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 word
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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 Today Family Worship
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and happy Sabbath.
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I'm so excited
that you could join us
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for these
wonderful Sabbath hours
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as we prepare to
study the Word of God.
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I want to
introduce the panelists
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that I have with me.
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Before we go to the
topic, we have John Dinzey.
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Pastor John Dinzey,
it's great to have you here.
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Oh, it's a blessing to be here.
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And it's a wonderful
topic, important for these days.
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And I really am
looking forward to it.
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I would say it's relevant.
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Relevant.
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We have Brother JD Quinn.
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It's great to be here.
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It's good to be here to
speak on this particular topic
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that Johnny just mentioned.
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Yes.
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Yes, sir.
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And we have Dee Hilderbrand.
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It's a joy to be here
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with all these
wonderful scholars.
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We'll see how it goes.
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And I am excited
about the topic also.
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Yes, yes.
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So without further ado.
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It applies to our lives.
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That's right.
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Relevant Christianity.
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That's what we'll be discussing.
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But before we jump
into the Word of God,
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Brother Dinzey,
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if you would
have a prayer for us.
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Sure. Let's go to
the Lord in prayer.
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Our loving Heavenly Father,
we want to thank You, Lord,
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because You are wonderful.
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We praise Your name
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because of Your
wonderful care for us.
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We know that while
we roam on this earth,
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not everything will be great,
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not everything
will be wonderful.
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There will be trials and
problems and difficulties.
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But we thank You that Jesus
has told us be of good cheer,
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I have overcome the world.
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And so we pray that
as we share together,
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Your Holy Spirit will
give us the words to speak,
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and things that You will
bring to our remembrance that,
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You know, Your
children need to hear.
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We pray for
Your blessing upon us
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and upon all those
that are joining us
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wherever they may be.
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We ask You Heavenly
Father in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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So I just want to go
around the table here.
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And when I introduced the topic,
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relevant Christianity,
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what came to
mind, starting with you?
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Well, in today's
society, things are changing at,
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you can say a fast pace.
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And every new
generation apparently
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looks at the old generation,
and thinking they're outdated,
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they're no longer
and things they say,
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the way they do things.
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Oh, we don't do
things that way anymore.
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But Christianity really
is different in the sense
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that it's supposed to
be relevant all the time.
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So I think the
topic is well chosen
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and the Lord has,
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has been involved
in the selection of it.
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Because really, as Christians,
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we need to be
able to be relevant,
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to be able to communicate
with society at large.
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Praise the Lord.
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So that the message goes
throughout the hands of time.
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That's right. That's right.
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I remember.
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I remember a story
that a pastor told once
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where he was,
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he was invited to participate
in a television program
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and he went out and
he got his best tie.
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And so, when they were
getting ready for the program,
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they kept looking at his tie,
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and wondering if anyone
should say anything about this.
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And just before the
program started, they said,
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"Hey, Pastor,
we want to give you
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a tie for today's time."
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You know, apparently
the tie was really outdated
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and it would have been
an embarrassment to him,
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so they helped them out.
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So wonderful.
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We need help, every
one of us needs help.
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Yes, yes.
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Indeed. Amen.
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Amen. And Brother JD?
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Well, I was thinking
about just the daily application
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of who we are in Christ today.
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Has this changed?
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No.
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Maybe some, maybe
some colloquialisms
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have changed over the year.
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But the words of
Christ have not changed.
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And so our
responsibility as a Christian,
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or at least I
try to do this myself
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to be effective in
my daily communication
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with whomever comes my way.
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Amen.
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You know, to me, I
immediately went to the fact
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that if I'm not
making a difference,
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then I'm not really a follower,
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I need to be making a difference
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in somebody else's life.
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That's how I'm a real Christian,
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I'm making a difference.
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And not only in
your family's life
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and your work life,
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in all aspects of your life,
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if you're not making
a difference for Christ,
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then you're invisible
as a worker for Christ.
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Amen.
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How did you end
up in the church?
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Let's talk about
that a little bit.
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Dee, how'd you
end up in the church?
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Well, you know,
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I was raised in
a Christian home.
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But it felt like it was
in, it was in name only.
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And so, I was presented
with a vision of God to me
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that I think as a child,
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I realized I'm
lost because, to me,
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the picture of
God was, I love you,
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but I'm going to
burn you forever.
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So He became, to me,
that's like a monster
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I don't understand it.
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So I drifted
away from the church.
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I didn't want to be a Christian,
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because I looked at Christians,
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because I hadn't been told,
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hadn't been shown
how to look to Jesus
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instead of people.
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And my husband had
been raised as Adventist
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but he left the
church for other reasons.
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It was quite
legalistic back then.
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But God got a hold
of us, the Holy Spirit,
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and we felt like we
needed to go back to church.
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And it was like, well,
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what church are
we going to go to,
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and my husband says,
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"Oh, we'll just
visit different churches
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and see which one we like."
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Knowing full
well that he was going
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to be an Adventist.
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But we went to
different churches and visited.
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And pretty soon we were visiting
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this Adventist church
that had Bible studies.
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And we went to Bible
studies, and all of a sudden,
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I was like, oh, this
is what the Bible says,
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Jesus does love
me, there is a hell,
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but I it's not meant for me.
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And He's not going to
torture people for eternity.
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And there is this loving
God and He believes in freedom
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and Christianity is real.
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He became, He
became real in my life.
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So that's, God
led me down this path.
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And He kept me
safe all that time,
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because He knew at the end,
He was going to get me back.
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'Cause He's a loving God.
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That's right. Yes, yes He is.
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So when I was
looking at the topic,
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like relevant
Christianity, and I was,
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I was thinking about
this topic and praying on it.
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What came to my mind
about this was relevant.
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First off, when you
say relevant, irrelevant,
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it's kind of implied, right?
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So relevant
Christianity would be one
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that is practical Christianity,
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one that is not
just the mere profession
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of being a Christian.
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So you know, you
have maybe some people,
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they say, you
know, I'm a Christian,
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but then they're
at the bar, like,
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every night or even one
night or even, you know,
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whatever the
case may be, so it's,
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they're Christian in name only.
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Whereas, you know,
relevant Christianity is,
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and when I was
thinking about this outline,
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is being a
Christian, living out your faith
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and reflecting the
character of Christ to others.
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So, that's kind
of along the lines
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of where we're going.
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So when, when I heard
you saying that, you know,
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when you were growing up,
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you didn't have that
that real experience.
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In name only.
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Yeah, yeah.
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In name only.
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What about for you, JD?
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I was raised in
a Christian home.
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In fact, I was raised
a Seventh-day Adventist.
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My mother was a Methodist.
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My father came from
the Adventist background.
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Whenever...
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I don't think that
they went to church
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before I was born.
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Whenever I was born,
they decided we want to raise
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our child as a Christian.
00:09:34.94\00:09:36.57
So I don't know if
they flipped a coin,
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or who won but
anyway we started going
00:09:38.77\00:09:40.24
to Adventist Church as a youth.
00:09:40.28\00:09:42.64
And I was very fortunate,
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I got to go through our schools,
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I say our schools,
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Seventh-day
Adventist school system.
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Regretfully I
say I probably slept
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through the whole thing.
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And I love sports.
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And so I was playing,
mainly playing sports.
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And as time went by one thing
00:09:55.82\00:10:02.26
that I noticed,
00:10:02.30\00:10:03.90
not one day went by in my life
00:10:03.93\00:10:06.50
that I wasn't
praying to the Lord.
00:10:06.53\00:10:09.30
Always I understood some basics.
00:10:09.34\00:10:13.48
I don't know how
important they were.
00:10:13.51\00:10:15.74
The good news is, is
that he never gave up on me.
00:10:15.78\00:10:19.41
And then the way
He manifested it,
00:10:19.45\00:10:22.58
I met my wife,
Shelley, she let me know.
00:10:22.62\00:10:25.92
Hello, my name is Shelley.
00:10:25.95\00:10:27.96
And if you don't go to
church, I'm not interested.
00:10:27.99\00:10:32.09
I made a minor decision then.
00:10:32.13\00:10:34.23
Okay, she's blond, blue
eyed, I made a minor decision.
00:10:34.26\00:10:38.60
She looked pretty,
I'll go to church with you.
00:10:38.63\00:10:41.10
Knowing that
probably down deep in my heart
00:10:41.14\00:10:44.44
that's what I've
always wanted to go to church
00:10:44.47\00:10:47.91
to get back into
the court system.
00:10:47.94\00:10:50.95
She came out of a Sunday system.
00:10:50.98\00:10:52.95
Okay. Okay?
00:10:52.98\00:10:54.32
And there was one day
00:10:54.35\00:10:55.68
when we were
making a major decision
00:10:55.72\00:10:58.12
of kind of a business decision,
00:10:58.15\00:11:01.29
she brought up
00:11:01.32\00:11:04.46
that she was no
longer passionate about
00:11:04.49\00:11:07.20
what we were working on.
00:11:07.23\00:11:09.00
And this shows you how
God never gives up on you.
00:11:09.03\00:11:13.27
If there's a little
bitty tiny tear there,
00:11:13.30\00:11:15.97
He's going to slip in
as the enemy can slip in.
00:11:16.00\00:11:19.31
Okay.
00:11:19.34\00:11:20.68
And I says, well, Shelley,
00:11:20.71\00:11:22.04
what are you gonna
do about the Sabbath?
00:11:22.08\00:11:24.15
We never mentioned the Sabbath.
00:11:24.18\00:11:27.15
Well, that was done away with,
00:11:27.18\00:11:29.85
that was done away
with years and years ago.
00:11:29.88\00:11:32.52
And I just said, umm, she
ran upstairs to her office.
00:11:32.55\00:11:36.99
And now I want
to exaggerate here,
00:11:37.03\00:11:38.39
but not much.
00:11:38.43\00:11:39.79
For seven days, she
studied the Sabbath out.
00:11:39.83\00:11:42.96
She came down those
stairs, and she says, wow,
00:11:43.00\00:11:47.67
I am wrong about the Sabbath.
00:11:47.70\00:11:52.54
That was probably
one of the ah-aha moments
00:11:52.57\00:11:55.38
in my life
because I didn't know.
00:11:55.41\00:12:00.52
I slept through it.
00:12:00.55\00:12:02.72
And that was our walk.
00:12:02.75\00:12:05.85
She joined the church, I
joined a little bit later.
00:12:05.89\00:12:10.06
The good news is please,
please, please hear this.
00:12:10.09\00:12:14.40
He never, never,
never gave up on me.
00:12:14.43\00:12:18.63
And I was very fortunate
that time was on my side.
00:12:18.67\00:12:24.21
It's important that you
hear that because I didn't know
00:12:24.24\00:12:28.41
I was racing against
time, but I could see the years
00:12:28.44\00:12:31.61
go by and my heart
was missing something.
00:12:31.65\00:12:35.28
So thank You, Lord, that
I had the time on my side,
00:12:35.32\00:12:38.72
I met the right person
at the right time in my life
00:12:38.75\00:12:42.12
and other things
opened up that this is by far
00:12:42.16\00:12:47.53
the happiest days in my life.
00:12:47.56\00:12:49.70
Because all the dots are dotted,
00:12:49.73\00:12:52.33
all the I's are dotted,
all the T's are crossed.
00:12:52.37\00:12:55.90
Amen.
00:12:55.94\00:12:57.27
Praise the Lord.
Thank you, Jesus.
00:12:57.31\00:12:58.64
Pastor Dinzey?
00:12:58.67\00:13:01.74
Well, I was born
into a Christian home.
00:13:01.78\00:13:07.18
However, when I
was about one year old,
00:13:07.22\00:13:10.32
my mother and father separated.
00:13:10.35\00:13:13.09
And sometime afterwards,
she stopped going to church.
00:13:13.12\00:13:18.69
But she would
always take me to church,
00:13:18.73\00:13:22.30
she would go up to the door,
00:13:22.33\00:13:24.73
and said, I'll
see you later, son.
00:13:24.77\00:13:26.74
So she took me every Saturday,
every Sabbath to church.
00:13:26.77\00:13:31.04
And so it was, I was
brought up in the church per se.
00:13:31.07\00:13:36.08
Of course, the time comes
00:13:36.11\00:13:37.98
when you begin to ask questions.
00:13:38.01\00:13:41.12
So I decided to,
I said, you know,
00:13:41.15\00:13:43.92
why do we go to
church on Saturday?
00:13:43.95\00:13:46.45
Why do we eat
this way and not that?
00:13:46.49\00:13:49.32
Why do we eat this and not that?
00:13:49.36\00:13:50.76
Because the Seventh-day
Adventist Church believes that.
00:13:50.79\00:13:53.43
For example,
that we should not eat
00:13:53.46\00:13:55.36
what the Bible calls, it
used the term unclean meats.
00:13:55.40\00:14:00.04
So why don't we eat pork,
00:14:00.07\00:14:01.94
and shrimp and
these other animals,
00:14:01.97\00:14:05.21
and though.
00:14:05.24\00:14:06.57
And so, I had some questions.
00:14:06.61\00:14:09.24
For some reason, I thought,
00:14:09.28\00:14:11.75
I'm just going to get
information on my own.
00:14:11.78\00:14:15.88
And if I have a question,
then I'll ask the pastor,
00:14:15.92\00:14:17.92
I asked one of the
elders, I asked somebody
00:14:17.95\00:14:19.65
that I have confidence in.
00:14:19.69\00:14:21.26
So I went to the
local Seventh-day Adventist
00:14:21.29\00:14:23.63
bookstore, and I began
to look for Bible studies.
00:14:23.66\00:14:26.73
Let's see which
one should I get?
00:14:26.76\00:14:28.50
And I bought one or
two different series
00:14:28.53\00:14:30.83
of Bible study guides.
00:14:30.87\00:14:33.64
And I just opened
the guide and began
00:14:33.67\00:14:36.47
and went subject by subject
00:14:36.50\00:14:39.34
looking and studying.
00:14:39.37\00:14:43.61
And the Lord blessed.
00:14:43.65\00:14:45.65
My questions were
answered as I went through
00:14:45.68\00:14:48.08
the study guides
and reading the Bible.
00:14:48.12\00:14:50.29
My questions were
answered, I understood.
00:14:50.32\00:14:53.15
But I have to say looking
back there it seems to be for me
00:14:53.19\00:14:58.03
a conscious understanding
that God does exist.
00:14:58.06\00:15:04.30
So when people
said, God is here with us.
00:15:04.33\00:15:08.70
I'm over here like wondering,
"Okay, now, where is He?
00:15:08.74\00:15:11.94
Where could He be if He's here?
00:15:11.97\00:15:13.84
Oh, maybe He's over there."
00:15:13.88\00:15:15.48
You know,
because we can't see Him,
00:15:15.51\00:15:16.95
but maybe He's here somewhere.
00:15:16.98\00:15:19.01
But I, so I know He's here.
00:15:19.05\00:15:22.28
And so that's the way I
looked at God that He was real,
00:15:22.32\00:15:26.15
that He would talk to you
if you need to talk to Him,
00:15:26.19\00:15:28.79
and that He was there for you.
00:15:28.82\00:15:31.49
And it's been, many
things have happened in my life
00:15:31.53\00:15:36.16
that I know, God is real.
00:15:36.20\00:15:38.20
Amen. Amen.
00:15:38.23\00:15:39.57
Amen. Amen.
00:15:39.60\00:15:40.94
I love the fact that you
said that you asked questions.
00:15:40.97\00:15:43.81
You know, because I
think that a lot of times
00:15:43.84\00:15:46.31
people go through
life, and they're like,
00:15:46.34\00:15:47.98
well, I'm this faith,
because my mom was this,
00:15:48.01\00:15:51.48
or I'm this because
my grandma was this or,
00:15:51.51\00:15:54.38
you know, and
people don't ask questions,
00:15:54.42\00:15:56.32
but tend to keep
things out of tradition.
00:15:56.35\00:15:59.42
So that asking
questions is crucial.
00:15:59.45\00:16:02.46
I know for me, in
my life, I was, well,
00:16:02.49\00:16:05.63
when my mom was
pregnant with me,
00:16:05.66\00:16:07.00
she got re-baptized by
Pastor Murray actually.
00:16:07.03\00:16:10.87
And so she was
coming back to the church.
00:16:10.90\00:16:14.24
And I remember growing up,
and she would read devotions,
00:16:14.27\00:16:17.87
she would have
devotions morning and night,
00:16:17.91\00:16:20.48
and she would read
these devotionals to me,
00:16:20.51\00:16:22.61
and had me in church
and all of these things.
00:16:22.64\00:16:26.35
And, but then I remember
coming to the age of 14,
00:16:26.38\00:16:29.65
deciding that, you know, I
just kind of wanted to go off
00:16:29.68\00:16:32.12
and do my own
thing, because I felt like,
00:16:32.15\00:16:34.79
the word didn't apply to me,
00:16:34.82\00:16:36.39
or the message
didn't apply to me.
00:16:36.42\00:16:38.03
And I couldn't have been,
like further from the truth,
00:16:38.06\00:16:41.30
because it's
applicable to everybody.
00:16:41.33\00:16:44.70
But I strayed and I
strayed for about 14 years.
00:16:44.73\00:16:49.80
And I just remember,
like, towards the end of that,
00:16:49.84\00:16:53.51
and I've shared my
testimony in other places,
00:16:53.54\00:16:55.31
but I remember
towards the end of that,
00:16:55.34\00:16:58.55
just realizing, you know,
they say hindsight is 2020
00:16:58.58\00:17:02.02
just looking back at my
life and seeing God's hand,
00:17:02.05\00:17:05.05
on my life, even
through the horrible decisions
00:17:05.09\00:17:07.79
that I've made in my life,
00:17:07.82\00:17:09.76
I've seen how He's protected me,
00:17:09.79\00:17:11.66
in different situations,
I've seen how He didn't allow
00:17:11.69\00:17:14.46
the enemy to take me out
in my sins as he tried to,
00:17:14.50\00:17:19.77
and he would have
loved to have done.
00:17:19.80\00:17:22.24
I've seen God's
hand of protection
00:17:22.27\00:17:24.14
throughout my whole life.
00:17:24.17\00:17:26.24
And I also saw the
fact that, you know,
00:17:26.27\00:17:29.58
God wants to use anybody
who's willing to be used,
00:17:29.61\00:17:34.48
you know, I think about
Paul, Paul, when he was Saul,
00:17:34.52\00:17:38.29
he was persecuting Christians
and all kinds of stuff
00:17:38.32\00:17:41.66
like he was, he was going,
00:17:41.69\00:17:45.03
he was pretty,
pretty bad on the,
00:17:45.06\00:17:47.53
you know, on the wrong side.
00:17:47.56\00:17:49.00
And he went on to do
amazing things for God.
00:17:49.03\00:17:53.54
You know, and
before we go further,
00:17:53.57\00:17:56.20
I want us to take a
look at Ephesians 2:8-9
00:17:56.24\00:18:00.58
because we're gonna be talking
about a lot of action items
00:18:00.61\00:18:03.78
if you will.
00:18:03.81\00:18:05.15
But we want people
not to get confused.
00:18:05.18\00:18:07.95
This is not a save
by works type of thing.
00:18:07.98\00:18:11.15
So we want to look
at Ephesians 2:8, 9,
00:18:11.19\00:18:16.36
does anybody have that?
00:18:16.39\00:18:18.86
Okay, you want
to read it for us?
00:18:18.89\00:18:20.73
"For by grace,
00:18:20.76\00:18:22.10
you have been
saved through faith,
00:18:22.13\00:18:24.30
and not of yourselves.
00:18:24.33\00:18:26.63
It is a gift of
God not of works,
00:18:26.67\00:18:29.47
lest anyone should boast."
00:18:29.50\00:18:32.07
And this gets quoted to me
a lot by other family members
00:18:32.11\00:18:35.84
about I'm saved by grace.
00:18:35.88\00:18:37.95
Yes, you are.
00:18:37.98\00:18:39.65
But what does that mean?
00:18:39.68\00:18:41.18
If you're saved by
grace, what does that mean?
00:18:41.22\00:18:43.42
Does that mean you
just sit in the pew?
00:18:43.45\00:18:46.42
No.
00:18:46.45\00:18:47.79
So to me,
00:18:47.82\00:18:49.49
it is a gift of
God by His grace,
00:18:49.52\00:18:52.56
but even God's grace,
00:18:52.59\00:18:55.20
God's grace.
00:18:55.23\00:18:56.56
God put action behind His grace,
00:18:59.37\00:19:01.87
He put
commitment behind His grace.
00:19:01.90\00:19:05.34
So that's it.
00:19:05.37\00:19:07.81
I'm His example, I
mean, He's my example
00:19:07.84\00:19:10.35
of what I need to do.
00:19:10.38\00:19:12.01
Yes, grace,
praise God for His grace.
00:19:12.05\00:19:15.28
And I'm not saved by works.
00:19:15.32\00:19:16.65
Amen.
00:19:16.69\00:19:18.02
Amen.
00:19:18.05\00:19:19.39
That's true.
00:19:19.42\00:19:20.76
What were you gonna say, JD?
00:19:20.79\00:19:22.12
Well, I just think that,
I think all of the stories
00:19:22.16\00:19:23.93
that you heard here all
four stories you could see
00:19:23.96\00:19:26.06
the grace of God at work.
00:19:26.09\00:19:27.80
You know, because I think
that, especially three of us,
00:19:27.83\00:19:33.03
I'm excluding you,
because I'm not sure.
00:19:33.07\00:19:36.64
But I know the three
of us, boy, you know,
00:19:36.67\00:19:38.84
we went some stupid stuff.
00:19:38.87\00:19:41.34
As you look back at that...
00:19:41.38\00:19:42.74
Oh, dangerous.
00:19:42.78\00:19:44.11
Saying able to
say, 2020 and thank you,
00:19:44.15\00:19:47.85
thank you 1000 times to Jesus.
00:19:47.88\00:19:49.22
Amen. Amen.
00:19:49.25\00:19:50.82
I had people praying for me
all the time that I was lost,
00:19:50.85\00:19:53.82
and we probably, we all did.
00:19:53.86\00:19:55.19
That's right.
00:19:55.22\00:19:56.56
And yet that those
prayers were action.
00:19:56.59\00:20:01.50
They were doing
something practical
00:20:01.53\00:20:04.23
because prayer is
practical, prayer does work.
00:20:04.27\00:20:07.34
It is action.
00:20:07.37\00:20:08.70
Yes, it is.
00:20:08.74\00:20:10.54
And, you know,
there's also the, like,
00:20:10.57\00:20:14.64
when I look at my life,
00:20:14.68\00:20:16.01
my mom was the
one that was praying.
00:20:16.04\00:20:18.51
But then my dad
also poured out love,
00:20:18.55\00:20:20.52
and my mom poured out love.
00:20:20.55\00:20:22.58
But I really saw
the Christian principles
00:20:22.62\00:20:24.89
in my mom's life.
00:20:24.92\00:20:26.25
And I saw her living that.
00:20:26.29\00:20:28.06
And for me, that made,
00:20:28.09\00:20:29.52
that made a
huge, huge difference.
00:20:29.56\00:20:31.19
Amen. Amen.
00:20:31.23\00:20:32.56
You have to make a commitment.
00:20:32.59\00:20:35.10
When being a real
Christian, and having love,
00:20:35.13\00:20:41.34
there has to be
commitment behind the love.
00:20:41.37\00:20:44.51
Love is not real
without commitment
00:20:44.54\00:20:46.44
to my point of view,
00:20:46.47\00:20:47.84
God loved me so
much, He made a commitment
00:20:47.88\00:20:50.51
of sacrificing His own son.
00:20:50.55\00:20:53.08
Now what kind of
commitment is that?
00:20:53.11\00:20:55.92
Even in our
secular world, marriage,
00:20:55.95\00:21:00.26
we have marriage
and when we get married,
00:21:00.29\00:21:04.23
we still give vows.
00:21:04.26\00:21:06.56
And you fall in love first,
00:21:06.59\00:21:08.86
you don't walk up
to a total stranger
00:21:08.90\00:21:10.43
and go get married
and give these vows,
00:21:10.47\00:21:11.93
you fall in love first.
00:21:11.97\00:21:13.64
And once you fall in
love, you want to be married.
00:21:13.67\00:21:16.54
And when you want to be married,
00:21:16.57\00:21:17.91
you say to them,
for better or worse,
00:21:17.94\00:21:20.84
in sickness or in health.
00:21:20.88\00:21:22.31
But the problem
with a lot of marriages,
00:21:22.34\00:21:25.51
they say the words,
00:21:25.55\00:21:27.02
but there is no
commitment behind it.
00:21:27.05\00:21:29.45
There is no action behind it.
00:21:29.48\00:21:31.69
It's an emotion only.
00:21:31.72\00:21:34.56
And to me, love is an emotion.
00:21:34.59\00:21:37.86
But to make it real,
to make it impact somebody
00:21:37.89\00:21:43.67
to be what it should be,
00:21:43.70\00:21:46.90
it has to have
commitment and action behind it.
00:21:46.94\00:21:49.84
Yes, it's also a principle.
00:21:49.87\00:21:51.27
It's a principle
and it's a decision.
00:21:51.31\00:21:54.41
And it's so much more than
just an emotion and emotion,
00:21:54.44\00:21:58.01
love where it is just an
emotion is an empty love,
00:21:58.05\00:22:02.02
that you cannot stand
on, you cannot depend on.
00:22:02.05\00:22:04.99
So our marriages
would be in better shape
00:22:05.02\00:22:07.79
if we had commitment,
but our Christianity,
00:22:07.82\00:22:11.23
our Christianity,
accepting God's grace,
00:22:11.26\00:22:14.26
and His love has
got to have commitment
00:22:14.30\00:22:16.77
behind it and action.
00:22:16.80\00:22:18.80
And with commitment and action
has to come sacrifice too,
00:22:18.83\00:22:22.14
it's part of it.
00:22:22.17\00:22:23.51
One thing I'd like to throw
out there real quick, Johnny,
00:22:23.54\00:22:26.68
is that it's
kind of like a seed.
00:22:26.71\00:22:29.54
You know, good seed
was sown in my life.
00:22:29.58\00:22:33.21
I don't know what kind of ground
00:22:33.25\00:22:34.62
it fell on for a while.
00:22:34.65\00:22:36.48
But I do know that
there was a mighty wind
00:22:36.52\00:22:38.39
that kept blowing
this seed until it finally
00:22:38.42\00:22:42.32
fell on fertile ground
00:22:42.36\00:22:44.89
and when it fell
on fertile ground
00:22:44.93\00:22:47.53
the root system
started taking hold.
00:22:47.56\00:22:50.47
And then you just
pray that the fruit
00:22:50.50\00:22:53.00
that you start
producing is sweet.
00:22:53.03\00:22:55.40
You hope and you
pray that the fruit
00:22:55.44\00:22:57.47
that that is
produced is everlasting
00:22:57.51\00:23:00.04
in someone's life.
00:23:00.08\00:23:02.88
And, but here
again, He's the one,
00:23:02.91\00:23:07.12
that's with the capital H,
00:23:07.15\00:23:08.68
He is the one
that never gives up.
00:23:08.72\00:23:12.32
Because that wind then
have to blow that seed,
00:23:12.35\00:23:15.39
He could have just left it
right there in that old barren,
00:23:15.42\00:23:18.83
unfertile place.
00:23:18.86\00:23:20.20
Yes. Yes.
00:23:20.23\00:23:21.56
You know, I believe that
God in some way or another,
00:23:21.60\00:23:26.57
He works in each person's life.
00:23:26.60\00:23:30.37
To, you know,
00:23:30.41\00:23:31.74
we use the
illustration of the seed,
00:23:31.77\00:23:33.64
plants the seed, waters the seed
00:23:33.68\00:23:36.08
to draw us to Him.
00:23:36.11\00:23:39.08
Every person has this,
00:23:39.11\00:23:40.45
the person has
a choice to decide
00:23:40.48\00:23:43.25
what am I going to do
with what I just heard,
00:23:43.28\00:23:45.92
what I just saw, that
is an obvious evidence.
00:23:45.95\00:23:51.56
Something that moves
you towards doing good,
00:23:51.59\00:23:55.03
moves you towards knowing God,
00:23:55.06\00:23:57.73
you will hear
things from people,
00:23:57.77\00:24:00.10
you will see things in nature,
00:24:00.14\00:24:01.60
you will see even a
thought may come into your mind
00:24:01.64\00:24:05.17
to do something good,
to do good instead of evil.
00:24:05.21\00:24:09.28
And each person is molded
and shaped by these things
00:24:09.31\00:24:15.42
whether they will be more
inclined to follow the Lord
00:24:15.45\00:24:19.09
or to choose the other way
because everyone has a choice.
00:24:19.12\00:24:23.22
And that's the
wonderful thing about God.
00:24:23.26\00:24:25.09
Every person can be saved.
00:24:25.13\00:24:27.60
Amen.
00:24:27.63\00:24:28.96
And the verse says,
00:24:29.00\00:24:30.33
for God so loved
the world and this love,
00:24:30.37\00:24:34.04
for God so loved the world,
somehow that love is like a way
00:24:34.07\00:24:38.87
that just goes over everyone.
00:24:38.91\00:24:41.14
Doesn't the wind
blow on everyone?
00:24:41.18\00:24:42.54
You're going to ask
anybody in the world.
00:24:42.58\00:24:44.21
Have you ever
felt the wind blow?
00:24:44.25\00:24:46.18
Well, yes, I have.
00:24:46.21\00:24:47.58
In the same way,
somebody has felt
00:24:47.62\00:24:50.45
the wind of God's
love in one way or another,
00:24:50.49\00:24:53.12
some kind deed that someone did.
00:24:53.15\00:24:55.69
That makes them
wonder about doing.
00:24:55.72\00:24:57.19
I remember a person
that, oh, you're a Christian.
00:24:57.23\00:25:00.96
Yes.
00:25:01.00\00:25:02.33
And we work together.
00:25:02.36\00:25:03.70
He says, well, I'm sorry, I
just, I don't believe in God.
00:25:03.73\00:25:07.44
I said, my, okay, maybe
someday we can talk about this.
00:25:07.47\00:25:11.47
And so we would
talk and his name is Jim,
00:25:11.51\00:25:15.81
I still remember his name.
00:25:15.84\00:25:17.68
Anyway, one day, he
comes and he says, you know,
00:25:17.71\00:25:22.98
I had a girlfriend once,
and she was a good person.
00:25:23.02\00:25:26.62
And she said, "Hey, Jim,
00:25:26.65\00:25:28.92
you're gonna have to
decide it's me or the drugs?"
00:25:28.96\00:25:32.36
And he says, "Well, if
that's the choice I have,
00:25:32.39\00:25:34.96
I'll take my drugs."
00:25:35.00\00:25:36.33
So off he went, and he
walked with a little bit
00:25:36.36\00:25:39.50
of a staggering type of walk.
00:25:39.53\00:25:43.20
And the drugs affected him.
00:25:43.24\00:25:44.87
But anyway, one
day, one weekend,
00:25:44.91\00:25:46.54
he comes after it was a Monday,
00:25:46.57\00:25:48.84
he comes from whatever
happened to him that weekend,
00:25:48.88\00:25:52.31
now I am curious, what happened?
00:25:52.35\00:25:56.05
He said, hey, he
came directly to me.
00:25:56.08\00:25:59.39
"Hey, I just want you to know
that something happened to me
00:25:59.42\00:26:05.33
this weekend
that makes me wonder,
00:26:05.36\00:26:09.03
maybe God does exist."
00:26:09.06\00:26:11.50
He didn't say much
after that, he said,
00:26:11.53\00:26:13.44
"I just wonder, I just
wanted to let you know that."
00:26:13.47\00:26:16.67
And I said, "Thank you,
thank you for letting me know."
00:26:16.71\00:26:18.57
So I mean, I see this evidence,
00:26:18.61\00:26:20.98
God has been
working in people's hearts
00:26:21.01\00:26:23.18
and minds in different ways.
00:26:23.21\00:26:25.61
And people have to make choices.
00:26:25.65\00:26:28.78
But he came to you
because he saw the Christianity
00:26:28.82\00:26:34.62
and knew that was real.
00:26:34.66\00:26:36.29
So he wanted to
share that with you.
00:26:36.32\00:26:38.09
Yes, he did.
00:26:38.13\00:26:39.46
So God uses, the Holy
Spirit does entice everyone.
00:26:39.49\00:26:45.73
But once you are
a lover of the Lord,
00:26:45.77\00:26:48.94
once you become His disciple,
He wants to use you to plant
00:26:48.97\00:26:52.81
those seeds to
let the Holy Spirit
00:26:52.84\00:26:55.28
use you to plant more
seeds and to draw more unto Him.
00:26:55.31\00:26:58.78
So you become like
James 1:21-27 says,
00:26:58.81\00:27:04.15
you're not just a hearer,
00:27:04.19\00:27:06.25
we have to hear the Word first.
00:27:06.29\00:27:07.82
We have to have the
spirit blow over the top of us,
00:27:07.86\00:27:11.59
be filled with His love first.
00:27:11.63\00:27:13.26
But once we do that, He
wants us to become doers.
00:27:13.29\00:27:17.47
You got, one of you got that?
00:27:17.50\00:27:19.37
We're gonna go
there in just a second.
00:27:19.40\00:27:20.97
But, you know,
they say a picture
00:27:21.00\00:27:22.70
is worth 1000 words.
00:27:22.74\00:27:24.27
Well, imagine in Christian
00:27:24.31\00:27:25.64
who reflects the
character of Christ.
00:27:25.67\00:27:27.01
Oh, yes.
00:27:27.04\00:27:28.38
And not just
speaking it, but doing it.
00:27:28.41\00:27:31.98
And so now
segueing into that verse
00:27:32.01\00:27:34.75
that you're talking
about or those verses rather,
00:27:34.78\00:27:37.09
James 1:21-27.
00:27:37.12\00:27:40.92
Would anybody like to read that?
00:27:40.96\00:27:42.46
Well, I can read that first,
I mean, that first five words,
00:27:42.49\00:27:45.43
boy, it's powerful.
00:27:45.46\00:27:46.80
"Therefore lay
aside all filthiness
00:27:46.83\00:27:48.50
and overflow of wickedness,
00:27:48.53\00:27:51.33
and receive with
meekness the implanted word
00:27:51.37\00:27:54.00
which is able
to save your soul."
00:27:54.04\00:27:56.24
My goodness.
00:27:56.27\00:27:57.87
Just looking at that
in a different way today,
00:27:57.91\00:28:00.28
thank you, Jesus.
00:28:00.31\00:28:01.64
"But be doers of the
word and not hearers only,
00:28:01.68\00:28:03.95
deceiving yourself.
00:28:03.98\00:28:05.58
For if anyone is a hearer
of the word and not a doer,
00:28:05.61\00:28:08.78
he is like a man observing
his natural face in a mirror.
00:28:08.82\00:28:12.22
For he observes
himself, then goes away
00:28:12.25\00:28:15.02
and immediately forgets
what kind of a man he was.
00:28:15.06\00:28:18.29
But he who
looks into the perfect
00:28:18.33\00:28:20.00
law of liberty,
and continues in it,
00:28:20.03\00:28:23.06
and is not a forgetful hearer."
00:28:23.10\00:28:25.70
I think that's
speaking to most of us.
00:28:25.73\00:28:27.67
"But a doer of the word,
00:28:27.70\00:28:29.50
this one will be
blessed in what he does.
00:28:29.54\00:28:33.64
And if anyone among you
thinks that he's religious,
00:28:33.68\00:28:35.84
and does not bridle his tongue,
but deceives his own heart,
00:28:35.88\00:28:39.38
this one's religion is useless."
00:28:39.41\00:28:41.98
Relevant Christianity.
00:28:42.02\00:28:43.35
Amen.
00:28:43.39\00:28:44.72
"Pure and undefiled religion
00:28:44.75\00:28:46.15
before God and
the Father is this:
00:28:46.19\00:28:51.93
to visit orphans and
widows in their time of trouble,
00:28:51.96\00:28:56.46
and to keep oneself
unspotted from the world."
00:28:56.50\00:28:58.90
Amen.
00:28:58.93\00:29:00.27
Wow, wow, wow.
00:29:00.30\00:29:01.64
Thank you, Jesus.
00:29:01.67\00:29:03.00
There's a lot in that.
00:29:03.04\00:29:04.77
A lot in that.
00:29:04.81\00:29:06.14
He put the saving
of yourself first.
00:29:06.17\00:29:08.48
And to save your
own soul, He put you,
00:29:08.51\00:29:12.35
you have to put
yourself in a relationship
00:29:12.38\00:29:15.58
with God first.
00:29:15.62\00:29:17.19
And once you're
in that relationship,
00:29:17.22\00:29:19.65
once you're saved by grace,
once you have the love in you,
00:29:19.69\00:29:22.72
then you need to do
something with that,
00:29:22.76\00:29:24.19
you cannot just go
to church one day a week
00:29:24.23\00:29:27.00
and sit in the pew.
00:29:27.03\00:29:28.53
And you can't give
what you don't have.
00:29:28.56\00:29:30.13
That's right.
00:29:30.17\00:29:31.50
So you have to
develop that relationship.
00:29:31.53\00:29:32.87
Absolutely.
00:29:32.90\00:29:34.24
You know, it's
very interesting the way
00:29:34.27\00:29:35.60
you're expressing yourself
because it makes you think
00:29:35.64\00:29:40.14
that there's some
resisting going on.
00:29:40.18\00:29:43.61
I was thinking
of, I'll look it up.
00:29:43.65\00:29:46.98
Maybe somebody can look it
up for me, 2 Corinthians 5:14.
00:29:47.02\00:29:52.95
In the King James it says,
00:29:52.99\00:29:54.39
"The love of God
constraineth me."
00:29:54.42\00:30:00.50
2 Corinthians, what?
00:30:00.53\00:30:01.86
Chapter 5 verse 14.
00:30:01.90\00:30:03.37
I think you'll have it as...
00:30:03.40\00:30:04.73
"For the love of
Christ compels us
00:30:04.77\00:30:07.14
because we judge thus
that if one died for all,
00:30:07.17\00:30:11.47
then all died."
00:30:11.51\00:30:13.04
Okay, so the New
King James uses the word
00:30:13.07\00:30:15.21
compels us, compel,
00:30:15.24\00:30:18.88
I don't think
communicates the exact beauty
00:30:18.91\00:30:22.42
of what the love of
God really does in us.
00:30:22.45\00:30:27.26
Because when you say compels us,
00:30:27.29\00:30:29.42
it means you have no choice.
00:30:29.46\00:30:32.29
You see, you're
compelled, you must do it.
00:30:32.33\00:30:34.80
But you can't help yourself.
00:30:34.83\00:30:36.16
I think of it the other
way, you can't help yourself.
00:30:36.20\00:30:38.93
So it's that the love
of God moves us forward,
00:30:38.97\00:30:42.47
we still have a choice.
00:30:42.50\00:30:43.91
We still have a choice,
00:30:43.94\00:30:45.27
the love of God
moves us forward,
00:30:45.31\00:30:46.64
moves us in the direction
00:30:46.68\00:30:48.18
to share Christ to do something.
00:30:48.21\00:30:50.68
And we have to choose.
00:30:50.71\00:30:52.61
So when something
happens that you see a need,
00:30:52.65\00:30:56.58
in your mind is
that love of Christ,
00:30:56.62\00:30:58.89
I got to do something.
00:30:58.92\00:31:00.59
I want to do
something, you know.
00:31:00.62\00:31:02.52
And so, there's that
other verse that says,
00:31:02.56\00:31:05.86
"Let your light
so shine before men
00:31:05.89\00:31:09.20
that they may
see your good works
00:31:09.23\00:31:10.63
and glorify your
heavenly Father."
00:31:10.67\00:31:12.00
That means stop resisting.
00:31:12.03\00:31:15.34
Stop resisting.
00:31:15.37\00:31:16.71
That's right.
00:31:16.74\00:31:18.07
Let that light,
let the light shine.
00:31:18.11\00:31:19.71
So I think, unfortunately,
we do a lot of resisting,
00:31:19.74\00:31:23.51
because wonderful
thoughts come to our mind,
00:31:23.55\00:31:25.68
I should go and
talk to the neighbor,
00:31:25.71\00:31:28.38
I should go and take
something to the neighbor.
00:31:28.42\00:31:30.49
I should go and mow
the neighbor's lawn.
00:31:30.52\00:31:32.65
But some things I know,
00:31:32.69\00:31:34.99
he'll probably not be
happy about that or I'm tired.
00:31:35.02\00:31:38.86
I mean, we do some resisting.
00:31:38.89\00:31:41.43
And so I want to put before,
00:31:41.46\00:31:45.93
those that are
listening to consider
00:31:45.97\00:31:48.37
that these
wonderful things, these ideas,
00:31:48.40\00:31:50.84
these thoughts about
doing something good...
00:31:50.87\00:31:52.94
Are from God.
00:31:52.97\00:31:54.31
Is a message from
God to do something.
00:31:54.34\00:31:56.41
Amen. So it's not us.
00:31:56.44\00:31:58.28
No. It's from God.
00:31:58.31\00:31:59.65
He may have
planted a seed and hope,
00:31:59.68\00:32:01.25
there's an open
window in that person.
00:32:01.28\00:32:03.49
And if you go right then
in there to do something,
00:32:03.52\00:32:06.52
God will open an
opportunity for you to share,
00:32:06.55\00:32:09.42
because we're so afraid
that we'll make somebody angry
00:32:09.46\00:32:14.10
or they'll, well, I don't know,
00:32:14.13\00:32:16.60
offend them that
we're afraid to share.
00:32:16.63\00:32:18.83
But we don't consider
that God may have opened
00:32:18.87\00:32:20.90
that window and planted
that seed and the Holy Spirit
00:32:20.94\00:32:23.34
is prepared the way
first, we just have to walk it.
00:32:23.37\00:32:25.57
That's right.
00:32:25.61\00:32:26.94
You know, I've been,
00:32:26.98\00:32:29.14
I've been using
this word a lot lately.
00:32:29.18\00:32:31.75
And I love to be involved
in a divine appointment.
00:32:31.78\00:32:35.98
Because a lot
of times selfishly,
00:32:36.02\00:32:39.59
I don't want, I'm tired.
00:32:39.62\00:32:42.42
Today, it's been a long day.
00:32:42.46\00:32:44.33
I'm just not up to it.
00:32:44.36\00:32:45.79
But an appointment
has been set up divinely.
00:32:45.83\00:32:49.36
We have no idea
that the person over here
00:32:49.40\00:32:51.83
that we're talking
about may be pleading,
00:32:51.87\00:32:54.97
may be begging for a visit.
00:32:55.00\00:32:58.14
And it just so happens
00:32:58.17\00:32:59.57
that you were at the right place
00:32:59.61\00:33:01.14
at the right time to
see this divinely fulfilled,
00:33:01.18\00:33:05.41
if you would take that step.
00:33:05.45\00:33:07.68
But so many of us are tired,
00:33:07.72\00:33:11.85
overworked, too much going on.
00:33:11.89\00:33:15.12
And it's so easy to
talk ourselves out of it.
00:33:15.16\00:33:17.63
Oh, Jason lives down the street,
00:33:17.66\00:33:19.26
he'll take care
of this, you know,
00:33:19.29\00:33:21.20
and then that time
comes and that time goes.
00:33:21.23\00:33:25.23
Now, I don't know,
00:33:25.27\00:33:27.07
I think that
there's an accountability
00:33:27.10\00:33:29.14
in here someplace,
help me if I'm wrong,
00:33:29.17\00:33:31.97
because you just, you
just was given a test.
00:33:32.01\00:33:36.98
And you might have
come up with a D minus.
00:33:37.01\00:33:39.51
Okay.
00:33:39.55\00:33:41.02
And so we need to pay more
attention to the opportunities
00:33:41.05\00:33:44.65
as they come along
instead of just being.
00:33:44.69\00:33:48.39
We need to be willing
to use our talents too.
00:33:48.42\00:33:50.73
See God, we need
to use the talents
00:33:50.76\00:33:52.86
God gives us not
want somebody else's.
00:33:52.89\00:33:57.77
God gave me a talent of helping,
00:33:57.80\00:34:00.60
I can't sing, I can't preach,
00:34:00.64\00:34:02.60
I can't write, I
can't do a lot of things.
00:34:02.64\00:34:05.87
But, boy, can I
work and I can organize.
00:34:05.91\00:34:08.88
So He gave me a talent,
I need to use it for Him.
00:34:08.91\00:34:13.75
And a joy comes from that.
00:34:13.78\00:34:17.22
So when I quit
wishing I could sing
00:34:17.25\00:34:21.26
and couldn't and
started focusing on the talent
00:34:21.29\00:34:24.63
God did give me.
00:34:24.66\00:34:26.26
Sometimes at church,
00:34:26.29\00:34:27.63
I'd complain
grumble, grumble, grumble.
00:34:27.66\00:34:29.73
Somebody didn't do this
00:34:29.76\00:34:31.10
and somebody didn't do
that and they should have.
00:34:31.13\00:34:32.70
And I have to do it for him.
00:34:32.73\00:34:34.17
And I finally
said to myself, well,
00:34:34.20\00:34:36.77
God put you here
for a time such as this,
00:34:36.81\00:34:38.87
so you'd be here to do that.
00:34:38.91\00:34:40.24
So quit grumbling about
it, and just do the work
00:34:40.28\00:34:43.78
that He put on you.
00:34:43.81\00:34:45.91
And, you know, that relieves
me from a lot of things.
00:34:45.95\00:34:48.88
It relieves me
from resenting anybody
00:34:48.92\00:34:50.79
for not doing what I thought
they were supposed to be doing.
00:34:50.82\00:34:53.22
And it gave me a joy.
00:34:53.25\00:34:55.16
So a lot of times how we look at
00:34:55.19\00:34:58.06
what God has given
us makes a difference.
00:34:58.09\00:35:01.76
And when you, when
you're willing to commit
00:35:01.80\00:35:06.17
your action of doing what
God has given to your hand
00:35:06.20\00:35:10.61
to do with the
talent that He gave you,
00:35:10.64\00:35:12.97
it does fill you with joy,
00:35:13.01\00:35:14.34
but it also
fills you with a peace.
00:35:14.38\00:35:17.08
And it gives you, I don't know,
it gives you a lot of things.
00:35:17.11\00:35:20.92
And sometimes it's
sacrifice because...
00:35:20.95\00:35:26.39
And one of your things
here, it says, 1 John 3:18.
00:35:26.42\00:35:30.73
Yep.
00:35:30.76\00:35:32.09
I hope I didn't jump.
00:35:32.13\00:35:33.46
No, that's all right.
00:35:33.50\00:35:34.83
I'm all right, I had
just turned there too.
00:35:34.86\00:35:36.20
You're right on time, Dee.
00:35:36.23\00:35:37.57
Can you? Oh, okay.
00:35:37.60\00:35:38.93
Absolutely.
00:35:38.97\00:35:40.30
So 1 John 3:18 says,
00:35:40.34\00:35:42.64
"My little children let us
not love in word or in tongue,
00:35:42.67\00:35:46.17
but in deed and in truth."
00:35:46.21\00:35:48.04
That's right.
00:35:48.08\00:35:49.41
So I have been, I
was in foster homes.
00:35:49.44\00:35:55.15
And so I never did get to take
00:35:55.18\00:35:57.29
in a foster child
and raise them like,
00:35:57.32\00:35:59.09
I thought I
might do get into that.
00:35:59.12\00:36:01.49
But there is a
shelter in a local town.
00:36:01.52\00:36:05.29
And they have teenagers there.
00:36:05.33\00:36:06.66
And these are foster
kids, and also kinds of,
00:36:06.70\00:36:10.47
all kinds of issues.
00:36:10.50\00:36:11.83
So I, after I went part time,
I started volunteering there.
00:36:11.87\00:36:17.14
Well, this is a
difficult thing to do.
00:36:17.17\00:36:19.37
And not everyone can do it.
00:36:19.41\00:36:22.14
But I can't go, I
wouldn't be good at hospice.
00:36:22.18\00:36:25.55
I wouldn't be.
00:36:25.58\00:36:26.92
There's other things
that I wouldn't be good at,
00:36:26.95\00:36:29.58
but I can do this
because I can take it.
00:36:29.62\00:36:31.75
These kids are
angry, and they're very hurt
00:36:31.79\00:36:35.32
and they're very damaged.
00:36:35.36\00:36:36.83
And you can't go in there.
00:36:36.86\00:36:38.23
If I went in there and
said, "Can I pray for you?
00:36:38.26\00:36:40.66
Can I tell you about Jesus?"
00:36:40.70\00:36:42.03
They'd probably spit in
my face and say bad words.
00:36:42.06\00:36:45.73
But I can and it's a
sacrifice to go there
00:36:45.77\00:36:49.10
because I'm
putting up with stuff
00:36:49.14\00:36:52.61
that is not a
normal part of my life.
00:36:52.64\00:36:56.34
So it is a sacrifice of
time and it is a sacrifice
00:36:56.38\00:36:59.21
of what I really want to do.
00:36:59.25\00:37:02.35
But if I can make a
difference in one person's life,
00:37:02.38\00:37:07.56
if I get even,
00:37:07.59\00:37:09.19
and you would get an
occasional opportunity,
00:37:09.22\00:37:12.26
they would bring something
up that you could talk about or,
00:37:12.29\00:37:15.26
and that's
practical Christianity,
00:37:15.30\00:37:18.53
that's trying to
make a difference
00:37:18.57\00:37:21.47
in someone else's life.
00:37:21.50\00:37:24.37
And you're addressing,
you're meeting the needs,
00:37:24.41\00:37:26.31
you're getting to know
them, you're building that,
00:37:26.34\00:37:28.51
it's Christ method,
getting to know them, you know,
00:37:28.54\00:37:30.88
finding out
what their needs are,
00:37:30.91\00:37:32.25
meeting those needs.
00:37:32.28\00:37:33.62
And then, you know,
leading them to Christ.
00:37:33.65\00:37:36.08
We have a...
00:37:36.12\00:37:37.45
I'm sorry to
interrupt you. Oh, no.
00:37:37.49\00:37:38.82
I have to just praise
the Lord for the things
00:37:38.85\00:37:41.46
I've seen in Sister Dee.
00:37:41.49\00:37:44.13
Just recently, it's been a while
00:37:44.16\00:37:46.09
that I have the
opportunity to do that,
00:37:46.13\00:37:47.66
we were helping somebody move.
00:37:47.70\00:37:49.66
And she...
00:37:49.70\00:37:51.90
Whenever there's a move
taking place, Dee is there.
00:37:51.93\00:37:54.97
And she has, let's
do this, let's do this.
00:37:55.00\00:37:58.27
Can you help, you know,
00:37:58.31\00:37:59.64
and she's involved, she carries.
00:37:59.67\00:38:02.38
I mean, what a blessing.
00:38:02.41\00:38:04.41
And I, and just
before everything was over,
00:38:04.45\00:38:06.92
I said, "Now who
drove the truck?"
00:38:06.95\00:38:09.75
"I drove the truck," she said.
00:38:09.78\00:38:11.59
I've been doing it for 20 years.
00:38:11.62\00:38:12.95
So there are three,
five ladies that, wow,
00:38:15.82\00:38:19.73
when there's moving to be done,
00:38:19.76\00:38:21.63
I say, they put
the men to shame.
00:38:21.66\00:38:24.37
And so, I praise
the Lord for people
00:38:24.40\00:38:27.14
that see an
opportunity for ministry
00:38:27.17\00:38:29.47
and do something
because they are helping
00:38:29.50\00:38:32.84
someone but at the same time,
00:38:32.87\00:38:34.64
they are
blessed helping as well.
00:38:34.68\00:38:36.31
And it's a great witness.
00:38:36.34\00:38:38.18
Dee turns into the general,
she turns into a general.
00:38:38.21\00:38:41.32
Okay, we need to
do this, this, this.
00:38:41.35\00:38:44.32
And she's really,
she's really good at it.
00:38:44.35\00:38:47.12
It's
interesting, because sometimes
00:38:47.16\00:38:48.96
she'll hesitate to see
00:38:48.99\00:38:50.56
if anybody wants to take
the lead and if they don't,
00:38:50.59\00:38:53.09
she'd go, okay,
let's do it this way.
00:38:53.13\00:38:56.16
It's great.
00:38:56.20\00:38:58.13
Someone said this was
actually a compliment.
00:38:58.17\00:39:00.24
But somebody said
something to somebody about
00:39:00.27\00:39:02.40
"Oh, Dee is helping us pack up."
00:39:02.44\00:39:04.47
And they said, oh, that
must be like having a...
00:39:04.51\00:39:08.01
What's the guy
in the army that...
00:39:08.04\00:39:09.38
General?
00:39:09.41\00:39:10.75
Not a general but it's the
guy, the guy that trains the...
00:39:10.78\00:39:14.58
Oh, the drill sergeant.
00:39:14.62\00:39:16.45
They said, "There must be
like having a drill sergeant
00:39:16.48\00:39:18.99
in your house."
00:39:19.02\00:39:20.36
But you know, God has softened.
00:39:20.39\00:39:22.99
I actually, I'll
say, oh, I'm sorry,
00:39:23.02\00:39:24.96
I did that and
I've tried to soften,
00:39:24.99\00:39:28.83
organized but He's
grown me in this too.
00:39:28.86\00:39:32.53
So He will grow your talents.
00:39:32.57\00:39:34.80
Amen.
00:39:34.84\00:39:36.60
You know, I don't know
why I want to share this,
00:39:36.64\00:39:38.54
but I'm going to share anyway.
00:39:38.57\00:39:41.48
I'm sorry, I thought
you're gonna jump in.
00:39:41.51\00:39:43.55
No, I...
00:39:43.58\00:39:44.91
Something
recently happened to me
00:39:44.95\00:39:46.95
that I saw myself
giving something away
00:39:46.98\00:39:49.68
that I never thought
00:39:49.72\00:39:51.05
I would have to
give away or even,
00:39:51.09\00:39:52.95
you know, anyway,
00:39:52.99\00:39:54.32
we were in this
produce store in Chicago.
00:39:54.36\00:39:57.96
And we were putting our things
and usually when you are there,
00:39:57.99\00:40:01.53
there are a
couple of individuals,
00:40:01.56\00:40:03.03
guys that are just
looking for an opportunity
00:40:03.06\00:40:05.57
to make some money.
00:40:05.60\00:40:07.27
So they'll say, "Hey,
you need help with that."
00:40:07.30\00:40:09.54
And sometimes I say
yes, sometimes I say no.
00:40:09.57\00:40:12.24
And this time I said,
00:40:12.27\00:40:13.61
"Oh, no, that's
okay, I think I've got it."
00:40:13.64\00:40:14.98
I think it was almost done.
00:40:15.01\00:40:16.51
And so one of the two
guys that was doing that,
00:40:16.54\00:40:19.68
for some reason, I
picked up something
00:40:19.71\00:40:21.12
and I saw him
and he's trying to,
00:40:21.15\00:40:23.22
he's squeezing his
stomach to try to pull his belt,
00:40:23.25\00:40:28.72
you know, tighter and I
looked at him for a while.
00:40:28.76\00:40:33.16
And then I looked, it's
almost like the Lord said,
00:40:33.19\00:40:34.83
"Take a look at that
guy, he's struggling."
00:40:34.86\00:40:37.10
And he was, you know,
00:40:37.13\00:40:39.43
and he's trying
to put his belt on,
00:40:39.47\00:40:43.17
you know, better,
but I looked and I said,
00:40:43.20\00:40:46.74
"Are you having
trouble putting that on?
00:40:46.78\00:40:48.44
Do you not have any?"
00:40:48.48\00:40:50.38
"Yeah, I'm having trouble."
00:40:50.41\00:40:52.08
And I took here,
you can take my belt.
00:40:52.11\00:40:55.18
So I never thought I
would give anybody a belt.
00:40:55.22\00:40:57.15
Wow.
00:40:57.19\00:40:58.52
And so at that time, of course,
00:40:58.55\00:40:59.89
you have to ask
yourself as it's coming out,
00:40:59.92\00:41:01.92
I say, I think my
pants will stay on.
00:41:01.96\00:41:03.69
Because I'm going
to be without one.
00:41:06.53\00:41:08.30
So I took it
off, and I was fine.
00:41:08.33\00:41:10.97
And so, let me know
if it works for you.
00:41:11.00\00:41:13.64
He put it on and
oh, it works great.
00:41:13.67\00:41:15.90
Thank you very much.
00:41:15.94\00:41:17.27
He was very
grateful. Oh, praise the Lord.
00:41:17.31\00:41:18.64
And after I was
done, I was like, wow,
00:41:18.67\00:41:20.21
I never thought that would make,
00:41:20.24\00:41:21.64
you know, yeah, a belt.
00:41:21.68\00:41:23.65
Yeah.
00:41:23.68\00:41:25.01
And so, somehow,
00:41:25.05\00:41:26.38
I know God was
involved in that process,
00:41:26.41\00:41:28.15
He was very grateful.
00:41:28.18\00:41:29.52
Because really, that
belt, when he took it off,
00:41:29.55\00:41:31.19
I saw there was
really no more place
00:41:31.22\00:41:34.86
where he can make
another hole to put his belt on.
00:41:34.89\00:41:38.26
I mean, he was
struggling for a little while
00:41:38.29\00:41:40.26
trying to squeeze his
stomach a little skinnier
00:41:40.30\00:41:42.86
to put that belt on.
00:41:42.90\00:41:44.33
But you never know what
kind of need you will see.
00:41:44.37\00:41:46.23
But that's
practical for Christianity,
00:41:46.27\00:41:48.00
because you paid attention.
00:41:48.04\00:41:50.34
You could have
just glanced away or not
00:41:50.37\00:41:52.77
really looked at the person.
00:41:52.81\00:41:55.14
And so that's
practical Christianity
00:41:55.18\00:41:57.35
when you're paying
attention to your circumstances
00:41:57.38\00:42:00.75
and needs around you.
00:42:00.78\00:42:02.82
Yes.
00:42:02.85\00:42:04.19
There are. Not just at home.
00:42:04.22\00:42:05.55
There are needs all over.
00:42:05.59\00:42:06.92
And we think some,
00:42:06.96\00:42:08.29
most of the time is
something like this.
00:42:08.32\00:42:11.19
But there are other things
00:42:11.23\00:42:12.66
that the Lord
brings before us to do.
00:42:12.69\00:42:15.23
And sometimes
it's just a phone call.
00:42:15.26\00:42:17.33
Sometimes it's just, you see
somebody that's by themselves
00:42:17.37\00:42:21.07
and not just to go
over to talk to the person.
00:42:21.10\00:42:24.21
And listening.
00:42:24.24\00:42:25.57
Yeah, and listening, listening.
00:42:25.61\00:42:27.44
I went over to, I went to,
00:42:27.48\00:42:29.54
normally my
routine Sunday afternoons,
00:42:29.58\00:42:31.85
go fill up with gas.
00:42:31.88\00:42:33.85
And so I went to
the service station,
00:42:33.88\00:42:36.52
and I was pulled up,
00:42:36.55\00:42:38.15
stepped outside the car,
getting ready to take the,
00:42:38.19\00:42:42.89
you know, take
it off the handle.
00:42:42.92\00:42:45.16
And I noticed that
this van was just coming up
00:42:45.19\00:42:48.93
and he was not in any lane.
00:42:48.96\00:42:51.20
Now that's kind of interesting.
00:42:51.23\00:42:52.87
And then he pulled around
as I'm getting ready to attempt
00:42:52.90\00:42:56.71
to take out the faucet.
00:42:56.74\00:42:59.67
The gas.
00:42:59.71\00:43:01.04
Yeah.
00:43:01.08\00:43:02.41
Whatever.
00:43:02.44\00:43:03.78
Thank you, Lord,
for good means humility.
00:43:03.81\00:43:07.78
Anyway, they pulled
right up in front of me
00:43:07.82\00:43:10.02
on the opposite side.
00:43:10.05\00:43:12.25
And the
gentleman hesitantly rode,
00:43:12.29\00:43:15.59
he's wandered out.
00:43:15.62\00:43:17.29
And there was something
tender about his looks.
00:43:17.33\00:43:21.30
And it seemed like
he was stepping outside
00:43:21.33\00:43:23.43
his comfort zone.
00:43:23.47\00:43:25.50
And he says,
"Do you live close?"
00:43:25.53\00:43:27.30
And I thought, well,
"I live close, yeah."
00:43:27.34\00:43:30.54
And I thought he's
gonna ask me for directions.
00:43:30.57\00:43:32.84
And he says, "My
wife and I are hungry."
00:43:32.87\00:43:38.61
And then he rolled
down the back window,
00:43:38.65\00:43:40.32
she was a nursing
mother in the back there.
00:43:40.35\00:43:44.52
And I didn't have
too much money on me.
00:43:44.55\00:43:48.09
But I just pulled out my money
and I say, "Here, take this."
00:43:48.12\00:43:51.59
And he took off his ring.
00:43:51.63\00:43:53.93
He says, "Here, take my ring."
00:43:53.96\00:43:55.60
I said, "I
can't take your ring."
00:43:55.63\00:43:57.93
I said, "This is a gift."
00:43:57.97\00:44:00.04
And so then he
didn't know what to do.
00:44:00.07\00:44:03.94
I mean, bless his little heart.
00:44:03.97\00:44:06.51
And then I heard his
wife as they were pulling off,
00:44:06.54\00:44:10.08
"God answered
our prayers, honey."
00:44:10.11\00:44:11.71
Wow.
00:44:11.75\00:44:13.08
Praise the Lord.
00:44:13.11\00:44:14.45
And so I'm
sitting there, you know,
00:44:14.48\00:44:16.25
and you're trying to
connect the dots here.
00:44:16.28\00:44:20.69
I mean, there's so much
stuff going on was I just taken,
00:44:20.72\00:44:24.73
you know, I was this and, boy,
00:44:24.76\00:44:27.10
when she said that
that was just kind of like
00:44:27.13\00:44:28.93
the icing on the cake, you know.
00:44:28.96\00:44:30.30
Yeah. Praise the Lord.
00:44:30.33\00:44:31.67
Yes.
00:44:31.70\00:44:33.03
You know, God
answers prayers, honey.
00:44:33.07\00:44:34.40
Man, that's, that's incredible.
00:44:34.44\00:44:35.77
So you never know when
you're going to be used
00:44:35.80\00:44:37.27
or who's going to
use you, you know,
00:44:37.31\00:44:39.17
you just step out and
just be who God made you to be.
00:44:39.21\00:44:44.55
Absolutely.
00:44:44.58\00:44:45.91
Let's look at 1 John 4:16,
00:44:45.95\00:44:49.05
as we're talking
about practical godliness
00:44:49.08\00:44:51.95
and practical Christianity.
00:44:51.99\00:44:53.96
1 John 4:16.
00:44:53.99\00:44:56.02
And it says, "And we
have known and believed
00:44:56.06\00:44:59.29
the love that God has for us.
00:44:59.33\00:45:01.23
God is love and he who
abides and love abides in God,
00:45:01.26\00:45:05.57
and God in him."
00:45:05.60\00:45:07.10
Then I want to look at
Acts of the Apostles, page 560.
00:45:07.14\00:45:11.27
And it says,
"True sanctification
00:45:11.31\00:45:12.74
comes through the working
out of the principle of love,
00:45:12.77\00:45:17.71
the life of him in
whose heart Christ abides
00:45:17.75\00:45:20.98
will reveal practical godliness.
00:45:21.02\00:45:24.45
The character will be purified,
00:45:24.49\00:45:26.79
elevated,
ennobled and glorified.
00:45:26.82\00:45:29.79
Pure doctrine will blend
with works of righteousness,
00:45:29.82\00:45:33.80
heavenly precepts will
mingle with holy practices."
00:45:33.83\00:45:37.87
That's powerful,
because I mean it's...
00:45:37.90\00:45:40.30
Essentially it's not
just be a hearer of the word,
00:45:40.34\00:45:43.77
but you need to
be a doer as well
00:45:43.81\00:45:46.47
as you're seeing
love being displayed.
00:45:46.51\00:45:50.18
And love is a
powerful motivator.
00:45:50.21\00:45:52.38
I don't know about you
guys, but I'm sure that you,
00:45:52.41\00:45:56.22
I'm sure you've done some
interesting things for love.
00:45:56.25\00:45:59.32
Maybe you've
driven across the country,
00:45:59.35\00:46:01.59
maybe you've driven seven hours.
00:46:01.62\00:46:03.56
I've gotten in the car
and gone seven and a half,
00:46:03.59\00:46:06.56
eight hours,
whatever the case may be.
00:46:06.59\00:46:09.26
There's long distance
stuff and all of that.
00:46:09.30\00:46:12.37
You do some
interesting things for love.
00:46:12.40\00:46:15.94
Now, this was in the past,
00:46:15.97\00:46:17.34
but you do some
interesting things.
00:46:17.37\00:46:19.21
Heavens will dare
if you do it today.
00:46:19.24\00:46:21.58
Maybe five hours
of driving, that's it.
00:46:21.61\00:46:23.55
Dee, you look like
you're gonna say something.
00:46:26.72\00:46:28.65
No, I just,
you're absolutely right.
00:46:28.68\00:46:30.69
That is the love that
really has power behind it
00:46:30.72\00:46:34.52
because you're
willing to sacrifice
00:46:34.56\00:46:36.79
or step out for that.
00:46:36.83\00:46:38.53
Yes.
00:46:38.56\00:46:39.89
And like I said before God,
00:46:39.93\00:46:43.06
God put real
commitment behind His love.
00:46:43.10\00:46:47.54
And that's what
He wants us to do.
00:46:47.57\00:46:50.37
Practical godliness.
00:46:50.41\00:46:52.24
The one I get caught
in sometimes is Romans.
00:46:52.27\00:46:57.55
Yes.
00:46:57.58\00:46:58.91
Other when I, I,
my good intentions.
00:46:58.95\00:47:01.82
Yes.
00:47:01.85\00:47:03.18
I really, really want
to be a real Christian.
00:47:03.22\00:47:06.45
I don't want
someone, I remember sometime,
00:47:06.49\00:47:09.49
one time when I
moved from an apartment.
00:47:09.52\00:47:12.39
And I was having a
conversation with the man
00:47:12.43\00:47:14.83
that lived next door
to me as I was moving out.
00:47:14.86\00:47:17.13
And some, I said
something, he goes,
00:47:17.17\00:47:19.33
"Oh, I didn't know
you were a Christian."
00:47:19.37\00:47:20.70
And I'm like, "Oh, my heavens,
00:47:20.74\00:47:23.34
I've lived here
for 8, 9, 10 months.
00:47:23.37\00:47:27.18
And this man didn't
know I was a Christian,
00:47:27.21\00:47:29.01
how could he not know?"
00:47:29.04\00:47:30.58
And I had to think
about how did he not know
00:47:30.61\00:47:35.42
because my actions
were not unchristian like.
00:47:35.45\00:47:39.59
I wasn't having
wild parties or anything.
00:47:39.62\00:47:41.92
But here's a
neighbor that did not know
00:47:41.96\00:47:43.99
I was a Christian.
00:47:44.03\00:47:45.63
That was heartbreaking.
00:47:45.66\00:47:47.00
That was many, many years ago.
00:47:47.03\00:47:48.36
Thank goodness.
00:47:48.40\00:47:49.73
Yes. Yes.
00:47:49.76\00:47:51.10
But that's heartbreaking.
00:47:51.13\00:47:52.47
I'm glad that you
brought up Romans,
00:47:52.50\00:47:53.84
you wanted to say something?
00:47:53.87\00:47:55.20
You know, I have to say this.
00:47:55.24\00:47:56.81
I know I may have shared
this in another family worship.
00:47:56.84\00:48:01.11
But the Lord is
teaching us day by day.
00:48:01.14\00:48:06.45
And one of the lessons
He taught me that there's,
00:48:06.48\00:48:10.09
there's a reason
why you do good things,
00:48:10.12\00:48:12.85
and do good things for
the sake of doing good things
00:48:12.89\00:48:16.59
to bring honor
and glory to the Lord.
00:48:16.62\00:48:18.26
I remember when
I was very young,
00:48:18.29\00:48:19.63
I was still in high school then.
00:48:19.66\00:48:22.80
There was a...
00:48:22.83\00:48:24.23
I was sitting in the
bus in Chicago, you know,
00:48:24.27\00:48:28.14
and somewhere near the end,
00:48:28.17\00:48:30.37
not at the end
somewhere near the end.
00:48:30.41\00:48:32.71
And somebody
comes in, into the bus
00:48:32.74\00:48:36.58
and put in
something I think or just,
00:48:36.61\00:48:41.32
I can't remember
if he put something in
00:48:41.35\00:48:42.68
because I wasn't paying
attention at that moment.
00:48:42.72\00:48:45.09
What I do remember
is lifting up my eyes,
00:48:45.12\00:48:46.76
as I heard him say,
does anyone have 45 cents,
00:48:46.79\00:48:52.76
whatever it was,
35 cents, 45 cents.
00:48:52.79\00:48:55.76
And he looked at
everybody in the bus.
00:48:55.80\00:49:00.44
And so when he
said that I did this,
00:49:00.47\00:49:03.54
looking up to the sky,
00:49:03.57\00:49:04.91
you know, how you look
up to the sky to figure out,
00:49:04.94\00:49:06.64
to try to figure something out.
00:49:06.68\00:49:08.21
And I asked him, I
said, "Do I have 45 cents?"
00:49:08.24\00:49:10.55
And I had not even
began to look, but he's,
00:49:10.58\00:49:14.85
once he saw me he
started walking towards me.
00:49:14.88\00:49:19.22
And so as he was talking,
I put my hand in my pocket.
00:49:19.25\00:49:22.52
And sure enough, I had it.
00:49:22.56\00:49:24.63
I didn't have much money then.
00:49:24.66\00:49:26.80
Not even today I would say.
00:49:26.83\00:49:28.76
But anyway, he
walked straight toward me
00:49:28.80\00:49:32.57
and I gave him the money.
00:49:32.60\00:49:35.34
He turned around and
went and paid for the...
00:49:35.37\00:49:39.81
The toll. The toll of the bus.
00:49:39.84\00:49:42.34
Well, yeah, whatever
he had to pay to get in.
00:49:42.38\00:49:45.01
And he sat down.
00:49:45.05\00:49:46.92
And so after he
sat down, I'm like,
00:49:46.95\00:49:49.82
why he didn't even thank me.
00:49:49.85\00:49:52.59
And so there the Lord
began to teach me the lesson,
00:49:52.62\00:49:56.39
like, did you do
it to get a thank you.
00:49:56.42\00:49:59.56
So thank you really
make it worth your while.
00:49:59.59\00:50:02.03
No.
00:50:02.06\00:50:03.40
And does the
thank you really mean
00:50:03.43\00:50:04.97
that you'll do it again?
00:50:05.00\00:50:06.57
If somebody thanks you
or you won't do it again
00:50:06.60\00:50:08.54
if this one person decides
not to give you a thank you.
00:50:08.57\00:50:11.84
So that, before the bus
trip was over and I got home,
00:50:11.87\00:50:15.48
I, it was fixed in my mind
00:50:15.51\00:50:17.41
you don't have
to get a thank you.
00:50:17.45\00:50:18.78
Yeah.
00:50:18.81\00:50:20.15
That was like a
loving rebuke right there.
00:50:20.18\00:50:21.52
Yeah, the Lord, it
was a loving rebuke.
00:50:21.55\00:50:23.35
He said, you don't
have to get a thank you.
00:50:23.39\00:50:25.15
Just the fact
that you help someone
00:50:25.19\00:50:27.66
is a blessing to do so.
00:50:27.69\00:50:29.02
I mean, and I don't
know, you know, the Bible says,
00:50:29.06\00:50:32.29
there's some, you know, it says,
00:50:32.33\00:50:34.30
be careful to
entertain strangers,
00:50:34.33\00:50:35.93
because some have
entertained angels unawares.
00:50:35.96\00:50:38.93
I don't know,
maybe that was an angel.
00:50:38.97\00:50:41.34
He didn't give me a reason
not to think he was an angel
00:50:41.37\00:50:44.34
except that he
didn't say thank you.
00:50:44.37\00:50:45.97
But anyway, it was
a good lesson for me.
00:50:46.01\00:50:50.15
And since then, if
they say thank you,
00:50:50.18\00:50:53.42
wonderful, if they
don't, that's wonderful too,
00:50:53.45\00:50:55.55
I'm okay with that.
00:50:55.58\00:50:56.92
The fact is to do
something to help somebody
00:50:56.95\00:50:59.55
and make somebody's
day a little better.
00:50:59.59\00:51:01.52
I want to go to
Matthew Chapter 25.
00:51:01.56\00:51:03.93
And then if we have
time, we'll go back to Romans.
00:51:03.96\00:51:07.53
But Matthew Chapter 25,
00:51:07.56\00:51:09.36
because what you're
saying is you know about
00:51:09.40\00:51:11.97
how you could possibly
be entertaining angels,
00:51:12.00\00:51:14.57
I want to read this.
00:51:14.60\00:51:17.47
Let's start in verse
31 and then we'll go down.
00:51:17.51\00:51:21.54
"So when the Son of
Man comes in His glory,
00:51:21.58\00:51:24.45
and all the
holy angels with Him,
00:51:24.48\00:51:27.45
then He will sit on
the throne of His glory.
00:51:27.48\00:51:29.88
All the nations will
be gathered before Him,
00:51:29.92\00:51:32.15
and He will separate
them one from another,
00:51:32.19\00:51:34.42
as a shepherd divides
his sheep from the goats.
00:51:34.46\00:51:37.36
And He will set the
sheep on His right hand,
00:51:37.39\00:51:40.26
but the goats on the left.
00:51:40.30\00:51:42.00
Then the King will say
to those on His right hand,
00:51:42.03\00:51:44.80
'Come, you blessed of My Father,
00:51:44.83\00:51:46.60
inherit the
kingdom prepared for you
00:51:46.63\00:51:48.57
from the
foundation of the world:
00:51:48.60\00:51:50.47
for I was hungry
and you gave Me food,
00:51:50.51\00:51:53.31
I was thirsty and
you gave Me drink,
00:51:53.34\00:51:55.74
I was a stranger
and you took Me in,
00:51:55.78\00:51:58.25
I was naked and you clothed Me,
I was sick and you visited Me,
00:51:58.28\00:52:02.88
I was in prison
and you came to Me.'
00:52:02.92\00:52:05.15
Then the righteous will
answer Him, saying, 'Lord,
00:52:05.19\00:52:07.89
when did we see You
hungry and feed You,
00:52:07.92\00:52:09.82
or thirsty and give You drink?
00:52:09.86\00:52:12.16
When did we see You a
stranger and take You in,
00:52:12.19\00:52:14.46
or naked and clothe You?
00:52:14.50\00:52:16.16
Or when did we see You sick,
or in prison, and come to You?'
00:52:16.20\00:52:19.83
And the King will
answer and say to them,
00:52:19.87\00:52:22.10
'Assuredly, I say to you,
00:52:22.14\00:52:24.01
inasmuch as you did it
to one of the least of these
00:52:24.04\00:52:27.21
My brethren,
you did it to Me.' "
00:52:27.24\00:52:29.68
That's powerful.
00:52:29.71\00:52:31.05
But I don't want to stop there.
00:52:31.08\00:52:32.41
Because this, you
know, as we go on,
00:52:32.45\00:52:34.82
we get to see the
other side of things.
00:52:34.85\00:52:37.82
You know, here,
when they fed somebody,
00:52:37.85\00:52:40.52
they were doing it to Christ,
when they clothed somebody,
00:52:40.56\00:52:42.42
they were doing it to Christ,
00:52:42.46\00:52:43.79
when they gave
them something to drink,
00:52:43.83\00:52:45.29
they were doing it to Christ.
00:52:45.33\00:52:48.00
Picking up in verse 41,
00:52:48.03\00:52:49.90
"Then He will also say
to those on the left hand,
00:52:49.93\00:52:52.73
'Depart from Me, you cursed,
00:52:52.77\00:52:55.00
into the everlasting
fire prepared for the devil
00:52:55.04\00:52:59.34
and his angels: for I was hungry
00:52:59.37\00:53:01.84
and you gave Me no food,
00:53:01.88\00:53:03.88
I was thirsty and
you gave Me no drink,
00:53:03.91\00:53:06.78
I was a stranger and
you did not take Me in,
00:53:06.82\00:53:09.88
naked and you did not clothe Me,
00:53:09.92\00:53:12.12
sick and in prison
and you did not visit Me.'
00:53:12.15\00:53:15.32
Then they also will
answer Him, saying, 'Lord,
00:53:15.36\00:53:18.39
when did we see You
hungry or thirsty or a stranger
00:53:18.43\00:53:21.36
or naked or sick or in prison,
and did not minister to You?'
00:53:21.40\00:53:25.17
Then He will answer
them, saying, 'Assuredly,
00:53:25.20\00:53:27.44
I say to you,
inasmuch as you did not do it
00:53:27.47\00:53:30.94
to one of the least of
these, you did not do it to Me.'
00:53:30.97\00:53:35.11
And these will go away
into everlasting punishment,
00:53:35.14\00:53:37.91
but the righteous
into eternal life.' "
00:53:37.95\00:53:40.48
Amen.
00:53:40.52\00:53:41.85
That's why when
you have those people
00:53:41.88\00:53:45.25
that you maybe give money to,
00:53:45.29\00:53:47.42
or you do this for, and
you wonder if it's a scam
00:53:47.46\00:53:49.79
or not, you know,
that's not my responsibility.
00:53:49.82\00:53:54.36
It's no, no, it's
not our responsibility.
00:53:54.40\00:53:56.93
Ours is to give when
the Lord prompts you to,
00:53:56.97\00:53:59.70
when the Holy
Spirit prompts you to,
00:53:59.73\00:54:01.54
yours is just simply to
give without a thank you.
00:54:01.57\00:54:04.84
I think most of us,
00:54:04.87\00:54:06.61
I'm uncomfortable
with people thanking me
00:54:06.64\00:54:10.48
because I'm
doing it for the Lord.
00:54:10.51\00:54:14.28
Whatever I'm doing,
00:54:14.32\00:54:15.98
I'm, because God
gave me the love to do it.
00:54:16.02\00:54:19.62
When we do good deeds,
00:54:19.65\00:54:21.39
it's God's love
that is helping us
00:54:21.42\00:54:23.59
do that from the
relationship we have with Him.
00:54:23.63\00:54:26.56
Yeah, yeah.
00:54:26.59\00:54:27.93
Which is important,
00:54:27.96\00:54:29.30
because that
really speaks to motives.
00:54:29.33\00:54:30.83
You know, what are you doing?
00:54:30.87\00:54:32.20
Or are you only helping
people who can help you?
00:54:32.23\00:54:34.77
Or are you helping
people who can return the favor?
00:54:34.80\00:54:38.81
Or are you helping
those that are less fortunate
00:54:38.84\00:54:42.68
who might not reciprocate
that but you're, you know,
00:54:42.71\00:54:45.75
so it really
speaks to the motive.
00:54:45.78\00:54:48.28
And love is an
excellent motivating,
00:54:48.32\00:54:51.12
motivating factor.
00:54:51.15\00:54:53.29
If I have a moment,
I can read this here,
00:54:53.32\00:54:55.32
Christ Object Lessons, page 331.
00:54:55.36\00:54:57.96
Nice.
00:54:57.99\00:54:59.33
"Many whom God has
qualified to do excellent work
00:54:59.36\00:55:03.43
accomplish very little,
because they attempt little.
00:55:03.47\00:55:08.30
Thousands pass through
life as if they had no definite
00:55:08.34\00:55:13.04
object for which to
live, no standard to reach.
00:55:13.07\00:55:16.04
Such will obtain a reward
proportionate to their works.
00:55:16.08\00:55:20.42
Remember that
you will never reach
00:55:20.45\00:55:22.08
a higher standard
than you yourself set.
00:55:22.12\00:55:26.05
Press with determination
in the right direction,
00:55:26.09\00:55:28.62
and circumstances
will be your helpers,
00:55:28.66\00:55:31.26
not your hindrances."
00:55:31.29\00:55:32.63
Amen. Very nice.
00:55:32.66\00:55:34.00
Amen. Amen.
00:55:34.03\00:55:35.60
And our standard
should be Christ standard
00:55:35.63\00:55:38.47
and to be like
Jesus because ultimately,
00:55:38.50\00:55:42.47
He is the ultimate standard.
00:55:42.50\00:55:44.64
He is the ultimate standard.
00:55:44.67\00:55:46.24
So, you know,
relevant Christianity,
00:55:46.27\00:55:48.91
practical Christianity
not being a Christian
00:55:48.94\00:55:52.51
by just professing your faith,
but living it out, you know.
00:55:52.55\00:55:56.58
Love with action.
00:55:56.62\00:55:57.95
Yes, love with, I love
that, love with action.
00:55:57.99\00:56:00.42
That's very, very important.
00:56:00.46\00:56:01.99
And be doers.
00:56:02.02\00:56:03.86
Be doers.
00:56:03.89\00:56:05.23
Commitment, that commitment.
00:56:05.26\00:56:07.00
And all of that
comes from the Lord.
00:56:07.03\00:56:09.03
You know, we don't
believe you're saved by works
00:56:09.06\00:56:11.53
but that relationship
that you have with Christ,
00:56:11.57\00:56:14.30
that love that
you have for Christ
00:56:14.34\00:56:16.10
and that love that
He instills in you,
00:56:16.14\00:56:18.94
motivates you or compels
you to want to do something
00:56:18.97\00:56:24.08
for others because ultimately,
you're doing it for Christ.
00:56:24.11\00:56:27.05
Amen. Yes.
00:56:27.08\00:56:28.42
Amen. Any final thoughts?
00:56:28.45\00:56:30.79
I have one, short one.
00:56:30.82\00:56:32.85
And that is God will
give you an opportunity
00:56:32.89\00:56:37.96
to do something,
00:56:37.99\00:56:40.13
and is coming
before you very soon.
00:56:40.16\00:56:42.40
Amen, amen.
00:56:42.43\00:56:43.77
JD?
00:56:43.80\00:56:45.13
Well, I'm just very,
very thankful that God
00:56:45.17\00:56:46.97
never stopped chasing me down.
00:56:47.00\00:56:48.80
And, you know,
00:56:48.84\00:56:50.17
you just pray that
please allow me to be fruitful,
00:56:50.21\00:56:53.17
and that I will hear that voice.
00:56:53.21\00:56:54.98
Yes, yes.
00:56:55.01\00:56:56.34
I'm just grateful
God keeps working on me
00:56:56.38\00:56:58.75
because I fall short.
00:56:58.78\00:57:00.48
And that's what breaks my
heart is when I let Him down
00:57:00.52\00:57:03.65
and He keeps
growing me and forgiving me
00:57:03.69\00:57:05.45
and loving me with real
love and practical love.
00:57:05.49\00:57:08.69
Amen.
00:57:08.72\00:57:10.06
When you fall short,
00:57:10.09\00:57:11.43
you get back up
and God forgives.
00:57:11.46\00:57:14.60
He wants to spend eternity
with each and every one of us.
00:57:14.63\00:57:17.07
Amen.
00:57:17.10\00:57:18.43
And there's nothing good
that we do in our own strength.
00:57:18.47\00:57:22.44
You know, we can do
all things through Christ
00:57:22.47\00:57:24.21
who strengthens us.
00:57:24.24\00:57:25.71
And that's
important to remember.
00:57:25.74\00:57:27.68
Very important to remember.
00:57:27.71\00:57:29.04
Well, we've reached
00:57:29.08\00:57:30.41
the end of
another family worship.
00:57:30.45\00:57:32.65
Until next time, God bless.
00:57:32.68\00:57:34.12