Participants:
Series Code: TDYFW
Program Code: TDYFW015001A
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:18 Removing pain 00:23 Lord, let my words 00:29 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:45 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:13 We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing 01:20 He chastens and hastens 01:24 His will to make known 01:27 The wicked oppressing 01:31 Now cease from distressing 01:35 Sing praises to His Name 01:38 He forgets not His own 01:43 We all do extol Thee Thou Leader triumphant 01:50 And pray that Thou still our Defender will be 01:58 Let Thy congregation escape tribulation 02:05 Thy Name be ever praised! 02:09 O Lord, make us free 02:16 Hello, and welcome to 3ABN family worship. 02:20 If you are watching on a Friday evening 02:23 then you are just preparing to go into the Sabbath 02:26 and depending on where you are in the world 02:27 you may be into the Sabbath hours 02:29 or on the eve of the Sabbath hours 02:31 or in expectancy of the Sabbath hours 02:35 and we welcome. 02:36 If you are watching on Saturday evening 02:38 then you are expecting a brand new week 02:40 and you have just concluded or are concluding with us 02:43 the sacred Sabbath hours. 02:45 So we welcome you to our family worship. 02:47 Now, family as a word means a lot of things. 02:50 There is the blood family 02:52 and we have blood family members here. 02:53 My wife is here, Jorge Jaque 02:55 and his wife and mother-in-law and daughter are here. 02:58 So that's family 02:59 but family can also mean groups of people 03:01 who are gathered together by specific common bonds, 03:05 by bonds of faith, by bonds of love, 03:08 by bonds of friendship, by bonds of working together. 03:12 So the word family has many, many meanings 03:16 and your family maybe 03:17 those who are part of your immediate family, 03:20 your siblings, your parents, your children, 03:21 your cousins, your aunts 03:23 but there may be people who believe as you do, 03:25 who pray as you do, who preach as you do, 03:28 who go to the same church. 03:30 They are also your family. 03:31 Your neighborhood friends maybe part of your family. 03:34 So whatever definition of family 03:36 you have today we welcome you to this family, this-- 03:40 Did I say rainbow family 03:42 of different hues and different-- 03:46 we've come from different places 03:47 but we are heading to the same place 03:49 and that's to the kingdom of God. 03:50 We are heading towards heaven. 03:52 And so we want you to join us this day 03:54 as we worship God in spirit in truth, 03:57 as we celebrate the Sabbath day 03:59 which is either just coming in for you 04:01 or which has just left 04:03 regardless of how you find yourself 04:05 at this point and time would you now celebrate with us 04:08 as we pray together, sing together, 04:10 worship together on this family worship. 04:13 We want to go to a very popular song 04:16 in the Seventh-day Adventist church 04:18 and really around the world 04:19 and that's "Redeemed, How I Love to Proclaim It!" 04:22 If you have the hymnal 04:23 it is 330... ...338 my wife tells me. 04:29 So let's go to 338 and sing all three stanzas 04:33 of "Redeemed, How I Love to Proclaim It!" 04:41 Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it! 04:45 Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb 04:49 Redeemed through His infinite mercy 04:53 His child and forever I am 04:57 Redeemed, redeemed 05:02 Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb 05:06 Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it! 05:10 His child and forever I am 05:15 I think of my blessed Redeemer 05:19 I think of Him all the day long 05:23 I sing, for I cannot be silent 05:28 His love is the theme of my song 05:32 Redeemed, redeemed 05:36 Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb 05:41 Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it 05:45 His child and forever I am 05:50 I know I shall see in His beauty 05:54 The King in whose law I delight 05:59 Who lovingly guardeth my footsteps 06:03 And giveth me songs in the night 06:07 Redeemed, redeemed 06:12 Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb 06:16 Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it 06:21 His child and forever I am 06:27 Oh, great. 06:28 Let me introduce to you 06:30 the members of this particular family 06:32 for tonight's worship. 06:33 We have Jorge and Lynette and Betty and Irma 06:36 and Noelia and I'm C.A., 06:38 and we welcome you to our worship experience. 06:41 In the ancient Greek, 06:44 just going back over some of the things 06:45 that we started in school, 06:47 on Friday the day was called Paraskevi 06:53 which means the day just before or in preparation of 06:56 or the day that stands alongside the Sabbath day. 07:00 The Hebrew word was Yom Shishi which has the same meaning, 07:04 the day that stands beside the Sabbath day. 07:07 And what is interesting about the ancient Hebrew 07:10 and the ancient Greek 07:12 you weren't about the days of the week 07:14 because they were all just opposed to the Sabbath. 07:20 You had Kyriake or Sunday. 07:23 The original term was prote which was first day 07:26 and then the Greeks marked off the days, 07:28 first day, second day, third day, fourth day, 07:30 fifth day, sixth day 07:31 or eve of the Sabbath and then Sabbath. 07:33 So there was no confusion about the days. 07:36 This Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 07:38 stuff came in a lot later. 07:39 But you are ancient Greek you would say 07:41 I will see you on the third day. 07:43 So there's no doubt about the day 07:44 that's gonna see you because three days of now 07:46 we are gonna be together 07:48 or I would see you on the eve of the Sabbath. 07:51 And the Hebrew's were much more 07:53 dependent upon the Sabbath for their numbering. 07:55 Their days were one, heading to the Sabbath, 07:59 two, heading to the Sabbath, 08:00 three, heading to the Sabbath, four, heading to the Sabbath, 08:04 five, heading to the Sabbath, eve of the Sabbath and Sabbath. 08:08 So you couldn't get confused. 08:10 Yeah, it's interesting that Portuguese right now 08:12 and has a modern language. 08:14 Has the same-- 08:17 I mean, name for the days. Yes. 08:19 Monday is the second, 08:21 Tuesday is the third and so on, so on 08:23 until Friday which is the sixth, 08:25 sixth day of the week. 08:26 They call it second, third, fourth and till the sixth. 08:31 And the Sabbath is Sabbath. 08:33 I did not know that, that's makes so much more 08:36 much easier certainly to figure out your days 08:40 because everything is based on the central day of the week 08:43 which they say as Sabbath. 08:44 So you had, one, two, three, four, five 08:46 preparation, Sabbath. 08:47 That's nice and neat. 08:49 That alone affirms the seventh day. 08:51 It does. 08:52 If anybody ask a question of calendars be changed 08:56 or been tried to be changed you cannot go wrong with them. 09:00 Yeah, Sunday eventually became Kyriakos 09:04 or Lord's Day or Kyriake, Lord's Day 09:06 but originally it was prote, proti 09:09 which is simply first day. 09:10 So your numbers weren't right up towards Sabbath 09:12 and particularly the ancient Hebrews they-- 09:15 Everything was based on the Sabbath. 09:17 On the Sabbath you had a extra loaf of bread to eat. 09:22 You had a nice Sabbath meal. 09:24 They tried to make the Sabbath a very special day, 09:26 a very exciting day, a very happy day for the family 09:30 and for the young people. 09:32 It wasn't a dry, formal day but it was a day of gladness, 09:35 a day of celebration, a day of joy, 09:38 a day that was looked forward to 09:40 and a day that was much anticipated 09:42 by the ancient Hebrews. 09:43 And I think that's how we should celebrate 09:45 the Sabbath day, shouldn't we? 09:46 It ought to be a day of celebration, 09:48 a day of joy yeah. 09:49 For those of us who preach and teach 09:51 it is not necessarily a rest day 09:54 although it is a change of Labor Day. 09:57 You are not working for yourself 09:59 you are working for the Lord, right? 10:00 Yeah, there are some-- we have had this conversation 10:03 not too long ago with the kids. 10:06 Sometimes like for instance, 10:08 somebody needs to help another person 10:10 like a doctor or nurse, 10:12 somebody got hurt on the Sabbath day, 10:14 Sabbath day say they service. 10:16 So a doctor would serve 10:17 somebody helping them to feel better 10:20 and same thing with our firefighter for instance. 10:24 If a house is burning down we have to-- 10:29 We need help 10:30 and Sabbath is a day of service. 10:32 Yes, Christ said is lawful to do good on a Sabbath. 10:34 I'll tell you a quick story. 10:36 Years ago one of my elders of my church 10:38 in Freeport, Long Island, his burned on Friday night 10:41 and it burned into the morning. 10:43 So we are all in church in our suits and ties 10:45 and I got word just before the sermon 10:48 that his house was still on fire. 10:52 And so I stood up for the sermon, 10:54 I said the sermon for today is, go home, 10:57 change your clothes 10:59 and we are going to help our elder. 11:01 And someone said, is that the sermon? 11:02 I said, that's it, we stand for the benediction. 11:04 God bless you, I will see you in Brooklyn 11:07 and we spent the Sabbath afternoon helping him-- 11:10 you know, there was water everywhere 11:12 and some of the ladies cooked food 11:14 and we spent the Sabbath day helping our brother 11:16 who needed our help. 11:17 And I think that's also a good way, 11:19 Lynette, to observe the Sabbath, 11:22 yeah, helping those who are in need. 11:24 Yeah. So we have done that. 11:26 And on Friday evenings or in the night sit 11:29 and she plays the piano little bit. 11:31 She doesn't like to let that 11:33 get out put she plays, she plugs 11:35 and she has been playing for many years 11:36 She plugs and we sing and we praise the Lord. 11:40 But it's good to separate yourself from the week, 11:43 from the work a day week, from the rushing 11:45 and the hustle and the bustle 11:47 and kind of slowdown a little bit 11:49 and serve, and serve the Lord. 11:51 You know, my sister has a situation 11:55 since last this past year. 11:57 She is having two grandchildren with her to go to school 12:02 and so they're basically living with them. 12:06 When she does for to put in, 12:11 in their hearts and their minds about the Sabbath 12:15 is that Friday night-- 12:17 The every Friday night they have the same exact meal. 12:21 And the little one's like pizzas 12:23 so every Friday night they have pizza. 12:26 So now well, the children when Thursday is coming 12:30 they are already excited 12:32 for Friday that Sabbath is coming 12:35 so we are having pizza on Friday night. 12:38 And I think that's such a wonderful thing 12:40 because they are coming into the Sabbath 12:44 very happy and looking forward 12:46 to not just the pizza but reminds them of Jesus. 12:50 Definitely, they love the routine of Sabbath, 12:54 it's really, really important 12:55 and that's something that my husband 12:57 and I have been trying to maintain and enhance 13:01 and allow to evolve if you will as the children grow, 13:05 the same thing you did when they were two or three 13:08 isn't gonna ramp them up and get them excited. 13:10 So you find new materials, new things. 13:13 Sometimes it gets pretty silly 13:15 when you are getting ready to walk on the Sabbath 13:17 and why shouldn't it be a little bit silly 13:19 because that joyfulness needs to come through, 13:22 especially with the kids. 13:24 You just want to make it such a part of your family 13:27 that they will carry with them into adulthood 13:29 and on to their families. 13:30 Yeah, yeah, the ancient Hebrews really fought against making 13:34 the Sabbath a dry formal day. 13:37 Now by the time of Christ the Pharisees 13:39 and the Sadducees in particular 13:41 had put so much legislation on the Sabbath 13:45 in trying not to offend the Sabbath 13:48 they over legislated the Sabbath. 13:49 You can only walk 3,000 steps, 13:51 you can only do this, you can't do that, 13:52 you can do this, you can't do that. 13:54 They actually took the joy out of the Sabbath 13:56 but the original intent 13:58 was for the Sabbath to be a happy day. 14:00 We used to sing in school in Sabbath school, 14:03 "Sabbath is a happy day, happy day, happy day." 14:06 You know, and to have the young people 14:09 and stand it is a happy day. 14:10 It is a day for joy. It is a day for excitement. 14:12 And may be just a little silliness in the Lord 14:15 so that they anticipate the coming of the Sabbath 14:18 and not dread the coming of the Sabbath, 14:20 yeah, and we praise the Lord for that. 14:22 Got a little reading from our morning watch 14:25 that I found it was very, very interesting 14:28 and we want to just take a look at this just now 14:33 and then maybe I will have you, you guys listen 14:38 and then sort of respond to this reading. 14:42 It's entitled Kind and Courteous words 14:46 and it comes from Isaiah 50:4. 14:49 "The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, 14:53 that I should know how to speak a word 14:56 in season to him that is weary, 14:59 he wakeneth morning by morning, and wakeneth mine ear to hear 15:04 as the learned" Isaiah 50:4. 15:07 "What Christ was in His earth-- 15:10 In His life on this earth that every Christian is to be. 15:15 He is our example, 15:17 not only in His spotless purity, 15:19 but in His patience, gentleness, 15:22 winsomeness of disposition. 15:26 He was firm as a rock 15:28 where truth and duty were concerned, 15:30 but He was invariably kind and courteous. 15:34 His life was a perfect illustration of true courtesy. 15:38 His presence brought a purer atmosphere into the home, 15:42 and His life was as leaven 15:44 working amid the elements of society. 15:47 Harmless and undefiled, 15:49 He walked among the thoughtless, the rude, 15:52 the uncourteous amid the unjust publicans, 15:57 the unrighteous Samaritans, the heathen soldiers, 16:01 the rough peasants, and the mixed multitude. 16:05 He spoke a word of sympathy here 16:07 and a word there as He saw men weary 16:10 and compelled to bear heavy burdens. 16:12 He shared their burdens 16:14 and repeated to them the lessons 16:16 He had learned from nature, of the love, 16:19 the kindness and goodness of God. 16:21 He sought to inspire with hope the most rough, 16:25 unpromising, setting before them 16:28 the assurance that they might become 16:31 blameless and harmless, attaining such a character 16:35 as would make them manifest as children of God. 16:40 Jesus sat an honored guest at the table of the publicans, 16:45 by His sympathy and social kindliness 16:47 showing that He recognized the dignity of humanity 16:51 and men longed to become worthy of His confidence. 16:55 Upon their thirsty souls 16:58 His words fell with blessed, life-giving power. 17:02 New impulses were awakened, 17:04 and the possibility of a new life 17:07 opened to "those or rather" to these outcasts of society. 17:12 The religion of Jesus softens 17:15 wherever a hard and rough in the temper 17:20 and smooth's off whatever is rugged 17:22 and sharp in the manners. 17:26 It is this religion that makes the words gentle 17:29 and the demeanor winning. 17:32 Let us learn from Christ 17:34 how to combine a high sense of purity and integrity 17:38 with sunniness of disposition. 17:41 A kind, courteous Christian is the most powerful argument 17:46 that can be produced in favor of the gospel." 17:50 I will read that last line again. 17:52 "A kind, courteous Christian is the most powerful argument 17:58 that can be produced in favor of the gospel." 18:04 It's a powerful reading. 18:06 Anybody want to comment on that, 18:07 what does it say to you 18:09 this reading about being like Christ? 18:11 Always impacted me 18:14 the way that Jesus related to other people 18:17 and it's repeated over and over in the gospel 18:21 that He wasn't surrounded necessarily by the nice people 18:27 or the politically correct people. 18:31 He was always surrounded with people 18:32 that were at the age of being either thieves 18:37 or not very good reputation 18:41 and with that it seems like He was in a way 18:48 involving Himself with a wrong crowd. 18:51 But what you've read the last part-- 18:54 That was so powerful because a kind spirit 18:58 this loving attitude that He had to everybody 19:02 it was transforming the hearts of those people. 19:05 So I always think how important for us 19:10 is not to discriminate against the-- 19:14 What we see or recognize 19:16 as something that is outside of a person. 19:20 Well, I'm not gonna get involved with this person 19:22 or that person because he is too rough 19:24 or they seem not very kind. 19:28 By the contrary we need to reach out to them 19:31 and do what Jesus did. 19:35 Yeah, it really illustrates the potency of a Christ 19:39 like life of trying to live your life. 19:42 You may never say a word to them about the Bible 19:45 but if they see you behaving 19:48 in this wonderful kind loving manner 19:52 it can turn aside all sorts of their evil 19:54 in their lives and in their hearts. 19:56 Well, said. 19:57 They may think that whatever there is a contrast 20:00 that are people that are going to observe 20:05 and it's gonna be called the attention-- 20:08 Even if you don't want them to be observing you, 20:10 you need to be-- 20:11 Exactly. Living true to your faith. 20:13 And so the difference between Christ example 20:19 and the people surrounding Him was a big contrast. 20:24 And so it was something to look and it's what the way 20:29 it's supposed to be with us nowadays. 20:32 A couple of things pop out at me 20:35 in thinking about this. 20:37 I was saying someone-- 20:38 something to someone the other day 20:39 to the effect that there is no really call-- 20:44 real call of the Bible for people to be nice to us. 20:47 The Bible doesn't say people have to be nice to me. 20:50 The Bible says I have to be nice to them. 20:52 So its not okay. 20:54 Well, you treat me nice, I will treat you nice. 20:55 You don't treat me nice and-- that's not, 20:57 Bible doesn't do that kind of tit for tat thing. 20:59 That's a very good. 21:01 Yeah, there is no, there is no, 21:02 there is no calling in the Bible 21:03 that says people have to treat me nice. 21:06 The call is for me to let Christ love shine 21:09 out of my life regardless of how I'm treated 21:13 and not to wait to be treated nice 21:15 but to start by treating nice. 21:17 And usually nice begets nice. 21:21 You know, if you start with nice, 21:23 you send out nice, nice comes back 21:26 even if un-nice comes you got to send out nice 21:30 because the call on you is to live like Christ 21:32 so that they can see Christ in you. 21:35 Is that not so, you agree? Yeah, absolutely. 21:37 Absolutely. Absolutely. 21:38 Yeah, so it's very important that we that-- 21:41 And then too and I like this 21:44 we are told that wherever Christ is in a life 21:47 it tends to smooth off the rough edges, amen. 21:50 You know it does, it tends to smooth off the rough edges 21:53 and makes the Christian kinder and more inviting. 21:58 And here's a thing Irma, Betty, Lynette, Jorge, Noelia. 22:05 When I say to you, Lynette, how you're doing today? 22:09 That's a courtesy 22:11 and that's something that Christians ought to do. 22:13 But it doesn't necessarily mean that I'm ready to hear 22:16 every ache, pain, itch, glitch that you got. 22:19 You know what I'm saying? 22:20 If-- and I think we need to be honest 22:23 even I'm having a good day, I'm not having a good day. 22:26 But if every time I see Lynette and I say, how you are doing 22:30 and I get oh, boy, its-- 22:33 I'm ready to jump off the cliff. 22:35 This is it, you know, after a while 22:38 I'm gonna say, hey, God bless you. 22:40 You know, I'm not gonna ask. 22:43 So if God is in your life 22:46 you got something to praise the Lord for it. 22:49 And no life is all party. No life is all sunshine. 22:53 I have a good Korean friend that says, 22:54 if a person who laughs all the time 22:56 has a mental problem. 22:58 It's a Koran proverb, you know. 23:00 He says if he is smiling lot of time 23:02 something is wrong out there. 23:03 But having said that there ought to be enough 23:06 in the Christian life for us to say 23:09 even in the bad times God is good 23:12 and it's going to be all right. 23:13 Don't you think? 23:14 Yes. Yeah. 23:16 I think also that to me practice is very important. 23:20 You know, there are things that doesn't come out of us so easy, 23:24 especially when you don't know how that 23:26 you are not having a good day or yes, you see people that, 23:31 you know, don't necessarily are too happy with 23:33 or but, you know, as you practice 23:37 and as you ask God to help you it comes natural 23:41 and it really feels nice when you are able, 23:43 even if they don't respond, you know, it feels good 23:47 and give you peace also. 23:51 And we have some good examples 23:53 among our fellows here especially at 3ABN 23:56 we have Larry Mc Lucas. 23:58 No matter what's going on in his life, 24:00 how are you doing, Larry? 24:01 It's a wonderful day. Yeah. 24:03 And he's been my role model 24:05 because when people ask me how are you doing, Lynette? 24:08 That's like I'm practically perfect 24:10 in every way because it's true. 24:12 God is working on me. I'm getting there. 24:14 Amen. Amen. Amen. 24:16 Yeah, and I think if you can almost talk that 24:19 into existence, if you talk that, 24:22 if you talk faith, you actually build faith. 24:24 If you talk hope, you build hope. 24:25 If you talk joy, you build joy. 24:27 To a contrary if you talk morose, 24:29 you talk sadness, if you talk evil 24:32 that attends a draw that to you 24:35 and your life is made better by your speech 24:39 and you can talk joy, I think into your life. 24:41 Another important aspect is that it helps me 24:45 if I, if I'm positive and have a positive attitude 24:49 I keep telling these two my kids for instance 24:52 that we always have to have a positive attitude. 24:55 So but if I preach this but I don't practice it, 25:00 it doesn't really give the effect 25:02 but if I really go giving positive reinforcement 25:08 to my wife for instance it helps me. 25:11 It will help her of course but it will help me too. 25:14 It will help me to say, Lynette, or mom how-- 25:18 Are you having a good day and if I do it genuinely, 25:21 if I do it with really wishing them 25:25 that they are having a good day 25:26 or if they are not, if I'm really genuinely 25:30 interested in them that helps me. 25:34 Now you were saying like, 25:36 you can say hi to somebody, how are you doing? 25:39 Also there's different ways to do it. 25:42 You can say, hey, how you are doing and go on 25:45 and just the next person and the next person. 25:48 Yes. 25:50 I think we also have to do it 25:53 with a intent of really making the other person feel better. 25:57 Yes. Yes. Yes. 25:58 And, you know, just saying how you doing 26:00 and how are you doing. 26:01 When I came out of the hospital after my surgery 26:03 I had people coming to me and saying you know, 26:04 C.A., how are you doing? 26:07 You know, and they were projecting on me 26:12 you are doing bad, you know, 26:13 and I'm like hey, I'm doing great. 26:16 I'm in pain and I've got a new heart 26:19 and I'm doing, I'm doing good. 26:21 So your expectation can come out in your way 26:23 and I really believe that love, begets love and joy begets joy. 26:29 And if you push out joy, joy is coming back to you. 26:32 And whatever you send out is gonna come back 26:34 and if you send out Jesus, Jesus is coming back, 26:37 you know, that's the way it is, 26:39 yeah, and I really, truly believe that. 26:42 So the reading here tells us that words of sympathy 26:49 and it isn't not to be a sermon 26:50 or a long drawn out kind of thing 26:52 but just words of sympathy. 26:54 I'm praying for you is gonna be better, 26:56 tomorrow is gonna be a brighter day, 26:58 does a lot to life a person's countenance 27:01 and to help them along the way. 27:03 Yeah, amen, take a quick story 27:04 and then I want to go to prayer. 27:06 The funeral I ever did was a lady who tall, 27:11 beautiful woman who was struck with cancer 27:15 and was sent to the hospital 27:17 and one of those hospitals that they have in New York City 27:20 where you just go basically to die. 27:22 They send you there and they will kind of keep you 27:24 medicated and quiet and not so much pain 27:27 but she sang every day and she wasn't a great singer. 27:33 Betty, she is like you say you are. 27:35 You know, she says, she is not a great singer 27:37 but she sang. 27:38 And when you sing for Jesus so you miss a note who cares, 27:41 you sing unto the Lord. 27:43 But she sang every day and she had cancer 27:45 and she was I guess about your height, 27:47 Lynette, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8 in that general 27:52 and when I met her she was already down 27:54 to 89 pounds but still singing for the Lord. 27:57 And just sharing joy in the ward. 28:02 And when she finally passed and we had the funeral 28:06 many of the doctors and nurses, the hospital attendance, 28:09 her oncologist they all came to the funeral. 28:12 And when I questioned them 28:14 their statement to me was 28:15 we just wanted to see the kind of church 28:17 that produces a person like this. 28:19 It wasn't the church that produced her 28:21 it was Christ that produced that life. 28:23 And her life for Christ stayed strong. 28:28 Her love for Christ rather stayed strong 28:29 till she closed her eyes in death. 28:32 And that's what Christ can do for you. 28:35 He can, He can keep you joyful 28:37 and when you asked her 28:39 there was a time at the end 28:40 where she could not speak 28:42 but if you asked her how she was, 28:44 she would say, 28:46 I'm all right. 28:47 You know, I'm in pain and I'm dying 28:50 I know that but my soul is fine, 28:53 my heart is fine, I'm okay, I'm okay. 28:56 So you left the room feeling better 29:00 than you did when you went in. 29:02 Because if you went in down 29:04 she boosted you 29:06 because you may have okay, today, 29:09 I got a hangnail, 29:10 you know, today I'm having a bad hair day. 29:12 Well, this woman is dying of cancer and praising God. 29:14 So your hair ain't so much, 29:15 you know, it's not because she's got something 29:18 but she's also got Jesus. 29:24 So the love of Christ does soften you, 29:26 does change you, 29:27 does rearrange your thinking 29:29 and how you approach life. 29:31 Amen. Yeah. Yeah. 29:32 It is the only thing actually 29:34 because when we cannot control our feelings 29:36 and our emotions 29:39 the Lord can, yes. 29:43 We've got a couple of prayer requests 29:45 that have come in 29:46 and this prayer request comes from Daniel 29:50 who is age 50 and is alone 29:53 and is in severe need of a job. 29:58 He is a caretaker 30:02 and says please pray. 30:03 Then we've got Nicole in Germany 30:06 who is in an abusive situation with her husband 30:09 now resides in a shelter with her two-year-old son. 30:12 She asked for prayer for her safety 30:15 that she can find work 30:16 so she can provide for herself. 30:18 You know, when you don't have a job 30:19 and you don't have a way to support yourself 30:21 you feel so alone and so down. 30:24 And so there are many who are asking for employment 30:28 so that they can take care of themselves. 30:29 Bryan was involved in a serious car accident 30:31 and need to have several surgeries 30:34 in the coming months. 30:35 He is asking for prayer also. 30:37 Elva in Michigan is in need of prayer. 30:40 She is being attacked 30:42 by a severe case of vertigo. 30:47 Dwight lives in London, England 30:48 and has been diagnosed with glaucoma 30:51 and will have to undergo surgery. 30:53 He doesn't know yet 30:54 when or where this can be done 30:59 but he knows he is going to have 31:01 to have glaucoma surgery. 31:03 I've had that surgery and I'm praising God 31:06 that medicine has come a long way 31:08 so that that is not the trauma and drama 31:10 that it once was. 31:12 But any time you kind of go under the knife 31:14 you want the blessing of God. 31:16 Shana in Texas 31:18 going through chemo surgery, 31:21 chemotherapy rather and in need of prayer. 31:23 Robert needs strength from God. 31:25 He is facing spiritual warfare. 31:28 Delia, 15-year-old-- has a 15-year-old daughter 31:31 just released from drug rehab 31:34 has been drawn into prostitution. 31:37 She also has a 14-year-old son 31:38 that is suffering with lupus. 31:41 Hardworking single mom 31:43 trying to do best she can for her family 31:44 but needs strength, 31:46 perseverance and the encouragement 31:47 that comes from prayer. 31:50 Want to just tell you, Delia, 31:52 I know many stories of people 31:54 who are caught in prostitution 31:56 who God has freed from prostitution. 31:58 Many of them I have baptized myself 32:00 into the Adventist church 32:01 and into the kingdom of God. 32:03 So these prayers are not in vain. 32:04 God is able I guarantee you. 32:06 It has happened many, many, many times. 32:10 Michael in Illinois 32:12 is in need of a heart transplant. 32:15 He is combating 32:17 any number of heart issues 32:20 and we are praying for Mike. 32:24 Pray that God protects 32:26 and gifts favor to my elderly mother 32:29 who will be traveling throughout this month 32:31 and this is from-- so we've got a lot to pray for. 32:35 And I'm gonna ask 32:39 my wife to pray. 32:41 And Jorge, would you pray in Spanish also 32:45 if you will? 32:46 Oh, sure. 32:47 And let's remember all of these prayers 32:49 they are any number 32:50 and we will ask God to just bless these prayers. 32:54 Irma, if you pray 32:55 and anybody else who wants to pray 32:56 you can begin, 32:58 Boo, and then Lynette, Betty, if you wish to <>< 33:00 and then Jorge, if you would close. 33:02 All ready, shall we pray? 33:04 Our heavenly Father, 33:06 we thank You Lord for being so kind 33:09 and so merciful towards us. 33:13 We gather here, Lord, to praise Your name 33:15 and also to bring to do this petitions 33:19 from our audience 33:20 into us blessing 33:23 and to provide for all their needs. 33:26 There be physical and spiritually-- 33:29 spiritual or emotional. 33:32 We come to You because You have asked us to come 33:35 and to bring our petitions to You in our praises. 33:38 So, Father, we with the faith that we have 33:42 and knowing that You can give us 33:44 even a bigger faith in what You are doing 33:47 and what You can do. 33:50 We just put these petitions 33:52 before the throne of grace 33:54 and ask that You attend to them 33:57 as You have promised. 33:59 Thank You for Your promises 34:01 to answer our prayers 34:03 and give us a heart to 34:05 and the willingness to accept Your will 34:10 whatever it is 34:11 knowing that You have the best interest 34:13 for each one of us including all of these persons 34:17 who have asked for healing or helping 34:23 whatever needs they have. 34:26 And we thank You Lord, 34:28 and we put them into Your hands 34:29 in the name of Jesus, amen. 34:32 Amen. 35:46 Amen. 35:48 Amen. Amen. Amen. 35:51 And we thank you for those prayers, 35:53 they give us such strength. 35:55 I want to play a little game. 35:58 I'm going to start a question 36:02 and a statement 36:03 and then I want each of you finish it. 36:06 Okay? 36:07 Okay. 36:09 Okay, here's the statement 36:10 and then you each have to put an ending on this. 36:14 Life is not perfect, 36:18 sometimes it is rough 36:20 but I'm happy for... 36:23 and finish that statement, okay. 36:26 Who is first? 36:28 Life is not perfect 36:30 sometimes it is rough 36:32 but I'm happy for... 36:36 I'm happy for the fact 36:38 the fact that God gonna answer my prayers 36:41 and can give me peace and comfort. 36:44 Amen. Amen. 36:48 I'm thankful for my family 36:50 and the fact that God doesn't give me more 36:52 than I can handle. 36:53 Amen. 36:56 Or get to close sometimes. 36:59 He doesn't promise 37:01 that He wouldn't take it to the edge. 37:02 He does that you probably that you all go over 37:04 and we praise the Lord for that. 37:07 Lynette? 37:08 God just know that He won't give me more 37:10 than I can handle. 37:11 Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, all right. 37:13 I'm glad for the fact 37:15 that God is on the throne every day 37:18 even when I can't fathom 37:21 that He possibly is 37:23 and that He will never leave me 37:25 nor forsake me 37:26 no matter how wide my path may wander. 37:31 From time to time He always brings me back 37:33 and I have that just an abiding joy 37:36 that He will not give up on me. 37:38 Amen. Amen. 37:43 Noelia? 37:45 I'm happy for my family. 37:47 It's just the most 37:51 that I never expected to have this, 37:54 this wonderful family that is around me. 37:57 I recently few weeks back I lost my father 38:04 95 years, 94 almost 95-years-old 38:08 and he was a strong man, minister of the gospel. 38:13 He was a pastor for-- He was a man of steel. 38:17 A man of steel like my wife says, 38:19 very much so. 38:21 And family to me 38:23 has always be an important, very important. 38:27 Now I have my family 38:29 and I praise the Lord that's I want to complete 38:31 the phrase with family. 38:33 Amen. Amen. Praise the Lord. 38:35 Noelia, you want to jump in on this? 38:38 Thankful that God gives us another day of life 38:41 that we can spend another day 38:44 telling people around the world about the gospel. 38:47 Amen. Amen. 38:49 Well done. Well done. 38:50 You know, we talk about family 38:52 and this is family worship 38:53 and I have to agree with you, Jorge. 38:57 I think the older you get 39:01 the more precious family comes to you. 39:04 When I was in college my mother used to say, 39:06 you will never call, you will never call. 39:08 You know, you will never call. 39:11 We send money down, we never get it, 39:13 we never get a word, you never call, you never call. 39:15 But as I got older and got into ministry 39:17 and started working 39:19 I found myself calling home two or three times a week. 39:21 You know, you just-- 39:22 it becomes more precious to you. 39:24 When you are younger you are little more disposable 39:26 as far as relationships are concerned 39:27 but as you get older you found out 39:29 that family is bedrock however you define it. 39:32 And now I only have my sister left 39:36 but I've got a new family in Irma's family. 39:40 And her family and it may be a Latino thing 39:43 that they are very close 39:44 and they work very, very close, you know. 39:47 And while we were young, while we were dating 39:51 we go places and everybody would okay, 39:54 well, who's got the hotel room? 39:55 Okay, we have the hotel room, 39:57 okay, we are coming to stay with you, you know. 40:01 And up until this last General Conference 40:03 a couple of weeks ago we had her brother and sister 40:07 who are very close to 40:08 and we travel together 40:09 and I got to learn this whole Latino thing. 40:11 Why do you have two hotel rooms? 40:12 You got one hotel room with two beds. 40:15 One couple in one bed one couple in the other bed 40:18 what's the problem? 40:19 You know, so I had to learn that. 40:23 And now I kind of, Jorge, 40:24 after we traveled all over Europe that way. 40:26 You know, that will just saves the money 40:28 and just pile in. 40:29 So we are at General Conference who's got the hotel room? 40:34 Well, we do. Okay, we are staying with you. 40:36 Oh, by the way our nephew 40:39 he is coming in with his wife and two kids 40:41 and then the other nephew is coming with his wife 40:43 and two kids. 40:45 So what's the problem? 40:48 You got a bed that folds out to a couch, 40:51 we got an air mattress, 40:52 you know, there's two bathrooms, 40:54 what there is a problem? 40:56 You know, you just, you just pile in 40:59 and you find out how important family is. 41:03 When I did the classic thing 41:05 I asked her dad for her hand in marriage 41:08 and he sat on the couch and cried and I was like okay, 41:11 what does it mean, you know? 41:13 Is this tears of joy or else 41:15 he is regretting her fate? 41:20 I found out later they were tears of joy. 41:22 But family is so very, very important. 41:26 So I agree with you that as long as you got family 41:31 you've got, you've got and how you define it. 41:34 It could be your work family, you family here at 3ABN, 41:37 your work family, your media family, 41:39 your siblings, your parents, your children 41:41 but as a Christian 41:43 you realize how important family is 41:45 and then once you get to know Christ 41:48 your next burden is to get your family to know Christ. 41:51 You know, because heaven is not gonna really be heaven 41:53 if you got so many your family members 41:55 on the outside looking in. 41:56 So you develop this burden for your family 41:59 and it's very, very important. 42:01 It's interesting that in the Latino community also 42:04 friends sometimes had some-- 42:08 some of them are closer than a family. 42:10 They become your auxiliary family. 42:12 If you don't have enough they fill in the gaps. 42:14 They fill in the gaps, yeah. Yeah. 42:16 Well said, yeah, yeah. 42:17 Auxiliary family I love that term. 42:19 Yeah, they come and they just stay 42:22 like they were their extension of their home, own families 42:26 and we had very many times that would all of the sudden 42:30 we will go with friends, hey, 42:34 can we spend the night tonight? 42:35 Oh, well, let's go and so and so. 42:39 I think we barely know that person 42:40 but it was, you know, it's common. 42:44 But I think that's goes back to our roots. 42:49 We all are connected. 42:52 The other day I was watching this program on TV there 42:57 coming with this ancestry type of program. 43:03 Yeah, ancestral memory. 43:04 Something like that so, 43:06 yeah, so they will-- they can trace your ancestors 43:10 back to hundreds and hundreds and hundred 43:12 and then they finally say well, we are all some sort of cousins 43:17 or related to each other. 43:19 So there was this person next to that 43:23 and say well, let me look for your name. 43:24 So look at the name and say oh, yeah, we are kind of related. 43:27 So in a way that's what happens. 43:30 We are all family. Yeah. 43:32 Yeah. We really are. 43:34 And its-- it is fun 43:36 and to find that and may be it's a Latino thing to 43:40 because we will have a dinner or something 43:43 with our daughter Becky 43:44 and she will say well, okay, two people are coming 43:49 and I will prepare for that. 43:50 And then about five minutes more 43:52 I almost say well, I invited so and so. 43:56 And I invited so and so. 43:58 You invited two, okay, 44:00 well, that's 44:01 and they are bringing so and so, 44:02 you know, and they are brining some. 44:04 So now two and six and you just, 44:07 you put another bean in the pot and praise the Lord 44:09 and some how the Lord blesses it 44:11 and that's all part of family, yeah, it's a great thing. 44:16 One of my nephew's is an Adventist 44:18 and I said to him well, we may come to visit you 44:23 because we will be in the area. 44:26 He says, oh, at the end once you would close the doors 44:31 he says anything can become a bed. 44:33 So you just come. 44:37 I just wanted to share something 44:39 that maybe my wife or Betty can tell the same story 44:44 because it touched our hearts 44:46 and I know that they are gonna remember this. 44:49 We were in Pasco, Washington 44:52 and we were looking for a church, 44:55 a church family actually and something happened. 44:59 Can you tell us-- I know, 45:01 you know, what we are talking about. 45:02 Somebody made a big impression in our life. 45:06 Okay. Well, first things first. 45:08 Let's give credit, well, credit is to my husband 45:10 snapped his Achilles tendon 45:13 and he was going through physical therapy 45:15 at the time and the young man who was doing his PT said hey, 45:19 you are Adventist? 45:20 Well, why don't you come up into my church, 45:22 I'm sure you would like it. 45:23 We had been to a few churches and, you know, 45:26 how can leave you sort of wanting 45:28 when you walk in and everybody has got their own 45:31 little insulated world in their own clicks. 45:34 Well, we went into this church is Riverview 45:38 SDA Church in Pasco, Washington 45:41 and the first thing that happened 45:43 is this lady came up to us, this elegant lady. 45:46 She said hi, my name is January and you are mine 45:50 and she wrapped herself in a big hug. 45:53 I don't know how she managed to hug 45:55 my entire family all at once 45:56 but she did and from that moment 45:59 that was our church home out in Washington State. 46:02 Rather though little kids would call me grandma. 46:06 It was Grandma Betty and they still when they-- 46:08 they are all taller than her now 46:09 which is indeed hard to do at this point 46:12 but yeah, they all call her Grandma Betty 46:14 and we have quite a bit church family back there. 46:17 Yeah, see that's-- yeah, Betty. 46:19 I still have my membership there. 46:21 I know, I should change it but... 46:25 Yeah, yeah that-- 46:26 Now you are here so you should come. 46:28 That's what the family does. 46:29 I will tell you a story we are in New York 46:31 preaching a couple of weeks ago, 46:33 actually a month it's all though 46:36 and a young man came up to me and he was big and husky 46:39 and much bigger than I. 46:41 And I looked at the face and I could tell that there was 46:45 some connection in some past. 46:46 Thirty five years ago he and his dad had gotten 46:52 into quite a fight 46:54 and his dad had thrown him out of the house 46:57 and he really was on the streets. 46:59 And for a weekend I took him to my apartment. 47:02 I had a studio apartment. 47:03 Now there are parts of world 47:05 you don't know what a studio apartment is. 47:06 Studio apartment is a apartment without a bedroom. 47:08 It is basically a large living room 47:10 with a foldout couch 47:12 and a kitchen area. 47:14 So it's called a studio apartment. 47:15 Its very high class name for basically 47:19 an apartment with no bedroom. 47:21 So I had a studio apartment and so he-- 47:25 we made put some blankets on the floor 47:27 and he stayed with me for the weekend. 47:29 Took him to church and then he went back home 47:33 and I had not seen him for 35 years 47:37 and he came, he is fairer, fatter, he is married, 47:41 he's got children and he said, you don't know, 47:45 you have no idea what that weekend did for me. 47:51 It turned me around, it saved my life. 47:53 I was-- I needed to get thrown out of the apartment. 47:56 I was bad to my father. 47:57 I was an evil young man going on around world 48:01 but the fact that somebody took a chance 48:03 and he remembered 48:05 that I left my wallet out, you know. 48:08 He said, and I saw your wallet there. 48:12 I saw your wallet there on your dresser 48:13 because it is a studio apartment 48:15 there is no place to hide anything. 48:16 He said, you left your wallet there 48:18 and I didn't have any money 48:21 but I said, this guy is doing something good for me 48:23 and now he has got a job, he has got a family, 48:27 he is a member of the church, his children are baptized. 48:29 Do you remember he came up to me and he hugged me? 48:31 He gave such he lift me off my feet. 48:32 He is such a big guy but he was a thin stripling 48:35 of a young man back in the early mid 70s 48:41 and he is doing wonderful now. 48:44 So the love of Christ can-- 48:46 when shown can really change a life, 48:49 it can really do so much for you. 48:51 And family the definition gets expanded. 48:54 So we are family. 48:55 He is a family member I haven't seen for 35 years 48:57 but he considers me part of his family 48:59 and he part of mine because there's something 49:01 we did one weekend 35 years go. Yeah. 49:04 So that's family, yeah, 49:05 and we praise the Lord for that. 49:07 Those actions become such cherished memories 49:09 for the person who is affected by them 49:12 and you remain in stasis in their mind 49:15 and in their hearts and when they see you 49:17 there is no age, 49:18 there is no years of distance between you. 49:20 They just know that you were that person. 49:22 Yeah. Yeah. 49:23 Well said, because it's kind of frozen 49:25 in time that moment in time. 49:26 Now having said that before our times gets away 49:28 you've all got some good letters, 49:30 some kind of positive letters 49:32 and these are letters that kind of-- 49:33 the Bible says, a good report fattens the soul. 49:36 You know, you kind of put on spiritual weight. 49:39 So let's you take a chance and read just one 49:42 and then we will see how much time 49:44 we have left before our time gets away. 49:45 We kind of fatten up a little bit 49:46 on some good reports of the Lord. 49:49 I have one that is-- 49:50 it comes from Ed George from St. Louis, Missouri 49:55 and he says dear, 3ABN, God is good. 49:59 What marvelous things are being done 50:02 since I started wearing my 3ABN lapel pin, 50:07 people stop me and ask all kinds of questions. 50:10 Most of the tenants do not have access to 3ABN. 50:14 I explain to them that I have a converter box 50:18 and then some of them have already purchased one 50:22 while others are planning to do so. 50:26 There is a Mexican family here from-- 50:30 who I met through the lapel pin 50:32 and there is a joy in their faces 50:36 when they see the programs. They-- 50:39 then the children love Kid's Time. 50:42 Thank you, may God continue to bless you. 50:45 Love in Christ, Eddie. 50:47 Amen. Amen. All right. 50:49 This is from Barbara from Pontiac, Illinois. 50:54 Dear, 3ABN, your network is so inspiring 50:57 and such a blessing. 50:59 I have been watching since 2014. 51:03 I didn't even know about it and I came across it one day. 51:07 I feel like I know everyone of you. 51:10 3ABN has helped me so much 51:12 because my husband passed away in March. 51:14 Your prayers have helped me feel not so lonely. 51:18 May God continue to bless you sincerely, Barbara. 51:22 Amen. Thank you, Barbara. 51:25 This one is from our sister Kelly down in Tennessee. 51:29 She says, dear 3ABN, I do not have a home church 51:32 that I attend on a regular basis 51:34 however I do watch 51:36 many of the 3ABN series that you air. 51:38 I've come to the realization 51:40 that Saturday is the true Sabbath 51:42 and I have been doing my very best to observe it. 51:44 I sincerely appreciate all that you are doing 51:47 for the kingdom of God 51:48 and spreading of the three angels' message. 51:50 Your television out reach has definitely helped me 51:53 and opened my eyes to the truth. 51:55 Thank you for all you do to further the gospel. 51:58 Keep up the good work and God bless. 52:00 A friend and sister in Christ, Kelly. 52:02 Amen. Amen. 52:05 This one is from Marilyn in Tennessee. 52:09 Dear, 3ABN, please tell Danny Shelton 52:12 thank you for his faithfulness and obedience to God. 52:16 Also a special thanks to the engineer 52:18 that came to Nashville, Tennessee to restore 52:21 a clear signal for us in late March. 52:25 I was really praising the Lord. 52:26 3ABN has become my favorite network. 52:31 I'm not Seventh-day Adventist but I am learning so much 52:34 and seeking the true and real relationship 52:37 with the Lord, Jesus Christ. 52:39 Please pray for me, blessing Marilyn. 52:42 Amen. Amen. 52:43 Noelia, do you have one down there? 52:45 Yes. 52:49 This one is from James 52:53 and it is from Homer... 53:00 Louisiana. Louisiana. 53:03 Dear, 3ABN, your book 53:04 "Ten Commandments Twice Removed" 53:06 is excellent. 53:08 I will worship on the Sabbath from now on. 53:10 Love and blessing to you sincerely, James. 53:14 All right. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. 53:17 Irma, back to you. And I do have one more. 53:19 Sally, 53:21 she doesn't give us her hometown 53:24 but she says also dear 3ABN, we live in South Africa 53:29 and enjoy watching 3ABN. 53:31 My husband who sleeps very badly 53:35 watches it through the whole night. 53:37 May God bless you in reaching the outside world 53:40 with the wonderful work that you are doing. 53:44 Love in Christ, Jesus our Lord through the end, 53:47 Sally. Amen. 53:52 This one is from Caldwell, Idaho. 53:57 Dear, 3ABN, 53:58 my husband and I became Seventh-day Adventist 54:01 after we discovered 3ABN on our TV 54:04 and started watching regularly. 54:06 We were both raised in a devout catholic family. 54:10 We have been married nearly 39 years. 54:13 We are now baptized and serve the Lord 54:16 in our small church in Middleton, Idaho. 54:19 Sincerely, Carlos and Francis. 54:22 Amen, what a wonderful praise report. 54:25 I've got an email here from our brother Buddy 54:28 and it says dear 3ABN, 54:30 I thank God that I found your ministry. 54:32 You have been a really blessing to me 54:34 and you have managed to do what no other faith 54:37 could ever do 54:38 and that is give me a complete understanding 54:41 of what God has planned for us. 54:43 You are the only ones who preach Revelation 54:45 a subject that most churches don't dare touch. 54:48 May God continue to bless your ministry 54:50 and what you are doing 54:52 to make a real difference daily. 54:53 Sincerely, Buddy. 54:55 Wonderful. Very nice. 54:58 All right, I've got one here, 55:01 we've got a couple of good ones. 55:03 The April issues of the 3ABN World Magazine is outstanding. 55:06 I read it from cover to cover and then reread it again. 55:09 I'm not an Adventist 55:11 but I worship with your programs. 55:14 I especially like Kenneth Cox 55:16 and the professor who leads on Saturday mornings. 55:20 Thank you for the advice and fellowship 55:24 that we share in God's name. And this is from Murray. 55:28 She says, she is not an Adventist 55:30 but she worships watching 3ABN 55:31 and we praise the Lord for that. 55:34 I'm not sure what professor we've got Dwight Nelson, 55:37 on Saturday mornings, we got Doug Batchelor 55:38 on Saturday mornings. We got lot of professors. 55:41 Yes. 55:42 We have a lot in professors on Saturday mornings 55:44 but if you are being blessed we praise the Lord. 55:46 We praise the Lord for it. 55:49 These reports are so encouraging to us, 55:52 one, that people are finding the Lord 55:55 because I think we all believe that Christ is coming soon 55:57 and this world has not longed to last. 56:00 And so as quickly as we can get to the word out 56:03 so that men and women can come to Jesus 56:06 the better we are for it. 56:08 And we hear that the word is going out 56:10 and people are coming in 56:12 it does make you feel so very, very good. 56:17 We are coming down to the end of our, 56:18 of our time together and as I said at the opening 56:21 maybe watching this on a Friday evening 56:23 which means that we are welcoming 56:26 you to the Sabbath experience. 56:28 You maybe watching on a Saturday evening 56:30 which means that we are welcoming you 56:33 and asking God's blessing upon you throughout the week 56:36 that is coming as we prepare for the next Sabbath. 56:39 So on behalf of Jorge and Lynetteand Betty 56:43 and Irma and Noelia and myself 56:47 we wish for you every blessing. Keep on praising God. 56:50 Worship Him morning and evening 56:52 and God will be with you always. 56:55 Bye bye and god bless you. |
Revised 2015-10-08