1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:08,120 So my name is Jack Phillips and I'm glad to be here today. 2 00:00:08,120 --> 00:00:11,280 I am accompanied by a friend of mine by the name of Karen Keaton. 3 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:13,880 This Karen Keaton, they can't see you Karen. 4 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:16,320 All right, that's a little better. 5 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:18,160 This is Karen Keaton. 6 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:19,160 She's a friend of mine. 7 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:20,800 We've been working together for a little while now. 8 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:27,960 This is my friend Mike Garcia and he is part of our team here in the conference that's 9 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:30,960 just here to help us share Jesus. 10 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:35,880 I mean that that with their life, they've been dedicated to sharing Jesus. 11 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:39,320 They've made sacrifices, changes just like we all have. 12 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:41,000 And they've they've went all in. 13 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:46,680 Karen, you heard some of Karen's stories this morning in China. 14 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:51,360 And if you hang out this afternoon, you'll hear some more stories from some other locations 15 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:54,800 that God took her and the way that God has used her. 16 00:00:54,800 --> 00:01:00,840 But what I'm really looking forward to this afternoon are hearing your stories. 17 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:06,720 Your stories and us hearing each other's stories of how God is using us and how we have been 18 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:10,600 working with him to see others come to know Jesus. 19 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:15,680 Now, I was going to introduce my wife. 20 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:18,760 She's not there. 21 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:20,140 All right. 22 00:01:20,140 --> 00:01:21,200 So makes sense. 23 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:26,400 She knew it was coming, so all right. 24 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:32,040 There was something else I wanted to say. 25 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:34,320 I have a few things. 26 00:01:34,320 --> 00:01:41,120 First off, thank you for the song. 27 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:42,120 Such a blessing. 28 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:44,120 Thank you. 29 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:50,400 Pastor, did you call all of us and let us know the lights were going on last night? 30 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:54,040 I'm going to give you a hard time right now. 31 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:55,480 I know I caught that in the story. 32 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:57,160 I was like, my wife would kill me. 33 00:01:57,160 --> 00:01:58,760 My wife would kill me over this. 34 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:03,680 Yeah, I said this morning I got up and I got on Facebook and everybody posted how they 35 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:06,680 saw all these beautiful lights. 36 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:08,640 Tonight too is what I have heard. 37 00:02:08,640 --> 00:02:11,320 My wife is like, oh, we can watch it tonight. 38 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:16,280 So I encourage you to stay up late, find a very dark place, because outside our house, 39 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:17,280 it's the same way. 40 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:20,200 Every street light has these super bright lights. 41 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:26,000 And you can't see, it's like daylight out there. 42 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:27,760 Stay up late. 43 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:30,280 The darker it gets, the better. 44 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:34,560 Get out to somewhere away from the city lights and get a good view. 45 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:39,600 I called my cousin this morning and let her know that the lights, she missed them last 46 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:40,600 night. 47 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:43,560 She just took a trip to Alaska and didn't see them. 48 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:48,720 My wife and I went to Alaska earlier this year and didn't see them. 49 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:54,680 And they're everywhere apparently and I'm missing them at my house. 50 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:55,680 All right. 51 00:02:55,680 --> 00:03:00,800 Sarah, what do you do for the church here? 52 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:06,600 Yeah, what's your role here at the church? 53 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:11,600 I'm sure you do a million things. 54 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:15,040 Personals ministry leader and clerk. 55 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:18,640 What does that mean? 56 00:03:18,640 --> 00:03:33,720 So you're, you're for you're aware of who's a member, who's not a member, helping people 57 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:34,720 with that. 58 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:40,880 And but you're also organizing for events like 1890s day, getting involved in serving 59 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:43,440 and sharing with our community. 60 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:45,880 Anything else? 61 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:46,880 You put me on the spot. 62 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:47,880 I sure did. 63 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:48,880 I'm not sure I'm doing more. 64 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:49,880 But it wasn't you today. 65 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:50,880 Yes, yes, yes. 66 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:53,680 Leads leader tuning into your good trainings. 67 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:54,680 Okay. 68 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:57,880 So leads leader, which means what? 69 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:04,680 When the conference does Facebook and other campaigns to ask if people want Bible studies, 70 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:10,120 if they're in our area and they say they want to do Bible studies, we get alerted and I 71 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:13,880 get people like Paul and Medina who will mail studies. 72 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:24,400 Dr. Greg will visit people and we start those relationships going hopefully. 73 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:25,400 Okay. 74 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:31,160 So there are there as it go out paid for by the conference and then there are people in 75 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:37,240 this area that say I would like a Bible study and then you help someone from the church 76 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:41,000 connect with them and give them the Bible study. 77 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:43,000 They're they're wanting. 78 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:44,840 I heard a testimony this morning. 79 00:04:44,840 --> 00:04:52,080 I don't see the and I'm sure it's just me not seeing her was here sharing that how the 80 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:54,880 Bible study in the Bible had changed her life. 81 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:56,640 There you are hiding back here. 82 00:04:56,640 --> 00:04:57,640 All right. 83 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:02,400 And how studying the Bible had changed her life and what it had meant to her that someone 84 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:04,100 would take the time to do that. 85 00:05:04,100 --> 00:05:11,000 Someone else shared how someone else had studied the Bible with them and their her spouse. 86 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:15,320 And how many here have had someone study the Bible with you that was part of your Christian 87 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:16,800 journey. 88 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:18,240 Okay. 89 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:25,400 Most of us if you have not had that, I want to tell you that the person that receiving 90 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:29,660 that Bible study is like one of the best experiences. 91 00:05:29,660 --> 00:05:35,220 Someone taking the time to invest in us, knowing the word of God, meeting Jesus. 92 00:05:35,220 --> 00:05:36,580 There's nothing like it. 93 00:05:36,580 --> 00:05:42,320 And you will forever you forever love that person. 94 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:46,040 You have affection for that person because of what they did for you, how they helped 95 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:49,520 you know the Lord and doing it. 96 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:53,760 It is I think even more rewarding. 97 00:05:53,760 --> 00:06:00,720 So years ago there was a pastor in a church and he he presented an idea to the church. 98 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:05,240 He stood up and said we have come up with an idea to reach our community. 99 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:09,560 They had been hosting evangelistic series in their church and they had recorded the 100 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:10,960 last one that came through. 101 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:16,680 And he said we're going to use these these videos and we're going to share it with the 102 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:18,220 community around us. 103 00:06:18,220 --> 00:06:22,480 So what we'll do is we've got these flyers and if you just take these flyers out and 104 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:28,600 hang them up, people can send in and get those videos for free. 105 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:37,160 Well throughout the church, some people were thinking that is not for me. 106 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:38,760 Not putting out a flyer. 107 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:40,580 Now other people were gung ho. 108 00:06:40,580 --> 00:06:41,580 Give me those flyers. 109 00:06:41,580 --> 00:06:43,540 I can't wait to take them out. 110 00:06:43,540 --> 00:06:50,200 And the most of the people in the church were kind of like want to don't want to want to 111 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:52,800 kind of scared to do it. 112 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:57,720 But the pastor asked and some people took those flyers and they took them out and and 113 00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:02,360 they went out and they hung them up and there was and they laid them in different offices 114 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:07,040 and there was a couple of them that ended up at an apartment complex and they put it 115 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:10,400 up on a bulletin board where the mailboxes were. 116 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:12,560 And they you know they were praying as they were going. 117 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:14,960 They felt that God was leading them. 118 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:18,600 They didn't know what would happen to this flyer and they went on their way. 119 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:21,600 What they didn't know. 120 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:31,400 Was about 200 feet away there was a young man praying and asking God for the truth. 121 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:33,180 This young man had been to churches. 122 00:07:33,180 --> 00:07:35,380 He had tried reaching out to people. 123 00:07:35,380 --> 00:07:42,140 He had he had tried reading a Bible and he had given up. 124 00:07:42,140 --> 00:07:45,840 He tried watching the TV preachers and they were always asking for money. 125 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:48,640 And so he had said a prayer down there. 126 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:55,960 God I want the truth and if it's true it's going to be free. 127 00:07:55,960 --> 00:08:03,160 And this couple of people pin free end time prophecy video flyer just down from his apartment. 128 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:05,500 They go on their way. 129 00:08:05,500 --> 00:08:10,360 And this young man comes down to check his mail and when he gets there he sees this flyer 130 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:12,640 and for this young man he gets all excited. 131 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:15,960 Yes this is exactly what I've been looking for. 132 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:19,540 And he and it's a beautiful flyer. 133 00:08:19,540 --> 00:08:23,040 It's got these beasts on it. 134 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:25,720 And it's his free. 135 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:27,600 End time prophecy videos. 136 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:32,720 He takes it and he sends off and two weeks later. 137 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:37,800 Two weeks later a video shows up in his mailbox for the church now. 138 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:44,040 So it went in and down at the church was a volunteer who said you know what I'll do. 139 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:45,920 I'm not comfortable going door to door. 140 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:51,760 I'm not comfortable sitting in someone's home but I can mail this video out to those who 141 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:53,360 are interested. 142 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:54,900 And so they had put it in an envelope. 143 00:08:54,900 --> 00:08:58,840 They had put the instructions if they wanted more had sealed it up stamped it and sent 144 00:08:58,840 --> 00:08:59,840 it out. 145 00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:06,920 And so when he got the video and he opened it up he was so excited. 146 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:11,000 Couldn't wait to put it in his apartment was empty no one was around he put in the video 147 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:17,680 and he started watching it and what he saw blew his mind. 148 00:09:17,680 --> 00:09:26,260 He saw Daniel to King Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that tells the future and when he gets 149 00:09:26,260 --> 00:09:30,960 done watching it for the very first time he's understood the Bible for the very first time 150 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:36,620 he saw that the Bible knows the future and you can it just says what it means. 151 00:09:36,620 --> 00:09:37,660 He got done. 152 00:09:37,660 --> 00:09:45,380 He got up he hit eject and he hugged the video literally hugged the video in his living room 153 00:09:45,380 --> 00:09:50,260 so excited that he had finally understood the Bible. 154 00:09:50,260 --> 00:09:56,240 He had finally found someone teaching the Bible plainly and end time understanding and 155 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:58,960 he wanted more. 156 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:02,560 Well when he opened up the packaging and got the rest out it said you can if you like this 157 00:10:02,560 --> 00:10:03,960 and want more. 158 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:06,120 Here's what you do. 159 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:07,520 Send it back. 160 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:10,120 We'll send you another one. 161 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:15,640 Well this young man for whatever reason decided that was a bad idea. 162 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:22,400 He would the better idea was just to keep the video and so he kept the video. 163 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:28,640 Now down at the church the pastor was starting to get a pile on his desk of people of cards 164 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:35,000 people who had got the first video but never asked for the second one and this pile was 165 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:38,760 growing on his desk and he's sitting there overwhelmed. 166 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:40,160 I don't know what I'm going to do with this. 167 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:44,280 I don't know what I'm going to do with the rest of the stuff going on here at the church. 168 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:49,280 What am I going to do and he's praying and he and he's a little worked up when two men 169 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:55,280 walk into the church office two men walk in and say pastor we want to get involved in 170 00:10:55,280 --> 00:10:59,600 evangelism like he about jump for joy. 171 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:02,240 He said oh great. 172 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:07,160 I have something for you and he hands them a stack of those cards and he hands them some 173 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:14,540 videos and he says go out and see these people and bring them another video. 174 00:11:14,540 --> 00:11:17,560 So they went out and they started visiting people and they didn't really know what was 175 00:11:17,560 --> 00:11:20,840 going on or how to do it well but they were we can do this. 176 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:21,920 Here's a video. 177 00:11:21,920 --> 00:11:27,120 Here's a video and they get to this young man's door and they knock on it and when the 178 00:11:27,120 --> 00:11:35,480 door opens up this young man's a little surprised to see two gentlemen standing on his porch 179 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:38,440 holding a video. 180 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:42,960 They were more surprised to see him. 181 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:52,840 See when they saw him he didn't look like what they expected to see. 182 00:11:52,840 --> 00:11:55,000 He had his hair styled like horns. 183 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:59,880 I mean it looked like the guy was hanging out with the devil in there. 184 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:01,520 He's wearing all black. 185 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:04,200 He's got black fingernail polish. 186 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:07,800 He smells funny. 187 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:09,240 He's smoking. 188 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:12,720 He's cursing while he's talking to them. 189 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:20,860 It's very likely that this young man is intoxicated in the middle of the day. 190 00:12:20,860 --> 00:12:28,920 So they confirm you are so and so who wanted Bible study videos right. 191 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:30,160 He's like yes that's me. 192 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:31,480 I'm so glad you're here. 193 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:32,640 I got the last one. 194 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:33,640 It was incredible. 195 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:36,060 Oh oh we've brought you another one. 196 00:12:36,060 --> 00:12:38,840 They quickly hand it to him and he's excited. 197 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:39,840 He takes the video. 198 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:41,400 We'll see you next week. 199 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:42,400 He goes in. 200 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:53,080 He sits down right away and watches video number 10 over the Sabbath. 201 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:55,280 Just so you know I need to mention this. 202 00:12:55,280 --> 00:13:03,460 If you're dropping off Bible studies or videos with someone Sabbath is not number two. 203 00:13:03,460 --> 00:13:06,000 Not number two. 204 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:08,360 Usually doesn't work out. 205 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:12,480 But for this young man he sat down in his living room by himself and watched this video 206 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:15,320 and it went through the Sabbath point by point. 207 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:19,240 And when it got done he was like yes that's obvious. 208 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:21,240 And he made a decision right there. 209 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:24,620 I want to start keeping the Sabbath. 210 00:13:24,620 --> 00:13:26,840 How do you do that? 211 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:30,400 What is holy meme? 212 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:34,560 And so he had questions for those two guys when they came back. 213 00:13:34,560 --> 00:13:38,600 He wanted to know what it looked like to keep the Sabbath. 214 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:41,400 And so he's waiting all week for them to return. 215 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:46,800 And the next week when they come back that they knock on the door the door opens. 216 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:48,840 He is overjoyed to see them. 217 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:51,240 Oh I'm so glad you're here. 218 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:52,240 Please come in. 219 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:53,240 Please come. 220 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:55,480 I've got questions for you. 221 00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:59,680 And they looked at him and they said words that would forever. 222 00:13:59,680 --> 00:14:01,000 No. 223 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:06,840 They said words that would impact his life for the next several years. 224 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:09,200 And you know what they said to him. 225 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:14,560 I know what they said to him because when they said it to me. 226 00:14:14,560 --> 00:14:20,000 When they said those words to me it changed my life for the next several years. 227 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:22,760 And you know what they told me. 228 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:25,280 You know what they said. 229 00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:27,160 No. 230 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:29,800 We're too busy right now. 231 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:35,000 Maybe another time. 232 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:36,520 Now I don't know why they said no. 233 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:39,080 I don't know why they were too busy then. 234 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:43,440 But what you wouldn't do that would you. 235 00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:45,760 Someone's asking you to come in and talk about the Bible. 236 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:51,120 You're going to talk about the Bible right. 237 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:52,680 Because this is what happened. 238 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:54,040 Watch this. 239 00:14:54,040 --> 00:15:00,320 I never saw them again. 240 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:06,360 They handed me the third video which was like number 25 over the Antichrist. 241 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:10,360 And the devil went nuts. 242 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:12,360 He went wild. 243 00:15:12,360 --> 00:15:17,760 See he was watching one of his make decisions for Jesus. 244 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:23,140 He was watching one of his have the mind open to what is true and what the Bible says. 245 00:15:23,140 --> 00:15:25,960 And he got on the full offensive. 246 00:15:25,960 --> 00:15:27,040 And he attacked. 247 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:30,680 And that week my roommate moves out in the middle of the night. 248 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:33,280 And I have to find a new place to live. 249 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:35,680 And I never see those two guys again. 250 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:38,640 I don't get any more videos. 251 00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:43,520 That's the end of the journey. 252 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:48,800 So why was the guy who was doing drugs. 253 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:52,680 And drinking and smoking all day every day. 254 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:54,640 Playing with the devil. 255 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:57,520 Covered in demonic figures. 256 00:15:57,520 --> 00:16:05,120 Why was that person interested in the Bible? 257 00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:06,400 Let's pray. 258 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:07,400 Let's pray. 259 00:16:07,400 --> 00:16:08,400 I'm going to tell you. 260 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:09,400 Let's pray. 261 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:10,400 Father. 262 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:15,360 Lord we are thankful to be here with you. 263 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:19,600 And Lord as we open up your word. 264 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:23,840 As we spend time with you. 265 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:26,680 We pray that you are encouraging us. 266 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:30,240 That you are inviting us to be closer to you. 267 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:31,720 To serve you. 268 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:35,720 To go where you lead us Lord. 269 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:37,800 And to know that we are loved by you. 270 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:41,400 Lord we pray your blessing upon this time. 271 00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:43,920 We pray it in the name of Jesus. 272 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:45,720 Amen. 273 00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:50,280 So it goes back a little ways. 274 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:53,600 When I was 16 years old. 275 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:55,640 My dad was becoming a Christian. 276 00:16:55,640 --> 00:16:58,160 He had been on this Christian journey for a little while. 277 00:16:58,160 --> 00:16:59,640 And he was starting to get gung ho. 278 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:03,080 He was starting to make these lifestyle changes. 279 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:06,680 He was reading the Bible every day. 280 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:10,800 And he saw me. 281 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:18,880 And he was concerned for his son. 282 00:17:18,880 --> 00:17:21,840 Each of us in here whether we're parents or not. 283 00:17:21,840 --> 00:17:25,240 Have people in our lives that we're concerned for. 284 00:17:25,240 --> 00:17:27,760 And we start praying for them. 285 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:29,000 Mothers. 286 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:30,680 Ladies. 287 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:31,680 Maybe you're a mom. 288 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:32,840 Maybe you're not. 289 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:37,840 I know plenty of women who never had that experience of being a mom. 290 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:40,960 But have invested and cared for other children. 291 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:43,120 Thank you for caring. 292 00:17:43,120 --> 00:17:46,200 Thank you for investing. 293 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:47,200 And somebody. 294 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:49,720 Because it means the world to them. 295 00:17:49,720 --> 00:17:52,520 Even if you don't have the title. 296 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:53,840 You have done the role. 297 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:55,920 So thank you. 298 00:17:55,920 --> 00:17:59,480 My dad starts praying for me. 299 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:09,600 He's watching me in my life choose more and more demonic movies. 300 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:11,880 More demonic music. 301 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:16,520 He's watching me change friends. 302 00:18:16,520 --> 00:18:21,280 He's watching me get less interested in church. 303 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:25,800 Less interested in godly things and more interested in the things of the devil. 304 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:31,840 And so he's praying and my dad decides to do something mind blowing. 305 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:34,760 He decides to buy me a Bible. 306 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:37,520 And he gives it to me. 307 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:38,520 And I was pretty excited. 308 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:39,520 I'd never held a Bible before. 309 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:40,520 16 years old. 310 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:41,520 I'd never held a Bible. 311 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:43,080 I get this first Bible in my hands. 312 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:47,320 And my dad says would you like to read it together? 313 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:48,320 Can you imagine? 314 00:18:48,320 --> 00:18:51,760 I mean maybe you can put yourself in a place where you have done the same and asked would 315 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:54,440 you like to read it together? 316 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:58,080 He was overjoyed when I said yes. 317 00:18:58,080 --> 00:19:00,480 And then he asked the question what would you like to read? 318 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:02,800 What would you like to read together? 319 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:04,960 Horrible question. 320 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:05,960 Horrible question. 321 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:07,120 I had no idea. 322 00:19:07,120 --> 00:19:09,560 I only knew one book. 323 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:14,160 And it was the book because you see I was really interested in a lot of demonic and 324 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:18,960 end time movies and anti-Christ type movies and this sort of stuff. 325 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:23,360 And they always quoted from one book of the Bible. 326 00:19:23,360 --> 00:19:25,040 Revelation and they quote something. 327 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:29,040 I'll tell you what they make an incredible movie out of that. 328 00:19:29,040 --> 00:19:31,760 And they quote half of this thing there half of this thing there and they make up this 329 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:36,800 grand story and I had watched those movies and I was interested in that topic. 330 00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:38,320 And so when he said what do you want to read? 331 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:40,820 I said Revelation. 332 00:19:40,820 --> 00:19:47,720 So we sat down and we read Revelation every morning together little by little. 333 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:50,480 And you know what happened. 334 00:19:50,480 --> 00:19:52,640 Those movies are not in the Bible. 335 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:54,960 Did you know that? 336 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:56,680 Those movies are not in there. 337 00:19:56,680 --> 00:20:00,600 I was horribly disappointed. 338 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:03,200 And then the other thing happened that you might have guessed. 339 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:05,740 I didn't understand a word of it. 340 00:20:05,740 --> 00:20:07,240 No idea to what I was saying. 341 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:08,980 My dad didn't have any idea. 342 00:20:08,980 --> 00:20:09,980 We read it. 343 00:20:09,980 --> 00:20:12,440 We bounced stuff around. 344 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:16,800 And when we were done reading it I was done reading it. 345 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:20,620 I had never felt so like out of touch. 346 00:20:20,620 --> 00:20:23,160 So he kept reading the Bible. 347 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:27,360 I started carrying the Bible like a trinket. 348 00:20:27,360 --> 00:20:30,360 Anybody ever ever carry a Bible like a good luck charm? 349 00:20:30,360 --> 00:20:40,040 You ever read those those little urban myths that say if when you carry the Bible or this 350 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:41,040 happens. 351 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:43,520 Oh and if you open it up the devil runs. 352 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:44,520 That's a lie. 353 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:45,520 You know that right. 354 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:46,800 That's a lie. 355 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:51,640 When the word of God is in our hearts it has power. 356 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:54,800 When it sits on the shelf it's just a book. 357 00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:59,560 But when it opens and we read the word and we allow the Holy Spirit to put that in us 358 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:01,920 and we're willing to follow God through it. 359 00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:05,580 It has power in our lives. 360 00:21:05,580 --> 00:21:06,920 But if we're not doing that. 361 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:07,920 But I carried it. 362 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:08,920 I was I was into the trinkets. 363 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:11,840 I had trinkets this trinket that carry this thing do that thing. 364 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:13,640 I was into that. 365 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:16,540 And this was just went in that pile for me. 366 00:21:16,540 --> 00:21:20,560 And it would be in my car or in a drawer. 367 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:24,480 And I carried it for years. 368 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:27,640 Until I quit going to church altogether. 369 00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:31,960 I quit God altogether. 370 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:32,960 And I kept it. 371 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:34,640 I kept the Bible around. 372 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:39,760 But it was in a drawer hidden away. 373 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:46,640 And as that happened I started making more and more lifestyle choices that were destroying 374 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:47,920 my life. 375 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:52,440 I got into addictions and intoxicants in order to live life because I thought I would find 376 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:55,800 fulfillment and happiness in there. 377 00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:57,680 I thought I would find it in relationships. 378 00:21:57,680 --> 00:22:06,400 But when I walked away from God I ended up finding emptiness. 379 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:08,160 It looked like it was happiness. 380 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:09,160 It was emptiness. 381 00:22:09,160 --> 00:22:11,600 And I was miserable. 382 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:15,180 And I was sitting in my house one night filled with people. 383 00:22:15,180 --> 00:22:17,680 My house was the house where everybody was. 384 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:21,080 And there was never a time when there weren't people coming and going at my house. 385 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:25,560 And everybody came there for one purpose and one purpose only to get what they needed. 386 00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:28,880 And some hung out for a while and some stopped by and then left. 387 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:30,120 And that's what my house was. 388 00:22:30,120 --> 00:22:32,140 And that's the life I was living. 389 00:22:32,140 --> 00:22:36,380 And I was doing the same thing I did every day when my when I was sitting there staying 390 00:22:36,380 --> 00:22:42,800 so busy and talking so much to try to not see what my life had become when a miracle 391 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:46,560 happened for me. 392 00:22:46,560 --> 00:22:47,760 Open your Bibles with me. 393 00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:49,820 Luke 15. 394 00:22:49,820 --> 00:22:51,900 This miracle is described here. 395 00:22:51,900 --> 00:22:53,960 You are familiar with it. 396 00:22:53,960 --> 00:22:57,000 You know it better than I know it. 397 00:22:57,000 --> 00:22:59,300 Let's look at it together anyways. 398 00:22:59,300 --> 00:23:03,320 And I want to say thank you for the song choice today. 399 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:05,320 Because we're going to. 400 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:06,520 Yes. 401 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:09,400 Luke chapter 15. 402 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:12,740 We're going to focus in on the parable of the lost son. 403 00:23:12,740 --> 00:23:17,200 And I I really like to go with the parable of the lost sons. 404 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:18,960 Because both of them are lost. 405 00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:23,640 But we see the one of the little more vocal one the little angrier one a little edgier 406 00:23:23,640 --> 00:23:27,400 one who comes to his father and says give me my inheritance. 407 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:28,760 I wish you were dead. 408 00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:29,760 I'm done with you. 409 00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:31,600 I want nothing more to do with you. 410 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:35,920 Give me what to do me because I can't stay here anymore with you. 411 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:37,640 I got to go. 412 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:44,720 And basically he's saying father when he sees his father's love he saw his father as a controlling 413 00:23:44,720 --> 00:23:45,720 figure. 414 00:23:45,720 --> 00:23:46,720 He didn't see love. 415 00:23:46,720 --> 00:23:50,080 He saw rules when his father tried to guide and keep him safe. 416 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:54,080 He saw him as keeping him from having fun and doing the things he wanted to. 417 00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:59,480 And before long he can't stand the sight of his father even though his father loved him 418 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:01,320 completely. 419 00:24:01,320 --> 00:24:05,600 And he can't wait to leave and the father gives him the inheritance and the son runs 420 00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:08,280 away with everything he's got. 421 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:09,840 I got to get out of here. 422 00:24:09,840 --> 00:24:14,140 And he goes out to find the happiness and the joy that he could have if nobody's holding 423 00:24:14,140 --> 00:24:15,140 him back. 424 00:24:15,140 --> 00:24:18,880 If no one's telling him what to do he can do anything he wants. 425 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:21,640 And he's sure this is where happiness will be found. 426 00:24:21,640 --> 00:24:24,120 And at first it seems like he succeeds. 427 00:24:24,120 --> 00:24:30,360 He's got according to the older brother the ladies. 428 00:24:30,360 --> 00:24:32,000 He's got friends. 429 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:33,000 He's got food. 430 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:34,000 They're all gathered around. 431 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:35,000 They're eating. 432 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:36,000 They're drinking. 433 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:37,000 They're being merry. 434 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:39,200 They're just having a great time. 435 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:43,920 And he's like finally I'm happy. 436 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:53,100 Finally I found what I'd been missing until until a drought hits the land. 437 00:24:53,100 --> 00:25:00,320 And it's at this moment where the ladies are like oh you don't have much money anymore. 438 00:25:00,320 --> 00:25:04,040 And the friends are like oh you can't buy us a bunch of food and drinks. 439 00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:05,960 See you later. 440 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:10,360 And all of the people fall away. 441 00:25:10,360 --> 00:25:13,280 And he doesn't have money to buy anything anymore. 442 00:25:13,280 --> 00:25:17,080 And he ends up enslaved to a man of the land. 443 00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:18,880 And he's feeding the pigs. 444 00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:19,880 Verse 16. 445 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:21,920 Luke 15 verse 16. 446 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:24,880 And he would gladly. 447 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:31,800 He would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate and no one gave 448 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:36,800 him anything. 449 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:43,040 So he looked at the garbage and what did he want to do. 450 00:25:43,040 --> 00:25:44,880 Wanted to eat it. 451 00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:49,620 I wish that Moses I wish I could have. 452 00:25:49,620 --> 00:25:53,820 I would have liked to have eaten it but he couldn't. 453 00:25:53,820 --> 00:25:59,240 He wanted to eat it but still was unable and no one gave him anything. 454 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:03,400 People are walking by even the old friends imagine the old friends and the ladies that 455 00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:08,720 used to be around are walking by and seeing him in this condition. 456 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:11,080 Can you imagine the words if they happen to be Christian. 457 00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:14,960 I'll pray for you brother. 458 00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:17,460 Hope it gets better for you brother. 459 00:26:17,460 --> 00:26:19,920 Can you imagine the words. 460 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:23,960 They were loving in word but not in deed. 461 00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:26,480 They wouldn't give him anything. 462 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:27,920 He's there starving. 463 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:29,800 His face is getting sunk in. 464 00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:31,480 His eyes are going a little bit. 465 00:26:31,480 --> 00:26:34,440 He no longer has a little belly because it's gone. 466 00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:35,440 It's gone. 467 00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:38,520 He's getting his wrists are getting smaller. 468 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:42,600 And what does he smell like. 469 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:44,520 Pigs. 470 00:26:44,520 --> 00:26:47,520 Someone else said something. 471 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:50,360 You can say it's OK. 472 00:26:50,360 --> 00:26:53,040 Because he doesn't just smell like pigs. 473 00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:56,440 What a pig smell like. 474 00:26:56,440 --> 00:27:00,320 Mud garbage and. 475 00:27:00,320 --> 00:27:02,680 OK. 476 00:27:02,680 --> 00:27:05,360 I can hear the giggles. 477 00:27:05,360 --> 00:27:08,040 You're afraid to say it in church. 478 00:27:08,040 --> 00:27:11,000 But if we're out in the field someone would say it with me. 479 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:16,520 They smell like excrement feces. 480 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:19,400 And he smells like it too. 481 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:23,760 He smells like the pigs he's been feeding and spending time with and his clothes got 482 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:24,760 holes in him. 483 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:25,760 He's covered in mud. 484 00:27:25,760 --> 00:27:30,520 He's covered in excrement. 485 00:27:30,520 --> 00:27:33,160 And it's in this moment. 486 00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:37,480 That a miracle happens for him. 487 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:39,400 Verse 17. 488 00:27:39,400 --> 00:27:45,800 But when he came to himself he said how many of my father's hired servants have bread enough 489 00:27:45,800 --> 00:27:48,640 to eat and to spare. 490 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:50,760 And I perish with hunger. 491 00:27:50,760 --> 00:27:57,120 I will arise and go to my father and say to him father I have sinned against you and against 492 00:27:57,120 --> 00:27:58,880 heaven. 493 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:00,060 See it. 494 00:28:00,060 --> 00:28:01,060 He's right there. 495 00:28:01,060 --> 00:28:06,740 And what he has this moment this coming to himself moment. 496 00:28:06,740 --> 00:28:10,000 This is none other than the work of the Holy Spirit. 497 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:14,000 The Holy Spirit is working on him right where he's at. 498 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:20,960 And now that he's got everything and lost everything he's in a place to hear. 499 00:28:20,960 --> 00:28:23,960 And the Holy Spirit is able to speak to him. 500 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:25,760 And he says really what does he say to him. 501 00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:29,760 What does he remind him of. 502 00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:37,200 What does he say there in verse 17. 503 00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:43,580 What does he remember. 504 00:28:43,580 --> 00:28:46,240 About his father but what about his father. 505 00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:50,760 He has food his father has food but. 506 00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:54,240 Even the hired servants have food and. 507 00:28:54,240 --> 00:28:55,240 And despair. 508 00:28:55,240 --> 00:28:58,080 Now hired servants are just hired on for the like the summer. 509 00:28:58,080 --> 00:28:59,840 They're not the all the time. 510 00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:01,520 These are the passers throughs. 511 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:06,920 And even the hired servants the father pays enough and gives them enough that they have 512 00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:09,160 food and enough to spare. 513 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:11,960 And I'm out here starving to death. 514 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:17,040 So he remembers about his father's goodness. 515 00:29:17,040 --> 00:29:21,120 His father's goodness and we all know this one and maybe we don't all know it. 516 00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:25,400 And I'm sorry for saying that because we don't always all know it. 517 00:29:25,400 --> 00:29:27,040 But some of us know it. 518 00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:32,840 The goodness of God leads to repentance. 519 00:29:32,840 --> 00:29:34,960 He had been running from his father's house. 520 00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:37,000 He had been running from his father. 521 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:42,220 And when he remembers the goodness of his father he changes direction. 522 00:29:42,220 --> 00:29:43,240 He starts heading home. 523 00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:49,320 I'm going to go home to my father because it's better in my father's house. 524 00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:50,760 How the song lyrics go. 525 00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:54,840 It's in my father's house. 526 00:29:54,840 --> 00:29:57,040 It's better there. 527 00:29:57,040 --> 00:29:59,720 And so God performs this miracle. 528 00:29:59,720 --> 00:30:07,520 And then and then the son he's walking back covered in mud and filth and excrement and 529 00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:16,720 his face is sunk in and his clothes are holy and the father sees him from a great way off 530 00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:21,980 and he knows his child. 531 00:30:21,980 --> 00:30:23,600 Watch this. 532 00:30:23,600 --> 00:30:34,600 No matter what sin has done to you the father sees you and sees his child. 533 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:37,440 He knows you. 534 00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:42,080 And the father gets off of the porch and he's been looking for his son because his son his 535 00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:43,680 house hasn't been the same. 536 00:30:43,680 --> 00:30:46,500 There's a shadow where his son should have been. 537 00:30:46,500 --> 00:30:51,640 There's a shadow upon his home that only only with his father with his son there can it 538 00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:52,640 be filled. 539 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:55,520 And so he sees his son and he runs full speed in my mind. 540 00:30:55,520 --> 00:30:56,520 He's barefooted. 541 00:30:56,520 --> 00:30:58,560 I got to see him barefooted here too. 542 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:05,000 He's running down the road and it's dirty and he's dusty and he gets to his son and 543 00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:16,120 he wraps his arms around his stinky smelly filthy son and holds him close. 544 00:31:16,120 --> 00:31:18,720 That's our father. 545 00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:21,480 That's our father. 546 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:23,840 You covered in something that doesn't smell so good. 547 00:31:23,840 --> 00:31:29,080 You've been falling into sin that has been keeping you enslaved and ensnared and pulling 548 00:31:29,080 --> 00:31:30,120 you from him. 549 00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:32,380 The father has been calling you back. 550 00:31:32,380 --> 00:31:36,460 The father has been reminding you of his goodness so that you would be open to him. 551 00:31:36,460 --> 00:31:40,780 And when you turn just a little and you reach out in the darkness you grow for him. 552 00:31:40,780 --> 00:31:47,280 He's right there wrapping his arms all around you right where you're at right in the stink 553 00:31:47,280 --> 00:31:48,380 and the filth. 554 00:31:48,380 --> 00:31:52,040 And then he says hold up let's get you let me take care of that. 555 00:31:52,040 --> 00:31:54,600 Let's put a new coat on you. 556 00:31:54,600 --> 00:31:56,080 He doesn't ask you to wash. 557 00:31:56,080 --> 00:31:57,480 He doesn't ask you to clean. 558 00:31:57,480 --> 00:31:58,480 He doesn't ask you. 559 00:31:58,480 --> 00:32:03,380 He says let me do this for you. 560 00:32:03,380 --> 00:32:08,960 There I was sitting in my house and I started to recognize the wildest thing. 561 00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:15,560 I'm surrounded with all these people where bad things are happening. 562 00:32:15,560 --> 00:32:21,520 And God takes this moment and starts speaking to my mind and says this is where you're at. 563 00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:23,880 This is what your life has become. 564 00:32:23,880 --> 00:32:27,640 Look at the people that are surrounding you. 565 00:32:27,640 --> 00:32:29,200 It was better in my house. 566 00:32:29,200 --> 00:32:32,320 You didn't get it but it was better there. 567 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:36,400 You didn't see me for the way I was but it was better there. 568 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:43,960 And it just clicked and I stood up and I said y'all gotta go everybody out of my house right 569 00:32:43,960 --> 00:32:45,280 now. 570 00:32:45,280 --> 00:32:47,240 It's the middle of the night. 571 00:32:47,240 --> 00:32:48,240 Go. 572 00:32:48,240 --> 00:32:51,800 And I kicked everyone out of my house. 573 00:32:51,800 --> 00:32:54,120 Everyone gone. 574 00:32:54,120 --> 00:32:57,160 I locked the door and I put a chair under it because people just always tried to come 575 00:32:57,160 --> 00:32:59,480 in anyway. 576 00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:04,320 And I fell to the ground and I started crying. 577 00:33:04,320 --> 00:33:08,320 That bitter weeping broken cry. 578 00:33:08,320 --> 00:33:12,320 And I know I'm not the only one who's had that. 579 00:33:12,320 --> 00:33:17,000 Because you're here today with the Lord you've had that moment. 580 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:21,240 I just poured my heart out to him and I confessed. 581 00:33:21,240 --> 00:33:31,520 I'd been running so long and I confessed it all and I woke up the next day brand new. 582 00:33:31,520 --> 00:33:36,400 Brand new person doing all the same things. 583 00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:37,400 Doing all the same stuff. 584 00:33:37,400 --> 00:33:41,300 I was still stuck in a lifestyle where I was selling things and people were coming to me 585 00:33:41,300 --> 00:33:43,160 and I was still an addict. 586 00:33:43,160 --> 00:33:45,840 But something had changed in my heart. 587 00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:50,120 Something has started to grow in here and I started reading my Bible. 588 00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:54,680 I pulled out that Bible my dad had given me and I started trying to read it. 589 00:33:54,680 --> 00:33:59,600 And I had had friends that had become Christians and so I knew you read Matthew and you read 590 00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:04,640 Mark and you read Luke and you read John and that's what you do. 591 00:34:04,640 --> 00:34:09,660 So I went to Matthew and Mark and Luke and I read anywhere I was and I didn't understand 592 00:34:09,660 --> 00:34:10,660 any of it. 593 00:34:10,660 --> 00:34:15,000 So I quit trying and I started going to churches. 594 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:20,120 Guess where I went to church? 595 00:34:20,120 --> 00:34:23,760 Sorry to say that didn't happen for a while. 596 00:34:23,760 --> 00:34:25,360 I went anywhere I was invited. 597 00:34:25,360 --> 00:34:29,320 If you invited me to church I would go with you. 598 00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:34,480 I was on a journey to try to understand the Word of God and to get to know who God is 599 00:34:34,480 --> 00:34:36,760 and I just tried everything I knew. 600 00:34:36,760 --> 00:34:42,560 I even sought out those Christians that had used to live my lifestyle and to become Christians 601 00:34:42,560 --> 00:34:44,920 and I'm like I got questions about the Bible. 602 00:34:44,920 --> 00:34:46,480 I was that guy. 603 00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:47,840 Can you help me? 604 00:34:47,840 --> 00:34:50,120 And they wanted to goof off and play games instead. 605 00:34:50,120 --> 00:34:52,700 I'm like I want to know the Bible man. 606 00:34:52,700 --> 00:34:58,960 So I gave up there and I eventually went to the TV preachers and when they asked for money 607 00:34:58,960 --> 00:35:01,540 well that's just not me at the time. 608 00:35:01,540 --> 00:35:05,160 So when they asked for money I quit watching. 609 00:35:05,160 --> 00:35:11,280 And I found myself in that place where I was willing to say God if it's true it'll be free 610 00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:16,680 and someone answered the call and they put up a flyer just down from my apartment. 611 00:35:16,680 --> 00:35:21,120 And so when I watched these videos and I was so excited I couldn't wait to study the Bible 612 00:35:21,120 --> 00:35:22,120 with them. 613 00:35:22,120 --> 00:35:31,480 It had been years of searching and failing to find an understanding of the Bible. 614 00:35:31,480 --> 00:35:38,320 And when they said no and I would never see them again I had one thing to do one more 615 00:35:38,320 --> 00:35:39,680 try. 616 00:35:39,680 --> 00:35:43,360 I called my dad. 617 00:35:43,360 --> 00:35:47,120 Dad I got what you've been looking for. 618 00:35:47,120 --> 00:35:50,720 I have found the truth you've been searching for for years. 619 00:35:50,720 --> 00:35:52,840 I got it. 620 00:35:52,840 --> 00:35:54,440 You've got to look at it. 621 00:35:54,440 --> 00:35:58,320 And my dad had the audacity to say no he didn't. 622 00:35:58,320 --> 00:36:02,720 And my dad and I didn't really talk much at the time so forgive me for my rudeness with 623 00:36:02,720 --> 00:36:04,000 my father. 624 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:06,740 But it was there and he was rude to me. 625 00:36:06,740 --> 00:36:11,060 And we started arguing and he started telling me that he wanted me to look at something 626 00:36:11,060 --> 00:36:12,660 that he was looking at. 627 00:36:12,660 --> 00:36:18,120 And I said no I have found the truth and this is the wording I use I have found the end 628 00:36:18,120 --> 00:36:21,240 time message before Jesus comes back. 629 00:36:21,240 --> 00:36:25,320 That's what I told him because that's what I believed because I've never seen anything 630 00:36:25,320 --> 00:36:26,400 like this before. 631 00:36:26,400 --> 00:36:32,040 I have been listening to that and this finally getting it. 632 00:36:32,040 --> 00:36:36,400 And after we argued for a while it turned out we had the same thing. 633 00:36:36,400 --> 00:36:41,320 He was studying the Bible went through with male Bible studies and I was watching videos 634 00:36:41,320 --> 00:36:45,440 and what I had found out on that last video about the Antichrist is that this was from 635 00:36:45,440 --> 00:36:47,720 the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 636 00:36:47,720 --> 00:36:51,560 And he had already found this out and had found a Seventh-day Adventist Church and was 637 00:36:51,560 --> 00:36:53,120 attending. 638 00:36:53,120 --> 00:36:59,020 He invited me to come to church with him and I went. 639 00:36:59,020 --> 00:37:01,800 And I didn't like it. 640 00:37:01,800 --> 00:37:06,020 And I want you to know something if I don't like something I'm going to try it again. 641 00:37:06,020 --> 00:37:09,900 I learned to like olives every day for a year. 642 00:37:09,900 --> 00:37:17,320 Finally like some of them came back the next week and I clap my hands the best I could 643 00:37:17,320 --> 00:37:19,680 and I sang the songs had no idea what was going on. 644 00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:22,160 I listened to the sermons and I didn't like it. 645 00:37:22,160 --> 00:37:25,880 The third week I said to this lady who was in my life at the point. 646 00:37:25,880 --> 00:37:30,200 Crystal would you like to come to church with me this week and she said. 647 00:37:30,200 --> 00:37:35,040 She's like don't invite me into this thing. 648 00:37:35,040 --> 00:37:41,140 Jack yes I'll come with you and so we went with my dad we went to church and neither 649 00:37:41,140 --> 00:37:43,480 of us liked it. 650 00:37:43,480 --> 00:37:45,080 What was wrong with the church. 651 00:37:45,080 --> 00:37:49,760 Nothing nothing wrong with the church but when you wrong with the devil church is kind 652 00:37:49,760 --> 00:37:50,760 of a weird place. 653 00:37:50,760 --> 00:37:57,720 When you're used to liking evil liking evil church gets hard. 654 00:37:57,720 --> 00:38:00,560 Good is not great to be around sometimes. 655 00:38:00,560 --> 00:38:05,000 But so I will say this though no one I was obviously a guest. 656 00:38:05,000 --> 00:38:09,560 OK it was obviously my first times coming into church over here. 657 00:38:09,560 --> 00:38:12,660 And no one got my phone number. 658 00:38:12,660 --> 00:38:17,900 No one offered me Bible studies. 659 00:38:17,900 --> 00:38:21,880 So when I quit coming how many people could reach out to me. 660 00:38:21,880 --> 00:38:27,080 None I would have been the guy who said yes I'll study the Bible with you. 661 00:38:27,080 --> 00:38:28,080 Let's do it. 662 00:38:28,080 --> 00:38:32,040 I would have been the guy on fire to start this with you. 663 00:38:32,040 --> 00:38:35,200 But I didn't look like I was on fire for it. 664 00:38:35,200 --> 00:38:36,540 But I was. 665 00:38:36,540 --> 00:38:41,760 And so after this journey years go by I get a new job. 666 00:38:41,760 --> 00:38:47,480 Crystal and I buy a house together and between the new house and the new job someone put 667 00:38:47,480 --> 00:38:52,760 a seven day Adventist church right on the exit and entry ramp. 668 00:38:52,760 --> 00:39:00,160 And I pass by at least two times a day and I say one day I'm going to church there. 669 00:39:00,160 --> 00:39:01,160 You know what that means right. 670 00:39:01,160 --> 00:39:06,760 Any of us with a few years know what the words one day mean. 671 00:39:06,760 --> 00:39:08,080 Means never. 672 00:39:08,080 --> 00:39:11,320 If you want to do something you better put a date on it. 673 00:39:11,320 --> 00:39:13,400 Young people you want to accomplish something. 674 00:39:13,400 --> 00:39:15,200 Don't say one day you put a date. 675 00:39:15,200 --> 00:39:17,040 This is when I'm doing it. 676 00:39:17,040 --> 00:39:22,560 Well thankfully God said I'm going to help you out Jack because one day is never coming. 677 00:39:22,560 --> 00:39:27,680 So down at my work I'm working Sunday through Friday because as a non seven day Adventist 678 00:39:27,680 --> 00:39:30,920 I refuse to work on Sabbath. 679 00:39:30,920 --> 00:39:36,800 I am standing for the Sabbath in my job and they're OK with it until they come to me and 680 00:39:36,800 --> 00:39:42,200 say Jack we now need you to work Sunday through Saturday. 681 00:39:42,200 --> 00:39:47,320 And I say there is no way I'm going to do it. 682 00:39:47,320 --> 00:39:49,900 That's the Sabbath. 683 00:39:49,900 --> 00:39:57,480 And they came to me and said well if you're not going to work you should go to church. 684 00:39:57,480 --> 00:40:00,120 I can almost not believe they said it. 685 00:40:00,120 --> 00:40:02,960 Of all the things to say. 686 00:40:02,960 --> 00:40:08,880 And I went home from work that day and I said Crystal this week we're going to church because 687 00:40:08,880 --> 00:40:11,200 I'm not going to work. 688 00:40:11,200 --> 00:40:12,600 So we went to church it was great. 689 00:40:12,600 --> 00:40:15,960 We sat down right up in the second pew right here. 690 00:40:15,960 --> 00:40:18,840 Someone got up to tell a children's story just like Pastor Day except it was on this 691 00:40:18,840 --> 00:40:24,320 side and they carried a brown paper bag with them and they sat it down and they they started 692 00:40:24,320 --> 00:40:25,320 sharing a story. 693 00:40:25,320 --> 00:40:26,320 This is all I remember from church. 694 00:40:26,320 --> 00:40:27,320 OK. 695 00:40:27,320 --> 00:40:28,320 This is it. 696 00:40:28,320 --> 00:40:31,080 I'm just going to give you the one piece I remember. 697 00:40:31,080 --> 00:40:36,560 And they reach in partway through that children's story and they grab something out of the bag 698 00:40:36,560 --> 00:40:39,040 and they lift it up. 699 00:40:39,040 --> 00:40:44,360 And when I seen it I couldn't believe this was in church. 700 00:40:44,360 --> 00:40:50,200 I was about to fall off of the pew looking at this. 701 00:40:50,200 --> 00:40:51,980 What was it. 702 00:40:51,980 --> 00:40:53,660 You know what it is. 703 00:40:53,660 --> 00:40:54,720 Someone else knows what it is too. 704 00:40:54,720 --> 00:40:55,720 What is it. 705 00:40:55,720 --> 00:40:58,000 It's a turtle. 706 00:40:58,000 --> 00:41:00,480 You can tell by the way I hold it. 707 00:41:00,480 --> 00:41:01,880 And some of you didn't know what it was. 708 00:41:01,880 --> 00:41:03,840 Some of you like you knew it. 709 00:41:03,840 --> 00:41:04,840 Turtle. 710 00:41:04,840 --> 00:41:06,560 This lady had a turtle in church. 711 00:41:06,560 --> 00:41:08,560 I've never seen anything like it. 712 00:41:08,560 --> 00:41:10,520 I loved it. 713 00:41:10,520 --> 00:41:11,520 Loved it. 714 00:41:11,520 --> 00:41:13,680 So the children's story was like my favorite part. 715 00:41:13,680 --> 00:41:15,480 It's the only part I remember. 716 00:41:15,480 --> 00:41:17,880 I left and we came back the next week. 717 00:41:17,880 --> 00:41:19,540 We sat down right here. 718 00:41:19,540 --> 00:41:20,540 They do. 719 00:41:20,540 --> 00:41:21,540 They proceed in. 720 00:41:21,540 --> 00:41:22,540 It's very formal. 721 00:41:22,540 --> 00:41:28,220 They proceed in that everyone marches up and sits down everywhere and they start the message. 722 00:41:28,220 --> 00:41:30,280 And then before you know it they're done with the message. 723 00:41:30,280 --> 00:41:35,960 It's like 10 minutes and they say men we have a room for you over here. 724 00:41:35,960 --> 00:41:39,200 Please we have a room for you over there. 725 00:41:39,200 --> 00:41:40,320 I said OK. 726 00:41:40,320 --> 00:41:42,400 See you in a minute Crystal. 727 00:41:42,400 --> 00:41:49,560 And so we part ways and I go into the room and it's full of men. 728 00:41:49,560 --> 00:41:52,040 And I I catch on pretty quickly. 729 00:41:52,040 --> 00:41:54,280 I'm bright I think. 730 00:41:54,280 --> 00:41:58,220 There were buckets in there full of water. 731 00:41:58,220 --> 00:42:03,280 And they were getting them these bowls filled and they were sitting down and taking off 732 00:42:03,280 --> 00:42:06,800 their shoes and their socks. 733 00:42:06,800 --> 00:42:09,520 By the time the foot went into the bowl I figured it out. 734 00:42:09,520 --> 00:42:12,900 They're going to wash each other's feet in here. 735 00:42:12,900 --> 00:42:17,200 So I sat there and I need to say something. 736 00:42:17,200 --> 00:42:22,340 If you haven't taken part in Seventh Day Adventist Communion. 737 00:42:22,340 --> 00:42:24,240 You need to. 738 00:42:24,240 --> 00:42:29,960 This is one of the most beautiful spiritual services I have ever been a part of. 739 00:42:29,960 --> 00:42:30,960 It's incredible. 740 00:42:30,960 --> 00:42:31,960 You come together. 741 00:42:31,960 --> 00:42:33,520 We're all local washing feet. 742 00:42:33,520 --> 00:42:38,640 Jesus instituted this and it's like a mini baptism where we're we're cleansed of something 743 00:42:38,640 --> 00:42:41,280 we've been falling into. 744 00:42:41,280 --> 00:42:48,000 And if you've been arguing with someone you can serve one another and see some healing 745 00:42:48,000 --> 00:42:50,920 there. 746 00:42:50,920 --> 00:42:52,920 People sing together they pray together. 747 00:42:52,920 --> 00:42:54,040 It's incredible. 748 00:42:54,040 --> 00:42:59,360 And I only say this really strongly to emphasize just so that you get what I'm about to say 749 00:42:59,360 --> 00:43:02,720 isn't the norm. 750 00:43:02,720 --> 00:43:06,400 But that day that none of that happened for me. 751 00:43:06,400 --> 00:43:11,040 That day it was middle school P.E. all over again. 752 00:43:11,040 --> 00:43:16,560 And if any of you were small and awkward then you know what middle school P.E. can be like 753 00:43:16,560 --> 00:43:21,000 last picked every time. 754 00:43:21,000 --> 00:43:27,080 And so I sat there or stood there and along the wall to be last picked. 755 00:43:27,080 --> 00:43:30,880 And I say last picked because well not really picked there was some other guy that was last 756 00:43:30,880 --> 00:43:33,160 picked and nobody talked to and nobody got his name. 757 00:43:33,160 --> 00:43:35,600 And so we didn't get each other's names. 758 00:43:35,600 --> 00:43:36,880 We partnered up. 759 00:43:36,880 --> 00:43:37,880 We didn't pray. 760 00:43:37,880 --> 00:43:38,880 We didn't sing a song. 761 00:43:38,880 --> 00:43:43,800 We got our feet wet and we got back into the church as quick as we could. 762 00:43:43,800 --> 00:43:53,240 But my wife Crystal Crystal came skipping back into church. 763 00:43:53,240 --> 00:43:55,840 You ever seen a grown woman skip. 764 00:43:55,840 --> 00:43:56,840 You want to see. 765 00:43:56,840 --> 00:43:59,120 I don't know what she looks like and I look like. 766 00:43:59,120 --> 00:44:02,080 But a skip is kind of like you get this. 767 00:44:02,080 --> 00:44:05,280 This is how she comes back in all smiling and giddy. 768 00:44:05,280 --> 00:44:07,160 I'm like what happened. 769 00:44:07,160 --> 00:44:09,560 She's like oh it was amazing Jack. 770 00:44:09,560 --> 00:44:14,200 This lady came and she asked me if I would partner with her and we we went we went back 771 00:44:14,200 --> 00:44:19,240 there and she asked me you know who I was and why I was there and what brought us in 772 00:44:19,240 --> 00:44:21,360 and she explained to me what was going on. 773 00:44:21,360 --> 00:44:23,920 It was just wonderful. 774 00:44:23,920 --> 00:44:25,720 Wow. 775 00:44:25,720 --> 00:44:27,840 Incredible right. 776 00:44:27,840 --> 00:44:32,720 That lady is the first seven day Adventist home I ever went to. 777 00:44:32,720 --> 00:44:34,760 She's like I don't know this lady. 778 00:44:34,760 --> 00:44:40,200 I'm going to get to know this lady and she intentionally targeted Crystal to build a 779 00:44:40,200 --> 00:44:41,360 friendship. 780 00:44:41,360 --> 00:44:44,440 We still know their family to this day. 781 00:44:44,440 --> 00:44:47,480 They're special people in our lives. 782 00:44:47,480 --> 00:44:49,280 I didn't have that experience. 783 00:44:49,280 --> 00:44:53,600 We got the rest of church went home and we came back the next week and you know why we 784 00:44:53,600 --> 00:44:56,360 came back. 785 00:44:56,360 --> 00:45:01,080 I already told you because we're not going to work. 786 00:45:01,080 --> 00:45:02,640 That's right. 787 00:45:02,640 --> 00:45:03,640 Not going to work. 788 00:45:03,640 --> 00:45:08,240 We're going to come back here to church and we sit down and and they do the whole procession 789 00:45:08,240 --> 00:45:11,360 they come in they're doing and they say hold on hold on we want to just stop these we want 790 00:45:11,360 --> 00:45:13,960 to stop these hold on a second. 791 00:45:13,960 --> 00:45:19,680 Jack and Crystal would you mind standing up just so you know my wife dislikes this. 792 00:45:19,680 --> 00:45:20,680 We stood up. 793 00:45:20,680 --> 00:45:24,280 If you don't know Jack and Crystal you should get to know them they're wonderful people 794 00:45:24,280 --> 00:45:29,520 and we found out something about Jack and Crystal. 795 00:45:29,520 --> 00:45:32,720 What they find out. 796 00:45:32,720 --> 00:45:35,400 How did they find it out. 797 00:45:35,400 --> 00:45:36,400 Not yet kid. 798 00:45:36,400 --> 00:45:38,720 I'll get you in just a minute. 799 00:45:38,720 --> 00:45:41,160 Just a minute I'm happy to tell us. 800 00:45:41,160 --> 00:45:42,440 How did they find it out. 801 00:45:42,440 --> 00:45:48,280 First off they talked to Crystal right. 802 00:45:48,280 --> 00:45:49,800 They asked you some questions. 803 00:45:49,800 --> 00:45:51,600 Who is she talks man. 804 00:45:51,600 --> 00:45:54,800 Should be telling the stuff. 805 00:45:54,800 --> 00:46:00,160 They found it out and they said we wanted to do something nice for you. 806 00:46:00,160 --> 00:46:01,160 We found out. 807 00:46:01,160 --> 00:46:07,180 Here's what they found out what they find out story. 808 00:46:07,180 --> 00:46:11,380 They found out Jack and Crystal are getting married. 809 00:46:11,380 --> 00:46:14,400 And we wanted to do something nice for you. 810 00:46:14,400 --> 00:46:18,680 And so the back doors of the church opened up and we're standing here and people start 811 00:46:18,680 --> 00:46:25,360 bringing in gift bags and they start setting them down their house warming gifts wedding 812 00:46:25,360 --> 00:46:34,040 gifts setting them down all around us and we're standing there. 813 00:46:34,040 --> 00:46:39,920 You ever not want to cry but got to cry. 814 00:46:39,920 --> 00:46:52,160 I don't want to cry in front of this church but it hurt not to my wife and I had never 815 00:46:52,160 --> 00:47:02,760 received love just because a lot of time love comes with a hook and expectation and this 816 00:47:02,760 --> 00:47:08,240 church loved us just because Jesus loved them and they showed it. 817 00:47:08,240 --> 00:47:13,280 They didn't just say it they showed it. 818 00:47:13,280 --> 00:47:20,040 It was the moment that everything changed for us. 819 00:47:20,040 --> 00:47:25,360 We would not miss church again and it had nothing to do with work and everything with 820 00:47:25,360 --> 00:47:31,460 getting to know that Jesus that they know to being around these people. 821 00:47:31,460 --> 00:47:36,680 Now they were real people with real problems. 822 00:47:36,680 --> 00:47:42,200 My wife was so overcome with joy that standing there in front of the church she said yes 823 00:47:42,200 --> 00:47:46,200 we're getting married next Friday and you're all invited. 824 00:47:46,200 --> 00:47:52,000 I don't know how she's going to feed them but they're all invited and the pastor and 825 00:47:52,000 --> 00:47:59,160 then his wife came out to that that wedding and they left before things got rowdy on Friday 826 00:47:59,160 --> 00:48:02,680 night they left before they got rowdy but they were there. 827 00:48:02,680 --> 00:48:08,720 The only Christian I would say I wouldn't even go so far to say Christian real Christian 828 00:48:08,720 --> 00:48:15,360 couple in our wedding period. 829 00:48:15,360 --> 00:48:21,120 What an amazing joy that the pastor's wife she organized this all it took was someone 830 00:48:21,120 --> 00:48:23,940 to come together and say let's do this. 831 00:48:23,940 --> 00:48:28,380 She had the idea and she recruited everyone got involved and her and I would argue the 832 00:48:28,380 --> 00:48:34,540 rest of our time together but she loved us. 833 00:48:34,540 --> 00:48:40,720 They had their problems but they did it eventually someone would walk across the church and have 834 00:48:40,720 --> 00:48:41,720 the gall. 835 00:48:41,720 --> 00:48:43,280 Should I say gall? 836 00:48:43,280 --> 00:48:53,680 No the guts the courage to offer us Bible studies and we would say yes and they would 837 00:48:53,680 --> 00:49:03,280 give us not great Bible studies and my wife and I got baptized off of not great Bible 838 00:49:03,280 --> 00:49:11,960 studies didn't have to be great just had to be and eventually and some of you know what 839 00:49:11,960 --> 00:49:17,360 happens after sometimes people are so invested in you until a point and once a point happened 840 00:49:17,360 --> 00:49:21,600 things changed and so another individual in that church recognized that Crystal and I 841 00:49:21,600 --> 00:49:28,720 after after a baptism it was getting close to us leaving church because there's a hard 842 00:49:28,720 --> 00:49:35,460 road sometimes and you feel disconnected you feel kind of left out and we felt that way 843 00:49:35,460 --> 00:49:44,200 from a great church that wasn't perfect and so someone said I see an issue here and so 844 00:49:44,200 --> 00:49:50,320 they came and they started discipling us and they built us a friend group built it piece 845 00:49:50,320 --> 00:49:56,920 by piece for us and this person taught us how to preach in my living room so if you 846 00:49:56,920 --> 00:50:01,280 dislike the preaching you could take it up with him okay he taught us how to study the 847 00:50:01,280 --> 00:50:15,560 Bible taught us how to pray taught us how to have a devotion life and I'm still here 848 00:50:15,560 --> 00:50:23,720 because of someone like that so I thank God for for praying parents if you're a parent 849 00:50:23,720 --> 00:50:29,600 who's praying keep praying and I thank God for for a church that says here we can do 850 00:50:29,600 --> 00:50:35,240 this one thing we can do this one thing let's do it and I praise God for people that would 851 00:50:35,240 --> 00:50:38,600 go out and put up a flyer and the person who would make copies of that flyer so that people 852 00:50:38,600 --> 00:50:43,200 could put it up and I praise God for the person who was in the church who was like I I may 853 00:50:43,200 --> 00:50:48,200 not be able to walk around I may not be able to homes but I can put this in the mail someone 854 00:50:48,200 --> 00:50:52,280 in here is putting things in the mail and mailing it to people and it means the world 855 00:50:52,280 --> 00:51:00,880 to them thank you keep it up keep it up it means the world to them I thank God for for 856 00:51:00,880 --> 00:51:04,560 the guys who intervened and started showing up at our house and bringing those videos 857 00:51:04,560 --> 00:51:10,280 by because I really don't think I would have got to this point had they not showed up they 858 00:51:10,280 --> 00:51:14,520 hadn't brought the video I wouldn't I wouldn't send off to get they hadn't brought it back 859 00:51:14,520 --> 00:51:18,240 out I wouldn't be here those guys are part of this it wasn't perfect but they're part 860 00:51:18,240 --> 00:51:24,360 of it and and I thank God for for getting to go to a church that my dad was going to 861 00:51:24,360 --> 00:51:30,880 and I thank God that my dad would invite me to church and I'm thankful for a church that 862 00:51:30,880 --> 00:51:39,040 said look here's a couple they're obviously got some issues let's love them let's love 863 00:51:39,040 --> 00:51:46,600 them right where they are let's take time to invest in them because I'm here I said 864 00:51:46,600 --> 00:51:52,720 yes to Bible studies later because I was there and I think God for this this little young 865 00:51:52,720 --> 00:51:58,360 man who walked across the church and offered Bible studies and did it horribly but he did 866 00:51:58,360 --> 00:52:02,720 it and he was terrified to do it and I thank God that somebody came along afterward and 867 00:52:02,720 --> 00:52:10,200 said you know what Jack and Christ are in trouble spiritually they need help they need 868 00:52:10,200 --> 00:52:16,760 relationship in this church I'm gonna invest in them I'm gonna help them and many more 869 00:52:16,760 --> 00:52:25,040 people have been a part of this journey praying people loving people and most of them have 870 00:52:25,040 --> 00:52:31,160 had mistakes through it but we're here today I'm here today my daughter is growing up as 871 00:52:31,160 --> 00:52:39,040 a seven-day Adventist because of people like you and me willing to get involved if you 872 00:52:39,040 --> 00:52:44,920 want God to use you if you want to get involved then we're gonna take a moment we're gonna 873 00:52:44,920 --> 00:52:53,400 pray about it together and this is an opportunity between you and God to say I want to be used 874 00:52:53,400 --> 00:52:58,240 this afternoon after lunch we're gonna do a training more getting involved but I want 875 00:52:58,240 --> 00:53:03,160 to encourage you to pray right now if that's you if not you can have a general prayer between 876 00:53:03,160 --> 00:53:06,280 you and the Lord but I'm gonna lead us in a prayer so please bow your heads with me 877 00:53:06,280 --> 00:53:18,240 pray with me father we're coming before you as weak and airing human beings Lord we are 878 00:53:18,240 --> 00:53:22,920 thankful for your grace and your mercy and your love we are thankful that your Holy 879 00:53:22,920 --> 00:53:28,880 Spirit is willing to work and invest in us and in others that you have invited us to 880 00:53:28,880 --> 00:53:36,360 join you Lord some of us here we want to get involved we want to be used by you we want 881 00:53:36,360 --> 00:53:44,360 to see people come to know you just because you invited us to help we want to know that 882 00:53:44,360 --> 00:53:55,200 joy so Lord as we have our eyes closed our heads bowed Lord right now we raise our hands 883 00:53:55,200 --> 00:54:01,120 to say yes Lord use me between us and you no one else we see you Lord and we know you 884 00:54:01,120 --> 00:54:07,480 see our hands and we say yes I want to be used by you more than I am now keep using 885 00:54:07,480 --> 00:54:23,760 me stretch me Lord give me courage Lord I want to help someone else know you Lord we 886 00:54:23,760 --> 00:54:32,000 we thank you for hearing our prayer we thank you for answering this prayer thank you for 887 00:54:32,000 --> 00:54:41,120 using even us we pray this we thank you for this privilege in your name Jesus amen