Participants:
Series Code: TDYFW
Program Code: TDYFW017039A
|
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 00:40 Mending broken people 00:45 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:09 Hello, and welcome to our Family Worship. 01:12 My name is John Dinzey, and this is my wife Idalia, 01:14 and it is our joy to say to you Happy Sabbath. 01:16 That's right. 01:17 We are here together 01:19 to receive the Sabbath together, 01:20 to celebrate the Sabbath together, 01:22 the day that the Lord has made for us 01:24 to draw closer to Him in His study 01:27 in worship and adoration. 01:28 So I pray that our worship and adoration 01:30 will be acceptable unto the Lord, 01:32 and that we may draw closer to Him. 01:34 Amen. 01:35 And you're part of the family. Yes. 01:37 And we'd like to introduce you 01:38 the rest of the family that's here with us. 01:40 And, Idalia, could you do that for us? 01:41 Sure. I have Mrs. Babb next to me. 01:45 Hello. Valera, welcome. 01:46 Thank you. 01:48 I wanted, you know, 01:49 I appreciate your family so much. 01:51 You've been here so many years, 01:53 and you've rescued me from so many things. 01:57 You know, I want you all to know 01:59 that she and her husband Mike, 02:01 I gave them a copy of my vehicle key 02:04 because I would lock myself out of the vehicle 02:06 just about every week. 02:08 And we were often traveling together so... 02:11 And yes, we were often traveling together, so, 02:15 you know, the Lord sent the Babb family 02:17 because I've a bad memory, and lock myself out. 02:21 But talk to us, 02:22 what year did you arrive to 3ABN, 02:25 and tell us a little bit about your family? 02:27 We got here in 2001, the end of 2001. 02:31 We came, my husband, Mike, came to do radio engineering, 02:35 and now all of our... 02:39 Well, all but one of our children 02:40 work here at 3ABN. 02:41 Yeah. Well, almost. 02:46 So it's been a real blessing 02:47 to see them grow up in the community, 02:49 and now serving the Lord at 3ABN. 02:51 Amen. 02:53 And I admire your family, Jonathan is into call center, 02:56 Jason at the call center, and Danish, 02:59 he has done camerawork before, so, and Danielle, of course, 03:04 she is on her way 03:05 to whatever the Lord has for her. 03:07 And you used to be very quite too, weren't you? 03:10 Oh, yes, when I came, I said, "I don't get upfront." 03:14 And Idalia says, "You do now." And she would run me upfront. 03:19 That makes me laugh every time you say that. 03:23 But praise the Lord, you are here. 03:25 And, of course, we have our first lady 03:27 from the Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church, 03:28 our pastor's wife, Angela Lomacang, welcome. 03:31 Hi, thank you, glad to be here 03:33 at the Family Worship with the Dinzeys. 03:36 And we are privileged to be here, 03:38 and happy Sabbath to you all watching. 03:41 And just glad to bring in the Sabbath together 03:44 with the Dinzey family and the rest of the family. 03:46 We so appreciate you and pastor, 03:48 you're the second parents for my boys. 03:52 Yes, they are my sons too. 03:55 They've spent many nights with us. 03:57 That's right. Yeah, I love them. 03:58 So it's been a blessing for you all 04:00 to be part of our family, helping us raise our kids, 04:04 the spiritual help, the church, you know, it takes a church... 04:07 Takes a village. A village, right. 04:08 That's right. 04:10 So I pray that you'll find support 04:11 as we share our experiences 04:14 here on 3ABN Family Worship hour, 04:16 and all the programs that we share. 04:18 And next to you, you have some more guests. 04:21 Yes. 04:23 To my right, we have Janelle Owen. 04:25 Hello. 04:27 Welcome. Thank you. 04:28 And your husband, Don, Donald also. 04:29 Yes, yes, it's a blessing to be here and thankful too. 04:33 A happy Sabbath indeed, happy Sabbath and... 04:35 Amen. 04:36 And thankful to be able to be in the service of the Lord, 04:37 and it's just been nothing but a huge blessing. 04:40 Especially moving here, 04:41 and may share all the experiences 04:42 later on we've been through, 04:44 but it's just been a wonderful blessing, 04:45 especially to know a bigger family, 04:47 and that's just been wonderful. 04:49 We've been thankful to be here, so... 04:50 Thank you for asking us to be on here with you. 04:54 It's a pleasure, Janelle. 04:56 We enjoy. Janelle is so talented. 04:58 Oh, praise the Lord. 05:00 You have given your talents to the Lord, 05:01 and He is just taking it all around the world. 05:05 She's been working in our publishing department. 05:08 Yes, publishing department. 05:09 What kind of things do you do there? 05:11 Oh my! Everything. 05:13 If it gets printed or if it's on the web, 05:15 our department does that, and I'm a part of that. 05:18 So happy to serve. Amen. 05:20 It's an excellent job. Praise the Lord. 05:23 Well, we are going to go to the Lord in prayer, 05:26 and at this time, we'd like to ask brother Don 05:29 to lead us in the prayer, 05:30 and we would like for you at home to join us. 05:32 Let's have a word of prayer, do you want to bow your heads? 05:35 Heavenly Father, we want to thank You 05:36 for this blessed Sabbath day, Lord. 05:39 Thank You for family and friends, 05:40 and thank You that we have an eternal family, 05:43 Lord, in heaven, we would just ask 05:45 that You'll anoint this message today. 05:47 May those who are sitting at home viewing this Lord, 05:50 or on the radio, listening to us on the radio, 05:52 Lord, may they draw a blessing from this. 05:54 Amen. 05:55 May our words, Lord, be anointed 05:56 from the call of the altar and that, Lord, 05:58 Your words will reach the hearts 06:00 of those that intends to. 06:01 We pray this in Jesus' name. 06:03 Amen. Amen. 06:05 Now we mentioned you at home but there may be some of you 06:08 that are in the hospital or in a prison, 06:11 and we would like to, for you to consider 06:13 this part of your family as well. 06:15 And we would like to ask you to join us. 06:17 We're going to sing one of the beautiful hymns 06:21 that really is full of blessings. 06:24 And what are we going to sing, honey? 06:25 Well, we're going to sing Showers of Blessing, 06:29 it's a old hymn, but, you know, 06:31 the Lord has so many blessings in store for us, 06:34 and He pours down blessings each and every day to us. 06:38 So please join us as we sing the first and last stanza 06:41 of Showers of Blessing, hymn number 195. 06:47 There shall be showers of blessing 06:52 This is the promise of love 06:56 There shall be seasons refreshing 07:00 Sent from the Savior above 07:04 Showers of blessing 07:09 Showers of blessing we need 07:13 Mercy-drops round us are falling 07:18 But for the showers we plead 07:22 There shall be showers of blessing 07:27 O that today they might fall 07:31 Now as to God we're confessing 07:35 Now as on Jesus we call! 07:39 Showers of blessing 07:44 Showers of blessing we need 07:48 Mercy-drops round us are falling 07:53 But for the showers we plead 07:58 Amen. Amen. 07:59 And God is faithful. Yes, He is. 08:01 Amen. 08:03 You know, sometimes we pray, 08:05 "Lord, I need this blessing or that blessing," 08:07 and sometimes we don't see 08:09 the blessing getting to us, you know. 08:11 But the Lord blesses us at the perfect time, 08:15 and He is never late. 08:16 That's right. And I praise Him for that. 08:18 You know, we develop patience of course, 08:20 because when we're praying and waiting, it's not... 08:23 I think the worst thing is the waiting part. 08:25 I don't know if it's easy for you guys, but... 08:27 It's hard to wait. 08:29 Okay, so I have good company in everyone. 08:30 Amen. Oh, yes, for sure. 08:31 I don't know. 08:33 But, you know, and I don't mind waiting, 08:35 but believing that the Lord is going to pour that blessing 08:39 in my life is very comforting. 08:41 Yeah. 08:42 But yet, when I need that blessing 08:43 that I think in that instant, 08:46 "Lord, why aren't You blessing me? 08:47 Please bless me now." 08:49 "No, you need to spend more time on your knees." 08:52 Be still. 08:54 "Be still and know that I'm God, 08:55 and it is in My perfect timing." 08:57 So praise the Lord. 08:59 Well, I want to take a moment because from the beginning 09:01 of this program, we mentioned a word 09:04 and some people may misunderstand, 09:06 and that is the word Sabbath. 09:08 When we think of Sabbath, we want to make sure 09:12 that you understand that we're talking about 09:13 the seventh day Sabbath, which is Saturday. 09:16 And so I would like to read the scripture 09:18 in Exodus 20:8-11, that helps us understand 09:23 that the seventh day is the Sabbath. 09:26 And this is the day that Jesus kept, 09:28 when it says in Luke 4:16, 09:31 "And He went on the Sabbath day into the synagogue." 09:34 And so Luke, I mean, the Exodus 20:8-11, 09:39 and I'm going to ask Idalia to read that for us. 09:43 Oh sure. 09:44 Exodus 20:8, it says, 09:47 "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." 09:51 Now 9 and 10 says, 09:53 "Six days you shall labor and do all your work. 09:56 But the seventh day 09:58 is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. 10:00 In it, you shall do no work, you, nor your son, 10:04 nor your daughter, nor your male servant, 10:07 nor your female servant, nor your cattle, 10:10 nor your stranger who is within your gates." 10:15 Verse 11 says," For in six days the Lord made the heavens 10:19 and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, 10:23 and rested the seventh day. 10:26 Therefore the Lord blessed 10:28 the Sabbath day and hallowed it." 10:30 Amen. 10:32 So it's a blessing to remember 10:34 the Sabbath day to keep it holy. 10:36 And that is why we here at 3ABN would like to encourage you 10:42 to make that a part of your life, 10:44 and enter into the joy of remembering 10:47 the Sabbath day to keep it holy. 10:48 Amen. Amen. 10:50 So the topic that we're going to discuss today is gratitude, 10:55 thanksgiving, and what important part 10:58 does that play in our lives. 11:00 And there was a... 11:02 Actually there is a story in the Bible that we'll, 11:08 we will use to begin our discussion, 11:11 and that is going to lead us 11:14 to Luke 17. 11:19 In Luke 17, I'm going to go ahead and read it. 11:24 Luke 17:11-19, and here is 11:30 something interesting that takes place. 11:33 Luke 17:11-19, "And it came to pass, 11:37 as he went to Jerusalem that he passed 11:40 through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 11:43 And as he entered into a certain village, 11:45 there met him ten men that were lepers, 11:48 which stood afar off. 11:49 And they lifted up their voices and said, 11:52 'Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.' 11:56 And when he saw them, he said unto them, 11:58 'Go show yourselves unto the priest.' 12:01 And it came to pass, that, as they went, 12:04 they were cleansed. 12:05 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, 12:09 turned back, 12:10 and with a loud voice glorified God. 12:13 And he fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks, 12:17 and he was a Samaritan. 12:19 And Jesus answering said, 'Were there not ten cleansed? 12:24 But where are the nine?' 12:26 There are not found that returned 12:28 to give glory to God, save this stranger. 12:31 And he said unto him, 'Arise, go thy way, 12:35 thy faith have made thee whole."' 12:38 Amen. Praise the Lord. 12:39 Wow. 12:40 So I guess, just to mention a few things about 12:44 people with leprosy, in those days, 12:45 leprosy was considered incurable, no cure whatsoever. 12:49 You are unclean. 12:51 You can spend all your lifetime and all your money 12:53 looking for doctors to heal you, 12:55 and there was no healing, I mean, 12:57 literally your fingers would fall off, part of your... 13:00 I mean, you could get something on one part of your face, 13:03 or your arm, or anywhere, and that part would then die 13:07 and that part would fall off. 13:09 And so it was said 13:10 that the very air was contaminated. 13:13 And for the sake of the rest of the family members, 13:17 that person was to separate himself or herself 13:22 from the family because otherwise 13:25 they too would get leprosy, and they too would be dying, 13:29 we're all dying slowly as they say, 13:31 but they would be literally 13:33 have the death sentence upon them. 13:35 So these men that had leprosy, to them it was such a joy, 13:41 who knows how long they have been separated 13:42 from their family and friends. 13:44 And now they are healed, wow, 13:48 they can be restored to their family, to society 13:52 because they used to live out 13:53 in the outer part of the city, and some in caves. 13:58 And we understand that they used to have to yell, 14:02 "Unclean, unclean." 14:04 So that people would be aware that they are in the area 14:07 and make sure to get out of the way. 14:10 But this man, only one returned to give thanks, 14:13 and Jesus takes notice of this. 14:16 And He says, "Where are the other nine?" 14:19 So I guess, one of my questions today is, 14:22 you know, we talked about blessings, 14:24 and showers of blessings, 14:25 and we all received blessings from the Lord. 14:27 Amen. 14:29 But I think we're all guilty of maybe if not once, 14:33 more than once, not to give the Lord thanks 14:35 for His blessings. 14:37 And so what should we do about these things? 14:39 It said, perhaps somebody may have a comment 14:41 about the story we just read. 14:44 That's something that came to my mind first thing 14:46 when you read it, is verse 14. 14:49 It says, "And when he saw them, he said unto them, 14:51 'Go show yourselves unto the priests.'" 14:54 And I think that's interesting 14:55 that that's the first thing they needed to do. 14:58 And for us, you know, we need to be, 15:01 to allow Jesus to look at us, 15:02 and show us things about ourselves. 15:05 And that's not always easy but it's, you know, 15:08 when we show ourselves to Him, and we are kind of like, 15:11 and I think it's Psalms 51, it says, 15:15 "Create in me a clean heart, and show me if I have 15:18 anything in me that's against you." 15:20 And so I like that verse there, 15:22 I think it's good to start there. 15:23 Amen, amen. 15:24 You know, it's interesting that you even see it 15:26 here in verse 12, and He says, 15:29 "As he entered a certain village, 15:30 there met him ten men." 15:32 Now, you know, when you meet somebody, 15:33 you are up close. 15:34 But it says here they stood far off. 15:36 And they lifted up their voices from where they were, and said, 15:39 "Jesus, have mercy on us." 15:41 And so you can see that they were keeping away 15:43 from Jesus Himself. 15:45 Even though we have another story 15:46 where a man came right to Jesus 15:48 and knelt right in front of Him, 15:50 and said, "If You're willing, You can heal me." 15:52 But we see that even here, 15:54 in this story that they respected distance 15:57 for the sake of the others. 15:59 But they recognized that His power too, 16:02 because we can hear them. 16:04 The Lord is powerful, the Almighty, 16:06 He will provide for you, and we doubt, we doubt. 16:11 And why do we doubt, I don't know. 16:14 But we doubt. 16:16 And then when He comes true for us, you say, 16:19 "Guess, what the Lord did?" 16:21 So we go and show ourselves, 16:23 "This is what the Lord did for me." 16:25 But let's not forget to go back and say, "Thank You, Lord, 16:29 for answering my prayer and my supplications, 16:32 help my unbelief." 16:34 You know. Yes. 16:36 That's what I was gonna say, you know, 16:37 when I look at the story, I see in these nine leapers, 16:39 they took it for granted. 16:40 Yes. 16:41 We tend to take God's blessings for granted, 16:43 we don't give Him the thanks. 16:44 And then this one did. 16:46 And one came back, 16:47 and actually gave Him the thanks. 16:48 And I think, if we can, when we get blessed, 16:50 we expect more blessings. 16:52 We just, "Keep blessing me more," 16:53 it's almost like, you want to use Him like a, 16:55 like a little magic genie kind of thing, you know, 16:57 that's like, that's not who God is. 16:58 He deserves all our adoration and praise, you know, 17:00 'cause even having life itself is huge blessing 17:03 so taking things for granted. 17:06 The blessings though come on the just and the unjust. 17:08 That's right. That's what Bible says. 17:10 That's true. 17:11 But the unjust, a lot of them don't appreciate the blessings. 17:14 So the rain does come on all of us 17:16 but the ones that appreciate the blessings, 17:19 they get even more blessings. 17:21 Yes. 17:22 'Cause you are thankful for what you have. 17:23 Well, just think, you know, 17:25 when you start focusing on yourself 17:27 and the blessings that come, you know, 17:29 you focus on yourself, 17:31 but when you start turning around 17:33 and giving thanks, your focus changes, 17:36 and your whole attitude changes. 17:38 You know, you, it just changes your whole outlook, 17:42 you know when you start turning around 17:44 and realizing where the blessings come from. 17:46 That's right. Yeah. 17:48 It's a humbling experience to say thank you, you know, 17:50 I, you know, we are the apple of His eye, you know, I know, 17:55 the Lord loves us so much. 17:56 That's the fact. 17:58 There's nothing in this world that He would not give us, 18:00 for, that is, would be good for us, you know. 18:03 So it's just humbling that is, our great big God will focus 18:09 in my life, in my very need. 18:12 It does not matter if I'm a two year old 18:14 praying to Jesus or a hundred year old 18:17 praying to God, you know, 18:19 the Lord takes notice of our very needs. 18:23 And I praise the Lord 18:25 for His faithfulness in my life. 18:27 When we are broken, He will mend us. 18:30 Amen. 18:31 And I just say, "Lord, You are the potter, 18:34 I'm the clay." 18:36 So when we pray, mold me and shape me, 18:40 we pray for the Lord to give us the strength to support 18:45 whatever comes our way. 18:47 So everyday is the day to give thanks, to be alive, 18:51 to be molded into His goodwill. 18:54 So... 18:56 You just remind me of the Psalm, 18:57 the Lord just warning to get up and read Psalm 18, 18:59 and Psalm 18 says... 19:00 Oh, yeah. I like that Psalm. 19:02 Yeah, six is powerful, 19:04 I've been sharing this with some people. 19:06 Psalm 18, you said? Yeah, Psalm 18:6. 19:09 Oh, that's my favorite text. 19:12 I have it highlighted my book markers in here. 19:15 Actually, I've been using some pastoral line 19:17 to a lot of people in that respect. 19:18 It says, "In my distress I called upon the Lord, 19:21 and cried unto my God. 19:23 He heard my voice out of His temple." 19:25 That's just a powerful thought right there. 19:27 "And my cry came before Him, even into His ears." 19:30 You know, I talk to people on pastoral line, I said, like, 19:32 you just said, Idalia, it's like, God hears just you, 19:35 and to think that this is the God 19:37 who puts the sun in the east and sets it in the west, 19:40 He puts the stars and the constellations, 19:43 and like, people just go, "Wow." 19:45 It just, it's just incredible that God, 19:47 loving God would just focus just on you. 19:50 You are just like a spec on this earth. 19:51 Yeah. 19:52 You know, that's very, very interesting. 19:55 One of the things that I learned 19:58 after our children were crawling around 20:02 and falling is that you know 20:08 your child when he cries. 20:11 You know exactly that, I mean, there could be, I don't know, 20:15 hundreds of kids playing, 20:16 and then you hear somebody fall, 20:18 and you stop, and you know your child's cry, 20:22 you would turn, and you either have to go 20:24 or from there say, "Okay, get up and keep going." 20:27 But you know, and what you said is so powerful. 20:30 God knows each and every one of us. 20:32 Our voice is so distinct to know us, you know, 20:35 when we say, "Our father..." 20:37 "Oh, that's my son, that's my daughter." 20:39 By name He knows us. 20:40 And it's amazing, I mean, 20:42 He takes notice of all these things. 20:44 And so I just praise the Lord that we are not a number to Him 20:48 or we are not, you know... 20:50 Insignificant. Insignificant, yes. 20:52 He knows us, He knows who we are, 20:54 and it's a joy to have our heavenly father. 20:58 Well, I'd like to share 21:00 that there are ways of expression, 21:03 thanksgiving, and appreciation. 21:06 It's important, you know, when we are little, 21:08 we teach our kids, you know, to say I'm sorry, 21:11 to say please, to say thank you. 21:14 And for some reason or other we abandon 21:18 that detail even in our teenage years. 21:21 And as parents, I believe truly, 21:25 that if we notice that we could tell our son or daughters, 21:30 you forgot to say thank you to your father 21:33 or to whoever helped you, be cordial. 21:37 We cannot have the attitude that I deserve everything 21:40 and expect everything, 21:41 and I don't have to say thank you. 21:43 You have to say thank you. 21:45 It's the spirit of, it's a humbling experience 21:49 plus also recognizing that somebody did something 21:52 that they didn't have to do for you. 21:54 So when I witnessed in some occasions, 21:58 my kids not saying thank you to their father, 22:01 it may be simple, to you it may be insignificant, 22:04 but to me it was very important. 22:06 I said, "Did you say thank you to your father?" 22:10 "Oh, I forgot mom." 22:11 I said, "Well, you must go back and say thank you." 22:15 So, and as we get older we may forget 22:17 to say thank you to our spouses. 22:21 It's important to say thank you. 22:23 You know, as many of you guys know, 22:25 we had a car accident, 22:27 and not that I started saying thank you to my husband 22:30 once after the accident, I mean, 22:33 didn't I tell you thank you for other things 22:36 before the accident? 22:37 But anyhow, he's been there for me, 22:42 and I'm like, thank you honey, 22:44 thank you honey, thank you honey. 22:46 And it just made me even, love him even more, you know. 22:52 So I thank the Lord for my husband, 22:56 I thank the Lord for my children, 22:58 I thank the Lord for the accident, 23:00 I thank the Lord that He is present, 23:03 and He accepts my thanksgiving in singing, you know, 23:06 because sometimes my heart is so full of thanksgiving 23:09 just like asphyxiate, I'm like, "Lord, I thank you so much," 23:12 and I burst into singing camp. 23:15 I like, okay, but Psalm 147:7 says, 23:20 "Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving." 23:23 "Sing praise upon the harp unto our God." 23:27 So I encourage you to try to give thanks in as we sing... 23:33 Yes. You know, in song. 23:35 So there are so many little signs 23:37 that just makes you elevate your thoughts 23:40 towards heaven or our heavenly Father, 23:42 and encourages you to even give more thanks 23:46 and more thanks. 23:47 I never thought I would say, 23:49 "Thank you Lord for this accident." 23:51 But, or any challenge that we've had 23:53 that he has carried us through. 23:55 Amen. 23:57 So praise God for His presence and for carrying us. 24:00 I was gonna say, you know, the word, 24:01 "thank you" like you've mentioned 24:03 to the family, I just spoke to my dad a few days ago, 24:05 and just really fell impressed to tell him thank you. 24:08 And you just don't realize what that does to person. 24:10 I start hear him crying on the other end of phone, 24:11 I can hear him kind of sniffling it. 24:12 So thank you, you know, Dad for, you know, 24:14 always protecting me. 24:16 You had, you know, boys coming at me and stuff, 24:17 and he used to chase after with a cane and stuff. 24:19 Oh. 24:20 But you know, he used to chase them down, 24:21 so I was also thankful, you know, and he just, 24:23 I could hear on the other phone, 24:24 I can hear him... 24:25 Just kind of, like this, you just don't know 24:27 what that does to folks in just saying thank you. 24:30 You are never too old to say thanks to your folks. 24:31 That's right. 24:33 That's right. Yeah. 24:34 I called, I'm sorry, I called my mother-in-law. 24:37 And I just simply called her, and I said, 24:39 "I just want to thank you for your son. 24:42 Whatever you did and you instilled in him, 24:46 I'm benefiting today, and my children are too, 24:49 and the community is too, 24:51 so I wanted to thank you for my husband." 24:54 And, you know, she feels so proud and so happy. 24:56 Of course, the mommy would so. So, yeah. 24:58 You know, people are, people are happy, 25:01 they are blessed to hear somebody say thank you 25:04 for something they've done. 25:06 It could be very simple that they dropped something 25:09 and you picked it up. 25:11 I know that I, you know, we do things like that. 25:15 We open doors for people, 25:16 and sometimes people pass through, 25:18 and you are like, 25:19 "Man, he didn't even say thank you." 25:21 But we should do things, we should do things 25:25 because we want to help them 25:27 because I do remember when I was younger, 25:29 it did bother me for a moment, and as I processed 25:32 what happened, I said, "Well, you know, 25:35 I did it because the person was in need." 25:37 Actually, what happened was, I was in Chicago in a bus, 25:40 and this person, this man walked in, and he, 25:47 I forgot how much it was, if it was 50 cents, 25:49 he only had 25, whatever it was. 25:51 And he said, "Does anybody have 25 cents?" 25:55 And he looked around the bus. 25:57 And I was, I guess I did, you know, 26:00 how you try to figure things, I looked up in the sky, 26:02 and I said, "Do I have 25 cents?" 26:04 And I don't know, maybe he saw me do that, 26:06 but he started walking towards me 26:08 before I started check, going in my pocket. 26:10 And so, and I went and then, "Sure enough, I have 25 cents." 26:15 And he, just as I was taking it out, 26:17 he was getting there, I just gave it to him 26:19 and he turned around and went back and... 26:22 Paid his fare. Paid his fare. 26:23 And I said, "Well, he didn't even thank me. 26:25 He didn't even thank me." 26:27 But here upon this earth, 26:28 it's a blessing to do things for others. 26:30 Yes. Yes. 26:31 I mean, if they don't say thank you, 26:33 that's okay, you know. 26:34 Yes. 26:35 Jesus said, "If you do it for one of these, 26:37 you have done for me." 26:38 That's right. Amen. 26:40 Gratitude means appreciate, thankful, grateful, 26:43 to be pleased, to express gratitude, 26:47 that means to be thankful. 26:49 And we all know that verse in Psalm 100:4, 26:52 "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, 26:56 and into His courts with praise. 26:58 Be thankful to Him, and bless His name." 27:00 So I am very thankful, I have a lot to be thankful. 27:04 Every time I open my eyes, I'm thankful, 27:06 in the morning after a night's rest. 27:09 Yes. 27:10 The minute I open my eyes, I'm praying, 27:12 because before I even get to my knees, 27:14 I'm saying thank you Lord for another day 27:17 'cause so many people don't wake up. 27:18 That's right. 27:20 They just sleep on until Jesus comes. 27:22 And so when I open my eyes, I say, 27:24 "Oh, I'm awake, thank you, Lord." 27:26 It's a blessing to be alive. Yes. 27:28 When we first came to 3ABN, we were pretty much like, 27:31 somebody said this morning, rubbing two pennies together. 27:33 You never, you might made 10 bucks 27:34 to get from Indiana here, back to Indiana. 27:37 Wow. 27:38 And we actually slept in our car. 27:40 Lean our seats back and camped out in the car. 27:42 That's just kind of comfortable. 27:44 Yeah, a little bit. 27:45 But the next morning I was really impressed 27:46 to talk to a gentleman, he had a fold up bike, 27:49 and for some reason I felt strongly to give out 27:51 a Great Controversy for some reason. 27:53 This gentleman as I was talking to him told me 27:55 he was a recovering alcoholic and recovering Catholic, 27:58 and I said, "Excuse me, what did you say?" 28:00 And he said, "Yeah, I'm a recovering alcoholic, 28:01 a recovering Catholic." 28:03 "So I've got a book you might want to read." 28:04 "Ah, I don't think I want, it's gonna cost money 28:06 and it's too much time, I don't want it." 28:07 I said, "Trust me, you're gonna probably want to read, 28:09 so I got it in my trunk, I'll get it for you right now." 28:11 He was, "Oh, okay, you'll get it." 28:13 So I went and got, I gave it to him, 28:14 and he started thumbing through it, you know, 28:15 he looked and he's like, "Oh Martin Luther, 28:17 you just might convert me, I love this book, thank you." 28:19 You know, so I said, okay, you know, then walk my way, 28:23 went back, then the Lord said, 28:24 "This man is going to give you something, 28:25 send your car away." 28:27 And I'm like, I said, "Janelle, I think this man 28:28 is gonna give us something." 28:29 So I did, I sat, and sure enough 28:31 this guy came walking around my window, 28:32 and I rolled down the window on our car, 28:34 and he said, "I want you and your wife 28:35 to get something really nice for breakfast." 28:36 And he gave me a $50 bill. Wow. 28:38 And I had enough money to get back. 28:40 Praise the Lord. 28:41 And a meal. Praise the Lord. 28:44 You never know. 28:45 See. Yeah. 28:46 You never know, what a blessing tool. 28:48 So just be thankful, you know. Yeah. 28:49 You know, there was a song I heard many years ago. 28:52 And I, Pastor John Lomacang 28:54 was part of the Heritage Singers, 28:56 and I think it was them singing it. 28:57 It was a song that I said, "Wow. 28:59 I've never heard a song like that." 29:01 And the song, I remember some of the words, and it went, 29:05 "I didn't come here to ask you for anything Lord." 29:09 And I started, kept listening, and it says, 29:11 "I just came to say thank You, Lord. 29:14 Maybe tomorrow they'll be trouble and sorrow, 29:17 and a thousand teardrops may fall, 29:20 but until tomorrow's test..." 29:23 I forgot the rest of it, but it's a song about 29:26 being thankful to, you know, 29:27 just coming before the Lord, and thanking Him 29:29 because we do come to the Lord every day 29:30 and say, "Lord, please bless me with this, help me with that, 29:33 and we really need this, Lord, 29:34 and if You could heal this person, Lord," 29:36 and we're asking, asking, asking. 29:38 But it would be nice. 29:40 I would encourage people to do that. 29:41 I remember after hearing that song, 29:43 I think I'm going to do that. 29:44 I'm just gonna not ask for anything, 29:46 and I started praying, and then it's just somewhere between, 29:50 by the time the song, the prayer was ending, I said, 29:53 "Oh, I'm asking for something, now, Lord, please forgive me." 29:56 But yes... 29:58 It's hard to, it's hard to just... 29:59 It's kind of hard to talk to the Lord without asking. 30:00 Have a whole prayer of the thanks, isn't it? 30:02 I was, this morning, when I was studying 30:05 a little bit for today, and I thought, 30:08 "Okay, I'm just going to have a prayer of thanks, 30:10 and think of, list all the things 30:11 I'm thankful for." 30:12 And I start listing things, you know, 30:14 I'm thankful for this, I'm thankful for that, 30:16 and then I'm thankful for this, 30:17 but could you, you know, then I was like, 30:19 "No, I'm only thanking this time," 30:22 you know, it's really hard. 30:24 You say thank you, and then you're like, 30:25 but I'd really like, you know, if you could, 30:27 you know, it's like it's really hard 30:29 to just focus on just the thanks. 30:32 And, you know, I think God wants us to, 30:36 you know bring our request before Him too, 30:39 but I think it's good for us to stop and thank Him 30:43 for a roof over our heads. 30:45 Amen. You know... 30:47 Food, and dry place to live, you know, whatever, you know. 30:52 Sometimes we get distracted and think, well, you know, 30:56 our house is falling apart, you know. 30:58 Yeah. 31:00 This needs to be fixed, that needs to be fixed, 31:02 and you start focus on what is wrong with it, 31:06 and you stop, and then you think, 31:07 wait a minute, but it keeps me dry. 31:10 Yeah. 31:11 You know, I do have a place to call home. 31:12 That's right. 31:14 You know, and God will take care 31:15 of those other things in His due time. 31:17 There's a scripture I'd like to share 31:18 with some of our callers sometimes, 31:20 just to encourage and to get out of rut 31:22 of negative thinking, you know, and that thankful thinking. 31:24 It's in Philippians 4:8, here's this, 31:28 it's a wonderful what Paul wrote there. 31:31 It's in Philippians 4:8, I like sharing this with folks, 31:35 just the positive thankful side of things you should, 31:38 you get in that kind of rut, like you are saying, 31:40 you know, just minute ago. 31:42 Said in there, it says, "Finally, brethren, 31:44 what sort of things are true, what sort of things are honest, 31:47 what sort of things are just, what sort of things are pure, 31:51 what sort of things are lovely, what sort of things 31:53 are of good report, if there be any virtue, 31:56 and if there be any praise, think on these things." 31:58 Amen. Amen. 31:59 Nothing like a thankful mind like renewing your mind, 32:01 your thinking to think more thankful thoughts. 32:04 Yeah. I was just thinking too. 32:06 I'm glad you said that, Valera, about the thankful list. 32:10 There's something that God's been showing me 32:11 that I need to deal lately, 32:13 especially when I take things for granted, 32:15 and just kind of get into a negative mood, 32:18 excuse me. 32:19 A negative mood, and it seems kind of silly 32:23 but if you start going through the things 32:25 that you are thankful for, 32:26 then eventually your mood changes, 32:28 and it's like, "Wow, Thank you, Lord." 32:30 It could be something you're not sure. 32:31 It's amazing, it's just a simple thing. 32:33 Yeah, for sure. Amen, amen. 32:35 Do you know in Leviticus, we have the list of offerings, 32:40 beginning in chapter 4. 32:41 But in Leviticus 7, 32:43 it mentions that the Lord specifying, 32:48 even there was even offering of thanksgiving. 32:51 You know, it wasn't because you sinned, 32:53 and it was just an offering of thanksgiving. 32:55 Yes. 32:56 So I'm gonna read from Leviticus 7:12, 32:58 and it says, "If he offer it for a thanksgiving, 33:01 then he shall offer 33:02 with the sacrifice of thanksgiving, 33:04 unleavened cakes mingled with oil, 33:05 and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, 33:08 and cakes mingled with oil of fine flour fried." 33:11 And so we see here 33:12 that there were thank you offerings. 33:15 And so in Leviticus 22:29, "And when you will offer 33:20 a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the Lord, 33:22 offer it at your own will." 33:24 In other words, if the Lord is not asking you 33:26 to bring a thank you offering, 33:27 but it is of your own will, your own choice. 33:30 You decide, "You know, I am thankful to the Lord, 33:33 you know, I've, I'm still alive, you know, 33:36 the harvest was plentiest," or whatever it is 33:41 that they saw fit to ask, to thank the Lord for, 33:45 they would bring an offering of a sacrifice, 33:47 they would bring to the Lord. 33:49 And so likewise, we also, it may not be 33:53 that you are bringing an animal sacrifice 33:54 but you can bring a monitory offering 33:57 to the Lord as a thank you offering. 33:59 Yes, yes. 34:01 So that is something that we can do. 34:02 Here in Hebrews, I'm gonna read in Hebrews 13, 34:06 Hebrews 13:15, "By Him therefore, 34:11 let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, 34:15 that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name." 34:19 Amen. 34:21 So even with our voices, with our expressions 34:24 of thanksgiving to the Lord, we are praising the Lord. 34:28 I'm reminded of somebody that called one time. 34:33 And I don't know what the program was on the air 34:35 at that time, and the person after I said hello, 34:38 he basically, said, 34:40 "What do I have to be thankful for?" 34:41 Oh, no. 34:43 I shared this story before but he says, 34:45 "What do I have to be thankful for?" 34:46 But he called me by surprise, you know. 34:47 But when you are answering the phone, 34:50 you are in prayer asking the Lord 34:51 to give you things to share. 34:53 So I heard myself say, 34:55 "Well, are you in the hospital?" 34:57 He said, "No." "You should be thankful." 35:00 "Yeah, I guess I should be." 35:02 "Are you in prison?" "No, I'm not." 35:04 "Well, you should be thankful." 35:06 "Are you in a mental asylum?" "No." 35:09 "Are you in a straightjacket right now?" 35:10 "No." 35:11 And he said, "Well, I guess, I do have some things 35:13 to be thankful for." 35:15 Yes, you do, just stop, and thank, 35:18 and you'll find yourselves that you have many things 35:20 to be thankful for, you know, and it's true. 35:22 There are many things we could be thankful for. 35:25 If we stop like sister Valera was saying, and start saying, 35:28 "Well, let's see, what do I have? 35:31 What don't I have?" 35:33 Because you can go down that road as well. 35:35 And you say, "Well, I don't have leprosy, 35:38 I don't have this other disease," 35:40 and you can thank the Lord for things you don't have 35:43 as well as things you do have. 35:45 Gratitude. 35:46 In 2 Samuel 22:50, 35:51 because we're talking about David, 35:53 and my husband and I were reading about David now. 35:58 And David was very grateful to the Lord 36:01 'cause he delivered in war, times of war. 36:05 And this text in 2 Samuel 22:50, David says, 36:12 "Therefore I will give thanks to you, O Lord, 36:16 among the gentiles." 36:17 And another part of giving thanks is singing, 36:20 and he says, "And sing praises to your name." 36:24 Another one is... 36:25 That was 2 Samuel, what? 36:27 2 Samuel 22:50 36:29 Fifty, okay. Verse 50. 36:31 And another way in 1 Chronicles 16:34, 36:36 we show our gratitude to God for His daily mercy. 36:40 He is so, God is so merciful. Amen. 36:43 So in 1 Chronicles 16:34, it says, 36:48 "Oh, give thanks to the Lord for He is good, 36:52 His mercy endures forever." 36:55 So, so good to give thanks to the Lord in everything, 36:59 morning and evening. 37:00 1 Chronicles last one, 1 Chronicles 23:30, 37:05 "We are to show our gratitude morning and evening." 37:08 Actually, all the time. 37:09 It says, "To stand every morning 37:15 to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise at evening." 37:18 So it's just showing to be thankful morning, evening. 37:22 When you do it, you have a morning and evening worship 37:24 to the Lord. 37:25 Yeah, I'm very grateful for so much. 37:28 Well, the other day someone took us to the... 37:30 We were in Washington, D.C., and we were privileged 37:34 and honored to go to the White House, 37:37 and really nice, someone gave us a tour. 37:40 And this guy, he's been working, 37:42 he's an Adventist guy. 37:43 He's been working there for 26 years, 37:45 and he takes people there all the time. 37:49 And after the tour, we said to him, 37:52 "Thank you so much. 37:55 You have no idea how much this meant 37:58 was to be on this tour." 38:00 Both of us, John and I was so grateful. 38:04 Then the man just stopped, and he went like this, 38:06 and looked at us, and I went, and I looked at, 38:09 we both looked at him and he says, 38:10 and he touched me on my arm, he says, 38:13 "You know, no one has ever said that to me." 38:15 He says they never appreciated this, 38:18 they have never, he says, 38:19 "I've been, I've taken hundreds of people 38:21 to the White House," and he says, 38:24 "This is the first time I've ever had somebody 38:27 that is so grateful for doing this." 38:30 And it was, we were so sincere because we were truly grateful 38:35 for somebody taking time out, and showing us the White House, 38:38 and all these details and, you know, it was just, we were, 38:42 I just thanked him. 38:44 He says, "No one's ever been so grateful to us, to me." 38:49 And so it's just showing appreciation. 38:51 Imagine God, God wants us to thank Him, 38:54 show appreciation, be grateful. 38:56 We all have a lot to be thankful for health. 38:59 Chinese people always say, "Health is wealth," and it is. 39:03 All the money in the world can't give you health. 39:06 That's right. Only God. 39:07 Amen. Amen. 39:08 Talking about health... 39:10 Yeah, yes, you know, go ahead Idalia, testify. 39:13 I just have to say, if you know a nurse, 39:18 thank the nurse. 39:21 If you knew anyone in the medical field, 39:23 thank them. 39:26 I was at Munson Medical Center, and what is... 39:30 Traverse City... 39:31 Traverse City, Michigan, the UP and Michigan. 39:34 A beautiful place, tourists go, and well, 39:37 everyone that went to visit me was able to see the city, 39:40 but I was there three and a half weeks, 39:42 and I didn't see it. 39:43 Oh, man. 39:45 But it's okay because I got to meet 39:47 some precious people, and the people, man, 39:52 there's so many things to say thank you. 39:55 Let's start with the love of God 39:57 that is in us to do a good thing for others. 40:03 The Strong Tower Radio team, you know, 40:05 they are an affiliate of 3ABN radio up 40:08 in Cadillac, Michigan. 40:11 The pastor of the 13th Street Seventh-day Adventist Church, 40:14 he came and anointed me. 40:17 He drove an hour to anoint me. 40:20 Pastor Robert Benson. Pastor Robert Benson. 40:23 So I want to thank the Lord for a godly pastor 40:28 that saw the importance of it, and loves the Lord so much, 40:32 and believes in the word that he did 40:34 as the word indicates to us. 40:37 So, but that blessing flow through 40:41 Sister Glotage? 40:45 Karen? Karen. 40:46 Karen Glook. Karen and her husband. 40:48 Chris. She was there every day. 40:52 And I'm like "Why..." 40:54 Sister Evelyn as well. Sister Evelyn, yeah. 40:56 We're naming names. 40:57 Yes, we're gonna get into trouble. 40:59 I got the list. 41:01 We're gonna get Linda, Jamie, I mean, so many people. 41:05 But the Lord impressed me 41:09 that I was at God's mercy, 41:12 my life was in God's hands. 41:15 And I said, "Lord, 41:16 whatever my last breath will be, wherever it will be, 41:20 I want to hold You high. 41:22 I want these people to know that I love You, 41:26 and that I appreciate everything that they do 41:28 for humanity." 41:30 Through them the Lord was blessing my life. 41:33 And some people may say, 41:34 "Oh, but that's the best hospital." 41:37 Yes, it was the best hospital. 41:39 We were all praying for every doctor 41:42 or medical staff that would tend to my needs 41:46 and that makes it the best place to be on earth, 41:48 you know, and... 41:50 Would you tell them what happened to you? 41:51 'Cause a lot of people don't know 41:53 what happened to you, Idalia. 41:54 Well, I don't remember. 41:55 With the accident, you in the car accident. 41:57 Oh, yeah, I was in the car accident, 41:59 and then... 42:01 Ten broken ribs, a dislocated elbow, 42:06 bruised lung, bruised kidney, your only kidney 42:10 'cause you only have one. 42:11 Yeah. 42:13 And it was a third of the, a third of the only kidney 42:15 she had was bruised and bleeding. 42:17 So it was, they were concerned. 42:21 Yes. They were concerned. 42:22 And so, they were monitoring her kidney, 42:25 and praise the Lord, it kept working well, 42:26 doctor said it should continue to work well. 42:29 We expected it to continue to work well. 42:30 Amen. 42:32 And the Lord have... 42:34 We are grateful to the Lord. Yeah. 42:35 Oh, yeah. 42:37 We have things to be thankful for. 42:38 Amen. 42:39 As Idalia was talking... Just to be alive. 42:41 I'm sitting here watching her use this hand. 42:42 Oh. 42:44 And I'm thinking, what a praise that is. 42:45 Yes, that's a praise... Yeah. 42:46 Because when you first got back to Thompsonville, 42:50 that arm was very weak. 42:52 You couldn't lift it up that high. 42:54 That's right. 42:55 Just, I was just, as you were just talking, 42:57 I was just sitting here watching that arm move 42:58 and thinking, wow, what a blessing. 42:59 Thank you, Jesus. Amen. 43:01 Thank you, Jesus. 43:02 She could raise it and praise Him. 43:04 That's right. 43:05 So I will scratch my nose soon. 43:07 Oh, yeah, you are getting there. 43:10 You guys have been an inspiration. 43:11 Yes, they have. 43:12 Your positive attitude is just really... 43:15 Praise God. Praise God. 43:16 Humble still. 43:18 We are just simple people, everyday people, 43:22 that are willing to, you know, 43:24 let the Lord work in our life, you know. 43:28 And even if I kick or scream, because something is painful 43:32 or not going my way, 43:33 I know that there is a better tomorrow. 43:36 I am... 43:38 it's a win-win situation when we are with the Lord, 43:41 we don't lose anything. 43:43 And just the great hope of Jesus Christ 43:46 coming into clouds of glory one day very soon 43:49 to put the end of every hurt, tear, pain, 43:54 any problems that we may have, we long for that day, 43:58 we long for that day. 44:00 And you know, our Sabbath, the worship, 44:02 family worship is gonna be so special. 44:04 Oh, yes. 44:06 From Sabbath to Sabbath, right? In fact, it's awesome. 44:08 You know, in Psalms 34, there is a verse that says, 44:11 "O taste and see that the Lord is good." 44:15 Amen. 44:17 And really, anyone that does, anyone that does will come 44:22 to that same conclusion, the Lord is good. 44:25 Amen. And that is the reality. 44:27 The Lord is good, has been good to everyone. 44:29 And if you haven't tasted and seen that the Lord is good, 44:33 taste and see, and you will know. 44:35 You will see that the Lord is good. 44:37 And, you know, there is... 44:42 There was a potato chip company that years ago used to say, 44:45 "No one can eat just one." 44:47 You're supposed to eat one, and just say, 44:49 "Boy, I don't think I can eat just one." 44:52 You want to keep eating. 44:53 It says, the more you get to know the Lord, 44:55 the more you want to be with the Lord, 44:57 the more you want to spend time with the Lord. 45:00 I mean, Satan tries to take you away from the Lord, 45:03 distract you with so many thousands of things. 45:06 But when you take time to spend with the Lord, 45:11 it is time well spent. 45:14 You will not lose time, it is time well spent. 45:17 And you will come to the place, I know I have... 45:19 you know, dedicating time to study, and it's like, 45:22 "Oh, man, I have to go to sleep." 45:23 Or you have to stop, it's like, "Oh, do I really have to stop?" 45:27 You know. 45:28 Because spending time with the Lord 45:30 is such a blessing, 45:31 such an experience of joy that, taste and see. 45:38 Well, I just want to interrupt you for a second 45:41 because there may be some people 45:43 that have not taken the time or doesn't feel motivated 45:47 for whatever reason it is that the devil is trying 45:50 things at you in your life, 45:51 and you have been too busy to sit at Jesus' feet. 45:55 Just take a topic, you know, Thanksgiving, 45:59 just a Thanksgiving verses 46:01 will lift your spirit, you know. 46:03 Look for a topic and so... 46:06 And if you don't want a topic, 46:08 well, look for one of the parables. 46:10 There are so many lessons there that we can grasp on to 46:14 and be motivated like, "Wow, I would like for this 46:18 to happen in my life." 46:20 Or in such a way. 46:21 Or just take the Psalm for example, 46:23 and read the Books of Psalms, and just bite, 46:28 one bite at a time, that's how you can come 46:31 to the point that you are gonna have a feast. 46:35 But taste and see that the Lord is good, His word is good, 46:38 it comforts us, it motivates us, 46:41 it strengthens us, and it counsels us. 46:45 And we are not alone, through the word we feel 46:49 the company of God 46:50 and the holy angels that are with us. 46:53 Maybe somebody else has something 46:55 that they would like to share, how do we help somebody 46:57 to really taste and see that the Lord is good? 46:59 You know, being at pastoral was been such a, 47:01 oh man, incredible blessing, 47:03 and it's making me dive deeper in the word. 47:06 But I like what Paul says, you know, 47:07 "Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice." 47:10 And I think about that. 47:11 And sometimes we hear some of these callings, 47:13 just hear the heaviness, the pain. 47:15 And as soon you start on these scriptures like, 47:16 I had a lady earlier was just talking, 47:18 and you could just hear the desperation in her voice. 47:21 Once you start sharing some of the scriptures, 47:23 you know, and some people sometimes 47:25 beat themselves up to the point where they just lose all hope. 47:28 And I say, you know, that's obviously Satan 47:30 trying to do that to you, that's what Satan likes to do. 47:31 And I said, "God calls you His daughter, 47:33 and God says you are this, God says you are that," 47:35 and I'll just say, "Isn't that beautiful?" 47:37 I said, "You think again, you know, 47:38 the God that made all this universe, 47:40 He cares just for you." 47:41 And she is just like, "Yeah, that sounds," you know, 47:44 she really just started, you get hear lighting up 47:46 and changing on the phone. 47:47 She's got a point, and I think 47:48 the scriptures are the key for me. 47:50 It's been lately, and as I share 47:51 different scriptures the Lord gives me in the morning. 47:53 Where is that scripture, 47:55 I really want that scripture, please? 47:57 You are going through something tough, and it just... 47:59 just changes their day. 48:00 So scriptures has been just the key. 48:02 Amen! Amen! Amen! 48:03 Somebody else would like to share, 48:04 how do you encourage someone? 48:07 What can you do? 48:09 What can you tell someone, you can taste and see 48:10 that the Lord is good this way? 48:14 Well, I would like to say. You said several. 48:17 I know, but there was a pause so I took the advantage 48:22 of the pause, so thank you. 48:24 I would have done the same thing. 48:27 A song, just the song. Yes. 48:31 You need a song today, 48:33 and the Lord will put a song in your heart, 48:36 and that will be sufficient for you. 48:39 You will sing it 10,000 times in one day, 48:42 but that is the song that connects you to heaven. 48:45 You know, that you said something interesting, 48:46 'cause I remember a time, when I was... 48:50 I guess on a trip long ago, I said, 48:52 "Well, it would be nice to be able to have," 48:54 I didn't have any music with me. 48:55 And I looked at the hymnbook, and I said, 48:57 "Well, I don't remember how these hymns go." 49:00 But nowadays you can go on the internet, 49:02 and find the places where they have music, 49:06 and you can hear music. 49:07 You didn't even have to carry your CDs 49:09 with you or cassettes, or whatever it is. 49:11 You can have them on the internet, 49:14 and it's such, such a blessing to be able to do that. 49:17 And so I was going to say, you mentioned also, you know, 49:23 maybe you're reading many verses, 49:25 but you can take a verse and spend time with the Lord 49:29 with just one verse, imagine. 49:30 And I just mentioned one, 49:32 the simple one that everybody knows. 49:33 "God so loved the world 49:36 that He gave His only begotten Son." 49:38 Well, if you know the verse, spend some time with the verse. 49:42 "God, so loved the world." 49:43 Wow, God really loved the world, 49:46 and I am in the world, God loves me, you know. 49:48 And you start thinking about the different little bites 49:51 of the verse, and start thinking 49:53 and asking the Lord to help you understand 49:55 the different little bites of the verse, 49:57 and you can gain wonderful spiritual experience. 50:01 Even that word gave, I mean gave, that's a huge, 50:03 thinking about that's, 50:04 He stepped down from the throne, 50:06 gave His son to come here in a womb. 50:08 I mean, that just blow your minds in mystery. 50:10 We can't figure out but He comes as a child, 50:12 here's the creator of the universe 50:14 and He is walking with man. 50:16 Amen. That's just like, wow, man. 50:18 And there was too giving, too... 50:22 the God had, you know, giving that in that verse. 50:24 Yes. 50:26 'Cause God the Father gave His son, 50:27 and anybody that's a parent, 50:29 you think about giving your child, 50:32 and God knew what was coming, you know, for His son. 50:37 So the love He had for us to be able to stand back 50:42 and let, watch us abuse His son. 50:45 I mean, you know, that was great love for us. 50:49 And then for Jesus too, be willing to come down 50:54 and give up Himself, you know. 50:56 I am gonna read this, and then maybe give 50:58 everyone opportunity to say something 51:00 you are thankful for. 51:01 And this is from the book, Ministry of Healing, 251. 51:05 Notice this. 51:07 Nothing tends more to promote health of body 51:11 and of soul, then thus a spirit of gratitude 51:14 and praise. 51:15 It is a positive duty to resist melancholy, 51:18 discontented thoughts, 51:20 and feelings as much as it is a duty to pray. 51:25 So if you want health of body and soul, 51:29 find something to be thankful for. 51:31 Amen. 51:32 Even Christian music, when you are discouraged. 51:35 I put my music on, good beautiful Christian music 51:39 that is praising the Lord, 51:41 and we're told in the whites of the angels, 51:43 evil angels leave 51:44 when you are playing Christian music. 51:46 They don't wanna praise the Lord, 51:48 they leave when you are playing that. 51:50 They don't want to be around that. 51:52 And so confident, you know, Jonah, 51:54 I love to read about Jonah, how the Lord provided a plant 51:59 for him, a tree so to speak. 52:01 He was yet in Jonah 4:6 says, "The Lord prepared a plant, 52:06 made it come up over Jonah that it might be a shade 52:12 for his head to deliver him from his misery. 52:15 So Jonah was very grateful for the plant." 52:18 Amen. Amen. 52:20 For his misery, ain't that something? 52:21 He brought the plant up, and probably, a tree huh, 52:26 a palm tree, right? 52:27 Probably, a banana tree, I don't know. 52:29 Or banana tree, that's Caribbean people know. 52:32 But the Lord always makes provision. 52:35 He does. 52:37 And we don't even know what our needs are, 52:40 and the Lord has already provided. 52:44 You know, one time I remember doing laundry, 52:49 and I found a 100 dollar bill in the washer. 52:51 Oh, what a blessing! Wow! 52:53 I'm like... 52:55 How did that happen? 52:58 Did you ever tell Johnny about it? 53:01 I must admit, it was not my laundry. 53:04 It was my mom's laundry. 53:07 And I said, "Mommy, there is a 100 dollars 53:11 in the washer. 53:12 It was in one of your pockets or something." 53:15 She says, "Oh, I forgot I had the 100 dollar bill, 53:19 I wanted to put it safe or something. 53:21 That's okay, you can have it." Oh, praise the Lord! 53:24 So you start doing, people love you. 53:26 You are honest, you could have kept it. 53:28 No, I would not. 53:30 I mean, some people I am saying, not you. 53:31 Yes! Yes! No, no! 53:32 But some people would have kept that money. 53:34 Praise the Lord! Finders keepers, you know. 53:35 That's true. 53:36 No, if I find something, and of course, 53:39 that goes back to my bringing, my mommy always honesty, 53:43 especially, somebody's money 53:44 Oh, yeah. 53:45 You find money, you give it to the person. 53:48 I wasn't expecting her to give it to me. 53:49 No! 53:50 But you know, I happily, oh, mommy, 53:52 I will go get your laundry done, 53:54 no problem, and I found that. 53:56 And of course, who cannot use $100 dollars? 54:00 Yes! You know, or $20 dollars today. 54:02 But I am telling you that the Lord has provision. 54:06 When Samuel, Caleb, and I, and Johnny were on a trip, 54:10 we got to a parking lot, Taco Bell I think it was, 54:13 those fast food restaurant. 54:15 We are traveling from Florida, and Caleb saw a paper 54:19 in the parking lot, 54:20 and Samuel went and picked it up, 54:22 was it a $50 bill or a $100 bill? 54:24 Fifty dollar bill. Fifty dollar bill. 54:26 There was nobody, I mean, 54:28 we were the only ones in the parking lot. 54:30 So what do you do? 54:32 I am like, "Okay, well, I guess we'll keep it pay the tithe 54:35 and offering, and keep it." 54:37 So anyway, they were very happy and we are happy. 54:42 But they got what they needed to, you know. 54:44 So the Lord provides in different ways. 54:47 Yeah. 54:48 So as we come to the end of this program, 54:50 well, this time that we are together. 54:53 I am going to suggest to our friends that are with us 54:56 to take time and jot down, may be ten things 55:01 that you could be thankful for us, to the Lord. 55:04 And you will find that it's hard to stop at ten 55:09 because you'll keep finding things 55:10 to thank the Lord for. 55:12 I am gonna thank the Lord right now 55:13 that my heart is working. 55:14 Amen. 55:16 And that my lungs are working, you know, 55:17 what if the Lord would say, 55:19 "I'm gonna stop your blood from flowing?" 55:21 But the Lord is kind and gracious. 55:23 Everyday, He pours blessing, upon blessing upon people. 55:27 And so we want to thank, Don, for being with us and Janelle. 55:32 Amen, for having us. 55:34 Thank you, and Valera and Sister Angie 55:37 for being with us, and, Idalia. 55:39 Any final thoughts that you would 55:40 like to share with us? 55:41 Yeah, I would like to share one thing, 55:43 I just read in Ellen White's writings somewhere, 55:44 I think it is in Christian Experience and Training. 55:47 She had said that, when we give praise 55:49 or thanksgiving to the Lord, 55:50 that those angels take that message back to heaven 55:53 and all the angels praise with us. 55:56 Isn't that a beautiful picture, 55:58 all the angels praise God with us. 55:59 They magnify your praise. Amen. 56:03 Wow, it's crazy, so. 56:04 Well, let's pray without ceasing, 56:06 and let's thank God without ceasing too. 56:09 Amen. 56:10 For everything, because even if we were 56:12 to fall asleep in Christ, I thank the Lord 56:16 for have knowing Him because the next phase 56:20 that we will see is Jesus. 56:22 So we thank Him even at the time 56:25 for being put to rest, so. 56:27 Thanks with a grateful heart, the song says. 56:30 Yes! Yes! 56:31 And so, you know it's, I like to say 56:36 that you are a candidate to be happy. 56:38 You are a candidate to have salvation 56:40 through Jesus Christ. 56:41 Amen. 56:43 And so it's available to you, I used to run in jogging, 56:48 in school, in track, 56:50 and only one could win the prize, 56:53 only one was the first. 56:55 But God offers salvation to everyone, 56:58 everyone can have salvation. 57:00 Full and free through Jesus Christ, our Lord. 57:02 That's enough to be thankful for the rest of your life. 57:06 And so I encourage you to give your heart 57:09 to the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will find peace 57:12 and happiness that begins on this earth, 57:16 and continues forever. 57:17 We want to thank you for being with us. 57:19 Thank you for being a part of Family Worship. 57:22 And so as we end this program, it is our joy to say to you, 57:26 Happy Sabbath! 57:29 God bless you, we'll see you next time 57:31 on Family Worship on 3ABN. 57:33 God bless you. |
Revised 2018-01-25