Participants:
Series Code: TDYL
Program Code: TDYL220001A
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00:01 As you're well aware,
00:02 we're living in unprecedented times. 00:05 Join us now for Today special program. 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:18 Mending broken people 00:23 I want to spend my life 00:29 Removing pain 00:34 Lord, let my words 00:39 Heal a heart that hurts 00:44 I want to spend my life 00:50 Mending broken people 00:55 I want to spend my life 01:00 Mending broken people 01:16 Welcome to a great time, a time of prayer and praise. 01:21 This is something we've been doing for a couple 01:23 of years now, I believe. 01:25 And it's really been a highlight of my year, 01:28 a great way to start the year. 01:30 And with this, this prayer and praise emphasis 01:34 is going to be on the fruit of the Spirit 01:37 and I believe that each one of you possess that. 01:40 You've shown... 01:42 I've seen it in you 01:43 and so we're going to just praise and pray 01:48 about the fruit of the Spirit on our lives. 01:50 Throughout Scripture God expresses His desire for us 01:54 to be like His Son, Jesus Christ. 01:58 And our prayer and praise emphasis 01:59 is on becoming more like Christ by taking on His character, 02:04 possessing the very traits of Jesus and living them out, 02:07 demonstrating them to the people 02:09 we interact with every day. 02:11 So let me ask you all a question. 02:14 Was there someone that you wanted to be like 02:17 when you were growing up, 02:19 someone that influenced you, anybody? 02:21 Oh, sure, my dad. 02:25 Everything I saw in him is what I wanted to be 02:29 and I'm still striving for that. 02:32 Yeah. What did you see in him that... 02:35 Well, I saw love. 02:39 Now my dad was, 02:41 as far as parents would talk today, 02:44 he would be considered very strict. 02:46 But he was a very no nonsense but things are very simple, 02:51 Black and white, weren't many gray areas. 02:53 But look, the Lord put me in charge so while I'm here, 02:57 I'm going to do what's best for you 02:58 whether you like it or not. 03:00 And so he said, "Hey, 03:02 we can either fight or love now." 03:04 He said, "Take me I'd rather love, 03:06 you know, so why don't we just get along 03:08 and love one another but I'm your parent." 03:09 But what I saw was his actions that no matter what, 03:13 though he was over, you know, 03:15 protecting us and watching out, we didn't always like it. 03:18 I saw that he loved us 03:20 and would have given his life for me. 03:22 I knew that for any of us we were poor, 03:25 he was disabled at 36 years old so we didn't have... 03:28 I was telling Angie before the program, 03:30 we had outside toilets. 03:32 Now not very many of you remember that. 03:33 They called them outhouses back then. 03:35 So till I was probably 10 or 11 years old 03:37 we didn't have inside bathroom at all. 03:39 And then my Uncle Vernon Johns built us one 03:42 and that was a new experience to actually have a bathtub 03:45 in the house and instead of the number nine washed up 03:48 and all of that. 03:49 But we all worked, we all did what we could, 03:53 but I saw my dad 03:55 when he was able to make quite a bit of money singing 03:58 in the taverns and nightclubs 04:00 after he had his heart attack he could still do that. 04:03 But I remember 04:04 we wouldn't know where our next meal was coming from 04:07 and people would knock on the door... 04:10 I remember particularly a guy knocked on the door and said, 04:13 "Hey Tom, I need you. 04:16 Can you for the next two weekends sing at such 04:18 and such tavern," because they had a band. 04:20 My dad used to be in, you know, had Tommy Shelton 04:23 and Melody Kings and my dad said, 04:25 "No, I don't do that anymore." 04:27 And he said, "Well look, you can make $100 a weekend." 04:30 That was like tremendous amount of money. 04:32 We didn't see that much in a month. 04:35 And so he said no, "I'm sorry fellows. 04:37 I'm serving the Lord and I'm not going to go out." 04:41 And the guy said, "Well, 04:43 then don't you care about your family?" 04:44 Put him on a guilt trip, 04:46 "Don't you care about your family? 04:47 If you care about your family you'd provide for them. 04:49 You're having a rough go." 04:51 And my dad said, "You know I trust God's going 04:54 to provide, but I'm not going to be that kind 04:57 of a parent to my sons or a husband 05:00 and my wife that I just give up on God that easily 05:04 because I know God has brought me this far. 05:06 So, well, I appreciate your offer, 05:08 I'll never set foot in another tavern." 05:11 And he didn't, but I saw him always, 05:12 Tim, consistent and he never wavered in his faith. 05:16 When he was sick, he had heart problems and he dealt with, 05:20 probably took a Nitro nearly every day, 05:22 the last several years of his life. 05:25 He couldn't do much 05:26 but he always had a great attitude, 05:27 he had a great sense of humor, and he loved people 05:31 and people loved him. 05:32 So I looked up to him 05:34 and what I didn't realize till later it was the Jesus 05:37 that I was drawn to him and it's that God is love. 05:42 Yeah. Well, you know what? 05:44 That's enough right there. 05:46 We could close this down and I could learn everything 05:49 that I need to know. 05:52 So for those rest of you who had someone 05:55 that you wanted to be like, just hold on to that 05:57 because I just want to sing this. 06:00 I have one deep supreme desire That 06:05 I may be like Jesus 06:11 To this I fervently aspire 06:18 That I may be like Jesus 06:25 I want my heart is thrown to be 06:31 So that a watching world 06:36 May see 06:39 His likeness shinning forth 06:44 In me 06:46 I want to be 06:49 like Jesus 06:54 He spent His life in doing good 07:00 I want 07:01 To be like Jesus 07:07 In lowly paths of service trod 07:13 I want 07:15 To be like Jesus 07:20 He sympathized with hearts distressed 07:26 And He spoke the words that cheered 07:31 And blessed 07:34 He welcomed sinners 07:38 To His breast 07:42 I want to be like 07:46 Jesus 07:52 A holy, harmless life He led 07:59 I want to be like Jesus 08:05 The Father's will 08:08 His drink and bread 08:12 I want 08:13 To be like Jesus 08:19 And when at last 08:22 He comes to die 08:25 'Forgive them, Father,' hear Him cry 08:31 For those who taunt 08:34 And crucify 08:39 And that's why I want to be 08:44 Like Jesus 08:50 So many traits and characteristics of Christ 08:54 that He displayed 08:56 make me want to be like Him. 09:00 And that song was written by Thomas Chisholm 09:04 and not a familiar song to a lot of people. 09:08 But he wrote another song that is very familiar 09:11 and it's another trait of Christ that I think 09:14 we can all sing together. 09:16 And it says, Great is thy faithfulness. 09:22 Sing this at home if you need it. 09:25 Oh Great is Thy faithfulness 09:30 O God my Father 09:34 There is no shadow of turning 09:39 With Thee 09:41 Thou changes not 09:45 Thy compassions they fail not 09:50 As Thou hast been 09:53 Thou forever wilt be 09:58 Great is Thy faithfulness 10:03 Great is Thy faithfulness 10:07 Morning by morning new mercies 10:12 I see 10:15 All I have needed 10:19 Thy hand hath provided 10:24 Great is Thy faithfulness 10:29 Lord unto me 10:36 Summer and winter 10:40 And springtime and harvest Sun, 10:45 Moon and stars 10:48 In their courses above 10:53 Join with all nature 10:57 in manifold witness 11:02 To Thy great faithfulness, 11:06 Mercy and love Oh, 11:11 Great is Thy faithfulness 11:15 Great is Thy faithfulness 11:19 Morning by morning new mercies 11:25 I see 11:28 All I have needed 11:32 Thy hand hath provided 11:37 Great is Thy faithfulness 11:42 Lord unto me 11:45 How about, Yvonne? Would you sing that next verse? 11:50 Pardon for sin 11:54 And a peace that endureth 12:00 Thine own dear presence to cheer 12:07 And to guide 12:11 Strength for today 12:15 and bright hope for tomorrow 12:22 Blessings all mine, 12:26 With ten thousand beside 12:33 Great is Thy faithfulness 12:38 Great is Thy faithfulness 12:42 Morning by morning new mercies 12:48 I see 12:51 All I have needed 12:55 Thy hand hath provided 13:01 Great is Thy faithfulness 13:07 Lord unto me 13:17 Praise the Lord. Amen. 13:19 So let's just jump right in and talk about the fruit 13:24 of the Spirit and find out 13:26 where God has proven Himself in each one of these fruits 13:32 and maybe we can pray for our viewers 13:37 regarding those fruit. 13:38 Okay. So, Danny, you want to start with love. 13:39 Well, I think then we... 13:41 If one of the fruits and the first one it says, 13:43 "Love" we should understand a little bit about love. 13:46 Where does love come from? 13:48 So, I think the only way we should do it, 13:50 the best thing we should do is go to the Bible. 13:53 So I'm going to look at... 13:54 I'm cheating here, I've got my iPad or my Bible down here. 13:57 But maybe you want to turn with me 13:59 and what I'm going to do is put on my little glasses here, 14:03 my dollar and a half pair of glasses. 14:05 1 John 4:7 says, 14:08 "Beloved, let us love one another for love is of God." 14:12 Okay, we're learning something, right? 14:14 "And everyone that loveth is born of God 14:17 and knoweth God." 14:18 Now, verse 8, 14:20 "He that loveth not knoweth not God." 14:22 Now that's important. 14:24 The very next word here words, "For God is love." 14:29 All right, again, 14:31 "He that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love." 14:34 Verse 9, "In this was manifested 14:37 the love of God towards us 14:39 because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world 14:43 that we might live through Him. 14:45 Herein is love, not that we loved God," 14:48 but look how important this is, 14:50 "but that He loved us and sent His Son 14:52 to be a propitiation for our sins. 14:55 Beloved, if God so loved us, we are also, 14:59 Tim, to love one another. 15:01 No man has seen God at any time. 15:03 If we love one another, God dwelleth in us 15:06 and His love is perfected in us. 15:09 Hereby we know that we dwell in Him, and He in us 15:13 because He hath given us His Spirit. 15:16 And we have seen and do testify 15:18 that the Father sent His Son to be the Savior of the world." 15:22 Now we could just keep reading. 15:23 I mean, we could just go on 15:25 and on but this pretty well sums it all up. 15:28 Somebody asked, "Jesus, well, 15:30 which is the greatest commandment?" 15:32 And He says and I've got it here, Tim, 15:34 in small print so I'll leave my glasses on. 15:37 In Matthew 22, when Jesus was asked, 15:40 "Which is the most important commandment 15:41 in the Law of Moses?" 15:43 He replied, "You must love the Lord your God 15:45 with all your heart, 15:46 all your soul and all your mind. 15:49 This is the first and greatest commandment." 15:51 Then Jesus states a second is equally important, 15:55 "Love your neighbor as yourself." 15:57 So this is really interesting to me 15:59 because so many people... 16:02 We know the devil is the counterfeiter 16:04 and he's out to steal, kill and destroy 16:06 but so many people want to make void the law of God. 16:10 They say, "Well, 16:11 the Ten Commandments are done away with. 16:13 They were nailed to the cross." 16:15 Because Jesus, when they asked Jesus, 16:17 He said, "There was only two commandments, 16:20 you know, love the Lord your God with all your heart, 16:22 soul and mind and love your neighbors yourself." 16:25 But when we really look into it, 16:27 the first four commandments is what? 16:30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart 16:31 because every one of them when we go down, 16:34 and then the last six is, love your neighbor as yourself. 16:38 So once again, love is of God because God is love. 16:43 So I don't know any other thoughts on that. 16:50 He said, "He that loveth knoweth..." 16:52 I think he meant he that loveth not knoweth not God 16:56 because God is love. 16:58 But love is not a natural thing that's part of the problem. 17:02 You know, it's been so overused in our world today 17:05 because people have said, "I love your car. 17:07 I love your hair. I love that dish you just made. 17:10 I love that food. 17:12 I love my family." 17:14 But that's a love that's often based on preference 17:17 for how we feel towards someone. 17:19 But you know the Bible says, 17:22 "Herein is the love of God revealed." 17:24 You know, 17:26 Paul talks about it in Romans 5, 17:28 "What has God's love done for us?" 17:31 And the Bible says, "In that while we were yet sinners 17:34 Christ died for us." 17:36 That's a love 17:38 that we don't really understand, you know, 17:40 scarcely will a righteous man die for anyone. 17:44 But God demonstrated His love towards us, 17:49 in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. 17:53 So if you think about people that you would say, 17:55 "Well, I'll put my life on the line for that person." 17:59 Would it be a criminal? 18:01 No, it wouldn't be. 18:02 We were all born alienated from Christ. 18:06 We were all born at odds with the character of Christ, 18:11 but we are who we are becoming because of the love of Christ. 18:15 So, Danny, when you talked about that 18:16 admiring your father, that quality was in him. 18:20 It's good to look at the good people 18:22 because we're not all there yet. 18:25 Can I get an amen? Amen. 18:26 You know we're not all there yet. 18:28 We're still in the journey. We're still in the process. 18:30 We are still in the hand of the potter. 18:32 He's still molding us, 18:34 but it's good to know that the hand of the potter 18:36 is connected to the potter, His loving hands. 18:39 He doesn't break us when we are fractured. 18:43 He doesn't pour water on our coal when it's about to go out. 18:48 Those are the hands of love. 18:50 And as parents, 18:52 we're not natural parents but we've raised nieces 18:56 and nephews. 18:57 But even if we didn't that character of love, 18:59 you could always see it in somebody 19:01 when it's displayed. 19:03 And I've met people that I've said, "Wow, 19:06 you know, I thought about that person this way 19:08 but they are so loving that they've just changed 19:12 the way I feel about them." 19:14 And, Tim, when you sing that song, 19:16 that first song, it was powerful. 19:18 I've never heard it before. Yeah, beautiful song. 19:21 But it does talk about the love of Christ in a beautiful way. 19:24 Look at the difference. 19:27 And when I was a kid, back then they started teaching 19:30 not long before that when we were kids, 19:32 I won't look at everybody else around maybe you and me 19:35 when we were kids, 19:36 they started teaching evolution in school. 19:39 And so I was just thinking about the difference 19:43 that love makes, 19:45 think about in the theory of evolution 19:47 something just happened and this happened. 19:50 And, of course when I was there younger, 19:52 they started as a tadpole. 19:54 We didn't have as much science back then. 19:56 They started to tadpoles, started whatever, 19:58 all these things or we came in man through the years. 20:02 There is no love in that, so there was no hope for man. 20:06 The difference is and the Creator God 20:08 who's specifically, who willingly, 20:11 who decidedly said, 20:14 "We're going to create man," the Godhead, 20:16 "We're going to create man in our image." 20:18 Now, what God creates, He's going to take care of, 20:21 He's going to bless and He's going to... 20:24 Since God is love, and love is eternal, 20:27 now we can be eternal but without love, 20:31 without God, you're just here and you're gone. 20:34 I mean, this world that's why it's such a mess. 20:36 So many people don't understand, 20:38 we're only here for a few years 20:40 whether it's 60, 80 or 100 years, 20:42 it doesn't make any difference. 20:44 I might have to say 110 or 120 20:45 because now I know people personally 20:47 who are well over 100 years old, 20:49 still going strong but that's short time. 20:52 But it's only long enough for us to understand 20:56 the love of God, and that He gave His Son. 20:59 "For God so loved the world 21:00 that He gave His only begotten Son, 21:02 that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish 21:06 but have everlasting life." 21:09 So because of God's love for fallen man 21:12 that's why the great plan of salvation. 21:14 That's why it's so amazing. That's why I'm not God. 21:17 I was just done away with everybody. 21:19 They did that to me, I cannot believe it. 21:21 Well, you're done, 21:22 you're through and probably all of us would. 21:24 We can laugh about it, 21:25 but we would not have that patience at all. 21:28 But God knowing the beginning from the end said, 21:31 "You know what? 21:32 It's worth it. 21:33 I would die if it's just for you, Tim. 21:36 I would give my life just for you." 21:38 And all of a sudden you feel very special. 21:40 You feel very, if I can use the term, loved. 21:44 You feel very loved. 21:47 Does that make you special in the world? 21:49 No, but you're special to God. 21:51 Does that mean that you're never going 21:53 to have rainy days on Mondays, right? 21:56 Did always let you down as the song says, 21:58 that mean you won't have those when you become a Christian? 22:01 Absolutely not. But you know what? 22:02 When you have the rainy days, you have the storms, 22:05 you have the peace that passeth all understanding. 22:08 Great peace have they which love thy law 22:10 and nothing shall offend them. 22:12 Why, because you have the love of God. 22:15 Once you accept Jesus Christ, 22:17 His great sacrifice on the cross of Calvary, 22:20 and you accept that wow, He loved me. 22:22 I don't know why. I don't understand it. 22:25 I know it more than anybody what a terrible person I am. 22:27 Any of you that says you're not, 22:29 you need to get real because you are none of us. 22:32 There's no good qualities 22:34 that we have at all that we can offer anything. 22:37 The Bible says, "We're all as filthy rags 22:39 in the sight of God." 22:41 So once we see that... 22:43 And then he says, "If we confess our sins, 22:46 we realize we're sinners, we confess our sins, 22:49 He is faithful and just to forgive us from our sins, 22:52 all of our sins," right? 22:54 "And to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Amen. 22:58 Now, all we have to do, 23:00 suddenly Jesus is our testimony, 23:03 He now lives within us. 23:05 That's Jesus. He's the light of the world. 23:07 He says, "I, if I be lifted up from this earth 23:09 will draw all men," that little word again, 23:12 "all men unto me." 23:13 Now, Ellen White says, "Our greatest asset 23:16 is our own personal testimony 23:18 of what God has done for us in us and through us." 23:21 So when we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, 23:23 you're accepting that love. 23:25 If you're accepting the love of Jesus, 23:27 that love is going to shine out. 23:29 If it's not, it's not real love. 23:31 It's a counterfeit. And Christians are more... 23:34 I'm going to say this. 23:36 You know people may not... 23:37 They've been amen and so forth but they may not. 23:39 But I think Christians have done more harm 23:42 to the cause of God than almost anybody on earth. 23:45 In the name of Christianity 23:46 millions of people were killed in the Dark Ages, 23:49 millions, 50-75 million. 23:51 I don't know, read the history on it, 23:53 Foxe's Book of Martyrs, all of those. 23:55 We understand in the name of Christianity, 23:57 if you don't do what I say I'm going to kill you. 23:59 That's a misrepresentation of God and His love. 24:03 This is the one that said he spoke not a mumbling word. 24:06 This is a Savior when He was there 24:08 could have called 10,000 angels 24:10 when He was on the cross but He didn't do it. 24:15 Nails didn't hold Him to the cross, 24:16 love held Jesus to the cross. 24:19 That's sweet. 24:21 Let's pray. Wow, I love that. 24:24 Father God, thank You for that love, 24:27 such love that is beyond comprehension 24:30 that You would love such a sinner as I. 24:35 And, Father, I'm praying that You would help us, 24:39 Your children to be people 24:41 who put love to action, 24:45 put feet on love, 24:47 to show love to one another 24:50 and that such love would dissolve division 24:56 and would unite us. 25:02 Father, You are the author of love 25:06 and when I think of love, I think of relationships. 25:10 So, Father, I want to just pray for marriages 25:13 and for those to be strengthened. 25:18 Father, fill us with care and attention 25:23 and desire 25:25 to get along 25:29 and let love just be real in relationships 25:32 and marriages. 25:33 And I pray, Father, for those who are facing 25:36 the dreadful separation and divorce even. 25:40 Oh, God, I just ask that You would comfort them 25:43 and that You would by all means possible, 25:46 save the marriage. 25:48 God I know it's Your will that we get along 25:50 and that we 25:55 reconcile with each other, 25:57 but it's just not always the way things turn out. 26:01 So I ask, Father, that You would be with those 26:04 who are going through divorce and help them realize 26:08 that You still love them 26:10 and that they are still Your child. 26:12 If they believe in You, they are... 26:14 You are their Father and You will walk through them 26:17 through the process. 26:19 Father God, just wrap Your arms around them 26:23 and let them know that they're loved. 26:25 And I just pray for families 26:27 and parents and children, oh God. 26:29 The unity of family 26:31 is such a powerful thing for this world, 26:33 a powerful testimony of Your love 26:36 and so I just pray for families that are watching 26:38 that in Jesus' name Your love will shine through them. 26:41 Amen. 26:43 The love of God 26:45 How rich and pure 26:47 How measureless and strong 26:52 It shall forevermore endure 26:58 The saints' and angels' song 27:05 Yvonne, I believe or I think we just need to move on 27:09 a little bit here because you got to preach in... 27:11 All right, we'll do that then. 27:12 Could we with ink the ocean fill 27:16 And were the skies of parchment made 27:23 Were every stalk on earth a quill 27:28 Think of that. 27:29 And every man a scribe by trade 27:33 Take it, John. 27:35 To write the love 27:39 of God above 27:43 Would drain the ocean dry 27:49 Nor could the scroll contain the whole 27:55 Come on now. 27:57 Though stretched from sky to sky 28:02 Sing it now. 28:04 Oh love of God 28:08 How rich and pure 28:12 How measureless 28:16 And strong 28:19 It shall 28:20 Forevermore endure 28:27 The saints' 28:28 And angels' 28:33 Song 28:35 Praise the Lord. What a verse. 28:37 Isn't that incredible? Yeah. 28:39 Amen. Yeah. 28:40 Yvonne, you want to talk to us about joy? 28:45 You know, have you ever been to churches 28:48 where everybody just looks like they've been sucking on lemons? 28:52 Yes. 28:54 You know, when you know Jesus 28:58 and when you have a relationship with Him, 29:00 you have joy. 29:02 We can laugh and just feel joyful 29:07 because the joy of the Lord is our strength. 29:11 And many times we might not feel happy per Se, 29:16 but we can pull from the joy of the Lord 29:20 because there are situations 29:23 where you might feel really down. 29:26 You might have a relative that has COVID 29:29 or has some kind of terminal illness. 29:32 And it's like, "How can I feel joy 29:36 when all around me there's so much pain?" 29:40 We can have a sense of joy 29:44 because the joy of the Lord is our strength. 29:49 You're right. 29:50 And so when you're tempted to, kind of, 29:53 feel swallowed up by what's going on around you, 29:57 just think about the goodness of God. 30:01 Think about the faithfulness of God, 30:03 think about how He's brought you through 30:06 every situation in the past and think about 30:09 everything that happens. 30:11 The Lord can turn a trial into a triumph for you. 30:16 He will give you that joy. 30:18 I think about my grandmother, my maternal grandmother. 30:24 I think about how she was a missionary, 30:26 and she was a Bible instructor. 30:29 And she had just 30:33 the greatest sense of humor, 30:35 and she was so much fun. 30:37 And she watched her children 30:41 predeceased her and in all of that, 30:47 she trusted God. 30:48 I watched her and I saw that, 30:51 in spite of all that she was dealing with, 30:54 she still had the joy of the Lord, 30:57 in spite of the pain. 30:58 And so that, for me, 31:01 has been a source of inspiration knowing 31:04 that when you're going through a really hard time, 31:07 you can still have joy, 31:09 you can still trust in the One 31:12 who can place that joy in your heart. 31:15 Know that all things work together for good 31:18 to those who love the Lord and are called according 31:21 to His purpose. 31:23 You can have joy in the midst of your pain, 31:26 in the midst of your sorrow. 31:28 You can put your head... 31:30 Sometimes I act like I'm leaning on the Lord's shoulder. 31:34 You can put your head on His shoulder and tell him, 31:39 "Lord, I just need Your joy." 31:41 And He will give it to you because it's one of the fruit 31:44 of the Spirit. 31:46 He will give it to you. It's beautiful. 31:50 I finally understood a little bit of that 31:53 when I went to have three years ago... 31:55 Well, more than three and a half years ago, 31:58 open heart surgery. 32:00 And so, I'm sure I've faced it many times 32:03 with God's protection but this time 32:05 I really didn't know. 32:07 So when I was there, and all of you came, 32:10 was there that morning. 32:12 I didn't know how to act 32:13 whether I go out crying and screaming. 32:14 You know you don't know, everybody says, 32:16 "Oh, I've got this or that." 32:17 You don't know how you're going to act 32:19 when something really comes down to it. 32:21 But I had this peace and they hadn't given me any shot yet. 32:24 So I said, "Okay, it's not about that. 32:26 Now, what is it that I understand?" 32:29 Now when you talk about that joy of the Lord 32:32 because while I wasn't laughing, I'm like, 32:34 "Oh, this is going to be fun." 32:36 The joy was knowing the hope 32:38 and what the future would bring. 32:40 Either I would come out of it, 32:43 right, and see my family or I would go to sleep 32:46 and in a split second, in twinkling of an eye 32:49 the first face I would see is Jesus. 32:51 So how can you be depressed about that? 32:53 So really, there was a joy in my heart that like, 32:57 "Wow, either way, this is going to be exciting." 33:00 And I couldn't... 33:02 Without being a Christian, without that love, 33:05 I could never think like that. 33:07 I mean it's such an incredible thing to have joy and peace 33:11 and love in the midst of a storm. 33:14 When you think about Jesus, I don't know... 33:17 To me, I tried to picture Him when He was here on earth, 33:22 and I just believe 33:23 that the Lord has such a sense of humor. 33:26 Where do we get our sense of humor from? 33:29 God gave it to us. 33:31 And so it wasn't... 33:33 I don't believe He was just jesting and acting silly, 33:35 but I believe He knew how to have a nice time. 33:38 He was sociable. 33:39 He went to the wedding 33:40 and changed the water to wine at the wedding. 33:42 He was sociable and loving and kind, 33:45 and I feel like He and His disciples would laugh 33:49 about things because He had joy. 33:53 And again, there are so many of you 33:56 who are not feeling joy and you can see it in the countenance. 34:00 So ask the Lord for joy. 34:03 If you're feeling miserable, 34:05 if life is just closing in on you, 34:07 just ask for joy, the Lord will give it. 34:10 I agree with you, Jesus had that. 34:11 And I'll let everybody else, 34:13 I've done my part of talking today. 34:15 But Jesus, I'm convinced had the joy 34:17 because He had already written in the back of the book. 34:20 That's right. There you go. 34:22 We always talk about reading the back of book. 34:24 Jesus was on earth, 34:26 had already written the back of the book 34:27 so He knew in the end there's, of course, 34:31 life eternal for all of those, 34:33 that free gift that we're willing to accept it. 34:35 So I think, yes, we should see Jesus 34:38 and think of Him as a happy person. 34:39 Otherwise, some of us wouldn't be too happy 34:42 being in heaven if we can't have a little joy, right? 34:44 That's right. Yeah. 34:45 What does the Bible say even for the... 34:47 Even though He knew that He was going to the cross, 34:50 "For the joy that was set before Him." 34:53 Yes. 34:55 Enduring the despise and the shame. 34:57 Right, Yvonne, why don't you pray for our viewers for joy, 35:00 okay? 35:03 Dear Lord, we just thank You so very much 35:05 that we can have joy that You will give it to us 35:09 and so many people are longing for it. 35:12 There are people who are in pain right now, 35:16 people who are wondering, "Where is my joy?" 35:20 But, Lord, we just ask You to give them joy. 35:23 Those who are going through bad marriages, 35:26 those who are sick, 35:27 those whose jobs are not there for them, 35:31 they're unemployed and they're needing income. 35:33 Lord, we know that You are the great provider 35:36 and that You will provide our every need 35:38 and so we just have to trust You. 35:41 We have to trust You for joy in the midst 35:43 of the worst circumstances, 35:44 but we know that You will give it to us 35:47 because it's one of the fruit of the Spirit, Lord. 35:49 So thank You for that joy. 35:51 Thank You for the love that You give us 35:54 and all the rest of this fruit of the Spirit, Lord. 35:56 We just thank You and pray that everyone within the sound 36:00 of my voice now will experience Your joy. 36:04 Thank You, Lord. 36:05 We pray this in the name of Yeshua, Jesus, our Savior. 36:09 Amen. 36:10 I like that song. It says... 36:12 Jesus, You're the center of my joy 36:18 All that's good and perfect comes from You 36:25 You're the hearts of my contentment 36:29 Hope for all I do Jesus, 36:35 You're the center 36:37 of my joy 36:42 Amen. 36:43 John, do you want to talk to us about the fruit of peace? 36:48 Peace is... 36:51 It might be good to use the microphone. 36:56 I want to, kind of, build off of what you were talking about, 37:00 Yvonne, because a lot of times people say... 37:02 When you talk about joy and that ability we all have 37:07 to be joyful, to be sad, 37:09 how would you know joy unless you know sadness? 37:12 How will you experience the beauty of a sun filled sky 37:17 if you didn't have a cloudy sky? 37:19 And there are those in the world that would say, 37:21 "I don't have any joy. 37:23 I don't have all the things that I desire." 37:27 I remember songwriter says, 37:30 "They began to compare the bad things in life 37:32 to the good things in life. 37:34 But they said to us how would we know 37:36 that there are good things in life 37:38 without bad things in life? 37:40 How could we appreciate love and joy 37:43 if there wasn't hate and sorrow?" 37:46 And that's the world that we live in. 37:48 So when Jesus left... 37:50 There's a text here 37:52 and I'm so glad that the Lord wrote this, 37:56 inspired John, the one whom Jesus loves to write this. 38:00 He says, John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you." 38:05 I want to just pause there and just break 38:06 that down a little bit. 38:08 When people leave, and if we're not sure 38:11 we're going to see them again. 38:12 They said, "I'm going away, 38:14 I'd like to leave something with you." 38:16 Sometimes you leave a card or maybe a pendant 38:19 or maybe some, kind of, 38:20 something that's special to the family 38:22 or maybe something that marks the high points 38:24 of your relationship. 38:27 And I have a mind 38:30 that's kind of a theater. 38:33 It sees things that sometimes you may not see. 38:36 And I think of Jesus visiting my house, 38:39 and He and I have a day together. 38:42 And He says, "I'm leaving. 38:44 Tomorrow I'm going back to My Father." 38:48 You are, "That's why I've decided 38:49 to stop by and just spend this last day with you 38:53 before I go back to My Father." 38:56 And as He leaves He says all 38:58 and I'm just stuck in awe that His final words to me. 39:03 And then when He leaves, I see something on the table 39:07 that He didn't tell me He was going to leave there. 39:09 And it's a simply one word, P-E-A-C-E, 39:14 "My peace I leave with you." 39:17 And I thought, "I've seen Him at the most trying moments, 39:22 and I've seen Him hold His peace in the judgment hall 39:25 when He was being mocked and scourged. 39:27 I see Him holding His peace when He was falsely accused." 39:31 How many times... 39:33 I'm just going to confess, 39:34 I have a hard time holding my peace 39:35 when I'm falsely accused. 39:37 I don't know about anybody else. 39:39 You've been falsely accused or straight out lied about? 39:42 And you want to say, "That is not true." 39:45 And I've been in trying situations, 39:48 some more recent, some through the years 39:52 and I remember once I said to somebody, 39:54 "You know they're making me so upset, 39:55 I feel like going back to my Brooklyn attitude." 39:58 You know what I'm talking about. 39:59 I feel like going back to Brooklyn 40:02 and somebody said to me, 40:03 "Don't let them drag you down there because your God 40:08 is too big to let them drag you down there." 40:12 And all of a sudden, I remembered after being 40:14 a pastor for 34 years 40:16 that somebody could still drag me down there, 40:18 take my peace from me. 40:21 But Jesus says, "My peace I leave with you." 40:24 And for those of you that claim a connection with Christ, 40:28 why are we not more peaceful? 40:31 You know this world yet... Danny, you made a point. 40:32 This world has done a horrible job, 40:35 and Christians being peaceful. 40:38 We've been through so much stuff in America, 40:40 and maybe other parts of the world. 40:42 If you're watching this program, 40:43 you've been through things in your country, 40:46 whatever it may have been, economic embargoes 40:48 or not enough food, not enough clothing 40:51 or political strife and unrest or social unrest. 40:54 And you've gone through stuff where you say, 40:56 "I'm just not at peace with myself 40:58 or not at peace with my family." 41:00 But for Christians, 41:03 we should be able to display 41:05 the peace of God in the most trying circumstances 41:09 because if it's not working for us, 41:11 why would anybody want it? 41:14 You know, why would you give... 41:15 Can you imagine saying to your nephew, 41:18 "I want to leave my car for you." 41:20 And he said, "But uncle that hasn't worked in 35 years." 41:24 "Well, I figured if it didn't work for me, 41:25 it might work for you." 41:27 No, if it doesn't work, it's just not going to work. 41:30 And so when the Lord says, "My peace I leave with you." 41:33 I can't think of anything else I would want. 41:36 He could have said, "I leave you my possessions," 41:39 but He didn't have any earthly possessions. 41:41 "My peace I leave with you." 41:42 And look at the rest of it when He says, 41:45 "My peace I give to you." 41:46 And let's just go through it, love, joy, peace. 41:49 We're going to walk through all of them, love, joy, peace, 41:52 long-suffering, gentleness, meekness, patience. 41:54 And if he had to give each of those gifts to one person, 41:58 and somebody said, "What did He give you?" 42:02 "He gave me His peace." 42:03 Wow, I wish He gave me His peace 42:04 because I really need it. 42:06 And I want to tell you today, 42:07 here's the reason why He gave it. 42:10 He says, "Not as the world gives." 42:15 How many times have people tried to... 42:18 between countries? 42:19 Years ago, I remember Protestants and Catholics. 42:24 What do they both want? Peace. 42:26 The Jews and the Muslims, what do they want? Peace. 42:30 The peace accord, 42:31 many presidents years ago growing up 42:34 I could remember Israel's Peace Accord. 42:36 They're trying to settle with the Palestinians. 42:40 They're still trying to do that. 42:42 But the Lord says, "You're going to look 42:43 all around the world, 42:45 you're not going to find this peace." 42:46 So I just want to say for this new year, 42:50 Donna Berg, we know as Donna Ganz. 42:53 We were doing a Bible study online and this word came up 42:58 and I love the picture she gave to me. 43:00 She says, "Pursue peace for without it 43:04 no one can see God, pursue it." 43:07 And she said, "Can I bring that down, Pastor? 43:09 I said, "Sure." 43:10 And so she says, "If peace is running from you, 43:14 run after it and grab its legs and refuse to let it get away." 43:18 I never could get that picture. 43:20 She said, "Pursue peace" she said, 43:22 "Do you know that means run after it?" 43:24 And some of you, your peace may be running away 43:26 from you because circumstances are just pressing the peace 43:28 away from you. 43:30 Get up out of that chair of sorrow 43:31 and discontent and say, "You know what? 43:34 I'm going to pursue peace because I will not be able 43:37 to see God without it." 43:39 That's why Jesus is the Prince of Peace. 43:41 That's awesome. Great peace have they, say it again. 43:44 "Great peace have they that love thy law, 43:47 and nothing shall offend them." 43:48 That's right, but a lot of things offend us. Why? 43:51 Because we're not allowing the peace 43:52 that Jesus leaves with us 43:54 to become the overwhelming quality of our lives. 43:59 And then He ends by saying 1 John 14:27, 44:03 "Do not let your heart be troubled nor let it be afraid." 44:06 Is there fear in the world today? 44:08 Yes. 44:10 We're still trying to stabilize economies around the world. 44:13 COVID is still a present thing in some places more than less, 44:18 variants, people are worrying about food, 44:22 slowdown and ships are still in the ocean trying 44:25 to deliver them up, prices going up 44:28 and people are saying, "How am I going to find peace?" 44:32 Let me recommend Jesus. 44:33 Yes. Yes. Amen. 44:35 Let me recommend Jesus. 44:36 Don't try to find it in family members 44:38 because they may be able to give you just a drop of it, 44:42 but Jesus is abundant, full of peace. 44:47 My peace I leave with you 44:49 and then you find here in Philippians 4:49 44:54 these words, "Rejoice in the Lord always." 44:57 And Paul could have stopped there and said, 45:02 "And again I say rejoice." 45:04 The reiteration means you have to grab that, 45:07 "Rejoice in the Lord always." 45:10 You mean 24 hours a day? 45:11 I saw a sign once on a Cleaners 45:15 when we were living in California. 45:17 It's on the Cleaners, open 24 hours, 45:20 but it was closed. 45:23 And I asked the owner and I said, 45:25 "But the sign says, open 24 hours." 45:27 He said, "But not in a row." 45:32 Why would you put that sign on the door, 45:34 open 24 hours, and I got there and I'm not going to... 45:37 It's closed. It says it open 24 hours. 45:40 He said, "Not in a row." But you know what? 45:42 Jesus can give us peace 24 hours, come on, in a row. 45:47 And I want to be that kind of person 45:49 that I can wake up in the morning 45:50 with the world falling apart around me. 45:52 I've said to my wife so many times. 45:54 Honey, you'll remember this. 45:56 I said, "What I love about our marriage 45:58 is the world could be falling apart 46:00 and I could walk through the door 46:02 and know I'm at peace." 46:05 I could walk through the door and just look in my eyes, 46:08 the eyes of my wife 46:10 and know that it's cold out there but it's warm in here. 46:15 I could look at... 46:17 I read a story about a man who said, 46:18 "I was an utter failure, 46:20 but when I went home I was a king." 46:23 And so if you look at Jesus, He says, 46:26 "My peace I leave with you." 46:27 We should find peace in our marriages. 46:30 Strive for peace in your marriage in 2022. 46:34 It may not be everything you pray for to be a young lady 46:36 or young man or hold a couple 46:40 or you may be trying to find peace after losing 46:44 your spouse and you might think, 46:47 "Life is never going to be the same again," 46:50 but Jesus is there for you. 46:52 He'll bring that peace in. 46:54 In the midst of a heart that's troubled, 46:57 He'll put His hand on your heart and say, 46:59 "My peace I leave with you." 47:01 Paul says, Philippians 4, 47:02 "And I rejoice in the Lord always, 47:05 and again I say rejoice. 47:08 Let your gentleness be known unto all men. 47:11 The Lord is near at hand." 47:12 Do you have a thought on your heart, honey? 47:14 John, why don't you pray for our viewers for peace? 47:16 For peace, let's just pray. 47:20 Gracious Father in heaven, 47:23 people are looking for things but on so many occasions 47:27 they just don't find it. 47:30 We've just past holiday season, 47:32 where people were looking in window shopping, 47:35 people looking in magazines and on the internet 47:37 and on websites looking for things 47:40 that money can purchase. 47:42 But after they've opened the gifts, 47:44 after they've put them away, after the thrill is gone, 47:49 they realize, "Wow, it's still missing." 47:52 So I pray for this New Year, Lord, 47:54 that we won't be looking for things 47:56 that You already gave to us. 47:57 "My peace I leave with you, 48:00 not try to find it because I hid it somewhere. 48:04 I leave it with you." 48:05 And so, Lord, I pray today that those who claim to know You 48:09 that they'll say, "Yes, that's true. 48:11 Why do I have to fight for peace 48:13 when the Lord left it with me?" 48:16 I want to demonstrate that peace in the way 48:18 I speak to people, 48:19 the way they look in my eyes that they could see peace, 48:22 in my hands and my attitude in the way I stand up, 48:25 in the way I listen. 48:26 I pray for peace in marriages. 48:29 Husbands and wives are so different and yet, 48:32 Lord, You said we could be one because of You. 48:35 Give peace in the heart of that husband 48:37 who's at odds with his wife, 48:39 a peace in the heart of that wife 48:42 who feels estranged from her husband. 48:45 Give peace to the children, 48:46 who cannot take the loving guidance of their parents. 48:50 Give peace to the churches, 48:52 where people are separated by aisles but not united 48:56 by love and peace and joy. 48:58 And, Father, give us the desire to hold on until the day 49:02 we see the Prince of Peace 49:04 and we recognize we're about to enter the kingdom 49:07 of eternal peace. 49:08 This is my prayer and may we embrace it for this New Year 49:13 and be a people, 49:14 we're in the world looks for peace, 49:16 they find it in the lives of those claiming to know You. 49:20 In Jesus' name I pray, 49:22 amen. 49:24 Awesome. 49:25 Praise the Lord. I love it. 49:27 I love the love, joy and peace such great thoughts, 49:32 I love you all. 49:34 You're wonderful. Tim, a thought just came to my mind. 49:36 Can I throw you a curve? Please do. 49:38 Because I know you're a very good catcher. 49:39 Oh well, we'll see. 49:41 Far away in the depths 49:44 Of my spirit tonight 49:49 Rolls a melody sweeter 49:54 Than psalm 49:57 In celestial-like strains 50:02 It unceasingly falls 50:07 O'er my soul 50:10 Like an infinite calm 50:16 Everybody sing. 50:17 Peace! Peace! 50:22 Wonderful peace 50:25 Coming down 50:28 From the Father above 50:35 Sweep over 50:37 My spirit forever, 50:43 I pray 50:46 In fathomless billows 50:52 Of love 50:57 Sweet, you know what, John? 50:59 I was going to do that, 51:01 but I just didn't know if you would want to go there. 51:04 That was fun. That was providential. 51:07 The Lord just put it on my heart 51:08 and I didn't know that was on your heart. 51:09 Well, it's perfect. It is perfect. 51:12 Angie, you want to talk to us 51:15 about the next fruit of the Spirit? 51:18 Patience or sometimes it's a reference is long-suffering. 51:22 Yeah, long-suffering, patience, something that I need. 51:25 You gave me the right one. 51:29 Patience, I tell you, the Bible speaks about patient 51:33 and we know that the Lord is patient with us every day. 51:38 Patience is the ability to endure opposition, 51:42 to overlook the weaknesses and faults of others. 51:45 The Old Testament shows the patience of God 51:49 over many generations combined with His judgment. 51:53 And in Exodus 34:6, it says, "The Lord God, 51:58 compassionate and gracious, slow to anger..." 52:02 How many of us are quick to get angry? 52:04 "He is slow to anger 52:06 and abounding in loving kindness and truth." 52:10 That's the God I choose to serve. 52:13 So many times I get impatient, 52:15 sometimes you want to hit it here and you want it now. 52:18 And that's the kind of world we live in, we want it. 52:22 So I'm just so happy that the Lord is patient with me. 52:27 And in the Bible it says, 52:29 "Here is the patience of the saints." 52:31 And this is the patience I want, 52:34 to have the patience of the saints, 52:36 which is really the patience of Jesus 52:38 because I don't have the patience. 52:40 So when you pray for patience, 52:42 the Lord will test you and you will have patience, 52:46 so be careful what you pray for. 52:49 If you're not a patient person, you say, "Lord, 52:51 give me patience." 52:52 The Lord will bring someone in your life to test you. 52:57 Can I get a witness? 53:01 It's true 53:03 and we know that the prodigal son, 53:08 Lord, look at the father. 53:11 He waited in for his son. That's true patience. 53:15 Maybe somebody out there is waiting 53:17 for their prodigal child out there 53:20 and they're waiting for that child to come back home. 53:23 That's patience. 53:25 Keep praying, keep trusting, keep holding on, 53:27 the Lord is faithful. 53:30 I'm telling you. 53:31 Abraham, Joseph, David, Hannah, Ruth, 53:33 all of these wonderful people in the Bible went through 53:37 the test of patience and in these last days 53:41 this is what we're going through, patience. 53:44 And waiting takes time 53:46 and God is developing patience in us so remember that. 53:51 And my prayer is that the Lord will grant me 53:55 continual patience to endure in these last days 53:58 that we're living in. 54:00 Yeah. Why don't you to pray for our viewers that very thing? 54:01 Sure, let's bow our heads. 54:04 Our kind, gracious Heavenly Father, 54:06 we come to You in the name of Jesus, 54:08 praising You and honoring You 54:10 and thanking You for Your graciousness. 54:13 Lord it's a new year, You're so good to us, 54:15 You kept us through the last year 54:18 and as we put our feet on solid ground 54:21 we know that we can trust You. 54:23 You are the God of patience. 54:25 Lord, somebody out there is on the last end. 54:28 Lord, give them that strength to hold on to You 54:32 to not let go. 54:33 Give them the patience they need 54:35 to be with their families 54:41 to guide them. 54:42 Lord, just guide these families out there. 54:44 We need You, every one of us need You, but Lord, 54:48 we need the patience of Jesus. 54:51 Look how patient He was. 54:52 He bear the cross for us, for you and for me. 54:56 I pray that You'll strengthen each person 54:59 that is watching this program, strengthen their families, 55:02 Father, give them the endurance to endure to the end. 55:07 And once again, may we have the patience 55:10 of Jesus to hold on to that everlasting arm 55:14 that loves us and loves us 55:17 with not just love but an everlasting love. 55:20 Thank you, Father, for that love. 55:22 In Jesus' name, amen. 55:25 You know, I know some of our viewers may be... 55:28 They may be holding to a promise that they feel 55:30 that God gave them and that is one of the aspects 55:33 a lot of us have to be patient, 55:35 waiting for God's will to be shown in our lives. 55:39 And I think of a song 55:42 that whenever I come to the point of getting 55:44 irritated and impatient with God, I say... 55:48 All to Jesus 55:51 I surrender All to Him I freely give 55:57 I will ever love and trust Him 56:02 And in His presence 56:04 I'll daily live I'm going to live right now 56:07 and just trust Him. 56:08 And I'll say... 56:10 I surrender all 56:16 I surrender all 56:23 All to Thee, 56:26 My blessed Savior 56:30 I surrender all 56:34 John, do you want to sing this next verse? 56:37 All to Jesus 56:41 I surrender 56:45 Make me, Savior, 56:48 wholly Thine 56:51 Let me feel 56:54 Thy Holy Spirit 56:58 Truly know that 57:02 Thou art mine 57:06 I surrender all 57:12 I surrender all 57:19 All to Thee, my blessed Savior 57:26 I surrender all 57:33 Stay tuned as we attempt to make it through 57:36 the rest of the beautiful fruit of the Spirit. 57:40 We'll be right back. |
Revised 2022-01-20