Participants: C.A Murray (Host), Danny Shelton & Yvonne Lewis-Shelton, Jorge & Lynette Jaque
Series Code: TDYFW
Program Code: TDYFW017037A
|
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 01:09 Hello, and welcome to 3ABN Family Worship. 01:13 We are so glad that you've joined us. 01:15 Now whether you are watching us 01:16 on a Friday evening preparing for the Sabbath 01:19 or a Saturday evening preparing for your busy week, 01:22 we welcome you to the family 01:24 and to this worship experience together. 01:26 We got the gang here. 01:28 We've got Mr. Danny Shelton, Yvonne Lewis, 01:31 to my left Jorge and Lynette Jaque, 01:35 Boo and I am CA. 01:38 So we are all here together. 01:40 I want to ask you guys a question first very quickly. 01:42 Do any of you have favorite things, 01:44 favorite things? 01:46 Favorite, I know you have a favorite chair, 01:48 'cause I have seen you in your favorite chair. 01:50 I know Danny has a favorite chair. 01:52 Yvonne, favorite things, anything favorite? 01:54 Favorite food, favorite dress, favorite... 01:58 That could go for a long time. 02:01 So... 02:02 I have favorite foods. Of course, foods. 02:05 I have to say plural though, 02:06 but I can't just pick one thing. 02:08 And I have favorite texts, you know, Bible texts 02:11 but I can't just pick one. 02:13 Yeah, just one. Yeah. 02:14 Jorge, favorite? 02:15 My lawn mower. 02:17 Your favorite lawn mower. I love it. 02:20 It's good. Boo, favorite anything? 02:22 I think I feel the same as Yvonne, 02:24 I have many things that are favorite 02:27 that I really, can't really say that one. 02:31 He is wanting you to say, your husband, 02:33 that's what he wanted you to say especially for. 02:35 That is first without saying. 02:37 Favorite or only? Amen. 02:40 And the reason I go there is because 02:42 I'm, maybe I'm straight, 02:43 I don't have a favorite anything. 02:45 I don't have a favorite food, I don't have... 02:47 People say, "What's your favorite book in the Bible?" 02:48 I don't have one, I don't have a favorite text. 02:50 You do have a favorite. Well. 02:51 You have a favorite fork, 02:54 that every time I give him another fork. 02:57 Well, it is not my favorite fork, 02:59 it's just that I thought I'll get that fork, 03:00 I don't eat with it. 03:03 But as a rule, I don't have, 03:05 I don't have a favorite anything 03:06 and people say, "What's your favorite text in the Bible?" 03:08 I don't have one. 03:09 What I have is a text that 03:13 I sort of take the light in for a while, 03:15 then I move on to another text. 03:18 And the reason I say that is because 03:20 the text that I'm sort of focused on right now 03:23 is 1 John 1:7. 03:26 Now what's interesting about 1 John from 6 to10, 03:30 those last several verses all begin with the word 'If'. 03:34 But first like 1 John 1:9 is, "If we confess our sins," 03:37 but two verses earlier, 1 John 1:7 begins with 03:41 "but if" and here's what it says, 03:43 "If we walk in the light, as He's in the light, 03:47 we have fellowship one with another 03:50 and the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sins." 03:53 And the reason I bring that up now is because 03:56 that's what family worship is all about. 03:58 It's the first part of that text. 03:59 It's fellowship, one with another. 04:02 And if you're walking in the light 04:04 and others are walking in the light with you, 04:06 you cannot help but have fellowship. 04:08 You know, and many times 04:10 and I think we can all attest to this, that 04:13 when you're walking with someone in Christ, 04:17 they become and can become closer to you 04:20 than your own natural siblings. 04:21 Is that not so when people who are related to you... 04:23 but there is this bond of walking in the same direction 04:27 and so the promise is, if you're walking in the light, 04:30 you're going to have fellowship. 04:32 You know, it's part of the, it's the default setting 04:34 for walking with Jesus. 04:36 You going to have people walking with you, 04:37 walking the same way so that when you fall, 04:39 you got someone to kind of help you up, you know, 04:41 and kind of keep you. 04:43 And then it also said the blood of Christ 04:44 cleanses us from all sins, so that's a great thing. 04:47 So that's what this is all about, 04:48 it's fellowship. 04:50 That's what we're doing. 04:51 And so we're inviting you to fellowship with us. 04:53 Danny, we're going to sing. Okay. 04:55 And our song is, 04:57 "Take the name of Jesus with you." 04:59 And the reason I sort of picked this is because 05:00 we're going to talk about Ellen White. 05:03 Irma and I went through reading the other day 05:04 and she mentioned the value of pain. 05:08 Now when we think about pain, we don't think about value. 05:10 Value and pain are not words 05:12 you kind of put in the same sentence. 05:14 So I've changed a little bit 05:16 and we're calling this gain through pain. 05:19 Okay. Amen. 05:20 Gain through pain, or the sanctity of suffering, 05:23 you can use any one of the three. 05:25 But we're going to talk about gain through pain 05:27 because there is something to be learned 05:30 through suffering. 05:32 Now before we go to song, I want to ask you 05:33 all one quick question. 05:34 What's the better teacher, failure or success? 05:37 Danny, what do you think? 05:38 Well, for me, it's been failure. 05:42 Yeah. Yeah. 05:43 It teaches you success. 05:44 Yeah, it teaches you not to do that again. 05:47 Nothing up. 05:48 I have to agree. Yeah, Boo? 05:50 Yes, same for me. Lynette? 05:51 Well, it has to be failure 'cause failure to me is, 05:55 it's just another opportunity to try again, 05:58 so it's not the end. 05:59 Yeah, yeah. 06:01 I think we learn more, Jorge... 06:02 That's right. Through failure. 06:03 There's somebody said, "Don't take failure as a failure 06:07 but as an opportunity to learn." 06:08 So it has to be failure. 06:10 That's the only way to learn. So we can... 06:12 I'm never anxious to learn through failure. 06:14 Yes, yes. 06:17 And we got to make the best of it, so okay, 06:19 how can we learn from this. 06:20 So you can gain through pain. 06:23 You can learn through suffering, 06:25 you stub on your toe, you know, 06:27 you put your hand on fire and you burn yourself is okay. 06:29 Make note to self, "Do not put hand in fire." 06:31 You know, you're not going to do that again. 06:33 So that's what we're going to talk about today 06:34 and hopefully we'll give you some encouragement 06:37 because the truth is, 06:39 nobody gets a scholarship on suffering. 06:42 Everybody's got to pay their dues 06:44 on the way to the kingdom, we're going to talk about that. 06:46 So let's sing now, it's 474 in your SDA church hymnal 06:51 and it's called "Take the name of Jesus with you." 06:54 We are so happy to have Tim Parton, 06:56 pianist extraordinaire on the piano. 06:59 And, I asked him to play this with a little cayenne. 07:05 And he can do that so very, very well. 07:07 Perhaps better than most people we know. 07:09 Okay. Yeah. 07:11 "Take the name of Jesus with you." 07:12 Tim, let's give away. 07:18 Take the name of Jesus with you 07:22 Child of sorrow and of woe 07:27 It will joy and comfort give you 07:31 Take it then where're you go. 07:35 Precious name! Oh, how sweet! 07:40 Hope of earth and joy of heav'n 07:45 Precious name! Oh, how sweet! 07:52 Hope of earth and joy of heav'n 07:57 Last stanza. 07:59 At the name of Jesus bowing 08:03 Falling prostrate at His feet 08:08 King of kings in heaven we'll crown Him 08:13 When our journey is complete 08:17 Precious name! Oh, how sweet! 08:22 Hope of earth and joy of heav'n 08:27 Precious name! 08:29 Oh, how sweet! 08:34 Hope of earth 08:36 And joy of heav'n 08:42 Amen. And amen. 08:45 Amen, "Take the name of Jesus with you," 08:49 through everything that life has to throw you away. 08:52 It is a wonderful song, 08:54 thank you so very much, Tim Parton. 08:55 We are talking about gain through pain, 08:58 or as Ellen White put it in the morning watch 09:01 that Irma and I read just in the morning, 09:03 the value of pain or the sanctity of suffering, 09:05 take your pick. 09:07 Want to read this, so that 09:08 we can sort of all be on the same page 09:10 and sort of walk together to this 09:11 because we all have experiences that we can draw from this. 09:16 Ellen White says, "In the experience 09:19 of the Apostle John under persecution, 09:22 there is a lesson of wonderful strength 09:24 and comfort for the Christian." 09:26 Of course, John was boiled in oil. 09:29 And then when they couldn't kill him, 09:30 they left him to die on Patmos. 09:33 So he lived to a ripe old age 09:35 but he was steadfast through all of that. 09:39 "God does not prevent the plottings of wicked men." 09:41 We should put a line under that I think. 09:43 Brother Shelton, Boo. 09:46 You don't always stop the plots but look what she says, 09:50 "But He causes their devices to work for good 09:53 to those who in trial and conflict 09:57 maintain their faith and loyalty." 10:00 So there is a call to stay strong, 10:02 even when people are plotting against you. 10:05 "Often the gospel laborer carries on his work 10:08 amid storms of persecution, bitter opposition, 10:12 and unjust reproach. 10:15 At such times let him remember 10:18 that the experience to be gained 10:20 in the furnace of trial and affliction 10:22 is worth all the pain it costs." 10:25 Now that's kind of hard to deal with sometimes 10:28 but it's something we need to hold on to. 10:31 "Thus God brings His children near to Him, 10:34 that He may show them their weakness 10:37 and His strength. 10:40 He teaches them to lean on Him." 10:42 Amen and amen. 10:43 "Thus He prepares them to meet emergencies, 10:46 to fill positions of trust, 10:48 and to accomplish the great purpose 10:50 for which their powers were given them." 10:52 So God gives us all stuff 10:54 that we need to use in His service 10:57 and sometimes that only blossom 10:59 under the fires of affliction. 11:02 "In all ages, God's appointed witnesses 11:04 have exposed themselves to reproach 11:06 and persecution for truth's sake. 11:09 Joseph was maligned and persecuted 11:12 because he preserved his virtue and integrity. 11:15 David, the chosen messenger of God, 11:17 was hunted like a beast of prey by his enemies. 11:21 Daniel was cast into a den of lions 11:24 because he was true to his allegiance to heaven. 11:28 Job was deprived of his worldly possessions, 11:30 and so afflicted in body that he was abhorred 11:33 by his relatives and friends, 11:35 yet he maintained his integrity. 11:39 Jeremiah could not be deterred from speaking the words 11:42 that God had given him to speak, 11:44 and his testimony so enraged the king and princes 11:48 that he was cast into a loathsome pit. 11:51 Stephen was stoned because he preached Christ 11:54 and Him crucified. 11:56 Paul was imprisoned, beaten with cords, 11:59 stoned, and finally put to death because 12:01 he was a faithful messenger for God to the Gentiles. 12:05 And John was banished to the Isle of Patmos 12:09 for the word of God, 12:10 and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 12:13 These examples of human steadfastness 12:16 bear witness to the faithfulness 12:18 of God's promises 12:21 of His abiding presence and sustaining grace. 12:24 They testify to the power of faith 12:27 to withstand the powers of the world." 12:30 Amen. 12:32 "They bore witness to the power 12:34 of One mightier than Satan. 12:36 Through trial and persecution the glory, 12:40 the character of God is revealed in His chosen ones. 12:44 The believers in Christ, 12:46 hated and persecuted by the world, 12:48 are educated and disciplined in the school of Christ. 12:52 On earth they walk in narrow paths, 12:55 they are purified in the furnace of affliction." 13:00 That's a powerful reading. Yes. 13:02 It's powerful. It's a powerful reading. 13:04 And before I sort of turn to lose, you know, 13:05 in reading Ellen White's history. 13:07 Early on in her ministry, she made a bargain with God. 13:12 She admits that, "When I was younger, 13:14 I was pretty proud and kind of vain 13:16 and the idea that, I got hit with a stone 13:19 and my looks changed 13:21 and it was going to affect me for the rest of my life 13:23 and that I couldn't go back to school 13:24 was a great personal trial to me 13:28 because I had this vain streak in me." 13:30 So she said, "Okay, Lord now that you've called me, 13:33 if I go around telling everybody 13:35 that I am a prophet of God and I have words in the Lord, 13:38 what is going to keep me humble 'cause I know myself, 13:41 what's going to keep my head from getting big?" 13:45 And the Lord said to her, 13:46 "I will make a covenant with you through suffering." 13:51 He said, "If ever this thing that you dread 13:54 begins to rise up in you, 13:57 I will knock it back down through suffering." 14:00 And if you look at, if you look at Ellen White's life, guys, 14:03 she was hit in the nose with a stone 14:05 but if we look at all of the ills and things 14:08 that accrued from that one little pop in the nose, 14:10 it's way beyond what that should have caused, 14:14 but it was an outworking of God's saying, 14:16 "I'm going to keep you humble through suffering. 14:19 And if ever you stray, I'll bring you back. 14:23 That's the covenant we make through suffering. 14:25 So sometimes, the truth is, 14:27 suffering will do for us what success fails to do, 14:31 sometimes God's got to turn up the heat a little bit. 14:33 And Ellen White says, "The pastors, 14:35 every now again they to need to..." 14:36 You know, I preaches every Sabbath 14:38 but sometimes you got to turn the heat up more. 14:39 "Hold them over the flame, you know, 14:41 let them feel the heat, 14:44 so that they know and understand. 14:46 And yet the flame doesn't come to burn us up, 14:49 it comes to make us stronger in the Lord." 14:52 Anybody want to weigh on this? 14:54 I remember that she has said also that, 14:58 "The Lord will allow us to come to a place 15:01 where He can mould us, you know, change us. 15:05 But if we don't yield, He will, you know, calm us down 15:12 but he will bring us back again. 15:15 Until we're able to learn and that to me 15:17 is the refining process 15:20 that the Lord gives us something to help us. 15:23 Oh, go ahead. 15:25 In the physical part, we are the physical part 15:28 and the spiritual burden, but persecution, whether that, 15:33 whatever form that would be, it's good for the pride too 15:37 because what you tend to do if you feel that 15:40 you are unjustly persecuted. 15:43 Let's say, people are talking about you, 15:45 they are spreading rumors about you. 15:47 It's really your pride that makes you want to stand, 15:49 I've been there to stand up and say, "That is not true." 15:53 Now why am I really caring about that? 15:55 Am I caring about that 15:56 'cause I want people to think good about me, 15:58 or do I care about that 'cause I don't want it 16:01 to be something that looks bad on the Christianity, 16:04 and the church, and all of that, 16:06 what's my purpose. 16:07 But biting your tongue, you know, 16:10 there's time that you have to bite your tongue, 16:12 and it really don't, 16:13 that's not been easy for me in my life 16:14 because things happen, I'm very... 16:17 Somebody might tell you, I'm a little outspoken 16:18 very out... 16:20 No. 16:21 No. Yeah, little outspoken. 16:23 So I tend to wanted to defend myself 16:26 but I'm learning after all these years, 16:28 finally, there are times that I say, you know what? 16:31 I'm just gonna let them say what they want to say. 16:33 Ezekiel 14:14, I think, it is or, 16:36 yeah Exodus 14:14 says, 16:38 "The Lord will fight your battles." 16:39 So I'm learning to do that, I haven't conquered it yet 16:42 but it's good for persecution, really purifies you. 16:47 That's right. It does, it does. 16:49 You know, I don't want to be the only one talking, 16:51 but that really is been in my life too. 16:55 That it was at time that I never imagined 16:58 that I was proud that I had pride, you know, 17:01 I always thought that I was very accommodating and humble, 17:05 and not until I had an experience, 17:07 and the Lord told me that if you are so concerned 17:11 about what they say what do they... 17:13 It must be pride in you, and I was like, "Oh!" 17:18 So, but that changed my look, and things, and other people. 17:24 When we go through these really hard times 17:29 that's when we learn about who we are 17:33 and we learn who God is because He is the one 17:37 that sustains us through it, 17:38 and it's through that process that you really... 17:44 It either drives you closer to God 17:47 or pulls you away from Him. 17:49 I think, you know, some people get angry 17:52 and rebellious when they go through 17:55 a time of persecution, 17:56 but others find their strength in clinging to God 18:01 and when they do, that refines their character, 18:04 that helps them grow to the next level. 18:06 And I just think there's so many people 18:09 that are dealing with persecution, 18:12 like, I've really been... 18:14 The Lord's been leading me to read books 18:16 about persecuted Christians in other parts of the world. 18:21 And the things that they go through 18:24 are unbelievable. 18:25 For us, you know, sometimes we consider, 18:29 we might call it like a persecution 18:31 but it's just an inconvenience. 18:32 You know what I'm saying, you know. 18:34 Yeah, really. 18:35 It's not persecution. Very true... 18:37 No, it's not persecution. 18:38 But this is real persecution 18:40 where people are losing their lives 18:43 because they stand up for Christ. 18:45 You know, if you say, well, God this or God that, 18:48 people aren't really that, they'll let you go with that, 18:51 but if you say Jesus Christ, 18:53 once you stand on Jesus Christ, 18:57 then that just raises all kinds of issues 19:01 and people around the world are being persecuted 19:04 for Christ, and it's appalling to me 19:07 what they are going through. 19:09 Yes. 19:10 You know, I think one of the things 19:12 we have to do is keep it in prospective. 19:16 John 16:33, "In the world you shall have tribulation." 19:20 Nobody gets a path on that, that's everybody, 19:23 and particularly, if you are standing for the Lord, 19:25 and, particularly if you are in some manner of leadership 19:29 for the Lord, you will become a target. 19:31 And when you say, 19:33 "I have decided to follow Jesus," 19:36 the devil says, "I have decided 19:38 you are not gonna follow Jesus." 19:40 So the battle begins, 19:42 and that battle rages until you give up on Christ 19:45 or till the day you die. 19:46 And you get no vacation, no time off, no sick time, 19:49 no comp time, always fighting, you know, for the Lord, 19:53 and she says it here, 19:56 "Your desire to serve the Lord is gonna be tested." 20:00 It's gonna be tested. 20:01 And we've touched on this, 20:03 the idea that a lot of it is just pride, 20:07 you know, they did it to me, you know, it's pride and, 20:13 you know, Ellen White says about pride, 20:15 she says, "One, it's the hardest to diagnose." 20:20 So most who have it, don't know they have it. 20:24 Almost impossible to cure, 20:26 so the chemotherapy to get rid of it 20:30 is really, really tough, 20:32 and she says the whole church has it. 20:34 So that's about it, everybody's got it 20:36 whether you think you have it or not, you do. 20:38 And sometimes the Lord has to put you in situations 20:41 to show you that because you don't think you... 20:43 That's right. Like Irma said," Me, pride? 20:46 I'm so humble." 20:47 I've heard people say, "I'm humble, 20:49 I'm humble, I'm proud of my humility." 20:51 You know, I'm humble. I'm proud of my humility. 20:54 I'm so proud of my humility. 20:55 You know, Lord has to show you, no, you ain't humble. 20:59 You are not humble. So things are gonna come. 21:02 When you began this ministry, 21:03 it wasn't a sail through for you 21:06 'cause the devil said, "You are not doing that." 21:09 And I will send people, 21:10 and sometimes in your own household, 21:11 or, you know, or, sitting in a pew next to you, 21:15 or sleeping in the same bed with you. 21:17 You know, you don't know, it's gonna come, 21:19 he will use anybody at anytime, 21:20 anywhere to try to discourage you 21:22 if he knows you are trying to serve your Lord. 21:23 That's true. Yeah. 21:25 It's interesting, you have mentioned it, 21:28 that pride that we sometimes is attacked, 21:32 is under attack, and then we react 21:34 because we think, okay, we don't deserve this 21:36 or the other thing. 21:39 I grew up in a home where my parents were missionaries, 21:44 and then, but the first few years of my life 21:48 I went to Adventist Christian school 21:51 in a very safe, secure environment 21:55 until they moved to this little town 22:00 where everybody was bit, 22:03 belonged to a different denomination, very popular, 22:08 and we were the only little Christians, 22:12 Adventist Christians in a little church, 22:14 two blocks away from that downtown. 22:18 So they will see me coming outside of my house 22:22 was the church at the same time so we share that. 22:26 So I'll go through my first day of the school 22:29 and everybody look, 22:31 "Oh, you are the one who live in that church." 22:34 And the persecution started but at that level nothing, 22:39 nothing like the people in the Bible. 22:43 So I never had to experience that kind of persecution, 22:45 but these type of persecution is also a test, and you think, 22:51 "Okay, why me? 22:53 Why they have to make fun of me?" 22:56 And you question yourself being a little kid, 22:59 and you don't know any better but you go to new house, 23:02 and they say, and they first thing, 23:03 sometimes it came to my mind, I hope my big brother is here 23:06 so he can teach them a lesson. 23:09 Of course, that was my thinking, 23:12 but now I think, okay, God was teaching me something. 23:16 And humility, you know, you sometimes have to, 23:19 and later on in my life, 23:21 I had to understand in a different way, 23:22 in different situations 23:24 but that was my little encounter with persecution 23:29 that it taught me a big lesson. 23:35 It's something, the Bible says, rather the lesson says, 23:40 "God does not prevent the plottings of wicked men, 23:44 but he causes their devices to work for good 23:48 to those who in trial, and conflict, 23:50 maintain their faith and loyalty." 23:52 You wish, you almost wish God would sometimes. 23:55 You know, but He doesn't always stop their plots. 24:00 He lets their plots go on, but if we hold on to Him, 24:03 He will turn those plots around for our good. 24:06 Yes. And that's the promise. 24:08 And what I like about that is the fact that 24:11 I don't have to lay awake at night 24:12 trying to think of revenge against people 24:14 who do stuff to me, you know, 'cause God's gonna take, 24:17 God's gonna take care of those, I think. 24:19 How can I get back at him, and how can I get back at them, 24:21 I'm gonna do this to brethren, I must not do that 24:23 because God is gonna take that 24:25 and He is gonna fight my battles for me. 24:26 That's right. 24:27 I don't know why we fight it about the persecution, 24:32 here, speaking of pride, 24:34 it's hard for me to put glasses on like this just to wear. 24:37 Never had to wear them but second... 24:38 We all are wearing them though. 24:40 Second, I noticed that and that help me a little bit. 24:42 2 Timothy 3:12 says, 24:45 "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus 24:49 shall suffer persecution." 24:51 So they didn't say some, it says all who live godly 24:55 but evil men," as you said, "and imposters will go worse 24:58 and worse, deceiving and being deceived 25:01 but you must continue in the things 25:03 which you have learnt and been assured of, 25:05 knowing from whom you have learned them. 25:08 And so it talks about from his childhood, 25:11 the scriptures that we learned. 25:13 The thing that bothers me the most about persecution 25:18 is what it does to the members of the church, 25:21 the body of Christ. 25:23 For instance, and this goes without fail 25:27 so I have my own story, you have your story, 25:29 and each of you have your story, 25:32 but for people anytime you step out to do something, 25:37 there are gonna be naysayers, there are gonna be people who, 25:40 "Well, he has no business doing this, 25:42 or he shouldn't do that." 25:44 Well, my brothers and I, we got used to this in early years, 25:47 it's been 33 years. 25:49 So I really don't mind, 25:51 I've had books written about me, 25:52 I mean, this is amazing, I've had things said and done. 25:55 And sometimes, you know, nobody is perfect, 25:57 some of it what you read may be true, 25:59 some of it may be a lie. 26:01 But what I see the devil does with it 26:06 is that people tend, 26:09 church members tend to believe what they hear, somebody said, 26:13 "Oh, did you know that CA. 26:14 I heard that CA this happened." 26:16 And what do we do? 26:18 Oh, CA, shame on him, that is terrible, 26:21 I'm so disappointed in you, 26:22 I don't know how the Lord even use you CA, you do, 26:25 you know, so what I find out, persecution is much worse 26:29 when it comes from within 26:31 than when it comes from without because, frankly, 26:34 you don't care about what the atheist says about you, 26:36 you don't care about what people on the outside say, 26:40 but inside the church, I've learned, even personally, 26:43 that doesn't bother me. 26:44 I can promise you this, 26:46 and I look in the camera and say, 26:47 I don't ever remember losing the night sleep 26:49 worrying about what you all thought about me. 26:52 Good or bad, 'cause it's not about me, 26:54 it's about the gospel, 26:55 and it's about getting the three angels' messages 26:57 to the world. 26:59 Everybody likes to be liked, we all want to be loved, 27:02 but when you are in a fish bowl, 27:04 people gonna be looking at you, 27:06 and be throwing things in the fish bowl 27:07 and doing this. 27:08 So that comes with the territory, 27:10 but where to me, 27:12 where the tough part of it is not the personal persecution, 27:16 but the division. 27:18 Satan can use this to divide the church. 27:21 So if we're so busy 27:23 I'm wondering and looking at Jorge, 27:25 I don't know about him, should he be in leadership? 27:28 'Cause I heard that he did this or that. 27:30 So then I tell someone else, and they tell someone else, 27:33 then it gets worse, and worse, and worse. 27:35 You played those games, I'm sure all of you here 27:37 when you were a kid, and we do it sometimes... 27:39 Gossip? 27:41 Yeah, gossip games and you start, you tell this, 27:43 when the time it goes around 15 people, 27:46 it's totally different. 27:48 So my thing is that I'm not sure 27:52 why we want to question. 27:54 Other words, people who are in leadership, 27:56 every time somebody accuses them 27:58 of something then we say, "Oh, this is terrible. 28:01 Well, I'm not gonna support them, 28:02 or I'm not gonna support this ministry anymore." 28:05 Rather than to say, well, you know what? 28:07 I would be shocked if they weren't being persecuted, 28:10 I would be shocked if there were no allegations 28:13 about anybody in leadership because this says, 28:16 "All who live godly shall suffer persecution." 28:21 So for those of you at home, if you are stepping out, 28:24 doing something, don't be discouraged, 28:26 you actually, should be encouraged. 28:29 One time, Mei Chung, who I think is one of the, 28:34 probably, if I could count on one hand, 28:36 people that's influenced my life the most 28:39 in 60 plus years would be Mei Chung. 28:42 What a wonderful Christian example, but one day, 28:45 years ago, I was really coming down, 28:48 and I can't believe this is what's happening, 28:50 and this is within church, 28:52 and they are saying this about 3ABN, 28:54 they are not supporting this, 28:55 they've done this to us, and this happened to us, 28:58 and she was listening very intently as Mei would, 29:02 and she's always like "Oh, aha, aha, oh, yes." 29:07 She's very sympathetic then she said, 29:09 "Oh, I wish that, 29:12 I'm gonna pray that my life will be a little different 29:15 'cause I want to serve for the Jesus' persecution too." 29:18 Wow. And I looked at her, and I said, "What?" 29:20 She goes, "I'm not being persecuted enough. 29:24 How blessed you are. 29:25 You should be thanking the Lord that you are being persecuted 29:30 'cause it should tell you, hey, I am on the right track." 29:33 So she says, "I'm gonna pray 29:35 that God will give me more persecution in my life." 29:38 But when we look at it. 29:40 So my thing is, what the devil is doing with this 29:44 is to try to divide the church. 29:47 We know it's the house divided against itself can't stand. 29:50 God is coming back for a purified bride, 29:53 purified church, purified people, 29:55 and so if we are so busy persecuting each other, 30:00 I don't like what was said about me. 30:02 Irma, I did not like what you said 30:04 so I'm gonna tell Yvonne something about you, 30:06 and she is the so upset, she tells, you know, 30:09 and it goes around the horn, and we are so busy, 30:12 we lose our focus in taking the gospel to the world. 30:15 So if the devil's beaten you up, 30:17 so to speak, it's okay, don't worry about it 30:20 because it's not what happens in this life, 30:22 and so, I'm learning that after all these years, 30:25 I'm learning it, you still get concerned about it. 30:29 My thing is, I just hate to see something people are saying 30:32 that hurts the ministry, 30:34 or would cause people not to support the ministry. 30:37 But persecution, it's gonna come no matter what, 30:40 no matter what you are doing, anytime you step out, 30:42 and do something. 30:43 So now that's very biblical don't be discouraged, 30:45 be encouraged that "Hey, guess what, 30:48 I've had an opportunity 30:50 to get suffer a little bit of the Jesus' treatment" 30:52 as they would say. 30:53 Yes, yes. 30:55 Well, you know, I'm leaning more and more 30:56 than when we said keep your eyes upon Jesus. 31:02 We take it so lightly, I think, 31:05 you know, it, we understand the words, 31:08 but we don't take it really to heart. 31:11 And studying, I love the Book of Romans, 31:16 and as we are studying more and more, 31:18 and learning that, you know, is God, 31:22 you got to keep your eyes on who God is. 31:27 And, and when you do that, 31:29 it's really amazing 31:30 how many things that start just looking different, 31:36 and how much you are able to actually live 31:43 what God wants for your life, 31:44 and then you start seeing more things wrong with you, 31:49 but then you have that assurance 31:52 the more you look at Christ because, like you said Danny, 31:57 we look at the church, I hear it all the time, 32:00 people all, you know, the church, 32:02 and the people in the church, and they do this, 32:05 and say that and all that, 32:06 all that wrong things with it, and then that is. 32:10 We can't say that isn't, 32:12 but it's like, if we as personally, 32:16 we keep our eyes on God, who is God and he, 32:19 well, that is happening, 32:21 but this is what God wants you to be. 32:23 This is what He wants you to do, 32:25 and then as we let ourselves, God to guide us, 32:31 to make us, we'll see how God keeps working in. 32:35 We're getting crushed because it's, wow! 32:38 God is changing my thinking, 32:40 and then that's what we want for Him. 32:43 Well, the Book of Job is always been, 32:49 has always been, been an inspiration for me 32:53 to where I was thinking about one of you were saying, 32:56 Danny, that he was counseled by three church members. 33:01 They came to talk to him. 33:03 And seriously, they were trying to find out 33:07 what was wrong with him. 33:09 The problem with it 33:10 they thought he was totally in the wrong, 33:13 and he was not, not opening in his eyes to the reality 33:17 that he was a sinner, that he had, 33:20 probably, he did something wrong. 33:21 And that is the reason why he was being punished. 33:25 In the chapter 19 of that book is so powerful 33:29 because he reacts finally after all these beatings. 33:33 One day after the other, and chapter 19 says, 33:36 "Job answered and said, 33:38 'How long will you torment my soul. 33:41 And break me in pieces with words?' 33:45 " So it's true, it's a fact, 33:48 and is really sometimes we think, "Why me?" 33:51 You know, he had a reason to say he didn't know. 33:55 I didn't do anything, he keep saying, 33:57 I didn't do anything wrong, 33:59 why this is happening to me, but in verse 25, 34:03 he, this is probably the best verse in the whole, 34:07 my favorite verse, 34:09 the best Bible verse in the whole Book of Job also. 34:14 It says, "For I know that my Redeemer lives, 34:19 And He shall stand at last," In other version it says, 34:23 "That's the last day on the earth." 34:27 So I know that my Redeemer lives 34:30 that's all that matters to me. 34:33 Amen. Amen. 34:34 Good example. 34:35 You know, one of the things when we are suffering, 34:38 particularly, at the hands of others, 34:39 one of the things we should do 34:40 and I mentioned it the other day. 34:43 Anytime you are going through stuff, 34:46 it's not only a call, 34:48 it's a demand for self examination. 34:50 You know. 34:51 Paul says to the church of Galatia, 34:52 "Let a man, but let a man examine himself." 34:55 If I've got odd with you, 34:57 I really need to look at myself first 35:00 and make sure my hands are clean before I begin to, 35:03 you know, look at what I think is wrong with you. 35:06 In 1 Peter 4, verse, let's pick it up, 14, 35:13 "If you are reproached for the name of Christ, 35:16 blessed are you..." 35:18 You know, that's tough to swallow, 35:20 but it's the truth. 35:22 "If you are reproached for the name of Christ, 35:24 blessed are you for the Spirit of glory 35:29 and of God rests upon you, 35:32 on their part he is blasphemed, on your part he is glorified." 35:37 So if you are standing up for the Lord 35:39 and your hands are clean 35:41 even though you don't like being in the fire, 35:44 blessed are you 35:45 because there was a thing back in Christ time 35:47 that if you're suffering, 35:48 it's because there's something wrong with you. 35:49 Right. You deserve it. 35:51 What'd you do? Yes. 35:52 They did the test, I saw on TV one night, 35:53 I couldn't sleep, I woke up, and they did a test. 35:55 They put a man in the suit on the ground, 35:58 lying on the ground, just face down on the ground, 36:00 and people were rushing to help him just immediately. 36:05 They changed one thing, 36:06 they put that same man on the ground in a suit, 36:09 and they put a bottle, 36:11 a paper bag with a bottle next to him, 36:14 you know, a little bottle, 36:15 a little wine bottle, nobody bothered to help him. 36:19 And they said what was the difference. 36:21 That bag... 36:22 Yeah. 36:24 He deserves to be down there. 36:25 You know, that's the mindset, so I'm not gonna help him. 36:27 And that's the kind of thing 36:28 if your reputation is being destroyed, 36:31 or if people are talking about you, 36:32 well, something must be wrong with you. 36:33 Yes. 36:35 You know, something must be wrong with you. 36:36 And it ain't necessarily so, 36:38 the fact is we got a enemy that, 36:39 as you all said, wants to kill and destroy, 36:41 and that includes your reputation. 36:43 Right. So he wants to destroy you. 36:45 And there aren't enough words 36:48 to defend yourself against someone 36:49 who doesn't want to believe the truth about you. 36:51 If people want to believe, and Ellen White said this... 36:53 Absolutely. 36:55 If they want to believe bad, 36:56 you don't have argument enough to try to convince them. 36:58 But if they want to believe good, 37:01 there's plenty evidence to believe in good, 37:02 so it's what's in their heart even more than what's in yours. 37:05 Amen. Yeah. That's right. 37:07 I think the... 37:09 It's about distractions with the enemy too. 37:13 He wants to distract you from your purpose, 37:15 and if you weren't so resolute in what God has told you to do, 37:19 you could get sidetracked with all of the naysayers 37:24 and all that stuff. 37:25 If Satan wants to distract you 37:27 because if he can get you off purpose then he can, 37:31 you know, he can derail you. 37:33 And that's what he seeks to do, so it really is, 37:37 it is a time of self-evaluation. 37:40 I think we have to look at ourselves say, 37:42 you know, is there anything, 37:44 is there anything that's standing 37:45 between me and the savior. 37:47 And I call it clearing the way, like we have to clear the way, 37:51 confess all known sin. 37:53 And Isaiah 59:1-3 says, 37:56 "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, 37:58 that it cannot save, nor his ear heavy, 38:00 that it cannot hear. 38:02 But your iniquities have separated you from your God, 38:04 and your sins have hidden his face from you 38:07 so that he will not hear." 38:08 So if we're going through a hard time, 38:12 and we feel like we're just not making any progress, 38:17 we really need to look at ourselves and say... 38:18 Yeah. 38:20 You know, Lord, is there anything 38:21 that's standing, if there is, please take it away. 38:24 Yes. 38:25 Cleanse me, wash me clean, take it away, 38:29 and the Lord will do that, and then we call upon him. 38:32 And Psalm 50:15 says, 38:34 "Call upon Me in the day of trouble, 38:36 I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me." 38:39 And Psalm 145:8 says, "The Lord is nigh unto all them 38:44 that call upon Him in truth." 38:46 And then Isaiah 41:10 says, "Fear not, for I am with you, 38:50 be not dismayed, for I am your God, 38:52 I will strengthen..." 38:53 I love this verse, I'm getting happy right now, 38:55 I'm getting happy, I love this verse, 38:57 "I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, 39:01 I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." 39:03 Amen. Nice. 39:04 There was a time that I had to repeat that all the time. 39:07 Yes. 39:08 And then because it was just... 39:10 It gave me strength 39:12 to go through what I was going through. 39:13 Yes. Yes. 39:14 The word will give us strength if we seek God, 39:17 and we're really going through, 39:19 and everybody goes through something, 39:21 the text that you read earlier. 39:22 Absolutely. 39:23 All who are godly will suffer persecution. 39:25 We're all gonna go through, but if we just hold on to God, 39:29 He will show us... 39:32 We don't know the end from the beginning, 39:35 but we do know His promises. 39:37 And His promises are to be with us through the fire, 39:41 through the river, through the waters, 39:43 through every situation, 39:45 He will not let us go, and I just think I'm... 39:49 That through adversity, we come closer to God. 39:54 Absolutely. Amen. 39:56 Amen. Amen. Yeah. 39:57 You know, I don't... 39:58 It's not the Lord's pleasure 40:01 to give us a pass on suffering. 40:05 1 Peter 4:12, "Beloved, think it not strange, 40:09 concerning the fiery trial which is to try you." 40:11 It's not unusual but rejoice 40:15 because you are partakers of Christ's suffering, 40:18 you know, lifting weights builds muscles. 40:24 Danny was talking about it a little earlier, 40:26 schooling some young boys on the basketball court, 40:28 that's 'cause he shot millions and millions of shots. 40:31 Thousands and thousands of shots, 40:32 you know, you don't get to be a good shooter 40:34 unless you shoot. 40:35 Right. Yeah. 40:37 That's right. And then you shoot a lot. 40:39 No comment, man. I won't deny it. 40:44 But that's how you become a shooter by shooting. 40:46 Right. 40:48 How do you exercise spiritual strength? 40:49 By exercising the faith that God gives you, 40:51 so you build faith in other times. 40:54 Ellen White and James White were driving in the... 40:57 You remember of the old buckboards 40:59 from the Western days, 41:01 it's where the seat is kind of sitting up, 41:03 just kind of exposed and you got this bed, 41:05 it's like kind of like a station wagon. 41:07 Oh, the station wagon thing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 41:09 And you're really kind of exposed. 41:10 And she said, they were driving on a relatively flat road 41:15 and then it hit a small pebble and the thing flipped over, 41:18 just flipped over and threw them both out. 41:20 And they both flew out of the buckboard, 41:23 but they landed soft. 41:26 And later that evening, 41:28 the Lord said to her through her angel, 41:30 Satan was trying to kill you. 41:32 He just flipped it over. 41:34 Now the Lord didn't stop it from flipping over, 41:37 but He gave them a soft landing. 41:38 Yeah. 41:40 And that's what God does sometimes. 41:41 See, He'll let you flip, 41:43 but then He'll put His hands under you 41:44 and let you land soft. 41:45 Oh, that's good. That's what this is. 41:48 So we're so busy, Lord, why you, why you, 41:50 just being flipped, I could have died. 41:52 No, you didn't. 41:53 Underneath, I was taking care of you. 41:54 You know, so... 41:56 Yes. He let him flip. 41:57 He lets Satan flip him, but he let them down easy. 41:59 Yeah. 42:01 The measurement, the barometer is not and we tend to do this 42:04 'cause when we focus on ourselves, 42:07 it's not or how badly I'm being treated, 42:10 or this health issue, or I received that, 42:14 this happened to me, 42:15 that's not the barometer at all. 42:17 It's what am I doing with the life that I have, 42:20 and am I serving the Lord, 42:22 and this life is a fleeting moment 42:24 if you take 70 years in comparison to eternity. 42:27 One preacher said 42:29 'cause we were on the beach not too long ago, 42:30 and there's millions, billions of grains of sand, 42:33 and one preacher said just picture eternity, 42:36 someone said how long is that is, 42:37 well, let's say a bird flew 42:39 from heaven every thousand years, 42:42 picked up one grain of sand from earth 42:43 and went back to heaven, 42:45 when all the grains of sand on earth is gone, 42:47 that's just the beginning. 42:48 It's eternity. 42:50 So when you look at this earth, 42:51 it's not really what happens to you here... 42:53 Right. 42:54 And so because people say well, how about, you know, 42:57 Stephen was stoned to death, 42:59 Peter, crucified upside down, what about it? 43:01 That is a victory for them. That was a victory. 43:05 You can call that persecution... 43:06 Yes. Yes. But it's a victory for them. 43:07 Sure, you're right. 43:09 Because better to do that than to live to be a 100 in luxury 43:12 and riches and everybody is saying how wonderful you are, 43:14 and then be separated from God for eternity. 43:17 So the persecution that comes, 43:20 you shouldn't ever feel that you are to be exempt from it 43:24 because we're really not. 43:26 I really would worry after so many years in ministry, 43:30 but I feel badly for people 43:32 that I've had people write and say I love 3ABN, 43:35 I know thousands of people come to the Lord through 3ABN, 43:39 but I heard this about you, so I'm not giving anymore. 43:42 Well, that really didn't punish me. 43:44 No. No. 43:45 That doesn't punish me, so, but I feel badly for somebody 43:49 who would react, 43:50 and the Lord's impressed them to do something or support, 43:54 but they hear it somebody saying something about me 43:58 or someone else here, and then they say well, 44:00 I'm gonna totally redirect my giving or not give at all. 44:04 That's an issue they have to deal with. 44:06 So for me, I try not to be sidetracked, 44:09 I can tell you that I've never in 33 years 44:12 ever been discouraged, ever thought about quitting. 44:14 Now I've been frustrated, and I've argued with people, 44:18 and I've written things back and forth, 44:20 and I've tried to defend myself, 44:22 and finally, maybe it's just age part of it, 44:25 but I've said you know what, I'm not gonna worry about it. 44:27 Everybody, they have to worry about... 44:29 I can't defend everything that everybody says, 44:32 I'm not supposed to. 44:33 I have to keep the vision straight, 44:36 when Lord wants me out of here, He can get rid of me. 44:38 People don't have to do it, if He wants to get rid of you, 44:40 God can move you out of the way or your pastor, if he's here, 44:44 take, don't worry about it, God wants him out of the way, 44:46 He'll move him, or He may change your heart. 44:48 Amen. That's right. 44:49 You know, maybe you, maybe the problem is with you, 44:51 maybe it's with me. 44:53 So my thing is persecution is part of life. 44:56 And my Dad used to... 44:58 This scripture here when I read on down, 3 Timothy, it says, 45:03 "Go back to the things of your childhood 45:05 which you've learned from the Bible 45:06 where you learned principles... 45:08 Second Timothy 3. 45:09 Yeah, 2 Timothy 3, I think, what is it? 45:12 Verse 14 or so, but I think about my Dad. 45:15 I'd come home from school and say Dad, 45:16 this guy said or whoever they said this about me, 45:19 and he says son, sticks and stones 45:21 will broke your bones but words will never hurt you. 45:23 Don't worry about what somebody says about you, 45:26 just do what you know how to do, 45:28 do the best you know how to do, the Lord will judge you, 45:32 so don't worry about what other people say, 45:33 so it's kind of elementary, 45:35 and they're even telling us here 45:38 saying go back to your childhood. 45:40 Look at the scriptures from the principles 45:42 that you've learned, 45:43 stick to that and just ask God, say Lord, 45:47 you know, it's between me and you, 45:49 so whether I die today, 45:51 or whether I die next month, or 20 years from now, 45:54 it really is irrelevant when we look at eternity. 45:57 Amen. 45:58 We all want to be here, 46:00 you want to be here as long as you can, 46:01 you want to be healthy and happy. 46:02 But if you're not, it's just for a fleeting moment 46:05 because eternity is what matters... 46:07 That's right. 46:08 And that's already been said, 46:10 we submit and commit our lives to Jesus 46:12 and then just do the best we know how to do. 46:15 We get to heaven, we're all gonna say, 46:17 man, I didn't think this guy was gonna be here, 46:21 you know, or he didn't think this guy was gonna be here. 46:24 And they're gonna look at us and say, 46:26 I didn't think he was gonna make it here, 46:28 but we're all going to be surprised to say, 46:31 how did God save any of us. 46:32 Amen. We're all so wretched. 46:34 Here we thought, we were living the very best 46:36 we knew how to live 46:38 and we're trying to keep the commandments of God 46:40 and trying to be these good people, 46:42 and somehow God was able to save us 46:45 because He could read between lines of our heart 46:47 and He read into our heart, not just our actions or, 46:51 you know, from time to time we get upset or get distracted, 46:55 so keep focus. 46:56 All I can say to you is keep focus on the Lord, 46:59 don't worry about what people say about you. 47:01 Just go forward and continue this relationship, 47:04 Jesus says, "If I'll be lifted up from this earth, 47:06 will draw all men unto me." 47:08 Amen, amen. 47:10 We've touched on this and I know, Yvonne, 47:11 you got some stuff to sort of walk us through. 47:14 But it occurred to me, I preached a sermon, 47:16 I've been preaching a lot lately called Ontology. 47:19 Big 25 cent word that boils down to purpose and focus. 47:23 We're created for a purpose. 47:24 God has a purpose for all of us, 47:26 and focus is how we maintain our purpose. 47:29 And when you lose your focus, you lose your purpose in life, 47:33 you got to stay focused. 47:35 There is a commercial, Irma and I were looking at it 47:36 just last night. 47:38 There is a white background with a nice red apple. 47:42 And remember we were talking about that, 47:43 they said this is an apple, 47:45 some may call it a banana but it's an apple. 47:49 It's always an apple and then it is just little, 47:51 one of those little whiner things with the teeth go... 47:54 you know, the mouth is going by. 47:56 So you have to sing them by... 47:58 And it says that is a distraction, 48:02 that is a distraction. 48:03 But this is still an apple and it occurs to me, 48:07 some of the things that we've been talking about, 48:09 Satan will do so much to distract you 48:11 from your purpose. 48:12 Right. Your purpose is to serve God. 48:14 Ephesians 2:10 says, 48:18 "We were created for good works." 48:21 That's why God made us. 48:23 And we can get distracted into a whole lot of revenge, 48:25 and defending ourselves and all that... 48:28 That a distraction, that's not what you are created for, 48:31 you are created to serve the Lord. 48:32 And as you maintain your focus, you will fulfill your purpose. 48:37 And that's what God wants to see, He wants us to be safe, 48:39 Thessalonians tells me. 48:41 He wants me to be saved. 48:42 And the distraction, I've learned, 48:44 it comes through the weakness that we have. 48:48 That's where the distractions that the enemy brings, 48:52 it's not where you're strong and that you can do good, 48:55 it's where he can get you that, like you say made you stumble, 49:01 made you fall, made you go in other way. 49:03 Yeah, so what's the most important, 49:06 defending myself or uplifting Jesus? 49:09 Uplifting Jesus. That's right. 49:10 That's what we have to decide. 49:11 That's right. That's right. Amen. 49:14 Yvonne, you were talking about some stuff 49:15 that you were looking at dealing with the same subject? 49:18 Yeah, yeah, well, one thing 49:20 is 'cause I mentioned the other thing 49:21 like clearing the way 49:23 and but another is turning your pain into purpose, 49:27 which is really... 49:29 When you go through something, you have a testimony now. 49:32 Yes, yeah. 49:33 Because once you've gone through it 49:35 and you're on the other side of it, 49:37 then you can say, whoa! 49:39 Look at how God brought me from here to here, 49:42 I didn't know that I'd be from here to here. 49:46 I was just going through like the darkest time of my life. 49:49 But God brings us through to the other side 49:53 and then gives you a testimony. 49:55 So you can take that comfort that He used to comfort you 49:59 and comfort someone else. 50:01 And so that is really an important point, 50:05 I think to that we can turn our pain into purpose. 50:07 Amen. That's good. 50:09 Amen. 50:10 You know, it's the trick of the devil, 50:12 so many preachers preach that once you come to the Lord, 50:14 you can kind of put it on autopilot, 50:16 goes by in the sky. 50:17 To which I respond, are you kidding? 50:21 That's when your battle really begins, 50:24 and you must be prepared for it, 50:25 and God is not going to give you a pass. 50:28 You know, this reading says, particularly for those of you 50:31 who may be in leadership positions. 50:33 It's interesting that she says, 50:36 "In all ages, God's appointed witnesses..." 50:39 Here is the terminology she uses, 50:41 "Have exposed themselves to reproach and persecution." 50:46 So once you stand up above the crowd 50:49 to do something for the Lord, you're exposed. 50:51 That's right. 50:53 And that's when people are going to take shots at you 50:55 and you're exposed, but God, you know, 50:58 put in prerogative language God's got your back, 51:01 you know, He is not going to leave you out there. 51:02 He bring didn't bring you out to die in the wilderness, 51:05 He brought you out that you might go in, 51:08 so He has not left you. 51:09 And this is another one I want to say real quick. 51:12 Suffering is not commentary on God's displeasure with you. 51:15 That's right. 51:16 You're suffering and that was in Jewish mindset, 51:18 you're suffering, 51:19 there's got to be some secret stuff going on... 51:21 I've heard a pastor say this, 51:22 there's got to be some secret stuff going on in your life 51:24 that God is displeased. 51:26 Suffering is not commentary, 51:28 it can be preparation for a very strong testimony 51:32 that you can witness in somebody else. 51:33 Yeah, it really can. 51:35 And we have the misconception that whatever we see 51:37 is the reality and Hebrews 11 says that, 51:42 "The faith is the substance of what we don't see." 51:45 So the things that have eternal value 51:47 are things that we don't see. 51:49 So that's why when we judge somebody 51:52 because we think that person or this a person that is... 51:56 Okay, he's good looking, has a good... 51:59 That must be probably a good person. 52:02 I mean, the other person that doesn't look so good, 52:04 oh, be careful with that or something like that. 52:07 So we always judge people and things 52:11 by their external appearance and that is very common. 52:16 So the message has to be, okay, like you said in the beginning, 52:23 turn your eyes up on Jesus. 52:24 I know that my redeemer believes that 52:27 there is something beyond my eyes, 52:30 beyond my comprehension. 52:33 You know, Danny, I've got to pay you a compliment, man, 52:35 because you said, I've never lost a night's sleep 52:39 over stuff people say about me and things like that. 52:42 Yeah. I have. 52:43 I have and when I was in the ministry 52:46 and fairly far along in the ministry. 52:49 I was trying to do something right, 52:51 and straighten out something, 52:53 and someone put out a story on me. 52:55 And I said, you know what, see... 53:00 I was very much into, 53:01 I got to find a way to even to score here, 53:06 you know, and I never could, I never did. 53:09 And it showed me, 53:11 I'm not by nature a vengeful person, 53:15 but I thought this was over the top 53:16 and it was reputation driven. 53:20 You don't have to think good about me, 53:22 just be accurate, you know, just don't... 53:24 Yeah, just don't... That's not going to happen. 53:26 Yeah. Not in this world. 53:27 I know that won't happen in this world. 53:29 And don't just lie on me 53:32 because people are so anxious 53:35 almost with itching ears to hear dirt unfold. 53:38 Yes. 53:39 So a lie goes around the world 53:40 while the truth is still trying to put its boots on. 53:42 Yeah. You know, that kind of thing. 53:43 So I said, I got to... 53:47 You know, and you just, you can't spend your life... 53:50 First of all, it eats at your own soul 53:52 and it eats at your own spirituality. 53:54 And secondly, it's just an awful way to live. 53:57 Yes. 53:58 It's awful, awful way... It's consuming. 53:59 You got to give it to Jesus. And we can counteract. 54:04 Let's say, we're persecuted. 54:06 I know people who have been persecuted 54:08 verbally in the church or what have you, 54:11 so how do we respond to that, 54:13 we write something down 54:14 and put it all over emails and Facebook, 54:17 I'll show this person, I'll say this about him, 54:20 and I'll do this and all of this stuff 54:22 is like wait a minute, 54:24 all who live godly shall suffer persecution. 54:26 So when you get that, 54:28 what is it that I'm going to do with it, 54:29 I don't want to be so focused, 54:31 you know, I want to be so focused 54:34 on getting the gospel to the world. 54:36 That I just have to say, okay, 54:38 I'm going to let this go and let this go, 54:39 I'm not going to spend all my time defending it 54:42 and then become a garbage collector. 54:44 Jesus said, "Go ye into all the world." 54:47 And He didn't say be a garbage collector 54:49 'cause one time years ago, someone wrote in ministry, 54:52 we were fairly young in ministry, 54:53 something really bad about 3ABN, 54:56 it wasn't true and we were taken over by the church, 54:58 and we've compromised the three angels' messages. 55:01 So I was going to write all this stuff down 55:04 and put out a newsletter to counteract it. 55:07 But then through consulting and advice from others was, 55:11 you know, do you want to be a channel of blessing 55:14 or do you want to be a garbage collector. 55:16 So it occurred to me, I can't write, 55:19 I could write a book, and so could you, 55:21 about how people have mistreated me 55:23 in this church and from into church, 55:26 you know, whether leadership, members, 55:28 whatever and most of us could. 55:30 But what good would it do, 55:31 how many people would be brought to Jesus 55:34 because of that. 55:35 We live in a sinful world, 55:36 that's the way things are in life 55:38 but how many people have I called started too. 55:41 You know what I'm saying, 55:42 they could write a book about me, 55:43 I'm sure over the years. 55:45 So we're all guilty but what we have to do 55:47 at least in my mind is try to keep focused on the vision, 55:50 what's the vision God has given us in this year is, 55:54 coming year and all of 2018, 55:56 the three angles' messages 55:58 because I believe that's what we really need to focus on. 56:01 We're seeing the world around us crumble. 56:04 It's falling, people are dying as Brother Mitch has said, 56:07 going to Christ's grace, 56:08 what are we doing 56:10 as Seventh-day Adventist Christians, 56:12 and to get ourselves focused, 56:14 and to the help the church refocus on our purpose, 56:18 and that's the three angles' message, 56:19 God is coming back for those 56:21 who keep the commandments of God, 56:22 and have the faith of Jesus. 56:24 And we can't afford to be sidetracked by all this stuff. 56:27 So people are bothering you, don't worry about it, 56:29 they are talking about you, say, praise the Lord, 56:31 I'm getting a little better at the Jesus treatment 56:33 and move on. 56:34 That's it. That's it. 56:36 And now we have come to down to the last minute. 56:37 You know, I'm reading from Hebrews 11 56:40 but my mind goes to Revelation 18, 56:43 as we're in 2018, 56:45 I'm thinking about that 56:46 fourth angel there in Revelation 18. 56:50 That was called to give impetus 56:52 to the message of the third angel. 56:54 You know, it's one that put the air 56:56 under the wings of that third angel, 56:58 that in these last hours, 57:01 moments dare we say of earth's history, 57:03 God's people must lift up the name of Jesus 57:05 and preach the message of the three angels that, 57:08 not on just Babylon fallen but judgment is coming, 57:11 it's time to get right with the Lord. 57:14 We talked about faith. 57:16 Hebrews 11 is the great faith chapter, 57:18 but what I'm impressed 57:20 with are the last two verses 39 and 40. 57:22 I want to read those in closing, 57:25 "And all these things havening 57:26 obtained a good testimony through faith, 57:29 they did not receive the promise. 57:31 God haven't provided something better for us 57:33 that they should not be made perfect without us." 57:36 So all of these great men and women of old 57:38 will not get to heaven, one moment before we do, 57:40 we're all going together. 57:42 Amen. 57:43 So we're meant to be strong through persecution, 57:44 God's got a reward for all of us. 57:46 Amen. Happy Sabbath. 57:48 Happy Sabbath. |
Revised 2018-01-18