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 another 3ABN
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Today Family
Worship and happy Sabbath.
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I'm Jason
Bradley and I'm so glad
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that you could join us.
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I have our 3ABN family here
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and you are
definitely a part of that.
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I hope that you
have your Bibles ready.
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I hope you have a pen
and a piece of paper ready.
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Well, probably
several pieces of paper
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'cause we have a lot to cover.
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We're gonna be talking
about the Christian walk
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and we'll be looking
at the fruit of the Spirit
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which is found in
Galatians 5:22, 23.
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And then we'll be
covering several other verses.
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Now I can't guarantee that
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we're gonna even
get through all of this
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because I don't even know
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exactly where we're
just gonna focus our time,
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we're just allowing
the Holy Spirit to lead.
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And so here with me
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to discuss this wonderful topic,
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we have Dee Hildebrand.
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Hello, it is terrific to be here
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with all of you again tonight.
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Oh, it's great to
have you here, Dee.
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We have Pastor Ryan Day.
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Hey, I'm blessed to be here
as always, excited to study.
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Amen.
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With, you know,
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we should have
got you to sing a solo
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since we're not
going to have music.
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We're gonna be singing the word.
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All right. Amen.
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We have Marilyn
Durant. Happy to be here.
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Thank you for having
me. Great to have you.
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And we have your hubs, husband,
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well, I said hubby,
your husband, Eric Durant.
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Very, very happy to be
here. Thank you, Jason.
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Yeah. Great to have you here.
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So, Dee, why don't you tell us
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a little bit about
what you do at 3ABN?
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Now this might take
most of the program 'cause...
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No, no, because
I'm semi-retired now,
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I only work part time.
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I still do scheduling
and I just help out here
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and there where I'm needed.
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Semi-retired that
equals like 70 hours a week.
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No, I'm being very,
very good little girl,
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I'm down to 20-25 hours
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and I do other
things out in the community.
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I'm so very busy,
don't misunderstand.
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That's right. Amen.
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Pastor Ryan Day.
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Well, I guess I kind
of wear multiple hats here
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which a lot of people do.
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I'm still working
kind of part time with 3ABN
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Praise Him music network.
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And I'm also kind
of dividing my time
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also with the 3ABN
pastoral department
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now as well.
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Still preaching,
singing, doing a lot of things.
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So, it's a blessing to be here
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and to be a part
of this ministry.
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Nice. Amen. Eric?
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I'm one of the engineers here,
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one of three and
my main responsibility
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is to make sure
that we stay on the air.
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We have internet,
we have satellite,
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we have a number of
different ways to broadcast
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and it keeps us very, very busy.
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Amen. And, Marilyn?
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I am the manager
at 3ABN call center.
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And I make sure that
all the orders get out
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and processing our inventory
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and anything that
customers may need.
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Yes.
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She also makes sure
that I stay out of trouble.
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Your team keeps
everybody happy over there.
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Yeah.
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You got your
work cut out for you.
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I do. That's right.
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Well, before we
jump into our study,
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let's have a word of prayer.
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Pastor Day, will you
pray? Yeah, absolutely.
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Father in heaven,
Lord, we're just so thankful
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to be here again on
the Sabbath evening,
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taking time, Lord,
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in our day to just come together
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in fellowship and worship, Lord,
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as we were going to break
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the bread of
life at this moment,
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in spirit and in truth,
Lord, we want to worship You.
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We want to open Your Word
and we need understanding.
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And so, Lord, give us
Your Holy Spirit right now.
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Help us to have the
spiritual, mental capacity,
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Lord, to be able
to rightly divide
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Your word of
truth and understand it.
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And may, when
this message goes out,
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may there be many
blessed because of this tonight.
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Maybe You draw
us closer together
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as brothers and
sisters in Christ
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and closer to Jesus Christ.
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We ask in
Jesus' holy name, amen.
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Amen. Amen.
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I think we should start
with Galatians 5:22, 23.
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And since we'll be looking
at the fruit of the Spirit,
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why not start right there.
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Galatians 5:22, 23.
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And it says, "But the
fruit of the spirit is love,
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joy, peace, long-suffering,
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kindness,
goodness, faithfulness,
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gentleness, self-control
against such there is no law."
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Now when you're
looking at that list
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and then you start
thinking about your own life,
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like I'm looking and I'm
like, I know there's times
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where I haven't
been the most loving.
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I know there's times
where maybe I wasn't joyful
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'cause I wasn't walking
with the Lord at one point.
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Maybe I didn't have that
peace, the long-suffering,
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maybe I was a little impatient,
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kindness, you know,
so as you start looking
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at these different, different
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parts of the fruit of the Spirit
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and you take a
look at your own life,
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it's like, man, you
really recognize your need.
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I know I can speak for myself,
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like I really
recognize my need for Christ.
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Amen. Amen.
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Amen. Absolutely.
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It's funny when I
look back on my past
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and I said to
myself, I really did lack
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all of the fruits of the Spirit.
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I can go down that list and see
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how I came up short in
every one of those areas,
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but the glory of
God and I give it to Him
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all the time is that
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I've grown and
that each of those areas
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that I look at now
I've improved vastly
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and it's by God's
love that's happened.
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So, I think every
Christian goes through that
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growth experience
and the fruit is sweet.
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Amen.
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I think part of
it is, for the...
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After I became a
Christian I actually wanted to,
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this is a list of
giving, not taking.
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Before you're a Christian,
you want to take all of that,
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but after you become a Christian
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you want to
share, you want to give,
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so it's a whole
complete change of attitude.
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Yes.
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I love that contrast
because it's selflessness
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instead of selfishness.
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Absolutely. Yes.
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How you think about it.
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Is that what conversion is,
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I heard somebody say a
long time ago conversion
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is a 180-degree turn.
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A U-turn. A U-turn, yeah.
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And where I really fail is that
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I come up short
in all those places
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that I wish I was, I've
grown, yes, thank You, Lord.
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Amen.
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But the more you grow,
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the more you see
how short you fall too.
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That's why it's
important to stay surrendered
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every single day.
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You know, sanctification
is the work of a lifetime.
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So just constantly
dying to self every day,
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every day that battle goes on.
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Absolutely.
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We're talking about
the fruits of the Spirit,
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almost said gifts,
the fruits of the Spirit,
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and I had just
made a little note here
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gifts versus fruits
because these fruits
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are identification
factors of our character,
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they identify who we are or
who we aren't as Christians.
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And so, talk, I'll
probably talk about
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this a little
later in the program
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but you know I praise God
that we serve a patient God.
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Amen.
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A patient God which is actually
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one of the fruits of the Spirit.
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He has patience with us
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and we'll talk about
that in just a little bit but,
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you know, we're going to develop
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as we grow close to the Lord,
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we're gonna develop
these fruits of the Spirit.
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People are gonna
see Christ in us.
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They're gonna see
these identification factors
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within us and when they
see us they'll see Jesus.
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And I put a little note
here, gifts versus fruits.
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I had a guy call
me the other day,
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it was somebody I
guess who had connected
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to someone who knew
me through ministry.
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And he called me out
of nowhere and he said,
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you know, I want to talk to you
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about the gift
of the spirit, okay.
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And I knew
immediately where he was going
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because I grew up in a
Pentecostal background.
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And this isn't just in
Pentecostal churches now,
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it's in many
different denominations
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and non-denominational churches.
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But he called me up,
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he wanted to talk to me
about the gift of the Spirit.
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And then he asked me,
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I'll never forget he
said, how do you, he said,
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"Do you have the Holy Spirit?"
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I said, "Well, of
course I have the Holy Spirit."
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I said, "I believe
that with all my heart."
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He said, "Well,
but how do you know
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you have the Holy Spirit?"
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And I caught him off
guard because I said,
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"Well, because I see evidence
of the fruits of God's Spirit
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at work in my life becoming in
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and made manifest
within my character.
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I'm not the same
person that I used to be,
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God is changing me and
I'm starting to see that
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fruit take
place in my own life."
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And it was, there
was this awkward pause
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in silence over
the phone and he,
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then he commenced to
go into talking about
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one of the gifts of the
Spirit, speaking in tongues.
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I mean, well, you know,
00:09:53.46\00:09:54.79
the evidence of that
you have the Holy Spirit
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is that you must
speak in tongues.
00:09:56.69\00:09:58.19
And so, if you
haven't spoken in tongues,
00:09:58.23\00:09:59.76
how do you know that
you have the Holy Spirit
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because that's the evidence.
00:10:01.33\00:10:02.66
And I just made that
point just to say that
00:10:02.70\00:10:04.27
the evidence that
00:10:04.30\00:10:06.74
Christ is working
in someone's life,
00:10:06.77\00:10:08.44
the evidence
that you have received
00:10:08.47\00:10:10.54
the Holy Spirit in your life
are the fruits of the Spirit,
00:10:10.57\00:10:13.34
not the gifts of the
Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit
00:10:13.38\00:10:15.58
and then we'll probably
mention this a little later,
00:10:15.61\00:10:17.61
but in 1 Corinthians Chapter
12 Paul makes it clear that
00:10:17.65\00:10:20.48
not everyone
receives the same gift.
00:10:20.52\00:10:22.62
You know, God distributes
those gifts accordingly
00:10:22.65\00:10:25.09
to your talents
and how He thinks that
00:10:25.12\00:10:28.02
you can best
minister for His kingdom.
00:10:28.06\00:10:30.16
But we should all
desire and we should all have
00:10:30.19\00:10:33.33
the gifts of the
Spirit in our life.
00:10:33.36\00:10:35.76
And so, you
know... Yeah, go ahead.
00:10:35.80\00:10:37.73
Not the gifts. The fruits...
00:10:37.77\00:10:40.27
Oh, the fruits,
I said the gifts,
00:10:40.30\00:10:41.87
I'm prone to do that sometimes.
00:10:41.90\00:10:43.24
We all supposed to have.
00:10:43.27\00:10:44.61
All supposed to have
the fruits of the Spirit,
00:10:44.64\00:10:46.14
not necessarily all
the gifts of the Spirit.
00:10:46.17\00:10:48.61
But you know, if
you walk out to a tree
00:10:48.64\00:10:50.78
and someone points out a tree
and says that's an apple tree,
00:10:50.81\00:10:53.38
isn't that a
beautiful apple tree
00:10:53.42\00:10:54.98
and you're kind
of investigating it
00:10:55.02\00:10:56.72
and you're looking at
it and it's like, you know,
00:10:56.75\00:10:58.95
there's nothing on that tree.
00:10:58.99\00:11:00.32
How do you know
that's an apple tree?
00:11:00.36\00:11:01.69
You look for the evidence
that that's an apple tree.
00:11:01.72\00:11:03.93
And, of course,
00:11:03.96\00:11:05.29
it's gonna have certain features
00:11:05.33\00:11:06.66
and ultimately,
you're gonna want to see
00:11:06.70\00:11:08.06
the fruit of an
apple on that tree,
00:11:08.10\00:11:09.56
with the same
thing about a Christian.
00:11:09.60\00:11:11.00
And so I really
appreciate this study that
00:11:11.03\00:11:13.97
you kind of drew up for us
here because it really helps us
00:11:14.00\00:11:16.74
to be to be reminded that
the evidence of Christ's work
00:11:16.77\00:11:22.31
in our life in this
Christian walk of life
00:11:22.34\00:11:24.91
are the fruits of the Spirit,
00:11:24.95\00:11:27.52
I got to get Dee beside
me to keep me from straying.
00:11:27.55\00:11:30.42
Fruits, fruits.
Fruits, fruits, fruits.
00:11:30.45\00:11:32.62
It kind of
reminds me of the fig tree
00:11:32.65\00:11:34.52
where Jesus was
walking with the apostles
00:11:34.56\00:11:36.32
and His disciples
00:11:36.36\00:11:37.69
and the fig tree
wasn't producing any figs.
00:11:37.73\00:11:40.43
And He condemned that
fig tree. That's right.
00:11:40.46\00:11:43.30
So, we don't want to
be contemned, condemned,
00:11:43.33\00:11:45.93
I specially don't,
00:11:45.97\00:11:47.30
I think we want to
generate those fruit.
00:11:47.34\00:11:48.67
'Cause it was a fig tree
but it did not demonstrates
00:11:48.70\00:11:52.37
the evidence of its fruit.
00:11:52.41\00:11:55.51
That's right.
00:11:55.54\00:11:56.88
Lots of people walk
around claiming identification
00:11:56.91\00:12:00.85
of Christianity
without the fruit.
00:12:00.88\00:12:03.45
Yes, mere profession.
00:12:03.49\00:12:05.22
And we're gonna see that
too in 1 Corinthians 13:1-7.
00:12:05.25\00:12:10.43
Pastor Day, if
you would. Absolutely.
00:12:10.46\00:12:12.49
So, 1 Corinthians Chapter 13,
anyone who knows this chapter,
00:12:12.53\00:12:16.30
we know that we're talking
about the famous love chapter.
00:12:16.33\00:12:19.33
And this is verses 1 through
7 and I love this message
00:12:19.37\00:12:23.24
because I like
to often read this
00:12:23.27\00:12:25.27
and take that,
take that word love
00:12:25.31\00:12:27.51
or charity that you
often see here mentioned
00:12:27.54\00:12:30.58
and I like to replace
it with the name of Jesus
00:12:30.61\00:12:33.01
because the Bible says in
1 John 4 that God is love,
00:12:33.05\00:12:36.69
not that He's just
mere loving but He is love.
00:12:36.72\00:12:39.65
And so, when I read this chapter
00:12:39.69\00:12:41.02
I think of God.
00:12:41.06\00:12:42.39
And so here it is,
it says, Paul says,
00:12:42.42\00:12:43.93
"Though I speak with
tongues of men and angels."
00:12:43.96\00:12:46.06
And, of course,
he's saying here that
00:12:46.09\00:12:47.43
he doesn't necessarily speak
00:12:47.46\00:12:48.80
with the tongues
of men and angels.
00:12:48.83\00:12:50.17
He says, even
if, "For though I may
00:12:50.20\00:12:52.37
but have not love I
become sounding brass
00:12:52.40\00:12:55.40
or clinging cymbal.
00:12:55.44\00:12:56.87
And though I have
the gift of prophecy
00:12:56.91\00:12:58.71
and understanding
and of all mysteries
00:12:58.74\00:13:02.21
and all knowledge and
though I have all faith
00:13:02.24\00:13:05.21
so that I could remove mountains
00:13:05.25\00:13:08.15
but have not
love, I am nothing."
00:13:08.18\00:13:11.15
And then he continues on,
00:13:11.19\00:13:12.52
"And though I bestow all
my goods to feed the poor
00:13:12.55\00:13:14.72
and though I give
all my body to be burned
00:13:14.76\00:13:16.99
but have not love,
it profits me nothing.
00:13:17.03\00:13:20.40
Love suffers long and is
kind, love does not envy,
00:13:20.43\00:13:23.87
love does not parade
itself, it is not puffed up,
00:13:23.90\00:13:27.07
it does not behave rudely,
it does not seek its own,
00:13:27.10\00:13:32.07
it's not
provoked, thinks no evil,
00:13:32.11\00:13:34.54
does not rejoice in iniquity
but rejoices in the truth,
00:13:34.58\00:13:38.48
it bears all
things, believes all things,
00:13:38.51\00:13:40.98
hopes all things,
endures all things."
00:13:41.02\00:13:43.28
And I have to read
the first part of verse 8,
00:13:43.32\00:13:45.45
"Love never fails."
00:13:45.49\00:13:47.92
Amen. Love never fails.
00:13:47.96\00:13:49.52
Amen.
00:13:49.56\00:13:50.89
Yeah, I mean, it's almost
like you see the fruit in there.
00:13:50.93\00:13:54.13
And I love how
like verses 1 through 3
00:13:54.16\00:13:57.27
really speak to motive too.
00:13:57.30\00:13:59.30
You know, because
when you think about God
00:13:59.33\00:14:01.70
everything He does
is motivated by love.
00:14:01.74\00:14:03.20
That's right.
00:14:03.24\00:14:04.57
You know, and so
we as human beings
00:14:04.61\00:14:06.47
we can do some things and
we can do some good things
00:14:06.51\00:14:10.35
but the motive is all
wrong, we can have the stronger,
00:14:10.38\00:14:14.25
the best head
knowledge on Scripture,
00:14:14.28\00:14:16.35
we can have, we
can give everything
00:14:16.38\00:14:19.15
we have to the poor, we
can do all of these things
00:14:19.19\00:14:23.32
but it's saying if we,
00:14:23.36\00:14:24.79
if we don't have
love, I am nothing.
00:14:24.83\00:14:27.23
That's right. It's nothing.
00:14:27.26\00:14:28.60
Exactly, exactly.
00:14:28.63\00:14:29.96
All the fruit
comes from the love.
00:14:30.00\00:14:32.67
That's the seed,
love is like the seed.
00:14:32.70\00:14:35.10
That's it. Yeah.
00:14:35.14\00:14:36.47
And the fruit grows from there.
00:14:36.50\00:14:37.84
And it's
interesting how love is,
00:14:37.87\00:14:39.77
like you said it's the seed,
everything comes out of there
00:14:39.81\00:14:42.18
and it starts off
the fruit of the Spirit.
00:14:42.21\00:14:44.71
Yeah. Love is the first one.
00:14:44.75\00:14:46.08
I had a teacher one time at AFCO
00:14:46.11\00:14:47.58
when I was, years ago
00:14:47.62\00:14:48.95
when I was at Amazing
Facts Center of Evangelism.
00:14:48.98\00:14:50.32
And he said,
00:14:50.35\00:14:51.69
"What's the
fruit of the Spirit?"
00:14:51.72\00:14:53.05
And we all started
naming them and he said,
00:14:53.09\00:14:54.69
"No, the fruit of
the Spirit is love:"
00:14:54.72\00:14:59.29
The fruit of the Spirit is love:
00:14:59.33\00:15:01.83
And then you get
all these out of it.
00:15:01.86\00:15:03.20
And then, so the
response from that
00:15:03.23\00:15:04.97
and I understood
that is that, you know,
00:15:05.00\00:15:07.64
to have true love,
if you have true love
00:15:07.67\00:15:10.81
that godly love, biblical love,
00:15:10.84\00:15:13.51
love is the very
expression of joy,
00:15:13.54\00:15:17.88
peace, patience, kindness,
00:15:17.91\00:15:19.61
goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness
00:15:19.65\00:15:21.12
and self-control as
she was bringing out,
00:15:21.15\00:15:22.58
it all comes from that.
00:15:22.62\00:15:23.95
That is love.
00:15:23.99\00:15:25.32
But you can have selfish love
00:15:25.35\00:15:29.32
and then you want all the
fruit to be directed at you
00:15:29.36\00:15:33.73
instead of outwardly,
00:15:33.76\00:15:35.26
you want people
to make you happy,
00:15:35.30\00:15:39.10
it's your
responsibility to make me happy.
00:15:39.13\00:15:41.04
It's your response
to be patient with me
00:15:41.07\00:15:44.34
so you can have the
motive of love from God
00:15:44.37\00:15:50.35
and be motivated to selflessness
00:15:50.38\00:15:53.85
or you can have the
motive of love from man,
00:15:53.88\00:15:56.99
selfish and have
that wrong motive
00:15:57.02\00:16:00.06
and have all the gifts
00:16:00.09\00:16:02.36
that you're
taking instead of giving.
00:16:02.39\00:16:04.73
For every genuine thing
00:16:04.76\00:16:07.26
that comes from God,
the devil has a counterfeit.
00:16:07.30\00:16:09.90
Absolutely.
00:16:09.93\00:16:11.27
And so, when I think about love,
00:16:11.30\00:16:13.44
you know, I see
that coming from God,
00:16:13.47\00:16:16.17
when I think about lust,
00:16:16.20\00:16:17.57
I see that
coming from the devil.
00:16:17.61\00:16:19.47
And so, you know, when
I think about happiness,
00:16:19.51\00:16:23.35
I think of it as
a fleeting emotion
00:16:23.38\00:16:25.31
or something
that's not long-lasting.
00:16:25.35\00:16:27.05
When I think about joy,
00:16:27.08\00:16:28.52
I think about
that coming from God
00:16:28.55\00:16:30.29
and that being a pure,
long-lasting, you know,
00:16:30.32\00:16:35.76
joy that brings about peace.
00:16:35.79\00:16:38.36
And when I think about peace,
00:16:38.39\00:16:39.93
I think about that
coming from God, you know,
00:16:39.96\00:16:42.76
a peace which
passeth all understanding,
00:16:42.80\00:16:45.80
no matter what your
circumstance may be,
00:16:45.83\00:16:48.50
you may have a moment
where you're feeling down
00:16:48.54\00:16:51.51
or whatever the case may be,
but there's still yet a peace
00:16:51.54\00:16:55.21
knowing that we
have the great hope.
00:16:55.24\00:16:57.05
Amen.
00:16:57.08\00:16:58.41
You know, with Christ paying
it all on the cross for us.
00:16:58.45\00:17:00.65
And so, it's interesting
00:17:00.68\00:17:02.08
as we just look
at all of these love,
00:17:02.12\00:17:04.29
joy, peace, long-suffering,
kindness, goodness,
00:17:04.32\00:17:09.06
faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control,
00:17:09.09\00:17:13.16
I mean, all of these things
you see Christ in all of it.
00:17:13.19\00:17:18.77
I think it's
wonderful, Christianity
00:17:18.80\00:17:21.44
because Christ not only says it,
00:17:21.47\00:17:24.21
He demonstrated it.
00:17:24.24\00:17:26.07
He demonstrated it
because I'm still shocked
00:17:26.11\00:17:28.98
and it still awes me
that God would die for me.
00:17:29.01\00:17:34.12
That summarizes
the entire gospel.
00:17:34.15\00:17:36.75
It's a gospel of love.
It's a gospel of giving.
00:17:36.79\00:17:39.95
It's a gospel of sacrifice.
00:17:39.99\00:17:42.32
It's a gospel of a God
who did not see Himself
00:17:42.36\00:17:45.39
better than everyone.
00:17:45.43\00:17:47.96
He saw Himself as a
lover of His children.
00:17:48.00\00:17:52.43
And that just inspires me. Yes.
00:17:52.47\00:17:55.57
He continues to do so.
00:17:55.60\00:17:57.81
He is still, that
sacrifice is still given to me,
00:17:57.84\00:18:03.11
he's still long-suffering,
he has not changed,
00:18:03.14\00:18:06.05
he still being
00:18:06.08\00:18:08.88
who He's always
been to each individual.
00:18:08.92\00:18:11.75
Yes. Yes, that is very true.
00:18:11.79\00:18:14.62
And He is super,
super, super, super strong.
00:18:14.66\00:18:18.93
Amen.
00:18:18.96\00:18:20.30
You know, because when
you, when you think about,
00:18:20.33\00:18:22.06
when you take a look
at the life of Christ,
00:18:22.10\00:18:24.20
when He was on this
earth, you know, yes,
00:18:24.23\00:18:26.80
He turned the other cheek,
yes, He endured so much abuse
00:18:26.84\00:18:31.67
and heartache and
all of this stuff.
00:18:31.71\00:18:34.24
And He responded
in a loving manner
00:18:34.28\00:18:38.38
despite all of that.
00:18:38.41\00:18:39.91
You know, how
strong you have to be
00:18:39.95\00:18:42.08
to even be able to do that.
00:18:42.12\00:18:44.42
Yeah, that takes
strength, it's easy to get mad
00:18:44.45\00:18:47.89
and to be angry
and all of that stuff,
00:18:47.92\00:18:50.06
it's hard to be gentle
00:18:50.09\00:18:54.60
and have that
self-control and be kind.
00:18:54.63\00:18:57.90
And, you know...
Oh, yeah. He was meek.
00:18:57.93\00:18:59.73
He was meek, but He wasn't weak.
00:18:59.77\00:19:01.70
That's right. Absolutely.
00:19:01.74\00:19:03.07
I like that. That's right.
00:19:03.10\00:19:05.17
That is right.
00:19:05.21\00:19:06.54
He was meek, but He wasn't weak.
00:19:06.57\00:19:08.41
It takes a great deal
of strength to be meek.
00:19:08.44\00:19:11.71
Yes. It does, it does.
00:19:11.75\00:19:14.42
And patience. Yes.
00:19:14.45\00:19:16.08
He had a lot of patience. Yes.
00:19:16.12\00:19:18.55
And still has a lot of patience.
00:19:18.59\00:19:20.32
That's right. Yeah,
with all of us. Yes.
00:19:20.36\00:19:23.26
Who wants to
read 1 John 4:19-20?
00:19:23.29\00:19:29.43
1 John... Through 20?
00:19:29.46\00:19:31.40
Yes. 1 John, yeah. Okay.
00:19:31.43\00:19:35.30
1 John 4:19, 20.
00:19:35.34\00:19:39.54
"We love Him
because He first loved us.
00:19:39.57\00:19:43.14
If someone says I love
God and hates his brother,
00:19:43.18\00:19:47.55
he is a liar, for he who
does not love his brother
00:19:47.58\00:19:52.25
whom he has seen,
00:19:52.29\00:19:53.62
how can he love God
whom he has not seen."
00:19:53.66\00:19:56.66
That's powerful.
00:19:59.86\00:20:01.20
Anything in there,
any comments on that?
00:20:01.23\00:20:03.37
I think that what we
were saying before that
00:20:03.40\00:20:05.97
love is the fruit,
one of the things that
00:20:06.00\00:20:08.57
I talk about in my
ministry, I do prison ministry
00:20:08.60\00:20:12.41
is that a lot of
the people incarcerated,
00:20:12.44\00:20:15.54
they're incarcerated for drugs,
00:20:15.58\00:20:17.15
they're
incarcerated for violence.
00:20:17.18\00:20:20.05
If you, if he, if
they love their brother,
00:20:20.08\00:20:24.45
they never would
have sold them drugs.
00:20:24.49\00:20:25.89
Yeah.
00:20:25.92\00:20:27.26
They never would have done
00:20:27.29\00:20:28.62
violence to their
brother or to their sister.
00:20:28.66\00:20:31.89
So, when I see
here, if someone says,
00:20:31.93\00:20:35.46
I love God and hates my brother,
00:20:35.50\00:20:37.57
instantly that person is saying,
00:20:37.60\00:20:40.74
if I harm my
brother, I don't love God.
00:20:40.77\00:20:43.04
If I curse my
brother or my sister,
00:20:43.07\00:20:44.91
I don't love God. And
to me that's profound.
00:20:44.94\00:20:47.48
Yeah. Yeah.
00:20:47.51\00:20:48.84
And the
beginning of the verses is
00:20:48.88\00:20:50.31
where He gives us our example.
00:20:50.35\00:20:52.95
We love Him
because He first loved us.
00:20:52.98\00:20:56.58
So we have to love our brother
before our brother loves us.
00:20:56.62\00:21:00.86
We have to give that
love out not returning love
00:21:00.89\00:21:06.33
but actually giving it
first, and I can't, I mean,
00:21:06.36\00:21:11.87
I don't know why
God would have loved me
00:21:11.90\00:21:14.67
in the condition He found me.
00:21:14.70\00:21:16.77
Yeah.
00:21:16.81\00:21:18.17
That's all of us, and that's,
that is, that is all of us.
00:21:18.21\00:21:21.74
You know, Eric,
speaking to your point
00:21:21.78\00:21:25.58
a minute ago, you know,
00:21:25.61\00:21:26.95
I think that when we
look at today's society
00:21:26.98\00:21:29.15
and we think about love,
00:21:29.18\00:21:32.85
a lot of people view
love as being an enabler,
00:21:32.89\00:21:38.96
condoning bad behavior.
00:21:38.99\00:21:41.63
You know, but love is,
it's quite the opposite
00:21:41.66\00:21:44.50
and I'm gonna
paraphrase the verse
00:21:44.53\00:21:45.93
'cause I don't know to quote it,
00:21:45.97\00:21:48.20
but I'm gonna paraphrase
and maybe one of you can jump
00:21:48.24\00:21:50.71
in and help me
out but it's like,
00:21:50.74\00:21:53.94
as many as I love,
I rebuke and chasten
00:21:53.98\00:21:57.45
or something like that.
00:21:57.48\00:21:58.81
Yeah, that's in, that's
found in Revelation Chapter 3,
00:21:58.85\00:22:00.95
it's a little
message to Laodicea.
00:22:00.98\00:22:02.32
Yes, yes and so, you know, love,
00:22:02.35\00:22:06.32
you want the best for
people like you want the best,
00:22:06.35\00:22:10.56
and the best is
spending eternity with Christ.
00:22:10.59\00:22:12.36
That's right.
00:22:12.39\00:22:13.73
So what are the steps
to, you know, to get there,
00:22:13.76\00:22:16.50
like it's not
condoning behavior,
00:22:16.53\00:22:18.13
we love the individuals,
we don't condone the sin,
00:22:18.17\00:22:22.84
we don't love the sin.
00:22:22.87\00:22:25.11
And that's, and
that's what God does to us,
00:22:25.14\00:22:27.54
that's how He treats us.
00:22:27.58\00:22:28.91
He loves us with
an everlasting love.
00:22:28.94\00:22:31.71
But He does not,
He despises the sins.
00:22:31.75\00:22:35.55
Sometimes I wonder,
especially in the past,
00:22:35.58\00:22:38.95
I know that God loves
me but does God like me.
00:22:38.99\00:22:43.86
I want God to
love me and like me.
00:22:43.89\00:22:46.46
And I think a lot of parents
even have that perspective
00:22:46.49\00:22:49.30
on their children
or maybe their spouse,
00:22:49.33\00:22:52.63
you know, you love
someone but do you like them.
00:22:52.67\00:22:56.27
Because of their actions.
00:22:56.30\00:22:57.64
Because of their
actions, you know.
00:22:57.67\00:22:59.01
I know a lot of
people in bad relationships
00:22:59.04\00:23:01.51
that they love the
person that they're with,
00:23:01.54\00:23:02.94
but they don't like them
00:23:02.98\00:23:04.31
because the person
does violence against them
00:23:04.35\00:23:05.91
or hurts them or speaks
badly or poorly against them.
00:23:05.95\00:23:08.88
And God wants us not
only to love each other,
00:23:08.92\00:23:11.95
He wants us to like each other.
00:23:11.99\00:23:14.06
So for me to be liked,
I have to bear the fruits.
00:23:14.09\00:23:16.93
That's right. Amen. Come on now.
00:23:16.96\00:23:18.66
You know, while you're saying
that it brings to my mind,
00:23:18.69\00:23:21.53
you know, true
love requires sacrifice,
00:23:21.56\00:23:24.37
sacrifice of self.
00:23:24.40\00:23:26.27
And it's true love. Yeah.
00:23:26.30\00:23:27.70
'Cause sometimes we can get
that concept of love twisted
00:23:27.74\00:23:30.47
because the
world wants to tell you
00:23:30.51\00:23:31.94
what love is, but
the love of the world
00:23:31.97\00:23:34.84
is not the love of the Father.
00:23:34.88\00:23:36.21
That's right.
00:23:36.24\00:23:37.58
And so, but true love
requires an amazingly unselfish
00:23:37.61\00:23:42.45
sacrifice of
self upon the altar.
00:23:42.48\00:23:45.29
I think of that, I
think it's Luke 9:23
00:23:45.32\00:23:47.69
where Jesus says,
00:23:47.72\00:23:49.06
"If anyone desires to come
after Me, let him deny himself,
00:23:49.09\00:23:52.86
take up his cross
and then follow Me."
00:23:52.89\00:23:56.06
In other words,
we have to pick up
00:23:56.10\00:23:57.43
our instrument of death
and be willing to follow Him
00:23:57.47\00:24:00.87
once we get to that point.
00:24:00.90\00:24:03.41
We just read 1 John 4:19, 20.
00:24:03.44\00:24:06.91
And the part that
caught me here, he says,
00:24:06.94\00:24:08.44
"If someone says I love
God and hates his brother,
00:24:08.48\00:24:10.41
he is a liar."
00:24:10.45\00:24:12.01
And then another
text that come to my mind
00:24:12.05\00:24:13.65
when I read that is John 15:13,
00:24:13.68\00:24:17.52
notice what
Christ says, He says,
00:24:17.55\00:24:19.22
"Greater love has no one
than this than to lay down
00:24:19.25\00:24:23.29
one's life for his friends.
00:24:23.32\00:24:25.83
So, Jesus was, in a sense
00:24:25.86\00:24:27.53
He was clearly giving a prophecy
00:24:27.56\00:24:29.36
because that's
what He was about to do.
00:24:29.40\00:24:30.90
You know, this is actually
00:24:30.93\00:24:32.27
toward the latter
part of His ministry.
00:24:32.30\00:24:34.17
And He is telling
them, I'm about to,
00:24:34.20\00:24:36.27
I'm about to put on the
greatest display of love
00:24:36.30\00:24:38.24
that one cannot even
possibly begin to fathom
00:24:38.27\00:24:41.44
but you've got to
get to that point.
00:24:41.48\00:24:43.61
In other words, He says,
"I can help you get there,
00:24:43.65\00:24:45.48
but you've gotta be
willing to deny yourself."
00:24:45.51\00:24:48.32
Put self up on that
spiritual cross and say,
00:24:48.35\00:24:51.55
"Lord, not my will but Yours."
00:24:51.59\00:24:53.86
You know, He must
increase and I must decrease.
00:24:53.89\00:24:56.32
And so, in order for us
00:24:56.36\00:24:57.73
to truly love our
brother and sister
00:24:57.76\00:25:00.06
as we should, it requires us
to lay our self upon the altar
00:25:00.10\00:25:04.07
every day at the
beginning of every day and say,
00:25:04.10\00:25:06.03
Lord, guard my
lips, guard my heart,
00:25:06.07\00:25:08.67
guard my mind, lead and guide me
00:25:08.70\00:25:10.54
to say those things
00:25:10.57\00:25:12.17
and to be that beacon
of light to others that
00:25:12.21\00:25:15.41
You would be so that I'm,
so that it's not me speaking,
00:25:15.44\00:25:18.61
it's not me living, it's You.
00:25:18.65\00:25:20.52
I always noticed in the
Bible that God's always,
00:25:20.55\00:25:23.12
the Father is always
giving glory to the Son
00:25:23.15\00:25:25.62
and the Son's always
giving glory to the Father.
00:25:25.65\00:25:27.09
That's right.
00:25:27.12\00:25:28.46
And one of the
other things I noticed is
00:25:28.49\00:25:30.69
it changed me a
lot was marriage,
00:25:30.73\00:25:32.76
we just
celebrated our anniversary...
00:25:32.79\00:25:35.06
Yesterday. Yesterday.
00:25:35.10\00:25:36.50
Congratulations.
Happy anniversary.
00:25:36.53\00:25:39.23
And as a bachelor
you think differently,
00:25:39.27\00:25:42.50
it's all about me.
00:25:42.54\00:25:43.87
That's right.
What's in it for me.
00:25:43.91\00:25:45.91
And when you marry someone,
and you marry out of love,
00:25:45.94\00:25:50.15
it stops being what's in for me.
00:25:50.18\00:25:51.55
It preferential, you
prefer that other person.
00:25:51.58\00:25:53.42
You prefer that other person,
00:25:53.45\00:25:55.05
it's them
first, it's a marriage.
00:25:55.08\00:25:58.25
So when Christ
marries the church
00:25:58.29\00:25:59.89
and we marry Christ,
we also marry each other.
00:25:59.92\00:26:03.29
You know, we're one in Christ,
00:26:03.32\00:26:05.09
we are one and we
should take care of
00:26:05.13\00:26:07.00
and what Ryan, what Ryan needs,
00:26:07.03\00:26:09.03
his need should come before mine
00:26:09.06\00:26:10.73
and these needs
and everyone's needs
00:26:10.77\00:26:12.10
should come before mine.
00:26:12.13\00:26:13.47
And I don't
always think that way,
00:26:13.50\00:26:14.90
but I should and that's...
00:26:14.94\00:26:16.54
Can you see the
results of where that leads
00:26:16.57\00:26:18.74
that if we live that way though?
00:26:18.77\00:26:20.48
When you have a marriage,
00:26:20.51\00:26:22.64
when you're
putting Marilyn first
00:26:22.68\00:26:25.11
and then Marilyn puts you first,
00:26:25.15\00:26:27.42
out of that joint giving grows
an immense happiness and joy.
00:26:27.45\00:26:33.25
In a church, in God's family
00:26:33.29\00:26:37.59
if we are looking
out for the other person
00:26:37.63\00:26:41.13
what happens is
we're all looking out
00:26:41.16\00:26:43.40
for each other and
the results of that
00:26:43.43\00:26:46.30
brings us into this
love and joy and peace
00:26:46.33\00:26:49.97
and even though
you sacrifice yourself,
00:26:50.01\00:26:53.51
you end up
getting fed by others.
00:26:53.54\00:26:57.58
It's an amazing place to live
00:26:57.61\00:27:02.82
even if you sacrifice yourself.
00:27:02.85\00:27:05.79
You send, you end up
having that happiness
00:27:05.82\00:27:09.02
and joy that you wanted
00:27:09.06\00:27:10.79
before you knew God and
didn't know how to find it.
00:27:10.83\00:27:14.36
Nobody thinks by
giving of yourself,
00:27:14.40\00:27:17.87
you end up on the receiving end.
00:27:17.90\00:27:20.30
That's right.
00:27:20.34\00:27:21.67
'Cause it
doesn't make any sense.
00:27:21.70\00:27:23.14
I want to take
that a step further
00:27:23.17\00:27:24.51
because I just got a thought,
00:27:24.54\00:27:26.37
just had a
thought, it's powerful.
00:27:26.41\00:27:29.98
I heard Ty Gibson say this,
00:27:30.01\00:27:31.35
I think it was Ty
Gibson that said this.
00:27:31.38\00:27:33.21
He said true
love, true godly love,
00:27:33.25\00:27:35.78
when the Bible says God
is love that requires three.
00:27:35.82\00:27:40.49
Yes, two can be selfish.
00:27:40.52\00:27:43.36
We're talking about
this, this powerful point.
00:27:43.39\00:27:45.89
We're talking about this,
00:27:45.93\00:27:47.26
you know, husband
and wife and that's true.
00:27:47.30\00:27:49.00
When God created Adam,
He created him a help meet,
00:27:49.03\00:27:51.03
He created and I'm sure that,
00:27:51.07\00:27:52.73
you know, they fell
in love with each other,
00:27:52.77\00:27:54.10
that was his wife,
that was her husband,
00:27:54.14\00:27:56.10
but what was the
first commandment
00:27:56.14\00:27:57.47
God gave them?
00:27:57.51\00:27:58.84
Go and multiply.
Go and make another.
00:27:58.87\00:28:01.28
It wasn't until that
third element came in that
00:28:01.31\00:28:04.08
there was a complete
love established there
00:28:04.11\00:28:07.72
because even a husband
and wife although there's a,
00:28:07.75\00:28:10.39
there's a
genuine godly love there
00:28:10.42\00:28:11.99
and I don't have children,
00:28:12.02\00:28:13.92
me and my wife
don't have children
00:28:13.96\00:28:15.29
and we understand
this to a certain extent
00:28:15.32\00:28:16.96
because, you know, I,
that's all I've ever know
00:28:16.99\00:28:19.53
being with her,
I've been with her
00:28:19.56\00:28:20.90
for 14 years
now, almost 15 years.
00:28:20.93\00:28:23.47
We've been married
for 10 years of that.
00:28:23.50\00:28:25.53
And so, it's like
I can't imagine life
00:28:25.57\00:28:28.47
without her and I
certainly, you know,
00:28:28.50\00:28:30.44
if a little one
were to come along,
00:28:30.47\00:28:31.81
you know, praise the Lord.
00:28:31.84\00:28:33.94
It would change that scenario,
it would change it greatly.
00:28:33.98\00:28:36.88
Not necessarily in a bad way,
00:28:36.91\00:28:38.65
but it would no longer be
that and I don't want to use
00:28:38.68\00:28:41.22
the word but it almost, I
think you said it rightfully,
00:28:41.25\00:28:43.39
it could almost
be a selfish love,
00:28:43.42\00:28:45.15
a no one else is
gonna get my love
00:28:45.19\00:28:47.29
but you and you alone,
00:28:47.32\00:28:48.66
but when you have that
third element to come in,
00:28:48.69\00:28:50.69
now that changes.
00:28:50.73\00:28:52.06
Now let's talk
about those individuals
00:28:52.09\00:28:54.36
that may not have children, God,
00:28:54.40\00:28:56.43
what Jesus is essentially
saying here is, you know,
00:28:56.46\00:28:58.43
what it goes far and beyond
that inner family connection.
00:28:58.47\00:29:01.74
I want you to
learn, I want you to love
00:29:01.77\00:29:03.30
that stranger out
there who you don't know
00:29:03.34\00:29:05.44
as much as you would anyone else
00:29:05.47\00:29:06.91
because essentially isn't that
00:29:06.94\00:29:08.28
one it's gonna be
like when we get to heaven.
00:29:08.31\00:29:10.45
You know, in
heaven their marriage
00:29:10.48\00:29:11.81
is gonna be, I mean,
we're gonna know each other
00:29:11.85\00:29:14.48
as we know it
but the Bible says,
00:29:14.52\00:29:15.98
you know, we're
neither given in marriage
00:29:16.02\00:29:17.35
or anything like that.
00:29:17.39\00:29:18.72
So we're gonna be
made like unto the angels.
00:29:18.75\00:29:20.39
There's gonna be
this unfathomable,
00:29:20.42\00:29:23.02
unfathomable
atmosphere of godly love
00:29:23.06\00:29:26.93
that we can't
begin to understand
00:29:26.96\00:29:28.83
where you love
everyone equally in such a way
00:29:28.86\00:29:32.13
that just
surpasses our understanding.
00:29:32.17\00:29:34.60
And Jesus is saying, "You
can get a glimpse of that,
00:29:34.64\00:29:36.64
you can, you can
start practicing that now."
00:29:36.67\00:29:39.44
Yes. Powerful.
00:29:39.47\00:29:41.44
Incredible.
00:29:41.48\00:29:42.81
A Christian married couple,
00:29:42.84\00:29:44.51
if they do not go
outside of themselves and start,
00:29:44.55\00:29:48.25
both of you are very
active in your community,
00:29:48.28\00:29:52.75
you're very involved with
other people and children.
00:29:52.79\00:29:56.32
If a married couple
just focus on their marriage,
00:29:56.36\00:29:59.29
it does turn in,
it turns inwardly
00:29:59.33\00:30:02.36
and it becomes very selfish.
00:30:02.40\00:30:04.30
But a married
couple without children
00:30:04.33\00:30:07.14
can adopt children in,
00:30:07.17\00:30:09.20
they can adopt Church family in,
00:30:09.24\00:30:11.57
they can create
that third person
00:30:11.61\00:30:15.44
that makes that love
flow through the marriage
00:30:15.48\00:30:20.28
and through your
church and community.
00:30:20.32\00:30:21.98
Amen. Amen.
00:30:22.02\00:30:23.75
So, I know we're spending
00:30:23.79\00:30:25.25
quite a bit of
time on love, right?
00:30:25.29\00:30:27.62
But this, I mean,
love is such a powerful,
00:30:27.66\00:30:29.82
it's such a powerful
topic, a powerful subject.
00:30:29.86\00:30:33.23
What stories can, let's
just go around the table
00:30:33.26\00:30:36.56
and what stories can we share
00:30:36.60\00:30:38.67
where maybe
somebody has loved us,
00:30:38.70\00:30:41.60
you know, shown
us love in a time
00:30:41.64\00:30:44.44
where we definitely
didn't deserve it for sure.
00:30:44.47\00:30:49.64
I had an aunt that
has, I had actually had
00:30:49.68\00:30:53.42
two aunts that prayed
for me my entire life,
00:30:53.45\00:30:57.65
they still pray for me, well,
yes, they still pray for me.
00:30:57.69\00:31:00.49
But they prayed for me
while I was still the sinner.
00:31:00.52\00:31:03.59
And they knew I was a sinner,
00:31:03.63\00:31:05.29
there was not a
secret or anything
00:31:05.33\00:31:07.80
but they love me
enough to lift me up in prayer
00:31:07.83\00:31:11.30
and ask the Lord to
intervene in my life.
00:31:11.33\00:31:15.20
So that is a love that
makes a difference in your life.
00:31:15.24\00:31:20.31
I've had maybe a
boyfriend that loved me,
00:31:20.34\00:31:25.51
but it was a superficial
love and it was a selfish love,
00:31:25.55\00:31:30.39
it wasn't the love
that changes your life.
00:31:30.42\00:31:33.56
So, I will always love my aunts,
00:31:33.59\00:31:39.19
my two aunts that
prayed for me daily
00:31:39.23\00:31:43.13
for my soul to be saved.
00:31:43.16\00:31:45.67
Amen. Amen. That's powerful.
00:31:45.70\00:31:48.10
I think the type of love
00:31:48.14\00:31:51.17
that I can relate
to is my mother's love.
00:31:51.21\00:31:55.34
You know, when I
wasn't going down the path
00:31:55.38\00:31:57.51
that I should have been going,
the prayer she prayed for me
00:31:57.55\00:32:01.75
and that's just a
love that you can't find,
00:32:01.78\00:32:05.45
you know, when you're,
00:32:05.49\00:32:06.82
you've got your
mother praying for you
00:32:06.86\00:32:09.16
and longing for you to
come back to Christ, so.
00:32:09.19\00:32:12.46
Amen.
00:32:12.49\00:32:13.83
I think, I think I'm the
result of my mother's prayers.
00:32:13.86\00:32:17.93
And she didn't live to
see me join the ministry
00:32:17.97\00:32:23.91
but I think her
prayers, matter of fact,
00:32:23.94\00:32:26.51
I have no doubt her
prayers outlasted even her.
00:32:26.54\00:32:30.65
And it inspires me a lot
00:32:30.68\00:32:32.41
because I know sometimes
you may not live to see
00:32:32.45\00:32:35.48
the answer to your
prayers like Abraham.
00:32:35.52\00:32:37.79
Abraham didn't live
to see the promise that
00:32:37.82\00:32:40.99
God promised to
him but pray anyway,
00:32:41.02\00:32:44.53
pray with faith.
00:32:44.56\00:32:46.03
And my mother's love,
00:32:46.06\00:32:47.60
I'm the result
of my mother's love
00:32:47.63\00:32:49.46
and it was completely selfless
00:32:49.50\00:32:51.70
because when she died
Marilyn can attest to this,
00:32:51.73\00:32:54.14
she had nothing,
00:32:54.17\00:32:55.50
she'd given
everything to her friends,
00:32:55.54\00:32:57.71
to her family and to her God.
00:32:57.74\00:33:00.41
And that's what
love is about. Amen.
00:33:00.44\00:33:03.45
Amen. Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:33:03.48\00:33:05.38
You know, I
don't not necessarily
00:33:05.41\00:33:08.02
an example in my own life
00:33:08.05\00:33:09.38
which I could tell
many different stories
00:33:09.42\00:33:10.82
but as we were
talking about this,
00:33:10.85\00:33:12.19
I thought of the
story of Desmond Doss.
00:33:12.22\00:33:15.06
Man, powerful, I mean,
this guy again goes back
00:33:15.09\00:33:18.26
into the
battlefield, the shooting zone,
00:33:18.29\00:33:21.46
the strike zone, I
guess you could say
00:33:21.50\00:33:24.00
to save more than 70 lives.
00:33:24.03\00:33:27.00
And you think about that,
00:33:27.04\00:33:28.37
you know, the guy, you
know, that's a real moment,
00:33:28.40\00:33:30.21
in that moment I
doubt that someone
00:33:30.24\00:33:32.84
in the heat of the battle
00:33:32.87\00:33:34.21
which you and I
possibly can't begin to imagine
00:33:34.24\00:33:36.95
unless I know Eric,
you were military guy
00:33:36.98\00:33:38.91
but unless one is
actually in that moment,
00:33:38.95\00:33:42.08
I can only imagine that
that person is not saying,
00:33:42.12\00:33:44.19
oh, let me go back in
00:33:44.22\00:33:45.55
and be the hero
for one more person.
00:33:45.59\00:33:47.56
Oh, I'm superman,
let me get two more.
00:33:47.59\00:33:49.36
Oh, I'm superman,
00:33:49.39\00:33:50.73
let me go get
three or four more.
00:33:50.76\00:33:52.59
There has to be a
drive that a person
00:33:52.63\00:33:55.40
can't possibly begin to
explain other than a godly love.
00:33:55.43\00:34:00.64
But this man was willing to say,
00:34:00.67\00:34:02.10
I know that if I go
back in there one more time
00:34:02.14\00:34:05.04
to try to save another life,
00:34:05.07\00:34:06.41
there's a chance
that I'm gonna die
00:34:06.44\00:34:07.84
and then I'm not
gonna be able to save myself
00:34:07.88\00:34:09.28
or another person.
00:34:09.31\00:34:10.65
But he went
through this and went back.
00:34:10.68\00:34:12.11
And I'm just
thinking of that story
00:34:12.15\00:34:13.48
because that's a godly love,
00:34:13.52\00:34:15.88
that name was full
of the Holy Spirit.
00:34:15.92\00:34:17.89
He was being protected by God
and never touched an instrument
00:34:17.92\00:34:21.56
and a gun or an instrument.
00:34:21.59\00:34:22.92
He went back in there
00:34:22.96\00:34:24.29
and he saved more
than 70 men's lives
00:34:24.33\00:34:25.83
that could, can go
on living their life
00:34:25.86\00:34:27.50
because they can say,
this man was selfless.
00:34:27.53\00:34:30.67
And he kept saying,
Lord, help me save one more.
00:34:30.70\00:34:32.93
One more.
00:34:32.97\00:34:34.30
Going back in and he said,
they help me save one more.
00:34:34.34\00:34:36.24
That's powerful. That is.
00:34:36.27\00:34:37.87
Heroes are made
and born out of love.
00:34:37.91\00:34:40.94
That's right.
00:34:40.98\00:34:42.31
That is the only reason
why heroes are called heroes.
00:34:42.34\00:34:44.71
Yeah.
00:34:44.75\00:34:46.08
Because they were selfless,
whatever their actions were,
00:34:46.11\00:34:47.75
they were selfless,
00:34:47.78\00:34:49.12
they were looking
after their brothers.
00:34:49.15\00:34:50.49
That's right. And we
all want to be heroes.
00:34:50.52\00:34:53.09
Amen. Amen. Yes.
00:34:53.12\00:34:54.86
I think about in my own life
00:34:54.89\00:34:57.99
how when I was at my
lowest point in my life
00:34:58.03\00:35:01.10
I was arrested, I was,
spent the night in jail,
00:35:01.13\00:35:04.70
I was looking at
00:35:04.73\00:35:06.07
a maximum potential prison
sentence of 15 years in prison
00:35:06.10\00:35:09.14
for a drug charge, I
was addicted to drugs,
00:35:09.17\00:35:11.77
I was selling narcotics,
I was, all of those things
00:35:11.81\00:35:15.08
at the lowest point in my life.
00:35:15.11\00:35:16.75
You were a mess. Oh, I was.
00:35:16.78\00:35:18.65
Definitely, I was beyond a mess.
00:35:18.68\00:35:21.28
And so my mom prayed for
me and loved me and my dad,
00:35:21.32\00:35:27.76
he loved me and he, you know,
00:35:27.79\00:35:29.89
they rallied
around me and behind me
00:35:29.92\00:35:33.06
and supported me.
00:35:33.09\00:35:34.43
I went to rehab, I did
all of these things to,
00:35:34.46\00:35:39.03
you know, to get better
00:35:39.07\00:35:41.10
and they just
poured that love out,
00:35:41.14\00:35:43.91
they didn't
support what I was doing,
00:35:43.94\00:35:45.44
that's for sure, but
they rallied behind me,
00:35:45.47\00:35:48.94
they loved me enough
and kept me in prayer
00:35:48.98\00:35:52.35
and just showed that support.
00:35:52.38\00:35:54.68
They didn't
turn their back on me
00:35:54.72\00:35:56.28
because I was
making those mistakes.
00:35:56.32\00:35:59.02
You know,
perhaps there's somebody
00:35:59.05\00:36:00.39
at home right now
who's watching this program.
00:36:00.42\00:36:03.43
And, you know, I
want to speak to you
00:36:03.46\00:36:05.46
because maybe
you're watching this
00:36:05.49\00:36:07.20
and you're sitting
there and you're thinking,
00:36:07.23\00:36:09.16
you know, I've done so much,
00:36:09.20\00:36:10.93
I've gone too far
to come back and God,
00:36:10.97\00:36:15.14
how could He, how
could God love me.
00:36:15.17\00:36:17.61
God loves you with
an everlasting love,
00:36:17.64\00:36:20.61
He is not ashamed
of you, He loves you
00:36:20.64\00:36:23.35
and wants to
spend eternity with you.
00:36:23.38\00:36:25.28
Amen.
00:36:25.31\00:36:26.65
And so, no matter
how far you have gone,
00:36:26.68\00:36:28.82
God is saying to you that
son or daughter, come home.
00:36:28.85\00:36:33.32
Amen.
00:36:33.36\00:36:34.69
Come back to Me,
surrender your life to Me,
00:36:34.72\00:36:36.86
I want to do great
things in your life.
00:36:36.89\00:36:39.63
And He wants to
spend forever with you,
00:36:39.66\00:36:42.96
eternity is a long time.
00:36:43.00\00:36:44.33
That's right. Amen.
00:36:44.37\00:36:45.70
And He wants to
spend that with you.
00:36:45.73\00:36:47.10
He doesn't care
about what you did.
00:36:47.14\00:36:49.50
He wants to show you
where He can take you,
00:36:49.54\00:36:52.27
where He can deliver you to.
00:36:52.31\00:36:54.28
And so, take this opportunity
to give your life to Him
00:36:54.31\00:36:58.01
and spend eternity with God.
00:36:58.05\00:37:00.32
Amen. Amen.
00:37:00.35\00:37:01.68
Yes, He will. Oh, yeah.
00:37:01.72\00:37:03.05
God will make you a new
man. You don't have to...
00:37:03.08\00:37:07.72
I know when I became a Christian
00:37:07.76\00:37:09.49
after being this mess,
00:37:09.52\00:37:12.89
you feel ashamed,
00:37:12.93\00:37:16.40
but God creates a new person,
00:37:16.43\00:37:19.90
you become a new person,
00:37:19.93\00:37:21.34
I don't even know
how to explain it.
00:37:21.37\00:37:24.61
He gives you that
new heart that new life
00:37:24.64\00:37:26.74
and it's from His love.
00:37:26.78\00:37:28.48
So do not give up
and don't think that
00:37:28.51\00:37:31.65
you can't be a
new woman or a new man
00:37:31.68\00:37:34.25
because you can
through God's power and love.
00:37:34.28\00:37:38.39
I think that's
where the joy comes from.
00:37:38.42\00:37:40.26
I think that's a good...
00:37:40.29\00:37:41.62
That's where the joy comes from.
00:37:41.66\00:37:43.26
That is, that's a
good segue. I like that.
00:37:43.29\00:37:45.89
I always say to
myself, God does not care about
00:37:45.93\00:37:48.50
who you were, He
cares about who you are
00:37:48.53\00:37:50.90
and who you will be.
00:37:50.93\00:37:52.27
That's right.
00:37:52.30\00:37:53.64
And that thought once
you accept that thought,
00:37:53.67\00:37:56.10
that God's love is
greater than my sin,
00:37:56.14\00:37:58.47
the joy comes, the
freedom, the freedom comes.
00:37:58.51\00:38:00.28
Yes. Yes.
00:38:00.31\00:38:02.91
The joy and the
peace. But we have joy.
00:38:02.94\00:38:07.72
There's so many Bible
verses that talk about the joy.
00:38:07.75\00:38:10.69
That's right.
00:38:10.72\00:38:12.19
Before we jump into joy there,
00:38:12.22\00:38:14.09
I do want to share
this last two verses
00:38:14.12\00:38:16.86
under the love category here
00:38:16.89\00:38:19.23
and it's 1 John
4:9, 10 and it says,
00:38:19.26\00:38:23.37
"In this the love of
God was manifested toward us
00:38:23.40\00:38:26.97
that God has sent
His only begotten Son
00:38:27.00\00:38:29.80
into the world that we
might live through Him.
00:38:29.84\00:38:32.47
In this is love
not that we loved God
00:38:32.51\00:38:35.74
but that He loved
us and sent His Son
00:38:35.78\00:38:37.98
to be the
propitiation for our sins."
00:38:38.01\00:38:40.35
I mean, that's huge. Amen.
00:38:40.38\00:38:41.72
That's huge.
00:38:41.75\00:38:43.08
And that is the ultimate love
00:38:43.12\00:38:45.29
and accepting that leads
to the ultimate purest joy,
00:38:45.32\00:38:49.82
long lasting, you know,
00:38:49.86\00:38:51.89
the true joy
that comes from God.
00:38:51.93\00:38:53.73
Who wants to read Psalm 16:11?
00:38:53.76\00:38:58.43
Psalm 16:11. Yeah.
00:38:58.47\00:39:00.94
Let's go there. All right.
00:39:00.97\00:39:04.47
This is, boy, our time
is... It's flying away, yeah.
00:39:04.51\00:39:08.01
We're gonna get
as far as we can.
00:39:08.04\00:39:10.95
Sure. There's no
agenda necessarily.
00:39:10.98\00:39:13.35
Psalm 16:11 says,
00:39:13.38\00:39:16.32
"You will show
me the path of life.
00:39:16.35\00:39:18.65
In Your presence
is fullness of joy,
00:39:18.69\00:39:21.72
at your right hand are
pleasures forevermore."
00:39:21.76\00:39:24.99
Amen. Joy.
00:39:25.03\00:39:27.70
Yes. So then...
00:39:27.73\00:39:29.06
Fullness of joy.
Yes, in your presence.
00:39:29.10\00:39:31.93
That's right.
00:39:31.97\00:39:33.30
That, I mean,
that right there to me,
00:39:33.34\00:39:34.97
You will show me
the path of life,
00:39:35.00\00:39:37.21
in Your presence is
fullness of joy like,
00:39:37.24\00:39:40.51
so where do we find joy?
00:39:40.54\00:39:42.08
In the presence
of God. That's right.
00:39:42.11\00:39:44.01
A while ago someone
tried to discourage me
00:39:44.05\00:39:46.78
'cause I was, I
was witnessing to them
00:39:46.82\00:39:48.92
and they said that,
00:39:48.95\00:39:51.72
"How dare God send His
Son, He should have sent,
00:39:51.75\00:39:57.36
He should have did
it the deed Himself."
00:39:57.39\00:40:00.20
And I said to
him, "Wait a minute.
00:40:00.23\00:40:02.33
What would be
00:40:02.36\00:40:03.70
the greater pain for you to go
00:40:03.73\00:40:08.90
or for you to
send your child to go
00:40:08.94\00:40:11.11
and then to watch
them endure that."
00:40:11.14\00:40:13.64
Yeah.
00:40:13.68\00:40:15.91
God sending His Son
was the greatest sacrifice
00:40:15.94\00:40:20.78
that any being could ever make.
00:40:20.82\00:40:23.39
That's right.
00:40:23.42\00:40:24.79
And that is the love
and when I think about that,
00:40:24.82\00:40:27.96
that is what
brings me joy knowing that
00:40:27.99\00:40:30.73
there is a God
willing to send His Son.
00:40:30.76\00:40:34.73
Jesus volunteered, it's almost,
00:40:34.76\00:40:37.53
Jesus
volunteered and chose to come
00:40:37.57\00:40:39.90
and God allowed it.
00:40:39.93\00:40:41.94
How many of you will allow
00:40:41.97\00:40:43.30
your children to go into danger?
00:40:43.34\00:40:45.57
Oh. All right.
00:40:45.61\00:40:46.94
Yeah. So sure, go ahead.
00:40:46.98\00:40:49.04
Yeah.
00:40:49.08\00:40:51.45
Because it was a
gamble, people...
00:40:51.48\00:40:53.72
I think a lot of
people don't realize that
00:40:53.75\00:40:56.48
they were taking a chance,
00:40:56.52\00:40:57.89
so there was a
real chance there.
00:40:57.92\00:41:02.26
We can't get into it right now.
00:41:02.29\00:41:04.73
But there was a real and Jesus
00:41:04.76\00:41:07.10
what He suffered I
think about this a lot.
00:41:07.13\00:41:09.60
What He suffered
was His most pain
00:41:09.63\00:41:12.60
and anguish was not
00:41:12.63\00:41:14.07
hanging physically on that cross
00:41:14.10\00:41:16.40
but the price He paid on
so many different levels.
00:41:16.44\00:41:19.54
Amen.
00:41:19.57\00:41:21.21
Have broken heart
and He came to die
00:41:21.24\00:41:23.04
for those very ones
that were crucifying Him.
00:41:23.08\00:41:25.35
That's right. That's right.
00:41:25.38\00:41:26.72
But even when He was
born, He was separated
00:41:26.75\00:41:29.02
from His Father
in a certain sense.
00:41:29.05\00:41:32.09
He gave up being omnipresent.
00:41:32.12\00:41:35.39
Would you give that up?
Selfish me, probably not.
00:41:35.42\00:41:40.30
That's way beyond my
pay grade. There you go.
00:41:40.33\00:41:44.47
And His joy was,
00:41:44.50\00:41:46.30
and He reaped joy
out of all of that
00:41:46.33\00:41:49.00
because He knew the
price He was paying,
00:41:49.04\00:41:51.84
what was going to bring Him
00:41:51.87\00:41:53.31
united with those
He loved which is us.
00:41:53.34\00:41:57.65
I want to read this text here
and then make a comment that
00:41:57.68\00:42:00.15
I feel is very important
for this particular subject.
00:42:00.18\00:42:03.99
So, this comes
from John 15:9-11.
00:42:04.02\00:42:08.22
It says, "As
the father loved me,
00:42:08.26\00:42:10.56
I also have loved
you, abide in My love.
00:42:10.59\00:42:15.33
If you keep My commandments
you will abide in My love
00:42:15.36\00:42:19.63
just as I have kept
My Father's commandments
00:42:19.67\00:42:22.44
and abide in His love."
00:42:22.47\00:42:25.27
And then He goes on to say,
00:42:25.31\00:42:26.64
"These things I
have spoken to you
00:42:26.68\00:42:28.54
that my joy may remain in you
00:42:28.58\00:42:30.95
and that your joy may be full."
00:42:30.98\00:42:36.32
Now not to be
critical or judgmental,
00:42:36.35\00:42:38.59
but I have to make
this point just because,
00:42:38.62\00:42:40.82
you know, even us
00:42:40.86\00:42:42.19
as Seventh-day
Adventist Christians
00:42:42.22\00:42:43.56
and I know that there
may be someone watching
00:42:43.59\00:42:44.93
that's not even
00:42:44.96\00:42:46.29
a Seventh-day
Adventist Christian,
00:42:46.33\00:42:47.66
this message is not just
00:42:47.70\00:42:49.03
for Seventh-day Adventist
Christians, for everyone.
00:42:49.06\00:42:50.40
But I find a lot
of Christians today,
00:42:50.43\00:42:52.40
they really promote and
we will push the message
00:42:52.43\00:42:55.24
of the Ten Commandments
which is vitally important.
00:42:55.27\00:42:57.27
We should uphold God's law.
00:42:57.31\00:42:59.07
It has not been made void,
00:42:59.11\00:43:00.48
it is still in effect,
it's an everlasting law.
00:43:00.51\00:43:02.68
And I want to
make that very clear.
00:43:02.71\00:43:04.48
But it's
interesting that Jesus links
00:43:04.51\00:43:07.22
as it does many
times throughout the Bible.
00:43:07.25\00:43:09.25
He links joy to the obedience
of keeping His commandments.
00:43:09.28\00:43:14.32
And I find it very ironic.
00:43:14.36\00:43:16.36
And again, I'm not
speaking of about everyone
00:43:16.39\00:43:18.93
but the Bible
says you will know them
00:43:18.96\00:43:20.30
by their fruits, okay?
00:43:20.33\00:43:21.66
So, I just want
to make that clear.
00:43:21.70\00:43:23.03
This isn't a judgment
00:43:23.06\00:43:24.40
being passed on
someone's salvation,
00:43:24.43\00:43:26.23
but simply just
making an observation here.
00:43:26.27\00:43:29.77
You will know
them by their fruits.
00:43:29.80\00:43:31.14
It's amazing to me
that even within Adventism
00:43:31.17\00:43:33.48
sometimes we really, really push
00:43:33.51\00:43:35.48
and uphold God's
Ten Commandments,
00:43:35.51\00:43:37.01
but yet you can see the
lack of the fruit of joy
00:43:37.05\00:43:40.48
in a person's life.
00:43:40.52\00:43:42.02
And so, I just want to
make a clear statement,
00:43:42.05\00:43:43.89
all of us as Christian
00:43:43.92\00:43:45.25
we could use a
little bit more joy.
00:43:45.29\00:43:46.92
Yes. Amen.
00:43:46.96\00:43:48.29
And not just in
our lives in general.
00:43:48.32\00:43:50.03
Absolutely in
our lives in general,
00:43:50.06\00:43:51.59
we need that, we need
that genuine happiness
00:43:51.63\00:43:54.66
and joy that comes
from God each and every day,
00:43:54.70\00:43:56.97
but you can also
somewhat kind of see it
00:43:57.00\00:43:59.10
in our worship services.
00:43:59.13\00:44:01.34
You know, and
we're worshiping God
00:44:01.37\00:44:02.70
collectively together.
00:44:02.74\00:44:04.37
You know, it becomes,
you can look out there
00:44:04.41\00:44:07.14
and you can just see
that people are hurting,
00:44:07.18\00:44:09.64
people are in pain,
people are in sorrow,
00:44:09.68\00:44:12.05
people are, they're lacking joy.
00:44:12.08\00:44:14.98
And, but yet
we'll be quick to say,
00:44:15.02\00:44:17.09
you know, keep
God's commandments
00:44:17.12\00:44:18.52
and all of those
things are great.
00:44:18.55\00:44:20.42
And so, I can see here that
00:44:20.46\00:44:22.82
that one of the
fruits of the spirit is joy.
00:44:22.86\00:44:25.73
God wants us to
experience genuine godly joy.
00:44:25.76\00:44:29.23
Amen.
00:44:29.26\00:44:30.60
And there's nothing wrong
00:44:30.63\00:44:31.97
with being happy
and joyful in the Lord.
00:44:32.00\00:44:34.00
We're not talking about
00:44:34.04\00:44:35.37
being Pentecostal
or over charismatic
00:44:35.40\00:44:37.24
or anything like that.
00:44:37.27\00:44:38.61
We're just simply talking,
like haven't been happy to sing
00:44:38.64\00:44:41.68
those hymns, right?
00:44:41.71\00:44:43.04
You know, sing the
wondrous love of Jesus.
00:44:43.08\00:44:47.22
And yet you look on
some people's faces sometimes
00:44:47.25\00:44:49.05
it's like, sing
that wonderous...
00:44:49.08\00:44:51.92
You can, there's
just a lack of joy
00:44:51.95\00:44:53.46
and happiness there.
00:44:53.49\00:44:54.82
And I recognize
there's different personalities
00:44:54.86\00:44:56.56
and whatnot but I
think here in these last days
00:44:56.59\00:45:00.10
what we really
need, we need more joy.
00:45:00.13\00:45:02.53
I think if non-Christians
00:45:02.56\00:45:05.33
and I think
even other Christians
00:45:05.37\00:45:06.77
who like to do, if they
solve that genuine joy in us,
00:45:06.80\00:45:11.24
they would want that, right?
00:45:11.27\00:45:12.74
But when they see us talking
about God and in witnessing,
00:45:12.77\00:45:15.44
sometimes we become a
stumbling block for someone,
00:45:15.48\00:45:18.98
our witness is somewhat tainted
00:45:19.01\00:45:20.82
because we go to try to
tell someone of the good news
00:45:20.85\00:45:23.72
but yet we lack it ourselves.
00:45:23.75\00:45:25.45
You know, we lack that
joy and so my prayer is,
00:45:25.49\00:45:27.62
God, fill me with
joy, help me to have
00:45:27.66\00:45:29.79
Your genuine godly
biblical joy in my life.
00:45:29.82\00:45:32.76
Well, we have that
00:45:32.79\00:45:34.13
if we get things
in the right order.
00:45:34.16\00:45:36.46
Right.
00:45:36.50\00:45:37.83
You have, you abide in My
love, you love the Lord first,
00:45:37.87\00:45:43.00
then the obedience
comes because you choose to.
00:45:43.04\00:45:45.31
Right.
00:45:45.34\00:45:46.68
Just like any, if we
join ourselves to Christ.
00:45:46.71\00:45:51.41
I mean, He is,
we are His church,
00:45:51.45\00:45:54.15
we are the
bride, so if you have,
00:45:54.18\00:45:57.85
when you fall in
love and get married
00:45:57.89\00:45:59.35
you fall in love first.
00:45:59.39\00:46:01.09
Do you, do you in a
marriage you don't say,
00:46:01.12\00:46:06.13
well, let me see what
I've gotten do, or does it say,
00:46:06.16\00:46:07.96
I have to fix
your dinner tonight.
00:46:08.00\00:46:09.86
No, you fall in
love and you want,
00:46:09.90\00:46:13.87
you want to make
the other person happy.
00:46:13.90\00:46:16.17
So when it talks about,
00:46:16.20\00:46:17.61
if you love Me,
keep My commandments,
00:46:17.64\00:46:20.41
it's the love came
first, if you love me
00:46:20.44\00:46:23.85
you'll want to
keep My commandments,
00:46:23.88\00:46:25.85
besides if you love
Me, you'll want to accept
00:46:25.88\00:46:28.82
the freedom I give
you in My commandments.
00:46:28.85\00:46:31.59
To me, keeping the
commandments is total freedom.
00:46:31.62\00:46:35.02
So sometimes
Christians get it backwards.
00:46:35.06\00:46:38.43
You don't keep the commandments
00:46:38.46\00:46:39.89
and get love, you love and
then you keep the commandments.
00:46:39.93\00:46:42.43
That's right, it's a
response, absolutely.
00:46:42.46\00:46:43.80
And so, when you're
winning someone to the Lord,
00:46:43.83\00:46:45.77
did He give His
commandments first
00:46:45.80\00:46:47.27
or did He love us first?
00:46:47.30\00:46:49.04
He loves us first then gave us.
00:46:49.07\00:46:51.84
This is how you're
going to stay happy.
00:46:51.87\00:46:53.78
Amen. Amen.
00:46:53.81\00:46:55.61
Amen, Dee. That's a good word.
00:46:55.64\00:46:58.61
Let's take a
look at Romans 15:13.
00:46:58.65\00:47:02.68
And, Eric, if you would
read that, Romans 15:13?
00:47:02.72\00:47:07.16
Romans Chapter 15. Verse 13.
00:47:07.19\00:47:11.06
15:13.
00:47:11.09\00:47:13.53
"Now may the God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace
00:47:16.63\00:47:20.70
and believing that
you may abound in hope
00:47:20.74\00:47:23.97
by the power of
the Holy Spirit."
00:47:24.01\00:47:26.64
Amen. Joy and what?
00:47:26.68\00:47:29.94
Peace. And peace.
00:47:29.98\00:47:31.31
They go together,
00:47:31.35\00:47:32.68
they go together
which is amazing.
00:47:32.71\00:47:34.05
By the power of the Holy Spirit.
00:47:34.08\00:47:35.72
That's right. Yeah. Yeah.
00:47:35.75\00:47:37.35
Which is
beautiful, the God of hope.
00:47:37.39\00:47:39.42
Amen.
00:47:39.45\00:47:41.26
I think that there's a joy
00:47:41.29\00:47:43.06
in walking in nature.
00:47:43.09\00:47:48.16
There's a joy
in, for me at least
00:47:48.20\00:47:50.37
because I've been
through a lot in my life.
00:47:50.40\00:47:52.53
You know, a lot of
traumatic experiences,
00:47:52.57\00:47:54.70
to me there's a joy
in sitting by a tree
00:47:54.74\00:47:56.74
and watching a river flow by
and seeing the birds, you know.
00:47:56.77\00:48:00.91
For others I think
joy is more animated.
00:48:00.94\00:48:04.58
I don't think
there's a wrong or right,
00:48:04.61\00:48:06.45
the point is, are you
happy, are you content,
00:48:06.48\00:48:10.62
are you at peace,
are you looking forward
00:48:10.65\00:48:12.85
to the greater
hope that's on the way.
00:48:12.89\00:48:15.02
So I think that
we all celebrate,
00:48:15.06\00:48:16.86
if I can use that term,
we celebrate joy differently,
00:48:16.89\00:48:20.66
but no matter
how you celebrate it,
00:48:20.70\00:48:23.60
I think joy is contagious.
00:48:23.63\00:48:26.10
I think if I'm
joyful, you're gonna know it.
00:48:26.13\00:48:28.94
Oh, yeah.
00:48:28.97\00:48:30.31
You know, even if I'm
not jumping up and down...
00:48:30.34\00:48:33.01
Because the fruits are visible.
00:48:33.04\00:48:34.38
Because the fruit
is visible. Yeah, yeah.
00:48:34.41\00:48:37.45
Sometimes when
Ryan is preaching,
00:48:37.48\00:48:41.58
Marilyn will tell
you I'm kind of level,
00:48:41.62\00:48:44.49
I try and maintain an
even keel but sometimes
00:48:44.52\00:48:47.22
when Ryan is
preaching I want to jump up,
00:48:47.26\00:48:50.83
you know, and I
want to run across
00:48:50.86\00:48:53.03
and like do some
back, I'm excited
00:48:53.06\00:48:55.13
'cause sometimes it's deep,
you know, and it's a new light
00:48:55.16\00:48:58.30
something you may
not realize before.
00:48:58.33\00:49:00.67
So, we do have different
personalities like you say.
00:49:00.70\00:49:02.67
And I think it's the
fact that you know we do have
00:49:02.70\00:49:04.37
different
personalities but, you know,
00:49:04.41\00:49:06.98
people respond
physically differently.
00:49:07.01\00:49:10.18
And I'd recognize that someone,
00:49:10.21\00:49:12.08
you know, who's
really, really joyful
00:49:12.11\00:49:13.48
may just sit there
and just be full of joy.
00:49:13.52\00:49:16.52
But notice it, but you could,
00:49:16.55\00:49:17.89
but you can tell
it on their face.
00:49:17.92\00:49:20.09
Right.
00:49:20.12\00:49:21.46
Their face will
tell the story, right?
00:49:21.49\00:49:22.82
That's why sometimes
00:49:22.86\00:49:24.19
I want to ask
people are you joyful?
00:49:24.23\00:49:25.56
Yes, I am, well,
tell your face about it.
00:49:25.59\00:49:27.70
You know, but, you know,
00:49:27.73\00:49:29.13
we respond, some
people have more of a calmer.
00:49:29.16\00:49:31.73
Me, I'm a loud person.
00:49:31.77\00:49:34.04
You know, when I get
excited about something,
00:49:34.07\00:49:35.77
I'm just, I'm expressive.
00:49:35.80\00:49:37.61
And so, I preach that
way, I teach that way.
00:49:37.64\00:49:39.81
See, I get joy from learning.
00:49:39.84\00:49:42.31
I love to learn about
God, I love to learn His Word.
00:49:42.34\00:49:44.81
I get an even greater
joy to be able to share that
00:49:44.85\00:49:47.12
with someone else, to
tell someone something
00:49:47.15\00:49:49.45
that perhaps God shared
with me that they may not know.
00:49:49.48\00:49:52.85
And that's my, one of my grid,
00:49:52.89\00:49:54.62
I get joy from that,
I get excited from that.
00:49:54.66\00:49:56.73
That's why when I put day,
00:49:56.76\00:49:58.09
on days that I
preach I give Bible studies
00:49:58.13\00:49:59.53
where I do these type of things.
00:49:59.56\00:50:00.93
It's hard for me to wind
down at the end of the day
00:50:00.96\00:50:02.93
because I'm still thinking
about all the wonderful things
00:50:02.96\00:50:05.73
that we've
discussed and we've talked
00:50:05.77\00:50:07.10
and that we've learned
00:50:07.14\00:50:08.47
and that we've
shared with each other.
00:50:08.50\00:50:09.84
And I think that if
we had that type of.
00:50:09.87\00:50:11.77
And again, I'm not
bragging or anything
00:50:11.81\00:50:13.14
but I think if all of
us, you know, we're...
00:50:13.17\00:50:15.98
On fire. On fire. There you go.
00:50:16.01\00:50:17.71
On fire for God in the
sense that others saw that.
00:50:17.75\00:50:20.05
Wait, wait, wait.
00:50:20.08\00:50:21.42
What do you got
so excited about?
00:50:21.45\00:50:23.39
Let me show you, right,
'cause if you're excited about
00:50:23.42\00:50:25.95
something, greater chances
00:50:25.99\00:50:27.62
are someone else's
gonna get excited about.
00:50:27.66\00:50:28.99
Oh, yeah.
00:50:29.02\00:50:30.36
It's like, man, you know,
if Publishers Clearing House
00:50:30.39\00:50:33.43
showed up at your front door
00:50:33.46\00:50:34.93
and said you're gonna win
ten million dollars a month
00:50:34.96\00:50:36.70
for the next five years, I
doubt that you would be like,
00:50:36.73\00:50:39.23
oh, that's cool, you know.
00:50:39.27\00:50:43.37
But, we're breaking
that some people may not,
00:50:43.41\00:50:45.74
you know, some
people may just be like,
00:50:45.77\00:50:47.11
oh, that's a blessing
and they may be full of joy.
00:50:47.14\00:50:49.28
You know, so we're not trying
to be judgmental in that way
00:50:49.31\00:50:50.78
but joy, joy is a fruit,
00:50:50.81\00:50:53.28
it's gonna be obvious that's
the point I'm trying to make.
00:50:53.31\00:50:55.18
And we need more of that.
00:50:55.22\00:50:56.55
But I think
people gravitate to that
00:50:56.58\00:50:57.99
because I work
in the call center
00:50:58.02\00:51:00.19
and people gravitate to you.
00:51:00.22\00:51:01.66
So I know that if you
express that and you show it,
00:51:01.69\00:51:05.03
people are gonna
want it, they want it.
00:51:05.06\00:51:07.83
People show it because
00:51:07.86\00:51:09.20
see my husband
was like you, Eric,
00:51:09.23\00:51:10.63
he was very
even-keeled but I knew,
00:51:10.67\00:51:14.37
I could read him, even
though he was even-keeled,
00:51:14.40\00:51:17.34
I knew when he
was joyful and happy
00:51:17.37\00:51:19.14
and other people did too.
00:51:19.17\00:51:20.91
But he, obviously I
was the one that was,
00:51:20.94\00:51:23.51
you know, you can
read me like a book.
00:51:23.55\00:51:27.55
But him you didn't
know but yet like you said,
00:51:27.58\00:51:32.15
when you're joyful,
00:51:32.19\00:51:33.52
even if your personality is calm
00:51:33.56\00:51:35.99
and even-keeled,
somehow it shines through,
00:51:36.02\00:51:40.00
it's like in your eyes
somehow or on your face.
00:51:40.03\00:51:42.50
That's right.
00:51:42.53\00:51:43.87
And your joy comes through
00:51:43.90\00:51:45.23
'cause the world would be
awful if everybody was like.
00:51:45.27\00:51:48.50
I think I
remember, I think it was,
00:51:48.54\00:51:52.24
it was Lee Venden I think
it was telling a story about
00:51:52.27\00:51:55.51
his father Morris Venden,
00:51:55.54\00:51:57.25
and it just kind
of stuck with me.
00:51:57.28\00:51:58.81
He was so excited
he had just had a,
00:51:58.85\00:52:00.68
had a real conversion
experience with the Lord.
00:52:00.72\00:52:02.98
And he comes into
the kitchen one day
00:52:03.02\00:52:04.49
and he was just so
excited, dad, dad, you know,
00:52:04.52\00:52:07.39
I just learned all
this, did you know this
00:52:07.42\00:52:08.96
and this and this about
Jesus and this and this.
00:52:08.99\00:52:10.73
He was sharing it,
there was such excitement
00:52:10.76\00:52:12.96
and but with the calm
just, you know, reserved,
00:52:12.99\00:52:16.60
you know, he
respond, Morse responded with,
00:52:16.63\00:52:18.87
isn't that wonderful.
00:52:18.90\00:52:21.17
Is just calm,
isn't that wonderful.
00:52:21.20\00:52:22.74
And I'm reminded
of people in my life
00:52:22.77\00:52:24.91
that I've met that
that's how they respond
00:52:24.94\00:52:26.61
but you can
sense it, you can tell
00:52:26.64\00:52:28.68
that fruit is
visible, the fruit is visible.
00:52:28.71\00:52:31.58
Absolutely.
00:52:31.61\00:52:32.95
Speaking of calm,
let's transition into peace.
00:52:32.98\00:52:37.12
We've got plenty of joy.
00:52:37.15\00:52:40.02
Now let's
transition down to peace.
00:52:40.06\00:52:42.92
That's right.
00:52:42.96\00:52:44.29
And I like the outdoors,
00:52:44.33\00:52:45.66
like you were
talking about sitting by
00:52:45.69\00:52:47.50
and that does fill you with joy,
00:52:47.53\00:52:49.56
but it also gives
you that peace too.
00:52:49.60\00:52:52.73
If I see a sunset
or nature can fill you
00:52:52.77\00:52:58.07
with awe and peace
that feels incredible.
00:52:58.11\00:53:03.21
Yes.
00:53:03.24\00:53:04.58
Marilyn, will you
read Colossians 3:12-15?
00:53:04.61\00:53:08.65
Sure. Okay.
00:53:08.68\00:53:11.62
"Therefore, as the
elect of God holy and beloved
00:53:11.65\00:53:15.29
put on tender mercies, kindness,
00:53:15.32\00:53:17.86
humility,
meekness, long-suffering,
00:53:17.89\00:53:21.10
bearing with one another
and forgiving one another.
00:53:21.13\00:53:24.20
If anyone has
complaint against another
00:53:24.23\00:53:27.30
even as Christ forgave
you, so you also must do.
00:53:27.34\00:53:31.74
But above all
these things put on love
00:53:31.77\00:53:34.64
which is the bond of perfection
and let the peace of God
00:53:34.68\00:53:38.31
rule in your hearts to
which also you were called
00:53:38.35\00:53:42.32
in one body and be thankful."
00:53:42.35\00:53:44.62
Amen. I love that put on love.
00:53:44.65\00:53:49.89
Yeah, first fruit,
love, right? That's right.
00:53:49.92\00:53:53.06
Then now we're, you know,
00:53:53.09\00:53:54.43
and let the peace of
God rule in your hearts.
00:53:54.46\00:53:56.40
Well, if you let the peace
of God rule in your hearts,
00:53:56.43\00:53:58.30
you're
definitely gonna have joy.
00:53:58.33\00:53:59.67
That's right.
00:53:59.70\00:54:01.04
You know, so you
got, now we've got love,
00:54:01.07\00:54:02.47
we've got joy, we've got peace.
00:54:02.50\00:54:06.17
Hebrews, I'm
reading that one down there.
00:54:06.21\00:54:09.24
Oh, Hebrews 12:14.
00:54:09.28\00:54:11.85
Why don't you
read that for us, Dee?
00:54:11.88\00:54:13.21
"Well, pursue peace
with all people and holiness
00:54:13.25\00:54:18.55
without which no
one will see the Lord."
00:54:18.59\00:54:21.86
Pursue peace with all people,
that being at peace with others
00:54:21.89\00:54:26.93
makes life so wonderful.
00:54:26.96\00:54:28.96
Yes, it does.
00:54:29.00\00:54:31.10
It makes life great for them
and for us and it gives us joy.
00:54:31.13\00:54:34.84
And if you have peace
with other men and women,
00:54:34.87\00:54:37.77
you can share the gospel there.
00:54:37.81\00:54:39.94
That's right. Amen.
00:54:39.97\00:54:41.48
Yeah. Yeah.
00:54:41.51\00:54:42.84
Some people feed off of drama
00:54:42.88\00:54:44.81
and negativity
and stuff like that.
00:54:44.85\00:54:47.02
That's so opposite of peace.
00:54:47.05\00:54:49.72
Again, just like
how God has genuine,
00:54:49.75\00:54:53.09
the devil has the counterfeit.
00:54:53.12\00:54:55.22
I love this verse
here, Philippians 4:6, 7
00:54:55.26\00:54:57.93
when speaking about
peace this is just one of those
00:54:57.96\00:54:59.83
that come to my mind,
"Be anxious for nothing
00:54:59.86\00:55:02.83
but in everything by
prayer and supplication
00:55:02.86\00:55:05.43
with thanksgiving.
00:55:05.47\00:55:06.80
Let your requests
be made known to God
00:55:06.84\00:55:08.94
and the peace of God
00:55:08.97\00:55:10.31
which surpasses
all understanding
00:55:10.34\00:55:12.17
will guard your hearts and minds
00:55:12.21\00:55:14.08
through Christ Jesus."
00:55:14.11\00:55:15.71
You know all that has been
00:55:15.74\00:55:17.18
going on in our
world as of recently,
00:55:17.21\00:55:18.78
there's a lot of anxiousness.
00:55:18.81\00:55:20.15
Oh, yeah.
00:55:20.18\00:55:21.52
A lot of fear and my
heart just goes out and breaks
00:55:21.55\00:55:24.75
for those people who lack peace.
00:55:24.79\00:55:27.89
You know, the
humanistic side of us
00:55:27.92\00:55:30.79
is always going to, you know,
try to bump its way in, right?
00:55:30.83\00:55:34.90
In other words, it's
gonna try to rear its head.
00:55:34.93\00:55:36.70
So there's moments
when we may reach something,
00:55:36.73\00:55:38.73
see something, know
something's going on.
00:55:38.77\00:55:40.87
And there's a part of us
that wants to almost respond
00:55:40.90\00:55:43.17
with a sense of
fear and anxiety.
00:55:43.20\00:55:45.51
But what separates
a genuine Christian
00:55:45.54\00:55:48.71
from a non-genuine Christian
00:55:48.74\00:55:50.08
is that genuine
Christian has that peace.
00:55:50.11\00:55:51.45
Amen.
00:55:51.48\00:55:52.81
Someone who really,
00:55:52.85\00:55:54.18
who really is in
tune with the Lord,
00:55:54.22\00:55:55.55
they're gonna quickly be
00:55:55.58\00:55:56.92
able to flee to
the throne of grace,
00:55:56.95\00:55:59.15
flee to the foot
of the cross and say,
00:55:59.19\00:56:00.76
"Jesus, I know
You're in control."
00:56:00.79\00:56:02.12
Amen.
00:56:02.16\00:56:03.49
I don't know what holds tomorrow
00:56:03.53\00:56:04.86
and I don't know
what's gonna go on next but,
00:56:04.89\00:56:06.39
Lord, I know you
got things in control.
00:56:06.43\00:56:08.40
And that's not always
easy, that's not always easy.
00:56:08.43\00:56:11.00
A peace that surpasses all
understanding, that's deep.
00:56:11.03\00:56:13.67
Yes. That's deep.
00:56:13.70\00:56:15.04
I think Jesus sleeping on
the boat during the storm.
00:56:15.07\00:56:17.17
I know, right?
00:56:17.21\00:56:18.77
The storm is raging
and He's sleeping like...
00:56:18.81\00:56:20.91
That's right. Yeah.
00:56:20.94\00:56:22.34
And those who lack the
faith were around them like,
00:56:22.38\00:56:23.98
"What's wrong with You,
00:56:24.01\00:56:25.35
don't you know that
the boat is sinking."
00:56:25.38\00:56:26.98
And He said,
"Ye who lack faith."
00:56:27.02\00:56:28.58
Yes. So, yeah.
00:56:28.62\00:56:30.19
Righteous, I know that,
00:56:30.22\00:56:32.75
I feel at peace
right now all the time,
00:56:32.79\00:56:35.12
simply because if you work
00:56:35.16\00:56:37.49
on your
relationship with the Lord,
00:56:37.53\00:56:40.10
if you're walking with Him
00:56:40.13\00:56:41.46
and doing the
very best that you can
00:56:41.50\00:56:43.03
and I think we should
all do the best we can,
00:56:43.06\00:56:45.60
we should be doing
what we should be doing
00:56:45.63\00:56:47.70
but then all to me,
00:56:47.74\00:56:49.24
at the end of the
day the bottom line is,
00:56:49.27\00:56:52.57
my life is in God's hands.
00:56:52.61\00:56:54.28
Yes. That's right. Yes.
00:56:54.31\00:56:55.94
And that can
bring me great peace,
00:56:55.98\00:56:57.85
it's like I don't
think He's done with me,
00:56:57.88\00:57:00.22
I think I got a
lot more work going on.
00:57:00.25\00:57:01.88
That's right. Amen.
00:57:01.92\00:57:03.25
But if He is, He
knows best and He knows
00:57:03.28\00:57:07.19
even from the beginning,
so I'm going to allow Him.
00:57:07.22\00:57:10.16
Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:57:10.19\00:57:11.53
That means
you're gonna trust Him.
00:57:11.56\00:57:12.89
That's right.
00:57:12.93\00:57:14.26
You're gonna be faithful,
you're gonna be long-suffering
00:57:14.30\00:57:17.10
in the eyes of adversity, right?
00:57:17.13\00:57:19.33
You're gonna exude
kindness, and goodness,
00:57:19.37\00:57:22.90
and
faithfulness, and gentleness,
00:57:22.94\00:57:24.31
and self-control
in difficult times.
00:57:24.34\00:57:26.41
That's right.
00:57:26.44\00:57:27.78
I can't believe our
time has escaped us.
00:57:27.81\00:57:29.74
Thank you, guys, so
much for your contribution
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and thank you for joining us.
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Until next time, God bless.
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