Participants:
Series Code: TDYFW
Program Code: TDYFW018023A
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:19 Removing pain 00:24 Lord, let my words 00:30 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:46 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:11 Hello and welcome to another Family Worship 01:13 with your family at 3ABN. 01:16 My name is John Dinzey and this is my wife, Idalia. 01:18 And it's a pleasure and joy for us 01:20 to tell you happy Sabbath. 01:22 Sabbath. That's right, friends. 01:24 Well, I know you've been anticipating this moment 01:27 because we've had a heavy week, 01:29 and it's so beautiful to set this time aside 01:33 and come to Jesus feet, 01:35 go through His Word, and draw closer to Him, 01:38 closer to each other as a family. 01:41 And we just want to let you know 01:42 that we love you in the Lord, 01:44 and we pray for everyone of you at home, 01:48 those that are listening 01:50 or watching the program on 3ABN. 01:52 Yes, and we are happy to have 01:54 part of the family here with us, 01:55 and we'll start with my left, this one right here. 02:00 And we're glad to have Brother Brian Dickens here with us. 02:04 Welcome. Thank you, Pastor John. 02:06 It's blessing to be here. 02:07 Anytime I'm able to come on 02:09 and be able to share in God's Word 02:11 is always a wonderful thing, wonderful experience. 02:13 Amen. Amen. That's right. Amen. 02:15 And, Idalia, will you please tell our friends 02:19 where our friends are coming from our family? 02:22 Well, it's part of the family, of course. 02:24 It's Rosemary. 02:26 Welcome. You came all the way from Australia. 02:29 You were willing to bring your husband with you. 02:31 I was. I was. 02:34 I wouldn't go anywhere without him. 02:38 You guys said don't leave home without him. 02:40 Well, I don't leave home without him. 02:42 There you go. There you go. Amen. Amen. 02:44 You guys are the head of the 3ABN Australia. 02:48 And, of course, you guys are like family, 02:50 how many years have you been associated with 3ABN? 02:56 You know, Idalia, it's 2002 02:58 that we commenced our work with 3ABN. 03:01 And we started out traveling around Australia 03:03 in a little green kermit, telling people about 3ABN 03:07 and getting satellite dishes on. 03:08 Amen. Well, what's the kermit? 03:12 It was a little green short wheel bike land cruiser. 03:15 That was very rough to ride in. 03:16 And it was like this all the way. 03:20 Very loud, very noisy. But, you know... 03:22 Well, you are such an inspiration 03:24 to 3ABN Australia, and your ministry it's just... 03:28 When I hear the stories you share, it's inspiring. 03:31 Yes, we share many times 03:33 in the Spanish speaking countries as we travel, 03:36 and we share about your testimony 03:39 how you folks would provide a satellite dish to family. 03:44 And if they don't want it any longer, 03:46 then you put it in another home. 03:48 And that is an idea that Johnny and I have been 03:52 contemplating with MySDA TV, 03:55 you know, you just purchase the apparatus, 03:58 and then just take it to someone's house, 04:01 and let them watch it online or on their TV 04:04 and see how the Lord leads. 04:05 But most of the times, 04:07 people do not want to take that down, right? 04:11 We used to call it the 3ABN Dish Initiative. 04:14 Dish Initiative? Right. 04:16 And so you come back in about 30 days, 04:18 and what do you ask them? 04:20 We give them about 3 months I think. 04:21 We give them two or three months, 04:22 and say if you like it. 04:24 Well, then you can purchase it 04:25 which enables you then to go on and purchase another one 04:28 to share with someone else. 04:29 So you outlay one 04:31 and you can reach how many people? 04:32 Five or six people in a year. 04:34 That's right. Praise the Lord. 04:35 Plus, what we find something 04:38 that we see fit for our family friend, 04:41 who is going through some type of troubles 04:44 or what have you, we invite them. 04:46 It's like, "Oh, download the app right now. 04:48 That program is really good, it's gonna bless you, 04:50 you've got to watch this." 04:51 So they may not be of our faith, 04:53 of our denomination, 04:55 but, you know, the Word of God is for everyone. 04:58 And it brings life, it brings hope, 05:00 and it brings strength, 05:01 and mends the broken heart, so... 05:04 You know, John, I just want to say something. 05:06 You mentioned that this is our ministry. 05:09 I want to tell you it's not ours, 05:10 it belongs to God. 05:12 We are only servants. 05:13 And every ministry belongs to God. 05:16 And if He puts you there, we do our best, you know. 05:18 And we want to serve the Lord, and I know people out there 05:21 would want to serve the Lord in the ministry of God. 05:25 So we get caught up on that. 05:26 We got to be careful because we are indispensable. 05:29 We are dispensable. We are dispensable. 05:31 God is indispensable. Yeah. 05:34 Well, we like to go to the Lord in prayer, 05:36 and we like to invite you at home to join us in prayer. 05:40 Pause with us and join us 05:42 as we approach God's throne of grace. 05:44 So let's pray. 05:46 Our loving heavenly Father, 05:48 we just want to thank You, Lord, 05:49 that we can put the challenges of life behind us, 05:54 the activities, the worries, and concerns, 05:56 put them all behind us and rest. 05:59 Rest in the knowledge that You are with us, 06:01 rest in the knowledge that the Sabbath day has come. 06:04 We end all the business things and all the work, 06:07 and lay them aside to rest in the Lord. 06:11 We thank You for the Sabbath day 06:12 that You have given to us. 06:14 We remember that You have told us to remember, 06:17 "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." 06:20 And we thank You, Lord, 06:22 that one day You will give us the blessed rest, 06:25 the rest from the attacks of the enemy, 06:28 from temptations, and trials, and tribulations. 06:31 And we thank You 06:32 that Jesus Christ has made this possible. 06:34 We pray that You will bless all of the friends and families 06:38 that join us all around the world. 06:40 We pray for our discussion to be a blessing, 06:43 and to lift someone and draw them close to Jesus. 06:47 We ask you for these things 06:48 in Jesus' holy and blessed name, amen. 06:52 Amen. Amen. 06:54 Well, we are happy to have you with us. 06:58 And we hope that when we sing this next song 07:01 that you will also sing with us. 07:04 And perhaps it may be somebody's favorite. 07:07 That's right. What are we singing? 07:08 It's a beautiful message in song, 07:10 and it's entitled, "Marvelous Grace," 07:13 and it's number 109, 07:15 and we'll be singing the first and third stanza. 07:32 Marvelous grace of our loving Lord 07:38 Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt 07:44 Yonder on Calvary's mount out-poured 07:50 There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt 07:57 Grace, grace, God's grace 08:03 Grace that will pardon and cleanse within 08:09 Grace, grace, God's grace 08:16 Grace that is greater than all our sin 08:23 Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace 08:29 Freely bestowed on all who believe 08:36 You that are longing to see His face 08:43 Will you this moment His grace receive 08:50 Grace, grace, God's grace 08:56 Grace that will pardon and cleanse within 09:03 Grace, grace, God's grace 09:10 Grace that is greater than all our sin 09:18 Amen. Amen. It's a beautiful hymn. 09:21 This hymn is entitled Marvelous Grace. 09:24 I don't really know if there are words 09:26 to describe God's marvelous grace. 09:30 Well, it's amazing grace. It's marvelous grace. 09:31 It's amazing grace. It's marvelous grace. 09:33 And I'm thinking of the verse that says, 09:36 "That where sin abounds, much more grace abounds." 09:43 Precious, precious words. 09:45 And this grace is extended 09:47 to each and every single person. 09:50 Every single person has the opportunity 09:53 to accept God's grace 09:55 because His grace is extended to all. 09:58 And, you know, there in the book, 10:01 Steps to Christ, one of my favorite books. 10:04 It says, "Because of Jesus Christ, 10:06 because of His death on the cross, 10:09 God has blessed this world 10:12 with an atmosphere of grace." 10:16 And that's something is powerful. Amen. 10:19 And His grace is bigger than all our sin, 10:22 you know, thank God for His grace like that. 10:26 Amen. Amen. 10:27 Well, you know, we have the... 10:29 We were talking about the Sabbath day, 10:31 and for some people this... 10:33 Sabbath day? What day is that? 10:36 'Cause there may be a new word for some people 10:38 that maybe, you know, a Sabbath day. 10:39 Well, I've heard of Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, 10:42 but which one is this one? 10:45 Well, the Bible doesn't really give the names 10:49 Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 10:52 but it does name a day and calls it the Sabbath day. 10:56 There's another day, 10:57 it's called the preparation day, 10:58 which is the sixth day, and that is Friday. 11:01 And the Sabbath day is the seventh day, 11:03 which is Saturday. 11:05 And so I like to read to you from Luke 4:16 11:10 where we see the example Jesus gave us, 11:14 set before us, and that is... 11:17 It says in Luke 4:16. 11:19 "So He came," that is Jesus, "to Nazareth, 11:22 where he had been brought up, and as His custom was, 11:27 He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, 11:31 and stood up to read." 11:35 And notice what happened. 11:36 Verse 17, "And He was handed the book of the Prophet Isaiah. 11:40 And when He had opened the book, 11:42 He found the place where it was written, 11:46 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, 11:48 because He has anointed Me 11:50 to preach the gospel to the poor, 11:52 He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, 11:55 to proclaim liberty to the captives 11:57 and recovery of sight to the blind, 12:00 to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 12:02 to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.'" 12:06 Then He closed the book, 12:07 and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. 12:09 And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue 12:12 were fixed on Him. 12:14 So this tells me that Jesus knew the scriptures 12:17 'cause they gave Him the Book of Isaiah. 12:19 And back in those days, 12:21 as far as we know, they didn't have chapter, 12:23 divisions, and things like that. 12:24 He found the place. 12:27 I went like this, but it was a roll 12:31 where it said exactly what we just read. 12:33 Well, actually when we were in Israel, 12:35 they told us that they would read a portion every week, 12:40 and they would just roll the scroll, 12:43 they would roll it like this, 12:45 and then they would just read the next portion the next week, 12:49 and rolled this, you know, like a... 12:50 They would just read. 12:52 Yes, they would just read down the section. 12:54 And that in this case, 12:55 that was actually the very next section to be read. 12:58 And it was... 12:59 They asked Jesus to read it, 13:01 and it happened to be right on the prophecy of Him. 13:05 That's the marvelous amazing thing of Him. 13:07 I don't think it was a coincidence, 13:09 it was providential. 13:11 That's how God works. That's right, amen. 13:13 And so I didn't read it, 13:15 but if you keep reading it, it says that He said, 13:19 "This day is the scripture fulfilled in you hearing." 13:24 That's right. Marvelous. 13:26 And so why did I read this scripture... 13:28 As His custom was, Jesus' custom, 13:30 His custom was to go to the synagogue 13:32 on the Sabbath day. 13:33 And this is a something He has left for us 13:36 as an example to follow. 13:38 Reminding us, of course, of Exodus 20:8-11. 13:43 One of the Ten Commandments is the number four, 13:45 which says, "Remember the Sabbath day 13:46 to keep it holy." 13:48 And this is why we say to you happy Sabbath. 13:51 Amen. 13:52 Well, you know, it's interesting 13:54 how there's a time of the year 13:57 that we need to do our yard work 13:59 the most here in the States. 14:01 And so we need the help 14:04 for the maintenance of the property, of the land. 14:08 And so when we try to find some help, 14:12 people will say, "Hey, I can do the job for you. 14:15 I'm available Saturday." 14:18 And it's like, you know what, 14:21 we would like for you, if you're going to do the job, 14:25 not to do it on Friday night or Sabbath. 14:28 And if you will, 14:29 you can do it on Sunday or Monday or any given date. 14:33 Really? Yes. 14:35 We're Sabbath keepers. 14:36 And Seventh-day Adventists, we keep the Sabbath holy. 14:40 And so any business that we do 14:43 has to be outside of Sabbath hours. 14:46 And, you know, this is an opportunity to witness, 14:49 and, you know, it doesn't matter 14:50 how desperate we may feel 14:52 that something needs to be done, 14:54 don't rob yourself of a blessing. 14:57 Just leave it for the next day, and enjoy your Sabbath day 15:01 that the Lord God has set aside for us. 15:03 Amen. Amen. 15:04 How do you feel when Sabbath comes around, Brian? 15:07 Oh, I rest for the most part. Amen. 15:11 It's my favorite time of the week. 15:12 Yeah. 15:13 This past weekend, 15:15 we had a wonderful opportunity for health connection fair 15:19 to go out and help minister, help the people 15:23 even on the Sabbath. 15:24 You know, which, you know, 15:26 Jesus went and healed people on the Sabbath. 15:29 You know, that's one of the things that He always, 15:32 you know, always got in trouble for, 15:35 where they always wanted, you know. 15:37 He kept getting told, 15:39 "You cannot go out and heal on the Sabbath." 15:42 He knew that His Father was happy with healing people 15:46 on the Sabbath. 15:47 I would love to have walked 15:50 when Jesus was here on earth and witness 15:53 what we read about that happened. 15:55 And you know what? 15:56 I believe that a lot of the healing 15:58 and a lot of His work is still going on today. 16:01 He is still alive and on the throne, 16:03 and I am a miracle that He has done here in the last century, 16:09 you know, so in this century, in the 21st century so. 16:13 But God and His grace... 16:15 And, you know, if we could just have half or a fourth 16:18 of the grace that God has for us, for other people, 16:21 imagine what the world would be like, right? 16:25 It would be much nicer place. Right, Rose, Rosemary. 16:28 Now you were talking about Sabbath, 16:30 you know, I look forward to the Sabbath, I really do. 16:33 All the week my mind is occupied 16:34 with the things of the world. 16:36 And then come Friday afternoon, 16:39 I get cleaned up, and I sit down, 16:42 I think I don't have to think about the things of the world. 16:46 It's the time that I can spend with God. 16:49 And that's what it is, spending time with God. 16:51 Yes, spending time with God. 16:53 And what I really enjoy, also, is like, 16:56 there is no interruptions of the every day, 16:59 you know, the usual interruptions that we get. 17:02 So it's just 24 hours that you wish lasted 48 hours. 17:08 And, of course, 17:09 you must take time every day to sit at Jesus' feet, 17:12 to have your devotional, to listen to a hymn or song 17:15 that just embraces the God and connects you with heaven. 17:18 So it's encouraging in our daily walk here 17:22 with the Lord to do that. 17:23 I look forward to the Sabbath too, 17:25 thanks that we... 17:27 I will usually cook extra food. Yes. 17:29 So that we have the opportunity 17:31 to invite someone for lunch after church, 17:35 and also we like to visit people in the afternoon, 17:40 whether it's in a nursing home or in their home, 17:43 we'd like to spend that time to go and see people 17:46 that we don't get a chance to do for the rest of the week, 17:49 and to be a blessing. 17:51 Yes, amen. 17:53 You know, I like to say this 17:54 because sometimes there's a misunderstanding here. 17:57 When people are learning about the Sabbath day 18:00 and that is you... 18:04 We talk about the seventh day especial, 18:07 you can go to church every single day. 18:10 In fact, if you go to a Spanish country, 18:12 most of the churches, they are there on Sunday night, 18:14 they are there on Monday, they are there on Wednesday, 18:17 they are there on Friday. 18:18 Not Thursday for the most part. Not Thursday. 18:21 But the commandment says, 18:25 "To cease from all your labors." 18:26 So all the other days, you can go to church, 18:28 but you're also having to work, 18:29 you're also doing business activities, 18:31 you're also doing secular minded things. 18:34 The Sabbath day is separate in the sense 18:36 that you're not supposed to do those things. 18:38 You are supposed to set those things aside 18:40 and dedicate this time to rest from those burdens, 18:43 from those concerns, 18:45 and dedicate the time to fellowship with God, 18:48 and fellowship with one another. 18:50 And so this is why you learn that the Sabbath is sweet, 18:54 the Sabbath is a joy, the Sabbath is a delight, 18:57 the Sabbath is a special day. 18:59 God sanctified and He made it holy 19:02 because there's a blessing in it 19:05 for those that keep the Sabbath day. 19:07 And if you have never done it, we encourage you to do it. 19:10 If you want more information on that, contact 3ABN, 19:14 so that you can receive information. 19:16 But we would like to discuss something with you today, 19:19 and that is found in Luke 15. 19:21 We're talking about grace. We sang about grace. 19:25 And there is a story here about a person 19:30 that identifies with just about everybody. 19:33 And that is the story of the Prodigal Son. 19:37 And the Prodigal Son is found in Luke 15, 19:40 and maybe we can read a portion each. 19:43 So maybe... Really, John, you can start. 19:46 I need to get to Luke 15. 19:48 Luke 15, and we're starting in verse 1? 19:51 Eleven. Eleven, sorry. 19:52 Eleven, yes. 19:53 Says, "And he said, 'A certain man had two sons. 19:56 And the younger of them said to his father, 19:58 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.' 20:02 And he divided unto them his living. 20:06 And not many days after 20:07 the younger son gathered all together, 20:09 and took his journey into a far country, 20:11 and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 20:15 And when he had spent all, 20:17 there arose a mighty famine in the land, 20:19 and he began to be in want. 20:21 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, 20:24 and he sent him into the fields to feed swine.'" 20:28 That's good, we'll stop right there. 20:30 Boy, this is really something from... 20:36 From being in such good, good status 20:39 to wanting to eat of the swine. 20:42 Well, he was even looking after swine. 20:44 Even looking after swine. 20:46 So perhaps, Sister Rosemary, 20:48 can you read the next four verses. 20:50 We'll come back and discuss all this when we end. 20:55 So I start from verse 16, is it? 20:56 Sixteen. Yes. 20:57 "And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks 21:01 that the swine did eat. 21:02 And no man gave unto him. 21:05 And when he came to himself, 21:07 he said, 'How many hired servants of my father's 21:11 have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 21:15 I will arise and go to my father, 21:17 and will say unto him, 21:19 'Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 21:22 and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 21:26 Make me as one of thy hired servants.'" 21:29 Wow, Idalia. 21:31 "So he got up and went to his father. 21:33 But while he was still a long way off, 21:37 his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him, 21:42 he ran to his son, 21:43 threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21:47 'The son said to him, 21:48 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 21:52 I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' 21:57 But the father said to his servants, 21:59 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. 22:03 Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 22:08 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. 22:13 Let's have a feast and celebrate.'" 22:16 Wow! How exciting, huh? 22:19 But he didn't have shoes on his feet. 22:20 That's right. 22:22 Now it says here in verse 24, "For this my son was dead 22:26 and is alive again, he was lost and is found.' 22:30 And they began to be merry. 22:32 'And his older son was in the field. 22:35 And as he came and drew near to the house, 22:39 he heard music and dancing. 22:41 So he called one of the servants 22:43 and asked what these things meant. 22:46 And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, 22:49 and because he has received him safe and sound, 22:52 your father has killed the fatted calf.'" 22:57 Wow. 22:59 Brother Brian, can you read the rest? 23:00 I sure will. 23:01 "But he was angry and would not go in. 23:04 Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. 23:07 So he answered and said to his father, 23:09 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you, 23:12 I never transgressed your commandment at any time, 23:16 and yet you never gave me a young goat 23:20 that I might make merry with my friends. 23:24 But as soon as this son of yours came, 23:27 who had devoured your livelihood with harlots, 23:31 you killed the fatted calf for him.' 23:35 And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, 23:39 and all that I have is yours. 23:41 It was right that we should make merry and be glad, 23:45 for your brother was dead and is alive again, 23:49 and was lost and is found.'" 23:52 Amen. Amen. 23:54 Wow, what a powerful story. 23:57 If you've never heard this story before, 23:59 it is a powerful, powerful story 24:01 to consider all that took place. 24:04 And it's amazing to me when I read the parables, 24:07 the way Jesus describes something that perhaps would 24:11 take me many, many more words, in just a few words, 24:14 you get a picture of the scenery, 24:17 and it's marvelous. 24:18 And you can retain it. And you can retain it. 24:21 So let's go back and look at this story, 24:24 and perhaps from your experiences, 24:26 perhaps even reading this in previous times. 24:29 The Lord has led you to an understanding 24:33 or something that has blessed you 24:36 during your reading of this story. 24:40 So we go back to Luke 15, and we started in verse 11. 24:45 And, of course, it says here that "A man had two sons. 24:49 And it was the younger one." 24:52 "It was the younger one that said, 24:53 'Father, give me the portion of the goods that belong to me.'" 24:56 In other words, what he was supposed to get 24:59 when his father passed away, he was asking now. 25:02 I want it right now. 25:05 And we don't see any objection by the father. 25:09 He gave him what he was asking for. 25:13 The thing is, he was looking at the positions, 25:16 and he didn't want to be there. 25:18 I want to be somewhere other than this, 25:20 but I don't have any way of doing it. 25:22 So I've got to get hold of this, 25:25 that he decide to discern, I've got to get hold of this, 25:27 so I can go and do what all I want to do, 25:30 and not be in the house where I can't enjoy life. 25:36 So many children want to leave home. 25:38 As a parent, and I have two boys. 25:42 I'm like, Lord, "Help my children, 25:44 but help us to keep our children home 25:48 until it's time for them to move along." 25:51 But I say, "Lord, I don't know 25:56 how much grace I will have with my kids." 25:59 You know, this story just shows that 26:02 the father just forgave him, 26:05 forgave everything that had happened. 26:08 He didn't even ask questions, "Where were you? 26:11 What were you doing? Who were you with? 26:13 Why are you dressed like this? Why do you stink? 26:14 Why? Why? Why? Why?" 26:16 Like we parents do. 26:18 Mind you, I'm not trying to tell the young people, 26:20 you don't have to tell your parents a reasons 26:22 and whereabouts you were. 26:25 But, you know, it's interesting 26:27 that the grass is greener on the other side. 26:29 And when you're young, you just want to venture out 26:32 and see what's out there, you know, and which is... 26:36 The time will come 26:37 which is appropriate for you to go out there, 26:39 and be responsible, and what have you but, 26:42 you know, the thing that had stuck with me 26:45 from the story is that his heart was at home. 26:49 His heart was not out there, only his mind was, 26:52 you know, just for distraction. 26:53 But his heart was, "You know what? 26:55 I'm going to go back home." 26:57 When it came time. When it came time. 26:59 When I look at that, it says, "A certain man had two sons." 27:02 So here we are family, just like you have two sons. 27:05 The interesting thing is 27:06 they would have, I believe, had the same love, 27:08 they had the same upbringing, they were fed the same, 27:11 they had all this, you know, the environment there 27:14 for the family to be consistent with their children, 27:17 but one of them was not. 27:19 And so the question arises, 27:20 "In families, do all kids turn out good?" 27:24 No. 27:25 Well, we see it from the very beginning, Cain and Abel. 27:28 When God says, you know, 27:29 He gives everybody free choice, even your children. 27:34 At a certain early age, 27:35 they have the opportunity to make decisions. 27:38 Jesus started at the age of 12. 27:40 And our children, teenagers also start at an early age. 27:44 And you see, the devil works with that. 27:46 And he plays on the minds, and you can see here that 27:49 this was not the influence of the father. 27:51 I'm sure it wasn't. 27:53 Right, right. No, no. 27:54 And actually, I'm going to go back... 27:57 Going to go to the end of the story and come back. 28:00 You know, it's later that he realizes how good he had it. 28:05 So apparently the conditions in the home were in such, 28:08 you know, that, "I can't wait to get out of here." 28:11 It's, you know, it's interesting, 28:13 but we are living in this world 28:16 where there's a great controversy 28:17 between good and evil. 28:19 And the devil is trying to cause division in every home. 28:22 He is trying to do something in every home 28:27 to cause problems. 28:28 And here Idalia said, you know, some people say 28:31 the grass is greener on the other side. 28:33 The other side, that's right. 28:34 The devil is there to tempt people. 28:36 You know, you could have, 28:38 you could be better off somewhere else, 28:40 you could have a better car, a better home, 28:44 a better whatever it may be, you could have more money 28:46 if only you would be given the opportunity, 28:49 if only you were in charge, 28:50 you know, you could do things differently. 28:53 And so the devil works in the minds of every individual. 28:56 And it's up to every individual 28:58 to decide what we're going to do. 29:00 This guy, he decided that, "I'm going to go." 29:04 I just need to go. 29:05 For some reason, he left the home. 29:06 He went to live it up. 29:08 No rules to go to a bye-bye. We were... 29:10 I kind of smiled when our older son, Samuel, 29:16 he said to us, I forgot what age... 29:19 how young he was, and he says, 29:21 "I think, I'll leave home when I'm 39 or something." 29:26 Oh, yes, because the conversation was such as this. 29:31 Some friends of his said, 29:33 they can't wait till they were 18 years old 29:35 to move out of their home and be on their own. 29:38 And so I'm like, 29:39 "Okay, you're busy telling me about what your friend said, 29:41 but what's in your heart, you know? 29:43 When you're 18, are you going to move away, Samuel? 29:46 Are you going to move away, Caleb when you're 18 29:49 because you're already 'adult' or what have you?" 29:51 And that's when Samuel said, "No, I'm moving out in my 30s." 29:55 I'm like, "30s! Why? Why would you be home so long?" 29:59 "Well, I figure out I'll buy my car by then, 30:02 I'll have my computer." 30:03 And, you know, buy all whatever he needed it 30:07 or he thought he needed, and then move out 30:10 and, you know, just get himself a house and what have you. 30:13 "Don't you think you're going to live here for free, kid?" 30:15 You know, you work, you study, you work, 30:17 and you're going to help out. 30:19 But it's interesting, and Caleb said that 30:21 he would move out of his 40s, you know, so I'm like, 30:25 "Okay, well, look at that now." 30:27 They must be very happy at home. 30:30 So I said, 30:31 "Well, they apparently are happy to be home." 30:33 They just like tweet. 30:34 You know, when you get to your 20s or something, 30:38 you begin, you know, thinking differently. 30:40 So anyway, this guy decides to leave home, 30:44 and in a few verses, I mean, like two versus, 30:50 it tells us that he spent all. 30:52 Well, he gathered everything and noticed the scripture says, 30:56 Brian, that he went to a far country. 31:00 Where nobody knew him. 31:03 So they can't hear me party, 31:04 so they can't hear me do whatever I did, 31:07 and the news doesn't get back to the family. 31:10 And so he went far away, and so... 31:14 He ended up squandering all that he had 31:17 that he'd gotten from his father, you know. 31:19 His father had so many wonderful things 31:21 for him and so much blessings. 31:23 But yet he took it all and left. 31:25 The wonderful home that he had 31:27 and everything that kept him sheltered and safe, 31:33 and then he went to a distant land, 31:35 squandered it all, and then when he had nothing left, 31:38 he finally realized, what did I... 31:42 "Why did I leave there?" 31:43 You know, everything was, you know, so safe, 31:48 and so much of a loving environment 31:51 that he just had to come back, and crawling in that in fact, 31:55 you know, on his knees, basically, saying, 31:57 you know, "Forgive me, father." 31:59 You know, and that's the most wonderful thing 32:01 about this parable is it shows the father's forgiveness 32:07 for even somebody making a mistake that big, 32:11 you know, and still to be able to come back, and be forgiven, 32:15 and taken in is just, 32:17 you know, it's a wonderful parable, 32:19 and such a blessing. 32:20 Amen. Amen. 32:21 You know what amazed me in the story? 32:23 That the father divided the heirs. 32:24 Now I'm a father, and I've got children. 32:27 And I could imagine one of them saying, "Give me my potion." 32:31 That's interesting. 32:33 The Bible doesn't say, but the father divided it. 32:36 Now I want to suggest 32:37 because he came back to his father 32:39 after he had lost everything, 32:40 his father must had a great love for his sons. 32:44 For him to do that, 32:46 that's the irony why I believe that you would do that. 32:49 Because I know deep down in the heart of every father 32:51 that he wants his son to be safe. 32:54 And you can either do it with love, safe, here as well, 32:58 you can do it with love 32:59 or you could force your son away. 33:02 So the father knew that if he gave him, 33:05 and showed him his love, some time in the future, 33:08 at some time, he would come back 33:11 because he realized what his father had done for him. 33:14 I think also that the father, 33:17 obviously, was a wonderful loving father. 33:20 But both of his sons were dysfunctional. 33:24 We've got no idea of anything to do with his wife. 33:28 But this father knew that 33:30 if he tried to stop his son from going or said, 33:33 "No way am I doing that? 33:36 You are not entitled to that until after I'm dead." 33:40 The son would have been more rebellious. 33:43 He would have been more... 33:45 And take a nasty towards the father. 33:48 But instead in allowing him to do what he wanted to do, 33:53 the father knew the consequences, 33:55 the son did not. 33:57 He didn't look from cause to effect, 33:58 he didn't look at the future. 34:00 But the father did, and he said, 34:03 "I'm going to be here for my son." 34:05 I'm going to be watching out for him because he's... 34:07 You know, by God's grace, he will come back one day. 34:11 And I will then shower my love upon him. 34:15 He hasn't obviously recognized my love yet. 34:20 But he would not be there. 34:21 I mean, I know, as a youth, myself, 34:26 just in my own situation, 34:27 when your parents say "No," you get your back up. 34:31 "Excuse me, I want that." 34:33 You know, and you feel indignant... 34:35 No, you will never stray, you know, I wouldn't do that. 34:38 You feel rebellious. 34:40 And so as a parent, 34:42 you really have to be very diplomatic in the way 34:46 that you treat your children in trying to help them 34:48 to not do the wrong things. 34:49 But sometimes you got to let them have their way, 34:51 so they can get the consequence. 34:53 I think too also as parents, 34:56 we want to be a good influence to our children. 34:59 That's right. 35:00 And so because we have lived life, 35:02 and we know from experience the pitfalls, 35:05 if I can put it that way, 35:06 young people think they know it. 35:09 But in reality... 35:11 When you've been young, you realized it. 35:12 Yeah, if the parents are around, 35:15 and the children are willing to listen, 35:18 they will become good citizens, 35:19 and they will have a better walk in life. 35:22 But the moment you go out on your own, 35:24 I went out on my own when I was 17, 35:26 not because I wanted to leave home, 35:28 but because of the circumstances, 35:30 if you wanted to be educated, we lived in the country, 35:33 we had to go to the city. 35:35 But in the city, 35:37 there are many things to squander in your money on, 35:40 and your life on but my mom and dad were always telling me, 35:44 reminding me, you know, "What you're there for? 35:46 You are there to get an education. 35:48 You know, have an ability to raise a family 35:51 and do those sorts of things." 35:53 So there's continual advice there, 35:54 the moment you're away from your parents, 35:58 if you don't consult God 35:59 and you haven't got God in your life, 36:01 you consult human wisdom and reasoning, 36:03 and that's dangerous. 36:05 You pick the wrong friends, the friends who live off you... 36:07 Oh, yeah. That's right. 36:09 Like parasites, and that's what happened in the parable. 36:11 You know, it's interesting you mention that 36:13 because you mentioned parasites. 36:17 I remember when I was younger, 36:19 and that my father would give like a little allowance that... 36:25 I was like, "Wow!" 36:27 I felt like I had a lot of money 36:28 even though it wasn't really a lot looking back. 36:31 But I, you know, could buy myself a few things. 36:34 I never got an allowance. 36:36 You got an allowance? 36:37 I'll share more details later. That's unheard of. 36:40 Well, it was more like a gift he gave. 36:42 But any way, I would go out to the neighborhood, 36:46 and I'm buying things, and all of a sudden, 36:48 I have more friends... 36:49 Oh, they come out of the cupboards. 36:51 Because I would say, "Oh, you, would like one too?" 36:53 "Oh, yeah, sure." 36:55 So you seem to have friends when you are, like he was, 36:59 he had all his possessions, he had wealth. 37:02 And so he wasted apparently in a short time all the living. 37:07 And his friends enjoyed it. 37:09 His friends enjoyed it. 37:10 He enjoyed the moment too. 37:12 He enjoyed the moment too. Oh, yes. 37:13 But his friends did. 37:14 And when he came, when everything was gone, 37:16 the friends were gone as well, you know. 37:18 You know, it's interesting. 37:20 When you go from the country into the city, 37:21 the city perceived country folk is easy, picky. 37:26 And so they really do, they take advantage of you. 37:29 And so they will guide you in the way 37:32 that you know in your mind is not good for you, 37:35 but it's in their interest. 37:37 And this is what happened. 37:38 Yes. 37:40 Well, it's also the immaturity of the person too. 37:44 You know, there are some kids that are really mature. 37:47 "How old are you kid?" 37:49 You know, they will be like, 37:51 "Oh, I'm just 19 or 20." 37:52 And here I'm thinking, "You are 29 or 30 by now." 37:56 But the maturity level, of course, 37:59 what his passion was just to get away from it all. 38:04 You know, have a change of environment, 38:07 you know, because he was raised in this environment, 38:10 this is what we have. 38:11 And when we don't have... 38:14 When we lose what we have, 38:15 then that's when we realized how good we have it. 38:18 You see, so he would no longer provide a lifestyle 38:22 that he was receiving all his life, 38:26 but he was giving it to his friends, 38:28 his buddies, and, you know, people he just met, 38:31 you know, in the activities that they were at 38:34 because I'm like, "Well, I know that a friend brings a friend, 38:37 someone I'd never met before, 38:40 and if you're in a party environment, 38:41 then you're going to all party together, 38:43 and you're going to end up all being friends." 38:45 Never hear from them again, 38:47 but, you know, the money is gone, 38:48 your resources are gone, 38:51 but this young man, 38:54 I don't know why... 38:57 I just don't know why. 38:58 The words that he was contemplating 39:00 and telling his father is to forgive him. 39:03 "I have sinned against you and against heavens." 39:06 He could have said something else like, 39:09 "Hey, I'm back. 39:10 I'm out of all the resources, and you're my dad, 39:13 and you're supposed to take care of me 39:14 and provide for me." 39:15 What would you do if your child... 39:18 I wouldn't have taken him back in. 39:22 You know, that's not the way that he came up to the father. 39:24 You know, like I said, 39:26 he came up on his knees and begging for forgiveness, 39:29 humbly begging for forgiveness 39:31 'cause he knew that he had done wrong. 39:34 Like whenever John said, 39:35 when he was 17, he ventured out on his own too. 39:38 I basically tried to do about the same thing when I was 18. 39:41 You know, when me and my father didn't agree on something, 39:46 and I was like, 39:47 "Well, I think I'm going to be better out on my own." 39:49 And I tried that for about six months, 39:53 and I came back basically almost on my knees. 39:56 So I can very well relate to the parable 40:00 of the Prodigal Son. 40:02 And my father did. 40:04 He took me back in, 40:05 you know, he gave me another chance at home, 40:07 and, you know, I became a lot better for him, you know. 40:11 Amen. Amen. 40:12 It's interesting too. 40:13 You know, when you talk and think about inheritance, 40:15 I know that some people may be due for inheritance 40:18 because their parents are getting old. 40:20 When we don't have to work for money, 40:22 we really don't know the value of it. 40:25 I remember, I had to earn, 40:27 I was on a wage when I started at $27 or $28 a week. 40:32 Out of that I had to put money aside for my board and keep 40:35 'cause I was studying in the city. 40:38 And the rest of it was to be used 40:40 for whatever way I desired to use it. 40:43 But I learnt very quickly. 40:44 It took a lot to earn that one dollar, 40:47 but it went just like that. 40:50 So you learn to many... 40:51 So he used to drive home to his mother on the weekends 40:53 to get her to do his washing. 40:57 What a blessing. 40:58 It was. What a blessing. 40:59 But you see, this young man, he didn't really understand. 41:03 He suddenly had a lot of money. 41:05 Now a lot of young people get a lot of money, 41:08 and what did they do? 41:09 You hear stories of people winning lotteries or whatever. 41:13 And within a short time, the money's gone, 41:15 and they're as poor as they were before. 41:17 Or worse off. Yeah. 41:19 But this young man had the sense to remember 41:23 that his dad loved him, 41:25 and he could go back to his father. 41:27 And that was his means of getting out of his problem. 41:32 'Cause this story really relates to our Heavenly Father. 41:36 And so when we look at this young man, 41:39 every one of us has the same opportunity, 41:42 we may go astray, 41:43 we may do things that are not right, 41:46 but we can always return to God. 41:48 Preferably, not make the mistake. 41:50 Yes. 41:52 But if you do, God accepts you right where you are. 41:53 That's right. 41:55 If you fail, try again, and again, and again. 41:57 And, you know, as I contemplate the story, 42:00 I remember, for example of the children 42:03 going mission trips or class trips, and etcetera. 42:07 And they need spending money. 42:09 And so I would require of them a receipt. 42:12 I don't care what you bought if it was Bon-Bon, 42:15 you know, a sucker or something to drink, 42:18 "You're kidding me, mom, right? 42:19 Are you kidding?" 42:21 "No, I'm not kidding you. 42:22 I want you to set an envelope aside, and all the receipts, 42:25 I want you to put them in there." 42:26 Because once you give them money 42:28 and you do not hold them accountable, 42:30 you know, they just waste it like... 42:32 Like it's water, you know. 42:35 So what did you do with the money? 42:36 "Oh, I don't know, Mom. I ate here and there." 42:39 "No, you're not going to tell me that." 42:40 So sure enough, I received an envelope, 42:43 and it was full of little receipts. 42:46 And I'm just praising the Lord, 42:48 you know, and I said to Samuel, Caleb, when you understand 42:52 where you're spending your money in, 42:54 then you're going to make wiser decisions. 42:56 So it's not just... 42:59 This is just a little "parentheses" 43:01 that I'm doing for the parents. 43:04 It's a good idea to hold your child accountable. 43:07 So my husband, like he just said, 43:10 he got allowance, 43:11 something that I never received. 43:13 She doesn't even know what it means. 43:17 But I used to, you know, cook something 43:21 and sell it with my mom or recycling cans 43:23 and stuff like that. 43:26 Because mom said, 43:27 "No, you have to work for your money." 43:28 Okay, same thing I tell with my kids. 43:31 "You have to work for your money." 43:32 Now the responsibility 43:36 that I want to share with the parents 43:37 is like hold your child accountable 43:39 until they are of age because... 43:42 Just because there is a school activity, 43:44 and we're happy we are providing, 43:46 but you're also knowing what your kids' interests are, 43:50 what are they investing on, 43:52 and, you know, 43:53 I didn't think they were going to spend money on something 43:56 that was not good for them. 43:58 But it's just nice to see... 43:59 Interest him. Yeah. 44:01 That's right. 44:02 Something valuable for them to learn in life. 44:04 I would like to go back to Luke 15 44:06 because there's a little phrase here 44:08 that captures my attention, 44:10 and that's Luke 15:17. 44:13 Because I want to hear in the story 44:17 the father is really like a picture of God. 44:20 But notice here what happens with the son in Luke 15. 44:24 And what verse did I say, 17? 44:26 It says, talking about the Prodigal Son. 44:29 Actually I read verse 16 to get a context. 44:31 "And when he would have filled his belly with the husk 44:35 that the swine did eat, and no man gave unto him." 44:39 You see a picture here of someone in great need, 44:42 starving. 44:43 And when verse 17 says, 44:45 "And when he came to himself." 44:46 That's the little phrase. 44:48 It says, and when he came to himself." 44:49 In other words, he came to his senses. 44:51 "He said how many hired servants of my father's 44:54 have bread enough to eat and to spare, 44:59 and I perish with hunger." 45:01 So now, he says he came to himself, 45:03 and that's really what happens to people 45:07 when they walk away from God 45:08 because this story can also be understood 45:13 to mean somebody that knows the Lord, 45:15 has served the Lord, but decides, 45:18 "You know, I think I'm going to go out into the world 45:21 and do my own thing." 45:23 That's right. 45:24 This story is telling us this as well 45:26 and how God is willing to accept the person back. 45:30 It says like the person was not really thinking right 45:33 because he came to himself. 45:35 In other words, he came back, "Wait a minute, wait, hold on." 45:39 "You know, this is not as good as I thought it was, you know." 45:41 He is thinking about himself, we call that selfishness. 45:44 Selfishness. 45:45 So when we think about ourselves, 45:47 we don't discern what's happening around us. 45:49 We only think, "This is what I want. 45:51 This is what I'm going to do." Notice, I, I want to do, and I. 45:55 I'm doing. I'm doing. 45:57 But when you come to your senses, 45:58 when you're in that point 46:00 where you suddenly realize, you know... 46:02 Someone else. 46:06 "This is not what I wanted. 46:08 This hasn't worked out like I wanted." 46:10 So he knows, he knows this one good truth. 46:13 And I have some friends that have left the Lord 46:17 and eventually came back, 46:19 but, you know, here is, in this moment, 46:22 I'd like to link Luke 15 with Romans 2:4 46:25 because really we don't... 46:28 The story doesn't tell us that the father was, 46:31 you know, following the son, 46:33 keeping an eye on him 46:35 or that he sent the servant to keep an eye on him. 46:39 But really, when we walk away from the Lord, 46:43 the Holy Spirit still is tugging at the heart. 46:46 Yes, amen. 46:48 Still it's talking to the person. 46:49 And the Lord sends messages through circumstances 46:54 or even people that help us understand 46:58 because Romans 2:4 says, 47:00 "Or do you despise the riches of His goodness," 47:05 that's God's goodness, 47:06 "forbearance, and longsuffering," 47:08 His patience, "not knowing that the goodness of God 47:11 leads you to repentance?" 47:13 So here, this prodigal son comes to his senses 47:17 and it's a picture of the Holy Spirit 47:20 working in his heart that he says, 47:22 "Wow, I really was better off where I was." 47:26 And then, like Idalia said, he's repented. 47:28 He wants to say to the father, 47:30 "I'm not good enough to even be your son anymore. 47:33 Just make me a servant. Just make me a servant. 47:35 I'm not good enough to be your son anymore." 47:37 Because of the wickedness, the wicked things he had done. 47:41 And this is a picture of God, 47:44 and anybody is out there 47:45 watching this program or listening to this program, 47:48 that is not following the Lord right now, 47:50 this is a message for you. 47:52 God's goodness has been leading you, 47:55 helping you to repentance. 47:56 And I remember this young man that left the Lord, 47:59 and he is there in a dance. 48:05 And in that dance, 48:06 the girl that was dancing with him, 48:08 they started talking about God on the table. 48:12 They were dancing on the table 48:13 or where they had been dancing... 48:15 In the dance, they were at the table talking. 48:17 Okay, okay. 48:19 In the dance hall. 48:20 In the dance hall, maybe I didn't word it right. 48:23 But anyway, the young lady starts talking about the Bible. 48:27 And well, he started saying, 48:29 "Well, that's not what the Bible says. 48:30 The Bible says such and such." 48:32 He's giving her a Bible study and that, and she says, 48:36 "You go to church." 48:37 He said, "Well, no, no. I don't." 48:40 She says, "Well, you seem to know a lot about the Bible." 48:43 "Well, I used to go to church, you know." 48:45 And this is the Holy Spirit working his heart, 48:50 telling him, helping him to understand, 48:52 "you know something very valuable." 48:54 And this person is hungry to know more about God, 48:58 and you have information. 49:01 And so, see, the Holy Spirit, God works in every heart 49:04 trying to lead that person back. 49:06 And this young man in the story, 49:09 I like the part when he's finally returning home. 49:13 And somebody read it, well, he was yet what? 49:16 A long way on. 49:17 A long way on. A long way on. 49:19 You know, and I pictured the father, 49:20 I'm at the point where things are getting little blurry 49:23 far behind, far away. 49:26 That's why I'm still wearing glasses to see things. 49:29 But I still recognize somewhat faces, 49:32 and from far away, if it was my son coming, 49:35 I could recognize the walk, the general figure, 49:39 and this one says, 49:41 "When he was yet a great way off." 49:43 What did the father see? He saw his son... 49:46 Even though he was in rags. 49:48 Yes. Even though he was in rag, he recognized him, 49:51 he wasn't passing by. He saw him coming toward him. 49:55 He dropped what he was doing and ran to meet his son. 49:59 And not only that, his son had been with the pigs. 50:03 Yes. He had been feeding the pigs. 50:05 He stank. 50:07 We know somebody that works with pigs. 50:09 He stank. 50:11 He was living with them basically in all their slosh. 50:13 That's right. 50:15 He was a slave basically with the pigs, 50:17 and he was so smelly, and he was wearing rags. 50:20 And that would've been filthy dirty. 50:21 He would've been filthy dirty, 50:23 but his father came and fell and hugged him close. 50:29 You know, and cried, 50:31 I mean, that father was just so happy to see his son. 50:35 And it would've broken his son's heart 50:37 'cause the son had no idea while he was away 50:40 that his father's heart was broken, 50:42 that his father kept looking for him every day. 50:45 He didn't know that. 50:46 But now he realizes how much his father loves him. 50:49 Amen. 50:51 And it would have broken his heart even more 50:53 than the repentance that he was already feeling. 50:56 But his father just welcomed him back. 50:58 And do you know one of the important things 50:59 of finding this story when it comes 51:01 to our relationship with God is that 51:03 he said, "Go and put the best robe on him." 51:05 That's right. 51:07 Now would they have put it over top of his filthy rags? 51:09 Would they put it on him while he was so dirty? 51:12 Or would they have cleaned him up first? 51:14 I would think that they would cleaned him up 51:15 and gave him all the royal treatment. 51:17 That's right. Because in Zachariah 4, 51:20 it talks about Joshua, the high priest, 51:23 and Satan's accusing him, and he's in filthy rags 51:27 that represents his sinful stage. 51:30 You know that our sins are as filthy rags, 51:32 the Bible says or all our righteousness 51:34 is what we think is righteousness. 51:36 And God says, "Take off the filthy rags 51:40 and put the robe," the white robe on Joshua. 51:44 And that's what the father was doing, 51:47 "Go and put the best robe on my son 51:49 and put the ring on his finger." 51:51 And God does that for us. Amen. 51:53 He doesn't cover over our sin, 51:56 he takes the sin away 51:58 and gives us new clothing and cleans us up. 52:01 Amen. Amen. 52:02 Exactly. 52:03 If we could just do that with everyone, you know. 52:05 Yes. If we would be that merciful. 52:06 Brian, what do you... 52:07 When you see this picture, 52:09 I mean, as Rosemary described it, 52:10 what do you see there? What does it tell you? 52:12 What I see is the uncleanliness of what he was doing, 52:16 you know, feeding the swine, eating the swine, 52:18 and things like that. 52:19 Basically, it's the sin that he was taking on 52:22 after he left his father 52:24 and the sin that he was engulfed in, 52:28 you know, in his way of living from that point on. 52:32 Like you said, whenever he came back 52:34 and was cleansed by his father 52:39 with the new robes and a ring on his finger. 52:41 You know, which at the time, 52:43 I believe it was like the seal of the family, 52:46 you know, to make decisions. 52:48 You know, he gave him that back again too. 52:51 He gave him the authority of being in his family. 52:54 Yes. Amen. 52:55 You know, once he got the cleanliness again. 52:58 That's right. You know, so... 53:00 He was back as a son. 53:01 Yeah. His father forgave him of all of his sins 53:04 as our Father does for us every single day. 53:07 You know, all we have to do is die every day 53:11 and pray to Him and commune with our Father 53:15 for the forgiveness of our sins. 53:17 That's right. 53:18 We don't have to clean ourselves up before we come. 53:20 No, no. 53:21 We come to God as we are. As we are. 53:23 We come to Him with all of our sins 53:25 on our shoulders. 53:27 I think it's amazing, the response of this father 53:31 because as a father, I could've well said, 53:33 "See, I told you so. You wasted all that money. 53:36 What sort of a son are you?" Yes. That's right. 53:39 But he wasn't like that. He doesn't bring up anything. 53:41 Because this is the love of God. 53:43 This is not the love of man now that we're talking about. 53:45 This is the love of God. 53:46 He wants to accept you no matter 53:48 what you've been through, what you've done. 53:50 If you turn to Him and repent, 53:52 He welcomes you back with His arms open 53:55 and loves you. 53:56 Amen. 53:58 And so that is the thing that loves people... 54:00 That example is an incredible example 54:03 for dads to show to their children. 54:05 In Zachariah 4, we see that it's the devil who is, 54:09 or Satan who is, the accuser of the brethren. 54:11 That's right. 54:13 But God is the one who doesn't bring up the past. 54:15 He just gives you a new future. 54:17 You know, there may be a young person watching 54:20 or someone who has walked away from the Lord, and... 54:23 Or has never known Him maybe. 54:25 Who has not known Him, 54:26 but has never forgotten the teachings 54:29 of the Bible teachings that they learned in church, 54:33 and for whatever circumstances in life, 54:36 they have decided that, "You know what, 54:38 I'm through with this. 54:40 You know, the church is full of hypocrites. 54:42 The church is this, the church is that." 54:44 Or for whatever reason, 54:46 the Satan has used someone to discourage you, 54:49 the Lord is longing for you to come back to the fold. 54:53 It's your family, and I pray also along with your parents, 54:58 your family, your siblings, whoever else is praying 55:01 and waiting for that wonderful return 55:03 of someone who has walked away 55:06 that we all know how to just embrace you 55:10 and receive you back with that same mercy, 55:14 not asking where you've been, what have you done, 55:16 or that's what you'll get, 55:17 but welcome home and let's work at this together 55:23 because Christ is at the door and sure, we get discouraged, 55:27 young, old, older people, we all get discouraged, 55:31 but we don't stay there. 55:33 Don't let the devil neutralize you. 55:35 You have life eternal offered to you. 55:38 Don't walk away from it. 55:40 And it is the gift 55:41 that the Lord is offering you today. 55:43 So it doesn't matter how far you went. 55:46 I don't care if you were dancing with the prostitutes, 55:49 like it says here, you know, or partying away. 55:53 It doesn't matter. 55:54 What matters is that 55:56 just as this father in this parable 55:59 gave his son another chance, 56:02 the Lord is giving you a greater chance. 56:05 So that is what's in my heart to share with you 56:09 and for the parents to continue to pray for the young people 56:13 that have walked away from your children, 56:16 from your siblings. 56:18 My siblings have walked away from the Lord, 56:20 so I'm praying and believing 56:22 that the Lord will answer that prayer, 56:25 and they will come, 56:26 and that I will see them from afar, 56:28 arriving at the church, and say, 56:30 "Oh, they're back." 56:31 So anyway, amen, hallelujah. 56:35 Well, I want to thank Brother John Malkiewycz 56:38 for being with us. 56:39 Sister Rosemary 56:41 and Brother Brian, thank you for being with us. 56:45 Pleasure is always mine. And everyone for sharing. 56:47 I know we could talk a lot more about this. 56:49 Oh, it's so beautiful. 56:50 Because God's grace is something 56:53 that we can continue talking on. 56:54 And it is marvelous. 56:57 And so we want to thank you. 56:59 I just said, yes, it is. Amen. Amen. 57:02 And so we want to thank you at home, 57:04 in the hospital, in the prison, wherever you are, 57:08 if you have been listening to us, 57:12 you may want to consider that God is calling you 57:16 to come back to Him, 57:18 give Him your heart and the marvelous thing is that 57:22 He will meet you a great way off. 57:25 He will love you, hug you, forgive you, and accept you. 57:30 Come to Him today. 57:32 Come in. Amen. |
Revised 2018-08-09