I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Removing pain
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Lord, let my words
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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Hello, welcome and we wish
you a happy and blessed Sabbath.
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This is the time
when we get together
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to bring in the Sabbath
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or perhaps if
this is a rebroadcast
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you are looking
towards a new week,
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but we want to wish
you just a very happy day
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and a very happy
time in the Lord.
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I'm here with my wife Irma
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and, Boo, good to have you here.
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Good to be here.
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Family worship is always a
great time to come together
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and when we are
sometimes in Panama
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and we have
family worship together,
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and everybody gets together,
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and we open up our iPads,
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we found that the
hymnal is in the iPad
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and you've got music in there
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and you could do
all kind of things,
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and Latinos love to sing,
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and so we will
sing and sing and sing.
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Yes, we do.
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Yeah. And everybody
has a different song.
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So it's a wonderful time.
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And I think coming
together to bring the Sabbath
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in just a
wonderful way to transition
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from the week
into the Sabbath hours
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because you know the
mind is a very funny thing.
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If you work right up
unto the edge of the Sabbath,
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you will find that
the Sabbath will come
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and your mind is still
going in the way of the week,
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you know, so you've got to give
some time to sort of debrief
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and set your mind
into the Sabbath mode.
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And that's what this program
is designed to help you to do.
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So let's
introduce our guests who...
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We've had...
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We've been in their
homes for Sabbath worship
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and first of all,
Mr. and Mrs. Dickens
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We haven't been
yet to the newly weds.
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'Cause they are newly weds.
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Brian and Celestine,
good to have you guys here.
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Oh, blessed to be here.
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Praise the
Lord. Praise the Lord.
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And, Gary, we've been in
your home for Sabbath worship,
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you have been in ours,
"as we open that in air."
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That was an honor
to have you, guys.
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It was really a
special Sabbath time together.
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Yeah, yeah.
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It was wonderful to
have your wife there
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that not often she is home.
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Exactly, she tried
to be at home like, yes.
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But I think that
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she is a little
more at home now, right?
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Yes, praise the Lord.
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God has blessed her
with a position where now
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she is home a lot
more than she has been.
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Praise the
Lord. Praise the Lord.
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And he is smiling a
lot more. Praise the Lord.
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Absolutely, more than that.
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To have Tania little close.
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So she is with us in
spirit if not in presence today
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and we wish her well.
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Today, we want to
talk about a subject,
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I know it was the Lord
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and I was just
saying to the gang here,
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it ought to be fairly easy
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because this is kind of a
personal testimony subject.
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Ellen White gives us
counsel that every now and again
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it is good to look
back over your life
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and see a pattern of,
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and I think this is
half her word, half mine,
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divine interposition.
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In other words,
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where the Lord has
put His hand in your life
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and for that time
He has blessed you
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and you can say that event
or getting through that event
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was the work of God in our lives
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and the Lord gives us these,
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Irma, I call them these
little hugs of the Lord.
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Every now and again,
He puts His arms around
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just to let you know
that He is still there,
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that He still loves you,
that He is still on the throne
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and even when you are
in the midst of a struggle
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or perhaps especially
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when you are in the
midst of a struggle,
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God is there to
help you through,
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to see you through
and when you look back,
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you can say, "Oh
yes, that was the Lord."
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So that's what we
are going to do today.
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We're going to talk
about those times in our lives
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when God was present
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and we felt His
presence and saw His presence.
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Then, we've been doing a
little reading about angels
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and I want to
do a little reading
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on the ministry of angels.
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Spend a little
time talking about that
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because I've
been impressed lately
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and, Irma, I have talked
about this in our worships,
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how intimately involved
the Lord is in our lives.
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He cares about
every aspect of our lives
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and He is very, very
interested in getting us saved.
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So He does a lot
of really neat stuff
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to get us safe.
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Oh, yes. Yes.
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Holy Spirit,
guidance in our lives,
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and the ministry of angels.
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I'm going to do a little reading
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a little bit about this
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but God does so much for us.
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So even when you
think you are alone,
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and I guess we've
always had, all had those times
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when you kind of figured
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nobody knows the
trouble I've seen, you know.
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Elijah had it, Elisha had it,
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many of the
great prophets had it.
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I'm going through
this all by myself
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and the Lord is saying,
"No, you are not by yourself.
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I'm with you, Holy
Spirit is with you."
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Christ is
ministering in your behalf
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and there is the constant
ministry of angels to help us.
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So we are not left alone.
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And Hebrews 13:5-6,
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I think this is in verse 6,
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the Bible says, "We can
boldly say God is our helper."
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You know, we are not
alone, God is our helper.
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So let's have prayer and then
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we'll sort of launch
out into our discussion.
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Gary, would you like
to pray for us please?
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Sure.
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Dear Father, we are so thankful
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that You are a present
guide that You are a guide
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who is working every moment
of every day for our salvation
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that even when we are
not mindful of Your presence,
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you are there watching
over, protecting, and guiding.
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And, Lord, we just ask
that You would guide our minds
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this evening as we discuss that,
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that people watching would
have something to grab hold of
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that they can see
some of your greatness
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and your marvelous
working in our lives
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and they also can recognize
You're working in their lives,
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this we pray in Your name, amen.
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Amen. Amen.
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And amen.
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Let me go to a text that I found
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and I don't know why this text
sort of leapt out at me today
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but I turned to it.
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It's in 1 John 5:14.
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1 John 5:14, the Bible says,
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"Now this is the
confidence that we have in Him,
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that if we ask
anything according to His will,
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He hears us."
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It is an affirmation,
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a confirmation of the fact
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that when we are
walking in the will of God
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and asking things that are
according to His will for us,
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He will hear us,
He will respond to us,
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particularly those things
that appertain to our salvation.
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If you want to be
a better Christian
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and you ask God for that,
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that is a question
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and a question that
He will never say no to.
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You ask Him that, He's
always going to say yes.
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If you want to be an overcomer
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so that you can more
effectively serve Jesus,
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He will always say yes to that.
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There are certain things
that He has stated in His will,
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"You ask and you shall receive."
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If you want victory over
sin, He will say yes to that.
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If you want to
be a better spouse,
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He will say yes to that.
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If you want to be a better,
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more effective
tool in the hand of God,
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He will always say yes to that.
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So there are certain things
that He has already told you,
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you ask that, you're
getting a yes, you know?
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Now, there was a time
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when I asked to be an
NBA basketball player.
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He said "No, you
are not getting it.
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Not according to My will."
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And couple of other
things I've asked for,
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didn't get those either.
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But if you are asking for things
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to make you a better servant,
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the Lord will
indeed grant those to you.
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And so today, we want to
look back at our own lives
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and see where God
has put His hand in.
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You know, one of
the things I think
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the Lord really
want to look back,
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I see the hand of the Lord is
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and that's
bringing Boo into my life.
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I see that,
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I can see where the
Lord, the Lord did that. Amen.
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I'll tell the true story
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because we have two
different stories of how we met.
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Oh, yes. That is funny.
00:08:45.79\00:08:47.56
Two people in the
same relationship,
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they have two different stories.
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I'll tell mine
because mine is the truth.
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It's exciting one for
you but not the truth.
00:08:55.00\00:09:00.44
And I know it was the Lord
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because so many things lined up.
00:09:02.00\00:09:03.34
I had a friend who
was doing a tent meeting,
00:09:03.37\00:09:06.17
Pastor Martell,
we can tell his name.
00:09:06.21\00:09:08.78
And I was a communication
director for the conference
00:09:08.81\00:09:12.18
and he was having the mayor
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to come to his
opening night of his services,
00:09:13.68\00:09:16.42
and I was writing
for the union paper
00:09:16.45\00:09:18.95
which is Atlantic Union Gleaner.
00:09:18.99\00:09:20.62
So I took my
camera to do a story
00:09:20.66\00:09:22.42
on this mayor coming
to the Adventist meetings.
00:09:22.46\00:09:26.43
And I got there, I set up
my camera and this is true.
00:09:26.46\00:09:32.23
This is accurate.
00:09:32.27\00:09:33.60
Let's hear it.
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Somebody came
and they came late.
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They had a red Honda
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and, of course, around the
tent there is gravel, you know?
00:09:42.38\00:09:46.28
And so they came by really fast
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and kicked up this
cloud of dust, you know,
00:09:49.58\00:09:51.69
because they are driving
fast to get to the meeting.
00:09:51.72\00:09:54.06
And so I said, "Who is that
creating that cloud of dust?"
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You know, and I
said, "What knuckle."
00:09:57.36\00:09:59.26
And I looked and out
she came into the cloud
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and I said, "Ooh."
00:10:00.66\00:10:03.33
All very true.
00:10:03.37\00:10:04.90
So she was sitting way across
and I got to do something.
00:10:04.93\00:10:08.07
She was sitting far to
the other side of the tent
00:10:08.10\00:10:10.84
and I was
upfront near the rostrum
00:10:10.87\00:10:13.38
so I can take pictures.
00:10:13.41\00:10:14.74
So during prayer when
everybody's head was down,
00:10:14.78\00:10:17.01
I took my long lens and I took
a couple of shots, you know,
00:10:17.05\00:10:20.25
and I still have
those till this day.
00:10:20.28\00:10:21.75
I should have brought those
00:10:21.78\00:10:23.12
because I still have that
in my computer bag right now,
00:10:23.15\00:10:25.75
I can go out and get it,
I had them all these years
00:10:25.79\00:10:27.56
which was few years ago.
00:10:27.59\00:10:29.86
A few.
00:10:29.89\00:10:31.23
And so I said, just in
case I don't get to talk to her,
00:10:31.26\00:10:34.23
I just want to take a picture.
00:10:34.26\00:10:35.60
I assume she was
single because she came single
00:10:35.63\00:10:38.27
but I didn't know.
00:10:38.30\00:10:39.63
So I said, I'll
take these pictures.
00:10:39.67\00:10:41.00
So at the end of the meeting,
00:10:41.04\00:10:42.97
I asked the
pastor, "Who was that?"
00:10:43.00\00:10:44.54
And then they gave me the
name and we began to talk.
00:10:44.57\00:10:47.38
And her son, who is now
a pastor, bless his heart,
00:10:47.41\00:10:50.61
had gone into a
little trouble at school.
00:10:50.65\00:10:53.08
And so she was telling
me about her son and Kevin,
00:10:53.11\00:10:58.95
which is now our son,
00:10:58.99\00:11:00.32
and so we talked
for several hours
00:11:00.36\00:11:03.66
ostensibly about Kevin.
00:11:03.69\00:11:05.26
So I said, "I'm going to
need your name and phone number
00:11:05.29\00:11:09.13
so I can counsel, you know,
00:11:09.16\00:11:11.47
so I can counsel
you about your son."
00:11:11.50\00:11:16.17
So during the week, we
talked ostensibly about her son.
00:11:16.20\00:11:19.97
And then in the next Sabbath,
00:11:20.01\00:11:21.34
I preached at that
church for the pastor
00:11:21.38\00:11:23.21
and Kevin gave
his heart to the Lord.
00:11:23.24\00:11:25.91
So now I had to be at the house
00:11:25.95\00:11:27.48
because I have to do
Bible studies with him,
00:11:27.52\00:11:29.18
you know.
00:11:29.22\00:11:30.55
So in working with
Kevin, I got two converts,
00:11:30.59\00:11:34.06
one I married, and
the other I baptized.
00:11:34.09\00:11:38.46
In fact, I proposed to
her from the baptism pool,
00:11:38.49\00:11:40.86
you remember
that on that Sabbath?
00:11:40.90\00:11:42.23
Yes. Yeah, I proposed.
00:11:42.26\00:11:43.60
I was baptizing people.
00:11:43.63\00:11:44.97
I'm still not sure if
that was a good thing.
00:11:45.00\00:11:46.57
Well, how can you say
no from the baptismal pool.
00:11:46.60\00:11:49.57
Right.
00:11:49.60\00:11:50.97
Kind of thing,
but as I look back
00:11:51.01\00:11:53.21
I see it as the
hand of the Lord.
00:11:53.24\00:11:57.61
It was a God
thing and I'm, you know,
00:11:57.65\00:12:01.02
I'm pleased about that.
00:12:01.05\00:12:02.38
Yeah, we are blessed.
00:12:02.42\00:12:03.75
Yeah, praise the Lord.
00:12:03.79\00:12:05.12
We are blessed and
the Lord has brought us
00:12:05.15\00:12:07.69
through a lot
of different things
00:12:07.72\00:12:12.26
and we have seen
that the hand of the Lord
00:12:12.29\00:12:15.26
guiding us and teaching
us and since we are married,
00:12:15.30\00:12:21.10
we are all married here
00:12:21.14\00:12:22.47
so we know how marriage
has its challenges, yes.
00:12:22.50\00:12:27.04
Sometimes tough one,
00:12:27.08\00:12:28.41
sometimes once easy
to get through with them
00:12:28.44\00:12:32.01
but I think as long
as you keep the Lord
00:12:32.05\00:12:37.72
as the main
purpose in your life,
00:12:37.75\00:12:41.29
the Lord will help you,
00:12:41.32\00:12:42.66
He will show you the areas where
00:12:42.69\00:12:44.89
you need to fix or
you need to, you know,
00:12:44.93\00:12:48.86
understand that you are doing,
you're going wrong and accept,
00:12:48.90\00:12:53.74
to be able to accept and start
moving into one to each other
00:12:53.77\00:12:59.14
in the spiritual realm.
00:12:59.17\00:13:02.18
I like the subject looking back
on how we can see God has lead
00:13:02.21\00:13:07.55
and I liked what you said about
00:13:07.58\00:13:08.92
some of God's questions
we ask Him are yes and yes.
00:13:08.95\00:13:12.89
I remember, and I'm
kind of dating myself now
00:13:12.92\00:13:14.56
but when I was a kid
in elementary school,
00:13:14.59\00:13:16.79
I wrote a letter to
President Ronald Regan
00:13:16.83\00:13:19.19
at the time.
00:13:19.23\00:13:20.76
And I told him I
wanted to be an astronaut
00:13:20.80\00:13:24.93
and I sent it to
1600, Pennsylvania Avenue,
00:13:24.97\00:13:27.50
and it obviously got to him
00:13:27.54\00:13:28.87
because, or to his office,
because I got a letter back,
00:13:28.90\00:13:31.64
it was a standard letter,
00:13:31.67\00:13:33.01
and was telling me how I
could set up a astronaut,
00:13:33.04\00:13:35.34
young astronaut's
chapter in my community itself.
00:13:35.38\00:13:37.38
Oh, wow.
00:13:37.41\00:13:38.75
So, you know, I
too had a dream of,
00:13:38.78\00:13:40.35
you know, being something
00:13:40.38\00:13:41.72
that God has something
totally different for me
00:13:41.75\00:13:43.65
and so I'm
thankful that, you know,
00:13:43.69\00:13:45.02
God does have
affirmations that yes
00:13:45.05\00:13:47.56
that we can ask those
things and He gives us yes.
00:13:47.59\00:13:49.92
You know,
sometimes we are disappointed
00:13:49.96\00:13:51.46
that we get back
the answers you know.
00:13:51.49\00:13:53.90
I wanted Ronald Regan
tell me that I could be in the,
00:13:53.93\00:13:56.56
you know, program merely.
00:13:56.60\00:13:57.93
And praise the Lord
for that He directs us
00:14:01.90\00:14:04.87
and even changes
our steps in midstream
00:14:04.91\00:14:10.91
and gives us another way
00:14:10.95\00:14:12.28
which is kind of a
little bit of your story,
00:14:12.31\00:14:15.42
kind of making
midcourse corrections,
00:14:15.45\00:14:17.05
isn't it in your life?
00:14:17.09\00:14:19.25
In the middle of life, yes.
00:14:19.29\00:14:20.86
We were kind of going
through the midlife crisis,
00:14:20.89\00:14:24.39
I consider it a
midlife blessing so far.
00:14:24.43\00:14:26.56
Oh, praise the Lord.
00:14:26.59\00:14:27.93
Praise the Lord.
00:14:27.96\00:14:29.30
Yeah, you know, everything
that happened from, you know,
00:14:29.33\00:14:33.77
the moment I had first
started the health message
00:14:33.80\00:14:37.97
and getting into a healthier
lifestyle frame of mind,
00:14:38.01\00:14:43.11
everything that has
happened between then and now
00:14:43.14\00:14:46.85
has just been an
absolute blessing from the Lord
00:14:46.88\00:14:50.29
and especially
whenever starting,
00:14:50.32\00:14:53.32
you know, whenever
I first started the,
00:14:53.36\00:14:56.42
you know,
asking God for guidance
00:14:56.46\00:14:58.53
you know, help me quit
smoking and everything else
00:14:58.56\00:15:00.96
and then when He said,
00:15:01.00\00:15:02.33
"Hey, you need
to stop drinking."
00:15:02.36\00:15:03.87
You know, you even
find out later on that,
00:15:03.90\00:15:05.97
that is biblical, you know?
00:15:06.00\00:15:07.97
That He did give me
that message and, you know,
00:15:08.00\00:15:10.47
even at what, Proverbs 20:1,
00:15:10.51\00:15:14.28
where He says,
00:15:14.31\00:15:16.38
"Wine is a mocker,
strong drink is a brawler,
00:15:16.41\00:15:19.38
and whoever is led
astray by it is not wise."
00:15:19.41\00:15:22.38
Not wise.
00:15:22.42\00:15:23.75
And unfortunately I was not
a very wise person back then.
00:15:23.79\00:15:26.29
But I've grown
since then and, you know,
00:15:26.32\00:15:29.99
make corrections in my life.
00:15:30.03\00:15:31.49
Yeah, praise the Lord.
00:15:31.53\00:15:32.86
Question, Brian, the urge
to stop smoking and drinking,
00:15:32.89\00:15:37.67
was that a spiritual
awakening or were you doing it
00:15:37.70\00:15:40.57
just for health
reasons at that time?
00:15:40.60\00:15:42.07
At that time, it
was just health reasons.
00:15:42.10\00:15:45.07
But as time
progressed, you know,
00:15:45.11\00:15:48.08
after quitting
drinking and quitting smoking,
00:15:48.11\00:15:52.28
and quitting
eating unclean meat,
00:15:52.31\00:15:55.78
and unclean
animals, things like that,
00:15:55.82\00:15:58.69
then, it became
more spiritual...
00:15:58.72\00:16:00.89
I became more
spiritual in nature
00:16:00.92\00:16:03.73
and more compassionate
00:16:03.76\00:16:05.36
toward other people
and other things, you know,
00:16:05.39\00:16:08.36
just an overall changing
in my life and, you know,
00:16:08.40\00:16:12.37
foreshadowing of
what's to come, you know,
00:16:12.40\00:16:15.27
it was like
everything just the...
00:16:15.30\00:16:18.47
You know, love I got just
became greater for other people
00:16:18.51\00:16:22.78
and, you know, and whenever I
started going back to churches,
00:16:22.81\00:16:26.98
you know, I was still
searching for something
00:16:27.02\00:16:29.18
a little bit more,
00:16:29.22\00:16:30.55
something that was
better and, you know,
00:16:30.59\00:16:33.39
one day I did finally find it
00:16:33.42\00:16:35.79
and I found it in, you know,
00:16:35.82\00:16:38.19
through her, you know,
00:16:38.23\00:16:39.56
she helped
bring me to the church
00:16:39.59\00:16:42.30
that I now go to, and
she bought me this Bible
00:16:42.33\00:16:45.97
sitting in front of me.
00:16:46.00\00:16:47.87
Yeah, he helped me,
00:16:47.90\00:16:50.27
he helped me because I ask him.
00:16:50.31\00:16:52.37
He is the one that
helped you find the right Bible.
00:16:52.41\00:16:55.28
That's right.
00:16:55.31\00:16:56.64
And this Bible has
been a wonderful tool
00:16:56.68\00:16:59.18
in helping me find God again,
00:16:59.21\00:17:02.68
and helping to bring
Him back into my life.
00:17:02.72\00:17:08.19
You know, whenever,
of course, I was praying
00:17:08.22\00:17:11.59
and asking about
all those things,
00:17:11.63\00:17:13.50
you know, it
says in Psalm 25:4-5,
00:17:13.53\00:17:17.97
"Show me Your ways, O
Lord, teach me Your paths.
00:17:18.00\00:17:21.57
Lead me in Your
truth and teach me,
00:17:21.60\00:17:24.27
for You are the
God of my salvation,
00:17:24.31\00:17:28.68
on You I wait all the day."
00:17:28.71\00:17:31.78
So whenever, even though
00:17:31.81\00:17:33.95
He didn't tell
me all in that day
00:17:33.98\00:17:36.35
that I needed to stop
drinking, and smoking,
00:17:36.38\00:17:39.29
and eating unclean meat, it
was a progressive step by step
00:17:39.32\00:17:43.49
that led me to
where I am right now.
00:17:43.53\00:17:45.49
Yeah. Yeah.
00:17:45.53\00:17:47.50
That's one of
those kind of prayers
00:17:47.53\00:17:49.16
that God will always answer.
00:17:49.20\00:17:50.97
You know, lead
me in the right way.
00:17:51.00\00:17:52.37
He's never going
to say no to that.
00:17:52.40\00:17:53.74
And now all I want to do
is help other people realize,
00:17:53.77\00:17:58.07
you know, that is not a path
that God want you to go down,
00:17:58.11\00:18:02.98
you know, even though I was
lucky enough to come out of it,
00:18:03.01\00:18:07.18
it is not a path that
God wants you to go down
00:18:07.22\00:18:09.88
'cause it's not God's path.
00:18:09.92\00:18:12.09
It has a lot of
sorrow and hardship,
00:18:12.12\00:18:15.69
and everything else
that comes along with it,
00:18:15.72\00:18:18.09
and there's nothing as
great as the glory of God
00:18:18.13\00:18:20.10
when you go down the right path,
00:18:20.13\00:18:22.06
you know, so...
00:18:22.10\00:18:25.10
I think of two things
that once that you mentioned
00:18:25.13\00:18:30.87
that God is interested
in everything, you know,
00:18:30.91\00:18:34.48
even the most minute things
00:18:34.51\00:18:37.41
and when you
look at the children,
00:18:37.45\00:18:40.12
and you say they
are just so innocent,
00:18:40.15\00:18:41.98
then they are just
going on and doing and to see
00:18:42.02\00:18:45.09
how God has protected them
00:18:45.12\00:18:48.89
from just even, you know,
00:18:48.92\00:18:51.29
lot of dangerous stuff
that is around their playground.
00:18:51.33\00:18:56.67
It's just amazing 'cause I
remember Kevin in particular,
00:18:56.70\00:19:01.27
he had some little
neighbors that were good friends
00:19:01.30\00:19:06.57
and, but they were a
little tougher than him.
00:19:06.61\00:19:09.98
So and he wanted in
00:19:10.01\00:19:11.78
and they were also a
little older than him so,
00:19:11.81\00:19:14.48
but he wanted to go in there
00:19:14.52\00:19:16.89
and he was in
this swing one day,
00:19:16.92\00:19:20.49
and I saw him from
the window in my kitchen,
00:19:20.52\00:19:25.99
and I just saw
that he could just...
00:19:26.03\00:19:30.37
The next thing he was
going to be down on the ground
00:19:30.40\00:19:33.57
from that swing and
I saw this little boy,
00:19:33.60\00:19:38.77
one of his friends,
he ran to, you know,
00:19:38.81\00:19:43.28
to get in there
and I'd realized that,
00:19:43.31\00:19:46.68
that saved Kevin
from flying off of that
00:19:46.72\00:19:52.19
but there were a
kind of at each other
00:19:52.22\00:19:54.49
because Kevin wanted to swing,
00:19:54.52\00:19:57.89
the little other friend
00:19:57.93\00:20:00.30
wanted to get on it and to
not let him swing too hard.
00:20:00.33\00:20:04.57
Neither one was aware
00:20:04.60\00:20:07.67
that actually the
friend was helping Kevin,
00:20:07.70\00:20:11.67
and Kevin was in danger
00:20:11.71\00:20:13.68
'cause I could see
him not sitting very well
00:20:13.71\00:20:15.98
on that swing too.
00:20:16.01\00:20:17.78
And at the time,
00:20:17.81\00:20:20.98
you know, I
wasn't like, you know,
00:20:21.02\00:20:22.48
praise the Lord,
00:20:22.52\00:20:23.85
but as you get closer
to the Lord, you know,
00:20:23.89\00:20:27.79
you see these things are
so important when, I say,
00:20:27.82\00:20:32.19
you know, you are
happy that nothing happened,
00:20:32.23\00:20:34.66
nothing bad but is that as
you get closer to the Lord,
00:20:34.70\00:20:39.67
you realize how God intervenes
00:20:39.70\00:20:43.77
in these little things.
00:20:43.81\00:20:46.47
Isn't it good that He is
there even when we get ourselves
00:20:46.51\00:20:48.88
into those things, you know,
00:20:48.91\00:20:50.25
he suddenly had got
himself into a situation
00:20:50.28\00:20:51.98
that he needed help.
00:20:52.01\00:20:53.78
I came across recently Psalm 107
00:20:53.82\00:20:55.98
and it talks
about how, in 107:17,
00:20:56.02\00:21:00.09
"Some of the
redeemed were fools,"
00:21:00.12\00:21:02.79
this is from the
Common English Bible,
00:21:02.82\00:21:04.19
"were fools because
of their sinful ways,
00:21:04.23\00:21:07.00
they suffered
because of their wickedness."
00:21:07.03\00:21:08.96
So they sinned,
they were foolish,
00:21:09.00\00:21:11.97
and consequences came
upon them, but it says there,
00:21:12.00\00:21:14.67
if you skip to verse 19,
00:21:14.70\00:21:18.27
"So they cried out to
the Lord in their distress,
00:21:18.31\00:21:20.28
and God saved them
00:21:20.31\00:21:22.08
from their
desperate circumstances.
00:21:22.11\00:21:24.88
God gave the
order and healed them,
00:21:24.91\00:21:26.78
He rescued them from their pit."
00:21:26.82\00:21:28.98
You know, God
doesn't leave us there.
00:21:29.02\00:21:31.39
Another quote
that I came across is,
00:21:31.42\00:21:32.75
"The spirit of Christ
will lead you to hate sin,
00:21:32.79\00:21:37.59
but sacrifice
anything to save the sinner."
00:21:37.63\00:21:40.50
And that's the
example Christ gave us.
00:21:40.53\00:21:43.06
So when we look in our
lives, we've got ourselves
00:21:43.10\00:21:44.97
in some pretty bad
situations at times,
00:21:45.00\00:21:47.87
but He is always there to
catch us if we cry out to Him.
00:21:47.90\00:21:52.77
Yeah, absolutely.
Positive, powerful.
00:21:52.81\00:21:55.88
Celestine, we have
not heard from you.
00:21:55.91\00:21:58.08
Yeah, well, I'm still in
awe how I ended up here, really,
00:21:58.11\00:22:02.48
in this place, Thompsonville.
00:22:02.52\00:22:05.89
I didn't even know this
place exists really, 3ABN,
00:22:05.92\00:22:11.09
but I would say that was really
a God thing, that was totally,
00:22:11.13\00:22:16.16
especially when
we got that house
00:22:16.20\00:22:19.07
right there
like two minutes away
00:22:19.10\00:22:20.67
from the church and the school,
00:22:20.70\00:22:23.47
and it was for
sale for two years
00:22:23.51\00:22:26.47
and God really waited for us
to get here to give that house.
00:22:26.51\00:22:30.08
God is just like unbelievable.
00:22:30.11\00:22:32.28
And what's interesting is
that you may not know, yeah.
00:22:32.31\00:22:33.98
And we attest to that,
that was definitely the Lord
00:22:34.02\00:22:36.48
because we wanted to buy
that house to move closer
00:22:36.52\00:22:40.59
and when we made
the offer to the man,
00:22:40.62\00:22:44.39
he says, "Well, I
have another person
00:22:44.43\00:22:46.70
that already made an offer.
00:22:46.73\00:22:48.66
So if they
don't take it in then,
00:22:48.70\00:22:52.07
you know, you can have it."
00:22:52.10\00:22:53.97
That was like amazing
how God really like miracle
00:22:54.00\00:22:58.87
'cause we didn't
have any money as well.
00:22:58.91\00:23:00.98
We were like ready to
be put out in the street
00:23:01.01\00:23:04.18
and I was like,
00:23:04.21\00:23:05.98
wow, honey, I'm
like, God will provide.
00:23:06.01\00:23:08.88
That was like,
you know, take a leg.
00:23:08.92\00:23:10.79
We have to, you
know, trust the Lord,
00:23:10.82\00:23:12.79
so that's what we did.
00:23:12.82\00:23:14.29
And, man, I was like,
00:23:14.32\00:23:16.99
wow, this brother,
00:23:17.03\00:23:19.29
dear brother from...
00:23:19.33\00:23:21.86
His name is Kevin,
wonderful man and I know,
00:23:21.90\00:23:24.97
it was just like,
wow, so we got the deposit
00:23:25.00\00:23:27.97
or something down
payment or whatever,
00:23:28.00\00:23:30.17
and all of a sudden I'm like,
00:23:30.21\00:23:31.77
"Really? We ended up here?"
00:23:31.81\00:23:33.58
You know, it's a
beautiful location.
00:23:33.61\00:23:36.08
It was a God thing
and also coming here,
00:23:36.11\00:23:41.28
it was through Facebook
and that's also a God thing.
00:23:41.32\00:23:46.69
You know, Rosemary
Marlow, Aunty Rosemary,
00:23:46.72\00:23:49.29
I call her aunty
00:23:49.32\00:23:52.49
put something on
Facebook, said like,
00:23:52.53\00:23:55.76
whoever want to
do special music,
00:23:55.80\00:23:58.47
you know, our church,
that was November thanksgiving,
00:23:58.50\00:24:05.07
and then every thanksgiving,
00:24:05.11\00:24:06.44
you know, that is like
traveling and everything,
00:24:06.47\00:24:08.48
so I think nobody is
left that want to sing
00:24:08.51\00:24:11.38
at the Thompsonville Church,
so she put that on Facebook
00:24:11.41\00:24:16.28
and we ended up
because I like scenery,
00:24:16.32\00:24:19.89
I like beautiful view,
00:24:19.92\00:24:21.29
and then she took
this beautiful picture,
00:24:21.32\00:24:24.29
she always takes
beautiful pictures,
00:24:24.33\00:24:26.19
so I liked it and she
invited me to be her friend,
00:24:26.23\00:24:29.06
and that's where I
saw the post, so I'm like,
00:24:29.10\00:24:33.57
I was too shy to put
a comment underneath,
00:24:33.60\00:24:36.17
so I have to send her a message.
00:24:36.20\00:24:38.37
I'm like, you know what?
00:24:38.41\00:24:40.18
I would be so happy
when I do the special music
00:24:40.21\00:24:45.58
at the church, and I'm like,
I think she was shocked like,
00:24:45.61\00:24:48.48
sure, this and
that, so I'm like, okay,
00:24:48.52\00:24:50.69
you got to send
a video, so I did.
00:24:50.72\00:24:53.49
When Mike came from work,
00:24:53.52\00:24:57.59
he is like, "My hon, we
got a gig, we got a gig."
00:24:57.63\00:25:00.60
And he said like,
00:25:00.63\00:25:03.06
"Where?" I'm
like, "I don't know."
00:25:03.10\00:25:05.07
I'm like, "I have no idea."
00:25:05.10\00:25:06.43
I'm like, "You better
check because you have no idea,
00:25:06.47\00:25:09.47
it's probably in California,"
or, you know, I'm like,
00:25:09.50\00:25:12.67
"All right.
00:25:12.71\00:25:14.04
Well, I love
traveling, I don't mind."
00:25:14.08\00:25:15.58
I just didn't care where it was.
00:25:15.61\00:25:17.28
I just want to sing, you
know, I just want to sing.
00:25:17.31\00:25:20.08
So that's how I
ended up, I'm like
00:25:20.12\00:25:21.78
"Oh, six hours away
just for a special music."
00:25:21.82\00:25:26.09
So you know, God really,
you know, how you say that,
00:25:26.12\00:25:30.79
just made a way.
00:25:30.83\00:25:33.60
You know, that's how we started
looking at this place like,
00:25:33.63\00:25:36.97
"Wow, beautiful."
00:25:37.00\00:25:38.37
I didn't even know
about 3ABN yet, you know,
00:25:38.40\00:25:41.27
so I would say that was totally
the Holy Spirit, God thing,
00:25:41.30\00:25:45.87
so it's been seven
years, I am still in awe.
00:25:45.91\00:25:49.78
Yeah. Praise the Lord.
00:25:49.81\00:25:51.15
I'm still in awe.
00:25:51.18\00:25:52.51
And, of course, the
first time we heard you sing,
00:25:52.55\00:25:53.88
everybody fell in
love with your voice.
00:25:53.92\00:25:55.25
Now we need to because
the Lord has blessed you,
00:25:55.28\00:25:57.59
you lost Mike a few years ago.
00:25:57.62\00:25:59.99
He passed and we were
all there when he passed.
00:26:00.02\00:26:03.99
And then you're by yourself
just kind of making your way
00:26:04.03\00:26:06.29
and it was kind of rough.
00:26:06.33\00:26:07.66
Oh, my goodness.
00:26:07.70\00:26:09.03
No, no words.
00:26:09.06\00:26:10.40
So then...
00:26:10.43\00:26:11.77
And we talk about a God thing.
00:26:11.80\00:26:13.13
This is really a God thing
00:26:13.17\00:26:14.50
because then you
are on the internet
00:26:14.54\00:26:17.27
and you meet this internet guy
00:26:17.31\00:26:19.07
because we had
that conversation.
00:26:19.11\00:26:20.58
Yes.
00:26:20.61\00:26:22.48
Because you said
there are three guys
00:26:22.51\00:26:23.88
that I am talking to on internet
00:26:23.91\00:26:26.28
and you had a kind of
feeling about Brian, you know?
00:26:26.31\00:26:30.42
Yeah.
00:26:30.45\00:26:31.79
There was something about
him that kind of stood out.
00:26:31.82\00:26:33.99
We had not...
00:26:34.02\00:26:35.36
I had not met him,
you had spoken with him.
00:26:35.39\00:26:37.29
So we prayed in
and there were...
00:26:37.33\00:26:39.09
The two of them kind
of fell by the way side
00:26:39.13\00:26:41.46
and it was just
Brian left, you know,
00:26:41.50\00:26:42.86
and then, we had our
father son talk with Brian...
00:26:42.90\00:26:45.47
That kind of thing.
00:26:48.87\00:26:50.21
But I must...
00:26:50.24\00:26:51.57
I can admit now, I
liked him from early on.
00:26:51.61\00:26:54.28
I just didn't want
to make sure, you know,
00:26:54.31\00:26:55.88
you want to make sure
that he is a good guy.
00:26:55.91\00:26:57.28
We all knew
Celestine, she is by herself,
00:26:57.31\00:26:58.98
she has got two daughters,
00:26:59.01\00:27:00.35
three girls in the
house by themselves.
00:27:00.38\00:27:02.48
The guy who comes has
got to be a decent guy.
00:27:02.52\00:27:04.59
Yes, yes.
00:27:04.62\00:27:05.95
So we kind of worked
him over a little bit.
00:27:05.99\00:27:07.49
But he was...
00:27:07.52\00:27:08.86
Yeah, and you know
that when you meet people
00:27:08.89\00:27:10.79
for the first time, they
all are in the best behavior.
00:27:10.83\00:27:14.10
Yes.
00:27:14.13\00:27:15.46
So you couldn't go for just that
00:27:15.50\00:27:16.83
but there was a feeling
00:27:16.87\00:27:18.87
that I'm sure
the Lord was guiding.
00:27:18.90\00:27:22.60
Because coming home from work
and you see this little girl,
00:27:22.64\00:27:26.37
Nana,
00:27:26.41\00:27:28.18
crying almost every
night like misses her dad.
00:27:28.21\00:27:32.58
I'm like, okay,
start praying now,
00:27:32.61\00:27:34.78
start praying.
00:27:34.82\00:27:36.15
But the Lord gave her, you know,
00:27:36.18\00:27:37.59
gave us a new wonderful daddy
00:27:37.62\00:27:40.59
and then, she really did pray.
00:27:40.62\00:27:43.59
She really did pray
because she is just, you know,
00:27:43.63\00:27:46.09
and I begged the Lord like,
00:27:46.13\00:27:47.46
"Lord, if you want me to marry,
00:27:47.50\00:27:52.07
it has to be this and that."
00:27:52.10\00:27:55.47
There was a lot of
requirements, you know,
00:27:55.50\00:27:58.47
but the Lord answered it.
00:27:58.51\00:28:01.58
See what I was afraid of
that he was some of this.
00:28:01.61\00:28:05.08
I didn't know if he
was some of that so...
00:28:05.11\00:28:07.38
Because by the
time you talked with me,
00:28:11.49\00:28:13.49
he had already kind of
floated to the surface.
00:28:13.52\00:28:15.39
You were kind of
invested a little bit.
00:28:15.42\00:28:17.49
So I said, "We got to cut
this thing off if it's wrong."
00:28:17.53\00:28:20.30
So I got to try to
find out really, really fast
00:28:20.33\00:28:23.30
if he is a legit guy, you know,
00:28:23.33\00:28:25.47
but from the very beginning
he was such a nice individual,
00:28:25.50\00:28:28.87
he never raised
his voice, you know,
00:28:28.90\00:28:30.37
but sometimes those
still waters run deep,
00:28:30.41\00:28:32.17
you know, you got
to be very careful.
00:28:32.21\00:28:33.54
Yeah.
00:28:33.58\00:28:34.91
So I said, "I got to try
to find out really fast."
00:28:34.94\00:28:36.68
So I tried as best as I could
to aggravate him a little bit.
00:28:36.71\00:28:40.38
And I said, "Boy, this
guy stays pretty cool."
00:28:40.42\00:28:42.98
In fact, you said that.
00:28:43.02\00:28:44.35
He did very well.
00:28:44.39\00:28:45.72
He was very well,
very well, I got to say.
00:28:45.75\00:28:47.29
I told him, I said, "You
are not allowed to come in here
00:28:47.32\00:28:49.89
and mess this girl's life up.
00:28:49.92\00:28:51.26
You are not allowed."
00:28:51.29\00:28:52.63
I said, "The Lord will be
against you and so will we."
00:28:52.66\00:28:54.10
Oh, thank you. That is so sweet.
00:28:54.13\00:28:55.86
And he rolled with it,
he was very, very calm.
00:28:55.90\00:28:57.77
So sometimes you can see
00:28:57.80\00:28:59.47
where the Lord is
working through something,
00:28:59.50\00:29:01.57
you know, that it's
not just capricious.
00:29:01.60\00:29:03.67
The Lord is working.
00:29:03.71\00:29:05.04
And I remember
that day very well.
00:29:05.07\00:29:08.38
So...
00:29:08.41\00:29:09.74
I know, he came home
and he told me about,
00:29:09.78\00:29:11.11
"It's just like really
worked him up," he said.
00:29:11.15\00:29:13.98
I said, "You did?" Yeah.
00:29:14.02\00:29:15.78
He's probably not
going to come back to you.
00:29:15.82\00:29:18.49
He said, "Well, I
don't know about that."
00:29:18.52\00:29:21.29
Sometimes the Holy Spirit will
either agitate our conscience
00:29:21.32\00:29:25.29
if we're making
a wrong decision.
00:29:25.33\00:29:26.90
Amen.
00:29:26.93\00:29:28.26
Or He will
pacify and encourage us
00:29:28.30\00:29:30.37
when we are learning
toward the right decision.
00:29:30.40\00:29:32.37
And I felt that towards him,
00:29:32.40\00:29:34.57
no doubt whatsoever.
00:29:34.60\00:29:36.17
When he proposed,
I'm like, I said, "Yes"
00:29:36.20\00:29:38.37
and I was like "Oh,
that just happened?"
00:29:38.41\00:29:41.88
I was totally in shock.
00:29:41.91\00:29:43.58
I was totally in
shock, like, "Wow, okay."
00:29:43.61\00:29:47.18
I know this is God
because I don't just do that.
00:29:47.22\00:29:49.78
You know, if I have
any doubts whatsoever,
00:29:49.82\00:29:52.09
I will not say yes at all.
00:29:52.12\00:29:53.99
So that's what I even...
00:29:54.02\00:29:56.19
That's why it says here,
"Even if he doesn't intervene
00:29:56.22\00:29:58.79
in such noticeable ways,
00:29:58.83\00:30:01.06
we can have confidence
that he's always in charge.
00:30:01.10\00:30:04.60
Sometimes, God
will alter our situation
00:30:04.63\00:30:07.14
without us even realizing."
00:30:07.17\00:30:08.77
Amen. He has
acted just like, whoa!
00:30:08.80\00:30:11.97
That's what I mean
like, praise the Lord.
00:30:12.01\00:30:14.04
Wonderful man. He is
such a wonderful man.
00:30:14.08\00:30:17.65
Praise the Lord.
00:30:17.68\00:30:19.01
And a wonderful dad.
00:30:19.05\00:30:20.38
There's some wonderful friends,
00:30:20.42\00:30:21.75
I know we have
now with you guys.
00:30:21.78\00:30:23.12
Since we got
married, Nana has been
00:30:23.15\00:30:25.55
nothing but happiness, yeah.
00:30:25.59\00:30:28.36
She is like feeling complete.
00:30:28.39\00:30:30.53
I didn't realize
that's how really like,
00:30:30.56\00:30:32.89
I did a big impact on her,
00:30:32.93\00:30:35.26
you know, it's like wow.
00:30:35.30\00:30:36.73
And Farah is, you know,
a little older than Nana,
00:30:36.77\00:30:39.90
but Nana, boy.
00:30:39.93\00:30:41.74
And, of course, we
were crying and everything,
00:30:41.77\00:30:43.84
but God really took that away.
00:30:43.87\00:30:45.61
Praise the
Lord. Praise the Lord.
00:30:45.64\00:30:46.98
I saw you guys
were walking yesterday
00:30:47.01\00:30:48.78
and Nana was
clutching on to him,
00:30:48.81\00:30:50.28
and I said, "Well, she
has found a new daddy."
00:30:50.31\00:30:53.28
Yes.
00:30:53.31\00:30:55.12
It's the same way when
I began talking with Irma,
00:30:55.15\00:30:58.79
the pastor said, "Irma
never talked to anybody."
00:30:58.82\00:31:01.72
And he said, "And you put in
00:31:01.76\00:31:03.09
for the first night
maybe a little bit more,"
00:31:03.12\00:31:05.29
and she says, "She
never talks to anybody.
00:31:05.33\00:31:07.06
He said, "So, well,
something's going on,
00:31:07.10\00:31:08.53
must be the Lord,
00:31:08.56\00:31:09.90
'cause she
doesn't talk to guys."
00:31:09.93\00:31:11.27
Well, he meant men.
00:31:11.30\00:31:12.63
Right, right, the guys.
00:31:12.67\00:31:14.00
Yeah, it's true that I wasn't...
00:31:14.04\00:31:17.27
You know, I had had
such a bad experience
00:31:17.31\00:31:20.74
and I felt that that
it was more likely because
00:31:20.78\00:31:25.58
I made the choice.
00:31:25.61\00:31:27.32
I don't remember praying for,
00:31:27.35\00:31:29.52
you know, or probably
praying but not believing really
00:31:29.55\00:31:34.12
that whoever came
was coming from the Lord.
00:31:34.16\00:31:36.76
So you know, I just
chose the first person
00:31:36.79\00:31:39.89
that looks really nice
00:31:39.93\00:31:42.13
and, you know, had a
good, say words for me
00:31:42.16\00:31:47.20
and so I didn't
want to do that again.
00:31:47.24\00:31:50.11
I just said, "Lord, I
will never choose again.
00:31:50.14\00:31:54.04
If You want me
to have a husband,
00:31:54.08\00:31:55.84
You have to bring it and
put it right here on my face,
00:31:55.88\00:31:59.65
you know, and
really make me understand.
00:31:59.68\00:32:02.78
So I would not give
a chance to anybody.
00:32:02.82\00:32:06.12
I will say hello
and in a sudden gone.
00:32:06.15\00:32:10.23
There was not a
lot of conversations
00:32:10.26\00:32:11.93
or anything, it's true.
00:32:11.96\00:32:13.50
That comes back to
what you were saying
00:32:13.53\00:32:14.86
that even sometimes when we...
00:32:14.90\00:32:17.00
Can I use the term
bullheadedly do some things,
00:32:17.03\00:32:19.90
and get ourselves into trouble
because of decisions we made,
00:32:19.93\00:32:23.51
God will clean
that up, you know,
00:32:23.54\00:32:26.41
and if we put
ourselves in His hands,
00:32:26.44\00:32:30.55
He will resurrect, or rearrange,
00:32:30.58\00:32:33.15
or redirect our lives and turn
00:32:33.18\00:32:36.32
what could be a
curse into a blessing.
00:32:36.35\00:32:39.55
I read years ago a
statement that was made
00:32:39.59\00:32:44.69
by Ellen White where she says,
00:32:44.73\00:32:46.56
"The Lord had showed
her that even sometimes
00:32:46.59\00:32:49.00
when marriages
should not be consummated,
00:32:49.03\00:32:52.13
when people shouldn't...
00:32:52.17\00:32:53.50
They're not a good
match for each other.
00:32:53.54\00:32:55.64
If both of those
individuals would put themselves
00:32:55.67\00:32:58.11
in the hands of the Lord
00:32:58.14\00:32:59.64
and surrender
their lives to the Lord,
00:32:59.67\00:33:02.08
He will take that situation
and make it a blessing."
00:33:02.11\00:33:05.31
So the key is
surrendering to the Lord,
00:33:05.35\00:33:10.19
putting yourself in
the hands of the Lord.
00:33:10.22\00:33:13.12
Better to put yourself
in the hands of the Lord
00:33:13.15\00:33:15.59
before you say I do.
00:33:15.62\00:33:17.56
You know, it is better,
but even if you do say I do
00:33:17.59\00:33:21.10
and it's not the best
situation in the world,
00:33:21.13\00:33:24.70
if you put Christ in the center,
00:33:24.73\00:33:26.67
the Lord can
draw you both together
00:33:26.70\00:33:28.50
and it can be, it
can be a blessing.
00:33:28.54\00:33:31.01
He can work with
us wherever we are at
00:33:31.04\00:33:32.74
and that's the beautiful thing.
00:33:32.77\00:33:34.11
I know, we talked
about this before.
00:33:34.14\00:33:37.95
I remember the
two times that I know
00:33:37.98\00:33:40.25
that God spoke to me audibly
00:33:40.28\00:33:42.02
were both times
when I was in sin.
00:33:42.05\00:33:45.99
You know, a lot of
people have experience
00:33:46.02\00:33:47.36
where they saw an
angel that helped them.
00:33:47.39\00:33:48.72
I've never had an
experience like that.
00:33:48.76\00:33:50.09
But the two times God
has talked to me audibly,
00:33:50.13\00:33:51.56
it was in sin.
One was about smoking,
00:33:51.59\00:33:54.26
you know, you
talked about alcohol.
00:33:54.30\00:33:55.63
Oh, yeah.
00:33:55.66\00:33:57.00
And the other one was about
00:33:57.03\00:33:58.37
another addiction
I had, online gaming.
00:33:58.40\00:34:00.24
And the Lord
actually spoke to me about it,
00:34:00.27\00:34:03.67
you know, why are you doing this
00:34:03.71\00:34:05.21
and because, you
know, I was a Christian,
00:34:05.24\00:34:07.08
well, raised
Christian so I knew better.
00:34:07.11\00:34:09.24
And he asked me, why I was doing
00:34:09.28\00:34:10.65
and that He had
something better for me to do.
00:34:10.68\00:34:14.48
And lo and
behold, there was 3ABN.
00:34:14.52\00:34:17.72
It was
interesting because Brenda
00:34:17.75\00:34:19.99
I worked for Brenda Walsh
for the Kids Network first
00:34:20.02\00:34:22.16
and she actually hired me.
00:34:22.19\00:34:24.93
She goes, "I've been praying
for an editor for a year now."
00:34:24.96\00:34:28.56
And I said, "Oh, really?
When did you start praying?"
00:34:28.60\00:34:30.43
And it was...
00:34:30.47\00:34:31.80
When she started
praying was the same time
00:34:31.83\00:34:33.67
the Lord spoke to me.
00:34:33.70\00:34:35.17
So he has took a
year to get me ready
00:34:35.20\00:34:37.81
to come back and work for Him
00:34:37.84\00:34:39.77
but through her praying...
00:34:39.81\00:34:41.51
And that's something
also that really struck me
00:34:41.54\00:34:43.85
is that God talks
about us in heaven.
00:34:43.88\00:34:47.48
And what really
set the home for me
00:34:47.52\00:34:49.22
is the conversation of David
00:34:49.25\00:34:51.42
when he was out
with the sheep and stuff.
00:34:51.45\00:34:54.22
God told Samuel, "No,
these aren't the ones,
00:34:54.26\00:34:58.06
there's another one.
00:34:58.09\00:34:59.59
I want you to go get him."
00:34:59.63\00:35:01.33
And he named him by
name and stuff and, you know,
00:35:01.36\00:35:04.60
God talks about us
individually in heaven.
00:35:04.63\00:35:08.47
And I think it's
a powerful thought
00:35:08.50\00:35:10.44
of when we
contemplate Him in our lives.
00:35:10.47\00:35:13.78
He is familiar with this.
00:35:13.81\00:35:15.18
He knows our names,
He knows where we live,
00:35:15.21\00:35:16.64
He knows everything about
us and He even talks about us.
00:35:16.68\00:35:18.95
Yeah. Yes, you know,
that's an important point.
00:35:18.98\00:35:20.78
Actually had gone to
the boys that were there,
00:35:20.82\00:35:22.88
he said to Jessie,
"Is that all your sons?"
00:35:22.92\00:35:25.45
He said, "I got this little kid
but he was only just stripling,
00:35:25.49\00:35:28.26
little nothing kid out
there watching the sheep."
00:35:28.29\00:35:30.69
He said, "Go, get him."
00:35:30.73\00:35:32.06
And he walked into the
room, that's the guy, you know.
00:35:32.09\00:35:34.93
So man looks on
outward appearance,
00:35:34.96\00:35:36.77
God looks on the
hearts, you never can tell
00:35:36.80\00:35:38.57
and it's a very,
very important point
00:35:38.60\00:35:40.17
and a very good point.
00:35:40.20\00:35:41.57
I liked that idea that
the Lord talks about us
00:35:41.60\00:35:44.74
because, and I believe it,
00:35:44.77\00:35:46.68
because He has
Christ intercedes for us
00:35:46.71\00:35:53.62
and He talks to the Father,
you know, this is my child.
00:35:53.65\00:35:59.09
I know, the child has done
this and then and the other,
00:35:59.12\00:36:02.32
but he has come to
repent and want to be different.
00:36:02.36\00:36:07.90
So you know while the Father
00:36:07.93\00:36:09.53
is looking at
the list of things,
00:36:09.56\00:36:12.90
Christ is already
talking to Him and interceding,
00:36:12.93\00:36:18.27
so I believe that.
00:36:18.31\00:36:19.64
It say, "You can
confess before men,
00:36:19.67\00:36:21.04
I will confess
you before my father."
00:36:21.08\00:36:24.01
I'm so glad we don't
serve a one and done God
00:36:24.05\00:36:27.22
because we've all got
skid marks on our record.
00:36:27.25\00:36:30.42
All of us and Lord
doesn't say, "Well."
00:36:30.45\00:36:32.69
First of all, He is
not a, I told you so God.
00:36:32.72\00:36:34.72
I told you not to do
that, you knew better,
00:36:34.76\00:36:38.79
so now you just
kind of suffer with it.
00:36:38.83\00:36:40.86
We serve a forgiving
God and a gracious God
00:36:40.90\00:36:43.16
who gives us second,
third, fourth, fifth, sixth,
00:36:43.20\00:36:46.90
seventh, eighth,
ninth, tenth, you know,
00:36:46.94\00:36:48.60
how many chances has
God given us in our lives
00:36:48.64\00:36:50.74
to start again, to start afresh.
00:36:50.77\00:36:52.67
Yeah, yeah.
00:36:52.71\00:36:54.04
I can think of
specifically one time
00:36:54.08\00:36:56.08
when I know God saved my life.
00:36:56.11\00:36:59.15
I had made a foolish
decision to go down a river
00:36:59.18\00:37:01.65
in a little blow-up raft
that I should have no business
00:37:01.68\00:37:04.22
being in and no
business going down.
00:37:04.25\00:37:06.82
And there had been a mudslide,
and so half of the hill
00:37:06.86\00:37:10.96
had fallen in the river
and the trees were there
00:37:10.99\00:37:13.03
and so it created a current.
00:37:13.06\00:37:14.40
Well, of course, the raft
went right up in the current
00:37:14.43\00:37:16.20
and just washed
out from under me.
00:37:16.23\00:37:18.33
And, so I was left
hanging on to the log
00:37:18.37\00:37:22.17
and I had a jacket on
because it was in the fall
00:37:22.20\00:37:23.97
and the river was cold
and so the jacket wrapped
00:37:24.01\00:37:26.14
around the log and I
could not pull myself up.
00:37:26.17\00:37:28.98
And I was losing strength,
it was getting cold and stuff,
00:37:29.01\00:37:31.11
and I was like, I'm
going to die, this is it,
00:37:31.15\00:37:34.02
this is where I'm going to die.
00:37:34.05\00:37:35.98
And I felt a
hand just take my leg
00:37:36.02\00:37:40.46
and put it over the log
00:37:40.49\00:37:41.96
and kind of
pushed me up on the log.
00:37:41.99\00:37:43.93
There was no one
there to do that, you know.
00:37:43.96\00:37:46.80
I know that the Lord
saved my life at that moment.
00:37:46.83\00:37:50.30
You know, I can
look back and say
00:37:50.33\00:37:51.67
that was the
Lord saving my life.
00:37:51.70\00:37:53.40
Praise the Lord.
Does that sound familiar?
00:37:53.44\00:37:55.84
That sounds very
familiar because I think
00:37:55.87\00:37:57.87
that I have told that,
00:37:57.91\00:38:00.28
you know, there's
this story before.
00:38:00.31\00:38:03.28
And what you said that,
00:38:03.31\00:38:05.91
you know, sometimes
we don't hear voices...
00:38:05.95\00:38:09.12
We don't even, not read,
in the Bible to read anything
00:38:09.15\00:38:14.79
but the Lord knows
when and what we need
00:38:14.82\00:38:18.86
and how strong we need it too
00:38:18.89\00:38:21.36
'cause that there was a time
in my life that I couldn't work
00:38:21.40\00:38:25.67
and I was just so, you
know, I was in such pain
00:38:25.70\00:38:29.94
and I was working
in the laboratory,
00:38:29.97\00:38:34.18
and I closed the
door in my department
00:38:34.21\00:38:36.38
and I just... I said, "Lord,
I just can't take it anymore.
00:38:36.41\00:38:40.52
You know, I am not going
to be able to work this day."
00:38:40.55\00:38:43.55
And I literally
felt the arms around me
00:38:43.59\00:38:48.32
and it just almost automatically
00:38:48.36\00:38:52.59
I felt this, my
tears went away and I felt
00:38:52.63\00:38:57.13
and from that day on
I had so much strength
00:38:57.17\00:39:00.34
to do my work and I had,
you know, the rough times
00:39:00.37\00:39:04.11
and sad times but I
was no longer desperate,
00:39:04.14\00:39:08.01
I felt like I was going to die.
00:39:08.04\00:39:10.61
And then, you
know, I felt those arms,
00:39:10.65\00:39:12.91
that was just,
never forget that.
00:39:12.95\00:39:14.92
Praise the Lord.
00:39:14.95\00:39:16.28
I'm talking about another time
00:39:16.32\00:39:19.35
when Gary was
talking about the raft
00:39:19.39\00:39:21.46
when we were in Panama.
00:39:21.49\00:39:23.63
They had these swift,
00:39:23.66\00:39:24.99
everybody likes to go to
these swift flowing rivers,
00:39:25.03\00:39:26.90
they are coming
down for the mountain.
00:39:26.93\00:39:28.43
And, actually we
were still dating
00:39:28.46\00:39:29.93
but we went to visit
her family and her dad
00:39:29.96\00:39:34.30
was in his 70s or
80s, he used to dive off
00:39:34.34\00:39:36.54
the high cliff
with his socks on.
00:39:36.57\00:39:38.54
When he climbed the cliff
00:39:38.57\00:39:39.91
and he didn't want to
cut his feet with his socks.
00:39:39.94\00:39:41.28
But they were in a
raft going up the river
00:39:41.31\00:39:43.91
and I'm not a swimmer.
00:39:43.95\00:39:46.05
So they're saying,
"Come with us, come with us."
00:39:46.08\00:39:47.88
And I said, "No, I'll wait
for you guys to come back."
00:39:47.92\00:39:49.78
"No, no, you're chickening,
00:39:49.82\00:39:51.15
chickening, that kind of thing."
00:39:51.19\00:39:52.95
So she, her
sister, brother-in-law
00:39:52.99\00:39:54.76
were all great swimmers.
00:39:54.79\00:39:57.29
Took the raft and went
up, disappeared up the river.
00:39:57.33\00:40:00.10
So I am waiting, five
minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes,
00:40:00.13\00:40:02.16
20 minutes, half
an hour, little later,
00:40:02.20\00:40:05.50
and then I backed
down because the river
00:40:05.53\00:40:06.94
is flowing fairly swiftly
so they should be down by now.
00:40:06.97\00:40:11.91
So I see them walking down,
limping, some are bleeding,
00:40:11.94\00:40:16.51
my sister-in-law's
glasses are broken,
00:40:16.54\00:40:18.81
and everybody is limping
and cutting and the raft,
00:40:18.85\00:40:21.08
as they're dragging this,
what was a nice inflatable
00:40:21.12\00:40:23.75
thing is now is
flat and dragging,
00:40:23.79\00:40:25.12
I said, "What happened?"
00:40:25.15\00:40:26.86
And they said, "We flipped over
and we got cut on the rocks"
00:40:26.89\00:40:31.26
and see, they're
all great swimmers,
00:40:31.29\00:40:32.79
they said, "Then the
thing landed on top of us
00:40:32.83\00:40:34.36
and we couldn't
get out from under"
00:40:34.40\00:40:35.96
and they are great swimmers
00:40:36.00\00:40:37.33
and they just
escaped with their lives.
00:40:37.37\00:40:38.83
I'm a horrible swimmer.
00:40:38.87\00:40:40.24
I wouldn't be here
today had I gone, I said,
00:40:40.27\00:40:42.40
"See, the Lord told
me to stay right here.
00:40:42.44\00:40:45.17
"And I praise the Lord for that.
00:40:45.21\00:40:46.68
So, you know, I know it
was God because I didn't go.
00:40:46.71\00:40:49.84
Yes, it was.
00:40:49.88\00:40:51.21
Actually because the
raft just pushed us down
00:40:51.25\00:40:55.48
and we could not get out
and it was my sister and I,
00:40:55.52\00:40:58.95
and I'm a good
swimmer and I kept going
00:40:58.99\00:41:02.52
and nothing until I was feeling
that my breath was going,
00:41:02.56\00:41:07.13
and I said, you
know, I'm going to die.
00:41:07.16\00:41:11.87
And it was getting really bad.
00:41:11.90\00:41:16.54
Then all of a sudden we
saw my brother-in-law came in
00:41:16.57\00:41:20.98
and pushed out the rafter off
of us and then we were, uh...
00:41:21.01\00:41:27.78
But honestly, yeah, I thought
I was going to die there.
00:41:27.82\00:41:30.99
It was my decision, I
said, "Well, I'm going to die."
00:41:31.02\00:41:35.42
Praise the Lord. And the
Lord, yes. Praise the Lord.
00:41:35.46\00:41:38.99
The Lord definitely sent
help because everybody was hurt,
00:41:39.03\00:41:44.17
you know, and there's
some who had been able to swim
00:41:44.20\00:41:48.77
because the current took
them but my sister and I,
00:41:48.80\00:41:51.77
we ended up on the
raft, you know, heavy
00:41:51.81\00:41:56.95
You know, you were mentioning
00:41:56.98\00:41:59.35
that whenever I
came in to the picture
00:41:59.38\00:42:02.12
that Nana got
another, a new father.
00:42:02.15\00:42:06.42
She forgot to mention
that I also have a daughter.
00:42:06.45\00:42:09.69
And those two
together, you know,
00:42:09.72\00:42:12.53
whenever you get them
together they are like
00:42:12.56\00:42:14.53
two peas in a pods as sisters,
00:42:14.56\00:42:17.07
and they just love
being with each other.
00:42:17.10\00:42:18.73
Yes.
00:42:18.77\00:42:20.10
And my daughter also loves Farah
00:42:20.14\00:42:22.50
and thinks that she
is, like, so beautiful
00:42:22.54\00:42:25.31
and so talented and so funny,
00:42:25.34\00:42:27.48
you know, she just looks
up to her as a big sister,
00:42:27.51\00:42:30.28
you know, she is just wonderful.
00:42:30.31\00:42:31.75
But our, you
know, our union together
00:42:31.78\00:42:34.72
as being a man and wife
is not coming without any,
00:42:34.75\00:42:39.92
you know, trials or
tribulations in itself.
00:42:39.95\00:42:43.56
You know, we
still got a long road
00:42:43.59\00:42:46.19
in our path to go down.
00:42:46.23\00:42:47.76
But we're doing it
together with God in our midst.
00:42:47.80\00:42:52.63
And also you know...
00:42:52.67\00:42:54.04
I forgot to mention though.
00:42:54.07\00:42:55.74
Farah said, of all the
guys, Brian is perfect for you.
00:42:55.77\00:43:00.38
I'm like,
"Whoa." Praise the Lord.
00:43:00.41\00:43:02.31
I got the approval, you
know, that's when I found out
00:43:02.34\00:43:08.32
that he has kids,
he has a daughter,
00:43:08.35\00:43:11.19
I would say and
then the same age as Nana
00:43:11.22\00:43:12.79
and I'm like, this is too
good to be, you know, happening.
00:43:12.82\00:43:17.99
I'm really feeling
God is putting us together
00:43:18.03\00:43:22.03
or, you know, as a family.
00:43:22.06\00:43:25.00
It was just wonderful blessing.
00:43:25.03\00:43:26.97
And it surely is and, you know,
every day from this point on,
00:43:27.00\00:43:31.74
you know, it has to be
in the walk with the Lord
00:43:31.77\00:43:34.64
you know because
in Psalm 5:8, it says,
00:43:34.68\00:43:37.28
"Lead me, oh, Lord,
in your righteousness
00:43:37.31\00:43:40.28
because of my enemies.
00:43:40.32\00:43:42.15
Make your way
straight before my face."
00:43:42.18\00:43:44.75
So every time that we
pray and ask for guidance,
00:43:44.79\00:43:48.16
we are one in the Lord
to direct our path for us
00:43:48.19\00:43:51.86
as man and wife,
as a family together,
00:43:51.89\00:43:54.70
and to make sure that
we stay strong in the Lord
00:43:54.73\00:43:57.90
as man and wife.
00:43:57.93\00:43:59.73
You know, sometimes we think
00:43:59.77\00:44:01.10
that the first years of
marriage are the honeymoon,
00:44:01.14\00:44:06.07
they talk about the
honeymoon, but actually
00:44:06.11\00:44:08.54
those are the
hardest years in the marriage
00:44:08.58\00:44:12.38
because it's when you come
and then you come to find out,
00:44:12.41\00:44:17.19
oh, wow,
00:44:17.22\00:44:19.32
we are not as compatible
00:44:19.35\00:44:24.23
as it looked like before.
00:44:24.26\00:44:25.59
Yeah, I don't like
00:44:25.63\00:44:26.96
where he puts the towel after
he's done taking the shower.
00:44:27.00\00:44:29.96
Exactly. Yes, yes, yes.
00:44:30.00\00:44:34.20
That true.
00:44:34.24\00:44:35.57
You are open for
surprises, but here's the thing
00:44:35.60\00:44:39.07
about knowing that the
Lord has put you together
00:44:39.11\00:44:41.54
or that what you're
going through is of the Lord.
00:44:41.58\00:44:44.75
It allows you to deal
with the bumps that come,
00:44:44.78\00:44:48.25
not just in
marriage but in life,
00:44:48.28\00:44:49.98
when you know
that it's of the Lord.
00:44:50.02\00:44:53.15
When I was younger, I
got baptized at age ten,
00:44:53.19\00:44:57.79
and there were times in
the school was doing things.
00:44:57.83\00:45:01.46
We didn't have Adventist school
00:45:01.50\00:45:02.83
anywhere near us
in Buffalo, New York.
00:45:02.86\00:45:04.53
So you are in public school.
00:45:04.57\00:45:06.37
You got socials, you got dances,
00:45:06.40\00:45:08.20
you got all these
things on Friday night,
00:45:08.24\00:45:09.64
you know, kind of thing.
00:45:09.67\00:45:11.64
And unless you're secure
00:45:11.67\00:45:13.94
that what you're
doing is of the Lord,
00:45:13.98\00:45:16.18
you're feeling
like you're missing out
00:45:16.21\00:45:17.55
on something,
00:45:17.58\00:45:18.91
or when the rough
times come in the marriage.
00:45:18.95\00:45:22.18
And, you know, and I've
said this before in sermons.
00:45:22.22\00:45:24.29
There are days when you wake up
00:45:24.32\00:45:25.65
and you feel so
married, you know.
00:45:25.69\00:45:27.02
It's like good morning.
00:45:27.06\00:45:29.62
Good morning, we are
so married, you know.
00:45:29.66\00:45:31.89
And then you have
days when you're not,
00:45:31.93\00:45:34.70
you know you're
not, you know could be
00:45:34.73\00:45:36.73
because you ate
pizza last night,
00:45:36.77\00:45:38.10
anything, you know.
00:45:38.13\00:45:39.47
Today we're kind of,
00:45:39.50\00:45:40.84
we've got to
struggle a little bit today.
00:45:40.87\00:45:42.20
And the truth is, on the
days when you feel very married,
00:45:42.24\00:45:44.74
you are married.
00:45:44.77\00:45:46.11
Amen. Amen.
00:45:46.14\00:45:47.48
On the days when you
don't feel so married
00:45:47.51\00:45:49.34
and they happen,
you're still married,
00:45:49.38\00:45:52.11
you know, nothing is
changed, you are still married.
00:45:52.15\00:45:54.62
And then there are days
like that with the Lord.
00:45:54.65\00:45:56.99
Some days you get
up and you feel like,
00:45:57.02\00:45:58.35
I can carry the
weight of the world.
00:45:58.39\00:46:00.06
I am super Christian.
00:46:00.09\00:46:02.49
And then you wake up
some days and you feel like
00:46:02.52\00:46:04.09
you are carrying the
weight of the world, you know.
00:46:04.13\00:46:07.00
And on those days,
when you're super Christian,
00:46:07.03\00:46:09.10
you are a Christian.
00:46:09.13\00:46:10.57
And on those days when
you don't feel so Christian,
00:46:10.60\00:46:13.44
you're a Christian then too.
00:46:13.47\00:46:14.80
So knowing that God is in it
00:46:14.84\00:46:17.24
keeps you
through the rough times
00:46:17.27\00:46:19.07
because the
rough times are common,
00:46:19.11\00:46:20.44
in any marriage, in
any life, in any job,
00:46:20.48\00:46:22.54
in any one neighbor situation,
00:46:22.58\00:46:24.18
you're going to
have rough times.
00:46:24.21\00:46:25.81
You're going to drive and
you're going to hit a deer.
00:46:25.85\00:46:29.32
Amen.
00:46:29.35\00:46:30.69
I've hit three.
00:46:33.19\00:46:36.29
So either you're going
to have those rough days
00:46:36.32\00:46:37.93
when it's just
going to be a rough day,
00:46:37.96\00:46:40.63
and the only
thing that keeps you
00:46:40.66\00:46:42.00
is the fact that
you know who Christ is.
00:46:42.03\00:46:43.37
Amen.
00:46:43.40\00:46:44.73
Paul says, "I know him
in whom I have believed."
00:46:44.77\00:46:47.40
And it's that
knowledge that God is on my side
00:46:47.44\00:46:49.74
that keeps me
through those rough days
00:46:49.77\00:46:51.41
because they're
coming, they're going to come.
00:46:51.44\00:46:53.38
Yeah, oh, before we get away,
00:46:53.41\00:46:55.31
I'm sorry, you've got something?
00:46:55.34\00:46:56.68
No, I was just thinking
that it's so hard for us
00:46:56.71\00:47:02.35
to realize how much
God is there for you.
00:47:02.38\00:47:06.12
And it's so easy when we
have rough times to forget
00:47:06.15\00:47:11.99
and the first thing
to do is just to do it on
00:47:12.03\00:47:15.53
and instead of to remember
that God is there for us
00:47:15.56\00:47:19.80
because it's in
everything that bothers us,
00:47:19.83\00:47:23.37
the Lord says it bothers Him.
00:47:23.41\00:47:26.64
And it would be so wonderful
if we could every time,
00:47:26.68\00:47:33.28
the first thing we
would think is that,
00:47:33.31\00:47:35.15
well, God is here with me.
00:47:35.18\00:47:36.85
Praise the Lord that
as we draw close to Him
00:47:40.56\00:47:44.43
and more like Him and learning
00:47:44.46\00:47:47.30
to have that closer
relationship with Him.
00:47:47.33\00:47:51.23
We are able to
start more and more
00:47:51.27\00:47:54.57
getting in that mode
that when things come,
00:47:54.60\00:47:58.67
regardless of what they are
and even in the good things,
00:47:58.71\00:48:02.54
remember God
right away, praise God.
00:48:02.58\00:48:04.68
You know, you thank the
Lord for all that He loves us.
00:48:04.71\00:48:10.15
I think as we get
closer to Him then we start...
00:48:10.19\00:48:12.62
Actually when we
start reflecting our life,
00:48:12.65\00:48:14.32
we start seeing those
times and we didn't may be...
00:48:14.36\00:48:17.36
Exactly, we may not
saw Him or felt Him,
00:48:17.39\00:48:19.19
or thought that He
was there at those times,
00:48:19.23\00:48:21.10
but one of the neatest things
I came to understand is that
00:48:21.13\00:48:25.00
when Jesus on the cross
00:48:25.03\00:48:26.60
and He was
surrounded by the cloud
00:48:26.63\00:48:29.50
and he was
saying, "My God, My God,
00:48:29.54\00:48:30.91
why have you afflict Me."
00:48:30.94\00:48:32.27
He thought the
Father had forsaken Him.
00:48:32.31\00:48:34.11
But inspiration
tells us that His Father
00:48:34.14\00:48:37.68
came down in the cloud,
00:48:37.71\00:48:39.05
His Father has a
cloud around Him.
00:48:39.08\00:48:40.42
He hadn't forsaken Him.
00:48:40.45\00:48:41.78
He was there
beside the cross with him.
00:48:41.82\00:48:44.25
Jesus couldn't see that
00:48:44.29\00:48:45.62
because He was
paying the price for us.
00:48:45.65\00:48:47.76
But His Father
didn't forsake Him
00:48:47.79\00:48:49.19
and Jesus doesn't
forsake us either.
00:48:49.22\00:48:51.33
And we can see
that through our live
00:48:51.36\00:48:53.53
is when we look
back and reflect.
00:48:53.56\00:48:55.66
Absolutely.
00:48:55.70\00:48:57.30
In return for that
suffering, He gives us
00:48:57.33\00:48:59.93
as we come to
Lord's spiritual eyesight,
00:48:59.97\00:49:02.00
you actually do begin
to see things clearer.
00:49:02.04\00:49:04.54
You see the hand of God clearer,
00:49:04.57\00:49:06.88
and you also get discernment
00:49:06.91\00:49:08.78
to see danger a
little clearer, you know.
00:49:08.81\00:49:11.68
You do develop a
love for the good things
00:49:11.71\00:49:13.58
and a distaste for bad things.
00:49:13.62\00:49:15.68
But you do, and
that's why this exercise
00:49:15.72\00:49:18.65
that we're going through
00:49:18.69\00:49:20.02
is so necessary on
the Christian journey.
00:49:20.06\00:49:22.49
It's important that
every now and again,
00:49:22.52\00:49:24.59
you look back over your shoulder
00:49:24.63\00:49:26.49
and see where
Christ has brought you
00:49:26.53\00:49:29.20
because it will,
it tends to really...
00:49:29.23\00:49:31.20
It's like a GPS
system, you know,
00:49:31.23\00:49:33.44
it reestablishes where
you are at this point in time.
00:49:33.47\00:49:36.97
I'm told that GPS
needs three satellites
00:49:37.01\00:49:39.21
to triangulate, you
need at least three.
00:49:39.24\00:49:41.11
So you look at where
you are, or where you were,
00:49:41.14\00:49:45.81
where you are,
and where you're going
00:49:45.85\00:49:47.18
and that kind of puts
you in the right perspective
00:49:47.22\00:49:49.28
with Jesus Christ.
00:49:49.32\00:49:50.99
You look back over and
see how God was with me here,
00:49:51.02\00:49:53.25
God was with me
here, God was with me here,
00:49:53.29\00:49:55.46
God was with me in that
raft, God was with me here.
00:49:55.49\00:49:58.86
You go out on the internet,
00:49:58.89\00:50:00.23
you can find a lot of
danger on the internet.
00:50:00.26\00:50:01.96
You found a
gem. You found a gem.
00:50:02.00\00:50:04.07
Praise the Lord.
00:50:04.10\00:50:05.43
But there's a lot of bad
stuff on the internet too.
00:50:05.47\00:50:08.47
Yet God was
pleased, it pleased Him
00:50:08.50\00:50:11.87
to give you what you
needed at the time you needed.
00:50:11.91\00:50:13.94
Praise the Lord.
00:50:13.98\00:50:15.31
Yeah, praise the Lord
'cause I always, I always...
00:50:15.34\00:50:18.28
My favorite text ever
00:50:18.31\00:50:22.18
is the Matthew 6:36.
00:50:22.22\00:50:27.09
That's really like,
"Seek ye first kingdom of God,
00:50:27.12\00:50:32.59
and if you seek the Lord,
00:50:32.63\00:50:35.26
everything else
will fall into place."
00:50:35.30\00:50:37.27
- Praise the Lord. - Yes,
00:50:37.30\00:50:38.63
that's really my
favorite and I'm like, man,
00:50:38.67\00:50:40.27
thank you, Lord,
thank you Jesus, thank you.
00:50:40.30\00:50:44.17
Seek you first
and you get the Brian.
00:50:44.21\00:50:45.77
Yes, that's right.
00:50:45.81\00:50:47.28
You know, Celestine,
that verse comes to me,
00:50:50.48\00:50:53.68
it has come to me many times,
00:50:53.72\00:50:55.58
and usually when I'm walking
a little bit out of the place
00:50:55.62\00:51:01.09
in the Lord, you know it
says, no, think of me first.
00:51:01.12\00:51:05.29
Yes.
00:51:05.33\00:51:06.66
But thank God for that
'cause otherwise we are lost.
00:51:06.70\00:51:09.26
Yeah, we are totally lost.
00:51:09.30\00:51:12.17
It is so important,
again, Ellen White tells us,
00:51:12.20\00:51:15.77
the inspired pen says,
00:51:15.80\00:51:17.67
to take a little time each
day just to meditate on Jesus
00:51:17.71\00:51:22.18
and that sort of
anchors you also.
00:51:22.21\00:51:24.88
And then, she talks a
lot about a grateful heart.
00:51:24.91\00:51:30.19
How gratitude will enhance
your Christian experience
00:51:30.22\00:51:34.69
because we can
all think of stuff
00:51:34.72\00:51:37.69
we don't have.
00:51:37.73\00:51:39.06
Right now, you don't have a car
because the deer ate your car.
00:51:39.09\00:51:44.67
And in other words,
it's coming but right now
00:51:44.70\00:51:46.77
while you're
dealing with insurance
00:51:46.80\00:51:48.17
and those
things, it's frustrating,
00:51:48.20\00:51:50.27
you know, you're
trying to get that stuff done.
00:51:50.31\00:51:52.07
I know that feeling
'cause like I have said,
00:51:52.11\00:51:53.48
I've hit three,
and actually I hit four
00:51:53.51\00:51:55.58
but the other one didn't,
we just, kind of, well...
00:51:55.61\00:51:58.08
Yeah, that wasn't so good.
00:52:01.38\00:52:02.78
So I know what it is to
have a deer eat your car
00:52:02.82\00:52:05.79
and it's aggravating
00:52:05.82\00:52:07.49
but you think,
well, the car got bent up
00:52:07.52\00:52:09.99
but I'm in good
shape, you know, I'm okay.
00:52:10.03\00:52:12.29
So that's
something to be grateful for.
00:52:12.33\00:52:14.20
And I think the
Lord responds to us
00:52:14.23\00:52:16.16
when we are grateful.
00:52:16.20\00:52:17.53
You can all think
of what we don't have.
00:52:17.57\00:52:19.07
Our car is nine
years old but it's running,
00:52:19.10\00:52:22.27
praise the Lord, you know,
00:52:22.30\00:52:23.64
it gets us from
point A to point B.
00:52:23.67\00:52:26.07
And we praise the Lord for that.
00:52:26.11\00:52:28.38
Maybe one day
we'll have a better car,
00:52:28.41\00:52:29.74
right now this is what we got.
00:52:29.78\00:52:31.11
So Lord, thank
you. Lord, praise You.
00:52:31.15\00:52:33.98
And it makes your life better.
00:52:34.02\00:52:36.38
Oh, oh, I missed that pickup.
00:52:36.42\00:52:40.89
We have to send you a
picture. Yeah, please do it.
00:52:40.92\00:52:43.59
Because we fixed it
all and it's beautiful.
00:52:43.63\00:52:46.29
Praise the Lord.
00:52:46.33\00:52:48.56
So God is good
and a grateful heart,
00:52:48.60\00:52:51.17
to me it opens a door
for God to do greater things.
00:52:51.20\00:52:53.37
- Yeah, amen. - So
you are not thankful
00:52:53.40\00:52:54.74
for what He is doing.
00:52:54.77\00:52:56.10
One, you're not
recognizing one that He is doing
00:52:56.14\00:52:59.27
and two, you're not grateful
00:52:59.31\00:53:00.64
but it tends us to
close the door down
00:53:00.68\00:53:02.78
when He wants
to do more for you.
00:53:02.81\00:53:04.38
And the Lord wants to do more,
00:53:04.41\00:53:05.75
but you've got to be
kind of grateful and thankful
00:53:05.78\00:53:07.12
for what you have.
You've got a beautiful home,
00:53:07.15\00:53:08.68
beautiful
children, beautiful wife.
00:53:08.72\00:53:10.42
You know, and
you're good looking guy,
00:53:10.45\00:53:12.05
praise the Lord.
00:53:12.09\00:53:13.89
That is the
beautiful family, yeah.
00:53:13.92\00:53:17.09
Beautiful children.
00:53:17.13\00:53:18.46
Beautiful
children. Beautiful children.
00:53:18.49\00:53:20.40
God has been good, and
if we're not appreciative
00:53:20.43\00:53:22.86
of the things He has given
us, then He will remove them
00:53:22.90\00:53:25.37
so that we can refocus.
00:53:25.40\00:53:27.27
Yes. Absolutely.
00:53:27.30\00:53:29.17
He wants us to be thankful.
00:53:29.20\00:53:30.54
Yeah, you get so caught
up in the fishes and loaves,
00:53:30.57\00:53:33.17
you forget about the Lord
who gave them to you, you know.
00:53:33.21\00:53:35.78
So sometimes He has
to strip that stuff away
00:53:35.81\00:53:37.78
so you can focus
on the God who gave
00:53:37.81\00:53:39.68
and not just the
gifts themselves.
00:53:39.71\00:53:41.58
But it's very easy to
get caught up in the gifts,
00:53:41.62\00:53:45.39
you know, and not the
giver, and the giver is the one
00:53:45.42\00:53:47.59
that we need to
lock down on, you know,
00:53:47.62\00:53:49.49
and we praise the Lord for that.
00:53:49.52\00:53:50.86
You know, I
wanted to read this,,
00:53:50.89\00:53:52.23
this little bit
from the Word of God
00:53:52.26\00:53:53.90
but or rather from this
book on ministry of angels,
00:53:53.93\00:53:56.56
but it is rather lengthy,
00:53:56.60\00:53:57.93
we're not going to
have time to get through it.
00:53:57.97\00:54:00.17
So let me summarize it by saying
00:54:00.20\00:54:03.87
that Lord is so
interested in our salvation
00:54:03.91\00:54:06.78
that He has given
a ministry of angels
00:54:06.81\00:54:09.58
to assist us in very
real ways here on earth.
00:54:09.61\00:54:12.88
And I think one of the things
00:54:12.91\00:54:14.25
that we will not be
able to understand fully
00:54:14.28\00:54:15.98
until we get to
heaven is how many times
00:54:16.02\00:54:18.39
angels have inserted
themselves in our lives
00:54:18.42\00:54:21.69
that we may not have been aware.
00:54:21.72\00:54:23.29
And that's one of the things
that the ministry of angels
00:54:23.32\00:54:26.29
kind of focuses
on the fact that,
00:54:26.33\00:54:28.86
one, angels had never seen death
00:54:28.90\00:54:32.87
because there was
no death in heaven
00:54:32.90\00:54:34.57
until they saw death on earth.
00:54:34.60\00:54:36.97
They had never been
in the presence of sin
00:54:37.01\00:54:40.78
except for those
who followed Satan
00:54:40.81\00:54:42.88
and were ejected.
00:54:42.91\00:54:44.48
So they were asked to come down
00:54:44.51\00:54:45.88
and minister to fallen man,
00:54:45.91\00:54:49.38
and they were so
anxious and happy to do that.
00:54:49.42\00:54:54.09
You think of what an angel is
00:54:54.12\00:54:55.69
and the realm
that they inhabited,
00:54:55.72\00:54:58.29
and our guardian angels
have to spend our lives,
00:54:58.33\00:55:01.46
not their lives but our
lives, staying by our sides.
00:55:01.50\00:55:04.97
So that means if they are
constantly exposed to sin,
00:55:05.00\00:55:08.07
they are put in an
atmosphere that they do not know
00:55:08.10\00:55:10.67
or understand,
00:55:10.71\00:55:12.37
and yet their love
for their commander
00:55:12.41\00:55:16.08
and through him
to us is so strong
00:55:16.11\00:55:18.68
that they...
00:55:18.71\00:55:20.18
It's like someone
saying, okay, Gary, from now on,
00:55:20.22\00:55:22.58
you've got to go to a
little island out with us
00:55:22.62\00:55:25.99
no running water and
no bathroom facilities,
00:55:26.02\00:55:28.69
and you've got
to help those people
00:55:28.72\00:55:30.06
and you're not
going to get any help.
00:55:30.09\00:55:31.43
And a lot of times
they not even want you there
00:55:31.46\00:55:32.89
and reject you.
00:55:32.93\00:55:34.26
And you're saying,
"Okay, I love to do it,
00:55:34.30\00:55:36.97
you know, that's fine."
00:55:37.00\00:55:39.27
And that's the kind of
mindset that angels have.
00:55:39.30\00:55:41.97
So it shows how
interested God is in saving us
00:55:42.00\00:55:45.97
and staying with us and
getting us back to heaven.
00:55:46.01\00:55:49.28
I remember
reading from Sister White
00:55:49.31\00:55:51.58
that the angels she
says, they are just like
00:55:51.61\00:55:55.58
in this position, you know,
00:55:55.62\00:55:58.29
just ready, waiting for...
00:55:58.32\00:56:00.39
And sometimes the
Lord keeps them back,
00:56:00.42\00:56:02.39
no, not yet, not
yet, but they are ready.
00:56:02.42\00:56:06.09
They are just so
anxious to run and save us.
00:56:06.13\00:56:10.27
They're selfless angels.
00:56:10.30\00:56:12.07
I really
appreciate this conversation
00:56:12.10\00:56:14.27
and it brought to mind, John 21,
00:56:14.30\00:56:16.77
I think each of us can
look at our lives and see
00:56:16.81\00:56:18.37
how Lord has led us but it says,
00:56:18.41\00:56:20.28
and there are
also many other things
00:56:20.31\00:56:22.78
which Jesus did
that which if we should,
00:56:22.81\00:56:25.38
they should be written everyone,
00:56:25.41\00:56:26.88
I suppose that
even the world itself
00:56:26.92\00:56:28.48
could not contain the
books that should be written.
00:56:28.52\00:56:31.29
I know it's true in my life.
00:56:31.32\00:56:32.89
There's been so many
things that God has done
00:56:32.92\00:56:35.39
to preserve my life,
advance my life, and everything
00:56:35.42\00:56:38.49
and that statement
is true in my life.
00:56:38.53\00:56:41.86
And I know it is for our viewers
00:56:41.90\00:56:43.26
and everyone here.
00:56:43.30\00:56:45.07
Yeah, yeah, let
me encourage you,
00:56:45.10\00:56:47.67
every now and
again just tap the brakes
00:56:47.70\00:56:50.37
and take a little
look at your own life.
00:56:50.41\00:56:53.58
In particular, how
God has brought you
00:56:53.61\00:56:56.58
to where you are today.
00:56:56.61\00:56:58.18
You don't want
to live in the past,
00:56:58.21\00:56:59.55
but you don't want to
forget about the past.
00:56:59.58\00:57:00.92
I say this very often,
00:57:00.95\00:57:02.28
the only thing worse
than nostalgia is amnesia.
00:57:02.32\00:57:05.19
You don't want
to live in the past,
00:57:05.22\00:57:06.55
but don't forget about the past
00:57:06.59\00:57:07.92
because the same
God that has gotten you
00:57:07.96\00:57:09.52
through the past to today
00:57:09.56\00:57:11.26
is the same God that will
get you safely, safely home.
00:57:11.29\00:57:15.56
Thank you so very much,
Gary, and Celestine, and Brian,
00:57:15.60\00:57:19.10
and Boo for joining us
today on Family Worship.
00:57:19.13\00:57:23.84
Keep Christ in your eyes,
00:57:23.87\00:57:26.04
but more important
keep Him in your heart
00:57:26.07\00:57:28.58
and He will lead
you safely, gently home.
00:57:28.61\00:57:31.65
Bye, bye. God bless.
00:57:31.68\00:57:33.01
Happy Sabbath.
00:57:33.05\00:57:34.38