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Series Code: P
Program Code: P000023
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00:20 Hello and welcome to Praise. I'm Kelly Mowrer
00:24 On September 8, 1860 the Lady Elgin, a passenger steamer, 00:29 sank during a storm on Lake Michigan. Over 400 people died. 00:33 It was one of the worst maritime disasters in American history. 00:38 As desperate survivors were struggling against the waves 00:41 trying to stay afloat, there was a young sophomore from 00:45 Northwestern University named Edward Spencer 00:47 who was walking with some of his fellow 00:49 students along the shore of the lake and as he saw this disaster 00:53 unfolding he plunged into the rough surf and began pulling 00:57 people to safety. Repeatedly he went back out, battling against 01:01 the choppy waves and even his own exhaustion. He was struck 01:05 and injured by some of the floating debris and still Edward 01:09 kept diving back again and again swimming to the wreck and 01:13 returning with yet another rescued passenger. After saving 01:18 17 lives he collapsed on the beach pretty much delirious with 01:22 exhaustion. His physical condition was forever affected 01:26 because of the injuries he suffered rescuing all those 01:29 people that day. He spent the rest of his life using a walker 01:33 or a wheel chair and never fully regained his health. Several 01:38 times during the rescue his friends urged him to remain on 01:42 shore and not go back yet again into that water. But Edward kept 01:46 replying, I've got to do my best, I've got to do my best. 01:50 Years later, inspired by Edward's story Ensign Edwin 01:56 Young wrote the beloved old hymn I Wonder, Have I Done My Best 02:00 For Jesus. The chorus says, How many are the lost that I have 02:05 lifted, how many are the chained I've helped to free? 02:09 I wonder, have I done my best for Jesus when he has done so 02:14 much for me? Today I want us to spend some time thinking both 02:19 about what Jesus has done for us and what we are called to do in 02:24 his name for others. Many of us, probably most of us, will never 02:29 face that dramatic life and death test of a disaster like 02:32 Edward Spencer did, but we're all called to serve. Some of you 02:38 watching might already be feeling pretty much worn out 02:41 wondering how in the world are you going to be able to help 02:43 serve others when you feel like you're barely keeping your head 02:47 above water. I've felt that way myself so many times. The Holy 02:51 Spirit keeps gently reminding me that my strength and my energy 02:56 and my service comes only from Jesus, my source. If we try to 03:00 serve in our own strength, we're going to fail. We have nothing 03:04 of value to offer apart from our connection to Christ. He is both 03:08 what I will need share and how I will share it meaningfully. 03:13 So let's begin now with two songs that will turn our hearts 03:17 again completely to our source reminding us to let go of trying 03:21 to handle things on our own and instead just draw close to him 03:25 and find every burden lifted and every thirst satisfied. 03:31 What a Friend We Have in Jesus Lyndon Carringer 03:35 What a friend we have in Jesus 03:44 All our sins and griefs to bear. 03:53 What a privilege to carry 04:02 everything to God in prayer. 04:11 Oh what peace we often forfeit, 04:20 Oh what needless pain we bear, 04:29 All because we do not carry 04:37 everything to God in prayer. 04:46 Have we trials and temptations? 04:54 Is there trouble anywhere? 05:03 We should never be discouraged. 05:11 Take it to the Lord in prayer. 05:21 Can we find a friend so faithful 05:29 who will all our sorrows share 05:38 Jesus knows our every weakness. 05:47 Take it to the Lord in prayer. 05:55 ¤ ¤ 06:14 Are we weak and heavy laden, 06:22 cumbered with a load of care? 06:30 Precious Savior still our refuge 06:38 Take it to the Lord in prayer. 06:46 Do thy friends despise, 06:51 forsake thee. Ohhh. 06:55 Take it the Lord in prayer 07:01 In his arms he'll take 07:07 and shield thee 07:13 Thou would find a solace there. 07:28 Take it to the Lord in prayer. 07:57 As water to the thirsty, 08:02 As beauty to the eyes, 08:09 As strength that follows weakness, 08:14 As truth instead of lies, 08:19 As song time and springtime 08:25 and summertime to me. 08:31 So is my Lord, 08:34 my living Lord, 08:37 So is my Lord to me. 08:43 ¤ ¤ 08:56 Like calm in place of clamor, 09:02 Like peace that follows pain, 09:07 Like meeting after parting 09:12 Like sunshine after rain 09:17 Like moon light and star light 09:22 and sunlight on the sea, 09:29 So is my Lord, 09:32 my living Lord, 09:35 So is my Lord to me. 09:42 ¤ ¤ 10:36 As sleep that follows fever, 10:41 As gold instead of gray, 10:46 As freedom after bondage, 10:51 As sunrise to the day, 10:57 As home to the traveler 11:03 and all he longs to see, 11:08 So is my Lord, 11:11 my living Lord, 11:14 So is my Lord to me. 11:28 ¤ ¤ 11:47 Paul writes that when we receive comfort from God then we're able 11:52 to use that comfort to encourage others as well. We receive grace 11:57 to give grace. Proverbs tells us that when we refresh others we 12:02 will ourselves be refreshed. Over and over again we find 12:06 that a blessing from our heavenly source is fulfilled 12:10 and multiplied when we share it with someone else by praying 12:13 for them and then asking God to show us practical 12:16 ways to serve them. 12:18 Someone is Praying For You Donna Shirley and Jack Crosby 12:20 Have the clouds round you gathered, 12:24 in the midst of a storm? 12:28 Is your ship tossed and battered 12:33 Are you weary and worn. 12:38 Don't lose hope. 12:41 Someone's praying for you 12:44 this very day, 12:48 and peace be still is already on the way. 12:58 Someone is praying for you, 13:07 Someone is praying for you. 13:16 So when it seems you're all alone 13:21 and your heart will break in two, 13:27 Remember someone is praying for you. 13:32 When it seems that you've prayed 13:39 till your strength is all gone, 13:45 and your tears fall 13:48 like raindrops all the day long. 13:55 Jesus cares and he knows 14:00 just how much that you bear. 14:04 He'll speak your name to someone in prayer. 14:15 Someone is praying for you 14:24 Someone is praying for you. 14:33 So when it seems you're all alone 14:38 and your heart will break in two 14:43 break in two. 14:51 Remember, someone is praying for you. 15:24 God made our hands to give and receive his blessings. 15:34 He made each voice for singing a happy song. 15:42 God made our feet to 15:46 walk on a path of rainbow. 15:52 He made our smiles for smiling the whole day long. 16:01 God gave us eyes 16:05 and filled all the world with beauty 16:10 Sunshine and trees and stars above, 16:16 Wonder of all, he gave us a gift so special 16:29 God gave us a heart to share his love. 16:39 God made our hands to give and receive his blessing. 16:48 He made each voice for singing a happy song. 16:57 God made our feet to walk on a path of rainbow. 17:07 He made our smiles for smiling the whole day long. 17:17 God gave us eyes 17:21 and filled all the world with beauty, 17:28 Sunshine and trees and stars above. 17:35 Wonder of all, he gave us a gift so special. 17:46 God gave us a heart to share his love, 17:53 to share his love. 18:03 Taking the blessings of God whether big blessings or small 18:07 blessings and then finding ways to serve with them isn't always 18:14 an easy thing to do. On May 14, 1768, John Wesley ended a sermon 18:20 with these words: It is no small thing to lay out for God all 18:25 which you have received from God. It requires all your wisdom 18:31 all your resolution, all your patience and constancy, far more 18:37 than ever you had by nature, but not more than you may have by 18:43 grace. Hearing a story of the hero like Edward Spencer, the 18:48 one we talked about at the beginning of this program 18:51 sometimes leaves us thinking, oh I'll never have a big 18:52 opportunity like that. I'm not one of God's bright lights, one 18:56 of his strong heroes. I'm just insignificant and my sphere of 19:00 influence is so small, but no matter how insignificant you or 19:04 I may feel or how tiny our church or the community or the 19:08 place where God puts us, he needs us there. He created each 19:11 of us and he has beautiful things for us to do in his name 19:14 if we're willing. Listen now as Sandra sings 19:18 All I Ever Have To Be. Sandra Entermann 19:22 When the weight of all my dreams is resting heavy on my head 19:32 And the thoughtful words of help 19:37 and hope 19:39 have all been nicely said. 19:43 But I'm still hurting, 19:47 wondering if I'll ever be 19:51 the one I think I am, 19:55 I think I am. 20:04 Then you gently re-remind me 20:09 that you make me from the first 20:15 and the more I try 20:17 to be the best, 20:20 the more I get the worst. 20:24 And I realize the good in me 20:29 is only there because 20:33 of who you are, 20:39 who you are. 20:45 And all I ever have to be is what you've made me. 20:50 Any more or less would be a step out of your plan 20:55 As you daily recreate me help me always keep in mind 21:00 that I only have to do what I can find. 21:05 And all I ever have to be, 21:11 All I have to be, 21:16 All I ever have to be 21:25 is what you've made me. 21:35 ¤ ¤ 21:44 Help me always to keep in mind that I only have to do what I 21:49 can find. All we ever have to do is the task he gives each one of 21:53 us individually. I don't have to be concerned about the size of 21:57 your task and you don't have to be worried about mine. 21:59 We only have to do our best and the only people we have to help 22:03 in all the world are the people he puts around us in our every 22:07 day lives. We're to show them his love in action and tell them 22:10 he means more to us than anything else. 22:17 If I could find the right words to say 22:27 to tell you just what Christ means to me. 22:37 I'd say he's more than I could show 22:45 He's more than you'll ever know. 22:54 Christ means more to me than you'll ever know. 23:06 Christ means more to me than I could possibly show. 23:15 He's more, more, so much more 23:26 And more than you'll ever know. 23:36 If you could have seen me just yesterday, 23:44 you'd know why he's life and breath to me. 23:53 I say he's more than I could show. 24:03 And he's more than you'll ever know. 24:12 Christ means more to me 24:17 than you'll ever know. 24:22 Oh Christ means more to me than I could possibly show. 24:31 He's more, more, so much more 24:40 He's more than you'll ever know. 24:51 He is more, more, so much more. 25:08 He's more than you'll ever know. 25:38 ¤ ¤ |
Revised 2014-12-17