Welcome back to the second hour 00:00:11.51\00:00:13.71 of the prayer and praise program 00:00:13.74\00:00:16.51 where we are emphasizing the fruit of the Spirit 00:00:16.54\00:00:19.01 found in Galatians 5, 00:00:19.05\00:00:20.92 and what powerful lessons we've learned 00:00:20.95\00:00:24.45 and great testimonies you've all shared. 00:00:24.49\00:00:26.96 Thank you for your insight and your input. 00:00:26.99\00:00:29.39 And that's definitely a sign of the overflow 00:00:29.42\00:00:33.13 of the fruit of Christ in your lives. 00:00:33.16\00:00:36.87 And, John, I think it was you that mentioned, 00:00:36.90\00:00:41.27 if we don't look like Christ then how can we proclaim Him? 00:00:41.30\00:00:45.71 How can people see Him in us? 00:00:45.74\00:00:47.94 How can we represent Him to the world 00:00:47.98\00:00:50.18 if we don't look like Him? 00:00:50.21\00:00:51.61 So as we study, we know that the... 00:00:51.65\00:00:55.38 As we can talk about these, 00:00:55.42\00:00:56.82 we know that the fruit of the Spirit, 00:00:56.85\00:00:58.39 they don't flow from rules that we follow. 00:00:58.42\00:01:00.96 They flow from who we follow, 00:01:00.99\00:01:03.56 as Christ lives out His life in us. 00:01:03.59\00:01:05.83 So I just think that this is a good time 00:01:05.86\00:01:10.37 to maybe just focus our minds and say. 00:01:10.40\00:01:15.14 This is my desire 00:01:15.17\00:01:19.07 To honor You 00:01:19.11\00:01:23.48 Lord with all my heart 00:01:23.51\00:01:26.75 I worship You 00:01:26.78\00:01:32.29 All I have within me 00:01:32.32\00:01:36.83 I give You praise 00:01:36.86\00:01:42.16 All that I adore 00:01:42.20\00:01:45.93 Is in You 00:01:45.97\00:01:50.84 Sing Lord, I give You my heart. 00:01:50.87\00:01:53.58 Lord, I give You my heart 00:01:53.61\00:01:57.81 I give You my soul 00:01:57.85\00:02:02.78 I live for You alone 00:02:02.82\00:02:07.86 Every breath that I take 00:02:07.89\00:02:11.93 Every moment I'm awake 00:02:11.96\00:02:17.47 Lord, have Your way in me 00:02:17.50\00:02:23.47 Now we continue with the fruit of the Spirit 00:02:27.28\00:02:30.75 as Jill Morikone 00:02:30.78\00:02:34.42 gives us kindness. 00:02:34.45\00:02:39.05 You know when I read Galatians Chapter 5. 00:02:39.09\00:02:41.36 I'm always struck by the contrast 00:02:41.39\00:02:43.93 between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. 00:02:43.96\00:02:47.76 You know, just before the fruit of the Spirit comes that 00:02:47.80\00:02:51.00 tremendous list of the works of the flesh 00:02:51.03\00:02:53.97 and it reminds me of a self-centered heart 00:02:54.00\00:02:58.64 versus a Christ-centered heart. 00:02:58.67\00:03:01.31 You know, you can be a self-centered Christian. 00:03:01.34\00:03:03.85 I have walked 00:03:03.88\00:03:05.28 as a self-centered Christian in my past, 00:03:05.31\00:03:09.25 sometimes in my present. 00:03:09.28\00:03:12.69 A self-centered Christian 00:03:12.72\00:03:14.89 is someone who is controlled by passion. 00:03:14.92\00:03:17.53 The Christ-centered Christian 00:03:17.56\00:03:20.20 is controlled by the Holy Spirit. 00:03:20.23\00:03:22.50 A self-centered Christian is a slave to sin. 00:03:22.53\00:03:26.84 A Christ-centered Christian dies to self and to sin. 00:03:26.87\00:03:32.81 A self-centered Christian shows the fruit of sin. 00:03:32.84\00:03:37.05 A Christ-centered Christian 00:03:37.08\00:03:38.88 exhibits the fruit of the Spirit. 00:03:38.91\00:03:42.42 A self-centered Christian walks in lust. 00:03:42.45\00:03:47.09 A Christ-centered Christian walks in love. 00:03:47.12\00:03:51.93 A self-centered Christian is an idolater, 00:03:51.96\00:03:56.20 and a Christ-centered Christian lives for others. 00:03:56.23\00:04:01.07 You and I can never have the fruit of the Spirit 00:04:01.10\00:04:04.57 without the Spirit dwelling in us. 00:04:04.61\00:04:08.38 Only when we have Christ in us, the hope of glory, 00:04:08.41\00:04:12.11 only when we walk and allow Him to walk in us, 00:04:12.15\00:04:16.99 to live out His life in us, can we hope 00:04:17.02\00:04:21.16 to exhibit any of those fruit of the Spirit. 00:04:21.19\00:04:24.06 My fruit, kindness. 00:04:24.09\00:04:26.13 The essence of kindness is thoughtfulness 00:04:26.16\00:04:28.46 for other people above yourself. 00:04:28.50\00:04:30.47 It's the desire to encourage and help other people 00:04:30.50\00:04:33.87 to reach out and minister. 00:04:33.90\00:04:37.87 In the Greek for Galatians for kindness. 00:04:37.91\00:04:43.78 It actually is useful kindness. 00:04:43.81\00:04:46.15 I like that word. 00:04:46.18\00:04:47.52 Useful kindness, 00:04:47.55\00:04:48.92 not just kindness that's put on. 00:04:48.95\00:04:53.22 Kindness that's a show, but kindness that's practical. 00:04:53.25\00:04:58.19 Kindness that is a smile for someone. 00:04:58.23\00:05:00.80 Kindness that is a word for someone. 00:05:00.83\00:05:03.37 Kindness that is getting out of your own busy schedule 00:05:03.40\00:05:08.14 and ministering to the needs of someone else. 00:05:08.17\00:05:12.64 You know, recently I've been revisiting 00:05:12.67\00:05:15.14 the Last Supper and the disciples there, 00:05:15.18\00:05:19.55 and three words 00:05:19.58\00:05:21.38 have been impressed on my mind. 00:05:21.42\00:05:23.69 And I keep thinking them for some reason over and over. 00:05:23.72\00:05:26.52 And those three words are, is it I? 00:05:26.55\00:05:29.52 Remember when Jesus said, 00:05:29.56\00:05:31.23 "One of you are going to betray Me." 00:05:31.26\00:05:34.30 And the disciples looked at each other 00:05:34.33\00:05:36.67 and then they looked at their master 00:05:36.70\00:05:38.03 and they said, "Is it I?" 00:05:38.07\00:05:40.94 And I thought, what was wrong with them? 00:05:40.97\00:05:43.20 Did they think they're going to betray Jesus? 00:05:43.24\00:05:45.71 Why did they even question that? 00:05:45.74\00:05:48.08 Did they even know their own heart? 00:05:48.11\00:05:52.91 And then just, I wish 00:05:52.95\00:05:54.28 I could tell you this is a last, long time ago, 00:05:54.32\00:05:58.32 just a week ago, I had an is it I moment. 00:05:58.35\00:06:03.83 And I was in a discussion with someone. 00:06:03.86\00:06:06.43 And my unkindness came out. 00:06:06.46\00:06:10.57 My pride came out. 00:06:10.60\00:06:14.80 And I was reminded again, 00:06:14.84\00:06:19.94 that I need Jesus. 00:06:19.97\00:06:22.21 I need His kindness in my heart 00:06:22.24\00:06:26.51 and in my life and I looked at the person and I said, 00:06:26.55\00:06:30.02 "I'm so sorry, can we pray?" 00:06:30.05\00:06:32.42 And we did. 00:06:32.45\00:06:33.89 And then the person left my office 00:06:33.92\00:06:35.99 and I walked out the back door, here at work, 00:06:36.02\00:06:39.49 and I just walked down the road, 00:06:39.53\00:06:42.20 crying, "Father, is it I?" 00:06:42.23\00:06:45.33 Yes, it is. 00:06:45.37\00:06:47.14 I'm the one who put you on the cross. 00:06:47.17\00:06:50.04 I'm the one who indulged in a self-centered heart 00:06:50.07\00:06:55.04 instead of allowing You to live in me 00:06:55.08\00:06:58.28 with your Christ-centered heart. 00:06:58.31\00:07:00.42 I want Jesus to live in my heart. 00:07:00.45\00:07:04.32 This new year, 00:07:04.35\00:07:05.99 I want to walk in the fruit of the Spirit. 00:07:06.02\00:07:10.53 I want to have Him dwelling inside 00:07:10.56\00:07:13.09 and I want to exhibit this fruit of kindness. 00:07:13.13\00:07:16.00 I love Romans 2:4, 00:07:16.03\00:07:19.17 "Do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness, 00:07:19.20\00:07:21.60 and tolerance, and patience 00:07:21.64\00:07:23.17 not knowing it is the goodness, 00:07:23.20\00:07:24.81 it is the kindness of God that draws us to repentance." 00:07:24.84\00:07:30.48 Jesus responded with kindness to so many people, 00:07:30.51\00:07:33.72 so many interruptions, 00:07:33.75\00:07:35.28 the children who came to Him 00:07:35.32\00:07:36.65 and the disciples said, "Go away." 00:07:36.69\00:07:38.05 And He said, "Come, come, 00:07:38.09\00:07:39.92 of such they are of the kingdom of heaven." 00:07:39.95\00:07:42.86 And the woman with the issue of blood pressing forward 00:07:42.89\00:07:45.93 to touch the hem of His garment. 00:07:45.96\00:07:48.76 And Jesus stopped everything that went on. 00:07:48.80\00:07:51.60 And He reached out and He healed that woman 00:07:51.63\00:07:55.54 exhibiting kindness. 00:07:55.57\00:07:59.77 I love this. 00:07:59.81\00:08:01.14 And this is why this fruit is for me. 00:08:01.18\00:08:03.58 It says we often fail to show kindness, 00:08:03.61\00:08:06.72 because we think we're too busy, 00:08:06.75\00:08:08.75 or we don't want to be interrupted. 00:08:08.78\00:08:11.69 We can become self-absorbed. 00:08:11.72\00:08:15.22 We must always consider what would Jesus do? 00:08:15.26\00:08:17.09 So I want to challenge you in the new year. 00:08:17.13\00:08:19.26 Reach out with kindness. 00:08:19.29\00:08:21.70 Reach out with love. 00:08:21.73\00:08:24.00 Take a moment from your schedule 00:08:24.03\00:08:27.44 to see the needs of people, 00:08:27.47\00:08:30.21 your neighbor, your coworker, 00:08:30.24\00:08:33.11 your friend, your spouse, 00:08:33.14\00:08:36.51 a church member and reach out with kindness toward them. 00:08:36.54\00:08:41.85 And I want to pray for you just now. 00:08:41.88\00:08:44.92 Holy Father, we come before You right now. 00:08:44.95\00:08:46.99 And we ask for opportunities for kindness. 00:08:47.02\00:08:48.92 God, would You show us? 00:08:48.96\00:08:50.29 We are naturally selfish. 00:08:50.33\00:08:52.29 The heart is deceitful above all things 00:08:52.33\00:08:54.30 and desperately wicked, who can know it? 00:08:54.33\00:08:56.23 So we ask as we start this new year, 00:08:56.26\00:08:58.83 would You give us clean hands and a pure heart? 00:08:58.87\00:09:01.77 Would You come into our hearts? 00:09:01.80\00:09:04.31 Would You wash us clean? 00:09:04.34\00:09:06.21 Would You fill us with Your Spirit? 00:09:06.24\00:09:09.28 And, God, would You open up our eyes 00:09:09.31\00:09:11.85 to see opportunities for kindness, 00:09:11.88\00:09:14.62 opportunities where we can reach out 00:09:14.65\00:09:16.62 with a smile and with a word with encouragement. 00:09:16.65\00:09:21.59 Maybe it's taking time for someone else. 00:09:21.62\00:09:25.03 God, when You give us opportunities for kindness. 00:09:25.06\00:09:28.83 We want to pray against the opposite 00:09:28.86\00:09:30.60 of that kindness, pride in our heart, 00:09:30.63\00:09:34.24 a bitter tongue, hatefulness. 00:09:34.27\00:09:37.81 Father, we ask that 00:09:37.84\00:09:39.61 if that is resident in our hearts, 00:09:39.64\00:09:42.41 would You root it out 00:09:42.44\00:09:43.78 by the power of Your Holy Spirit? 00:09:43.81\00:09:45.68 We pray that You would reveal to us 00:09:45.71\00:09:49.02 those areas of our lives that we don't even know. 00:09:49.05\00:09:52.92 We come before you and say, "Is it I? 00:09:52.95\00:09:56.99 Would You show us our heart? 00:09:57.03\00:09:59.29 Would You convict us 00:09:59.33\00:10:00.96 by the power of Your Holy Spirit? 00:10:01.00\00:10:03.37 Would You wash us with a washing 00:10:03.40\00:10:05.50 of the water of Your Word? 00:10:05.53\00:10:07.74 Would You convert us? 00:10:07.77\00:10:09.20 And would You enable us to reach out 00:10:09.24\00:10:12.37 with kindness 00:10:12.41\00:10:14.08 toward each person that we meet? 00:10:14.11\00:10:16.31 And we ask this in Jesus' name, amen. 00:10:16.34\00:10:21.25 I like kindness and the couple these that are following. 00:10:21.28\00:10:25.55 They get to the nitty-gritty 00:10:25.59\00:10:27.36 of not only what's going on in us 00:10:27.39\00:10:30.93 but how it affects others. 00:10:30.96\00:10:33.80 Of course, I guess all of them can be that way 00:10:33.83\00:10:36.50 but kindness especially, 00:10:36.53\00:10:39.33 and we find that even non-believers, 00:10:39.37\00:10:43.47 they can have a counterfeit kindness. 00:10:43.51\00:10:46.94 They can put on, as you said, and even Christians can put on, 00:10:46.98\00:10:51.81 but only through Christ, can we produce such fruit, 00:10:51.85\00:10:57.42 which is really what we're called to do. 00:10:57.45\00:10:58.99 And that's what the Holy Spirit does in us. 00:10:59.02\00:11:00.66 He's not a counterfeit. 00:11:00.69\00:11:02.79 He's actually producing these fruit in us. 00:11:02.82\00:11:05.56 And so that's the power of all of this fruit in our lives. 00:11:05.59\00:11:09.10 So thank you, Jill, for that. 00:11:09.13\00:11:12.30 And next we come to the fruit of the Spirit, 00:11:12.33\00:11:16.54 goodness. 00:11:16.57\00:11:18.51 Greg, begins with G. 00:11:18.54\00:11:20.91 Yeah, Greg, goodness. Okay. 00:11:20.94\00:11:23.71 Thank you, Brother Tim, 00:11:23.75\00:11:25.08 though, for putting this program together. 00:11:25.11\00:11:26.51 You know, it's a great way to start the year. 00:11:26.55\00:11:29.05 Hard to believe that we're in 2022. 00:11:29.08\00:11:32.92 You know, I think about this past year and, as Tim said, 00:11:32.95\00:11:36.59 if I have the fruit of the Spirit of goodness 00:11:36.62\00:11:40.13 and I just want to say thank you 00:11:40.16\00:11:41.63 for being a part of our 3ABN family. 00:11:41.66\00:11:44.50 Thank you for reaching out to the Ministry of 3ABN. 00:11:44.53\00:11:47.20 We're here as family on the set, 00:11:47.24\00:11:48.87 great, having a great time together, 00:11:48.90\00:11:50.34 opening the Word of God, 00:11:50.37\00:11:51.71 music too, Tim, appreciate that so very much. 00:11:51.74\00:11:54.28 But to spend this time with you, 00:11:54.31\00:11:55.81 we look forward to that each and every day, 00:11:55.84\00:11:57.71 as Mr. Danny always says, 00:11:57.75\00:11:59.08 "Thank you for allowing us to come into your living room 00:11:59.11\00:12:01.85 or wherever you're watching or listening 00:12:01.88\00:12:04.19 to this program from." 00:12:04.22\00:12:05.89 But this past year, we received a lot of letters from you. 00:12:05.92\00:12:09.82 And I have to say that in those letters, 00:12:09.86\00:12:12.89 there's a lot of heartache. 00:12:12.93\00:12:14.76 You're writing in there about the loss of a job, 00:12:14.80\00:12:17.70 a loss of a loved one 00:12:17.73\00:12:20.04 or you're worried about the future. 00:12:20.07\00:12:22.47 But an underlying theme 00:12:22.50\00:12:23.94 through the majority of the letters that we receive, 00:12:23.97\00:12:25.87 and I'm so encouraged by this. 00:12:25.91\00:12:28.04 And that is that you say you say it different ways 00:12:28.08\00:12:31.05 in these different letters that we receive 00:12:31.08\00:12:32.85 but basically it comes down to this, 00:12:32.88\00:12:35.08 God is good. 00:12:35.12\00:12:38.05 We appreciate your faith, you know, that inspires us 00:12:38.09\00:12:40.52 here at 3ABN 00:12:40.56\00:12:41.89 because, yeah, there's a lot of turmoil and stuff going on 00:12:41.92\00:12:44.13 in this world, 00:12:44.16\00:12:45.49 but God is good. 00:12:45.53\00:12:46.86 And another theme that we find in your letters 00:12:46.90\00:12:48.96 that you send to us here 00:12:49.00\00:12:51.17 is that this world is not our home, 00:12:51.20\00:12:52.87 we have something much better to look forward to. 00:12:52.90\00:12:56.10 So there's hope, right? 00:12:56.14\00:12:57.47 In the midst of everything that's going on, 00:12:57.51\00:12:58.84 boy, there's so much hope. 00:12:58.87\00:13:00.98 One being that God is good, 00:13:01.01\00:13:02.34 we can trust Him in the midst of everything. 00:13:02.38\00:13:05.71 And I'm going back to the first hour, 00:13:05.75\00:13:07.25 hopefully you were tuned into the first hour. 00:13:07.28\00:13:08.98 Mr. Danny was talking about his dad. 00:13:09.02\00:13:11.82 And I have to also reflect on my father as well. 00:13:11.85\00:13:14.86 Someone that we looked up to, you're looking up to your dad. 00:13:14.89\00:13:17.13 Well, I look up to my mom and dad, 00:13:17.16\00:13:20.06 especially my dad. 00:13:20.10\00:13:21.43 And we also, it's kind of interesting, 00:13:21.46\00:13:22.86 we didn't have a lot growing up kind of like you 00:13:22.90\00:13:26.37 as well and I'm sure many of you at home, 00:13:26.40\00:13:28.84 and I just have to appreciate my father so much. 00:13:28.87\00:13:30.81 We didn't have a lot and, of course, me being, 00:13:30.84\00:13:33.68 I hate to say it, at times probably a bit spoilt maybe. 00:13:33.71\00:13:36.48 I would just say, "Dad, I want this. 00:13:36.51\00:13:40.25 I want a new motorcycle." 00:13:40.28\00:13:41.92 Well, my parents couldn't afford that. 00:13:41.95\00:13:43.32 My dad worked extremely hard. 00:13:43.35\00:13:45.75 But things always didn't just work out right. 00:13:45.79\00:13:48.39 And sometimes my dad would be driving home from work 00:13:48.42\00:13:50.93 and he would pass, 00:13:50.96\00:13:52.89 may I say this, somebody's 00:13:52.93\00:13:54.26 where they're throwing out their trash 00:13:54.30\00:13:55.63 by the side of the road or a little yard sale. 00:13:55.66\00:13:57.47 And one day I'll never forget this, 00:13:57.50\00:13:58.97 he came home 00:13:59.00\00:14:00.34 with a little 50 cc Honda motorcycle 00:14:00.37\00:14:04.01 that didn't run. 00:14:04.04\00:14:05.37 He said, "Son, we're going to work on this together." 00:14:08.48\00:14:11.11 So we got it running. 00:14:11.15\00:14:12.91 And it didn't even have a gas cap on it. 00:14:12.95\00:14:14.88 So every time you ride over a bump, 00:14:14.92\00:14:16.25 the gas would slosh out. 00:14:16.28\00:14:18.32 So this is what my dad did. 00:14:18.35\00:14:19.69 We couldn't afford a new gas cap. 00:14:19.72\00:14:21.06 So what we did, we took a little piece of tinfoil 00:14:21.09\00:14:22.79 put a rubber band around the tin foil. 00:14:22.82\00:14:24.86 Well, petroleum also eats out rubber. 00:14:24.89\00:14:27.10 So every so often we have to replace that rubber band 00:14:27.13\00:14:29.10 because the rubber band 00:14:29.13\00:14:30.47 would be disintegrated by the gasoline 00:14:30.50\00:14:31.83 that was sloshing out but that kind of kept it 00:14:31.87\00:14:33.20 from coming out. 00:14:33.23\00:14:34.57 What I'm getting to is the goodness of my dad. 00:14:34.60\00:14:36.30 He couldn't provide 00:14:36.34\00:14:37.87 the best brand new motorcycle for me 00:14:37.91\00:14:39.87 but he saw something and said, 00:14:39.91\00:14:41.24 "You know, my son would like this. 00:14:41.28\00:14:42.61 Let's do that together." 00:14:42.64\00:14:43.98 So what a great time. 00:14:44.01\00:14:45.35 Now this transition, of course, to the goodness of God, right? 00:14:45.38\00:14:47.72 Because the Bible talks about, Tim, right? 00:14:47.75\00:14:50.75 How much our own earthly parents, 00:14:50.79\00:14:52.35 I was blessed with great folks, 00:14:52.39\00:14:53.99 want to give us good gifts but how much more, what? 00:14:54.02\00:14:58.43 He wants to provide for us, right? 00:14:58.46\00:14:59.89 That's the goodness of God. 00:14:59.93\00:15:01.46 We've got a great dad. 00:15:01.50\00:15:02.90 I'm blessed with an earthly father that was wonderful, 00:15:02.93\00:15:04.73 so is Mr. Danny. 00:15:04.77\00:15:06.10 I'm sure all of us can testify to our dads. 00:15:06.13\00:15:07.94 Some of you may not have a really good home situation. 00:15:07.97\00:15:11.81 God's your father, He's the ultimate father 00:15:11.84\00:15:13.74 and He's got good gifts for you. 00:15:13.78\00:15:16.44 Psalm 107:1 says, 00:15:16.48\00:15:19.88 "Oh, Give thanks unto the Lord for," what? 00:15:19.91\00:15:24.05 "He's good." Praise the Lord. 00:15:24.09\00:15:26.19 Psalm 119:68 says, 00:15:26.22\00:15:28.92 "You are good, 00:15:28.96\00:15:30.36 and all you do is good." 00:15:30.39\00:15:35.86 Another characteristic of goodness makes people do 00:15:35.90\00:15:39.30 what they say they will do. 00:15:39.33\00:15:40.80 Goodness does what it does 00:15:40.84\00:15:43.87 because it's the right thing to do. 00:15:43.91\00:15:45.94 It's closely associated with kindness 00:15:45.97\00:15:48.64 because good people act out of good intentions 00:15:48.68\00:15:51.48 and the kindness of heart. 00:15:51.51\00:15:53.52 You know, we're talking about goodness, 00:15:53.55\00:15:55.65 you know, my dad was just good. 00:15:55.68\00:15:57.02 He was looking for something, he couldn't provide brand new 00:15:57.05\00:15:58.82 but he found something. 00:15:58.85\00:16:00.19 It's goodness, right? 00:16:00.22\00:16:02.09 Talking about God, He's perfect goodness. 00:16:02.12\00:16:05.29 So my dad would always tell me, "Son, anything you see in me." 00:16:05.33\00:16:08.96 He said, "Don't look at me." 00:16:09.00\00:16:10.33 He said, "Look to God 00:16:10.37\00:16:11.70 because He's the one you need to emulate." 00:16:11.73\00:16:13.40 So my prayer for this new year, 00:16:13.44\00:16:15.87 Brother Tim, is to have the goodness, 00:16:15.90\00:16:18.54 not of just my dad, right? 00:16:18.57\00:16:19.91 But the goodness of my Heavenly Dad, 00:16:19.94\00:16:22.24 that is Jesus Christ. 00:16:22.28\00:16:23.95 I want to be good through and through. 00:16:23.98\00:16:27.78 You know, I like apples. 00:16:27.82\00:16:29.98 I, right? I love apples. 00:16:30.02\00:16:31.89 He eats one every day. 00:16:31.92\00:16:33.25 Yeah, maybe two or three a day. 00:16:33.29\00:16:34.79 Yeah. We buy a lot of apples at home. 00:16:34.82\00:16:36.86 We do. 00:16:36.89\00:16:38.23 And there's some nice apple orchards just south 00:16:38.26\00:16:39.89 toward Carbondale area. 00:16:39.93\00:16:41.26 Yeah. 00:16:41.30\00:16:42.63 So, one time I saw this great apple 00:16:42.66\00:16:44.33 I said, "Man, this is great." 00:16:44.37\00:16:45.77 Man, I took a big bite. I mean, a big bite. 00:16:45.80\00:16:48.40 Jill says I have a big mouth at times, right? 00:16:48.44\00:16:50.21 Sorry. 00:16:50.24\00:16:51.57 So I took a big bite. 00:16:51.61\00:16:53.68 Not literally just that the jaw is large, that's all. 00:16:53.71\00:16:56.48 Well, I do tend to talk a little bit sometimes, Tim. 00:16:56.51\00:16:58.51 Is that kindness showing there literally? 00:16:58.55\00:17:01.75 So I took a bite of this really good juicy apple. 00:17:01.78\00:17:05.02 Man, it was good. 00:17:05.05\00:17:06.42 Wow, the juice and everything, you know, you just. 00:17:06.45\00:17:08.42 That was great and I pulled the apple away 00:17:08.46\00:17:09.92 and there was half a worm in the apple. 00:17:09.96\00:17:13.93 So the other half of the worm was in my mouth, Brother Tim. 00:17:13.96\00:17:16.73 Wow. 00:17:16.77\00:17:18.10 Well, I won't tell you what happened really next 00:17:18.13\00:17:19.47 so but anyway, 00:17:19.50\00:17:21.50 that apple was not good through and through. 00:17:21.54\00:17:23.61 Yeah, I did get some protein. 00:17:23.64\00:17:24.97 So what I'm getting at that apple was not good 00:17:25.01\00:17:27.98 through and through. 00:17:28.01\00:17:29.34 It looked good, right? On the outside. 00:17:29.38\00:17:30.71 I don't want to be a Christian that just looks good 00:17:30.75\00:17:32.95 on the outside and on the inside 00:17:32.98\00:17:34.32 I'm rotten and I got worms 00:17:34.35\00:17:35.68 and stuff going on in the inside. 00:17:35.72\00:17:37.05 Well, I want to be good through and through. 00:17:37.09\00:17:38.42 But like Tim just said, boy, we can become discouraged 00:17:38.45\00:17:41.66 saying there's no way I can make myself good. 00:17:41.69\00:17:43.66 That's the problem. You can't make yourself good. 00:17:43.69\00:17:45.96 The Heavenly Father is the one that makes you good. 00:17:45.99\00:17:48.20 So let's pray about getting the goodness of God in our hearts. 00:17:48.23\00:17:51.83 Father in Heaven, wow, we have so much to praise You 00:17:51.87\00:17:55.34 for and right now in this program of prayer 00:17:55.37\00:17:58.07 and praise, 00:17:58.11\00:17:59.67 we are praising You for Your goodness. 00:17:59.71\00:18:04.38 Of ourselves, all the fruit of the Spirit 00:18:04.41\00:18:06.08 that we're talking about here today, 00:18:06.11\00:18:08.15 we can't muster that up in ourselves, 00:18:08.18\00:18:12.19 that comes from You. 00:18:12.22\00:18:14.22 And the song that we sang here a little while back 00:18:14.26\00:18:16.26 about surrendering all to you 00:18:16.29\00:18:18.93 that's what we do again right now in this program 00:18:18.96\00:18:21.26 is surrender our lives to you saying, 00:18:21.30\00:18:23.70 "Father fill me, make me like You. 00:18:23.73\00:18:27.27 We pray for Your goodness to shine out of us." 00:18:27.30\00:18:31.04 Not my goodness or you at home, your goodness, it's not ours, 00:18:31.07\00:18:34.51 it's God's. 00:18:34.54\00:18:35.88 And so, Father, thank You for filling us. 00:18:35.91\00:18:37.25 We look forward with great hope 00:18:37.28\00:18:39.25 and anticipation to this new year 2022. 00:18:39.28\00:18:42.68 What great things you have in store for the ministry of 3ABN, 00:18:42.72\00:18:46.15 for our dear family at home. 00:18:46.19\00:18:47.89 Together, Father, 00:18:47.92\00:18:49.32 we be able to finish this work together 00:18:49.36\00:18:50.76 and soon and very soon, we will be home with you 00:18:50.79\00:18:53.23 and in Jesus' name we pray. 00:18:53.26\00:18:55.20 Amen. 00:18:55.23\00:18:56.83 It's great, Greg. 00:18:56.87\00:18:58.80 Love the goodness of God. 00:18:58.83\00:19:01.20 Oh, Lord 00:19:01.24\00:19:05.01 You have been good 00:19:05.04\00:19:09.71 You have been faithful 00:19:09.74\00:19:14.45 To all generation 00:19:14.48\00:19:19.49 Oh, Lord 00:19:19.52\00:19:23.99 Your steadfast love 00:19:24.03\00:19:28.66 And tender mercy 00:19:28.70\00:19:33.17 Have been our salvation 00:19:33.20\00:19:38.31 For by your hand 00:19:38.34\00:19:42.88 We have been filled 00:19:42.91\00:19:47.68 And by Your Spirit 00:19:47.72\00:19:52.72 We have been led 00:19:52.75\00:19:57.96 Oh, Lord 00:19:57.99\00:20:02.53 Almighty God 00:20:02.56\00:20:07.07 Father unchanging 00:20:07.10\00:20:11.47 So upright and holy 00:20:11.51\00:20:17.01 Oh, Lord 00:20:17.05\00:20:21.68 You have been good 00:20:21.72\00:20:26.45 You have been faithful 00:20:26.49\00:20:31.99 You have 00:20:32.03\00:20:33.73 Been good 00:20:33.76\00:20:39.47 Then there's another song that reminds me of that. 00:20:39.50\00:20:43.81 All my life 00:20:43.84\00:20:45.67 You have been faithful 00:20:45.71\00:20:51.35 And all my life 00:20:51.38\00:20:52.95 You have been so, so good 00:20:52.98\00:20:58.89 With every breath that I am able 00:20:58.92\00:21:04.73 I will sing 00:21:04.76\00:21:07.23 Of the goodness of God 00:21:07.26\00:21:14.24 'Cause your goodness is running after 00:21:14.27\00:21:17.67 It's running after me 00:21:17.71\00:21:22.14 Your goodness is running after 00:21:22.18\00:21:25.35 It's running after me 00:21:25.38\00:21:28.58 With my life laid down 00:21:28.62\00:21:30.99 I'm surrendered now 00:21:31.02\00:21:32.99 I'm giving you everything 00:21:33.02\00:21:37.59 'Cause your goodness is running after 00:21:37.63\00:21:41.16 It's running after me 00:21:41.20\00:21:44.20 That's what the Psalm 1 said, right? 00:21:44.23\00:21:45.70 Surely goodness and mercy 00:21:45.73\00:21:47.70 will run after me all the days of my life. 00:21:47.74\00:21:49.60 You've been good to me 00:21:49.64\00:21:53.11 Through all, all the years 00:21:53.14\00:21:58.38 You've been good to me 00:21:58.41\00:22:01.65 Through joys and tears 00:22:01.68\00:22:07.36 I want to thank You, Lord 00:22:07.39\00:22:11.79 For all You've done 00:22:11.83\00:22:15.80 You've been good to me 00:22:15.83\00:22:21.60 Through all the years 00:22:21.64\00:22:26.27 You've been good to me, 00:22:26.31\00:22:30.88 Lord You've been so very good to me 00:22:30.91\00:22:34.75 Very good to me 00:22:34.78\00:22:38.75 Through all, all the years 00:22:38.79\00:22:44.29 God is so good. 00:22:44.33\00:22:46.23 All the time, He is really good. 00:22:46.26\00:22:50.60 Wow. 00:22:50.63\00:22:51.97 See now, Mr. Tim, I want to just comment on that 00:22:52.00\00:22:53.74 'cause I'm thinking about that song, Mr. Danny, 00:22:53.77\00:22:55.24 just recently there was a young man 00:22:55.27\00:22:57.24 that came here as a general contractor, 00:22:57.27\00:22:59.21 never been to 3ABN before 00:22:59.24\00:23:01.34 and told him briefly the story here and I said, 00:23:01.38\00:23:03.35 "Hey, you know, let's go over to the Uplink." 00:23:03.38\00:23:04.95 He said, "The Uplink?" I said, "Yeah, let's go over there. 00:23:04.98\00:23:06.98 You got a minute." He said, "Sure." 00:23:07.02\00:23:08.35 Well, the Uplink's the original 3ABN spot 00:23:08.38\00:23:10.35 where God just worked a miracle. 00:23:10.39\00:23:12.35 And I think about the goodness of the Lord. 00:23:12.39\00:23:14.46 I'm thinking about your faithfulness 00:23:14.49\00:23:16.16 to the Lord's calling. 00:23:16.19\00:23:17.53 And I took this young man over there. 00:23:17.56\00:23:19.36 And there's nothing like actually seen in real life, 00:23:19.39\00:23:21.03 right? 00:23:21.06\00:23:22.40 So I took him there and we looked at the dish, 00:23:22.43\00:23:23.77 I said, "Do you realize that this land that was donated, 00:23:23.80\00:23:26.57 that there was a free signal to space 00:23:26.60\00:23:27.94 with that satellite dish? 00:23:27.97\00:23:29.30 That was the only spot in this area in southern Illinois. 00:23:29.34\00:23:31.51 God knew all about that." 00:23:31.54\00:23:32.87 "Wow, incredible." He's just there. 00:23:32.91\00:23:34.41 This young man's like, "Wow, that's amazing." 00:23:34.44\00:23:37.31 I said, "Look down that drive. 00:23:37.35\00:23:38.85 You see that three phase power down there?" 00:23:38.88\00:23:40.48 "Yeah, I do." 00:23:40.52\00:23:41.85 I said, "That was here before 3ABN was here 00:23:41.88\00:23:45.52 and we needed three phase power. 00:23:45.55\00:23:47.62 Why was three phase power out in the middle of a cornfield?" 00:23:47.66\00:23:52.69 I didn't really know his religious experience 00:23:52.73\00:23:55.46 and he didn't really acknowledge God in a way. 00:23:55.50\00:23:58.10 But he just looked at me and he said, 00:23:58.13\00:23:59.80 "You couldn't plan that, could you?" 00:23:59.83\00:24:01.64 I said, "No." 00:24:01.67\00:24:03.10 I said, "That's the divine appointment 00:24:03.14\00:24:05.14 that God had those things in place for 3ABN to start." 00:24:05.17\00:24:09.18 And I mentioned to him also, I said, "Mr. Danny." 00:24:09.21\00:24:10.81 I said, "The founder of 3ABN, this road that you see here, 00:24:10.85\00:24:14.32 the foundation that was done five gallons at a time 00:24:14.35\00:24:16.38 with diesel fuel, that's all we could afford." 00:24:16.42\00:24:18.05 I said, "Then the money came in, 00:24:18.09\00:24:20.02 as you stepped out in faith." 00:24:20.06\00:24:22.22 This young man blown away, talking about, of course, 00:24:22.26\00:24:25.09 the goodness of God, the faithfulness of His people, 00:24:25.13\00:24:27.53 the faithfulness of you, what an absolute inspiration. 00:24:27.56\00:24:30.07 So if you just sing that song, boy, well, 00:24:30.10\00:24:32.23 it just touches me in a special way. 00:24:32.27\00:24:34.97 Yeah, absolutely. That's wonderful. 00:24:35.00\00:24:36.67 And which leads us to, of course, the faithfulness, 00:24:36.71\00:24:40.34 the fruit of the Spirit in faithfulness 00:24:40.38\00:24:42.68 and we will find that it's the faithfulness 00:24:42.71\00:24:46.15 that the Spirit produces in us 00:24:46.18\00:24:48.95 that's what as I was preparing for this study, 00:24:48.98\00:24:54.36 that's one of the things that I noticed. 00:24:54.39\00:24:56.32 So maybe, John, you can expound on the fruit 00:24:56.36\00:24:58.79 of the Spirit or is it do you have faithfulness? 00:24:58.83\00:25:00.96 Jill, I mean, you have faithfulness? 00:25:01.00\00:25:02.33 I have faithfulness. Okay. All right. Good. 00:25:02.36\00:25:03.87 Jill is going to expound on it then so well. 00:25:03.90\00:25:06.13 I love the word faithfulness in the Greek is pistis. 00:25:06.17\00:25:10.21 And it can be translated faith or faithfulness. 00:25:10.24\00:25:15.28 And I don't know in your life 00:25:15.31\00:25:17.05 maybe people haven't been very faithful. 00:25:17.08\00:25:19.55 Maybe you say my spouse wasn't faithful 00:25:19.58\00:25:21.62 and my parents weren't faithful. 00:25:21.65\00:25:24.05 And the people in my life when I need faithfulness, 00:25:24.09\00:25:27.49 when I need someone to be steady, 00:25:27.52\00:25:28.99 somebody I can hold on to, they haven't been there. 00:25:29.02\00:25:32.89 But I want to tell you that your God is faithful. 00:25:32.93\00:25:37.10 Lamentations 3 says, "It is of the Lord's mercies 00:25:37.13\00:25:40.37 that we are not consumed because His compassions 00:25:40.40\00:25:42.40 they fail not. 00:25:42.44\00:25:43.77 They are new every morning." 00:25:43.81\00:25:45.14 Great is your faithfulness. 00:25:45.17\00:25:48.61 Great is God's faithfulness. 00:25:48.64\00:25:50.85 When you don't know where to turn, God is there. 00:25:50.88\00:25:53.55 When you don't know where the money is going 00:25:53.58\00:25:55.15 to come in for groceries, God will provide. 00:25:55.18\00:25:58.92 When you don't see your way out of a difficulty, 00:25:58.95\00:26:01.89 God is faithful. 00:26:01.92\00:26:03.86 When your marriage is crumbling or hope has disintegrated, 00:26:03.89\00:26:07.40 when your kids have turned their back on God 00:26:07.43\00:26:10.00 or people don't talk to you anymore when you go to church, 00:26:10.03\00:26:13.20 God is faithful. 00:26:13.23\00:26:16.57 God is faithful in your life. 00:26:16.60\00:26:21.08 I love this. 00:26:21.11\00:26:22.44 We think about the faithfulness we ought to exhibit 00:26:22.48\00:26:25.55 and truly we should exhibit faithfulness. 00:26:25.58\00:26:27.92 Hebrews 11 is filled with a list of those men 00:26:27.95\00:26:32.39 and women in the Word, 00:26:32.42\00:26:34.46 who had their mess ups and their mistakes 00:26:34.49\00:26:37.39 and yet they exhibited faith. 00:26:37.43\00:26:40.36 Pistis or faithfulness, the same word. 00:26:40.40\00:26:44.17 They walked in faith, 00:26:44.20\00:26:46.17 they walked in faithfulness 00:26:46.20\00:26:49.37 but it's not our faithfulness. 00:26:49.40\00:26:51.51 It is God's faithfulness that resides in us, 00:26:51.54\00:26:56.18 that even enables you and I to be faithful 00:26:56.21\00:27:00.32 towards someone else, to be faithful toward God. 00:27:00.35\00:27:04.65 The words of Moses in Deuteronomy 32:4, 00:27:04.69\00:27:09.19 "The Rock, His work is perfect, all His ways are just, 00:27:09.22\00:27:14.03 a God of faithfulness without injustice, 00:27:14.06\00:27:18.00 righteous and upright is He." 00:27:18.03\00:27:20.64 I think about Moses, you know, he was in that line 00:27:20.67\00:27:23.17 of Hebrews 11, those heroes of the faith 00:27:23.20\00:27:25.57 and you think about the children of Israel 00:27:25.61\00:27:27.31 at the golden calf experience and Moses said, 00:27:27.34\00:27:30.45 "Wait a minute, what are these people doing?" 00:27:30.48\00:27:32.28 And God said, "I'm going to blot them out 00:27:32.31\00:27:34.68 and I'm going create a whole new people from you." 00:27:34.72\00:27:36.75 And what did Moses do? 00:27:36.79\00:27:38.19 He went up and He interceded his faithfulness for the people 00:27:38.22\00:27:43.63 that God had called him to lead, 00:27:43.66\00:27:47.26 called him to minister for. 00:27:47.30\00:27:50.27 And he said, "God, You are our faithful God. 00:27:50.30\00:27:52.27 God, You are our loving God. 00:27:52.30\00:27:54.10 God, honor your word for these people. 00:27:54.14\00:27:57.34 Do not blot them out. 00:27:57.37\00:27:58.81 And if you do, take my name out of the book of life." 00:27:58.84\00:28:04.58 The faithfulness of God, 00:28:04.61\00:28:06.58 do you want to experience faithfulness, 00:28:06.61\00:28:09.62 pistis, in your walk with God? 00:28:09.65\00:28:13.39 Ask Him to give it to you. 00:28:13.42\00:28:16.12 Ask Him to in birth His faith, 00:28:16.16\00:28:20.30 His faithfulness in your life, as a believer. 00:28:20.33\00:28:24.67 2 Timothy 4, this is, of course, 00:28:24.70\00:28:28.64 Paul's last book, right? 00:28:28.67\00:28:30.47 Right before he's beheaded, 00:28:30.51\00:28:33.34 written to his son in the faith, Timothy. 00:28:33.38\00:28:35.28 He is in prison knowing that he's going to die. 00:28:35.31\00:28:39.35 And he says, "I fought the good fight. 00:28:39.38\00:28:42.02 I finished the course, I have kept the faith. 00:28:42.05\00:28:47.72 Henceforth, there is laid out for me a crown of righteousness 00:28:47.76\00:28:52.59 which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, 00:28:52.63\00:28:54.26 will give me at that day 00:28:54.30\00:28:55.76 and not to me only but to all them also 00:28:55.80\00:28:57.97 who love His appearing." 00:28:58.00\00:28:59.53 Do you want that? 00:28:59.57\00:29:00.90 Do you want to walk in such faithfulness toward God, 00:29:00.94\00:29:05.14 toward other people, that you can say, "Yes, God, 00:29:05.17\00:29:08.14 I have fought the good fight." 00:29:08.18\00:29:10.25 Let's pray. 00:29:10.28\00:29:11.61 Holy Father, of ourselves, we don't have faithfulness. 00:29:11.65\00:29:13.92 We can't walk in that. 00:29:13.95\00:29:15.38 But first of all, we are grateful that 00:29:15.42\00:29:17.02 You are faithful toward us. 00:29:17.05\00:29:19.05 Thank You for Your faithfulness. 00:29:19.09\00:29:21.46 Thank You that while I was a sinner, 00:29:21.49\00:29:25.49 You died for me. 00:29:25.53\00:29:27.66 Lord, I pray for my brothers and sisters just now. 00:29:27.70\00:29:30.13 Those who have not yet experienced Your faithfulness 00:29:30.17\00:29:33.74 or maybe they're just in a dry time, 00:29:33.77\00:29:35.74 a time where they can't see or sense or hear or know 00:29:35.77\00:29:40.51 or feel that You are with them. 00:29:40.54\00:29:43.55 God, would You reveal Your faithfulness to them? 00:29:43.58\00:29:48.75 Would they see You for who You are? 00:29:48.78\00:29:52.39 And, Father, we want to respond in faithfulness toward You. 00:29:52.42\00:29:56.89 Not because of anything we have done, 00:29:56.93\00:29:59.39 but we open up our hearts to receive Your faithfulness, 00:29:59.43\00:30:03.06 no matter the test, no matter the trial, 00:30:03.10\00:30:07.80 no matter what we face, 00:30:07.84\00:30:10.24 we say just now as for me and my house, 00:30:10.27\00:30:15.48 we will serve the Lord. 00:30:15.51\00:30:18.98 And we thank You 00:30:19.01\00:30:20.85 that You will help us seal that commitment in Jesus' name. 00:30:20.88\00:30:25.09 Amen. 00:30:25.12\00:30:26.45 That's great. 00:30:26.49\00:30:27.82 And while we're praying, 00:30:27.86\00:30:29.19 I just want to pray for the missionaries 00:30:29.22\00:30:31.79 who are faithful to give their lives 00:30:31.83\00:30:35.33 to the cause of Christ, 00:30:35.36\00:30:36.93 to the effect of Christ. 00:30:36.97\00:30:40.34 So, Father, I just ask that You would be with those 00:30:40.37\00:30:42.60 who are in harm's way, 00:30:42.64\00:30:47.64 in disease, in the way of disease 00:30:47.68\00:30:49.81 and they don't have maybe clean water 00:30:49.84\00:30:53.48 and safe conditions. 00:30:53.52\00:30:55.88 They've given their lives. 00:30:55.92\00:30:57.25 They've been faithful to the cross, 00:30:57.29\00:30:59.99 faithful to the call. 00:31:00.02\00:31:03.73 Father, I thank You for those who are sharing, 00:31:03.76\00:31:06.39 spreading the good news around the world. 00:31:06.43\00:31:09.23 God, be their protector, 00:31:09.26\00:31:12.20 be their defense, be their strength. 00:31:12.23\00:31:17.71 You are their strength, You are their faithfulness. 00:31:17.74\00:31:20.88 It's just shining through them, so I thank You for them. 00:31:20.91\00:31:23.98 God, encourage them today. 00:31:24.01\00:31:26.41 And again we thank You for being 00:31:26.45\00:31:28.45 so faithful to us in Jesus' name. 00:31:28.48\00:31:32.49 It reminds me of that great song. 00:31:32.52\00:31:35.39 What a friend 00:31:35.42\00:31:38.36 We have in Jesus 00:31:38.39\00:31:44.07 All our sins 00:31:44.10\00:31:46.53 And grieves to bear 00:31:46.57\00:31:51.51 What a privilege 00:31:51.54\00:31:55.24 To carry 00:31:55.28\00:31:59.48 Everything to God 00:31:59.51\00:32:03.35 In prayer 00:32:03.39\00:32:07.46 Oh, what peace 00:32:07.49\00:32:10.23 We often forfeit 00:32:10.26\00:32:15.60 Oh, what needless pain 00:32:15.63\00:32:19.47 We bear 00:32:19.50\00:32:23.51 All because 00:32:23.54\00:32:26.24 We do not carry 00:32:26.27\00:32:31.51 Everything to God 00:32:31.55\00:32:35.55 In prayer 00:32:35.58\00:32:39.52 Have we trials 00:32:39.55\00:32:42.62 And temptations 00:32:42.66\00:32:47.33 Is there trouble 00:32:47.36\00:32:50.57 Anywhere 00:32:50.60\00:32:54.90 We should never 00:32:54.94\00:32:58.04 Be discouraged 00:32:58.07\00:33:02.84 Just take it to the Lord 00:33:02.88\00:33:06.01 In prayer 00:33:06.05\00:33:10.19 Can we find a friend 00:33:10.22\00:33:13.89 So faithful 00:33:13.92\00:33:18.39 Who will our sorrows 00:33:18.43\00:33:22.66 Share 00:33:22.70\00:33:26.33 Jesus knows 00:33:26.37\00:33:29.14 Our every weakness 00:33:29.17\00:33:34.48 Take it to the Lord in prayer 00:33:34.51\00:33:40.72 John, you want to sing this verse. 00:33:40.75\00:33:43.62 Are we weak and heavy-laden 00:33:43.65\00:33:50.23 Yes. 00:33:50.26\00:33:52.03 Cumbered with 00:33:52.06\00:33:54.60 A load of care 00:33:54.63\00:33:59.87 Precious Savior 00:33:59.90\00:34:03.14 Still our refuge 00:34:03.17\00:34:07.74 I'm going to take it to You Lord 00:34:07.78\00:34:12.88 In prayer 00:34:12.91\00:34:16.95 Do your friends 00:34:16.99\00:34:20.09 Despise or forsake you 00:34:20.12\00:34:25.53 Take it to the Lord 00:34:25.56\00:34:30.07 In prayer 00:34:30.10\00:34:34.34 In His arms 00:34:34.37\00:34:37.71 He'll take and shield me 00:34:37.74\00:34:43.68 You will find a solace there 00:34:43.71\00:34:50.52 Yes, you will. 00:34:50.55\00:34:51.89 Thank the Lord for His faithfulness. 00:34:55.06\00:34:56.76 Man, we're coming close 00:35:01.56\00:35:02.90 to the end of this fruit that never ends. 00:35:02.93\00:35:07.94 But, John, I believe you have the next fruit of gentleness. 00:35:07.97\00:35:13.14 Gentleness. 00:35:13.17\00:35:15.34 You know, the picture of the shepherd 00:35:15.38\00:35:16.78 is one that came to my mind 00:35:16.81\00:35:18.15 when I thought of gentleness. 00:35:18.18\00:35:20.78 Because, you know, the Bible says 00:35:20.82\00:35:22.22 all we like sheep have gone astray. 00:35:22.25\00:35:25.05 And sheep don't like people 00:35:25.09\00:35:26.69 that are not gentle. 00:35:26.72\00:35:28.16 I mean, it's just bottom line. 00:35:28.19\00:35:29.79 We don't, we can't guide ourselves, 00:35:29.82\00:35:31.93 sheep. 00:35:31.96\00:35:33.29 And I don't want to really say too many bad things about us. 00:35:33.33\00:35:35.96 But when the Bible uses the word sheep, 00:35:36.00\00:35:38.60 sheep are not very smart. 00:35:38.63\00:35:39.97 Yes. 00:35:40.00\00:35:41.34 They could be on the other side of a boulder 00:35:41.37\00:35:43.07 and can't find their way around the other side of the boulder 00:35:43.10\00:35:45.54 and just starve to death. 00:35:45.57\00:35:47.08 But the Bible says, 00:35:47.11\00:35:48.44 all we like sheep have gone astray. 00:35:48.48\00:35:51.85 But the shepherd has a staff, a rod and a staff. 00:35:51.88\00:35:56.85 The rod is to keep the pursuing enemies away 00:35:56.89\00:36:00.06 from devouring the sheep, 00:36:00.09\00:36:01.42 the wolves, the bears, 00:36:01.46\00:36:02.79 whatever vicious animal will come, 00:36:02.82\00:36:04.73 but he has the staff. 00:36:04.76\00:36:06.76 And he doesn't yank the neck of the sheep 00:36:06.80\00:36:09.80 and say, "Get over here." 00:36:09.83\00:36:12.17 He gently, he's saying what? 00:36:12.20\00:36:15.94 I see my mother do that. 00:36:15.97\00:36:19.47 Yeah, we've all been there before. 00:36:19.51\00:36:22.11 We survived. 00:36:22.14\00:36:24.38 But He's gentle. 00:36:24.41\00:36:25.75 He's a gentle shepherd. 00:36:25.78\00:36:27.45 And the Apostle Paul, Philippians 4:5. 00:36:27.48\00:36:31.82 The context of this is just so apropos to today. 00:36:31.85\00:36:35.02 He says, "Let your gentleness be known to all men, 00:36:35.06\00:36:38.99 the Lord is at hand." 00:36:39.03\00:36:41.63 And he puts it in the context of the last days 00:36:41.66\00:36:44.07 even though he wrote this about 2000 years ago. 00:36:44.10\00:36:47.57 But He's saying for people 00:36:47.60\00:36:49.47 who are living in the last days, 00:36:49.50\00:36:51.51 one of the earmarks of the evidence 00:36:51.54\00:36:53.51 of the presence of Jesus in our lives, 00:36:53.54\00:36:56.44 in your marriage, in your home, 00:36:56.48\00:36:58.05 in your church, is gentleness. 00:36:58.08\00:37:00.92 And how often do we allow gentleness 00:37:00.95\00:37:02.78 to just kind of pull us out of our pew. 00:37:02.82\00:37:06.86 You know, I have a crazy thought in my mind, 00:37:06.89\00:37:09.59 I won't even let it come out. 00:37:09.62\00:37:11.66 But they call a pew because sometimes our religion stinks. 00:37:11.69\00:37:16.23 And so, we'd like aisles because it keeps us 00:37:16.26\00:37:19.43 from people that we don't like. 00:37:19.47\00:37:20.80 We choose our aisles, 00:37:20.84\00:37:22.17 because we don't choose to allow those aisles 00:37:22.20\00:37:24.07 to close up the distance between us. 00:37:24.11\00:37:26.37 But I want to be gentle. 00:37:26.41\00:37:28.31 You know, let your gentleness be made known to all men, 00:37:28.34\00:37:32.31 the Lord is at hand and say that again, honey. 00:37:32.35\00:37:36.92 I said be a gentleman. 00:37:36.95\00:37:40.16 I like that. 00:37:40.19\00:37:41.52 That was good. That was a good one. 00:37:41.56\00:37:43.16 She always has these golden nuggets 00:37:43.19\00:37:44.79 that she whispers 00:37:44.83\00:37:46.16 and I say honey, say that again. 00:37:46.19\00:37:47.93 But the Lord says, 00:37:47.96\00:37:49.30 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, 00:37:49.33\00:37:52.10 for I am gentle and lowly, 00:37:52.13\00:37:55.54 that's humble at heart 00:37:55.57\00:37:57.21 and you will find rest for your soul." 00:37:57.24\00:37:59.11 So I want to encourage you 00:37:59.14\00:38:00.51 to those of you that are wondering, 00:38:00.54\00:38:02.04 you may be a parent dealing with a recalcitrant child. 00:38:02.08\00:38:06.11 You may be an employee that has a hard-headed employer 00:38:06.15\00:38:10.99 or you may be an employer 00:38:11.02\00:38:13.42 that has a hard-headed employee. 00:38:13.46\00:38:15.96 You may be the kind of person that just says, 00:38:15.99\00:38:18.26 "You know, for this year, I'm not taking it anymore." 00:38:18.29\00:38:20.56 And the Lord says, "Now, this year take it also." 00:38:20.60\00:38:24.53 Because gentleness 00:38:24.57\00:38:26.23 when we are in the belly of affliction, 00:38:26.27\00:38:29.60 the gentleness calls for the evidence of Christ 00:38:29.64\00:38:32.17 to be seen. 00:38:32.21\00:38:33.58 When we are in the vice grips of unjust, injustice. 00:38:33.61\00:38:37.55 The Lord says, "Be gentle, 00:38:37.58\00:38:38.91 let your gentleness be made known." 00:38:38.95\00:38:41.25 And the people that we remember the most in history, 00:38:41.28\00:38:43.55 people like Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, 00:38:43.59\00:38:48.26 Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, 00:38:48.29\00:38:51.66 these people that were gentle in the middle of the fires. 00:38:51.69\00:38:55.03 Can you... How can you be... 00:38:55.06\00:38:56.40 I think of Nelson Mandela story. 00:38:56.43\00:38:58.53 How can you be so unjustly accused 00:38:58.57\00:39:00.74 and put in prison for so long a time 00:39:00.77\00:39:02.94 and come out and say 00:39:02.97\00:39:04.31 to those who have supported you, 00:39:04.34\00:39:06.24 let us not do the same to those who have persecuted us. 00:39:06.27\00:39:11.05 Let us set a standard to be gentle. 00:39:11.08\00:39:13.72 But who set that standard? 00:39:13.75\00:39:15.75 You can't be gentle without the presence 00:39:15.78\00:39:17.95 of Jesus in your life. 00:39:17.99\00:39:19.59 And so I'm going to take your advice, 00:39:19.62\00:39:20.96 I want to be a gentleman, 00:39:20.99\00:39:22.79 not just to my wife. 00:39:22.82\00:39:24.83 But Galatians one of those is gentleness. 00:39:24.86\00:39:28.73 And here's another one brethren, Galatians 6:1, 00:39:28.76\00:39:31.50 "If a man is overtaken in any trespass, 00:39:31.53\00:39:34.90 you are spiritual, 00:39:34.94\00:39:36.97 restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness." 00:39:37.01\00:39:41.54 Sometimes we feel like saying and I could confess. 00:39:41.58\00:39:45.28 We felt like saying, good for you. 00:39:45.31\00:39:47.48 I told you shouldn't have done that, 00:39:47.52\00:39:49.42 didn't I tell you? 00:39:49.45\00:39:50.89 Yeah, that's exactly what I tried to warn you of. 00:39:50.92\00:39:53.96 But the Lord says, "A bruised reed, I won't break. 00:39:53.99\00:39:59.36 And a smoking flax, I won't quench." 00:39:59.39\00:40:01.86 I had an experience one Sabbath morning, 00:40:01.90\00:40:04.43 where a church member went off on me 00:40:04.47\00:40:06.60 in the middle of communion. 00:40:06.63\00:40:08.54 And just as we were breaking for footwashing, 00:40:08.57\00:40:10.41 they said, "How dare you?" 00:40:10.44\00:40:12.27 At the top of her voice 00:40:12.31\00:40:14.98 in our church right here in little, 00:40:15.01\00:40:17.18 gentle Thompsonville. 00:40:17.21\00:40:19.28 And it was a moment when I could have. 00:40:19.31\00:40:20.78 So much detail, go ahead. Yeah. 00:40:20.82\00:40:23.32 I'm not going to give her name. 00:40:23.35\00:40:24.69 But I want to tell you the story for a reason. 00:40:24.72\00:40:26.65 I want to live in the real world right now. 00:40:26.69\00:40:29.49 It was the moment that I could have taken 00:40:29.52\00:40:30.86 my pastor or leadership and say, 00:40:30.89\00:40:32.99 you know, you need to go home and get your life right 00:40:33.03\00:40:34.96 and then come back for communion. 00:40:35.00\00:40:37.33 But I didn't say that, 00:40:37.37\00:40:38.73 you know, you go through the cards that say, 00:40:38.77\00:40:40.50 what will my reaction be? 00:40:40.54\00:40:41.87 What was my reaction going to be? 00:40:41.90\00:40:43.67 And I just kept my voice low. 00:40:43.71\00:40:46.11 And I said, I'm so sorry. 00:40:46.14\00:40:49.34 I'm sorry, that I made you feel that way? 00:40:49.38\00:40:53.18 What can I do to make it different? 00:40:53.21\00:40:56.89 And she was still going in 00:40:56.92\00:40:58.59 and listened to what the pastor saying, 00:40:58.62\00:41:00.36 I'm so sorry, that I made you feel that way. 00:41:00.39\00:41:03.69 And I explained the situation. 00:41:03.73\00:41:05.63 And I told her how we're going to fix it. 00:41:05.66\00:41:08.43 And I said, today, honey, why don't you wash your feet 00:41:08.46\00:41:11.87 and I'll wash her husband's feet. 00:41:11.90\00:41:13.90 You know, just by being gentle in a moment 00:41:13.94\00:41:15.87 when we could have been bombastic 00:41:15.90\00:41:17.61 and assert our authority. 00:41:17.64\00:41:19.81 She was the first person at prayer meeting next week, 00:41:19.84\00:41:22.24 the next week. 00:41:22.28\00:41:23.61 She walked in with a gigantic smile. 00:41:23.65\00:41:25.35 And from across "Pastor, I'm here." 00:41:25.38\00:41:28.62 You know, we could win people or we could repel people. 00:41:28.65\00:41:31.65 Authority is something that Jesus had the ultimate of, 00:41:31.69\00:41:37.16 He could have said to His accusers, 00:41:37.19\00:41:39.23 "Be gone," and could bounce them off a plateau. 00:41:39.26\00:41:42.63 He could have just started 00:41:42.66\00:41:44.00 and all of His accusers could have disappeared. 00:41:44.03\00:41:46.84 He could have said to the Pharisees, 00:41:46.87\00:41:49.30 "I've been dealing with you guys for how long?" 00:41:49.34\00:41:53.81 They had been dropped into the ground 00:41:53.84\00:41:55.34 in just a pile of dust. 00:41:55.38\00:41:56.91 But He allowed the turbulence of the moment 00:41:56.95\00:41:59.55 to reveal that I am the good Shepherd, 00:41:59.58\00:42:02.62 I am the gentle Shepherd. 00:42:02.65\00:42:03.99 So for this year, let me encourage you leaders. 00:42:04.02\00:42:07.82 Let's start with the leaders, you authority people, 00:42:07.86\00:42:10.79 you guys who just can't take those hard-headed employees, 00:42:10.83\00:42:14.10 the employee, they're just sick 00:42:14.13\00:42:15.46 and tired of that person 00:42:15.50\00:42:16.83 who keeps coming to work late 00:42:16.87\00:42:18.20 or never get their work done 00:42:18.23\00:42:19.57 or the guy that's tired of being charged 00:42:19.60\00:42:20.94 more than he should have been charged. 00:42:20.97\00:42:22.64 As a leader, let your gentleness 00:42:22.67\00:42:25.07 be made known to all. 00:42:25.11\00:42:27.08 And then as that person who's, 00:42:27.11\00:42:29.48 and I've seen this, this always irritates me. 00:42:29.51\00:42:32.58 You know, nothing irritates me 00:42:32.61\00:42:33.95 more than a person in a parking lot. 00:42:33.98\00:42:36.82 And they start their car 00:42:36.85\00:42:38.35 and you can't find another space. 00:42:38.39\00:42:40.79 And they sit there. 00:42:40.82\00:42:42.59 They know you are waiting to get in that space 00:42:42.62\00:42:45.89 and you gonna like... 00:42:45.93\00:42:47.26 And so you kind of, 00:42:52.20\00:42:53.90 you tweak your head so hoping they can see it. 00:42:53.94\00:42:56.67 And you go like. 00:42:56.71\00:43:02.11 So I know the story of a pastor 00:43:02.14\00:43:03.98 once he was on his way to church. 00:43:04.01\00:43:05.85 But have you been there? 00:43:05.88\00:43:07.22 You know what I'm talking about? 00:43:07.25\00:43:08.58 I know it. 00:43:08.62\00:43:09.95 And then sometimes there's two of them. 00:43:09.98\00:43:11.32 And let's say which one's going move first. 00:43:11.35\00:43:12.69 Let's just go ahead and rake them. 00:43:12.72\00:43:14.06 So I know this pastor he was on his way to church 00:43:14.09\00:43:15.42 on Sabbath morning. 00:43:15.46\00:43:16.79 And he likes to drive. 00:43:16.83\00:43:18.59 Now, this is not my story. 00:43:18.63\00:43:19.96 Just want to tell you. 00:43:20.00\00:43:21.40 And he beeped at the person 00:43:21.43\00:43:23.10 and went around and gave him a look like, 00:43:23.13\00:43:25.30 "I'm on the way to worship God. 00:43:25.33\00:43:27.87 How dare you slow me down?" 00:43:27.90\00:43:29.84 And he got to church, 00:43:29.87\00:43:31.31 back to the parking lot, got in to the pulpit. 00:43:31.34\00:43:33.51 And as he was about to come up and do the prayer, 00:43:33.54\00:43:37.11 he saw that person walk through the back door. 00:43:37.15\00:43:41.78 He saw them turn into the parking lot 00:43:41.82\00:43:43.79 but then and he thought, 00:43:43.82\00:43:45.82 "Oh, I'm doing a sermon today." 00:43:45.85\00:43:50.06 And so from the pulpit, he sheepishly 00:43:50.09\00:43:54.56 confessed his fault and said, "Forgive me." 00:43:54.60\00:43:59.40 And then that was probably one of the gentlest sermons 00:43:59.43\00:44:02.34 he preached that day. 00:44:02.37\00:44:04.44 So let your gentleness be made known to all, 00:44:04.47\00:44:07.31 mothers, fathers, leaders, 00:44:07.34\00:44:10.35 employees, employers, husbands. 00:44:10.38\00:44:13.35 When you've been married 38, 39 years going on, 39, wow! 00:44:13.38\00:44:17.52 My wife has made me a gentle man. 00:44:17.55\00:44:19.52 You made me a gentle woman. 00:44:19.55\00:44:20.92 Yes, and I'm going to... 00:44:20.96\00:44:22.72 And by 20, by God's grace, 00:44:22.76\00:44:25.63 I want to be even more gentle because I love you. 00:44:25.66\00:44:28.36 And together, honey, 00:44:28.40\00:44:30.13 pray together forever, 00:44:30.17\00:44:32.03 eternity in view. 00:44:32.07\00:44:33.57 And if you think I'm gentle now, 00:44:33.60\00:44:34.94 you wait till eternity. 00:44:34.97\00:44:36.54 So let me encourage you husbands. 00:44:36.57\00:44:37.94 You have patience now. 00:44:37.97\00:44:42.08 I was asking for that. 00:44:42.11\00:44:44.31 Let your gentleness and your patience 00:44:44.35\00:44:46.31 be made known in your family 00:44:46.35\00:44:48.42 because what has made our ministry so beautiful 00:44:48.45\00:44:51.49 people have said to me, 00:44:51.52\00:44:52.85 "I've heard your sermon, 00:44:52.89\00:44:54.22 but I see your relationship with your wife. 00:44:54.26\00:44:56.12 That speaks more." 00:44:56.16\00:44:57.49 We did a family seminar, 00:44:57.53\00:44:58.86 remember down in the Bahamas somewhere, 00:44:58.89\00:45:00.23 Danny, and it was on family life. 00:45:00.26\00:45:02.70 And they said, "I heard what you said, 00:45:02.73\00:45:04.07 but I watch you and your wife, 00:45:04.10\00:45:05.43 which meant a whole lot more to me." 00:45:05.47\00:45:07.34 So let your gentleness be made known, the Lord is at hand. 00:45:07.37\00:45:10.21 Amen. 00:45:10.24\00:45:11.57 John, why don't you pray for our viewers to have gentleness? 00:45:11.61\00:45:14.04 Gentle Shepherd, we often say, "Lord, and Redeemer, 00:45:14.08\00:45:17.85 and Savior, and Defender, and Friend, 00:45:17.88\00:45:20.08 but gentle Shepherd." 00:45:20.12\00:45:22.38 Teach us what it means to be under shepherds. 00:45:22.42\00:45:26.02 People that we work with that sometimes 00:45:26.05\00:45:27.89 we want to crack the whip and say, hurry up, get it done. 00:45:27.92\00:45:32.23 Help us to understand what they've had to deal 00:45:32.26\00:45:34.06 with before they came to work 00:45:34.10\00:45:36.90 or how they may have tried their best to get out 00:45:36.93\00:45:38.50 of the door with wiping their tears away. 00:45:38.53\00:45:41.00 We don't know, the turbulent world that people live in. 00:45:41.04\00:45:44.24 We don't know the stresses they carry. 00:45:44.27\00:45:46.54 We don't know the bad news they got 00:45:46.57\00:45:48.08 just before they came out of the door. 00:45:48.11\00:45:50.05 We don't know how hard it was to find their keys and to say, 00:45:50.08\00:45:54.18 "I'll come back and I know you're not feeling well, 00:45:54.22\00:45:56.22 but I'll do my best 00:45:56.25\00:45:57.59 and I'll bring the medication back." 00:45:57.62\00:45:58.95 We don't know the circumstances of life. 00:45:58.99\00:46:02.09 Help us to be gentle, 00:46:02.12\00:46:03.89 a heart of understanding and we don't need to know. 00:46:03.93\00:46:06.73 People don't need to tell us their struggles for us 00:46:06.76\00:46:09.00 to be gentle. 00:46:09.03\00:46:10.37 But help us to be gentle. 00:46:10.40\00:46:12.40 Because whatever the struggle, we want to be a supportive arm. 00:46:12.43\00:46:16.44 So guide us, Lord, to be Christians in a world 00:46:16.47\00:46:18.77 that's not gentle, in a world where politics 00:46:18.81\00:46:22.18 and religion sometimes 00:46:22.21\00:46:23.55 could be the greatest stumbling block. 00:46:23.58\00:46:26.72 Help us to be gentle shepherds. 00:46:26.75\00:46:28.55 I pray that for me as a shepherd, 00:46:28.58\00:46:30.45 as an under shepherd to be gentle to my flock, 00:46:30.49\00:46:33.32 to the people I minister to, to those who watch 00:46:33.36\00:46:36.06 and those who know me off the pulpit. 00:46:36.09\00:46:38.46 Help me to be gentle to my family, 00:46:38.49\00:46:40.80 those close to me, to my sister, to my in-laws. 00:46:40.83\00:46:44.37 May I be gentle, so that when You return, Lord, 00:46:44.40\00:46:48.87 I'll look at You and You'll say to me, 00:46:48.90\00:46:51.37 "I'm thanking you John for being gentle, 00:46:51.41\00:46:53.91 because when I should have taken you out, 00:46:53.94\00:46:56.44 when I should have treated you harshly, I was gentle to you." 00:46:56.48\00:47:00.68 I just want to reflect You, Lord. 00:47:00.72\00:47:02.68 May we all desire for this new year 00:47:02.72\00:47:05.25 to be reflective of a gentle shepherd in Jesus' name. 00:47:05.29\00:47:09.89 Amen. 00:47:09.92\00:47:12.36 Gentle Shepherd 00:47:12.39\00:47:19.03 Come and lead us 00:47:19.07\00:47:25.67 For we need You to help us 00:47:25.71\00:47:32.51 Find our way 00:47:32.55\00:47:38.95 Gentle Shepherd 00:47:38.99\00:47:45.53 come and feed us 00:47:45.56\00:47:52.27 For we need your strength 00:47:52.30\00:47:58.44 From day to day 00:47:58.47\00:48:05.38 There's no other 00:48:05.41\00:48:12.02 we can turn to 00:48:12.05\00:48:18.56 Who can help us 00:48:18.59\00:48:23.60 face another 00:48:23.63\00:48:27.24 Day 00:48:27.27\00:48:32.17 Gentle Shepherd 00:48:32.21\00:48:39.11 Come and lead us 00:48:39.15\00:48:46.12 For we need 00:48:46.15\00:48:50.83 You to help us 00:48:50.86\00:48:53.26 find our way 00:48:53.29\00:48:57.67 We come to the last fruit of the Spirit 00:49:00.74\00:49:04.94 and it's self-control. 00:49:04.97\00:49:07.41 And I'm going to just talk a little bit about this. 00:49:07.44\00:49:11.61 Self-control points to the works of the flesh, 00:49:11.65\00:49:15.78 which are the opposite of self-control. 00:49:15.82\00:49:20.86 It depicts power under control. 00:49:20.89\00:49:25.13 Self-control is power under control. 00:49:25.16\00:49:30.03 The words of James in James 1:12-13, 00:49:30.07\00:49:34.24 "Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial, 00:49:34.27\00:49:38.07 for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown 00:49:38.11\00:49:41.24 of life which the Lord has promised 00:49:41.28\00:49:43.04 to those who love Him. 00:49:43.08\00:49:45.18 Let no one say when he is tempted, 00:49:45.21\00:49:47.48 'I am being tempted by God, ' 00:49:47.52\00:49:49.65 for God cannot be tempted by evil, 00:49:49.68\00:49:52.49 and He Himself does not tempt anyone.'" 00:49:52.52\00:49:57.56 We think of Joseph, 00:49:57.59\00:50:01.33 when he fled the temptation of Potiphar's wife. 00:50:01.36\00:50:06.53 We think of David, 00:50:09.70\00:50:12.07 when he didn't flee the temptation with Bathsheba 00:50:12.11\00:50:16.85 and then went on further to kill her husband. 00:50:16.88\00:50:20.75 All because they practiced or didn't practiced 00:50:23.82\00:50:27.89 self-control every day. 00:50:27.92\00:50:30.33 My goodness, you just think back at the end of the day, 00:50:30.36\00:50:32.63 you think back to the many opportunities 00:50:32.66\00:50:35.43 that you have to display self-control. 00:50:35.46\00:50:39.13 Things you say or don't say, 00:50:39.17\00:50:42.24 ways you act or don't act to the drivers passing by 00:50:42.27\00:50:47.04 or people walking by you at work 00:50:47.08\00:50:49.58 or even perfect strangers, 00:50:49.61\00:50:52.05 especially perfect strangers, because again, 00:50:52.08\00:50:53.92 how are you going to show Christ? 00:50:53.95\00:50:56.25 How are they going to see Christ 00:50:56.28\00:50:58.52 if you don't display that? 00:50:58.55\00:51:01.32 So through our temper, 00:51:01.36\00:51:06.93 through our appetites, 00:51:06.96\00:51:08.30 through our thoughts, controlling our thoughts 00:51:11.50\00:51:13.57 and our imaginations, 00:51:13.60\00:51:15.17 and our desires and most of all, 00:51:15.20\00:51:19.77 the self-control of our tongue. 00:51:19.81\00:51:23.65 So, thank God for the fruit of the Spirit. 00:51:23.68\00:51:27.78 As He, 00:51:27.82\00:51:29.68 as Christ grows in me 00:51:29.72\00:51:34.46 as I study His Word more and pray, 00:51:34.49\00:51:38.96 the fruit of that Spirit is developed in me. 00:51:38.99\00:51:42.43 And so I just want to pray for that 00:51:42.46\00:51:45.73 to be ever more present in my life and in yours as well. 00:51:45.77\00:51:48.44 Father, thank You so much for this beautiful fruit 00:51:48.47\00:51:53.64 that we can display only through You, 00:51:53.68\00:51:56.48 only You give us the power, 00:51:56.51\00:51:57.91 only You give us the strength to do this. 00:51:57.95\00:52:00.08 And they're all things that You are. 00:52:00.12\00:52:03.08 What a beautiful pictures 00:52:03.12\00:52:06.52 of the characteristics of Christ. 00:52:06.55\00:52:10.73 So, Father, I pray for those who are struggling 00:52:10.76\00:52:13.70 with self-control, 00:52:13.73\00:52:16.33 struggling to control your tongue, 00:52:16.36\00:52:20.84 struggling to control your appetite. 00:52:20.87\00:52:23.44 God, give them strength. 00:52:23.47\00:52:26.78 Help them, Lord. 00:52:26.81\00:52:30.21 Only by Your power, 00:52:30.25\00:52:32.65 can they make these choices. 00:52:32.68\00:52:34.68 They can take a pill for things. 00:52:34.72\00:52:39.85 But, Lord, 00:52:39.89\00:52:42.02 I just ask that You will magnify 00:52:42.06\00:52:45.03 Yourself in their lives, 00:52:45.06\00:52:49.03 that You get the glory. 00:52:49.06\00:52:50.50 Father, thank You that You are working Your perfect will 00:52:53.54\00:52:56.71 out in our lives through self-control. 00:52:56.74\00:52:59.91 And it's all because we want to be witnesses of You. 00:52:59.94\00:53:03.18 We want to show examples of what it is like 00:53:03.21\00:53:06.88 to be a Christian. 00:53:06.92\00:53:10.69 So, Father, I pray that self-control will rise 00:53:10.72\00:53:15.52 in those who are watching. 00:53:15.56\00:53:19.69 And for all of us, 00:53:19.73\00:53:23.13 remember that we don't bear fruit 00:53:23.16\00:53:26.57 for our own consumption. 00:53:26.60\00:53:29.24 So we don't do things just to look good. 00:53:29.27\00:53:31.84 We don't show off these, any of these fruit. 00:53:31.87\00:53:36.44 We bear that others may be helped 00:53:36.48\00:53:38.81 and that Christ may be glorified. 00:53:38.85\00:53:40.78 So may Christ be glorified in all our lives in Jesus' name. 00:53:40.82\00:53:46.32 Amen. Great. 00:53:46.35\00:53:47.69 Precious. Amen. 00:53:47.72\00:53:49.06 You know, Tim, I'd like to end if I can quick story, 00:53:49.09\00:53:52.09 but the embodiment of everything 00:53:52.13\00:53:54.26 that we've learned here today may not come through 00:53:54.30\00:53:56.97 your priest or your rabbi or your pastor 00:53:57.00\00:53:59.67 or whatever else. 00:53:59.70\00:54:01.07 But in each one of us, may we rightly represent Jesus 00:54:01.10\00:54:04.81 and may we do what is right, because it's right. 00:54:04.84\00:54:07.41 Not for any other reason to show, 00:54:07.44\00:54:09.54 to be showy, to whatever. 00:54:09.58\00:54:11.41 I think Mr. Gallio lived behind us 00:54:11.45\00:54:13.95 when we were kids growing up 00:54:13.98\00:54:15.32 and we had an alley between our houses and he had the, 00:54:15.35\00:54:20.46 he was coal miner, so they lived okay. 00:54:20.49\00:54:22.72 We were very poor as I mentioned earlier. 00:54:22.76\00:54:25.16 Every Tuesday or so, 00:54:25.19\00:54:26.53 the garbage collectors would come. 00:54:26.56\00:54:28.13 But Monday evening, 00:54:28.16\00:54:29.50 we would go to the Gallio's barrel, they had three sons. 00:54:29.53\00:54:32.20 And we would turn it over about dark 00:54:32.23\00:54:34.24 and pick out through toys, 00:54:34.27\00:54:35.60 maybe a truck with one wheel 00:54:35.64\00:54:37.41 or something that wasn't you know, 00:54:37.44\00:54:39.67 there and then we'd take it home and play with it 00:54:39.71\00:54:41.48 because we didn't, so we would wait 00:54:41.51\00:54:43.58 till there's almost dark every Tuesday night. 00:54:43.61\00:54:46.18 Then we noticed we got such great toys. 00:54:46.21\00:54:48.28 They were just nice toys 00:54:48.32\00:54:50.22 and we're like, "Man, these boys. 00:54:50.25\00:54:51.65 They're just not grateful. 00:54:51.69\00:54:53.02 They throw everything away and man needs you know, 00:54:53.05\00:54:54.99 they've just must have a lot of money." 00:54:55.02\00:54:57.43 Fifty years later, 00:54:57.46\00:54:58.79 I'm at Penny's in Carbondale around Christmas, 00:54:58.83\00:55:02.43 I see Mr. Gallio. 00:55:02.46\00:55:03.93 I say, "Mr. Gallio, how are you doing?" 00:55:03.97\00:55:06.13 He's close to 90. "I'm doing fine," I said. 00:55:06.17\00:55:08.74 He said, "I'm doing fine Shelton." 00:55:08.77\00:55:10.11 I said, I got a little confession when we were young. 00:55:10.14\00:55:13.11 And I said back in the late 50s, 00:55:13.14\00:55:14.68 early 60s, we used to go to your house 00:55:14.71\00:55:17.15 and I told him the story. 00:55:17.18\00:55:18.51 And I'm doing it quickly. I'm about out of time. 00:55:18.55\00:55:20.18 But as we turn over the barrel, 00:55:20.22\00:55:22.18 we'd notice all these nice toys that your boys throw away. 00:55:22.22\00:55:25.85 So I said we didn't think it was stealing. 00:55:25.89\00:55:27.96 But since you guys were throwing them away, 00:55:27.99\00:55:30.26 but we had plenty of toys. 00:55:30.29\00:55:32.06 He looked at me and said, "Son, that was no accident." 00:55:32.09\00:55:37.27 He said, "My wife and I knew your situation. 00:55:37.30\00:55:40.64 We know you didn't have anything. 00:55:40.67\00:55:42.34 So we bought those toys and we put them in there. 00:55:42.37\00:55:44.67 We saw you guys going through the garbage. 00:55:44.71\00:55:48.41 We wanted to have something nice. 00:55:48.44\00:55:49.78 You were good boys. You had a great daddy. 00:55:49.81\00:55:51.75 He just was disabled." 00:55:51.78\00:55:53.58 And I said 50 years you've never told me that. 00:55:53.62\00:55:56.89 He said, "No. 00:55:56.92\00:55:58.25 There's no reason to ever tell you that." 00:55:58.29\00:55:59.62 Had I not met him that embodied to me the care, 00:55:59.65\00:56:02.36 the passion, the love, all of this long suffering. 00:56:02.39\00:56:05.59 We'd go play in his basketball in his yard 00:56:05.63\00:56:08.03 when it was muddy and tear up his yard. 00:56:08.06\00:56:10.43 Patience and love. 00:56:10.47\00:56:11.80 I'm not sure, I think they were Catholic. 00:56:11.83\00:56:13.57 But he's wonderful man. 00:56:13.60\00:56:15.04 This is what people need to see is Jesus in us. 00:56:15.07\00:56:17.84 Fifty years he did, because it was the right thing. 00:56:17.87\00:56:20.78 Not to tell anybody, 00:56:20.81\00:56:22.14 not to do get any glory but to do it 00:56:22.18\00:56:25.65 because it's the right thing to do. 00:56:25.68\00:56:27.38 Because sharing the love of Jesus 00:56:27.42\00:56:29.58 to the lost and dying world. 00:56:29.62\00:56:31.09 So... Amen. 00:56:31.12\00:56:35.02 You guys have made me rich today. 00:56:35.06\00:56:36.62 Thank you very much. I love your stories. 00:56:36.66\00:56:38.46 I love your hearts. 00:56:38.49\00:56:39.83 I love everything that you stand for. 00:56:39.86\00:56:41.63 And I'm praying that 2022 will be your most 00:56:41.66\00:56:45.10 fruitful year ever. 00:56:45.13\00:56:47.20 And that you will be like Jesus, 00:56:47.24\00:56:50.14 no better person to be like, 00:56:50.17\00:56:52.41 He's got it all. 00:56:52.44\00:56:53.78 And He wants to freely give it to you 00:56:53.81\00:56:55.34 if you don't know Him. 00:56:55.38\00:56:57.01 Just ask Him and believe in Him. 00:56:57.05\00:56:59.55 Trust Him, follow Him 00:56:59.58\00:57:01.18 and then follow His spirit and grow in Him. 00:57:01.22\00:57:03.55 God bless you. 00:57:03.59\00:57:04.95