Participants: Kameron Devasher
Series Code: 11GYC
Program Code: 11GYC000004
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00:12 [Music]
03:03 Father in heaven. 03:05 Lord, we thank You to be in this place tonight 03:08 and we ask that You would speak through Pastor Kameron, 03:12 as he delivers the message tonight. 03:15 We ask for You, the presence of Your Spirit, 03:17 to be in this place, in Your name I pray, amen. 03:22 Good evening, GYC. Good evening. 03:25 That was weak, we'll try it again. 03:26 Good evening, GYC. Good evening! 03:28 Thank you so much. 03:29 Has it been a blessing so far today, amen. Amen. 03:32 Fantastic. As you've heard repeatedly, at this point 03:35 you should have heard repeatedly at least 03:37 that our theme this year is Fill me, 03:39 Our Earnest Plea, and for all intents and purposes 03:42 that's just a fancy way of saying, 03:44 the topic-- the theme 03:46 that this conference is revolving around is 03:48 the Holy Spirit's work in our lives. 03:51 It's an important theme, 03:52 in fact speaking of the absolutely 03:54 critical role of the Holy Spirit we're counseled 03:57 and this is Second Manuscript release, page 15. 04:01 "It is beyond the power of language to express 04:04 the blessings the Holy Spirit brings to God's people." 04:08 If received and appreciated, 04:11 the Holy Spirit will make us Holy, Christ like. 04:16 Through its agency, we are united with Christ, 04:18 partakers of the divine nature. 04:21 And here is the key. 04:22 The reception of the Holy Spirit in its fullness 04:26 is the great need of the church today. 04:31 It is my hope. 04:32 In fact it is my most sincere prayer 04:34 that tonight will be not just another opportunity 04:36 to be more informed about the Holy Spirit, 04:38 but by the grace of God 04:40 and His indwelling spirit be transformed 04:42 into the character of Christ. Amen. 04:45 As we begin to study God's word tonight, 04:47 we must begin with a word of prayer. 04:49 Please bow your heads with me. 04:50 Dear Heavenly Father. 04:52 Lord, I thank You so much 04:53 for the opportunity of bringing 04:55 these young people together at GYC. 04:58 I thank You for the theme that's been chosen 05:00 and now Lord, I thank You 05:01 that You have promised to give us wisdom 05:03 through Your Holy Spirit as we open Your word. 05:05 Please guide our minds. Lord, sharpen our minds. 05:09 And where is needed, Lord, soften our hearts, 05:13 so that we may not only hear the words 05:14 but be doers of the word. 05:16 So we can reflect Your character to the world, 05:18 and by Your grace we may haste your soon coming. 05:21 We pray all of this in Jesus name, amen. 05:25 Above all of the other creatures 05:27 that the Lord God made in the creation week, 05:29 we're going to Genesis Chapter 1 by the way, 05:31 so I'll give you a head start. 05:32 Above all the creatures that the Lord God made, 05:35 He gave humanity, man and woman, 05:37 man dominion over everything. 05:42 And reflect on this for me a moment. 05:44 Why? If somebody asks you, 05:47 why was man given the responsibility 05:50 of dominion over planet earth, 05:51 what would be the reason? 05:52 And many of you will say well, 05:53 of course we were given dominion. 05:55 Who else was going to do it? 05:57 You know, what are the other options, 05:59 I mean, we're special. 06:01 We're unique, we're one of a kind, 06:03 we're the only one to --in fact we were-- 06:05 and you might have some theological reasons 06:07 why we were given dominion of the earth. 06:10 You might say well, 06:11 we were formed from the dust of the ground. 06:14 And while that's true that doesn't make us unique. 06:17 Apparently accordingly to Genesis Chapter 2 in verse 19. 06:20 The Lord God formed every beast of the field 06:23 out of the dust of the ground. 06:25 Well, you say ah, ah, ah, 06:26 but we were designed in a plural, 06:30 man and woman, you know, 06:31 like God had worked together in a unity 06:33 and they create and we've been given 06:35 the ability to procreate. 06:36 In fact we were commanded to be fruitful and do what? 06:39 Multiply. Multiply. 06:41 And that's great and it's true. 06:43 But the problem is the birds 06:44 and the fish were told to be fruitful 06:46 multiply even before man was created. 06:49 That's not our uniqueness. 06:51 You say yes, yes, but we have the breath of life. 06:56 But according to Genesis Chapter 6 and Genesis Chapter 7, 06:58 "The flood was given to wipe out 06:59 all creatures that had the breadth of life in them." 07:05 So it's not that either. 07:07 And I tell you something, 07:08 it's not because we were the strongest creatures 07:09 God ever made, we're not. 07:12 It's not because we're the fastest creatures 07:15 God ever made. 07:16 It's not because we're the best swimmers 07:17 that God ever made, we're not. 07:19 We don't have the coolest powers 07:21 of any of the beings, 07:22 you may look around the world, we can't fly. 07:25 I love to fly, I can't fly. We can't breathe water. 07:31 Fish can do that, I can't do that. 07:33 You know we don't have bio-- 07:35 what is it called, luminescence. 07:37 We don't grow in the dark, that would be awesome. 07:42 We don't have--we don't operate by photosynthesis, 07:45 you know, we're not fueled by the sun, 07:47 which think about that, how great would that be. 07:50 Every night the sun goes down. 07:53 When the sun comes back up, you know, 07:56 it's tremendous, you know, 07:57 and we follow the sun as it goes up, 07:59 but -- I'm living in Michigan now, 08:02 so maybe that's not the best thing. 08:04 But those people in Florida, and Arizona, 08:06 boy I tell you, they be strong. 08:10 I did not see that coming, I'll be honest with you. 08:13 We're not even the hardiest of creatures, 08:15 we're actually quite fragile, think about it. 08:18 How much luggage did you pack for four days 08:20 in the wild outback of Houston. 08:25 All the other animals seemed to get by without luggage, 08:27 we have to carry on and pack in 08:28 and get --my point is this, 08:32 what makes us unique 08:35 is not any physical attribute, 08:38 but a spiritual something. 08:42 Genesis Chapter 1 verse 26 tells us what that is. 08:44 We get to eavesdrop on the conversation 08:46 that the Lord has with himself which is cool. 08:51 Says in verse 26 of Genesis Chapter 1. 08:54 "Let us make man," what are the next three words? 08:59 I'm sorry, GYC, I just can't hear you tonight, 09:00 it's so sad, I'm deaf. What is it in our? 09:03 Image. Image. 09:05 "According to our likeness, 09:06 let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, 09:07 over the birds of the air, 09:09 over the cattle, over all the earth, 09:10 and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 09:11 Verse 27, "So God created man," 09:15 what are the words? "In his own image, 09:18 in the image of God He created him 09:19 male and female, He created them." 09:22 The spiritual significance of humanity is 09:25 why we've been given dominion. 09:28 Turn with me to Psalms 8. 09:32 Psalms 8, in reflecting on this creation week, 09:35 and the significance rather the seeming insignificance 09:38 of humanity amongst all the other creatures 09:40 and beings and created worlds 09:42 that the Lord God had established, 09:44 look at what Psalmist says. 09:45 Psalms 8 starting with verse 3. 09:50 It says, "When I consider your heavens, 09:51 the work of your fingers, 09:53 the moon and the stars, that you ordained." 09:56 Verse 4, "What is man, that you are mindful of him? 10:00 And the son of man, that you visit him?" 10:03 He is thinking the same thought, 10:04 of all the things that you've made what are we? 10:08 In verse 5, "For you have made him 10:11 a little lower than the angels, 10:12 and you have crowned him with glory and honor." 10:16 Crowned with glory. And then he goes onto say, 10:20 "you have made him to have dominion 10:21 over the works of your hands, 10:22 you put all things under his feet." 10:24 But the rational for that is 10:25 this crowning with glory and honor. 10:30 What is that mean to be crowned with glory 10:32 and how does it related to being made in the image of God. 10:36 You know, when I think of the word glory, 10:38 and I guarantee you're thinking this too. 10:40 When I hear glory I think of like shiny, 10:44 like a gleam, ting. 10:47 You know when you think about that, 10:48 when you think of God returning in all of His glory. 10:51 You're thinking brightness and splendor 10:53 and shininess, sparkly may be. 10:58 But here something is different being said, yes, 11:02 while there is an outward aspect to glory, the greater importance 11:06 the real significance is the unseen, the inward glory 11:10 which we're going to see tonight is character. 11:13 Go to Exodus Chapter 3. Exodus Chapter 3, 11:17 we're gonna go quickly through the Bible tonight. 11:21 That's not an apology, I'm just letting you know. 11:25 Exodus Chapter 3, this was the story of Moses being-- 11:30 coming upon the burning bush. 11:32 And he decides to inspect it 11:34 and go over and the Lord says, 11:35 not to do that, in fact verse 6 says. 11:38 "Moreover he said, I am the God of your father, 11:40 the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, 11:42 and the God of Jacob." 11:43 And notice these words carefully. 11:45 "And Moses hid his face, for he was," what's the word? 11:51 Afraid. "Afraid to look upon God. 11:56 He was afraid to look upon God." 12:00 But what's fascinating about this 12:01 is just go 30 chapters over, 12:03 30 chapters where I go to Exodus Chapter 33. 12:07 And this same Moses, who was afraid to look upon God. 12:10 Now in Exodus Chapter 33 makes the famous request. 12:14 Verse 18 and he said to the Lord God, 12:17 "please show me your," what? Glory. 12:22 In Exodus Chapter 3, he is afraid to look on God. 12:25 In Exodus Chapter 33, he's begging for more. 12:29 What's the difference? Well, I would submit to you 12:32 that he is a different Moses at this point. 12:35 The Moses who was wandering around the wilderness, 12:36 unsure of himself, 12:38 not being called into the ministry yet. 12:39 But now the Lord God has used him 12:40 at this point in a mighty way 12:42 he has gone to the before pharaoh, 12:44 he's delivered his people by a mighty hand, 12:46 he's crossed the red sea, 12:47 they stood at the foot of Mount Sinai. 12:51 They've received the law, he's gone out to the mountain, 12:54 he's come close to the Lord. 12:56 In fact he's even shared in the sufferings of the Lord 12:58 and dealing with the Israelites. 13:02 So much so that when the golden calf of 13:03 Exodus 32 incident occurred, he begged the Lord, 13:06 if it's not possible to redeem them 13:08 put myself in their place, blot my name out. 13:12 He is a different Moses. 13:14 And now he asks for even more of the Lord's glory 13:17 and this is crucial. This is crucial, 13:19 the answer given, verse 19. 13:22 "Then he said, I will make all of my," 13:25 what's the next word? 13:26 Goodness. "Goodness pass before you." 13:30 Do you see the equivalence, 13:31 the glory of the Lord is his goodness. 13:35 "Now I will make all my glory, goodness pass before you, 13:38 and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you, 13:40 I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, 13:42 and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." 13:45 And skip over to Chapter 6 of verse--of Chapter 34. 13:50 When it actually occurred, this is what happened. 13:53 "And the Lord passed before him, and proclaimed, 13:56 the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, 14:01 longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, 14:04 keeping mercy for thousands, 14:07 forgiving iniquity and transgression 14:09 and sin by no means clearing the guilty, 14:12 visiting the iniquity 14:13 of the fathers upon the children, 14:14 and children's children, 14:15 to the third and the fourth generation." 14:19 This is the glory of God, this is His goodness. 14:23 The glory of God is His character. 14:25 His goodness is mercy, his justice et cetera. 14:29 Man's creation in the image of God 14:31 and being crowned with glory 14:34 means primarily that God established humanity 14:37 to reflect the character of His Creator. 14:42 Mrs. White puts it this way, 14:43 in Patriarch and Prophets page 45. 14:46 "Christ alone is 'the express image' of the Father, 14:50 but man was formed in the likeness of God." 14:53 Then she explained what she means by that. 14:56 "His nature was in harmony with the will of God. 14:59 His mind was capable of comprehending divine things. 15:03 His affections were pure, his appetites and passions 15:08 were under the control of reason. 15:09 He was holy and happy in bearing the image of God 15:13 and in perfect obedience to His will." 15:16 And as you see with only with this inward glory, 15:19 this God like character, 15:21 only while that was maintained could their outward glory, 15:25 the shininess or their garments of light, 15:27 as we typically refer to it, be maintained. 15:32 Continuing on in the same page we read these words. 15:35 The sinless pair wore 15:36 no artificial garments by luminescence. 15:42 They were clothed with a covering 15:44 of the light and glory, such as the angels wear. 15:48 And notice the next sentence. 15:49 So long as they lived in obedience to God, 15:53 this robe of light continued to enshroud them. 15:57 It was this inward glory, 15:59 this Christ like character that qualified man 16:02 as that unique creature formed in the image of God. 16:08 But of course we know the sacred history. 16:12 We know that they did not continue to live in obedience. 16:16 When Adam and Eve rebelled against their creator, 16:19 it was this image of God that was lost. 16:24 As devastating as that must have been 16:25 to be thrown out of the garden, 16:28 to have increased pain 16:29 and to even lose access to the tree of life 16:32 and the resulting living forever that came along with it. 16:37 Those things were subordinate, 16:39 those things were secondary to the real loss, 16:42 which was the image of God in man. 16:49 How do I say this? 16:51 Sometimes I think when we present 16:52 the great controversy theme, 16:54 we don't tell enough of the story. 16:57 We need to represent the greater controversy, 16:59 if you will. I mean, 17:01 we'll talk about the Great Controversy 17:02 and we'll say things like which are true things, 17:04 we'll go to Genesis Chapter 1 and 2. 17:06 And we'll say, do you see that Eden was established 17:08 and it was good, good, good, good 17:10 and on day six, it was very good. 17:11 And it had a, you know, the water that ran through it 17:14 and down hill and you have the tree of life 17:16 and they had all these beautiful surroundings 17:18 perfect environment, then sin came in 17:20 and everything, we lost Eden, 17:22 and we go through the whole Bible, 17:23 then you get to the end of the Bible 17:24 in Revelation 21 and 22. 17:26 And you see the restoration of the Garden of Eden, 17:28 and there is the water of life, there is the tree of life. 17:32 We saw how the book ends of the Bible 17:34 start with Eden established and Eden restored but 17:40 and as true and as great as that is, 17:42 here's my point tonight The restoration of a place 17:48 is not the point of the story of redemption. 17:52 Salvation in Jesus Christ 17:54 involves the restoration of people themselves. 18:00 Sometimes I fear --follow this logic. 18:03 Sometimes I fear that we focus on Christ's promise 18:07 to prepare a place for us, 18:09 while we neglect the work of the Holy Spirit 18:11 to prepare us for that place. Amen. 18:15 Do you see the difference? Yes. 18:18 Put it in other way. 18:20 Redemption in Jesus Christ seems more than 18:21 simply His promise to physically transport us to heaven. 18:26 And includes the far greater promise 18:28 to spiritually transform us for heaven. 18:32 Not merely to get us in 18:35 but to fit us in before we get there. 18:39 Do you see the difference? Amen. 18:40 There's a difference between getting in and fitting in. 18:47 Mrs. White puts it this way 18:48 in Christian Education in page 64 and 65. 18:52 Sin has marred and well-nigh obliterated 18:55 the image of God in man. 18:57 And notice these words, "It was to restore this 19:01 that the plan of salvation was devised, 19:03 and a life of probation was granted to man. 19:06 To bring him back to the perfection 19:07 in which he was first created," 19:09 notice these words, "is the great object of life, 19:13 the object that underlies every other." 19:17 So whatever we do beyond that the foundation issue 19:20 and the Great Controversy is not just restoring a place, 19:22 it's restoring a people for a better place. 19:26 Education page 125, the central theme of the Bible. 19:32 The theme about which 19:33 every other in the whole book clusters. 19:36 If someone asks you that, 19:37 what's the central theme of the Bible. 19:42 Apparently that was rhetorical. 19:44 Jesus. But you tell Jesus and His life, 19:47 His sacrifice on the cross, you know, to get us to heaven. 19:54 "The central theme of the Bible, 19:55 the theme about which every other 19:56 in the whole book clusters is the redemption plan," 19:59 which she defines as? 20:01 "The restoration in the human soul 20:04 of the image of God." 20:07 From the first intimation of hope in the sentence 20:09 pronounced in Eden to that 20:10 last glorious promise of the Revelation, 20:12 that "They shall see His face, 20:13 and His name shall be in their foreheads," 20:15 the burden of every book 20:17 and every passage of the Bible 20:19 is the unfolding of this wondrous theme, 20:22 man's uplifting, the power of God, 20:25 "which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 20:30 Now of course because of our sin problem, 20:33 that does exist. 20:36 We can't have the open communion with God, 20:38 that our first parents enjoyed. 20:41 I mean, that promise that Mrs. White referred to 20:43 in that previous quotation of Revelation 22 20:45 that we shall see His face. 20:48 Sounds nice until you counterbalance it 20:50 with God's warning to Moses back in Exodus 33. 20:52 You cannot see my face, 20:54 for no man shall see my face and what? 20:56 Live. Live. 20:59 You ever thought about the tension that creates, 21:01 God's like you're gonna see my face, 21:03 but if you do, you'll die. 21:08 Is that good news or not? 21:11 How can the God of Exodus 33 be the God of Revelation 22? 21:15 How can we see the face of a God 21:17 who declares that no one can see his face and live? 21:24 I'm not gonna answer that question for you right now, 21:26 it'll be later tonight but I want you to take that idea, 21:28 that contradiction, that paradox, 21:30 and I want you to place it on a shelf in your mind. 21:33 Keep it dusted off 21:34 because we're gonna come back to it, okay. 21:38 But we didn't have the open communion 21:39 with God anymore after the fall 21:42 the only way we could see God's glory 21:44 was in the veiled person of Jesus Christ. 21:48 Hebrews Chapter 1 verses 1 through 3 21:52 describes Jesus as "the brightness of God's glory, 21:57 and the express image of his person." 22:00 Colossians Chapter 2 verse 9 says, 22:02 "that in Christ dwells 22:04 all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." 22:07 So somehow all the fullness of the Godhead is in the person 22:10 and that person is in Jesus Christ. 22:13 Jesus himself in John Chapter 14 verses 6 22:16 and 7 made it very plain he said, 22:18 "I am the way, the truth, and the life, 22:21 no one comes to the father," 22:23 but what? "By me." 22:26 He goes onto say, "If you had known me, 22:29 you would have known my father also, 22:32 and from now on, you know him, and have seen him." 22:40 Go to the book of Second Corinthians. 22:42 Second Corinthians go to Chapter 3, 22:44 Second Corinthians Chapter 3. 22:52 Starting with verse 18. 22:55 The Apostle Paul lays out an incredible picture for us. 23:03 Starting with verse 18, Second Corinthians Chapter 3. 23:07 It says, "But we all, with unveiled face beholding 23:11 as in a mirror the glory of the Lord are being," 23:15 what's the word? "Transformed into the same image 23:20 from glory to glory, 23:22 just as by the Spirit of the Lord." 23:27 Continuing on, and go to Chapter 4 verse 16. 23:32 He says, therefore, "We do not lose heart, 23:35 even though our outward man is perishing, 23:37 yet the inward man is being renewed day by day." 23:43 That's the main thing about this life, 23:44 it's paradoxical. The longer you live it, 23:46 you're physically, you die. 23:48 You get closer and closer to death everyday. 23:50 But if you walk hand in hand with Christ 23:52 you actually get renewed in your inner man day by day. 23:56 This is what Paul's talking about, 23:57 "the outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being," 24:01 notice the process language, not has been or will be, 24:05 but is, "being renewed day by day." 24:11 Then he goes onto say in verse 17. 24:13 "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment," 24:18 and this is a guy who's been beating, 24:20 this is a guy who's been threatened 24:21 with his life, he's being shipped, 24:23 I mean all kinds of horrible stuff was happening 24:25 and of course that light affliction 24:28 in comparison with the future light. 24:32 "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, 24:35 is working for us a far more exceeding 24:39 and eternal weight of glory. 24:44 While we do not look at the things which are seen, 24:46 but at the things which are not seen. 24:48 For the things which are seen are temporary, 24:50 but the things which are not seen are eternal." 24:54 By not only accept--accepting the sacrifice of Christ 24:57 but furthermore by beholding the character of Christ, 25:01 as witnessed in His sinless life, 25:03 His sacrificial death, 25:06 His complete victory over Satan and every temptation 25:09 thrown at Him, we see the glory of God 25:12 and through the work of the Holy Spirit 25:13 we become more and more like Him. 25:18 When Paul writes that, "By beholding Christ, 25:21 we are being transformed into the same image 25:23 from glory to glory, He literally means 25:26 that our character that inward man is being molded, 25:29 is being refashioned, it's as if the Lord stooped down 25:32 once again out of the miry clay 25:34 and is reshaping you into the image 25:35 we were originally created to reflect. 25:41 Sons and Daughter of God, page 125. 25:45 The Lord Jesus came to strengthen 25:47 every earnest seeker for truth, He came to reveal the Father. 25:52 He allowed nothing to divert His mind from, 25:55 here's the words again, the great work 25:59 of restoring the moral image of God in man. 26:02 And we must see that the great and important work for us 26:08 is to receive not just His offer to get us in, 26:12 but the divine likeness, 26:16 to prepare a character for the future life. 26:21 In Heavenly Places 142 again, 26:23 "We are individually now testifying to the world 26:26 of the power of the grace of Christ 26:28 in the transformation of human character 26:30 from glory to glory, from character to character." 26:33 Those are her words. 26:34 In fact if you want to look up in your little CD ROM, 26:36 today people don't use CD ROM, your app whatever. 26:41 If you want to look up the phrase glory to gory, 26:43 I just don't have time to go into it now 26:44 but every single time Mrs. White employs 26:47 that phrase 'glory to glory' or she quotes 26:48 Second Corinthians 3 verse 18, she always, 26:53 it's being referenced in context of developing within us 26:56 the character of Christ. 26:57 In fact, often times where it says glory to glory, 27:00 she will literally insert, right next to it, 27:04 in little brackets, character to character. 27:08 She sees an equivalence between the glory of God 27:10 and the character of God, 27:11 and that is to be restored in humanity 27:14 in preparation for the life we're going to live. 27:18 Then she goes on, 27:21 "In beholding Christ our pattern, 27:22 who is pure and holy and undefiled, 27:25 we are being prepared for the society 27:27 of the heavenly angels." 27:30 Have you ever been to a party that you didn't fit into? 27:33 I mean you got in, but once you got in, 27:35 you're like I just do not belong with these people. 27:39 Either they were well, I don't know, 27:41 I don't know what the difference being you and them was, 27:42 but you knew it was there. 27:45 They didn't have to say anything, 27:46 they didn't have a document, they didn't have a list, 27:48 you just walked in and you're like the air here is different. 27:54 Something smells, it looks, it feels, these are not no, no. 28:02 There's a difference of getting in and fitting in, notice this. 28:09 She asks this beautifully rhetorical question, 28:11 it makes so much logical sense, listen to it carefully. 28:15 "If Christ is to be our head and Prince 28:17 in the heavenly courts, it becomes us to inquire," 28:22 I love her language. We should ask. 28:27 It makes sense to question this. 28:30 "If Christ is to be our head and Prince 28:34 in the heavenly court, it becomes us to inquire, 28:37 what is Christ to us now?" 28:42 Have you ever thought about that? 28:45 People who aren't serving God at all 28:46 somehow fully expect to serve Him 28:48 with joy in the heavenly courts. 28:51 It's like if you have the audacity to think 28:53 that you're gonna get in, 28:54 would you fit in even if He lets you. 28:59 If you're not into Him now 29:00 what makes you think your affections 29:01 are gonna change on the way up. 29:07 The character that will be ours for eternity 29:10 will not be given at the second coming. 29:13 It will be developed right here 29:14 in the life you're right now living this moment. 29:21 Romans Chapter 8. 29:24 Romans Chapter 8 Paul again comes back 29:26 to this idea, this theme 29:28 of the transformation in Christ. 29:30 Romans Chapter 8. 29:33 Again notice the very similar language 29:35 to Second Corinthians Chapter 4. 29:36 This time Romans Chapter 8 starting with verse 18. 29:40 He says, for I consider, and I love how he considers, 29:43 "I consider this, I think about it, 29:44 I've thought about it, and I've come to the conclusion 29:47 I consider -- he's not shooting from the hip, 29:50 Paul's a thinker. 29:52 I consider that the sufferings 29:56 of this present time are not worthy to be compared 30:02 with the glory which shall be revealed 30:05 "Where?, "In us." 30:10 But I thought that the glory 30:11 we're waiting for was on the Eastern sky with 30:13 you know, the size of the man's hand 30:14 and it's gonna get bigger and bigger, 30:15 that's the glory we're waiting for, right? 30:19 He says, slow down. 30:20 It's like the sufferings we're going through 30:22 in this present life aren't anything compared 30:23 to the glory which shall be revealed in us. 30:26 Look at the next verse 19, "For the earnest expectation 30:31 of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing" 30:34 and you were expected to say of the son of God. 30:39 What's your Bible say? 30:41 Sons, small 's', plural. 30:47 The Sons of God. Is it possible 30:52 that the creation is waiting not for the Son of God 30:56 but the Sons of God to reveal the glory of God in us? 31:06 You know, I'll make a shameless plug, 31:08 there's a fantastic sermon, 31:09 there's a lot of fantastic sermons on audio verse. 31:12 But one in particularly called the long campaign 31:14 and the speaker talks about how 31:16 if you notice Christ didn't just destroy Satan immediately 31:20 As soon as rebelled, he didn't just cast 31:22 the casting out of the devil wasn't like straight 31:24 from the courts of heaven down to the grave. 31:27 It wasn't one shot to the bottom. 31:30 It was actually more like a slinky on the staircase. 31:32 Right? 31:34 Like my arm can't do that but you get the gist, 31:36 you played with a slinky. 31:38 It goes from one step to 31:39 in fact, there's four stages of Satan's fall. 31:41 In the very fast stage, when he was originally 31:43 cast out of the kingdom of heaven, 31:45 God recognized and rejected his rebellion, 31:48 'cause God know everything. He sees the heart. 31:49 He's like I know what you're doing, out 31:52 I'm not listening, I'm not playing along. 31:54 You have no sympathy here, you're done. 31:57 But He doesn't destroy Him, because apparently 31:59 the rest of the created beings had not stood the contrast 32:02 between the character of Christ and the character of Satan, 32:06 but that all changed at the cross. 32:09 The fury that was within the violence 32:11 that Isaiah and Ezekiel talk about being within 32:14 was unleashed upon the sinless Savior. 32:19 In one climactic moment, 32:20 the entire universe saw the difference, 32:22 at least the unfallen universe who can watch from 40,000 feet 32:26 Saw the difference between the character of Christ 32:28 who would give everything and the contrast between that 32:32 and the character of Satan, who would take everything 32:33 even the life of God if it was possible. 32:37 Mrs. White says, "in that moment 32:38 when Jesus died on the cross in a victorious sacrifice" 32:43 her words are, "the last links of sympathy 32:45 between Satan and the heavenly world were broken." 32:49 It's like there were people still waiting in the balance, 32:51 yeah, we're gonna be loyal to God 32:52 but at least let's hear Him out. 32:56 But when they saw the cross, they said no more. 33:00 She goes on to say, henceforth his work was restricted. 33:04 Whatever attitude he might assume, 33:05 he could no longer await the angels 33:07 as they came from the heavenly courts. 33:10 They were done with him. 33:13 And, you know, and finally, 33:14 that step one is God kicking him out; 33:17 step two, he was cast out 33:18 of the sympathies of the unfallen heavenly beings. 33:21 I'm gonna leap over step three 33:22 and go to step four, 33:26 you get the picture. 33:29 In the final analysis of the close of the millennium. 33:33 When the wicked are resurrected 33:37 to face the final judgment and execution of judgment, 33:40 in that moment they will too will see the contract 33:43 between the character of Christ and the character 33:45 they have developed through the deceptions of Satan. 33:48 And not out of love and not out of joy, 33:49 not out of repentance but they will say, 33:51 they will acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord 33:54 to the glory of God the Father. 33:57 So if God recognized and rejected the rebellion of Satan 34:00 and the rest of the universe recognizes 34:02 and rejects the rebellion of Satan, 34:03 and some day even the wicked will recognize 34:06 the rebellion of Satan for what it is, 34:08 and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord. 34:10 The question is, what will the people who now 34:13 who claim to be Christ's do with that same Christ. 34:18 Will they allow Christ to make them heavenly? 34:23 This is stage three. Will those who claim 34:27 the name of Christ live lives of Christ likeness? 34:33 I believe it is for the revealing 34:35 of these sons of God 34:37 that the creation eagerly awaits. 34:41 Let's continue,= Romans Chapter 8, go to verse 20, 34:44 "For the creation was subjected 34:46 to futility, not willingly, 34:47 but because of Him who subjected it in hope. 34:50 "So he bound this creation under the groaning pain, 34:53 not just to make it suffer for a while, 34:54 but there's good news at the end of it, there's hope. 34:57 Verse 21, "Because the creation itself 34:59 also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption 35:02 into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 35:05 For we know that the whole creation groans 35:07 and labors with birth pains together until now. 35:11 Not only that, but we also 35:14 who have the first fruits of the Spirit, 35:18 even we ourselves groan within ourselves, 35:20 eagerly awaiting for the adoption, 35:23 the redemption of our "What the word? 35:26 "Body." 35:28 The redemption of our body. 35:32 Apparently what we're going to get 35:33 at the second coming is a new body, 35:36 not a new character. 35:41 Let me, let Mrs. White help me out here. 35:44 Christ's Object Lessons 3:31. 35:47 "A character formed according to the divine lightness 35:49 is the only treasure that we can take 35:51 from this world to the next." You ever think about that, 35:57 when Jesus Christ comes in all of His glory, 35:59 will you be ready to step seamlessly 36:01 from this world to the next? 36:06 Even more plainly, I can't think of how 36:08 you could write it anymore plainly, 36:09 verse, Our High Calling, page 278, 36:12 "When Christ shall come, our vile bodies 36:15 are to be changed," Praise the Lord, 36:17 "and made like His glorious body 36:20 but the vile character will not be made holy then. 36:27 The transformation of character 36:29 must take place before His coming." 36:37 Friends, there is a difference between 36:38 simply a transaction that gets you in 36:40 and a transformation that fits you in. 36:44 We need a higher picture of the plan of salvation. 36:47 Basically, the change, 36:48 the glorification that we're promised 36:50 that will take place when Christ returns 36:52 is merely the reception of a glorious body 36:54 that will correspond harmoniously with the glorious 36:57 character we have formed through Christ dwelling within us. 37:02 Philippines, Chapter 3, 37:04 again Paul comes back to the same theme. 37:07 Philippines Chapter 3, starting with verse 20, 37:15 Scripture reads "For our citizenship is in," Where? 37:20 I must wait for you to catch up. I'm sorry. 37:23 "For our citizenship is where? 37:26 In heaven. 37:27 Notice, it doesn't say, 37:29 our citizenship will be in heaven. 37:32 Our citizenship is in heaven 37:34 right now, today if we claim to be Christ's. 37:39 Now she says, now he said, 37:41 "From which" speaking of heaven 37:43 "we also eagerly wait for the Savior, 37:49 the Lord Jesus Christ," verse 21, 37:53 "Who will transform our lowly," 37:55 What? "Body, 37:58 that it may be conformed to his glorious body, 38:02 according to the working by which He is able 38:05 even to subdue all things to himself." 38:13 I love this statement. "For those who 38:16 take no pleasure in thinking and talking of God in this life 38:20 will not enjoy the life that is to come 38:23 where God is ever present, dwelling among his people." 38:27 Have you ever thought about that? 38:28 If somebody has rhetorically asked you, 38:29 "Would Jesus enjoy what you're doing? 38:32 Could you do what you're doing 38:33 with God sitting right next to you?" 38:35 And a lot of times, you're like, 38:36 ah, I hate that question. 38:39 But it has some validity. Right? 38:41 I mean, we're gonna dwell with Him forever. 38:47 Those who take no pleasure in thinking of talking of God 38:49 in this life, will not enjoy the life that is soon to come, 38:52 where God is ever present dwelling among His people. 38:54 But those who love to think of God, will be in their element. 38:59 They're gonna walk in the room, they're like, 39:00 ah, this is my place. 39:03 Breathing in the atmosphere of heaven is like, 39:06 oh, this even smells like home. 39:10 This is good. 39:14 Those who on earth love the thought of heaven 39:17 will be happy in its holy associations and pleasures. 39:21 Then she quotes, Revelation 22 again, 39:23 "They shall see His face 39:25 and His name shall be in their foreheads." 39:27 As my friend David Asscherick likes to say, 39:28 "God is going to take everyone to heaven, 39:34 who would be happy there." 39:41 The question is, is not God 39:42 going to get you into heaven. 39:43 The question is, do you actually 39:44 want to fit into heaven or not? 39:47 Do you really even want to go? 39:56 Why is character such a, why did God 39:57 put such a premium on character? 40:00 Why is it such a big deal to Him? 40:03 Wants to take that idea off the back of the shelf, 40:05 Exodus 33, Revelation 22 paradox. 40:08 The God who invite you to see His face, 40:10 but then says, if you see my face you'll die. 40:14 How will this be resolved? I think we find an answer 40:17 in First John Chapter 2 and Verse 28, 40:22 "And now little children, three critical words, 40:26 as we plea, fill me, 40:27 our earnest plea, and now little children 40:31 abide in him," why? "That when he appears," 40:37 a reference to the second coming, 40:40 "we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him 40:46 at His coming." How we can see the face of a Holy God? 40:51 It's by allowing that same God to make us holy 40:55 before He returns. First John Chapter 3, 40:59 go one chapter over. First John Chapter 3, 41:05 "Beloved, now we are children of God," 41:08 present tense, just like our citizenship is in heaven, 41:11 now we are children of God, 41:14 and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be" 41:17 So apparently, now you can be a child of God 41:19 and there still be growth in the future. 41:22 I'm not preaching instant sanctification here. 41:25 I'm just saying that God has a higher ideal 41:27 than simply getting you and putting you in heaven. 41:31 He wants to make you heavenly first. 41:35 Now we are the children of God 41:37 and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, 41:39 but we know. He's like 41:41 I don't know exactly what it looks like but we know this 41:45 but we know that when 41:47 He is revealed we shall be like Him. 41:53 Not we shall be made like Him or transform like Him 41:56 or changed into being like Him, we shall be like Him. 41:58 Well, how do we know it? For we shall, what to say? 42:04 See Him as He is. You know when Jesus comes back 42:09 He's not going to be just the veiled, glory, 42:14 no beauty, or cleanliness that we might be attracted to Him. 42:17 No, no, no, no, no. 42:19 You know, how every now and then 42:20 Mrs. White talks about divinity flashing through humanity 42:22 like little pieces of it shooting at... 42:25 no, no, no, no, no. 42:27 When Jesus comes back, He's coming in all of His glory. 42:32 He's going to burst through the sky. 42:36 This is as close as I can come to reenacting it for you, 42:38 okay, but... 42:41 but He's not going to hide, He's not going to be veiled, 42:43 He's like, here I am. 42:46 Are you ready to look at me yet? 42:50 Can you even look at me? 42:56 gospel writers says, we are gonna be just like Him 42:58 because I know we're going to get to see Him, 43:00 and the implication is and live. 43:05 Plenty of people are going to see 43:06 Jesus come back and not live. 43:08 Do you see the difference? 43:15 Jesus Himself said it in the most sublime way. 43:17 Matthew Chapter 5, verse 8, 43:18 "Blessed are the pure in heart" 43:20 why? "For they shall see God." 43:25 And again the implication is 43:28 and not die from it. 43:33 That's the blessing, not a curse. 43:38 They shall see God. So reason number one, 43:40 like character development is so crucial, 43:41 because it actually gets you through the second coming. 43:45 It prepares you to meet a Holy God 43:47 and live in a holy place, 43:49 in the society of holy beings. Does that make sense? 43:51 Yes or no? as Seventh-day Adventists, 43:54 we have a greater understanding of end time events 43:56 than do any other people on the planet. 43:59 When we present the themes of Daniel and Revelation 44:03 and time prophecy and then we just oppose 44:05 that against the snap shot of current world events. 44:07 It makes a pretty air tight case 44:09 that Jesus is infact coming soon, Amen. 44:14 That's a powerful message, it's an alarming messages, 44:18 it's a stirring message, it's a needed message. 44:22 But if that's all we say is that Jesus is coming soon, 44:27 that's not necessarily good news 44:29 for those who don't like Jesus yet. 44:35 That can't be the entirety of our message. 44:38 In his recent book "Adventism's Greatest Need," 44:41 Pastor Ron Clouzet writes that Christ is far more 44:44 interested in our fitness for His return 44:47 than we should be in the timing of His return. 44:53 He tells us, He's coming soon, 44:54 not so that we can know the day or hour, 44:56 so that we can be prepared to go from this world to the next. 45:00 You know, when the term Adventist was originally invoked 45:02 by our pioneers, it wasn't because 45:04 they expected be the people who live to the second coming. 45:07 They wanted to be the people who live through the second coming, 45:11 and that's a big difference. 45:14 The earth will be literally filled with people 45:16 who have lived to the second coming. 45:18 But how many will survive? 45:21 I mean, I wholeheartedly endorse and I embrace, 45:24 and I support 45:27 the idea the GYC has said that we will see Jesus return, 45:30 and I believe it in my bones 45:32 that we will see Jesus in our lifetime. 45:35 Amen. 45:36 But friends, living to the second coming 45:39 has no inherent value. 45:43 The question is, will you still be alive after He returns? 45:48 Or we just a bunch of the coincidental people 45:50 who happen to be here at this time in earth history. 45:53 There is a difference between living to it 45:55 and living through it. 45:58 That's reason number one 45:59 why character development is so important, 46:01 but did you know, 46:02 and this goes back to we need to present a greater controversy. 46:04 There is more involved in the great controversy 46:07 than simply saving you. 46:10 And I know, to you that's a big deal, 46:11 'cause you're all the you that you've got. Right? 46:15 Getting you to heaven is big to you and I agree, 46:18 that should be a motivation. 46:19 You need to get ready 'cause Jesus is coming. 46:21 I'm fine with that. But did you know that 46:22 there is more involved in the great controversy 46:24 than simply saving you. 46:26 And I'm not even talking about simply saving 46:28 other fallen people on this planet. 46:31 And you're like, wait a minute, there's fallen people 46:33 on other planet. 46:35 That's not what I'm saying either. 46:39 But the plan of redemption, what Jesus worked out on the cross, 46:43 His shed blood 46:45 does more than simply get fallen people into heaven. 46:49 It actually restores the universe, 46:52 and makes it secure for eternity. 46:54 Amen. Amen. 46:56 There is more to the plan of redemption 46:57 than simply saving lost people. 46:59 It's actually recreating the entire universe 47:02 into the image and glory of God. 47:05 Let me, let me explain this to you. 47:08 In Nahum Chapter 1 Verse 9, God makes a very big promise. 47:13 I'd say, it's His biggest promise ever, 47:14 and He's made some big promises 47:16 like I go to prepare a place for you 47:18 and I'm going to come back and get you. 47:19 Those are big promises. 47:21 But Nahum Chapter 1 Verse 9, listen to the words, 47:25 "What do you imagine against the Lord? 47:28 He will make an utter end, 47:29 affliction will not rise up the second time." 47:34 Once evil has run its course 47:35 and the great controversy is ended, 47:37 there will not be another controversy. 47:40 Amen. 47:41 So how can you wrap your minds around it? 47:43 How can there be a God 47:45 who creates freewill, free moral agents, 47:49 who can chose to do whatever they feel like doing, 47:53 and yet that same God can guarantee 47:56 that sin will never rise again. 48:01 How can that be possible 48:03 outside of the development of the character of Christ 48:08 and each citizen of heaven? 48:11 Notice this, Sermons and Talks, Volume 2, page 294, 48:15 "Without perfection of character 48:16 no one can enter the pearly gates of the city of God. 48:18 For if with all our imperfections, 48:20 we were permitted to enter that city, 48:21 there would soon be in heaven a second rebellion. 48:25 We must be tried and chosen and found faithful and true 48:28 upon the purification of our character rests our only hope 48:33 of eternal life. 48:37 Now that's not to say that the Christ like character 48:39 causes us to be saved. 48:42 Only the blood of Jesus saves sinners. 48:45 Are we agreed? Amen. 48:48 But a Christ like character is the only guarantee 48:52 that we will never chose to rebel again. 48:56 Think about it, there is a lot riding on your character. 48:59 Gabriel wants you to be there for the right reasons. 49:04 When Jesus was executed on the cross 49:06 at the cruel hands of Satan, 49:08 Gabriel said to Christ, sanctify imagination. 49:13 He was my friend that Lucifer, 49:16 and I really wanted to see what he is all about. 49:20 But now I know his true character. 49:21 He's a murderer. He deserves to die. 49:24 Lord, the plan of execution can go forward." 49:29 But then Jesus turned to him and said, 49:31 that's great, thank you, 49:32 but I want to bring some of them back here. 49:38 You see my plan is not just the plan of execution, 49:41 my plan is the plan of redemption. 49:44 I don't want to just end sin. 49:45 I want to actually save sinners, 49:47 and I'm going to make them your neighbor, Gabriel. 49:51 I'm going to take Kameron DeVasher 49:53 and put him in the palace right next door to you. 49:58 And Gabriel is like, slow down. 50:07 You know, we keep a record here 50:11 and new, uh, uh, no. 50:17 Lord, I appreciate that you want to get him in, 50:18 but he doesn't fit. 50:23 And Christ's like, yeah, but he will. 50:26 Let me do some work in him. 50:29 He sents out the Holy Spirit. 50:33 Have you ever noticed that... 50:34 I'm sorry, we haven't really talked 50:35 about the Holy Spirit yet, and some of you are like, 50:37 there's a big sign, 50:38 it's talking about the Holy Spirit right here. 50:42 You know, I came to GYC. 50:43 I wanted to learn how to preach better. 50:45 That's the Holy Spirit. I wanted to learn how to... 50:47 you know, I'm tired of just finding my car keys. 50:49 I want to speak in tongues, you know. 50:53 I want to raise the dead, I want to be a missionary, 50:55 I want to do something real for Christ, 50:57 I want to see the church of God, 50:58 God's remnant people galvanized into an organism for evangelism 51:03 like an army with banners. 51:05 That's why I came to GYC, 51:07 but all you're doing is talking about the second coming. 51:12 You might have a false conception 51:15 of what the work of the Holy Spirit actually is. 51:18 All those things are good things, 51:20 they're great things, they're necessary things, 51:21 they will be given their promises of God 51:25 but they're secondary. 51:26 The primary function of the Holy Spirit 51:29 is not to make you more powerful 51:32 but to make you more Christ like. 51:34 Amen. 51:35 Do you see the difference? 51:39 The primary role of the Holy Spirit 51:42 is to work in you to make you more like Jesus. 51:46 Please don't, I've raised all the money to get here, 51:50 travel hours in stuffy buses 51:52 and come all the way to Houston over Christmas break, 51:54 just to become informed about the Holy Spirit. 51:59 Make a commitment to God by His grace and indwelling power, 52:03 you will be transformed by the Holy Spirit 52:07 into a heavenly being who is comfortable in heaven. 52:10 Amen. 52:13 In the Book Education, everybody knows this famous quote, 52:16 "Higher than the highest human thought can reach is, what? 52:18 God's ideal for His children 52:20 All right. Three people knew that quote. 52:23 Higher than the highest human thought can reach is, what? 52:26 God's ideal for His children. 52:28 We all know that sentence but do you know that next sentence. 52:32 Godliness, Christ likeness, 52:35 God likeness is the goal to be reached. 52:40 You know, the natural inclination of sinful fallen man 52:43 to the revelation of the glory of God is to hide. 52:47 This is what happened when Adam and Eve were confronted by God 52:50 who was walking in the garden in the cool of the day. 52:52 We were afraid and we hid. 52:56 Thus what happened to Moses at the burning bush 52:57 before he was the new man in Christ? 53:00 He was afraid to look upon God. 53:04 And in the book of Revelation, 53:05 we read the reaction of those who are unprepared too, 53:08 who happen to be living to the second coming 53:09 but are not prepared to go through it. 53:12 Revelation Chapter 6 verse 16, 53:15 "They say to the mountains and rocks, 53:17 Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him 53:20 who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 53:23 for the great day of his wrath is come, 53:25 and who is able to stand?" 53:26 And notice, they're not afraid of the sickle 53:28 or the sword or the power 53:30 or the might, they're afraid of His face. 53:39 I wanna close tonight with 53:41 Mrs. White's description of what happened 53:43 when Jesus cleared the temple for the first time. 53:45 You can find the Biblical account in John Chapter 2. 53:49 But the picture I always had in my mind, 53:50 when He cleared the temple, when He purified that place was 53:52 that He came in with the whip, 53:54 you know, and it was all chaos and doves and lambs 53:57 and there's money changes and all, 53:59 and He just starts ripping the place apart, 54:02 and it just is chaos and utter torment. 54:04 And then all of a sudden, 54:05 everyone of you get out of here, get out of here. 54:06 Once everybody's out there, it finally gets quiet, you know, 54:09 and then the little children come to him. 54:10 That's the picture I had. 54:17 "As He beholds the scene, 54:20 indignation, authority, and power 54:21 are expressed in His countenance. 54:24 The attention of the people is attracted to Him." 54:28 When Jesus walks in a room, 54:29 He doesn't have to flip over a table. 54:30 His presence just commands authority. 54:33 Notice this. 54:35 "The eyes of those engaged in their unholy traffic 54:37 are riveted upon His face. 54:40 They cannot withdraw their gaze. 54:42 They feel that this man reads their inmost thoughts, 54:45 and discovers their hidden motives. 54:48 Some attempt to conceal their faces, 54:49 as if their evil deeds were written upon their countenances, 54:53 to be scanned by those searching eyes. 54:57 The confusion is hushed." 54:58 And notice He hasn't flipped a table, 55:01 moved His arm at all, He is just looking. 55:05 "The sound of traffic and bargaining has ceased. 55:10 The silence becomes painful 55:15 A sense of awe overpowers the assembly. 55:18 It is as if they were arraigned 55:19 before the tribunal of God to answer for their deeds. 55:24 Looking upon Christ, 55:25 they behold divinity flashed through the garb of humanity. 55:29 The Majesty of heaven stands 55:31 as the Judge will stand at the last day, 55:34 not now encircled with the glory that will then attend Him, 55:36 but with the same power to read the soul. 55:40 His eye sweeps over the multitude, 55:48 taking in every individual. 55:52 His form seems to rise above them in commanding dignity, 55:57 and a divine light illuminates His countenance. 56:00 He speaks, and His clear ringing voice, 56:03 the same that upon Mount Sinai proclaimed the law 56:05 that priests and rulers are transgressing, 56:08 is heard echoing through the arches of the temple, 56:10 "Take these things hence, 56:12 make not My Father's house an house of merchandise." 56:16 "Slowly descending the steps, descending the steps, 56:20 and raising the scourge of cords 56:22 gathered upon entering the enclosure, 56:23 He bids the bargaining company 56:25 depart from the precincts of the temple. 56:27 With a zeal and severity as never before manifested, 56:30 He overthrows the tables of the moneychangers. 56:32 The coins fall, ringing sharply upon the marble pavement. 56:35 None presume to question His authority. 56:39 None dare to stop to gather up their ill-gotten gain. 56:42 Jesus does not smite them with the whip of cords, 56:45 but in His hand 56:46 that simple scourge seems terrible as a flaming sword. 56:50 Officers of the temple, speculating priests, 56:53 brokers and cattle traders with their sheep and oxen, 56:57 rush from the place, 56:58 with the one thought of escaping 57:01 from the condemnation not of His whip, 57:04 not of His mighty right arm, the condemnation of His presence." 57:15 I believe with all of my heart 57:17 that this is the generation that will live to the second coming. 57:25 But that's not hopeful enough, 57:28 that's not promise enough 57:31 for countless people in the world that's just coincidental. 57:37 The question I want to know for myself 57:39 and I want you to be asking for yourself is 57:40 if Jesus will... am I ready. 57:43 I don't want to just go to heaven. 57:45 I want to be fit for heaven now. 57:47 When I walk into those gates 57:49 I want to breathe the air and say, 57:51 oh, this makes sense, this is home, 57:58 even more than that, 58:00 when the eyes of my Savior 58:03 scan the multitude and land on my eyes. 58:08 I don't want to be ashamed and hide my face. 58:12 I want to be pure in heart because I want to see God. 58:22 I don't want to ask you to question this, 58:25 even if you disagreed with me, did at least make sense? 58:28 Raise you hand. Did it at least make sense 58:29 what we're talking about? 58:30 Praise the Lord, clear communication. 58:32 You might all disagree 58:33 but at least you understood the message. 58:39 Now, I want to make an appeal. 58:41 It's simple, it won't be long, 58:43 but if you want to 58:45 not just think about salvation in terms of the transaction 58:49 that gets you in, that you're saying, Lord, 58:52 I want to step on higher ground. 58:56 I don't want to be here anymore, 58:57 I don't wanna just be a citizen of heaven, 58:58 I want to be a citizen of earth, 59:00 I want to be a citizen of heaven starting right now tonight. 59:03 Lord, I want You to not just get me, 59:04 I want You to fit me in to the society of angels. 59:08 Lord, transform my character, make me like You. 59:12 If that's your wish, will you stand with me now? |
Revised 2014-12-17