As you're well aware,
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we're living in
unprecedented times.
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Join us now for
Today special program.
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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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Removing pain
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Lord, 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 friends
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to another
edition of 3ABN Today.
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And we have a very,
very special program
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for you today.
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We're gonna be
taking on a Bible topic
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that I believe
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is really
sufficient for any time.
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And especially for the
times that we're living in,
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because we know we're
getting closer and closer
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to the second coming of Jesus.
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And the topic
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that we're gonna
be discussing today
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is entitled
"Perseverance Through Trial,"
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"Perseverance Through Trial."
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And so this is something I think
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that each and every
one of us can relate to.
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And we're gonna
get heavily into that
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in just a little while,
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but before we go any further,
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I wanna to go
ahead and introduce
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my wonderful guest here today
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that's joining me in this study.
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Across the table we
have Brother Kenny Shelton
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and his wonderful
wife, Miss Chris Shelton.
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It's beautiful to have
both of you on here today.
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Appreciate you. We're
blessed to be here today.
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Absolutely.
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What a joy to study
the Word of God together.
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Amen, and praise the Lord.
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And you guys have
been busy traveling
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to and fro, even
though during COVID,
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the Lord still got you
working for Him, right?
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A little bit. Yeah.
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It seems like we're very busy...
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It's been a busy day.
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And it's been a blessing
and you know, with COVID
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you mentioned here the
way things are going on,
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that we're doing
things via the telephone
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or whatever
else we can do and...
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Got to get
creative. Zoom meetings.
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Did a graveside thing
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the other day
from people in Ohio
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that we knew.
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And so, you know. Virginia.
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Was it Virginia?
I'm sorry, Virginia.
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Ohio, Virginia.
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Pretty close. All right.
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We're just saying
that God has things in line
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and we're staying busy
in the cause of Christ.
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And it's a blessing.
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Amen. Praise the Lord.
It's good to have you both.
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And, of course, to my right
here is my good old brother,
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little brother.
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That's right. Not too
little anymore though.
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Dakota Day from
Amazing Facts Ministry
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evangelist, how are you doing?
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I'm blessed. I'm
so happy to be here.
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Thank you guys
for the invitation
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to join you guys in
an awesome Bible study.
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Yeah. Amen.
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And you've been,
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Lord had you busy
through this time as well.
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Yeah.
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And He still has
opening doors for you to share
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the Word of the Lord,
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even though we have to
get little creative at times.
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That's right. That's right.
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We've been
doing online meetings.
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We've done a couple of
public onsite meetings,
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but yeah, we've been
doing all the way can
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to do personal
Bible studies online.
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And so, yeah, it's the
Lord's really opening doors.
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And I see more people
now during these times
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that are wanting
to say, you know what?
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I really want to
give my life to the Lord
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and spend that
time reading His Word.
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And so, I think
through all of this,
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we're seeing a lot of positivity
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come out of it.
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Amen. Praise the Lord.
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That's right. I
want to interject.
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I'm glad that he hasn't traveled
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quite as much
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because he's been around 3ABN
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moreover seeing him on
several different programs
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and it's always,
always a blessing.
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Amen. Absolutely.
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I agree with that.
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Praise the Lord,
perseverance through trial.
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And we're gonna
get into that study
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in just a moment.
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But before we
do, we're gonna have
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a very special musical number.
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It's gonna
bring a blessing to us
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from Miss Farrah Barry.
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She's gonna be
playing "Day By Day.
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Praise the Lord.
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I love Farrah has such a,
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just a delicate, beautiful
way of playing the piano
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and it's such a blessing.
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So thank you Farrah
for that wonderful piece
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that really has set the tone
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day by day with
each passing moment,
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strength I find in
Jesus Christ my Lord.
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I just...
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That song is a testament
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kind of what we're
going to be talking
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about today,
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which is
perseverance through trial.
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We live in a world
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where each and every
one of us experienced
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some type of trial,
some type of tribulation,
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some type of
difficulty or challenge
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facing different
adversities on a daily basis
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and only truly
you and the Lord know
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what those trials are.
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And we're gonna talk about
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how we can
persevere through that
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because we know it's not God's,
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it's not God's
idea, it's not His plan.
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It was never His
plan for us to deal with
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or have to go
through the difficulties
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and the trials
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and the
tribulations of this life.
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But
nonetheless, it does teach us
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and tell us that,
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you know what?
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It gives us an indication
that there's a sin problem
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and that we need to
depend on Jesus Christ
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each and every day.
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But before we
get into this study,
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I'm going to ask
my Brother Dakota,
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if you will just give us,
open us in a word of prayer
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and ask the Holy Spirit
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to lead and
guide us in this study.
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Let's do it.
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Father in heaven, we
wanna thank You so much
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for this
opportunity to come together
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on this beautiful
day to study Your Word.
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Lord, we know that
millions around the world
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are perishing.
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Some of which who
have that blessed assurance
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and know You, and
some of which they don't.
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Lord, we study
now that we might know
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how to persevere
all the way to the end.
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Lord, You'll give us
hope and that You'll give us
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that Holy Spirit effort, Lord,
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that we need to make
it all the way to the end.
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Amen.
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And we're told in Your Word
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that he that endures
to the end will be saved.
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And so, Lord, help us to learn
to endure in this study now.
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We thank You and we love You.
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We ask You this in Jesus' name.
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Amen. Amen.
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Beautiful
prayer, beautiful prayer.
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Well, there's probably
gonna be a lot of repetitive,
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maybe some
repetitive text in this study
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just because, you know,
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the Bible is just
so rich and abundant
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of so many
wonderful passages and texts
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that give us some
insight and some understanding
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and some counsel
on how we can indeed
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as Dakota just prayed
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persevere to the end,
so that we can be saved.
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In fact, that text I believe
comes from Matthew 24:13,
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when Jesus said
those who endure to the end
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shall be saved.
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And that's what
we're talking about today,
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whatever trial,
whatever tribulation,
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whatever challenge,
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adversity you're
facing in your life,
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we wanna make sure
that we are equipped
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to make it through,
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to persevere through that
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so that we can come
out on the other side,
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you know, we can reach it
to the promised land, right?
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Amen. Amen. That's right.
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And Jesus indeed is
waiting on us there.
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And He's gonna see us through
also through these trials.
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And so we wanna
talk about that today.
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I wanna open up
with this text though.
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I think it really
sets the foundation.
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And again, if one of
you have this text already
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and you wanna share it later
and go a little deeper with it,
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please do.
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But this text came to my mind
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as I was preparing
this particular lesson.
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And this is
coming from James 1:12.
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James 1:12. I love this.
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It says, "Blessed is the
man who endures temptation
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for when he has been approved,
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he will receive
the crown of life,
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which the Lord has
promised to those who love Him."
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Amen. I love that.
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Blessed is the man
who endures temptation.
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We know it's not
a sin to be tempted.
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Even Jesus Himself was
tempted, but did Jesus endure?
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Amen. Did Jesus persevere?
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Amen.
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And some people
might be watching right now
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and saying, "Yeah,
Ryan, but that's Jesus, right?
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Jesus of course has that power.
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And He has that
authority to be able to endure
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and persevere through."
00:11:13.80\00:11:15.14
But you know what?
00:11:15.17\00:11:16.50
Jesus really didn't go
through what I went through
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or Jesus didn't
really experience
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what I experienced.
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But yet the Bible
tells us that He experienced
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what we
experienced and more, right?
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He was tempted
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as the Bible says in every point
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that we are yet without sin.
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And so the question is, if
Jesus can do it and He says,
00:11:29.55\00:11:32.59
what I have done by
the power of My Father,
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you can do through the
power of the Holy Spirit.
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We wanna talk about that today.
00:11:37.56\00:11:38.89
How can we make
sure we can persevere
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through the trials of this life?
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And so I wanna
open up the floor.
00:11:42.73\00:11:44.07
I've said that word quite a bit.
00:11:44.10\00:11:45.43
Persevere, perseverance, right?
00:11:45.47\00:11:47.57
Perseverance through trial.
00:11:47.60\00:11:49.07
What is perseverance?
00:11:49.10\00:11:50.44
Let's just kind
of open it up here
00:11:50.47\00:11:51.81
and start with that.
00:11:51.84\00:11:53.17
Let's define maybe from
a definition perspective,
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a biblical perspective.
00:11:55.14\00:11:56.48
What is perseverance?
00:11:56.51\00:11:59.58
Don't worry, speak in ones.
00:11:59.61\00:12:00.95
All right, speak in ones.
00:12:00.98\00:12:02.75
I think maybe a
good, just a good start
00:12:02.78\00:12:04.25
and somebody can add too.
00:12:04.29\00:12:07.26
I think we learned some
things at home growing up,
00:12:07.29\00:12:11.96
and one of them
was, we say person...
00:12:11.99\00:12:14.40
I don't know if we
heard the word perseverance,
00:12:14.43\00:12:16.26
but dad would always say,
you've got to stick to it, son.
00:12:16.30\00:12:19.50
You've got bring
it to completion.
00:12:19.53\00:12:20.90
Yeah.
00:12:20.94\00:12:22.27
And so, you know, with
that attitude and constant
00:12:22.30\00:12:24.51
was you've begun,
00:12:24.54\00:12:25.87
it is kind of
what the Bible says.
00:12:25.91\00:12:27.24
He's begun a good
work, and He'll finish it.
00:12:27.28\00:12:28.68
That's right. Amen.
00:12:28.71\00:12:30.05
That God...
00:12:30.08\00:12:31.41
My dad was always saying to
us, you've got to stay with it.
00:12:31.45\00:12:33.88
And then my uncle would say,
we've heard this many times.
00:12:33.92\00:12:37.19
He said, when
the going gets tough,
00:12:37.22\00:12:39.65
the tough get going.
00:12:39.69\00:12:41.99
See, when the going gets
tough, the tough get going.
00:12:42.02\00:12:44.93
I like that.
00:12:44.96\00:12:46.29
And again, we look at toughness,
00:12:46.33\00:12:48.20
not as the world as toughness,
00:12:48.23\00:12:50.93
but because we need
the graces of Jesus Christ.
00:12:50.97\00:12:53.94
But we also need the ability,
00:12:53.97\00:12:56.24
which the Holy
Spirit when implanted in us
00:12:56.27\00:12:58.47
to be able to.
00:12:58.51\00:13:00.21
When God has opened a door,
00:13:00.24\00:13:03.28
He's opened a way
whether it's in ministry
00:13:03.31\00:13:05.28
or wherever it might be.
00:13:05.31\00:13:06.68
And you know that
He's opened this door,
00:13:06.72\00:13:09.88
we have to persevere.
00:13:09.92\00:13:11.55
We have to hang in there.
00:13:11.59\00:13:13.49
We have to push.
00:13:13.52\00:13:15.12
We have to be
strong in the Lord.
00:13:15.16\00:13:17.03
Amen.
00:13:17.06\00:13:18.39
And I think that's
very, very important
00:13:18.43\00:13:19.76
because again,
00:13:19.79\00:13:21.13
and then how's the
outcome going to be?
00:13:21.16\00:13:22.50
Right.
00:13:22.53\00:13:23.87
It's depending how
we stay with the program
00:13:23.90\00:13:25.63
is how we are
constant persevering...
00:13:25.67\00:13:28.50
That's right. Stay
with an attitude diligent.
00:13:28.54\00:13:32.37
Basically, my dad would tell me,
00:13:32.41\00:13:33.78
stay with it, son, at all costs.
00:13:33.81\00:13:36.28
I knew it was
gonna cost if I didn't.
00:13:36.31\00:13:39.05
But those are things I
think as a young person,
00:13:39.08\00:13:40.85
we can learn.
00:13:40.88\00:13:42.48
And then we can transfer that
00:13:42.52\00:13:43.89
over into the spiritual realm
of this warfare that we are in.
00:13:43.92\00:13:48.99
And only those
who finish the race,
00:13:49.02\00:13:51.66
so perseverance.
00:13:51.69\00:13:53.16
I like it. Yeah.
00:13:53.19\00:13:54.53
I think perseverance is
a gift of the Holy Spirit.
00:13:54.56\00:13:57.30
I don't know that it's anything
that I ever had on my own.
00:13:57.33\00:14:00.57
It's perseverance
through trial is something
00:14:00.60\00:14:03.27
that I didn't
understand when I first accepted
00:14:03.30\00:14:05.34
Jesus into my heart, my life.
00:14:05.37\00:14:06.91
You don't think
about the spiritual warfare
00:14:06.94\00:14:08.91
that we're in.
00:14:08.94\00:14:10.28
This was a
wonderful study to go through.
00:14:10.31\00:14:12.61
But at times it
brings me to tears
00:14:12.65\00:14:14.55
'cause I don't feel that strong.
00:14:14.58\00:14:15.92
I'm not that strong on my own.
00:14:15.95\00:14:18.09
So to me,
perseverance is a gift of God.
00:14:18.12\00:14:20.86
Perseverance is something
00:14:20.89\00:14:22.26
that every
Christian should have,
00:14:22.29\00:14:24.59
should exhibit
00:14:24.63\00:14:25.96
under the unction
of the Holy Spirit,
00:14:25.99\00:14:27.70
because some people
will take what I just said.
00:14:27.73\00:14:29.66
And they'll hit
someone over the head.
00:14:29.70\00:14:31.03
I'm gonna persevere
till you accept Jesus.
00:14:31.07\00:14:33.07
Oh, my. That's not it.
00:14:33.10\00:14:34.44
I'm gonna wipe in
on my way through.
00:14:34.47\00:14:35.90
Yeah, God doesn't force,
you know, but the devil does.
00:14:35.94\00:14:40.78
I did like a
definition that I looked up
00:14:40.81\00:14:43.45
in the Webster
Merriam online dictionary.
00:14:43.48\00:14:46.65
It says,
00:14:46.68\00:14:48.02
"Continued effort to
do or achieve something
00:14:48.05\00:14:51.29
despite difficulty,
despite failure or opposition,
00:14:51.32\00:14:57.39
the action or condition,
00:14:57.43\00:14:58.93
or an instance of
persevering steadfastness."
00:14:58.96\00:15:03.60
So as a Christian,
00:15:03.63\00:15:06.60
we're going to
have difficulties.
00:15:06.63\00:15:08.54
We're going to
feel like we have failed
00:15:08.57\00:15:11.77
whether we did in
God's eyes or we didn't.
00:15:11.81\00:15:13.51
And many times
I believe we have,
00:15:13.54\00:15:15.74
you know, there's
gonna be opposition,
00:15:15.78\00:15:18.45
you know, sad to say
opposition to the truth,
00:15:18.48\00:15:21.05
to the Word of
God, as it is written.
00:15:21.08\00:15:23.52
We're seeing that
throughout the whole world now.
00:15:23.55\00:15:26.69
You know, the
Bible in some cases,
00:15:26.72\00:15:28.89
they want to throw it out.
00:15:28.92\00:15:30.26
It's outdated.
00:15:30.29\00:15:31.63
It doesn't meet
today's new world standards.
00:15:31.66\00:15:35.00
Right.
00:15:35.03\00:15:36.36
And yet God
doesn't change. Amen.
00:15:36.40\00:15:37.93
You know, one thing
you said about Jesus,
00:15:37.97\00:15:39.53
when you were talking about Him,
00:15:39.57\00:15:40.90
you said in His Father's power.
00:15:40.94\00:15:44.37
You see, because He
didn't use any of His strength,
00:15:44.41\00:15:47.01
He persevered only
through the unction
00:15:47.04\00:15:49.61
of the Holy Spirit,
00:15:49.64\00:15:50.98
only through the
power of God on this earth.
00:15:51.01\00:15:53.98
He had no edge over us.
00:15:54.02\00:15:55.38
That's right.
00:15:55.42\00:15:56.75
Isn't that beautiful? Amen.
00:15:56.79\00:15:58.12
Praise the Lord.
That is our Savior.
00:15:58.15\00:15:59.49
Amen. Amen.
00:15:59.52\00:16:00.86
Praise the Lord.
Beautiful prayer.
00:16:00.89\00:16:02.22
Pastor Dakota? Amen.
00:16:02.26\00:16:03.59
Well, you know,
perseverance is something,
00:16:03.63\00:16:05.06
obviously when I
think of perseverance,
00:16:05.09\00:16:06.43
I think of Jesus
00:16:06.46\00:16:07.80
because as Miss
Shelton just said,
00:16:07.83\00:16:09.50
you know, you
have so many people
00:16:09.53\00:16:11.63
when they think of God,
00:16:11.67\00:16:13.00
they think of Jesus persevering.
00:16:13.03\00:16:14.37
They think of someone who,
you know, they think of God,
00:16:14.40\00:16:16.44
you know, His attributes,
00:16:16.47\00:16:17.84
but Jesus laid aside
all of His attributes
00:16:17.87\00:16:20.41
to take on the form of man.
00:16:20.44\00:16:21.94
And I think one of
the greatest thoughts
00:16:21.98\00:16:23.71
we could ever ponder
is that the Son of God
00:16:23.75\00:16:25.95
became the Son of man,
00:16:25.98\00:16:28.02
in that, you know,
history is filled full of men
00:16:28.05\00:16:31.25
who want it to be God,
00:16:31.29\00:16:33.15
but there's only one story
of a God who wanted to be man.
00:16:33.19\00:16:37.13
And think of the perseverance
that Jesus had to go through,
00:16:37.16\00:16:39.29
through all of them.
00:16:39.33\00:16:40.70
So when I think of perseverance,
00:16:40.73\00:16:42.06
I think of a prize, a goal,
00:16:42.10\00:16:45.43
there's something that
you're having to endure
00:16:45.47\00:16:48.10
a trial or tribulation.
00:16:48.14\00:16:49.74
And you have to
do that consistently
00:16:49.77\00:16:52.01
in order to achieve that prize.
00:16:52.04\00:16:53.38
That's right.
00:16:53.41\00:16:54.74
Ryan, you and I played
basketball growing up a lot
00:16:54.78\00:16:57.18
and there was much difficulty.
00:16:57.21\00:16:59.21
We would have an opponent,
00:16:59.25\00:17:00.58
we'd have someone in front of us
00:17:00.62\00:17:01.95
that's keeping us
from getting to our goal.
00:17:01.98\00:17:04.52
Right? And
literally it's the goal.
00:17:04.55\00:17:05.89
That's what we call it.
00:17:05.92\00:17:07.26
And we're wanting to
put the ball in the goal.
00:17:07.29\00:17:08.62
Right? And so there's...
00:17:08.66\00:17:10.86
It was much
difficulty and much trial
00:17:10.89\00:17:12.46
to get it in the hole,
00:17:12.49\00:17:13.83
especially to get, you
know, as many points at the end.
00:17:13.86\00:17:16.13
And I think that,
you know, in this great,
00:17:16.16\00:17:19.07
you know, controversy
00:17:19.10\00:17:20.84
that we're living in
between good and evil,
00:17:20.87\00:17:22.64
we can relate to
these kinds of things
00:17:22.67\00:17:24.61
that were, as Kenny
mentioned, the race.
00:17:24.64\00:17:27.31
Paul mentioned that many times,
I have some notes on that.
00:17:27.34\00:17:30.08
There's lots of
effort involved in that.
00:17:30.11\00:17:32.58
But as Miss Shelton brought out,
00:17:32.61\00:17:34.12
I think it's beautiful
is that we in of ourselves,
00:17:34.15\00:17:36.45
Jesus said, can do nothing.
00:17:36.48\00:17:37.82
There you go. That's right.
00:17:37.85\00:17:39.19
So perseverance, I
believe is a gift of God.
00:17:39.22\00:17:40.89
Amen.
00:17:40.92\00:17:42.26
But it's through
our surrender to Him.
00:17:42.29\00:17:43.63
Amen.
00:17:43.66\00:17:44.99
To achieve that
gift, to achieve that goal.
00:17:45.03\00:17:46.36
Praise the Lord.
00:17:46.39\00:17:47.73
Yeah. Wonderful.
00:17:47.76\00:17:49.10
I love this great foundation
that we've been able to set.
00:17:49.13\00:17:50.47
You know, you read an
online definition earlier.
00:17:50.50\00:17:53.13
I think it was Merriam-Webster
online dictionary.
00:17:53.17\00:17:56.07
I just wanted to
Google it just to see
00:17:56.10\00:17:57.71
'cause like I could
imagine 90% of people
00:17:57.74\00:17:59.57
probably when they want
a definition of something,
00:17:59.61\00:18:01.31
they just Google it, right?
00:18:01.34\00:18:02.68
And whatever definition pops
up on the top is what they read.
00:18:02.71\00:18:05.61
I just took that
definition and it comes
00:18:05.65\00:18:07.45
from the Oxford's
online dictionary,
00:18:07.48\00:18:09.05
which is usually what they
use for the Google research.
00:18:09.08\00:18:12.05
And this is what it says,
00:18:12.09\00:18:13.42
"Persistence in doing something
00:18:13.46\00:18:14.79
despite difficulty or
delay in achieving success."
00:18:14.82\00:18:19.46
So I like that word.
00:18:19.49\00:18:20.83
I think Brother
Kenny used earlier,
00:18:20.86\00:18:22.20
persistence, keeping at it.
00:18:22.23\00:18:24.60
You know, none of us
00:18:24.63\00:18:25.97
have really
experienced trials, right?
00:18:26.00\00:18:29.20
None of us have
really experienced,
00:18:29.24\00:18:30.84
you know, so
there may be something
00:18:30.87\00:18:32.67
you would like to share.
00:18:32.71\00:18:34.04
Let's take time
just to share that.
00:18:34.08\00:18:35.41
What story illustration,
00:18:35.44\00:18:39.05
maybe an experience
00:18:39.08\00:18:40.42
you've been
through that it kind...
00:18:40.45\00:18:41.78
Clearly
illustrates a time in your life
00:18:41.82\00:18:43.25
when you were facing adversity.
00:18:43.28\00:18:44.85
Maybe you were
going through a trial
00:18:44.89\00:18:46.72
and the Lord had to bring you,
He had to help you persevere.
00:18:46.76\00:18:51.03
You have any
stories to share on that?
00:18:51.06\00:18:53.09
I think it's
something that that's important
00:18:53.13\00:18:54.56
because it makes us,
00:18:54.60\00:18:56.56
you know, we're
real, Christ was real.
00:18:56.60\00:18:58.67
This world is real.
00:18:58.70\00:19:00.04
The trials of
this world is real.
00:19:00.07\00:19:01.40
And, I think that's
important for us to illustrate
00:19:01.44\00:19:04.44
because there may be
someone watching right now
00:19:04.47\00:19:06.11
that that's going
through the same things
00:19:06.14\00:19:07.88
that perhaps maybe some of
us have been through before.
00:19:07.91\00:19:10.18
Absolutely. So
anybody wanna share one?
00:19:10.21\00:19:12.08
Well, like, you know, there's,
00:19:12.11\00:19:13.62
I think we're
looking at our life,
00:19:13.65\00:19:14.98
there's just so
many different things
00:19:15.02\00:19:16.85
that have
happened and transpired
00:19:16.89\00:19:18.85
to where God has
brought us today.
00:19:18.89\00:19:20.32
Right.
00:19:20.36\00:19:21.69
You know, I can think of
the back at the call of God
00:19:21.72\00:19:25.03
in my own life
and into the ministry
00:19:25.06\00:19:27.40
and having your,
00:19:27.43\00:19:30.03
people can relate to
that, having their own business.
00:19:30.07\00:19:32.50
So almost 20 years
got Shelton construction,
00:19:32.53\00:19:36.24
you know, that
was the livelihood.
00:19:36.27\00:19:37.74
That's what I did every day.
00:19:37.77\00:19:40.41
And then God
calling to step out in faith
00:19:40.44\00:19:42.88
and to begin to work for Him
00:19:42.91\00:19:45.65
to let 20 years go
00:19:45.68\00:19:47.98
to give up your
business that you have
00:19:48.02\00:19:50.42
and so on and so forth.
00:19:50.45\00:19:51.79
So it was a test and trial,
00:19:51.82\00:19:54.92
but as I saw Him leading
and guiding and directing
00:19:54.96\00:19:57.46
and opening up doors,
00:19:57.49\00:19:59.46
and again, I hate to say,
00:19:59.49\00:20:01.66
but I turned Him
down for seven years...
00:20:01.70\00:20:03.77
I see.
00:20:03.80\00:20:05.13
And it's interesting
figure for seven years.
00:20:05.17\00:20:08.57
And I thought I
was turning Him down
00:20:08.60\00:20:10.61
when basically
He was calling me,
00:20:10.64\00:20:12.01
but He turned me down
00:20:12.04\00:20:13.48
to be able to put
me into the field.
00:20:13.51\00:20:15.48
There was things
that had to be changed
00:20:15.51\00:20:17.38
in my character.
00:20:17.41\00:20:18.75
Right.
00:20:18.78\00:20:20.12
And I look back and I say,
00:20:20.15\00:20:21.48
during those seven
years of tests and trials
00:20:21.52\00:20:23.75
and changes in my
life that if I had just,
00:20:23.79\00:20:28.56
you know, they say,
00:20:28.59\00:20:29.92
just go right out
and just jump in and say,
00:20:29.96\00:20:31.29
I'm going into
ministry I'm blah-blah...
00:20:31.33\00:20:33.40
I would fail
miserably. Sure, sure.
00:20:33.43\00:20:35.26
Because, and God knew that.
00:20:35.30\00:20:36.73
And so He was giving time
00:20:36.77\00:20:38.63
and things that transpired
in my heart and my life,
00:20:38.67\00:20:42.44
things that need to go,
things that need to be changed.
00:20:42.47\00:20:45.11
And it took, I
wanna say seven years
00:20:45.14\00:20:47.61
before I
finally said, yes, Lord.
00:20:47.64\00:20:49.51
And then I found out I
wasn't ready without Him.
00:20:49.54\00:20:52.41
Sure. It all boiled down.
00:20:52.45\00:20:54.12
So there was tests and trials,
things we have to give up,
00:20:54.15\00:20:55.82
character changes.
00:20:55.85\00:20:57.19
Sure.
00:20:57.22\00:20:58.55
And these all cause, you
know, the trials in your life.
00:20:58.59\00:21:02.49
That's right. Absolutely.
00:21:02.52\00:21:03.86
When you change
your lifestyle...
00:21:03.89\00:21:05.23
Right.
00:21:05.26\00:21:06.59
And you're doing
something different
00:21:06.63\00:21:07.96
than what you're
used to or raised to do.
00:21:08.00\00:21:09.33
Yeah.
00:21:09.36\00:21:10.70
And so, to me, that's,
00:21:10.73\00:21:12.07
you know, that's
just one little thing
00:21:12.10\00:21:13.44
that was a trial and test,
00:21:13.47\00:21:15.07
and I praise God that
He persevered with me.
00:21:15.10\00:21:19.21
Amen. I like that.
00:21:19.24\00:21:20.84
Yeah, I like that. I
like that he persevered.
00:21:20.88\00:21:22.74
He stayed with me. Amen.
00:21:22.78\00:21:24.91
Because again, each one of you,
He knows each of our hearts,
00:21:24.95\00:21:28.98
He knows that was
really the desire of my heart
00:21:29.02\00:21:31.09
was to serve Him.
00:21:31.12\00:21:32.79
I just didn't know really how.
00:21:32.82\00:21:34.72
I just had no,
really no direction
00:21:34.76\00:21:36.62
and He was pointing
me to Him every time.
00:21:36.66\00:21:39.73
And so, you know,
and He's going to do it
00:21:39.76\00:21:41.86
'cause He's begun a
good work and He'll what?
00:21:41.90\00:21:43.77
He'll finish it. He
promises to finish it.
00:21:43.80\00:21:46.20
Yeah. Yeah.
00:21:46.23\00:21:47.57
I love that. For me I had to...
00:21:47.60\00:21:50.04
I just kind of wrote down
an answer to this question
00:21:50.07\00:21:52.94
because life in and of
itself, the experiences,
00:21:52.97\00:21:56.08
they're all full of trials,
00:21:56.11\00:21:57.91
you know, whether
good or whether bad,
00:21:57.95\00:22:00.15
there have been experiences
00:22:00.18\00:22:02.12
that I probably
wouldn't have gone through
00:22:02.15\00:22:04.82
if I'd made the right choices,
00:22:04.85\00:22:06.62
you know, and
it's at those times
00:22:06.65\00:22:08.56
when you make a bad decision
00:22:08.59\00:22:09.92
that many times
00:22:09.96\00:22:11.29
it would drop you to your knees,
00:22:11.33\00:22:12.83
because I didn't want to
be outside of God's grace.
00:22:12.86\00:22:16.03
I didn't want sin in my life.
00:22:16.06\00:22:17.77
And so then you would
plead for a way of escape.
00:22:17.80\00:22:20.60
You know the good experiences.
00:22:20.64\00:22:22.20
There were times
we've had good experiences
00:22:22.24\00:22:24.77
where you, you were in
the atmosphere of heaven.
00:22:24.81\00:22:27.71
You could taste it.
00:22:27.74\00:22:29.08
You saw God
working, you saw miracles.
00:22:29.11\00:22:31.91
We spoke to a couple here
today before this program began.
00:22:31.95\00:22:35.12
And that was a
miracle... What a joy.
00:22:35.15\00:22:36.82
You know, there's
been so many miracles
00:22:36.85\00:22:39.12
and it's at those
times that many times
00:22:39.15\00:22:40.76
you don't even wanna come back.
00:22:40.79\00:22:42.52
In fact, I was,
I wrote down one,
00:22:42.56\00:22:44.33
the first recording
of pillars of our faith
00:22:44.36\00:22:47.13
in Battle Creek, Michigan.
00:22:47.16\00:22:49.46
The Holy Spirit was so strong.
00:22:49.50\00:22:53.34
It was so
strong. We were weeping.
00:22:53.37\00:22:55.04
I remember, I was like
almost in a grieving state.
00:22:55.07\00:22:58.54
Does that make sense?
00:22:58.57\00:22:59.91
Like, you're happy
you feel God's presence,
00:22:59.94\00:23:01.98
but you're kind of grieving...
00:23:02.01\00:23:03.35
Spiritual agony.
00:23:03.38\00:23:04.71
I was praying
for those that I knew
00:23:04.75\00:23:06.55
were outside of
the ark of safety
00:23:06.58\00:23:08.82
and we cried and
we cried and we cried.
00:23:08.85\00:23:11.35
And literally it
was one of those times
00:23:11.39\00:23:13.36
where, you know
how Mrs. White says
00:23:13.39\00:23:14.72
it became darker and darker.
00:23:14.76\00:23:16.22
It's like, no, you
didn't want him to leave.
00:23:16.26\00:23:18.03
You didn't want him to leave.
00:23:18.06\00:23:19.63
You know, I
experienced that at the time
00:23:19.66\00:23:21.53
of my mother's passing.
00:23:21.56\00:23:25.70
When they started
putting the morphine in
00:23:28.84\00:23:32.41
and the girls and
I had been up there
00:23:32.44\00:23:34.01
and we had reads,
00:23:34.04\00:23:35.78
you know, out of
scripture and to her.
00:23:35.81\00:23:39.58
And then Kenny had come in later
00:23:39.61\00:23:42.28
and we were singing and
then she went unconscious,
00:23:42.32\00:23:46.22
but every time we
would begin to sing...
00:23:46.25\00:23:49.39
Come on now.
00:23:49.42\00:23:51.16
Her breathing would ease
out and she would be at peace.
00:23:51.19\00:23:54.70
My mother was a
singer by the way.
00:23:54.73\00:23:56.23
Okay. Amen.
00:23:56.26\00:23:57.93
And so, we would stop singing,
you know, every so often.
00:23:57.97\00:24:02.20
And she would
begin to labor and labor,
00:24:02.24\00:24:04.47
we'd start singing again.
00:24:04.51\00:24:05.87
And you could just...
00:24:05.91\00:24:07.24
You just felt as if
he just could do this
00:24:07.28\00:24:09.78
and you would be
touching an angel.
00:24:09.81\00:24:12.11
That's how the atmosphere was.
00:24:12.15\00:24:13.95
Nurses came by,
00:24:13.98\00:24:15.32
they commented
on the atmosphere.
00:24:15.35\00:24:16.69
My cousin came in,
00:24:16.72\00:24:18.05
they commented
on the atmosphere,
00:24:18.09\00:24:19.62
even outside the room, you know?
00:24:19.65\00:24:22.42
So those are some experiences
that are, that draw you in.
00:24:22.46\00:24:26.13
Absolutely.
00:24:26.16\00:24:27.50
I thought I
wrote down some many,
00:24:27.53\00:24:28.93
but another one I
think that's really important
00:24:28.96\00:24:31.20
is when he had his
open heart surgery,
00:24:31.23\00:24:33.94
that was such a stressful time
00:24:33.97\00:24:36.17
'cause he had eaten
good all of his life.
00:24:36.20\00:24:38.41
He's been an
Adventist most of his life.
00:24:38.44\00:24:40.78
And we try to do what's right.
00:24:40.81\00:24:42.91
But you know, a lot of
times, like with his father,
00:24:42.94\00:24:45.38
his heart attack came early.
00:24:45.41\00:24:46.75
He didn't have a heart attack,
00:24:46.78\00:24:48.12
but he had an
artery that shut off.
00:24:48.15\00:24:49.72
So he has a predisposition
for those arteries to build up
00:24:49.75\00:24:54.76
and cause problems.
00:24:54.79\00:24:56.73
And it's really
only by the grace of God
00:24:56.76\00:24:59.83
that he's here
00:24:59.86\00:25:01.20
because we found out
during his heart cath
00:25:01.23\00:25:03.57
that one of those
arteries had completely shut,
00:25:03.60\00:25:06.43
but he didn't die
00:25:06.47\00:25:07.80
because either God's
tipped in right there,
00:25:07.84\00:25:09.87
or he had been
preparing a natural bypass.
00:25:09.90\00:25:12.47
It wasn't enough to keep
him along alive for much longer.
00:25:12.51\00:25:16.31
But there were
so many experiences
00:25:16.34\00:25:18.48
during that time
00:25:18.51\00:25:20.18
and time that I know
he just wanted to give up,
00:25:20.22\00:25:23.05
'cause he would talk
about breathing and just,
00:25:23.08\00:25:25.42
he could feel
himself stop breathing
00:25:25.45\00:25:27.39
and how the Lord talked to him.
00:25:27.42\00:25:29.32
And then during
the night he said,
00:25:29.36\00:25:32.36
he was about ready to give up.
00:25:32.39\00:25:33.86
And he thought, Lord,
you know, what's going on?
00:25:33.90\00:25:35.60
And the Lord spoke to his heart,
00:25:35.63\00:25:37.33
it's probably what
about two in the morning?
00:25:37.37\00:25:39.40
And He said,
"Kenny, you shall not die."
00:25:39.43\00:25:42.57
Wow.
00:25:42.60\00:25:43.94
But you shall live
to preach the gospel.
00:25:43.97\00:25:47.51
Praise the Lord. Amen.
00:25:47.54\00:25:49.68
And he has been
back in the pulpit.
00:25:49.71\00:25:51.61
He's not the same person.
00:25:51.65\00:25:53.25
His eyes have changed.
00:25:53.28\00:25:54.62
Things have changed... Wow.
00:25:54.65\00:25:56.05
But there are times
00:25:56.08\00:25:57.42
that you see the
Spirit of God take over
00:25:57.45\00:25:59.15
and he perseveres...
00:25:59.19\00:26:00.66
That's right. Come on now.
00:26:00.69\00:26:02.09
Praise the Lord.
00:26:02.12\00:26:03.46
And God takes over
and it's been a blessing.
00:26:03.49\00:26:06.13
Amen. It's been a blessing.
00:26:06.16\00:26:07.66
We're not done, you know,
00:26:07.70\00:26:09.03
as long as the Lord
wants to give us that gift,
00:26:09.06\00:26:11.23
we wanna persevere in His cause.
00:26:11.27\00:26:12.60
Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:26:12.63\00:26:13.97
When your surgeon
comes in two days after,
00:26:14.00\00:26:16.24
you know, afterwards,
00:26:16.27\00:26:17.77
well, it was a long
time before I woke up,
00:26:17.81\00:26:19.87
maybe a week or two,
00:26:19.91\00:26:21.24
but when he came in
where I was conscious of it,
00:26:21.28\00:26:23.55
he just, I mean,
00:26:23.58\00:26:24.91
he did three or
four of these every day,
00:26:24.95\00:26:27.05
five days a week for years.
00:26:27.08\00:26:28.92
So I know he's
seen a lot of things,
00:26:28.95\00:26:31.29
but he just stayed at
the foot of the bed and hit,
00:26:31.32\00:26:32.79
look at me like that.
00:26:32.82\00:26:34.16
And he say, "How's
my miracle man today."
00:26:34.19\00:26:37.43
Wow. He did that
two days in a row.
00:26:37.46\00:26:39.33
And I would just kinda like,
00:26:39.36\00:26:40.93
I wanted to
say, I just couldn't.
00:26:40.96\00:26:43.30
Right.
00:26:43.33\00:26:44.67
What did God do? Right.
00:26:44.70\00:26:46.57
What did God do? What was that?
00:26:46.60\00:26:48.07
What took place that
was out of the ordinary?
00:26:48.10\00:26:50.34
Sure.
00:26:50.37\00:26:51.71
See, 'cause God
perseveres with us.
00:26:51.74\00:26:53.51
We told him
about, he stayed in there
00:26:53.54\00:26:55.18
and the next day he
come in, he looked at me.
00:26:55.21\00:26:56.61
Again he kind of
just shook his head.
00:26:56.64\00:26:57.98
He looked at it and he said,
"How's my miracle man today."
00:26:58.01\00:27:00.82
Right. So God is in that field.
00:27:00.85\00:27:03.45
Don't anyone get discouraged.
00:27:03.49\00:27:04.85
Sure. Absolutely. Yeah.
00:27:04.89\00:27:06.32
Wanna interject these stories
I'm telling you about this
00:27:06.35\00:27:09.66
and the
scripture will verify this
00:27:09.69\00:27:11.59
once we get into that passage,
00:27:11.63\00:27:13.29
but the perseverance
will build our faith.
00:27:13.33\00:27:16.23
Amen.
00:27:16.26\00:27:17.60
And without faith,
we will not persevere.
00:27:17.63\00:27:19.53
That's right. So
they work together here.
00:27:19.57\00:27:21.07
That's true. That's right.
00:27:21.10\00:27:22.44
That's powerful.
That is very powerful.
00:27:22.47\00:27:23.81
Remind me of Hezekiah.
00:27:23.84\00:27:25.17
Yeah, absolutely. Yeah.
00:27:25.21\00:27:26.54
He's like, "Oh man,
you know, this is it.
00:27:26.57\00:27:27.91
I'm about to die."
00:27:27.94\00:27:29.28
And he turns his
face to the Lord and says,
00:27:29.31\00:27:31.08
Lord, you know,
00:27:31.11\00:27:32.45
and there's no sooner
than Isaiah left the court,
00:27:32.48\00:27:35.78
God sends him back
in there and he's like,
00:27:35.82\00:27:37.15
you go and tell him
00:27:37.19\00:27:38.52
that I'm gonna add to his years.
00:27:38.55\00:27:40.16
Now I'm gonna give him
victory over the Assyrians.
00:27:40.19\00:27:41.96
You know, it's just powerful.
00:27:41.99\00:27:43.46
Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:27:43.49\00:27:44.83
Thank you guys for sharing that.
00:27:44.86\00:27:46.19
You know, I have
this little outline here
00:27:46.23\00:27:47.56
that we had made,
00:27:47.60\00:27:48.93
but you know, I just, as
we're going through this,
00:27:48.96\00:27:50.80
my mind's just wondering
00:27:50.83\00:27:52.17
kind of all over
this outline here.
00:27:52.20\00:27:53.54
Come on.
00:27:53.57\00:27:54.90
Certain texts, you
know, when I think of trial,
00:27:54.94\00:27:56.50
when I think of an example
00:27:56.54\00:27:57.87
of someone who
went through trials,
00:27:57.91\00:28:00.08
someone who went
through tribulation.
00:28:00.11\00:28:02.24
There's probably no
other texts in all the Bible
00:28:02.28\00:28:04.38
where it's more summed
up as far as an individual.
00:28:04.41\00:28:08.22
Of course, I'll think
of Job, right, Job went.
00:28:08.25\00:28:10.59
Job went through it all, right?
00:28:10.62\00:28:12.05
But I'm actually thinking
of Paul, 2 Corinthians 11.
00:28:12.09\00:28:15.22
Let's go here.
00:28:15.26\00:28:16.59
I had notes on that too. Yeah.
00:28:16.62\00:28:17.99
Just feel free to jump in here.
00:28:18.03\00:28:19.36
No, yeah, go ahead.
00:28:19.39\00:28:20.73
But 2 Corinthians 11,
00:28:20.76\00:28:22.10
when I read this
right here, I'm humbled.
00:28:22.13\00:28:23.53
Me too.
00:28:23.57\00:28:24.90
'Cause you know, we go through
sometimes our trials in life
00:28:24.93\00:28:27.04
and that's not to diminish,
00:28:27.07\00:28:28.40
you know, we
don't want this program.
00:28:28.44\00:28:29.77
We wouldn't want
anything we say here to diminish
00:28:29.80\00:28:31.14
anyone's particular trial.
00:28:31.17\00:28:32.51
We recognize that
00:28:32.54\00:28:33.88
when we're going
through these trials,
00:28:33.91\00:28:35.24
it feels like the
world's against us, right?
00:28:35.28\00:28:36.64
It feels like that.
00:28:36.68\00:28:38.01
You know a lot of
times it feels like
00:28:38.05\00:28:39.38
we're just on a
road to a complete
00:28:39.41\00:28:40.75
and utter destruction.
00:28:40.78\00:28:42.12
That's right.
00:28:42.15\00:28:43.49
But when I read Paul's account
00:28:43.52\00:28:44.85
of what this brother
had to endure for the Lord,
00:28:44.89\00:28:47.42
you know, during his time,
00:28:47.46\00:28:48.79
and you would
think a lot of people,
00:28:48.82\00:28:50.16
I have people ask me
all the time, you know?
00:28:50.19\00:28:51.53
Well, Paul went
through all this stuff.
00:28:51.56\00:28:52.89
Where was God,
right? Where was God?
00:28:52.93\00:28:55.10
That's His man, right?
That's His chosen, you know?
00:28:55.13\00:28:57.73
Surely, the Lord
could have stepped in
00:28:57.77\00:28:59.23
and kept him from that.
00:28:59.27\00:29:00.60
And we'll probably
get into a little bit
00:29:00.64\00:29:01.97
in just a moment
00:29:02.00\00:29:03.34
of why does God allow
those things to happen?
00:29:03.37\00:29:05.44
But I wanna read 2
Corinthians 11:22-29 here.
00:29:05.47\00:29:09.44
It's a rather lengthy passage,
00:29:09.48\00:29:10.81
but I want you to listen
carefully to the description
00:29:10.85\00:29:13.58
that Paul gives
describing his own experiences
00:29:13.62\00:29:16.95
during his ministry for Christ.
00:29:16.99\00:29:20.12
So 2 Corinthians 11
verse, starting with verse 22.
00:29:20.16\00:29:23.39
He says here, "Are they Hebrews?
00:29:23.43\00:29:24.99
So am I.
00:29:25.03\00:29:26.36
Are they Israelites? So am I.
00:29:26.39\00:29:28.43
Are they the seed of Abraham?
00:29:28.46\00:29:30.17
So am I, he says, He says,
are they ministers of Christ?
00:29:30.20\00:29:34.30
He says, I speak as a fool.
00:29:34.34\00:29:36.37
I am more.
00:29:36.40\00:29:37.74
And then listen to this,
"In labors more abundant,
00:29:37.77\00:29:41.28
in stripes above measure,
in prisons more frequently,
00:29:41.31\00:29:46.58
in deaths often."
00:29:46.61\00:29:48.08
This brother,
00:29:48.12\00:29:49.45
he died too many
deaths and came back.
00:29:49.48\00:29:51.75
You know, this
brother endured some pain.
00:29:51.79\00:29:54.59
Verse 24, "For
the Jews five times
00:29:54.62\00:29:57.69
I received forty
stripes minus one."
00:29:57.73\00:29:59.79
Oh, wow. Mercy me.
00:29:59.83\00:30:02.36
None of us sitting here can say
00:30:02.40\00:30:03.73
we've received
one of those, right?
00:30:03.77\00:30:05.23
He received it five times. Okay.
00:30:05.27\00:30:07.70
He goes on to say in verse 25,
00:30:07.74\00:30:09.27
"Three times I
was beaten with rods,
00:30:09.30\00:30:11.74
once I was stoned,
three times I was shipwrecked,
00:30:11.77\00:30:18.11
a night and a day I
have been in the deep,
00:30:18.15\00:30:21.48
in journeys often,
in perils of waters,
00:30:21.52\00:30:24.19
in perils of robbers, in
perils of my own countrymen,
00:30:24.22\00:30:27.89
in perils of
Gentiles, in perils of the city,
00:30:27.92\00:30:31.66
in perils of the wilderness,
in perils of the sea,
00:30:31.69\00:30:34.86
in perils among false
brethren, in weariness and toil,
00:30:34.90\00:30:38.47
in sleeplessness often."
00:30:38.50\00:30:41.47
How many have had some
of those sleepless nights?
00:30:41.50\00:30:43.71
All right. Okay.
00:30:43.74\00:30:45.11
"In hunger and
thirst, in fastings,
00:30:45.14\00:30:48.21
often, in cold and nakedness."
00:30:48.24\00:30:50.85
Besides the,
notice verse 28, he says,
00:30:50.88\00:30:53.52
"Besides the other things,
what comes upon me daily."
00:30:53.55\00:30:57.45
He says, I'm gonna
just list all those things
00:30:57.49\00:30:58.99
that I've been through,
but what comes upon me daily?
00:30:59.02\00:31:01.29
My deep concern
for all the churches.
00:31:01.32\00:31:05.09
That's right.
Yeah. That's powerful.
00:31:05.13\00:31:06.46
Powerful.
00:31:06.49\00:31:07.83
"My deep concern
for all the churches.
00:31:07.86\00:31:09.93
Who is weak and I'm not weak?
00:31:09.96\00:31:12.50
Who is made to stumble,
00:31:12.53\00:31:13.97
and I do not burn
with indignation?"
00:31:14.00\00:31:16.07
So what Paul is saying,
he's like, you know what?
00:31:16.10\00:31:18.04
I've been through
all of these trials,
00:31:18.07\00:31:19.74
God has brought me through them.
00:31:19.77\00:31:21.11
I've been through things
00:31:21.14\00:31:22.48
that nobody else
could ever possibly imagine,
00:31:22.51\00:31:24.58
but God helped him
persevere through it.
00:31:24.61\00:31:26.51
And at the end of the day,
00:31:26.55\00:31:27.88
he's not looking
at all those trials
00:31:27.92\00:31:29.25
he went through and
oh, man woe is me, right?
00:31:29.28\00:31:31.52
Poor little, pitiful me.
00:31:31.55\00:31:33.36
He says, no, my heart
and my mind is on the church.
00:31:33.39\00:31:36.56
Where is God's people?
00:31:36.59\00:31:38.16
My heart is
burning for God's people.
00:31:38.19\00:31:40.70
And so, you know, feel free
to say something about this,
00:31:40.73\00:31:42.96
you know, reading this list here
00:31:43.00\00:31:44.33
just reminds us
that we all have trials.
00:31:44.37\00:31:46.60
And sometimes as Brother
Kenny was telling that story
00:31:46.63\00:31:49.04
and even Sister Shelton,
00:31:49.07\00:31:51.84
there was also
expounding on the difficulties
00:31:51.87\00:31:54.61
that you guys have
endured through this,
00:31:54.64\00:31:56.24
this health experience.
00:31:56.28\00:31:57.75
You know, I'm
sure there were times
00:31:57.78\00:31:59.11
when you were
like, you know what?
00:31:59.15\00:32:00.48
You just wanted to just kind
of throw in the towel and say,
00:32:00.52\00:32:02.32
"Okay, Lord, I can't
endure this anymore."
00:32:02.35\00:32:04.65
But yet there
was something there
00:32:04.69\00:32:07.39
the Holy Spirit that
said, "Keep going, keep going."
00:32:07.42\00:32:11.43
That's right.
00:32:11.46\00:32:12.79
So what's your
remarks on what we just read?
00:32:12.83\00:32:14.53
I'd say one quick
thing about that as good is,
00:32:14.56\00:32:16.60
it's all of Holy Spirit.
00:32:16.63\00:32:18.53
But when you feel like
maybe you're on your last leg,
00:32:18.57\00:32:22.60
you don't know,
you'll take your last breath.
00:32:22.64\00:32:25.21
The Holy Spirit was so good
00:32:25.24\00:32:26.64
in the wee hours of the morning
00:32:26.68\00:32:28.54
to start putting
scripture in my mind.
00:32:28.58\00:32:32.01
And I do my best
to try to remember
00:32:32.05\00:32:37.25
and to put it in order.
00:32:37.29\00:32:38.85
And then after
that for a little bit,
00:32:38.89\00:32:40.22
there would be songs,
songs I've sung all my life.
00:32:40.26\00:32:43.89
And I'd try to sing those
00:32:43.93\00:32:45.39
and remember the
lines of those songs.
00:32:45.43\00:32:47.26
Yeah.
00:32:47.30\00:32:48.63
It brought such
joy and such comfort
00:32:48.66\00:32:51.70
and that will do
it for anyone today.
00:32:51.73\00:32:53.30
They don't have to be going
through a surgery and be just,
00:32:53.34\00:32:56.10
you know, think on scripture,
think on Jesus Christ.
00:32:56.14\00:32:58.84
Think on those songs,
you know that been inspired.
00:32:58.87\00:33:05.28
May I just throw this in, some,
00:33:05.31\00:33:08.45
maybe the best songs.
00:33:08.48\00:33:09.82
I'm not an authority on it,
00:33:09.85\00:33:11.19
but some of the best
songs I've ever heard,
00:33:11.22\00:33:12.55
I've heard you sing
and lot of others sing.
00:33:12.59\00:33:15.69
Those blossomed out
of a very difficult time
00:33:15.72\00:33:19.73
a lot of those.
00:33:19.76\00:33:21.23
People had went
through such heartache.
00:33:21.26\00:33:23.67
They'd lost, oh, my, loved ones.
00:33:23.70\00:33:28.04
I'm thinking of it is
well. It is well with my soul...
00:33:28.07\00:33:30.34
When peace like a
river attendeth my way,
00:33:30.37\00:33:34.88
when sorrows
like sea billows roll.
00:33:34.91\00:33:37.85
This brother had just
lost his, all of his kids.
00:33:37.88\00:33:40.25
Yeah.
00:33:40.28\00:33:41.62
He said, whatever my lot,
thou hast taught me to say, oh.
00:33:41.65\00:33:45.79
It is well with my soul.
00:33:45.82\00:33:47.32
At the end of the
day, if we can just say
00:33:47.36\00:33:50.26
persevere by the grace of God,
we roll over and go to sleep.
00:33:50.29\00:33:53.80
It is well with soul.
00:33:53.83\00:33:55.33
The best we understand it.
00:33:55.36\00:33:56.70
Sure. Yeah.
00:33:56.73\00:33:58.07
He's still working on us, but...
00:33:58.10\00:33:59.43
Yeah.
00:33:59.47\00:34:00.80
Through sorrow,
through the persecution,
00:34:00.84\00:34:02.44
through tests and trials,
00:34:02.47\00:34:03.81
some of the
greatest things has ever,
00:34:03.84\00:34:06.68
Has happened to mankind
to lead him closer to Jesus,
00:34:06.71\00:34:10.45
because I'm convinced
it's not the will of God.
00:34:10.48\00:34:12.95
And I think
that's in Lamentations 3.
00:34:12.98\00:34:16.12
You can read that,
Lamentations 3, what?
00:34:16.15\00:34:17.95
31 through 33, something says,
00:34:17.99\00:34:19.75
for he does not
afflict willingly...
00:34:19.79\00:34:26.06
He does not afflict willingly
00:34:26.09\00:34:28.53
nor grieve the children of men.
00:34:28.56\00:34:30.87
So it's, God doesn't
find joy in doing that.
00:34:30.90\00:34:33.74
That's right.
00:34:33.77\00:34:35.10
But He's gonna find
joy one of these days,
00:34:35.14\00:34:36.60
if we are persevering,
00:34:36.64\00:34:37.97
if we stay with it
and He stays with us,
00:34:38.01\00:34:40.28
that we can share
His throne together.
00:34:40.31\00:34:41.84
What joy that will be.
00:34:41.88\00:34:44.18
Well, they say, it's
gonna be worth it all
00:34:44.21\00:34:45.55
some days living with Jesus.
00:34:45.58\00:34:46.92
That's right.
00:34:46.95\00:34:48.28
You know, Dakota was
talking about the goal earlier,
00:34:48.32\00:34:49.65
you know, looking to that prize.
00:34:49.68\00:34:51.05
And when you...
00:34:51.09\00:34:52.42
When we started thinking of,
00:34:52.45\00:34:53.79
you know, the
lyrics to it is well,
00:34:53.82\00:34:55.16
I love the second verse.
00:34:55.19\00:34:56.52
Oh, come on.
00:34:56.56\00:34:57.89
Because through all this, he's,
00:34:57.93\00:34:59.26
you know, he's pouring it out.
00:34:59.29\00:35:00.63
You know, Lord, it is well,
it is well with my soul within.
00:35:00.66\00:35:02.00
I think it's the third
verse. The third verse says.
00:35:02.03\00:35:04.10
And, Lord, haste the day
when my faith shall be sight,
00:35:04.13\00:35:09.37
when the clouds be
rolled back like a scroll.
00:35:09.40\00:35:13.71
And he's describing this,
the second coming of Jesus.
00:35:13.74\00:35:16.54
Like all of this
that I'm going through.
00:35:16.58\00:35:18.21
All of these
trials, I'm going through.
00:35:18.25\00:35:20.35
It's, I'm looking
forward to the prize.
00:35:20.38\00:35:22.68
I'm looking past
through the clouds,
00:35:22.72\00:35:25.05
through the
shadows, through the pain,
00:35:25.09\00:35:26.86
the sorrow, the
depth of the, all of that,
00:35:26.89\00:35:29.02
that we're dealing with,
the trials and tribulations.
00:35:29.06\00:35:31.09
I'm looking past that.
00:35:31.13\00:35:32.46
And I'm looking up ahead
because Christ is coming soon.
00:35:32.49\00:35:35.96
And when He comes back,
00:35:36.00\00:35:37.33
all of this is
gonna be wiped away.
00:35:37.37\00:35:39.00
That's endurance, right?
00:35:39.03\00:35:40.37
Second verse,
though Satan should buff,
00:35:40.40\00:35:43.20
buffet, is it right?
00:35:43.24\00:35:44.57
That's right. Something buff.
00:35:44.61\00:35:46.57
Though trials should come,
00:35:46.61\00:35:49.98
you know, let
this blessed assurance.
00:35:50.01\00:35:51.78
Amen. That's what we need.
00:35:51.81\00:35:53.35
Other words, just what
you're talking about here,
00:35:53.38\00:35:54.75
what our lesson is,
00:35:54.78\00:35:56.48
even though
Satan should hit you,
00:35:56.52\00:35:59.05
though he come against
you, whatever it might be.
00:35:59.09\00:36:01.69
Keep our eyes
single to the glory of God.
00:36:01.72\00:36:04.13
And again, it is
well, I want it to be well.
00:36:04.16\00:36:07.43
So I want it to be
well with your soul too.
00:36:07.46\00:36:09.53
Amen. Everyone.
00:36:09.56\00:36:10.90
That should be our...
00:36:10.93\00:36:12.27
In our heart and our mind
00:36:12.30\00:36:13.64
as those who are in ministry
00:36:13.67\00:36:15.00
is not so much what
we might go through here.
00:36:15.04\00:36:18.51
That our mind
should be like Paul,
00:36:18.54\00:36:19.87
it should be on
others and on Jesus Christ.
00:36:19.91\00:36:21.98
Amen.
00:36:22.01\00:36:23.35
One of these days is
be well with my soul.
00:36:23.38\00:36:25.25
Amen. Amen.
00:36:25.28\00:36:26.61
So are there any other
texts that come to your mind?
00:36:26.65\00:36:28.42
I've got a note
here that I wrote
00:36:28.45\00:36:30.02
that there are various
texts throughout the Bible
00:36:30.05\00:36:31.92
that reveal to us God's attitude
00:36:31.95\00:36:34.46
in regards to His
00:36:34.49\00:36:35.82
children enduring trials, right?
00:36:35.86\00:36:37.73
So why don't we
expound on some of these texts
00:36:37.76\00:36:40.06
so that we might have the right
00:36:40.10\00:36:41.90
and adopt the right
mentality on approaching,
00:36:41.93\00:36:45.00
you know, the endurance,
00:36:45.03\00:36:46.37
the persistence,
the testing of trial?
00:36:46.40\00:36:48.10
Yeah.
00:36:48.14\00:36:49.47
I do have some
scriptures for that,
00:36:49.50\00:36:50.84
but I wanna just
jump back a little bit
00:36:50.87\00:36:52.64
to what you guys were saying,
00:36:52.67\00:36:54.01
because that's
what we all need to be.
00:36:54.04\00:36:56.48
We have to keep focus.
00:36:56.51\00:36:57.85
You know, this 2020, now 2021,
you know, it's been different.
00:36:57.88\00:37:03.02
And we're seeing
these pestilence,
00:37:03.05\00:37:04.92
we're seeing all of these things
00:37:04.95\00:37:06.35
that the Bible talked about,
00:37:06.39\00:37:07.72
even in Matthew 24, you
know, play out on the earth.
00:37:07.76\00:37:10.63
And we don't know just
where we're at in time,
00:37:10.66\00:37:14.00
but it's very possible,
00:37:14.03\00:37:15.36
we're entering that
little time of trouble,
00:37:15.40\00:37:17.30
you know, which we realize
00:37:17.33\00:37:18.67
will lead to that
great time of trouble.
00:37:18.70\00:37:20.04
And we have to keep our
eyes focused on the end.
00:37:20.07\00:37:23.47
You know, for me,
when I told you I was weak,
00:37:23.51\00:37:25.41
I have trouble
seeing an animal die.
00:37:25.44\00:37:27.94
You know, I have trouble
seeing anything die, suffer.
00:37:27.98\00:37:31.71
And yet, in Christ, we
realize that He suffered...
00:37:31.75\00:37:35.18
Oh, mercy.
00:37:35.22\00:37:36.55
By His stripes we were healed,
00:37:36.58\00:37:38.35
you know, we find
salvation in His blood.
00:37:38.39\00:37:42.29
But even Paul, you brought,
you started this out with Paul.
00:37:42.32\00:37:46.86
Mrs. White says,
00:37:46.90\00:37:48.23
and I believe this
is Acts of the Apostles,
00:37:48.26\00:37:51.40
page 512 and 513.
00:37:51.43\00:37:53.44
That those were
his last thoughts,
00:37:53.47\00:37:55.77
if I can find
where it was, let's see.
00:37:55.80\00:37:59.27
But what gave him hope,
even from the rack it says,
00:37:59.31\00:38:04.48
the stake, the
dungeon from dens,
00:38:04.51\00:38:06.65
the caves of the earth,
there falls upon his ear,
00:38:06.68\00:38:10.45
the martyr sound of triumph.
00:38:10.49\00:38:13.12
He hears the
witness of steadfast souls
00:38:13.15\00:38:15.99
who through destitute afflicted,
00:38:16.02\00:38:18.69
tormented yet bear
fearless solemn testimony
00:38:18.73\00:38:23.33
for the faith declaring I
know whom I have believed,
00:38:23.37\00:38:28.04
thus yielding up
their lives for the faith
00:38:28.07\00:38:30.34
declare to the world
00:38:30.37\00:38:32.11
that he and whom
they have trusted
00:38:32.14\00:38:34.64
is able to save
to the uttermost.
00:38:34.68\00:38:37.95
And she goes on in
here talking about,
00:38:37.98\00:38:39.48
I'm not seeing it right now,
00:38:39.51\00:38:41.35
that his last thought
00:38:41.38\00:38:42.72
as the man was to
raise that sword to kill him
00:38:42.75\00:38:47.46
was the second resurrection,
00:38:47.49\00:38:50.26
which will be his first thought
when he sees Christ come.
00:38:50.29\00:38:53.13
That's right. And you know what?
00:38:53.16\00:38:54.53
We have to get to the point
00:38:54.56\00:38:56.16
through the power
of the Holy Spirit,
00:38:56.20\00:38:59.50
that we're not
afraid to lose this life...
00:38:59.53\00:39:02.64
There you go. Amen.
00:39:02.67\00:39:04.01
But we're afraid to lose
00:39:04.04\00:39:05.37
the one that can
take eternal life.
00:39:05.41\00:39:07.68
Absolutely.
00:39:07.71\00:39:09.04
And so we, we learned so much
00:39:09.08\00:39:11.01
by looking back at the apostles,
00:39:11.05\00:39:12.58
looking back in
all these things.
00:39:12.61\00:39:14.38
I mean, I've...
00:39:14.42\00:39:15.75
I know that the
enemy likes to bring
00:39:15.78\00:39:17.19
about depression
through these trials.
00:39:17.22\00:39:19.62
I've been there.
00:39:19.65\00:39:20.99
I wanted to end
this life before,
00:39:21.02\00:39:24.06
but I persevered through prayer,
00:39:24.09\00:39:26.63
you know, for the sake of others
00:39:26.66\00:39:28.16
and, you know, praise God,
there's always another day.
00:39:28.20\00:39:32.03
There's a new day. Amen.
00:39:32.07\00:39:33.77
Share with us, Dakota.
00:39:33.80\00:39:35.20
Well, there's
several things, man.
00:39:35.24\00:39:37.21
You guys just, as
y'all been talking,
00:39:37.24\00:39:38.81
the Holy
Spirit's just been like,
00:39:38.84\00:39:40.38
you know, like
putting things in my mind.
00:39:40.41\00:39:42.61
So here we go.
00:39:42.64\00:39:44.11
So first of all, when
we talk about enduring,
00:39:44.15\00:39:46.55
you know, I
mean, I think of people
00:39:46.58\00:39:48.08
that have actually endured
00:39:48.12\00:39:49.45
and different things
that's happened in the world
00:39:49.48\00:39:50.82
to cause people to endure.
00:39:50.85\00:39:52.22
And I, you know, I
thought of the world wars
00:39:52.25\00:39:53.99
that have happened.
00:39:54.02\00:39:56.86
Winston Churchill being
one of the major players
00:39:56.89\00:39:58.69
during that time period
00:39:58.73\00:40:00.06
of one of the
world wars that went,
00:40:00.10\00:40:01.50
you know, took the
whole world by storm.
00:40:01.53\00:40:04.23
And he had a quote he gave
00:40:04.27\00:40:05.60
and, I don't
normally quote secular,
00:40:05.63\00:40:07.30
you know people,
but I really thought
00:40:07.34\00:40:10.47
this quote was saying something.
00:40:10.51\00:40:12.17
And it was even
synonymous with the Bible
00:40:12.21\00:40:14.28
is that he told
it all the soldiers
00:40:14.31\00:40:15.64
and all the people, he said,
00:40:15.68\00:40:17.01
listen, when you feel like
you're going through hell...
00:40:17.05\00:40:20.28
Well. Keep going.
00:40:20.32\00:40:21.85
Well.
00:40:21.88\00:40:23.22
And I was like, wow.
00:40:23.25\00:40:24.59
I was like, wow.
00:40:24.62\00:40:25.95
You know, so
there's times in life
00:40:25.99\00:40:27.52
where we feel
like we're experiencing
00:40:27.56\00:40:29.29
like hell on earth.
00:40:29.32\00:40:30.76
You know, like it is just
00:40:30.79\00:40:32.13
unreal amount of pressure on us,
00:40:32.16\00:40:35.00
unreal amount of
trials and tribulations
00:40:35.03\00:40:38.17
that would come our way.
00:40:38.20\00:40:39.70
But we have to
keep our eyes on Jesus
00:40:39.73\00:40:41.97
and we have to be
willing to hold on.
00:40:42.00\00:40:43.87
I'm also
reminded of another story.
00:40:43.91\00:40:46.27
This little boy
in Africa one day,
00:40:46.31\00:40:48.14
he was washing his hands
00:40:48.18\00:40:50.48
and he had just finished fishing
00:40:50.51\00:40:52.35
and he was washing his
hands down by the river.
00:40:52.38\00:40:54.45
And, you know,
anytime you wash your hands
00:40:54.48\00:40:56.12
down by the river,
00:40:56.15\00:40:57.49
you're supposed
to be with the crowd.
00:40:57.52\00:40:59.19
And this little
boy forgot about that.
00:40:59.22\00:41:01.16
He forgot about the
dangers that was in the water.
00:41:01.19\00:41:02.52
Oh.
00:41:02.56\00:41:03.89
And a caiman
crocodile as subtle as he was
00:41:03.93\00:41:07.43
and creeped up
on this little boy
00:41:07.46\00:41:09.73
so slow reached out.
00:41:09.76\00:41:11.87
I mean, big, it was
like a 12 foot caiman,
00:41:11.90\00:41:14.37
reached out and grabbed his arm.
00:41:14.40\00:41:16.54
And his mother
was just, you know,
00:41:16.57\00:41:18.07
12, 15 feet away from him,
00:41:18.11\00:41:20.24
but she was far enough
away where the crock could have,
00:41:20.28\00:41:22.08
or the caiman could
have quickly pulled him
00:41:22.11\00:41:23.45
under the water
00:41:23.48\00:41:24.81
and just started
to do the death roll.
00:41:24.85\00:41:26.58
And the mother ran
as fast as she could
00:41:26.61\00:41:29.95
and dived and grabbed
a hold of her son's arm.
00:41:29.98\00:41:34.26
And so the crock
had one side of his arm
00:41:34.29\00:41:36.73
and the mother
had the other side
00:41:36.76\00:41:38.43
and she just dug her nails.
00:41:38.46\00:41:40.40
And she pulled with
everything that she had
00:41:40.43\00:41:42.80
and was not going
to let her son go.
00:41:42.83\00:41:44.53
That's right.
00:41:44.57\00:41:45.90
And finally the croc let go...
00:41:45.93\00:41:47.54
Well. Interesting.
00:41:47.57\00:41:48.90
And they get to the
hospital and the boy's got like,
00:41:48.94\00:41:51.67
you know, his arms almost mauled
00:41:51.71\00:41:53.07
by the caiman
00:41:53.11\00:41:54.44
and his arm is
hurting, of course.
00:41:54.48\00:41:55.81
And he's crying
without getting there.
00:41:55.84\00:41:57.18
And they start, you
know, putting the sedatives
00:41:57.21\00:41:58.55
and everything anymore.
00:41:58.58\00:41:59.91
After the boy wakes up,
00:41:59.95\00:42:01.32
he looks at his injuring wounds,
00:42:01.35\00:42:03.45
you know, that he has,
and he looks at the other arm
00:42:03.49\00:42:06.42
and the doctor said,
you know, son, he said,
00:42:06.45\00:42:08.66
I know that those
that arm out there
00:42:08.69\00:42:10.53
is gonna haunt you
for the rest of your life.
00:42:10.56\00:42:12.59
He said, but I don't want
you to forget about the marks.
00:42:12.63\00:42:14.96
And he had just, I'm
talking just massive indention
00:42:15.00\00:42:17.93
to her nails going into his
arm that was scarring for life.
00:42:17.97\00:42:20.64
Sure.
00:42:20.67\00:42:22.00
And he said, I
don't want you to forget
00:42:22.04\00:42:23.37
about the love that
your mother had for you.
00:42:23.41\00:42:25.27
Amen.
00:42:25.31\00:42:26.64
To pull you through
all of that trouble,
00:42:26.68\00:42:29.11
to pull you out of these.
00:42:29.14\00:42:30.48
Don't, you forget
you're worth something.
00:42:30.51\00:42:31.88
Amen. That's right.
00:42:31.91\00:42:33.25
You can always make it
through anything in life.
00:42:33.28\00:42:34.68
When it seems like
00:42:34.72\00:42:36.05
something's about
to pull you under,
00:42:36.08\00:42:37.42
it seems like
00:42:37.45\00:42:38.79
something's
about to just kill you
00:42:38.82\00:42:40.16
and take your life.
00:42:40.19\00:42:41.52
Something's gonna
grab a hold on you.
00:42:41.56\00:42:42.89
And that someone's Jesus. Amen.
00:42:42.92\00:42:44.56
And I, you know, I
just, I thought of that story.
00:42:44.59\00:42:46.33
I thought, wow, you know,
how are we to endure ever?
00:42:46.36\00:42:49.33
And I think that
really in reality,
00:42:49.36\00:42:51.03
we have to come into a
relationship with Jesus
00:42:51.07\00:42:53.17
is that, you know.
00:42:53.20\00:42:54.54
I think of Paul,
what you just read
00:42:54.57\00:42:55.90
in 2 Corinthians 11.
00:42:55.94\00:42:57.27
I literally put those notes down
00:42:57.31\00:42:58.64
'cause that's
what came to my mind
00:42:58.67\00:43:00.01
when I heard of this study.
00:43:00.04\00:43:01.48
And I look at
what he went through,
00:43:01.51\00:43:03.11
you know, all
the stripes beating,
00:43:03.14\00:43:04.75
five times he was beaten,
not even counting by rods.
00:43:04.78\00:43:07.85
That was just with a whip.
00:43:07.88\00:43:09.45
Then you have him
being stoned to death.
00:43:09.48\00:43:11.92
Right.
00:43:11.95\00:43:13.29
Then his brother, you go
and read the Book of Acts.
00:43:13.32\00:43:14.79
You know, when we
read the Book of Acts,
00:43:14.82\00:43:16.16
we should be humbled.
00:43:16.19\00:43:17.53
Right.
00:43:17.56\00:43:18.89
I mean, really,
we should be humbled.
00:43:18.93\00:43:20.26
This brother's stoned to death.
00:43:20.30\00:43:21.63
They left him lying there
00:43:21.66\00:43:23.00
'cause they thought
that they killed him.
00:43:23.03\00:43:24.37
That's right.
00:43:24.40\00:43:25.73
And when they stoned somebody,
they didn't grab pebbles,
00:43:25.77\00:43:27.10
they grabbed just
like half a boulder.
00:43:27.14\00:43:29.07
You know what I mean?
00:43:29.10\00:43:30.44
Like it's half a boulder
00:43:30.47\00:43:31.81
and just crush you on your head.
00:43:31.84\00:43:33.48
They left Paul
thinking, this brother is gone,
00:43:33.51\00:43:35.48
like he's done for.
00:43:35.51\00:43:36.85
Like to see him get up again.
00:43:36.88\00:43:38.75
And the Bible
says that Paul got up
00:43:38.78\00:43:40.28
the very next day
00:43:40.32\00:43:42.72
and went and
preached the gospel again.
00:43:42.75\00:43:44.19
And I'm just
like, well, hold on.
00:43:44.22\00:43:45.55
If that would have been me,
I would've lied there thinking,
00:43:45.59\00:43:47.76
Lord, so I preach Your
Word and this is what I get.
00:43:47.79\00:43:52.29
This is what I get.
00:43:52.33\00:43:53.66
I don't know if
I'm cut out for this.
00:43:53.70\00:43:55.03
I mean, I'm just saying like,
00:43:55.06\00:43:56.40
you know, that's
probably what most of us
00:43:56.43\00:43:57.77
would probably be thinking.
00:43:57.80\00:43:59.13
But what made me
think when I read all this
00:43:59.17\00:44:00.50
in 2 Corinthians 11,
what we just read about Paul.
00:44:00.54\00:44:03.41
How did that brother keep going?
00:44:03.44\00:44:04.77
Yes.
00:44:04.81\00:44:06.14
He kept going,
00:44:06.17\00:44:07.51
because he fell
in love with Jesus.
00:44:07.54\00:44:08.88
That's right.
00:44:08.91\00:44:10.25
Just like the
woman who fell in love,
00:44:10.28\00:44:11.61
that's her son.
00:44:11.65\00:44:12.98
She ain't gonna let
that croc have her son.
00:44:13.01\00:44:14.35
She's gonna do
everything she can.
00:44:14.38\00:44:15.72
And I thought of this and
I'll be quiet for a minute.
00:44:15.75\00:44:19.19
1 Corinthians 9:24-27.
00:44:19.22\00:44:21.32
Okay. Okay.
00:44:21.36\00:44:22.69
"Know ye not
00:44:22.72\00:44:24.06
that they which run in a race
00:44:24.09\00:44:25.43
run all, but one
receiveth the prize?
00:44:25.46\00:44:29.23
He says, so run
that you may obtain."
00:44:29.26\00:44:31.83
Now, I want you to understand
what Paul is just saying.
00:44:31.87\00:44:33.34
He's like, listen,
we're not in this to lose.
00:44:33.37\00:44:34.87
Right. That's a fact.
00:44:34.90\00:44:36.37
We're in a race.
We're not in this to lose.
00:44:36.40\00:44:39.07
He said, you need to
run that you may obtain it.
00:44:39.11\00:44:41.11
We're talking
about perseverance.
00:44:41.14\00:44:42.48
Have you seen races?
00:44:42.51\00:44:43.85
You've seen people
00:44:43.88\00:44:45.21
that think they're about to win.
00:44:45.25\00:44:46.58
And they start
celebrating early.
00:44:46.61\00:44:47.95
Somebody just close by shoom.
00:44:47.98\00:44:49.78
And they're like, they get all,
you know, they're all upset.
00:44:49.82\00:44:53.32
He says, you better run as you,
like you're gonna obtain it.
00:44:53.36\00:44:56.36
He says and every man
that strive it for the mastery
00:44:56.39\00:44:58.69
is temperate in all things.
00:44:58.73\00:45:00.73
Now they do it to
obtain a corruptible crown.
00:45:00.76\00:45:03.37
He says they do it to
get a belt around their waist
00:45:03.40\00:45:05.17
or to get, you know,
00:45:05.20\00:45:06.53
some crown that's
gonna be corruptible, right?
00:45:06.57\00:45:08.10
But we do it for an
incorruptible crown.
00:45:08.14\00:45:11.01
He says, I therefore
so run not as uncertainly.
00:45:11.04\00:45:14.68
He's like, no, I'm
not running this race
00:45:14.71\00:45:16.95
like I think I might lose.
00:45:16.98\00:45:18.41
Right.
00:45:18.45\00:45:20.85
I probably won't
lose, he's like no.
00:45:20.88\00:45:23.08
I don't run with certainty.
00:45:23.12\00:45:24.45
So fight, not as one
that beat at the air,
00:45:24.49\00:45:26.65
but I keep my body
00:45:26.69\00:45:28.29
and bring it in into subjection,
00:45:28.32\00:45:30.46
lest that by any means,
when I have preached to others,
00:45:30.49\00:45:33.90
I myself should be a castaway.
00:45:33.93\00:45:35.26
Amen. Amen.
00:45:35.30\00:45:36.63
When we think
about them in the faith,
00:45:36.67\00:45:38.50
give me that faith.
00:45:38.53\00:45:39.90
That's what we all
need. Give me that faith.
00:45:39.93\00:45:42.00
And what we're
seeing glimpses of,
00:45:42.04\00:45:43.47
you know, you just
went through all this stuff
00:45:43.51\00:45:45.14
with Paul a couple of times.
00:45:45.17\00:45:46.54
You know, we talk
about Job and yet we're told,
00:45:46.57\00:45:49.14
and I mentioned it earlier.
00:45:49.18\00:45:50.51
There's a great time of trouble,
00:45:50.55\00:45:52.11
such as never be seen,
00:45:52.15\00:45:54.02
seen before on
this earth, you know?
00:45:54.05\00:45:56.28
And so, I get encouraged
00:45:56.32\00:45:58.05
because what I see happening
00:45:58.09\00:46:00.12
is that there are people
00:46:00.16\00:46:01.76
that are beginning to persevere.
00:46:01.79\00:46:03.29
There are people
00:46:03.32\00:46:04.66
that are beginning
to fall in love with God
00:46:04.69\00:46:06.33
within and without this church.
00:46:06.36\00:46:08.53
You know, we were meeting
some of these young people
00:46:08.56\00:46:11.30
that in fact we met one
just a couple of weeks ago,
00:46:11.33\00:46:13.94
came into our home.
00:46:13.97\00:46:15.30
You know, he works for
the local company here.
00:46:15.34\00:46:17.31
He used to be a drug addict.
00:46:17.34\00:46:18.77
He used to be an alcoholic,
but I'm telling you, he glowed,
00:46:18.81\00:46:24.48
he glowed with the
atmosphere of Jesus.
00:46:24.51\00:46:27.02
Amen.
00:46:27.05\00:46:28.38
We were connected
through the love of Christ.
00:46:28.42\00:46:31.32
And he said like
Paul, he would find it.
00:46:31.35\00:46:35.36
If I can remember
his words exactly.
00:46:35.39\00:46:36.89
He would call...
00:46:36.93\00:46:38.26
He said it would be an honor
for me to lay down my life.
00:46:38.29\00:46:41.83
That's right. You
know what I thought?
00:46:41.86\00:46:43.40
I'm looking at possibly
00:46:43.43\00:46:46.30
one of the 144,000,
00:46:46.33\00:46:48.74
because they're gonna be living
00:46:48.77\00:46:50.94
in the sight of a Holy
God without a mediator.
00:46:50.97\00:46:53.07
Praise the Lord.
00:46:53.11\00:46:54.44
They're gonna come
through all these perseverances
00:46:54.48\00:46:57.15
and all these trials.
00:46:57.18\00:46:58.71
And their faith
is gonna be strong.
00:46:58.75\00:47:01.68
It has been molded
by that master potter.
00:47:01.72\00:47:04.42
They've been through the fire.
00:47:04.45\00:47:05.79
Now they're shining,
00:47:05.82\00:47:07.16
even though they
don't realize it,
00:47:07.19\00:47:08.52
they're shinning.
00:47:08.56\00:47:09.89
Amen.
00:47:09.92\00:47:11.26
And one thing that hit me too,
00:47:11.29\00:47:12.63
with that story
of the crocodile,
00:47:12.66\00:47:14.96
nothing can happen to us
00:47:15.00\00:47:17.07
unless God says it's okay.
00:47:17.10\00:47:18.77
That's right.
00:47:18.80\00:47:20.14
Either He's gonna trust us
with that trial or like Paul,
00:47:20.17\00:47:23.71
I've finished the race.
00:47:23.74\00:47:25.31
That's right.
00:47:25.34\00:47:26.68
I ran the course. Amen.
00:47:26.71\00:47:28.34
And he was done and he knew it.
00:47:28.38\00:47:29.71
Praise the Lord.
00:47:29.74\00:47:31.08
You know, so, but
until then nothing,
00:47:31.11\00:47:32.78
no one God's
gonna step in there.
00:47:32.81\00:47:34.78
There will be
miracle after miracle.
00:47:34.82\00:47:36.42
I could tell you story
after story of miracles.
00:47:36.45\00:47:38.95
Let me share
this 1 Peter 4:12-13,
00:47:38.99\00:47:42.89
"Beloved, think it not strange
concerning the fiery trial,
00:47:42.92\00:47:47.16
which is to try you
as some strange thing
00:47:47.20\00:47:50.07
happened to you."
00:47:50.10\00:47:51.43
You know, and that's what,
00:47:51.47\00:47:52.80
that's our first
inclination in the human spirit.
00:47:52.83\00:47:55.00
Why is this
happening to me? Why me?
00:47:55.04\00:47:57.47
You know, but rejoice,
00:47:57.51\00:47:59.71
see God is
teaching us over and over.
00:47:59.74\00:48:02.54
Don't forget I'm in control.
00:48:02.58\00:48:05.05
That's right. Amen.
00:48:05.08\00:48:06.41
I'm in control.
00:48:06.45\00:48:07.95
But rejoice in as much as you
00:48:07.98\00:48:09.72
are partakers of
Christ's sufferings
00:48:09.75\00:48:12.45
that when His
glory shall be revealed,
00:48:12.49\00:48:14.76
you may be glad
also with exceeding joy.
00:48:14.79\00:48:18.13
Once again,
where's it pointing us to?
00:48:18.16\00:48:20.56
The second coming.
00:48:20.60\00:48:21.93
That's right. Amen.
00:48:21.96\00:48:23.30
And you know,
Chris, you said something
00:48:23.33\00:48:24.67
that was really powerful,
brought something back to me.
00:48:24.70\00:48:26.74
I was in a
Sabbath school one day
00:48:26.77\00:48:28.60
and we were talking
about this very thing,
00:48:28.64\00:48:29.97
but it was on the life of Job.
00:48:30.01\00:48:31.34
And it was a brother.
00:48:31.37\00:48:32.84
His name was Kevin Crawford.
00:48:32.87\00:48:34.21
Brother, he's a
good friend of mine.
00:48:34.24\00:48:35.71
If he's watching this
in the future, he'll..
00:48:35.74\00:48:37.25
I'm sure he'll
appreciate me sharing this.
00:48:37.28\00:48:39.35
Is he actually said, he said,
you know, when we say, he said,
00:48:39.38\00:48:42.28
I hear people all the
time say, you know, why me?
00:48:42.32\00:48:43.95
Lord, why me?
00:48:43.99\00:48:45.32
He's like, then God
gave me the thought one day.
00:48:45.35\00:48:46.69
Why not me? Why not me?
00:48:46.72\00:48:48.92
And you know what?
00:48:48.96\00:48:50.29
The point he was making is that
00:48:50.33\00:48:51.66
during the hardest
trials and tribulations
00:48:51.69\00:48:53.93
that you experience,
00:48:53.96\00:48:55.30
that's when people
watch you the most.
00:48:55.33\00:48:58.40
Exactly. Exactly.
00:48:58.43\00:49:00.54
When someone knows, oh
man, they just lost their home
00:49:00.57\00:49:03.10
and everything burned down.
00:49:03.14\00:49:04.47
Like our friend, Alex,
00:49:04.51\00:49:05.84
you know, I
think of those things.
00:49:05.87\00:49:07.21
That's when people
watch you the most.
00:49:07.24\00:49:09.08
They look at you
and they're like,
00:49:09.11\00:49:10.45
how is this
Christian gonna react.
00:49:10.48\00:49:12.71
You know what I
mean? That's right.
00:49:12.75\00:49:14.08
Yeah. Yeah.
00:49:14.12\00:49:15.45
That's a good
one. Brother Kenny?
00:49:15.48\00:49:18.02
A passage of scripture,
00:49:18.05\00:49:19.39
it comes to mind
just part of it here.
00:49:19.42\00:49:20.89
It would be why trials?
00:49:20.92\00:49:22.26
Why tribulations?
00:49:22.29\00:49:23.63
Everybody always, you know,
00:49:23.66\00:49:24.99
no matter how much you
go over the same people,
00:49:25.03\00:49:27.46
there's still somebody
who's going to say why.
00:49:27.50\00:49:28.96
And we need to
answer those things
00:49:29.00\00:49:30.70
and how God views it.
00:49:30.73\00:49:32.07
I think Hebrews
12:10, just the last part.
00:49:32.10\00:49:34.84
It just simply says
for He, for our profit,
00:49:34.87\00:49:38.97
that we might be
partakers of His holiness.
00:49:39.01\00:49:42.01
So we look at the
things that are going on,
00:49:42.04\00:49:43.68
talking about chasing there.
00:49:43.71\00:49:45.05
At first, He corrects us.
00:49:45.08\00:49:46.41
What?
00:49:46.45\00:49:47.78
It says right
here is for our profit,
00:49:47.82\00:49:49.68
that we may profit.
00:49:49.72\00:49:51.05
In other words, we may
enter into eternal life
00:49:51.09\00:49:53.99
because He is willing to
continue to labor with us
00:49:54.02\00:49:56.73
and to correct us
00:49:56.76\00:49:58.29
and have mercy and
grace as He has in my life
00:49:58.33\00:50:01.23
over and over and over.
00:50:01.26\00:50:02.96
Praise the Lord.
His grace is sufficient.
00:50:03.00\00:50:04.83
And I praise God for that. Amen.
00:50:04.87\00:50:07.00
And again, why has He
allowed these things happen?
00:50:07.04\00:50:09.34
For our profit, that
we may have eternal life.
00:50:09.37\00:50:12.21
I can give another
verse as to why He allows it.
00:50:12.24\00:50:15.01
Romans 5:3-5, we
glory in tribulations
00:50:15.04\00:50:19.41
also knowing that
tribulation worketh what?
00:50:19.45\00:50:22.08
Patience.
00:50:22.12\00:50:23.45
Patience, and
patience experience
00:50:23.49\00:50:25.89
and experience hope,
00:50:25.92\00:50:27.59
and hope make it not ashamed
00:50:27.62\00:50:29.22
because the love of God
is shed abroad in our hearts,
00:50:29.26\00:50:32.69
by the Holy Ghost,
which is given unto us.
00:50:32.73\00:50:36.13
Experience, hope
being not ashamed, patient.
00:50:36.16\00:50:40.47
And you mentioned
people are looking at us
00:50:40.50\00:50:42.40
as we're going
through it, no matter what.
00:50:42.44\00:50:44.01
And I don't remember,
00:50:44.04\00:50:45.37
maybe you guys
remember the verse.
00:50:45.41\00:50:46.74
You guys are better at
calling these up than I am,
00:50:46.78\00:50:49.01
but in everything we
do we're to have patience.
00:50:49.04\00:50:52.65
That's right.
00:50:52.68\00:50:54.02
We're to have a
positive attitude, you know?
00:50:54.05\00:50:56.82
So no matter what
we're asked, no matter.
00:50:56.85\00:50:59.19
And Paul, what we were
reading Paul in 2 Corinthians,
00:50:59.22\00:51:02.62
all these things are happening.
00:51:02.66\00:51:03.99
He says, and what am I worried
about on top of all this stuff?
00:51:04.03\00:51:06.63
The church. The church.
00:51:06.66\00:51:08.00
You know, so a lot of
times we find ourselves so busy
00:51:08.03\00:51:10.27
and we feel like,
00:51:10.30\00:51:11.63
oh, this is too
much for us to handle.
00:51:11.67\00:51:13.44
And then someone calls,
00:51:13.47\00:51:14.94
there's a death, someone's sick.
00:51:14.97\00:51:16.37
Someone's had
operations, some something,
00:51:16.40\00:51:18.84
or getting ready
for church sermon,
00:51:18.87\00:51:21.18
the church, the wellbeing...
00:51:21.21\00:51:22.54
Glory.
00:51:22.58\00:51:23.91
Glory of God's people. Yeah.
00:51:23.95\00:51:25.28
That was,
00:51:25.31\00:51:26.65
that was
powerful points you made.
00:51:26.68\00:51:28.02
I wanna actually take us
to a couple of verses here
00:51:28.05\00:51:29.38
where we get about
five or so minutes,
00:51:29.42\00:51:30.75
six minutes left here.
00:51:30.79\00:51:32.12
I wanna share these two
verses, because I think to me,
00:51:32.15\00:51:33.96
it's like one of
the foundational,
00:51:33.99\00:51:35.96
couple of passages
that come to my mind
00:51:35.99\00:51:37.59
when I'm thinking
about perseverance.
00:51:37.63\00:51:39.96
Now Sister Shelton,
just read Romans 5:3-5.
00:51:40.00\00:51:43.90
She read the King
James Version I believe?
00:51:43.93\00:51:45.53
Was that the King
James Version you read?
00:51:45.57\00:51:47.27
The New King James
Version for that word patience
00:51:47.30\00:51:49.24
actually is the
word perseverance
00:51:49.27\00:51:50.97
in the New King James,
00:51:51.01\00:51:52.34
which I love that
00:51:52.37\00:51:53.71
knowing that
tribulation produces
00:51:53.74\00:51:55.08
perseverance
00:51:55.11\00:51:56.44
and perseverance
character and character hope.
00:51:56.48\00:51:58.85
So that was really, really nice.
00:51:58.88\00:52:00.22
But the text
that comes to my mind
00:52:00.25\00:52:01.82
when I'm thinking
of this is James 1:2-4.
00:52:01.85\00:52:05.39
Yeah. Let's read James 1:2-4.
00:52:05.42\00:52:08.16
And then I'm
going to couple this
00:52:08.19\00:52:10.26
with the first couple of
verses of Hebrews Chapter 12.
00:52:10.29\00:52:13.83
So let's go to James 1:2-4.
00:52:13.86\00:52:15.40
The Bible says, "My
brethren count it all joy
00:52:15.43\00:52:19.40
when you fall
into various trials,
00:52:19.43\00:52:22.44
knowing that the
testing of your faith
00:52:22.47\00:52:24.51
produces patience.
00:52:24.54\00:52:26.98
But let patience
have its perfect work
00:52:27.01\00:52:28.98
that you may be perfect
and complete lacking nothing."
00:52:29.01\00:52:33.11
So when I first read this
verse many, many years ago,
00:52:33.15\00:52:35.75
you know, when I
was really picking up
00:52:35.78\00:52:37.15
the Bible for the
first time in my life
00:52:37.19\00:52:39.09
and really trying to read it,
00:52:39.12\00:52:40.49
you know, it's difficult
00:52:40.52\00:52:42.16
when you're
going through a trial.
00:52:42.19\00:52:43.53
I'll give you an example of
one of the trials I through.
00:52:43.56\00:52:45.69
Years ago, I was in
my first year of college
00:52:45.73\00:52:48.40
and without going into too deep,
00:52:48.43\00:52:51.03
there was a lot
of at home pressures
00:52:51.07\00:52:54.67
and different things
that was going on in my life.
00:52:54.70\00:52:56.37
I was so stressed out
00:52:56.40\00:52:58.54
that I had brought upon me
00:52:58.57\00:53:00.48
this intense,
extreme level of anxiety.
00:53:00.51\00:53:04.21
And I would fall
into these panic attacks
00:53:04.25\00:53:06.35
where my heart rate
would literally like,
00:53:06.38\00:53:07.72
just at the drop of a moment
00:53:07.75\00:53:09.12
my heart rate would go from like
00:53:09.15\00:53:10.49
70 to 150 beats a
minute in like no time.
00:53:10.52\00:53:14.92
And I felt like my
chest, you know, my heart
00:53:14.96\00:53:16.29
was about to
burst out of my chest.
00:53:16.32\00:53:17.69
And at first I thought
00:53:17.73\00:53:19.06
something was
wrong with me, right?
00:53:19.09\00:53:20.43
Boom, you know,
00:53:20.46\00:53:21.80
something's wrong with my heart?
00:53:21.83\00:53:23.16
And here I am,
20, 20, 21 years old.
00:53:23.20\00:53:24.53
And I'm really this
messed up and you know,
00:53:24.57\00:53:27.37
went and got some tests done.
00:53:27.40\00:53:28.74
But every single day,
the same thing, all these.
00:53:28.77\00:53:31.47
And I remember laying
there again as a young man,
00:53:31.51\00:53:34.71
all this happening,
thinking to myself, woe is me.
00:53:34.74\00:53:38.18
Woe is me.
00:53:38.21\00:53:39.55
Lord, You've
brought me here to just die.
00:53:39.58\00:53:41.08
This is what You've
brought me to do, Lord.
00:53:41.12\00:53:43.22
You've brought me
through to this moment to die?
00:53:43.25\00:53:46.22
And, but I'll never
forget reading this text,
00:53:46.25\00:53:48.32
count it all joy.
00:53:48.36\00:53:50.59
I mean, who's going through it,
00:53:50.63\00:53:51.96
you know, could you
imagine laying there,
00:53:51.99\00:53:53.33
your heart's
beating on your chest.
00:53:53.36\00:53:54.70
You thought you
were about to die
00:53:54.73\00:53:56.06
and you could barely breathe
00:53:56.10\00:53:57.57
and you're going, thank you Lord
00:53:57.60\00:53:59.87
for this anxiety attack.
00:53:59.90\00:54:01.24
I'm so happy and joyful
00:54:01.27\00:54:02.60
that I'm
experiencing this, right?
00:54:02.64\00:54:04.44
Thank you Lord,
for that flat tire
00:54:04.47\00:54:06.37
that I have to now get
out in the rain and change
00:54:06.41\00:54:08.34
and you know, all
of these various trials
00:54:08.38\00:54:10.45
and things that we
go through it, it's...
00:54:10.48\00:54:12.05
We don't think
of it in that way,
00:54:12.08\00:54:14.45
but yet God says
we should be joyful
00:54:14.48\00:54:18.22
in a spiritual sense
00:54:18.25\00:54:19.75
because it helps
produce character and patience.
00:54:19.79\00:54:22.82
Now keep that. He
says, count it all joy.
00:54:22.86\00:54:25.93
Go to Hebrews 12:1-2.
00:54:25.96\00:54:28.93
Hebrews 12:1-2.
00:54:28.96\00:54:30.30
I love this text.
00:54:30.33\00:54:31.67
One of my favorite
texts in all the Bible.
00:54:31.70\00:54:33.30
Hebrews 12:1-2,
"Therefore we also,
00:54:33.34\00:54:35.07
since we are surrounded
00:54:35.10\00:54:36.44
by so great a
cloud of witnesses."
00:54:36.47\00:54:38.17
Mercy.
00:54:38.21\00:54:39.54
Talking about overcoming,
and I wanna just add this.
00:54:39.57\00:54:42.21
I'm gonna give some
final thoughts to these,
00:54:42.24\00:54:44.85
my wonderful guests here.
00:54:44.88\00:54:46.21
Therefore, since
we are surrounded
00:54:46.25\00:54:47.58
by so great a
cloud of witnesses,
00:54:47.62\00:54:48.95
let us lay aside every weight,
00:54:48.98\00:54:50.72
and the sin which
so easily ensnares us,
00:54:50.75\00:54:53.56
and let us run with endurance
00:54:53.59\00:54:56.46
the race that is set before us."
00:54:56.49\00:54:58.69
And then verse 2
really sets the tone here
00:54:58.73\00:55:00.90
'cause Christ is
our example, right?
00:55:00.93\00:55:02.43
Yes. Looking unto who?
00:55:02.46\00:55:03.87
Jesus. Okay.
00:55:03.90\00:55:05.23
You're going
through whatever trial
00:55:05.27\00:55:06.60
you're going through
right now in your life.
00:55:06.63\00:55:07.97
There's someone
watching right now
00:55:08.00\00:55:09.34
that's saying,
I'm dealing with this.
00:55:09.37\00:55:10.71
I'm dealing with depression.
00:55:10.74\00:55:12.07
I'm dealing with
anxiety. I'm dealing with pain.
00:55:12.11\00:55:13.44
I'm dealing with sickness.
00:55:13.48\00:55:14.81
I'm dealing with
the loss of a loved one.
00:55:14.84\00:55:16.18
I'm dealing, whatever it is.
00:55:16.21\00:55:17.55
Sorrow, challenge, adversity
that you're dealing with.
00:55:17.58\00:55:20.68
The Bible says, look unto Jesus,
00:55:20.72\00:55:22.48
looking unto Jesus,
00:55:22.52\00:55:23.85
the author and
finisher of our faith for,
00:55:23.89\00:55:25.52
notice for the joy
that was set before him,
00:55:25.55\00:55:29.92
he endured the cross.
00:55:29.96\00:55:32.53
You could take
all of the whippings
00:55:32.56\00:55:35.73
that Paul got,
00:55:35.76\00:55:37.10
all of the horrible
things that Job had to endure
00:55:37.13\00:55:39.43
and all the other ones
and wrap that all up into one.
00:55:39.47\00:55:41.77
And it would still
fall short of the trial
00:55:41.80\00:55:43.77
and the agony that
Jesus had to endure
00:55:43.81\00:55:46.41
the last 12 hours of His life.
00:55:46.44\00:55:48.14
He saw past the cross.
00:55:48.18\00:55:49.54
He endured the
cross despising the shame
00:55:49.58\00:55:52.51
and has sat down
00:55:52.55\00:55:53.88
at the right hand
of the throne of God.
00:55:53.92\00:55:56.18
Talk about
persevering through trial.
00:55:56.22\00:55:58.82
We have about a
minute and a half,
00:55:58.85\00:56:00.19
really quickly give
us some final thoughts
00:56:00.22\00:56:01.92
before we end our program.
00:56:01.96\00:56:04.26
Man, real quick, I
got to share something
00:56:04.29\00:56:06.19
'cause it just goes
perfectly along with this.
00:56:06.23\00:56:07.56
And I heard this
story from you, Ryan,
00:56:07.60\00:56:10.17
basically it was
in Malachi Chapter 3,
00:56:10.20\00:56:11.53
remember that?
00:56:11.57\00:56:12.90
Okay. The refiner's fire.
00:56:12.93\00:56:14.47
So Jesus says in Malachi 3,
00:56:14.50\00:56:16.07
"I sit as a refiner
00:56:16.10\00:56:17.44
and purifier of silver and gold,
00:56:17.47\00:56:18.81
that I may
purify, the sons of Levi."
00:56:18.84\00:56:20.38
Make a long story
short, Jesus is saying, listen,
00:56:20.41\00:56:23.55
you'll have to go
through fires in life,
00:56:23.58\00:56:25.08
trials in life,
00:56:25.11\00:56:26.45
but blacksmiths
or not blacksmiths,
00:56:26.48\00:56:28.85
silversmiths and goldsmiths.
00:56:28.88\00:56:30.22
They put the
gold and the silver,
00:56:30.25\00:56:31.85
which we are a
reflection of that in scripture,
00:56:31.89\00:56:34.12
in the fire that
it might burn off
00:56:34.16\00:56:35.56
all of its impurities...
00:56:35.59\00:56:36.93
The hottest part of the fire.
The hottest part of the fire.
00:56:36.96\00:56:38.66
It may burn off
all of its impurities
00:56:38.69\00:56:40.56
and all through all of that.
00:56:40.60\00:56:43.10
He knows when
the silver is ready
00:56:43.13\00:56:46.00
to be taken out of the fire,
00:56:46.03\00:56:47.64
when it perfectly reflects
the image of the refiner.
00:56:47.67\00:56:50.47
Amen.
00:56:50.51\00:56:51.84
And so... I like that.
00:56:51.87\00:56:53.21
As a silversmith is there
holding it into the flame.
00:56:53.24\00:56:56.04
He knows when to
take it out of the fire
00:56:56.08\00:56:57.71
when his image is
perfectly seen through it.
00:56:57.75\00:57:00.15
So keep that in the
back of your guys' minds.
00:57:00.18\00:57:02.05
Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:57:02.08\00:57:03.42
I appreciate that.
00:57:03.45\00:57:04.79
Guys, thank you so
much for joining us today.
00:57:04.82\00:57:06.55
I felt like we could
just talk a whole another hour
00:57:06.59\00:57:07.92
on this one topic.
00:57:07.96\00:57:09.29
That's right.
00:57:09.32\00:57:10.66
I looked through
all these notes here.
00:57:10.69\00:57:12.03
We didn't even get
through half of our notes,
00:57:12.06\00:57:13.40
but you know what?
00:57:13.43\00:57:14.76
God is good. His Word is good.
00:57:14.80\00:57:16.13
Look unto Jesus, the author
and finisher of your faith.
00:57:16.16\00:57:18.33
He's coming soon.
00:57:18.37\00:57:19.70
So keep fighting
that good fight of faith.
00:57:19.73\00:57:21.97
Persevere to
the end, Jesus said,
00:57:22.00\00:57:23.97
and you shall be saved.
00:57:24.01\00:57:25.67
Thank you so much
for joining us today.
00:57:25.71\00:57:27.18
God bless you all.
00:57:27.21\00:57:28.54
We're praying
for you. We love you.
00:57:28.58\00:57:29.91
We thank you for your love,
prayers and support of 3ABN.
00:57:29.94\00:57:32.95
Until next time, God bless.
00:57:32.98\00:57:35.08