I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Removing pain
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Lord, let my word
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn,
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and we welcome you once again
to 3ABN Thursday Night Live.
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Yes, this is a live program.
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We're going to be
with you for two hours,
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and we want to
take this opportunity
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to thank you for
your love, your prayers,
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and your
financial support of 3ABN.
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We've had a great day here,
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and hope yours
has been even better,
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but we have a wonderful guest,
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and before I even
read my scripture,
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let me introduce her to you,
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because she is a
special handmaiden
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of the Lord.
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And when you hear her
name, if you know her,
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her name is
synonymous with prayer.
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Tonight, we're going to
talk about prayer, faith,
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and daring to live
by every word of God.
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And I want you gentlemen,
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just because there's
two ladies on this program,
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don't think
this isn't about you.
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We will be talking
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about some
wonderful things that,
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especially, I think,
what I am interested in,
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that Melody will
be sharing with us
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is what do we do
when God is silent?
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So, we've got a
powerful program today.
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Our special
guest is Melody Mason,
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and Melody is with
the Prayer Ministries
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of the General Conference
of Seventh-day Adventist Church
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there at the world headquarters.
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You are also an author
and prayer coordinator deluxe.
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I know that you
are an amazing woman,
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and I'm just
blessed to know you.
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Praise God.
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Thank you for being here.
It's a blessing to be here.
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Thank you for having me. Yeah.
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Well, we, tell us a little
bit about what you do at the GC?
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Well, I
coordinate United in Prayer
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for the World Church,
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and I also help Janet Paige,
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she works with the
GC prayer ministry,
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so I work with her
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coordinating
different prayer initiatives.
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And I also collect resources.
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I'm resource coordinator
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for the
revivalandreformation.org
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website.
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Wonderful.
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So just tools to help
people grow their walk with God.
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So, in addition to that,
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I know that you speak
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at a lot of
events around the world.
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You are traveling all the time,
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and you are known
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for organizing
prayer rooms at ASI,
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GYC, General Conference.
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We're just delighted
to have you here, Melody.
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Thank you. Thank you.
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And precious sister in the Lord.
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Before, however, we
get into Melody's story
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and what she has to share.
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We all love music.
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We know you love music.
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So, tonight, we
have Matt Throgmorton,
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and he is going to sing
for us, "In the Garden."
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I come
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To garden alone
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While the dew
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Is still on the roses
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And the voice I hear
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Falling on my ear
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The song of God
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Discloses
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And He walks
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With me
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And He talks with me
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And He tells me
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I am His own
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And the joy we share
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As we tarry there
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None other
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Has ever known
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Granted Jesus
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Is my King
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Daily
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Walking close to Thee
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Let it be
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Dear Lord, let it be
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Let it be
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Dear Lord, let it be
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What a friend
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We have in Jesus
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All our sins
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And grieves to bear
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What a privilege
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To carry
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Everything to God in prayer
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Oh, what peace
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We often forsake
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Oh, what needless
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Pain we bear
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All because
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We do not Carry
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Everything
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To God in prayer
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Take it to the Lord
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In prayer.
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Matt Throgmorton right
from Southern Illinois,
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and he's got such
a beautiful voice.
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We thank him so much.
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I wanted to share
this scripture with you,
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it is Psalms 27:4.
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And David writes,
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"One thing I have
desire of the Lord
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that will I seek
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that I may dwell in
the house of the Lord
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all of the days of my life
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to behold the
beauty of the Lord,
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and to inquire in His temple.
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And I know that
has special meaning
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to Melody, our special guest.
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Melody Mason, with
the GC Prayer Ministries,
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and an author.
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But before we kick
into every wonderful thing
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you have brought us,
every morsel tonight,
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please talk to
us just a little bit
00:09:03.97\00:09:06.54
and tell us who's Melody Mason?
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How did you grow up?
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When did your
relationship with the Lord
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really become personal to you?
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Well, I grew up
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in a Seventh-day
Adventist Christian home
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and I'm very thankful for that.
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But just in a nutshell
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my experience was
very much a lukewarm
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Laodicean type experience.
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So, church was not
really enjoyable for me
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when I was a young person,
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and I didn't really
understand the deeper walk.
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Of course, that's
something we have to grow into,
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but the verse you just read
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is really a picture
of what God has done
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for me in my life
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because He's brought me
to a whole deeper experience
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in showing me the joy
of spending time with Him.
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This is not just something
that I do to check off my day,
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or because I'm a
good Christian girl.
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You do this and do that.
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God's really taken
me on a deeper journey,
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it started when I
was in high school,
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I would say, was
when things really began
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to go deeper for me spiritually.
00:10:06.84\00:10:08.70
I remember watching
my roommate Gabriella
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study the Bible and pray.
00:10:12.31\00:10:14.04
And I was thinking to myself,
I need to be doing that too,
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and as I did,
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you know, God's
Word coming alive
00:10:18.38\00:10:19.71
even more, seeing
God answer my prayers.
00:10:19.75\00:10:22.92
So, it started in high school,
00:10:22.95\00:10:24.65
but it was years later
00:10:24.69\00:10:26.12
before I went
through even deeper
00:10:26.15\00:10:29.09
ah-ha experience
00:10:29.12\00:10:30.46
or whatever you want to call it,
00:10:30.49\00:10:31.83
where God took me
00:10:31.86\00:10:33.19
to an even deeper walk with Him.
00:10:33.23\00:10:35.10
Of course, He's
still doing that now.
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Amen.
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And if we're not
growing, we're in trouble.
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That's right.
00:10:39.23\00:10:40.57
I know that there was a time
of disillusionment in her life.
00:10:40.60\00:10:43.61
Stay tuned for that,
we'll talk about that.
00:10:43.64\00:10:46.04
But tell us about
100 Days of Prayer,
00:10:46.07\00:10:49.68
tell us about the
prayer initiatives
00:10:49.71\00:10:51.85
that are going on at the GC,
00:10:51.88\00:10:53.82
and the resources
that are available?
00:10:53.85\00:10:55.18
Yes.
00:10:55.22\00:10:56.55
So, I'm really excited,
00:10:56.58\00:10:57.92
I coordinate United in
Prayer for the World Church
00:10:57.95\00:11:00.26
and basically
anyone that signs up
00:11:00.29\00:11:02.52
to be part of this program.
00:11:02.56\00:11:03.89
We have thousands
of people involved.
00:11:03.93\00:11:06.19
Every week we send
out prayer requests
00:11:06.23\00:11:09.43
so we can all
be praying together
00:11:09.46\00:11:11.67
as a church and
prayer resources.
00:11:11.70\00:11:15.20
And I love the fact
that we send out testimonies,
00:11:15.24\00:11:16.81
like every week
00:11:16.84\00:11:18.17
I have a new inspiring testimony
00:11:18.21\00:11:19.54
that comes out
00:11:19.57\00:11:20.91
and some of the testimonies
that we've shared recently,
00:11:20.94\00:11:22.61
one is about a man
who picked up the Bible
00:11:22.64\00:11:25.55
and begins wanting
to study the Bible,
00:11:25.58\00:11:27.68
but he couldn't read,
00:11:27.72\00:11:29.25
he couldn't read it all,
but he began to read the Bible,
00:11:29.28\00:11:32.09
how God gave him
the ability to read.
00:11:32.12\00:11:33.46
Praise to God.
00:11:33.49\00:11:34.82
There's another
story that we shared
00:11:34.86\00:11:36.19
about a vault
00:11:36.22\00:11:38.19
at the Avondale
College in Sydney
00:11:38.23\00:11:41.56
and how they've
started a whole prayer movement
00:11:41.60\00:11:44.13
just inside this vault
00:11:44.17\00:11:46.30
there at the Ellen G.
White Resource Center in Sydney
00:11:46.33\00:11:49.20
and the miracles that
God is doing through that.
00:11:49.24\00:11:52.91
We have testimonies of
a group that was in Cuba
00:11:52.94\00:11:56.21
and they were
going there to share
00:11:56.24\00:11:57.81
and the work was being shut down
00:11:57.85\00:11:59.61
and they were
sent to the authorities
00:11:59.65\00:12:00.98
and so the people
went to the authorities
00:12:01.02\00:12:02.98
and the man that came in
to shut the work down says,
00:12:03.02\00:12:05.25
"Oh, I've seen you before."
00:12:05.29\00:12:07.16
and he had seen
somebody like 10 years earlier
00:12:07.19\00:12:09.46
at some other meetings
and had been so impressed.
00:12:09.49\00:12:11.29
He says, "I'm not
shutting down your work.
00:12:11.33\00:12:13.06
You guys can preach
00:12:13.09\00:12:14.43
whatever you want here in Cuba."
00:12:14.46\00:12:15.80
So, we have miracles
story after miracle story,
00:12:15.83\00:12:18.00
every week I share a new one
00:12:18.03\00:12:19.90
and people can sign up for that
00:12:19.93\00:12:21.70
if they visit our website,
00:12:21.74\00:12:23.24
revivalandreformation.org
for the United in Prayer.
00:12:23.27\00:12:27.84
So that's something I
personally coordinate.
00:12:27.88\00:12:29.88
We also have to
believe His prophets
00:12:29.91\00:12:32.71
which is just encouraging people
00:12:32.75\00:12:35.12
to get into
God's Word every day,
00:12:35.15\00:12:38.12
reading His Word and
along with that reading
00:12:38.15\00:12:40.39
through the
Conflict of the Ages series
00:12:40.42\00:12:42.36
and thousands of people
are participating with that.
00:12:42.39\00:12:45.56
Of course, we have
00:12:45.59\00:12:46.93
many beautiful
witnessing initiatives
00:12:46.96\00:12:49.46
through the total
member involvement
00:12:49.50\00:12:50.87
just encouraging people
00:12:50.90\00:12:52.23
get in and do
something personally.
00:12:52.27\00:12:54.20
You don't have
to be an evangelist,
00:12:54.24\00:12:55.57
you don't have to be a preacher,
00:12:55.60\00:12:56.94
you don't have to, you
know, be somebody, whatever,
00:12:56.97\00:12:59.97
just get out and
share with others
00:13:00.01\00:13:01.78
about your
personal walk with Jesus,
00:13:01.81\00:13:03.61
and we see many
people coming to know Christ
00:13:03.65\00:13:06.18
as a result of that too.
00:13:06.21\00:13:07.55
So, on our website
there's hundreds of resources
00:13:07.58\00:13:12.09
and I just encourage
people to go and visit
00:13:12.12\00:13:15.06
because I'm sharing resources
how to grow your walk with God,
00:13:15.09\00:13:18.49
how to get
deeper in Bible study.
00:13:18.53\00:13:20.26
If you're somebody
00:13:20.30\00:13:21.63
and you're wanting
to start prayer ministry
00:13:21.66\00:13:23.13
in your church or groups,
00:13:23.16\00:13:25.00
we have resources
00:13:25.03\00:13:26.37
to help new leaders
start prayer ministry.
00:13:26.40\00:13:29.07
So, just hundreds of resources.
00:13:29.10\00:13:31.11
But what you asked specifically
was the 100 Days of Prayer.
00:13:31.14\00:13:34.14
And this is an initiative
00:13:34.18\00:13:35.88
that we are
starting this next spring
00:13:35.91\00:13:37.68
which goes from
March 27 to July 4.
00:13:37.71\00:13:41.65
And basically 100 Days of Prayer
00:13:41.68\00:13:43.52
is just encouraging people
00:13:43.55\00:13:45.75
to pray together on
behalf of the church,
00:13:45.79\00:13:48.82
on behalf of our need
for a deeper walk with God
00:13:48.86\00:13:53.06
and especially
for the outpouring
00:13:53.09\00:13:54.56
of the Holy Spirit.
00:13:54.60\00:13:55.93
And this is in preparation
00:13:55.96\00:13:57.60
for the 2020 General Conference,
00:13:57.63\00:14:00.67
every five years
the World Church,
00:14:00.70\00:14:04.24
all of the divisions,
all of the conferences
00:14:04.27\00:14:06.98
come together
00:14:07.01\00:14:08.34
and it's
something that's so special
00:14:08.38\00:14:10.95
because we have what,
00:14:10.98\00:14:12.38
close to 22 million
members around the world.
00:14:12.41\00:14:15.28
And when people come,
00:14:15.32\00:14:17.19
there's tens of
thousands of people
00:14:17.22\00:14:20.72
who come and it is very special,
00:14:20.76\00:14:22.92
but it's a time of great unity,
00:14:22.96\00:14:26.13
it's a time when we vote
00:14:26.16\00:14:29.40
for new leadership positions.
00:14:29.43\00:14:33.23
So, I think that
this united prayer effort
00:14:33.27\00:14:37.24
is critically important
before such a time of this.
00:14:37.27\00:14:42.78
We had 100 Days of Prayer
leading up to the last session
00:14:42.81\00:14:46.88
and we had a prayer
room at the GC Session
00:14:46.92\00:14:49.22
and I helped Janet
coordinate that prayer
00:14:49.25\00:14:51.29
and we had
close to 15,000 people
00:14:51.32\00:14:53.25
that actually came
through the prayer room
00:14:53.29\00:14:57.09
over the GC Session.
00:14:57.13\00:14:58.79
And I encourage people,
00:14:58.83\00:15:00.43
you know, I really believe
00:15:00.46\00:15:02.56
we are living in a
special time in history
00:15:02.60\00:15:04.80
and now is the time,
00:15:04.83\00:15:06.17
God is looking for intercessors
00:15:06.20\00:15:07.97
to stand on
behalf of His church,
00:15:08.00\00:15:10.17
on behalf of
the world around us.
00:15:10.21\00:15:12.21
You know, it's very easy for us
00:15:12.24\00:15:14.14
if we see things
00:15:14.18\00:15:15.51
that are happening in the church
00:15:15.54\00:15:17.11
especially with
leaders that we think,
00:15:17.15\00:15:18.61
you know, they should do
this or they should do that,
00:15:18.65\00:15:20.48
it's very easy for
us to get judgmental,
00:15:20.52\00:15:22.25
it's very easy
for us to throw stones
00:15:22.28\00:15:24.15
and get critical,
00:15:24.19\00:15:25.52
but I believe God has given us
one of the most powerful tools
00:15:25.55\00:15:28.32
and that is prayer.
00:15:28.36\00:15:29.82
And just like Aaron
and Hur held up Moses' arms
00:15:29.86\00:15:33.29
when Joshua was
down with the Israelites
00:15:33.33\00:15:35.23
fighting the battle.
00:15:35.26\00:15:36.87
I believe God has called us
00:15:36.90\00:15:38.87
to uphold the
arms of our leaders
00:15:38.90\00:15:41.37
and to pray for them
00:15:41.40\00:15:42.74
and to pray that God
will give them wisdom.
00:15:42.77\00:15:44.47
I wouldn't want to
be in their position
00:15:44.51\00:15:45.84
making the
decisions that they're making.
00:15:45.87\00:15:47.28
Me neither.
00:15:47.31\00:15:48.64
You know, God needs to
give them wisdom and help them
00:15:48.68\00:15:50.78
and so one of our
most powerful things
00:15:50.81\00:15:53.28
is prayer,
00:15:53.31\00:15:54.65
and I just encourage people
get involved and pray with us.
00:15:54.68\00:15:57.99
You know, you
can actually sign up
00:15:58.02\00:15:59.35
to be part of a
100 Days of Prayer too
00:15:59.39\00:16:01.46
if you visit our
Revival and Reformation website.
00:16:01.49\00:16:04.43
That's
revivalandreformation.org.
00:16:04.46\00:16:08.03
Okay. Yeah.
00:16:08.06\00:16:09.40
And people can also come,
00:16:09.43\00:16:10.77
you know, if you're
coming to GC Session,
00:16:10.80\00:16:12.17
come and see us
in the prayer room,
00:16:12.20\00:16:13.54
we had thousands of
people come last time
00:16:13.57\00:16:15.34
and just a couple things
really quickly that happened.
00:16:15.37\00:16:17.64
We saw so many
miracles in the prayer room,
00:16:17.67\00:16:19.67
but I remember we had this group
00:16:19.71\00:16:21.04
from Papua New Guinea
00:16:21.08\00:16:22.41
that came into the prayer room
00:16:22.44\00:16:23.78
and they couldn't
understand English,
00:16:23.81\00:16:25.15
but they came
00:16:25.18\00:16:26.51
just to be with
the united prayers
00:16:26.55\00:16:27.88
that were going on there.
00:16:27.92\00:16:29.25
And while they
were in that room,
00:16:29.28\00:16:30.62
they understood every
prayer that was prayed.
00:16:30.65\00:16:32.02
Glory to God.
00:16:32.05\00:16:33.39
God gave them
the gift of hearing.
00:16:33.42\00:16:34.76
You know, when you were
talking about intercession
00:16:34.79\00:16:37.13
and God wanting to
raise up intercessors.
00:16:37.16\00:16:40.60
I believe with all of my heart
00:16:40.63\00:16:42.13
intercessory prayer
is the greatest work
00:16:42.16\00:16:45.73
that there is
00:16:45.77\00:16:47.10
because it is
the work of our risen
00:16:47.14\00:16:48.94
and exalted Savior.
00:16:48.97\00:16:50.67
He lives, ever lives to
intercede on our behalf.
00:16:50.71\00:16:54.58
And so, you know,
sometimes people will say,
00:16:54.61\00:16:57.78
"Well, all I can do is pray."
00:16:57.81\00:16:59.55
Well, that's the
greatest thing we can do.
00:16:59.58\00:17:02.12
And I heard pastor once said,
00:17:02.15\00:17:04.49
I don't know if I
should tell this story
00:17:04.52\00:17:05.85
but I will.
00:17:05.89\00:17:07.22
He said, "If you
don't like your pastor
00:17:07.26\00:17:09.72
and you want a new pastor,
00:17:09.76\00:17:11.09
he said pray for your pastor,
00:17:11.13\00:17:12.46
pray that the Lord will fill him
00:17:12.49\00:17:14.36
with the Holy Spirit."
00:17:14.40\00:17:15.90
And he said, "You
know what will happen?
00:17:15.93\00:17:17.73
The Lord will fill
him with the Holy Spirit.
00:17:17.77\00:17:19.83
He'll be so good
00:17:19.87\00:17:21.20
other churches will be after him
00:17:21.24\00:17:22.57
and you'll get a new pastor."
00:17:22.60\00:17:24.07
That's right. Exactly. Okay, so.
00:17:24.11\00:17:26.11
You know, there is so much power
00:17:26.14\00:17:27.74
in prayer
00:17:27.78\00:17:29.11
and I just want to share
this one quote before we go on.
00:17:29.14\00:17:31.91
We don't understand
00:17:31.95\00:17:34.55
especially the
power of united prayer.
00:17:34.58\00:17:36.22
In Matthew 18:19,
of course tells us
00:17:36.25\00:17:38.19
"If two of you shall agree
00:17:38.22\00:17:39.55
as touching
anything that you ask,
00:17:39.59\00:17:41.22
it shall be done."
00:17:41.26\00:17:42.86
But I love this quote,
00:17:42.89\00:17:45.06
Ellen White
actually writes this.
00:17:45.09\00:17:46.43
She says, "We are
encouraged to pray for success
00:17:46.46\00:17:48.53
with the divine assurance
that our prayers will be heard.
00:17:48.56\00:17:51.43
The promise of Matthew
18:19 is made on the condition
00:17:51.47\00:17:54.54
that the united prayers
of the church are offered.
00:17:54.57\00:17:58.37
And in answer to these prayers
00:17:58.41\00:17:59.91
there may be expected
a power greater than that
00:17:59.94\00:18:03.01
which comes in
answer to private prayer."
00:18:03.04\00:18:05.41
But this is the key.
00:18:05.45\00:18:06.82
"The power given
will be proportionate
00:18:06.85\00:18:08.88
to the unity of the members
00:18:08.92\00:18:10.55
and their love for
God and for one another."
00:18:10.59\00:18:11.92
Oh, amen and amen.
00:18:11.95\00:18:13.82
There's nothing
like united prayer
00:18:13.86\00:18:15.32
to make us one as Jesus
and the Father were one.
00:18:15.36\00:18:20.20
Now you have written a book
00:18:20.23\00:18:24.87
called "Daring to Ask For More."
00:18:24.90\00:18:30.01
But now you have in addition
to the full-length book,
00:18:30.04\00:18:34.94
you have a pocket edition
00:18:34.98\00:18:36.85
and we call this a sharing book,
00:18:36.88\00:18:38.21
tell us about this?
00:18:38.25\00:18:39.58
Yeah.
00:18:39.61\00:18:40.95
So this smaller edition
00:18:40.98\00:18:42.32
is actually only eight chapters,
00:18:42.35\00:18:43.69
the green book
is the full version
00:18:43.72\00:18:47.49
and it's packed
full of testimonies
00:18:47.52\00:18:48.96
and stories and many
things, but this is for...
00:18:48.99\00:18:53.43
If you're wanting to
share more on a broad scale,
00:18:53.46\00:18:56.63
just practical tools
00:18:56.67\00:18:58.03
to help people
go deeper in prayer,
00:18:58.07\00:19:00.10
it's only eight chapters.
00:19:00.14\00:19:01.84
So, it's just a
snippet of the bigger book,
00:19:01.87\00:19:04.44
it's the same thing,
00:19:04.47\00:19:05.81
but it's just a
very condensed version.
00:19:05.84\00:19:07.38
So, I encourage people
00:19:07.41\00:19:09.48
if you can't
get the bigger book,
00:19:09.51\00:19:10.85
but this is a
great sharing resource
00:19:10.88\00:19:13.01
to share on the
broader stance, so.
00:19:13.05\00:19:14.98
Give to people
who... Those are available.
00:19:15.02\00:19:16.69
And probably reading this
00:19:16.72\00:19:18.05
will make them
want to read the book.
00:19:18.09\00:19:19.42
Exactly.
00:19:19.45\00:19:20.79
You know when we
think about Elijah,
00:19:20.82\00:19:24.46
when the Bible says
00:19:24.49\00:19:26.26
that the prayers
of a righteous man
00:19:26.29\00:19:30.80
are affected
00:19:30.83\00:19:32.37
and we think
about how Elijah prayed,
00:19:32.40\00:19:35.27
for it not to rain
00:19:35.30\00:19:36.64
and he prayed
for the rain to come.
00:19:36.67\00:19:39.01
And this is
something that as we unite
00:19:39.04\00:19:42.04
and pray together,
00:19:42.08\00:19:43.41
there is power in
prayer, absolutely.
00:19:43.45\00:19:46.31
You know, God really used Elijah
00:19:46.35\00:19:48.38
in a critical crisis
in the history of Israel
00:19:48.42\00:19:51.35
and we're told what
He did through Elijah,
00:19:51.39\00:19:53.96
He wants to do
through us as well.
00:19:53.99\00:19:55.99
Amen. Amen.
00:19:56.02\00:19:57.49
And He's looking for Elijahs.
00:19:57.53\00:19:59.49
That's right. Isn't He?
00:19:59.53\00:20:00.86
That's right.
00:20:00.90\00:20:02.23
Okay, so we wanted you
00:20:02.26\00:20:03.73
to kind of get
into your topic if...
00:20:03.77\00:20:08.14
Are you, we kind of
through with these resources.
00:20:08.17\00:20:10.97
Let's get into the topic
00:20:11.01\00:20:13.31
and I know
00:20:13.34\00:20:14.68
that there's so
many people out there,
00:20:14.71\00:20:16.11
you know, we see a
lot of answered prayer
00:20:16.14\00:20:18.65
around here at 3ABN,
00:20:18.68\00:20:20.65
but what about the
times when God is silent,
00:20:20.68\00:20:23.79
what about the times
00:20:23.82\00:20:25.15
when it doesn't seem
00:20:25.19\00:20:27.62
like God is
answering our prayers?
00:20:27.66\00:20:31.19
You know, this is so important
00:20:31.23\00:20:34.66
and, you know,
00:20:34.70\00:20:36.03
for the early
part of my ministry
00:20:36.06\00:20:38.43
I didn't really talk
about this side of things,
00:20:38.47\00:20:40.54
I focused on look
at what God is doing,
00:20:40.57\00:20:43.34
He's answered
this prayer in my life
00:20:43.37\00:20:45.14
and He's answered this prayer,
00:20:45.17\00:20:46.51
and I have tons
of miracle stories
00:20:46.54\00:20:47.88
and you do as well
00:20:47.91\00:20:49.24
about the things
that God has done
00:20:49.28\00:20:50.61
an answer to prayer.
00:20:50.65\00:20:52.91
But there's
also areas in my life
00:20:52.95\00:20:54.78
where I have prayed
and prayed and prayed
00:20:54.82\00:20:58.19
and God hasn't answered
00:20:58.22\00:21:00.02
or at least He hasn't answered
00:21:00.06\00:21:01.39
the way that I
wanted Him to answer
00:21:01.42\00:21:03.86
because, you know,
even no is an answer
00:21:03.89\00:21:06.29
and I've learned that as well.
00:21:06.33\00:21:07.90
I really believe
00:21:07.93\00:21:10.23
as we are getting
closer to Christ's soon coming,
00:21:10.27\00:21:13.64
for Jesus coming back
00:21:13.67\00:21:15.30
that He is really seeking
to grow faith in His people.
00:21:15.34\00:21:19.27
And just like He
brought the children of Israel
00:21:19.31\00:21:21.24
to the borders of
Canaan on the Jordan River
00:21:21.28\00:21:23.91
and the spies were sent in.
00:21:23.95\00:21:26.01
It was a test to see
if they would have faith,
00:21:26.05\00:21:29.02
you know, the spies come back
00:21:29.05\00:21:30.39
and some give a good
report and some give negative,
00:21:30.42\00:21:32.45
you know, the two
gave a positive report
00:21:32.49\00:21:33.99
and the rest gave a negative,
00:21:34.02\00:21:35.56
and suddenly you see
the people's faith waver,
00:21:35.59\00:21:39.19
you know, like Lord,
00:21:39.23\00:21:40.56
You brought us all
this far just to kill us,
00:21:40.60\00:21:42.63
you know, we can't go in.
00:21:42.66\00:21:44.00
There's giants in the land.
00:21:44.03\00:21:45.37
There's giant in the land,
00:21:45.40\00:21:46.74
they're gonna eat us
up and we can't do this.
00:21:46.77\00:21:48.60
And they drew back
in doubt in disbelief
00:21:48.64\00:21:51.87
and as a result God listened
00:21:51.91\00:21:53.58
to what they
said and He said okay,
00:21:53.61\00:21:55.78
so you're not gonna go
into the Promised Land.
00:21:55.81\00:21:57.55
You don't believe you
can, you're not going to.
00:21:57.58\00:22:00.08
And of course, they tried
to but without God with them.
00:22:00.12\00:22:03.35
I love what Hebrews says
00:22:03.39\00:22:04.72
that they didn't mix
the message with faith.
00:22:04.75\00:22:09.22
That's right.
00:22:09.26\00:22:10.59
And so, they were shut
out of the Promised Land
00:22:10.63\00:22:14.36
because they didn't
mix the message with faith.
00:22:14.40\00:22:17.53
And I think sometimes,
00:22:17.57\00:22:20.37
I think this is Numbers 13
00:22:20.40\00:22:21.90
I believe is
where that's story is.
00:22:21.94\00:22:23.91
But when they saw
the people in the land,
00:22:23.94\00:22:28.91
even though God had told
them go up, I'm with you,
00:22:28.94\00:22:32.65
they're saying,
00:22:32.68\00:22:34.02
"Oh, we're like
grasshoppers in their eyes."
00:22:34.05\00:22:36.72
And I think sometimes
that's how many of us feel
00:22:36.75\00:22:39.92
is when the problems
loom up in front of us,
00:22:39.95\00:22:43.43
we begin to feel
like grasshoppers
00:22:43.46\00:22:45.59
and we forget
that God is with us
00:22:45.63\00:22:48.70
in what He has done.
00:22:48.73\00:22:50.20
Yes.
00:22:50.23\00:22:51.57
And it's very,
it's very difficult
00:22:51.60\00:22:53.03
when we don't see
right now what God is doing,
00:22:53.07\00:22:56.00
like we don't
see the big picture.
00:22:56.04\00:22:58.11
And so, you know for me
00:22:58.14\00:23:00.98
this has been a
very personal journey
00:23:01.01\00:23:02.44
that I haven't shared
until the more recent years
00:23:02.48\00:23:06.88
just because it's
so vulnerable for me
00:23:06.92\00:23:10.09
and I remember one
time I was speaking
00:23:10.12\00:23:12.92
with a large
group of young people,
00:23:12.95\00:23:14.62
I was in Romania at the time
00:23:14.66\00:23:16.69
and I'm speaking to them
00:23:16.73\00:23:18.06
and I'm sharing
all the amazing things
00:23:18.09\00:23:19.93
God's doing in my
life and He answer prayers.
00:23:19.96\00:23:23.23
And the young
people are just, you know,
00:23:23.26\00:23:25.37
they're just
playing on their phones
00:23:25.40\00:23:27.67
and whatever and I'm like,
00:23:27.70\00:23:29.04
Lord, how do I connect
with these young people
00:23:29.07\00:23:31.27
and I ended up
staying up almost all night,
00:23:31.31\00:23:33.81
this night it was Friday
night going into Sabbath,
00:23:33.84\00:23:35.98
I had three
messages the next day.
00:23:36.01\00:23:38.01
And I was just
praying and I was like, Lord,
00:23:38.05\00:23:40.08
show me how I'm
supposed to reach
00:23:40.12\00:23:41.92
these young people
because this is not working.
00:23:41.95\00:23:44.32
I'm trying to share
00:23:44.35\00:23:45.69
what an amazing God that You are
00:23:45.72\00:23:47.59
and that You're God that
cares and answers prayer.
00:23:47.62\00:23:50.16
Well, this is what God
told me that night of prayer.
00:23:50.19\00:23:52.59
He says, "Melody,
00:23:52.63\00:23:53.96
you've been
traveling around the world,
00:23:54.00\00:23:55.33
sharing about the
amazing God that I am.
00:23:55.36\00:23:57.27
Why don't you share
about the last 20, 25 years
00:23:57.30\00:24:01.30
when I have not answered
certain prayers in your life
00:24:01.34\00:24:04.44
and how I've
proved myself faithful."
00:24:04.47\00:24:07.91
And so, I opened up
and was very vulnerable
00:24:07.94\00:24:10.91
with the young
people about my own journey.
00:24:10.95\00:24:13.62
And that journey
involves my journey as a single
00:24:13.65\00:24:17.22
because my dream
as a young person
00:24:17.25\00:24:21.69
from the time I
was a little girl
00:24:21.72\00:24:23.46
was I'm gonna grow up,
00:24:23.49\00:24:24.83
I'm gonna be like my parents
00:24:24.86\00:24:26.36
and you know find
the love of my life
00:24:26.39\00:24:28.20
and be happily married
00:24:28.23\00:24:29.56
and we're gonna go off
and do ministry together,
00:24:29.60\00:24:31.97
off into the sunset
and of course have children
00:24:32.00\00:24:34.37
and that was my dream,
00:24:34.40\00:24:36.27
but that did not come
together as I dreamed.
00:24:36.30\00:24:39.27
There have been
several different individuals
00:24:39.31\00:24:41.61
in my life
00:24:41.64\00:24:42.98
who I thought
00:24:43.01\00:24:44.35
I was going to
marry one of them,
00:24:44.38\00:24:45.71
I was even engaged to
and planning my wedding
00:24:45.75\00:24:49.38
and God kept saying no.
00:24:49.42\00:24:51.45
And the first one
00:24:51.49\00:24:52.82
was the most
difficult experience
00:24:52.85\00:24:54.32
because I had waited eight years
00:24:54.36\00:24:57.03
and had known this
person for a long time
00:24:57.06\00:25:00.50
and just felt like we all felt
00:25:00.53\00:25:02.00
like this is what
it was going to be
00:25:02.03\00:25:03.37
and when that
relationship didn't work out
00:25:03.40\00:25:05.73
or it didn't come together
00:25:05.77\00:25:07.10
as I had hoped
and prayed and waited,
00:25:07.14\00:25:09.70
I really fell
into disillusionment
00:25:09.74\00:25:12.01
in my walk with God
like you mentioned earlier,
00:25:12.04\00:25:14.84
because I felt
like, I prayed, I fasted,
00:25:14.88\00:25:18.01
I've claimed the promises,
00:25:18.05\00:25:19.38
I have done everything
00:25:19.41\00:25:21.32
that I've done it all right
00:25:21.35\00:25:23.99
and, you know, Lord, I'm
trying to be the good girl,
00:25:24.02\00:25:27.36
I'm supposed to be
and it still didn't work,
00:25:27.39\00:25:29.19
it still didn't.
00:25:29.22\00:25:30.56
And so I really, I
came to a point in my walk
00:25:30.59\00:25:33.73
and this was,
this was years ago now
00:25:33.76\00:25:35.86
but this is where
00:25:35.90\00:25:37.23
the whole daring to
ask for more journey
00:25:37.27\00:25:39.30
grew from
00:25:39.33\00:25:40.67
because I fell into
this deep depression,
00:25:40.70\00:25:43.41
I stopped reading my Bible,
00:25:43.44\00:25:45.17
I stopped praying,
00:25:45.21\00:25:46.88
I stopped really
believing the God
00:25:46.91\00:25:48.98
that I grew up
professing to believe.
00:25:49.01\00:25:50.75
And I didn't walk
out of the church,
00:25:50.78\00:25:52.18
I didn't go off and live
the crazy wild lifestyle,
00:25:52.21\00:25:55.72
I was kind of stuck in
the middle in no-man's land,
00:25:55.75\00:25:58.59
you know, like I
didn't trust God,
00:25:58.62\00:26:00.26
but I wasn't gonna go
off and do the wild stuff,
00:26:00.29\00:26:02.92
but it was a very lonely
lost dark experience for me
00:26:02.96\00:26:07.53
in my life.
00:26:07.56\00:26:09.23
Anyway, God brought me
through that experience,
00:26:09.26\00:26:11.73
make a long story short
00:26:11.77\00:26:13.44
and began to revive me
00:26:13.47\00:26:15.77
and after two,
00:26:15.80\00:26:17.51
two and a half
three years of depression
00:26:17.54\00:26:18.87
by the way,
00:26:18.91\00:26:20.24
so it wasn't an
overnight experience.
00:26:20.28\00:26:22.21
But after this experience
00:26:22.24\00:26:23.58
began to grow my walk with Him,
00:26:23.61\00:26:25.75
in a new relationship with Him
00:26:25.78\00:26:27.12
and out of that experience
00:26:27.15\00:26:28.48
I began getting into God's Word
00:26:28.52\00:26:29.85
and I'm like, Lord,
00:26:29.88\00:26:31.22
I don't want to go back
to the mediocre Christianity
00:26:31.25\00:26:32.65
that I had previously.
00:26:32.69\00:26:34.32
I mean, I had a walk with
God, it was always sincere,
00:26:34.36\00:26:36.89
it wasn't phony but
it was very superficial.
00:26:36.93\00:26:39.83
I need a deeper walk with You
00:26:39.86\00:26:41.53
and I'm just reading
my Bible in the mornings,
00:26:41.56\00:26:43.47
tears coming to my face,
I'm like, Lord, take me deeper.
00:26:43.50\00:26:46.80
And so, God grew
a new experience,
00:26:46.84\00:26:50.21
grew me to have
faith in His Word.
00:26:50.24\00:26:53.17
And then I'm healed
and doing better and then,
00:26:53.21\00:26:56.44
you know, another
person comes along,
00:26:56.48\00:26:58.55
another attractive
individual comes along
00:26:58.58\00:27:00.75
and I think, you know,
00:27:00.78\00:27:02.12
this person is
going to be the one
00:27:02.15\00:27:03.49
I'm going to end up with
00:27:03.52\00:27:04.85
and went another eight years
only to be brokenhearted again.
00:27:04.89\00:27:09.09
But this time I had a
different walk with God
00:27:09.12\00:27:12.69
than I did the first time.
00:27:12.73\00:27:14.13
So, I didn't lose it,
I was like, okay Lord,
00:27:14.16\00:27:16.83
I don't understand why
I had to go through this
00:27:16.87\00:27:18.93
but I trust You,
I trust Your Word.
00:27:18.97\00:27:21.20
So, I have had
experience after experience
00:27:21.24\00:27:24.24
over the years, maybe
not as many as you have.
00:27:24.27\00:27:27.51
I'm older.
00:27:27.54\00:27:28.88
'Cause you shared
00:27:28.91\00:27:30.25
some of the
stories with me earlier,
00:27:30.28\00:27:31.61
I'm like, wow.
00:27:31.65\00:27:32.98
But I have had
heartbreaking experiences
00:27:33.01\00:27:34.65
as single and saying,
Lord, what are You doing?
00:27:34.68\00:27:38.85
Like, now I'm
serving the Lord in ministry.
00:27:38.89\00:27:41.32
But you know, it would be nice
00:27:41.36\00:27:42.86
not to be
lugging these suitcases
00:27:42.89\00:27:44.49
around by myself.
00:27:44.53\00:27:45.86
It would be nice
to not be speaking
00:27:45.89\00:27:47.26
and carrying the
weight of ministry by myself.
00:27:47.30\00:27:49.63
But God has been so faithful.
00:27:49.66\00:27:52.60
I look back on the
prayers that He didn't answer
00:27:52.63\00:27:54.64
and I'm just
like, thank You, Lord.
00:27:54.67\00:27:56.81
Each one of the individuals,
00:27:56.84\00:27:58.17
you know, very godly men
00:27:58.21\00:27:59.94
and we're still
friends to this day,
00:27:59.97\00:28:01.31
men that I highly respect.
00:28:01.34\00:28:02.68
But God knew
00:28:02.71\00:28:04.05
that they weren't
the right person for me.
00:28:04.08\00:28:05.41
Yes. And so, I'm very grateful.
00:28:05.45\00:28:07.12
But I'm still
living a journey of prayer
00:28:07.15\00:28:10.35
where I've
prayed for 27 years now
00:28:10.39\00:28:13.59
that God has said no.
00:28:13.62\00:28:15.22
And this has been
a very heartbreaking,
00:28:15.26\00:28:16.89
it's been a very
personal painful journey
00:28:16.93\00:28:19.49
for me as a single
00:28:19.53\00:28:20.86
and I know I'm speaking to
a lot of singles out there.
00:28:20.90\00:28:23.67
I have them
contact me all the time.
00:28:23.70\00:28:25.57
You know, I've been
single so many years
00:28:25.60\00:28:27.70
and God still
hasn't and, and whatever.
00:28:27.74\00:28:29.94
And there's a lot
of people in this boat,
00:28:29.97\00:28:32.37
but there's people
in other boats as well
00:28:32.41\00:28:33.78
that are struggling
00:28:33.81\00:28:35.14
with the
disillusionment in their life,
00:28:35.18\00:28:37.48
whether it's infertility issues,
00:28:37.51\00:28:39.08
you know, not able to,
00:28:39.11\00:28:40.88
to have children or
facing family members
00:28:40.92\00:28:43.89
that are diagnosed with diseases
00:28:43.92\00:28:45.69
or different things.
00:28:45.72\00:28:47.16
I mean, there's so many things,
00:28:47.19\00:28:49.69
I really believe
God is in the process
00:28:49.72\00:28:51.79
of refining us
00:28:51.83\00:28:53.80
and growing our faith
00:28:53.83\00:28:55.16
and trying to help us understand
00:28:55.20\00:28:59.47
that He's faithful
00:28:59.50\00:29:00.84
even when He
doesn't always answer
00:29:00.87\00:29:02.37
the way that we think He should.
00:29:02.40\00:29:05.04
And I think, you know,
here's how I like to say it is
00:29:05.07\00:29:08.94
that I think God
always answers prayer.
00:29:08.98\00:29:11.71
I think that there's yes,
there's no, there's later,
00:29:11.75\00:29:15.92
but when it's, when
it's a spiritual issue,
00:29:15.95\00:29:18.35
it seems that you can
count on that's a yes answer.
00:29:18.39\00:29:23.36
And 2 Corinthians 1:20 says,
00:29:23.39\00:29:25.46
all of God's promises are yes
and amen in Christ, you know.
00:29:25.49\00:29:29.83
So, He is the
surety of the covenant.
00:29:29.86\00:29:32.93
But I know you hit a word there
00:29:32.97\00:29:36.91
that one of the things
00:29:36.94\00:29:39.61
that I wanted
more than anything.
00:29:39.64\00:29:43.14
I wanted to be a mama.
00:29:43.18\00:29:45.18
I wanted six babies.
00:29:45.21\00:29:47.25
And we were not
able to have children.
00:29:47.28\00:29:49.78
And it was such a
painful in private,
00:29:49.82\00:29:55.56
I mean, I couldn't even share it
00:29:55.59\00:29:57.19
with JD, my husband.
00:29:57.23\00:29:59.39
It was the death of the
vision because I love children.
00:29:59.43\00:30:03.77
And it was something
00:30:03.80\00:30:07.04
that I struggled
a lot with the Lord,
00:30:07.07\00:30:09.84
but He told me He would
give me spirit of children.
00:30:09.87\00:30:11.71
That's right.
00:30:11.74\00:30:13.07
And He has,
00:30:13.11\00:30:14.44
and you know,
sometimes I know that He's,
00:30:14.48\00:30:16.41
He knows the end
from the beginning.
00:30:16.44\00:30:18.48
And I don't know
00:30:18.51\00:30:19.85
that I could have lived the life
00:30:19.88\00:30:21.22
and done the ministry I
did had I had six children,
00:30:21.25\00:30:24.45
my life would have
been completely different.
00:30:24.49\00:30:26.42
So, we just have to trust
00:30:26.45\00:30:28.59
that everything
that happens in our life
00:30:28.62\00:30:32.06
has come through
God's filterable love
00:30:32.09\00:30:34.16
and we just have to believe
00:30:34.20\00:30:37.00
that He has our
eternal benefit in mind.
00:30:37.03\00:30:42.24
And, as you said,
00:30:42.27\00:30:44.17
He kept you from
marrying the wrong person.
00:30:44.21\00:30:46.21
I'd rather never be married
00:30:46.24\00:30:48.14
than be married
to the wrong person.
00:30:48.18\00:30:50.75
God has really
been so faithful to me
00:30:50.78\00:30:54.12
and it was actually
00:30:54.15\00:30:55.62
through these
heartbreaking experiences,
00:30:55.65\00:30:58.62
you know, like I
shared with you earlier
00:30:58.65\00:31:00.46
when we were off, off set,
00:31:00.49\00:31:02.32
you know, sometimes
it's difficult for me
00:31:02.36\00:31:05.03
to share this partly
00:31:05.06\00:31:06.90
because I'm
still on the journey.
00:31:06.93\00:31:09.70
You know, I still
haven't seen the end of my story
00:31:09.73\00:31:12.83
and we want to
share the testimony after,
00:31:12.87\00:31:15.90
you know, God has
worked the miracle
00:31:15.94\00:31:17.87
or this has
happened or whatever.
00:31:17.91\00:31:19.67
But I really feel
that God is giving me
00:31:19.71\00:31:21.74
a testimony to
show that He's faithful
00:31:21.78\00:31:25.38
even in the midst of the journey
00:31:25.41\00:31:29.18
when we don't understand
exactly what's happening.
00:31:29.22\00:31:32.35
Are you like Paul,
00:31:32.39\00:31:33.72
are you learning to be
content in all circumstances?
00:31:33.76\00:31:36.42
I'm learning.
00:31:36.46\00:31:38.46
I can't say that
I'm completely content.
00:31:38.49\00:31:41.03
You know, I tell the Lord,
00:31:41.06\00:31:42.73
you know, You put
that desire in my heart
00:31:42.76\00:31:44.10
if it's not
supposed to be there,
00:31:44.13\00:31:45.47
take it out,
00:31:45.50\00:31:46.84
but He hasn't
taken it out, you know.
00:31:46.87\00:31:48.20
So, I'm still learning.
00:31:48.24\00:31:49.57
But He has shown me,
00:31:49.60\00:31:52.47
you know, His calling
and His purpose in my life
00:31:52.51\00:31:54.94
and I have prayed
very seriously like,
00:31:54.98\00:31:56.68
Lord, I don't want to be married
00:31:56.71\00:31:59.01
just to be married.
00:31:59.05\00:32:00.38
I want to be married
00:32:00.42\00:32:01.75
only if it will
advance Your kingdom.
00:32:01.78\00:32:03.25
And if I will be more effective
00:32:03.28\00:32:05.42
in a
relationship for Your glory,
00:32:05.45\00:32:07.12
and if not, then keep me single.
00:32:07.16\00:32:08.92
And at this point,
00:32:08.96\00:32:10.29
you know, that's,
that's where I am.
00:32:10.33\00:32:13.06
But, you know,
this is my journey.
00:32:13.09\00:32:17.87
And it's also
difficult for me to share
00:32:17.90\00:32:19.93
because I recognize
00:32:19.97\00:32:22.00
we all have our different pain
00:32:22.04\00:32:23.37
and I feel like I've struggled
00:32:23.41\00:32:25.57
but my pain isn't
the same as other people.
00:32:25.61\00:32:27.28
And I think, oh,
I shouldn't share
00:32:27.31\00:32:28.64
because other people
have struggled so much more.
00:32:28.68\00:32:30.71
But I have
realized pain is pain.
00:32:30.75\00:32:33.28
And each one of us
have something in our life
00:32:33.31\00:32:37.42
that God is either
refining or a loss, a pain,
00:32:37.45\00:32:41.62
something that has not gone,
00:32:41.66\00:32:43.59
you know, we all
have expectations.
00:32:43.63\00:32:46.36
And I think that this
is also part of the reason
00:32:46.39\00:32:48.50
that so many people are
struggling in the church.
00:32:48.53\00:32:51.10
They come to Christ.
00:32:51.13\00:32:53.03
And they think now
that I'm serving Him,
00:32:53.07\00:32:54.84
He should make
everything go right.
00:32:54.87\00:32:57.04
He should, you
know, but the Bible says,
00:32:57.07\00:32:59.51
don't be surprised
when we have struggles,
00:32:59.54\00:33:02.01
when we have, you know, fiery,
00:33:02.04\00:33:04.41
whatever, you
know, that's part of,
00:33:04.45\00:33:07.42
part of the
journey in this world.
00:33:07.45\00:33:09.32
We live in a broken world.
00:33:09.35\00:33:12.55
And what my
experience has been is so often
00:33:12.59\00:33:15.36
at least we tell people
00:33:15.39\00:33:16.73
when they come to work at 3ABN,
00:33:16.76\00:33:18.46
we warn them in advance,
be prepared to be attacked,
00:33:18.49\00:33:22.60
because when you
are on the front line,
00:33:22.63\00:33:25.50
it seems like
the demonic activity
00:33:25.53\00:33:28.37
in your life just flares up
00:33:28.40\00:33:31.31
because I think that's,
00:33:31.34\00:33:33.34
you know, the
devil's assignments
00:33:33.38\00:33:35.94
against us is to discourage us.
00:33:35.98\00:33:38.31
Yes, yes.
00:33:38.35\00:33:39.88
Anything that he can.
00:33:39.91\00:33:41.52
I love the verse
from John 10:10, it says,
00:33:41.55\00:33:46.69
well I always tell
people the second part first,
00:33:46.72\00:33:49.69
you know, He
comes that we might have
00:33:49.72\00:33:51.19
life and life more abundantly.
00:33:51.23\00:33:53.60
So why are we settling
for wilderness Christianity?
00:33:53.63\00:33:56.77
Why are we settling
00:33:56.80\00:33:58.13
for a superficial
relationship with God
00:33:58.17\00:33:59.93
when He comes to
give us abundant life?
00:33:59.97\00:34:01.84
He didn't come to give
us a lukewarm Laodicea.
00:34:01.87\00:34:05.01
He wants us to have abundant.
00:34:05.04\00:34:06.61
But what is the
enemy coming to do?
00:34:06.64\00:34:08.28
The first part
of the verse says,
00:34:08.31\00:34:09.64
he comes to steal,
to kill and to destroy,
00:34:09.68\00:34:12.91
so anything that he
can to steal our faith,
00:34:12.95\00:34:16.48
to rob our joy,
00:34:16.52\00:34:18.65
to destroy our
relationship with God,
00:34:18.69\00:34:21.72
he's going to do,
and how does he do that?
00:34:21.76\00:34:23.76
He does it through those
areas that are closest to us.
00:34:23.79\00:34:28.36
You know, I think
that there's two things
00:34:28.40\00:34:30.50
that I think the
primary way the Lord,
00:34:30.53\00:34:33.34
the devil discourages us.
00:34:33.37\00:34:35.70
One is through distractions
and you know, today,
00:34:35.74\00:34:38.87
our lives are so busy,
00:34:38.91\00:34:40.24
even in ministry
we can get so busy
00:34:40.28\00:34:42.84
with ministry
00:34:42.88\00:34:44.21
that you are
not paying attention
00:34:44.25\00:34:47.52
the same attention you should,
00:34:47.55\00:34:49.62
but distractions are like
the devil's magnetic field
00:34:49.65\00:34:53.05
to draw us away from the Lord.
00:34:53.09\00:34:55.69
But then doubt, you
know, and that's, boy,
00:34:55.72\00:34:59.96
when people start
doubting the Lord,
00:35:00.00\00:35:03.40
if they don't know,
00:35:03.43\00:35:04.77
if you don't know the
character of the Lord,
00:35:04.80\00:35:07.17
the nature of God,
His essence, His love,
00:35:07.20\00:35:11.84
and character has to
line up with the nature.
00:35:11.87\00:35:17.21
So, all of God's
character attributes
00:35:17.25\00:35:20.75
have to be lined
up with that love.
00:35:20.78\00:35:23.95
And if you see
anything about God
00:35:23.99\00:35:25.92
that you feel is
not lining up with that,
00:35:25.95\00:35:29.06
then you've
misunderstood the attribute.
00:35:29.09\00:35:32.29
You've got a scripture.
00:35:32.33\00:35:33.66
Yeah, what you were
saying just made me think of,
00:35:33.70\00:35:37.60
you know, our whole battle
00:35:37.63\00:35:39.33
really comes down
to the Word of God.
00:35:39.37\00:35:41.80
And we saw it in
the very beginning,
00:35:41.84\00:35:43.91
the contest with Eve
in the Garden of Eden
00:35:43.94\00:35:46.34
and the serpent was,
would she believe God's word,
00:35:46.37\00:35:49.08
or would she believe
what the serpent said.
00:35:49.11\00:35:51.11
And this really,
really spoke to me
00:35:51.15\00:35:53.58
when I saw this a few years ago.
00:35:53.62\00:35:54.95
This comes from
Revelation 21, and it's verse 8.
00:35:54.98\00:35:59.12
But before,
00:35:59.15\00:36:01.22
well, what is talking about here
00:36:01.26\00:36:03.02
is the people
00:36:03.06\00:36:04.53
that are not
going to be in heaven.
00:36:04.56\00:36:07.33
And it lists a
whole bunch of things,
00:36:07.36\00:36:10.27
the abominable, and murderers,
00:36:10.30\00:36:12.00
and whoremonger, and
sorcerers, different things,
00:36:12.03\00:36:14.30
I'm not even sure
what all these things are,
00:36:14.34\00:36:16.40
but the
adulterers, liars, et cetera
00:36:16.44\00:36:17.87
and you hear the list,
00:36:17.91\00:36:19.24
of course,
00:36:19.27\00:36:20.61
they're not
going to be in heaven.
00:36:20.64\00:36:21.98
But the first things
that are listed on this list
00:36:22.01\00:36:24.65
is the fearful
and the unbelieving.
00:36:24.68\00:36:27.42
And I'm just like,
wow, this, we think, well,
00:36:27.45\00:36:30.72
how can you list that
with all these things?
00:36:30.75\00:36:33.19
It's over God's Word.
00:36:33.22\00:36:35.16
Are we going to believe
He is who He says He is?
00:36:35.19\00:36:38.86
You know, when the Bible says,
00:36:38.89\00:36:41.30
Paul, in
Hebrews anyway he writes
00:36:41.33\00:36:43.53
and it says without faith,
00:36:43.57\00:36:45.40
it is passed in,
00:36:45.43\00:36:46.77
oh, no, that's
yeah, without faith,
00:36:46.80\00:36:48.90
it is impossible
to please the Lord.
00:36:48.94\00:36:50.97
That's right.
00:36:51.01\00:36:52.34
If you look at 1 John
5:10-12, somewhere in there,
00:36:52.37\00:36:56.18
when it's talking about,
00:36:56.21\00:36:57.55
this is the
testament of the Lord
00:36:57.58\00:36:59.21
that He sent
His Son but it says,
00:36:59.25\00:37:02.18
if we disregard the
testimony of the Lord,
00:37:02.22\00:37:05.62
if we're
doubting God's testimony,
00:37:05.65\00:37:08.69
we're regarding Him as a liar.
00:37:08.72\00:37:12.49
So, when you think about
that, no wonder without faith,
00:37:12.53\00:37:16.13
it's impossible
if we are to live
00:37:16.16\00:37:18.40
by every word,
00:37:18.43\00:37:20.10
yet we don't
know the Word of God
00:37:20.14\00:37:22.44
or we doubt the Word of God
and think that can't be for us.
00:37:22.47\00:37:26.44
It's hard for God to
really work in our lives
00:37:26.47\00:37:29.78
if we're
regarding Him as a liar.
00:37:29.81\00:37:31.58
Yeah.
00:37:31.61\00:37:34.05
This is so true.
00:37:34.08\00:37:36.95
And I think
00:37:36.99\00:37:39.02
what God is wanting to do
00:37:39.05\00:37:40.49
is taking each of us
deeper in our own faith journey.
00:37:40.52\00:37:47.16
We need greater faith.
00:37:47.20\00:37:50.23
Faith comes by
hearing, hearing by the Word.
00:37:50.27\00:37:53.64
And so, we need
to be in the Word,
00:37:53.67\00:37:55.67
we need to be
saturating our minds
00:37:55.70\00:37:57.61
with Scripture.
00:37:57.64\00:37:58.97
We need to be reading
it and meditating upon
00:37:59.01\00:38:01.94
and as we're
reading these things,
00:38:01.98\00:38:03.38
and also as we're
also building faith
00:38:03.41\00:38:07.38
by seeing,
00:38:07.42\00:38:08.75
looking what God
has done in the past,
00:38:08.78\00:38:10.19
but also seeing
how God's working
00:38:10.22\00:38:11.72
in the lives of others.
00:38:11.75\00:38:13.19
I mean, this has
been a huge encouragement
00:38:13.22\00:38:15.46
for my journey
00:38:15.49\00:38:16.83
is seeing different
stories where God has worked,
00:38:16.86\00:38:19.23
I think of my friend Pavel Goia.
00:38:19.26\00:38:21.46
He has a book "One
Miracle After The Other, "
00:38:21.50\00:38:24.37
just incredible testimonies
00:38:24.40\00:38:26.17
and you say I want
that kind of faith.
00:38:26.20\00:38:27.97
Well, how does that faith come?
00:38:28.00\00:38:29.77
Comes as we're in God's Word,
and we're reading and studying,
00:38:29.80\00:38:32.17
we're like, this is what I want.
00:38:32.21\00:38:33.84
And this is what God
began doing in my own life
00:38:33.88\00:38:36.58
because I'm like, Lord,
00:38:36.61\00:38:38.18
I don't want to have a
superficial experience.
00:38:38.21\00:38:40.18
I want to go deeper.
00:38:40.22\00:38:41.62
So, show me.
00:38:41.65\00:38:43.18
And in the
process, He, of course,
00:38:43.22\00:38:46.15
is touching
very vulnerable areas
00:38:46.19\00:38:48.26
of my life.
00:38:48.29\00:38:49.62
And I'm like, you know,
struggling to understand
00:38:49.66\00:38:53.03
what He's doing and why.
00:38:53.06\00:38:54.76
But He's been growing my
faith and His faithfulness
00:38:54.80\00:38:57.13
and He has been so good.
00:38:57.17\00:38:59.33
You know, I look back
over the years and say,
00:38:59.37\00:39:01.74
yeah, there's
prayers that I pray
00:39:01.77\00:39:04.77
that He still hasn't answered.
00:39:04.81\00:39:06.21
But I can see His faithfulness
through the journey.
00:39:06.24\00:39:08.38
And something really,
really special happened
00:39:08.41\00:39:10.48
a few years ago,
00:39:10.51\00:39:11.85
when I had shared
00:39:11.88\00:39:13.21
a little bit of
my single testimony,
00:39:13.25\00:39:14.58
which I said,
I've been a little,
00:39:14.62\00:39:16.48
not sure to share
00:39:16.52\00:39:17.85
just because it's
a vulnerable story.
00:39:17.89\00:39:21.29
It's, yeah, and
it's not finished
00:39:21.32\00:39:23.86
and all of that,
00:39:23.89\00:39:25.23
but I shared this
00:39:25.26\00:39:26.59
with a group of young
people in the Philippines.
00:39:26.63\00:39:28.70
And afterwards, this
young man came up to me.
00:39:28.73\00:39:31.83
And he said, he
wrote me this little note,
00:39:31.87\00:39:33.23
he's like a 15,
16-year-old young man.
00:39:33.27\00:39:36.47
And he said,
Melody, "God said no to you
00:39:36.50\00:39:38.27
so that he could say yes to us,
00:39:38.31\00:39:39.91
so that you
could come and teach us
00:39:39.94\00:39:41.28
how to have a
relationship with Jesus."
00:39:41.31\00:39:42.78
Praise the Lord.
00:39:42.81\00:39:44.15
And my heart just
broke and I was just like,
00:39:44.18\00:39:45.71
praise, praise God.
00:39:45.75\00:39:48.28
I mean, if He says no
to some of my prayers,
00:39:48.32\00:39:53.46
but in the process
00:39:53.49\00:39:55.36
is using that to
bring more to Him.
00:39:55.39\00:39:58.06
I mean, that's what I would want
00:39:58.09\00:39:59.93
in the long run,
that's what I want.
00:39:59.96\00:40:01.93
Yeah, I want to share the
story if I can remember it.
00:40:01.96\00:40:04.97
When we were in Houston,
00:40:05.00\00:40:06.33
I wasn't a
Seventh-day Adventist yet,
00:40:06.37\00:40:08.14
but we found
most wonderful church.
00:40:08.17\00:40:10.91
And this pastor was
a good Bible teacher.
00:40:10.94\00:40:13.61
Oh, he was good.
00:40:13.64\00:40:14.98
He always tied the Old
00:40:15.01\00:40:16.38
and the New
Testament in together.
00:40:16.41\00:40:18.31
Well, he had
grown up in Foursquare,
00:40:18.35\00:40:22.28
but he'd grown up being taught
00:40:22.32\00:40:24.42
that you should never compliment
00:40:24.45\00:40:26.02
anyone.
00:40:26.05\00:40:27.39
So, his wife said
00:40:27.42\00:40:29.16
that here they were living on a,
00:40:29.19\00:40:31.99
you know, beginning,
00:40:32.03\00:40:33.36
he wasn't a pastor
when she married him,
00:40:33.40\00:40:36.20
but God called
him and he accepted it
00:40:36.23\00:40:38.13
and she ever wanted
to be a pastor's wife.
00:40:38.17\00:40:39.90
She was very shy.
00:40:39.93\00:40:41.90
And so she said,
00:40:41.94\00:40:43.27
we're living on
a very small salary
00:40:43.30\00:40:45.21
and I would really shop to,
00:40:45.24\00:40:48.24
you know, shop the
sales to try to look nice,
00:40:48.28\00:40:51.48
and she said, he would never,
00:40:51.51\00:40:54.28
she said I'd come
down on Sunday mornings,
00:40:54.32\00:40:56.72
she said, he'd never
say that I look nice,
00:40:56.75\00:40:59.45
and I needed that so much.
00:40:59.49\00:41:02.06
She said, I
needed him to affirm me.
00:41:02.09\00:41:05.79
And so she said that
she prayed and she prayed.
00:41:05.83\00:41:10.03
And she went through
this for several years.
00:41:10.07\00:41:12.40
And she finally got to the point
00:41:12.43\00:41:15.67
where she said,
00:41:15.70\00:41:17.04
Lord, your
approval is all I need.
00:41:17.07\00:41:20.61
That's right.
00:41:20.64\00:41:21.98
And she said she just
praying and thanking the Lord.
00:41:22.01\00:41:24.91
So, guess what?
00:41:24.95\00:41:26.28
She walks down the stairs.
00:41:26.31\00:41:28.38
And her husband turns around
00:41:28.42\00:41:29.95
and he looks at her and he said,
00:41:29.98\00:41:31.69
"You look so lovely.
That's a beautiful dress."
00:41:31.72\00:41:36.86
And I wasn't a strong
Christian at the time,
00:41:36.89\00:41:39.86
you know what I said?
00:41:39.89\00:41:41.40
Isn't that just like a man?
00:41:41.43\00:41:44.50
When you need
them to, they won't
00:41:44.53\00:41:46.57
and when you don't need them to,
00:41:46.60\00:41:48.04
they do.
00:41:48.07\00:41:49.40
And you know
what she said to me?
00:41:49.44\00:41:50.77
And this is precious.
00:41:50.81\00:41:52.14
She said,
Shelley, you don't realize.
00:41:52.17\00:41:54.48
She said, I believe God kept him
00:41:54.51\00:41:57.71
from giving me that affirmation,
00:41:57.75\00:42:01.62
because I was
seeking it so much from man
00:42:01.65\00:42:04.35
that I wasn't
seeking it from the Lord.
00:42:04.39\00:42:06.62
And she said, so God brought me
00:42:06.65\00:42:08.26
through this growing process
00:42:08.29\00:42:10.96
to where I was
satisfied with him,
00:42:10.99\00:42:13.56
then he could give it
to me from other sources.
00:42:13.60\00:42:17.23
That's beautiful. It
is a beautiful story.
00:42:17.27\00:42:18.90
And I think that's
what He's seeking to do
00:42:18.93\00:42:21.54
with all of us.
00:42:21.57\00:42:22.90
Amen.
00:42:22.94\00:42:24.27
You know, just recently,
some dear friends of mine,
00:42:24.31\00:42:30.55
suffered a
really tragic accident
00:42:30.58\00:42:32.78
earlier this summer.
00:42:32.81\00:42:34.55
And their names
are TJ and Marianne,
00:42:34.58\00:42:37.45
and they were in a wreck.
00:42:37.49\00:42:40.56
Marianne was with
her three daughters,
00:42:40.59\00:42:44.13
and the oldest
daughter was killed.
00:42:44.16\00:42:46.86
And Marianne
herself was paralyzed
00:42:46.90\00:42:50.80
from the neck down.
00:42:50.83\00:42:52.43
And I remember
getting the text message
00:42:52.47\00:42:55.07
and just like no,
Lord, no, this can't be.
00:42:55.10\00:43:00.01
This beautiful
family, you would look at them
00:43:00.04\00:43:02.31
and he would say
00:43:02.34\00:43:03.68
they have the
picture perfect family.
00:43:03.71\00:43:05.05
And, you know, we
all have our struggles
00:43:05.08\00:43:07.02
but just beautiful godly family,
00:43:07.05\00:43:09.32
living out in the country.
00:43:09.35\00:43:10.69
TJ is an ER doctor.
00:43:10.72\00:43:12.92
I knew them when I
lived in Loma Linda years ago,
00:43:12.95\00:43:15.42
and she's been a teacher
00:43:15.46\00:43:16.79
and now she's a
homeschooling mom.
00:43:16.83\00:43:18.63
And here they are thrust
00:43:18.66\00:43:20.00
into this
family's worst nightmare.
00:43:20.03\00:43:21.80
And he didn't know about it
00:43:21.83\00:43:23.26
till they brought
her into his ER room.
00:43:23.30\00:43:27.04
That's right.
00:43:27.07\00:43:28.40
That was her and the
kids come into his ER
00:43:28.44\00:43:30.87
where he is on duty.
00:43:30.91\00:43:33.51
And anyway, this
horrific situation.
00:43:33.54\00:43:37.71
Their faith through this, I
mean, there is so much pain,
00:43:37.75\00:43:41.58
there's been so much tears.
00:43:41.62\00:43:42.95
I had the opportunity to go out
00:43:42.98\00:43:44.32
three weeks later
after the accident
00:43:44.35\00:43:46.05
to be with
Marianne the very weekend
00:43:46.09\00:43:48.32
that he went with the family
to bury the daughter up North
00:43:48.36\00:43:51.63
and so I was by her
side, along with her,
00:43:51.66\00:43:56.20
his aunt that was also there
during this very difficult time
00:43:56.23\00:43:59.13
and wiping her tears
00:43:59.17\00:44:00.50
because she can't
even wipe her own tears.
00:44:00.54\00:44:02.60
She can't even
scratch her own head
00:44:02.64\00:44:04.14
or touch her face
00:44:04.17\00:44:05.51
or at this point
in time she couldn't.
00:44:05.54\00:44:07.81
And I remember
going to be with her
00:44:07.84\00:44:10.45
and thinking, Lord,
00:44:10.48\00:44:11.81
help me to
encourage their faith,
00:44:11.85\00:44:13.98
help me to strengthen them
00:44:14.02\00:44:16.22
that even in the midst of
this unexplainable tragedy,
00:44:16.25\00:44:20.82
You're still
here, You're still good.
00:44:20.86\00:44:22.82
You're still in control.
00:44:22.86\00:44:24.33
Did this accident
catch God by surprise?
00:44:24.36\00:44:27.30
Did this tragedy, you
know, suddenly, like God,
00:44:27.33\00:44:29.80
oh, no, what I wasn't
watching and this happened.
00:44:29.83\00:44:32.27
No, you know,
00:44:32.30\00:44:33.64
the Lord saw it
coming, the Lord in mercy.
00:44:33.67\00:44:36.27
In fact, in this,
in their experience,
00:44:36.30\00:44:41.21
she had been pregnant
and in a month or so earlier,
00:44:41.24\00:44:44.71
she had
miscarried and lost the baby.
00:44:44.75\00:44:46.98
And they recognized
00:44:47.02\00:44:48.38
just that was an act of mercy
00:44:48.42\00:44:49.98
because she would have
been like seven months pregnant
00:44:50.02\00:44:51.75
when that accident happened.
00:44:51.79\00:44:53.22
But anyway, there
was so many miracles
00:44:53.25\00:44:54.59
that happened,
00:44:54.62\00:44:55.96
how the, how the
helicopter even got to her,
00:44:55.99\00:44:58.59
they were already in the
air when the call went out,
00:44:58.63\00:45:00.73
somebody was driving
past called immediately
00:45:00.76\00:45:03.40
she wouldn't have
been able to keep breathing
00:45:03.43\00:45:04.90
because of her
paralysis, she couldn't breathe.
00:45:04.93\00:45:06.94
And so, it was
just a matter of time
00:45:06.97\00:45:08.37
before she completely shut down.
00:45:08.40\00:45:11.14
But they were able
to get to her in time.
00:45:11.17\00:45:13.21
So anyway,
00:45:13.24\00:45:14.58
I go to see her and I'm praying,
00:45:14.61\00:45:15.94
Lord, please help me
to encourage their faith.
00:45:15.98\00:45:18.08
And the opposite happened.
00:45:18.11\00:45:20.28
They encouraged my
faith as the last night
00:45:20.32\00:45:23.39
that I was leaving
after I'd been there
00:45:23.42\00:45:24.82
with Marianne and TJ.
00:45:24.85\00:45:26.79
Marianne told me,
she said, "Melody,
00:45:26.82\00:45:28.82
when you share our story,
00:45:28.86\00:45:30.36
be sure to tell
people God is good.
00:45:30.39\00:45:34.30
And He has been so good to us.
00:45:34.33\00:45:37.07
Does this mean it's been easy?
00:45:37.10\00:45:39.00
No, I mean,
this is the nightmare
00:45:39.03\00:45:40.84
of our lives,
00:45:40.87\00:45:42.20
losing our child
00:45:42.24\00:45:43.57
and now I can't even
take care of my children.
00:45:43.61\00:45:44.94
I can't even take
care of my husband
00:45:44.97\00:45:46.57
or do anything like
a normal mom anymore.
00:45:46.61\00:45:48.84
But God has been so good.
00:45:48.88\00:45:52.28
And we see His
goodness even in this tragedy."
00:45:52.31\00:45:55.22
And I just think,
wow, when He has tried me,
00:45:55.25\00:45:58.75
I shall come forth as gold
00:45:58.79\00:46:00.16
to have that kind
of faith that can say,
00:46:00.19\00:46:02.26
even in that type of
tragedy, God is good.
00:46:02.29\00:46:05.49
Amen.
00:46:05.53\00:46:06.86
You know, I'm trying to
think of the name of the boy
00:46:06.90\00:46:09.80
that we prayed for so
far all through the summer.
00:46:09.83\00:46:12.93
But anyway,
00:46:12.97\00:46:14.30
his mother had
written on a post,
00:46:14.34\00:46:17.31
this young man was terribly ill,
00:46:17.34\00:46:19.47
and they nearly
lost him so many times.
00:46:19.51\00:46:23.24
And she wrote when,
00:46:23.28\00:46:25.38
like, when
something would happen,
00:46:25.41\00:46:27.05
and he would start recovering,
she'd write God is good.
00:46:27.08\00:46:30.19
But she said, even if He hadn't,
00:46:30.22\00:46:33.12
God is still good.
00:46:33.15\00:46:34.49
I want to read 1 Peter 4:12.
00:46:34.52\00:46:37.79
Peter writes, "Beloved,
00:46:37.83\00:46:39.19
do not think it's strange
concerning the fiery trial,
00:46:39.23\00:46:43.33
which is to try you
00:46:43.37\00:46:44.93
as though some strange
thing happened to you."
00:46:44.97\00:46:47.24
First of all, we
know it isn't God
00:46:47.27\00:46:49.84
who is orchestrating it,
00:46:49.87\00:46:51.81
it's the one who comes to steal,
00:46:51.84\00:46:53.38
kill and destroy,
00:46:53.41\00:46:54.74
but as you said, God
saw it, He didn't intervene.
00:46:54.78\00:46:58.68
But then he goes
on and he says this,
00:46:58.71\00:47:00.52
"Rejoice to the extent
00:47:00.55\00:47:03.45
that you partake of
Christ's sufferings,
00:47:03.49\00:47:06.55
so that when His
glory is revealed,
00:47:06.59\00:47:09.16
you may also be
glad with exceeding joy.
00:47:09.19\00:47:12.59
You know, when we think
about how much Jesus suffered
00:47:12.63\00:47:17.87
and realize that He being God
00:47:17.90\00:47:21.97
came down and became a man.
00:47:22.00\00:47:23.81
That's amazing.
00:47:23.84\00:47:26.51
That was about
your mother's journey
00:47:26.54\00:47:29.34
because we've been
praying for your mom as well.
00:47:29.38\00:47:32.21
And she has had a
journey with cancer.
00:47:32.25\00:47:35.52
Yeah, she was
diagnosed two years ago
00:47:35.55\00:47:37.22
with stage four lung cancer.
00:47:37.25\00:47:39.09
And the summer
she was diagnosed,
00:47:39.12\00:47:41.22
I actually thought
she was going to die.
00:47:41.26\00:47:42.86
Then because
00:47:42.89\00:47:44.23
she was already
struggling breathing,
00:47:44.26\00:47:45.59
she was in pain.
00:47:45.63\00:47:47.20
We found out she had
four different tumors.
00:47:47.23\00:47:51.07
And so, anyway, praise God.
00:47:51.10\00:47:53.20
It's really, it's
really been a miracle
00:47:53.23\00:47:57.31
and we're still on the journey,
00:47:57.34\00:47:59.31
but we ended up
00:47:59.34\00:48:00.68
pursuing natural
alternative routes.
00:48:00.71\00:48:03.75
We went to a clinic
00:48:03.78\00:48:05.11
called hope for
cancer in Mexico,
00:48:05.15\00:48:07.58
and just all
natural lifestyle treatments
00:48:07.62\00:48:08.95
and everything
00:48:08.98\00:48:10.32
and God has
blessed those treatments,
00:48:10.35\00:48:12.12
three of the four
tumors have gone, are all gone.
00:48:12.15\00:48:15.56
She still has one
00:48:15.59\00:48:16.93
and it's not been
really getting better,
00:48:16.96\00:48:18.76
but it's not getting worse.
00:48:18.79\00:48:20.13
And so, she's been maintaining,
00:48:20.16\00:48:21.50
she's not having
breathing problems.
00:48:21.53\00:48:22.86
She's continuing to
live active life and still,
00:48:22.90\00:48:27.24
you know, not as
strong as she was before.
00:48:27.27\00:48:29.27
But she's watched
00:48:29.30\00:48:30.64
two more
grandchildren to be born.
00:48:30.67\00:48:32.11
I have two
nieces and two nephews
00:48:32.14\00:48:34.91
from two to each of my brothers,
00:48:34.94\00:48:37.41
and she's gotten
to watch that process.
00:48:37.45\00:48:39.28
And so, we don't know
how long we have her for
00:48:39.31\00:48:42.65
but we just praise
the Lord for each day.
00:48:42.68\00:48:45.35
And, you know, God's
really been showing me
00:48:45.39\00:48:47.09
through this crisis
00:48:47.12\00:48:48.46
that our family's been going
00:48:48.49\00:48:49.82
through the
last couple of years.
00:48:49.86\00:48:51.19
I mean, I'm very
close to my parents
00:48:51.23\00:48:52.56
and so the
thought of losing them
00:48:52.59\00:48:53.93
it's just like,
no, this can't happen.
00:48:53.96\00:48:55.90
You know, when it first,
the possibility first hit me,
00:48:55.93\00:48:58.47
I was just devastated.
00:48:58.50\00:48:59.83
But then the strength comes
00:48:59.87\00:49:01.64
and you
recognize God's with you.
00:49:01.67\00:49:03.51
And He's been really
showing me through this crisis.
00:49:03.54\00:49:05.61
I love Daniel 3:17.
00:49:05.64\00:49:07.21
And I'm not going to
look it up and read it.
00:49:07.24\00:49:08.58
But Daniel 3:17 is referring
00:49:08.61\00:49:10.81
to the fiery furnace experience,
00:49:10.85\00:49:12.45
Daniel's three friends,
00:49:12.48\00:49:13.82
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,
00:49:13.85\00:49:15.18
they're faced
with a fiery furnace.
00:49:15.22\00:49:16.89
And the king says,
"If you don't bow down,
00:49:16.92\00:49:19.02
I'm gonna throw
you into the furnace."
00:49:19.05\00:49:21.06
And I love what
they said, they said,
00:49:21.09\00:49:22.42
"Our God whom we
serve is able to deliver us
00:49:22.46\00:49:24.73
from the fiery furnace,
00:49:24.76\00:49:26.19
He's able, but
even if He doesn't,
00:49:26.23\00:49:29.20
we're not going to bow down."
00:49:29.23\00:49:30.83
And this story has
become very personal to me
00:49:30.87\00:49:32.77
in my own
personal crisis in my life.
00:49:32.80\00:49:35.37
You know, both
in my own walk with,
00:49:35.40\00:49:38.14
you know, unfulfilled in
certain areas of my life,
00:49:38.17\00:49:41.01
not knowing what God's doing,
00:49:41.04\00:49:43.28
and in my
relationship with my family
00:49:43.31\00:49:46.51
not knowing how
long I'm going to have
00:49:46.55\00:49:48.15
my mom or different things.
00:49:48.18\00:49:49.52
I'm like, Lord, I trust You.
00:49:49.55\00:49:52.02
I'm going to serve You, I
believe You are still good.
00:49:52.05\00:49:55.16
You know, like Marianne says
00:49:55.19\00:49:56.86
in the midst of being paralyzed.
00:49:56.89\00:49:58.53
I just actually
came from her yesterday,
00:49:58.56\00:50:00.26
I just spent two
days with her yesterday.
00:50:00.30\00:50:01.63
At the Colorado?
00:50:01.66\00:50:03.26
And she's doing so much better,
00:50:03.30\00:50:04.63
but she's still paralyzed.
00:50:04.67\00:50:06.00
But she's moving
a little bit more.
00:50:06.03\00:50:07.44
Praise God.
00:50:07.47\00:50:08.80
But in my own
journey, I trust You.
00:50:08.84\00:50:12.14
But even if You don't do,
00:50:12.17\00:50:14.74
what, you know, we
would like deliverance,
00:50:14.78\00:50:17.08
healing from disease, whatever.
00:50:17.11\00:50:18.91
I'm still gonna believe,
00:50:18.95\00:50:20.28
I'm still gonna
trust that You're good.
00:50:20.32\00:50:21.65
And that's just been very, very.
00:50:21.68\00:50:23.02
But I think my, one
of my favorite scriptures
00:50:23.05\00:50:24.99
is when Job said,
00:50:25.02\00:50:26.35
even if he slay,
yet will I trust Him.
00:50:26.39\00:50:29.02
Yet will I trust Him.
00:50:29.06\00:50:30.39
Amen and amen.
00:50:30.43\00:50:32.99
We're getting close.
00:50:33.03\00:50:34.36
I think you had a quote
00:50:34.40\00:50:35.73
that you wanted
to read about God,
00:50:35.76\00:50:39.20
God's leading of His children.
00:50:39.23\00:50:41.47
Yeah, let me read this
before I share this last,
00:50:41.50\00:50:43.77
this last testimony.
00:50:43.81\00:50:45.14
I love this quote,
00:50:45.17\00:50:46.51
and this has given
me so much courage.
00:50:46.54\00:50:47.88
It comes from Desire of Ages.
00:50:47.91\00:50:49.98
And it says, "God
never leads His children
00:50:50.01\00:50:52.88
otherwise then they would choose
00:50:52.91\00:50:54.72
to be led,
00:50:54.75\00:50:56.08
if they could see the
end from the beginning
00:50:56.12\00:50:58.25
and discern the
glory of the purpose
00:50:58.29\00:51:00.12
which they are fulfilling
as co-workers with Him.
00:51:00.16\00:51:03.16
Not Enoch who was
translated to heaven,
00:51:03.19\00:51:06.06
not Elijah, who'd
ascended in a chariot of fire
00:51:06.09\00:51:09.36
were greater or more
honored than John the Baptist
00:51:09.40\00:51:12.10
who perished
alone in the dungeon.
00:51:12.13\00:51:14.54
Of all the gifts
00:51:14.57\00:51:15.90
that heaven can bestow upon men,
00:51:15.94\00:51:18.21
fellowship with
Christ in His sufferings
00:51:18.24\00:51:20.64
is the most weighty
trust and the highest honor."
00:51:20.68\00:51:25.01
And just seeing this
00:51:25.05\00:51:26.38
and the fact that God
never leaves His children
00:51:26.41\00:51:27.75
and otherwise
00:51:27.78\00:51:29.12
then they would
choose to be led.
00:51:29.15\00:51:30.49
Amen.
00:51:30.52\00:51:31.85
We could see the
end from the beginning.
00:51:31.89\00:51:34.19
I think during
those thousand years,
00:51:34.22\00:51:36.09
when we're in heaven,
and He opens the book,
00:51:36.12\00:51:38.96
we're going to
be looking at that
00:51:38.99\00:51:40.33
and saying, Lord, I understand,
00:51:40.36\00:51:42.13
you know, we're
not to understand
00:51:42.16\00:51:43.93
everything right now.
00:51:43.97\00:51:45.63
But there will come a day
when He will explain everything
00:51:45.67\00:51:48.64
and we'll be
saying He is a good God.
00:51:48.67\00:51:51.51
That's right. All right.
00:51:51.54\00:51:53.07
So, let's talk about a quote
00:51:53.11\00:51:56.28
that you have
from David Wilkerson.
00:51:56.31\00:51:58.35
David Wilkerson,
comes from the story,
00:51:58.38\00:52:00.85
the Cross and the
Switchblade back from the 80s,
00:52:00.88\00:52:03.18
which many people
are familiar with.
00:52:03.22\00:52:04.89
He died a few years
ago in a tragic car wreck
00:52:04.92\00:52:07.86
but right before he died,
00:52:07.89\00:52:09.22
he wrote this, these
statements, and this is,
00:52:09.26\00:52:13.09
I think, so powerful.
00:52:13.13\00:52:14.46
And so, I want to share this
with anyone that's out there
00:52:14.50\00:52:17.13
that may be going
through their own time of pain
00:52:17.17\00:52:20.64
or question or
wondering what God is doing.
00:52:20.67\00:52:22.97
This is for you.
00:52:23.00\00:52:25.04
"To believe when all means fail
is exceedingly pleasing to God
00:52:25.07\00:52:29.24
and is most acceptable.
00:52:29.28\00:52:31.05
Jesus said to Thomas,
00:52:31.08\00:52:32.41
you have believed
because you have seen,
00:52:32.45\00:52:35.45
but blessed are
those that do believe
00:52:35.48\00:52:37.79
and have not seen.
00:52:37.82\00:52:40.26
Blessed are those who believe
when there is no evidence
00:52:40.29\00:52:42.72
of an answer to
prayer, who trusts beyond hope,
00:52:42.76\00:52:44.86
when all means have failed,
00:52:44.89\00:52:47.00
someone has come
to the place of hope,
00:52:47.03\00:52:48.90
hopelessness, the end of
hope, the end of all means,
00:52:48.93\00:52:51.40
a loved one is facing
death and doctors give no hope.
00:52:51.43\00:52:54.94
Death seems inevitable.
00:52:54.97\00:52:56.81
Hope is gone.
00:52:56.84\00:52:58.17
The miracle prayed
for is not happening.
00:52:58.21\00:53:00.31
This is when
Satan's hordes come quickly
00:53:00.34\00:53:02.44
to attack your
mind with fear, anger,
00:53:02.48\00:53:04.25
overwhelming questions.
00:53:04.28\00:53:05.61
Where's your God now?
00:53:05.65\00:53:06.98
You prayed until
you had no tears left.
00:53:07.02\00:53:09.25
You fasted, you
stood on the promises,
00:53:09.28\00:53:11.59
you trusted,
00:53:11.62\00:53:12.95
blasphemous
thoughts will be injected
00:53:12.99\00:53:14.56
into your mind,
00:53:14.59\00:53:15.92
prayer fade, prayer
failed, faith failed.
00:53:15.96\00:53:18.59
Don't quit on God, just
don't trust Him anymore.
00:53:18.63\00:53:21.63
It doesn't pay.
00:53:21.66\00:53:23.03
Even questioning God's existence
00:53:23.06\00:53:25.07
will be injected into your mind.
00:53:25.10\00:53:27.00
These have been the
devices of Satan for centuries,
00:53:27.04\00:53:29.64
some of the
godless men and women
00:53:29.67\00:53:31.37
who have ever lived
00:53:31.41\00:53:32.74
were under such demonic attacks.
00:53:32.77\00:53:35.51
To those going
through the valley
00:53:35.54\00:53:36.95
of the shadow of death,
00:53:36.98\00:53:38.31
hear this word,
00:53:38.35\00:53:39.68
weeping will last
through some dark awful nights
00:53:39.71\00:53:42.58
and in that darkness,
00:53:42.62\00:53:43.95
you will soon hear
the father whisper,
00:53:43.99\00:53:45.92
I am with you.
00:53:45.95\00:53:47.66
I cannot tell you why
right now, but one day,
00:53:47.69\00:53:50.33
it will all make sense.
00:53:50.36\00:53:52.43
You will see it was
all part of my plan.
00:53:52.46\00:53:54.26
It was no accident.
00:53:54.30\00:53:56.10
It was no failure on your part.
00:53:56.13\00:53:57.83
Hold fast.
00:53:57.87\00:53:59.20
Let me embrace you
in your hour of pain."
00:53:59.23\00:54:01.20
And here's the
last sentence here.
00:54:01.24\00:54:03.64
"Beloved, God has
never failed to act,
00:54:03.67\00:54:06.54
but in goodness and
love, when all means fail,
00:54:06.57\00:54:09.51
His love prevails,
hold fast to your faith,
00:54:09.54\00:54:12.98
stand fast in His word,
00:54:13.01\00:54:14.95
there is no other
hope in this world.
00:54:14.98\00:54:19.52
So, we have to
believe God is good,
00:54:19.55\00:54:21.96
not because He
always gives us the answers,
00:54:21.99\00:54:25.19
but because He gives us Himself.
00:54:25.23\00:54:27.50
Amen.
00:54:27.53\00:54:28.86
And you know,
00:54:28.90\00:54:30.23
I think sometimes when
the devil came to Jesus
00:54:30.27\00:54:35.54
in the
wilderness, what did he do?
00:54:35.57\00:54:38.67
He quoted
scripture out of context,
00:54:38.71\00:54:40.91
he always twists God's Word.
00:54:40.94\00:54:44.55
And Jesus was able to pull out
00:54:44.58\00:54:46.92
the sword of the Spirit and say,
00:54:46.95\00:54:48.52
it is written and He
gave the more accurate.
00:54:48.55\00:54:52.52
And I remember I was London,
00:54:52.55\00:54:54.99
or, well,
Manchester I think it was,
00:54:55.02\00:54:57.23
anyway,
00:54:57.26\00:54:58.59
I was speaking to a
large group of people,
00:54:58.63\00:55:01.16
and somehow
Romans 8:28 came up that,
00:55:01.20\00:55:04.40
you know, God works all
things together for good
00:55:04.43\00:55:06.90
for those who love Him
00:55:06.94\00:55:08.27
and are called
according to His purpose.
00:55:08.30\00:55:10.11
And I said, you know,
00:55:10.14\00:55:11.91
there weren't
chapters inverse distinctions
00:55:11.94\00:55:15.58
when the Bible was written.
00:55:15.61\00:55:17.55
Man inserted that,
00:55:17.58\00:55:19.01
they never should have separated
00:55:19.05\00:55:20.92
Romans 8:28 from Romans 8:29.
00:55:20.95\00:55:24.09
Because I said,
00:55:24.12\00:55:25.45
what would you do
if you had just been,
00:55:25.49\00:55:28.92
there's been a car wreck
and you'd lost your husband
00:55:28.96\00:55:31.53
and three kids
00:55:31.56\00:55:32.89
and somebody from your
church comes up and says,
00:55:32.93\00:55:35.60
oh, honey, God works
all things together for good
00:55:35.63\00:55:38.60
for those who love Him.
00:55:38.63\00:55:40.34
You'd want to
punch. That's right.
00:55:40.37\00:55:42.60
But the rest of
the thought is He says,
00:55:42.64\00:55:47.41
for those He foreknew
00:55:47.44\00:55:50.31
He predestined to be conformed
00:55:50.35\00:55:53.25
to the image of Jesus.
00:55:53.28\00:55:55.82
So, when something bad happens,
00:55:55.85\00:55:59.82
Christ went through it
all, He has suffered everything.
00:55:59.85\00:56:03.36
But what God is doing
00:56:03.39\00:56:05.19
is He will take
those circumstances,
00:56:05.23\00:56:08.90
and He will work
it out for your good
00:56:08.93\00:56:10.87
to make you a
little more Christ like.
00:56:10.90\00:56:12.70
Yes.
00:56:12.73\00:56:14.07
And, you know, there was
a lady who came up to me.
00:56:14.10\00:56:16.84
And it was she hung back
00:56:16.87\00:56:18.67
for about 45 minutes afterwards,
00:56:18.71\00:56:20.61
you know, you're
talking to people.
00:56:20.64\00:56:22.21
And I just kept
noticing this woman,
00:56:22.24\00:56:24.18
she just didn't
take her eyes off of me.
00:56:24.21\00:56:26.85
And she came up to me
00:56:26.88\00:56:28.22
finally when
everybody else had left,
00:56:28.25\00:56:29.88
and she said,
00:56:29.92\00:56:31.25
this is the first
time I've been to church
00:56:31.29\00:56:33.66
or to a church
event in two years.
00:56:33.69\00:56:35.92
And she said, my husband,
00:56:35.96\00:56:38.43
and my children and
I were at the beach.
00:56:38.46\00:56:42.26
My sons were out,
00:56:42.30\00:56:44.90
and they got caught in a riptide
00:56:44.93\00:56:46.97
and my husband
went out to save them.
00:56:47.00\00:56:49.80
All three of them drown.
00:56:49.84\00:56:51.74
And somebody in her church
misquoted scripture and said
00:56:51.77\00:56:56.21
God works all
things together for good.
00:56:56.24\00:56:58.58
So, this is what
we've got to know
00:56:58.61\00:57:01.42
is that we have to
live by prayer and faith
00:57:01.45\00:57:06.86
and we have to dare to
live by every word of God.
00:57:06.89\00:57:10.63
So, stay tuned,
00:57:10.66\00:57:11.99
we're going to come
back in just a moment.
00:57:12.03\00:57:13.56
Melody has a new book,
00:57:13.60\00:57:16.36
"Daring to Live by
Every Word of God."
00:57:16.40\00:57:20.44
And we're going to share
some of that teaching with you.
00:57:20.47\00:57:23.51
It's going to be out
in February, I believe.
00:57:23.54\00:57:24.87
That's right.
00:57:24.91\00:57:26.24
So, she's going to share,
00:57:26.27\00:57:27.61
kind of give us a
little preview of that,
00:57:27.64\00:57:29.71
and how we need to give God
00:57:29.74\00:57:32.25
the keys to every
room of our lives.
00:57:32.28\00:57:36.45
So please don't go away.
00:57:36.48\00:57:38.39
We'll be back in
exactly two minutes,
00:57:38.42\00:57:40.92
and we look forward
00:57:40.96\00:57:42.29
to seeing you on the other side.
00:57:42.32\00:57:43.66
Thank you.
00:57:43.69\00:57:45.03