WEBVTT

00:00:00.381 --> 00:00:01.613
I want to share about

00:00:01.613 --> 00:00:03.626
how the Lord answered our prayer

00:00:03.626 --> 00:00:04.770
for our oldest son.

00:00:04.770 --> 00:00:07.493
Many of you've heard this with James,

00:00:07.493 --> 00:00:12.329
my oldest son.

00:00:12.329 --> 00:00:15.842
My oldest son,

00:00:15.842 --> 00:00:17.413
he was a model child

00:00:17.413 --> 00:00:20.735
until he turned 17.

00:00:20.735 --> 00:00:22.430
We thought he was a true Christian.

00:00:22.430 --> 00:00:25.873
He had made a profession of 
faith when he was young.

00:00:25.873 --> 00:00:27.457
He was a very obedient child,

00:00:27.457 --> 00:00:28.580
a very good child.

00:00:28.580 --> 00:00:30.374
He was the kind of boy that if we had

00:00:30.374 --> 00:00:32.958
any visiting preacher or 
evangelist come over,

00:00:32.958 --> 00:00:34.089
he would wash their car

00:00:34.089 --> 00:00:36.062
and try to serve them every way he could.

00:00:36.062 --> 00:00:40.315
We thought he was the real deal.

00:00:40.315 --> 00:00:43.112
But when 17 came,

00:00:43.112 --> 00:00:44.662
it was like all hell broke loose

00:00:44.662 --> 00:00:47.809
and he decided he wanted the world.

00:00:47.809 --> 00:00:49.622
And it became quickly manifest to us

00:00:49.622 --> 00:00:52.600
that he had just been pretending,

00:00:52.600 --> 00:00:54.025
playing at this business.

00:00:54.025 --> 00:00:57.072
There may be some of you that 
have been doing the same thing.

00:00:57.072 --> 00:00:58.492
You've just been pretending.

00:00:58.492 --> 00:01:03.887
Oh, we can be real good pretenders.

00:01:03.887 --> 00:01:05.549
We can play at this thing

00:01:05.549 --> 00:01:11.189
and really fool even 
the closest people to us.

00:01:11.189 --> 00:01:13.321
It became manifest in James' rebellion.

00:01:13.321 --> 00:01:15.956
He began more and more his rebellion

00:01:15.956 --> 00:01:17.675
and disobedience and stubbornness

00:01:17.675 --> 00:01:19.482
was growing in manifestation.

00:01:19.482 --> 00:01:21.203
And our hearts were breaking.

00:01:21.203 --> 00:01:23.000
It came to the place where we finally

00:01:23.000 --> 00:01:24.832
had to say, "James, if you're going to

00:01:24.832 --> 00:01:28.360
not live by our rules and do what we say

00:01:28.360 --> 00:01:30.191
and submit yourself to our authority,

00:01:30.191 --> 00:01:31.461
you're going to have to move out."

00:01:31.461 --> 00:01:33.660
He said, "I'm moving out."

00:01:33.660 --> 00:01:35.051
It was a heartbreaking thing,

00:01:35.051 --> 00:01:38.310
but sometimes you've 
got to let go of folks.

00:01:38.310 --> 00:01:40.322
You've got to let go of your own family.

00:01:40.322 --> 00:01:43.456
In fact, God was teaching 
you let go of people.

00:01:43.456 --> 00:01:44.713
We let him go.

00:01:44.713 --> 00:01:47.339
He moved out.

00:01:47.339 --> 00:01:49.520
Things went from bad to worse in his life.

00:01:49.520 --> 00:01:51.447
I mean, he plummeted the depths, folks.

00:01:51.447 --> 00:01:54.736
He went off into a life 
of sin and rebellion.

00:01:54.736 --> 00:01:56.957
Drinking.

00:01:56.957 --> 00:01:59.383
Went through a bad marriage early.

00:01:59.383 --> 00:02:02.256
All of this totally contrary, 
and our hearts were breaking.

00:02:02.256 --> 00:02:03.829
And we were thinking at the time,

00:02:03.829 --> 00:02:05.363
and many parents are tempted to think

00:02:05.363 --> 00:02:06.996
when you've got a son or a daughter

00:02:06.996 --> 00:02:08.142
that's out in rebellion,

00:02:08.142 --> 00:02:10.590
what have I done wrong?

00:02:10.590 --> 00:02:12.381
Where did I mess up?

00:02:12.381 --> 00:02:14.326
What kind of inconsistency was there

00:02:14.326 --> 00:02:16.514
that may have triggered this?

00:02:16.514 --> 00:02:18.614
So we had all this burden of thinking,

00:02:18.614 --> 00:02:20.653
not only the burden of our son

00:02:20.653 --> 00:02:21.730
being out in sin,

00:02:21.730 --> 00:02:23.167
but the burden of thinking,

00:02:23.167 --> 00:02:25.228
well, we haven't done things right

00:02:25.228 --> 00:02:27.459
because we saw other families

00:02:27.459 --> 00:02:29.653
that their children were 
walking in obedience

00:02:29.653 --> 00:02:31.657
and good and faithful and loving God.

00:02:31.657 --> 00:02:33.401
It was so heartbreaking to us

00:02:33.401 --> 00:02:35.597
that our oldest son, whom we had so much

00:02:35.597 --> 00:02:37.353
expectation and hope that he was

00:02:37.353 --> 00:02:38.965
going in the right direction.

00:02:38.965 --> 00:02:45.115
He proved to be just an absolute rebel.

00:02:45.115 --> 00:02:46.685
My wife and I, I can't tell you

00:02:46.685 --> 00:02:50.458
how many hours that we spent

00:02:50.458 --> 00:02:53.909
for several years praying for him.

00:02:53.909 --> 00:02:55.967
Praying, fasting.

00:02:55.967 --> 00:02:59.847
My wife would spend whole nights up

00:02:59.847 --> 00:03:02.488
while James was off in Tennessee

00:03:02.488 --> 00:03:04.664
working on pipeline, living like hell.

00:03:04.664 --> 00:03:08.038
She would be so burdened and moved upon

00:03:08.038 --> 00:03:09.540
because of particular dangers

00:03:09.540 --> 00:03:11.075
that James was in at the time.

00:03:11.075 --> 00:03:14.255
She would be praying for his deliverance

00:03:14.255 --> 00:03:15.914
and that the Lord would protect him

00:03:15.914 --> 00:03:17.465
and watch over him and save him

00:03:17.465 --> 00:03:22.038
and bring him home.

00:03:22.038 --> 00:03:23.947
This rocked on for several years.

00:03:23.947 --> 00:03:27.697
He was in mid-Tennessee.

00:03:27.697 --> 00:03:34.010
This was about '96.

00:03:34.010 --> 00:03:36.632
One Sunday evening,

00:03:36.632 --> 00:03:39.226
I was sitting in the living room,

00:03:39.226 --> 00:03:40.387
and I told Mae, I said,

00:03:40.387 --> 00:03:43.596
"Mae, I'm going to go 
out on the front porch

00:03:43.596 --> 00:03:47.438
and pray once more for James."

00:03:47.438 --> 00:03:48.840
I can remember it so well.

00:03:48.840 --> 00:03:50.344
I walked out on the front porch

00:03:50.344 --> 00:03:52.314
and I got on the right side of the porch

00:03:52.314 --> 00:03:53.895
where I could see the heavens,

00:03:53.895 --> 00:03:55.856
and I got down on my knees before God,

00:03:55.856 --> 00:04:01.780
and I said, "Father, God, 
You are Lord over all,

00:04:01.780 --> 00:04:03.065
and You do as You please

00:04:03.065 --> 00:04:05.485
and no man can command 
You or tell You what to do.

00:04:05.485 --> 00:04:07.611
Lord, if You kill my own son

00:04:07.611 --> 00:04:09.877
and put him in hell tonight,

00:04:09.877 --> 00:04:12.219
You would be just in doing so.

00:04:12.219 --> 00:04:14.531
You have that right, 
but Lord, if You would,

00:04:14.531 --> 00:04:16.834
would You save him?

00:04:16.834 --> 00:04:20.165
You could save him. Would You save him?"

00:04:20.165 --> 00:04:21.960
And the Lord spoke to my heart

00:04:21.960 --> 00:04:24.433
as clear as I've ever heard anything.

00:04:24.433 --> 00:04:28.961
"I've heard your prayer."

00:04:28.961 --> 00:04:31.083
I came back in. I said, "Mama,

00:04:31.083 --> 00:04:33.081
God's going to save James."

00:04:33.081 --> 00:04:35.986
You remember it, Mae?

00:04:35.986 --> 00:04:41.167
You remember it?

00:04:41.167 --> 00:04:42.524
God's going to save James.

00:04:42.524 --> 00:04:48.266
I don't know when and I don't know how.

00:04:48.266 --> 00:04:51.293
But the Lord's going to work.

00:04:51.293 --> 00:04:55.754
The next day at noon, the phone rang.

00:04:55.754 --> 00:04:57.614
At noon. We were both home,

00:04:57.614 --> 00:04:59.156
in the living room.

00:04:59.156 --> 00:05:02.523
Guess who was on the 
other end of the line?

00:05:02.523 --> 00:05:06.042
James.

00:05:06.042 --> 00:05:10.158
"Daddy, would you pray for me?

00:05:10.158 --> 00:05:13.935
I've got to get right with God."

00:05:13.935 --> 00:05:19.140
The next day!

00:05:19.140 --> 00:05:24.302
"I've got to get right with God.

00:05:24.302 --> 00:05:27.688
Would you pray for me?

00:05:27.688 --> 00:05:32.775
I went out today and bought me a Bible.

00:05:32.775 --> 00:05:36.780
And I've started reading it.

00:05:36.780 --> 00:05:41.181
My life's falling apart.

00:05:41.181 --> 00:05:44.583
I need the Lord.

00:05:44.583 --> 00:05:46.110
Would you pray for me?"

00:05:46.110 --> 00:05:54.135
I said, "Sure, James. I'll pray for you."

00:05:54.144 --> 00:05:57.056
He called me back the next day.

00:05:57.056 --> 00:05:59.758
He said, "Daddy, the Lord hasn't saved me,

00:05:59.758 --> 00:06:01.621
but I'm reading the Scriptures."

00:06:01.621 --> 00:06:06.215
And he had met a girl over in Tennessee

00:06:06.215 --> 00:06:09.981
which invited him to a 
charismatic-type church,

00:06:09.981 --> 00:06:11.391
and he went to church.

00:06:11.391 --> 00:06:12.980
In fact, he'd gone to church

00:06:12.980 --> 00:06:15.479
that particular past Sunday.

00:06:15.479 --> 00:06:18.927
When the Lord started 
putting him under conviction,

00:06:18.927 --> 00:06:20.159
he told her, he said,

00:06:20.159 --> 00:06:24.556
"I don't need this hooping and hollering,

00:06:24.556 --> 00:06:26.247
I need to go to a church

00:06:26.247 --> 00:06:31.572
where somebody will tell me 
something I need to hear."

00:06:31.572 --> 00:06:33.240
See, he had been raised under

00:06:33.240 --> 00:06:34.623
the preaching of the truth

00:06:34.623 --> 00:06:36.923
and he could discern the difference

00:06:36.923 --> 00:06:38.865
between what was being preached

00:06:38.865 --> 00:06:41.063
in this other group.

00:06:41.063 --> 00:06:45.410
I said, "James, surely there's 
some place over there

00:06:45.410 --> 00:06:47.447
that preaches the Gospel;

00:06:47.447 --> 00:06:49.997
some place over there that 
you can hear the truth."

00:06:49.997 --> 00:06:52.347
He said, "Yeah, that's 
what I told Shelly."

00:06:52.347 --> 00:06:55.660
He said, "We've got to find a 
church that preaches something."

00:06:55.660 --> 00:06:57.951
Sad thing, again, it's a burden.

00:06:57.951 --> 00:07:03.085
So, he said, "would you have the people,

00:07:03.085 --> 00:07:04.842
Wednesday night, would you have

00:07:04.842 --> 00:07:06.315
a special prayer meeting for me

00:07:06.315 --> 00:07:07.748
that the Lord would save me?

00:07:07.748 --> 00:07:10.138
I want you to ask the people in the church

00:07:10.138 --> 00:07:11.011
to pray for me."

00:07:11.011 --> 00:07:12.883
I said, "Sure, James, we'll pray for you.

00:07:12.883 --> 00:07:15.645
You just keep reading your 
Bible and seeking the Lord."

00:07:15.645 --> 00:07:18.842
Because we both knew that 
this thing of being saved

00:07:18.842 --> 00:07:21.043
was not just saying a little prayer

00:07:21.043 --> 00:07:24.164
and it was not going 
through an A-B-C solution,

00:07:24.164 --> 00:07:27.048
that God had to save you;

00:07:27.048 --> 00:07:30.034
that God had to do a work in 
your life and change you.

00:07:30.034 --> 00:07:32.976
He'd gone through the little routine

00:07:32.976 --> 00:07:36.236
and knew that that 
didn't work, as it were.

00:07:36.236 --> 00:07:38.030
He had to have God save him.

00:07:38.030 --> 00:07:39.518
He said, "Pray for me."

00:07:39.518 --> 00:07:41.548
That Wednesday night in our prayer meeting

00:07:41.548 --> 00:07:42.801
our flock had gathered.

00:07:42.801 --> 00:07:44.469
Here's what's so unusual, that day,

00:07:44.469 --> 00:07:46.288
we were in a study -

00:07:46.288 --> 00:07:48.468
something pertaining to Christian life

00:07:48.468 --> 00:07:49.908
and Christian living.

00:07:49.908 --> 00:07:52.051
That particular day, the 
Lord moved upon me

00:07:52.051 --> 00:07:54.721
and gave me a message from 1 John 1:8-9

00:07:54.721 --> 00:07:56.956
and I couldn't understand why.

00:07:56.956 --> 00:07:59.299
"If we say we have no sin, 
we deceive ourselves

00:07:59.299 --> 00:08:01.251
and the truth is not in us,
but if we confess our sins,

00:08:01.251 --> 00:08:03.634
He is faithful and just 
to forgive us our sins

00:08:03.634 --> 00:08:05.912
and to cleanse us from 
all unrighteousness."

00:08:05.912 --> 00:08:07.990
And the Lord just put upon me heavily

00:08:07.990 --> 00:08:10.269
a message on the forgiveness of sins,

00:08:10.269 --> 00:08:12.398
and how that if we'd be 
honest and faithful

00:08:12.398 --> 00:08:13.762
to confess our sins,

00:08:13.762 --> 00:08:15.636
God was faithful to His Word

00:08:15.636 --> 00:08:16.597
and would cleanse us

00:08:16.597 --> 00:08:18.221
regardless of what our sins were,

00:08:18.221 --> 00:08:20.489
regardless of how deeply wicked they were,

00:08:20.489 --> 00:08:23.059
He'd just cleanse us for 
the sake of His Son,

00:08:23.059 --> 00:08:24.506
the Lord Jesus.

00:08:24.506 --> 00:08:27.199
And I had that and I 
said I don't know why...

00:08:27.199 --> 00:08:28.536
but I'm going to preach it

00:08:28.536 --> 00:08:30.054
because that was what was on my heart.

00:08:30.054 --> 00:08:31.816
Well, I had just finished telling the people

00:08:31.816 --> 00:08:35.044
that Wednesday afternoon,

00:08:35.044 --> 00:08:40.353
"Folks, James called 
and is under conviction.

00:08:40.353 --> 00:08:41.767
The Lord's dealing with him.

00:08:41.767 --> 00:08:43.744
And he wanted you to pray for him.

00:08:43.744 --> 00:08:45.058
Praise the Lord!"

00:08:45.058 --> 00:08:46.620
And they said, "James?"

00:08:46.620 --> 00:08:48.979
People said, "James?"

00:08:48.979 --> 00:08:53.579
"You've got to be kidding! James?"

00:08:53.579 --> 00:08:57.628
"Wants us to pray for him?"

00:08:57.628 --> 00:08:59.537
I said yeah, James.

00:08:59.537 --> 00:09:01.711
And I just no sooner shared

00:09:01.711 --> 00:09:04.255
the fact that he was under conviction

00:09:04.255 --> 00:09:08.136
and that he was trying to find a church.

00:09:08.136 --> 00:09:10.805
I was still standing there.

00:09:10.805 --> 00:09:13.395
We had had prayer.

00:09:13.395 --> 00:09:17.247
And in the front door walked James.

00:09:17.247 --> 00:09:19.936
He had driven 6 or 7 hours straight

00:09:19.936 --> 00:09:24.286
to be in church with 
us that Wednesday night.

00:09:24.286 --> 00:09:25.933
He came in the church.

00:09:25.933 --> 00:09:27.558
He had long hair.

00:09:27.558 --> 00:09:28.722
Looked rough.

00:09:28.722 --> 00:09:30.591
Had been living a rough life.

00:09:30.591 --> 00:09:32.659
He came in and sat down by his mama

00:09:32.659 --> 00:09:38.654
and put his arm around her.

00:09:38.654 --> 00:09:43.543
My heart just swelled with praise.

00:09:43.543 --> 00:09:46.313
It expanded with worship.

00:09:46.313 --> 00:09:50.580
My heart was overjoyed.
I couldn't hardly talk.

00:09:50.580 --> 00:09:52.759
But I poured out the message

00:09:52.759 --> 00:09:55.095
that God had given me on 
the forgiveness of sins.

00:09:55.095 --> 00:09:56.307
Just a simple message.

00:09:56.307 --> 00:09:58.245
How God could forgive the deepest

00:09:58.245 --> 00:10:00.160
and darkest and ugliest of sins

00:10:00.160 --> 00:10:03.042
because He loved us so much

00:10:03.042 --> 00:10:05.523
that He offered His own Son in our place.

00:10:05.523 --> 00:10:07.936
And He was so pleased with the sacrifice

00:10:07.936 --> 00:10:09.905
and the suffering of His own dear Son

00:10:09.905 --> 00:10:12.207
that He could cleanse any sinner

00:10:12.207 --> 00:10:15.706
who would be honest and would come

00:10:15.706 --> 00:10:18.402
and lay his life before Him.

00:10:18.402 --> 00:10:20.223
And James just looked

00:10:20.223 --> 00:10:22.384
and I'll never forget 
the look on his face.

00:10:22.384 --> 00:10:23.745
He was like a starving man

00:10:23.745 --> 00:10:25.459
wanting a piece of bread.

00:10:25.459 --> 00:10:26.740
He was like a thirsty man

00:10:26.740 --> 00:10:29.175
wanting a drink with all desperation.

00:10:29.175 --> 00:10:31.737
He just drank in every word.

00:10:31.737 --> 00:10:34.984
When the message was over,

00:10:34.984 --> 00:10:37.324
he got up and began to 
hug everyone in the church

00:10:37.324 --> 00:10:39.136
and say, "pray for me."

00:10:39.136 --> 00:10:40.019
"Pray for me."

00:10:40.019 --> 00:10:41.188
He kept me up that night

00:10:41.188 --> 00:10:42.456
to the wee hours of the morning

00:10:42.456 --> 00:10:43.620
wanting to talk about how you could

00:10:43.620 --> 00:10:44.726
know if you were forgiven,

00:10:44.726 --> 00:10:46.247
how you could know if you're saved.

00:10:46.247 --> 00:10:49.513
He wore me out. I was just exhausted.

00:10:49.513 --> 00:10:51.030
I was so tired.

00:10:51.030 --> 00:10:52.178
We finally went to bed.

00:10:52.178 --> 00:10:53.472
We got up the next morning,

00:10:53.472 --> 00:10:54.755
he had to go back to Tennessee -

00:10:54.755 --> 00:10:56.613
it was a job-related thing.

00:10:56.613 --> 00:10:58.815
And he said the Lord hadn't saved him.

00:10:58.815 --> 00:10:59.842
We had prayer and he said,

00:10:59.842 --> 00:11:01.780
"Dad, keep on praying for me." 
I said, "I will."

00:11:01.780 --> 00:11:04.210
He said, "I'll keep on seeking the Lord."

00:11:04.210 --> 00:11:06.070
A few hours later, he called me.

00:11:06.070 --> 00:11:11.629
He said, "Daddy, somewhere 
around Memphis, Tennessee,

00:11:11.629 --> 00:11:16.047
the Lord saved me."

00:11:16.047 --> 00:11:18.138
And he said when the 
Lord came into his life

00:11:18.138 --> 00:11:20.918
and saved him and gave 
him peace and forgiveness,

00:11:20.918 --> 00:11:24.320
he had a stack of CD's on his dash -

00:11:24.320 --> 00:11:27.462
worldly, wicked, rock & roll,

00:11:27.462 --> 00:11:30.111
hellish, rebellious music.

00:11:30.111 --> 00:11:32.994
He grabbed that whole stack

00:11:32.994 --> 00:11:43.540
and flung it out the window.

00:11:43.540 --> 00:11:48.394
Now that's not what saved him, folks.

00:11:48.394 --> 00:11:53.966
That's what he did because God saved him.

00:11:53.966 --> 00:11:56.646
The real proof in the pudding

00:11:56.646 --> 00:12:00.110
was a few months later,

00:12:00.110 --> 00:12:01.998
we had opportunity and time

00:12:01.998 --> 00:12:09.367
to go over and visit 
with him in Tennessee.

00:12:09.367 --> 00:12:13.774
He wasn't the same James.

00:12:13.774 --> 00:12:18.509
He was nothing like he had been before.

00:12:18.509 --> 00:12:21.221
Old things have passed away.

00:12:21.221 --> 00:12:24.461
All things have become new.

00:12:24.461 --> 00:12:27.764
The life of God shown in his soul.

00:12:27.764 --> 00:12:32.273
The countenance of peace was in his brow.

00:12:32.273 --> 00:12:34.506
The joy of the Lord was in his heart.

00:12:34.506 --> 00:12:39.513
The high praises of 
God were upon his lips.

00:12:39.513 --> 00:12:41.604
Mama and Daddy, don't ever tire

00:12:41.604 --> 00:12:44.745
of praying for your children.

00:12:44.745 --> 00:12:48.867
The last chapter's not written yet.

00:12:48.867 --> 00:12:52.370
Keep calling.

00:12:52.375 --> 00:12:57.796
Keep hoping.

00:12:57.796 --> 00:13:00.857
Keep pleading.

00:13:00.857 --> 00:13:05.980
One day, you may have the fortune

00:13:05.980 --> 00:13:12.653
to hear the word, 
"I've heard your prayer."

00:13:12.653 --> 00:13:14.592
Praise God.

00:13:14.592 --> 00:13:17.338
I praise God for you people.

00:13:17.338 --> 00:13:21.026
I praise God for you, Bob and Clint.

00:13:21.026 --> 00:13:27.310
I thank the Lord for knowing you.

00:13:27.310 --> 00:13:28.920
We may never meet again.

00:13:28.920 --> 00:13:30.819
This may be my last time at Sedalia.

00:13:30.819 --> 00:13:33.743
I may go home and fall 
over from a heart attack,

00:13:33.743 --> 00:13:38.252
or you may too.

00:13:38.252 --> 00:13:40.300
We've got a great day coming.

00:13:40.300 --> 00:13:49.011
We'll be together again.

00:13:49.011 --> 00:13:51.494
Let me recommend to you 
if you're not a Christian,

00:13:51.494 --> 00:13:53.417
get in on this.

00:13:53.417 --> 00:13:55.975
Don't miss this.

00:13:55.975 --> 00:13:59.116
Don't miss this great joy.

00:13:59.116 --> 00:14:04.312
Salvation can be yours today too.

00:14:04.312 --> 00:14:06.869
Believe it.

00:14:06.869 --> 00:14:09.329
You can be forgiven this very day.

00:14:09.329 --> 00:14:11.736
You can leave this house today

00:14:11.736 --> 00:14:15.575
a new creature in Christ Jesus.

00:14:15.575 --> 00:14:20.553
Bow your heart before Him.

00:14:20.553 --> 00:14:24.823
Give yourself up to Him.

00:14:24.823 --> 00:14:29.289
Ask Him for what you need most.

00:14:29.289 --> 00:14:32.448
See what He'll do.

00:14:32.448 --> 00:14:33.924
Let's pray.