Music...
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This morning our
Scripture Reading
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pause
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is from 2nd Timothy
chapter 1 and verse 7.
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Pause.
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If you have your
Bibles, you can follow along,
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if not, it is on the screen,
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reading from the Word
of the Lord the Bible says,
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in 2nd Timothy 1 and verse 7,
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"For God has not given
us a spirit of fear... "
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can you join me on
the remaining part...
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"but of power and of
love and of a sound mind. "
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Pause.
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"Father in heaven, this morning,
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speak through my lips
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and speak into my
mind and into my life.
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May the words that
you have given to me Lord,
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find fertile soil
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that we may be a people of faith
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in a society of fear.
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In Jesus' name I pray, amen. "
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Audience: Amen.
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It was 2001 when American
audiences were introduced
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to a weekly nail-biting,
gut-wrenching NBC Series
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called "Fear Factor. "
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Even now, just
mentioning the name
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you might have received
some of the former images,
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they were recalled in your mind.
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The gist of the Show
was to push contestants
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to the limits of their fears...
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to see who could endure whatever
the Producers came up with.
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To determine how
fearful each individual is
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or how fearful the groups were.
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Pause.
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The reality of the show
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is something that
caught my attention
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even more than
the gist of the Show.
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The reality of the Show is this,
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"Those that did not conquer fear
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were conquered by fear. "
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Fear Factor...
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trying to determine whether
or not a person can hang on
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when everyone
else is letting go.
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Pause.
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In the Fear Factor Program,
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each challenge was designed
to reveal the hidden strengths
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or hidden
weaknesses of each contestant.
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Do you know that each one
of us has hidden strengths
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and hidden weaknesses
that are often concealed
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until the time of testing comes
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and we really never
know who we really are
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until we are pushed to
the limits of our fears.
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I pay particular attention
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as I rewind my mental picture
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through doing some
research about the Program,
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you've seen it...
people jumping from buildings,
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the first stunt
was the physical test,
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where they tested people
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whether they were
willing to jump from buildings
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or hanging on to
helicopters as they moved...
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or climbing a
ladder that is suspended
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between two
skyscrapers by a narrow cable...
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the physical test.
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In the minds of
some you can feel it...
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you can be there
and you can remember...
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you can take that... that's
not anything that I would do...
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jumping from buildings
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and even though
they had safety nets
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or padded drops where you can
fall into a bed filled with air,
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there were some people that just
could not capture their fear.
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This brought me
to the picture of...
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a number of years
ago, we were on the...
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one of the... one
of the cruise ships...
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I forgot the name
of the cruise ships...
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The Allure of the Seas
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and they... they had
a... they had a zip line...
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that was all of seven
stories above the sea...
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above the actual
promenade of the ship.
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just seven
stories... just seven stories.
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There was a safety line
and then a backup safety line
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and they gave you a helmet...
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they strapped you
in very comfortably,
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I could not get my
wife to get on that cable.
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Her sister went...
other people went...
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I said, "Honey, you're safe,
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you're gripped
in... you're locked in...
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you will not fall...
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but she couldn't push
beyond her fear factor.
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She was all strapped
in... got the helmet...
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stood on the platform
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and just before the
guy released the line,
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she said, "No, no, no, no,
no, no... I want to go back. "
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She got that far
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but because she was
pushed to the limit of her fear,
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she never captured her fear.
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The same was true
when we were in Zimbabwe.
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Garwin McNeilus said, "I
have a special treat for you"
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and we decided,
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"Well, I didn't know
what the special treat was
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but since he paid for it,
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it was might as well our benefit
to take advantage of it... "
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and what I did not know
was the special treat was
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a ride on... I don't
know what they call it
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but it had just
one blade behind it,
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it has a... a... a...
a wing over the top of it
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and you are
strapped into a single seat
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with just a seat belt...
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no shoulder harness
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and the pilot...
just you and the pilot...
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and you take off
from a dirt strip
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and you fly as far as you can
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and he takes you
up to about 3,500 feet
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Ultralight...
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well, being courteous,
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my wife said,
"Well, who will go first?"
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I said, "Honey, ladies first. "
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Audience: Laughing.
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And I have the
video of her taking off
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but what I did not know
was... after she took off
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and opened her eyes,
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she said to the
pilot, "Take me back...
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take me back...
take me back now. "
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And he said with his dialect,
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"But Angela, we did
not go to the Falls yet"
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that's Victoria Falls...
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she said, "I don't
want to go to the Falls
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take me back now. "
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Well, it was all of six minutes
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that we saw them take off
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and come and circle
back around and land
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the good part of
that was, she was safe
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but the better part of
that was, I had 45 minutes
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and I was able to
go to Victoria Falls.
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I think back on that
now and I think to myself,
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"Here I am in a
foreign country...
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with no real safety regulations
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and all the pilot
kept saying to me was,
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'If we land there, we will die
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because that's the water
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and there are snakes
or maybe alligators...
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if we land there,
that's the Game Preserve
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and that's not a
safe place to land,
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if our engine stops
above Victoria Falls,
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well, we could coast... but
where we land is up to God. '"
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and I want to
say, "Praise the Lord,
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I faced my fear and God
was with me all the way. "
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They physical
test... the first stunt...
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then they took you
to the mental test.
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Facing your fear...
eating disgusting things
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or being covered by snakes
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or large hissing
roaches from Madagascar
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or being overrun by rats as
you are strapped to a board,
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the mental test of your fear...
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the physical
test... the mental test.
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And finally, the third stunt
was always the most extreme
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usually dealing
with the fear of water...
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the fear of heights
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or the fear of
extreme vehicle stunts...
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but the motivation that
pushed people beyond their fears
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was... whoever
endured to the end
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received a $50,000 reward
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pause
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but I've quickly learned
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that physical
appearance is no indication
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that a person is
going to endure to the end
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pause
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because in that show, I
saw physically strong men
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muscle-bound men fall
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to the challenge of
a small, petite woman
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who had less fear than they
did when they faced their fears.
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So, physical attributes
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were no special gift
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when it came to
determining whether or not
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that person would endure.
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Each test was designed
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to bring out the worst or
the best in the contestants
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and only those that endured
the test... won the price.
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I say it again,
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"You never know what you're
made of until the test comes. "
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Pause.
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People that are quite often...
the ones that say the least
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are often discovered to be the
person that's the most fearless.
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But I discovered also that
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people that boast
their abilities...
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the ones that talk brave
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are sometimes the
people that are the least brave
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but Bob, you'll never know
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what you're really made
of until you face your fears.
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Take Peter for example,
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go with me to Luke
chapter 22 and verse 33,
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look at Peter for example,
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Peter was a fisherman,
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very aware of the challenges and
the dangers of being at sea...
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at rough seas...
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and if you looked at Peter,
from the natural standpoint,
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you would think that his
rugged hands and his experience
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in dangerous
situations were sufficient
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for him to make the proclamation
that he did to Jesus
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and he vowed to follow Jesus
even if it meant his death.
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Luke 22 verse 33, Peter
said, "But he said to Him,
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'Lord, I am
ready to go with You,
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both to prison and
to... and to death. '"
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But when the test
came, this former fisherman
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was pulled in by
his own hook of fear
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when being challenged in
the crowds in the city...
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following Jesus at a distance...
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the Bible says in
verse 57 of Luke 22
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when a woman said,
"I know who you are... "
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he said, "Woman,
I do not know Him. "
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When pushed to the
limits of his fear,
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he denied his Lord.
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Now, the
question you might ask is,
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"Why do I bring up a
topic called: Fear Factor. "
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Pause.
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Am I trying to figure
out what you're afraid of?
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Whether we know it or not,
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the stage is about
to drastically change
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for the function of
the church in our world.
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Right now in America we
enjoy religious freedom.
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We are able to
preach what we want to
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and teach what we want to
00:11:06.13\00:11:07.50
although many of our sermons
are challenged, nonetheless.
00:11:07.53\00:11:09.96
We're able to go to
whatever church we want to go to
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on whatever day
we want to go to,
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sing whatever songs we want to
00:11:15.57\00:11:17.94
but soon the stage
is going to change,
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but it's hard to
tell the difference
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between a fearless Christian
and a fearful Christian
00:11:25.25\00:11:29.38
until the winter comes.
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It's hard to tell the difference
until the scenario changes,
00:11:31.85\00:11:36.52
it's hard to
really tell who will stand
00:11:36.56\00:11:39.29
and who will turn and run
00:11:39.33\00:11:42.03
until the scenario changes
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and today, we are in a society
00:11:44.70\00:11:48.17
that's
challenging whether or not
00:11:48.20\00:11:50.01
we can teach what we want to
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or believe what we want to
00:11:52.41\00:11:54.71
or espouse to the things
that we doctrinally accept...
00:11:54.74\00:11:59.28
we are being challenged...
00:11:59.31\00:12:00.82
not only by other churches
00:12:00.85\00:12:02.28
but by the
society in which we live.
00:12:02.32\00:12:04.79
I found this
quotation in the book Maranatha
00:12:04.82\00:12:07.46
that makes the point very clear
00:12:07.49\00:12:09.29
that you know
it's winter right now
00:12:09.32\00:12:11.09
and most of the
trees are devoid of leaves,
00:12:11.13\00:12:14.73
you can't a leaf
on most of the trees
00:12:14.80\00:12:16.50
except the evergreen
00:12:16.53\00:12:18.73
because regardless of the
climate that surrounds it,
00:12:18.77\00:12:22.80
the evergreen is
what? Ever green.
00:12:22.84\00:12:26.37
Pause.
00:12:26.44\00:12:27.84
The Christian should not
be Christian because of the...
00:12:27.88\00:12:31.81
of the climate
that surrounds him,
00:12:31.85\00:12:33.55
or the
circumstances in which it exists
00:12:33.62\00:12:36.35
but the Christian
should be evergreen
00:12:36.38\00:12:40.19
regardless of the
coldness or the warmth
00:12:40.26\00:12:43.93
of the climate
that surrounds it.
00:12:43.96\00:12:46.29
Maranatha page 196,
this quote is an amazing one.
00:12:46.36\00:12:49.33
"In the summer there is
no noticeable difference
00:12:49.36\00:12:52.50
between evergreens
and other trees... "
00:12:52.57\00:12:54.34
that's because the
summer is conducive and warm
00:12:54.37\00:12:57.41
and all the trees enjoy
the same kind of climate,
00:12:57.44\00:13:00.38
"but when the
blast of winter comes,
00:13:00.41\00:13:03.65
the evergreen
remains unchanged... "
00:13:03.75\00:13:06.95
remains what?
00:13:07.02\00:13:09.72
remains what...?
00:13:09.75\00:13:11.09
Audience: Unchanged...
00:13:11.12\00:13:12.45
In other words,
when circumstances...
00:13:12.49\00:13:14.86
when you're at work or at home,
00:13:14.89\00:13:16.83
when you're with your family
00:13:16.86\00:13:18.59
or when you're worshipping
00:13:18.63\00:13:20.00
with those that
are in church with you,
00:13:20.03\00:13:21.36
your beliefs don't change...
00:13:21.40\00:13:23.10
I've seen people change.
00:13:23.13\00:13:24.80
When I was growing up...
00:13:24.83\00:13:27.17
when I was a young man,
00:13:27.24\00:13:29.47
I was a lot more
forceful than I am now,
00:13:29.50\00:13:31.14
the Lord has tempered me
00:13:31.17\00:13:32.51
but I'm still a
soldier of the cross,
00:13:32.54\00:13:34.31
I just find more... I
wouldn't say, "subtle"
00:13:34.34\00:13:37.38
I find more... yeah,
I'll use the word "subtle"
00:13:37.45\00:13:40.42
I find more subtle yet
unwaveringly determined ways
00:13:40.45\00:13:44.12
to introduce what I believe.
00:13:44.19\00:13:45.52
When I was young, I
was like a bulldozer.
00:13:45.55\00:13:47.46
I really didn't
care what you thought.
00:13:47.49\00:13:49.56
I just tell it to you
00:13:49.59\00:13:51.06
and I'd challenge
you at every point.
00:13:51.13\00:13:53.06
When I was around Max Mace
00:13:53.09\00:13:55.13
who is the Director and
Founder of the Heritage Singers,
00:13:55.16\00:13:57.07
he said to me, "John,
you mellowed with age. "
00:13:57.10\00:13:59.90
Pause.
00:13:59.93\00:14:01.60
But I'm still a
soldier of the cross,
00:14:01.64\00:14:03.41
can you say, "Amen. "
00:14:03.44\00:14:04.77
Because the
things that I believe
00:14:04.81\00:14:06.78
have not changed
although my approach
00:14:06.81\00:14:09.31
to introducing
it may have changed.
00:14:09.34\00:14:11.81
Pause.
00:14:11.85\00:14:13.92
I go on to read...
00:14:13.95\00:14:15.28
"The evergreens
remain unchanged,
00:14:15.32\00:14:17.49
while other trees are
stripped of their foliage
00:14:17.52\00:14:20.96
and so, the
falsehearted professor
00:14:20.99\00:14:25.73
may now be distinguished...
00:14:25.76\00:14:28.36
may not be distinguished
from the real Christian,
00:14:28.40\00:14:32.07
but the time is
just upon us... "
00:14:32.10\00:14:34.27
hear me carefully,
00:14:34.30\00:14:35.97
"when the
difference will be apparent.
00:14:36.00\00:14:38.31
Let opposition rise... "
00:14:38.34\00:14:41.04
let what rise? "Opposition...
00:14:41.11\00:14:43.88
let bigotry and
intolerance again bear sway,
00:14:43.95\00:14:47.75
let persecution be kindled,
00:14:47.78\00:14:50.09
and the halfhearted
and the hypocritical
00:14:50.12\00:14:52.65
will waver and yield the faith;
00:14:52.69\00:14:55.19
but the true Christian
will stand firm as a rock,
00:14:55.22\00:15:00.40
his faith
stronger, his hope brighter,
00:15:00.50\00:15:04.00
than in days of prosperity. "
00:15:04.07\00:15:06.43
"Amen," somebody...
00:15:06.47\00:15:07.84
The reason why the Lord allows
difficulty to come our way
00:15:07.87\00:15:10.51
is not that He wants
to give us difficulty,
00:15:10.54\00:15:12.87
but it's often in difficulty
00:15:12.91\00:15:15.04
when the person's
character is really revealed.
00:15:15.08\00:15:17.98
It's easy for
anybody to be a Christian
00:15:18.01\00:15:20.72
when things are going well,
00:15:20.75\00:15:22.08
but when the trial
and the tests come,
00:15:22.12\00:15:25.05
that is when those
who are firmly established
00:15:25.09\00:15:28.12
in their faith
00:15:28.16\00:15:29.49
pause
00:15:29.52\00:15:30.86
will stand
among the wintry blast
00:15:30.93\00:15:33.03
and the storm that surrounds it.
00:15:33.06\00:15:35.60
I learned from
someone who told me to notice
00:15:35.63\00:15:38.27
when we were going
to a particular place,
00:15:38.30\00:15:40.37
they said, "Now when
you get to that town,
00:15:40.44\00:15:43.10
there's a tree that
stands all by itself.
00:15:43.14\00:15:45.77
There are no trees for a
great distance around it"
00:15:45.84\00:15:48.61
and I said, "What's
special about that tree?"
00:15:48.68\00:15:51.41
They said, "Well, it's been
there for at least a 100 years"
00:15:51.45\00:15:53.42
I said, "A 100
years in the Midwest?"
00:15:53.55\00:15:56.22
They said, "A 100 years. "
00:15:56.25\00:15:57.59
I said, "What's so
different about that?"
00:15:57.62\00:15:59.69
They said, "A
tree that stands alone
00:15:59.72\00:16:02.56
during the changing
seasons of the year,
00:16:02.59\00:16:05.36
from rain to snow to
heavy winds to tornadoes...
00:16:05.43\00:16:08.70
a tree that still stands
00:16:08.73\00:16:10.67
during the changing
climate of the year,
00:16:10.70\00:16:15.27
has its roots deeper
and farther and wider
00:16:15.30\00:16:17.87
than trees that
disappear and fall
00:16:17.91\00:16:20.51
when the wintry blast comes. "
00:16:20.58\00:16:21.91
And I said, "So,
what's the point?
00:16:21.94\00:16:23.88
They said, "Did you not get it?"
00:16:23.95\00:16:25.91
only when your roots
are deep in your faith,
00:16:25.95\00:16:29.02
will you stand
when the test comes. "
00:16:29.05\00:16:32.05
And so, I don't know
where your roots are,
00:16:32.09\00:16:35.16
but the reason why the Lord
allows the climate to change
00:16:35.19\00:16:39.03
is in the middle of the climate
00:16:39.06\00:16:42.33
is when our roots are
revealed to be either shallow
00:16:42.36\00:16:46.97
or to be firmly established
00:16:47.04\00:16:49.44
on the foundation of our faith.
00:16:49.47\00:16:51.91
The world stage is being built
00:16:51.94\00:16:54.18
to separate the
fearful Christian
00:16:54.21\00:16:56.41
from the fearless Christian
00:16:56.44\00:16:57.88
and when you look in Scriptures,
00:16:57.91\00:16:59.45
you find a couple of examples.
00:16:59.48\00:17:00.92
One of the ones
that jumped out at us
00:17:00.95\00:17:02.35
is in Daniel
chapter 3, go there with me,
00:17:02.38\00:17:04.65
Daniel chapter 3, this is a
time-tested example in Scripture
00:17:04.69\00:17:09.79
as to those who would not allow
their political commitments
00:17:09.86\00:17:14.93
to supersede their
spiritual allegiance to God.
00:17:14.96\00:17:18.03
Pause.
00:17:18.07\00:17:19.93
Very important point.
00:17:19.97\00:17:21.34
Daniel chapter 3, look
at verse 16 to verse 18
00:17:21.37\00:17:25.27
and this is about
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
00:17:25.31\00:17:29.21
Now we know the setting was...
00:17:29.24\00:17:31.45
Nebuchadnezzar
established a golden image
00:17:31.48\00:17:36.25
on the Plain of Dura.
00:17:36.28\00:17:37.62
The image was 90
feet high and 9 feet wide
00:17:37.65\00:17:41.22
and all the nations
that were under his rule
00:17:41.26\00:17:44.86
gathered together for worship.
00:17:44.89\00:17:46.83
What did they
gather together for?
00:17:46.90\00:17:49.36
For worship.
00:17:49.40\00:17:50.77
And he said, "When the sound
of the instruments are played,
00:17:50.80\00:17:54.04
everyone must fall
down at that moment
00:17:54.07\00:17:57.24
and worship the golden image.
00:17:57.31\00:17:59.01
Now, put the
relationships together.
00:17:59.04\00:18:01.04
This is where
relationships are often tested.
00:18:01.08\00:18:05.08
If our
relationships with each other
00:18:05.11\00:18:10.42
are only second to
our relationship to God,
00:18:10.49\00:18:16.96
when the test comes,
00:18:17.03\00:18:18.83
we will always put God
above human relationships.
00:18:18.86\00:18:23.50
Did you hear that?
00:18:23.57\00:18:25.70
Whenever our
relationships with each other
00:18:25.73\00:18:28.87
are only second to
our relationship to God,
00:18:28.90\00:18:32.01
when the test comes,
00:18:32.04\00:18:33.38
God will always be
first in our relationship.
00:18:33.41\00:18:36.61
Look at Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego...
00:18:36.64\00:18:38.28
look at their response
00:18:38.31\00:18:39.65
and it's amazing
to me that this text
00:18:39.68\00:18:43.69
continues to give me courage.
00:18:43.72\00:18:45.65
"Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego... "
00:18:45.69\00:18:48.52
verse 16 of chapter 3
00:18:48.56\00:18:50.36
"answered and said to the king,
00:18:50.43\00:18:53.23
'O Nebuchadnezzar,
00:18:53.26\00:18:55.16
we have no need to
answer you in this matter.
00:18:55.20\00:18:57.83
If that is the case... "
00:18:57.87\00:19:00.07
pause
00:19:00.14\00:19:01.47
in other words, "if
we're going to lose our lives,
00:19:01.50\00:19:03.51
our God whom we
serve is... " what?
00:19:03.54\00:19:06.91
"is able to deliver us
from the burning fiery furnace,
00:19:06.98\00:19:11.45
and He will deliver
us from your hand O king,
00:19:11.48\00:19:15.15
But if not... "
00:19:15.18\00:19:17.82
how many of us will
serve God in the "if not"?
00:19:17.85\00:19:22.32
"But if not, let it
be known to you, O king,
00:19:22.36\00:19:26.80
that we do not serve your gods,
00:19:26.83\00:19:29.33
nor will be
worship the gold image
00:19:29.40\00:19:31.87
which you have set up. "
00:19:31.90\00:19:34.07
How many of us will
serve God in the "if not"?
00:19:34.14\00:19:39.44
See we if have the assurance
that we will be delivered
00:19:39.47\00:19:43.78
pause
00:19:43.85\00:19:45.91
then we can go
forward with confidence,
00:19:45.95\00:19:48.05
but if we... if we
live in the "if not"
00:19:48.08\00:19:50.19
"I'm going to serve God anyhow"
00:19:50.22\00:19:53.12
we have got to serve
God in the "if not moments"
00:19:53.15\00:19:57.23
come on say, "Amen" someone.
00:19:57.26\00:19:58.69
Not just the moments where
we have that blessed assurance,
00:19:58.73\00:20:01.13
but when the furnace is
heated seven times hotter,
00:20:01.16\00:20:04.93
when all political connections
have turned against us,
00:20:04.97\00:20:09.24
when all societal norms
have been removed from us,
00:20:09.27\00:20:13.58
when all support
from friends and family
00:20:13.61\00:20:15.91
are no longer ours to enjoy,
00:20:15.94\00:20:17.81
we've got to serve God
in the "If not" moments.
00:20:17.85\00:20:21.52
But look at Daniel,
Daniel 6 and verse 10.
00:20:21.55\00:20:24.69
Daniel 6 and verse 10.
00:20:24.72\00:20:27.26
"Now when Daniel knew
that the writing was signed,
00:20:27.29\00:20:31.06
he went home.
00:20:31.09\00:20:32.49
And in his upper room,
00:20:32.53\00:20:34.00
with his windows
open toward Jerusalem... "
00:20:34.03\00:20:36.40
what did he do?
00:20:36.43\00:20:37.77
"he knelt down on his
knees three times a day,
00:20:37.80\00:20:41.87
and prayed and gave
thanks before his God,
00:20:41.90\00:20:46.14
as was his custom
since early days. "
00:20:46.31\00:20:50.25
Now notice what made a
difference in Daniel's life,
00:20:50.28\00:20:52.15
Daniel didn't begin to pray
when the writing was signed,
00:20:52.18\00:20:55.48
Daniel had a prayer life
before the writing was signed.
00:20:55.52\00:20:58.59
In other words, if your life...
00:20:58.62\00:21:00.69
if your relationship
with God is not active
00:21:00.76\00:21:02.89
before the trial comes,
00:21:02.92\00:21:04.26
it's no use for you
when the trial comes.
00:21:04.33\00:21:06.43
Amen, Pastor C.A.
00:21:06.46\00:21:08.63
until your work with
God... until your walk with God
00:21:08.66\00:21:12.33
is something that is daily...
00:21:12.37\00:21:14.44
it's not going to make a
difference when the test comes.
00:21:14.47\00:21:17.67
Pause.
00:21:17.71\00:21:19.67
There's going to be no
change in the way that you deal
00:21:19.71\00:21:26.31
in your day-to-day life
00:21:26.35\00:21:28.05
unless your day-to-day life
00:21:28.08\00:21:29.75
is already in the
process in your walk with God.
00:21:29.78\00:21:34.16
We have people today
00:21:34.19\00:21:36.49
and I've spoken to
some of them and...
00:21:36.52\00:21:39.49
let's take some
of these examples,
00:21:39.53\00:21:42.50
sometimes, we might be at a...
00:21:42.53\00:21:45.03
and take this for what
you will or how you will
00:21:45.07\00:21:48.74
but I'm the kind of individual
00:21:48.77\00:21:50.64
that if I hear
somebody in my family...
00:21:50.71\00:21:52.44
I have families that...
00:21:52.47\00:21:54.34
family members that
I've so often corrected them
00:21:54.41\00:21:59.18
and they're...
they'll say for example
00:21:59.21\00:22:01.85
"Oh, Uncle is in heaven
now playing baseball... "
00:22:01.88\00:22:05.42
and I'll say, "He's not
in heaven playing baseball,
00:22:05.72\00:22:10.13
that's not what
the Bible teaches"
00:22:10.16\00:22:12.46
and they say,
"He's not... really?"
00:22:12.49\00:22:14.60
And then I'll get an opportunity
00:22:14.63\00:22:16.67
to tell them
what the Bible teaches
00:22:16.70\00:22:18.03
but you know what,
00:22:18.07\00:22:19.40
I know that there are
people that are too fearful
00:22:19.43\00:22:21.27
to say to their
own family members,
00:22:21.34\00:22:23.44
"That's not what
the Bible teaches"
00:22:23.51\00:22:25.54
now here's my point,
00:22:25.57\00:22:28.28
if we cannot tell the
people that we are related to...
00:22:28.31\00:22:33.62
the truth about God's Word,
00:22:33.72\00:22:36.28
do you think that we're going
to be able to tell strangers
00:22:36.32\00:22:39.42
that we have no
relationship with
00:22:39.45\00:22:41.06
about the truth of God's Word?
00:22:41.09\00:22:42.69
It's not going to happen.
00:22:42.72\00:22:44.76
I'm the kind of
guy on Facebook...
00:22:44.79\00:22:47.40
just recently I saw
something, my wife showed me...
00:22:47.43\00:22:50.47
somebody died and...
and somebody posted there,
00:22:50.50\00:22:53.54
"He's in heaven singing now"
00:22:53.57\00:22:55.77
and what shocked me
more than anything else
00:22:55.80\00:22:59.54
is the person that
wrote it was an Adventist.
00:22:59.61\00:23:02.88
Pause.
00:23:02.91\00:23:04.75
And I'm thinking
to myself, "What?"
00:23:04.78\00:23:06.65
I said, "Honey, can I respond?"
00:23:06.72\00:23:08.48
She said, "Do it on
your own Facebook page"
00:23:08.55\00:23:10.69
Audience: Laughter.
00:23:10.72\00:23:12.29
"not on mine... "
00:23:12.32\00:23:13.66
because I have...
when the... you know the...
00:23:13.69\00:23:16.83
I like to use the term,
00:23:16.86\00:23:19.16
"righteous indignation"
00:23:19.19\00:23:21.50
when the thought has come
up and I see ridiculous things
00:23:21.53\00:23:25.47
on Facebook that don't honor
God and that are not truthful,
00:23:25.50\00:23:29.24
I would respond...
00:23:29.37\00:23:30.71
and... and it
would start a firestorm
00:23:30.74\00:23:34.21
of course it would,
00:23:34.28\00:23:35.61
but I could tell you this...
00:23:35.64\00:23:37.38
I put the Scriptures
there... the quotations there...
00:23:37.45\00:23:39.11
and here's the point...
00:23:39.15\00:23:40.65
somebody always comes
00:23:40.72\00:23:42.12
to the knowledge of
the truth of God's Word
00:23:42.15\00:23:44.32
in those moments of controversy
00:23:44.35\00:23:46.42
when we don't
allow the wrong opinion
00:23:46.49\00:23:50.36
to cancel the truth about
the situation of God's Word
00:23:50.43\00:23:53.60
and sometimes we give
way to the wrong opinion
00:23:53.63\00:23:58.00
or to the false
teaching because we are afraid.
00:23:58.03\00:24:02.27
The fear factor comes in.
00:24:02.30\00:24:04.21
Daniel's relationship with
God was not about to be altered
00:24:04.24\00:24:08.91
by the
prohibitions to his prayer life,
00:24:08.94\00:24:11.08
he had a walk with God
before the trial came...
00:24:11.11\00:24:13.72
the point of the matter is,
when fear is ruling our lives,
00:24:13.82\00:24:18.92
we cannot be effectively used
00:24:18.99\00:24:22.49
to be servants of
the Most High God.
00:24:22.52\00:24:25.06
I mean, think about it,
these are stories in the Bible
00:24:25.13\00:24:28.43
if we believe that
these stories are true
00:24:28.46\00:24:31.20
and we see the challenge...
00:24:31.23\00:24:32.97
we see God with Daniel and
the Hebrews in the challenge,
00:24:33.00\00:24:37.41
we see God bring
them through the challenge
00:24:37.44\00:24:40.01
and then we realize in the Bible
00:24:40.08\00:24:41.71
that these things were
written for our admonition
00:24:41.78\00:24:44.65
upon whom the ends
of the ages have come.
00:24:44.68\00:24:47.12
If the devil was intense then
00:24:47.15\00:24:49.38
and he has come down
having great wrath now,
00:24:49.42\00:24:51.49
don't you think it's time
that we strengthen our faith
00:24:51.52\00:24:54.72
for the trials ahead of us?
00:24:54.76\00:24:56.73
We got to be like Esther,
00:24:56.76\00:24:58.66
willing to trade her
life if that's what it took,
00:24:58.69\00:25:02.86
she says, "If I
perish, I perish"
00:25:02.90\00:25:05.10
but if she did not
stand firmly, Mordecai said,
00:25:05.13\00:25:08.07
"If you choose
not to stand firmly
00:25:08.10\00:25:09.94
when God has
called you to stand firm,
00:25:10.01\00:25:11.84
relief will come
from somewhere else
00:25:11.87\00:25:13.68
and your house
00:25:13.71\00:25:17.55
will receive
the negative results
00:25:17.58\00:25:19.21
of you refusing to stand
when you should take a stand. "
00:25:19.25\00:25:21.55
So, it's not just,
00:25:21.58\00:25:23.52
"Well, I don't want
to offend anybody...
00:25:23.59\00:25:25.35
if I... " that term just...
00:25:25.39\00:25:27.86
that term is
like sandpaper to me.
00:25:27.89\00:25:29.69
"How come you
didn't say something?"
00:25:29.72\00:25:31.26
"Well, I don't
want to offend them. "
00:25:31.33\00:25:32.83
When we did an evangelistic
series in Vallejo, California,
00:25:32.86\00:25:36.03
when I say, "We"
Pastor Doug Batchelor and I,
00:25:36.06\00:25:39.30
pause
00:25:39.33\00:25:40.67
there was a Baptist lady
who was married to a Catholic...
00:25:40.74\00:25:42.77
she was Baptist,
her husband was Catholic
00:25:42.80\00:25:45.31
and in their home they did
not talk about religion at all
00:25:45.34\00:25:48.01
they didn't even discuss it.
00:25:48.04\00:25:49.38
Obvious reasons, they did
not believe the same thing.
00:25:49.41\00:25:52.28
Well, she received the Flyer
00:25:52.31\00:25:54.12
and she came to
our Revelation Seminar.
00:25:54.15\00:25:56.05
She was one of the
ones that got baptized.
00:25:56.08\00:25:57.92
At the Revelation
Seminar, praise God,
00:25:58.22\00:26:00.86
when I visited with them,
00:26:00.89\00:26:02.22
finally she and her
husband were on the same page
00:26:02.26\00:26:04.46
because they accepted the
truth of God's Word together
00:26:04.49\00:26:07.20
pause
00:26:07.23\00:26:09.06
but here's the point,
00:26:09.10\00:26:10.47
at the baptism,
00:26:10.50\00:26:12.00
she noticed a
co-worker that was a member
00:26:12.03\00:26:16.10
at the church
where she got baptized
00:26:16.14\00:26:18.84
and she said in our
presence to that co-worker,
00:26:18.87\00:26:22.61
"You mean to tell
me, you came to my church
00:26:22.64\00:26:26.31
when I invited you to my
baptism at my Baptist Church
00:26:26.35\00:26:29.22
and you knew the truth and
you didn't tell me about it?"
00:26:29.25\00:26:32.09
Pause.
00:26:32.12\00:26:34.29
I won't tell you her name
00:26:34.32\00:26:35.66
because it
wouldn't even matter to you
00:26:35.69\00:26:38.19
but I remember
that as distinctly
00:26:38.23\00:26:40.70
as if it happened
just the other day.
00:26:40.73\00:26:42.66
I can see the couple
00:26:42.70\00:26:44.07
pause
00:26:44.10\00:26:47.57
and her friend
had nothing to say.
00:26:47.64\00:26:49.70
She was at the baptism...
00:26:49.74\00:26:52.01
she sat on the
first or second row
00:26:52.04\00:26:54.11
for her friend's baptism
00:26:54.18\00:26:55.51
and I wondered
why the lady was so...
00:26:55.54\00:26:56.88
kind looked perturbed
in the baptismal pool,
00:26:56.91\00:26:58.95
and afterwards she
said, "You mean to tell me
00:26:58.98\00:27:01.02
you came to my church
and watched me being baptized
00:27:01.05\00:27:03.99
into a different faith
00:27:04.02\00:27:05.35
and you knew this
message and didn't tell me?"
00:27:05.39\00:27:08.16
Pause.
00:27:08.19\00:27:09.92
Well, thank the Lord, I mean,
they amended their friendship,
00:27:09.96\00:27:12.29
but the point of the matter is,
00:27:12.33\00:27:13.70
sometimes God
allows you to be in places
00:27:13.73\00:27:16.80
so that people... who are not
where God wants them to be...
00:27:16.87\00:27:20.17
you can be used as a light
to lead them out of darkness.
00:27:20.24\00:27:23.54
But you cannot be fearful
00:27:23.61\00:27:25.51
and we have so much of this
political correctness now-a-days
00:27:25.54\00:27:28.41
it's kind of like, nauseating.
00:27:28.44\00:27:30.95
"Don't offend anybody... "
00:27:30.98\00:27:32.78
"Well, what if... what
if they got mad at me?"
00:27:32.81\00:27:36.38
They will get mad at you
00:27:36.42\00:27:37.82
when they find out
that you knew the way
00:27:37.85\00:27:39.89
and didn't show them the way.
00:27:39.92\00:27:41.26
Pause.
00:27:41.29\00:27:42.82
So, now-a-days... rather than...
00:27:42.86\00:27:44.83
we look for the
conveniences and...
00:27:44.86\00:27:46.80
that's a dangerous thing
00:27:46.83\00:27:48.16
when Paul stood and he testified
00:27:48.20\00:27:50.70
with all of his
superior intellect
00:27:50.77\00:27:53.44
I think it was to
Agrippa or to Festus,
00:27:53.47\00:27:56.47
he said, "Come back
in a convenient season"
00:27:56.50\00:27:59.41
there is never a convenient
season to tell the truth,
00:27:59.44\00:28:03.04
every season is a
convenient season.
00:28:03.08\00:28:05.48
You don't wait
for better situations
00:28:05.55\00:28:07.85
Somebody said, "Well, I
don't want to do it then
00:28:07.88\00:28:10.22
because you know
it's not the right time
00:28:10.29\00:28:11.85
pause
00:28:11.89\00:28:17.63
if all you can do is say...
00:28:17.66\00:28:18.99
I remember... let me give
you an example of somebody
00:28:19.03\00:28:21.73
who didn't care about
the convenient season.
00:28:21.76\00:28:23.50
Pause.
00:28:23.57\00:28:25.60
My brother's first
wife... well his only wife...
00:28:25.63\00:28:29.14
he's not married right now,
00:28:29.17\00:28:30.81
but she was a
Catholic young lady
00:28:30.84\00:28:34.08
and I was... I would
always go to the Virgin Islands
00:28:34.11\00:28:37.55
to visit with my family
00:28:37.58\00:28:38.91
and one day...
00:28:38.95\00:28:40.28
and my family is very dedicated
to their faith... Catholics...
00:28:40.32\00:28:43.62
90 percent of my family...
00:28:43.69\00:28:45.29
but one day she said to me,
00:28:45.32\00:28:46.96
"John, tell me
about your church"
00:28:46.99\00:28:48.32
and I said, "Really?"
00:28:48.36\00:28:52.19
Pause.
00:28:52.23\00:28:54.80
She said, "Tell me
what you believe. "
00:28:54.83\00:28:56.36
I said, "Now, I
know you're Catholic...
00:28:56.40\00:28:57.97
everything I tell
you about my faith
00:28:58.00\00:28:59.53
is going to undo what
you believe about yours... "
00:28:59.60\00:29:01.60
stay with me...
00:29:01.64\00:29:03.61
She said, "I can
handle it, I'm French"
00:29:03.64\00:29:07.11
"All right, here goes"
00:29:07.18\00:29:09.34
and she asked
the tough questions,
00:29:09.38\00:29:12.51
she didn't ask the
easy questions... she...
00:29:12.55\00:29:14.22
I said, "Okay, what
do you want to know?"
00:29:14.25\00:29:15.88
She asked the tough questions.
00:29:15.92\00:29:17.39
"Okay, what do you believe about
what happens when you die?"
00:29:17.49\00:29:20.26
"All right, here goes... "
00:29:20.29\00:29:21.62
"What do you
believe about the Sabbath?"
00:29:21.66\00:29:22.99
"Okay... here goes... "
00:29:23.02\00:29:24.36
And she continued to
grill me and... and...
00:29:24.39\00:29:26.26
and asked me
the tough questions.
00:29:26.33\00:29:28.80
When I got back home,
00:29:28.83\00:29:30.17
we were, at the
time, living in Missouri.
00:29:30.20\00:29:32.60
When I got back home,
00:29:32.63\00:29:34.14
"Could you send
me some material?"
00:29:34.24\00:29:35.77
Then she'd call me,
then we moved to 3ABN.
00:29:35.80\00:29:38.14
We were traveling back and
forth between Missouri and 3ABN
00:29:38.17\00:29:41.98
before we moved here,
00:29:42.01\00:29:43.35
and she took in
sick... and they found Cancer
00:29:43.38\00:29:46.92
and they
discovered she had Melanoma
00:29:46.95\00:29:49.45
and it advanced to the point
00:29:49.48\00:29:51.35
where it was going to
possibly take her life
00:29:51.39\00:29:53.19
pause
00:29:53.22\00:29:55.06
and she stopped
going to her church
00:29:55.09\00:29:57.79
and her father
called her and said...
00:29:57.83\00:30:00.50
when he noticed she
would not come to church
00:30:00.53\00:30:03.10
he said, "I want you to get rid
of John and his brother Jimmy"
00:30:03.13\00:30:07.37
James and John...
00:30:07.44\00:30:08.77
"and come back up the
hill and come back to church. "
00:30:08.80\00:30:11.94
She said, "I'm not
going back up the hill,
00:30:11.97\00:30:13.68
I don't believe that anymore"
00:30:13.71\00:30:16.34
pause
00:30:16.38\00:30:19.91
and while I'm driving...
00:30:19.95\00:30:21.28
I was on my way back from
3ABN going back to Missouri
00:30:21.32\00:30:23.89
where we lived at the time,
00:30:23.92\00:30:25.42
and she called me...
I said, "Are you okay?"
00:30:25.45\00:30:27.92
"Oh, well, one of my
family members is here... "
00:30:27.96\00:30:30.26
she said, "could you
stay on the phone with me
00:30:30.33\00:30:32.56
until my aunt leaves?"
00:30:32.59\00:30:34.33
I said, "I got a long... "
00:30:34.36\00:30:36.03
she said, "Could you
stay on the phone with me
00:30:36.06\00:30:37.50
as long as you can?
00:30:37.57\00:30:38.90
I just... I want
to outlast my aunt. "
00:30:38.93\00:30:40.67
I said, "Why?"
00:30:40.74\00:30:42.07
She said, "She has a
gallon of holy water...
00:30:42.10\00:30:43.71
she wants to pour on me. "
00:30:43.74\00:30:45.07
Audience: Laughter.
00:30:45.11\00:30:46.44
I'm not
belittling anyone's faith,
00:30:46.47\00:30:47.81
I'm telling you the story,
00:30:47.84\00:30:49.18
pause
00:30:49.21\00:30:51.08
she said, "But I
don't believe that anymore,
00:30:51.11\00:30:52.58
if you just pray with me,
00:30:52.61\00:30:54.22
maybe the Lord will
move in their behalf. "
00:30:54.25\00:30:55.78
Well...
00:30:55.82\00:30:58.62
when she died in
her hospital bed,
00:30:58.65\00:31:01.56
pause
00:31:01.59\00:31:02.92
at 34 years old...
00:31:02.96\00:31:04.63
15 minutes after
she was pronounced dead
00:31:04.66\00:31:08.43
and they took all
the leads off of her,
00:31:08.46\00:31:12.20
she woke up in her hospital bed
00:31:12.23\00:31:16.54
pause
00:31:16.57\00:31:18.61
I wouldn't be
telling you this story
00:31:18.64\00:31:20.51
if her father and
mother and brother...
00:31:20.58\00:31:22.34
seven people were there...
one including the nurse,
00:31:22.38\00:31:25.68
my brother was there...
00:31:25.71\00:31:27.05
15 minutes after
they pronounced her dead,
00:31:27.12\00:31:29.45
she woke up and
sat up on the bed...
00:31:29.48\00:31:30.99
without her glasses...
looked across the room
00:31:31.02\00:31:33.36
and said, "What time is
it?" Her mother told her...
00:31:33.39\00:31:35.42
She said, "How
could you see the clock
00:31:35.46\00:31:36.83
you don't have your glasses on?"
00:31:36.86\00:31:38.19
And she said, "I could
see it perfectly clearly... "
00:31:38.23\00:31:40.00
Pause.
00:31:40.03\00:31:41.56
She says, "If we do this right,
00:31:41.60\00:31:43.06
I could be out of
here in 15 minutes. "
00:31:43.10\00:31:46.20
This is the
woman that was dead...
00:31:46.23\00:31:47.77
pause
00:31:47.80\00:31:49.87
she said, "Mom and Dad,
00:31:49.94\00:31:51.87
if you have
anything against Jimmy...
00:31:52.04\00:31:53.38
if you do... settle it now...
00:31:53.41\00:31:54.74
get a piece of
paper and a pencil,
00:31:54.78\00:31:56.44
I want to give you instructions
about what to do with the house
00:31:56.48\00:31:58.75
and how to plan my funeral... "
00:31:58.78\00:32:00.32
she said, "I want
John to do my funeral
00:32:00.35\00:32:02.45
and I don't want it done
at the church I used to attend
00:32:02.48\00:32:05.69
pause
00:32:05.72\00:32:07.16
and I want him
at my funeral... "
00:32:07.19\00:32:10.46
she just found
out about the truth...
00:32:10.53\00:32:13.70
fearlessly she says,
00:32:13.73\00:32:15.60
I want him to give a
presentation on slides
00:32:15.63\00:32:20.64
as to what the Bible
teaches about when you die. "
00:32:20.67\00:32:24.01
Pause.
00:32:24.04\00:32:25.97
That was my commission.
00:32:26.01\00:32:27.61
Did I put a slide together?
00:32:27.64\00:32:29.18
Did I put a slide
presentation together?
00:32:29.21\00:32:31.78
Just like saying to the
dog, "Bite whoever you want... "
00:32:31.81\00:32:34.95
Here... here I am in
the Virgin Islands...
00:32:34.98\00:32:39.02
all these people I don't know...
00:32:39.05\00:32:41.39
the... the funeral parlor packed
00:32:41.42\00:32:43.73
my big evangelistic
screen... my projector...
00:32:43.76\00:32:49.30
at the time it was...
00:32:49.33\00:32:51.80
I took the... the projector...
00:32:51.83\00:32:53.23
as a matter of fact,
we were here at the time,
00:32:53.27\00:32:54.67
I remember that very well
00:32:54.70\00:32:56.04
because the old
projector we used to have...
00:32:56.07\00:32:57.64
that little old gray
one that had low lumens...
00:32:57.67\00:32:59.37
we used to use in
the Fellowship Hall
00:32:59.44\00:33:00.78
I remember taking that with
me... connected it to my laptop
00:33:00.81\00:33:03.65
and there on the screen...
00:33:03.68\00:33:05.01
walked through the Bible
teaching all these people
00:33:05.05\00:33:08.52
what the Bible
teaches... happens when you die.
00:33:08.55\00:33:12.09
Audience: Praise God.
00:33:12.12\00:33:13.49
I saw the pastors there...
00:33:13.56\00:33:15.22
I saw a person
I didn't recognize
00:33:15.29\00:33:17.83
and I found out later
that was the Catholic Priest.
00:33:17.86\00:33:19.69
Pause.
00:33:19.73\00:33:21.16
I saw the local pastor,
00:33:21.20\00:33:22.53
I knew he was of the Assemblies
of God Church... he was there.
00:33:22.56\00:33:24.50
I saw him swallowing
all through the sermon,
00:33:24.70\00:33:27.04
pause
00:33:27.14\00:33:30.11
you know what
happened as a result of that?
00:33:30.14\00:33:32.07
The very father
who'd told his daughter
00:33:32.11\00:33:35.11
to get rid of me and my brother
00:33:35.14\00:33:37.45
was the very
father who said to me...
00:33:37.48\00:33:39.55
and I... and I said to him,
00:33:39.58\00:33:41.42
"You know, in
respect to your family,
00:33:41.45\00:33:44.09
go ahead and do a funeral...
00:33:44.12\00:33:46.55
go ahead and do a
service at the Catholic Church,
00:33:46.59\00:33:48.39
out of respect
for your family. "
00:33:48.42\00:33:50.53
And he asked
the Catholic Priest,
00:33:50.56\00:33:52.56
"Can you let John sing at
my daughter's funeral service?"
00:33:52.63\00:33:56.10
The Priest said,
"No... not at this church. "
00:33:56.13\00:33:58.30
He said, "Why?"
00:33:58.33\00:33:59.67
"Because he's an Adventist
Pastor... that's why. "
00:33:59.70\00:34:01.60
And I did not
sing at the Service
00:34:01.64\00:34:04.11
but you know what that did?
00:34:04.14\00:34:05.47
That turned the
whole family around...
00:34:05.54\00:34:08.51
they said, "The real
funeral service we had
00:34:08.54\00:34:10.48
was down in
town at the Chapel...
00:34:10.55\00:34:12.48
the one you had done. "
00:34:12.51\00:34:13.85
Where I shared from
God's Word fearlessly
00:34:13.92\00:34:16.69
what the Lord
teaches in His Word
00:34:16.72\00:34:18.65
about what happens when you die.
00:34:18.69\00:34:20.56
In the closing moments of that
young lady's life, fearlessly...
00:34:20.59\00:34:24.03
standing against her
family and her tradition
00:34:24.06\00:34:26.93
of generation
after generation...
00:34:27.00\00:34:28.66
these European French people...
00:34:28.70\00:34:30.37
they... they...
they cling to their faith
00:34:30.40\00:34:33.03
like Velcro to... to lint...
00:34:33.07\00:34:35.60
and for her to make up her mind,
00:34:35.64\00:34:38.11
she said, "I don't care
what the church teaches,
00:34:38.14\00:34:41.14
I want what
God's Word teaches. "
00:34:41.18\00:34:43.48
Audience: Amen.
00:34:43.55\00:34:44.88
And she just got it...
she didn't get baptized...
00:34:44.91\00:34:47.15
but I believe I'm going
to see her when Jesus comes.
00:34:47.22\00:34:50.29
Audience: Amen.
00:34:50.32\00:34:51.65
Because when she
was on her deathbed,
00:34:51.69\00:34:53.02
my brother... there
were tears in his eyes...
00:34:53.05\00:34:54.69
he said, "We've been
praying to the Lord to heal you,
00:34:54.76\00:34:57.23
why wouldn't He heal you?"
00:34:57.26\00:34:58.99
And she said...
00:34:59.03\00:35:00.40
Lord, if we would
have the faith like...
00:35:00.43\00:35:02.36
she said, "He did heal me,
00:35:02.40\00:35:04.30
He healed me long enough
for me to give my life to Him
00:35:04.33\00:35:10.24
and He's going to lay me to rest
00:35:10.31\00:35:12.71
so that I will never have
a chance to go back out there
00:35:12.74\00:35:16.41
and turn around. "
00:35:16.48\00:35:18.15
Audience: Amen.
00:35:18.18\00:35:19.51
And her parting
words... as the family said...
00:35:19.55\00:35:22.18
with a young lady who
just learned the message...
00:35:22.22\00:35:25.29
she says, "Don't worry about me
00:35:25.32\00:35:27.39
I'm going to go to sleep...
00:35:27.46\00:35:30.03
rest until Jesus comes...
00:35:30.06\00:35:32.53
and I'll see you
in the morning. "
00:35:32.56\00:35:34.53
Audience: Amen.
00:35:34.56\00:35:36.87
Fearless...
00:35:36.90\00:35:39.13
what happens if
our family members
00:35:39.17\00:35:41.37
put us in the
precarious position
00:35:41.40\00:35:43.61
and they challenge our faith?
00:35:43.64\00:35:45.87
There's a need for people
like her in our own lives...
00:35:45.91\00:35:50.35
in our own family circles.
00:35:50.45\00:35:52.38
Last Sabbath when I spoke,
00:35:52.41\00:35:54.32
I was at the Linden
Boulevard Church in New York
00:35:54.35\00:35:57.29
and I spoke and
my sister was there
00:35:57.32\00:35:58.92
and I've been praying
for my sister my whole life,
00:35:58.95\00:36:01.66
she was at the
World Trade Center
00:36:01.69\00:36:03.43
when the buildings came down
00:36:03.46\00:36:04.79
and by God's grace...
00:36:04.83\00:36:06.16
the night before
the Lord impressed her
00:36:06.19\00:36:07.66
to go to work at 10:00 o'clock
00:36:07.70\00:36:09.03
rather than 6 a.
m. in the morning
00:36:09.06\00:36:11.23
when... if she
had gone at 6:00 a. m.
00:36:11.30\00:36:12.63
she would have died like
her other co-workers died
00:36:12.67\00:36:16.60
when the building came down.
00:36:16.64\00:36:18.04
It fell down on
them in their triage
00:36:18.07\00:36:20.48
and all of those
that worked with her...
00:36:20.51\00:36:22.84
that went to work
at 6:00 that morning
00:36:22.88\00:36:25.21
died when the
building came down.
00:36:25.25\00:36:26.72
God spared her life and
she went to work at 10:00
00:36:26.75\00:36:29.28
after the buildings came down.
00:36:29.32\00:36:30.89
Pause.
00:36:30.92\00:36:32.65
And I said to her in... in the
presence of all those people,
00:36:32.72\00:36:36.46
I said, "My sister's here today,
00:36:36.49\00:36:37.83
she works for the
Fire Department...
00:36:37.86\00:36:39.46
her boyfriend's here today...
00:36:39.49\00:36:41.23
I'm praying for both of them
00:36:41.26\00:36:42.90
that they'll be
in the kingdom. "
00:36:42.93\00:36:44.73
They live together,
I'm straight with my sister
00:36:44.77\00:36:48.97
because she's
always straight with me...
00:36:49.04\00:36:51.21
I'm praying for my
sister and her boyfriend
00:36:51.24\00:36:53.31
that they'll be in the kingdom
00:36:53.38\00:36:55.18
and I told the story and I said,
00:36:55.21\00:36:57.05
"When the buildings came down,
00:36:57.08\00:36:58.95
my sister was concerned about me
and I was concerned about her. "
00:36:58.98\00:37:01.62
Pause.
00:37:01.65\00:37:04.09
And I got a phone
call when I got home.
00:37:04.12\00:37:06.39
My sister called and said,
00:37:06.42\00:37:09.92
"Where is Angie,
let me talk to Angie. "
00:37:09.96\00:37:11.39
And Angie put it on Speaker...
00:37:11.46\00:37:13.16
because I said to my sister
in the front of the congregation
00:37:13.19\00:37:17.80
I said, "When Jesus comes...
and the lady who raised us...
00:37:17.83\00:37:22.40
Momma Haynes... we
meet in the kingdom
00:37:22.44\00:37:26.41
and she says to me,
'John, where is your sister?'"
00:37:26.44\00:37:30.75
I said to her publicly,
00:37:30.78\00:37:32.31
"Val, what am I going to
tell her if you're not here?"
00:37:32.35\00:37:36.05
Pause.
00:37:36.08\00:37:38.25
"What am I going... "
00:37:38.29\00:37:39.69
and I was
tearful when I said that.
00:37:39.72\00:37:41.12
And she called me,
00:37:41.16\00:37:42.96
she said,
"Brother, I'm listening
00:37:42.99\00:37:45.96
and I'm going to
shock you real soon. "
00:37:46.03\00:37:48.23
Amen somebody.
00:37:48.26\00:37:50.27
Audience: Amen.
00:37:50.30\00:37:52.17
I've been praying for
her since she was 16...
00:37:52.20\00:37:54.47
now she's in her 60s...
00:37:54.50\00:37:56.64
pause
00:37:56.71\00:38:00.01
because what I fear
more than fear itself
00:38:00.08\00:38:03.48
is having an opportunity
to tell somebody about Jesus
00:38:03.55\00:38:07.42
and fear prevents me
from telling them about Jesus.
00:38:07.45\00:38:11.19
Pause...
00:38:11.22\00:38:15.79
more pause...
00:38:15.82\00:38:17.63
The Psalmist David said,
00:38:17.66\00:38:20.70
in Psalm 56 and verse 11,
00:38:20.73\00:38:22.90
"In God I have put my trust;
00:38:22.93\00:38:25.10
I will not be afraid.
00:38:25.13\00:38:27.44
What can man do to me?"
00:38:27.47\00:38:29.87
What can man do to us?
00:38:29.90\00:38:32.17
Pause.
00:38:32.21\00:38:34.91
If your life was
based on you selling a car,
00:38:34.94\00:38:38.38
would you be
deterred if somebody says,
00:38:38.41\00:38:40.62
"I don't want your car?"
00:38:40.65\00:38:42.25
Absolutely not,
00:38:42.28\00:38:43.62
You'll be out
there the very next day
00:38:43.69\00:38:45.02
suit and tie...
whether you're male or female
00:38:45.05\00:38:47.26
you'll walk up to
the very next customer
00:38:47.29\00:38:49.19
as if that's the most important
person on the planet and say,
00:38:49.22\00:38:51.79
"How can I help you?"
00:38:51.83\00:38:53.16
"How can I sell a
car to you that day?"
00:38:53.19\00:38:55.06
They might say, "I
don't want your car"
00:38:55.10\00:38:57.77
you'll do the very
same thing the next day.
00:38:57.80\00:39:00.44
"Can I sell you a car?"
00:39:00.47\00:39:02.10
Because you know
that your livelihood
00:39:02.14\00:39:07.31
depends on your
determination to convince them
00:39:07.38\00:39:10.68
that you have a
vehicle that they need.
00:39:10.75\00:39:12.35
Well, you know what?
00:39:12.38\00:39:13.92
Our salvation...
the Lord has saved us...
00:39:13.95\00:39:16.99
not for the
purpose of membership
00:39:17.02\00:39:19.39
but for the purpose of
working for His Kingdom
00:39:19.42\00:39:22.09
to let... let other people know
00:39:22.12\00:39:24.79
that we don't have
a car that they need
00:39:24.83\00:39:27.30
but we have a
Savior that they need...
00:39:27.33\00:39:29.73
a message that they need.
00:39:29.80\00:39:33.03
In this day and age...
00:39:33.07\00:39:35.30
I was reading an article...
00:39:35.34\00:39:36.71
I'm going to kind of jump a
little bit from here because,
00:39:36.74\00:39:38.14
you know, in
faithfulness to the time
00:39:38.17\00:39:41.38
I'm going to
exclude a few things.
00:39:41.41\00:39:44.58
Pause.
00:39:44.61\00:39:47.85
But when we are
given the opportunity...
00:39:47.88\00:39:51.89
I remember being back
in the Heritage Singers
00:39:51.92\00:39:54.72
and I was on the bus
00:39:54.76\00:39:56.09
and we'd go from
church to church every day
00:39:56.12\00:39:59.06
and frequently in the evening
after we did the Alter Calls,
00:39:59.09\00:40:02.06
I would stay by
and pray with someone
00:40:02.10\00:40:04.27
or have... talk to someone
00:40:04.30\00:40:06.40
or just kind of encourage people
00:40:06.43\00:40:08.37
and it all of a
sudden became a trend
00:40:08.40\00:40:10.51
and what I did...
00:40:10.54\00:40:11.87
I noticed... I said to
myself, "Wait a minute,
00:40:11.91\00:40:13.24
when we pray and we have people
come forward at those concerts,
00:40:13.27\00:40:16.08
we never see them again,
00:40:16.11\00:40:17.45
we don't know
what happened to them.
00:40:17.48\00:40:18.81
So, what did I do?
00:40:18.85\00:40:20.22
At the Ranch we
had "Steps to Christ"
00:40:20.25\00:40:21.65
we had "The Desire of Ages"
00:40:21.68\00:40:23.02
and we had "The
Great Controversy"
00:40:23.05\00:40:24.72
and each one of
us had a thin locker
00:40:24.79\00:40:26.52
that had just our clothes
that we needed on the road,
00:40:26.55\00:40:29.06
we had our own drawer,
00:40:29.09\00:40:30.63
we couldn't carry very much...
00:40:30.66\00:40:32.16
most of what we had on the
road was our concert clothing
00:40:32.19\00:40:35.20
and we'd go out weeks at a time
00:40:35.23\00:40:37.20
and we'd recycle and wash
our clothes at the laundromat
00:40:37.27\00:40:40.14
and all that... but I
remember going to these people
00:40:40.17\00:40:42.97
and periodically,
00:40:43.00\00:40:44.87
the bus will be
outside waiting for me,
00:40:44.91\00:40:46.98
everybody in the bus
would say, "Where is John?"
00:40:47.01\00:40:48.58
"Oh, he's talking to somebody"
00:40:48.61\00:40:49.94
"He's praying with somebody"
00:40:49.98\00:40:51.31
"He's talking to a pastor"
00:40:51.35\00:40:52.68
"He's praying with
somebody they just met"
00:40:52.71\00:40:54.38
and I would give
them The Desire of Ages,
00:40:54.45\00:40:56.89
The Great Controversy
and the Steps to Christ
00:40:56.92\00:40:59.25
or one of the three
00:40:59.32\00:41:00.76
and I remember
somebody making the comment,
00:41:00.79\00:41:04.99
"Why are you going to give
them The Great Controversy...
00:41:05.03\00:41:07.63
don't you know that book
is going to cause trouble?"
00:41:07.66\00:41:10.30
I said, "That's the kind
of trouble I want to cause. "
00:41:10.37\00:41:12.77
Come on, say "Amen" somebody.
00:41:12.80\00:41:14.14
Give them a book that
will give them the truth
00:41:14.17\00:41:16.60
about what's going
on in our world today
00:41:16.64\00:41:18.57
so that if you
never see them again,
00:41:18.64\00:41:21.68
pause
00:41:21.71\00:41:23.78
God could take that tool...
that seed that was planted...
00:41:23.85\00:41:27.02
and make a
difference in somebody's life.
00:41:27.05\00:41:29.48
Don't you know
that's why we're here?
00:41:29.52\00:41:31.19
This church would not exist...
00:41:31.22\00:41:33.36
this church would not be
in this former corn field
00:41:33.39\00:41:36.86
if that ministry across the road
00:41:36.93\00:41:39.76
didn't believe in the undiluted
three angels' messages.
00:41:39.79\00:41:42.73
But how amazing!
00:41:42.76\00:41:45.20
We're preaching
it over the airwaves
00:41:45.23\00:41:47.14
but sometimes it's not
being preached on the ground
00:41:47.17\00:41:50.34
because we dilute it.
00:41:50.41\00:41:53.51
We're afraid to
tell it like it is.
00:41:53.71\00:41:56.58
We're afraid to
share with people...
00:41:56.61\00:41:59.41
you don't have to...
00:41:59.45\00:42:00.82
you don't have to put
people up against the wall,
00:42:00.85\00:42:02.25
like Elder E.E.
Cleveland's wife used to do,
00:42:02.28\00:42:06.15
he said, when he
stopped at a truck stop,
00:42:06.19\00:42:09.46
he'd said, "Where
is... where is my wife?"
00:42:09.49\00:42:12.73
forgot her name...
00:42:12.76\00:42:14.20
Celia... "Where is Celia?"
00:42:14.23\00:42:16.13
And she'd come out
of the Women's Room
00:42:16.16\00:42:19.10
and she'd say,
"Honey, give me some tracts,
00:42:19.13\00:42:20.94
I have some women
in the bathroom...
00:42:20.97\00:42:22.30
up against the wall... "
00:42:22.34\00:42:23.71
laughter...
00:42:23.74\00:42:25.07
she wouldn't let
them out of the bathroom
00:42:25.11\00:42:26.44
till she gave them a tract.
00:42:26.47\00:42:27.81
Pause.
00:42:27.84\00:42:31.21
But unless you plant that
seed, God can't bless it, amen.
00:42:31.28\00:42:34.92
We have got to be people
00:42:34.95\00:42:37.92
that recognize that
Jesus is coming soon
00:42:37.95\00:42:40.19
and only if the fear
factor has no more grip on us,
00:42:40.26\00:42:44.03
can we then be
lights that are unrestrained
00:42:44.06\00:42:47.96
to shine amid darkness
and people can find the light.
00:42:48.00\00:42:50.40
When Jeremiah was a young man
00:42:50.47\00:42:53.13
called to the ministry,
00:42:53.17\00:42:54.64
you know, we hear the
word, "Jeremiah the Prophet"
00:42:54.67\00:42:57.24
we think of an old
guy with a long beard
00:42:57.31\00:42:59.14
and sitting on a stool
like, you know just old...
00:42:59.17\00:43:02.58
but Jeremiah was a
young man at one time,
00:43:02.61\00:43:04.58
when God gave
Jeremiah a message,
00:43:04.61\00:43:07.65
in Jeremiah 1 verse 6 to 8,
00:43:07.68\00:43:10.62
the Lord had to
encourage Jeremiah
00:43:10.69\00:43:13.46
because Jeremiah...
after receiving the message...
00:43:13.56\00:43:16.36
after receiving the message
00:43:16.39\00:43:19.79
Jeremiah was afraid to
preach, you notice what he said,
00:43:19.83\00:43:24.00
he said, "Ah, Lord
God! Behold, I cannot speak,
00:43:24.07\00:43:28.60
for I am a youth.
00:43:28.64\00:43:31.54
But the LORD said to him,
'Do not say, I am a youth'
00:43:31.57\00:43:35.01
for you shall go to
all whom I send you,
00:43:35.04\00:43:39.81
and whatever I command
you, you shall speak. "
00:43:39.85\00:43:42.78
And I like verse 8,
because I used to be there...
00:43:42.82\00:43:45.72
when I was a young man, I
used to take my glasses off
00:43:45.79\00:43:48.66
so my eyes were blurry
00:43:48.69\00:43:50.03
so I couldn't see the
people when they got upset
00:43:50.06\00:43:52.09
laughing...
00:43:52.13\00:43:54.40
I remember being...
because I had a church, man...
00:43:54.43\00:43:56.46
they would always be writing
letters to the Conference...
00:43:56.50\00:43:58.57
they didn't like
what I preached...
00:43:58.60\00:43:59.93
I still have those letters
00:43:59.97\00:44:01.30
and the Conference would say,
00:44:01.34\00:44:02.67
"Keep on preaching
it, we're behind you"
00:44:02.70\00:44:04.51
yeah... 38 miles away...
00:44:04.54\00:44:05.94
I'm the one on Sabbath
morning so I intentionally...
00:44:05.97\00:44:09.21
Jan knows what
I'm talking about...
00:44:09.28\00:44:10.68
I intentionally
would take off my glasses
00:44:10.75\00:44:12.51
before I started
wearing contact lenses,
00:44:12.55\00:44:14.32
and I'd preach my heart out
00:44:14.35\00:44:15.75
like I'm about to
burn the building down,
00:44:15.78\00:44:17.49
and I took my glasses off
so I couldn't see their faces
00:44:17.59\00:44:21.16
because Jeremiah said...
00:44:21.19\00:44:22.89
"The Lord said to Jeremiah,
00:44:22.92\00:44:24.53
'Do not be
afraid of their faces,
00:44:24.56\00:44:26.29
for I am with you to deliver
you,' says the Lord. " Amen.
00:44:26.33\00:44:29.63
Fear... the roadblock
to somebody's salvation.
00:44:29.70\00:44:35.94
"I don't want to offend... "
00:44:35.97\00:44:37.84
this politically correct climate
00:44:37.87\00:44:41.51
is trying to press
us into the same mold.
00:44:41.58\00:44:43.75
I just recently
listened to an article...
00:44:43.78\00:44:46.55
I listened to
a... actually an exposé
00:44:46.58\00:44:49.32
by one of the chief
developers of Facebook...
00:44:49.35\00:44:53.96
a young Indian man,
00:44:53.99\00:44:55.32
he's so wealthy...
with Mark Zuckerberg...
00:44:55.36\00:44:57.99
he's won...
00:44:58.03\00:44:59.36
he knows the 150 people
that run the world financially
00:44:59.39\00:45:02.83
and he said, "When
we created Facebook,
00:45:02.86\00:45:07.07
it was never our intention for
it to become what it has become"
00:45:07.14\00:45:11.51
the dopamine that fills the
veins and minds of the society
00:45:11.54\00:45:18.25
and keeps them
drunk with media... "
00:45:18.28\00:45:20.52
He says, "Now I...
r... r... I... I am so sorry
00:45:20.55\00:45:24.89
that I even
developed Facebook. "
00:45:24.92\00:45:26.76
He said, "But I can't
speak for anybody else...
00:45:26.79\00:45:29.59
I can speak for myself,
00:45:29.62\00:45:30.96
I disconnect
from media altogether
00:45:30.99\00:45:32.96
and my children...
00:45:32.99\00:45:34.80
we have no parts
with Facebook whatsoever
00:45:34.83\00:45:37.50
because I know what
we designed it to do
00:45:37.57\00:45:40.14
and we designed Facebook to give
you that instant dopamine hit
00:45:40.17\00:45:44.37
to keep you hooked to media
00:45:44.41\00:45:46.07
and that's exactly
what it has accomplished
00:45:46.11\00:45:48.24
but I am sorry I participated. "
00:45:48.28\00:45:50.68
He's repenting, "I'm
so sorry I did that... "
00:45:50.75\00:45:53.11
because our world has become
a world addicted to things
00:45:53.15\00:45:56.08
that give them the hits
00:45:56.12\00:45:57.49
and he said, "We are
socially dysfunctional. "
00:45:57.52\00:46:00.16
We have forgotten
what's most important in life,
00:46:00.19\00:46:02.89
we have left the things
that matter for eternity
00:46:02.92\00:46:05.63
out of this... out
of the conversation
00:46:05.66\00:46:07.43
because we are pursuing things
00:46:07.50\00:46:09.90
that have made us
politically correct
00:46:09.93\00:46:11.77
while socially dysfunctional
00:46:11.80\00:46:13.54
pause
00:46:13.57\00:46:14.90
because we don't
want to offend anybody.
00:46:14.94\00:46:16.27
Pause.
00:46:16.30\00:46:22.94
I'm going to go to Revelation
chapter 2 and verse 10.
00:46:22.98\00:46:25.58
Pause.
00:46:25.61\00:46:27.22
What did the Lord
say to His church?
00:46:27.25\00:46:29.08
Pause.
00:46:29.12\00:46:30.79
He said, "Do not
fear any of those things
00:46:30.82\00:46:33.66
which are you
are about to suffer.
00:46:33.69\00:46:35.02
Indeed, the devil is about to
throw some of you into prison"
00:46:35.06\00:46:38.76
that's the only time some of you
00:46:38.79\00:46:40.90
will be participating
in Prison Ministry...
00:46:40.93\00:46:42.56
you got to get
thrown into prison...
00:46:42.60\00:46:43.97
Audience: Laughter...
00:46:44.00\00:46:45.33
"that you may be tested,
00:46:45.37\00:46:46.70
and you will have
tribulation ten days.
00:46:46.74\00:46:50.61
Be faithful unto
death, and I will do... "
00:46:50.64\00:46:54.44
what? "give you
a crown of life. "
00:46:54.51\00:46:57.71
Amen.
00:46:57.75\00:47:00.72
God was with the Israelites
00:47:00.75\00:47:02.88
and He carried
them through the Red Sea
00:47:02.95\00:47:05.25
across the Jordan
00:47:05.32\00:47:06.76
and... and the Egyptians
that tried to follow them
00:47:06.79\00:47:10.33
God drowned them.
00:47:10.43\00:47:12.96
"Be not fearful. "
00:47:12.99\00:47:15.50
God will never
put you in a situation
00:47:15.53\00:47:17.77
that He cannot
bring you through.
00:47:17.80\00:47:20.04
Do not be fearful.
00:47:20.07\00:47:22.50
"Testimonies for the Church"
00:47:22.54\00:47:24.37
volume 5 page 463,
00:47:24.41\00:47:27.48
a chilling but a very... a
very sobering few sentences,
00:47:27.51\00:47:32.81
"The work which the church
has failed to do in time...
00:47:32.85\00:47:38.15
in a time of
peace and prosperity
00:47:38.19\00:47:40.56
she will have to do
in a terrible crisis,
00:47:40.59\00:47:43.73
under most discouraging,
forbidding circumstances. "
00:47:43.76\00:47:47.30
The warnings that
worldly conformity has silenced
00:47:47.33\00:47:50.80
or withheld... "
00:47:50.87\00:47:52.20
that's what's
happened... silenced our message
00:47:52.23\00:47:54.44
made us withhold it...
00:47:54.47\00:47:56.14
will be given under
the fiercest opposition
00:47:56.17\00:47:59.54
from enemies of the faith.
00:47:59.57\00:48:01.54
and at that time,
00:48:01.58\00:48:03.48
the superficial,
conservative class,
00:48:03.55\00:48:07.15
whose influence
has steadily retarded
00:48:07.22\00:48:10.79
the progress of the work... "
00:48:10.82\00:48:12.39
in other words, they continue...
"No, no, don't say that...
00:48:12.42\00:48:14.62
no, no, don't do that...
no, no, no, not right now...
00:48:14.66\00:48:16.93
no... you're going
to get somebody upset. "
00:48:16.96\00:48:19.23
"steadily retarded
the progress of the work,
00:48:19.26\00:48:21.53
will renounce the faith,
00:48:21.56\00:48:23.20
and take their stand
with its avowed enemies... "
00:48:23.23\00:48:26.60
in other words...
00:48:26.63\00:48:27.97
those who refuse to
stand up for their faith
00:48:28.00\00:48:31.61
will one day stand
up against their faith.
00:48:31.64\00:48:33.61
Pause.
00:48:33.68\00:48:39.05
"Will stand with
its avowed enemies,
00:48:39.08\00:48:41.02
towards whom their sympathies
have long been tending. "
00:48:41.05\00:48:46.49
Pause.
00:48:46.52\00:48:48.82
I was so encouraged when I
got a call from a young lady
00:48:48.89\00:48:51.69
who's been listening to 3ABN,
00:48:51.76\00:48:53.16
3ABN Radio... she's a...
00:48:53.19\00:48:56.10
she goes to the
Assemblies of God Church...
00:48:56.13\00:48:58.30
spoke to her the other
day... just this week...
00:48:58.33\00:49:00.34
pause...
00:49:00.37\00:49:01.94
she said, "I can't believe
I'm speaking to Angela and John,
00:49:02.74\00:49:05.64
my wife... she
called her at work
00:49:05.67\00:49:07.38
and she called me at home,
00:49:07.41\00:49:08.74
she says, "I go to
this particular church"
00:49:08.78\00:49:11.35
and I could see she was
tiptoeing but she was so...
00:49:11.38\00:49:15.68
she said, "I've been
listening for a number of years
00:49:15.72\00:49:17.09
and I'm learning so much... "
00:49:17.12\00:49:20.09
so my wife said,
00:49:20.16\00:49:21.62
"Have you heard
about the Sabbath?"
00:49:21.66\00:49:24.06
"Oh, yes I have and I...
00:49:24.13\00:49:27.80
I don't think I went to
my Minister yet... oh yes...
00:49:27.83\00:49:31.27
no, I did go to my
minister about that,
00:49:31.30\00:49:33.57
and he said to me,
00:49:33.64\00:49:36.24
'Well, really the
Sabbath message is...
00:49:36.27\00:49:39.37
just pick any day you like
and make it your Sabbath. '"
00:49:39.41\00:49:42.01
That's what he told her.
00:49:42.04\00:49:44.51
But she said, "I
got 20 plus Scriptures
00:49:44.55\00:49:48.28
from the Bible... telling me
how important the Sabbath is. "
00:49:48.32\00:49:51.75
Amen.
00:49:51.79\00:49:53.12
But she continued to say,
00:49:53.15\00:49:54.49
"I started
attending an Adventist Church
00:49:54.52\00:49:56.49
and I'm going to
another one this weekend"
00:49:56.52\00:49:58.79
pray for those people
00:49:58.83\00:50:00.20
because when you're
fearlessly proclaiming
00:50:00.23\00:50:03.03
the truth of God's
Word, as it is in Christ,
00:50:03.06\00:50:06.63
always do it in
love but do not dilute it
00:50:06.67\00:50:10.21
pause
00:50:10.24\00:50:12.31
and I immediately spoke to her
00:50:12.34\00:50:14.44
and as I'm speaking to her...
00:50:14.48\00:50:16.38
those are slices of moments...
00:50:16.41\00:50:18.11
I said, "Do you have an e-mail?"
00:50:18.15\00:50:19.48
"Yes I do. "
00:50:19.51\00:50:20.85
"Can I send you some links?"
00:50:20.92\00:50:22.38
"Yes, you can. "
00:50:22.42\00:50:23.79
"Give me your e-mail"
00:50:23.82\00:50:25.15
and I sent her some
links from Amazing Facts
00:50:25.19\00:50:26.65
some particular
topics... some Bible topics...
00:50:26.69\00:50:28.72
and I said,
"Here's my phone number
00:50:28.76\00:50:30.53
read them... call me if
you have any questions. "
00:50:30.56\00:50:32.46
"Thank you so much...
" and we prayed together.
00:50:32.49\00:50:34.53
Those are moments in time...
00:50:34.60\00:50:37.37
those are small moments in time
00:50:37.40\00:50:39.93
where when we put
fear behind our faith...
00:50:39.97\00:50:44.61
not ahead of our faith...
00:50:44.64\00:50:47.01
God can do marvelous things.
00:50:47.08\00:50:49.34
I read a short
exposé by a Pastor...
00:50:49.41\00:50:53.72
Pastor Colin Smith,
00:50:53.75\00:50:55.08
he is the Senior Pastor...
just to give you the reference
00:50:55.12\00:50:57.29
of the Orchard
Evangelical Free Church
00:50:57.32\00:51:00.26
in the northwest
suburbs of Chicago
00:51:00.29\00:51:03.19
he wrote an article that
had a particular point in it
00:51:03.22\00:51:05.89
that grabbed my attention
00:51:05.93\00:51:07.30
and the article was entitled,
00:51:07.33\00:51:08.66
"Why are there so
many fearful Christians?"
00:51:08.70\00:51:11.20
Pause.
00:51:11.23\00:51:12.63
And he goes on to say,
00:51:12.67\00:51:14.04
"Sometimes it
seems that there are...
00:51:14.07\00:51:17.11
is much fear in the church...
00:51:17.14\00:51:18.97
that there is as
much fear in the church
00:51:19.01\00:51:21.51
as there is in the world.
00:51:21.54\00:51:23.58
Pause.
00:51:23.65\00:51:25.58
When Peter says, 'Do
not fear what they say'
00:51:25.61\00:51:28.15
your honest
response may be to say,
00:51:28.18\00:51:31.39
'That sounds great
but I'm not there yet. '
00:51:31.42\00:51:34.76
Why are you not there?
00:51:34.79\00:51:36.73
Why are there so
many fearful Christians?
00:51:36.76\00:51:40.60
Why are we not
more obviously different
00:51:40.63\00:51:44.20
from the culture of
fear in which we live?
00:51:44.27\00:51:47.74
The answer is
00:51:47.77\00:51:50.31
that the self-exalting
spirit of the world
00:51:50.34\00:51:53.68
has widely
permeated the church. "
00:51:53.71\00:51:56.48
It's all about us.
00:51:56.51\00:51:58.08
It's all about
how people perceive us
00:51:58.11\00:52:01.28
rather than how they
perceive the Jesus in us
00:52:01.32\00:52:04.39
and you don't need a
sledgehammer to share your faith
00:52:04.42\00:52:06.65
you could do it on the plane...
00:52:06.69\00:52:08.19
when we go to
places, we leave tracts,
00:52:08.22\00:52:11.16
put it inside the
American Airlines magazine...
00:52:11.23\00:52:14.46
or put it in the menu
00:52:14.53\00:52:16.36
or give a tip to the waiter...
a good tip with a tract
00:52:16.40\00:52:19.80
if you give him a dollar, he's
going to put that tract away,
00:52:19.83\00:52:22.77
give him a tip with a tract...
00:52:22.80\00:52:25.91
find ways of planting
seeds because, you know what?
00:52:25.94\00:52:28.54
One plants... another waters
00:52:28.61\00:52:31.58
but God gives the increase.
00:52:31.61\00:52:34.55
But if the fear
factor is what grips us
00:52:34.58\00:52:36.62
more than anything else,
00:52:36.69\00:52:38.02
the Lord will
never be able to use us
00:52:38.05\00:52:40.26
for the kingdom of God.
00:52:40.29\00:52:42.52
Pause.
00:52:42.56\00:52:45.36
We are told in
"Testimonies for the Church"
00:52:45.39\00:52:47.96
book 5 page 463
these closing words,
00:52:48.00\00:52:52.33
"The day is just before us.
00:52:52.37\00:52:54.54
The members of the
church will individually... "
00:52:54.57\00:52:58.27
will what?
00:52:58.31\00:52:59.64
"individually be
tested and proved. "
00:52:59.67\00:53:02.58
Are you ready for the test?
00:53:02.61\00:53:04.08
"They will be
placed in circumstances
00:53:04.15\00:53:07.55
where they will be forced
to be a witness for the truth.
00:53:07.62\00:53:11.52
Many will be called
to speak before councils
00:53:11.55\00:53:15.42
and in courts of justice,
00:53:15.46\00:53:18.36
perhaps separately and alone. "
00:53:18.39\00:53:21.00
Nobody there to speak for you,
00:53:21.03\00:53:23.57
Elder ain't there...
Pastor's not there...
00:53:23.60\00:53:26.37
Sabbath School
Teacher's not there...
00:53:26.40\00:53:27.97
Evangelist is not
there... by yourself...
00:53:28.00\00:53:29.54
pause
00:53:29.57\00:53:31.74
"The experience which
would have helped them...
00:53:31.77\00:53:35.31
which would have
helped them in this emergency
00:53:35.34\00:53:38.81
they have neglected to obtain,
00:53:38.85\00:53:41.45
and their souls are
burdened with remorse
00:53:41.48\00:53:44.85
for wasted opportunities
and neglected privileges. "
00:53:44.89\00:53:50.26
And all these
opportunities granted for us
00:53:50.43\00:53:53.80
in preparation for
the coming of our Lord
00:53:53.83\00:53:57.07
when we don't allow
ourselves to be the vessels
00:53:57.10\00:54:02.00
through which
God's Spirit works,
00:54:02.04\00:54:04.11
we will become the vessel
00:54:04.14\00:54:07.58
through which the enemy
of God's work will work.
00:54:07.61\00:54:11.75
Either your faith
will capture your fear
00:54:11.78\00:54:16.35
or your fear will
capture your faith.
00:54:16.38\00:54:20.96
But if you're fearful...
00:54:20.99\00:54:24.46
God has not given
us the spirit of fear
00:54:24.49\00:54:26.59
but of love... of
power and of a sound mind.
00:54:26.63\00:54:31.77
How many of you
today want to recommit
00:54:31.80\00:54:34.27
to being a people of the hour...
00:54:34.30\00:54:37.74
in a fearful world, we
can stand with a fearless God.
00:54:37.77\00:54:42.44
How many of you want
that commitment today?
00:54:42.48\00:54:43.85
Would you stand
with me this morning
00:54:43.88\00:54:45.35
pause
00:54:45.38\00:54:46.72
I want to sing one
stanza of that closing hymn
00:54:46.75\00:54:49.58
and then I'm
going to pray that...
00:54:49.62\00:54:51.39
that God will give us
the wisdom to not be fearful
00:54:51.42\00:54:55.49
but be fearless...
00:54:55.52\00:54:58.56
"Fear not I am with you,
00:54:58.59\00:55:00.50
be not dismayed, I am your God.
00:55:00.53\00:55:02.73
I will strengthen
you, I will help you,
00:55:02.76\00:55:04.40
I will uphold you with
my righteous right arm. "
00:55:04.43\00:55:07.57
That promise is
available to us today...
00:55:07.64\00:55:09.90
where can you go?
00:55:09.94\00:55:11.27
If you're fearless... anywhere
00:55:11.31\00:55:13.04
anywhere with Jesus...
00:55:13.11\00:55:14.51
let's sing this song
before we close with prayer.
00:55:14.54\00:55:17.95
Anywhere with
Jesus I can safely go,
00:55:17.98\00:55:24.79
anywhere He leads
me in this world below.
00:55:24.82\00:55:31.19
Anywhere without Him
dearest joys would fade,
00:55:31.23\00:55:37.60
anywhere with
Jesus I am not afraid.
00:55:37.63\00:55:44.01
How? Anywhere anywhere...
00:55:44.04\00:55:47.38
listen...
00:55:47.41\00:55:48.74
fear I cannot know,
00:55:48.78\00:55:51.88
anywhere with
Jesus I can safely go.
00:55:51.91\00:55:56.79
How many of you
want to go with Jesus?
00:55:56.82\00:56:01.62
Where do you want to go?
00:56:01.66\00:56:03.26
Anywhere.
00:56:03.29\00:56:04.63
Anywhere His Spirit
decides to send you.
00:56:04.66\00:56:07.20
If you wake up
tomorrow morning and say,
00:56:07.23\00:56:09.83
"Lord, send me some place
to do an Evangelist Series... "
00:56:09.86\00:56:14.14
He might turn you into Philip
00:56:14.17\00:56:15.94
and send you to one
person... that Eunuch somewhere
00:56:15.97\00:56:19.94
in the midst of a society that
is aching to hear about Jesus
00:56:19.97\00:56:23.65
and the gospel
went back to Ethiopia
00:56:23.68\00:56:26.85
and Ethiopia hasn't
been the same since.
00:56:26.92\00:56:29.95
Just one man... one woman
asking God to make a difference
00:56:30.02\00:56:34.66
don't allow the Fear Factor
to crush your Faith Factor.
00:56:34.69\00:56:38.93
God wants to do in you
more than you can ever imagine
00:56:38.96\00:56:43.13
if you simply
commit your life to him.
00:56:43.16\00:56:45.37
"Our Father in heaven,
00:56:45.40\00:56:47.04
in this society
00:56:47.07\00:56:49.47
where men's hearts
are failing them for fear,
00:56:49.54\00:56:51.61
in this tragic world...
00:56:51.64\00:56:54.38
in our nation where people are
fearful about going outside...
00:56:54.41\00:56:59.28
going back to school...
00:56:59.35\00:57:00.72
going to work...
00:57:00.75\00:57:02.32
places that should be safe...
00:57:02.35\00:57:05.99
have become
places filled with fear
00:57:06.02\00:57:09.66
and in our
hearts and in our minds
00:57:09.69\00:57:13.26
we are shutting ourselves
in hoping to preserve our lives
00:57:13.29\00:57:15.93
hoping to find courage
00:57:15.96\00:57:18.90
to make it through the
next crisis that will come,
00:57:18.93\00:57:21.34
and paint the news
with its tragic stories,
00:57:21.37\00:57:24.24
pause
00:57:24.31\00:57:25.77
Lord Jesus, the church is being
attacked in a different way...
00:57:25.81\00:57:29.01
in a spiritual way
00:57:29.04\00:57:31.18
Satan has turned his
weapons against the church
00:57:31.21\00:57:34.02
compromise...
00:57:34.05\00:57:35.52
a vacillating
uncertain spirit...
00:57:35.55\00:57:39.05
uncertain about
whether or not to stand firm...
00:57:39.12\00:57:44.23
uncertain about whether or not
00:57:44.26\00:57:46.06
somebody will be
turned off or offended,
00:57:46.09\00:57:48.03
oh Lord, help us to
remember what the Apostle said,
00:57:48.06\00:57:51.50
'Have I become your enemy
because I tell you the truth?'
00:57:51.53\00:57:54.04
Help us lovingly
Father but determiningly
00:57:54.07\00:57:58.84
sow seeds of faith in our
family... in our community...
00:57:58.87\00:58:02.71
in our workplace...
00:58:02.74\00:58:04.18
among those we meet...
in the avenues of life...
00:58:04.25\00:58:08.32
so that when fear is
replaced with eternal faith,
00:58:08.35\00:58:12.42
we will be able to hear,
00:58:12.45\00:58:14.89
'Well done, thou good
and faithful servant...
00:58:14.96\00:58:17.16
you endured
hardship as a good soldier,
00:58:17.23\00:58:20.13
you've been faithful
over that which is least...
00:58:20.20\00:58:22.96
I will now make you
ruler over that which is much,
00:58:23.03\00:58:25.80
enter now into
the joy of thy Lord. '
00:58:25.83\00:58:28.50
May this be our experience
00:58:28.54\00:58:31.37
in Jesus' name I pray...
00:58:31.41\00:58:34.21
and God's people
said... amen and amen. "
00:58:34.28\00:58:39.25