I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Removing pain
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Lord, let my words
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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Hello, and
welcome to Family Worship.
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My name is John Dinzey,
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and it's a joy and a privilege
for me to be here with you,
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and I am
accompanied at this moment
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by my wife Idalia.
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And it's time to
say Happy Sabbath.
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Happy Sabbath.
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Yes, we are together
to receive the Sabbath,
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but of course,
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we always look forward to Friday
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because on Friday evening
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that's when the sun goes down,
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that's when we
receive the Sabbath.
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That's right, the
Sabbath begins at sundown
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on Friday.
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That's right, if
you're listening to that
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for the first time,
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you may wonder why,
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and that's because
the Bible establishes
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that the days began
in the evening part,
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in other words the
dark part of the day.
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Just read Genesis Chapter 1,
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and you'll see in the
evening and the morning,
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in the evening and the morning
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talking about
the different days.
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But let's first
introduce our guests
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that are with us,
part of the family,
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I better like to say,
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and we begin on this side,
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Idalia, would you
like to introduce.
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Yes, ladies first.
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We have Janelle Owens. Hi.
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You're welcome. Thank you.
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I'm so glad you were
able to make it again.
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Yes, me too, thank
you for inviting us.
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Yeah. You're welcome.
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And here is your
husband, your faithful Donald.
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Praise the Lord for Donald.
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Yes, yeah, and God is good.
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Yeah, He has got us
through a lot of trials,
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but He continues to
grow us and expand us even.
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Amen.
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The Lord is good. Lord is good.
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Well, here to my right,
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we are once again
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with Brother
Brian Dickens, welcome.
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Pleasure as
always. I appreciate it.
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Thank you so
much for joining us,
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and together with you
we have a family worship.
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And at this time we are going
to go to the Lord in prayer,
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and I'm going to ask
Idalia at this moment
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to lead us to
the Lord in prayer.
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Oh, sure, okay.
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Father, we just come
before Your throne of grace
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with our thankful heart.
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Thank you, Lord,
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because You were
with us all week long.
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There are seven days in a week,
and there is one great God,
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and You are constantly
and faithfully with us.
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We thank You for Your
company, Your blessings.
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Thank You, Lord, for
the strength and wisdom
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You have given us
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and, Father, we
thank You for the moment
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that we can set
aside and just worship You
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these hours of the Sabbath.
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Thank You, Lord, that
You have thought about us
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since creation
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and blessed us
with the Sabbath day.
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May your name be
glorified as we worship You
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and may we draw closer to You.
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In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
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Amen. Amen.
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Well, I like to
begin in this moment
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with Luke Chapter 4,
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and this is a
moment when Jesus...
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When you go into Luke Chapter 4,
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you see the story of Jesus
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being tempted in
the desert by Satan.
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And after the
temptations were over,
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some
interesting things happened,
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so let's go to Luke 4:13.
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Now it says, "When the devil
had ended every temptation,
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he departed from him
until an opportune time."
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In other words, he was going
to come back to tempt Jesus
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at another time.
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Now let's go to verse 14,
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"Then Jesus returned
in the power of the Spirit
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to Galilee,
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and news of Him went out
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through all the
surrounding region.
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And He taught in
their synagogues,
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being glorified by all."
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So verse 16, "So
He came to Nazareth,
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where He had been brought up.
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And as His custom was,
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He went into the
synagogue on the Sabbath day,
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and stood up to read."
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And I'll stop there
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because I will like
to mention something
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because we said
to you Happy Sabbath
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at the beginning of this hour
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and so, some of
you may not be familiar
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with the idea of Sabbath
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because we say Happy Sabbath.
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That's really we are talking
about the day of the week,
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which is Saturday.
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And it just so happens
that the Bible tells us that
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this day, the Sabbath day,
the seventh day of the week
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was sanctified
and made holy by God.
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So I would like to
ask our, Brother Brian,
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if you'll read
Genesis Chapter 2,
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and we'll begin
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and read those
first two verses please.
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Genesis Chapter 2 what?
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Genesis 2:1, and
2, and 3 actually.
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And it says, 2:1-3. Good.
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And so here,
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we have
description of what happened
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and then a brief
description of what the Lord did
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and then what He did afterward
that He created everything.
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Okay, Genesis 2:1.
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1, 2 and 3.
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"Thus the heavens and the earth,
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and all the host of
them, were finished.
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And on the seventh
day God ended His work
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which He had done,
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and He rested on the seventh day
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from all His work
which He had done.
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Then God blessed the seventh day
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and sanctified it,
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because in it He
rested from all His work
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which God had created and made."
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Praise the Lord. Amen.
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And so here we have
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at the very beginning of
the creation of this world
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that the Lord sanctified
and blessed the seventh day.
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So when you go
to Luke Chapter 4,
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and you see that Jesus
says as His custom was,
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this was the custom of Jesus.
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And it would be so today
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if He was walking
among the earth today.
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And I will say to you that
He is expecting His children
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to continue to do the same.
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Remember the
Sabbath day, keep it holy.
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Do as I said it.
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Go to church on the Sabbath day
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and remember to keep
the day holy, sanctify it.
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You may go for more information
in Exodus Chapter 20,
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and I don't know if
anyone, Exodus Chapter 20
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where we are talking
about the Ten Commandments,
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specifically as Donald
said in verse 8 through 11.
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Anything you like to
share about the Sabbath day
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that would you like.
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Something that I think
we would be touching on
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just a little bit
is a idea of a gift,
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and God gave us
the Sabbath as a gift.
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It's a gift to us
that we can be with Him.
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That's a powerful
thought. It's a gift really.
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It really is a gift
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if you could
look at it that way,
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wouldn't you want to
come in delight in God's gift
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that He has given you.
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Amen. That's
right. That's right.
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You know what's interesting
as I was looking at this,
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I, it says here
in Luke Chapter 4,
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as His custom was, very
interesting the wording,
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and it came to my mind
that Jesus was the creator.
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And if you say
as His custom was,
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He went into the
synagogue on the Sabbath day,
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that was His custom
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even before He
took upon human form,
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to say that He
kept the Sabbath holy.
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You know, God is
always doing things,
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but on the Sabbath day
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He expects His
children to pause,
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stop their work, stop
their hustle and bustle,
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and come to Him and worship Him,
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and put all the
things of the world aside
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and focus on worshiping Him.
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It's a marvelous opportunity.
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With that in mind, I
want to say to also that
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sometimes we tend
to overload the Sabbath
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with Sabbath activities
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and the gift of the
Sabbath is to slow down,
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enjoy the roses,
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hear the birds
singing as you walk
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and, you know,
spend quality time,
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you know, in adoration
or worship in the church.
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You know,
sometimes people are like,
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oh, you know, I
have so many things to do
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and get distracted
even during sermon time.
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And I think
that it's a good idea
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if they will start
taking sermon notes,
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you know,
because when the sermon
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is being presented,
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sometimes my mind wanders like,
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and you have to
rebuke the devil,
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because there is such
a blessing in the sermon
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and unfortunately
we get distracted.
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So to help us focused,
to help us stay connected,
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I think that is
very important for us
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in order to be able to
enjoy our Sabbath experience.
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I was gonna mention
that somebody talked to me
00:09:33.67\00:09:35.47
and they said, you
know, it's interesting,
00:09:35.50\00:09:37.01
when the Sabbath hits
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and we're in our
church worshipping.
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So we always see people
running to get out of church
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but you should be
spending time with the Lord,
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why you want to
run away from church,
00:09:43.91\00:09:45.25
you want to be
there like faithful.
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Everything I like
about the Sabbath is,
00:09:46.65\00:09:47.98
you know, God
gave us permission,
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you know, it's
like, He gave us that
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and He gave us
permission to rest, you know,
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and we don't and
sometimes like you said,
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we don't appreciate that
00:09:57.43\00:09:58.76
and we don't treat
the Sabbath like a gift,
00:09:58.79\00:10:02.56
but it's a fact that,
00:10:02.60\00:10:03.93
you know, if someone
wants us to do something
00:10:03.97\00:10:07.70
and we don't want
to do that activity,
00:10:07.74\00:10:11.64
you know, we can just say
God gave me permission to rest,
00:10:11.67\00:10:15.58
and worship Him,
and spend time with Him,
00:10:15.61\00:10:18.41
and I would rather not
do that on this special day.
00:10:18.45\00:10:21.28
I was gonna touch base
00:10:21.32\00:10:22.65
over what you're
talking about, John,
00:10:22.68\00:10:24.02
about Jesus being the creator.
00:10:24.05\00:10:25.99
I really like Colossians
00:10:26.02\00:10:27.36
and I just have to
share Colossians 1 real quick.
00:10:27.39\00:10:31.56
In Colossians 1:14, it says,
00:10:31.59\00:10:34.93
"In whom we have
redemption through His blood,"
00:10:34.96\00:10:37.43
we are talking
about Jesus, right?
00:10:37.47\00:10:39.20
"Even the forgiveness of sins."
00:10:39.23\00:10:41.00
Now verse 15 "Who is the
image of the invisible God,
00:10:41.04\00:10:43.84
the firstborn
over all creation."
00:10:43.87\00:10:45.21
And 16 and 17 is the key,
00:10:45.24\00:10:47.08
for by, and I'll
just switch this up,
00:10:47.11\00:10:48.61
"For by Jesus
were all things created
00:10:48.64\00:10:51.65
that are in
heaven that are in earth,
00:10:51.68\00:10:53.01
visible and invisible."
00:10:53.05\00:10:54.38
We are talking
about the Sabbath again.
00:10:54.42\00:10:55.75
Jesus created the Sabbath.
00:10:55.78\00:10:57.12
"And that are in the
earth, visible and invisible,
00:10:57.15\00:10:58.85
whether there be
throne or dominions
00:10:58.89\00:11:01.29
or principalities or powers.
00:11:01.32\00:11:02.79
All things were created
by Jesus and for Jesus."
00:11:02.82\00:11:06.53
And verse 17,
00:11:06.56\00:11:07.90
"And Jesus is before all things,
00:11:07.93\00:11:09.36
and by Jesus
all things consist."
00:11:09.40\00:11:12.03
Amen. That's very powerful.
00:11:12.07\00:11:13.40
Very powerful.
00:11:13.44\00:11:14.77
You know, when you
think about God's law,
00:11:14.80\00:11:16.91
the Ten Commandments,
some people may say,
00:11:16.94\00:11:18.87
oh, that's bondage,
00:11:18.91\00:11:20.31
but reality the
Bible in James Chapter 1,
00:11:20.34\00:11:23.55
actually James Chapter 2
calls the Ten Commandments
00:11:23.58\00:11:26.25
the law of liberty.
00:11:26.28\00:11:28.25
Interesting.
00:11:28.28\00:11:29.62
But when I say this, you
know, God gave us His laws,
00:11:29.65\00:11:32.29
His Ten
Commandments for our happiness,
00:11:32.32\00:11:35.32
for us to be happy.
00:11:35.36\00:11:38.03
And as we keep them, we
have happiness with Him,
00:11:38.06\00:11:41.00
we have a good
relationship with Him,
00:11:41.03\00:11:43.03
because the
first four commandments
00:11:43.06\00:11:44.40
talk about our
relationship with God,
00:11:44.43\00:11:46.23
the last six talk
about our relationship
00:11:46.27\00:11:47.67
with our fellow man.
00:11:47.70\00:11:49.10
So if you're
obeying the commandments,
00:11:49.14\00:11:51.74
you're gonna
have good relationship
00:11:51.77\00:11:53.11
with your neighbor,
00:11:53.14\00:11:54.48
because your
neighbor is going to say,
00:11:54.51\00:11:55.84
"Hey, this guy is
not stealing from me,
00:11:55.88\00:11:57.21
this guy is not
taking my things,
00:11:57.25\00:11:58.58
he's a good neighbor."
00:11:58.61\00:12:01.45
There's gonna be
happiness promoted there
00:12:01.48\00:12:03.59
and you're going
to get along better
00:12:03.62\00:12:07.79
but, that's the gift
that God has given us
00:12:07.82\00:12:11.03
also, the Ten Commandments.
00:12:11.06\00:12:12.39
And we are talking
about gifts in this program,
00:12:12.43\00:12:14.30
the gift, the many
gifts that God gives us,
00:12:14.33\00:12:17.23
and we will talk
about some of those things
00:12:17.27\00:12:18.60
that He does for us,
00:12:18.63\00:12:20.07
and then we're
gonna focus on the gift
00:12:20.10\00:12:23.71
that surpasses all gifts,
00:12:23.74\00:12:25.41
the gift of His
Son, Jesus Christ.
00:12:25.44\00:12:27.14
I like to mention that,
00:12:27.18\00:12:29.78
as you guys were sharing
that Sabbath is a gift to us,
00:12:29.81\00:12:33.11
you know, what the
verse came to my mind
00:12:33.15\00:12:36.02
was Isaiah 58:13 and 14.
00:12:36.05\00:12:40.46
I think it goes
together, Isaiah 58:13
00:12:40.49\00:12:43.66
and we've heard it before,
but for our friends at home,
00:12:43.69\00:12:47.36
watch and listen to
this beautiful message.
00:12:47.40\00:12:50.53
"If you turn away
your foot from the Sabbath,
00:12:50.57\00:12:54.87
from doing your
pleasure on my holy day,
00:12:54.90\00:12:59.77
and call the Sabbath a delight,
00:12:59.81\00:13:02.88
the holy of the Lord, honorable,
00:13:02.91\00:13:06.28
and shall honor him,
00:13:06.31\00:13:08.18
not doing thine own ways,
00:13:08.22\00:13:10.79
nor finding thine own pleasure,
00:13:10.82\00:13:14.16
nor speaking thine own words.
00:13:14.19\00:13:16.69
Then shalt you
delight thyself in the Lord,
00:13:16.73\00:13:21.50
and I will cause thee
00:13:21.53\00:13:22.86
to ride upon the
high places of the earth,
00:13:22.90\00:13:25.70
and feed thee
00:13:25.73\00:13:27.07
with the heritage
of Jacob thy father
00:13:27.10\00:13:30.37
for the mouth of the
Lord, has spoken it."
00:13:30.41\00:13:33.04
Amen and Amen. Wow.
00:13:33.07\00:13:35.01
That's a wonderful
confirmation of the commandment,
00:13:35.04\00:13:37.71
and it talks about delight,
00:13:37.75\00:13:39.61
you know, delight yourself
00:13:39.65\00:13:40.98
and the Lord
delight on the Sabbath day,
00:13:41.02\00:13:42.72
so delight really
to keep the Sabbath,
00:13:42.75\00:13:45.59
and it brings us to
closer union with the Lord.
00:13:45.62\00:13:49.52
Actually if you
read the commandment
00:13:49.56\00:13:50.89
it says, God loves you so...
00:13:50.93\00:13:52.39
I love you so much
00:13:52.43\00:13:53.76
that I want you to stop working,
00:13:53.80\00:13:55.73
just don't work.
00:13:55.76\00:13:57.20
Six days you do all your work,
00:13:57.23\00:13:58.57
but the seventh day is
the Sabbath of the Lord,
00:13:58.60\00:14:00.64
you got to rest.
00:14:00.67\00:14:02.30
It's your little vacation. Yes.
00:14:02.34\00:14:04.21
I think it's also
important to fellowship.
00:14:04.24\00:14:06.47
Yes, absolutely.
00:14:06.51\00:14:08.01
You know, it's a
fellowship in worship,
00:14:08.04\00:14:09.98
and I look forward to Sabbath
00:14:10.01\00:14:12.01
when we are
home for the weekend,
00:14:12.05\00:14:14.78
and I look forward to
going to my home church,
00:14:14.82\00:14:17.39
and being with our
friends in the congregation
00:14:17.42\00:14:21.72
and receiving the
visitors in the church,
00:14:21.76\00:14:24.46
as well inviting them
for fellowship dinner, right?
00:14:24.49\00:14:27.33
Fellowship dinner. Absolutely.
00:14:27.36\00:14:29.20
Exactly and so, it is a delight
00:14:32.23\00:14:34.67
when you look
forward to do service
00:14:34.70\00:14:39.67
and also listen
to the word spoken,
00:14:39.71\00:14:43.11
and taking time away
from your usual routine,
00:14:43.14\00:14:46.78
and unfortunately sometimes
00:14:46.82\00:14:48.68
the Sabbath
becomes a routine to us.
00:14:48.72\00:14:51.09
Oh, it's already
Thursday, tomorrow is Friday,
00:14:51.12\00:14:53.62
I better hurry up, you
know, it becomes a burden.
00:14:53.66\00:14:56.22
But why does it become
a burden to some people?
00:14:56.26\00:14:58.63
What do you think, Brian?
00:14:58.66\00:15:00.00
I guess maybe
over a period of time,
00:15:00.03\00:15:01.80
because I know in my past,
00:15:01.83\00:15:03.43
whenever I
wasn't a Sabbath keeper,
00:15:03.47\00:15:05.97
whenever I was going
to church on Sundays,
00:15:06.00\00:15:09.27
things are so much different now
00:15:09.30\00:15:11.61
that I'm going on the Sabbath.
00:15:11.64\00:15:14.28
You know, I'm
going to fellowship
00:15:14.31\00:15:16.71
with the rest
of the congregation
00:15:16.75\00:15:18.88
and everybody else,
and spending time with God.
00:15:18.91\00:15:22.28
It seems so much different
than it used to be back then,
00:15:22.32\00:15:25.22
it has changed tremendously,
I mean, almost exponentially,
00:15:25.25\00:15:29.49
it's so much better.
00:15:29.52\00:15:30.86
You know, I feel
better about myself.
00:15:30.89\00:15:32.93
I feel better about the world,
00:15:32.96\00:15:34.76
and I feel better
about the people around me.
00:15:34.80\00:15:37.43
You know, I've
created friends and family
00:15:37.47\00:15:42.14
in the
congregation and in the church
00:15:42.17\00:15:44.07
that I never had before
00:15:44.11\00:15:45.64
and didn't feel before
anywhere else, you know.
00:15:45.67\00:15:49.64
And it is a complete blessing
and a gift to be able to come
00:15:49.68\00:15:54.25
and do this on the Sabbath
00:15:54.28\00:15:56.08
but, of course, we
can't lose focus of doing it
00:15:56.12\00:15:57.99
every day of the week,
00:15:58.02\00:15:59.35
you know, praising
God, and uniting with God,
00:15:59.39\00:16:01.42
and praying to
Him every single day.
00:16:01.46\00:16:04.06
But the Sabbath is set aside,
00:16:04.09\00:16:06.43
it was sanctified for
us to do that on that day.
00:16:06.46\00:16:09.50
That's right.
00:16:09.53\00:16:10.87
You made a good point because
or more than one good point,
00:16:10.90\00:16:13.70
but the...
00:16:13.74\00:16:16.81
You know, God never
wanted us or doesn't want us
00:16:16.84\00:16:19.27
just to be a
Christian on one particular day.
00:16:19.31\00:16:21.38
You're a Christian every day.
00:16:21.41\00:16:22.74
You're the child
of the Lord, 24/7.
00:16:22.78\00:16:24.91
And so the Sabbath day
is a day that God has said,
00:16:24.95\00:16:29.52
you know, I'm
gonna give you six days
00:16:29.55\00:16:31.79
to do everything you
want to do within goodness,
00:16:31.82\00:16:36.76
but on the seventh
day gift, that's my day.
00:16:36.79\00:16:40.16
I want you to keep that holy.
00:16:40.20\00:16:41.93
I want you to
spend time with me.
00:16:41.96\00:16:43.83
I want you to
worship in spirit and truth.
00:16:43.87\00:16:48.47
Let's go to James Chapter 1,
00:16:48.50\00:16:50.77
continuing the idea
of God gives us gifts.
00:16:50.81\00:16:54.31
And the reason I
want to read these verses
00:16:54.34\00:16:58.61
is because of
something it says here,
00:16:58.65\00:17:03.65
in James 1:5.
00:17:03.69\00:17:05.65
Notice how this is worded,
"If any of you lacks wisdom,
00:17:05.69\00:17:11.53
let him ask of God"
00:17:11.56\00:17:13.96
and notice "who
gives to all liberally
00:17:14.00\00:17:17.83
and without reproach,
and it would be given him,
00:17:17.87\00:17:20.87
but let him ask in
faith with no doubting,
00:17:20.90\00:17:23.87
for he who doubts is
like the wave of the sea
00:17:23.91\00:17:26.57
driven and tossed by the wind."
00:17:26.61\00:17:29.11
So my thought on this is that,
00:17:29.14\00:17:33.01
you know, God gives
to everyone liberally,
00:17:33.05\00:17:38.25
and that is something
that we should keep in mind.
00:17:38.29\00:17:40.39
He gives to
everyone of us liberally,
00:17:40.42\00:17:43.43
and when we ask God
for things that we need,
00:17:43.46\00:17:50.27
that we ask for our happiness.
00:17:50.30\00:17:52.63
You know, Jesus
said to His disciples,
00:17:52.67\00:17:54.60
you know, "You haven't
really asked for anything."
00:17:54.64\00:17:57.11
And then He says,
00:17:57.14\00:17:58.47
"Ask that your joy may be full."
00:17:58.51\00:18:02.11
He wants us to be happy
00:18:02.14\00:18:04.08
and so God is not
gonna be burdened by...
00:18:04.11\00:18:07.52
"Oh, no, Don is
just asking for just to,
00:18:07.55\00:18:10.39
everyday he is
coming with stuff,
00:18:10.42\00:18:12.32
you know, everyday he
is coming to ask things."
00:18:12.35\00:18:14.22
No.
00:18:14.26\00:18:15.59
God says,
00:18:15.62\00:18:16.96
"Ask and you will
receive, you know."
00:18:16.99\00:18:18.36
But sometimes,
00:18:18.39\00:18:19.73
you know, you hear
people say sometimes,
00:18:19.76\00:18:22.10
"Well, God's too
busy for my problems,
00:18:22.13\00:18:24.53
you know, I don't
want to bother Him
00:18:24.57\00:18:26.87
with my problems."
00:18:26.90\00:18:28.24
And that's just
Satan trying to just,
00:18:28.27\00:18:29.60
you know, keep us away from God,
00:18:29.64\00:18:31.74
keep us, you know,
00:18:31.77\00:18:33.11
from that
communication with Him.
00:18:33.14\00:18:35.08
That's true. That's true.
00:18:35.11\00:18:36.71
And people feel
unworthy because of our sins,
00:18:36.75\00:18:40.62
and, you know, it's
funny you said that,
00:18:40.65\00:18:42.62
because recently I was
sitting meditating, and reading,
00:18:42.65\00:18:47.22
and praying at the house,
00:18:47.26\00:18:49.86
and this drunken
witch just came over me.
00:18:49.89\00:18:52.26
I felt it even
in my blood stream,
00:18:52.29\00:18:55.00
you know, how I had
offended the spirit of the Lord.
00:18:55.03\00:19:00.10
I need to evaluate,
00:19:00.14\00:19:04.01
you know, look
how I'm appreciating
00:19:04.04\00:19:07.18
or embracing the Holy Spirit,
00:19:07.21\00:19:09.91
because sometimes we
just don't want to listen.
00:19:09.94\00:19:13.31
We don't want to
listen, and God is so...
00:19:13.35\00:19:17.05
Oh, He is so
faithful and so good,
00:19:17.09\00:19:19.09
He's so merciful that in
spite of us not listening,
00:19:19.12\00:19:22.52
He still blesses us with
love and kindness, you know.
00:19:22.56\00:19:27.06
He is calling us
00:19:27.10\00:19:29.20
and, you know, it was
a beautiful experience,
00:19:29.23\00:19:31.47
because I felt my very,
00:19:31.50\00:19:35.67
every fiber in my
body felt the need
00:19:35.70\00:19:38.54
of having Christ in my life.
00:19:38.57\00:19:40.61
It was a humbling experience
00:19:40.64\00:19:43.48
and I'm like, "Oh,
Lord, You were travelling,
00:19:43.51\00:19:45.68
you weren't at home."
00:19:45.71\00:19:47.05
And I'm like,
"Oh, God, thank You,
00:19:47.08\00:19:50.22
but yet I was
feeling so ashamed and so,
00:19:50.25\00:19:53.25
but yet rejoicing His
forgiveness and His...
00:19:53.29\00:19:56.32
You know, the past
haunts you, you know,
00:19:56.36\00:19:59.59
and it's something
that Satan uses to grab you
00:19:59.63\00:20:04.10
and just trample
you on the ground,
00:20:04.13\00:20:07.04
just clean the
floor with you, right?
00:20:07.07\00:20:10.14
But when we step
into God's presence,
00:20:10.17\00:20:13.81
where we
acknowledge His presence,
00:20:13.84\00:20:15.98
He's always present.
00:20:16.01\00:20:18.78
He shows you your
value what you're worth.
00:20:18.81\00:20:21.58
I was gonna say, in Luke
11, you touched on something,
00:20:21.62\00:20:23.49
Luke 11.
00:20:23.52\00:20:26.15
Actually it starts in verse 9.
00:20:26.19\00:20:27.52
I was just studying this morning
00:20:27.56\00:20:28.89
about the Holy
Spirit and the gift.
00:20:28.92\00:20:30.26
Really?
00:20:30.29\00:20:31.63
And touched down to this
piece that was interesting.
00:20:31.66\00:20:32.99
So it says in Luke 11:9, says,
00:20:33.03\00:20:35.86
"And I say unto you, ask,"
00:20:35.90\00:20:37.27
we're talking about this
ask, "and it shall be given you,
00:20:37.30\00:20:39.33
seek, and ye shall find,
00:20:39.37\00:20:41.14
knock and it shall
be opened unto you.
00:20:41.17\00:20:42.90
For every one
that asketh receiveth,"
00:20:42.94\00:20:45.07
so God wants to
give us something,
00:20:45.11\00:20:47.18
"and he that seeketh findeth
00:20:47.21\00:20:48.54
and to him that
knocketh it shall be opened.
00:20:48.58\00:20:50.25
It's a promise.
00:20:50.28\00:20:51.61
If a son shall ask bread of
any of you that is a father,
00:20:51.65\00:20:54.38
will he give him a stone?"
00:20:54.42\00:20:56.05
Well, that wouldn't be nice.
00:20:56.08\00:20:57.42
"Or if he ask a fish,
00:20:57.45\00:20:58.79
will he for a fish
give him a serpent?"
00:20:58.82\00:21:00.16
That's pretty crazy.
00:21:00.19\00:21:01.52
"Or if he shall ask an egg,
will he offer him a scorpion?"
00:21:01.56\00:21:04.13
Wow.
00:21:04.16\00:21:05.49
"If ye then, being evil,
00:21:05.53\00:21:06.86
know how much to give
good gifts unto your children,"
00:21:06.90\00:21:10.00
talking about giving gift,
00:21:10.03\00:21:11.37
"how much more
shall your heavenly Father
00:21:11.40\00:21:12.97
give the Holy Spirit
to them that ask him?
00:21:13.00\00:21:15.80
Wow!
00:21:15.84\00:21:17.17
That's an interesting comparison
00:21:17.21\00:21:19.17
and, you know,
the Lord speaks to us
00:21:19.21\00:21:20.54
in terms and the
language that we understand.
00:21:20.58\00:21:24.51
You know, if you are
willing to give good gifts
00:21:24.55\00:21:26.65
to your children,
00:21:26.68\00:21:28.02
think how much more, you
know, and I like the phrase,
00:21:28.05\00:21:30.55
how much more God
is willing to give us.
00:21:30.59\00:21:33.99
Just a kind of go with
what Don just read here
00:21:34.02\00:21:36.73
in this Bible,
00:21:36.76\00:21:38.36
it's the Andrews Study Bible.
00:21:38.39\00:21:40.23
At the bottom
00:21:40.26\00:21:41.60
it has a little
bit of commentary,
00:21:41.63\00:21:42.96
and it says on
the Holy Spirit says,
00:21:43.00\00:21:45.30
"That it's the greatest
and most essential of gifts.
00:21:45.33\00:21:50.31
The spirit brings close
the guidance and power of God.
00:21:50.34\00:21:53.58
Greatest and most
essential of gifts."
00:21:53.61\00:21:56.11
Oh, oh, yes.
00:21:56.14\00:21:58.45
I would like to go
back to James Chapter 1,
00:21:58.48\00:22:03.65
because it brings out
something very powerful
00:22:03.69\00:22:06.55
that we should understand
00:22:06.59\00:22:08.66
and that is in James 1:17,
00:22:08.69\00:22:12.89
it says, "Every good
gift and every perfect gift
00:22:12.93\00:22:17.93
is from above,
00:22:17.97\00:22:19.43
and comes down from
the Father of lights,
00:22:19.47\00:22:21.47
with whom there is no
variation or shadow of turning."
00:22:21.50\00:22:27.04
And that is something
00:22:27.08\00:22:29.01
that we should keep in our mind,
00:22:29.04\00:22:30.38
you know, the
Lord gives us things
00:22:30.41\00:22:33.78
and because He
wants us to be happy.
00:22:33.82\00:22:37.39
He wants us to be happy
and God doesn't, you know,
00:22:37.42\00:22:41.92
we think of our days,
oh, a new day has begun,
00:22:41.96\00:22:46.36
you just wake up,
00:22:46.39\00:22:47.80
you know, from
what we understand
00:22:47.83\00:22:49.16
God doesn't sleep.
00:22:49.20\00:22:50.53
God is not when you wake up,
00:22:50.57\00:22:51.90
say, "Let's see who
I can make sad today.
00:22:51.93\00:22:54.57
Who I can make unhappy today."
00:22:54.60\00:22:57.17
No, God wants to bless
us, help us and lift us up,
00:22:57.21\00:23:02.54
and that's why, you know,
00:23:02.58\00:23:04.61
you even read
Jesus is echoing things
00:23:04.65\00:23:08.05
that have already
been said in the Bible,
00:23:08.08\00:23:10.09
in the Old
Testament better said,
00:23:10.12\00:23:12.22
because He says,
00:23:12.25\00:23:13.59
"Come unto Me
00:23:13.62\00:23:15.29
all ye that are
weary and heavy laden."
00:23:15.32\00:23:18.43
And He's not, you're
weary, don't come to me,
00:23:18.46\00:23:22.76
He says, "Come to me,"
00:23:22.80\00:23:24.33
and then He says,
"I will give you rest."
00:23:24.37\00:23:27.57
You know, that's an
invitation for us to rest.
00:23:27.60\00:23:31.57
So every perfect
gift, every good gift,
00:23:31.61\00:23:33.74
you know, some people think
00:23:33.78\00:23:35.61
especially those
that don't know the Lord,
00:23:35.64\00:23:38.11
that the things
they have in their home,
00:23:38.15\00:23:40.72
whether you have a
house or don't have a house,
00:23:40.75\00:23:42.88
if you have
clothing on your back
00:23:42.92\00:23:44.65
and you say, "Well, I
worked really hard for this."
00:23:44.69\00:23:47.12
But when you start
analyzing these things,
00:23:47.16\00:23:49.89
you know, we are talking
about the origin of words
00:23:49.92\00:23:51.76
before we started this program.
00:23:51.79\00:23:53.13
When you start
analyzing this thing
00:23:53.16\00:23:54.50
where, you mean, you worked,
yes, how was it you worked?
00:23:54.53\00:23:58.43
Because I got up.
00:23:58.47\00:23:59.80
Well, God gave you
life so that you can get up.
00:23:59.83\00:24:01.74
He gave you breath
00:24:01.77\00:24:03.10
so that you
could breathe, and...
00:24:03.14\00:24:04.67
Gave hands and feet.
00:24:04.71\00:24:06.04
Hands and feet,
00:24:06.07\00:24:07.48
and health and
strength to be able to work.
00:24:07.51\00:24:09.94
So all this comes back
to God gave us these things,
00:24:09.98\00:24:14.88
so that you could work
and so it goes back to,
00:24:14.92\00:24:19.09
we should be
thankful to the Lord.
00:24:19.12\00:24:20.46
Yeah.
00:24:20.49\00:24:21.82
And so, I just think
that if we could keep a...
00:24:21.86\00:24:26.80
Some people say, an
attitude of gratitude,
00:24:26.83\00:24:29.76
it would be much,
much better for us,
00:24:29.80\00:24:31.67
much more better for us.
00:24:31.70\00:24:33.17
But I want to
read one scripture,
00:24:33.20\00:24:36.87
and if I'm not mistaken
it's 1 Corinthians 15:57,
00:24:36.91\00:24:40.14
and if it's not 1
Corinthians 15:57,
00:24:40.18\00:24:42.38
then I will know
when I get there,
00:24:42.41\00:24:43.81
because I'm
relying on the memory here,
00:24:43.85\00:24:48.55
and let's see...
00:24:48.58\00:24:54.09
Yes, no, that's
really not the one,
00:24:54.12\00:24:57.63
that's not the one
I was talking about,
00:24:57.66\00:24:58.99
this is a good one
though, it's a good one.
00:24:59.03\00:25:00.36
I'll find the other one,
it says 1 Corinthians 15:57,
00:25:00.40\00:25:03.37
"But thanks be to God,
00:25:03.40\00:25:04.90
who gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ."
00:25:04.93\00:25:10.31
So what can we say about that,
00:25:10.34\00:25:12.44
that God gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
00:25:12.47\00:25:15.78
I'll look up the other
verse that I was thinking of,
00:25:15.81\00:25:17.15
but go ahead.
00:25:17.18\00:25:18.51
I was about to say what
Idalia was talking about
00:25:18.55\00:25:20.48
just earlier about
whenever you are sorrowful
00:25:20.52\00:25:25.85
because of all the
sins that you've done
00:25:25.89\00:25:28.06
and you're stuck
in that wrath of sin.
00:25:28.09\00:25:30.83
You know, God gives you
the chance to cleanse yourself
00:25:30.86\00:25:34.56
of all of those sins,
00:25:34.60\00:25:36.30
and gives you
freedom from those.
00:25:36.33\00:25:37.77
When you're stuck in those sins,
00:25:37.80\00:25:39.13
even though you're sorrowful,
00:25:39.17\00:25:40.50
and you feel bad for doing them,
00:25:40.54\00:25:42.24
chances are if you
haven't got God in your life,
00:25:42.27\00:25:44.54
you gonna keep doing those,
00:25:44.57\00:25:45.91
and you're gonna stay in
that sin until you find God,
00:25:45.94\00:25:48.31
and until you get free
from that sin through God
00:25:48.34\00:25:52.78
and through Christ.
00:25:52.81\00:25:54.15
Yeah, you know, it's
interesting you mentioned
00:25:54.18\00:25:55.52
'cause this last week
something happened to me.
00:25:55.55\00:25:57.42
And I fell back into some
old ruts I've been in before,
00:25:57.45\00:26:01.02
and the enemy is
working really hard right now.
00:26:01.06\00:26:03.56
Lot of people I
talk on the phones,
00:26:03.59\00:26:05.26
there's a lot of stuff people
are going back into something
00:26:05.29\00:26:07.40
that happened to me.
00:26:07.43\00:26:08.76
I fell into it, but
I just praised the Lord
00:26:08.80\00:26:11.03
because it says every good
gift and He has forgiveness.
00:26:11.07\00:26:14.80
Forgiveness is so
huge. Gift of forgiveness.
00:26:14.84\00:26:16.81
Yes, that's right.
00:26:16.84\00:26:18.17
You know, when I went,
00:26:18.21\00:26:19.54
I do prison
ministries on Wednesday nights,
00:26:19.57\00:26:20.91
and when I do
prison ministry that night
00:26:20.94\00:26:22.48
and they were
thanking me for being in there.
00:26:22.51\00:26:24.05
And I just walked
out and I was like,
00:26:24.08\00:26:25.41
"I've been
redeemed. I've been redeemed.
00:26:25.45\00:26:27.52
I'm seeing it,
I've been redeemed."
00:26:27.55\00:26:28.88
And I was just...
00:26:28.92\00:26:30.25
I felt like I was
just blowing, and I'm like,
00:26:30.29\00:26:31.62
and all these
guards are probably like,
00:26:31.65\00:26:32.99
"What's wrong with this guy,
00:26:33.02\00:26:34.36
you know, he's
probably seen us."
00:26:34.39\00:26:36.52
That's funny.
00:26:36.56\00:26:37.89
Just today I told Johnny,
oh, we should sing redeem
00:26:37.93\00:26:41.00
and here you are sharing.
00:26:41.03\00:26:43.53
Yes, we have been redeemed
by the blood of the Lamb.
00:26:43.57\00:26:46.20
And I know that our topic,
00:26:46.23\00:26:48.50
we haven't even
started with our topic.
00:26:48.54\00:26:50.51
What I think is that
00:26:52.97\00:26:54.84
God, He's abundant
and His forgiveness
00:26:54.88\00:26:58.65
is in abundance and complete.
00:26:58.68\00:27:01.68
And we as human
beings, we say, we forgive.
00:27:01.72\00:27:07.12
but we don't forgive,
00:27:07.16\00:27:08.69
and we forget that we
need to accept a forgiveness
00:27:08.72\00:27:13.46
that God offers us
today, and accept it,
00:27:13.50\00:27:17.80
and His love is unconditional.
00:27:17.83\00:27:19.83
So it doesn't matter
what you've done up until now,
00:27:19.87\00:27:24.81
if you ask the
Lord, please forgive me,
00:27:24.84\00:27:27.71
and I want a new beginning,
you must speak the word,
00:27:27.74\00:27:32.45
and the word will
be true in your life.
00:27:32.48\00:27:35.48
The Lord will forgive
you and you will feel free
00:27:35.52\00:27:39.65
from those burdens
that are keeping you down.
00:27:39.69\00:27:41.82
I like this verse here,
it's Ephesians 2:8 and 9.
00:27:41.86\00:27:48.63
And as we were kind of
00:27:48.66\00:27:50.40
preparing for
this family worship,
00:27:50.43\00:27:53.23
this is the verse
that came to my head,
00:27:53.27\00:27:56.17
Verse 8 starts
00:27:56.20\00:27:57.54
"For by grace you have
been saved through faith,
00:27:57.57\00:27:59.84
and that not of yourselves,
00:27:59.87\00:28:01.84
it is the gift of
God, not of works,
00:28:01.88\00:28:05.01
lest anyone should boast."
00:28:05.05\00:28:06.41
It's a gift of God
00:28:06.45\00:28:08.15
and He gives us so
many different gifts that,
00:28:08.18\00:28:11.65
you know, this is
just one gift that He gives
00:28:11.69\00:28:14.92
and, you know,
we were talking to,
00:28:14.96\00:28:17.03
I mean,
preparation for this program
00:28:17.06\00:28:18.59
about 1 Corinthians 13 and
how, you know, the greatest...
00:28:18.63\00:28:23.23
Well, it's not the greatest,
00:28:23.26\00:28:24.97
but, you know, about
how magnificent love is
00:28:25.00\00:28:30.31
and how God has that true love,
00:28:30.34\00:28:33.17
and how we can mess up
the word love, you know.
00:28:33.21\00:28:37.45
I think in our society today,
00:28:37.48\00:28:39.61
love is used so loosely
00:28:39.65\00:28:41.38
that we don't really have
a good understanding of it.
00:28:41.42\00:28:43.85
But, you know, I've
really liked that chapter,
00:28:43.89\00:28:46.92
because it tells you,
00:28:46.96\00:28:48.42
you know,
especially for a Christian,
00:28:48.46\00:28:50.89
you know, to kind of
revisit that every now and then,
00:28:50.93\00:28:54.10
because we can get in
those ruts too of thinking,
00:28:54.13\00:28:56.36
you know, that we are doing this
00:28:56.40\00:28:58.17
and doing that
00:28:58.20\00:28:59.53
and, you know, I'm
doing this for You, Lord,
00:28:59.57\00:29:01.07
you know, I'm
doing that for You, Lord,
00:29:01.10\00:29:02.64
it's like, wait
a minute, you know.
00:29:02.67\00:29:04.21
Yes.
00:29:04.24\00:29:05.57
Because we do love, we
love our favorite umbrella,
00:29:05.61\00:29:07.98
we love our pot and pan
00:29:08.01\00:29:09.98
or, you know, we
love so many things
00:29:10.01\00:29:12.85
and also we have
tarnished, set away word,
00:29:12.88\00:29:18.12
what love is, you know.
00:29:18.15\00:29:21.89
Children that have had,
00:29:21.92\00:29:25.23
that have not
had a good childhood
00:29:25.26\00:29:27.70
because of the abuse by
authority in their life,
00:29:27.73\00:29:32.00
they don't have a
nice picture of love.
00:29:32.03\00:29:34.74
They think that it's normal
00:29:34.77\00:29:36.57
but when they grow up they say,
00:29:36.60\00:29:38.27
that was not love at all,
00:29:38.31\00:29:40.04
and that itself
drains their energies
00:29:40.08\00:29:43.14
and withdraw their self-esteem,
tampers their self-esteem.
00:29:43.18\00:29:47.62
But yet we as Christians,
00:29:47.65\00:29:49.98
we tampered what
the word love means
00:29:50.02\00:29:54.49
because we are not Christ like,
00:29:54.52\00:29:57.03
you know, we have
our ups and downs,
00:29:57.06\00:30:00.46
but we need to struggle
or to be willing by Jesus
00:30:00.50\00:30:06.60
to put self aside and represent
what love is, you know.
00:30:06.63\00:30:11.67
And one of the stories
that I wanted to share with you
00:30:11.71\00:30:15.51
an experience,
00:30:15.54\00:30:18.48
was when Samuel
was a little boy.
00:30:18.51\00:30:22.48
We have two sons
Samuel and Caleb.
00:30:22.52\00:30:25.72
Somebody came over to the house,
00:30:25.75\00:30:28.36
and Samuel went to his room
00:30:28.39\00:30:30.23
because he really appreciated
the person that came.
00:30:30.26\00:30:32.96
He was so excited and a
child expresses their love
00:30:32.99\00:30:36.53
by giving something
that they own, you know.
00:30:36.56\00:30:39.60
So Samuel ran to his room,
00:30:39.63\00:30:41.27
he got this tiny little toy
that was very special to him
00:30:41.30\00:30:46.21
and he just felt so good
about offering that little gift
00:30:46.24\00:30:50.68
to the person that came over.
00:30:50.71\00:30:52.88
And the person's like,
00:30:52.91\00:30:54.25
"Oh, no, no, no,
no, I don't need that.
00:30:54.28\00:30:56.25
I don't need that toy.
00:30:56.28\00:30:57.62
It's okay, you can keep it."
00:30:57.65\00:30:59.49
And as adults we can say,
you know, it's just a toy,
00:30:59.52\00:31:04.99
or no you can keep
it and may have you,
00:31:05.03\00:31:08.03
but what we don't register
00:31:08.06\00:31:09.86
is that they're
giving their very,
00:31:09.90\00:31:12.50
the most valuable things
that they have at their hand,
00:31:12.53\00:31:17.77
at their disposure.
00:31:17.81\00:31:19.67
So he was given
a gift and he said,
00:31:19.71\00:31:22.08
"No, don't reject it."
00:31:22.11\00:31:24.35
I said before the
person left, "Don't reject it,
00:31:24.38\00:31:26.78
even if you put it in a box
in your house or what have you,
00:31:26.82\00:31:30.12
but he's giving
you all that he has."
00:31:30.15\00:31:32.25
It's like emptying
his little toy bag,
00:31:32.29\00:31:34.69
just to find that very
special gift for that person.
00:31:34.72\00:31:38.49
So sometimes we
don't value the gift
00:31:38.53\00:31:42.80
or the purpose
of the gift, right?
00:31:42.83\00:31:46.03
And we need to
learn to value gifts.
00:31:46.07\00:31:48.64
It doesn't matter
00:31:48.67\00:31:50.01
if it's an empty
box that you get.
00:31:50.04\00:31:52.67
All their hugs in
there, it's filled with hugs,
00:31:52.71\00:31:54.78
so you don't see
the hugs in there,
00:31:54.81\00:31:56.54
but they're sending you hugs.
00:31:56.58\00:31:58.01
That's very nice. That's cute.
00:31:58.05\00:31:59.48
I don't know.
00:31:59.51\00:32:01.05
It just reminds me
00:32:01.08\00:32:02.42
of what happened
to my young brother.
00:32:02.45\00:32:04.35
He picked a bunch of
dandelions for my grandmother,
00:32:04.39\00:32:06.69
my grandmother wasn't...
00:32:06.72\00:32:08.39
She had some issues.
00:32:08.42\00:32:09.76
And she smacked
them out of his hand,
00:32:09.79\00:32:11.13
she was, "Oh they're weeds.
00:32:11.16\00:32:12.49
I don't want those."
00:32:12.53\00:32:13.86
And it really damaged
him, it can hurt people.
00:32:13.90\00:32:16.60
When they're offerings a
gift of what they think is love
00:32:16.63\00:32:18.87
and you do that, it
really, it can really hurt,
00:32:18.90\00:32:22.07
so yeah, that's a good
point you made, thank you.
00:32:22.10\00:32:23.81
Well, you know,
I wanted to share
00:32:23.84\00:32:26.14
and maybe
somebody listening to us
00:32:26.17\00:32:28.84
has gone through this experience
00:32:28.88\00:32:30.48
and that is or maybe here.
00:32:30.51\00:32:33.48
Has anyone ever
caught you by surprise
00:32:33.52\00:32:35.78
and given you a gift
and completely unexpected,
00:32:35.82\00:32:39.55
or maybe even a surprise party,
00:32:39.59\00:32:42.66
or some kind of surprise
00:32:42.69\00:32:44.86
that you
completely did not expect
00:32:44.89\00:32:48.06
and you were just
overwhelmed, like,
00:32:48.10\00:32:50.30
"Me, I don't deserve this."
00:32:50.33\00:32:52.53
You know, and you're like,
"Wow, I really appreciate it,
00:32:52.57\00:32:56.64
I am loved by somebody,"
00:32:56.67\00:32:58.84
or whoever it was
that did this thing,
00:32:58.87\00:33:02.11
and you feel good about it.
00:33:02.14\00:33:03.65
At the same time, you're like,
"Wow, somebody took notice,
00:33:03.68\00:33:06.48
somebody remembered me."
00:33:06.51\00:33:08.98
And I just, you know,
00:33:09.02\00:33:10.69
entering into the
experience of somebody
00:33:10.72\00:33:13.46
that perhaps either
heard something about God,
00:33:13.49\00:33:18.79
he has a wrong conception,
wrong understanding of God,
00:33:18.83\00:33:22.30
but finally
begins to comprehend.
00:33:22.33\00:33:24.90
God gave His Son, so
that He could die for me,
00:33:24.93\00:33:27.47
so that I could
have eternal life,
00:33:27.50\00:33:31.61
so that I could live forever
00:33:31.64\00:33:33.84
in happiness,
and peace, and joy.
00:33:33.88\00:33:37.35
When you take all
that in and you say,
00:33:37.38\00:33:39.45
"Wow, you mean God
loved me that much.
00:33:39.48\00:33:43.08
And all this time,
00:33:43.12\00:33:44.82
I've kind of
kept away from God."
00:33:44.85\00:33:46.59
And you realize
00:33:46.62\00:33:47.96
that you've done
yourself wrong, you've done...
00:33:47.99\00:33:49.72
You've done
yourself some damage,
00:33:49.76\00:33:51.43
if you want to say that way.
00:33:51.46\00:33:52.79
When you finally
realize God has been,
00:33:52.83\00:33:55.00
has loved you so much
and I kept away from Him
00:33:55.03\00:33:57.33
so long that you
began to say wow,
00:33:57.37\00:34:00.84
and you're overwhelmed
with the marvelous love of God.
00:34:00.87\00:34:03.27
I found the verse that
I wanted to share earlier
00:34:03.30\00:34:05.47
and that's 2 Corinthians 9:15.
00:34:05.51\00:34:10.61
2 Corinthians
9:15, the words are few,
00:34:10.65\00:34:16.72
but the message is huge,
00:34:16.75\00:34:19.29
"Thanks be to God for
His indescribable gift."
00:34:19.32\00:34:24.83
And in there, this
is the New King James
00:34:24.86\00:34:26.73
and then in the King James says,
00:34:26.76\00:34:28.10
"Thanks be to God for
His unspeakable gift."
00:34:28.13\00:34:32.83
No words to describe.
00:34:32.87\00:34:34.27
When you mentioned of
something that happened to me,
00:34:34.30\00:34:36.40
the Holy Spirit
just does things,
00:34:36.44\00:34:37.77
I speak to people
and pray with them.
00:34:37.81\00:34:39.21
I began reflecting like
we did this earlier about,
00:34:39.24\00:34:41.31
you know, the creation week
00:34:41.34\00:34:43.18
and God made all these days.
00:34:43.21\00:34:44.55
Jesus made those days for
us, so He was in the beginning,
00:34:44.58\00:34:47.38
so He made those things.
00:34:47.42\00:34:48.75
And I go on to 2
Corinthians 5:21, it says,
00:34:48.78\00:34:51.65
"He was made to be sin for us,
00:34:51.69\00:34:54.76
who knew no sin that we might be
00:34:54.79\00:34:56.29
the
righteousness of God in Him."
00:34:56.32\00:34:57.79
And I think about that,
00:34:57.83\00:34:59.16
here is the
creator who made everything
00:34:59.19\00:35:00.80
but yet He was
made to be sin for us.
00:35:00.83\00:35:03.87
It's just hard for
your mind to fathom,
00:35:03.90\00:35:06.97
how could that be,
you know, how some stuff?
00:35:07.00\00:35:10.14
That's one of the
verses that I think
00:35:10.17\00:35:12.91
we're gonna be thinking
about throughout eternity.
00:35:12.94\00:35:15.01
I mean the fact, the idea,
00:35:15.04\00:35:17.71
that because you're showing,
00:35:17.75\00:35:19.81
you're talking
about two extremes, sin.
00:35:19.85\00:35:22.22
Yeah, something He
didn't make. That's right.
00:35:22.25\00:35:24.82
Sin, which is darkness,
evil, and righteousness,
00:35:24.85\00:35:29.92
so He was made to be sin
00:35:29.96\00:35:32.19
so that we might be made
the righteousness of God in Him
00:35:32.23\00:35:35.03
which is complete holiness,
00:35:35.06\00:35:37.37
and it's
marvelous, it's marvelous.
00:35:37.40\00:35:38.87
But when you think about Jesus
00:35:38.90\00:35:41.54
and then the
indescribable gift of Jesus
00:35:41.57\00:35:44.31
that God has given us,
00:35:44.34\00:35:46.27
the fact that where He was
before He came to this earth,
00:35:46.31\00:35:51.05
worshiped by angels,
songs written about Jesus,
00:35:51.08\00:35:56.25
had to come to this earth
00:35:56.28\00:35:57.62
and you know, you read it
00:35:57.65\00:35:59.12
and you read in
Matthew Chapter 1
00:35:59.15\00:36:03.06
and you hear
that, wait a minute,
00:36:03.09\00:36:05.16
here's the Savior of the
world, the King of the universe,
00:36:05.19\00:36:09.10
that if you were
to ask the angels
00:36:09.13\00:36:11.27
prepare a place for
the Messiah to be born.
00:36:11.30\00:36:14.24
Oh, they would be wondering,
00:36:14.27\00:36:15.97
oh, let's make, you
know, something marvelous,
00:36:16.00\00:36:17.77
something
fantastic, something great,
00:36:17.81\00:36:19.84
something that has
never been seen before.
00:36:19.87\00:36:21.88
Let's make some special
place for Jesus to be born in.
00:36:21.91\00:36:26.75
And they would be also
00:36:26.78\00:36:28.72
so joyous to have the
privilege to make something
00:36:28.75\00:36:31.62
where the Savior would be born,
00:36:31.65\00:36:33.46
and when you
read the scriptures,
00:36:33.49\00:36:36.29
it says, He was
born in a manger.
00:36:36.32\00:36:41.10
It's amazing to think,
you know, about those things.
00:36:41.13\00:36:44.73
That's a really
powerful thought,
00:36:44.77\00:36:46.10
you know, from Jesus who is.
00:36:46.13\00:36:47.77
I like this and kind of
you touched on James 1:17,
00:36:47.80\00:36:51.21
I know we've read
this earlier before,
00:36:51.24\00:36:52.74
it said, it's out
of Steps to Christ,
00:36:52.77\00:36:54.54
"So the heart of God
yearns over His earthly children
00:36:54.58\00:36:56.75
with a love
stronger than death."
00:36:56.78\00:36:58.41
Wow.
00:36:58.45\00:36:59.78
"In giving up His Son,
00:36:59.81\00:37:01.15
He has poured out to
us all heaven in one gift.
00:37:01.18\00:37:04.85
The Savior's life and
death and intercession,
00:37:04.89\00:37:06.55
the ministry of angels,
the pleading of the Spirit,
00:37:06.59\00:37:09.36
the Father working
above and through all,
00:37:09.39\00:37:11.56
the unceasing
interest of heavenly beings,
00:37:11.59\00:37:13.86
all are enlisted in
behalf of man's redemption."
00:37:13.90\00:37:18.20
Where is that from?
00:37:18.23\00:37:19.57
Steps to
Christ, it says page 21.
00:37:19.60\00:37:22.60
That's a
marvelous, marvelous thought,
00:37:22.64\00:37:24.37
you know, when
you think about that.
00:37:24.41\00:37:26.51
And to think that
when God, the Father,
00:37:26.54\00:37:30.78
you know, think of John 3:16,
00:37:30.81\00:37:33.21
"That God so loved the world
00:37:33.25\00:37:35.55
that He gave His
only begotten Son."
00:37:35.58\00:37:38.19
And then there's that word,
00:37:38.22\00:37:39.55
that word again
that tells you everybody,
00:37:39.59\00:37:41.59
"Whosoever believes in him
00:37:41.62\00:37:44.66
will not perish but
have everlasting life."
00:37:44.69\00:37:47.30
And, you know,
00:37:47.33\00:37:48.66
there are so many scriptures
that talk to you about.
00:37:48.70\00:37:53.97
I'm talking about,
00:37:54.00\00:37:55.34
you know, inclusive,
God includes everyone.
00:37:55.37\00:37:58.27
He gives to everyone liberally.
00:37:58.31\00:38:00.74
"Whosoever will let him take
up the water of life freely.
00:38:00.78\00:38:03.61
Come on to me
00:38:03.65\00:38:04.98
all ye that are
weary and heavy-laden."
00:38:05.01\00:38:06.78
Everyone can have
the blessing of Jesus.
00:38:06.82\00:38:10.19
Wow.
00:38:10.22\00:38:11.55
You know,
something I never thought of
00:38:11.59\00:38:12.92
as a gift before is repentance.
00:38:12.95\00:38:15.49
And after
reading Steps to Christ
00:38:15.52\00:38:18.73
and learning in there
00:38:18.76\00:38:20.26
that it's the goodness of
God that leads us to repentance.
00:38:20.30\00:38:22.96
We don't, you know, we
don't have that on our own,
00:38:23.00\00:38:26.10
that He leads us to
repentance and then we want to,
00:38:26.13\00:38:29.80
and that was really
kind of like blew my mind
00:38:29.84\00:38:32.74
when I first read it, like, wow,
00:38:32.77\00:38:34.58
you know, because
I guess in my mind
00:38:34.61\00:38:36.58
I had a distorted
thought of what repentance was,
00:38:36.61\00:38:39.01
like it was something
we kind of like conjure up
00:38:39.05\00:38:41.82
or, you know, like we
just think of on our own
00:38:41.85\00:38:44.85
which it's not true.
00:38:44.89\00:38:46.39
It's something
that God puts in us
00:38:46.42\00:38:48.59
and He leads us to it.
00:38:48.62\00:38:50.43
And, you know, I think that was
00:38:50.46\00:38:52.66
really just something neat that,
00:38:52.69\00:38:54.90
you know, I learned
in Steps to Christ that,
00:38:54.93\00:38:58.13
about repentance.
00:38:58.17\00:38:59.50
And it's just amazing
how many gifts God gives us
00:38:59.53\00:39:02.00
that we don't see as
gifts like you're talking about.
00:39:02.04\00:39:04.47
We don't value,
00:39:04.51\00:39:07.21
we don't
sometimes value God's gifts,
00:39:07.24\00:39:11.38
sometimes actually
we value material things
00:39:11.41\00:39:13.72
more than we value God's gifts.
00:39:13.75\00:39:16.48
Exactly, the spiritual gifts.
00:39:16.52\00:39:19.82
Yeah, I thank God
for the gift of Jesus,
00:39:19.85\00:39:22.86
for His ministry.
00:39:22.89\00:39:25.23
And I thank God that through Him
00:39:25.26\00:39:28.66
I may be saved, you know.
00:39:28.70\00:39:30.97
Amen.
00:39:31.00\00:39:32.80
And through Him I can...
00:39:32.83\00:39:36.10
This is a learning process.
00:39:36.14\00:39:38.77
I don't know, when it hit
you, guys, in your lifetime
00:39:38.81\00:39:41.91
in your
spiritual walk with Lord.
00:39:41.94\00:39:45.18
When we talk to
our kids at home,
00:39:45.21\00:39:48.52
when they're little,
00:39:48.55\00:39:49.88
we are painting this panorama
00:39:49.92\00:39:54.26
picture of Jesus,
00:39:54.29\00:39:57.09
you know, but then we
talk with them and said,
00:39:57.13\00:40:00.10
"Someday you will
be out of this home,
00:40:00.13\00:40:03.23
and someday you will
have to make a decision
00:40:03.26\00:40:05.67
that God is your God and
not your mom and dad's God.
00:40:05.70\00:40:10.37
So Jesus didn't come
to save mommy and papi,
00:40:10.41\00:40:14.74
so we can take you
in our arms with us.
00:40:14.78\00:40:17.41
Mom and dad cannot save
you, only God can save you.
00:40:17.45\00:40:21.38
So through Jesus Christ and...
00:40:21.42\00:40:23.82
I tell them, in due
time you will mature
00:40:23.85\00:40:26.99
and there's a season
when things kind of like,
00:40:27.02\00:40:29.66
oh, duh, like a piece of puzzle.
00:40:29.69\00:40:32.43
And even to my age today.
00:40:32.46\00:40:35.13
And I've heard the
messages so many times
00:40:35.16\00:40:37.63
throughout my lifetime,
in Spanish and in English.
00:40:37.67\00:40:40.30
You think I'll get
it sooner, you know.
00:40:40.34\00:40:42.20
I'm like, wow, what?
00:40:42.24\00:40:45.57
So, anyway.
00:40:45.61\00:40:48.24
Thank the Lord
for the gift of Jesus.
00:40:48.28\00:40:51.21
And one of my
favorite chapters is John 14.
00:40:51.25\00:40:56.89
Yeah, very good.
00:40:56.92\00:40:58.29
He, you know, He has
shown me that His goodness
00:40:58.32\00:41:04.03
and His mercy in my lifetime.
00:41:04.06\00:41:06.66
And I thank Jesus
that He intercedes for me.
00:41:06.70\00:41:12.43
And through the
highs and lows in life,
00:41:12.47\00:41:15.37
we have learnt to
praise the Lord anyhow,
00:41:15.40\00:41:19.07
in my sadness,
in my happy times,
00:41:19.11\00:41:22.44
in my
challenges, in my victories.
00:41:22.48\00:41:25.25
I've learnt that my
battles, the battles are,
00:41:25.28\00:41:28.28
the battle is the Lord's.
00:41:28.32\00:41:30.62
And mine is the
victory through Christ Jesus.
00:41:30.65\00:41:33.56
Amen.
00:41:33.59\00:41:34.92
So it comforts my heart,
00:41:34.96\00:41:36.62
to let not my heart be troubled.
00:41:36.66\00:41:39.29
"If you believe in
God, believe also in Me."
00:41:39.33\00:41:43.97
It's chapter 14:1-6,
I think I'm gonna read,
00:41:44.00\00:41:48.27
"In My Father's
house are many mansions,
00:41:48.30\00:41:51.67
if it were not so, I
would have told you so.
00:41:51.71\00:41:54.54
I go to prepare a place for you.
00:41:54.58\00:41:56.81
And if I go and
prepare a place for you,
00:41:56.85\00:41:59.11
I will come again and
receive you unto Myself,
00:41:59.15\00:42:03.15
that where I am,
there you may be also.
00:42:03.18\00:42:07.16
And where I go you
know, and the way you know."
00:42:07.19\00:42:10.89
So I think that
when we experience Jesus
00:42:10.93\00:42:16.03
answering our prayers
00:42:16.06\00:42:18.40
or, we acknowledge His presence
00:42:18.43\00:42:20.97
that is powered that
is manifested in our lives
00:42:21.00\00:42:24.41
that this becomes
so real in our hearts,
00:42:24.44\00:42:28.18
you know, these promises,
00:42:28.21\00:42:29.74
because to some it may be words.
00:42:29.78\00:42:31.51
"Well, Idalia, I've not
had an experience like you.
00:42:31.55\00:42:34.32
How can this word that
you're sharing be so real to me
00:42:34.35\00:42:38.92
because I've not
had the experience
00:42:38.95\00:42:41.62
that you've had with Jesus."
00:42:41.66\00:42:44.36
And have you thought about that?
00:42:44.39\00:42:46.76
I mean, you rejoice
and you dance with the Lord
00:42:46.80\00:42:49.26
in your head, in your heart,
it's like, Lord, the Lord,
00:42:49.30\00:42:52.20
my Lord and I
are walking together
00:42:52.23\00:42:54.30
and we're planning
these mansions together.
00:42:54.34\00:42:57.31
And I know He's gonna do it
00:42:57.34\00:42:58.67
because of what He has
done in my life already.
00:42:58.71\00:43:01.11
Wonderful. That's wonderful.
00:43:01.14\00:43:03.58
You can take over.
00:43:03.61\00:43:06.31
I get too excited.
00:43:06.35\00:43:08.32
You're saying
such wonderful things,
00:43:08.35\00:43:10.59
you know, I
heard somebody say...
00:43:10.62\00:43:14.36
And I don't know if I heard it
00:43:14.39\00:43:15.72
from the person
that was saying it
00:43:15.76\00:43:17.09
or I heard
somebody say something
00:43:17.13\00:43:18.46
about some other person.
00:43:18.49\00:43:19.83
Where the person
was saying, "You know,
00:43:19.86\00:43:21.46
I'm not worthy for
God to give me a mansion,
00:43:21.50\00:43:24.13
I'm not worthy.
00:43:24.17\00:43:25.63
I'll be happy
just a little shack,
00:43:25.67\00:43:27.67
a little,
little place in heaven,
00:43:27.70\00:43:29.50
just a little shack."
00:43:29.54\00:43:31.24
And when you think
about God the Father
00:43:31.27\00:43:35.11
that He's more willing to
give good gifts to His children.
00:43:35.14\00:43:39.85
He's not going to say,
00:43:39.88\00:43:41.22
"Well you wanted a shack
00:43:41.25\00:43:42.58
so that's what we
got you, you know."
00:43:42.62\00:43:44.45
Basically God
blessed us so much,
00:43:44.49\00:43:47.56
that He's gonna give us
the very best, you know.
00:43:47.59\00:43:50.63
And because we become,
00:43:50.66\00:43:54.43
you know, what can you say,
00:43:54.46\00:43:55.80
I mean, it's just overwhelming
you think about it that,"
00:43:55.83\00:43:58.50
He says, behold," 1 John 3:1,
00:43:58.53\00:44:01.94
"Behold," that
means to me that's,
00:44:01.97\00:44:04.57
stop a moment
and think about this
00:44:04.61\00:44:06.98
"Behold, what manner of love
00:44:07.01\00:44:10.65
the father has bestowed
upon us that we may become.
00:44:10.68\00:44:14.38
That's me should be
called children of God."
00:44:14.42\00:44:18.75
Amen.
00:44:18.79\00:44:20.12
Wow, that's a lot to take
in, you know, that's a gift.
00:44:20.16\00:44:23.53
Yes.
00:44:23.56\00:44:24.89
That's just a
gift, there's nothing...
00:44:24.93\00:44:26.26
The salvation is a gift. Yeah.
00:44:26.29\00:44:29.03
And sometimes,
there's an expression says,
00:44:29.06\00:44:31.93
"The free gift."
00:44:31.97\00:44:33.74
God is trying to let us know,
you cannot purchase salvation,
00:44:33.77\00:44:37.44
you cannot work
your way to heaven.
00:44:37.47\00:44:39.67
It's a gift.
00:44:39.71\00:44:41.04
I was on a phone with a lady,
00:44:41.08\00:44:42.81
I was on phone
with a lady few days ago
00:44:42.84\00:44:44.41
and she was telling me
how every time she prays,
00:44:44.45\00:44:46.98
she hears
whispers in her head said,
00:44:47.02\00:44:48.95
that she's praying to Satan,
that she's worshiping Satan.
00:44:48.98\00:44:52.15
I was like whoa, so I
started instantly thinking on
00:44:52.19\00:44:54.69
that and I
began praying with her
00:44:54.72\00:44:56.06
and I brought in
Zechariah 3 story
00:44:56.09\00:44:58.19
with the
judgment, the God throne,
00:44:58.23\00:45:00.16
and she began weeping
profusely on the phone.
00:45:00.20\00:45:02.76
And I said, "Can I
ask you a question?
00:45:02.80\00:45:04.17
Why are you crying?"
00:45:04.20\00:45:05.73
And she says
00:45:05.77\00:45:07.10
because I didn't
feel like I was worthy,
00:45:07.14\00:45:08.47
but now I see that I am worthy.
00:45:08.50\00:45:10.61
She realized
that she was worthy.
00:45:10.64\00:45:11.97
Praise the Lord.
00:45:12.01\00:45:13.34
And God's Word,
how it breaks you
00:45:13.38\00:45:14.71
and how it lets you know
that you are a child of God.
00:45:14.74\00:45:17.28
And He's paid everything,
spent everything for you
00:45:17.31\00:45:20.18
that you can have
eternal life with Him.
00:45:20.22\00:45:21.82
Amen.
00:45:21.85\00:45:23.18
I think when we
get a small glimpse
00:45:23.22\00:45:24.69
of how much God values us,
00:45:24.72\00:45:27.16
we can see that
value in other people.
00:45:27.19\00:45:30.06
And, you know,
00:45:30.09\00:45:31.43
once we have that
experience with Him,
00:45:31.46\00:45:33.19
we will look at people
through different eyes,
00:45:33.23\00:45:36.46
you know, and like,
00:45:36.50\00:45:37.83
every person that
He made is valuable.
00:45:37.87\00:45:39.97
And, you know,
00:45:40.00\00:45:41.34
even though we don't
have any comprehension
00:45:41.37\00:45:42.80
in our human minds
of just how vast that,
00:45:42.84\00:45:46.07
you know, He values us.
00:45:46.11\00:45:48.98
It's just a small
glimpse that we can,
00:45:49.01\00:45:50.88
you know, just
enough to care for others.
00:45:50.91\00:45:53.85
My heart ached too earlier today
00:45:53.88\00:45:56.69
because I shared with somebody.
00:45:56.72\00:46:00.16
They don't go to
church or anything
00:46:00.19\00:46:01.52
but I shared with
somebody that my brother...
00:46:01.56\00:46:04.23
I just found out
00:46:04.26\00:46:05.59
that my brother
on my father's side
00:46:05.63\00:46:06.96
has vocal cord cancer
or cancer in vocal cords
00:46:07.00\00:46:10.93
if it's stroke.
00:46:10.97\00:46:12.30
And that person says,
00:46:12.33\00:46:14.04
well that person
knows my brother too.
00:46:14.07\00:46:16.30
He says, "Well, he's a smoker,
you know, what do you expect?"
00:46:16.34\00:46:20.01
Deserves it.
00:46:20.04\00:46:21.38
Exactly, and, you
know, and my heart has ached,
00:46:21.41\00:46:25.38
but an
addiction is an addiction.
00:46:25.41\00:46:30.89
And the person tries to
quit that addiction, and fails,
00:46:30.92\00:46:35.86
and tries again and fails.
00:46:35.89\00:46:37.73
But if we're not there to
support them or help them,
00:46:37.76\00:46:41.63
what outcome are we
gonna be able to claim.
00:46:41.66\00:46:45.13
So I always pray for them.
00:46:45.17\00:46:47.87
They've never stepped foot in,
00:46:47.90\00:46:49.80
in the
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:46:49.84\00:46:51.37
but only the time that
Johnny and I got married
00:46:51.41\00:46:54.21
that's when,
00:46:54.24\00:46:55.58
when they went but we
try to encourage them,
00:46:55.61\00:46:57.85
pray for them with them.
00:46:57.88\00:47:00.72
And so, our hides need to be,
00:47:00.75\00:47:03.89
just like you were saying
00:47:03.92\00:47:05.25
that once we
understand God's mercy,
00:47:05.29\00:47:07.62
and goodness, and love for us.
00:47:07.66\00:47:09.62
Who are we? We're no
better than an addict.
00:47:09.66\00:47:12.49
You know what I
mean, we're no better.
00:47:12.53\00:47:15.56
We just... Somebody else's...
00:47:15.60\00:47:17.70
My sin is not better than
somebody else's sin, you know.
00:47:17.73\00:47:22.67
Sin is sin.
00:47:22.70\00:47:24.04
Ecclesiastes 4 has
something to say on that.
00:47:24.07\00:47:25.94
What?
00:47:25.97\00:47:27.31
Ecclesiastes 4, what
you're talking about.
00:47:27.34\00:47:28.68
Oh, okay. Nine
through twelve, oh, man.
00:47:28.71\00:47:31.08
Yeah talking about,
00:47:31.11\00:47:32.45
you know, tearing somebody down,
00:47:32.48\00:47:33.82
instead of building them
up when they're struggling.
00:47:33.85\00:47:35.95
Ecclesiastes 4:9 says,
"Two are better than one."
00:47:35.98\00:47:39.65
"Because they have a
good reward for the labor.
00:47:39.69\00:47:41.59
For if they fall, the
one will lift up his fellow."
00:47:41.62\00:47:44.03
Amen.
00:47:44.06\00:47:45.69
"But woe to him that
is alone when he falleth,
00:47:45.73\00:47:47.50
for he hath not
another to help him up.
00:47:47.53\00:47:49.26
Again, if two lie
together, then they have heat,
00:47:49.30\00:47:51.23
but how can one be warm alone?"
00:47:51.27\00:47:53.37
Verse 12, "And if
one prevail against him,
00:47:53.40\00:47:55.40
two shall withstand him,
00:47:55.44\00:47:56.77
and a threefold cord
is not easily broken."
00:47:56.81\00:47:59.97
So we need to
encourage and help with them.
00:48:00.01\00:48:01.98
That's a gift.
Fellowship is a gift.
00:48:02.01\00:48:03.91
The Jesus in us,
the Jesus, the gift
00:48:03.95\00:48:06.58
that the Lord has given
us through Jesus helps us
00:48:06.61\00:48:09.88
to have the compassion...
00:48:09.92\00:48:11.72
For the others.
00:48:11.75\00:48:13.09
And this is
something that we grow into.
00:48:13.12\00:48:16.36
It doesn't come in overnight.
00:48:16.39\00:48:18.09
At least it
didn't do in my life,
00:48:18.13\00:48:20.16
it didn't come overnight.
00:48:20.20\00:48:21.73
How much I wish
that it came overnight
00:48:21.76\00:48:24.20
because Lord have mercy,
00:48:24.23\00:48:25.90
I'm not gonna get
into my past but...
00:48:25.93\00:48:29.97
We're all on a
journey. Thank you Lord.
00:48:30.01\00:48:32.44
You know, you were
speaking about the person in,
00:48:32.47\00:48:37.28
your brother and the
addiction and things like that.
00:48:37.31\00:48:41.68
And that somebody was, you know,
00:48:41.72\00:48:43.05
basically the person deserves
00:48:43.08\00:48:44.95
what he's getting
because of smoking,
00:48:44.99\00:48:47.32
but, you know, it's interesting,
00:48:47.36\00:48:48.92
the Bible helps us
00:48:48.96\00:48:50.46
to understand the
condition of someone
00:48:50.49\00:48:52.49
that doesn't give
their hearts to the Lord.
00:48:52.53\00:48:54.63
It says the carnal mind
is at enmity against God,
00:48:54.66\00:48:57.00
neither a subject
to the law of God,
00:48:57.03\00:48:59.03
neither indeed can be.
00:48:59.07\00:49:00.90
And that's in
Romans Chapter 8 but also,
00:49:00.94\00:49:04.11
the Bible says can a
leopard change his spots
00:49:04.14\00:49:09.04
or an Ethiopian change his skin?
00:49:09.08\00:49:12.11
Neither can you.
00:49:12.15\00:49:13.48
In other words,
you cannot change
00:49:13.52\00:49:15.65
unless you come to Me,
00:49:15.68\00:49:17.39
you know, basically
whoever has committed sin
00:49:17.42\00:49:22.26
really cannot
escape, cannot change
00:49:22.29\00:49:27.10
unless they come to the Lord.
00:49:27.13\00:49:29.20
And that's the
key, come to the Lord.
00:49:29.23\00:49:31.40
Thank God, we don't get
what we deserve, you know.
00:49:31.43\00:49:34.00
Thank you, Lord.
00:49:34.04\00:49:35.37
That's, you know, that's the,
00:49:35.40\00:49:36.74
the gift of Jesus and salvation
00:49:36.77\00:49:38.11
you're talking about
earlier is, you know,
00:49:38.14\00:49:39.87
you know, we all deserve death
00:49:39.91\00:49:42.41
and, you know, we've all done
things that are worthy of death
00:49:42.44\00:49:45.81
and, you know, He's
given us a second chance.
00:49:45.85\00:49:50.15
And He chose to
do it, because really
00:49:50.19\00:49:52.75
when Jesus was taken all
this pressure upon Himself
00:49:52.79\00:49:59.63
of sin of our sinners.
00:49:59.66\00:50:03.16
Do we really
appreciate that, I mean, really,
00:50:03.20\00:50:06.30
we hear the story,
00:50:06.33\00:50:07.87
but how many times
do we have to rehear it
00:50:07.90\00:50:12.01
before we take a hold of it?
00:50:12.04\00:50:15.14
Right? You must make it.
00:50:15.18\00:50:16.75
You must
personalize it, you see.
00:50:16.78\00:50:20.15
My understanding is,
you have to understand,
00:50:20.18\00:50:23.02
'cause I can read John 3:16,
"For God so loved the world..."
00:50:23.05\00:50:25.65
And I can
separate myself and say."
00:50:25.69\00:50:28.62
Oh, He loved the world."
00:50:28.66\00:50:30.19
But when I
understand that God so loved me,
00:50:30.23\00:50:33.23
that He gave His
only begotten Son.
00:50:33.26\00:50:34.83
It just changes everything.
00:50:34.86\00:50:36.77
So we have to
understand that God loved you.
00:50:36.80\00:50:40.80
Amen.
00:50:40.84\00:50:42.60
That He gave His
only begotten Son.
00:50:42.64\00:50:44.01
What made it
more personal for me,
00:50:44.04\00:50:46.17
was when I was studying,
like the sufferings of Jesus.
00:50:46.21\00:50:49.34
And I connected, like
things that I struggled,
00:50:49.38\00:50:52.11
have struggled with,
00:50:52.15\00:50:53.48
I'm struggling
with, but and how...
00:50:53.52\00:50:56.45
Like if I looked at my sin,
00:50:56.48\00:50:59.09
specific things and
then how Jesus was tempted.
00:50:59.12\00:51:02.66
And how those
connect, and that for me,
00:51:02.69\00:51:05.33
that's what did it.
00:51:05.36\00:51:06.70
That's what made Him
so much more personal...
00:51:06.73\00:51:08.06
Amen. Amen.
00:51:08.10\00:51:09.43
Connecting with sufferings.
00:51:09.46\00:51:10.80
And the wonderful gifts
that He Has given to us,
00:51:10.83\00:51:12.47
I mean, all the way
back from Genesis 1,
00:51:12.50\00:51:14.80
but I mean, if you
go back to Genesis 22
00:51:14.84\00:51:16.97
and you talk about
the story of Abraham,
00:51:17.01\00:51:20.08
whenever he's told to
go, sacrifice his son.
00:51:20.11\00:51:22.68
Oh, that's something.
00:51:22.71\00:51:24.05
You know, and then he's like,
I got to give this as a gift,
00:51:24.08\00:51:27.75
as a sacrifice,
you know, for God.
00:51:27.78\00:51:31.05
But, you know, even in verse 8,
00:51:31.09\00:51:34.59
whenever he gave
the word to Isaac,
00:51:34.62\00:51:38.09
you know, for him to carry
to prepare for the sacrifice,
00:51:38.13\00:51:41.86
you know, he even stopped,
00:51:41.90\00:51:44.07
Isaac stopped and said,
"Father, where is the lamb?"
00:51:44.10\00:51:46.63
It's like, you
know, and then in verse 8,
00:51:46.67\00:51:49.00
you know, Abraham
actually gives the gospel.
00:51:49.04\00:51:53.48
And just in that
verse, and it says,
00:51:53.51\00:51:55.38
you know, and
Abraham said in verse 8,
00:51:55.41\00:51:57.78
"My son, God
will provide Himself
00:51:57.81\00:52:00.32
the lamb for a burnt offering."
00:52:00.35\00:52:02.78
So the two of
them went together,
00:52:02.82\00:52:04.79
and they both went.
00:52:04.82\00:52:06.15
And, of course,
00:52:06.19\00:52:07.52
right before they
were getting ready
00:52:07.56\00:52:08.89
to sacrifice Isaac,
00:52:08.92\00:52:10.26
you know, the sacrifice
is caught up in the tree
00:52:10.29\00:52:13.66
and, of course,
that takes place.
00:52:13.70\00:52:15.96
And then in John,
you know, John 1:29,
00:52:16.00\00:52:19.30
whenever John the
Baptist sees Jesus coming,
00:52:19.33\00:52:23.27
"Behold, the Lamb of God..."
00:52:23.30\00:52:24.64
I'm not worthy
of. It's powerful.
00:52:24.67\00:52:26.34
And that also led back
00:52:26.37\00:52:28.51
to 2 Corinthians 5:19 or 9:15.
00:52:28.54\00:52:33.95
And I even came
up with both verses,
00:52:33.98\00:52:37.25
King James Version and
the New King James Version.
00:52:37.29\00:52:40.66
And just that description
right there of the unspeakable,
00:52:40.69\00:52:45.26
and undescribable gift
00:52:45.29\00:52:47.96
that God gave us
just from Jesus alone
00:52:48.00\00:52:51.53
and the sacrifice
of Him on Calvary.
00:52:51.57\00:52:55.20
Our words are not enough,
00:52:55.24\00:52:57.01
you know, we can never describe
00:52:57.04\00:53:01.01
how much love was given
just in that gift from God.
00:53:01.04\00:53:04.38
No words that we can
come up with can describe it
00:53:04.41\00:53:07.55
or even explain the
greatness of God's love for us.
00:53:07.58\00:53:11.95
Amen. It is so above us.
00:53:11.99\00:53:16.12
We're just finite
little human beings,
00:53:16.16\00:53:18.79
but the love that God
had for us is just immense,
00:53:18.83\00:53:23.16
you know, beyond
words exponentially,
00:53:23.20\00:53:25.73
you know, we
cannot come up with it.
00:53:25.77\00:53:27.67
Yeah, but we
learned to love like Him.
00:53:27.70\00:53:29.77
That's right.
00:53:29.80\00:53:31.14
I would like to invite,
anyone listening at this point,
00:53:31.17\00:53:34.94
to visit your local
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:53:34.98\00:53:37.61
When are thee there?
00:53:37.65\00:53:38.98
Well, normally
on Saturday morning
00:53:39.01\00:53:40.48
you'll find them
at right around 9:15,
00:53:40.52\00:53:43.08
9:30 in the morning.
00:53:43.12\00:53:45.62
Join your local
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:53:45.65\00:53:47.96
worship and enter into
worshiping the Lord, freely.
00:53:47.99\00:53:53.53
Wednesday night prayer meetings.
00:53:53.56\00:53:54.90
Wednesday night prayer meetings
00:53:54.93\00:53:56.26
from 7:30 most
Seventh-day Adventist Churches.
00:53:56.30\00:53:58.23
But there is a song that we sing
00:53:58.27\00:53:59.63
at the Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:53:59.67\00:54:01.10
and if you're in Thompsonville,
near Thompsonville, Illinois
00:54:01.14\00:54:05.11
and those cities
there, West Frankfort, Benton,
00:54:05.14\00:54:07.21
Marion,
Carbondale, Johnston City,
00:54:07.24\00:54:10.18
you're welcome to
come to the Thompsonville
00:54:10.21\00:54:11.55
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:54:11.58\00:54:12.91
And there's a song we sing there
00:54:12.95\00:54:14.28
that I really like
and it's a happy song.
00:54:14.32\00:54:18.02
And it says, "Give
thanks with a grateful heart
00:54:18.05\00:54:22.22
Give thanks unto
the Holy One Give thanks
00:54:22.26\00:54:25.16
because He's given
Jesus Christ, His son.
00:54:25.19\00:54:28.53
Amen.
00:54:28.56\00:54:29.90
And now let the weak say,
"I am strong" Let the poor say,
00:54:29.93\00:54:34.34
"I am rich Because of
what the Lord has done for us
00:54:34.37\00:54:38.97
Give thanks, give thanks"
00:54:39.01\00:54:41.64
And Pastor Lomacang
sings it with such joy,
00:54:41.68\00:54:44.81
that you just feel
happy singing about it, so.
00:54:44.85\00:54:47.68
It's a happy song.
00:54:47.72\00:54:49.05
And I think we should all pause
and give thanks to the Lord
00:54:49.08\00:54:52.99
anytime of the year,
you know, some people...
00:54:53.02\00:54:55.92
I remember
talking to a person here
00:54:55.96\00:54:58.23
in Southern Illinois actually.
00:54:58.26\00:55:00.06
And, oh, I see
you're a Christian.
00:55:00.10\00:55:02.60
I'm a Christian.
00:55:02.63\00:55:04.83
Oh, you are I said.
00:55:04.87\00:55:06.20
Yes, I go to
church twice a year.
00:55:06.23\00:55:08.54
And I just stopped
to think about that.
00:55:08.57\00:55:10.94
He said, "wait a minute",
00:55:10.97\00:55:12.84
can you really
say you're a Christian
00:55:12.87\00:55:14.21
if you go to
church twice a year?
00:55:14.24\00:55:15.94
You know, the Lord invites us
to have a daily walk with Him.
00:55:15.98\00:55:20.08
Amen.
00:55:20.12\00:55:21.88
"If any man shall come after me,
00:55:21.92\00:55:23.25
let him take up his cross daily,
00:55:23.28\00:55:24.62
and follow Me."
00:55:24.65\00:55:25.99
We should be a
Christian every single day.
00:55:26.02\00:55:27.36
And whenever the
opportunity is given
00:55:27.39\00:55:31.29
and you're able,
go to the church.
00:55:31.33\00:55:34.10
Go to church
00:55:34.13\00:55:35.46
because it's beautiful to
worship the Lord together.
00:55:35.50\00:55:38.00
Well, we have
less than two minutes,
00:55:38.03\00:55:39.80
I don't know,
00:55:39.83\00:55:41.17
if anybody wants
to take 15 seconds
00:55:41.20\00:55:42.54
to say something
of thanks to the Lord
00:55:42.57\00:55:45.01
for the great gift of Jesus.
00:55:45.04\00:55:46.37
Actually I would
like to, Isaiah 9:6,
00:55:46.41\00:55:48.14
we kind of talked
about this earlier.
00:55:48.18\00:55:49.74
It says, "For unto
us a child is born,
00:55:49.78\00:55:52.65
unto us a son is given."
00:55:52.68\00:55:54.02
So Jesus in the
manger, all the way to cross,
00:55:54.05\00:55:56.72
"And the government
shall be upon his shoulder."
00:55:56.75\00:55:58.75
Boy, you see all
those confusion in the world
00:55:58.79\00:56:00.29
but the government
is on His shoulder,
00:56:00.32\00:56:01.66
"And his name shall be
called Wonderful, Counselor,
00:56:01.69\00:56:04.13
The Mighty God,
The Everlasting Father
00:56:04.16\00:56:06.09
and The Prince of Peace."
00:56:06.13\00:56:07.50
And just so thankful
for how God has reached down
00:56:07.53\00:56:09.83
with His omnipotent hand
and pulls out of the darkness.
00:56:09.86\00:56:12.03
Amen. Amen.
00:56:12.07\00:56:13.40
He's given us strength
to stand on rock Jesus.
00:56:13.44\00:56:15.60
Amen. Same thing he said.
00:56:15.64\00:56:17.94
Same thing he said. Amen.
00:56:17.97\00:56:20.44
Hallelujah for that.
00:56:20.48\00:56:21.84
Well, we want to thank
Donald, Don for being with us.
00:56:21.88\00:56:26.11
Janelle and Brian
for being with us.
00:56:26.15\00:56:29.42
And, Idalia, we
have about one minute.
00:56:29.45\00:56:31.62
Is there anything final
00:56:31.65\00:56:33.42
that you'd like to
say for our friends?
00:56:33.46\00:56:35.02
I just want you to
know that Jesus loves you,
00:56:35.06\00:56:38.46
this I know, for
the Bible tells me so.
00:56:38.49\00:56:42.16
And give Jesus a chance
00:56:42.20\00:56:44.13
and give Him a
place in your life,
00:56:44.17\00:56:45.80
because He surely gave a
place for you on the cross,
00:56:45.83\00:56:49.74
so that you can enjoy
eternal life with Jesus Christ.
00:56:49.77\00:56:53.34
Accept His forgiveness of sins
00:56:53.38\00:56:55.64
and accept His
gift of eternal life.
00:56:55.68\00:56:58.31
He is coming soon,
00:56:58.35\00:57:00.25
and I would love to be
your neighbor, in heaven.
00:57:00.28\00:57:02.95
Amen. It's a gift.
00:57:02.98\00:57:04.35
Well, we want to
thank you for joining us
00:57:04.39\00:57:06.22
and we hope that
you've been blessed
00:57:06.25\00:57:08.76
as you've listened
to our conversation,
00:57:08.79\00:57:11.73
because we all truly have
the opportunity to be thankful,
00:57:11.76\00:57:16.00
for, thanks be to God
for His unspeakable gift.
00:57:16.03\00:57:20.10
Consider the invitation
that God is giving you,
00:57:20.14\00:57:22.84
to give your heart to Him.
00:57:22.87\00:57:24.21
And if you give
your heart to Him,
00:57:24.24\00:57:26.07
you will have
joy, and happiness,
00:57:26.11\00:57:28.91
and salvation
begins in this world
00:57:28.94\00:57:31.11
and continues forever.
00:57:31.15\00:57:32.48
Thank you for joining us.
00:57:32.51\00:57:33.85
God bless, and
happy Sabbath to you.
00:57:33.88\00:57:35.78