Hello, and welcome back
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to our live Thursday
Night Behind The Scenes program.
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We're so glad that you
have joined us this evening.
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The first hour
went by in a real hurry,
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you know, just talking
about what God is doing,
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the opportunities
that are before us.
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We talked about 3ABN
Cuba, 3ABN Latino being in Cuba,
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the Interless
System with Dr. Moses
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and that's just an amazing
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may I say actually
invention or opportunity.
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You don't have to
have the internet,
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you can have what
6,000 3ABN programs
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available off of a
hard drive, it's very easy.
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You can just
plug this little box,
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I mean, it's
amazing, a little box,
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a little bit
bigger than my Bible,
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just a couple of cables
into your TV, and you've got,
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what do you say four plus years
worth of programming of 3ABN.
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So we're excited about that.
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And then how that then
correlates to the Dare to Dream
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Hard Drive Initiative,
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where they're going to
take those boxes into prisons.
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And already that
amazing testimony
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that Jason shared
about a prisoner reaching out
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and wanting a box in his prison,
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but we've changed out and
played the musical chairs.
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And we have with
us who this evening?
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We have more of
the 3ABN family here.
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We have specifically tonight,
our Pastoral Department,
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not all of our
Pastoral Department
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because we couldn't fit them all
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but we have a few
members of the department.
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We have JD Quinn,
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who is the
manager of 3ABN Pastoral,
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and just so glad
to have you here, JD.
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Thank you. Thank
you. This is fun.
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It's always fun to
be with my brothers
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and then to be
with administration.
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This is working.
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We're all family. Amen.
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Well, that's exactly.
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And one thing that I
really appreciate about,
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appreciate about y'all is
that you do unite the team.
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And that's really 'cause
we're all part of this team,
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we're all part of...
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We're all children of God. Amen.
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We are. That's
important to remember that.
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Yeah. Praise the Lord.
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Sitting next to
you, Pastor Ryan Day,
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and yeah, we sit together
in Sabbath School Panel.
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The Lord has given you
insight into the Word of God.
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Not only do you preach,
but you sing and you minister,
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and you're developing an
incredible database for us
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in pastoral too.
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So just glad to have you here.
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Yeah, I know it's a
blessing to be a part of this.
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And I'm looking forward
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to what this hour
together has in store for us.
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And you've been here now, Ryan,
you and your wife, of course,
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Stephanie is the principal
of our local school here,
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Seventh-day Adventist school,
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but you both have been
here for how many years?
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Yeah, this June,
this coming June 2021
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will be three years.
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Wow. Wow. Amazing.
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A little over
two and a half years.
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I didn't see that.
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And we feel you know, Jill and I
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and the rest of
the administration
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that God has just
brought this family together,
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just together for
such a time as this.
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Amen.
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Sitting next to
you is Donald Owen.
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And we're so delighted.
You have a heart for people.
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Amen.
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And you and your wife
ministered a numerous people
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in the community,
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a lot of
Celebrate Recovery programs
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and helping people through that.
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And thank you so much
for being here tonight.
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Yeah, it's a blessing.
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You know, I like the back
of what JD said about you two.
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And what I really appreciate
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about you two is
your vulnerability.
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That speaks a lot to me,
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I see people
especially in leadership
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that are be
willing to be vulnerable,
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that just, that
just that encourages me
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because I can respect something
that's actually vulnerable,
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so I appreciate it.
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Amen. Praise the
Lord. Praise the Lord.
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We appreciate you
and your wife very much.
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She works in the
Publishing Department,
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does a great job.
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She's busy. She is.
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She's busy.
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That's a very busy department
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'cause a lot of what you
see far as like a websites
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and print material,
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and mailing and
magazine, the world magazine
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that all goes through
the Publishing Department.
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So yeah, we don't
want to forget Shelley.
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I was just thinking that,
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we didn't talk
about Shelley, so?
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We're thankful for
Shelley, your spouse.
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You know, what a
great blessing you are.
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Precious little darling.
That's right, she's a trooper.
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You know, in this hour,
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we want to talk with
the Pastoral Department.
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And, of course,
all the departments
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are very important here at 3ABN,
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it all makes
the ship go forward.
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But the Pastoral
Department I think,
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to me just has a
really unique opportunity
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of ministering to you.
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I'm sure many of you
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that are viewing
listening right now
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like, Oh, yes, JD,
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I talked to him
just the other day,
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or Donald or Ryan and the others
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in Pastoral Department.
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And it's just a
really great way.
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That's how we view
it for you to connect,
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you know, it's a great way
to if you have a prayer request
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or something's on your heart,
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at times, you may feel isolated,
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no one is there
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and you need someone
just to pray with you,
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where the Pastoral
Department is available.
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And then also I think
about biblical questions too.
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Yes.
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There's a lot of
questions that are out there.
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You're watching
something on 3ABN, you're like,
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"Ah, that just
doesn't make sense to me.
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I have another
question on that."
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Well, the Pastoral
Department is there
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and I think in
your department, JD,
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you have a lot of experience
with all of the team members.
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Maybe tell us who is
actually a part of your team,
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because there's
quite a few members.
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Yes, we do.
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I've got it in my mind. Okay.
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He's my
sacrament. Got Mitch Owen.
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Yes.
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Mitch has been here for
quite, he's worn many hats.
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Oh, yes. But he
really is a man of God.
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That's right. We have
Don Owen, Joe O'Brian.
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Yes. Ryan Day.
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We've got Pastor Claude Turner.
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101. 101 the 24th of this month.
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Amazing, can
probably outwork us all.
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It's amazing.
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And he speaks
clearly and with authority.
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Absolutely. Oh, yeah.
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And he knows the Word of God.
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He's a true
inspiration, true inspiration.
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You know, when you
go back to the 1800s
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and him on the farm in Colorado,
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it's kind of like what?
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There were really
people in the 1800s.
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Wow.
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Anyway, he's a
precious, precious man
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and Andaluse, she helps Claude.
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We have so many
good reports on Ann
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and her tenderness
and her love for mankind.
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We also have some volunteers
that are always available,
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and...
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Prison ministry too,
tell us about that team?
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Prison ministry,
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prison ministry
is, what a blessing.
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Iris Giguere and Jenni Poling,
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and they're both
just so hard workers
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they've established a
relationship with the Lord
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by seeing all these
requests that come in
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and how people's
hearts been changed.
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And we'll go into the
Bibles here in a little bit.
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But wow, powerful
ministry, powerful ministry.
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That's right.
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Amen. Amen.
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Talk to us about
some of the statistics,
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some of the phone
calls that you receive,
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or how many Bibles are
sent out through prison ministry
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or emails answered?
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Part of Mitch's job. Okay.
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It's to keep track of details.
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Has got lot of details.
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And I don't wanting to see this.
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But this is really kind of
big business stats right here.
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I mean stats really mind.
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Yes. Numbers that makes sense.
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I'm glad you could see that
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because I cannot
see it from here.
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It looks like a
lot of information.
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It is a lot of information.
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Let me just take...
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What I'm doing here real quick,
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is I'm taking
the number of calls,
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we got the number of
calls that we missed,
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that went into voicemail
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and also an
answering service that
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and we had over
15,000 calls last year...
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In 2020.
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Fifteen
thousand calls last year.
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Wow. That's a lot of calls.
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Yeah, it is. Okay.
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And yes,
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from the deepest
part of our hearts
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there are some people call in,
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sometimes they
just don't get in,
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don't give up.
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I mean, we're busy, busy,
busy and we want your calls.
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And so they're certainly
there's no agenda on our part,
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you know, we're
here to serve people.
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Amen.
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Okay, let's just talk
about the number of letters
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that came in with
each letter that we get,
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it's, there's a
prayer request there.
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And we had over
9,000 of those last year,
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letters that we prayed
for specific prayer request.
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Nine thousand!
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A literature mailed out.
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Now let's move over
to the prison ministry,
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because they are so busy.
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I mean, this is
unbelievable to me.
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Literature that
went out last year
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was 12, 000 pieces
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from our little
prison ministry office.
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That's averaging a
thousand pieces of literature
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that's going out every month.
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Now that could
be Desire of Ages,
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that could be a...
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Step to Christ. Steps to Christ.
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It could be a
little pocket Glow tract.
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Does that include Bibles or not?
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No. Okay.
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This is not Bibles.
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Bibles this year,
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and you can certainly
see because they call this,
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this is the year
of the COVID year.
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And you could see
last January, pre COVID,
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we sent out 1,
000 Bibles one month.
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That's a lot.
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Then February,
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there was the,
there was some indications
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that there could
be a problem here.
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And so it dropped
down to 730 Bibles
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that we send out that month.
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That is still a lot. Yeah.
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These are who's got a
Remnant Study Bible here?
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I don't. Not with me.
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Fantastic Bible, I
mean, they're study Bibles,
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the premium.
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And that's what we
send out to the prisons.
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That's what we're sending out.
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Then we come into March,
and we dropped down to 520.
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So then we even get
down as low as 350 Bibles
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that we send out a month.
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Now this is
because of the COVID.
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Everything is becoming
shut down in the prison.
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These are only going
out to the incarcerated,
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they have to send it
in and make that request.
00:09:08.61\00:09:11.91
And then the
precious ladies, they'll take
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and they'll
process that information.
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Maybe someone's
asking you a question,
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maybe someone
has a special prayer
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or whatever it is.
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And then we send them
to study the Bible with it.
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But last year, we
sent out 6,550 Bibles.
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Wow.
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That's averaging
500 Bibles a month
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is going out to the prisoners.
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Wow. Praise the Lord.
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Praise the Lord.
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I mean... What
an amazing ministry.
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And we've got stacks like this
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of people that are
sending in thank you notes.
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My life has been changed.
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I always wanted a Bible.
00:09:42.81\00:09:45.05
I mean, please
continue to pray for my family.
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I miss them so
much, you know, etc.
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Amen.
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And one more thing
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I want to share with you
here is we, prayer warriors.
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We have 2,200
plus prayer warriors
00:10:01.20\00:10:04.07
around the world.
00:10:04.10\00:10:05.43
Now what does it
mean to be prayer warrior?
00:10:05.47\00:10:06.80
These are people that
00:10:06.84\00:10:08.17
the Lord has put on their heart,
00:10:08.20\00:10:09.54
"I want to be
involved in ministry.
00:10:09.57\00:10:12.17
And I see that
00:10:12.21\00:10:13.54
y'all pray for
people around the world,
00:10:13.58\00:10:15.64
I would like to
be part of that."
00:10:15.68\00:10:17.45
And if that appeals to you,
00:10:17.48\00:10:19.31
go to our webpage,
3ABN, our major page,
00:10:19.35\00:10:23.02
look at the very top bar
and you'll have Pastoral.
00:10:23.05\00:10:26.09
Tap that, click it,
00:10:26.12\00:10:27.46
it will take you
down to prayer request.
00:10:27.49\00:10:29.89
If you have a prayer
request, fill it out.
00:10:29.92\00:10:31.99
Simple, simple.
00:10:32.03\00:10:33.36
I mean, a first
grader could fill this out.
00:10:33.40\00:10:37.27
Most first graders can.
00:10:37.30\00:10:40.27
And if you want to sign
up to be a prayer warrior,
00:10:40.30\00:10:42.40
you can sign up there as well?
00:10:42.44\00:10:44.44
Just hit that,
00:10:44.47\00:10:45.81
take you down to the
bottom of the prayer request.
00:10:45.84\00:10:48.41
And I would like to
be a prayer warrior.
00:10:48.44\00:10:51.01
Now we whet those,
00:10:51.05\00:10:53.72
we want to make sure
00:10:53.75\00:10:55.08
that people truly
have a heart for the Lord.
00:10:55.12\00:10:57.09
So because I mean, there's
all kinds of people out there
00:10:57.12\00:10:59.35
that are, that could take,
00:10:59.39\00:11:01.16
try to take
advantage of a situation.
00:11:01.19\00:11:03.36
We're mature
enough to know that.
00:11:03.39\00:11:05.16
So we ask for the
church that you belong to,
00:11:05.19\00:11:07.80
the pastor that we
can follow that up with.
00:11:07.83\00:11:09.96
And, of course,
00:11:10.00\00:11:11.33
this has to have
an email address,
00:11:11.37\00:11:13.40
because Mondays, Thursdays,
prayer requests goes out.
00:11:13.44\00:11:17.11
Don's involved, Don and
Mitch take care of that.
00:11:17.14\00:11:20.28
And we could have 50
or 100 prayer requests
00:11:20.31\00:11:22.54
that come in twice a week.
00:11:22.58\00:11:24.95
And those goes
out to those people
00:11:24.98\00:11:26.41
the remaining ones.
00:11:26.45\00:11:27.78
And then they receive it,
00:11:27.82\00:11:29.38
we've got it broken down
into different categories.
00:11:29.42\00:11:31.65
And they pray accordingly.
00:11:31.69\00:11:33.02
It's their ministry. Amen.
00:11:33.05\00:11:34.92
But every time zone in the world
00:11:34.96\00:11:37.26
is being covered there.
00:11:37.29\00:11:38.63
We have people in South
Africa, we have people in Asia,
00:11:38.66\00:11:41.33
we have people in South America,
00:11:41.36\00:11:43.70
Central America,
00:11:43.73\00:11:45.53
of course, the United States
that are that's their ministry,
00:11:45.57\00:11:49.60
they look forward.
00:11:49.64\00:11:50.97
If per chance there's a holiday,
00:11:51.01\00:11:53.61
the phone lights up.
00:11:53.64\00:11:56.14
Where is our, our ministry,
00:11:56.18\00:11:59.21
where is the
prayer request today?
00:11:59.25\00:12:01.12
So we have learned that
00:12:01.15\00:12:02.92
if something if
there's going to be a reason
00:12:02.95\00:12:04.62
why we're not open
that particular day,
00:12:04.65\00:12:06.69
we send it out to
them ahead of time
00:12:06.72\00:12:08.96
so that they
know what to expect.
00:12:08.99\00:12:10.93
Not today, but we'll double
up by the end of the week.
00:12:10.96\00:12:13.50
Wow. Powerful ministry.
00:12:13.53\00:12:15.33
Amen. Yes.
00:12:15.36\00:12:17.13
And before we go to some music,
00:12:17.17\00:12:18.50
I just want to
comment again on those Bibles
00:12:18.53\00:12:21.50
for prison ministry.
00:12:21.54\00:12:22.87
And again, this
is Behind The Scenes,
00:12:22.90\00:12:24.24
the first hour we
spend also thanking you
00:12:24.27\00:12:26.57
for your support of the
different projects Cuba,
00:12:26.61\00:12:29.28
the Hard Drive
Initiative with Dare to Dream.
00:12:29.31\00:12:31.28
I also want to
mention a big thank you to you
00:12:31.31\00:12:34.02
because many of you
have stepped forward,
00:12:34.05\00:12:35.85
articles in the
World Magazine you've seen
00:12:35.88\00:12:37.55
or some of the
newsletters from 3ABN online.
00:12:37.59\00:12:39.79
Behind The Scenes
00:12:39.82\00:12:41.16
you've heard
about the prison Bibles,
00:12:41.19\00:12:42.92
thank you for your support,
00:12:42.96\00:12:44.43
because thousands of
dollars have come in,
00:12:44.46\00:12:46.93
JD, for the Bibles
for prison ministry
00:12:46.96\00:12:48.76
because these
Bibles, like you said
00:12:48.80\00:12:50.13
are not just a
really cute little Bible.
00:12:50.17\00:12:51.93
These are nice, has
study helps inside of them.
00:12:51.97\00:12:54.57
These goes to the prisoners.
00:12:54.60\00:12:55.94
And so thank you for standing
behind that initiative of 3ABN
00:12:55.97\00:12:59.27
to prison ministry.
00:12:59.31\00:13:00.64
It's a great, great outreach.
00:13:00.68\00:13:02.41
I would just like
to take this time,
00:13:02.44\00:13:03.78
Ralph and
Marilyn, thank you so much.
00:13:03.81\00:13:05.98
Two or three times
a year they'll say,
00:13:06.01\00:13:08.85
"Hey, send out
another 100 Bibles.
00:13:08.88\00:13:11.02
We want another 100
Bibles for y'all to send out."
00:13:11.05\00:13:14.06
That will happen two
or three times a year.
00:13:14.09\00:13:16.12
Here's a
precious lady right here.
00:13:16.16\00:13:18.59
She's where you
take $50 of this donation
00:13:18.63\00:13:23.03
and put it toward Bibles.
00:13:23.06\00:13:24.40
Amen.
00:13:24.43\00:13:25.77
And so people, you know,
00:13:25.80\00:13:27.14
they're really
getting behind this.
00:13:27.17\00:13:28.57
It's absolutely fantastic.
00:13:28.60\00:13:29.97
I'm really excited about
00:13:30.01\00:13:31.37
and I don't know a
whole lot about it,
00:13:31.41\00:13:32.84
but I'm really excited about
what Jason's talking about.
00:13:32.87\00:13:35.28
Yeah. Amen.
00:13:35.31\00:13:37.25
To me the goal of
the Pastoral Department
00:13:37.28\00:13:38.81
is to draw
people nearer to Jesus,
00:13:38.85\00:13:40.98
bring people to
the foot of the cross,
00:13:41.02\00:13:42.78
introduce them to
Him and that's our song.
00:13:42.82\00:13:45.09
Layke Jones will be with
us sharing a wonderful song,
00:13:45.12\00:13:48.19
"Draw Me Near."
00:13:48.22\00:13:49.79
Amen.
00:13:49.82\00:13:51.16
I am Thine, O Lord,
00:13:59.97\00:14:04.11
I have heard Thy voice
00:14:04.14\00:14:08.31
And it told Thy love to me
00:14:08.34\00:14:12.18
But I long to rise
00:14:15.32\00:14:19.59
in the arms of faith
00:14:19.62\00:14:23.83
And be closer drawn to Thee
00:14:23.86\00:14:28.76
Draw me nearer,
00:14:32.70\00:14:38.01
nearer blessed Lord
00:14:38.04\00:14:41.28
To the cross
00:14:41.31\00:14:43.31
where Thou hast died
00:14:43.35\00:14:49.25
Draw me nearer, nearer,
00:14:49.28\00:14:54.79
nearer blessed Lord
00:14:54.82\00:14:57.49
To Thy precious,
00:15:00.80\00:15:04.73
bleeding side
00:15:04.77\00:15:08.57
Consecrate me now
00:15:14.68\00:15:18.98
to Thy service, Lord
00:15:19.01\00:15:23.28
By the pow'r of grace divine
00:15:23.32\00:15:27.66
And let my soul look up
00:15:31.06\00:15:35.10
with a steadfast hope
00:15:35.13\00:15:39.33
And my will be lost in Thine
00:15:39.37\00:15:44.51
And draw me nearer,
00:15:55.68\00:16:00.99
nearer blessed Lord
00:16:01.02\00:16:03.76
To the cross
00:16:03.79\00:16:05.89
where Thou hast died
00:16:05.93\00:16:11.17
Draw me nearer, nearer,
00:16:11.20\00:16:15.90
nearer blessed Lord
00:16:15.94\00:16:21.61
To Thy precious,
00:16:21.64\00:16:26.05
bleeding side
00:16:26.08\00:16:31.42
Oh, the pure delight
00:16:40.43\00:16:44.83
of a single hour
00:16:44.87\00:16:48.94
That before Thy throne I spend
00:16:48.97\00:16:53.58
When I kneel in prayer,
00:16:56.68\00:17:00.58
and with Thee, my God
00:17:00.62\00:17:05.15
I commune as friend with friend!
00:17:05.19\00:17:09.66
Draw me nearer,
00:17:13.43\00:17:18.73
nearer blessed Lord
00:17:18.77\00:17:21.44
To the cross
where Thou hast died
00:17:21.47\00:17:25.17
Draw me nearer, nearer,
00:17:28.88\00:17:33.85
nearer blessed Lord
00:17:33.88\00:17:37.49
To Thy precious,
00:17:42.39\00:17:48.56
Bleeding side
00:17:48.60\00:17:52.23
Amen.
00:18:11.65\00:18:12.99
Thank you so much
Layke Jones and Tim Parton.
00:18:13.02\00:18:15.12
What a powerful message in song,
00:18:15.16\00:18:17.39
"Draw Me Nearer"
00:18:17.43\00:18:18.76
you know that should be
the prayer of each one of us
00:18:18.79\00:18:20.53
is draw us nearer to Jesus.
00:18:20.56\00:18:23.30
You know what's
interesting to me too
00:18:23.33\00:18:24.73
though is that God
wants us to be near to Him,
00:18:24.77\00:18:27.44
but you know it's up to us
00:18:27.47\00:18:28.90
actually to go into
His Word on a daily basis,
00:18:28.94\00:18:31.97
feed on His Word
00:18:32.01\00:18:33.34
and then we will be
drawn closer to Jesus Christ.
00:18:33.38\00:18:35.78
What a great
relationship, you know,
00:18:35.81\00:18:37.45
we can have with the
creator of the universe,
00:18:37.48\00:18:40.18
you know, He's
someone that we respect
00:18:40.22\00:18:43.05
and revere and honor and
fear may I say in a good sense.
00:18:43.08\00:18:46.19
But the same
time to realize that
00:18:46.22\00:18:48.39
the love that He has for us
00:18:48.42\00:18:50.93
that He'd be willing to
die for just me or just you
00:18:50.96\00:18:54.86
or for the entire
world as He's died for.
00:18:54.90\00:18:57.03
It's just incredible love.
00:18:57.07\00:18:58.63
And wow, what an
opportunity 3ABN has,
00:18:58.67\00:19:01.00
we're talking
about behind the scenes
00:19:01.04\00:19:02.80
of spreading the love of
Jesus to a lost and dying world.
00:19:02.84\00:19:06.64
And on the Behind The Scenes
00:19:06.68\00:19:08.01
we've been talking about
some of the new initiatives,
00:19:08.04\00:19:09.38
some of the things
that are happening.
00:19:09.41\00:19:10.75
One of them that
we've been talking about,
00:19:10.78\00:19:12.18
if you've been watching
3ABN for the last few months,
00:19:12.21\00:19:14.72
you've been
noticing the text number
00:19:14.75\00:19:16.55
we've been putting up
00:19:16.58\00:19:17.92
because a lot of people email
00:19:17.95\00:19:19.29
still but a lot of
people use this phone,
00:19:19.32\00:19:20.66
not this phone, your phone.
00:19:20.69\00:19:22.49
Thank you. Make
sure I get that right.
00:19:22.52\00:19:24.69
Use your phone,
00:19:24.73\00:19:26.06
and your texting
messaging people.
00:19:26.09\00:19:28.33
And we have the ability to
text the pastoral department.
00:19:28.36\00:19:31.53
Donald, tell me how that's going
00:19:31.57\00:19:32.90
and someone may say,
00:19:32.93\00:19:34.27
"Wow, how do I do that?"
00:19:34.30\00:19:35.64
Yeah, yeah, incredible
this opportunity we have.
00:19:35.67\00:19:37.97
You know, people
that are kind of more shy
00:19:38.01\00:19:39.41
about calling in
00:19:39.44\00:19:40.78
and more people
are more comfortable
00:19:40.81\00:19:42.21
they can text into
the (618)-228-3975 number
00:19:42.24\00:19:46.95
they can send a
text to us but...
00:19:46.98\00:19:48.48
9375 or is it...
00:19:48.52\00:19:50.19
3975. Okay, 3975.
00:19:50.22\00:19:51.85
So we, they've been texting
in with their Bible questions.
00:19:51.89\00:19:54.92
Some people I just recently...
00:19:54.96\00:19:56.49
Oh that's neat. So
not just a prayer request.
00:19:56.52\00:19:57.89
Yeah, yeah, it's
so they're asking
00:19:57.93\00:19:59.66
just had one recently said,
00:19:59.69\00:20:01.03
"Are we in the
time of the abomination
00:20:01.06\00:20:02.40
causes desolation?"
00:20:02.43\00:20:03.77
So to answer that,
00:20:03.80\00:20:05.13
and won't do it
all through texting,
00:20:05.17\00:20:06.50
but we'll actually
email the person who responds,
00:20:06.53\00:20:08.50
but we also have some
individual adult person
00:20:08.54\00:20:11.07
sent me a text
that's recently said,
00:20:11.11\00:20:13.34
"I don't know how to pray,
00:20:13.38\00:20:14.71
I don't know,
I've been so abused,
00:20:14.74\00:20:16.41
I've been so roughed up, I
just don't know how to pray.
00:20:16.44\00:20:18.48
I don't know what to do."
00:20:18.51\00:20:19.85
And I mean, this is
somebody can just reach out
00:20:19.88\00:20:21.85
just to have a
little bit of an opportunity
00:20:21.88\00:20:23.69
to reach out through texts,
00:20:23.72\00:20:25.05
and communication
with this person on and off
00:20:25.09\00:20:26.79
and they're starting
to feel more comfortable.
00:20:26.82\00:20:28.72
They want to start being open
00:20:28.76\00:20:30.23
and start sharing to
get through all that stuff
00:20:30.26\00:20:32.09
that they're experiencing.
00:20:32.13\00:20:33.63
So this texting is a
really an interesting tool.
00:20:33.66\00:20:36.23
Because you know,
the generation we're in
00:20:36.26\00:20:37.93
so many people are
just easily to send a text,
00:20:37.97\00:20:39.90
it's real quick and so.
00:20:39.93\00:20:42.00
Yeah, this texting, I think
is a great opportunity for us
00:20:42.04\00:20:44.21
to connect with our
viewers and with those who,
00:20:44.24\00:20:46.54
even new people
that haven't experienced,
00:20:46.57\00:20:48.31
you know, 3ABN before.
00:20:48.34\00:20:50.28
So if you have tonight,
if you have prayer requests,
00:20:50.31\00:20:53.85
or if you have Bible
questions, and not just tonight,
00:20:53.88\00:20:56.45
you can send them tomorrow,
00:20:56.48\00:20:57.82
you can send
them on the weekend.
00:20:57.85\00:20:59.19
You can send them
every day of the week,
00:20:59.22\00:21:01.36
you can send
them during the day,
00:21:01.39\00:21:02.72
you can send them in
the middle of the night,
00:21:02.76\00:21:04.13
they all come in
through the computer system
00:21:04.16\00:21:06.06
and the Pastoral
Department has access
00:21:06.09\00:21:08.66
to answer your Bible questions
00:21:08.70\00:21:10.30
or pray for your prayer needs.
00:21:10.33\00:21:12.47
So make sure you text us.
00:21:12.50\00:21:13.84
Write that number down,
save it in your cell phone,
00:21:13.87\00:21:16.40
3ABN prayer line for texting.
00:21:16.44\00:21:18.47
This is (618) 228-3975.
00:21:18.51\00:21:23.45
That number again,
00:21:23.48\00:21:24.81
if you're listening
on the radio right now,
00:21:24.85\00:21:26.31
is (618) 228-3975.
00:21:26.35\00:21:31.09
You can text any
time of the day or night,
00:21:31.12\00:21:34.16
it doesn't mean
we answer right away.
00:21:34.19\00:21:35.92
But we will be
able to get to you
00:21:35.96\00:21:37.69
when the department
comes back into work.
00:21:37.73\00:21:39.89
You know, I mean,
this is Behind The Scenes,
00:21:39.93\00:21:41.73
and I just want
to share with you,
00:21:41.76\00:21:43.10
you know, my dream and vision.
00:21:43.13\00:21:44.47
I don't know if it
ever come to fruition,
00:21:44.50\00:21:45.83
but I would
really like it someday.
00:21:45.87\00:21:47.67
Because again,
3ABN is worldwide,
00:21:47.70\00:21:49.87
there's someone always awake
or someone else is sleeping,
00:21:49.90\00:21:51.67
just because of
the time zones, right?
00:21:51.71\00:21:53.54
I would really,
it'd be just so neat
00:21:53.58\00:21:55.31
through like texting, messaging,
00:21:55.34\00:21:56.85
that there's someone
that actually will respond
00:21:56.88\00:21:58.75
within a matter
of a minute or two,
00:21:58.78\00:22:00.55
no matter what time of day,
00:22:00.58\00:22:01.92
no matter what part
of the world you're from,
00:22:01.95\00:22:03.52
these gentlemen have to sleep.
00:22:03.55\00:22:04.89
We're in the Central Time Zone.
00:22:04.92\00:22:06.25
But it'd be so neat, you know,
00:22:06.29\00:22:07.62
and I know God will
provide that somehow
00:22:07.66\00:22:08.99
because again, this
isn't communication.
00:22:09.02\00:22:10.93
You all experience this,
00:22:10.96\00:22:12.29
someone who's
getting ready or thinks about
00:22:12.33\00:22:13.70
thinking about
committing suicide,
00:22:13.73\00:22:15.33
you know, they
don't want to wait
00:22:15.36\00:22:16.70
or can't wait,
you know, 12 hours,
00:22:16.73\00:22:18.27
maybe so I think, I don't know,
00:22:18.30\00:22:20.70
God will provide a way
for that to be possible that
00:22:20.74\00:22:23.10
that communication
can be 24 hours a day,
00:22:23.14\00:22:25.41
seven days a week,
even Bible questions.
00:22:25.44\00:22:27.44
Because again, we're in an age
of people wanting instant reply
00:22:27.48\00:22:30.85
of some sorts, like
an instant gratification,
00:22:30.88\00:22:32.85
but the instant
gratification in a good way
00:22:32.88\00:22:34.85
of the biblical
spiritual aspect.
00:22:34.88\00:22:36.99
That's right. Amen.
00:22:37.02\00:22:38.42
Going on to new
things, Pastor Ryan,
00:22:38.45\00:22:40.39
tell us about
this exciting database,
00:22:40.42\00:22:41.99
because this is
another initiative
00:22:42.02\00:22:43.46
of the Pastoral Department.
00:22:43.49\00:22:44.83
I'm so excited.
Yeah, absolutely.
00:22:44.86\00:22:46.19
So it's still a
work in progress.
00:22:46.23\00:22:47.56
We're still trucking along
trying to build our database,
00:22:47.60\00:22:50.60
because obviously, the
database is not worth anything,
00:22:50.63\00:22:53.07
unless it's
actually got content.
00:22:53.10\00:22:54.44
That's right.
00:22:54.47\00:22:55.80
People can actually go to,
00:22:55.84\00:22:57.17
but that's what
we've been working on
00:22:57.21\00:22:58.54
over the past
few months to a year.
00:22:58.57\00:22:59.91
And basically,
the concept is that
00:22:59.94\00:23:01.98
if you have a Bible question,
00:23:02.01\00:23:03.88
whatever that
Bible question may be,
00:23:03.91\00:23:05.91
sometimes we get
calls all the time,
00:23:05.95\00:23:07.75
whether it's me,
JD, Donald, Mitch,
00:23:07.78\00:23:09.82
and people call in and
they have a Bible question.
00:23:09.85\00:23:12.05
And sometimes, it
may be a Bible question
00:23:12.09\00:23:14.86
that you can answer
00:23:14.89\00:23:16.22
as Brother JD would
say in 25 words or less,
00:23:16.26\00:23:18.59
or may be something that
requires a little bit more
00:23:18.63\00:23:22.26
of an extensive answer.
00:23:22.30\00:23:23.63
Regardless of that
00:23:23.67\00:23:25.00
this database comes in
to help us in that manner.
00:23:25.03\00:23:29.00
You know,
somebody calls in and says,
00:23:29.04\00:23:30.41
"Ryan, I'm really struggling
00:23:30.44\00:23:31.91
with understanding the
2, 300 year time prophecy,"
00:23:31.94\00:23:34.34
or "I'm really,
00:23:34.38\00:23:35.71
I'm not really
fully understanding
00:23:35.74\00:23:37.41
the concept of sanctification
00:23:37.45\00:23:38.91
and how it
pertains to the gospel."
00:23:38.95\00:23:40.65
You know, we're, we can be able
00:23:40.68\00:23:42.02
to encourage them
on the phone and say,
00:23:42.05\00:23:43.39
"You know, this is the
general juiced version of it.
00:23:43.42\00:23:45.89
But you know what?
00:23:45.92\00:23:47.26
Let me, what's
your email address?
00:23:47.29\00:23:48.69
Let me send you a
link to our database
00:23:48.72\00:23:51.76
where actually we answer this
in its fullness right there.
00:23:51.79\00:23:55.60
And in course, it's
going to be an awesome,
00:23:55.63\00:23:57.70
the way it's going to be set up
00:23:57.73\00:23:59.07
as you'll be able to go on there
00:23:59.10\00:24:00.44
and, you know,
search certain topics,
00:24:00.47\00:24:01.80
whether it's truth about
death, truth about Sabbath,
00:24:01.84\00:24:04.77
truth about
whatever it is that it is,
00:24:04.81\00:24:06.37
you have a question about,
00:24:06.41\00:24:07.74
they will be able to search that
00:24:07.78\00:24:09.11
just by simply, you
know, typing in a search bar,
00:24:09.14\00:24:11.15
or looking it up alphabetically,
00:24:11.18\00:24:13.11
or there's going
to be multiple ways
00:24:13.15\00:24:14.55
that we're going to build this
to be user friendly for people
00:24:14.58\00:24:16.48
to be able to get their
Bible question answered.
00:24:16.52\00:24:18.92
And so again, it's
a work in progress,
00:24:18.95\00:24:21.12
Lord willing, we
hope to have something up
00:24:21.16\00:24:23.32
in the next few months.
00:24:23.36\00:24:24.69
Amen. But will...
00:24:24.73\00:24:26.06
I think by the end of, for sure,
00:24:26.09\00:24:27.43
by the end of year 2021.
00:24:27.46\00:24:29.23
I think we're going to
have a nice, beautiful,
00:24:29.26\00:24:31.00
functioning database
00:24:31.03\00:24:32.37
that we're
constantly going to be,
00:24:32.40\00:24:34.04
you know, because we
get questions sometimes
00:24:34.07\00:24:35.74
that I've never heard of, right?
00:24:35.77\00:24:37.41
There'll be somebody to
come up with a question.
00:24:37.44\00:24:39.11
I'm just, it just floors me,
00:24:39.14\00:24:40.48
I'm like, oh, you know, I
never considered that before.
00:24:40.51\00:24:42.84
If the Bible talks
about that, and, you know,
00:24:42.88\00:24:44.98
it causes me to do
some Bible research,
00:24:45.01\00:24:47.22
right, which is wonderful.
00:24:47.25\00:24:48.58
And so that that being said,
00:24:48.62\00:24:49.95
that's what this database
is going to be all about.
00:24:49.98\00:24:51.89
It's going to be an all access,
00:24:51.92\00:24:54.02
user friendly way
that people can communicate
00:24:54.06\00:24:57.39
and use this as a
resource, as a tool
00:24:57.43\00:25:00.36
to get their Bible
questions answered.
00:25:00.40\00:25:02.16
It's going to point them right
to a nice, harmonious answer
00:25:02.20\00:25:05.47
from the Bible.
00:25:05.50\00:25:07.14
I'm so excited about that.
00:25:07.17\00:25:08.67
Wow, yeah, me too.
00:25:08.70\00:25:10.34
And I'm assuming it's going
be on your phone too right,
00:25:10.37\00:25:13.07
the database be
easily searchable
00:25:13.11\00:25:14.91
with your phone.
00:25:14.94\00:25:16.28
You know, it'd be neat
and maybe you're thinking
00:25:16.31\00:25:17.65
about this to
actually have an app somehow,
00:25:17.68\00:25:19.38
that's part of that,
like a 3ABN, and whatever
00:25:19.41\00:25:21.55
we're calling a
question and answer database
00:25:21.58\00:25:23.28
or something that
would connect to it as well
00:25:23.32\00:25:24.82
that you could
share with somebody to
00:25:24.85\00:25:26.19
because this is an
incredible resource.
00:25:26.22\00:25:27.89
Where are you at now
00:25:27.92\00:25:29.26
as far as questions and answers?
00:25:29.29\00:25:30.63
Do you know?
00:25:30.66\00:25:31.99
Do you even have a
note where you're at?
00:25:32.03\00:25:33.36
Oh, man, I don't know
for I would have to go back
00:25:33.40\00:25:34.73
and count probably in the upper
00:25:34.76\00:25:36.10
I don't know, we're
close to 100 at this point,
00:25:36.13\00:25:37.47
just by myself.
00:25:37.50\00:25:38.83
Yay! That's exciting.
00:25:38.87\00:25:40.20
The idea would be to,
00:25:40.24\00:25:41.57
eventually this machine's
going to become so big,
00:25:41.60\00:25:42.94
that it's not
going to be able to,
00:25:42.97\00:25:44.31
and we're going to
need multiple people
00:25:44.34\00:25:45.67
to contribute to.
00:25:45.71\00:25:47.04
Pastor John Lomacang...
00:25:47.08\00:25:48.41
Yeah, Lomacang, and then
several other resources as well
00:25:48.44\00:25:49.78
that we can tap into to
00:25:49.81\00:25:51.15
get some good
clear Bible answers from
00:25:51.18\00:25:52.85
but, yeah, it's,
it's going to be good.
00:25:52.88\00:25:57.02
It's extremely exciting.
00:25:57.05\00:25:58.39
I mean, I mean, it just,
00:25:58.42\00:26:00.56
if you were
sitting in our chair,
00:26:00.59\00:26:02.46
in our office,
00:26:02.49\00:26:04.29
man, this is, this
is just right there
00:26:04.33\00:26:06.49
at your fingertips
00:26:06.53\00:26:07.86
people could call in,
00:26:07.90\00:26:09.23
and you may not truly
understand everything yourself.
00:26:09.26\00:26:13.20
But you can just
bring it up that fast.
00:26:13.23\00:26:15.60
And I'm just so blessed.
00:26:15.64\00:26:17.87
Amen.
00:26:17.91\00:26:19.41
And this is, this is
the God that we serve.
00:26:19.44\00:26:23.24
He brings the people in
that we need at the right time.
00:26:23.28\00:26:25.95
That's right. And
it was time for this.
00:26:25.98\00:26:27.92
Oh, definitely.
00:26:27.95\00:26:29.28
We've done this in the past,
00:26:29.32\00:26:30.65
we have 3ABN
questions and answers.
00:26:30.69\00:26:32.85
And how long is a
day? Twenty four hours?
00:26:32.89\00:26:37.33
So we can answer that.
00:26:37.36\00:26:38.69
You know, but people
want a little bit more.
00:26:38.73\00:26:40.06
Today's people's
minds is wandering a little,
00:26:40.10\00:26:42.26
they take a
little bit step further.
00:26:42.30\00:26:43.87
And so Ryan was very...
00:26:43.90\00:26:46.67
Oh, wow, that's great. Amen.
00:26:46.70\00:26:48.04
He's very gifted by the Lord.
00:26:48.07\00:26:49.97
Ryan has put this in my mind,
00:26:50.01\00:26:53.24
because a couple of
times I've gone and said,
00:26:53.27\00:26:54.81
"Boy, that's great, man.
There's nothing good in me."
00:26:54.84\00:26:58.78
And, you know,
that's thinking through
00:26:58.81\00:27:00.62
because we're all gifted of God.
00:27:00.65\00:27:02.28
Right. That's right.
00:27:02.32\00:27:03.65
And so I'm working on that.
00:27:03.69\00:27:05.19
God has certainly blessed
this young man over here.
00:27:05.22\00:27:08.12
And the way his mind works,
00:27:08.16\00:27:09.49
where he
processes his information,
00:27:09.52\00:27:11.29
and how he can put
it in writing and so.
00:27:11.33\00:27:14.13
And I have to say
here, you know, again,
00:27:14.16\00:27:15.80
not to uplift the individuals,
00:27:15.83\00:27:17.27
but it's been such a
blessing working in Pastoral
00:27:17.30\00:27:19.63
because you get to be surrounded
00:27:19.67\00:27:21.00
by individuals
00:27:21.04\00:27:22.37
who are just on
fire for the Lord,
00:27:22.40\00:27:23.87
people that are dedicated
to the mission of God's Word.
00:27:23.91\00:27:27.11
And you know, to be
able to have our little chats
00:27:27.14\00:27:29.18
every day that JD and I
have, you know, it's a blessing.
00:27:29.21\00:27:32.65
I learned so much because
00:27:32.68\00:27:34.02
while I'm approaching
things from a very systematic,
00:27:34.05\00:27:37.49
you know, biblically
research type perspective,
00:27:37.52\00:27:40.29
he'll come in
and drop a parable,
00:27:40.32\00:27:41.92
just his own made up parable
on to illustrate something,
00:27:41.96\00:27:45.16
and I'm just like wow, you know.
00:27:45.19\00:27:47.96
That just completely
revolutionized my thinking.
00:27:48.00\00:27:50.33
And it also helps
00:27:50.37\00:27:51.70
to be around people like Donald,
00:27:51.73\00:27:53.07
it's never a dull
moment around Donald
00:27:53.10\00:27:54.44
because he's always
outgoing, he's always smiling.
00:27:54.47\00:27:55.97
Oh, yes.
00:27:56.00\00:27:57.34
He's always excited
and on fire for the Lord.
00:27:57.37\00:27:58.91
And there may be
days that I come into work
00:27:58.94\00:28:00.71
just that's my human
side of me that I'm just like,
00:28:00.74\00:28:02.81
"Oh, man, it's, you know,
00:28:02.84\00:28:04.78
it's going to be really hard
for me to get myself you know,
00:28:04.81\00:28:07.02
my brain up and going
00:28:07.05\00:28:08.38
to really go back
through this whole, "
00:28:08.42\00:28:09.75
but to see somebody
like Donald come in,
00:28:09.78\00:28:11.15
it's like, you
know, on fire ready to go.
00:28:11.19\00:28:13.29
Praise the Lord,
another good day,
00:28:13.32\00:28:14.66
you know, I'm just like,
00:28:14.69\00:28:16.02
you know what, I need
to be more like Donald.
00:28:16.06\00:28:18.46
You know, what a great team.
00:28:18.49\00:28:19.83
Absolutely, absolutely.
00:28:19.86\00:28:21.20
And then reaching the world
to is an incredible resource,
00:28:21.23\00:28:23.97
the 3ABN Pastoral Department.
00:28:24.00\00:28:25.47
I'm just thinking how we're
all part of the body of Christ.
00:28:25.50\00:28:27.60
That's what I was going to say.
00:28:27.64\00:28:29.77
And God makes, gives
gifts to each member of the body
00:28:29.80\00:28:34.34
to fulfill that role
and as we transition here,
00:28:34.38\00:28:37.15
we had told you
at the first hour,
00:28:37.18\00:28:38.95
we're going to hear
some of the stories,
00:28:38.98\00:28:40.38
some of the miracles,
00:28:40.42\00:28:41.75
some of what's
happening from people
00:28:41.78\00:28:43.59
who call the prayer line,
00:28:43.62\00:28:45.25
some of those answers to prayer.
00:28:45.29\00:28:47.89
So every day, every single day,
00:28:47.92\00:28:50.23
these men and women
00:28:50.26\00:28:51.79
because we have
Iris and Jenni up there
00:28:51.83\00:28:53.40
have the privilege
and opportunity too
00:28:53.43\00:28:55.76
and Anne, thank you
00:28:55.80\00:28:57.13
to impact people's
lives for eternity.
00:28:57.17\00:28:59.80
So let's just go
around the circle and share.
00:28:59.83\00:29:02.64
We'll start with you, JD.
00:29:02.67\00:29:04.01
Share a story, experiences?
00:29:04.04\00:29:06.51
I don't know if
you can read this.
00:29:06.54\00:29:07.94
This is a letter
that we received.
00:29:07.98\00:29:10.25
This is my word
right here, very good.
00:29:10.28\00:29:12.71
This is very good.
I can see that. Yes.
00:29:12.75\00:29:15.45
Let me just read part
of this, this is touching.
00:29:15.48\00:29:17.95
I mean, this is, uh...
00:29:17.99\00:29:20.89
Let me read one of the,
read one end of it first.
00:29:20.92\00:29:23.89
A lot of highlights
on that paper I see.
00:29:23.93\00:29:25.73
Oh, I mean, this is
so yummy, yummy, yummy.
00:29:25.76\00:29:30.97
Oh, and I was going
to start well, okay.
00:29:31.00\00:29:33.97
"My husband and I are nearing
the end of our lives now.
00:29:34.00\00:29:37.54
And we approach death
knowing Jesus is coming for us
00:29:37.57\00:29:41.24
and that we are safe
in the arms until then."
00:29:41.28\00:29:44.58
Now let me go back up
here at the beginning, okay.
00:29:44.61\00:29:48.75
"Dear friends
and family of 3ABN."
00:29:48.78\00:29:51.19
This came in December in
the latter part of December
00:29:51.22\00:29:55.46
and I'm skipping a lot.
00:29:55.49\00:29:57.16
"But today 3ABN
is our main lifeline
00:29:57.19\00:30:02.43
for worship, praise,
study, encouragement,
00:30:02.46\00:30:06.47
and expanded faith
00:30:06.50\00:30:07.84
and understanding of who God is.
00:30:07.87\00:30:09.94
On down, we are so grateful
for your faithfulness to God,
00:30:09.97\00:30:13.78
His Word, Jesus the
truth, the Holy Spirit.
00:30:13.81\00:30:16.78
We are grateful
for what you are doing
00:30:16.81\00:30:19.05
for God, for Jesus, for mankind.
00:30:19.08\00:30:22.08
You are the beacon of
light in the dark storm.
00:30:22.12\00:30:29.02
I'm asking you to please
00:30:29.06\00:30:31.86
pray for my husband and myself.
00:30:31.89\00:30:36.53
We've been married for 58 years.
00:30:36.56\00:30:38.83
I can't think of
life without him.
00:30:38.87\00:30:40.87
And he has esophageal cancer.
00:30:40.90\00:30:43.44
Bless his heart.
00:30:43.47\00:30:44.81
So we need your
prayer for us in every way.
00:30:44.84\00:30:48.81
We have no family, no children,
our church is our family.
00:30:48.84\00:30:53.92
So all we're just asking
you to all hold your arms up,
00:30:53.95\00:30:59.09
help us raise
our arms up and pray.
00:30:59.12\00:31:02.32
So blessed to know
that you were there.
00:31:02.36\00:31:05.69
We've kept 3ABN in our prayers
and have been truly blessed."
00:31:05.73\00:31:10.83
How special.
00:31:10.87\00:31:12.47
3ABN's a lifeline.
00:31:12.50\00:31:14.04
Lifeline, a beacon
of light on a hill.
00:31:14.07\00:31:17.74
And here we're
on 24 hours a day,
00:31:17.77\00:31:20.34
worldwide.
00:31:20.38\00:31:21.74
And there are
many more like that.
00:31:21.78\00:31:23.55
Many more. Yeah.
00:31:23.58\00:31:25.25
This one just
jumped off the page,
00:31:25.28\00:31:26.68
because been married 58
years and saying, there.
00:31:26.72\00:31:32.75
"I don't know how
I'm going to live my life
00:31:32.79\00:31:34.66
without my helpmate."
00:31:34.69\00:31:37.03
I mean, and then here, both are,
00:31:37.06\00:31:39.76
we're nearing the end of
our lives can still write.
00:31:39.79\00:31:43.20
But still are
cognizant enough to know,
00:31:43.23\00:31:46.03
"Hey, we've had a good life,
we've had a great marriage.
00:31:46.07\00:31:50.01
God has blessed
00:31:50.04\00:31:51.41
because we keep our
eyes focused on Him."
00:31:51.44\00:31:54.18
Amen.
00:31:54.21\00:31:55.54
What a great,
that's encouraging.
00:31:55.58\00:31:56.91
It just says that,
00:31:56.95\00:31:58.28
"So thank you, thank you."
00:31:58.31\00:31:59.65
Amen. Yes. That's powerful.
00:31:59.68\00:32:01.15
I want to encourage you at home
00:32:01.18\00:32:02.52
to pray for
this precious couple.
00:32:02.55\00:32:03.89
JD just read the
letter, but pray for them.
00:32:03.92\00:32:05.85
The Lord knows their name.
00:32:05.89\00:32:07.26
Pray for them that
God would sustain them
00:32:07.29\00:32:09.32
and walk beside
them through this time.
00:32:09.36\00:32:11.99
Ryan, your story.
00:32:12.03\00:32:13.50
Yeah, you know,
where do I start?
00:32:13.53\00:32:17.33
You know, I tend
to be more on the,
00:32:17.37\00:32:20.10
you know, answering
Bible question side of things.
00:32:20.14\00:32:22.40
But you know, there's times
throughout the day where I,
00:32:22.44\00:32:24.81
you know, I obviously am
open to that pastoral group
00:32:24.84\00:32:27.01
and people call in,
00:32:27.04\00:32:28.38
they may not
have a Bible question,
00:32:28.41\00:32:29.74
but they may just want
to pray about something.
00:32:29.78\00:32:31.21
You know, my heart breaks,
00:32:31.25\00:32:32.58
because the
majority of during this time
00:32:32.61\00:32:34.62
is people calling in and saying,
00:32:34.65\00:32:35.98
you know, my loved one's sick.
00:32:36.02\00:32:38.45
My friend has COVID,
pray for my mom, she has this.
00:32:38.49\00:32:41.66
It seems a lot of
COVID related stuff
00:32:41.69\00:32:43.09
during the time.
00:32:43.12\00:32:44.46
It's just real. I
mean, that's just what it is.
00:32:44.49\00:32:45.89
And, you know
what's amazing to me is
00:32:45.93\00:32:48.53
I had multiple cases
00:32:48.56\00:32:50.40
like the one I'm
about to illustrate,
00:32:50.43\00:32:51.77
but it's amazing to
me the power of prayer.
00:32:51.80\00:32:56.24
Because there's and I
know you guys get this as well,
00:32:56.27\00:32:59.37
you'll get this
person to call in.
00:32:59.41\00:33:01.31
And the tone of
their voice says it all.
00:33:01.34\00:33:03.31
They call in and they may say,
00:33:03.35\00:33:04.95
it may sound
something like this.
00:33:04.98\00:33:06.85
"Yes, I'd like to have prayer."
00:33:06.88\00:33:10.35
"Yeah, what can we pray for?"
00:33:10.39\00:33:12.79
"My father has COVID
and it's not looking good.
00:33:12.82\00:33:15.69
He's in the hospital."
00:33:15.72\00:33:17.06
You know they're broke,
00:33:17.09\00:33:18.43
it's real somber
and at that moment,
00:33:18.46\00:33:22.60
you get to tap in to
this life source of God,
00:33:22.63\00:33:26.50
and call upon him.
00:33:26.53\00:33:27.94
And I always in
every call that I get,
00:33:27.97\00:33:30.67
I read this text
here from the Bible,
00:33:30.71\00:33:32.57
or I will say it in my prayer,
00:33:32.61\00:33:34.41
because I'm
claiming its promise.
00:33:34.44\00:33:35.94
And it's 1 John 5:14-15.
00:33:35.98\00:33:39.61
I hang on to this. Yes.
00:33:39.65\00:33:40.98
And I encourage people to
hang on to this one as well.
00:33:41.02\00:33:43.89
And this is what it says.
00:33:43.92\00:33:45.35
This is 1 John 5:14-15.
00:33:45.39\00:33:48.26
It says, "Now this
is the confidence,"
00:33:48.29\00:33:50.59
I love that.
00:33:50.63\00:33:51.96
"Now, this is the
confidence that we have in Him
00:33:51.99\00:33:55.13
that if we ask anything,
according to His will..."
00:33:55.16\00:33:59.53
Now that's the key. It is, yes.
00:33:59.57\00:34:00.90
A lot of people say,
00:34:00.94\00:34:02.27
"You know, I've prayed
for this, I prayed for that.
00:34:02.30\00:34:03.74
And I keep praying
and praying and praying
00:34:03.77\00:34:05.11
and God's not
answering my prayer."
00:34:05.14\00:34:06.47
Well, is that
according to His will,
00:34:06.51\00:34:08.14
we don't know that.
00:34:08.18\00:34:09.51
But God knows,
right? And I love this.
00:34:09.54\00:34:10.98
It says, "If we ask
anything according to His will,
00:34:11.01\00:34:13.18
He hears us."
00:34:13.21\00:34:14.55
Yes. And then verse 15.
00:34:14.58\00:34:16.32
"And if we know
that He hears us,
00:34:16.35\00:34:18.92
whatever we ask,
00:34:18.95\00:34:20.76
we know that we
have the petitions
00:34:20.79\00:34:23.32
that we have asked of Him."
00:34:23.36\00:34:25.29
And so in my prayer, I
always utter those words,
00:34:25.33\00:34:29.23
I claim that promise,
00:34:29.26\00:34:30.80
and those
individuals that call in
00:34:30.83\00:34:32.17
like a lady that
called in the other day,
00:34:32.20\00:34:33.60
"You know, my father's,
00:34:33.64\00:34:34.97
you know, sick with
COVID we're losing him
00:34:35.00\00:34:36.34
and it's just not looking good."
00:34:36.37\00:34:38.64
You know that that
somber voice at the beginning,
00:34:38.67\00:34:40.98
after that prayer, by
the end of that prayer,
00:34:41.01\00:34:43.45
that person is, praise the Lord
00:34:43.48\00:34:46.11
like I feel I
just feel so confident
00:34:46.15\00:34:47.55
that God's going
to answer that prayer,
00:34:47.58\00:34:49.35
just to know the
power of a prayer
00:34:49.38\00:34:51.59
that not it may not
have even been answered yet.
00:34:51.62\00:34:54.16
But because you pray that
special prayer in such a way
00:34:54.19\00:34:57.49
that you have
invoked faith and excitement
00:34:57.53\00:35:01.40
and encouragement
within someone's heart
00:35:01.43\00:35:04.00
as to simple prayer like that.
00:35:04.03\00:35:05.37
It's just powerful.
00:35:05.40\00:35:06.74
And so in
Pastoral, you know, we do,
00:35:06.77\00:35:09.00
you know, I get several calls,
whether it's Bible question,
00:35:09.04\00:35:11.77
but I'll tell
another encouraging thing
00:35:11.81\00:35:13.14
really quickly.
00:35:13.17\00:35:14.51
I don't want to
hog all the time.
00:35:14.54\00:35:15.88
But I'm surprised
by how many questions
00:35:15.91\00:35:17.25
or how many
times we get calls in
00:35:17.28\00:35:18.81
from people
that just simply say,
00:35:18.85\00:35:20.18
"Hey, you know,
I've been watching 3ABN,
00:35:20.22\00:35:21.65
it's changed my life,
00:35:21.68\00:35:23.02
it's changed my
whole perspective on like,
00:35:23.05\00:35:24.89
on the gospel in general
and in the truth of God's Word.
00:35:24.92\00:35:27.72
And, you know what?
00:35:27.76\00:35:29.09
I want to know, like,
where I can find my local,
00:35:29.12\00:35:31.36
is there's a local Seventh-day
Adventist Church in my area."
00:35:31.39\00:35:33.56
So I find myself many
times throughout the day
00:35:33.60\00:35:36.26
on Google Maps, or
Google trying to find you know,
00:35:36.30\00:35:39.80
"Oh, yes, so
where do you live now?"
00:35:39.83\00:35:41.17
"I live in this city."
00:35:41.20\00:35:42.54
So I'll search that city.
00:35:42.57\00:35:43.91
"Oh, it's not in it.
00:35:43.94\00:35:45.27
Closest to up,
00:35:45.31\00:35:46.64
it looks like you
have one 20 minutes away
00:35:46.68\00:35:48.01
at this address."
00:35:48.04\00:35:49.38
It's powerful to
know that there's,
00:35:49.41\00:35:50.75
you know, I get dozens
of those sometimes a week,
00:35:50.78\00:35:52.68
I want to go to a
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:35:52.71\00:35:54.32
but I don't know where it is.
00:35:54.35\00:35:55.68
Could you help point me
in the right direction?"
00:35:55.72\00:35:57.42
Amen.
00:35:57.45\00:35:58.79
And so, it's just,
it's powerful to know
00:35:58.82\00:36:00.16
that God can use
each and every one of us
00:36:00.19\00:36:01.52
and that someone is
being positively affected
00:36:01.56\00:36:04.23
in a miraculous way by
the ministry of this 3ABN.
00:36:04.26\00:36:07.90
So praise the Lord.
00:36:07.93\00:36:09.26
That's why 3ABN
exists, right? Right.
00:36:09.30\00:36:10.63
Yeah.
00:36:10.67\00:36:12.00
To spread the gospel and
the good news to somebody.
00:36:12.03\00:36:13.37
Yeah, that's
hopeless, feels hopeless
00:36:13.40\00:36:15.14
and like, there's no way out.
00:36:15.17\00:36:16.50
I mean, that's incredible.
00:36:16.54\00:36:17.87
Mending broken
people. Mending broken people.
00:36:17.91\00:36:19.91
That's right.
00:36:19.94\00:36:21.28
What about you, Donald?
00:36:21.31\00:36:22.64
To pick up of what you said,
00:36:22.68\00:36:24.01
you don't take it a
step further and say,
00:36:24.05\00:36:25.38
I'll call, I'll
call the actual church.
00:36:25.41\00:36:27.42
I call the church
I'll find an elder.
00:36:27.45\00:36:29.02
I'll find a pastor, somebody
I tried to get a hold of,
00:36:29.05\00:36:31.82
and I've had a few
that have called him.
00:36:31.85\00:36:33.19
I hope they
didn't call him back.
00:36:33.22\00:36:34.56
But I just what God has given me
00:36:34.59\00:36:36.86
I don't know, just
the gifts that He endowed
00:36:36.89\00:36:38.93
with each and every one of us.
00:36:38.96\00:36:40.70
When I, when I
pray, it's like this,
00:36:40.73\00:36:42.20
God puts all
these pieces together,
00:36:42.23\00:36:43.97
its scriptures, testimonies,
and all these things.
00:36:44.00\00:36:46.23
I had a lady that
called a few weeks ago,
00:36:46.27\00:36:48.27
and she said,
00:36:48.30\00:36:49.64
"Yes, you know, I've
been on this type of diet."
00:36:49.67\00:36:51.47
I can't remember the
name it was and she said,
00:36:51.51\00:36:53.24
"I was tired of
all the recipes ahead.
00:36:53.27\00:36:54.78
It just weren't working for me.
00:36:54.81\00:36:56.14
I started clicking
through the channels.
00:36:56.18\00:36:57.51
I saw this recipe online
00:36:57.55\00:36:59.08
and it looks
interesting since then,
00:36:59.11\00:37:00.45
I see this little
3ABN in the corner
00:37:00.48\00:37:01.82
and decided to call.
00:37:01.85\00:37:03.18
Where are you, what is 3ABN?
00:37:03.22\00:37:05.02
Now what are you guys,
what is this all about?"
00:37:05.05\00:37:06.86
So cooking programs,
our cooking programs.
00:37:06.89\00:37:08.22
So she saw and I
had another gentleman
00:37:08.26\00:37:09.59
like you're talking about
00:37:09.62\00:37:10.96
some people call
really depressed,
00:37:10.99\00:37:12.33
an older
gentleman, older gentleman.
00:37:12.36\00:37:13.70
And he's just down now.
00:37:13.73\00:37:15.06
He's like, "Oh, I'm
just doing this horrible.
00:37:15.10\00:37:16.43
I'm just wrong.
00:37:16.46\00:37:17.80
And this is all this heaviness,"
00:37:17.83\00:37:19.17
you know, you
hear the heaviness.
00:37:19.20\00:37:20.54
As I began to pray,
00:37:20.57\00:37:21.90
I showed him through
a certain scriptures,
00:37:21.94\00:37:23.27
Ezekiel 16 and Zachariah 3,
00:37:23.30\00:37:24.64
how Satan is really
trying to just push us down
00:37:24.67\00:37:26.04
and suppress us and I said,
00:37:26.07\00:37:27.41
"You are a son of God." Amen.
00:37:27.44\00:37:28.78
When I told him he's
a son of God, he goes,
00:37:28.81\00:37:30.71
"I am a son of God. I'm
a son of God. Hallelujah."
00:37:30.75\00:37:34.92
He got so excited. Praise God.
00:37:34.95\00:37:37.49
And then I had
another lady just recently,
00:37:37.52\00:37:39.05
she called and she
talked to me, says,
00:37:39.09\00:37:41.56
"I've been calling
you guys since August,
00:37:41.59\00:37:43.02
I call all kinds of prayer
line talking like Joyce Meyers
00:37:43.06\00:37:46.63
and all these
other various places."
00:37:46.66\00:37:48.50
And she said, I
called and she said,
00:37:48.53\00:37:50.00
but your prayer line, she said,
00:37:50.03\00:37:51.97
"I see miracles happening
every time I call you guys.
00:37:52.00\00:37:54.80
Yeah, since August,
00:37:54.84\00:37:56.17
the miracles are
just incredible."
00:37:56.20\00:37:57.64
So she said,
00:37:57.67\00:37:59.01
"It's just amazing,
00:37:59.04\00:38:00.38
you guys pray something happens.
00:38:00.41\00:38:01.74
So, just been really blessed...
00:38:01.78\00:38:03.48
I think the thing
that you hear most often,
00:38:03.51\00:38:06.08
I just thank you that
someone's there to talk to us.
00:38:06.11\00:38:09.82
There's so many
lonely people out there.
00:38:09.85\00:38:11.49
Right.
00:38:11.52\00:38:12.85
I remember when
I first came here,
00:38:12.89\00:38:14.22
that was 15 years ago,
00:38:14.26\00:38:15.66
this one little lady
00:38:15.69\00:38:17.03
she called every
day at 3 o'clock.
00:38:17.06\00:38:19.16
And attitude, if
you're not careful,
00:38:19.19\00:38:24.27
your attitude can
get away from you,
00:38:24.30\00:38:25.90
you know, because oh,
00:38:25.93\00:38:27.27
I can tell the story
00:38:27.30\00:38:28.64
better than she can
tell the story because,
00:38:28.67\00:38:30.31
as I find out, she's
been in a nursing home
00:38:30.34\00:38:32.84
incapacitated for
something like 10 years.
00:38:32.87\00:38:35.88
The one thing
that she looked forward
00:38:35.91\00:38:37.91
to every single
day was at 3 o'clock
00:38:37.95\00:38:40.22
because she's going
to get to call someone
00:38:40.25\00:38:42.28
that would spend
some time with her.
00:38:42.32\00:38:43.65
Wow.
00:38:43.69\00:38:45.02
Boy did I, I got
equipped in right there,
00:38:45.05\00:38:46.72
thank you Jesus,
00:38:46.76\00:38:48.52
because from then on, I really
started looking forward to her.
00:38:48.56\00:38:52.06
It's getting close to 3 o'clock,
00:38:52.09\00:38:53.83
and then we go on
rotation, you know,
00:38:53.86\00:38:55.30
so, but I'd see
her number come up.
00:38:55.33\00:38:58.47
"How are you doing
sweetheart. So good."
00:38:58.50\00:39:00.77
It was just like,
none of us know exactly
00:39:00.80\00:39:04.07
what the hearts
00:39:04.11\00:39:06.71
that we're going to be touching.
00:39:06.74\00:39:08.14
Yeah, yeah. Absolutely.
00:39:08.18\00:39:09.51
What a gift.
00:39:09.54\00:39:10.88
You know, I
think of every person
00:39:10.91\00:39:12.25
in the pastoral department.
00:39:12.28\00:39:13.62
God has called you. Amen.
00:39:13.65\00:39:15.18
You know, for such a
time as this to minister,
00:39:15.22\00:39:17.99
to speak truth, to
speak words of life,
00:39:18.02\00:39:21.12
to speak Jesus over
people's hearts and lives
00:39:21.16\00:39:24.29
and lead them to Jesus,
00:39:24.33\00:39:26.33
lead them to the
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:39:26.36\00:39:28.30
lead them to the
truth found in God's Word.
00:39:28.33\00:39:31.10
So we want to take, I
know we have a few moments left
00:39:31.13\00:39:33.40
of the second hour.
00:39:33.44\00:39:34.77
We want to take a few moments
00:39:34.80\00:39:36.14
and have you share
00:39:36.17\00:39:37.64
some sort of
thought each one of you,
00:39:37.67\00:39:39.71
some sort of
thought, for the New Year.
00:39:39.74\00:39:42.08
We're in January, and
we're starting this year
00:39:42.11\00:39:44.25
and what has God
put in your heart
00:39:44.28\00:39:46.55
some word of encouragement
00:39:46.58\00:39:48.52
from our 3ABN
Pastoral Department
00:39:48.55\00:39:50.89
to our family at home
00:39:50.92\00:39:52.25
and, Donald,
let's start with you.
00:39:52.29\00:39:53.62
Great. Yes.
00:39:53.66\00:39:54.99
Just to kind of preface this,
JD and I talked about like,
00:39:55.02\00:39:57.06
what we're going to
share for devotions.
00:39:57.09\00:39:58.43
We didn't know and
I'm like I have no clue,
00:39:58.46\00:40:00.30
Lord, I'm like okay,
Lord, so what do I do.
00:40:00.33\00:40:01.70
So I said, "Lord,
you're going to have to tell me
00:40:01.73\00:40:03.57
what to share
because I don't understand,
00:40:03.60\00:40:04.93
I don't know what to say."
00:40:04.97\00:40:06.30
He said, "Be still
and know that I'm God."
00:40:06.33\00:40:07.67
"I am being still.
00:40:07.70\00:40:09.04
I'm listening, what
do you want me to share."
00:40:09.07\00:40:10.41
And He goes, "Be still
and know that I'm God."
00:40:10.44\00:40:11.77
I said, "Okay, all right
be still and know I'm God
00:40:11.81\00:40:13.61
and my wife,
00:40:13.64\00:40:16.28
this was lying next to her leg
00:40:16.31\00:40:18.01
and she picked
this up to show it to me
00:40:18.05\00:40:19.38
right after I said,
00:40:19.41\00:40:20.75
"Be still and
know that I am God."
00:40:20.78\00:40:22.12
Wow.
00:40:22.15\00:40:23.49
And then the very next
day we had a devotional
00:40:23.52\00:40:24.85
and guess what
the scripture was.
00:40:24.89\00:40:26.29
Be still and know that I am God.
00:40:26.32\00:40:27.66
Be still and know that I am God.
00:40:27.69\00:40:29.02
So I just wanted
to share this time
00:40:29.06\00:40:30.39
what the Lord put
on my heart to share.
00:40:30.43\00:40:31.93
I entitled this
made to be still.
00:40:31.96\00:40:33.66
So Psalm 46:10 says,
00:40:33.70\00:40:35.46
"Be still and
know that I am God.
00:40:35.50\00:40:37.63
I will be exalted
among the heathen,
00:40:37.67\00:40:39.63
I will be exalted in the earth."
00:40:39.67\00:40:41.74
Lord, I re-exalt You today.
00:40:41.77\00:40:43.44
Mm-hmm.
00:40:43.47\00:40:45.11
And I'll just read this to you.
00:40:45.14\00:40:47.58
Have you ever felt that
your life is out of control?
00:40:47.61\00:40:51.15
Have there been days
when things seem overwhelming?
00:40:51.18\00:40:54.68
My wife and I
recently experienced something
00:40:54.72\00:40:56.55
that shook us and caused
us to draw closer to Jesus.
00:40:56.58\00:41:00.32
We came home on
a Wednesday evening
00:41:00.36\00:41:02.06
in December to a surprise,
00:41:02.09\00:41:04.43
leaving 3ABN and
heading out for some dinner,
00:41:04.46\00:41:06.63
we had joyous expectations
of the many days of vacation
00:41:06.66\00:41:09.73
that lie ahead.
00:41:09.76\00:41:11.10
It was dark.
00:41:11.13\00:41:12.47
And when we
approached the house,
00:41:12.50\00:41:13.84
we found that
00:41:13.87\00:41:15.20
most of the
inside lights were on.
00:41:15.24\00:41:17.01
Yeah, yeah.
00:41:17.04\00:41:18.54
We had an eerie feeling
that something wasn't right,
00:41:18.57\00:41:21.78
a sense of fear overtook us.
00:41:21.81\00:41:23.81
We approached the front
door only to find the doorknob
00:41:23.85\00:41:26.01
and latch broke open.
00:41:26.05\00:41:27.75
As we peered inside
the front door window,
00:41:27.78\00:41:29.88
everything was in total chaos.
00:41:29.92\00:41:32.29
Stuff was strewn everywhere.
00:41:32.32\00:41:34.39
We realized that we
had just had a break in.
00:41:34.42\00:41:36.99
I'm gonna ask you a question.
00:41:37.03\00:41:38.53
Have you ever felt your
space is violated or threatened?
00:41:38.56\00:41:41.96
Maybe it is
somebody who gets too close
00:41:42.00\00:41:43.67
and makes you uneasy,
00:41:43.70\00:41:45.03
or maybe it is a conversation
00:41:45.07\00:41:46.40
that you
shouldn't be involved in.
00:41:46.43\00:41:48.04
Perhaps it could
be your surroundings
00:41:48.07\00:41:49.50
at the moment.
00:41:49.54\00:41:50.87
Whatever it is,
00:41:50.91\00:41:52.24
God says to be still
and know that I am God.
00:41:52.27\00:41:54.48
Wow.
00:41:54.51\00:41:55.84
Before taking our
Christmas break from 3ABN,
00:41:55.88\00:41:57.95
my wife and I commented on
needing to clean our house.
00:41:57.98\00:42:02.85
Clean our house.
00:42:02.88\00:42:05.02
It is funny how God
works everything out.
00:42:05.05\00:42:07.12
Prior to the break
and we were discussing
00:42:07.16\00:42:08.82
which set of
parents my wife or I
00:42:08.86\00:42:10.53
we would go and see.
00:42:10.56\00:42:11.89
And I got a little upset
00:42:11.93\00:42:13.26
because we don't see
my parents very often,
00:42:13.29\00:42:14.63
they live kind of far away.
00:42:14.66\00:42:17.10
But we had a
total shift in plans.
00:42:17.13\00:42:19.63
We spent the next
several days cleaning up chaos.
00:42:19.67\00:42:23.87
As we prayed to God
00:42:23.91\00:42:25.24
we felt after
getting a new door,
00:42:25.27\00:42:26.71
praise the Lord, installed.
00:42:26.74\00:42:28.31
And with the support
from our landlord Dan,
00:42:28.34\00:42:30.45
which works here and
wonderful church family,
00:42:30.48\00:42:32.81
a sense of peace washed over us.
00:42:32.85\00:42:35.98
Interesting enough
those who or whoever they were
00:42:36.02\00:42:39.72
that broke into only
got away the few things,
00:42:39.75\00:42:42.02
we retrieved much
of what was taken.
00:42:42.06\00:42:44.13
It was interesting
because what they did is
00:42:44.16\00:42:45.69
they stuffed a lot of this stuff
00:42:45.73\00:42:47.20
in the back of
our other car we had
00:42:47.23\00:42:48.73
not driven that day
in the back of our trunk.
00:42:48.76\00:42:50.80
They took that
and a few days later,
00:42:50.83\00:42:53.03
by God's leading we
found a majority of it
00:42:53.07\00:42:54.80
stuffed under a
little tarp we had,
00:42:54.84\00:42:57.41
we had covered some
topsoil under some bags.
00:42:57.44\00:42:59.37
And so we pretty
much found everything.
00:42:59.41\00:43:01.48
God says again, "Be
still and know that I am God."
00:43:01.51\00:43:03.75
He worked everything out.
00:43:03.78\00:43:06.31
It is easy to lose focus
00:43:06.35\00:43:07.68
when our patterns or our
days are shifted off course
00:43:07.72\00:43:10.05
when bad things happen
to us, our faith is tested.
00:43:10.09\00:43:12.89
Some of us may even
shake our fist to sky and ask,
00:43:12.92\00:43:15.59
"God, why me."
00:43:15.62\00:43:17.43
Our enemy knows
00:43:17.46\00:43:18.79
how to throw the stumbling block
00:43:18.83\00:43:20.16
of
discouragement and doubt at us.
00:43:20.20\00:43:21.53
But God says again
00:43:21.56\00:43:22.90
to be still and
know that I'm God.
00:43:22.93\00:43:24.27
I'm going to
read this real quick.
00:43:24.30\00:43:25.63
Ellen White wrote
this encouraging nugget
00:43:25.67\00:43:27.00
from the book
Education, page 260 and 261.
00:43:27.04\00:43:30.21
This is powerful.
00:43:30.24\00:43:31.57
"And intensity such as
never before was seeing
00:43:31.61\00:43:34.61
is taking
possession of the world,"
00:43:34.64\00:43:36.14
we can agree that, right?
00:43:36.18\00:43:37.51
"And intensity
such as never before
00:43:37.55\00:43:38.88
was seen is taking
possession of the world,
00:43:38.91\00:43:40.55
in amusement and money making
00:43:40.58\00:43:41.92
and contest for power.
00:43:41.95\00:43:43.52
In the very
struggle for existence,
00:43:43.55\00:43:45.25
there is a terrible force
00:43:45.29\00:43:47.09
that engrosses
body, mind and soul
00:43:47.12\00:43:49.36
in the midst of
this maddening rush,
00:43:49.39\00:43:51.13
God is speaking,
00:43:51.16\00:43:52.53
He bid us come apart
and commune with Him,
00:43:52.56\00:43:54.40
'Be still and
know that I am God.'
00:43:54.43\00:43:58.03
More many,
00:43:58.07\00:43:59.40
even in their
seasons of devotion fail
00:43:59.43\00:44:02.10
of receiving the blessing
of real communion with God.
00:44:02.14\00:44:04.91
They're in two great haste.
00:44:04.94\00:44:06.74
With hurry steps they press
through the circle of Christ
00:44:06.78\00:44:09.18
loving presence,
00:44:09.21\00:44:10.71
pausing perhaps a moment
within the sacred presence,
00:44:10.75\00:44:13.72
but not waiting for counsel,
00:44:13.75\00:44:15.08
they have no time to
remain with a divine teacher.
00:44:15.12\00:44:17.82
With their burdens
they return to their work.
00:44:17.85\00:44:20.06
These workers can never
attain the highest success
00:44:20.09\00:44:22.09
until they learn
the secret of strength.
00:44:22.12\00:44:24.19
They must give themselves
time to think, time to pray,
00:44:24.23\00:44:27.03
time to wait upon God
for a renewal of physical,
00:44:27.06\00:44:29.03
mental and spiritual power.
00:44:29.06\00:44:30.60
They need the uplifting
influence of His spirit.
00:44:30.63\00:44:33.27
Receiving this
00:44:33.30\00:44:35.00
they will be
quickened by fresh life,
00:44:35.04\00:44:36.67
the wearied frame,
00:44:36.71\00:44:38.04
a tired brain will be refreshed,
00:44:38.07\00:44:39.44
the burnt heart
will be enlightened,
00:44:39.47\00:44:41.14
out a pause for a
moment in His presence,
00:44:41.18\00:44:43.51
but personal contact with Christ
00:44:43.55\00:44:44.91
to sit down and
companionship with Him.
00:44:44.95\00:44:46.48
This is our need."
00:44:46.51\00:44:47.85
So that was just my
prayer to encourage the viewers.
00:44:47.88\00:44:50.49
Yeah, thank you, Donald.
00:44:50.52\00:44:51.85
To know the
circumstances just be still.
00:44:51.89\00:44:53.22
Amen. Amen.
00:44:53.25\00:44:54.59
It's hard sometimes, I know
in my own life is kind of hard.
00:44:54.62\00:44:56.12
Sometimes it's like okay,
wait, got to be quiet, listen.
00:44:56.16\00:45:00.63
Yeah. Yeah,
that's what God wants.
00:45:00.66\00:45:02.33
When everything
just seems like chaotic,
00:45:02.36\00:45:04.67
you know, that's
when you really need
00:45:04.70\00:45:06.03
to just be still and
see how God can work.
00:45:06.07\00:45:07.57
Amen. Thank you
for sharing that.
00:45:07.60\00:45:08.94
That's
powerful. Praise the Lord.
00:45:08.97\00:45:10.31
Brother JD, go you
next and then Pastor Ryan.
00:45:10.34\00:45:12.87
Yes, starting a new year.
00:45:12.91\00:45:15.71
So as I'm, I just
have my little thing,
00:45:15.74\00:45:19.45
enough is enough.
00:45:19.48\00:45:22.88
As I'm sitting here
00:45:22.92\00:45:24.25
thinking about a certain person,
00:45:24.29\00:45:26.45
and then I'm thinking,
well, this is New Year,
00:45:26.49\00:45:28.66
what should we do,
00:45:28.69\00:45:30.13
what would be a
good direction to go?
00:45:30.16\00:45:33.90
There's many people
that are sick and tired
00:45:33.93\00:45:35.53
of being sick and tired.
00:45:35.56\00:45:37.70
Enough is enough.
00:45:37.73\00:45:39.57
They're ready to make
00:45:39.60\00:45:40.94
some major
changes in their life,
00:45:40.97\00:45:42.40
but they really
don't know what to do.
00:45:42.44\00:45:44.94
Every once in a while
I have the opportunity,
00:45:44.97\00:45:47.08
you know, to speak with
people about life skills,
00:45:47.11\00:45:49.41
maybe about little coaching,
about motivation or whatever.
00:45:49.44\00:45:53.78
What is a good place to start?
00:45:53.82\00:45:56.48
A good place to
start is Matthew 6:33,
00:45:56.52\00:46:00.46
"Seek first the kingdom of God."
00:46:00.49\00:46:02.56
That's right. I'll
just read it myself.
00:46:02.59\00:46:04.63
"Seek first the kingdom
of God and His righteousness,
00:46:04.66\00:46:07.30
His right doing,
00:46:07.33\00:46:08.66
and all these things
shall be added in to you."
00:46:08.70\00:46:11.03
So if you're getting
ready to start something new,
00:46:11.07\00:46:13.00
I think that I
would go to somebody
00:46:13.03\00:46:14.40
that knows something.
00:46:14.44\00:46:15.80
And I think that that
person would be no other
00:46:15.84\00:46:19.54
than the mind of Christ.
00:46:19.57\00:46:21.11
Yeah. Absolutely.
00:46:21.14\00:46:22.48
Seek first, and
then I moved over here,
00:46:22.51\00:46:26.45
and Luke, and Luke says,
00:46:26.48\00:46:30.49
Jesus says,
excuse me, Jesus says,
00:46:30.52\00:46:33.52
"So I say to you, ask,
and it will be given to you.
00:46:33.56\00:46:37.33
Seek and you'll find,
knock, and it shall be open."
00:46:37.36\00:46:40.53
Now remember, we
started off by seeking Him.
00:46:40.56\00:46:44.40
Now we're asking Him,
00:46:44.43\00:46:47.20
you know, we're
sitting here and we're asking,
00:46:47.24\00:46:49.24
we're seeking, we're knocking.
00:46:49.27\00:46:51.57
And in the seeking of the Lord,
00:46:51.61\00:46:55.64
He tells us, that
you will be found.
00:46:55.68\00:46:58.48
Amen.
00:46:58.51\00:46:59.85
And it sits and it says, hey,
my face is always available.
00:46:59.88\00:47:03.79
And with my face
comes my strength.
00:47:03.82\00:47:06.15
Amen.
00:47:06.19\00:47:07.52
"Seek the Lord,
while He may be found."
00:47:07.56\00:47:09.19
That's right. Oh, my goodness.
00:47:09.22\00:47:11.49
Boy, how many times has
that little secret voice,
00:47:11.53\00:47:15.10
just sit there and
impress upon your heart,
00:47:15.13\00:47:17.77
and you just shun it?
00:47:17.80\00:47:21.40
That's a special gift
00:47:21.44\00:47:23.10
when the Holy
Spirit is sitting there
00:47:23.14\00:47:24.81
speaking to you.
00:47:24.84\00:47:26.44
And that, he says here,
00:47:26.47\00:47:28.48
"Seek the Lord
while He may be found
00:47:28.51\00:47:30.81
and call on Him when He's near."
00:47:30.85\00:47:33.42
Now, remember, we're
talking about starting over.
00:47:33.45\00:47:35.75
We're talking about a new start.
00:47:35.78\00:47:38.09
We're sick and tired of being,
00:47:38.12\00:47:40.39
we're sick and
tired of being tired.
00:47:40.42\00:47:42.36
I want Him when He's near.
00:47:42.39\00:47:43.83
That way I know
that He's listening.
00:47:43.86\00:47:46.46
And then it says,
00:47:46.49\00:47:47.83
"Sow for
yourself righteousness, "
00:47:47.86\00:47:49.70
in other words, right doing,
00:47:49.73\00:47:51.93
"reap the fruit
of unfailing love."
00:47:51.97\00:47:54.00
Oh, my
goodness, thank You, Jesus
00:47:54.04\00:47:55.57
and break up
the unplowed ground.
00:47:55.60\00:47:58.27
Being coming from
a farming community,
00:47:58.31\00:48:00.38
boy, cultivation
was so important,
00:48:00.41\00:48:02.38
getting out there
and tilling that ground,
00:48:02.41\00:48:03.81
turning it over.
00:48:03.85\00:48:05.18
And he's kind of like,
00:48:05.21\00:48:06.55
"Daddy why in the
world are we doing this?
00:48:06.58\00:48:07.92
It's just dirt."
00:48:07.95\00:48:09.82
Son, this is
whenever it becomes alive.
00:48:09.85\00:48:12.82
That's right.
00:48:12.85\00:48:14.19
And so, you know, you
go out there and you cut.
00:48:14.22\00:48:16.19
So, boy, there's
times and you're like,
00:48:16.22\00:48:17.76
I don't want to do that.
00:48:17.79\00:48:21.16
Seek the Lord while He is there.
00:48:21.20\00:48:23.26
Amen.
00:48:23.30\00:48:24.63
And then God,
this is so important.
00:48:24.67\00:48:28.74
God is not that far
away from any of us.
00:48:28.77\00:48:33.71
He's within
hearing distance at least.
00:48:33.74\00:48:37.11
He may be right here.
00:48:37.15\00:48:40.32
So Matthew also shares this
and in hearing Jesus say it,
00:48:40.35\00:48:45.75
"For everyone who asked receive,
00:48:45.79\00:48:47.69
and he who finds unto Him
who knocks it will be open."
00:48:47.72\00:48:52.76
So now let's step
real quick over here.
00:48:52.79\00:48:55.03
And let's take a step forward.
00:48:55.06\00:48:56.90
We know that He's available,
we know that He loves you.
00:48:56.93\00:49:00.77
Not that I've
already attained this.
00:49:00.80\00:49:02.40
This is Paul, not that
I've already attained this,
00:49:02.44\00:49:05.21
or have even arrived at my goal.
00:49:05.24\00:49:07.28
But I do press on
and hold on to that
00:49:07.31\00:49:09.58
for which Jesus took hold of.
00:49:09.61\00:49:12.15
One thing I do,
00:49:12.18\00:49:13.88
I forget what's in
the rearview mirror.
00:49:13.92\00:49:16.45
And I keep going
forward, I press on to the goal.
00:49:16.48\00:49:20.26
And as you're pressing on
to the goal, to not forget,
00:49:20.29\00:49:25.73
here again, Jesus says,
00:49:25.76\00:49:27.70
"But man, when you
put your hand to the plow,
00:49:27.73\00:49:31.23
keep going, follow, continuing.
00:49:31.27\00:49:34.34
Don't look back
00:49:34.37\00:49:35.70
because if you look back
00:49:35.74\00:49:37.07
that may become
attractive again,
00:49:37.11\00:49:38.57
and then the rows
may just start weaving.
00:49:38.61\00:49:41.68
I don't remember the first time
00:49:41.71\00:49:43.04
I wanted to drive
this tractor so bad.
00:49:43.08\00:49:44.75
I was probably about
six or seven years old.
00:49:44.78\00:49:46.95
This is back whenever
they didn't have the starters.
00:49:46.98\00:49:49.38
You had to do it the
old hard way, you know.
00:49:49.42\00:49:51.02
Crank start.
00:49:51.05\00:49:52.39
And that's to crank that thing.
00:49:52.42\00:49:53.76
Man, I was tall but I
had little bitty arms.
00:49:53.79\00:49:57.39
I could not crank that thing.
00:49:57.43\00:49:59.76
And my granddad, he was wise.
00:49:59.79\00:50:01.43
He steps in,
00:50:01.46\00:50:02.80
"Listen,
whenever you can crank it,
00:50:02.83\00:50:05.10
you can drive it."
00:50:05.13\00:50:06.53
Man, I mean, every six months
00:50:06.57\00:50:08.17
I'm out there trying
and huffing and puffing.
00:50:08.20\00:50:10.91
Boy, that one day though it hit.
00:50:10.94\00:50:13.48
Oh, my goodness,
00:50:13.51\00:50:14.84
my joy level
jumped to the ceiling.
00:50:14.88\00:50:18.38
But anyway, I just
want to end it with this.
00:50:18.41\00:50:22.12
Don't be afraid, don't
tremble. He's always there.
00:50:22.15\00:50:25.75
He's began a good work in
you will bring to completion.
00:50:25.79\00:50:28.82
Let us run with endurance.
00:50:28.86\00:50:30.79
And then I want
to end it with this.
00:50:30.83\00:50:33.73
God has a
heaven full of blessing
00:50:33.76\00:50:35.50
that He wants to bestow on those
00:50:35.53\00:50:37.33
who are
earnestly seeking for that
00:50:37.37\00:50:40.04
which Lord alone can give.
00:50:40.07\00:50:41.40
Amen. Amen.
00:50:41.44\00:50:42.77
Thank you. Praise the Lord.
00:50:42.80\00:50:44.14
Praise the Lord. Powerful.
00:50:44.17\00:50:45.51
Amen.
00:50:45.54\00:50:46.88
Pastor Ryan. Praise the Lord.
00:50:46.91\00:50:48.24
Praise God, amen.
00:50:48.28\00:50:49.61
Having church
Thursday night. I know, right?
00:50:49.64\00:50:51.21
You know, one of the
most difficult things
00:50:51.25\00:50:53.28
that I find in my ministry
00:50:53.31\00:50:55.52
that the Lord is teaching
me gradually as I go along
00:50:55.55\00:50:57.69
as how to have proper balance.
00:50:57.72\00:51:00.26
And balance in
everything, but for sure,
00:51:00.29\00:51:03.09
a balanced
mental approach towards,
00:51:03.12\00:51:05.63
you know, understanding
and relating to the gospel,
00:51:05.66\00:51:07.86
preaching the
gospel, expressing the truth.
00:51:07.90\00:51:10.93
And, you know,
00:51:10.97\00:51:12.43
when I recently
watched a series online
00:51:12.47\00:51:15.17
of the kind of a gospel series,
00:51:15.20\00:51:17.74
I'll just put it that
way that kind of depicted
00:51:17.77\00:51:19.44
what Christ's
ministry might have been like.
00:51:19.47\00:51:21.04
And I really, I didn't realize
00:51:21.08\00:51:22.41
until that series just how
much of a visual learner I am,
00:51:22.44\00:51:24.58
because I can read these words,
and try to envision my mind,
00:51:24.61\00:51:28.15
but sometimes I
struggle to really pull it out
00:51:28.18\00:51:29.95
the way I want to see
it, the way it should be.
00:51:29.98\00:51:31.85
The series really helped me to,
00:51:31.89\00:51:33.82
to kind of visualize
and put in perspective,
00:51:33.86\00:51:36.49
what it could have been like
00:51:36.52\00:51:37.86
when Jesus was
having these exchanges
00:51:37.89\00:51:39.33
with the Pharisees
and when He was healing,
00:51:39.36\00:51:41.23
and when He was doing
all these wonderful things.
00:51:41.26\00:51:44.47
What I learned as
you read the gospels,
00:51:44.50\00:51:46.53
you come very much become clear.
00:51:46.57\00:51:48.24
This way you be very clear,
00:51:48.27\00:51:49.60
if you read this in the gospels,
00:51:49.64\00:51:50.97
that Jesus was a
rebel in His day.
00:51:51.01\00:51:52.51
He really was, a
rebel in a good way, okay.
00:51:52.54\00:51:54.81
Most time when you say
that somebody is a rebel,
00:51:54.84\00:51:56.61
or that person is a rebel,
00:51:56.64\00:51:57.98
it comes off in a
negative context, right?
00:51:58.01\00:51:59.35
Because no one
wants to be a rebel.
00:51:59.38\00:52:00.72
But Jesus was truly a rebel.
00:52:00.75\00:52:02.78
What Jesus did,
00:52:02.82\00:52:04.15
He showed up to turn
the world right side up.
00:52:04.19\00:52:06.62
Radical.
00:52:06.65\00:52:07.99
You know He was, He was...
00:52:08.02\00:52:09.36
A lot of the
things that He taught,
00:52:09.39\00:52:10.73
a lot of things He expressed
00:52:10.76\00:52:12.09
was radical in
comparison to the culture,
00:52:12.13\00:52:15.53
at that pharisaical mindset
had bestowed upon the people
00:52:15.56\00:52:19.20
in the society of that time.
00:52:19.23\00:52:21.40
And, you know, I
always try my best
00:52:21.44\00:52:23.87
to do my little thought
00:52:23.91\00:52:25.24
for our own
Christ's life each day,
00:52:25.27\00:52:27.04
that doesn't always
happen as I really like it to.
00:52:27.08\00:52:29.28
But nonetheless, I
always find myself going back
00:52:29.31\00:52:31.61
to those gospels,
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John,
00:52:31.65\00:52:33.72
focusing in on the
beautiful life lessons
00:52:33.75\00:52:36.22
that you can learn from there.
00:52:36.25\00:52:37.69
My brother sent me a quote,
00:52:37.72\00:52:39.22
and I want to read this quote
in the time that we have left,
00:52:39.25\00:52:41.16
and I'm going to
get some final remarks.
00:52:41.19\00:52:42.59
I think we have
enough time to do so.
00:52:42.62\00:52:44.19
And this is the
devotional thought
00:52:44.23\00:52:45.79
that really stood
out in me recently,
00:52:45.83\00:52:47.66
that the Lord has
bestowed upon me to,
00:52:47.70\00:52:50.03
you know, to
really earnestly pray
00:52:50.07\00:52:51.47
and ask for balance,
00:52:51.50\00:52:52.83
will give me proper balance
00:52:52.87\00:52:54.20
and transform me
more like unto Christ.
00:52:54.24\00:52:57.01
So this comes
from Desire of Ages,
00:52:57.04\00:52:58.41
page 309,
00:52:58.44\00:52:59.77
referencing the
exchange that Jesus had had
00:52:59.81\00:53:02.24
with the Pharisees.
00:53:02.28\00:53:03.61
And we know that
Jesus had many encounters
00:53:03.65\00:53:04.98
with the Pharisees,
00:53:05.01\00:53:06.35
I think of John 8,
you know, where He,
00:53:06.38\00:53:07.72
you know, the
woman caught in adultery
00:53:07.75\00:53:09.38
and had on
exchange where you know,
00:53:09.42\00:53:11.05
you don't know
Abraham, and Jesus is like,
00:53:11.09\00:53:13.12
before Abraham was I am, right?
00:53:13.15\00:53:14.96
And blasphemy right and,
but notice this right here,
00:53:14.99\00:53:18.23
Desire of Ages, page 309.
00:53:18.26\00:53:21.26
"The greatest deception of
the human mind in Christ day
00:53:21.30\00:53:25.50
was that a mere assent
00:53:25.53\00:53:26.87
to the truth
constitutes righteousness.
00:53:26.90\00:53:29.94
In all human experiences,
00:53:29.97\00:53:31.61
a theoretical
knowledge of the truth
00:53:31.64\00:53:33.21
has been proved
to be insufficient
00:53:33.24\00:53:35.94
for the saving of the soul.
00:53:35.98\00:53:37.78
It does not bring forth
the fruits of righteousness.
00:53:37.81\00:53:40.85
A jealous regard
00:53:40.88\00:53:42.22
for what is
termed theological truth
00:53:42.25\00:53:44.32
often accompanies a
hatred of genuine truth
00:53:44.35\00:53:47.66
as made manifest in life.
00:53:47.69\00:53:50.49
The darkest
chapters of earth's history
00:53:50.53\00:53:52.53
burden with the record,
00:53:52.56\00:53:54.10
are burdened with
a record of crimes
00:53:54.13\00:53:55.96
committed by
bigoted religionists.
00:53:56.00\00:53:59.17
The Pharisees claimed
to be children of Abraham,
00:53:59.20\00:54:01.94
and boasted of their possession
of the oracles of God.
00:54:01.97\00:54:04.64
Yet these advantages
did not preserve them
00:54:04.67\00:54:08.04
from selfishness,
malignity, greed for gain,
00:54:08.08\00:54:11.61
and bassist hypocrisy.
00:54:11.65\00:54:14.95
They thought themselves
00:54:14.98\00:54:16.32
the greatest
religiousness of the world,
00:54:16.35\00:54:17.92
but their so called
orthodoxy led them to crucify
00:54:17.95\00:54:21.66
the Lord of Glory."
00:54:21.69\00:54:23.46
And then she ends
in this last paragraph,
00:54:23.49\00:54:25.79
"The same danger exists today.
00:54:25.83\00:54:30.07
Many take it for
granted that they are Christians
00:54:30.10\00:54:32.40
simply because they subscribe
to certain theological tenets.
00:54:32.43\00:54:36.71
28. Yeah, fundamental beliefs.
00:54:36.74\00:54:38.77
"But they have not brought
the truth into practical life.
00:54:38.81\00:54:43.91
They have not
believed and loved it,
00:54:43.95\00:54:45.58
therefore they have not received
00:54:45.61\00:54:47.15
the power and grace
00:54:47.18\00:54:48.58
that come through
sanctification of the truth.
00:54:48.62\00:54:51.92
Men may profess
faith in the truth,
00:54:51.95\00:54:54.29
but it does not make
them sincere, kind, patient
00:54:54.32\00:54:58.13
forbearing heavenly minded.
00:54:58.16\00:55:00.66
It is a curse to its possessors
00:55:00.70\00:55:04.27
and through their influence
it is a curse to the world."
00:55:04.30\00:55:07.77
When I read that,
00:55:07.80\00:55:09.30
immediately my mind thought,
00:55:09.34\00:55:11.04
"You know, Ryan, you know a lot.
00:55:11.07\00:55:12.94
But do you really know Him?"
00:55:12.97\00:55:15.28
You know you can
talk with the best of them
00:55:15.31\00:55:18.45
not to bring myself high.
00:55:18.48\00:55:20.08
But do you, are
you allowing that truth
00:55:20.12\00:55:23.05
to transform you
from the inside out?"
00:55:23.08\00:55:25.52
You know, we as Seventh-day
Adventist Christians,
00:55:25.55\00:55:27.56
we boast,
00:55:27.59\00:55:29.09
I think in a spiritual type way
00:55:29.12\00:55:31.29
of having all
this incredible truth
00:55:31.33\00:55:33.43
to give to the world
because we've been commissioned
00:55:33.46\00:55:35.60
to go and tell the world
about this amazing truth.
00:55:35.63\00:55:38.03
But are we allowing
that truth to transform us,
00:55:38.07\00:55:42.27
to make us alike
into the beautiful,
00:55:42.30\00:55:44.37
loving, compassionate,
merciful character of Jesus?
00:55:44.41\00:55:47.38
Is it coming out that way?
00:55:47.41\00:55:49.08
That after
reading this devotional
00:55:49.11\00:55:50.85
after considering its thoughts,
00:55:50.88\00:55:52.48
after contemplating on
Christ has led me to say,
00:55:52.51\00:55:56.18
Lord transform me
more and more each day
00:55:56.22\00:55:58.89
to not just
talk about the truth,
00:55:58.92\00:56:00.89
not to just preach the truth,
00:56:00.92\00:56:02.46
but to live it
out amongst others.
00:56:02.49\00:56:03.89
Wow. Amen.
00:56:03.93\00:56:05.26
Praise the Lord.
00:56:05.29\00:56:06.63
What a powerful
evening, thank you all so much.
00:56:06.66\00:56:09.23
JD, thank you
for your leadership
00:56:09.26\00:56:10.93
with our Pastoral Department.
00:56:10.97\00:56:12.53
Thank you, Ryan,
00:56:12.57\00:56:13.90
for what you
bring to the ministry
00:56:13.94\00:56:16.07
and this department.
00:56:16.10\00:56:17.44
And thank you,
Donald, for what you bring
00:56:17.47\00:56:19.47
to this ministry
and this department.
00:56:19.51\00:56:20.94
And what you all share
tonight, thank you for that.
00:56:20.98\00:56:23.81
I wrote down be
still a know, ask,
00:56:23.85\00:56:27.28
and it shall be given to you
00:56:27.32\00:56:29.12
and learn to
experience Jesus for yourself.
00:56:29.15\00:56:32.02
Amen. Amen.
00:56:32.05\00:56:33.39
What an incredible
way to start the New Year.
00:56:33.42\00:56:36.42
I know we're a
couple of weeks in already,
00:56:36.46\00:56:38.23
but to know that we
can walk with Jesus,
00:56:38.26\00:56:41.06
to know that we can be
still and experience Him
00:56:41.10\00:56:44.47
to know that we
can ask and claim
00:56:44.50\00:56:48.07
and know that He hears us
00:56:48.10\00:56:49.64
and know that
00:56:49.67\00:56:51.01
you have that same
experience as well.
00:56:51.04\00:56:52.44
Thank you for being
part of our 3ABN family.
00:56:52.47\00:56:54.94
Thank you for your love,
00:56:54.98\00:56:56.38
prayers and financial
support of this ministry
00:56:56.41\00:56:59.08
as we take this glorious gospel
00:56:59.11\00:57:01.92
to the far corners of the world.
00:57:01.95\00:57:03.89
We'll see you again. Bye-bye.
00:57:03.92\00:57:05.95
Amen.
00:57:05.99\00:57:07.32