I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Removing pain
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Lord, let my words
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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Hello, and welcome
to 3ABN Family Worship.
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And wherever you
are in the world,
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we wish you a happy
and blessed Sabbath,
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as God has called
us from labor to rest,
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a time of reflection
drawing closer to the Lord.
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So thank you for joining
us for 3ABN Family Worship.
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This is part of our
experience that we just love
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as we bring family
together and friends together,
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talk about the things of God,
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to discuss the
things of the Lord,
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and to encourage
ourselves in the Lord.
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I'm in the
company of my wife Irma.
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Irma, good to have you
here for Family Worship.
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It's wonderful
time to be together,
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not only with you,
but with our friends.
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Amen, amen. And
brothers and sisters.
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Amen, amen.
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God is good and we have
family worship at our home.
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And usually we're
curled up on the couch
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or sometimes we do it from bed
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depending on how we
feel, what our mood is,
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but we're here
today for family worship
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and we're glad
that you're with us.
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Let me introduce
the family members
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that are here, Luis Capote.
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Luis, good to
have you here, man.
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It's good to be here.
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Finally, the Sabbath
is here. Amen and amen.
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You work so hard and
you finally get the time
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to be able to sit down
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and just spend a little
bit of moment with Jesus.
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Amen.
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I, having been in
the Adventist church
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so very long joined at age 10,
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I cannot envision a
Friday into a Saturday
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without the
stoppage of work time
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and moving into rest time
in the presence of the Lord.
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I don't know what people do
who works seven days a week.
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I just, I don't
see how they can do it.
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So we are happy for that.
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Miss Mollie Steenson,
Mollie, good to have you here.
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Thank you.
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Always a joy to get
to share with our family
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on Family Worship.
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It is a joy. Amen.
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And Mr. Eric Durant,
good to have you here, man.
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I am very happy to be here.
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When I grew up, I
didn't have family worship.
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I grew up outside the church.
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And this here is
an absolute blessing.
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So I love it. Amen.
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Very happy to be here.
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I used to having been
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the only Adventist in my family.
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I envied people
who had family worship.
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I would go to church.
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My family was not
Adventist till later on.
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But they'd have
family dinner together
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and they had
family worship together,
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they'd come to church together.
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And I was just
kind of by myself.
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I envied to see
those families, you know,
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sometimes I was lucky enough
to get invited to get dinner
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so I could eat vegetarian meat
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'cause I thought that
was the coolest thing.
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What is this stuff
you guys are eating?
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This is vegetarian
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and I though that's pretty nice.
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We didn't have
that in our house.
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So it's the real thing.
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And later on, I was able
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to baptize my
parents, both of them.
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Amen. And that was a blessing.
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But as I think
back family worship,
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as I envied it back then now
I get to participate therein.
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On today's program, we're
gonna talk about the things
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that are pertained
to Christian growth
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and Christian maturity.
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Those things that we can
put into place in our lives
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that help us to
grow stronger in the Lord
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and help us do the will of God
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so that we are made
better within and without.
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And we can share the love
of Christ in the community
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and with those that
we come in contact with.
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Before we get started, Mollie,
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would you have a
prayer for us please?
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Yes.
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Holy Father, we come
before you in the name of Jesus.
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And, Father, we are so grateful
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that you give
us this opportunity
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to set aside time
just to spend with you,
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Thank you, oh, God, for
Your divine grace and mercy
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and wisdom in how You have
just set things in line for us
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to be able to
draw closer to You.
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We praise You for that.
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We commend our
lives into Your hands.
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We commend this
time into Your hands.
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And pray, oh, God,
that You will use us
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to draw others closer
to You, in Jesus' name.
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Amen. Amen.
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One of the things
that I find so fascinating
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and so exciting is the...
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Can I say use those 25
cent word at the universality
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of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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that wherever you
go all over the world,
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we are studying the
same Sabbath school lesson,
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you're hearing the
same doctrinal passage
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preached from the
pastors all over the world
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during this time
or shortly before,
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or shortly hereafter.
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The church is coming together
for opening of the Sabbath.
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There is this
feeling that you're a part
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of a very, very big move of God
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that
encompasses the whole world.
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And to me, that's very exciting
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to learn part
of something bigger
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than CA Murray or even 3ABN.
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It's world wide and
we're just a little part,
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another brick in the wall,
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part of this worldwide
move of God in the end time,
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and that's very, very exciting.
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Yes, it is.
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And for those that
don't have not experience yet
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that joy of coming
together on the Sabbath,
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opening Sabbath is an experience
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that no one should be without.
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Right.
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Because it is,
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there are many things
that you don't understand
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until you experience them.
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And the Sabbath and coming
with the family and friends
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and having the same
mind and the same joy
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is something that is,
everybody should have.
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That's why Jesus wants
us to know about Sabbath.
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CA, let me take this opportunity
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if you don't mind.
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Here it is the
opening of Sabbath,
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the opening of
the Sabbath hours.
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That means that when
we get up tomorrow morning
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we will go to church,
we worship on the Sabbath.
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So let me invite all of
you who aren't Sabbath keepers,
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aren't Seventh-day Adventist,
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maybe you've never
worshipped on a Sabbath.
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Let me invite all of you
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to find your local
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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You can go online and find it.
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You can look in the phonebook.
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And let me invite
you to come to church
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with us tomorrow morning.
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Amen.
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You know, you reminded me
when we first got to Canada.
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We had no idea
how to speak English.
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The only thing that
I knew was sit down,
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was the only thing
that my father would use.
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I was 11 years old,
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and that's the only
word or the only phrase
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that we knew in English,
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but it really
encourage us to really see
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that same
pattern, the same thing.
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We would do the
Sabbath school the same time,
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Sabbath school
lesson at the same time,
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the kids would
study the same stories.
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And it was
really a joy to a heart
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even though we didn't understand
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a thing that day,
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we still felt
part of the family,
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part of one, that
oneness was still with us.
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And it's not just us,
it's families around the world
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that are all doing
it at the same time.
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We're all keeping the
Sabbath and that's wonderful
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that something that a lot
of people haven't experienced.
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And once you get a
taste of it, you're hooked.
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You are, indeed you are.
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You know, it's
interesting 'cause most of us
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have done some traveling
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and you know that
on Saturday morning
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when you get up and
put on your clothes,
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and you go to church,
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you know where
you're gonna find.
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You know, the doctrinal
package you're gonna find,
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you know the joy
you're gonna find.
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You may not know
the words of the hymn
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but you know the tune,
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and if you got a hymnal
you can fake it, you know,
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because you know, it's universal
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when we go home to
Panama, and I go to church.
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I don't know
everything that's being said
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but I know the culture.
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I know this is the
Sabbath school lesson,
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I know this is the sermon,
this is the personal ministry,
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these are testimonies.
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And I don't know all the
words but I know the tune
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so I can hum and hum and hum
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and do the best I
can in singing it.
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He's better than that.
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Speaking of tune,
we have Jill Morikone
00:08:25.87\00:08:27.67
with us at the piano.
00:08:27.70\00:08:29.04
Yes. Hi, Jill.
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Good to have you here.
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And we're gonna do 251
from the Adventist hymnal.
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That's "He lives!
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I serve a rise Savior,
He's in the world today."
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We're gonna sing
all three stanzas
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and we invite you to join
us at home as we sing He Lives.
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All right, here we go.
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I serve a risen Savior
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He's in the world today
I know that He is living
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Whatever men may say
I see His hands of mercy
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I hear His voice of cheer
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And just the time I
need Him He's always near
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He lives, He lives,
Christ Jesus lives today!
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He walks with me
and talks with me
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Along life's narrow way
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He lives, He lives
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Salvation to impart!
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You ask me how I know He lives?
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He lives within my heart
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In all the world around me
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In all the world around
me I see His loving care
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And tho' my heart grows
weary I never will despair
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I know that He is leading
thru all the stormy blast
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The day of His
appearing will come at last
00:10:01.30\00:10:06.74
He lives, He lives,
Christ Jesus lives today!
00:10:06.77\00:10:12.51
He walks with me
and talks with me
00:10:12.54\00:10:15.51
Along life's narrow way
00:10:15.54\00:10:18.41
He lives, He lives
00:10:18.45\00:10:21.65
Salvation to impart!
00:10:21.68\00:10:25.82
You ask me how I know He lives?
00:10:25.85\00:10:31.33
He lives within my heart
00:10:31.36\00:10:39.27
Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian
Lift up your voice and sing
00:10:39.30\00:10:45.31
Eternal hallelujahs
to Jesus Christ the King!
00:10:45.34\00:10:50.98
The Hope of all who seek
Him The help of all who find
00:10:51.01\00:10:56.48
None other is so
loving, so good and kind
00:10:56.52\00:11:02.26
He lives, He lives,
Christ Jesus lives today!
00:11:02.29\00:11:08.10
He walks with me
and talks with me
00:11:08.13\00:11:11.13
Along life's narrow way
00:11:11.17\00:11:14.07
He lives, He lives
00:11:14.10\00:11:17.44
Salvation to impart!
00:11:17.47\00:11:21.84
You ask me how I know He lives?
00:11:21.88\00:11:27.65
He lives within
00:11:27.68\00:11:32.85
My heart
00:11:32.89\00:11:38.09
Amen.
00:11:38.13\00:11:39.46
Amen, thank you
so very much, Jill.
00:11:39.49\00:11:41.86
He lives in our hearts and
that is so very, very true.
00:11:41.90\00:11:46.33
Today, we want to take a
look at some of those things
00:11:46.37\00:11:49.10
that we have gotten
from the Spirit of Prophecy
00:11:49.14\00:11:52.34
that pertain to
practical living.
00:11:52.37\00:11:55.18
One of the things we
find about Ellen White
00:11:55.21\00:11:58.21
is that her
council, much of her council
00:11:58.25\00:12:01.88
is very practical to
everyday Christianity.
00:12:01.92\00:12:04.05
Amen.
00:12:04.09\00:12:05.42
Very practical
things that we can do
00:12:05.45\00:12:06.82
to be better
citizens of this world
00:12:06.86\00:12:09.09
as we prepare for
the higher citizenship
00:12:09.12\00:12:11.49
in the world which is to come.
00:12:11.53\00:12:13.16
So she's got some very
bedrock principles like,
00:12:13.19\00:12:16.00
I remember once she
said, "Buy the best cloth coat
00:12:16.03\00:12:20.07
that you can as opposed
to trying buying the best,
00:12:20.10\00:12:23.81
the cheapest fur
coat that you can.
00:12:23.84\00:12:25.77
For practical,
get the best thing
00:12:25.81\00:12:27.14
that you can afford.
00:12:27.18\00:12:28.51
You may wanna get a
real, real cheap mink.
00:12:28.54\00:12:31.61
Why not buy the best
wool coat that you can
00:12:31.65\00:12:34.52
as opposed to the
cheapest mink coat?
00:12:34.55\00:12:36.52
And her family used to say
that she would pull the threads
00:12:36.55\00:12:40.89
when she went to the
store to buy clothes.
00:12:40.92\00:12:43.29
She would pull the
threads to make sure
00:12:43.32\00:12:44.66
that she got a tight weave.
00:12:44.69\00:12:46.03
You know, very practical woman.
00:12:46.06\00:12:47.40
Don't waste God's
money. Don't waste God's time.
00:12:47.43\00:12:49.20
Don't waste the blessings
that God has given to you.
00:12:49.23\00:12:51.53
And so some of the things
we're gonna be looking at today
00:12:51.57\00:12:54.14
are things that she had said
00:12:54.17\00:12:55.70
that make you better
citizens of this world,
00:12:55.74\00:12:58.84
that also make
you a better neighbor,
00:12:58.87\00:13:00.64
a better friend, a co-worker
00:13:00.68\00:13:02.44
which helps you navigate
your way through the world
00:13:02.48\00:13:05.91
because the truth is,
00:13:05.95\00:13:07.28
ladies and
gentlemen, that in life today,
00:13:07.32\00:13:11.05
all of us get a little
dust thrown on us sometimes,
00:13:11.09\00:13:14.89
you know.
00:13:14.92\00:13:16.26
The road to heaven
is not a smooth one.
00:13:16.29\00:13:19.29
And sometimes, it's not
the straightest of roads either
00:13:19.33\00:13:21.53
but it can be negotiated
00:13:21.56\00:13:22.93
if we put some of
these things into practice.
00:13:22.96\00:13:25.17
And so we've got some readings
00:13:25.20\00:13:26.57
that we're going to
sort of ruminate on here
00:13:26.60\00:13:28.40
a little bit, think,
talk about, and read,
00:13:28.44\00:13:30.61
and explain a little
bit, some of these things
00:13:30.64\00:13:34.21
that Ellen
White has given to us.
00:13:34.24\00:13:36.34
And I think I
want to start with...
00:13:36.38\00:13:38.91
Let me start with Mollie,
and then I'll come to Irma,
00:13:38.95\00:13:41.88
and then I'll go to
Luis, and then I go to Eric.
00:13:41.92\00:13:44.15
So, Mollie, if you'll begin.
00:13:44.19\00:13:45.65
With cheerful and joyful spirit?
00:13:45.69\00:13:47.59
Cheerful and
joyful spirit. All right.
00:13:47.62\00:13:49.86
Cheerful and joyful spirit.
00:13:49.89\00:13:52.76
When we have an assurance,
which is bright and clear,
00:13:52.79\00:13:56.87
of our own salvation,
00:13:56.90\00:13:59.03
we shall exhibit
cheerfulness and joyfulness,
00:13:59.07\00:14:02.40
which becomes every
follower of Jesus Christ.
00:14:02.44\00:14:06.31
The softening,
subduing influence
00:14:06.34\00:14:08.91
of the love of God
brought into practical lives
00:14:08.94\00:14:12.51
will make impressions upon minds
00:14:12.55\00:14:15.02
that will be a
savor of life unto life.
00:14:15.05\00:14:19.39
But a harsh denunciatory spirit,
00:14:19.42\00:14:23.02
if manifested, will
turn many souls away
00:14:23.06\00:14:25.99
from the truth into
the ranks of the enemy.
00:14:26.03\00:14:29.13
Solemn thought!
00:14:29.16\00:14:30.87
To deal patiently with
the tempted requires us
00:14:30.90\00:14:35.10
to battle with self.
00:14:35.14\00:14:39.74
To deal patiently
and thinking on this,
00:14:39.77\00:14:44.88
the cheerful
and a joyful spirit.
00:14:44.91\00:14:46.65
Now, I'm gonna first of all go,
00:14:46.68\00:14:50.72
bounce back to my upbringing
00:14:50.75\00:14:53.82
which was a man's just about
as happy as his mind to be,
00:14:53.86\00:14:57.16
any of you ever
heard that that saying?
00:14:57.19\00:14:59.89
My mother used to
say that so often.
00:14:59.93\00:15:02.06
And she had every opportunity
to be unhappy quite often.
00:15:02.10\00:15:06.33
We had some
difficult situations.
00:15:06.37\00:15:09.20
Have you ever had
difficult situations?
00:15:09.24\00:15:11.17
I've had some
difficult situations
00:15:11.21\00:15:13.31
that I've had to
address in my life.
00:15:13.34\00:15:16.34
But I will always
remember Mother saying
00:15:16.38\00:15:19.11
is how you choose to
deal with that situation.
00:15:19.15\00:15:21.52
Amen.
00:15:21.55\00:15:22.88
You're about as happy
as you were mind to be.
00:15:22.92\00:15:25.12
So if you set your mind to
look on the positive, you know,
00:15:25.15\00:15:30.39
there's a song,
"Accentuate the positive,
00:15:30.43\00:15:33.70
eliminate the negative."
00:15:33.73\00:15:35.16
Well, that's kind of
like mind over matter.
00:15:35.20\00:15:37.13
And I'm not
really saying, do that.
00:15:37.17\00:15:40.64
But what I would say is ask
God by the power of His Spirit
00:15:40.67\00:15:45.81
to show you the good that
can come out of a situation.
00:15:45.84\00:15:49.64
What does God do in
a negative situation?
00:15:49.68\00:15:52.35
What if we, what
do we say so often?
00:15:52.38\00:15:54.85
God can bring good
out of a bad situation,
00:15:54.88\00:15:57.85
something that the enemy
has set up to be negative
00:15:57.89\00:16:02.56
or to bring harm to
you, God can turn it around
00:16:02.59\00:16:05.99
and it be the greatest blessing
that has happened to you.
00:16:06.03\00:16:08.70
And I think about
that in my personal life.
00:16:08.73\00:16:11.20
I went through this
really difficult situation.
00:16:11.23\00:16:14.17
It's been about 22
or 23 years ago now,
00:16:14.20\00:16:17.41
I thank the Lord, I'm
on the other side of it,
00:16:17.44\00:16:20.98
but if I hadn't gone through
that difficult situation,
00:16:21.01\00:16:23.55
who knows where
I would be today.
00:16:23.58\00:16:25.35
And I truly believe
that by the hand of God,
00:16:25.38\00:16:28.35
I'm right where
He wants me today.
00:16:28.38\00:16:30.49
Amen.
00:16:30.52\00:16:31.85
And so that being the
case, sometimes you have to walk
00:16:31.89\00:16:34.42
through difficulties to
get where God wants you to be.
00:16:34.46\00:16:37.79
So cheerful and a joyful spirit,
00:16:37.83\00:16:40.50
ask God by the
power of His Spirit,
00:16:40.53\00:16:42.86
just to show you the
goodness in situations
00:16:42.90\00:16:49.50
and I don't know
that you said for me too,
00:16:49.54\00:16:52.81
kind of elaborate on this?
00:16:52.84\00:16:55.04
And those which are
some of the thoughts
00:16:55.08\00:16:56.85
that came to my mind.
00:16:56.88\00:16:58.21
You know, I'm thinking,
and I've heard Danny said
00:16:58.25\00:16:59.61
this any number of times
that to be offended is a choice.
00:16:59.65\00:17:03.89
You know, someone
says something to you.
00:17:03.92\00:17:06.29
At the moment that,
that assault hits your ears,
00:17:06.32\00:17:09.49
you got a choice
00:17:09.52\00:17:10.86
to either
respond or not respond.
00:17:10.89\00:17:16.26
And usually, we kind
of just go with the flow.
00:17:16.30\00:17:18.83
You know, okay, you give
me, I'm gonna give you mine now.
00:17:18.87\00:17:22.24
And we go back, and
you go back and forth.
00:17:22.27\00:17:23.77
But it is a choice.
00:17:23.81\00:17:25.14
And then also sometimes
you just got to hold your fire
00:17:25.17\00:17:28.54
and wait to see what
the Lord is gonna do.
00:17:28.58\00:17:30.51
I made a decision
that I'm in the vortex
00:17:30.55\00:17:33.01
of that decision right now.
00:17:33.05\00:17:35.02
And the other day,
I've said to the Lord,
00:17:35.05\00:17:37.05
"Lord, okay.
00:17:37.09\00:17:38.42
I'm waiting for you to kind of
deal with this 'cause I can't."
00:17:38.45\00:17:41.22
And every time I think about it,
00:17:41.26\00:17:43.79
it aggravates me.
00:17:43.83\00:17:45.26
I'm giving it to you
because I made a decision.
00:17:45.29\00:17:49.53
And it wasn't, it
seemed good at the time,
00:17:49.56\00:17:51.93
but it wasn't the best.
00:17:51.97\00:17:53.30
"So now, Lord, I can't
undo it and I can't fix it,
00:17:53.34\00:17:59.51
and I can't hurry it up
and I can't slow it down,
00:17:59.54\00:18:02.64
and I can't take it from
here and put it over here.
00:18:02.68\00:18:05.25
So we're here,
Lord, so now You got it
00:18:05.28\00:18:08.62
and I'm gonna trust you
00:18:08.65\00:18:09.98
that all things
work together for good."
00:18:10.02\00:18:11.35
Amen.
00:18:11.39\00:18:12.72
You know, I
wrote down a scripture,
00:18:12.75\00:18:14.09
candid to go along
with this and it goes along
00:18:14.12\00:18:15.76
with what you're saying.
00:18:15.79\00:18:17.13
It's Psalms 119:165.
00:18:17.16\00:18:20.20
"Great peace, have
those who love Thy law."
00:18:20.23\00:18:24.03
And the New King
James Version says,
00:18:24.07\00:18:28.17
let me read that.
00:18:28.20\00:18:29.54
"Great peace, have
they that love Thy law
00:18:29.57\00:18:31.41
and nothing
causes them to stumble."
00:18:31.44\00:18:33.64
Well, now the King James says,
00:18:33.68\00:18:35.21
"Great peace, have
they that love Thy law
00:18:35.24\00:18:36.78
and nothing shall offend thee."
00:18:36.81\00:18:38.91
And I believe
the Amplified says,
00:18:38.95\00:18:41.15
"And nothing shall, by
any means, offend thee."
00:18:41.18\00:18:44.39
So if a great peace
have they that love Thy law.
00:18:44.42\00:18:47.16
If you find yourself offended,
00:18:47.19\00:18:49.82
do you know there is
some portion of God's law
00:18:49.86\00:18:51.99
that you don't love?
00:18:52.03\00:18:53.40
Because if you love,
great peace have they
00:18:53.43\00:18:55.83
that love Thy law.
00:18:55.86\00:18:57.20
If you love God's law,
00:18:57.23\00:18:58.57
then nothing's
going to offend you.
00:18:58.60\00:19:00.74
So that's just something,
00:19:00.77\00:19:02.20
that's a little one of
those food for thought,
00:19:02.24\00:19:04.27
"Oops, I'm offended,"
00:19:04.31\00:19:05.84
then the problems between
me and my love for God's law.
00:19:05.87\00:19:09.48
Amen, amen.
00:19:09.51\00:19:10.85
You know, that's the one thing
that individuals in the world
00:19:10.88\00:19:14.02
do not
understand about Christians.
00:19:14.05\00:19:16.18
How many times have
life happened to you
00:19:16.22\00:19:20.09
and every thing is
crumbling around you
00:19:20.12\00:19:22.62
and you still have
a smile in your face?
00:19:22.66\00:19:25.66
And individuals come and say,
"Okay, what is wrong with you?"
00:19:25.69\00:19:28.53
You know, no matter what,
00:19:28.56\00:19:30.00
I know that under that situation
00:19:30.03\00:19:32.67
I would have done
this, I would have done that.
00:19:32.70\00:19:35.60
And that peace
that comes in your life
00:19:35.64\00:19:38.07
when you have that
relationship with God
00:19:38.11\00:19:40.08
that you know that even though
you're going through a storm,
00:19:40.11\00:19:44.18
there would be a
light at the end.
00:19:44.21\00:19:46.21
And on the other side,
00:19:46.25\00:19:47.72
like Miss Mollie
was talking about,
00:19:47.75\00:19:49.28
there's gonna be such
peace and such understanding
00:19:49.32\00:19:52.69
and the lesson
that you will learn,
00:19:52.72\00:19:54.22
you will be able to
carry that for all eternity.
00:19:54.26\00:19:57.59
And that's the
thing that people,
00:19:57.63\00:19:59.06
individuals don't
understand that as a Christian
00:19:59.09\00:20:02.83
that doesn't stop you
00:20:02.86\00:20:04.20
from going through
the turmoils of life.
00:20:04.23\00:20:06.94
Amen.
00:20:06.97\00:20:08.30
But it gives you the
peace that only comes
00:20:08.34\00:20:11.81
through that relationship
that you have with the Father.
00:20:11.84\00:20:16.08
Exactly.
00:20:16.11\00:20:17.45
You know, I was
thinking that it often is said
00:20:17.48\00:20:21.52
that I am this way
because my father was this way
00:20:21.55\00:20:25.65
or my mother was this way,
00:20:25.69\00:20:27.49
or this is the way
they brought me up.
00:20:27.52\00:20:30.23
But we as the Christians,
00:20:30.26\00:20:34.03
the moment that we are able
00:20:34.06\00:20:37.33
by the power of the Holy
Spirit to give this to the Lord,
00:20:37.37\00:20:41.44
the Lord is able to work in you.
00:20:41.47\00:20:43.51
That's right.
00:20:43.54\00:20:44.87
The ability to
give up that trait
00:20:44.91\00:20:48.94
because it is sinful,
God doesn't want us to,
00:20:48.98\00:20:52.25
to carry on with sinful
traits and I've in my life,
00:20:52.28\00:20:57.95
I experienced
several things that I had
00:20:57.99\00:21:02.42
when I finally realize that,
you know, I cannot change it.
00:21:02.46\00:21:08.13
Because every time
I try to change it,
00:21:08.16\00:21:10.50
the enemy will
come with his ability
00:21:10.53\00:21:13.87
to put me down and,
00:21:13.90\00:21:16.40
but, you just
continue giving it to the Lord
00:21:16.44\00:21:19.77
and finally the
Lord will answer you.
00:21:19.81\00:21:23.04
And that is so important.
00:21:23.08\00:21:27.35
You know, the
pride in our lives,
00:21:27.38\00:21:29.72
many times we
don't believe we have.
00:21:29.75\00:21:32.55
We don't think we
are prideful because you,
00:21:32.59\00:21:35.52
you're humble for this,
00:21:35.56\00:21:36.93
you feel you're humble for that,
00:21:36.96\00:21:38.86
and that, but when that
comes in our life it is pride.
00:21:38.89\00:21:45.33
And God will
deal with it. Oh, yes.
00:21:45.37\00:21:47.24
Amen.
00:21:47.27\00:21:48.60
But as long as we
understand it and believe it
00:21:48.64\00:21:51.21
and don't make
excuses then God is saying,
00:21:51.24\00:21:54.88
"I want to work
with you on that."
00:21:54.91\00:21:56.48
Amen, amen. Yes.
00:21:56.51\00:21:58.05
You almost wished you
could get a scholarship on life
00:21:58.08\00:22:01.08
but you can't.
00:22:01.12\00:22:02.45
You got to pay
tuition, you know,
00:22:02.48\00:22:03.82
you got to pay your dues.
00:22:03.85\00:22:05.19
There's no way,
you're not gonna get it pass
00:22:05.22\00:22:06.55
even when you come to the
Lord you don't get it pass,
00:22:06.59\00:22:08.46
you still got to
pay your tuition.
00:22:08.49\00:22:10.06
And it means that certain things
00:22:10.09\00:22:11.66
are gonna pop into your lives
that are going to test you,
00:22:11.69\00:22:15.13
but the truth is and I ask
this many times in my sermons,
00:22:15.16\00:22:18.23
which is the better
teacher, success or failure?
00:22:18.27\00:22:20.97
Failure. Failure.
00:22:21.00\00:22:22.34
Failure. Yeah,
the truth is failure.
00:22:22.37\00:22:23.97
You remember the times
when you burned yourself,
00:22:24.01\00:22:26.57
you know, or, you know,
00:22:26.61\00:22:28.74
you do something
you shouldn't do.
00:22:28.78\00:22:30.81
Failure is the better teacher.
00:22:30.85\00:22:32.71
And those lessons
learned and we are told this
00:22:32.75\00:22:35.28
in the Spirit of
Prophecy, I know it says
00:22:35.32\00:22:36.65
there are some lessons
we are never to forget.
00:22:36.69\00:22:39.32
There're certain things
that Lord lets you go through
00:22:39.35\00:22:41.82
and when you come
out on the other side,
00:22:41.86\00:22:43.83
that is a lesson that
ought to stay with you
00:22:43.86\00:22:45.69
till the day you die.
00:22:45.73\00:22:47.06
You ought not forget that one.
00:22:47.10\00:22:48.43
She says that in
conjunction with Belshazzar
00:22:48.46\00:22:51.40
should have learned the lessons
00:22:51.43\00:22:52.77
of his
grandfather Nebuchadnezzar,
00:22:52.80\00:22:54.44
all that he went through.
00:22:54.47\00:22:55.80
He said, he should learn that
and never forgotten that stuff.
00:22:55.84\00:22:57.51
Right.
00:22:57.54\00:22:58.87
So sometimes God takes
you through some things
00:22:58.91\00:23:00.24
that are designed to shape
you for the rest of your life.
00:23:00.28\00:23:02.58
That's right.
00:23:02.61\00:23:03.95
He wants you to remember that,
00:23:03.98\00:23:05.31
that ought to shape
everything you look at.
00:23:05.35\00:23:06.68
So now whereas you may be
quick to jump at something,
00:23:06.72\00:23:09.85
you remember when you
had that problem, you know,
00:23:09.88\00:23:12.45
so now you're
not so quick to judge
00:23:12.49\00:23:13.96
because you realize
that, that person is struggling
00:23:13.99\00:23:15.82
just like you
were once struggling.
00:23:15.86\00:23:17.19
Right. That's very important.
00:23:17.23\00:23:18.56
Also, I think that
failure makes you stronger.
00:23:18.59\00:23:21.20
If you were to
succeed at everything you did,
00:23:21.23\00:23:23.20
the first time you did it,
00:23:23.23\00:23:24.57
how would you
build that character,
00:23:24.60\00:23:25.93
how would you build that faith,
00:23:25.97\00:23:27.54
how would you build
that love in Christ,
00:23:27.57\00:23:29.84
if you got everything as
soon as you try to do it.
00:23:29.87\00:23:32.44
Right.
00:23:32.47\00:23:33.81
So when we fail
is when we reach out,
00:23:33.84\00:23:35.21
we reach out to our friends,
we reach out to our family,
00:23:35.24\00:23:37.61
we reach out to our God.
00:23:37.65\00:23:39.31
Would we do this if
we got it, you know,
00:23:39.35\00:23:40.92
right from the beginning?
00:23:40.95\00:23:42.28
Perhaps not. Yeah.
00:23:42.32\00:23:43.65
So failure is, I actually
told someone a long time ago
00:23:43.69\00:23:46.86
that failure is
actually a good thing.
00:23:46.89\00:23:48.42
Yeah.
00:23:48.46\00:23:49.79
It develops, it
develops your character.
00:23:49.82\00:23:51.16
It does, it does. And
we all want character.
00:23:51.19\00:23:52.79
Right.
00:23:52.83\00:23:54.16
We have this little saying Irma
and I, "If it's cheap and easy,
00:23:54.20\00:23:56.00
you can get it at Wal-Mart."
00:23:56.03\00:23:57.37
Yeah. You know, is it not?
00:23:57.40\00:23:58.97
Some things you got to work out,
00:23:59.00\00:24:00.34
you just can't
pull it off the shelf.
00:24:00.37\00:24:01.84
Well, but it reminds
me about the story of Job.
00:24:01.87\00:24:04.71
You know, while
he was going through
00:24:04.74\00:24:07.14
all the issues in his
life, he was just wondering,
00:24:07.18\00:24:09.84
"Okay, what's going on?"
00:24:09.88\00:24:11.35
But how many countless
individuals have been saved
00:24:11.38\00:24:14.45
by reading his story,
00:24:14.48\00:24:15.82
by reading what
he was able to do.
00:24:15.85\00:24:18.05
So a lot of times in
life things happen to you
00:24:18.09\00:24:22.32
not for you to learn lesson
00:24:22.36\00:24:23.93
but for those around
you to learn lessons.
00:24:23.96\00:24:25.96
And we need to
still give God the glory
00:24:25.99\00:24:28.10
and that's
sometimes is difficult.
00:24:28.13\00:24:29.80
When it's a lesson for
ourselves, Miss Mollie,
00:24:29.83\00:24:31.63
that's not hard
but when we're trying,
00:24:31.67\00:24:34.20
God uses our
situations to teach others.
00:24:34.24\00:24:38.14
Sometimes it's
hard to understand
00:24:38.17\00:24:39.87
when you're going through it
00:24:39.91\00:24:41.31
but when you see
somebody may be baptized
00:24:41.34\00:24:44.08
because of that
00:24:44.11\00:24:45.45
or somebody that gave
their hearts to the Lord,
00:24:45.48\00:24:47.68
you can do nothing but
just rejoice and be glad
00:24:47.72\00:24:50.35
in what power God has.
00:24:50.39\00:24:52.62
Yes.
00:24:52.65\00:24:53.99
It make me think of
Proverbs, it's some,
00:24:54.02\00:24:56.19
don't remember
the quotation exactly
00:24:56.22\00:24:59.93
but it says that,
00:24:59.96\00:25:01.30
"Fortunate is the
person or the man that learn
00:25:01.33\00:25:05.23
from their own experiences.
00:25:05.27\00:25:07.64
But blessed is
the one that learns
00:25:07.67\00:25:09.64
from the experiences of others."
00:25:09.67\00:25:11.87
So when you were saying
that is important for us
00:25:11.91\00:25:14.98
to think also that our influence
00:25:15.01\00:25:18.58
in what others see in us
and hear from our testimony,
00:25:18.61\00:25:24.09
it should be a
blessing for those that listen.
00:25:24.12\00:25:28.46
Yeah.
00:25:28.49\00:25:29.82
And I think we could, we
could ruminate on this all day
00:25:29.86\00:25:33.29
but before we go to, Irma,
00:25:33.33\00:25:34.96
I remember, I
think it was Danny,
00:25:35.00\00:25:37.47
someone told a story of a person
00:25:37.50\00:25:39.73
who is studying the Bible
00:25:39.77\00:25:41.34
and I've heard this
story fairly recently
00:25:41.37\00:25:43.10
with a person who
is very resistant.
00:25:43.14\00:25:45.87
And while they were
studying something happened,
00:25:45.91\00:25:48.84
a pen broke and ink spilled
on them or something happened.
00:25:48.88\00:25:52.15
And the person
watched the teacher
00:25:52.18\00:25:55.88
navigate through that,
calm, didn't get all upset.
00:25:55.92\00:25:59.05
And more than
the doctrinal package
00:25:59.09\00:26:01.12
it was the way that
they dealt with this ink
00:26:01.16\00:26:04.03
all over them or whatever,
that's what got through them.
00:26:04.06\00:26:06.90
They saw calmness in the face
of a mess, you know, and this,
00:26:06.93\00:26:11.00
okay, that's what I want in
my life, that kind of thing.
00:26:11.03\00:26:13.87
So yeah, people are watching.
00:26:13.90\00:26:15.50
Yeah, thank you
very much, Mollie.
00:26:15.54\00:26:17.31
You're very
welcome. That's very good.
00:26:17.34\00:26:19.87
I am next.
00:26:19.91\00:26:21.94
And this speaks to my
heart, if not to anybody else.
00:26:21.98\00:26:27.05
It said, "Feelings
not easily wounded.
00:26:27.08\00:26:30.29
We should not allow our feelings
00:26:30.32\00:26:32.52
to be easily wounded.
00:26:32.55\00:26:34.32
We are to live not to guard
our feelings or our reputation
00:26:34.36\00:26:38.03
but to save souls.
00:26:38.06\00:26:39.83
As we become interested
in the salvation of souls,
00:26:39.86\00:26:43.63
we cease to mind
the little differences
00:26:43.67\00:26:46.97
that so often arise
00:26:47.00\00:26:48.74
in our
association with one another.
00:26:48.77\00:26:52.17
Whatever others may think of us,
00:26:52.21\00:26:54.71
it need not to disturb
our oneness with Christ,
00:26:54.74\00:26:58.31
the fellowship of the Spirit."
00:26:58.35\00:27:01.62
I think that's really powerful
00:27:01.65\00:27:04.12
because I have
had to deal with that
00:27:04.15\00:27:07.22
and the Lord had sat to
teach me some lessons in this.
00:27:07.26\00:27:11.76
And what I was saying
before, sometimes you know,
00:27:11.79\00:27:15.40
the character of our
parents will kind of follow you
00:27:15.43\00:27:19.00
as you are
developing your own character.
00:27:19.03\00:27:23.07
But this is telling us
that we have no excuse for them,
00:27:23.10\00:27:27.01
that when we finally understand
00:27:27.04\00:27:31.45
that you know what
Christ went through
00:27:31.48\00:27:34.98
we will never go through
that pain that He went through.
00:27:35.02\00:27:39.29
And I remembered always thinking
00:27:39.32\00:27:43.29
and I would
hear a lot of sermons
00:27:43.32\00:27:45.13
on the Apostle Paul talk
about be joyful in the trials
00:27:45.16\00:27:51.80
and I could
never understand that.
00:27:51.83\00:27:53.67
I used to say how could
you be joyful in this trial?
00:27:53.70\00:27:56.77
You know, people are
being not too nice to you,
00:27:56.81\00:27:59.67
they are doing this to you
00:27:59.71\00:28:01.04
and how can you
be happy in that?
00:28:01.08\00:28:04.51
But it's until you
come through Christ
00:28:04.55\00:28:08.02
and you started thinking
and it's such a liberation
00:28:08.05\00:28:12.49
when the Lord finally, you know,
00:28:12.52\00:28:15.42
gets through to you and
shows you that, you know,
00:28:15.46\00:28:21.96
like CA was saying,
00:28:22.00\00:28:23.70
"If you let him bother
you, he will bother you."
00:28:23.73\00:28:27.64
And the enemy will come
and will make it even bigger
00:28:27.67\00:28:30.54
and more difficult for yourself.
00:28:30.57\00:28:32.91
But if we give it to
the Lord and we think of,
00:28:32.94\00:28:37.25
"What is the Lord
doing in this for me
00:28:37.28\00:28:41.05
that what I need to learn?"
00:28:41.08\00:28:43.18
Then, you know,
we are better off
00:28:43.22\00:28:46.35
because we have
finally learned our lesson
00:28:46.39\00:28:48.69
and peace will come to us.
00:28:48.72\00:28:51.33
Sometimes we don't like
it, still and, you know,
00:28:51.36\00:28:54.40
but we are quickly
being able to turn again
00:28:54.43\00:28:58.93
at the right path,
00:28:58.97\00:29:00.50
and not let the
enemy keep you to the point
00:29:00.54\00:29:04.44
that you get depressed.
00:29:04.47\00:29:07.04
It just
overpowers everything else.
00:29:07.08\00:29:10.21
Yeah.
00:29:10.25\00:29:11.58
You know, I remember when
Hal and I were in Florida,
00:29:11.61\00:29:13.82
we were in, he was in
college and I was working.
00:29:13.85\00:29:16.55
And we were going
through really difficult time,
00:29:16.58\00:29:19.75
particularly financially.
00:29:19.79\00:29:21.12
I remember one time
we got bound to something
00:29:21.16\00:29:23.22
like a dollar and 93 cents.
00:29:23.26\00:29:26.09
So I went and bought
what little food I could buy
00:29:26.13\00:29:28.36
and here was
what my thinking was
00:29:28.40\00:29:30.57
we're gonna eat this
last meal and die, you know.
00:29:30.60\00:29:34.17
And so Hal was
in the living room
00:29:34.20\00:29:37.77
and he was praying.
00:29:37.81\00:29:40.01
And there came this on the radio
00:29:40.04\00:29:44.21
or whatever,
anyway, that, you know,
00:29:44.25\00:29:46.31
that buzz, buzz, buzz.
00:29:46.35\00:29:49.25
This is a test,
this is only a test."
00:29:49.28\00:29:52.82
And so he was
vehemently praying and he said
00:29:52.85\00:29:57.76
that he heard that
sound and then he said,
00:29:57.79\00:30:00.53
"Test, it's only a test."
00:30:00.56\00:30:02.10
And the Lord was showing him
00:30:02.13\00:30:03.50
we were just going
through a test now.
00:30:03.53\00:30:05.33
The end of that
story is that day
00:30:05.37\00:30:08.04
which was a day
that he wasn't in school,
00:30:08.07\00:30:12.21
Hal was an automobile mechanic,
00:30:12.24\00:30:13.81
he had like all
eight ASE certifications
00:30:13.84\00:30:16.08
when the Lord called him
to, you know, into the ministry.
00:30:16.11\00:30:20.15
And so he, we were able,
he was able to fix peoples'
00:30:20.18\00:30:25.52
automobiles in
our yard, you know,
00:30:25.55\00:30:27.59
they would bring
them over to the house
00:30:27.62\00:30:29.52
and he would do
what it was needed.
00:30:29.56\00:30:31.56
Anyway, a man came over
with his car right after that
00:30:31.59\00:30:35.40
and ask Hal, it
was like a $90 job.
00:30:35.43\00:30:38.33
Well, way back then $90
was a huge amount of money.
00:30:38.37\00:30:42.70
So it was only a test.
00:30:42.74\00:30:45.77
So what Irma was talking about
we go through difficult times
00:30:45.81\00:30:49.58
and we think,
"Lord, where are you
00:30:49.61\00:30:51.18
and what is this
perfecting in my character?"
00:30:51.21\00:30:53.58
It was showing us
that God is there,
00:30:53.62\00:30:55.88
He is always faithful
00:30:55.92\00:30:57.59
even though we have to go
through testing and trail.
00:30:57.62\00:31:00.66
Exactly. Yeah, it...
00:31:00.69\00:31:02.02
You know, this
reminds me of the experience
00:31:02.06\00:31:04.43
that I'm going
through the prison ministry.
00:31:04.46\00:31:07.20
You go Sunday after Sunday,
we get two hours every Sunday
00:31:07.23\00:31:10.83
to go minister to them.
00:31:10.87\00:31:12.70
And you're giving them the truth
00:31:12.73\00:31:14.20
and you're
giving them the message
00:31:14.24\00:31:15.57
and they're
rebellion towards you.
00:31:15.60\00:31:18.11
Every time you
bring a new message
00:31:18.14\00:31:19.97
that they have
learned another way,
00:31:20.01\00:31:21.74
they're constantly trying
00:31:21.78\00:31:24.81
to let you know their
feelings not in a nicest way.
00:31:24.85\00:31:30.02
And you have to remember this,
you can't take it personal.
00:31:30.05\00:31:33.69
You cannot really,
you are there to make sure
00:31:33.72\00:31:38.23
that you instill
in them the same love
00:31:38.26\00:31:42.20
that God has
towards you for them
00:31:42.23\00:31:44.07
because you may
be the only person
00:31:44.10\00:31:46.13
that looks them
in the eye and says,
00:31:46.17\00:31:47.90
"You know, there is
a God that loves you.
00:31:47.94\00:31:50.54
There is, you
are valuable enough
00:31:50.57\00:31:53.91
that the creator of
the world died for you."
00:31:53.94\00:31:57.81
And those are the
things that you need to go,
00:31:57.85\00:32:00.55
the enemy is very
good at making you feel
00:32:00.58\00:32:04.22
and trying to push your buttons.
00:32:04.25\00:32:06.69
But you need to
realize as a Christian,
00:32:06.72\00:32:08.92
as a representative,
as an ambassador of God
00:32:08.96\00:32:12.03
you do not have
that luxury to rebel.
00:32:12.06\00:32:15.30
You must
reflect Christ character
00:32:15.33\00:32:20.64
as much as possible.
00:32:20.67\00:32:22.04
Amen. That's true.
00:32:22.07\00:32:24.37
You know, this
feeling's not easily wounded.
00:32:24.41\00:32:27.78
I'm thinking we are to
take up our cross how often?
00:32:27.81\00:32:31.75
Daily.
00:32:31.78\00:32:33.11
What's taking up the cross mean?
00:32:33.15\00:32:35.62
The cross is a
symbol of... The church.
00:32:35.65\00:32:37.22
It's a symbol of our liberation,
00:32:37.25\00:32:39.85
it's also a symbol of death...
00:32:39.89\00:32:41.22
Yes, yes. And
what does Paul say?
00:32:41.26\00:32:43.16
How often does Paul say he dies?
00:32:43.19\00:32:44.79
I die daily. I die daily.
00:32:44.83\00:32:46.59
So a dead man's
feelings can't get hurt.
00:32:46.63\00:32:49.16
That's right.
00:32:49.20\00:32:50.53
And so if you're dying
daily then you're not going...
00:32:50.57\00:32:53.40
You're not going.
00:32:53.44\00:32:54.77
If you are hurt then
you have to say to the Lord,
00:32:54.80\00:32:57.01
oh, I mean, he
never gets hurt, man.
00:32:57.04\00:32:58.81
We haven't arrived here.
00:32:58.84\00:33:00.41
But we look at the
situations that, you know,
00:33:00.44\00:33:05.01
there is an area of me
that's still alive and kicking
00:33:05.05\00:33:08.62
and I'm supposed
to be dying to self.
00:33:08.65\00:33:10.82
Yeah, yeah. That's right.
00:33:10.85\00:33:12.19
You know, someone said to
me, this is quite some time ago.
00:33:12.22\00:33:14.86
Well, you know, he just
pushes my buttons, you know,
00:33:14.89\00:33:17.79
well, you're admitting
00:33:17.83\00:33:19.16
you still got buttons, you know.
00:33:19.19\00:33:20.83
So may be you need to pray,
"Lord, take away my buttons."
00:33:20.86\00:33:23.00
That's right.
00:33:23.03\00:33:24.37
You look at the old
radios, the old TVs,
00:33:24.40\00:33:25.90
a mass of buttons but
the new TVs may have one.
00:33:25.93\00:33:28.64
You know,
everything is touch screen,
00:33:28.67\00:33:30.01
there're no buttons.
00:33:30.04\00:33:31.37
So you can live without buttons,
00:33:31.41\00:33:32.74
you know, you can,
00:33:32.77\00:33:34.11
in fact, you can
thrive without buttons.
00:33:34.14\00:33:35.61
So may be our prayer should be,
00:33:35.64\00:33:36.98
"Lord, help me to
be less sensitive,"
00:33:37.01\00:33:38.85
because everybody is
gonna get some dirt thrown on.
00:33:38.88\00:33:40.72
That's right. You're gonna.
00:33:40.75\00:33:42.15
That's it. That's true.
00:33:42.18\00:33:43.52
You know, you're
gonna carry that dirt
00:33:43.55\00:33:44.89
or you're gonna shake it off
00:33:44.92\00:33:46.25
and pack it down like
my old story, you know,
00:33:46.29\00:33:47.62
you got to get rid of that dirt.
00:33:47.66\00:33:48.99
And ask the
Lord, "Lord, take it,
00:33:49.02\00:33:50.53
help me not to be so sensitive."
00:33:50.56\00:33:52.83
That's why I'm not a
good colporteur to this day,
00:33:52.86\00:33:54.80
I can't do
literature evangelism.
00:33:54.83\00:33:56.16
I'm hyper sensitive
for doors being slammed
00:33:56.20\00:33:58.33
in my face that I'm...
00:33:58.37\00:34:01.10
I've tried it, I'm
not that good at it.
00:34:01.14\00:34:03.77
So, I probably need a
little growth in that area
00:34:03.81\00:34:06.74
but if we ask the Lord
take away those buttons,
00:34:06.78\00:34:08.74
I think He will do that.
00:34:08.78\00:34:10.11
One of the jobs that... Amen.
00:34:10.15\00:34:11.48
One of the jobs
that I had in the past,
00:34:11.51\00:34:13.08
as soon as they found out
that I was a Sabbath keeper,
00:34:13.11\00:34:16.92
they came at me with a storm
00:34:16.95\00:34:20.32
and I always had to
remember who I was representing,
00:34:20.36\00:34:24.83
what I was standing for,
00:34:24.86\00:34:26.63
it wasn't about me
they were attacking God.
00:34:26.66\00:34:29.80
So why am I taking it personal
if they're attacking God.
00:34:29.83\00:34:33.17
So my feelings were never hurt.
00:34:33.20\00:34:35.97
I was always standing for Jesus,
00:34:36.00\00:34:38.57
Jesus' feelings were
hurt, but mine aren't.
00:34:38.61\00:34:42.04
So it all depends on
who your focus is on.
00:34:42.08\00:34:44.48
Are you focusing on yourself?
Are you focusing on Jesus?
00:34:44.51\00:34:48.35
If you focus on Him, He
will give you the victory.
00:34:48.38\00:34:50.89
Yeah, you didn't write
the fourth commandment.
00:34:50.92\00:34:53.05
Very well said.
00:34:59.19\00:35:00.53
I think this may
be one of the toughest
00:35:00.56\00:35:03.73
of the spiritual growth
laws to put into practice.
00:35:03.77\00:35:07.74
Because it's easy to
take things personally,
00:35:07.77\00:35:10.81
particularly when they are
meant personally, you know.
00:35:10.84\00:35:13.21
Sometimes people wound
you and they don't mean to,
00:35:13.24\00:35:16.01
and I've told
this so many times,
00:35:16.04\00:35:17.38
well, like my roommate who used
to chew with his mouth open.
00:35:17.41\00:35:19.11
You know, when
you're in a dorm room,
00:35:19.15\00:35:21.18
you and your roommate
are gonna be very close
00:35:21.22\00:35:23.12
because you're in
this little confined space.
00:35:23.15\00:35:24.99
And I had a roommate who used
to chew with his mouth open.
00:35:25.02\00:35:28.39
And back when
granola was the big thing
00:35:28.42\00:35:31.09
and it wasn't
even granola, you know,
00:35:31.13\00:35:32.46
you got to chew
and chew and chew.
00:35:32.49\00:35:33.93
I said there's
no way in the world
00:35:33.96\00:35:35.30
he's not doing
that to get on my nerves
00:35:35.33\00:35:36.67
and he is succeeding.
00:35:36.70\00:35:38.03
And he wasn't, that
was just a practice he had.
00:35:38.07\00:35:42.70
And it wasn't until
later, way, way later I realize
00:35:42.74\00:35:45.21
that he wasn't doing
that to aggravate me,
00:35:45.24\00:35:47.58
but I was taking it
personally building up
00:35:47.61\00:35:49.08
all these animosity in my heart,
00:35:49.11\00:35:50.58
you know, unnecessarily.
00:35:50.61\00:35:53.85
So sometimes you have to say,
00:35:53.88\00:35:55.28
"Lord, just don't let me
take everything so personally,"
00:35:55.32\00:35:58.45
because sometimes people do,
00:35:58.49\00:35:59.82
do things to
aggravate you on you purpose,
00:35:59.85\00:36:02.46
other times they wound
you and they are not aware.
00:36:02.49\00:36:04.73
They don't, they
really don't know.
00:36:04.76\00:36:06.29
So, Lord, help me to
be a little less sensitive
00:36:06.33\00:36:08.26
to some of these things.
00:36:08.30\00:36:09.63
And how many
times have we prayed,
00:36:09.66\00:36:11.00
"Lord, change, change Eric."
00:36:11.03\00:36:12.63
Yeah. You know...
00:36:12.67\00:36:14.80
Yes, yes.
00:36:14.84\00:36:16.17
Marylyn, Marylyn
says that everyday.
00:36:16.20\00:36:17.54
And sometimes what we hear...
00:36:17.57\00:36:18.91
I got to have
that one to ask myself.
00:36:18.94\00:36:20.28
Yeah, saying to them.
00:36:20.31\00:36:21.64
What we hear back from the Lord
is, "Why don't I change you?
00:36:21.68\00:36:25.28
Let me change you."
00:36:25.31\00:36:26.65
Amen. Yeah.
00:36:26.68\00:36:28.02
The magistrate, I have to
pray that many, many times.
00:36:28.05\00:36:31.72
And we forget that we think
00:36:31.75\00:36:34.32
that everybody is supposed
to be like you, you know,
00:36:34.36\00:36:37.63
as you think
that you are so good.
00:36:37.66\00:36:40.36
And but, no, you know,
even with the good ones,
00:36:40.40\00:36:44.60
their different
personalities and they'd react
00:36:44.63\00:36:47.44
and they'd respond
00:36:47.47\00:36:48.80
and they do
things in different ways.
00:36:48.84\00:36:50.71
And he so needed a Holy Spirit
to be able to understand that
00:36:50.74\00:36:55.91
and to live by that too
00:36:55.94\00:36:58.45
because the enemy knows us
better than we know ourselves.
00:36:58.48\00:37:03.35
So he knows like CA say
where to push the buttons.
00:37:03.39\00:37:06.89
He knows what
areas he's weak in you
00:37:06.92\00:37:10.19
that I can catch you there
00:37:10.23\00:37:11.89
and I can put you
down, that's his job.
00:37:11.93\00:37:15.80
So we have to constantly
00:37:15.83\00:37:17.93
let the Lord lead, let the Lord,
00:37:17.97\00:37:21.27
instead of
reacting, take a little time,
00:37:21.30\00:37:24.67
take a breath and
think about, you know,
00:37:24.71\00:37:27.88
what should I do on
this situation, Lord?
00:37:27.91\00:37:30.05
Help me to... Not
react but respond.
00:37:30.08\00:37:31.75
Yeah, help me to respond
in a way that is building
00:37:31.78\00:37:36.85
not only for you but for others.
00:37:36.89\00:37:38.25
Amen.
00:37:38.29\00:37:39.62
And, Luis, coming
to you, but, you know,
00:37:39.65\00:37:40.99
one thing that's popped
out of me, I'm just reading.
00:37:41.02\00:37:42.36
"We should not
allow our feelings
00:37:42.39\00:37:43.79
to be easily wounded.
00:37:43.83\00:37:45.43
We are not to live
to guard our feelings
00:37:45.46\00:37:48.63
or our reputation."
00:37:48.66\00:37:50.27
That's right.
00:37:50.30\00:37:51.63
Now I can, I can kind
of hold onto my emotions
00:37:51.67\00:37:54.34
but I don't like being lied on
00:37:54.37\00:37:56.91
and I don't like
having, you know,
00:37:56.94\00:37:59.71
my reputation, kind
of, you want to, kind of,
00:37:59.74\00:38:01.68
keep it as pristine as possible.
00:38:01.71\00:38:03.18
You know, you do some things,
00:38:03.21\00:38:05.25
may be you should
get stripes of that,
00:38:05.28\00:38:06.61
but don't invent stuff on me.
00:38:06.65\00:38:09.25
And there is this
tendency to kind of,
00:38:09.28\00:38:11.02
wanna push back when you feel
00:38:11.05\00:38:12.39
someone is
maligning your character.
00:38:12.42\00:38:14.62
And that's a tough one
I think for many of us,
00:38:14.66\00:38:17.53
the idea that we
got to let the Lord
00:38:17.56\00:38:19.46
take care some of these
things because you can't,
00:38:19.49\00:38:21.70
you can't clean up behind
every little spill that happens
00:38:21.73\00:38:25.10
and everything somebody invents,
00:38:25.13\00:38:26.80
you can't always solve
some of that stuff, you know.
00:38:26.84\00:38:28.67
Yeah.
00:38:28.70\00:38:30.04
You know, the poster that
was on HMS Richards' wall,
00:38:30.07\00:38:33.27
we have it here at
3ABN, it's in the call centre
00:38:33.31\00:38:35.68
and it's keep at your work.
00:38:35.71\00:38:37.41
And it talks
about all the things
00:38:37.45\00:38:39.41
that can come against you
00:38:39.45\00:38:40.78
and how you want to
respond to guard reputation
00:38:40.82\00:38:44.62
and if you just, if you
try to stop every barking dog,
00:38:44.65\00:38:49.66
then you're not going
to accomplish the thing.
00:38:49.69\00:38:51.29
You're just gonna
always be doing that.
00:38:51.33\00:38:53.16
So I just, I love
reading that periodically.
00:38:53.19\00:38:56.77
It means stop all this defending
00:38:56.80\00:38:59.23
and get back to work.
00:38:59.27\00:39:00.60
Get back to work.
00:39:00.64\00:39:01.97
If you would
like a copy of that,
00:39:02.00\00:39:03.34
just call 3ABN's call center,
00:39:03.37\00:39:04.71
we'll make them
available to you.
00:39:04.74\00:39:06.78
Very, very good.
00:39:06.81\00:39:08.14
We may need to hear
too, just see it more often.
00:39:08.18\00:39:11.21
That's right.
Luis, you're reading.
00:39:11.25\00:39:13.25
You know, this
one is interesting,
00:39:13.28\00:39:15.05
God's work, not ours.
00:39:15.08\00:39:17.72
It says, "Now,
here is the very thing
00:39:17.75\00:39:20.29
that we want to understand,
00:39:20.32\00:39:22.49
that it is not our
work but God's work,
00:39:22.52\00:39:26.63
and we are only entrusted
in the hands to accomplish it.
00:39:26.66\00:39:32.87
We want to seek the
Lord with all our hearts,
00:39:32.90\00:39:36.20
and the Lord will work for us."
00:39:36.24\00:39:39.57
I have a saying at
the prison ministry,
00:39:39.61\00:39:43.65
I say, "If I insulted you today,
00:39:43.68\00:39:45.81
come back next week
I'll insult you again
00:39:45.85\00:39:47.95
until I stop insulting you
00:39:47.98\00:39:49.88
because the Holy
Spirit will change you."
00:39:49.92\00:39:52.89
And that's where
it all bows down to.
00:39:52.92\00:39:55.79
I tell them, "Do not look at me.
00:39:55.82\00:39:58.06
There is nothing
in me that you want.
00:39:58.09\00:40:00.90
It is the Christ in me
that I'm trying to give you.
00:40:00.93\00:40:05.80
And that's where it assures you
00:40:05.83\00:40:09.34
that whenever the
enemy tries to find those
00:40:09.37\00:40:14.34
buttons in your
life you can easily say,
00:40:14.38\00:40:17.98
"My Christ has,
has been successful
00:40:18.01\00:40:21.88
or has accomplished a victory
through all of these buttons."
00:40:21.92\00:40:26.15
So therefore
it's Him who is in me
00:40:26.19\00:40:29.02
and I have not worried,
I need not worry anymore.
00:40:29.06\00:40:32.16
The moment that
you take that approach,
00:40:32.19\00:40:36.43
it comes with
great responsibility
00:40:36.46\00:40:38.93
because you can play lip service
00:40:38.97\00:40:42.90
and tell individuals around
you like Gandhi said one time,
00:40:42.94\00:40:48.61
"I would be a Christian
00:40:48.64\00:40:49.98
if it wasn't
for the Christians."
00:40:50.01\00:40:52.15
And that what is so difficult
about individuals out there
00:40:52.18\00:40:55.58
they call themselves Christian
and they forgotten this
00:40:55.62\00:40:59.29
that if it is God's work,
the one that is in your life,
00:40:59.32\00:41:05.09
then his character
needs to be reflected in it.
00:41:05.13\00:41:09.80
You know, and when we
understand that concept
00:41:09.83\00:41:15.24
then as a Christian
we can do like Pilate did
00:41:15.27\00:41:17.91
just wash our hands and say,
00:41:17.94\00:41:19.27
"Okay, I don't need to
worry about this, God's got it.
00:41:19.31\00:41:22.54
My dad can take care of it."
00:41:22.58\00:41:24.71
Amen.
00:41:24.75\00:41:26.38
And that's the peace that comes
00:41:26.41\00:41:28.58
that surpasses
all understanding.
00:41:28.62\00:41:30.89
You know, there are
two ways to look at that,
00:41:30.92\00:41:33.09
one is I don't
need to do anything,
00:41:33.12\00:41:35.12
just God's
gonna take care of it,
00:41:35.16\00:41:36.49
I can full my mouth
and get extra 40 wings.
00:41:36.52\00:41:39.09
The other one is
if I don't do it,
00:41:39.13\00:41:41.66
it's not gonna get done
it's all on me or if I leave
00:41:41.70\00:41:45.07
it's all gonna fall apart.
00:41:45.10\00:41:46.74
You know, and neither
is true. That's correct.
00:41:46.77\00:41:49.14
But it works
sometimes for a little while,
00:41:49.17\00:41:52.84
but that is not
until God doesn't, that is,
00:41:52.87\00:41:57.61
then you find that
it's, wow it's working in me.
00:41:57.65\00:42:01.32
Yeah, as important
as it is for each of us
00:42:01.35\00:42:04.25
to fulfill our post of
duty, if we are not there,
00:42:04.29\00:42:08.02
God will see
that the work is done.
00:42:08.06\00:42:09.39
That's right.
00:42:09.42\00:42:11.06
You know, they used to say
one monkey don't stop no show,
00:42:11.09\00:42:13.23
you know, like you
just, just it doesn't,
00:42:13.26\00:42:16.16
you work, you know,
00:42:16.20\00:42:17.53
I remember Ellen White
telling Joseph Bates, she said,
00:42:17.57\00:42:21.14
"The Lord has
released you, now."
00:42:21.17\00:42:23.30
Because Bates had
gotten to the point in his life
00:42:23.34\00:42:25.27
where he felt unless I do
it, it's not gonna ever get done
00:42:25.31\00:42:28.71
and she said,
"You're working too hard,
00:42:28.74\00:42:30.08
you're working
yourself to death.
00:42:30.11\00:42:32.18
It's time Lord has released you,
00:42:32.21\00:42:33.62
there are others who
will take up this burden
00:42:33.65\00:42:35.45
and she had to tell same
thing to her husband James,
00:42:35.48\00:42:38.15
five strokes, five strokes
00:42:38.19\00:42:40.79
because he was just
driven to work and she said,
00:42:40.82\00:42:43.09
"No time to step back now,
others will come in and fill."
00:42:43.12\00:42:47.60
The cause of God
will always have soldiers,
00:42:47.63\00:42:50.97
there will always be soldiers.
00:42:51.00\00:42:52.37
You work until
God says, time to rest
00:42:52.40\00:42:55.34
I'll bring another soldier on,
00:42:55.37\00:42:56.94
but there are always
be soldiers in the army
00:42:56.97\00:42:59.01
because God has seen
to it that will happen.
00:42:59.04\00:43:01.28
Amen.
00:43:01.31\00:43:02.64
All right, Eric,
I guess you're up.
00:43:02.68\00:43:04.58
Okay, "Meek and lowly in
heart, the value of our work
00:43:04.61\00:43:10.89
does not consist
in making a loud noise
00:43:10.92\00:43:13.19
in the world and
being zealous, eager,
00:43:13.22\00:43:16.42
and active in our own strength.
00:43:16.46\00:43:18.76
The value of our
work is in proportion
00:43:18.79\00:43:21.50
to the impartation
of the Holy Spirit,
00:43:21.53\00:43:24.37
the value of our work
comes through trusting God
00:43:24.40\00:43:27.47
which brings
holier qualities of mind
00:43:27.50\00:43:30.27
so that in patience
we may possess our souls.
00:43:30.31\00:43:33.64
We should
continually pray to God
00:43:33.68\00:43:36.71
to increase our
strength to make us strong
00:43:36.75\00:43:39.71
in His strength
to kindle our hearts,
00:43:39.75\00:43:42.95
to kindle in our hearts,
the flame of divine love,
00:43:42.98\00:43:46.02
the cause of
God is best advanced
00:43:46.05\00:43:49.62
by those who are
meek and lowly in heart."
00:43:49.66\00:43:54.60
This reminds me
one of the first verses
00:43:54.63\00:43:57.27
that I read in the Bible,
00:43:57.30\00:44:00.90
was it the meek
would inherit the earth
00:44:00.94\00:44:04.14
and I was 12, 13 years
old and I wondered to myself
00:44:04.17\00:44:10.28
how in the world are the
meek going to inherit the earth?
00:44:10.31\00:44:14.62
That makes no sense whatsoever.
00:44:14.65\00:44:18.05
And at the time I was, I was
like the third son of thunder,
00:44:18.09\00:44:22.36
you know, it was,
don't cross my path
00:44:22.39\00:44:25.03
I'm going that way
and if you get in my way,
00:44:25.06\00:44:27.66
you know, it
didn't make sense to me.
00:44:27.70\00:44:31.87
Later on I learned, you know,
00:44:31.90\00:44:34.20
that God works
through small things.
00:44:34.24\00:44:39.94
He doesn't work
through big things.
00:44:39.97\00:44:42.78
And in my life when
I ran into situations
00:44:42.81\00:44:45.35
where I was a son of
thunder things didn't work out.
00:44:45.38\00:44:49.65
In one way or
another things would go wrong
00:44:49.68\00:44:52.22
and I saw, when I was
meek and when I was patient,
00:44:52.25\00:44:56.22
and when I practice love,
and when I practice generosity,
00:44:56.26\00:45:00.30
and when I practice those things
00:45:00.33\00:45:01.83
that made no sense to
me in the Bible at first,
00:45:01.86\00:45:04.47
things would work out.
00:45:04.50\00:45:06.47
And eventually I had
to come to the conclusion
00:45:06.50\00:45:08.34
that God knew what
He was talking about.
00:45:08.37\00:45:11.31
So when I read
this one of the things
00:45:11.34\00:45:12.94
that I wrote down was that,
00:45:12.97\00:45:15.11
"While the world is teaching you
00:45:15.14\00:45:16.54
that bigger is better,
00:45:16.58\00:45:18.38
God teaches that
you travel further
00:45:18.41\00:45:21.18
on a steady breeze
than you do in a hurricane."
00:45:21.22\00:45:26.65
And I wrote that
down this morning
00:45:26.69\00:45:29.22
and I'm gonna take that
with me because it's true,
00:45:29.26\00:45:31.89
you'll travel
further on a steady breeze
00:45:31.93\00:45:33.90
than the hurricane,
00:45:33.93\00:45:35.40
and I used to be a hurricane,
and I didn't travel far,
00:45:35.43\00:45:39.70
and now then I'm a steady breeze
00:45:39.73\00:45:42.17
God's got me,
00:45:42.20\00:45:43.54
and He's taking me
where I need to go.
00:45:43.57\00:45:44.91
Amen, amen.
00:45:44.94\00:45:46.31
You know, some can mistake
the word meek for passes,
00:45:46.34\00:45:50.18
or docile, or retiring.
00:45:50.21\00:45:52.71
Meek means that you are
just totally dependent on God.
00:45:52.75\00:45:55.52
Amen.
00:45:55.55\00:45:56.89
You're not
dependent on yourself,
00:45:56.92\00:45:58.25
you are dependent,
00:45:58.29\00:45:59.62
the same is true
with lowly in heart,
00:45:59.65\00:46:01.89
it doesn't mean that
you aren't strong hearted.
00:46:01.92\00:46:05.63
It's just that your
heart is committed to God.
00:46:05.66\00:46:07.80
Committed. Yes.
00:46:07.83\00:46:09.46
I've always and I think
everybody has to wrestle
00:46:09.50\00:46:12.27
with their own
definition of meek,
00:46:12.30\00:46:15.34
what satisfied
it for me was the,
00:46:15.37\00:46:18.61
the ability to not retaliate.
00:46:18.64\00:46:22.08
You know,
because retaliation is,
00:46:22.11\00:46:26.41
is almost
natural to unless you are
00:46:26.45\00:46:29.15
incredibly docile and pliable.
00:46:29.18\00:46:32.52
Most people have
a retaliatory gene
00:46:32.55\00:46:34.99
in them
somewhere and if you dig...
00:46:35.02\00:46:37.09
No, I don't.
00:46:37.13\00:46:38.46
If you dig deep enough
you can find it, you know,
00:46:42.16\00:46:45.60
if you keep pushing,
00:46:45.63\00:46:46.97
you can find that
retaliatory gene but,
00:46:47.00\00:46:49.70
but, but Meek says,
00:46:49.74\00:46:51.57
"You've got to go
pretty far to get,
00:46:51.61\00:46:54.18
to get to that gene in me."
00:46:54.21\00:46:55.58
You know, and it works that
God can give you a thicker skin,
00:46:55.61\00:47:01.12
you know, He can give
you a little tougher heart
00:47:01.15\00:47:04.15
so that everything
doesn't get through it
00:47:04.19\00:47:05.82
and I think your
point, Mollie, is very good,
00:47:05.85\00:47:07.59
if you try to silence every dog,
00:47:07.62\00:47:10.13
you'll be
silencing dogs all the time.
00:47:10.16\00:47:11.99
And that's all
you would be doing.
00:47:12.03\00:47:13.36
That's all you'd be doing,
00:47:13.40\00:47:14.73
you would never
get anything done
00:47:14.76\00:47:16.10
by trying to silence dogs.
00:47:16.13\00:47:17.73
One of the things
that I noticed in the Bible
00:47:17.77\00:47:19.90
when I was reading was that
00:47:19.93\00:47:21.70
God was always
looking to the meek people,
00:47:21.74\00:47:25.07
the bold people He'd
always work at making them meek
00:47:25.11\00:47:29.18
like I think it
was, it was Naaman,
00:47:29.21\00:47:31.91
was it Naaman that
was the great general,
00:47:31.95\00:47:34.55
he had leprosy and
God told him or told his,
00:47:34.58\00:47:40.16
his prophet to tell him
to go in the water and bathe.
00:47:40.19\00:47:44.16
In the muddy water.
00:47:44.19\00:47:45.53
Yeah, seven times was
it? Yeah, seven times, yeah.
00:47:45.56\00:47:47.40
Not even in the
clear, beautiful water.
00:47:47.43\00:47:49.36
And he got so upset about
that his pride, I'm a mighty,
00:47:49.40\00:47:53.44
I'm a mighty
General, what is this go,
00:47:53.47\00:47:56.44
bathe in the dirty Jordan
water and someone told him
00:47:56.47\00:48:02.01
you would go and conquer
half the world for your king
00:48:02.04\00:48:04.71
but you won't go and
bathe in the water seven times.
00:48:04.75\00:48:08.72
And he was humbled by that.
00:48:08.75\00:48:11.25
And that's how we all should be,
00:48:11.29\00:48:12.62
we should all be willing to go
00:48:12.65\00:48:13.99
and bathe in the water
seven times if God calls.
00:48:14.02\00:48:15.92
When our pride gets in the
way, our meekness goes away.
00:48:15.96\00:48:19.43
That's right.
00:48:19.46\00:48:20.80
Yeah and it's
interesting how we, we say,
00:48:20.83\00:48:22.83
okay, Lord, bless me.
00:48:22.86\00:48:24.33
Now here's how I
want you to do it.
00:48:24.37\00:48:26.67
Yeah, I am
telling you what to do,
00:48:26.70\00:48:28.04
I'm telling you how to
do it, He says we got two,
00:48:28.07\00:48:30.67
we got a modern fire power,
they're better than the Jordon,
00:48:30.71\00:48:33.44
they're cleaner than the Jordan,
00:48:33.48\00:48:34.81
and they were,
he's telling truth.
00:48:34.84\00:48:36.18
I want to die, I want to,
00:48:36.21\00:48:37.55
I want to bathe in those rivers,
00:48:37.58\00:48:38.91
those are my rivers,
those are our rivers,
00:48:38.95\00:48:40.82
I like those rivers.
00:48:40.85\00:48:42.18
Water's warm, I like that river.
00:48:42.22\00:48:44.19
You know, and had God said
give me every dime you have,
00:48:44.22\00:48:48.92
every dime, he did not,
to get rid of leprosy, dip,
00:48:48.96\00:48:53.19
no, I don't want to do.
00:48:53.23\00:48:56.30
That hadn't, that doesn't fit
my mindset so we want to say,
00:48:56.33\00:48:58.83
Lord, bless me and I'm gonna
tell you how I want to bless.
00:48:58.87\00:49:01.37
But be meek and
let the Lord, you know,
00:49:01.40\00:49:04.24
God's been doing this God thing
a long time and you know what?
00:49:04.27\00:49:07.68
He is good at it. He
is really good at it.
00:49:07.71\00:49:10.48
And if we will
follow and not lead,
00:49:10.51\00:49:12.61
we will find that He will
lead us into peaceful waters
00:49:12.65\00:49:15.72
and it starts with the
meek and lowly, a lowly heart.
00:49:15.75\00:49:19.25
And kind of the
opposite of that might be
00:49:19.29\00:49:21.86
pride and arrogance.
00:49:21.89\00:49:23.86
And pride goes before... A fall.
00:49:23.89\00:49:26.33
Destruction and a
hearty spirit before a fall
00:49:26.36\00:49:29.43
and so that pride and hardiness,
00:49:29.46\00:49:31.57
God does deal with
and it's to make us,
00:49:31.60\00:49:34.47
make it lowly.
00:49:34.50\00:49:35.84
Amen.
00:49:35.87\00:49:37.21
You know when I...
00:49:37.24\00:49:38.91
When I went to
Panama to my family.
00:49:38.94\00:49:41.74
I had all this burdens
00:49:41.78\00:49:43.61
and all that I was gonna help
in this way and helping that in
00:49:43.65\00:49:47.55
and I had put
myself in the Lord's hands
00:49:47.58\00:49:49.68
and all that,
00:49:49.72\00:49:51.09
but soon I do realize
00:49:51.12\00:49:53.46
that all of my
sisters and my brother
00:49:53.49\00:49:58.09
had different characters.
00:49:58.13\00:50:00.66
And I started, you know,
at first I was doing that
00:50:00.70\00:50:03.26
I said but why
this, then the Lord said,
00:50:03.30\00:50:05.90
you know, just watch,
00:50:05.93\00:50:08.14
and I started to
having to watch my sister say,
00:50:08.17\00:50:12.67
my sisters are so
different one from another.
00:50:12.71\00:50:16.01
My brother is so
different and I'm so different,
00:50:16.04\00:50:19.48
and I said we
all grew up together
00:50:19.51\00:50:21.92
and it was an eye opening for me
00:50:21.95\00:50:25.95
because I had to,
I had to love them,
00:50:25.99\00:50:30.99
I have to take care of
them, my brother with a cancer,
00:50:31.03\00:50:34.66
my mother also
needing so much help,
00:50:34.70\00:50:37.93
I had to really
let the Lord worry,
00:50:37.97\00:50:42.00
but when I did that,
you know, and I said,
00:50:42.04\00:50:43.87
okay, Lord everybody
is so different from me,
00:50:43.91\00:50:46.27
they all do this
and that and I said,
00:50:46.31\00:50:48.54
"So here I am if I'm
gonna be able to help,
00:50:48.58\00:50:52.21
you need to help me because
I need to have the countenance
00:50:52.25\00:50:58.05
and the ability
to take everybody,
00:50:58.09\00:51:02.19
the way they are
and just praise the Lord
00:51:02.22\00:51:05.73
and be able to help and
the Lord taught me lessons.
00:51:05.76\00:51:11.13
It's funny because
she went down to Panama
00:51:11.17\00:51:13.94
this last trip the
way I came out of college,
00:51:13.97\00:51:16.44
you come out with
your ministerial degree,
00:51:16.47\00:51:18.41
I'm going to fix
the world, you know,
00:51:18.44\00:51:20.78
the world will be fixed by
me and she called one night,
00:51:20.81\00:51:23.61
we were talking on the
phone, she was crying, she said,
00:51:23.65\00:51:25.61
nobody's listening,
nobody's paying attention.
00:51:25.65\00:51:29.62
I said, yeah, 'cause
they're all grown people.
00:51:29.65\00:51:33.12
But I went with
all the good intentions
00:51:33.15\00:51:35.79
because the reason I went
00:51:35.82\00:51:37.19
because I had all these
burden that they need me,
00:51:37.23\00:51:41.40
I need to go and help, you know,
00:51:41.43\00:51:43.26
I had and turn out
that I need their help too.
00:51:43.30\00:51:46.00
Don't they know
how bad they need me?
00:51:46.03\00:51:48.64
They're not acknowledging
the need of me kind of thing,
00:51:48.67\00:51:51.31
but once she
stepped back from that,
00:51:51.34\00:51:53.17
she actually
did a very good work
00:51:53.21\00:51:54.54
particularly in
her mothers' case
00:51:54.58\00:51:56.14
but it's not that I
can go fix the world
00:51:56.18\00:51:59.25
is that the Lord can
use me to help a situation.
00:51:59.28\00:52:03.05
And if you lead with God,
00:52:03.08\00:52:04.42
then you're
guaranteed good result,
00:52:04.45\00:52:05.89
but if you lead with self,
00:52:05.92\00:52:07.26
you're not
guaranteed a good result.
00:52:07.29\00:52:08.62
It's not your
work, it's God's work.
00:52:08.66\00:52:10.73
Yeah, it's not your
work, it's God's work.
00:52:10.76\00:52:12.09
Yeah. Yes, you
just do your best.
00:52:12.13\00:52:15.43
All right,
00:52:15.46\00:52:17.03
"I'm reading
sacrifice at every step,
00:52:17.07\00:52:19.30
we're nearing the
end of this earth history
00:52:19.33\00:52:21.94
and the different
departments of God's work
00:52:21.97\00:52:24.17
are to be carried forward
with much more self sacrifice
00:52:24.21\00:52:28.48
that has yet been practice.
00:52:28.51\00:52:30.35
The work for these last
days is a missionary work.
00:52:30.38\00:52:33.62
Present truth from the
first to the last letter of,
00:52:33.65\00:52:37.59
of its alphabet
means missionary effort.
00:52:37.62\00:52:40.92
The work is to be,
the work to be done calls
00:52:40.96\00:52:44.39
for sacrifice at
every step of advance."
00:52:44.43\00:52:47.70
I think in these last
days someone was saying
00:52:47.73\00:52:50.20
some time ago, it
seems like every time
00:52:50.23\00:52:52.13
we turn around
the Church of God's
00:52:52.17\00:52:53.50
with hands out for money.
00:52:53.54\00:52:55.10
But the truth is
in His last days,
00:52:55.14\00:52:57.71
the church is gonna
need more of our time,
00:52:57.74\00:53:00.28
more of our effort,
and more of our labor.
00:53:00.31\00:53:02.04
We say here in 3ABN, thank
you for your love, your prayers,
00:53:02.08\00:53:04.38
and support of this ministry
00:53:04.41\00:53:05.81
because we realize
that it would not succeed
00:53:05.85\00:53:09.08
without love,
prayers, and support.
00:53:09.12\00:53:11.95
As we get closer to the
end of this earth's history,
00:53:11.99\00:53:14.82
our love, our
prayers, and our support
00:53:14.86\00:53:16.32
are not going to decrease.
00:53:16.36\00:53:17.99
They're going to,
they're going to increase.
00:53:18.03\00:53:19.56
We need to love more,
pray more, and support more.
00:53:19.59\00:53:21.93
It happened sometimes that
00:53:21.96\00:53:23.77
my office has always been
juxtaposed to Mollie's office.
00:53:23.80\00:53:26.63
I was directly across,
now I'm a little further down,
00:53:26.67\00:53:29.14
but I've seen the
line of people lined up
00:53:29.17\00:53:32.64
outside of her office.
00:53:32.67\00:53:34.01
I've been in that
lines sometimes so if you...
00:53:34.04\00:53:35.78
Oh, that's right.
00:53:35.81\00:53:37.15
You all have been
in that line, you know,
00:53:37.18\00:53:38.51
just waiting for the turn.
00:53:38.55\00:53:39.88
When are they going to come out
so I can get my shot, you know.
00:53:39.91\00:53:41.78
And there had been some
days when I never get in there
00:53:41.82\00:53:43.89
because the line
is just too long.
00:53:43.92\00:53:46.09
That sacrifice,
you know, and that line
00:53:46.12\00:53:48.82
is not gonna get any shorter.
00:53:48.86\00:53:50.26
That line is gonna
get longer as we come
00:53:50.29\00:53:51.63
because people have problems,
00:53:51.66\00:53:52.99
and it is that way I
think with the Church of God.
00:53:53.03\00:53:55.40
We have to sacrifice
for the cause of Christ
00:53:55.43\00:53:57.80
and Christ
sacrificed all for us.
00:53:57.83\00:54:00.67
So we have to
now give all to Him.
00:54:00.70\00:54:03.71
That's right.
00:54:03.74\00:54:05.07
You know, the
calls will become more
00:54:05.11\00:54:06.44
so when you go
to church and hear
00:54:06.47\00:54:08.21
the tithe envelop being tithed,
00:54:08.24\00:54:10.58
plate being
passing and another plate
00:54:10.61\00:54:12.11
with other kinds
of offering them,
00:54:12.15\00:54:13.48
maybe something
for the kids at school
00:54:13.52\00:54:14.85
and something for the AY
00:54:14.88\00:54:16.22
and something
for the pathfinders.
00:54:16.25\00:54:18.35
Yeah, the calls
are gonna come more
00:54:18.39\00:54:19.72
because God's work is
gonna need more, more support,
00:54:19.75\00:54:22.32
but you're building
an investment in heaven,
00:54:22.36\00:54:25.69
and nothing...
00:54:25.73\00:54:27.06
What's a soul worth, you know,
how much money is a soul worth?
00:54:27.10\00:54:30.30
So there're gonna be
more calls for sacrifice,
00:54:30.33\00:54:32.33
but oh, what a
great sacrifice it is.
00:54:32.37\00:54:33.87
Amen. Yeah.
00:54:33.90\00:54:35.27
You know it reminds
me when I first got here,
00:54:35.30\00:54:38.31
back home we had,
you know, pretty much
00:54:38.34\00:54:40.61
it's like four
or five apartments
00:54:40.64\00:54:43.18
that my dad
bought for one day for us
00:54:43.21\00:54:45.71
to all live there.
00:54:45.75\00:54:47.65
And it's spacious.
There's a lot of room.
00:54:47.68\00:54:49.72
When I got here I
ended up at the manor
00:54:49.75\00:54:51.59
which is a kind of like a,
like a hotel type, you know,
00:54:51.62\00:54:54.92
it's like 12 by 12
area and I was sitting there
00:54:54.96\00:54:58.53
and I said, Lord, I have always
been blessed with, you know,
00:54:58.56\00:55:02.60
large homes with
cars, with all of these,
00:55:02.63\00:55:05.03
my wife always
had, every three years
00:55:05.07\00:55:07.57
she had a brand new car.
00:55:07.60\00:55:09.70
You know, and when I got here
and I was put in that situation
00:55:09.74\00:55:15.04
and I said, Lord, I
have never been happier.
00:55:15.08\00:55:17.81
I have never been
happier, there hasn't been,
00:55:17.85\00:55:21.58
and I know that Eric and
I we talk the same thing.
00:55:21.62\00:55:23.75
He's gone
through the same issue.
00:55:23.79\00:55:25.42
We've had to step down
everything that we've had,
00:55:25.45\00:55:28.36
we've had to
minimize to the bare bones,
00:55:28.39\00:55:32.36
but there is something that
when you are doing God's work
00:55:32.39\00:55:37.27
that gives you
such internal peace
00:55:37.30\00:55:40.64
that it's really
not a sacrifice for you
00:55:40.67\00:55:44.11
when you're first are going
through what you're saying,
00:55:44.14\00:55:45.97
"Well, how am I
going to do without."
00:55:46.01\00:55:47.78
But when you are, when
you are on the other side
00:55:47.81\00:55:52.21
and you see that you really
00:55:52.25\00:55:53.58
did not need all of those things
00:55:53.62\00:55:55.32
that you were using in the past,
00:55:55.35\00:55:58.09
then that sacrifice
becomes a great blessing.
00:55:58.12\00:56:01.56
That sacrifice becomes
the peace that is unbelievable
00:56:01.59\00:56:08.33
that you can't even,
00:56:08.36\00:56:09.70
you can't wait to
tell others around you.
00:56:09.73\00:56:11.10
Yes.
00:56:11.13\00:56:12.47
I have to, I have to add to that
00:56:12.50\00:56:13.84
because we have had
quite a few talks about that.
00:56:13.87\00:56:17.14
We gave up quite a
bit when we came to 3ABN,
00:56:17.17\00:56:20.81
a lot and it just seems
amazing to me the blessings
00:56:20.84\00:56:24.91
that God has
shown us since then.
00:56:24.95\00:56:27.02
It's been fantastic.
00:56:27.05\00:56:28.48
We are so much
happier now than we used to be
00:56:28.52\00:56:31.05
and it's because
of the Lord Jesus.
00:56:31.09\00:56:33.19
Yeah, you know, I
think everybody here,
00:56:33.22\00:56:34.86
all of us can say
we all had to make
00:56:34.89\00:56:37.99
a financial
sacrifice to be here,
00:56:38.03\00:56:40.33
but that may be
the only sacrifice
00:56:40.36\00:56:42.60
that we had to make.
00:56:42.63\00:56:43.97
You may be making
a little less dollars
00:56:44.00\00:56:46.13
but you can't buy peace,
00:56:46.17\00:56:48.64
you can't buy going to
your bed and sleeping all night.
00:56:48.67\00:56:51.47
You can't buy coming to
work with people you love
00:56:51.51\00:56:53.64
and who you respect
and you cannot buy the fact
00:56:53.68\00:56:56.18
that you're
part of something big
00:56:56.21\00:56:57.55
that is taking the
gospel message to the world.
00:56:57.58\00:56:59.61
Amen.
00:56:59.65\00:57:00.98
And, okay, you're
making a few less bucks
00:57:01.02\00:57:02.48
but you're banking in heaven,
00:57:02.52\00:57:03.85
and one day
you'll have a mansion
00:57:03.89\00:57:05.62
and you'll be able to fly
00:57:05.65\00:57:07.12
and you will see
Jesus face to face
00:57:07.16\00:57:08.72
and it is worth it all.
00:57:08.76\00:57:10.09
Amen.
00:57:10.13\00:57:11.46
Our time has got in the river.
00:57:11.49\00:57:13.90
These are sort of
beatitudes that are part
00:57:13.93\00:57:17.03
of the Christian
growth experience,
00:57:17.07\00:57:18.70
and hopefully we've
touched on something
00:57:18.73\00:57:20.40
that has given you some strength
00:57:20.44\00:57:22.17
and encouragement
00:57:22.20\00:57:23.54
as together we walk this
road that leads to glory.
00:57:23.57\00:57:25.67
"Hold on in little while,
he that shall come will come
00:57:25.71\00:57:28.54
and will not tarry,"
00:57:28.58\00:57:29.98
and we'll see you there on
the sea of glass in heaven.
00:57:30.01\00:57:33.62
God bless. Amen.
00:57:33.65\00:57:34.98