I cannot tell why He,
00:00:24.91\00:00:30.87
whom angels worship
00:00:30.88\00:00:36.82
Should set His love
00:00:36.83\00:00:40.97
upon the souls of men
00:00:40.98\00:00:41.97
Or why, as Shepherd,
00:00:48.92\00:00:53.79
He should seek the wanderers
00:00:53.80\00:01:00.43
To bring them back,
00:01:00.44\00:01:04.31
they know not how or when
00:01:04.32\00:01:10.58
But this I know,
00:01:10.59\00:01:17.39
that He was born of Mary
00:01:17.40\00:01:24.28
When Bethlehem's manger
00:01:24.29\00:01:29.65
was His only home
00:01:29.66\00:01:35.22
And that He lived
00:01:35.23\00:01:40.65
at Nazareth and labored
00:01:40.66\00:01:48.15
And so the Savior,
00:01:48.16\00:01:51.58
Savior of the world has come
00:01:51.59\00:01:52.58
I cannot tell how silently
00:01:59.95\00:02:07.41
He suffered
00:02:07.42\00:02:11.37
As with His peace
00:02:11.38\00:02:16.13
He graced this place of tears
00:02:16.14\00:02:23.41
Nor how His heart upon
00:02:23.42\00:02:29.14
the Cross was broken
00:02:29.15\00:02:34.74
The crown of pain
00:02:34.75\00:02:38.90
to three and thirty years
00:02:38.91\00:02:46.25
But this I know,
00:02:46.26\00:02:51.79
He heals the broken-hearted
00:02:51.80\00:02:58.47
And stays our sin,
00:02:58.48\00:03:03.59
and calms our lurking fear
00:03:03.60\00:03:10.22
And lifts the burden
00:03:10.23\00:03:15.31
from the heavy laden
00:03:15.32\00:03:21.69
For still the Savior,
00:03:21.70\00:03:25.20
Savior of the world is here
00:03:25.21\00:03:33.23
I cannot tell how
00:03:33.24\00:03:38.60
He will win the nations
00:03:38.61\00:03:44.80
How He will claim
00:03:44.81\00:03:49.01
His earthly heritage
00:03:49.02\00:03:56.31
How satisfy
00:03:56.32\00:04:00.48
the needs and aspirations
00:04:00.49\00:04:07.96
Of east and west,
00:04:07.97\00:04:11.65
of sinner and of sage
00:04:11.66\00:04:19.08
But this I know,
00:04:19.09\00:04:24.34
all flesh shall see His glory
00:04:24.35\00:04:31.17
And He shall reap
00:04:31.18\00:04:36.12
the harvest He has sown
00:04:36.13\00:04:42.77
And some glad day
00:04:42.78\00:04:46.96
His sun will shine in splendor
00:04:46.97\00:04:54.57
When He the Savior,
00:04:54.58\00:04:57.95
Savior of the world is known
00:04:57.96\00:05:07.04
I cannot tell
00:05:07.05\00:05:11.43
how all the lands shall worship
00:05:11.44\00:05:19.95
When at His bidding,
00:05:19.96\00:05:25.86
every storm is stilled
00:05:25.87\00:05:32.91
Or who can say
00:05:32.92\00:05:36.27
how great the jubilation
00:05:36.28\00:05:44.50
When all the hearts
00:05:44.51\00:05:48.68
with love for Him are filled
00:05:48.69\00:05:56.79
But this I know,
00:05:56.80\00:06:02.15
the sky shall soon his presence
00:06:02.16\00:06:08.82
Tens and thousands
00:06:08.83\00:06:14.14
human voices sing
00:06:14.15\00:06:20.30
And earth to heaven
00:06:20.31\00:06:26.49
and heaven to earth will answer
00:06:26.50\00:06:35.65
At last the Savior,
00:06:35.66\00:06:40.22
Savior of the world
00:06:40.23\00:06:46.54
is King
00:06:46.55\00:06:54.61
Amen. Oh, good morning everyone.
00:07:01.11\00:07:06.36
Good morning. It's
great to be here with you
00:07:06.37\00:07:08.76
from Australia and in Houston.
00:07:08.77\00:07:11.33
And I'm very much excited to
be here, this is my first GYC.
00:07:11.34\00:07:15.31
And I don't think I've
ever seen so many young people
00:07:15.32\00:07:18.42
excited to hear the
word of God, amen. Amen.
00:07:18.43\00:07:22.69
I'd just like to open
with an added word of prayer
00:07:22.70\00:07:25.10
myself before we go any further.
00:07:25.11\00:07:26.88
Father in heaven, I
thank you for bring us here
00:07:26.89\00:07:29.57
so early this morning.
00:07:29.58\00:07:30.66
I just pray now
that you would speak
00:07:30.67\00:07:32.47
through me that
you would take away
00:07:32.48\00:07:34.55
any self and any nerves
00:07:34.56\00:07:36.01
and may Jesus
shine forth is my prayer
00:07:36.02\00:07:38.87
today in Jesus name, amen. Amen.
00:07:38.88\00:07:42.23
The story is told of two
brothers' ages eight and ten.
00:07:42.24\00:07:47.43
And they were giving their
mother quite a lot of trouble.
00:07:47.44\00:07:51.75
So she decided that
she would take them down
00:07:51.76\00:07:54.18
to the local pastor
to see if he could help
00:07:54.19\00:07:56.86
straighten them out.
00:07:56.87\00:07:58.28
And when she took
them to the pastor,
00:07:58.31\00:07:59.94
he was very happy to help her.
00:07:59.95\00:08:02.48
And he took the younger
brother into his office.
00:08:02.49\00:08:05.21
The elder boy sat outside.
00:08:05.22\00:08:07.13
He sat him down
in front of his desk
00:08:07.14\00:08:09.65
and he looked at him
and he said, "Where is God?"
00:08:09.66\00:08:14.51
At this the young
man's eyes opened wide,
00:08:14.52\00:08:17.78
but he didn't answer.
00:08:17.79\00:08:19.37
And so the pastor
raised his voice a little
00:08:19.38\00:08:21.80
and he said,
"Young man, where is God?"
00:08:21.81\00:08:27.09
This time the boy
began to squirm in his sit.
00:08:27.10\00:08:30.95
But still he didn't answer.
00:08:30.96\00:08:33.34
And so the third time the pastor
00:08:33.35\00:08:35.24
asked him a
little more forcefully,
00:08:35.25\00:08:37.41
"Young man answer
me, where is God?"
00:08:37.42\00:08:41.78
At this the eight year
old jumped up out of his sit,
00:08:41.79\00:08:44.91
took off out of the
office and down the hall.
00:08:44.92\00:08:47.90
And when his elder brother
00:08:47.91\00:08:49.00
saw him take off
he ran after him.
00:08:49.01\00:08:51.78
When he finally
caught up with him, he said,
00:08:51.79\00:08:53.83
"What's the matter with you?
00:08:53.84\00:08:56.07
Why are you running?"
00:08:56.08\00:08:58.00
And when he
could catch his breath,
00:08:58.01\00:08:59.59
the little boy said, "Oh, we
are in big trouble this time.
00:08:59.60\00:09:03.32
God is missing and
they think we did it."
00:09:03.33\00:09:08.44
Friends the good
news this morning is this.
00:09:08.45\00:09:11.10
God isn't missing, amen. Amen.
00:09:11.11\00:09:13.55
The Bible tells us from
the creation of the world
00:09:13.56\00:09:16.84
that His invisible attributes
have been clearly seen.
00:09:16.85\00:09:20.71
And yet right
throughout scripture,
00:09:20.72\00:09:23.17
we find that God calls us to
seek him over and over again,
00:09:23.18\00:09:29.11
not because He is lost,
00:09:29.12\00:09:32.03
but because without
Him, we are, amen. Amen.
00:09:32.04\00:09:35.52
And it reminds of the
text in the Book of Jeremiah.
00:09:35.53\00:09:38.38
Jeremiah
Chapter 29 and verse 13.
00:09:38.39\00:09:42.25
Jeremiah 29, verse 13,
00:09:42.26\00:09:49.37
Jeremiah 29 verse 13,
00:09:50.54\00:09:53.90
it's the words of God.
00:09:53.91\00:09:56.71
Jeremiah 29 verse 13.
00:09:56.72\00:10:03.43
The Bible says, God says,
"He says and you will seek me
00:10:05.13\00:10:10.45
and find me when
you search for me
00:10:10.46\00:10:14.23
with part of your heart,
00:10:14.24\00:10:16.99
with all your heart,
that's what God's promise is".
00:10:17.00\00:10:20.28
And friends, once upon a time,
00:10:20.29\00:10:22.43
there was a man who sought God
00:10:22.44\00:10:25.19
who set his heart to seek God
00:10:25.20\00:10:28.04
and as promised, he found Him.
00:10:28.05\00:10:30.95
He was the great,
great grandson of King David,
00:10:30.96\00:10:34.48
the great grandson of Solomon.
00:10:34.49\00:10:37.00
Asa had the blood of mighty
men coursing in his veins.
00:10:37.01\00:10:42.38
But the bratty bunch
wasn't perfect and neither
00:10:42.39\00:10:45.40
was everyone in
Asa's family tree.
00:10:45.41\00:10:48.13
The Bible's final
verdict on his grandpa Rehoboam
00:10:48.14\00:10:52.04
was an epitaph
that effectively read,
00:10:52.05\00:10:54.46
God was not important to him.
00:10:54.47\00:10:57.25
And his own father hardly
the picture of a godly father,
00:10:57.26\00:11:01.49
he married 14 women and reigned
00:11:01.50\00:11:04.41
just three short years.
00:11:04.42\00:11:06.98
But friends, God
is never left helpless
00:11:06.99\00:11:09.95
among the ruins of our lives.
00:11:09.96\00:11:12.38
And God's grace was
still at work in Asa's life.
00:11:12.39\00:11:16.40
And the Bible begins
his three chapter biography
00:11:16.41\00:11:19.72
in the Book of Second
Chronicles, Chapter 14.
00:11:19.73\00:11:22.88
So come with me to
Second Chronicles, Chapter 14.
00:11:22.89\00:11:28.07
Second Chronicles,
Chapter 14 and we'll pick up
00:11:29.88\00:11:35.35
reading his story in verse 2.
00:11:35.36\00:11:40.64
Second Chronicles,
Chapter 14, verse 2.
00:11:40.65\00:11:46.61
The Bible says, "And Asa
did what was good and right
00:11:50.71\00:11:55.70
in the eyes of the Lord his God.
00:11:55.71\00:11:58.26
For he removed the
altars of the foreign gods
00:11:58.27\00:12:01.00
and the high places and
broke down the sacred pillars
00:12:01.01\00:12:04.92
and cut down the wooden images.
00:12:04.93\00:12:07.20
He commanded Judah to seek
the Lord, God of their fathers,
00:12:07.21\00:12:11.12
and to observe the
law and the command.
00:12:11.13\00:12:13.73
He also removed the high
places and incense altars
00:12:13.74\00:12:17.35
from all the cities of Judah,
00:12:17.36\00:12:19.23
and the kingdom
was quiet under him."
00:12:19.24\00:12:23.69
You know, in the
Spirit of Prophecy,
00:12:23.70\00:12:25.62
there's a
wonderful quote, March 22,
00:12:25.63\00:12:28.32
1887 from the Review
and Herald that says,
00:12:28.33\00:12:31.68
"A revival of true godliness
00:12:31.69\00:12:33.66
among us is the
greatest and most urgent
00:12:33.67\00:12:37.57
of all our needs to seek this."
00:12:37.58\00:12:40.64
Shouldn't be our second work,
it should be our first work.
00:12:40.65\00:12:45.39
And friends, Asa made seeking
of revival of true godliness,
00:12:45.40\00:12:50.07
his first work.
00:12:50.08\00:12:52.92
It was a dawning
of a new day in Judah,
00:12:52.93\00:12:55.66
an exciting time to be alive.
00:12:55.67\00:12:58.64
Rising to the throne
in 911 BC, get it 911.
00:12:58.65\00:13:04.55
It is almost as
if God raised Asa up
00:13:04.56\00:13:07.87
for the spiritual
emergency of the times.
00:13:07.88\00:13:11.55
I have no doubts
that Asa's commitment
00:13:11.56\00:13:14.67
to godly
leadership put people offside.
00:13:14.68\00:13:17.63
But friends, Asa wasn't trying
to in a popularity contest.
00:13:17.64\00:13:21.90
Opinion polls didn't faze him.
00:13:21.91\00:13:24.92
Under the power
of the Holy Spirit,
00:13:24.93\00:13:27.29
Asa chose to surrender
00:13:27.30\00:13:29.84
all that he was
to all that God is.
00:13:29.85\00:13:32.54
And he chose as a young man
to do what was good and right
00:13:32.55\00:13:37.30
in the eyes of God, not
in the eyes of the world,
00:13:37.31\00:13:39.56
in the eyes of God.
00:13:39.57\00:13:41.18
And He called
others to do the same.
00:13:41.19\00:13:44.79
The land was
perched of adultery.
00:13:44.80\00:13:47.91
People turned
to the word of God.
00:13:47.92\00:13:50.46
And obedience was the
fruit of this activity.
00:13:50.47\00:13:54.14
It was the work of the spirit.
00:13:54.15\00:13:56.74
And you say hold
on a minute Charissa,
00:13:56.75\00:13:58.96
don't go putting things
into the text that aren't there.
00:13:58.97\00:14:02.64
I read no mention of the Holy
Spirit here in this passage.
00:14:02.65\00:14:06.39
So how can you say
that this is the work
00:14:06.40\00:14:08.65
of the Holy Spirit.
00:14:08.66\00:14:09.84
I'm so glad you brought
that up, because friends
00:14:09.85\00:14:12.70
I reminded of a verse
in the Book of Proverbs.
00:14:12.71\00:14:16.63
Proverbs Chapter
14, verse 12 that says,
00:14:16.64\00:14:19.99
"There is a way that
seems right to a man,
00:14:20.00\00:14:23.79
but its end is the way of what?
00:14:23.80\00:14:26.28
Is the way of death".
00:14:26.29\00:14:27.77
And friends, you
don't have to be Einstein
00:14:27.78\00:14:29.79
to know that this is true.
00:14:29.80\00:14:31.61
I've just finished studying
to be a high school teacher
00:14:31.62\00:14:35.01
of English and History.
00:14:35.02\00:14:37.11
And in my short
time in prac on prac
00:14:37.12\00:14:40.35
in certain schools in Australia.
00:14:40.36\00:14:42.78
I know that you just
have to leave a classroom
00:14:42.79\00:14:45.20
for three or four
minutes and then come back
00:14:45.21\00:14:47.91
to know that it is dangerous
for us to be left to ourselves
00:14:47.92\00:14:52.58
which is why friends the
first work of the Holy Spirit
00:14:52.59\00:14:56.24
is the work of conviction.
00:14:56.25\00:14:58.58
He works to convince us,
to convince the world of sin.
00:14:58.59\00:15:03.67
The second work of the spirit
is the work of conversion.
00:15:03.68\00:15:08.22
Remember what Jesus
said to Nicodemus He said,
00:15:08.23\00:15:11.09
"You can't even
see the kingdom of God
00:15:11.10\00:15:12.96
unless you've been born again."
00:15:12.97\00:15:14.64
And that work
of being born again
00:15:14.65\00:15:16.95
that's the Holy Spirit's job.
00:15:16.96\00:15:18.42
He converts us, amen.
00:15:18.43\00:15:20.93
The third work of the
spirit is the work of cleansing.
00:15:20.94\00:15:24.90
It's the process
of sanctification
00:15:24.91\00:15:27.51
which lasts not just
for a day or for a week,
00:15:27.52\00:15:30.57
but for a lifetime.
00:15:30.58\00:15:32.97
Under the work of cleansing
the fruits of the spirit
00:15:32.98\00:15:36.49
are developed in our lives.
00:15:36.50\00:15:38.47
We have here too the
gradual feeling of the spirit.
00:15:38.48\00:15:42.20
And so friends, as we look
at the work of the Holy Spirit
00:15:42.21\00:15:45.16
and look at Asa's life, it
is very clear to me that Asa
00:15:45.17\00:15:49.53
was a man who know Holy
Spirit was working through,
00:15:49.54\00:15:53.39
because the fruit
of the first ten years
00:15:53.40\00:15:55.65
of his life proved this to us.
00:15:55.66\00:15:58.81
But friends, every
path has some pot holes.
00:15:58.82\00:16:02.49
And Asa's life
was not different.
00:16:02.50\00:16:04.96
Notice what happens,
verse 9, Second Chronicles 14,
00:16:04.97\00:16:09.83
verse 9, the Bible says, "Then
Zerah the Ethiopian came out
00:16:09.84\00:16:15.15
against them with an
army of a million men
00:16:15.16\00:16:19.18
and 300 chariots,
and he came to Mareshah."
00:16:19.19\00:16:24.54
The news hit
everybody like a sonic boom.
00:16:24.55\00:16:28.35
For 10 years, the sirens
hadn't sounded that to hear
00:16:28.36\00:16:32.88
the approach of an enemy
00:16:32.89\00:16:34.42
and now they
screamed from every corner.
00:16:34.43\00:16:37.87
This was more than
just a disastrous wickedly.
00:16:37.88\00:16:41.35
Zerah's army
was the largest army
00:16:41.36\00:16:44.18
that had ever been assembled
in human history at that time.
00:16:44.19\00:16:48.82
Nearly twice the
size of Asa's army
00:16:48.83\00:16:51.46
and stopping just
six kilometer short
00:16:51.47\00:16:53.97
of the capital of
Judah, Jerusalem in Mareshah.
00:16:53.98\00:16:57.82
Friend Zerah
wasn't playing games.
00:16:57.83\00:17:00.82
He was threatening
Judah with obliteration.
00:17:00.83\00:17:05.13
Now a year ago, my
parents decided to go out
00:17:05.14\00:17:08.88
one night with some
friends of theirs from church
00:17:08.89\00:17:11.88
to go out to dinner.
00:17:11.89\00:17:13.09
And the good thing about that
00:17:13.10\00:17:15.00
was that all my
parent's friends had kids.
00:17:15.01\00:17:17.75
They were around the
same age as my sister and I.
00:17:17.76\00:17:20.36
And so the parents all decided
00:17:20.37\00:17:21.89
that they would get a
babysitter to look after us
00:17:21.90\00:17:24.97
and we thought that was great.
00:17:24.98\00:17:26.79
And so that night,
we had a fantastic time.
00:17:26.80\00:17:28.96
We ate lots of food,
played game together,
00:17:28.97\00:17:32.67
and as the time was going
on and they still weren't home,
00:17:32.68\00:17:35.64
we decided we'd
watch a video to relax.
00:17:35.65\00:17:38.40
And as we're
watching this video,
00:17:38.41\00:17:40.47
we heard footsteps coming
around the back of the house.
00:17:40.48\00:17:46.08
And when we heard
the footsteps, we froze.
00:17:46.09\00:17:49.55
And we looked at our babysitter.
00:17:49.56\00:17:51.93
She was to be our defender.
00:17:51.94\00:17:54.47
She was the one that
our parents had entrusted
00:17:54.48\00:17:57.98
the privilege of
protecting our lives
00:17:57.99\00:18:00.94
and she was even
going to be paid for it.
00:18:00.95\00:18:04.00
But do you know what
happened when she heard
00:18:04.01\00:18:07.30
the march of those
footsteps coming around
00:18:07.31\00:18:09.97
the back of the house,
she froze and got scared too.
00:18:09.98\00:18:15.19
Let me tell you, when
the babysitter get scared,
00:18:15.20\00:18:17.65
when the leader get
scared, it's very, very scaring.
00:18:17.66\00:18:21.90
Thankfully, it was just my
parents returning to get us
00:18:21.91\00:18:25.05
from the back of the house.
00:18:25.06\00:18:26.53
I don't know why
they came around the back.
00:18:26.54\00:18:28.46
But listen, did Asa
freeze like my babysitter
00:18:28.47\00:18:33.19
when he heard the
march of a million men
00:18:33.20\00:18:35.69
coming towards his kingdom?
00:18:35.70\00:18:38.05
Let's see what happens,
00:18:38.06\00:18:39.04
somebody already
knows the answer.
00:18:39.05\00:18:40.71
Notice with me verse 10,
"So Asa went out against him,
00:18:40.72\00:18:46.53
and they set the
troops in battle in array
00:18:46.54\00:18:49.16
in the valley of
Zephathah at Mareshah."
00:18:49.17\00:18:52.44
And verse 11, "And Asa
cried out to the Lord his God,
00:18:52.45\00:18:56.75
and said, Lord, it is
nothing for you to help,
00:18:56.76\00:19:00.69
whether with many, or
with those who have no power.
00:19:00.70\00:19:04.45
Help us, O Lord our
God, for we rest on you,
00:19:04.46\00:19:09.58
and in Your name we go
against this multitude.
00:19:09.59\00:19:13.39
Oh Lord, You are our God.
00:19:13.40\00:19:15.98
Do not let men
prevail against You."
00:19:15.99\00:19:20.45
Verse 12, "So the
Lord struck the Ethiopians
00:19:20.46\00:19:23.85
before Asa and Judah,
and the Ethiopians fled."
00:19:23.86\00:19:28.96
Friends, when life knocks you
00:19:28.97\00:19:31.72
to your knees, pray there, amen.
00:19:31.73\00:19:35.39
Amen. Asa had a computer,
00:19:35.40\00:19:37.10
sorry he had an army
like you and I have a computer
00:19:37.11\00:19:39.56
like you and I
might have a watch.
00:19:39.57\00:19:41.59
And the Bible
tells us that his army
00:19:41.60\00:19:44.82
they were all mighty
men of valor equipped
00:19:44.83\00:19:47.82
with the finest weaponry,
00:19:47.83\00:19:49.64
trained in the most
skilled military tactics.
00:19:49.65\00:19:52.60
Asa could have
trusted in his army.
00:19:52.61\00:19:56.04
But instead the
Bible tells us that Asa
00:19:56.05\00:19:59.66
was on his face
before God crying out saying,
00:19:59.67\00:20:03.64
"Army is a not the
decisive thing oh God, You are."
00:20:03.65\00:20:08.67
And friends, when you
rely upon organization,
00:20:08.68\00:20:11.91
you get what
organization can do.
00:20:11.92\00:20:14.97
When you rely upon eloquence,
00:20:14.98\00:20:17.57
you get what eloquence can do.
00:20:17.58\00:20:20.59
When you rely upon education,
you get what education can do.
00:20:20.60\00:20:26.37
And there's nothing
wrong with those things.
00:20:26.38\00:20:29.09
But friends, let me tell
you, when you rely upon God
00:20:29.10\00:20:32.76
through prayer, you
get what God can do, amen.
00:20:32.77\00:20:37.38
Amen. How do you explain it?
00:20:37.39\00:20:39.69
Someone
once--once I asked a lady
00:20:39.70\00:20:41.80
after she had shed
and answered to prayer,
00:20:41.81\00:20:44.30
she said, "I don't, it
doesn't need explaining.
00:20:44.31\00:20:47.78
I just took God at His
word and He took me at mine."
00:20:47.79\00:20:51.95
That's why there's
power in prayer friends.
00:20:51.96\00:20:54.89
There's power
because of relationship.
00:20:54.90\00:20:58.99
And Asa, he says, "Oh
Lord, You are our God."
00:20:59.00\00:21:02.40
The Bible says, "He
called out on the Lord his God,
00:21:02.41\00:21:05.71
power because of relationship."
00:21:05.72\00:21:07.62
There's power
because of dependence.
00:21:07.63\00:21:10.82
He says, "Oh
Lord, we rest on you."
00:21:10.83\00:21:14.38
Asa was depending on God.
00:21:14.39\00:21:17.48
And there's power
because God's desire
00:21:17.49\00:21:20.43
is always to preserve His honor
00:21:20.44\00:21:22.92
and Asa appealed
to this in his prayer.
00:21:22.93\00:21:25.53
He says, "In Your name,
00:21:25.54\00:21:28.06
we go against this multitude."
00:21:28.07\00:21:32.03
In the Spirit of
Prophecy, Mrs. White says,
00:21:32.04\00:21:34.98
"His petitions showed
that he was not a stranger
00:21:34.99\00:21:39.22
to God's wonderful power."
00:21:39.23\00:21:43.74
I'd the privilege of
traveling to the state
00:21:43.75\00:21:45.42
to the state below mine
in Australia, Melbourne,
00:21:45.43\00:21:48.83
you may not have
ever heard of that place,
00:21:48.84\00:21:50.62
but it's in
Australia, I promise you that.
00:21:50.63\00:21:52.89
I went to
Melbourne and I spent a week
00:21:52.90\00:21:55.52
with a church there,
we had a week of revival.
00:21:55.53\00:21:58.97
And during that week, I got
to meet some wonderful people,
00:21:58.98\00:22:01.97
but there was one
story that stood out to me.
00:22:01.98\00:22:04.87
A lady she came and she
told me the story of her son
00:22:04.88\00:22:08.18
who was coming to the meetings.
00:22:08.19\00:22:09.60
And when you looked at him,
00:22:09.61\00:22:10.82
you could see that he'd
been through some accident.
00:22:10.83\00:22:14.20
Jerry she told
me, that's her son.
00:22:14.21\00:22:16.34
He's 31, last year in August,
00:22:16.35\00:22:18.96
he was in a very
bad car accident.
00:22:18.97\00:22:22.13
And she received the phone
call the next day to tell her
00:22:22.14\00:22:25.43
that her son was in
hospital, he was in a comma,
00:22:25.44\00:22:28.85
it wasn't looking good.
00:22:28.86\00:22:30.52
He was on life support,
could you please come in.
00:22:30.53\00:22:32.64
she went in with the
family rallied around that bed,
00:22:32.65\00:22:35.88
they prayed for six days.
00:22:35.89\00:22:38.65
And after six days,
the doctors told her
00:22:38.66\00:22:41.91
they said, "Look,
you may as well just,
00:22:41.92\00:22:44.38
I think we have to
turn the life support off.
00:22:44.39\00:22:46.53
It's too expensive and
Jerry is not improving,
00:22:46.54\00:22:49.23
he hasn't improved at all."
00:22:49.24\00:22:51.40
But his mother
is a lady of prayer.
00:22:51.41\00:22:54.78
And she told me in
her word, she said,
00:22:54.79\00:22:57.56
"I didn't let that happened."
00:22:57.57\00:22:58.72
She said, "I fought
Him and I fought Him."
00:22:58.73\00:23:00.98
And she's a quite a big lady.
00:23:00.99\00:23:02.11
So I imagined that
she would have fought Him
00:23:02.12\00:23:04.96
and she fought Him.
00:23:04.97\00:23:06.75
And she made the
doctors keep Jerry
00:23:06.76\00:23:09.48
on life support for six weeks.
00:23:09.49\00:23:13.33
After they told her to
turn it off after six days,
00:23:13.34\00:23:15.97
because it was too expensive.
00:23:15.98\00:23:17.34
And friends, she kept
praying and guess what?
00:23:17.35\00:23:20.01
Jerry walked out of
that hospital. Amen.
00:23:20.02\00:23:22.33
So God answers prayer.
00:23:22.34\00:23:24.84
And friends, an
answer to the prayer of Asa,
00:23:24.85\00:23:27.96
the power of Ethiopia was broken
00:23:27.97\00:23:30.74
before the Lord and His army.
00:23:30.75\00:23:33.03
And Asa rejoicing
troops were returning home,
00:23:33.04\00:23:36.59
laden with spoil,
with the spoils of war.
00:23:36.60\00:23:39.82
The Bible tells us in the
next chapter that he was met
00:23:39.83\00:23:44.19
and the army said,
"We're all met by another man
00:23:44.20\00:23:47.43
filled with the Holy Spirit."
00:23:47.44\00:23:49.19
Let's see who it was.
00:23:49.20\00:23:50.27
Chapter 15 verses 1
and 2 of Second Chronicles.
00:23:50.28\00:23:53.95
Second Chronicles
15 verses 1 and 2.
00:23:53.96\00:23:58.44
The Bible says,
"Now the Spirit of God
00:23:58.45\00:24:00.73
came upon
Azariah, the son of Oded.
00:24:00.74\00:24:04.40
And he went out to
meet Asa and said to him,
00:24:04.41\00:24:07.42
"Hear me Asa and
all Judah and Benjamin.
00:24:07.43\00:24:10.86
The Lord is with you
while you are with him.
00:24:10.87\00:24:16.02
If you seek him, he
will be found by you,
00:24:16.03\00:24:19.83
but if you forsake
him, he will forsake you."
00:24:19.84\00:24:24.05
Verse 7 and 8,
"But you, be strong
00:24:24.06\00:24:28.15
and do not let
your hands be weak
00:24:28.16\00:24:30.93
for your work
shall be rewarded."
00:24:30.94\00:24:34.06
When Asa heard these words
00:24:34.07\00:24:35.62
in the Prophecy
of Oded the prophet,
00:24:35.63\00:24:37.77
he took courage and
removed the abominable idols
00:24:37.78\00:24:41.51
from all the land of Judah
and Benjamin and from the cities
00:24:41.52\00:24:45.26
which he had taken in
the mountains of Ephraim
00:24:45.27\00:24:47.85
and he restored
the altar of the Lord
00:24:47.86\00:24:50.42
that was before
vestibule of the Lord."
00:24:50.43\00:24:54.86
Azariah whose name
means Yahweh has helped,
00:24:54.87\00:24:59.33
comes and tells Asa
that because he had made it,
00:24:59.34\00:25:03.67
his lifestyle to seek God.
00:25:03.68\00:25:07.89
God had been able
to bless him, amen.
00:25:07.90\00:25:12.83
God had fought and God had won.
00:25:12.84\00:25:16.26
The glory was all God's.
00:25:16.27\00:25:18.76
And by the way friends,
the glory is still all God's.
00:25:18.77\00:25:23.72
There has never been
nor will there ever be
00:25:23.73\00:25:26.30
room for the glory
of God in the work.
00:25:26.31\00:25:28.82
So for the glory of man
in the work of the gospels
00:25:28.83\00:25:31.74
its all God's glory.
00:25:31.75\00:25:34.20
But another
parts of this message
00:25:34.21\00:25:36.41
was be strong
and do not be weak.
00:25:36.42\00:25:39.21
Question, how was
Asa meant to be strong?
00:25:39.22\00:25:43.70
By doing pushups, by running
around the block everyday.
00:25:43.71\00:25:47.64
No, friends the secret
lay in the same message.
00:25:47.65\00:25:51.61
The Christian's strength
00:25:51.62\00:25:53.78
lies always in
seeking and clinging to God.
00:25:53.79\00:25:59.21
The story is told of a student
00:25:59.22\00:26:01.91
who had a
teacher, spiritual teacher.
00:26:01.92\00:26:03.83
And he went to him one
day with this question.
00:26:03.84\00:26:06.30
He said, "Teacher,
how can I truly find God?"
00:26:06.31\00:26:12.26
The teacher
looked at his student,
00:26:12.27\00:26:13.65
smiled, and said, "Follow me."
00:26:13.66\00:26:16.17
And he led him out and
he led him down to a river.
00:26:16.18\00:26:20.18
And when they got to the river,
00:26:20.19\00:26:21.66
the teacher
walked into the river.
00:26:21.67\00:26:24.29
When he got to the middle,
he looked back at his student
00:26:24.30\00:26:26.71
and he said, "Come,
follow me, come into the river."
00:26:26.72\00:26:29.21
So the student
followed him into the river
00:26:29.22\00:26:32.04
and when they got to the middle,
00:26:32.05\00:26:34.19
they stood side by
side and the teacher said,
00:26:34.20\00:26:36.11
"Now please emerge
yourself beneath the water."
00:26:36.12\00:26:40.45
Student looked at
teacher and he said, "Okay."
00:26:40.46\00:26:42.19
So he merged himself
beneath the water in that river
00:26:42.20\00:26:45.71
and as soon as he was
beneath the water in that river,
00:26:45.72\00:26:49.67
the teacher placed
his hands on his head
00:26:49.68\00:26:52.35
and he held him there.
00:26:52.36\00:26:53.74
And as the
moments began to pass,
00:26:53.75\00:26:56.32
the student began to struggle,
00:26:56.33\00:26:58.80
but still the
teacher held him there.
00:26:58.81\00:27:00.68
You got to watch this teaches.
00:27:00.69\00:27:02.12
Still the
teacher held him there.
00:27:02.13\00:27:04.63
And the arms were flying
00:27:04.64\00:27:06.06
and the legs
were trying to pushup,
00:27:06.07\00:27:07.52
but still this teacher
held the student there.
00:27:07.53\00:27:11.27
And after a few
long what seemed painful
00:27:11.28\00:27:14.10
moments for the student.
00:27:14.11\00:27:15.70
Finally his
teacher removed the hands
00:27:15.71\00:27:17.67
and up he shot with
aching lungs gasping for air.
00:27:17.68\00:27:23.33
When he finally
caught his breath again,
00:27:23.34\00:27:25.81
the teacher just looked
at his student and said,
00:27:25.82\00:27:28.59
"When you desire God
00:27:28.60\00:27:31.15
as truly as you
desired to breath
00:27:31.16\00:27:34.01
the air you just breathed,
00:27:34.02\00:27:36.59
then you shall find Him."
00:27:36.60\00:27:40.04
The key to revival
and blessing in the time
00:27:40.05\00:27:44.01
of Asa is the same as the key
to revival and blessing today.
00:27:44.02\00:27:49.13
We need to set our
hearts to seeking God.
00:27:49.14\00:27:54.93
And I believe
that's why you're here.
00:27:54.94\00:27:56.87
We're here to pray Lord
00:27:56.88\00:27:58.68
fill me, this is
our earnest plea.
00:27:58.69\00:28:03.26
Every morning when you wake up,
00:28:03.27\00:28:05.32
are you setting your
heart to seek the Lord?
00:28:05.33\00:28:08.71
Do you look up
before you look out?
00:28:08.72\00:28:13.13
Some people go a
long way on a good comment
00:28:13.14\00:28:16.30
and it appears that
Asa was such a person.
00:28:16.31\00:28:19.23
Encouraged by the
preaching of God's prophet,
00:28:19.24\00:28:22.20
he threw himself
into the work of revival
00:28:22.21\00:28:25.33
again and the formal
revival took on new life.
00:28:25.34\00:28:29.09
Notice again with me,
00:28:29.10\00:28:30.50
verses 9 through
11 of Chapter 15,
00:28:30.51\00:28:35.02
"Then he gathered
all Judah and Benjamin
00:28:35.03\00:28:38.41
and those who dwelt
with them from Ephraim,
00:28:38.42\00:28:40.85
Manasseh and Simeon
for they came over to him
00:28:40.86\00:28:44.21
in great numbers from Israel
00:28:44.22\00:28:46.12
when they saw that the
Lord his God was with him.
00:28:46.13\00:28:50.10
So they gathered
together at Jerusalem
00:28:50.11\00:28:52.65
in the third month
in the fifteenth year
00:28:52.66\00:28:55.46
of the reign of Asa.
00:28:55.47\00:28:57.13
And they offered to the Lord
00:28:57.14\00:28:58.51
at that time seven hundred
bulls and seven thousand sheep
00:28:58.52\00:29:03.74
from the spoil
they had brought."
00:29:03.75\00:29:07.97
George Whitfield
was the 22-year-old
00:29:07.98\00:29:11.73
boy preacher from London
who took the world by storm.
00:29:11.74\00:29:15.72
He shook much of Great Britain
and this country right here,
00:29:15.73\00:29:18.55
the United States of America.
00:29:18.56\00:29:21.08
And he had every reason to
fear popularity and success.
00:29:21.09\00:29:26.23
Whenever he took the pulpit,
00:29:26.24\00:29:28.14
people would crowd to
hear him by the thousands.
00:29:28.15\00:29:31.95
And as a result of
this, thousands of people
00:29:31.96\00:29:34.96
were converted to
faith in Jesus Christ
00:29:34.97\00:29:38.66
which is why one
night as a 22-year-old,
00:29:38.67\00:29:41.75
George Whitfield found
himself kneeling beside his bed.
00:29:41.76\00:29:45.66
And he prayed,
"Oh, heavenly Father,
00:29:45.67\00:29:48.47
for thy dear son's
sake keep me from climbing."
00:29:48.48\00:29:53.79
Asa might well have
needed to pray this prayer
00:29:53.80\00:29:56.87
for his
popularity too was climbing.
00:29:56.88\00:29:59.90
He was soaring and
headed for the stars.
00:29:59.91\00:30:03.47
You see a
revival was taking place.
00:30:03.48\00:30:06.44
Judah was praying
at seven in the morning
00:30:06.45\00:30:09.20
and seven in the evening
00:30:09.21\00:30:10.81
and they were doing
it seven days a week.
00:30:10.82\00:30:14.33
Israelites in
the northern kingdom
00:30:14.34\00:30:16.05
was flocking to the south,
craving for godly leadership.
00:30:16.06\00:30:20.49
Church membership
was up, pews were packed,
00:30:20.50\00:30:23.78
tithe was up, the
prayer meetings were full.
00:30:23.79\00:30:27.51
And I'd like you
to notice something.
00:30:27.52\00:30:28.95
Did you notice
that it says in verse 10
00:30:28.96\00:30:32.00
that they
gathered in the third month
00:30:32.01\00:30:34.78
of the fifteenth
year of the reign of Asa.
00:30:34.79\00:30:38.70
This is quite interesting
to me, because did you know,
00:30:38.71\00:30:42.57
do you know what
happened in the third month.
00:30:42.58\00:30:44.77
No, that's why
I'm gonna tell you.
00:30:44.78\00:30:46.74
In the first month
on the fourteenth day
00:30:46.75\00:30:49.28
of the first month
according to the Bible
00:30:49.29\00:30:51.66
that was the time of pass over,
00:30:51.67\00:30:54.84
50 days after that or whenever
the barley and wheat harvests
00:30:54.85\00:30:58.92
were ripe, they
would have a feast
00:30:58.93\00:31:01.77
called the feast of weeks, okay?
00:31:01.78\00:31:04.98
Which means that the occasion
00:31:04.99\00:31:07.31
for this great national assembly
00:31:07.32\00:31:09.18
that we read here
in Second Chronicles,
00:31:09.19\00:31:11.56
in the third
month was most probably
00:31:11.57\00:31:13.48
the occasion for
the feast of weeks,
00:31:13.49\00:31:16.40
that would explain
why they're all together.
00:31:16.41\00:31:19.04
And in the Greek,
the feast of weeks
00:31:19.05\00:31:21.85
is also known as
Pentecost meaning 50.
00:31:21.86\00:31:27.06
Now friends, when you
and I think of Pentecost,
00:31:27.07\00:31:29.74
we immediately throw our
minds back to Acts Chapter 2
00:31:29.75\00:31:32.55
and we imagine a
room full of believers,
00:31:32.56\00:31:35.14
120 in the upper
room on their knees
00:31:35.15\00:31:37.61
with tongues of
fire above their heads.
00:31:37.62\00:31:40.47
But friends, the last Pentecost
00:31:40.48\00:31:42.79
wasn't quite like
the first Pentecost.
00:31:42.80\00:31:46.55
The very first
Pentecost happened when God
00:31:46.56\00:31:50.29
brought His people out of Egypt.
00:31:50.30\00:31:52.92
And they're around
the base of Mount Sinai
00:31:52.93\00:31:55.28
and God gave to them
the Ten Commandments.
00:31:55.29\00:31:57.79
If you want to check me
up on that, you can see,
00:31:57.80\00:32:00.02
that happened
in the third month,
00:32:00.03\00:32:01.99
Exodus Chapter 19 verse 1,
that's where you'll find it.
00:32:02.00\00:32:05.49
And when God gave to His
people the Ten Commandments
00:32:05.50\00:32:08.22
at this first Pentecost.
00:32:08.23\00:32:11.01
His law was proclaimed
00:32:11.02\00:32:12.86
to make clear three key ideas.
00:32:12.87\00:32:17.40
Number one, the nature of sin.
00:32:17.41\00:32:20.37
Sin is transgression of the law.
00:32:20.38\00:32:23.47
Number two, the qualities
of the law of righteousness.
00:32:23.48\00:32:27.13
That's from Romans 9 verse 31,
if you want to check that up.
00:32:27.14\00:32:30.58
And number three, the
inescapability of the judgment
00:32:30.59\00:32:34.90
that we will be judged by
the perfect law of liberty.
00:32:34.91\00:32:39.30
That was what was
proclaimed back at Sinai.
00:32:39.31\00:32:42.68
And it's interesting
because when we cast our minds
00:32:42.69\00:32:45.54
now to Acts Chapter 2, we
find that when the Holy Spirit
00:32:45.55\00:32:49.61
was poured out on
the day of Pentecost,
00:32:49.62\00:32:52.41
he simply reinforced
what happened at Sinai?
00:32:52.42\00:32:56.53
Because He came to
convict the world of sin,
00:32:56.54\00:33:00.91
and of
righteousness, and of judgment.
00:33:00.92\00:33:05.22
So friends, what
are we looking at right
00:33:05.23\00:33:07.36
here in the Book
of Second Chronicles
00:33:07.37\00:33:09.02
is very exciting, amen.
00:33:09.03\00:33:11.31
It's just mean that I get
excited about these things.
00:33:11.32\00:33:13.76
But this is could very
well be and I believe it is,
00:33:13.77\00:33:16.44
a celebration of Pentecost
in Old Testament example
00:33:16.45\00:33:20.24
and what happens here?
00:33:20.25\00:33:21.40
Notice verses
12 and 13, it says,
00:33:21.41\00:33:24.80
"Then they entered into a
covenant to seek the Lord,
00:33:24.81\00:33:29.15
God of their fathers,
00:33:29.16\00:33:30.57
with all their
heart with all their soul.
00:33:30.58\00:33:33.99
And whoever would
not seek the Lord,
00:33:34.00\00:33:35.81
God of Israel, was
to be put to death,
00:33:35.82\00:33:38.81
whether small or
great, whether man or woman."
00:33:38.82\00:33:43.11
Talk about having
an effective revival,
00:33:43.12\00:33:47.53
they were not half
images than this one.
00:33:47.54\00:33:49.54
You're either
seeking God or you weren't.
00:33:49.55\00:33:52.45
And if you weren't, you
were just taken right out.
00:33:52.46\00:33:55.06
Do not seek God during
the time of Asa friends
00:33:55.07\00:33:59.02
was to commit a crime
worthy of capital punishment.
00:33:59.03\00:34:03.67
Read on verse 14,
"Then they took an oath
00:34:03.68\00:34:06.99
before the Lord
with a loud voice,
00:34:07.00\00:34:09.45
with shouting and
trumpets and rams horns.
00:34:09.46\00:34:12.22
And all Judah
rejoiced that the oath
00:34:12.23\00:34:14.65
for they had sworn
with all their heart.
00:34:14.66\00:34:16.97
And sought Him
with all their soul,
00:34:16.98\00:34:19.23
and he was found by them.
00:34:19.24\00:34:21.13
And the Lord gave
them rest all around."
00:34:21.14\00:34:25.99
And you know what?
00:34:26.00\00:34:27.02
For 20 years after
this God blessed Asa.
00:34:27.03\00:34:31.60
God's sunny providence shone
upon him in every direction.
00:34:31.61\00:34:37.21
And for 35 years all up Asa
enjoyed the blessings of God,
00:34:37.22\00:34:42.17
the blessings that
come from an abiding
00:34:42.18\00:34:44.70
relationship with Him.
00:34:44.71\00:34:47.31
But a faith that isn't
tested can't be trusted.
00:34:47.32\00:34:51.02
And so read on Chapter 16
00:34:51.03\00:34:53.29
verse 1, this is
the final chapter.
00:34:53.30\00:34:55.75
Chapter 16 verse 1,
"In the thirty-sixth year
00:34:55.76\00:34:58.98
of the reign of Asa,
Baasha king of Israel
00:34:58.99\00:35:02.24
came up against
Judah and built Ramah
00:35:02.25\00:35:05.31
but he might let none go out
00:35:05.32\00:35:07.34
or come in to
Asa king of Judah."
00:35:07.35\00:35:11.59
Well, suddenly
the plot thickens.
00:35:11.60\00:35:16.14
Baasha king of
Israel barricades Judah
00:35:16.15\00:35:19.71
by fortifying Ramah, a
city just 12 kilometers
00:35:19.72\00:35:23.96
north of Jerusalem and
the move spelt one word
00:35:23.97\00:35:27.91
to be inhabitance
of Judah, invasion.
00:35:27.92\00:35:31.34
This had the potential
of crippling their economy
00:35:31.35\00:35:35.10
like the dead
crisis or even worse.
00:35:35.11\00:35:38.59
Something had to be
done or else the people might
00:35:38.60\00:35:42.05
starve to death,
because Ramah was sitting
00:35:42.06\00:35:44.75
right on their
trade root and so Asa,
00:35:44.76\00:35:48.22
he's always the man of action.
00:35:48.23\00:35:49.46
He quickly moves
into action in verse 2,
00:35:49.47\00:35:53.06
"Then Asa
brought silver and gold
00:35:53.07\00:35:55.10
from the treasuries
of the house of the Lord
00:35:55.11\00:35:56.96
and the king's house
and he sent to Ben-Hadad
00:35:56.97\00:35:59.86
king of Syria, who
dwelt in Damascus saying,
00:35:59.87\00:36:02.87
"Let there be a
treaty between you and me
00:36:02.88\00:36:05.27
as it was between my
father and your father.
00:36:05.28\00:36:08.59
See, I have sent
you silver and gold.
00:36:08.60\00:36:11.26
Come break your treaty
with Baasha king of Israel
00:36:11.27\00:36:14.65
so that he will
withdraw from me."
00:36:14.66\00:36:19.86
There was no
prayer meeting this time.
00:36:19.87\00:36:22.87
Instead, Asa
emails the king of Syria
00:36:22.88\00:36:26.70
who happened to an enemy of God.
00:36:26.71\00:36:29.55
He calls him, he bribes
him to come and help him.
00:36:29.56\00:36:32.31
And he bribes him
using God's money.
00:36:32.32\00:36:35.09
He didn't even ask God
to come and attack Israel
00:36:35.10\00:36:38.77
and therefore get Israel
off his back, did it work?
00:36:38.78\00:36:42.33
Verse 5, "Now it
happened when Baasha heard it
00:36:42.34\00:36:46.05
that he stopped building
Ramah and ceased his work."
00:36:46.06\00:36:51.25
Worked the treat.
00:36:51.26\00:36:53.30
Strategically,
politically, militarily,
00:36:53.31\00:36:57.43
this had been one of
the most brilliant moves
00:36:57.44\00:36:59.76
that had ever been
made in Judah's history.
00:36:59.77\00:37:02.67
Resting on his own genius,
Asa's true front war plan
00:37:02.68\00:37:07.49
had enabled him to
gain piece avoid war,
00:37:07.50\00:37:11.32
makes strategic
allies and established
00:37:11.33\00:37:14.36
himself as a great leader,
00:37:14.37\00:37:16.42
and he'd done it all by himself.
00:37:16.43\00:37:20.37
I can see him
having his own little
00:37:20.38\00:37:22.23
Nebuchadnezzar moment right now.
00:37:22.24\00:37:24.34
Is this not great
Judah that I have saved?
00:37:24.35\00:37:28.68
But friends, even stopped clock,
00:37:28.69\00:37:30.84
a clock with dead battery in it.
00:37:30.85\00:37:32.70
Even a stopped clock
is right twice a day.
00:37:32.71\00:37:36.43
And Asa's decision right
here had been one of the most
00:37:36.44\00:37:39.83
dangerous
decisions he would ever make.
00:37:39.84\00:37:44.23
The story is told of a farmer
00:37:44.24\00:37:47.47
who even in death
tried to mock God.
00:37:47.48\00:37:51.86
And so when he died, he
willed his farm to the devil.
00:37:51.87\00:37:56.84
And as you can
imagine this cause the courts
00:37:56.85\00:37:59.35
quite a lot of
trouble and great deliberation
00:37:59.36\00:38:02.37
until finally they
came to this conclusion.
00:38:02.38\00:38:05.35
They said, "It is decided
that the best way to carry out
00:38:05.36\00:38:10.09
the wish of the deceased is
to allow the farm to grow weeds,
00:38:10.10\00:38:15.15
the soil to erode and the
house in the barn to rot."
00:38:15.16\00:38:19.63
In our opinion,
the best way to leave
00:38:19.64\00:38:23.38
something to the
devil is to do nothing.
00:38:23.39\00:38:28.97
And friends,
evidently Asa somewhere,
00:38:28.98\00:38:31.84
somehow has stopped seeking God.
00:38:31.85\00:38:35.27
And that's how Satan
gets a hold of good people.
00:38:35.28\00:38:38.29
When we stop
hanging on to Jesus,
00:38:38.30\00:38:40.99
the enemy looks at
us and he just rubs
00:38:41.00\00:38:42.89
his hands and he says,
"You will be eventually mine."
00:38:42.90\00:38:47.48
But friends, God
had a message for Asa.
00:38:47.49\00:38:50.13
Notice it, verse 7, "At
that time Hanani the seer
00:38:50.14\00:38:55.72
came to Asa king of
Judah and said to him,
00:38:55.73\00:38:58.88
"Because you have
relied on the king of Syria
00:38:58.89\00:39:01.64
and have not relied
on the Lord your God,
00:39:01.65\00:39:04.44
therefore the army
of the king of Syria
00:39:04.45\00:39:06.66
has escaped from your hand."
00:39:06.67\00:39:08.43
Verse 9, "For
the eyes of the Lord
00:39:08.44\00:39:10.72
run to and fro
throughout the whole earth,
00:39:10.73\00:39:13.40
to show Himself
strong on behalf of those
00:39:13.41\00:39:16.47
whose heart is loyal to Him.
00:39:16.48\00:39:18.81
In this you have
done a foolishly,
00:39:18.82\00:39:21.12
therefore from now
on you shall have wars."
00:39:21.13\00:39:27.04
While everybody thought that Asa
00:39:27.05\00:39:28.67
was the most
brilliant person in the world.
00:39:28.68\00:39:31.18
It appears that God's prophet
00:39:31.19\00:39:33.56
assessed the
situation quite differently.
00:39:33.57\00:39:36.56
And God's prophet whose
name here means my grace.
00:39:36.57\00:39:40.39
He tells him, "Listen Asa,
nothing is hidden from God.
00:39:40.40\00:39:45.59
God sees through high
price and low rent walls.
00:39:45.60\00:39:49.77
God had a glance.
00:39:49.78\00:39:51.38
He looks at this
world and in a glance,
00:39:51.39\00:39:53.23
He takes in your position.
00:39:53.24\00:39:55.12
He knows your name, He
knows whatever crisis you face,
00:39:55.13\00:39:58.56
not a sorrow, not a
trial, not a temptation
00:39:58.57\00:40:00.99
comes your way
without His notice,
00:40:01.00\00:40:02.82
without exciting
His sympathy for you.
00:40:02.83\00:40:06.25
And whenever God
looks at this world
00:40:06.26\00:40:07.95
evidently
according to scripture,
00:40:07.96\00:40:09.70
He is always looking
for the same kind of people.
00:40:09.71\00:40:13.33
They may not have
charisma, education,
00:40:13.34\00:40:15.93
style, culture,
education, whatever in common
00:40:15.94\00:40:20.30
but what they share is a heart
00:40:20.31\00:40:22.57
that is totally
surrendered, committed to God
00:40:22.58\00:40:26.46
and that's what
He is looking for.
00:40:26.47\00:40:28.41
I think if people
like Caleb, like Daniel,
00:40:28.42\00:40:31.41
like Abraham who was
able to climb that mountain
00:40:31.42\00:40:34.60
in absolute surrender
00:40:34.61\00:40:35.80
and still be
willing to offer his son.
00:40:35.81\00:40:38.75
Friends owe that you
and I would trust God fully,
00:40:38.76\00:40:43.29
so that we could allow Him
to work on our behalf, amen.
00:40:43.30\00:40:48.00
It is for lack of this
that we remain unhelped
00:40:48.01\00:40:51.48
and live our lives
in the midst of wars.
00:40:51.49\00:40:55.25
But friends if you
notice what happens in verse 10.
00:40:55.26\00:40:59.57
Watch what he
did to God's prophet,
00:40:59.58\00:41:01.54
"Then Asa was angry with
the seer and put him in prison
00:41:01.55\00:41:04.78
for he was enraged
at him because of this
00:41:04.79\00:41:07.62
Asa oppressed some of
the people at that time."
00:41:07.63\00:41:11.81
Friends the
trouble with lot of us
00:41:11.82\00:41:13.59
is that we would
rather be ruined by praise
00:41:13.60\00:41:16.18
than saved by criticism.
00:41:16.19\00:41:18.58
Asa didn't just get
angry at God's prophet,
00:41:18.59\00:41:21.84
he was fuming mad at him.
00:41:21.85\00:41:23.49
He just clouded up
and rained all over him.
00:41:23.50\00:41:26.86
Who is this guy, and
where did he come from?
00:41:26.87\00:41:29.28
Who asked this man
for his opinion anyway?
00:41:29.29\00:41:33.27
Sometimes God's prophets
00:41:33.28\00:41:35.95
aren't popular
with God's people.
00:41:35.96\00:41:38.38
But friends, you
can't get rid of the message
00:41:38.39\00:41:41.94
by getting rid of the
messenger, amen. Amen.
00:41:41.95\00:41:45.01
And I'm reminded of the
quote Mrs. White made in 1873.
00:41:45.02\00:41:48.97
She said, "I have been
shown that the greatest reason
00:41:48.98\00:41:52.51
why the people of God
00:41:52.52\00:41:54.03
are now found in the
state of spiritual blindness
00:41:54.04\00:41:58.18
is this that they will
not receive correction."
00:41:58.19\00:42:03.14
And then she made
another comment in Testimonies
00:42:03.15\00:42:05.36
volume 4 page 87.
00:42:05.37\00:42:06.76
She said, "The only
hope for the Laodiceans
00:42:06.77\00:42:09.50
is a clear view of
their standing before God,
00:42:09.51\00:42:12.66
a knowledge of the
nature of their disease."
00:42:12.67\00:42:17.53
Sometimes I know we
don't like correction.
00:42:17.54\00:42:19.41
But sometimes that's
exactly what we need.
00:42:19.42\00:42:22.68
Well, friends it was
all downhill from there.
00:42:22.69\00:42:25.49
And you say,
"Well, Charissa, you know,
00:42:25.50\00:42:28.22
maybe it was just the bad
day, maybe he just woke up
00:42:28.23\00:42:30.56
on the wrong side of the bed."
00:42:30.57\00:42:31.93
And I wish that that was true.
00:42:31.94\00:42:34.28
But if you notice
with me verses 12 and 13
00:42:34.29\00:42:38.19
indicate that this became
a characteristic of his life.
00:42:38.20\00:42:41.38
Verse 12, "And in the
thirty-ninth year of his reign
00:42:41.39\00:42:44.36
Asa became diseased in his feet.
00:42:44.37\00:42:47.07
And his malady was
severe yet in his disease.
00:42:47.08\00:42:51.44
He did not seek the
Lord, but the physicians.
00:42:51.45\00:42:54.97
So Asa rested with
his fathers and died
00:42:54.98\00:42:57.84
in the forty-first
year of his reign."
00:42:57.85\00:43:02.25
I've never been
one for fairy tales.
00:43:02.26\00:43:04.79
But with all my
heart, that I could stand
00:43:04.80\00:43:07.00
here in front of
you today and tell you
00:43:07.01\00:43:08.61
that Asa lived
happily ever after.
00:43:08.62\00:43:11.91
But the Bible
doesn't read that way.
00:43:11.92\00:43:14.79
His feet diseased told
the story of his heart.
00:43:14.80\00:43:20.27
This once mighty
monarch walked away
00:43:20.28\00:43:24.04
from God never to walk again.
00:43:24.05\00:43:28.01
Friends nothing is
worse than loosing God.
00:43:28.02\00:43:31.76
Is God missing in
your life and mine?
00:43:31.77\00:43:35.72
Asa reminds us this morning
that starting well spiritually
00:43:35.73\00:43:40.56
is not a guarantee of
finishing well spiritually.
00:43:40.57\00:43:45.05
He was not the first general
00:43:45.06\00:43:46.87
to win the battle and
then afterwards loose the war.
00:43:46.88\00:43:51.57
Oh, yes, I'm sure
you know many people
00:43:51.58\00:43:53.68
when they come to Jesus,
00:43:53.69\00:43:55.52
they're so excited
and it's wonderful.
00:43:55.53\00:43:57.32
They enjoy Jesus, they
enjoy spending time with Him,
00:43:57.33\00:44:00.27
talking of Him,
sharing everything.
00:44:00.28\00:44:02.56
But then as time
goes on that experience
00:44:02.57\00:44:05.49
begins to die and
they walk away from Jesus.
00:44:05.50\00:44:09.75
The reasons are many and varied.
00:44:09.76\00:44:11.46
Satan has a thousand
ways in which he seeks
00:44:11.47\00:44:14.24
to drown our faith.
00:44:14.25\00:44:16.79
Starting is easy is
what I'm trying to say.
00:44:16.80\00:44:19.44
It's the
finishing well that test us.
00:44:19.45\00:44:23.03
Why did I come
here to this story
00:44:23.04\00:44:25.07
because what happened to Asa
00:44:25.08\00:44:27.05
could very well
happen to us too.
00:44:27.06\00:44:30.06
If our hearts are not
set in the right direction.
00:44:30.07\00:44:33.50
So question, how can we avoid
00:44:33.51\00:44:36.37
the disaster that came to Asa?
00:44:36.38\00:44:40.13
We have to turn
our lives to Jesus.
00:44:40.14\00:44:42.46
We have to look to Jesus,
00:44:42.47\00:44:43.74
because one of the defining
characteristics of God's
00:44:43.75\00:44:46.98
people at the
end of time is this,
00:44:46.99\00:44:49.23
that they will
have the testimony
00:44:49.24\00:44:51.18
of Jesus Christ, amen.
00:44:51.19\00:44:53.05
What was that testimony?
00:44:53.06\00:44:54.12
Well, part of it we find in
John Chapter 5 and verse 30,
00:44:54.13\00:44:57.83
come with me to the Book
of John Chapter 5 verse 30.
00:44:57.84\00:45:02.83
Jesus says, He says,
00:45:02.84\00:45:07.16
"I can of myself do
how much?" How much?
00:45:07.17\00:45:13.02
"Nothing, as I hear, I judge.
00:45:13.03\00:45:16.37
And my judgment is righteous
00:45:16.38\00:45:18.30
because I do not
seek my own will,
00:45:18.31\00:45:20.81
but the will of my
Father, the Father who sent me."
00:45:20.82\00:45:26.77
Friends, God is not lost.
00:45:26.78\00:45:29.51
But He is begging
for us to find Him
00:45:29.52\00:45:32.02
because many of us have lost
00:45:32.03\00:45:33.74
our connection
with Jesus Christ.
00:45:33.75\00:45:37.06
Friends, we don't want a
dial up connection with God.
00:45:37.07\00:45:40.64
We want a
broadband connection, amen.
00:45:40.65\00:45:43.69
Enoch had a broadband
connection with heaven.
00:45:43.70\00:45:46.96
He walked with God all his life
00:45:46.97\00:45:48.78
and he walked
straight into heaven.
00:45:48.79\00:45:51.35
The great need
of our church today,
00:45:51.36\00:45:54.00
the great need of us today
00:45:54.01\00:45:55.78
is the same as the churches
need in the time of Judah.
00:45:55.79\00:45:59.37
In the Book of Amos
Chapter 5 and verse 4,
00:45:59.38\00:46:02.14
the Bible says, God
says, "Seek me and live." Amen.
00:46:02.15\00:46:07.86
But sometimes like Paul.
00:46:07.87\00:46:09.40
We feel like Paul in
Romans Chapter 7 and verse 18,
00:46:09.41\00:46:13.43
"When He said for
I know that in me,
00:46:13.44\00:46:15.54
that is in my flesh,
00:46:15.55\00:46:17.22
nothing could dwells to
will is present with me.
00:46:17.23\00:46:21.79
But how to
perform I do not find."
00:46:21.80\00:46:25.18
Friends we need to
find ourselves with Paul
00:46:25.19\00:46:28.54
at the foot of the cross.
00:46:28.55\00:46:30.06
Looking up to Jesus and begging
00:46:30.07\00:46:32.10
and pleading
with Him for the grace
00:46:32.11\00:46:35.01
that comes from above to
help us walk with God, amen.
00:46:35.02\00:46:39.51
This is what
Pentecost is all about.
00:46:39.52\00:46:41.79
This is what
seeking God is all about.
00:46:41.80\00:46:45.16
And by the way friends, we
can't afford to be diseased
00:46:45.17\00:46:48.24
in our feet like Asa.
00:46:48.25\00:46:49.94
The Bible tells us that
our feet ought to be shod
00:46:49.95\00:46:52.96
with a preparation
of the gospel of peace.
00:46:52.97\00:46:56.35
And do you
remember how I told you
00:46:56.36\00:46:58.13
the first three works of
the Holy Spirit was conviction,
00:46:58.14\00:47:02.38
conversion, and cleansing.
00:47:02.39\00:47:04.64
The fourth work of the spirit
is the work of commission.
00:47:04.65\00:47:08.88
The Holy Spirit always
comes to make us useful, amen.
00:47:08.89\00:47:12.56
And by the way when we seek God,
00:47:12.57\00:47:15.42
we become involved in
the seeking save His work.
00:47:15.43\00:47:18.57
The Bible tells us
that for a son of man
00:47:18.58\00:47:21.30
did not come to,
sorry he came to seek
00:47:21.31\00:47:24.75
and to save that
which was lost, amen.
00:47:24.76\00:47:28.13
And I'm winding up
now because my clock
00:47:28.14\00:47:29.85
is telling me I'm out of time.
00:47:29.86\00:47:31.82
But the Holy Spirit is
present wherever there's action.
00:47:31.83\00:47:35.82
When He fell on that
New Testament Church,
00:47:35.83\00:47:38.60
we didn't get the
book of new ideas,
00:47:38.61\00:47:41.13
we got the book of Acts.
00:47:41.14\00:47:43.73
And I believe that God's desire
00:47:43.74\00:47:45.37
for this church
is to finish well.
00:47:45.38\00:47:47.78
Someone once said that
the wind of God's spirit
00:47:47.79\00:47:50.82
is always blowing, but
it's up to us to set the sails.
00:47:50.83\00:47:54.93
Friends, at this
GYC, it's time for you
00:47:54.94\00:47:57.91
and I to set our sails to
seek God and to seek His faith.
00:47:57.92\00:48:02.96
If we have walked away from Him,
00:48:02.97\00:48:04.75
it's time for us to walk
with Him and walk with Him
00:48:04.76\00:48:08.63
till He comes to
walk us home, amen.
00:48:08.64\00:48:12.94
At the 1968
Olympic Games in Mexico,
00:48:12.95\00:48:16.58
there were many highlights.
00:48:16.59\00:48:18.98
But there was
one that stands out.
00:48:18.99\00:48:20.91
It happened
during the marathon race,
00:48:20.92\00:48:24.30
and it wasn't memorable
00:48:24.31\00:48:25.43
because this
person finished--come.
00:48:25.44\00:48:28.57
This person finished
first, second, or third,
00:48:28.58\00:48:31.97
actually this
person finished last.
00:48:31.98\00:48:35.32
And this is what happened.
00:48:35.33\00:48:37.17
When the race
began, John Steven Akhwari
00:48:37.18\00:48:39.69
from Tanzania started
off with everybody else.
00:48:39.70\00:48:42.50
There were 72
runners in this race.
00:48:42.51\00:48:44.95
But surely after he started
he fell and he hurt himself,
00:48:44.96\00:48:49.19
but instead of giving
up, he bandaged himself up
00:48:49.20\00:48:52.00
and he kept running.
00:48:52.01\00:48:54.40
Well, and hour went
by and all the runners
00:48:54.41\00:48:57.55
had started probably more than,
00:48:57.56\00:48:58.95
all the runners came back.
00:48:58.96\00:49:00.61
And after an
hour, after everybody
00:49:00.62\00:49:02.52
had received their medals
00:49:02.53\00:49:03.82
and people were
packing up to go home.
00:49:03.83\00:49:07.04
Camera crews were shutting down,
00:49:07.05\00:49:09.03
John Steven Akhwari of
Tanzania entered the stadium
00:49:09.04\00:49:12.67
to finish the race and
he crossed the finish line.
00:49:12.68\00:49:15.61
And someone went up
to him and asked him
00:49:15.62\00:49:17.48
at the end of at all
why did you keep running?
00:49:17.49\00:49:20.11
It was over. Everybody had,
00:49:20.12\00:49:21.56
you know, the medals were done.
00:49:21.57\00:49:23.47
And this is what
he said, he said,
00:49:23.48\00:49:25.41
"My country did not send me
5,000 miles to stop the race.
00:49:25.42\00:49:31.18
My country sent me 5,000 miles
00:49:31.19\00:49:34.49
to finish the race."
00:49:34.50\00:49:37.31
Friends, Asa didn't
finish well but by God's grace,
00:49:37.32\00:49:41.76
we can and we will.
00:49:41.77\00:49:44.33