SPRR RICHARD ROBERTS That’s restoration.  That is restoration. Bless us with another song. Will you do it?

SPKM DOTTIE RAMBO Sure.

SPRR RICHARD ROBERTS Give them a good handclap, Buck and Dottie Rambo, our good friends.

SPKM DOTTIE RAMBO (APPLAUSE)  Love you, Richard.

SPKM BUCK AND DOTTIE  SONG I_was_the_reason   (APPLAUSE)

SPRR RICHARD ROBERTS Buck and Dottie, come and join us, please. James was saying a word to me, Buck and Dottie.  Dottie, come and sit right here.  This is the pregnant seat, Dottie.  All the women that sit on this seat –

SPKM DOTTIE RAMBO Oh, that’s fine with me.  I get pregnant with songs all the time.

SPRR RICHARD ROBERTS (LAUGHTER)  Lindsay is not here today.  But James had something on his heart that he wants to share.  And James, we have just a few moments left, I want you to just follow the Lord.

SPKM JAMES ROBISON First, let me say how much I love you.  Buck and Dottie, you are so precious.  What a beautiful testimony of restoration.  And thank God that you’ve been restored and we’ve got those great songs that you are singing.  And what a beautiful gift that you shared with us a moment ago.  Let me just say something — and I asked Richard if I could say this.  Because I love Richard Roberts, I love the restoration of the Lord Jesus in his life.  Boy, Richard, I can’t ever think about what God has done in your life that I wouldn’t think about if one of my children had been subjected to the kind of pressure you were subjected to as a preacher’s kid.  And of course, I know you have made mistakes, too.  But you had a lot of pressure — and then in your own life you blew it.

SPRR RICHARD ROBERTS Yes.

SPKM JAMES ROBISON But you came back to a God that had grace — that Jesus’ grace is greater than the prophet’s message, it was greater than Jonah’s message of destruction.

SPRR RICHARD ROBERTS Yes.

SPKM JAMES ROBISON The grace of Jesus stood in there and forgave the whole town and the prophet went off and pouted.  And he was a true prophet.  And I want the true prophets that are sometimes a little bit sharp with their words to remember, the grace of Jesus stands between the wicked and the true prophet’s message and says, “I’ll give you hope and restoration.”  And I bless the Lord for what God has done in Richard’s life.  I want to tell you something.  I am proud of the Jesus working in Richard’s life and in Lindsay — I love this couple.  And I love Oral and Evelyn Roberts.  And you’ve got to remember, my background was to be unkind and critical of them.  And I was unkind, and that is why I had to get right with God and right with Oral and Evelyn.  And I love them.  And we are all being perfected and refined.  This ministry has come through a great time of pressure, but also a great time of spiritual refreshing.  Boy, there is a revival in this campus and in this ministry, and a great outpouring of support.  But let me say something to you — many time after that great outpouring the tendency is to sort of fold your hands and let down.  Don’t you do that.  I’m saying to everyone that loves the ministry of Jesus through Oral Roberts, through Richard Roberts, through their families — don’t you let down.  More than ever you say — I’m going to seek God.  I’m going to obey God. I’m going to continue to sow seeds in good soil.  And I am going to invest in eternity and eternal purposes.  And I challenge you with all my heart, stand behind this ministry as never before — with your prayers and with your financial support.  (APPLAUSE)  I plead with you to do that.

SPRR RICHARD ROBERTS Praise God.  We only have about 60 seconds before our program closes today, but I want everyone to join hands, and may we join hands together.  Someone may be ill in your body today, and I want to pray  PRRR for you.  There is no distance in prayer.  In Jesus’ name, in Jesus’ name, in Jesus’ name I come against the devil’s attack in your life.  SR01 And I set myself in agreement with his word, the word says, “If two or three shall agree on anything as touching anything on this earth, it shall be done of my Father which is in heaven.” ( RR_Matthew_18:19 ) And I agree by faith for you — for a miracle in your life.  I speak to the sickness and to the disease.  I speak to the fear.  I speak to the things in your life that are unlike God.  I speak to the discouragement.  I speak to the financial distress, in Jesus’ name be healed.  Be healed from your head to your feet.  Be healed.  Be set free from the devil’s domination.  Be delivered.  Oh, I believe there is no distance in prayer.  God’ healing power can flow right from this place, through this television camera, right where you are watching this program.  I thank God for miracles.  I thank God for miracles.  I want you to step to your telephone and let me know what God is doing in your life.  918 495-7777.  The Abundant Life Prayer Group is on duty seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Hallelujah. James and Betty, God bless you.  Duck and Bottie — listen to me. (LAUGHTER)  Buck and Dottie Rambo, we love you with all of our hearts.  I knew one of these days I would do that on live television.  I knew it.

SPKM DOTTIE RAMBO Oh, you aren’t the first.

SPRR RICHARD ROBERTS Let me remind you, ORU is playing Oklahoma State in baseball tonight at J.L. Johnson Stadium.  OSU is fourth in the nation.  ORU is 25th in the nation.  If you are in the Tulsa area come out and see ORU and Oklahoma State University play baseball tonight.  Till we see you next time, remember, no matter what it looks like God can turn it around for you. (APPLAUSE) SPKM ORU SINGERS  SONG Turn_it_around   (APPLAUSE)

SPKM BILL NORDSTROM Guests of the Richard Roberts program fly American Airlines, the official airline of the Oral Roberts Ministries.  I am Bill Nordstrom reminding you to join us Sunday for “Expect A Miracle” with Oral and Richard Roberts.  Check your local listings for time and station.  And remember, God can turn it around in your life.  (APPLAUSE)

SPRR RICHARD ROBERTS Are you saying every link is important?

SPKM DOTTIE RAMBO Every link is just as important as the other, because we are supportive.  We have the same strength.  We are made the same way.  We are made in the image of God.  And we are all important in the Body. And it’s time if we see a little crook, or a bend, or a weakness in one link, just say, “Hey, we’re just going to put it together, and bind it in love, and make it as strong as it ever was.”  (APPLAUSE) Because that happens sometimes in the body — some of us get weaker than others.  We have our moments.  Buck and I had our times when we SU08 didn’t want to live.  We both tried to commit suicide.  And that was 14 years ago.  And we are so happily restored in Jesus, in our ministry, in our marriage.  That is a reason we tell our story, because it has a positive, happy ending.

SPRR RICHARD ROBERTS It’s not pleasant to tell the story, though, is it, Buck?

SPKM DOTTIE RAMBO No.

SPKM BUCK RAMBO No, but Richard, just say that if the church had allowed Dottie and Buck to go down the tube, there would have been no song, “We Shall Behold Him” — “I Will Glory In The Cross” — the greatest songs that Dottie Rambo has written have been written since the hurt, since the restoration.

SPKM DOTTIE RAMBO It’s true.

SPKM BUCK RAMBO And what God has done in our lives.  Man, the reason that Dottie and I are still out here traveling, and we’re still going.  Hey, I get home — if I take a day off I get to feeling guilty.  Because that is a day that I could have been out witnessing to somebody about Jesus and could have been sharing our testimony, and sharing what God has done in restoration of our lives.  And we are so thrilled about being members of the Body of Christ.  Hey, we are just like the old country preacher,we’re just so glad to be in the work.  I really mean that.

SPKM DOTTIE RAMBO Amen.

SPKM BUCK RAMBO I’m so proud of the Body of Christ.  While there seems to be great chaos and great turmoil going on — you know, God ain’t nervous about nothing.  He really — he’s not worried in the least.  He’s got control.  Sometimes we forget — hey, he’s got the final say.  He’s the final authority, and he’s got everything under control. Especially his church.  (APPLAUSE)

SPKM DOTTIE RAMBO You know, Richard, and Betty and James, and Buck — Buck’s heard me say this — but I have to recite something to you.  I think the Lord — I know the Lord gave to me to give to the Body.  I was walking through my little angel room, and we’ve talked about my little angel room where I meditate and do all my writing when I am home.  I was walking through there kind of looking, and I’m really modest about trophies and Grammies, and all the things that the Lord has blessed me to win. But they finally talked me in to putting them up on the walls. So I said, “Well, go for it.”  So Buck went in there and put them all up.  So I’d go in there and sit and laugh and look at things. And the other day I was in there looking at some things that Elvis had given me, and some trophies and I was laughing and crying.  And I said, “Lord, you know, I don’t understand it.” Here is a little country girl — I left home when I was 12 years old.  I’ve been on my own since I was a kid.  And just a lot of bad things happened in my life.  I don’t know that I could ever deserve all this.  You know. “Why did you do this for me?  I’ve made so many mistakes.  I’ve fallen on my nose so many times. And I don’t understand why you love me so much.”  And the Lord started speaking a lyric that I had to leave with you.  This was his lyric to me to give to the Body right now.  It’s so needed — With all my imperfections, faults that anyone can see, I question and I wonder what the Father sees in me.  But he constantly reminds me, he is the Father and I am the child.  So I yield in sweet surrender, making Calvary all worthwhile.  He sees me through the blood, and claims me through the Lamb.  He doesn’t see my past, he just takes me as I am.  He doesn’t see the slave, the prisoner of the chains — he sees me through the blood and he can only see a king.  He has covered me in mercy, with his robe of righteousness, blotting out all my transgressions, oh, how great his faithfulness.  When perfect love was sometimes hard for me to comprehend, Richard, he just points me back to Calvary, reminding me again that he sees me through the blood.  (APPLAUSE) That’s how he sees us, that why he loves us.

SPKM BETTY ROBISON  PRYM Dear Lord Jesus, I do pray for each one of the people, right now, these precious children that you love, Lord Jesus.  God that you will just convict them right now in Jesus’ name.  And I just ask you right now before the Lord, say — Jesus, strip me of all the things that are holding me back from you.  Strip me of all the things that keep me from walking with you.  And Jesus, save me.  Cleanse me.  Purify me. In Jesus’ name.  And Lord, give me a desire to walk with you, to be pure before you, Lord Jesus.  And a desire just to please you.  In Jesus’ name.  Lord, I thank you for what you have done right now. Lord, it’s not a difficult thing for you to do and I praise you for it, in Jesus’ name.  Amen.  

 SPRR RICHARD ROBERTS If you meant that with all of your heart, you are a new person.  And you say, “Well, Richard, why would you lead a sinner’s prayer twice in one program?”  I might lead it a third time.  Why?  Because we care. We are concerned about you. James has been pouring out his heart on how God wants to restore you.  How he restored him.  How he restored Betty.  I could take the next half hour and tell you how he restored me.  Buck and Dottie Rambo, I’m going to ask them how God has restored them in a minute.  But he wants to restore you.  Restore you in body. Restore you in mind.  Restore you in spirit.  Restore you in family. Restore you in your finances.  Restore you from your head to your feet, and everything inbetween.  Why?  Because we care. I know God cares for you, because he put his care for you in me. We’re concerned, that’s why we’re on the air.  We don’t come on the air every day, Monday through Friday just to have a good time.  Although I enjoy having a good time.  I believe Jesus had a good time.  I like to laugh and sing and have a good time.  I believe Jesus laughed and sang and had a good time.  But I’ll tell you, I’m deadly serious about winning people to Jesus Christ, it’s the greatest miracle of all, and I thank God for it. And if you prayed that prayer with Betty you will never be the same again. If you are sincere, and you prayed it with all of your heart — and I believe you did — you’ll never be the same again.  Step to your phone and call the Abundant Life Prayer Group right now.  918 495-7777. That’s 918 495-7777.  This is really a salvation show today.  I thank God for it.  Buck and Dottie Rambo, I’m going to come over and visit with you in just a minute, but I want you to bless us with a song while people are calling the Abundant Life Prayer Group right now. Give them a great welcome.  (APPLAUSE)  Here are our great friends, Buck and Dottie Rambo, to minister the gospel in song.  (APPLAUSE)

SPKM BUCK AND DOTTIE RAMBO  SONG We_Are_A_Link

SPRR RICHARD ROBERTS Give them a good handclap.  Dottie and Buck, you are so precious to us and to our family and to this ministry. Now we have been talking about restoration.  You told me on camera, you’ve told me off camera — many times — how God has restored your lives and restored your ministry.  I saw you over there nodding your head.

SPKM BUCK RAMBO Richard, you’ve got to be careful, though — you’ve got to be careful anymore about talking about God restoring you — because down the road somewhere, years from now, somebody will dig it up on you.  You know what is really irritating me, is because for 14 years Dottie and I have talked about how God has restored our marriage, how God has healed us, how God has brought deliverance.  We’ve talked about it in every church that we have gone to in the last 14 years.

SPRR RICHARD ROBERTS You’ve talked about here on this program.

SPKM BUCK RAMBO BUCK:  Right, we’ve talked about it on national television

SPRR RICHARD ROBERTS Sure.

SPKM BUCK RAMBO And yet, you know, we turn around and we crucify somebody else — there’s something that happened in their lives seven years ago that has been under the blood, God has forgiven, God has restored them. And yet we…brother against brother — crucify one another.  It’s brought great hurt to my life to see the Body of Christ pulled apart. And I think it’s so sad.

SPKM DOTTIE RAMBO Do you, know, Buck and Richard, excuse me darling.

SPKM BUCK RAMBO Go ahead.

SPKM DOTTIE RAMBO The thing — when I sing, “We Are A Link In A Strong Chain,” so I love so much — I’m a real emotional person. I tell them — Buck kisses me and I run around the house seven times.  I’m very emotional, you know. And things get to my spirit real easily.  But when I think of the Body as a chain — I love jewelry that is — long chains that you can’t find where it connects — see, that makes us not really know where the chain starts and where the chain’s ending.  And in ministry — whether we are a toe or a finger or an eye, or whatever, if we are in that chain we are a link in it — we repair the links.  We undergird the links.  We strengthen them.  And I only think of my brothers and sisters — how I love you.  And James and Betty, Brother Robinson. And so many of our sweet people that are a link in that chain.

Around this time of year we celebrate Valentine’s Day and people’s thoughts often turn to love. 

But I want to talk to you about one kind of love that doesn’t come up very often, and that is loving yourself.  

I don’t mean that you should have an inflated ego.  But most of the time I don’t see people with overly inflated egos, loving themselves too much.  Instead I see people, even Christians, who are struggling with their self-worth, not believing that they are valuable and precious to God. 

Matthew 22:39 NIV says, Love your neighbor as yourself.  But how can you love your neighbor until you have completed the process of loving yourself? 

Too many of us are suffering from a low self-esteem when we don’t have to.  If satan is trying to put low self-esteem on you, don’t accept the package!  The Bible says, If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (II Corinthians 5:17 NKJV).

You can begin to love yourself when you realize that God has made you a brand new creation, and He has created you in His own image.  You are a reflection of Him! 

Not only that, but you are worth the price that Jesus paid for you on the Cross.  God sent His only Son as a ransom for you, and that makes you very valuable.  You are God’s prize, His treasure.  He paid no higher price for anything than He paid for you.

If you’ve struggled with self-esteem, it’s time to stop believing the lie that you’re inferior or worthless.  As the body of Christ, we’ve learned to refute the lie that we have to be sick or that we have to be poor.  So let’s refute the lie that we are worthless.  You are so valuable to God that He sent His Son to buy you back from the hands of the enemy!

RR:  Lindsay and I believe that strong families start with a loving relationship between husband and wife.  God said, The husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church (Ephesians 5:23 NIV).  And that Scripture goes on to say that a husband must love his wife as Christ loves the church (v. 25). 

That’s doesn’t mean that a man rules his own kingdom as a dictator and can run over his wife’s opinions and desires.  As the head of the family, he is commanded by God to love his wife with the same kind of love that Jesus loves the Church…and Jesus gave His life for the Church. 

LR:  Nowhere does the Scripture say that one spouse is responsible for doing all the work or making the other one happy.  God set up marriage so husband and wife have equal rights and responsibilities.  It’s balanced. 

RR:  Marriage is a two-way street.  The Bible says, The husband should please his wife… The wife should please her husband (1 Corinthians 7:3 NLV).  That means they should take care of each other. 

LR:  Not all families have a mom and a dad and two kids.  After my father died our family consisted of my mom, my brother and sister, and me.  We had to function as a family unit without having a physical father as the head of our household.

Mom had the mindset, This is who we are, and we’re going to continue to function as a family.  She claimed Psalm 68:5 which says that God is a father of the fatherless, a husband to widows.

You may feel that if one parent is gone, the family can’t go on.  But I believe God can give you the ability to function as a family in whatever situation you’re in. 

If you’re raising children alone, I encourage you to lean on God with all your strength.  When my mother didn’t know what to do at times when we were growing up, I remember her praying, “Lord, these are your children.  I know you can show me what to do.”  And He did!  I believe He can do that for your family too.

LR:  Never underestimate the power of your prayers as a parent.  My mother began to pray God’s will over my life from the moment she knew she was pregnant with me. But it’s never too late to begin. 

If your children or spouse are not in right relationship with God, I encourage you to pray for them and declare God’s Word over them every day.  And don’t ever give up  It may take a lot of time and prayers.  But I believe we can reap in due season…if we don’t give up. (Galatians 6:9). 

RR:  Lindsay and I want to pray this prayer with you over your family right now and join our faith with yours in expecting miracles in your home and family.