1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,930 Today's special music is a good friend 2 00:00:05,930 --> 00:00:08,270 of ours, from India, from Bangalore. 3 00:00:08,270 --> 00:00:11,000 But he's not there very much. He is the 4 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:13,370 world's most traveled musician. And 5 00:00:13,370 --> 00:00:15,349 that's not an opinion! He's... Actually, I 6 00:00:15,349 --> 00:00:17,390 received a world record... he's been to 7 00:00:17,390 --> 00:00:19,160 every single country in the world. 8 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:21,320 He plays for the poorest of the 9 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:23,150 poor, the richest of the rich. He's open 10 00:00:23,150 --> 00:00:25,519 for everything. From the World Cup to the 11 00:00:25,519 --> 00:00:27,708 Olympics. He gets through here about once 12 00:00:27,708 --> 00:00:29,570 a year, on this very important and 13 00:00:29,570 --> 00:00:32,449 special day. His name is Benny Prasad. He 14 00:00:32,449 --> 00:00:35,870 will be... just added he agreed to do 15 00:00:35,870 --> 00:00:38,390 this. At 6:30 tonight, if you come to the 16 00:00:38,390 --> 00:00:40,100 meeting early at Thomas Road, he's going 17 00:00:40,100 --> 00:00:42,170 to do a mini-concert, right before the 18 00:00:42,170 --> 00:00:43,910 meeting. Welcome, all the way from India, 19 00:00:43,910 --> 00:00:45,500 one of the world's best known musicians, 20 00:00:45,500 --> 00:00:47,040 Benny Prasad! 21 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:57,400 [Applause] 22 00:01:00,799 --> 00:01:07,500 Thank You Johnny. Good morning everybody! 23 00:01:07,500 --> 00:01:09,970 Come on, you can do that better! Good 24 00:01:09,970 --> 00:01:13,720 morning everybody! Yes, that was a quick 25 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:15,729 lesson on good morning. Well, I want to 26 00:01:15,729 --> 00:01:17,590 thank Jesus for giving me this gift of 27 00:01:17,590 --> 00:01:19,750 life. And every time I come here I'm just 28 00:01:19,750 --> 00:01:21,869 so thrilled to see so many young people, 29 00:01:21,869 --> 00:01:25,539 on your way to missions. if you have not 30 00:01:25,539 --> 00:01:27,670 decided, today's your deadline for that, 31 00:01:27,670 --> 00:01:31,210 actually. And, you know, it's so 32 00:01:31,210 --> 00:01:33,159 wonderful to live! I just celebrated my 33 00:01:33,159 --> 00:01:37,119 38th birthday. And, at the age of 16, 34 00:01:37,119 --> 00:01:39,190 the doctors had given me 6 months to 35 00:01:39,190 --> 00:01:41,679 live. I was born with asthma. And, from 36 00:01:41,679 --> 00:01:43,630 the age of 2 till the age of 16, I was on 37 00:01:43,630 --> 00:01:45,759 wrong medication, on high dosage of 38 00:01:45,759 --> 00:01:47,860 cortisone steroids. And, as a result of 39 00:01:47,860 --> 00:01:49,990 that, 60% of my lungs got 40 00:01:49,990 --> 00:01:51,700 damaged and my immune system broke down. 41 00:01:51,700 --> 00:01:55,119 And I developed rheumatoid arthritis. At 42 00:01:55,119 --> 00:01:57,520 the age of 12, by accident, I was hit 43 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:00,580 by javelin and my spinal cord was 44 00:02:00,580 --> 00:02:04,060 damaged. And everything went wrong in my 45 00:02:04,060 --> 00:02:06,490 life. Well, that's what the human said. And 46 00:02:06,490 --> 00:02:09,479 my father, being an aerospace scientist, 47 00:02:09,479 --> 00:02:12,640 he expected me to become like him. And I 48 00:02:12,640 --> 00:02:14,920 became the scum of the family. I was 49 00:02:14,920 --> 00:02:16,630 thrown out of school in my 10th grade, 50 00:02:16,630 --> 00:02:18,970 saying that "you are not worth studying, 51 00:02:18,970 --> 00:02:20,859 you are useless, you are good for nothing." 52 00:02:20,859 --> 00:02:23,049 These were the words that were spoken 53 00:02:23,049 --> 00:02:25,660 over my life for 16 years, where 54 00:02:25,660 --> 00:02:27,190 medically they told me you will not live 55 00:02:27,190 --> 00:02:29,769 any longer. In education, as well as 56 00:02:29,769 --> 00:02:31,780 society and family, they looked at me and 57 00:02:31,780 --> 00:02:33,160 they said: "Benny, you are a shame and a 58 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:35,829 curse to the family." And, having no hope, 59 00:02:35,829 --> 00:02:39,549 no talent, no life, nothing left in me, I 60 00:02:39,549 --> 00:02:41,620 contemplated to commit suicide, at the 61 00:02:41,620 --> 00:02:44,290 age of 16. Even if you're really 62 00:02:44,290 --> 00:02:46,269 sitting down and wandering "Benny, can God 63 00:02:46,269 --> 00:02:48,370 use me in missions?", I want to tell you 64 00:02:48,370 --> 00:02:50,410 that there are so many Benny's like me 65 00:02:50,410 --> 00:02:53,799 out there, who needs the Gospel. And you 66 00:02:53,799 --> 00:02:55,600 are one among them who can really go and 67 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:58,420 share that Gospel. And, at the lowest 68 00:02:58,420 --> 00:03:00,310 point of my life, when I wanted to kill 69 00:03:00,310 --> 00:03:02,980 myself, I heard the voice of Jesus-Christ 70 00:03:02,980 --> 00:03:04,390 saying: "Benny, even though you are called 71 00:03:04,390 --> 00:03:06,910 useless, I still need you. "I said: "Jesus, 72 00:03:06,910 --> 00:03:08,170 why do you need me when the whole world 73 00:03:08,170 --> 00:03:10,479 says I'm useless?" He said He could 74 00:03:10,479 --> 00:03:12,130 transform my life and make me a new 75 00:03:12,130 --> 00:03:14,620 person. I said "Okay, I have nothing to 76 00:03:14,620 --> 00:03:15,970 offer; all that I have is 77 00:03:15,970 --> 00:03:18,700 a broken life and 6 months to live." He 78 00:03:18,700 --> 00:03:21,160 said: "That's enough for me to start a new 79 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:23,560 work in you!" And that's what He has done. 80 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:29,880 I gave my life to Jesus-Christ. And 81 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:33,100 I've already 82 00:03:33,100 --> 00:03:35,290 surpassed the expiry date that 83 00:03:35,290 --> 00:03:37,030 the doctors had put on my life, actually. 84 00:03:37,030 --> 00:03:39,550 And I'm just so thrilled to live 85 00:03:39,550 --> 00:03:42,880 this. And, in 2004, I asked Jesus: "What 86 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:45,040 is your call for my life?" The Bible says: 87 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:47,290 "God's ways are higher than man's ways 88 00:03:47,290 --> 00:03:48,459 and His thoughts are higher than our 89 00:03:48,459 --> 00:03:49,780 thoughts." And I want to tell you a 90 00:03:49,780 --> 00:03:52,480 Christian life is the most exciting life 91 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:54,580 to live. And a life that is surrendered 92 00:03:54,580 --> 00:03:57,370 in Christ is just so adventurous. My life 93 00:03:57,370 --> 00:04:00,190 is more than James Bond movie. Because 94 00:04:00,190 --> 00:04:02,560 it's a reality. James Bond is only a 95 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:06,070 movie, mine is a reality. And, in 2002, 96 00:04:06,070 --> 00:04:07,630 with 25 dollars a month, being a 97 00:04:07,630 --> 00:04:09,940 ??? missionary, I asked Jesus: "What do 98 00:04:09,940 --> 00:04:11,380 you want to do with my life?" because my 99 00:04:11,380 --> 00:04:13,510 dream was to go to one country. He said: 100 00:04:13,510 --> 00:04:15,490 "Benny, I want you to travel to every 101 00:04:15,490 --> 00:04:18,760 country by 2010!" I said: "Jesus, this is 102 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:21,100 impossible! Till today, there has never 103 00:04:21,100 --> 00:04:23,200 been one example in the history of 104 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:25,600 mankind. Whether it is Michael Jackson or 105 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:27,760 Mariah Carey, or whoever it is, they have 106 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:29,169 never been to every country in the world! 107 00:04:29,169 --> 00:04:32,560 How can I, being a broken person, be able 108 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:34,180 to achieve this?" He said: "Benny, what 109 00:04:34,180 --> 00:04:36,580 is impossible for you is possible for me!" 110 00:04:36,580 --> 00:04:38,500 And what it takes my dear friend, today, 111 00:04:38,500 --> 00:04:41,320 is to surrender your brokenness and your 112 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:43,060 life into the hands of Jesus. And He will 113 00:04:43,060 --> 00:04:45,910 shape it after His will. And so I said: 114 00:04:45,910 --> 00:04:48,220 "Jesus, as long as you are my provider, I 115 00:04:48,220 --> 00:04:50,380 will be your traveler." We had a good deal. 116 00:04:50,380 --> 00:04:52,810 I said: "I will live a life of faith and 117 00:04:52,810 --> 00:04:55,120 you provide for me." So today, this is my 118 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:59,979 one passport; this passport is my travel 119 00:04:59,979 --> 00:05:01,690 record to every country in the world. 120 00:05:01,690 --> 00:05:03,760 On 22 of November 121 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:05,530 2010, I arrived in my last 122 00:05:05,530 --> 00:05:08,260 country, Pakistan. And I broke 6 world 123 00:05:08,260 --> 00:05:10,750 records. And, one among them, was I became 124 00:05:10,750 --> 00:05:13,120 the fastest man in the history to travel 125 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:14,790 to every country, in the shortest time. 126 00:05:14,790 --> 00:05:17,890 245 nations, including Antarctica, in 127 00:05:17,890 --> 00:05:20,890 66 months and 22 days. If Jesus 128 00:05:20,890 --> 00:05:23,650 can use my life to make history for his 129 00:05:23,650 --> 00:05:25,539 glory... I'm sorry I don't have time to 130 00:05:25,539 --> 00:05:27,310 wait for your clapping. I'm not trying to 131 00:05:27,310 --> 00:05:29,150 be rude... But if Jesus 132 00:05:29,150 --> 00:05:31,400 do that in my life, today He has a plan 133 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:33,650 for your life. And He took me to amazing 134 00:05:33,650 --> 00:05:35,690 nations. One among them was North Korea. 135 00:05:35,690 --> 00:05:37,400 Last year, I was invited by the 136 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:39,050 government of North Korea to come and 137 00:05:39,050 --> 00:05:41,330 perform for the 100th birth anniversary of 138 00:05:41,330 --> 00:05:43,610 their founder, Kim Il-sung. 834 139 00:05:43,610 --> 00:05:45,380 performers were chosen from all over the 140 00:05:45,380 --> 00:05:47,780 world and I was the only Indian chosen, 141 00:05:47,780 --> 00:05:49,700 from my country. And it was a great 142 00:05:49,700 --> 00:05:52,370 opportunity to play but more so an 143 00:05:52,370 --> 00:05:54,890 opportunity to share the Gospel. Yes, if 144 00:05:54,890 --> 00:05:56,450 you share the Gospel, you don't need to 145 00:05:56,450 --> 00:05:58,070 be a prophet to understand that you will 146 00:05:58,070 --> 00:06:00,260 be killed. But I understood in the Word 147 00:06:00,260 --> 00:06:01,940 of God that, if anyone tries to save 148 00:06:01,940 --> 00:06:04,970 their life, will lose it. If anyone loses 149 00:06:04,970 --> 00:06:06,500 their life, for the sake of Christ, will 150 00:06:06,500 --> 00:06:08,720 find it. So, I informed my parents, there's 151 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:10,490 a big possibility that I might be killed 152 00:06:10,490 --> 00:06:12,590 in North Korea. "So if you don't hear from 153 00:06:12,590 --> 00:06:15,740 me on the 17th of April that's a 154 00:06:15,740 --> 00:06:17,480 mutual understanding that either I am 155 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:19,310 killed or in prison. And I will see you 156 00:06:19,310 --> 00:06:20,900 in Heaven. Because for me to live is 157 00:06:20,900 --> 00:06:23,030 Christ and to die is gain. "So I went to 158 00:06:23,030 --> 00:06:25,430 North Korea, so excited to live and to 159 00:06:25,430 --> 00:06:28,250 die for Jesus. Two spies followed me every 160 00:06:28,250 --> 00:06:29,870 single day of my life, every single 161 00:06:29,870 --> 00:06:32,000 minute in fact. When you have 2 162 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:33,687 ungodly spies following you 163 00:06:33,687 --> 00:06:35,630 all the time, what do you do? 164 00:06:35,630 --> 00:06:37,260 You share the Gospel. 165 00:06:37,260 --> 00:06:39,396 Because they're always with you. 166 00:06:39,396 --> 00:06:40,680 They will never leave you. 167 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:41,930 They might forsake you but 168 00:06:41,930 --> 00:06:43,266 they will never leave you. And, since 169 00:06:43,266 --> 00:06:45,447 they're always with you, what a great 170 00:06:45,447 --> 00:06:48,060 opportunity to talk about Jesus. You 171 00:06:48,060 --> 00:06:49,850 don't need to go to North Korea to talk 172 00:06:49,850 --> 00:06:52,130 about Jesus. Jesus is putting a nation in 173 00:06:52,130 --> 00:06:54,800 your heart. Be obedient to Him. Say "yes" to 174 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:57,975 Him. And I got into trouble. Sure, next day 175 00:06:57,975 --> 00:07:00,226 my interpreter went and inform 176 00:07:00,226 --> 00:07:02,870 to the official that Benny is doing this 177 00:07:02,870 --> 00:07:04,400 because I used her to translate my 178 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:06,597 testimony to the spies. Now, I'm in big 179 00:07:06,597 --> 00:07:09,250 trouble. It's sure, I'll be killed. But 180 00:07:09,250 --> 00:07:10,810 the right perspective is what a great 181 00:07:10,810 --> 00:07:12,960 opportunity to stand in front of the 182 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:15,573 official. And I shared my testimony, 183 00:07:15,573 --> 00:07:18,720 knowing that I might be killed. But the 184 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:20,065 official asked me a question: "How could 185 00:07:20,065 --> 00:07:22,230 you be so sure you heard the voice of 186 00:07:22,230 --> 00:07:24,760 Jesus at 16? It could have been your own 187 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:26,990 imagination." I told him: "Sir, my own 188 00:07:26,990 --> 00:07:29,720 imagination told me to kill myself. It is 189 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:31,950 the voice of Jesus that gave me life and 190 00:07:31,950 --> 00:07:33,950 life in abundance." And he heard my 191 00:07:33,950 --> 00:07:36,010 testimony. And I want to tell you my 192 00:07:36,010 --> 00:07:38,276 friends, be courageous, even to the point 193 00:07:38,276 --> 00:07:40,181 of death to share the love of 194 00:07:40,181 --> 00:07:42,730 Jesus-Christ. Don't ever fear 195 00:07:42,730 --> 00:07:44,660 for your life because Jesus is 196 00:07:44,660 --> 00:07:46,472 in charge. I was not killed in North 197 00:07:46,472 --> 00:07:48,650 Korea because it was not my time to die. 198 00:07:48,650 --> 00:07:51,737 He knows my time, actually. And in the 199 00:07:51,737 --> 00:07:54,769 end, 12 musicians were chosen out of 834 200 00:07:54,769 --> 00:07:57,800 performers. And I was one among the 12, to 201 00:07:57,800 --> 00:07:59,610 be awarded by the government of North 202 00:07:59,610 --> 00:08:02,109 Korea. I played "Shout to the Lord", a 203 00:08:02,109 --> 00:08:03,752 song which I'm going to play. "My Jesus, my 204 00:08:03,752 --> 00:08:05,949 Savior, Lord there is none like You" in a 205 00:08:05,949 --> 00:08:08,779 nation like that, on their national TV. If 206 00:08:08,779 --> 00:08:11,286 God could use a Christian and Indian to 207 00:08:11,286 --> 00:08:14,120 perform on this guitar... a guitar which 208 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:16,640 God helped me to design in 2004 for the 209 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:19,065 Olympic games in Greece... If God could 210 00:08:19,065 --> 00:08:21,567 pick a broken worthless child like me, 211 00:08:21,567 --> 00:08:24,060 written off by society, to design the 212 00:08:24,060 --> 00:08:26,319 world's first guitar with drums inside, 213 00:08:26,319 --> 00:08:28,620 there is nothing impossible for Jesus to 214 00:08:28,620 --> 00:08:31,249 do in your life. If He could pick up, give 215 00:08:31,249 --> 00:08:34,298 me a passport like this, 14 books, to go 216 00:08:34,298 --> 00:08:36,893 and share the Good News to the nations, 217 00:08:36,893 --> 00:08:39,470 there is nothing impossible. I am just so 218 00:08:39,470 --> 00:08:41,634 excited. And I'm going to play the song. 219 00:08:41,634 --> 00:08:43,959 "My Jesus, my Savior Lord there is none 220 00:08:43,959 --> 00:08:46,159 like You." And again, with arthritis, when 221 00:08:46,159 --> 00:08:48,172 I play this instrument, even the medical 222 00:08:48,172 --> 00:08:50,609 doctor say this has to be God, and God 223 00:08:50,609 --> 00:08:53,129 alone. And just to conclude with, when I 224 00:08:53,129 --> 00:08:55,250 broke the world record, I had a hat wich 225 00:08:55,250 --> 00:08:57,390 said "Thank you Jesus". And CNN was the 226 00:08:57,390 --> 00:08:59,070 first news channel to interview me. And 227 00:08:59,070 --> 00:09:00,610 they said: "Sir, that is a religious 228 00:09:00,610 --> 00:09:02,229 statement. Please, take off your hat 229 00:09:02,229 --> 00:09:04,387 because we are a secular channel." and 230 00:09:04,387 --> 00:09:05,980 I'll tell you you want to share the 231 00:09:05,980 --> 00:09:08,902 Gospel, share it creatively. Nobody can 232 00:09:08,902 --> 00:09:11,140 stop you. And so I asked Jesus for an 233 00:09:11,140 --> 00:09:12,990 idea because the whole world is going to 234 00:09:12,990 --> 00:09:15,563 interview me for achieving this feat. And 235 00:09:15,563 --> 00:09:17,509 I want to make sure that Jesus is known. 236 00:09:17,509 --> 00:09:19,801 I am not ashamed of the Gospel. He gave 237 00:09:19,801 --> 00:09:21,670 me life when doctors gave me 6 months 238 00:09:21,670 --> 00:09:24,180 to live. He gave me protection. He gave me 239 00:09:24,180 --> 00:09:26,149 this beautiful future. How can I keep 240 00:09:26,149 --> 00:09:29,573 Jesus secret. No! It is sin for me to keep 241 00:09:29,573 --> 00:09:32,112 Jesus just to myself. So He gave me this 242 00:09:32,112 --> 00:09:36,658 beautiful idea of designing this new hat. 243 00:09:36,658 --> 00:09:38,569 And my hat says: "Thank you Jesus, I am an 244 00:09:38,569 --> 00:09:40,729 Indian." This is not a religious statement, 245 00:09:40,729 --> 00:09:43,230 it is a patriotic statement. And hence 246 00:09:43,230 --> 00:09:47,050 nobody can stop me. You know, nobody can 247 00:09:47,050 --> 00:09:49,448 stop me from wearing these things. 248 00:09:49,448 --> 00:09:54,050 And, even news channels, they 249 00:09:54,050 --> 00:09:55,482 would come up to me and say: "What is this 250 00:09:55,482 --> 00:09:57,700 on your head?" I said: "Well, I'm proud to be 251 00:09:57,700 --> 00:09:59,576 an Indian." The cameraman says: "Do a close 252 00:09:59,576 --> 00:10:01,962 up on his hat, also." At the United Nations, 253 00:10:01,962 --> 00:10:03,729 they told me: "You cannot share about 254 00:10:03,729 --> 00:10:06,080 Jesus." I said: "Fine." But I wore my hat 255 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:08,260 which talked about Jesus all the time. My 256 00:10:08,260 --> 00:10:10,220 friends, if you really want to talk about 257 00:10:10,220 --> 00:10:12,788 Jesus, nobody can stop you. 258 00:10:12,788 --> 00:10:14,241 So don't use excuses.