I want to spend my life
00:00:01.93\00:00:07.94
Mending broken people
00:00:07.97\00:00:12.87
I want to spend my life
00:00:12.91\00:00:19.11
Removing pain
00:00:19.15\00:00:24.05
Lord, let my words
00:00:24.09\00:00:30.33
Heal a heart that hurts
00:00:30.36\00:00:34.96
I want to spend my life
00:00:35.00\00:00:40.64
Mending broken people
00:00:40.67\00:00:46.11
I want to spend my life
00:00:46.14\00:00:51.68
Mending broken people
00:00:51.71\00:00:55.92
Hello, and welcome to a
3ABN Today Family Worship.
00:01:09.30\00:01:14.10
We're so glad
that you have joined us
00:01:14.14\00:01:16.37
as you do each and
every Friday evening.
00:01:16.40\00:01:18.67
It's a blessing to
open the Sabbath with you.
00:01:18.71\00:01:21.34
Hopefully, you
have had a good week.
00:01:21.38\00:01:23.78
I know here at 3ABN
it's been busy as always,
00:01:23.81\00:01:26.88
but the Lord is good.
00:01:26.92\00:01:28.32
And He has seen us
through another week.
00:01:28.35\00:01:31.05
And it's always a blessing
to come to the Sabbath hours
00:01:31.09\00:01:34.72
and to spend more
time in God's Word,
00:01:34.76\00:01:37.33
and to receive
the special blessing
00:01:37.36\00:01:38.79
that God has
promised for the Sabbath.
00:01:38.83\00:01:41.60
I know we just made
it through Christmas,
00:01:41.63\00:01:44.80
and the New Year,
and all of its busyness.
00:01:44.83\00:01:47.54
And it's amazing, isn't
it, with all the commercialism
00:01:47.57\00:01:50.51
around all of
these holidays and things
00:01:50.54\00:01:52.17
we don't ever want to forget
00:01:52.21\00:01:53.94
what it's all about, and
that's about Jesus Christ.
00:01:53.98\00:01:56.48
The New Year, a lot of people
do New Year's resolutions,
00:01:56.51\00:01:59.55
that's been a few
weeks obviously behind us.
00:01:59.58\00:02:01.62
But that's always a good thing
00:02:01.65\00:02:03.52
to recommit our
lives to Jesus Christ,
00:02:03.55\00:02:05.82
not once a year, but
every day of the year.
00:02:05.85\00:02:09.72
But, Sweetheart,
00:02:09.76\00:02:11.09
we have our 3ABN
family with us today.
00:02:11.13\00:02:12.99
We do.
00:02:13.03\00:02:14.36
And it's always a privilege
00:02:14.40\00:02:15.73
just to have Family Worship
and to share with you at home.
00:02:15.76\00:02:18.13
And we want to
introduce our family here.
00:02:18.17\00:02:20.27
We have JD and Shelley Quinn.
00:02:20.30\00:02:22.20
And it's just a
privilege and joy
00:02:22.24\00:02:24.37
to have family worship
with you and we consider you
00:02:24.41\00:02:26.31
as part of the family.
00:02:26.34\00:02:27.68
Amen. We are family.
00:02:27.71\00:02:29.04
It's good to be
here. That's right.
00:02:29.08\00:02:30.41
And over on this
side we have Tim Parton.
00:02:30.45\00:02:32.41
And it's a privilege
to have you here too.
00:02:32.45\00:02:34.25
And we, Greg and I, consider
you part of the family too.
00:02:34.28\00:02:36.52
So thank you for joining us.
00:02:36.55\00:02:38.15
My privilege. Real privilege.
00:02:38.19\00:02:39.52
And, you know, I
mean I would hate to say
00:02:39.55\00:02:40.96
but maybe
someone has just decided
00:02:40.99\00:02:42.32
to start watching 3ABN.
00:02:42.36\00:02:43.69
And so, Tim Parton, who is that?
00:02:43.73\00:02:45.43
Obviously, you're famous,
I know you never say this
00:02:45.46\00:02:47.63
but God has given you
great talents and gifts,
00:02:47.66\00:02:49.30
and you're famous
pianist and musician.
00:02:49.33\00:02:51.37
But tell us what you do here
00:02:51.40\00:02:52.73
besides playing the piano
and all the music part at 3ABN.
00:02:52.77\00:02:55.00
You have some
responsibilities here too.
00:02:55.04\00:02:56.54
Right, I am the general
manager of Praise Him channel,
00:02:56.57\00:02:59.24
the music channel, we
are working on developing.
00:02:59.27\00:03:02.24
And it's...
00:03:02.28\00:03:03.61
Oh, yeah, a lot of programs.
00:03:03.65\00:03:04.98
Yeah, it's a huge undertaking
00:03:05.01\00:03:06.98
one that I never
saw myself doing.
00:03:07.02\00:03:09.15
But I am blessed to be a part
of creating content for music.
00:03:09.18\00:03:14.52
If it's musical,
I'm all about it.
00:03:14.56\00:03:17.26
Oh, yeah, it's a blessing.
00:03:17.29\00:03:18.63
We appreciate
you're traveling also,
00:03:18.66\00:03:20.06
you know, like
when Danny goes out
00:03:20.10\00:03:21.50
or other events,
00:03:21.53\00:03:22.86
you're out
traveling, I appreciate that.
00:03:22.90\00:03:24.27
It's a great
privilege. I love Danny Shelton.
00:03:24.30\00:03:26.03
I love what he stands for.
And I love his musicianship.
00:03:26.07\00:03:29.67
So it's, you know,
00:03:29.70\00:03:31.04
it's great to have
things in common with people.
00:03:31.07\00:03:32.97
I really
appreciate the opportunity
00:03:33.01\00:03:34.78
to get to be a part of
this family worship time.
00:03:34.81\00:03:37.91
Now this is
something that I need this,
00:03:37.95\00:03:40.68
so I look forward to it.
00:03:40.72\00:03:42.05
Yeah, we all do.
00:03:42.08\00:03:43.42
And I think it's nice
to just sit down as family
00:03:43.45\00:03:44.79
and you are part of the family.
00:03:44.82\00:03:46.52
So hopefully you're sitting down
00:03:46.55\00:03:47.89
and getting your Bible,
00:03:47.92\00:03:49.36
and your pen and paper
maybe to take some notes down.
00:03:49.39\00:03:51.66
And it's always a blessing
to hear from you as well.
00:03:51.69\00:03:53.80
So if you have any
comments or anything like that
00:03:53.83\00:03:56.03
just send the letters to
3ABN because we do read them.
00:03:56.06\00:03:58.37
I think you open
quite a few of them.
00:03:58.40\00:04:00.04
And it's always a
blessing to hear from you.
00:04:00.07\00:04:02.10
But, Shelley and JD, too,
00:04:02.14\00:04:03.47
you know, you are head
of Pastoral Department.
00:04:03.51\00:04:05.84
And, boy, that's
a busy department.
00:04:05.87\00:04:08.01
It is a busy
department, but it is...
00:04:08.04\00:04:12.05
The Lord may had me in mind.
00:04:12.08\00:04:14.02
He felt sorry and He says,
00:04:14.05\00:04:15.38
"Hey, this old boy
00:04:15.42\00:04:16.75
could certainly use
some spiritual help."
00:04:16.79\00:04:18.69
And so he opened up that door.
00:04:18.72\00:04:22.06
And it certainly has blessed me.
00:04:22.09\00:04:24.46
You know, you go out to
be a blessing to others.
00:04:24.49\00:04:27.13
But the
blessing that you receive
00:04:27.16\00:04:29.76
is a thousand fold.
00:04:29.80\00:04:31.40
And so I just absolutely
love our team in pastoral,
00:04:31.43\00:04:35.94
and get to talk to
people around the world daily,
00:04:35.97\00:04:40.01
kind of get a
pulse of what's going on.
00:04:40.04\00:04:41.64
You know that is a special thing
00:04:41.68\00:04:43.01
because to me
00:04:43.04\00:04:44.38
that's one of
the next best thing
00:04:44.41\00:04:45.75
to seeing someone in person
00:04:45.78\00:04:47.12
as you get to talk
to them on the phone,
00:04:47.15\00:04:48.48
so you're
building that relationship
00:04:48.52\00:04:49.85
on a daily basis with
people and that's really neat.
00:04:49.88\00:04:51.92
And isn't it incredible
00:04:51.95\00:04:53.39
that God brings
each one of us here
00:04:53.42\00:04:55.76
with our past, and
the junk from the past,
00:04:55.79\00:04:59.19
with the struggles
that we're currently having,
00:04:59.23\00:05:01.46
the victory that God is
in the process of giving us.
00:05:01.50\00:05:04.50
And He gives us the
privilege of working for Him
00:05:04.53\00:05:06.57
and we think
00:05:06.60\00:05:07.94
"Oh, I'm devoting
myself to help the cause.
00:05:07.97\00:05:11.11
But you know
what? It's helping me.
00:05:11.14\00:05:12.47
Amen. Amen.
00:05:12.51\00:05:13.84
You know, and I think
00:05:13.88\00:05:15.21
what you said
about pastoral here
00:05:15.24\00:05:16.58
and what a privilege,
00:05:16.61\00:05:17.95
you're here to
minister to other people,
00:05:17.98\00:05:19.31
but it's ministered to you.
00:05:19.35\00:05:20.68
And I know for me here
at 3ABN the same thing,
00:05:20.72\00:05:22.95
so what a privilege.
00:05:22.98\00:05:24.45
I was going to say
something too, Shelley,
00:05:24.49\00:05:25.82
'cause I know you can
'cause Jill mentioned this too,
00:05:25.85\00:05:27.52
but like you know
00:05:27.56\00:05:28.89
you're on the
Sabbath school panel
00:05:28.92\00:05:30.26
I think just about every
one of the programs probably.
00:05:30.29\00:05:32.33
But when you're
preparing for these,
00:05:32.36\00:05:33.86
it's a blessing, isn't it?
00:05:33.90\00:05:35.23
Because you're studying
00:05:35.26\00:05:36.70
for the Sabbath school
panel when it's recorded.
00:05:36.73\00:05:38.97
But for you,
00:05:39.00\00:05:40.34
I know it's a
blessing to even open up
00:05:40.37\00:05:41.70
God's Word and study
some of these topics.
00:05:41.74\00:05:43.07
Oh, I love it.
00:05:43.10\00:05:44.44
You know the thing about,
00:05:44.47\00:05:45.81
I was in a full
time Word Ministry
00:05:45.84\00:05:47.18
before I came here.
00:05:47.21\00:05:48.54
But then it's you go
00:05:48.58\00:05:49.91
into more of a
corporate position
00:05:49.94\00:05:51.41
once again as
program development manager
00:05:51.45\00:05:53.65
and all of the things that go.
00:05:53.68\00:05:55.68
So when with that
00:05:55.72\00:05:57.29
when you have time to sit
down and open up God's Word
00:05:57.32\00:06:01.62
and really study
deep, it's such a blessing.
00:06:01.66\00:06:06.26
It is such a blessing.
00:06:06.29\00:06:08.20
One thing that's interesting
about the Sabbath school panel
00:06:08.23\00:06:11.20
is that you're forced to study
00:06:11.23\00:06:13.90
something that you may not
00:06:13.94\00:06:15.50
otherwise study
deeply, you know.
00:06:15.54\00:06:17.07
Yeah, good point. That is true.
00:06:17.11\00:06:19.47
Sometimes say,
Jill, you will say,
00:06:19.51\00:06:21.11
"Hey this one's
going to stretch me."
00:06:21.14\00:06:22.48
We all feel that way
00:06:22.51\00:06:23.85
that we have to get in
there and study deeply.
00:06:23.88\00:06:26.98
So I love it.
00:06:27.02\00:06:28.52
It's a blessing, isn't
it to be able to share,
00:06:28.55\00:06:30.09
I think, that's what's
neat about family worship
00:06:30.12\00:06:32.12
because we're
studying God's Word,
00:06:32.15\00:06:34.26
and opening up the scriptures.
00:06:34.29\00:06:36.49
And today our
topic is the new birth,
00:06:36.52\00:06:40.93
which I think is pretty fitting
because of the New Year we all,
00:06:40.96\00:06:44.77
like we mentioned earlier,
00:06:44.80\00:06:46.13
we want to have an experience
with Christ every day,
00:06:46.17\00:06:50.27
you know, right, Tim?
00:06:50.31\00:06:51.64
We're talking
about the new birth
00:06:51.67\00:06:53.14
and what it
means to be born again.
00:06:53.17\00:06:54.51
Amen.
00:06:54.54\00:06:55.88
I'm so excited about this topic
00:06:55.91\00:06:57.25
because God wants to
take us from darkness.
00:06:57.28\00:07:00.35
And we all came from darkness.
00:07:00.38\00:07:02.58
But transform us out of darkness
00:07:02.62\00:07:04.32
into His marvelous light.
00:07:04.35\00:07:05.99
And what that
process looks like.
00:07:06.02\00:07:07.62
We're going to talk about
00:07:07.66\00:07:08.99
conversion and
repentance and faith,
00:07:09.02\00:07:11.46
the role of the Holy Spirit.
00:07:11.49\00:07:13.46
So I'm excited about
this topic, new birth.
00:07:13.50\00:07:16.63
And we all have the
privilege of being born again.
00:07:16.67\00:07:20.67
So before we go to God's Word
00:07:20.70\00:07:22.20
and we have a scripture
we want to springboard with.
00:07:22.24\00:07:24.81
We should go to
the Lord in prayer.
00:07:24.84\00:07:26.84
Yeah, Brother Tim,
00:07:26.88\00:07:28.21
would you mind to
open out with prayer
00:07:28.24\00:07:29.58
as we are going
to the Sabbath hours.
00:07:29.61\00:07:31.31
Father God,
00:07:31.35\00:07:32.68
what an awesome
privilege it is to serve You,
00:07:32.71\00:07:34.75
to live for You,
00:07:34.78\00:07:36.12
to have the
freedom to read Your Word,
00:07:36.15\00:07:39.05
and to have Your Holy Spirit
00:07:39.09\00:07:41.06
to give us
understanding of Your Word.
00:07:41.09\00:07:43.09
And I just ask
for that right now
00:07:43.12\00:07:44.76
as we go into this time
00:07:44.79\00:07:46.49
of spending
precious time together.
00:07:46.53\00:07:48.80
Lord, I pray that
you will give us clarity,
00:07:48.83\00:07:50.80
understanding, wisdom.
00:07:50.83\00:07:52.67
And may we leave this
time assured in our faith,
00:07:52.70\00:07:57.87
just walking closer to You,
00:07:57.91\00:08:00.08
loving each other more
and loving You greater.
00:08:00.11\00:08:02.91
We love You and praise
You, in Jesus' name, amen.
00:08:02.94\00:08:06.15
Amen. Thank you so much, Tim.
00:08:06.18\00:08:07.72
So as we start to
talk about the new birth.
00:08:07.75\00:08:10.35
To me the
scripture that comes to mind
00:08:10.39\00:08:11.99
more than any other
00:08:12.02\00:08:13.36
when you think about
being born again is John 3.
00:08:13.39\00:08:16.12
So open up your Bibles at home.
00:08:16.16\00:08:17.83
And we'll start
here with John 3.
00:08:17.86\00:08:19.89
So this is the quiz.
00:08:19.93\00:08:21.80
So at home, John 3.
What's that famous verse?
00:08:21.83\00:08:25.43
Sixteen. That's right.
00:08:25.47\00:08:26.80
Very good. You got it.
00:08:26.84\00:08:28.17
We're proud of you, John 3:16.
00:08:28.20\00:08:29.54
Did I pass the
quiz? You did it too, yes.
00:08:29.57\00:08:31.77
But, you're not
starting with verse 16?
00:08:31.81\00:08:33.81
No, we're going to
start with verse 1.
00:08:33.84\00:08:35.31
That's right, again. Absolutely.
00:08:35.34\00:08:36.98
Which I don't
know a lot of people
00:08:37.01\00:08:38.35
even though there was a 1-15.
00:08:38.38\00:08:39.71
Right. See.
00:08:39.75\00:08:41.08
Well, we'll see 3:16.
00:08:41.12\00:08:44.09
So start, JD. You want to start?
00:08:44.12\00:08:45.49
We'll pick up. Yes.
00:08:45.52\00:08:47.09
"There was a man
of the Pharisees,
00:08:47.12\00:08:48.76
named Nicodemus,
a ruler of the Jews.
00:08:48.79\00:08:52.39
And this man came
to Jesus by night,
00:08:52.43\00:08:54.30
and said to him, Rabbi,
00:08:54.33\00:08:56.53
we know that you are a teacher
00:08:56.56\00:08:58.00
come from God: for no
one can do these signs
00:08:58.03\00:09:01.00
that you do
unless God is with him."
00:09:01.04\00:09:03.64
So why do you think Nicodemus
came to Jesus by night,
00:09:03.67\00:09:07.31
and says that he came by night?
00:09:07.34\00:09:09.21
He came by night.
00:09:09.24\00:09:10.58
Well, he definitely
00:09:10.61\00:09:11.95
wasn't afraid of
what the people thought.
00:09:11.98\00:09:14.55
He wasn't afraid of
what the people thought.
00:09:14.58\00:09:15.95
I think he was afraid
of what the people thought.
00:09:15.98\00:09:18.02
As a Pharisee, he certainly
was afraid of being seen.
00:09:18.05\00:09:19.95
I got to be careful.
00:09:19.99\00:09:21.32
Jill mentioned this,
00:09:21.36\00:09:22.69
sometimes I say these things
00:09:22.72\00:09:24.06
and then so you're
like "Is he Serious?"
00:09:24.09\00:09:25.43
and I'm like, "Yeah."
00:09:25.46\00:09:26.80
No.
00:09:26.83\00:09:28.16
Yeah, he was
afraid of being seen.
00:09:28.20\00:09:29.53
Absolutely.
00:09:29.56\00:09:30.90
Yeah, his situation
with his position made it...
00:09:30.93\00:09:33.64
Isn't that
amazing, the position,
00:09:33.67\00:09:35.00
I think that's a key
word you said right there.
00:09:35.04\00:09:36.54
'Cause he was
member of the Sanhedrin,
00:09:36.57\00:09:38.14
and he was a religious leader.
00:09:38.17\00:09:39.51
That's right.
00:09:39.54\00:09:40.88
But I think even
today, there's a lot of times
00:09:40.91\00:09:42.98
we catch ourselves in
a situation maybe where,
00:09:43.01\00:09:47.15
we don't belong to that
crowd, but yet we won't.
00:09:47.18\00:09:49.68
We know that we
need to be over here.
00:09:49.72\00:09:51.95
And so in our lives today
00:09:51.99\00:09:54.52
we're probably
talking to somebody
00:09:54.56\00:09:55.89
right now you know that says,
00:09:55.92\00:09:57.26
"Well, I really
in my heart feel like
00:09:57.29\00:09:58.99
the Holy Spirit is leading me
00:09:59.03\00:10:00.80
to want to know
more about Jesus."
00:10:00.83\00:10:02.23
But, boy, the
group that I'm with,
00:10:02.26\00:10:04.23
you know, they just laugh.
00:10:04.27\00:10:06.43
So it could be that go to Jesus,
00:10:06.47\00:10:09.90
even if it is night.
00:10:09.94\00:10:11.27
Amen. Okay.
00:10:11.31\00:10:12.64
No shame in that
as long you are going.
00:10:12.67\00:10:14.58
It's powerful.
00:10:14.61\00:10:15.94
Yeah, I like that
actually because go to Him.
00:10:15.98\00:10:18.38
Yeah, no matter if it's
day or night as you mentioned.
00:10:18.41\00:10:22.25
Yeah, that's really good.
00:10:22.28\00:10:23.65
We're really
talking about a new birth
00:10:23.69\00:10:26.25
that is the
beginning of a new birth.
00:10:26.29\00:10:28.16
If the heart is
stirring your heart at all,
00:10:28.19\00:10:30.73
step out in faith.
00:10:30.76\00:10:32.76
Yeah, that's
good. It's beautiful.
00:10:32.79\00:10:34.83
Shelley?
00:10:34.86\00:10:36.30
"Jesus answered and said to him,
00:10:36.33\00:10:37.80
most assuredly,
00:10:37.83\00:10:39.17
I say to you
unless one is born again,
00:10:39.20\00:10:41.87
he cannot see
the kingdom of God."
00:10:41.90\00:10:45.24
I want to make a
point on that. Wow, yes.
00:10:45.27\00:10:46.61
Please.
00:10:46.64\00:10:47.98
In just a moment
Jesus will say...
00:10:48.01\00:10:51.91
May I go ahead and
read two more verses?
00:10:51.95\00:10:53.28
Please. Okay.
00:10:53.31\00:10:54.65
"Unless one is born again,
00:10:54.68\00:10:56.02
he cannot see
the kingdom of God.
00:10:56.05\00:10:58.59
Nicodemus said to him,
00:10:58.62\00:10:59.95
How can a man be
born when he is old?
00:10:59.99\00:11:02.22
Can he enter a second time
00:11:02.26\00:11:03.59
into his mother's
womb, and be born?
00:11:03.63\00:11:05.79
Jesus answered, most assuredly,
00:11:05.83\00:11:07.83
I say to you unless one is
born of water and the Spirit,
00:11:07.86\00:11:13.54
he cannot enter
the kingdom of God."
00:11:13.57\00:11:17.01
I think there
are two words there
00:11:17.04\00:11:19.37
that are in contrast,
00:11:19.41\00:11:20.88
you must be born again to see,
00:11:20.91\00:11:24.08
you must be born again to enter.
00:11:24.11\00:11:26.61
Oh, that is good.
I had noticed that.
00:11:26.65\00:11:27.98
I think as, you know,
00:11:28.02\00:11:32.12
when we are being
00:11:32.15\00:11:35.06
under conviction
of the Holy Spirit
00:11:35.09\00:11:36.83
before we've been born again.
00:11:36.86\00:11:39.06
We can know as
much or understand
00:11:39.09\00:11:41.63
as much as to recognize,
00:11:41.66\00:11:43.26
I'm a sinner in
need of a Savior.
00:11:43.30\00:11:45.60
We can recognize
the plan of salvation.
00:11:45.63\00:11:47.80
But to get into the Word of God,
00:11:47.84\00:11:50.74
if the Holy
Spirit isn't directing,
00:11:50.77\00:11:52.61
you can't see
the kingdom in here.
00:11:52.64\00:11:55.68
It takes the Holy Spirit.
00:11:55.71\00:11:57.61
But you have to
see before you enter.
00:11:57.65\00:12:00.82
There are people in the church,
00:12:00.85\00:12:02.72
who don't spend
time in the Word.
00:12:02.75\00:12:05.12
And if you're not
spending time in the Word
00:12:05.15\00:12:07.69
to see what God
has asked you to do,
00:12:07.72\00:12:10.66
you're never
going to enter into it.
00:12:10.69\00:12:12.19
So to me
00:12:12.23\00:12:13.56
that's an important distinction.
00:12:13.60\00:12:15.33
We're born again to see
00:12:15.36\00:12:17.17
so that the Holy
Spirit is leading us,
00:12:17.20\00:12:19.83
but then you have to
be born again to enter.
00:12:19.87\00:12:22.60
You see first,
and then you enter.
00:12:22.64\00:12:24.47
Amen. That's powerful.
00:12:24.51\00:12:25.97
I had never noticed
that before in that passage.
00:12:26.01\00:12:28.78
Lord showed me that
number of years ago,
00:12:28.81\00:12:31.18
it was just like "wow".
00:12:31.21\00:12:33.75
And God resort,
00:12:33.78\00:12:35.12
Jesus was
recognizing that, wasn't He?
00:12:35.15\00:12:36.48
Because here
Nicodemus is a Pharisee,
00:12:36.52\00:12:38.72
he is in the church, isn't he?
00:12:38.75\00:12:40.96
Yeah, but he's not seen.
Yeah, and not entering either.
00:12:40.99\00:12:45.13
That's deep. Yeah, it is.
00:12:45.16\00:12:46.56
What I like in
that passage is verse 3,
00:12:46.59\00:12:48.93
it says, "Unless
one is born again."
00:12:48.96\00:12:50.63
And if you look in the Greek,
00:12:50.67\00:12:52.00
the word again
can mean from above.
00:12:52.03\00:12:54.90
So if you look at that
again, instead of thinking,
00:12:54.94\00:12:57.44
okay, just being born again,
00:12:57.47\00:12:58.84
now that's a
little hard to process
00:12:58.87\00:13:00.21
what does that mean.
00:13:00.24\00:13:01.58
But if you think
00:13:01.61\00:13:02.94
we are called to
be born from above.
00:13:02.98\00:13:04.31
And to me that is
the new birth experience
00:13:04.35\00:13:06.95
in a nutshell is
being born from above.
00:13:06.98\00:13:10.29
So why do we
need to be born again?
00:13:10.32\00:13:12.65
It's a great question.
Now, that's a good question.
00:13:12.69\00:13:14.42
You know, when
you think about that,
00:13:14.46\00:13:15.82
'cause, I mean, to me
00:13:15.86\00:13:17.19
I always have to
know the reason why.
00:13:17.23\00:13:18.86
If you think of Ephesians
2, when he says, "You were..."
00:13:18.89\00:13:22.66
Let's turn there.
00:13:22.70\00:13:24.40
'Cause that's
important to me. Ephesians 2.
00:13:24.43\00:13:28.54
So your question, Shelley,
00:13:28.57\00:13:29.90
is why do we
need to be born again?
00:13:29.94\00:13:31.27
Why do we need to be born again?
00:13:31.31\00:13:32.64
Yeah, that's a good question.
00:13:32.67\00:13:34.01
And this is an assumption
00:13:34.04\00:13:35.38
after someone
has been born again.
00:13:35.41\00:13:37.18
But in here we see
the reason he says...
00:13:37.21\00:13:39.81
Where are you at?
00:13:39.85\00:13:41.18
Ephesians 2:1,
00:13:41.22\00:13:43.42
"You he made alive,
00:13:43.45\00:13:45.65
who were dead in
trespasses and sin,
00:13:45.69\00:13:49.22
in which he once walked
00:13:49.26\00:13:50.59
according to the
course of this world,
00:13:50.63\00:13:51.96
according to the prince
00:13:51.99\00:13:53.33
of the power of
the air, the Spirit."
00:13:53.36\00:13:54.70
And then jump down to verse 4,
00:13:54.73\00:13:56.26
he said, "God
who is rich in mercy
00:13:56.30\00:13:58.87
because of his great
love with which he loved us,
00:13:58.90\00:14:02.07
even when we were
dead in trespasses
00:14:02.10\00:14:05.31
made us alive
together with Christ
00:14:05.34\00:14:07.48
by grace you've been saved."
00:14:07.51\00:14:09.14
So when Adam and Eve sinned,
00:14:09.18\00:14:13.75
they then died spiritually.
00:14:13.78\00:14:17.02
And their hope of
immortality was taken from.
00:14:17.05\00:14:22.32
They were mortal, we knew
that they were going to die.
00:14:22.36\00:14:25.03
And we're born
00:14:25.06\00:14:26.39
with the same
propensity towards sin.
00:14:26.43\00:14:29.10
And so, when we're
born, we're dead in our...
00:14:29.13\00:14:33.23
I mean we may
be physically alive
00:14:33.27\00:14:34.67
but you're dead
in your trespasses.
00:14:34.70\00:14:36.84
And we have to be
born from above as you said
00:14:36.87\00:14:41.08
when God touches our heart,
00:14:41.11\00:14:42.91
changes our heart,
and gives us the desire,
00:14:42.94\00:14:48.15
and the ability, and the
power to walk in His ways.
00:14:48.18\00:14:52.69
Yeah, that's excellent.
00:14:52.72\00:14:54.06
Now what caught my mind
whenever you ask that question,
00:14:54.09\00:14:57.46
you know, is there's times
00:14:57.49\00:14:58.83
when you're sick and
tired of being sick and tired.
00:14:58.86\00:15:02.23
You know what you're
doing, there's got to be more.
00:15:02.26\00:15:06.17
And whether or not you
know what direction it is,
00:15:06.20\00:15:10.44
but you're ready
00:15:10.47\00:15:11.81
because you're caught
up in a lifestyle that,
00:15:11.84\00:15:15.68
"This is not who I am."
00:15:15.71\00:15:17.88
And so now you begin to look.
00:15:17.91\00:15:20.82
And I think that once
you begin to look, wow,
00:15:20.85\00:15:24.22
that's when the greatest
thing in the world happens
00:15:24.25\00:15:26.39
when the Holy
Spirit steps forward,
00:15:26.42\00:15:28.06
and your heart is pricked.
00:15:28.09\00:15:30.46
And I mean, it's kind of like,
00:15:30.49\00:15:31.83
you know that
00:15:31.86\00:15:34.56
there is
something else available
00:15:34.60\00:15:36.67
that we may not yet know,
00:15:36.70\00:15:38.80
and it may be that we do want
00:15:38.83\00:15:40.17
to show up at night or whatever.
00:15:40.20\00:15:41.60
You know, we least we know
00:15:41.64\00:15:42.97
that we're looking
for something differently.
00:15:43.00\00:15:44.34
Amen. Amen. That's good.
00:15:44.37\00:15:46.57
Are you going to
say something, Tim?
00:15:46.61\00:15:47.94
Yeah, I'm just, I'm thinking...
00:15:47.98\00:15:50.31
I'm over here just
soaking, I'm breaking it in.
00:15:50.35\00:15:52.71
So just keep on
telling. Yeah. Okay.
00:15:52.75\00:15:54.78
You want to continue on?
00:15:54.82\00:15:56.15
Yes, but I was just thinking,
00:15:56.18\00:15:57.52
you talk about why we
need to be born again?
00:15:57.55\00:15:58.92
And we just started
touching on this too
00:15:58.95\00:16:00.99
with the how to be born again,
00:16:01.02\00:16:02.59
'cause you started
talking about that,
00:16:02.62\00:16:04.99
it's recognition
that we have a need.
00:16:05.03\00:16:07.46
You know, because you
don't even want something,
00:16:07.50\00:16:12.20
if you don't
realize that you need it.
00:16:12.23\00:16:13.57
I don't know if
that makes any sense.
00:16:13.60\00:16:14.94
Absolutely.
00:16:14.97\00:16:16.30
So if we're dead as you
said in trespasses and sins,
00:16:16.34\00:16:18.17
or we should say
00:16:18.21\00:16:19.54
we were dead in
trespasses and sins.
00:16:19.57\00:16:22.21
So we don't even realize,
00:16:22.24\00:16:24.38
this is life, this is
how I've always lived,
00:16:24.41\00:16:26.45
this is normal for me.
00:16:26.48\00:16:28.58
And then all of a
sudden you mentioned it, JD,
00:16:28.62\00:16:30.75
the Holy Spirit comes along
00:16:30.79\00:16:32.35
and starts
convicting us of sins,
00:16:32.39\00:16:34.79
start showing us that.
00:16:34.82\00:16:36.22
We have to recognize
00:16:36.26\00:16:37.59
that we have a
problem in order to realize
00:16:37.63\00:16:39.46
we need to be born from above.
00:16:39.49\00:16:41.80
I believe, don't
you think maybe also
00:16:41.83\00:16:43.70
is that you have to recognize
00:16:43.73\00:16:46.47
that Jesus is who He
is, that Jesus is the Lord.
00:16:46.50\00:16:49.17
Don't you think
00:16:49.20\00:16:50.54
that's also one of the
belief and faith in Him
00:16:50.57\00:16:52.24
because it's
interesting Nicodemus says,
00:16:52.27\00:16:54.41
he says,
00:16:54.44\00:16:55.78
"The same came
to Jesus by night,
00:16:55.81\00:16:57.15
and said to him,"
00:16:57.18\00:16:58.51
this is what Nicodemus says...
00:16:58.55\00:16:59.88
You're in verse 2?
Yes, sorry verse 2.
00:16:59.91\00:17:01.85
"We know that
00:17:01.88\00:17:03.22
you are a
teacher come from God."
00:17:03.25\00:17:04.75
So he didn't say,
00:17:04.79\00:17:06.12
"You're just a man
that's doing amazing things.
00:17:06.15\00:17:07.62
You've come from God,
00:17:07.66\00:17:08.99
for no man can do these miracles
00:17:09.02\00:17:11.09
that thou doest
accept God be with him."
00:17:11.13\00:17:14.46
So to me I
think he's recognizing
00:17:14.50\00:17:15.93
that Jesus is more than
00:17:15.96\00:17:17.40
just a mortal man on this earth.
00:17:17.43\00:17:19.33
So I don't know would
that be a true statement.
00:17:19.37\00:17:21.77
Oh, absolutely.
00:17:21.80\00:17:25.17
Let me read you
something from 1 Peter.
00:17:25.21\00:17:27.48
Okay.
00:17:27.51\00:17:30.11
1 Peter 1.
00:17:30.15\00:17:34.35
I'll begin with verse 22.
00:17:34.38\00:17:37.09
This is talking
about the enduring word.
00:17:37.12\00:17:39.15
1 Peter 1.
00:17:39.19\00:17:40.89
Verse 22.
00:17:40.92\00:17:43.12
Peter writes,
00:17:43.16\00:17:45.39
"Since you have
purified your souls," How?
00:17:45.43\00:17:49.06
"You know, bang the truth," how?
00:17:49.10\00:17:51.70
"Through the spirit in
sincere love the brethren,
00:17:51.73\00:17:55.10
love one another
fervently with a pure heart.
00:17:55.14\00:17:57.67
Having been born again,
not of corruptible seed,
00:17:57.71\00:18:03.01
but incorruptible
through the Word of God
00:18:03.04\00:18:07.52
which lives and
abides for ever."
00:18:07.55\00:18:09.98
And I think
00:18:10.02\00:18:11.35
what you just
said is so true that...
00:18:11.39\00:18:13.96
I mean, that's what
God has called us to do.
00:18:13.99\00:18:16.96
And that is the mission of 3ABN,
00:18:16.99\00:18:19.66
it is to share the Word of God.
00:18:19.69\00:18:23.57
I heard the most
amazing testimony of someone
00:18:23.60\00:18:26.37
that I interviewed here,
00:18:26.40\00:18:28.04
that he was a
policeman, he was in ministry.
00:18:28.07\00:18:30.74
And he went to the high schools
talking about creation science.
00:18:30.77\00:18:34.88
And he was from California.
00:18:34.91\00:18:36.85
And he went to this
very rough high school.
00:18:36.88\00:18:39.88
He was in a special
unit for the anti-gangs.
00:18:39.91\00:18:44.02
I mean that's why
they were sending,
00:18:44.05\00:18:45.39
they are trying
to break this up.
00:18:45.42\00:18:47.66
And he said that these young men
00:18:47.69\00:18:49.99
as he was talking to them
00:18:50.03\00:18:53.03
about how God had created them,
00:18:53.06\00:18:56.10
God had a plan for
their life and all this.
00:18:56.13\00:18:58.77
These young men
always had been taught
00:18:58.80\00:19:01.60
that they had
evolved from an ape,
00:19:01.64\00:19:05.24
they thought of life,
00:19:05.27\00:19:06.61
they didn't expect
to live beyond 21 or 22,
00:19:06.64\00:19:10.31
they had no motivation...
00:19:10.35\00:19:12.91
Did you know
that when they learned
00:19:12.95\00:19:15.65
that there was a
creator as he shared the word,
00:19:15.68\00:19:18.39
when they learned that
they were created in His image,
00:19:18.42\00:19:22.86
it totally was life changing.
00:19:22.89\00:19:25.46
I mean, he was reaching,
you know, through the...
00:19:25.49\00:19:29.73
The Holy Spirit was
using him to reach so many,
00:19:29.76\00:19:33.00
and bring them
out of those gangs,
00:19:33.03\00:19:34.67
and they got on
fire for the Lord.
00:19:34.70\00:19:37.97
But we are born again
as it said, Jesus said
00:19:38.01\00:19:42.44
you know of the
water and the Spirit.
00:19:42.48\00:19:44.25
I think of the water,
00:19:44.28\00:19:45.95
of course, many often
will say that's baptism.
00:19:45.98\00:19:48.98
But there's the washing
of the water of the Word
00:19:49.02\00:19:52.42
is how I think of it,
00:19:52.45\00:19:53.79
because we are
born of the Word of God.
00:19:53.82\00:19:57.59
In the beginning was the
Word, the Word was with God,
00:19:57.63\00:19:59.89
the Word was God.
00:19:59.93\00:20:02.03
God is a relational being.
00:20:02.06\00:20:04.13
He spoke,
00:20:04.17\00:20:06.27
I mean He begins right in
the beginning of the Bible,
00:20:06.30\00:20:08.67
talking to reveal to us Himself.
00:20:08.70\00:20:11.21
And then when we
hear the Word of God,
00:20:11.24\00:20:15.58
and we understand.
00:20:15.61\00:20:16.95
Wow, it doesn't
have to be like this,
00:20:16.98\00:20:19.15
there's something more.
00:20:19.18\00:20:21.08
That's the
beginning. Yeah, I agree.
00:20:21.12\00:20:23.05
I agree with that.
00:20:23.08\00:20:24.42
I think it's that
relationship and recognizing
00:20:24.45\00:20:25.79
that God is who He is
and He's a God of love.
00:20:25.82\00:20:28.52
Yeah, and He's there
to save us, for sure.
00:20:28.56\00:20:31.83
Which is probably a good idea
especially for parents to hear
00:20:31.86\00:20:35.23
this of how important
it is to plant the seed
00:20:35.26\00:20:38.53
in a child's
life at an early age
00:20:38.57\00:20:41.74
to know that
there is a little seed
00:20:41.77\00:20:43.84
that's been
planted in their heart.
00:20:43.87\00:20:45.97
And with the right fertilization
00:20:46.01\00:20:49.24
it will grow,
and they will become
00:20:49.28\00:20:50.61
a mighty
warrior for His kingdom.
00:20:50.65\00:20:53.11
It may not happen at the time
00:20:53.15\00:20:54.48
that you think it should happen.
00:20:54.52\00:20:56.69
But it will happen
because he will get,
00:20:56.72\00:21:00.32
that person will
get sick and tired,
00:21:00.36\00:21:03.69
everything gets old.
00:21:03.73\00:21:05.86
So you got to attach
yourself with someone
00:21:05.89\00:21:08.33
that will continue to help you
00:21:08.36\00:21:14.44
produce good fruit.
00:21:14.47\00:21:17.24
Yes. Yes. Oh, that's good.
00:21:17.27\00:21:19.24
It's excellent.
00:21:19.27\00:21:20.61
When you think about
you were talking about
00:21:20.64\00:21:22.21
being born of
water and of the Spirit
00:21:22.24\00:21:23.91
and being born of water.
00:21:23.95\00:21:27.02
It's interesting if
you think about Romans 2:4,
00:21:27.05\00:21:29.62
it says the goodness of God
what leads us to repentance.
00:21:29.65\00:21:34.62
So the water,
00:21:34.66\00:21:36.29
and I know the water can
be represented by the word,
00:21:36.32\00:21:38.53
the washing of the water,
00:21:38.56\00:21:39.89
the word, and that is beautiful.
00:21:39.93\00:21:41.80
But you also think at this time
00:21:41.83\00:21:43.57
when Jesus was
talking to Nicodemus,
00:21:43.60\00:21:45.77
what water
baptism were they doing?
00:21:45.80\00:21:48.10
You could say that would
be the baptism of John, right?
00:21:48.14\00:21:51.37
John the Baptist
had been baptizing.
00:21:51.41\00:21:53.51
And it was what? The
baptism of repentance.
00:21:53.54\00:21:55.94
So to me
00:21:55.98\00:21:57.31
there is a twofold
application almost here.
00:21:57.35\00:21:58.85
Of course, we're
to be born of the Word
00:21:58.88\00:22:00.52
and that is important.
00:22:00.55\00:22:01.88
But we're also, this is
talking about repentance.
00:22:01.92\00:22:04.49
And he's talking about,
00:22:04.52\00:22:05.85
Jesus is telling Nicodemus
the importance of that.
00:22:05.89\00:22:08.89
And we know with
the goodness of God
00:22:08.92\00:22:10.26
that even leads
us to repentance.
00:22:10.29\00:22:11.73
I mean, I can't even go and say,
00:22:11.76\00:22:13.93
"I'm going to repent."
00:22:13.96\00:22:15.60
Repentance is a
gift that comes from God.
00:22:15.63\00:22:18.57
It's 5:32. Absolutely.
00:22:18.60\00:22:20.30
Yeah.
00:22:20.34\00:22:21.67
Shall we keep going? Yes.
00:22:21.70\00:22:23.04
Verse 6,
00:22:23.07\00:22:24.57
"That which is born
of the flesh is flesh,
00:22:24.61\00:22:27.48
and that which is born
of the Spirit is Spirit.
00:22:27.51\00:22:30.31
Do not marvel
that I said to you,
00:22:30.35\00:22:32.81
you must be born again.
00:22:32.85\00:22:34.45
The wind blows where it wishes
and you hear the sound of it,
00:22:34.48\00:22:37.72
but cannot tell where it
comes from and where it goes,
00:22:37.75\00:22:41.22
so is everyone who
is born of the Spirit."
00:22:41.26\00:22:44.99
Why do you think
00:22:45.03\00:22:46.36
he used the analogy of
the wind and the Spirit?
00:22:46.39\00:22:48.43
And, of course,
we know in the Greek
00:22:48.46\00:22:49.90
the pneuma can be wind,
00:22:49.93\00:22:53.54
can refer to Spirit as well.
00:22:53.57\00:22:54.90
So I know there
is that connection.
00:22:54.94\00:22:56.37
But why do you think
00:22:56.40\00:22:57.74
the analogy of the
Spirit and the wind.
00:22:57.77\00:23:01.58
The Holy Spirit is not visible
as the wind is not visible.
00:23:01.61\00:23:08.12
But His effects
00:23:08.15\00:23:09.48
when the Holy
Spirit is someone's life,
00:23:09.52\00:23:11.59
you see the effects of it
00:23:11.62\00:23:13.72
just as we see the
effects of the wind.
00:23:13.76\00:23:16.22
So I think it's a
wonderful analogy.
00:23:16.26\00:23:18.23
And the wind can be
everywhere at one time
00:23:18.26\00:23:20.86
as the Spirit can be.
00:23:20.90\00:23:22.70
I think it's an
excellent analogy.
00:23:22.73\00:23:26.74
Other people might
come up to you and says
00:23:26.77\00:23:28.10
"You know, Greg,
00:23:28.14\00:23:29.47
there's something
different about you,
00:23:29.50\00:23:30.84
I really don't know."
00:23:30.87\00:23:32.77
And says, "I've been noticing
for the last six months,
00:23:32.81\00:23:35.78
it seems like you
have a peace about you
00:23:35.81\00:23:37.61
that never seen before."
00:23:37.65\00:23:40.05
So other people
might can see it,
00:23:40.08\00:23:41.72
but you didn't really know.
00:23:41.75\00:23:43.12
And then there's
other people who just...
00:23:43.15\00:23:44.82
It amazes me.
00:23:44.85\00:23:46.25
Oh, I remember
finding Jesus on 3 July, 1926.
00:23:46.29\00:23:50.83
And they give you
the place and the time.
00:23:50.86\00:23:52.19
Yeah, I mean it's just amazing.
00:23:52.23\00:23:54.06
And, you know, and
I beat myself up over
00:23:54.10\00:23:56.10
that 'cause I don't
know whenever I was stuck.
00:23:56.13\00:23:58.57
I just know that you
just here as evolved,
00:23:58.60\00:24:00.97
you know, and they study.
00:24:01.00\00:24:02.34
It's nothing to
beat yourself up over.
00:24:02.37\00:24:03.84
There are some people
00:24:03.87\00:24:05.21
who have been
living a certain lifestyle,
00:24:05.24\00:24:07.21
they never had any
introduction to Jesus.
00:24:07.24\00:24:09.64
And then all of a sudden God
reaches down like Cheri Peters
00:24:09.68\00:24:12.85
when she talks about
00:24:12.88\00:24:14.22
how God just grabbed her
out of a crack house, you know.
00:24:14.25\00:24:17.55
And she can tell you
the date and the time
00:24:17.59\00:24:20.26
that she was born again.
00:24:20.29\00:24:21.62
But then others of us,
00:24:21.66\00:24:22.99
if you're
brought up in the church,
00:24:23.02\00:24:24.66
it's just a progressive thing
00:24:24.69\00:24:26.66
that one day
you've just accepted it.
00:24:26.70\00:24:29.06
Well, Tim, you were raised
00:24:29.10\00:24:30.43
in a Christian
home, weren't you?
00:24:30.47\00:24:31.80
Your father and
mother loved the Lord.
00:24:31.83\00:24:33.30
Yeah, you guys are raised up
with Christ being the center.
00:24:33.34\00:24:35.94
And I know, you
know, I was raised also in,
00:24:35.97\00:24:38.91
you know, in a
God fearing family.
00:24:38.94\00:24:42.04
And it wasn't
like in my life anyway
00:24:42.08\00:24:44.45
where I was off in left field
00:24:44.48\00:24:46.38
going down the
path to destruction.
00:24:46.41\00:24:49.92
And then all of a sudden one day
00:24:49.95\00:24:51.29
like you're saying like
00:24:51.32\00:24:52.65
Cheri Peters just
making about facing,
00:24:52.69\00:24:54.36
you know, okay, I'm
accepting Christ today,
00:24:54.39\00:24:56.69
'cause Christ was always,
00:24:56.73\00:24:58.06
you know, part of my
life, so similar for you too.
00:24:58.09\00:25:01.13
But then there's a
point, I remember I was 12,
00:25:01.16\00:25:03.67
I can't give you
necessary time and place.
00:25:03.70\00:25:05.93
But, oh, place I can,
but not necessary the time.
00:25:05.97\00:25:08.04
But I decided to
accept the Lord and say,
00:25:08.07\00:25:09.80
"You know what God,
00:25:09.84\00:25:11.17
I'm going to follow
You for my entire life."
00:25:11.21\00:25:14.28
You know, so I
remember that specifically
00:25:14.31\00:25:15.64
but again it wasn't
like "wow, 180 experience."
00:25:15.68\00:25:19.35
Yeah.
00:25:19.38\00:25:20.72
That was the big
dilemma in my life
00:25:20.75\00:25:23.59
because, you know, I had
to like start cussing to,
00:25:23.62\00:25:28.59
you know, feel like
00:25:28.62\00:25:29.96
I had something to
ask forgiveness for
00:25:29.99\00:25:32.83
because I had been
raised in a Christian home.
00:25:32.86\00:25:35.20
And we did everything,
00:25:35.23\00:25:36.56
you know, right or by the book,
00:25:36.60\00:25:38.50
you know, or you
got trouble for it
00:25:38.53\00:25:40.24
from mom and dad.
00:25:40.27\00:25:42.20
So, seriously though,
00:25:42.24\00:25:44.94
every summer at
church camp I would,
00:25:44.97\00:25:47.38
you know, rededicate my life.
00:25:47.41\00:25:48.91
And, you know, try to be,
00:25:48.94\00:25:51.85
reset my direction for
whatever I had done wrong,
00:25:51.88\00:25:54.72
which I know,
00:25:54.75\00:25:56.08
you know, the fact
that we all need Christ.
00:25:56.12\00:25:59.42
And to recognize
that I think is the point
00:25:59.45\00:26:02.02
when I got out of
my, I left high school,
00:26:02.06\00:26:05.79
moved to my first real job,
00:26:05.83\00:26:09.23
and was actually
playing the piano in churches
00:26:09.26\00:26:13.84
about every night of the week.
00:26:13.87\00:26:15.67
And I felt like I
needed a place and time
00:26:15.70\00:26:20.78
because I had
heard all growing up,
00:26:20.81\00:26:22.84
people who knew that.
00:26:22.88\00:26:24.98
They knew they could name a time
00:26:25.01\00:26:27.62
and a particular altar
that they had accepted Christ.
00:26:27.65\00:26:30.72
And I didn't have that.
00:26:30.75\00:26:33.12
And so, I think, I was...
00:26:33.15\00:26:34.99
I still don't even
remember exactly how old I was.
00:26:35.02\00:26:37.79
But I remember going to
church on a Wednesday night.
00:26:37.83\00:26:41.03
And it was a youth group.
00:26:41.06\00:26:43.23
I still thought I was
young even at 20 or 21.
00:26:43.26\00:26:48.00
But anyway and I guessed
it, up to that point if I had,
00:26:48.04\00:26:53.64
you know, died, I believe
00:26:53.68\00:26:57.35
that I would have been a,
00:26:57.38\00:27:00.38
I was a Christian.
00:27:00.42\00:27:01.75
But to have that
confirmation or affirmation,
00:27:01.78\00:27:06.29
I don't know if
there's anything scriptural
00:27:06.32\00:27:08.82
about that other
than the fact that,
00:27:08.86\00:27:10.39
you know, I settled it.
00:27:10.43\00:27:13.33
Yes.
00:27:13.36\00:27:14.70
Well, I think
that one of the key is,
00:27:14.73\00:27:16.06
you know, just
being in a Christian home,
00:27:16.10\00:27:17.60
a Seventh-day
Adventist home doesn't save you.
00:27:17.63\00:27:19.53
That's right.
00:27:19.57\00:27:20.90
You know it's a commitment
on an individual basis.
00:27:20.94\00:27:24.11
You know, you're
accepting the Lord saying,
00:27:24.14\00:27:25.47
"You know, I want to
make You Lord of my life."
00:27:25.51\00:27:27.34
It's same for
me, the same thing.
00:27:27.38\00:27:29.21
So it's not
necessarily okay. You know what?
00:27:29.24\00:27:32.08
You may be a third, fourth,
00:27:32.11\00:27:33.45
fifth generation
Seventh-day Adventist,
00:27:33.48\00:27:35.15
someone that loves the Lord.
00:27:35.18\00:27:36.52
But, man, there's a commitment
00:27:36.55\00:27:37.89
we all have to make
on an individual basis
00:27:37.92\00:27:39.65
to accept the Lord of our life.
00:27:39.69\00:27:41.49
Then we have the daily walk,
00:27:41.52\00:27:42.92
which is the
sanctification process to,
00:27:42.96\00:27:44.96
where Paul says he dies daily.
00:27:44.99\00:27:47.60
We're talking about
the new birth experience
00:27:47.63\00:27:50.33
and accepting the
Lord of our lives.
00:27:50.37\00:27:52.17
Could I share a
word on Conversion?
00:27:52.20\00:27:55.27
Yes, please.
00:27:55.30\00:27:56.64
My mother had complete
cardiac and respiratory arrest
00:27:56.67\00:28:00.38
and did not breathe
for nearly 16 minutes.
00:28:00.41\00:28:03.81
"She was dead."
Yeah, absolutely.
00:28:03.85\00:28:06.31
But they were working
on her the entire time
00:28:06.35\00:28:08.45
and brought her back.
00:28:08.48\00:28:10.19
And she was in a coma.
00:28:10.22\00:28:12.85
She was paralyzed
from her neck down.
00:28:12.89\00:28:14.89
And when she was
in intensive care
00:28:14.92\00:28:17.96
about four different times,
00:28:17.99\00:28:21.20
they'd have to
bring the crash cart,
00:28:21.23\00:28:25.77
and they'd kick me
out of intensive care,
00:28:25.80\00:28:29.10
and then they put
the paddles on her.
00:28:29.14\00:28:31.04
And then I remember
so clearly the first time
00:28:31.07\00:28:34.31
that the doctor
came out and he said,
00:28:34.34\00:28:36.88
"We converted her."
00:28:36.91\00:28:38.45
That's what this
electrocardio conversion
00:28:38.48\00:28:41.75
when they put those paddles.
00:28:41.78\00:28:43.55
And I think to your
point, there are a lot...
00:28:43.59\00:28:46.65
My Mother was alive.
00:28:46.69\00:28:49.39
And then she was dead,
but she wasn't really dead,
00:28:49.42\00:28:51.49
she was, you
know, you can't bring.
00:28:51.53\00:28:54.20
But it took that
time of conversion.
00:28:54.23\00:28:58.20
And when we're in the church,
it is to me conversion is,
00:28:58.23\00:29:03.81
you know, one of the
new covenant promises
00:29:03.84\00:29:06.17
is that He'll give us
new heart and new spirit.
00:29:06.21\00:29:09.51
It is all about surrender.
00:29:09.54\00:29:11.85
It's about yielding control.
00:29:11.88\00:29:14.18
When you get to
that point where you say,
00:29:14.22\00:29:16.48
"Lord, I want
Your will in my life,
00:29:16.52\00:29:18.82
not my will, but Yours be done.
00:29:18.85\00:29:21.09
I'm willing to yield to You."
00:29:21.12\00:29:25.03
And at that point
when God reaches down
00:29:25.06\00:29:28.70
and takes His hands of
love and touches our heart,
00:29:28.73\00:29:33.54
He converts it.
00:29:33.57\00:29:34.90
It's like that, you know,
00:29:34.94\00:29:36.27
that electrical current puts
the Holy Spirit in our heart.
00:29:36.30\00:29:39.17
And then
suddenly, we're alive again.
00:29:39.21\00:29:43.68
I mean, we are
spiritually alive.
00:29:43.71\00:29:46.75
And it's, you know,
00:29:46.78\00:29:50.05
there are many
people in the church
00:29:50.09\00:29:52.45
who have never been born again.
00:29:52.49\00:29:53.99
That is true.
00:29:54.02\00:29:55.36
And you can recognize
00:29:55.39\00:29:56.93
'cause I think if the
Spirit of God is in you,
00:29:56.96\00:29:59.09
you're going to be
a very loving person
00:29:59.13\00:30:00.63
because God is love.
00:30:00.66\00:30:02.30
And that's how I tell
00:30:02.33\00:30:03.77
if somebody has
got the Holy Spirit.
00:30:03.80\00:30:06.07
But I had a thought,
oh, that He tells us,
00:30:06.10\00:30:10.61
that He gives us everything
that we need for godliness.
00:30:10.64\00:30:15.84
All of His exceedingly
great and precious promises
00:30:15.88\00:30:19.38
are ours in Christ Jesus.
00:30:19.41\00:30:21.62
And so it's that
matter of coming to Him,
00:30:21.65\00:30:24.89
I lost my point in all
of this but just saying,
00:30:24.92\00:30:27.42
"Yes, Lord, I'm in the church.
00:30:27.46\00:30:30.26
But have I ever really said
00:30:30.29\00:30:33.60
I want You not
just as my substitute
00:30:33.63\00:30:36.97
but as my surety."
00:30:37.00\00:30:38.33
I want you to be
Lord, not just my Savior.
00:30:38.37\00:30:41.14
A lot of people like
to talk about Savior.
00:30:41.17\00:30:43.64
But if Jesus
isn't Lord of your life,
00:30:43.67\00:30:46.74
He's not your Savior either.
00:30:46.78\00:30:48.11
No, that's true. It's beautiful.
00:30:48.14\00:30:49.48
Wow. Well said.
00:30:49.51\00:30:50.85
I think it's that
surrender. Yes, I agree.
00:30:50.88\00:30:52.21
You know, that's accepting Him
as you said as Lord of my life,
00:30:52.25\00:30:54.98
not only accepting
the death on the cross
00:30:55.02\00:30:57.15
and that in my place,
00:30:57.19\00:30:58.52
you know, Jesus
bled to cover the sins.
00:30:58.55\00:31:00.36
But I think it's saying,
00:31:00.39\00:31:01.72
"Yes, Lord, I want
You to rule my life.
00:31:01.76\00:31:03.96
I want You to be in
control of my life."
00:31:03.99\00:31:06.29
And I remember I was nine,
we're all sharing stories here,
00:31:06.33\00:31:10.90
but I remember I was
nine and I was in church.
00:31:10.93\00:31:13.47
And I had known about God and,
you know, raised, same as you,
00:31:13.50\00:31:17.14
raised in a Christian home.
00:31:17.17\00:31:19.41
But I remember the minister,
and this is kind of a...
00:31:19.44\00:31:22.34
I'll share this
quickly, a cute story.
00:31:22.38\00:31:26.18
We didn't have a lot of money.
00:31:26.21\00:31:27.58
And my mom and dad had
gone out to a secondhand store
00:31:27.62\00:31:31.29
and bought me my
first pair of heels,
00:31:31.32\00:31:32.85
and I was so proud of them.
00:31:32.89\00:31:34.22
I was nine years old.
00:31:34.26\00:31:35.59
And I just thought
00:31:35.62\00:31:36.96
it was the most
wonderful thing in the world.
00:31:36.99\00:31:38.39
And they had a little
strap around the ankle,
00:31:38.43\00:31:40.20
and I was so
pleased, they were white.
00:31:40.23\00:31:42.06
And they had taken
a little white marker
00:31:42.10\00:31:43.97
and kind of
erased the scuff marks
00:31:44.00\00:31:46.23
because they
were secondhand shoes.
00:31:46.27\00:31:48.34
And I wore them into church.
00:31:48.37\00:31:49.70
And I remember I
was wobbling like this,
00:31:49.74\00:31:51.27
but I was so excited.
00:31:51.31\00:31:52.64
And I sat down,
00:31:52.67\00:31:54.01
I thought everybody's
looking at my new shoes.
00:31:54.04\00:31:55.58
And the minister that day spoke
on the importance of surrender,
00:31:55.61\00:32:01.58
the importance of giving
God control of your life,
00:32:01.62\00:32:04.85
the importance of
I don't want anything
00:32:04.89\00:32:06.55
between you and Jesus.
00:32:06.59\00:32:08.72
You know, do you have any
idol? Do you have anything?
00:32:08.76\00:32:10.99
And I just, I was only
nine, just a little kid.
00:32:11.03\00:32:14.23
And I still remember my feet
00:32:14.26\00:32:15.86
they didn't even
touch the ground,
00:32:15.90\00:32:17.23
they're swinging.
00:32:17.27\00:32:18.60
And I remember thinking,
00:32:18.63\00:32:19.97
"But I like my
shoes, but I like my shoes."
00:32:20.00\00:32:23.41
And the Holy Spirit,
00:32:23.44\00:32:24.77
the convicting
power of the Holy Spirit,
00:32:24.81\00:32:26.64
spoke to my heart and said,
00:32:26.68\00:32:28.68
"But do you love
Me more or the shoes?"
00:32:28.71\00:32:30.41
And I was like, "No,
I love the shoes more."
00:32:30.45\00:32:32.71
And I remember that.
00:32:32.75\00:32:34.08
Even you know, parents,
you could be at home and say,
00:32:34.12\00:32:36.79
"Well, my child
can't understand this?"
00:32:36.82\00:32:38.75
Children can, from a
young age can understand.
00:32:38.79\00:32:42.02
And I remember the battle,
the whole church service,
00:32:42.06\00:32:45.79
the entire time he
talked, I'm battling.
00:32:45.83\00:32:48.93
And then at the
end we went home,
00:32:48.96\00:32:52.13
I took my shoes off,
I gave them to my mom.
00:32:52.17\00:32:54.74
And I said, "Would
you give these away?"
00:32:54.77\00:32:56.94
I want Jesus to
be Lord of my life.
00:32:56.97\00:32:59.61
I don't want
anything between me and Jesus.
00:32:59.64\00:33:01.91
Now, you can think
that's just a pair of shoes.
00:33:01.94\00:33:03.58
That's nothing.
00:33:03.61\00:33:04.95
But you know
it's a simple thing,
00:33:04.98\00:33:07.12
but for a child
00:33:07.15\00:33:08.68
that was my
battle and my struggle.
00:33:08.72\00:33:10.79
I want Jesus.
00:33:10.82\00:33:12.15
But there was nothing wrong
00:33:12.19\00:33:14.19
with a little
white pair of heels.
00:33:14.22\00:33:16.46
What happened was...
00:33:16.49\00:33:17.83
It was my love of them.
00:33:17.86\00:33:19.19
Your pride. Absolutely.
00:33:19.23\00:33:20.56
And like you said,
00:33:20.60\00:33:21.93
"I thought everybody
is noticing my new shoes."
00:33:21.96\00:33:26.10
So it was a
pride issue, and God...
00:33:26.13\00:33:29.20
Dealt with me.
00:33:29.24\00:33:30.57
Thank goodness,
00:33:30.61\00:33:31.94
He dealt with you
right away on that.
00:33:31.97\00:33:33.74
That was precious.
00:33:33.78\00:33:35.11
I know, you are
going to listen to.
00:33:35.14\00:33:36.48
JD, you were
going to say something?
00:33:36.51\00:33:37.85
This is a very important
point right here because,
00:33:37.88\00:33:41.22
boy, our mind plays these games.
00:33:41.25\00:33:42.92
Satan is sitting there,
00:33:42.95\00:33:44.29
you know, and
he's manipulating this,
00:33:44.32\00:33:46.05
and there's
this battle going on.
00:33:46.09\00:33:47.92
I remember I was 14 years old,
00:33:47.96\00:33:49.66
and we went to an
evangelistic series
00:33:49.69\00:33:52.53
in Kane, Texas.
00:33:52.56\00:33:53.90
And oh, my goodness,
00:33:53.93\00:33:57.70
they were making
a call for people
00:33:57.73\00:33:59.83
to give their life to
Jesus and to go into ministry.
00:33:59.87\00:34:04.87
And, boy, I don't
think that I've ever had
00:34:04.91\00:34:09.18
such a battle in
my heart as that day.
00:34:09.21\00:34:11.35
And I was probably a freshman
in high school, 14 years old.
00:34:11.38\00:34:16.52
And what a battle.
00:34:16.55\00:34:18.49
And I wanted with all my
heart just to go forward.
00:34:18.52\00:34:24.99
But then I had my friends,
that I was sitting with,
00:34:25.03\00:34:29.63
and they were just
tossing this aside.
00:34:29.66\00:34:33.34
You know, this no
more meant anything.
00:34:33.37\00:34:36.30
He wanted to go by night. Yeah.
00:34:36.34\00:34:38.97
And I allowed that situation,
00:34:39.01\00:34:43.04
that peer pressure,
00:34:43.08\00:34:45.28
to talk me out of that evening
00:34:45.31\00:34:47.78
which would probably
could have changed my life.
00:34:47.82\00:34:53.86
So this is very
important, I was 14 years old,
00:34:53.89\00:34:57.56
so I was just maybe nine...
00:34:57.59\00:34:58.93
Wow!
00:34:58.96\00:35:00.30
I can't remember
that far back, you know.
00:35:00.33\00:35:03.13
And here we're
talking about white shoes.
00:35:03.16\00:35:05.73
So these are little
things that happen to us
00:35:05.77\00:35:07.64
when we were young
that we make decisions,
00:35:07.67\00:35:10.31
long term decisions, Lord,
and maybe not really realize
00:35:10.34\00:35:13.14
what's going on at
that particular time.
00:35:13.17\00:35:15.61
Let me say one more thing here
00:35:15.64\00:35:17.18
because I think
this is important
00:35:17.21\00:35:18.81
because we're
talking about a new birth
00:35:18.85\00:35:20.62
and something
00:35:20.65\00:35:21.98
"Oh, yeah, well,
you are with 3ABN,
00:35:22.02\00:35:24.09
you know, you're
all squeaky clean,
00:35:24.12\00:35:26.39
white, and all that.
00:35:26.42\00:35:27.92
Let me read here Romans 3:23,
00:35:27.96\00:35:31.66
Roman 6:23, Isaiah 64:6,
00:35:31.69\00:35:35.30
I'm going to say those again
00:35:35.33\00:35:36.67
'cause these are
important that you write down.
00:35:36.70\00:35:38.80
Romans 3:23, Roman 6:23,
00:35:38.83\00:35:43.30
and Isaiah 64:6,
00:35:43.34\00:35:44.97
'cause this is
talking about you,
00:35:45.01\00:35:46.34
it's talking about
me, it's talking about,
00:35:46.37\00:35:48.48
"All have sinned."
00:35:48.51\00:35:49.84
That's right.
00:35:49.88\00:35:51.21
So that doesn't mean
that if you're sitting here,
00:35:51.25\00:35:53.05
beating yourself up, because,
00:35:53.08\00:35:54.85
"Well, dear Brother
JD, you don't understand.
00:35:54.88\00:35:56.55
I'm a sinner."
00:35:56.58\00:35:57.92
So I've made a choice,
and so there is no escape.
00:35:57.95\00:36:01.46
"All have
sinned." We have sinned.
00:36:01.49\00:36:03.76
Then it says here,
"The wages of sin is death."
00:36:03.79\00:36:09.00
And then it goes on, it says,
00:36:09.03\00:36:10.60
"Even the best thing
about us is as filthy rags."
00:36:10.63\00:36:14.60
Oh, yeah.
00:36:14.64\00:36:16.00
Go ahead, Shelley, really quick.
00:36:16.04\00:36:17.37
I was just going to
say, you can't ever just say,
00:36:17.41\00:36:18.74
"The wages of sin is death,
00:36:18.77\00:36:20.11
but the gift of
God is eternal life
00:36:20.14\00:36:22.31
through Christ Jesus."
00:36:22.34\00:36:23.68
And that's exactly
where we're going with this.
00:36:23.71\00:36:26.01
And so, you
know, as you look back
00:36:26.05\00:36:27.48
whether you're a
freshman or whether,
00:36:27.52\00:36:28.85
you know, you're a
young man, 22, 23 years old.
00:36:28.88\00:36:32.22
I've got to cuss
just for a reason,
00:36:32.25\00:36:34.09
so I can say
that I'm born again.
00:36:34.12\00:36:37.73
You know, I mean, here
00:36:37.76\00:36:39.09
we're in the backyard
at 12 years old and says,
00:36:39.13\00:36:41.16
"Lord, I give my heart to you."
00:36:41.20\00:36:42.63
Here we got a
little pair of white shoes,
00:36:42.66\00:36:44.33
little bit tiny heels on,
00:36:44.37\00:36:45.77
you know, oh,
00:36:45.80\00:36:47.17
what I did to have
those white shoes, you know.
00:36:47.20\00:36:49.40
And your parents
loving you so much,
00:36:49.44\00:36:51.27
that they went out
and they sacrificed,
00:36:51.31\00:36:53.98
and all these dynamics
that are going on in our lives,
00:36:54.01\00:36:56.64
these battles.
00:36:56.68\00:36:59.11
But don't let Satan rob you
00:36:59.15\00:37:05.22
of your joy,
00:37:05.25\00:37:06.59
of the plan that
God has for your life.
00:37:06.62\00:37:09.82
I mean, and that's
where we're starting,
00:37:09.86\00:37:11.86
I mean, this is part of
we're talking the new birth.
00:37:11.89\00:37:14.86
The new birth
00:37:14.90\00:37:16.23
'cause we're sick and
tired of being sick and tired.
00:37:16.26\00:37:19.37
I was going to say,
00:37:19.40\00:37:20.74
you know, verse 8 is I
think where we ended, right?
00:37:20.77\00:37:22.67
It says, "The wind
blows where it listeth,
00:37:22.70\00:37:24.71
and you hear the sound thereof
00:37:24.74\00:37:26.07
you cannot tell
where it comes from."
00:37:26.11\00:37:28.28
And it's talking about
the Holy Spirit the same way.
00:37:28.31\00:37:30.11
And, Shelley,
you were mentioning
00:37:30.15\00:37:31.48
that you see the
effects of the wind.
00:37:31.51\00:37:33.75
Can we see it, we see
the effects of the wind.
00:37:33.78\00:37:35.78
And I remember a young
man going to summer camp,
00:37:35.82\00:37:37.49
you're talking about camp.
00:37:37.52\00:37:38.89
And a young man felt
00:37:38.92\00:37:40.99
the Holy Spirit
blowing on his life,
00:37:41.02\00:37:42.52
if you want say,
and accepted Christ.
00:37:42.56\00:37:44.63
I remember he was
really excited about that.
00:37:44.66\00:37:46.90
And the tragic thing is
00:37:46.93\00:37:49.06
that just a
couple of months later
00:37:49.10\00:37:50.67
he was killed in
a tractor accident,
00:37:50.70\00:37:53.64
the tractor
crushed him to death.
00:37:53.67\00:37:55.80
And I remember as a young person
00:37:55.84\00:37:57.17
being totally amazed
at that, thinking, wow,
00:37:57.21\00:37:59.74
here's a young man
00:37:59.77\00:38:01.11
that had come to
camp, to summer camp.
00:38:01.14\00:38:03.58
And his life was in
a different direction,
00:38:03.61\00:38:05.25
but at camp he felt
00:38:05.28\00:38:06.61
the effect of the
Holy Spirit on his life.
00:38:06.65\00:38:08.72
And he said, "Yes,
I'm going to choose You."
00:38:08.75\00:38:10.29
They found in his pocket,
still touches me even now,
00:38:10.32\00:38:12.95
in his pocket, little
scriptures in his pocket
00:38:12.99\00:38:15.29
when he was
crushed by the tractor,
00:38:15.32\00:38:16.79
they found them in his pocket.
00:38:16.83\00:38:18.16
So I guess
00:38:18.19\00:38:19.53
he's probably
driving his tractor,
00:38:19.56\00:38:20.90
and he'd be
reading his scriptures,
00:38:20.93\00:38:22.26
and stuff like that.
00:38:22.30\00:38:23.63
And I remember even
as a young person saying,
00:38:23.67\00:38:25.00
"Wow, praise the Lord.
00:38:25.03\00:38:26.37
He listened, you know,
00:38:26.40\00:38:27.74
to the Holy Spirit
blowing on his life."
00:38:27.77\00:38:29.70
Amen.
00:38:29.74\00:38:31.07
You know, I had a
similar testimony,
00:38:31.11\00:38:33.44
a lady came to me.
00:38:33.48\00:38:35.18
Actually she was
visiting here and she said,
00:38:35.21\00:38:37.41
"My daughter gave
her heart to the Lord
00:38:37.45\00:38:40.05
during at the Central
00:38:40.08\00:38:43.25
California Conference.
00:38:43.28\00:38:46.92
You know, it
wasn't a camp meeting,
00:38:46.96\00:38:48.29
it was a women's ministry.
00:38:48.32\00:38:49.82
And then she was
killed 30 days later
00:38:49.86\00:38:52.79
in a car accident.
00:38:52.83\00:38:54.16
So that was very precious.
00:38:54.20\00:38:55.53
But I have to say this,
00:38:55.56\00:38:57.40
I thought I had been born again,
00:38:57.43\00:38:59.27
I think I had been born again.
00:38:59.30\00:39:00.80
I actually was
enrolled to go to seminary.
00:39:00.84\00:39:06.81
But I didn't
know the Word of God
00:39:06.84\00:39:09.91
as well as I should have.
00:39:09.94\00:39:11.28
And I was being taught,
00:39:11.31\00:39:13.31
I had studied my way
out of the Church of Christ,
00:39:13.35\00:39:16.35
I was going to a
non-denominational arena.
00:39:16.38\00:39:19.05
But I had been taught
that if you had enough faith,
00:39:19.09\00:39:24.89
God had to meet you
00:39:24.93\00:39:26.26
where your faith
was, type of thing.
00:39:26.29\00:39:28.26
So the long and
the short of it is
00:39:28.30\00:39:29.66
something really
tragic happened in my family.
00:39:29.70\00:39:32.57
And I believed
with all of my heart.
00:39:32.60\00:39:35.60
I'm quoting the promises
of God and I am just trusting
00:39:35.64\00:39:38.91
that God's going to
handle this and He didn't,
00:39:38.94\00:39:40.98
and it was very painful.
00:39:41.01\00:39:43.95
But I walked away from the Lord.
00:39:43.98\00:39:47.58
I walked away from
Him for two full years.
00:39:47.62\00:39:50.79
I mean, I threw
Him off and said,
00:39:50.82\00:39:55.82
"You're not who you say You are,
00:39:55.86\00:39:57.59
You don't do what You
say You're going to do.
00:39:57.63\00:40:00.46
I want nothing to do with You."
It was a conscious decision.
00:40:00.50\00:40:03.53
It was very conscious decision.
00:40:03.57\00:40:07.40
And I was kind of a like,
I mean, I said not that bad,
00:40:07.44\00:40:11.47
but I mean I literally
just said, "That's it."
00:40:11.51\00:40:14.54
I mean I had worked all my life
00:40:14.58\00:40:16.38
trying to be
the best little girl
00:40:16.41\00:40:17.78
so God could love me.
00:40:17.81\00:40:19.15
I had a mixed
understanding of God.
00:40:19.18\00:40:23.69
You know, don't ever have faith
in faith, have faith in God.
00:40:23.72\00:40:26.96
And trust Him that
He loves you so much
00:40:26.99\00:40:31.13
that He is always going to do
00:40:31.16\00:40:33.76
what is best for
your eternal benefit.
00:40:33.80\00:40:36.43
And He is always
working in your life.
00:40:36.46\00:40:39.90
But what happened for me
00:40:39.93\00:40:42.90
is God chased me down.
00:40:42.94\00:40:47.64
Now my heart was as
cold as a stone toward Him
00:40:47.68\00:40:51.55
for a couple of years.
00:40:51.58\00:40:53.42
And He chased me down,
He wooed me with His love,
00:40:53.45\00:40:58.39
and He converted me.
00:40:58.42\00:41:01.36
Now that is the time that,
00:41:01.39\00:41:03.83
you know, and I don't
want to get into this.
00:41:03.86\00:41:05.59
It's a deep
theological discussion.
00:41:05.63\00:41:08.30
Can you be born
again more than once?
00:41:08.33\00:41:10.43
If you die, you can.
00:41:10.47\00:41:12.37
'Cause I think I was
dead in my trespasses
00:41:12.40\00:41:16.40
for those two years, I
mean, there's no events...
00:41:16.44\00:41:18.54
You don't literally die,
00:41:18.57\00:41:19.91
you mean you went
back to the life of sin.
00:41:19.94\00:41:22.24
If you go back
to the life of sin,
00:41:22.28\00:41:25.45
and if you're spiritually dead,
if you've thrown off the Lord
00:41:25.48\00:41:29.18
because when you're born again,
you're going to be in Christ.
00:41:29.22\00:41:34.02
And when you're in Christ
00:41:34.06\00:41:35.46
that means you
are positioned in Him
00:41:35.49\00:41:38.19
for salvation.
00:41:38.23\00:41:39.56
But it also means
00:41:39.59\00:41:40.93
that you're going
to walk in obedience.
00:41:40.96\00:41:42.43
It means that
you're going to look to Him
00:41:42.46\00:41:45.33
as Savior and Lord.
00:41:45.37\00:41:46.84
And I had thrown Him off.
00:41:46.87\00:41:48.74
So I went from
being spiritually alive
00:41:48.77\00:41:53.48
to being dead in sins.
00:41:53.51\00:41:55.14
If I had died
during that two year time,
00:41:55.18\00:41:59.31
I know what my future would be.
00:41:59.35\00:42:01.58
I mean there's no if,
ands, or buts about it.
00:42:01.62\00:42:04.65
I was doing wrong things.
00:42:04.69\00:42:06.49
But God came and just...
00:42:06.52\00:42:10.73
And I want to tell
you that there's nothing.
00:42:10.76\00:42:14.36
If you're watching this
00:42:14.40\00:42:15.73
and maybe you
used to be in church,
00:42:15.76\00:42:18.63
you've gone away from church,
00:42:18.67\00:42:20.54
and you feel like
how can God forgive me,
00:42:20.57\00:42:23.20
He can't, I'm
too great a sinner.
00:42:23.24\00:42:26.37
Well, let me tell you,
He's even a greater Savior.
00:42:26.41\00:42:29.38
And there's nothing
00:42:29.41\00:42:31.01
that He can't
forgive you for if,
00:42:31.05\00:42:34.52
of course, the unpardonable sin.
00:42:34.55\00:42:35.88
But you wouldn't
be worried about it,
00:42:35.92\00:42:37.29
you know what I mean by that.
00:42:37.32\00:42:38.85
That's beautiful.
00:42:38.89\00:42:40.22
I love these testimonies
00:42:40.26\00:42:41.59
of what God has
done in our life.
00:42:41.62\00:42:44.03
And I want to look
at a few scriptures
00:42:44.06\00:42:45.83
before we run out of time.
00:42:45.86\00:42:47.20
So let's see, JD,
00:42:47.23\00:42:48.56
you want to take
the one in Ezekiel 36
00:42:48.60\00:42:51.23
about the new heart experience.
00:42:51.27\00:42:52.63
Shelley, you want to
take 2 Corinthians 5:17.
00:42:52.67\00:42:56.00
Tim, you want to do 2 Peter 1:4.
00:42:56.04\00:42:59.04
Sweetheart, John 5:24,
00:42:59.07\00:43:00.41
we're talking about
00:43:00.44\00:43:01.78
the experience
of being born again.
00:43:01.81\00:43:04.45
Now you don't just
have to read Ezekiel 36:26,
00:43:04.48\00:43:06.61
whatever you want to read
in there, JD, it's perfect.
00:43:06.65\00:43:09.18
Well, I'm just going to
read what you have right here,
00:43:09.22\00:43:11.72
Ezekiel 36:26.
00:43:11.75\00:43:14.92
We're talking about
00:43:14.96\00:43:16.36
what does it
mean to be born again.
00:43:16.39\00:43:18.79
And it tells us that
00:43:18.83\00:43:20.43
"I, this is Jesus,
will give you a new heart,
00:43:20.46\00:43:23.97
I'll put a new
spirit within you,
00:43:24.00\00:43:26.40
and I will take the heart
of stone out of your flesh,
00:43:26.43\00:43:28.80
and give you a heart of flesh."
00:43:28.84\00:43:31.51
Wow, to me
00:43:31.54\00:43:32.87
that is an
absolutely fantastic promise
00:43:32.91\00:43:36.64
because that's
what we're looking
00:43:36.68\00:43:38.01
for as a new
direction in our life.
00:43:38.05\00:43:39.95
And it's
through His divine grace
00:43:39.98\00:43:42.88
that He does that.
00:43:42.92\00:43:44.25
This is a gift
that He's giving us
00:43:44.29\00:43:45.75
that we're not deserving
00:43:45.79\00:43:47.12
'cause remember,
00:43:47.16\00:43:48.49
we've all sinned,
we're as filthy rags.
00:43:48.52\00:43:50.96
And He says, listen,
if that's not what...
00:43:50.99\00:43:55.50
If you think you
deserve more than that
00:43:55.53\00:43:57.63
and even if you don't think
00:43:57.67\00:43:59.20
that you deserve more than that,
00:43:59.23\00:44:00.64
I created you, I
have a plan for you.
00:44:00.67\00:44:02.60
So consequently
00:44:02.64\00:44:03.97
I want to put a
new heart in you.
00:44:04.01\00:44:05.44
Isn't that beautiful
00:44:05.47\00:44:06.81
that He actually is
the one that does it.
00:44:06.84\00:44:08.34
And we don't have
to be stressed out
00:44:08.38\00:44:09.71
by trying to get my new
heart, you know, somehow.
00:44:09.74\00:44:11.41
I don't have to
sit and think about.
00:44:11.45\00:44:12.95
I don't have to do the
open heart surgery myself.
00:44:12.98\00:44:15.15
I don't have to
sit here and think...
00:44:15.18\00:44:16.79
But He gives us the new...
00:44:16.82\00:44:18.55
Go ahead, new spirit. Exactly.
00:44:18.59\00:44:19.92
If I can get my hands on
$1500, I can have a new heart.
00:44:19.95\00:44:25.09
No, this is a free
gift. That's right.
00:44:25.13\00:44:27.73
This is a mystery
that's way beyond us.
00:44:27.76\00:44:31.90
You know, this is yours.
00:44:31.93\00:44:34.14
You're sick and tired
of being sick and tired.
00:44:34.17\00:44:36.74
We've got a way out here. Amen.
00:44:36.77\00:44:38.77
And again that's Christ
love gives us that choice.
00:44:38.81\00:44:41.74
And so we're choosing Jesus,
00:44:41.78\00:44:43.21
then He gives us that new heart.
00:44:43.24\00:44:44.58
And the next verse I'll
put my spirit within you.
00:44:44.61\00:44:47.12
I mean, the Holy
Spirit is integral
00:44:47.15\00:44:49.75
in the work of the
new birth experience.
00:44:49.78\00:44:51.82
Amen. Amen.
00:44:51.85\00:44:53.46
2 Corinthians 5:17,
00:44:53.49\00:44:56.79
"Therefore, if
anyone is in Christ,"
00:44:56.83\00:45:00.96
that's with the,
00:45:01.00\00:45:02.50
If you're in Christ,
"he is a new creation,
00:45:02.53\00:45:06.07
old things have passed away,
00:45:06.10\00:45:08.24
behold, all
things have become new."
00:45:08.27\00:45:10.44
And we don't
always feel like that.
00:45:10.47\00:45:12.77
You know, Romans 4:17 says,
00:45:12.81\00:45:14.34
"God is the God who
gives life to the dead,
00:45:14.38\00:45:17.05
and calls things
00:45:17.08\00:45:18.41
that are not as
though they already were."
00:45:18.45\00:45:20.48
And sometimes I'll
quote those scripture,
00:45:20.52\00:45:23.35
and I'll just be praying it back
00:45:23.39\00:45:25.15
to Jesus says an
affirmation saying,
00:45:25.19\00:45:27.09
"Thank You Lord,
that I'm a new creation,
00:45:27.12\00:45:29.29
the old has gone
and the new is come."
00:45:29.32\00:45:31.39
And, you know, you
feel like sometimes
00:45:31.43\00:45:34.93
the old rears its
ugly head, you know.
00:45:34.96\00:45:38.63
It just shows up but God is,
00:45:38.67\00:45:41.10
He sees us as
the finished product.
00:45:41.14\00:45:44.71
He is going to complete
the good work He's begun in us.
00:45:44.74\00:45:47.68
So you can quote
this with faith and say,
00:45:47.71\00:45:50.65
"Thank you Father,
00:45:50.68\00:45:52.01
that this is how you see
me that all things are new."
00:45:52.05\00:45:54.82
Amen. It is a word.
00:45:54.85\00:45:56.18
Yes, powerful promise.
00:45:56.22\00:45:57.89
And, you know, this is something
00:45:57.92\00:45:59.75
that you truly have to believe,
00:45:59.79\00:46:01.12
this is just not a mental assent
00:46:01.16\00:46:02.56
as you was talking about perhaps
00:46:02.59\00:46:03.93
you know having faith in faith.
00:46:03.96\00:46:05.83
So it's not mental,
this is supernatural,
00:46:05.86\00:46:08.53
this is a totally remolding.
00:46:08.56\00:46:11.10
Amen. Amen. It's beautiful.
00:46:11.13\00:46:13.44
And in 2 Peter 1,
00:46:13.47\00:46:16.54
I'm going to go back to verse 3,
00:46:16.57\00:46:18.07
it says, "For his divine power,"
00:46:18.11\00:46:19.84
God's divine power
00:46:19.87\00:46:21.41
"has bestowed upon us all things
00:46:21.44\00:46:23.95
that are requisite and
suited to life and godliness,
00:46:23.98\00:46:28.62
through the full
personal knowledge of Him
00:46:28.65\00:46:30.95
who called us by
00:46:30.99\00:46:32.75
and to his own
glory and excellence."
00:46:32.79\00:46:35.02
Verse 4, "By means of
these He has bestowed on us
00:46:35.06\00:46:38.56
His precious and
exceedingly great promises:
00:46:38.59\00:46:41.80
so that through them
00:46:41.83\00:46:43.20
you may escape by
flight from the moral decay,"
00:46:43.23\00:46:46.40
this is getting complicated,
00:46:46.43\00:46:49.57
"rottenness and corruption
00:46:49.60\00:46:50.94
that is in the world
because of covetousness,
00:46:50.97\00:46:53.78
and become sharers
of the divine nature."
00:46:53.81\00:46:56.04
Basically, the divine nature
is what we're talking about
00:46:56.08\00:46:59.18
being born again
to be born again.
00:46:59.21\00:47:02.08
I like to think of
it as being adopted.
00:47:02.12\00:47:04.45
God adopts me and
His nature becomes mine.
00:47:04.49\00:47:09.76
Recently, I was able to go
00:47:09.79\00:47:12.03
and enjoy looking at
the Biltmore Mansion,
00:47:12.06\00:47:15.13
walked in the...
00:47:15.16\00:47:16.70
I pretended that
I was a Vanderbilt.
00:47:16.73\00:47:20.60
You know, as I was
going through these,
00:47:20.64\00:47:22.50
but I knew that just
the price of the ticket
00:47:22.54\00:47:25.81
to get in the place
00:47:25.84\00:47:27.94
was about enough to bankrupt me.
00:47:27.98\00:47:30.05
So I knew that I had
not a chance of being
00:47:30.08\00:47:32.98
in the Vanderbilt family.
00:47:33.01\00:47:35.02
But to know
00:47:35.05\00:47:36.75
that I am a partaker
by divine nature, God,
00:47:36.79\00:47:39.69
again is that
gift, it wasn't anything,
00:47:39.72\00:47:42.42
I wasn't born into
it, I didn't do it enough,
00:47:42.46\00:47:44.73
you know, after I
had stopped my cussing
00:47:44.76\00:47:46.09
with by the way,
00:47:46.13\00:47:47.46
I think I said,
shucks, that was my cussing.
00:47:47.50\00:47:51.50
So I don't worry anybody.
00:47:51.53\00:47:52.87
But if none of that,
00:47:52.90\00:47:56.84
I was exempt
00:47:56.87\00:47:58.21
from ever owning
anything in Christ,
00:47:58.24\00:48:02.08
it had to simply be His grace.
00:48:02.11\00:48:03.78
And, but He did it and
divide by His divine nature,
00:48:03.81\00:48:07.25
or in giving me
His divine nature.
00:48:07.28\00:48:09.72
Can I just say this? Sure.
00:48:09.75\00:48:12.89
DNA. We all have DNA.
00:48:12.92\00:48:15.76
Our DNA is specific to us.
00:48:15.79\00:48:19.89
I like to do a
little play on words
00:48:19.93\00:48:22.26
and say DNA,
00:48:22.30\00:48:25.10
we are born
00:48:25.13\00:48:26.47
with the
devil's nature acquired,
00:48:26.50\00:48:29.20
DNA because of sin.
00:48:29.24\00:48:33.98
But because of His goodness,
00:48:34.01\00:48:37.91
He gives us exceedingly
great and precious promises
00:48:37.95\00:48:40.42
so that you may become partakers
00:48:40.45\00:48:42.72
of the divine nature.
00:48:42.75\00:48:44.09
So we go
00:48:44.12\00:48:45.45
from the devil's nature acquired
00:48:45.49\00:48:47.06
to the divine nature acquired.
00:48:47.09\00:48:50.43
We have different
spiritual DNA when we're born.
00:48:50.46\00:48:54.83
When you're born again
00:48:54.86\00:48:56.20
and the Holy Spirit
is going to work out
00:48:56.23\00:48:58.63
the character
development of Jesus in you.
00:48:58.67\00:49:01.80
And it just to me, I
just find that very exciting.
00:49:01.84\00:49:05.91
That is great.
00:49:05.94\00:49:07.28
Amen. Amen. And rightfully so.
00:49:07.31\00:49:10.45
Right, can you imagine,
00:49:10.48\00:49:12.05
you know, if you are
looking to be a part of a family
00:49:12.08\00:49:17.49
that has a future and hope...
00:49:17.52\00:49:19.69
Oh, yeah,
eternal life. And life.
00:49:19.72\00:49:21.06
Yeah, exactly.
00:49:21.09\00:49:22.42
Better than the
Vanderbilt. Right. Exactly.
00:49:22.46\00:49:24.39
Yeah, don't mention it.
00:49:24.43\00:49:27.30
Go ahead.
00:49:27.33\00:49:28.66
See, John 5:24 says,
00:49:28.70\00:49:31.37
"Verily, verily, I say unto you,
00:49:31.40\00:49:33.30
He that heareth my word,
00:49:33.34\00:49:34.87
and believeth on
Him that sent me,
00:49:34.90\00:49:37.41
has everlasting life,
00:49:37.44\00:49:39.67
and shall not
come into condemnation,
00:49:39.71\00:49:42.08
but is passed
from death unto life."
00:49:42.11\00:49:46.08
Wow, praise the Lord for that.
00:49:46.11\00:49:48.08
You know, I think about like
you're mentioning eternal life,
00:49:48.12\00:49:50.59
that's all we have are
into the family of God,
00:49:50.62\00:49:52.59
and we can't get any better
than that to be born again.
00:49:52.62\00:49:55.52
Amen. Amen.
00:49:55.56\00:49:57.79
We haven't talked much
about the role of faith,
00:49:57.83\00:49:59.93
we talk some
about the Holy Spirit.
00:49:59.96\00:50:01.60
We talked about the fact
00:50:01.63\00:50:02.96
that we were all dead
in trespasses and sins.
00:50:03.00\00:50:05.93
We have all sinned
00:50:05.97\00:50:07.30
and fallen short
of the glory of God.
00:50:07.34\00:50:09.00
And that God woos us
00:50:09.04\00:50:11.24
and draws us
like with Nicodemus,
00:50:11.27\00:50:13.61
he even had the desire to
come and see Jesus by night.
00:50:13.64\00:50:16.64
And the desire
00:50:16.68\00:50:18.01
and that was
implanted in his heart
00:50:18.05\00:50:19.41
by the Holy Spirit.
00:50:19.45\00:50:20.78
And the goodness of God
00:50:20.82\00:50:22.15
that even led him to repentance.
00:50:22.18\00:50:24.75
And then we have that
promise in 1 John 1:9,
00:50:24.79\00:50:27.59
"If we confess our sins,
00:50:27.62\00:50:28.96
He is faithful and
just to forgive us,
00:50:28.99\00:50:30.66
and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness."
00:50:30.69\00:50:33.33
We know that the Holy Spirit
00:50:33.36\00:50:34.70
can dwell in
our hearts by faith.
00:50:34.73\00:50:36.67
We can pass
from death unto life,
00:50:36.70\00:50:38.83
we can become a new
creation in Christ Jesus.
00:50:38.87\00:50:42.00
The old stony cold
heart can be taken out
00:50:42.04\00:50:45.57
and replaced
with a heart of flesh.
00:50:45.61\00:50:47.61
We can become
partakers of the divine nature.
00:50:47.64\00:50:49.61
But the Scripture I want to do,
I know we want to go to prayer.
00:50:49.64\00:50:52.05
But the Scripture I want
to do is Ephesians 2:8, 9.
00:50:52.08\00:50:55.88
"For by grace
00:50:55.92\00:50:57.29
we have been
saved through faith,"
00:50:57.32\00:50:59.95
all of this takes place
as a result of our faith,
00:50:59.99\00:51:03.16
reaching out by faith to
God and accepting and believing.
00:51:03.19\00:51:07.33
"By grace we're
saved through faith
00:51:07.36\00:51:09.16
and not of ourselves:
it is the gift of God,
00:51:09.20\00:51:12.70
not of works lest
anyone should boast.
00:51:12.73\00:51:15.64
For we are His workmanship,
00:51:15.67\00:51:18.54
created in Christ
Jesus for good works
00:51:18.57\00:51:20.98
which God prepared beforehand
that we should walk in them."
00:51:21.01\00:51:24.91
Amen. It's powerful.
00:51:24.95\00:51:26.28
And you know 1 John 3 verse,
00:51:26.31\00:51:28.08
we should really quote verse 16.
00:51:28.12\00:51:29.55
That's what I was just looking
00:51:29.58\00:51:30.92
at because we talked about
that in the very beginning.
00:51:30.95\00:51:32.92
And I know we're
starting to get short on time
00:51:32.95\00:51:35.06
but, yeah, let's
just quote it together.
00:51:35.09\00:51:37.26
And you at home join us as well
00:51:37.29\00:51:39.03
'cause again we're talking about
00:51:39.06\00:51:40.40
the story of Nicodemus,
00:51:40.43\00:51:42.13
and how he was searching
for Christ, and found Him.
00:51:42.16\00:51:45.33
And John 3:16, of
course, is a very famous verse.
00:51:45.37\00:51:48.97
And shall we read 16 and 17?
00:51:49.00\00:51:50.61
Let's do it.
Let's do that. Okay.
00:51:50.64\00:51:52.27
"For God so loved the world
00:51:52.31\00:51:54.74
that He gave his
only begotten Son,
00:51:54.78\00:51:58.15
that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish,
00:51:58.18\00:52:03.18
but have everlasting life."
00:52:03.22\00:52:05.75
Verse 17,
00:52:05.79\00:52:07.12
"For God sent not His Son
00:52:07.16\00:52:09.32
into the world to
condemn the world,
00:52:09.36\00:52:12.46
but that the world
through Him might be saved."
00:52:12.49\00:52:16.93
Amen. Amen.
00:52:16.97\00:52:18.30
Praise the Lord for that.
What a great promise, isn't it?
00:52:18.33\00:52:20.74
Well, let's have our prayer.
00:52:20.77\00:52:22.60
Elder JD, you want to start,
we go to Shelley and then Tim,
00:52:22.64\00:52:24.84
and then Jill
and I will close out.
00:52:24.87\00:52:27.54
Father, as we come to You
in the mighty name of Jesus,
00:52:27.58\00:52:30.05
we just want to thank
You, Lord, for life itself.
00:52:30.08\00:52:34.42
We want to thank
You, Lord, for Your gifts,
00:52:34.45\00:52:36.42
for giving Your life
so that we might live.
00:52:36.45\00:52:40.96
And so, Father, I just
ask Lord on the Sabbath
00:52:40.99\00:52:43.73
that we just continue to
keep our eyes focused on You
00:52:43.76\00:52:46.39
that we will
allow You to work in us
00:52:46.43\00:52:48.60
and through us, dear Father,
00:52:48.63\00:52:49.96
to make a difference
not only in our lives
00:52:50.00\00:52:52.43
but to assist other
people, dear Father,
00:52:52.47\00:52:55.37
and being more like You.
00:52:55.40\00:52:57.07
Father, we love
You and we thank You
00:52:57.11\00:52:58.81
and give You praise and
glory in Jesus' name, amen.
00:52:58.84\00:53:02.61
Holy and righteous
Father, we praise Your name
00:53:02.64\00:53:05.68
because You are all powerful
and worthy of all praise.
00:53:05.71\00:53:10.12
We thank You, Father,
that You are a God of grace.
00:53:10.15\00:53:13.09
We thank You for Jesus Christ
00:53:13.12\00:53:16.06
who is not only our substitute
00:53:16.09\00:53:18.83
but our surety that
our guarantor, Lord.
00:53:18.86\00:53:22.90
We thank You
00:53:22.93\00:53:24.27
for Your Holy
Spirit and Your Word.
00:53:24.30\00:53:26.84
And we thank You
00:53:26.87\00:53:28.20
that we are born
again through Your Word,
00:53:28.24\00:53:30.34
and born again of Your Spirit.
00:53:30.37\00:53:31.97
We thank You that
Your Spirit works in us
00:53:32.01\00:53:35.11
to lead us and to guide us,
Father, in Christ footsteps.
00:53:35.14\00:53:41.05
And we are so grateful, Father,
that salvation belongs to You.
00:53:41.08\00:53:45.52
We thank You for
the gift of salvation.
00:53:45.55\00:53:47.32
We know there's nothing
00:53:47.36\00:53:48.69
we could ever do
to save ourselves.
00:53:48.72\00:53:51.06
So we're so grateful,
Lord, that You look down on us,
00:53:51.09\00:53:54.96
and pity us, and
remember that we are but dust,
00:53:55.00\00:53:57.93
but that You work in us to will
and to do Your good pleasure
00:53:57.97\00:54:00.94
by the power of
Your Holy Spirit.
00:54:00.97\00:54:03.71
And, Father, You
are a wonderful God.
00:54:03.74\00:54:06.44
We love You, Lord.
00:54:06.47\00:54:08.14
And we pray, Father,
00:54:08.18\00:54:09.51
that You would just pour
Your love into our hearts,
00:54:09.54\00:54:11.55
that we might love
You with all of our heart,
00:54:11.58\00:54:13.62
soul, mind and strength.
00:54:13.65\00:54:15.55
Yes. Thank you.
00:54:15.58\00:54:17.15
Precious God, what
an awesome privilege
00:54:17.19\00:54:19.62
it's been to be a
part of this study
00:54:19.65\00:54:21.86
and just remembering
00:54:21.89\00:54:25.29
what it means to
be in Your family
00:54:25.33\00:54:27.80
and to be Your child.
00:54:27.83\00:54:29.66
And, Lord, I pray as
this New Year has begun
00:54:29.70\00:54:32.70
that You will put it in my heart
00:54:32.73\00:54:35.00
to walk worthy of
You, fully pleasing You,
00:54:35.04\00:54:38.87
being fruitful
in every good work,
00:54:38.91\00:54:41.04
and increasing in
the knowledge of You.
00:54:41.08\00:54:43.14
Yes, Lord. Yes.
00:54:43.18\00:54:45.21
Father, as we
continue in prayer,
00:54:45.25\00:54:47.15
we just thank You
for the gift of Jesus.
00:54:47.18\00:54:49.75
We thank You
00:54:49.78\00:54:51.12
that You emptied
heaven and poured out
00:54:51.15\00:54:53.72
such an incredible gift.
00:54:53.76\00:54:55.19
We thank You, we
accept that gift You send in.
00:54:55.22\00:54:59.03
And when we thank
You for the privilege
00:54:59.06\00:55:01.00
that we can pass
from death unto life,
00:55:01.03\00:55:04.17
that You can
apply the blood of Jesus
00:55:04.20\00:55:07.30
to the doorpost and
lintels of our hearts.
00:55:07.34\00:55:09.80
And that we can become
in Christ a new creation.
00:55:09.84\00:55:14.44
Thank You for that
rebirth experience.
00:55:14.48\00:55:17.05
And I just pray for my brothers
and sisters right now at home.
00:55:17.08\00:55:20.78
That if someone right now
was in that valley of decision,
00:55:20.82\00:55:24.22
Lord, we just ask that
they would make a choice,
00:55:24.25\00:55:28.06
would make a choice for You,
00:55:28.09\00:55:30.43
choose to accept You
as Savior of their lives
00:55:30.46\00:55:33.93
but not only that as Lord.
00:55:33.96\00:55:36.13
And we thank You
00:55:36.16\00:55:37.50
for what You are doing just now.
00:55:37.53\00:55:41.07
Father, in heaven, Lord,
we're so grateful for the week
00:55:41.10\00:55:43.91
that You have brought us
through for the Sabbath hours.
00:55:43.94\00:55:47.18
And we're thankful again
00:55:47.21\00:55:48.54
for the study of
being born again,
00:55:48.58\00:55:51.31
Word of Your wooing us,
00:55:51.35\00:55:53.75
Your Holy Spirit convicting
us of our need of You.
00:55:53.78\00:55:58.69
And, Lord, if there is someone
00:55:58.72\00:56:00.06
even tonight that is in
that valley of decision,
00:56:00.09\00:56:02.56
"Should I accept
Christ, should I not?"
00:56:02.59\00:56:04.46
Maybe tomorrow.
I'll do it tomorrow.
00:56:04.49\00:56:06.93
Lord, today is
the day of salvation.
00:56:06.96\00:56:08.70
So I just pray that
someone would choose You, Lord,
00:56:08.73\00:56:13.23
and just bless their lives,
give them the power Lord to...
00:56:13.27\00:56:18.11
Yeah, just step
out in faith and say,
00:56:18.14\00:56:19.67
"God, I choose You today."
00:56:19.71\00:56:21.44
Lord, thank You for
working on all of our lives.
00:56:21.48\00:56:23.35
And, Lord, we again
commit our lives to You,
00:56:23.38\00:56:26.38
each and every day.
00:56:26.41\00:56:27.75
In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
00:56:27.78\00:56:30.02
Amen. Amen.
00:56:30.05\00:56:32.32
I had one quick
thought, can I share?
00:56:32.35\00:56:33.69
Sure. Okay.
00:56:33.72\00:56:35.06
Parents need to
remember that rules
00:56:35.09\00:56:38.49
without relationship
result in rebellion.
00:56:38.53\00:56:41.43
The most important thing
00:56:41.46\00:56:42.80
you were talking
about planting seeds.
00:56:42.83\00:56:44.33
The most
important thing a parent
00:56:44.37\00:56:45.70
can do is teach
about the love of God.
00:56:45.73\00:56:48.87
And let that child
develop that relationship.
00:56:48.90\00:56:51.87
You know one of the things
00:56:51.91\00:56:53.24
I was thinking about the
story too from John 3, is,
00:56:53.27\00:56:55.54
you know, Nicodemus
came to Christ in the night.
00:56:55.58\00:56:58.91
You know, I think
00:56:58.95\00:57:00.28
that's the
beautiful thing of Jesus.
00:57:00.32\00:57:01.65
He wasn't like, "Oh,
it's late. I'm tired.
00:57:01.68\00:57:05.19
You know, let's
do this tomorrow."
00:57:05.22\00:57:06.55
Nicodemus, let's
just not do it tonight.
00:57:06.59\00:57:08.09
Do you know
Jesus is always there.
00:57:08.12\00:57:10.73
So no matter any
time of day or night,
00:57:10.76\00:57:13.13
Jesus is always
there, and never forget that.
00:57:13.16\00:57:15.00
And you know why
He's there always?
00:57:15.03\00:57:16.60
Because He loves you,
00:57:16.63\00:57:17.97
He loves me, He loves all of us.
00:57:18.00\00:57:19.90
And He cares
about each one of us.
00:57:19.93\00:57:21.27
And that to me in
itself, it just draws me to Him.
00:57:21.30\00:57:25.67
Thank you so much for joining us
00:57:25.71\00:57:27.04
on the Family Worship.
00:57:27.08\00:57:28.41
Thank you, Tim.
Thank you, Shelley and JD.
00:57:28.44\00:57:30.11
Thank you, Sweetheart.
00:57:30.15\00:57:31.48
And thank you
again for joining us.
00:57:31.51\00:57:32.85
May the Lord bless you,
have a wonderful Sabbath.
00:57:32.88\00:57:34.78
God bless you.
00:57:34.82\00:57:36.15
Amen. Amen.
00:57:36.18\00:57:37.52