as well.
00:44:02.44\00:44:04.37
We are serving God
with all of our heart.
00:44:04.41\00:44:06.27
Amen. Amen.
00:44:06.31\00:44:08.21
You know, I think it is...
00:44:08.24\00:44:10.95
Can I say foolish to believe
that your standing for the Lord
00:44:10.98\00:44:14.12
will not
occasion some separation
00:44:14.15\00:44:16.05
between you and old
friends and old habits?
00:44:16.08\00:44:17.42
Yes.
00:44:17.49\00:44:18.82
That's a default setting
when you're coming into Christ
00:44:18.85\00:44:20.66
that there's going
to be some separation
00:44:20.69\00:44:23.19
for those who're
walking in the light
00:44:23.22\00:44:24.86
from those who are
walking in darkness.
00:44:24.89\00:44:27.96
And that has to be...
00:44:28.00\00:44:30.70
And we are talking
about how to keep standing.
00:44:30.77\00:44:35.34
The truth is you
are what you eat.
00:44:35.37\00:44:37.74
It was years
ago, Mike Warnke said,
00:44:37.77\00:44:39.54
"If you eat fat, greasy food,
00:44:39.57\00:44:41.31
you're going to be
a fat greasy dude."
00:44:41.34\00:44:42.88
You know, you are what you eat.
00:44:42.91\00:44:45.38
So you've got to
change your appetites.
00:44:45.41\00:44:48.02
You got to change the
things that you consume.
00:44:48.05\00:44:51.15
If you want to stand,
00:44:51.19\00:44:52.52
you've got to get in the Word
and then get the Word in you.
00:44:52.55\00:44:55.12
Yes. That's going
to help you stand.
00:44:55.16\00:44:57.53
That will give
you a fortification
00:44:57.56\00:45:00.33
that you will need to
fight the assault of the devil.
00:45:00.40\00:45:03.16
You need to be able to
say, "The Bible says this.
00:45:03.20\00:45:06.30
This is the Word.
The Word says this."
00:45:06.33\00:45:08.94
The Word needs
to be your weapon,
00:45:08.97\00:45:10.91
so that means you got
to spend time in the Word.
00:45:10.94\00:45:13.38
My wife and I,
Irma are convicted
00:45:13.41\00:45:15.01
because we go home,
we have worship together.
00:45:15.04\00:45:17.55
And then we turn on news.
00:45:17.58\00:45:19.05
We don't watch a
lot of television,
00:45:19.08\00:45:20.42
but we are kind of news junkies.
00:45:20.45\00:45:21.78
News and 3ABN,
that's kind of all.
00:45:21.82\00:45:24.29
So we found our self...
00:45:24.32\00:45:25.72
It was getting to be a little
too much news, too much CNN,
00:45:25.75\00:45:28.19
too much MSNBC,
too much nightly news,
00:45:28.22\00:45:30.46
so we had to back off of that
00:45:30.53\00:45:32.03
because it's like
news, news, news, news, news.
00:45:32.06\00:45:34.90
So we said, "Too much
news, we need more Jesus."
00:45:34.93\00:45:37.47
So now we go
home, we have worship.
00:45:37.50\00:45:39.77
And we wait, you know,
we get little news whenever.
00:45:39.80\00:45:42.60
We don't get hour after hour
after hour of news like we did.
00:45:42.64\00:45:46.21
So you are what you eat.
00:45:46.24\00:45:47.58
You got to eat the
Word and get the Word in you
00:45:47.61\00:45:50.05
if you're going
to live by the Word.
00:45:50.08\00:45:51.41
Amen.
00:45:51.45\00:45:52.78
You said that, Pastor, it
reminded me of Ephesians 6.
00:45:52.81\00:45:55.88
Standing, you know,
00:45:55.92\00:45:57.29
Paul talks
about the armor of God
00:45:57.32\00:45:58.65
we are to put on.
00:45:58.69\00:46:00.06
But it's
interesting because he says,
00:46:00.09\00:46:01.42
"Finally, my brethren..."
00:46:01.46\00:46:02.79
I'm in verse 10,
00:46:02.82\00:46:04.16
"Be strong in the Lord,
and in the power of his might.
00:46:04.19\00:46:06.49
Put on the whole armor of God."
And why do we wear the armor?
00:46:06.53\00:46:09.93
"That we may be able to stand
against the wiles of the devil,
00:46:09.96\00:46:14.24
for we do not wrestle
against flesh and blood."
00:46:14.27\00:46:16.34
You were talking
about the associations,
00:46:16.37\00:46:18.77
some of those
people that naturally
00:46:18.81\00:46:20.68
you're going to
have to disconnect from.
00:46:20.71\00:46:22.64
We don't wrestle
against flesh and blood.
00:46:22.68\00:46:24.81
"But against
principalities, and powers,
00:46:24.85\00:46:26.51
and the rulers of
the kingdom of this age,
00:46:26.55\00:46:28.92
against spiritual
hosts of wickedness
00:46:28.95\00:46:30.39
in the heavenly places.
00:46:30.42\00:46:31.79
Therefore take up
the whole armor of God
00:46:31.82\00:46:34.46
that you may be able to
withstand in the evil day,
00:46:34.49\00:46:36.96
and having done all, to stand."
00:46:37.03\00:46:40.83
So God calls us to do that.
00:46:40.90\00:46:42.23
And that is the Word of God
00:46:42.26\00:46:43.60
because "Your loins are
girt about with the truth."
00:46:43.67\00:46:46.30
Right? And the breastplate
of righteousness and all that.
00:46:46.33\00:46:49.10
Yes, Mollie?
00:46:49.14\00:46:50.54
Well, I have a story to
tell of those college students.
00:46:50.61\00:46:55.04
I thought I would
read this to you so like,
00:46:55.08\00:46:57.28
Greg said so I can get it right.
00:46:57.35\00:46:59.11
"In the early 1970s,
00:46:59.15\00:47:00.65
the Iraqi government arrested
a group of American students
00:47:00.72\00:47:03.72
on trumped up espionage charges.
00:47:03.79\00:47:06.25
The Iraqis wanted confessions,
00:47:06.29\00:47:08.42
and to elicit the
desired admissions of guilt,
00:47:08.46\00:47:11.83
they began
torturing those students.
00:47:11.86\00:47:14.43
The prisoners were
told that if they confessed,
00:47:14.46\00:47:17.57
they could go free.
00:47:17.60\00:47:18.93
"Compromise the
truth." "Admit the falsehoods."
00:47:18.97\00:47:22.77
The promise of
freedom became irresistible.
00:47:22.80\00:47:25.61
One by one, as the
pressures and the pain mounted,
00:47:25.64\00:47:29.31
every prisoner confessed
to crimes he didn't commit.
00:47:29.34\00:47:33.95
Every prisoner except one.
00:47:34.02\00:47:37.09
For this one man,
the torture intensified.
00:47:37.12\00:47:40.19
The loneliness of
isolation became unbearable.
00:47:40.26\00:47:43.63
He came close to breaking.
00:47:43.66\00:47:46.49
Recounted his friend in a story
in the Wall Street Journal,
00:47:46.53\00:47:50.30
Mark Helprin writes,
00:47:50.37\00:47:52.17
"Then they announced
00:47:52.20\00:47:53.84
that they were
finished with his case
00:47:53.87\00:47:57.11
that he could
simply confess or die.
00:47:57.14\00:48:00.78
A confession lay before him.
00:48:00.81\00:48:02.98
And they raised a
pistol to his head,
00:48:03.01\00:48:06.41
cocked the hammer,
and started the countdown.
00:48:06.45\00:48:10.89
He had heard
executions from his cell.
00:48:10.92\00:48:14.16
'Sign your name' he was
told and 'you will leave.'
00:48:14.19\00:48:17.73
But he refused.
00:48:17.76\00:48:19.23
He closed his eyes,
grimaced, and prepared to die.
00:48:19.26\00:48:23.77
They pulled the trigger.
00:48:23.80\00:48:25.60
When he heard the
click, he thought he was dead.
00:48:25.63\00:48:29.00
The gun however
had not been loaded.
00:48:29.04\00:48:32.64
He was eventually released.
00:48:32.67\00:48:34.78
He discovered afterwards
that every other prisoner
00:48:34.81\00:48:39.01
who had confessed
albeit to trumped up charges
00:48:39.05\00:48:43.89
was hanged in the public square.
00:48:43.92\00:48:46.49
Only he survived."
00:48:46.52\00:48:48.22
And the moral of the story:
00:48:48.26\00:48:50.53
Compromise represents a
greater risk than courage.
00:48:50.56\00:48:55.86
As difficult as it
is to stand for truth,
00:48:55.90\00:48:59.47
it is much harder to live
00:48:59.50\00:49:02.07
with the
consequences of compromise."
00:49:02.10\00:49:04.61
Wow, boy, that's powerful.
00:49:04.64\00:49:06.54
You know, I think,
Mollie, of the three Hebrews.
00:49:06.57\00:49:08.84
You know, I
think it's in Daniel 3,
00:49:08.88\00:49:11.05
I think it is where they
stood on the plain of Dura.
00:49:11.08\00:49:14.65
I think it was in, you
know, everyone else bowed down
00:49:14.68\00:49:18.05
to the golden image
but the three stood.
00:49:18.09\00:49:20.96
And they saw that
furnace off in the distance,
00:49:20.99\00:49:25.26
puffing all the
smoke hot, hot, hot.
00:49:25.29\00:49:27.00
And they're going to be
thrown into that furnace.
00:49:27.03\00:49:29.56
And they were thrown in,
but who walked with them?
00:49:29.60\00:49:32.17
Jesus. Amidst in the furnace.
00:49:32.20\00:49:33.54
Like into the Son of God.
00:49:33.57\00:49:35.24
And I will guarantee you that
00:49:35.27\00:49:36.60
they just didn't all of
a sudden that morning say,
00:49:36.64\00:49:38.31
"You know what,
00:49:38.34\00:49:39.67
just get a
relationship with Jesus."
00:49:39.71\00:49:41.04
These people had
relationship with Jesus
00:49:41.08\00:49:42.71
for who knows maybe
since they were young,
00:49:42.74\00:49:44.38
growing up in
their parents' homes.
00:49:44.41\00:49:46.72
But the
relationship with Jesus Christ,
00:49:46.75\00:49:48.18
studying the Word,
00:49:48.22\00:49:49.55
like you were saying, Pastor,
being immersed in God's Word.
00:49:49.58\00:49:51.82
It's a conscious decision
everyday to talk to the Lord,
00:49:51.85\00:49:57.03
study the Bible
not just read it,
00:49:57.06\00:49:59.56
but make it part of us
like pastor was saying,
00:49:59.59\00:50:02.50
"Basically, what you're eating
is who you become for sure."
00:50:02.53\00:50:05.30
You know, and I want
to say this very quickly
00:50:05.33\00:50:07.04
because we can paint sometimes
an unrealistic rosy picture.
00:50:07.07\00:50:11.44
And the Bible is
full of incidences
00:50:11.47\00:50:13.91
where people stood for
the Lord and were delivered.
00:50:13.98\00:50:16.41
But the truth is
that is not a guarantee.
00:50:16.44\00:50:19.28
That's right. There
is ultimate deliverance.
00:50:19.31\00:50:21.55
But you may have to pay
for your stance with your life.
00:50:21.58\00:50:23.92
And there are millions of people
00:50:23.99\00:50:25.32
who died in the coliseum,
00:50:25.35\00:50:27.19
millions of people who died,
00:50:27.26\00:50:28.99
50, 60, 70
million people who died
00:50:29.02\00:50:31.06
during the middle ages of dark.
00:50:31.09\00:50:32.89
It is ascendancy of the
church, most of the reformers,
00:50:32.93\00:50:36.20
and we talked about Luther,
but Wycliffe, Zwingli, Huss,
00:50:36.23\00:50:41.64
you know, the list is
almost out without of people
00:50:41.67\00:50:44.97
who sealed their decision
to stand with their lives.
00:50:45.01\00:50:48.91
Now the Bible says that
00:50:48.94\00:50:50.98
there is a
great reward for them.
00:50:51.01\00:50:52.95
And we've got that
promise in Hebrews 13,
00:50:52.98\00:50:54.92
right along verse 40, 41,
00:50:54.95\00:50:56.89
that they without
us will not be made
00:50:56.92\00:50:58.25
whole will get the
reward at the same time.
00:50:58.29\00:51:00.59
But there were
those who did not make it.
00:51:00.66\00:51:03.53
On this side, the
reward is coming, so,
00:51:03.56\00:51:06.70
because you stand,
00:51:06.73\00:51:08.20
does not mean that
things will always go well.
00:51:08.23\00:51:10.57
It means that your name
is written in the kingdom
00:51:10.60\00:51:12.93
that one day there is
a great reward for you
00:51:12.97\00:51:15.30
when Christ comes back,
you will get the reward.
00:51:15.34\00:51:17.61
But it may not necessarily
be in this life, just now.
00:51:17.64\00:51:21.71
You know, that's well said,
00:51:21.74\00:51:23.08
I was thinking
actually at verse in Hebrews 11
00:51:23.11\00:51:24.91
at the end of that faith,
00:51:24.95\00:51:26.28
you know, the
faith chapter that talks
00:51:26.31\00:51:27.98
about those that were
stoned, they were sawn asunder,
00:51:28.02\00:51:30.62
they were
tempted, they were slain.
00:51:30.69\00:51:32.02
But it talks about
obviously the ultimate reward
00:51:32.05\00:51:34.62
is when Christ returns.
00:51:34.66\00:51:35.99
Yeah. Yes, for sure.
00:51:36.02\00:51:37.36
Did I say 13, I meant 11.
00:51:37.43\00:51:38.76
Okay. I think I missed it.
00:51:38.79\00:51:40.13
I meant 11.
00:51:40.16\00:51:41.50
No, no, I trust you and
your Bible knowledge, Pastor.
00:51:41.53\00:51:42.86
If he said 13,
we figure it's true.
00:51:42.90\00:51:46.37
But we don't know
00:51:46.40\00:51:47.74
where you are today
in your walk with God.
00:51:47.77\00:51:49.47
You might be saying,
00:51:49.50\00:51:50.84
"I'm in the kingdom of darkness.
00:51:50.91\00:51:52.24
And I'm not sure yet
00:51:52.27\00:51:53.78
if I want to make a
decision for Jesus."
00:51:53.81\00:51:56.85
We want to encourage you.
00:51:56.88\00:51:58.21
That's the best
choice you could ever make.
00:51:58.25\00:52:01.35
Make a choice, stand with Jesus.
00:52:01.38\00:52:03.49
And as we've been
talking, it might end well.
00:52:03.52\00:52:06.39
It will end well
eventually ultimately in heaven.
00:52:06.42\00:52:09.66
But here on this
earth, we don't know
00:52:09.69\00:52:11.16
but we have peace and
assurance and rest with Jesus.
00:52:11.19\00:52:15.73
And you can't beat that.
There's nothing like that.
00:52:15.76\00:52:18.23
No, that's for sure.
00:52:18.27\00:52:19.60
What we want to do right now,
00:52:19.63\00:52:21.00
our one hour is gone by quickly.
00:52:21.04\00:52:23.34
We want to go to
little bit of information,
00:52:23.41\00:52:25.01
and then we
will come right back.
00:52:25.04\00:52:26.71