I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Removing pain
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Lord, let my words
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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Hello, and welcome
to 3ABN Family Worship.
00:01:07.43\00:01:10.63
My name is CA Murray,
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and we welcome you to
our worship time together,
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whether this is being
shown on a Friday evening
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and you are just entering into
the precincts of the Sabbath,
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or on Saturday evening
and you are getting ready
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for the vicissitudes
of a brand new week.
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We welcome you to
this worship experience
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and of rejoice that are tending
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to worshipping
God on the Sabbath day
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and what the
Sabbath does to prepare us
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for what the week has for us.
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So we welcome you,
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and we thank you
for being with us.
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I want to introduce
you to our 3ABN family.
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My wife is not here today,
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she is producing
and could not be here.
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And I have to say the same for
Lynette Jaque's husband Jorge,
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who I think is running
to and fro on the earth
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or preparing to do so.
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Indeed, once more.
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So we are
flying solo as it were,
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so I put her next to
me on today's program.
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But Jorge is really with us
and we miss him too, is it not?
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We do very much,
so... And do, we do.
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Okay, we'll go to my far left
and say hello to Dee Casper.
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Dee, good to have you here, man.
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Pleasure to be here,
thank you. Yeah, yeah.
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Dee is a face we're seeing
a little bit more on 3ABN.
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We liked Dee a
lot, Dee is a cool guy.
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Yeah.
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And spiritual young man
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and full of the
fire and love of the Lord
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and has a lot to
say for the Lord.
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And we are glad
to have him here.
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Then we have Mr. and
Mrs. Eric and Marilyn Durant.
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Hello. Hello.
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Yeah, Eric of the
engineering department.
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Broadcast Engineer.
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Broadcast Engineer
Department, doing a fine job.
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Eric's a cool guy, we like Eric.
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Yeah, and Marilyn
from the call center...
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That's right. I
guess Assistant Manager.
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Assistant Manager. Yeah, Amen.
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Yeah. Thank you.
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And a very sweet person,
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and you guys
were married how long?
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It'll be 11 years in March.
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In March? Yeah.
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And we've been at
3ABN for three years...
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Three years. This month.
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Amen, amen, amen.
Isn't that longer?
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It's been a...
That's a good thing.
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Yeah.
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It's been a blessing.
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Every week, Marilyn comes over
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'cause we have to do some things
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as we produce our
Thursday night program.
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Well, not as
much as before. Right.
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But still because she
is in charge of the people
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who are there along
with Jonathan Babb who stay
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and answer the phones
and do all that kind of stuff
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and send messages through,
and we thank you for your work.
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Oh, you are welcome.
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Yeah, and we
thank the broadcast guys
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'cause we couldn't
do this without them.
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And it's sad because
whenever we call you,
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you know, we have a problem.
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We don't call just to say, "Hi."
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We don't call to
see how you're doing.
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When your phone rings,
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there's gonna be a
problem on the other end,
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so he's a problem
solver, and we thank you.
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And we thank you, Lynette,
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because your husband
has to travel awful lot.
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Awful lot,
especially this calendar year...
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It's just coming and coming,
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and that's a
blessing though from the Lord.
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I mean, there is the
ability to travel like that
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and to serve
the Lord as he does.
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He's my soldier and I
keep the home lights burning.
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Amen, indeed you do.
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And a faithful job you do
with two fairly young ones,
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Sebastian is how old?
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Sebastian will
be nine this year.
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Wow.
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Water has passed
under the bridge.
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Indeed. Noah, will be 12.
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And Noah will be 12.
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Yeah, they are
sneaking off on us actually.
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We won't talk
about the other two.
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Yeah, they are two
others, who are in the room,
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you know, as we speak.
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Yes. But we're happy for that.
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And, Dee, fairly new, I
say fairly new to Adventism...
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Yeah.
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But has come a long
way really, really fast.
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Praise the Lord, yeah,
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I was baptized in
2010, December 2010.
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But an Arise Graduate.
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Yes. Yeah.
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Yes. Yeah.
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And yeah, been in
ministry ever since.
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Yeah, praise the
Lord. It's been a privilege.
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And it's been the thing
that's kept me honest I think.
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You know, the ministry
right when they baptized...
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Well, that's the
thing, get baptized,
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out of the shallow in,
tossed them into deep in
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and then watch them swim.
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I think that's the way to do it.
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Amen.
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Today, we're gonna
talk about tracing.
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Ellen White makes
a lot of statements
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about tracing the hand of God.
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She says that, "When we
look back over our lives,
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we ought to see particularly
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if we've been
walking with the Lord,
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a pattern of
divine interposition
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where God has
inserted Himself in your life
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and you want to see the tracing
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of the hand of
God in your life."
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And she says that
does a number of things.
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One, when you see
that God has been with you
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through the years,
it makes you thankful.
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Amen. Amen, yes.
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You know, unless
you are very thankful.
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Two, it makes you grateful.
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Three, it makes you bold.
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You know that God
has been with you,
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and He is gonna be with
you like He has been with you.
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So it makes you bold.
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So you step out and you
do some stuff, you know,
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and maybe you wouldn't do if
you didn't have that assurance
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that God is
going to be with you,
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'cause sometimes God calls us
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to do something with
and you're just like,
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"You really want me to do that?"
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Yes. God bless us, yeah.
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Yeah. And I'll be with you.
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Particularly, I had a, we moved
into a house several years ago,
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and the Lord told me, go
over and talk to that neighbor.
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And I said, "I don't
want to talk to the neighbor,"
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'cause he, first of all,
he had a Confederate flag
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which kind of
gave me the willies.
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And look it son,
you did go out and talk
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and he was a nicest guy
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once I got off
the nerve, you know.
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So knowing that God is
with you makes you bold.
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You know, it makes you bold,
it increases your faith, amen.
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Amen.
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And it makes you content with
what you have and who you are.
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Yeah. Amen.
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So I don't have to be jealous
of Eric or Dee or Lynette
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because, okay, you have
Jesus but I got Jesus too.
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Amen. You know, amen.
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He says, "I would never
leave you nor forsake you."
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So he never leaves Dee,
He never leaves Lynette,
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He never leaves Eric
and never leaves Marilyn,
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and He also never leaves me.
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So I don't have to be jealous of
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what you're going through,
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well, he's got everything,
and I don't have anything.
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Hold down, you got Jesus.
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Yeah. So you have all you need.
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Everything.
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And you never know
that Jesus is all you need
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until Jesus is all you got.
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So you don't have to
be jealous of anybody.
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So contemplating, going back
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and tracing the
outline of the hand of Jesus
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gives us some peace
and some encouragement.
00:07:31.71\00:07:33.75
So we're gonna talk about that,
00:07:33.78\00:07:35.12
we're gonna look at
Christ in our lives.
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We're gonna recount
some of these things,
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and I'm gonna go move forward
and look at something that
00:07:38.79\00:07:40.39
we have in the Word of God.
00:07:40.42\00:07:42.42
Let's go to our song,
00:07:42.46\00:07:43.79
now we're going to
sing A Cappella today.
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All of our pianists
are doing other things
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and that's okay
because in the average home
00:07:49.73\00:07:51.13
you don't have a pianist.
00:07:51.17\00:07:52.50
And this is true.
00:07:52.53\00:07:53.87
Some homes don't have a piano,
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so you just sing for the
Lord you make a joyful noise.
00:07:55.27\00:07:57.34
So if you hear
a little something
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that assaults your year,
00:07:59.04\00:08:01.04
chalk it up to a joyful noise
00:08:01.08\00:08:03.98
because we are making a
joyful noise to the Lord.
00:08:04.01\00:08:06.48
We are singing, Hymn 286
00:08:06.51\00:08:10.52
in the Adventist hymnal
00:08:10.55\00:08:11.89
Wonderful Words of Life,
00:08:11.92\00:08:13.25
and we're going to ask Justin
hit the note D, I'm sorry G.
00:08:13.29\00:08:17.99
There you go, and
then we'll press on.
00:08:18.03\00:08:20.20
Sing them over again to
me Wonderful Words of Life,
00:08:20.23\00:08:23.37
let's go.
00:08:23.40\00:08:24.73
Sing them over again to me,
00:08:24.77\00:08:28.77
Wonderful words of life
00:08:28.80\00:08:33.01
Let me more of their beauty see,
00:08:33.04\00:08:37.21
Wonderful words of life.
00:08:37.25\00:08:41.18
Words of life and beauty
00:08:41.22\00:08:45.35
Teach me faith and
duty Beautiful words,
00:08:45.39\00:08:51.49
wonderful words,
Wonderful words of life,
00:08:51.53\00:08:57.57
Beautiful
words, wonderful words,
00:08:57.60\00:09:01.70
Wonderful words of life.
00:09:01.74\00:09:05.61
Christ, the blessed One,
00:09:05.64\00:09:07.74
gives to all
Wonderful words of life.
00:09:07.78\00:09:13.62
Sinner, list to the loving call,
00:09:13.65\00:09:17.72
Wonderful words of life.
00:09:17.75\00:09:21.59
All so freely given,
00:09:21.62\00:09:25.53
Wooing us to heaven
00:09:25.56\00:09:29.83
Beautiful
words, wonderful words,
00:09:29.86\00:09:33.54
Wonderful words of
life, Beautiful words,
00:09:33.57\00:09:39.77
wonderful words,
Wonderful words of life.
00:09:39.81\00:09:44.05
And the last stanza.
00:09:44.08\00:09:45.65
Sweetly echo the Gospel call,
00:09:45.68\00:09:49.85
Wonderful words of life
00:09:49.88\00:09:53.69
Offer pardon and peace to all,
00:09:53.72\00:09:57.56
Wonderful words of life.
00:09:57.59\00:10:01.43
Jesus, only Savior,
00:10:01.46\00:10:05.53
Sanctify forever.
00:10:05.57\00:10:09.40
Beautiful
words, wonderful words,
00:10:09.44\00:10:13.38
Wonderful words of life,
00:10:13.41\00:10:17.28
Beautiful
words, wonderful words,
00:10:17.31\00:10:21.28
Wonderful words of life.
00:10:21.32\00:10:25.15
Amen and amen.
00:10:25.19\00:10:27.12
Amen.
00:10:27.16\00:10:28.52
In looking up the
word trace on last evening,
00:10:28.56\00:10:32.96
I found that
there are no less than
00:10:32.99\00:10:38.60
29 definitions
for the word trace.
00:10:38.63\00:10:44.01
And I'll run through
some of them quickly,
00:10:44.04\00:10:46.24
but while I'm doing this,
00:10:46.27\00:10:48.04
I want each of you to
take out your sheet of paper,
00:10:48.08\00:10:51.25
we each have some paper here,
00:10:51.28\00:10:52.61
and we're going to
do a little exercise.
00:10:52.65\00:10:55.35
We should need to have a pencil.
00:10:55.38\00:10:57.22
We're going to trace our hand.
00:10:57.25\00:10:58.75
Okay. We're gonna trace a hand.
00:10:58.79\00:11:00.62
And while you're tracing,
00:11:00.66\00:11:02.49
I'm going to read
these definitions.
00:11:02.52\00:11:04.79
And if while you're tracing,
00:11:04.83\00:11:06.33
you hear anyone that
sort of jumps out at you,
00:11:06.36\00:11:10.17
just stop and
make a comment on it
00:11:10.20\00:11:12.77
because some of
these really parallel
00:11:12.80\00:11:15.07
what we are doing with
the Lord and others are,
00:11:15.10\00:11:18.97
but there are 29
different definitions,
00:11:19.01\00:11:20.48
so let me read and
while you guys are tracing.
00:11:20.51\00:11:26.48
The first definition for trace,
00:11:26.51\00:11:29.38
trace, trace, here we go.
00:11:29.42\00:11:35.49
Not now, trace,
"A surviving mark
00:11:35.52\00:11:38.59
or sign or evidence of
the former existence influence
00:11:38.63\00:11:42.90
or action of
some agent or event."
00:11:42.93\00:11:46.13
A surviving mark or sign and...
00:11:46.17\00:11:49.24
There's a sort of a spiritual
application to that too
00:11:49.27\00:11:51.57
that there is this
mark or sign or evidence
00:11:51.61\00:11:56.04
of the existence
of God in our lives.
00:11:56.08\00:11:58.55
Two, "A
barely-designable indicator
00:11:58.58\00:12:02.38
or evidence of some quantity,
00:12:02.42\00:12:04.12
or quality, or
characteristic, or expression,
00:12:04.15\00:12:07.12
etcetera such as a
trace of anger in his tone."
00:12:07.16\00:12:11.19
You know, you
can you can see it.
00:12:11.23\00:12:12.56
And when we look
at what you've traced,
00:12:12.59\00:12:17.27
the thing about your hand is
00:12:17.30\00:12:19.73
you don't see all of the veins
00:12:19.77\00:12:23.77
and all of the other things,
you just see the outline.
00:12:23.81\00:12:28.84
And it occurs to
me that, you know,
00:12:28.88\00:12:32.05
when God is
leading us through things,
00:12:32.08\00:12:34.92
He doesn't always
fill in all the blanks.
00:12:34.95\00:12:37.65
You just see
the trace, you know,
00:12:37.69\00:12:40.06
and I think if you
filled in all the blanks,
00:12:40.09\00:12:42.26
it wouldn't call for any faith.
00:12:42.29\00:12:43.73
If He told you everything
that was going to happen...
00:12:43.76\00:12:45.09
Right.
00:12:45.13\00:12:46.46
You wouldn't have
to exercise any faith.
00:12:46.49\00:12:49.56
But in the outline
you know that God is there
00:12:49.60\00:12:54.34
and you know
that God is working.
00:12:54.37\00:12:56.40
Three, "An
extremely small amount
00:12:56.44\00:12:58.67
of some chemical component..."
00:12:58.71\00:13:00.04
Like a trace of copper.
00:13:00.08\00:13:02.71
Four, "Footprints
left by an animal."
00:13:02.74\00:13:06.51
Five, "A track left
by a person or an animal,
00:13:06.55\00:13:11.25
like the trace of
her skates on the ice."
00:13:11.29\00:13:13.66
And that's a little closer
to the spiritual application,
00:13:13.69\00:13:15.46
you know, we can see
00:13:15.49\00:13:16.83
the footprints
of God in our lives.
00:13:16.86\00:13:20.00
In meteorology, or in whether,
00:13:20.03\00:13:22.56
it's precipitation
less than 0.005 inches,
00:13:22.60\00:13:27.70
a trace of rain.
00:13:27.74\00:13:29.07
That's right.
00:13:29.10\00:13:30.77
Seven, "A trail
or path especially,
00:13:30.81\00:13:33.41
through some wild-open territory
00:13:33.44\00:13:35.54
made by the passage of
people, animals, or vehicles."
00:13:35.58\00:13:40.22
That's, I like
that one right there
00:13:40.25\00:13:42.85
because life is,
life is a wilderness.
00:13:42.88\00:13:46.99
Life has trials, struggles.
00:13:47.02\00:13:50.06
I mean, Marilyn, we've
been through our trials
00:13:50.09\00:13:51.69
and our struggles.
00:13:51.73\00:13:53.09
And when you follow the
Lord, He lays out that path.
00:13:53.13\00:13:57.63
And when you
deviate from that path
00:13:57.67\00:13:59.47
is when you end up wandering
off into that wilderness
00:13:59.50\00:14:02.50
where you don't wanna be.
00:14:02.54\00:14:04.47
So I've learned through my life
00:14:04.51\00:14:06.21
and with Marilyn
that stay on the path,
00:14:06.24\00:14:10.48
the word is the path,
the word is the truth.
00:14:10.51\00:14:12.65
And as long as you
don't deviate from that path,
00:14:12.68\00:14:14.48
it doesn't matter
what wilderness you're in,
00:14:14.52\00:14:17.15
you're on God's path,
and you'll be just fine.
00:14:17.19\00:14:19.22
Yeah, yeah, like
Abraham looking for a city.
00:14:19.25\00:14:21.89
Lord does not always tell you
where the end is going to be.
00:14:21.92\00:14:24.69
He says just launch out.
00:14:24.73\00:14:27.00
I mean, when I
was coming to 3ABN,
00:14:27.03\00:14:29.36
I came for the visit,
00:14:29.40\00:14:30.73
and I was convicted
00:14:30.77\00:14:32.10
that I needed to leave
New York after 30 years.
00:14:32.13\00:14:34.07
You know, you get comfortable
with the place for 30 years,
00:14:34.10\00:14:37.94
and I didn't
really, I met Danny,
00:14:37.97\00:14:40.68
and we had done a
couple things together
00:14:40.71\00:14:42.21
but I started knowing
him at Southern Illinois,
00:14:42.24\00:14:45.41
and it's like, "Lord, do you
really want me to come here?"
00:14:45.45\00:14:49.15
And I set out
seven fleeces, seven.
00:14:49.18\00:14:53.05
And I figured if the Lord
to answer all seven, I said,
00:14:53.09\00:14:55.56
"Lord, I need all seven
00:14:55.59\00:14:56.93
in order just
like I asked them."
00:14:56.96\00:15:00.70
And well, the
Lord gave me all seven.
00:15:00.73\00:15:05.67
All seven and at
last one was that I said,
00:15:05.70\00:15:07.70
"Lord, I don't
have to convince Irma."
00:15:07.74\00:15:09.34
When I talk to her about it,
00:15:09.37\00:15:11.54
I don't want have
to massage her into it,
00:15:11.57\00:15:13.68
she's got to be open to it.
00:15:13.71\00:15:15.21
So when I went back to New York,
00:15:15.24\00:15:16.61
she said, "Did
they offer you a job?"
00:15:16.64\00:15:18.71
I said, "Yeah". "Are you going?"
00:15:18.75\00:15:20.75
"I think I want to." "Okay."
00:15:20.78\00:15:23.72
Check, you know,
00:15:23.75\00:15:25.95
that kind of
thing, and all seven.
00:15:25.99\00:15:29.02
I wanted to like the people,
00:15:29.06\00:15:31.99
I knew there was
going to be a cut in pay
00:15:32.03\00:15:33.86
because of the, it
wasn't denominational scale
00:15:33.90\00:15:38.17
but I wanted to, I
didn't want to come and say,
00:15:38.20\00:15:40.00
"Well, can we need a
couple dollars more."
00:15:40.04\00:15:41.74
I didn't want to
have to dicker over pay.
00:15:41.77\00:15:43.64
So I said, when
they get the figure,
00:15:43.67\00:15:45.34
I don't want to
figure to assault me.
00:15:45.37\00:15:47.58
You know, so
they gave me a figure,
00:15:47.61\00:15:50.28
and it didn't
assault me, you know,
00:15:50.31\00:15:52.58
so the Lord has
really taken care of,
00:15:52.61\00:15:54.18
and I had to like the head guy
00:15:54.22\00:15:56.25
and Dan and I
clicked right away.
00:15:56.28\00:15:57.62
C.A., we didn't
have seven we had three.
00:15:57.65\00:15:59.69
Right.
00:15:59.72\00:16:02.22
We were headed to Texas,
we were headed the Texas,
00:16:02.26\00:16:05.69
and I prayed to the Lord
00:16:05.73\00:16:07.06
because we went
through some trials previously,
00:16:07.10\00:16:08.86
and we were heading to Texas.
00:16:08.90\00:16:10.23
I prayed the Lord, I said,
"Lord, if there is something
00:16:10.27\00:16:12.17
You want us to do,
00:16:12.20\00:16:15.07
let it be known
and make it direct."
00:16:15.10\00:16:17.67
So I, you know, I
won't get confused
00:16:17.71\00:16:19.57
by make it known.
00:16:19.61\00:16:21.34
The next morning I saw
email from Moses Primo.
00:16:21.38\00:16:23.98
He said, "We'd like for
you to come work at 3ABN,"
00:16:24.01\00:16:27.52
and we came out here
we took a look around
00:16:27.55\00:16:29.52
and we were
still headed to Texas.
00:16:29.55\00:16:31.95
And I said,
"Lord, is this really
00:16:31.99\00:16:34.39
what you want us to do?"
00:16:34.42\00:16:36.26
And 45 minutes later,
00:16:36.29\00:16:38.99
Moses Primo called on the phone,
00:16:39.03\00:16:41.20
and I still resisted,
Marilyn, me, we resisted.
00:16:41.23\00:16:45.27
And about a week later
I prayed another prayer.
00:16:45.30\00:16:49.24
"Lord, it's West Frankfort,
there's nothing out there.
00:16:49.27\00:16:52.57
If this is what you
really want let me know."
00:16:52.61\00:16:55.11
And within the hour,
Moses Primo called again.
00:16:55.14\00:16:58.85
Lord said, let me
make a plan. Yeah, yeah.
00:16:58.88\00:17:01.92
That was three times
and three times is enough.
00:17:01.95\00:17:04.69
So he came out here it's
been a blessing ever since.
00:17:04.72\00:17:06.76
Praise the
Lord, praise the Lord.
00:17:06.79\00:17:08.16
I think, you know,
00:17:08.19\00:17:09.52
I don't think God is in
any way disturbed or upset
00:17:09.56\00:17:12.79
when you said, "Lord, I need it,
00:17:12.83\00:17:14.80
I'm not that
bright, I need a plan."
00:17:14.83\00:17:16.23
Right.
00:17:16.26\00:17:17.60
You know, don't suggest, I mean,
00:17:17.63\00:17:19.90
I need it handwriting on
the wall, "Go", you know.
00:17:19.93\00:17:24.21
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:17:24.24\00:17:25.57
That pretty though
sometimes is not a matter of
00:17:25.61\00:17:27.44
that we don't know,
00:17:27.48\00:17:28.81
it's that we don't want to know.
00:17:28.84\00:17:30.55
And my situation of
coming back to Illinois
00:17:30.58\00:17:32.65
is somewhat like that
00:17:32.68\00:17:34.02
because where I
was in Tennessee,
00:17:34.05\00:17:35.38
I was a Bible
worker, I was an elder
00:17:35.42\00:17:37.69
and was teaching
at a local academy.
00:17:37.72\00:17:39.22
So I had everything I could want
00:17:39.25\00:17:40.59
as far as the involvements.
00:17:40.62\00:17:42.22
And I absolutely loved
it, I was having access,
00:17:42.26\00:17:44.19
people were being baptized,
00:17:44.23\00:17:45.56
it was the best year
I had with my students.
00:17:45.59\00:17:47.23
I really didn't want
to leave what I was doing
00:17:47.26\00:17:49.73
but God made it
clear to go home,
00:17:49.76\00:17:51.83
but I didn't know
what that looked like
00:17:51.87\00:17:53.37
cause I'm from
here, I'm one of the few
00:17:53.40\00:17:55.17
local Yorkers around here.
00:17:55.20\00:17:56.54
Yeah.
00:17:56.57\00:17:57.91
That was in a transplant,
and I just wasn't so sure.
00:17:57.94\00:18:00.58
Unseen Media Group who
are people that I knew,
00:18:00.61\00:18:02.51
a good friend of mine
started that ministry,
00:18:02.54\00:18:04.11
the other person, not Ryan
but the other one, has been.
00:18:04.15\00:18:07.55
And so I thought, "Well,
they're going back to Illinois,
00:18:07.58\00:18:09.82
they are going to go establish
their ministry in Illinois."
00:18:09.85\00:18:12.35
And I just kind
of had this sense
00:18:12.39\00:18:13.72
that God maybe leading
00:18:13.76\00:18:15.09
but I just, I wasn't
quite ready for that.
00:18:15.12\00:18:17.53
And I just kept getting
this conviction of sense that
00:18:17.56\00:18:19.46
God is asking me to
move in that direction.
00:18:19.49\00:18:21.73
And I went to my
cousin's funeral,
00:18:21.76\00:18:25.47
my cousin committed suicide
two years ago in the spring.
00:18:25.50\00:18:28.40
And while I was in Atlanta,
00:18:28.44\00:18:30.41
I had never seen so many
00:18:30.44\00:18:31.91
Illinois license
plates in my life,
00:18:31.94\00:18:34.44
they were everywhere,
00:18:34.48\00:18:35.81
they were just
swarming me for every island,
00:18:35.84\00:18:37.41
I just kept thinking, Illinois,
Illinois, Illinois, I was like,
00:18:37.45\00:18:38.98
"Oh, Jeez."
00:18:39.01\00:18:40.48
And so I finally
committed on that drive home,
00:18:40.52\00:18:42.48
fine, I'll go,
00:18:42.52\00:18:44.55
but I have no idea what
it's going to look like.
00:18:44.59\00:18:46.65
And so I called a local
pastor Tom Ferguson and said,
00:18:46.69\00:18:49.09
"Hey, I'm coming
back into the area
00:18:49.12\00:18:51.66
and not really sure
what I'm going to doing
00:18:51.69\00:18:53.03
but I just want to let you know
00:18:53.06\00:18:54.40
what needs to the church
have, I've done Bible work
00:18:54.43\00:18:56.80
and it's kind of put
some things out there.
00:18:56.83\00:18:59.47
And by the end of
the conversation, I said,
00:18:59.50\00:19:00.84
"So let me get this straight,
00:19:00.87\00:19:02.20
you're moving to Illinois
but you don't have a job,
00:19:02.24\00:19:05.27
like you don't have any
way to provide for yourself,
00:19:05.31\00:19:07.14
you have no idea what
are you going to be doing?"
00:19:07.18\00:19:08.51
And I said,
"Yes, that's correct."
00:19:08.54\00:19:10.15
And he said, "Well,
I'll be praying for you."
00:19:10.18\00:19:14.02
But then I talked to Tom Mann
00:19:14.05\00:19:16.35
who was working
at 3ABN at that time.
00:19:16.38\00:19:17.72
I said, "Tom, what do you think?
00:19:17.75\00:19:19.25
You know the area pretty well,
00:19:19.29\00:19:20.62
you preach at a
lot of the churches,
00:19:20.66\00:19:21.99
what do you think?"
00:19:22.02\00:19:23.36
He said, "Why don't you
to make a resume for me?"
00:19:23.39\00:19:24.73
I hadn't updated
my resume in a while,
00:19:24.76\00:19:26.09
I made a resume Thursday night.
00:19:26.13\00:19:27.46
Friday morning I talked
to Ben, and I asked Ben,
00:19:27.50\00:19:29.16
"What are your
biggest needs, man?"
00:19:29.20\00:19:30.53
Like he called
me out of the blue
00:19:30.57\00:19:31.90
and I don't get to
hear from Ben a lot,
00:19:31.93\00:19:33.27
so it was really
good to hear from, I said,
00:19:33.30\00:19:34.64
"What are your
biggest need for the ministry
00:19:34.67\00:19:36.00
and what can I be praying for?"
00:19:36.04\00:19:37.57
And one of the
things he asked me was
00:19:37.61\00:19:38.97
would I be willing to be a
consultant for the ministry?
00:19:39.01\00:19:40.71
I Said, "Yeah, no problem."
00:19:40.74\00:19:42.18
And I will be near, if you need,
00:19:42.21\00:19:43.55
you know, things
whatever no problem.
00:19:43.58\00:19:44.95
And I said, "Well, let
me talk to you and Ryan,
00:19:44.98\00:19:47.92
like I want to
know what your needs are
00:19:47.95\00:19:49.28
and better understand
00:19:49.32\00:19:50.65
'cause I had never
worked with a lot of people,
00:19:50.69\00:19:52.02
where working get
some stuff together.
00:19:52.05\00:19:53.39
And coming Sunday I
talk to Ryan and Ben,
00:19:53.42\00:19:56.02
and Ryan had mentioned the fact
that one of the biggest needs
00:19:56.06\00:20:00.43
is someone to
teach their Bible classes
00:20:00.46\00:20:02.50
and to do preaching
the stuff for the ministry.
00:20:02.53\00:20:04.23
I thought, "Well,
that's kind of what I do."
00:20:04.27\00:20:07.24
So in my mind, I'm not
even thinking of working there,
00:20:07.27\00:20:08.97
and I'm
thinking, "Well, I'll live
00:20:09.00\00:20:10.34
somewhere in Southern Illinois
00:20:10.37\00:20:11.71
and I can help you out
in every once in a while."
00:20:11.74\00:20:13.44
And so I said,
well, you know he said,
00:20:13.48\00:20:15.04
"Let me send you
a job description."
00:20:15.08\00:20:16.41
Okay.
00:20:16.44\00:20:17.78
He sends me a job
description Monday morning
00:20:17.81\00:20:19.28
and it's literally the
exact same thing as the resume
00:20:19.31\00:20:22.25
I just made for
Tom Mann on Thursday.
00:20:22.28\00:20:24.92
To a T like everything,
00:20:24.95\00:20:26.86
you might as well
just taking a picture of me
00:20:26.89\00:20:29.29
and put that on
the job description.
00:20:29.32\00:20:31.09
And I thought,
you got to be kidding.
00:20:31.13\00:20:32.69
And then well, I
think my friend Jesus
00:20:32.73\00:20:35.20
is up to something.
00:20:35.23\00:20:36.77
And from there it just
all kind of fell into place.
00:20:36.80\00:20:39.07
And yeah, so
sometimes God works in ways
00:20:39.10\00:20:42.24
that it's not so much that you
00:20:42.27\00:20:44.54
want
confirmation but it just drops
00:20:44.57\00:20:46.44
and you have to
make it abundantly clear
00:20:46.47\00:20:47.81
that this is where you're going.
00:20:47.84\00:20:50.05
And I'm very glad
that God did what he did
00:20:50.08\00:20:52.15
but at the time I was
a little more concerned
00:20:52.18\00:20:54.35
but I am glad
He did what he did.
00:20:54.38\00:20:57.52
And I think, I
think that the Lord
00:20:57.55\00:21:00.32
does not have a
problem with you saying,
00:21:00.36\00:21:03.36
"Lord, I want to do your will.
00:21:03.39\00:21:06.13
I'm committed, I'm on board.
00:21:06.16\00:21:07.90
Just show me, show me plainly."
00:21:07.93\00:21:09.86
I think that is the
prayer that he wanted.
00:21:09.90\00:21:11.50
Now since Eric and you
gave those testimonies,
00:21:11.53\00:21:15.64
tell me what that has done
00:21:15.67\00:21:18.17
in being able to trace
God's moving in your life
00:21:18.21\00:21:21.54
for your faith and
your confidence in him.
00:21:21.58\00:21:24.81
It wasn't because
00:21:24.85\00:21:26.35
I'd had previous experiences
of faithfulness with God,
00:21:26.38\00:21:28.95
I knew it was
foully to play games
00:21:28.98\00:21:31.09
with Him with this decision.
00:21:31.12\00:21:32.92
I knew better and that's
why I gave him, and I said,
00:21:32.95\00:21:35.46
"Lord, I know
you better than that.
00:21:35.49\00:21:36.83
Everywhere that
you've led me in the past
00:21:36.86\00:21:38.19
you have
faithfully provided for me.
00:21:38.23\00:21:40.16
You've done things I
never could have asked for,
00:21:40.20\00:21:42.13
it was far beyond what I
would have asked for myself.
00:21:42.16\00:21:44.53
I know better. And I'm sorry."
00:21:44.57\00:21:46.74
That was what really brought
me to my knees to come back.
00:21:46.77\00:21:49.27
So I actually leading
into this that I already knew
00:21:49.30\00:21:51.27
from previous experiences
that would be the case.
00:21:51.31\00:21:53.71
And when we've gone through
00:21:53.74\00:21:55.08
financial
difficulties as a ministry here,
00:21:55.11\00:21:57.55
I've always known that
this is what God wanted me,
00:21:57.58\00:22:01.32
and I'm not changing
my mind because I knew.
00:22:01.35\00:22:04.42
So I think on the
before and on the after side
00:22:04.45\00:22:06.52
that was something I always knew
00:22:06.55\00:22:07.89
that God was so clear
that this is what he wanted
00:22:07.92\00:22:10.53
and he hasn't said anything else
00:22:10.56\00:22:11.99
that I'm committed
to being fully here
00:22:12.03\00:22:14.56
until he says something else.
00:22:14.60\00:22:16.20
I'm not looking
for anything else.
00:22:16.23\00:22:17.73
I'm just here and that's kind
of the way this works for me
00:22:17.77\00:22:20.40
but it's been very, very good
00:22:20.44\00:22:21.77
to have the
previous instances of God
00:22:21.80\00:22:23.14
faithfulness that
gave me that boldness
00:22:23.17\00:22:24.81
that you're talking about
00:22:24.84\00:22:26.17
and that
humility to know better.
00:22:26.21\00:22:27.61
I know him better than that,
00:22:27.64\00:22:28.98
and I shouldn't
be running from him,
00:22:29.01\00:22:30.35
and I'm sorry.
00:22:30.38\00:22:31.71
Amen. And I'm going.
00:22:31.75\00:22:33.08
That's exactly right.
00:22:33.11\00:22:34.45
So many times in my
life the words come through,
00:22:34.48\00:22:36.89
time and time again.
00:22:36.92\00:22:38.35
You wonder you
look around you say,
00:22:38.39\00:22:39.72
"Where are you, God?
00:22:39.75\00:22:41.09
Why am I going through this?"
00:22:41.12\00:22:42.46
The Lord comes through
00:22:42.49\00:22:43.83
happens again
and again and again.
00:22:43.86\00:22:45.19
Eventually when the
Lord calls upon you directly
00:22:45.23\00:22:47.76
to do something
totally out of the ordinary,
00:22:47.80\00:22:50.50
something that you
absolutely would not do,
00:22:50.53\00:22:53.17
you have faith that he's
not going to drop you now.
00:22:53.20\00:22:55.90
You've been
faithful up to this point.
00:22:55.94\00:22:57.61
So you step out in faith,
00:22:57.64\00:22:59.27
and He blesses to
this day, I'm shocked.
00:22:59.31\00:23:02.28
I'm saying, "How do
we survive on the money
00:23:02.31\00:23:05.55
that we make now compared
to what we used to make?"
00:23:05.58\00:23:08.22
We don't know how we
do it but we live better,
00:23:08.25\00:23:10.89
we're happy, we're comfortable
00:23:10.92\00:23:12.75
the Lord had
supplied our every need,
00:23:12.79\00:23:14.39
we're not struggling,
and we stepped out on faith.
00:23:14.42\00:23:18.19
So if something were
to happen in the future
00:23:18.23\00:23:20.46
where the Lord said, "I
want you to go to Tasmania",
00:23:20.50\00:23:24.93
we would just go.
00:23:24.97\00:23:26.30
"Okay, Lord, if
that's what you want,
00:23:26.33\00:23:28.37
that's what we do."
00:23:28.40\00:23:29.80
Marilyn might be
a bit of a challenge
00:23:29.84\00:23:31.84
to convince her to
go with me to Tasmania
00:23:31.87\00:23:33.81
but we would go
and we would do it
00:23:33.84\00:23:35.18
and I'm sure the
Lord would bless.
00:23:35.21\00:23:37.05
Well, I have to say, honestly,
00:23:37.08\00:23:38.88
when we came to Illinois,
00:23:38.91\00:23:41.42
I thought it was
Eric being called
00:23:41.45\00:23:45.59
and little did I know
when Molly called and said,
00:23:45.62\00:23:49.22
"Do you want to work?"
00:23:49.26\00:23:51.19
I thought, "Okay, yeah,
I'll come and work for 3ABN."
00:23:51.23\00:23:55.03
But now I realize that
00:23:55.06\00:23:58.47
we weren't coming
here just for Eric
00:23:58.50\00:24:00.44
but we were coming here for me.
00:24:00.47\00:24:01.90
And what a blessing it has been.
00:24:01.94\00:24:04.21
I feel honored
and privileged that
00:24:04.24\00:24:06.04
God has chosen me to work
for ministry to spread his word.
00:24:06.07\00:24:12.88
And so I see Him every day,
00:24:12.91\00:24:17.32
and I see how
He works in my life
00:24:17.35\00:24:19.29
and the changes that
have been made in my life
00:24:19.32\00:24:22.59
as a faithful servant,
00:24:22.62\00:24:25.03
and I am just grateful for that.
00:24:25.06\00:24:27.36
Like you said, C.A.,
00:24:27.40\00:24:29.23
the Lord provides
you for want of nothing.
00:24:29.26\00:24:32.60
We have everything
that we need right now,
00:24:32.63\00:24:35.27
and it's all
because of the Lord.
00:24:35.30\00:24:36.91
Praise the Lord.
00:24:36.94\00:24:38.41
It occurs to me there are
two things that really work
00:24:38.44\00:24:41.18
and test your faith.
00:24:41.21\00:24:42.94
One is sickness, and
the other is finances.
00:24:42.98\00:24:47.65
I mean the rubber meets the road
00:24:47.68\00:24:49.75
at health or lack thereof
00:24:49.78\00:24:52.62
and cash that's
'cause you know what,
00:24:52.65\00:24:54.29
you were an
engineer for a large company,
00:24:54.32\00:24:56.42
you are a pilot, I mean
you got an impressive resume.
00:24:56.46\00:24:59.49
So you had to decide
00:24:59.53\00:25:01.70
'cause they're not going
to pay me what I was making.
00:25:01.73\00:25:05.10
So we've got to step
down. So that's cash.
00:25:05.13\00:25:08.40
You're still young enough
and everybody is in good health
00:25:08.44\00:25:11.17
and healthy enough, you know,
00:25:11.21\00:25:13.38
so the thing is that it's money,
00:25:13.41\00:25:14.74
it's about money.
00:25:14.78\00:25:16.11
Can we live on
00:25:16.14\00:25:17.91
what we're
going to make at 3ABN,
00:25:17.95\00:25:19.58
which is nowhere near
00:25:19.61\00:25:21.28
what I could pull down in my...
00:25:21.32\00:25:22.85
You are an
engineer, I mean, that's,
00:25:22.88\00:25:24.29
you can pocket some decent cash.
00:25:24.32\00:25:25.99
And what's amazing is I
defaulted back to the Bible.
00:25:26.02\00:25:28.29
Yeah.
00:25:28.32\00:25:29.66
I said, the children of Israel
stepped out into the desert
00:25:29.69\00:25:34.03
and they're saying, "Where
is my food gonna come from,
00:25:34.06\00:25:36.16
it's the desert."
00:25:36.20\00:25:37.73
And the Lord supplied the manna,
00:25:37.77\00:25:40.04
He supplied the
water, He protected them.
00:25:40.07\00:25:43.37
And because I was
studious in studying the Bible
00:25:43.41\00:25:46.61
prior to being called out,
00:25:46.64\00:25:48.84
I knew that the
Lord provided to them,
00:25:48.88\00:25:51.85
and throughout the Bible
00:25:51.88\00:25:53.21
the Lord had
provided to the patriarchs
00:25:53.25\00:25:54.58
and the prophets.
00:25:54.62\00:25:55.95
He has provided
to me and my wife
00:25:55.98\00:25:57.45
when we went through
trials, we're going to step out
00:25:57.49\00:26:00.26
and we're gonna
go to West Frankfurt,
00:26:00.29\00:26:01.72
and He's blessed.
00:26:01.76\00:26:03.09
Amen, Amen, and the clothes
didn't wear out, you know.
00:26:03.12\00:26:06.06
Yeah. Clothes and the shoes.
00:26:06.09\00:26:07.43
Yeah.
00:26:07.46\00:26:08.80
And there's your
blessing, you know.
00:26:08.83\00:26:10.17
We have to go to
Walmart every day
00:26:10.20\00:26:11.53
or dealers or
wherever we shop...
00:26:11.57\00:26:13.10
Because Lord is
taking care of our clothes.
00:26:13.13\00:26:15.60
So this tracing of the
hand of God in your life
00:26:15.64\00:26:20.34
does fortify you, you know,
it gives you strength and all.
00:26:20.38\00:26:23.38
Now let's hold of our pictures,
00:26:23.41\00:26:24.75
I don't know
because I should have
00:26:24.78\00:26:26.11
given you magic
markers to look at our hands.
00:26:26.15\00:26:28.45
I don't know, can you see this?
00:26:28.48\00:26:29.82
I think that the
tracing may be too light
00:26:29.85\00:26:32.59
and it probably should be given
you something a little heavy.
00:26:32.62\00:26:34.69
But again, you see the
outline of the hand of God
00:26:34.72\00:26:38.69
of your own hand without
the everything being filled in,
00:26:38.73\00:26:42.56
so you trust
that this is your hand
00:26:42.60\00:26:44.40
because you know
the outline of it
00:26:44.43\00:26:46.53
without all the filling in.
00:26:46.57\00:26:49.00
Ellen White says and
I've got a couple readings
00:26:49.04\00:26:50.84
that I want you
guys to respond to.
00:26:50.87\00:26:53.04
This is something
we hear at 3ABN a lot
00:26:53.07\00:26:55.41
but I wanted to put
down the exact reference.
00:26:55.44\00:26:58.15
Where she says, "We
have nothing to fear
00:26:58.18\00:26:59.98
for the future except
00:27:00.02\00:27:01.82
as we shall forget the
way the Lord has led us
00:27:01.85\00:27:05.65
and His
teaching in our passage."
00:27:05.69\00:27:07.76
We leave out that
teaching sometimes
00:27:07.79\00:27:09.62
because He doesn't
just lead you blind,
00:27:09.66\00:27:11.56
if you talk about
the leap of faith.
00:27:11.59\00:27:12.96
Well, it's not a blind leap.
00:27:12.99\00:27:15.46
When you leave, the
Lord actually tells you
00:27:15.50\00:27:17.07
where you're
gonna land, you know.
00:27:17.10\00:27:18.77
He mandated that spot
00:27:18.80\00:27:20.37
but He tells
you that the landing
00:27:20.40\00:27:21.74
will be a safe one.
00:27:21.77\00:27:23.10
You know, you are not
going to break your kneecaps
00:27:23.14\00:27:24.47
or your ankles,
you will land safely.
00:27:24.51\00:27:27.34
So we have nothing to
fear for the future except
00:27:27.38\00:27:30.08
we forget where He's let us
00:27:30.11\00:27:32.58
and His teaching
in the past history,
00:27:32.61\00:27:35.05
which presupposes,
like you said, Eric,
00:27:35.08\00:27:37.02
that we have
studied the teaching,
00:27:37.05\00:27:40.36
so we know the teaching.
00:27:40.39\00:27:41.72
And that's why Bible
study is so important
00:27:41.76\00:27:43.39
because you don't even
know the promises you have,
00:27:43.43\00:27:46.33
it's like having money in a bank
00:27:46.36\00:27:48.00
and don't have
the pin, you know.
00:27:48.03\00:27:50.37
You got to have a pin to access,
00:27:50.40\00:27:52.07
you know, your money.
00:27:52.10\00:27:53.44
There are promises
there that you can claim
00:27:53.47\00:27:55.87
but you've got to
study to know those promises.
00:27:55.90\00:27:58.01
So that when you get in a
jam, you know the promise is
00:27:58.04\00:28:00.68
as you know the
Lord is with you, okay.
00:28:00.71\00:28:02.91
In Acts 7, it tells
the story of Abraham
00:28:02.94\00:28:06.88
and Stephen is recounting
the history of Israel.
00:28:06.92\00:28:09.78
And he mentions in verse 3, how,
00:28:09.82\00:28:13.39
I just want to start
in verse 1 that says,
00:28:13.42\00:28:15.26
"Then the High Priests said
these things so and he said,
00:28:15.29\00:28:17.99
'Brethren and fathers, listen,
00:28:18.03\00:28:19.63
The God of glory
appeared to our father Abraham
00:28:19.66\00:28:21.86
when he was in Mesopotamia,
00:28:21.90\00:28:23.50
before he dwelt in
Haran, and he said to him,
00:28:23.53\00:28:25.80
"Get out of your
country and from your relatives,
00:28:25.83\00:28:28.27
and come to a land
that I will show you."
00:28:28.30\00:28:31.41
'" But the idea of
come kind of implies
00:28:31.44\00:28:33.48
that God is
already there, right?
00:28:33.51\00:28:36.48
If I asked you to come
over to my house for lunch,
00:28:36.51\00:28:38.98
that would imply
that I know where it is
00:28:39.01\00:28:40.62
and I'm going to be there.
00:28:40.65\00:28:42.25
And I appreciate
that about the call
00:28:42.28\00:28:44.19
that God gave to Abraham
00:28:44.22\00:28:45.55
because it's a land
that I will show you.
00:28:45.59\00:28:46.99
You don't know where but
you know that I am there,
00:28:47.02\00:28:49.36
and that's enough.
00:28:49.39\00:28:51.13
And when you talk about
the teachings of the passage,
00:28:51.16\00:28:54.56
that was one that was
really helpful for me too,
00:28:54.60\00:28:58.20
when walking through
some of those decisions
00:28:58.23\00:28:59.57
I've had to make.
00:28:59.60\00:29:00.94
Praise the Lord, I think
before the Lord asked us to go,
00:29:00.97\00:29:04.87
He always asked us to come.
00:29:04.91\00:29:07.44
"Come to me and then go,
come and learn and then go,
00:29:07.48\00:29:10.81
sit at my feet and then go."
00:29:10.85\00:29:12.31
So there's always
this "Come and go".
00:29:12.35\00:29:14.55
They tend to go hand in hand.
00:29:14.58\00:29:18.19
Got something else I
want you to respond to it.
00:29:18.22\00:29:20.12
Ellen White says this,
"What lessons of humility
00:29:20.16\00:29:24.19
and faith may we not learn
00:29:24.23\00:29:27.20
as we trace the dealings
of God with these creatures?
00:29:27.23\00:29:30.63
The Lord can do but
little for the children of men
00:29:30.67\00:29:34.50
because they are so
full of pride and vainglory."
00:29:34.54\00:29:37.74
So she says to me
00:29:37.77\00:29:40.08
that in tracing the
outline of the hand of God,
00:29:40.11\00:29:44.21
there are many, many
lessons to be learned
00:29:44.25\00:29:46.82
if we get
ourselves out of the way.
00:29:46.85\00:29:48.85
You know, the thing
that's holding us back,
00:29:48.88\00:29:50.85
the thing that is
stifling our growth
00:29:50.89\00:29:54.32
and our experience is itself,
00:29:54.36\00:29:56.66
and we can learn so
much if we open our eyes
00:29:56.69\00:30:01.53
to see what God has to do for us
00:30:01.56\00:30:05.03
and do through us, you agree?
00:30:05.07\00:30:07.27
Well, the Bible said
that Satan had an I problem.
00:30:07.30\00:30:11.87
"I this" and "I that,"
and I always think about
00:30:11.91\00:30:14.78
that when I start
thinking about myself
00:30:14.81\00:30:16.34
before I think about others
00:30:16.38\00:30:18.91
because I know
just from the past,
00:30:18.95\00:30:22.42
when you get in
the way of God's will
00:30:22.45\00:30:24.85
is when the problems come.
00:30:24.89\00:30:26.22
Yeah.
00:30:26.25\00:30:27.59
And you're not
happy, it doesn't matter
00:30:27.62\00:30:29.86
what else you're provided
with to your own efforts,
00:30:29.89\00:30:32.66
you're not happy
00:30:32.69\00:30:34.03
until you're
doing the Lord's will.
00:30:34.06\00:30:35.40
But you're not
doing the Lord's will
00:30:35.43\00:30:36.83
if you're serving
yourself before you serve Him.
00:30:36.87\00:30:40.44
You know, the happiest
I have ever been is been
00:30:40.47\00:30:42.17
when I have been fully invested
in the people around me.
00:30:42.20\00:30:45.57
You know, as a Bible
worker or doing other work,
00:30:45.61\00:30:47.18
that was the happiest I
could ever be because I was,
00:30:47.21\00:30:49.14
my whole day was based
around being of service
00:30:49.18\00:30:51.51
to other people,
00:30:51.55\00:30:53.08
and it's, that's, yeah, 100%.
00:30:53.11\00:30:56.85
You know, I think the
Lord is willing to fill us
00:30:56.89\00:30:59.69
to capacity and we
determine by our response
00:30:59.72\00:31:04.96
to what that capacity is.
00:31:04.99\00:31:08.06
You know, you're in
control of how close to God
00:31:08.10\00:31:11.73
you can get.
00:31:11.77\00:31:13.50
He wants to be very, very close.
00:31:13.54\00:31:16.47
And if you really want
to be very, very close,
00:31:16.50\00:31:19.11
that's precisely what He wants.
00:31:19.14\00:31:20.88
He wants to direct your steps,
00:31:20.91\00:31:22.51
He wants to
give you good things,
00:31:22.54\00:31:23.88
He wants to give
you food for your labor,
00:31:23.91\00:31:25.71
He wants you to
have joy in your life,
00:31:25.75\00:31:27.42
and that to a great extent
is in your control, you know.
00:31:27.45\00:31:31.12
If you put in the time,
and listen, and obey, and walk,
00:31:31.15\00:31:34.99
and pray, and surrender,
and submit, and commit,
00:31:35.02\00:31:38.76
there's no limit.
00:31:38.79\00:31:40.13
She says to the
usefulness of one,
00:31:40.16\00:31:42.06
who laying self-aside,
00:31:42.10\00:31:44.10
you know, makes room for
the working the Holy Spirit
00:31:44.13\00:31:45.60
upon his heart.
00:31:45.63\00:31:46.97
You can have as much
Jesus as you can hold,
00:31:47.00\00:31:51.44
and you can expand your
capacity by spending time
00:31:51.47\00:31:54.78
with him and talking about him.
00:31:54.81\00:31:56.91
The word is surrender.
The word indeed is surrender.
00:31:56.95\00:31:59.81
Yeah, the secret is
always been surrender.
00:31:59.85\00:32:06.39
Here's the one,
"The thorny path of duty
00:32:06.42\00:32:11.79
becomes easier to follow
00:32:11.83\00:32:14.33
when we trace His
divine footsteps before us."
00:32:14.36\00:32:21.97
That goes back to
something we talked about
00:32:22.00\00:32:23.44
just a little bit ago.
00:32:23.47\00:32:25.67
The path that Christ calls
us to walk is not always easy.
00:32:25.71\00:32:30.45
In fact, it
really is never easy.
00:32:30.48\00:32:34.22
If not, it's possible.
00:32:34.25\00:32:37.85
And if it were easy,
I always tell Irma say,
00:32:37.89\00:32:40.76
you know, if it's easy,
you could buy at Walmart.
00:32:40.79\00:32:43.02
You know, if it's cheap,
you can get it at Walmart.
00:32:43.06\00:32:44.53
So it's not easy 'cause
you can't get it at Walmart.
00:32:44.56\00:32:47.90
And we have to
put up with a lot of,
00:32:47.93\00:32:49.43
what was the word
you used, Lynette?
00:32:49.46\00:32:51.07
Detritus. Detritus or detritus.
00:32:51.10\00:32:54.30
Potato, potato.
00:32:54.34\00:32:55.94
We have to put up with a
lot of stuff in this life.
00:32:55.97\00:32:59.64
Sometimes, it
means dealing with people
00:32:59.67\00:33:03.04
who you'd rather
not deal with or,
00:33:03.08\00:33:07.25
you know, because
the truth is everybody
00:33:07.28\00:33:08.62
is not gonna like you.
00:33:08.65\00:33:09.98
I'll tell you a quick story.
00:33:10.02\00:33:11.35
When I was
pastoring in New York,
00:33:11.39\00:33:12.72
in my third church,
00:33:12.75\00:33:15.36
I had a woman who
came to me and she said,
00:33:15.39\00:33:18.29
"Pastor, I need
to talk with you".
00:33:18.33\00:33:19.66
I said, "Okay".
00:33:19.69\00:33:21.03
We went to the
office and she said,
00:33:21.06\00:33:22.96
"Pastor, for some
reason, I don't like you."
00:33:23.00\00:33:25.93
Oh.
00:33:25.97\00:33:27.30
She said, "I just,
I just don't like you.
00:33:27.34\00:33:29.40
I just got
nothing about you I like."
00:33:29.44\00:33:31.67
And in fact, she said,
"Well, even when I think of you,
00:33:31.71\00:33:34.61
I just, I just,
00:33:34.64\00:33:40.45
I'm sorry, I just,
00:33:40.48\00:33:41.82
I'm trying to
like you but I just,
00:33:41.85\00:33:43.45
I just don't like you.
00:33:43.49\00:33:44.82
I just, you haven't
done anything to me,
00:33:44.85\00:33:46.35
I just, ooh..."
00:33:46.39\00:33:47.72
She went, "Ooh, I
just don't like you.
00:33:47.76\00:33:49.22
I just don't like you."
00:33:49.26\00:33:51.66
Now, praise the Lord, I
only had that happen once.
00:33:51.69\00:33:56.50
Once is enough, I only
had that happen for once
00:33:56.53\00:33:58.83
but it did happen.
00:33:58.87\00:34:00.30
So now I got to determine
00:34:00.34\00:34:01.67
what my response to
this woman is going to be?
00:34:01.70\00:34:03.84
You know, because
it'd be easy to say,
00:34:03.87\00:34:06.64
"Well, I don't like you either."
00:34:06.68\00:34:08.01
Yeah. Right.
00:34:08.04\00:34:10.45
You know, so
what, "I don't like you,
00:34:10.48\00:34:12.51
you don't like me, so what?"
00:34:12.55\00:34:14.72
And yet, I said, "Lord,
00:34:14.75\00:34:16.55
you're gonna have to help me
00:34:16.58\00:34:18.45
get a break
through with this woman."
00:34:18.49\00:34:22.09
Because she could
not articulate anything,
00:34:22.12\00:34:25.16
I hadn't done
anything, and she just,
00:34:25.19\00:34:26.66
"I don't like you."
00:34:26.70\00:34:28.13
And sometimes,
you're put in situations
00:34:28.16\00:34:29.80
where you're dealing
with people whose ways
00:34:29.83\00:34:32.50
or whose approach to life is
00:34:32.53\00:34:35.34
just kind of
antithetical to yours.
00:34:35.37\00:34:37.51
And yet, the Lord says,
"You got to love them too."
00:34:37.54\00:34:40.68
And you have to,
you have to love them
00:34:40.71\00:34:43.18
so well that they don't know
whether you like them or not.
00:34:43.21\00:34:47.25
They assume you do
because the way you love them.
00:34:47.28\00:34:50.32
And so before I
left that church,
00:34:50.35\00:34:53.12
we became pretty good friends.
00:34:53.15\00:34:55.02
You know, we became
decent friends, yeah.
00:34:55.06\00:34:59.79
I like the word stuff.
00:34:59.83\00:35:01.23
Yeah.
00:35:01.26\00:35:02.60
Stuff, any time
stuff starts happening,
00:35:02.63\00:35:05.13
I look at it like it's a chisel.
00:35:05.17\00:35:07.14
Uh-huh.
00:35:07.17\00:35:08.50
And I'm granite,
some people are wax,
00:35:08.54\00:35:11.87
some people are sandstone.
00:35:11.91\00:35:15.28
Yeah.
00:35:15.31\00:35:16.85
I'm granite and
the chisel hurts.
00:35:16.88\00:35:18.95
Yeah.
00:35:18.98\00:35:20.32
But God has hidden that
chisel and it's shaping you,
00:35:20.35\00:35:22.75
it's shaping your character.
00:35:22.78\00:35:24.32
And you can look back on
who you were in the beginning,
00:35:24.35\00:35:26.32
you were just a rock
and now you have a form
00:35:26.35\00:35:30.26
and God is just
chiseling the way at you.
00:35:30.29\00:35:31.86
So any time stuff happens,
I say, here comes a chisel.
00:35:31.89\00:35:34.23
Yeah, yeah.
00:35:34.26\00:35:35.60
Here it comes,
it's going to hurt
00:35:35.63\00:35:37.17
but it's shaping me to
who God wants me to be.
00:35:37.20\00:35:39.83
I had a similar
story when I was working
00:35:39.87\00:35:41.60
at Heritage Academy,
00:35:41.64\00:35:42.97
and I lived on
campus at that stage.
00:35:43.00\00:35:44.67
And my doorbell rang,
it was in the afternoon
00:35:44.71\00:35:46.21
I was doing some studies I
think, and opened the door,
00:35:46.24\00:35:48.78
and it's one of the
students, and their response
00:35:48.81\00:35:51.68
when I opened the door was,
00:35:51.71\00:35:53.05
"I just have to tell
you I can't do this anymore,
00:35:53.08\00:35:54.92
I hate you.
00:35:54.95\00:35:57.19
I hate you, I
just can't stand you."
00:35:57.22\00:35:59.72
And I said, "Come inside."
00:35:59.75\00:36:02.99
So we went on in my back porch,
00:36:03.02\00:36:04.49
and I just let her go,
just tell me everything,
00:36:04.53\00:36:06.83
like everything
that's on your heart
00:36:06.86\00:36:08.20
just let it all out there.
00:36:08.23\00:36:09.76
And when she laid it out there,
00:36:09.80\00:36:11.13
I could see pretty quickly
00:36:11.17\00:36:12.50
that there was a
big misunderstanding.
00:36:12.53\00:36:13.87
And so we just kind of
walked through it together,
00:36:13.90\00:36:16.67
and by the end of it,
she felt a lot better,
00:36:16.71\00:36:19.01
and I certainly
felt a lot better
00:36:19.04\00:36:20.38
because it was no
longer "I hate you".
00:36:20.41\00:36:22.04
But about an hour or so
after we'd gone through that,
00:36:22.08\00:36:25.51
kind of work
through it, things are fine,
00:36:25.55\00:36:26.98
there was
misunderstand on her end.
00:36:27.02\00:36:28.35
I was misunderstood, and
we worked through it all.
00:36:28.38\00:36:30.85
And by the end
of the school year,
00:36:30.89\00:36:32.22
she came up to me,
00:36:32.25\00:36:33.59
and she has this
sixth love language,
00:36:33.62\00:36:35.29
it's called physical
force, so when she showed a boy
00:36:35.32\00:36:37.29
that she liked him,
she start shoving him
00:36:37.33\00:36:38.83
and punching him and
doing things like that.
00:36:38.86\00:36:40.83
That's how she, tough
country girl, you know,
00:36:40.86\00:36:42.76
how she showed
her love to people,
00:36:42.80\00:36:44.13
and she kind of gave me a
bit of a shove and then said,
00:36:44.17\00:36:45.87
"You know what,
you're my favorite."
00:36:45.90\00:36:48.24
And we sat together at
GYC and we're at the seminars,
00:36:48.27\00:36:50.91
and she still happens to like me
00:36:50.94\00:36:52.91
but yeah, sometimes
stuff comes against you,
00:36:52.94\00:36:54.78
you just don't
know what to do with it.
00:36:54.81\00:36:56.14
Precisely.
00:36:56.18\00:36:57.51
You just think
when it's that strong
00:36:57.55\00:36:58.88
and that hard,
you think, "Oh, man.
00:36:58.91\00:37:00.25
Lord, what are you up to?"
00:37:00.28\00:37:01.62
But I learned a lot
about communication,
00:37:01.65\00:37:02.98
and I learned also a lot about
how first impressions matter
00:37:03.02\00:37:07.46
and the impressions that
she was getting from the way
00:37:07.49\00:37:10.13
which I presented
myself when I first got there,
00:37:10.16\00:37:11.96
which isn't the
way I would do it now,
00:37:11.99\00:37:13.96
I realize I need to be
more wise in how I begin,
00:37:14.00\00:37:18.57
you know,
intriguing the situations.
00:37:18.60\00:37:20.20
So God always has ways
of taking these difficulties
00:37:20.24\00:37:23.71
and using them as a
learning opportunity.
00:37:23.74\00:37:25.27
When he says, you
are in this teachings,
00:37:25.31\00:37:27.14
it's not just the
inspired writings.
00:37:27.18\00:37:28.51
I think that the lessons
that God wanted to teach us
00:37:28.54\00:37:31.48
through the things
that we went through,
00:37:31.51\00:37:32.85
I think that we gain
terrific benefit from it too.
00:37:32.88\00:37:37.85
Well said, and
I think, you know,
00:37:37.89\00:37:39.85
Ellen White
says that, "Every..."
00:37:39.89\00:37:41.82
Oh, I can't
remember the exact wording
00:37:41.86\00:37:43.29
but I'll sort of paraphrase.
00:37:43.32\00:37:45.09
Every challenge in our
life is the chance for,
00:37:45.13\00:37:48.20
it's a demand for, a
call for self-examination.
00:37:48.23\00:37:51.97
If you are at
odds with the person,
00:37:52.00\00:37:54.77
since you cannot change them,
the best thing to do is to say,
00:37:54.80\00:37:58.91
"Lord, okay,
what can I do for me
00:37:58.94\00:38:02.08
to try to make
the situation better?"
00:38:02.11\00:38:04.31
And many times,
the Lord will leave you
00:38:04.35\00:38:05.88
in that situation
00:38:05.91\00:38:07.25
because He wants
you to self-examine.
00:38:07.28\00:38:08.62
You know, it's like,
"Okay, Lord, I want out."
00:38:08.65\00:38:10.72
And He says, "No, stick in there
00:38:10.75\00:38:12.09
because you can see
something about yourself."
00:38:12.12\00:38:14.39
And there's, and you
know, when you get married,
00:38:14.42\00:38:17.46
all of us who've
been married know that
00:38:17.49\00:38:20.33
if you've been
married more than one day,
00:38:20.36\00:38:25.07
you know, that
marriage offers you
00:38:25.10\00:38:28.50
many opportunities
for self-examination.
00:38:28.54\00:38:31.24
Indeed. Amen.
00:38:31.27\00:38:34.41
It does, and it's
supposed to be that way.
00:38:34.44\00:38:38.91
You can, it's fairly
easy to see the flaws
00:38:38.95\00:38:42.42
in your partner
00:38:42.45\00:38:44.65
but it takes a
little more introspection
00:38:44.69\00:38:46.45
to see the flaws in you
and the same with your partner.
00:38:46.49\00:38:50.13
So marriage does offer
you the opportunity and, Dee,
00:38:50.16\00:38:53.13
you will find this out
00:38:53.16\00:38:54.50
one day that you've
got to look at yourself.
00:38:54.53\00:38:57.13
And if you're gonna stay
happy with another person,
00:38:57.17\00:38:59.70
you realize the sun
does not rise and set on you.
00:38:59.73\00:39:02.74
And that this person is trying
to make their way to heaven
00:39:02.77\00:39:05.61
like you're trying to
make your way to heaven.
00:39:05.64\00:39:07.34
And hopefully, you're
going together hand in hand.
00:39:07.38\00:39:09.41
Yes.
00:39:09.44\00:39:10.78
That's the part of
the growth process.
00:39:10.81\00:39:12.15
I was at a wedding, in a wedding
00:39:12.18\00:39:13.75
with some friends of mine
and Dr. Alan Parker was the one
00:39:13.78\00:39:15.92
who was giving the
ceremony, and he said,
00:39:15.95\00:39:18.29
"When two become
one, that one isn't you."
00:39:18.32\00:39:20.62
And... Yeah.
00:39:20.66\00:39:22.06
I realized, I'll
need to remember that.
00:39:22.09\00:39:23.99
That's very good.
00:39:24.03\00:39:26.19
That's fair.
00:39:26.23\00:39:27.56
Yeah, that one is not you. Yeah.
00:39:27.60\00:39:29.93
I like that, I may
have to write that down,
00:39:29.96\00:39:32.73
"The two becoming one."
00:39:32.77\00:39:36.54
Let me just go through
this one here from Advent Home.
00:39:36.57\00:39:40.91
She's talking about
parents and children, Lynette,
00:39:40.94\00:39:44.25
she says that,
"We need to point out
00:39:44.28\00:39:45.65
the beautiful
flowers and the lofty trees
00:39:45.68\00:39:48.02
in whose leaves
we can trace the work
00:39:48.05\00:39:51.99
and love of God."
00:39:52.02\00:39:53.92
That even in
nature we see outline,
00:39:53.96\00:39:57.23
the tracings of the love of God
00:39:57.26\00:39:59.23
and the work we had in
our lives, so it's there.
00:39:59.26\00:40:02.13
And I know, you spend
time in nature with your kids
00:40:02.16\00:40:04.80
and you guys get
out and do stuff.
00:40:04.83\00:40:06.17
Toss them out the
door and follow them, yeah,
00:40:06.20\00:40:09.67
keeping busy and active.
00:40:09.70\00:40:12.17
Yeah, I think we
came over one day
00:40:12.21\00:40:13.54
and they had just come in
from the walk or someplace.
00:40:13.58\00:40:15.14
Everybody's
laughing and puffing,
00:40:15.18\00:40:16.68
it was embarrassing, but
you guys kind of power walk
00:40:16.71\00:40:19.38
kind of thing,
00:40:19.41\00:40:20.75
but you can see the
hand of God in nature and...
00:40:20.78\00:40:24.05
There's a
science called fractals,
00:40:24.09\00:40:27.02
and fractals are no matter
how much you reduce it down,
00:40:27.06\00:40:29.89
it's just as beautiful
as when it started out.
00:40:29.92\00:40:33.50
Yes.
00:40:33.53\00:40:34.86
And there's a lot that...
00:40:34.90\00:40:36.73
Scientists have found
out there's a lot of fractals
00:40:36.77\00:40:38.63
in nature
00:40:38.67\00:40:40.00
when you look at a
leaf and you reduce it down,
00:40:40.04\00:40:41.40
you reduce it down,
it's just as beautiful
00:40:41.44\00:40:43.71
no matter how
much you reduce it down
00:40:43.74\00:40:45.17
as when you begin.
00:40:45.21\00:40:46.57
And God is a
wonderful God, He's a creator,
00:40:46.61\00:40:50.21
and I don't know
it's one of the things,
00:40:50.25\00:40:52.18
nature is one of the
things that converted me over
00:40:52.21\00:40:54.72
how you can have engineering
00:40:54.75\00:40:57.05
which is what nature
is without an engineer.
00:40:57.09\00:41:00.02
It doesn't make
sense. Yeah, yeah.
00:41:00.06\00:41:02.82
If you have a design,
00:41:02.86\00:41:04.19
there must be a master designer.
00:41:04.23\00:41:05.99
Amen.
00:41:06.03\00:41:07.36
What's the,
there's a word for that,
00:41:07.40\00:41:08.76
oh, teleology, that
has to be sufficiency
00:41:08.80\00:41:11.27
to get that done.
00:41:11.30\00:41:12.70
If you have a car, a car
didn't get there by itself,
00:41:12.73\00:41:15.14
somebody had to
put that car together.
00:41:15.17\00:41:16.74
You know, there
has to be a reason
00:41:16.77\00:41:18.41
for the existence of that car.
00:41:18.44\00:41:19.81
So you've got a world
that is complex and intricate,
00:41:19.84\00:41:23.11
somebody even more
complex and more intricate
00:41:23.14\00:41:25.78
had to design
that kind of thing.
00:41:25.81\00:41:28.08
And again in looking at
the world and tracing that,
00:41:28.12\00:41:31.55
it does fortify
you in your belief
00:41:31.59\00:41:36.73
and you are gonna
understand that God is with you.
00:41:36.76\00:41:38.36
Now I want you to take a
moment and think in your minds
00:41:38.39\00:41:40.26
because I'm gonna ask
you to give me a testimony,
00:41:40.30\00:41:42.30
and we've done
this a little before.
00:41:42.33\00:41:43.97
But other than coming
here, a time in your life
00:41:44.00\00:41:46.60
when you saw the
hand of God working
00:41:46.63\00:41:48.54
and you know it was God.
00:41:48.57\00:41:50.74
You've given some testimonies
that we've heard in worship
00:41:50.77\00:41:54.24
in your flying
experience that, you know,
00:41:54.28\00:41:56.21
it was the hand of God.
00:41:56.24\00:41:57.58
But, Dee, think back.
00:41:57.61\00:41:58.95
Lynette, think
back, maybe even before
00:41:58.98\00:42:00.92
you came to Southern
Illinois, and you've been here,
00:42:00.95\00:42:03.08
how long, you and Jorge?
00:42:03.12\00:42:04.45
Nine years. Nine years?
00:42:04.49\00:42:05.89
Oh, time gets away.
It has been nine years?
00:42:05.92\00:42:08.49
It's gonna be nine
years in the month of June.
00:42:08.52\00:42:09.92
Praise the Lord.
And you guys have?
00:42:09.96\00:42:11.29
Three. Three years.
00:42:11.33\00:42:12.66
Three years,
and we're in our 12.
00:42:12.69\00:42:14.60
We came in 2005.
00:42:14.63\00:42:17.37
Dee, you've been
on campus, two years?
00:42:17.40\00:42:19.97
August, 2015, so
about an year and a half.
00:42:20.00\00:42:22.57
A year and a half,
okay, okay, but prior to that,
00:42:22.60\00:42:26.34
a time in your
life when you trace,
00:42:26.37\00:42:28.11
you saw the
outline of the hand of God.
00:42:28.14\00:42:31.61
I'm gonna bring
up the flying story
00:42:31.65\00:42:34.45
because it's really the
pivotal moment in my life
00:42:34.48\00:42:37.95
that changed me.
00:42:37.99\00:42:39.79
Prior to this
moment, I don't wanna say
00:42:39.82\00:42:42.72
that religion was a
fairy tale or mythology
00:42:42.76\00:42:46.56
but it almost was, you know.
00:42:46.59\00:42:48.73
I didn't really...
00:42:48.76\00:42:50.10
It wasn't a firm
commitment in any way shape
00:42:50.13\00:42:52.70
or form with me.
00:42:52.73\00:42:54.07
And my father gave me
some money to go to school,
00:42:54.10\00:42:58.01
two years worth of
money to go to college,
00:42:58.04\00:43:00.94
and I ran off to
California with that money
00:43:00.98\00:43:04.58
because I wanted
to fly airplanes.
00:43:04.61\00:43:06.65
And part of
becoming a pilot is that
00:43:06.68\00:43:09.18
they have a requirement
00:43:09.22\00:43:11.42
that you're going
along cross-country flight,
00:43:11.45\00:43:13.62
and I just decided
that my flight was gonna be
00:43:13.66\00:43:15.42
from Venice to
Laughlin in Nevada.
00:43:15.46\00:43:19.13
And you fly out
over the Mojave Desert,
00:43:19.16\00:43:20.90
it's about 4.5-hour
flight in the Cessna 172.
00:43:20.93\00:43:24.97
And I took off
that morning bright
00:43:25.00\00:43:26.74
and clear beautiful.
00:43:26.77\00:43:28.30
We checked the
weather, everything was fine,
00:43:28.34\00:43:29.80
me and the instructor,
I got to Laughlin, Nevada,
00:43:29.84\00:43:34.38
walked around the
terminal a little bit,
00:43:34.41\00:43:35.84
pop back on the
airplane and headed back home.
00:43:35.88\00:43:38.85
Got a little bit lost.
00:43:38.88\00:43:40.92
And I didn't know the
reason why I got lost is
00:43:40.95\00:43:43.02
because there was a storm,
a thunderstorm building up
00:43:43.05\00:43:46.05
over San Fernando Valley
00:43:46.09\00:43:47.92
which is where
Venice airport's located.
00:43:47.96\00:43:50.79
So I figured out
where I was, you know,
00:43:50.83\00:43:52.33
you turn a little
dials, navigational aids,
00:43:52.36\00:43:54.36
figure out where I was,
took up a heading for home
00:43:54.40\00:43:56.83
and I ran right
into the thunderstorm.
00:43:56.87\00:43:59.40
Now this is the new
pilot, maybe 80 hours,
00:43:59.43\00:44:01.70
80, 90 hours of flight
experience flying by myself,
00:44:01.74\00:44:05.47
flying into a thunderstorm,
approaching the airport,
00:44:05.51\00:44:08.54
I remember ducking
down, I kept reducing altitude
00:44:08.58\00:44:11.45
'cause I had to
stay below the cloud tops
00:44:11.48\00:44:13.11
and the cloud tops
just kept coming down.
00:44:13.15\00:44:14.75
So I'm flying between two
mountains in the cloud top,
00:44:14.78\00:44:17.65
into the valley.
00:44:17.69\00:44:19.02
And the wind shear was horrible,
00:44:19.05\00:44:21.79
updrafts, downdrafts,
00:44:21.82\00:44:23.79
wind shear trying to
flip my airplane up and down.
00:44:23.83\00:44:25.73
For about 15 minutes,
00:44:25.76\00:44:27.10
I'm just fighting
with this airplane.
00:44:27.13\00:44:28.53
I'm not praying yet
because I'm not really
00:44:28.56\00:44:30.33
that much of a
believer at this point.
00:44:30.37\00:44:33.07
And I call up the airport,
tell them where I am at,
00:44:33.10\00:44:36.97
they basically
said, "Are you sure
00:44:37.01\00:44:38.34
you want to land here,
00:44:38.37\00:44:39.71
we have airplanes
trying to land, big jets,
00:44:39.74\00:44:41.08
they can't land, are you sure?"
00:44:41.11\00:44:42.44
I look at my fuel gauge,
my fuel gauge is in the red
00:44:42.48\00:44:44.58
because I was lost for a while
00:44:44.61\00:44:46.85
which means I had about 20
to 25 minutes worth of fuel
00:44:46.88\00:44:49.38
and Venice is in the mountains,
there's mountains all around.
00:44:49.42\00:44:52.22
Got to land at this airport.
00:44:52.25\00:44:54.69
I turned base the final,
wind shear was just the worst
00:44:54.72\00:44:58.03
I've ever been, I flew 4.5 years
00:44:58.06\00:44:59.53
after that commercially,
00:44:59.56\00:45:01.06
never been in such
horrible turbulence
00:45:01.10\00:45:03.43
before in my life,
00:45:03.47\00:45:04.80
probably because I was
flying a really small airplane.
00:45:04.83\00:45:06.84
That was probably
part of the factor.
00:45:06.87\00:45:09.50
I turned final trial
line up with the runway,
00:45:09.54\00:45:12.07
not lining up very well,
going up and down and way up.
00:45:12.11\00:45:16.04
I said, "Lord,
00:45:16.08\00:45:17.98
please help me
land this airplane."
00:45:18.01\00:45:20.38
And as soon as the last syllable
00:45:20.42\00:45:21.95
came out of my mouth,
00:45:21.98\00:45:23.82
the air went
completely and totally quiet.
00:45:23.85\00:45:27.89
It was like a
dead calm, an unusual,
00:45:27.92\00:45:30.93
shouldn't be this
calm, it just happened.
00:45:30.96\00:45:34.46
Landed the airplane,
00:45:34.50\00:45:35.83
could have landed
there with two fingers
00:45:35.86\00:45:37.47
on the yoke.
00:45:37.50\00:45:38.83
That's a good end of the story.
00:45:38.87\00:45:40.20
My whole flight school came out,
00:45:40.24\00:45:41.57
the whole flight school
came out, and they said,
00:45:41.60\00:45:42.94
"We heard you on
the radio coming in
00:45:42.97\00:45:44.71
and now we want
to see you land."
00:45:44.74\00:45:46.41
I figured they
want to see me crash.
00:45:46.44\00:45:47.78
Crash.
00:45:47.81\00:45:50.88
My instructor was
very unhappy said,
00:45:50.91\00:45:52.51
"You should have
divert to another airport."
00:45:52.55\00:45:54.82
And like I said in my testimony,
00:45:54.85\00:45:56.58
I never told anybody
00:45:56.62\00:45:57.95
who landed that airplane for me.
00:45:57.99\00:46:00.22
And it was the Lord. Amen.
00:46:00.26\00:46:01.59
And then after that point,
I knew that there was a God,
00:46:01.62\00:46:04.26
I just had to get to know Him.
00:46:04.29\00:46:06.13
And this was '89, 1990.
00:46:06.16\00:46:09.80
So it was a long time ago,
00:46:09.83\00:46:11.30
and it took me a
while to find the Lord
00:46:11.33\00:46:12.83
in the Sabbath troop
00:46:12.87\00:46:14.20
but once I found it, I
found it, got baptized,
00:46:14.24\00:46:16.00
and it's been a
blessing ever since,
00:46:16.04\00:46:18.87
God is real.
00:46:18.91\00:46:20.24
Yeah.
00:46:20.28\00:46:23.01
You know, if
someone were to ask me,
00:46:23.04\00:46:24.95
"How do you know God is real?"
00:46:24.98\00:46:26.31
My response would be
two words, "Sit down."
00:46:26.35\00:46:29.32
'Cause I'm going
to start talking,
00:46:29.35\00:46:30.69
I'm just gonna start
telling stories like,
00:46:30.72\00:46:32.29
there's this deal
like my experience
00:46:32.32\00:46:34.12
is not just an academic venture,
00:46:34.16\00:46:37.36
mine is primarily
an experiential venture
00:46:37.39\00:46:39.89
of the faithfulness of God
00:46:39.93\00:46:41.26
from stem to
stern in my experience.
00:46:41.30\00:46:42.66
I moved to Tennessee
and didn't have a vehicle.
00:46:42.70\00:46:46.17
And this little girl,
00:46:46.20\00:46:49.24
I'll try to make
this as brief as I can,
00:46:49.27\00:46:50.61
but there's a little girl
00:46:50.64\00:46:51.97
who was a staff kid
at Heritage Academy.
00:46:52.01\00:46:53.98
And I rode my bike
00:46:54.01\00:46:55.64
over to the
other side of the gorge
00:46:55.68\00:46:57.01
where they were located.
00:46:57.05\00:46:58.38
And she said, "Mr. Dee,
how come you don't have a car?"
00:46:58.41\00:46:59.91
I said, "Well, sweetie,
I don't have enough money.
00:46:59.95\00:47:01.62
Cars cost money, I
just don't have enough."
00:47:01.65\00:47:03.82
She's like 6 at this stage
00:47:03.85\00:47:05.19
and this story is on
00:47:05.22\00:47:06.55
the 100 Days of Prayer
website, the full story.
00:47:06.59\00:47:08.46
But so she, "I
have something for you."
00:47:08.49\00:47:12.53
She goes to a
room and she comes back
00:47:12.56\00:47:13.90
with a couple of markers
and a piece of paper like this.
00:47:13.93\00:47:16.67
And she starts
drawing some mysterious object
00:47:16.70\00:47:19.10
and she folds it
handed to me says,
00:47:19.13\00:47:20.67
"I want to give this to you".
00:47:20.70\00:47:22.04
"So, well thank you, Anna".
00:47:22.07\00:47:23.41
And I go home, and I open
it and inside is 26 cents.
00:47:23.44\00:47:28.48
This girl is fully
convinced of the fact
00:47:28.51\00:47:30.35
that Mr. Dee
needs money for a car,
00:47:30.38\00:47:32.08
and I have money,
00:47:32.11\00:47:33.45
and she thought that
would be enough to buy a car.
00:47:33.48\00:47:34.82
Yeah.
00:47:34.85\00:47:36.18
And so I post
that story on Facebook,
00:47:36.22\00:47:37.79
that's what she supposed to
do when kids do cute things.
00:47:37.82\00:47:40.66
And a school teacher
for a local church school,
00:47:40.69\00:47:43.32
that I wasn't
attending that church
00:47:43.36\00:47:44.69
but I preached
there a couple times,
00:47:44.73\00:47:46.53
saw it and
wanted to do something
00:47:46.56\00:47:47.90
but then forgot.
00:47:47.93\00:47:49.26
And some time goes
by, during a week prayer
00:47:49.30\00:47:51.20
at this particular grade school
00:47:51.23\00:47:53.07
and she wasn't there
the first part of the week
00:47:53.10\00:47:54.70
because she,
00:47:54.74\00:47:56.20
one of her children
had just had a baby,
00:47:56.24\00:47:57.91
so she had a new grand kid,
she was gonna go see the kid.
00:47:57.94\00:48:00.44
So she comes on
Friday and she came to say,
00:48:00.48\00:48:02.48
"You don't have a car?"
00:48:02.51\00:48:03.85
I Said, "No, ma'am, I don't".
00:48:03.88\00:48:05.21
And she said, "Well,
look, someone gave me this car,
00:48:05.25\00:48:07.88
and my
son-in-law gave me his car,
00:48:07.92\00:48:10.95
and so I don't know
what's wrong with it,
00:48:10.99\00:48:12.99
it won't start, I
took it to Dollar General,
00:48:13.02\00:48:14.49
it just wouldn't start.
00:48:14.52\00:48:15.86
I don't know if
it needs a alternator
00:48:15.89\00:48:17.23
or whatever but
you can just have it,
00:48:17.26\00:48:18.59
if you want to sell
it, if you want to fix it
00:48:18.63\00:48:19.96
and drive it, do
it whatever you want."
00:48:20.00\00:48:21.33
I said, "Really?"
00:48:21.36\00:48:22.70
And she said,
"Yeah, you can just have it
00:48:22.73\00:48:24.07
'cause someone gave it to me,
00:48:24.10\00:48:25.43
and I just want
to give it to you."
00:48:25.47\00:48:26.80
I thought wow.
00:48:26.84\00:48:28.17
A friend of mine, so
I go to the Atlanta area
00:48:28.20\00:48:29.54
where my mom is for the weekend
00:48:29.57\00:48:30.91
around Thanksgiving time.
00:48:30.94\00:48:32.27
And while I'm there,
00:48:32.31\00:48:33.64
the mechanic for the school
calls and says, "Hey, Dee."
00:48:33.68\00:48:35.01
I said, "Yeah".
00:48:35.04\00:48:36.38
He says, "God has
really blessed you".
00:48:36.41\00:48:37.75
I said, "Why's that, J?"
00:48:37.78\00:48:39.11
And he said,
00:48:39.15\00:48:40.48
"There's absolutely
nothing wrong with this car."
00:48:40.52\00:48:42.28
He said, "All of it is that,
00:48:42.32\00:48:43.65
there's two
cables that come together
00:48:43.69\00:48:45.19
and go over the
positive terminal
00:48:45.22\00:48:46.55
on the battery,
00:48:46.59\00:48:47.92
they just seem to
be flux and soldered,
00:48:47.96\00:48:49.29
that'll costs you like $6."
00:48:49.32\00:48:51.63
And he says, "It has
a new alternator in it,
00:48:51.66\00:48:54.03
the tires are new, the
brakes are in great shape,
00:48:54.06\00:48:56.77
there's nothing
wrong with this car."
00:48:56.80\00:48:58.30
And I used that car
for two, for two years,
00:48:58.33\00:49:01.50
I think for the times I had it.
00:49:01.54\00:49:03.14
And whenever where I
wanted to go it went,
00:49:03.17\00:49:05.27
it never had an
issue, it was fuel efficient,
00:49:05.31\00:49:06.78
got to see family,
did ministry with it.
00:49:06.81\00:49:08.94
And because I had I was able
to do Bible work in Tennessee.
00:49:08.98\00:49:11.88
And I was able to
give that car away twice
00:49:11.91\00:49:14.75
since then, and
God's providing me
00:49:14.78\00:49:16.12
something far better
than I could ever deserve.
00:49:16.15\00:49:18.62
But just the
kindness and the girl prayed,
00:49:18.65\00:49:21.42
she didn't just
give a car, she prayed.
00:49:21.46\00:49:23.12
And when that little
girl pray, she gets answers.
00:49:23.16\00:49:25.29
She's 10 now and she
cried when she saw the new car
00:49:25.33\00:49:27.53
that was afforded in
answer to her prayer but...
00:49:27.56\00:49:29.53
Praise God.
00:49:29.56\00:49:30.90
Stories like that of
the faithfulness of God
00:49:30.93\00:49:32.40
to provide the needs,
00:49:32.43\00:49:33.77
I'd even know I had yet
00:49:33.80\00:49:35.14
'cause I didn't know I
would be a Bible worker then
00:49:35.17\00:49:36.74
but that car was the reason
why I could be a Bible worker
00:49:36.77\00:49:39.11
and it's because
of her benevolence.
00:49:39.14\00:49:40.48
Praise the God.
00:49:40.51\00:49:41.84
But I've seen tens
of thousands of dollars
00:49:41.88\00:49:43.55
with the financial miracles.
00:49:43.58\00:49:44.91
And so when I get
into financial straits,
00:49:44.95\00:49:47.68
I've come to
realize, you know what,
00:49:47.72\00:49:49.05
I know Him well enough,
00:49:49.08\00:49:51.15
He's gonna provide
somehow, and He always does.
00:49:51.19\00:49:53.12
He does. Amen.
00:49:53.15\00:49:54.49
Praise the God. Praise the God.
00:49:54.52\00:49:55.86
It's amazing.
00:49:55.89\00:49:57.23
Yeah, well,
anything pop up in your mind?
00:49:57.26\00:50:01.36
Kind of.
00:50:01.40\00:50:03.16
I was praying on the way here
00:50:03.20\00:50:06.27
and was thinking, "Oh, Lord.
00:50:06.30\00:50:08.97
I'm not a mover and a shaker,
00:50:09.00\00:50:11.57
I'm not a
powerhouse that people know,
00:50:11.61\00:50:15.61
nobody knows my name.
00:50:15.64\00:50:16.98
I'm just behind the scenes.
00:50:17.01\00:50:20.35
Can I trace your
hand in my life?"
00:50:20.38\00:50:23.89
Which is a really
dumb question to ask God
00:50:23.92\00:50:27.79
but I guess what I want to
00:50:27.82\00:50:29.86
put out there is
that even if you're doing
00:50:29.89\00:50:32.96
what I'm doing and I'm doing it
for the second time in my life.
00:50:32.99\00:50:35.66
I had two younger
kids one of whom is behind
00:50:35.70\00:50:38.37
one of these cameras,
the other one's in the booth,
00:50:38.40\00:50:41.84
went to work for a
brief while and had a career
00:50:41.87\00:50:44.31
and then I had my
second set of kids...
00:50:44.34\00:50:45.67
Yeah.
00:50:45.71\00:50:47.04
And I'm home with them
again, I'm a dinosaur again,
00:50:47.08\00:50:49.01
I'm a stay home mom.
00:50:49.04\00:50:52.21
And it's sometimes hard
for young mothers especially
00:50:52.25\00:50:56.99
when they're
sitting, they're surrounded by
00:50:57.02\00:50:58.42
the detritus of
childhood as it were
00:50:58.45\00:51:03.09
to realize that God's
hand is still on your life.
00:51:03.12\00:51:06.49
And I know I can
look back and see
00:51:06.53\00:51:08.83
who I was when I
first became a Christian
00:51:08.86\00:51:10.83
as a young
15-year-old bubblehead
00:51:10.87\00:51:13.03
to see where I am now,
00:51:13.07\00:51:14.40
it's like I am
not the same person.
00:51:14.44\00:51:16.57
And God has brought
me through many things,
00:51:16.60\00:51:20.31
even if it's just subtle,
it's like a quiet storm almost,
00:51:20.34\00:51:22.98
just going through these things
00:51:23.01\00:51:24.71
and realizing that
God is slowly molding me.
00:51:24.75\00:51:27.45
It's okay, I haven't left you,
00:51:27.48\00:51:29.92
you know, you're doing
a very traditional role
00:51:29.95\00:51:32.99
which is frowned
upon in today's society,
00:51:33.02\00:51:35.79
and it's easy
to discount myself.
00:51:35.82\00:51:38.46
But God is very
much evident in my life.
00:51:38.49\00:51:40.66
Amen.
00:51:40.70\00:51:42.03
From start to
finish at this point.
00:51:42.06\00:51:43.57
Praise the
lord, praise the lord.
00:51:43.60\00:51:44.93
It's just amazing.
00:51:44.97\00:51:46.30
Yeah, and this
is the second stage,
00:51:46.33\00:51:47.67
you are doing a
great job with that, too.
00:51:47.70\00:51:49.04
Praise God, it's all
the Lord, that's ain't me.
00:51:49.07\00:51:53.21
Well, quickly and
just a couple things
00:51:53.24\00:51:56.58
that when I had that
the six bypass surgery
00:51:56.61\00:51:58.35
a couple years ago,
00:51:58.38\00:51:59.71
but years ago,
00:51:59.75\00:52:01.08
I was pastoring
00:52:01.12\00:52:02.45
and I was teaching
about faith and trust in God.
00:52:02.48\00:52:06.42
And one of my members called me
to the house Sabbath afternoon,
00:52:06.45\00:52:09.16
and she said, "Pastor,
00:52:09.19\00:52:10.53
why don't you
pray for my daughter?"
00:52:10.56\00:52:13.16
So I said, "Okay, fine."
00:52:13.19\00:52:14.53
Till I went in and saw the girl
00:52:14.56\00:52:15.90
and, I mean, she looked
one step away from death.
00:52:15.93\00:52:19.17
And I said I think you need
to take her to the hospital.
00:52:19.20\00:52:21.90
She said, "No, no, you
pray, and she'll be fine."
00:52:21.94\00:52:26.94
And I'm like,
00:52:26.98\00:52:30.95
"I'll pray but
then let's get in a car
00:52:30.98\00:52:33.05
and take this
girl to the hospital."
00:52:33.08\00:52:34.42
Because her
breathing was very shallow,
00:52:34.45\00:52:36.79
no color in the skin, and
just lying just, just out.
00:52:36.82\00:52:41.09
And so I said, "Let's
pray and then go to..."
00:52:41.12\00:52:45.39
She said, "No,
Pastor, you just pray
00:52:45.43\00:52:47.66
and she'll be fine."
00:52:47.70\00:52:49.40
That's a lot of
pressure on me and well,
00:52:49.43\00:52:51.40
it's not on God
00:52:51.43\00:52:52.77
but she's
filtering this through me.
00:52:52.80\00:52:55.10
And I'm saying,
"Okay, I'm gonna pray
00:52:55.14\00:52:56.60
but we need to go."
00:52:56.64\00:52:58.11
And she said, "No, no,
you pray, she'll be fine."
00:52:58.14\00:53:01.04
So you talk about praying,
I was like, "Lord, please."
00:53:01.08\00:53:07.12
Because she's not gonna take it,
00:53:07.15\00:53:08.68
you got to work
something out here.
00:53:08.72\00:53:10.72
And so I prayed,
00:53:10.75\00:53:13.25
I don't know how long we prayed,
00:53:13.29\00:53:14.62
and then I encouraged her,
00:53:14.66\00:53:17.86
I'm going to church
00:53:17.89\00:53:19.23
and I'm just going to stay
in the church in the afternoon,
00:53:19.26\00:53:21.00
it's walking distance,
00:53:21.03\00:53:22.36
she was right around
the corner from the church.
00:53:22.40\00:53:25.20
"You let me know
if anything happens,
00:53:25.23\00:53:27.07
and I'm ready to go to
the hospital right away."
00:53:27.10\00:53:30.11
Father's out of home,
she's a single mother,
00:53:30.14\00:53:32.37
older son, this
younger daughter,
00:53:32.41\00:53:34.38
I guess about 14.
00:53:34.41\00:53:36.48
She didn't have transportation,
00:53:36.51\00:53:37.88
so I said, "I'll be right there.
00:53:37.91\00:53:39.25
Call the church," you
know, I'm right there.
00:53:39.28\00:53:41.65
And at church
praying and just hour,
00:53:41.68\00:53:44.25
hour and a half goes by,
00:53:44.29\00:53:45.99
it's between worship
service and what we call
00:53:46.02\00:53:48.86
"A wide Meeting" at
the time, MV meeting,
00:53:48.89\00:53:50.96
you know, afternoon service.
00:53:50.99\00:53:52.59
So I'm just sitting,
I don't want to go home,
00:53:52.63\00:53:53.96
I'm just kind of
sitting and rocking,
00:53:54.00\00:53:55.66
this was before
I was even married.
00:53:55.70\00:53:57.20
Lord, I don't know
what's going to happen
00:53:57.23\00:53:58.57
'cause the girl looks so bad.
00:53:58.60\00:53:59.93
About two hours later,
00:53:59.97\00:54:03.04
the mother burst into
door with her daughter in tow,
00:54:03.07\00:54:07.11
and she says,
"You'll never guess,
00:54:07.14\00:54:09.88
once you left,
everything changed."
00:54:09.91\00:54:12.61
And she had this
plastic bag with her,
00:54:12.65\00:54:15.52
and she says, "My
daughter threw this up."
00:54:15.55\00:54:19.49
And she'd opened this bag
00:54:19.52\00:54:20.86
and the stuff
ran all over my desk.
00:54:20.89\00:54:23.46
And in it was this black
thing, like a black rope,
00:54:23.49\00:54:26.93
like a thick black rope,
00:54:26.96\00:54:28.73
it looks like a snake
about maybe that long,
00:54:28.76\00:54:31.50
and she says,
"She brought this up."
00:54:31.53\00:54:33.44
And it smelled awful,
00:54:33.47\00:54:35.57
and I was like,
"Praise the Lord."
00:54:35.60\00:54:40.68
And she was so
happy, so excited,
00:54:40.71\00:54:43.01
and I said, I just, I
thank the Lord all that,
00:54:43.04\00:54:45.68
you know, I said,
because I really thought
00:54:45.71\00:54:47.62
that girl was
gonna die that night
00:54:47.65\00:54:49.08
because she looked like it.
00:54:49.12\00:54:50.45
And I saw the hand of God,
00:54:50.49\00:54:51.95
it strengthened
the mother's faith,
00:54:51.99\00:54:54.92
it strengthened
the older son's faith,
00:54:54.96\00:54:57.79
and she had a sister
who was not attending church
00:54:57.83\00:55:00.60
who began attending church.
00:55:00.63\00:55:02.23
So this was not just for me,
though a lot of layers to this,
00:55:02.26\00:55:07.67
you know, a lot of
nuance to the story.
00:55:07.70\00:55:09.74
And a lot of
people were impressed
00:55:09.77\00:55:11.37
to come to the Lord
through that experience.
00:55:11.41\00:55:15.34
But, man, it really,
00:55:15.38\00:55:17.65
it kind of
stretched me a little bit
00:55:17.68\00:55:19.01
because I really thought
00:55:19.05\00:55:20.38
we were gonna have some problems
00:55:20.42\00:55:21.75
but she believed
00:55:21.78\00:55:23.12
and, you know,
sometimes the Lord
00:55:23.15\00:55:24.49
will strengthen your faith
through somebody else's faith.
00:55:24.52\00:55:26.45
Yeah. That's right.
00:55:26.49\00:55:28.02
And it wonderful,
C.A., with each experience,
00:55:28.06\00:55:30.43
you love the Lord even more.
00:55:30.46\00:55:31.79
Yes.
00:55:31.83\00:55:33.16
It just works out that way.
With each experience, you glow.
00:55:33.19\00:55:36.26
Yeah.
00:55:36.30\00:55:37.63
You know with
love, so... Yeah, yeah.
00:55:37.67\00:55:39.00
We don't want to pray
for trials and tribulations
00:55:39.03\00:55:41.34
but you come out
better on the other side,
00:55:41.37\00:55:43.37
if you keep your eyes on Him.
00:55:43.41\00:55:44.74
Well said, well said,
00:55:44.77\00:55:46.11
and so I go back
to our initial list
00:55:46.14\00:55:49.41
that when you trace the
hand of God in your life,
00:55:49.44\00:55:51.68
it makes you thankful.
00:55:51.71\00:55:53.05
True? That's true.
00:55:53.08\00:55:54.42
Yeah, it makes you grateful.
00:55:54.45\00:55:56.05
Yeah, it does, it
makes you bolder in Him,
00:55:56.08\00:56:00.39
you know, He got me this
far, I know he can get me home.
00:56:00.42\00:56:03.46
As you all said, I
know that Cessna 142,
00:56:03.49\00:56:06.46
there are the smallest
Cessna 150 with the two...
00:56:06.49\00:56:08.93
It was the 172... Yeah.
00:56:08.96\00:56:10.37
It's an aluminum
kite. Right, yeah.
00:56:10.40\00:56:12.63
That's a cliche, yeah.
00:56:12.67\00:56:14.04
oh, I know that plane.
00:56:14.07\00:56:16.81
Yeah, that smashes off
real good, Lord bless you.
00:56:16.84\00:56:21.11
It increases your
faith, it makes you content,
00:56:21.14\00:56:25.31
you know, all of
your experiences,
00:56:25.35\00:56:28.05
your experience, Dee,
00:56:28.08\00:56:29.42
your
experience, your experience,
00:56:29.45\00:56:32.35
they are personal affirmations
of God's love for you.
00:56:32.39\00:56:36.73
So that when you are
called to go forward in future
00:56:36.76\00:56:38.89
as you well said,
00:56:38.93\00:56:40.26
"If I got to go to
Tasmania or Tanzania
00:56:40.30\00:56:42.76
or East Cucamonga, I'll go
00:56:42.80\00:56:45.90
because God got me
to West Frankfurt."
00:56:45.93\00:56:48.50
Yeah.
00:56:48.54\00:56:50.01
So He can get me through,
00:56:50.04\00:56:51.37
He can find me in East Cucamonga
00:56:51.41\00:56:52.81
just like He found
me in West Frankfurt.
00:56:52.84\00:56:54.64
Praise the Lord. Amen.
00:56:54.68\00:56:56.04
So it makes you
bold for the Lord.
00:56:56.08\00:56:58.41
And as she well said,
00:56:58.45\00:57:00.22
"It makes the thorny path
of duty easier to follow,"
00:57:00.25\00:57:04.59
because you know
you've got things to do
00:57:04.62\00:57:06.15
but you can do so
00:57:06.19\00:57:07.59
because you have the
assurance that the same God
00:57:07.62\00:57:10.19
who has gotten you this far
will get you all the way home.
00:57:10.23\00:57:14.93
So when you're in doubt,
00:57:14.96\00:57:16.50
trace the hand
of God in your life,
00:57:16.53\00:57:19.27
it will give you
strength and confidence
00:57:19.30\00:57:21.54
that God will see you through.
00:57:21.57\00:57:22.90
Bye, bye, and God bless.
00:57:22.94\00:57:24.47