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Welcome back to our special
Thursday Night Live. We're so
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glad that you have joined us.
The first hour has gone by in a
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hurry. What a blessing to hear
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the incredible stories that
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Elder Wilson and his wife have
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been sharing about what God
is doing through the work of the
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Seventh-day Adventist Church.
But you know as he's mentioned
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it's really the power of the
Holy Spirit and the word of God
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that changes life. And we want
to encourage you tonight too.
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Maybe you're there all alone and
you're wondering and trying to
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find purpose in your life. Elder
Wilson will have you address
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maybe that person, but you're
wondering where to turn and is
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God real and what's your purpose
in life. Well you know you're
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here today for a reason, (Amen)
We know that God loves you, we
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love you, you're part of a
family and God has a work for
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you to do. No matter where you
are in the world, no matter what
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is going on, God has a work for
you to do. But if you're just
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now joining us, I've already
referenced the Wilsons, but we
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have Elder Ted Wilson and his
wife Nancy here with us. You're
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the General Conference President
of Seventh-day Adventists. We
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know you have a very busy
schedule. Thank you so very much
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for taking the time to come here
to 3ABN. Your support again of
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3ABN. We know that you stopped
in St. Louis on your way here.
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We're going to talk about the
General Conference session that
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is coming up in Mmm what a month
or so. A little over a month.
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Forty-six days.
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Very good and so many minutes
right. We'll be talking about
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that in just a couple of minutes
as well. Of course, Mr. Danny
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Shelton, founder of 3ABN and
your wife, Dr. Yvonne. So good
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have you both on
as well this evening.
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Well we're encouraged and when
we hear these stories, I always
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say the blessing is on the go.
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So Jesus says go ye into all the
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world. And so the power, Jesus
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says all power is given me in
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heaven and earth. Go ye
therefore. So what he's saying
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to us is when we submit
and commit our lives to Him He
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transfers that we can go now and
be encouraged to know that God
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is with us and all power is
given to Him. Go ye therefore so
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each one of us our potential
people want to look around
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us. If we
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get discouraged, well where
is God. Well where was He when I
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needed Him for this. Where
was... You know that's the devil
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We encourage people that each
and every one of us, the people
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you're talking about. One person
You being willing to preach to
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those people could have made
all the difference. Had you just
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said, You know what, this is
raining, I'm going to quit and
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leave. They may not have come
back the next day. They may have
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said, Well this is not
very important. Look what we're
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giving up in our change in our
life. But it's each of us as you
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were saying, Greg, got it, He
says I knew you before you were
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even formed in the womb. I knew
you from the beginning. I have
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a plan for you. And so that plan
is that each of us are to be
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evangelists and so it's not
what we know or how much do we
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memorize the book of Revelation
or do we whatever but Ellen
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White says that our own personal
testimony is our greatest asset.
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So as we listen to you tonight
Elder Wilson and Sister Nancy
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it is encouraging, and I hope
everyone listening we don't want
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to just it's great to hear about
that, but what does God have in
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store for you. God wants you
to do something when you come in
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the name of the Lord, mighty
marvelous things happen in spite
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of us, not because of us.
But when we go forward and we
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rightly divide the word of truth
this should be infectious to all
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of us. It's like, hey I want
to get up, let's go do something
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right now you know for the Lord
so thank you and I know that
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this is happening around
the world and even in places we
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even know. But the Lord is
coming back very soon in the
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clouds of glory and its things
just like this that is making us
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as Seventh-day Adventist
Christians we should never be
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discouraged but encouraged that
God has given us an end times
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message for an end-times people.
And to hear these stories, I
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don't know about you,
I'm ready to go do something.
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I know, fired up. That's right.
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You are doing something.
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I want to do more.
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Yeah, do more.
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You know we talked the first
hour about Philippines and the
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incredible work, transformation,
that the Holy Spirit did there.
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The text you referenced, I love
that text. Second Timothy 1:7:
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God has not given us a spirit of
fear but of power and love and
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of a sound mind. And as we
live in these closing moments of
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earth's history, as we see the
wars and rumors of wars and the
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famines and the pestilences that
take place you can be afraid. I
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think of what's happening right
now in Ukraine with our brothers
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and sisters in Ukraine and
Russia and other countries in
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that region, the terror
that would be in people's hearts
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during this time. The suffering
that's going on right now. Talk
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to us about how our brothers
and sisters, especially in the
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Seventh-day Adventist Church,
are dealing with this crisis.
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Well, of course, our hearts
are heavy for our brothers and
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sisters in Ukraine, in Russia,
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in eastern Europe. We have many
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faithful people in all those
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countries and we love them and
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we just feel a part of their
love for the Lord and we just
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want to be together. But
the things that are happening in
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Ukraine are very tragic. We pray
for the cessation of violence
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and for the bloodshed that
is taking place that God will
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somehow intervene. But it's
amazing to see in this situation
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how God is working in the lives
of our church members to witness
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to people and to help them even
amidst all of these challenges.
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So many people are leaving
you know as refugees, over five
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million have left now and our
church in Poland, in Slovakia,
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in Hungary, in Romania, in
Moldova and in Russia, they have
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responded by helping people
who are refugees, giving them
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encouragement. ADRA, our
Adventist Development and Relief
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Agency International and ADRA
Europe has done phenomenal work
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in helping to make people feel
loved and accepted and a warmth
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that is there. And our people in
Ukraine are trying to help not
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just their own Seventh-day
Adventist members but so many
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others and it's a huge witness.
And probably the greatest thing
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that they can do is as Romans
12 tells us at the end of that
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chapter, it tells us repay no
one evil for evil, verse 17, and
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then it says you know in
verse 19-Beloved do not avenge
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yourselves but rather give
place to rath for it is written,
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Vengeance is mine, I will repay,
says the Lord. Therefore if your
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enemy is hungry feed him if he
is thirsty give him drink for in
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so doing you will heap coals
of fire on his head. Do not be
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be overcome by evil, verse
21, but overcome evil with good.
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And our church members are
helping so many people. I see a
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picture in my mind of church
members in the city of Odessa
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and they were providing food for
people who were leaving and then
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right next to that they were
providing Bibles and the Great
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Controversy. I mean, these are
church members trying to help
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those who are filled with the
spirit of fear. You know, one
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illustration of even
God's protection just came about
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recently where there was
a terrible attack on a train
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station and a missile came.
Over 50 people died. One lady, a
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Seventh-day Adventist, was part
of that particular group when
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this bomb hit. And the bomb
blast threw her many, many feet
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meters away. She was stunned,
kind of woke up, looked around
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and saw all these dead bodies
around and blood and everything.
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She was able to get up, shake
herself, you know, and shake the
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dust off her and walked
away without one scratch.
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Unbelievable the protection.
But this is a witness to people
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of what God is doing to try
to help keep people focused upon
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the things that are of a
positive nature. And our pastors
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are helping to move people from
one place to the other, not just
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members of our church,
but others and people are just
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amazed; you would help me to be
able to be safe? The church is
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moving ahead in a very difficult
time and I want you to pray
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earnestly for all people, in
Ukraine, in Russia, throughout
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Eastern Europe that God will
use His people to stay firmly
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rooted in Him and not allow
anger and strife to create such
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animosity that you cannot then
fulfill what God has said, to
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overcome evil with good. And so
by God's grace, we're seeing a
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tremendous impact on the people
in Ukraine by our church members
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but it's not easy at all.
But we're in very closed contact
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with them. We're working with
them, trying to encourage them.
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Just a couple days ago we
had a very good meeting through
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electronic means trying to bring
encouragement to our church
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leaders. But I just ask you to
pray earnestly for these people.
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Many people, of course,
have lost their homes and are
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refugees. And the men in Ukraine
are not allowed to leave, those
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under 60, so the pastors were
staying with their churches and
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many women were leaving but the
wives said we're going to stay
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and work with our husbands.
Yes. And they have opened their
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churches for those who have no
shelter. They have provided food
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and clothing. I don't know
where they get all of this but
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they are assisting whoever is
in need and was it our clinic in
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Kiev where they were baking the
bread? Yes. Like 100 loaves a
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day and passing it out because
people are... they have no
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kitchen, many of them they have
no food and so our church is
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just doing incredible things to
feed people, to shelter them, to
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give them clothing.
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This is true medical missionary
work. Following in the footsteps
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of Jesus. Helping people
physically, mentally, socially
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and spiritually. And you know
these are our laypeople too.
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I mean it's not just pastors.
This quotation from Testimonies
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for the Church, Vol. 9, p. 117,
it says: The work of God in this
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earth can never be
finished until the men and women
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comprising our church membership
rally to the work and unite
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their efforts with those of
ministers and church officers.
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Everybody is working together,
just total member involvement.
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And it's just an amazing thing
to see how God is pouring out
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His Spirit even in the
midst of a terrible conflict.
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It's during the time of
tribulation that we really find
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out, you know, a lot about
ourselves and about our church.
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For instance, I was talking to
Pastor Mark Finley the other day
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and he was saying in some of
these countries like Poland and
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all the churches there in order
to help people coming in they
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were tearing out the pews
and cleaning it out to bring so
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there's room for people to come
in. I mean, that's true religion
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right there. It's not oh well
wait a minute we don't want to
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tear out all of our pews and
move everything out of the way.
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We got to meet. No. The people
need a place and shelter over
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their head we're going to
turn this into you know not just
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where we can come and oh enjoy.
We're going to help people.
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That's such a I don't want to
say sacrifice but it's so bold
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on the part of the people and
it shows they have caught the
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vision. And I know that
especially dear to you all. You
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lived in I guess Moscow for
a while for you speak Russian.
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Russians and Ukrainians together
we built this huge facility and
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we hired over a hundred
Ukrainians to come and work
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together with the Russians and
the Americans there that we had
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and to build this huge facility
and of course, we all got along
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we're all brothers and sisters
in the Lord. And now to see this
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separation of the countries and
so people are saying you're this
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country that and this one. You
know I tell them we don't really
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know what's happening. We just
know our responsibility is to be
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there when people need us, to
continue to give the gospel, to
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continue to preach love one for
another and let the Lord work
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out all the details. And so I'm
thankful as a church basically
00:14:23.39\00:14:28.36
what I'm hearing is that we need
to pray for everybody and yet
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take care of those in need no
matter where they are or where
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they're from and that's true
religion is taking care of those
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who can't take
care of themselves.
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And what you said, Danny,
is absolutely true, it doesn't
00:14:40.54\00:14:43.21
matter where you're from,
what country, whether there is
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conflict, we are all as Seventh-
day Adventist Christians
00:14:48.25\00:14:51.25
brothers and sisters in
Christ. And we're a family.
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We should probably have a little
season of prayer maybe I'm
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suggesting. Maybe Dr. Yvonne
let's pray for the situation
00:15:00.13\00:15:02.33
there that's been
brought to us here this evening.
00:15:02.36\00:15:03.97
Thank you so much.
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Dear Lord, thank you so
very much for allowing us the
00:15:05.37\00:15:08.87
privilege of coming before you,
the Almighty God, the One who
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sees all and knows all, the all
powerful God Lord. So we know
00:15:13.64\00:15:18.55
that you've got all of
this under control. You know
00:15:18.58\00:15:21.28
everything that's going to
happen. But we want to lift up
00:15:21.32\00:15:24.52
our brothers and sisters over
in that area of the world, Lord,
00:15:24.55\00:15:28.89
who are going through such pain
and torment and they're just
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hurting right now. So we just
lift them up before you. We ask
00:15:31.73\00:15:35.93
you for resources for them. We
ask you that you will calm their
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fears, that they will trust
you, that they won't worry about
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anything but they will pray
about everything and tell you
00:15:43.44\00:15:47.01
their needs and not forget to
thank you for your answers Lord.
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And we know that you're with us
So we just lift them up. We lift
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up our leadership, lift up our
church leadership here, Elder
00:15:55.62\00:15:59.95
Wilson and Sister Nancy. We
thank you for them and we just
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pray Lord God again for
your continued blessings and
00:16:03.59\00:16:08.16
overseeing the situation. We
praise you Lord and thank you
00:16:08.20\00:16:12.73
that you are our God and that
you will deliver and that you
00:16:12.77\00:16:17.11
will feed those who are hungry
and take care of those who are
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hurting. Our brothers and
sisters over in that area need
00:16:20.74\00:16:23.75
you more than ever before so
help us, Lord, help us all, to
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be what you would have us to
be. We thank you and praise you
00:16:28.78\00:16:31.49
in the worthy name of
Yeshua, Jesus, our Savior, Amen.
00:16:31.52\00:16:36.02
Greg, maybe you could address
3ABN Russia right before the
00:16:36.06\00:16:41.93
banks you know closed and
getting money. Maybe you could
00:16:41.96\00:16:44.87
share a little bit of that
without giving all the details
00:16:44.90\00:16:48.34
but some of it.
00:16:48.37\00:16:49.70
You know, it's yeah, this is a
miracle. We call it just in the
00:16:49.74\00:16:52.64
nick of time. Mr. Danny's...
We're getting ready to do
00:16:52.67\00:16:54.98
camp meeting and he's going
to be doing a sermon called Just
00:16:55.01\00:16:56.51
in the Nick of Time. So this is
00:16:56.54\00:16:57.88
God's miracle as you've seen
00:16:57.91\00:16:59.25
through the years. But we sent
00:16:59.28\00:17:01.62
funding, two or three, to the
00:17:01.65\00:17:04.75
Russian facility to keep it on
on satellite every month and so
00:17:04.79\00:17:07.36
we heard that things were
shutting down we tried to get
00:17:07.39\00:17:08.92
some funds over there quickly.
We got a few months over there
00:17:08.96\00:17:11.96
but we wanted to do a lot more
months, like to the end of this
00:17:11.99\00:17:14.76
year. So we heard that things
were shut down. We said okay by
00:17:14.80\00:17:18.67
faith we're going to send
basically the rest of this
00:17:18.70\00:17:21.17
year's money. And we've heard by
man that it's shut down but with
00:17:21.20\00:17:25.17
God nothing is too hard. Yeah
see what happens. So put the
00:17:25.21\00:17:30.45
money did the wire, and we
received confirmation in about
00:17:30.48\00:17:34.25
24 to 48 hours that the entire
amount of money made it there
00:17:34.28\00:17:37.45
so they are good through the end
of this year. Praise the Lord.
00:17:37.49\00:17:40.46
It is so a miracle.
00:17:40.49\00:17:41.82
Tell them what else
happened right before.
00:17:41.86\00:17:43.29
You know, this is incredible too
So at the end of last year 3ABN
00:17:43.32\00:17:47.06
Russia had a number of needs,
one of them like the LED wall
00:17:47.10\00:17:50.77
some other control room
equipment that they needed and a
00:17:50.80\00:17:54.67
donor heard about that and said
you know what, I'm going to step
00:17:54.70\00:17:57.37
forward and donate some funds
to do an LED wall for them in
00:17:57.41\00:18:00.08
Russia. A lot of money. Oh yeah
a lot of money. A vehicle, they
00:18:00.11\00:18:03.35
needed that. And they finished
their control room. So the money
00:18:03.38\00:18:06.38
came in, purchased the equipment
We had no idea that things would
00:18:06.41\00:18:08.85
be shut down. Inflation would
just skyrocket. So they have
00:18:08.88\00:18:11.75
over there they have an LED wall
they have a control room that's
00:18:11.79\00:18:15.26
working and they have a vehicle
because they didn't have one
00:18:15.29\00:18:17.13
that was working. Just in the
nick of time, right? We had no
00:18:17.16\00:18:19.23
idea this conflict was going to
take place. Praise God for that.
00:18:19.26\00:18:23.00
The LED wall is, no more
building sets, you can change
00:18:23.03\00:18:26.63
everything in five minutes, your
whole set you can do all of this
00:18:26.67\00:18:29.94
stuff. And then to get the new
vehicle. Again it started but by
00:18:29.97\00:18:33.81
time it got there it all
just in the nick of time.
00:18:33.84\00:18:35.94
They're not shut down. No.
They're going forward right now
00:18:35.98\00:18:39.18
and the cable stations, they're
still growing and people because
00:18:39.21\00:18:41.72
of everything that's going on,
right, they're looking for truth
00:18:41.75\00:18:44.49
so 3ABN Russia is broadcasting
in the Russian language. It's
00:18:44.52\00:18:47.79
phenomenal because it reaches...
00:18:47.82\00:18:50.09
All over the Soviet Union.
00:18:50.13\00:18:52.79
Five hundred and forty-six cable
systems and about 4000 cities
00:18:52.83\00:18:55.26
and counties in Russian. Such
a blessing and the gospel...
00:18:55.30\00:18:59.53
Elder Wilson, you know they
didn't have cable when you were
00:18:59.57\00:19:02.67
over there and you were
president when we first started
00:19:02.70\00:19:04.87
there cable was
basically unheard of there.
00:19:04.91\00:19:07.68
Now cable in the
00:19:07.71\00:19:09.04
last 20, 25, 30 years has grown,
as you said we're on 500 and
00:19:09.21\00:19:13.31
nearly 50 cable stations
throughout the ex-Soviet Union
00:19:13.35\00:19:16.69
so people are still all
throughout able to watch you
00:19:16.72\00:19:21.32
know the 3ABN.
00:19:21.36\00:19:22.69
They get hope and encouragement.
00:19:22.72\00:19:24.49
What a blessing. What a blessing
00:19:24.53\00:19:28.13
So we referenced this several
times. But you all just came
00:19:28.16\00:19:32.23
from you can say, I don't know
if it's a preplanning meeting
00:19:32.27\00:19:34.87
for the General Conference
session, so talk to us about
00:19:34.90\00:19:37.81
what's going to be taking
place June 6-11 coming up.
00:19:37.84\00:19:42.34
Well as many of our viewers and
as you know we had to postpone
00:19:42.38\00:19:49.45
the general conference session
of 2020 to 2021. We thought okay
00:19:49.48\00:19:57.13
I mean actually when this
pandemic started I, okay, maybe
00:19:57.16\00:20:01.16
six weeks everything will be
00:20:01.20\00:20:02.63
over. No. So we postponed it.
00:20:02.66\00:20:04.47
Then we postponed it with the
00:20:04.50\00:20:08.90
idea of still having it in
Indianapolis because that was
00:20:08.94\00:20:13.07
originally placed. And then the
pandemic just kept exploding and
00:20:13.11\00:20:19.78
finally, we had to
postpone it again till 2022. And
00:20:19.81\00:20:29.09
unfortunately, Indianapolis said
no, we can't accommodate you in
00:20:29.12\00:20:33.76
2022. We contacted St. Louis
because it was already planned
00:20:33.80\00:20:39.63
for 2025 to hold the general
conference session there and
00:20:39.67\00:20:43.91
St. Louis had exactly the dates
we needed open in 2022 and they
00:20:43.94\00:20:50.41
welcomed us. So in the nick of
time. In fact, it's interesting
00:20:50.45\00:20:54.12
that you should use that phrase
because we used almost the same.
00:20:54.15\00:20:57.95
Just in time. With the whole
experience that we have had in
00:20:57.99\00:21:05.09
the Philippines about getting
visas, PCR tests, getting into
00:21:05.13\00:21:10.57
the country everything happening
just in time. And that's a
00:21:10.60\00:21:14.70
witness to the Lord. So he just
knows how to time everything
00:21:14.74\00:21:19.64
perfectly. But in any case, so
we moved it to St. Louis and we
00:21:19.67\00:21:27.28
will be holding the session
June 6-11 and in fact all of
00:21:27.32\00:21:32.72
those of you who are watching
00:21:32.75\00:21:34.09
if you'd like to come it's going
00:21:34.12\00:21:36.32
be open, we have plenty of seats
00:21:36.36\00:21:38.76
there. You'll be able to find a
place. We were just there today
00:21:38.79\00:21:43.73
actually and saw the stadium.
00:21:43.77\00:21:46.27
Where's it going to be?
00:21:46.30\00:21:48.37
Well it's in the main convention
center and the stadium next to
00:21:48.40\00:21:51.51
It's amazing.
00:21:51.54\00:21:52.87
Yeah, it's a beautiful
facility. We will be doing some
00:21:52.91\00:21:58.05
interesting things because of
the hybrid arrangement. We are
00:21:58.08\00:22:02.35
going to be having some
delegates who will not be able
00:22:02.38\00:22:05.62
to come because they
couldn't get a visa, because the
00:22:05.65\00:22:08.79
consulates are not functioning,
the embassies or whatever,
00:22:08.82\00:22:14.56
travel restrictions, maybe
they're sick, whatever it is.
00:22:14.60\00:22:16.90
So provision has been made,
and we praise God for that, that
00:22:16.93\00:22:21.17
delegates who cannot come can
be delegates through electronic
00:22:21.20\00:22:26.74
connection. So we probably are
going to have at least I would
00:22:26.78\00:22:30.51
say 350 to 400 delegates in that
way. We'll see what the final
00:22:30.55\00:22:35.32
tally is. Virtually. Virtually.
But it does look as though we'll
00:22:35.35\00:22:39.62
have at least maybe 1900, maybe
2000 delegates on site. We will
00:22:39.65\00:22:47.06
not be having the traditional
evening program with lots of
00:22:47.10\00:22:52.20
reports from divisions. We are
placing that all day on Friday.
00:22:52.23\00:22:57.41
Now someone might say, but why
do that. We look forward to it
00:22:57.44\00:23:01.31
in the evening and we want
to have that. We will be having
00:23:01.34\00:23:04.58
devotionals in the morning
and the evening, but we'll have
00:23:04.61\00:23:07.65
business sessions in the evening
and why? Because by doing this
00:23:07.68\00:23:11.25
virtual connection
electronically when we come to
00:23:11.29\00:23:16.16
Thursday night and Friday
starts moving in here, you're in
00:23:16.19\00:23:21.20
central time and St. Louis
is in Central Time, in the Asia
00:23:21.23\00:23:26.94
Pacific area it's already coming
close to Sabbath and then it is
00:23:26.97\00:23:31.57
Sabbath. And so to carry on
business on Sabbath for those
00:23:31.61\00:23:35.94
who are connected is not
appropriate. So we've moved all
00:23:35.98\00:23:40.12
those beautiful spiritual
reports to Friday which will be
00:23:40.15\00:23:43.75
a wonderful thing. Friday night
tremendous emphasis on Total
00:23:43.79\00:23:47.46
Member Involvement. There's
going to be a baptism. It's
00:23:47.49\00:23:50.03
going just be fantastic. And
then all day Sabbath, Sabbath
00:23:50.06\00:23:53.73
School, church service,
magnificent music. The afternoon
00:23:53.76\00:23:57.83
will be packed with mission,
mission focus. So the session
00:23:57.87\00:24:04.24
will take place. By God's
grace it will have this hybrid
00:24:04.27\00:24:07.94
arrangement with electronic
connection, but we are earnestly
00:24:07.98\00:24:14.28
praying and asking all of you
who are watching, pray for the
00:24:14.32\00:24:18.95
latter rain of the Holy Spirit.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to be
00:24:18.99\00:24:22.72
present at that General
Conference session so that we
00:24:22.76\00:24:25.76
will be filled with the sense of
mission and it won't just be a
00:24:25.79\00:24:30.73
bureaucratic kind of business
meeting which it is. It's a
00:24:30.77\00:24:34.30
business meeting. Elections take
place, reports are given, all
00:24:34.34\00:24:39.11
this kind of thing, but that
it will be a mission-focused
00:24:39.14\00:24:43.14
meeting. And we are asking that
people will participate in the
00:24:43.18\00:24:49.58
40 days of prayer beginning May
3 through June 11. Forty days of
00:24:49.62\00:24:57.36
prayer asking that the
Holy Spirit come down upon this
00:24:57.39\00:25:02.43
general conference session in
an absolutely unusual way. So we
00:25:02.46\00:25:08.74
invite all of you to come if
you can and you can watch it of
00:25:08.77\00:25:12.17
course live streaming and all
that kind of thing. But general
00:25:12.21\00:25:16.18
conference will take place and
then general conference, if the
00:25:16.21\00:25:20.52
Lord isn't here, will take place
again in St. Louis three years
00:25:20.55\00:25:24.49
later. So we're really two years
into what we call a quinquennium
00:25:24.52\00:25:28.09
or a five-year period. So
there'll be another three years
00:25:28.12\00:25:31.36
to finish that out and then a
new quinquennium will begin. But
00:25:31.39\00:25:35.66
the theme of general conference
session is so appropriate. Jesus
00:25:35.70\00:25:42.67
is Coming, Get Involved. Total
Member Involvement. Telling the
00:25:42.70\00:25:49.21
Lord, yes Lord, as you know
in Isaiah chapter 6, Isaiah was
00:25:49.24\00:25:54.65
so enraptured with being taken
into the throne room of heaven
00:25:54.68\00:25:59.19
and all of this and his sins
were forgiven, and oh it's a
00:25:59.22\00:26:02.99
fantastic story, I love to
preach on it, but then he heard
00:26:03.02\00:26:07.56
a voice of the Lord saying, Whom
shall I send? And who will go
00:26:07.60\00:26:11.50
for us? And Isaiah was so
excited and so grateful for the
00:26:11.53\00:26:15.97
righteousness of Christ that had
cleansed him, he said, Here am
00:26:16.00\00:26:20.34
I send me. I will go. And so
this is part of our strategic
00:26:20.38\00:26:25.28
plan for the world church, reach
the world, I will go. And this
00:26:25.31\00:26:31.15
phrase, I will go, has just
caught on like wildfire around
00:26:31.19\00:26:35.36
the world. And in fact, we first
heard about that phrase from
00:26:35.39\00:26:43.06
South America. Young people had
come up with that phrase. And we
00:26:43.10\00:26:47.37
asked them can we use that
phrase? Yes, yes. You can use
00:26:47.40\00:26:51.67
that phrase. But they kind of
wanted us to tell people, young
00:26:51.71\00:26:54.38
people came up with it. So I'm
telling you and I'm telling the
00:26:54.41\00:26:58.08
whole audience young people came
up with it. I will go. We will
00:26:58.11\00:27:02.98
go. I mean you can use whatever
variation. But North American
00:27:03.02\00:27:08.42
Division has said their motto is
Together In Mission, I Will Go.
00:27:08.46\00:27:14.90
And the whole world is just
galvanized around that. So we
00:27:14.93\00:27:18.93
praise God and we want
people to be part of that.
00:27:18.97\00:27:22.04
Yeah 3ABNs excited because we'll
be there are the GC session and
00:27:22.07\00:27:25.24
it's kind of in our backyard,
Mr. Danny, just two hours away.
00:27:25.27\00:27:28.38
I know what a blessing.
00:27:28.41\00:27:29.74
We'll come out quickly and we'll
get there and less expensive
00:27:29.78\00:27:32.45
and all that.
00:27:32.48\00:27:33.82
Oh yeah.
00:27:33.85\00:27:35.18
You can have them there every
time as far as we're concerned.
00:27:35.22\00:27:36.55
We'll be doing some programming
from there, giving some reports
00:27:36.58\00:27:40.39
from the GC session. We'll be
actually streaming and airing a
00:27:40.42\00:27:43.43
number of the programs,
especially some of the reports
00:27:43.46\00:27:45.06
and stuff. You know what God is
doing around the world. Such an
00:27:45.09\00:27:48.06
inspiring time, the GC session,
so that's great. Do you want
00:27:48.10\00:27:51.93
to touch a little bit more,
expound a little bit more upon
00:27:51.97\00:27:54.44
the I Will Go initiative
and little bit, what that all
00:27:54.47\00:27:57.47
entails or...
00:27:57.51\00:27:58.84
Well every five year period
we do research on what is really
00:27:58.87\00:28:04.35
needed in the church. We have a
special committee called Future
00:28:04.38\00:28:09.55
Plans Working Group. And this
particular group looks at all
00:28:09.58\00:28:14.22
kinds of statistics, surveys
that are taken, trying to see
00:28:14.26\00:28:17.53
how we can nurture the church
with a mission and a focus. And
00:28:17.56\00:28:22.06
out of that comes the strategic
plan. The strategic plan is very
00:28:22.10\00:28:26.97
it's rather focused and not
too long, but it has certain key
00:28:27.00\00:28:33.84
performance indicators that
will help people know how to
00:28:33.88\00:28:37.75
accomplish certain things. And
the strategic plan, as I said,
00:28:37.78\00:28:43.39
has the theme or the title,
Reach the World, I Will Go.
00:28:43.42\00:28:48.79
And this I Will Go seems to have
caught on like very few things I
00:28:48.82\00:28:54.03
have seen because it's so
personal, it implies commitment
00:28:54.06\00:28:59.67
and it's action-filled and
it's mission-focused. So it's
00:28:59.70\00:29:07.74
something that people can rally
around but it's all based upon
00:29:07.78\00:29:12.15
the word of God, upon what
God has asked us. I mean Matthew
00:29:12.18\00:29:16.12
28:19 and 20, God wants us to
go and actually, Christ was the
00:29:16.15\00:29:21.66
first one to say I will go.
He and the Father and the Holy
00:29:21.69\00:29:27.06
Spirit were in consultation
before even the establishment of
00:29:27.10\00:29:30.60
this world and they knew there
would be a crisis. And so Jesus
00:29:30.63\00:29:35.74
said, I will go. And then he
asks His disciples to go. You
00:29:35.77\00:29:42.04
know, your reference. So we're
all to participate and to be
00:29:42.08\00:29:49.05
willing. Nancy and I will never
forget a general conference
00:29:49.08\00:29:54.32
session, I think it was in New
Orleans in 1985 and we were part
00:29:54.36\00:30:01.10
of a big mission pageant. We
were overseas missionaries at
00:30:01.13\00:30:04.90
that time in Africa and had a
you know in a complete sense a
00:30:04.93\00:30:11.11
wonderful experience. We were
there with our costumes on and
00:30:11.14\00:30:15.98
our flags and banners and what
have you. And the whole mission
00:30:16.01\00:30:21.25
pageant stopped then for a few
moments and a wonderful sweet
00:30:21.28\00:30:27.49
singer of Israel I like to call
him, Elder C.L. Brooks, who was
00:30:27.52\00:30:33.53
such a powerful singer. He was
in the Sabbath School Department
00:30:33.56\00:30:38.03
He preached a sermon every time
he sang. A wonderful African
00:30:38.07\00:30:44.41
American leader and he sang the
song So Send I You. It melted
00:30:44.44\00:30:54.82
everybody's hearts and we were
just tearing up. Even to this
00:30:54.85\00:31:00.39
day I can remember it. It
was just so powerful. And that's
00:31:00.42\00:31:03.89
what God wants us to do, He
wants to send everyone. Not just
00:31:03.93\00:31:08.16
for evangelists or pastors
or literature evangelists or
00:31:08.20\00:31:12.33
teachers. Everybody
has a role. Children...
00:31:12.37\00:31:16.71
Children of all ages,
men, women and children.
00:31:16.74\00:31:19.51
Total youth involvement, total
children involvement, total
00:31:19.54\00:31:22.04
member, total 3ABN involvement.
00:31:22.08\00:31:24.85
That's right. Well Greg
you remember the 1985 general
00:31:24.88\00:31:30.72
conference
session in New Orleans?
00:31:30.75\00:31:32.09
No, you know, I was a little
guy. I was just oh about 10
00:31:32.12\00:31:37.53
years old. I remember 1990
in Indianapolis. I think that's
00:31:37.56\00:31:43.67
where 1990 was at the time.
00:31:43.70\00:31:45.80
Yes, I remember 1985 because
we were just getting started you
00:31:45.83\00:31:48.87
know. November 1984 was the you
know when the Lord I felt spoke
00:31:48.90\00:31:54.54
and said Go ye into all the
world build a TV station So 1985
00:31:54.58\00:32:00.28
I remember driving down there.
3ABN was just a dream, it was
00:32:00.32\00:32:04.49
just something we wanted to do
so we had postcards and I'd put
00:32:04.52\00:32:08.12
them on the post by the
bleachers that would say 3ABN
00:32:08.16\00:32:13.33
and just write a little
something and give us like
00:32:13.36\00:32:15.63
our phone number or
contact 3 Angels Broadcasting.
00:32:15.66\00:32:20.77
No website.
00:32:20.80\00:32:22.14
We literally wrote by hand
What is a website? Exactly.
00:32:22.17\00:32:27.14
No website, but I remember
walking around and meeting
00:32:27.18\00:32:29.74
people and I thought man this
is...I'd never been to a general
00:32:29.78\00:32:33.11
conference session. This is
incredible. How do you start?
00:32:33.15\00:32:36.35
And somehow look the Lord has
blessed. Again the blessing's on
00:32:36.38\00:32:41.39
the go you know.
00:32:41.42\00:32:42.76
You know when I think about too
how many times you say you know
00:32:42.79\00:32:45.63
go ye into all the world right
and that's the commission of God
00:32:45.66\00:32:48.26
and then you ask the question
and what's that question and how
00:32:48.30\00:32:50.53
many ye's are in right, raise
your hand and you say, everyone
00:32:50.57\00:32:54.34
your hand should have went up
right because all of us are a ye
00:32:54.37\00:32:57.11
Everyone needs to be involved.
Total Member Involvement.
00:32:57.14\00:33:01.64
There's so many people that
say well, what can I do? I don't
00:33:01.68\00:33:04.38
have any money or I don't
have any... I don't have any
00:33:04.41\00:33:08.58
mobility. I can't get around.
Everyone can do something. God
00:33:08.62\00:33:13.96
has called us all to be workers
in his vineyard. So everyone can
00:33:13.99\00:33:18.29
do something. And we just have
to find out what that something
00:33:18.33\00:33:21.73
is and here I am.
Here am I send me.
00:33:21.76\00:33:24.93
What is this you have in your
hand? That's right. That's what
00:33:24.97\00:33:28.50
the Lord is asking. And that's
Fonda Summers when I first went
00:33:28.54\00:33:33.27
to a prayer meeting, probably
12 people, in November 1984. And
00:33:33.31\00:33:39.31
this woman who had never...she
was Methodist, and never been to
00:33:39.35\00:33:42.08
an Adventist church came to the
prayer meeting. My mother had
00:33:42.12\00:33:45.59
invited here because she had
filled out a little card for a
00:33:45.62\00:33:48.42
literature evangelist. She
showed up at that prayer meeting
00:33:48.46\00:33:52.03
So I stood up in West Frankfort
saying the Lord impressed me to
00:33:52.06\00:33:55.53
build a television station
to reach the world. She calls...
00:33:55.56\00:34:00.24
This was Wednesday night. Friday
night my mother calls me and she
00:34:00.27\00:34:03.44
says the little lady that came,
the older lady that came, her
00:34:03.47\00:34:07.94
name is Fonda Summers and she
lives out by Thompsonville, a
00:34:07.98\00:34:12.05
little area out here called
Thompsonville and she said she
00:34:12.08\00:34:15.62
thought she was so impressed
by that she went home and said,
00:34:15.65\00:34:19.72
Lord I'd like to help them build
a TV station but I don't have
00:34:19.75\00:34:24.83
anything and she said the Lord
said, What is this you have in
00:34:24.86\00:34:28.16
your hand? And she said well
I don't have anything but just a
00:34:28.20\00:34:31.73
few acres of property and
she said my house is towards the
00:34:31.77\00:34:35.20
front but I got a couple acres
of property in the back. I guess
00:34:35.24\00:34:38.84
I could give them if they really
needed it. So she called my
00:34:38.87\00:34:42.78
mother and said, Well I've got
a couple acres of property. My
00:34:42.81\00:34:47.52
mother said, Why would you take
it. She said, Well years ago we
00:34:47.55\00:34:50.69
bought this property, my husband
and I, and he was going to sell
00:34:50.72\00:34:54.49
it. At the time he wasn't a
Christian and I had a dream and
00:34:54.52\00:34:58.03
the Lord told me don't sell
it. She said I saw like a fence
00:34:58.06\00:35:02.06
around the back two acres and
I saw the more beautiful fatted
00:35:02.10\00:35:06.00
cattle coming from all
directions and I always said the
00:35:06.03\00:35:09.04
Lord must want to use that
property for something. She
00:35:09.07\00:35:12.51
donated us that property. When
we got Scientific Atlanta to
00:35:12.54\00:35:16.24
come to look at the satellites
because you can only build these
00:35:16.28\00:35:19.51
uplinks. At that time they
didn't have the KU, they had the
00:35:19.55\00:35:22.88
C band and all of the microwave
interferences. It was the only
00:35:22.92\00:35:27.32
property that would work in this
entire area that was totally
00:35:27.36\00:35:30.13
free of any satellite signals
and they gave us the license to
00:35:30.16\00:35:35.03
shoot signals from there
and eventually around the world.
00:35:35.06\00:35:38.43
What is this you have in your
hand? She could have just said
00:35:38.47\00:35:42.24
well I'd like to help but I
don't have any money. So what
00:35:42.27\00:35:44.77
you're saying is each of us in
the initiative you know I Will
00:35:44.81\00:35:48.94
Go. Okay Lord what is it you've
given me that I can share.
00:35:48.98\00:35:53.92
Nothing else it's my own
personal testimony, what Jesus
00:35:53.95\00:35:56.79
has done for me. So thank
you for that and for the vision.
00:35:56.82\00:36:00.26
Our theme this year, Jill kind
of came up with Look at God.
00:36:00.29\00:36:03.83
You know we're always amazed,
those stories you just told a
00:36:03.86\00:36:06.76
while ago, I was kind of looking
over at Jill and I'm going to
00:36:06.80\00:36:09.56
say Look at God.
00:36:09.60\00:36:10.93
Yeah, this is kind of
interesting because as I was
00:36:10.97\00:36:15.27
driving here this afternoon from
St. Louis, I was thinking about
00:36:15.30\00:36:21.04
that very fact and I didn't know
00:36:21.08\00:36:24.45
all the details but where you
00:36:24.48\00:36:26.45
are positioned at that time,
because now of course you've got
00:36:26.48\00:36:29.12
internet connections and all
that kind of thing, transmission
00:36:29.15\00:36:31.59
but at that time this was the
perfect place for the uplink.
00:36:31.62\00:36:36.62
Right, it was, it was.
00:36:36.66\00:36:38.09
It's just in God's
hands. Look at God.
00:36:38.13\00:36:43.53
But Yvonne you were saying
something about how anyone, we
00:36:43.57\00:36:48.90
can all do something. And it
reminded me of my Grandma Evans
00:36:48.94\00:36:53.74
She never really drove. She
00:36:53.78\00:36:58.25
learned to drive but I don't
00:36:58.28\00:36:59.61
think she ever drove much and
00:36:59.65\00:37:01.32
when my grandpa died unless my
00:37:01.35\00:37:04.55
mom would take her out she
was pretty much homebound unless
00:37:04.59\00:37:09.86
someone would take her out. And
she, when she was out and about
00:37:09.89\00:37:14.96
she taught Sabbath School. She
was very active. But here she
00:37:15.00\00:37:19.23
was, she was crippled with
terrible arthritis, she would
00:37:19.27\00:37:23.81
call people and encourage them.
And that was like a ministry.
00:37:23.84\00:37:27.94
And she could have thought, I
can't go anywhere, I can't drive
00:37:27.98\00:37:32.01
what can I do but she had a
phone ministry. She would call
00:37:32.05\00:37:36.99
people and connect with them
and so you really...the Lord can
00:37:37.02\00:37:44.96
show each one of you
exactly how he can use you.
00:37:44.99\00:37:50.50
I love the fact that the I Will
Go initiative I believe you said
00:37:50.53\00:37:55.64
began with young
people in South America. So...
00:37:55.67\00:37:59.71
It's like our church, the
Adventist Church began with
00:37:59.74\00:38:03.68
young people.
00:38:03.71\00:38:05.55
And so you had referenced it
before the program but talk to
00:38:05.58\00:38:08.48
us about young people. This is a
special program Duane Esmond had
00:38:08.52\00:38:14.16
put together, Back to the Altar.
Young people especially in
00:38:14.19\00:38:16.56
social media, because that's
a tremendous issue right now in
00:38:16.59\00:38:22.20
this culture.
00:38:22.23\00:38:24.30
The challenge of using, you
know, our cell phones, our smart
00:38:24.33\00:38:34.21
phones, electronic devices, all
this kind of thing, there's so
00:38:34.24\00:38:39.18
much good that can come out
of it. I mean the very fact that
00:38:39.21\00:38:43.69
3ABN is broadcasting this and
it's going literally worldwide
00:38:43.72\00:38:48.09
is an amazing miracle. But on
the other hand people can become
00:38:48.12\00:38:56.16
so absorbed with staying
in contact with people and
00:38:56.20\00:38:59.93
measuring themselves against
what it appears that others are
00:38:59.97\00:39:05.21
doing and how great they are and
then feeling worthless because
00:39:05.24\00:39:08.94
you haven't measured up and on
and on and on. Social media has
00:39:08.98\00:39:13.18
certain positive things but it
has some real negative things.
00:39:13.21\00:39:17.99
And Duane Esmond who's
an associate director in our
00:39:18.02\00:39:22.99
Ellen G. White Estate and a
very capable young man has had a
00:39:23.02\00:39:30.73
burden. And he came to my office
the other day and was sharing
00:39:30.77\00:39:33.87
this burden along with our
family ministries directors,
00:39:33.90\00:39:39.17
Willie and Elaine Oliver,
because it really has to do with
00:39:39.21\00:39:43.24
families, connection with people
and with God. And Duane has a
00:39:43.28\00:39:51.05
real burden and so he was
sharing it and so I really
00:39:51.09\00:39:55.42
understood what he was trying to
say and so we've now been able
00:39:55.46\00:39:59.09
to share it with world leaders,
we shared it with our executive
00:39:59.13\00:40:03.63
committee the other day.
It's going to be nurtured by our
00:40:03.67\00:40:09.20
revival and reformation
committee and probably next
00:40:09.24\00:40:12.41
annual council in about
five, six months. It'll be fully
00:40:12.44\00:40:19.45
explained and voted into a
program aspect and what it is,
00:40:19.48\00:40:27.06
is to try to help especially
young people as well as older
00:40:27.09\00:40:31.59
ones who seem to be overwhelmed
by these connections to
00:40:31.63\00:40:37.43
electronic media that they fail
to have the time to get back to
00:40:37.47\00:40:43.14
the altar of worship and reading
the word of God and meditating
00:40:43.17\00:40:48.91
upon what God has instructed
them. Because their minds are so
00:40:48.94\00:40:54.12
filled with trying to keep up
with everybody else who's online
00:40:54.15\00:40:58.22
and feeling so overwhelmed by
the constant flow of information
00:40:58.25\00:41:04.19
that you actually crowd
out completely the word of God.
00:41:04.23\00:41:09.53
So this Back to the Altar is
back to family worship, back to
00:41:09.56\00:41:14.34
personal worship. And it's
so important and people resonate
00:41:14.37\00:41:19.51
with it and they understand it.
And they are willing to support
00:41:19.54\00:41:23.65
it. And so materials will
be provided, encouragement
00:41:23.68\00:41:27.85
especially for young
people. How do you actually
00:41:27.88\00:41:30.59
disconnect appropriately keeping
in contact because we're in the
00:41:30.62\00:41:35.29
21st century. I mean, how
can you get along without your
00:41:35.32\00:41:39.09
iPhone. In fact, there was
a statistic, this is really
00:41:39.13\00:41:43.16
interesting. Duane mentioned
this in a presentation. He said,
00:41:43.20\00:41:45.70
There was a survey done: Would
you rather break a bone or break
00:41:45.73\00:41:54.08
your phone? (laughter and
chatter) And a large percentage
00:41:54.11\00:42:01.88
of people actually said I'd
rather have a broken bone than
00:42:01.92\00:42:05.89
break my phone. (groans)
So I mean this tells you how
00:42:05.92\00:42:08.96
dependent we are. But it all
comes back to relationship with
00:42:08.99\00:42:16.16
Jesus and a daily walk with Him.
Making time. So that's what Back
00:42:16.20\00:42:21.20
to the Altar is about. And it's
going to be expanded even more
00:42:21.24\00:42:25.31
and the whole world
church will hear about it.
00:42:25.34\00:42:29.74
Pastor Wilson that is a...it's
by design that young people and
00:42:29.78\00:42:35.85
older people are addicted to
their phones. It's by design.
00:42:35.88\00:42:40.62
And so it really takes,
I believe, a supernatural
00:42:40.66\00:42:44.73
intervention break that, not to
sever the connection but to put
00:42:44.76\00:42:52.10
it into perspective because
it really is by design that you
00:42:52.13\00:42:57.01
know kids, you can't separate
from your phones. If you ask
00:42:57.04\00:43:00.48
I know that there was one group
that took some young people on
00:43:00.51\00:43:04.11
a trip and they said you have
to leave your phones, you can't
00:43:04.15\00:43:10.05
bring your phones and they
really went through withdrawals.
00:43:10.09\00:43:13.86
It was catastrophic for them.
It's an addiction so it really
00:43:13.89\00:43:19.46
does in order...it's one of
Satan's distractions because the
00:43:19.49\00:43:23.37
way the priority that has
been set on it is you know it's
00:43:23.40\00:43:28.40
really rather worldly. So we
have to ask the Lord to deliver
00:43:28.44\00:43:34.44
us from that, from the
distraction of the phone.
00:43:34.48\00:43:37.48
But think of the technology.
It's kind of like my dad used to
00:43:37.51\00:43:42.28
say about my mouth. He'd say,
son because I talked all the
00:43:42.32\00:43:45.99
time even as a little kid. I was
the youngest of four brothers
00:43:46.02\00:43:48.69
and I talked more than all of
them put together. He'd say, Son
00:43:48.72\00:43:51.53
your mouth is either going
to be your biggest curse or your
00:43:51.56\00:43:54.50
biggest blessing. So it's going
to be one or the other, you
00:43:54.53\00:43:58.20
know. It's going to go like
everybody else, you're either
00:43:58.23\00:44:00.74
going to be you know really bad
or the Lord's going to use it.
00:44:00.77\00:44:04.47
And so I've been both, I've been
used by the Lord and been...and
00:44:04.51\00:44:07.64
my mouth's got me in trouble at
times too. But that's technology
00:44:07.68\00:44:10.15
is that way. This can be
our biggest...I've got this. My
00:44:10.18\00:44:14.95
Bible is on here too. So I'm
like everybody else. I have this
00:44:14.98\00:44:18.75
sitting here. But it can be
our biggest blessing to get the
00:44:18.79\00:44:22.32
gospel to the world because
everybody has an uplink station
00:44:22.36\00:44:26.43
now. You can go on YouTube and
reach people around the world.
00:44:26.46\00:44:29.90
We did it was one of the
few period, not just in the
00:44:29.93\00:44:33.70
Adventist Church are the only
one to begin with but just in
00:44:33.74\00:44:38.17
general there were very
few people going to uplink to
00:44:38.21\00:44:39.77
satellites in the middle 80s.
Now everybody can do it but so
00:44:39.81\00:44:44.98
much of the time you turn on
00:44:45.01\00:44:46.55
we got all these chat rooms
00:44:46.58\00:44:47.92
where all we're doing getting
00:44:47.95\00:44:49.75
down on people, down on this,
00:44:49.78\00:44:51.99
down on that, always going on
Facebook arguing with everybody
00:44:52.02\00:44:56.96
so this can either be a great
blessing for us or our biggest
00:44:56.99\00:45:02.20
curse so I'm so thankful that
you know you're dealing with
00:45:02.23\00:45:06.23
this saying how do we find
a balance using the technology
00:45:06.27\00:45:10.67
but still, find time to
get into the word of God.
00:45:10.71\00:45:13.71
I think it's important too to
realize that you can find a lot
00:45:13.74\00:45:19.11
of things on a phone and your
computer that aren't bad but
00:45:19.15\00:45:24.19
they steal your time and they
are a waste of time. So I think
00:45:24.22\00:45:33.40
time, and the older I get I
realize time is a gift and we
00:45:33.43\00:45:37.97
are held accountable for how we
spend our time and we only have
00:45:38.00\00:45:42.10
24 hours a day, we need sleep,
we need you know all these
00:45:42.14\00:45:46.17
things so it's not a matter of
doing what is good or bad, it's
00:45:46.21\00:45:52.08
a matter of choosing between
what is better or best because
00:45:52.11\00:45:58.45
we...I find that there are
things that aren't really bad in
00:45:58.49\00:46:02.16
my life but I have just this
much time so I don't have time
00:46:02.19\00:46:06.76
to look at these cute little
videos all day on...of animals
00:46:06.80\00:46:12.13
birds. I have to ask God to help
me prioritize even what is okay.
00:46:12.17\00:46:20.98
It's not going to tear me
down but it will because it will
00:46:21.01\00:46:26.01
steal time from God's word so
it's not just choosing between
00:46:26.05\00:46:33.39
what is good and bad but
what do I have time to balance?
00:46:33.42\00:46:38.89
I really like that. You both
are leaders in the Seventh-day
00:46:38.93\00:46:43.20
Adventist Church. Um, how do you
as leaders make time for God?
00:46:43.23\00:46:48.24
How do you make time for
marriage? How do you balance
00:46:48.27\00:46:52.57
that as leaders?
00:46:52.61\00:46:56.38
Well, it takes planning. If you
don't take the time to schedule
00:46:56.41\00:47:02.45
it in, time will just slip away.
00:47:02.48\00:47:06.12
So I mean the early hours of
the morning are usually the best
00:47:06.15\00:47:12.99
time to study, take time. Nancy
is very persistent about that.
00:47:13.03\00:47:17.80
She's a real Bible student
and you know it's just, it's an
00:47:17.83\00:47:25.37
opportunity to start the day
basically. And some people may
00:47:25.41\00:47:28.91
like the evening or the middle
of the day, whatever it is, but
00:47:28.94\00:47:32.95
usually the beginning of the
day is the best. And you need to
00:47:32.98\00:47:37.09
start of course with prayer and
invariably I just slide out of
00:47:37.12\00:47:44.16
bed and pray. And you commit
your life to the Lord and I ask
00:47:44.19\00:47:51.63
for the Holy Spirit to come into
my life. I pray for the latter
00:47:51.67\00:47:54.44
rain. I claim James 1:5 every
day, basically to ask for wisdom
00:47:54.47\00:48:01.61
I ask for wisdom. And then you
pray about you know many things
00:48:01.64\00:48:05.71
on your list or whatever.
But you need to take the time to
00:48:05.75\00:48:10.65
study God's word, to read it and
the Spirit of Prophecy. And one
00:48:10.69\00:48:15.99
of the ways, I mean you know,
people well how do I do that
00:48:16.02\00:48:19.69
Again, we can go back to our
smartphones. You can download
00:48:19.73\00:48:24.60
all kinds of stuff including the
Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy
00:48:24.63\00:48:28.77
and all of that and so you
can listen in the car. I like to
00:48:28.80\00:48:34.61
walk and I listen to the Bible
and to Spirit of Prophecy as
00:48:34.64\00:48:41.42
I'm walking. And so you
know in fact Ellen White has
00:48:41.45\00:48:46.49
indicated she says you know when
you're riding on the streetcar
00:48:46.52\00:48:51.09
I mean you know this is the
language the 19th century right
00:48:51.13\00:48:53.90
You know take a book, you know
make use of your time. So in
00:48:53.93\00:48:59.70
today's world I mean there are
opportunities you can find to
00:48:59.73\00:49:04.61
actually, be quiet and focus
on spiritual things. As far as
00:49:04.64\00:49:10.81
marriage and all of that you
know in a busy schedule you have
00:49:10.85\00:49:16.75
to be fairly determined that
you're going to take time with
00:49:16.79\00:49:20.06
each other, you're going to talk
to each other. And of course
00:49:20.09\00:49:24.33
during this pandemic, it's maybe
been a little easier because
00:49:24.36\00:49:27.70
you've been secluded, except for
Zoom and all that. But you know
00:49:27.73\00:49:33.97
you have to be intentional.
00:49:34.00\00:49:35.34
You have to prioritize, you have
to really seriously prioritize.
00:49:35.37\00:49:39.77
And I know I feel like it's
not safe to start the day off
00:49:39.81\00:49:44.81
without going to God because
He's the one who guides you and
00:49:44.85\00:49:52.39
I wish we could just surrender
one day and then that would stay
00:49:52.42\00:49:55.86
but we have to surrender every
day because we're human and by
00:49:55.89\00:50:02.23
nature we are self-centered. So
Lord take my heart. Keep it for
00:50:02.26\00:50:06.20
I cannot keep it for you.
Save me in spite of myself. But
00:50:06.23\00:50:10.14
that's one thing about Ted's
Zoom meetings in the dining room
00:50:10.17\00:50:14.18
because when I'm in the kitchen
if I'm baking I like to listen
00:50:14.21\00:50:17.91
to sermons. But I think, I find
myself because I have a lot of
00:50:17.95\00:50:24.69
Martha in me and we women like
to multitask and I think well I
00:50:24.72\00:50:30.19
can start a load of clothes and
then they'll be washing while
00:50:30.23\00:50:36.03
I'm studying. But I've tried and
I don't always do this but I try
00:50:36.06\00:50:41.30
to say, No you're not going
to look at your phone until you
00:50:41.34\00:50:47.74
study. I do sometimes look for
messages if I know our kids are
00:50:47.78\00:50:51.61
going through something just to
see they're okay but you have to
00:50:51.65\00:50:56.45
discipline yourself because
there are too many distractions.
00:50:56.48\00:51:00.29
So I am still, you know, working
on that because if you get off
00:51:00.32\00:51:06.90
track then you just get busy and
then you...And one thing that
00:51:06.93\00:51:11.53
me too, I'm trying to memorize
scripture so I put it on 3 x 5
00:51:11.57\00:51:16.07
cards. I have it in my purse and
then if I'm waiting in an office
00:51:16.10\00:51:21.81
or somewhere or...that I can be
reviewing or memorizing new ones
00:51:21.84\00:51:28.22
so there's...But as Ted
said you have to be intentional.
00:51:28.25\00:51:31.49
Yeah amen yeah,
that's important.
00:51:31.52\00:51:33.39
You have to plan
dates once in a while.
00:51:33.42\00:51:37.03
Fantastic advice.
00:51:37.06\00:51:39.89
And bring flowers
home to your wife.
00:51:39.93\00:51:42.33
That's a good thing.
00:51:42.36\00:51:44.30
And you don't have to spend
money. Just spend an evening
00:51:44.33\00:51:46.40
together, you know.
00:51:46.43\00:51:47.80
Yeah, absolutely.
00:51:47.84\00:51:49.17
Spring time's coming, you can
go out and cut the flowers in
00:51:49.20\00:51:51.21
your yard.
Present them to your wife.
00:51:51.24\00:51:55.74
It's amazing. These two hours
have gone by in a hurry and at
00:51:55.78\00:52:00.12
the beginning of this second
hour we were talking about,
00:52:00.15\00:52:02.38
maybe it's you, someone, who's
discouraged or trying to find
00:52:02.42\00:52:04.89
hope and Elder Wilson I'd like
for you to maybe talk to that
00:52:04.92\00:52:07.99
person right now that is maybe
discouraged. Something tragic
00:52:08.02\00:52:11.53
has happened in their life,
they've had loss, like your
00:52:11.56\00:52:13.80
family's had loss with
your grandchild, something
00:52:13.83\00:52:16.13
discouraging going on in their
life. What do you have to say to
00:52:16.16\00:52:18.87
them at home right now.
00:52:18.90\00:52:21.70
Well depending on what your
situation is you may feel alone,
00:52:21.74\00:52:26.78
you may feel somehow
disconnected. You may feel
00:52:26.81\00:52:31.11
nobody cares. Or you may
feel somewhat lost in all of the
00:52:31.15\00:52:37.35
things that are happening. I
want you to know that first of
00:52:37.39\00:52:41.76
all God knows exactly where you
00:52:41.79\00:52:44.46
are. He understands your
00:52:44.49\00:52:46.09
situation. He wants to be your
best friend. And know that He is
00:52:46.13\00:52:52.97
there. Secondly, know that
the Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:52:53.00\00:52:56.91
is there to help you in every
way possible, to nurture your
00:52:56.94\00:53:03.48
faith in Jesus. And that 3ABN
here and many other avenues of
00:53:03.51\00:53:11.09
expression in the church are
there to encourage you as well.
00:53:11.12\00:53:15.56
And that you are part of
something and this is really
00:53:15.59\00:53:18.46
important, because sometimes
we get overwhelmed and we think
00:53:18.49\00:53:22.93
only of ourselves. You are part
of something much bigger. You
00:53:22.96\00:53:29.44
are part of God's overall plan
for the advent movement to share
00:53:29.47\00:53:34.64
unbelievable messages with the
world. You know I have open in
00:53:34.68\00:53:39.68
front of me Revelation 14
and those verses 6-12, the three
00:53:39.71\00:53:45.22
angels messages indicating you
know that the everlasting gospel
00:53:45.25\00:53:51.26
is to go to every nation, tribe,
tongue and people and saying
00:53:51.29\00:53:57.03
with a loud voice...this is
not a quiet message, this is a
00:53:57.07\00:54:00.24
message that people need to
hear to give God glory and to
00:54:00.27\00:54:05.01
worship Him and to respect Him.
It says fear God doesn't mean to
00:54:05.04\00:54:08.94
be afraid of Him, it means to
respect Him. And the hour of His
00:54:08.98\00:54:13.11
judgment has come. And He's the
one who's made us. Don't ever
00:54:13.15\00:54:16.99
succumb to the delusion that you
came from something other than a
00:54:17.02\00:54:23.69
creation. God created us. I mean
we're running out of time here.
00:54:23.73\00:54:27.60
But you know we could go through
the Lord wants us to come out of
00:54:27.63\00:54:31.93
confusion, out of Babylon, into
pure Bible truth, He doesn't
00:54:31.97\00:54:35.57
want us to be connected with
anything that will give us the
00:54:35.60\00:54:38.74
mark of the beast which
is following that which is
00:54:38.77\00:54:42.01
righteousness by works but He
wants us to have the seal of God
00:54:42.04\00:54:46.55
which is keeping of the Seventh
day Sabbath which is His special
00:54:46.58\00:54:52.62
mark. And God has called you
to be part of this. In fact, the
00:54:52.65\00:54:56.69
Seventh-day Adventist Church
we're told in the Spirit of
00:54:56.73\00:55:00.96
Prophecy that the proclamation
of the first, second and third
00:55:01.00\00:55:04.77
angels messages, this is in
Testimonies for the Church, vol.
00:55:04.80\00:55:07.90
9, that there is no other work
of so great importance and that
00:55:07.94\00:55:13.21
Seventh-day Adventists are not
to allow anything else to absorb
00:55:13.24\00:55:17.28
their attention. Well of course
you have a lot of things you
00:55:17.31\00:55:19.68
have to do but this is something
to help people turn to the soon
00:55:19.71\00:55:23.89
coming of Jesus Christ and
that is why it's so important to
00:55:23.92\00:55:27.99
share literature. Danny you've
just written these beautiful
00:55:28.02\00:55:31.49
brochures about hellfire, the
10 commandments, salvation. Dr.
00:55:31.53\00:55:38.00
Yvonne, you have a beautiful
book that's come out that you
00:55:38.03\00:55:41.20
gave to us, Glimpses of His
Glory. And this is why we need
00:55:41.24\00:55:44.01
to share these things with
others. But I want to appeal to
00:55:44.04\00:55:49.08
you in this final 30 seconds I
have because we have to turn it
00:55:49.11\00:55:53.28
back over. I want you to be
encouraged because in 1 Peter
00:55:53.31\00:55:59.85
chapter 3 verse 15 it says:
00:55:59.89\00:56:15.00
God bless each one of you as
you know that you're part of the
00:56:15.04\00:56:19.77
family of God proclaiming this
message with Holy Spirit power
00:56:19.81\00:56:24.85
Jesus needs you. He
needs you to say I Will Go.
00:56:24.88\00:56:29.68
Amen. Thank you.
00:56:29.72\00:56:31.19
Amen. Thank you so much, Elder
Wilson and Sister Nancy for
00:56:31.22\00:56:36.69
being here tonight and
Mr. Danny and Dr. Yvonne.
00:56:36.73\00:56:39.29
We're blessed.
00:56:39.33\00:56:41.03
Thank you both.
00:56:41.06\00:56:42.53
It's a privilege. We pray, Greg
and I pray for you both often.
00:56:42.56\00:56:47.34
We're grateful for your
leadership there at the helm of
00:56:47.37\00:56:50.21
the church. We know of course
Christ is the leader of the
00:56:50.24\00:56:52.51
church. We're grateful. God
has called you for such a time
00:56:52.54\00:56:56.91
as this. And we support you.
We want to encourage you at home
00:56:56.95\00:57:00.52
pray for Elder Wilson and
his wife Nancy. They have a
00:57:00.55\00:57:02.78
tremendous responsibility
but the Lord is faithful.
00:57:02.82\00:57:06.29
We love you. We'll see you again
00:57:06.32\00:57:08.26
Bye, bye.
00:57:08.29\00:57:09.62
¤ ¤
00:57:09.66\00:57:46.96