Participants: Pr. John Carter
Series Code: CR
Program Code: CR000913
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00:00 [MUSIC]
00:07 >> FROM ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA, THE CARTER REPORT PRESENTS, 00:10 "THE LIVING WORD AROUND THE WORLD." 00:17 >> YOU KNOW WHO AN OPTOMETRIST 00:19 IS, DON'T YOU? 00:20 HE'S A PERSON WHO CHECKS OUT YOUR EYES. 00:23 ONE OPTOMETRIST HAD A SIGN OUTSIDE HIS PRACTICE OR HIS 00:28 SHOP OR HIS BUSINESS. 00:31 IT'S REALLY QUITE GOOD. 00:32 IT SAID, "YOU CAN'T BE OPTIMISTIC IF YOU'VE GOT 00:38 MISTY OPTICS." 00:42 FOLKS, THINK ABOUT IT FOR A MINUTE, OKAY? 00:45 YOU CAN'T BE WHAT? 00:47 OPTIMISTIC. 00:48 IF YOU GOT MISTY OPTICS. 00:51 IN OTHER WORDS, YOU CAN'T BE OPTIMISTIC IF YOU DON'T 00:55 SEE CLEARLY. 00:58 AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH MOST FOLKS, 01:01 THEY DON'T SEE CLEARLY. 01:04 WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT IT TODAY AND HOW YOU CAN BE OPTIMISTIC 01:09 IN SPITE OF FINANCIAL PROBLEMS. 01:11 THE TOPIC TODAY IS A GREAT TOPIC, "FOUR GREAT TRUTHS 01:17 FOR HURTING PEOPLE WHEN TIMES ARE TOUGH." 01:23 STAY WITH US TODAY. 01:24 BUT WOULD YOU PLEASE WELCOME MY WIFE, BEVERLY LYNETTE CARTER 01:29 WHO'S GONNA COME AND TALK TO US. 01:32 [APPLAUDING] 01:39 >> A FRIEND WAITING IN A DOCTOR'S WAITING ROOM WAS 01:43 READING SOME OF THE INFORMATIVE POSTERS THAT THEY'D PLACED ON 01:46 THE WALL, AND ONE STOOD OUT IN PARTICULAR, SHE HAPPENED TO BE 01:50 EXPECTING HER FIRST CHILD. 01:52 AND THIS POSTER SAID, "THE FIRST 2 MINUTES 01:55 OF LIFE ARE VERY CRITICAL." 01:58 AND SOME JOKER HAD SCRIBBLED UNDERNEATH "THE LAST TWO 02:02 ARE PRETTY DICEY AS WELL." 02:05 AND I SAID TO HER, WELL, THE NEXT TIME YOU GO, PERHAPS 02:08 YOU CAN SCRIBBLE UNDERNEATH, "WHAT COMES IN BETWEEN CAN ALSO 02:12 BE VERY CHALLENGING." 02:15 SOME OF THE GREATEST EXAMPLES OF COURAGE, AND YOU KNOW 02:19 COURAGE, I THINK IT LIFE SHOULD BE SPELLED C-O-U-R-A-G-E, 02:25 COURAGE, DON'T YOU? 02:27 BECAUSE WE OFTEN NEED IT AS WE TRAVEL OUR LIFE'S JOURNEY. 02:31 IN THE BIBLE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, WE'VE--MOST OF US 02:35 KNOW THE STORY OF DANIEL AND HIS THREE FRIENDS. 02:39 THEY WERE THRUST INTO A PAGAN SOCIETY ENTIRELY ALIEN TO THEIR 02:44 BACKGROUND AND BELIEFS. 02:46 WE TODAY, FACE AN INCREASINGLY SIMILAR WORLD. 02:52 DANIEL AND HIS THREE FRIENDS WITHSTOOD THE TEST OF THEIR 02:56 FAITH BECAUSE THEY HAD DECIDED IN THEIR YOUTH THAT THEIR TOP 03:00 PRIORITY WAS NOT TO BE RICH AND FAMOUS, BUT RATHER TO BE 03:05 FAITHFUL TO THEIR GOD. 03:08 THEN WE COME TO THE NEW TESTAMENT, AND THERE'S 03:10 NO BETTER EXAMPLE OF COURAGE THAN THE APOSTLE PAUL. 03:14 LET'S LOOK AT SOME WORDS FROM HIS LETTER TO THE PHILIPPIANS. 03:17 NOW SOME YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE LIVING IN TEXAS, I WAS HOME 03:21 BY MYSELF AND I WAS FEELING A LITTLE DISCOURAGED. 03:24 I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS ABOUT. 03:27 BUT ANYWAY, I WENT INTO THE BATHROOM, NOW IF YOU DON'T KNOW 03:31 TEXAS, THE HOMES IN TEXAS HAVE HUGE BATHROOMS AND THEY'RE 03:35 VERY NICE TOO. 03:36 SO FOR SOME REASON I WENT INTO THE BATHROOM, SHUT THE DOOR, 03:40 AND I READ THROUGH THE LETTER TO THE PHILIPPIANS, ONLY FOUR 03:43 VERSES SO IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG. 03:45 AND AFTER READING IT OUT LOUD, I WAS GREATLY ENCOURAGED. 03:51 NOW THIS LETTER WAS WRITTEN BY PAUL IN PRISON, AND SO WE COULD 03:55 THINK, YOU KNOW HE WOULD BE DISCOURAGED. 03:58 BUT NO, THIS BOOK IS FULL OF HOPE AND JOY. 04:04 I'M JUST GOING TO PICK OUT A FEW GEMS. 04:07 AS I SAID, HE WAS IN PRISON. 04:09 PAUL'S WORLD WAS CONTINUALLY CHALLENGING AND YET, HE SAYS 04:14 IN CHAPTER 4, "I HAVE LEARNED TO BE CONTENT WHATEVER 04:20 THE CIRCUMSTANCES. 04:22 NOW HOW MANY PEOPLE, OR CONTENTED PEOPLE, DO YOU KNOW? 04:28 ARE YOU AND I CONTENT, OR ARE WE DISCONTENTED? 04:34 ARE WE ALWAYS CHASING THINGS? 04:37 ARE WE FULL OF ANXIETY OVER WORLD EVENTS? 04:41 AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULDN'T BE CONCERNED OVER 04:43 THINGS, BUT NOT TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE DISCONTENTED 04:47 WHICH LEADS TO DISCOURAGEMENT. 04:49 WELL, LET'S LOOK AT PAUL'S SECRET WEAPON 04:52 AGAINST DISCONTENTMENT. 04:54 IT'S FOUND IN CHAPTER 3:10 HE SAYS, "THAT I MAY KNOW HIM." 05:00 IN ANOTHER VERSE HE TALKS ABOUT "KNOWING CHRIST, MY LORD." 05:05 NOT JUST GATHERING INFORMATION ABOUT HIM, BUT HE ACTUALLY 05:09 KNEW HIM. 05:10 AND THE BETTER HE GOT TO KNOW HIM, THE MORE HE LOVED HIM. 05:16 HE GOES ON TO SAY, "REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS." 05:20 REJOICE IN HIM AS OUR CREATOR, OUR REDEEMER. 05:23 REJOICE IN THE HOPE OF THE SECOND COMING. 05:25 REJOICE IN HIS PROMISE THAT HE 05:28 WILL NEVER, NEVER LEAVE US. 05:31 IN OTHER WORDS, PRAISE HIM FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE, WHAT HE IS 05:36 DOING AND WHAT HE WILL DO IN THE FUTURE. 05:40 IF YOU'RE WATCHING THIS TELECAST AS A NEW CHRISTIAN 05:43 OR YOU'RE A YOUNG CHRISTIAN HERE IN OUR CHURCH, I WOULD 05:48 ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ PHILIPPIANS AND EPHESIANS OUT 05:52 LOUD BECAUSE THEY HOLD THE BEST PRESCRIPTION FOR PEACE OF MIND 05:58 AND ENCOURAGEMENT THAT I KNOW. 06:01 AND IN PAUL'S WORDS, MAY GOD'S GRACE AND PEACE BE WITH YOU 06:06 TODAY AND ALWAYS. 06:10 [APPLAUDING] 06:20 >> THE TOPIC TODAY IS 06:22 "FOUR GREAT TRUTHS FOR HURTING PEOPLE WHEN TIMES ARE TOUGH." 06:33 I'VE NEVER, DURING 25 YEARS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, 06:38 SEEN SO MANY ANGRY AMERICANS. 06:42 WHEN I WAS OVER IN AUSTRALIA NOT LONG AGO, I'D NEVER SEEN 06:46 SO MANY ANGRY AUSTRALIANS. 06:52 PEOPLE SEEM TO BE MAD. 06:52 PEOPLE ARE ANGRY WITH 06:58 THE GOVERNMENT. 07:01 CALIFORNIANS ARE ANGRY WITH SACRAMENTO, AND SOME ARE EVEN 07:08 ANGRY WITH THE GOVERNATOR. 07:13 REPUBLICANS ARE ANGRY WITH THE DEMOCRATS AND THE DEMOCRATS ARE 07:20 ANGRY WITH THE REPUBLICANS AND THE INDEPENDENTS ARE MAD 07:26 AT EVERYONE. 07:29 THERE'S A LOT OF ANGER GOING AROUND, MY FRIEND. 07:32 THERE'S ANGER FOR ANYBODY. 07:33 MOST FOLKS ARE ANGRY WITH THE BANKS. 07:36 HAVE YOU BEEN ANGRY WITH THE BANKS? 07:39 MOST FOLKS ARE HUFFING MAD WITH THE CEOs. 07:43 THESE GUYS, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE IN A GREAT RECESSION, 07:46 PAID THEMSELVES MILLIONS AND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS 07:48 OF THESE FAT BONUSES. 07:50 THE JURY AND THE JUDGE WERE MAD WITH MADOFF, THEY WERE SO MAD 07:57 WITH MADOFF. 07:59 GOT A NICE RING TO IT, FOLKS, DOESN'T IT? 08:01 SO MAD WITH MADOFF THAT THEY THREW HIM INTO PRISON, 08:04 HOW LONG WAS IT? 08:05 A HUNDRED FIFTY YEARS. 08:07 HE'S GONNA BE 250 WHEN HE GETS OUT. 08:10 HE'LL BE REALLY MAD WHEN HE GETS OUT. 08:14 PEOPLE ARE MAD WITH THE HEALTH-CARE SYSTEM BECAUSE THIS 08:17 IS THE WEALTHIEST NATION ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH, AND THERE 08:22 ARE TENS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO GOT NO HEALTH CARE AT ALL 08:26 AND LOTS OF OTHER FOLKS ARE AS MAD AS HORNETS THAT THEY'RE 08:31 GOING TO HAVE TO PAY THE BILLS. 08:35 MANY FOLKS ARE MAD AT THE FISCAL IRRESPONSIBILITY 08:40 THAT HAS PRODUCED THE LARGEST DEFICIT IN THE HISTORY 08:45 OF THE HUMAN RACE. 08:49 NOW SOME GUY WILL GET UP IN WASHINGTON AND SAY, "WELL, 08:52 WE'RE JUST GOING TO SPEND ANOTHER $2 TRILLION, 08:55 NEXT YEAR, ANOTHER $2 TRILLION." 08:57 SOON IT'S GONNA BE $30 TRILLION. 09:01 BUT LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE MAD ABOUT THE DEFICIT. 09:06 PEOPLE HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, LOTS OF THEM 09:09 ARE MAD AT THE ILLEGALS. 09:15 THEY SAY, "WE GOT A BILLION ILLEGALS HERE." 09:18 AND MANY OF THE ILLEGALS ARE ANGRY WITH THE LEGALS. 09:26 THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY SHORTAGE OF ANGER IN AMERICA. 09:33 LISTEN TO THIS, IT IS A FACT, NOT A PROMISE. 09:39 IT IS A FACT. 09:42 LET ME WRITE THIS UP ON THE BLACKBOARD. 09:45 ANGER, ANGER CAUSES, YOU KNOW WHAT IT CAUSES? 09:54 IT CAUSES DEPRESSION. 09:59 THIS IS VERY, VERY HARD FOR DEPRESSED PEOPLE TO ADMIT. 10:08 THERE ARE OTHER REASONS FOR DEPRESSION, BUT THE MAIN CAUSE 10:13 FOR DEPRESSION IS ANGER. 10:17 IF YOU DON'T DEAL WITH YOUR ANGER, IT TURNS INSIDE YOU 10:24 AND MAKES YOU DEPRESSED, AND DEPRESSED PEOPLE ARE UNHAPPY, 10:33 MISERABLE PEOPLE. 10:36 THAT IS WHY THERE ARE SO MANY MILLIONS AND MILLIONS AND 10:41 MILLIONS OF PEOPLE POPPING PILLS IN AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, 10:47 AND THE RUSSIANS ARE CATCHING ON. 10:51 BECAUSE ANGER, UNLESS YOU DEAL WITH IT PROPERLY, THE BIBLE 10:57 SAYS BE ANGRY BUT DON'T SIN. 10:58 DON'T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON YOUR WRATH. 11:01 THE BIBLE TELLS ME, DOCTORS CONFIRM IT, THAT ANGER IS 11:07 THE MAIN CAUSE OF DEPRESSION. 11:07 OUR TOPIC, HERE IT IS, 11:11 FOUR GREAT TRUTHS FOR HURTING, DEPRESSED, SAD PEOPLE 11:17 WHEN TIMES ARE TOUGH. 11:19 THE THEME TEXT IS JOHN 10:10. 11:22 PLEASE TAKE YOUR BIBLES. 11:24 THIS IS A BIBLE-READING, BIBLE-BELIEVING CHURCH. 11:27 ARE YOU GLAD YOU'RE IN CHURCH HERE TODAY, I ASK YOU? 11:31 YEAH, I'M GLAD TO BE HERE IN CHURCH. 11:33 IN FACT, I'M GLAD TO BE ANYWHERE, BUT I'M GLAD TO BE 11:36 HERE IN THIS GREAT CHURCH. 11:38 AND IF YOU'RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, COME SEE US. 11:41 IF YOU LIVE HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, COME SEE US. 11:44 100 WEST DUARTE ROAD, ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA. 11:47 THIS IS A GREAT BIBLE-READING CHURCH. 11:52 NOW LET ME GET TO THIS TEXT. 11:54 THE WORDS OF JESUS, JOHN 10:10, JESUS SAID, "THE THIEF COMES 11:58 ONLY TO STEAL AND TO KILL AND TO DESTROY." 12:02 SAY IT WITH ME, COME ON, "I HAVE COME THAT THEY 12:05 MAY HAVE," COME ON, "HAVE LIFE, AND HAVE IT 12:08 TO THE FULL." 12:09 THE BEAUTIFUL KING JAMES VERSION THAT I LOVE WITH ALL MY 12:12 HEART SAYS, THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE AND HAVE IT, YOU KNOW 12:17 WHAT IT SAYS? 12:19 MORE ABUNDANTLY. 12:22 BUT YOU CAN'T HAVE ABUNDANT LIFE IF YOU'RE DEPRESSED 12:27 BECAUSE YOU'RE SO ANGRY. 12:31 AND SO TODAY, THE TOPIC IS FOUR GREAT, MARVELOUS, UPBEAT SAVING 12:38 TRUTHS FOR HURTING PEOPLE IN TIMES OF STRESS, WHEN TIMES 12:44 ARE TOUGH. 12:45 HERE IS THE FIRST GREAT TRUTH, HERE IT COMES. 12:48 GOD LOVES ME AND I AM NOT ALONE. 12:52 THIS IS SO IMPORTANT, SO GOOD, I'M GONNA WRITE IT UP HERE 12:55 ON THE BLACKBOARD. 12:56 GONNA PUT THIS UP HERE. 12:58 GOD, SAY IT WITH ME, "GOD LOVES ME AND I AM NOT ALONE." 13:10 GOD LOVES ME AND I AM NOT ALONE. 13:14 IF YOU'RE STRUGGLING, SOMETIMES YOU FEEL DESPERATELY ALONE. 13:20 I HAVE FELT ALONE. 13:22 THAT'S BECAUSE I'VE FORGOTTEN THE GREAT TRUTH THAT GOD LOVES 13:26 ME, AND I'M NOT ALONE. 13:29 I WANT YOU TO COME OVER HERE TO THE STORY OF A GREAT MAN 13:31 WHO FELT ALONE. 13:32 1 KINGS 18 AND VERSE 44-45 AND THEN DOWN TO CHAPTER 19 13:39 AND ONWARDS. 13:40 "MEANWHILE, THE SKY GREW BLACK WITH CLOUDS, THE WIND ROSE, 13:44 A HEAVY RAIN CAME ON AND AHAB RODE OFF TO JEZREEL." 13:49 NOTICE THIS WORD, AHAB, THIS MAN. 13:52 "THE POWER OF THE LORD CAME UPON ELIJAH AND, TUCKING HIS 13:55 CLOAK INTO HIS BELT, HE RAN AHEAD OF AHAB ALL THE WAY 13:59 TO JEZREEL." 14:00 BECAUSE HE HAD THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD RESTING UPON HIM. 14:04 CHAPTER 19, "NOW AHAB TOLD JEZEBEL EVERYTHING ELIJAH HAD 14:09 DONE AND HOW HE HAD KILLED ALL THE PROPHETS WITH THE SWORD. 14:13 SO JEZEBEL SENT A MESSENGER TO ELIJAH TO SAY, 'MAY THE GODS 14:18 DEAL WITH ME, BE IT EVER SO SEVERELY, IF BY THIS TIME 14:24 TOMORROW I DO NOT MAKE YOUR LIFE LIKE THAT OF ONE OF THEM.'" 14:29 IN OTHER WORDS, "I'M GONNA KILL YOU." 14:32 "ELIJAH WAS AFRAID AND RAN FOR HIS LIFE. 14:37 WHEN HE CAME TO BEERSHEBA IN JUDAH, HE LEFT HIS SERVANT 14:40 THERE, WHILE HE HIMSELF WENT A DAY'S JOURNEY INTO THE DESERT. 14:45 HE CAME TO A BROOM TREE, SAT DOWN UNDER IT AND PRAYED 14:50 THAT HE MIGHT DIE." 14:51 HAVE YOU EVER PRAYED THAT YOU MIGHT DIE? 14:55 "I'VE HAD ENOUGH, LORD," HE SAID. 14:58 HAVE YOU EVER SAID THAT? 15:00 I'VE HAD ENOUGH, LORD. 15:02 I'VE SAID THAT. 15:04 "'I HAVE HAD ENOUGH, LORD,' HE SAID. 15:07 'TAKE MY LIFE; I AM NO BETTER THAN MY ANCESTORS.' 15:09 THEN HE LAY DOWN UNDER THE TREE AND FELL ASLEEP." 15:12 NERVOUS EXHAUSTION. 15:15 "ALL AT ONCE AN ANGEL TOUCHED HIM AND SAID, 'GET UP AND EAT.' 15:20 HE DIDN'T PREACH TO HIM, HE GAVE HIM SOMETHING TO EAT. 15:25 HE LOOKED AROUND, AND THERE BY HIS HEAD WAS A CAKE OF BREAD 15:29 BAKED OVER HOT COALS, AND A JAR OF WATER. 15:33 HE ATE AND DRANK AND THEN LAY DOWN AGAIN. 15:36 THE ANGEL OF THE LORD CAME BACK A SECOND TIME AND TOUCHED HIM 15:39 AND SAID, 'GET UP AND EAT, FOR THE JOURNEY IS TOO MUCH 15:43 FOR YOU.' SO HE GOT UP AND ATE AND DRANK. 15:48 STRENGTHENED BY THAT FOOD, HE TRAVELED FORTY DAYS AND FORTY 15:51 NIGHTS UNTIL HE REACHED HOREB, THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD," 15:56 DOWN IN MOUNT SINAI. 15:57 "THEN HE WENT INTO A CAVE AND SPENT THE NIGHT." 16:02 FEELING BLACK INSIDE, DEPRESSED. 16:06 "THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO HIM: 'WHAT ARE YOU 16:10 DOING HERE, ELIJAH?' HE REPLIED, 'I HAVE BEEN 16:15 VERY ZEALOUS FOR THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY. 16:17 THE ISRAELITES HAVE REJECTED YOUR COVENANT, BROKEN DOWN YOUR 16:20 ALTARS, AND PUT YOUR PROPHETS TO DEATH WITH THE SWORD. 16:25 I AM THE ONLY ONE LEFT, AND NOW THEY ARE TRYING 16:28 TO KILL ME TOO.' THE LORD SAID, 'GO OUT 16:31 AND STAND ON THE MOUNTAIN IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD, FOR 16:34 THE LORD IS ABOUT TO PASS BY.' THEN A GREAT AND POWERFUL WIND 16:40 TORE THE MOUNTAINS APART AND SHATTERED THE ROCKS BEFORE 16:43 THE LORD, BUT THE LORD WAS NOT IN THE WIND. 16:50 AFTER THE WIND, THERE WAS AN EARTHQUAKE, BUT THE LORD WAS 16:57 NOT IN THE EARTHQUAKE. 17:00 AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE CAME A FIRE, BUT THE LORD WAS NOT 17:06 IN THE FIRE. 17:08 AND AFTER THE FIRE CAME A GENTLE WHISPER. 17:13 WHEN ELIJAH HEARD IT, HE PULLED HIS CLOAK OVER HIS FACE 17:17 AND WENT OUT AND STOOD AT THE MOUTH OF THE CAVE. 17:23 THEN A VOICE SAID TO HIM, 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, ELIJAH?' 17:31 HE REPLIED, 'I HAVE BEEN VERY ZEALOUS FOR THE LORD 17:34 GOD ALMIGHTY. 17:36 THE ISRAELITES HAVE REJECTED YOUR COVENANT, BROKEN DOWN YOUR 17:39 ALTARS, AND PUT YOUR PROPHETS TO DEATH WITH THE SWORD. 17:44 I AM THE ONLY ONE LEFT, AND NOW THEY ARE TRYING 17:46 TO KILL ME ALSO.'" LOOK, IN THE MIDST OF HIS 17:55 DESPAIR WHEN TIMES WERE TOUGH, GOD CALLED HIM BY NAME BECAUSE 18:03 WE ARE NEVER ALONE BECAUSE GOD LOVES US. 18:09 AND THEN GOD HAD A LITTLE TALK WITH THE PROPHET, 18:12 AND IF YOU NOTICE VERSE 18, HE TOLD HIM SOMETHING. 18:16 ELIJAH SAID, "I'M THE ONLY PERSON LEFT. 18:18 THE REST IN THE CHURCH HAVE ALL APOSTATIZED." 18:21 HE SAID VERSE 18, "YET I RESERVE SEVEN THOUSAND IN 18:26 ISRAEL-ALL WHOSE KNEES HAVE NOT BOWED DOWN TO BAAL 18:30 AND ALL WHOSE MOUTHS HAVE NOT KISSED HIM." 18:35 LISTEN, MY HURTING FRIEND, LISTEN, MY ANGRY, DEPRESSED 18:43 FRIEND, GOD SAID TO HIS SERVANT THE PROPHET WHO FELT 18:50 THAT HE WANTED TO DIE. 18:52 HE SAID, "ACTUALLY IT'S 7,000 TIMES BETTER 18:56 THAN WHAT YOU THINK." 18:59 HE SAID, "IT MIGHT NOT LOOK GOOD, BUT IT'S 7,000 TIMES 19:03 BETTER THAN APPEARANCES." 19:06 I WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS, MY FRIEND. 19:09 GOD LOVES ME AND HE LOVES YOU, AND I AM NOT ALONE AND IT IS 19:17 7,000 TIMES BETTER THAN WHAT WE CAN IMAGINE. 19:27 PEOPLE SOMETIMES EVEN COME TO US BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE 19:30 HAVEN'T GOT A JET, AND THEY COME TO US AND THEY 19:32 SAY, "YOU GO TO RUSSIA? 19:36 WHY DO YOU REALLY GO TO RUSSIA? 19:37 YOU'VE JUST COME BACK FROM THIS GREAT CAMPAIGN IN VOLGOGRAD. 19:39 WHY DO YOU GO?" 19:43 IF I COULD SUM IT UP, MY FRIEND, LET ME TELL YOU 19:46 WHAT IT IS. 19:47 WE GO TO RUSSIA TO TELL PEOPLE GOD LOVES ME, AND I AM 19:49 NOT ALONE. 19:57 WE TAKE WITH US A TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS AND A TEAM 20:00 OF VOLUNTEERS. 20:02 WE'VE TAKEN TO THESE COUNTRIES, THESE FAR AWAY PLACES OVER THE 20:05 YEARS, MANY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE. 20:08 AND A PERSON WHOM WE ALL APPRECIATE AND LOVE IN THIS 20:11 CHURCH IS JAVIER PIRAINO, AND I WANT YOU TODAY TO MAKE 20:17 JAVIER FEEL THAT HE'S WANTED IN THIS CHURCH. 20:20 WOULD YOU PLEASE WELCOME MY OLD FRIEND, JAVIER P. RINO. 20:29 JAVIER, I'M GLAD TO SEE YOU. 20:31 >> GLAD TO SEE YOU. 20:32 >> AND I WANT TO GIVE YOU THE WARMEST WELCOME. 20:36 I CAN REMEMBER WHEN YOU USED TO WORK FOR DELTA AIRLINES, AND WE 20:41 USED TO FLY DELTA BECAUSE WE LOVE TO FLY AND IT SHOWS. 20:47 HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU BEEN WITH US OVERSEAS? 20:48 >> I THINK IT'S 16 TIMES, 20:52 IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN. 20:55 >> SIXTEEN TIMES. 20:56 CAN YOU THINK OF SOME OF THE PLACES? 20:58 >> WELL, IN UKRAINE WE WENT TO ST. PETERSBURG 21:01 FOR THE CAMPAIGN. 21:02 BEFORE THE CAMPAIGN, I WENT WITH YOU ALSO TO SET UP 21:05 FOR THE CAMPAIGN. 21:06 THEN WE WENT TO KHARKOV, NOVOPETROSK, 21:09 ZAPOROZHYE, ODESSA, AND IN RUSSIA, NIZHNY 21:13 WAS THE FIRST TIME WE WENT TO RUSSIA. 21:16 THEN WE WENT TO MOSCOW ALSO. 21:19 THEN WE WENT TO KAZAN, VOLGOGRAD THIS YEAR, IRKUTSK. 21:26 >> AND ONCE WE TRAVELED ON THE MONGOLIAN EXPRESS, AND WE WENT 21:32 RIGHT THROUGH CHINA. 21:34 TELL ME THIS, BECAUSE I WANT THE PEOPLE TO HEAR IT FROM 21:38 YOUR LIPS, WHY DO YOU GO? 21:42 >> BECAUSE THE PEOPLE NEED THE WORD OF GOD AND THEY NEED 21:44 THE GOSPEL, IS BASICALLY WHAT IT IS. 21:47 >> YOU HEARD THE GOSPEL WHEN? 21:49 >> IN 1990, I THINK IT WAS IN THE SHRINE AUDITORIUM WHEN YOU 21:53 WERE PREACHING THE GOSPEL, THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL IN 21:56 THE AUDITORIUM IN LOS ANGELES. 21:58 YOU CAME WITH US AND YOU'VE JUST COME BACK, AND WE'RE 22:00 ALL FEELING SLIGHTLY STILL JET-LAGGED. 22:03 TELL US ABOUT SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU MET IN 22:06 THE GREAT CITY OF VOLGOGRAD WHICH WAS ONCE CALLED 22:09 STALINGRAD. 22:11 >> IT WAS A LITTLE GUY 14 YEARS OLD, HIS NAME IS EGOR, THAT HE 22:16 CAME JUST TO LOOK AT US WHEN WE WERE ASSEMBLED, 22:20 AT ALL SYSTEM. 22:21 AND HE HELP US EVERY DAY, AND HE BECAME BASICALLY 22:25 THE ENGINEER OF THE LIGHTING AND WITHOUT ONE WORD OF ENGLISH. 22:30 I USED TO BE A TRANSLATOR AND THEN FROM ME TO HIM AND HIM 22:35 TO THE SPOTS OPERATORS. 22:38 >> MOST FOLKS HAVE GOT NO IDEA WHAT THESE CAMPAIGNS ARE LIKE. 22:42 THEY'RE REALLY LIKE BIG BILLY GRAHAM CAMPAIGN. 22:45 TELL US WHAT THE SET UP IS LIKE WITH A TINY CREW? 22:48 >> WELL, IT WAS HARD BECAUSE THE TEMPERATURE WAS, I THINK, 22:51 WAS ABOUT OVER A HUNDRED AND THERE WAS NO AIR-CONDITIONING 22:54 AND THERE'S NOTHING AVAILABLE. 22:56 AS A MATTER OF FACT, DANIEL TOLD US THAT THEY NEEDED SOME 22:59 AIR-CONDITIONING BECAUSE ONE OF THE PROJECTORS QUIT ON 23:02 HIM AND HE WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE OTHER ONE WAS GONNA DO 23:05 THE SAME DURING THE CAMPAIGN. 23:06 SO WE ENDED UP BUYING TO THE BIG MARKET, IF YOU REMEMBER, 23:10 THE EUROPA MARKET. 23:12 WE BROUGHT THREE AIR-CONDITIONERS AND WE 23:14 PUT THEM IN THE BACK OF THE PROJECTORS. 23:16 >> YOU'VE BEEN BACK NOW FOR A WEEK OR SO. 23:19 YOU'VE GOT MANY IMAGES, JAVIER IN YOUR MIND. 23:22 WHAT IS STILL RIGHT NOW YOUR OVERWHELMING IMPRESSION OF WHAT 23:27 HAPPENED OVER THERE IN VOLGOGRAD IN THIS GREAT RUSSIAN 23:31 CITY? 23:33 >> THE COMMITMENT OF THE PEOPLE COMING TO THE MEETINGS AND ALSO 23:36 THE GREAT BAPTISMAL, THE FIRST BAPTISMAL THAT WE WENT THROUGH, 23:39 AND IT WAS INCREDIBLE. 23:41 IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I NEVER IMAGINED BEING THE CITY, 23:45 THE RICHEST CITY THAT WE WERE SO WRONG IN THINKING 23:48 THOSE PEOPLE WERE POOR. 23:49 THE OTHER THING IS ALSO THAT THE, LIKE I SAID, THE 23:52 COMMITMENT OF THE PEOPLE COMING IN IN AN AUDITORIUM OF 105, 23:55 HUMIDITY PROBABLY 120 AND SIT DOWN AND LISTEN TO YOU 24:00 FOR 45 MINUTES OR 50 MINUTES EVERY DAY AND GIVING 24:03 THEIR LIFE TO CHRIST. 24:04 >> JAVIER, YOU ARE A BLESSING TO THIS CHURCH AND TO 24:07 THIS MINISTRY. 24:08 AND ON BEHALF OF THE CARTER REPORT, I WANT TO THANK YOU 24:11 FOR WHAT YOU DO. 24:12 GOD BLESS YOU, JAVIER, GOD BLESS YOU. 24:15 [APPLAUDING] I WANT YOU TO LOOK 24:19 AT THE BLACKBOARD AGAIN. 24:21 GOD LOVES US, AND WE ARE NEVER ALONE. 24:25 I CAN REMEMBER MANY YEARS AGO, TRAVELING THROUGH IRAN, WENT 24:31 DOWN TO THE SOUTH OF IRAN TO A PLACE BY THE NAME OF ABADON, 24:36 THEN CROSSED OVER THE RIVER EUPHRATES IN A LITTLE DINGY, 24:39 A LITTLE ROW BOAT AND CLIMBED UP THE MUDDY SHORE AND WENT TO 24:42 THE TOWN OF BASRA THAT HAS SEEN SOME TERRIBLE FIGHTING. 24:47 AND I WAS THERE WITH TWO YOUNG MEN, WE WERE YOUNG MEN 24:50 IN THOSE DAYS. 24:51 AND IN THIS ARAB CITY, WE SENSED A HOSTILITY. 24:59 IT WAS LATE IN THE DAY, AND WE HAD NOWHERE TO STAY. 25:03 AND I CAN REMEMBER, 'CAUSE I WAS THE LEADER OF THE GROUP, 25:06 GETTING THE GROUP TOGETHER AND THERE ON THE MAIN STREET 25:09 OF BASRA, WE PRAYED TO THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY. 25:13 SAID, LORD, WE GOT NOWHERE TO GO. 25:15 WE GOT NOWHERE TO STAY AND NIGHT IS COMING ON. 25:19 THREE MEN DRESSED IN WHITE ROBES, THEY WERE ARABS, MUSLIMS. 25:25 THEY CAME UP TO US AND IMPECCABLE ENGLISH SAID, 25:29 "CAN WE HELP YOU?" 25:31 WE SAID, "WE GOT NOWHERE TO STAY." 25:33 THEY SAID, "YOU CAN'T STAY ON THE STREET 25:35 BECAUSE IT'S DANGEROUS." 25:37 THEY TOOK US TO THE ONLY PLACE IN THE CITY OF BASRA WHERE 25:41 IT WAS SAFE FOR FOREIGNERS TO STAY. 25:46 GOD ANSWERED PRAYER LIKE THAT, JUST LIKE THAT. 25:51 GOD LOVES US, AND WE ARE NEVER ALONE. 25:55 YEARS AGO, I WAS IN AFRICA FOR A BIG CAMPAIGN IN HARARE, 26:00 ZIMBABWE. 26:01 I WAS INVITED OUT TO TALK ON A TELEVISION STATION, AND SO 26:06 I WENT OUT TO SPEAK ON THIS TELEVISION STATION. 26:10 BUT WHEN I GOT THERE, THINGS HAD BEEN CHANGED COMPLETELY. 26:14 IT WAS A SETUP TO DO US GREAT DAMAGE, AND THE MANAGER OF THE 26:21 STATION WAS A FORMER TERRORIST, AND THIS WAS HIS OPPORTUNITY. 26:27 AND WHEN HE TOLD ME THE CONDITIONS OF GOING 26:29 ON TELEVISION, I SAID, "I CAN'T DO THIS. 26:32 THIS IS GOING TO INFLAME THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE THIS WAS 26:36 A CAMPAIGN THAT WAS KNOWN ALL OVER THAT PART OF THE WORLD. 26:40 I SAID, "I'M NOT GOING TO GO ON AND ENGAGE IN ATTACKING 26:44 ANY RELIGION." 26:46 WELL, HE SAID, "WE WANT YOU TO." 26:47 I SAID, "NO, I'M NOT GONNA DO IT." 26:49 SO HE BECAME ENRAGED. 26:52 I CAN STILL SEE HIM IN HIS PEUGEOT CAR. 26:55 HE CALLED A BUNCH OF SOLDIERS, AND I WAS MARCHED DOWN A BUSH 27:02 TRACK AS THE SUN WAS GOING DOWN IN HARARE, ZIMBABWE WITH GUNS, 27:08 THE BUSINESS END, POINTING TO ME, SURROUNDED BY ZIMBABWEAN 27:15 SOLDIERS WITH SUB MACHINE GUNS. 27:19 DID I FEEL FRIGHTENED? 27:22 NOT A BIT BECAUSE I BELIEVED THAT GOD LOVED ME AND WE'RE 27:28 NEVER ALONE. 27:30 AND THIS MAN FOLLOWED ALONG IN THE PEUGEOT CURSING 27:33 AND SWEARING AT ME. 27:35 THEN HE TURNED HIS CAR AROUND LEAVING MY FATE IN THE HANDS OF 27:39 THESE 20 SOLDIERS. 27:42 AND AS WE WENT DOWN THIS JUNGLE PATHWAY, AND COULD NO LONGER 27:48 HEARD HIM--COULD NO LONGER HEAR HIM, ALL OF SUDDEN, THE 27:53 SOLDIERS PUT DOWN THEIR GUNS AND THEY SAID, "PASTOR CARTER, 27:55 WE COME TO YOUR MEETINGS." 27:58 AND THEY SAID, "WE'RE SORRY HE'S TREATED YOU LIKE THIS. 28:01 WE'RE GOING TO TAKE YOU DOWN TO A MILITARY BASE, AND WE'RE 28:03 GONNA GET YOU TO THE AUDITORIUM ON TIME." 28:07 I HAD A SENSE THAT I WAS NOT ALONE BECAUSE GOD LOVES ME. 28:12 I WANT EVERY PERSON HERE IN THIS CHURCH TODAY TO SAY IT 28:15 AND TO BELIEVE IT, "GOD LOVES ME, AND I'M NOT ALONE." 28:21 AND IT IS THE TRUTH. 28:22 AND WHEN YOU BELIEVE THIS, YOU CAN HAVE LIFE TO THE FULL. 28:27 THE SECOND GREAT TRUTH IS THIS, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST 28:30 WONDERFUL TRUTHS, GOD HAS A PLAN FOR ME. 28:36 GOD HAS A PLAN FOR ME. 28:46 DO YOU THINK THAT WE ARE HERE TODAY SIMPLY BECAUSE OF 28:50 HAPPEN-CHANCE? 28:53 GOD HAS A PLAN FOR EVERY ONE OF US. 28:56 WE'RE GOING TO TURN OVER HERE TO JEREMIAH 1:4-5. 28:59 I WANT YOU TO TURN TO THIS WONDERFUL OLD TESTAMENT TEXT. 29:03 I'VE READ THIS TEXT SO MANY TIMES. 29:06 JEREMIAH 1:4-5, "THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO ME, SAYING 29:13 'BEFORE I FORMED YOU IN THE WOMB I KNEW YOU BEFORE YOU WERE 29:21 BORN I SET YOU APART; I APPOINTED YOU AS A PROPHET 29:27 TO THE NATIONS.' 'AH, SOVEREIGN LORD,' I SAID, 29:31 'I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO SPEAK; I AM ONLY A CHILD.'" 29:35 I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THIS. 29:36 LOOK AT ME. 29:36 BEFORE YOU WERE FORMED 29:43 IN THE WOMB, GOD SAW YOU AND HAD A PLAN FOR YOU. 29:57 THE GREATEST SORROW IS WHEN GOD HAS A PLAN FOR US 30:05 AND WE DON'T FULFILL IT. 30:09 BUT GOD LOVES ME. 30:10 I'M NEVER ALONE, AND GOD HAS A PLAN FOR EVERY LIFE. 30:14 COME TO ROMANS 8:28, THAT EVERY PERSON HERE WILL KNOW BY HEART. 30:21 PAUL SAYS, AND HE HAD TOUGH TIMES. 30:25 HE KNEW WHAT IT WAS TO FIGHT THE DEVIL AND EVERYBODY ELSE. 30:28 HE SAID, "AND WE KNOW THAT IN ALL THINGS GOD WORKS FOR THE 30:32 GOOD OF THOSE WHO LOVE HIM, WHO HAVE BEEN CALLED ACCORDING," 30:36 FINISH IT WITH ME. 30:39 GOD HAS A PURPOSE FOR YOU. 30:44 NOW WE HAVE A CONGREGATION THAT HAS OFTEN RENEWED 30:48 WITH NEW PEOPLE COMING. 30:49 WE'RE GLAD ABOUT THIS, BUT NEW PEOPLE WHO COME INTO 30:52 THE CHURCH, OFTEN DON'T KNOW THE HISTORY OF THIS CHURCH. 30:57 WE HAVEN'T ALWAYS HAD THIS BUILDING. 30:59 WE SHOULDN'T HAVE THIS BUILDING. 31:02 WE CAN'T AFFORD THIS BUILDING. 31:06 WE WORSHIPED OVER IN GLENDALE A RENTED FACILITY, THE UCC, 31:10 THE UNITED COMMUNITY CHURCH, FOR 10 YEARS AND THINGS WERE 31:17 NOT GETTING GOOD FOR US. 31:21 AND I CAN REMEMBER SAYING, GOD, PLEASE HELP US. 31:26 WE HAD NO MONEY BECAUSE WE'D PUT OUR MONEY 31:29 INTO RUSSIAN EVANGELISM. 31:31 WE DIDN'T HAVE A BUILDING FUND EXCEPT TO BUILD CHURCHES 31:34 IN RUSSIA. 31:36 AND ONE DAY A FLYER CAME TO MY DESK AND SAID THERE WAS 31:40 A CHURCH FOR SALE IN PASADENA. 31:43 I WENT OVER TO PASADENA NOT WITH A LOT OF HOPE 31:47 BECAUSE I HAD NO MONEY. 31:50 AND WHEN THE REALTOR CAME, HE SAID, "OOPS, I FORGOT TO BRING 31:53 THE KEY." 31:55 HE SAID, "COME BACK TOMORROW." 31:57 I SAID, I CAN'T COME BACK TOMORROW. 31:59 I DON'T HAVE TIME. 32:01 "OH," HE SAID, "LOOK, THERE IS A PLACE FOR SALE IN ARCADIA, 32:06 BUT YOU WOULDN'T BE INTERESTED, WOULD YOU?" 32:09 I SAID NO, BECAUSE IT'S ANOTHER 15 MILES TO DRIVE ON TOP 32:14 OF 45 MILES ALREADY. 32:18 I SAID, NO. 32:21 BUT I SAID, LET'S GO LOOK. 32:21 AND HE BROUGHT US HERE. 32:25 I SAID, "HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE NEED FOR A DEPOSIT?" 32:29 HE SAID, "$1.1 MILLION." 32:32 HE SAID, "WILL THAT BE A PROBLEM?" 32:35 YOU KNOW WHAT I SAID? 32:37 NO, IT WON'T BE. 32:39 THEN WE WENT ON A GREAT FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN. 32:41 MY FRIENDS KNOW THE STORY, 32:45 BUT SOME OF YOU DON'T KNOW THE STORY. 32:49 HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO PAY ALL THE BILLS AND RAISE 1.1 MILLION 32:53 IN A FEW WEEKS? 33:00 BUT THE MONEY WAS COMING IN. 33:02 I'D NEVER SEEN THE MAIL, SO MUCH MAIL. 33:06 THE PEOPLE ACROSS AMERICA, THE MOST GENEROUS PEOPLE ON 33:09 THE FACE OF THE EARTH, WERE SENDING MONEY, $100, $1,000. 33:14 ONE MAN SENT $200,000, BUT WE STILL HAD TO GET A LOAN 33:21 FOR A VAST SUM OF MONEY. 33:23 WE GOT A BANK, WE WON'T TELL YOU WHAT IT IS UNLESS YOU COME 33:26 AND SEE ME AFTER, THEN I'LL GIVE YOU A WARNING. 33:29 BUT THIS BANK SPECIALIZED IN CHURCH LOANS. 33:31 THEY TOLD ME EVERYTHING IS SETTLED. 33:36 I WENT TO RUSSIA FOR A CAMPAIGN, CAME BACK AND THE BANK, 33:40 WITHOUT A WORD, HAD SENT BACK OUR APPLICATION AND WOULD 33:44 NOT EVEN TALK TO US. 33:47 AND WAS CLOSING, THE SALE WAS CLOSING IN 2 WEEKS. 33:54 THEN A MAN CAME TO SEE ME FROM BANCO POPULAR, A MAN FROM 34:01 CANADA, KEN WESBY. 34:05 HE STOOD THERE WITH ME IN THIS CHURCH AND HE SAID, 34:10 "THIS IS MY CARD." 34:12 I TOOK HIS CARD. 34:15 IT WAS THE SEAT TICKET TO A GREAT EVANGELISTIC CAMPAIGN. 34:21 HE SAID, "THAT'S WHERE I FOUND CHRIST." 34:22 AND HE SAID, "I WANT TO HEAR 34:26 CHRIST PREACHED IN THIS CHURCH." 34:28 HE SAID, "YOU NEED THESE MILLIONS AND IN 2 WEEKS, 34:31 HE SAID, "IT IS AN UTTER IMPOSSIBILITY, BUT WE'LL DO IT," 34:34 AND THE BANK DID IT. 34:37 CAN YOU SEE WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO? 34:41 GOD LOVES ME, I'M NOT ALONE AND GOD HAS A PLAN FOR ME. 34:46 GOD LEADS US IN THREE WAYS, LISTEN CAREFULLY. 34:50 HE LEADS US THROUGH SCRIPTURE. 34:52 HE NEVER ASKS ME TO DO ANYTHING THAT IS NOT ACCORDING 34:56 TO SCRIPTURE. 34:58 HE LEADS BY PROVIDENCE, BY OPENING DOORS 35:01 AND BY CLOSING DOORS. 35:04 HE LEADS BY THE COUNCIL OF GODLY, WISE PEOPLE. 35:07 THERE ARE NOT MANY LIKE THAT. 35:09 DON'T JUST LISTEN TO ANYBODY. 35:11 AND HE LEADS BY THE DEEP CONVICTIONS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 35:17 I WARN YOU TODAY, DO NOT GET THAT ORDER OF PRIORITIES WRONG 35:20 BECAUSE THERE ARE MILLIONS 35:24 OF PEOPLE WHO SAY, "WELL, GOD HAS LED ME IN THIS." 35:29 NO, HE HASN'T LED YOU AT ALL. 35:31 AND THEY SAY, "BUT THE LORD HAS TOLD ME." 35:34 NO, YOU'RE SIMPLY LISTENING TO YOUR OWN DESIRES. 35:39 NUMBER--AND SOME OF YOU HERE TODAY MAY BE IN THE WRONG JOB 35:45 BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO GOD. 35:48 HE LEADS ME THROUGH SCRIPTURE BY OPENING DOORS AND BY CLOSING 35:52 DOORS, BY THE COUNSEL OF GODLY PEOPLE AND THROUGH THE 35:58 CONVICTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 36:01 AND IF YOU LET GOD LEAD YOU, HE WILL LEAD YOU. 36:05 HERE'S THE THIRD GREAT TRUTH, HERE IT IS FOR HURTING PEOPLE 36:07 WHO WANT TO FIND HOPE, GOD WILL 36:12 FORGIVE MY SINS IF I HUMBLY CONFESS AND FORSAKE THEM. 36:17 LET ME WRITE THIS UP HERE ON THE BLACKBOARD, SO THESE TRUTHS 36:20 WILL GO DOWN INTO THE MOLECULES OF YOUR MIND. 36:23 GOD WILL FORGIVE MY SINS, AND THERE IS AN "IF." 36:36 IF I HUMBLY CONFESS THEM AND FORSAKE THEM. 36:43 AND WHEN A PERSON HAS HIS SINS FORGIVEN, THEN HE HAS 36:48 A WONDERFUL PEACE. 36:51 I WANT TO TALK TO YOU NOW ABOUT THE MOST WICKED MAN 36:53 WHO EVER LIVED. 36:54 I WANT YOU TO COME OVER HERE TO 1 KINGS 21 AND VERSE 25 36:59 AND ONWARDS, THE MOST WICKED MAN WHO EVER LIVED. 37:04 "THERE WAS NEVER A MAN LIKE AHAB, WHO SOLD HIMSELF TO DO 37:09 EVIL IN THE EYES OF THE LORD," HE WAS A CROOK, "URGED ON 37:15 BY JEZEBEL HIS WIFE." 37:17 BEHIND EVERY GOOD MAN, THERE IS A GOOD WOMAN AND USUALLY BEHIND 37:24 EVERY EVIL MAN, USUALLY THERE IS AN EVIL WOMAN. 37:29 AND JEZEBEL WAS AS BAD AS YOU CAN GET. 37:33 VERSE 26, "HE BEHAVED IN THE VILEST MANNER BY GOING AFTER 37:36 IDOLS, LIKE THE AMORITES THE LORD DROVE OUT 37:39 BEFORE ISRAEL. 37:41 WHEN AHAB HEARD THESE WORDS, THE WORDS OF THE PROPHET, 37:44 HE TORE HIS CLOTHES, PUT ON SACKCLOTH AND FASTED. 37:49 HE LAY IN SACKCLOTH AND WENT AROUND MEEKLY. 37:53 THEN THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO ELIJAH THE TISHBITE: 'HAVE 37:56 YOU NOTICED HOW AHAB HAS HUMBLED HIMSELF BEFORE ME? 38:00 BECAUSE HE HAS HUMBLED HIMSELF, I WILL NOT BRING DISASTER IN 38:04 HIS DAY--" THIS IS STAGGERING. 38:04 DO YOU EVER GIVE UP ON PEOPLE? 38:16 I FEEL LIKE IT, ON OCCASION. 38:18 SO THAT'S PERSON'S A COMPLETE FLAKE, DOESN'T GET BETTER, 38:22 JUST SEEMS TO GET WORSE. 38:24 DO YOU EVER GIVE UP ON YOURSELF? 38:26 YOU SAY SOMEONE'S SITTING HERE TODAY AND YOU KNOW YOURSELF. 38:29 TWO PEOPLE KNOW YOU, YOURSELF AND THE LORD. 38:32 HE KNOWS A MILLION TIMES MORE ABOUT YOU, AND YOU FEEL 38:37 "I'M JUST A ROTTEN PERSON. 38:41 NOBODY KNOWS IT. 38:42 MY WIFE DOESN'T KNOW HOW ROTTEN I AM, BUT I'M A ROTTEN PERSON." 38:47 THERE IS NO PERSON TOO ROTTEN FOR GOD. 38:53 AND IF I COME TO CHRIST, GOD WILL WILLINGLY FORGIVE 38:58 MY SINS IF I HUMBLY CONFESS THEM AND FORSAKE THEM. 39:07 LOOK AT ME, YOU AND I CAN FACE ANYTHING IF WE KNOW THAT OUR 39:14 SINS ARE FORGIVEN. 39:16 THERE'S NOTHING THAT GNAWS AT THE HEART OF A MAN OR A WOMAN 39:23 MORE THAN THE CANCER OF SIN. 39:33 BUT GOD WILL FORGIVE MY SIN, NOT IF I JUST PUT UP MY HAND 39:38 IN A MEETING, NO, NO, NO. 39:40 SOMETIMES PEOPLE GET IT WRONG, BUT IF I HUMBLY CONFESS MY SINS 39:46 TO THE PEOPLE I HAVE SINNED AGAINST AND REPENT OF MY SINS 39:53 TO GOD, GOD WILL TAKE AWAY MY SIN, AND THEN I CAN START 40:07 TO LIVE LIFE TO THE FULL. 40:11 HERE IT IS, MY FRIEND, THE FOURTH GREAT TRUTH FOR HURTING, 40:16 LONELY, LOST MEN AND WOMEN DURING TIMES OF TOUGHNESS. 40:21 HERE'S THE FOURTH TRUTH. 40:23 GOD HAS PREPARED A WONDERFUL FUTURE FOR YOU AND FOR ME. 40:27 LET ME WRITE IT UP HERE ON THE BLACKBOARD, 40:30 AND THIS IS WHY IN THIS CHURCH, WE HAVE SO MUCH HOPE. 40:36 GOD HAS PREPARED A WONDERFUL FUTURE. 40:46 HE HAS PREPARED A HEAVEN FOR ME. 40:54 YOU THINK ONE DAY BEING WITH JESUS IN PARADISE AND LIVING 41:02 FOR ETERNITY AND KNOW THAT IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER AND IT 41:05 GOES ON FOR BILLIONS OF YEARS. 41:09 THAT IS ONE OF THE GREAT ANTIDOTES TO ANGER AND 41:13 DEPRESSION THAT WE CAN HAVE HOPE. 41:19 GOD HAS PREPARED A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL FUTURE. 41:23 WOULD YOU COME OVER HERE TO 2 CORINTHIANS 4? 41:26 HOW TRAGIC THAT SOME PEOPLE GIVE IT UP AND THEY GO BACK 41:30 TO THE WORLD WITH ALL ITS SIN AND THEY MISS OUT ON GLORY. 41:34 2 CORINTHIANS 4, 2 CORINTHIANS 4:7 DOWN TO 9. 41:41 "BUT WE HAVE THIS TREASURE IN JARS OF CLAY," THAT'S THESE 41:44 BODIES, "TO SHOW THAT THIS ALL-SURPASSING POWER IS 41:48 FROM GOD AND NOT FROM US. 41:50 WE ARE HARD PRESSED ON EVERY SIDE, BUT NOT CRUSHED; 41:54 PERPLEXED, BUT NOT IN DESPAIR; PERSECUTED, BUT NOT ABANDONED; 42:00 STRUCK DOWN, BUT NOT DESTROYED." 42:04 YOU THINK YOU'VE HAD IT TOUGH? 42:06 LOOK AT ME, NONE OF US HERE HAVE HAD IT TOUGH, 42:11 NOT IN COMPARISON. 42:14 HAS ANYBODY HERE BEEN BEATEN WITH RODS 39 TIMES OVER 42:20 AND OVER? 42:23 PAUL SAID, "WE'RE BEATEN UP, WE'RE NOT CAST DOWN. 42:30 VERSES 16-18, "THEREFORE WE DO NOT LOSE HEART. 42:34 THOUGH OUTWARDLY WE ARE WASTING AWAY, YET INWARDLY WE ARE BEING 42:39 RENEWED DAY BY DAY." 42:42 NOW THIS NEXT VERSE, A BIT HARD TO BELIEVE. 42:45 "FOR OUR LIGHT," GETTING BEATEN UP, BEING FLOGGED, "FOR OUR 42:51 LIGHT AND MOMENTARY TROUBLES ARE ACHIEVING FOR US AN ETERNAL 43:00 GLORY THAT FAR OUTWEIGHS THEM ALL. 43:04 SO WE FIX OUR EYES NOT ON WHAT IS SEEN, BUT ON WHAT IS UNSEEN. 43:10 FOR WHAT IS SEEN IS TEMPORARY, BUT WHAT IS UNSEEN IS ETERNAL." 43:12 I WANT TO SAY TO THE TELEVISION 43:21 AUDIENCE, LISTEN TO ME. 43:24 GOD IS PREPARING FOR HIS BEAT UP CHILDREN, 43:31 A WONDERFUL FUTURE. 43:33 THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT AN ETERNAL WAIT OF GLORY, 43:38 SO WE DO NOT LOSE HEART. 43:44 IN THIS CHURCH, WE HAVE MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE, AND TWO OF 43:49 THE MOST WONDERFUL PEOPLE THAT I'VE KNOWN BECAUSE I'VE THEN 43:53 THEM FOR YEARS AND THEY'RE CLOSE TO ME, AND I LOVE THEM 43:55 TO DEATH. 43:58 DONNA AND BLAKE WEXLER, AND I WANT DONNA TO COME FIRST. 44:03 [APPLAUDING] 44:10 WE'RE ALL GOING THROUGH 44:11 A TOUGH TIME ECONOMICALLY. 44:13 HOW DO YOU, PERSONALLY, DONNA, COPE WHEN TIMES ARE TOUGH? 44:20 >> THREE CIRCUMSTANCES COME TO MY MIND WHEN I THINK OF TOUGH 44:23 TIMES, AND IN ALL THREE I WAS CHALLENGED SPIRITUALLY 44:28 AND EMOTIONALLY. 44:30 THEY ALL REQUIRED THAT I MAKE A DECISION THAT WOULD 44:33 CHANGE MY LIFE. 44:36 IN ONE CIRCUMSTANCE I HAD LOVED ONES ADVISING ME TO GO AGAINST 44:40 GOD'S PRINCIPLES, AND IN ANOTHER I HAD--IT WAS MY OWN 44:44 ATTITUDE AND FEELINGS THAT CLASHED WITH GOD'S WILL. 44:48 AND THEN IN THE THIRD, IT WAS AS IF I WAS ALONE. 44:51 I FELT AS IF GOD WAS SILENT FOR A TIME. 44:54 I SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN PRAYER CRYING TO GOD THAT HE WOULD 45:00 GIVE ME COMFORT AND STRENGTH AND WISDOM, BUT MOST OF ALL 45:04 THAT HIS PURPOSE WOULD BE IN MY HEART, AND NOT MY OWN. 45:10 IT WAS A PROCESS. 45:13 THERE WAS NOT AN OVERNIGHT SOLUTION, BUT I HAD TO FORTIFY 45:16 MYSELF IN GOD'S WORD, NOT JUST READING IT DAILY BUT AT TIMES 45:21 IT SEEMED LIKE MOMENT BY MOMENT. 45:25 IN TIME, GOD RESOLVED ALL SITUATIONS ABOVE AND BEYOND 45:30 MY EXPECTATION AND WHAT I COULD EVER HOPE FOR, AND IT WAS 45:34 REALLY THROUGH HIS WORD AND THROUGH PRAYER THAT-- 45:38 AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. 45:40 >> DONNA, YOU'RE A VERY BEAUTIFUL LADY, AND WE'RE PROUD 45:43 OF YOU. 45:44 YOU HAVE TWO BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN AND A FINE HUSBAND. 45:48 THERE'S SYDNEY AND THERE'S ALSO BENJAMIN. 45:50 NOT DOING TOO BAD, AM I? 45:52 >> YEAH. 45:53 >> SO DONNA, WE LOVE YOU AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. 45:56 >> THANK YOU. 45:57 >> GOD BLESS YOU. 45:58 [APPLAUDING] 46:02 A MAN WITH A JEWISH BACKGROUND IS NOW GOING TO COME, THAT'S 46:05 DONNA'S HUSBAND, BLAKE WEXLER, AND I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF 46:08 BAPTIZING BLAKE. 46:10 GOODNESS ME, YOU'RE DRESSED UP TODAY. 46:15 I THINK YOU'RE TRYING TO UPSTAGE ME TODAY. 46:18 >> ALWAYS. 46:21 >> BLAKE, HOW DO YOU COPE? 46:24 HOW DO YOU KEEP GOING WHEN TIMES ARE TOUGH? 46:28 >> YOU KNOW, I DON'T DEAL WITH STRESS WELL. 46:30 FINANCIAL CHALLENGES DON'T SIT WELL WITH ME, AS YOU MAY 46:34 IMAGINE, AND-- 46:37 >> I JUST HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. 46:41 >> YEAH, I HAVE A WONDERFUL SUPPORT SYSTEM. 46:43 I HAVE A GREAT FAMILY. 46:44 MY WIFE IS A WONDERFUL CHRISTIAN, SHE KEEPS ME 46:47 ACCOUNTABLE. 46:48 SHE COMFORTS ME, BUT MY COMFORT REALLY DOES COME FROM THE LORD. 46:52 IT HASN'T BEEN EASY. 46:53 I'VE HAD TO GROW IN THAT KNOWLEDGE, AND I HAVE A LOT 46:57 OF ADVERSITY WITH MY FAMILY AND WITH MY FRIENDS. 47:01 AND I THINK OF THE STORY OF THE MAN WHO LOOKED AT HIS LIFE AS 47:06 FOOTSTEPS IN THE SAND, AND HE LOOKED AT THE POINT OF HIS LIFE 47:09 WHEN HE WAS IN THE MOST TURMOIL AND HE ASKED THE LORD, 47:12 "I ONLY SEE ONE SET OF FOOTSTEPS, WHERE WERE 47:15 YOU, LORD?" 47:16 AND THE LORD RESPONDED, "IT WAS THEN THAT I WAS CARRYING YOU." 47:19 AND I REMEMBER THAT, AND I KNOW THAT HE CARRIES ME 47:22 AT THE TIMES WHEN I'M IN THE MOST TURMOIL AND HE 47:25 CAN CARRY ALL OF US. 47:27 >> BLAKE, WE'RE PROUD TO HAVE YOU AS A MEMBER OF THIS CHURCH. 47:31 GOD BLESS YOU, BLAKE. 47:31 >> THANK YOU. 47:32 >> THANK YOU, THANK YOU. 47:33 [APPLAUDING] 47:38 SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO NOW IS JUST HAVE A LITTLE SUMMARY 47:41 'CAUSE I LIKE TEACHING, YOU KNOW? 47:43 HERE'S THE FIRST POINT. 47:44 OKAY, HELP ME OUT. 47:46 JUST TELL ME--YOU DON'T NEED TO HELP ME OUT. 47:50 NUMBER ONE, FOUR GREAT TRUTHS. 47:53 SAY IT WITH ME, "GOD LOVES ME. 47:56 I'M NOT ALONE. 47:58 GOD IS WITH ME. 48:01 I'M NOT LONELY. 48:02 HE'S WITH ME." 48:03 NUMBER TWO, "GOD HAS A PLAN FOR MY LIFE." 48:09 ARE YOU DISCOVERING GOD'S PLAN OR ARE YOU GOING 48:12 WITH YOUR OWN PLAN? 48:14 BUT GOD, SAW ME BEFORE I WAS BORN. 48:18 HE SAW ME A BILLION YEARS AGO AND I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I'VE 48:24 BEEN OBEDIENT TO THE PLAN OF GOD. 48:26 GOD HAS A PLAN FOR ME. 48:29 AND NUMBER THREE, SAY IT. 48:32 "GOD WILL FORGIVE MY SIN IF I HUMBLY CONFESS AND IF I CONFESS 48:42 MY SINS, REPENT OF MY SINS AND FORSAKE MY SINS, THEN GOD WILL 48:47 JUST TAKE AWAY MY SINS." 48:49 AND NUMBER FOUR, GOD HAS PREPARED A WONDERFUL FUTURE 48:56 FOR ME. 48:58 MY FRIEND, IF THIS TRUTH COMES DOWN INTO YOUR SOUL, YOU WILL 49:05 BE ABLE TO COPE WITH ANYTHING. 49:12 AND JUST THINK, PLEASE THINK ABOUT IT, USE A SANCTIFIED 49:17 IMAGINATION, ONE DAY WE WILL BE HOME WHEN ALL MY TRIALS, 49:29 EVERYTHING, THEY'RE ALL GONE, AND I AM SAFE ON THAT BEAUTIFUL 49:34 SHORE JUST TO BE NEAR THE DEAR LORD I ADORE WILL, THROUGH 49:41 THE AGES BE, WHAT DOES IT SAY? 49:45 GLORY FOR ME. 49:46 WOULD YOU PLEASE, PLEASE AFFIRM PASTOR J.P. O'CONNOR, 49:51 MY DEAR, DEAR FRIEND. 49:54 [APPLAUDING] 50:01 [MUSIC] 50:17 ♪ WHEN ALL MY LABORS ♪ ♪ AND TRIALS ARE O'ER ♪ 50:24 ♪ AND I AM SAFE ON THAT ♪ ♪ BEAUTIFUL SHORE ♪ 50:30 ♪ JUST TO BE NEAR THE DEAR ♪ ♪ LORD I ADORE WILL THROUGH ♪ 50:38 ♪ THE AGES BE GLORY FOR ME ♪ ♪ ALL THAT WILL BE ♪ 50:49 ♪ GLORY FOR ME ♪ ♪ GLORY FOR ME ♪ 50:55 ♪ GLORY FOR ME ♪ ♪ WHEN BY HIS GRACE I SHALL ♪ 51:01 ♪ LOOK ON HIS FACE ♪ ♪ THAT WILL BE GLORY ♪ 51:10 ♪ BE GLORY FOR ME ♪ 51:17 ♪ WHEN BY THE GIFTS ♪ ♪ OF HIS INFINITE GRACE ♪ 51:22 ♪ I AM ACCORDED IN HEAVEN ♪ ♪ A PLACE ♪ 51:28 ♪ JUST TO BE THERE ♪ ♪ AND TO LOOK ON HIS FACE ♪ 51:35 ♪ WILL THROUGH THE AGES ♪ ♪ BE GLORY FOR ME ♪ 51:44 ♪ OH, THAT WILL BE ♪ ♪ GLORY FOR ME ♪ 51:50 ♪ GLORY FOR ME ♪ ♪ GLORY FOR ME ♪ 51:55 ♪ WHEN BY HIS GRACE ♪ ♪ I SHALL LOOK ON HIS FACE ♪ 52:03 ♪ THAT WILL BE GLORY ♪ ♪ BE GLORY FOR ME ♪♪ 52:19 [APPLAUDING] 52:23 >> AND IT WILL BE. 52:25 IT WILL BE GLORY FOR ALL OF US. 52:27 LET US KNEEL AS WE PRAY. 52:35 WELL, HERE WE ARE, LORD, ON OUR KNEES IN OUR CHURCH THAT YOU 52:38 GAVE TO US THAT WE COULDN'T AFFORD, THAT YOU GAVE IT TO US 52:42 JUST THE SAME BECAUSE THE PEOPLE OF GOD HAD FAITH. 52:49 WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DAY WHEN, BY THE GIFT OF HIS 52:53 INFINITE GRACE WHEN WE'RE GIVEN THIS WONDERFUL PLACE IN GLORY, 53:01 AND WE'RE GOING TO LOOK ON HIS FACE AND FRIENDS WILL BE THERE, 53:06 WE'VE KNOWN FOR SO LONG, AND IT'S GOING TO BE GLORY, 53:14 GLORY FOR ME. 53:16 OUR FATHER, WE PRAY THAT THIS POOR, FALTERING TALK TODAY WILL 53:25 BE TRANSLATED INTO FLESH AND BONES. 53:30 MAY WE, IN OUR HEART OF HEARTS, KNOW THAT GOD LOVES US 53:39 AND WE ARE NEVER ALONE? 53:42 MAY WE KNOW IN OUR HEART OF HEARTS TODAY THAT GOD HAS 53:48 A PLAN FOR EVERY ONE OF US. 53:51 OPEN OUR EARS TO HEAR YOUR VOICE, DIRECT OUR FEET 53:55 INTO YOUR PLAN. 53:58 OUR FATHER, TEACH US TO KNOW TODAY THAT HOWEVER DESPERATE WE 54:04 ARE AS SINNERS AND EVEN THOUGH WE MAY BE FULL OF PRIDE 54:08 AND LYING AND CHEATING AND COWARDICE, EVERYTHING ELSE, 54:15 EVEN IF THERE'S AN AHAB HERE TODAY OR A JEZEBEL, WHERE SIN 54:19 DID ABOUND, GRACE DID MUCH MORE ABOUND AND MAY WE TODAY FIND 54:25 THE FORGIVENESS THAT GOD WANTS TO GIVE US. 54:29 AND DEAR FATHER, LIGHT UP OUR HEARTS TODAY WITH GLORY, 54:35 A BEAUTIFUL, WONDERFUL, RICH, MEANINGFUL, SPLENDID FUTURE 54:42 WITH JESUS. 54:44 AS WE'RE PRAYING HERE IN CHURCH TODAY, SHALL WE RAISE OUR HANDS 54:48 AND SAY, "GOD, I WANT TO TAKE HOLD OF THESE 54:52 FOUR GREAT TRUTHS. 54:54 I WANT YOU TO WRITE THEM UPON THE TABLETS OF MY HEART TODAY." 55:00 IF YOU CAN SAY THAT, WOULD YOU RAISE YOUR HAND AND PRAY TODAY? 55:04 LORD, WRITE IT ON MY HEART TODAY. 55:06 MAY I HAVE A REAL EXPERIENCE TODAY WITH CHRIST WHEN WE'RE 55:12 TALKING HERE ABOUT RELIGION, RELIGION, RELIGION. 55:15 WE'RE TALKING ABOUT JESUS, JESUS, JESUS. 55:20 DEAR FATHER, BLESSED THESE UPRAISED HANDS AND THESE 55:22 UPRAISED HEARTS. 55:24 MAY NONE BE MISSING WHEN THE GLORY'S ON HIS SON IN HEAVEN. 55:30 SO WE THANK YOU, WE WORSHIP YOU, WE BLESS YOU AND WE PRAISE 55:34 YOU IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN AND AMEN. 55:42 [MUSIC] 55:56 ♪ YOU ARE THE POTTER ♪ ♪ AND I AM THE CLAY ♪ 56:08 ♪ YOU ARE THE ARTIST ♪ ♪ AND I AM AS THE PAINT ♪ 56:19 ♪ YOU ARE THE WRITER ♪ ♪ AND I AM YOUR SONG ♪ 56:32 ♪ I WILL BE YOUR INSTRUMENT ♪ ♪ MY WHOLE LIFE LONG ♪ 56:50 ♪ MOLD ME, CHANGE ME ♪ 56:58 ♪ COLOR ME ♪ ♪ IN SHADES OF YOU ♪ 57:10 ♪ IN SHADES OF YOU ♪ ♪ PLAY ME, SING THROUGH ME ♪ 57:24 ♪ A MELODY ♪ ♪ SO WHEN THEY LOOK AT ME ♪ 57:35 ♪ THEY WILL ONLY SEE ♪ ♪ WHO YOU ARE ♪ 57:46 ♪ YOU ARE MY FATHER ♪ ♪ AND I AM YOUR CHILD ♪♪ |
Revised 2015-02-05