GOD IS SO PERSISTENT TO INVADE OUR EVERYDAY LIVES --

EVEN WHEN WE'RE TOO BUSY, EVEN WHEN WE'RE NOT LISTENING!

Announcer: NEXT, AUTHOR MARGARET FEINBERG

ENCOURAGES US TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE

IN THE ORDINARY AND EVERY DAY.

I HAD A THOUGHT POP IN MY MIND

AND IT WAS SIMPLY, DO YOU WANT BRONZE?

I'M THINKING, I DON'T DECORATE WITH BRONZE,

THE HOOVER IS NOT BRONZE --

GOD, IF YOU ARE SPEAKING, I'M A C STUDENT

AND I NEED YOU TO SPELL THIS OUT.

[Laughter]

Announcer: HUNGRY FOR GOD -- NEXT!

James: THANK ALL OF YOU!

IT'S A JOY TO COME INTO

YOUR HOME OR WHEREVER

YOU HAPPEN TO BE WATCHING.

I'M JAMES ROBISON.

BETTY AND I ARE THRILLED TO

HAVE MARGARET FEINBERG WITH US.

SHE HAS WRITTEN A BOOK.

SHE IS ACTUALLY QUITE AN AUTHOR

AND A SPEAKER, JUST

A TRULY GIFTED COMMUNICATOR,

AND A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION.

AND FRANKLY, I HAVE FOUND

SHE HAS A REAL APPRECIATION

FOR THE MINISTRY THAT BETTY

AND I ARE CALLED TO TOGETHER,

AND OUR TELEVISION

AND MISSION OUTREACH.

THIS BOOK, HUNGRY FOR GOD,

I'M REAL EXCITED

TO TALK TO HER ABOUT IT.

I WANT YOU TO WELCOME

MARGARET FEINBERG TO

LIFE TODAY; WOULD YOU?

MARGARET, WE'RE JUST GLAD

TO SEE YOU.

YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL.

WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE.

I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW SOMETHING

AND I'D PROBABLY LIKE

FOR OUR VIEWERS TO KNOW

WHY THE INTEREST.

BUT WE HAVE TWEETS

ON OUR TWITTER PAGE.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW

IF I'M CALLING IT RIGHT?

I'M A TWEETER.

[Laughter]

I TWEET.

I HAVE JAMESROBISON.NET

WHERE I TWEET

AND WE HAVE FACEBOOK

AND ALL OF THAT, AND THERE IS

WHERE YOU CAN SEE IT.

IF YOU LOOK ON THE SCREEN THERE

YOU CAN SEE WHAT IT

KIND OF LOOKS LIKE,

THAT'S JAMESROBISON.NET.

I WRITE A COMMENTARY

EVERY WEEK.

USUALLY I ADDRESS CURRENT

ISSUES OR ISSUES OF CONCERN

THAT WE SHOULD PRAY ABOUT.

BUT THEN YOU HAVE

THE LIFETODAY.ORG

AND YOU CAN SEE

ALL THE OUTREACHES OF LIFE

AND SO FORTH.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE NOTED

BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTEN TO WHERE

WE CAN KIND OF TRACK

WHAT'S GOING ON.

YOU TWEET,

RETWEET AS FREQUENTLY

IF NOT MORE THAN ANYONE

WHO TAKES OUR TWEETS

AND PASSES THEM ON.

TELL ME WHY?

I'M REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT IT.

Margaret: HONESTLY,

JAMES AND BETTY,

IT IS BECAUSE

WE LOVE WHAT YOU DO!

YOU ARE SUCH AN EXPRESSION OF

WHAT SO MUCH OF THIS GENERATION

IS HUNGERING AND ACHING FOR;

A DESIRE TO PUT

OUR FAITH INTO ACTION

IN A PRACTICAL WAY;

IN A WAY THAT MEANINGFUL,

THAT HELPS MAKE SURE

PEOPLE ARE FED,

THEY ARE CLOTHED,

THEY HAVE SHOES ON THEIR FEET.

AND HOW COULD YOU NOT PROCLAIM

THE GOODNESS OF GOD

AND WHAT GOD IS DOING

THROUGH YOU AND MINISTRIES

AROUND THE WORLD?

SO IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO RETWEET

WHAT YOU ALL ARE TWEETING.

James: WHY DO YOU THINK

THAT'S EFFECTIVE

AND WHAT DO YOU SEE THAT DOING

BECAUSE I THINK

ONE OF THE THINGS

I'VE BEEN PRAYING ABOUT

AND REALLY,

I'M NOT A HIGH TECH PERSON.

BETTY AND I ARE TRULY

GRANDPARENTS WITH GRANDCHILDREN

THAT ARE OLD ENOUGH PRETTY SOON

FOR ALL OF THEM TO BE PARENTS

SO WE'LL BE GREAT GRANDPARENTS

BEFORE YOU KNOW IT.

BUT THE THING IS,

WE'RE NOT HIGH TECH PEOPLE

BUT WE REALLY RECOGNIZE

THAT IN THE SOCIAL NETWORKING

THERE IS THE ABILITY TO

COMMUNICATE A TRUTH OR TRUTHS

TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.

I MEAN NETWORKS TEND TO DISTORT

OR IGNORE RELEVANT TRUTH.

WE CAN ACTUALLY COMMUNICATE

MEANINGFUL TRUTH

IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS

IN WHATEVER AREA

OF INFLUENCE WE HAVE.

IS THAT HOW YOU SEE IT?

Margaret: ABSOLUTELY!

DID YOU KNOW THAT HISTORICALLY

RADIO TOOK ABOUT 38 YEARS

TO REACH 50 MILLION PEOPLE.

TELEVISION DID IT

IN ABOUT 12 OR 13.

FACEBOOK DID IT IN FOUR.

I BELIEVE THE LATEST POINTS OUT

THAT TWITTER DID IT IN TWO.

SO THE CAPACITY

TO REACH PEOPLE IS UNBELIEVABLE

TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS

OF WHAT JESUS IS DOING,

TO REACH PEOPLE,

TO TOUCH PEOPLE.

BUT I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS

THAT WE ALL, AS BELIEVERS,

NEED TO BE INVOLVED

IN SOCIAL MEDIA,

WHETHER THAT IS TWITTER

OR WHETHER THAT IS FACEBOOK

OR OTHER OUTLETS

IS BECAUSE ULTIMATELY

THERE IS A CONVERSATION

THAT IS TAKING PLACE

AND IF WE AS BELIEVERS ARE NOT

ENGAGING IN THAT CONVERSATION

AND ARE NOT SHAPING

THAT CONVERSATION,

THEN OTHER PEOPLE WILL BE.

QUITE HONESTLY,

I DON'T ALWAYS LIKE

WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY

OR WHAT THEY HAVE TO PROMOTE.

WHY NOT LEVERAGE THAT

TO BUILD GOD'S KINGDOM,

TO GLORIFY GOD WITH THAT SPACE?

James: WE CAN ACTUALLY

TAKE TRUTHS AND REALLY

SALT THE EARTH WITH TRUTH.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE

YOU INSPIRING US

AND ENCOURAGING US BY THE FACT

THAT YOU'RE DOING IT.

I ENCOURAGE OUR VIEWERS

TO BECOME A PART OF THAT

AND ACCESS THE OPPORTUNITY

BECAUSE WE DO HAVE

THE OPPORTUNITY.

I WANT YOU TO TELL US

ABOUT WHAT INSPIRED

THE HUNGRY FOR GOD TITLE

AND REALLY TOUCH ON

SOME OF THE AREAS OF

LET'S SAY INTEREST AND CONCERN

THAT YOU FOCUS ON AND REALLY

ARE IN YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW

FOR ALL OF US AS BELIEVERS.

Margaret: I DON'T KNOW

IF YOU LIKE FOOD AT ALL.

ANY AT ALL --

WHEN SOMEBODY STARTS TO TALK

ABOUT SOME GOOD TEXAS BARBECUE

OR SOME FABULOUS TEX MEX

OR IT'S THAT HOT SUNNY DAY AND

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SOME

SORBET OR CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM,

ALL OF THE SUDDEN

WE START TALKING ABOUT THAT

AND THERE IS THIS HUNGER LEVEL

THAT INCREASES.

DON'T YOU WANT TO GO OUT

FOR ICE CREAM NOW?

James: SURE! I'M READY TO GO!

I MAY LEAVE IN A MINUTE.

[Laughter]

Margaret: IF THAT HAPPENS

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FOOD,

HOW MUCH MORE

SHOULD THAT BE HAPPENING

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GOD?

WHEN WE START SHARING

ABOUT THE THINGS

THAT GOD IS DOING IN OUR LIVES,

BOTH IN A PERSONAL WAY

AND IN A COMMUNITY,

WE START TO GET HUNGRY.

WE RAISE THE APPETITE LEVEL

FOR GOD.

AND WHEN WE DO THAT,

WE RAISE THE HOLY EXPECTATION

THAT GOD IS GOING TO MOVE,

THAT GOD IS GOING TO SPEAK.

GOD IS KNOWN

AS THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA,

THE BEGINNING

AND THE LAST LETTER

OF THE GREEK ALPHABET.

IT IS INTERESTING BECAUSE WHEN

THE JEWISH PEOPLE TRANSLATED

THAT INTO THEIR OWN LANGUAGE,

THEY TRANSLATED

THE ALEF AND THE TAV,

THE FIRST AND THE LAST LETTER

OF THE HEBREW ALPHABET.

BUT THEY ALSO SAID

GOD IS THE MEM --

HE IS THE MIDDLE MOST LETTER.

WE SERVE A GOD

WHO IS NOT JUST BACK THEN

AND YET TO COME, BUT RIGHT NOW

DESIRING THAT INTIMATE ENGAGING

PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH US.

I KNOW THAT YOU LIVE IN

THAT HOLY CONVERSATIONAL SPACE

WITH GOD WHERE HE SPEAKS AND

IT IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL THING.

James: WELL, HE TALKS TO ME

BECAUSE HE KNOWS

I LOVE TO HEAR HIM.

THAT REALLY IS TRUE.

THAT'S WHAT SHE IS TALKING

ABOUT, A HUNGER; I DO HAVE

A HUNGER FOR GOD, BUT I HAVE

A HUNGER FOR INTIMACY

AND RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.

BUT HE ALSO HAS THAT DESIRE

FOR FELLOWSHIP WITH US.

AND IT WAS AS THOUGH

HE COMMUNICATED TO ME ONCE

WHEN I WAS ASKING HIM ABOUT

WHY DO YOU TALK TO ME SO MUCH?

HE SAID, "BECAUSE

YOU LOVE TO HEAR ME."

HE ACTUALLY COMMUNICATED

ONE TIME THAT I ACTUALLY

CHASE AFTER YOU TO TALK TO YOU.

YOU REALLY SEE JESUS

OUT LOOKING FOR THE SHEEP

THAT'S OUTSIDE THE FOLD.

IF THE LORD WOULD CHASE

AFTER SOMEONE THAT STRAYED

OUTSIDE THE SECURITY, HE WILL

ALSO CHASE AFTER SOMEONE

THAT HE IS ANXIOUS TO TALK TO

BECAUSE HE KNOWS

THEY LOVE TO HEAR HIM.

I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE,

MARGARET, DON'T SEEM TO

HAVE EITHER CULTIVATED

OR UNDERSTAND THEY CAN HAVE

THIS KIND OF RELATIONSHIP

WITH GOD.

IT ISN'T LIKE OUT LOUD.

I SAY IT IS LOUDER

THAN OUT LOUD.

IT IS AN IMPRESSION ON MY MIND,

MY SPIRIT, MY TOTAL BEING,

BUT IT IS REALLY LIVING

IN A CONTINUOUS FLOW.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S SOME

FARFETCHED HOPELESS DESIRE.

I THINK IT IS REALLY

THE DESIRE OF GOD'S HEART

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE A HUNGER

FOR GOD.

I THINK IT CAN BE REALLY

A NORMAL PART

OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.

Margaret: I'D EVEN TAKE IT

ONE MORE STEP FURTHER

AND THAT IS THE IDEA

THAT WE WERE DESIGNED FOR THIS.

WE WERE ALL CREATED FOR THIS.

A WHILE BACK I SPENT TIME WITH

A SHEPHERDESS UP IN OREGON.

I WALKED ALONGSIDE OF HER

AS WE CLIMBED

THIS LITTLE MUDDY TRAIL.

WE GOT TO THE TOP OF THE FIELD

AND LOOKED OUT

ACROSS THIS EXPANSE

AND THERE WERE ALL THESE SHEEP.

I LOOKED AT HER

AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN

SHE STARTS WHISPERING AT ME.

I'M LOOKING AT HER GOING,

"WHY ARE WE WHISPERING?"

SHE SAYS, "BECAUSE AT THE

VERY FIRST SOUND OF MY VOICE

THEY WILL ALL COME RUNNING."

WITH THAT SHE SIMPLY SAID,

"SHEEP, SHEEP, SHEEP."

AND THE ENTIRE FLOCK

BOLTED TOWARD HER.

AND IN THAT MOMENT I RECOGNIZED

THAT JOHN CHAPTER TEN

IS NOT JUST A WORD PICTURE

OR A METAPHOR, THIS IDEA

THAT GOD IS OUR SHEPHERD

AND WE'RE LIKE SHEEP

BUT WE REALLY ARE WIRED

AND DESIGNED AND CREATED

TO RESPOND TO GOD'S VOICE --

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE MEANT FOR.

Betty: THE SAD THING IS,

A LOT OF TIMES,

AS CHRISTIANS DON'T REALLY KNOW

THAT THAT IS AVAILABLE TO US.

I KNOW AS A YOUNGER CHRISTIAN,

I THOUGHT IT WAS RESERVED

FOR THOSE IN SPECIAL --

IN MINISTRY OR THOSE PREACHERS

OR THOSE GOD HAD REALLY CALLED

FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL TO DO.

BUT HE ALLOWED US THROUGH

OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM,

FOR ALL OF US

TO BE AVAILABLE TO US

AND THROUGH HIS WORD HE CAN --

I SAW THAT HUNGER GROW

AS A GOT INTO HIS WORD

AND I ALLOWED HIM TO SAY, THESE

ARE MY LOVE LETTERS TO YOU;

NOT JUST WORDS ON A PAGE

BUT THEY'RE FOR ME.

AS I BEGAN TO OPEN MYSELF UP

AND ALLOW HIM TO SPEAK TO ME

THROUGH HIS WORD, THEN THAT

COMMUNICATION STARTED.

HE'S READY AND WILLING

AND ANXIOUS

IF WE'LL JUST ASK HIM.

Margaret: ABSOLUTELY!

I THINK THE BIBLE

IS THE FOUNDATION

AND THE FILTER FOR EVERYTHING

THAT WE HEAR FROM GOD.

IF IT DOESN'T LINE UP

WITH GOD'S WORD,

THEN ABSOLUTELY, WE CHUCK IT.

BUT AS WE SPEND TIME

STUDYING THE SCRIPTURE, IT IS

LIKE HE EXPANDS THE LIBRARY

WITH WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT

CAN USE TO DRAW

AND TO SPEAK INTO OUR LIVES,

THAT HE WILL BRING

THOSE PASSAGES

AND THOSE MOMENTS TO LIFE.

I REMEMBER A WHILE BACK

I WAS LIVING IN THAT BUSYNESS,

THAT STATE OF JUST

TOTAL OVERDRIVE.

THE WAY I KNOW I'M TOO BUSY

IS I CHECK THE BACKSEAT

OF THE CAR, AND IF THERE

IS MORE THAN THREE CHIPOTLE

WRAPPERS BACK THERE, I KNOW

I'VE BEEN DOING TOO MUCH.

SO I RUSHED HOME AND I DECIDED

I WAS GOING TO COOK UP A MEAL

AND I DIDN'T HAVE ANY FOOD.

LIKE I HAD THE TOP RAMEN,

AND THE CAN OF CREAM CORN

AND I'M THINKING, OH, NO!

SO I RUN TO THE GROCERY STORE.

THROW EVERYTHING IN THE CAR

AS FAST AS I CAN.

I HAVE THE SPIRITUAL GIFT WHERE

WHEN I GET TO THE CHECKOUT,

I PICK THAT SLOWEST LANE.

DOES ANYBODY --

YOU KNOW THAT ONE?

James: I'M ANOINTED FOR THAT.

Margaret: YEAH,

DON'T PRAY FOR ME.

I GOT OUT OF THAT STORE

MORE HARRIED

THAN WHEN I WALKED IN.

AND YET, I REMEMBER

I WALKED TO MY CAR

AND I'M JUST OPENING THE TRUNK

AND I'M THROWING IN

THOSE GROCERIES AND AS I DO

I HAVE A THOUGHT

POP INTO MY MIND

SO LOUD AND SO CLEAR

AND IT SIMPLY SAYS,

"I MISS YOU."

IT WAS SO LOUD I LOOKED

AROUND THAT PARKING LOT

AND THERE WAS NO ONE THERE.

I REALIZED THAT IN THAT MOMENT

THE SPIRIT OF GOD

HAD SPOKEN TO ME.

WITH THOSE BIG HOT WET TEARS

ROLLING DOWN MY CHEEKS

I ONLY HAD ONE RESPONSE,

I MISS YOU TOO!

GOD IS SO PERSISTENT

TO INVADE OUR EVERYDAY LIVES,

EVEN WHEN WE'RE TOO BUSY --

EVEN WHEN WE'RE NOT LISTENING,

IN HIS LOVE TO SPEAK TO US.

James: I THINK IT IS

REAL IMPORTANT, MARGARET

AND FOR ALL OF YOU

WHO ARE LISTENING

TO REALLY GRASP SOMETHING

THAT SHE JUST REFERENCED

THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

SHE SAID, "IF IT DOESN'T

LINE UP WITH THE WORD

YOU CHUCK IT."

THE REAL FACT OF THE MATTER IS

THAT WE DON'T HEAR WELL

IF WE'RE STRANGERS TO THE WORD.

IF YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE

A HUNGER FOR THE WORD,

NOT ONLY JESUS THE LIVING WORD

AND A RELATIONSHIP,

BUT THE HUNGER FOR THE LOVE

THAT'S IN THE LOVE LETTERS THAT

HE HAS WRITTEN US IN HIS WORD.

AND THE FAITH, WHICH IS

NECESSARY TO PLEASE GOD,

FAITH COMES BY HEARING,

HEARING COMES

BY THE WORD OF GOD.

IT IS THE WORD OF GOD

THAT TUNES OUR EARS

TO HEAR CHANNEL JESUS CLEARLY.

ALSO TO BE ABLE TO DISCERN

BASED UPON SCRIPTURAL TRUTH

THE SOUNDS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD.

I THINK YOU DO

AN INCREDIBLE JOB TALKING

ABOUT THESE DIFFERENT ASPECTS,

JUST LIKE YOU, IN PASSING,

MADE SUCH A VERY

IMPORTANT STATEMENT,

IF IT DOESN'T LINE UP

WITH THE WORD, WE CHUCK IT,

WE DISCERN IT,

DOES IT COME FROM THE REALM

OF DECEPTION OR DARKNESS?

ONE OF THE THINGS BETTY DID

THAT WAS VERY MEANINGFUL TO HER

WHEN SHE HAD BEEN CONVINCED

THAT SHE COULDN'T HEAR

LIKE OTHERS COULD HEAR,

OR COULDN'T UNDERSTAND

THE BIBLE, WHICH THE ENEMY

HAD DECEIVED HER,

WHEN SHE BEGAN TO HEAR

OR SEE IN THE WORD SOMETHING,

SHE HAD A COMFORT LEVEL

TO PASS THAT BY ME AND ASK ME.

AND THAT'S REALLY,

IF CHRISTIANS WOULD FIRST GET

IN RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD,

DEVELOP A MEANINGFUL

RELATIONSHIP WITH

OTHER BELIEVERS,

WE CAN PASS THINGS BY

ONE ANOTHER SO THAT THEY CAN

TEST THE SPIRIT SO TO SPEAK;

SEE IF THIS IN LINE IN CASE

THAT PERSON IS SIMPLY GROWING.

WE'LL FIND SOME PEOPLE

GET INTO AN IMMEDIATE

CONVERSATIONAL DIALOGUE

THAT THEY ACTUALLY BEGIN

TO HEAR THINGS FROM GOD THAT

THEY WILL THEN SEE IN THE WORD

AND THAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME

VERY FREQUENTLY.

AND THOUGH I'VE READ THE BIBLE,

IT DIDN'T NECESSARILY LODGE

IN A PARTICULAR STATEMENT

UNTIL I HEARD IT,

WENT BACK AND THEN SAW IT.

SO I REALIZED,

I'M REALLY MOVING INTO A REAL

BEAUTIFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

AND I THINK THAT COMES

FROM A HUNGER FOR GOD.

Margaret: I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.

I KNOW THAT'S HAPPENED FOR ME

IN MY OWN SPIRITUAL JOURNEY,

IN JUST MY LIFE.

I REMEMBER A WHILE BACK

I WAS IN A REAL FINANCIALLY

DIFFICULT SITUATION;

I WAS PRAYING FOR PROVISION.

AND WHILE I WAS PRAYING

THE PHONE ACTUALLY RANG

AND IT WAS A COMPANY CALLING

AND OFFERING JUST

AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY.

I THOUGHT THIS MUST BE GOD.

BUT BEFORE I SAID "YES"

I REMEMBER THE WORDS OF MY DAD.

HE SAID, "IF YOU'RE EVER

GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY

ALWAYS PRAY ABOUT IT."

SO I SAID, "WELL, CAN I HAVE

A WEEK TO PRAY AND THINK?"

THEY SAID,

"WE'LL GIVE YOU THREE DAYS."

I SAID, "OKAY."

I HUNG UP THE PHONE AND PRAYED

JESUS, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

THIS IS AWESOME!

BUT IF FOR SOME REASON THIS

ISN'T YOU, LET ME KNOW. AMEN.

-- BECAUSE SOMETIMES

THAT'S HOW WE PRAY.

I REMEMBER THE NEXT DAY

I WAS DOWNSTAIRS CLEANING

AND AS I'M CLEANING I HAD

A THOUGHT POP INTO MY MIND

AND IT WAS SIMPLY

DO YOU WANT BRONZE?

I'M THINKING,

I DON'T DECORATE WITH BRONZE,

THE HOOVER IS NOT BRONZE.

GOD, IF YOU ARE SPEAKING,

I'M A C STUDENT AND I NEED YOU

TO SPELL THIS OUT.

[Laughter]

THE NEXT DAY I WAS SPENDING

SOME TIME IN PRAYER

AND AS I WAS PRAYING

THE THOUGHT FLASHED OUT

IN MY MIND, DO YOU WANT BRONZE

OR ARE YOU WILLING

TO WAIT FOR GOLD?

I REALIZED WHAT GOD WAS SAYING.

SO WHEN THAT COMPANY CALLED ME

BACK, THEY SAID, "ARE YOU

GOING TO TAKE THE JOB?"

I SAID, "I WOULD LOVE TO

BUT I'VE GOT TO PASS.

I DON'T FEEL LIKE

THIS IS GOD'S BEST FOR ME NOW."

I WOULD LOVE TO TELL YOU

THAT THE NEXT WEEK

ANOTHER COMPANY CALLED

WITH AN EVEN BETTER OFFER

BUT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

I REMEMBER

I WAS JUST QUESTIONING

AND I WAS STARTING

TO DOUBT IN MY HEART

AND I WAS SPENDING TIME

JUST LIKE WHAT YOU ARE

DESCRIBING IN GOD'S WORD

AND I'M GOING THROUGH

AND I'M READING IN ISAIAH

WHEN I CAME ON THIS PASSAGE

IN CHAPTER 60, VERSE 17 --

16 AND 17.

IT SAYS: "THEN YOU WILL KNOW

THAT I THE LORD AM YOUR SAVIOR

AND YOU'RE REDEEMER,

THE MIGHTY ONE OF JACOB

INSTEAD OF BRONZE,

I WILL BRING GOLD."

WHEN I SAW THAT IN GOD'S WORD

IT CONFIRMED WHAT GOD'S SPIRIT

HAS BEEN SAYING.

SO IF WE WANT TO HEAR FROM GOD,

IF WE WANT TO WALK

IN THE CONFIDENCE OF

THAT RELATIONSHIP,

THIS AS YOU HAVE SAID, THIS IS

THE KEY, IT IS THE FOUNDATION,

IT IS THE FILTER.

James: AND YOU DON'T

PLAY BIBLE ROULETTE.

YOU JUST DON'T PICK IT UP

AND SAY HERE.

IT IS POSSIBLE GOD WOULD SAY

PICK THE WORD UP,

I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING.

YOU MIGHT OPEN TO THE PAGE.

THAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME

FREQUENTLY.

THAT DOESN'T BECOME

THE AUTOMATIC WAY IN WHICH

I SEEK THE WILL OF GOD.

THE LORD OFTENTIMES

WILL DIRECT ME TO GO

PICK UP A BOOK THAT'S BEEN

LAYING ON A SHELF FOR YEARS

OR THERE WILL BE ONE THAT IS

IN A STACK OF BOOKS THAT I'M

TRYING TO READ THROUGH

AND HE'LL IMPRESS ME

TO PICK ONE UP.

INVARIABLY I'LL OPEN TO

A PARTICULAR PAGE OR OPEN IT

TO WHEREVER I JUST LAST READ

AND THE VERY NEXT PARAGRAPH

OR THE VERY NEXT PAGE

GOD SPEAKS TO ME VERY CLEARLY.

I HAVE REALLY LEARNED

TO RESPOND TO THAT

STILL SMALL VOICE.

I DON'T HAVE TO WAIT

FOR A LIGHTNING BOLT

TO GET MY ATTENTION;

IT IS A GENTLE NUDGE,

LIKE THE LORD DIRECTS

MY ATTENTION SOMEWHERE.

SOMETIMES I TALK TO SOMEONE,

PRAY FOR ME.

I THINK IF WE LIVE IN

THAT RESPONSIVE MODE

WHERE THE GENTLE BREEZE,

WE SET OUR SAIL

TO CATCH THE BREEZE

IN THE WIND OF THE SPIRIT;

WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR

A STORM TO GET OUR ATTENTION.

IT IS AMAZING HOW QUICKLY,

HOW FREQUENTLY, HOW OFTEN,

AND HOW CLEARLY HE TALKS TO US.

Margaret: AND I THINK THE WORD

YOU'RE HINTING AT THERE

IS THAT WORD PROMPTNESS,

THAT SAYS THERE IS NO DELAY.

WHEN WE DELAY, I BELIEVE

RESPONDING TO GOD'S WHISPERS

AND THOSE NUDGES AND

THOSE INKLINGS FROM HIM,

THERE BECOMES -- IT ONLY GROWS.

BUT WHEN WE'RE QUICK

TO RESPOND, THAT ALSO

ONLY GROWS AS WELL.

AND SO WE NEED TO BE PROMPT

IN RESPONDING TO THOSE MOMENTS,

TO NOT MISS

THOSE WINDOWS IN TIME,

TO NOT READ A PASSAGE

OR FEEL THAT SENSE THAT I NEED

TO SAY "NO" TO THE JOB

AND THEN SAY, "WELL,

BUT I'M JUST GOING TO WAIT

AND SEE HOW LONG I CAN

STRETCH THIS OUT FOR."

BECAUSE THAT'S A LOT OF TIMES

WHEN THE DOUBT

AND THE CONFUSION COMES IN.

BUT WHEN WE RESPOND QUICKLY

THERE IS THAT CLARITY

AND THERE IS THAT CONFIDENCE

AND THERE IS

THAT SENSE OF KNOWING

THAT GROWS AND DEVELOPS,

LIKE A MUSCLE INSIDE OF US.

Betty: AND ALWAYS REMEMBER

HE DOES WANT

HIS VERY BEST FOR US.

HE GAVE HIS VERY BEST FOR US.

SO WHY SHOULD WE

EXPECT ANY LESS?

SO DON'T GET IN A HURRY

TO SETTLE FOR LESS THAN THAT.

James: IT'S REALLY,

WHEN WE ARE LIVING SACRIFICES,

YIELDED, THAT WE CAN HEAR

AND KNOW THE GOOD ACCEPTABLE

AND PERFECT WILL OF GOD.

WE CAN KNOW THE DIFFERENCE IN

THE BRONZE, SILVER OR GOLD...

AND GOD'S BEST.

RICK JOINER SAID TO ME YEARS

AGO, "GOD SPOKE THIS TO ME

FOR YOU, JAMES, NEVERTHELESS --

NEVERTHELESS --."

HE HAD TO COME BACK

THE NEXT DAY WHEN NEITHER ONE

OF US REALLY UNDERSTOOD A WORD

OF WHAT HE WAS SAYING.

HE SAID, "I PRAYED

NEARLY ALL NIGHT."

I SAID, "I DID TOO!"

HE SAID, "GOD SHOWED ME

WHAT HE WANTED YOU TO HEAR.

JAMES, NEVERTHELESS --

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER THE LESS!

DON'T EVER SETTLE FOR LESS

THAN GOD'S PERFECT WILL."

THAT'S A WORD FOR EVERYBODY,

ISN'T IT, MARGARET?

THAT'S GOD'S WORD.

Margaret: AND THAT TRUTH

THAT YOU'RE HIGHLIGHTING,

THAT WHEN GOD SPEAKS, IT IS

NOT SO MUCH FOR INFORMATION,

IT IS NOT A MATTER OF CHECKING

SOMETHING OFF OF A LIST

OR SAYING, "OKAY,

I HEARD FROM GOD TODAY,

I CAN MOVE ON WITH MY DAY."

BUT THAT WHEN GOD SPEAKS

IT IS FOR TRANSFORMATION.

GOD SPOKE CREATION

INTO EXISTENCE WITH MERE WORDS

AND THE WORDS THAT GOD

SPEAKS TO US HAVE THAT

SAME POTENCY AND POWER

THAT THEY CHANGE US,

THEY SHAPE US,

THEY LIVE INSIDE OF US.

AND EVEN WHEN YOU TELL

A STORY LIKE THAT,

THE HUNGER IN MY HEART,

TO HEAR FROM GOD,

TO FEED ON HIS WORD GROWS,

IT IS TRULY CONTAGIOUS.

James: ABSOLUTELY!

WOULD YOU JOIN US

IN SAYING THANKS TO MARGARET?

ISN'T IT JUST WONDERFUL!

THE BOOK, HUNGRY FOR GOD

IS IN THE BOOKSTORES.

BY THE WAY,

THERE IS HER WEB SITE

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW

TO COMMUNICATE WITH HER

OR WHERE SHE IS SPEAKING

OR TO SEE IF SHE COULD

POSSIBLY COMMUNICATE

TO YOUR CHURCH

OR YOUR COMMUNITY;

YOU CAN COMMUNICATE

THROUGH THE WEB SITE.

MARGARET, WE ARE RIGHT NOW

GETTING SHOES LIKE THIS,

LITTLE ALL-WEATHER SHOES

FOR CHILDREN

AND WE CALL IT SHOES

AND THEN WE'RE DOING SURGERIES:

SHOES AND SMILES FOR CHRISTMAS.

I WANT YOU TO JUST LOOK

AT SOME BEAUTIFUL FEET.

THOSE OF US WHO ARE SHOD

WITH THE GOSPEL

OF THE PREPARATION OF PEACE

BECAUSE IT IS IN OUR HEART,

WE WANT TO HELP OTHERS.

I WANT YOU TO LOOK

AT THESE LITTLE FEET...

THESE BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL,

BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN!

James: GOT THE SOCKS, JUST NEED THE SHOES.

Kathy: I'M NOT EVEN HERE FOR FIVE MINUTES AND I'M CRYING.

YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR BELLIES AND THEIR HEALTH

AND THE WATER BEING CONTAMINATED

BUT YOU DON'T THINK OF THE DISEASE

THAT COMES THROUGH THE PRECIOUS LITTLE BOTTOMS OF THEIR FEET,

THAT ENTERS THEIR BODIES

AND CAN STEAL LIFE FROM THEM.

Betty: YOU LOOK AT THESE BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN

AND YOU KNOW GOD DID A GOOD THING.

HE LOVES THE LITTLE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD -- ALL OF THEM!

AND WE LOVE THEM AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE

TO GIVE THEM SOME SHOES FOR THEIR PRECIOUS FEET

SO WHEN THEY WALK, THE DISEASE DOESN'T CONTAMINATE THEIR FEET

AND THEN GET IN THEIR BLOOD SYSTEM.

James: DO YOU KNOW WHAT JESUS SAID?

SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME INTO ME

AND FORBID THEM NOT!

DO YOU KNOW WHAT?

WE ARE THE REPRESENTATIVES OF CHRIST,

WE'RE HIS BODY, WE'RE HIS FAMILY!

WE CAN SHARE HIS LOVE.

Kathy: WHAT A PRIVILEGE IT IS FOR ME THIS DAY

TO BE SURROUNDED BY THESE PRECIOUS LITTLE ONES.

I'M GOING TO ASK YOU RIGHT NOW

TO GIVE THEM SOMETHING THAT SOUNDS SO SIMPLE

THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED,

AND THAT IS TO PUT SHOES ON THESE LITTLE FEET.

YOUR GIFT WILL NOT ONLY PROVIDE SHOES

FOR THESE PRECIOUS CHILDREN

BUT IT WILL ALSO PROVIDE SMILES --

NEW SMILES FOR THE CHILDREN WHO NEED CLEFT PALATE SURGERY.

OH, YOU'LL BE BLESSED AS YOU PUT SHOES AND SMILES

ON THE FACES AND FEET OF CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

James: I DON'T KNOW

WHAT IMPRESSIONS YOU GET

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CHILDREN.

I WAS LOOKING AT THEIR FEET,

OF COURSE, BECAUSE WE'RE

TALKING ABOUT GIVING THEM

SHOES FOR CHRISTMAS,

TO KEEP THEM FROM GETTING

THE PARASITES

AND THE INFECTIOUS BACTERIA

AND EVEN THE HOOKWORMS

THAT CAN ACTUALLY KILL THEM.

WE WANT TO GIVE THEM THAT BUT

I'VE GOT TO BE HONEST WITH YOU,

WHEN I WAS LOOKING

AT THOSE CHILDREN

I SAW SO MUCH MORE THAN FEET,

I SAW PRECIOUS

BEAUTIFUL LITTLE CHILDREN.

I SAW CHILDREN THAT GOD

WANTS TO LOVE AND HOLD.

BETTY, WITHOUT EXAGGERATING,

WHEN YOU EXPRESS THE LOVE

OF GOD, YOU ACTUALLY ARE

PUTTING HIS ARMS AROUND THEM

AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT

TO ASK YOU TO DO.

AND I PRAY THIS,

I PRAYED IT

BEFORE WE CAME ON THE AIR,

EVERY PERSON WATCHING

PLEASE HELP US

HELP THOSE CHILDREN.

WE HAVE TARGETED,

WITH THE MISSIONARIES HELP,

AREAS WHERE WE'VE GOT

200,000 CHILDREN.

SOME OF THEM ARE GOING TO HAVE

TINY LITTLE FEET LIKE THIS,

JUST LEARNING TO WALK.

OTHERS WILL BE OLDER CHILDREN

AND WE HAVE A VELCRO STRAP

THEY CAN ADJUST TO WHERE

-- AND THIS SHOE WILL LAST.

IT IS ALL-WEATHER.

IT IS REALLY RESISTANT

TO ROTTING

OR TO THE TERRIBLE CONDITIONS

THEY LIVE IN

AND THEY CAN ADJUST THE STRAP.

THIS IS SOMETHING THEY CAN WEAR

FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.

WOULD YOU HELP US THIS WEEK

BY DIALING THAT NUMBER?

IF YOU COULD GIVE $1,000

OR $144 AS AN EXAMPLE

WILL GIVE 40 CHILDREN SHOES.

IF YOU COULD DO THAT,

$36 WILL GIVE

TEN CHILDREN SHOES.

I DON'T THINK THERE IS

ANYONE WATCHING

THAT CAN'T AT SOME LEVEL

REACH OUT AND SAY,

"I'M GOING TO TOUCH

THOSE TEN CHILDREN."

THEN I WANT YOU

TO REALLY PRAY ABOUT THIS --

THIS IS A FANTASTIC GIFT!

CHILDREN THAT HAVE DEFORMITIES

IN THEIR FACE, CLEFT PALATE,

SOME OTHER FACIAL DEFORMITY,

WE WANT TO DO THE SURGERIES

THAT IS CORRECTIVE.

IT AVERAGES $500.

COULD YOU GIVE A SURGERY

OR MAYBE TWO OR SEVERAL?

YOU MAY WANT TO MAKE

A SIZABLE GIFT AND SAY,

"USE THIS TO GIVE SHOES

AND SMILES.

I WANT TO DO WHAT I CAN."

I'M ASKING THAT YOU HELP US.

PLEASE DO NOT THINK

$36 IS NOT MUCH.

NO, IT IS REAL BIG

TO THOSE TEN CHILDREN.

I'M ASKING YOU PLEASE,

MAKE THAT CALL.

IF YOU WANT TO GO TO

LIFETODAY.ORG

FEEL FREE TO DO THAT

OR YOU CAN SIMPLY DIAL

THAT NUMBER.

IF YOU WRITE A CHECK,

MAKE IT TO LIFE

BUT CALL US AND TELL US

WHAT YOU'RE PUTTING IN THE MAIL

BECAUSE WE DEPEND UPON YOU.

MAKE THAT CALL.

THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT GIFT.

THANK YOU FROM

THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEART.

Announcer: POVERTY IS A KILLER

AND BECAUSE OF IT CHILDREN NEEDLESSLY SUFFER,

NOT ONLY FROM A LACK OF FOOD AND CLEAN WATER,

BUT ALSO FROM A LACK OF THINGS WE TAKE FOR GRANTED

SUCH AS A HEALTHY SMILE OR A SIMPLE PAIR OF SHOES.

FOR MOST OF THESE CHILDREN,

THEY'VE NEVER OWNED A NEW PAIR OF SHOES

AND WHILE THAT MAY SEEM MINOR IN LIGHT OF ALL THEIR NEEDS,

WALKING WITH BARE FEET PUTS THEM AT RISK

OF LIFE-THREATENING INFECTIONS THAT COULD LEAD

TO CRIPPLING CONSEQUENCES, DISEASE, AND EVEN DEATH.

BY RESPONDING TODAY, YOU CAN HELP LIFE IMMEDIATELY SECURE

AND BEGIN SHIPPING CHRISTMAS SHOES TO 200,000 CHILDREN

AROUND THE WORLD JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

YOUR GIFT OF $36 WILL PROVIDE TEN PAIRS OF SHOES.

A GIFT OF $72 WILL PROVIDE 20 PAIR

AND A GIFT OF $144 WILL HELP PROVIDE 40 PAIRS

OF CHRISTMAS SHOES FOR CHILDREN IN NEED.

IN APPRECIATION OF YOUR GIFT, BE SURE TO REQUEST

THE INSPIRATIONAL NEW BOOK, GOD WANTS YOU TO BE HAPPY

BY JAMES AND BETTY'S SON, RANDY ROBISON.

WITH YOUR GIFT OF $100 TO HELP PROVIDE 28 PAIRS OF SHOES,

YOU MAY REQUEST THE BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED SHOE ORNAMENT

TO PLACE ON YOUR TREE EACH CHRISTMAS.

FINALLY, PLEASE CONSIDER A GIFT OF $1,000 OR MORE

TO HELP PROVIDE TWO CHILDREN WITH CORRECTIVE CLEFT PALATE SURGERIES

AND YOU MAY REQUEST "THE LION AND THE LAMB" BRONZE SCULPTURE.

PLEASE CALL, WRITE, OR MAKE YOUR GIFT ONLINE TODAY.

Randy: THERE YOU GO, BUDDY!

LOOK AT THAT! BRAND-NEW SHOES... NEW SHOES ON DIRTY FEET.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? NOT ALL OF YOU CAN COME HERE

AND HAVE THE PRIVILEGE THAT I HAVE OF ACTUALLY PUTTING

THE SHOES ON THE FEET OF THESE BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN

BUT YOU CAN STILL BE A BIG PART

BECAUSE REALLY, WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU.

THIS IS NOT JUST SOMETHING FUN FOR THEM, THEY LOVE IT,

WE'RE ALSO IMPROVING THEIR HEALTH.

THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT OUTREACH.

THESE CHILDREN ARE ALL SMILING BECAUSE WE'VE GIVEN THEM NEW SHOES

BUT THERE ARE OTHERS THAT NEED A LITTLE EXTRA SUPPORT

TO CORRECT A CLEFT PALATE SO THEY CAN HAVE A SMILE TOO.

I HOPE YOU'LL MAKE AN ADDITIONAL GIFT TODAY

AS WE TAKE THE SHOES AND SMILES TO AS MANY CHILDREN AS WE CAN.

GO TO THE PHONE. GO ONLINE. DO THE BEST THAT YOU CAN

AND YOU CAN GIVE SHOES AND SMILES

TO CHILDREN ALL OVER THE WORLD.

James: IF YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE

MARGARET FEINBERG'S BOOK

HUNGRY FOR GOD

BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE

A HUNGER FOR GOD,

I THINK SHE'LL HELP YOU --

HELP TUNE YOUR EARS TOO.

BETTY AND I JUST WANT

TO SAY THANKS TO MARGARET

FOR REALLY BEING A BLESSING.

CHECK OUT HER WEBSITE TOO

AND SEE IF YOU CAN PASS

SOME TWEETS ALONG.

DO YOU WANT TO SAY THANKS

TO MARGARET?

MARGARET, YOU'RE A BLESSING.

THANKS FOR HELPING PEOPLE HERE,

SO MANY THINGS

GOD'S PUT ON YOUR HEART.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT!

ALL OF US CAN SPREAD THE WORD.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP

AND YOUR FRIENDSHIP.

Beth: ...IN THAT GRAY ZONE

WHERE YOU AND I HAVE THE BIGGEST CAPACITY

TO GET SIDESWIPED!

Announcer: DEVELOPING SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT -- TOMORROW!