A Thief in the Night (1972)

Clarence Balmer: Pastor Balmer - The Good Minister

Quotes 

• Patty Myers : It's all beyond me, I've been raised in the church, taught to do the best I can, to believe in God and hope for the best, what else is there? I mean I'm good. I don't lie, I don't cheat. I'm as good as the next person, maybe better.

  Pastor Balmer : God made us for Himself, that He might enjoy us, and that we might enjoy Him, and also that we might enjoy each other. But we, well actually you, broke that relationship when you didn't choose Christ.

  Patty Myers : I never made that choice.

  Pastor Balmer : Have you ever chosen FOR Him?

  Patty Myers : Well, maybe not, but my minister says we don't have to get all hung up on that theology stuff. God is love, and He's not going to destroy us because we can't help doing wrong, is He?

  Pastor Balmer : It's true that God IS love, and that God is holy, but God will also punish sin.

  Jim Wright : I think I understand, but where does love fit in? How could a God who loved me cause me to go through what I did?

  Pastor Balmer : Well Jim you have to understand there are times when God uses circumstances in our lives, to bring us into a closer relationship with Himself. Look at it this way, what chance did you have of making it after your accident?

  Jim Wright : Not too much.

  Pastor Balmer : None at all. There was no way your body could produce the antibodies that were needed to fight that poison.

  Jim Wright : Someone else had been through it. HIS blood had the cure.

  Pastor Balmer : Exactly, HIS blood had the cure. And all you had to do was receive it. When you received his blood, that saved your life.

• Pastor Balmer : I'm reminded of a neighbor I had back in Nebraska who got up one night in the middle of the night, took off his pajama tops and went downstairs for some ice tea. In the meantime his wife had awakened out of her sleep and discovered her husband was gone, turned on the light, found his pajama tops, and was immediately convinced that the rapture had taken place and that she had been left behind. Well from our studies in the past few weeks, we can conclude that we're living now in the end times, the days in which we live are seeing many prophecies being fulfilled that we have never seen fulfilled before. And surely this serves to remind us that the time is short at best, and if we would be followers of Jesus Christ, we must join His band now.

  Susan : [cut to Susan coming home]  Mom, I'm home. Sandy had to go to her aunt's so I came home early. Mom?

  [goes in the kitchen and finds a pot on the stove boiling and burning] 

  Susan : Mom? Mom? Mom?

  [screams] 

  Jenny's mom : [rushes in from the back]  What's the matter?

  [Jenny rushes in too] 

  Susan : I thought you were gone.

  Jenny , Jenny's mom : Gone, gone where?

  Susan : I thought you were gone.

  Jenny's mom : What's wrong?

  Susan : I thought you were gone.

  Jenny's mom : Gone where?

  Susan : I thought you were gone.

  Jenny's mom : Gone where? It's alright honey, it's alright.

• Pastor Balmer : [quoting Scripture]  The world will be at ease; banquets and parties and weddings, just as it was in Noah's time before the sudden coming of the flood. People wouldn't believe what was going to happen until the flood actually arrived and took them all away. So shall My coming be. Two men will be working in the fields, one will be taken, the other left. Two women will be going about their household tasks, one will be taken and the other left. So be prepared for you know not what day your Lord is coming.