Participants:
Series Code: TDYFW
Program Code: TDYFW018025A
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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 00:18 Removing pain 00:23 Lord, let my words 00:29 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:45 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:11 Hello and welcome to 3ABN Family Worship. 01:15 And whether you're beginning the Sabbath day 01:16 on a Friday evening or looking forward 01:18 to your workweek on a Saturday evening, 01:21 we welcome you to our family and to our worship. 01:25 I am here in the company of Irma, 01:28 who you will hear me call Boo, or if I am having a good day, 01:32 Boo-boo, but, Boo, it's good to have you here. 01:35 Ha, it's good to be here, 01:37 always good to be with our friends 01:39 and family today. 01:40 Yeah. And friends and family. 01:42 This is a very special Family Worship 01:44 because everybody here has a connection 01:47 to the country of Panama. 01:48 Amen. 01:49 That's right. Some are bilingual. 01:51 They are English speakers and Spanish speakers, 01:54 then there is me and Marilyn, 01:59 who just speak English, 02:01 and sometimes I wonder about that a little bit too. 02:04 But you are a native of Panama. 02:07 Yes, I am. 02:08 Yeah, indeed. 02:09 And then we've got your brother and sister here. 02:11 Yes. 02:12 You want to do the introductions? 02:14 Yes, really happy to introduce you to Aura, 02:17 we call her Adhi because she... 02:21 People have a hard time calling Aura. 02:26 But at home, we call her Adhi. 02:28 So it's Adhi and her husband Oscar, 02:31 Oscar and Adhi Palacios. 02:33 Yes, nice to meet you. 02:35 Some people call it even Aura. 02:36 Yeah, Americans have trouble with Aura. 02:39 But Oscar was a treasurer for the Central American Union. 02:44 Central American Union. 02:46 For many years. Many years. 02:47 And then also a treasurer for the hospital in... 02:49 In Honduras. 02:50 In Honduras, and then also treasurer for the university. 02:53 Several times, I went to the university to serve, 02:56 say, financial, in-charge of the... 03:01 Yeah, finances. Finances. 03:02 Yeah, Oscar is kind of a fix-it guy. 03:04 You know, anytime it's broken, 03:06 he can fix it. 03:09 So anytime they ran out of cash, they called him. 03:14 Excellent wizard of the exchequer. 03:16 He's a really good financial guy. 03:18 Yes, it's very true. 03:20 And Adhi was a teacher for many, many years. 03:22 Yes. 03:23 And for a little stint, 03:25 they put you in administration charge 03:26 and let you run the whole union, 03:28 but that didn't work with you too good. 03:30 No. 03:32 I like my classroom. 03:34 Yeah. 03:35 So she went back to the classroom 03:37 and taught in how many places? 03:39 I know you ended up in the Bahamas. 03:41 Yes. 03:42 We worked in Costa Rica, Honduras, and the Bahamas. 03:47 And the Bahamas, okay. 03:49 So she did many, many great things. 03:51 Let me ask, of all the ages, you taught high school, 03:55 you taught grade school, which did you like the best? 03:59 Both. 04:01 It's difficult to choose, but I love the little ones, 04:05 but also working with the older ones, 04:08 this is like more easier because you talk to them, 04:11 you know, two by two. 04:14 But the little ones, there's more work. 04:17 But at the same time, it's very, very, 04:20 how can I say, delightful... 04:22 Rewarding. Rewarding, yeah. 04:23 Aha, rewarding and delightful to work with them. 04:26 Praise the Lord, praise the Lord. 04:27 And we have Eric and Marilyn Durant. 04:30 Now, Eric, you've got 04:31 Panamanian connections too, don't you? 04:33 I do. 04:34 Both my parents, 04:36 both my grandparents were originally from Panama. 04:38 And my grandfather was a Civil Rights' person. 04:44 And he was big on the Civil Rights 04:47 of the Panamanians and along the Panama Canal. 04:51 And they were not happy with them as a result. 04:54 So they told him, forcefully, that you needed to leave Panama 04:59 and you needed to leave Panama now. 05:04 And as a result, he grabbed my grandmother 05:06 and fled to the America in New York City. 05:10 And that's where I was born. 05:12 Yeah, yeah. 05:14 So Marilyn, we are out. 05:15 I know. 05:17 Well, actually, you're out. 05:18 Because I found out just a few months ago... 05:20 A few years ago that my mother's mother, 05:23 my grandmother on my mother's side 05:24 was born in Panama, was Panamanian. 05:25 Oh. 05:27 And I didn't know that till just a few years ago. 05:28 Very recent. 05:30 Yeah, we just never discussed it. 05:31 Yeah, and found out that she was in Panama. 05:33 So it's all of us and you. 05:38 I live for him. 05:40 All right, you are connected to him. 05:41 Very true. 05:43 But you still have a connection, so... 05:44 Right. And amen. 05:46 We're going to be visiting next year, by the way. 05:48 Amen. 05:49 And while we're down there, we might visit City Hall 05:51 and see if she has some bloodlines there. 05:53 There you go. Excellent, excellent. 05:57 True, you never know. 05:58 You never, ever know. 06:00 On today's program, we want to discuss, 06:03 and we've done this in the past, 06:04 how much of a blessing it is 06:06 when you see God do things in your life 06:09 that enhances your testimony and also encourages you 06:12 as you face trials in your life. 06:14 But one of the things, excuse me, 06:15 that is also a real blessing 06:18 is to see God work in the lives of our friends, 06:21 our family members, those we love, 06:23 to see someone put down the bottle 06:26 or put down the cigarette or put down the loose life 06:29 and pick up the Bible and pick up the Word 06:30 and change their lives. 06:34 They are of course blessed, but as you watch that 06:36 and if you're a part of that, you too are blessed. 06:38 Yes. Yes. 06:40 So that's what we want to kind of talk about. 06:41 We want to look at our lives and look at the lives of those 06:44 to whom we've seen... 06:46 Through whom we've seen the Spirit of God worked. 06:48 I've got two scriptures, 06:50 I just wanted to use to sort of set this up. 06:54 One is Philippians 1, 06:56 just going to read a few verses. 06:57 You can hear Paul's joy 06:59 right into the Philippians because they're his babies. 07:03 And then I'm going to also go 07:04 to a verse or two of Galatians, 07:06 a church that was really close to his heart. 07:08 And you will notice in the Book of Galatians 07:10 as you read that Paul talks very sharply to the Galatians. 07:13 He talks like a father scolding his children. 07:15 We talked about that a little bit ago. 07:18 He talks like a father scolding his children 07:20 because he knows that they're getting ready 07:23 to go off the correct path, 07:24 you know, train is about to leave the track. 07:26 So Paul is saying, "Get back on the track, 07:28 don't let anybody fool you or deceive you." 07:31 And that's how you feel when you see a child 07:33 going the wrong way, you know? 07:34 Sometimes you got to give him a pat on the back, 07:36 sometimes you got to give him a tap a little bit lower, 07:38 you know, to get them back. 07:39 And so we see that in the Book of Galatians, 07:41 we see Paul doing this. 07:43 And let's go to Philippians just a little bit. 07:44 Okay. 07:45 And read Philippians, 07:47 I'm in chapter 1 of Philippians, 07:48 and I'm going to go quickly to, oh, I guess I'll go to verse... 07:52 Start at verse 2 because he uses 07:55 what has become my favorite greeting, 07:58 grace and peace, you know. 07:59 "Grace to you and peace from God, our Father, 08:03 and the Lord Jesus Christ." 08:04 So in Philippians 1, picking it up at verse 3, 08:08 "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 08:12 always in every prayer of mine 08:15 making request for you all with joy, 08:19 for your fellowship in the gospel, 08:22 from the first day until now, 08:24 being confident of this very thing, 08:26 that He who has begun a good work in you 08:30 will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." 08:32 So he is saying there's joy in my heart 08:36 when I think of you, when I remember you 08:38 because I know that you're in good hands. 08:40 I know that you are in the hands of Jesus 08:42 and He who has gotten this whole thing started, 08:44 which is Jesus, is going to complete it. 08:46 You know, so when you see someone 08:48 give their heart to the Lord, it gives you joy, 08:50 it gives you a sense of satisfaction, can I say, 08:54 to see someone come to the Lord 08:56 and then grow in the Lord. 08:58 Contrasting, we go now to Galatians. 09:02 Just quickly to Galatians, 09:04 we're going back just a few books to Galatians. 09:07 I'm going to start the very first chapter, 09:10 and we'll pick it up at verse 6. 09:16 Paul says, "I marvel 09:19 that you are turning away so soon from Him 09:22 who has called you in the grace of Christ 09:24 to a different gospel, which is not another, 09:28 but there are some who trouble you 09:31 and want to pervert the gospel of Christ." 09:34 You see the tone has changed. 09:36 He's being a little stern. 09:37 He's coming out right now kind of with a... 09:40 He's got the strap in his hand, he's spanking a little bit. 09:43 You've left so quickly from the true gospel 09:46 because there are those who are, in among you 09:48 who are trying to pervert the gospel. 09:50 So when you see someone coming to the Lord, 09:53 and then they sort of get distracted 09:54 or dissuaded or discouraged or kind of pushed to the side, 09:58 it hurts you because you want them 10:00 to be pure in the gospel. 10:02 And those are the kind of things 10:03 we're going to talk about on tonight's worship together. 10:08 I got to tell you a quick story. 10:09 Then I want to go to Marilyn. 10:11 In fact, I think I'll go to you first right after me. 10:13 Years ago, I was doing a tent meeting 10:14 in Freeport, Long Island. 10:17 And in walked a lady and I'll give... 10:23 Well, maybe I'll hold on her name. 10:26 But she wasn't interested, but first of all, she is tall. 10:29 If you take Mollie Steenson or Shelley Quinn, 10:31 that kind of height, but add may be 75 pounds. 10:35 So she wasn't... 10:37 You wouldn't call her fat, she was just a big person, 10:39 you know, very attractive, dressed very well. 10:41 I remember she had a blue suit with white piping. 10:44 She was red, white, and blue, red hat, red shoes, very tall, 10:47 very resting, she came in and she sat down, 10:49 and she listened to the sermon. 10:52 And I remember, she kind of ran into the tent, 10:55 and it wasn't until years later that I found out why. 10:57 But she came, the next night, 10:58 the next night, and later on, we baptized her. 11:00 Amen. 11:02 And it was funny because the person 11:03 who has helped me with baptizing 11:05 was a little tiny guy, about 135 pounds. 11:07 So she had him by a good 100 pounds, 11:09 when he took her down, he couldn't get her up. 11:12 See, in a baptismal game, it's not getting them down, 11:15 it's getting them back up. 11:18 And he didn't quite have the leverage. 11:20 So it was kind of a time. 11:21 But her name was... I'll tell it. 11:23 Her name was Hydria Austin, beautiful sister in the Lord. 11:27 And she told me later on, she said, 11:30 "You know, I came to your evangelistic crusade 11:33 with a bottle of liquor in my purse." 11:35 She had this big red purse, and I didn't know, you know. 11:37 She said, "I was dating this guy, 11:40 and we were out, and we were in the car 11:43 driving by the tent, 11:45 and all of a sudden, he wants to get all handsy." 11:46 That's the term she used. 11:48 "He wanted to touch me and kiss me and kind of thing. 11:49 So I jumped out of the car and ran into the tent 11:52 because I knew he wouldn't follow me 11:53 to the evangelistic meeting." 11:54 So I know she ran into the tent, she said, 11:56 "That's why I ran into the tent." 11:58 She said, "We drunk half the liquor 12:00 before the meeting, and that night, I finished it." 12:03 And she said, "That's the last liquor I took." 12:05 Praise the Lord. "I gave it up that night. 12:09 But I got into Lord running from Mr. Octopus, you know. 12:15 And she was in the church for many, many years 12:17 and sadly she got Alzheimer's, and then she passed. 12:19 But she remembered Scripture right up until the very end. 12:23 She couldn't remember faces, 12:25 and she couldn't remember certain things, 12:26 but Scripture tended to stay in her mind. 12:28 And so during her last, 12:30 and I had passed her to another church, 12:32 but during her last month, 12:33 she was just reciting Scripture. 12:34 Amen. 12:36 Scripture would just come out, just come out, come out, 12:37 didn't know who she was talking to, 12:39 just reciting Scripture. 12:40 But I believe she died in the Lord. 12:42 Amen. 12:44 And I saw her give up the liquor and give up the... 12:46 'Cause she was a party girl. 12:47 She liked be out on the street and going to the clubs. 12:49 And she just... 12:50 She gave that up, no problem. 12:51 And it was a wonderful thing to see her grow in Christ 12:56 and fall in love with Jesus Christ 12:57 and stay with Christ 12:59 right up until the time her mind began to fade. 13:01 "And the last thing that left was Scripture, you know, 13:04 that stayed with me all those years." 13:06 God is good. Yeah, God is good. 13:08 Indeed, indeed. That's amazing how God works. 13:12 You know, when I think about my life 13:16 and then I think about others' life, it's just... 13:20 Every story, it's a miracle, 13:23 and it's just a wonderful thing to hear 13:26 and to know about those stories. 13:31 You got the one you were going to share with us 13:34 about your sister. 13:35 Now you've got two, you've got Adhi, 13:36 and you've got another sister, Bethie, that's the baby sister. 13:41 Yes, that's right. We are three. 13:45 And unlike my sister, Adhi, 13:49 who always been steadfast in the Lord, 13:54 she's always stayed with the Lord, 13:57 and my younger sister, she did not. 14:00 She was a little more restless, 14:03 and so it took her many years. 14:07 We have prayed for her. 14:09 We have prayed for her husband, her family. 14:13 And it just seemed like 14:15 we were never going to see a change 14:18 because there were big challenges 14:21 in her marriage and in her family. 14:25 But, you know, the credit to the Lord 14:28 that He'll use anything or anyone to bring you back, 14:34 to bring you into His fold. 14:37 It's just amazing. 14:39 And with my sister, 14:43 I have talked many times about my father, 14:46 how he gave his life to the Lord, 14:49 and it was just like two weeks or less before he passed, 14:55 he finally made that public statement. 14:59 I never believed that we just turned from the night, 15:03 you know, to the morning, all of a sudden, he's just... 15:07 We walk, the Lord walks us little by little. 15:10 And I think that that was with my father. 15:13 But with his death, 15:17 the Lord used that to touch the heart of my sister, 15:21 Bethie, my younger sister and... 15:25 And her husband. And her husband 15:28 because that was very painful for her. 15:34 She practically cried through the whole night. 15:37 Yes. 15:38 And her husband 15:40 who was a very tough person, very tough. 15:45 To say the least. To say the least. 15:50 The story about them is just really, 15:53 you know, just incredible, painful. 15:58 But when he saw her just crying 16:02 and just really missing my father, 16:08 he sat down and took her on his lap, 16:13 and that was the miracle of miracles, just that alone. 16:18 And so they, you know, 16:22 he helped her there through the whole night. 16:23 In our country, when someone died, 16:29 you have to bury very quickly 16:32 'cause we don't have... 16:35 It'll become too much of red tape 16:37 to bring the person to the morgue 16:40 and get the person out. 16:43 So the doctors are always telling you 16:45 to just do this quickly, you know, and bury the person. 16:51 So there was not a lot of time, you know, 16:55 to preparations and all that. 16:57 And so we also have to take 17:02 the body to a funeral home, 17:05 and they don't provide anybody to watch over the body. 17:10 So the family has to come and stay there 17:13 through the night until the burial time. 17:17 So we were there several hours 17:20 and just this miracle of the Lord 17:26 just happened between them. 17:29 So by the time the morning came, 17:33 she has told him that she was giving her life to the Lord 17:39 whether he did or not. 17:41 But then he said that he would follow her. 17:45 So that was a miracle of miracles. 17:48 And it was a blessing for them, 17:54 a blessing for us, my mother, 17:57 you know, in spite of the painful time 18:02 that she's losing her husband, 18:04 it was, the Lord gave her that experience 18:10 of seeing her daughter 18:12 and her son in law turning his life around. 18:17 And so I really believe that that was a blessing for her 18:22 and it helped to go through those painful times. 18:28 And I think about the story that is so similar 18:34 to many other people's stories in one way or another, 18:39 that is a joy, it's a blessing. 18:43 And it's just not a blessing like my husband says for those, 18:47 the two people or the one person 18:50 that turns to God but for all of those around, 18:55 because the people that know you 18:58 is amazed to see many times the change. 19:02 So that's a blessing because then they think 19:05 about their own lives many times 19:08 and not always it's like, "oh, I will not do that," 19:12 you know, sometimes that happens too. 19:15 But the blessing is... 19:19 It covers the whole number of people 19:22 because that's the way the God designed it 19:24 and because that's the testimony that He needs 19:28 so that other people can also turn to Him 19:32 and be blessed in powerful ways. 19:37 And of course, down the chain 19:39 is the fact that just several years later, 19:42 Bethie's husband tragically and very suddenly passed 19:45 at the beach on New Year's Day. 19:46 Yes, yes. 19:48 We were all shocked to get the call, 19:51 rushed to the hospital and he was gone. 19:54 But died back, you know, and so you can rejoice in that. 19:59 And that's the wonder of what God does 20:01 because we didn't see that future, 20:05 we could never imagine, 20:08 but his health when deteriorated 20:12 quite rapidly, 20:13 and then his death was such a sudden thing. 20:19 He was quite ill. 20:22 But the Lord have seen him through several times. 20:26 Now this time the Lord allowed him to just rest. 20:31 Yeah. Praise the Lord. 20:32 But he rests in the Lord. 20:34 Amen. Praise the Lord. 20:36 It calls my attention that God called you sometimes 20:41 in more difficult times, you know, 20:45 where He really... 20:47 He knows everything. 20:48 Yes. 20:50 At that moment, when your father was there 20:56 waiting for nothing, he was resting there, 21:00 but God was working. 21:02 Yes. 21:03 Your sister, she decided to follow Jesus. 21:07 She was probably suffering a lot at that moment, 21:11 but that was a right moment for her to decide 21:14 I will follow Jesus and then her husband too. 21:18 So this is very interesting. 21:20 Sometimes we should thank... 21:21 I mean, all the time, we should thank God 21:24 for the difficult times 21:26 because He has a plan for those difficult times. 21:28 Amen, amen. He surely does. 21:29 And, Adhi, actually you do get to talk, 21:32 but I'm saving you to last, save you to the last. 21:36 Thank you. 21:39 But, Eric, you've had similar experiences, I'm sure. 21:40 Oh, absolutely. 21:42 One of the phrases that I repeat all the time 21:44 is that faith is born in the storm. 21:47 Yeah. 21:48 I tell myself that all the time 21:49 because I also went through experience. 21:52 And Marilyn shared that with me. 21:54 Her mother died, and then a month and a half later, 21:58 my mother died, and then a week later, 22:01 my dad died, and that shook me up 22:05 like nothing has ever shaken me up before. 22:07 But that's exactly what I needed at the time 22:10 because I was worldly, I was doing well in the world, 22:15 and so I had one foot in the church 22:17 and one foot in the world, and the Lord said, 22:20 "That's not good enough." 22:23 He wanted all of me 22:25 because he knew having one foot in the world 22:27 and one foot out of the world, 22:29 you can definitely end up lost in that condition. 22:33 And so I don't know why it worked out that way, 22:36 but I can definitely acknowledge 22:40 that it was a Jobian experience, 22:41 it was an experience like Job. 22:43 And it made a big difference 'cause had that not happened, 22:46 I don't know if I would have answered the call 22:47 to come to 3ABN, and that's exactly what it was. 22:52 For me, being in the ministry is extremely, 22:55 extremely therapeutic in the sense 22:58 that there is nothing better, and this is my favorite thing 23:01 about being in the ministry. 23:02 It's nothing better than seeing people 23:04 changed for the better. 23:06 Seeing drug dealers give up the drugs, 23:09 seeing alcoholics give up the alcoholism, 23:13 seeing the violent people no longer want to be violent, 23:16 and just seeing that, that's one of the reasons 23:17 why I gravitated towards Prison Ministry 23:20 because I have friends, I grew up in New York City. 23:24 And it's a very difficult environment 23:26 for young teenager to grow up in. 23:28 And I saw a lot of people end up getting lost 23:31 in the prison system. 23:33 And because I had a praying mother, 23:35 I gave her all the credit. 23:36 She prayed, and I think God sent angels to influence me 23:41 and to keep that seed planted in my head. 23:44 So even though I did this and that, 23:45 I always had that seed germinating in my head 23:49 so that when the time came, God just needed to pour 23:52 a little bit more water on it, and it sprouted. 23:55 And once the tree started growing, 23:58 3ABN called, and I just had to answer. 24:00 That was... 24:01 Praise the Lord. 24:03 I just couldn't say no. 24:04 You know, and one of the experiences 24:06 that really triggered, that really... 24:09 From the time that I was a teenager, 24:10 I read the book of... 24:12 The story of the young ruler, and the young ruler, 24:16 he came to Jesus saying, 24:17 "What do I have to do to be saved?" 24:19 Yeah. 24:20 He said, "Give up everything. Give it to the poor. 24:21 Come follow Me." 24:23 And I said... 24:24 When I read that, I said, "There is no way 24:25 that I would ever do that." 24:27 And I'm reading this as a teenager, 24:29 and I'm saying, "He gave up everything." 24:33 And so when the Lord called, I said, 24:35 "What are you going to do?" We were living very well. 24:37 We were living very well. 24:39 You know, you don't know, Eric was an engineer 24:41 for a large aerospace corporation. 24:44 So he's making top dollar. 24:45 He's got good responsibility, he's doing well. 24:48 And many times, 24:50 when you think you have your life set, 24:51 that's when Lord says, "No, we're going over here." 24:56 And you've got to be ready to heed that call. 24:58 Yeah, and that was kind of you. 25:00 Right. Yeah. 25:01 So there was an emptiness there. 25:03 With everything, there's still that emptiness. 25:05 And being in the ministry, serving the Lord fills that, 25:07 completely, completely fills it. 25:09 And when I met Marilyn, 25:12 she was in a semi sort of situation. 25:14 She gravitated away from the church 25:17 because her and her best friend were told that, a relative, 25:21 we'll going to burn in hell forever and ever 25:23 because they weren't a member of this church. 25:25 Oh, no. 25:26 And so when I met her, I was an Adventist, 25:29 and I knew better than that. 25:30 I knew that number one, 25:32 nobody burns forever and ever and ever and ever in hell, 25:35 and we shared the verses on that, 25:37 and number two, 25:39 there's no salvation by denomination. 25:41 That's just not. 25:43 You're not saved because you're a member 25:44 of a particular church. 25:45 You're saved because you've given your heart to the Lord. 25:47 Amen. 25:48 And we went over verse and verse about that, 25:50 and seeing the change in Marilyn over time, 25:52 and I said to myself, "I'll never tell her 25:55 or ask her to be baptized." 25:57 She has to say that that's what she wanted herself. 26:00 And I don't remember how long it was, 26:02 it was a couple of years, but one day, she said, 26:04 "I want to get baptized." 26:05 And inside, I'm jumping up and down, 26:07 "Praise the Lord, praise the Lord." 26:09 But I'm seeing people change, 26:11 seeing them give their hearts to the Lord 26:13 is the ultimate satisfaction. 26:15 It is. 26:16 And money... 26:18 Nothing, fame, fortune, none of that can come close 26:23 to the joy that you feel inside. 26:25 When I do Prison Ministry, I see wonderful young men 26:28 that made a mistake, like I did and like we all do, 26:32 they're there and some of them when I started Prison Ministry, 26:36 they sat there with a frown, kind of just, 26:38 their arms were crossed, and they just frowned, 26:39 they wouldn't move, they barely blink. 26:42 And a year later, they're hungry, you know, 26:45 they've got Bibles in their hand, 26:47 and they're going through the pages, 26:48 and they're coming up asking questions, 26:50 and they're full of the Spirit, and you see that change, 26:53 that's very, very inspiring for me. 26:55 Amen. 26:56 Because I used to be there, and now to see them 26:58 hungry like that is extremely fulfilling. 27:00 Praise the Lord. So, yeah. 27:02 Eric, I got to ask you, 27:03 when Marilyn made that decision, 27:05 were you married yet? 27:06 Yes. 27:07 You were married? We were married. 27:09 You took my question. 27:12 That means we're thinking alike. 27:13 Praise the Lord. 27:15 But my follow up is, how did it make you feel now 27:17 to see the person you've dedicated your life to, 27:20 you've exchanged vows, she's your wife now, 27:22 and she's making that move, that must... 27:24 You must've been doing cartwheels, you know, inside. 27:28 I knew that she was going to do it eventually 27:31 because she was full of love, she loved the Lord. 27:35 I always knew that she loved the Lord, 27:37 but she was deterred by what she heard before. 27:40 She didn't understand. 27:42 I knew that God's not a tyrannical God. 27:44 God's a loving God. 27:45 He does everything He can to get us into heaven, 27:48 everything He can do. 27:49 And a lot of common Christian theology, 27:52 sure they preach us that God's a tough stern God 27:54 and not loving, and I knew that's what she sort of thought 27:58 based on that. 27:59 And I knew once we went through the Bible, 28:02 and she understood that 28:03 that she would want to be baptized. 28:05 So I knew it was going to happen. 28:06 It was just a matter of when. 28:08 Praise the Lord. 28:09 And I have to say 28:10 I always had a relationship with the Lord. 28:14 So when that comment was made, you know, 28:18 I didn't have the knowledge that studying with Eric. 28:24 And it did make it difficult, 28:28 and it was kind of heartbreaking 28:32 to think that, "What? 28:33 We are going to hell?" 28:35 You know, because we're not a part of this faith. 28:38 So when I met Eric, 28:40 he was godsend because I did pray. 28:43 I prayed for someone that would be 28:46 willing to walk alongside me in this path. 28:52 But I did not realize that with that, 28:55 I was going to get a lot more truth than I had. 28:58 So that was a blessing. Praise the Lord Yes. 29:00 Yeah. 29:01 The Lord actually puts you on a different path. 29:03 You're walking alongside, He puts you on a new path. 29:05 That's right. And praise the Lord. 29:06 And an integral part of this ministry, 29:09 even up until this morning, 29:10 Irma had Eric fixing her computer. 29:12 Yes. She did. 29:14 So we could make... 29:16 He's been on my computer several times too, 29:18 so we need you, brother. 29:19 Yes. 29:21 Thank you for Eric because, oh, my goodness, 29:23 I am so computer illiterate. 29:28 And sometimes I couldn't... 29:30 I explained to him, but he can't quite understand 29:33 what is my problem. 29:35 So he has to work over it, and sometimes he works... 29:38 Say, "Did you do this?" 29:39 And then he asked to go back to his office. 29:41 Yeah. 29:43 Well, you push your button and then go back to office. 29:44 Oh, Lord, because he has so much to do, 29:47 and here I am... 29:50 Thank you, Eric. 29:51 Thank you for being so kind. 29:53 Like I said before, it is... 29:54 Irma always apologizes, but it's a joy to work with 29:59 and to serve the children of the Lord. 30:03 Amen. 30:04 And then to see them grow, to see them to develop, 30:07 it's not paying for my mother, my mother, really quick, 30:10 she had a cancer, and she would always apologize. 30:15 She said, "Eric, I'm so sorry 30:17 you had to drive down from Alexandria, Virginia, 30:19 down to Richmond, Virginia," to take her for chemo therapy. 30:22 And she was always apologizing. 30:24 "I know you had to leave your job to do this. 30:27 I know you're getting in trouble at work 30:28 for all the time that you're taking off." 30:30 And she was always apologizing. 30:32 And I said to her, and I really meant it, 30:35 "This was the joy of my life." 30:36 And I don't mean the cancer part, 30:38 it was helping someone that you love. 30:40 Just helping someone that you... 30:42 You're willing to sacrifice everything for that, 30:44 it didn't matter. 30:45 And I was happy to do it. 30:47 And it's the same when you love your brothers 30:48 and your sisters in the ministry. 30:50 Yes. 30:51 You'll doing anything for them because they're your brothers, 30:54 and we all share the same Father. 30:56 Yeah, and it is really refreshing because 30:59 and He helps you too, to see that, you know, 31:02 somebody is so kind and affected by the fact that 31:07 this dummy, "How can she not learn?" 31:09 You know, but he, you know, he just doesn't feel that way. 31:16 But many people do, unfortunately. 31:19 And they are... 31:20 They don't like when they have to repeat the work, 31:24 you know, to someone. 31:25 And so, yeah, I am really thankful, yes, 31:28 'cause I feel so lost sometimes. 31:32 Oh, my goodness. Yeah. 31:35 I think we all have those times. 31:37 My mother had a 10-year decline. 31:40 Several strokes, each one... 31:42 Well, many TMAs, 31:43 each one taking a little further into herself. 31:46 And my sister decided to take care of her home. 31:50 My sister is a nurse, she said, 31:51 "I don't want to put her in home 31:53 because she's going to need specialized care." 31:54 And so I had a little savings at the time, and I said, 31:56 "Well, I'll dedicate my savings." 31:58 I didn't know it was going to last 10 years, 32:00 but I don't regret that because that's your mom, 32:03 you know, you're invested in that person. 32:06 And there's something wonderful about the body of Christ, 32:08 we become invested in each other, 32:10 which is what makes it so nice to work here 32:13 because you're working with people 32:15 who are walking the same road, 32:16 who feel for the most part as you do, 32:19 and who do not mind the extra work 32:21 and take some time to bring 32:23 a brother and sister along, you know. 32:24 We're all in different places in our growth, 32:27 but we're invested in each other, 32:28 we care about each other. 32:30 So that makes it pleasant, and there is a quote of love 32:32 that runs from heart to heart to heart 32:34 of those who love Jesus. 32:36 And speaking of that, to these lovely retirees, 32:39 they think they're retired. 32:41 Well, they claim retired... 32:42 What's the word in Spanish, jubi... 32:44 Jubilarse. 32:45 They think they're that but they're not. 32:47 They're just, because they have in their house a... 32:53 In Spanish, it's a PC? 32:55 Pequena congregas, you know, a small group. 32:58 A small group, we would call it a small group in the States. 33:01 A pequena congregas. 33:04 Praise the Lord. 33:07 But you forgive my prerogative of English, 33:09 this small group ain't so small. 33:11 It's been growing 33:13 and last count was around forty. 33:16 Yes. Forty-two. Forty-two. 33:18 Forty-two. Forty-two. 33:19 Yeah. 33:20 It's started, and it's in your home, 33:22 you meet when, Adhi? 33:23 When are we starting? 33:25 Seven. 33:26 You started with seven? 33:27 With seven. 33:29 Three Adventists and four visitors. 33:30 That's how we started. 33:32 And so now you have 42. 33:34 Of that group, 33:36 how many would you call a non-Adventists? 33:39 Non-Adventists? 33:41 Probably I would say that... 33:43 Wow, when it started, probably none. 33:46 Yes, when they started, none of them. 33:48 Yeah, yeah, and it's... 33:49 I know it's hard too 33:51 because they're getting baptized so fast. 33:52 Yes. 33:54 Sometimes we lose, you know, the... 33:56 Yeah, yeah. 33:57 Who is and who is not? 33:58 Yes. 34:00 See, because many of them have been baptized, 34:04 and the rest already visiting the church. 34:10 So we don't think on who is and who is not. 34:14 We are just a group working with them and... 34:17 We're a family. 34:18 Yes. 34:20 So you started with seven. Tell us a little bit of the... 34:22 How this group from seven to now forty-two? 34:25 Did you put out signs? Did you advertise? 34:26 Did you mail? How did it happen? 34:27 How did it grow? 34:29 Well, that was very interesting. 34:31 And still is interesting. 34:34 Because we, at the beginning, we were not so... 34:39 We were afraid of doing it, you know? 34:43 We were there just for a year or something like that 34:47 from the Bahamas. 34:49 And we were just still knowing the members, 34:53 and we didn't know our neighborhood and all that. 34:57 Pastor one day said, "Well, who wants to start a PC?" 35:01 A small group. A small group. 35:05 And, well, I was thinking and thinking, 35:08 and then a sister from that church said, 35:11 "Mr. Palacios, we're going to have one." 35:14 I didn't say no. 35:15 I say, "Okay, let's go ahead." 35:20 And then we started organizing the, you know... 35:24 Preparing this place and what to do 35:27 and things like that. 35:29 And also when she said we're going have a small group, 35:31 did she know that she was thinking of your house? 35:33 Did you know you're volunteering your house? 35:34 Yeah, I think so, that was the idea. 35:36 Okay. 35:37 Because they were probably thinking the space 35:40 and things like that, and so I talked to... 35:42 Yeah, they have a big house, so... 35:43 I talked to my wife about that, and she said, "Yes, okay." 35:47 And they were, we used to do it, 35:50 just by having a cooking class. 35:52 And we got a lot of people coming, 35:55 some of them one hour from the place where we met, 35:59 you know, and they did it. 36:01 So we started doing it. 36:04 And, you know, we took time to invite people around. 36:10 But the visitors, they are who have been bringing 36:16 more people to the group, the non-Adventists, 36:20 they are bringing their brother or sister or neighbor, 36:23 someone who is in need for prayer, 36:26 they invite the person to the group 36:28 and they come to the group. 36:30 And they like to be there 36:33 and to explain the needs that they have 36:37 and asked for prayers. 36:38 And they are in charge 36:39 of bringing more people, really. 36:41 So the group is bringing the group. 36:43 I mean the group is bringing other people. 36:45 Yes, of course. 36:46 It's not like the pastor bringing or the elder bringing, 36:48 this is the group growing the group. 36:49 Yeah. Just through word of mouth. 36:51 Yes. Yes. 36:53 The same visitors we have inviting other visitors. 36:58 So that's how they come over. 36:59 Praise the Lord. 37:01 Yes, it's very interesting. 37:02 So now we're up to 42. Yeah. 37:04 And pretty much regulars. 37:05 You look for the same faces every week, 37:07 and they are coming back. 37:08 Every week, every week. They don't miss it. 37:10 Yes. 37:11 Explain how when the first time 37:13 that we were not able to probably have the meeting 37:16 at the time that we used to have it, what happened? 37:19 Yeah, we meet every Tuesday at seven. 37:23 We start at 6:30, but because two of them can't 37:27 because one of them is a lawyer, 37:29 and the other one works also for the government. 37:33 So they... 37:36 Were more easy for them to be at 7 than at 6:30, 37:40 so we moved a little bit. 37:41 But this day, my grandson from his school, 37:44 they have a presentation in the park for Christmas time. 37:49 So we call all of them, and say "Well, 37:51 we are not able tonight to have the meeting, 37:54 so let's move it to another day." 37:57 And all of them called and said. 37:59 "No. We'll wait. 38:01 You go, do what you have to do, 38:03 when you come back, let us know." 38:05 And when we've finished with the program 38:07 that they had at this park, 38:10 all of them were at home waiting for us outside. 38:14 Waiting for us to open the door and come inside. 38:16 Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. 38:17 So that's a group of mine that God has lifted up. 38:20 They'll say, "We'll wait. 38:23 When you are done, we'll be here." 38:25 Yes. 38:26 So that is beautiful 38:28 because that not only helped them to continue 38:34 what we are doing in the... 38:36 Helped us to be encouraged, to continue, 38:39 and to praise God because we don't do that, 38:43 God put that in their hearts. 38:45 Amen. 38:46 So that's why I think the group is growing and growing, 38:50 you know, because they come, and they feel at home, 38:54 and they feel that we love them, 38:56 and they feel that God is there, 38:59 and they are learning about God. 39:02 And that's what they want.? 39:03 So I think all these together... 39:06 The Holy Spirit put all these together for the work 39:10 that is done could flourish, could blossom. 39:17 I have to say my sister, 39:20 she's been humble about these and her husband. 39:24 They put a lot of work on these, 39:27 their time and their heart. 39:29 One of the things that she does because... 39:33 As a teacher, she likes to do things, 39:38 fix things and create things. 39:41 And what they decided to do is to have a social time 39:47 after the meeting, the people come, 39:50 they sit, then the people, they all participate, 39:55 they read the verses from the lesson, 40:00 young people and the children that can read 40:02 they already read. 40:05 But every night, she has always had something to drink 40:09 or something to eat, sometimes a lot of stuff to eat 40:14 because still I used to cook. 40:17 And when I came in, and I said, "That's not what I've learned," 40:21 'cause I had gone through some meetings about these, 40:25 and the first thing they said, "Don't make social 40:28 with the Bible study, you know, 40:31 just keep the Bible study," 40:35 so that they don't get too familiar. 40:38 So I thought, "This is different." 40:41 But this is better 40:43 because what happens is that when she, 40:46 after they finish the meeting, 40:47 everybody knows that they're going to have 40:49 something to drink or something to eat, 40:50 sometimes it's a light snack, sometimes she is creative 40:55 and have a whole feast, but that's the time 41:00 when they actually interact with each other, 41:03 and I think that's the key for their success 41:07 because they not only get to know them, 41:11 but they get to know each other in the group. 41:14 And so they become friends. 41:16 They have a group in the WhatsApp, 41:21 you know, WhatsApp is a little easy. 41:23 Oh, yeah. All of them. Yes. 41:25 So they all communicate like when one message goes, 41:28 all of them get the message. 41:30 So it's very easy for, you know, 41:32 communicating things. 41:34 We are here. 41:35 But at the same time we are over there 41:39 because WhatsApp keeps us all together. 41:41 When you say here, you mean you are here in the States? 41:42 Here in the States. 41:44 Yes But still very much in touch 41:45 with the group of Panama. 41:46 Yes. Oh, yeah. 41:48 So we write every single day, we send messages, we... 41:51 If anybody has a birthday or something, 41:53 we all have something for them to say, 41:56 and that keeps us together. 41:58 And that's another thing. 42:01 We not only give the Word of God, 42:06 just plain like that, we take care of them. 42:10 If they were sick, 42:11 if anybody's going to have a baby, we celebrate, 42:13 if anybody has birthday, we celebrate, 42:17 if the kids have graduation, we celebrate, 42:20 everything that can be celebrated, we celebrate. 42:24 And sometimes, we only celebrate 42:26 because we are there. 42:29 But they help. 42:30 It's not just because I put things, 42:32 no they bring things, 42:33 they bring things, you know, to... 42:36 And sometimes they say, 42:37 "Don't deal with doing things, don't do that. 42:40 We're going to bring things so." 42:42 God is good. God is good, you know. 42:45 I don't know what you're going to say, 42:47 but I'm going to go ahead with this, 42:50 one of the ladies that comes to the group. 42:54 She is a very young lady. 42:58 And she loves to come, and she loves to sing 43:01 and share with her coworkers 43:04 also whatever she learns in the group. 43:08 But we were, you know, 43:11 looking at her and waiting maybe for decision, 43:16 quickly, but no, 43:17 she was taking time, taking time. 43:19 We didn't know why. 43:21 But then being here in United States, 43:24 she wrote me, and she says, "I'm going to be baptized. 43:28 I was waiting for you to come back. 43:31 But the pastor says that I should take my decision now." 43:35 So I said, "That's right." 43:37 So she said, "But I have these problems." 43:40 She told me her problems. 43:41 "And that's why I never have been, you know, 43:45 like able to take this decision. 43:48 So I talked to her, I'd write, I would pray, I said, 43:52 "Pray about this and forget about it, 43:55 get baptized. 43:58 The Lord is going to help you. 43:59 He is going to take care of your problems." 44:01 And then she says, 'Okay." 44:03 And then CA and my sister were, one day, 44:09 in these meetings that we were not 44:12 because we were here. 44:15 So they were able to listen from her this testimony, 44:20 "From that day I got baptized, all my problems went away." 44:26 Praise the Lord. 44:27 And then I could sleep all night long. 44:31 So I think the Lord is working on them, 44:34 and many young people already have been baptized, 44:37 seven of them. 44:39 So right now, what we are doing is letting them, 44:43 also learn how to give message, testimonies 44:50 so they are in church, every night, 44:52 one different, give the theme of the... 44:58 Topic for the day, and they're doing it so well. 45:01 And then they have many ideas. 45:04 So one of them can play the music, violin, 45:08 or they have her own music or his own music or someday, 45:14 they are going to sing, different things. 45:16 But they are using their own talent, 45:21 by now, that God gave them. 45:23 Yeah. 45:24 Something that happened in this group 45:28 that I have to bring it up 45:30 because it was just so impressive to me. 45:34 There is one lady, 45:35 we have two Raquels in the group, 45:38 so we call one, Raquel 1 and the other one, 45:41 the one that is being coming to the group, Raquel 2. 45:47 Raquel 2 has learned so much in the group, 45:52 so much she had learned and not only that, 45:55 but she had really embraced it. 45:58 And so she has been so excited, she's telling her husband, 46:03 and she's telling her daughter who, by the way, 46:06 just got baptized a month maybe, not even that. 46:12 Hardly two months really. Yeah, okay. 46:15 So anyways, so she brings her neighbor. 46:19 Her neighbor has... 46:20 Four kids. 46:22 Four kids, one girl and three boys. 46:25 The oldest son is about 10 years old. 46:29 So the first time they came, the little boy, you know, 46:34 was listening to people, they are giving testimonies. 46:39 So he raised his little hand, and he want to say something. 46:44 And he says that he needed prayer 46:48 because his mother is trying to get him to this school, 46:54 and the transition is because her husband has left. 47:00 Before that, apparently, 47:01 her husband was making good money, 47:03 and she had him in a private school. 47:07 But now she cannot afford that. 47:09 So she needed to move him to another school 47:13 where she doesn't have to pay. 47:16 But there were a lot of things going on with the fact 47:20 that she had not finished 47:23 to pay for his getting in this school. 47:26 So this other school did not want to accept him 47:29 without the credits. 47:31 And so he needed a prayer for that. 47:35 He needed a prayer 47:36 that they will give him this credits, so then... 47:40 And that his mom would be able to register him in there, 47:44 this 10-year-old boy. 47:47 Well, we did all pray and prayed, you know, 47:52 privately and all that for the boy. 47:55 And then so two weeks... 47:57 The next week. 47:59 Or the next week, the following week, 48:01 he came giving thanks to the Lord 48:04 because the Lord had answered his prayer. 48:06 And his mother was able to help some that she got 48:11 and be able to register him in that school. 48:14 Praise the Lord. 48:15 So this little boy, 10 years old, 48:18 and the daughter of this lady, Raquel number 2, 48:25 also had started walking and listening. 48:28 She is so excited for the Lord. 48:31 She's so full of the spirit. 48:35 And for her baptism? 48:41 I'm not leaving yours. 48:43 But her baptisms are because it's really exciting. 48:46 I'm very proud of what they're doing, 48:49 and I'm really proud of the Lord 48:50 how He is using them. 48:52 Yes. 48:53 And so she invited her father, and her father, to this point, 48:59 had not wanted to come to. 49:01 So her father came, and we were told 49:06 because we missed that baptism that he was in tears, 49:10 and he is so proud of his daughter. 49:14 So we can see him in the future coming too. 49:19 Praise the Lord. 49:20 There are many stories 49:22 that she probably may even forget some of them but... 49:26 Many. 49:27 Yeah, I want to say something... 49:29 I want to say something else that our group... 49:33 In our group, we are having international people, you know? 49:37 And these are pastor CA 49:41 and Irma Murray. 49:45 We feel like they are part of our group. 49:50 They are. Yeah, they are. 49:52 When they go there, 49:54 they help us a lot with the group. 49:56 And, you know, they are retiring. 49:59 Just as you are retiring. 50:01 But that is going to really... 50:02 We're not retiring. 50:06 So we are going to have them over there too. 50:09 So this is going to be a good help. 50:11 But our group is so big place, 50:13 like a big family. 50:14 I feel like that. It is a big family. 50:18 If we have a need, we call someone from the group. 50:21 If we have a... 50:22 We need prayer, we call, you know, to the group, 50:25 and we are in touch all the time, all the time. 50:27 Even now, that we are here in the United States, 50:30 we have been here almost six months, 50:32 but we get in touch with them every day. 50:36 We know what happened at church, 50:37 we know what happened at the group and the meetings, 50:41 we know what is happening with the families, who is sick, 50:44 who is not, is the baby sick, we know that, 50:48 and we pray for them. 50:51 And they know that we are praying for them. 50:53 So we are planning to... 50:55 We want to go back soon as soon as possible to, 51:01 you know, keep working with the group. 51:02 So I will ask you to pray for us 51:06 so we can have our things set soon, 51:09 and we can go back the group. 51:12 But really, the story of this group is very long, 51:15 you know. 51:16 We haven't touched anything 51:17 about how God had blessed the group with a piece of land 51:21 to start building the church. 51:24 I want to do it quickly, okay? Okay. 51:26 Quickly, quickly. 51:28 One day, the idea came... 51:30 Oh, your group is growing so fast. 51:33 And someone from the conference, 51:35 I think it was the pastor of our church who said so. 51:38 Then I said, "Yeah, that's true. 51:39 We need a place to meet together, you know." 51:44 And we're talking about... 51:48 Thinking how are we going to do, 51:50 who we are going to do with that. 51:52 So we saw a place, beautiful place, 51:55 at the entrance of the community. 51:57 It's a huge place. 51:59 It's this... 52:00 Let me see, it is 2,400 square meters, 52:04 and then I saw the sign there for sale. 52:08 So I called the owner, and he said, 52:11 "Yes, we are selling this." 52:12 And then he said, 52:14 "We are selling that piece of land." 52:16 "And how much are you asking for the land?" 52:17 He said, "Well, this is going to be $80 a square meter." 52:22 I said, "Well, but that's too much money for us. 52:26 Can you sell just half of the piece of land?" 52:29 He said, "Yes, I could do it, yeah." 52:32 So I called the pastor, 52:35 and I called the president of the conference, 52:37 and I told them, "We have seen the piece of land. 52:39 It's just in the entrance of the community, 52:43 and we would like to do something." 52:45 And the president of the conference said, 52:48 "Oh, Mr. Palacios, this is the land. 52:50 In that piece of land, we are going to have 52:53 the best church of the conference." 52:55 That's what he said. Okay. 52:58 I felt so good 53:00 because if the president of the conference 53:01 is saying that, that means 53:03 that we have his support, you know. 53:05 So I called the lady, 53:07 and then I tried to get the price lower, lower. 53:10 So we get a little bit lower. 53:12 Yeah, he is a treasurer now. Remember that. 53:13 Trying to get it lower. 53:16 Yeah, and then we started working on that. 53:18 I'm praying for that. 53:19 One day, the president of the conference called me. 53:22 "Mr. Palacios, guess what?" 53:25 I said, "Guess what? What? 53:27 What is happening?" 53:29 He said, "Someone in the capital city, 53:32 in Panama City, I told him about the project 53:35 for the new church in that place. 53:37 And that man called me to go over there 53:39 and get $50,000 for that project." 53:44 You know, my skin is like... 53:49 Really, oh I prayed the, you know, God because of that. 53:54 Praise the Lord. 53:56 And then the president said, "Out of my own money, 53:59 I'm going to put $20,000 for that project." 54:05 Yeah, and someone else gave $2,000. 54:08 And the land is about to be... 54:13 How can I say that? 54:15 We are about to finish the deal, you know. 54:17 There is a legal thing that is getting us 54:20 a little bit behind, but the land is going to be 54:25 in the name of the conference soon. 54:27 So we're actually are praying for that 54:30 so we may have the land now, 54:32 but we now need the building. 54:35 We need to keep praying for that. 54:36 Yes. 54:38 Seriously, if you see about this kind of thing, 54:39 it's addictive. 54:40 When you see people giving their heart to the Lord, 54:42 giving their heart to the Lord, and you see God begin 54:44 to open up miracles, there are not many ways 54:46 to get into this development, 54:48 it's is called Via Mercedes. 54:49 Via. Via Mercedes. 54:54 But anyway, you come across this little bridge to come in, 54:57 I think there's one other way out. 54:58 Yes. But not many ways in and out? 55:00 No. 55:01 You've got to come across this bridge. 55:02 So as you come across this bridge, 55:04 this property sits right there. 55:05 Its palm tree lined on the one side 55:08 and palm tree lined on the other. 55:09 It is the perfect spot. 55:11 You cannot get into Via Mercedes 55:13 without coming across that bridge on that side, 55:16 so you've got to go 55:17 by the Seventh-day Adventist church. 55:18 So it is the perfect spot. 55:20 And it is a beautiful piece of land, 55:21 really, really beautiful. 55:22 And someone unknown, whose name we don't know says, 55:27 "Here's $50,000." 55:29 Now is that God or what? Yes. 55:32 Well, I just said that 55:34 this is just by the grace of God. 55:35 Amen. Yes, it is. 55:38 I encourage anyone 55:41 who wants to start on small group at home. 55:46 It's not the blessing that you can bring to the people 55:50 who comes to your house. 55:52 It's the blessing that we get for being able to do this 55:59 because it really makes us feel humble before God, 56:04 happy for the people who is learning about God. 56:08 So I praise the Lord for that. Amen. 56:10 That opportunity that He is putting before us. 56:14 When you do this kind of thing, truly you are a blessing 56:18 because you're the hands of God. 56:20 But the unknown part is the blessing 56:22 that you receive when you become an agent 56:25 of change for the Lord. 56:26 As you give, so you get. 56:28 God makes sure because you cannot... 56:31 As you all say, you cannot be God-giving. 56:33 So for everything you give, you get back more in return. 56:37 And you also get the satisfaction of seeing 56:39 men and women give their heart to the Lord. 56:41 And as we've all said, it is addictive to see 56:44 men and women put down the bottle, 56:46 pick up the Bible, and do the work of God 56:49 and become hands and feet of our Lord 56:51 and Savior Jesus Christ. 56:52 So I know they're waiting to get back to that PC. 56:54 Yes. 56:59 And the kinds of people that are coming, 57:01 doctors, lawyers, people of our influence. 57:04 Nurses. Nurses. 57:05 And then just people from the streets, 57:06 and young people are coming and staying. 57:08 And when they come, 57:10 and they're not ready to just run away, 57:11 you know something very, very good is happening. 57:14 So we give you encouragement. 57:16 If you start for the Lord, 57:17 the Lord certainly will keep you going. 57:19 So I want to thank Adhi and Oscar, 57:21 and I want to thank Eric and Marilyn, 57:23 and I want to thank Boo for being with us. 57:25 And we hope that we said something 57:27 that will encourage you, 57:28 as together we walk this road that leads to glory. 57:30 We'll see you again soon for another Family Worship. 57:34 God bless. Amen. 57:35 Happy Sabbath. Happy Sabbath. |
Revised 2018-09-10