Participants:
Series Code: TDYFW
Program Code: TDYFW210043S
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:13 I want to spend my life 00:19 Removing pain 00:24 Lord, let my words 00:30 Heal a heart that hurts 00:35 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:46 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:08 Hello and welcome to another 3ABN Today Family Worship 01:12 and Happy Sabbath. 01:13 It is always a joy to worship with you. 01:16 This is a family worship, family worship, 01:20 and I'll explain it in just a minute. 01:22 But the topic for discussion is sharing is caring. 01:25 We are taking it back to the basics. 01:27 And I know probably when you were a child, 01:31 your mother probably taught you 01:32 or your father probably taught you 01:34 that sharing is caring 01:36 and we're going to dive into that 01:37 in just a minute. 01:39 But here with me, I have mom, Yvonne Shelton. 01:44 I have pop, Danny Shelton. 01:47 I've got Aunt Chris, and Chris Shelton, 01:52 Uncle Kenny, Kenny Shelton, 01:55 Pastor Kenny Shelton, it's great to have you all here 01:58 and to be able to have worship together. 02:00 Yeah. Yes. 02:01 Amen. And sharing is caring. 02:05 Before we open with scripture and all of that 02:07 I just want us to pray. 02:09 And so, Pop, I'm gonna ask you to do the honors. 02:10 Yes, I will. 02:12 Lord, we thank You for 02:14 this another Sabbath day that we can worship You. 02:16 We thank You that we can be here together 02:17 not only with family here but for those around the world 02:21 who are watching and joining with us 02:23 and celebrating this time with us 02:25 the day that You've set aside to be with us even more 02:29 than usual not because of yours, 02:32 of course, because of us. 02:33 We're so busy during the week but today, we thank You 02:36 that we can come to You and have this day of rest 02:39 every week as a reminder of who we are and who You are. 02:42 Now we pray for the anointing 02:44 of the Holy Spirit upon this program, 02:46 that everything that's said and done 02:48 will be done to Your honor and to Your glory 02:51 in Jesus' name I pray. 02:52 Amen. Amen. 02:55 Our opening scripture 02:56 is taken from Luke 22:32, 03:01 and it says, but I have prayed for you, 03:04 this is Jesus speaking, "But I have prayed for you 03:06 that your faith should not fail. 03:09 And when you have returned to Me, 03:11 strengthen your brethren." 03:13 Now I found a lot of interesting things 03:16 in this particular scripture. 03:17 So this part where it says, but I have prayed for you, 03:20 you have that intercession taking place 03:23 that your faith should not fail. 03:25 That doesn't mean that you won't 03:27 make a mistake or something like that 03:29 and fall down. 03:30 But then he says, 03:32 and when you have returned to Me, 03:34 not if you return to Me, but when you return to Me, 03:38 strengthen your brethren. 03:40 And if you consider Proverbs 24:16, 03:44 it says, "For a righteous man may fall seven times 03:47 and rise again, but the wicked shall fall by calamity." 03:52 The interesting thing here too, 03:54 is that in John 21:15-17, 03:59 you see where Jesus came back, 04:01 it was like the breakfast by the sea, 04:03 and he was basically talking to Simon Peter, 04:05 and he was just like, Simon, do you love Me, 04:09 you know, feed my sheep. 04:11 And He asked them three times, 04:13 and then He gave them something to do. 04:15 So it was like in this verse in Luke 22:32, 04:20 you see, the precursor, if you will, 04:26 of what is to come in John 21:15-17, 04:32 that was powerful to me. 04:33 What stands out in that verse to you? 04:38 I think you've covered most of it actually. 04:42 One of the things is that, 04:43 you know, Jesus says, I've prayed for you. 04:47 He prays, prayed for us, and He's still, 04:53 He ever liveth to make intercession for us. 04:56 So He prays for us. 04:58 There's something so intimate about that. 05:02 The fact that He prays for us and then 05:06 He prayed that our faith would not fail 05:08 that our confidence in God, that our trust in Him 05:12 would not fail. 05:13 He knew that, you know, there would be so many things 05:17 that could pull us away and yet 05:19 He prayed that our faith would not fail. 05:23 And the important thing to Him 05:25 was that when we return to Him, 05:29 then we would share, it would strengthen 05:33 the brethren because sharing is caring, right? 05:37 I mean, when you think of the Creator 05:39 of the universe praying for you, 05:40 you can't lose. 05:41 Oh, that's good. 05:43 Yeah, it's true. 05:45 It's a done deal. 05:46 It's just up to us. 05:49 And that's why it says, don't lose faith. 05:51 Don't give up. Don't lose the hope. 05:53 I've prayed for you. 05:54 I mean, you know, His prayers don't fail, right? 05:58 Creator of the universe, 06:00 so it's really just encouraging us 06:02 that no matter what happens around you, 06:04 you just continue. 06:06 So I'm not gonna base God's love for me 06:10 on what's happening around me. 06:11 The Bible says, "All who live 06:13 godly shall suffer persecution." 06:15 Get into some of that more later I'm sure. 06:17 But to me, it's just incredible 06:19 that the Creator of the universe 06:21 and like He said with Peter, 06:23 you know, when thou art converted, 06:24 strengthen thy brethren. 06:26 When it didn't say if you're converted, 06:28 I prayed for you. 06:29 You know, Peter, basically is what he's saying. 06:31 And when you're converted, strengthen your brethren. 06:34 So it wasn't like, well, let's see 06:36 if you choose at some point, he already knew. 06:38 His prayer is going to work. 06:40 He's praying for us, if they don't work 06:41 because we reject them. 06:43 Right. Amen. 06:45 It's good. Amen. 06:46 We need their hearts 06:48 and I think we could probably break this down 06:49 and spend the whole hour on that one word. 06:52 One thing you mentioned was when He talked to Peter. 06:55 Peter had denied Him three times. 06:57 And I believe he said it three times, 06:59 if I remember correctly. 07:00 But He didn't just say, Peter, feed My sheep. 07:04 He also said, feed My lambs. 07:07 A sheep, you think someone's grown in the faith, 07:10 they're stronger in the faith, but we have a lot of lambs 07:12 that come up. 07:13 And we have to be very careful, because the lambs, 07:16 you know, they're just on milk. 07:18 They don't understand a lot of things. 07:20 And so many lambs 07:21 that have walked into the church 07:23 walk into people's lives have absolutely been 07:26 totally discouraged by what was presented to them. 07:30 And sometimes you never see those lambs again. 07:34 So Jesus was saying, you know, you feed the sheep, 07:37 and you feed the lambs. 07:38 We must treat each one of them a little different, 07:41 a little more delicate for those lambs. 07:43 Amen. 07:45 And I guess Peter wasn't... I wanna say it this way. 07:48 He wasn't capable before he was converted. 07:52 He had one way in which to do it. 07:54 But Jesus says 07:55 there are different ways in which to do it. 07:56 I like the part of strengthening because, 07:59 you know, I know in my own life 08:00 and I think probably each one of us as Christians, 08:01 we know that we can't, 08:03 as it were, through the Holy Spirit, 08:05 strengthen anybody, if we're not there. 08:07 You see, we need to be strengthened, 08:09 we need to be born again. 08:11 We need to have the power of the Holy Spirit inside of us, 08:14 then we can help somebody else along the way. 08:17 There's lot of people who try to help other people 08:19 when they need some help themselves, 08:20 you know, and we all do. 08:22 But again, fill that cup, right, 08:24 give that which overflows, and then we can strengthen. 08:27 To me, it's what the lesson is about, is sharing. 08:31 And so how do we share, you know? 08:33 And some people say, well, I never had the opportunity or, 08:36 you know, I can't say it, nobody's gonna listen to me. 08:39 It might be the way 08:40 in which we've conducted ourselves 08:42 for what we're saying or how we're saying it. 08:44 And so this lesson really brings out to me, 08:46 look at Jesus, follow in His footsteps. 08:49 And He says, here, right there when you're strengthened, 08:51 right, when He's coming, I'm gonna pray for you 08:53 and when it's all said and done, 08:55 I'm going to use you. 08:56 And I'm like Danny. 08:58 I'm just, I'm awed at that, I could just stop at that verse 09:00 and just say, I'm just humbled to the dust 09:03 to say the Creator of the universe 09:05 knows you so well. 09:07 He has His eye on you 09:09 and He's just interceding for you 09:11 right now. 09:13 I'm gonna say take advantage. 09:14 Is that okay to say? 09:15 Take advantage of that right now. 09:17 He's interceding. 09:18 We want to make it to heaven any man intercede so, 09:20 that's such a powerful verse there. 09:23 Amen. 09:24 The principle I try to use in my own life 09:26 is when you're dealing with all of these situations, 09:30 everything that comes to you is the principle 09:32 of living in the spiritual or the physical. 09:35 When we're dealing in the physical, 09:37 we're going to have all kinds of situations, 09:39 our faith is going to be shaken. 09:40 We're going to be discouraged. 09:41 We're going to do whatever, but when Jesus says, 09:44 I prayed for you He did it in the spirit, 09:46 it's in the spiritual, 09:47 and so now when I'm going through life 09:50 and things don't go well, 09:51 have to look to the spiritual side of it and say, 09:53 I can't lose this. 09:55 I don't care what happens right now. 09:57 And I can say it if I die today, 09:59 this very second, my life. 10:01 I've been blessed over and over. 10:05 So it's not how long I live here. 10:06 But the fact of knowing 10:08 that when after the short sleep, 10:10 when I wake up, 10:11 and first face I'll see is the face of Jesus. 10:14 So in the spiritual, you can... 10:16 If you stay in the spiritual, how do you do that? 10:18 Through prayer and study of God's Word 10:20 and that constant... 10:22 I'm sure you're like me. 10:24 All day long, it seems like to myself, 10:27 even if I'm by myself sometimes out loud if I'm in the car, 10:29 and she's not with me, 10:31 I'll be talking to the Lord just praying. 10:32 Say, okay, Lord, what do you... What should I do here what? 10:35 But if we can concentrate on the Bible 10:38 and the word and so it's the foundation. 10:43 And now when somebody gets to say 10:45 something terrible about me, 10:47 it's like, you know, great peace have they 10:48 which love thy love. 10:50 But I'm in the physical, it's like you know what? 10:52 I had them with that. Wait till they hear me. 10:55 I got a mouth and I'm going to use it, 10:57 you know what I'm saying? 10:58 But then you have to say, no, wait a minute. 11:00 I got to get back in there what's the Bible say? 11:03 And so if we can do that and concentrate, 11:06 these other things won't bother us so much. 11:08 Amen. 11:09 Very true. Very well said. 11:11 But I'm gonna need you to stay awake for a while, Pop. 11:13 There's no going to sleep. 11:15 All right, now. Yeah. 11:19 Whatever the Lord says. That's right. 11:21 Yes, well, we pray you stay awake. 11:24 But why don't you take this... 11:25 I saw you've been on this program 11:27 before we come out, 11:28 old as I'm in turn fall to sleep. 11:31 We did have one dear sweet lady who I won't mention her name 11:35 because we love her so much. 11:36 She used to do programs here. 11:38 She was getting older. 11:39 I can say that now being 11:41 the older but she's getting older. 11:42 So sometimes she had guests and she was interviewing them 11:45 and she would kind of start going to sleep 11:48 so we have just honest truths. 11:50 Some of the production knows. 11:52 So we tied a little string on her ankle 11:54 and the guest would have it while they were talking. 11:56 When they're about ready for her, 11:58 they saw her like this they would give a little pull. 12:01 She would wake up and she was always right back. 12:04 And she could never lose because she'd say things 12:07 like no matter what they said. 12:09 Isn't God good? 12:11 What about this, that and the other, 12:13 you know, but she did, 12:15 but the programs turned out great. 12:16 So hey, you know, what I was thinking Jay 12:19 is maybe I'm gonna fall asleep here 12:21 but either way. 12:23 I don't think we have a string anywhere. 12:26 Well, she got an elbow. I can nudge him. 12:28 There we go. 12:30 Why don't you take us away with our next verse? 12:33 This one was specifically given to you 12:36 'cause when I read this verse you came to mind on this, 12:41 so Matthew 28:19-20. 12:44 Well, I've lived on this for, 12:46 you know, 37 years or so. 12:51 We talk about the 19-20, 12:53 go you therefore and teach all nations but, 12:55 and Jesus came and spake unto them saying, 12:57 all power's given Me in heaven and earth. 13:00 Once again, Kenny you said advantage. 13:02 There's that advantage. 13:03 So when Jesus says, go you into all the world. 13:06 Now, let's say, Jay, I love you but if you said hey, Pop, 13:10 go do such and such, I could say, well, 13:13 Jay, I don't have the resource. 13:15 I can't do that or can't whatever. 13:18 Kenny says it to me or I say it to you 13:20 say Kenny you should go do, you know, go do, 13:23 and he's like, well, I don't have any. 13:25 But when Jesus says He starts off 13:28 before He gives a great commission. 13:31 It says all power's given Me in heaven and earth, 13:33 go ye therefore. 13:34 So all of a sudden now there are no excuses. 13:37 You have no excuse because what He has 13:40 He's willing to give to you to get the job done. 13:43 And so, to me, that word all is really, 13:47 you know, all power is given me small but it's big. 13:49 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, 13:53 for my God shall supply all of your needs 13:55 according to His riches and glory. 13:57 I can go on and on. 13:58 There are so many scriptures, but that's the beauty of it. 14:01 I love the words you said, I'm gonna keep using it today, 14:04 the advantage. 14:05 What an advantage we have as Christians, 14:09 because of ourselves, 14:11 we can't play this game of life. 14:13 You can't do it, but we have an advantage. 14:15 It's like on a basketball team, we're not that tall, 14:18 but we get Jay, he's about 6'1" on our team, 14:21 gives us a little advantage. 14:22 He can get some rebounds. Hopefully, he'll pass to me. 14:26 Well, that's questionable. 14:29 That's not a good example, 14:30 he's been shooting threes lately. 14:33 I have to get John Stanton back here 6' 9.5", 14:36 you remember John, but no, you have an advantage. 14:38 So here He says, 14:40 all power's given me in heaven and earth. 14:43 Go ye, therefore, teach all nations, 14:45 baptizing them in the name of the Father, 14:47 the Son, and the Holy Ghost 14:48 and then teaching them to observe some of the things. 14:51 Oh, there's that little word again, 14:53 all of the things. 14:55 I wonder if that means like all the Ten Commandments, 14:57 not necessarily part of it. 14:59 Teaching them to observe all things 15:01 whatsoever I have commanded you. 15:03 And lo, I'm with you always even to the end of the world. 15:06 So, Dr. Thompson, I've said it many times, 15:09 I probably say it again. 15:10 He said to me a long time ago, Danny, when Jesus said, 15:14 Go ye into all the world, He counted his resources, 15:17 and found in advance and found that he's not wanting. 15:21 So there's nothing we can't do. 15:23 So when we're here, as a board, and we're here working, 15:26 well, what are we going to do or should we do this or that. 15:30 It's always good to know, wait a minute, 15:32 Jesus said, go ye into all the world. 15:35 "Ask me and I'll give you the heathen 15:36 for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts 15:39 of the earth for thy possession." 15:41 Psalms 2:8 I think. 15:42 So how can you say no? 15:44 But the only way you can do that, 15:47 you can't give what you don't have. 15:48 Very true. 15:50 So once you come to the foot of the cross, 15:52 once you understand who you are, 15:54 and accept who you are, and who Jesus is, 15:57 you submit and commit your life to Him. 15:59 Guess what? 16:00 Everything changes. 16:02 So I can tell you, Kenny will be with me. 16:04 We've never doubted, I can honestly say this, 16:06 I would not say it put my soul in jeopardy. 16:09 I've never once from the time we were impressed 16:11 to build a station to reach the world, 16:13 I've never been discouraged or thought it might not work. 16:17 I haven't, because 16:19 we've trusted in the faith of Jesus, 16:21 not my faith. 16:22 My faith is weak 16:23 but, you know, the faith of Jesus, 16:25 we talked about in Revelation, 16:27 those who keep the commandments of God 16:28 and have the faith of Jesus. 16:29 So I say, Lord, my, my faith is human. 16:32 It's weak. 16:33 I want to be in the spiritual. 16:34 I want Your faith. 16:36 You said when I'll pray for you, 16:37 and then when you're converted, strengthen your brethren. 16:40 So now, I'm weak. 16:42 So it's not my faith. 16:43 So I say, Lord, I'm trusting in your faith, so, 16:45 because of that, and this just seems like a small thing. 16:48 I've never once doubted 16:50 and you haven't either I can tell you. 16:52 You've never have doubted. 16:53 Well, what's going to happen? 16:54 Maybe this is not going to work out. 16:56 Even today, it's 30 some years later, 16:59 it's cost more money. 17:00 It's a bigger, you know, 17:02 huge to get the gospel to the world 17:05 and then 3ABN and all of us the board members, 17:08 Greg and Jill, everybody working and you 17:10 those of you home. 17:12 But I can honestly say I never lose sleep over, 17:17 well, I wonder if we're gonna make it. 17:19 Lord has prayed for us. 17:20 Amen. 17:22 And look at 3ABN Russia. 17:24 Now go strengthen the brethren. 17:26 There you go. That's it. 17:27 I like that. Look at 3ABN Russia. 17:30 Yeah. I mean that story. 17:32 It's amazing. 17:33 Very humbling. Yeah, incredible. 17:36 And that's how it happened there 17:38 when we baptized 17:39 through Elder Carter's meetings, 2532 people, 17:43 and you find out there in 52 million constituencies, 17:47 they only had in that city of Nizhny Novgorod, 17:50 3.5 million people 17:52 they only had one Adventist Church, 17:53 which would only hold 200 people. 17:56 And it's pretty full on Sabbaths. 17:58 And now you got 2532 more. 18:00 So now, good problem, but it's a problem. 18:04 Now, what are you gonna do? 18:06 How you going to take care of those people 18:07 because if you don't, 18:09 after a few months, they're gone. 18:11 So we saw a lot of baptisms in Moscow, 18:15 but they didn't have facilities, 18:17 didn't have, couldn't house them in after a bit, 18:20 about 80% of the people disappeared from the church. 18:23 But years later, two or three years later, 18:26 after the evangelistic series there, 18:29 80% of the people were still there 18:32 but they had a facility. 18:33 But that's when, you know, the conference... 18:35 In Nizhny. In Nizhny Novgorod. 18:36 The people said to me, the conference leadership. 18:40 Well, this is a great problem, but it's a big problem. 18:43 What are we gonna do? 18:44 And so, you know, that's when 18:47 I literally went outside Roseau Hotel, 18:49 and I stood just overlooking the Volga River, beautiful. 18:52 And you could see the old Kremlin there. 18:54 And I looked out and I said, 18:56 "Lord, how are we going to do this?" 18:57 This is You, we're in a foreign country. 18:59 Communism had just fallen. 19:01 It's May of 1992 when we saw these bad, 19:05 what are we going to do? 19:06 And that's when it came to me. 19:09 Literally, I had to go look it up, 19:10 make sure it was right. 19:12 Ask of me. 19:13 I'll give you the heathen for thine inheritance 19:15 and the uttermost parts of the earth 19:17 for thy possessions. 19:19 Well, where am I? 19:20 I'm halfway around the world. 19:22 To me, I mean, you in a place 19:23 you've only heard about all your life, 19:25 cold war and all this. 19:26 Doors are open and you're there. 19:28 So I said, "Okay, Lord, we'll do it." 19:29 Amen. We'll do it. 19:31 You supply all the needs as you have been 19:34 and He has to this day. 19:36 This coming year will be 30 years. 19:39 We'd love to go back into a 30-year celebration. 19:43 And so, it's amazing caring and sharing. 19:47 So, there's only one word if I don't say any more today, 19:51 I want to say that what little vocabulary 19:53 I've had over the years. 19:54 It's gone down to one. 19:56 It's evangelism, evangelism. 19:58 It's evangelism. 19:59 What is evangelism? 20:01 It's basically telling people about Jesus 20:03 and then showing him in your own life. 20:05 Because we may be the only Jesus 20:08 that a lot of people see. 20:10 So people you mentioned earlier about 20:12 people coming to church and they leave, 20:14 they're discouraged. 20:16 That's because we try to make people look like 20:19 what we think a Christian should resemble and look like, 20:22 rather than reflect the character of Jesus 20:24 in our own lives, 20:26 let it go out and then they see Jesus 20:29 and then let the Holy Spirit do the reaping. 20:31 We want to do the sowing and the reaping. 20:33 Okay, here it is. 20:34 Now, you look like me, you act like me, 20:36 you sound like me, you do the music I like, 20:39 you don't lift your hands or you don't do whatever 20:42 if I don't like it. 20:43 And if you do, I'm disappointed in you. 20:46 Rather than just giving the gospel. 20:48 Give your own personal testimony, 20:50 it's the greatest asset that we have 20:52 because that's believable. 20:54 People don't care how much you know, 20:56 they want to see how you act, especially in time of trouble. 20:59 That's good. Amen. 21:00 Yeah. You're preaching a sermon. 21:01 That's good. Amen. 21:05 Did anybody else have anything they wanted to add to that? 21:08 He covered well. Oh, that was really good. 21:11 There are just so many things that you could touch on 21:14 and what made me stop and say, 21:16 you said, evangelism, evangelism. 21:17 I used to hear the blessing is on the go. 21:20 And who has He called? 21:21 All of you. 21:23 You know, the blessing is on the go, 21:25 and the blessing has been on the go. 21:27 You know, last night, I started looking at this, 21:29 and I kept getting kind of sidetracked. 21:31 And I thought, okay, I'm going to look at it again today, 21:33 my phone started ringing and, 21:35 and so I started talking to this lady, 21:37 and then pretty soon 21:38 I told her that we were up here, 21:40 and we're going to do a program here today. 21:41 And she's like, oh, wow. 21:44 She said, you know my brother, 21:45 I think it was her brother's into Christian music. 21:48 And she said you guys are really something, 21:49 something like that. 21:51 I'd have to look see exactly what she said. 21:52 And I said, "Well, we're not but the Lord is." 21:56 That our Lord and Savior, the one that gave so much 21:59 for each of us so that we could come back to Him 22:02 and have full salvation 22:04 so that we could strengthen the brother. 22:06 I said, He is and I just started talking and then 22:10 we said, "Goodbyes and bless you," blah, blah, blah. 22:12 And so then, as I was praying to start studying this again, 22:17 I thought you need to give her a book. 22:19 You see, this is something all of you can do. 22:21 The problem is, sometimes we get these ideas, 22:24 and we don't act on it. 22:25 So I text her back. 22:27 I said, "As I was praying, 22:28 I thought about giving you a book. 22:30 I've got these beautiful books, they're illustrated. 22:33 And it's been called the Desire of Ages, 22:35 that it's about the life of Christ. 22:37 Would you like to have it? 22:38 Will you send me your address, and I'll get it sent to you." 22:41 And she sure did. 22:43 And then she said 3ABN, she said I don't have a dish 22:46 because I told her where she can get 3ABN. 22:48 She said if I watch online. 22:50 So I took a screenshot and circled the app. 22:53 I said, here you go. 22:55 There's an app you can download. 22:57 And then I'll tell you what we were talking some more I said, 23:00 you know, you just reminded me of a story 23:03 that I had said in the program on Friday evening, 23:06 I'm gonna send that to you. 23:07 And she was so happy. 23:10 But it's a blessing and I thought, 23:13 well, if I don't get anything else done, 23:15 actually what the Lord did 23:17 was what we're talking about sharing is caring. 23:20 And this lady the way we met her, 23:24 Kenny and I, years ago, 23:27 we had started a side business, 23:30 thinking that it would give us an income 23:32 when we retire and that type of thing. 23:34 But it has, and it's just been a real struggle. 23:36 And we just finished a house and she gave us a full offer. 23:41 But then she started to back out later 23:43 after everything was pending and da-da-da 23:46 and she's called back, she's called back for prayer 23:50 and just different things and I told her, 23:53 I said, you can call anytime. 23:55 Even though she's backed out, I still care for her. 23:59 I think it was more God's providence, 24:04 because of where her mindset is right now. 24:06 And so I just pray that book will do some good, 24:10 that app will do some good, 24:12 and that she'll start watching this channel. 24:14 Because I mean, we have people come in off the streets. 24:17 We've had people over the years come in, 24:19 because they're watching the program. 24:21 And this is giving, 24:23 this is sharing the Word of God. 24:25 And they say we want to be baptized, 24:27 what can we do? 24:28 What do we need to do? 24:30 You know, it's just such a blessing. 24:32 Can I just talk about something out of order here? 24:35 Because all this stuff reminds me 24:37 of John 15:5 it says, 24:39 "I am the vine and you're the branches. 24:43 He who abides in Me and I in him bears much fruit. 24:47 For without Me you can do nothing." 24:50 You can't do anything. 24:53 And so, we've kind of all touched on that, 24:55 he touched on that too. 24:57 Because if we're not filled with the Spirit of God 24:59 and if we're not studying and eating 25:02 and Spirit of Prophecy say even neglecting the prayer. 25:05 What a privilege that we have that we can bow our... 25:09 Even if you can't bow your head, 25:10 you may be driving down the road, 25:12 but you can still shoot up a prayer to heaven. 25:14 What power? 25:15 You know, what is a branch? 25:17 We say we're the branches. 25:18 If a branch is disconnected from the vine, 25:21 it just withers and dies, 25:23 but if it's connected, it draws that power, 25:26 it draws that strength, 25:28 you know, it draws that perseverance, 25:31 it draws that nourishment and then we can give all that 25:34 to other people because this whole thing about caring 25:39 is because we are to help pull people out of the fire. 25:43 Mrs. White says you're plucking souls 25:45 out of the fire. 25:47 And so as you're sharing the good news of the gospel, 25:50 you're planting seeds. 25:51 And we pray that the Holy Spirit will 25:53 continue to grow these seeds 25:56 so that those people will replace 25:59 the fallen angels someday in the kingdom. 26:01 So that's why we care enough to share. 26:04 Amen. That was beautiful. 26:07 What's on your mind, Mr. Kenny? 26:09 Oh, there's a lot on my mind right now. 26:11 Everybody's opened up avenues of thought 26:13 and I think that's what these programs 26:15 are really foreign for those who are at home. 26:17 So Holy Spirit opened our hearts 26:19 and our minds to some thoughts. 26:20 And I have just a quick one here. 26:22 I love the book you talked about Desire of Ages. 26:24 I want to read just a quick quote from it, 26:25 make a couple comments. 26:27 Desire of Ages, 152, it says, "Let the world see 26:31 that we are not selfishly absorbed in our own interest, 26:35 but we desire others to share our blessings and privileges. 26:40 Let them see that our religion does not make us 26:44 unsympathetic and exacting. 26:46 Notice, let all who profess to have found Christ 26:49 minister as He did for the benefit of man." 26:53 This is sharing we look to who? 26:55 To Jesus, give several examples here, Jesus, 26:58 He shared the gospel, when He shared Himself. 27:02 He is the gospel, is He not? 27:04 And then how else did He do it? 27:06 Personal contact. 27:08 I wrote this down, personal contact 27:10 and association, that Jesus, He trained His disciples. 27:14 So if we are going to share if we care, 27:16 and we want to share Jesus Christ, 27:18 there must be personal contact. 27:21 And then we have to have association. 27:24 That means we come together like we do in the program. 27:26 Association with you, those at home, were associated. 27:29 And then wherever people were, notice, to receive, 27:33 Jesus went wherever there was people. 27:36 But He made sure He was open to talking about the gospel 27:40 and presenting the gospel. 27:42 He was very much aware of that through prayer from His Father, 27:44 He knew exactly 27:46 the people who had an interest and He went to them. 27:48 So wherever people were, you find Christ 27:51 was heading in that direction. 27:53 This is for us. 27:54 Remember, we're following His example here. 27:57 Somebody here mentioned, He didn't command 28:01 people to follow Him. 28:03 Yeah, I think, He's kind of talking about that 28:04 you don't command somebody do it. 28:06 "Follow me," that's all He said. 28:08 He presented the gospel, He presented Himself 28:11 and then He simply said, "Follow me." 28:13 I like that now. 28:15 And notice what He did, too. 28:16 We want to be soul winners, 28:17 we want to share the gospel here. 28:19 He took His disciples those of whom He was training with Him. 28:24 This is for us today, those who are a little more educated 28:27 in that line or experienced in soul winning, 28:31 it's very good. 28:32 I think that sometimes some of us 28:34 may be who are a little green, right, 28:36 is to go with individuals as they give a Bible study 28:40 to listen to them, to sit down. 28:43 I can think of my own life in the early 28:44 when and I kinda use his named 28:46 Pastor Carpenter many years ago. 28:48 He would say to me go working all day 28:50 and we did and then we're young, 28:52 and so on, so forth, he'd say, 28:53 and he had Bible studies going all the time. 28:55 He'd say, "Kenny, I want you to go with me. 28:57 We're going to give a Bible study tonight." 28:58 And I'm thinking, "Oh, no, I'm not. 28:59 I can't give no Bible study. 29:01 I don't know what about." 29:02 He said, "I want you to go with me 29:04 and I want you to sit next to me." 29:06 Okay, well, that's good. 29:07 I want to because I won't have any answers. 29:09 I don't have anything to say. 29:11 Bring your Bible. 29:12 So what he would do, be giving a Bible study 29:14 and he's sitting there have his Bible open 29:16 and, of course, he was one of those 29:17 who wrote in the margins all the time, 29:19 you know, he had all kinds of stuff right there, 29:20 he opened, he was talking somebody like that, 29:22 and I see his finger go down to that text, 29:24 he looked over at me, he says, right. 29:28 He showed me a text in the Bible 29:29 that pertained to what we were talking about. 29:31 So in the margin of my Bible, I would write that text. 29:33 Yeah. 29:35 He was teaching and training on the gospel, 29:37 and that was such a blessing. 29:39 So you know, he took them with him, 29:41 so they could... 29:43 His disciples so they could see and so that they could hear. 29:47 Remember, sometimes, we see 29:48 and sometimes we need to hear and I need both. 29:50 I need to see, I need to hear, I need to pay attention. 29:52 And then he connected himself 29:58 with those whom he was working with. 30:00 They felt a real personal connection with Him. 30:03 He connected with them. 30:04 And all of a sudden, they were doing 30:06 what He was doing. 30:07 And they never really realized it. 30:09 As He sat some time at the carpenter's bench 30:13 when the world was agitating some time, 30:15 and the people were around Him. 30:17 I read Desire of Ages. 30:19 And they would come to Him and they were complaining 30:21 because of what was going on. 30:23 We don't like this, and we don't like that. 30:25 Desire of Ages said He would start singing. 30:28 This is King of king and Lord and Lords. 30:31 He will start singing a verse, 30:32 right maybe something out of Isaiah. 30:34 And he said, before you knew it, 30:36 everybody around Him joined in 30:38 and was singing and nobody was complaining. 30:41 Man, just to follow that example 30:43 they united with Him in His way. 30:48 So I'm encouraging people, let's unite with Him. 30:50 Let's show Him that we're not selfish 30:52 and then not have selfish interests, 30:53 but we're going to come close to Christ. 30:56 And we need to minister for others 30:59 to benefit man. 31:00 This is what it's all about 31:02 is simply to is to minister to others. 31:05 And I've often said I love that, was a song this. 31:07 Remember if you're couples, I'm gonna be quiet in a minute, 31:10 I just can't hardly do it. 31:12 No, the cup is full I've often said 31:14 oh, Lord, fill my cup. 31:16 Over and over He'd say it's not all. 31:19 Fill my cup, Lord, you know, what He'd say? 31:21 Kenny, you can only give that which runs over the top. 31:24 Your cup has to be filled in order 31:26 for it to be My will 31:28 and to do it the way I want it to be. 31:30 But you're going to give that which runs over. 31:32 And what was the one that said? 31:35 Darrell Marshall, I'm drinking from the saucer 31:38 because my cup is overflowed. 31:40 That's it. 31:41 And I'm trying to figure somebody sing a line. 31:44 He's singing now I better cry. 31:46 But it goes down into... 31:48 That's all that you can give 31:50 and that's always him that's running over. 31:52 So, you know just, man, do that today that cup before. 31:56 Let it run over into that saucer. 31:58 And I'm telling you, your life will change 32:00 and all the people around you life would change too. 32:03 You shouldn't ask me brother what I had on my mind. 32:07 That's why you're here. 32:09 That's right. That's really good. 32:11 We need that. That was a great word. 32:12 Yeah, you know, our life should reflect our leader. 32:17 So we're witnessing and we're sharing 32:20 and from a loving place as Christ does, 32:24 our life should reflect our leader. 32:26 So, you know, often you do see the opposite. 32:31 Well, you see the opposite leader, right? 32:34 I should say that. 32:35 So you see some people trying and share, 32:38 but really they're condemning, 32:39 as opposed to sharing from a loving place. 32:43 And so I love how you guys touched on this earlier about 32:46 how we are to share is just 32:50 as important as what we are to share. 32:53 Mercy. 32:54 One thing I learned years and years ago 32:57 was to pray for an open door. 32:59 A lot of people think it's their job to go and open 33:03 everybody's door. 33:04 And then that leaves a bad taste 33:07 a bad feeling and maybe they'll never be receptive again, 33:11 but if you pray for an open door, 33:13 it's amazing what God will do. 33:15 I mean, even back when I was in college, 33:17 I'd pray for an open door 33:18 and there'd be times I'd be in my car for hours. 33:21 I can remember one young lady 33:23 just having Bible study after Bible study. 33:25 But you pray for the open door, and then the Lord will 33:29 do that and give you the words. 33:30 I mean, there were a lot of times, 33:32 we were talking about Scripture memorization 33:34 before we started and I said, 33:36 you know, the older I get, I don't remember as I used to. 33:38 But there are so many times that in that moment 33:43 that God answers His own promise 33:46 to give you these messages, to give you the passages 33:49 that is needed right then right there. 33:52 It's just amazing. 33:53 If you're connected to the vine, 33:55 one thing you said is about staying connected. 33:58 You didn't use those words, 33:59 but you know how we stay connected. 34:01 And that's what's really important too. 34:03 In order to share you've got to fill up your cup. 34:07 And how do you do that? 34:08 You need to be praying, you need to be studying. 34:10 We need to be walking through that sanctuary room, 34:13 you know, eating the bread of life and, 34:15 and having our prayer and then witnessing. 34:18 But you can't do it if we don't fill up first, 34:20 you've got to have something in there 34:22 and then the Holy Spirit will bring it out. 34:25 And don't pray for the open door 34:26 if you're not willing to walk through it. 34:29 Now that's right. 34:30 What happens if you got nothing to give or to share 34:32 why pray for the open door 34:33 when you got really nothing to go do. 34:36 It can cause, Brother Danny. 34:38 I'm glad you brought that because that can cause 34:40 more damage than good 34:43 because you're going to lead someone astray, 34:45 someone's going to hear something that's not 34:46 what they need to be 34:47 and they're going to be turned off. 34:49 So, good, when you not, like, 34:50 you have something to give and the only thing 34:52 we can give is Jesus, we know that. 34:53 I'm sorry, go ahead. 34:55 I spent a young part of my life doing that. 34:57 Yes, wanting to be an example, 34:59 but really, not really being an example. 35:02 So the door opens up and then you end up 35:05 showing flesh rather than the Spirit. 35:07 I'm talking about when we used to play 35:08 softball fast-pitch we do 200 games a year, 35:12 and stuff even on the Sabbath I've told before, 35:14 I won't go the whole story, 35:15 but we would play right up till sundown. 35:17 And then if the team won, you play then Saturday, 35:21 it'd be like Saturday evening. 35:22 So we'd go to the ballpark. 35:24 And as soon as sundown we'd be dressed, 35:26 then we jumped put ourselves in the game. 35:28 So we could go ahead and play and we thought 35:30 we were being an example to people 35:32 keeping the Sabbath really. 35:34 I mean, what was on our mind, 35:35 we're dressed in a ball suit heading 35:37 to the ball field before sundown just waiting. 35:40 So we call timeout and getting game. 35:42 So, Kenny said oh my life. 35:43 I'm not telling you, Brother. 35:45 Now go ahead. Bring it on in. 35:48 I did catch myself saying we, I should have said me. 35:51 I meant to say me. 35:53 We both were in the same vehicle, 35:55 and we both had our suits on and we both went in the game. 35:58 You said that now, I didn't. 35:59 I'm thankful God is impressed and it changed our thinking. 36:02 But I'm saying that kind of thing 36:04 is not a good door you pray for, 36:06 well, let me be a witness to these teammates. 36:09 And then they didn't see anything 36:10 that represented Christ. 36:12 We just saw people who didn't play 36:15 because that's was their legalistic belief or whatever. 36:18 They didn't really see the Jesus in us. 36:20 So, but aren't you glad God is patient 36:24 and is long suffering? 36:25 Oh, absolutely. Amen. 36:27 Absolutely. 36:28 We succumb to pressure. Yeah. 36:31 As people do sometimes 36:32 they're pressured through family, 36:33 they're pressured through job, 36:35 they're pressured to do something 36:36 rather than do it from the willing heart, 36:37 mind that's given to Jesus. 36:41 I don't know, I felt that 36:42 the pressure from our teammates, 36:44 because we played so many games, 36:46 and we had come so far 36:47 as it were in that realm and they would say, 36:51 oh, we got, not that they did. 36:52 We've got to have you. 36:54 We've got to have you guys, man you can't let us down now. 36:56 And so we kind of let our religion 36:58 go and kind of justified 37:00 and I'm encouraging people don't do that. 37:02 There's a standard stay by that standard, 37:04 man, by the grace of God, stand by there. 37:07 Follow the example. 37:08 What would Jesus have done? 37:10 Not what we did. 37:11 Seek ye first the kingdom of God. 37:13 Amen. 37:14 Mom, you have our next verse, Mark 8:38. 37:18 Yes. 37:20 And it says, "For whoever is ashamed of me 37:23 and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation 37:27 of him, the Son of Man also will be ashamed 37:31 when He comes in the glory of His Father, 37:33 with the holy angels." 37:36 Now when I read that, 37:39 it brought to mind an incident 37:43 with me that with Facebook. 37:49 Many times, we have friends who are of different religions, 37:53 different cultures, and I have Jewish friends 37:56 in New York. 37:59 I've just wondered, like, how do I witness to them 38:03 because the ones that I've witnessed 38:07 to just have resented it, like if I send them... 38:12 I have one friend that 38:14 was helping me with a project 38:19 and I sent an article that I saw about Jesus, 38:22 and when you go to do that, 38:25 there's this kind of hesitation like am I gonna offend them? 38:29 Is this gonna be offensive 38:31 because everybody that I've reached out to 38:33 about Jesus that's Jewish 38:36 has pulled back or resented it or been angry? 38:40 So it's like how do I witness to them? 38:45 So I was looking up something and, 38:47 and this is for anybody and everybody 38:49 who wants to witness across religious 38:52 and cultural lines. 38:54 There are five tips here. 38:56 So the first one is to listen. 38:58 To listen to them. That's really good. 39:01 James 1:19 says, "So then, my beloved brethren, 39:05 let every man be swift to hear, 39:07 slow to speak, slow to wrath." 39:11 Listening gives respect and honor to the other person. 39:16 It doesn't mean that you're agreeing with them 39:18 because you're listening, as you're listening, 39:21 you're not necessarily agreeing with their point of view, 39:24 but you're giving them the respect that they deserve, 39:28 as you want to convey your ideas, 39:33 you have to listen to theirs. 39:35 So it says, when you listen, 39:38 it actually disarms hostility 39:41 and it says that you value the person. 39:45 So then listening number two leads to understanding 39:48 because then you kind of understand 39:50 their perspective. 39:52 So one of the things like, 39:55 when I reached out to this Jewish friend, 39:58 I sent this information about Jesus, 40:00 I prayed before I sent it and I was like, Lord, 40:02 please just let it, you know, let the person accept it. 40:07 And that's all we can do really like you can't... 40:10 We're not the Holy Spirit to bring in us, right? 40:13 We're not the Holy Spirit. 40:15 Our job is to just share, right? 40:18 So, when you listen to their point of view, 40:22 it leads to an understanding and then you can use that, 40:27 their perspective, you can use the Bible 40:30 to address their perspective on things. 40:32 So the first thing is listen, 40:34 the second thing listening leads to an understanding. 40:37 The third thing is don't be fragile. 40:40 If somebody doesn't agree with your perspective, 40:45 it's not your job to convict them. 40:47 It's your job to share. Don't get all tore up about it. 40:50 Exactly, and don't take it personally. 40:53 It doesn't mean that they hate you 40:55 but their own culture, their own belief system 41:01 might be very different from yours, 41:03 and the Holy Spirit has to work on them. 41:07 So you're just planting the seed. 41:09 So don't be fragile. 41:11 Just, you know, don't take it personally. 41:14 The fourth thing is, 41:15 don't be afraid to be different. 41:17 We are different as Christians. 41:20 We are not like everybody else 41:22 and we're called to be different. 41:25 1 Peter 1:9 says, "For you are a chosen generation, 41:29 a royal priesthood, a holy nation, 41:32 His own special people, 41:34 that you may proclaim the praises of Him 41:37 who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." 41:42 So don't be afraid to be different. 41:44 We are a chosen generation. 41:48 We are a royal priesthood. 41:49 When I look at that and there's so many people 41:52 who don't have an identity, 41:54 this is really, it gives us an identity in Him. 41:58 So we don't have to be afraid to tell people 42:01 who Jesus is and what He's done, 42:03 because we've been chosen to do that. 42:05 And then number five, 42:07 treat this as a life and death situation 42:10 because it is. 42:13 1 John 5:12 says, "He who as the Son has life. 42:17 He who does not have the Son of God 42:19 does not have life." 42:22 So many are going to Christless graves 42:24 because they don't know about Jesus. 42:27 And so, we've been chosen to share Him 42:30 and there are people who, 42:32 again, might resent it, might not like it, 42:35 there might be some kind of 42:39 Facebook rising against what you say but all in all, 42:45 we have to ask the Lord to give us the courage 42:48 to stand up for Jesus 42:51 in the midst of a culture that is against, 42:55 we're going against the tide. 42:58 And we have to ask the Lord 42:59 to just give us the courage to stand up. 43:01 And that's to me, that's how we reach across 43:05 cultural and other religious lines. 43:08 That's really good. 43:10 I'm always amazed at how, 43:12 I can explain something in 30 minutes 43:14 and talk and talk and talk 43:16 and she can do it in five minutes. 43:18 She gets all the points that I made and more, 43:21 we tried to make and she can do it in five minutes 43:23 while I'm just talking in circles 43:25 going around you always have it, 43:27 you do that beautifully, you're outstanding. 43:29 But what I'm hearing from you is we have to love people 43:31 enough to take risks, right? 43:33 You've to take risk. Thank you. 43:36 Kenny and Chris live across from us 43:38 about 1000 plus feet to the road 43:40 and another 150 feet but we see their house 43:43 every day and they see ours. 43:44 So the middle of the night. 43:48 You look out the window, 43:50 and you see their house is on fire. 43:52 Their garage is on fire. 43:53 Well, it's 2 o'clock in the morning. 43:55 You say, honey, call Kenny and Chris 43:58 to make sure they're okay 43:59 or we run over there call the fire department, 44:02 call Kenny and Chris make sure they're okay. 44:03 And I say, are you kidding me? 44:05 It's 2 o'clock in the morning. 44:07 They're sleeping. 44:08 Do you think I'm gonna offend him 44:10 by waking and calling him at two in the morning? 44:12 No way am I gonna do that. 44:14 Now, do I love them? 44:16 Apparently not if talk like that. 44:19 What happens? 44:20 Normally I'd never call them at two in the morning unless 44:23 there's some great emergency, right? 44:25 But now you tell me their house is on fire. 44:28 I don't have to go run and look and say, 44:30 well, let me see, are you sure 44:31 is if you say the house is on fire and you see blazes, 44:34 what am I going to do? 44:36 I'm going to love them enough to offend them. 44:39 And they'll thank us later when we do it, 44:42 because hopefully they'll live through it. 44:43 And maybe they were asleep and we woke them up. 44:46 That's the same way with the gospel. 44:47 People say, well, I got these neighbors, 44:50 and they're such and such, 44:52 or whatever but I don't want to offend them. 44:54 I was in a state, 44:57 I'll just say long ways from here. 45:00 And that was one of the things I went to the night 45:03 before the church service. 45:04 Some people talk to me, they said, 45:06 Well, we're in this big controversy 45:08 in our church, and maybe you could settle it, 45:11 don't tell him I talk to you 45:12 before the elders in the church, 45:14 but maybe you and your sermon, you could just bring this out 45:17 because there are people up here. 45:19 It's a lot of Roman Catholic, Lutheran area. 45:24 And there's people who want to pass out 45:26 the Great Controversy, 45:28 but there's a whole group who doesn't want 45:30 to and this kind of splitting our church. 45:32 So he said, so maybe you could address the folk. 45:35 I said great I'd love to what, I said, what side are you on? 45:39 And he said, well, now that you asked, 45:41 he said, I'm against it. 45:43 And I said, you don't want to pass out 45:45 the Great Controversy? 45:46 He said, no, he said, because there are so many people here, 45:49 and we had to live with these people. 45:50 We don't want to be offensive. 45:52 He said when you read some of that stuff, 45:54 it's very offensive. 45:55 So he said, I'd rather love the people. 45:59 He said I'd rather... 46:00 So he said, rather than to do that... 46:03 Well, when he said it, I said, well, how would you end people? 46:06 Oh, I'd rather love a man. 46:08 And I said, well, I like that. 46:10 And so he said, well, then will you talk 46:12 about that tomorrow about loving people? 46:14 I said absolutely. 46:16 I said, I'll definitely talk about 46:17 that but I said do have a question. Yeah. 46:20 I said, how long have you been member of this church? 46:23 Since 1948. 46:24 This is about 10 years ago, since 1948. 46:27 As you can imagine they're older folk. 46:29 And I said, how long have you subscribed to loving people 46:33 and by not offending them 46:35 with books and things like that? 46:36 Always said just most of my life, 46:39 I said, well, just so I'll know clear in mine, 46:41 how many people have you loved in your way? 46:43 Love your neighbors and your friends and all that. 46:46 How many have you loved in? 46:49 And he looked at his wife 46:50 and she said, well, back about 20 years ago, 46:53 there was one couple that came but they never got baptized. 46:56 So I said, well, let me get this straight. 46:58 You're against somebody trying something. 47:00 You've been doing something now for 40 years, 47:03 45 years old, it's not working. 47:05 You can't even talk about it. 47:07 And I said, I'm on the other side, 47:09 I'm for anything somebody else is willing to try. 47:12 I would do it because you're in a rut, 47:14 when you cannot. 47:16 If you've not won anything, seen anybody to the Lord, 47:19 no one's come in through your way 47:21 of what you think is love. 47:22 So really, who cares the most, the house is on fire. 47:25 That's right. 47:26 We don't care. 47:28 We're gonna put that book 47:29 and if they don't want to read it, 47:31 they can throw it away, right? 47:32 But we're not going to do nothing 47:33 and just smile at them and say, 47:35 hey, how you doing and love them 47:36 so to speak from a distance. 47:38 We're loving them by showing them we care. 47:41 Sharing and caring, right, Jay, by doing something different, 47:45 and this folk want to pass out the Great Controversy. 47:48 I'm all for that side. 47:49 I said, you still want me to talk about it tomorrow. 47:52 Well, you don't need to worry about that. 47:55 He said, I get you. 47:56 No use getting involved in our problem. 47:57 Oh, my. 48:02 So guess what I did? 48:04 Talk about it. Oh, boy. 48:06 I couldn't help it there was some division going on. 48:10 So I said, we have to talk about the truth. 48:12 I didn't expose him or what he did. 48:14 I just said, you know, 48:16 I understand there are some things 48:17 and talking to people. 48:18 But you know, hey, if it's not working, 48:21 you've been 40 some years and your way 48:23 of loving people is not working, 48:24 let's try something different. 48:27 I think that we see that issue a lot 48:30 especially today because so many people 48:32 want you to be their enabler, 48:34 rather than teaching them 48:35 that they can gain the victory over something. 48:37 So they want you to agree with their lifestyle. 48:39 They want you to go 48:41 with them in the direction that they're going. 48:43 When they're headed in the wrong direction 48:45 they don't want to be rerouted. 48:46 They don't want to make changes, 48:48 you know, with growth and stuff like that. 48:52 It can be an uncomfortable process 48:55 because you're shifting gears, you're being redirected 49:00 and so it can be an uncomfortable process, 49:02 but the end result is sweet. 49:03 Yeah, you opened a whole another can of worms 49:05 that we have to talk about on another. 49:07 We should do another program about people wanting 49:11 the church to change and the people to change 49:13 and the beliefs to change to fit their system. 49:16 They wanna come in 49:17 and be baptized and join the church 49:19 but look, I don't believe this, I don't believe that, 49:22 I don't want to do, you know, and though it's not 49:24 what we personally want is, 49:26 well, look, I always say if you don't love it, 49:27 leave it or if you don't agree with it don't join. 49:30 In other words, don't come in and try to change 49:32 everything around and cause division 49:34 and problems within the church 49:36 'cause that just won't happen but that's for another day. 49:39 A lot of people want to be saved in sin, 49:41 but not from sin. 49:43 And that's a lack of understanding 49:44 of what the gospel message is all about, 49:47 you know, because we don't realize as human beings 49:50 how far we have fallen from grace. 49:52 And it's all these things, it's all these passages 49:55 we've been talking about that puts us back on the right track 49:59 back on that ladder that leads to Jesus, 50:02 that leads to heaven. 50:04 And so many thoughts have come to my mind. 50:07 I was in tears, really, through a part of yours, 50:10 Sister Yvonne, because it reminded me 50:14 of the storms that we have recently had, 50:16 we had one December 5th of 2021, 50:19 and then one December 10th. 50:21 And the December 10th 50:24 didn't hit this area quite as bad 50:26 as it did a little south from here, 50:28 but we didn't know. 50:29 And that's what brought me to tears 50:33 is because a lot of their cases is closed, 50:37 their probation has ended. 50:39 And so my thought was, 50:41 you know, when God lays something on our heart, 50:44 to say, or to share, or to give a book, 50:47 or to pass out the Great Controversy, 50:49 you don't know if that'll be the recipients' last chance 50:54 to accept the gospel message. 50:56 And so, you know, I've often thought 50:58 as I listened and I read about these stories, 51:01 you know, where were their hearts, 51:03 where were their lives? 51:04 Did they know Jesus? 51:06 Were they saved, you know? 51:09 Then when you were talking about the fire 51:12 on the December 10th storm, 51:14 you guys probably have your phone set 51:16 where they go off at about 12:30. 51:18 It starts going off this storm coming 51:20 moving 80 miles an hour with wind gusts over 60. 51:23 And I'm thinking about a couple that just lived here, 51:25 just moved here. 51:27 They're on 3ABN property, 51:28 but they're in a travel trailer. 51:31 And they, we had talked to them that day. 51:33 We were hoping they were going to get 51:35 the block bathroom open. 51:37 So they'd have a storm shelter, but apparently, they didn't. 51:40 And so, I'm like I don't know what I did to do. 51:43 I wonder if they know, 51:44 I wonder if their phones went off. 51:45 So about 1 o'clock here it goes again, 51:48 and I could hear it coming. 51:49 And I slipped out and went into another room 51:51 and I called I said don't hate me. 51:55 Oh, I've got a basement. 51:57 You guys can come you know, do whatever you need to do, 51:59 you know, but this is coming. 52:01 And so I knew they were praying, 52:04 I was praying another lady. 52:05 There was probably people all over here. 52:07 The next day, I don't know if you noticed, 52:09 but there were trees down, down, down, 52:12 and just right on the other side of the old church 52:16 it stopped on 149 heading this way 52:19 because I could hear it. 52:20 And as they were on the phone, they're like, 52:22 I think it's stopped. 52:24 And I thought it really has stopped. 52:27 Well, people were praying. 52:29 God's angels were so busy that night. 52:31 We had no idea. 52:33 You know, there were a lot of miracle stories 52:35 that came out of these storms. 52:37 But my whole point was sharing is caring. 52:41 And if we care for people, 52:43 we need to share this gospel message to help people. 52:47 How many times have we seen that over the years 52:49 our master control operators watching 52:51 the weather and it's headed right to down 52:54 149 or headed right to 3ABN and it separates 52:59 and literally may come down on the other side. 53:01 Quickly, about 10, 11 years or so ago. 53:05 She came here and move to we weren't married of course 53:09 and she moved to Marion. 53:12 And so, she called one night about 10 o'clock. 53:15 There's tornado warnings and it was windy and rainy 53:18 and she's new to the area so whatever many years ago, 53:22 new to the area so she calls and she says I don't know. 53:25 She lives in an apartment there, 53:27 first floor, it's not built out of concrete. 53:29 No place to hide she goes, "There must be a tornado. 53:32 This is terrible. I hear this sound." 53:34 And I say, "No it's okay." I said, "Don't panic." 53:36 I said, "It's Southern Illinois, 53:38 you'll get a lot of storms this time of year." 53:40 She goes, "No, I feel like this is really bad." 53:43 I said, "No." so I walk outside. 53:45 Did you pray for me? 53:46 I did but I walk outside. 53:48 I was praying to calm her nerves. 53:50 You know because she's overreacting, 53:52 it's just a storm, right? 53:54 Well, what I don't know is a tornado came over Marion 53:58 and that's when it hit into Harrisburg. 54:00 So it went right over her house literally and a few miles later 54:04 and killed I think four or five, six people 54:06 was a devastating tornado. 54:09 And she was saying, "Oh my whole house is shaken." 54:11 I said, no, because I'm just 12 miles away. 54:13 Mine's fine, and I don't hear anything 54:15 so I said no, you're upset. 54:18 It's not that bad you come to find out, 54:20 so maybe that's another thing, Jay, about sleeping. 54:23 We need to listen to the warnings and the signs 54:26 and don't be asleep, wake up. 54:28 When she says, hey, there's this tornado coming 54:31 I need to be saying, all right, let's pray quickly. 54:34 Well doesn't seem bad here. 54:35 It seemed okay here, 54:37 but that was a devastating tornado, 54:39 but it spared you. 54:41 That's good. You know that for sure. 54:42 Yeah, I think it went around me 54:44 but my apartment was literally shaken. 54:46 It had been close. 54:48 It just landed a few miles to the east of you. 54:51 Yeah. 54:52 When we do evangelistic series there's one 54:56 I think that's entitled Don't sleep through the Sirens 55:00 and that's all of us right now. 55:02 You know, if there are not sirens going off in the land, 55:05 if the trumpets are not sounding. 55:09 I guess, we'd all be asleep 55:11 'cause I just feel like there are 55:12 so many things that are happening 55:15 to tell us that, that Christ's second coming 55:17 is very near the door and we need to do 55:21 what we can to not sleep through the sirens. 55:23 It's so important. 55:26 And there's so much going on in the world today. 55:28 It's easy for us to just kind 55:31 of be lulled into this false sense of security, 55:34 or to ignore what's going on 55:37 because we're distracted by the cares of this life, 55:40 or the deceitfulness of riches, as the sower you know. 55:45 So all of these things are our wake-up calls for us. 55:50 Yes. 55:52 And we need to at this point in time 55:54 share what we know and share the gospel. 55:57 Sharing is caring. 55:58 That's such a good title to, and the way Jesus did. 56:01 Quickly a couple of things I jotted down, 56:03 He reached out, Jesus reached out for them, 56:05 we got to reach out for them. 56:07 He sought them. He met them. 56:09 He carried. 56:11 He carried the gospel at all times with Him, 56:13 and He loved them. 56:14 And He showed very strong personal interest 56:17 in what they were doing. 56:19 These are things that will help us 56:20 in soul winning and talking about sharing is caring, 56:23 we're going to do that. 56:25 We need to seek people out. 56:26 That's what Jesus did. 56:28 And one thing I need to learn quickly 56:30 is Jesus saw in every individual soul 56:33 that needs to be saved. 56:34 So every individual I see is someone for heaven. 56:37 Lord, help me to see that in every bunker, 56:39 how they look, how they act. 56:40 Oh, it's good. 56:42 I'm so glad that you brought that up 56:43 because that's the thing. 56:45 We can't judge the recipient of the gospel. 56:47 So someone's tatted up if they've got tattoos 56:50 on their face and everything. 56:51 They look like a rock star or whatever. 56:53 They need Jesus just as much as the next person 56:56 and they may have a heart that is more on fire 57:00 than the person that is clean-faced 57:02 and everything that's their past. 57:04 That's not their future. 57:06 God knows where they can head so don't judge the recipient. 57:10 I can't believe our time is just about up. 57:15 Where did it go? 57:16 I believe it started. 57:17 This has escaped us so fast. 57:19 This has been wonderful. 57:20 Thank you so much for all of the contributions, 57:22 the thoughts that you have provided, 57:25 and I'm gonna have to watch this again, 57:26 so I can take it all in. 57:28 I hope that you've been blessed by this. 57:30 I hope you have a Happy Sabbath 57:31 and remember that sharing is caring. 57:34 God bless. |
Revised 2022-01-13