I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend
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my life 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, friends, and
welcome to Family Worship.
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We are back in the
saddle and I am not alone.
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My name is John Lomacang
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for those tuning
in for the first time
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and to my left
is my lovely wife,
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and what is your name?
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*I'm Angela Lomacang and welcome
to Friday night Family Worship.
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Friday night Family
Worship and happy Sabbath...
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That's right.
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To all of you that are watching
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*and listening to
this program today
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and I know you gonna be blessed.
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We have a great
program, don't we, hon?
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That's right and
we have someone here
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that has never
been on this set before.
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She's often been on the
other side of the camera
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and we are
excited to have her here.
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So we're gonna
introduce our guest.
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But we gonna start from my right
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and then we gonna go around.
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And by the way the topic is
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"Courage and Boldness."
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Let's say that
together, what is it?
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Courage and boldness.
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Something that the world
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is really calling out
of us in these last days.
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I though about it
in the Christian world,
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many Christians that
they are losing heart
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or losing
courage because of either
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political
reasons, social reasons,
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different parts of the worlds,
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different parts of the world,
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Christians are under attack,
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morally,
politically in so many ways
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and it seems as though to some
degree Christians are silent.
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What do Christians do in a world
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that's becoming
more and more adverse
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by the moment, by
the day, by the year
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and by the
political circumstance?
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So how do we have
boldness, how to be courageous.
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We are gonna
talk about that today.
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And we are not
going to sing today
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because this topic is gonna
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need all the time it can get.
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And we do have some
talkative guest today.
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But I began to my right,
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this young man
tell us who you are,
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where you're from and
what you do right now.
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Somebody might know you. Yeah.
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But somebody might not.
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*Well, my name is Dee Casper
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and I work with
Unseen Media Group.
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So we are a media ministry
that's equipping young people
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to reach young people through
media and personal evangelism.
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*So my role is the
evangelism director
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at Unseen Media Group.
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Good to have you here.
Good to have you here, Dee.
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He's a preacher, isn't he?
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Oh, he is a firebrand. Yes.
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He is always ready and on fire.
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I call him my
minuteman. Yes, exactly.
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Because if he
falls into a lion's den,
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he's gonna preach to the lions.
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That's just how
Dee is, that's good.
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Yes.
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No lack of courage
and boldness there.
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He's a preacher.
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I guess the Lord appointed you
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to be here
today for that reason.
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And, honey, I let you introduce
the person next to you,
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or maybe let her do that.
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Yeah. Well, I am so honoured
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and privileged to have my sister
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Lecia Marr, I'm
Angela Marr Lomacang
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and she is Lecia Marr Lomacang.
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She is a little
older than me. Oh, no.
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Lecia Marr...
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I'm sorry, Lecia Marr Bromley.
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Okay, I don't have two wives.
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No, no, no.
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And welcome sis,
tell us what you do.
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Oh, yes.
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Thank you for having me here.
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It's a pleasure to
be with the 3ABN family.
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Just want to say
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how great it is to be here.
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I work with the elderly,
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help to provide
them shared housings
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and care as well.
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SDA.
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And it is SDA,
elderly care by the way.
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Okay and who do we have with us?
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Our Cuban gentlemen.
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A Cuban friend.
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I'm Luis Capote,
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I'm the program
director here at 3ABN
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and I'm so glad to be able
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to take part of such a
topic like this one today.
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Especially with all the
things that are happening,
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I know that a lot of individuals
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are asking me about,
00:04:45.95\00:04:47.28
you know, Cuba
and what's happening
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and some of the stories
00:04:48.88\00:04:50.72
that we may come
up with from there
00:04:50.75\00:04:52.89
and how
individuals had to have courage
00:04:52.92\00:04:56.42
and how individuals
had to with boldness
00:04:56.46\00:04:58.89
be able to stand up
to even worship God.
00:04:58.93\00:05:03.06
So I'm looking
forward to, you know,
00:05:03.10\00:05:04.63
some of the stories that
we'd be able to share with you
00:05:04.67\00:05:07.14
to let you know
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that when you are
in God's presence...
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Yes.
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God can do amazing
things through you,
00:05:12.91\00:05:15.48
if you are just willing to
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honor him and follow through.
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That's right.
00:05:19.61\00:05:20.95
And I think that
a program like this
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we can't go forward
unless we have prayer.
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Yeah.
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Because we're not going
forward on our strengths.
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So, honey, why don't you lead us
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before the throne
of grace with prayer?
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I'll be glad to,
let's bow our heads.
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Our kind Father in heaven,
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we come to you in the name
of Jesus this Friday night.
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God it's a privilege and honor
to bow before your presence.
00:05:36.93\00:05:40.94
And we ask that
you will be with us,
00:05:40.97\00:05:42.94
guide each and every
one of us that's here.
00:05:42.97\00:05:45.77
Guide our minds to speak of you
00:05:45.81\00:05:50.01
and to have holy
boldness for you.
00:05:50.05\00:05:52.91
So Lord may someone out there
that's watching and listening,
00:05:52.95\00:05:56.55
be encouraged to know that,
00:05:56.58\00:05:59.52
yes, you can be bold for Jesus
00:05:59.55\00:06:01.82
and you can have
courage for Jesus.
00:06:01.86\00:06:04.03
He had courage for us to
go all the way to Calvary.
00:06:04.06\00:06:08.30
So Lord we
thank you for Calvary.
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We thank you for this time
that we will spend together.
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We ask that
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your presence will be here
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in our midst in
Jesus name, amen.
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Amen.
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Thank you, wonderful prayer.
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I want to kind of launch into
this topic with some stories
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because each of us has
examples in our own lives
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where we've had
to be courageous,
00:06:27.95\00:06:29.95
we've had to be bold
and it may or may not
00:06:29.98\00:06:33.49
have been our first reaction
00:06:33.52\00:06:35.26
but we thought about well,
00:06:35.29\00:06:36.62
what do I do in the
midst of this challenge
00:06:36.66\00:06:38.29
that's just come to me.
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And more
recently, just to maybe add
00:06:39.69\00:06:42.36
a little
timestamp to this program,
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a movie was released
called Hacksaw Ridge,
00:06:44.43\00:06:48.24
and for those of who that
are part of our denomination,
00:06:48.27\00:06:50.91
you know of the
name Desmond Doss
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who was received
00:06:53.14\00:06:54.48
the congressional medal of honor
00:06:54.51\00:06:56.88
as one of the highest awards
you can get in the military
00:06:56.91\00:06:59.88
for his display of courage
and boldness at a time when,
00:06:59.91\00:07:05.95
you know, even
in his own platoon,
00:07:05.99\00:07:08.29
even among his own
fellow military soldiers,
00:07:08.32\00:07:11.49
he had to have courage
first to stand up against them
00:07:11.53\00:07:14.83
and then to stand up
against the government norms,
00:07:14.86\00:07:18.67
and then to not be a
conscientious objector
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but a conscientious participant,
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that's the word he
use, a phrase he used.
00:07:24.51\00:07:26.37
He said, I'm not
objecting to the war,
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I just want to go
in without a weapon.
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You are right, exactly.
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And when you think about
that, if you object or decide,
00:07:31.98\00:07:35.38
well, I'm gonna be a
conscientious objector,
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I'd rather be court
martial and go to jail
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rather than go in a war
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because I don't
want to carry a weapon,
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like we can mention
some names that we know.
00:07:41.72\00:07:43.79
But he said,
I'm not an objector,
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I'm a conscientious participant.
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I am not wanting to get
out of going into battle,
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I just want to
go without a weapon.
00:07:52.77\00:07:54.67
And so,
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I want to save
lives, say it again.
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Yeah, save lives.
00:08:00.18\00:08:01.51
Right, I don't
want to take lives...
00:08:01.54\00:08:03.24
Yes.
00:08:03.28\00:08:04.61
I want to save
lives and so we...
00:08:04.65\00:08:07.58
He is such a modern day
example to so many people
00:08:07.62\00:08:10.95
that are in the military think
of his name with great esteem
00:08:10.99\00:08:15.79
and great pride that a
man like this in great honor.
00:08:15.82\00:08:19.63
So he is a modern day example
00:08:19.66\00:08:22.30
of what it means to
be a person of courage,
00:08:22.33\00:08:24.33
and we've had
examples in our own lives.
00:08:24.37\00:08:26.53
But let's just kind of
bring it some of the stories
00:08:26.57\00:08:29.30
and I'm gonna give you
before we go to our text,
00:08:29.34\00:08:31.51
because we have a
little more time today
00:08:31.54\00:08:33.24
and you launched
into just as a Cuban.
00:08:33.27\00:08:38.35
Yeah.
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'Cause I've been to Cuba
and I know what a society it is
00:08:39.75\00:08:42.05
and now that
they are coming into
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the sisterhood of
nations as so to speak.
00:08:43.45\00:08:45.55
Right.
00:08:45.59\00:08:46.92
Kind of tell us little about
this courage you talked about,
00:08:46.96\00:08:48.32
what was needed to be and
that's the kind of society
00:08:48.36\00:08:51.06
and stand up as a Christian.
00:08:51.09\00:08:52.69
You know what, you
sometimes take it for granted.
00:08:52.73\00:08:54.96
Sometimes you are in a country
00:08:55.00\00:08:56.97
where you have all
the freedoms of the world
00:08:57.00\00:08:59.80
where the Bible is
available in any time of form,
00:08:59.83\00:09:03.10
you gotten in the
Bible, you got in the,
00:09:03.14\00:09:05.01
but once you are
an Adventist in Cuba,
00:09:05.04\00:09:08.81
I remember one time that
00:09:08.84\00:09:10.91
the government
want it to shut down
00:09:10.95\00:09:12.85
the whole Adventist movement.
00:09:12.88\00:09:14.95
So they imposed of us a fine
that I think was like $14, 000
00:09:14.98\00:09:20.76
and you say to yourself,
what $14,000, what to that?
00:09:20.79\00:09:23.63
When somebody only
makes $232 a month,
00:09:23.66\00:09:27.53
$14,000 is a large amount
00:09:27.56\00:09:30.23
for any
organization to come up with.
00:09:30.27\00:09:33.60
And we remember how individuals
that were gonna get married,
00:09:33.64\00:09:37.77
individuals that were
planning all of these things,
00:09:37.81\00:09:39.94
they donated their whole money
00:09:39.97\00:09:42.41
in order for us
to be able to make it
00:09:42.44\00:09:44.38
and it came out to exactly
the amount that God needed,
00:09:44.41\00:09:47.78
that we needed in
order to continue.
00:09:47.82\00:09:49.95
And I've told
story all the time,
00:09:49.98\00:09:52.35
I mean individuals that
00:09:52.39\00:09:54.02
actually were taken to jail
00:09:54.06\00:09:56.22
and were said, if
you don't deny God,
00:09:56.26\00:09:58.26
we are going to kill you today.
00:09:58.29\00:10:00.63
And you hear, you know, this...
00:10:00.66\00:10:02.73
I tell the story of a family
that they go into the prison
00:10:02.76\00:10:05.77
and there the father
said, I'm not going to die, God,
00:10:05.80\00:10:08.27
and hear the gunshots,
00:10:08.30\00:10:09.67
you know, and then the
mother had to make the decision
00:10:09.70\00:10:11.57
and the same to kids.
00:10:11.61\00:10:13.51
All to show at the end
or we were just checking
00:10:13.54\00:10:16.51
to see if you
were still Christian.
00:10:16.54\00:10:18.28
You know, they
would just shooting
00:10:18.31\00:10:20.82
at the air on the other hand.
00:10:20.85\00:10:23.08
But still, it took
courage for individuals to say,
00:10:23.12\00:10:27.96
hey, I'm gonna stand up for God.
00:10:27.99\00:10:30.33
And that's the one thing that
is so interesting for us to...
00:10:30.36\00:10:36.43
Nowadays when you understand
you talk about Desmond Doss
00:10:36.46\00:10:40.20
and what they didn't understand,
00:10:40.24\00:10:43.20
the part they didn't understand
00:10:43.24\00:10:44.57
was that he went
with a two-edged sword.
00:10:44.61\00:10:46.31
That's right.
00:10:46.34\00:10:47.68
You know, this two-edged
sword is a lot more powerful
00:10:47.71\00:10:50.71
than whatever weapon
they could have given him.
00:10:50.75\00:10:52.65
Amen. That's right.
00:10:52.68\00:10:54.02
Once you are completely,
00:10:54.05\00:10:56.15
this is the part that I
want to ask you as a pastor
00:10:56.18\00:10:58.85
because there is a difference
between courage and faith
00:10:58.89\00:11:02.69
or courage and respect.
00:11:02.72\00:11:05.29
You know, when we
go in faith with God,
00:11:05.33\00:11:08.66
sometimes we
have our reservations.
00:11:08.70\00:11:12.33
When we go with courage,
00:11:12.37\00:11:13.84
is God working through
the whole aspect of it,
00:11:13.87\00:11:17.21
there is nothing in us
00:11:17.24\00:11:18.71
and that's what is so
beautiful about this aspect.
00:11:18.74\00:11:21.14
A lot of the times
we're sure, we know that.
00:11:21.18\00:11:23.51
Oh, yeah, we'll
do things in faith
00:11:23.55\00:11:25.95
but are we courageous?
00:11:25.98\00:11:27.55
Okay, all right.
00:11:27.58\00:11:29.85
We do things in
faith, are we courageous?
00:11:29.88\00:11:31.22
I'll let, Dee, anyone of
you want to respond to that,
00:11:31.25\00:11:33.59
what's the difference
between faith and courage?
00:11:33.62\00:11:36.26
That's what we are
talking, that's the question.
00:11:36.29\00:11:37.86
I think both are gifts from God.
00:11:37.89\00:11:39.89
I don't think
either one of those
00:11:39.93\00:11:41.26
are naturally intrinsic to us.
00:11:41.30\00:11:42.63
We are typically a fearful,
00:11:42.66\00:11:44.00
self preserving
people generally.
00:11:44.03\00:11:47.07
So I think that God gives
00:11:47.10\00:11:49.27
the measure of faith and courage
00:11:49.30\00:11:50.67
necessary for any given trial,
00:11:50.71\00:11:52.57
should we call
upon Him to do so.
00:11:52.61\00:11:54.64
But yes,
00:11:54.68\00:11:56.64
there is probably
a lot of over lapse
00:11:57.91\00:11:59.71
as far as
distinct characteristics.
00:11:59.75\00:12:01.18
I can't think even
at the top of my head
00:12:01.22\00:12:02.82
that are just like it,
00:12:02.85\00:12:04.19
this is only this
and this is only that.
00:12:04.22\00:12:05.89
I think both are virtue
things that have to come
00:12:05.92\00:12:07.46
from a source
greater than ourselves.
00:12:07.49\00:12:08.82
One who knows no fear
and they come from God...
00:12:08.86\00:12:11.79
Okay. Regardless.
00:12:11.83\00:12:13.16
All right, ladies?
00:12:13.19\00:12:14.53
Yeah, I think faith and
courage go hand in hand.
00:12:14.56\00:12:17.20
Yeah. You know,
you need the both...
00:12:17.23\00:12:18.73
Yeah.
00:12:18.77\00:12:20.10
Of them.
00:12:20.14\00:12:21.47
With faith you trust that God
is going to bring you through,
00:12:21.50\00:12:27.28
and with courage that gives you
00:12:27.31\00:12:30.21
the will to go forward
00:12:30.25\00:12:34.75
believing against all odds
00:12:34.78\00:12:38.52
that your God is gonna bring
you through, that's courage.
00:12:38.55\00:12:41.59
Amen.
00:12:41.62\00:12:42.96
Okay, Ann, anything?
00:12:42.99\00:12:44.33
No, no, my sister
said it all. All right.
00:12:44.36\00:12:46.56
Everything I
would say, she said it.
00:12:46.59\00:12:49.20
Look at some of these
texts because we kind of build
00:12:49.23\00:12:51.47
a framework
because there's so many,
00:12:51.50\00:12:53.30
you know, there are so
many scriptural examples
00:12:53.34\00:12:55.27
and one of the ones
that came to my mind
00:12:55.30\00:12:56.71
to launch into this
topic was Revelation 21:8.
00:12:56.74\00:12:59.91
I kind of abbreviated
since there was only a certain
00:12:59.94\00:13:01.84
portion of that I
wanted to amplify.
00:13:01.88\00:13:04.31
But Revelation 21:8,
00:13:04.35\00:13:06.21
"But the
fearful, and unbelieving,
00:13:06.25\00:13:10.29
shall have
their part in the lake
00:13:10.32\00:13:11.79
which burneth with
fire and brimstone,
00:13:11.82\00:13:13.96
which is the second death."
00:13:13.99\00:13:15.76
You never think fearful.
00:13:15.79\00:13:17.13
This not a, is it
a crime, is it a sin?
00:13:19.19\00:13:21.96
And I thought for the first time
00:13:22.00\00:13:24.03
when I read that text that,
00:13:24.07\00:13:25.40
fearfulness
00:13:26.57\00:13:28.27
was handled like a sin.
00:13:28.30\00:13:30.31
And what do you do
00:13:31.61\00:13:33.21
when you are
confronted with the situation
00:13:33.24\00:13:34.78
in our world
today, if somebody is in,
00:13:34.81\00:13:37.38
you're in a whole setting
00:13:37.41\00:13:38.75
and everybody
there is not Christians
00:13:38.78\00:13:40.12
and they are dogging
Christians for examples,
00:13:40.15\00:13:44.15
do you have enough
courage to say something...
00:13:44.19\00:13:48.02
Yeah.
00:13:48.06\00:13:49.39
While Christians are
just being verbally crucified,
00:13:49.42\00:13:52.99
do you have
enough stamina to say,
00:13:53.03\00:13:55.26
say something at
that particular moment.
00:13:55.30\00:13:57.07
I think, you know,
00:13:57.10\00:13:58.43
when you think
about it that way,
00:13:58.47\00:13:59.80
it seems to me that's
00:13:59.83\00:14:01.17
what's being
actually pulled out of us.
00:14:01.20\00:14:02.64
Then you study where it kind
00:14:02.67\00:14:04.01
of comments on this and it says,
00:14:04.04\00:14:05.37
nothing naturally timid,
00:14:05.41\00:14:06.74
this refers to those
who choose personal safety
00:14:06.78\00:14:08.94
over faithfulness
to God in the end time.
00:14:08.98\00:14:11.21
Wow.
00:14:11.25\00:14:12.58
The idea of self preservation
in the midst of hardship,
00:14:12.61\00:14:14.35
you know, if it's
gonna be me or somebody else.
00:14:14.38\00:14:16.89
Yeah, all this, you know
and try to save my own skin.
00:14:16.92\00:14:19.65
That's right.
00:14:19.69\00:14:21.16
So like for example,
00:14:21.19\00:14:22.52
let's catapult to
the mark of the beast,
00:14:22.56\00:14:24.43
you know, if they say,
you're gonna quit your job...
00:14:24.46\00:14:27.60
Yeah.
00:14:27.63\00:14:28.96
Or you're gonna,
00:14:29.00\00:14:30.33
you're gonna give up
your job to keep Sunday.
00:14:30.37\00:14:32.47
Oh, no, I won't do this.
00:14:32.50\00:14:33.84
Adventism cost
me something, man...
00:14:33.87\00:14:35.20
Oh, yes.
00:14:35.24\00:14:36.57
Like I had to leave least
both of my forms of employment
00:14:36.60\00:14:38.57
because both of them had
heavy weekend involvements.
00:14:38.61\00:14:41.41
It's a really terrifying process
00:14:41.44\00:14:43.41
for me for a while that,
00:14:43.45\00:14:44.88
I remember my daddy came
into my room and he says,
00:14:44.91\00:14:46.55
you know, buddy
see they throw us not,
00:14:46.58\00:14:47.98
what are we gonna do
about this Sabbath thing.
00:14:48.02\00:14:49.38
Oh, wow.
00:14:49.42\00:14:50.75
And, you know, this is
what the Bible says bit like,
00:14:50.79\00:14:54.42
believe in the Bible
say something as one thing
00:14:54.46\00:14:57.09
but living your life is
if it's true is another,
00:14:57.13\00:14:59.93
and it can cost us something.
00:14:59.96\00:15:01.70
I think that those who
grow up in the system maybe
00:15:01.73\00:15:03.50
don't appreciate that as much.
00:15:03.53\00:15:05.17
I know if someone is
involved in evangelism,
00:15:05.20\00:15:06.94
I take it maybe a
little differently than someone
00:15:06.97\00:15:09.00
who grow up in the institution
00:15:09.04\00:15:10.37
that I know what's
going through their minds
00:15:10.41\00:15:12.17
when they had to
make this decision
00:15:12.21\00:15:13.54
because imagine
being a young family
00:15:13.58\00:15:15.88
and they are
having to make a choice
00:15:15.91\00:15:17.25
as a husband,
as the breadwinner,
00:15:17.28\00:15:18.61
that I had to leave
this job to stand for God,
00:15:18.65\00:15:20.62
but I have a small child
and a wife and other things.
00:15:20.65\00:15:23.69
God is asking us to
have courage to believe
00:15:23.72\00:15:25.92
and faith to believe
00:15:25.95\00:15:27.62
that He who called is
faithful and He will do it
00:15:27.66\00:15:30.19
and God did provide for us.
00:15:30.23\00:15:31.56
We went through
severe economic hardship,
00:15:31.59\00:15:34.30
but God prove faithful
00:15:34.33\00:15:35.86
and always found
a ways to provide
00:15:35.90\00:15:37.23
for our day to day needs.
00:15:37.27\00:15:38.70
It was scary, it was difficult
00:15:38.73\00:15:40.84
but through that process,
00:15:40.87\00:15:42.24
I came to understand the depths
of the faithfulness of God
00:15:42.27\00:15:45.51
in the midst of my difficulties.
00:15:45.54\00:15:47.48
And I think God wants
us to learn those lessons
00:15:47.51\00:15:49.81
in day to day
situations now to make us
00:15:49.84\00:15:51.98
in a person who
would stand then later.
00:15:52.01\00:15:55.08
Wow, any comments on that
00:15:55.12\00:15:56.52
'cause that's a
real life situation.
00:15:56.55\00:15:59.02
Yeah, 'cause he came out of,
00:15:59.05\00:16:00.52
you know, he was
not raised Adventist.
00:16:00.56\00:16:02.09
No. That's right.
00:16:02.12\00:16:03.46
Yeah. Yeah, and
you gave up so much.
00:16:03.49\00:16:05.46
Yeah.
00:16:05.49\00:16:07.66
You were in that finish line.
00:16:07.70\00:16:09.03
Yeah, that's right.
Well, that's where we met.
00:16:09.06\00:16:10.40
Yeah.
00:16:10.43\00:16:11.77
The finish line job
was the beginning line.
00:16:11.80\00:16:13.40
That's right, the first
time was my starting line.
00:16:13.44\00:16:14.77
In your walk with
God, you have to give it
00:16:14.80\00:16:16.14
a finish line to start
a new line with the Lord.
00:16:16.17\00:16:17.51
Yeah, that's right.
00:16:17.54\00:16:18.87
If we truly look at our lives...
00:16:18.91\00:16:20.24
Yes.
00:16:20.28\00:16:21.61
We look at everywhere,
I've moved 25 times in my life.
00:16:21.64\00:16:24.28
Wow.
00:16:24.31\00:16:25.65
I mean, my wife has
worked for the conference,
00:16:25.68\00:16:27.52
she has worked for
inter-American division,
00:16:27.55\00:16:30.22
she has worked for
schools, so we followed.
00:16:30.25\00:16:33.56
Every time I'm the one
that have to go and find a job.
00:16:33.59\00:16:36.56
You know, she is
already moved with,
00:16:36.59\00:16:38.86
you know, the
organization with the church.
00:16:38.89\00:16:41.06
And when you are
in the work force,
00:16:41.10\00:16:44.13
people don't
understand your belief,
00:16:44.17\00:16:46.77
what you are
trying to accomplish.
00:16:46.80\00:16:48.54
I remember I went
to a car dealership.
00:16:48.57\00:16:51.67
Because I'm bilingual,
00:16:51.71\00:16:53.14
there was a
Spanish person there,
00:16:53.17\00:16:55.24
and I went and talked to him
I pretty much sold him the car.
00:16:55.28\00:16:57.91
You know, I translated
for them and all that.
00:16:57.95\00:16:59.78
While the manager just
said, you can start right now,
00:16:59.81\00:17:03.25
you know, I'm
hiring you in the spot,
00:17:03.28\00:17:04.69
and I said, well, not a
problem and I just cannot,
00:17:04.72\00:17:07.16
from sundown to
sundown, I just don't work.
00:17:07.19\00:17:08.99
And he says, what do you mean?
00:17:09.02\00:17:10.53
That's the time
when we are most busy.
00:17:10.56\00:17:13.03
Yeah.
00:17:13.06\00:17:14.40
And says, well, you
guys work on commission
00:17:14.43\00:17:15.76
so nobody else
would object to that,
00:17:15.80\00:17:17.70
I know my God
will take care of me.
00:17:17.73\00:17:19.93
Oh, no, the guys
are gonna be upset.
00:17:19.97\00:17:21.87
He comes up to me and tells me
00:17:21.90\00:17:23.71
how is that you serve a
God that doesn't understand
00:17:23.74\00:17:26.78
that you need to
provide for my family.
00:17:26.81\00:17:28.54
Yeah. For your family.
00:17:28.58\00:17:29.91
I said, no, you
don't quite understand.
00:17:29.94\00:17:31.41
I serve a God that
provides for my family.
00:17:31.45\00:17:33.65
I'm just a vessel
that He uses to do that.
00:17:33.68\00:17:35.78
That's right. Right.
00:17:35.82\00:17:37.15
And that's the part that
they don't quite comprehend.
00:17:37.19\00:17:39.12
That aspect of trusting
God fully and it's countless.
00:17:39.15\00:17:44.59
You know, jobs like
that, that you've had to,
00:17:44.63\00:17:47.03
I've had to say
well, you know what?
00:17:47.06\00:17:48.56
Thank you, but no, I
don't like the opportunity.
00:17:48.60\00:17:51.47
And you have to
continue be faithful.
00:17:51.50\00:17:53.97
The nice part about that
00:17:54.00\00:17:55.40
is that the job that
God did give me eventually
00:17:55.44\00:17:58.34
was one that I've
enjoyed thoroughly for,
00:17:58.37\00:18:02.54
you know, for a
long period of time.
00:18:02.58\00:18:04.35
And when we are faithful,
00:18:04.38\00:18:07.05
at times we feel this
is never going to end.
00:18:07.08\00:18:10.65
You know, Lord,
how am I going to,
00:18:10.69\00:18:13.39
how am I gonna provide
next, how am I gonna do,
00:18:13.42\00:18:16.09
and like Dee was
mentioning, God always provides.
00:18:16.12\00:18:20.56
Always.
00:18:20.60\00:18:21.93
I remember vividly this, this...
00:18:21.96\00:18:24.57
I've always paycheck to
paycheck's been in my house,
00:18:24.60\00:18:26.97
it doesn't matter whether
00:18:27.00\00:18:28.34
we made a 100,000
or 50, 000 a year.
00:18:28.37\00:18:30.64
There's always been like
that I remember one time that
00:18:30.67\00:18:33.58
I'm driving along
and all of he sudden
00:18:33.61\00:18:35.74
my car's transmission
goes and I'm just floored.
00:18:35.78\00:18:40.35
I said Lord, I finally
had a little bit of money,
00:18:40.38\00:18:43.49
I had $400 in the back
account, I finally have,
00:18:43.52\00:18:46.05
why is this happening to me?
00:18:46.09\00:18:47.56
Immediately He comes to
me and says you hypocrite.
00:18:47.59\00:18:50.56
That
transmission has been broken
00:18:50.59\00:18:52.09
for about three months,
00:18:52.13\00:18:53.50
I left it till you had the
money to pay for it and now
00:18:53.53\00:18:56.56
you come and you tell me this.
00:18:56.60\00:18:58.47
You know, I'm just like,
00:18:58.50\00:18:59.83
okay, Lord, I
get it, I understand.
00:18:59.87\00:19:02.50
How many times we do
the same thing to God,
00:19:02.54\00:19:06.81
that God holds things
for when we do have the funds
00:19:06.84\00:19:11.91
and we don't give God the glory.
00:19:11.95\00:19:14.15
Well, you know, we have
somebody around this table,
00:19:14.18\00:19:16.12
that I want to kind of
pull into this scenario
00:19:16.15\00:19:17.69
because she disconnected
from all sustenance of life.
00:19:17.72\00:19:21.99
And I want to kind of talk
00:19:22.02\00:19:23.53
about a
situation you're in that,
00:19:23.56\00:19:24.89
I want to pray remain
just a topic of verbal
00:19:24.93\00:19:28.30
discussion not emotional
because it's very fresh to us.
00:19:28.33\00:19:30.73
Exactly.
00:19:30.77\00:19:32.10
But my sister-in-law Lecia,
00:19:32.13\00:19:33.47
when she heard
about her mom's need,
00:19:33.50\00:19:36.60
she disconnected
from job, from family...
00:19:36.64\00:19:39.11
Yeah.
00:19:39.14\00:19:40.48
And just decided,
I'm gonna dedicate,
00:19:40.51\00:19:41.84
I have no
monthly income coming in,
00:19:41.88\00:19:43.75
I'm just gonna go
ahead and dedicate myself
00:19:43.78\00:19:45.91
and this is what we
are talking about here.
00:19:45.95\00:19:47.78
Talk about that for a moment
00:19:47.82\00:19:49.15
because that takes an
act of faith and courage.
00:19:49.18\00:19:51.42
Yeah, it's...
00:19:51.45\00:19:53.12
A lot of people
may go through this
00:19:53.15\00:19:54.89
and this is a time in your life
00:19:54.92\00:19:57.26
where it's a testing period
00:19:57.29\00:19:59.59
and I went through that
testing period of my life
00:19:59.63\00:20:03.16
where the Lord
says do you trust me.
00:20:03.20\00:20:06.70
And you say, yes, Lord
00:20:06.74\00:20:08.30
but then He comes back again
and He says do you trust me?
00:20:08.34\00:20:12.01
And you are like yes, Lord.
00:20:12.04\00:20:13.54
Then the Lord
put you to the test.
00:20:13.58\00:20:15.34
That's right.
00:20:15.38\00:20:16.71
And when you go through that,
00:20:16.75\00:20:18.81
you know, sometimes you
have to give everything up,
00:20:18.85\00:20:22.08
but I can tell you
when I gave everything up,
00:20:22.12\00:20:25.55
my bills were paid every month.
00:20:25.59\00:20:28.79
I never was broke,
00:20:28.82\00:20:31.23
I gave up my job,
00:20:31.26\00:20:33.43
I started a new business.
00:20:33.46\00:20:35.96
A lot of things that happened,
00:20:37.37\00:20:38.73
I gave up a lot
including my home
00:20:38.77\00:20:44.14
because I knew at that
time that God was leading me.
00:20:44.17\00:20:47.38
You can't do this without
00:20:47.41\00:20:50.15
daily connection with God,
00:20:50.18\00:20:52.41
you know, it's important.
00:20:52.45\00:20:54.12
There were times I had
to pray on my knees at work,
00:20:54.15\00:20:57.49
you know, on my knees
praying in the bathroom,
00:20:57.52\00:21:00.16
not understanding
why things were happening
00:21:00.19\00:21:03.69
and not knowing that God was
gently leading me through this.
00:21:03.73\00:21:06.93
Yeah.
00:21:06.96\00:21:08.30
And then finally, when I made
the decision to quit my job,
00:21:08.33\00:21:12.93
was a really good job,
00:21:12.97\00:21:16.30
paid well
00:21:16.34\00:21:18.61
and I got a promotion
00:21:18.64\00:21:22.04
and then there was jealousy
because I got the promotion.
00:21:22.08\00:21:24.75
Yeah, employee of the month.
00:21:24.78\00:21:26.11
And as I started
work, wondering why is,
00:21:26.15\00:21:29.98
you know, these
attacks coming this way,
00:21:30.02\00:21:32.95
and finally I had enough
after praying and praying
00:21:32.99\00:21:36.39
and then finally
a peace came over me
00:21:36.42\00:21:40.70
and when that peace
came I knew at that moment
00:21:40.73\00:21:44.60
that now is the time
for me to make this move...
00:21:44.63\00:21:47.34
Yeah.
00:21:47.37\00:21:48.70
And I went in and
spoke to my manager
00:21:48.74\00:21:50.67
and she's, "Why,
Lecia, why are you quitting?"
00:21:50.71\00:21:53.64
She says, "You
know all those fears."
00:21:53.68\00:21:56.01
Now going back to fears,
00:21:56.04\00:21:58.31
it was a lot of fears
00:21:58.35\00:21:59.68
that led me to
want to quit my job.
00:21:59.71\00:22:02.72
Because of the
jealousy they were telling me,
00:22:02.75\00:22:05.12
oh, they are gonna
get rid of you next,
00:22:05.15\00:22:07.22
they got rid your supervisor,
00:22:07.26\00:22:10.13
you are gonna be next
and all these things and,
00:22:10.16\00:22:13.06
you know, the
jealousy you could see it,
00:22:13.09\00:22:15.00
you know, what was
going on but yet you wondered,
00:22:15.03\00:22:17.37
am I gonna be next?
00:22:17.40\00:22:18.83
That's fair.
00:22:18.87\00:22:20.40
You know, when
you've got a bills,
00:22:20.44\00:22:21.94
you've got your
house, that's fair,
00:22:21.97\00:22:24.34
how are you gonna manage,
00:22:24.37\00:22:25.94
you know, but then
you still had to believe,
00:22:25.97\00:22:29.31
you had to believe
00:22:29.34\00:22:31.15
and I can't stress
enough how important it is
00:22:31.18\00:22:35.15
that when you're
going through these trials,
00:22:35.18\00:22:37.65
read your Bible.
00:22:37.69\00:22:39.02
Yeah. That's right.
00:22:39.05\00:22:40.39
Sing songs of
praise and look to the Lord
00:22:40.42\00:22:44.53
and He is your best friend.
00:22:44.56\00:22:46.43
That's right.
00:22:46.46\00:22:47.80
He actually, He doesn't
care how big your problem is,
00:22:47.83\00:22:50.70
how little it is
that you're praying,
00:22:50.73\00:22:52.63
anything that concerns you,
00:22:52.67\00:22:54.64
no matter how
big or how little...
00:22:54.67\00:22:56.30
That's right.
00:22:56.34\00:22:57.67
You take it to
the Lord in prayer
00:22:57.71\00:22:59.64
and once you take
it to God in prayer,
00:22:59.67\00:23:02.04
He wants that, He wants to know
00:23:02.08\00:23:04.41
that we have that
open relationship.
00:23:04.45\00:23:06.61
Yes, He does. That's right.
00:23:06.65\00:23:07.98
And because of that
00:23:08.02\00:23:10.52
He's brought me
through a mighty long way
00:23:10.55\00:23:12.45
and I have to tell everyone
before I end on this note,
00:23:12.49\00:23:15.76
I have to say that,
it pays to serve God.
00:23:15.79\00:23:18.79
Amen. That's right.
00:23:18.83\00:23:20.16
And the reward at the
end is greater than the fear
00:23:20.20\00:23:23.23
that you had in the beginning.
00:23:23.26\00:23:24.67
That's right.
That's right, that's right.
00:23:24.70\00:23:26.40
And this morning I woke up
'cause you are staying with us
00:23:26.43\00:23:29.57
for just about a
week and I woke up
00:23:29.60\00:23:31.57
and I'm like what
is the Li doing on?
00:23:31.61\00:23:33.64
And I went out to your bedroom
00:23:33.68\00:23:36.48
and there she was
on her knees praying,
00:23:36.51\00:23:38.95
asking the Lord
to help, to guide her
00:23:38.98\00:23:41.58
because she has
been through a lot.
00:23:41.62\00:23:43.72
That's right. And
so prayer is the key.
00:23:43.75\00:23:45.69
We have to have a
relationship with the Lord
00:23:45.72\00:23:48.36
and prayer is the key
00:23:48.39\00:23:50.06
and study in God's
word is the key also.
00:23:50.09\00:23:53.29
Matter of fact on that note,
let's read Deuteronomy 31:6,
00:23:53.33\00:23:56.77
because this fits right
into what you just talked about,
00:23:56.80\00:23:59.60
because you
talked about your job,
00:23:59.63\00:24:01.90
people coming up against you,
feeling that you might be next,
00:24:01.94\00:24:05.41
that the devil sowing all these
seeds of fear and intimidation,
00:24:05.44\00:24:08.78
and then this
text came to my mind.
00:24:08.81\00:24:10.61
I jumped over the
stories in the beginning
00:24:10.65\00:24:12.15
because when you
talked about that this text,
00:24:12.18\00:24:13.75
read that one for us,
hon, Deuteronomy 31:6.
00:24:13.78\00:24:15.75
It says, "Be strong
and of good courage,
00:24:15.78\00:24:20.22
do not fear nor
be afraid of them,
00:24:20.26\00:24:23.53
for the Lord your God,
00:24:23.56\00:24:25.93
He is the One who goes with you.
00:24:25.96\00:24:28.80
He will not leave
you nor for sake you."
00:24:28.83\00:24:32.70
Powerful.
00:24:32.73\00:24:34.07
So in the job, don't be afraid
to them, what you are hearing.
00:24:34.10\00:24:36.20
Don't be afraid of them,
what you are anticipating.
00:24:36.24\00:24:38.87
In Cuba, in the
employment realm,
00:24:38.91\00:24:41.51
I mean, I lost the job
twice because of Sabbath issues.
00:24:41.54\00:24:45.91
But those are the little tests
00:24:45.95\00:24:49.05
that are getting us ready
00:24:49.08\00:24:50.42
for the larger tests
and usually when you,
00:24:50.45\00:24:53.96
it's kind of like weightlifters.
00:24:53.99\00:24:55.42
Now I'm not one to
talk about weightlifting.
00:24:55.46\00:24:57.49
I mean, I'm really
not any example of that.
00:24:57.53\00:25:00.56
But you'll notice
that more weight you lift,
00:25:00.60\00:25:03.53
the more weight
you are able to lift,
00:25:03.57\00:25:05.43
the weight continues to increase
00:25:05.47\00:25:06.84
and your strength increases.
00:25:06.87\00:25:08.37
And so trial sometimes come,
00:25:08.40\00:25:10.21
the Lord is letting us
become strong Christians
00:25:10.24\00:25:12.34
but they will never be developed
00:25:12.37\00:25:14.74
if there is not some
weights of moments of courage
00:25:14.78\00:25:17.58
to test our faith in
our examples of life.
00:25:17.61\00:25:20.82
I can see you
percolating there, Luis.
00:25:20.85\00:25:22.82
No, it's interesting
00:25:22.85\00:25:24.19
because I do a lot
of prison ministry.
00:25:24.22\00:25:27.09
Right. Oh, yeah.
00:25:27.12\00:25:28.46
And every time that
we do prayer request,
00:25:28.49\00:25:32.26
there is a couple of guys
00:25:32.29\00:25:33.63
that would stand
up and they says,
00:25:33.66\00:25:35.00
you know, I was at my
last and I didn't know
00:25:35.03\00:25:37.23
where to go and I pray to God,
00:25:37.27\00:25:39.37
God please save me
and here's where I am.
00:25:39.40\00:25:42.90
So you know, and it's just funny
00:25:42.94\00:25:46.27
because a lot of the times
God has to get us to a place
00:25:46.31\00:25:50.28
where we have no
influences around us
00:25:50.31\00:25:55.18
in order for us to be
able to be victorious.
00:25:55.22\00:25:58.52
Most of us, we
feel oh, we can do it.
00:25:58.55\00:26:01.02
There isn't anything,
00:26:01.06\00:26:02.39
I have learned in my short life
00:26:02.42\00:26:03.86
that there isn't
anything I could do of myself.
00:26:03.89\00:26:07.53
I always joke around
with people and he says,
00:26:07.56\00:26:10.33
I always tell him and he says,
00:26:10.37\00:26:13.13
are you being good?
00:26:13.17\00:26:15.04
And, you know,
and people would say,
00:26:15.07\00:26:17.61
oh, yeah, oh, I
stopped doing that a long ago.
00:26:17.64\00:26:20.08
You know, and
people start thinking that,
00:26:20.11\00:26:22.14
I'm doing it, and I says no,
00:26:22.18\00:26:23.51
I gave it to the Lord
to do because when I tried,
00:26:23.55\00:26:25.95
I failed, I failed tremendously.
00:26:25.98\00:26:29.12
But it's encouraging to
know that when we started,
00:26:29.15\00:26:34.02
when I started
the prison ministry,
00:26:34.06\00:26:35.92
I was fearful.
00:26:35.96\00:26:37.39
I was so until, it
wasn't until God actually said
00:26:37.43\00:26:41.13
what are you fearful for?
00:26:41.16\00:26:42.50
Yeah.
00:26:42.53\00:26:43.87
Those are your
brothers that are in there,
00:26:43.90\00:26:45.23
that they need somebody like you
00:26:45.27\00:26:46.67
to give them a difference
00:26:46.70\00:26:48.07
and now is when I'm there,
I'm like I can't have enough.
00:26:48.10\00:26:51.47
I want to, you know, so the fear
00:26:51.51\00:26:55.64
that you may be going through
00:26:55.68\00:26:57.95
is because the enemy knows
00:26:57.98\00:27:00.35
that you are
getting closer and closer
00:27:00.38\00:27:02.42
to our relationship with God.
00:27:02.45\00:27:03.79
That's right.
00:27:03.82\00:27:05.15
And sometimes it takes God,
00:27:05.19\00:27:09.19
it may take God to
put you in a situation
00:27:09.22\00:27:11.13
where you're
completely out of your realm
00:27:11.16\00:27:12.93
which is a prison,
00:27:12.96\00:27:14.33
in order for you to deal down
00:27:14.36\00:27:16.46
and to
completely devote yourself
00:27:16.50\00:27:19.63
or develop your character.
00:27:19.67\00:27:21.77
And as like you were
telling about weightlifting.
00:27:21.80\00:27:24.14
It's the same thing with God.
00:27:24.17\00:27:25.87
If you look through your life,
00:27:25.91\00:27:27.28
if you look at all the things
that's happened in your life,
00:27:27.31\00:27:29.94
your faith has been
increasing through time,
00:27:29.98\00:27:34.62
through trials and tribulations,
00:27:34.65\00:27:36.42
through obstacles in your life.
00:27:36.45\00:27:37.99
So if you are going through life
00:27:38.02\00:27:39.35
when nothing is happening
00:27:39.39\00:27:40.92
and you are just enjoying life,
00:27:40.96\00:27:43.53
how strong are you?
00:27:43.56\00:27:46.13
And I remember
one of these aspect,
00:27:46.16\00:27:47.70
I went to, in
Arizona they have the,
00:27:47.73\00:27:50.93
I think it's called
Earth 2 or something.
00:27:50.97\00:27:52.57
It's a place
where they try to mimic
00:27:52.60\00:27:55.14
what the earth look like
00:27:55.17\00:27:56.97
and they have built these trees
00:27:57.01\00:27:59.27
but the trees they
don't have a good root
00:27:59.31\00:28:01.31
and what they found out
is there was no resistant.
00:28:01.34\00:28:03.65
There was no air,
00:28:03.68\00:28:05.01
we did not put the resistant
of the air for the root
00:28:05.05\00:28:08.05
to actually to go down
and deep and to hold on.
00:28:08.08\00:28:12.89
So any little movement,
00:28:12.92\00:28:14.26
those trees would fall
and it's the same with us.
00:28:14.29\00:28:16.86
Until we have those roots
00:28:16.89\00:28:19.43
and a lot of those
roots come with a lot of pain.
00:28:19.46\00:28:22.33
That's right and resistance.
00:28:22.36\00:28:23.70
A lot of those
roots come with resistance
00:28:23.73\00:28:25.30
and with us
completely surrendering.
00:28:25.33\00:28:29.27
And that for some reason
00:28:30.51\00:28:32.07
is one of the
toughest thing that human does.
00:28:32.11\00:28:34.94
The roots, do
you want to say some?
00:28:36.14\00:28:38.28
The roots when a
tree is standing by itself
00:28:38.31\00:28:40.88
in the middle of an open
field, it's got deep roots.
00:28:40.92\00:28:43.95
Because it's been tested
through the winds of life,
00:28:43.99\00:28:45.82
the trials of life,
00:28:45.85\00:28:47.19
the difficulties
of life have come.
00:28:47.22\00:28:49.02
The one you just read,
00:28:49.06\00:28:50.39
I want to dive into couple
00:28:50.43\00:28:51.76
of more text
here because we are,
00:28:51.79\00:28:53.13
you know, where
we find our strength
00:28:53.16\00:28:54.50
is in the Bible verses,
00:28:54.53\00:28:55.86
the foundation that
the scriptures lay for us.
00:28:55.90\00:28:57.47
You know, we began with
00:28:57.50\00:28:59.90
the fearful and unbelieving.
00:28:59.93\00:29:01.90
That's the society
in which we live today,
00:29:01.94\00:29:03.94
and I've said this
to Angie so many times,
00:29:03.97\00:29:06.84
with all these things
threatening Christians,
00:29:06.88\00:29:09.04
their practices today,
00:29:09.08\00:29:10.41
why are we so quiet?
00:29:10.45\00:29:12.61
And they go, oh, the
government passed this law.
00:29:12.65\00:29:14.32
Well, this is now
legislated well and I say well,
00:29:14.35\00:29:18.05
that didn't stopped
Martin Luther death,
00:29:18.09\00:29:20.22
didn't stop
Martin Luther King Jr.,
00:29:20.26\00:29:22.79
it didn't, so
what we are missing
00:29:22.82\00:29:24.16
in our world today is somebody
00:29:24.19\00:29:25.53
who is fearless to
speak to the matter at hand
00:29:25.56\00:29:29.40
and like I was listening to,
00:29:29.43\00:29:30.77
you know, there are so many
00:29:30.80\00:29:32.13
Christian radio
stations including 3ABN
00:29:32.17\00:29:33.60
but there was a particular
Christian station said,
00:29:33.64\00:29:37.51
if you stand up
against such and such activity,
00:29:37.54\00:29:40.38
you know, boycott
such and such a store,
00:29:40.41\00:29:43.14
let them know
that we don't stand
00:29:43.18\00:29:44.51
for that kind of behavior.
00:29:44.55\00:29:45.88
And I thought wow,
that takes a lot of courage
00:29:45.91\00:29:47.48
to broadcast that on the radio,
00:29:47.52\00:29:49.32
but this is the kind of
society in which we live.
00:29:49.35\00:29:52.32
Let's look at one
story in the Bible
00:29:52.35\00:29:53.72
to even open up some more doors.
00:29:53.76\00:29:55.62
Okay, who would like
to walk us through this?
00:29:55.66\00:29:58.89
You probably read
pretty efficiently.
00:29:58.93\00:30:00.90
Okay.
00:30:00.93\00:30:02.26
Walk us through
the story right there
00:30:02.30\00:30:03.63
because this as Dee reads it,
00:30:03.67\00:30:05.83
this an example of Gideon.
00:30:05.87\00:30:07.57
Now we know Gideon was
a man of eventual courage
00:30:07.60\00:30:10.51
but he didn't start that place.
00:30:10.54\00:30:11.87
That's right.
00:30:11.91\00:30:13.24
We don't often get to the
point of full courage unless
00:30:13.27\00:30:15.48
we start in a
place sometimes of fear.
00:30:15.51\00:30:16.85
Right.
00:30:16.88\00:30:18.21
It's in Judges 6:7-14,
00:30:18.25\00:30:20.52
look at this, "
And it came to pass,
00:30:20.55\00:30:22.25
when the children of
Israel cried out to the Lord
00:30:22.28\00:30:24.19
because of the Midianites,
00:30:24.22\00:30:25.92
that the Lord sent a prophet
to the children of Israel,
00:30:25.95\00:30:28.62
who said to them,
00:30:28.66\00:30:29.99
"Thus says the
Lord God of Israel,
00:30:30.03\00:30:31.89
'I brought you up from Egypt
00:30:31.93\00:30:33.36
and brought you out
of the house of bondage
00:30:33.40\00:30:35.60
and I delivered you out
of the hand of the Egyptians
00:30:35.63\00:30:38.03
and out of the hand
of all who oppressed you,
00:30:38.07\00:30:40.37
and drove them out before
you and gave you their land.
00:30:40.40\00:30:43.64
Also I said to you,
'I am the Lord your God,
00:30:43.67\00:30:46.61
do not fear the
gods of the Amorites,
00:30:46.64\00:30:48.71
in whose land you dwell.'
00:30:48.74\00:30:50.31
But you have not
obeyed My voice.'
00:30:50.35\00:30:52.21
Okay, see he showed him
all what he did for him.
00:30:52.25\00:30:54.28
Yeah. Right.
00:30:54.32\00:30:55.65
He says, but why you are here,
00:30:55.68\00:30:57.02
'cause you
haven't obeyed my voice.
00:30:57.05\00:30:58.39
Yeah. And where is he?
00:30:58.42\00:30:59.75
Look at the next verse. Yeah.
00:30:59.79\00:31:01.12
Why? Where is he?
00:31:01.16\00:31:02.49
"Now the Angel of the Lord came
00:31:02.52\00:31:03.86
and sat under the terebinth tree
00:31:03.89\00:31:05.23
which was in Ophrah,
00:31:05.26\00:31:06.59
which belonged to
Joash the Abiezrite,
00:31:06.63\00:31:08.60
while his son Gideon
threshed wheat in the winepress,
00:31:08.63\00:31:10.93
in order to hide it
from the Midianites."
00:31:10.97\00:31:12.53
What's he doing? God has...
00:31:13.54\00:31:15.04
Not in the
open, it doesn't seem.
00:31:15.07\00:31:16.47
He is not in the open.
00:31:16.50\00:31:17.84
Lord is telling
all this I did for you,
00:31:17.87\00:31:19.24
did not I live for you?
Did not I fight for you?
00:31:19.27\00:31:20.74
Wasn't I with you?
00:31:20.78\00:31:22.11
Not so loud, I'm
treshing wheat in the winepress.
00:31:23.91\00:31:27.32
The Midianites might
hear this conversation.
00:31:27.35\00:31:29.92
Keep going.
00:31:29.95\00:31:31.42
And God responds to this, says,
00:31:31.45\00:31:32.79
"And Angel of the
Lord appeared to him,
00:31:32.82\00:31:34.16
and said to him,
"The Lord is with you,
00:31:34.19\00:31:35.99
you mighty man of valor!"
00:31:36.02\00:31:37.36
Now does he look like
a mighty man of valor?
00:31:37.39\00:31:38.89
Looks like a littley
man, littley man here.
00:31:40.10\00:31:43.06
The Lord is seeing in him
what he doesn't see in himself.
00:31:43.10\00:31:46.37
He is speaking
faith into Gideon, yes.
00:31:46.40\00:31:48.27
Thank you. Yeah.
00:31:48.30\00:31:49.64
So he looks at us,
I want to break that,
00:31:49.67\00:31:51.21
he looks at us in our
moments of fear and he says,
00:31:51.24\00:31:53.78
you mighty man or valor,
00:31:53.81\00:31:55.71
you can do this
and you're saying shh,
00:31:55.74\00:31:59.45
they might hear us God.
00:31:59.48\00:32:00.92
You mighty man of
valor, you winepress hider,
00:32:00.95\00:32:03.65
you can do this, get
out of that vat and go
00:32:03.69\00:32:06.09
and fight you
mighty man of valor.
00:32:06.12\00:32:08.92
He has seen in him, so
he's saying to my wife,
00:32:08.96\00:32:11.19
he's saying to
Lecie, he's saying to Luis.
00:32:11.23\00:32:14.96
And, you know,
when you mentioned
00:32:15.00\00:32:16.33
you are in prison
ministry and you are fearful,
00:32:16.36\00:32:17.70
I'm thinking I can't see that.
00:32:17.73\00:32:19.07
He is my bodyguard.
00:32:21.57\00:32:23.64
I can't see him
walking into prison and say,
00:32:23.67\00:32:25.94
would you guys
like to hear sermon?
00:32:25.97\00:32:27.81
Well, finish the
story, this is amazing story.
00:32:29.41\00:32:31.41
And Gideon's response,
00:32:31.45\00:32:32.78
Gideon doesn't believe
in God's belief in him...
00:32:32.81\00:32:34.38
Okay.
00:32:34.42\00:32:35.75
Right now he says, "O my
Lord, if the Lord is with us,
00:32:35.78\00:32:38.69
why then has all
this happened to us?
00:32:38.72\00:32:41.26
And where are all the miracles
which our fathers told us about,
00:32:41.29\00:32:44.03
saying, 'Did not the
Lord bring us up from Egypt?'
00:32:44.06\00:32:46.63
But now the Lord has forsaken us
00:32:46.66\00:32:48.86
and delivered us into
the hands of the Midianites.
00:32:48.90\00:32:51.77
Then the Lord
turned to him and said,
00:32:51.80\00:32:53.34
'Go in this might of yours,
00:32:53.37\00:32:55.74
and you shall save Israel
00:32:55.77\00:32:57.47
from the hand of the Midianites.
00:32:57.51\00:32:58.91
Have I not sent you?'
00:32:58.94\00:33:00.28
" Now he doesn't
even say my might.
00:33:00.31\00:33:01.64
Exactly.
00:33:01.68\00:33:03.01
He said which implies that God
00:33:03.04\00:33:04.38
has already
provided might to Gideon.
00:33:04.41\00:33:06.08
Right.
00:33:06.11\00:33:07.45
But Gideon does not
believe that's the case
00:33:07.48\00:33:09.28
and all he can
remember, all the downsides,
00:33:09.32\00:33:11.59
all the failures of the
past but he has no recollection
00:33:11.62\00:33:15.06
of the
faithfulness of God in his past.
00:33:15.09\00:33:17.26
Little on the belief
of God in his present,
00:33:17.29\00:33:19.23
which is what he just said,
00:33:19.26\00:33:20.76
I see you as a
mighty man of valor.
00:33:20.80\00:33:22.36
That's right.
00:33:22.40\00:33:23.73
He won't believe in the
faithfulness of God's past
00:33:23.77\00:33:25.10
or God's faith in
him in the present,
00:33:25.13\00:33:27.27
and that's what caused
him to not be willing to do
00:33:27.30\00:33:29.94
what God had said
initially was because of that.
00:33:29.97\00:33:32.51
And we've had these examples
00:33:32.54\00:33:33.88
in our own
ministry, in our own life
00:33:33.91\00:33:35.48
where we have
seen these timelines
00:33:35.51\00:33:37.11
that we mark and we could,
00:33:37.15\00:33:38.88
and the Lord could
look at us and say.
00:33:38.91\00:33:40.38
So when we come up
against a new mountain
00:33:40.42\00:33:42.65
and the Lord says to
us, haven't I done this?
00:33:42.68\00:33:46.45
Haven't I done
that? Haven't I done that?
00:33:46.49\00:33:47.82
Haven't I done that?
Oh, yeah, I'm an easer.
00:33:47.86\00:33:50.36
I'm an easer, I'm
not at the place now
00:33:50.39\00:33:53.36
where I could actually fall
00:33:53.40\00:33:54.73
into the Gideon's
category because I could say,
00:33:54.76\00:33:56.56
yes, you have Lord but
Gideon wasn't there yet.
00:33:56.60\00:33:59.33
Right. Right.
00:33:59.37\00:34:00.70
He was saying but,
the Lord has for saken us.
00:34:00.74\00:34:02.84
Yeah.
00:34:02.87\00:34:04.21
That's the part
that I'm so in awe by,
00:34:04.24\00:34:06.27
I mean, I'm wondering like,
how could you tell that to God.
00:34:06.31\00:34:09.01
Right.
00:34:09.04\00:34:10.38
You know, that you have
turned us against the Mid.
00:34:10.41\00:34:13.15
How is it that you after failing
so many times of all the things
00:34:13.18\00:34:17.99
that God has given and
now you're gonna blame God
00:34:18.02\00:34:20.29
for the situation
that you put yourself in.
00:34:20.32\00:34:23.32
How often do we
do that to ourselves?
00:34:23.36\00:34:25.19
Yeah.
00:34:25.23\00:34:26.56
How often do we, does
God, and I remember vividly
00:34:26.59\00:34:28.66
when God wanted
me to move back home
00:34:28.70\00:34:30.60
and I kept on saying no, no, no.
00:34:30.63\00:34:32.70
God had to remove
himself from me like
00:34:32.73\00:34:35.60
where I couldn't even
hear him on to a point
00:34:35.64\00:34:37.81
that I was faithful
and I kept on saying, Lord,
00:34:37.84\00:34:41.18
what do you want from
me? What do you want from me?
00:34:41.21\00:34:42.54
And He kept on telling
me, I wasn't listening.
00:34:42.58\00:34:44.41
And sometimes is what
happens to us and we tell God,
00:34:44.45\00:34:47.12
why am I in this situation
and He has to remind us.
00:34:47.15\00:34:49.88
You are in this situation
because you put yourself there.
00:34:49.92\00:34:52.35
I wanted to show you
how mighty and powerful,
00:34:52.39\00:34:54.86
how great things that
I'm gonna do through you,
00:34:54.89\00:34:57.19
so countless of generations
are going to see your valor,
00:34:57.23\00:35:02.00
how wonderful you are, but
first you have to trust me.
00:35:02.03\00:35:05.33
You've got to get to the point
00:35:05.37\00:35:06.70
where you could
humble yourself to the point
00:35:06.74\00:35:08.07
where you understand
what I'm trying to tell you.
00:35:08.10\00:35:10.31
Yeah.
00:35:10.34\00:35:11.67
You know, Ellen White tells us
that in the Spirit of Prophecy,
00:35:11.71\00:35:13.88
she mentions that all of
God's biddings are enablings.
00:35:13.91\00:35:16.85
Yes. That's right.
00:35:16.88\00:35:18.21
And in this situation how many
times have you counsel people,
00:35:18.25\00:35:20.28
I had to do it tons of times,
00:35:20.32\00:35:21.65
where someone
says this very thing,
00:35:21.68\00:35:23.18
if God was with me
then why has this happened?
00:35:23.22\00:35:26.19
And where is this
faithful God when I need Him?
00:35:26.22\00:35:28.89
Right. And He's in your past.
00:35:28.92\00:35:31.56
Just recount your life history,
00:35:32.56\00:35:33.96
the things that
God has done for you,
00:35:34.00\00:35:35.76
that same God
that was there then,
00:35:35.80\00:35:37.43
He is still here now,
00:35:37.47\00:35:38.80
and this very God in
spite of your weak faith
00:35:38.83\00:35:41.24
is asking you to do something.
00:35:41.27\00:35:43.81
And if God is
asking you to do something,
00:35:43.84\00:35:45.94
it must mean that He has
00:35:45.97\00:35:47.51
a better knowledge
of your capabilities,
00:35:47.54\00:35:50.25
and the holy
unction from Holy Spirit
00:35:50.28\00:35:51.95
to give you the ability
to do them, then you do.
00:35:51.98\00:35:54.78
God must have more
faith in your ability
00:35:54.82\00:35:56.69
to succeed in this than you do,
00:35:56.72\00:35:58.62
but will you
believe what He says.
00:35:58.65\00:36:00.29
So no call from God
will ever come unless
00:36:00.32\00:36:02.49
the provision of
God was already there.
00:36:02.52\00:36:04.89
And Gideon didn't
believe that at that movement
00:36:04.93\00:36:06.59
and yet God still speaks to
him as if Gideon did believe it,
00:36:06.63\00:36:09.60
this is the amazing thing.
00:36:09.63\00:36:10.97
He calls him a
mighty man of valor.
00:36:11.00\00:36:12.33
Lecia, go down to point
number four in the next page,
00:36:12.37\00:36:14.17
I want you to read
that text in Isaiah.
00:36:14.20\00:36:15.60
What's that? You
don't have to fear...
00:36:15.64\00:36:16.97
Isaiah 40.
00:36:17.01\00:36:18.47
Oh, right.
00:36:18.51\00:36:19.94
We have nothing to
fear for the future,
00:36:19.97\00:36:21.84
point number four
except as we forget
00:36:21.88\00:36:24.11
the way the Lord
led us in the past.
00:36:24.15\00:36:26.28
It's Isaiah 40:29-31.
00:36:26.31\00:36:28.88
Read that, that's a
powerful text because it's just,
00:36:28.92\00:36:31.85
the God is looking at
Gideon, this weak link
00:36:31.89\00:36:35.59
and look at what He says.
00:36:35.62\00:36:36.96
"He gives power to the weak,
00:36:36.99\00:36:39.06
And to those who have no
might He increases strength.
00:36:39.09\00:36:43.00
Even the youths
shall faint and be weary,
00:36:43.03\00:36:46.67
and the young men
shall utterly fall,
00:36:46.70\00:36:49.94
but those who wait on the
Lord shall renew their strength.
00:36:49.97\00:36:55.01
They shall mount up
with wings like eagles,
00:36:55.04\00:36:59.21
they shall run and not be weary,
00:36:59.25\00:37:02.35
they shall walk and not faint."
00:37:02.38\00:37:04.75
Wow.
00:37:04.79\00:37:06.45
So he was described,
00:37:06.49\00:37:07.82
He gives strength
to those who are what?
00:37:07.86\00:37:09.92
Weak. Power to the weak.
00:37:09.96\00:37:11.69
Yeah.
00:37:11.73\00:37:13.06
So he looks at this,
00:37:13.09\00:37:15.03
I keep saying
Gideon, he looks at us.
00:37:15.06\00:37:17.07
Yeah. That's right.
00:37:17.10\00:37:18.43
All right, I'm Gideon. Yeah.
00:37:20.27\00:37:22.07
You see, we like to side
with the guys of courage,
00:37:22.10\00:37:24.84
we like the David examples.
00:37:24.87\00:37:27.24
It reminds me of times when
00:37:27.28\00:37:30.38
I don't have enough faith
and I'm wondering where is God,
00:37:30.41\00:37:35.98
we all get to that
even though no matter
00:37:36.02\00:37:37.72
how many times you've been
Christians and study the word.
00:37:37.75\00:37:41.62
Sometimes
pressures of life can get
00:37:41.66\00:37:43.53
so heavy that you tend to forget
00:37:43.56\00:37:46.96
but the key word to me
when I get down to that point,
00:37:47.00\00:37:51.73
I say within myself,
00:37:51.77\00:37:54.17
God would not have
brought me this far to leave me.
00:37:54.20\00:37:57.01
Never. That's right.
00:37:57.04\00:37:58.84
You know, the interesting
part, you didn't put in this
00:37:58.87\00:38:01.31
is that then he goes
out and test God twice.
00:38:01.34\00:38:03.95
Right.
00:38:03.98\00:38:05.31
So it's like wait a
minute, God is telling them
00:38:05.35\00:38:06.68
and showing them
all these things...
00:38:06.72\00:38:08.05
Yes.
00:38:08.08\00:38:09.42
Oh, well, can
you, kind of tell me,
00:38:09.45\00:38:10.79
I want to make
sure that it's you.
00:38:10.82\00:38:12.15
Can you wet the floor
and leave the fleece dry?
00:38:12.19\00:38:14.36
Okay, you did that,
now can you leave the...
00:38:14.39\00:38:16.09
wet the fleece and
leave the floor dry.
00:38:16.12\00:38:18.23
Yeah.
00:38:18.26\00:38:19.59
Do we not do the same
thing to God all the time?
00:38:19.63\00:38:21.63
Yes, we do. Yes.
00:38:21.66\00:38:23.00
Do does not God tells, like for
example, the prison ministry.
00:38:23.03\00:38:25.23
What would happen to those
guys in there right now they,
00:38:25.27\00:38:30.11
you know, they love that I'm
coming, that I'm helping them.
00:38:30.14\00:38:32.74
All of those individuals,
they may not have, who knows,
00:38:32.77\00:38:35.71
how many of those are
gonna see in the kingdom of God
00:38:35.74\00:38:37.61
because I got away from my fear
00:38:37.65\00:38:41.35
and I went and did
something that God tells me.
00:38:41.38\00:38:43.95
To this day, even
to this past Saturday,
00:38:43.99\00:38:46.52
this past Sunday
I would talk to them
00:38:46.55\00:38:49.49
about the state of the
dead and all of these things,
00:38:49.52\00:38:52.59
and I'm like, I'm saying,
00:38:52.63\00:38:53.96
Lord, I'm not the one
that should be doing this,
00:38:54.00\00:38:56.06
there is a lot more
people that are more,
00:38:56.10\00:38:57.93
far better qualified
and God had to tell me.
00:38:57.97\00:39:01.70
I called them,
they didn't want to,
00:39:01.74\00:39:03.97
you are the one that went,
00:39:04.01\00:39:05.37
I will empower you,
00:39:05.41\00:39:06.74
I will help you and that's
what people need to understand.
00:39:06.78\00:39:09.31
Yeah.
00:39:09.34\00:39:10.68
A lot of us, we want
to be completely prepare
00:39:10.71\00:39:13.05
before we give
our hearts to God.
00:39:13.08\00:39:14.72
Right.
00:39:14.75\00:39:16.08
And God tells us there is
nothing in you that you can do,
00:39:16.12\00:39:18.72
it's through me that you
were able to show your courage
00:39:18.75\00:39:22.59
is shown through your
ability to submit fully to Me.
00:39:22.62\00:39:26.43
Yeah.
00:39:26.46\00:39:27.80
You know, the enemy
has a lot of weapons.
00:39:27.83\00:39:29.16
I want Angie to read this
example of David's courage.
00:39:29.20\00:39:31.13
This, that...
00:39:31.17\00:39:32.50
I mean, perfect segue
00:39:32.53\00:39:33.87
to what she's
gonna read right now.
00:39:33.90\00:39:35.24
But some of us want
to take a bath first,
00:39:35.27\00:39:38.44
you know, so to
speak to get cleanse.
00:39:38.47\00:39:40.78
But Lord said
come as you are. Okay.
00:39:40.81\00:39:43.28
He will clean you,
He will cleanse you.
00:39:43.31\00:39:45.65
So let's read
this text, where is it?
00:39:45.68\00:39:48.52
Yeah, the example
here, the setting it up is,
00:39:48.55\00:39:51.29
you said sometimes
we want to be prepare,
00:39:51.32\00:39:53.42
we want to go and
get everything in order,
00:39:53.46\00:39:55.16
David went to this battle,
00:39:55.19\00:39:57.79
David went to
the field of battle
00:39:57.83\00:39:59.76
not intending to fight.
00:39:59.79\00:40:01.13
He was delivering cheese.
00:40:01.16\00:40:02.50
He wasn't going to
fight in the battle, isn't it?
00:40:02.53\00:40:04.93
That's what he
was doing, wasn't he?
00:40:06.87\00:40:08.24
The Lord may use
different circumstances
00:40:08.27\00:40:11.71
to get you where
your battles are.
00:40:11.74\00:40:13.17
Yes.
00:40:13.21\00:40:14.54
Go take some bread and
cheese to your brothers.
00:40:14.58\00:40:16.51
Yeah. They need
something to eat.
00:40:16.54\00:40:18.21
Yeah.
00:40:18.25\00:40:19.58
But that's not why
He's sending you there.
00:40:19.61\00:40:20.95
No.
00:40:20.98\00:40:22.32
Because He knew
that if he said to David,
00:40:22.35\00:40:23.69
hey, I want you
to go fight that big,
00:40:23.72\00:40:25.05
tall guy with the coat of
male, with that iron spear,
00:40:25.09\00:40:28.02
when the tip is a 120 pound,
I mean 20 pound tip on it.
00:40:28.06\00:40:31.46
Go fight him.
00:40:31.49\00:40:32.83
David might say,
00:40:32.86\00:40:34.20
"Lord, could I just
stay here with the sheep?"
00:40:34.23\00:40:36.00
So he goes out there
00:40:36.03\00:40:37.37
and he hears this
boisterous, bold...
00:40:37.40\00:40:39.37
He even hit the way
00:40:39.40\00:40:40.74
that he recounts
in the situation,
00:40:40.77\00:40:42.24
was the
faithfulness of God in his past.
00:40:42.27\00:40:43.81
Right.
00:40:43.84\00:40:45.17
He says, I fought the bear
00:40:45.21\00:40:46.54
and I fought
the lion or whatever
00:40:46.57\00:40:47.91
and I deliver that
with my own bare hands,
00:40:47.94\00:40:49.28
the Lord is with me
then, He'll be with me now,
00:40:49.31\00:40:51.15
tying the
previous point together.
00:40:51.18\00:40:52.85
David took that mentality.
00:40:52.88\00:40:54.22
Now look at the
text, look at what God did.
00:40:54.25\00:40:55.98
Then in 1 Samuel 17:45,
00:40:57.62\00:41:01.22
"Then David said
to the Philistine,
00:41:01.26\00:41:04.06
'You come to me with
a sword, and a spear,
00:41:04.09\00:41:07.53
and with a javelin.
00:41:07.56\00:41:09.23
But I come to you in the name
00:41:09.26\00:41:11.40
of the Lord of hosts,
00:41:11.43\00:41:13.20
the God of the armies of Israel,
00:41:13.23\00:41:15.64
whom you have defiled.'
00:41:15.67\00:41:17.41
Wow, he said you
got all this weaponry.
00:41:17.44\00:41:19.54
Yeah.
00:41:19.57\00:41:20.91
And you know what happens,
00:41:20.94\00:41:22.28
we look at the
weaponry against us.
00:41:22.31\00:41:23.65
Yeah.
00:41:23.68\00:41:25.01
But what have we
been told about weapons?
00:41:25.05\00:41:27.72
Come on somebody say it.
00:41:27.75\00:41:29.08
No weapon formed
against me shall prosper.
00:41:29.12\00:41:31.62
No weapon, none shall prosper.
00:41:31.65\00:41:34.82
How many weapons? None.
00:41:34.86\00:41:36.19
Zero.
00:41:36.22\00:41:37.56
How many weapons,
together how many weapons?
00:41:37.59\00:41:39.73
None.
00:41:39.76\00:41:41.10
And so there is somebody
00:41:41.13\00:41:42.46
watching this program
today and might think,
00:41:42.50\00:41:44.93
but what about, my
job is on the line.
00:41:44.97\00:41:47.07
Oh, yeah, yeah.
00:41:47.10\00:41:48.57
I can't afford to lose my
job this time of the year.
00:41:48.60\00:41:52.67
What about, I got
to make a decision
00:41:52.71\00:41:54.54
between this
Sabbath and my mortgage?
00:41:54.58\00:41:59.21
Why have all these
weapons come up against me?
00:41:59.25\00:42:03.89
Wow. What do I do?
00:42:03.92\00:42:05.79
Do I say God, okay,
00:42:05.82\00:42:07.29
hold on for a moment
00:42:07.32\00:42:09.76
I'll take my tithe and offering
00:42:09.79\00:42:12.26
and pay my
insurance and my car payments
00:42:12.29\00:42:15.10
and I'll catch
up with you later,
00:42:15.13\00:42:16.90
you understand that?
00:42:16.93\00:42:18.33
And no, comes in.
00:42:18.37\00:42:19.73
You know, Jonathan actually is
00:42:19.77\00:42:21.10
a good example
of this too David's,
00:42:21.14\00:42:22.57
you know, compatriot that,
Jonathan was in the situation,
00:42:22.60\00:42:25.94
they were literally
no swords in Israel.
00:42:25.97\00:42:28.24
They were two,
Jonathan and Saul.
00:42:28.28\00:42:29.61
Okay.
00:42:29.64\00:42:30.98
No swords at all and Jonathan
in the situation that he says,
00:42:31.01\00:42:34.18
you know what?
00:42:34.22\00:42:35.55
I believe that God
wants to fight for us
00:42:35.58\00:42:37.65
and as our bearer
says my heart is yours,
00:42:37.69\00:42:39.69
if you are going, I'm going too.
00:42:39.72\00:42:41.06
Right.
00:42:41.09\00:42:42.42
And this one guy,
00:42:42.46\00:42:43.79
into taking out like
20 men in a small area
00:42:43.83\00:42:46.19
and eventually more
and God fought for him.
00:42:46.23\00:42:49.66
He went forward in the
fight for the Lord by himself.
00:42:49.70\00:42:53.03
That's right.
00:42:53.07\00:42:54.40
And God fought for
him and we may feel like
00:42:54.44\00:42:56.07
we are in the
situations that maybe someone's
00:42:56.10\00:42:58.04
a single parent in
the situation right now
00:42:58.07\00:42:59.77
that God is calling
them to make a decision
00:42:59.81\00:43:01.64
and they feel like they're
just fighting for their children
00:43:01.68\00:43:03.45
or for the situation alone,
there is no one with them.
00:43:03.48\00:43:05.91
And the story of Jonathan
or any other individual fighter
00:43:05.95\00:43:09.25
in the sense is showing
that God is able to use one.
00:43:09.28\00:43:13.92
It's not your circumstances
that God is depended upon,
00:43:13.96\00:43:16.49
it's your willingness.
00:43:16.52\00:43:18.23
If He has your willingness,
00:43:18.26\00:43:19.59
you have
everything that you need.
00:43:19.63\00:43:20.96
That's right.
00:43:21.00\00:43:22.33
And God fought
valiantly for him,
00:43:22.36\00:43:23.70
and the whole
nation was delivered
00:43:23.73\00:43:25.07
because one man stood.
00:43:25.10\00:43:26.43
Oh. He wasn't even the king.
00:43:26.47\00:43:27.80
You guys are
setting these segues up.
00:43:27.84\00:43:29.17
Look at Exodus
14, under point...
00:43:29.20\00:43:31.27
What does Bible say if
you are willing enable,
00:43:31.31\00:43:33.58
you shall live of
the food of the lamb?
00:43:33.61\00:43:35.14
Yeah. When He said willing.
00:43:35.18\00:43:36.51
Isaiah 1:18, if you are willing,
00:43:36.54\00:43:39.41
if you are willing,
00:43:39.45\00:43:40.78
you will eat of
the food of the lamb.
00:43:40.82\00:43:42.15
If you're
willing and obedient...
00:43:42.18\00:43:43.52
And obedient. That's right.
00:43:43.55\00:43:44.89
You will eat of
the food of the lamb.
00:43:44.92\00:43:46.25
Exodus 14:19,
under point number two,
00:43:46.29\00:43:47.62
I want you to read
those two together.
00:43:47.66\00:43:49.89
Exodus 14:13, either
one of you could do that.
00:43:49.92\00:43:52.86
You have right there
under point number two,
00:43:52.89\00:43:54.46
there, it's right there.
00:43:54.50\00:43:55.83
"The Lord will fight for you,
and you shall hold your peace."
00:43:55.86\00:43:58.90
And verse 13.
00:43:58.93\00:44:00.27
"And Moses said to the
people, 'Do not be afraid.
00:44:00.30\00:44:03.14
Stand still, and see
the salvation of the Lord,
00:44:03.17\00:44:06.94
which He will
accomplish for you today.
00:44:06.98\00:44:10.31
For the Egyptians
whom you see today,
00:44:10.35\00:44:13.55
you shall see
again no more forever."
00:44:13.58\00:44:16.65
Wow.
00:44:16.69\00:44:18.02
And just hit one more, I
want you to pick after that.
00:44:18.05\00:44:20.16
Romans 8:31, "What then
shall we say to these things?
00:44:20.19\00:44:24.89
If God be for us,
who can be against us?"
00:44:24.93\00:44:28.60
Wow.
00:44:28.63\00:44:29.96
Notice the onus for deliverance
is not on the people though.
00:44:30.00\00:44:31.33
That's right.
00:44:31.37\00:44:32.70
He says which He
will accomplish for you,
00:44:32.73\00:44:34.07
and so God has already fought
00:44:34.10\00:44:35.44
the battles for
us in this sense.
00:44:35.47\00:44:37.11
Victory is already ours,
00:44:37.14\00:44:38.61
but we have to go forward
and believe that's the case
00:44:38.64\00:44:40.68
and that's where
fear comes in because,
00:44:40.71\00:44:42.54
you know, if the
enemy can't deceive you,
00:44:42.58\00:44:43.91
he'll discourage you.
00:44:43.95\00:44:45.28
Yes, he will.
00:44:45.31\00:44:46.65
And so maybe he can't get you
00:44:46.68\00:44:48.02
to change your
philosophical views,
00:44:48.05\00:44:49.38
but as long as
you stop fighting,
00:44:49.42\00:44:50.75
he doest care
what it looks like.
00:44:50.79\00:44:52.12
That's right.
00:44:52.15\00:44:53.49
And so if people
are willing to believe
00:44:53.52\00:44:54.86
what the word of God says
00:44:54.89\00:44:56.22
and to lie upon the word
of God to do what it says,
00:44:56.26\00:44:57.59
they're the people
that are courageous,
00:44:57.63\00:44:59.03
they're the people
that see the victories
00:44:59.06\00:45:00.46
that others will not see.
00:45:00.50\00:45:01.83
Yes.
00:45:01.86\00:45:03.20
First like you mentioned earlier
about fear being the sin,
00:45:03.23\00:45:05.77
it's precisely that reason.
00:45:05.80\00:45:07.57
When we are
fearful, we are not trusting.
00:45:07.60\00:45:10.27
When we are fearful,
we are not courageous.
00:45:10.31\00:45:12.04
When we are fearful, we
don't see the God in us.
00:45:12.07\00:45:14.61
So we are studying,
00:45:14.64\00:45:16.81
you know, we may be
studying the Book of Job
00:45:16.85\00:45:20.12
at the same time we look at his,
00:45:20.15\00:45:22.18
God is on the
highest court saying
00:45:22.22\00:45:24.92
look at my servant and
yet He comes down to the point
00:45:24.95\00:45:29.92
at the end
where He is saying oh,
00:45:29.96\00:45:31.36
vow with me.
00:45:31.39\00:45:32.73
How many times has God is
bragging about us in places
00:45:32.76\00:45:37.37
and we are
sitting here with fear
00:45:37.40\00:45:39.27
and scared of the things
00:45:39.30\00:45:42.24
that are
happening in our lives when,
00:45:42.27\00:45:44.51
I don't know, all
those stories are the ones
00:45:46.11\00:45:49.34
that I'm gonna sit
there and talk to God about,
00:45:49.38\00:45:51.91
you know, and ask Him,
God how is it that you,
00:45:51.95\00:45:56.45
do even sat around,
00:45:56.48\00:45:57.95
I mean, I could only imagine
what's going through your head
00:45:57.99\00:46:00.39
when you are trying
to say what a great,
00:46:00.42\00:46:02.66
how awesome and great
things are gonna go through you,
00:46:02.69\00:46:04.93
and then we as human
beings are feeling like this,
00:46:04.96\00:46:08.56
are feeling failure and
are feeling discouragement
00:46:08.60\00:46:11.43
which are the tools
00:46:11.47\00:46:12.80
that the enemy use all the time.
00:46:12.83\00:46:14.17
Yes, he does.
You know there is...
00:46:14.20\00:46:15.54
Sorry, go ahead.
00:46:15.57\00:46:16.91
God said, He hasn't
given us the spirit of fear...
00:46:16.94\00:46:18.61
That's right.
00:46:18.64\00:46:20.08
You know, and that's so
powerful that fear that,
00:46:20.11\00:46:24.98
you know, if we
can just get pass that,
00:46:25.01\00:46:29.82
there is a saying that,
00:46:29.85\00:46:31.39
you have nothing to
fear but fear itself.
00:46:31.42\00:46:33.52
Yeah. That's right.
00:46:33.56\00:46:34.89
And once you are able to
think of stories in the Bible,
00:46:34.92\00:46:38.79
that's why God has given us
00:46:38.83\00:46:41.33
the Old Testament
00:46:41.36\00:46:42.70
which nowadays people will think
00:46:42.73\00:46:44.40
that you don't need
the Old Testament anymore,
00:46:44.43\00:46:46.63
you hear new churches
they'll come up and say,
00:46:46.67\00:46:49.24
well, it's just
the New Testament,
00:46:49.27\00:46:50.71
the Old Testament,
00:46:50.74\00:46:52.07
but the Old
Testaments has so many prophets,
00:46:52.11\00:46:53.64
so many people
that's already gone through
00:46:53.68\00:46:56.88
feelings of fear such as us.
00:46:56.91\00:46:58.85
Think of Jonah... Yeah.
00:46:58.88\00:47:00.38
You know, when
he had to Nineveh...
00:47:00.42\00:47:02.38
Right, Nineveh, yeah. Nineveh.
00:47:02.42\00:47:03.75
Yeah, and see at the
end it was to save souls
00:47:03.79\00:47:08.09
and it was and the fear itself,
00:47:08.12\00:47:10.49
when he ended up in
the belly of the fish,
00:47:10.53\00:47:13.19
that fear was worst than
the fear that he had before.
00:47:13.23\00:47:16.13
That's true.
00:47:16.16\00:47:17.50
He get more and
more and more fear.
00:47:17.53\00:47:18.87
Yeah. The Lord is saying, why?
00:47:18.90\00:47:20.24
What's up with you?
00:47:20.27\00:47:21.60
I got to send you, if you
got to get to this evangelistic
00:47:21.64\00:47:23.51
series smelling like a
fish, you are gonna get there.
00:47:23.54\00:47:25.07
Yeah.
00:47:25.11\00:47:26.44
You can go forward
in the strength of God.
00:47:26.47\00:47:27.94
I'm gonna get you right
there, I'll take you there.
00:47:27.98\00:47:30.31
You are not
gonna like it either.
00:47:30.35\00:47:31.68
Yeah.
00:47:31.71\00:47:33.05
In 1 John 4, it talks about
how fear can be dealt with,
00:47:33.08\00:47:36.32
because I think that
fear's a bad thing that's true,
00:47:36.35\00:47:38.75
but what is the answer?
00:47:38.79\00:47:40.12
This is the answer
I've found to my own fears,
00:47:40.16\00:47:41.72
it was 1 John 4...
00:47:41.76\00:47:43.09
Okay.
00:47:43.12\00:47:44.46
Beginning at verse 17.
00:47:44.49\00:47:46.03
1 John 4:17. Got you.
00:47:46.06\00:47:48.66
It says, "Love has been
perfected among us in this,
00:47:48.70\00:47:51.50
that we may have boldness
in the Day of Judgment..."
00:47:51.53\00:47:54.97
Now many of us are terrified
of that Day of Judgment
00:47:55.00\00:47:57.51
because we think that God
is pushing that big red button
00:47:57.54\00:47:59.81
when my name comes out.
00:47:59.84\00:48:01.41
But He says we can have
boldness in the Day of Judgment
00:48:01.44\00:48:04.15
because as he is so we
are in this world and He says,
00:48:04.18\00:48:06.85
"There is no fear in love
but perfect love cast out fear
00:48:06.88\00:48:11.75
because fear
involves torment..."
00:48:11.79\00:48:13.12
Amen.
00:48:13.15\00:48:14.49
When you come face to face
00:48:14.52\00:48:15.86
with the undying love of
Jesus for you individually,
00:48:15.89\00:48:17.79
and a reciprocating
love is found in you for him
00:48:17.83\00:48:20.43
which he says later in verse 19.
00:48:20.46\00:48:23.33
Love breaks the chains of fear.
00:48:23.37\00:48:25.30
And this is what it did for me,
and this is what actually kept
00:48:25.33\00:48:27.14
Jesus in Gethsemane was love.
00:48:27.17\00:48:29.54
Jesus is love
and true knowledge,
00:48:29.57\00:48:31.37
or the true
character of the Father is
00:48:31.41\00:48:32.77
what kept Him going
through Gethsemane...
00:48:32.81\00:48:34.44
That's right.
00:48:34.48\00:48:35.81
He wasn't memorizing a
prophecy charts or other things.
00:48:35.84\00:48:37.18
That's right.
00:48:37.21\00:48:38.55
With His own
personal connection with God
00:48:38.58\00:48:39.91
that even when He
felt that God had left Him,
00:48:39.95\00:48:41.38
He would stand for
Him because He knew Him
00:48:41.42\00:48:43.08
and that's what He wants for us.
00:48:43.12\00:48:44.62
And so He says,
"There is no fear in love
00:48:44.65\00:48:45.99
but perfect love cast out fear
because fear involves torment.
00:48:46.02\00:48:48.79
But he who fears has not
been made perfect in love."
00:48:48.82\00:48:51.99
Wow.
00:48:52.03\00:48:53.36
"And we love him
because He first loved us."
00:48:53.40\00:48:56.10
And so we are told to
come again to Calvary,
00:48:56.13\00:48:58.33
to see the love
that Christ has for us,
00:48:58.37\00:49:00.64
to find the reciprocating
love in our hearts for Christ,
00:49:00.67\00:49:03.61
and to be willing
to go wherever He leads
00:49:03.64\00:49:05.24
because if Christ
loves me and is leading me,
00:49:05.27\00:49:07.64
He'll be with me even now.
00:49:07.68\00:49:09.01
That's right. Wow.
00:49:09.04\00:49:10.38
You had a comment,
you have something?
00:49:10.41\00:49:11.75
Oh, wow.
00:49:11.78\00:49:13.11
Well, I have
something I want us to read
00:49:13.15\00:49:14.48
from the Adventist Home.
00:49:14.52\00:49:15.85
Okay.
00:49:15.88\00:49:17.22
Okay, it's just
a short paragraph
00:49:17.25\00:49:18.59
about courage and faith.
00:49:18.62\00:49:20.06
It says, what is it?
00:49:20.09\00:49:22.39
Adventist Home Chapter 66, says,
00:49:22.42\00:49:24.86
"Every Christian must
stand on guard continually,
00:49:24.89\00:49:28.90
watching every
avenue of the soul
00:49:28.93\00:49:31.50
where Satan might find access.
00:49:31.53\00:49:33.94
He must pray for divine
help and at the same time
00:49:33.97\00:49:38.17
resolutely resist
every inclination to sin.
00:49:38.21\00:49:42.51
By courage, by
faith, by persevering toil,
00:49:42.54\00:49:46.85
he can conquer.
00:49:46.88\00:49:48.38
But let him remember
that to gain the victory
00:49:48.42\00:49:52.05
Christ must abide in
him and he in Christ."
00:49:52.09\00:49:55.52
Amen.
00:49:55.56\00:49:56.89
Okay, there is a
cooperation of the two together.
00:49:56.93\00:49:58.39
Because you mentioned early
in, I think was 2 Timothy 1:7,
00:49:58.43\00:50:01.46
God has not given
us the spirit of fear."
00:50:01.50\00:50:03.73
And then also... But
of power, and of love...
00:50:03.77\00:50:05.10
Of power, and of
love, and of a sound mind.
00:50:05.13\00:50:06.77
Yeah.
00:50:06.80\00:50:08.14
And the whole, the
thing that we have continually
00:50:08.17\00:50:10.27
sewn through this tapestry
00:50:10.31\00:50:11.84
of we're talking about
the courage and boldness
00:50:11.87\00:50:14.41
is the fact that
we are not strong
00:50:14.44\00:50:16.31
in our own strength...
00:50:16.34\00:50:17.68
No way.
00:50:17.71\00:50:19.05
We are strong in the Lord. Amen.
00:50:19.08\00:50:20.42
Finally my brethren
be strong in the Lord,
00:50:20.45\00:50:22.28
in the power of His might.
00:50:22.32\00:50:24.12
I want to hit a
couple of scriptures here.
00:50:24.15\00:50:25.59
So that let's go
to point number five.
00:50:25.62\00:50:28.59
This is on our outline here.
00:50:28.62\00:50:31.49
One very important one.
00:50:31.53\00:50:32.86
Don't look to
others, look to the Lord.
00:50:32.89\00:50:37.47
In other, what
the most fearful thing
00:50:37.50\00:50:39.13
in our house is the mirror
00:50:39.17\00:50:40.94
'cause we look to ourselves.
00:50:40.97\00:50:42.67
The most beautiful thing
in our house is the Bible,
00:50:42.70\00:50:44.84
we look to the Lord.
00:50:44.87\00:50:46.21
Notice what it says, Isaiah
40, read that one Isaiah 45:22.
00:50:46.24\00:50:49.41
Under number five. Oh, okay.
00:50:50.78\00:50:53.95
"Look to Me, and be saved.
All you ends of the earth!
00:50:53.98\00:50:57.52
For I am God, and
there is no other."
00:50:57.55\00:50:59.55
And then it says and
then it goes on saying,
00:50:59.59\00:51:01.02
I'm God and
there is none like me.
00:51:01.06\00:51:03.06
Now let's put that
in the context of love.
00:51:03.09\00:51:05.23
If somebody ask you in,
00:51:05.26\00:51:06.90
I think, one
father told me this,
00:51:06.93\00:51:08.83
I don't have any children
00:51:08.86\00:51:10.20
and you gave an example earlier
00:51:10.23\00:51:11.57
of sustaining
family and children.
00:51:11.60\00:51:12.93
I just want to make sure that,
you know, he is single, okay.
00:51:12.97\00:51:15.00
Just sustaining
family and friends.
00:51:15.04\00:51:17.17
But one person
told me this example,
00:51:17.21\00:51:19.44
if a father puts a new born baby
00:51:19.47\00:51:21.11
like 9 or 11 months on top
00:51:21.14\00:51:22.88
of a dresser and
say jump, jump, jump.
00:51:22.91\00:51:26.01
They'll jump without reservation
00:51:26.05\00:51:27.38
into their daddy's arm
00:51:27.42\00:51:28.75
because they've
never fallen before.
00:51:28.78\00:51:31.35
What happens as we go through
life and get bruises and,
00:51:31.39\00:51:34.26
we forget our father
still wants to catch us.
00:51:34.29\00:51:36.96
And then He still says,
I'm God, there is none like me.
00:51:37.99\00:51:40.40
I don't want to drop
you but you are older now,
00:51:40.43\00:51:43.26
you've had a couple of bruises
00:51:43.30\00:51:44.63
but I'm the same yesterday
together, today and forever.
00:51:44.67\00:51:48.17
Our God doesn't want to drop us.
00:51:48.20\00:51:49.77
That's right.
Here's another one.
00:51:49.80\00:51:51.17
Others may fail us.
00:51:51.21\00:51:52.94
Look at Psalms 118:9, which is,
00:51:52.97\00:51:58.15
"Do not put your
trust in princes,
00:51:58.18\00:52:01.35
Nor in a son of man,
in whom there is no help."
00:52:01.38\00:52:05.65
How many times we say to people
can you come through for me?
00:52:05.69\00:52:08.79
Can you come through me?
00:52:08.82\00:52:10.16
Anyone said that before? Yes.
00:52:10.19\00:52:11.53
And they didn't
come through for you.
00:52:11.56\00:52:13.36
And then you
connect that to God.
00:52:13.40\00:52:14.73
Any examples of that
where you have trusted people
00:52:15.93\00:52:18.83
and they didn't come
through for you and...
00:52:18.87\00:52:21.37
I'm actually, I was just
speaking to someone last night,
00:52:21.40\00:52:23.47
I was counseling a
former student of mine
00:52:23.51\00:52:25.37
who I'd been investing in
them and there was a space
00:52:25.41\00:52:28.48
where they didn't have me,
00:52:28.51\00:52:29.84
they had someone
else investing in them
00:52:29.88\00:52:31.21
and they've had come to realize
00:52:31.25\00:52:32.58
that God allowed for
the separation for me
00:52:32.61\00:52:34.48
and from this other individual
so that they could learn
00:52:34.52\00:52:37.09
to rely upon God for themselves.
00:52:37.12\00:52:39.19
Sometimes God does bring people
00:52:39.22\00:52:40.56
into our
experience to help buoy us,
00:52:40.59\00:52:42.19
and they help us
at different stages.
00:52:42.22\00:52:43.56
My dad was a big one for me.
00:52:43.59\00:52:45.09
And then eventually a time
comes where those are removed
00:52:45.13\00:52:47.90
and sometimes God allows
people to fail us because
00:52:47.93\00:52:51.40
someone even better
than them wants to help us,
00:52:51.43\00:52:54.27
and sometimes we look to
these people at the expense
00:52:54.30\00:52:56.97
of looking to God, and
God just wants to make sure
00:52:57.01\00:52:59.64
that it's just Him
that you are looking to.
00:52:59.67\00:53:01.58
You are just
looking to Me for this...
00:53:01.61\00:53:03.11
Exactly.
00:53:03.14\00:53:04.48
And these are examples of me
and they're being sent by Me,
00:53:04.51\00:53:06.08
but it's Me that you
are looking for in the end.
00:53:06.11\00:53:08.68
And so sometimes God will allow
people to fail just to ensure
00:53:08.72\00:53:12.32
that we are relying
upon Him and Him alone.
00:53:12.35\00:53:13.92
Exactly.
00:53:13.96\00:53:15.29
But I want to take it to
the another step, go Lecy?
00:53:15.32\00:53:16.66
No, I'll pass on this one. Okay.
00:53:16.69\00:53:18.83
But sometimes we fail ourselves.
00:53:18.86\00:53:20.33
Yes. Yeah.
00:53:20.36\00:53:21.83
That's right, that's
right. Read that text for us.
00:53:21.86\00:53:24.43
We fail ourselves. Psalm 73:26.
00:53:24.87\00:53:26.20
Sometimes we fail ourselves,
not even other people.
00:53:26.23\00:53:27.97
Look at what it says.
00:53:28.00\00:53:29.34
"My flesh and my heart fail.
00:53:29.37\00:53:31.64
But God is the
strength of my strength
00:53:31.67\00:53:33.84
and my portion forever."
00:53:33.88\00:53:35.84
See, my heart and my flesh fail.
00:53:35.88\00:53:39.51
Yeah. Right.
00:53:39.55\00:53:40.88
But God is my strength.
00:53:40.92\00:53:42.25
That's hard for
people to understand.
00:53:42.28\00:53:43.62
I mean, I know when
you are going through life
00:53:43.92\00:53:45.75
and we tell
individuals, you know,
00:53:45.79\00:53:47.39
God has help me
through and God's will
00:53:47.42\00:53:50.23
and an
individual starts wondering.
00:53:50.26\00:53:52.33
What is it that
you are thinking about?
00:53:52.36\00:53:54.36
I'm thinking just now
when I came back from Weimar,
00:53:54.40\00:53:58.37
there was a gentlemen
there that did not, you know,
00:53:58.40\00:54:01.00
believe in God,
00:54:01.04\00:54:02.54
and at the end he comes out
to me and he tells me and says,
00:54:02.57\00:54:05.77
there is something in you,
00:54:05.81\00:54:07.24
You know, you trust
God, you believe in God
00:54:07.28\00:54:09.74
and I don't have that,
00:54:09.78\00:54:11.11
and something that you
have planted a seed in my life.
00:54:11.15\00:54:14.02
And a lot of times you,
until you get to that point,
00:54:14.05\00:54:17.82
until you get to the
point where God is the one
00:54:17.85\00:54:21.06
that is completely engulfed
00:54:21.09\00:54:25.39
in your day to day life,
00:54:25.43\00:54:28.06
individuals
will never understand
00:54:28.10\00:54:29.83
what that means... Yeah.
00:54:29.86\00:54:31.20
You know, and that's
when the courageous things
00:54:31.23\00:54:34.64
in your life
are going to happen.
00:54:34.67\00:54:36.00
If you look at
through your life,
00:54:36.04\00:54:38.01
you are gonna
see all the obstacles
00:54:38.04\00:54:40.31
that have made you the strength
00:54:40.34\00:54:42.81
and the person
that you are today,
00:54:42.84\00:54:44.18
that what does
God do to with that.
00:54:44.21\00:54:46.98
He helps you to be a light
for other people in most cases.
00:54:47.02\00:54:51.62
Lecia, bring that
point out, you had a thought,
00:54:51.65\00:54:53.09
I don't want you to
miss that because...
00:54:53.12\00:54:54.66
Yeah, it was just a thought
of a saying that sometimes,
00:54:54.69\00:54:58.23
it was just based on
what you were saying,
00:54:59.26\00:55:01.50
I just wanted to add
to that because sometimes
00:55:01.53\00:55:04.10
the disappointments come
in, in friends, family...
00:55:04.13\00:55:07.17
Yeah.
00:55:07.20\00:55:08.54
Co-workers, it can come
in so many different ways.
00:55:08.57\00:55:11.37
But the good thing about it
that you learnt to trust in God
00:55:11.41\00:55:15.14
and you realize
where else can you go?
00:55:15.18\00:55:17.71
Yes. You know.
00:55:17.75\00:55:19.08
Yes, yes.
00:55:19.11\00:55:20.45
Where else can you go
but to the Lord because
00:55:20.48\00:55:21.82
they're gonna be
situations when those people
00:55:21.85\00:55:24.35
that you relied on
can't bring you through,
00:55:24.39\00:55:26.89
and it has to be
God and God alone.
00:55:26.92\00:55:29.02
Yes. That's right.
00:55:29.06\00:55:30.39
As like you said
here in Psalms 46:1,
00:55:30.43\00:55:33.90
"God is our
refuge, our strength,
00:55:33.93\00:55:36.40
a very present help in trouble."
00:55:36.43\00:55:38.63
That's right.
00:55:38.67\00:55:40.00
And getting back to
the boldness and courage,
00:55:40.04\00:55:41.37
we have to remember
that because, you know,
00:55:41.40\00:55:43.64
it's amazing we need
another hour and half.
00:55:43.67\00:55:47.01
But we don't have
another hour and half.
00:55:47.04\00:55:48.94
As we talked about these
examples in each of our lives
00:55:48.98\00:55:51.61
where God allowed
us to get this resume
00:55:51.65\00:55:54.52
of experiences with Him...
00:55:54.55\00:55:55.88
Yes.
00:55:55.92\00:55:57.25
He says now when you come up,
00:55:57.29\00:55:58.62
when you make it
through your lion
00:55:58.65\00:55:59.99
and your bear and your goliath,
00:56:00.02\00:56:01.42
there's gonna be
some other things,
00:56:01.46\00:56:02.79
you gonna have to face in life.
00:56:02.82\00:56:04.16
But I want you to be courageous
and I want to add this
00:56:04.19\00:56:05.89
other component
which we didn't touch.
00:56:05.93\00:56:07.96
Also when it comes to telling
the truth, these are champions,
00:56:08.00\00:56:12.63
we all are called
to tell the truth.
00:56:12.67\00:56:14.90
Remember that as
Paul the Apostle says,
00:56:14.94\00:56:17.61
"For we can do nothing against
the truth but for the truth."
00:56:17.64\00:56:23.24
2 Corinthians 13:8.
00:56:23.28\00:56:24.61
So when it comes
to telling the truth,
00:56:24.65\00:56:25.98
don't fear telling the truth.
00:56:26.01\00:56:27.75
Be open and candid,
people can't stop it.
00:56:27.78\00:56:29.78
Yeah.
00:56:29.82\00:56:31.15
You're not afraid,
you have holy boldness.
00:56:31.19\00:56:32.69
I mean, I think the
Lord ordained for all of us
00:56:34.16\00:56:35.79
because we have these examples
00:56:35.82\00:56:37.49
in our life and
our own ministry.
00:56:37.53\00:56:38.86
Oh, yeah. We had to
just tell the truth.
00:56:38.89\00:56:41.36
Young man and love.
Always better than love.
00:56:41.40\00:56:44.90
And that love that
the Lord gives to us
00:56:44.93\00:56:46.60
is the
foundation of our strength.
00:56:46.63\00:56:49.14
You know, as our program
came and went so quickly,
00:56:49.17\00:56:51.67
what we want to encourage
you because somebody watching
00:56:51.71\00:56:53.74
this program today might be
at that wall in their lives.
00:56:53.78\00:56:57.71
They might be called
to maybe give up a job
00:56:57.75\00:57:01.25
at this time of a year
00:57:01.28\00:57:02.62
and it's a
difficult thing to do.
00:57:02.65\00:57:05.45
They might be wondering
how am I gonna be sustained
00:57:05.49\00:57:06.82
if I make that kind of decision
00:57:06.86\00:57:08.19
or they maybe in a country
where the curtain is still up,
00:57:08.22\00:57:10.63
it could be overseas in a
country where Christianity
00:57:10.66\00:57:13.19
is a part of the minority
in society or looked down upon.
00:57:13.23\00:57:16.56
Whatever the situation maybe,
00:57:16.60\00:57:18.13
or you might be called to
sacrifice your own wellbeing
00:57:18.17\00:57:21.40
for the
wellbeing of somebody else.
00:57:21.44\00:57:23.17
Whatever that situation
might be, remember this.
00:57:23.20\00:57:25.97
Be strong in the Lord and
in the power of His might.
00:57:26.01\00:57:29.28
And we know that if you
are, the Lord will sustain you
00:57:29.31\00:57:32.15
until we see you
again. God bless you.
00:57:32.18\00:57:34.52