Good morning
everyone. Good morning.
00:00:12.27\00:00:14.55
Happy Sabbath. Happy Sabbath.
00:00:14.56\00:00:16.67
I've been waiting all
week to say that to you.
00:00:16.68\00:00:19.66
And I can say that a
few of us are sleeping
00:00:19.67\00:00:22.27
in little bit this
morning, but that's okay.
00:00:22.28\00:00:24.27
They will show up soon enough.
00:00:24.28\00:00:26.17
And before we
begin and go any further,
00:00:26.18\00:00:28.51
I just like to offer
an added word of prayer,
00:00:28.52\00:00:30.99
so would you bow
your heads with me.
00:00:31.00\00:00:33.90
Loving Father in heaven,
00:00:33.91\00:00:35.53
thank you Lord, for the Sabbath.
00:00:35.54\00:00:37.70
Thank you so
much for the blessings
00:00:37.71\00:00:39.78
that we have been
receiving this week at GYC.
00:00:39.79\00:00:43.21
Thank you for feeding us,
00:00:43.22\00:00:44.98
and Lord as we gather
00:00:44.99\00:00:46.77
at this morning
hour at the end of 2011.
00:00:46.78\00:00:50.45
We ask for Your
Holy Spirit to be present
00:00:50.46\00:00:53.18
and to speak to our hearts.
00:00:53.19\00:00:55.17
May You challenge us
today, and change us.
00:00:55.18\00:00:58.31
For we ask you in
Jesus' name, amen.
00:00:58.32\00:01:01.07
Once upon a time,
there were three kings,
00:01:02.63\00:01:06.20
who traverse too far,
00:01:06.21\00:01:08.27
but they weren't
following a star.
00:01:08.28\00:01:11.47
Now these three kings were
on a very different mission.
00:01:11.48\00:01:15.25
They were on
their way to stamp out
00:01:15.26\00:01:18.18
a growing brewing
Moabite rebellion.
00:01:18.19\00:01:22.01
They were the kings of
Israel, Judah and Edom.
00:01:22.02\00:01:26.55
Based on all the intelligence
that they have received,
00:01:26.56\00:01:30.44
they had decided to
march their allied forces
00:01:30.45\00:01:33.99
down through the
desert around the Dead Sea
00:01:34.00\00:01:37.25
up through Edom, and
then they intended to strike
00:01:37.26\00:01:41.40
Moab by surprise
and from the South.
00:01:41.41\00:01:45.39
It was an ambitious venture
00:01:45.40\00:01:47.74
and apparently
all three of them,
00:01:47.75\00:01:50.12
all three kings
decided to embark upon it
00:01:50.13\00:01:53.19
without even so
much as a prayer.
00:01:53.20\00:01:57.11
For seven days, they
marched this mighty army
00:01:57.12\00:02:00.88
through the desert.
00:02:00.89\00:02:02.09
And friends for seven days,
00:02:02.10\00:02:04.24
they dreamed of a sweet
victory that would be theirs.
00:02:04.25\00:02:08.31
But after just seven days,
00:02:08.32\00:02:11.47
they ran into a major problem.
00:02:11.48\00:02:14.52
They forgot about
where they were going to
00:02:14.53\00:02:16.84
get enough water to
help them last the journey.
00:02:16.85\00:02:19.80
They just ran out of water.
00:02:19.81\00:02:21.97
How all they did this beats me,
00:02:21.98\00:02:24.90
because everybody knows that
00:02:24.91\00:02:26.45
you can't get
very far without water.
00:02:26.46\00:02:29.47
Our blood is 90% water
00:02:29.48\00:02:31.84
and so I invite
you to join me now
00:02:31.85\00:02:34.37
in their plight in
the Book of Second Kings,
00:02:34.38\00:02:37.65
Second Kings Chapter 3.
00:02:37.66\00:02:39.96
Second Kings Chapter 3,
00:02:41.52\00:02:44.01
and we'll pick up
reading in verse 10.
00:02:44.02\00:02:46.60
Second Kings
Chapter 3, and verse 10.
00:02:46.61\00:02:50.88
Second Kings Chapter 3,
00:02:53.94\00:02:55.85
verse 10, takes us
through the heart of the story
00:02:57.85\00:03:00.56
and notice what
the king of Israel says
00:03:00.57\00:03:02.74
in Second Kings
Chapter 3 in verse 10.
00:03:02.75\00:03:05.25
He says, "Alas for the Lord
00:03:05.26\00:03:07.54
has called these
three kings together,
00:03:07.55\00:03:10.10
to deliver them
into the hand of Moab.
00:03:10.11\00:03:13.85
Now question. Had
this been God's idea? No.
00:03:13.86\00:03:19.29
These three kings
completely orient to this one,
00:03:19.30\00:03:22.63
and yet as Jehoram
surveys his crumbling court,
00:03:22.64\00:03:26.35
he is quick to
put the blame on God.
00:03:26.36\00:03:29.73
He blames God for their mess.
00:03:29.74\00:03:31.72
And friends you and I,
00:03:31.73\00:03:33.34
if we go anywhere without Jesus,
00:03:33.35\00:03:35.13
we too will find
ourselves in a situation
00:03:35.14\00:03:38.00
like these armies
found themselves in.
00:03:38.01\00:03:40.69
The Bible says in
Jeremiah Chapter 2 and verse 13,
00:03:40.70\00:03:45.04
"For my people have
committed two evils,
00:03:45.05\00:03:48.94
they have forsaken me,
00:03:48.95\00:03:50.48
the fountain of living waters,
00:03:50.49\00:03:52.50
and hewed for themselves,
00:03:52.51\00:03:53.86
cisterns broken
that cannot hold water."
00:03:53.87\00:03:58.12
And friends, Jesus said,
00:03:58.13\00:03:59.40
without me, you can
do how much? Nothing.
00:03:59.41\00:04:03.13
So go anywhere without Jesus
00:04:03.14\00:04:05.23
and homes become hot deserts
00:04:05.24\00:04:07.68
full of hot
temples and sharp words.
00:04:07.69\00:04:11.73
Without Jesus our lives
are barren and meaningless.
00:04:11.74\00:04:15.31
And here is a quote
from the Review and Herald,
00:04:15.32\00:04:17.68
May 19th in 1904.
00:04:17.69\00:04:20.54
She wrote, "The
promise of the Spirit
00:04:20.55\00:04:23.34
is a matter little thought of,
00:04:23.35\00:04:25.46
and the result is only
what might be expected,
00:04:25.47\00:04:29.13
spiritual drought,
spiritual weakness,
00:04:29.14\00:04:33.36
spiritual declension and death."
00:04:33.37\00:04:36.11
One night the captain of
the Greenland whaling vessel,
00:04:37.34\00:04:41.65
he found himself surrounded by
00:04:41.66\00:04:43.88
icebergs out in the Arctic Sea
00:04:43.89\00:04:46.63
and fearing at any
moment to be ground to death,
00:04:46.64\00:04:49.63
he nervously
waited until morning
00:04:49.64\00:04:52.44
before he
decided what to do next.
00:04:52.45\00:04:55.07
And when morning came
00:04:55.08\00:04:56.65
as he peer through the
mist there on that cold sea,
00:04:56.66\00:05:00.23
he saw in the distance a
strange mysterious vessel
00:05:00.24\00:05:04.54
just sitting there in the water,
00:05:04.55\00:05:06.15
not that far from him.
00:05:06.16\00:05:07.68
So he called some of
his crew members together,
00:05:07.69\00:05:10.09
they jumped in a little boat
00:05:10.10\00:05:11.81
and rode out to see this vessel,
00:05:11.82\00:05:14.42
and as they got to the vessel
00:05:14.43\00:05:15.77
they called out to the
vessel. Is anyone there?
00:05:15.78\00:05:19.42
But there was no
sound, no response,
00:05:19.43\00:05:22.16
he peered through the pothole
00:05:22.17\00:05:23.65
and he saw the
captain sitting at his desk
00:05:23.66\00:05:26.88
as though he was
writing in a notebook,
00:05:26.89\00:05:29.26
but he was
frozen and didn't move.
00:05:29.27\00:05:31.62
As they continue
to survey the ship,
00:05:31.63\00:05:34.07
they found sailors lying in
hammocks, some in the cabin.
00:05:34.08\00:05:38.07
Evidently
according to the notebook
00:05:38.08\00:05:40.23
this ship with its
frozen crew had been sailing,
00:05:40.24\00:05:44.93
just floating through
the Arctic for 13 long years.
00:05:44.94\00:05:50.83
And friends, without the
Holy Spirit in our lives,
00:05:50.84\00:05:55.16
we are like that frozen
ship manned by its frozen crew.
00:05:55.17\00:05:59.48
Yes, we may have
the appearance of life
00:05:59.49\00:06:01.80
and the name that we are alive,
00:06:01.81\00:06:03.30
but really we are
spiritually dead without Jesus.
00:06:03.31\00:06:07.85
And so we read verse 11,
00:06:07.86\00:06:11.29
"But Jehoshaphat said,
00:06:11.30\00:06:13.29
Is there no prophet of the Lord,
00:06:13.30\00:06:15.08
here that we may
enquire of the Lord by him?"
00:06:15.09\00:06:19.64
And what did they say?
00:06:19.65\00:06:21.03
"So one of the
servants of the king of Israel
00:06:21.04\00:06:23.20
answered and said,
Elisha the son of Shaphat,
00:06:23.21\00:06:27.19
is here who poured
water on the hands of Elijah."
00:06:27.20\00:06:31.67
' Now isn't that interesting.
00:06:31.68\00:06:33.29
How Elijah just happened
00:06:33.30\00:06:34.98
to be there in the
middle of the desert
00:06:34.99\00:06:36.93
at this point in time
the Bible doesn't say.
00:06:36.94\00:06:40.23
But friends, I do know this
00:06:40.24\00:06:42.76
that there is never
a crisis with the Lord.
00:06:42.77\00:06:45.52
Can you say amen. Amen.
00:06:45.53\00:06:47.08
God had foreseen this situation
00:06:47.09\00:06:49.63
and so He had his
prophet there ready and waiting
00:06:49.64\00:06:53.15
to speak a word on His behalf.
00:06:53.16\00:06:56.06
And I am so grateful to God
00:06:56.07\00:06:57.66
for the Spirit of
Prophecy, aren't you.
00:06:57.67\00:06:59.87
Praise God for His prophets.
00:06:59.88\00:07:01.87
So the three
kings, the Bible tells us
00:07:01.88\00:07:04.41
they went to see Elisha,
00:07:04.42\00:07:07.30
and I am sure up
until this point in time,
00:07:07.31\00:07:10.35
Elisha had wondered, why God
had called him to the desert.
00:07:10.36\00:07:14.96
But you know what, Elisha had
00:07:14.97\00:07:16.47
obediently obeyed God's call,
00:07:16.48\00:07:19.27
because it is not the
part of faith to question.
00:07:19.28\00:07:22.14
It is the part of
faith to obey, amen.
00:07:22.15\00:07:25.45
And after Elisha,
rebukes the king of Israel,
00:07:25.46\00:07:28.47
rebukes Jehoram, for blaming God
00:07:28.48\00:07:31.49
with their
unfaithfulness and their plight.
00:07:31.50\00:07:34.28
He makes an
interesting request in verse 15.
00:07:34.29\00:07:37.06
He says, "But now
bring me a musician.
00:07:37.07\00:07:40.02
And then it happened,
when the musician played,
00:07:40.03\00:07:43.23
that the hand of
the Lord came upon him."
00:07:43.24\00:07:47.16
Before Elisha, stood a heathen,
00:07:47.17\00:07:51.20
a heretic and a saint.
00:07:51.21\00:07:54.06
The king of Edom,
cared nothing for God,
00:07:54.07\00:07:56.29
he was the heathen.
00:07:56.30\00:07:57.75
The king of Israel,
Jehoram, well he was a heretic,
00:07:57.76\00:08:00.59
because he was the
second son of Ahab and Jezebel,
00:08:00.60\00:08:04.02
and he lived in open
rebellion against God,
00:08:04.03\00:08:06.85
the Bible tells us that.
00:08:06.86\00:08:08.49
And the saint was Jehoram,
00:08:08.50\00:08:10.89
for year-sorry not
Jehoram, Jehoshaphat.
00:08:10.90\00:08:13.25
For years,
Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah,
00:08:13.26\00:08:15.62
had been faithful to God.
00:08:15.63\00:08:17.48
He had walked with God.
00:08:17.49\00:08:18.84
But now, he had made
00:08:18.85\00:08:20.69
a very disappointing
decision without God
00:08:20.70\00:08:24.31
and the sight of the
three of these men together
00:08:24.32\00:08:27.59
must have really
grieved Elisha's heart.
00:08:27.60\00:08:30.14
It must have troubled him.
00:08:30.15\00:08:32.17
And so he calls for a musician,
00:08:32.18\00:08:34.29
because he needed to hear God.
00:08:34.30\00:08:37.64
And friends
that's the kind of music
00:08:37.65\00:08:39.11
we ought to listen to.
00:08:39.12\00:08:40.15
The music that allows us
to hear the voice of God.
00:08:40.16\00:08:44.43
Thousands of soldiers waited,
00:08:44.44\00:08:46.96
while the music
played, and the prophet prayed.
00:08:46.97\00:08:51.06
And the Bible tells us
that as this music was playing,
00:08:51.07\00:08:54.34
the hand of the
Lord, came upon him.
00:08:54.35\00:08:57.57
That is Old Testament
jargon for the Holy Spirit
00:08:57.58\00:09:00.48
came upon him,
and what happened,
00:09:00.49\00:09:02.74
what was the message that
God had for him, verse 16,
00:09:02.75\00:09:06.45
"And he said,
Thus says the Lord,
00:09:07.73\00:09:11.39
Make this valley
full of ditches."
00:09:11.40\00:09:14.83
Verse 17, "For
thus says the Lord,
00:09:14.84\00:09:17.21
Ye shall not see wind,
nor shall you see rain,
00:09:17.22\00:09:21.14
yet that valley
shall be filled with water,
00:09:21.15\00:09:24.34
so that you, your cattle,
and your animals may drink.
00:09:24.35\00:09:29.14
And this is a simple
matter in the sight of the Lord,
00:09:29.15\00:09:32.21
He will also deliver the
Moabites into your hand."
00:09:32.22\00:09:37.95
And all the people said, amen.
00:09:37.96\00:09:40.51
I don't think so.
00:09:41.86\00:09:43.09
Can you imagine the stir
00:09:43.10\00:09:45.88
that this
message must have caused?
00:09:45.89\00:09:48.34
I am sorry, but did
you just hear him say,
00:09:48.35\00:09:50.42
that God wants
us to make, to dig,
00:09:50.43\00:09:52.94
to make the whole
valley full of ditches.
00:09:52.95\00:09:56.66
I am sure, a sweaty soldier
somewhere must have wondered
00:09:56.67\00:10:01.28
if the sun had gotten to
the prophet's head or something.
00:10:01.29\00:10:05.48
I mean they had
already hit rock bottom,
00:10:05.49\00:10:08.72
and now God was
calling them to dig.
00:10:08.73\00:10:12.30
Nobody had even brought a spade.
00:10:12.31\00:10:14.69
What were they
going to dig with?
00:10:14.70\00:10:16.72
And none of them were feeling
especially spiritual either.
00:10:16.73\00:10:20.31
I mean its hard enough for
us sometimes feeling spiritual
00:10:20.32\00:10:23.85
and being
spiritual when we're stuck
00:10:23.86\00:10:26.12
for 20 minutes in
an air conditioned car.
00:10:26.13\00:10:28.71
But these blokes had been out
00:10:28.72\00:10:31.18
in the hot sun of the desert,
00:10:31.19\00:10:33.54
they were tired,
they were sun burnt,
00:10:33.55\00:10:36.86
their lips were parched.
00:10:36.87\00:10:39.77
I feel thirsty just
thinking about them. Do you?
00:10:39.78\00:10:43.11
The last thing any
of them wanted to do
00:10:45.37\00:10:47.85
was hard work, why?
00:10:47.86\00:10:49.83
Because if you start
digging in a dry place
00:10:49.84\00:10:52.69
where the ground
will either be hard,
00:10:52.70\00:10:54.86
or if it's a sandy place,
00:10:54.87\00:10:56.71
the moment you start digging,
they will start caving in.
00:10:56.72\00:11:00.46
Have you ever
dug a sandpit? Yeah.
00:11:00.47\00:11:03.22
So this was a
very strange thing,
00:11:03.23\00:11:06.08
and from a human point
of view, it sounded absurd.
00:11:06.09\00:11:10.56
But friends,
Jehoshaphat, had walked with God
00:11:10.57\00:11:13.54
enough to know that
obedience to God's word
00:11:13.55\00:11:17.43
is the only way, amen.
00:11:17.44\00:11:19.41
It was dig or die as
far as he was concerned.
00:11:19.42\00:11:22.61
And so they started to dig.
00:11:22.62\00:11:25.59
The sun went down,
and they kept digging.
00:11:25.60\00:11:28.72
All night long they dug.
00:11:28.73\00:11:31.90
It was hard, humbling work,
00:11:31.91\00:11:34.85
their arms were soar,
their back was aching,
00:11:34.86\00:11:38.29
they were tired
and to top it all off
00:11:38.30\00:11:40.84
they were so
severely dehydrated,
00:11:40.85\00:11:43.69
their thirst was unquenchable.
00:11:43.70\00:11:46.27
But when the morning sun rose,
00:11:46.28\00:11:48.46
still it found them digging.
00:11:48.47\00:11:51.83
And there is something
we can learn from that,
00:11:51.84\00:11:54.18
because many times in our lives,
00:11:54.19\00:11:56.50
God may ask you
to do things that
00:11:56.51\00:11:58.66
you don't think
you are able to do.
00:11:58.67\00:12:01.02
God's commandment to
you may seem impossible,
00:12:01.03\00:12:04.31
but remember God
called Noah to built an Ark
00:12:04.32\00:12:06.92
before it had even rained.
00:12:06.93\00:12:09.49
Remember that God, told Abraham,
00:12:09.50\00:12:11.80
that he would be the
father of a great nation,
00:12:11.81\00:12:14.21
while he and Sarah were in
00:12:14.22\00:12:15.42
the sunset years of their lives.
00:12:15.43\00:12:18.13
Remember that God called Ezekiel
00:12:18.14\00:12:20.01
to preach to a
valley of dry bones.
00:12:20.02\00:12:22.25
Remember God said, go forward
00:12:22.26\00:12:24.87
when the children reach
the borders of the Red Sea
00:12:24.88\00:12:27.25
and they had the
sea in front of them
00:12:27.26\00:12:29.07
and the Egyptian
army behind them.
00:12:29.08\00:12:31.59
And when you
remember this, know this,
00:12:31.60\00:12:34.41
that if God calls
you to do something
00:12:34.42\00:12:36.64
that seems
impossible, it is simply because
00:12:36.65\00:12:39.72
he intends to do it through you.
00:12:39.73\00:12:42.42
God intends to empower you
00:12:42.43\00:12:44.52
to be able to
go through with it.
00:12:44.53\00:12:46.54
He says my grace
is sufficient for you,
00:12:46.55\00:12:50.07
for my strength is made
perfect in your strength.
00:12:50.08\00:12:54.72
No, He says my strength
is made perfect in weakness.
00:12:54.73\00:12:58.62
And friends in digging,
00:12:58.63\00:13:00.22
they were
learning to lean on Jesus.
00:13:00.23\00:13:03.94
And I believe here
at these conferences
00:13:03.95\00:13:05.89
we have been spending
time on our knees last night
00:13:05.90\00:13:09.19
as we made that
commitment to God,
00:13:09.20\00:13:11.30
as we've been
emptying ourselves of ourselves
00:13:11.31\00:13:14.67
and inviting Jesus
to come into our hearts
00:13:14.68\00:13:17.29
and confessing our sin.
00:13:17.30\00:13:19.16
Friend as we let
these things go in,
00:13:19.17\00:13:21.87
make room for God in our lives,
00:13:21.88\00:13:23.78
I believe that you
and I are opening up
00:13:23.79\00:13:26.30
channels in our
lives, ditches if you like,
00:13:26.31\00:13:29.75
where God is going
to be able to pour out
00:13:29.76\00:13:32.26
a blessing for you.
00:13:32.27\00:13:34.54
And there may be
times when you have heard
00:13:34.55\00:13:36.91
the word preached here at GYC.
00:13:36.92\00:13:39.92
And you're thinking, because
the Holy Spirit is impressing
00:13:39.93\00:13:42.62
upon your heart.
This is got to change.
00:13:42.63\00:13:44.95
That's got to
stop. This is got to go.
00:13:44.96\00:13:47.34
And you're
thinking, I can't do it.
00:13:47.35\00:13:49.85
You're right, you can't.
00:13:49.86\00:13:52.04
And He never said, you could.
00:13:52.05\00:13:54.07
Because He can and He
always said He would, amen.
00:13:54.08\00:13:58.21
Verse 20, "Now it
happened in the morning
00:13:58.22\00:14:03.27
when the grain
offering was offered,
00:14:03.28\00:14:05.54
that suddenly water
came by way of Edom,
00:14:05.55\00:14:09.79
and the land was
filled with water."
00:14:09.80\00:14:14.06
Friends the Psalmist was right,
00:14:14.07\00:14:16.54
weeping only lasts for a night,
00:14:16.55\00:14:19.24
because joy
comes in the morning.
00:14:19.25\00:14:23.27
And I don't know how God did it,
00:14:23.28\00:14:25.79
but He did it
without a sound or sign
00:14:25.80\00:14:29.76
from sources apparently
impossible and invisible.
00:14:29.77\00:14:33.88
A mighty flood came
stealing into their dry valley
00:14:33.89\00:14:39.29
when the morning
came and their ditches
00:14:39.30\00:14:42.77
were all filled, not partially
00:14:42.78\00:14:45.84
but fully with
that living water,
00:14:45.85\00:14:48.75
crystal waters
reflecting the morning sun
00:14:48.76\00:14:52.00
from off the red hills of Edom.c
00:14:52.01\00:14:54.94
With shouts of joy,
00:14:54.95\00:14:56.64
the thirsty soldiers
scrambled to find their way
00:14:56.65\00:14:59.75
to their ditches as the plunge
00:14:59.76\00:15:01.47
their faces into the water.
00:15:01.48\00:15:03.56
And beside them,
their animals they drank
00:15:03.57\00:15:06.65
thirstily and greedily
and happily beside them.
00:15:06.66\00:15:10.29
It was a
wonderful, wonderful morning.
00:15:10.30\00:15:12.93
And friends the smaller
step in obedience to God
00:15:12.94\00:15:17.82
is always a
giant step to blessing.
00:15:17.83\00:15:21.36
Because they had obeyed God,
00:15:21.37\00:15:23.61
God had been able to bless them.
00:15:23.62\00:15:26.69
The water had
been available to them
00:15:26.70\00:15:29.83
only because they were obedient.
00:15:29.84\00:15:34.04
During the World War
I, during World War I,
00:15:34.05\00:15:36.85
the Australian soldiers,
they would call each other
00:15:36.86\00:15:40.83
not just mates, but diggers.
00:15:40.84\00:15:44.17
And the reason why
they'd call each other diggers
00:15:44.18\00:15:47.11
was because they lived much
of the time on the war front
00:15:47.12\00:15:50.17
in trenches that they had dug.
00:15:50.18\00:15:52.72
They would fight
from these trenches.
00:15:52.73\00:15:55.65
And so friends as far
as the Australian slang
00:15:55.66\00:15:58.35
was concerned "the
digger" was a soldier.
00:15:58.36\00:16:01.67
And friends as far
as God is concerned,
00:16:01.68\00:16:04.24
we are all
God's diggers as well.
00:16:04.25\00:16:07.93
We are the channels
through which God intends
00:16:07.94\00:16:10.93
to take His fountain of
living water to the world,
00:16:10.94\00:16:14.28
to your family, to your
neighbors, to your friends.
00:16:14.29\00:16:17.20
We are the army
that God has raised up
00:16:17.21\00:16:20.92
for such a time as this.
00:16:20.93\00:16:23.88
And friends the Bible tells us
00:16:23.89\00:16:26.07
that what happened in the desert
00:16:26.08\00:16:28.76
back then is going to very soon
00:16:28.77\00:16:31.66
happen in our church, amen.
00:16:31.67\00:16:35.14
Come with me to the
Book of Joel, Joel Chapter 2,
00:16:35.15\00:16:38.82
Book of Joel, Hosea,
Joel, Joel, Chapter 2.
00:16:41.71\00:16:48.68
And notice with me
what the Bible says
00:16:52.03\00:16:55.46
about the flood that's coming,
00:16:55.47\00:16:56.80
Joel Chapter 2, verse 28.
00:16:56.81\00:16:58.89
The Bible says, "And
it shall come to pass
00:17:01.59\00:17:05.49
afterward, God says, I
will pour out my Spirit
00:17:05.50\00:17:10.22
on all flesh, your
sons and your daughters
00:17:10.23\00:17:14.05
shall prophesy, your
old men shall dream dreams,
00:17:14.06\00:17:18.22
your young men
shall see visions.
00:17:18.23\00:17:20.95
And also on my men
servants and my maid servants
00:17:20.96\00:17:23.90
I will not just sprinkle,
00:17:23.91\00:17:26.80
but pour out my
spirit in those days."
00:17:26.81\00:17:32.80
Friends, there is a
gusher coming to this church,
00:17:32.81\00:17:37.82
a mighty flood that
the world has not yet seen.
00:17:37.83\00:17:41.75
And I believe that just
as the men in the valley
00:17:41.76\00:17:45.05
had a work to do in
preparing for the water
00:17:45.06\00:17:48.68
that was coming,
so too as a church
00:17:48.69\00:17:51.66
we have a work
to do in preparing
00:17:51.67\00:17:54.75
for the latter rain
to come into our church,
00:17:54.76\00:17:57.50
and into our lives.
00:17:57.51\00:17:59.29
There was once
a king who noticed
00:17:59.30\00:18:01.99
a subject in his kingdom
who was always being so good
00:18:02.00\00:18:05.34
and so kind to everybody else.
00:18:05.35\00:18:07.40
And so he wanted to
give him something as reward
00:18:07.41\00:18:10.59
for his--for just
being a good citizen.
00:18:10.60\00:18:13.20
And so he called
the man in before him
00:18:13.21\00:18:15.51
and he told him
what he would like to do
00:18:15.52\00:18:17.14
and he said listen,
I will give you one day
00:18:17.15\00:18:20.23
to walk around however much land
00:18:20.24\00:18:22.58
you're able to
walk around in one day
00:18:22.59\00:18:24.65
and whatever you're
able to walk around,
00:18:24.66\00:18:26.47
I want to give it
to you as a thank you
00:18:26.48\00:18:29.36
for what you are
doing in this empire.
00:18:29.37\00:18:32.25
Without hesitation
that man took his stave
00:18:32.26\00:18:35.34
and he drew a
circle around himself.
00:18:35.35\00:18:38.33
When he did, the
king was kind of shocked.
00:18:38.34\00:18:41.11
He said do you mean you
only want what's in the circle.
00:18:41.12\00:18:44.76
The man said, no your highness,
00:18:44.77\00:18:46.65
I want everything outside it.
00:18:46.66\00:18:49.54
Friends, that man was bold
in his request of that king.
00:18:49.55\00:18:54.21
And friends as Christians,
00:18:54.22\00:18:55.78
as Seventh-day
Adventist Christians,
00:18:55.79\00:18:57.19
you and I can be
bold in what we pray
00:18:57.20\00:18:59.58
and expect from God,
00:18:59.59\00:19:01.29
because our God
is a great God, amen.
00:19:01.30\00:19:04.66
He is able to bring
forth streams in the desert.
00:19:04.67\00:19:08.35
Matthew Henry once
said, "They that expect
00:19:08.36\00:19:11.16
God's blessings must
prepare room for them."
00:19:11.17\00:19:15.23
Friends are you
preparing room in your life
00:19:15.24\00:19:17.72
for the blessing, for the
flood that is about to come.
00:19:17.73\00:19:20.76
Because God can only fill us
00:19:22.83\00:19:24.98
to the extent that we
are willing to yield to Him.
00:19:24.99\00:19:29.52
God's not going
to move until we do.
00:19:29.53\00:19:33.76
Prepare half
heartedly and you and I
00:19:33.77\00:19:36.39
will only prepare
half, will only receive sorry
00:19:36.40\00:19:39.48
half of the blessing
that God has in store for us.
00:19:39.49\00:19:43.18
The men in the
valley, those that dug deeply
00:19:43.19\00:19:45.69
received more,
the bigger the ditch
00:19:45.70\00:19:48.88
the more water they received.
00:19:48.89\00:19:50.97
And so friends, I
encourage you today
00:19:50.98\00:19:53.41
dig deeply in
your spiritual life,
00:19:53.42\00:19:56.01
dig deeply in the wood,
00:19:56.02\00:19:57.83
dig and dig as much
as you want to receive.
00:19:57.84\00:20:01.19
Clear a space for God
in your relationships.
00:20:01.20\00:20:04.19
Clear a space
for God in your time
00:20:04.20\00:20:06.17
and that's an
important one, got it.
00:20:06.18\00:20:08.45
Clear a space for
God in your finances.
00:20:08.46\00:20:11.08
Make room for God in
every area of your lives,
00:20:11.09\00:20:14.56
because He is going to bless us
00:20:14.57\00:20:17.41
with an
outpouring of His spirit.
00:20:17.42\00:20:19.72
We need to trust in God
00:20:19.73\00:20:21.63
as though
everything depended upon Him.
00:20:21.64\00:20:24.28
But we ought to work
00:20:24.29\00:20:25.42
as though
everything depended upon us.
00:20:25.43\00:20:27.55
A lady once said,
00:20:29.34\00:20:31.55
just let me just
frame the story bit better.
00:20:31.56\00:20:34.49
There was an Revival meeting
and at this Revival meeting,
00:20:34.50\00:20:38.43
God moved in a powerful way.
00:20:38.44\00:20:40.91
And there was a man that
came to this Revival meeting,
00:20:40.92\00:20:43.06
he always came to the Revivals
00:20:43.07\00:20:44.86
that were held every year
at this particular church.
00:20:44.87\00:20:47.77
But every-in
between every Revival
00:20:47.78\00:20:49.84
he would always backslide.
00:20:49.85\00:20:51.66
He would always
stop coming to church,
00:20:51.67\00:20:53.14
always fall back in his
spiritual walk with God.
00:20:53.15\00:20:56.82
And so when this Revival
came, he was there again,
00:20:56.83\00:20:59.92
and as the word was preached,
00:20:59.93\00:21:01.32
he felt revived, he
felt like revived again.
00:21:01.33\00:21:04.85
And in a burst of emotion,
in a great burst of emotion
00:21:04.86\00:21:07.52
he cried out
for God to fill him.
00:21:07.53\00:21:10.23
And the moment he did it,
00:21:10.24\00:21:11.56
there was a lady
sitting in the church,
00:21:11.57\00:21:13.56
an older lady and she
had seen his many revivals
00:21:13.57\00:21:16.98
and his many backslidings,
and the moment she heard
00:21:16.99\00:21:19.83
him cry out for the
filling of the spirit,
00:21:19.84\00:21:21.91
she said, don't do it
Lord, because he leaks,
00:21:21.92\00:21:26.20
because he was always leaking.
00:21:26.21\00:21:28.11
Now friends the reality is this,
00:21:28.12\00:21:30.82
without Jesus all of us leak.
00:21:30.83\00:21:34.54
We need to be
continually refilled,
00:21:34.55\00:21:38.02
continually refilled by Jesus.
00:21:38.03\00:21:40.62
So don't just wait for
the Holy Spirit to come,
00:21:40.63\00:21:43.79
prepare for Him,
prepare, prepare largely,
00:21:43.80\00:21:47.93
prepare vigorously,
because when God works,
00:21:47.94\00:21:51.87
He works like God.
00:21:51.88\00:21:53.88
I think of the verse in Romans.
00:21:53.89\00:21:55.28
Come with me to
the Book of Romans,
00:21:55.29\00:21:56.44
Romans Chapter 8,
Romans Chapter 8, verse 32.
00:21:56.45\00:22:01.73
Romans Chapter 8, verse 32.
00:22:04.35\00:22:07.82
The Bible says in
Romans 8, verse 32,
00:22:12.64\00:22:15.32
"That He who did
not spare His own Son,
00:22:15.33\00:22:18.93
but delivered Him up for us all,
00:22:18.94\00:22:21.43
how shall He not with Him also
00:22:21.44\00:22:23.67
freely give us all things."
00:22:23.68\00:22:27.98
God wants to
freely give us all things,
00:22:27.99\00:22:30.46
so prepare for God blessing.
00:22:30.47\00:22:33.19
We go back now to our story.
00:22:33.20\00:22:34.97
Sorry, we got to go
back to Second Kings,
00:22:34.98\00:22:37.14
Chapter 3 again.
00:22:37.15\00:22:38.78
Because that was not
all God wanted to give,
00:22:38.79\00:22:40.63
the water wasn't
just the only thing,
00:22:40.64\00:22:42.36
there was something else.
00:22:42.37\00:22:44.09
Second Kings, Chapter 3 again,
00:22:44.10\00:22:47.66
and we pick up our
reading in verse 21.
00:22:47.67\00:22:50.18
Second Kings,
Chapter 3, verse 21,
00:22:56.91\00:22:59.48
"And when all the
Moabites heard that the kings,
00:22:59.49\00:23:02.24
the three kings had come
up to fight against them,
00:23:02.25\00:23:04.97
all who were able to bear arms
00:23:04.98\00:23:06.98
and older were gathered;
and they stood at the border.
00:23:06.99\00:23:10.88
Then they rose up
early in the morning,
00:23:10.89\00:23:12.79
and the sun was
shining on the water;
00:23:12.80\00:23:15.57
and the Moabites saw the water
00:23:15.58\00:23:17.27
on the other
side as red as blood.
00:23:17.28\00:23:20.55
And they said, 'This is blood;
00:23:20.56\00:23:22.40
the kings have
surely struck swords
00:23:22.41\00:23:24.67
and have killed one another;
00:23:24.68\00:23:26.65
now therefore,
Moab, to the spoil!'"
00:23:26.66\00:23:29.51
So when they came
to the camp of Israel,
00:23:29.52\00:23:32.13
Israel rose up and
attacked the Moabites,
00:23:32.14\00:23:35.04
so that they fled before them;
00:23:35.05\00:23:36.74
and they entered their
land killing the Moabites."
00:23:36.75\00:23:41.01
Friends, not only
did God meet their need
00:23:41.02\00:23:44.54
and give them water, but
He also gave them the victory.
00:23:44.55\00:23:48.94
Friends, my Bible
tells me, that God goes above
00:23:48.95\00:23:52.90
and beyond our
highest expectations, amen.
00:23:52.91\00:23:56.89
And I believe that Satan
is afraid of the fact that
00:23:56.90\00:24:00.63
one day you and I
are going to work out
00:24:00.64\00:24:02.67
just how big God really is.
00:24:02.68\00:24:05.33
Stories told of
Napoleon Bonaparte,
00:24:05.34\00:24:07.63
as he was
surveying a map of the world,
00:24:07.64\00:24:10.48
he laid his finger on a
certain portion of that map
00:24:10.49\00:24:13.26
and he growled, here
lies a sleeping giant.
00:24:13.27\00:24:18.25
Let her sleep, for if she wakes
00:24:18.26\00:24:20.87
she will shake the world.
00:24:20.88\00:24:23.20
The giant of which
he spoke was China.
00:24:23.21\00:24:26.45
And friends, I believe that
00:24:26.46\00:24:28.29
when Satan looks at this church,
00:24:28.30\00:24:30.72
its almost like
Napoleon, he looks at us
00:24:30.73\00:24:32.84
and he says oh, let her sleep,
00:24:32.85\00:24:35.86
because if she wakes
she will shake the world.
00:24:35.87\00:24:40.16
There's quote from
the Spirit of Prophecy,
00:24:40.17\00:24:41.63
Last Day
Events, there is nothing
00:24:41.64\00:24:44.12
that Satan fear so much
is that the people of God
00:24:44.13\00:24:47.63
shall clear the way by
removing every hindrance,
00:24:47.64\00:24:50.99
so that the Lord
can pour out His Spirit
00:24:51.00\00:24:53.79
upon our languishing church.
00:24:53.80\00:24:56.80
And yet friends, how many times
00:24:56.81\00:24:58.25
that we got too tired to
dig, too lazy to obey God
00:24:58.26\00:25:02.56
and to do what
He calls us to do.
00:25:02.57\00:25:05.99
There are days you
will feel like digging,
00:25:06.00\00:25:08.43
and there are days you may cry
00:25:08.44\00:25:09.66
just having to
pick up the spade.
00:25:09.67\00:25:12.25
There are days
when you read the Bible
00:25:12.26\00:25:13.94
and you are just so excited
and then there are other days
00:25:13.95\00:25:16.27
where it just
doesn't seem to do much.
00:25:16.28\00:25:18.66
There are days
when you're praying,
00:25:18.67\00:25:20.02
you feel your prayer go straight
00:25:20.03\00:25:22.09
to the throne room of God
00:25:22.10\00:25:23.35
and there are other
days where you think that
00:25:23.36\00:25:25.41
your prayer has
just hit the ceiling.
00:25:25.42\00:25:27.36
But friends, when
you think like that,
00:25:27.37\00:25:29.36
when you feel that God is
not really speaking to you,
00:25:29.37\00:25:32.33
that your prayer is
not working, don't give up.
00:25:32.34\00:25:35.23
Don't let your
feelings dictate your behavior.
00:25:35.24\00:25:38.27
Keep reading the word
and ask the Holy Spirit
00:25:38.28\00:25:41.27
to make it living and
powerful in your life.
00:25:41.28\00:25:43.81
Keep praying, because
God will answer your prayers.
00:25:43.82\00:25:46.79
He will always
come through for you.
00:25:46.80\00:25:49.53
Friends, God will do His part,
00:25:49.54\00:25:51.92
provided we do our part, amen.
00:25:51.93\00:25:55.70
Think those
soldiers in the valley had
00:25:55.71\00:25:57.77
every-they could have
given God a thousand excuses,
00:25:57.78\00:26:01.13
a thousand
reasons why they shouldn't
00:26:01.14\00:26:03.15
have to dig in the desert.
00:26:03.16\00:26:05.32
But friends, if we
will just obey God,
00:26:05.33\00:26:07.74
and obey Him together,
00:26:07.75\00:26:09.76
I believe that we
will shake the world.
00:26:09.77\00:26:12.08
By God's grace we
will shake this world.
00:26:12.09\00:26:16.41
Just think of snowflakes.
00:26:16.42\00:26:18.32
Snowflakes are really fragile,
00:26:18.33\00:26:20.72
but if you put them all
together, they stop traffic.
00:26:20.73\00:26:25.03
And friends,
that's why I believe that
00:26:25.04\00:26:27.53
Second Kings,
Chapter 3 and verse 16
00:26:27.54\00:26:31.45
ought to become is
familiar to us as John 3:16.
00:26:31.46\00:26:35.81
Because God's
calling us to dig ditches
00:26:35.82\00:26:38.21
for a blessing that will come.
00:26:38.22\00:26:40.64
Friends, Jesus, will come.
00:26:40.65\00:26:43.05
The latter rain will fall.
00:26:43.06\00:26:45.97
The gospel of
the-- the everlasting
00:26:45.98\00:26:47.70
gospel of the
kingdom will be preached
00:26:47.71\00:26:49.65
in all the world and
then the end will come.
00:26:49.66\00:26:53.26
We are not
preaching and not preparing
00:26:53.27\00:26:55.20
for a blessing that might come.
00:26:55.21\00:26:56.88
We are preparing
for what will come.
00:26:56.89\00:27:00.25
God's response in the valley
00:27:00.26\00:27:01.66
came quickly when they prepared.
00:27:01.67\00:27:04.65
And he say,
Charissa, don't talk to--
00:27:04.66\00:27:05.83
about being things being quick.
00:27:05.84\00:27:08.08
You know, we have
been preaching that
00:27:08.09\00:27:09.18
Jesus is coming soon for
120 years and I know that.
00:27:09.19\00:27:13.12
But friends I
really do believe in,
00:27:13.13\00:27:14.87
I know that Pastor Cameron,
mentioned the other night
00:27:14.88\00:27:17.55
that he believed we
will see Jesus come.
00:27:17.56\00:27:19.53
And I believe that too, I
believe as we look around us.
00:27:19.54\00:27:22.88
I believe that we are so close
00:27:22.89\00:27:24.72
to the end of time
which is not aware of it.
00:27:24.73\00:27:27.78
I believe we'd be shocked
00:27:27.79\00:27:28.95
if we knew just how
much time we had left.
00:27:28.96\00:27:32.28
There's another quote.
00:27:32.29\00:27:33.31
"There is no limit
to the usefulness of one
00:27:33.32\00:27:35.67
who, putting self aside,
00:27:35.68\00:27:37.72
makes room for the
working of the Holy Spirit
00:27:37.73\00:27:39.79
upon his heart and lives a life
00:27:39.80\00:27:42.78
wholly consecrated to God.
00:27:42.79\00:27:45.07
If His people will
remove the obstructions,
00:27:45.08\00:27:48.32
He will pour forth
the waters of salvation
00:27:48.33\00:27:51.05
in abundant streams
through the human channels."
00:27:51.06\00:27:55.25
Friends, I believe
that God wants to use you
00:27:55.26\00:27:57.68
to be a
powerful witness for Him.
00:27:57.69\00:28:00.52
And I used to think that
I didn't have the testimony,
00:28:00.53\00:28:04.91
because I grew up in the church
00:28:04.92\00:28:06.89
and I've listened
to peopled get up front
00:28:06.90\00:28:08.92
and share their
testimonies and they were
00:28:08.93\00:28:10.67
always so exotic and so amazing.
00:28:10.68\00:28:12.90
Me, my testimony, I
was born into the message,
00:28:12.91\00:28:15.60
I just always went to church.
00:28:15.61\00:28:18.10
But friends, I've always
been also very shy person
00:28:18.11\00:28:20.35
and I know that it
might for you to believe.
00:28:20.36\00:28:23.01
But my mom, she would
take my sister and I to church
00:28:23.02\00:28:26.48
every Sabbath growing
up and as a little girl,
00:28:26.49\00:28:28.42
I would sit in my home church,
00:28:28.43\00:28:30.40
and I'd watch the priest
to get up to front and preach
00:28:30.41\00:28:32.88
and I'll sit there and think,
wow, I wish I could do that.
00:28:32.89\00:28:36.40
So I would go back home
and when no one was looking,
00:28:36.41\00:28:40.16
I'd go back into my
room, and I shut the door,
00:28:40.17\00:28:42.54
and I'd stand in
front of the mirror
00:28:42.55\00:28:44.80
and I would
preach to the mirror.
00:28:44.81\00:28:47.13
And I tell you what
they were very deep sermons
00:28:47.14\00:28:49.33
that I would
preach to the mirror.
00:28:49.34\00:28:51.08
Not many theologians
would be able to understand
00:28:51.09\00:28:53.54
the deep things
that I discussed,
00:28:53.55\00:28:55.31
that I preached to that mirror.
00:28:55.32\00:28:57.50
And one day while I was
preaching to the mirror,
00:28:57.51\00:28:59.12
my sister came into
my room without knocking,
00:28:59.13\00:29:01.70
we share a room back then.
00:29:01.71\00:29:03.29
And she saw me preaching to
the mirror and it looked fun.
00:29:03.30\00:29:05.94
She said, can I
play, I said sure.
00:29:05.95\00:29:07.72
And so we would play
church. We played in for years.
00:29:07.73\00:29:10.63
She would come,
do the song service,
00:29:10.64\00:29:12.95
do the welcome, sorry the
prayer take up the offering
00:29:12.96\00:29:16.26
and then I would get
up and I would preach
00:29:16.27\00:29:19.16
and when I'd finished preaching,
00:29:19.17\00:29:20.52
I'd say the closing prayer,
we'd sing our final hymn.
00:29:20.53\00:29:23.30
And then I'd go
stand at the door
00:29:23.31\00:29:24.79
and shake a hand and
thank her for coming.
00:29:24.80\00:29:27.72
We knew how to play church.
00:29:27.73\00:29:29.49
But one day while
we were playing church,
00:29:30.74\00:29:34.54
while I was playing church,
00:29:34.55\00:29:35.79
I had the head
elder of our church,
00:29:35.80\00:29:38.00
he came to visit and I
didn't know he was there
00:29:38.01\00:29:40.39
and I was in the
middle of one of his history's
00:29:40.40\00:29:42.17
deepest sermons and he saw me.
00:29:42.18\00:29:44.51
He'd come to visit my
dad, he wasn't going to church.
00:29:44.52\00:29:47.14
And he just locked that
in the back of his mind,
00:29:47.15\00:29:49.48
Neil Garfield, is
his name, he locked it
00:29:49.49\00:29:51.67
in the back of his
mind, he felt one day
00:29:51.68\00:29:53.16
I'm going to ask
that girl to preach.
00:29:53.17\00:29:55.11
Well, that's one
side of the story.
00:29:55.12\00:29:57.04
As a 14-year-old in high school,
00:29:57.05\00:30:00.94
still very shy person.
00:30:00.95\00:30:02.59
I remember one day we
showed up to school one morning
00:30:02.60\00:30:05.34
and we were
talking with my friends
00:30:05.35\00:30:07.29
and my teacher, my
English teacher walked past,
00:30:07.30\00:30:09.35
and she said good morning,
00:30:09.36\00:30:10.63
have you got
your speeches ready.
00:30:10.64\00:30:12.63
We said, speeches, she
said the one that's true
00:30:12.64\00:30:14.83
in English next period.
00:30:14.84\00:30:16.42
You better get in
your speech ready,
00:30:16.43\00:30:17.81
because it's next period.
00:30:17.82\00:30:19.36
So we stopped
talking and we went
00:30:19.37\00:30:21.24
to write our
speeches for English.
00:30:21.25\00:30:23.63
And when English came and
we all hopped in the classroom,
00:30:23.64\00:30:26.58
the teacher wrote the
names of the students that
00:30:26.59\00:30:29.28
would be speaking their speeches
00:30:29.29\00:30:31.26
during that class,
and she is teacher.
00:30:31.27\00:30:33.83
She knows, we
haven't done our homework,
00:30:33.84\00:30:35.57
so whose name do you
think she put on the board.
00:30:35.58\00:30:37.83
She put my name
right there on the board.
00:30:37.84\00:30:40.28
And so I had to get up
and deliver this speech
00:30:40.29\00:30:43.00
that I hadn't prepared
and it was to be a speech
00:30:43.01\00:30:46.20
in the book that we had read
00:30:46.21\00:30:48.20
and it was to be a monologue,
you were to pick a character
00:30:48.21\00:30:50.39
from the book
and be that person.
00:30:50.40\00:30:52.45
And the book that I had read
00:30:52.46\00:30:53.67
was a book
entitled "Rachel's Tears."
00:30:53.68\00:30:55.95
Has anybody read that book?
00:30:55.96\00:30:57.86
Yeah, it's a
powerful book of few people.
00:30:57.87\00:31:00.14
Powerful book about a
girl that was shot during
00:31:00.15\00:31:02.83
the Columbine
High School shootings,
00:31:02.84\00:31:04.61
but if you haven't read,
00:31:04.62\00:31:05.62
don't worry about
that, but the story bit.
00:31:05.63\00:31:07.79
I decided that I was going
to be the brother of this girl
00:31:07.80\00:31:10.86
in the book and
so when my time came
00:31:10.87\00:31:13.49
to give my speech
to my Year A class,
00:31:13.50\00:31:16.32
that's what they
called in Australia,
00:31:16.33\00:31:17.61
I don't know what it
is here, but I was 14.
00:31:17.62\00:31:20.54
I got up and I am delivering
this speech to my classmates
00:31:20.55\00:31:23.89
and as I am going
through the speech,
00:31:23.90\00:31:25.45
a little light
bulb went on in my head.
00:31:25.46\00:31:27.78
I said, why don't
you make an appeal
00:31:27.79\00:31:30.61
like the evangelists
do in their crusades.
00:31:30.62\00:31:33.54
After all you're just pretending
00:31:33.55\00:31:36.04
to be like somebody else.
00:31:36.05\00:31:38.09
And as I am going
through my speech,
00:31:38.10\00:31:39.35
I thought that
is a wonderful idea.
00:31:39.36\00:31:41.87
And so as I got
to the end I said,
00:31:41.88\00:31:43.82
and now if you would
like to accept Jesus Christ
00:31:43.83\00:31:46.29
as your personal
Savor or forever friend,
00:31:46.30\00:31:49.18
would you mind
raising your hands with me.
00:31:49.19\00:31:51.97
And the class did
what you are doing,
00:31:51.98\00:31:53.37
they just sat
there. Nobody moved.
00:31:53.38\00:31:56.82
My teacher is at
the back of the room,
00:31:56.83\00:31:59.06
she couldn't
believe what was happening
00:31:59.07\00:32:01.07
at the front of the room.
00:32:01.08\00:32:02.77
And I was just to the
front, and I was just copying
00:32:02.78\00:32:04.82
what I had seen done in church.
00:32:04.83\00:32:06.85
You know, and I've
been going to church
00:32:06.86\00:32:08.79
and I'd seen appeals done.
00:32:08.80\00:32:10.52
We had Pastor Torres,
come to our church in Sydney
00:32:10.53\00:32:13.16
many times and I've
seen him do the appeals.
00:32:13.17\00:32:15.79
And so I have
never seen an appeal done
00:32:15.80\00:32:18.42
when no one responded.
00:32:18.43\00:32:20.26
So I didn't know what to
do if no one didn't move,
00:32:20.27\00:32:22.93
so I just stood
there and I wasn't moving
00:32:22.94\00:32:24.72
until somebody moved.
00:32:24.73\00:32:27.01
And finally after what appeared
00:32:27.02\00:32:29.52
to be an eternity to me.
00:32:29.53\00:32:30.91
Somebody my best
friend, she is here actually,
00:32:30.92\00:32:33.35
Myrica was--anyway she
was sitting in the front row
00:32:33.36\00:32:36.01
finally she put her hand up
00:32:36.02\00:32:37.77
and I said God bless
you friend and sat down.
00:32:37.78\00:32:42.30
And when I sat
down, I felt awful.
00:32:42.31\00:32:45.84
I went home that
night and I felt terrible,
00:32:45.85\00:32:47.93
I thought my
class are going to think
00:32:47.94\00:32:49.86
I am some kind
of a religious nut.
00:32:49.87\00:32:52.57
But friends, does God
wants me to be just nuts. No.
00:32:52.58\00:32:56.65
od wants
spiritual fruit, say amen.
00:32:58.42\00:33:01.91
Anyway, so I went
home and I felt terrible,
00:33:01.92\00:33:04.77
I told my mom, I
said I don't want
00:33:04.78\00:33:06.36
to ever go back to school.
00:33:06.37\00:33:07.85
Can you please change
school, I want to change school.
00:33:07.86\00:33:10.61
I don't want to ever
see my classmates again.
00:33:10.62\00:33:12.30
They're just going
to think, I am weird.
00:33:12.31\00:33:14.44
But she said, oh don't
worry, you're just pretending.
00:33:14.45\00:33:16.97
So I went to
school the next morning
00:33:16.98\00:33:18.90
and to make things
worse, the friends that
00:33:18.91\00:33:20.67
I usually spoke during the
morning had missed the bus,
00:33:20.68\00:33:23.72
so I was there all alone
and my teacher walks past.
00:33:23.73\00:33:26.73
She says, good morning Charissa,
00:33:26.74\00:33:28.09
walk with me, so
I walked with her.
00:33:28.10\00:33:30.33
She says, that was
an incredible speech
00:33:30.34\00:33:32.03
you gave yesterday. I
said really. She said yes.
00:33:32.04\00:33:36.55
How would you like to
give it in assembly today?
00:33:36.56\00:33:40.15
I said, you
mean the whole thing,
00:33:40.16\00:33:42.59
you mean the hands
up thing and everything.
00:33:42.60\00:33:45.37
She says yes, I've been
talking to the teachers,
00:33:45.38\00:33:47.83
we want the whole
thing in assembly today.
00:33:47.84\00:33:50.23
You got 99 out of
100. I said really.
00:33:50.24\00:33:52.85
What did I lose the mark on?
00:33:52.86\00:33:54.02
She said, you went too long,
00:33:54.03\00:33:55.95
because I went for seven minutes
00:33:55.96\00:33:58.18
instead of three minutes,
00:33:58.19\00:33:59.74
that's because
nobody put the hand up,
00:33:59.75\00:34:01.44
so I just waited for four
minutes for someone to move.
00:34:01.45\00:34:06.57
And friends, my
teacher she obviously saw that
00:34:06.58\00:34:09.60
there was
something there that God,
00:34:09.61\00:34:11.50
that could be
developed for God's glory.
00:34:11.51\00:34:14.18
And the following
year as a 14-year-old
00:34:14.19\00:34:16.48
still I am in year 9.
00:34:16.49\00:34:18.36
Opportunity came for me to enter
00:34:18.37\00:34:20.89
a public speaking competition
to represent my school.
00:34:20.90\00:34:25.29
And I--when I was
asked to do, and I,
00:34:25.30\00:34:27.12
I said I have to pray about it,
00:34:27.13\00:34:28.52
because I am a very shy person
00:34:28.53\00:34:30.14
and I've never done it before.
00:34:30.15\00:34:32.10
And I prayed about
it, and I decided that
00:34:32.11\00:34:33.86
I would enter this competition
00:34:33.87\00:34:35.25
on one condition that
I could talk about God.
00:34:35.26\00:34:38.65
So I went back and I
told my teacher my decision.
00:34:38.66\00:34:41.77
And as a teacher, she
could have looked at me
00:34:41.78\00:34:43.45
and said Charissa, that's nice,
00:34:43.46\00:34:45.46
but God won't work in
a secular competition.
00:34:45.47\00:34:49.00
But instead she looked
at me and she said something
00:34:49.01\00:34:51.38
which is possibly
been one of the most
00:34:51.39\00:34:53.58
life changing
things she has ever said.
00:34:53.59\00:34:54.87
She said, Charissa,
that is the best thing
00:34:54.88\00:34:57.88
that you could do.
00:34:57.89\00:34:59.36
And with that
encouragement I went
00:34:59.37\00:35:01.14
and I had to write a
speech, but what do you write
00:35:01.15\00:35:04.09
on to tell a
secular audience about God.
00:35:04.10\00:35:06.85
Well, I decided,
my sister helped me,
00:35:06.86\00:35:09.09
God helped me to write a
speech on the word eternity,
00:35:09.10\00:35:12.72
because in the year
2000, on New Years Eve,
00:35:12.73\00:35:15.98
the Sydney Harbour Bridge lit up
00:35:15.99\00:35:17.34
and they splash across
it was a word eternity.
00:35:17.35\00:35:20.27
So I wrote this speech,
and I can still remember
00:35:20.28\00:35:23.26
the day before, this competition
00:35:23.27\00:35:25.96
I was kneeling beside my bed.
00:35:25.97\00:35:28.50
I was a
14-year-old year 9 student
00:35:28.51\00:35:31.53
and I was very nervous.
00:35:31.54\00:35:33.93
And as I knelt by my bed
and I prayed, I said Lord,
00:35:33.94\00:35:37.66
You and I both know
that I can't do this.
00:35:37.67\00:35:41.13
And so I just asked You Lord,
00:35:41.14\00:35:42.71
please help me
get through tomorrow.
00:35:42.72\00:35:44.42
In fact no, if you
let me win tomorrow,
00:35:44.43\00:35:48.11
then I promise You,
that I will speak for you
00:35:48.12\00:35:51.56
wherever You open the doors.
00:35:51.57\00:35:54.38
That was a promise I made.
00:35:54.39\00:35:55.95
The next day I
showed up at school,
00:35:55.96\00:35:57.55
it happened that our school
was hosting this competition
00:35:57.56\00:36:01.40
and when I walked into the room
00:36:01.41\00:36:03.78
where the competition
was going to be held,
00:36:03.79\00:36:05.87
I was very intimidated,
because there were students
00:36:05.88\00:36:07.92
from all these other schools
00:36:07.93\00:36:09.43
and dressed, you
know, in their best uniforms
00:36:09.44\00:36:11.97
and they talked so well,
00:36:11.98\00:36:13.61
they all sounded so intelligent.
00:36:13.62\00:36:15.95
I remember I walked past one guy
00:36:15.96\00:36:17.64
and he said, that UN
don't even have a standing army.
00:36:17.65\00:36:20.92
And at the time, I
didn't know what the UN was.
00:36:20.93\00:36:23.11
I thought it was un.
00:36:23.12\00:36:24.90
Oh, God, what am I doing here?
00:36:24.91\00:36:27.86
And so the time came
for me to deliver my speech
00:36:27.87\00:36:30.60
and I've cut through the chase,
00:36:30.61\00:36:31.76
so I can see my
clock is running.
00:36:31.77\00:36:33.78
Time came for me to deliver
my speech to that audience
00:36:33.79\00:36:36.78
and I got up and I
began to tell them about God.
00:36:36.79\00:36:40.58
But as I was
going through the speech
00:36:40.59\00:36:42.68
on eternity something happened.
00:36:42.69\00:36:44.99
My principal
walked into the classroom
00:36:45.00\00:36:48.73
while I was in the
middle of my speech.
00:36:48.74\00:36:50.48
And rule number one in
public speaking competitions,
00:36:50.49\00:36:53.60
you do not enter or leave a
room when someone is speaking,
00:36:53.61\00:36:56.76
because it's highly distractive.
00:36:56.77\00:36:58.28
But my principal walked in
00:36:58.29\00:36:59.97
and as soon as he walked in
00:36:59.98\00:37:01.91
the page that I had memorized
00:37:01.92\00:37:03.62
and was reading in
my head just vanished.
00:37:03.63\00:37:06.49
And I was left
staring at this audience
00:37:06.50\00:37:08.88
and it looked
like pause for effect,
00:37:08.89\00:37:10.96
because I had a serious face on.
00:37:10.97\00:37:12.89
And I didn't know what to do
00:37:12.90\00:37:14.57
and in my mind I was panicking.
00:37:14.58\00:37:16.27
What comes next,
where was I up to,
00:37:16.28\00:37:18.35
and then a miracle happened.
00:37:18.36\00:37:19.98
My mouth just started talking,
00:37:19.99\00:37:22.71
just started
telling people about God,
00:37:22.72\00:37:24.68
while my head was in confusion.
00:37:24.69\00:37:26.32
And as I started
listening to what was happening,
00:37:26.33\00:37:28.81
I said oh, that's right,
00:37:28.82\00:37:29.97
that's where I
was and I kept going.
00:37:29.98\00:37:31.86
It happened the second time,
00:37:31.87\00:37:33.61
classmates were
walking past the room
00:37:33.62\00:37:35.32
and they were waving
at me through the window.
00:37:35.33\00:37:36.99
Again the page in
my head just vanished.
00:37:37.00\00:37:40.94
Again my mouth just starts going
00:37:40.95\00:37:43.72
telling people about God.
00:37:43.73\00:37:45.82
Third time it
happened, three times,
00:37:45.83\00:37:48.47
I lost the words, three times,
00:37:48.48\00:37:51.73
God came through
and He helped me,
00:37:51.74\00:37:53.95
He gave me the
words and when I finished,
00:37:53.96\00:37:56.25
I sat down and I felt shaken.
00:37:56.26\00:37:58.29
I felt like Jeremiah,
00:37:58.30\00:37:59.41
I felt like God
had just reached down
00:37:59.42\00:38:01.51
and put His words in my mouth.
00:38:01.52\00:38:03.99
Oh, that was only
half the competition.
00:38:04.00\00:38:06.33
The next half was
an impromptu section,
00:38:06.34\00:38:08.20
and I am terrible
at impromptu speeches
00:38:08.21\00:38:10.76
and I was the worst one there.
00:38:10.77\00:38:12.67
So when the time came for
them to announce the winner.
00:38:12.68\00:38:16.56
They announced three winners,
they announced someone else,
00:38:16.57\00:38:18.45
someone else and
then they announced me.
00:38:18.46\00:38:21.56
I couldn't believe it.
00:38:21.57\00:38:22.90
And I went up to the
judicator afterwards,
00:38:22.91\00:38:25.74
that's what you meant to do.
00:38:25.75\00:38:27.19
And he said to me, Charissa,
that was an incredible speech,
00:38:27.20\00:38:30.41
could have been in
the senior division.
00:38:30.42\00:38:32.44
Just one thing take God
out of it for the next round.
00:38:32.45\00:38:37.45
And I thanked him,
and then I went to way in,
00:38:37.46\00:38:39.56
my teacher
said, what did he say?
00:38:39.57\00:38:40.83
And I told her,
and she said, Charissa,
00:38:40.84\00:38:43.14
do you remember
why you went into this.
00:38:43.15\00:38:45.42
I said yes. She said then
I wouldn't change a thing.
00:38:45.43\00:38:49.94
I went to the next round
of the competition and I lost,
00:38:49.95\00:38:53.47
I didn't win anything.
00:38:53.48\00:38:55.02
But friends, my
promise to God was this,
00:38:55.03\00:38:57.04
if you let me win tomorrow,
00:38:57.05\00:38:58.88
then I promise You that
00:38:58.89\00:38:59.90
I will speak for You
wherever You open the doors.
00:38:59.91\00:39:02.59
And friends from
that day to this,
00:39:02.60\00:39:04.78
I have endeavored
to be faithful to God.
00:39:04.79\00:39:07.57
And I have endeavored to
go wherever He opens the door,
00:39:07.58\00:39:10.00
that's why I am here.
00:39:10.01\00:39:11.44
God has called
me to dig in places
00:39:11.45\00:39:13.07
where I felt it was
impossible for me to dig.
00:39:13.08\00:39:15.92
To do things that I
didn't think I could do.
00:39:15.93\00:39:18.60
But friends, when
we make room for God,
00:39:18.61\00:39:20.97
when we will just do
what He calls us to do,
00:39:20.98\00:39:23.58
God will send through
a blessing for you, amen.
00:39:23.59\00:39:26.90
And friends, it's interesting
00:39:26.91\00:39:29.74
as you read the
story in Second Kings,
00:39:29.75\00:39:31.95
that when the priest
offered the sacrifice,
00:39:31.96\00:39:35.23
it says at the time
of the morning sacrifice
00:39:35.24\00:39:37.60
when the priest
offered the sacrifice
00:39:37.61\00:39:39.64
in Jerusalem, sunlit hill.
00:39:39.65\00:39:41.95
It opened a
fountain of living waters
00:39:41.96\00:39:44.31
for those
soldiers in the valley.
00:39:44.32\00:39:46.31
And friends so
too centuries later
00:39:46.32\00:39:48.68
when Jesus, the Lamb of God,
00:39:48.69\00:39:50.89
offered Himself on
the cross for you and I.
00:39:50.90\00:39:54.19
He has opened a
floodgate for us.
00:39:54.20\00:39:57.03
He has opened and created for us
00:39:57.04\00:39:59.04
a fountain of living waters,
00:39:59.05\00:40:01.42
so that none need go thirsty.
00:40:01.43\00:40:04.24
And that army,
it is no coincidence
00:40:04.25\00:40:06.67
they became an unstoppable force
00:40:06.68\00:40:09.37
after they received
the power of the water
00:40:09.38\00:40:12.10
and of the blood.
00:40:12.11\00:40:13.37
And our victory will always be
00:40:13.38\00:40:16.02
in the blood of
Jesus Christ, amen.
00:40:16.03\00:40:18.90
Friends, Second Corinthians,
00:40:18.91\00:40:22.22
Chapter 6 and verse 2,
00:40:22.23\00:40:24.05
Second
Corinthians, Chapter 6, verse 2.
00:40:24.06\00:40:31.17
The Bible says behold,
00:40:35.16\00:40:39.14
I am just reading the
second part of this verse.
00:40:39.15\00:40:40.94
"Behold, now is
the accepted time;
00:40:40.95\00:40:44.20
behold, now is
the day of salvation."
00:40:44.21\00:40:48.84
Friends right now today,
00:40:48.85\00:40:51.67
as we're in the cusp of 2012.
00:40:51.68\00:40:55.15
Now is the time that
God is calling you and I
00:40:55.16\00:40:57.92
to dig ditches. To
dig as deep as we can
00:40:57.93\00:41:01.94
and as wide as we can,
00:41:01.95\00:41:04.12
because the only
place where success comes
00:41:04.13\00:41:07.64
before work is
in the dictionary.
00:41:07.65\00:41:09.88
We got to do something.
00:41:09.89\00:41:11.83
And when the prophet
said, dig, he didn't mean later.
00:41:11.84\00:41:16.25
Friends, God is ready to move
when we are ready to receive.
00:41:16.26\00:41:21.53
This morning do you
crave a spiritual blessing?
00:41:21.54\00:41:25.34
Do you want God
to fill you, do you?
00:41:25.35\00:41:31.14
God's command to our church
today is simply this to you.
00:41:31.15\00:41:35.77
Make your valley full of ditches
00:41:35.78\00:41:39.05
that every Seventh-day
Adventist here at the GYC.
00:41:39.06\00:41:42.62
Every Seventh-day
Adventist in this world
00:41:42.63\00:41:45.71
that desires to be
filled by God's Holy Spirit
00:41:45.72\00:41:49.32
and to bring the
living waters of the gospel
00:41:49.33\00:41:52.20
to those around them.
00:41:52.21\00:41:53.22
Let them make room
for God in their lives.
00:41:53.23\00:41:56.85
Let them dig
ditches and dig deeply,
00:41:56.86\00:41:59.26
so that God may
fill them to overflowing.
00:41:59.27\00:42:03.28
What ditches is God
asking you to dig in your life?
00:42:03.29\00:42:07.33
Does He want you
to spend more time
00:42:07.34\00:42:08.64
on your knees in prayers?
00:42:08.65\00:42:10.57
Perhaps there is someone
that you need to forgive.
00:42:10.58\00:42:13.88
Perhaps God is calling you to go
00:42:13.89\00:42:16.11
and dig overseas in a
mission field somewhere.
00:42:16.12\00:42:19.46
Perhaps God wants you to
share your faith more boldly
00:42:19.47\00:42:23.03
wherever it is that God
may be asking you to dig.
00:42:23.04\00:42:27.18
If you don't know where
He is asking you to dig,
00:42:27.19\00:42:29.30
ask Him and He will show you.
00:42:29.31\00:42:31.02
Friends, I believe if
you will just make that step
00:42:31.03\00:42:33.29
in obedience and
do it, God will bless.
00:42:33.30\00:42:36.81
And as my brother
here sings a song,
00:42:36.82\00:42:40.01
I'd like to
invite you to demonstrate
00:42:40.02\00:42:42.38
that desire to obey God,to
go and dig and whatever area.
00:42:42.39\00:42:47.89
He may be calling you to dig
by just standing to your feet
00:42:47.90\00:42:50.77
and come in to the
front, if that's your desire,
00:42:50.78\00:42:52.74
If you want to
go from this place
00:42:52.75\00:42:54.23
and dig and dig
deeply. Thank you.
00:42:54.24\00:42:57.35
The theme of the Bible
00:43:13.49\00:43:18.73
is Jesus
00:43:18.74\00:43:23.77
And how He died to save men
00:43:23.78\00:43:30.87
The plan of salvation
00:43:34.93\00:43:40.25
assures us
00:43:40.26\00:43:45.13
He's coming back again
00:43:45.14\00:43:51.71
Are you ready for Jesus to come?
00:43:54.57\00:44:00.64
Are you faithful
in all that you do?
00:44:03.23\00:44:09.22
Have you fought a good fight?
00:44:12.15\00:44:15.24
Have you stood for the right?
00:44:16.80\00:44:20.86
Have others seen Jesus in you?
00:44:20.87\00:44:27.01
Are you ready to
stand in your place?
00:44:29.90\00:44:36.12
Are you ready to
look in His face?
00:44:38.34\00:44:44.75
Can you look up and say,
00:44:46.96\00:44:51.04
"This is My God!"
00:44:51.05\00:44:55.36
Are you ready for Jesus to come?
00:44:55.37\00:45:02.52
Don't cling to this
world and its treasure
00:45:10.06\00:45:17.63
This earth will now pass away
00:45:17.64\00:45:22.55
Oh, give Him your
heart without measure,
00:45:24.74\00:45:31.61
He's calling you today!
00:45:31.62\00:45:37.19
Are you ready for Jesus to come?
00:45:39.49\00:45:44.80
Are you faithful
in all that you do?
00:45:46.69\00:45:51.93
Have you fight a good fight?
00:45:53.86\00:45:57.32
Have you stood for the right?
00:45:57.33\00:46:01.01
Have others see Jesus in you?
00:46:01.02\00:46:07.96
Are you ready to
stand in your place?
00:46:07.97\00:46:15.17
Are you ready to
look in His face?
00:46:15.18\00:46:20.71
Can you look up and
say, "This is My God!"
00:46:22.36\00:46:29.84
Are you ready for Jesus to come?
00:46:29.85\00:46:36.11
Are you ready
00:46:38.47\00:46:42.66
for Jesus
00:46:42.67\00:46:50.07
to come?
00:46:50.08\00:46:53.57
Amen, let's pray.
00:47:07.57\00:47:09.86
Our father in heaven,
00:47:09.87\00:47:11.89
We've just come
forward, we're standing
00:47:11.90\00:47:14.18
Because we want to
be diggies for Jesus.
00:47:14.19\00:47:17.47
We've recognized that
there is a flood coming
00:47:17.48\00:47:19.94
to this church, You're
longing to pour out a blessing
00:47:19.95\00:47:23.00
and we're standing
because we're prepared
00:47:23.01\00:47:24.73
we're going to go and make room
00:47:24.74\00:47:26.88
and I believe that
00:47:26.89\00:47:27.90
You've brought
conviction to our hearts
00:47:27.91\00:47:29.79
and You've told
us to dig in places.
00:47:29.80\00:47:32.09
And Lord, I just pray,
00:47:32.10\00:47:33.67
that wherever
You've told us to dig
00:47:33.68\00:47:35.36
that You provide that
grace that You promise
00:47:35.37\00:47:38.03
that You would make,
00:47:38.04\00:47:39.05
make your strength
perfect in our weaknesses
00:47:39.06\00:47:42.17
and thank you, Lord, for
speaking to our hearts today.
00:47:42.18\00:47:44.99
Bless us in the
activities that will follow
00:47:45.00\00:47:47.82
for we ask this
in Jesus name, amen.
00:47:47.83\00:47:51.31
May God bless you,
00:47:51.32\00:47:52.73
and may you have
a blessed Sabbath.
00:47:52.74\00:47:54.55
Thank you.
00:47:54.56\00:47:55.57