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 Family Worship.
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And we welcome you
to our family this night
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whether you are at the
beginning of the Sabbath,
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getting ready to enter
into the sacred Sabbath hours
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or if you've just
gone through the Sabbath
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and getting ready to enter
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the vicissitudes
of a brand new week.
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We pray that God has
been with you and indeed,
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we'll be with you
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as you spend a little
time together with the Lord.
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I'm in the
company of my wife, Irma.
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Irma, good to have you here.
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Good to be here.
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And our smoothie partners,
this is the Jaque family
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and we actually do
have worship with them
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and we have smoothies with them.
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I don't know if brother,
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Jorge is the best
smoothie maker in the world
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because I've
not had everybody's,
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but he's the best
smoothie maker I know.
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And he in concert
with his wife Lynette,
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are excellent smoothie makers.
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So if you're ever
in Southern Illinois,
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you must go to the Jaque home
and demand of them a smoothie
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because they are
excellent smoothie makers,
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worth the trip on its
own just to have them.
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And Novelia is with them also.
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Good to have you guys here.
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Thank you. Yes.
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Thank you. Thank you.
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And if they can find the Jaques
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because they live
way into the country.
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Yeah, they are
out of Illinois, yeah.
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It's beautiful up there though.
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Yes.
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So we're having
worship time together
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and we invite you to join us
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and we pray that
God will bless you,
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we'll spend just an hour
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to get the talking
of the things of God.
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We want to talk today about
how to make your religion real.
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It is one thing to worship
to the Lord on Friday night
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or Saturday evening
or in church on Sabbath,
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but it is another
thing also to take that,
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that experience with
you throughout the week.
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So that the power that God has
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keeps you each and
every day of your life
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in the decisions that
you make in your life.
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You know, guys,
I was thinking that
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sometimes we
mistake worship for Walmart.
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We think that coming to
church or going to worship
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is something you get from God.
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But I'm convinced that
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if you bring something
to the worship experience,
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then you'll take something back.
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It's not-- worship
is not consumerism,
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but if you bring
the right spirit,
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if you bring joy in your heart,
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then you'll take from
that, from that experience,
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joy and a blessing,
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but if you come
just looking to consume,
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you may go away disappointed.
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That's true.
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It's giving, it's
like anything in life.
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You are blessed when you give
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more than you, when you receive.
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And it's interesting
because in a worship environment
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and in a spiritual
sitting, sometimes we think,
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"Okay, well, I'm gonna go
to church to receive blessings,
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to sit there and
listen to the sermons
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and listen to
people talking to me,
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going to Sabbath
school, etcetera.
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But it's very
important to keep in mind
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what you just said, it's
important to share because
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that blesses others
and by blessing others
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we receive blessings.
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Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Absolutely.
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Yes, I like God because
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many times you have an
idea or even a conviction.
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And then sometimes
you have even questions
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and when you share
with others in a group.
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Yeah, even your questions
can be a blessing for others.
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Yes, it can be answered
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without even
asking the question.
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The Lord blesses us
and because He teaches us.
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Right. Yeah.
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It's can also
instigate among your fellow,
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if you ask that
question and they like, wow.
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Or I have the
same, I have the same--
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The same question.
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Problem or the same
question. Yeah, precisely.
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Because I thought
it was just me, right.
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And the truth is you
can't beat God giving
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no matter how you try.
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So if you give
God a little prayer,
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a little praise, a little joy
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He gives you so
much more in response
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because He is
waiting to bless you.
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You know, I used to tell people,
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never say I'm gonna go
to church to get filled
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because what happens during
the six days when you're empty?
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You know, what's your
life like when you're empty?
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If you just tank up on Sabbath
and run down during the week
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you're, kind of, your
religion is kind of like this,
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you know, you're up
and down and up and down,
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but you want to get up there
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and kind of stay
up there, don't you?
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So that you have something
to hold you during the week
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and we're gonna talk
about that today because
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we've got some life lessons.
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What you get on Sabbath
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ought to keep you
till next Sabbath,
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so that you're not
running up and down
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and tanking up and going dry,
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tanking up and going dry,
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and tanking up and going dry.
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I want to read something
from Ellen White, from 2014,
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rather 2015's
Morning Watch and she says,
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"Family worship
not to be neglected.
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We should be much happier
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and more useful in our home life
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and social intercourse
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if they were governed
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by the principles
of Christian religion
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and illustrated the meekness
and simplicity of Christ.
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Let visitors see that we try
to make to all around us happy
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by our cheerfulness,
sympathy, and love."
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That's what
we're gonna talk about.
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When you, when you
are happy, first of all,
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it makes you nicer to be around.
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You know, people
want to be around you
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when you're happy.
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And then that cheerfulness
spreads out to others
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and then it comes back to you.
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"While we endeavor to secure
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the comfort and
happiness of our guests,
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let us not overlook
our obligation to God.
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The hour of prayer
should not be neglected
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for any consideration."
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So prayer ought to be upfront,
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don't let anything
push that apart, aside.
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"At an early
hour in the evening,
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when you can pray
unhurriedly and understandingly,
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present your supplications
and raise our voices in happy,
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grateful praise."
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I always tell people
in-- when I was pastoring,
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prayer doesn't have to be
the last thing you do at night.
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You know, some people say,
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"I got to pray
last thing at night
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so that you get to
bed, your mind is on sleep.
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So, you know, you're
there trying to function
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and you're trying to talk
to the Lord and it's like,
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dear Jesus, so you throw up
this, kind of, half-hearted--
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You give God your leftovers.
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Precisely, exactly.
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You're giving him, kind
of, the leftovers of the day.
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So if you push that a
little earlier into the evening,
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when you can take
sometime with the Lord,
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you can have a more refreshing--
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I'll tell you a quick story.
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We had a friend,
well, you know him,
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I'd better not call his name.
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But when we're in college,
we had rented this apartment.
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All of us, you
know, had our own room.
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And we'd all go into one room,
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have prayer then go back
to our rooms and go to sleep.
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Three bedroom apartment,
and our friend, myself,
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and my best
friend, and another friend,
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we were praying altogether,
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we finished and we noticed
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that our other
friend was still praying.
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So we tip-toed out of the
room, you know, to go our room.
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And about 2
o'clock in the morning,
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I got up to go to the restroom,
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but I noticed the
light was still on.
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So I went and looked in the room
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and there he was still
in that position, you know.
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And so I called my
other buddy, I said,
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"Come and look at this."
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So we made a big
noise and he said,
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"Amen."
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And then he got
up and got in bed.
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So we said, "Hey, man,
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you've been praying
for the last three hours?"
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He said, "Yeah, I had a burden."
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Well, his burden was
sleep, it was sound asleep.
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And so sometimes that happens
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if you wait till
last thing at night.
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I don't think God is offended
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if you push it a
little bit earlier,
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obviously, that's
what Ellen White is saying.
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Move it up a little
early in the evening,
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so you can spend
sometime with the Lord.
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And it doesn't
necessarily have to be
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the last thing you do
before you close your eyes
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because that prayer,
it'll keep through the night.
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And you can give God
the product of a fresh mind
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and not a mind that's really
thinking about going to bed
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and going to sleep.
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That's
interesting because we just,
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last night we had
this discussion at home.
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I said, "We need to
move this family worship
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a little bit
earlier in the evening.
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So we can enjoy it more."
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And we like to sing and
talk and the things like that
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and then sometimes
when it gets too late,
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we don't enjoy
having to cut it short.
00:09:06.24\00:09:09.51
Yeah, yeah. It's true.
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At that point you're just
thinking about going to sleep,
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and so your mind closes--
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I want these kids in bed.
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Yes. That's it.
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See that's the
thing. It's been a long day.
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Yeah, it's been a long day.
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When we were dating,
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we used to talk to
each other on the phone
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because we lived
100 or 150 miles apart.
00:09:29.60\00:09:31.07
And we'd always try
to make the last thing
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before we say good night, prayer
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and many times,
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she will pray or I will
pray and it's like amen, hello.
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Amen.
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Hello and you click,
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and the next
morning you compensate,
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"Did you kind of
leave me last night?
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Yeah, I did.
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That kind of thing,
because your mind is tired
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and your prayers reflect
that, you know, that fatigue.
00:09:53.09\00:09:56.09
So let me just,
a little bit more
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and then we'll move on.
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So I repeat, "At an hour,
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at an early hour of the evening,
00:10:01.40\00:10:03.33
when you can pray
unhurriedly and understandingly,
00:10:03.37\00:10:06.84
present your supplications
00:10:06.87\00:10:08.34
and raise your voices
in happy, grateful praise.
00:10:08.37\00:10:11.81
Let all who visit Christians see
00:10:11.84\00:10:14.31
that the hour of
prayer is the most sacred,
00:10:14.34\00:10:16.38
the most precious,
00:10:16.41\00:10:17.75
and the
happiest hour of the day.
00:10:17.78\00:10:19.48
Such an example will
not be without affect.
00:10:19.51\00:10:22.52
These seasons of
devotion exert a refining,
00:10:22.55\00:10:24.95
elevating influence upon
all who participate in them."
00:10:24.99\00:10:28.89
So prayer meeting in
the home lifts your spirits
00:10:28.92\00:10:33.36
and refines you and
makes noble in Christ.
00:10:33.40\00:10:36.06
"Right thoughts and
new and better desires
00:10:36.10\00:10:38.87
will be awakened in the
heart of the most careless.
00:10:38.90\00:10:42.44
The hour of prayer
brings a peace and rest,
00:10:42.47\00:10:44.97
and rest grateful
to the very spirit,
00:10:45.01\00:10:48.11
for the atmosphere
of a Christian home
00:10:48.14\00:10:51.71
is that of
peace and restfulness.
00:10:51.75\00:10:54.88
In every act, the
Christian should seek
00:10:54.92\00:10:57.69
to represent his master
00:10:57.72\00:10:59.35
to make his
service appear attractive."
00:10:59.39\00:11:01.89
Now we're gonna
comeback to that in little bit
00:11:01.92\00:11:03.32
and some little
things we have coming.
00:11:03.36\00:11:05.13
"But in every act," she says,
00:11:05.16\00:11:07.06
"The Christian should
seek to represent his master
00:11:07.10\00:11:10.00
and make his
service appear attractive."
00:11:10.03\00:11:12.57
Here you go.
00:11:12.60\00:11:13.94
"Nine-tenths of the
trials and perplexities
00:11:13.97\00:11:16.50
that so many worry
over are either imaginary,
00:11:16.54\00:11:20.98
or brought upon themselves
by their own wrong course."
00:11:21.01\00:11:24.25
That's a little
slap on the wrist.
00:11:24.28\00:11:27.78
"Nine-tenths of the
trials and perplexities
00:11:27.82\00:11:31.09
that so many worry
over are either imaginary,"
00:11:31.12\00:11:34.42
so they don't exist, "
00:11:34.46\00:11:35.89
or are brought upon themselves
by their own wrong course."
00:11:35.92\00:11:41.56
So sometimes, we put
ourselves in hot water,
00:11:41.60\00:11:44.43
you know, and we
want to blame the Lord.
00:11:44.47\00:11:47.40
"They should cease
to talk of these trials,
00:11:47.44\00:11:49.80
and cease to magnify them."
00:11:49.84\00:11:51.37
You know the more
you go over things,
00:11:51.41\00:11:52.74
the bigger and bigger and
bigger and bigger it gets.
00:11:52.77\00:11:55.78
"The Christian should
commit every worriment,
00:11:55.81\00:11:58.91
every disturbing thing to God."
00:11:58.95\00:12:01.28
Either say, sometimes
tough to do, amen, yeah.
00:12:01.32\00:12:04.92
Yes, it is. Absolutely.
00:12:04.95\00:12:06.29
But we can do it
because the Lord said we can.
00:12:06.32\00:12:08.52
And he's waiting
to take those trusts.
00:12:08.56\00:12:10.03
"Nothing is too small
00:12:10.06\00:12:11.83
for our
compassionate Savior to notice,
00:12:11.86\00:12:13.93
nothing is too
great for him to carry."
00:12:13.96\00:12:15.76
I think every Christian
ought to remember that,
00:12:15.80\00:12:17.37
everything that
touches you, touches Christ,
00:12:17.40\00:12:19.33
everything hurts you, hurts Him,
00:12:19.37\00:12:20.94
nothing is too small and
nothing is too big, amen.
00:12:20.97\00:12:23.97
Amen.
00:12:24.01\00:12:25.34
Yeah, that reminds
that I'd say God is love.
00:12:25.37\00:12:29.21
So it's not that He has
love for us, He is love--
00:12:29.24\00:12:32.61
It's our impatience
that makes it difficult
00:12:32.65\00:12:35.08
to commit these things because
00:12:35.12\00:12:37.69
we want that
microwave satisfaction,
00:12:37.72\00:12:40.62
we want 20 seconds and bam!
00:12:40.66\00:12:42.12
It's there.
00:12:42.16\00:12:43.49
And when it takes
years you get depressed
00:12:43.53\00:12:46.19
and you start
wallowing in your own self pity
00:12:46.23\00:12:49.06
and it makes you
a duller Christian
00:12:49.10\00:12:51.33
and no one wants
to be around you.
00:12:51.37\00:12:53.70
That is so very, very true.
00:12:53.74\00:12:55.50
You know, it's easy
to just think, well,
00:12:55.54\00:12:57.17
God is not hearing me.
00:12:57.21\00:12:58.97
You know, this is my
third time with this prayer,
00:12:59.01\00:13:01.08
you know, how many times
I got to ask this prayer?
00:13:01.11\00:13:03.04
And sometimes we,
00:13:03.08\00:13:04.41
we short change
our blessing because
00:13:04.45\00:13:05.78
we don't stick with it,
00:13:05.81\00:13:07.15
you know, stay with the Lord.
00:13:07.18\00:13:08.52
He may not want to give you
00:13:08.55\00:13:10.19
an instant hot
chocolate kind of answer,
00:13:10.22\00:13:12.09
He may want you to stay in
00:13:12.12\00:13:13.46
and work with
that a little while.
00:13:13.49\00:13:14.82
You know, you got,
you got instant oatmeal
00:13:14.86\00:13:16.66
then you got
that long cook stuff
00:13:16.69\00:13:18.06
that takes five minutes.
00:13:18.09\00:13:19.46
The instant is quick,
but there's no nutrition,
00:13:19.49\00:13:22.33
you know, you need
that long kind of thing.
00:13:22.36\00:13:24.10
So you need to kind of
stick in there with Him.
00:13:24.13\00:13:26.17
Just a little bit
more then we're done.
00:13:26.20\00:13:27.74
"Let us set our
hearts and homes in order,
00:13:27.77\00:13:30.37
let us teach our children
00:13:30.41\00:13:31.87
the fear of the Lord is
the beginning of wisdom,
00:13:31.91\00:13:34.48
and let us, by a cheerful,
happy, well-ordered life,
00:13:34.51\00:13:38.21
express our
gratitude and love to Him
00:13:38.25\00:13:41.08
who giveth us
richly all things to enjoy.
00:13:41.12\00:13:45.85
But above all things,
let us fix our thoughts
00:13:45.89\00:13:49.12
and affections of our
hearts on the dear Savior
00:13:49.16\00:13:52.16
who suffered for guilty man,
00:13:52.19\00:13:53.90
and thus opened Heaven for us."
00:13:53.93\00:13:55.43
Last paragraph, "Love
to Jesus cannot be hidden,"
00:13:55.46\00:13:59.30
agree?
00:13:59.33\00:14:00.74
Yeah, if you love
Him it's gonna leak out,
00:14:00.77\00:14:02.77
it's gonna come out.
00:14:02.80\00:14:04.37
"But will make
itself seen and felt.
00:14:04.41\00:14:07.81
It exerts a wondrous power.
00:14:07.84\00:14:10.15
It makes the timid
bold, the slothful diligent,
00:14:10.18\00:14:15.18
the ignorant wise.
00:14:15.22\00:14:16.92
It makes the
stammering tongue eloquent,
00:14:16.95\00:14:19.75
it rouses the dormant intellect
into new life and vigor.
00:14:19.79\00:14:23.79
It makes the desponding
hopeful, the gloomy joyous.
00:14:23.83\00:14:27.60
Love to Christ will
lead its possessor to accept
00:14:27.63\00:14:30.70
responsibilities
and cares for his sake,
00:14:30.73\00:14:33.74
and to bear them
in his strength."
00:14:33.77\00:14:38.47
So love for
Christ does a lot for us
00:14:38.51\00:14:40.04
and spending the
time in worship to Him
00:14:40.08\00:14:42.41
fortifies our soul.
00:14:42.44\00:14:43.78
So to neglect
worship is really, kind of,
00:14:43.81\00:14:46.82
just not like
putting, trying to run your car
00:14:46.85\00:14:48.98
or putting gas in your tank.
00:14:49.02\00:14:50.45
That if you,
00:14:50.49\00:14:52.32
if you want to go
somewhere, you need to tank up.
00:14:52.35\00:14:55.39
And we praise the Lord for that.
00:14:55.42\00:14:57.19
Let's go our hymnal just now.
00:14:57.23\00:14:59.43
"There Shall Be
Showers Of Blessing"
00:14:59.46\00:15:00.90
is hymn 195 in our hymnal
00:15:00.93\00:15:03.43
and we ask you to join with us
00:15:03.47\00:15:04.80
as we sing the
first and last stanzas
00:15:04.83\00:15:07.64
of this great
hymn of the church,
00:15:07.67\00:15:09.94
"There Shall Be
Showers Of Blessing."
00:15:09.97\00:15:12.81
Here we go.
00:15:12.84\00:15:14.91
There shall be
showers of blessing
00:15:14.94\00:15:19.15
This is the promise of love
00:15:19.18\00:15:23.12
There shall be
seasons refreshing
00:15:23.15\00:15:27.32
Sent from the Savior above
00:15:27.36\00:15:31.39
Showers of blessing
00:15:31.43\00:15:35.43
Showers of blessing we need
00:15:35.46\00:15:39.57
Mercy drops round us are falling
00:15:39.60\00:15:43.74
But for the showers we plead
00:15:43.77\00:15:48.18
There shall be
showers of blessing
00:15:48.21\00:15:52.31
Oh, that today they might fall
00:15:52.35\00:15:56.42
Now as to God we're confessing
00:15:56.45\00:16:00.69
Now as on Jesus we call
00:16:00.72\00:16:04.79
Showers of blessing
00:16:04.83\00:16:09.03
Showers of blessing we need
00:16:09.06\00:16:13.13
Mercy drops round us are falling
00:16:13.17\00:16:17.61
But for the showers we plead
00:16:17.64\00:16:22.84
Let's go quickly to, I think
it's 470 and indeed it is 470.
00:16:22.88\00:16:29.08
"There's Sunshine
In My Soul Today,"
00:16:29.12\00:16:31.69
moving from "The
showers of blessing,"
00:16:31.72\00:16:33.72
to the sunshine
of Christ's love.
00:16:33.76\00:16:35.72
We're gonna sing
stanzas one and four,
00:16:35.76\00:16:38.39
"There's Sunshine
In My Soul Today."
00:16:38.43\00:16:41.66
There is
sunshine in my soul today
00:16:41.70\00:16:46.27
More glorious and bright
00:16:46.30\00:16:50.77
Than glows in any earthly sky
00:16:50.81\00:16:55.08
For Jesus is my light
00:16:55.11\00:17:00.12
Oh, there's
sunshine, blessed sunshine
00:17:00.15\00:17:05.62
When the peaceful
happy moments roll
00:17:05.65\00:17:10.09
When Jesus
shows His smiling face
00:17:10.13\00:17:15.00
There is sunshine in the soul
00:17:15.03\00:17:18.70
I want there is gladness.
00:17:18.73\00:17:20.60
There is
gladness in my soul today
00:17:20.64\00:17:25.27
And hope and praise and love
00:17:25.31\00:17:29.81
For blessings
which he gives me now
00:17:29.84\00:17:34.28
For joys "laid up" above
00:17:34.32\00:17:39.29
Oh, there's
sunshine, blessed sunshine
00:17:39.32\00:17:44.69
When the peaceful
happy moments roll
00:17:44.73\00:17:49.36
When Jesus
shows His smiling face
00:17:49.40\00:17:54.40
There is sunshine in the soul
00:17:54.44\00:18:01.51
And our last song is "Redeemed"
00:18:01.54\00:18:04.41
338, 338.
00:18:04.45\00:18:09.52
And you'll know that
there are two redeem, redeems,
00:18:09.55\00:18:12.35
redeemed in our
hymnal 337 is redeemed
00:18:12.39\00:18:16.22
and 338 is they
sort of alternate version
00:18:16.26\00:18:20.70
that is actually much newer,
00:18:20.73\00:18:22.96
the word they're
both by Fanny Crosby,
00:18:23.00\00:18:25.13
but in about
the mid 1960s or so,
00:18:25.17\00:18:28.10
this new version came
out and many of us like,
00:18:28.14\00:18:31.04
it is very, very beautiful.
00:18:31.07\00:18:32.97
"Redeemed How I
Love Proclaim It."
00:18:33.01\00:18:35.08
All three stanzas, 338.
00:18:35.11\00:18:39.85
Redeemed, how I
love to proclaim it
00:18:39.88\00:18:44.89
Redeemed by the
blood of the Lamb
00:18:44.92\00:18:49.39
Redeemed through
His infinite mercy
00:18:49.42\00:18:53.80
His child, and forever, I am
00:18:53.83\00:18:58.20
Redeemed, redeemed
00:18:58.23\00:19:02.67
Redeemed by the
blood of the Lamb
00:19:02.70\00:19:07.38
Redeemed how I love proclaim it
00:19:07.41\00:19:11.81
His child, and forever, I am
00:19:11.85\00:19:16.58
I think of my blessed Redeemer
00:19:16.62\00:19:21.19
I think of Him all the day long
00:19:21.22\00:19:25.56
I sing, for I cannot be silent
00:19:25.59\00:19:30.17
His love is the theme of my song
00:19:30.20\00:19:34.60
Redeemed, redeemed
00:19:34.64\00:19:39.21
Redeemed by the
blood of the Lamb
00:19:39.24\00:19:43.85
Redeemed how I love proclaim it
00:19:43.88\00:19:48.32
His child, and forever, I am
00:19:48.35\00:19:53.36
I know I shall see in His beauty
00:19:53.39\00:19:57.89
The King in whose law I delight
00:19:57.93\00:20:02.53
Who lovingly
guardeth my footsteps
00:20:02.56\00:20:07.07
And giveth me songs in the night
00:20:07.10\00:20:11.57
Redeemed, redeemed
00:20:11.61\00:20:16.24
Redeemed by the
blood of the Lamb
00:20:16.28\00:20:20.88
Redeemed how I love proclaim it
00:20:20.92\00:20:25.59
His child, and forever, I am.
00:20:25.62\00:20:31.96
That song always
makes me sway in my seat.
00:20:31.99\00:20:33.80
I'm not quite sure why.
00:20:33.83\00:20:35.36
It kind of makes
you look back and forth.
00:20:35.40\00:20:40.27
It's a beautiful song. It is.
00:20:40.30\00:20:42.10
It is a beautiful song.
00:20:42.14\00:20:43.47
And that
arrangement is very nice.
00:20:43.51\00:20:44.97
It's very beautiful.
00:20:45.01\00:20:47.14
Guys, have you ever had to make
00:20:47.18\00:20:49.11
a tough moral
decision in your life
00:20:49.14\00:20:52.21
and wondered what was
the right decision to do?
00:20:52.25\00:20:55.75
Many times. Absolutely.
00:20:55.78\00:20:57.12
Many times, many
times. Many times. Yes.
00:20:57.15\00:20:58.95
Sometimes far too many
times and we think about,
00:20:58.99\00:21:01.72
but the Spirit of
prophecy, Ellen White tells us
00:21:01.76\00:21:05.89
that we can get
so close to Christ
00:21:05.93\00:21:08.56
in our, in our
living, in our life
00:21:08.60\00:21:10.70
that when we
make these decisions,
00:21:10.73\00:21:12.93
we're sort of outworking
Christ's will in our lives.
00:21:12.97\00:21:17.14
And I've always wanted
that kind of relationship
00:21:17.17\00:21:20.41
because I--many times,
00:21:20.44\00:21:21.91
I'm sure you have to
struggle with stuff sometimes,
00:21:21.94\00:21:24.31
Lord, what should I do?
00:21:24.35\00:21:25.68
And you almost want say,
00:21:25.71\00:21:27.08
"Okay, Lord, come
in, sit down next to me
00:21:27.12\00:21:29.28
and tell me exactly
how to get through this."
00:21:29.32\00:21:31.12
You know, but
he doesn't do that.
00:21:31.15\00:21:33.82
He says, "Pray and read
00:21:33.86\00:21:35.29
and use a tools I've given you."
00:21:35.32\00:21:37.39
But sometimes we get
some decisions in life
00:21:37.43\00:21:39.69
that are, kind of, tough
00:21:39.73\00:21:41.40
and yet as Christians
00:21:41.43\00:21:43.63
we've got to
submit them to the Lord.
00:21:43.67\00:21:45.13
And you got to just
make a decision, you know.
00:21:45.17\00:21:48.10
And so today we're gonna
look at some, some decisions
00:21:48.14\00:21:51.17
that people made and
I want to discuss them
00:21:51.21\00:21:54.78
because these are
the kind of the things
00:21:54.81\00:21:56.61
that can sort of come
down upon you in any life
00:21:56.64\00:22:00.72
and hopefully we
have enough Jesus
00:22:00.75\00:22:02.65
and enough Holy
Spirit in our lives
00:22:02.68\00:22:04.19
to make the right
decisions, all right?
00:22:04.22\00:22:05.75
You've got those
papers, I'm gonna read them,
00:22:05.79\00:22:07.46
then I want to get
your input on these.
00:22:07.49\00:22:10.39
We've used
these-- I've used these
00:22:10.43\00:22:11.76
in past for some
of my youth meetings,
00:22:11.79\00:22:13.13
but these are life decisions
00:22:13.16\00:22:16.60
and, you know, this
idea of filling up on Sabbath
00:22:16.63\00:22:20.37
and emptying
out during the week.
00:22:20.40\00:22:22.60
Well, if these decisions
come at your empty stage,
00:22:22.64\00:22:24.97
you can, kind of,
make some wrong moves
00:22:25.01\00:22:26.34
and some wrong decisions.
00:22:26.37\00:22:27.71
So let's go into them.
00:22:27.74\00:22:29.08
First one, we call
keep it to yourself.
00:22:29.11\00:22:31.81
Chuck didn't have the money.
00:22:31.85\00:22:35.32
It would be another six months
00:22:35.35\00:22:37.52
before he couldn't
afford to buy that new stereo.
00:22:37.55\00:22:40.92
He couldn't believe
the prices, even on sale,
00:22:40.96\00:22:45.09
he couldn't afford the
stereo system that he wanted.
00:22:45.13\00:22:48.20
Chuck's mother had
given him some money
00:22:48.23\00:22:50.23
for his
birthday to buy a stereo.
00:22:50.27\00:22:52.93
She agreed with Chuck's reasons
for wanting to buy a stereo.
00:22:52.97\00:22:57.01
Chuck wanted to
listen to Christian music,
00:22:57.04\00:23:00.08
but there wasn't
much of it on the radio.
00:23:00.11\00:23:02.08
I guess, nowadays we
probably want a computer
00:23:02.11\00:23:04.21
to play the stuff on,
you know, the download stuff,
00:23:04.25\00:23:06.48
but this is a stereo.
00:23:06.51\00:23:08.78
If Chuck had a stereo,
00:23:08.82\00:23:10.69
he could listen to
some Christian records.
00:23:10.72\00:23:12.92
His mother thought
it was a great idea.
00:23:12.95\00:23:15.82
Now Christian record, of course,
00:23:15.86\00:23:17.19
that CDs now or MP3.
00:23:17.23\00:23:20.60
I may have to
update this a little bit,
00:23:20.63\00:23:22.20
but you get the point.
00:23:22.23\00:23:23.73
One afternoon
Bob, a friend of Chuck,
00:23:23.77\00:23:26.43
stopped by the house,
00:23:26.47\00:23:28.14
when Chuck explained his dilemma
00:23:28.17\00:23:30.01
Bob's eyes lit up,
00:23:30.04\00:23:32.14
a friend of Bob's had
several stereo systems
00:23:32.17\00:23:36.14
that he was selling
and they were cheap.
00:23:36.18\00:23:39.55
The boys went to
look at the stereos,
00:23:39.58\00:23:41.68
Chuck couldn't decide
whether to buy one or not,
00:23:41.72\00:23:44.29
to buy one or not.
00:23:44.32\00:23:45.65
He told Bob's friend
that he would be back later.
00:23:45.69\00:23:48.79
When Chuck was
alone again with Bob,
00:23:48.82\00:23:51.46
he asks where Bob
thought his friend
00:23:51.49\00:23:53.60
had really gotten those stereos.
00:23:53.63\00:23:56.43
Bob said, he believed
00:23:56.46\00:23:58.47
it was best not
to ask questions.
00:23:58.50\00:24:02.47
What you don't
know won't hurt you
00:24:02.50\00:24:05.31
was Bob's philosophy.
00:24:05.34\00:24:07.21
Besides what
could happen to them,
00:24:07.24\00:24:10.75
if the stereos were
stolen it wasn't Bob,
00:24:10.78\00:24:14.68
Bob's or Chuck's fault.
00:24:14.72\00:24:16.79
They were innocent customers.
00:24:16.82\00:24:20.26
Chuck went to his mom for advice
00:24:20.29\00:24:22.76
he explained that he
really wanted a stereo,
00:24:22.79\00:24:25.29
but couldn't
afford to buy a new one.
00:24:25.33\00:24:28.00
He told her that
Bob's friend had a stereo
00:24:28.03\00:24:30.90
that would be perfect
00:24:30.93\00:24:32.77
and was cheap
enough for him to afford.
00:24:32.80\00:24:35.74
Chuck's mother told him to do
00:24:35.77\00:24:37.34
what he believed
was best for him.
00:24:37.37\00:24:39.61
Now of course, he didn't
tell his mother the whole story.
00:24:39.64\00:24:42.81
Chuck decided to buy the
stereo from Bob's friend.
00:24:42.84\00:24:46.11
It sounded great
00:24:46.15\00:24:48.18
and Bob believed he
did the right thing.
00:24:48.22\00:24:51.99
Now he had a stereo to
listen to Christian music.
00:24:52.02\00:24:54.66
Now we justify things,
00:24:54.69\00:24:56.02
I'm listen to
the Christian music,
00:24:56.06\00:24:57.39
you know, so it's
okay, it's Christian music.
00:24:57.43\00:24:58.76
Sounds familiar.
00:24:58.79\00:25:02.10
Okay, to earn some
money to buy records,
00:25:02.13\00:25:04.53
Chuck decided to get odd
jobs around the neighborhood.
00:25:04.57\00:25:07.84
One day while
cleaning the neighbor's garage,
00:25:07.87\00:25:10.77
Chuck overheard a
phone conversation.
00:25:10.81\00:25:13.74
Apparently, the neighbor
00:25:13.78\00:25:15.84
had been robbed
the night before.
00:25:15.88\00:25:19.01
The thief had taken
his stereo and television.
00:25:19.05\00:25:22.65
Say, I've had this
happened, I came in one day
00:25:22.68\00:25:24.95
all of my TVs,
all of my stereos,
00:25:24.99\00:25:26.96
computers, everything
was gone, so it does happen.
00:25:26.99\00:25:30.13
When the
neighbor got off the phone
00:25:30.16\00:25:32.93
he told Chuck about the robbery.
00:25:32.96\00:25:35.23
The police had told the neighbor
00:25:35.26\00:25:36.90
that robberies of
this sort were going on
00:25:36.93\00:25:40.04
for the past several months.
00:25:40.07\00:25:42.04
The police had not been
able to catch the thief.
00:25:42.07\00:25:45.27
The neighbor asked Chuck
00:25:45.31\00:25:47.04
if he had any clues
about the robberies.
00:25:47.08\00:25:49.98
Chuck didn't
know how to respond.
00:25:50.01\00:25:52.45
Interesting.
00:25:52.48\00:25:54.45
Should he go to the
police about Bob's friend,
00:25:54.48\00:25:57.89
should he say
something to the neighbor?
00:25:57.92\00:26:00.62
Chuck finally
decided that Bob was right,
00:26:00.66\00:26:04.33
what you don't
know won't hurt you.
00:26:04.36\00:26:07.76
Chuck said nothing
and kept the stereo.
00:26:07.80\00:26:12.00
All right, ladies and gentleman,
00:26:12.03\00:26:15.60
let's walk through this.
00:26:15.64\00:26:18.97
You know, this asks
00:26:19.01\00:26:21.28
that you rank the
people from best to worst.
00:26:21.31\00:26:23.18
I don't know if we want
to rank from best to worst,
00:26:23.21\00:26:25.35
but we do want to
take a look at Chuck.
00:26:25.38\00:26:28.05
I'll be giving--
Jorge, what do you think?
00:26:28.08\00:26:30.65
It's interesting story
00:26:30.69\00:26:32.05
because, he has
radio for options
00:26:32.09\00:26:38.13
that different people here
00:26:38.16\00:26:40.46
should have made
different decision.
00:26:40.50\00:26:43.77
It's interesting when you think
00:26:43.80\00:26:46.84
that because you are not
directly involved in something,
00:26:46.87\00:26:51.71
it's not your fault.
00:26:51.74\00:26:53.41
Aha. Yes.
00:26:53.44\00:26:55.11
And we tend to say
00:26:55.14\00:26:57.45
well, sort of a typical answer
00:26:57.48\00:27:02.72
what you don't
know-- What was it?
00:27:02.75\00:27:04.85
What you don't
know won't hurt you.
00:27:04.89\00:27:06.22
Yeah, hurt you.
00:27:06.25\00:27:08.39
I was watching
the weather channel
00:27:08.42\00:27:12.99
and they were
interviewing people
00:27:13.03\00:27:15.90
because in winter time
when snow falls, it keeps on--
00:27:15.93\00:27:21.90
And when you
keep your car outside,
00:27:21.94\00:27:23.91
not in the garage,
00:27:23.94\00:27:25.27
that car
sometimes get a lot of snow
00:27:25.31\00:27:27.44
on the top, on the roof.
00:27:27.48\00:27:29.64
And when the weather gets colder
00:27:29.68\00:27:33.01
that snow freezes and
it gets, coverts into ice.
00:27:33.05\00:27:38.62
And what happens is
00:27:38.65\00:27:39.99
sometimes cars
are in the driving,
00:27:40.02\00:27:42.52
drivers are going on the
roads, freeways, highways,
00:27:42.56\00:27:47.86
and those
chunks of ice will fall
00:27:47.90\00:27:50.30
and will hit the drivers.
00:27:50.33\00:27:51.67
Right. Yes.
00:27:51.70\00:27:53.03
And it's about--
00:27:53.07\00:27:54.70
And it's interesting because
it in a way is not my fault.
00:27:54.74\00:27:58.37
They were interviewing this guy,
00:27:58.41\00:27:59.84
he said, the people were there,
00:27:59.87\00:28:02.08
he said, "You know, do
you know that you could
00:28:02.11\00:28:04.15
cause a lot of
damage on another car?"
00:28:04.18\00:28:06.88
And he sounds, I
didn't put the ice,
00:28:06.92\00:28:09.15
I didn't put
the snow on my roof.
00:28:09.18\00:28:11.75
So it is my responsibility
00:28:11.79\00:28:15.96
even for things
that I didn't cause,
00:28:15.99\00:28:18.59
but it is my
responsibility to say something.
00:28:18.63\00:28:22.70
Or stand for what is--
00:28:22.73\00:28:24.33
That's what I tell
my kids every morning,
00:28:24.37\00:28:26.77
"Stand for what is right,
00:28:26.80\00:28:29.40
do something that
makes a difference."
00:28:29.44\00:28:32.01
And so I think, in
this case of course,
00:28:32.04\00:28:37.05
Chuck took the wrong direction
00:28:37.08\00:28:40.75
and led the wrong
path on his decisions.
00:28:40.78\00:28:45.39
Because yes, we are
responsible even for things
00:28:45.42\00:28:48.89
that other people
if we know about it.
00:28:48.92\00:28:53.56
And I think that
decision is tough.
00:28:53.60\00:28:56.23
It can be tough
00:28:56.26\00:28:57.63
because if you
take the right decision
00:28:57.67\00:29:02.50
and to take it the--
what really you should do,
00:29:02.54\00:29:06.04
you're going effect
more than one people.
00:29:06.07\00:29:09.31
You know, you're
gonna be embarrassed,
00:29:09.34\00:29:11.75
you're going to be--
Your mother is going to be,
00:29:11.78\00:29:14.65
if he's really young kid,
00:29:14.68\00:29:16.72
and worry about what
the mother is going to say
00:29:16.75\00:29:18.85
because he didn't tell
the whole story to the mother.
00:29:18.89\00:29:22.99
Then his friend Bob
obviously, he knew something
00:29:23.02\00:29:28.50
because he tells
Chuck that, you know.
00:29:28.53\00:29:32.63
What you don't
know won't hurt you.
00:29:32.67\00:29:34.70
Don't worry about it,
00:29:34.74\00:29:36.07
just don't say
anything, just buy it.
00:29:36.10\00:29:38.17
Nobody's gonna
know. Nobody's gonna know.
00:29:38.21\00:29:42.14
Yeah, what about taking
counsel from, from friends?
00:29:42.18\00:29:45.98
You know, 'cause he was--
00:29:46.01\00:29:47.68
Chuck may have
been a little wavering,
00:29:47.72\00:29:49.12
but he, kind of,
listened to Bob's friend--
00:29:49.15\00:29:52.35
but don't worry about
it, you know, kind of thing.
00:29:52.39\00:29:55.32
You know you are responsible
00:29:55.36\00:29:57.13
for the counseling
you take from people.
00:29:57.16\00:29:58.63
Yeah. Yeah.
00:29:58.66\00:30:00.00
Exactly, that's a
good point. Yes, yes.
00:30:00.03\00:30:01.70
I mean, even, even when
we take advice from somebody,
00:30:01.73\00:30:05.23
be careful because it
may not be the right advice.
00:30:05.27\00:30:07.70
So he tells his mother,
00:30:10.94\00:30:12.64
he doesn't tell his
mother the whole story.
00:30:12.67\00:30:15.21
And, and you know,
the Lord, many times,
00:30:15.24\00:30:18.41
will put you in a position
where you got to make a choice.
00:30:18.45\00:30:22.25
You know, and
there are several times,
00:30:22.28\00:30:25.05
one, the person that
was robbed asked him,
00:30:25.09\00:30:30.53
you know anything about,
have you anything about--Look,
00:30:30.56\00:30:33.29
so now you got to lie.
00:30:33.33\00:30:35.53
You know, you've
moved, moved it from
00:30:35.56\00:30:37.90
not, just not saying anything
00:30:37.93\00:30:39.70
to actually telling
-- because you do know.
00:30:39.73\00:30:42.87
Irma, have you heard anything?
00:30:42.90\00:30:44.24
No, I don't know.
00:30:44.27\00:30:45.61
Or even just a strong suspicion.
00:30:45.64\00:30:47.08
I mean you need to
divulge these things.
00:30:47.11\00:30:49.84
Yeah, yeah.
00:30:49.88\00:30:51.21
And then the police are saying
00:30:51.25\00:30:53.05
a lot of people
are being robbed.
00:30:53.08\00:30:55.42
So there is this bunch
of stereos, you know, there.
00:30:55.45\00:31:01.06
So he knows, but, you
know, how many times do we,
00:31:01.09\00:31:05.29
you know, well, I'm
gonna listen a Christian music.
00:31:05.33\00:31:08.00
So we justify it because
I'm gonna do something good,
00:31:08.03\00:31:11.87
I'm gonna, you know,
00:31:11.90\00:31:13.23
I'm listening to
the Christian music.
00:31:13.27\00:31:14.60
So you know, I
have a stolen stereo,
00:31:14.64\00:31:16.60
but I'm listening
to Christian music,
00:31:16.64\00:31:17.97
that kind of
sanitizes the whole thing.
00:31:18.01\00:31:19.81
Yeah. And it really doesn't.
00:31:19.84\00:31:21.18
Exactly. Precisely, yeah, yeah.
00:31:24.38\00:31:26.88
All right, well, now
00:31:26.92\00:31:32.45
it becomes a legal issue also
00:31:32.85\00:31:35.36
and then he is lying
about something that happens--
00:31:35.39\00:31:40.53
from something that
apparently was, an innocent --
00:31:40.56\00:31:46.53
he was in that
fault because he didn't--
00:31:46.57\00:31:48.47
But now he's being
asked and he said no,
00:31:48.50\00:31:50.77
that makes even--
now he's in trouble.
00:31:50.81\00:31:53.61
Yes, yes.
00:31:53.64\00:31:54.98
And that's--
00:31:55.01\00:31:56.38
How about if you think that,
00:31:56.41\00:31:59.58
well, I know, I don't want
to get these guys in trouble,
00:31:59.61\00:32:03.99
maybe I should go
and tell them to face up,
00:32:04.02\00:32:08.82
would that relieve him
from the responsibility?
00:32:08.86\00:32:15.06
I would think that it
would not because in this case,
00:32:15.10\00:32:19.23
poor old Chuck is
still in possession
00:32:19.27\00:32:20.87
of the stolen goods.
00:32:20.90\00:32:22.27
And he's trying
to, like we said,
00:32:22.30\00:32:24.41
sanitize it by spreading,
you know, Christian dust on it,
00:32:24.44\00:32:28.34
you know, make it a good thing.
00:32:28.38\00:32:29.91
And my wonderment with
this particular story is
00:32:29.94\00:32:33.21
how can he sleep at night
00:32:33.25\00:32:35.78
knowing that he has
been a party to this?
00:32:35.82\00:32:38.85
I think the guilt
alone would drive me nuts.
00:32:38.89\00:32:42.99
I couldn't, I couldn't go--
00:32:43.02\00:32:44.36
Yeah. Right.
00:32:44.39\00:32:45.73
And to be so far from
God that you're buffered
00:32:45.76\00:32:49.73
from the
conviction of the Holy Spirit
00:32:49.76\00:32:52.37
when you've made
misstep is frightening concept.
00:32:52.40\00:32:56.40
It makes me
remember when I was in school
00:32:56.44\00:32:59.47
and I was
probably like, Noelia's age
00:32:59.51\00:33:02.54
and was a time that, you know,
00:33:02.58\00:33:06.15
the kids will
copy from each other
00:33:06.18\00:33:08.72
when they're doing a test
so that they get good grade.
00:33:08.75\00:33:11.89
And now I was very worried
00:33:11.92\00:33:13.99
that I had not been
able to study enough.
00:33:14.02\00:33:16.73
And I so worried
00:33:16.76\00:33:18.26
that I was going to
get bad, a bad grade.
00:33:18.29\00:33:22.63
And a friend of mine
says, "Oh, don't worry,
00:33:22.66\00:33:24.93
you just sit next to me
00:33:24.97\00:33:26.30
and, you know,
you can just look."
00:33:26.33\00:33:29.07
And oh, boy, I'm so
thankful that I could not do it
00:33:29.10\00:33:33.64
because I was so
nervous, I was so nervous
00:33:33.68\00:33:36.64
and I said, "You know,
00:33:36.68\00:33:38.01
if I try, I will
probably get caught right away."
00:33:38.05\00:33:42.28
So just relaxed and do my job.
00:33:42.32\00:33:45.15
And so I was glad
I made that decision,
00:33:45.19\00:33:48.19
but, you know, sometimes
you are faced with decisions
00:33:48.22\00:33:52.83
that are very difficult to make.
00:33:52.86\00:33:55.30
And because you
think of all the--
00:33:55.33\00:33:58.53
Let me ask you a question.
00:33:58.57\00:33:59.90
Did you get a good
grade or did you do bad?
00:33:59.93\00:34:02.14
No, I got a good
grade, praise the Lord.
00:34:02.17\00:34:04.54
I was almost hoping that
you'd say that you did bad,
00:34:04.57\00:34:06.94
I'll tell why.
00:34:06.98\00:34:08.31
It's because it
botches my point,
00:34:08.34\00:34:09.71
because sometimes you
do right and suffer for it.
00:34:09.74\00:34:13.21
You know, you suffer for it,
but still right is worth doing.
00:34:13.25\00:34:16.48
You know now praise the
Lord you got a good grade.
00:34:16.52\00:34:18.65
Yeah I did, I was very
happy then I figured that--
00:34:18.69\00:34:20.39
But had you gotten a bad
grade, it still was worth it
00:34:20.42\00:34:23.39
because you did the right thing.
00:34:23.43\00:34:24.76
Yeah, now, Noelia, what
do you think about this?
00:34:24.79\00:34:29.16
Well, it really
00:34:29.20\00:34:34.00
doesn't make any sense.
00:34:34.04\00:34:37.24
I know.
00:34:40.28\00:34:42.48
It's tough.
00:34:42.51\00:34:43.85
Did Chuck do the right
thing or the wrong thing?
00:34:43.88\00:34:45.41
Put yourself in Chuck's
place. He did the wrong thing.
00:34:45.45\00:34:46.98
He did the wrong thing. Yeah.
00:34:47.02\00:34:49.75
Did you find times in school
00:34:49.78\00:34:51.42
that kids are
doing something wrong
00:34:51.45\00:34:54.59
and you find yourself also
00:34:54.62\00:34:55.96
that should I say
or should I not say?
00:34:55.99\00:34:58.19
Thank God because--
00:34:59.03\00:35:00.66
Yeah lucky, she goes
to a Christian school,
00:35:00.70\00:35:02.16
everybody does perfectly.
00:35:02.20\00:35:03.63
Praise the Lord.
00:35:03.67\00:35:06.10
I really think that what
you just said a minute ago
00:35:06.13\00:35:10.34
was very important to highlight
even doing the right thing.
00:35:10.37\00:35:15.51
It's not gonna really
make you have better outcome
00:35:15.54\00:35:21.38
and whatever you're
doing, even, doing right--
00:35:21.42\00:35:24.99
Sometimes we say, I'm
gonna do the right thing,
00:35:25.02\00:35:26.96
even If I lose money.
00:35:26.99\00:35:28.72
We'll do the right
thing even, even if
00:35:28.76\00:35:33.53
I will have something
that is not positive in my life
00:35:33.56\00:35:37.33
but, but at least I'm
gonna have a peace of mind.
00:35:37.37\00:35:39.90
Yeah. Yes, that's the true.
00:35:39.93\00:35:41.77
That is something that
we really need to think.
00:35:41.80\00:35:46.11
Peace of mind is priceless.
00:35:46.14\00:35:48.11
It is. it is.
00:35:48.14\00:35:50.71
I think, I also--
00:35:50.75\00:35:53.62
Comes to my mind that
this is one of the trials
00:35:53.65\00:35:57.42
that the Lord puts in our
path also to strengthen us
00:35:57.45\00:36:01.36
because once you've
made the right decision,
00:36:01.39\00:36:04.23
you not have
peace, you have joy,
00:36:04.26\00:36:06.83
and then it's so much
easier for the next time
00:36:06.86\00:36:09.56
to stand for the,
for the right to do.
00:36:09.60\00:36:14.90
And then it also is the opposite
00:36:14.94\00:36:18.11
if you give in
then you're weakened
00:36:18.14\00:36:21.58
for the next time also.
00:36:21.61\00:36:22.94
It's much easier to--
00:36:22.98\00:36:24.51
Become a slippery slope.
00:36:24.55\00:36:25.88
Yeah, exactly.
00:36:25.91\00:36:27.25
What if he
loses Bob as a friend?
00:36:27.28\00:36:30.55
Those are things to consider.
00:36:30.59\00:36:33.12
Well, I don't think
00:36:33.15\00:36:34.49
Bob was a friend
in the first place.
00:36:34.52\00:36:35.86
Yes, that's true.
00:36:35.89\00:36:37.93
When you--
00:36:37.96\00:36:39.29
It's like your friend,
like Irma's that "friend"
00:36:39.33\00:36:43.37
that say, just look
what I'm--Really in reality,
00:36:43.40\00:36:48.20
she or he wasn't
really be a friend.
00:36:48.24\00:36:53.54
He was enticing you
to do something wrong.
00:36:53.58\00:36:57.78
It's that we have to
look at that aspect and say,
00:36:57.81\00:37:01.78
is he really now my friend?
00:37:01.82\00:37:03.85
If you are trying--
that I can do something wrong
00:37:03.89\00:37:07.79
and then you're not my friend.
00:37:07.82\00:37:09.92
And Chuck is the Christian,
00:37:09.96\00:37:12.16
there is nowhere that
show Bob was a Christian.
00:37:12.19\00:37:14.73
Chuck is a Christian.
00:37:14.76\00:37:16.26
So he's taking his cues
00:37:16.30\00:37:18.00
from a person who
has no God consciousness.
00:37:18.03\00:37:20.84
So you got to be
very, very careful
00:37:20.87\00:37:22.20
when you're taking
advice from somebody
00:37:22.24\00:37:23.57
who doesn't believe in the Lord.
00:37:23.61\00:37:25.31
And you know, at the back
end, and then we're gonna go
00:37:25.34\00:37:27.44
go to our next
one in just a moment.
00:37:27.48\00:37:29.68
It says, "Chuck
didn't know what to do.
00:37:29.71\00:37:35.18
Chuck didn't
know how to respond."
00:37:35.22\00:37:37.35
Now why did he not
know how to respond?
00:37:37.39\00:37:39.52
Because he's been
compromising all along.
00:37:39.55\00:37:41.96
So you get to the point
00:37:41.99\00:37:43.32
where you're
actually confuse, babe.
00:37:43.36\00:37:44.69
You know, Chuck, he
listened to his friend,
00:37:44.73\00:37:48.36
what you don't
know won't hurt you.
00:37:48.40\00:37:51.57
So now when you're,
when you're at the point
00:37:51.60\00:37:53.84
where you need to
make a decision for Christ,
00:37:53.87\00:37:55.64
you don't know how to respond
00:37:55.67\00:37:57.01
because you've
been caving all along.
00:37:57.04\00:37:59.57
And had he stood
at the very beginning,
00:37:59.61\00:38:02.21
he'd have known how to respond,
00:38:02.24\00:38:03.58
just keep on going
the way you're going.
00:38:03.61\00:38:05.21
But now he's confused,
I don't know what to say.
00:38:05.25\00:38:06.61
Should I not? Should I
not? Should I not? Should I not?
00:38:06.65\00:38:08.62
And that's the way sin is.
00:38:08.65\00:38:09.98
You don't, as the rule,
dive into the pit all at once
00:38:10.02\00:38:13.15
you, kind of, just work
your way down to the pit.
00:38:13.19\00:38:15.32
Stop waiting in.
00:38:15.36\00:38:16.69
Precisely, you're
waiting one step at the time.
00:38:16.73\00:38:18.83
It's another thing that
is very common these days,
00:38:18.86\00:38:22.80
is everybody is doing it.
00:38:22.83\00:38:24.37
Yeah. What?
00:38:24.40\00:38:25.73
What's your
problem? Everybody does it.
00:38:25.77\00:38:29.27
Yeah, and we're doing it.
00:38:29.30\00:38:30.97
So again, we were
told by Ellen White
00:38:31.01\00:38:36.44
that every day ought to
be submitted to the Lord.
00:38:36.48\00:38:39.31
Take yourself to the
Lord every day for that day
00:38:39.35\00:38:43.39
and He will give you strength
to make these decisions.
00:38:43.42\00:38:45.45
Because again, you
make these little decisions,
00:38:45.49\00:38:47.86
you make these little--
Oh, next time, I need a TV set,
00:38:47.89\00:38:50.23
I'll go back to this
guy and get a TV set now.
00:38:50.26\00:38:52.09
You know, and once you
begin making these decisions,
00:38:52.13\00:38:57.20
it becomes easier to
make these type of decisions
00:38:57.23\00:38:58.90
as you well said.
00:38:58.93\00:39:00.27
Okay, so Chuck needs to--
00:39:00.30\00:39:04.77
He's gonna lose a
friend if he does right.
00:39:05.11\00:39:07.28
We know that.
00:39:07.31\00:39:08.64
But maybe it
wasn't-- as you said, Jorge,
00:39:08.68\00:39:10.01
it wasn't a real
friend in the first place.
00:39:10.05\00:39:12.55
And there's a
song we used to sing,
00:39:12.58\00:39:14.42
oh, the best
friend to have is Jesus.
00:39:14.45\00:39:16.69
And you can't have
00:39:16.72\00:39:18.05
these kinds of
friends and Christ the same.
00:39:18.09\00:39:19.89
Ellen White says,
"Righteousness is right doing."
00:39:19.92\00:39:22.42
Not right thinking, not
right talking, right doing.
00:39:22.46\00:39:25.16
And Chuck didn't do right.
00:39:25.19\00:39:26.86
Agree, Noelia?
00:39:26.90\00:39:28.63
Amen. Okay, okay.
00:39:28.66\00:39:30.70
All right, I think we
have time for one more.
00:39:30.73\00:39:33.10
Look at my time. Yes, we do.
00:39:33.13\00:39:34.74
'The food store robbery.'
00:39:34.77\00:39:38.44
The automobile
factory where Ed has worked
00:39:38.47\00:39:41.24
for the past 10 years
is experiencing hard times
00:39:41.28\00:39:46.38
because of a recession
00:39:46.41\00:39:48.42
and is forced to lay
off a number of employees.
00:39:48.45\00:39:52.79
Management has
left the responsibility
00:39:52.82\00:39:54.99
to each of the plant managers.
00:39:55.02\00:39:57.26
Ed's plant manager has
been protecting his job
00:39:57.29\00:40:00.66
for a long time
00:40:00.70\00:40:02.03
and has always been worried
that Ed might get his job.
00:40:02.06\00:40:05.73
He lays off Ed to
remove this threat. Okay.
00:40:06.27\00:40:12.41
Ed cannot find the job anywhere,
00:40:12.44\00:40:14.34
for 18 months of
unsuccessful job hunting
00:40:14.38\00:40:18.05
is unemployment runs out
and Ed is forced to sell his--
00:40:18.08\00:40:23.72
To sell his insurance,
00:40:23.75\00:40:25.79
so his family can
have food and have--
00:40:25.82\00:40:29.66
And make the house payments.
00:40:29.69\00:40:31.89
When that money runs out,
00:40:31.93\00:40:33.93
Ed and Hilda
discuss the possibility
00:40:33.96\00:40:37.07
of applying for welfare.
00:40:37.10\00:40:39.23
Hilda will not hear of it.
00:40:39.27\00:40:41.04
She considers it
degrading and a sign of failure.
00:40:41.07\00:40:44.94
In fact, Hilda
considers Ed a failure
00:40:44.97\00:40:49.14
and constantly nags him
00:40:49.18\00:40:51.48
to do something
about their situation.
00:40:51.51\00:40:53.85
Have mercy. She
threatens to leave him.
00:40:53.88\00:40:57.62
One evening,
00:40:57.65\00:40:58.99
one of Ed's children
is playing in the street.
00:40:59.02\00:41:01.26
The child has
been warned many times
00:41:01.29\00:41:03.36
to stay out of the street.
00:41:03.39\00:41:05.29
A stolen car driven
by a 19-year-old runaway
00:41:05.33\00:41:08.93
runs into Ed's child
seriously injuring him.
00:41:08.96\00:41:13.64
The child
requires hospitalization
00:41:13.67\00:41:15.87
and the bills will be enormous.
00:41:15.90\00:41:19.01
Of course, the runaway
does not have an insurance
00:41:19.04\00:41:22.14
or money.
00:41:22.18\00:41:23.71
In desperation,
00:41:23.75\00:41:25.15
Ed goes to the bank
to apply for a loan.
00:41:25.18\00:41:27.82
Ed does have good credit,
but the bank refuses the loan.
00:41:27.85\00:41:32.49
The banker has
involved the bank's money
00:41:32.52\00:41:35.16
in a number of
questionable investments
00:41:35.19\00:41:37.69
and has over extended
the bank's loan limit.
00:41:37.73\00:41:41.33
Ed explains the
situation to Hilda.
00:41:41.36\00:41:43.70
She explodes into a rage
00:41:43.73\00:41:45.83
and hysterically
threatens to leave
00:41:45.87\00:41:47.94
and calls Ed a
failure and a no-good
00:41:47.97\00:41:50.77
who doesn't care about
his children and his wife.
00:41:50.81\00:41:54.48
She gives him an ultimatum
00:41:54.51\00:41:56.34
to be gone when she returns
and stomps out of the house.
00:41:56.38\00:42:00.02
Distraught and confused,
Ed robs the local food store.
00:42:00.05\00:42:04.52
When his wife returns,
00:42:04.55\00:42:05.89
he shows her the
money and explains
00:42:05.92\00:42:07.82
that a close
friend loaned it to them.
00:42:07.86\00:42:10.49
The use of the
money-- I'm sorry.
00:42:10.53\00:42:12.73
They use the
money to purchase food
00:42:12.76\00:42:14.60
and clothing for the children,
00:42:14.63\00:42:16.20
but within a day Ed is
arrested by the police.
00:42:16.23\00:42:19.30
He explains, "All I wanted
to do was feed my family."
00:42:19.33\00:42:23.37
After discussions
with the city officials,
00:42:23.41\00:42:26.04
the prosecutor
decided to drop the case
00:42:26.07\00:42:28.34
if Ed will pay back the money
00:42:28.38\00:42:29.98
and seek counseling
with the welfare department.
00:42:30.01\00:42:32.98
But the store owner is a
strong law and order advocate
00:42:33.01\00:42:36.42
and refuses to drop the charges.
00:42:36.45\00:42:38.42
He believes that Ed is a
thief and ought to be punished.
00:42:38.45\00:42:41.79
Ed is forced to go
to trail and he pleads--
00:42:41.82\00:42:44.49
Where he pleads guilty
and is sentenced by the judge.
00:42:44.53\00:42:49.40
Which person is most responsible
00:42:49.43\00:42:51.70
for the robbery
of the food store?
00:42:51.73\00:42:54.04
Then of course, we are
asked to rank the characters.
00:42:54.07\00:42:56.20
Okay, so let's
read what that question.
00:42:56.24\00:42:59.67
Which person is
most responsible?
00:42:59.71\00:43:03.01
Well--
00:43:03.04\00:43:04.38
Is it the boss who fired
Ed just protect his own job?
00:43:04.41\00:43:08.02
Is it Ed's nagging wife?
00:43:08.05\00:43:10.25
Is it the manager?
00:43:10.29\00:43:15.99
Who is
responsible for Ed's action?
00:43:17.46\00:43:19.66
It's pretty clear.
00:43:19.69\00:43:22.33
It's good old Eduardo himself.
00:43:22.36\00:43:25.03
Yes. Yeah.
00:43:25.07\00:43:26.47
Because he had--
00:43:26.50\00:43:28.67
I don't know if
Ed's a Christian in this
00:43:28.70\00:43:30.97
or not.
00:43:31.01\00:43:32.97
Let's assume that he is.
00:43:33.01\00:43:35.51
He would know right
from wrong to begin with.
00:43:35.54\00:43:37.68
And if your wife
is that unsupportive
00:43:37.71\00:43:42.88
then you need
to turn to the Lord
00:43:42.92\00:43:46.15
and his examples, I
mean, Job comes to mind
00:43:46.19\00:43:50.33
when I read
about the nagging wife,
00:43:50.36\00:43:51.73
it's like he
obstructing his guns
00:43:51.76\00:43:54.50
even when they hurt real bad.
00:43:54.53\00:43:57.83
But no, it's--
00:43:57.87\00:43:59.20
You have choice in all matters.
00:43:59.23\00:44:03.44
No matter how awful
or good they may be,
00:44:03.47\00:44:06.74
you have that choice
and the ultimate deal
00:44:06.78\00:44:11.41
ultimate
responsibility is yours.
00:44:11.45\00:44:13.98
That's true.
00:44:14.02\00:44:15.35
That's true, I was
watching a program.
00:44:15.38\00:44:21.02
This is the
second time I mention
00:44:21.06\00:44:22.72
that I've been
watching a program on TV,
00:44:22.76\00:44:25.13
so doesn't mean
that I'm glued to the TV.
00:44:25.16\00:44:28.83
But it's true, few
years ago, I was quite,
00:44:28.86\00:44:32.93
I'd say, over 10, 12 years ago,
00:44:32.97\00:44:37.11
there was a documentary title,
00:44:37.14\00:44:40.88
the title was "The Blame Game"
00:44:40.91\00:44:43.35
forgot this TV
anchor that was a very--
00:44:43.38\00:44:47.68
He himself as a success story.
00:44:47.72\00:44:50.55
But anyway their
documentary was about people
00:44:50.59\00:44:53.69
who always have an
excuse to do wrong.
00:44:53.72\00:44:59.49
And it was
called "The Blame Game."
00:44:59.53\00:45:02.43
And The Blame
Game is so popular.
00:45:02.46\00:45:05.80
I did it because I
didn't have any other choice.
00:45:05.83\00:45:10.11
And it caused from,
00:45:10.14\00:45:12.91
yeah, even the welfare situation
00:45:12.94\00:45:15.88
that is mentioned here is--
00:45:15.91\00:45:19.01
I have nothing
to say about that,
00:45:19.05\00:45:20.38
but many people say,
00:45:20.42\00:45:21.75
"Well, I'm gonna just go welfare
00:45:21.78\00:45:25.05
and it's not my fault."
00:45:25.09\00:45:27.76
And I'm -- unemployment
until the last bit of money
00:45:27.79\00:45:31.66
and then the government
need to help me sort of thing.
00:45:31.69\00:45:37.27
Other blame games like that,
00:45:37.30\00:45:39.47
and this one is I think
it's the perfect example.
00:45:39.50\00:45:43.00
Ed, like Lynette
said, had a choice
00:45:43.04\00:45:49.14
and the choice to
do the right thing.
00:45:49.18\00:45:52.11
So I basically, yeah,
00:45:52.15\00:45:53.48
even we can sound a little bit--
00:45:53.52\00:45:56.79
Unsympathetic.
00:45:56.82\00:45:59.15
Unsympathetic and,
yeah, but it's true.
00:45:59.19\00:46:03.86
It is true. It's
a game that we play.
00:46:03.89\00:46:08.36
Well, the Bible tells
us that we do what Satan do
00:46:08.40\00:46:14.30
and Satan made Adam and
Eve, you know, she blame.
00:46:14.34\00:46:18.67
Yeah,
00:46:18.71\00:46:20.24
she took the apple
first he blame then--
00:46:20.28\00:46:25.71
Yeah. Adam blame Eve.
00:46:25.75\00:46:28.85
And we do this all the time too
00:46:28.88\00:46:31.05
because it is
in the human nature
00:46:31.09\00:46:34.49
to take the
responsibility and say, wow,
00:46:34.52\00:46:36.89
when you hear something,
you know, you're responsible.
00:46:36.93\00:46:40.86
David in the
Bible, said the Lord
00:46:40.90\00:46:43.90
that he was a
man of His own heart.
00:46:43.93\00:46:47.44
And when you look at his life
and all the things that he did,
00:46:47.47\00:46:50.74
you can say to yourself,
00:46:50.77\00:46:52.17
you know, yourself, "Oh,
I will never do such things,
00:46:52.21\00:46:55.64
that was just terrible."
00:46:55.68\00:46:57.68
But God was not
looking at what he did.
00:46:57.71\00:47:02.25
He was looking at his
reasons and the purpose,
00:47:02.28\00:47:07.56
but when David
faced it, he never,
00:47:07.59\00:47:12.99
you know, shied from it, he--
00:47:13.03\00:47:14.36
He never pointed fingers.
He never pointed finger.
00:47:14.40\00:47:17.33
And then the Bible
tells that very clear.
00:47:17.37\00:47:19.50
And that's a
really good example for us
00:47:19.53\00:47:23.34
and I think that he goes
very well with this example.
00:47:23.37\00:47:27.48
Was Ed a victim? Yes.
00:47:27.51\00:47:30.38
Was he a victim?
00:47:30.41\00:47:31.75
Well, was in a way, was
a victim of the economy.
00:47:31.78\00:47:35.72
It's not his fault
00:47:35.75\00:47:37.09
that his
company's doing not so good,
00:47:37.12\00:47:42.06
but being a
victim doesn't justify.
00:47:42.09\00:47:47.23
There you go.
That's where I'm going.
00:47:47.26\00:47:48.80
Because it doesn't justify
developing a victim mentality.
00:47:48.83\00:47:53.70
Now economy went
bad, that happens.
00:47:53.74\00:47:58.47
His boss trying to
protect his own job
00:47:58.51\00:48:01.54
got rid of Ed first
because Ed was a threat.
00:48:01.58\00:48:04.05
So he was the victim
of someone else's fear
00:48:04.08\00:48:07.52
and manipulation.
00:48:07.55\00:48:09.05
So He's put in this situation
through no fault of his own.
00:48:09.08\00:48:13.96
Now sometimes we say,
00:48:13.99\00:48:15.32
well, it wasn't my
fault that I'm here.
00:48:15.36\00:48:18.29
Now I got to do the best I can."
00:48:18.33\00:48:21.16
But that's the time
00:48:21.20\00:48:22.53
when you have to
trust in the Lord.
00:48:22.56\00:48:24.20
He didn't put
himself in that situation,
00:48:24.23\00:48:27.60
but he found
himself in that situation.
00:48:27.64\00:48:29.84
And now you really
have the lean on the Lord
00:48:29.87\00:48:32.37
to get you out of a situation
that is not of your making.
00:48:32.41\00:48:35.64
You know, he was just put there.
00:48:35.68\00:48:38.55
He's got a spouse
who's non-supportive.
00:48:38.58\00:48:41.65
And, you know,
00:48:41.68\00:48:43.02
sometimes you have
differences of opinion,
00:48:43.05\00:48:45.39
you have a
non-supportive of spouse,
00:48:45.42\00:48:48.22
but none of that can
be used as justification
00:48:48.26\00:48:52.46
for robbing a store.
00:48:52.49\00:48:54.26
And praise the Lord, the
judge cut him some slack,
00:48:54.30\00:48:59.40
but the store owner
wasn't willing to do so.
00:48:59.43\00:49:01.64
You know, maybe
he'd been robbed before,
00:49:01.67\00:49:03.00
maybe he's tired of being
a victim himself of people...
00:49:03.04\00:49:05.61
I'm putting my
foot down on this.
00:49:05.64\00:49:07.28
An example of him.
Yes. Make an example of him.
00:49:07.31\00:49:10.68
So he doesn't relent.
00:49:10.71\00:49:15.48
I think, you know, they
say, what I do with my money--
00:49:15.52\00:49:19.39
Show me a person
that owes you money,
00:49:19.42\00:49:20.76
I'll show you the
kind of person he is.
00:49:20.79\00:49:22.72
When your money is running
out, and you got kids to feed,
00:49:22.76\00:49:27.10
and a mortgage to
pay, and car notes,
00:49:27.13\00:49:31.63
and you don't have any cash
00:49:31.67\00:49:34.24
that really squeezed your faith.
00:49:34.27\00:49:36.14
Oh, absolutely.
00:49:36.17\00:49:37.51
You know, it
squeezes your faith.
00:49:37.54\00:49:38.94
I've had people come to me
00:49:38.97\00:49:40.94
when I was pastoring
with every itemized bill
00:49:40.98\00:49:44.05
and say, I can't,
I can't pay tithe.
00:49:44.08\00:49:47.15
Here is my rent.
Here is my car note.
00:49:47.18\00:49:50.09
Here is food.
00:49:50.12\00:49:51.55
Here is putting my son
in the Adventist school.
00:49:51.59\00:49:54.06
There's no money left for God.
00:49:54.09\00:49:58.59
And when you
look at the numbers,
00:49:58.63\00:50:01.56
she's right, there is
no money left for God.
00:50:01.60\00:50:04.63
But what do you do?
00:50:04.67\00:50:07.14
You know, do you
say God comes first
00:50:07.17\00:50:11.97
and then I push
these things down
00:50:12.01\00:50:13.74
or do I look at what's
in front of me and say,
00:50:13.78\00:50:16.61
there's just no way God can be
put into that thing, you know.
00:50:16.64\00:50:20.88
It's tough.
00:50:20.92\00:50:22.25
That brings us to a
whole new different subject
00:50:22.28\00:50:26.09
and it has to do with faith.
00:50:26.12\00:50:27.46
Yes. Yes.
00:50:27.49\00:50:28.82
What do we do with faith or
what do we do without faith?
00:50:28.86\00:50:34.30
And it's easy to say-- But
don't you have faith in God
00:50:34.33\00:50:40.64
that He's gonna bless you?
00:50:40.67\00:50:42.60
But the person who is
going through the issues
00:50:42.64\00:50:44.94
and the
problems is the one who--
00:50:44.97\00:50:47.18
But at the same time,
you know, it is faith.
00:50:47.21\00:50:49.94
It is. Yeah.
00:50:49.98\00:50:51.31
And God promised that
there's no place in the Bible
00:50:51.35\00:50:56.58
that I can find that God
has not fulfilled His promises.
00:50:56.62\00:51:01.62
So if He tells you, do
this, somehow, somewhat
00:51:01.66\00:51:05.19
He is gonna come at the end
with a solution to the problem.
00:51:05.23\00:51:09.76
That's the thing.
00:51:09.80\00:51:11.20
So there is a
difference between a person
00:51:11.23\00:51:13.74
who exercises or uses the faith
00:51:13.77\00:51:16.94
that God gives us
all to solve issues,
00:51:16.97\00:51:21.81
and the issue of not having it.
00:51:21.84\00:51:24.28
Because it is very easy
to become the Robin Hood
00:51:24.31\00:51:28.32
type of syndrome, I say.
00:51:28.35\00:51:29.88
Yeah. Yeah.
00:51:29.92\00:51:31.25
Yeah, rob the
rich to feed the poor.
00:51:31.29\00:51:32.92
To feed the poor. Yeah.
00:51:32.95\00:51:34.29
No, the Bible is
clear-- that's the point now.
00:51:34.32\00:51:39.13
We need to go back
to what is the basic,
00:51:39.16\00:51:41.83
the fundamentals of our lives,
we need to go back and say,
00:51:41.86\00:51:46.57
"Oh, we're here in
this world for a reason.
00:51:46.60\00:51:48.87
God put us here,
therefore there's--
00:51:48.90\00:51:51.21
He must have answer."
00:51:51.24\00:51:54.84
It's always
encouraging to me read
00:51:54.88\00:51:57.48
in The Book of Joshua.
00:51:57.51\00:52:02.68
When he is talking to, at
the end of the book saying,
00:52:02.72\00:52:08.86
there's just one verse that
it says to the people of Israel,
00:52:08.89\00:52:14.46
"Not even one of
the great promises
00:52:14.50\00:52:19.07
that God made has
not been fulfilled."
00:52:19.10\00:52:22.84
All of them were fulfilled.
00:52:22.87\00:52:26.61
So and then that's one example.
00:52:26.64\00:52:29.24
There're so many thousands
and thousands of examples.
00:52:29.28\00:52:30.71
Yeah, and you got
to move faith to faith.
00:52:30.75\00:52:33.18
You know, you start
out with little faith,
00:52:33.21\00:52:34.88
but if you never
exercise the muscles you have,
00:52:34.92\00:52:37.15
you never get stronger muscles.
00:52:37.19\00:52:38.62
You got to, you got to step out.
00:52:38.65\00:52:40.62
This is the tough situation,
when you have no money
00:52:40.66\00:52:43.43
and you got a
mortgage coming up,
00:52:43.46\00:52:45.76
and you don't what
to be on the street,
00:52:45.79\00:52:47.80
and the kids have no food.
00:52:47.83\00:52:50.47
That's the time when
you-- If you got anything,
00:52:50.50\00:52:53.20
it's gonna come to
the surface, you now.
00:52:53.23\00:52:54.84
It's really tough.
00:52:54.87\00:52:56.20
And you may end
up in the street.
00:52:56.24\00:52:57.57
And you may end
up in the street.
00:52:57.61\00:53:00.38
But God has not
forgotten about you,
00:53:00.41\00:53:02.44
you know, and loves you still.
00:53:02.48\00:53:04.48
It's really, really
tough when it comes down
00:53:04.51\00:53:07.52
to the last couple of pennies.
00:53:07.55\00:53:08.88
The answers are not always--
00:53:08.92\00:53:10.72
The solutions are
not always instant,
00:53:10.75\00:53:12.69
like we were
talking about it earlier.
00:53:12.72\00:53:14.32
You can't have this
microwave Christianity
00:53:14.36\00:53:17.09
where it just is,
instantly answered your prayers
00:53:17.13\00:53:20.46
and your solutions come quickly.
00:53:20.50\00:53:23.83
Sometimes you
have to go through,
00:53:23.87\00:53:26.70
you know, you hit rock
bottom, well, guess what?
00:53:26.74\00:53:28.57
You're just on the ledge.
00:53:28.60\00:53:29.94
You're gonna go a little deeper.
00:53:29.97\00:53:31.31
And God is still with you,
00:53:31.34\00:53:32.87
but you're gonna
have to work at it.
00:53:32.91\00:53:35.51
It's not gonna be easy,
00:53:35.54\00:53:36.88
it's not gonna be handed
to you on a silver platter.
00:53:36.91\00:53:38.98
This is, this is--
00:53:39.01\00:53:40.92
this is a growing,
God has plan for us.
00:53:40.95\00:53:44.42
Getting to heaven is not--
No one said it would be easy,
00:53:44.45\00:53:48.19
but the Lord
said it is possible.
00:53:48.22\00:53:50.59
You know, when you
look at the crossing--
00:53:50.63\00:53:52.19
And I think we're coming
down to our last few minutes.
00:53:52.23\00:53:54.20
If you look at
the children of Israel
00:53:54.23\00:53:55.56
when they cross the Red
sea, they went over on dry land.
00:53:55.60\00:53:59.60
The Lord dried it up
for them, no problem.
00:53:59.63\00:54:02.47
When they were going
into the Canaan land,
00:54:02.50\00:54:06.41
crossing the Jordan, He
didn't dry it up for them.
00:54:06.44\00:54:09.88
He said, "You need to
get in there and get wet,
00:54:09.91\00:54:12.38
get your feet wet
then I will stop the flow."
00:54:12.41\00:54:15.38
So it's little more
faith, the river's dry,
00:54:15.42\00:54:19.25
you're walking
on the sandy beach
00:54:19.29\00:54:20.69
through the water, no problem.
00:54:20.72\00:54:22.52
Now the river
saw flowing, He says,
00:54:22.56\00:54:24.29
"Get in there and get
wet, then the miracle come."
00:54:24.33\00:54:26.49
So now He is
increasing their faith, you see?
00:54:26.53\00:54:29.20
And it's that way in our lives.
00:54:29.23\00:54:31.40
You take this little baby step,
and then you get the strength
00:54:31.43\00:54:33.90
to take another baby step.
00:54:33.94\00:54:35.27
But if never
have that first step,
00:54:35.30\00:54:37.21
if you never lift
that first weight,
00:54:37.24\00:54:39.21
you'll never be able to
take the increased weight.
00:54:39.24\00:54:41.71
And the
increased weight is coming.
00:54:41.74\00:54:43.11
And you kind of feel
sorry for a guy like this,
00:54:43.14\00:54:45.21
but each of us has these
kinds of baby steps to make
00:54:45.25\00:54:49.62
from faith to
faith, from glory to glory,
00:54:49.65\00:54:52.29
from strength to strength.
00:54:52.32\00:54:53.66
Yeah. Yeah.
00:54:53.69\00:54:55.02
For that reason, the
Lord is giving us all these,
00:54:55.06\00:54:58.86
not rules, but guidance for us,
00:54:58.89\00:55:01.43
because He knows
we are gonna encounter
00:55:01.46\00:55:04.13
all these problems.
00:55:04.17\00:55:07.20
So we, as long
as we are with Him
00:55:07.30\00:55:10.71
and we want to follow,
we have nothing to worry.
00:55:10.74\00:55:15.91
Nothing to fear. Don't fear.
00:55:15.94\00:55:17.81
Indeed.
00:55:17.85\00:55:19.18
And as we said, and
both of these stories
00:55:19.21\00:55:21.88
have the aspect of that
you may suffer for your faith,
00:55:21.92\00:55:27.72
you don't get a
pass on suffering,
00:55:27.76\00:55:29.96
but Christ is
right there with you
00:55:29.99\00:55:31.76
and you do not suffer alone.
00:55:31.79\00:55:34.73
He told Joshua,
Joshua 1:9 on the first verse
00:55:34.76\00:55:37.20
I've ever committed memory
00:55:37.23\00:55:38.57
"Have not I commanded thee?
00:55:38.60\00:55:40.17
Be strong and of a good courage.
00:55:40.20\00:55:41.94
Be not afraid,
neither be thou dismayed
00:55:41.97\00:55:44.04
for the Lord
thy God is with thee
00:55:44.07\00:55:46.11
whithersoever thou goest"
00:55:46.14\00:55:48.04
So where ever you go,
whatever you're going to do,
00:55:48.08\00:55:50.05
you're not going
through it alone.
00:55:50.08\00:55:51.61
And that's the thing
to keep in your memory.
00:55:51.65\00:55:52.98
Some of you have
forgotten the only one,
00:55:53.01\00:55:54.55
no one else has ever had this.
00:55:54.58\00:55:56.42
I am the first one in
the history of the planet,
00:55:56.45\00:55:58.15
you know, and
Christ doesn't know.
00:55:58.19\00:55:59.52
We've seen this
before, you know,
00:55:59.55\00:56:01.06
and we've dealt with this before
00:56:01.09\00:56:02.46
and we can deal with that again.
00:56:02.49\00:56:03.93
And that is the point also,
keep the big picture in mind.
00:56:03.96\00:56:09.46
Yes.
00:56:09.50\00:56:10.83
You always think not
just this particular moment
00:56:10.87\00:56:14.37
or situation that
I am going through.
00:56:14.40\00:56:16.67
Think, think back,
how God to care of you.
00:56:16.71\00:56:20.28
Yeah. Yeah.
00:56:20.31\00:56:21.84
That is the great point, Jorge.
00:56:21.88\00:56:23.21
Keep the big picture in mind.
00:56:23.24\00:56:25.11
The same God
who brought you here
00:56:25.15\00:56:27.25
will get you home.
00:56:27.28\00:56:28.62
This is no time to jump ship.
00:56:28.65\00:56:30.15
Stay in the
ship because the ship
00:56:30.19\00:56:31.92
is going through into harbor
00:56:31.95\00:56:34.39
and we thank you for that.
00:56:34.42\00:56:37.39
So some good stuff,
some interesting life lessons
00:56:37.43\00:56:41.63
that tell us, you need to take
the name of the Jesus with you
00:56:41.66\00:56:44.40
every day because
your faith will be tested
00:56:44.43\00:56:46.43
and challenged and
tried every single day.
00:56:46.47\00:56:49.80
Amen? Amen.
00:56:49.84\00:56:51.17
Yeah, we praise
the Lord for that.
00:56:51.21\00:56:54.98
Jorge Jaque,
Lynette Jaque, Noelia Jaque,
00:56:55.01\00:56:58.18
Irma Murray, C. A. Murray here.
00:56:58.21\00:57:00.05
We're gonna close
with prayer and hopefully,
00:57:00.08\00:57:02.58
we've said something
that will encourage you,
00:57:02.62\00:57:05.09
that gives you some strength
to go through the Sabbath
00:57:05.12\00:57:07.52
and go through the week,
to hold on to Jesus Christ
00:57:07.56\00:57:10.43
because you're
faith will be tested.
00:57:10.46\00:57:11.86
But you can be a
victor and an overcomer
00:57:11.89\00:57:15.96
if you keep your
hand in the hand of Jesus.
00:57:16.00\00:57:18.80
There is no way He
will ever fail you,
00:57:18.83\00:57:20.77
there is no way He
will ever leave you
00:57:20.80\00:57:22.17
nor forsake you.
00:57:22.20\00:57:23.54
The companion
text for Joshua 1:9
00:57:23.57\00:57:26.51
is Hebrews 13: 5, 6
which repeats that statement,
00:57:26.54\00:57:30.25
God will never leave,
He will never forsake you,
00:57:30.28\00:57:33.31
He is always by your side.
00:57:33.35\00:57:34.85
Have a good week in Jesus.
00:57:34.88\00:57:37.52