Participants: Danny Shelton (Host), Yvonne Lewis (Host), Brian Hamilton, Jill Morikone, Mollie Steenson, Tim Parton
Series Code: TL
Program Code: TL016541B
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00:12 >>> WELCOME BACK TO 3ABN "TODAY LIVE."
00:15 YOU KNOW, YVONNE, IN 32 YEARS, I NEVER PLAYED THE PIANO ON 3ABN. 00:22 THEY TOLD ME TO WALK OUT JUST AS YOU WERE CLOSING, AND I HAD 15 00:26 SECONDS. SO I WALKED OUT SAT DOWN, AND 00:32 THERE WAS NO AUDIO. I THINK IT WAS A SETUP. 00:36 [ LAUGHTER ] >> BUT ANYWAY, IT TOOK UP 15 00:39 SECONDS -- DIDN'T IT? >> DID. 00:44 >> WE HAVE MOLLIE STEENSON, JILL, AND BRIAN, AND WE HAVE HAD 00:48 A GREAT PROGRAM SO FAR. I THEY BECAUSE WE FELT AN 00:52 ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. MAYBE IN SPITE OF SOME OF US. 00:58 THANK YOU FOR THAT SONG. WHAT A GORGEOUS SONG. 01:02 >> UH-HUH. >> BRIAN, YVONNE WAS TALKING 01:05 ABOUT PRISON, AND SHE WAS INVOLVED LAST WEEK IN PRISON 01:09 MINISTRY, BUT THAT REALLY -- YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF 3ABN PRISON 01:13 MINISTRY. >> YEAH. 01:14 >> AND SO SHE SAYS I'M SO GLAD BRIAN GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY. 01:21 BUT I ALSO HEAR YOU HAD JILL. TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS 01:26 LAST WEEKEND. BECAUSE I HAVE HEARD SO MANY 01:29 GREAT REPORTS. >> YES, WE JOINED UP WITH 01:32 CHRISTMAS BEHIND BARS. THEY PUT TOGETHER GIFT PACKAGES. 01:36 AND THI WAS THE WOMEN'S MAXIMUM SECURITY. 01:39 TWO WOMEN'S PRISONS IN -- IN ILLINOIS. 01:46 THIS IS ONE OF TWO OF THEM. >> UH-HUH. 01:48 >> AND THEY ALSO HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY THERE FOR 01:54 INMATES THAT HAVE THAT -- HAVE THAT ISSUES. 01:57 >> UH-HUH. >> AND SO WE PUT TOGETHER A TEAM 02:00 FROM 3ABN TO JOIN US AND BRING THE SPIRITUAL PROGRAMMING FOR 02:05 THAT EVENT. SO IT IS AN ALL-DAY SABBATH FROM 02:11 8:30 UNTIL ABOUT 5:00, 5:30 IN THE EVENING. 02:15 SUNDAY WE DID THE TWO SERVICES IN THE MORNING. 02:17 PACKED OUT THE GYM. THE LADIES WERE JUST SO BLESSED. 02:23 YOU COULD TELL BY THEIR RESPONSES. 02:26 AND YVONNE SANG AND SHARED HER TESTIMONY. 02:30 AND THEN JILL, SHE SHARED A MESSAGE THAT WAS JUST RIGHT FOR 02:40 THE LADIES. >> IT WAS EXCELLENT. 02:43 WHAT A BLESSING. >> IT WAS SUCH A BLESSING TO GO 02:46 AND BE PART OF THE TEAM. AND YVONNE I KNOW YOU DID THE 02:51 JAIL MINISTRY MONDAY NIGHTS HERE AT OUR LOCAL JAIL. 02:55 HAVE YOU DONE IT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS? 02:57 >> YEAH, AT LEAST FOUR. >> IT HAS BEEN QUITE A WHILE. 03:01 BUT THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME TO GO IN WITH CHRISTMAS BEHIND BARS, 03:08 AND BRIAN AND DIANE AND MY HUSBAND WAS THERE, AND JASON WAS 03:13 THERE, IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE. 03:19 MOTHER LEMYULE IS ANOINTED. AND WHEN HE SHARED, THE GIRLS 03:25 CONNECTED WITH THA. BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN THERE. 03:28 I REMEMBER THERE WAS A WOMAN NAMED TAMMY, AND SHE SAID I HAVE 03:32 BEEN HERE 27 YEARS. >> WOW. 03:33 >> THAT'S A LONG TIME. AND SHE SAID NEVER IN MY WHOLE 03:39 TIME HERE HAVE I EVER EXPERIENCED ANYONE COMING IN AND 03:42 LOVING US, AND GIVING US STUFF LIKE THIS, IN 27 YEARS. 03:47 >> WOW. >> SO THE WOMEN THERE ARE 03:50 STARVED FOR THE GOSPEL FOR LEARNING ABOUT JESUS. 03:55 AND SUCH A PRIVILEGE TO BE PART OF THE HANDS AND FEET OF JESUS, 03:59 AND TO REACH OUT AND MINISTER. IT REMINDS ME OF ISAIAH 61. 04:04 I WAS READING IT THIS MORNING. THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON 04:08 ME BECAUSE THE LORD HAS ANOINTED ME TO PREACH GOOD TIDINGS TO THE 04:14 POOR, AND PROCLAIM LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES, THE OPENING OF THE 04:19 PRISON TO THOSE WHO ARE BOUND. AND THAT'S WHAT GOD CALLS EACH 04:22 ONE OF US TO DO, TO MINISTER. AND THAT WEEKEND OPENED THOSE 04:27 PRISON BARS, NOT LITERALLY, BUT IN THEIR HEART, AND GOD CAME TO 04:32 SET EACH ONE OF US FREE. >> UH-HUH. 04:34 >> IT WAS INCREDIBLE. >> IT REALLY DID, JILL. 04:38 YOU KNOW, THIS WAS SO LIKE JESUS, BECAUSE JESUS -- BEFORE 04:43 HE GAVE THEM THE WORD, HE WAS HEAL, AND HE MET PEOPLE AT THEIR 04:49 POINT OF NEED. HE FED THOSE WHO WERE HUNGRY, 04:52 AND THEN HE WOULD GIVE THE WORD. SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE DID. 04:58 THEY WERE SO MUCH MORE RECEPTIVE TO GETTING THE WORD, BECAUSE 05:01 THEY HAD RECEIVED THE GIFTS. >> UH-HUH. 05:04 >> AND -- AND SO IT OPENED THE DOORS TO THEIR HEARTS, AND THEY 05:07 WERE READY TO RECEIVE THE WORD, AND SO THEY RECEIVED THE GIFTS 05:12 ON SABBATH AND THEN ON SUNDAY -- WELL, THEY GOT THE 05:15 WORD TOO ON -- SABBATH WAS IT WAS A BLESSING. 05:23 THE WHOLE THING TO ME WAS JUST SO ANOINTING. 05:28 >> AND JASON SHARING HIS TESTIMONY -- 05:32 >> IT WAS POWERFUL WASN'T IT? >> UH-HUH. 05:35 >> THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO, BRIAN IN BRINGING THIS MINISTRY 05:39 AND OPENING OUR EYES TO MAKE IT PART OF 3ABN, YOU AND DIANE, IT 05:44 HAS BEEN SUCH A BLESSING, AND GETTING TH TELEVISION 05:47 PROGRAMMING -- YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING IN AS MANY PRISONS AS WE 05:51 CAN AROUND AMERICA. WE'RE STILL WORKING ON ADDING 05:55 MORE. SO I JUST -- GO AHEAD. 05:59 >> YEAH, THIS IS YEAR END, SO I WANTED TO ADD A LITTLE PLUG 06:04 HERE. WE HAVE HAD KIND OF A TOUGH YEAR 06:07 FINANCIALLY. >> YES. 06:08 >> IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAD TO 06:14 HOLD UP WITH, WE USED TO PROVIDE STUDY BIBLES FOR INMATES, AND I 06:19 HAD TO PUT THAT ON HOLD. WE HAVE A LIST OF 300 NAMES OF 06:25 INMATES WHO HAVE REQUESTED TO HAVE A STUDY BIBLE. 06:28 >> WOW. >> THAT IS SOMETHING THAT MOST 06:30 OF THEM CAN'T AFFORD. THEY HARDLY HAVE ENOUGH MONEY 06:35 FOR TOOTHPASTE AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. 06:37 >> YEAH. >> SO IT'S A REAL TREAT. 06:40 IT'S A REAL BLESSING TO HAVE A STUDY BIBLE. 06:43 SO IF ANYONE OUT THERE WHO IS VIEWING THIS PROGRAM WOULD LIKE 06:47 TO HELP US AT YEAR END TO BE ABLE TO FILL THOSE 300 REQUESTS 06:51 FOR A STUDY BIBLE FOR AN INMATE IN PRISON, JUST SEND US A LITTLE 06:57 DONATION THAT WOULD HELP US IN THAT END -- TO FILL THAT 07:01 REQUEST. THAT WOULD BE REALLY A BLESSING. 07:03 >> GREAT. OKAY. 07:05 MOLLY SUE YOU HAVE GOT A WORD FOR US, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO 07:10 INTRODUCE THE DEVOTIONAL BOOK OF THE YEAR. 07:13 BUT MOLLY ALWAYS HAS SOMETHING GOOD FOR US. 07:16 >> WAS ABLE TO RECEIVE VICARIOUSLY FROM THAT PRISON 07:21 MINISTRY THAT WENT ON THIS WEEKEND. 07:22 BECAUSE THIS MORNING IN WORSHIP, WE HAVE WORSHIP IN THE MORNINGS, 07:29 JILL HAD TO EFFERVESCE, IT WAS JUST FLOWING OUT OF HER. 07:33 WHEN THEY GO THERE, ALL OF THE PEOPLE WITH BLESSED, BUT THEN 07:37 YOU ARE ALL BLESSED. AND THEN BRIAN COMES IN AND THEN 07:41 HERE IS YVONNE. SO DANNY, I THANK GOD THAT I 07:45 HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE AROUND GODLY PEOPLE THAT ARE 07:48 FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE A 07:52 PART OF THE MINISTRY OF 3ABN. I AM SO BLESSED, OF ALL WOMEN 07:56 THAT I KNOW, I AM ONE OF THE MOST BLESSED. 08:00 THIS YEAR, WE HAVE HAD SOME HEALTH CHALLENGES, AND BOTH OF 08:04 US ARE DOING WELL AND IMPROVING -- 08:06 >> PRAISE THE LORD. >> AND THAT IS THE POWER OF ALL 08:11 MIGHTY GOD. WE WERE JUST TALKING THE OTHER 08:14 DAY, THINGS COULD BE SO MUCH WORSE. 08:17 AND WE ARE REJOICING. >> PRAISE THE LORD. 08:23 >> WELL, WE NEED TO MOVE QUICKLY. 08:30 BUT THIS YEAR THE DEVOTIONAL BOOK OF THE YEAR, MOMENTS WITH 08:38 GOD. >> MOMENTS WITH GOD. 08:40 AND DEVOTIONAL BOOKS ARE SO IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THEY GIVE YOU 08:48 BITE-SIZED PIECES OF THOUGHTS THAT YOU CAN CARRY WITH YOU ALL 08:52 DAY, AND CHEW ON ALL DAY, AND THIS ONE JUST LOOKS AMAZING. 08:58 >> UH-HUH. >> SO THIS LOOKS LIKE A 09:01 WONDERFUL BOOK. >> BRENDA HAS BEEN WRITING 09:04 DEVOTIONALS ON FACEBOOK FOR ABOUT SEVEN YEARS, BUT THIS IS 09:10 ALSO NOT ONLY THE BOOK, BUT YOU CAN GET IT -- IT'S ACTUALLY 09:15 AUDIO. I THINK 12 AUDIO CD'S OR 09:19 SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO IF YOU SAY, HEY, I DON'T HAVE 09:22 TIME TO READ, WELL, IF YOU ARE DRIVING TO WORK OR WHEREVER YOU 09:27 ARE GOING, YOU CAN GET THE AUDIO BOOK. 09:34 >> WHERE DOES SHE GET THE TIME FOR ALL OF THIS? 09:36 SHE IS JUST INCREDIBLE. >> I WOULD SAY ON THE AIRPLANES 09:40 BECAUSE SHE IS TRAVELING A LOT, BUT WHEN SHE IS ON THE 09:45 AIRPLANES, SHE IS ALWAYS TALKING TO PEOPLE ABOUT THE LORD. 09:48 SO -- >> THIS IS WONDERFUL. 09:50 >> IT REALLY IS. AND YOU CAN GET IT RIGHT HERE AT 09:53 3ABN OR AT ANY OF THE ABC STORES, JILL? 09:56 >> THAT'S RIGHT. ANY OF THE ABC STORES CARRY IT 10:01 AS WELL. IT IS THE ADULT DEVOTIONAL BOOK 10:09 FOR 2017 AND THEY PACKAGE IT WITH THE EL -- ELLEN WHITE 10:22 DEVOTIONAL. >> AND WHILE WE'RE ON TO 10:24 PROMOTING THINGS, TIM PARTON ISN'T HE AMAZING. 10:26 >> AMAZING. >> HIS VOICE JUST SEEMS TO 10:30 CONTINUE TO DEVELOP. WHAT AN AMAZING GIFT. 10:33 TIM HAS A CHRISTMAS CD THAT IS INSTRUMENTAL AND I THINK HE HAS 10:38 A COUPLE OF OTHER CD'S, SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT HIM, 10:43 HE IS RIGHT HERE ON THE 3ABN CAMPUS, BUT HAS HIS OWN ADDRESS. 10:50 SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT HIM, WE'LL GIVE YOU THE 10:54 FOLLOWING ADDRESS, AND YOU CAN GO TO IT. 10:58 ♪ >> IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT 11:01 TIM PARTON OR PURCHASE ONE OF HIS CDS WRITE TO HIM AT 3199 11:06 CHARLIE GOOD RODE, WEST FRANKFORT, ILLINOIS 62896. 11:15 YOU CAN ALSO CALL HIM AT 931-265-3112. 11:29 THAT'S 931-265-3112. CONTACT HIM TODAY. 11:30 HE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. ♪ 11:38 >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE ALWAYS ENJOYED IS -- THE LETTERS 11:43 THAT I GET, OR WHEN WE GO OUT TO CHURCHES OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE 11:47 GIVEN THEIR LIVES TO JESUS THROUGH WATCHING OR LISTENING TO 11:51 3ABN ON RADIO OR INTERNET, SO MANY WAYS NOW THAT YOU CAN GET 11:56 3ABN. BUT I AM ALWAYS BLESSED BECAUSE 11:58 THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT. 11:59 SOMETIMES IN LIFE WE DO CERTAIN THINGS. 12:02 WE DON'T GET TO SEE RESULTS. AND HOPEFULLY, SHOULD WE MAKE IT 12:10 TO HEAVEN, WE'LL GET TO MEET PEOPLE THAT COME UP AND SAY, 12:15 HEY, WE WATCHED 3ABN. BUT SOMETIMES YOU DO WORK AND 12:19 YOU DON'T ALWAYS GET TO SEE THE FRUITS OF THE LABOR. 12:22 AND WHEN WE STARTED THIS, WE WANTED TO BE A BLESSING TO 12:26 PEOPLE, BUT I HAVE SEEN THAT PEOPLE ARE MORE OF A BLESSING TO 12:29 US. JILL TELL US WHAT WE'RE GETTING 12:33 READY TO SEE. >> YEAH, IT'S AN INCREDIBLE 12:37 INTERVIEW. I REMEMBER I WAS AT MY DESK, AND 12:41 ROY HUNT STOPPED BY, AND HE SAID THERE IS A 3ABN TESTIMONY, I 12:45 DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL WOULD BE INTERESTED IN IT? 12:50 AND SO THAT'S HOW WE FIRST GOT CONNECTED WITH LAURA 13:00 SOMMERFIELD, AND WE TRAVELED TO THE EVANSVILLE SEVENTH-DAY 13:06 ADVENTIST IN EVANSVILLE, INDIANA. 13:11 WE MET THE PASTOR WHO OPENED HIS CHURCH TO US. 13:18 PASTOR LONNIE MELASHENKO AND LAURA WERE THERE. 13:22 AND HE BAPTIZED LAURA SOMMERFIELD. 13:26 IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE. YOU MENTIONED PEOPLE WHO FIND 13:30 JESUS AS A RESULT OF 3ABN. AND LAST WEEKEND I GOT SIX 13:36 LETTERS, VOICEMAILS, EMAILS, FROM SIX DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO 13:40 FOUND JESUS THROUGH 3ABN. >> PRAISE THE LORD. 13:43 >> AND YOU THINK SIX IN ONE WEEKEND. 13:49 AND I WAS SO BLESSED, PEOPLE JUST LIKE LAURA COMING TO KNOW 13:53 JESUS. LAURA WAS FLIPPING THE 13:55 TELEVISION CHANNELS, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN SHE STUMBLED UPON 3ABN 14:02 PROCLAIM. SHE SAW A SERMON BY PASTOR 14:07 LONNIE MELASHENKO. AND SHE BEGAN TO STUDY HER BIBLE 14:10 AND STUDY WITH PASTOR LONNIE MELASHENKO. 14:16 WE WANT TO GO RIGHT NOW TO THE TESTIMONY. 14:20 PASTOR CA MURRAY SAT DOWN AND INTERVIEWED LONNIE MELASHENKO 14:25 AND LAURA SOMMERFIELD. ♪ 14:38 >> LAURA, EACH -- EACH BAPTISM IS -- IS A STORY IN ITSELF, AND 14:42 YOUR STORY IS A MARVELOUS AND REMARKABLE ONE. 14:46 AND PASTOR LONNIE, YOU ARE SUCH AN INTEGRAL PART OF THIS STORY, 14:51 BUT I WANT TO START WITH YOU, BECAUSE I AM GLAD TO KNOW AS 14:57 GENERAL MANAGER OF 3ABN PROCLAIM, THAT YOU ARE A 15:01 PROCLAIM WATCHER. TELL ME HOW YOU GOT STARTED 15:05 WATCHING 3ABN PROCLAIM. >> I WAS AT HOME RECUPERATING 15:10 FROM A MAJOR OPERATION, AND ALL I COULD DO WAS LIE ON THE COUCH 15:15 AND WATCH TV. AND THERE IS NO GOOD TV ON 15:18 DURING THE DAY. SO I FOUND THAT CHANNEL, AND 15:21 LIKED IT, AND GOT HOOKED ON LISTENING TO IT, AND EVERY DAY 15:25 THAT I WAS HOME DURING THAT RECOVERY, I WATCHED IT. 15:29 >> UH-HUH. NOW PROCLAIM! IS PRETTY MUCH 15:33 JUST SERMONS AND TEACHING PROGRAMS. 15:36 THAT APPEALED TO YOU? >> YES, I WAS STARVED TO HEAR 15:39 THE WORD OF GOD, I THINK. BECAUSE I DIDN'T GET TIRED OF 15:43 LISTENING TO IT. >> AMEN. 15:45 DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF -- OR HAD YOU CONSIDERED YOURSELF A 15:50 RELIGIOUS PERSON? A SEEKER? 15:52 >> I THOUGHT I WAS, BUT I DON'T THINK NOW THAT I WAS. 15:55 >> NOW YOU WERE INVOLVED IN, QUOTE, RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES AS 16:01 PART OF YOUR EMPLOYMENT, SO YOU WERE AROUND THE ACCRUE TRYMENTS 16:09 OF RELIGION, BUT IT HADN'T GOTTEN INSIDE. 16:16 >> YES. >> YOU, WATCHING AND ON COMES 16:20 THIS TALL HANDSOME BARITONE SPEAKER, AND SOMETHING THAT HE 16:25 SAID IMPRESSED YOU. >> YEAH, OR DIDN'T. 16:28 [ LAUGHTER ] >> DID IT TROUBLE YOU? 16:30 >> IT WAS A SERMON ON WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DIE, AND 16:34 IT -- HE WAS TELLING IT ALL DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I WAS 16:37 TAUGHT. >> UH-HUH. 16:38 >> AND IT WAS UNCOMFORTABLE TO ME, HAVING JUST LOST MY MOTHER A 16:44 YEAR BEFORE, AND SO IT MAD ME VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. 16:48 >> UH-HUH. UH-HUH. 16:51 UNCOMFORTABLE TO THE POINT THAT YOU TURNED IT OFF -- 16:53 >> I DID NOT WATCH HIM ANY LONGER. 17:00 >> HUH-UH. BUT OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING BROUGHT 17:03 YOU BACK. >> YEAH, I WAS UP AND DOING 17:05 SOMETHING, AND HE CAME ON, AND I JUST LEFT IT ON, AND I LIKED 17:09 THAT SERMON, AND THEN I WENT BACK TO LISTENING TO HIM. 17:13 BUT THEN WHEN THAT SERMON CAME ON AGAIN, AGAIN, I WAS DISTURBED 17:19 BY IT, SO I EVENTUALLY WROTE HIM. 17:24 >> YOU WROTE HIMWITH THE INTENT TO STRAIGHTEN HIM OUT? 17:28 WHAT WAS IN YOUR HEART AND MIND? >> I DON'T THINK I KNEW -- I 17:31 WASN'T GOING TO TRY TO STRAIGHTEN HIM OUT, NO. 17:34 I KNEW I COULDN'T DO THAT. [ LAUGHTER ] 17:36 >> I JUST WANTED TO MORE OR LESS LET IT OUT, I THINK. 17:40 >> UH-HUH. >> OR HEAR WHAT HE HAD TO SAY. 17:43 >> SO YOU WERE VENTING? >> YES. 17:53 >> DO YOU REMEMBER THAT COMMUNICATION? 17:55 >> I DO. I GET RESPONSES FROM PEOPLE ALL 17:58 OVER THE WORLD THAT SAY HOW DID YOU GET THAT QUOTATION OR 18:02 CONCLUSION. AND I THINK THEY MUST HAVE LET 18:05 LAURA KNOW HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ME. 18:07 I DO NOT REMEMBER HOW SHE GOT MY EMAIL, BUT THE ONLY 18:12 COMMUNICATION WE HAD FOR MONTHS WAS EMAIL. 18:15 AND I REMEMBER HER WRIING AND SAYING I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS. 18:18 I THOUGHT I WAS TALKING WITH MY MOTHER. 18:20 SHE PASSED AWAY. AND YOU SAY THAT THE DEAD DON'T 18:24 COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR LOVED ONES. 18:28 WHO AM I TALKING TO? AND WHAT IS HAPPENING? 18:31 AND I SENSED A VERY SINCERE INDIVIDUAL. 18:35 AND I JUST ASKED, LORD, HELP ME TO JUST REACH OUT AND LOVE THIS 18:41 PERSON AND LET ME KNOW I CARE FOR THEM. 18:44 BUT THE BIBLE HAS DIFFERENT -PERSPECTIVES. >> YEAH, SO FROM THE VERY 18:48 BEGINNING YOU FELT YOU WERE DEALING WITH A SEARCHER. 18:51 >> THAT'S RIGHT. >> THAT YOU DID NOT WANT TO 18:54 WOUND. >> THAT'S RIGHT. 18:55 YOU HAVE TO BE VERY, VERY SENSITIVE, ESECIALLY WITH THE 19:00 INITIAL ENGAGEMENT. AND AS THE CONVERSATIONS WENT 19:03 ON, I SENSED THAT SHE ALSO REALLY WAS A VERY INSECURE, DID 19:08 NOT HAVE A SENSE OF SALVATION. AND SO I BELIEVE WITH ALL OF MY 19:13 HEART IT WASN'T NECESSARILY PROCLAIM! IT WASN'T NECESSARILY 19:19 LONNIE. IT WASN'T EVEN LAURA LIKING WHAT 19:22 SHE WAS HEARING, BUT BEFORE ALL OF THIS, THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS 19:28 DRAWING. >> AGREED. 19:29 >> AND THAT'S WHERE EVERYTHING, REALLY, THE GLORY GOES TO HIM. 19:33 >> THAT'S RIGHT. LAURA YOU WERE HAVING 19:36 COMMUNICATIONS WITH SOME ENTITY IS THAT NOT SO? 19:38 >> YEAH. >> UH-HUH. 19:40 >> WHEN MY MOM DIED, SHE WAS VISITING SOMEBODY HERSELF FIRST. 19:48 SHE WAS TALKING TO SOMEODY STRAIGHT AHEAD FROM HER AND NOT 19:52 LOOKING AT ME. I WAS AT HER SIDE HOLDING HER 19:56 HAND. AND SHE KEPT YELLING HELP, HELP, 20:01 HELP. AND I KEPT SAYING WHAT DO YOU 20:04 NEED? AND SHE WOULD NOT LOOK AT ME. 20:07 SHE JUST KEPT LOOKING STRAIGHT AHEAD LIKE SOMEBODY WAS THERE. 20:10 SO I THOUGHT SOMEBODY ON THE OTHER SIDE WAS TRYING TO HELP 20:13 HER COME TO HEAVEN. >> UH-HUH. 20:17 >> AND SO -- LONG STORY SHORT, SHE DID PASS AWAY THAT EVENING, 20:26 AND THREE DAYS LATER, I WAS MOVING ANTIQUE LAMP OF HERS TO A 20:34 DIFFERENT SPOT IN THE LIVING ROOM, AND WHEN I WALKED AWAY, 20:37 THE LIGHT CAME ON IN THE LAMP, AND I THOUGHT I MUST HAVE 20:44 JINGLED THE BULB. AND IT WASN'T THE BULB THAT WAS 20:47 LIGHTING UP, IT WAS THE OTHER ONE THAT WAS NOT TURNED ON. 20:51 THERE ARE TWO BULBS IN THE LAMP, AND THE OTHER ONE WAS NOT TURNED 20:56 ON, BUT THAT WAS THE ONE THAT WAS ON. 20:58 SO I THOUGHT SHE WAS LETTING ME KNOW THAT SHE GOT TO HEAVEN 21:04 OKAY. >> DID THAT FRIGHTEN YOU OR 21:06 COMFORT YOU? >> NO, IT COMFORTED ME. 21:09 AND THAT'S WHY HE WAS SAYING THE OTHER WAY, IT TOOK AWAY MY 21:14 COMFORT. >> UH-HUH. 21:16 UH-HUH. SO YOU WROTE LONNIE, AND THE 21:18 PASTOR IS VERY COGNIZANT THAT HE WAS DEALING WITH A TENDER HEART. 21:22 SO HE WRITES BACK. HOW DID YOU RECEIVE HIS RETURN 21:27 COMMUNICATION? >> I WAS EXPECTING HIM TO TELL 21:29 ME THIS IS HOW IT IS. BUT HE DIDN'T. 21:31 HE WAS VERY NICE. I WASN'T READY FOR VERY NICE, 21:35 AND I WAS KIND OF SHOCKED. [ LAUGHTER ] 21:37 >> AND -- I MEAN I WAS IN THE RING READY TO FIGHT. 21:41 >> HUM. >> BUT HE WASN'T IN THE RING, 21:44 AND HE WASN'T FIGHTING, SO I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO TAKE FROM 21:49 THAT. >> YEAH. 21:50 DID THAT DISARM YOU JUST A LITTLE BIT? 21:52 >> YEAH. YEAH. 21:55 >> YEAH. YEAH. 21:56 >> SO YOU ARE BACK WATCHING, AND SOME THINGS YOU LIKE, SOME 21:59 THINGS ARE DISTURBING, BUT YOU WERE NEVER IMPRESSED TO JUST 22:04 TURN HIMOFF? >> NOT ANYMORE. 22:06 ONCE I WROTE HIM, AND THE WAY I GOT HIS EMAIL WAS I GOT 22:10 ON -- WHEN I FINALLY FIGURED OUT HOW TO SPELL HIS NAME, BECAUSE I 22:15 NEVER HAD PAPER AND PEN BY ME WHEN I SAW IT, AND IT TOOK ME 22:19 LIKE FOUR WEEKS BEFORE I COULD WRITE IT DOWN SO I COULD LOOK IT 22:23 UP ON THE INTERNET, SO I GOT ON HIS WEBSITE, AND THERE WAS NO 22:27 PLACE THERE FOR LISTENERS TO SAY ANYTHING, COMMENT, OR ANYTHING, 22:33 AND SO -- BUT THERE WAS A LITTLE -- IT WAS SET UP FOR 22:37 CHURCHES TO ASK, WILL YOU COME PREACH AT OUR CHURCH, BUT THERE 22:41 WAS A LITTLE SQUARE THAT SAID OTHER, AND I SAID OKAY, I'M 22:46 OTHER. [ LAUGHTER ] 22:47 >> SO I CHECKED OTHER, AND SAID IS THERE AN EMAIL THAT I CAN 22:50 WRITE TO PASTOR LONNIE? AND I IMMEDIATELY GOT A RESPONSE 22:55 ON MY EMAIL THAT THEY RECEIVED MY REQUEST, AND IT WAS THE NEXT 22:58 DAY I GOT AN EMAIL FROM HIM. >> GREAT. 23:02 GREAT. LET ME PUT YOU ON A SPOT JUST A 23:05 MOMENT. BECAUSE YOU ARE ON 3ABN. 23:06 YOU HAVE BEEN ON OUR CHANNEL FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. 23:09 HOPE CHANNEL, I SUSPECT. SO THERE IS A LOT OF MATERIAL 23:14 COMING TO YOU. DO YOU ANSWER THEM ALL YOURSELF? 23:18 >> SOMETIMES I HAVE TO BE A LITTLE BIT SELECTIVE. 23:22 SOME EMAILS ARE A LITTLE BIT OFF OF THE WELL. 23:25 AND I FEEL A LITTLE BIT OF A SCREEN THERE WITH THE WEBSITE. 23:27 THE PERSON WHO RUNS MY WEBSITE IS NOT A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST, 23:33 AND HE KNOWS HE CAN BE A LITTLE BUFFER, BUT HE GENERALLY SENDS 23:37 ME ALL QUERIES, AND I DON'T RESPOND TO EVERYBODY. 23:43 SOME ARE REQUESTS. MIDDLE OF AFRICA. 23:45 I WATCH YOU ALL THE TIME. I NEED MONEY. 23:49 WOULD YOU PLEASE SEND ME ENOUGH TO GO TO COLLEGE. 23:52 YOU KNOW. SO YOU HAVE TO BE A LITTLE BIT 23:54 CAREFUL. >> YEAH. 23:55 >> BUT I JUST SENSED THIS ONE -- THERE IS A HUNGER HERE, 24:01 SOMEBODY IS REALLY SEARCHING, AND WAS DISTURBED BY WHAT I 24:06 SAID. SO THAT'S HOW THAT GOT STARTED. 24:09 >> OKAY. SO YOU GOT YOUR RESPONSE BACK. 24:12 IT DISARMS YOU. THIS IS A NICE GUY. 24:15 WHAT WAS THE NEXT TIME THAT YOU WROTE HIM? 24:18 >> ACTUALLY I DID NOT GET MY RESPONSE BACK. 24:22 HE DID NOT ANSWER MY QUESTION. INSTEAD HE ASKED ME A QUESTION. 24:29 DO I HAVE A VHS PLAYER? COULD HE SEND ME HIS SERMON ON 24:37 TAPE. AND I ATE UP THAT THOUGHT, 24:40 BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, I WAS STARVING FOR GOD. 24:44 AND HIS NICENESS ALONG WITH SENDING THOSE WAS WORKING ON ME. 24:48 [ LAUGHTER ] >> I LOVE IT. 24:50 SO YOU DIDN'T TAKE HER ON DIRECTLY, YOU JUST WANTED TO 24:54 SEND HER MORE MATERIAL. >> I THOUGHT THIS PERSON SOUNDS 24:57 LIKE SHE IS REALLY INTERESTED IN DEEPER STUDY, AND I COULD 25:01 ENTRUST HER WITH SOMETHING THAT IS NOT AVAILABLE ANYMORE IN 25:06 BOOKSTORES. I HAVE TWO COPIES LEFT. 25:08 I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE THE OTHER ONE. 25:10 AND I SAID I'LL ENTRUST YOU WITH THESE. 25:13 SHE SAID I'LL TAKE THEM DOWN TO THE BANK AND PUT THEM BEHIND 25:17 LOCKED DOORS, WHATEVER IT TAKES. BUT SHE WAS OVERWHELMED. 25:22 AND I RECOGNIZED THAT SHE REALLY SINCERELY WOULD STUDY THOSE. 25:27 AND SHE DID. SHE WOULD WATCH THEM TWO OR 25:31 THREE OR FOUR OR FIVE TIMES AND TAKE NOTES. 25:33 STOP IT GO BACK. WHAT DID I JUST SAY. 25:37 SOMETIMES SHE WOULD BE REALLY DISTURBED OVER THOSE MESSAGES 25:40 FOR A LONG TIME. SHE COULD NOT ABSORB THE ONE ON 25:47 MARY MAGDALEN. >> I COULD IDENTIFY WITH HER, 25:51 AND I JUST FELT LIKE I WAS THERE. 25:52 I RELATED TO THAT WHOLE STORY, AND I WAS JUST SO TAKEN THAT 25:59 JESUS LOVED HER AND WAS A GOOD FRIEND TO HER, AND THAT SHE 26:08 WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, WASH HIS FEET, AND I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT 26:10 I WOULD WANT TO DO IF HE CAME AND TREATED ME THAT WAY. 26:14 AND I JUST -- I WAS REALLY TAKEN BY THAT. 26:17 >> UH-HUH. UH-HUH. 26:19 NOW WE HAVE GOT TO SORT OF MAKE A SITE CHANGE HERE, BECAUSE YOU 26:25 ARE BEING LEAD INTO A BRAN NEW ARENA, THAT IS CHALLENGING SOME 26:31 LIFELONG IDEAS ON HAPPINESS. AND THIS IS BRINGING JOY TO YOU. 26:36 YOU ARE COMMUNICATING BACK AND FORTH WITH PASTOR LONNIE. 26:40 TALK ABOUT THE RESPONSE FROM YOUR FAMILY AND 26:43 COWORKERS -- BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO GET INTO THIS KIND OF THING 26:47 AND NOT SHARE IT. YOUR LIFE CHANGES, AND IT BEGINS 26:51 TO LEAK OUT THAT SOMETHING IS HAPPENING IN YOUR LIFE. 26:53 SO AS THIS IS HAPPENING TO YOU, HOW IS YOUR WORLD AROUND YOU 26:58 RESPONDING TO THAT? >> AT LEAST THEY RESPONDED 27:02 GREAT. THEY WERE ALL SUPPORTIVE AND 27:04 GLAD FOR ME, UNTIL THEY LEARNED THAT IT WAS ADVENTIST. 27:08 AND THEN THEY TURNED. >> UH-HUH. 27:12 UH-HUH. HOW SOON AFTER YOUR INITIAL 27:13 CONTACT WITH LONNIE DID YOU FINE OUT THAT IT WAS ADVENTIST? 27:19 >> IT PROBABLY WAS A COUPLE OF MONTHS. 27:22 >> BUT YOU DIDN'T JUMP ON THAT RIGHT AWAY? 27:25 YOU LET THAT COME OUT LATER. >> I HAVE -- I'M LEARNING 27:30 VOCABULARY AND SCRIPTURES AND STUFF THAT I AM USING AT WORK, 27:34 AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE I GOT IT FROM. 27:36 >> HUM. >> AND THEN I HAVE FRIENDS THAT 27:41 KIND OF TOLD ME WHEN THEY FOUND OUT THAT I WAS GOING TO BE 27:45 BAPTIZED THAT THE RELATIONSHIP WAS OVER, AND WOULDN'T WORK, BU-pTHEY SENSE THEN HAVE RETHOUGHT 27:55 IT, AND ARE MY FRIEND AGAIN, BUT THEY DON'T WANT THE SUBJECT OF 28:00 THIS BROUGHT UP. >> UH-HUH. 28:03 UH-HUH. >> SHE WORKS IN A PLACE 28:05 WHERE -- FOR THE SUNDAY MASS, SHE HAS TAKEN SOME OF THE 28:08 QUOTATIONS I HAVE SHARED WITH HER, AND MADE THEM THE 28:12 CENTERPIECE OF THE BULLETIN AND THE PEOPLE LOVE IT. 28:14 [ LAUGHTER ] >> WHERE DID YOU GET THIS LAURA? 28:16 AND YOU PUT IT ON YOUR WEBSITE AND SHE WONDERED IF SHE WAS 28:23 BUGGING ME TOO MUCH. AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY, 28:25 YOU ARE. [ LAUGHTER ] 28:27 >> BUT I HAVE LEARNED SOMETHING, LAURA. 28:32 JESUS SAYS -- HOW DID YOU PUT IT DOWN ON YOUR WEBSITE? 28:36 THAT INTERRUPTIONS ARE GOD'S MOST BEAUTIFUL OPPORTUNITIES. 28:40 >> AMEN. AMEN. 28:42 >> AND THAT REALLY SPOKE VOLUMES TO LAURA. 28:44 >> YES. >> IT DID. 28:46 >> AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN CALL ME ANY TIME YOU WANT, AND 28:50 I'M SERIOUS. I WANT TO USE THAT AS AN 28:55 OPPORTUNITY TO BLESS -- AS JESUS DID. 28:57 AND IT CAME OUT IN THE SABBATH SCHOOL QUARTERLY ABOUT SIX, 29:02 EIGHT MONTHS AGO, ABOUT JESUS'S GREATEST OPPORTUNITIES ARE WHEN 29:06 HE WAS INTERRUPTED. >> UH-HUH. 29:08 YES. YES. 29:09 YES. >> AND I LEARNED SOMETHING JUST 29:11 READING THAT LESSON, SO I SHARED THAT WITH HER, AND SHE PUT IT IN 29:15 HER WEBSITE AND SHARED SOME THINGS IN THE BULLETIN AND THE 29:18 MASS. SHE WORKS SOMETHING LIKE -- FOR 29:23 A BISHOP, SORT OF. AND HER PRIEST IS HER BOSS. 29:27 [ LAUGHTER ] >> SO SHE STARTED ASKING 29:30 QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT ABOUT THE SABBATH? 29:32 THEY WERE NOT AMUSED WERE THEY? >> THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY NEXT 29:38 QUESTION. WE CAN SAY YOU WORK FOR A 29:40 RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION, AND THE PRIEST IS YOUR BOSS. 29:43 IT IS NATURAL FOR YOU TO TAKE THIS NEW-FOUND INFORMATION AND 29:48 RUN IT BY SOMEONE YOU HAVE KNOWN FOR A WHILE. 29:50 >> UH-HUH. >> AND OF COURSE, HE WAS HAPPY 29:52 TO HEAR YOUR QUESTIONS, WAS HE -NOT? >> NO. 29:56 NO. [ LAUGHTER ] 29:57 >> I QUIZZED HIM ON IT, AND HE SAID THAT WE CELEBRATE THE 30:06 RESURRECTION, NOT THE DAY OF REST, AND THAT WAS WHAT -- AND I 30:11 SAID, BUT WE'RE NOT KEEPING THE COMMANDMENT, AND HE SAID, YEAH, 30:15 WE ARE. HE JUST KIND OF DISMISSED IT. 30:19 AND I DIDN'T GO ANY FURTHER WITH HIM AT THAT TIME, AND I STILL 30:25 HAVEN'T, BUT I'M NOT DONE WITH HIM. 30:27 [ LAUGHTER ] >> SO YOU STILL HAVE A JOB? 30:29 >> YES. >> WE PRAISE THE LORD FOR THAT. 30:33 AND LAB THE LORD WANTS YOU TO STAY THERE JUST TO BE A LIGHT IN 30:37 THAT INSTITUTION. I HAVE A VERY GOOD FRIEND WHO 30:41 WAS IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH. AND HE TOOK SABBATH TO HIS 30:45 PRIEST, AND HIS PRIEST SAID I'LL GET BACK TO YOU ON MONDAY, AND 30:49 THAT WAS 19 YEARS AGO. [ LAUGHTER ] 30:51 >> WOW. >> SO IT'S A DIFFICULT THING FOR 30:54 SOME PEOPLE TO SWALLOW TO REALIZE WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS 30:58 BASED ON TRADITION. >> SHE WAS VERY TENACIOUS AND 31:04 COURAGEOUS, EVEN THOUGH SHE IS A SHY PERSON. 31:09 AND IT MUST HAVE TWEAKED HIM ONE DAY, AND HE IS SLAPPED HER. 31:15 AND PEOPLE WERE SHOCKED. AND I SAID LAURA JUST CONTINUE 31:19 TO KEEP ON KEEPING ON, AND GREATER IS HE THAN IS IN YOU 31:23 THAN HE IS IN THE WORLD, AND JESUS IS MOST INTERESTED IN YOUR 31:29 BEING A PERSON OF FIDELITY AND INTEGRITY. 31:35 I HAVE KNOWN SOME FOLKS WHO WERE BAB -- BAPTIZED AND THEY WORKED 31:44 FOR A PRIEST FOR MOST OF THEIR LIVES. 31:47 I THINK SHE IS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE STUDENT OF GOD'S 31:51 WORD -- I MEAN HER BIBLE INSTRUCTOR HERE, WHAT WAS HE 31:56 REACTION WHEN SHE SAW YOUR VOLUMINOUS NOTES? 32:01 >> SO HIS WIFE WAS YOUR INSTRUCTOR? 32:03 >> YE. LATER. 32:05 >> ALL RIGHTY. >> WHEN YOU FIRST SHOWED HER -- 32:07 >> SHE WAS IMPRESSED. [ LAUGHTER ] 32:10 >> IT IS AN IMPRESSIVE STACK. IT'S ALL TYPED AND LOTS OF 32:14 PAGES. >> WELL, WE KNOW WHO YOUR 32:18 ORIGINAL INSTRUCTOR WAS, JESUS, FOLLOWED BY PASTOR LONNIE 32:21 MELASHENKO. >> RIGHT. 32:22 >> AT THE MOMENT YOU ARE QUESTIONING -- AND YOUR 32:26 QUESTIONS ARE SINCERE. YOU ARE TRYING TO GET LIGHT. 32:29 AT THE MOMENT HIS HAND MAKES CONTACT WITH YOUR FACE WHAT IS 32:33 GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND AS FAR AS YOUR WALK WITH CHRIST? 32:36 >> WELL, I HAD FLASHBACKS WHEN I WAS YOUNG, BUT -- I WAS PRETTY 32:45 MUCH TOO SURPRISED -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT WENT THROUGH MY MIND. 32:49 >> UH-HUH. >> LATER I THOUGHT. 32:52 HE DID THAT. AND HE DID IT IN FRONT OF 32:54 PEOPLE. IF I REALLY WANTED TO, I COULD 32:57 REALLY GET HIM IN TROUBLE. >> UH-HUH. 32:59 >> BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO. BECAUSE THAT'S BECAUSE HIM. 33:03 >> A VOLATILE PERSONALITY? >> YES, HE HAS A TEMPER. 33:06 >> SO YOU KNEW YOU WERE DEALING WITH A PERSON THAT HAD A TEMPER. 33:10 >> YEAH. YEAH. 33:11 >> AND YET THE LORD GAVE YOU THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO NOT 33:16 RETALIATE AND JUST STAY WITH IT. DO YOU QUESTION HIM STILL? 33:19 >> YES. >> SO YOU ARE NOT BACKING DOWN? 33:22 >> NO. >> BLESS YOUR HEART. 33:23 BLESS YOUR HEART. [ LAUGHTER ] 33:25 >> I REALLY THINK WITH GOD'S GRACE AND HER BIBLE INSTRUCTOR 33:34 CORELINE, IF SHE HAD TO LOSE HER JOB, I WOULD HOPE SHE COULD 33:39 BECOME A BIBLE WORKER. HE WOULD BE THE BEST. 33:42 SHE HAS EMPATHY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BEATEN DOWN. 33:50 LITERALLY STRUCK MORE THAN ONCE. SHE HAS PLED JESUS. 33:55 HE HAS BEEN THERE EVERY STEP. AND SHE COULD EMPATHIZE WITH 33:59 THAT. BUT WHATEVER -- IF YOU NEED TO 34:01 BE A MISSIONARY THERE IN THAT PARISH OFFICE, THAT'S WHERE YOU 34:05 SHOULD BE. >> AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE 34:07 LORD HAS IN STORE. >> THAT'S RIGHT. 34:09 >> YOU ARE GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF A LATE START, BUT IT IS NEVER 34:13 TOO LATE, AND THE LORD CAN MAKE UP FOR LOST TIME, I GUARANTEE 34:18 YOU. SO TODAY IS YOUR NEW BIRTH. 34:21 FROM THEN WE BEGIN MARKING TIME FROM TODAY FORWARD. 34:25 >> I WANT TO GO BACK TO ONE OTHER IMPORTANT CHAPTER AFTER 34:29 THAT TIME WHEN I FIRST TALKED TO HER ON THE PHONE. 34:32 I DON'T KNOW WHO I TALKED TO OR WHAT I TALKED TO, BECAUSE SHE 34:36 DIDN'T TALK BACK. [ LAUGHTER ] 34:37 >> SHE WAS LITERALLY -- I SENT HER A NICE ENCOURAGING NOTE. 34:41 I SAID I APPRECIATE THE CHANCE TO SHARE WITH YOU. 34:44 I KNOW YOU MUST HAVE BEEN BLOWN AWAY THAT I ACTUALLY WOULD TALK 34:48 TO YOU. I SENSE SHE DID NOT KNOW THE 34:53 ASSURANCE OF SALVATION. SHE NEVER INVITED JESUS INTO HER 34:57 HEART.-AND ACCEPTED RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH. 35:03 I SAID ON MY WAY BACK FROM CLEVELAND, WHY DON'T YOU GIVE ME 35:07 A CALL, AND WE'LL TALK. BUT I SAID -- I HAD GOTTEN HOME 35:16 AND I CALLED HER, AND WE TALKED -- OR SHE CALLED ME. 35:20 I SAID I'M HERE AT MY DESK. I'M GOING TO KNEEL DOWN WHERE I 35:26 AM. I WANT YOU TO KNEEL DOWN. 35:28 >> TELL US WHAT HAPPENED? >> I WAS AT WORK. 35:31 I HAD GONE IN EARLY, AND LOCKED MYSELF IN THE OFFICE SO NOBODY 35:35 COULD WALK IN, AND I WAS ACTUALLY IN THE PRIEST'S OFFICE. 35:40 [ LAUGHTER ] >> I LOVE IT. 35:41 THIS IS A STORY. [ LAUGHTER ] 35:45 >> AND HE HAD -- WELL, I CONFESSED MY SINS TO HIM, 35:50 AND -- AND HE HAD ME KNEEL AND HE KNELT ON THE OTHER END, AND 35:55 WE SAID THE SINNER'S PRAYER, AND I IMMEDIATELY FELT FORGIVENESS. 36:00 >> AMEN. >> IMMEDIATELY. 36:03 AND I ACCEPTED JESUS IN MY HEART THAT DAY, AND WE CELEBRATED ALL 36:08 DAY BACK AND FORTH WITH EMAILS, AND -- 36:11 >> SHE WAS RIDING HIGH AS A KITE FOR WEEKS. 36:14 >> OH, YEAH. >> I WAS RIDING VERY HIGH, AND 36:18 HE CAN -- HE WAS -- I CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU WHAT HE SAID, BECAUSE 36:22 HIS EMAILS HE PAINTS BEAUTIFUL PICTURES WITH HIS EMAILS, AND HE 36:28 HAD ME GOING TO HEAEN, IT WAS JUST VERY PICTORIAL, I MEAN 36:36 PICTURESQUE. WHATEVER. 36:37 >> AND YOR LIFE HAS NOT BEEN THE SAME SINCE. 36:40 >> NO. >> IT HAS JUST BEEN ONE HIGH. 36:45 >> SO HE WAS ABLE TO BLOW AWAY SOME OF THE FOG, PARTICULARLY 36:49 ASSURANCE OF SALVATION IS A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THING. 36:52 THAT IS SOMETHING TO GET VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT. 36:56 >> YES. WHEN I STARTED LISTENING TO THE 36:59 SERMONS, IT WAS LIKE THE THIRD OR FOURTH SERMON, IT JUST 37:03 STARTED HITTING ME -- THE QUESTION ABOUT WHT HAPPENS WHEN 37:05 YOU DIE WENT TO THE BACK BURNER. >> UH-HUH. 37:10 >> MY SINFUL LIFE CAME TO THE FRONT AND CENTER AND TOOK OVER. 37:14 >> UH-HUH. >> AND THAT AND THE SABBATH DAY 37:19 BEING SATURDAY, BUT I JUST COULDN'T -- I -- THAT'S WHEN I 37:25 REALIZED HOW SERIOUS IT WAS THAT I GET JESUS IN MY HEART AND GET 37:32 FORGIVEN. >> UH-HUH. 37:34 >> AND -- BECAUSE THOSE SERMONS JUST REALLY SPELL IT OUT. 37:37 AND I DIDN'T THINK JESUS WOULD HAVE ANTHING TO SAY FOR ME AS 37:41 MY ADVOCATE. I MEAN I HADN'T DONE ANYTHING 37:46 SPIRITUAL OR FOR OTHER PEOPLE. I LIVED MY LIFE FOR ME. 37:49 >> UH-HUH. >> TO FILL MY NEEDS. 37:54 AND THAT JUST -- THOSE SERMONS JUST TURNED ME AROUND. 37:58 AND THAT SERMON -- WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DIE ISN'T EVEN UNTIL 38:01 WAY TOWARDS THE END. >> UH-HUH. 38:04 >> AND WHEN I -- BY THE TIME I GOT TO IT, I HAD 38:09 ALREADY -- YEAH, THEY -- THEY ARE DEAD. 38:12 >> YOU HAD SO MUCH STUFF THAT YOU COULD ROLL WITH IT NOW. 38:15 >> YEAH, THEY ARE ASLEEP. AND MOM CAN'T HEAR ME. 38:18 SHE IS NOT PRAYING FOR ME, LIKE I THOUGHT SHE WAS. 38:22 >> YEAH. >> AND THAT KIND OF THING JUST 38:24 IRONED OUT, WHICH IS WHY I GUESS HE WANTED ME TO LISTEN TO THE 38:28 TAPES INSTEAD OF ANSWERING MY QUESTION TO BEGIN WITH. 38:32 >> I TOLD HE IT'S LIKE CLIMBING TO THE BALCONY, YOU HAVE GO A 38:37 STEP AT A TIME. AND IT WILL HELP -- MUCH EASIER 38:40 TO ABSORB SOME OF THOSE CONCEPTS. 38:44 GOING BACK, THOUGH, TO THAT SINNER'S PRAYER, SHE HAD STALLED 38:48 ON THE SINNER SERIES THAT WENT ON PROCLAIM! ON HOW TO BECOME A 38:53 CHRISTIAN. AND THERE WERE A COUPLE OF 38:55 ILLUSTRATIONS THEY USED SHE COULD NOT ABSORB. 38:57 YOU MIGHT BELIEVE, BUT THE DEVIL BELIEVES TOO. 39:01 YOU HAVE TO PUT YOUR WHOLE TRUST, YOUR WHOLE WEIGHT ON 39:04 JESUS. AND I BRING OUT A CHAIR TO THE 39:07 PLATFORM, AND I PARTLY SIT DOWN AND SAY AM I REALLY PUTTING MY 39:13 TOTAL WEIGHT -- NO. NOW I REALLY TOTALLY BELIEVE. 39:17 AND THAT WAS ONE THING THAT YOU COULD NOT QUITE ABSORB. 39:21 WHAT FINALLY BROUGHT AROUND AN ADJUSTMENT IN THAT? 39:27 IT WAS WHEN YOU KNELT DOWN AND YOU ASKED HIM INTO YOUR HEART. 39:30 >> THAT'S RIGHT. >> AND YOU FELT LIKE -- SHE JUST 39:35 FELT LIKE A PEACE, JUST RUSHED OVER HER. 39:39 >> THAT'S TRUE. IT WAS SO HIGH FOR TWO OR THREE 39:44 DAYS, JUST SO HAPPY, JUST ABSORBING IT ALL, AND -- 39:49 >> YEAH. WHAT -- WHAT OCCURS TO ME AND 39:51 WHAT I SEE IN THIS -- IN THE OVERALL PICTURE, WHAT ARRESTED 39:56 YOU WAS STATE OF THE DEAD, BECAUSE OF YOUR CONNECTION WITH 40:00 YOUR MOTHER. THEN THE LORD TOLD YOU, WE HAVE 40:04 A LOT OF STUFF TO DEAL WITH, LONG BEFORE WE DO THE STATE OF 40:08 THE DEAD, WE HAVE TO DO THE STATE OF THE LIVING. 40:11 >> EXACTLY. [ LAUGHTER ] 40:12 >> AND ONCE YOU CLEANED UP STATE OF THE LIVING, STATE OF THE DEAD 40:17 WASN'T THAT BIG OF THING TO SWALLOW BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT 40:20 OF STUFF YOU GOT OUT OF THE WAY. >> RIGHT. 40:23 AND WHAT IS INTERESTING NOW, WHEN I GO TO THE CHURCH WHERE I 40:27 WORK AT, WHEN THE PRIEST TALKS ABOUT THAT, AND TELLS EVERYBODY 40:31 YOUR LOVED ONES ARE PRAYING FOR YOU, I JUST CAN'T HARDLY STAND 40:36 TO HEAR IT ANYMORE. I JUST -- MY SKIN WANTS TO 40:40 CRAWL, I MEAN I'M LIKE -- OH, AND I HAVE TO LET MY MIND DRIFT 40:45 ON TO OTHER THINGS. [ LAUGHTER ] 40:46 >> UH-HUH. IT'S A WONDERFUL STORY, AND I 40:49 KNOW THAT WE HAVE JUST REALLY SKIMMED THE SURFACE. 40:53 WE HAVEN'T GONE DOWN INTO SOME OF THE BEDROCK MATERIAL, BUT THE 40:56 TRUTH IS, AND THE FACT IS, AND WHAT IS MARVELOUS, IS ANOTHER 41:01 SOUL HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE KINGDOM. 41:04 LONNIE PUT A SUMMARY KIND OF THING. 41:07 YESTERDAY WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU LAID EYES ON EACH OTHER. 41:11 AND THE SECOND TIME YOU SAW HER, YOU PUT HER UNDER THE WATER. 41:15 [ LAUGHTER ] >> YOU HAVE BEEN AT THIS A LONG 41:16 TIME. YOU HAVE SEEN MANY PEOPLE COME 41:19 TO THE LORD, BUT OBVIOUSLY THIS ONE IS SPECIAL. 41:22 SO PUT A CON -- CONCEPTIONAL THOUGHT ON THIS. 41:28 >> ONCE SHE CAME TO KNOW -pJESUS -- ONCE A PERSON EMBRACES JESUS AND FULLY TRUSTS HIM, 41:34 EVERYTHING ELSE -- IT WAS JUST LIKE A FLOWER OPENING UP 41:39 BEAUTIFULLY. THINGS THAT TROUBLE A LOT OF 41:43 PEOPLE, PEOPLE NOT SURE ABOUT THE JUDGMENT. 41:44 AND THAT IN THE JUDGMENT GOD IS GOING TO BE UP THERE LOOKING FOR 41:49 YOUR RECORDS. SHE EMBRACED SOME TOPICS LIKE 41:54 THAT, BECAUSE JESUS WAS NOW HER ATTORNEY AND DEFENSE COUNSEL, IT 41:58 WASN'T A BIG PROBLEM. MY OWN LIFE, MY OWN SPIRITUAL 42:02 JOURNEY HAS BEEN ENRICHED. YOU KNOW, I DEAL WITH ALL KINDS 42:06 OF DIFFERENT ISSUES, AND WORKING WITH A GROUP OF REFUGEES RIGHT 42:09 NOW COMING IN FROM CONGO AND RWANDA, JEANIE AND I HAVE KIND 42:15 OF ADOPTED 57 OF THEM AS OUR OWN. 42:18 WE'RE TRYING TO START A CHURCH THERE. 42:20 AND THIS WEEK THEY ARE MEETING FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH A 42:24 POTENTIAL PASTOR. SO I HAVE MANY THINGS THAT 42:28 EXCITE ME IN MY MINISTRY EVEN THOUGH I'M SEMIRETIRED. 42:33 JESUS SAYS YOU MUST OCCUPY UNTIL I COME. 42:35 SO I KEEP OCCUPYING. AND I'M GETTING INVOLVED WITH 42:47 YLONDA, I'M AN EVANGELIST, I'M A HIRED GUN, AND I GO TO CAMP 42:59 MEETINGS NORTH AND SOUTH. FROM NEW ZEALAND TO NEWFOUNDLAND 43:06 AND LABRADOR, CANADA. BUT THIS WAS UNIQUE. 43:09 THIS WAS AMAZING. IT REMINDS ME THAT THERE ARE SO 43:14 MANY OF GOD'S PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE -- THEY MAY BE UNDER A 43:20 ROCK -- >> UH-HUH. 43:21 >> -- AND LAURA WAS JUST FEELING LIKE SHE HAD BEEN BURIED AND WAS-JUST A LARVA EXISTING. 43:29 GOD SAW HER. HE KNEW HER. 43:31 >> YES. >> HE WANTED HER. 43:35 AND JUST LIKE HE SPOTTED THAT LITTLE SPARK IN MARY MAGDALEN, 43:42 LAURA HAS A LOT OF DENSITY WITH MARY MAGDALEN, WHO THE MEN HAVE 43:48 TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF HER IN DIFFERENT WAYS, DIFFERENT 43:52 LEVELS, AND JUST TO BE A LITTLE TINY PART, THIS ISN'T ABOUT ME, 43:58 CA OR ABOUT LONNIE OR HIS TRAINING. 44:00 IT'S ABOUT JESUS. >> YEAH. 44:01 >> AND IT'S JUST A MARVELOUS THING TO RECOGNIZE ONE OF THE 44:07 THINGS IN HEAVEN THAT WILL GIVE GLORY TO JESUS AND THE FRUIT OF 44:13 OUR NEIGHBORS IN OUR LIVES IS INDIVIDUALS THAT WE JUST ALLOWED 44:18 OURSELVES TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH TO HELP ALONG LIFE'S 44:22 JOURNEY. AND YOU AND I ARE PRIVILEGED TO 44:26 BE SPIRITUAL OBSTETRICIANS IN THE BIRTH OF PEOPLE, AND THE 44:30 REAL JOY -- AND I JUST READ THIS LAST WEEK -- SHE MAY FEEL SHE 44:37 WAS FLYING HIGH, BUT THE GREATEST JOY FOR A MINISTER IS 44:42 TO SEE THAT HE STILL HAS -- HE IS NOT DEAD. 44:45 >> AMEN. >> THAT GOD IS STILL USING YOU 44:48 AND ALLOWING YOUR EXAMPLE AND YOUR WITNESS TO MAKE A 44:51 DIFFERENCE, AND SO I HAVE ASSURED HER THAT WE ARE FOREVER 44:54 FRIENDS NOW. >> AMEN. 44:56 >> AND SHE NEVER UNDERSTOOD THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT 45:05 LOVES. THAT HAS OPENED UP SOME AMAZING 45:07 NEWDY -- NEW DIMENSIONS FOR YOU, HASN'T IT? 45:20 >> YES, IT HAS. >> AND THANK YOU. 45:24 [ LAUGHTER ] >> IT'S GOOD STUFF. 45:26 LAURA, I WANT YOU TO TAKE A MINUTE AND COLLECT YOURSELF. 45:30 I WANT TO ASK YOU TWO QUESTIONS. TALK TO ME ABOUT THE OLD LAURA, 45:35 VERSUS THE NEW LAURA. THE OLD LAURA IS THIS. 45:39 THE NEW LAURA IS THAT. >> THE OLD LAURA, LIKE I SAID 45:47 LIVED FOR HERSELF, DIDN'T KNOW GOD, WAS IN THE DARK, THOUGHT 45:56 THEY WAS -- HAD A GOOD CHANCE TO GET TO HEAVEN BECAUSE I WAS 46:01 SECRETARY OF THE CHURCH AND WENT TO CHURCH ALL MY LIFE, MOST OF 46:05 IT, AND I THOGHT I HAD IT -- DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT 46:09 IT. THE NEW LAURA HAS DONE THINGS 46:13 THAT I NEVER WOULD HAVE DONE BEFORE, GONE OUT AND TALKED TO 46:19 PEOPLE I DON'T KNOW, WITNESSING AND TAKING HIS SERMONS TO A LADY 46:26 IN ILLINOIS, WHO NEEDED TO SEE SOME OF THEM, AND I JUST -- I 46:35 HAVE MORE COURAGE NOW TO DO SOME THINGS THAT I NEVER WOULD HAVE 46:39 DONE BEFORE, AND MY -- I WANT TO HELP PEOPLE. 46:43 I WANT TO GET INVOLVED, AND I DID -- DO A LOT OF PRAYING NOW 46:53 AND BIBLE READING NOW, AND DEE -- DEE VOGUESES. 47:01 AND I'M A HAPPIER PERSON, AND MY GOAL IS ABOUT JESUS. 47:07 >> AMEN. >> POWERFUL. 47:11 >> LAST QUESTION. GIVE ME SOME SENSE OF WHO AND 47:14 WHAT YOU THOUGHT GOD AND JESUS WAS BEFORE AS OPPOSED TO WHO AND 47:20 WHAT YOU KNOW GOD AND JESUS ARE NOW. 47:22 >> NOW I KNOW JESUS IS LIKE BEST FRIEND, AND THAT HE LOVES AND 47:30 CARES ABOUT ME, AND WANTS TO USE ME TO REACH OTHERS AND HELP OUT 47:34 IN THAT WAY. >> UH-HUH. 47:39 >> BEFORE I JUST DIDN'T REALLY THINK ABOUT IT. 47:41 I WAS IN THE DARK. I HAD AN EMPTY HEART. 47:45 I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT. >> HUM. 47:49 >> UH-HUH. >> BUT NOW YOU KNOW BETTER, AND 47:53 YOU KNOW DIFFERENTLY. AMEN AND AMEN. 47:56 >> I'M SO PROUD TO HEAR, AND I WISH EVERY CHRISTIAN LISTENING, 48:00 WOULD RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT TIME ALONE WITH JESUS 48:04 EVERY SINGLE DAY. TO SEEK JESUS THROUGH BIBLE 48:08 STUDY AND PRAYER. SHE WILL TELL ME WHEN SHE IS 48:11 GOING TO HAWAII FOR VACATION, AND SHE WAS WITH NON-CHRISTIAN, 48:17 NON-ADVENTIST, NON-BELIEVING PEOPLE, AND SHE JUST FELT 48:23 STARVED WHEN THEY WERE OUT BUSY AND GOING TO PLACES, THAT SHE 48:29 HADN'T HAD THAT PRIVATE TIME. >> PRAISE THE LORD. 48:33 PRAISE THE LORD. WONDERFUL TESTIMONY.-pTHANK YOU SO MUCH. 48:37 >> THANK YOU. >> PASTOR, WELL DONE, MAN. 48:41 KEEP ON SERVING. LAURA, GOD BLESS YOU. 48:45 GOD HAS SOME VERY SPECIAL STUFF FOR YOU. 48:47 I GUARANTEE YOU. >> I'M READY. 48:50 >> KEEP YOUR HEART OPEN, BECAUSE IT'S A COMING. 48:53 THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. 48:55 >> AMEN. PRAISE THE LORD. 48:57 >> PRAISE THE LORD. >> THIS IS ONE, BUT LITERALLY 49:01 EVERYWHERE WE TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD, I MEET PEOPLE WHO HAVE 49:05 COME TO KNOW JESUS THROUGH WATCHING 3ABN. 49:08 WE COULDN'T DO THIS WITHOUT YOU, SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR 49:12 LOVE AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT. THIS IS THEN OF THE YEAR. 49:15 THERE IS NO RULE THAT SAYS YOU HAVE TO GIVE AT THEN OF THE 49:18 YEAR, BUT IF YOU HAVE ALREADY GIVEN MAYBE AT THE FIRST OF THE 49:22 YEAR, WE'LL LEAVE THAT UP TO YOU. 49:25 THANK YOU. WE CAN'T DO IT, BUT GOD IS SO 49:28 GOOD. IT SEEMS LIKE HE IMPRESSES THE 49:31 RIGHT PEOPLE AT THE RIGHT TIME. 3ABN IS STILL ON THE AIR AFTER 49:35 32 YEARS SOMETIMES YOU WONDER HOW THAT IS 49:37 GOING TO BE, RIGHT, BRIAN, FROM MONTH-TO-MONTH. 49:41 BUT EVERY MONTH HE BLESSES AND SUPPLIES. 49:44 MOLLIE SUE WHAT ARE YOU -- >> I'M THINKING WHEN WE GET TO 49:50 HEAVEN WE WILL KNOW THE MANY SOULS THAT HAVE COME TO THE 49:56 LIGHT AS A RESULT OF THIS MINISTRY. 49:58 AND AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, WHEN OUR HEARTS ARE SOFTENED TOWARDS 50:03 THE LORD, WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEW INTO A MINISTRY THAT IS 50:08 REACHING -- NOT JUST HERE IN THESE UNITED STATES, BUT THERE 50:12 ARE HARVEST OF SOULS ALL OVER THE WORLD. 50:15 THERE IS NO PLACE THAT WE CAN GO. 50:17 EVERY INHABITED CONTINENT, THERE ARE SOULS COMING TO THE LORD 50:23 JESUS CHRIST AS A RESULT OF THE GOSPEL. 50:25 SO WE NEED HELP. WE NEED YOUR HELP. 50:27 WE NEED YOU TO JOIN WITH US, AND WE WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU THAT 50:33 HAVE JOINED WITH US, SO FAITHFULLY THROUGH THE YEARS. 50:36 WITHOUT YOU, WE CAN'T DO WHAT WE'RE DOING. 50:38 >> THAT'S RIGHT. >> AND AS YOU HELP US. 50:41 AS WE JOIN TOGETHER, THE ONLY THING THAT HAPPENS IS THE 50:46 KINGDOM OF GOD IS EXPANDED, SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE 50:50 DONE THROUGH THE YEARS. WE LOVE YOU, AND WE REALLY 50:53 APPRECIATE YOU. >> AND JILL, WE'RE GETTING MORE 50:55 AND MORE PEOPLE. IT'S A LITTLE SLOWER THAN 51:00 SOMETIMES WE WOULD LIKE, BUT THAT HAVE JOINED THE BLESSING IS 51:07 ON THE GO! TEAM. >> THAT'S RIGHT. 51:09 MONTHLY DONATION OF ANY SIZE, OR SOME PEOPLE GIVE A LARGER AMOUNT 51:13 AND IT WORKS FOR A WHILE. BUT WE WILL SEND YOU A TOOL THAT 51:19 YOU CAN PARTNER WITH US IN SPREADING THE GOSPEL TO THE 51:23 WORLD. >> AMEN. 51:24 AND IT TAKES MANY, MANY PEOPLE. 3ABN IS A HUGE MINISTRY, AND 51:29 LITERALLY REACHES THE WORLD WITH SEVEN OR EIGHT NETWORKS, WHO 51:36 KNOWS, IT MAY SOON BE TEN. SO WHAT WE'RE REALLY ASKING YOU, 51:42 IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN A MONTHLY GIVER, IF YOU WOULD ASK THE HOLY 51:47 SPIRIT WHAT HE WOULD HAVE YOU DO. 51:49 WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD A FOUNDATION LIKE THIS, THAT GOES 51:53 UP HERE, RATHER THAN MAYBE BIG DONATIONS, AND THEY CAN'T GIVE 51:58 ALL THE TIME. BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE, 52:01 PRAYERS, FINANCIAL SUPPORT. OUR TIME IS ALL GONE, UNTIL WE 52:05 SEE YOU NEXT TIME, MAY THE LORD RICHLY BLESS YOU ABUNDANTLY MORE 52:13 THAN WHAT YOU WOULD ASK FOR OR TAKE. 52:17 ♪ |
Revised 2016-12-19