Participants: Chester Clark III
Series Code: 09GYC
Program Code: 09GYC000017
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03:42 Good morning GYC. Good morning.
03:47 its hard to see a converse like this come to an end. 03:49 Isn't it. I have to concur with those who've already said 03:53 this is one of my favorite GYC conferences, as I 03:58 look back over the conferences, I've been 04:01 able to be at each one and I've been blessed by each one 04:04 they've each been special, but this year's conference has 04:07 been especially filled with the spontaneity 04:11 of the spirit. And I just really enjoyed seeing 04:14 God working in lives. It's time now for our final 04:20 message and you know I've thought a lot about 04:23 what I can say in the last hour, the last few minutes 04:25 we have together, it's not like just any other 04:28 message, it's not like a morning devotional or a 04:30 evening meeting you know where you have 04:33 more yet to come, this is it, this is the last one and 04:35 I've thought about what would God have me to 04:38 share with you. I've thought about the fact 04:40 that we're not only living in serious sober times 04:44 but we don't know about tomorrow do we? 04:46 This could be the last GYC, this could certainly 04:50 be the last GYC for some of us right, 04:52 I think back a couple of years ago, two years 04:54 ago in Minneapolis and one of my own 04:57 students was killed instantly on his way back 05:00 from GYC and that final chat was the last 05:02 sermon he heard. And we don't know and so as I've been 05:09 praying, as I've been studying, as I've been 05:10 asking God to give me a message. 05:13 He's placed a burden on my heart and I want to 05:15 share that with you today, I want to share the 05:17 burden that he has placed upon my heart. 05:20 My message is entitled which cloud are you in. 05:26 I would invite you to kneel with me, it's a 05:28 serious time, a serious message. I would invite 05:30 you to kneel with me as we seek God's will and 05:33 God's word. Father in heaven, we've come down 05:41 to the last few minutes we have to share together 05:43 and Lord we want to savor our each moment, 05:48 we've sensed your spirit in this place and we've 05:52 been blessed. Our hearts have been watered, our 05:55 hearts have been fed and we want to gather up the 05:59 fragments that remain. We want to not miss a 06:03 single blessings you have for us. Yet father we are 06:07 dealing with sacred divine, infinite truth 06:11 and we're but finite sinners and mortals, 06:15 so today Father, I pray that, that I might not be 06:21 the speaker, but I just may be the spokesmen 06:25 that I might be a messenger, but you would 06:27 give the message, that your Holy Spirit today 06:30 would speak to each heart. Lord, I may over 06:34 emphasize or under emphasize, but may your 06:37 spirit translate the words I speak to each person, 06:39 they might hear what they need to hear in just the 06:42 right perspective and balance. Today, we 06:46 know that you have a tremendous burden on 06:49 your heart, you have an unfulfilled dream that you 06:52 want to come and you want to claim us as 06:55 your own. Lord, we just pray that we might take 06:59 your dreams seriously, we might not just 07:05 have enjoyed a good conference, that we might 07:08 leave here determined, that we might leave here with 07:13 a purpose in our hearts to do something meaningful, 07:18 to live more consecrated and committed lives to 07:23 you. Lord, today I just pray that you'll take my 07:26 lips, and you'll take my heart and you'll forgive me for 07:31 my sins, you'll hide me in the cross that your word 07:34 might be heard, that Jesus might be seen, 07:37 in his name we pray. Amen. 07:44 As I was thinking of what shame really is. 07:47 And what it means to be ashamed. One day, I stop 07:50 in a Taco Bell to get a quick bite to eat. 07:53 And at this particular Taco Bell on that evening 07:55 there was a group of junior high students that came in 07:58 and I was watching them with interest, they sort of 08:00 grabbed my attention, it was a small Taco Bell 08:03 and it was pretty much just me and this group of 08:06 students in the Taco Bell, as I was looking at these 08:09 young teenagers, you know, I noticed that there was sort 08:13 of something similar about all of them, they all had 08:16 the same style of clothes, they were all wearing 08:20 dark clothes, black clothes mostly and they all had 08:23 black hair mostly, obviously dyed black, artificial black. 08:30 Most of them, at least the girls had these black 08:34 fingernails, your starting to get a mental picture 08:36 right, of what I'm describing, and they had piercings 08:40 throughout their features, made me wonder if they 08:43 have been too close to a hand grenade or something 08:45 when it had gone off. There was metal all over their 08:49 faces and I was looking at them and I was thinking 08:52 you know what makes a young person dress like this 08:57 and look like this. I mean I was thinking if you were 09:01 take one of those young people and put them in the 09:06 middle of GYC you all look so nice. They might feel 09:11 sort of out of place right. They might feel sort of 09:14 ashamed, but the fact that there were six or eight or ten 09:19 of them, I don't remember exactly. The fact they were 09:21 so many of them gave them this confidence and this 09:24 unashamedness, you hear what I'm saying, 09:29 their peers around them looked like them. 09:34 They dressed like them, they dyed their hair like 09:38 them and so for them surrounded as they were 09:42 by this group of their friends, for them they 09:47 thought they were normal, I was sitting there, observing 09:52 them and sort of thinking about this and I realized 09:55 they were looking at me and probably thinking I was 09:57 really weird. I mean I was the one by myself. 10:03 They had a whole group, the first thing I want us 10:07 to notice about shame. We are gonna look at 10:08 just two things about shame this morning 10:11 but the first thing that I want us to notice 10:13 about shame is that shame is not just a function of 10:17 our own hearts, it requires somebody around us, 10:23 are you with me, if I'm by myself and I do 10:26 something that's embarrassing, 10:27 it's not embarrassing right, I'm not ashamed. 10:31 It's only if there are witnesses, somebody to 10:34 see what I did, that's when I become ashamed, 10:37 that's when I become ashamed. You know, 10:39 I remember back some of the embarrassing moments 10:43 in my life and I remember one day I was with a friend 10:45 I was about that age 13, 14 years old and 10:48 I was with a friend and we were, it was on a 10:51 Sabbath afternoon. We'd gone on a hike at a lake near 10:53 our house and my friend and I, he was about a year 10:57 older than me I think and we were picking up rocks 11:00 and throwing them into the lake and just about 11:02 I don't know may be 50 yards or less into the lake 11:05 there was a buoy, and we were trying to hit the buoy, 11:09 you know how boys are. So, we're taking these rocks 11:11 and we're hurling them into the lake and trying 11:14 to hit the buoy, the problem was the buoy 11:15 was just about the limit of our range you know, 11:19 and so we are barely making it even that far 11:22 to the lake, much less hitting the buoy and 11:24 as we are winding up and heaving those rocks 11:27 as far as we could into the water, we're both 11:30 standing there and this rock came from 11:32 behind us well over our heads we watched as 11:36 it flew far beyond the buoy and splashed into 11:40 the lake. Now naturally, we wanted to find out 11:43 who had thrown this rock, they had a good arm 11:45 we turned around and he wasn't there, 11:48 she was, and I still remember the shame 11:57 and embarrassment as we were heaving those rocks 12:01 as far as we could and Jenny took a rock 12:04 and effortlessly through it way beyond, where we could 12:08 throw those rocks. Jenny was one of those girls 12:12 she was sort of every boy's dream and every boy's 12:15 nightmare. She was very feminine, long hair, 12:25 pretty steel blue eyes, but you didn't want to 12:29 meet her on a basketball court. When she had the 12:33 ball and was driving for the basket, 12:36 you had two choices, you either got out of the way 12:42 or you found yourself wondering where did she 12:45 come from, how did she do that and why am I on the 12:47 floor. It was at a church camp out and a spontaneous 12:56 arm wrestling tournament broke out among the young 12:59 boys, you know how boys are, I was probably one of 13:03 the older boys and so it really wasn't a very fair 13:06 tournament probably, but I remember arm wrestling 13:12 the Pastor's son Matt and as we are arm wrestling 13:17 who do you think showed up on the testosterone 13:20 filled scene, but Jenny. Now with Jenny watching 13:28 you had no choice. You better win right. 13:34 And rarely I had been, rarely had I ever been so 13:36 glad to have won an arm wrestling contest, 13:39 until Jenny step forward and said 13:43 I'll wrestler the winner. 13:52 Now, you talk about fear I still 13:58 remember squaring up with Jenny and looking 14:00 at the faces of all the boys around the circle 14:08 and the expression on their face said something 14:10 like this, if she beats you you're dead. 14:15 You've not only embarrassed yourself 14:18 you've disgraced the male gender for all time. 14:25 Shame is a function not only of what we experience 14:29 on our heart, but it's a function of the witnesses 14:33 in the crowd around us. It requires somebody 14:37 watching whose opinion matters to us, are you with me 14:41 Shame requires somebody watching whose opinion 14:45 matters to us. Now by nature we are people 14:49 pleasers we want to have others like us, 14:53 we are concerned about what people think, 14:55 we're influenced by the majority because we want 14:58 to be on the side of the majority, 15:00 are you with me, is that true or not? 15:02 We care about what the 15:03 majority cares about. And whether we like it 15:07 or not some of us may think I'm not really influenced. 15:11 But, whether we like it or not we are all influenced. 15:14 You cannot choose not to be influenced. 15:17 Daniel and Babylon could not choose 15:18 to be not influenced. The only thing we can 15:21 do is we can choose what influences we have 15:24 around us. And so as I was thinking 15:28 about these thoughts. I realize the problem is 15:31 that we often have a skewed idea about 15:34 what the majority is. Turn with me in your Bibles 15:36 and I am sure you brought your Bibles this morning. 15:39 The second Kings chapter 6, Second Kings chapter 6 and 15:44 we are going to look at one, only one instance 15:47 because we are really short on time this morning. 15:50 Second Kings chapter 6, we are going to be looking at 15:53 one instance of a change of paradigm, a change of 16:01 perception of what the majority is. 16:04 You see in our society, in our thinking. 16:07 We have this assumption that is made. 16:09 The majority defines normality. 16:13 Did you catch that? The majority defines 16:16 normality, isn't that sort of the way we operate. 16:20 Normal for us is what the majority of the people 16:22 do or think or act. For those young friends 16:27 in Taco Bell, normal for them was to dress 16:30 like that because that's the way the majority 16:32 of their friends were. So let's look here in 16:35 Second Kings chapter 6 and verse 15, this is the story 16:39 of Elisha's servant. He went outside and he 16:42 found the Syrian army had surrounded 16:43 the city. It says in verse 15 and when the servant of 16:46 the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, 16:48 behold an host compassed the city 16:49 both with the horses and chariots. 16:51 And his servant said on to him, Alas, my master 16:54 what shall we do? And Elisha said something 16:58 that didn't make any sense to those who heard it. 17:01 And he answered fear not for they that be with us 17:05 are more than they that be with them. 17:09 I mean the servants looked around this little village 17:11 of Dothan. It was hardly, it wasn't even a city, there 17:14 were no walls, it was just a little community of houses. 17:17 In those days of village was probably a dozen 17:19 houses or something like that. 17:22 And here the whole Syrian army has 17:24 compassed the city. There weren't gonna let 17:25 Elisha get away. And Elisha says, 17:29 don't be afraid for those that are with us 17:31 are more than those that are with them. 17:34 Completely irrational, it didn't help 17:39 the fear at all. Until Elisha had prayed 17:44 that prayer. He said Lord I pray thee open his eyes 17:48 that he may see. And the Bible says in Verse 17 17:50 Lord, opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw 17:54 and behold, the mountain was full of horses and 17:57 chariots of fire round about Elisha. 18:02 You see what Elisha knew. I don't know if Elisha 18:05 could actually see those horses and chariots of fire 18:07 before he prayed this prayer. I don't know. 18:10 Normally prophets aren't just walking around you know 18:13 viewing the unseen world, angels, but whether he 18:17 saw them or not Elisha knew something. 18:20 Elisha knew that they are more on the side 18:23 of God, then they are here on this globe. 18:25 Are you with me? Yes. 18:27 In fact it says in Acts of the Apostles page 599. 18:30 I like this, it says God is always a majority. 18:34 Amen. You see we are here 18:37 living on this little globe, this little speck, in a 18:40 little Solar System, in a small galaxy in space. 18:45 And we have this perception that those around us, 18:47 not even the billion people that live in the western 18:50 world or whatever it is. We have this perception 18:53 that the 20 or 30 or 40, 50 people that surround are 18:57 a circle of influence, they are normal. 19:02 And they're not, we are not. When the rest of the 19:08 universe looks down from space, because the 19:10 Bible says we are made a skeptical under angels 19:13 to worlds and to men right? 19:15 When the rest of the universe looks down 19:17 from space and they see this planet. 19:20 This is not normal, God defines normality. 19:25 Are you with me? Yeah! 19:26 God is a majority and God defines normality and 19:30 God and the billions of unfallen beings 19:34 when they see what's happening on this earth. 19:36 They think this is not normal. 19:39 Normality is not found in our circle of friends. 19:44 Normality is found in the perceptions of God. 19:48 Oh, but it's so difficult for us. 19:53 It's so difficult for us to have an accurate, 19:57 consistent, perception. That is equitable 20:02 with the perceptions of God. It's difficult, 20:06 because around us we are surrounded constantly 20:10 by a world of sin. Where sin becomes normal 20:15 what do you see when you turn on the television. 20:17 You see cheating, you see lying, 20:20 you see adultery, you see violence, 20:25 you see selfishness and greed. 20:27 It's normal in the business world. 20:30 It's normal in the entertainment world. 20:32 It's normal in the sports world. It's normal all around 20:35 us. At least we think it is, but when heaven looks 20:40 at this world it is anything but normal. 20:44 It's anything, but normal. And so we have a little bit 20:48 of a problem, I would like you to turn with me your Bibles 20:50 to Hebrews chapter 11. Hebrews chapter 11 is known 20:53 as the faith chapter of course. 20:56 And I want to start by reading verses 32 21:00 and onward. It says Hebrews 11, verse 32, and what 21:04 shall I more say? For time would fail me to tell of 21:06 Gideon and Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthah, of 21:09 David also, and Samuel and of the prophets, verse 33, 21:12 who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought 21:15 righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the 21:18 mouths of lions. Quenched the 21:20 violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, 21:24 out of weakness were made strong, 21:27 waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the 21:30 armies of the aliens. Now so far this 21:33 life of faith sounds pretty good doesn't it. 21:36 I mean who wouldn't want to live a life of faith, right. 21:42 I mean the heroes. It sounds great, but 21:46 if we continue on in verse 35, faith does not always lead 21:51 to this overwhelming victory. At least not from a 21:56 human perspective. Women receive their 21:58 dead raised to life again, others were what? 22:02 Tortured, not accepting deliverance that they 22:03 might obtain a better resurrection. 22:05 And others had trial of cruel mockings and 22:07 scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment. 22:10 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, 22:14 were slain with the sword, they wandered about 22:17 in sheepskins and goatskins being destitute, 22:19 afflicted and tormented. Of whom the world was 22:22 not worthy. They wandered in deserts, and in mountains, 22:25 and in caves of the earth. These all having obtained a 22:29 good report through faith, received not the promise. 22:32 My question is what would lead man and woman 22:35 to live a life of faith. To go through those 22:38 type of discouraging situations. 22:40 To go through those type of painful experiences. 22:44 What would lead them to be rejected by their own people. 22:47 What would lead them to be killed by their own church. 22:52 I think the answer is, they caught sight of a perspective 22:56 of normality, that was heavenly. 23:01 Amen! That was weak. They caught sight of 23:04 a perspective of normality that was heavenly. 23:06 Can you say, Amen? Amen! 23:08 You see when Abel brought his more excellent 23:12 sacrifice. He was doing it in the 23:14 presence of his only peer. And he had peer 23:18 pressure you understand. But, it wasn't, he didn't care 23:21 so much what his older brother Cain thought about 23:24 his sacrifice. What he cared was 23:26 what God thought about his sacrifice. 23:29 God defined normality for Abel not Cain. 23:34 And the same could be said throughout the 23:36 chapter, you see these were individuals who cared 23:40 not about the world's opinion, they cared 23:43 about God's opinion. Abel stood up against 23:47 his only peer, Noah was willing to be the laughing 23:49 stock of the world. Abraham was willing to 23:52 separate from everything that was familiar. 23:55 Though surrounded by the world they cared not about 23:57 the opinions of the world. Moses it says was willing 24:00 rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, 24:03 then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. 24:07 You see, if you turn with me back a few verses to 24:10 verse 13, the Bible says, these all died in faith, 24:14 not having received the promises, 24:16 but having seen them afar off, and were 24:18 persuaded of them, and embraced them, and 24:20 confessed that they were strangers 24:21 and pilgrims on the earth. I love this verse, because 24:24 it gives a four step sequence. 24:27 That it takes in order for you to become a person 24:30 of faith like Abel, like Abraham, like David, 24:35 like Moses. What were the four steps 24:39 that these men and women of faith went through 24:41 as they became men and women of Hebrews chapter 11. 24:45 The Bible says they saw the promises afar off. 24:48 For them at first just like for us at first. 24:52 Spiritual things almost seem illusory. 24:56 They almost seem like a mirage, is that real? 24:58 Is heaven real, is there really gonna to be a 25:01 second coming. I mean we are surrounded 25:03 by the real things right we can feel them, 25:04 we can touch them. We know that they're real 25:07 there is somebody sitting next you. 25:08 There is somebody sitting in front of you 25:09 and behind you. You know they're real 25:12 but that heaven that we talk, about the Jesus 25:14 that we pray to, at first it seems as though 25:17 well maybe it's just sort of mystical, maybe is just 25:19 sort of imaginary, is it real. The Bible says they 25:24 saw the promises afar off. But, the second step 25:27 they didn't stop there. The second step the Bible says, 25:30 they were persuaded of them. You see that. 25:35 The first step is to see the promises, it's to know 25:37 that there is a promise of heaven. There is a promise 25:39 of a second coming, but the second step is to 25:42 be persuaded of them, to actually believe 25:44 that it's real. There is a heaven. 25:48 Jesus is coming again. Amen! 25:52 There is going to be a new heavens and a new earth 25:54 where indwell of the righteousness. 25:57 There is going to be an end of sorrow and suffering 26:00 and sin. God is going to wipe every tear from every eye. 26:04 Amen! Praise the Lord. 26:05 Amen! They are persuaded of them 26:08 but there is another step, they took another step 26:10 they embraced them the Bible says. Having 26:14 seen them afar off, they then were persuaded of them, 26:17 and then they embraced them, this became what they 26:20 lived for. This became what their 26:23 affections were set upon. Set not your affections 26:26 on things of this world. But set your affections 26:28 on things above. Those are the real things. 26:31 So in these men and women of faith. 26:34 There was a progression from seeing the promises 26:37 afar off, believing them to be true, being 26:39 persuaded of them, and then embarrassing them, 26:42 so that their heart, their affections 26:43 their life revolved around them. 26:46 And I wonder today at which point are 26:50 we in this progression. Where are we? 26:57 Are we still in the far off, are we in the persuaded, 27:00 are we in the embraced. The final step it says 27:07 after having seen them being persuaded of them, 27:10 and embracing them, it says they confessed, 27:12 they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 27:15 They were ashamed to be different. 27:19 Amen! Normality is not here 27:22 they said, normality is there, we're citizens 27:25 of that country. And we are going to be 27:29 normal in that countries eyes not in this land's eyes. 27:35 They were not afraid to confess, how do you confess? 27:38 You're strangers and pilgrims. 27:39 It's by the way you live your life. 27:42 Amen! Is by the way 27:45 you live your life. Four steps, the Bible says 27:50 continuing on in verse 14. For they that say such 27:52 things declare plainly that they seek a country. 27:54 You know I've often thought about Enoch. 27:55 Enoch is a symbol or a type of the last 27:58 generation, right. GYC are we wanting to be 28:00 the last generation. We want Enoch to be 28:04 our type, we want to be the Enoch type right. 28:07 Enoch was translated without seeing dead. 28:09 And I've often heard the little phrase, you know 28:11 the little story that says Enoch and God were walking 28:13 together for so long. That one day God 28:15 said you know we've been walking together for 28:16 so long, we are close to my house than yours. 28:18 So why don't you just come with me. Amen! 28:22 Well, I would like to say this way this morning 28:25 may be Enoch was walking so far with God, 28:27 that God said, you know what? Your understanding of 28:31 normality is much more like heaven then on earth. 28:35 You'll be more comfortable there 28:37 then here, so why don't you just come home with me. 28:39 Amen! And I think that's the experience that 28:41 we need with GYC. We need the experience 28:45 of God saying to us your perception of normality 28:49 has now become heaven's perception of normality. 28:51 You're going to be more comfortable here then 28:54 you will be down there so, why don't you come home. 28:56 Amen! That's what I want. 29:00 But, if I have that experience my friends 29:02 I am going to be different from the world. 29:05 You can't have both. You cannot have it both ways. 29:11 It's one way or the other. And I am convinced that 29:17 the only way that we can have this experience of 29:20 having heaven's normality become our normality. 29:23 Is if in fact we are spending time each day 29:28 in God's word. The first step is what? 29:33 Having seen the promises afar. Where are those promises? 29:36 Where are they, GYC? They're in God's word. 29:40 If you're not spending time in God's word. 29:42 If I am not spending time with my Bible in front 29:44 of me, if I am not spending time in prayer. 29:46 If I am not spending time having the mind of God 29:49 infused into my mind, I'll never begin 29:52 thinking like he thinks. The only way 29:56 heaven's normality becomes my normality. 29:58 Is if I am spending time in the word of God. 30:04 The Bible says in Hebrews chapter 12, the next chapter 30:07 and verse 1, and this is sort of the Apex 30:10 of my thoughts today. The Bible says in 30:14 Hebrews 12 and verse 1 Wherefore seeing we also 30:17 are compassed about with so great a cloud 30:20 of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, 30:23 and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us 30:26 run with patience the race that is set before us. 30:29 You know I used to read this verse and I used to 30:31 think that this cloud of witnesses, that Paul's 30:33 talking about, they exist by virtue of the fact 30:36 that I was born after them. I mean all of those 30:38 men and women have faith they've gone before. 30:40 So there is a cloud of witnesses that surrounds me. 30:44 By default. Then I looked at those 30:48 kids in Taco Bell. And this is the question 30:53 that comes to my mind. In what sense does the 30:58 Hebrews 11 cloud of witness encompass them. 31:04 When they get dressed in the morning are they 31:05 thinking about Daniel. Are they thinking about 31:09 the example of Moses. It seems to me like 31:16 they have a totally different cloud of 31:17 witnesses. And the second point that I want to 31:22 make about shame. First is, shame requires a 31:24 witness or witnesses right? The second point 31:29 is this, you choose your cloud of witnesses. 31:36 Did you catch that. You choose your 31:40 cloud of witnesses. You choose who is 31:43 important to you. Whose opinion really 31:46 matters anyway. You choose who your 31:50 heroes are and you will become like your heroes. 31:54 Your cloud of witnesses determines who you are 31:56 ashamed or unashamed to be like. 31:59 Those kids at Taco Bell they're ashamed 32:02 to dress that way because their cloud of 32:04 witnesses was dressing that way too. 32:07 Many heroes today, many Adventist young people have 32:11 heroes that are the movie stars. The pop music stars. 32:15 The fashion designers. The rich and the famous. 32:18 And everyday we're forming characters, habits. 32:25 based upon our cloud of witnesses. 32:28 You see I really enjoyed last night, David Asscherick's 32:31 meeting, when he talked about character development. 32:35 Did you enjoy that? Amen. 32:38 It's just amazing how the Holy Spirit dovetails 32:41 messages, from one end of GYC to the other. 32:44 I was thinking about that I was thinking you know. 32:47 How is that characters formed. 32:50 In relationship of this cloud of witnesses. 32:53 I mean when I make a decision. 32:55 I don't always make the exact same decision 32:57 every day of course. But, I am making the 33:00 same, I am often making those decisions based 33:03 upon the same motivating factors. 33:06 Are you with me? In another words, if I've got 33:08 to choose, to buy some clothes let's say, and 33:12 I am going to buy a new pair of jeans, a new pair of slacks. 33:15 I am gonna make a decision and subconsciously 33:17 whether I know it or not? I am just confessing I am 33:19 a human being and I think all of us have this 33:22 probably trait. At some point entering 33:27 my reckoning of what I am going to buy, 33:30 comes the question? consciously or subconsciously 33:34 what are others gonna think about this. 33:36 Are you with me? And my decision making 33:39 whether it's what I'm eating, what I'm listening to, 33:41 what I'm watching, what I'm buying. 33:43 My decision making is largely influenced by the 33:45 cloud of witnesses around me. Right? 33:49 Now when as I am going to the store, I am not 33:52 making a habit every day of going to the same 33:54 rack and buying the same pair of jeans. Right? 33:56 But, I am forming the habit of going to the each 34:00 decision I make and making it upon the same basis 34:05 of the cloud of witnesses that are around me. 34:08 Are you with me? Yeah. 34:09 I'm forming habits each day that is why 34:12 in Revelation chapter 14 verse 7, in the 34:14 First Angel's message. The first injunction. 34:17 The first two words say, Fear God. 34:22 The Fear of God is simply the opposite of the 34:24 fear of man, right. The fear of man says 34:28 I don't know what I should do, let me think what 34:31 other people will say. Let me decide based upon 34:34 what other people will think. And it's our cloud of 34:37 witnesses that we are basing that upon, right. 34:41 And it maybe they are maybe our friends. 34:42 They maybe our co-workers. Maybe our boyfriend. 34:44 Maybe our girlfriend. But, it's people whose 34:47 influence, whose opinion really matters. 34:50 That's what we base our decisions on. 34:53 And the first command of everlasting Gospel says, 34:55 no, form a habit instead of basing decisions upon 34:59 what people think and what people say, 35:02 form a habit of basing decisions 35:04 upon what God thinks and what God says, 35:07 that's the fear of God. You cannot move beyond that 35:11 first command of the everlasting Gospel 35:13 if you do not get the first the fear of God in your heart. 35:18 You're gonna tell me that you're gonna live your whole 35:21 life even if you're surrounded by Adventist friends, 35:24 GYC friends, good clouds of witnesses. 35:28 But, you are forming a habit of making decisions 35:30 based upon people and all of a sudden 35:33 at the end of the time when you have to stand alone, 35:36 and the whole world is marshaled against the truth, 35:38 you're all of a sudden gonna make a decision based 35:41 upon what God thinks? I don't think so. 35:45 If you want to be faithful against the mark of the beast, 35:47 at the end of the Third Angel's message 35:49 you got to have the fear of God, 35:51 which is the first part of the First Angel's message, 35:54 and this is relevant for GYC, isn't it? 35:57 We claim to be an army of young people on a message, 36:00 to take the Three Angel's message to the world, 36:02 on a mission to take the Three Angel's message 36:04 to the world, in this generation. 36:06 But, we can't do it unless first of all 36:08 we've taken the Three Angels' messages to heart. 36:12 We need the fear of God in our hearts. 36:15 We need to be making decisions based upon 36:18 a cloud of witnesses that is not human around us 36:21 but based upon divine normality. 36:25 That's the basis of decision making 36:28 for God's last day people. 36:29 Everyday, when I'm making a decision, 36:34 my primary concern is whatever others will think, 36:37 what others will react, my free time is to spend 36:41 the same way, the world around me, 36:43 my cloud of witnesses spends its free time. 36:46 My iPod is filled with the same music that Babylon 36:48 around me listens to, my computer is filled 36:51 with the same torrent downloaded movies 36:53 that the world around me is watching. 36:54 My bookshelves are full of the same books and 36:57 magazines that my neighbor's bookshelves are full of. 37:00 If I am ashamed to be different 37:01 in lifestyle matters, it indicates my cloud 37:04 of witnesses, which is around me. 37:07 My heroes are not savoring the things of God 37:10 and all of a sudden, when an opportunity for a witness 37:13 arises I am expected to be unashamed to be different, 37:16 is it gonna work that way? 37:20 There is not a fluke of character that everyday 37:23 allows you to make decisions based upon what people think 37:26 and then every once in a while you get to make 37:28 a decision based upon what God thinks. 37:32 Those neural pathways need to changed my friends, 37:37 so they become habits, they become our character. 37:44 You know, this is one of the thing 37:45 that concerns me about GYC, 37:50 because sometimes I am afraid we just come 37:51 and we have a great conference. 37:56 I watch, I watch a lot of young people, 38:04 I listen to seminars they go to, 38:08 I watch the decisions they make, 38:12 and sometimes that really concerns me. 38:13 I'll just be honest with you, sometimes it really 38:16 concerns me. I am thinking what is the disconnect here. 38:22 Like here at GYC we really try to have a program 38:26 that's Bible based. 38:29 Like the seminars, they are trying to show 38:32 the principles of the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy. 38:35 These aren't GYC principles about music or entertainment, 38:38 or whatever it is. 38:42 But, the young people come and they say Ra Ra Ra, 38:44 GYC, come to GYC, GYC was great. 38:51 And the life they're living is in absolute contradiction 38:55 to everything that was taught at GYC. 38:59 And reminds me of Ezekiel 33, we won't take time 39:02 to turn there. You can look later. God said to Ezekiel, 39:06 you're like a musician that plays an instrument well, 39:09 that people love to come hear you, they say come, 39:11 let's go hear Ezekiel preach. 39:14 They go back and they don't do what you say, 39:19 Jesus quoted it in Matthews 15, 39:21 'This people draw nigh unto me with their mouth', 39:24 their mouth, right, but their hearts are far from me. 39:30 Oh! I hope that's not GYC, I want to share with you 39:33 a statement from the spirit of prophesy, 39:34 it's actually, a couple of paragraphs. It 39:38 says this at the conference of the Battle Creek, Michigan 39:41 May 27, 1856, I was shown in vision some things 39:44 that concern the church generally, 39:46 The glory and majesty of God were made to pass before me, 39:50 said the angel, 'he is terrible in his majesty 39:53 yet ye realize it not; terrible in his anger, 39:55 yet ye offend him daily. 39:57 Strive to enter in at the straight gate, 39:58 for wide is the gate and broad is the way 40:01 that leadeth to destruction, and many there be 40:03 which go in there at; because straight is the gate 40:05 and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, 40:07 and few there be that find it. 40:09 These roads are distinct, 40:10 separate, and in opposite directions. 40:13 you get them the mental picture right. 40:15 They're distinct, separate and opposite directions. 40:18 One leads to eternal life; the other to eternal death, 40:21 I saw the distinction between these roads, 40:24 also the distinction between the companies 40:27 traveling them, the roads are opposite. 40:30 One is broad and smooth, the other is narrow and rugged. 40:33 So the parties that travel them are opposite 40:35 in character, in life, in dress, and in conversation. 40:39 Do you catch that, parties that travel the two roads, 40:43 opposite roads are opposite also in character, 40:47 in life, in dress, and in conversation. 40:52 Those who travel in the narrow way are talking 40:54 of the joy and happiness they will have at the 40:56 end of the journey. Maybe they actually have embraced 40:58 the unseen things right, they're talking about heaven 41:04 Their countenances are often sad, 41:06 yet often beam with a holy sacred joy. 41:09 They do not dress like the company in the broad road, 41:12 nor talk like them, nor act like them. 41:17 A pattern has been given them. 41:20 A man of sorrow and acquainted with grief 41:22 opened the road for them, and traveled 41:24 it himself. His followers see his footsteps, 41:27 and are comforted and cheered. 41:29 He went through safely, so can they, if they follow 41:31 his footsteps. In the broad road 41:32 all are accompanied with their persons, 41:36 their dress, and the pleasures in the way. 41:38 they indulge freely and hilarity and glee 41:41 and think not of their journey's end, 41:42 of the certain destruction at the end of the path. 41:44 Everyday they approach nearer their destruction, 41:47 yet they madly rush on faster and faster. 41:50 Oh, how dreadfully this looked to me! 41:54 But this next paragraph is last paragraph, 41:57 it really catches my attention, 41:59 I saw many traveling on this broad road, 42:04 which way is the broad road? 42:05 The road that leads to destruction. 42:08 I saw many traveling, many traveling on this broad road, 42:12 who had the words written on them. 42:14 'Dead to the world, The end of all things 42:19 is at hand, Be ye also ready.' 42:26 They looked like all the vain ones around them, 42:31 except a shade of sadness which I noticed 42:35 on their countenances. 42:37 Their conversation was just like the thoughtless 42:41 ones around them; but they would occasionally 42:43 point with great satisfaction to the letters 42:46 on their garments calling for the others to have 42:48 the same upon theirs. They were doing outreach. 42:55 They were in the broad way, yet they professed 42:59 to be of that number who are traveling the narrow way. 43:04 Those around them would say, there is no distinction 43:09 between us, we are alike, 43:14 We dress and talk and act alike. 43:26 I want to make something clear 43:30 you can change the way you dress and 43:32 the way you talk perhaps, but it won't save you. 43:36 We are not talking about lifestyle changes 43:40 being salvific or salvational. 43:43 Alright, we are saved by the grace of Jesus Christ. 43:50 But I want to make something clear 43:53 your lifestyle may very well indicate 43:57 which cloud of witnesses you're in. 44:01 It may very well indicate, what you're doing 44:05 along that road, which road you're in. 44:09 This is serious business someone is going to say 44:13 but why talk about reforming the life. 44:17 It's because I believe at GYC 44:21 we need to not only have a revival of spiritual Godliness 44:28 in our experience here, we need to have some changes 44:31 in our lives when we get home. 44:32 It says in the Review and Herald , Feb. 25, 1902. 44:38 "A revival and a reformation must take place, 44:41 under the ministration of the Holy Spirit." 44:44 Revival and reformation are two different things. 44:46 Do you catch that, they are two different things 44:49 Revival signifies a renewal of spiritual life, 44:52 a quickening of the powers of mind and heart, 44:55 a resurrection from spiritual death. 44:58 That's, I believe what takes place at GYC. 45:01 As I see what takes places, as I listen to the appeals, 45:04 as I see the responses, I believe God 45:06 is working a revival at GYC, and it thrills my heart 45:11 God's Spirit is moving, people are making decisions 45:15 for Jesus. But a revival will not last, 45:20 that is not accompanied by a reformation. 45:23 She goes on she says, reformation signifies 45:27 a reorganization, a change in ideas and theories, 45:32 habits and practices. 45:34 Reformation will not bring forth the good fruit 45:37 of righteousness, unless it is connected with revival 45:41 of the Spirit. Revival and reformation 45:44 are to do their appointed work, 45:46 and in doing this work they must blend. 45:50 If you have a revival without a reformation, 45:54 you very soon have a near profession, 45:57 letters written on your garments 45:59 which you point to and you say, come with us to GYC 46:01 you'll hear great speakers, if you have a reformation 46:08 with a revival, you have legalism, 46:12 your miserable, and you make everyone 46:16 else around you miserable. We need both 46:20 a revival and a reformation. 46:24 A reformation is a reorganization of your life. 46:29 So, today my friends, I think 46:33 we need to think about what's going to happen 46:35 when we get home. 46:36 I really do, I think we need to think 46:42 where is my standard of normality coming from, 46:48 this morning I would like to make an appeal, 46:52 I would like to make a general appeal first, 46:56 if you want to say Lord, 47:02 too often my standard normality has been this 47:06 cloud of witnesses around me instead of the cloud of 47:09 witnesses of the unseen world. 47:14 But beginning with this GYC I want to have a paradigm shift. 47:19 I want to choose Hebrews 12, Hebrews 11 and 12, 47:25 to be my cloud of witnesses, if you'd like to say that this 47:28 morning, why don't you stand where you are. 47:30 We are saying today, I want my standard of normality 47:35 to be based upon heaven's standard of normality. 47:40 I want my standard of what should be done with my time 47:44 what should be done with my money, 47:46 what should be done with my influence, 47:48 I want to seek first the approval of the God 47:51 in those things, that's what we are talking about. 47:55 I want to be so close to heaven's normality 48:00 that Jesus can say to me, 48:02 you know what you'll be happier in heaven 48:04 then you'll be on earth, 48:06 why don't you just come home. 48:08 And you're standing here this morning, 48:11 because that is your decision, your 48:14 standing here this morning because that is your 48:17 burden and that is your heart's desire 48:20 your standing here this morning 48:22 because you want your perspective to match 48:25 the perspective of heaven. Is that your desire, 48:27 because you love Jesus, 48:30 because you want to be like him 48:33 that's why you've made this decision. 48:38 But this morning, I want to make a further appeal, 48:45 I want to ask if there is somebody here 48:51 who realizes that they're, they're not as far in this 48:56 four step process, of seeing the promises, 49:01 being pursued of them, embracing them 49:04 and confessing them as they ought to be 49:08 and they realize the only way they're going to move 49:12 down that process, is if spend time in the word of God 49:17 And so, then my appeal now is if there is somebody here 49:21 who would like to say, in 2010, I want to spend 49:25 more time in God's word than I spent in 2009, 49:29 I want my heart to be saturated with God's will, 49:32 God's thoughts, not the what's on television, 49:35 not what's in the movies, not what's in popular culture. 49:38 If their is somebody here that wants to say that 49:39 this morning, I invite you to just make your way forward, 49:42 to say Lord, I want to go home and I want to lay my Bible 49:47 before you, I want to kneel in front of your sacred world, 49:51 and I want to say Lord, search my heart. 49:54 Try me and know my thoughts, see if there is anything 49:59 any wicked way in me, anything in my lifestyle 50:02 that I need to change, are you willing to do 50:04 that my friends. Are you willing to say Lord 50:07 lead me in the way of everlasting 50:10 If there is something in my lifestyle 50:12 that I need to change not because of legalism, 50:15 not so that I'll earn your favor, 50:17 not so that I'll have your grace but because you revive 50:20 my spirit and I want it to last. 50:23 Lord, change my life. Are you willing to say 50:27 that my friends, you've come forward 50:29 because you want to spent more time in God's word. 50:31 God sees your decision, God is going to help you, 50:34 but when we talk about a reorganization, 50:38 a reformation of our life, we must talk about some 50:40 specific things. So I want to ask for some specific 50:44 decisions that we made here, there's some of you that know 50:47 that your iPods are full of music 50:52 that is the Devil's music. 50:58 Your computers are full of movies, 51:01 they are not bringing you closer to Jesus and 51:04 they are certainly not bringing you to a closer 51:06 understanding of his normality. 51:11 I want to ask for decisions, I want you to ask you to 51:15 bow your heads and close your eyes, 51:19 this is not a decision between you and me, 51:21 or between you and anyone around you, 51:23 where there is someone here heads are bowed 51:27 and eyes are closed, if there is someone here 51:29 who wants to say Lord, there is something in the 51:31 entertainment area of my life, whether it's music or movies, 51:34 whether it's that subscription to 51:35 ESPN or something that is taking 51:37 my time, it's consuming me and it's changing my 51:40 normality to be the normality of this world. 51:42 If you want to say this morning, I want to work 51:44 a reformation in my life when I go home. 51:46 I want your power, I want your grace, 51:48 I need your strength to make these changes, delete these 51:51 songs just raise your hand right where you're at. 51:54 You're saying, I want to make these changes 51:56 in my life, I want a reformation. 51:59 God bless you, God will give you strength 52:01 when you make this decision, but if we leave here 52:04 only being revived, without purposing 52:08 in our hearts that we are going to delete that music, 52:10 we are going to delete those movies, 52:11 we are going to get rid of that 52:13 television. Whatever it is, I don't know if 52:15 we don't make that purpose in our heart my friends, 52:19 I am afraid that reformation never happened 52:22 this would be a revival that doesn't last 52:24 you can lower your hands. 52:28 Their may be some of us who need to make a reformation 52:32 in other areas of our lives and again your heads 52:36 are still bowed and your eyes are still closed, I want 52:39 to ask you if there's someone here, realizes in the 52:42 area of their health, the way they keep their body temple 52:47 they need to change, their habits and practices. 52:51 they need a reorganization I don't know what it is 52:55 the Holy Spirit might be convicting you of. 52:56 But it's very clear that a diet 53:02 or a lifestyle effects our spiritual faculties. 53:09 If you want a revival that lasts, you need a reformation 53:13 in your lifestyle, 53:15 and maybe it's going to bed earlier, so you can get up 53:18 and spend that time with Jesus in the morning, 53:20 may be it's exercising, so you have a clear mind 53:24 and instead of being morose and depressed 53:26 you can have energy and happiness. 53:30 May be there is articles of food 53:32 that you know are not healthy, 53:37 I don't know what it is? But there someone here 53:39 that wants to say Lord I want to work a 53:40 reorganization of my health, just raise your hand, 53:42 purposing your heart right now 53:44 and God will give you the strength 53:46 and the blessing 53:47 to make a reformation in your life as we return. 53:52 You see, God know each hand, 53:56 you can lower your hands, 53:59 God knows each hand, and God knows each heart 54:02 and I believe that as we reorganize our lives 54:05 as we go home, this revival from GYC 2009 54:10 will not only last us through 2010, this revival can 54:14 be the beginning of an entire generation 54:17 of people, who looking unto Jesus 54:21 lay aside every weight in sin which so easily besets them 54:25 and finish the race, that God has set before us. 54:29 Is that your desire. Amen! Let's pray. 54:32 Father, in heaven today we are grateful, 54:39 oh you fed our hearts, you watered our souls 54:42 through this GYC, we don't want to end it, 54:45 to end by God's grace, by your grace 54:48 it doesn't need to end, 54:50 Lord, let this revival still burn in our hearts 54:54 and burn brighter with each passing day. 54:57 Lord, you've told us that a revival without reformation, 55:01 or a reformation without a revival cannot accomplish 55:04 what we need, we need them both. 55:07 So, today I just praise your name for the young 55:09 people and older people alike, 55:10 who have made decisions to take with they've learned 55:13 at this GYC, not just as pleasant words, 55:15 not just as popular speakers, but as real principles 55:19 they are gonna live by. Lord, today 55:23 I pray that you'll change our sense of normality 55:26 to be like heaven's, I pray Lord, 55:30 that you would help us to see things the way you see 55:33 them, that some day very soon you can say 55:37 to us, you'll be happier in heaven then here. 55:40 You can come and claim us as your own. 55:43 Lord, right now I'm praying for someone 55:46 who is struggling with the decision, 55:49 their standard of normality has being so skewed, 55:53 their cloud of witnesses is so pervasive 55:55 and strong and influential in their life, 55:57 they are afraid to make a decision for Jesus. 55:59 Lord, please send your spirit to these souls, 56:04 help them even now to purpose in their hearts, 56:08 to change the things that need to be changed 56:10 and they know, your spirit will show them. 56:13 Lord, I am praying for those who made a decision 56:17 either in the area of entertainment 56:18 or in the area of health, I am praying that you will 56:21 give them strength Father, for the devil will not 56:23 let them go easily, those habits which have 56:27 taken years to form, will be difficult to change 56:30 but by your grace with their spirit, and the 56:33 power of the spirit, reviving their soul each day, with the 56:36 power of your word changing their sense of normality 56:38 they can be unashamed to live like heaven would live 56:42 if it was here. Oh! Lord prepare us 56:46 for that eternity, make us men and women of faith, 56:52 make us GYC, not just with letters on our garments, 56:58 but help us to be on that narrow way, 57:00 following in Jesus footsteps, thank you for going before us 57:04 Thank you for going behind us. 57:06 Thank you, for holding our hands. 57:08 Thank you for giving us the strength. 57:12 Lord, may we look to Jesus, who was both the author 57:18 and the finish of our faith, may that be our experience 57:26 today, we pray in Jesus name. Amen. |
Revised 2014-12-17