3ABN Today

Music Ministry

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

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Series Code: TDY

Program Code: TDY017096A


00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people
00:12 I want to spend my life
00:18 Removing pain
00:23 Lord, let my words
00:29 Heal a heart that hurts
00:34 I want to spend my life
00:40 Mending broken people
00:45 I want to spend my life
00:51 Mending broken people
01:06 Hello, and welcome to 3ABN Today.
01:08 My name is John Lomacang,
01:09 but you might know
01:10 that if you've tuned in before.
01:12 If you have not, keep your dial or set this network to be
01:15 one of the ones that you watch continuously
01:17 because we do believe that God has ordained
01:20 and anointed this network.
01:21 So thank you for taking the day to tune in.
01:23 Now that you have done that,
01:25 don't turn away we have a wonderful program
01:26 for you today.
01:28 Good friend of the 3ABN family and my personal friend,
01:30 Stephanie Dawn is here today.
01:32 Good to have you here, Stephanie.
01:33 Good to be here. Good to be back.
01:34 I know.
01:36 I tell you we have, we have a history together.
01:37 We do. We do.
01:38 And it's good to have you here today
01:40 to be able to talk about
01:41 how the Lord has worked in our lives
01:43 and yours in the past.
01:44 And how He's gonna work in your life
01:45 and continues to do so in the future.
01:47 Yes, absolutely. And music is a big part of it.
01:48 It is. It really is.
01:49 And so for those of you,
01:51 if you're watching the program and listening to the program,
01:52 just we're gonna spend some time today.
01:54 We're gonna hear some music.
01:55 Stephanie is gonna sing about four songs.
01:58 We're gonna walk through her life,
01:59 also the testimony of how God has led her life.
02:01 And we just thank you for your prayers
02:04 and your financial support
02:05 that makes this network go and grow,
02:08 getting ready for the coming of Jesus.
02:10 Now, Stephanie, I'm gonna just dive right in.
02:13 First of all, good to have you here.
02:15 Yeah, it's good to be here again.
02:16 I've been here quite a few times
02:18 and it's really good to be back again.
02:20 Yeah, almost 20 years.
02:21 Yeah, that was 1991,
02:22 was the first time that I was here.
02:25 So yeah...
02:26 And whenever we sing together or whenever you're around,
02:29 we always to say
02:31 "Praise the Lord for the ministry of Stephanie."
02:34 Well, tell us a little bit about you,
02:36 because you're gonna sing some songs today.
02:37 But I just kind of want people
02:39 that are looking for the first time and saying,
02:40 "Well, who is Stephanie Dawn?"
02:42 Kind of give us an overview of who you are, what you do
02:44 and, you know, a little bit about your life.
02:46 Well, I have been totally blind since birth.
02:49 I have other challenges as well.
02:51 But I have come to realize that God has taught me
02:57 the most valuable lessons
02:58 through my most difficult trials.
03:01 And, for which I am actually thankful.
03:05 And He's bringing me to the place
03:07 where I can actually thank Him for those trials.
03:10 And so that is part of what formed
03:12 our music ministry, "Dawn of Hope Ministry"
03:15 and we use music as the vehicle for the testimony
03:19 that God has given me and we travel around
03:22 the United States presenting musical programs
03:26 that include songs
03:27 and spoken testimony at churches
03:29 and camp meetings
03:31 and whatever venues that God brings into our path.
03:35 And from the time...
03:36 I mean, when you think about being born blind,
03:39 but there's a...
03:40 I would use this term in a broad...
03:41 Since there's an inner vision that God has given to you
03:44 to connect with Him,
03:46 to communicate the message of hope
03:48 because every time I've heard you sing...
03:50 I mean we've been together with family reunions,
03:52 remember Voice of Prophecy.
03:53 Oh, yes. Yes, good memories for me.
03:55 Did number of those together.
03:58 We used to call that the hoedown,
03:59 everybody get together.
04:01 And it was a... Yeah.
04:02 But whenever we practiced,
04:03 you know, sometimes people didn't see
04:05 the highlights of those programs,
04:07 because when we practice we really let our hair downs.
04:09 We do.
04:10 And for me I've felt like
04:12 it was a glimpse of what heaven would be like.
04:14 Just the joyous Adventist family
04:16 that we all were.
04:18 And so there and then you sung with 3ABN a number of times.
04:20 Yes.
04:21 And we've had a chance
04:23 to sing together on couple of occasions.
04:24 We have. We have. We have.
04:27 Now, tell me what music means to you?
04:29 Well, I think music can often express
04:34 what spoken words can't.
04:35 And I think it can awaken emotions
04:39 that are inside of you and just really
04:42 articulate feelings and thoughts
04:46 and spiritual concepts in its own unique way.
04:51 That maybe some people may understand
04:53 more clearly than even the spoken word at times.
04:57 And so, I'm gonna use a term here
05:00 that leads us into this first song
05:02 that I want our audience to hear.
05:04 The song called "From the Rising of the Sun."
05:07 It's an ironic title because when sun rises,
05:10 it continues to increase in light.
05:12 Tell us about that song?
05:14 Well, that song is based on Psalms 113:3, 4.
05:20 And what that song says to me is that praising God
05:24 is not just a time of prayer when we praise Him.
05:29 Praising Him is the way
05:31 we live our lives from the rising of the sun
05:35 to its setting.
05:36 The name of the Lord is to be praised.
05:39 It is a continual way of thinking
05:42 and the way of speaking to God and feeling
05:45 throughout the entire day is continually living
05:48 in that atmosphere of praise to God.
05:50 Wow. Wow.
05:52 Well, thank you for that explanation
05:53 because it's true
05:54 that when we wake up in the morning
05:56 what we do during the day.
05:57 As Romans 12:2 says, you know, often refers to,
06:01 "This is your spiritual act of worship."
06:03 But, that's in fact what happens
06:05 when we dedicate our lives to the Lord.
06:07 The moment we wake up to the time we go to bed,
06:10 it's continual worship.
06:11 Is that correct? Yeah, absolutely.
06:12 And I would actually even go deeper than this.
06:15 You know, it says in Psalm 1 that,
06:17 you know,
06:19 "His delight is in the law of the Lord,
06:20 and in His law doth he meditate day and night."
06:25 And I'm certain that David was not saying
06:28 that we force ourselves to stay awake all night.
06:31 But what really hit me from that statement
06:34 is that when we are so close to God
06:36 even in our sleep,
06:37 even in our dreams we can meditate upon His law.
06:41 Wonderful.
06:43 And we have a song entitled Psalm 1
06:44 which comes later in the program.
06:45 Yes. Yes.
06:47 Well, thank you that, you've introduced
06:48 "From the Rising of the Sun," sit back and be blessed.
07:04 From the rising of the sun
07:08 Until its setting
07:13 The name of the Lord
07:17 Is to be praised
07:21 From the rising of the sun
07:24 Until its setting
07:29 The name of the Lord
07:33 Is to be praised
07:42 The Lord is high above
07:46 All nations
07:50 His glory is above the heavens
07:57 And from the rising of the sun
08:02 Until its setting
08:07 The name of the Lord
08:10 Is to be praised
08:43 Oh, Lord
08:44 You're high
08:46 Of all nations
08:51 Your glory is above the heavens
08:57 And from the rising of the sun
09:03 Until its setting
09:07 The name of the Lord
09:11 Is to be praised
09:16 And since that glorious morning
09:20 When the stone was rolled away
09:26 Because You live We'll rise
09:29 To give our offering each day
09:35 From the rising of the sun
09:40 Until its setting
09:44 The name of the Lord
09:48 Is to be praised
09:52 From the rising of the sun
09:56 Until its setting
10:01 The name of the Lord
10:04 Is to be praised
10:09 The name of the Lord
10:13 Your name, oh, Lord
10:17 The name of the Lord
10:21 Is to be praised
10:43 Thank you so much, Stephanie, for that song
10:45 "From the Rising of the Sun."
10:47 I'm glad that we talked about it ahead of time
10:49 because now those
10:50 who heard the song can now know.
10:53 If it's morning where they are,
10:55 they can say today
10:56 "I want to live my life for the glory of the Lord."
10:58 Yes.
10:59 But then I like what you said a moment ago.
11:00 You said,
11:02 "It's not just what happens while you're awake,
11:04 but if the Lord is in your mind,
11:05 you meditate on Him not only during the day
11:07 but during the night."
11:08 Yes. Yes.
11:10 And how does that...
11:11 How does that factor into your life?
11:13 Well, you know,
11:14 it's interesting you asked that question
11:15 because the thought of this memory
11:17 just popped into my mind.
11:18 I remember one day
11:20 I was in bed and it was morning.
11:23 I was...
11:24 I was sleeping but I mean,
11:27 I had enough consciousness to realize
11:30 that I was sleeping and I was in bed
11:32 and I actually was praying.
11:35 You know, I was actually
11:36 just pouring my heart out to God
11:38 about receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit
11:41 even as I was sleeping in bed.
11:43 It was just one of the most beautiful spiritual experiences
11:47 I've ever had, was praying in my sleep.
11:51 Wow. Praying in your sleep.
11:52 Yeah.
11:54 You know, that's a thought that I have to let savor,
11:57 you know, let's just simmer
11:58 and get in there because that's true.
12:00 The busyness of the day
12:01 often carries us into our dreams.
12:03 Yes, it does.
12:04 And if you're thinking about the Lord during the day,
12:06 it's not difficult that His mind...
12:09 What's the text?
12:11 He will keep us in perfect peace...
12:12 "Perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee,
12:13 because he trusts in thee."
12:15 Yes.
12:16 So if our mind is stayed on Him,
12:18 that's during the day and during the evening.
12:19 Yes. Yep, absolutely.
12:21 Also the gentleman
12:22 that played the piano, Dann Thornton.
12:26 Tell us about Dann? He is my stepfather.
12:29 We have a very close relationship.
12:30 We have worked together for almost 26 years.
12:34 I'm very blessed to have him in my life.
12:36 And he has such a gift of music.
12:39 Oh, he does, he does.
12:41 God has given him an incredible gift.
12:43 Whenever I hear Dann at the piano,
12:45 I could say he's not just playing a song,
12:46 he's communicating.
12:48 Oh, he is.
12:49 And that's the thing, the two of us just click
12:52 when we're, when we're performing together,
12:54 we really do.
12:55 And Dann and Caren
12:57 are part of your ministry significantly.
12:58 Yeah, Caren is my mother and we are very close
13:01 and the ministry encompasses all of us equally.
13:04 It's a family, a family thing.
13:07 And how long have you been in ministry?
13:08 Well, we started fulltime in 2000.
13:12 We were traveling before that.
13:14 But it was in 2000 that we got a motorhome
13:17 and went on the road fulltime.
13:20 And that has been a journey. It has.
13:22 But you've also not only been in the United States,
13:25 you've been around the world?
13:26 Yeah, we have been to the Philippines,
13:28 we have been to Mexico,
13:30 we have been to New Finland and Nova Scotia, Canada,
13:34 for their camp meetings as well.
13:36 Okay.
13:37 And wherever you go I know
13:39 that the ministry has been wonderful.
13:40 We had a chance with Dann playing to do
13:42 that song "Wonderful, Merciful Savior."
13:44 Oh, yes, yes. We did at ASI.
13:47 It was...
13:48 I loved it. It was good memories.
13:50 And that was a recent ASI
13:52 but then we did it a number of years ago.
13:53 Yeah, at 3ABN we did record it, we did.
13:56 And that has been such a blessing, people have...
13:58 As I have traveled,
14:00 which is kind of a dream of ours.
14:01 We keep talking about doing an album together.
14:02 Yes, we do, we do.
14:04 That's what we're praying about as God will open the door
14:05 for that.
14:07 Ministry.
14:08 Talk about ministry for a moment
14:09 because when you wake up in the morning,
14:11 I know that Dann and Caren work diligently too,
14:13 because you have schedules in different places you go
14:15 but just talk about ministry.
14:17 What is ministry?
14:18 Well, ministry to me is just really...
14:23 Well, ministering to the needs of others and the pain that,
14:27 that takes place in their lives.
14:29 And that is the reason
14:31 why I am thankful for my trials.
14:33 I read something to the affect,
14:35 something Ellen White said that.
14:37 I don't remember exactly, I will paraphrase it.
14:40 "That God allows us to go through trials
14:43 so that we can empathize with the sufferings of others."
14:47 And for that reason specifically
14:49 I'm thankful for what I've been through
14:51 because God can use it in ministry,
14:54 not only through the music but through the words
14:57 He gives me to say,
14:59 to minister to others
15:01 who need to be ministered to
15:03 through the experiences He has given me.
15:06 And so that's a day by day journey.
15:08 It is. It really is.
15:09 So you don't...
15:10 You may know where your schedule is headed,
15:12 but you may not know what's headed your way.
15:14 Exactly. Exactly.
15:16 And so I love that and this song
15:18 "Day by Day" in which, with each passing moment.
15:20 It's a song that's familiar to us,
15:22 but just tell us why you chose this one?
15:23 Well, it really is my testimony
15:26 and I think it's probably the testimony of,
15:28 the perhaps all of God's people
15:30 because our spiritual journey is day by day.
15:35 Every moment of every day as we die to self,
15:38 as God gives us endurance
15:41 to go through the things that come into our lives
15:45 because God never promises an easy smooth journey.
15:49 But He does promise strength
15:51 through that journey day by day.
15:53 May this song be a blessing to you
15:55 "Day by day, and with each passing moment."
16:17 Day by day
16:21 And with each passing moment
16:27 Strength I find to meet
16:31 My trials here
16:36 Trusting in my Father's
16:41 Wise bestowment
16:45 I've no cause for worry
16:49 Or for fear
16:54 He, whose heart is kind
16:58 Beyond all measure
17:02 Gives unto each day
17:06 What He deems best
17:10 Lovingly its part of pain
17:16 And pleasure
17:19 Mingling toil
17:22 With peace and rest
17:29 Every day the Lord Himself
17:34 Is near me
17:37 With a special mercy
17:41 For each hour
17:45 All my cares He fain would bear
17:50 And cheer me
17:53 He whose name is Counselor
17:58 And Power
18:02 The protection of His child
18:07 And treasure
18:09 Is a charge
18:12 That on Himself He laid
18:18 As your days
18:20 Your strength shall be in measure
18:26 This the pledge to me
18:31 He made
18:48 Help me then
18:51 In every tribulation
18:56 So to trust Thy promises
19:00 O Lord
19:03 That I lose not faith's
19:07 Sweet consolation
19:11 Offered me within
19:14 Thy holy Word
19:18 Help me, Lord
19:21 When toil and trouble meeting
19:25 E'er to take
19:28 As from a father's hand
19:33 One by one, the days
19:38 the moments fleeting
19:43 Till I reach
19:47 The Promised Land
20:01 That's how we live our lives day by day
20:03 and also moment by moment,
20:05 which makes the difference as to where we are growing
20:08 and how we're going for the Lord.
20:09 Thank you, Stephanie, for that song.
20:11 You're very welcome. Thank you.
20:12 You know, I recognized the gift
20:14 that God has given to you through music
20:16 and Dann, praise the Lord.
20:18 He is not an overpowering musician
20:20 but one that supports the message
20:22 that's been communicated in the song.
20:23 Oh, yes, absolutely.
20:25 But you're not just...
20:26 You're not just a singer,
20:27 you're not just a minister of music
20:29 but you have a message and today
20:30 you're gonna talk about a very important message
20:32 in light of the last days.
20:34 Yes. Talk about that?
20:35 Well, it started when our pastor asked me
20:40 to present a program relating
20:44 to 1844.
20:47 And so I started studying in the Great Controversy
20:51 and the word of God.
20:52 And around the same time we were on concert tour
20:55 and we had the privilege of visiting
20:57 the William Miller farm.
20:59 Okay.
21:00 And, so, God just really led me
21:04 in my study causing me to connect
21:07 the dots in my mind
21:09 that I had not connected before.
21:10 And what I find striking is how history
21:16 has repeated itself from the beginning of time.
21:19 As Solomon said,
21:20 "There is nothing new under the sun."
21:22 And if it's happened before, it's going to happen again.
21:25 And if you go all the way back to the Old Testament
21:31 and the Israelites coming into the Land of Canaan,
21:35 they aligned with themselves with other nations,
21:38 they conformed to the practices of those other nations.
21:42 And as a result,
21:44 they started living the same lifestyle.
21:46 They were worshiping idols.
21:48 And the end result of this,
21:50 is that they persecuted the prophets
21:54 who came to stand up for truth and reprove sin.
21:57 You fast forward to the New Testament.
22:00 And once again you have an Israelite people
22:03 who are very worldly minded,
22:05 their focus is on national greatness,
22:07 they want to be at the top,
22:09 which is a very worldly way of thinking.
22:12 And as a result
22:13 of this worldly way of thinking,
22:16 when Jesus came to present the perfect gospel
22:20 which includes not only reproving of sin
22:23 but victory over sin,
22:24 the hope of the victory over sin
22:26 that He provides us,
22:27 the hope of being set free from the sins and pain
22:32 that enslave us.
22:33 And then when the disciples
22:35 came preaching the same message,
22:36 the worldly mindedness among the Jewish people led
22:41 to them persecuting, Jesus and His apostles.
22:44 Fast forward to the years leading up to the Dark Ages
22:49 and this process began
22:51 when the church began to confirm
22:54 to the practices of the world
22:57 as a means of bringing in the heathen.
23:00 And as worldliness took over,
23:02 it ultimately led to the Dark Ages
23:04 and the persecution of God's people.
23:08 And then you fast forward to the years leading to 1844.
23:13 And once again you have the United States filled
23:17 with very worldly minded churches.
23:20 So when William Miller and his associates
23:22 began preaching the message of 1844,
23:26 they were persecuted to the point
23:28 where incredibly they were not even allowed
23:31 to speak of the Second Coming in church social gatherings.
23:36 I mean we're talking about Christian churches refusing
23:39 to permit their people
23:41 from speaking of Christ Second Coming.
23:45 Of anyone who should have been the most joyous,
23:47 it should have been those people.
23:50 And what that tells me is,
23:52 what happened in all of those experiences
23:54 as the end time approaches is going to happen again.
23:59 And if we do not lay all worldly interests aside,
24:03 if we do not disconnect ourselves
24:07 from the worldly things that separate us from God,
24:11 we will be on the side of those who persecute God's people.
24:17 There are only two options.
24:18 We will either be working with God's people
24:21 or against God's people.
24:23 So you have this system today that is called "Christianity"
24:27 but it's really a system that's fallen.
24:29 Yes. Yes.
24:30 And Revelation talks about that as the fall of Babylon.
24:32 Absolutely.
24:34 And that's what God really brought home to me too
24:38 was the three angels' messages.
24:40 Because the first angel's message,
24:43 Ellen White says in the Great Controversy
24:46 that this message was designed
24:49 to call God's people to disconnect
24:53 from the corruption of the world.
24:56 And you see this when it says,
24:59 "Fear God and give glory to Him,
25:01 for the hour of His judgment has come and worship Him."
25:06 Worship Him means to put Him first in our lives,
25:12 above anything else.
25:14 And in order for us to worship Him,
25:17 to put Him first,
25:18 worldly interest must be laid aside.
25:21 And if we are not abiding
25:24 by the message of the first angel,
25:26 there is no way
25:28 we are going to be able to transition
25:30 to the second message,
25:31 which proclaims that Babylon has fallen.
25:35 The reason I say this is
25:36 because if we have not separated ourselves
25:39 from the practices of the world,
25:42 we are not going to be able to spiritually distinguish
25:46 between what comes from Babylon and what does not.
25:50 That's a very good point you made.
25:52 So today what we're seeing
25:54 then is a merging of worldly principles
25:56 and practices that are affecting the church?
25:59 And it leads to spiritual deception
26:01 and the ultimate persecution of God's people.
26:03 Wow.
26:05 And then we come to the third angel's message
26:06 that warns us about the mark of the beast.
26:09 So you noticed a progression here.
26:11 If we do not heed
26:13 the instructions in the first message...
26:15 We will not be able to comprehend the second,
26:18 which will lead us to worshiping
26:21 the beast as expressed in the third.
26:25 And, you know, when people talk about the mark of the beast,
26:28 Babylon has fallen, has fallen.
26:30 I heard one of our very famous speakers Kenneth Cox.
26:34 Yes. Pastor Kenneth Cox said this.
26:36 He says,
26:37 "The reason why it's Babylon has fallen, has fallen."
26:40 Very amazing concept. He said, first it's fallen.
26:42 It's already fallen in the eyes of God.
26:44 But soon it will be fallen in the eyes of men.
26:47 Yes. Fallen, fallen.
26:48 And so much today is termed worship,
26:51 but in fact God is not a part of it.
26:53 Yeah. You know.
26:54 So you have this message of the...
26:56 When you don't worship God,
26:58 then you eventually end up worshiping
26:59 the beast in his image.
27:01 Yeah. There are only two options.
27:02 There's no middle ground.
27:03 And now people think of the mark of the beast
27:05 as a horrible message,
27:07 but tell me why it's part of God's glorious love?
27:09 Oh, it is.
27:10 Ellen White says that the third angel's message
27:14 is "Righteousness by Faith in Verity."
27:18 And God brought me to this realization as well.
27:21 If you look in the third angel's message
27:23 and God talks about the mark of the beast
27:26 and the people who receive his mark have,
27:29 you know, the mark on their hand
27:31 and on their forehead.
27:32 But then you contrast this with Isaiah 41:10.
27:36 And God says,
27:37 "Fear not, for I am with you, Be not dismayed,
27:40 for I am your God.
27:42 I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you,
27:45 Yes, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."
27:49 The word "my" is so crucial here
27:52 because God holds up His people with His righteousness.
27:57 The people who received the mark of the beast
27:59 have it on their hands.
28:02 So we have a contrast between righteousness by faith,
28:07 receiving forgiveness and sanctification
28:10 through the righteousness of Christ versus
28:14 righteousness by works.
28:17 So those who receive the mark
28:19 of the beast are embracing a system
28:22 that teaches righteousness by works.
28:24 Wow.
28:26 So you see...
28:28 You know, you see the hope
28:30 that we can find in the three angels' messages
28:34 and the same is true with 1844 when God began
28:38 the process of the cleansing of the sanctuary.
28:42 The only way our sins can be cleansed
28:44 from the sanctuary,
28:45 is if they are cleansed from our hearts.
28:48 And that can only take place
28:50 through receiving the mind of Christ into our lives,
28:54 through the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
28:57 And we can through God's power gain victory over sin
29:01 and that is the message of hope
29:04 that the world is dying to hear.
29:07 They don't want to be enslaved.
29:09 People who are on drugs don't want to be on drugs.
29:12 They want to hear that through the power of God
29:15 they can gain victory.
29:17 And that is why the three angels' messages
29:20 and the message of God's judgment
29:22 is full of hope.
29:23 Wow.
29:25 You know, Stephanie,
29:26 you're not just a singer and a teacher,
29:28 but we have to have you come and do a sermon
29:30 because that is deep,
29:32 that's the part that I had never heard
29:34 the comparison maybe for my righteous right arm.
29:38 Yes. Compared to their hand.
29:40 It's on, God is holding us by His hand.
29:43 But those who worship the beast in his image
29:45 receive a mark on their hand, God's hand is not in it.
29:49 And if you want to even extend that,
29:51 when God talks about His people binding,
29:54 you know, His laws on their hands.
29:57 What that means is that they are living out God's law
30:00 through their actions.
30:02 And how does this take place?
30:04 By being held up by God's righteous right hand,
30:07 by receiving the righteousness of Christ
30:10 that imparts forgiveness for sin and victory over sin.
30:15 Which in fact summarizes God's glorious love.
30:17 Oh, it does. The complete gospel.
30:19 Wow.
30:20 I want you to sit back and listen as Stephanie
30:22 has laid the foundation beautifully for the first,
30:26 second and third angel's message
30:28 being a reflection of God's glorious love.
30:51 In my darkness
30:54 Jesus found me
30:59 Touched my eyes
31:02 And made me see
31:08 Broke sin's chains
31:11 That long had bound me
31:16 Gave me life
31:19 And liberty
31:25 Oh, glorious love of Christ
31:28 My Lord divine
31:32 Who gave Himself to save
31:36 A soul like mine
31:40 Through all my days
31:43 And then in heaven above
31:49 My song will silence never
31:53 I'll worship Him forever
31:57 And praise Him
31:59 For His glorious love
32:10 Oh
32:12 Amazing truth to ponder
32:18 He whom
32:20 Angel hosts attend
32:27 Lord of Heaven, God's Son
32:31 What wonder
32:34 He became
32:37 The sinner's friend
32:42 Oh, glorious love of Christ
32:45 My Lord divine
32:49 Who gave Himself to save
32:53 A soul like mine
32:57 Through all my days
32:59 And then in heaven above
33:05 My song will silence never
33:09 I'll worship Him forever
33:13 And praise Him
33:15 For His glorious
33:18 Love
33:23 And praise Him
33:25 For His glorious
33:29 Love
33:42 When you think about the three angels' messages,
33:44 those of you who just heard the song,
33:45 what a beautiful song and thank you, Stephanie,
33:47 for communicating that message so clearly.
33:50 Praise God.
33:51 And not just a message in song,
33:53 but the foundation that was laid.
33:55 Because when people think about the first,
33:56 second and third angel's messages,
33:59 they don't often think about it,
34:00 the worship of the beast, the fall of Babylon,
34:03 they don't think about it as God's love.
34:04 Yeah.
34:05 Why should we think about it as God's love?
34:07 Well, it is all about God's mercy
34:10 because that is what the judgment is all about.
34:14 It is about Jesus interceding for His people.
34:20 And, you know, if we are
34:22 through God's power abiding in Him,
34:28 then we do not need to fear the judgment,
34:31 we can have boldness in the Day of Judgment
34:33 because our defensive attorney Jesus Christ is also our judge.
34:40 And our judge
34:41 has already served our sentence.
34:44 So if we heed those three angels' messages,
34:48 we have no fear of the judgment.
34:51 The judgment portrays the gospel so beautifully
34:55 because God's people,
34:58 they obey because they are saved,
35:01 not in order to be saved.
35:03 And so those who do not accept Christ
35:06 will be held accountable for their sins in the judgment
35:11 not because their bad deeds outweighed their good deeds,
35:16 but because their lives show
35:19 that they have not been transformed
35:21 by God's grace,
35:22 that they have not accepted God's grace.
35:25 For as Paul says,
35:26 "Sin shall not have dominion over you,
35:29 for you are not under law, but under grace."
35:32 Obedience to God's commandments through His power reveals
35:37 that we are under grace.
35:38 Wow.
35:39 And so when we are under grace...
35:41 I want to reiterate what you just said.
35:43 We won't... We're don't...
35:44 We're not rejected because our bad deeds outweigh
35:47 our good deeds,
35:48 but we have not accepted God's grace.
35:50 And I want to emphasize that repentance, confession,
35:56 excuse me, repentance, confession, conviction of sin,
36:00 faith, obedience, surrender,
36:03 all of those things are gifts
36:06 from God imparted to us by the Holy Spirit.
36:09 We cannot do it in our own strength,
36:12 but through God's power we can.
36:14 So then that leads to God calling His people,
36:17 talk about that?
36:18 It does.
36:20 I was reading in Habakkuk 2:1-4.
36:25 And the first verse says,
36:27 "I will stand upon my watch, I will set me upon the tower,
36:32 I will wait to see what the Lord will say unto me
36:35 that I may know what to answer Him
36:37 when I am reproved."
36:40 When I read that verse,
36:41 you know, and I want to quickly say here.
36:43 When you study the Bible, the more you study it
36:46 and have that foundation in your mind.
36:48 When you read a verse
36:50 and God wants to expound upon that verse,
36:53 He will place another verse you have read
36:56 into your mind to help you understand.
36:58 So when I read that verse in Habakkuk about God's,
37:02 about Habakkuk setting himself up,
37:04 you know, standing upon his watch.
37:07 God placed in my mind the verse from Ezekiel,
37:10 in which God says to Ezekiel,
37:12 "Son of man I have made you a watchman."
37:17 Now, so in other words,
37:19 in order for Habakkuk to hear the message
37:23 that God was waiting to give him,
37:25 he first had to choose to stand upon his watch.
37:29 He had to choose to be the watchman.
37:33 We can pray and plead with God for the Holy Spirit,
37:37 but if we are not willing to be the watchman,
37:39 if we are not willing to give whatever message
37:43 God wants us to give regardless of the consequences.
37:47 If we are not willing to present
37:49 the complete truth of the three angels' messages,
37:54 we will not receive
37:57 the answer of receiving the Holy Spirit
37:59 if we are not willing to be that watchman.
38:01 And that is where that song, that, that Psalm 1 comes in
38:05 because it talks about where you stand.
38:07 Yes.
38:08 It's about...
38:10 As we talked about earlier,
38:11 meditating upon God's law day and night through His power,
38:15 keeping His commandments and being ready
38:18 through the power
38:19 of the Holy Spirit for the end time when it comes.
38:22 Wow.
38:23 This song Psalm 1 is a song that takes us to the question
38:26 "Where will you stand?"
38:28 And it shows the contrast between the faith and the trust
38:31 that the godly have and the faith and trust
38:34 that the ungodly will not possess.
38:36 Yes. Sit back and be ministered too.
38:56 How blessed, how happy is the man
39:00 Who will not walk in the way
39:05 Of the ungodly
39:08 How blessed how happy is the man
39:12 Who will not stand
39:16 In the path of the sinful
39:20 How blessed how happy is the man
39:24 Who will not sit
39:28 In the seat of the scornful
39:32 And it's not hard to understand
39:38 Why God would bless that man
39:44 He delights in the law of the Lord
39:50 He delights in the law of the Lord Night
39:56 and day, day and night
40:01 He meditates on all that's right
40:07 And He desires nothing more
40:14 His delight is in the law
40:17 Of the Lord
40:30 How blessed, how happy are the ones
40:34 Who have their hope
40:38 In a living Redeemer
40:42 How blessed how happy are the ones
40:46 Who will one day
40:49 See the face of their Savior
40:53 But how distressed shall be the ones
40:57 Who turn away
41:01 From the love of the Father
41:06 Unless they come to understand
41:13 God's kingdom is at hand
41:20 And they delight
41:23 In the law of the Lord
41:26 They delight in the law
41:30 Of the Lord Night and day, day and night
41:36 They meditate on all that's right
41:43 And they desire nothing more
41:49 Their delight is in the law of the Lord
41:55 Oh, to be like a tree by the rivers of water
42:02 Bearing its fruit in season
42:06 Should my leaf never wither
42:09 Should I flourish and prosper
42:12 There's a reason
42:17 I delight in the law of the Lord
42:23 I delight in the law of the Lord
42:28 Night and day, day and night
42:33 I meditate on all that's right
42:40 And I desire nothing more
42:47 My delight is in the law
42:50 Oh, our delight is in Your Law
42:57 We delight in the law of the Lord
43:03 We delight in the law of the Lord
43:08 Night and day, day and night
43:13 We meditate on all that's right
43:19 And we desire nothing more
43:25 Our delight is in the law of the Lord
43:32 And we desire
43:36 Nothing more
43:40 Our delight is in the law
43:45 Of the Lord
44:03 Now you might be asking the question
44:05 that's going through our mind, how could we get these songs?
44:07 And, Stephanie, tell us
44:09 how we can get some of these songs.
44:10 Now, you haven't recorded these yet?
44:11 Not yet.
44:13 And we are still...
44:15 We want to get our music up
44:17 through iTunes, Amazon, etcetera.
44:20 It has not taken place yet, but that is the plan.
44:23 Okay.
44:24 But for anyone who has any questions
44:25 about music or anything else.
44:28 If they want to get in touch with me for any reason,
44:31 they can find me on Facebook as Stephanie Dawn
44:33 or they can find our Facebook page,
44:36 Dawn of Hope Ministry.
44:39 And also DawnOfHopeMinistry.com
44:42 is an existing website that talks about
44:44 the ministry of Stephanie and Dann Thornton
44:50 and some of the needs.
44:51 And we're gonna talk about those needs
44:52 because you are fulltime on the road.
44:54 We are. We are. And what does that mean?
44:57 It means that most of the time our home
44:59 is on the road.
45:01 In other words, wherever you pull up?
45:03 Exactly. That's home.
45:04 As I was telling Pastor John.
45:10 We feel like Abraham sometimes. When God says go, you go.
45:13 And sometimes He takes us on a surprising turn
45:16 at the last minute.
45:18 That's not a surprise to God but it can be a surprise to us.
45:21 You never know where He's going to lead,
45:23 but we have seen His providence leading us repeatedly
45:28 even when we were unsure
45:31 of what was going to happen next.
45:33 He always provided
45:35 and we always discovered a purpose
45:36 and the way His hand has led us.
45:39 And which takes me to a particular need
45:41 that you both have
45:42 or that when you and Dann and Caren
45:45 are on the road, whatever you're driving
45:47 in is really home until you pull up.
45:49 Like to see
45:50 your address changes day by day.
45:51 Yes.
45:53 But this great need that you have
45:54 and because home for us is, we pull...
45:57 We come home and we're home,
45:58 but wherever you pull up is home.
46:00 And there's a great need for a motorhome.
46:04 Let's talk about that? Yes.
46:06 We have used motorhomes in the past
46:08 but we have done so much traveling that it just,
46:11 it just wears them out.
46:14 And what we are really in need of,
46:16 desperately in need of is, is a diesel motorhome,
46:19 which is a lot more durable than a gas one.
46:23 We've had gas ones in the past but we really prefer a diesel
46:27 because it's so much easier to be in a motorhome
46:31 where you can cook your own food,
46:33 where you are not forced to either rely
46:36 on a hotel or someone's home,
46:39 where you have a lot more space when you travel.
46:43 It just provides for a lot more flexibility.
46:46 When your home is on the road,
46:48 we need to actually have a home on the road.
46:52 So, yes, a diesel motorhome
46:54 is truly our greatest ministry need.
46:58 You know, what I like about that
46:59 and the Lord says, make your...
47:01 "Let your needs be made known.
47:03 Let your requests be made known."
47:05 And I think that as we,
47:06 as you're watching or listening to the program,
47:07 you may be in your car driving
47:09 or you may be at home or wherever,
47:10 sitting in front of a television set
47:12 or on your 3ABN app,
47:14 which is something that is a possibility nowadays.
47:17 But this is something I'd like to make an appeal
47:18 because I know that Dawn, and Dann,
47:20 and Caren are involved in fulltime ministry,
47:23 now going fulltime for almost 20 years.
47:25 Yes. Yes.
47:26 And when you think about going from place to place,
47:29 the expense of hotels and...
47:32 But if they had a motorhome, a diesel one preferably.
47:35 There's somebody watching the program that might say,
47:37 "That's not a big issue,
47:39 that's not a challenge when it comes to God."
47:40 You know, Stephanie,
47:41 you've heard the phrase and pastors uses
47:43 before they said, "All the...
47:45 "We've got all the money in the world that we need"
47:48 but it's just in someone else's pocket.
47:50 Exactly.
47:51 It's God the one who owns it all.
47:53 Anyway as He says,
47:54 "You know, the cattle on a thousand hills is mine."
47:56 If I weren't hungry, I wouldn't tell you basically.
47:59 You know, everything is mine.
48:01 And I just want to emphasize quickly
48:03 that, that, there...
48:05 Regarding the motorhome
48:06 or any other needs that we have,
48:08 there is an option for donating
48:09 on our website DawnOfHopeMinistry.com.
48:13 And also Dawn of Hope Ministry is a 501c3 non-profit.
48:17 So any gift that you give will be tax deductible
48:20 and we'll be happy to send you
48:23 a tax deductible receipt for your gift.
48:25 And there also you will go
48:27 to that website DawnOfHopeMinistry.com.
48:29 And there's a project tab
48:31 which also talks about some of the needs.
48:34 It says, "Replace motorhome."
48:35 You will see the tab there and you can tap on that
48:38 and make the donation.
48:39 And as Stephanie said, it's 501c3, tax deductible.
48:44 But let me just appeal to you what Stephanie...
48:47 And I've discovered a new facet about you today.
48:50 I don't know you were a preacher.
48:53 I mean, you really had that in your heart.
48:55 Your connection with God is not just music,
48:57 there are great singers
48:58 but there are very few ministers.
49:00 And you are...
49:01 I want to say praise God, you are a minister.
49:03 Yes. Yes. And thank you for that.
49:04 All through the grace of God, truly.
49:08 As we segue from the motorhome,
49:10 we're thinking about doing a future project together,
49:12 also talk about that?
49:14 Yes, we've talked extensively
49:16 about recording an album together.
49:18 We've already...
49:19 We've been coming up with ideas for songs
49:21 and I just ask the viewers for prayer concerning
49:25 that as we coordinate our schedules far enough
49:29 into the future that we can put this together,
49:32 that it will be a blessing to many people.
49:34 And just to get an idea of some of the ministry
49:36 that Lord as allowed us, you can go to YouTube,
49:40 we have a couple of songs there.
49:41 I think a couple of, two or three songs,
49:43 one that has become a favorite among many of those
49:45 who have tuned in.
49:47 And I go back and listen to it once in a while,
49:49 so I may be among the counter there.
49:51 It's over 580,000 views and that's a humbling thought
49:55 but the message of it, "Wonderful Merciful Savior."
49:58 As we're winding the program, Dawn,
49:59 talk about how you have discovered the beauty
50:02 that God is a wonderful merciful Savior
50:05 in the ministry that you've been involved in?
50:07 Well, as I have said,
50:08 I have discovered God's incredible character
50:11 through my most difficult times.
50:15 I remember a time when I was very, very ill.
50:18 And there was one day
50:20 when I was just so emotionally tired.
50:22 I felt I didn't care anymore.
50:25 And for the first time in my life,
50:27 I felt tempted to give up on God entirely.
50:31 And I said,
50:32 "Lord, I don't want to make the decision I'm about to make,
50:36 but You're going to have to hold me up."
50:39 And literally within seconds after
50:42 that prayer left my lips,
50:44 God flooded my mind with the scriptures
50:47 I needed at that moment,
50:49 to remind me that He was holding on to me
50:53 and would not let me go.
50:54 And through...
50:55 During one of the darkest periods of my life,
50:58 I saw a facet of God's character
51:01 that I had not experienced before,
51:03 His ability and willingness to hold on to me
51:08 when I was not able to hold on to Him.
51:11 And very briefly, another experience I had.
51:14 I went for a long time resisting
51:17 the thought of conviction of sin.
51:19 To me it was a scary thing.
51:22 And God was very patient with me for a long time.
51:25 We serve an incredibly patient God
51:27 and He did not push the issue initially,
51:30 but eventually He allowed me
51:32 to enter into a very dark place in my life
51:35 where I was forced to come face to face
51:39 with the condition I was in spiritually.
51:42 I was listening to Christian radio
51:45 where someone was giving his testimony,
51:48 where he had accepted Christ and he felt this peace and joy,
51:52 he didn't want to do the bad things he did anymore.
51:54 And I couldn't understand
51:56 why I wasn't having that experience.
51:58 So in desperation I cried out to God,
52:01 and in that moment I finally told Him
52:04 that I would be willing even to be convicted of sin,
52:07 even if, just so
52:09 that He would reveal Himself to me.
52:11 Even if it meant being convicted of sin,
52:13 I needed Him to be real in my life.
52:15 And God did answer that prayer.
52:18 I wasn't prepared for it at first.
52:20 But He did so by showing me an issue in my life
52:24 that should not be there and it was painful to face.
52:27 But I will tell you that,
52:29 that was the beginning of a journey
52:30 that led me to the place now
52:32 where I have seen the beauty in repentance.
52:35 How beautiful it is to let God shine His light
52:39 into your heart and reveal to you things
52:41 that should not be there
52:43 and then give you the gift of repentance where you weep,
52:46 not because you're beating yourself up
52:49 but because He has given you godly sorrow
52:51 for the way you have hurt Him and others.
52:54 And there is something very healing
52:56 in that experience.
52:57 It's a beautiful experience as God not only forgives you
53:01 but cleanses you of those things.
53:03 Before that experience, I saw God is my friend
53:07 and now because of that experience,
53:09 not only do I see Him as my friend
53:12 but I see Him as my father.
53:14 Amen. Wow. Thank you, Stephanie.
53:15 That's a wonderful segue.
53:18 I praise the Lord for that testimony.
53:20 But I want to give people an opportunity to invite you,
53:23 and Dann, and Caren to come and minister at their church
53:26 or wherever that venue may be.
53:27 And the information
53:28 that you need is going to be given and after
53:30 that we have a newsbreak
53:32 and we'll come back for a few closing thoughts.
53:37 Stephanie Dawn is happy
53:38 to accept invitations to minister through her music.
53:41 If you would like to invite her
53:43 to sing at your church or event,
53:45 you may reach her at area code 218-340-1000.
53:50 That's 218-340-1000.
53:53 You may also email her manager,
53:55 Dann Thornton at dann.thornton@gmail.com.
54:00 That's dann.thornton@gmail.com.
54:04 Or write to Dawn of Hope Ministry,
54:07 11344 Hillcrest Drive,
54:10 in Conroe, Texas 77303.


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Revised 2021-05-17