0:00:00 - 0:00:30 Today, we're going to talk about two sides of a coin dealing with when we should say something and what we should say now that's specifically related to the context of the miracles that we have received from God, whether this be things that we have learned miracles, we have received, whatever we're gonna 0:00:30 - 0:01:03 start on the speak up side of the coin. Here's a nice reference from Isaiah 48 verse six. Thou hast heard, see all this and will not ye declare it. So we have a responsibility to declare or testify of the things that we know. It's really important. So what I'd like to do is just go through a bunch of 0:01:03 - 0:01:34 scriptures that briefly illustrate some of the many reasons why we need to speak up. One reason is that you are still in a place where whoever did the speaking in the first place is not. And you know, just to make it explicit the agent here, it could be an angel seen or unseen, it could be the holy ghost 0:01:34 - 0:01:56 , it could be the voice of the Lord. It could be a mortal messenger. And I'd like to invite you to focus on at on all of those, but in particular, on the mortal Messenger part, that's, that's the specific reason I'm making this presentation. People do not understand what their duties and opportunities 0:01:55 - 0:02:27 are in that regard. So here's a passage from Mark Five and in this case, the agent is Jesus during his mortal ministry. And that's where almost all of these examples are gonna come from. It's an easy source. Um So this is the, the story of when he goes to uh Deca deca and he heals the man that's possessed 0:02:26 - 0:02:55 by a legion of devils. And after that's all said and done, he, he um the legions, the legions asks him if they can go out of the man and into the pigs, the herd of pigs that was there and Jesus said fine and then they run off and into the water and kill themselves. And so the, the townspeople came running 0:02:55 - 0:03:13 to find out what all the hubbub was was. And that's where we pick up the story in verse 15. And they come to Jesus and see him that was possessed with the devil and had the legion sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid, let's put, just pause there because there's some important 0:03:13 - 0:03:33 things to just highlight here. So this, this guy had been in, they had tried to chain him up and he kept breaking the chain. So he was like partially chained and naked and just crazy doing violent things to anyone who would come anywhere near him. And, you know, that's a scary thing if you imagine someone 0:03:32 - 0:03:57 like that hanging out behind your house or something. And then, uh yeah, where the authorities had just given up like Bob, sorry, there's nothing we can do to crazy naked chain man. Um And then, uh but, but when they see him relief from all of that and clothe like a normal person and sitting not just 0:03:57 - 0:00:00 running around rapidly um that they were afraid. And this is interesting and, and it's Mark is a great gospel to go over to see many examples of this. But everyone assumes that any manifestation of God will leave them full of peace and love and rainbows and puppies. And yet if you read through Mark, 0:00:00 - 0:04:44 you'll get a much clearer idea of how normal people react to holy things. And one of those reactions is fear, another is hatred and that's shocking to people. Oh, I would never do that. Oh, maybe you would. So these normal people, they were afraid and now watch their other reaction verse 16 and they 0:04:44 - 0:05:05 saw it, told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil. It also concerning the swine. So you see their natural reaction wasn't curiosity of my goodness. This is such a drastic change to what was here before, what could have caused this and obviously whatever caused it is good because 0:05:05 - 0:05:28 this is a much better outcome. No, they were afraid. And then when they found out, verse 17, they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. The reaction was get out of here, buddy. We don't want you here. We don't like your kind. Verse 18. And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed 0:05:28 - 0:05:51 with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. So the former legion wanted to come with verse 19, howbeit, Jesus suffered him not but saith unto him. Go home to thy friends and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee and hath had compassion on thee and he departed and began to publish 0:05:51 - 0:06:15 into capitalist how great things Jesus had done for him and all men did. Marvel. Not just some. Oh so this man got to stay in his hometown while Jesus left the, the people refused to listen to anything Jesus had to say. They didn't just kindly ask him to leave. They prayed that he would go. It was a 0:06:15 - 0:06:40 forceful get out of here and they weren't gonna listen to anything he had to say. But this man, this man got to stay behind and they listened to him. And this is one of the reasons why you should speak up because as the people do the things that you see and experience, they will be asked to leave or 0:06:39 - 0:07:07 made to leave, but you are still there, you still have an entry point to those people. And you can say and do things that the person who said and did them to, you will not be allowed to do or say next reason you can go uh to the places that the one who spoke to you has not yet gone. Here's just one of 0:07:07 - 0:07:32 many examples of this John 12 starting in verse 17, the people therefore, that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave and raised him from the dead bear record for this cause. The people also met him for that. They had heard, they heard that he had done this miracle. The Pharisees therefore 0:07:31 - 0:07:51 said among themselves perceive ye how ye prevail nothing behold, the world is gone after him. And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast. The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Beth Beth Zeta of Galilee and desired him saying sir, we would see Jesus. So what 0:07:51 - 0:08:15 happens? Well, a boulder is thrown in the middle of a still water and the water ripples out to the shores. So there were a bunch of people with Jesus when he called Lazarus out of his grave and they bore record or they told other people what they had s had seen, which was Lazarus was dead and we saw 0:08:15 - 0:08:41 Jesus bring him back to life. And because they did this, the some of the people who heard this came to see Jesus and that would not have otherwise happened. And just to, to, to accentuate the reach of this, they, the story mentions that that some of those that went to see Jesus were Greek, they were 0:08:41 - 0:09:05 foreigners. That's, that's how distant the message had had gone. Not to Greece because they were there at the feast. But, but it had surpassed cultural boundaries. This is extraordinarily important. It's very important. So as you, as you speak, what you have heard and what you've, you tell what you've 0:09:05 - 0:09:30 experienced, the message will reach people and create pathways back to the source that would not otherwise exist. This is extraordinarily important in our day. You see, we are inundated with technology that gives us the illusion of being connected, but shockingly or not shockingly if you have eyes to 0:09:30 - 0:09:55 see and you look and you wonder how these things can be used to accelerate or create new connections for flowing the light, it's exceedingly limited. And because to a large degree, these technological connections have replaced the old fashioned ones, you could make a strong argument that things are worse 0:09:55 - 0:10:15 now, not better in terms of being able to connect people to greater light. It's harder now, not easier. And, and if you want evidence for this, just give an answer to the question, how would you go and find someone who's particularly ready and hungering and thirsting for greater righteousness using the 0:10:15 - 0:10:38 internet? How would you find that person it's tremendously difficult, tremendously difficult. And it's, it's, uh it's a lot more difficult with females than males. It turns out, but I digress men, men are much more easy to find online than women in terms of people seeking light. Um And that's because 0:10:37 - 0:11:04 men will go out and ask questions or, you know, make comments on videos and things much more often than women. Uh uh women who are seeking light, they usually don't go out, they go in. But anyway, OK, another reason is to provide extra evidence in the form of multiple witnesses. It's very often the case 0:11:03 - 0:11:23 that the testimony of a bystander can be much more powerful than someone who bears witness of themselves. In Second Corinthians 13 1, we read in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. And that was just echoing the law of Moses. This was the standard of truth that you'd have 0:11:23 - 0:11:46 at least two people saying the same thing in Second Timothy 22, we read in the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same, commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also. And that's, that's an echo of this. Well, this is kind of meta but this is an echo of the 0:11:46 - 0:12:11 echo. Um This is, this is a rehashing of the previous theme that we talked about. But in order for that to happen, someone else has to also bear witness Right. So, so there, there's a difference between saying I heard this and I heard and believe this, right? And the believe part, it, it adds strength 0:12:10 - 0:12:33 to the argument because before it was just one person's opinion and now it's at least two people's at least opinion and maybe it's more than an opinion. Now, another reason is because private miracles require public testimony. There are so many things, uh events, stories in the scriptures that we speak 0:12:33 - 0:12:54 about or read so frequently that we take lightly and we might gloss over the fact that no one was there to see them either, either, no one, no one like in get semi, the only person that was there that was mortal was Jesus. The the apostles were sleeping and somehow we have this account, right? But there 0:12:54 - 0:13:13 were also events where just a few people were there, the mount of transfiguration when uh that that Tabitha girl was brought back to life and uh so on. We just read the story of uh or referred to the story of Lazarus being raised from the dead, not everyone was there. And so it becomes incumbent upon 0:13:13 - 0:13:37 the few that are there to say something about it. Jesus said what I tell you in darkness that speak ye in light and what ye hear in the ear that preach ye upon the housetops. We don't have um examples that I can recall off the top of my head of Jesus. Ever referring to his miracles after the fact, I'm 0:13:36 - 0:13:59 not sure he ever said um it to an audience. Hey, this one time I raised this girl Tabitha from the dead. Hey, this one time I, I multiplied loaves and fishes miraculously. Therefore, believe in me. Do you remember him ever saying that? And so we derive that there are at least some cases where it would 0:13:58 - 0:14:22 be inappropriate for a person to testify of the things that God had done through them. At least some cases where that would be inappropriate. And so who does it devolve upon to say something about it? Cause the whole point of all the works of God or to testify of Him. And so if, if there's not a chain 0:14:21 - 0:14:42 , if a link is missing in the chain, then it doesn't go anywhere. But uh what you would like is for the water to hit all the crops before it goes out to sea. Not just that it goes straight out to sea after hitting one crop, 11 little corn plant and then straight out to sea or straight into the aquifer 0:14:41 - 0:15:06 below, you'd like it to be used by, by all the plants. And so if you receive the teachings or works of God in your life, then it's up to you to continue that on to pass along what you've received so freely, to freely give what you freely received. And I can tell you it's, it's heartbreaking to know of 0:15:06 - 0:15:28 so many things that I've seen the Lord do in the lives of people and they don't tell us all about it. And I don't understand, I don't understand. They're, they're so willing to say other things, mostly kind of nonsensical things or things that don't matter very much or to fight about things to argue 0:15:27 - 0:15:50 . But I think our loudest message should be the purest representation we can make of the goodness that, that God has done in our lives. And it's a real shame that people don't do this. And it leaves others thinking just so just think in the case of Jesus, if no one had talked about this, this dead girl 0:15:49 - 0:16:14 being brought back to life, that would be missing from his record, no one would know about it. And and there'd be all these people saying things like this guy claims to be the Messiah and yet he doesn't do any mighty works. Now he did do mighty works in public, but not at first, he didn't, not at first 0:16:13 - 0:16:36 he didn't. And also only a fraction of what he did was in public. It seems like there's some correlation between the strength of the miracle and the privacy of its nature. In the case of the dead girl, he dismissed out of the house, all the many people that were there to mourn her death, it was just 0:16:36 - 0:17:01 him and the parents, not any other guests, it says right there. So those are things to think about. We'll just share two more accounts on this point. This one's from John five. Jesus says, ye sent unto John and he bear witness unto the truth. That's John the Baptist. But I receive not testimony from 0:17:01 - 0:17:19 man. But these things I say that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light and you were willing for season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than that of John for the works which the Father hath given me to finish. The same works that I do bear witness of me that the father 0:17:18 - 0:17:37 hath sent me and the father himself which hath sent me hath borne witness of me. You have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape. And we know what John, the Baptist said about Jesus. Here it is from John one. He said, behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. This 0:17:37 - 0:17:57 is he, of whom I said after me cometh a man which is preferred before me for he was before me. And John Bear record saying I saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove and it abode upon him. And I knew him not but he that sent me to baptize with water. The same said unto me upon whom thou shalt 0:17:57 - 0:18:20 see the spirit descending and remaining on him. The same is he which baptize with the holy ghost. And I saw and bear record that this is the son of God. And so Jesus is saying in John five, he doesn't need anyone to testify of him because what he did and does is enough to testify of Him. However, God 0:18:20 - 0:18:41 does send people to testify of Jesus and people uh Jesus doesn't need it, but people do. People do need other human witnesses. And uh the evidence for that is, is look around, no one receives Jesus for, for his fullness. And so something else is needed because he's already provided his witness. And so 0:18:41 - 0:19:09 God sent John to testify of Jesus because John was designed such or prepared such that he could see and hear things that other people could not see and hear. So not everyone was at jesus' baptism, but only John had been told by the angel that told him to baptize that this uh the spirit would descend 0:19:08 - 0:19:32 and remain upon one of the people he baptized and that that was the Son of God and that that's how he would know. And so when we read of the the spirit descending like a dove, we just assume that everyone there saw it. It doesn't say that it doesn't say that. And what we read here is that that sign would 0:19:32 - 0:19:58 only have made sense to John because he was the one that was told what it meant. And so he was the one that said this is the Son of God. Now, regardless as to who heard the, the voice and who saw what and whatever the point is, when you witness the work of God, you have a, an opportunity and a duty to 0:19:58 - 0:20:24 share that with those who didn't see it, who didn't experience it because they weren't there or they didn't notice even if they were there. Another reason is to work around prejudice. This is a really big one. And John seven we read then Jesus said, unto them, my time is not yet come, but your time is 0:20:24 - 0:20:47 always ready. The world cannot hate you but me it hate because I testify of it that the works thereof are evil. So this was in response to his brothers asking him why he wasn't going up to the feast in Jerusalem. And and he said, because they want to kill me and his brothers knew this. And it's actually 0:20:47 - 0:21:11 a super sad story because it suggests that they were trying to get him to do what they knew would be fatal. However, um the takeaway from these two verses for, for our application here is that you still have a voice with people that the person doing the works and the teaching does not have. So they will 0:21:11 - 0:21:33 not listen to that character because of the prejudice they have against him or her, but they will listen to you. You still have an entrance because you are not yet as holy as that person. And therefore they do not hate you. As much as they hate that person. This is really, really, really important, you 0:21:33 - 0:22:00 know, that, that lady Riley Gaines, she's, she's a textbook example of this principle. She's hardcore marching on the, the problem of men pretending they're women. And she was a swimmer in college and uh she had to compete against a man in her, her, uh, you know, female category and of course she lost 0:22:00 - 0:22:24 and now she's out of college and she's made this her career as far as it seems. But she's certainly taken a stand and put her face in her name against this. And uh she's gained a lot of attention. Well, she can't be canceled because one, she's a woman, two, she had to deal with this as a collegiate athlete 0:22:24 - 0:22:48 and three, she's squeaky clean. Trust me. If there were any dirt whatsoever on this lady, they would cancel her hard core and they're trying, but they're failing badly. And what I mean by squeaky clean is the following. This is not a lady who's taken up as valiant, a charge of truth in all issues on 0:22:48 - 0:23:08 all issues. She chose one hill to die on and she's dying on it and she's doing a fantastic job because this makes, makes her testimony above reproach. Do you understand? They can't use their dirty tricks to take her out by saying yeah, but you know, she hates Muslims or something, whatever, whatever 0:23:08 - 0:23:30 made up story. You know, if she were a man, they'd come up with some, some, they'd find some women willing to lie and charge the man with some kind of false accusations of whatever. But because she's a woman, they, they really haven't polished that tactic yet with the ladies. Um And so she is able to 0:23:30 - 0:23:54 work around the limits of the tactics that would otherwise be used against her. And people have a harder time hating her because she's a one sh 11 issue person, she's a one issue person and the world needs one issue people. But the thing is, is that one issue, people can't produce what all issue people 0:23:54 - 0:24:17 can. It's a different level of holiness. But those people have to be the ones that take up the charge and take up the water and bring it to the end of the row because it's, it's, uh it's harder for everyone to hate those people. Do you understand? So that's, that's like, um, if you look at COVID, for 0:24:16 - 0:24:36 example, the COVID shot, there were early people who are saying this is a really bad idea. And here's why. And the earlier you go, the more faith that's required to say things like that because it's still early, the more likely that person is saying things like that across the board because they're closer 0:24:36 - 0:24:56 to God, they're closer to truth, they see things and they live it all the time across the board. And so the, the earlier the, the greater the faith of the person, the more likely they have all sorts of spokes on their wheel. It's not just one spoke and, um, any of those spokes that's far enough, a field 0:24:56 - 0:25:18 of where the world stands on the issue can be used as a weapon to silence them or to discredit them or to turn public opinion against them. It's very easy to do. They know this, it's in their playbook. Ok. So there's tremendous value for people who hear those things from those full wheel people with 0:25:18 - 0:25:39 all the spokes of truth or more spokes of truth and to take up one spoke and say this is gonna be my issue. There are people who do this with abortion. There are people who do this with, with all the issues and it's a wonderful thing and we need more people like that because those people can't be hated 0:25:39 - 0:25:57 by the world yet. I'm not saying there aren't people who don't hate Riley Gaines. I'm just saying they have no standing. They can't convince others that their hatred is founded and that's a good thing, but that only becomes more true as you go down the mountain. And if that's where you are, that's why 0:25:57 - 0:26:18 it's so important for you to do this to speak up. Another reason is because different people respond differently to the same stimuli. This is really important and also well demonstrated by the scriptures, you can go through and read different miracles that happen or different sermons that are, are given 0:26:17 - 0:26:44 and you'll find with the same exact stimulus, there's a multitude of different responses ranging from, this is great. I'm gonna change my whole life and turn to God all the way to let's kill this guy and it's the same exact miracle or sermon. And so, um, because of these differences, it's necessary to 0:26:43 - 0:27:12 , it's necessary to make use of all of the people who, I guess it's necessary to use all people from every piece of that spectrum. What I mean by that is as you go through the scriptures, you'll see many cases where someone heard the gospel or experienced it and then they're able to bring it to someone 0:27:11 - 0:27:34 who absolutely would not have reacted the same way to the same stimulus that that person did. And that's very important and time only allows for so many examples. But here's one from Heli in 939. And there were some were some of the Nephites who believed on the words of Nephi. And there were some also 0:27:34 - 0:27:52 who believed because of the testimony of the five for they had been converted while they were in prison. You have to go to the reference to get the whole story. But the point is there's this cascade and some people believed in the words of this teacher, this prophet Nephi who is teaching and doing works 0:27:51 - 0:28:17 doing miracles. Some people believed him directly and, and some people only believed because of the testimony of some people who saw some things that he did and shared that and, and you see this pattern again and again and again, here's one from John four. This is the, the woman uh who is getting water 0:28:16 - 0:28:36 at the well and met Jesus and he has this prolonged conversation with her and she becomes convinced that he's the messiah. And in verse 28 it says, the woman then left her water pot and went her way into the city in Samaria and say to the men, come see a man which told me all things that ever I did is 0:28:36 - 0:29:00 not this the Christ. Then they went out of the city and came unto him. Now this is important uh for several reasons. But one is, the lady doesn't just say what she believes, which is that this is the Christ she leads with the reasons she has to believe those are actually much, much more important she 0:29:00 - 0:29:17 says because this person knew everything I've ever done, even though I just met him, obviously, he's the Christ. And now all those people get to think about those reasons and say, ok, well, what do I think about that? And in this case, they went out of the city to come to meet him because they're like 0:29:16 - 0:29:38 , ok, well, this seems interesting enough that we'll stop what we're doing and go see at least what this guy has to say. But had he come himself. Here's the question, would he have been able to say or do what would have been required to attract their attention? And this is where you should go reread 0:29:37 - 0:30:06 moroi seven about faith and how faith cascades through people. The, the Jesus didn't perform all miracles for all people. He didn't teach all things to all people. And if this lady who they knew and trusted, obviously, if this lady hadn't come and said these things, then these people would not have believed 0:30:05 - 0:30:32 in Jesus. And so our participation in this is absolutely necessary and people don't get that. They just think, well, you know, let's suppose someone hands you a tract, a gospel tract and you read it and you're like, this is great. I'm gonna change my life. God's real. Hallelujah. The immediate thought 0:30:31 - 0:30:50 in, in those people's heads. Well, the first thought is the person that handed me this tract can go hand tracks to everyone else. I know I don't actually have to do anything and all those people will respond the same way. And that's a fallacy on multiple levels. It's not true at all. But the next, the 0:30:50 - 0:31:09 next step up from that is to say, ok, Mr Gospel preacher, give me a bunch of copies of the same tracts that I responded to and I'm gonna go hand them out to others. Well, guess what? That's not gonna do? Jack squat in all likelihood, because if those people were willing to respond to that they already 0:31:08 - 0:31:29 would have, they already would have. So, something different is necessary right now, maybe the difference is these people also know you and that certainly would be a difference. If they trust you, they might be more willing to listen to the track where they wouldn't be just from a stranger. Fair enough 0:31:29 - 0:31:49 . But what I'm saying is if you go out into pe, you know, go to people that you don't already know you're just doing the same thing the guy before you did and they didn't listen to him either. So why are they gonna listen to you? This is the heartbreaking thing about people who say, ok, I'm fired up 0:31:48 - 0:32:12 . I wanna help share the gospel. So what do you do? Start handing out scriptures? I hate to tell you, but those are already available. Anybody is gonna be converted based on that is already converted pretty much, ok? There's a much, much bigger pool of people that, that don't believe in God or don't 0:32:11 - 0:32:31 believe in God as much because what they're missing is something different. So what's something different? What, what are the possibilities here? I'll just cut to the chase. The biggest one is you learning what's in those scriptures and living it. That's the biggest one that would, that would provide 0:32:30 - 0:32:49 to them something very different than what they've seen before and something very different than what they've heard before. If instead of quoting scriptures that are in this archaic language that no one understands unless they've studied it their whole lives and isn't really organized in a way to maximize 0:32:48 - 0:33:11 proof. If, instead of just vomiting that up to somebody or handing them a book, they're never gonna read least of all 100 times, which is what it would take to really understand what it says. Why don't you tell them in your own words and words? They will understand what the, the smallest increment of 0:33:11 - 0:33:36 improvement is in their lives and then give them sufficient reasons to do it. And if they do it, give them some more, thats much different, isn't it? Anyway? Another reason is that this is what God expects of us. And with all these reasons, you might start to see why. But it's a really big deal in Matthew 0:33:36 - 0:33:53 10 Jesus said, whosoever therefore, shall confess me before men Him will I confess also before my father, which is in heaven, but whosoever shall deny me before men Him will I also deny before my father, which is in heaven. This doesn't just mean that you have to say that you believe in God. If you believe 0:33:53 - 0:34:13 in God, it also means you have to call all good things good, all useful things useful because those things come from God. And if you see miracles, you need to tell other people what you saw. And if you hear wisdom, you need to tell other people what you heard. Because if you're not doing that. You're 0:34:13 - 0:34:37 denying him before men DNC 84 we read for, I will forgive you of your sins with this commandment. So that sounds pretty important, doesn't it? It's a condition of forgiveness that you remain steadfast in your minds, in solemnity and the spirit of prayer, in bearing testimony to all the world of those 0:34:36 - 0:35:01 things which are communicated unto you. That should be pretty earth shattering for you to hear. This is a condition of forgiveness. Next verse therefore, go ye into all the world and unto whatsoever place ye cannot go. Ye shall send that the testimony may go from you into all the world unto every creature 0:35:01 - 0:35:25 . So we have this, this phrase that some of us know that is to be free of the blood and sins of this generation. So Jesus was showing in part in washing the disciples feet, um the condition of forgiveness, one condition of forgiveness. It's not just saying, please forgive me. It's doing everything you 0:35:25 - 0:35:48 can to share with others what God has given you across the board verse 75. And this revelation unto you and commandment is in force from this very hour upon all the world and the Gospel, excuse me is unto all who have not received it but barely, I say unto all those to whom the kingdom has been given 0:35:47 - 0:36:20 from you, it must be preached unto them that they shall repent of their former evil works. This is an enormous idea. When Jesus comes again in glory, he's not coming to help the world receive what he already gave. He's coming to take those who already received what he already gave and take them higher 0:36:19 - 0:36:46 . Everyone who's not at that point yet will be destroyed in that moment because they have to be in order for what is coming next to come next. So whose duty is it to help them come up to what has already been given? It's the duty of those who have it. And it's true at every level. And so it's the responsibility 0:36:45 - 0:37:08 of those who have received to share what they have received with everyone else. There are other scriptures that support this idea. Again, we're just doing a little sample here. OK. So now we've gone through our sampling of reasons that are sufficient for you to share what you have received with others 0:37:07 - 0:37:34 to testify of what you have seen and heard or experienced. So, what exactly do you say? Well, here's a governing principle. The point isn't what you're testifying of. And this is a place where things can go very wrong. Every single thing is focused on helping people make the changes they need to make 0:37:34 - 0:38:01 to become more like Jesus. Part of that is having the reasons to believe it's possible or worth it. But the point is that they make the changes to become more like Jesus. And so almost no one will actually say anything but of the people that do. There's this tendency to focus on things that don't actually 0:38:01 - 0:38:29 matter. For example, the person who taught you. So that only matters inasmuch as it helps people change to become more like Jesus. It's not the point, it's not the point. And so when missionaries go out and they, they preach a church and they lead people to a church, that is not the point. That is not 0:38:28 - 0:38:50 the point when, when someone comes around preaching the gospel and, and then folks say you should listen to this person, he has really good things to say about the gospel. That is not the point. And by the way, recalling the example, we were talking about with religious tracts, by the way, it's not gonna 0:38:50 - 0:39:17 do any damn good because guess what? They have no reason to believe that some person would be of any value. I, I don't know if that makes sense. Tell them what actually matters. Show them how the value that they're looking for is found in where you found it that you don't have to get creative with this 0:39:16 - 0:39:36 . It's all over the scriptures. You know, if, if you were in a wheelchair and Jesus caused you to stand out of that wheelchair. Wouldn't that be the leading reason of you sharing that with other people? You'd say you wouldn't say, oh Jesus is the son of God. Therefore, you should believe in Him. You'd 0:39:36 - 0:40:03 say Jesus, I was in a wheelchair and I'm not anymore because of Jesus. You should believe in Him. You see. So, so how does this work on, on someone that's not Jesus? Ok. Maybe you'd say uh just using apostles names here for the sake of it. Maybe you'd say, um I thought I believed in God and then I met 0:40:03 - 0:40:29 John the revelator and through the things that John, the revelator taught me about Jesus who he knows face to face. I found the power to actually repent of my sins. I don't sin anymore. And it's because of Jesus and let me share with you the things I learned about him and that's appropriate. That's the 0:40:29 - 0:40:54 way it's supposed to be done. Now, usually when people jump straight to, let me tell you about John the revelator. He's the greatest guy that ever lived. The reason is because they're lazy and faithless and very confused because they haven't actually done any of the things that John the revelator taught 0:40:54 - 0:41:17 them to do and they haven't repented, they're not out of the wheelchair, whatever. And it's easier to just tell someone about a person than it is about Jesus. Because if you have evidence of Jesus, it can only be because you actually do what he says because that's what he said in John 717. If you do 0:41:16 - 0:41:43 what he said, you'll know DNC 5216, it says labor, let them labor with their families declaring none other things than the prophets and apostles that which they have seen and heard. And most assuredly believe that the prophecies may be fulfilled that which they have seen and heard. And most assuredly 0:41:42 - 0:42:04 believe not some random thing, not something they just kind of believe, not something they hope is true, what you've seen and heard. And most assuredly believe these are things that actually have happened to you or things that you heard and then actually did and now you have your own testimony of them 0:42:04 - 0:42:25 and it's always limited to what you have sufficient reason for. I did a very long video on John chapter nine. And in my mind, that's one of the best examples of this principle of limiting your testimony to what you have sufficient reason for if you come out swinging and you say, oh, I know all these 0:42:25 - 0:42:44 deep mysteries of the gospel, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah blah. And someone says why? And you're like, uh I don't know, I had a warm feeling then you're actually gonna cause them to believe less, not more, less because now you're yet another reason to associate these things which may 0:42:43 - 0:43:14 well be true with a bunch of idiots who do much more than they have sufficient reason for. So don't push thing, don't make things worse, right? Focus everything on Jesus. Focus everything on what you have actually experienced what you can independently describe and testify of. Now, I know that this is 0:43:14 - 0:43:42 a scary thing. And it's serious enough that I am going to share something personal to me. Um As is the case, I hope with everything I share of this nature, it's only because the promises, these promises that the Lord has made me are 100% applicable to you too. It's for everybody because we're all, we 0:43:42 - 0:44:12 all have access to the conditions that make it true. And this is what he said to me and what I say to you in his name. I have sent you as a flash of light and a shaft of lightning into the darkness of the spot in my vineyard where I have planted you arise and shine, take my light and shine it to all 0:44:12 - 0:44:36 , you know, using wisdom, love and sincerity. And I will use you to call forth my Children from the darkness in which they sit. I've sent you as a sheep among wolves. But those who are with you are much greater than those who oppose you. I am your shield and your protection and I will be your arm and 0:44:36 - 0:45:09 your strength. Fear, not what men can do. The bonds between us are stronger than anything they can give or take away. I've conquered everything that can concern you, follow me, trust me and feel my strength inside you. This is the opportunity that the Lord offers us every single time. He reveals his 0:00:00 - 0:00:30 Today, we're going to talk about two sides of a coin dealing with when we should say something and what we should say now that's specifically related to the context of the miracles that we have received from God, whether this be things that we have learned miracles, we have received, whatever we're gonna 0:00:30 - 0:01:03 start on the speak up side of the coin. Here's a nice reference from Isaiah 48 verse six. Thou hast heard, see all this and will not ye declare it. So we have a responsibility to declare or testify of the things that we know. It's really important. So what I'd like to do is just go through a bunch of 0:01:03 - 0:01:34 scriptures that briefly illustrate some of the many reasons why we need to speak up. One reason is that you are still in a place where whoever did the speaking in the first place is not. And you know, just to make it explicit the agent here, it could be an angel seen or unseen, it could be the holy ghost 0:01:34 - 0:01:56 , it could be the voice of the Lord. It could be a mortal messenger. And I'd like to invite you to focus on at on all of those, but in particular, on the mortal Messenger part, that's, that's the specific reason I'm making this presentation. People do not understand what their duties and opportunities 0:01:55 - 0:02:27 are in that regard. So here's a passage from Mark Five and in this case, the agent is Jesus during his mortal ministry. And that's where almost all of these examples are gonna come from. It's an easy source. Um So this is the, the story of when he goes to uh Deca deca and he heals the man that's possessed 0:02:26 - 0:02:55 by a legion of devils. And after that's all said and done, he, he um the legions, the legions asks him if they can go out of the man and into the pigs, the herd of pigs that was there and Jesus said fine and then they run off and into the water and kill themselves. And so the, the townspeople came running 0:02:55 - 0:03:13 to find out what all the hubbub was was. And that's where we pick up the story in verse 15. And they come to Jesus and see him that was possessed with the devil and had the legion sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid, let's put, just pause there because there's some important 0:03:13 - 0:03:33 things to just highlight here. So this, this guy had been in, they had tried to chain him up and he kept breaking the chain. So he was like partially chained and naked and just crazy doing violent things to anyone who would come anywhere near him. And, you know, that's a scary thing if you imagine someone 0:03:32 - 0:03:57 like that hanging out behind your house or something. And then, uh yeah, where the authorities had just given up like Bob, sorry, there's nothing we can do to crazy naked chain man. Um And then, uh but, but when they see him relief from all of that and clothe like a normal person and sitting not just 0:03:57 - 0:00:00 running around rapidly um that they were afraid. And this is interesting and, and it's Mark is a great gospel to go over to see many examples of this. But everyone assumes that any manifestation of God will leave them full of peace and love and rainbows and puppies. And yet if you read through Mark, 0:00:00 - 0:04:44 you'll get a much clearer idea of how normal people react to holy things. And one of those reactions is fear, another is hatred and that's shocking to people. Oh, I would never do that. Oh, maybe you would. So these normal people, they were afraid and now watch their other reaction verse 16 and they 0:04:44 - 0:05:05 saw it, told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil. It also concerning the swine. So you see their natural reaction wasn't curiosity of my goodness. This is such a drastic change to what was here before, what could have caused this and obviously whatever caused it is good because 0:05:05 - 0:05:28 this is a much better outcome. No, they were afraid. And then when they found out, verse 17, they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. The reaction was get out of here, buddy. We don't want you here. We don't like your kind. Verse 18. And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed 0:05:28 - 0:05:51 with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. So the former legion wanted to come with verse 19, howbeit, Jesus suffered him not but saith unto him. Go home to thy friends and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee and hath had compassion on thee and he departed and began to publish 0:05:51 - 0:06:15 into capitalist how great things Jesus had done for him and all men did. Marvel. Not just some. Oh so this man got to stay in his hometown while Jesus left the, the people refused to listen to anything Jesus had to say. They didn't just kindly ask him to leave. They prayed that he would go. It was a 0:06:15 - 0:06:40 forceful get out of here and they weren't gonna listen to anything he had to say. But this man, this man got to stay behind and they listened to him. And this is one of the reasons why you should speak up because as the people do the things that you see and experience, they will be asked to leave or 0:06:39 - 0:07:07 made to leave, but you are still there, you still have an entry point to those people. And you can say and do things that the person who said and did them to, you will not be allowed to do or say next reason you can go uh to the places that the one who spoke to you has not yet gone. Here's just one of 0:07:07 - 0:07:32 many examples of this John 12 starting in verse 17, the people therefore, that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave and raised him from the dead bear record for this cause. The people also met him for that. They had heard, they heard that he had done this miracle. The Pharisees therefore 0:07:31 - 0:07:51 said among themselves perceive ye how ye prevail nothing behold, the world is gone after him. And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast. The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Beth Beth Zeta of Galilee and desired him saying sir, we would see Jesus. So what 0:07:51 - 0:08:15 happens? Well, a boulder is thrown in the middle of a still water and the water ripples out to the shores. So there were a bunch of people with Jesus when he called Lazarus out of his grave and they bore record or they told other people what they had s had seen, which was Lazarus was dead and we saw 0:08:15 - 0:08:41 Jesus bring him back to life. And because they did this, the some of the people who heard this came to see Jesus and that would not have otherwise happened. And just to, to, to accentuate the reach of this, they, the story mentions that that some of those that went to see Jesus were Greek, they were 0:08:41 - 0:09:05 foreigners. That's, that's how distant the message had had gone. Not to Greece because they were there at the feast. But, but it had surpassed cultural boundaries. This is extraordinarily important. It's very important. So as you, as you speak, what you have heard and what you've, you tell what you've 0:09:05 - 0:09:30 experienced, the message will reach people and create pathways back to the source that would not otherwise exist. This is extraordinarily important in our day. You see, we are inundated with technology that gives us the illusion of being connected, but shockingly or not shockingly if you have eyes to 0:09:30 - 0:09:55 see and you look and you wonder how these things can be used to accelerate or create new connections for flowing the light, it's exceedingly limited. And because to a large degree, these technological connections have replaced the old fashioned ones, you could make a strong argument that things are worse 0:09:55 - 0:10:15 now, not better in terms of being able to connect people to greater light. It's harder now, not easier. And, and if you want evidence for this, just give an answer to the question, how would you go and find someone who's particularly ready and hungering and thirsting for greater righteousness using the 0:10:15 - 0:10:38 internet? How would you find that person it's tremendously difficult, tremendously difficult. And it's, it's, uh it's a lot more difficult with females than males. It turns out, but I digress men, men are much more easy to find online than women in terms of people seeking light. Um And that's because 0:10:37 - 0:11:04 men will go out and ask questions or, you know, make comments on videos and things much more often than women. Uh uh women who are seeking light, they usually don't go out, they go in. But anyway, OK, another reason is to provide extra evidence in the form of multiple witnesses. It's very often the case 0:11:03 - 0:11:23 that the testimony of a bystander can be much more powerful than someone who bears witness of themselves. In Second Corinthians 13 1, we read in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. And that was just echoing the law of Moses. This was the standard of truth that you'd have 0:11:23 - 0:11:46 at least two people saying the same thing in Second Timothy 22, we read in the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same, commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also. And that's, that's an echo of this. Well, this is kind of meta but this is an echo of the 0:11:46 - 0:12:11 echo. Um This is, this is a rehashing of the previous theme that we talked about. But in order for that to happen, someone else has to also bear witness Right. So, so there, there's a difference between saying I heard this and I heard and believe this, right? And the believe part, it, it adds strength 0:12:10 - 0:12:33 to the argument because before it was just one person's opinion and now it's at least two people's at least opinion and maybe it's more than an opinion. Now, another reason is because private miracles require public testimony. There are so many things, uh events, stories in the scriptures that we speak 0:12:33 - 0:12:54 about or read so frequently that we take lightly and we might gloss over the fact that no one was there to see them either, either, no one, no one like in get semi, the only person that was there that was mortal was Jesus. The the apostles were sleeping and somehow we have this account, right? But there 0:12:54 - 0:13:13 were also events where just a few people were there, the mount of transfiguration when uh that that Tabitha girl was brought back to life and uh so on. We just read the story of uh or referred to the story of Lazarus being raised from the dead, not everyone was there. And so it becomes incumbent upon 0:13:13 - 0:13:37 the few that are there to say something about it. Jesus said what I tell you in darkness that speak ye in light and what ye hear in the ear that preach ye upon the housetops. We don't have um examples that I can recall off the top of my head of Jesus. Ever referring to his miracles after the fact, I'm 0:13:36 - 0:13:59 not sure he ever said um it to an audience. Hey, this one time I raised this girl Tabitha from the dead. Hey, this one time I, I multiplied loaves and fishes miraculously. Therefore, believe in me. Do you remember him ever saying that? And so we derive that there are at least some cases where it would 0:13:58 - 0:14:22 be inappropriate for a person to testify of the things that God had done through them. At least some cases where that would be inappropriate. And so who does it devolve upon to say something about it? Cause the whole point of all the works of God or to testify of Him. And so if, if there's not a chain 0:14:21 - 0:14:42 , if a link is missing in the chain, then it doesn't go anywhere. But uh what you would like is for the water to hit all the crops before it goes out to sea. Not just that it goes straight out to sea after hitting one crop, 11 little corn plant and then straight out to sea or straight into the aquifer 0:14:41 - 0:15:06 below, you'd like it to be used by, by all the plants. And so if you receive the teachings or works of God in your life, then it's up to you to continue that on to pass along what you've received so freely, to freely give what you freely received. And I can tell you it's, it's heartbreaking to know of 0:15:06 - 0:15:28 so many things that I've seen the Lord do in the lives of people and they don't tell us all about it. And I don't understand, I don't understand. They're, they're so willing to say other things, mostly kind of nonsensical things or things that don't matter very much or to fight about things to argue 0:15:27 - 0:15:50 . But I think our loudest message should be the purest representation we can make of the goodness that, that God has done in our lives. And it's a real shame that people don't do this. And it leaves others thinking just so just think in the case of Jesus, if no one had talked about this, this dead girl 0:15:49 - 0:16:14 being brought back to life, that would be missing from his record, no one would know about it. And and there'd be all these people saying things like this guy claims to be the Messiah and yet he doesn't do any mighty works. Now he did do mighty works in public, but not at first, he didn't, not at first 0:16:13 - 0:16:36 he didn't. And also only a fraction of what he did was in public. It seems like there's some correlation between the strength of the miracle and the privacy of its nature. In the case of the dead girl, he dismissed out of the house, all the many people that were there to mourn her death, it was just 0:16:36 - 0:17:01 him and the parents, not any other guests, it says right there. So those are things to think about. We'll just share two more accounts on this point. This one's from John five. Jesus says, ye sent unto John and he bear witness unto the truth. That's John the Baptist. But I receive not testimony from 0:17:01 - 0:17:19 man. But these things I say that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light and you were willing for season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than that of John for the works which the Father hath given me to finish. The same works that I do bear witness of me that the father 0:17:18 - 0:17:37 hath sent me and the father himself which hath sent me hath borne witness of me. You have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape. And we know what John, the Baptist said about Jesus. Here it is from John one. He said, behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. This 0:17:37 - 0:17:57 is he, of whom I said after me cometh a man which is preferred before me for he was before me. And John Bear record saying I saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove and it abode upon him. And I knew him not but he that sent me to baptize with water. The same said unto me upon whom thou shalt 0:17:57 - 0:18:20 see the spirit descending and remaining on him. The same is he which baptize with the holy ghost. And I saw and bear record that this is the son of God. And so Jesus is saying in John five, he doesn't need anyone to testify of him because what he did and does is enough to testify of Him. However, God 0:18:20 - 0:18:41 does send people to testify of Jesus and people uh Jesus doesn't need it, but people do. People do need other human witnesses. And uh the evidence for that is, is look around, no one receives Jesus for, for his fullness. And so something else is needed because he's already provided his witness. And so 0:18:41 - 0:19:09 God sent John to testify of Jesus because John was designed such or prepared such that he could see and hear things that other people could not see and hear. So not everyone was at jesus' baptism, but only John had been told by the angel that told him to baptize that this uh the spirit would descend 0:19:08 - 0:19:32 and remain upon one of the people he baptized and that that was the Son of God and that that's how he would know. And so when we read of the the spirit descending like a dove, we just assume that everyone there saw it. It doesn't say that it doesn't say that. And what we read here is that that sign would 0:19:32 - 0:19:58 only have made sense to John because he was the one that was told what it meant. And so he was the one that said this is the Son of God. Now, regardless as to who heard the, the voice and who saw what and whatever the point is, when you witness the work of God, you have a, an opportunity and a duty to 0:19:58 - 0:20:24 share that with those who didn't see it, who didn't experience it because they weren't there or they didn't notice even if they were there. Another reason is to work around prejudice. This is a really big one. And John seven we read then Jesus said, unto them, my time is not yet come, but your time is 0:20:24 - 0:20:47 always ready. The world cannot hate you but me it hate because I testify of it that the works thereof are evil. So this was in response to his brothers asking him why he wasn't going up to the feast in Jerusalem. And and he said, because they want to kill me and his brothers knew this. And it's actually 0:20:47 - 0:21:11 a super sad story because it suggests that they were trying to get him to do what they knew would be fatal. However, um the takeaway from these two verses for, for our application here is that you still have a voice with people that the person doing the works and the teaching does not have. So they will 0:21:11 - 0:21:33 not listen to that character because of the prejudice they have against him or her, but they will listen to you. You still have an entrance because you are not yet as holy as that person. And therefore they do not hate you. As much as they hate that person. This is really, really, really important, you 0:21:33 - 0:22:00 know, that, that lady Riley Gaines, she's, she's a textbook example of this principle. She's hardcore marching on the, the problem of men pretending they're women. And she was a swimmer in college and uh she had to compete against a man in her, her, uh, you know, female category and of course she lost 0:22:00 - 0:22:24 and now she's out of college and she's made this her career as far as it seems. But she's certainly taken a stand and put her face in her name against this. And uh she's gained a lot of attention. Well, she can't be canceled because one, she's a woman, two, she had to deal with this as a collegiate athlete 0:22:24 - 0:22:48 and three, she's squeaky clean. Trust me. If there were any dirt whatsoever on this lady, they would cancel her hard core and they're trying, but they're failing badly. And what I mean by squeaky clean is the following. This is not a lady who's taken up as valiant, a charge of truth in all issues on 0:22:48 - 0:23:08 all issues. She chose one hill to die on and she's dying on it and she's doing a fantastic job because this makes, makes her testimony above reproach. Do you understand? They can't use their dirty tricks to take her out by saying yeah, but you know, she hates Muslims or something, whatever, whatever 0:23:08 - 0:23:30 made up story. You know, if she were a man, they'd come up with some, some, they'd find some women willing to lie and charge the man with some kind of false accusations of whatever. But because she's a woman, they, they really haven't polished that tactic yet with the ladies. Um And so she is able to 0:23:30 - 0:23:54 work around the limits of the tactics that would otherwise be used against her. And people have a harder time hating her because she's a one sh 11 issue person, she's a one issue person and the world needs one issue people. But the thing is, is that one issue, people can't produce what all issue people 0:23:54 - 0:24:17 can. It's a different level of holiness. But those people have to be the ones that take up the charge and take up the water and bring it to the end of the row because it's, it's, uh it's harder for everyone to hate those people. Do you understand? So that's, that's like, um, if you look at COVID, for 0:24:16 - 0:24:36 example, the COVID shot, there were early people who are saying this is a really bad idea. And here's why. And the earlier you go, the more faith that's required to say things like that because it's still early, the more likely that person is saying things like that across the board because they're closer 0:24:36 - 0:24:56 to God, they're closer to truth, they see things and they live it all the time across the board. And so the, the earlier the, the greater the faith of the person, the more likely they have all sorts of spokes on their wheel. It's not just one spoke and, um, any of those spokes that's far enough, a field 0:24:56 - 0:25:18 of where the world stands on the issue can be used as a weapon to silence them or to discredit them or to turn public opinion against them. It's very easy to do. They know this, it's in their playbook. Ok. So there's tremendous value for people who hear those things from those full wheel people with 0:25:18 - 0:25:39 all the spokes of truth or more spokes of truth and to take up one spoke and say this is gonna be my issue. There are people who do this with abortion. There are people who do this with, with all the issues and it's a wonderful thing and we need more people like that because those people can't be hated 0:25:39 - 0:25:57 by the world yet. I'm not saying there aren't people who don't hate Riley Gaines. I'm just saying they have no standing. They can't convince others that their hatred is founded and that's a good thing, but that only becomes more true as you go down the mountain. And if that's where you are, that's why 0:25:57 - 0:26:18 it's so important for you to do this to speak up. Another reason is because different people respond differently to the same stimuli. This is really important and also well demonstrated by the scriptures, you can go through and read different miracles that happen or different sermons that are, are given 0:26:17 - 0:26:44 and you'll find with the same exact stimulus, there's a multitude of different responses ranging from, this is great. I'm gonna change my whole life and turn to God all the way to let's kill this guy and it's the same exact miracle or sermon. And so, um, because of these differences, it's necessary to 0:26:43 - 0:27:12 , it's necessary to make use of all of the people who, I guess it's necessary to use all people from every piece of that spectrum. What I mean by that is as you go through the scriptures, you'll see many cases where someone heard the gospel or experienced it and then they're able to bring it to someone 0:27:11 - 0:27:34 who absolutely would not have reacted the same way to the same stimulus that that person did. And that's very important and time only allows for so many examples. But here's one from Heli in 939. And there were some were some of the Nephites who believed on the words of Nephi. And there were some also 0:27:34 - 0:27:52 who believed because of the testimony of the five for they had been converted while they were in prison. You have to go to the reference to get the whole story. But the point is there's this cascade and some people believed in the words of this teacher, this prophet Nephi who is teaching and doing works 0:27:51 - 0:28:17 doing miracles. Some people believed him directly and, and some people only believed because of the testimony of some people who saw some things that he did and shared that and, and you see this pattern again and again and again, here's one from John four. This is the, the woman uh who is getting water 0:28:16 - 0:28:36 at the well and met Jesus and he has this prolonged conversation with her and she becomes convinced that he's the messiah. And in verse 28 it says, the woman then left her water pot and went her way into the city in Samaria and say to the men, come see a man which told me all things that ever I did is 0:28:36 - 0:29:00 not this the Christ. Then they went out of the city and came unto him. Now this is important uh for several reasons. But one is, the lady doesn't just say what she believes, which is that this is the Christ she leads with the reasons she has to believe those are actually much, much more important she 0:29:00 - 0:29:17 says because this person knew everything I've ever done, even though I just met him, obviously, he's the Christ. And now all those people get to think about those reasons and say, ok, well, what do I think about that? And in this case, they went out of the city to come to meet him because they're like 0:29:16 - 0:29:38 , ok, well, this seems interesting enough that we'll stop what we're doing and go see at least what this guy has to say. But had he come himself. Here's the question, would he have been able to say or do what would have been required to attract their attention? And this is where you should go reread 0:29:37 - 0:30:06 moroi seven about faith and how faith cascades through people. The, the Jesus didn't perform all miracles for all people. He didn't teach all things to all people. And if this lady who they knew and trusted, obviously, if this lady hadn't come and said these things, then these people would not have believed 0:30:05 - 0:30:32 in Jesus. And so our participation in this is absolutely necessary and people don't get that. They just think, well, you know, let's suppose someone hands you a tract, a gospel tract and you read it and you're like, this is great. I'm gonna change my life. God's real. Hallelujah. The immediate thought 0:30:31 - 0:30:50 in, in those people's heads. Well, the first thought is the person that handed me this tract can go hand tracks to everyone else. I know I don't actually have to do anything and all those people will respond the same way. And that's a fallacy on multiple levels. It's not true at all. But the next, the 0:30:50 - 0:31:09 next step up from that is to say, ok, Mr Gospel preacher, give me a bunch of copies of the same tracts that I responded to and I'm gonna go hand them out to others. Well, guess what? That's not gonna do? Jack squat in all likelihood, because if those people were willing to respond to that they already 0:31:08 - 0:31:29 would have, they already would have. So, something different is necessary right now, maybe the difference is these people also know you and that certainly would be a difference. If they trust you, they might be more willing to listen to the track where they wouldn't be just from a stranger. Fair enough 0:31:29 - 0:31:49 . But what I'm saying is if you go out into pe, you know, go to people that you don't already know you're just doing the same thing the guy before you did and they didn't listen to him either. So why are they gonna listen to you? This is the heartbreaking thing about people who say, ok, I'm fired up 0:31:48 - 0:32:12 . I wanna help share the gospel. So what do you do? Start handing out scriptures? I hate to tell you, but those are already available. Anybody is gonna be converted based on that is already converted pretty much, ok? There's a much, much bigger pool of people that, that don't believe in God or don't 0:32:11 - 0:32:31 believe in God as much because what they're missing is something different. So what's something different? What, what are the possibilities here? I'll just cut to the chase. The biggest one is you learning what's in those scriptures and living it. That's the biggest one that would, that would provide 0:32:30 - 0:32:49 to them something very different than what they've seen before and something very different than what they've heard before. If instead of quoting scriptures that are in this archaic language that no one understands unless they've studied it their whole lives and isn't really organized in a way to maximize 0:32:48 - 0:33:11 proof. If, instead of just vomiting that up to somebody or handing them a book, they're never gonna read least of all 100 times, which is what it would take to really understand what it says. Why don't you tell them in your own words and words? They will understand what the, the smallest increment of 0:33:11 - 0:33:36 improvement is in their lives and then give them sufficient reasons to do it. And if they do it, give them some more, thats much different, isn't it? Anyway? Another reason is that this is what God expects of us. And with all these reasons, you might start to see why. But it's a really big deal in Matthew 0:33:36 - 0:33:53 10 Jesus said, whosoever therefore, shall confess me before men Him will I confess also before my father, which is in heaven, but whosoever shall deny me before men Him will I also deny before my father, which is in heaven. This doesn't just mean that you have to say that you believe in God. If you believe 0:33:53 - 0:34:13 in God, it also means you have to call all good things good, all useful things useful because those things come from God. And if you see miracles, you need to tell other people what you saw. And if you hear wisdom, you need to tell other people what you heard. Because if you're not doing that. You're 0:34:13 - 0:34:37 denying him before men DNC 84 we read for, I will forgive you of your sins with this commandment. So that sounds pretty important, doesn't it? It's a condition of forgiveness that you remain steadfast in your minds, in solemnity and the spirit of prayer, in bearing testimony to all the world of those 0:34:36 - 0:35:01 things which are communicated unto you. That should be pretty earth shattering for you to hear. This is a condition of forgiveness. Next verse therefore, go ye into all the world and unto whatsoever place ye cannot go. Ye shall send that the testimony may go from you into all the world unto every creature 0:35:01 - 0:35:25 . So we have this, this phrase that some of us know that is to be free of the blood and sins of this generation. So Jesus was showing in part in washing the disciples feet, um the condition of forgiveness, one condition of forgiveness. It's not just saying, please forgive me. It's doing everything you 0:35:25 - 0:35:48 can to share with others what God has given you across the board verse 75. And this revelation unto you and commandment is in force from this very hour upon all the world and the Gospel, excuse me is unto all who have not received it but barely, I say unto all those to whom the kingdom has been given 0:35:47 - 0:36:20 from you, it must be preached unto them that they shall repent of their former evil works. This is an enormous idea. When Jesus comes again in glory, he's not coming to help the world receive what he already gave. He's coming to take those who already received what he already gave and take them higher 0:36:19 - 0:36:46 . Everyone who's not at that point yet will be destroyed in that moment because they have to be in order for what is coming next to come next. So whose duty is it to help them come up to what has already been given? It's the duty of those who have it. And it's true at every level. And so it's the responsibility 0:36:45 - 0:37:08 of those who have received to share what they have received with everyone else. There are other scriptures that support this idea. Again, we're just doing a little sample here. OK. So now we've gone through our sampling of reasons that are sufficient for you to share what you have received with others 0:37:07 - 0:37:34 to testify of what you have seen and heard or experienced. So, what exactly do you say? Well, here's a governing principle. The point isn't what you're testifying of. And this is a place where things can go very wrong. Every single thing is focused on helping people make the changes they need to make 0:37:34 - 0:38:01 to become more like Jesus. Part of that is having the reasons to believe it's possible or worth it. But the point is that they make the changes to become more like Jesus. And so almost no one will actually say anything but of the people that do. There's this tendency to focus on things that don't actually 0:38:01 - 0:38:29 matter. For example, the person who taught you. So that only matters inasmuch as it helps people change to become more like Jesus. It's not the point, it's not the point. And so when missionaries go out and they, they preach a church and they lead people to a church, that is not the point. That is not 0:38:28 - 0:38:50 the point when, when someone comes around preaching the gospel and, and then folks say you should listen to this person, he has really good things to say about the gospel. That is not the point. And by the way, recalling the example, we were talking about with religious tracts, by the way, it's not gonna 0:38:50 - 0:39:17 do any damn good because guess what? They have no reason to believe that some person would be of any value. I, I don't know if that makes sense. Tell them what actually matters. Show them how the value that they're looking for is found in where you found it that you don't have to get creative with this 0:39:16 - 0:39:36 . It's all over the scriptures. You know, if, if you were in a wheelchair and Jesus caused you to stand out of that wheelchair. Wouldn't that be the leading reason of you sharing that with other people? You'd say you wouldn't say, oh Jesus is the son of God. Therefore, you should believe in Him. You'd 0:39:36 - 0:40:03 say Jesus, I was in a wheelchair and I'm not anymore because of Jesus. You should believe in Him. You see. So, so how does this work on, on someone that's not Jesus? Ok. Maybe you'd say uh just using apostles names here for the sake of it. Maybe you'd say, um I thought I believed in God and then I met 0:40:03 - 0:40:29 John the revelator and through the things that John, the revelator taught me about Jesus who he knows face to face. I found the power to actually repent of my sins. I don't sin anymore. And it's because of Jesus and let me share with you the things I learned about him and that's appropriate. That's the 0:40:29 - 0:40:54 way it's supposed to be done. Now, usually when people jump straight to, let me tell you about John the revelator. He's the greatest guy that ever lived. The reason is because they're lazy and faithless and very confused because they haven't actually done any of the things that John the revelator taught 0:40:54 - 0:41:17 them to do and they haven't repented, they're not out of the wheelchair, whatever. And it's easier to just tell someone about a person than it is about Jesus. Because if you have evidence of Jesus, it can only be because you actually do what he says because that's what he said in John 717. If you do 0:41:16 - 0:41:43 what he said, you'll know DNC 5216, it says labor, let them labor with their families declaring none other things than the prophets and apostles that which they have seen and heard. And most assuredly believe that the prophecies may be fulfilled that which they have seen and heard. And most assuredly 0:41:42 - 0:42:04 believe not some random thing, not something they just kind of believe, not something they hope is true, what you've seen and heard. And most assuredly believe these are things that actually have happened to you or things that you heard and then actually did and now you have your own testimony of them 0:42:04 - 0:42:25 and it's always limited to what you have sufficient reason for. I did a very long video on John chapter nine. And in my mind, that's one of the best examples of this principle of limiting your testimony to what you have sufficient reason for if you come out swinging and you say, oh, I know all these 0:42:25 - 0:42:44 deep mysteries of the gospel, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah blah. And someone says why? And you're like, uh I don't know, I had a warm feeling then you're actually gonna cause them to believe less, not more, less because now you're yet another reason to associate these things which may 0:42:43 - 0:43:14 well be true with a bunch of idiots who do much more than they have sufficient reason for. So don't push thing, don't make things worse, right? Focus everything on Jesus. Focus everything on what you have actually experienced what you can independently describe and testify of. Now, I know that this is 0:43:14 - 0:43:42 a scary thing. And it's serious enough that I am going to share something personal to me. Um As is the case, I hope with everything I share of this nature, it's only because the promises, these promises that the Lord has made me are 100% applicable to you too. It's for everybody because we're all, we 0:43:42 - 0:44:12 all have access to the conditions that make it true. And this is what he said to me and what I say to you in his name. I have sent you as a flash of light and a shaft of lightning into the darkness of the spot in my vineyard where I have planted you arise and shine, take my light and shine it to all 0:44:12 - 0:44:36 , you know, using wisdom, love and sincerity. And I will use you to call forth my Children from the darkness in which they sit. I've sent you as a sheep among wolves. But those who are with you are much greater than those who oppose you. I am your shield and your protection and I will be your arm and 0:44:36 - 0:45:09 your strength. Fear, not what men can do. The bonds between us are stronger than anything they can give or take away. I've conquered everything that can concern you, follow me, trust me and feel my strength inside you. This is the opportunity that the Lord offers us every single time. He reveals his 0:45:09 - 0:45:22 arm to us every single time. He shows us something of his wisdom. And his power. We have the opportunity to take up this promise and share it with others.