Participants: Wintley Phipps (Host), Adly Campos, Dr E.T. Stoddart, Ruthie Jacobson
Series Code: PFM
Program Code: PFM000008A
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00:27 Hi, I'm Wintley Phipps, and welcome to our program
00:31 Perfecting Me, Becoming More Like Jesus. 00:36 I'm so glad you've joined us. 00:38 My guests today on our program, our Ruthie Jacobsen, 00:41 head of the Prime Ministry of the North American division 00:43 of Seventh-day Adventist. 00:45 Pastor Georges Fleurimond, 00:47 pastor of the West Park Seventh-day Adventist Church. 00:50 And Mrs. Adly Campos, speaker and president 00:53 of Family Well Being International. 00:56 You'll hear from them a little later. 00:59 The mounted sentries at Buckingham Palace, 01:01 you know the soldiers with that black bearskin hats, 01:05 they are the watchmen at the walls 01:07 of the Buckingham Palace. 01:09 And they have to change soldiers every hour 01:12 round the clock, round the clock protection. 01:15 In Washington, D.C., the guard at the Tomb 01:18 of the Unknown Soldier is changed every 30 minutes 01:21 during the summer 01:23 and every hour during the winter. 01:25 And the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier 01:28 has been guarded every minute of every day 01:32 since 1937. 01:35 Well, if a tomb of a dead soldier 01:38 is guarded every minute of every day, 01:43 we who are living soldiers to be safe, 01:47 we too must watch and pray. 01:52 But it's not occasional, sporadic, infrequent, 01:56 intermittent prayer I'm talking about. 01:59 Jesus has given us the formula 02:01 for the spiritual threat detection 02:04 and spiritual victory. 02:06 He said, "Watch and pray." 02:09 And not just any kind of prayer, 02:10 I'm convinced that constant hourly prayer 02:14 is our only protection. 02:17 I believe with all my heart that if we will follow 02:22 the counsel, the command, the encouragement of Jesus 02:25 to pray without ceasing, to pray every hour on the hour 02:32 that we will see in our own personal lives, 02:35 victory over sin, victory over habits 02:39 that threatened to stain the character of Christ 02:42 that has been given to us. 02:44 I want you to stay with us during this program. 02:47 You will hear strategies, and you will hear experiences 02:50 that will inspire you and teach you 02:53 how to watch and pray hourly. 03:02 I'm sure with all of us, there are some things about 03:06 how we live now and how we act now, 03:09 that must change. 03:11 And they must change now. 03:15 No, it is not okay to die addicted to porn. 03:20 No, it is not okay to die addicted 03:23 to weed and drugs. 03:25 It is not okay to die a liar and a thief. 03:29 1 Corinthians 6:9 says, "Know you not 03:32 that the unrighteous shall not inherit 03:34 the Kingdom of God? 03:36 Be not deceived, neither fornicators, 03:38 nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, 03:41 nor abusers of themselves with mankind." 03:44 1 Corinthians 6:10, "Nor thieves, nor covetous, 03:48 nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortionists shall inherit 03:55 the Kingdom of God." 03:57 God has done everything possible 03:59 to show His love for us. 04:02 And it is the height of self-deception to think 04:05 that His love will over look the fact 04:10 that we are still stubbornly chained 04:13 to ungodly habits by our own choice. 04:18 Jesus died to set us free from ungodly habits 04:22 and character defects. 04:25 And any changes and transformation of character 04:29 we plan to make before Jesus comes, 04:33 we must make it now, not later, now. 04:39 The servant of the Lord reminds us 04:41 that death brings decay to the body, 04:45 but death does not change the kind of person 04:50 we have chosen to become. 04:53 Our character, the servant of the Lord 04:55 reminds us no change of character will take place 05:01 at the return of Christ. 05:04 If we are full of pride when we die 05:06 we will not come out of the grave 05:08 suddenly clothed in humility. 05:11 If we are selfish when we die, we will not come up 05:14 out of the grave suddenly 05:16 clothed in Christ-like generosity. 05:20 If we go down thinking evil, we will not come up 05:24 out of the grave suddenly clothed 05:26 with the mind of Christ. 05:29 If we go down speaking evil of others, 05:32 we will not come up out of the grave suddenly 05:34 with our mouths filled with words 05:36 of love and encouragement. 05:38 If we judge those with whom we come in contact, 05:42 did you know that that only means 05:44 we are not being sanctified 05:46 and perfected through the truth, 05:49 and we will have no part with Christ in His kingdom? 05:54 Those who make no change in character 05:57 though claiming the privilege of being called Christians 06:02 will not enter the Kingdom of God. 06:05 God considers no conversion truly genuine 06:10 that doesn't radically change the heart, 06:13 the character, the behavior, and the conduct. 06:18 I'm absolutely clear that Christ offer to change 06:22 and transform us into His lightness 06:26 is the most thrilling and wonderful offer 06:31 that has ever been made to us. 06:34 And I believe there is nothing more important 06:38 or more exciting that you can do with your life 06:42 than to choose every day to become more like Jesus, 06:49 growing to be more like Jesus is exciting, joyous. 06:53 It is amazing. 06:55 It is the greatest privilege of my life and your life. 07:00 Nothing is more important to me 07:04 than becoming more like Jesus, nothing. 07:08 Sanctification is becoming more like Jesus. 07:13 And too many people really have taken the joy 07:17 out of sanctification. 07:19 There is joy in growing to be more like Jesus. 07:24 As long as you are a Christian, you are going to be growing, 07:29 you ought to be loving every moment 07:32 of spiritual growth, God will bless you, 07:36 He will strengthen you. 07:38 He says if you love Me, keep my commandments, 07:41 keep growing, keep maturing. 07:45 It is God's way of perfecting you. 07:50 I want you to see a video from our friends 07:53 at the 700 Club. 07:55 It will help you grow in your prayer life. 07:58 And it'll help you grow in your faith. 08:01 Watch this video. 08:09 Six years ago, what was my life like 08:12 I didn't like to sit still. 08:15 I loved hanging out with friends, 08:16 I had really solid relationships 08:18 that was what I can remember. 08:20 I knew what I wanted to do. 08:22 You know, I really encountered the Lord at this point. 08:24 And I wanted to go into ministry somehow. 08:26 Cameron got accepted into a Bible college 08:29 and began making plans to attend after high school. 08:32 Car was packed, I was all ready to go. 08:36 On the way to college, Cameron went to the lake 08:37 with his family and friends. 08:39 On the second day of the vacation, 08:41 all his plans changed. 08:43 I dove into shallow water, hit my head on the bottom, 08:46 broke my neck, and the broken neck 08:50 went into my spinal cord. 08:51 The body is dead and I was paralyzed. 08:53 Cameron, still under water, 08:55 was unable to swim to the surface. 08:57 He soon began to run out of air. 08:59 I began to really realize I could die here. 09:04 I couldn't move anything. Tried to swim up couldn't. 09:06 I just begin to pray. 09:08 A miracle occurred under the water. 09:10 When I ran out of breath I kind of gasped a little bit. 09:14 But instead of taking in water, 09:16 it's hard to explain other than just I could... 09:18 I had more air. 09:19 Cameron kept praying. 09:21 And finally one of his friends found him 09:25 and pulled him to shore. 09:26 Called out the Lord to the scriptures, 09:28 calling on His name all the way back to the shore 09:32 as my best friend at this point 09:33 is dragging my limp body as much he can. 09:36 And they got me in the ambulance, you know, 09:38 I'm still thanking the Lord for healing, 09:40 I'm still talking about Him. 09:42 After two intense surgeries and several tests, 09:45 Cameron had to face the truth. 09:47 I remember doctors saying, 09:53 "His broken neck and paralyzed." 09:56 I remember Dad coming over to me, 09:59 his head falls on my chest, and he just begins to sob. 10:04 His friends and family asked others to pray. 10:07 Soon the miraculous story of him breathing under water 10:10 went viral. 10:11 Some people even gave their lives to Christ. 10:14 Still Cameron had unanswered questions. 10:17 Why didn't God heal him? 10:20 Some of the people around me were still encouraging me 10:25 in that, "Keep going, you're going to get healed, 10:27 you're going to be well." 10:29 Others were inspired that I was perseverant 10:34 through this thing and not turning from the Lord. 10:37 But I didn't initially like that so much 10:39 because, you know, 10:40 they were saying, "You and your wheelchair 10:42 are being used by the Lord." 10:44 And I knew that, but that wasn't the goal. 10:46 Cameron's goal was to be healed. 10:49 During this time, 10:50 he experienced another kind of loss. 10:52 I think sometimes people are less willing 10:55 to pursue relationships with people 10:58 who are broken, and sick, and in wheelchairs. 11:01 I lost some really close relationships. 11:05 Some of it seemed to be 11:08 because I wasn't getting healed. 11:11 All the tears shed none of it was about this, 11:14 you know, whole paralyzed. 11:15 I've never cried about that. 11:17 I didn't deal well with it. 11:18 It was really, really hard. 11:20 Cameron continued praying 11:21 and reading verses about healing. 11:24 He did everything he could to grow in his faith 11:26 and be healed by God. 11:28 Year and half, and two years, and you're doing what you know 11:32 to do to get the healing, but the Lord has to break 11:35 in that situation or else you'll just 11:37 keep spinning your wheels and it's like, 11:40 "I don't have enough faith or God isn't real." 11:43 That's the logical end of this faith healing thing 11:46 isn't happening. 11:48 "Or God doesn't love me or God isn't faithful," 11:51 but the reality is that God is very faithful. 11:53 And He's set up in His word, the truth in reality 11:57 about healing, He's faithful to His word. 12:00 I just might not understand His word very well. 12:02 One of his mentors shared with Cameron 12:04 how Jesus suffered in order to bring glory to God. 12:08 Cameron began to explore 12:10 what it means to endure the cross. 12:13 Jesus suffered. 12:14 Paul's always talking about suffering. 12:16 And I had seen those scriptures. 12:19 They will weigh on my heart, it's like, 12:20 "Wow, that doesn't fit my faith healing thing." 12:22 Peter says, "Set your hope 12:24 fully on the grace to be given you 12:27 at the revelation of Jesus Christ." 12:29 Where we haven't done that is where we get sorrow. 12:33 There is sorrow when I set hope in other things 12:35 like the healing, but when I set my hope fully 12:38 in what God has promised, 12:39 He's promised to come and restore all things. 12:42 I set my hope fully there, I'm going to have joy. 12:45 The healing may or may not happen. 12:47 I may or may not have great relationships. 12:49 But what will happen is Jesus will come back 12:51 and will give me a resurrected body. 12:53 And I will be out of this wheelchair. 12:55 Now Cameron shares his story 12:56 and what he's learned with others. 12:58 Three years ago, I'd be looking at myself right now 13:01 I'll be like "You lost faith for healing, you gave up." 13:04 I realized, "Okay, I never lost faith, 13:07 it's that my faith was redirected." 13:09 I want to go in to a ministry this way, go to school, 13:14 and now the Lord has just thrust me 13:17 into ministry a different way 13:19 through the avenue of the center. 13:21 You may have the faith to be healed. 13:26 But do you have the faith to continue on when you're not. 13:28 What the Lord's done to me is given me the strength 13:31 and faith to continue on. 13:32 He did it so tenderly. 13:35 And so what health, He turned my heart to it 13:38 like my desire is to be used by hand in this way. 13:43 It's a rejoicing. 13:49 Joining us again, our guests Ruthie Jacobsen, Adly Campos, 13:54 and Pastor Georges Fleurimond, 13:56 thank you for being with us today. 13:57 Let me ask you something about this really 14:01 a very revolutionary idea. 14:04 And that is Christians praying hourly, 14:09 not just when they're going through a tough experience, 14:13 but making a commitment to hourly prayer 14:17 for the rest of their lives. 14:20 That is a revolutionary commitment. 14:24 My idea or I should say my introduction 14:28 to hourly prayer came from 14:31 when I was with Dr. E. E. Cleveland, 14:34 my friend and mentor for many years. 14:36 And I was working 14:38 in one of his evangelistic crusades. 14:41 And he said to me during those crusades 14:44 and in one of those crusades in his very unique voice, 14:48 he said, "Wintley," he said, "I have learned 14:51 how to pray every hour on the hour." 14:55 And that touched me, it moved me. 14:57 And in all my young days of ministry, 15:00 I was trying to learn how could I do that. 15:03 But I found it very difficult to remember every time 15:06 the hour was coming around. 15:08 So I went out when people were buying 15:10 expensive watches, 15:11 I would buy these cheap digital watches 15:14 that would vibrate every hour on the hour. 15:18 And it would remind me to pray every hour. 15:21 Can you imagine after three, four years of feeling 15:25 that on your arm what happened to me? 15:28 I began praying not only on the hour but before the hour 15:32 and in the hour. 15:34 And I was learning to have constant communion with God. 15:38 Let me ask you, all of you about this idea 15:42 of hourly prayer. 15:44 Sister Ruthie, what do you think 15:45 is that really possible for Christians? 15:50 I think it's the most wonderful thing. 15:52 Yes, it's possible. 15:54 And, you know, when you came on the all-night prayer call 15:57 that we have across North America in July, 16:01 and you shared this concept. 16:03 Many of the people were already trying to do it. 16:07 And it's difficult without some kind of prompt. 16:11 But they're doing it. 16:12 And they were experiencing the wonderful effects of it. 16:17 But when they heard you, just underscore it, 16:21 they were thrilled. 16:22 And now since this app is going to be available very soon. 16:26 And I have been using it for a couple weeks. 16:29 I keep sharing with them, you know, 16:31 some of the expressions that I'm getting, the prompts, 16:38 the ideas that are coming on my screen, 16:40 and they are so excited. 16:43 I don't know when there has been anything 16:46 this exciting that's come across the screen 16:48 for our prayer coordinators, one of them said, 16:52 a man in Southern California, he said, "Ruthie, you tell me 16:56 this is going to knock my socks off." 16:58 He said, "I lose more socks with you 17:00 than I do in the dryer." 17:03 That's beautiful. 17:04 Well, for those who are listening 17:06 and I think it'll be important to describe what this is, 17:10 it's called SDA Divine Alerts. 17:13 You know, how when you get on your cell phone, 17:15 you get a little news alert from Fox News 17:18 or a news alert from CNN News, well, we developed an app 17:22 for your phone called SDA Divine Alerts. 17:26 And you can set it to the frequency you are. 17:29 So if you want it every hour, I want it every hour, 17:32 but you're able to choose a book in the Bible, 17:35 you can get the Psalms. 17:40 Every hour it reminds you to center yourself and to pray. 17:44 You can also get Steps to Christ, 17:47 so some of the Ellen White's writings 17:49 or other great writers. 17:51 And so we're excited to let people know 17:53 about SDA Divine Alerts. 17:56 Sister Campos, tell me about your thought 17:59 about the importance of hourly prayer. 18:04 I think I cannot say that I have experienced it 18:10 myself praying every hour on the dot, I have not, 18:15 but I do pray every moment that I think 18:19 that I want to have a contact with God. 18:23 And that could be many times a day 18:26 without exactly being every hour. 18:28 And it's in thought, and at times it's on my knees, 18:32 and at times it's reading something from this scripture, 18:35 at times it's listening to someone 18:37 that is presenting a sermon, a DVD. 18:41 But I'm having that communion 18:44 as often as I can possibly do it. 18:47 But I think this idea, it's wonderful 18:50 because it's easier to do it 18:53 when you're reminded of something. 18:55 Exactly. 18:56 Pastor Fleurimond, what do you think 18:58 about this whole concept of praying hourly? 19:00 And not just as I said, "Well, I'm about to go 19:03 through a difficult period in my life. 19:05 I'm going to try to pray every hour," 19:06 but to dedicate yourself to living 19:09 so that you pray as... 19:11 And as Sister Campos said, 19:12 not just every hour on the hour, 19:14 but at every moment you can think of living 19:17 in a constant life of constant communion with God. 19:21 What do you think of this idea of hourly prayer? 19:24 I want to read 1 Thessalonians 5:16, 18 19:27 'cause I think you made a mention of that 19:29 in your introduction. 19:31 "I rejoice always, pray without ceasing, 19:34 give thanks in all circumstances 19:37 for this is the will of God in Jesus Christ for you." 19:40 And I think that's so important for us to know 19:43 that praying without ceasing is actually the will of God. 19:48 And that it is more than just asking, 19:52 it is more than just the simple request of God 19:56 to help, it is to pray in every circumstances 20:00 in good times and in bad times, you know, to rejoice in prayer. 20:04 And so I think that it is very possible 20:07 and, you know, in my time with you 20:09 actually have noticed this consistence being 20:14 in prayer always. 20:16 I don't know if you noticed in you, 20:18 there are times when you say, "Thank you, Jesus." 20:20 You will say, "Thank you, Jesus." 20:22 Right. 20:23 And that's for me, it is an indicator 20:26 or indication that while you are speaking 20:29 or in the middle of a conversation with someone 20:32 you're still in communication with God. 20:34 And so I think it is possible, I think it is a matter of us 20:40 becoming more disciplined, 20:42 training ourselves to view this, 20:44 praying without ceasing to be something 20:47 we can do it all the times. 20:49 Yes. 20:50 And, you know, praying hourly... 20:54 A lot of people think that prayer is the... 20:58 It's really unrealistic to just pray, pray, pray 21:02 and just pray and pray, pray, pray. 21:06 You know what I tell people no time spent with God 21:12 is ever wasted. 21:15 Right. Right. Amen. 21:16 And, you know... 21:18 Go ahead, Ruthie. 21:19 I was just going to say there is this very simple 21:22 little song that the children, well, adults sing it too. 21:26 Walk in the light, beautiful light 21:29 Walk where the dewdrops of mercy shine bright 21:33 Shine all around us by day and by night 21:36 Jesus is the light of the world 21:38 And the more we are in communion with Him, 21:41 the more we're in fellowship with Him, 21:43 the more of His light is able to shine on us. 21:47 I am getting the Andrew Murray thoughts on prayer now. 21:53 And I tell you it just lifts you 21:55 into the presence of the Lord. 21:57 One of them said the countenance of the Father 22:01 shines down on you. 22:02 Amen. 22:04 Well, that scripture 22:05 but it's just lifts you into His presence, 22:08 and it gives you a grateful heart. 22:09 And you'll get that from the SDA Divine Alerts app, 22:13 those Andrew Murray sayings. 22:16 And they are the powerful quotes that remind you 22:20 to get yourself into the presence of God. 22:23 And I think that's one of the things 22:25 that an hourly reminder does, it centers you, 22:29 it refocuses you. 22:31 And I was talking to somebody about this the other day. 22:34 And, you know, you think only people 22:37 who are busy in secular work need that kind of centering, 22:40 but the truth is a lot of people in ministry, 22:43 you can get so busy, you know, you ever heard that song 22:47 that my friend Larnelle Harris sings 22:49 "I miss my time with you." 22:53 And it's a beautiful song, beautiful words, 22:55 but the Lord is saying, "I want more time with you." 22:59 And I also believe nobody is going to get to heaven 23:03 and ask God for an audience to tell Him, "Listen, Lord, 23:08 when we were on earth, You were bothering me too much. 23:14 You were just every time I turn around, 23:17 You wanted to talk to me, you know." 23:19 It's not going to be like that. 23:22 Wintley, could I share one more thing 23:25 about this God alerts. 23:28 It's not just a prompt to prayer but it's a call 23:33 to prayer, it's a reminder, but often these quotes 23:38 are so full of encouragement and inspiration 23:42 that your prayer first is just gratitude, 23:45 and peace, and it's just such a wonderful prompt 23:50 and the launch to prayer. 23:52 So I just praise the Lord for this. 23:53 Well, praise God. 23:54 Sister Campos, you were going to say something. 23:57 Yes, somebody said yesterday to me, 24:00 "I cannot spend that much time in prayer 24:03 and study up the Bible like you do. 24:06 I don't think I could ever do something like that." 24:09 I said, "Try it. 24:11 If you try it, you will fall in love with it 24:15 and you will not be able to subsist one moment 24:18 without it, all it takes is for you to taste it, 24:22 to try it just for a little bit. 24:24 And you will see how addicted it is." 24:26 It is. It is. And I tell you the truth. 24:29 And Pastor Fleurimond, he and I worked together 24:31 in a ministry for years, and I cannot think 24:35 of another way to live. 24:37 I really can't think of a better way to live 24:40 than to live... 24:42 Remember in our early introductions, 24:45 I was talking about how it is so exciting, 24:49 it is, it is exciting living each day 24:53 talking to the Lord and living in the presence of God. 24:57 I don't know of any other more beautiful exciting way to live. 25:02 Pastor Fleurimond, you want to close with us. 25:04 Oh, definitely. 25:06 I think a prayer is not only a tool 25:10 that can be used to bring us closer to God, 25:13 but prayer will allows us to get to know Him better. 25:19 And the more we speak with Him, the more dimensions of Him 25:23 we're able to find, you know. 25:25 Amen. 25:27 And I believe that it's kind of like a flower 25:29 that has many petals, you know, you pull one back 25:33 and it's another layer behind it. 25:35 And I think as more we pray, we get into deeper levels 25:40 who God is for us. 25:41 Well, I will tell you this every hour, 25:44 He'll have something even more beautiful to say to you. 25:47 Exactly. God bless you. Thanks for being with us today. 25:56 When I was a teenager I worked with a great evangelist 25:59 by the name of E.E. Cleveland. 26:02 And during one of the crusades, he said to me, "Wintley," 26:05 he said, said "I have learned how to pray every hour 26:09 on the hour," that touched me so much 26:12 that I decided I wanted to make 26:14 that a part of my life and ministry. 26:16 But I found it very difficult to, you know, 26:19 always know when that hour was coming around. 26:22 So I started buying these cheap digital watches 26:26 that would vibrate every hour on the hour. 26:30 And it would remind me to pray. 26:33 Well, after about three years of doing that, 26:36 I found myself praying not only on the hour, 26:39 but before the hour, and all in the hour. 26:43 And I have learned the power of hourly communion with God. 26:50 I've learned the power of regular hourly 26:54 continual interaction with God's will, 26:58 God's thoughts. 27:00 It is not fanaticism to pray hourly. 27:04 On the contrary, it is what we were created for, 27:10 to watch and pray. 27:12 Man was created for fellowship with God. 27:17 And can only in such fellowship find 27:20 His real life and development. 27:22 We were created to find in God our highest joy. 27:27 And we can find in nothing else this joy 27:32 that can quiet the cravings of the heart 27:34 and satisfy the hunger and thirst of the soul. 27:38 And so He who, with sincere teachable spirit, 27:43 studies God's Word, and watch, 27:46 and pray will be blessed by the God of heaven. 27:50 I'm Wintley Phipps, and remember to be a Christian 27:55 means to be Christ-like. |
Revised 2018-02-07