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 to 3ABN Today.
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My name is Angela Lomacang.
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And I'm so glad that you
have decided to tune in today.
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Thank you for your prayers
and your financial support
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of this program that is
going into the whole world.
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Well, speaking
of the whole world,
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you are going to be
blessed by our guest today,
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Melody Mason.
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Welcome, Melody.
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Thank you. It's good to be back.
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Yes, yeah. You've been
on this program few times.
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And when I say this program,
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you've been here
at 3ABN a few times.
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Yes.
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It's always good
to have you here.
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Thank you.
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And also, Melody,
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we, you and I have
met before, haven't we?
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We met.
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We met on a flight to Australia.
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I was dreading
flying across the ocean.
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And there I saw
John and Angela Lomacang,
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I was so excited.
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So we flew across
the ocean together.
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Yes, we did,
that very long flight.
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Yeah.
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And you have been
involved in prayer ministries
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for some time.
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Yes.
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But you are also a registered
nurse. Is that correct?
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Yes, that's correct as well.
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Now, how did that
transition come about
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from registered
nurse to prayer ministries?
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Yeah.
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So well, I was
just working as a nurse
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and then was getting more
and more involved in ministry
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and prayer
ministry began to grow.
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And then pretty soon
I had so many requests
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and obligations
with a prayer ministry
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that I realized I
needed to either work
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or do prayer ministry.
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So I stepped out of
nursing back in 2012,
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and started working
full time prayer ministry
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and now, of course, working
with the General Conference
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prayer ministry.
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So, it's been an
amazing adventure.
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I'm sure it has.
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I'm sure you have lots
of stories to share about
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how prayers were answered
in so many different ways.
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And we're going to be
talking about that today.
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Well, before we go on, we
have a wonderful rendition
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of People Need The
Lord by Mary Grace.
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You're going to be blessed.
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Thank you, Mary Grace,
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for that beautiful rendition
of People Need The Lord.
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Is that ever true now
more than ever before?
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We do need the Lord.
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Anyway, Melody, it's
always good to have you here,
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back again.
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And you have
written a couple of books
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called Daring To
Ask and Daring To Ask,
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or actually
Daring To Ask For More,
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not just Daring to Ask
and Daring To Ask For More.
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Tell us a little bit
about these two books.
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And then we'll
share a little bit
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about the present book
we're gonna talk about.
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Yeah.
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Daring To Ask For
More was basically written
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out of the journey that
God took me on in prayer.
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Just, I just recognized I
had grown up in the church
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of Laodicea, as we all have,
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and that there was
something lacking in my life.
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And I just began seeking
the Lord with all my heart
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just with my open
Bible before me I would,
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I would be reading the Bible,
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and I'm just, I
recognize something was missing.
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And just be praying and pleading
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with tears coming down my face
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and just saying,
"Lord, I want more.
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I don't know what that
looks like, but I want more."
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So that is the
journey that launched me
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on basically
into prayer ministry,
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and into writing that book,
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which is all
about teaching people
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how to go deeper
in their prayer life.
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That's beautiful.
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Practical tools.
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How many languages
and distribution has this?
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Yeah.
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So Daring To Ask For
More, from what I know so far,
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close to
100,000 copies in print.
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Praise the Lord.
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And it's in about 10 languages.
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Wow. Yeah.
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And now what
about this small book,
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as you said,
it's a companion book?
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Yes, that is
the sharing version,
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the Pacific Press just
produced, like a year ago,
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which is just great to
share with friends, family,
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just across the board,
just kind of gives a little,
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it's a condensed version
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of Daring To Ask.
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So it's, it's the same,
but just a condensed version,
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like eight chapters
out of the main book.
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So that's a great book
just to share out on the street
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or with people
that are interested
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in growing their walk with God.
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Amen. Yeah.
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It's beautiful.
We all need prayer.
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Amen.
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And we all need
that relationship
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with the Lord through prayer.
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That's right.
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And I like this
less talk more prayer.
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So you want to pick that up.
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Now, this is the newest book,
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Daring To Live By Every Word.
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And what is the inspiration
for you writing this book?
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Yeah, well, I'm
just recognizing,
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and I'm sure that
you are, you do as well,
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that, we're just,
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we're living in a
society that's disconnected.
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And I'm not just
talking about society,
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but even the church.
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I feel like
oftentimes, you know, we're told
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that we're the
people of the Book,
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we're the people of the Word.
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That's our history as believers.
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But I've just been
recognizing more and more
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that there's a
lack when it comes
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to practical Christianity
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and how we
actually apply the Word.
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Of course, we'll
talk more about that.
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But there's a story
that really inspires me
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and it's a very old story.
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God kind of leads
me to these stories.
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I started Daring To Ask For More
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with an old story as well.
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But this story that I
start to Daring To Live By
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comes from about 320 AD.
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Wow.
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And actually, the
Emperor Constantine
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had made an
edict that, excuse me,
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Christianity was approved
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and encouraged
across the Roman Empire.
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But he had a co-rival Licinius,
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on the eastern
side of the Roman Empire
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that tolerated this for a while.
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But then he broke the alliance.
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And he said, "No, we're
going to stamp out Christianity.
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We don't want Christianity."
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And so kind of his rival, began
persecuting the Christians.
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And he decided that he
was going to send his army,
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you know, to wreak
havoc on the Christian world.
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But he realized
before he did this,
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he had to get the
Christians out of his army.
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He had to remove them,
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or there would be
mutiny in the ranks, right?
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Well, there was a group of
soldiers, about 100 soldiers
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that were camped around a lake,
outside the city of Sebasteia,
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which is now modern day Turkey,
Sivas, in modern day Turkey.
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Right.
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And so, the
emperor had a message
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sent to the
commander of the army.
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So one night, this
messenger comes up,
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and this was in wintertime,
so it's cold, it's freezing,
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and just uncomfortable,
the lake is frozen.
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And this
messenger comes riding up
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and gives a message to
the captain of the army.
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And this was the message,
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I want you to call all
the men into rank and to line,
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and I want you
to build an altar.
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And you're going to
give every man a cup of wine,
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and they're to
go around the altar,
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and to pour out
that wine in reverence,
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and worship, and kind of
adoration to the emperor.
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And those that don't,
those that refuse to do that,
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they're going to be killed.
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And so, yeah, this was a
very serious implication,
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because he knew the
Christians wouldn't do that.
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Right.
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And that would separate
the Christians from the other,
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the other soldiers.
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So that's exactly what happened.
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They sounded the bugle
and called the men into line,
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it was dark, you
know, evening and cold
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and they built the altar.
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And then they passed
out the cups of wine,
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and the men start going
around and pouring out the wine.
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Well, after, I think
the second or third person,
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the fourth man refused,
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and he just poured
it out on the ground.
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And the commander, you
know, pushed him aside,
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okay, you stand over there.
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And they went through
and out of those 100 men,
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40 of them chose to dump
their wine out on the ground,
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they were not going
to worship the emperor,
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because they knew we can
have no other gods before us.
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God is our God.
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And, you know,
they might not have
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had the Bible like we have now.
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But they knew
the Ten Commandments,
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and they knew that God is God.
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And so, that night what happened
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was those men were
stripped of their clothes,
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and they were sent
out on the lake to die.
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And as they were out on
the lake, they started singing
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and just beautiful
songs coming from the lake.
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And the captain tried
to, tried to pull them back,
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you know, by
making these warm fires
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out along the edges of the lake
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so that they could
come back and be warm
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and escape their freezing death.
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But the men stayed out
there and they kept singing.
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And then as the
singing gradually faded away,
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one man broke rank.
00:13:07.98\00:13:09.85
And he came back to
the edge of the lake,
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he came off the
lake and just collapsed
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by one of the fires, a deserter.
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Well, the guard
that was watching
00:13:17.49\00:13:19.59
to make sure that the soldiers,
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you know,
stayed out on the lake,
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you know, the ones that
were, were being forced to die.
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He was so convicted that
he threw off his clothes.
00:13:27.67\00:13:31.51
And he said, "I am a believer
in the God of these men,
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and I'm going out to join them."
00:13:35.18\00:13:36.68
So he took the place of
the man that had deserted.
00:13:36.71\00:13:40.38
So in the
morning, there were 40 men
00:13:40.42\00:13:43.22
that had died in honor to God.
00:13:43.25\00:13:47.16
And in just seeking to
not bow down to any other God,
00:13:47.19\00:13:51.86
but the God of heaven.
00:13:51.89\00:13:53.23
And that story, I mean,
it's a tough story to tell.
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And you're like, oh, you know,
00:13:56.73\00:13:58.43
these type of stories are tough.
00:13:58.47\00:13:59.83
But I really see that we
are in a time of testing.
00:13:59.87\00:14:05.01
And we're in the great
controversy battle as we know.
00:14:05.04\00:14:07.18
Right now.
00:14:07.21\00:14:08.54
And it's increasing.
00:14:08.58\00:14:09.91
Yes.
00:14:09.94\00:14:11.28
And we're in a battle today,
you know, over how we worship
00:14:11.31\00:14:13.65
and over parental authority
and ecclesiastical authority
00:14:13.68\00:14:17.49
and how we take
care of our bodies.
00:14:17.52\00:14:19.12
There's this battle going on.
00:14:19.15\00:14:20.79
And the big question is,
00:14:20.82\00:14:22.52
you know, who are
we going to bow to?
00:14:22.56\00:14:24.53
And I really believe
that the biggest battle
00:14:24.56\00:14:27.06
is between self,
00:14:27.10\00:14:29.13
and the authority of God's Word.
00:14:29.16\00:14:31.17
So are we going to bow to
what God tells us in His Word?
00:14:31.20\00:14:35.60
Or are we going to go
after our own inclinations
00:14:35.64\00:14:38.81
of our heart and
do what we want to do?
00:14:38.84\00:14:41.01
And that's what,
00:14:41.04\00:14:42.38
you know, that's,
that's what the world is doing.
00:14:42.41\00:14:44.08
It's just, it's
just falling apart.
00:14:44.11\00:14:46.45
Right.
00:14:46.48\00:14:47.82
We're living in perilous times,
00:14:47.85\00:14:49.55
times that we have read
about in the Word of God
00:14:49.58\00:14:52.85
and Spirit of Prophecy.
00:14:52.89\00:14:54.22
And now we're alive to
see these things happen.
00:14:54.26\00:14:56.22
Yes.
00:14:56.26\00:14:57.59
I mean, the story
you told was amazing.
00:14:57.63\00:14:58.96
You know, these were martyrs
00:14:58.99\00:15:00.33
that gave their
life for the Lord.
00:15:00.36\00:15:02.50
But we know that
blessed are those who die
00:15:02.53\00:15:05.53
and they will have their
reward when Jesus returns,
00:15:05.57\00:15:09.14
so they are
resting from their labors.
00:15:09.17\00:15:10.97
Yes.
00:15:11.01\00:15:12.34
Wow. Okay.
00:15:12.37\00:15:13.81
Now, this book Daring
To Live By Every Word.
00:15:13.84\00:15:19.25
It took you a few years to
write this book, didn't it?
00:15:19.28\00:15:21.82
Yes, it did.
00:15:21.85\00:15:23.18
But the timing is right.
00:15:23.22\00:15:24.55
That's right.
00:15:24.59\00:15:25.92
God's timing is perfect.
00:15:25.95\00:15:27.29
Yes.
00:15:27.32\00:15:28.66
But it was a
struggle to get this book out.
00:15:28.69\00:15:30.03
It was real, real
struggle, honestly,
00:15:30.06\00:15:31.99
about four years of
battle to get it written.
00:15:32.03\00:15:36.77
But then when it
finally came out,
00:15:36.80\00:15:38.83
just ahead of
the COVID pandemic,
00:15:38.87\00:15:42.14
I felt like it was
very, very perfect timing
00:15:42.17\00:15:45.17
because we're in a time of
great testing of our faith.
00:15:45.21\00:15:49.98
And we're all under trials.
00:15:50.01\00:15:51.35
I mean, multiple
things are happening.
00:15:51.38\00:15:53.11
And we don't
know what's happening.
00:15:53.15\00:15:54.72
And we don't, you know, we
don't have the same security.
00:15:54.75\00:15:56.79
We don't have the same
peace that we have previously.
00:15:56.82\00:15:59.89
And God is teaching
us through these times.
00:15:59.92\00:16:02.46
Yes.
00:16:02.49\00:16:03.83
Can we trust Him?
Will we trust Him?
00:16:03.86\00:16:05.19
Will we honor His Word?
00:16:05.23\00:16:06.56
Yeah, we'll be dependent.
00:16:06.59\00:16:07.93
Yeah.
00:16:07.96\00:16:09.30
I really love there's
just different scriptures
00:16:09.33\00:16:11.37
we see throughout the Bible,
00:16:11.40\00:16:12.73
you know, we're told to
love Him with all our heart,
00:16:12.77\00:16:15.77
body, mind and soul.
00:16:15.80\00:16:18.17
And it's not just about going
to church on a specific day.
00:16:18.21\00:16:21.84
It's not just about
paying our tithe or doing this.
00:16:21.88\00:16:24.31
It's a holistic,
it's a whole body,
00:16:24.35\00:16:27.08
heart, mind and soul experience.
00:16:27.12\00:16:29.52
And yes, you know,
what you're just saying,
00:16:29.55\00:16:32.69
they're about a relationship.
00:16:32.72\00:16:34.72
God is saying, and
Jesus is saying in His Word,
00:16:34.76\00:16:37.89
you know, you call Me Lord,
00:16:37.93\00:16:39.89
but you don't do
the things that I say.
00:16:39.93\00:16:42.73
And you say that you love
Me, but you don't keep My Word.
00:16:42.76\00:16:44.93
Amen.
00:16:44.97\00:16:46.30
And so, where is that,
and so I was really convicted
00:16:46.33\00:16:51.21
just by things I saw
happening in my own life,
00:16:51.24\00:16:53.84
and things I was experiencing,
and things I'm seeing,
00:16:53.88\00:16:56.98
you know, that are
happening around me,
00:16:57.01\00:16:59.41
that we need as
Christians to learn
00:16:59.45\00:17:03.82
how to take
God's Word practically,
00:17:03.85\00:17:06.42
and how to really make
it personal to our lives.
00:17:06.45\00:17:09.12
And this book, I'll just,
00:17:09.16\00:17:10.49
you know, I'll just
give you a disclaimer,
00:17:10.53\00:17:12.86
this is not a
book of to-do list of.
00:17:12.89\00:17:16.26
You know, this is
what you need to do,
00:17:16.30\00:17:17.63
and this is what you need to do.
00:17:17.67\00:17:19.00
And, you know, and
I'm not the role model.
00:17:19.03\00:17:22.37
You know, Jesus
is the role model.
00:17:22.40\00:17:24.31
He is the role model.
00:17:24.34\00:17:25.67
I love that.
00:17:25.71\00:17:27.04
And it's not a book of
righteousness by works,
00:17:27.08\00:17:29.24
it's about
righteousness by faith.
00:17:29.28\00:17:31.45
But having said that, our faith
is evidenced by how we live.
00:17:31.48\00:17:36.79
There you go.
00:17:36.82\00:17:38.15
And it's really
about worship. It's...
00:17:38.19\00:17:40.39
We honor Him, we honor His Word
00:17:40.42\00:17:43.43
by how we live our
lives, that is worship.
00:17:43.46\00:17:46.39
And so...
00:17:46.43\00:17:47.76
I love that, but let's go
back to the Garden of Eden,
00:17:47.80\00:17:50.13
about the Word of God.
00:17:50.17\00:17:51.53
Share with us with
our viewers and listeners
00:17:51.57\00:17:53.67
about the Garden of Eden, how
the Word was tried back then?
00:17:53.70\00:17:57.57
Exactly.
00:17:57.61\00:17:58.94
Well, in the Garden of Eden,
you know, we know the story
00:17:58.97\00:18:01.11
of Adam and Eve and
how God said don't touch
00:18:01.14\00:18:05.15
and you have all
this, all this garden,
00:18:05.18\00:18:08.18
all this amazing paradise.
00:18:08.22\00:18:11.32
Imagine we've been
placed in paradise.
00:18:11.35\00:18:13.05
Yeah.
00:18:13.09\00:18:14.42
But this is not for you.
00:18:14.46\00:18:16.02
Don't touch it.
00:18:16.06\00:18:17.39
If you touch it, if you eat
it actually is what God said,
00:18:17.43\00:18:20.40
"If you eat it, you will die."
00:18:20.43\00:18:22.73
It's like a child.
00:18:22.76\00:18:24.10
You tell the child
don't touch the stove,
00:18:24.13\00:18:26.33
you're gonna get burned.
00:18:26.37\00:18:27.70
What do you want? What do we do?
00:18:27.74\00:18:29.07
And that's the one thing
they become intrigued with.
00:18:29.10\00:18:30.44
Yes, the stove.
00:18:30.47\00:18:31.81
Exactly.
00:18:31.84\00:18:33.17
Yeah, but go ahead.
00:18:33.21\00:18:34.54
Yeah.
00:18:34.58\00:18:35.91
You don't tell
them don't eat it.
00:18:35.94\00:18:37.28
So that story, I
think is symbolic,
00:18:37.31\00:18:39.48
what happened in
the Garden of Eden?
00:18:39.51\00:18:41.02
What happened in the
Garden of Eden is symbolic
00:18:41.05\00:18:43.28
with what we have
seen happen ever since.
00:18:43.32\00:18:46.82
It's been a
battle over the Word.
00:18:46.86\00:18:49.62
Will we go by what
God says in His Word?
00:18:49.66\00:18:52.96
Or will we go by
what the tempter is saying
00:18:52.99\00:18:55.13
and the temptation is saying?
00:18:55.16\00:18:56.53
And he, you know, he
says, "Oh, did God really say?
00:18:56.56\00:19:00.17
Exactly.
00:19:00.20\00:19:01.54
And, you know, if you do
that, you're not gonna die.
00:19:01.57\00:19:04.61
Die, yeah.
00:19:04.64\00:19:05.97
But we're told the
wages of sin is death.
00:19:06.01\00:19:08.74
We're told, you know, what
is going to happen as a result?
00:19:08.78\00:19:12.08
He's given us these
things as safeguard, His Word.
00:19:12.11\00:19:14.68
Yes.
00:19:14.72\00:19:16.05
So I just believe that the
Garden of Eden paints a picture
00:19:16.08\00:19:19.29
of the great controversy
that we see even today.
00:19:19.32\00:19:23.83
And that's the battle.
00:19:23.86\00:19:25.19
And, of course, when
we get to the end of time,
00:19:25.23\00:19:26.70
which I believe that
we're living in the end of time,
00:19:26.73\00:19:29.40
the whole battle
is over the Word.
00:19:29.43\00:19:31.20
Yes.
00:19:31.23\00:19:32.57
Will we trust what
God says in His Word.
00:19:32.60\00:19:34.74
The key is trust.
00:19:34.77\00:19:36.10
Yes.
00:19:36.14\00:19:37.47
Will we trust?
00:19:37.51\00:19:38.84
Yes.
00:19:38.87\00:19:40.21
That's the thing today, so
many people are not trusting
00:19:40.24\00:19:41.58
in the Word of God.
00:19:41.61\00:19:42.94
That's right.
00:19:42.98\00:19:44.31
But there's so many
versions of the Bible out there.
00:19:44.35\00:19:45.78
Yeah, that's true.
00:19:45.81\00:19:47.15
Tell us about
the Jefferson Bible?
00:19:47.18\00:19:48.88
Yeah, the Jefferson Bible
is, I didn't know about this.
00:19:48.92\00:19:53.02
I don't neither.
00:19:53.05\00:19:54.39
Yeah, the
Jefferson Bible, basically,
00:19:54.42\00:19:55.76
Thomas Jefferson was a
professed believer of God.
00:19:55.79\00:19:58.39
And, but he went
through the Bible
00:19:58.43\00:19:59.79
and he started
clipping and cutting.
00:19:59.83\00:20:01.70
Well, now, that,
no, that's not right.
00:20:01.73\00:20:04.30
And he started cutting
and making his own Bible.
00:20:04.33\00:20:07.24
So he cut out the
parts he didn't like,
00:20:07.27\00:20:09.27
which was much of the gospels.
00:20:09.30\00:20:10.71
Yeah.
00:20:10.74\00:20:12.07
And said, and so he pieced
together his own Bible and...
00:20:12.11\00:20:16.31
Can't do that.
00:20:16.34\00:20:17.68
No, we can't do that.
00:20:17.71\00:20:19.05
But you see that
happening in society today.
00:20:19.08\00:20:20.68
It's all about what we believe.
00:20:20.72\00:20:22.62
Truth is relative.
00:20:22.65\00:20:24.15
Truth is like,
well, what I think
00:20:24.19\00:20:25.92
and what I
believe, this is truth.
00:20:25.95\00:20:27.46
The designer's Bible, isn't it?
00:20:27.49\00:20:28.96
It's a designer's Bible.
00:20:28.99\00:20:30.33
And it's Satan's poison,
00:20:30.36\00:20:32.33
because, he gets
people to take it
00:20:32.36\00:20:34.60
because they have
a little bit of what?
00:20:34.63\00:20:36.46
Well, this is good, you know?
00:20:36.50\00:20:38.63
But then, you have the deception
00:20:38.67\00:20:40.40
that comes in with it.
00:20:40.44\00:20:41.77
And we cannot
rewrite the scriptures.
00:20:41.80\00:20:44.24
We have to, as
you, the book says,
00:20:44.27\00:20:46.61
we have to dare to
live by every word.
00:20:46.64\00:20:49.41
That's right.
00:20:49.44\00:20:50.78
And that's why you
wrote this book, every word.
00:20:50.81\00:20:52.65
That's right.
00:20:52.68\00:20:54.02
What about the disclaimer?
00:20:54.05\00:20:55.65
Yeah, just,
just the fact that...
00:20:55.68\00:20:59.89
I really have a big burden
00:20:59.92\00:21:02.46
that people
understand the righteousness
00:21:02.49\00:21:04.49
by faith message, because
we do not have within ourselves
00:21:04.53\00:21:09.36
the ability to be who
God has called us to be.
00:21:09.40\00:21:11.80
Exactly.
00:21:11.83\00:21:13.17
We don't have the strength.
00:21:13.20\00:21:14.54
We don't have the willpower.
00:21:14.57\00:21:15.90
We don't have the
grit and determination.
00:21:15.94\00:21:17.44
Oh, if I can,
you know, I can do it
00:21:17.47\00:21:19.21
for a certain amount of time,
00:21:19.24\00:21:20.74
but it's always
gonna fall short.
00:21:20.78\00:21:22.54
And we know God
tells us in His Word,
00:21:22.58\00:21:24.55
I think it's Isaiah 64,
00:21:24.58\00:21:26.75
that our
righteousness is as filthy rags.
00:21:26.78\00:21:29.52
But we do have
what we need in Christ,
00:21:29.55\00:21:32.19
and He is our
perfect righteousness.
00:21:32.22\00:21:34.42
And so, the key is
not to focus on ourself,
00:21:34.46\00:21:39.36
but to keep focused on Him.
00:21:39.39\00:21:40.96
And as we stay focused on Him
00:21:41.00\00:21:42.76
and stay in His
Word, He's changing us.
00:21:42.80\00:21:45.97
He's growing us to be more
like Him and to reflect Him.
00:21:46.00\00:21:50.81
But, of course, we're
always under the righteousness
00:21:50.84\00:21:52.91
of Christ, it's never.
00:21:52.94\00:21:54.28
Yeah.
00:21:54.31\00:21:55.64
And so that's
what I'm continually
00:21:55.68\00:21:57.01
trying to bring out again
and again as we go through,
00:21:57.05\00:21:58.38
because I do talk
about a number of topics
00:21:58.41\00:22:00.95
that deal with our
life and principles
00:22:00.98\00:22:03.62
and trying to help people,
00:22:03.65\00:22:05.79
you know, how do
we apply Scripture?
00:22:05.82\00:22:08.39
How do we apply the principles
of Scripture to our lives?
00:22:08.42\00:22:11.19
It actually go through the book,
00:22:11.23\00:22:12.56
I have different Bible studies
at the end of each chapter,
00:22:12.59\00:22:15.63
that people can study out
00:22:15.66\00:22:17.10
what we've discussed
and see for themselves.
00:22:17.13\00:22:20.24
That's right.
00:22:20.27\00:22:21.60
Romans 12, we all
know Romans 12:1-2,
00:22:21.64\00:22:24.67
"I beseech you,
brethren, by the mercies of God,
00:22:24.71\00:22:28.08
that you present your
bodies a living sacrifice,"
00:22:28.11\00:22:31.75
how should it be?
00:22:31.78\00:22:33.11
"Holy, acceptable to God,
00:22:33.15\00:22:37.25
which is your
reasonable service.
00:22:37.29\00:22:39.39
And do not be
conformed to this world,
00:22:39.42\00:22:42.22
but be transformed by
the renewing of your mind."
00:22:42.26\00:22:45.09
And the battle is
always over the Word of God.
00:22:45.13\00:22:47.40
Yes.
00:22:47.43\00:22:48.76
In the beginning was the Word
00:22:48.80\00:22:50.13
and this is what
the struggle is today,
00:22:50.17\00:22:52.63
the Word of God,
thus saith the Lord.
00:22:52.67\00:22:55.20
People are not listening
to what the Lord says anymore.
00:22:55.24\00:22:58.14
It's what I want to do it.
00:22:58.17\00:23:00.04
That's why I said
it's a designer's Bible.
00:23:00.08\00:23:01.98
That's right.
00:23:02.01\00:23:03.35
You know, you pick
and choose what you want,
00:23:03.38\00:23:04.71
but you can't do that, can we?
00:23:04.75\00:23:07.22
I love.
00:23:07.25\00:23:08.58
I have a quote
that I wrote down.
00:23:08.62\00:23:09.95
This comes from one
of my favorite authors,
00:23:09.98\00:23:13.29
Ellen White in the
book Christian Service.
00:23:13.32\00:23:15.62
And she says,
"Holiness is not rapture:
00:23:15.66\00:23:18.39
it is an entire
surrender of the will to God,
00:23:18.43\00:23:21.96
it is living by
every word that proceeds
00:23:22.00\00:23:24.20
from the mouth of God,
00:23:24.23\00:23:26.13
it is doing the will
of our heavenly Father,
00:23:26.17\00:23:28.07
it is trusting God in trial,
00:23:28.10\00:23:30.51
in darkness as
well as in the light,
00:23:30.54\00:23:33.01
it is walking by
faith and not by sight,
00:23:33.04\00:23:36.24
it is relying on God
with unquestioning confidence,
00:23:36.28\00:23:40.28
and resting in His love.
00:23:40.32\00:23:41.95
It's beautiful, but
I underlined the part,
00:23:41.98\00:23:45.35
trusting in God in trial,
00:23:45.39\00:23:47.52
in darkness as well as in light.
00:23:47.56\00:23:49.42
So many people don't like
the darkness and the trials.
00:23:49.46\00:23:51.79
Yes.
00:23:51.83\00:23:53.16
Well, I don't like them either.
00:23:53.19\00:23:54.53
Right. None of us do, right?
00:23:54.56\00:23:55.90
Yeah. Yeah.
00:23:55.93\00:23:57.27
We don't like to go.
00:23:57.30\00:23:58.63
We don't like
these awful fiery trials
00:23:58.67\00:24:00.00
that we're going through.
00:24:00.04\00:24:01.37
That's right.
00:24:01.40\00:24:02.74
Yeah. But we got to trust Him.
00:24:02.77\00:24:04.11
That's right.
00:24:04.14\00:24:05.47
That's the key.
00:24:05.51\00:24:06.84
Now, share with us
about the Waldensians?
00:24:06.88\00:24:08.21
Yeah.
00:24:08.24\00:24:09.58
So I had the
privilege a couple years ago.
00:24:09.61\00:24:12.35
This would have been
about the time actually that
00:24:12.38\00:24:14.45
we met on that
flight to Australia
00:24:14.48\00:24:16.82
because I came back
from that trip and ended up
00:24:16.85\00:24:19.22
going to Europe and did
a Great Controversy tour.
00:24:19.25\00:24:22.19
And it was just awesome.
00:24:22.22\00:24:24.13
I always wanted to do that.
00:24:24.16\00:24:25.49
Yes.
00:24:25.53\00:24:26.86
I just, if there's ever
an opportunity to do that,
00:24:26.90\00:24:28.96
it's so building.
00:24:29.00\00:24:30.33
I mean, we were following
in the steps of the reformers.
00:24:30.37\00:24:33.00
And I'm reading the
Great Controversy and looking,
00:24:33.03\00:24:35.34
you know how they had gone
and I'm just weeping and crying
00:24:35.37\00:24:38.51
and it was just beautiful.
00:24:38.54\00:24:40.41
But my favorite place was
in the Waldensian valleys.
00:24:40.44\00:24:43.31
Of course, we
got to go up and see
00:24:43.35\00:24:44.71
the caves where
many of them hid,
00:24:44.75\00:24:46.48
where many of them
were killed and their homes,
00:24:46.51\00:24:48.85
they're still there.
00:24:48.88\00:24:50.22
Rocks, made of rocks after
hundreds and hundreds of years.
00:24:50.25\00:24:53.29
Still there.
00:24:53.32\00:24:54.66
Yeah, still there.
So it was so inspiring.
00:24:54.69\00:24:56.32
But one story that I share
00:24:56.36\00:24:58.86
that it's just
really inspired me is,
00:24:58.89\00:25:01.00
there was a group on the
side of the mountain there.
00:25:01.03\00:25:04.57
The soldiers came
in to wipe them out.
00:25:04.60\00:25:07.17
And they were
collecting all the Bibles
00:25:07.20\00:25:08.64
and burning them and everything.
00:25:08.67\00:25:10.51
And there was a family Bible
00:25:10.54\00:25:11.87
that someone was trying to save.
00:25:11.91\00:25:13.51
And so instead of
putting it in the fire,
00:25:13.54\00:25:16.71
they actually
threw it over a cliff.
00:25:16.75\00:25:19.48
And in the
process, they were killed.
00:25:19.51\00:25:21.52
So the person that threw
the Bible over the cliff died.
00:25:21.55\00:25:24.95
And everyone scattered and left.
00:25:24.99\00:25:26.89
Fifty years later,
some of the group and family
00:25:26.92\00:25:30.59
began to move
back into the area.
00:25:30.63\00:25:32.46
And they discovered the Bible
00:25:32.49\00:25:34.53
in the bushes over
the edge of the cliff.
00:25:34.56\00:25:37.17
It had survived in wind, rain,
snow and storm for 50 years.
00:25:37.20\00:25:42.24
And it was still intact.
00:25:42.27\00:25:44.94
What, 50 years?
00:25:44.97\00:25:46.31
It was still intact.
00:25:46.34\00:25:47.68
I should have brought a
picture to show that Bible
00:25:47.71\00:25:49.31
because I have a
picture with that Bible.
00:25:49.34\00:25:51.81
And it was just
so inspiring, seeing
00:25:51.85\00:25:54.98
how people are
willing to give up their life
00:25:55.02\00:25:57.72
for the Word of God.
00:25:57.75\00:25:59.35
And that's the kind of faith,
I don't feel like I'm strong.
00:25:59.39\00:26:02.56
I don't feel like but, but
that's the kind of faith I pray
00:26:02.59\00:26:05.26
for, Lord, I want
to stand for Your Word.
00:26:05.29\00:26:08.36
If the heavens fall, I want
to be faithful even to death.
00:26:08.40\00:26:12.03
Will I defend Your Word?
00:26:12.07\00:26:13.84
Well, God says, "Well,
you know, if you want to be,
00:26:13.87\00:26:16.24
you know, strong in the future,
00:26:16.27\00:26:17.64
well, how are you
honoring My Word today?
00:26:17.67\00:26:19.91
How are you
living by My Word today?"
00:26:19.94\00:26:21.28
Because if you can't follow
what I'm showing you today,
00:26:21.31\00:26:25.71
then how are you going
to stand strong tomorrow?
00:26:25.75\00:26:27.72
Tomorrow?
00:26:27.75\00:26:29.08
So that's back
to the whole. Yeah.
00:26:29.12\00:26:30.89
That's right. Wow.
00:26:30.92\00:26:32.29
That's powerful.
00:26:32.32\00:26:33.66
And, you know, it's,
00:26:33.69\00:26:35.29
as I said, that early our
relationship with the Lord.
00:26:35.32\00:26:37.59
That's right.
00:26:37.63\00:26:38.96
And so one to one relationship.
00:26:38.99\00:26:40.33
Years ago, I used to say,
00:26:40.36\00:26:41.70
oh, I could ride on
John's coattail to heaven.
00:26:41.73\00:26:43.16
That was foolish.
00:26:43.20\00:26:44.57
I cannot ride on no
one's coattail to heaven.
00:26:44.60\00:26:46.80
That's right.
00:26:46.84\00:26:48.17
It's me and the Lord, I cannot.
00:26:48.20\00:26:50.67
So anyway, let's go down,
00:26:50.71\00:26:52.04
let's break down the
overall four sections
00:26:52.07\00:26:54.78
of Daring To Live By Every Word?
00:26:54.81\00:26:57.78
So, yeah, basically, I
broke the book into four parts.
00:26:57.81\00:27:03.05
And we'll kind of talk
through as we have time here,
00:27:03.08\00:27:05.95
a few illustrations from each
part, but the word that breaks,
00:27:05.99\00:27:10.43
the word that restores,
the word that transforms,
00:27:10.46\00:27:14.80
and the word that empowers.
00:27:14.83\00:27:16.83
And that's how I go through.
00:27:16.87\00:27:19.27
And I'm very real and vulnerable
00:27:19.30\00:27:22.47
as I go through this
book, sharing with people,
00:27:22.50\00:27:26.27
you know,
challenges that I've had,
00:27:26.31\00:27:27.91
and how I've struggled
with some of the principles
00:27:27.94\00:27:31.08
and how God has, has grown
00:27:31.11\00:27:33.52
and is growing me
through the process.
00:27:33.55\00:27:35.52
And one of the first
testimonies that I share,
00:27:35.55\00:27:40.16
I don't know if I
should, yes, but anyway,
00:27:40.19\00:27:42.92
people can go
back and read it again.
00:27:42.96\00:27:44.83
But it is, I was
leading in prayer ministry.
00:27:44.86\00:27:48.96
And I was at a very large
event, we had a conference,
00:27:49.00\00:27:51.57
and there were a
lot of people there.
00:27:51.60\00:27:52.93
And I was supposed to lead
prayer time this next morning.
00:27:52.97\00:27:56.17
And in the process of
praying and preparing,
00:27:56.20\00:27:58.27
God brought something to my mind
00:27:58.31\00:28:00.31
that was not right with Him.
00:28:00.34\00:28:01.84
Something that I needed to
not just confess and repent,
00:28:01.88\00:28:05.21
but I needed to
do something about.
00:28:05.25\00:28:06.58
Right.
00:28:06.61\00:28:07.95
And I realized I can't, I can't
take care of this before I do
00:28:07.98\00:28:10.62
prayer ministry
tomorrow, and maybe I shouldn't,
00:28:10.65\00:28:12.92
maybe I shouldn't go up
and lead and I was just like,
00:28:12.95\00:28:15.46
oh, Lord, please forgive
me, I'll get somebody else.
00:28:15.49\00:28:17.56
And I was
crying and praying and,
00:28:17.59\00:28:19.49
and so I went to sleep
that night, and I'm like,
00:28:19.53\00:28:21.06
I'm gonna get
somebody else to replace me.
00:28:21.10\00:28:22.46
But then in the
morning, I woke up,
00:28:22.50\00:28:24.07
and I just felt the Holy
Spirit telling me, "Melody,
00:28:24.10\00:28:26.60
I want you to lead the
prayer time in the morning."
00:28:26.63\00:28:28.24
I'm like, "No,
Lord, I can't, you know,
00:28:28.27\00:28:30.54
and, you know, how
could I share, you know?"
00:28:30.57\00:28:35.08
And I just felt
him convicting me,
00:28:35.11\00:28:36.85
you just need to
be real and honest.
00:28:36.88\00:28:38.98
You know, it's not
about what people think
00:28:39.01\00:28:40.85
you are or who
people think you are.
00:28:40.88\00:28:43.22
It's about calling them with
you to the foot of the cross,
00:28:43.25\00:28:46.99
just be real,
just be vulnerable,
00:28:47.02\00:28:48.49
and call them with you.
00:28:48.52\00:28:49.96
And so I went
forward that morning,
00:28:49.99\00:28:51.86
and I was just crying.
00:28:51.89\00:28:53.66
And I was so humiliated,
00:28:53.70\00:28:55.16
because here I am as
a leader in ministry,
00:28:55.20\00:28:57.30
and I'm going before people
and I'm saying, you know what?
00:28:57.33\00:28:59.33
God convicted me of
something last night
00:28:59.37\00:29:01.07
that's not right with Him.
00:29:01.10\00:29:03.10
And so I'm coming today
not as someone who's there,
00:29:03.14\00:29:06.74
but as someone
that's in need of a Savior,
00:29:06.78\00:29:08.54
and I'm inviting
you to come with me
00:29:08.58\00:29:10.28
to the foot of the cross.
00:29:10.31\00:29:11.65
So we had this beautiful
prayer time that morning.
00:29:11.68\00:29:15.22
Everyone came forward, we had
this beautiful time of prayer.
00:29:15.25\00:29:17.82
And it was just, I think
it's one of the most powerful
00:29:17.85\00:29:21.26
prayer services
that I've been part of.
00:29:21.29\00:29:24.43
A lot of people
came up afterwards.
00:29:24.46\00:29:25.79
And you would open.
I love the openings.
00:29:25.83\00:29:27.70
So you were opening?
00:29:27.73\00:29:29.06
Yeah, yeah.
00:29:29.10\00:29:30.43
Yeah, straight, I love that.
00:29:30.47\00:29:31.80
When it was very, it was
very humbling experience,
00:29:31.83\00:29:35.50
but God uses those times.
00:29:35.54\00:29:38.37
And it was so
neat, because afterwards,
00:29:38.41\00:29:40.14
a lot of people came up to
me and they shared how things
00:29:40.18\00:29:42.58
that they had been convicted
to make right with God.
00:29:42.61\00:29:44.81
And this old man, this old
man even came up and he says,
00:29:44.85\00:29:47.95
"You know, I've always felt like
00:29:47.98\00:29:49.35
it's a little bit of a show,
00:29:49.38\00:29:50.82
you know, you go to
events and everybody's,
00:29:50.85\00:29:52.45
you know, they've got
the perfect Christian life,
00:29:52.49\00:29:54.09
but you can't ever get,
but I saw as you were real
00:29:54.12\00:29:57.03
and as God was
breaking you and showing you
00:29:57.06\00:29:59.86
your sins and changing you
00:29:59.89\00:30:02.40
that He could
do the same for me.
00:30:02.43\00:30:03.77
And I've decided to
give my life to Christ."
00:30:03.80\00:30:05.97
And it just broke me.
00:30:06.00\00:30:07.34
And I was like,
"Lord, forgive me
00:30:07.37\00:30:08.70
if my pride ever
again gets in the way
00:30:08.74\00:30:11.37
of what You want to do."
00:30:11.41\00:30:14.68
So the whole premise
that I'm starting the book off
00:30:14.71\00:30:17.31
is with the
beauty of brokenness,
00:30:17.35\00:30:20.32
roof off, walls down.
00:30:20.35\00:30:22.62
We have to be broken before
God and be willing to be broken
00:30:22.65\00:30:27.62
before our brothers and sisters.
00:30:27.66\00:30:29.22
And the beginning of
true revival is brokenness.
00:30:29.26\00:30:31.03
Amen.
00:30:31.06\00:30:32.39
And we have to be
broken by the Word.
00:30:32.43\00:30:34.30
And that's the whole.
00:30:34.33\00:30:35.80
So that's the whole start,
00:30:35.83\00:30:37.17
where we get
off, beauty of broken.
00:30:37.20\00:30:39.03
Sacrifices of God of
broken spirit, is that,
00:30:39.07\00:30:42.20
that one that Bible says
broken and contrite heart.
00:30:42.24\00:30:44.64
Yeah.
00:30:44.67\00:30:46.01
And I'm glad you
mentioned that verse
00:30:46.04\00:30:47.58
because Psalms 51:17 talking
about that sacrifice in broken.
00:30:47.61\00:30:52.51
If you actually look up
the Hebrew for that brokenness,
00:30:52.55\00:30:58.45
I didn't realize but it's
actually a grinding to powder.
00:30:58.49\00:31:02.02
It's actually dust.
00:31:02.06\00:31:04.89
Now think about this.
00:31:04.93\00:31:06.26
When you grind
something to powder,
00:31:06.29\00:31:08.73
you can't glue it back together.
00:31:08.76\00:31:10.20
No.
00:31:10.23\00:31:11.57
You can't like
tape it back together.
00:31:11.60\00:31:12.93
No.
00:31:12.97\00:31:14.30
It's dust.
00:31:14.34\00:31:15.67
It's broken.
00:31:15.70\00:31:17.04
It's broken.
00:31:17.07\00:31:18.41
And that's really symbolic,
I believe of what God wants us
00:31:18.44\00:31:21.08
as Christians to be totally
humbled before His throne.
00:31:21.11\00:31:26.38
And this is not a, you know,
woe is me, self-deprecation.
00:31:26.41\00:31:30.52
This is recognizing who
we truly are before God,
00:31:30.55\00:31:35.42
His holiness, our unholiness.
00:31:35.46\00:31:37.79
That's right.
00:31:37.83\00:31:39.16
And I talked
about the fact that,
00:31:39.19\00:31:40.70
you know, He's
called us to holiness,
00:31:40.73\00:31:42.30
and we don't have that.
00:31:42.33\00:31:44.13
But again, as we were
talking about earlier, He does.
00:31:44.17\00:31:46.63
He does. It's
like Humpty Dumpty.
00:31:46.67\00:31:48.20
Everybody knows
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
00:31:48.24\00:31:50.54
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
00:31:50.57\00:31:52.57
All the king's horses
and all the king's men
00:31:52.61\00:31:54.68
couldn't put him get back
together, but who could do it.
00:31:54.71\00:31:57.38
Jesus could do it.
00:31:57.41\00:31:58.75
Jesus can. Amen.
00:31:58.78\00:32:00.12
No matter how far you
feel like you've fallen.
00:32:00.15\00:32:03.12
I'm too bad and too sinful.
00:32:03.15\00:32:04.85
I've done so
much horrible stuff.
00:32:04.89\00:32:07.02
No, God will pick
that, those pieces up
00:32:07.06\00:32:10.03
and put them together
like he did for Humpty Dumpty.
00:32:10.06\00:32:13.46
That's right.
00:32:13.50\00:32:14.83
And He could do that for us.
00:32:14.86\00:32:16.33
You know, when people
talk with me, I am sharing,
00:32:16.36\00:32:20.04
you know, I have a lot of people
00:32:20.07\00:32:21.40
that talk with me in ministry,
00:32:21.44\00:32:22.77
and I know you and
your husband do as well.
00:32:22.80\00:32:24.14
And they're just
like, I just feel so broken,
00:32:24.17\00:32:27.14
and how could I ever,
00:32:27.18\00:32:28.74
and I say it's the best
place to start is being broken.
00:32:28.78\00:32:32.85
So if you feel like you're
in a wilderness experience,
00:32:32.88\00:32:35.72
if you feel like
you're dry, if you feel like
00:32:35.75\00:32:38.22
I have nothing to
give, then that's great.
00:32:38.25\00:32:42.02
That's the point where He can...
00:32:42.06\00:32:44.16
You know, Ellen
White makes a statement
00:32:44.19\00:32:45.83
in the book,
Ministry of Healing.
00:32:45.86\00:32:47.20
She says, "Our
only claim to His mercy
00:32:47.23\00:32:50.00
is our great need.
00:32:50.03\00:32:51.77
Our only claim to His mercy."
00:32:51.80\00:32:53.47
And so until we are
broken of self, of pride,
00:32:53.50\00:32:57.21
of everything.
00:32:57.24\00:32:58.61
This is not about
anything of us and who we are.
00:32:58.64\00:33:01.11
I mean, we got to
totally be humbled and broken,
00:33:01.14\00:33:04.95
then that's when He can
begin to do His work in us.
00:33:04.98\00:33:07.62
Yes.
00:33:07.65\00:33:08.98
And it's a continual process.
00:33:09.02\00:33:10.35
It's not just
one time, you know?
00:33:10.39\00:33:11.72
No, I like that.
00:33:11.75\00:33:13.09
Yeah.
00:33:13.12\00:33:14.46
Good point it's continual.
00:33:14.49\00:33:15.82
A few years ago, my husband
and I were, we were broken.
00:33:15.86\00:33:18.53
And I tell you, that's when
we said, "Lord, we are broken,
00:33:18.56\00:33:22.56
we cannot do, we
cannot go any further."
00:33:22.60\00:33:25.13
He started to work in us,
00:33:25.17\00:33:27.60
to restore us,
to build us back up.
00:33:27.64\00:33:29.87
Amen.
00:33:29.90\00:33:31.24
And it wasn't us, but we
came naked before the Lord.
00:33:31.27\00:33:33.98
We just said, "Lord, help us."
00:33:34.01\00:33:36.14
You know, when I say
naked in our mind, in our soul,
00:33:36.18\00:33:39.51
we just lay
bare before the Lord.
00:33:39.55\00:33:41.62
So, but He could
also restore us again.
00:33:41.65\00:33:44.19
Yes, yes.
00:33:44.22\00:33:45.69
And that's where
the beauty of the Word
00:33:45.72\00:33:47.46
that restores come in,
comes into the picture.
00:33:47.49\00:33:51.46
I share in this
part some of my journey
00:33:51.49\00:33:55.46
and just
recognizing the sweeter song,
00:33:55.50\00:33:58.63
you know, we tend to
desire this and we desire that,
00:33:58.67\00:34:02.00
and we desire things
that are not good for us.
00:34:02.04\00:34:06.07
But God wants to teach us
that what He has is better,
00:34:06.11\00:34:10.21
and not just
better, it's the best.
00:34:10.25\00:34:12.61
That's what we... I
like that, not just better.
00:34:12.65\00:34:14.85
Yeah, it's what we
really, really, truly need.
00:34:14.88\00:34:18.39
And there's a story of a
young man, he's still alive.
00:34:18.42\00:34:21.96
His name is called Brother
Yun, a Chinese Christian.
00:34:21.99\00:34:26.90
In fact, he has a
book, The Heavenly Man,
00:34:26.93\00:34:29.76
some of our audience
may be familiar with.
00:34:29.80\00:34:31.63
It's a powerful
story of faith and prayer.
00:34:31.67\00:34:33.60
But this man grew up in China
00:34:33.64\00:34:35.40
where they didn't
have access to the Bible.
00:34:35.44\00:34:37.84
And he was just
hungry and thirsty
00:34:37.87\00:34:39.27
and pleading for a Bible.
00:34:39.31\00:34:40.64
He knew that they
existed, but he didn't have one.
00:34:40.68\00:34:43.55
And he prayed and
fasted for like 100 days.
00:34:43.58\00:34:46.58
And this is in an area
where if you have a Bible,
00:34:46.61\00:34:48.75
you could be imprisoned or even
killed or very, very difficult.
00:34:48.78\00:34:52.39
Yeah.
00:34:52.42\00:34:53.76
And God brought him a Bible.
00:34:53.79\00:34:55.12
Wow.
00:34:55.16\00:34:56.49
And this man
could not even read,
00:34:56.52\00:34:57.86
but he began
looking up character,
00:34:57.89\00:34:59.56
one character after another,
and began reading the Word
00:34:59.59\00:35:03.26
and then he began
memorizing the Word.
00:35:03.30\00:35:05.90
And just as his life
changed, people started,
00:35:05.93\00:35:08.57
you know, flocking to
hear and he began preaching,
00:35:08.60\00:35:11.37
and starting these
little house churches
00:35:11.41\00:35:13.07
and just thinking
about the hunger of...
00:35:13.11\00:35:18.11
The hunger he had
for God and His Word
00:35:18.15\00:35:20.05
has just been so
inspiring for me.
00:35:20.08\00:35:21.55
And that's what I really
believe that God wants to,
00:35:21.58\00:35:23.99
to give each one of us.
00:35:24.02\00:35:25.39
And as we immerse ourselves
in the Word, of course,
00:35:25.42\00:35:28.46
He's changing us and
making us more like Him.
00:35:28.49\00:35:32.69
Amen.
00:35:32.73\00:35:34.06
I've been thinking
about the fact that...
00:35:34.10\00:35:36.23
Well, actually, this
morning when I was reading
00:35:36.26\00:35:38.50
in my own devotional
time, I was reading Hosea 4,
00:35:38.53\00:35:42.90
and it says, "My
people are destroyed
00:35:42.94\00:35:45.07
for lack of knowledge."
00:35:45.11\00:35:46.91
And I was
thinking about the fact,
00:35:46.94\00:35:49.08
we have a coming famine.
00:35:49.11\00:35:50.75
We have a famine
coming for the Word of God.
00:35:50.78\00:35:53.45
Yeah.
00:35:53.48\00:35:54.82
And so, now, God is giving
us opportunity to prepare,
00:35:54.85\00:35:59.29
to grow close in
our walk with Him,
00:35:59.32\00:36:01.39
because when He
comes back to take us home,
00:36:01.42\00:36:04.43
it's not going to be
like, what did you do?
00:36:04.46\00:36:06.76
How many books did you write?
00:36:06.80\00:36:08.13
How many sermons did you preach?
00:36:08.16\00:36:09.70
You know, where have
you been around the world?
00:36:09.73\00:36:12.00
It's not going to
be any of that for us.
00:36:12.03\00:36:14.30
It's going to be
like, do I know you?
00:36:14.34\00:36:16.00
Amen.
00:36:16.04\00:36:17.37
Do you know me?
00:36:17.41\00:36:18.74
Are you honoring Me?
00:36:18.77\00:36:20.11
And that is
evidenced by our life.
00:36:20.14\00:36:21.48
Amen.
00:36:21.51\00:36:22.84
It's the fruit. It's the fruit.
00:36:22.88\00:36:24.21
It's not the root.
00:36:24.25\00:36:25.58
He's the root, but the fruit
00:36:25.61\00:36:26.95
of how we live our
life in honor to God's Word.
00:36:26.98\00:36:30.62
And so, I'm just
wanting to share and show people
00:36:30.65\00:36:34.52
how the Word changes
you as you spend time in it.
00:36:34.56\00:36:37.99
Yeah.
00:36:38.03\00:36:39.36
I like that as you spend time.
00:36:39.39\00:36:41.20
You have to make time,
the world will swallow you up
00:36:41.23\00:36:44.17
if you don't make
time for the Word of God.
00:36:44.20\00:36:45.87
That's right.
00:36:45.90\00:36:47.24
And we do that every morning.
00:36:47.27\00:36:49.00
We say we have to get in
the Word of God and evening,
00:36:49.04\00:36:52.11
even throughout the day,
00:36:52.14\00:36:53.48
you have to spend
time with the Lord.
00:36:53.51\00:36:55.04
You spend time
with your children,
00:36:55.08\00:36:56.88
people spend time
with their spouses,
00:36:56.91\00:36:59.05
their parents, whatever.
00:36:59.08\00:37:00.88
Spend time in the Word of God.
00:37:00.92\00:37:02.75
How about the word empowers?
00:37:02.78\00:37:04.89
The word that transforms.
00:37:04.92\00:37:06.25
Transforms. Okay, I
forgot about that one.
00:37:06.29\00:37:08.06
Yeah.
00:37:08.09\00:37:09.42
So, the word that
breaks, the word that restores,
00:37:09.46\00:37:12.29
the word that transforms.
00:37:12.33\00:37:14.06
Okay.
00:37:14.10\00:37:15.43
Well, this is all
about virtuous living
00:37:15.46\00:37:17.03
in an unvirtuous world.
00:37:17.07\00:37:18.80
Okay.
00:37:18.83\00:37:20.67
We've already talked
about that disconnecting.
00:37:20.70\00:37:23.47
God really
inspired me a few years ago,
00:37:23.51\00:37:27.48
and He's still inspiring
me today with the process.
00:37:27.51\00:37:30.15
He really wants
to do a makeover,
00:37:30.18\00:37:31.88
not just a makeover, a complete
renovation in our lives.
00:37:31.91\00:37:36.85
And I like to
equate it with a home,
00:37:36.89\00:37:39.05
because we all have a home.
00:37:39.09\00:37:40.86
So think about the
fact, we have a home
00:37:40.89\00:37:42.99
and we invite Jesus to
come into our life and we say,
00:37:43.02\00:37:45.96
you know, come in,
make yourself at home here.
00:37:45.99\00:37:49.63
The living room's clean.
00:37:49.66\00:37:51.00
That's usually where
we have guests and it's,
00:37:51.03\00:37:52.70
right, make yourself at home.
00:37:52.73\00:37:54.07
Here's some books to read.
00:37:54.10\00:37:55.44
Now I'm gonna go do my business
00:37:55.47\00:37:56.81
in the kitchen or
bedroom or wherever.
00:37:56.84\00:37:59.84
Well, Jesus
begins knocking on doors.
00:37:59.87\00:38:02.18
And He's like, you know, yeah.
00:38:02.21\00:38:04.28
You don't want
to go in that room.
00:38:04.31\00:38:05.65
Yeah, exactly.
00:38:05.68\00:38:07.02
And you're like, you're
gonna come into the kitchen.
00:38:07.05\00:38:09.32
Don't tell me you're
gonna start touching...
00:38:09.35\00:38:11.89
Our cabinets? Or our plumbing...
00:38:11.92\00:38:13.25
Yeah, what I cook or
what I put on my plate.
00:38:13.29\00:38:15.12
Yeah.
00:38:15.16\00:38:16.49
You're gonna come in,
oh, Lord, this is private.
00:38:16.52\00:38:18.19
Don't look in
that closet, you know?
00:38:18.23\00:38:20.60
And the whole point
is He, He is to influence
00:38:20.63\00:38:25.73
every area of our life,
in every room of our life.
00:38:25.77\00:38:31.54
And it's a countercultural
message actually,
00:38:31.57\00:38:36.11
if you think about
it, it's upside down.
00:38:36.14\00:38:40.18
It's an upside down
model of Christianity.
00:38:40.22\00:38:42.08
Yes.
00:38:42.12\00:38:43.45
How we are to live as Christians
00:38:43.49\00:38:44.82
because, of course,
the world says you know,
00:38:44.85\00:38:46.29
if you want to be get somewhere,
00:38:46.32\00:38:48.02
then you got to push your way
00:38:48.06\00:38:49.66
and you got to push others down.
00:38:49.69\00:38:51.03
And He says we're
to deny ourselves.
00:38:51.06\00:38:53.66
And so, it's opposite.
00:38:53.70\00:38:56.06
And so, I'm really encouraging
in a number of practical ways.
00:38:56.10\00:38:59.93
You know, like, how
are our digital devices
00:38:59.97\00:39:03.84
affect us in our time.
00:39:03.87\00:39:05.37
You're touching a point there.
00:39:05.41\00:39:06.98
That's right.
00:39:07.01\00:39:08.91
How much is this
leading us in contrast to this.
00:39:08.94\00:39:12.71
Thank you.
00:39:12.75\00:39:14.08
Talking about just everything,
every aspect of our life.
00:39:14.12\00:39:18.45
I have a little
verse over my closet.
00:39:18.49\00:39:22.76
It's Romans 14, and it says,
00:39:22.79\00:39:25.29
"Put ye on the
Lord Jesus Christ,
00:39:25.33\00:39:26.76
and make not
provision for the flesh."
00:39:26.80\00:39:30.07
And the whole point
is, really, what is this?
00:39:30.10\00:39:33.57
Is this to glorify self
or is this to glorify God?
00:39:33.60\00:39:37.17
How is our life?
00:39:37.21\00:39:39.91
And especially
this gets difficult
00:39:39.94\00:39:43.81
when we talk about the
ways that we've been wounded,
00:39:43.85\00:39:45.91
the ways we've been hurt.
00:39:45.95\00:39:47.38
There's a story I'll
share very, very briefly
00:39:47.42\00:39:49.18
about a woman who this happened
00:39:49.22\00:39:51.55
during the genocide
in Rwanda back in 1994.
00:39:51.59\00:39:56.02
And you might
have heard the story,
00:39:56.06\00:39:57.39
it's a story Mark Finley
actually tells about a church
00:39:57.43\00:40:00.30
where they came in,
the Hutu-Tutsis and the...
00:40:00.33\00:40:03.67
I don't know if
I'm saying it right,
00:40:03.70\00:40:05.03
there're two different tribes.
00:40:05.07\00:40:06.50
Yes.
00:40:06.53\00:40:07.87
And one tribe came in
and killed the other one.
00:40:07.90\00:40:09.34
Yep.
00:40:09.37\00:40:10.71
A woman survived, her
husband had been killed.
00:40:10.74\00:40:12.77
And she barely
lived, but she survived.
00:40:12.81\00:40:14.24
And she began to
regain health and come back.
00:40:14.28\00:40:17.25
And then when she
got strong enough,
00:40:17.28\00:40:19.31
she wanted to minister to those
that had killed her husband.
00:40:19.35\00:40:22.38
And so, she started going
to the prison and feeding them.
00:40:22.42\00:40:24.99
And eventually, one man
fell down at her feet weeping
00:40:25.02\00:40:27.72
and said, "You know,
can you ever forgive me?
00:40:27.76\00:40:29.62
I'm the one that
killed your husband."
00:40:29.66\00:40:30.99
Oh.
00:40:31.03\00:40:32.36
And she says, "I
already forgave you."
00:40:32.39\00:40:34.13
You know I...
I've prayed for you.
00:40:34.16\00:40:36.63
See, that's a tough one.
00:40:36.67\00:40:38.00
Yes.
00:40:38.03\00:40:39.37
I mean, how can we do that?
00:40:39.40\00:40:40.74
We can't naturally do that
00:40:40.77\00:40:42.40
except through the
power of the Holy Spirit.
00:40:42.44\00:40:44.37
And so not only
did she forgive him,
00:40:44.41\00:40:46.07
but eventually the
government gave amnesty
00:40:46.11\00:40:49.11
to those prisoners that
they and they were set free.
00:40:49.14\00:40:52.21
And that man, his
family have been killed
00:40:52.25\00:40:55.75
in the genocide as
well, so he had nowhere to go.
00:40:55.78\00:40:57.29
So he went and
knocked on her door.
00:40:57.32\00:40:59.09
And she had been,
become his friend.
00:40:59.12\00:41:00.76
And she'd been
studying the Bible with him.
00:41:00.79\00:41:02.12
He actually was baptized.
00:41:02.16\00:41:03.49
So now at this point, he
was already in the church.
00:41:03.53\00:41:06.03
And he came knocking on
her door, "What do I do?"
00:41:06.06\00:41:08.03
And she says, "You
can come and live with me.
00:41:08.06\00:41:10.07
Together we will
wait for our loved ones."
00:41:10.10\00:41:12.93
Isn't that beautiful?
00:41:12.97\00:41:14.30
Yes. So she adopted the
man that killed her husband.
00:41:14.34\00:41:16.67
Killed her husband?
00:41:16.71\00:41:18.04
Yeah.
00:41:18.07\00:41:19.41
Wow. That's a tough one.
00:41:19.44\00:41:20.78
Yes.
00:41:20.81\00:41:22.14
But like you said, it's
only through the Spirit of God
00:41:22.18\00:41:23.51
that you can do that,
00:41:23.55\00:41:24.88
and you can't do
that in your human flesh.
00:41:24.91\00:41:26.25
That's right.
00:41:26.28\00:41:27.62
No. What's the next section?
00:41:27.65\00:41:28.98
So the final section
is the word that empowers.
00:41:29.02\00:41:32.15
And that is really, you
know, what we have been called
00:41:32.19\00:41:35.99
through acts, you know, He says,
00:41:36.02\00:41:38.59
you know, He's
calling the disciples,
00:41:38.63\00:41:41.03
wait, and you will receive
power to go to Jerusalem,
00:41:41.06\00:41:43.60
and Judea, and Samaria,
00:41:43.63\00:41:44.97
and unto the
uttermost parts of the earth.
00:41:45.00\00:41:46.33
And there's different stories
I share in this testimony.
00:41:46.37\00:41:51.27
But one really
inspirational story
00:41:51.31\00:41:53.71
that's still
ongoing and happening
00:41:53.74\00:41:55.91
is, is about a church
in Kenya, Eldoret, Kenya,
00:41:55.94\00:41:59.58
who, they've been implementing
00:41:59.61\00:42:01.58
a lot of the
different initiatives,
00:42:01.62\00:42:04.15
the prayer ministries and things
00:42:04.19\00:42:05.82
that we have been encouraging
for the last 10 plus years
00:42:05.85\00:42:08.72
with the church.
00:42:08.76\00:42:10.09
And it's just been
so inspiring to see.
00:42:10.13\00:42:11.56
So five years ago, when
we had 100 days of prayer,
00:42:11.59\00:42:15.80
we had 100 days
of prayer leading up
00:42:15.83\00:42:17.60
to the big General Conference,
one of our big meetings.
00:42:17.63\00:42:21.64
And they started
meeting together to pray.
00:42:21.67\00:42:24.34
And first, it was
a group of 50 people,
00:42:24.37\00:42:26.07
and then it was a
group of 75, and then 100.
00:42:26.11\00:42:28.98
And they had to
keep making more room.
00:42:29.01\00:42:30.51
And they ended up with about
400 people praying together,
00:42:30.55\00:42:33.72
and people from
the community heard,
00:42:33.75\00:42:36.12
you know, the Holy
Spirit is really with this group
00:42:36.15\00:42:37.95
and come and join.
00:42:37.99\00:42:39.32
And so they had many
believers of multiple faith
00:42:39.35\00:42:42.39
that were coming
to pray together.
00:42:42.42\00:42:44.53
And so they...
00:42:44.56\00:42:47.13
The pastors were
just so impacted,
00:42:47.16\00:42:51.23
the pastors of these
other denominations in faith
00:42:51.27\00:42:54.14
were so impacted by what
they saw happening in the group.
00:42:54.17\00:42:56.47
And they asked the
leaders, they said,
00:42:56.50\00:42:58.24
"Can you share with us?
00:42:58.27\00:42:59.81
You know, what do you believe?
00:42:59.84\00:43:01.54
What do you
believe as a church?"
00:43:01.58\00:43:03.35
And so the leaders
began studying with them
00:43:03.38\00:43:06.35
what we believe and they saw how
00:43:06.38\00:43:08.75
it's rooted in God's Word.
00:43:08.78\00:43:10.69
It's about the
Word, it's biblical.
00:43:10.72\00:43:12.45
It goes according to the Word.
00:43:12.49\00:43:14.82
And these pastors
were so convicted,
00:43:14.86\00:43:16.62
and these are of other
denominations and faith
00:43:16.66\00:43:19.26
that they were
convicted to become baptized
00:43:19.29\00:43:22.66
into Seventh-day
Adventist Church.
00:43:22.70\00:43:25.00
And so there were
like, of 30 pastors,
00:43:25.03\00:43:27.64
there were 16 at
that time that came in,
00:43:27.67\00:43:29.44
now there's been over 100.
00:43:29.47\00:43:31.01
Wait a minute.
00:43:31.04\00:43:32.37
You said pastors from
different denominations?
00:43:32.41\00:43:34.14
Yes, other denominations.
00:43:34.18\00:43:35.68
Wow.
00:43:35.71\00:43:37.05
Yeah.
00:43:37.08\00:43:38.41
So there's all these...
00:43:38.45\00:43:39.78
Well planned,
beseeching in the Lord.
00:43:39.81\00:43:41.15
Yes.
00:43:41.18\00:43:42.52
And it's just through the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
00:43:42.55\00:43:43.89
And that group was
just seeking the Lord.
00:43:43.92\00:43:46.29
And they saw there's
something different here.
00:43:46.32\00:43:48.12
We want to know, what
do you believe and why.
00:43:48.16\00:43:50.86
And it's just led to
this beautiful revival
00:43:50.89\00:43:52.89
that's still ongoing.
00:43:52.93\00:43:54.26
They have a health ministry,
their center of influence,
00:43:54.30\00:43:56.36
their multiple...
00:43:56.40\00:43:58.50
This is in Kenya?
00:43:58.53\00:43:59.87
In Kenya, Eldoret, Kenya.
00:43:59.90\00:44:01.94
Oh, my. Have you gone there?
00:44:01.97\00:44:03.74
I have not been
there yet personally.
00:44:03.77\00:44:05.27
Yeah, they keep asking me to
go and haven't been able to go.
00:44:05.31\00:44:07.68
But I keep hearing reports.
00:44:07.71\00:44:09.51
And it's just,
and, of course, we know,
00:44:09.54\00:44:12.61
this is going to happen
in a much greater degree.
00:44:12.65\00:44:16.55
People are coming,
people are coming to the truth,
00:44:16.58\00:44:19.69
but this is very key.
00:44:19.72\00:44:21.06
Yes.
00:44:21.09\00:44:22.42
Ellen White makes a statement,
if we have not lived up
00:44:22.46\00:44:25.59
to the light that we know,
00:44:25.63\00:44:28.63
how are we going to receive
the latter rain when it comes?
00:44:28.66\00:44:32.97
If we've not
lived up to the light,
00:44:33.00\00:44:34.60
it will be
falling all around us.
00:44:34.64\00:44:37.21
So we won't receive
it if we've not lived up
00:44:37.24\00:44:39.31
to the light we know.
00:44:39.34\00:44:40.68
And so that's why we
have to get back to the Word.
00:44:40.71\00:44:42.78
So align our lives, and
our hearts, and our minds
00:44:42.81\00:44:45.31
and, Lord, please help me.
00:44:45.35\00:44:47.85
Oh, that is so true.
00:44:47.88\00:44:49.38
I don't want to be...
00:44:49.42\00:44:50.75
I was reading, my
husband and I were reading
00:44:50.79\00:44:53.46
Great Controversy
while flying home.
00:44:53.49\00:44:56.22
And we were reading on the plane
00:44:56.26\00:44:58.13
and it was about not having
00:44:58.16\00:45:01.43
that one to one
relationship is called...
00:45:01.46\00:45:04.30
What does she call it, just
like superficial Christians,
00:45:04.33\00:45:06.97
you don't want to be that.
00:45:07.00\00:45:08.47
You want to know
the Lord personally.
00:45:08.50\00:45:11.24
And that's my prayer to
you, viewers and listeners,
00:45:11.27\00:45:15.04
you want to know
the Lord personally.
00:45:15.08\00:45:16.95
And that's my desire to continue
00:45:16.98\00:45:18.91
that relationship with the Lord.
00:45:18.95\00:45:20.72
Oh, boy, that we
have so much to cover.
00:45:20.75\00:45:22.85
What about the...
Is that little one?
00:45:22.88\00:45:24.65
It's okay to die, the
martyr story, it's another one.
00:45:24.69\00:45:27.62
Yeah, it's very interesting.
00:45:27.66\00:45:30.43
The final chapter in
Daring To Live By Every Word
00:45:30.46\00:45:34.43
is titled It's Okay To Die.
00:45:34.46\00:45:37.00
The best is yet to come.
00:45:37.03\00:45:38.80
And in that chapter I
share, I share stories.
00:45:38.83\00:45:41.70
Wait a minute, back up, back up.
00:45:41.74\00:45:43.07
Yes.
00:45:43.10\00:45:44.44
When did this book come out?
00:45:44.47\00:45:45.87
So it came out in
the spring of 2020.
00:45:45.91\00:45:48.28
What time in?
00:45:48.31\00:45:49.64
Like March, right?
00:45:49.68\00:45:51.01
Basically, when
the pandemic hit.
00:45:51.05\00:45:52.38
Yes.
00:45:52.41\00:45:53.75
This book was just, had just
finished rolling off the press.
00:45:53.78\00:45:56.02
God's timing is perfect.
00:45:56.05\00:45:57.39
Oh, my.
00:45:57.42\00:45:58.79
I know, I get
goosebumps thinking about it.
00:45:58.82\00:46:00.29
Me too.
00:46:00.32\00:46:01.66
But go ahead, continue it.
00:46:01.69\00:46:03.02
Yeah, and I just, I just
feel like, like I shared before.
00:46:03.06\00:46:07.23
Was trying for four years,
00:46:07.26\00:46:09.06
but it just
didn't come together.
00:46:09.10\00:46:10.43
And then it finally did.
00:46:10.47\00:46:11.80
And it was such a spiritual
battle, the whole process.
00:46:11.83\00:46:14.77
Literally, I don't feel like
00:46:14.80\00:46:17.24
I've ever been part of
something that's taxed me
00:46:17.27\00:46:19.57
so much spiritually, physically.
00:46:19.61\00:46:20.94
There's been a lot of different
things that have happened
00:46:20.98\00:46:23.71
while this last year
since the book came out,
00:46:23.75\00:46:26.08
which has just
reminded me how important
00:46:26.11\00:46:27.98
and crucial the
message is, it's okay to die.
00:46:28.02\00:46:30.92
You know, ultimately, unless
we are in that final group
00:46:30.95\00:46:35.16
that lived to see Jesus,
we are going to eventually,
00:46:35.19\00:46:38.09
but the best is yet to come.
00:46:38.13\00:46:39.46
Thank you.
00:46:39.49\00:46:40.83
There's nothing to fear.
00:46:40.86\00:46:42.20
He tells us again
and again, fear not.
00:46:42.23\00:46:44.63
We know in the world
we're going to have tribulation,
00:46:44.67\00:46:46.84
but be of good cheer, I
have overcome the world.
00:46:46.87\00:46:48.94
So... I like
that, it's okay to die.
00:46:48.97\00:46:50.54
Yes.
00:46:50.57\00:46:51.91
There's so many people,
oh, no, no, I want to live.
00:46:51.94\00:46:54.21
But that's not
the end of the story.
00:46:54.24\00:46:55.84
Once you die, your chapter
is not completely finished.
00:46:55.88\00:46:58.85
That is true.
00:46:58.88\00:47:00.22
What would I say?
00:47:00.25\00:47:01.58
There is another
part to the story, right?
00:47:01.62\00:47:03.89
Yes, the better part.
00:47:03.92\00:47:05.25
The best is yet to come.
00:47:05.29\00:47:06.62
The best is yet
to come. Exactly.
00:47:06.65\00:47:07.99
The best is yet to come.
00:47:08.02\00:47:09.36
So you were
spiritually attacked?
00:47:09.39\00:47:10.73
Yeah, just in the whole process
00:47:10.76\00:47:13.80
of writing the book
was a real challenge.
00:47:13.83\00:47:15.30
And I have a...
00:47:15.33\00:47:16.67
I have kind of
a closing thoughts
00:47:16.70\00:47:18.03
where I share about that.
00:47:18.07\00:47:19.70
But after the
book was published,
00:47:19.73\00:47:23.81
I went through a
real health crisis.
00:47:23.84\00:47:26.51
My mom who's been
struggling with cancer,
00:47:26.54\00:47:28.78
praise the Lord,
she is still with us.
00:47:28.81\00:47:30.55
But she came close
to dying several times.
00:47:30.58\00:47:33.72
My brother was in a
very tragic accident,
00:47:33.75\00:47:36.55
which should have killed him.
00:47:36.58\00:47:37.99
It was just like,
thing after thing after thing
00:47:38.02\00:47:41.72
began to hit and fall apart.
00:47:41.76\00:47:44.46
And I was coming face to
face with some of the things
00:47:44.49\00:47:46.96
that I'd written about
because I'm encouraging people
00:47:47.00\00:47:49.13
and I'm excited
about these things.
00:47:49.16\00:47:50.93
And then suddenly, I'm
like, I'm not ready for this.
00:47:50.97\00:47:55.00
Yes, exactly.
00:47:55.04\00:47:56.37
To be honest here
I'm encouraging people,
00:47:56.40\00:47:57.74
it's okay to die.
00:47:57.77\00:47:59.11
And I'm like, I'm not
sure if I'm ready to die.
00:47:59.14\00:48:02.41
I'm not sure if I'm
ready to see my family die.
00:48:02.44\00:48:05.61
And I just began
crying out to the Lord.
00:48:05.65\00:48:07.58
This last year has probably been
00:48:07.62\00:48:08.95
one of the most
challenging of my life,
00:48:08.98\00:48:11.52
just crying out to the
Lord and like, Lord, help me.
00:48:11.55\00:48:14.39
And it's, it's
been a good experience
00:48:14.42\00:48:17.36
what the enemy's meant for evil,
00:48:17.39\00:48:19.43
God is turning to good.
00:48:19.46\00:48:21.20
But it's been challenging.
00:48:21.23\00:48:23.16
And it's just...
00:48:23.20\00:48:24.53
Yeah, yeah, but
God's growing us.
00:48:24.57\00:48:27.40
And you know,
this really brings me
00:48:27.44\00:48:29.30
I think to the closing thought
that I really want to share
00:48:29.34\00:48:34.54
with the audience.
00:48:34.58\00:48:36.04
We are in a time of testing,
00:48:36.08\00:48:37.95
and it's not going to get
easier, it's gonna get harder.
00:48:37.98\00:48:40.62
It's gonna get harder.
00:48:40.65\00:48:41.98
And so God is growing
us by little challenges
00:48:42.02\00:48:44.19
and little trials
now to stand firm,
00:48:44.22\00:48:47.52
and to stand upon His
Word, not on our feelings,
00:48:47.56\00:48:50.29
not on our fears,
but faith in His Word.
00:48:50.33\00:48:53.19
He's teaching us
to stand on His Word.
00:48:53.23\00:48:55.23
And there's a story that I love
00:48:55.26\00:48:56.60
that's really,
really encouraged me
00:48:56.63\00:48:58.53
and it comes from Daniel 3:17.
00:48:58.57\00:49:01.67
It's basically where
Daniel's three friends are paid,
00:49:01.70\00:49:06.84
are placed in a
very, very important trial.
00:49:06.88\00:49:09.68
But let me back up really quick.
00:49:09.71\00:49:11.48
Yes.
00:49:11.51\00:49:12.85
When Daniel and his
friends were taken to Babylon
00:49:12.88\00:49:15.28
as captives, they had
a very important test.
00:49:15.32\00:49:19.19
Yes, they did.
00:49:19.22\00:49:20.59
Between them and
God, and that was,
00:49:20.62\00:49:23.16
what are we going to?
00:49:23.19\00:49:24.53
How are we going to
take care of the temple
00:49:24.56\00:49:25.89
that God has given us?
00:49:25.93\00:49:27.26
And they purposed in their heart
00:49:27.30\00:49:28.93
that they would
not defile the temple
00:49:28.96\00:49:30.57
that God had given him?
00:49:30.60\00:49:31.93
Yes.
00:49:31.97\00:49:33.30
And God honored that.
00:49:33.34\00:49:34.67
Yes, He did.
00:49:34.70\00:49:36.04
And I believe that
obedience to God and His Word
00:49:36.07\00:49:37.57
about how they
honored Him with their temple,
00:49:37.61\00:49:40.44
prepared them to
be a living sacrifice.
00:49:40.48\00:49:43.51
Wow.
00:49:43.55\00:49:44.88
So Nebuchadnezzar saying,
00:49:44.91\00:49:46.28
"If you don't bow
down and worship me,"
00:49:46.31\00:49:48.38
you know, fast
forward, the dream,
00:49:48.42\00:49:50.05
the image and everything.
00:49:50.09\00:49:51.42
"If you don't bow
down and worship me,
00:49:51.45\00:49:52.79
I'm gonna throw you
into the fiery furnace.
00:49:52.82\00:49:54.66
And I love the
challenge that Daniel and his,
00:49:54.69\00:49:57.99
well, his three friends,
00:49:58.03\00:49:59.36
Daniel wasn't part of
this, it was the three friends.
00:49:59.39\00:50:02.03
But they were prepared for this
00:50:02.06\00:50:03.40
by their
surrender and obedience.
00:50:03.43\00:50:05.73
And that is they
told the king, they said,
00:50:05.77\00:50:07.30
"Our God whom we
serve is able to deliver us
00:50:07.34\00:50:10.87
from the fiery furnace.
00:50:10.91\00:50:12.44
But even if He
doesn't, we will not bow down."
00:50:12.47\00:50:16.61
Amen.
00:50:16.64\00:50:17.98
And that's what I
believe we have to come
00:50:18.01\00:50:19.48
to in our walk with God today
00:50:19.51\00:50:21.28
as we serve a God
who is able to deliver.
00:50:21.32\00:50:23.32
We serve a God that's
able to get us through the fire
00:50:23.35\00:50:27.69
but will we stand for Him
even if it doesn't not seem
00:50:27.72\00:50:32.69
that He's with us, even it
seems like He's forsaken us.
00:50:32.73\00:50:35.23
And God said, "He
will never leave us,
00:50:35.26\00:50:37.60
He will leave forsake us."
00:50:37.63\00:50:39.20
It's the promise
from the Word of God.
00:50:39.23\00:50:42.00
And also these were
men of implicit trust.
00:50:42.04\00:50:46.17
The three Hebrews, they were,
00:50:46.21\00:50:47.81
they trusted the
Lord no matter what.
00:50:47.84\00:50:50.25
And I've to share
this really quickly.
00:50:50.28\00:50:52.98
It's in Prophets
and Kings, page 508,
00:50:53.01\00:50:55.88
it says, "From the
history of their fathers,
00:50:55.92\00:50:57.79
the Hebrews, they had
learned that disobedience to God
00:50:57.82\00:51:02.02
results in
dishonor, disaster, and death,
00:51:02.06\00:51:06.29
and that the fear of the
Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
00:51:06.33\00:51:11.33
the foundation of
all true prosperity."
00:51:11.37\00:51:14.44
And this is a part I
have underlined here.
00:51:14.47\00:51:17.77
"Their faith
strengthened as they declared
00:51:17.81\00:51:21.14
that God would be
glorified by delivering them,
00:51:21.18\00:51:24.78
and with triumphant assurance
born of implicit trust in God,
00:51:24.81\00:51:30.22
they added, 'But if not.'"
00:51:30.25\00:51:33.09
And some of you
are going through your
00:51:33.12\00:51:35.12
but if not
experiences right now.
00:51:35.16\00:51:37.89
Remember, this is
not the end of the story.
00:51:37.93\00:51:41.26
God is with you.
00:51:41.30\00:51:43.06
Well, we're gonna have
to take a break right now.
00:51:43.10\00:51:45.73
So we will be right back.
00:51:45.77\00:51:49.90
For more information
about Revival and Reformation,
00:51:49.94\00:51:52.51
you can write to them at
12501, Old Columbia Pike,
00:51:52.54\00:51:57.38
Silver Spring, Maryland 20904.
00:51:57.41\00:52:01.28
You can call them
at (301) 680-6000.
00:52:01.32\00:52:06.96
That's (301) 680-6000.
00:52:06.99\00:52:12.43
Or visit their website
at RevivalAndReformation.org
00:52:12.46\00:52:16.10
That's RevivalAndReformation.org
00:52:16.13\00:52:19.50
You can also email them
00:52:19.53\00:52:20.90
at MasonM@gc.adventist.org
00:52:20.94\00:52:25.21