Participants: Dee Hilderbrand, Greg & Jill Morikone, JD Quinn, Jim & Kathy Penney, Summer Boyd,
Series Code: TDYFW
Program Code: TDYFW017021A
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:18 Removing pain 00:23 Lord, let my words 00:29 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:39 Mending broken people 00:45 I want to spend my life 00:50 Mending broken people 01:07 Hello, and welcome to another 3ABN Today Family Worship. 01:11 Thank you so much for joining us 01:13 as you do each and every day, 01:15 but especially for these family worships 01:16 on Friday evening and phew... 01:19 What a busy week we've had. 01:21 We had... 01:22 Oh, I had earlier in the week I had a couple of days 01:25 that I spent just some time around... 01:27 Well, did a lot of work around the house... 01:29 He did do a lot of yard work. 01:31 And I'm tired. 01:32 So not only is the Sabbath a day of rest 01:35 from our physical normal day to day labor 01:37 but it's also about joining our heavenly Father 01:40 on His special blessed day and it starts Friday night 01:43 and it's always a blessing to join you, 01:45 so thank you for tuning in. 01:47 We appreciate again your prayer for the ministry of 3ABN, 01:50 your financial support of the ministry of 3ABN, 01:53 because it's a team effort not only 01:55 who we have here at the table, 01:56 which I'll let you introduce, so we have here, 01:58 we have some special members with us today... 01:59 We do. 02:00 Which is exciting, but it also includes you 02:03 and we're one big family, we're one family 02:06 that is heading toward the kingdom 02:08 and the thing is that we all have the opportunity 02:11 of reaching and touching someone each and every day 02:15 for Jesus Christ, don't we and that's neat. 02:17 So we're not only a team of spreading the gospel 02:18 around the world but of winning souls, don't we? 02:20 Amen. That's right. 02:21 Together actually for sure. 02:23 And Family Worship is always such a blessing 02:24 'cause we always share with you 02:25 this is our 3ABN family around the table, 02:28 you are part of the 3ABN family and we're just so blessed 02:31 that you have joined us tonight as we open up God's Word 02:34 and study together. 02:36 But today is a special day for me 02:38 because not only is it 3ABN family 02:41 which I love with all my heart, 02:42 I have my real family here on the program, 02:46 so I want to introduce my mom and my dad to you... 02:49 Wow. 02:50 And so this is Jim and Kathy Penney 02:52 and it's such a privilege to have, 02:55 I call them mommy and daddy, 02:56 but to have mom and dad here on the program with us. 03:00 You live in Massachusetts 03:02 and it's a little journey from Massachusetts 03:05 to Southern Illinois, 1200 miles? 03:08 Twelve hundred miles. We drove down this time. 03:11 We planned to fly but... 03:13 No. 03:14 I'm not able to do nonstop. 03:17 I have done it in the past but, I'm getting too old for that. 03:20 You look young, dad. 03:22 But we were blessed because we did it in two days. 03:25 The first night we stayed actually with Greg's parents. 03:29 So we spend at 3ABN 03:30 and had fun with Valerie and Dan. 03:32 Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah. 03:34 So that's a blessing, it's wonderful. 03:36 So, Dad, you tell our family at home 03:39 just a little bit about yourself. 03:41 I know when I was a little girl, 03:43 it was just my sister and I growing up. 03:45 And when my sister and I were young, 03:47 it was you were a teacher... 03:48 Teacher, yeah. 03:50 What did you teach? 03:51 I taught in an academy and also in a grade school 03:57 in several different places. 04:00 And then I went back to school and became a doctor 04:03 of chiropractic and practiced that for 25 years. 04:06 Now I'm retired from my chiropractic practice. 04:09 I am going to say though that when they travel 04:14 and they bring their car especially, 04:15 he brings his chiropractic table and so... 04:16 We're blessed. 04:18 It's set up in our house right now if you just missed, 04:20 any time we want. 04:22 Don't feel jealous, right? 04:24 So that's really nice. That's a nice benefit. 04:26 And that's kind of in the family. 04:28 Your dad was a chiropractor way back in the day. 04:30 Yeah. 04:32 And then your brother, so it runs in the family. 04:34 One of his brothers. Yeah. Absolutely. 04:35 And I want to say too, I appreciate, Dad, 04:37 we've been working a lot, like we said, 04:38 earlier this week together around the house, 04:40 and it's been a lot of fun. 04:41 So it's always a blessing working with you. 04:43 You know what the blessing is, 04:44 is to have family that mentors you, 04:47 you know, family that lives what they teach. 04:51 You know, growing up at home and knowing I had a mom and dad 04:54 that that practiced what they taught, you know, 04:58 what was behind those closed doors, 05:00 what was at home was the same thing 05:03 that was walked out and lived out. 05:05 And so... 05:06 And I've shared some of my testimony before, 05:08 but one of the main reasons 05:11 that I made a choice to follow Jesus, 05:14 I made a choice to walk with Him 05:17 was because of the example of my mom and my dad. 05:21 Amen. So, praise the Lord. 05:23 I am who I am today because of the nurture, 05:26 the training, and I think 05:27 most importantly the example so... 05:29 Amen. Yeah. 05:30 You make me cry out 05:32 because you can see the tears... 05:35 So Mom, what about you? 05:37 I know that you raised my sister and I but... 05:40 Yeah, most of... 05:43 A lot of my life was raising my girls. 05:46 Amen. I stayed home with the girls. 05:49 And then when they got married, went off, 05:51 then I actually joined Jim in the chiropractic office 05:54 and worked with him. 05:55 And one of the best things I loved was some talking 05:58 and visiting with the patients. 06:01 They come out of his office and then they would stand 06:03 and we just talk about their families 06:04 and some would let me pray with them, 06:06 and I just loved ministering to the people in that way. 06:11 Amen, amen. 06:12 And you all have been very active in church work 06:14 for so many years. 06:16 But recently, well, I don't know 06:18 if I should say recently, it's been several years 06:20 but you decided God put on your heart 06:22 to do a church plant in a Darke County you can say, 06:27 so how long have you been doing that? 06:29 Ten? Probably 10 years. 06:31 Ten years. 06:33 We have a group of about 20 that we worship with every week 06:37 and we have an outreach Bible study 06:40 and we do other things for outreach also 06:43 to become involved with the community. 06:48 Health seminars and things like that. 06:51 Yeah. 06:53 On Sabbath morning, I work with the children. 06:56 We only have like five but four of them 07:00 do not come from Adventist homes. 07:01 Amen. 07:02 So I really see it as a witnessing opportunity. 07:05 The little ones are learning some Bible stories 07:07 that they never knew before and scripture songs and... 07:12 Amen. Amen. 07:13 I know you wear many hats, 07:14 but you were also church pianist too, Mom... 07:16 Yes. 07:17 Dad, you do some of the sermons, 07:19 you teach Sabbath school, you wear, of course, many hats. 07:20 And so part of being a church plant 07:22 but it's neat like you said 07:23 because you're putting light in a dark area. 07:25 And we have found that as we have done that, you know, 07:30 we have grown so spiritually through trying to minister 07:34 to these people in the community 07:36 that it's seeped into our walk with God by doing this. 07:38 Amen. 07:39 It's been a real blessing to us. 07:41 Amen. That's wonderful. Well, I've been remiss. 07:42 I'm not introducing the people on the other side of the table. 07:45 So I want to make sure that we do that. 07:48 We have JD Quinn and you and your wife Shelley are, 07:51 I could say kind of like parents to us here as well. 07:54 Amen. I agree. 07:55 And we just so appreciate your mentorship... 07:57 Well, I just want to say what a testimony, you know, 08:00 that because we just love the two of you 08:03 and you are certainly godly examples 08:07 in this part of the building right here. 08:10 And I would be a remiss, 08:11 you have four grandkids, is that right? 08:13 Four boys. 08:15 Four boys and one of them, his name is Caleb, 08:18 and he made something special for you 08:20 so that you would be reminded. 08:22 Show what little Caleb did for you. 08:24 I think this is precious. 08:25 Caleb made me a little bookmark for my Bible and... 08:29 Oh. Yeah, you can. 08:30 And he knew his name began with a C, 08:33 he put a heart within the heart. 08:34 He knew his name began with a C but he said, Grandma... 08:37 Am I supposed to let you? You're good. 08:39 He said, "Grandma, what's your name?" 08:40 And I said, "Grandma," and he says, "No, 08:43 what's your real name?" 08:44 So I said, "My name is Kathy," and he says, 08:46 "What does that begin with grandma?" 08:48 And I said, "It begins with a K." 08:49 So he put a little C 08:51 and a little K within the heart. 08:53 Caleb and Kathy. Caleb and Kathy. 08:55 So I keep that in my Bible. Amen. 08:57 That's a great bookmark to have in your Bible. 08:59 Oh, it is, you know... 09:00 It's wonderful, yeah. 09:01 Someday it'll be his, I mean, while way. 09:04 See, that's precious. 09:06 Yeah, we're glad to be or I'm glad to be here, 09:08 I'm always with Shelley, so... 09:10 I know it's strange. 09:12 But Shelley couldn't be here today 09:14 so we asked Dee Hilderbrand and, Dee, 09:16 you're just such a joy here in the office, 09:19 and thank you so much for joining us as well. 09:21 I was just privileged to get invited to join the family. 09:25 So I'm thrilled to be here and just I've heard Jill 09:29 talk about her testimony and it makes such a difference 09:33 in our children's lives when they have this anchor 09:38 that they can look at and have it walked out. 09:41 Not that anybody's perfect, no parent is perfect, 09:45 but when God is in the center of their life, 09:49 it does impact the children. 09:51 Amen. And now the grandchildren. 09:53 See, that's right. 09:54 And thank you, Dee, for all that you do. 09:56 I appreciate working with you 09:57 because you're in the production department 09:58 and so we work together a lot and it's a real blessing, Dee. 10:01 Thank you for all the hats you wear 10:03 and it's a blessing to see you ministering 10:06 for the Lord and you've been at 3ABN... 10:09 Twenty one years. 10:10 It seems like forever, but yeah, 21 years. 10:11 I have been here almost forever, 21 years... 10:13 We appreciate the dedication. But it's a joy. 10:15 It is. It is a joy. 10:17 Amen. Amen. 10:18 That's for sure. 10:19 Well, we're gonna go to some music 10:21 but our topic today is "Growing in Jesus". 10:24 Amen. 10:25 And to me what better topic, talking about the foundation, 10:28 you know, you laid as parents for me growing up 10:31 and as you grow up, your parents show you, 10:34 "Okay, now this is... 10:36 don't walk in the street, 10:37 don't put your hand on the stove, 10:39 or this is how you interact" or this is the building blocks, 10:43 you could say as you grow up. 10:45 But today we're talking about spiritually. 10:47 How are we to grow in Jesus? 10:49 We know that we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior of our life 10:52 and we make that commitment, "Father, I want to follow You. 10:56 I want to be Your daughter or Your son." 10:59 And we do that, that's justification. 11:01 At that moment Jesus forgives us, cleanses us, 11:04 and we are brought back into right standing 11:07 with the Father. 11:08 But today we're talking 11:09 maybe the process of sanctification 11:12 or that growing up into Jesus. 11:14 So we'll talk about that. 11:16 Yeah, that sounds like a lot of fun. 11:17 I think as we start worship, 11:19 we always like to start with a song. 11:20 But I think we should start with prayer, right? 11:21 We're gonna go into our worship part 11:23 and open the Word and see what God has in store for us. 11:27 So, JD, would you mind to open in prayer for us 11:29 as we open the Sabbath here together. 11:31 I'd love to. 11:33 Father, as we come to You in the name of Jesus, 11:35 we want to thank You for this special time, Lord, 11:37 the day that You created that You set apart, Lord, 11:40 so that we could rest. 11:42 And, Father, we just ask Lord as we rest in You, 11:46 Lord, that as we keep godly things on our mind, Lord, 11:49 that the Holy Spirit continues to impress 11:52 how we can make a difference in people's lives. 11:54 Father, I thank you for this topic, 11:57 "Growing in Jesus". 11:59 Father, we want to grow in You. 12:01 And, Father, we just give you permission to work accordingly. 12:04 Father, allow us to cooperate 12:08 and do the things that You ask us. 12:10 We ask this in the name of Jesus, amen. 12:12 Amen. Amen. 12:14 We have someone on the piano who is gonna play. 12:16 We do. Part of our 3ABN family. 12:18 We have Summer Boyd on the piano and, Summer, 12:20 thank you for joining us here today. 12:22 The song we're doing is, "Take my life and let it be..." 12:25 While the words will be on the screen for you 12:27 and I think as we grow in Jesus, 12:29 the important thing is to surrender. 12:31 Give our hearts and lives over to Him 12:33 and allow Him to do that work. 12:35 So let's sing together. 12:36 That's right, sing along with us. 12:41 Take my life and let it be 12:47 Consecrated, Lord, to Thee 12:52 Take my hands and let them move 12:57 At the impulse of Thy love 13:03 At the impulse of Thy love 13:08 Take my will and make it Thine 13:14 It shall be no longer mine 13:19 Take my heart, it is Thine own! 13:24 It shall be Thy royal throne 13:29 It shall be Thy royal throne 13:35 Take my love, my Lord, I pour 13:40 At Thy feet its treasure store 13:46 Take myself and I will be 13:51 Ever only all for Thee 13:57 Ever only all for Thee 14:04 Amen. 14:05 Thank you for participating with us. 14:07 It's always a blessing when you do that 14:09 because it's definitely together, isn't it? 14:11 So you're able to sing with us, so I want to make sure 14:13 that you grab your Bible, maybe grab a little note book 14:16 if you want to because it's participation, 14:18 it's not just watching it on television 14:20 but it's actually participating and having a worship together. 14:23 You know, I like this in the song here, 14:26 I think is that verse one, two, three, verse four, 14:28 "Take my will and make it Thine." 14:30 Amen. 14:31 "It shall be no longer mine." 14:34 Basically that comes down to... 14:36 Amen. Surrender. 14:37 That's right. 14:38 Surrendering everything to Jesus 14:40 because a lot of times I have my plans, 14:41 my ideas of how I want even my day to go, 14:44 but I want to surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ 14:46 because everything I know work out for His honor 14:49 and for His glory, and I'll be happier too 14:51 and have lots of peace. 14:52 Amen. 14:54 So our topic today... Go ahead, JD. 14:55 It's fantastic to be able to live in a place 14:59 where we can make choices. 15:01 That's a love from Jesus to able to live and choose. 15:02 It is a love from Jesus, I mean, it's freedom 15:05 and you know, good, bad or indifferent, 15:08 you do have that choice. 15:10 And here, you know, 15:11 take my will and make it Thine, wow. 15:14 That's harder. It's easier said than done. 15:17 It's hard for me to do that because, yeah, I mean, 15:19 you know, I want to do certain things my way 15:21 in the way I think that I should do things 15:23 and boy, sometimes it's... 15:25 And it's a moment by moment thing too... 15:26 Yeah, it is moment by moment. 15:28 You don't do it just first thing in the morning 15:29 and think you've got it fixed all day long. 15:32 But haven't you noticed as you grow in your walk 15:36 with Jesus so that more often the deeper you get 15:41 in your relationship with Jesus, 15:42 that your will and His will are closer 15:46 or similar as you grow more. 15:49 Yes. 15:50 Now, I don't think we'll ever get to the point 15:52 where that our little will doesn't jump up there 15:54 when it's not supposed to but I love it. 15:58 That joy of realizing that our wills 16:01 are getting closer together, our... 16:04 Our desires. 16:05 Our desires are similar... 16:08 Now, that's well said. 16:10 Why do you think... 16:12 Well, we'll start with the why and then we'll get into 16:13 the how do we grow, 16:15 but why do you think we need to grow? 16:17 Why can I just say, okay, I accepted Jesus. 16:20 I know that He has forgiven my sins and my salvation is, 16:25 you could say secure, right, or I am saved at this moment, 16:29 but why do I need to grow? 16:31 Why do I need to worry about growing? 16:32 It's a good question. 16:34 Because we're supposed to reflect Him. 16:36 When you first become a Christian, 16:38 do you even have a... 16:40 I remember when I first became a Christian, 16:42 it was very exciting and I was... 16:46 It was very important in my life, 16:49 it was traumatic in my life and it changed my life, 16:52 but when I look back, I didn't have a clue about 16:56 what being a Christian really meant. 16:58 I was a baby, just like an infant. 17:03 And so that's why you have to grow in Him. 17:06 What happens when something doesn't grow? 17:08 What does it do? It dies. 17:11 And I think, and I think too that... 17:17 God wants us to be like Christ. 17:19 God doesn't want... God saves us, 17:21 yes, His grace, what do we do without it, 17:24 but God wants us to grow. 17:26 He doesn't want us to stay there 17:28 and one of Jesus' purpose on earth to me 17:31 was that He came to glorify the Father 17:33 says in John 17, you know. 17:36 That was... 17:37 He wanted to show the Father to the people and I think 17:40 He wants us to do the same. 17:42 They'll never see God if we don't show it to them. 17:46 You know, as I was thinking, 17:47 right now is an exciting time in Southern Illinois 17:51 because the peaches are ripening right now. 17:53 Amen. Amen. 17:55 Thank you, Jesus. 17:57 And the Quinns got some peach trees, 18:00 so this is a happy time in our life. 18:03 And I'm thinking back, we're talking about growing 18:07 and I'm thinking back whenever 18:09 there was no peach there, there was nothing, 18:12 then there was a little bloom and a little blossom, 18:15 then there was a little bitty tiny little thing 18:17 and you just watched it grow and watched it grow 18:21 and today boy, they are so pretty 18:22 and they're so orangey pink 18:25 and so now it's time to take one. 18:28 Now this is a gift from God. 18:30 Now if it wasn't allowed to grow, 18:34 it never would have reached his maturity... 18:35 Yes. 18:37 And did what its purpose was, and so it is our walk 18:40 with the Lord, you know, if we just come out, 18:43 just a little blossom, we are blossomed forever. 18:46 Yes. 18:47 Well, I mean, what... 18:49 Well, it was a good little blossom, you know. 18:52 Pretty but... Yeah, but there is more... 18:55 Yeah, you're right. 18:56 I think, you know, as time goes by, 18:58 as we mature in the Lord... 19:01 Maturity is very important. It is. 19:04 You know, Dad, you know, I like to garden, you know, 19:06 like to not really farm but to garden and, you know, 19:10 when you think about it so I don't plant corn 19:12 because our neighbor Dave Turner 19:13 plants wonderful sweet corn, 19:15 so I don't even, I don't even try... 19:16 You can't beat his corn, it's the best. 19:17 He brings it over so that's great. 19:19 But anyway in case you plant a kernel of corn in the ground 19:23 and that one kernel, basically from that plant 19:26 that corn plant stalk that grows in, 19:28 you don't get one kernel, do you Dad? 19:30 Hundreds. Hundreds... 19:31 Hundreds. Yeah. 19:32 And those hundreds then feed more than just one person, 19:36 they will feed. 19:37 I don't know how many ears are on a stalk? 19:39 I don't know, two, three... Two or three. 19:41 Normally, normally, one or two. 19:43 Okay, yeah. 19:44 So you're basically feeding now 19:46 more than just one little kernel. 19:47 You've got a lot of kernels 19:48 that you're feeding more than... 19:50 just like the peach tree. 19:51 One peach tree makes more than one peach... 19:52 Oh, yes. Doesn't it? 19:54 I don't know how many. Yes, a lot. 19:55 So really when you think about us growing, 19:57 we're growing for a purpose... 19:59 Yes. 20:00 Because, okay, you can look at something like you said 20:02 in your case you're just growing, it's nice. 20:03 Wow, he's filling out. 20:05 Greg's becoming whatever and wow, that's great 20:07 but really there's a purpose for us growing. 20:10 And that in my mind would be to obviously spread God's love, 20:14 His word to other people and be an example witness 20:17 like you guys... Reflect Jesus. 20:19 Yeah, reflecting Jesus like you guys are doing 20:20 at the church plant, you know, 20:22 and that multiplies the ripple effect maybe. 20:25 You want to bring more than yourself to heaven. 20:28 Yeah, that's right. That's true. 20:30 I mean, Jesus' life was totally unselfish, 20:32 always thinking of others, and we are to do the same. 20:36 And what's interesting, and this is my understanding, 20:39 I couldn't take it to a verse, 20:41 but He would have died just for one. 20:43 Yes. Yeah, that's true. 20:45 So if you in this, in the peach tree 20:49 or planting the corn, here there was just one kernel, 20:53 you would have probably been disappointed, 20:56 what I thought of, may be it was the environment, 21:00 may be it was just a bad year, we had no rain. 21:03 But you know, as time goes by 21:06 the whole objective as fruit to be multiplied... 21:09 Amen. 21:11 And so we're put down here to multiply. 21:13 Amen. Yeah. 21:15 And growing in Christ, 21:18 think about over your life as you look back. 21:21 I look back and I see that God brought me in contact 21:24 with different people at different times. 21:27 Yes. 21:28 I recently just came in contact with someone I hadn't seen 21:31 for 20 years and it's someone who is hurting and is in pain. 21:37 But I don't think I was ready for the contact. 21:41 It wasn't necessarily the other person wasn't ready, 21:45 but God had to make sure that I was ready 21:48 so I would be used in His hands and not my own will be done, 21:54 but that I would constantly submit to Him 21:57 so that He could use me to help this other person. 22:02 And if he'd brought us in contact too soon, 22:05 they would have got the bloom when they needed the fruit 22:08 and so we have to grow to be prepared to be used 22:13 and He uses us throughout the walk. 22:16 Oh, yes. 22:17 Through out our walk with different people 22:19 in different circumstances. 22:21 That's a great point, Dee, because we have to be prepared 22:25 in order to share, in order to share Jesus. 22:28 We have to be grown enough in our own walk with God. 22:32 That's right. 22:34 There's a verse I want to look at 22:35 and then we'll jump into the how. 22:36 This is in 2 Corinthians 4. 22:41 2 Corinthians 4, this is one of my favorite scriptures, 22:45 I think a lot of times. 22:46 2 Corinthians 4:6-7. 22:51 "For it is God who commanded light 22:53 to shine out of darkness, 22:56 who has shown in our hearts 22:58 to give the light of the knowledge 22:59 of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 23:04 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels 23:09 that the Excellency of the power 23:11 may be of God and not of us." 23:13 And every time I read that, I think we are, you know, 23:16 some of the translations in the Bible says 23:19 we have this treasure, they translate earthen vessels 23:21 as jars of clay, and sometimes 23:25 you might feel like a jar of clay, 23:27 you might feel like there's some cracks in me. 23:29 I'm not perfect yet, I'm not mature, 23:32 the word we're using, complete, mature, 23:35 but yet in the midst of that, 23:38 God can shine the light of His gospel, 23:41 who he is in Jesus out to other people. 23:44 So in the midst of the growing process, 23:48 Jesus can still shine forth even in spite of the cracks, 23:52 in spite of what we're dealing with, 23:54 He still can show forth light. 23:57 And I think as we do use it along our journey, 24:01 God gives us more. 24:02 Amen. 24:04 Where if we don't use it, I think sometimes 24:05 we can be stunted and not grow. 24:08 Amen. Amen. Go ahead, Dad. 24:10 There's a little thought that I always have when I think 24:13 about growing as a Christian. 24:16 Too often, I think, we think of ourselves. 24:20 That's important to grow your self. 24:24 But God's kingdom is bigger than me. 24:28 And He wants His kingdom on this earth to grow 24:33 and so part of that growth is for each of us 24:37 to help His kingdom to grow in some way. 24:41 Yes, I grow but He also wants His kingdom to grow 24:46 and for me to participate in that growth. 24:49 Amen. Yeah, that's well said. 24:51 We are His witnesses. Amen. 24:53 Very good. 24:55 And it's a privilege. Yes. 24:57 When we think of what God has done for us, 24:59 how could we do anything less? 25:01 Amen. 25:02 Like you already shared, we actually probably 25:04 grow the most when we're sharing... 25:07 That's right. 25:08 When we're watering using God's light 25:13 to water another seed, 25:14 we actually do the most growing at that time. 25:17 You know, when we started our church plant, you know, 25:19 we were having to give answers to the people. 25:22 Well, if you didn't know the answer what were we doing, 25:25 we were in this Word all the time trying to know 25:27 for myself so I could share that with somebody else. 25:31 And it's a tremendous growth. 25:33 But your dependence on God, on Jesus will grow too 25:36 because I was constantly in prayer going, 25:39 "Okay, Lord, am I saying too much, 25:41 am I not saying enough? 25:42 What does this person need to hear? 25:44 Help me know what to say." 25:46 So I was... 25:47 Yes. 25:48 I was holding on tighter than usual 25:52 to that spiritual connection of the Holy Spirit, 25:55 please I need guidance every second here 25:58 because I don't want... 25:59 Let me do no damage. 26:01 So you really have that tight connection 26:03 when you're trying to minister to someone else 26:07 when they're hurting. 26:08 That's precious, Dee. 26:10 Let's look at how we grow. Yes. 26:12 Let's turn to Romans 12. 26:14 There's so many scriptures we could look at 26:16 and we'll just look at a few here, Romans 12:1-2. 26:22 I like all of Romans 12 because it just seems like 26:25 the whole chapter is about how I should live, 26:28 how to live daily your life as a Christian, 26:31 but we'll just look at the first couple verses. 26:33 I just have to say that Jill always 26:34 liked the Book of Romans. 26:36 We just brought with us her little children's 26:41 International Bible that I forget 26:43 how old you and Lynn were when we gave it to you? 26:46 I was six. Six. 26:47 And you go to the Book of Romans 26:49 and it is underlined, it is circled, she's... 26:52 she just loved the Book of Romans 26:54 way back when as a little one. 26:56 I did. 26:57 As a little kid I remember reading it 26:59 and I haven't seen that Bible in years, Mom, 27:01 and then you just brought it and I thought, 27:03 "Wow, this is my Bible when I was a kid." 27:07 And you look in Romans and it's got, 27:09 I don't know what it means now, 27:10 but it's, it's colored in different colors. 27:12 Some is orange... Yes. 27:13 Some was green or blue... 27:15 Blue, pink. 27:16 Yeah, different colors and obviously 27:18 I had gone through and underlined... 27:19 But for someone that young to, for to pick 27:22 that particular book is just really unique. 27:25 Yeah, 'cause you would think maybe Matthew, Mark, Luke, 27:27 John, all the gospels or something 27:29 but Book of Romans. 27:31 That was neat to see the Bible. 27:32 I always find my favorite part of the Bible ends up being 27:36 what I'm reading right then. 27:37 It's like, "Oh, this is really wonderful," 27:39 and I just, yeah. 27:41 Yeah. 27:42 Romans Chapter 12... 27:44 One and two. 27:45 And this is how we're growing in Jesus. 27:48 You wanna read it, JD, for us, you got it there. 27:49 Yes. 27:50 I think this is NIV, and I'm going to read it. 27:52 Sure. 27:54 "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, 27:55 in view of God's mercy, mercy to offer your bodies 27:58 as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, 28:02 this is your true and proper worship." 28:05 Verse 2, "So do not conform to the pattern of this world, 28:10 but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 28:14 Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, 28:18 His good, pleasing and perfect will." 28:21 Amen. Powerful. 28:23 Needless to say transformation is part of growing 28:26 and I mean, that's, that's the wonderful part 28:28 because it's not stagnant, it's moving, it's action... 28:32 It's changing. It's changing... 28:34 Renewing, renewing. Yes. 28:35 That we're renewing. Yeah. 28:37 I have a little, I'm not sure, I have a little arrow here, 28:40 it's hard for me to read this anymore but it says... 28:43 Does he need glasses? You think he needs them. 28:47 Oh, I didn't say anything. 28:50 So here it says by the word renew 28:53 and I have written here renovate... 28:55 That's from the Greek. That's good. 28:56 From the Greek, so I think, you know, 28:58 I like carpentry and stuff and you know, 28:59 when you do renovation you're in there knocking out 29:01 usually some of the rotten wood or you're changing something 29:04 and you're definitely not doing it to get worse. 29:07 When people renovate they do it to improve, right? 29:10 They want to grow in the right direction. 29:12 So I have that here and do you have there 29:13 on the transformed metamorphosis? 29:15 That's right. Yeah. 29:17 In the Greek. In the Greek. 29:18 Yeah, when I think of that 29:20 I think of a little caterpillar, 29:21 right, going through a little chrysalis. 29:22 What do you have? But it all starts with the... 29:24 No, but it all starts with the mind. 29:25 It does. Yes. 29:27 Our mind... 29:28 So how do you think transformation takes place 29:30 in the mind? 29:31 Are you saying, Mom, transformation is not external, 29:34 it's not something that I just put on? 29:36 No. We've done that two years ago. 29:39 We did that too often all external 29:42 and not inside here. 29:45 No, it's from within, it's from the Holy Spirit, 29:48 Christ abiding in you. 29:50 And when your thoughts go in the negative, you know, 29:54 negative way whatever, you've got to bring them 29:56 back to the promises in the Bible. 29:58 I love to sing scripture songs 30:00 and so I'll be singing scripture 30:02 where they were saying the promises. 30:04 It keeps your mind on God. 30:09 If we do it externally, that's not alive 30:14 and it becomes corrupt, like wood, 30:17 it rots because it is not living. 30:20 When the transformation is internal, 30:23 it is living and growing. 30:26 So it will soon fall apart if it's external... 30:31 Yes. 30:32 It will disintegrate and be exposed 30:37 as external and not living. 30:40 Yeah. 30:42 No, that's well said, Dee. You know, that's great. 30:44 I'm just thinking about that... 30:45 It must be God then. It's God doing in a minute. 30:48 Yeah, I know that, yeah, that's really deep 30:50 because I remember climbing as a child 30:52 we had big apple trees, talking about fruit trees, JD, 30:55 and we had a large apple tree that hung out over the creek 30:57 and I was out on a big limb, it was pretty good size 31:01 and I was a small little fellow and I was out on that limb, 31:03 looked great and healthy and man, that limb broke 31:05 and I fell down into the creek, 31:07 and lo and behold inside that it looked beautiful 31:10 on the outside, it was all rotten 31:11 on the inside of the apple branch. 31:14 It looked like it would support me. 31:16 No way, it sure didn't so it goes along 31:18 what you're saying, Dee, it will be exposed. 31:20 There's definite parables in the Bible 31:22 about the rotten on the inside. 31:24 So we don't want to be that way. 31:25 So how do we keep from being that way, 31:27 that's one of the questions. 31:28 Any thoughts on that? 31:30 How do we... 31:31 Well, one way is 2 Corinthians 3:18. 31:35 Amen. Let's look at that. 31:36 That's great, JD. 31:39 And as we turn there, you know, 31:41 what I just discovered here recently, 31:42 I love looking at the origin of the words 31:45 and seeing where it comes from, you know. 31:46 And so I just discovered in here the word transformed 31:49 is the same word as Romans 12:2, 31:52 the word metamorphosed. 31:53 Yeah. 31:55 And so it's the same original Greek word 31:57 so when we read the scripture, 31:59 it means that transformation like the metamorphose process 32:02 but you know the butterfly, 32:04 the caterpillar into the butterfly but it's... 32:06 I see that connection between the Romans 12 32:08 and the 2 Corinthians 3. 32:09 Becoming what you behold. 32:11 Amen. What about Corinthians? 32:12 Let's read that. 32:14 2 Corinthians 3:18, you have it, Dee? 32:16 "But we all, with unveiled face, 32:19 beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, 32:23 are being transformed into the same image 32:26 from glory to glory, 32:27 just as by the Spirit of the Lord." 32:30 Amen. Wow. 32:32 It's beholding Jesus that we are transformed. 32:35 What you're looking at, what you're studying, 32:37 what you are... 32:38 What's important to you, you reflect. 32:41 And it's here, again, it's talking about maturing, 32:43 excuse me, Jim, going from one level of glory to the next. 32:46 In other words your character continues 32:48 to build in a positive way, and the character... 32:55 As you age, you begin to see the things that are worthwhile. 33:00 And it is the character that's worthwhile, 33:02 that's what nobody's looking. 33:04 Yes. Because we're... 33:05 When we're growing up, 33:07 we're trying to connect the dots, 33:08 trying to see where your value systems are, 33:10 who are you really. 33:12 But as time goes by, you says, "Oh man, 33:15 thank you Jesus that I have the ability 33:17 to go through changes." 33:19 And, go ahead, Jim. Go ahead, Dad. 33:21 The thought that I had on this text is it's something 33:26 that Jesus does in us. 33:29 Amen. Good. 33:30 It's... 33:32 We have a part to play but we are not the primary. 33:37 We are the secondary. 33:40 It's great, Dad. We ask for the process. 33:42 We invite Jesus in but we are not the ones 33:48 that change ourselves, He does the changing. 33:52 Amen. 33:53 That's where the change happens. 33:55 And that's an important part too, Dad, 33:56 because that takes a lot of the stress off, doesn't it? 33:57 Yes. 33:59 It's like, "Oh," you know, pull yourself up 34:00 by your bootstraps so to speak, "I have to be better." 34:03 Well, I mean, we do have a part to play 34:04 but we're the secondary, Christ is first 34:07 and that's excellent because that is less stressful. 34:09 That part of beholding. Surrendering. 34:10 Wow. 34:12 You know, that's, that can be a tough process, 34:14 don't you think? 34:16 Because I can, in the morning I spend time in the Word of God 34:19 and read and, "Lord, 34:21 I want to be changed into Your image," 34:23 and then you get to work 34:25 and you get a phone call, right? 34:27 And all of a sudden your mind is on the problem of the person 34:31 who just called you or the issue 34:34 that you're trying to deal with and it's instantly diverted, 34:38 does that make sense? 34:39 Like you say, "I want to look at Jesus, 34:41 I want to be transformed. 34:43 I want to focus on Him," and then quickly, 34:45 how quickly our minds can... 34:47 Our focus can go to something else. 34:49 So how do we get it from doing that? 34:51 So how do we bring our focus back to Jesus? 34:53 Any thoughts practically in your own life 34:56 that you have experienced? 34:57 Well, to me the simplest way is go to the problem solver. 35:03 And that's the wonderful gift that we have 35:06 in cooperating with each other and believe, 35:10 believe that the Holy Spirit is wanting to assist you 35:16 in whatever your particular part is 35:19 in that change, you know... 35:20 I do think like what Dee said earlier though 35:22 that the closer your walk is with God, 35:26 as your walk progresses, 35:28 you're more in tune I think with God, 35:30 and yes, we have those moments, I mean we all do, 35:34 but we're more in tune that God is with us. 35:36 We carry Him more I think with us. 35:40 It's something the more we practice, 35:42 see even in our office, Jill, we get... 35:45 It will get busier, this will happen or that happen 35:48 where all of sudden just, huh... 35:49 But look how quickly we turn to the peacemaker 35:55 or how quickly we're saying, 35:56 "Oh, I shouldn't have done that, please forgive me." 36:01 As you walk and you behold Him more 36:04 and you practice it more, 36:06 you turn back to Him quicker and quicker 36:09 until we have our little moments 36:13 but when you're first a Christian, 36:15 sometimes you will kind of stay in that, 36:19 "I'm mad and I'm going to stay mad." 36:23 Or that was I've been... 36:26 Somebody done wrong to me and you hold on to that, 36:29 but now after years of walking with the Lord 36:33 and being a Christian, what happens is you realize 36:36 the peace and the joy and everything that you get 36:39 by turning it over to Him and coming back to Him. 36:41 So I don't want to hold on to the anger, 36:43 I don't want to hold on to the resentment 36:45 because I miss that peace, I miss that love. 36:49 I want what I have when I'm with the Lord. 36:52 So the more you practice that, 36:55 the quicker you are to turn back to it 36:58 when we stumble. 37:00 Amen. That's beautiful, I agree. 37:02 'Cause you miss that with Him. 37:03 I think it's the choice, you know... 37:05 Yes. 37:06 And beholding Jesus is a choice. 37:08 We behold Him in the morning 37:09 and then when I get that phone call 37:10 and my mind goes here, instantly I have a choice. 37:13 I can say, "Okay, Father, I want to go back to you. 37:16 I want to focus on You again. I want to look at You again." 37:18 And you're right, Dee, the peace and the joy 37:22 we experience when we walk with Jesus 37:24 is just so incredible. 37:25 I believe also, you know, we can just pray to the Lord 37:27 because it's really... 37:29 I won't say forming a habit, but really when something 37:30 comes up so and the first thing when you get out of bed 37:32 in the morning, it would be, "Jesus, help me today." 37:36 And when stuff comes up, remember to turn to You first, 37:39 not last or part way through." 37:40 And, you know, I believe Jesus is so willing, you know, 37:43 to answer those types of prayers 37:44 because then the Holy Spirit would 37:46 just kind of bring that in your mind, 37:47 "Oh, yes, dear Jesus, please help me 37:49 to handle the situation the way You want me to." 37:52 Amen. 37:53 So the Lord loves to answer those types of prayers too. 37:55 Yes. JD? 37:56 You know, they're just... 37:57 There has to be an innate, in the... 38:01 To me in the ingenuousness of God, 38:05 there has to be a way that the dots can be connected, 38:08 and if you give Him permission that overrides everything else. 38:13 Right. 38:15 So and so as time goes by, you go down the miles, 38:19 you know, well, at marker 520, I just want to exit, okay? 38:24 Because that's where's it's always been. 38:26 So as He's connecting these dots and everything 38:28 for you then you've gone to the next layer. 38:31 Amen. Amen. 38:33 Let's look at John 15. 38:35 Yeah, I know you like John 15. 38:38 I do. 38:39 Yeah, that's divine. 38:41 It's a wonderful scripture. It's one of my favorites. 38:42 Is that one of your favorites? Yeah, it is. 38:44 I must get that from you. 38:46 You want to read, Mom, John 15, maybe 1 to 5, 38:50 I don't know we could read the whole chapter... 38:51 Mine's is King James, is that okay? 38:53 Perfect. 38:54 "I am the true vine, 38:56 and my Father is the husbandman. 38:58 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away 39:01 and every branch that beareth fruit, 39:03 he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 39:07 Now ye are clean through the word 39:09 which I have spoken unto you. 39:11 Abide in me, and I in you. 39:14 As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, 39:17 except it abide in the vine, 39:19 no more can you, except you abide in me. 39:21 I am the vine, you are the branches. 39:24 He that abideth in me, and I in him, 39:26 the same bringeth forth much fruit: 39:29 for without me you can do nothing." 39:31 Amen. 39:33 That's absolute dependence on God. 39:34 Sure is. 39:36 Amen. Amen. 39:37 Do you think there's a difference this, 39:38 this chapter talks about abiding in Christ 39:41 or abiding in the vine, do you think 39:44 there's a difference between abiding in Jesus 39:46 and our previous verse beholding Jesus. 39:49 We were talking about throughout the day 39:51 trying to bring our mind back to Jesus 39:53 or back to beholding Him. 39:55 Is there a difference between that 39:56 and abiding in Him? 40:01 Well, abiding to me is living. 40:03 Good. Okay. 40:05 I mean, I knew I'm living in Jesus 40:06 that's who I choose to be. 40:08 That's a choice we're going back to. 40:10 Beholding is the direction I'm looking at. 40:14 Some place, you got to cross over 40:16 and then it becomes who you are 40:18 and that is how you're living your life. 40:20 Instead of believing, now you'll be living it. 40:22 So you think the beholding comes first 40:25 and then the abiding would follow after? 40:27 To me, that's the way it would. 40:31 I look at it a little differently. 40:34 Each one of the authors who is speaking, 40:36 this one's Jesus obviously, is trying in some way to move 40:43 from something that we know about, 40:47 the fruit on the vine, the vine branches 40:51 and the stalk to something that we don't know about, 40:56 living in Jesus. 40:59 That's good. 41:00 And each one of them gives some aspect of it. 41:04 None of them are perfect, 41:05 none of them give a complete picture 41:08 but by looking at each one of them, 41:10 we can get closer and closer to knowing exactly 41:13 what He wants us to do to live with Him or live in Him. 41:18 Yeah. 41:20 You know, on our back deck, we have that 41:22 little tomato plant that's in... 41:24 I'm trying something new to share. 41:25 I mean, we're just talking garden, 41:26 and I guess it's growing, right? 41:28 Okay. That's a good analogy. 41:29 So I haven't had too much success 41:32 with tomatoes in the garden 41:33 so I bought one that's supposed to go, 41:35 it's called the patio tomato. 41:37 And it's really nice because I can see it 41:38 and we got double doors there and I can look at it each day. 41:42 And there's a tomato about, I don't know, about that big, 41:45 and there's tomatoes that are about that big, 41:46 little green tomatoes. 41:48 And I was thinking, Dad, 41:49 the key with what Christ is saying 41:52 here is being connected, isn't it? 41:54 Because I can take that little baby green tomato that's just, 41:58 I mean, the size of a marble 42:00 and if I brought it into the house, 42:02 is that going to grow any bigger? 42:03 No, no. 42:05 The reason it's not going to grow any bigger 42:06 is because why? 42:08 No sap. Lost connection. 42:09 Lost connection, yeah, 42:11 with the tomato vine or the branch. 42:14 I think that's... I mean, it'll still look like a tomato, 42:16 I guess, until it rots, I suppose, 42:18 but without it being connected, it's not going to grow anymore. 42:20 So I think that's really the key thing 42:22 is being connected. 42:23 So then how do we stay connected? 42:25 Through the Holy Spirit? 42:26 What's that? Holy Spirit. 42:27 Holy Spirit, stay connected to Christ or Holy Spirit. 42:30 But that's how we get fed too. 42:33 How can He feed if you're not... 42:35 if the tomato is not with the vine, 42:37 it doesn't get the nutrients, it doesn't get the water, 42:40 it doesn't get the support. 42:42 It's going to fall to the ground 42:44 if it's not connected too. 42:46 So every aspect of being 42:49 anchored in the Lord feeds us in a different way. 42:52 And by beholding Him, then we see what we want to be. 42:57 We want to be the fruit, we want to be like Him. 43:00 So there's so many aspects of... 43:04 God is very multi-faceted. Absolutely. 43:08 And different things speak to different people too 43:11 in a different way. 43:12 And at a different time, He's very patient with us. 43:15 I'm having a very exciting tomato year. 43:20 Your house and I love tomatoes. 43:23 We'll be over for dinner and to extend grace. 43:25 This is absolutely going crazy. 43:28 And because they're just, they're everywhere. 43:31 Wow. 43:32 It's not the way in my house. 43:34 And I've got... 43:36 I went out and I built these myself, 43:38 the strongest cages you could get 43:40 because I was optimistic this year. 43:43 And, man, these are concrete reinforcement wire. 43:49 I was ready for the big dogs this year. 43:52 And so, and here, boy, 43:54 these things are just going nuts on me. 43:55 They're already six foot tall. Six feet tall! 43:58 And there's tomatoes, everything, everywhere. 44:00 And now they're just pushing the walls out, 44:04 metaphorically speaking. 44:06 There is so much. 44:07 I'm learning about pruning. 44:10 Look at this closely. 44:14 "He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit 44:18 while every branch that does not bear fruit He prunes," 44:22 because this branch has three tomatoes on it. 44:28 This branch over here, it's all leaf. 44:31 It'll never have any tomatoes on them. 44:34 So he say in Kohen, go and you cut this off, 44:37 now this one can get bigger. 44:40 I've never experienced because I've never 44:42 had a tomato year like this year. 44:45 And I'm sitting there. 44:46 And every day, it's my duty to go out there 44:48 and cut, cut, cut, cut. 44:50 Breaks my heart because you feel like 44:54 you're getting with your baby but what you're really doing 44:57 is allowing the real baby to grow by having more space 45:02 because I only got this much space. 45:04 So I saw something here. 45:06 So this has to do with our characters, you know, 45:08 you go in here and you trim here, 45:10 and you trim here, and you trim here. 45:11 And you're thinking about you're taken away 45:13 a very important part of who you are. 45:15 And so what might that be in our own life? 45:17 Trials. Selfishness. 45:19 Selfishness. Absolute. 45:21 Self. Yeah, pride. 45:24 And once you can see, "Wow, this really is working God," 45:31 then all of a sudden, it's kind of like, 45:33 "I don't want that mess. 45:34 I want to isolate. 45:36 I'm gonna put my way from that and become more Christ like." 45:38 You know, I was thinking too when you were talking 45:40 how proud you were of your tomato plant. 45:42 Think of how God must feel about us. 45:44 Amen. Amen. 45:45 And especially as if we go from one level of glory 45:48 to the next and prune this stuff... 45:51 But that we still stay connected to Him 45:52 through the pruning and not rejecting or leave Him. 45:55 You're still in that branch. Connected. 45:57 When you're trimming and pruning, 46:00 you're getting rid of what's stealing from the fruit. 46:03 That's exactly right. Yeah, that's excellent. 46:06 I mean, that's the thing to know that's coming in there. 46:08 And you don't know it because they look... 46:12 The tares look the same. 46:13 It's just that you look and it is designed by nature 46:17 this is diagonal stem here. 46:20 It's always the junk... 46:24 Two choices. Yeah. 46:27 Dad, go ahead. 46:29 In verse 2, it's very clear 46:32 that God is going to cut everyone. 46:37 I want to be pruned now. 46:41 I do not want to be eliminated. Amen. 46:44 It's a big difference. That is a big difference. 46:46 So everyone's going to get cut, but whether it's a pruning 46:51 or completely eliminated. 46:53 I don't want to be eliminated from God's kingdom. 46:56 I want to be part of His kingdom and the pruning, 47:00 I will accept and say thank you. 47:02 Amen. Amen. 47:04 Amen. 47:05 Because this is part of the growth... 47:07 Yes, it is part of the growth. In Jesus. 47:09 And when you look back, you're always like, oh, wow. 47:13 I needed that. I needed that. 47:15 Yes, it's a blessing and a joy. 47:17 And you're like it hurt but now I'm better. 47:22 I'm happier. 47:24 I just want to say to you at home, 47:25 I don't know 47:27 what you're going through right now. 47:28 I don't know what experience 47:30 you have in your life right now. 47:32 And you might be saying, "I feel like I'm being pruned. 47:36 I have some stuff in my life. 47:38 I'm going through some experiences, 47:40 some trials, some difficulties." 47:44 And pruning is not always painless. 47:46 You know, when you're cut, it hurts. 47:50 And then yet God says, "Okay, I love you. 47:54 I do it because I want you in My kingdom." 47:58 So allow it to take place. 48:01 Know that God does it in love. He does. 48:05 Know that He sees who you are going to become in Jesus, 48:09 totally grown up in Him and let Him do the work. 48:14 Know that He pours in His oil when He does the cutting 48:18 to help soften that and to keep it 48:20 from hurting so much. 48:22 And that God wants to do that, that work, that process in us. 48:27 We have time for another scripture? 48:28 Sure. Let's do another one. What one you want to do? 48:31 Well, I'm wondering about, you know, 48:33 what is the end result as far as of growing in Jesus? 48:35 Nice. 48:36 We were talking about that earlier 48:37 so what would be the end result of growing? 48:39 We know like we're talking about fruit, 48:41 the peach, Elder JD, right? 48:44 Yes. 48:45 That's enjoyable, it's juicy, it's nourishment for us, 48:48 the tomato, we're talking about corn. 48:50 But for us as Christians that are abiding in the vine, 48:53 what is that end result here in the last couple of minutes 48:56 that we have? 48:57 Okay, let's look at... Oh, go ahead. 48:59 No, I just said, one thing is that we want in John 17, 49:01 that we want to glorify God 49:02 just as Jesus glorified His Father. 49:04 Yeah, amen. Amen. 49:05 That's good. 49:07 That was John 17, Mom, what was the verse? 49:09 Is there a certain verse 49:10 or the whole thing that talks about it? 49:12 John 17, 'cause someone at home may want to take it. 49:14 Verses 4 and 6. Okay, yeah. 49:16 John 17. Yes. 49:18 4 and 6. You want to read it? 49:20 And then we'll read another. 49:22 "I have glorified," this is Jesus speaking, 49:24 "I have glorified Thee on the earth. 49:26 I have finished the work which You gave me to do. 49:29 I have manifested Your name unto men." 49:32 Amen, absolutely. And you have one in Isaiah? 49:35 I have one in Isaiah 43:10. 49:39 "You are my witnesses, says the Lord, 49:42 and my servant whom I have chosen 49:44 that you may know and believe me 49:46 and understand I am He. 49:47 Before me, there was no God formed 49:49 nor should there be after me." 49:51 And if you jump down to verse 12, 49:53 the second part of verse 12, 49:54 "Therefore, you are My witnesses," 49:56 says the Lord, "that I am God." 49:59 So He wants us to grow up into Him so that we can be 50:03 His witnesses and to share Him to someone else. 50:06 Back at 2 Corinthians 4:6 and 7, 50:09 "So that we can be a light unto the world." 50:12 That's how He uses us to be light to the dark world. 50:17 Well, I guess there's no greater gift in the world 50:19 than to be a leader among men. 50:23 And if you're getting your... 50:24 If you're being fed by this right here... 50:27 Which is the Word of God. And it's becoming who you are. 50:30 And then, you're put in a position of leadership 50:33 by witnessing, the word has been given to you, 50:37 well, then you're helping Him fill the kingdom of God. 50:41 Amen. Amen. 50:42 That's a good point out of, JD, too 50:44 because we all have somebody that we influence, don't we, 50:47 because someone could say, "Well," you know, 50:49 wherever they're at, 50:50 it could be just their own family, 50:52 maybe they're, I guess, a small church. 50:55 But we all have somebody that we can be a light to, right? 51:01 And share God's word. Amen. 51:02 You know what a privilege, isn't it? 51:04 And what a responsibility. And that's true too. 51:06 I mean, I'm sitting here and looking at the product 51:09 of these two right here. 51:10 And, wow, good fruit. 51:13 That's Jesus. Oh, God. 51:15 Any good fruit is Jesus'. 51:16 And that makes it even better because in the trimming 51:19 and everything, you're still sitting here, 51:21 "It's God. 51:23 It's God." That is God. 51:24 You know, bow ark, and I know that Danny's talked about this, 51:27 Gilley's has talked about this, in my time, we got whoopings, 51:32 not whippings, not spanking, not switches, we got whoopings 51:37 and I'll never forget in my family, 51:41 our family, it was my mother and she was in charge of that. 51:46 She was a little woman, but boy, she could swat good. 51:50 And so if I heard it once, I heard it a thousand times, 51:55 "Honey, this is going to hurt me 51:57 more than it's hurting you." 52:02 That's great. 52:03 And so anyway I think there's a lot of things 52:06 that are being pruned, you know, 52:08 and God probably His tears are coming down His face. 52:12 Absolutely. 52:13 And I know we want to go to prayer here at the end 52:15 but, Dad, you were talking. 52:17 You were telling me before the program 52:18 that God the Father, God the Son, 52:20 and God the Holy Spirit are all involved 52:22 in our sanctification process, right? 52:25 Yeah. 52:26 I looked at the word sanctification or sanctify. 52:30 And I found three passages. 52:33 Romans 15:16, 52:36 "We're being sanctified by the Holy Spirit." 52:41 In many texts, 1 Corinthians 1:2, 52:45 "Sanctified in Jesus." 52:49 And Jude 1:1, "Sanctified by God the Father." 52:56 Every member of the Godhead 53:00 is involved in our sanctification. 53:03 That's what was important to me by those. 53:05 And that's encouraging, isn't it? 53:07 Yes, it is. Yes. 53:08 Yes. What power, what help. 53:10 God knows no failure so we need to surrender. 53:13 Well, we have a few minutes left 53:15 and we want to end in prayer as we usually do, but, Dad, 53:18 would you mind start us out as we pray here 53:20 at the very end of worship. 53:21 Yeah. 53:24 Lord, as always we thank You first 53:27 for being our God, for reaching out to us 53:31 because we don't even have 53:32 the ability to reach out to You but You reach out to us. 53:38 Help us to accept that reaching out to us. 53:44 Help us, dear Lord, to be willing, to be changed, 53:50 to be molded, to be connected to the vine, 53:54 to see Your glory and to respond to it. 53:59 We pray this in Jesus' name. 54:02 Amen. 54:04 And, Father, we thank You so much for the love 54:06 that You have for us in sending Your Son 54:11 so we may have eternal life with You. 54:14 And, Father, we pray that as we are connected with You, 54:17 as we go through this pruning process 54:19 that we never let go of Your hand. 54:23 We know that You are with us, 54:25 that You walk right with us, right beside us. 54:28 And may our lives be a sweet savor unto Christ 54:33 that we may influence those around us 54:35 that they may long to know you as their personal savior. 54:39 Amen. Amen. 54:41 Oh, Father, I praise You and I thank You 54:44 that You love me enough 54:46 that You love each one of us enough 54:48 that You will take the time 54:50 and the work and the effort to prune us, 54:52 to rule us, to do everything that is possible 54:57 that we will spend eternity with You in the kingdom. 55:00 So thank You, Father, for pruning me 55:03 and for working with me, 55:04 and finishing the work that You have begun. 55:06 Thank You, Father. Amen. 55:09 And, Father, as we come to You in the name of Jesus, 55:11 I want to thank You, Lord, for the freedom and the option 55:16 to be able to make choices. 55:17 Yes. 55:19 And, Father, I do ask in the name of Jesus 55:21 that You will be with me in my decisions, 55:24 Lord, my family's decisions. 55:26 And, Father, as we just grow, we just ask, Lord, 55:30 that we will continually be drawn to You. 55:33 And, Father, that we will just be emptied of self, 55:35 filled with You. 55:37 And, Father, we do give You all the praise and glory. 55:39 Amen. Amen. 55:41 Thank you, Father, that You want to grow us. 55:44 We give You permission to come in 55:46 and to do the work necessary. 55:48 We love you. 55:50 Father in heaven, Lord, we're so grateful 55:52 for the opportunity to be able to 55:54 open the Sabbath with Your Word and with our family here 55:58 and, Lord, I just, in my own life, 55:59 like Elder JD was saying, 56:01 "Want to choose You and allow You to prune me 56:04 and, Lord, to accept the pruning 56:07 and, Lord, we want to grow in You. 56:09 So, Lord, help us this week to grow in You 56:12 and to choose You every day. 56:13 In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Amen. 56:16 Hard to believe our time is going quickly, isn't it? 56:18 Yes, it's gone by really fast. That's for sure. 56:21 I'm gonna let you take us out. 56:23 Say goodbye to our family that we have here, 56:24 especially since you have your Mom and Dad here with us. 56:27 It's just a real privilege to share a family worship 56:31 with you at home because you are part of our 3ABN family 56:34 and it's a privilege to share around the table here. 56:37 It's just a joy to have both of you here, Mom and Dad. 56:40 And thank you for coming and for sharing. 56:43 It was a privilege. And I want to say here too. 56:45 We have just a couple seconds left. 56:46 Thank you for including me in the family. 56:49 There's nothing as bad in-law type of stuff, 56:50 I assure you that. 56:52 So thank you to both of you. It was just a blessing. 56:54 It was an easy thing, Greg. It's a blessing, thank you. 56:57 And, JD, and Dee, you're part of the family too. 57:00 And just thank you so much for being here. 57:02 Amen. It's a joy. 57:04 And it's wonderful to be able to meet your parents, 57:07 you know, godly people. 57:09 It just goes so fast with family. 57:12 I know, doesn't it? Absolutely. 57:15 And, Greg, he has two lovely parents too, 57:18 so amen, it's... 57:19 Family is a blessing. It is. 57:20 Very blessed for sure. It is a blessing. 57:22 Thank you so much for joining us. 57:24 Know that we love you, that we pray for you. 57:27 We hope you have a wonderful Sabbath. 57:29 Spending time in His word, beholding Jesus, abiding, 57:32 and growing in grace. 57:34 We'll see you next time. Bye-bye. 57:36 Happy Sabbath. |
Revised 2017-07-31