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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whether the Sabbath
is coming in for you,
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whether the Sabbath has been
in just a little while for you,
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whether the
Sabbath is yet to come in,
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we welcome you to our
opening of the Sabbath,
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and to share our
opening of the Sabbath with you.
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It's always a good thing
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to recognize the
Lord of the seventh day,
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and the seventh day
as a temple and time
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given to us by God
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to step back from
the things of the world,
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and to spend
little time formally
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in the presence of the Lord.
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So we welcome you
to 3ABN Family Worship.
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I'm here with my wife Irma.
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Good to have you here, Boo.
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Good to be here with you, honey.
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Praise the Lord.
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She of 3ABN Latino, she
is a marketing specialist,
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a producer for 3ABN Latino.
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But her most
important job in the world
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is being my wife.
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Amen.
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Praise the Lord.
I'm glad you said amen.
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You won't leave
me hanging out there.
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Praise the Lord.
The other is not.
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I think most important
job is being a child of God.
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I'll take number two. Amen.
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Amen. Praise the Lord.
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That's true. Very good, honey.
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Amen. Thank you.
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To my left
another wonderful couple.
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This is Eric and Marilyn Durant.
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Eric is in our
engineering department
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and this is a smart,
smart, smart, smart guy,
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and a good guy too.
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Eric, good to have you here.
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It's a pleasure to be here.
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Amen.
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And his wife Marilyn
works in our call center.
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You are the assistant
manager, is that correct?
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That's correct.
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And you do a fine
job too. Thank you.
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I happen to know.
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I am glad. That sounds good.
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So if your husband
doesn't praise you,
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allow me to do so.
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Thank you. Because I can do...
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Actually I tend to
work with you more.
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Yes.
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Than he does doing working
out as he gets to take her home.
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Praise the Lord. Amen.
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Amen. I'm glad you said amen.
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We're little giddy here tonight.
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It's a good day be in the Lord.
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And to my far
right, Jason Bradley.
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Who I knew before he was born.
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Mm-hmm. Yeah, literally.
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When I baptized his mom,
he was in the oven as it were.
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So he got baptized twice.
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Yeah.
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Three times. Three times.
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We praise the Lord for that.
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I knew him a little later,
but I did remember Jason...
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Yeah, he was in the
world when you met him
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but I met him before.
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Yeah. Yes, yes.
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And on the piano
is Jill Morikone,
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who we thank from
taking part out of her busy day
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as assistant to the president,
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the administrative assistant
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to our president
Mr. Danny Shelton.
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But also an excellent
pianist in her own right,
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she of her own CD, and
just a beautiful pianist,
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and a beautiful
person, we all like Jill.
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Can we say amen? Yes.
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Amen. We really, really do.
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So we're gonna do
a couple of things,
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we're gonna have prayer,
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and then we're gonna
go right into our song
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and to give you a chance
to find it in your own hymnal.
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Irma and I, we sing
our songs from the...
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iPad.
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From the iPad when
we have worship together
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because all the music is
there and the words are there.
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And it's like you're
singing with this orchestra,
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you know, when
we're on ourselves.
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So it covers the
multitude of mistakes,
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but that's not gonna happen,
it's just us and the piano.
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Praise the Lord.
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Two eighty six,
Wonderful words of life.
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Jason, would you
pray for us, please?
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And then we'll go right to Jill,
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and we'll have our song.
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Absolutely.
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Dear Heavenly Father,
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we thank You so much
for bringing us all together
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for another family worship.
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We invite the
presence of Your Holy Spirit
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to be here with us
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to lead and guide
us into all truth.
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We ask that You'd
fill our viewer's homes
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and listeners as well
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with the presence
of Your Holy Spirit,
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and guide them
into all truth as well,
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in Jesus' name we pray.
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Amen. Amen.
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It's 286, there
are just three stanzas
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and we will sing them all,
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"Sing them over again to
me, wonderful words of life."
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Sing them over again to me
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Wonderful words of life
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Let me more of their beauty see
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Wonderful words of life
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Words of life and beauty
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Teach me faith and duty
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Beautiful words, wonderful words
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Wonderful words of life
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Beautiful words, wonderful words
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Wonderful words of life
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Christ, the
blessed One gives to all
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Wonderful words of life
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Sinner, list to the loving call
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Wonderful words of life
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All so freely given
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Wooing us to heaven
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Beautiful words, wonderful words
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Wonderful words of life
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Beautiful words, wonderful words
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Wonderful words of life
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And that last stanza.
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Sweetly echo the gospel call
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Wonderful words of life
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Offer pardon and peace to all
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Wonderful words of life
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Jesus, only Savior
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Sanctify forever
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Beautiful words, wonderful words
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Wonderful words of life
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Beautiful words, wonderful words
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Wonderful words of life
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You know, when you're
the loudest one in the choir,
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you make a
mistake, everybody knows.
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Yes.
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But we praise the Lord.
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Amen.
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God is good.
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And again we welcome
you to the Sabbath hours
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and the
blessings of the Sabbath.
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It is truly when you
do your nine to five,
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you look forward to the Sabbath.
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And you look forward to
the time when you can...
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And really for
ministers and church workers
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there may not be the day
of rest that it is for some.
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But it is a stepping back
from the things of the world.
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And I should tell my churches,
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"Leave your problems and cares
at the door of the church."
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When you come back to the
door, they'll still be there,
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nobody will steal them,
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they will be right
there where you left them.
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You leave them
outside the church,
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come in, and worship a while.
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Leave them there,
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they'll be there waiting
for you when you get back.
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So don't worry about
that. Nobody will take them.
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Nobody will take
them. Nobody wants yours.
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No, they don't want
their own, let it yours.
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So nobody's going to steal them,
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they'll be right there,
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but come in and just
concentrate on Jesus.
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And what we're
gonna talk about today,
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and I'm gonna read this through
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before we kind of
read and react to this.
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Is the idea that we need
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to keep on guard
for Jesus Christ?
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Because just...
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Because you come to the Lord,
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it doesn't mean
your problems end.
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There are some people...
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And even I've heard this preach
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that when you come to
Jesus everything is over,
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it's kind of home free,
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put it all in a pile and
just sail on into the kingdom.
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But anybody who's
come to the Lord knows
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that your problems just
begin when you come to Lord.
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You exchange trouble,
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you give up some
of that worldly stuff
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would you pick up an
adversary called the devil,
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who is going to be on your case
from now to the day you die.
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He doesn't give upon you
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because he
claims you as his own.
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So when you say, "I've
decided to follow Jesus."
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The devil says, "I've decided
you're not gonna follow Jesus."
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You know, so the
battle begins. Yes.
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So you don't get to
put it on autopilot,
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you've got to think about it,
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and work at it,
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and surrender to
Christ every single day.
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And that's what this
reading is about, we're gonna...
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And many times this is worse
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than the
troubles you had before.
00:09:04.34\00:09:06.31
Yeah, yeah, very true.
00:09:06.34\00:09:07.81
They're much
bigger and more stronger
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that really pushes your buttons.
00:09:11.15\00:09:12.95
Yeah. You know,
that's a good point.
00:09:12.98\00:09:15.15
One because the
devil has studied you.
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There are three
people who know you.
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Christ knows you
better than you know yourself,
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and really Satan knows you
better than you know yourself,
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then there is you.
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You think you know you,
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but sometimes you do
stuff and you say, "Was that me?
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Did I do that?" Right. Right.
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You know what I'm talking about?
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"Did I do that?"
00:09:36.17\00:09:37.51
But the reason you
think, you don't think
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because you don't know you
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as well as Jesus
really knows you.
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And Satan studied
mankind for 6,000 plus years.
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And you will find this guy is,
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that he hadn't really changed
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his ammo that
much in 6,000 years,
00:09:51.85\00:09:54.22
because the stuff
that was working then
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is working now.
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Yeah, it's working now.
00:09:58.69\00:10:00.20
Pride of life, pride of the eye,
00:10:00.23\00:10:02.40
pride of flesh, pride of life,
00:10:02.43\00:10:04.13
same old stuff he
hadn't done anything new.
00:10:04.17\00:10:06.13
We're still falling
for the same old stuff
00:10:06.17\00:10:07.64
so he didn't have to
change if it's working.
00:10:07.67\00:10:10.07
If it ain't broke,
you're not gonna fix it.
00:10:10.11\00:10:12.11
Yeah. Mr. Engineer, yes.
00:10:12.14\00:10:15.81
I always think about Peter,
Peter thought he knew himself.
00:10:15.84\00:10:19.55
Yes.
00:10:19.58\00:10:20.92
And he was honest. He was.
00:10:20.95\00:10:22.38
He said, "Lord, though
everyone else betray you,
00:10:22.42\00:10:25.52
I won't betray you and I'm..."
00:10:25.55\00:10:27.12
I think he was
sincere when he said that.
00:10:27.16\00:10:29.06
But he did not know
who he was, Jesus knew.
00:10:29.09\00:10:32.26
Yeah, yeah.
00:10:32.29\00:10:33.63
Which is why what we're
gonna talk about this so very...
00:10:33.66\00:10:35.96
Because you can be sincere
when you say, I'll just say,
00:10:36.00\00:10:39.60
"You know, you
ever go to church,
00:10:39.63\00:10:40.97
you hear a good sermon,
the song is just for you,
00:10:41.00\00:10:44.81
the text is just for you."
00:10:44.84\00:10:47.34
And Ellen White
calls that spiritual heat.
00:10:47.38\00:10:50.95
You know, in the context
00:10:50.98\00:10:52.68
that your spiritual
barometer begins to rise
00:10:52.71\00:10:54.95
and you come out
of church saying,
00:10:54.98\00:10:56.79
"Lord, I will
never ever sin again."
00:10:56.82\00:11:01.89
And when you say it,
00:11:01.92\00:11:03.32
it's coming from
the heart, you know.
00:11:03.36\00:11:05.43
But there're two people who know
00:11:05.46\00:11:06.80
that's not gonna happen.
00:11:06.83\00:11:08.16
One, the Lord knows,
that's not gonna happen
00:11:08.20\00:11:10.20
which is why
you've got 1 John 21,
00:11:10.23\00:11:13.10
"If we sin, we've got to
advocate with the Father."
00:11:13.13\00:11:15.24
Because though you're sincere
00:11:15.27\00:11:17.17
you're probably gonna sin again.
00:11:17.21\00:11:18.71
And two, Satan knows,
you're probably gonna slip up,
00:11:18.74\00:11:21.58
which is why the Lord
put it in that little,
00:11:21.61\00:11:23.61
that little plan there
00:11:23.65\00:11:25.41
to have an
advocate with the father.
00:11:25.45\00:11:26.78
When you say it, you mean it.
00:11:26.82\00:11:29.08
But sometime you don't
get out of church good,
00:11:29.12\00:11:31.75
somebody is backing
up in the parking lot,
00:11:31.79\00:11:33.46
you know, 'cause you're
waiting to get out of car
00:11:33.49\00:11:35.86
back that behind you.
00:11:35.89\00:11:37.23
You know, and
you're sitting there
00:11:37.26\00:11:38.59
twiddling your thumbs
and sinning, you know...
00:11:38.63\00:11:42.36
And, you know... Yeah.
00:11:42.40\00:11:43.93
Sometimes you feel so
full of the Holy Spirit,
00:11:43.97\00:11:48.20
that you really
honestly believe that as a...
00:11:48.24\00:11:50.51
I find myself many times
00:11:50.54\00:11:52.84
when I feel
really touched, I said,
00:11:52.87\00:11:54.41
"Oh, Lord, I say when
I get out of the church,
00:11:54.44\00:11:56.81
help me not to lose that."
00:11:56.85\00:11:59.05
And to forget what I've heard
and the counsel you give me
00:11:59.08\00:12:02.05
because it is true
that is so easy to...
00:12:02.08\00:12:06.02
All of a sudden something
you come out of the church
00:12:06.05\00:12:08.39
and something happens
00:12:08.42\00:12:10.33
and you get immediately
distracted and forget.
00:12:10.36\00:12:14.56
And then you're like,
"Oh, Lord, what happened?"
00:12:14.60\00:12:18.20
You don't feel
the same as you felt
00:12:18.23\00:12:21.47
while you're sitting.
00:12:21.50\00:12:22.84
I always said to myself
that I'm a Christian at home,
00:12:22.87\00:12:25.77
and I'm a Christian at work,
00:12:25.81\00:12:27.14
but that commute was an
entirely different story.
00:12:27.18\00:12:32.58
You know, that's interesting
in New York City when we were,
00:12:32.61\00:12:35.75
yeah, you have the
long time to sin, right.
00:12:35.78\00:12:37.49
You've got a lot of temptations,
00:12:37.52\00:12:38.85
you know, red
lights in front of you,
00:12:38.89\00:12:40.22
people beeping out and whatnot.
00:12:40.26\00:12:41.79
And you can lose
your way just that fast.
00:12:41.82\00:12:44.49
Quickly. Yeah.
00:12:44.53\00:12:45.86
So it's very, very true.
00:12:45.89\00:12:47.23
So this reading
sort of addresses that.
00:12:47.26\00:12:48.80
Let's look at this
00:12:48.83\00:12:50.17
and I'll try to
run through this fast
00:12:50.20\00:12:51.57
and then give you guys a chance
to sort of weigh in on this.
00:12:51.60\00:12:57.14
The scripture lesson comes
to us from 1 Corinthians 9:16
00:12:57.17\00:13:01.88
"Though I preach the gospel,
I have nothing to glory of,"
00:13:01.91\00:13:05.75
Paul says even as a preacher,
00:13:05.78\00:13:07.38
"I can't take glory in
that it's all about Jesus."
00:13:07.42\00:13:10.55
We are told that
"Genuine conversion
00:13:10.59\00:13:13.19
brings us daily
into communion with God."
00:13:13.22\00:13:15.86
So daily we have
to commune with God,
00:13:15.89\00:13:17.59
if we're generally converted.
00:13:17.63\00:13:19.36
And conversion,
lords and ladies,
00:13:19.39\00:13:23.43
is simply a change in direction.
00:13:23.47\00:13:25.33
It doesn't mean you're perfect,
00:13:25.37\00:13:26.74
it doesn't mean you're sinless,
00:13:26.77\00:13:28.14
it doesn't mean you
simply change your direction.
00:13:28.17\00:13:30.61
You are going this
way against Christ,
00:13:30.64\00:13:33.21
now you're walking with Christ.
00:13:33.24\00:13:34.58
So if you fall,
00:13:34.61\00:13:35.94
He's right by your
side to pick you up.
00:13:35.98\00:13:37.31
Sometimes we try
to equate conversion
00:13:37.35\00:13:40.48
with sinlessness or perfection.
00:13:40.52\00:13:42.28
It's not.
00:13:42.32\00:13:43.65
It's simply a
change of direction.
00:13:43.69\00:13:45.02
You change your direction.
00:13:45.05\00:13:46.45
It doesn't mean you're perfect,
00:13:46.49\00:13:47.82
it doesn't mean you
won't make mistakes,
00:13:47.86\00:13:49.89
doesn't guarantee that
you'll never have a bad day.
00:13:49.92\00:13:52.83
Because
Christians have bad days,
00:13:52.86\00:13:54.56
just like
non-Christians have bad days.
00:13:54.60\00:13:56.36
Some days you wake up, by
the time you open your eyes,
00:13:56.40\00:13:58.97
it's gonna be a bad day.
00:13:59.00\00:14:00.34
You know, you just maybe
00:14:00.37\00:14:01.70
eat pizza late
last night or something,
00:14:01.74\00:14:03.07
some days you're
gonna have to struggle
00:14:03.10\00:14:04.44
a little bit more.
00:14:04.47\00:14:05.81
Well, Christians have bad days.
00:14:05.84\00:14:07.18
They do.
00:14:07.21\00:14:08.54
They have days when you
kind of don't wanna be bothered.
00:14:08.58\00:14:11.21
The thing that separates
you from a non-Christian
00:14:11.25\00:14:13.95
who has a bad day is
that you surrendered to Christ
00:14:13.98\00:14:18.22
and people think
you're having a good day.
00:14:18.25\00:14:22.62
Because you've
given it to Jesus,
00:14:22.66\00:14:24.19
but you're having a bad day.
00:14:24.23\00:14:25.59
But Christ can
cover up that stuff.
00:14:25.63\00:14:27.10
So conversion is,
00:14:27.13\00:14:28.83
is every day you got to
kind of check your compass
00:14:28.86\00:14:31.00
to make sure you're going in
the right direction, you know.
00:14:31.03\00:14:33.37
Okay.
00:14:33.40\00:14:34.84
Let me try to read this
without so much commentary.
00:14:34.87\00:14:37.34
"There will be
temptations to meet,
00:14:37.37\00:14:39.51
and a strong
undercurrent drawing us from God
00:14:39.54\00:14:42.31
to our former
state of indifference
00:14:42.34\00:14:44.35
and sinful
forgetfulness of God."
00:14:44.38\00:14:46.28
So there's always
that pull go back.
00:14:46.31\00:14:48.32
You know, you're
swimming upstream.
00:14:48.35\00:14:50.25
"No human heart
can remain strong
00:14:50.29\00:14:53.02
without divine grace, amen.
00:14:53.05\00:14:55.42
No man can remain converted
00:14:55.46\00:14:57.16
unless he takes
care of himself."
00:14:57.19\00:14:58.83
I like that, take care
of yourself spiritually.
00:14:58.86\00:15:02.23
"And the master
has a care for him.
00:15:02.26\00:15:05.70
Unless the heart
holds fast to God,
00:15:05.73\00:15:08.24
and God holds fast to him,
00:15:08.27\00:15:10.41
he will become
self-confident and exalted
00:15:10.44\00:15:13.44
and will surely
stumble and fall."
00:15:13.48\00:15:16.71
Bible says, "Let him who
stand take heed lest he fall."
00:15:16.75\00:15:20.68
"The power of God through faith
00:15:20.72\00:15:23.25
was Paul's dependence.
00:15:23.28\00:15:26.19
'I live, yet not I,' he
exclaims in his humility,
00:15:26.22\00:15:29.49
but Christ liveth where?"'
00:15:29.52\00:15:31.03
In me. "In me."
00:15:31.06\00:15:32.39
Galatians 2:20.
00:15:32.43\00:15:33.76
"I therefore so
run, not as uncertainly.
00:15:33.80\00:15:37.80
So fight I, not as one
that beateth the air..."
00:15:37.83\00:15:40.64
I always like this text.
00:15:40.67\00:15:43.41
"I keep under my body,
and bring it into subjection,
00:15:43.44\00:15:46.27
lest that by any means,
when I have preached to others,
00:15:46.31\00:15:49.08
I myself should be a castaway."
00:15:49.11\00:15:52.28
1 Corinthians 9:26, 27.
00:15:52.31\00:15:54.18
"Paul was in
such constant dread,
00:15:54.22\00:15:56.45
lest his evil propensities
should get the better of him,
00:15:56.48\00:16:00.12
that he was constantly battling,
00:16:00.16\00:16:03.53
with firm resistance,
00:16:03.56\00:16:07.70
unruly appetites and passions.
00:16:07.73\00:16:10.13
If the great apostle
00:16:10.17\00:16:11.50
felt like trembling
in view of his weakness,
00:16:11.53\00:16:14.07
who has a right to feel
self-confident and boastful?
00:16:14.10\00:16:18.47
The moment we begin to feel
self-sufficient and confident,
00:16:18.51\00:16:24.01
then we are in danger
of a disgraceful failure.
00:16:24.05\00:16:30.12
Our only sure defense
against besetting sins is..."
00:16:30.15\00:16:33.05
What? Prayer.
00:16:33.09\00:16:34.42
" Prayer, daily
and hourly prayer.
00:16:34.46\00:16:37.59
Not one day zealous
and the next careless."
00:16:37.63\00:16:40.86
You know, sometimes you're hot
and you're cold, up and down.
00:16:40.90\00:16:42.90
Ellen White says, our
life are not be around
00:16:42.93\00:16:44.97
of sinning and repenting,
sinning and repenting,
00:16:45.00\00:16:46.94
you know, one day on fire,
the next day fire goes out,
00:16:46.97\00:16:49.24
next day you're on fire...
00:16:49.27\00:16:50.61
There ought to be some
consistent growth in our lives.
00:16:50.64\00:16:53.01
"So not one day
zealous the next day careless,
00:16:53.04\00:16:55.61
but through
watchfulness and earnestness
00:16:55.64\00:16:58.51
becoming vitalized
by intercourse with God.
00:16:58.55\00:17:01.68
Prayer is necessary,
00:17:01.72\00:17:03.49
and we should
not wait for feeling,
00:17:03.52\00:17:05.59
but pray, earnestly pray,
00:17:05.62\00:17:07.96
whether we feel like it or not."
00:17:07.99\00:17:09.49
And I think
that's very important
00:17:09.52\00:17:10.86
and maybe one of
you can comment on that
00:17:10.89\00:17:12.83
because sometimes you
just don't feel like praying.
00:17:12.86\00:17:15.80
That's true.
00:17:15.83\00:17:17.17
Yeah, sometimes you don't,
but pray anyway, you know.
00:17:17.20\00:17:19.87
Sometimes you don't
feel like going to church.
00:17:19.90\00:17:21.64
Get up, put on your
clothes, go to church anyway.
00:17:21.67\00:17:24.07
Don't always be
subject to feeling,
00:17:24.11\00:17:25.71
you know,
sometimes you feel like
00:17:25.74\00:17:27.74
popping somebody in the face,
00:17:27.78\00:17:29.54
but you won't do that?
00:17:29.58\00:17:30.91
Because you can't
always go with your feeling,
00:17:30.95\00:17:32.28
you know, you can't go with
your feelings, you got to...
00:17:32.31\00:17:33.65
That sometimes
happen to us Christians.
00:17:33.68\00:17:35.02
No, you're okay.
00:17:35.05\00:17:36.38
Yeah, you definitely
can't go off feelings
00:17:40.16\00:17:42.36
because sin feels good,
00:17:42.39\00:17:43.73
if it didn't
people wouldn't do it.
00:17:43.76\00:17:45.33
Precisely, wouldn't have
to preach so hard against it
00:17:45.36\00:17:47.10
because if it didn't feel good.
00:17:47.13\00:17:49.56
"But pray, earnestly pray,
whether we feel like it or not.
00:17:49.60\00:17:52.47
Heaven is open to our prayers.
00:17:52.50\00:17:54.60
Prayer is the channel
that conducts our gratitude
00:17:54.64\00:17:57.31
and yearnings of the soul
00:17:57.34\00:17:58.94
for the divine
blessing to the throne of God."
00:17:58.97\00:18:01.38
So prayer is the conduit
that gets those blessings
00:18:01.41\00:18:05.25
and your things you want
00:18:05.28\00:18:07.38
and your gratitude up to God.
00:18:07.42\00:18:10.05
"To be returned to us
00:18:10.09\00:18:11.42
in refreshing
showers of divine grace."
00:18:11.45\00:18:14.26
I like that.
00:18:14.29\00:18:15.62
Almost done.
00:18:15.66\00:18:16.99
"With very many, this channel
is allowed to freeze up."
00:18:17.03\00:18:21.70
Like the Arctic in the winter.
00:18:21.73\00:18:23.30
"And then the connection
with heaven is interrupted.
00:18:23.33\00:18:27.44
Oh, that we would spend
more time upon our knees
00:18:27.47\00:18:31.74
and less time in
planning for ourselves
00:18:31.77\00:18:34.44
and in thinking we
may do some great thing."
00:18:34.48\00:18:38.35
So we need to spend our
time in surrender and in prayer.
00:18:38.38\00:18:41.32
Is there anything here
00:18:41.35\00:18:42.68
that sort of
jumps out of anybody?
00:18:42.72\00:18:44.05
Anybody want to
grab some of this?
00:18:44.09\00:18:45.42
Yeah, I like in that
first paragraph we have,
00:18:45.45\00:18:47.69
"No man can remain converted
unless he takes care of himself
00:18:47.72\00:18:51.49
and the Master
has a care for him."
00:18:51.53\00:18:53.43
You know, the Bible says by
beholding we become changed.
00:18:53.46\00:18:55.96
So whatever we're putting in,
and if we're taking garbage in,
00:18:56.00\00:18:58.63
garbage is just gonna come out.
00:18:58.67\00:19:00.20
But when we focus our attention
on Christ and spiritual things,
00:19:00.24\00:19:04.07
then that's
what's gonna come out.
00:19:04.11\00:19:05.74
We're gonna reflect
Christ character to the world.
00:19:05.77\00:19:08.91
I like that.
00:19:08.94\00:19:10.28
I always think about Peter again
00:19:10.31\00:19:12.18
when he was walking on the waves
00:19:12.21\00:19:14.45
and he took his
eyes off of Christ
00:19:14.48\00:19:17.49
and he began to sink.
00:19:17.52\00:19:19.42
And that's always
been the example for me
00:19:19.45\00:19:22.69
because when you take
your eyes off of the Lord,
00:19:22.72\00:19:24.83
you stop praying,
you stop witnessing,
00:19:24.86\00:19:26.80
you stop doing those things,
00:19:26.83\00:19:28.16
you start to sink.
00:19:28.20\00:19:29.53
And the good thing about
that whole story was that
00:19:29.56\00:19:32.03
he says, "Lord, save me."
00:19:32.07\00:19:34.24
So he turned back to prayer.
00:19:34.27\00:19:36.00
He prayed to Lord to save him
00:19:36.04\00:19:37.37
and the Lord lifted him back up.
00:19:37.41\00:19:39.97
You know, two things
come to my mind from that.
00:19:40.01\00:19:41.58
One, he lost sight of Jesus,
00:19:41.61\00:19:44.15
obviously Jesus had
not lost sight of him.
00:19:44.18\00:19:46.98
So when he
said, "Lord, save me."
00:19:47.02\00:19:48.58
Christ is right
there to grab him
00:19:48.62\00:19:49.95
and pull him up, you know.
00:19:49.98\00:19:51.32
So we lose sight of the Lord,
00:19:51.35\00:19:53.56
but thank God,
00:19:53.59\00:19:54.92
He didn't lose
sight of us, you know.
00:19:54.96\00:19:56.39
And going back to
something that Jason said,
00:19:56.42\00:20:00.00
you are what you eat spiritually
00:20:00.03\00:20:01.43
and every other way.
00:20:01.46\00:20:02.80
I remember there
was a Christian comedian
00:20:02.83\00:20:04.17
many years ago that said,
"If you eat fat greasy food,
00:20:04.20\00:20:06.74
you'll become a
fat greasy dude."
00:20:06.77\00:20:08.84
Unless you're very young
00:20:13.07\00:20:14.58
that your body controls the fat.
00:20:14.61\00:20:17.91
Does it like Jason.
00:20:17.95\00:20:19.28
Well, you don't
eat fat greasy food,
00:20:19.31\00:20:20.65
but he eats well, but it's true.
00:20:20.68\00:20:23.32
Last thing and I'll be
quiet for a little while.
00:20:23.35\00:20:27.16
Most people when their
spiritual tires go flat,
00:20:27.19\00:20:30.46
there's a slow
leak not a blowout.
00:20:30.49\00:20:32.96
You know, you
just, you get down,
00:20:32.99\00:20:34.80
you see one day
it's down a little bit
00:20:34.83\00:20:36.46
but I can get through the day.
00:20:36.50\00:20:37.83
And then it's down a little
bit the next day and next day,
00:20:37.87\00:20:39.80
it's on the ground,
00:20:39.83\00:20:41.17
but you had warning.
00:20:41.20\00:20:42.54
Now some people do get blow out,
00:20:42.57\00:20:43.91
you get this
traumatic thing that happens
00:20:43.94\00:20:45.27
and you just leave the Lord,
00:20:45.31\00:20:46.64
but for most people
00:20:46.68\00:20:48.01
they're kind of just slow
leaked their way from Lord.
00:20:48.04\00:20:49.38
And one day look
around and where is God?
00:20:49.41\00:20:51.45
I thought I left
Him, but I can't find Him.
00:20:51.48\00:20:53.98
And you've been
sort of getting warnings,
00:20:54.02\00:20:55.85
but you've been
kind of walking away.
00:20:55.88\00:20:57.22
So every day you got
to reassess your compass
00:20:57.25\00:21:00.06
to make sure that you're
headed in the right direction.
00:21:00.09\00:21:02.29
And one thing I think
about that too is that
00:21:02.32\00:21:05.06
in that process you become
00:21:05.09\00:21:08.63
more and more
relying upon yourself.
00:21:08.66\00:21:10.93
And I think as you're
declining spiritually,
00:21:10.97\00:21:15.47
that's what you're doing.
00:21:15.50\00:21:16.84
You're depending
more upon yourself
00:21:16.87\00:21:18.94
like you're gaining some
false sense of confidence
00:21:18.97\00:21:22.51
like God's not
carrying the weight,
00:21:22.54\00:21:24.65
when really He's
doing the heavy lifting.
00:21:24.68\00:21:27.22
You're absolutely right
00:21:27.25\00:21:28.58
because I realize that
we have a lot of abilities,
00:21:28.62\00:21:34.36
you know, some have
more abilities than other.
00:21:34.39\00:21:38.09
Some are very
quick to understand
00:21:38.13\00:21:40.16
and see where
you're going and back up.
00:21:40.20\00:21:44.83
But it happens
00:21:44.87\00:21:46.63
because if you
are able to do it,
00:21:46.67\00:21:49.64
you don't feel the need,
00:21:49.67\00:21:52.57
unless you are very aware
00:21:52.61\00:21:54.61
that the ability it
comes from the Lord.
00:21:54.64\00:21:57.91
So you put it in
the Lord hands again
00:21:57.95\00:22:01.15
but otherwise...
00:22:01.18\00:22:03.42
No, no, like my
husband, he's so easy to...
00:22:03.45\00:22:08.22
They ask him though,
00:22:08.26\00:22:09.72
can you speak or can
you fill in for somebody
00:22:09.76\00:22:12.63
and he is so easy to go
00:22:12.66\00:22:14.53
and find and have
a sermon basically.
00:22:14.56\00:22:18.43
I could never do that.
00:22:18.47\00:22:19.80
I don't have that ability,
00:22:19.83\00:22:21.94
but sometimes
that ability I think
00:22:21.97\00:22:25.21
and then I feel
00:22:25.24\00:22:26.57
because in other
things that I do,
00:22:26.61\00:22:29.58
sometimes I
have to realize that,
00:22:29.61\00:22:32.18
you know, it's not me,
00:22:32.21\00:22:33.55
it's got to be the Lord
so that it can be done well.
00:22:33.58\00:22:37.59
But I feel what the Bible says
00:22:37.62\00:22:41.82
that it's easier for a camel to
go through the eye of a needle
00:22:41.86\00:22:46.66
than it is for a
rich man to go through.
00:22:46.70\00:22:49.80
It's the same thing for us.
00:22:49.83\00:22:52.20
It's easier, you know,
to let the Lord guide you
00:22:52.23\00:22:57.97
because otherwise the
natural, you know, of the man
00:22:58.01\00:23:05.28
is to follow your understanding,
00:23:05.31\00:23:07.18
follow your feelings,
follow your what do you know,
00:23:07.22\00:23:10.89
but it makes a difference
00:23:10.92\00:23:12.89
when it's
finally is in the heart,
00:23:12.92\00:23:14.26
then you can see
the difference actually.
00:23:14.29\00:23:17.46
You know a humbling experience
00:23:17.49\00:23:19.09
and I think you can
agree with this, Pastor Murray,
00:23:19.13\00:23:22.10
is when you are
down and out health wise,
00:23:22.13\00:23:26.43
when you're sick,
00:23:26.47\00:23:27.80
and you've had
surgery and stuff like that,
00:23:27.84\00:23:29.90
like I've had a
couple of surgeries,
00:23:29.94\00:23:32.64
appendix ruptured inside of me
00:23:32.67\00:23:34.54
and you feel helpless.
00:23:34.58\00:23:36.85
You know, you have
no choice but to...
00:23:36.88\00:23:40.55
I mean, you have a
choice, but if you're wise,
00:23:40.58\00:23:47.46
you'll surrender to the Lord.
00:23:47.49\00:23:48.82
I mean, that He's the
only one that can fix that,
00:23:48.86\00:23:51.09
I mean, laying there helpless
is very humbling experience.
00:23:51.13\00:23:56.67
Oh, yes. And it's vulnerable.
00:23:56.70\00:23:58.33
Yes. Right.
00:23:58.37\00:23:59.70
Yeah.
00:23:59.73\00:24:01.07
It's very easy not to pray.
00:24:01.10\00:24:04.21
In engineering
there's something that we call
00:24:04.24\00:24:06.24
recalibrating your equipment.
00:24:06.27\00:24:08.21
Every once in a while you have
to recalibrate your equipment
00:24:08.24\00:24:11.11
or else it starts to drift.
00:24:11.15\00:24:12.65
And if you say,
"Well, I don't feel like
00:24:12.68\00:24:14.45
recalibrating my
equipment today,"
00:24:14.48\00:24:16.28
you're recalibrated anyway.
00:24:16.32\00:24:18.79
Because if you're
millimeter off here,
00:24:18.82\00:24:22.66
five miles down the road
00:24:22.69\00:24:24.33
you're gonna be
a quarter mile off.
00:24:24.36\00:24:25.96
So you always
recalibrate your equipment.
00:24:25.99\00:24:28.63
And when I pray,
I keep it in mind
00:24:28.66\00:24:30.53
that I'm recalibrating
my relationship with Jesus.
00:24:30.57\00:24:34.70
I like that.
00:24:34.74\00:24:36.07
You know, one thing I appreciate
00:24:36.10\00:24:37.51
and this is, it
says, "Prayer is necessary,
00:24:37.54\00:24:40.94
and we should
not wait for feeling,
00:24:40.98\00:24:43.11
but pray, earnestly pray,
whether we feel like it or not.
00:24:43.14\00:24:47.05
Heaven is open to our prayers."
00:24:47.08\00:24:49.02
And one thing I have to do,
00:24:49.05\00:24:52.49
one of the responsibilities
of being an assistant manager
00:24:52.52\00:24:55.79
is taking difficult calls.
00:24:55.82\00:24:59.33
And you never get used to it,
00:24:59.36\00:25:01.83
you know, it doesn't...
00:25:01.86\00:25:03.20
"Oh, yeah," you know, you
don't raise your hand to say,
00:25:03.23\00:25:05.13
"I'll take it."
00:25:05.17\00:25:06.50
But we get them.
00:25:06.53\00:25:07.90
And before I get on the phone
00:25:07.94\00:25:09.47
I have to say,
"Lord, please help me
00:25:09.50\00:25:12.91
to say the right things,
and to calm this person down."
00:25:12.94\00:25:17.05
And nine times out of ten,
00:25:17.08\00:25:18.41
when I get on the
phone they're very nice.
00:25:18.45\00:25:20.68
It's odd how
they treat one person
00:25:20.72\00:25:23.75
and they know that
00:25:23.79\00:25:25.12
they're talking to someone else,
00:25:25.15\00:25:26.52
it's a different
story, but I like this.
00:25:26.55\00:25:28.89
And some other things
00:25:28.92\00:25:30.89
when Eric and I
first started dating,
00:25:30.93\00:25:34.10
I did not grow up an Adventist,
00:25:34.13\00:25:36.16
I was Baptist,
00:25:36.20\00:25:37.53
and I started
going to church with him.
00:25:37.57\00:25:39.57
And he will tell you, we
came under attack big time
00:25:39.60\00:25:44.31
when I started studying the word
00:25:44.34\00:25:46.11
and learning the truth.
00:25:46.14\00:25:48.48
And that's when you
have to have faith in God,
00:25:48.51\00:25:50.65
and you have to pray,
00:25:50.68\00:25:52.01
and you have to stay on
your knees to keep me focused
00:25:52.05\00:25:55.28
because Satan is
there like you said,
00:25:55.32\00:25:58.32
"He knows you better
than you know yourself."
00:25:58.35\00:26:01.06
Marilyn always teases
that we got married quickly.
00:26:01.09\00:26:04.03
And one of the reasons
why we got married quickly
00:26:04.06\00:26:07.16
is when I realized
the devil for some reason
00:26:07.20\00:26:08.96
didn't want us to get married.
00:26:09.00\00:26:10.83
Because of the
attack that we came under,
00:26:10.87\00:26:13.37
I said, "He really does
not want us to get married,
00:26:13.40\00:26:15.90
so I'm gonna
marry her right now."
00:26:15.94\00:26:17.27
And I called her up,
00:26:23.01\00:26:24.35
I said, "Marilyn,
we're getting married."
00:26:24.38\00:26:26.31
Yeah, he did.
There was no proposal?
00:26:26.35\00:26:28.65
Well, no, he did proposed,
00:26:28.68\00:26:30.02
but it was no long
one year engagement plan,
00:26:30.05\00:26:34.26
this elaborate wedding,
00:26:34.29\00:26:35.62
it was like you have six months,
00:26:35.66\00:26:37.66
four or five months I think.
00:26:37.69\00:26:39.03
Yeah. And we were married quick.
00:26:39.06\00:26:40.40
Yeah, and that was...
But it saved us money.
00:26:40.43\00:26:41.96
Jason, take
note. Take note, Jason.
00:26:46.33\00:26:49.00
When I meet the Mrs. Right.
00:26:49.04\00:26:50.71
That's right.
00:26:50.74\00:26:52.07
Yes. That's right.
00:26:52.11\00:26:53.44
You know, the Bible
says, "There is a way
00:26:53.48\00:26:54.81
that seems right to a man,
00:26:54.84\00:26:56.18
but in end there are
other ways of death."
00:26:56.21\00:26:57.55
Proverbs 14:12.
00:26:57.58\00:26:59.05
The truth is you can't run
on your own gasoline, you know.
00:26:59.08\00:27:05.72
If you try to
do it all yourself,
00:27:05.75\00:27:07.52
you're gonna run out of answers.
00:27:07.56\00:27:09.02
No one can
totally direct their life,
00:27:09.06\00:27:12.69
which is why you need
spiritual brothers and sisters.
00:27:12.73\00:27:14.83
You need people to
balance stuff off of, you know.
00:27:14.86\00:27:16.93
And I would
encourage every person
00:27:16.97\00:27:19.03
to find someone that you
can balance stuff off of.
00:27:19.07\00:27:25.47
And it doesn't have to be
the person agrees with you
00:27:25.51\00:27:28.24
as long as the person tells
you the truth in Jesus Christ.
00:27:28.28\00:27:30.75
Yes. Irma and I went...
00:27:30.78\00:27:32.11
We had a devotion the other day
00:27:32.15\00:27:33.78
that went into
about hour and a half
00:27:33.82\00:27:35.38
because we got on the subject
and we did, we did disagree,
00:27:35.42\00:27:38.15
and we're working at it,
00:27:38.19\00:27:39.52
you know, we're working at it.
00:27:39.55\00:27:40.89
And at the end she gave
me little kiss on the head
00:27:40.92\00:27:42.36
and said, "I see your point.
00:27:42.39\00:27:43.76
Didn't mean you agreed
with me, that's what I thought.
00:27:43.79\00:27:46.96
I understand what you're saying,
00:27:47.00\00:27:48.33
I still don't agree with you,
00:27:48.36\00:27:49.70
but I understand
what you're saying.
00:27:49.73\00:27:51.07
So the person doesn't
have to always agree with you,
00:27:51.10\00:27:52.43
but you need good
spiritual counsel,
00:27:52.47\00:27:54.10
you need somebody,
hopefully it's your wife,
00:27:54.14\00:27:57.04
or your husband.
00:27:57.07\00:27:58.41
But if not, find a good
spiritual friend or a buddy
00:27:58.44\00:28:01.44
or someone that you
can balance stuff off of
00:28:01.48\00:28:03.41
because nobody
has all the answers.
00:28:03.45\00:28:05.51
You know, you got to go to Jesus
00:28:05.55\00:28:06.92
but sometimes it's good to hear
00:28:06.95\00:28:08.35
that Jesus
filtered through flesh,
00:28:08.38\00:28:10.25
you know, that you could talk to
00:28:10.29\00:28:11.62
and somebody that's kind
of in the trenches with you.
00:28:11.65\00:28:13.76
I think it's very important.
00:28:13.79\00:28:15.26
And I'm kind of
my husband's sermons,
00:28:15.29\00:28:19.69
you know, I'm a fan of his.
00:28:19.73\00:28:22.16
And it is true
because I can hear
00:28:22.20\00:28:25.90
a sermon like
four or five times.
00:28:25.93\00:28:29.00
And it always lifts me up
and it always is good, honey.
00:28:29.04\00:28:33.54
Amen. Amen.
00:28:33.58\00:28:36.24
It never feels
that it's an old sermon.
00:28:36.28\00:28:39.11
And one of his sermons,
00:28:39.15\00:28:41.45
he talks about asking the people
00:28:41.48\00:28:45.49
if they are converted.
00:28:45.52\00:28:47.59
And because that's really
00:28:47.62\00:28:49.96
an important
thing for us to know,
00:28:49.99\00:28:52.53
many people that
are in the church,
00:28:52.56\00:28:55.06
and I was one of those
00:28:55.10\00:28:57.17
that always worried if
I was really converted,
00:28:57.20\00:29:00.97
you know, I knew
this, I knew that,
00:29:01.00\00:29:02.60
I knew, I thought I knew enough
to know that I am converted.
00:29:02.64\00:29:07.11
And I'm not
going to go anywhere,
00:29:07.14\00:29:08.68
I am with the Lord.
00:29:08.71\00:29:10.05
But I never understood the
real that the conversation part.
00:29:10.08\00:29:14.92
And in his sermon, he
talks about the conversion
00:29:14.95\00:29:19.35
is just a change of direction.
00:29:19.39\00:29:21.49
And then I was
reading in the concordance
00:29:21.52\00:29:25.19
and it is a change of direction.
00:29:25.23\00:29:29.96
You are doing something wrong
00:29:30.00\00:29:32.13
and realize and
understand that is wrong.
00:29:32.17\00:29:35.34
You go to God and
you ask forgiveness
00:29:35.37\00:29:38.01
and God forgive you
00:29:38.04\00:29:39.54
and then you turn on
to do the right thing.
00:29:39.57\00:29:43.14
And another thing was
that conversion I used to think
00:29:43.18\00:29:47.38
like once you come to the Lord,
once you come to the church,
00:29:47.42\00:29:50.85
and you're baptized you earn it,
00:29:50.89\00:29:53.46
but it's not.
00:29:53.49\00:29:54.82
It's like basically
and most of the time
00:29:54.86\00:29:57.93
it's minute by minute,
00:29:57.96\00:29:59.66
not even day by day
because you can be so relax
00:29:59.69\00:30:04.90
and thinking that you're
fine and the enemy comes with,
00:30:04.93\00:30:09.70
you know, a push.
00:30:09.74\00:30:11.31
And that you are immediately,
00:30:11.34\00:30:13.31
so you have to immediately think
00:30:13.34\00:30:16.98
what is that God
wants me to do here
00:30:17.01\00:30:18.88
and take the direction of God.
00:30:18.91\00:30:21.05
And that's your conversion
every time, I believe that.
00:30:21.08\00:30:25.05
When we first got married,
00:30:25.09\00:30:26.42
I would tell Marilyn
about who I used to be,
00:30:26.45\00:30:28.69
the things I used to do,
00:30:28.72\00:30:30.06
the music I used to listen to,
and one of the favorite things
00:30:30.09\00:30:32.73
that Marilyn used to say was,
"I can't believe that was you.
00:30:32.76\00:30:36.93
That's not the man that I know."
00:30:36.97\00:30:39.80
That made me feel so
good because like you said,
00:30:39.83\00:30:43.24
God Jesus turns
you 180 degrees around.
00:30:43.27\00:30:46.88
And that person that
you used to be is gone.
00:30:46.91\00:30:49.54
So when she said that,
I was, praise the Lord,
00:30:49.58\00:30:52.18
praise the Lord.
00:30:52.21\00:30:53.55
And that's so wonderful
00:30:53.58\00:30:54.92
when you know that
you are in the wrong
00:30:54.95\00:30:56.89
and you come to God
to ask for forgiveness
00:30:56.92\00:30:59.75
and to change you.
00:30:59.79\00:31:01.42
And then when you see
00:31:01.46\00:31:03.02
that the Lord had put
you in that other direction.
00:31:03.06\00:31:07.73
It's such an encouragement
00:31:07.76\00:31:09.26
because you don't
have to worry, you know.
00:31:09.30\00:31:12.60
Yeah, you worry a
little bit when it comes
00:31:12.63\00:31:14.80
but quickly you are able
to see and understand that,
00:31:14.84\00:31:20.11
you know, your
Christianity and your conversion
00:31:20.14\00:31:24.41
is also in the hands of God.
00:31:24.45\00:31:26.78
So it's day by day,
day by day you go changing.
00:31:26.82\00:31:30.09
Sometimes it takes a long time
for you to change one thing,
00:31:30.12\00:31:34.16
but it will change
00:31:34.19\00:31:35.52
because God
promised to change you.
00:31:35.56\00:31:38.33
One of the things
that I like that goes along
00:31:38.36\00:31:40.73
with what you're saying is
here in this last paragraph,
00:31:40.76\00:31:43.63
"Our only sure defense against
besetting sins is prayer,
00:31:43.67\00:31:46.97
daily and hourly prayer."
00:31:47.00\00:31:48.54
Like you have to
constantly stay connected,
00:31:48.57\00:31:50.31
when you look at Jesus
as our example, I mean,
00:31:50.34\00:31:53.41
this is Jesus
we're talking about,
00:31:53.44\00:31:55.11
and He was constantly in
communion with the Father,
00:31:55.14\00:32:00.25
I mean, for hours
and just constantly.
00:32:00.28\00:32:04.22
And prayer doesn't have to be
00:32:04.25\00:32:05.95
where you get
down on your knees,
00:32:05.99\00:32:07.32
you can be
driving to work and say,
00:32:07.36\00:32:09.06
"God, I need to talk
to you about X, Y, and Z,
00:32:09.09\00:32:12.56
I'm struggling
with such and such,
00:32:12.59\00:32:14.66
I need your help
please because I'm weak."
00:32:14.70\00:32:16.87
And God's strength is
made perfect in our weakness.
00:32:16.90\00:32:19.20
Amen. Right.
00:32:19.23\00:32:20.57
And there's
something I'm really excited
00:32:20.60\00:32:22.30
about this topic by the way,
00:32:22.34\00:32:23.67
so I might talk a
little bit more in this one.
00:32:23.71\00:32:26.07
But there's something
00:32:26.11\00:32:27.61
that I definitely want
to share with you guys.
00:32:27.64\00:32:29.84
It's from a Call to
Stand Apart and it says,
00:32:29.88\00:32:34.28
this is on page
20, paragraph 10.
00:32:34.32\00:32:38.29
"The hot summer sun,
00:32:38.32\00:32:39.65
that strengthens and
ripens the hardy grain,
00:32:39.69\00:32:41.42
destroys that which
has no depth of root.
00:32:41.46\00:32:44.46
So he who 'hath
not root in himself,'
00:32:44.49\00:32:47.06
'dureth for a while.'
00:32:47.10\00:32:48.43
But 'when tribulation
or persecution ariseth
00:32:48.46\00:32:51.60
because of the word, by
and by he is offended.'"
00:32:51.63\00:32:56.27
"Many receive the gospel..."
00:32:56.30\00:32:58.34
And this is deep.
00:32:58.37\00:32:59.71
"Many receive the gospel
00:32:59.74\00:33:01.08
as a way of
escape from suffering,
00:33:01.11\00:33:03.71
rather than as a
deliverance from sin.
00:33:03.75\00:33:07.82
They rejoice for a
season, for they think
00:33:07.85\00:33:10.69
that religion will free
them from difficulty and trial.
00:33:10.72\00:33:14.39
While life moves
smoothly with them,
00:33:14.42\00:33:16.42
they may appear to be
consistent Christians.
00:33:16.46\00:33:19.19
But they faint beneath
the fiery test of temptation.
00:33:19.23\00:33:22.83
They cannot bear
reproach for Christ's sake.
00:33:22.86\00:33:25.33
When the Word of God
points out some cherished sin,
00:33:25.37\00:33:29.20
or requires
self-denial or sacrifice,
00:33:29.24\00:33:31.44
they are offended.
00:33:31.47\00:33:32.94
It would cost
them too much effort
00:33:32.97\00:33:35.08
to make a radical
change in their life.
00:33:35.11\00:33:37.45
They look at the
present inconvenience and trial,
00:33:37.48\00:33:40.88
and forget the
eternal realities."
00:33:40.92\00:33:44.42
That's deep because you ever see
00:33:44.45\00:33:47.09
sometimes people and
I've tried to do this myself
00:33:47.12\00:33:50.76
in the past as, you know,
I try and justify the sin.
00:33:50.79\00:33:54.60
You know, try and say,
00:33:54.63\00:33:55.96
"Well, it's not that bad and..."
00:33:56.00\00:33:57.57
You know, but I
had good intentions
00:33:57.60\00:34:00.87
or some, you know,
and try and justify it.
00:34:00.90\00:34:04.01
This speaks to
being rooted in Christ.
00:34:04.04\00:34:07.71
If you're not
rooted, you're gonna fall.
00:34:07.74\00:34:11.01
Like that old cliche saying,
00:34:11.05\00:34:13.21
if you don't stand for anything,
00:34:13.25\00:34:15.95
or if you stand for
nothing, or something like that,
00:34:15.98\00:34:17.95
you'll fall for
anything, you know.
00:34:17.99\00:34:20.09
And that's the same
00:34:20.12\00:34:21.46
if you don't stand for Christ...
00:34:21.49\00:34:23.32
You'll fall for
anything. Absolutely.
00:34:23.36\00:34:26.13
A couple of
things come to my mind.
00:34:26.16\00:34:27.50
I wanna go back
to something, Eric,
00:34:27.53\00:34:28.86
that you said before this
idea of recalibrating every day.
00:34:28.90\00:34:32.23
You really need to check
00:34:32.27\00:34:33.60
your spiritual
pulse every single day
00:34:33.64\00:34:35.74
because if you let it
slip and go for a while,
00:34:35.77\00:34:39.37
you know, by the time
you get your bearings back,
00:34:39.41\00:34:41.48
you're way off and
that's very, very true.
00:34:41.51\00:34:44.15
How do I get over just
a little variance here,
00:34:44.18\00:34:46.82
five miles down the
road, you can't even see
00:34:46.85\00:34:49.42
where you started anymore.
00:34:49.45\00:34:50.79
So every day you need to...
00:34:50.82\00:34:52.22
Because, you know, Peter
says, "Think it not strange
00:34:52.25\00:34:56.42
concerning the fiery
trial which is to try you,
00:34:56.46\00:34:59.93
as though some strange
thing has happened unto you."
00:34:59.96\00:35:02.13
But rejoice
because you are partakers
00:35:02.16\00:35:03.80
of Christ's suffering
00:35:03.83\00:35:05.17
which is something we
tend not to want to hear.
00:35:05.20\00:35:06.87
I don't want to be hearing
about nobody's suffering,
00:35:06.90\00:35:08.80
you know, I just
want to put on autopilot,
00:35:08.84\00:35:11.64
I came to the Lord.
00:35:11.67\00:35:13.01
I love Jesus and everything
is supposed to be fine.
00:35:13.04\00:35:15.34
Well, that's not life. No.
00:35:15.38\00:35:17.01
That's not the
way to the kingdom.
00:35:17.05\00:35:18.65
Don't think it's
strange when something...
00:35:18.68\00:35:20.52
And the truth is, in our
hearts we do think it's strange.
00:35:20.55\00:35:24.25
Why am I going through this?
00:35:24.29\00:35:25.65
You know, why me?
00:35:25.69\00:35:27.19
Well, why not you?
00:35:27.22\00:35:28.99
Jesus suffered.
00:35:29.02\00:35:30.36
So you get a scholarship,
00:35:30.39\00:35:31.73
you know, you got to pay
just like everybody else.
00:35:31.76\00:35:36.16
Suffering is part of
the cleansing process
00:35:36.20\00:35:38.43
and we all know this to be true.
00:35:38.47\00:35:40.20
In times of ease, you
tend to put off stuff,
00:35:40.24\00:35:44.37
you know, and then
when stuff gets rough
00:35:44.41\00:35:48.44
then you want to get, you know,
you want to pray and kind of...
00:35:48.48\00:35:50.75
So the Lord has to sometimes...
00:35:50.78\00:35:52.18
And Ellen Whites says
this in preaching's, she says,
00:35:52.21\00:35:53.88
"Sometimes you got to
hold the saints over the fire."
00:35:53.92\00:35:56.89
She says, "You can
preach the love of Christ,
00:35:56.92\00:35:59.85
but every now and again
00:35:59.89\00:36:01.22
you need to hold
them over the fire
00:36:01.26\00:36:02.59
and let them feel the heat,
00:36:02.62\00:36:04.26
because that's part of
the gospel message too."
00:36:04.29\00:36:06.19
Christ came to save everybody,
00:36:06.23\00:36:08.16
but the truth is
in that day some is,
00:36:08.20\00:36:12.00
and forgive my pejorative
of English, some ain't
00:36:12.03\00:36:14.47
and those who ain't
won't be with the Lord.
00:36:14.50\00:36:16.37
So they have to know
both sides of the coin.
00:36:16.40\00:36:18.51
As he's ready and really,
he won't turn anybody away,
00:36:18.54\00:36:21.44
no one will get cast out.
00:36:21.48\00:36:22.81
But if you don't come,
00:36:22.84\00:36:24.25
well, then you kind
of made your decision.
00:36:24.28\00:36:25.91
And sometimes there's
a lesson in the blessing
00:36:25.95\00:36:28.08
at the end of that struggle
00:36:28.12\00:36:29.45
because you didn't
go through it in vain.
00:36:29.48\00:36:31.32
You know, there's
something to be learned from it.
00:36:31.35\00:36:33.59
I heard someone
say a long time ago,
00:36:33.62\00:36:35.52
they said the fertile
ground is always in the valleys.
00:36:35.56\00:36:39.56
At the mountaintop
the ground's not fertile
00:36:39.59\00:36:42.30
but everyone wants
to be on the mountaintop
00:36:42.33\00:36:43.97
because the view is fantastic
and everyone can see them.
00:36:44.00\00:36:46.67
But that's not
where the rivers flow,
00:36:46.70\00:36:48.04
that's now where
the grass is green,
00:36:48.07\00:36:49.57
you grow in the valleys.
00:36:49.60\00:36:51.47
And I always took that thought.
00:36:51.51\00:36:53.98
I think it's a
Wayne Muller wrote a book
00:36:54.01\00:36:55.84
about you grow in the valley.
00:36:55.88\00:36:57.78
He said, "In the
mountaintop you get a nice view,
00:36:57.81\00:37:00.42
but if you want to grow,
you've got to get down..."
00:37:00.45\00:37:01.85
Get down into valley.
00:37:01.88\00:37:03.22
Yeah, get down into
valley, that's where you grow.
00:37:03.25\00:37:04.59
It is a very,
very important part.
00:37:04.62\00:37:05.95
I don't think at there is a time
00:37:05.99\00:37:07.32
that we can just relax
00:37:07.36\00:37:09.56
and say, "Well, you
know, I got it now."
00:37:09.59\00:37:13.46
And because we have the enemy
that is constantly on our back.
00:37:13.50\00:37:18.27
And the more we
want to walk right
00:37:18.30\00:37:21.64
and be really consecrated
00:37:21.67\00:37:23.71
and really have that
powerful relationship with God,
00:37:23.74\00:37:29.14
you know, you long for it.
00:37:29.18\00:37:31.01
And then the enemy
just comes so easy,
00:37:31.05\00:37:34.48
so smooth like he does
and try to bump us off it.
00:37:34.52\00:37:40.22
So we have to constantly
be on the guard in prayer
00:37:40.26\00:37:44.89
and in fasting says in
one of the verses saying.
00:37:44.93\00:37:49.16
I think it is one
of the, in Matthew,
00:37:49.20\00:37:52.13
it's just another
place where Lord said that
00:37:52.17\00:37:54.84
this one will not go away
00:37:54.87\00:37:58.84
but with prayer
and fasting he enters,
00:37:58.87\00:38:01.48
Matthew 17: 21.
00:38:01.51\00:38:03.91
I had found that,
that is so powerful
00:38:03.95\00:38:08.28
because it's sometimes,
you know, the Apostle Paul,
00:38:08.32\00:38:14.59
he talks about
rejoicing in the trials.
00:38:14.62\00:38:18.73
Now how can you
rejoice in the trial?
00:38:18.76\00:38:20.90
I used to say, "Lord, how
can you rejoice in the trial."
00:38:20.93\00:38:25.50
But the Lord will teach you,
00:38:25.53\00:38:27.04
He'll bring you
to that point too
00:38:27.07\00:38:29.30
because sometimes there
are some big ones and...
00:38:29.34\00:38:33.94
You know, last night I
had a very difficult time
00:38:33.98\00:38:36.38
because I have this burden
and I could not go to sleep.
00:38:36.41\00:38:41.55
I had a hard time
and I was singing in my,
00:38:41.58\00:38:45.55
you know, in my
mind and I was singing
00:38:45.59\00:38:47.66
and remembering all
these promises from the Lord.
00:38:47.69\00:38:52.13
But finally I went to
sleep and then this morning
00:38:52.16\00:38:54.46
I thought,
"Well, praise the Lord."
00:38:54.50\00:38:57.43
Because if you
don't have the Lord,
00:38:57.47\00:39:01.04
you know, I could
have gone all night,
00:39:01.07\00:39:03.00
I could have just gone
00:39:03.04\00:39:04.37
in all
consideration with the pain,
00:39:04.41\00:39:07.21
and don't have any
hope at the moment.
00:39:07.24\00:39:11.58
But God, sometimes
it takes a little bit,
00:39:11.61\00:39:16.02
but the Lord will come through.
00:39:16.05\00:39:18.22
Amen.
00:39:18.25\00:39:19.59
Sometimes you've
got to kind of question
00:39:19.62\00:39:20.96
if bad things aren't happening
or you kind of need to look,
00:39:20.99\00:39:25.06
look into Bible,
look at the mirror,
00:39:25.09\00:39:27.10
and ask like, "What am I doing?
00:39:27.13\00:39:30.37
Why isn't Satan
bothering me, right?
00:39:30.40\00:39:32.53
You know, because if
he's not bothering you,
00:39:32.57\00:39:35.87
then he's probably
not too worried about you
00:39:35.90\00:39:38.57
making it to the kingdom.
00:39:38.61\00:39:41.54
I think struggle
is an opportunity
00:39:41.58\00:39:43.45
to exercise your
spiritual muscles.
00:39:43.48\00:39:45.25
Yes.
00:39:45.28\00:39:46.61
So when it comes,
00:39:46.65\00:39:48.18
just start
lifting those weights.
00:39:48.22\00:39:49.55
Yeah.
00:39:49.58\00:39:50.92
And that's what it's therefore,
00:39:50.95\00:39:52.29
it makes you a strong Christian,
00:39:52.32\00:39:53.66
it enhances your faith,
00:39:53.69\00:39:55.02
and that's one of the
reasons why we're here.
00:39:55.06\00:39:57.43
So it's kind of tough
to look at it that way,
00:39:57.46\00:40:00.66
but when you
exercise sometimes it hurts,
00:40:00.70\00:40:04.00
but the end
result is you're stronger
00:40:04.03\00:40:06.27
and you're stronger spiritually.
00:40:06.30\00:40:08.20
Yes, if you have to exercise
for a while, it's gonna hurt.
00:40:08.24\00:40:11.11
You know, but
then you're tearing
00:40:11.14\00:40:12.47
the muscles down
to build them back up.
00:40:12.51\00:40:14.14
So when you first
begin to exercise,
00:40:14.18\00:40:16.44
particularly when
you're using new muscles
00:40:16.48\00:40:18.91
that you haven't used before
or using it in a different way,
00:40:18.95\00:40:22.52
you're gonna get some pain
00:40:22.55\00:40:23.89
but that pain is
emblematic of the changes
00:40:23.92\00:40:26.22
that are taking
place in your body.
00:40:26.25\00:40:27.72
And then here's the thing,
00:40:27.76\00:40:29.39
self-evaluation
is a difficult thing.
00:40:29.42\00:40:31.63
It's hard to be honest
with yourself, you know.
00:40:31.66\00:40:35.13
I can spot the
sins in other people,
00:40:35.16\00:40:38.20
but it's real
difficult, well, to admit
00:40:38.23\00:40:41.84
because I can spot them.
00:40:41.87\00:40:43.20
But it's to
admit my own failures,
00:40:43.24\00:40:45.87
they're there just like that
00:40:45.91\00:40:47.24
you see them in other
people they are there.
00:40:47.28\00:40:49.68
And once you see them,
then it's tough to admit
00:40:49.71\00:40:52.55
that you got to do
something about it.
00:40:52.58\00:40:54.12
You know, I'll put that off
00:40:54.15\00:40:55.48
and I'll take
care of that tomorrow
00:40:55.52\00:40:56.85
and tomorrow becomes tomorrow,
00:40:56.89\00:40:58.75
becomes
tomorrow, becomes tomorrow.
00:40:58.79\00:41:00.39
And then you find yourself
way out in left field someplace
00:41:00.42\00:41:03.22
where you shouldn't
be because you need to...
00:41:03.26\00:41:05.16
And, you know, here it says,
00:41:05.19\00:41:08.33
"Paul was in
such constant dread,
00:41:08.36\00:41:11.17
lest his evil propensities."
00:41:11.20\00:41:13.00
You know, you figure
Paul got it altogether.
00:41:13.03\00:41:14.74
You know, all
these letters of him.
00:41:14.77\00:41:17.51
The guy wrote
half the New Testament,
00:41:17.54\00:41:18.94
you know, he's
giving everybody advise.
00:41:18.97\00:41:21.34
Surely, Paul's got
it together, you know,
00:41:21.38\00:41:24.15
and if Paul
doesn't have it together
00:41:24.18\00:41:25.58
then what do I think I'm doing.
00:41:25.61\00:41:27.58
You know, I'm so undone.
00:41:27.62\00:41:30.45
Yeah, I know I
touched my microphone,
00:41:30.49\00:41:32.19
you can't do that.
00:41:32.22\00:41:33.89
Paul was in such constant dread,
00:41:33.92\00:41:35.99
lest his evil propensities
should get the better of him,
00:41:36.02\00:41:39.29
that he was constantly
battling with firm resistance,
00:41:39.33\00:41:43.77
unruly appetites, and passions.
00:41:43.80\00:41:45.37
And how many of us, you know,
00:41:45.40\00:41:47.57
it's hard
fighting against yourself.
00:41:47.60\00:41:49.87
It's fatiguing
fighting against yourself.
00:41:49.90\00:41:51.94
And yet the strongest
and most consistent battle
00:41:51.97\00:41:54.58
we have to wage
is against ourselves.
00:41:54.61\00:41:56.91
And sometimes you just
want to wave the white flag,
00:41:56.95\00:41:59.01
"I can't take this anymore."
00:41:59.05\00:42:00.68
But those are the days
00:42:00.72\00:42:02.05
when you don't
feel like fighting,
00:42:02.08\00:42:03.42
you've got to
fight on or rely on Jesus
00:42:03.45\00:42:05.35
to fight the battle through you.
00:42:05.39\00:42:07.49
Because it's important that
00:42:07.52\00:42:08.86
that battle be
waged every single day.
00:42:08.89\00:42:10.43
You know... All right. Go head.
00:42:10.46\00:42:11.79
Was it Paul that
got bit by the snakes?
00:42:11.83\00:42:14.36
Yes, shook it off in the fire.
00:42:14.40\00:42:16.03
He shook it off in the fire.
00:42:16.06\00:42:17.40
So there is serpents
biting you all the time
00:42:17.43\00:42:19.70
when you're a Christian.
00:42:19.73\00:42:21.37
And you just got to hold it
over the fire and shake it off.
00:42:21.40\00:42:24.31
Yeah. That's right.
00:42:24.34\00:42:25.91
It's a good analogy
00:42:25.94\00:42:27.54
and it's a good chapter to read.
00:42:27.58\00:42:31.21
Yeah.
00:42:31.25\00:42:32.58
One thing that's comforting
00:42:32.61\00:42:33.95
is this verse found
in 1 Corinthians 10:13,
00:42:33.98\00:42:37.82
"No temptation has overtaken you
00:42:37.85\00:42:39.65
except such as is common to man.
00:42:39.69\00:42:42.29
But God is faithful,
who will not allow you
00:42:42.32\00:42:44.66
to be tempted
beyond what you are able,
00:42:44.69\00:42:46.90
but with the temptation
00:42:46.93\00:42:48.26
will also make
the way of escape,
00:42:48.30\00:42:50.30
that you may be
able to bear it."
00:42:50.33\00:42:51.90
So He's not gonna
place anything on us
00:42:51.93\00:42:53.57
that's more than
what we can bear,
00:42:53.60\00:42:55.40
and He provides a way of escape.
00:42:55.44\00:42:58.74
One of the easiest
ways to avoid temptation
00:42:58.77\00:43:01.44
is to not put
yourself in those situations
00:43:01.48\00:43:04.51
in the first place.
00:43:04.55\00:43:06.08
You know, people
will reach in the fire
00:43:06.11\00:43:10.15
and ask for
deliverance not to get burned.
00:43:10.19\00:43:13.46
You know, why would you stick,
00:43:13.49\00:43:15.26
don't stick your
hand in the fire,
00:43:15.29\00:43:16.62
don't go around the flame.
00:43:16.66\00:43:18.93
You know, you
have to avoid that.
00:43:18.96\00:43:20.36
You're not
gonna jump off a cliff
00:43:20.40\00:43:21.76
and ask God to help you to fly.
00:43:21.80\00:43:25.13
So you've got to
consider these things
00:43:25.17\00:43:27.94
and think about that,
00:43:27.97\00:43:29.30
don't put
yourself on Satan's ground.
00:43:29.34\00:43:32.44
Amen. Amen.
00:43:32.47\00:43:34.14
That reminds me,
when I was a teenager
00:43:34.18\00:43:38.25
and when my sisters and friends
00:43:38.28\00:43:41.68
that are always in the tropic,
00:43:41.72\00:43:43.52
you know, they're always times
where there are festivities.
00:43:43.55\00:43:46.62
And I was always so
attracted by the music
00:43:46.65\00:43:50.53
and I wanted to go dancing.
00:43:50.56\00:43:52.79
But, of course, you
know you can't do dancing.
00:43:52.83\00:43:55.13
So we will get together
00:43:55.16\00:43:56.56
and we'll go in to watch
the people that were dancing.
00:43:56.60\00:44:00.64
And it just seems that,
it'll get you going even more.
00:44:00.67\00:44:05.94
So I said, my mother
says, "Where were you?"
00:44:05.97\00:44:09.48
You know, and then
so we didn't tell them,
00:44:09.51\00:44:11.45
she says, "Well,
so don't complain
00:44:11.48\00:44:14.52
when your temptation is strong."
00:44:14.55\00:44:16.65
Becomes very strong
00:44:16.69\00:44:18.02
because if you
go on to the fire,
00:44:18.05\00:44:21.16
you're going to be burn.
00:44:21.19\00:44:22.62
So if you want to ask the Lord
and put away all those feelings
00:44:22.66\00:44:28.06
and those desires
that are not godly,
00:44:28.10\00:44:31.00
you have to stay away from that.
00:44:31.03\00:44:33.30
And it's so
true. I learned that.
00:44:33.34\00:44:39.41
A lot of the
times when you're young,
00:44:39.44\00:44:42.21
I remember when I was a
baby and we had a blackout
00:44:42.24\00:44:45.18
and my mother put a
candle on the table.
00:44:45.21\00:44:47.35
And she said, "Eric,
don't touch that candle."
00:44:47.38\00:44:52.89
And I touched the
candle and I got burned.
00:44:52.92\00:44:55.79
And I always to this day
wonder if my mother said,
00:44:55.82\00:44:58.83
"Eric, don't touch the candle,"
00:44:58.86\00:45:00.20
whether I have
touched the candle.
00:45:00.23\00:45:02.13
And I don't really
have any answer for that
00:45:02.16\00:45:03.60
but God warns us,
don't touch that candle
00:45:03.63\00:45:06.53
or else you're
going to get burned.
00:45:06.57\00:45:08.20
And a lot of us
don't listen to that.
00:45:08.24\00:45:10.14
Yeah.
00:45:10.17\00:45:11.51
Well, that's what
the Bible says also,
00:45:11.54\00:45:13.98
when you are a baby,
00:45:14.01\00:45:16.24
you drink milk,
things, you know,
00:45:16.28\00:45:19.45
but when you
are older, an adult,
00:45:19.48\00:45:21.85
now you know what
you're not supposed to do
00:45:21.88\00:45:24.09
and you should be able
to, also fight the faith,
00:45:24.12\00:45:28.12
a good faith, right?
00:45:28.16\00:45:29.49
Good fight of fight.
Like good fight of fight.
00:45:29.52\00:45:31.89
Like Adam and
Eve with the fruit,
00:45:31.93\00:45:35.30
don't eat this fruit.
00:45:35.33\00:45:38.80
Right. Right.
00:45:38.83\00:45:40.17
I had to try it. Right.
00:45:40.20\00:45:42.00
You know, I was
looking up this text,
00:45:42.04\00:45:45.17
it was a companion
to what you're saying.
00:45:45.21\00:45:47.28
It's Ecclesiastes 1:9.
00:45:47.31\00:45:49.24
I know it was
1:9, or 9:1, or 5:1,
00:45:49.28\00:45:52.81
or just couldn't get the numbers
00:45:52.85\00:45:54.18
straight in my mind.
00:45:54.22\00:45:55.55
But Solomon says,
00:45:55.58\00:45:57.49
"That which has
been is what will be,
00:45:57.52\00:46:00.49
that which is done
is what will be done,
00:46:00.52\00:46:03.29
there is nothing
new under the sun."
00:46:03.32\00:46:05.26
You know, there is
no, it's not new stuff,
00:46:05.29\00:46:07.83
you know, everything
that can happen to us
00:46:07.86\00:46:12.00
has happened to somebody else.
00:46:12.03\00:46:15.57
Someone else has had
to fight that battle,
00:46:15.60\00:46:17.74
and better than that
someone has won that battle
00:46:17.77\00:46:20.84
in Jesus Christ.
00:46:20.88\00:46:22.21
So if you are
beset with something,
00:46:22.24\00:46:25.68
you may think nobody
knows the trouble I've seen.
00:46:25.71\00:46:28.92
Nobody in the
history of humanity
00:46:28.95\00:46:30.95
has ever had to deal with this.
00:46:30.99\00:46:33.22
And we're here to tell
you that if you have it,
00:46:33.25\00:46:37.69
somebody else has
had it before you, one.
00:46:37.73\00:46:40.53
Somebody else has fought
against it before you, two.
00:46:40.56\00:46:44.10
And three, Christ
has brought them through.
00:46:44.13\00:46:46.84
So, don't think even
when you slip and fall,
00:46:46.87\00:46:49.94
don't think no one's
ever been in this position.
00:46:49.97\00:46:53.38
No, there's nothing
new, there's no new stuff.
00:46:53.41\00:46:55.91
You know, there are
new ways to express stuff.
00:46:55.94\00:46:58.51
You know, in this matter
00:46:58.55\00:47:00.12
I would not want
to be a teenager,
00:47:00.15\00:47:03.69
I wouldn't mind
having teenage energy,
00:47:03.72\00:47:05.69
but I don't want
to be a teenager.
00:47:05.72\00:47:08.39
It is too rough out there.
00:47:08.42\00:47:09.76
There are too
many ways to get hurt,
00:47:09.79\00:47:11.13
too many ways to get
sick, and too many ways to die.
00:47:11.16\00:47:14.23
There's a lot of
stuff out there now
00:47:14.26\00:47:15.96
that can kill you.
00:47:16.00\00:47:17.33
There are things you can take,
you can smoke it, drink it,
00:47:17.37\00:47:19.50
take it one time,
and your life is gone.
00:47:19.53\00:47:23.14
You can have relations
with the wrong person one time
00:47:23.17\00:47:27.58
and forever your life is change.
00:47:27.61\00:47:29.41
You know, it wasn't
like that when we were kids.
00:47:29.44\00:47:31.35
You know, there was
some room for error,
00:47:31.38\00:47:33.08
there's very little margin
for error in life right now.
00:47:33.11\00:47:35.98
This stuff is tough.
00:47:36.02\00:47:37.35
'Cause everything
is on your face now.
00:47:37.39\00:47:39.32
Very much so and access...
00:47:39.35\00:47:41.12
Now on, you'd
reach very many things.
00:47:41.16\00:47:43.73
Very much so.
00:47:43.76\00:47:45.09
So there's nothing
new, but praise God...
00:47:45.13\00:47:47.56
Anything you have,
you can come up with,
00:47:47.60\00:47:49.96
Christ has seen it
before and He's helped somebody,
00:47:50.00\00:47:53.30
you know, overcome that.
00:47:53.34\00:47:55.07
It's just prayer, and surrender,
00:47:55.10\00:47:56.81
and fighting hard.
00:47:56.84\00:47:58.77
It's not easy.
00:47:58.81\00:48:00.48
There's no place in the
Bible that says heaven is easy,
00:48:00.51\00:48:02.84
but every place it
says heaven is possible.
00:48:02.88\00:48:05.11
Heaven says, "I will
give you all the help you need
00:48:05.15\00:48:08.95
to overcome."
00:48:08.98\00:48:10.35
So you can overcome,
00:48:10.39\00:48:11.72
so don't drop
your head in shame,
00:48:11.75\00:48:13.09
even when you fall.
00:48:13.12\00:48:14.46
The righteous fall
seven times and gets back up.
00:48:14.49\00:48:18.23
So don't lay there and wallow,
get up because as you get up,
00:48:18.26\00:48:22.60
Christ is out
to help you get up,
00:48:22.63\00:48:23.97
and to brush you
off, and walk with you.
00:48:24.00\00:48:25.77
And the good thing
is, ladies and gentlemen,
00:48:25.80\00:48:28.24
He doesn't wash
your face with your past.
00:48:28.27\00:48:31.31
You don't serve
I told you so God.
00:48:31.34\00:48:33.78
He's there to help
you and encourage you,
00:48:33.81\00:48:35.48
not to say, "See, I told you.
00:48:35.51\00:48:37.18
I knew it." You know...
00:48:37.21\00:48:38.55
Right. Right.
00:48:38.58\00:48:40.42
That's like what
devil does, he tempts you.
00:48:40.45\00:48:43.65
Then you fall in
and then he's like,
00:48:43.69\00:48:45.45
now look at this stuff.
00:48:45.49\00:48:46.82
Right, right.
00:48:46.86\00:48:48.19
And then he comes
to you and tells you,
00:48:48.22\00:48:51.46
you're not good enough.
00:48:51.49\00:48:52.83
You can't go to
until you're perfect,
00:48:52.86\00:48:54.66
but that's not the case.
00:48:54.70\00:48:56.03
Right, right.
00:48:56.06\00:48:57.40
What's just
refreshing for me to know that
00:48:57.43\00:48:59.83
whatever I'm going through
00:48:59.87\00:49:01.64
that there's nothing God
hasn't seen or experienced,
00:49:01.67\00:49:05.11
but He got through it.
00:49:05.14\00:49:06.47
And through His
strength I can get through it.
00:49:06.51\00:49:10.41
And He's not
judging me, you know.
00:49:10.45\00:49:13.48
Jason, I think your
point is so well taken.
00:49:13.52\00:49:16.28
One, the devil
will entice you to sin,
00:49:16.32\00:49:19.32
then he will lead you into sin,
00:49:19.35\00:49:21.92
then he will expose
you for being sinful,
00:49:21.96\00:49:24.99
then he will accuse you.
00:49:25.03\00:49:26.70
You know, so it's...
00:49:26.73\00:49:30.77
That's why you
cannot trust yourself or...
00:49:30.80\00:49:33.00
Because spiritual things
are spiritually discerned,
00:49:33.03\00:49:34.70
but more than that, you've
got to keep surrendering to God
00:49:34.74\00:49:37.51
because you may think it's right
00:49:37.54\00:49:39.01
or that you can
dabble in one time
00:49:39.04\00:49:41.64
and get away from it.
00:49:41.68\00:49:43.11
But the devil
will take you further
00:49:43.14\00:49:44.48
than you wanted to go,
00:49:44.51\00:49:45.85
and keep you longer
than you wanted to stay,
00:49:45.88\00:49:47.52
and then embarrass
you in front of everybody,
00:49:47.55\00:49:49.85
and then sit back and laugh.
00:49:49.88\00:49:51.22
That's true.
00:49:51.25\00:49:52.59
And one of the
things that's interesting
00:49:52.62\00:49:54.49
is how we hold
on to certain things
00:49:54.52\00:49:56.86
or hold on to certain sins.
00:49:56.89\00:49:58.73
I want to share another thing
00:49:58.76\00:50:00.10
that came from a
Call to Stand Apart.
00:50:00.13\00:50:02.96
I'm going to have to
read this whole book like...
00:50:03.00\00:50:05.73
I started looking
stuff up and I was just like,
00:50:05.77\00:50:08.17
"Wow, I want this, I
want that, I want..."
00:50:08.20\00:50:10.61
All right, so I'll
read, I'll jump into it.
00:50:10.64\00:50:13.64
This comes from
page 21, paragraph 2.
00:50:13.68\00:50:17.15
"And love will be
revealed in sacrifice.
00:50:17.18\00:50:20.75
The plan of redemption
was laid in sacrifice,
00:50:20.78\00:50:23.62
a sacrifice so
broad and deep and high
00:50:23.65\00:50:26.39
that it is immeasurable.
00:50:26.42\00:50:28.29
Christ gave all for us,
and those who receive Christ
00:50:28.32\00:50:31.39
will be ready to sacrifice all
for the sake of their Redeemer.
00:50:31.43\00:50:35.93
The thought of
His honor and glory
00:50:35.96\00:50:38.07
will come before anything else."
00:50:38.10\00:50:41.37
Powerful, powerful.
00:50:41.40\00:50:43.47
I mean,
00:50:43.51\00:50:44.84
you know, when you
think about the sacrifice
00:50:44.87\00:50:46.44
that Christ made for
each and every one of us.
00:50:46.47\00:50:52.18
Why would we want to hold on
to this music, or this TV show,
00:50:52.21\00:50:58.32
or this addiction, or
whatever the case may be,
00:50:58.35\00:51:02.86
you know, it's...
00:51:02.89\00:51:04.23
Chocolate.
00:51:04.26\00:51:05.59
Everybody got
something. Yeah, right.
00:51:13.03\00:51:14.90
Everybody's got
some kind of vice.
00:51:14.94\00:51:16.67
Ellen White
says, somewhere that,
00:51:16.71\00:51:18.37
you know, when we get to heaven
00:51:18.41\00:51:19.74
and we'll say it was
cheap enough, you know.
00:51:19.77\00:51:23.45
There is something
else that I don't remember
00:51:23.48\00:51:25.78
but I had read it.
00:51:25.81\00:51:27.38
And Sister White says
that when the enemy comes,
00:51:27.42\00:51:33.52
will attack, this is you think
00:51:33.56\00:51:36.46
that there is a
mountain coming at you.
00:51:36.49\00:51:39.83
And he says, "No."
00:51:39.86\00:51:41.20
He says, "It's just
a simple little thing."
00:51:41.23\00:51:44.03
But we are so weak
00:51:44.07\00:51:45.90
that we immediately
are ready to cave in.
00:51:45.93\00:51:49.17
And that to me was
powerful because it's true
00:51:49.20\00:51:52.91
when all this stuff...
00:51:52.94\00:51:54.58
In our humanity that the trials
come in a mighty way sometimes.
00:51:54.61\00:52:01.02
When we came to 3ABN,
Marilyn and myself, we said,
00:52:01.05\00:52:05.45
"Nobody here has had
the problems we've had.
00:52:05.49\00:52:09.66
Nobody could possibly..."
00:52:09.69\00:52:11.03
And we came here and saw
that there was a lot of people
00:52:11.06\00:52:14.16
who come to the
Lord, who have trials,
00:52:14.20\00:52:17.50
and we were stunned
00:52:17.53\00:52:18.93
because we
weren't the only ones.
00:52:18.97\00:52:21.14
So we take that to heart
00:52:21.17\00:52:22.54
that sometimes God's children
have trials and struggles
00:52:22.57\00:52:25.47
and it's not
because He hates us,
00:52:25.51\00:52:27.91
in fact, it's
because He loves us.
00:52:27.94\00:52:29.28
Amen. Amen.
00:52:29.31\00:52:30.68
And sometimes we
haven't experienced the trials
00:52:30.71\00:52:36.28
so bad until we come here too.
00:52:36.32\00:52:38.19
Right. Yeah.
00:52:38.22\00:52:40.09
You know, that is so true.
00:52:40.12\00:52:42.86
You know, you have a lot
of smiling faces around 3ABN,
00:52:42.89\00:52:46.46
but that is a learned response
that comes with loving Jesus,
00:52:46.49\00:52:52.20
because those smiling faces
00:52:52.23\00:52:54.20
are not indicative
of trial free lives.
00:52:54.24\00:52:57.07
In fact, I think of
all the places I've worked
00:52:57.11\00:52:59.47
and I worked in
denomination all my life
00:52:59.51\00:53:01.18
since I left college.
00:53:01.21\00:53:03.01
I've not worked a place
00:53:03.04\00:53:04.38
where the devil is more
on the assault than here.
00:53:04.41\00:53:09.62
There is very few people
getting through scot-free.
00:53:09.65\00:53:12.59
If I got anybody
that is totally scot-free,
00:53:12.62\00:53:15.19
it's just how long
is your wrap sheet.
00:53:15.22\00:53:17.89
You know, how much do you
have that you're standing on
00:53:17.93\00:53:22.23
because nobody gets away.
00:53:22.26\00:53:24.03
We can think of people right now
00:53:24.07\00:53:25.40
who are home sick in bed.
00:53:25.43\00:53:26.77
A lot of people who
are having problems.
00:53:26.80\00:53:28.14
I was thinking about the health,
00:53:28.17\00:53:29.90
it's one big item that enemy has
00:53:29.94\00:53:35.01
on people here in 3ABN.
00:53:35.04\00:53:37.11
And that's not even that
they're unhealthy people.
00:53:37.15\00:53:39.75
Right. Exactly.
00:53:39.78\00:53:41.12
He's creating
situations... Right.
00:53:41.15\00:53:43.45
Right. That's
causing them suffer.
00:53:43.49\00:53:45.59
And I think, you know, pain.
00:53:45.62\00:53:47.96
Can I say mess with?
00:53:47.99\00:53:49.76
Pain can mess with your head.
00:53:49.79\00:53:51.36
You know, when you're in
pain for a long period of time.
00:53:51.39\00:53:53.66
You know about pain, I
certainly know about pain.
00:53:53.70\00:53:55.63
Yeah.
00:53:55.66\00:53:57.00
And the other thing,
00:53:57.03\00:53:58.37
pain can have
you doubting stuff.
00:53:58.40\00:54:00.30
You know, do I love the Lord?
00:54:00.34\00:54:02.90
Does the Lord love me?
00:54:02.94\00:54:04.81
Do I have some
secret thing I need to...
00:54:04.84\00:54:06.47
You know, it can kind of
drive you a little crazy.
00:54:06.51\00:54:09.94
And yet John rather says in...
00:54:09.98\00:54:14.25
I got to get it right.
00:54:14.28\00:54:15.62
1 John 5:13, we got to
know that we have salvation.
00:54:15.65\00:54:20.36
And sometime you
just got to read...
00:54:20.39\00:54:21.82
Ellen White
says you got to just,
00:54:21.86\00:54:23.49
you know, go on what
you know, not what you feel.
00:54:23.53\00:54:26.36
Because when you're in
pain for a long period of time,
00:54:26.39\00:54:28.56
you don't feel saved,
you feel kind of a mess,
00:54:28.60\00:54:32.43
but then you got
to go on the word.
00:54:32.47\00:54:34.37
And just, "I know
Jesus, Jesus knows me,
00:54:34.40\00:54:37.77
and though I don't
feel really Jesusy..."
00:54:37.81\00:54:40.31
Can I use that word, I
got a new word, "Jesusy".
00:54:40.34\00:54:42.64
I don't feel Jesusy
today, I know He loves me.
00:54:42.68\00:54:46.38
So you just got to lockdown
00:54:46.41\00:54:47.75
and know it mentally
even though in your heart
00:54:47.78\00:54:50.42
you don't necessarily
feel it at that moment
00:54:50.45\00:54:52.32
because the promise is in Him
00:54:52.35\00:54:54.39
and the power is
in Him, not in you.
00:54:54.42\00:54:56.56
Is that White says,
00:54:56.59\00:54:58.16
now it's the time
to feed on the word,
00:54:58.19\00:55:00.53
so that when that
time of trial comes,
00:55:00.56\00:55:02.23
you have some
reserve to fall back on.
00:55:02.26\00:55:05.20
So when times are good,
00:55:05.23\00:55:06.57
if you're not
feeding on the word,
00:55:06.60\00:55:07.94
then you're not
gonna have strength
00:55:07.97\00:55:09.30
when that trial
comes and it's coming.
00:55:09.34\00:55:11.11
Well said. Absolutely.
00:55:11.14\00:55:12.47
And look at how
the devil operates
00:55:12.51\00:55:13.84
because when you look
at how Christ was tempted,
00:55:13.88\00:55:16.34
he gave Him scripture,
00:55:16.38\00:55:17.95
but he twisted like
one small little part.
00:55:17.98\00:55:21.32
And he does that consistently,
00:55:21.35\00:55:22.95
he will give you
99.9 percent truth
00:55:22.98\00:55:26.82
and that point 0.1...
00:55:26.86\00:55:28.62
It's deadly. It's false.
00:55:28.66\00:55:31.19
Yeah.
00:55:31.23\00:55:32.69
Well, question what
you know to be true.
00:55:32.73\00:55:34.43
Have the Lord not
said, if you eat of this,
00:55:34.46\00:55:36.90
you will surely die.
00:55:36.93\00:55:38.27
Is that what He said?
00:55:38.30\00:55:39.63
Did He really mean that?
00:55:39.67\00:55:41.00
Because you got that,
maybe the translation,
00:55:41.04\00:55:42.54
you know, you don't
speak that language so good,
00:55:42.57\00:55:44.54
maybe we got the
translation got it wrong.
00:55:44.57\00:55:46.17
You speak Spanish, you
know, that kind of thing.
00:55:46.21\00:55:51.38
And just that
little doubt, a little,
00:55:51.41\00:55:53.05
which is what he did in heaven.
00:55:53.08\00:55:54.42
And your mind begins,
"Well, maybe he didn't.
00:55:54.45\00:55:56.05
Maybe I got it wrong.
00:55:56.08\00:55:57.42
Maybe the translation
was a little faulty."
00:55:57.45\00:55:59.35
And then you begin to
go on that faulty premise
00:55:59.39\00:56:01.02
and before you know it,
00:56:01.06\00:56:02.39
you're in a place
where you don't need to be.
00:56:02.42\00:56:05.23
Can I read a text that
I know all of you know,
00:56:05.26\00:56:08.90
but it really
brings comfort to my heart.
00:56:08.93\00:56:11.73
It's Jeremiah 29:11-13.
00:56:11.77\00:56:14.90
And it says, "For
I know the thoughts
00:56:14.94\00:56:16.60
that I think
toward you, says the Lord,
00:56:16.64\00:56:19.37
thoughts of
peace, and not of evil,
00:56:19.41\00:56:21.51
to give you future and a hope.
00:56:21.54\00:56:24.71
Then you will call upon me,
00:56:24.75\00:56:26.08
and go and pray to me,
and I will listen to you,
00:56:26.11\00:56:28.98
and you will
seek me, and find me,
00:56:29.02\00:56:31.32
when you search for
me with all your heart."
00:56:31.35\00:56:33.96
Amen, amen.
00:56:33.99\00:56:35.39
I think those last
words are the most important.
00:56:35.42\00:56:37.73
When you search for a
God, you will find Him.
00:56:37.76\00:56:43.60
You know, we always
say, "I found the Lord,"
00:56:43.63\00:56:46.00
like He was lost.
00:56:46.03\00:56:49.40
We were lost, you know,
00:56:49.44\00:56:51.31
so He's there waiting
for you to return to Him
00:56:51.34\00:56:53.07
because like I said with Peter,
00:56:53.11\00:56:54.54
even though your eyes
may not see Him, He sees you.
00:56:54.58\00:56:58.01
He knows where you are,
He's waiting for you to call.
00:56:58.05\00:57:00.58
And He will
activate that GPS system
00:57:00.62\00:57:03.18
that you have in your soul,
00:57:03.22\00:57:04.79
and you will track
towards Him, if you love Him.
00:57:04.82\00:57:07.52
And if you want to find Him,
He's right there to be found,
00:57:07.56\00:57:11.66
He is only a prayer away. Amen.
00:57:11.69\00:57:14.70
And He will call upon you.
00:57:14.73\00:57:16.23
And if you call upon
Him, He will hear you,
00:57:16.26\00:57:19.00
and He will answer you.
00:57:19.03\00:57:20.67
Marilyn and Eric,
thank you so very much.
00:57:20.70\00:57:22.70
Jason, thank you so very much.
00:57:22.74\00:57:24.21
Boo, thank you, my love.
00:57:24.24\00:57:25.57
You're welcome. Praise the Lord.
00:57:25.61\00:57:26.94
God bless. We'll
see you again soon.
00:57:26.98\00:57:28.64