I want to spend my life
00:00:01.80\00:00:07.80
Mending broken people
00:00:07.84\00:00:12.67
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 3ABN Family Worship.
00:01:08.66\00:01:11.13
My name is Ben Lingle.
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And we're so glad
you're joining us tonight
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for this very special edition.
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That's what I'm gonna
call it of 3ABN Family Worship.
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We have the family here tonight,
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and it's going to be a
Young Adults edition of this.
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But we want to thank you
for joining us every week
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to welcome in the Sabbath
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with us here in
Southern Illinois.
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And even though it
may not be the Sabbath
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where you're
watching, we're just glad
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you're joining us in
welcoming the Sabbath.
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We're just so excited tonight,
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because we have a
very interesting topic.
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It's going to be something
that affects young and old.
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So you're gonna want to stay
around for this topic tonight.
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But first before we
dive deep into the topic
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and really get into it.
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I want to introduce
our family here on the set.
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I'm so excited to have
all of you here tonight.
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And I'm gonna start at
the far end of the table here.
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I call this guy my brother
but many people call him CJ.
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This is CJ.
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So, CJ, why don't you introduce
yourself to our audience?
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All right, well, hi, everybody.
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My name is CJ.
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I work here at 3ABN
as a camera operator.
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I also help with the 3ABN
Sabbath School Panel podcast
00:02:06.05\00:02:10.09
along with Faith Life podcasts.
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So, if have you ever
heard of any of those,
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I help with that as
well as running teleprompter.
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So if you watch any of
our news breaks with Jason
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or Jill or Greg
or anybody like that.
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I'm running the
teleprompter to make sure
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that they sound
clean and well read.
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So, thank you
for having me here.
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Yeah, you're a great
asset to the team here at 3ABN.
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And I know you
do a lot of stuff.
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We all wear many hats
here at 3ABN but really,
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you're a great
asset to the team.
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So thank you for being
here tonight to discuss this,
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this great topic we're gonna
talk about in just a moment.
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To my far right, is sometimes
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I call her my little sister.
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We're not related technically,
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but anyway,
this is Tiara Walker.
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And, Tiara, you
also work at 3ABN
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but you're just a
great asset to the team,
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and why don't you introduce
yourself to our audience?
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Okay, hello, I'm
Tiara Walker as he said.
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I work here in the control room
primarily doing video graphics.
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So I put up the
supers, I roll the intro.
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And there's a
whole list that VG does,
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but I am so excited to be here.
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Listen, we have
an awesome topic.
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And we have some
great people here.
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And I'm just, I'm
blessed to be here.
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Amen.
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That's great. That's great.
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And then, of course,
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I'm really
excited about this guest.
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Now listen, I'm
happy all of you are here.
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But I'm really
excited that Rachel Arner,
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my friend Rachel
Arner could join us today.
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She came all the way from
Berrien Springs, Michigan.
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That's right. Yeah.
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Wow. So, Rachel,
thank you for being here.
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And why don't you introduce
yourself to our audience?
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Hi. Thank you for having me.
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I'm so excited to
see all of you again.
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My name is Rachel Arner.
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I did come all
the way from Michigan.
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I'm a student at the
seminary at Andrews University,
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studying the
Masters of Divinity.
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A couple other things,
00:03:46.82\00:03:48.16
I'm the host of the
Preacher Girl podcast.
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So that's really a great
ministry that I'm thankful for.
00:03:50.99\00:03:55.50
And I'm also a
phone chaplain at AIM.
00:03:55.53\00:03:58.77
So I take calls for
3ABN a lot actually, Oh, wow.
00:03:58.80\00:04:02.00
That's awesome.
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Yeah.
00:04:03.41\00:04:04.74
So you kind of indirectly
help 3ABN in some ways.
00:04:04.77\00:04:08.04
Yeah. That's
awesome. That's awesome.
00:04:08.08\00:04:09.68
Well, guys, once again,
I'm just glad you're all here.
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And I'm really excited
about our topic tonight,
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which is about witnessing.
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Now witnessing is something
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that's so important to
all of us as Christians.
00:04:18.15\00:04:20.66
And so, I really want you
to stay along for this tonight
00:04:20.69\00:04:23.29
because it's
really gonna be valuable,
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I think for you.
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But before we get
too deep into this,
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I think we need to invite
the Holy Spirit to be here
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to help us kind of, you
know, carry this conversation.
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So, Rachel, I'm gonna ask
you if you'll pray for us.
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Sure. All right,
let's bow our heads.
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Dear Heavenly Father
God, thank You so much
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for the opportunity to come here
00:04:39.31\00:04:42.18
and open the Word together.
00:04:42.21\00:04:43.91
Lord, I just pray
that You will fill us
00:04:43.95\00:04:46.31
all with Your Holy Spirit,
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Lord, so that as we talk
and have this conversation,
00:04:47.72\00:04:51.95
and open the Bible that
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You will speak through us, Lord.
00:04:53.89\00:04:55.62
Thank You so
much for the Sabbath
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and the opportunity to
rest in Your presence as well.
00:04:57.73\00:05:01.20
So please be with us now.
00:05:01.23\00:05:02.56
In Jesus' name I pray.
00:05:02.60\00:05:03.93
Amen.
00:05:03.97\00:05:05.30
Amen. Amen.
00:05:05.33\00:05:06.67
All right, as we said,
tonight's topic is witnessing.
00:05:06.70\00:05:09.54
And, you know, this is something
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that affects all
of us as Christians.
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It's something that we
all need to know how to do.
00:05:12.97\00:05:15.68
And there's various
ways we can witness, right?
00:05:15.71\00:05:17.85
So we want to kind of
talk about, initially,
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I kind of want to
start this conversation
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open in the fact of
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why is witnessing
important to us as Christians.
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So what do you guys think?
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CJ, what do you
think about that?
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Why is witnessing
important to Christians?
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Well, it's a big drive.
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It's one of the last
things that Christ gave to us
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as a command as a...
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I wouldn't say an order,
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but what we
typically call a commission.
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Yeah.
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So towards the end
of Matthew, you see
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Christ telling His disciples
to go into all the world.
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And that's right
after the resurrection,
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you go into Acts 1,
you see him telling them
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that they're
gonna go into Jerusalem
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and into Samaria
and to all the world.
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So it's, it's important
because it's telling people
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of the life
changing power of Christ,
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telling him, telling them
that there's a savior out there
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who defy death.
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And He's here to
give you that opportunity
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to not die eternally.
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Yeah, that's good.
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It's something that
we hope as we witness,
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and as Christ comes
into people's hearts,
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it's something that continues
to change those people, right?
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Because we know, we've
experienced it ourselves,
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being whether we were witness
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to or maybe we were raised
in the faith or something,
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we know how important it is
to have Christ in our lives.
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So I think that was a beautiful
summary of why it's important.
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What do you guys think is?
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Why do you think
witnessing is important?
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You know, I think that
witnessing is important,
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because you know,
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if you're a
Christian, you're filled,
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you're full of
Christ, and you want to go out
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and you want to share that love.
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Yeah.
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But you have to realize
that we're called to witness
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so that others
will find Christ, yes.
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But we're called to witness
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because it also
helps us as Christians.
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Wow.
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It strengthened us.
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And it makes us
confident in our faith.
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When you go out
and you tell somebody,
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"Hey, you don't, you
won't believe who I was,
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before Christ
came in and found me."
00:07:06.69\00:07:08.56
You know what I mean?
00:07:08.59\00:07:09.92
And you just, you
build this confidence,
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and you just, you
grow in your love.
00:07:12.33\00:07:15.20
And it's so important
that Christians get out
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and get out of
their comfort zone
00:07:18.47\00:07:20.50
and just fully rely on God
because He is a consuming fire.
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And we want to
shake those dry bones,
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we want to rattle them
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and we want to tell people
what God has done in our lives.
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Amen.
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Yeah, our
testimony is so important.
00:07:31.91\00:07:33.55
And there's a song I
really love, I actually sang
00:07:33.58\00:07:36.28
a couple Sabbath's
ago and it's called Mercy.
00:07:36.32\00:07:38.52
And one of the lyrics
is, "If you knew me then,
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you believe me now.
00:07:40.92\00:07:42.26
He turned my
whole life upside down."
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Isn't that powerful?
00:07:44.73\00:07:46.06
Yeah.
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I just love, love that
lyric. And it's really true.
00:07:47.46\00:07:49.00
It's something that's powerful.
00:07:49.03\00:07:50.37
Rachel, do you
have any thoughts on why
00:07:50.40\00:07:51.73
witnessing is important.
00:07:51.77\00:07:53.10
Yeah, absolutely.
00:07:53.13\00:07:54.47
Well, like
everything you guys have said,
00:07:54.50\00:07:55.84
it's so important that
we don't keep the gospel
00:07:55.87\00:07:58.17
and the hope and
the love of Jesus
00:07:58.21\00:07:59.64
that we have to ourselves.
00:07:59.67\00:08:02.44
And a lot of it comes
down to just our daily life,
00:08:02.48\00:08:05.75
you know, going out
to the grocery store,
00:08:05.78\00:08:07.68
having
conversations with people.
00:08:07.72\00:08:09.82
Now it's a little bit
more difficult, right?
00:08:09.85\00:08:11.55
We don't have as many
opportunities to meet,
00:08:11.59\00:08:14.59
you know,
strangers, meet new people,
00:08:14.62\00:08:16.26
things like that.
00:08:16.29\00:08:17.66
And I think that's
why it's so important
00:08:17.69\00:08:19.39
to remember who Jesus was.
00:08:19.43\00:08:21.46
I mean, His
character, He was full of love.
00:08:21.50\00:08:24.37
So as long as we
invite Jesus into our heart
00:08:24.40\00:08:26.87
every single day,
00:08:26.90\00:08:28.40
you know, that's the
best thing we can do.
00:08:28.44\00:08:29.84
Yeah.
00:08:29.87\00:08:31.21
Absolutely.
00:08:31.24\00:08:32.57
Now, has
everybody here I'm assuming,
00:08:32.61\00:08:34.44
which is not always a bad thing.
00:08:34.48\00:08:35.81
But I'm assuming all of us
00:08:35.84\00:08:37.18
have been
Christians all our lives.
00:08:37.21\00:08:38.55
Yes. Yeah.
00:08:38.58\00:08:39.91
So I'm kind of curious,
kind of as we continue to dive
00:08:39.95\00:08:42.22
into this topic,
have any of you had any
00:08:42.25\00:08:44.52
successful
witnessing opportunities?
00:08:44.55\00:08:46.55
Or maybe just in general,
00:08:46.59\00:08:47.92
have you had some
opportunities to witness?
00:08:47.96\00:08:50.33
Yeah. Yeah.
00:08:50.36\00:08:51.69
Absolutely.
00:08:51.73\00:08:53.06
What's, what,
CJ, what do you have?
00:08:53.09\00:08:54.43
What have you done?
00:08:54.46\00:08:56.87
Well, most, most of what I have
00:08:56.90\00:08:58.60
the opportunity to do is online.
00:08:58.63\00:09:01.00
So I'm a moderator
00:09:01.04\00:09:03.20
on a chat
service called Discord.
00:09:03.24\00:09:06.27
If any of you
know about Discord.
00:09:06.31\00:09:09.58
It's typically for
gamers, but a lot of our,
00:09:09.61\00:09:13.62
you know, young people
have taken over Discord
00:09:13.65\00:09:16.35
and use it as a way to
kind of grow and fellowship.
00:09:16.38\00:09:21.66
So one of the examples
and I think this is kind of,
00:09:21.69\00:09:25.06
this is kind of like a general
00:09:25.09\00:09:26.43
because there's a lot
of people are in there,
00:09:26.46\00:09:28.33
kind of talking to
people of different backgrounds
00:09:28.36\00:09:30.97
and different religions.
00:09:31.00\00:09:32.33
So in one of the groups
I'm in, there's a Muslim there,
00:09:32.37\00:09:34.60
so I could talk to him
about stuff, he doesn't,
00:09:34.64\00:09:36.60
still doesn't agree.
00:09:36.64\00:09:38.64
And there is even a
guy in there who is...
00:09:38.67\00:09:43.28
I wouldn't, I don't
know exactly if he identifies
00:09:43.31\00:09:45.81
as modalist, which
is a way they view God.
00:09:45.85\00:09:49.48
But I got to talk to him.
00:09:49.52\00:09:51.22
I remember when I was
a child I got to talk to,
00:09:51.25\00:09:53.46
I was talking to a lady
that was cutting my hair.
00:09:53.49\00:09:55.42
She just asked me about myself.
00:09:55.46\00:09:56.79
I'm asking what I believe.
00:09:56.83\00:09:58.23
Yeah, and I even
remember an opportunity
00:09:58.26\00:10:01.36
came up a few years
ago during the eclipse
00:10:01.40\00:10:04.23
that we had down
here in Southern Illinois.
00:10:04.27\00:10:06.33
They had a in one of our
bigger cities, Carbondale.
00:10:06.37\00:10:11.07
They had, they had this
whole eclipse celebration
00:10:11.11\00:10:14.64
and they had Ozzy Osbourne
00:10:14.68\00:10:16.48
and all these
things happening there.
00:10:16.51\00:10:18.05
But they had an opportunity
for people from our church
00:10:18.08\00:10:23.49
and in the surrounding area
to go out and to share books
00:10:23.52\00:10:27.96
because around that time
Hacksaw Ridge was coming out.
00:10:27.99\00:10:30.73
And Hacksaw Ridge was a really
good witnessing opportunity
00:10:30.76\00:10:33.19
because people were seeing that.
00:10:33.23\00:10:34.56
Which is the story
about Desmond Doss.
00:10:34.60\00:10:35.93
Yeah.
00:10:35.96\00:10:37.30
Who was it, was
it World War II? Yes.
00:10:37.33\00:10:38.67
Okay. Yeah.
00:10:38.70\00:10:40.04
Yes.
Conscientious objector, right?
00:10:40.07\00:10:41.57
Yeah. Yeah.
00:10:41.60\00:10:42.94
So a lot of people were
seeing this, this is Mel,
00:10:42.97\00:10:45.31
for a guy's named Mel Brooks
00:10:45.34\00:10:46.68
or however you say his
name, but the director.
00:10:46.71\00:10:50.65
He directed Passion
to Christ and stuff.
00:10:50.68\00:10:52.08
But he made a
story about Desmond Doss
00:10:52.11\00:10:55.92
being an Adventist in a
sense, but being this Christian
00:10:55.95\00:10:58.52
who was in World War II,
00:10:58.55\00:11:00.46
but he wasn't
gonna kill anybody.
00:11:00.49\00:11:01.82
He was gonna help people.
00:11:01.86\00:11:03.19
And his story is well known,
00:11:03.22\00:11:05.16
even among
Christians and atheists.
00:11:05.19\00:11:07.26
But it gave us an opportunity
because not only were we able
00:11:07.30\00:11:09.53
to pass out the
book about his life,
00:11:09.56\00:11:11.13
the new publishing from Remnant,
00:11:11.17\00:11:14.40
but also got to
share GLOW tracks,
00:11:14.44\00:11:16.50
we got to just interact
with some people is really cool.
00:11:16.54\00:11:21.68
That's really cool.
00:11:21.71\00:11:23.04
I know I've had
some opportunities where,
00:11:23.08\00:11:25.21
you know, sometimes
our greatest witness
00:11:25.25\00:11:27.62
is just like you said, Rachel,
kind of how we live our lives.
00:11:27.65\00:11:30.82
And I remember
there was one time I just,
00:11:30.85\00:11:35.19
it's amazing how just
treating people with kindness
00:11:35.22\00:11:38.09
and love and respect,
makes people question,
00:11:38.13\00:11:42.86
you know, you in
a good way, like,
00:11:42.90\00:11:45.23
"Huh! I want to be like that."
00:11:45.27\00:11:47.40
What's so different about them?
00:11:47.44\00:11:48.77
Yeah. What's
different about them?
00:11:48.80\00:11:50.14
How, they seem different.
00:11:50.17\00:11:51.51
Something's
different about them.
00:11:51.54\00:11:52.87
And I remember one time,
and this is not about me,
00:11:52.91\00:11:54.98
this is about Jesus.
00:11:55.01\00:11:56.41
And, but I remember
one time, I had a friend.
00:11:56.44\00:11:59.08
We had, I've been
hanging out with him,
00:11:59.11\00:12:00.45
just trying to encourage
him and help him all that.
00:12:00.48\00:12:02.82
And he said, he, you
know, he was obviously
00:12:02.85\00:12:05.49
aware of
Christianity and all that.
00:12:05.52\00:12:06.89
But I remember him sending
me a message on Facebook,
00:12:06.92\00:12:08.89
and he said,
something along the lines of,
00:12:08.92\00:12:13.46
"If I had to say, who in my life
00:12:13.50\00:12:17.30
helped lead me to Christ,
you're one of those people."
00:12:17.33\00:12:19.83
And I didn't always
explicitly talk about Christ.
00:12:19.87\00:12:22.40
You know, not all our
conversation was about God
00:12:22.44\00:12:24.31
or Jesus or whatever.
00:12:24.34\00:12:25.67
But it was amazing
to see how even just
00:12:25.71\00:12:27.88
a little bit of kindness
and love was able to change
00:12:27.91\00:12:31.41
that person's life around.
00:12:31.45\00:12:32.78
And I think that's just
00:12:32.81\00:12:34.15
something really
special, you know?
00:12:34.18\00:12:35.52
That's amazing.
00:12:35.55\00:12:36.89
Absolutely, yeah,
00:12:36.92\00:12:38.25
if I could just
share too, you reminded me.
00:12:38.29\00:12:39.62
Yeah, absolutely.
00:12:39.65\00:12:40.99
So there are a few
different times that,
00:12:41.02\00:12:42.36
you know, I've
had the opportunity
00:12:42.39\00:12:43.73
to share Jesus with
others, which is awesome, right?
00:12:43.76\00:12:46.70
One time, in particular, though,
00:12:46.73\00:12:48.06
kind of related to yours
Ben, a good friend of mine,
00:12:48.10\00:12:51.53
we went to school
together, knew each other.
00:12:51.57\00:12:53.97
And, you know, how time,
you know, draws people apart,
00:12:54.00\00:12:57.11
you don't see people as much.
00:12:57.14\00:12:59.34
He ended up coming
back to the same university
00:12:59.37\00:13:02.44
where I was studying.
00:13:02.48\00:13:04.25
And what ended up happening was,
00:13:04.28\00:13:06.82
we started talking again.
00:13:06.85\00:13:08.65
And he had also
grown up in the church.
00:13:08.68\00:13:10.35
I've grown up in
the church as well.
00:13:10.39\00:13:12.09
And he shared with me how
he totally just walked away
00:13:12.12\00:13:15.22
from everything, he
said, "I can't do this anymore.
00:13:15.26\00:13:17.39
I'm done.
00:13:17.43\00:13:18.76
I've been hurt all
these different things."
00:13:18.79\00:13:20.93
And he said, Rachel, you know,
00:13:20.96\00:13:22.40
"I've just
questioned God so many times.
00:13:22.43\00:13:25.27
And I just don't know
00:13:25.30\00:13:26.63
if I even
believe in God anymore."
00:13:26.67\00:13:28.80
And that was one
of many conversations
00:13:28.84\00:13:30.67
we started having.
00:13:30.71\00:13:32.21
And then a couple
years later, again, we,
00:13:32.24\00:13:35.88
you know, end up talking,
and he shared with me how,
00:13:35.91\00:13:39.18
during those ups and downs,
he remembered certain things.
00:13:39.21\00:13:43.05
And I know we're
gonna talk about,
00:13:43.08\00:13:44.42
you know, innovative
ways to witness later on.
00:13:44.45\00:13:47.82
But he shared with
me how they were things
00:13:47.86\00:13:49.92
that I had shared
online, like Bible passages,
00:13:49.96\00:13:52.83
or just whatever
it may have been.
00:13:52.86\00:13:54.86
And he said, "Rachel,
I don't think you realize
00:13:54.90\00:13:57.10
those little things of,
you know, sharing online,
00:13:57.13\00:13:59.83
or whatever it was,
that helped me and now
00:13:59.87\00:14:02.97
I can strongly tell
you, that because of you
00:14:03.00\00:14:06.27
and other
people," and like you said,
00:14:06.31\00:14:07.74
not about us, right?
00:14:07.78\00:14:09.11
It's about God.
00:14:09.14\00:14:10.48
But he said, "Because of
what you were willing to do,
00:14:10.51\00:14:12.55
being willing to
share the love of Jesus.
00:14:12.58\00:14:15.12
I realized, no, I need
to have Jesus in my life."
00:14:15.15\00:14:17.75
Wow.
00:14:17.79\00:14:19.12
And he says,
"Now I'm, I'm all in.
00:14:19.15\00:14:20.79
I'm all in." I'm all in.
00:14:20.82\00:14:22.22
And it's just amazing, right?
00:14:22.26\00:14:23.99
Yeah, it gives me chills,
because you just never know,
00:14:24.03\00:14:27.03
like, from day to day,
like what you choose to do,
00:14:27.06\00:14:29.93
like portray Jesus, like
how that's going to positively
00:14:29.96\00:14:33.74
impact and influence someone
00:14:33.77\00:14:35.70
who you would
least expect, so, yeah.
00:14:35.74\00:14:37.87
That's what Jesus needs.
00:14:37.91\00:14:39.24
He needs this
all in, right? Yeah.
00:14:39.27\00:14:40.78
He needs you all
in at home, right?
00:14:40.81\00:14:42.91
You don't want any distractions.
00:14:42.94\00:14:44.28
You want to be all in for
Jesus and witness for Him.
00:14:44.31\00:14:46.21
So that's,
Rachel, that's amazing.
00:14:46.25\00:14:48.35
I think what's
really interesting about
00:14:48.38\00:14:49.82
that is what you were
sharing about posting stuff
00:14:49.85\00:14:51.85
on social media and all that.
00:14:51.89\00:14:53.22
You weren't
directly speaking to him.
00:14:53.25\00:14:55.09
Right, right.
00:14:55.12\00:14:56.46
But what's interesting is you,
as he was reading that stuff,
00:14:56.49\00:14:59.03
and taking that
in, the Holy Spirit
00:14:59.06\00:15:00.40
was impressing on his heart.
00:15:00.43\00:15:01.76
Yeah.
00:15:01.80\00:15:03.13
And that's really
something special.
00:15:03.16\00:15:04.50
Absolutely, yeah. I love that.
00:15:04.53\00:15:05.87
Tiara, do you have
any, any witnessing?
00:15:05.90\00:15:07.24
You know, I do I have
a story. It's amazing.
00:15:07.27\00:15:09.47
God knows exactly what you
need right when you need it.
00:15:09.50\00:15:14.08
A little back story on me
when I was about 10 or 11,
00:15:14.11\00:15:17.95
a little school that I was
going to started a drama team.
00:15:17.98\00:15:20.18
Okay.
00:15:20.22\00:15:21.55
And I was all in. I was all in.
00:15:21.58\00:15:23.18
I was ready.
00:15:23.22\00:15:24.55
So, sorry, what's a drama team?
00:15:24.59\00:15:25.92
For those who may not
know, what's a drama team?
00:15:25.95\00:15:27.29
So, yeah.
00:15:27.32\00:15:28.66
So we were a
Christian drama team.
00:15:28.69\00:15:30.03
So we would go to
different churches
00:15:30.06\00:15:31.39
and different camps
and minister through skit.
00:15:31.43\00:15:34.26
So things you know,
acting and all these things.
00:15:34.30\00:15:37.27
We would do funny,
and we would do serious.
00:15:37.30\00:15:39.50
But this one
time I was 10, or 11.
00:15:39.53\00:15:42.40
This is one of the
first really powerful things
00:15:42.44\00:15:44.87
I noticed about witnessing.
00:15:44.91\00:15:47.08
I was 10 or 11.
00:15:47.11\00:15:48.94
And we were at
this women's seminar.
00:15:48.98\00:15:50.88
There was a church
00:15:50.91\00:15:52.25
where all the women
were coming together
00:15:52.28\00:15:53.78
on a day, and we
were just celebrating God,
00:15:53.82\00:15:56.35
and, you know,
praising Him for everything.
00:15:56.38\00:15:58.25
And they asked us to do a skit.
00:15:58.29\00:16:00.46
And we did this
skit called "Giants."
00:16:00.49\00:16:02.72
And it's about a
girl who is thinking
00:16:02.76\00:16:05.59
she wants to
start a Bible study,
00:16:05.63\00:16:07.43
but she's not really
sure if that's exactly
00:16:07.46\00:16:09.53
what God wants her to do.
00:16:09.56\00:16:11.20
And it was kind of a funny skit.
00:16:11.23\00:16:12.57
Then there's
three giants behind her.
00:16:12.60\00:16:14.40
You know, there's,
there's low self esteem,
00:16:14.44\00:16:16.40
there's doubt, there's
fear, all these things.
00:16:16.44\00:16:19.34
And they're throwing it at her
00:16:19.37\00:16:20.71
and they're
trying to chain her down.
00:16:20.74\00:16:22.51
But at the end of it,
00:16:22.54\00:16:23.88
she opens the Bible and realizes
00:16:23.91\00:16:26.31
who she is through Christ.
00:16:26.35\00:16:28.65
And now we did this
skit, and it was really funny.
00:16:28.68\00:16:30.29
And we had a great time.
00:16:30.32\00:16:31.65
And afterwards, you know,
we were going and shaking hands
00:16:31.69\00:16:34.89
and saying hi to everybody.
00:16:34.92\00:16:36.83
And one woman comes up to us.
00:16:36.86\00:16:39.19
And she just was
completely serious.
00:16:39.23\00:16:41.46
And she says,
"You have no idea."
00:16:41.50\00:16:45.00
She says, "The last two months,
00:16:45.03\00:16:47.54
I have been going
back and forth with myself
00:16:47.57\00:16:50.37
if I should start a
Bible study for my family."
00:16:50.41\00:16:53.51
She says, "Everything that
00:16:53.54\00:16:54.94
you guys just said in this skit,
00:16:54.98\00:16:56.75
the fear, the self
doubt, all of these things,"
00:16:56.78\00:16:59.85
she says, "Is exactly what
I have been struggling with.
00:16:59.88\00:17:02.75
And I've been in
turmoil with for two months."
00:17:02.78\00:17:05.75
She says, in five,
six minutes of our skit,
00:17:05.79\00:17:09.12
she says it was
exactly what I needed to hear.
00:17:09.16\00:17:11.09
She came to that conference
asking God for a sign.
00:17:11.13\00:17:15.16
And I mean, it wasn't a sign.
00:17:15.20\00:17:16.83
She said it was almost
like a slap in the face.
00:17:16.87\00:17:19.00
Like a, "Hey, maybe you should."
00:17:19.03\00:17:21.60
And that was, I
remember hearing that.
00:17:21.64\00:17:23.20
And I was like, wow, you
know, I was just up there
00:17:23.24\00:17:25.84
with some of my
friends doing this funny thing
00:17:25.87\00:17:28.01
making everybody laugh.
00:17:28.04\00:17:29.54
And I didn't even
realize how powerful it is.
00:17:29.58\00:17:32.95
When God calls you
to go, go because it,
00:17:32.98\00:17:36.02
that was just a beautiful story.
00:17:36.05\00:17:37.59
Wow. Amen.
00:17:37.62\00:17:38.95
Man. That's, that's amazing.
00:17:38.99\00:17:40.32
And like you
said, Tiara, earlier,
00:17:40.36\00:17:42.42
that probably encouraged you.
00:17:42.46\00:17:43.79
Yeah.
00:17:43.83\00:17:45.16
Because sometimes when
we're, when we're doing things
00:17:45.19\00:17:46.86
for God, we don't always see
00:17:46.90\00:17:48.70
the fruit of our
labors, so to speak, right?
00:17:48.73\00:17:50.40
Right.
00:17:50.43\00:17:51.77
You know, like,
Rachel, like, you're talking
00:17:51.80\00:17:53.13
about your friend reading
that and he comes back and wow,
00:17:53.17\00:17:54.80
you know, you finally saw it.
00:17:54.84\00:17:56.17
But, you know, it's
amazing to see once we see it
00:17:56.20\00:17:58.54
that does strengthen
our faith, because we know
00:17:58.57\00:18:00.68
that the Holy Spirit
is moving among people,
00:18:00.71\00:18:02.98
and changing
hearts for the kingdom.
00:18:03.01\00:18:04.58
So that's really
something special.
00:18:04.61\00:18:05.95
Thank you guys for sharing.
00:18:05.98\00:18:07.45
So I kind of want to
see what the Bible says
00:18:07.48\00:18:11.15
about witnessing.
00:18:11.19\00:18:12.52
We've kind of talked
about our personal experiences,
00:18:12.55\00:18:14.06
which I love.
00:18:14.09\00:18:15.42
That's kind of our
testimonies and all that.
00:18:15.46\00:18:16.79
But let's see what the
Bible says about witnessing.
00:18:16.83\00:18:19.46
And I think there's some really
hallmark points in Scripture
00:18:19.49\00:18:23.03
that will give us a
little bit of encouragement.
00:18:23.06\00:18:25.80
You know, one of the
things that as young people
00:18:25.83\00:18:28.34
I think we're up
against is being nervous
00:18:28.37\00:18:31.71
to witness to our friends.
00:18:31.74\00:18:33.11
Yeah. Right?
00:18:33.14\00:18:34.48
You know, we live in a culture
now that is very, I would say,
00:18:34.51\00:18:39.48
hesitant to accept God,
or believe in Christianity.
00:18:39.51\00:18:44.35
And, you know, in some ways,
Christianity has got a bad rep.
00:18:44.39\00:18:47.49
There's been
some, unfortunately,
00:18:47.52\00:18:49.26
some bad situations.
00:18:49.29\00:18:50.63
Now, we don't
blame the whole body
00:18:50.66\00:18:52.29
for that obviously.
00:18:52.33\00:18:53.66
There are certain
instances things happen,
00:18:53.70\00:18:55.33
people make decisions.
00:18:55.36\00:18:56.70
But the reality is, our
generation in particular,
00:18:56.73\00:19:01.00
is becoming as I see it,
00:19:01.04\00:19:03.14
and statistics are
showing this as well,
00:19:03.17\00:19:04.67
becoming more
distant and distant from God,
00:19:04.71\00:19:07.61
religion, whatever
you want to call it,
00:19:07.64\00:19:09.54
relationship,
whatever you want to call it.
00:19:09.58\00:19:11.85
And so something we have to
worry about is being nervous
00:19:11.88\00:19:15.02
to witness to a
generation like that.
00:19:15.05\00:19:17.59
So there's a
scripture in Jeremiah.
00:19:17.62\00:19:19.35
It's Jeremiah 1:7-8.
Tiara, do you have that?
00:19:19.39\00:19:22.02
I do. I do have that.
00:19:22.06\00:19:23.49
Hopefully, this will
give us some encouragement.
00:19:23.53\00:19:25.23
I think this is
something really interesting.
00:19:25.26\00:19:27.96
That I think is really relevant
to even our generation today.
00:19:28.00\00:19:30.53
So why don't you
go ahead and read?
00:19:30.57\00:19:31.90
Yeah, for sure.
00:19:31.93\00:19:33.27
Jeremiah 1:7-8, says,
I have the NLT version.
00:19:33.30\00:19:35.47
It says this, "The Lord replied,
00:19:35.50\00:19:37.61
don't say I'm too young.
00:19:37.64\00:19:39.34
For you must go
wherever I send you and say
00:19:39.37\00:19:41.58
whatever I tell you,
00:19:41.61\00:19:43.08
and don't be
afraid of the people
00:19:43.11\00:19:44.88
for I will be with you.
00:19:44.91\00:19:46.25
I will protect you.
00:19:46.28\00:19:47.68
I the Lord has spoken."
00:19:47.72\00:19:49.35
Wow.
00:19:49.38\00:19:50.72
That's powerful.
00:19:50.75\00:19:52.09
It is powerful.
00:19:52.12\00:19:53.46
That's something we can remember
00:19:53.49\00:19:54.82
as young Christians is
that even when we're afraid,
00:19:54.86\00:19:58.29
when we have those insecurities
00:19:58.33\00:19:59.73
about witnessing
sharing Christ or whatever,
00:19:59.76\00:20:02.66
because sometimes it can
be a little bit uncomfortable.
00:20:02.70\00:20:06.63
I remember one time,
this is kind of funny.
00:20:06.67\00:20:09.97
This was said to me,
don't be offended by this.
00:20:10.01\00:20:11.64
It's just funny.
00:20:11.67\00:20:13.01
My friend was joking.
00:20:13.04\00:20:14.38
But anyway, we were,
00:20:14.41\00:20:15.78
I was talking to
a friend about God,
00:20:15.81\00:20:18.01
somehow we got on
the conversation of God.
00:20:18.05\00:20:19.55
Usually when we're
talking sometimes it goes there.
00:20:19.58\00:20:21.95
He's not a practicing Christian.
00:20:21.98\00:20:24.15
He's, I guess I would
call him more agnostic.
00:20:24.19\00:20:26.62
But anyway, we were talking
about God and I said something
00:20:26.65\00:20:29.32
along the lines of, you know,
this is crazy, or something.
00:20:29.36\00:20:33.50
I think I was referring
to crazy in a good way,
00:20:33.53\00:20:36.06
like amazing,
like, this is crazy.
00:20:36.10\00:20:37.73
You know, my friend
goes, my friend goes,
00:20:37.77\00:20:40.47
"I think you're
all kind of crazy."
00:20:40.50\00:20:42.80
I just laugh or whatever.
00:20:42.84\00:20:44.97
But you know, for
me, I just kind of,
00:20:45.01\00:20:47.08
you know,
brushes off my shoulders.
00:20:47.11\00:20:48.44
We laughed about it, whatever.
00:20:48.48\00:20:49.81
But for some people,
that's a legitimate fear.
00:20:49.84\00:20:51.18
Yeah.
00:20:51.21\00:20:52.55
And in this verse
right here, it's talking
00:20:52.58\00:20:54.05
about don't be
afraid, because God's with us.
00:20:54.08\00:20:56.69
Yeah. I believe God
goes before us, right?
00:20:56.72\00:20:59.19
And God,
ultimately, God's the one
00:20:59.22\00:21:01.06
that has to soften
the heart of that person
00:21:01.09\00:21:02.62
to receive the message.
00:21:02.66\00:21:03.99
Right.
00:21:04.03\00:21:05.36
You know, it's something
that's very important, I think.
00:21:05.39\00:21:06.90
Yeah, absolutely.
00:21:06.93\00:21:08.26
What do you guys
think about that?
00:21:08.30\00:21:09.63
You know, I heard a...
00:21:09.66\00:21:11.00
When it comes to
the topic of fear,
00:21:11.03\00:21:12.37
I relate to that a lot.
00:21:12.40\00:21:13.74
I've always struggled with
fear and anxiety of things.
00:21:13.77\00:21:16.47
That's, that's
been my life, you know.
00:21:16.50\00:21:18.57
And I heard a
pastor say this one time,
00:21:18.61\00:21:21.18
and it totally
blew my, it was crazy,
00:21:21.21\00:21:24.31
you know, crazy
in that good way.
00:21:24.35\00:21:25.81
It was crazy.
00:21:25.85\00:21:27.18
I'm gonna, I'm gonna say
this to you in the camera.
00:21:27.22\00:21:29.68
He said this to me.
00:21:29.72\00:21:31.05
And I was just like,
"Wow, that's so true."
00:21:31.09\00:21:34.12
He said this, he said,
"God is going to put you
00:21:34.16\00:21:37.49
in situations
that challenge you,
00:21:37.53\00:21:40.26
to put your belief
more in Him than your fear."
00:21:40.30\00:21:42.66
Wow.
00:21:42.70\00:21:44.03
Sometimes it makes me think of
Peter stepping out of the boat.
00:21:44.07\00:21:46.80
You know what I mean?
00:21:46.84\00:21:48.17
It was terrifying.
00:21:48.20\00:21:49.74
God called him, He said,
00:21:49.77\00:21:51.11
"Come here,
step out of the boat,
00:21:51.14\00:21:52.81
step out of your
comfort for a second.
00:21:52.84\00:21:54.44
And come here.
00:21:54.48\00:21:55.81
Let me show you what I can do."
00:21:55.84\00:21:57.25
You know, Peter, he stepped out.
00:21:57.28\00:21:58.61
And that was a great witness
for the disciples watching him
00:21:58.65\00:22:00.62
like, "Whoa, see
what Jesus can do."
00:22:00.65\00:22:02.62
But he started
walking on the water,
00:22:02.65\00:22:04.29
and he started going forward.
00:22:04.32\00:22:06.22
And that was so amazing.
00:22:06.25\00:22:07.59
But he started seeing the waves,
00:22:07.62\00:22:09.79
you know, he started, he
started feeling that fear,
00:22:09.82\00:22:12.76
that anxiety, you
know, I relate to that a lot,
00:22:12.79\00:22:15.00
that's happened to
me a lot in my life.
00:22:15.03\00:22:17.10
But who was there?
00:22:17.13\00:22:18.53
Who was there that saved him?
00:22:18.57\00:22:20.44
Jesus said in
the Scripture verse,
00:22:20.47\00:22:22.14
"I, I will deliver
you, I will protect you."
00:22:22.17\00:22:25.57
So even if you
start going under,
00:22:25.61\00:22:27.58
He's gonna be
there to reach you out.
00:22:27.61\00:22:29.61
And I don't know about you guys,
00:22:29.64\00:22:31.21
but I would rather
be in a storm with Jesus
00:22:31.25\00:22:33.62
than anywhere else without.
00:22:33.65\00:22:34.98
Okay.
00:22:35.02\00:22:36.35
If that's where He
is, that's where I am too,
00:22:36.38\00:22:37.89
even if it's scary,
I'm there if He's there.
00:22:37.92\00:22:40.49
All right. Preach. Preach.
00:22:40.52\00:22:42.02
Amen. Tiara, that was so good.
00:22:42.06\00:22:44.49
That point the pastor
said, man, that's powerful.
00:22:44.53\00:22:46.96
I love that, I love that.
00:22:47.00\00:22:48.86
You know, something else
we're up against as Christians
00:22:48.90\00:22:51.23
is not only being
afraid to share the gospel,
00:22:51.27\00:22:54.34
but in some ways
being ashamed of the gospel.
00:22:54.37\00:22:57.64
Yeah, you know, because
we are in an increasingly,
00:22:57.67\00:23:01.88
I'll say,
anti-Christian culture,
00:23:01.91\00:23:04.08
people tend to think
you ridiculous for sharing
00:23:04.11\00:23:08.32
what they may believe is a myth
or a fairy tale or whatever.
00:23:08.35\00:23:11.99
And sometimes that
can make us feel like,
00:23:12.02\00:23:13.62
"Oh, are we wrong?
00:23:13.66\00:23:15.36
Or, you know, are we sharing
kind of, is it a fairy tale?
00:23:15.39\00:23:18.23
Is it a myth?" And
that can make us doubt too.
00:23:18.26\00:23:19.69
Yeah.
00:23:19.73\00:23:21.06
But there's an
interesting verse here.
00:23:21.10\00:23:22.90
Interesting passage, rather.
00:23:22.93\00:23:24.50
In 2 Timothy 1:8-12.
00:23:24.53\00:23:26.77
And, Rachel, do you have that?
00:23:26.80\00:23:28.40
Yeah, I have it here.
00:23:28.44\00:23:29.77
Let's read that. All right.
00:23:29.80\00:23:31.14
2 Timothy 1:8-12.
00:23:31.17\00:23:34.78
It says, "So do not be ashamed
of the testimony about our Lord
00:23:34.81\00:23:39.01
or of me his prisoner.
00:23:39.05\00:23:40.75
Rather join with me in
suffering for the gospel,
00:23:40.78\00:23:44.12
by the power of
God, he has saved us
00:23:44.15\00:23:47.22
and called us to a holy life,
00:23:47.26\00:23:49.66
not because of
anything we have done,
00:23:49.69\00:23:51.76
but because of His
own purpose and grace.
00:23:51.79\00:23:55.13
This grace was
given us in Christ Jesus
00:23:55.16\00:23:57.73
before the beginning of time,
but it has now been revealed
00:23:57.77\00:24:01.60
through the appearing of
our Savior, Christ Jesus,
00:24:01.64\00:24:04.61
who has destroyed
death and has brought life
00:24:04.64\00:24:07.61
and immortality to
light through the gospel."
00:24:07.64\00:24:11.55
Wow. Wow.
00:24:11.58\00:24:12.91
That's awesome. Yeah.
00:24:12.95\00:24:14.58
What do you guys
think about that?
00:24:14.62\00:24:16.22
Wow.
00:24:16.25\00:24:17.59
Well, I know you're
saying a lot of people sometimes
00:24:17.62\00:24:20.16
can be, I guess,
turned off by certain things.
00:24:20.19\00:24:24.69
But at the same time,
00:24:24.73\00:24:26.06
you know, we can
think of a lot of
00:24:26.09\00:24:27.43
what's going on right now.
00:24:27.46\00:24:28.80
And there are
also a lot of people
00:24:28.83\00:24:30.37
who are searching and
looking for something,
00:24:30.40\00:24:33.50
a lot of people who are
not familiar with the gospel.
00:24:33.54\00:24:36.84
And so that's what I
love about this passage
00:24:36.87\00:24:38.84
is that it does give us courage
and strength to not only,
00:24:38.87\00:24:42.41
not be ashamed,
but to be confident
00:24:42.44\00:24:45.01
in who Jesus is and
what He's done for us.
00:24:45.05\00:24:47.88
And when we remember that
too, if we're confident like,
00:24:47.92\00:24:50.22
okay, like, I
don't need to be ashamed,
00:24:50.25\00:24:52.15
I don't need to be worried
00:24:52.19\00:24:53.89
about what other
people will think of me.
00:24:53.92\00:24:55.46
Those are all real things,
of course, but remembering
00:24:55.49\00:24:58.19
that the Word of God
is true and God is always
00:24:58.23\00:25:01.16
going to be faithful to us.
00:25:01.20\00:25:03.06
And we can depend on the Word
00:25:03.10\00:25:04.47
and so we don't
have to be ashamed.
00:25:04.50\00:25:05.83
Yeah. Wow.
00:25:05.87\00:25:07.20
That's, good. I
love that. I love it.
00:25:07.24\00:25:08.57
CJ, it seems like you have
00:25:08.60\00:25:09.94
a little bit of a thought there.
00:25:09.97\00:25:11.31
I think you had a thought.
00:25:11.34\00:25:12.67
Yeah, I was
gonna, I was gonna say,
00:25:12.71\00:25:14.44
I think one of the
things that also makes people
00:25:14.48\00:25:16.38
ashamed of the
gospel is the fact
00:25:16.41\00:25:17.78
that it's not popular.
00:25:17.81\00:25:20.72
Yep, that's true.
00:25:20.75\00:25:22.08
And if you're, if you're
the only Christian, let's say
00:25:22.12\00:25:24.85
that you're in a
public school or something,
00:25:24.89\00:25:27.42
if you're the
only Christian in there
00:25:27.46\00:25:28.79
and you're trying to
make friends and your friends
00:25:28.82\00:25:30.16
and the people,
they're just not interested.
00:25:30.19\00:25:32.06
It's hard to be.
00:25:32.09\00:25:33.80
And I think the
problem is as, as young people,
00:25:33.83\00:25:36.43
we are a community
oriented species we are,
00:25:36.46\00:25:41.34
we want friends.
00:25:41.37\00:25:42.70
And I think some of us
are afraid of not having
00:25:42.74\00:25:47.01
any friends,
having no one to call you
00:25:47.04\00:25:50.45
and find out if you're
okay, or someone to talk to you
00:25:50.48\00:25:53.65
if you know if you
need advice or something.
00:25:53.68\00:25:57.29
And I know that, you
know, we do have Jesus,
00:25:57.32\00:25:59.89
we can call on Him,
00:25:59.92\00:26:01.26
but it's still
nice to have friends.
00:26:01.29\00:26:03.16
But one thing I
noticed, because it was also,
00:26:03.19\00:26:07.36
I noticed in verse
12, here, where Paul says,
00:26:07.40\00:26:11.40
and I have the
King James here says,
00:26:11.43\00:26:13.57
"For the which cause I
also suffer these things.
00:26:13.60\00:26:16.54
Nevertheless, I am not
ashamed, for I know whom I have
00:26:16.57\00:26:20.24
believed in and persuaded
that He is able to keep
00:26:20.28\00:26:23.35
that which I have committed
unto Him against the day."
00:26:23.38\00:26:26.58
So basically, Paul is
saying here, I'm not afraid,
00:26:26.61\00:26:29.42
I'm not ashamed of the gospel,
00:26:29.45\00:26:30.79
because I know the
one who gave it to me.
00:26:30.82\00:26:33.52
I know the one I...
00:26:33.56\00:26:35.49
Because whenever we
look at the word believed,
00:26:35.52\00:26:38.23
in the Greek it is
pisteuo, it means to trust.
00:26:38.26\00:26:41.83
So this is not, this is not
because if you go into James,
00:26:41.86\00:26:44.33
it says the devils
believed and trembled.
00:26:44.37\00:26:48.14
This is not a
belief like you like oh,
00:26:48.17\00:26:50.57
yeah, I believe God exists.
00:26:50.61\00:26:52.07
You know, some
people believe God exists.
00:26:52.11\00:26:54.14
And yet they don't trust Him.
00:26:54.18\00:26:55.71
That's the point, trust.
00:26:55.74\00:26:57.81
Just like the song
says, trust and obey.
00:26:57.85\00:26:59.71
That's how you show God
00:26:59.75\00:27:01.08
that you
actually believe in Him,
00:27:01.12\00:27:02.65
that you step out in
faith, like you're saying,
00:27:02.68\00:27:04.45
Peter stepped out of the boat.
00:27:04.49\00:27:05.99
That's how we know
that he believed in God.
00:27:06.02\00:27:07.46
Right. That's amazing.
00:27:07.49\00:27:09.79
You know, I really love,
00:27:09.82\00:27:11.16
what I love
about this passage is,
00:27:11.19\00:27:13.23
it's not just
Paul saying to Timothy,
00:27:13.26\00:27:16.87
you know, it starts with,
00:27:16.90\00:27:18.43
you know, don't be ashamed
of the testimony of our Lord.
00:27:18.47\00:27:21.20
But it's not only that,
but he also reminds Timothy.
00:27:21.24\00:27:24.61
Let me remind you what
he's done, he saved you.
00:27:24.64\00:27:27.14
He's called you
for holy calling.
00:27:27.18\00:27:29.84
It's not according to our works,
00:27:29.88\00:27:31.21
but it's according to
His purpose and His grace,
00:27:31.25\00:27:33.28
which is given through us,
00:27:33.31\00:27:34.65
given to us through Jesus.
00:27:34.68\00:27:36.72
And I think that's something
that we can hold on to,
00:27:36.75\00:27:38.95
a promise that
we can hold on to.
00:27:38.99\00:27:40.89
That's amazing
that when we are feeling
00:27:40.92\00:27:42.69
kind of uncomfortable
with sharing the gospel,
00:27:42.72\00:27:44.59
maybe even ashamed,
as the scripture says,
00:27:44.63\00:27:47.16
we can remember though,
00:27:47.20\00:27:49.76
remember what Jesus did for you.
00:27:49.80\00:27:51.13
Yeah.
00:27:51.17\00:27:52.50
You know, you're calling
yourself a Christian, right?
00:27:52.53\00:27:54.70
You want to be able to
share this, don't be ashamed.
00:27:54.74\00:27:57.14
And in fact, this
should be something
00:27:57.17\00:27:58.54
you're so excited about.
00:27:58.57\00:27:59.91
You can't help
but not share, right?
00:27:59.94\00:28:01.28
Yeah.
00:28:01.31\00:28:02.64
Absolutely. Absolutely.
00:28:02.68\00:28:04.01
So that's, that's
what I love about that.
00:28:04.05\00:28:05.38
That passage in particular
is that not only is it saying,
00:28:05.41\00:28:06.75
don't be ashamed,
00:28:06.78\00:28:08.12
but it's
reminding us as Christians,
00:28:08.15\00:28:09.48
why we shouldn't be ashamed,
and why we should continue
00:28:09.52\00:28:12.09
to take the gospel to the world.
00:28:12.12\00:28:13.46
And you know, it's
kind of play off of that.
00:28:13.49\00:28:16.26
When we think of
where Christ found us,
00:28:16.29\00:28:19.16
and where He's has us
now and where He's taking us.
00:28:19.19\00:28:21.86
It's absolutely amazing.
00:28:21.90\00:28:23.80
You know, I know
somebody who actually,
00:28:23.83\00:28:27.60
they have a great testimony,
00:28:27.64\00:28:29.50
an absolute great testimony
of where Christ found them
00:28:29.54\00:28:32.17
and where they're now
are and where they're going.
00:28:32.21\00:28:35.14
And I think of, you
know, being ashamed.
00:28:35.18\00:28:37.81
And it is common
that some Christians,
00:28:37.85\00:28:40.02
especially new
Christians are kind of a fearful
00:28:40.05\00:28:42.78
or maybe a little bit ashamed.
00:28:42.82\00:28:44.59
You know, they still
have those old friend groups
00:28:44.62\00:28:46.15
that they hang out with.
00:28:46.19\00:28:47.52
They're a little ashamed
to talk about the gospel.
00:28:47.56\00:28:49.69
But there are
some people out there
00:28:49.72\00:28:51.33
and that might be you at home,
00:28:51.36\00:28:52.83
you're not ashamed
to talk about the Bible,
00:28:52.86\00:28:55.40
but you are ashamed
to talk about your past
00:28:55.43\00:28:57.83
and where you were
when Christ found you.
00:28:57.87\00:28:59.20
That's a good point.
00:28:59.23\00:29:00.57
And that is
something that is so important
00:29:00.60\00:29:02.14
to witnessing.
00:29:02.17\00:29:03.51
You know, you don't
have to know the Bible
00:29:03.54\00:29:04.87
from cover to cover
and to be able to quote it,
00:29:04.91\00:29:07.94
but God has given you a story.
00:29:07.98\00:29:10.18
And that story
is your testimony.
00:29:10.21\00:29:12.41
Hey, you won't
believe the person that I was,
00:29:12.45\00:29:15.02
you wouldn't believe I
hurt so many people in my life,
00:29:15.05\00:29:18.55
but Christ found me.
00:29:18.59\00:29:20.12
You know, He's
that consuming fire
00:29:20.16\00:29:21.62
that cleanse me,
00:29:21.66\00:29:22.99
and now I am
something totally different.
00:29:23.02\00:29:24.76
So don't be ashamed
of sharing your testimony
00:29:24.79\00:29:27.73
of where you were and
where God is taking you.
00:29:27.76\00:29:30.43
Amen.
00:29:30.47\00:29:31.80
This sounds like
Paul, right? Yeah.
00:29:31.83\00:29:34.30
Paul, he was killing Christians.
00:29:34.34\00:29:36.84
Yeah.
00:29:36.87\00:29:38.21
And then he had a
personal experience with Jesus.
00:29:38.24\00:29:39.97
Right.
00:29:40.01\00:29:41.34
And he was brought
out of that lifestyle
00:29:41.38\00:29:43.21
and he became a powerful witness
00:29:43.24\00:29:44.88
for the cause of Christ.
00:29:44.91\00:29:46.25
Right.
00:29:46.28\00:29:47.62
Just something incredibly,
00:29:47.65\00:29:48.98
I think Paul is one of the most,
00:29:49.02\00:29:50.35
you know,
there's a lot of great,
00:29:50.39\00:29:51.72
great Bible character.
00:29:51.75\00:29:53.09
Right.
00:29:53.12\00:29:54.46
But when I get to heaven, I
think Paul's gonna be the one
00:29:54.49\00:29:55.82
I want to meet the most.
00:29:55.86\00:29:57.19
Find him first in the crowd.
Yeah. All right, where's Paul?
00:29:57.23\00:29:58.76
Where's Paul?
00:29:58.79\00:30:01.10
Anyway, yeah, I
think that's amazing.
00:30:01.13\00:30:03.40
That's good points, guys.
00:30:03.43\00:30:04.77
Very good points.
00:30:04.80\00:30:06.13
So another thing
that hopefully by the time
00:30:06.17\00:30:09.77
we can kind of get over
or learn to cope with that,
00:30:09.80\00:30:14.08
being afraid or being
ashamed of the gospel,
00:30:14.11\00:30:16.58
there is something we call
the Great Commission, right?
00:30:16.61\00:30:19.48
And we find that in Matthew 28.
00:30:19.51\00:30:21.45
Let's go to Matthew 28.
00:30:21.48\00:30:23.55
It's a very simple passage,
00:30:23.59\00:30:24.92
but it was one
of the last things
00:30:24.95\00:30:26.29
that Jesus said
to His disciples,
00:30:26.32\00:30:28.19
before He ascended to heaven.
00:30:28.22\00:30:29.92
And, CJ, do you
have Matthew 28:18-20?
00:30:29.96\00:30:33.13
Yep.
00:30:33.16\00:30:34.50
I have it here
in the King James.
00:30:34.53\00:30:36.00
And it says, "And Jesus came
and spake unto them, saying,
00:30:36.03\00:30:39.77
All power is given
unto Me in heaven on earth.
00:30:39.80\00:30:43.10
Go ye therefore, and teach
all nations, baptizing them
00:30:43.14\00:30:46.78
in the name of the
Father, and of the Son,
00:30:46.81\00:30:48.98
and of the Holy Ghost,
00:30:49.01\00:30:50.45
teaching them to
observe all things
00:30:50.48\00:30:52.61
whatsoever I have commanded you.
00:30:52.65\00:30:54.35
And lo, I am with you always,
00:30:54.38\00:30:56.12
even until the
end of the world."
00:30:56.15\00:31:02.02
You know, what I
love about this is,
00:31:02.06\00:31:06.09
it doesn't say, pastors
go and teach all the nations.
00:31:06.13\00:31:11.40
Yeah It says, "Go
ye," Preacher Ben.
00:31:11.43\00:31:14.74
What does that mean?
00:31:14.77\00:31:16.10
That means anybody here, I
think, Danny, Danny Shelton,
00:31:16.14\00:31:18.57
our founder, he
says, "Are you a Ye?
00:31:18.61\00:31:20.14
If you're a Ye, then you're
supposed to go take the gospel
00:31:20.18\00:31:22.31
to the world," right?
00:31:22.34\00:31:23.68
So that's really something
that we got to keep in mind here
00:31:23.71\00:31:26.68
is that sometimes,
we kind of put the load
00:31:26.72\00:31:30.09
if you will of work on
our pastors or lay teachers,
00:31:30.12\00:31:33.39
or maybe the Sabbath
school teachers or whatever,
00:31:33.42\00:31:35.49
but we are all
meant to take the gospel
00:31:35.52\00:31:38.43
into the whole world.
00:31:38.46\00:31:39.79
Right. Absolutely.
00:31:39.83\00:31:41.16
You know, and that's something
00:31:41.20\00:31:42.53
that's really
powerful, in my opinion.
00:31:42.56\00:31:43.90
Yep.
00:31:43.93\00:31:45.27
You guys have
any thoughts on that?
00:31:45.30\00:31:46.63
Yeah, if I could
just share it? Absolutely.
00:31:46.67\00:31:48.00
So one thing that has
always stood out to me
00:31:48.04\00:31:49.37
about this passage has been,
00:31:49.40\00:31:50.74
you know, it's like, "Go
baptized, just go do it."
00:31:50.77\00:31:53.21
Which, yes, absolutely.
00:31:53.24\00:31:54.84
But when we think
about practically, like,
00:31:54.88\00:31:57.05
from day to day, it's like,
how are we going to do that?
00:31:57.08\00:31:59.98
Where do we go?
What does that look like?
00:32:00.02\00:32:02.15
Yeah.
00:32:02.18\00:32:03.52
And so, what's beautiful is
that we all have unique lives.
00:32:03.55\00:32:08.12
And God, there's this thing
00:32:08.16\00:32:09.59
called Divine
Appointments, right?
00:32:09.62\00:32:11.53
Where you never know
who God is going to put you
00:32:11.56\00:32:14.50
in contact with.
00:32:14.53\00:32:15.86
You just never know.
00:32:15.90\00:32:17.23
And so that's
why it's so important
00:32:17.27\00:32:18.60
to always be open
00:32:18.63\00:32:20.34
to the Holy Spirit leading
and guiding in our own lives.
00:32:20.37\00:32:23.47
And so maybe we won't be someone
00:32:23.51\00:32:25.71
who will go far,
far away, baptize people
00:32:25.74\00:32:29.71
or anything like that.
00:32:29.74\00:32:31.08
But maybe it'll be
more on a practical level
00:32:31.11\00:32:33.95
of being open to the
Holy Spirit leading us.
00:32:33.98\00:32:36.69
And then being
willing to, excuse me,
00:32:36.72\00:32:38.59
being willing to share
Jesus through kindness,
00:32:38.62\00:32:41.99
through the character of
Jesus, the fruits of the Spirit.
00:32:42.02\00:32:45.59
And so it's a great passage,
but I just like to point out
00:32:45.63\00:32:49.06
that it doesn't have to be hard,
00:32:49.10\00:32:50.60
you know, it doesn't
have to be difficult.
00:32:50.63\00:32:52.73
Sharing the gospel with
people can be quite easy.
00:32:52.77\00:32:55.37
And a lot of it comes down,
you know, a smile on your face.
00:32:55.40\00:32:58.01
Hey, how are you doing?
00:32:58.04\00:33:00.01
So it can be very practical.
00:33:00.04\00:33:01.38
Yeah. Yeah.
00:33:01.41\00:33:02.74
Kind of like what
Ben, you were saying
00:33:02.78\00:33:04.55
more towards the beginning,
how people will notice
00:33:04.58\00:33:07.62
that and you know,
that everyday kindness,
00:33:07.65\00:33:09.85
that everyday something and ask
00:33:09.88\00:33:11.72
what's different
about this person?
00:33:11.75\00:33:13.22
And maybe that'll spark a
conversation with somebody,
00:33:13.25\00:33:15.82
you know, like, hey,
00:33:15.86\00:33:17.19
why are you so
happy all the time?
00:33:17.23\00:33:18.56
Well, you don't understand,
00:33:18.59\00:33:20.33
I found
something great, you know?
00:33:20.36\00:33:21.80
That's awesome.
00:33:21.83\00:33:23.16
Yeah.
00:33:23.20\00:33:24.53
I think it goes back to the idea
00:33:24.57\00:33:27.17
of finding something.
00:33:27.20\00:33:28.54
So Jesus talks about...
00:33:28.57\00:33:32.27
Oh, I'm trying to
remember what it is,
00:33:32.31\00:33:33.64
but the point I'm trying
to make is like, let's say
00:33:33.68\00:33:37.65
that you are in
love with somebody.
00:33:37.68\00:33:40.35
And the thing about
it is sometimes people
00:33:40.38\00:33:43.72
who are truly in love,
00:33:43.75\00:33:45.82
they don't tend
to shut up about it.
00:33:45.85\00:33:48.56
And if I can say
that, but they tend to,
00:33:48.59\00:33:51.53
like want to just say
like, "Oh, did you hear
00:33:51.56\00:33:54.30
I'm in love with so
and so, it's amazing."
00:33:54.33\00:33:57.10
And that's kind of what,
00:33:57.13\00:33:58.47
I think that's what
Jesus is wanting to get,
00:33:58.50\00:34:00.17
get us to is that
we're so in love with Jesus,
00:34:00.20\00:34:04.77
that we want to
tell everybody about,
00:34:04.81\00:34:06.14
but we also
tell them that, "Hey,
00:34:06.17\00:34:07.98
you also can love Jesus too.
00:34:08.01\00:34:09.68
And Jesus loves you
and He wants to give you,
00:34:09.71\00:34:12.31
He wants to give
you an inheritance."
00:34:12.35\00:34:13.82
That's what
Jesus said in John 14,
00:34:13.85\00:34:16.28
"I go to prepare
a place for you."
00:34:16.32\00:34:19.32
That's something some people
on this planet won't even have.
00:34:19.35\00:34:22.49
You know, there...
00:34:22.52\00:34:23.86
I remember one of my friends
talking about going to Chicago
00:34:23.89\00:34:27.10
and talking to
this homeless man.
00:34:27.13\00:34:29.03
And this guy
had nothing in terms
00:34:29.06\00:34:32.10
of earthly goods.
00:34:32.13\00:34:35.24
But he had something more.
00:34:35.27\00:34:38.04
I remember that my
friend's wife him gave money,
00:34:38.07\00:34:42.11
but my friend
also gave him books.
00:34:42.14\00:34:43.51
And he was like, you see this.
00:34:43.55\00:34:45.65
This has earthly value
talking about the money,
00:34:45.68\00:34:48.45
but he talks
about the books, says
00:34:48.48\00:34:50.82
this, this has eternal value.
00:34:50.85\00:34:52.25
This is something
that's going to last.
00:34:52.29\00:34:54.36
This can burn up.
00:34:54.39\00:34:56.52
This, I can store it in my heart
00:34:56.56\00:34:58.89
and it can get me
closer and closer to Christ.
00:34:58.93\00:35:01.43
And that's the point
is that Jesus is trying
00:35:01.46\00:35:03.03
to get us closer to Him,
00:35:03.06\00:35:04.63
so that we may be able to also
know the joy of knowing Him.
00:35:04.67\00:35:07.97
Hmm.
00:35:08.00\00:35:09.34
Wow, good point.
00:35:09.37\00:35:10.71
I want to go back really quickly
00:35:10.74\00:35:12.07
to what you said
about someone being in love
00:35:12.11\00:35:14.28
and just constantly
talking about it all the time.
00:35:14.31\00:35:16.44
You know, when
you're in those situations,
00:35:16.48\00:35:19.71
and well this person just
stopped talking about that,
00:35:19.75\00:35:22.12
we get it, they love
Him, they love Him, right?
00:35:22.15\00:35:24.05
A lot of times we feel that way,
00:35:24.09\00:35:25.85
because we don't
love that person.
00:35:25.89\00:35:28.66
So we're not
experiencing that, right?
00:35:28.69\00:35:30.96
So, in other
words, we don't know
00:35:30.99\00:35:33.09
how to connect with that person,
00:35:33.13\00:35:34.53
because we
don't love that person
00:35:34.56\00:35:35.90
the same way the
other person does.
00:35:35.93\00:35:37.27
Yeah.
00:35:37.30\00:35:38.63
You know, but
once people find Jesus,
00:35:38.67\00:35:42.50
and of course, we
have to share that,
00:35:42.54\00:35:44.31
like we were talking
about this whole program,
00:35:44.34\00:35:45.94
we've got to share
that and show that.
00:35:45.97\00:35:47.31
But once people find
Jesus, then what's amazing is
00:35:47.34\00:35:51.41
and we're gonna
learn a little bit here
00:35:51.45\00:35:52.78
about Pentecost,
which is a powerful story.
00:35:52.81\00:35:55.28
But what's amazing is
00:35:55.32\00:35:57.45
there's a fire
that started in people.
00:35:57.49\00:35:59.85
You know, when we talk
about wildfires, right?
00:35:59.89\00:36:02.76
Typically, it
may start with like
00:36:02.79\00:36:04.13
a little patch in the forest.
00:36:04.16\00:36:05.49
And then what happens?
00:36:05.53\00:36:06.86
It just goes and
it goes and it goes
00:36:06.90\00:36:08.26
and it can get
out of control, right?
00:36:08.30\00:36:10.30
That's what Jesus
wants for His church.
00:36:10.33\00:36:13.44
Yeah.
00:36:13.47\00:36:14.80
He wants us to
be like a wildfire
00:36:14.84\00:36:17.14
there that is constantly just
burning and sharing Him, right?
00:36:17.17\00:36:21.91
That's what He wants. He
wants us to be a wildfire.
00:36:21.94\00:36:23.45
Right. Yes, absolutely.
00:36:23.48\00:36:25.65
So, okay.
00:36:25.68\00:36:27.95
This is kind of
on the same note,
00:36:27.98\00:36:29.48
but let's go to Acts Chapter 8.
00:36:29.52\00:36:32.05
And this passage in
particular is talking about,
00:36:32.09\00:36:35.69
"When the Spirit
calls, we should go."
00:36:35.72\00:36:38.79
And that's not
always an easy thing to do.
00:36:38.83\00:36:41.56
Because sometimes
we don't really know
00:36:41.60\00:36:43.73
if it's the Spirit calling us,
00:36:43.77\00:36:45.53
or if it's just us thinking
the Spirit is calling us.
00:36:45.57\00:36:48.20
And, of course, the way to know
00:36:48.24\00:36:49.57
that is we need to
test any type of thoughts
00:36:49.60\00:36:50.94
we think maybe the
Holy Spirit with Scripture.
00:36:50.97\00:36:53.41
But this passage in particular,
00:36:53.44\00:36:56.61
I'm going to read
it in Acts 8:26-38.
00:36:56.64\00:37:01.28
And it says this, it says,
00:37:01.32\00:37:02.65
"And the angel of the
Lord spake unto Philip, saying,
00:37:02.68\00:37:05.02
Arise, and go toward
the south unto the way
00:37:05.05\00:37:07.26
that goes down from
Jerusalem unto Gaza,
00:37:07.29\00:37:10.36
which is desert.
00:37:10.39\00:37:11.73
And he arose and went:
and, behold, a man of Ethiopia,
00:37:11.76\00:37:14.00
an eunuch of great
authority under Candace queen
00:37:14.03\00:37:16.93
of the Ethiopians, who had
the charge of all her treasure,
00:37:16.97\00:37:20.64
and had come to
Jerusalem for to worship.
00:37:20.67\00:37:22.90
Was returning, and
sitting in his chariot
00:37:22.94\00:37:24.84
read Esaias the prophet.
00:37:24.87\00:37:27.88
Then the Spirit said
unto Philip, Go near,
00:37:27.91\00:37:30.28
and join
thyself to this chariot.
00:37:30.31\00:37:31.91
And Philip ran thither to him,
00:37:31.95\00:37:34.15
and heard him read the
prophet Esaias, and said,
00:37:34.18\00:37:37.69
Understandest thou
what thou readest?"
00:37:37.72\00:37:40.06
Woo! King James, I' tell you.
00:37:40.09\00:37:41.86
"And he said, How can I,
except some man should guide me?
00:37:41.89\00:37:45.13
And he desired Philip that
00:37:45.16\00:37:46.49
he would come up
and sit with him.
00:37:46.53\00:37:48.33
The place of the scripture
which he read was this,
00:37:48.36\00:37:50.80
He was led as a
sheep to the slaughter,
00:37:50.83\00:37:52.43
and like a lamb
dumb before his shearer,
00:37:52.47\00:37:54.54
so opened he not his mouth:
00:37:54.57\00:37:56.71
In his humiliation his
judgment was taken away:
00:37:56.74\00:37:59.24
and who shall
declare his generation?
00:37:59.27\00:38:01.01
For his life is
taken from the earth.
00:38:01.04\00:38:03.28
And the eunuch
answered Philip, and said,
00:38:03.31\00:38:04.85
I pray thee, of whom
speaketh the prophet this?
00:38:04.88\00:38:07.45
Of himself, or
of some other man?
00:38:07.48\00:38:09.48
Then Philip opened his mouth,
00:38:09.52\00:38:10.85
and began at the same scripture,
00:38:10.89\00:38:12.22
and preached unto him Jesus.
00:38:12.25\00:38:13.99
And as they went on their way,
they came unto a certain water:
00:38:14.02\00:38:16.59
and the eunuch
said, See, here is water;
00:38:16.62\00:38:19.66
what doth hinder
me to be baptized?
00:38:19.69\00:38:21.76
And Philip
said, If thou believe,
00:38:21.80\00:38:23.60
if you believe
with all your heart,
00:38:23.63\00:38:26.33
you may be baptized.
00:38:26.37\00:38:27.70
And he answered
and said, I believe
00:38:27.74\00:38:29.07
that Jesus Christ
is the Son of God.
00:38:29.10\00:38:31.47
And he commanded the
chariot to stand still:
00:38:31.51\00:38:33.14
and they went down
both into the water,
00:38:33.17\00:38:35.18
both Philip and the
eunuch, and he baptized him."
00:38:35.21\00:38:38.28
Wow. It's amazing.
00:38:38.31\00:38:40.02
I can relate to this.
00:38:40.05\00:38:42.75
Not that I found a
eunuch and I went and witness
00:38:42.78\00:38:44.99
and he got baptized.
00:38:45.02\00:38:46.35
But in a chariot,
but I can relate to this
00:38:46.39\00:38:49.99
because there
have been situations
00:38:50.03\00:38:51.46
where I felt the Holy
Spirit impressed my heart to go,
00:38:51.49\00:38:53.46
maybe pray with
someone, or something like that.
00:38:53.50\00:38:55.90
I remember one time,
00:38:55.93\00:38:57.27
it was actually
3ABN camp meeting.
00:38:57.30\00:38:58.63
We were here.
00:38:58.67\00:39:00.00
And there was a young man
here, who actually attended
00:39:00.04\00:39:02.94
the academy I went to
when I was in high school.
00:39:02.97\00:39:04.87
Now he didn't
attend when I was there.
00:39:04.91\00:39:06.84
But he had attended.
00:39:06.88\00:39:08.21
Anyway, I knew of him
00:39:08.24\00:39:09.58
because I had
been at the academy
00:39:09.61\00:39:10.95
a few times since I graduated.
00:39:10.98\00:39:12.71
And this young man
was just sitting there.
00:39:12.75\00:39:15.48
And I'm sitting
in the audio booth
00:39:15.52\00:39:16.85
because I do audio here at 3ABN.
00:39:16.89\00:39:18.39
And we're, I think the
program was just wrapping up,
00:39:18.42\00:39:21.12
I think it was like
the last 30 seconds.
00:39:21.16\00:39:23.63
And he's getting
ready to walk out
00:39:23.66\00:39:25.19
and go back to his hotel
or wherever he was going.
00:39:25.23\00:39:27.93
And I just felt
a strong impression
00:39:27.96\00:39:29.30
of the Holy Spirit said,
00:39:29.33\00:39:30.67
you need to go pray
with that young man.
00:39:30.70\00:39:32.03
I said, "Oh, goodness."
00:39:32.07\00:39:33.40
Now imagine going back
to being afraid or whatever.
00:39:33.44\00:39:36.47
Imagine, at camp
meeting we have sometimes
00:39:36.50\00:39:39.37
between 800 to 1000 people here.
00:39:39.41\00:39:41.48
So there's a lot
of people around.
00:39:41.51\00:39:43.28
You don't want to
be in people's way.
00:39:43.31\00:39:44.95
And all that type of stuff.
00:39:44.98\00:39:46.31
You don't want
people to be staring at you
00:39:46.35\00:39:47.68
while you're
praying or whatever.
00:39:47.72\00:39:49.78
And so I was nervous.
00:39:49.82\00:39:51.32
But what's really amazing is,
I pulled him over and I said,
00:39:51.35\00:39:56.09
"Hey, I want to pray with you
00:39:56.12\00:39:57.46
and I didn't know
what to pray about.
00:39:57.49\00:39:58.83
It just God told me.
00:39:58.86\00:40:00.20
And I feel like the Holy
Spirit had impressed in my heart
00:40:00.23\00:40:02.50
what to pray about.
00:40:02.53\00:40:03.87
But it was
something really amazing
00:40:03.90\00:40:05.37
because I remember
that young man, I could,
00:40:05.40\00:40:07.80
we got done praying
and the look in his face,
00:40:07.84\00:40:09.77
he looked like
he was about to cry.
00:40:09.80\00:40:11.74
And I said, "Hey," I
gave him pat on the back.
00:40:11.77\00:40:13.81
I said, "You're gonna be okay.
00:40:13.84\00:40:15.18
I said, "I don't know
why I'm praying for you,
00:40:15.21\00:40:17.15
but the Holy
Spirit told me to do so."
00:40:17.18\00:40:19.01
So when the Spirit calls, go.
00:40:19.05\00:40:21.75
And this is a really
interesting, interesting story.
00:40:21.78\00:40:24.19
Do you guys have
anything on that note?
00:40:24.22\00:40:26.25
Can I just say, I love verse 30,
00:40:26.29\00:40:28.62
where it says Philip ran up,
00:40:28.66\00:40:30.46
like he wasn't just
like, taking his time, like,
00:40:30.49\00:40:33.03
he was like, I'm
going like, verse 29,
00:40:33.06\00:40:35.80
"The Spirit told Philip,"
00:40:35.83\00:40:37.17
like you're
talking about the Spirit.
00:40:37.20\00:40:38.53
Yes.
00:40:38.57\00:40:39.90
"The Spirit told
Phillip, go to that chariot,
00:40:39.93\00:40:41.80
and stay near it."
00:40:41.84\00:40:43.30
So before everything happened
before a baptism took place,
00:40:43.34\00:40:47.71
before they saw the
water, what happened?
00:40:47.74\00:40:50.28
The Spirit
moved, and then Phillip,
00:40:50.31\00:40:53.15
he was obedient, he listened.
00:40:53.18\00:40:55.28
And he said, Yes,
like, I'm gonna obey,
00:40:55.32\00:40:57.09
I'm gonna go do that.
00:40:57.12\00:40:58.72
And so it really, really starts
with our personal relationship
00:40:58.75\00:41:03.46
with God, and our walk with
God and asking the Holy Spirit
00:41:03.49\00:41:07.93
to fill us and actually
listening to the Holy Spirit.
00:41:07.96\00:41:11.73
Because how exciting is the fact
00:41:11.77\00:41:13.64
that all of this even
happened, someone was saved,
00:41:13.67\00:41:16.20
they now have a
relationship with Jesus.
00:41:16.24\00:41:18.47
Because Philip was first
willing to listen to the Spirit
00:41:18.51\00:41:22.48
and go run like he ran.
00:41:22.51\00:41:24.81
He's like, "I'm going yeah," so.
00:41:24.85\00:41:26.65
Exactly. Exactly.
00:41:26.68\00:41:28.92
Yeah, obeying.
00:41:28.95\00:41:30.29
That's a good point, Rachael.
00:41:30.32\00:41:31.65
Obeying is something
that because the Spirit
00:41:31.69\00:41:34.39
can impress on us
all, all He wants to.
00:41:34.42\00:41:36.83
But if we don't actually take
that and do something with it,
00:41:36.86\00:41:40.06
then it's not, nothing's
gonna happen, you know?
00:41:40.10\00:41:43.13
And so that's something that
we also have to keep in mind
00:41:43.16\00:41:45.20
is that as we are being
impressed by the Holy Spirit,
00:41:45.23\00:41:48.37
we have to obey that,
that impression from Him,
00:41:48.40\00:41:51.54
because if we don't,
we may be missing out
00:41:51.57\00:41:53.71
on a great
opportunity to witness.
00:41:53.74\00:41:55.08
Right.
00:41:55.11\00:41:56.44
You know, and so that's
just something very, very good,
00:41:56.48\00:41:58.28
I think, guys that
was a good, good point.
00:41:58.31\00:42:00.78
And I love that
story in Scripture.
00:42:00.82\00:42:03.15
Now, I want to kind of
change directions here,
00:42:03.18\00:42:06.12
because we've been talking about
00:42:06.15\00:42:08.32
some scriptural
references to witnessing
00:42:08.36\00:42:11.19
and how to kind of overcome
00:42:11.23\00:42:12.93
some of our
fears and insecurities,
00:42:12.96\00:42:15.10
and just kind of
some general stuff
00:42:15.13\00:42:16.46
about witnessing.
00:42:16.50\00:42:17.83
But now I want to
take it a step further.
00:42:17.87\00:42:20.64
There's something
that I believe everyone has
00:42:20.67\00:42:24.71
and something that I
believe that God gives everyone
00:42:24.74\00:42:27.41
which is gifts.
00:42:27.44\00:42:28.78
Now, gifts are manifested
in different ways, right?
00:42:28.81\00:42:31.11
Some people have
the gift of speaking,
00:42:31.15\00:42:32.75
others have the gift of
music, maybe of cooking,
00:42:32.78\00:42:35.95
maybe of, I don't
know, sharing, acting, Tiara.
00:42:35.98\00:42:38.45
Yeah.
00:42:38.49\00:42:39.82
There's all kinds of
different gifts in Scripture.
00:42:39.85\00:42:42.62
And I want to talk about kind
of one of the first instances
00:42:42.66\00:42:46.73
of gifts in Scripture.
00:42:46.76\00:42:48.23
It was kind of like a huge,
00:42:48.26\00:42:49.86
one of the
biggest witnessing events
00:42:49.90\00:42:52.13
that we find in Scripture
was the Day of Pentecost.
00:42:52.17\00:42:55.44
And this is found
in Acts Chapter 2,
00:42:55.47\00:42:58.27
and, CJ, maybe you can
start reading where it starts.
00:42:58.31\00:43:03.18
What verse does
it start at here?
00:43:03.21\00:43:06.72
I think it starts, well, okay,
let's just start at the first
00:43:06.75\00:43:09.35
because it talks
about the apostles
00:43:09.38\00:43:11.05
being filled
with the Holy Spirit.
00:43:11.09\00:43:12.42
So let's just
start with verse 1.
00:43:12.45\00:43:13.79
Okay.
00:43:13.82\00:43:15.16
"And when the Day of
Pentecost was fully come,
00:43:15.19\00:43:17.33
they were all with
one accord, in one place.
00:43:17.36\00:43:20.66
And suddenly there
came a sound from heaven
00:43:20.70\00:43:23.26
as of a rushing mighty wind,
00:43:23.30\00:43:25.20
and it filled all the
house where they were sitting,
00:43:25.23\00:43:28.44
and there appeared upon them
cloven tongues like as a fire,
00:43:28.47\00:43:32.91
and it sat upon each of them.
00:43:32.94\00:43:35.11
And they were all
filled with the Holy Ghost,
00:43:35.14\00:43:37.75
and began to speak
other tongues or languages.
00:43:37.78\00:43:41.58
And the Spirit
gave them utterance.
00:43:41.62\00:43:44.49
And there were dwelling
at Jerusalem, devout men,
00:43:44.52\00:43:47.56
or Jews, devout men, of
all nations under heaven."
00:43:47.59\00:43:52.56
You want me to keep reading?
00:43:52.59\00:43:53.93
Yeah, why don't you keep
going just a little bit more.
00:43:53.96\00:43:55.30
Okay.
00:43:55.33\00:43:56.67
"Now when this
was noised abroad,
00:43:56.70\00:43:59.53
the multitude came
together, and were confounded,
00:43:59.57\00:44:04.24
because that
every man heard them
00:44:04.27\00:44:06.88
speak in his own language.
00:44:06.91\00:44:09.64
And they were all
amazed and marveled,
00:44:09.68\00:44:11.85
saying one to another, Behold,
00:44:11.88\00:44:13.78
are not all these
which speak Galileans?
00:44:13.82\00:44:18.62
And how hear we every
man in our own tongue,
00:44:18.65\00:44:22.62
wherein we were born?
00:44:22.66\00:44:24.39
Parthians, and
Medes, and Elamites,
00:44:24.43\00:44:27.13
and the dwellers in
Mesopotamia, and in Judaea,
00:44:27.16\00:44:29.90
and Cappadocia, in
Pontus, in Asia, Phrygia,
00:44:29.93\00:44:34.04
and Pamphylia, in Egypt,
and in the parts of Libya
00:44:34.07\00:44:37.81
about Cyrene, and strangers
of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
00:44:37.84\00:44:43.81
yeah, Cretes and Arabians,
00:44:43.85\00:44:47.95
we do hear them
speak in our own tongues
00:44:47.98\00:44:51.52
the wonderful works of God.
00:44:51.55\00:44:53.76
And they were all
amazed, and were in doubt,
00:44:53.79\00:44:56.26
saying one to
another, what meaneth this?
00:44:56.29\00:44:59.29
Others mocking said,
these men are full of new wine."
00:44:59.33\00:45:03.40
So we see right
here that in Jerusalem,
00:45:03.43\00:45:07.60
there was people from
00:45:07.64\00:45:08.97
all over the world there, right?
00:45:09.00\00:45:10.64
Very interesting out of
everywhere in the world,
00:45:10.67\00:45:12.67
people congregated
in Jerusalem, right?
00:45:12.71\00:45:15.74
Right.
00:45:15.78\00:45:17.11
And we see that the Holy Spirit
fell upon the people there,
00:45:17.15\00:45:21.68
the disciples and the apostles
and the believers in Jesus.
00:45:21.72\00:45:24.49
And they spoke in the languages
of the people that were there.
00:45:24.52\00:45:30.33
Now, what's
interesting about this,
00:45:30.36\00:45:33.36
is that as they were speaking,
people were probably like,
00:45:33.40\00:45:38.17
"Wait a minute," they're
like, "What's going on here?
00:45:38.20\00:45:40.80
Is this a joke?"
it's like come on.
00:45:40.84\00:45:43.30
Because they're
looking at these men and women
00:45:43.34\00:45:45.44
speaking this
language, and they're going,
00:45:45.47\00:45:47.28
these people are from here.
00:45:47.31\00:45:48.64
Yeah.
00:45:48.68\00:45:50.01
And the way it's
worded here in Scripture,
00:45:50.05\00:45:51.38
it seems like it was
very uncommon to speak
00:45:51.41\00:45:54.48
outside of your native tongue.
00:45:54.52\00:45:55.98
Right?
00:45:56.02\00:45:57.35
So this was very
incredible in that moment
00:45:57.39\00:46:00.72
for those people.
00:46:00.76\00:46:02.49
And what's interesting is that,
00:46:02.52\00:46:05.83
you know, these people
who received the message,
00:46:05.86\00:46:09.16
were able to fully
receive the message
00:46:09.20\00:46:10.83
because Christ was able
to give or the Holy Spirit,
00:46:10.87\00:46:14.30
I guess would be
rather the proper term,
00:46:14.34\00:46:17.07
gave these people the ability
to speak in other tongues.
00:46:17.11\00:46:21.18
What's amazing
is God use this gift
00:46:21.21\00:46:24.38
that He gave people
because God, God, I mean,
00:46:24.41\00:46:26.55
He created humans, right?
00:46:26.58\00:46:28.15
all the languages,
He created everything.
00:46:28.18\00:46:30.49
So if He's gonna
do it, He can do it,
00:46:30.52\00:46:32.35
nothing's gonna get in His way.
00:46:32.39\00:46:33.96
Doesn't matter if
you're from Jerusalem
00:46:33.99\00:46:35.32
or Southern Illinois,
00:46:35.36\00:46:36.69
nothing's gonna
get in God's way.
00:46:36.73\00:46:38.69
So, what's amazing is
that these people received it
00:46:38.73\00:46:42.63
because of the gift
of speaking in tongues
00:46:42.66\00:46:44.67
or as CJ said
speaking in other languages.
00:46:44.70\00:46:47.34
And I think, you
know, as Christians today,
00:46:47.37\00:46:49.84
God still gives us gifts, right?
00:46:49.87\00:46:52.31
There's still various ways
we use our gifts to witness.
00:46:52.34\00:46:55.08
I'll kind of share my
own experience, if you will.
00:46:55.11\00:46:58.85
I've been a
musician since about 12,
00:46:58.88\00:47:02.02
I guess you could say.
00:47:02.05\00:47:03.39
I started playing guitar.
00:47:03.42\00:47:04.75
And it's been just
such a joy and a blessing.
00:47:04.79\00:47:06.79
But I do believe that the
gift of music is something
00:47:06.82\00:47:10.29
that God gave me and I'm trying
to work within that purpose.
00:47:10.33\00:47:13.09
I believe it's a
purpose God has given me
00:47:13.13\00:47:15.36
to share the
gospel through that modem.
00:47:15.40\00:47:18.43
But anyway, I've
had some experiences
00:47:18.47\00:47:21.30
before with the gift of
music, where I was doing,
00:47:21.34\00:47:25.34
I was teaching actually, a
group of students some music.
00:47:25.37\00:47:28.74
And we were doing a band song,
like, you know, you have horns,
00:47:28.78\00:47:32.28
and you have
woodwinds and all that.
00:47:32.31\00:47:34.18
And we were all,
you know, practicing
00:47:34.22\00:47:36.99
and getting ready or whatever.
00:47:37.02\00:47:38.39
And I walked off
the stage for a moment
00:47:38.42\00:47:40.12
because I needed
to get some water
00:47:40.16\00:47:42.59
or something like that.
00:47:42.62\00:47:43.99
And one of the
parents came up to me,
00:47:44.03\00:47:45.86
and this was a big guy.
00:47:45.89\00:47:47.23
And I'm not a big
guy. I'm like 5'8.
00:47:47.26\00:47:49.36
I'm skinny. I'm
not a big guy at all.
00:47:49.40\00:47:51.90
But anyway, this guy,
he's probably six foot.
00:47:51.93\00:47:53.67
He comes up to me,
and he's a big guy.
00:47:53.70\00:47:55.90
He just gives me the biggest
bear hug you've ever seen.
00:47:55.94\00:47:58.17
You know, I'm just standing.
00:47:58.21\00:47:59.54
I'm like, "Uh, what do I do?"
00:47:59.57\00:48:01.64
You know, I'm a little nervous,
you know, because I've never
00:48:01.68\00:48:04.01
had someone come up
and do that to me before.
00:48:04.05\00:48:06.55
And, you know, he lets go me.
00:48:06.58\00:48:08.52
He has tears
running down his face,
00:48:08.55\00:48:10.55
just totally just drew
his face was drenched in.
00:48:10.59\00:48:13.69
He said, "You
know, you don't realize
00:48:13.72\00:48:18.06
what you're
doing for my children."
00:48:18.09\00:48:19.86
He said, and he
said, "Thank you so much
00:48:19.89\00:48:22.06
for putting so much into them.
00:48:22.10\00:48:24.70
And being a witness to them,
00:48:24.73\00:48:26.13
and allowing
them to do this music
00:48:26.17\00:48:27.87
and whatever and to
glorify God in that manner."
00:48:27.90\00:48:30.31
And that was kind of
one of the first experiences
00:48:30.34\00:48:32.77
I had of witnessing the
power of gifts in witnessing.
00:48:32.81\00:48:36.48
Yeah.
00:48:36.51\00:48:37.85
It's just something,
something incredible.
00:48:37.88\00:48:39.21
What do you guys have?
00:48:39.25\00:48:40.58
What's some of the
gifts God has given you?
00:48:40.62\00:48:41.95
And how do you use
those to share Christ?
00:48:41.98\00:48:44.39
Yeah, well, you know,
as I mentioned earlier,
00:48:44.42\00:48:46.49
I was in a drama team.
00:48:46.52\00:48:47.86
And that's where I
learned the gift of,
00:48:47.89\00:48:50.63
you know, getting
up on stage and acting
00:48:50.66\00:48:52.43
and all these things.
00:48:52.46\00:48:53.80
And I had shared recently,
or previously the story
00:48:53.83\00:48:57.17
of the woman who wanted
to start the Bible study,
00:48:57.20\00:48:59.20
and that was
something that was so powerful.
00:48:59.23\00:49:01.50
And I thank God all the time
00:49:01.54\00:49:03.20
because He has
opened so many doors.
00:49:03.24\00:49:05.57
You know, we
just a few weeks ago,
00:49:05.61\00:49:07.21
went to a prison with,
00:49:07.24\00:49:10.41
y'all maybe at home has
seen Christmas Behind Bars
00:49:10.45\00:49:12.85
with Lemuel Vega,
that, it's beautiful ministry
00:49:12.88\00:49:15.22
if you guys haven't heard
of it, you should look it up.
00:49:15.25\00:49:16.92
Wonderful guy.
00:49:16.95\00:49:18.29
And we went to a prison.
00:49:18.32\00:49:19.65
And he had asked my
cousin Jewlee and I to do a skit
00:49:19.69\00:49:21.96
and to talk to the women.
00:49:21.99\00:49:23.39
And you know, we were terrified.
00:49:23.43\00:49:25.83
This was a walk out of
the boat type of moment.
00:49:25.86\00:49:28.73
And we were terrified.
We've never been in a prison.
00:49:28.76\00:49:30.67
We didn't know what to expect.
00:49:30.70\00:49:32.03
But the Holy Spirit came
in like he did in Pentecost,
00:49:32.07\00:49:35.54
and it was you could feel it.
00:49:35.57\00:49:37.11
You could feel it.
00:49:37.14\00:49:38.47
We could, you know,
and everybody there.
00:49:38.51\00:49:40.58
And we went and we
witnessed to all the women
00:49:40.61\00:49:44.25
and all the men, we
went through every cellblock
00:49:44.28\00:49:46.31
and you know, it was a full day.
00:49:46.35\00:49:47.85
Ben, you were there. It
was exhausting, All day.
00:49:47.88\00:49:51.05
But I mean, I thank God
for the gift that He's given
00:49:51.09\00:49:54.26
because He has
opened so many doors
00:49:54.29\00:49:56.19
and you know, hearing
that woman's testimony,
00:49:56.22\00:49:58.09
and that was just one of many.
00:49:58.13\00:49:59.46
I was in the drama
team for eight years,
00:49:59.49\00:50:01.13
you know, and just recently
the prison what He has done.
00:50:01.16\00:50:04.97
I mean, if He gives you a
gift, it's meant for something,
00:50:05.00\00:50:08.27
He's gonna use it,
00:50:08.30\00:50:09.74
and you're going to have stories
00:50:09.77\00:50:11.11
for the rest of your life.
00:50:11.14\00:50:12.47
I will always remember
that prison experience.
00:50:12.51\00:50:14.81
And it's
beautiful. I thank Him for it.
00:50:14.84\00:50:17.05
Yeah. Praise the Lord.
00:50:17.08\00:50:18.48
There was
something interesting too.
00:50:18.51\00:50:20.05
You talked about the women,
00:50:20.08\00:50:21.42
but we also ministered
to the men there as well.
00:50:21.45\00:50:23.12
So we did both.
00:50:23.15\00:50:24.49
And you know,
what's amazing to me,
00:50:24.52\00:50:25.85
because these men,
00:50:25.89\00:50:28.76
you know, they had
tattoos all over their bodies.
00:50:28.79\00:50:30.99
They looked like
real tough, big guys.
00:50:31.03\00:50:32.76
Bigger than I am.
00:50:32.79\00:50:34.13
And I was watching them.
00:50:34.16\00:50:35.50
I was watching the men
because as Tiara and Jewlee
00:50:35.53\00:50:37.70
were ministering
through their skit.
00:50:37.73\00:50:39.43
I was watching the men
and there were some men
00:50:39.47\00:50:41.80
who were just
totally just, they lost it.
00:50:41.84\00:50:44.57
Just tears
running down their face.
00:50:44.61\00:50:46.74
And you know, what
was also amazing too,
00:50:46.78\00:50:48.34
was the opportunity we
had to give Bibles to them.
00:50:48.38\00:50:50.85
Yes!
00:50:50.88\00:50:52.21
I have never
seen someone so happy
00:50:52.25\00:50:54.62
to receive a
Bible in their life.
00:50:54.65\00:50:55.98
And it wasn't just
like a paperback Bible.
00:50:56.02\00:50:57.85
I mean, it was like this.
00:50:57.89\00:50:59.22
It was like a
nice leatherback Bible.
00:50:59.25\00:51:00.59
Yeah.
00:51:00.62\00:51:01.96
And these men and
women were so thankful
00:51:01.99\00:51:03.43
and so we don't
always realize the impact
00:51:03.46\00:51:07.66
that we have by doing
something as simple as the skit
00:51:07.70\00:51:10.37
or giving someone
leatherback Bible book,
00:51:10.40\00:51:11.93
really that can be a huge
00:51:11.97\00:51:14.27
turning point in
that person's life
00:51:14.30\00:51:16.14
if we follow the
calling of God there.
00:51:16.17\00:51:19.21
Rachael, what
opportunities have you had?
00:51:19.24\00:51:20.58
Yeah, absolutely.
00:51:20.61\00:51:21.94
So I know we're talking about
gifts and everything like that.
00:51:21.98\00:51:24.68
And I do just want to share
it to those who are listening.
00:51:24.71\00:51:27.25
I know sometimes you're in
a place where you don't know
00:51:27.28\00:51:30.52
what your gifts are.
00:51:30.55\00:51:32.35
And so if that's you, I
just want to encourage you to
00:51:32.39\00:51:35.82
go to God in prayer
and start asking Him
00:51:35.86\00:51:38.06
what it is that your
gifts are that He has given you.
00:51:38.09\00:51:41.96
And so that's one
thing that we can do,
00:51:42.00\00:51:44.13
because for the longest
time, or at least growing up,
00:51:44.17\00:51:46.97
you know, I was
trying to figure out,
00:51:47.00\00:51:48.57
what are my gifts?
00:51:48.60\00:51:49.94
What are my God given gifts?
00:51:49.97\00:51:52.27
And you mentioned purpose,
I've found my purpose in Jesus,
00:51:52.31\00:51:56.88
and also, in sharing
the Bible with people,
00:51:56.91\00:52:00.65
whether that's
through my podcast,
00:52:00.68\00:52:03.02
or through preaching,
00:52:03.05\00:52:05.29
or through
conversations with people.
00:52:05.32\00:52:07.89
And so whatever,
wherever you are in life,
00:52:07.92\00:52:11.23
I know we're all in
different places, you know,
00:52:11.26\00:52:15.00
asking God,
00:52:15.03\00:52:16.36
what is it that you've
given me that I can share?
00:52:16.40\00:52:19.63
And sometimes, you know,
not all of us are going to
00:52:19.67\00:52:22.40
teach or preach or all
these different things,
00:52:22.44\00:52:25.54
which are great.
00:52:25.57\00:52:26.91
Sometimes it comes down
to different characteristics.
00:52:26.94\00:52:29.61
Are you an encourager?
00:52:29.64\00:52:31.11
Are you an empathizer?
00:52:31.15\00:52:32.78
Are you someone who
can be there for someone?
00:52:32.81\00:52:36.12
You know, can
you comfort a friend?
00:52:36.15\00:52:38.49
You know, can you be there?
00:52:38.52\00:52:40.16
And so using
our gifts to lift up
00:52:40.19\00:52:43.22
others is very beautiful,
00:52:43.26\00:52:45.49
and something we
should take hold of sometime.
00:52:45.53\00:52:47.00
Yeah. It is.
00:52:47.03\00:52:48.36
Yeah. Thank you.
00:52:48.40\00:52:49.73
Thank you for
encouraging our friends at home
00:52:49.76\00:52:51.27
because some people don't
know what their gifts are,
00:52:51.30\00:52:54.44
you know, but like Rachael said,
00:52:54.47\00:52:55.80
if you pray and ask God,
He will reveal that to you.
00:52:55.84\00:52:58.74
And so anyways, CJ, did
you have any experiences
00:52:58.77\00:53:01.11
with some of the gifts you have?
00:53:01.14\00:53:03.08
Well, I would actually say
that I relate very well to,
00:53:03.11\00:53:09.08
you know, the
question of what are my gifts.
00:53:09.12\00:53:13.62
Because I would say
I'm still in the search
00:53:13.66\00:53:17.66
for what actually is my gift.
00:53:17.69\00:53:19.66
Okay.
00:53:19.69\00:53:21.46
I could say,
things with podcasting.
00:53:21.50\00:53:24.20
Or maybe the speaking though,
00:53:24.23\00:53:25.73
I don't really have
opportunities to do preaching,
00:53:25.77\00:53:28.24
because I just
haven't been given them.
00:53:28.27\00:53:31.94
But I think that's a,
that's the frustrating part
00:53:31.97\00:53:36.68
about the walk is not knowing
what you're supposed to do.
00:53:36.71\00:53:39.65
Because you know,
you come into the,
00:53:39.68\00:53:41.92
you come into the
relationship with God,
00:53:41.95\00:53:43.28
and God tells
you to do something,
00:53:43.32\00:53:44.65
and you're not sure
what He wants you to do.
00:53:44.69\00:53:46.55
And so I would say that,
definitely pray about it.
00:53:46.59\00:53:50.13
And don't be
discouraged, because as someone
00:53:50.16\00:53:52.56
who deals with a
lot of discouragement
00:53:52.59\00:53:55.36
on a daily basis, it's not fun.
00:53:55.40\00:53:57.93
So don't allow
the discouragement
00:53:57.97\00:54:00.67
of not knowing what your
gift is to keep you down,
00:54:00.70\00:54:04.07
because you could end
up in a really dark place.
00:54:04.11\00:54:05.74
And especially if you struggle,
00:54:05.77\00:54:08.18
if you need a friend to
talk to definitely call 3ABN.
00:54:08.21\00:54:11.08
They have a lot of people,
00:54:11.11\00:54:13.25
and you might even
get to talk to Rachael.
00:54:13.28\00:54:14.75
Yeah.
00:54:14.78\00:54:16.12
That's right.
00:54:16.15\00:54:17.65
Our pastoral department is
always ready to talk to you
00:54:17.69\00:54:20.96
and pray with you
and encourage you.
00:54:20.99\00:54:22.32
So yes, please call us if
you have any of those doubts
00:54:22.36\00:54:24.59
or concerns.
00:54:24.63\00:54:25.99
So as we're almost done here,
00:54:26.03\00:54:27.96
we only got about
three minutes left.
00:54:28.00\00:54:29.36
But I kind of want
to hit one more point,
00:54:29.40\00:54:31.23
which is witnessing
in our modern world.
00:54:31.27\00:54:34.20
We talked a
little bit about this
00:54:34.24\00:54:35.90
in the middle of the program,
00:54:35.94\00:54:37.51
talking about how our
culture changed a lot.
00:54:37.54\00:54:39.77
And you know, I
remember being raised,
00:54:39.81\00:54:41.44
I was raised Adventist,
00:54:41.48\00:54:43.21
I think all of us
were here, or some of us.
00:54:43.24\00:54:45.81
But anyway, what's
amazing is when we were young,
00:54:45.85\00:54:49.75
CJ, you talked about
going out and passing books
00:54:49.78\00:54:52.02
and going sometimes we would
go door to door and all of that.
00:54:52.05\00:54:55.66
We're not saying
00:54:55.69\00:54:57.03
there's
anything wrong with that,
00:54:57.06\00:54:58.39
we think that's
still a good way to witness
00:54:58.43\00:55:00.03
and to evangelize and
take the gospel out there.
00:55:00.06\00:55:03.40
But you know, as the
world is becoming more
00:55:03.43\00:55:05.53
technologically advanced,
it's getting harder and harder
00:55:05.57\00:55:08.74
to not only get
people to read books,
00:55:08.77\00:55:10.87
but also to get
them to even accept them
00:55:10.91\00:55:12.97
into their homes, right?
00:55:13.01\00:55:14.34
Yeah.
00:55:14.38\00:55:15.71
And so, what are
some innovative ways
00:55:15.74\00:55:17.98
we can use maybe social media
00:55:18.01\00:55:20.58
or stuff like that
to witness for Christ?
00:55:20.62\00:55:23.69
You know, I feel
like especially nowadays,
00:55:23.72\00:55:26.09
our generation, our
attention span is so small.
00:55:26.12\00:55:28.69
Oh, man.
00:55:28.72\00:55:30.06
I mean, it's like what like,
00:55:30.09\00:55:31.43
Tiktok is like
six seconds things.
00:55:31.46\00:55:32.99
And then we're like, all right,
00:55:33.03\00:55:34.36
you're scrolling
through all of them.
00:55:34.40\00:55:35.73
And I think, you
know, bite sized pieces
00:55:35.76\00:55:38.33
of Scripture does a lot.
00:55:38.37\00:55:40.74
You know, you have a
social media account,
00:55:40.77\00:55:42.67
or you have any of that
use that for the glory of God.
00:55:42.70\00:55:45.34
Come on!
00:55:45.37\00:55:46.71
I mean, that's like
the hub of everybody,
00:55:46.74\00:55:48.48
that's like what
people are on now.
00:55:48.51\00:55:50.71
And if you can
just give a bite size,
00:55:50.75\00:55:52.75
maybe just a two
minute video of you saying
00:55:52.78\00:55:55.42
something or even
just a scripture verse,
00:55:55.45\00:55:57.12
"Hey, man, this
happened to me today
00:55:57.15\00:55:58.79
and this is what encouraged me."
00:55:58.82\00:56:00.36
I mean, that is a
huge way of witnessing
00:56:00.39\00:56:02.69
and it's bite size so a
lot of people will watch it
00:56:02.72\00:56:05.49
or a lot of people will see it.
00:56:05.53\00:56:07.03
That's right.
00:56:07.06\00:56:08.40
Rachael, really quickly,
I want to hit your podcasts.
00:56:08.43\00:56:09.76
Okay.
00:56:09.80\00:56:11.13
That's an amazing
witness, go ahead.
00:56:11.17\00:56:12.50
Yeah, so, just about my podcast?
00:56:12.53\00:56:14.20
Yeah, just say about it. Okay.
00:56:14.24\00:56:15.57
So this is the
very short version.
00:56:15.60\00:56:18.07
I have people
come on the podcast
00:56:18.11\00:56:19.94
who share their relationship
and their walk with God.
00:56:19.97\00:56:23.04
And it's a huge encouragement
to people and praying
00:56:23.08\00:56:27.12
in the beginning and
the end of the podcast,
00:56:27.15\00:56:28.98
because it's all
about encouraging people
00:56:29.02\00:56:31.22
in their walk with God.
00:56:31.25\00:56:32.59
Excellent.
00:56:32.62\00:56:33.96
I've listened to it.
It's an amazing podcast.
00:56:33.99\00:56:35.32
Thank you.
00:56:35.36\00:56:36.69
I love it. I love it. Thank you.
00:56:36.73\00:56:38.23
So, and yeah, maybe one day
I can be on it, I don't know.
00:56:38.26\00:56:41.06
Maybe we could all be on it,
00:56:41.10\00:56:42.63
having a
discussion with witnessing.
00:56:42.66\00:56:44.00
That would be great.
00:56:44.03\00:56:45.37
Yes. But anyway,
yeah, so that is.
00:56:45.40\00:56:47.20
Those are some great ways, guys.
00:56:47.24\00:56:48.84
And really, I've really enjoy
talking with you all today.
00:56:48.87\00:56:50.44
Yeah.
00:56:50.47\00:56:51.81
I think this evening,
00:56:51.84\00:56:53.17
we had a really great discussion
00:56:53.21\00:56:54.54
about witnessing and how,
you know, Jesus can use us
00:56:54.58\00:56:57.88
whether it's our
gifts or social media
00:56:57.91\00:56:59.81
or whatever it may be in order
to continue to witness for Him
00:56:59.85\00:57:02.78
and Jesus wants
you to witness for Him.
00:57:02.82\00:57:05.42
Witness for Him.
00:57:05.45\00:57:06.79
Remember, He
wants you all in, right?
00:57:06.82\00:57:08.76
All in. All in.
00:57:08.79\00:57:10.13
So remember to
be all in for Jesus.
00:57:10.16\00:57:12.83
And if you're
discouraged or afraid,
00:57:12.86\00:57:14.46
remember, you can
always claim these promises
00:57:14.50\00:57:16.80
that we
referred to in Scripture.
00:57:16.83\00:57:18.63
So we're just so thankful
that you joined us tonight,
00:57:18.67\00:57:21.30
and we're all at
a time right now.
00:57:21.34\00:57:22.67
But remember that Jesus needs
a generation of young people
00:57:22.70\00:57:25.97
to take the gospel
into all the world.
00:57:26.01\00:57:27.58
Until we see you next time,
00:57:27.61\00:57:28.94
remember to keep
moving forward in Jesus.
00:57:28.98\00:57:30.81