Latest / Meadows Baptist Church Podcast / Why The Shepherds Ran - 12/14/25 - Bro. Jerry Whitlow

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Why The Shepherds Ran - 12/14/25 - Bro. Jerry Whitlow · Meadows Baptist Church Podcast

0:03
Welcome to [music] Meadows Baptist
0:04
Church of Walnut Cove, North Carolina.
0:07
We're so glad you joined us today. If
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you enjoy today's [music] message, be
0:12
sure to subscribe, follow, and share
0:15
with your friends. [music] Now, let's
0:17
join Pastor Charlie Branch with a word
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from God.
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[music]
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>> Thank you for being here, brother. We
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appreciate it. Thank you.
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>> Have you have you want to close up? It's
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all yours.
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>> All right. Thank you so much. Thank you,
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sir.
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>> All right. Good evening, everybody.
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Thank you for being here tonight.
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And uh when I talked to your pastor
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earlier and uh the first time I don't
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think he knew he was going to the home
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office and then he texted me back and he
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said, "I want you to know when you are
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going to be representing Rock of Ages,
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I'm going to be at Rock of Ages." I
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said, "Well, praise the Lord." And so
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he's there at the home office helping
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them and I greatly appreciate that.
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But uh go ahead and take your Bible to
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go to Luke chapter 2. And then I'm going
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to give you an update real quickly about
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the work that's going on. The first
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thing I'd like to do is thank you for
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praying for my wife. And my wife is here
1:19
tonight. So uh Dreamer, would you please
1:21
stand? And uh uh the Lord has blessed
1:25
her tremendously. And I want to thank
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you so much for praying for her. I know
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uh many of you knew that she was in the
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hospital here a while back and and they
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they thought that her cancer had
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returned and so they were testing her
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every way imaginable and uh after all
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those tests was over, she heard
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something that she had never heard
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before.
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the doctor came in and looked her eye to
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eye and said, "You are absolutely
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cancer-free."
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>> Amen.
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>> She'd never heard that. And so that's
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now what 10 years. Uh and so to God be
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the glory. We we knew she didn't show
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signs, but a doctor had never said,
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"You're cancer-free."
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The only problem was they just they
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still didn't know what was wrong. And so
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they continued to do tests. They found
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out her neck vertebrae was not um I
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don't want to I don't know how the right
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way to say it. It wasn't aligned
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properly. And so uh uh she has been
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having to go to a specialist that does
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uh chiropractic work up here next to the
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skull and she sees him three times a
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week. And uh they have found out that by
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moving that back it is helping her
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tremendously.
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And so to God be the glory. We thank God
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for that. And so thank you so much for
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praying for her. We didn't know if we
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were even going to get to make this
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trip. And so I'm glad that she's able to
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be with me. Her mom's with us tonight.
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We're visiting with her. And so we
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appreciate her traveling down with us
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this evening. And then to give you an
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update, last year we were praying that
3:13
we would see approximately 500 inmates
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saved in the state of California. Well,
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to give you an update, we didn't see 500
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saved this year.
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>> We saw over 700 saved this year in the
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state of California. To God be the
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glory. And not only that, but we were
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praying that God would send another
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family to California to help us. God
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answered that prayer. We now have
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another family that is there in
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California and going into the prisons
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helping us. Also, the go uh not only
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that, but God has enlarged our coast and
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Dr. Ellis met with me and talked with me
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back in the summer and asked me if I
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would be willing to serve as the western
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representative of Rock of Ages
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Ministries. And what that means is now
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not only am I working in California, but
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I'm working in all nine western states.
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And uh so we have 13 missionary families
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that are in nine western states. And so
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God has enlarged our coast and we're
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seeing some amazing things happening.
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One of those things is this. We're
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getting ready to start a work in Canada.
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That is amazing. It's never uh we've
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never had a ministry in Canada. And I
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went to Spokane, Washington here
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recently and and uh one of the pastors
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came and met with me there. We we talked
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for three days about different things
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about reaching Canada. And I want you to
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pray. the end of February, I'll be
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flying to Vancouver and uh and I will be
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teaching pastors how to go into the
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prisons and how to have a prison
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ministry and how they can be part of
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Rock of Ages and how they can uh have a
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Bible institute and all this type of
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stuff. And so we'll be working with them
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and for about a week there in Vancouver.
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So, and then since we lined this up, now
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we're having other areas of Canada get
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in touch with us. And so, I don't know
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how far this will go, but we're praying
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that a sweep all the way across the
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country there. So, please pray about
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that. And then I want to thank you for
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your support for us and the office in
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California. And now that office is the
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Western Regional Office of Rock of Ages.
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And uh I want you to pray about this
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when I get back. I've already talked to
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the owner about this and uh he has
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agreed he's going to meet with me. I've
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already made an offer and and I don't
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know what he'll do on this. But the
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office where we are, there's an office
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right beside it that is twice the size.
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It already has the secretarial area of
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the office. It's already there. The desk
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is already there. The executive office,
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the desk, the bookcases, chairs,
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everything is already there. Internet is
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already there. And so what we're talking
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about is switching offices. And I want
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you to pray about that. I know there
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will be an added cost. Uh everything's
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expensive out there. There's nothing
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cheap. And just for the office we have,
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it's $1,000 a month. But in California,
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that's cheap because I'm getting the
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electricity and I'm getting the internet
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and I'm getting the the trash and and
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septic. We have restrooms and all this
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along with the office. And so we know
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this will be more than that, but I want
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you to pray. I believe God wants us to
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have it. And uh I've already talked with
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my pastor, Pastor Jack Triber at North
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Valley. I've talked with uh Dr. Ellis.
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And we're praying. And I believe that's
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what God wants us to do is move forward
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in the ministry. And we have already
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seen prisons taking notice of a
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particular place that you're based at.
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They take notice of that. And you say,
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"Well, what's the big deal about having
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an office?" Well, when you can give them
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an exact spot and an address,
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they say, "Oh, you mean you're here in
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California or you're on the West Coast
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or you're here to stay or you're here
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serious about and they look at it as
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being serious about this." So do
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churches.
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Years ago, Rock of Ages had an office
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out in Portland. Well, what happened
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with that office is Dr. Ellis was in
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that office and when he left to become
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the president of Rock of Ages, then that
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office closed. So people thought Rock of
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Ages left the West Coast and was no
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longer there. So what we're doing now is
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letting people know we are here. There
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is a work going on and God is blessing
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that. So please keep that a matter of
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prayer. So let me just give you a quick
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schedule. When I get back to California,
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we'll be here three weeks. We'll go
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back. I'll be in four prisons. As soon
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as I finish those four prisons, I'll fly
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to Tucson, Arizona. I'll be there for a
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weekend teaching and preaching. Then
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I'll leave there and go to Salt Lake
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City, Utah, where I'll be preaching at
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the Utah State Prison. Fly back, be in
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this uh uh prisons in California, and
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then fly to Vancouver and be there for a
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week and teaching and preaching. Come
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back. Then we'll be bringing all the
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western missionaries to where we are in
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California. We'll be working with them
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there for a week teaching and training
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and then we'll get ready to go to
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Alaska. And I had to postpone my trip to
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Alaska when my wife was in the hospital.
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But we'll be headed back to Alaska and
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I'll be meeting with three missionary
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families there, going into all the
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prisons throughout Alaska, meeting the
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different ones that are in charge there.
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And so we have a busy schedule and a lot
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of airtime, a lot of air miles, a lot of
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plane trips, and it gets very expensive.
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So I want to say thank you so much for
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your support because without you,
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there's no way we could be getting into
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the places we're getting into. And uh
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thank you so very, very much for that.
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All right, and keep praying and keep
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praying for my wife if you would too.
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All right, we appreciate that so much.
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All right, let's take our Bibles
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tonight. Let's go to Luke chapter 2, and
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I know at Christmas time, if you're like
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me, every year at Christmas time,
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especially when when the children were
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growing up, which me my wife and I still
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do this, we go through and read the
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Christmas story. And it's just not
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Christmas without the Christmas story.
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Uh when the uh kids were growing up, we
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always Christmas day, we read the
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Christmas story. She baked a birthday
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cake for Jesus and we had had a birthday
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party and all that type of stuff. We we
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wanted our children to understand
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Christmas is about Christ,
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>> right?
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>> That that's You say, "Well, well, we
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don't know that he was born on that
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day." Well, we might not know he was
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born on that exact day, but I know he
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was born.
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>> So, I'm going to celebrate it. All
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right.
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>> And uh so that's what we did as a
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family. You may do the same thing.
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And as I was reading through here and
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honestly the thought never really hit me
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like this to just recently, you know,
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it's amazing. The Bible gives you
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something new all the time.
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>> Amen.
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>> And I I don't know how many times I've
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read through this. And what I give you
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tonight, you probably say, "Well, I've
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known that. We've been teaching that for
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years." Well, I just didn't think of it
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this way. In Luke chapter 2, of course,
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we know the first seven verses talks
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about the Lord Jesus being born. They've
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went up to uh out of the house and
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lineage of David and uh they've went out
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of the city of Nazareth into Judea into
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Bethlehem. And we know that she gave
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forth her firstborn son, wrapped him in
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swaddling clothes, laid him in a manger.
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We know there was no room for them in
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the end. Now, I want us to get down to
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the shepherds.
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The Bible says in verse number eight,
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"And there were in the same country
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shepherds abiding in the field, keeping
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watch over their flock by night," "And
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lo, the angel of the Lord came upon
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them, and the glory of the Lord shone
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round about them, they were sore
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afraid." Now, I don't know about you, if
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I'd have been out there and that was
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happening, I probably would have been
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scared to death, too. That's
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>> right.
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And the Bible says, "And the angel said
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unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring
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you good tidings of great joy, which
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shall be to all people, for unto you is
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born this day in the city of David a
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Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And
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this shall be a sign unto you. Ye shall
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find the babe wrapped in swaddling
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clothes, lying in a manger." And
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suddenly there was with the angel a
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multitude of the heavenly hosts praising
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God and saying, "Glory to God in the
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highest, and on earth peace, good will
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toward men." And it came to pass, as the
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angels were gone away from them into
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heaven. The shepherds said one to
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another, "Let us now go even under
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Bethlehem, and see this thing which has
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come to pass, which the Lord hath made
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known unto us." and they came with haste
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and found Mary and Joseph and the babe
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lying in a manger. Now the Christmas
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story is filled with wonder, is filled
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with worship and divine purpose.
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Yet among all the characters in the
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nativity,
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there's probably none more surprising or
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more instructive than the shepherds.
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They were simple men.
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They were working the night shift.
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They were unnoticed by the world.
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But heaven noticed them. And God
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bypassed the palace,
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ignored the temple elites,
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stepped past the wealthy and the noble,
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and he sent the angelic announcement to
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men whom society considered unimportant.
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>> Right?
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And when the angels departed,
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the Bible tells us [clears throat]
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the shepherds did something interesting.
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The Bible says in verse 16, they came
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with haste.
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Now, I want you to understand something
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for just a moment. I've read that for
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years, but in reality, this is what that
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verse is saying. The shepherds ran,
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>> right?
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They did not walk.
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They did not wait.
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They did not delay.
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The shepherds
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ran.
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As I began to think about, I'm thinking,
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wait a minute, the running shepherds,
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man, the shepherds, they they took off.
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They ran. And then the question was
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this. What moved them with such urgency
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to run to Christ?
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what compelled their feet and filled
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their hearts to make them run to Christ.
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So, I want to give you a few reasons
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tonight why I believe the shepherds ran
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to Jesus. Let's pray together. Father,
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we love you. I pray that you would help
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us this evening. I pray that you would
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guide my words, give me wisdom, and
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Father, I pray that you would speak to
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our hearts. Thank you for these
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wonderful people tonight. Lord bless our
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time together in Jesus name. Amen.
15:13
[snorts]
15:13
>> They ran. They ran. Why would a group of
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shepherds run? Well, first of all, I
15:20
believe they ran because of a heavenly
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revelation.
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You look back at verse number 15 where
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the Bible says this. Let us now go even
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unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which
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has come to pass, which the Lord hath
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made known unto us. The shepherds move
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because God spoke to them. When heaven
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reveals something, it demands a human
15:50
response,
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>> right?
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>> God himself revealed his glory to the
15:57
shepherds. Think about that.
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>> Well, the night sky exploded with the
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divine glory of God. And the Bible says
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the glory of the Lord shone round about
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them. Think about that. The majesty of
16:14
Almighty God was on display that night
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for all the shepherds to see. Can I tell
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you, there was no way you and I could
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get to God. But I sure am glad God came
16:28
to me. And I sure am glad God came to
16:32
you. And over in the book of Acts,
16:35
chapter number 7, the Bible says this
16:38
concerning Abraham. He said, "Men and
16:41
brethren and fathers hearken, the God of
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glory appeared unto our father Abraham
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when he was in Mesopotamia before he
16:51
dwelt in Heron. The God of glory
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appeared unto him. I'm talking about the
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God who created glory. THE GOD WHO
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STEPPED OUT OF GLORY. The one who had a
17:03
glorious birth and announced a was
17:06
announced by a glorious star. Who lived
17:09
a glorious life and then died a glorious
17:12
death and he had a glorious resurrection
17:15
and then a glorious ascension. And he
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sent his glorious spirit and gave us joy
17:20
unspeakable and full of glory. Has God
17:24
to prepare us a glorious mansion? AND A
17:27
GLORIOUS angel is going to blow a
17:29
glorious trumpet. AND THE DEAD WILL HAVE
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A GLORIOUS RESURRECTION. And those alive
17:34
will have a glorious ascension. AND WE
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WILL LIVE in glory FOR ALL ETERNITY.
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WHY? BECAUSE THE GOD OF GLORY was on
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display that night. Right.
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>> AND THE SAME GOD THAT SHOWED HIS GLORY
17:47
TO ABRAHAM. AND THE SAME GOD THAT SHOWED
17:50
HIS GLORY TO THE SHEPHERDS, I SURE AM
17:53
GLAD HE SHOWED ME HIS GLORY ONE DAY. AND
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THE HOLY GHOST OF GOD CONVICTED ME. AND
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I SAW MY NEED OF A SAVIOR. AND I BOWED
18:02
MY KNEES TO HIM. AND I CRIED OUT FOR
18:05
MERCY. AND IMMEDIATELY God saved my
18:08
soul.
18:08
>> Amen. And can I tell you tonight,
18:11
church, that's why they ran. They saw
18:14
the majesty of Almighty God. And they
18:16
were saying, you know what? This is not
18:18
a message for you. This is not a message
18:21
for them. This is a message for me. God
18:24
came to me. God is speaking to me.
18:28
Before they ever ran to Bethlehem, light
18:31
ran to them. Before they found Christ,
18:34
Christ found them. And the church,
18:37
listen to me. Anytime the Lord shines a
18:40
light of his word into a human heart, it
18:43
demands movement. And the shepherds ran
18:46
because revelation always calls for a
18:50
response.
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>> Right?
18:52
>> I want you to notice. Secondly, God
18:54
revealed good news to them. I'm getting
18:57
tired of hearing bad news all the time.
18:59
>> Amen.
19:00
>> You cannot even turn on Fox News anymore
19:03
without something bad being said.
19:05
>> Right.
19:06
>> CNN is all bad. MSNBC is all bad. I
19:09
mean, you name it, it's all bad. And you
19:12
go around and you can tell and it's
19:14
affecting people all the time. People
19:16
who hear bad news, they walk around mad
19:19
all the time,
19:20
>> right?
19:20
>> And frustrated and down and and and the
19:23
last thing you want to do is ask
19:25
somebody how they're doing because for
19:27
the next 30 minutes, they're going to
19:28
tell you how bad it is,
19:30
>> right?
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>> But can I tell you, we need some good
19:33
news.
19:33
>> Amen. And the good news is the gospel of
19:36
Jesus Christ. The angel said, "I bring
19:39
you good tidings." That's good news of
19:41
great joy. For unto you is born this day
19:45
in the city of David a savior. You see,
19:48
this wasn't religion. This wasn't a
19:51
ritual. This wasn't another law. And it
19:54
wasn't another burden. This was good
19:57
news of great joy for every single one.
20:02
You're
20:02
>> right. A savior had come.
20:05
>> Not a judge, not a general, not a
20:08
religious reformer. A savior.
20:11
>> Amen.
20:12
>> The answer to sin, the answer to sorrow,
20:16
the answer to eternal separation. Hey,
20:20
Jesus had come.
20:22
>> No wonder they ran. Right?
20:25
>> When God reveals a savior, the only
20:29
reasonable response is urgency.
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>> Right?
20:34
>> God revealed good news to them. And
20:36
then, may I say, God revealed a personal
20:39
message to them. I I can't get away from
20:43
the word you. Unto you is born this day,
20:47
>> right?
20:48
>> Unto you. I want you to think for just a
20:50
moment. Hey, when I think about the
20:52
goodness of God and the blessings of
20:54
God, I believe all of us could say, "God
20:57
has been good." But how many of us can
20:59
say, "God's been good to me."
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>> Amen.
21:02
>> Hey, God's been good to me. It's
21:04
individual. God has been good to me. God
21:08
has been good to you. And here he is
21:10
coming to those shepherds. He didn't
21:12
come to Israel alone. He didn't come to
21:15
the priest alone. He didn't come to the
21:17
kings alone. He didn't even come to the
21:19
elite alone. HE CAME to you and to me
21:23
when he spoke to those shepherds that
21:25
night.
21:26
>> You see the shepherds understood
21:29
God spoke to me.
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God came for me.
21:34
>> Right.
21:35
>> Heaven noticed me.
21:38
>> Amen.
21:39
>> You'd be amazed
21:41
sometimes when I talk to those inmates
21:43
and I begin to describe to them the love
21:46
of God. You'll be amazed as they will
21:48
sit there with tears running down their
21:50
face and they'll look back and say,
21:52
"Preacher, are you telling me God loves
21:55
me?"
21:56
>> Right?
21:57
>> Many of them have never heard anybody
21:59
loving them before.
22:01
>> Right?
22:01
>> Many of them can never imagine anybody
22:04
loving them because they all they know
22:07
is about what they did and what they
22:09
have done and and what's going to
22:11
happen. And when you begin to explain to
22:13
them the love of God, how that the Bible
22:16
tells us, but God committed his love
22:19
toward us and that while we were yet
22:21
sinners, Christ died for us. AND WHEN
22:24
THEY GET A GRIP on that and get a hold
22:26
on that, God changes their whole life.
22:28
You see,
22:29
>> right?
22:30
>> I want you to notice they ran because
22:32
God revealed demanded God revealed
22:36
demanded a response from their feet.
22:40
I want you to notice secondly tonight
22:42
they ran because of a holy
22:43
responsibility.
22:45
>> Yes,
22:46
>> a holy responsibility. Verse number 15
22:49
says, "Let us now go and see this thing
22:53
which has come to pass."
22:56
They understood that when God speaks,
22:58
man must act. You're
22:59
>> right.
23:01
>> Uh they refuse to delay.
23:05
Notice notice the words. Let us now go.
23:11
Now go. Delayed obedience is
23:16
disobedience. You're
23:17
>> right.
23:18
>> Amen.
23:19
>> They didn't wait for sunrise.
23:22
They didn't wait until their shift was
23:24
over. They didn't wait until it was a
23:27
more convenient time.
23:30
>> Good.
23:30
>> When God calls, the time is right now.
23:34
>> You're right. You see, the Bible says it
23:36
this way. Behold, now is the accepted
23:39
time.
23:40
>> Now is the accepted time. You know, when
23:43
I get excited is when I'm preaching
23:45
sometimes in the prisons there. I've
23:47
seen this out in the yard. I've seen it
23:49
even in the chapels. And I'll be
23:51
preaching and while I'm preaching, I'm
23:54
talking I'm not even done yet. I'm still
23:56
preaching. I'm still giving them thus
23:58
sayaith the Lord. And I'll see men get
24:00
up out of the pews and out of the seats
24:02
and and off the bleachers and begin
24:05
walking down. And they get down here
24:07
with tears running down their face and
24:09
they start asking God for mercy and
24:11
start asking God for grace. YOU SEE,
24:14
WHEN GOD SPEAKS, now is the time, not
24:17
some other time.
24:19
>> Hey, I I I don't have to wait till an
24:21
invitation is given. I I I don't have to
24:23
wait until somebody says come forward.
24:26
When God speaks, that's when you need to
24:29
uh act upon the the what he tells you to
24:31
do. So many times we sit back and we're
24:35
we're glued in, man. We got our hands on
24:37
the pews and we're we're you know, we
24:39
sing that song, I shall not be moved,
24:41
you know,
24:42
>> and here we are. We're going to stay
24:44
right here.
24:46
What are we going to do when God speaks?
24:49
>> I was told this years ago. There's only
24:51
two times you need to go to an altar.
24:54
Number one is when God speaks to you.
24:56
>> You're right.
24:58
>> The second time is when God doesn't
24:59
speak to you.
25:00
>> You're right. Amen. That's good.
25:02
>> Because if God's not speaking to you,
25:04
something's wrong somewhere,
25:05
>> right? I
25:07
>> I mean, it it should be automatic. We
25:09
walk and talk with God. I mean, that
25:11
that just ought to be the way it is. I
25:13
talk with him. He talks with me. And you
25:15
say, "Well, how does he talk to you?" He
25:17
talks to me through his word as I read
25:20
the word of God. He speaks to me. He
25:22
speaks to me during the preaching as I
25:24
listen to the preacher. God begins to
25:26
speak to me. He speaks to me through my
25:28
mind. He puts things in my mind
25:31
immediately. Have you ever been in
25:32
church and it seemed like the preacher
25:34
was preaching exactly what you needed at
25:38
that very moment. Can I tell you how
25:40
THAT WORKS? THAT'S GOD speaking to you.
25:44
>> And boy, when God speaks you, that's the
25:46
time to act.
25:47
>> Right?
25:47
>> Do it right then. I might not have
25:50
breath at the end of THE SERVICE. I
25:52
MIGHT NOT HAVE BREATH TO COME back
25:53
Sunday night. I MIGHT NOT HAVE BREATH TO
25:56
COME back next week. BUT AS LONG AS I
25:58
GOT BREATH IN ME RIGHT NOW, God wants to
26:01
see me move for him.
26:03
>> And they ran. They ran.
26:07
Oh, I find here that the reason many
26:10
Christians live powerless lives is that
26:13
they know about Christ, but they do not
26:16
run to Christ. Good.
26:18
>> I want to know him.
26:20
>> I want to know him. I want you to notice
26:23
not only they wanted to see for
26:24
themselves. As the Bible says, and see
26:27
this thing which has come to pass, these
26:29
shepherds, they said, "Look, we got to
26:31
get to where he is. I don't want to take
26:33
somebody else's word for it. I realize
26:35
that was the angels, but let me tell
26:37
you, I want to go see for myself. I I I
26:40
want firthand knowledge. I don't want
26:42
hearsay salvation. I want to know for
26:45
sure. I want to see with my eyes. I want
26:48
to experience it.
26:50
>> Amen.
26:51
>> And they took off running.
26:53
Too many people today know about the
26:56
Lord, but they don't know the Lord.
26:58
>> Good.
26:59
>> Just because they use God's name does
27:01
not mean they're serving the same God
27:03
you and I are serving.
27:04
>> Amen.
27:05
>> Just because they say Jesus once in a
27:07
while does not mean that they know the
27:09
Jesus you and I know tonight.
27:11
>> Amen. That's right. Can I tell you Jesus
27:14
Christ is the virginborn son of Mary. He
27:18
is not Satan's brother. That's
27:21
>> right.
27:21
>> There are people tonight that believe
27:23
that Jesus and Lucifer are brothers.
27:27
>> Hey, can I We live in a sad state
27:29
tonight. I go into prisons where they
27:32
teach that stuff. Jesus and Lucifer are
27:35
brothers. I go into prisons where they
27:38
have lockers all over. One of them will
27:42
say Catholicism. One of them will say
27:44
Mormons. One of them will say uh Jehovah
27:46
Witness. One of them will say Seventh
27:48
Day Adventist. One of them will say
27:50
Wikah. One of them will say Mormons. And
27:52
then they'll have one that says other.
27:56
>> Guess where we are?
27:58
>> We're the other.
28:01
We're the one that's different from all
28:03
those. You're
28:03
>> right.
28:04
>> You see, we're the one that serves a
28:06
living savior. Amen.
28:08
>> We're the one that has something to
28:10
celebrate come Christmas morning. The
28:12
birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus
28:14
Christ,
28:15
>> God incarnate, God in the flesh. We've
28:18
got something to celebrate,
28:20
>> right?
28:21
>> We've got something to run about.
28:24
>> I want you to notice they ran. They ran.
28:29
I want you to notice they recognized God
28:31
was inviting them to come.
28:35
Have you ever thought about that? God is
28:37
inviting each one of us to come to where
28:41
he is.
28:41
>> Right?
28:43
>> I'm not talking about you say, "Well, I
28:45
know when I die, I'll be in heaven." I'm
28:47
not talking about that. He wants a close
28:49
fellowship with you right now.
28:52
>> That's good.
28:52
>> I mean, he he just he he just wants to
28:55
talk with you.
28:56
>> Yes,
28:57
>> man. I I I I talked with mom and and and
29:01
[snorts] mom is now 90 years old and and
29:03
I was talking with her the other day and
29:04
I said I said, "Mom," I said, "I really
29:07
believe you're going to get to be a
29:09
hundred."
29:11
My dad always said he was going to live
29:12
to be a hundred. And dad didn't make it.
29:15
And and but he's in heaven now. He'll
29:17
live for all eternity there. But uh but
29:19
mom, I said, "Mom," I said, "I believe
29:21
you're going to be hundred." She said,
29:22
"I" she said, "You really think so?" I
29:24
said, 'Yeah. She said, "I hope not." She
29:26
said, "I don't want to get old."
29:28
[laughter]
29:29
And I got to laughing. I said, "You
29:30
don't want to get old?" She said, "No, I
29:32
don't want to get old." And I said,
29:34
"Mom," I said, "What is it? What is it
29:36
that you think has helped you to live
29:39
all this time?" She said, "I don't
29:41
know." She said, "God's just good to
29:43
me."
29:43
>> Amen.
29:44
>> And every time I talk to her, she's
29:47
talking about how good God's been.
29:49
That's
29:49
>> right.
29:49
>> How good God's been. How good God's
29:51
been. I I said, "Mom, you talk to God
29:53
all the time, don't She said, "Oh,
29:55
yeah." She said, "I talk to him in the
29:57
morning. Talk to him all day." She said,
29:58
"I don't do anything without talking to
29:59
God." She said, she said, "We just talk
30:02
all the time." She said, she said, "We
30:04
just talk all the time." I was telling
30:05
my wife, I don't think I've ever heard
30:07
her grumble about anything.
30:11
Everything she's thankful for. She will
30:14
call me to tell me somebody held the
30:16
door for her. She said, "You're not
30:18
going to believe how good God is." She
30:19
said, "I was walking in a grocery store
30:21
and this little boy held the door for
30:22
me. She's in Isn't God good?
30:24
>> Amen.
30:24
>> I mean, she just thanks God for
30:26
everything. You know what that tells me?
30:28
God wants us to talk to him.
30:30
>> You're right.
30:31
>> You say, "Well, that's little silly
30:33
things." It might be, but I tell you one
30:36
thing, I I wish I talked to God as much
30:38
as she did.
30:39
>> Amen.
30:40
>> I mean, she just does it all the time.
30:42
And God is inviting us to do the same.
30:45
He invited the shepherds to come. Come.
30:49
I want you I want you to come and see
30:51
for yourself. And these humble men
30:55
understood something that was so
30:57
profound.
31:00
If God made this known to them,
31:03
if heaven sent angels to them,
31:07
if the message was given to them,
31:12
then a divine invitation
31:14
had been extended. You're
31:15
>> right.
31:17
Revelation always comes with
31:20
responsibility. You're
31:21
>> right.
31:22
>> So God has come to us and God has spoken
31:25
to us. Are we going to do what he says?
31:27
>> Come on.
31:28
>> You say, "Well, well, I've already
31:30
trusted Christ as my savior. I've
31:32
already done what he says." Surely he's
31:34
talked to you since then.
31:36
>> Amen.
31:37
>> I mean, surely he's talked to you since
31:39
you got saved. Surely he has told you
31:41
some things you ought to do in your
31:42
life. Surely he's talked to you about
31:44
how to spend your day today. Surely he
31:47
has talked to you about uh uh when
31:49
you're reading his word and and he
31:51
begins to converse with you and begin to
31:53
speak with you and begin to teach you
31:55
things in the word of God. There's
31:57
nothing any greater than hearing God
32:01
speak.
32:04
>> They ran because heaven had opened a
32:06
door
32:07
and they dared not ignore it. Let me
32:12
give you the last point of the message.
32:14
I believe they ran because of a humble
32:17
redemption.
32:20
A humble redemption. Look at verse 16.
32:23
The Bible says, "And they found Mary and
32:26
Joseph and the babe lying in a what?
32:30
>> Manger.
32:33
They weren't running to a palace,
32:35
>> right?
32:36
>> They were running to a manger.
32:39
>> They weren't seeking a throne. They were
32:42
seeking a feeding trough.
32:43
>> Yes.
32:45
>> And what they found was not what men
32:48
would expect, but was precisely what God
32:52
had promised.
32:53
>> Right.
32:54
>> Amen.
32:54
>> They found the Christ in humility.
32:58
>> Right.
32:59
>> Jesus did not come clothed in royalty,
33:01
but he came wrapped in rags.
33:03
>> Yes.
33:04
>> He did not come surrounded by servants,
33:07
but surrounded by straw.
33:10
He did not enter the world in grandeur,
33:12
but he entered the world in grace.
33:15
>> Right?
33:16
>> And the shepherds ran because the savior
33:19
of all had come low enough for anyone to
33:24
reach.
33:24
>> Amen.
33:26
>> Doesn't matter who it is,
33:27
>> right?
33:28
>> Aren't you glad tonight
33:32
that the gospel is for whosoever will?
33:34
>> Yes.
33:37
I've met some people that had done some
33:40
pretty rough things.
33:43
I've met some people that
33:46
to be honest with you, I'm probably glad
33:48
they are behind bars.
33:52
But God came for them also.
33:54
>> Right?
33:56
>> You see, God came for them. No matter
33:58
what they would do,
34:01
God loves them.
34:02
>> All right?
34:04
I've seen some men's lives change so
34:07
drastically
34:09
that when they used to be in heavy metal
34:11
bands and they used to be out here and
34:14
doing all the things of the world and
34:16
and they have done so many crimes that
34:19
we can't even speak about it to now see
34:22
them using their talents for the Lord
34:25
Jesus Christ.
34:26
>> Amen.
34:28
>> Their lives have so changed.
34:31
You say, "Well, what made the
34:33
difference?"
34:35
Jesus did.
34:36
>> You're right.
34:38
>> Jesus did. Uh the the programs is not
34:41
making a difference.
34:42
>> You're right.
34:44
>> It I see programs of all kinds. They're
34:48
not making a difference. What's making a
34:50
difference is Jesus.
34:52
>> Amen.
34:53
>> Only Jesus can satisfy the soul.
34:57
>> Yes. Only Jesus
34:59
can take a drug addict.
35:01
>> Yes.
35:02
>> And make him into a brand new person.
35:04
>> Right.
35:05
>> Only Jesus can take a murderer.
35:08
>> Come on.
35:09
>> And wipe the slate clean.
35:11
>> And give him a new life in Jesus Christ.
35:14
>> Right.
35:15
>> I had a inmate come to me one time and
35:18
he said, you know, he said, "I'll never
35:20
get out of here." I think he's on like
35:22
three life sentences. He said, 'I'll
35:25
never get out of here.' He said, ' But I
35:27
know one thing. He said, 'I know I've
35:30
been saved.
35:32
>> And he said, even though I will never be
35:34
able to live in a house on this earth,
35:38
he said, when I move out of here, I'm
35:41
moving into a mansion up there.
35:42
>> Amen.
35:44
>> Only Jesus can do that.
35:45
>> You're right.
35:47
>> Only Jesus can do that.
35:49
And when Jesus came to those shepherds
35:51
that night,
35:53
he said, 'I want you to know something.
35:55
I'm coming to where you are.
35:58
>> I'm I'm I'm not I'm not here for the
36:00
elite. Hey, I want the elite to come,
36:02
but I'm going to the lowest of the low.
36:05
>> Yes.
36:06
>> So that you know, everyone is welcome.
36:10
I want you to note
36:12
that they found everything exactly as
36:14
God said they would.
36:16
>> Yes. The Bible says, "And they came with
36:18
haste and found
36:21
there." He was every detail exactly as
36:25
heaven had declared.
36:28
God's word is always accurate.
36:31
>> Right?
36:32
>> God's promises will never fail.
36:34
>> Amen.
36:35
>> And what God says, God will do.
36:39
>> Yes.
36:41
>> Their running was not wasted. Their
36:44
faith was not disappointed.
36:47
You see, when you run to Christ, you
36:49
will always find him faithful. You're
36:52
>> right.
36:53
>> I wonder tonight if there's somebody
36:55
here that just needs to run to Jesus.
37:00
>> He says, "Come unto me all you that
37:02
labor and are heavy laden, and I will
37:04
give you rest."
37:05
>> Amen.
37:07
>> There's some tonight that might even
37:10
need to run for salvation.
37:14
You see, just because it's Wednesday
37:16
night doesn't mean everybody in church
37:18
has been saved. You're
37:19
>> right.
37:20
>> I've seen people get saved on Sunday
37:22
night, Wednesday night. I've seen get
37:24
people get saved on Thursday night and
37:27
Friday night and Saturday night. The
37:30
night doesn't make a difference,
37:31
>> right?
37:32
>> It's when God speaks.
37:35
>> Yes.
37:36
>> When God speaks.
37:39
You see, they knew they needed to run to
37:43
him. And when they found him, here's
37:46
what they found.
37:49
Now they need to run for him.
37:51
>> Yes.
37:52
>> You see, they found a savior worth
37:54
sharing. Verse number 17 says, "And when
37:57
they had seen it, they made known
37:59
abroad. They let everybody know, hey,
38:02
you know what happened? Guess what?
38:04
Guess what we saw? They got the case of
38:07
the can't help it. You're
38:08
>> right.
38:09
>> You know what the can't help it are? You
38:10
just can't help but brag on the Lord.
38:12
>> Amen.
38:13
>> Hey, I I mean, God's just been so good.
38:15
And God's been so wonderful. And I just
38:18
can't help but tell somebody of the
38:21
goodness of God. I can't help but tell
38:23
somebody about how God blessed me. I
38:26
can't help but tell somebody how God
38:28
saved me. I can't help but tell somebody
38:31
how God took care of me. I can't help
38:33
but tell somebody how God SUPPLIED MY
38:36
NEED. I'VE GOT TO TELL SOMEBODY HOW GOD
38:39
took care of me. You just can't help it.
38:41
You got to run for Jesus and tell
38:44
somebody about him.
38:45
>> Right?
38:47
>> You see, why did they run to Bethlehem?
38:50
I believe they ran to Bethlehem so they
38:52
could run to the world.
38:54
>> Good.
38:55
>> The gospel ran into their hearts and
38:57
they ran with it to others.
39:00
A genuine encounter with Christ always
39:04
leads to sharing the gospel with someone
39:07
else.
39:07
>> Right?
39:08
>> Because those who find him cannot keep
39:10
him to himself.
39:12
>> He's just too big for that.
39:13
>> Amen.
39:14
>> God can't just stay right here. He's too
39:16
big. He's going to come out some way
39:18
somehow.
39:19
>> He's going to come out.
39:21
>> Right.
39:22
>> So why did the shepherds run? They ran
39:25
because God spoke.
39:27
Is God speaking to you tonight?
39:30
Is there something in your life that you
39:32
need to run to God for?
39:35
Or has it been too long since he has
39:37
spoke and you need to run so you can
39:40
hear his voice again?
39:43
They ran because they must respond. When
39:46
God speaks, it's time to move.
39:48
>> Right?
39:50
>> They be they ran because a savior had
39:53
come.
39:56
Today the same savior calls us to run
39:59
from sin to the savior. Run from fear to
40:03
faith. Run from doubt to devotion.
40:07
Run from apathy to worship.
40:10
>> Good.
40:11
>> Is there something God wants us to do
40:14
tonight? Then let me ask you, don't you
40:17
think it's time we quit just sitting
40:20
there hanging on
40:22
>> and run to him?
40:24
>> Amen.
40:25
and spend some time just talking with
40:29
him. Let's stand for prayer tonight,
40:31
shall we please? Every head bowed, every
40:33
eye closed, no one looking around. And
40:36
if there's someone that can play the
40:37
piano, just a verse or two, that would
40:39
be wonderful. Every head bowed, every
40:41
eye closed. And during this time, if
40:43
God's speaking to you, why don't you
40:45
come? The altar's open. The altar's This
40:49
is your time. Is God speaking to you?
40:52
What is it he wants you to do?
40:55
Is there someone he wants you to contact
40:57
before the [music] actual Christmas day?
41:01
Maybe there needs to be some boldness
41:03
because we're going to be getting with
41:05
some people over the Christmas holiday
41:06
and we might need the grace of God to
41:09
give us some boldness just to be able to
41:11
share with them what God has done in our
41:14
life.
41:17
Maybe we need to say, "God, help me to
41:19
run for you.
41:21
Help me to go and tell people about you.
41:24
Help me to go and share my faith. Lord,
41:27
help me not to be fearful, but help me
41:30
by boldness
41:32
be willing to share you with others.
41:37
The altar is open tonight. If you need
41:38
to come, please do so.
41:42
Just as the angels appeared to [music]
41:45
the shepherds
41:47
and those shepherds ran, they ran to see
41:51
the Christ.
41:54
So should you and I
41:56
run to be with the Lord.
41:59
Run to spend [music] time with him.
42:02
Run to talk with him. Run to listen to
42:05
him.
42:08
and then after that run for him
42:11
and make known abroad all the things
42:14
that God has done in your life.
42:19
God has been so good.
42:21
He has blessed my wife and I.
42:25
We were praying for 500 to be saved. We
42:28
saw over 700.
42:30
We were praying for around 500 to enroll
42:33
in the Bible institute. [music] We saw
42:35
that happen.
42:37
We were praying for a family to come and
42:39
join us and help us in California. God
42:42
answered that prayer.
42:44
We were praying to be able to open an
42:45
office in California for Rock of Ages,
42:48
and God's helped us to be able to do
42:49
that.
42:51
God's been good to us, but he's not done
42:53
yet. So, this coming year, we're praying
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again. God, we want to see more saved
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this year than we did last year.
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Lord, this past year, we prayed for 500
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saved. Why don't we pray this year we
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see over a thousand say
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we need to pray that they're going to
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enroll in the Bible institute and and
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how about over five let's go for 600 in
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the Bible institute we we're praying
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that God would help us be able to get
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into the new office and to advance and
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we're praying that God would help us to
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get a work going in Canada. We're
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praying that God would send us another
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family to California. We're praying for
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more volunteers. We're praying for
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missionaries to rise up in Washington
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State and Utah and uh Wyoming and other
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parts of the world.
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God can do that
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because the same God that [music] sent
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his glory to the shepherds
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is the same God that's on the throne
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tonight.
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And there's nothing
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my God cannot do. That's
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>> right.
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>> Father, we love you tonight. Thank you
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so much for each and everyone that's
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here. Lord, be with the pastor as he's
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there helping Dr. Ellis and those at the
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home office. And Father, I pray that you
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will help us, Lord, as we go back to
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California here in a few weeks and then
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be able to branch out into other states.
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I pray, Lord, that you'll watch over us
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and help us to see many, many come to
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know you as savior. Not a jailhouse
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religion, but true salvation in Christ.
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And then, Father, may we see a work
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started in Canada. May we see the office
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expanded. May we see more enrolled in
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the Bible institute. May we start
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getting into schools in the West Coast.
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And God, our heart's desire is that
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through it all, we'll be found faithful.
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>> Thank you for this church. They've been
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so good to us. And Lord, I pray you'll
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bless them. be with their pastor, guide
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him, and Lord, I pray give them a
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wonderful, wonderful new year. For it's
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[music] in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
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>> Thank you for joining our service today.
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We'd love it [music] if you'd join us in
45:04
person the next time you are able at
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Meadows Baptist Church. Our physical
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[music] address is 2988 Stewart Road in
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Walnut Cove, North Carolina. Our service
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[music] times are Sunday school at 10:00
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a.m., Sunday morning worship at 11:00
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a.m., Sunday evening [music] worship at
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6:00 p.m., and Wednesday evening Bible
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study at 700 [music] p.m. For more
45:27
information, visit us at
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meadowsbaptisturch.com.
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Thanks again for tuning in.