Participants:
Series Code: TDY
Program Code: TDY200028A
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00:01 As you're well aware,
00:02 we're living in unprecedented times. 00:05 Join us now for today's special program. 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:18 Mending broken people 00:23 I want to spend my life 00:29 Removing pain 00:34 Lord, let my words 00:39 Heal a heart that hurts 00:44 I want to spend my life 00:50 Mending broken people 00:55 I want to spend my life 01:00 Mending broken people 01:15 Hello, and welcome to 3ABN Today program. 01:17 We are so glad that you have joined us today. 01:20 You know, you're part of our family. 01:22 And we just appreciate 01:24 your prayers and financial support 01:25 for the Ministry of 3ABN. 01:28 You know, without you, 01:29 we wouldn't be here 01:31 so it's with you that we're here, 01:32 so praise the Lord for you. 01:33 You know, many of you have 01:35 stood with the Ministry of 3ABN since the very beginning. 01:37 So that's over 35 years. 01:39 So thank you very much 01:40 because you're making a difference in the world, how? 01:43 Because we get letters, emails, phone calls 01:47 here at 3ABN about lives being changed, 01:50 and that's you may be right now 01:52 that's listening or watching right now saying, 01:54 "Oh, that's me. 01:55 I've accepted Jesus Christ 01:56 because of the Ministry of 3ABN." 01:58 Anyway, it's a blessing to be here 02:00 with you today. 02:01 Thank you again for allowing us to come into your living room 02:04 or wherever you're watching us 02:05 right now or maybe listening on radio, 02:08 in your car, who knows, 02:09 but maybe the internet different parts of the world. 02:12 We're just glad that you're a part of our family. 02:14 Now today, we have an exciting program. 02:17 We are living in interesting times for sure. 02:19 You know, that's why you see us 02:20 here on the set, we're kind of spaced apart. 02:22 I don't know exactly when this program will air, 02:24 but we're still dealing with the COVID-19 issue 02:26 and trying to do the social distancing, 02:29 but we're talking today about missions 02:32 and I know you're really 02:33 excited about our guest/family member 02:36 that we have with us today. 02:37 Aren't you? I am. 02:38 You know, I love the Today program 02:40 because we get to feature ministries. 02:41 That's right. 02:42 We get to feature what God is doing 02:44 in mission work around the world. 02:45 And I think ever since I was little growing up, 02:48 I grew up on mission stories loving to hear about 02:51 how God used people all over the world 02:55 and the miracles that took place. 02:58 Today, we're gonna hear 02:59 from our real live missionary or and author. 03:03 He is actually one of my favorite authors. 03:06 He's written well over 40 books published 03:10 through Review and Herald, Pacific Press, Remnant, 03:12 and now his own publishing company as well. 03:14 So I'm very excited to introduce to you our guest, 03:17 but I wanna give you our topic first, 03:19 which is "Witnessing for Jesus: Miracles and Missions." 03:23 And that's what we are all called to do 03:26 and to be is a witness for Jesus. 03:29 So our special guest today, 03:30 all the way across the island is Pastor Bradley Booth, 03:34 and it's a joy and privilege to have you here. 03:37 Thanks so much, you guys. This is a real honor. 03:39 I've been here a few times. 03:41 And every time I come back, there's so much growth here. 03:45 Things have changed, new people, 03:48 but the heart and the soul is the same. 03:49 Amen. Amen. Love 3ABN. 03:51 We're glad to have you here with us today. 03:52 You know, as you may see, 03:54 at home we have a pile of books here 03:56 and as Jill mentioned, 03:58 I think Pastor Booth over 40 books you've written 04:02 through the years. 04:03 And I know that 04:05 the written word is very powerful. 04:07 You know, someone can open it up 04:08 and read it and reread it and read it again 04:11 and it's made an impact I know in our lives personally, 04:14 but who knows countless people, young people around the world, 04:17 but in case some people don't know you, 04:19 you're a pastor in Rochester, Minnesota, 04:24 and Jill and I had the privilege 04:26 of being there in your home, you and your wife. 04:28 Yes! Your wife's name is Maribel. 04:29 She's an amazing cook. Oh, my. 04:31 I just have to say that, we had dinner at their home 04:33 and spent the weekend 04:35 there at the church and it was amazing. 04:36 She's a great cook and a wonderful woman of God. 04:38 And we were shoveling snow there in Minnesota, you know, 04:41 I didn't know it snowed in Minnesota. 04:42 That's a joke. 04:43 I knew it snows in Minnesota, but it was an incredible. 04:45 I don't know how the snow banks, 04:47 Pastor, where... 04:48 We have pictures where Maribel is reaching up with her hand 04:51 as high as she can reach. 04:53 And it's like the dress are like a foot higher 04:55 than she can reach, so. 04:57 Wow. We get our doses. 04:58 Even though it was cold, 04:59 we still have such a warm reception 05:01 there at your home. 05:02 What a blessing. 05:04 How long have you been a pastor there in Rochester? 05:05 Five years now. Okay. 05:06 We just passed the five year mark 05:08 and the people in the church who say, "No way." 05:10 Wow. So it's... 05:12 But tell us just a little bit about your journey. 05:14 I know we're gonna talk about your mission service 05:16 and about the wonderful stories found in these books, 05:19 but a little bit about your journey 05:20 'cause you weren't always a pastor. 05:21 So tell us a little bit about your training, education, 05:24 and what you did? 05:25 Grew up, you know, in a Christian church school, 05:27 two-room school, you know, heard the mission stories, 05:30 went to Sabbath school, 05:32 they asked us to put a little, you know, 05:35 push pin on the map where we wanted to go. 05:36 Oh, fun. Mine was Africa. 05:38 Okay. 05:39 You know, as the years went by, 05:41 I decided I was gonna be a teacher 05:42 'cause I figured, "Hey, 05:43 teachers get to go to recess every day, right? 05:46 For boy that worked for me." 05:47 I love it. 05:49 Right? Yes, absolutely. 05:50 Yeah. Oh, yeah. 05:52 Of course, then by the time I was in my 20s, I said, 05:55 "Hey, if I'm gonna have this mission experience 05:58 outside of the United States, 05:59 we're gonna have to make it happen, 06:01 Lord, what You have us do." 06:02 That was an amazing story. 06:04 We sent an application to the GC and three days later, 06:07 they called us and said, "Well, yeah. 06:10 Would you go to Africa?" 06:12 And everybody said, "Well, don't you need 06:14 a little time to think about this?" 06:16 And the story about how we sold our properties, 06:19 basically, overnight, it was a miracle. 06:22 And you went to Africa? 06:23 Then you went... We went to Africa. 06:25 So here's a little child in Sabbath School, 06:27 put a little push pin. 06:28 I wanna go to Africa. 06:30 Yeah, the Lord sent you to Africa. 06:31 Animals. Okay. 06:33 I was an animal freak, you know... 06:34 Okay. Yeah. Every animal that walked... 06:36 Giraffes, and elephants, and lions. 06:38 Didn't have any on our farm, but, you know, I wanted. 06:41 So then your journey like Jill was saying, so Africa, 06:44 then where did God take your next? 06:45 And we're gonna unpack all these stories later, 06:47 but just a brief sketch. 06:49 From Africa, we went to Russia actually jumped out 06:51 of the frying pan into the freezer. 06:54 Ted Wilson asked me on the phone, 06:56 he called me up and said, "So would you consider going." 06:58 He said, "I'm willing to go, but my family's 07:02 kind of they're done 07:04 'cause we were in Africa eight years." 07:05 He said with us they were 07:06 actually there with us in Africa. 07:08 Okay. 07:09 "But if you'll go and teach the kids in Africa, 07:12 in Russia, we'll go." 07:16 I said, "Well, yes," you know, 07:18 we need good people now and then, so. 07:20 So Russia then where next? 07:22 You're in Russia, how many years? 07:23 We're in Russia two years. Two years. 07:25 Couldn't stay longer, but, you know, 07:26 Russia was to kind of get in, get the work started, 07:30 left, you know, set them up, and then everybody's out. 07:33 So that's when I went back to Andrews 07:35 and finished up at Andrews with the graduate degree. 07:37 Okay. 07:38 And started teaching in college. 07:40 Oh, wow! 07:41 Became a professor that was still teaching, 07:43 got to still be teaching, 07:45 but everywhere I went, you know, people said, 07:47 "Well, are you a pastor or a teacher?" 07:50 I said, "Well, I do both." Or an author? 07:54 An author. Well, that's a by-product. 07:58 So Maribel and I decided to go to Thailand. 08:02 Oh, wow. Our oldest daughter cried. 08:05 Maribel would have cried if she'd know we were gonna go 08:06 where the cobras were, 08:08 but I didn't tell her about that. 08:09 Yeah, I don't like snakes. 08:11 Okay, you kind of kept that under the rug a little bit. 08:12 All the mission stories, you know, I knew... 08:15 So you spent how many years in Thailand? 08:17 Three years. Three years. Okay. 08:19 Now we came back to be a pastor. 08:20 Wow. 08:21 Short stint as a Superintendent of Education 08:23 in New York Conference, and then now pastor. 08:26 So I want to tell you that at home, 08:28 you're going to actually hear some mission stories today 08:31 because God has blessed Pastor Booth 08:34 with tremendous ability to write, being able to not, 08:37 these are not made up stories. 08:39 These are stories that either he's experienced 08:40 or has come across 08:42 through his years of mission service. 08:44 And so today he's gonna be telling us some stories, 08:47 which I can't wait to hear and I hope that 08:50 you're getting a comfortable chair 08:51 and just getting ready to sit back and enjoy. 08:54 You know, really when we hear these stories 08:55 and mission stories, 08:57 it's about what God is doing and has done. 09:01 And, you know, Pastor, before we started this program 09:02 you're talking about that 09:04 we hear about a lot of miracle stories 09:05 like let's say way, way back, 09:07 but, you know, God is real and alive today 09:10 and doing marvelous things right now even today, isn't He? 09:13 Yeah, for sure. 09:14 But what we want to do before we go to this 09:16 is to go to some music. 09:17 So who do we have for music? 09:19 I think you have a scripture too. 09:20 I love this song because it goes along 09:22 with what we've been talking about 09:23 is mission service. 09:24 That's right. The Lord calls each one of us. 09:26 He didn't just call Pastor Booth. 09:28 He calls each one of us to serve Him. 09:30 So this scripture, and then we'll go to the song. 09:34 This is one scripture, you like Pastor Booth. 09:36 Philippians 4:19, "My God shall supply 09:40 all your need according to His riches 09:43 and glory by Christ Jesus." 09:45 Amen. 09:47 And where God calls us, 09:49 He equips and provides an enable. 09:52 So this song, Alessandra Sorace, 09:54 I love her music and her voice. 09:57 She will be ministering "I Will Go." 10:29 Give me ears To hear Your Spirit 10:34 Give me feet to follow through 10:40 Give me hands To touch the hurting 10:46 And the faith to follow You 10:56 Give me grace to be a servant 11:01 Give me mercy for the lost 11:07 Give me passion for Your glory 11:13 Give me passion for the cross 11:19 And I will go Where there are no easy roads 11:25 Leave the comforts that I know 11:31 I will go And let this journey be my home 11:37 I will go 11:43 I will go 12:00 I'll let go of my ambition 12:05 Cut the roots that run too deep 12:11 I will learn to give away 12:17 What I cannot really keep 12:23 What I cannot 12:26 Really keep 12:30 Help me see 12:34 With eyes of faith 12:38 Give me strength 12:41 To run this race 12:45 And I will go 12:48 Where there are no easy roads 12:52 Leave the comforts that I know 12:58 I will go 13:00 And let this journey be my home 13:04 I will go I will go 13:10 I will go 13:12 Lord where Your glory Is unknown 13:17 I will live for You alone 13:23 I will go because 13:26 My life is not my own 13:29 I will go I will go 13:35 I will go 14:01 Amen. Thank you so much, Alessandra. 14:04 "I Will Go" and that's what God calls each one of us to do 14:08 is to go where He calls us. 14:10 If you're just joining us, 14:12 our special guest today is Pastor Bradley Booth. 14:15 He is the pastor of the Rochester, Minnesota 14:18 Seventh-day Adventist Church, 14:19 but I first met Pastor Bradley... 14:23 I'm a little embarrassed to say this, 14:25 this might be 25, 27 years ago even... 14:29 Back when you were a baby. 14:31 We'd say when I was very young. 14:32 Yes. This is in Massachusetts. 14:34 Lowell, Massachusetts. 14:35 We went to the same church together, 14:37 but he is an incredible author written over 40 books. 14:41 Incredible. 14:42 Mission service, a doctor, 14:46 and I forget what your doctorate 14:48 is in education, somehow. 14:49 Psychology. Psychology. 14:50 A doctorate in psychology. 14:52 He's a teacher, and a pastor, and a servant of God... 14:54 And a musician. We're so blessed... 14:56 A musician, we forgot that part too. 14:57 Yeah, we should talk about that too 14:58 'cause you have a group that's sung 15:00 and has recorded a number of albums. 15:02 Tell us about that? One Voice Ministries. 15:03 Yeah, a bunch of guys that love to sing acapella. 15:06 We still try to stay simple. 15:09 A lot of groups go to tracks. We have never gone to tracks. 15:12 Everything we do is live, live music. 15:14 It's no instruments. 15:16 Wow. So it's all acapella? 15:18 All acapella because, you know, this tried and true, you know, 15:21 don't change the brand. 15:22 Well, that's what appeals to the heart and soul. 15:25 That's what we sing in, 15:26 you know, in the caves, in the prisons. 15:28 That's true. Right? 15:29 Yeah. Good point. 15:30 So you were telling us before we went to the music 15:32 that when you were growing up in Sabbath School, 15:35 you would put the little pin cushion, 15:36 I wanna go to Africa. 15:37 And then later, when you grew up 15:39 and became a teacher, God called you to Africa? 15:42 Yeah. 15:44 Tell us a little bit more of that miracle story 15:45 of how all that happened going? 15:47 And then we'll get into the first stories from Africa. 15:50 We set our application in, and they called right back 15:54 and said, "Well, we have a spot in Africa. 15:55 Of course, I met a guy in mission institute 16:00 have been waiting for over a year 16:01 'cause he wanna just the right school. 16:04 And I wasn't looking for just the right school, 16:06 I was looking for adventure with the Lord 16:08 and wherever He takes you, you know, 16:10 you read plenty of stories in the Book of Acts, 16:12 and you'll know, 16:13 you don't prescribe where God's gonna send you. 16:15 That's right. 16:17 So they said, "Okay, can you let us know in a week?" 16:19 And I said, "No, we actually had a house in town 16:22 that we've been trying to sell. 16:23 And we couldn't sell it." It was the 80s. 16:26 Nobody was buying and selling houses. 16:28 We had a little house in the country 16:30 that we were managing to get along financially. 16:33 And we said, "We got to sell it." 16:34 So they said, "Well, how long do you need?" 16:38 I said, "Well give us three weeks 16:40 to sell the house." 16:42 In a week the house was sold, the first person 16:44 that came to see the house bought it. 16:46 Wow! 16:47 So then God tested us a little more. 16:49 He says, "You need to grow on faith." 16:51 So we went through 16:52 the whole process of packing up, 16:54 you know, passports, mission institute, 16:57 and right down to the wire. 16:58 That house had not sold the GC is saying in those days, 17:01 you really need to sell your properties 17:03 because you just something, you know, 17:05 you're leaving your foot in the door back here, 17:07 if you're gonna go be a career missionary, 17:09 which we wanted it to be. 17:11 So on a whim, we were already in Canada 17:14 ready to fly out two days later. 17:16 And on a whim, I said, "Maybe the new teacher 17:19 coming to town might be interested." 17:21 So I called the conference office 17:22 in Indiana 'cause I was in Iowa. 17:25 And the guy who was the teacher 17:27 to be happened 17:29 to be in the superintendent's office. 17:31 And so I said to the superintendent, 17:32 "Do you think he'd be interested?" 17:34 And the guy said, 17:35 "We'll drive over there right now." 17:38 We drove all day and all night, got there the next morning, 17:41 talked to the real estate guy bought the house. 17:45 Sent the papers overnight, I signed them. 17:48 And 12 hours later, we flew out to Africa. 17:51 So that was a little bit of... Talk about right on time. 17:55 Yeah, a little bit of a grandiose, 17:58 you know, behavior on God's part at the start, 18:01 but a real amazing transformation 18:03 for me right at the end. 18:05 And I was... Confirmation, isn't it? 18:08 I was. Amen. 18:10 What did that do for your faith? 18:11 Just launching a mission service 18:13 and seeing this miracle that God had performed? 18:15 Confirmed. 18:16 Because, you know, you grew up in a family 18:18 where everybody talks, 18:19 God read stories nonstop 18:22 Sabbath was the time we read stories, 18:23 and then to see it, you know, you knew it's true. 18:27 Now you know it's true. Yeah. 18:30 So you've written as we mentioned, 18:32 over 40 plus books, 18:34 and the one we wanna talk about first here is from Africa, 18:36 Showers of Grasshoppers 18:39 and Other Miracle Stories from Africa. 18:41 So are these stories in this book, 18:42 how many stories are in this book? 18:44 There's three. There are three stories. 18:45 Three stories. 18:47 Personal ones you've experienced 18:48 or ones that you gleaned while you were there in Africa? 18:49 I'm locked up in the school. Okay. 18:51 But my friends in the office 18:52 they went out all over not too far away, 18:55 but a country next to ours. 18:57 I have visited those places many times. 18:59 And just amazing stories that God... 19:03 So you have one you wanna tell... 19:05 Why not. Why not. 19:06 Please. Please. We got to hear them. 19:08 And the Lord's blessed with a great voice too. 19:09 It's very nice easy listening to you. 19:11 So yeah, tell us a story from this book, please. 19:13 Showers of Grasshoppers, 19:15 I am always about taking the real 19:18 and making it novel 19:20 because if there's one thing kids need today, 19:22 they need to see that God is a God of surprises. 19:25 So all the great truths that we've seen in scripture 19:29 that we believe are true, in our zone here, 19:33 we sometimes do not really live it. 19:36 We do not experience it. 19:37 The story in Malachi of the people coming back 19:40 and having their faith, you know, 19:42 tested by the grasshopper scourges 19:44 and the droughts and they said, "What's wrong?" 19:47 And Malachi saying, 19:48 "You need to return your tithes to God. 19:50 If you do, he will rebuke the devourer." 19:53 Well, this is a story about God, 19:56 not rebuking the devourer. 19:57 Oh! 19:58 Yeah, they became Adventists 20:00 and they decided we're gonna pay our tithe. 20:03 And they have beans. They grow beans. 20:04 That's their crop. Okay. 20:06 Green beans, they pick them 20:07 and take them to market, sell them. 20:08 And from the proceeds of those sales 20:11 they buy everything they needed for the year. 20:13 What country in Africa were they from? 20:14 This one I believe was Togo. Okay. 20:16 So... 20:18 So this is their livelihood, isn't it? 20:19 I mean, this is everything for them, these beans. 20:20 Yeah. 20:22 We cannot comprehend anyway, 20:23 especially in this era that we live. 20:24 Everything has got to come from that. 20:26 The oldest child usually goes to school. 20:29 If they can afford it, that's it. 20:30 Oh, wow! Oldest boy. 20:32 And so maybe shoes for him, maybe his books. 20:36 Pretty much, yeah, 20:38 they grow everything else they need. 20:39 So when the grasshopper scourge comes, 20:43 it's like the stories you read about the plains 20:45 of the West, you know, 20:46 and they're just covering everything. 20:48 And they're just, the families praying, 20:49 please, Lord, rebuke the devourer. 20:51 You promised You would do this. And... 20:54 So when grasshoppers come in, what do they eat? 20:57 Everything? Everything they eat, literally. 20:59 Listen, grasshoppers will eat the greenery, 21:02 but they'll chew on bark 21:04 and they'll start chewing on people 21:05 if there's no more grass. 21:06 Oh! Yeah. 21:08 When they're waiting for the signal to move on 21:09 and there's nothing more to eat. 21:11 They'll eat on people. Really? 21:12 Yep. So... 21:15 So there's a big swarm or whatever you call... 21:16 Swarm. 21:17 Big trillions and trillions 21:19 and they still sweep through Africa today. 21:20 Okay. Still in all over Africa. 21:23 So everybody's crying out to God, 21:25 their faith is being tested, the mother... 21:29 It's a testament to women, 21:30 of course, pioneer women in America. 21:32 Nonetheless, 21:34 this mother suddenly got a brain wave as we call it. 21:38 And she ran to a shed and got gunny sacks, bags 21:42 and told the family put the grasshoppers in the bag 21:45 and didn't have time to explain to them because, 21:47 you know, any moment the grasshoppers will leave. 21:49 So finally even father and the kids are helping 21:51 and they're all filling up bags, 21:53 little grasshoppers, I think in this story, 21:55 I think had something 15 or 18 bags of grasshoppers, 21:58 full of grasshoppers. 21:59 And they're living grasshoppers. 22:00 Yeah, they're moving... They're wiggling, and... 22:02 Talk about, you know, a creature, feature... 22:04 Okay. 22:05 Moving, they give you the willies. 22:07 And they all get done 22:08 and the grasshoppers then fly away. 22:10 And they're all looking at mother like, 22:12 God has failed us. 22:13 Look at our beans, even the stems are chewed off. 22:18 And she says, 22:19 "No, we have much to be thankful for." 22:23 And they think she's insane that she's probably lost it. 22:26 And she holds them a bag of grasshopper, 22:27 she says we have grasshoppers, and they said, 22:30 "We don't want grasshoppers." 22:32 And who wants grasshoppers. 22:33 Right. Nobody does. 22:34 Until she said, yeah, 22:36 but what do people eat in Africa? 22:39 Oh! Oh! 22:41 And they looked at her and it took a bit 22:42 and finally it dawned on them. 22:45 Africans eat grasshoppers. 22:46 They took those to the market 22:48 and sold them for far, far more. 22:50 I think it was three times what the value of the beans 22:52 would have brought them. 22:54 Here God did not rebuked the devourer, 22:56 but He's maybe it's a sense of humor. 22:58 Maybe it's just... He provided another way. 23:01 May be the angels say, "Lord, what can we do this time?" 23:04 And God lets them use their imagination. 23:06 Who knows? 23:07 I'm gonna enjoy those conversations 23:09 with the angels someday about how these stories took place. 23:12 Yeah. Praise the Lord. Isn't that neat? 23:15 So He provided with before they even know 23:17 what they thought they needed, He provided even more. 23:20 My God shall supply all your need, 23:24 according to His riches and glory by Christ Jesus. 23:27 Over and over again. 23:29 Give us another story from here, 23:30 and then we'll move on to Russia. 23:31 Second story is about a family, another Adventist family 23:33 who was trying to be true and faithful to the Sabbath. 23:36 In the books, what I wanna do is 23:37 I'd like for the older folks and the younger folks 23:40 who are coming up through the years 23:41 to confirm their faith 23:43 in the great pillars of our faith. 23:44 Yes. 23:46 Why is it that we believe that tithe is so important? 23:49 It's not just because we owe it to God 23:51 because God says if you do this, 23:53 you'll be a happier, healthier person. 23:55 And, of course, I will bless you 23:57 because I can afford to you're not a selfish person. 24:00 The second story is about a family 24:01 who decided they would honor the Sabbath. 24:03 Actually in that village, there were five families, 24:05 a lot of Adventist families, 24:07 but five families decided they would honor God 24:09 and it happened this way. 24:10 Cotton was their main crop. 24:12 And that was Togo. Okay, that was my question. 24:16 Cotton was their crop, that was their cash crop. 24:19 And, of course, grasshoppers 24:21 by the time you're picking the cotton, 24:22 grasshoppers are gonna eat the cotton, 24:24 but rain can destroy 24:26 a crop of cotton, just like that. 24:29 And it happened that the truck 24:31 would come once a year to pick up all the bales 24:33 that they had tied up. 24:34 And it was always scheduled in advance 24:37 and the government worker would come through 24:39 and purchase their cotton at a good price. 24:42 On this particular year, he recalled and rescheduled 24:45 and the day he was gonna come was on the Sabbath. 24:48 And the members all got together in the church 24:50 and they said what are we going to do? 24:51 This is our crop for the year. This is our money to live on. 24:55 What are we gonna do? 24:56 And some said, "Well, we have to be faithful to God." 24:58 And the other said, "Well, you know, 25:00 God would understand we're not actually working, 25:02 we're just letting him buy it from us." 25:05 And as it turned out the day 25:07 that the truck was supposed to come, 25:08 five members decided they would not go. 25:10 So they did not take their bales of cotton 25:12 out to the roadside where all the cotton people, 25:15 all the people in the village brought their cotton, 25:17 they went to church, 25:19 and they're walking down the road, a testimony. 25:21 Everybody knows they have cotton to sell, 25:23 but they're walking to church, 25:24 and any minute that trucks gonna show up. 25:26 They're gonna wait another year. 25:28 Yeah. And that's their income? 25:31 That's their income. 25:32 They don't have that, they got nothing. 25:34 So they go to church, they sing their songs, 25:38 and the people on the road could hear them singing. 25:40 Every note that comes out of their mouths 25:42 is a barb in their own soul knowing 25:45 they should be there for God's sake, 25:47 and as witness, 25:49 and for their own spiritual sake, 25:51 but they don't. 25:52 Well, after church, the five family members, 25:55 families go home and eat a nice lunch 25:57 and these people are still by the road. 26:01 Four o'clock comes 26:02 and the truck has still not come, 26:03 but as you know if you've ever been in 26:05 an African country, when the rainstorms come, 26:07 they can just drop out of the sky like that. 26:09 And before those people 26:11 had a chance to get their cotton 26:12 under cover, the rain came 26:15 and totally inundated those cotton bales 26:17 and really pretty much ruined the cotton. 26:19 And the truck didn't come that day. 26:21 Didn't come that day. Oh, wow. 26:23 But the next morning, bright and early, 26:25 it was sunshiny, here came the truck. 26:27 His story, he'd had three flat tires. 26:31 And of course, he didn't have that many spare tires... 26:32 Of course, not. 26:33 So it took forever to go find people 26:35 who would repair them... 26:36 If an angel had something to do with 26:38 that tire doing a little like, 26:40 let's see if we can make this tire go down a little bit. 26:42 You know, Satan, you know, 26:45 people who serve Satan, he doesn't serve them. 26:47 Yeah. 26:48 He doesn't protect their interest. 26:50 No. 26:51 He's only interested in his own. 26:52 God on the other hand, 26:54 is always watching out for His children. 26:55 He knows what they need most 26:57 and what they need most to make their faith grow. 26:59 So the group of people that went to church 27:01 got premium price for their cotton. 27:04 Because there was only pretty bales that they had. 27:07 And the guy looked with disgust 27:09 at the other bales that said, 27:11 "I'll pay you X number of dollars." 27:12 He knew he could do something with it, but it was like... 27:15 'Cause it was destroyed by the rain. 27:16 Twenty percent of the price or something. 27:17 Sure. 27:19 And these five families to their credit 27:22 for their coming year not only were living testimony, 27:25 they shared what they had with the other families 27:30 and you could imagine the next year. 27:33 No matter what happened, those families were faithful. 27:37 Great story classic basically 27:40 could come right out of the Bible 27:42 'cause God wants us to honor His Sabbath. 27:43 As of now, we're talking here today 27:45 with Pastor Bradley Booth, 27:46 many of you may know, recognize his name, 27:49 he's a prolific author, 27:52 a good description over 40 plus books 27:54 and we're here today, 27:56 the topic is Witnessing for Jesus: 27:58 Miracles and Missions. 28:00 Of course, he's a real life missionary, 28:01 but he's sharing with us today, 28:03 the goodness of the Lord sharing the stories 28:05 in some of the books 28:07 that he has written through the years. 28:09 We're hearing right now from Showers of Grasshoppers 28:12 and Other Miracle Stories from Africa. 28:14 And we're just gonna touch on 28:15 a few of the highlights here today, 28:17 but if you want to find out more information, 28:19 there's a great website that you can go to 28:21 and we're gonna continue to talk about this 28:22 throughout the rest of this program. 28:24 And it's called The... 28:26 StoryTellers. StoryTellers. 28:28 Is it tellers, right? StoryTellers. 28:29 StoryTellers.one. And it's not com. 28:31 So take a look at that TheStoryTellers.one. 28:35 You'll get, I think we have a phone number 28:36 we can put up as well, 28:38 but if you don't get the phone number, 28:39 you can always go to the website 28:40 that we're putting up and you'll have that 28:42 information right there for you. 28:45 Talking about the base, I'm thinking of Sabbath keeping 28:48 and keeping the Lord's the fourth commandment 28:50 and keeping the Sabbath day holy. 28:52 I know we're gonna get to this, I don't know if that's next, 28:54 but the Seventh-Day Ox that is a famous book 28:58 and that has blessed my soul by reading it, 29:01 Jill reads to me. 29:03 Thank you, sweetie, for doing that. 29:05 She's a great reader. We read that book together. 29:06 Yes. It's an amazing book. 29:07 Oh, what an inspiration, but I know is that 29:11 the transition to Russia, right? 29:14 There's a number of books 29:15 that you've written pertaining to Russia 29:16 and stories from there. 29:18 You went from the frying pan 29:19 in Africa to the freezer in Russia, 29:22 so God called you up there as missionaries, 29:24 you and your family to Russia? 29:25 One thing that you'll remember about Russia, 29:27 if you've ever lived 29:28 there for any extended weeks of time. 29:30 Not lived there. We visited. Beautiful country though. 29:33 We had two jokes that we said, you'd get to church on Sabbath 29:36 if Bradley is not allowed in church, 29:38 we would bet with each other how many sunny days 29:40 we'd have during the coming week. 29:42 And then when you went out into the elements, 29:45 your feet would always be wet throughout the winter 29:47 because underneath the streets, 29:49 run the pipes and so these sidewalks always 29:52 have soggy sloppy snow. 29:54 And when you're riding to the buses, 29:56 it's totally, you know, 29:58 we're icebergs by the time we get back home so... 30:00 What a beautiful country 30:01 beautiful people in our experience. 30:02 Of course, we have 3ABN Russia there, 30:04 lead up by Sister Julie Outkina. 30:06 Yeah, what a great place to visit. 30:08 So you got a number of books 30:09 which one you wanna talk about the books? 30:11 Yes, talk about the Seventh-Day Ox. 30:12 Can we talk about that one? Absolutely. 30:15 Tell us that story? I love that story. 30:18 This is a story about Adventist pastor, again, 30:20 who was trying to do his best to honor his Savior. 30:25 Times were tough in those days, they still are. 30:28 And if there was one thing 30:30 that the KGB always wanted was, they wanted lists. 30:33 They wanted a list. 30:34 So there's some people just collect lists, right? 30:37 Some people like to share, 30:39 that's how they order their life. 30:41 KGB kept track by collecting lists 30:44 of church members. 30:45 Well, the Adventists knew the drill 30:47 because all through the years of communism, 30:49 they had been persecuted 30:50 and hunted during this time of Stalin. 30:52 And now in the 70s and 80s it was just as hard. 30:57 And this pastor refused to give up a list of the names 31:00 of all his members. 31:02 They can meet. 31:04 They can meet in churches at that time, 31:06 but they were restricted. 31:08 And so he wouldn't give the list up. 31:10 They said, "We're gonna give you 31:12 a few more weeks, and then if not, 31:14 we're going to have to teach you a lesson." 31:16 That's a common term they used it so a very kind lessons. 31:20 So they took him finally 31:21 and on a train, he said goodbye to his wife, 31:24 didn't know if he would ever see her again. 31:25 You never know. 31:27 And he rode on a train out in the middle of Siberia. 31:30 He dropped him off with some guards 31:32 who took him to a prison camp out in the middle of, 31:37 we can't say the sticks 'cause there were no sticks. 31:40 It was just tundra, basically. 31:42 And there's no barbwire, no walls, no gates. 31:48 They said if you wanna escape, go ahead. 31:49 It's 1000 kilometers of barren wasteland. 31:53 Most of the plants are toxic. 31:56 So you wouldn't... You wouldn't survive. 31:57 Wouldn't last it even if you could survive 31:59 on the moisture from the frost. 32:01 So he was put to work 32:03 there in the prison, working, doing some tasks, 32:07 but he refused to work on Sabbath 32:09 because the work he was being asked to do 32:11 is quite menial. 32:12 And they said, "If you don't do this, 32:14 we're gonna punish you. 32:15 We're gonna teach you a lesson." 32:17 Again., there's the lesson. 32:18 That's such a kind lesson because for his punishment, 32:21 they put him in a box, a wooden box, and... 32:26 How big was the box? 32:27 The box was about three feet long, 32:28 three feet high, and about two feet wide 32:31 just enough to sit in, 32:32 not enough time, a space to stretch your legs. 32:35 So you kind of cramped with your 32:37 like your knees up to your chest. 32:38 Yeah. Very correct. Very correct. 32:40 A little water, you know, 32:42 a little slice of bread, but that was pretty much it. 32:45 I wanna keep you alive, 32:47 we just wanna teach you a lesson. 32:48 And so he knew that he knew what was going to come 32:51 after a few days circulation is used. 32:54 So after he prayed and used scripture 32:56 to encourage himself all the Bible verses 32:59 he had memorized where's greatest solace, 33:01 and said, Lord, 33:02 I know You have me here for a reason. 33:05 You went to the cross for a reason. 33:07 Let me do what I can to honor You. 33:10 Make me, Lord, please make me be faithful. 33:13 And after 10 days, they let him out. 33:15 Of course, he couldn't strip loose legs, 33:17 he couldn't stretch 33:18 and so they just kind of throw him 33:19 in a pile of straw. 33:21 And after a few hours, he can move around, 33:25 and by the next morning, 33:26 he could get up and, you know, walk around a bit. 33:30 He worked for, that was 10 days, 33:32 he was in the box, 33:33 worked for a couple of more days, 33:34 three more days, here came Sabbath. 33:36 And the warden says, 33:38 so you've learned your lesson, I hope. 33:40 And he said, 33:42 "I wanna be faithful to my God." 33:45 So they put him back in the box 33:46 'cause he wouldn't work on Sabbath. 33:48 And he knew that 33:51 this could perhaps turn out to be quite an ordeal 33:54 because the Russians are very determined people. 33:57 Great culture, 33:58 but the KGB are not nice people. 34:01 So as it turned out, 34:02 at the end of 10 days they took him out again. 34:06 And in the stable 34:08 where he was lying on the straw was an ox. 34:11 And he saw that ox get taken out every day 34:14 to get water from the spring. 34:16 So he knew that's what the job of the ox was. 34:19 And that was not to be his fate. 34:22 He ended up being put in that box 34:25 every two weeks, basically, for 10 days at a time. 34:30 For how long? Two years. 34:31 Oh, wow. Two years. 34:34 I can't com... 34:35 I don't really comprehend that kind of suffering. 34:38 Yeah. But... 34:40 Our faithfulness to God. 34:41 Faithfulness. Yeah, incredible. 34:42 The Russians are people of great faith. 34:44 They are. 34:45 The stories that have come to us 34:46 from that era, 34:48 those seven decades under communism. 34:51 Tremendous faithfulness. 34:52 So after two years, 34:54 an officer came from Moscow to do an inspection. 34:58 And as he's taking a tour of the prison 35:00 they take him into this table 35:01 where this box is and they said, 35:03 "Well, what's this box." 35:04 And they said, 35:06 "That's where we keep our prisoners 35:07 who are incorrigible and refused to obey." 35:10 They said, "Well, let's get him out. 35:11 I wanna see him." So they took him out. 35:13 So he was in the box when the officer came? 35:14 In the box at the time. Okay. 35:16 Which was what God had arranged. 35:18 That's right. 35:20 'Cause not only did 35:21 the warden need to get a lesson, 35:23 but this officer needed to meet this man 35:26 who was so, we could say, stubborn, 35:29 but determined to be faithful to God. 35:31 And he's asking the man so what's the problem? 35:34 He's asking the pastor, what's the problem? 35:35 The pastor says, 35:37 "Well, I won't work on Saturdays Sabbath. 35:41 So they put me in the box." 35:44 And he said, "Well, where you work other days?" 35:46 He said, "Oh, yes, sir. Twice as hard as anybody else. 35:48 I work six days a week, just not on Sabbath." 35:51 And so the officer said to the warden, 35:53 "Well, can't you find him a job 35:54 that he can work faster on and get done in six days." 35:58 And so they came upon the idea of having him 36:00 be the one to go get the water 36:01 from the spring with the oxcart. 36:04 And so they go and he's thinking, 36:06 "Boy, I got to hurry this ox up because I only got six days." 36:09 And so he's trying to move things along 36:10 and the ox, you know... 36:12 He doesn't move very fast. 36:13 He responded a little bit, not real good, 36:15 but by the third or fourth day, the ox forget you. 36:18 I am not gonna work faster than you want. 36:21 And the pastor says, "I'm done. 36:24 I'm going back in that box on Saturday 36:25 because I won't have enough water." 36:28 But God, of course, has other surprises 36:30 up his sleeve if we can say that. 36:32 And Friday morning when he got that ox up, 36:35 put him hooked him up to the cart 36:36 that ox took off at a run 36:39 for the spring which is a mile away 36:41 and he had to run to catch up 36:43 and jump into the back of the cart. 36:44 The pastor did. 36:45 He had to run to catch up to the ox. 36:47 Wow. 36:49 Ox ran all the way to the spring, 36:50 stopped to catch his breath. 36:51 He filled the water barrels up from the spring. 36:53 Yes. 36:55 And the ox took a turn around and started running back 36:58 and he had to put the lids on the barrels. 37:00 And he's trying to keep them 37:02 from tipping over and keep himself in the cart. 37:05 And by the time they get back to the camp, 37:08 he's more worn out than the oxes. 37:10 So he gets the barrels off, 37:11 puts new ones on that ox does a U-turn, 37:14 and takes off out of the camp. 37:16 And all the other guys are watching what's going on. 37:18 So the ox is running back again, a second time? 37:19 Running back. To the spring? 37:21 You know, what did that ox eat this morning? 37:22 Yeah. They did that all day. 37:25 By the time the end of the day came, 37:26 they had enough barrels to last the Sabbath hours. 37:29 Oh! Amazing story. 37:31 The neat part of this story is that 37:33 he continued to do that every Friday. 37:36 The ox. 37:38 The ox, and maxed it up 37:40 the pastor for the next eight years. 37:42 Eight? 37:43 Eight years, every Friday 37:45 that ox would run, the rest of the week... 37:48 He's slow and lazy. 37:50 Slow and lazy, but maybe he deserved it, right? 37:54 Well, the capstone for the story 37:56 which always comes at the end, 37:58 is that that same officer came back from Moscow 38:02 eight years later to inspect again. 38:06 And wouldn't you know it, he arrived on Friday. 38:10 So what did he see? 38:12 Front row seat to see that 38:13 ox in that cart come sailing into the camp, 38:17 whipping those barrels out. 38:18 By now there were other people enjoying this 38:20 so other guys were helping them get it off 38:21 waving their hats. 38:22 Woo-hoo! 38:24 You know, and out they go 38:25 and the warden said, "Who is that?" 38:27 They said, "He's the guy that wouldn't work on Saturday." 38:31 "That's the guy?" 38:34 And so, the officer set him free 38:38 to go back with his family. 38:39 Oh, wow. There's a second caveat. 38:42 Second capstone of the story 38:43 because a new guy came to the prison, 38:46 who knew not pastor or the story of the ox, 38:49 but they put him on duty to take that ox 38:53 out to get the water and all week long. 38:55 Everything was fine, 38:56 but on Saturday, this ox acts like it's insane. 38:59 And the man shouting as he rides out of camp, 39:02 what's wrong with this ox 39:04 and somebody calls after him and said, 39:06 "Oh, that pastor made him a seventh-day ox. 39:09 He'll keep the Sabbath from now on. 39:11 You just wait till tomorrow." 39:14 Sure enough, the next day 39:16 that ox would not get up and take water. 39:17 So that new guy got a day off, to keep the Sabbath. 39:21 Incredible. 39:24 Our God is faithful. Amen. 39:26 What an incredible story of faith of perseverance 39:30 in the midst of odds and God showing up 39:33 on behalf of his people. 39:35 This book has been made into a sharing addition as well. 39:38 Talk to us briefly about that, 39:40 and then we need to move on to the next one. 39:42 Well, the original book was three stories, 39:45 three miracle stories about animals. 39:47 I'm not gonna even tell you what the story, 39:48 you have to read it. 39:49 Three stories of animals, 39:51 who bring people to Jesus and confirm their faith 39:54 in the great promises that have been given. 39:57 And those stories 39:58 all pretty much mirrored stories in the Bible 40:00 which are reflected in the times in which we live. 40:02 So the first story which was the Seventh-Day Ox, 40:05 people started wanting to share 40:07 with their neighbors, their friends, 40:09 but they said let's make a share book. 40:11 So they downsized the book, 40:12 of course, and put the first story 40:14 which is about the ox into it. 40:16 And that has... Sharing edition... 40:18 What an inspiration, you know, it really is, you know, 40:21 when you're faithful to God, you know, you may go through 40:23 obviously storms of life, but God is with you 40:25 through the storms and He is faithful. 40:27 Amen. Amen. 40:28 I wanna encourage you to check out 40:29 Pastor Bradley Booth's website, 40:32 TheStoryTellers.one. 40:35 That's TheStoryTellers T-E-L-L-E-R-S.one 40:41 or you can always give him a call 40:43 at (315) 560-4122. 40:49 That's (315) 560-4122 40:53 and as we always say here on 3ABN, 40:55 we encourage you to visit that website 40:58 to order these books 40:59 or to give them a call on times other than Sabbath hours. 41:02 We've been talking about 41:04 the holiness of the Sabbath here. 41:05 Keeping the Sabbath holy. 41:07 Let's jump to Dare to Stand Alone, 41:10 which is an incredible story which we have read as well. 41:13 I have this in my library at home, 41:15 see if we can tell this in a few minutes. 41:19 This is an amazing employee of the Adventist Church 41:24 who started out as a young man at age 18. 41:26 He was so inspired by God, 41:28 they made him an elder in his church, 41:29 and he was leading the youth in his area, 41:31 he was doing evangelistic series 41:33 not a month-long evangelistic series, 41:35 a three-month-long evangelistic series... 41:37 In Russia? In Russia. 41:38 Well, this one actually be Moldova and the Ukraine. 41:40 Okay. 41:42 The police were after him, it was one of those, 41:44 it's like a movie, you know, 41:46 send up stings to catch him and they even catch him 41:49 at the river at dawn with his bus youth group, 41:51 you know, but he... 41:53 And the first story he's, 41:54 they all march off to the river singing on 41:57 we're Christian soldiers, and the soldiers 41:58 don't wanna follow on horseback 42:00 'cause the water's cold in the spring so they get away. 42:04 So he decides he better go and get into the military 42:08 because they're gonna take him 42:10 and he wants to get into the place he should be. 42:12 So he goes to the military. 42:14 He didn't wanna get sent to, 42:15 you know, a mining camp or a quarry somewhere. 42:18 And so, he signs up for the military, 42:20 but decides he must honor God, 42:23 he must get ahead of the game. 42:25 He's not gonna wait for them to interrogate him 42:28 why he won't work on the Sabbath. 42:29 So Sabbath morning, he gets up after breakfast, 42:31 and he goes out and stands in the compound there. 42:34 The parade grounds where the guys all 42:36 do their marching and drills. 42:38 And he stands up on a little crate, 42:39 cabbage crate, 42:41 and he starts preaching the gospel. 42:43 And he says, I got X number of minutes, 42:44 Lord, tell me what to say. 42:47 You know, and those guys, 42:50 3,000 soldiers gathered around to hear this guy 42:53 that never heard the gospel because communism, 42:55 you know, is promotes atheism, and then he said, 42:59 "I'm finished when I get down here, 43:01 but at least 3,000 guys 43:03 have had a glimpse of the gospel." 43:04 So he sees a jeep drive up 43:06 and there on the jeep is a colonel, the colonel. 43:08 And the colonel motions 43:10 to come over after everybody disperses. 43:11 He's finished with his little one hour 43:15 introduction to the gospel. 43:17 And the guy says, "You know, we don't allow that here. 43:19 I'm gonna have to see you in my office come at, 43:22 you know, 3 o'clock in the afternoon." 43:24 So he goes over to see in the ward. 43:26 The colonel says to him, 43:31 "What makes you, 43:32 what drives you to do this, you know, we can punish you?" 43:34 He says, "I'm a missionary for Jesus. 43:37 I have to do this. This is my calling in life." 43:41 And so they talked some more, 43:44 and then the colonel send him back to his room. 43:47 Well, that night in the middle of the night, 43:50 two MPs come in, grab him out of his bunk, 43:54 take him out in a jeep and they take off. 43:56 And he goes out in the middle of woods 43:58 and he knows they're taking them out 44:00 to shoot him. 44:01 He just disappeared. 44:03 Nobody will ever know where he went. 44:05 They'd get him out of the vehicle 44:07 and they go into this little secret Dachau. 44:10 A Russian Dachau is a little cabinet 44:11 basically is what it is where the basic elements, 44:13 and he goes inside 44:15 and they sit him down in a chair, 44:16 and they light some candles, 44:17 and in the room they're full of officers, 44:21 all Russian officers, high ranking officers, 44:23 colonels, majors, generals, and they wanna hear the gospel. 44:29 They're not allowed to hear this in any public place, 44:31 their position, their job, not allowed, 44:35 but they get the gospel firsthand from this guy, 44:37 they're all so impressed. 44:39 They decided to do what's called 44:40 a hands off policy on him 44:42 and leave him be and promote him instead. 44:47 If we cannot beat him, let's get him to join us. 44:50 They thought it would work. And so they tried everything. 44:53 This is in the communist army. 44:54 They're allowing him to share Jesus. 44:57 He can share his gospel story. 44:58 He has Bible studies going on all the time nonstop 45:02 in the barracks from barrack to barrack 45:04 on Sabbath especially, 45:06 even some guys are given privileges to join him. 45:08 It's astonishing. 45:10 And so his life changes 45:14 because they began to wine him and dine him literally. 45:18 And during this interim his wife, 45:20 he gets married. 45:21 He goes home on furlough 45:23 and he gets married and brings her back. 45:24 He needs a helpmate to keep him strong. 45:26 They're trying to win her over, 45:28 wanting to get her jewels and furs. 45:30 They get him his own private car, 45:32 give him his own private, 45:34 you know, own place to stay apartment 45:35 with a library 45:37 'cause he's a great avid reader. 45:38 And they promote him, 45:40 they take him to all their banquets, 45:41 secret banquets, and secret places 45:45 where nobody else knows 'cause in those days, you know, 45:47 everybody was supposed to be equal, 45:50 but he refuses to give up his job 45:53 which is to be a missionary for Jesus 45:55 and transforms the lives, 45:57 converts untold numbers of people to the gospel. 46:00 Later after five years, they say, 46:03 "Okay, you might as well go." 46:05 'Cause he's not gonna capitulate. 46:07 He's not gonna become this great, 46:10 you know, communist warrior, 46:11 he's gonna be a warrior for Jesus. 46:13 So they let him go. 46:14 He starts his own Academy 46:17 of Bible Work for Bible workers 46:19 and trains them to be missionaries, 46:21 and sends them into the military. 46:23 He said he trained over 300. 46:25 And he said he kept track of them. 46:27 All of them became high up officers. 46:30 All lieutenants or majors and some of them colonels, 46:32 and here's why because although in communist Russia, 46:37 they were always, you know, 46:38 their policy was there is no God. 46:40 They wanted people who have integrity, 46:43 people they could trust to do the right thing. 46:44 And these guys, missionaries 46:46 who came in were as honest as Daniel, 46:49 that's the title Dare to Stand Alone for the book. 46:52 Daniel dared and his friends to stand alone. 46:55 A great testimony to us today. 46:57 God is asking us to do the same thing for Him. 47:00 When I met this guy in person... 47:02 So you got to meet him? 47:04 For two hours I interviewed him. 47:06 He hardly spoke a lick of English, 47:07 I mean, I knew a little Russian. 47:09 He knew a little English, 47:10 but we had a translator there for two hours. 47:12 He was so animated. 47:13 He had blue eyes and jet black hair. 47:17 And they tell me he looked a lot like Elvis Presley. 47:21 Well, he was an old, 75-year-old, very handsome, 47:24 not a gray hair on his head. 47:26 And I said, "Is that real?" 47:27 And he says, "It's the real deal." 47:30 And I said, "Where do you get your energy?" 47:32 He said, "From serving God's young people." 47:35 He's youth director for years 47:37 and he was the favorite guy in all of that part of Russia. 47:41 He's passed to his rest now. 47:43 And I am waiting to introduce you 47:44 to him personal. 47:46 I won't recognize it, but maybe and Elvis Presley 47:49 would a look a lot like, you never know. 47:51 What a great book Dare to Stand Alone. 47:53 Yeah, I mean, what a testimony, you know, 47:56 to again standing for what is right 47:58 and what God wants us to do. 48:00 We have here, Chains in China. 48:02 We have Miracles on the Mountain. 48:04 And, of course, many, many other books. 48:05 A question for you. 48:07 Why is it important to be able to remember 48:11 what has happened in the past far as these stories? 48:13 You know, it's nice to read them in book. 48:15 What's the inspiration? 48:16 Why do you feel the passion to put these down in print 48:20 so that others can read them? 48:21 What's the reason for that? Well, it's probably twofold. 48:23 The old adage, if we don't remember the past, 48:29 we're destined to repeat it. Yeah. 48:32 But also, if we rely on the Lord, 48:35 He will take us places 48:37 and when we get done with our journey, 48:40 we will realize that 48:41 He has taken us to the best place we could be. 48:45 And we will be faithful in the world to come 48:49 because we've been faithful here. 48:52 And I know for me I just have to say personally, 48:54 you know, far as when things are put in print, 48:56 like these stories, you know, you're the author, 48:58 you've collected these stories. 49:01 For us, those that read them, 49:02 I know that for Jill and myself, 49:04 they're an inspiration 49:05 because at times we all face battles 49:07 and situations in our lives. 49:08 It could be at work. 49:10 You may not be like in a communist country, 49:12 but it could be at work. 49:13 And there's tremendous opposition, 49:15 work on the Sabbath, it doesn't matter. 49:17 You can work on the Sabbath, whatever that may be battle, 49:20 whatever you're going through, 49:22 this type of stories are inspiring. 49:24 It's like, you know what? Someone else has done this. 49:27 God stood with them. He'll stand with me too. 49:31 And so, I think 49:32 that's the power of the written word 49:34 that God has blessed you 49:36 this talent of just taking a story 49:39 and just bringing it to life. 49:40 I think for me, personally, 49:42 that's been a tremendous blessing 49:43 as we've read your books through the years. 49:45 I know they're young people, and young at heart. 49:47 I know have been blessed through the years. 49:49 Amen. Amen. 49:50 What incredible stories. 49:52 My faith has been encouraged 49:54 and inspired and strengthened today. 49:56 Pastor Bradley, 49:57 would you look in the camera here 49:59 and would you make an appeal to someone at home, 50:02 maybe who is not sure if they can stand alone? 50:07 We have plenty of stories in the Bible to remind us that 50:11 if we are faithful, God will be faithful. 50:15 Now we have a hard time sometimes relating 50:17 because perhaps we wish that 50:19 God would do something for us that's miraculous, 50:21 something that's amazing, 50:23 something we could tell our friends about, 50:26 you may have felt that way yourself. 50:28 You might have had an experience growing up 50:30 where you've never had this amazing conversion story. 50:34 God is asking you to be a missionary 50:36 where you are right in your own backyard. 50:40 Who knows He may call you to do something for Him amazing 50:43 or He may ask you to do the little things, 50:46 but in this world, Jesus asks us to be faithful 50:49 in the little things with the talents 50:51 He has given us. 50:52 Those Bible stories 50:54 will continue to fuel that energy 50:56 and that inspiration and of course, 50:58 you'll have a few miracle stories 51:00 of your own to tell. 51:01 Amen. Thank you so much. 51:04 What would be one of your favorite books 51:07 that you have written? 51:09 I know that's putting you on the spot, 51:10 but over 40 books, what would be something 51:12 that actually really ministered to you as you did? 51:14 Well, many books 51:16 of the Bible stories I've written. 51:21 Children's Century Classics. 51:23 That was quite a journey for me. 51:25 We wrote that series in less than a year. 51:29 And what's it about? 51:30 It's the new Bible story set put out 51:33 by a Christian family organization 51:36 and we sell those specifically for LEs. 51:41 LEs get to use those door-to-door. 51:43 It's the new Bible stories. 51:44 Literature evangelists. Literature evangelists. 51:46 Yeah. Okay. 51:48 A great test, me being, you know, 51:51 a Bible story guy all my life. 51:53 I was asked to capture the whole train of history 51:56 from the fall of Lucifer in heaven to the earth made new 51:59 through the five books 52:01 that Ellen White wrote Patriarchs 52:03 and Prophets, Prophets and Kings. 52:04 Oh, yeah. 52:06 Desire of Ages, Acts of the Apostles, 52:07 and Great Controversy. 52:09 That series follows in parallel to that series that she wrote. 52:12 Amen. Wow. 52:13 We're going to go to the news break 52:15 here in just a moment, 52:16 but I wanna put up your website one more time. 52:18 TheStoryTellers.one. 52:22 That's TheStoryTellers T-E-L-L-E-R-S.one 52:26 or the phone number is (315) 560-4122. 52:32 I wanna encourage you to contact Pastor Bradley 52:34 and get these life changing books for yourself. 52:37 We will be right back. |
Revised 2020-07-30