The timeless theme
00:00:13.65\00:00:16.33
Earth and Heaven will pass away
00:00:16.36\00:00:22.40
It's not a dream
00:00:22.43\00:00:24.93
God will make all
things new that day
00:00:24.96\00:00:31.90
Gone is the curse
00:00:31.93\00:00:35.14
from which I stumbled and fell
00:00:35.17\00:00:40.15
Evil is banished
00:00:40.18\00:00:44.06
to eternal hell
00:00:44.09\00:00:50.30
No more night, no more pain
00:00:50.33\00:00:58.17
No more tears,
never crying again
00:00:58.20\00:01:05.85
And praises to the great, "I AM"
00:01:05.88\00:01:13.61
We will live in the light
00:01:13.64\00:01:17.98
of the risen Lamb
00:01:18.01\00:01:23.14
See all around,
00:01:27.34\00:01:29.94
now the nations bow down to sing
00:01:29.97\00:01:35.78
The only sound is
the praises to Christ,
00:01:35.81\00:01:42.01
our King
00:01:42.04\00:01:44.64
Slowly the names
from the book are read
00:01:44.67\00:01:52.50
I know the King,
00:01:52.53\00:01:55.52
so there's no need to dread
00:01:55.55\00:02:01.97
No more night, no more pain
00:02:02.00\00:02:09.63
No more tears,
never crying again
00:02:09.66\00:02:17.19
And praises to the great, "I AM"
00:02:17.22\00:02:24.72
We will live in the light
00:02:24.75\00:02:28.99
of the risen Lamb
00:02:29.02\00:02:33.54
See over there,
00:02:38.53\00:02:40.93
it's a mansion prepared for me
00:02:40.96\00:02:46.29
Where I will live
00:02:46.32\00:02:48.46
with my Savior eternally
00:02:48.49\00:02:54.81
No more night, no more pain
00:02:59.43\00:03:05.65
No more tears,
never crying again
00:03:05.68\00:03:11.17
And we will sing
praises to the great, "I AM"
00:03:11.20\00:03:18.77
We will live in the light
00:03:18.80\00:03:22.89
of the risen Lamb
00:03:22.92\00:03:27.26
No more night, no more pain
00:03:27.29\00:03:34.76
No more tears,
never crying again
00:03:34.79\00:03:42.07
And praises to the great, "I AM"
00:03:42.10\00:03:49.71
We will live in the light
00:03:49.74\00:03:53.92
of the risen Lamb
00:03:53.95\00:03:57.80
We will live in the light
00:03:57.83\00:04:01.93
of the risen Lamb
00:04:01.96\00:04:06.94
No more night, no more pain
00:04:06.97\00:04:14.86
Thank you ladies for
that beautiful music,
00:04:33.55\00:04:35.57
I felt from few moments there
00:04:35.60\00:04:38.58
in the back as I closed my eyes,
00:04:38.61\00:04:40.20
I felt like I was in heaven,
00:04:40.23\00:04:42.13
listening to the
angelic choir, amen.
00:04:42.16\00:04:45.47
I want to
welcome you this morning,
00:04:45.50\00:04:46.97
thankful that you are
here, excited that you are here.
00:04:47.00\00:04:50.26
And I hope that you are excited.
00:04:50.29\00:04:52.19
And we're thankful
to be here this morning,
00:04:52.22\00:04:54.85
I'm really thankful to be alive.
00:04:54.88\00:04:57.24
And we were thankful that
the person next to you is alive.
00:04:57.27\00:05:00.44
Amen. Amen.
00:05:00.47\00:05:01.83
Praise God this morning.
00:05:01.86\00:05:03.77
Are you tired yet GYC?
00:05:03.80\00:05:05.97
No. Praise the Lord.
00:05:06.00\00:05:07.81
You know, the temptation is
as we go further along in GYC
00:05:07.84\00:05:11.81
you are going to get more tired
00:05:11.84\00:05:13.22
and the
temptation is going to be
00:05:13.25\00:05:15.12
not to come to the meetings.
00:05:15.15\00:05:17.40
But I want to challenge
you every morning friends,
00:05:17.43\00:05:19.37
wake up early,
do your devotions,
00:05:19.40\00:05:22.00
spend time with Christ
and then come to the meetings.
00:05:22.03\00:05:25.15
How many of you are ready
for outreach this afternoon.
00:05:25.18\00:05:27.73
Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:05:27.76\00:05:29.31
I want to tell
you something friends,
00:05:29.34\00:05:30.95
this experience of you
have not been on it before
00:05:30.98\00:05:33.55
will change your life.
00:05:33.58\00:05:34.83
I want to encourage you to go
00:05:34.86\00:05:37.33
and not just to go
00:05:37.36\00:05:38.50
but take someone else with you.
00:05:38.53\00:05:40.77
Make sure that there is somebody
00:05:40.80\00:05:42.01
who is trying to skip
out that you grab them say,
00:05:42.04\00:05:44.38
you are going with me,
00:05:44.41\00:05:45.44
you are going to be
my outreach partner.
00:05:45.47\00:05:47.63
God has somebody
behind the door today
00:05:47.66\00:05:50.03
that He wants you to impact.
00:05:50.06\00:05:52.80
You have the
opportunity this afternoon,
00:05:52.83\00:05:56.54
to impact someone's
life for all eternity.
00:05:56.57\00:06:00.05
I can remember,
in Ukraine we had,
00:06:00.08\00:06:04.06
we had an AFCO
school over in Ukraine
00:06:04.09\00:06:06.54
and we had 30 students
and the leadership there said,
00:06:06.57\00:06:12.36
you can never knock
on doors in Ukraine.
00:06:12.39\00:06:15.37
And we said why not.
00:06:15.40\00:06:16.45
They said it
will never work here.
00:06:16.48\00:06:17.76
And we said,
boy you must sound--
00:06:17.79\00:06:20.00
it sounds like you had a
negative experience with this.
00:06:20.03\00:06:23.01
They said well we
never actually tried it.
00:06:23.04\00:06:25.68
But we know our
people, we know it won't work.
00:06:25.71\00:06:28.52
We sent 30 AFCO students,
00:06:28.55\00:06:31.14
20 church members
out knocking on doors
00:06:31.17\00:06:34.02
and in about five hours,
00:06:34.05\00:06:35.14
they had over 300 requests
for Bible studies. Amen.
00:06:35.17\00:06:39.88
We are
anticipating miracles today.
00:06:39.91\00:06:42.53
We are anticipating
God to do great things.
00:06:42.56\00:06:44.99
It was once said if
you are not a missionary,
00:06:45.02\00:06:47.93
you are a mission field. Amen.
00:06:47.96\00:06:51.79
I want to ask you to pray
this morning for two things.
00:06:51.82\00:06:55.67
Pray this morning
00:06:55.70\00:06:56.73
one my son is very
sick at home, he had--
00:06:56.76\00:06:59.56
it's been conformed
by the doctor yesterday
00:06:59.59\00:07:01.62
he has a flu,
00:07:01.65\00:07:02.95
so I want to ask
you to pray for him
00:07:02.98\00:07:05.06
and that he will get better.
00:07:05.09\00:07:06.31
Secondly, I want you
to pray for three things,
00:07:06.34\00:07:08.43
I want you to pray for me
00:07:08.46\00:07:10.02
that God spirit
would speak through me
00:07:10.05\00:07:12.78
and through His word today
00:07:12.81\00:07:14.60
and that we would be
passionate about Jesus, amen.
00:07:14.63\00:07:18.22
Third thing I want you to
pray for is for yourselves
00:07:18.25\00:07:20.91
that God would impact
your hearts with the word
00:07:20.94\00:07:23.40
and actually I want
you to pray for four things
00:07:23.43\00:07:25.35
and that is the
person beside you
00:07:25.38\00:07:27.30
that their hearts
would be impacted, amen.
00:07:27.33\00:07:29.53
We want to be drawn
closer to Jesus this morning.
00:07:29.56\00:07:31.86
We want to have an experience
with the living Christ.
00:07:31.89\00:07:35.46
How about you?
00:07:35.49\00:07:37.05
Would you kneel
with me this morning
00:07:37.08\00:07:38.31
as we pray and as we begin?
00:07:38.34\00:07:40.92
Father in heaven, we
thank You so much today
00:07:49.87\00:07:53.62
for the rich
treasure that is in Your word.
00:07:53.65\00:07:56.70
We're thankful today for Jesus
00:07:56.73\00:07:58.55
who loves us more
than His own life.
00:07:58.58\00:08:01.46
We are thankful today for souls
00:08:01.49\00:08:03.69
whom you are drawing to yourself
00:08:03.72\00:08:06.46
even this very hour,
00:08:06.49\00:08:07.65
you are arranging
divine appointments
00:08:07.68\00:08:10.35
for this afternoon,
even this very moment.
00:08:10.38\00:08:13.27
And we want to pray Lord
00:08:13.30\00:08:14.33
in a special
way that Your spirit
00:08:14.36\00:08:16.79
would be poured out
upon our hearts today
00:08:16.82\00:08:19.30
and that Jesus
would be uplifted.
00:08:19.33\00:08:21.51
We would be passionate
and excited about Him,
00:08:21.54\00:08:24.51
about His word,
about His mission,
00:08:24.54\00:08:25.81
about His church.
00:08:25.84\00:08:27.46
And I ask Lord today
00:08:27.49\00:08:28.52
that you would impact
our hearts in a powerful way.
00:08:28.55\00:08:31.51
Speak through us today.
00:08:31.54\00:08:33.74
Help us to understand You
in a way we haven't before.
00:08:33.77\00:08:37.59
We pray this in
Jesus' name. Amen.
00:08:37.62\00:08:41.63
I remember when I first had my--
00:08:41.66\00:08:45.31
my first encounter
with the word of God,
00:08:45.34\00:08:47.19
I was 22 years old,
00:08:47.22\00:08:49.27
I did not grow
up as a Christian,
00:08:49.30\00:08:50.91
I did not grow up as
a Seventh-day Adventist.
00:08:50.94\00:08:53.39
I didn't know
much about the Bible,
00:08:53.42\00:08:54.84
I didn't know much about God
00:08:54.87\00:08:56.68
and through the
course of my life,
00:08:56.71\00:08:58.16
I endured a lot
of different things.
00:08:58.19\00:08:59.67
I'm gonna tell you a very
brief version of my testimony.
00:08:59.70\00:09:03.05
Growing up I played
high school football
00:09:03.08\00:09:06.04
and I was one of the most,
00:09:06.07\00:09:07.90
one of the top football
players in the state of Alabama.
00:09:07.93\00:09:11.02
I was being recruited by
number of different colleges
00:09:11.05\00:09:14.25
and I was kind of like
the star of my community
00:09:14.28\00:09:17.53
but in that time in my life,
00:09:17.56\00:09:19.21
there was something
missing from my life.
00:09:19.24\00:09:21.84
When I was 17
years old my parents
00:09:21.87\00:09:24.16
who had been
married for 20 years
00:09:24.19\00:09:26.17
decided to get a divorce.
00:09:26.20\00:09:29.47
My mother in the midst of
that tried to commit suicide.
00:09:29.50\00:09:34.00
Thank God that He prevented it.
00:09:34.03\00:09:38.41
But growing up friends,
00:09:38.44\00:09:39.51
I did not have the advantage
00:09:39.54\00:09:42.17
of a Seventh-day
Adventist Christian home
00:09:42.20\00:09:43.87
that many of you have.
00:09:43.90\00:09:46.29
And because of the hard things
that I experienced in my life,
00:09:46.32\00:09:49.83
I became an atheist.
00:09:49.86\00:09:51.70
I wanted nothing
to do with the God
00:09:51.73\00:09:53.22
that will allow me
to suffer that much,
00:09:53.25\00:09:55.80
not knowing how much
He had suffered for me.
00:09:55.83\00:09:58.92
And so I became
a hardcore atheist,
00:09:58.95\00:10:01.30
not just an atheist that says
00:10:01.33\00:10:03.15
I don't believe in God
00:10:03.18\00:10:04.35
but an atheist
that would have been
00:10:04.38\00:10:05.63
in the face of any Christian
00:10:05.66\00:10:07.68
cursing them and
swearing at them,
00:10:07.71\00:10:09.38
telling them
what a foolish thing
00:10:09.41\00:10:11.12
that they believed in.
00:10:11.15\00:10:12.52
I went to a state university
where I studied evolution,
00:10:12.55\00:10:15.90
I studied all these
different theories of,
00:10:15.93\00:10:18.83
of you know the stuff that
they teach there evolution,
00:10:18.86\00:10:21.41
I know all that stuff.
And my life became a disaster.
00:10:21.44\00:10:27.01
And my life
continued to spiral downward
00:10:27.04\00:10:29.69
until I reach the point,
00:10:29.72\00:10:31.68
where I was thinking
about committing suicide.
00:10:31.71\00:10:36.37
I thought the Bible was a fable,
00:10:36.40\00:10:37.82
I wasn't afraid
to tell people so.
00:10:37.85\00:10:42.10
And so there I was
thinking about suicide,
00:10:42.13\00:10:44.38
I thought if this
all the life has to offer
00:10:44.41\00:10:46.41
I was miserable, I
was broken, I was hurt,
00:10:46.44\00:10:49.31
I'd experienced a
lot of pain in my life.
00:10:49.34\00:10:51.67
And I said, if this is what
life is about, why even live?
00:10:51.70\00:10:55.05
And so the more I
thought about suicide,
00:10:55.08\00:10:57.01
a thought began
to come to my mind
00:10:57.04\00:10:59.35
and I only know now
00:10:59.38\00:11:00.41
that it was from
the God of heaven.
00:11:00.44\00:11:02.51
God said, why don't
you study the Bible.
00:11:02.54\00:11:06.81
And the more I tried to put
that thought out of my mind,
00:11:06.84\00:11:09.93
the more it
came, it got stronger.
00:11:09.96\00:11:13.40
And so finally one
day I said, you know what,
00:11:13.43\00:11:15.58
this what I am going to do.
00:11:15.61\00:11:16.86
I am going to
prove the Bible wrong,
00:11:16.89\00:11:18.74
I am going to prove
that God doesn't exist
00:11:18.77\00:11:21.57
but there is no purpose,
there is no real meaning to life
00:11:21.60\00:11:24.63
and then I am
going to commit suicide
00:11:24.66\00:11:26.44
and I want to cause
great pain to my family
00:11:26.47\00:11:29.16
and those around me
who have hurt me so.
00:11:29.19\00:11:32.66
And so I started
studying the Bible,
00:11:32.69\00:11:36.78
started studying Bible prophecy
00:11:36.81\00:11:39.49
I began to see that
God predicted things
00:11:39.52\00:11:42.28
that happened in the
world thousands of years
00:11:42.31\00:11:45.59
and even in hundreds
and even thousands of years
00:11:45.62\00:11:48.42
before they ever happened.
00:11:48.45\00:11:50.30
I saw that Bible prophecy
was being fulfilled today
00:11:50.33\00:11:52.99
and He gave me the confidence
00:11:53.02\00:11:54.65
to know that the
word of God was real,
00:11:54.68\00:11:56.71
the word of God was
true and it gave purpose.
00:11:56.74\00:11:59.86
And when I had that confidence,
00:11:59.89\00:12:01.22
I turned to the gospels
00:12:01.25\00:12:02.67
and I began to read
about the life of Jesus
00:12:02.70\00:12:04.84
and never in my life had I
ever read something so pure,
00:12:04.87\00:12:09.85
something so powerful,
something so life changing
00:12:09.88\00:12:12.69
and Christ changed my life,
00:12:12.72\00:12:14.62
22 years old college student
00:12:14.65\00:12:17.22
on a secular
state university of--
00:12:17.25\00:12:19.96
about 12,000 people,
00:12:19.99\00:12:21.67
I gave my heart to Jesus
in my college apartment room
00:12:21.70\00:12:25.57
and Christ
changed my life for ever.
00:12:25.60\00:12:27.09
It was His word
that transformed me
00:12:27.12\00:12:31.59
and I don't stand
before you perfect,
00:12:31.62\00:12:33.17
I can assure you.
00:12:33.20\00:12:34.36
I will be the second person
00:12:34.39\00:12:35.50
to tell you
that I am not perfect
00:12:35.53\00:12:36.69
and my wife will
be the first person.
00:12:36.72\00:12:40.33
By the grace of God everyday
00:12:40.36\00:12:42.33
I want to be growing
more like Jesus, amen.
00:12:42.36\00:12:45.83
I want to spend time in His word
00:12:45.86\00:12:48.59
because His word
is powerful friends.
00:12:48.62\00:12:51.50
It is living, it is a alive,
00:12:51.53\00:12:53.66
and it speaks to
our generation today.
00:12:53.69\00:12:56.06
The early church
experienced the revolution
00:12:56.09\00:12:59.78
because of the power
00:12:59.81\00:13:01.09
and their
experience in the word of God.
00:13:01.12\00:13:04.12
I appreciate it Brother
Valmy's post on the GYC website
00:13:04.15\00:13:08.12
about the driving
force in the Book of Acts.
00:13:08.15\00:13:10.96
He said that 25
times in the Book of Acts
00:13:10.99\00:13:14.37
the word of God is mentioned.
00:13:14.40\00:13:15.58
But you know I looked
at the indirect quotes,
00:13:15.61\00:13:18.24
the indirect
statements as well as the direct
00:13:18.27\00:13:20.61
and the word of God is
actually talked about 50 times
00:13:20.64\00:13:25.19
within direct and indirect.
00:13:25.22\00:13:27.76
It was the word of God in
its pure unadulterated form
00:13:27.79\00:13:30.84
that transformed the
lives of the apostles
00:13:30.87\00:13:33.49
from cowards into champions.
00:13:33.52\00:13:36.86
Champions of Christ,
00:13:36.89\00:13:38.03
champions of the
gospel, champions of His cause.
00:13:38.06\00:13:41.02
It was that
which would allow them
00:13:41.05\00:13:42.90
to stand unashamed
00:13:42.93\00:13:44.55
to proclaim His word
to a lost generation.
00:13:44.58\00:13:48.55
It was the word of God
that gave them more wisdom
00:13:48.58\00:13:50.60
to stand before the Pharisees
00:13:50.63\00:13:52.73
unflinchingly in
the face of death
00:13:52.76\00:13:54.78
when before they
tuck tail and run.
00:13:54.81\00:13:59.23
No longer cowards
00:13:59.26\00:14:01.20
but men of
character, men of Christ.
00:14:01.23\00:14:06.08
Today friends, I
don't want to be a coward
00:14:06.11\00:14:08.40
when it comes to
God's word, how about you?
00:14:08.43\00:14:10.83
I want to be
bold, I want to be sure,
00:14:10.86\00:14:13.67
I don't want to be
annoying and obnoxious.
00:14:13.70\00:14:16.39
I don't want to be angry
but I want to be passionate
00:14:16.42\00:14:18.40
about God's word, amen.
00:14:18.43\00:14:20.23
It was the word of God
that was a driving force
00:14:20.26\00:14:22.65
in the revolution
of the Book of Acts
00:14:22.68\00:14:24.42
and it will be
also the driving force
00:14:24.45\00:14:26.99
in the
revolution in the last days.
00:14:27.02\00:14:29.73
I want to look at four
points with you very quickly,
00:14:29.76\00:14:32.56
because I have
some counterpoints
00:14:32.59\00:14:33.91
to go along with them.
00:14:33.94\00:14:35.33
Four points this morning
00:14:35.36\00:14:36.44
about the word
of God in the Acts.
00:14:36.47\00:14:38.19
Number one, it was
received. It was what everyone?
00:14:38.22\00:14:41.66
It was received.
Number two, it was belief.
00:14:41.69\00:14:44.00
What was it?
00:14:44.03\00:14:45.49
Number three, it was
proclaimed, say with me.
00:14:45.52\00:14:49.76
All right, thank you all
five people that said that.
00:14:49.79\00:14:53.42
What was it the third one?
00:14:53.45\00:14:55.19
Proclaim and the
fourth one it-- it reclaimed.
00:14:55.22\00:14:59.25
What was it everyone? Reclaim.
00:14:59.28\00:15:01.73
We are going to
look at those points
00:15:01.76\00:15:03.40
real quickly
from the Book of Acts.
00:15:03.43\00:15:04.87
Please turn with me
to the Book of Acts 2.
00:15:04.90\00:15:08.53
We are going to look
at our very first point
00:15:08.56\00:15:11.09
that it was
received Acts 2:41 and 42.
00:15:11.12\00:15:17.47
Are you there, if you
are there please say, amen.
00:15:17.50\00:15:21.40
All right, ten
of you were there.
00:15:21.43\00:15:24.23
Are you there?
00:15:24.26\00:15:25.82
All right, Acts
2:41 the Bible says,
00:15:25.85\00:15:29.29
"Then those who gladly
received his word were baptized
00:15:29.32\00:15:32.95
and that day about
three thousand souls
00:15:32.98\00:15:35.90
were added to them.
00:15:35.93\00:15:37.43
And they continued steadfastly
00:15:37.46\00:15:39.81
in the apostles'
doctrine and fellowship,
00:15:39.84\00:15:41.68
in the breaking of
bread, and in prayers."
00:15:41.71\00:15:44.41
I want you to notice
something very interesting
00:15:44.44\00:15:46.55
about this passage,
00:15:46.58\00:15:48.30
the simplicity of the
faith of the disciples.
00:15:48.33\00:15:52.64
The Bible says that they
received the word how everyone?
00:15:52.67\00:15:58.35
How do they receive it?
They received it gladly.
00:15:58.38\00:16:02.58
I want you to think
about this for just a minute.
00:16:02.61\00:16:05.12
There was no issue or debate
or discussion about the word,
00:16:05.15\00:16:10.74
they had a simple faith
00:16:10.77\00:16:12.48
that accepted the
Bible as it was. Amen.
00:16:12.51\00:16:17.58
And when they received it
as it was, it made them glad.
00:16:17.61\00:16:22.76
How many of you want
to be glad this morning?
00:16:22.79\00:16:25.14
We want to accept the
Bible just as it reads.
00:16:25.17\00:16:28.57
They did not allow
their personal opinions
00:16:28.60\00:16:30.87
to get in the way of the word
working in their hearts, amen.
00:16:30.90\00:16:35.34
Does the word of God
bring joy to your heart today
00:16:35.37\00:16:39.00
or does it simply interfere
with your own personal desires.
00:16:39.03\00:16:42.81
If Jesus is
leading you in the word,
00:16:42.84\00:16:45.47
it will bring joy to your heart.
00:16:45.50\00:16:46.58
I remember the first--
first church I attended
00:16:46.61\00:16:50.00
after I became a
Seventh-day Adventist,
00:16:50.03\00:16:52.02
it was near the
university where I attended
00:16:52.05\00:16:55.92
and I went to that
church for the first time.
00:16:55.95\00:16:57.84
There was about 20 people there
00:16:57.87\00:16:59.93
and all of them
were over the age of 65.
00:16:59.96\00:17:04.07
You had like-- you had
like 82, 78, 75, 65, 60
00:17:04.10\00:17:10.21
and then 22 that was me.
00:17:10.24\00:17:13.04
And you know what friends?
00:17:13.07\00:17:14.17
I sat in that church service
00:17:14.20\00:17:16.31
and I was so
overjoyed to be there
00:17:16.34\00:17:19.43
because the word of
God was being preached
00:17:19.46\00:17:22.66
and it was the word of
God that drew me to the church
00:17:22.69\00:17:26.03
not because my
friends were there,
00:17:26.06\00:17:28.37
not because there was good music
00:17:28.40\00:17:30.19
but because I
could hear something
00:17:30.22\00:17:31.85
that would transform my life.
00:17:31.88\00:17:34.27
Today friends we need to
have this kind of experience,
00:17:34.30\00:17:37.97
the early church
was a pure faith.
00:17:38.00\00:17:41.27
Let me tell you what friends?
00:17:41.30\00:17:42.85
It was that pure
faith, it was that acceptance,
00:17:42.88\00:17:45.38
the glad acceptance of the word
00:17:45.41\00:17:47.24
that transformed their lives.
00:17:47.27\00:17:49.23
There is transforming
power in the word of God today.
00:17:49.26\00:17:52.40
How many of you
are thankful for that?
00:17:52.43\00:17:55.06
My father-in-law
00:17:55.09\00:17:56.93
who I think is
watching right now
00:17:56.96\00:17:59.37
there with my wife,
my wife's grandfather,
00:17:59.40\00:18:02.06
my father-in-law's
father was the grand dragon
00:18:02.09\00:18:05.44
of the Ku Klux Klan
00:18:05.47\00:18:07.37
for the entire state of Alabama.
00:18:07.40\00:18:10.74
When my
father-in-law was growing up,
00:18:10.77\00:18:12.96
his father was so abusive
00:18:12.99\00:18:15.45
that at night
time they would hear
00:18:15.48\00:18:16.92
gunshots in their mother's room,
00:18:16.95\00:18:19.45
they would hear
their mother screaming,
00:18:19.48\00:18:20.72
they would run in to
find their father drunk
00:18:20.75\00:18:23.03
shooting holes
through the ceiling.
00:18:23.06\00:18:25.36
When he was 16 his
father tried to kill his mother
00:18:25.39\00:18:29.49
and to intervene he ran
and got a pistol and shot him.
00:18:29.52\00:18:33.01
This is the environment
00:18:33.04\00:18:34.18
that my
father-in-law grew up in.
00:18:34.21\00:18:36.24
Well by the grace of God
00:18:36.27\00:18:38.04
when he left the navy,
when he went into the navy
00:18:38.07\00:18:42.07
there was a
Seventh-day Adventist there,
00:18:42.10\00:18:44.24
who led him to Christ
00:18:44.27\00:18:45.74
and led him to the
truth of God's word, amen.
00:18:45.77\00:18:48.15
My father-in-law since that day
00:18:48.18\00:18:50.32
has become a
Seventh-day Adventist pastor.
00:18:50.35\00:18:52.73
He has raised three churches,
00:18:52.76\00:18:54.21
he has been an
overseas missionary
00:18:54.24\00:18:56.08
and the power of God
00:18:56.11\00:18:57.66
is working
through his life today.
00:18:57.69\00:18:59.46
Let me tell you what friends,
00:18:59.49\00:19:00.55
it doesn't matter what
background we come from,
00:19:00.58\00:19:02.89
the word of God has
transforming power. Amen.
00:19:02.92\00:19:06.62
How many of you
believe that today?
00:19:06.65\00:19:08.30
It can change your life but
unfortunately today friends,
00:19:08.33\00:19:12.05
we have entered a trend
00:19:12.08\00:19:13.73
where un-biblical
culture is attempting
00:19:13.76\00:19:16.76
to drown out our commitments
00:19:16.79\00:19:19.77
and our stance on the word.
00:19:19.80\00:19:22.46
In Acts the word defines
the function of the church.
00:19:22.49\00:19:26.59
The culture did not
define the church, amen.
00:19:26.62\00:19:30.89
When this happened
there was no question
00:19:30.92\00:19:33.50
when the question
was driven by the word,
00:19:33.53\00:19:35.43
there was no
questions about cultural issues
00:19:35.46\00:19:38.12
like music, like dress,
00:19:38.15\00:19:40.52
like worship
styles, like gender,
00:19:40.55\00:19:43.09
like gender confusion
or gender distinction.
00:19:43.12\00:19:46.53
These issues are
clearly defined in the word.
00:19:46.56\00:19:49.85
And if they are not
guided by the word in our lives,
00:19:49.88\00:19:52.78
then the culture around
us will surely guide us.
00:19:52.81\00:19:55.79
We should never be
steered by unbiblical culture,
00:19:59.61\00:20:02.76
no matter which one.
00:20:02.79\00:20:05.07
All culture must come under
00:20:05.10\00:20:06.36
the authority
of scripture today.
00:20:06.39\00:20:09.56
The word will transform us
but culture will conform us.
00:20:09.59\00:20:14.96
There are cultures today
00:20:14.99\00:20:16.35
that are seeking
to invade our church,
00:20:16.38\00:20:18.84
cultures from the
world, cultures from Babylon,
00:20:18.87\00:20:22.30
cultures of self.
00:20:22.33\00:20:24.71
We are called to
call people out of Babylon
00:20:24.74\00:20:27.45
but as a people of God,
00:20:27.48\00:20:28.81
we must get Babylon
first out of our own hearts.
00:20:28.84\00:20:31.94
We think they were calling
people out of Babylon today,
00:20:36.06\00:20:39.82
but Babylon needs to be
kicked out of our hearts.
00:20:39.85\00:20:43.45
The only way to
keep unbiblical culture
00:20:43.48\00:20:46.11
from invading our
church is to take a firm stand
00:20:46.14\00:20:49.32
upon the word of God
00:20:49.35\00:20:50.79
and upon the
spirit of prophecy today.
00:20:50.82\00:20:53.11
This is what
the early church did
00:20:53.14\00:20:54.55
and this is what
allowed them to grow,
00:20:54.58\00:20:56.57
this is what allowed
them to be driven forward
00:20:56.60\00:20:59.64
as a movement of God
and that is the same thing
00:20:59.67\00:21:02.77
that must drive
us in the last days,
00:21:02.80\00:21:06.38
the word of God and not culture.
00:21:06.41\00:21:09.28
Many times even our
own Adventist culture
00:21:09.31\00:21:11.75
has become a hindrance.
00:21:11.78\00:21:13.64
Many times we love
the positive good things
00:21:13.67\00:21:16.52
about Seventh-day
Adventist culture.
00:21:16.55\00:21:19.20
We love our veggie links.
00:21:19.23\00:21:21.43
We love our
morning start grillers.
00:21:21.46\00:21:23.68
We love all
these different things
00:21:23.71\00:21:25.21
and there is nothing
wrong with those things.
00:21:25.24\00:21:28.32
But dear
friends, if we are adapted
00:21:28.35\00:21:29.94
to Seventh-day Adventist culture
00:21:29.97\00:21:31.39
but we have an
un-surrendered heart to Christ,
00:21:31.42\00:21:34.46
there is a great
problem with that today.
00:21:34.49\00:21:37.13
Many times we love
00:21:37.16\00:21:38.19
the Seventh-day
Adventist culture
00:21:38.22\00:21:39.80
but we hate the spirit
of Three Angels' Messages
00:21:39.83\00:21:42.54
because it calls for a
full surrender of our lives
00:21:42.57\00:21:46.11
and we are unwilling to do it.
00:21:46.14\00:21:48.23
Unbiblical
culture never requires
00:21:48.26\00:21:50.46
a surrendered to anything
00:21:50.49\00:21:52.27
but my own selfish
desires and indulgence.
00:21:52.30\00:21:56.35
Because the early
church was led by the word,
00:21:56.38\00:21:58.86
they were able to
redefine the culture
00:21:58.89\00:22:01.13
not just of the church but
of the world, of the world.
00:22:01.16\00:22:05.86
They made it impact.
00:22:05.89\00:22:07.88
World culture was re-stamped
in the New Testament church
00:22:07.91\00:22:12.00
because they were
driven by the word.
00:22:12.03\00:22:13.65
In our culture today,
00:22:13.68\00:22:14.71
what stamp do you want to leave?
00:22:14.74\00:22:17.01
Do you want to just leave
00:22:17.04\00:22:18.22
some Adventist
mark like a veggie link?
00:22:18.25\00:22:21.62
You want to just
improve people's diets,
00:22:21.65\00:22:24.55
so that they can
become healthy sinners.
00:22:24.58\00:22:27.63
All these things
are biblical friends,
00:22:27.66\00:22:29.04
I'm not saying
that they are not.
00:22:29.07\00:22:30.40
These are good
things that we must do.
00:22:30.43\00:22:32.14
But if that's all we do,
00:22:32.17\00:22:33.86
that all we have done has
left a little mark of culture
00:22:33.89\00:22:37.08
but we need to
see people transform
00:22:37.11\00:22:38.49
by the word of God, amen.
00:22:38.52\00:22:40.13
We need people
transformed by the truth.
00:22:40.16\00:22:42.76
We must be a people of the word.
00:22:42.79\00:22:44.86
We must be people who
spend time in God's word.
00:22:44.89\00:22:48.61
How much time are you spending
00:22:48.64\00:22:49.67
on God's word
today versus facebook,
00:22:49.70\00:22:53.18
video games, time
with your friends?
00:22:53.21\00:22:57.35
Is God's word
impacting your life today?
00:22:57.38\00:22:59.76
The second thing we find
is that the word was believed.
00:23:04.42\00:23:07.73
It was what
everyone? It was believed.
00:23:07.76\00:23:10.19
First it was
received, then it was believed.
00:23:10.22\00:23:12.45
Please turn over
with me to Acts 4
00:23:12.48\00:23:15.24
and we are going
to look at verse 4.
00:23:15.27\00:23:17.18
Bible says,
"However many of those
00:23:17.21\00:23:19.03
who heard the word believed
00:23:19.06\00:23:21.74
and the number of
men came to be about
00:23:21.77\00:23:24.13
how many, five thousand."
00:23:24.16\00:23:29.51
But I want you to
notice in the second point
00:23:29.54\00:23:31.59
is that the word of God
00:23:31.62\00:23:32.65
was not only a
simple faith for them,
00:23:32.68\00:23:34.97
but it was
authoritative in their life.
00:23:35.00\00:23:39.13
You see friends,
there is one thing
00:23:39.16\00:23:40.34
to hear the word of God
and know the word of God
00:23:40.37\00:23:42.73
but it's another thing
to act upon the word of God
00:23:42.76\00:23:46.23
and God today is not calling us
00:23:46.26\00:23:47.88
simply to hear and
to know but to act.
00:23:47.91\00:23:51.67
And when the
apostles were willing to act
00:23:51.70\00:23:53.65
upon the word of God
00:23:53.68\00:23:55.02
something divine happened,
00:23:55.05\00:23:56.80
souls began to be won
to Jesus Christ. Amen.
00:23:56.83\00:24:02.69
The root word believe
comes from the word be-live.
00:24:02.72\00:24:08.75
Did you realize that?
00:24:08.78\00:24:10.35
The word believe
comes from the word be-live.
00:24:10.38\00:24:13.73
Another words we are not
called to just know the word
00:24:13.76\00:24:16.45
but we are
called to be the word.
00:24:16.48\00:24:18.08
We are called to be like Jesus.
00:24:18.11\00:24:20.30
We are called to live by
the word, that is action.
00:24:20.33\00:24:26.09
They said, Mark Finley my
favorite preacher says this.
00:24:26.12\00:24:28.53
"There is a difference
between having the word of God
00:24:28.56\00:24:30.55
in your hand to defend the truth
00:24:30.58\00:24:32.62
and having the word of God
00:24:32.65\00:24:33.76
in your heart
to live the truth."
00:24:33.79\00:24:37.34
Dietrich Bonhoeffer said,
"If you believe you will do
00:24:37.37\00:24:40.95
and if you do it is
because you believe."
00:24:40.98\00:24:44.57
Please take note of something
very interesting friends.
00:24:44.60\00:24:47.38
The Bible says that
when the disciples believed
00:24:47.41\00:24:50.63
they freely and
joyfully accepted the word.
00:24:50.66\00:24:54.63
Somehow I've lost my notes here,
00:24:54.66\00:24:56.22
let me come back here.
00:24:56.25\00:24:57.62
The Bible says
that when they believe
00:24:57.65\00:24:59.40
the number of them came
to be about five thousand.
00:24:59.43\00:25:04.43
I want you to take note of this.
00:25:04.46\00:25:06.29
There is a direct link
between the people of Acts
00:25:06.32\00:25:11.16
living the word
and growing in numbers.
00:25:11.19\00:25:17.16
Are you with me?
00:25:17.19\00:25:18.96
There is a direct link
between the people of God
00:25:18.99\00:25:21.17
being faithful to God's word
00:25:21.20\00:25:23.94
and then seeing the church grow.
00:25:23.97\00:25:29.11
They added 2,000 from the 3,000
00:25:29.14\00:25:32.41
that had been already there.
00:25:32.44\00:25:34.62
Now it's interesting
00:25:34.65\00:25:35.68
because someone will
make the argument and say,
00:25:35.71\00:25:37.15
well, look at
the Adventist church,
00:25:37.18\00:25:39.30
we are growing by 3,000 a day.
00:25:39.33\00:25:41.40
It was mentioned yesterday,
00:25:41.43\00:25:42.71
thankfully I
had to mention that.
00:25:42.74\00:25:44.24
But let me explain
something with to you friends.
00:25:44.27\00:25:47.52
They grew by thousands in a day
00:25:47.55\00:25:50.18
and they were 12 men.
00:25:50.21\00:25:53.42
We are going by 3,000 a
day and we are 20 million.
00:25:53.45\00:26:00.58
What does that say
about our belief in the word?
00:26:00.61\00:26:04.15
Friends, when we
begin to live the word,
00:26:04.18\00:26:07.40
God will move powerfully.
00:26:07.43\00:26:10.96
The Ministry of
Healing, page 514,
00:26:10.99\00:26:13.18
"The mere hearing of
sermons Sabbath after Sabbath,
00:26:13.21\00:26:15.57
the reading of the
Bible through and through,
00:26:15.60\00:26:17.61
or the explanation
of it verse by verse,
00:26:17.64\00:26:19.89
will not benefit us
or those who hear us,
00:26:19.92\00:26:22.91
unless we bring
the truths of the Bible
00:26:22.94\00:26:25.12
into our individual experience.
00:26:25.15\00:26:29.00
The understanding,
the will, the affections
00:26:29.03\00:26:31.12
must be yielded
00:26:31.15\00:26:32.39
to the control
of the word of God.
00:26:32.42\00:26:34.38
Then through the
work of the Holy Spirit
00:26:34.41\00:26:36.49
the precepts of the word
00:26:36.52\00:26:38.06
will become the
principles of the life." Amen.
00:26:38.09\00:26:42.86
Somebody ought to say amen.
00:26:42.89\00:26:47.20
I remember a story.
00:26:47.23\00:26:49.08
A little boy was
with his grandfather
00:26:49.11\00:26:53.93
and he said
grandpa, how come grandma
00:26:53.96\00:26:55.72
every times she reads the Bible,
00:26:55.75\00:26:58.21
she weeps and she cries.
00:26:58.24\00:27:00.60
Every morning this
woman would read Matthew 27
00:27:00.63\00:27:03.49
the story of Jesus
being crucified on the cross.
00:27:03.52\00:27:06.38
And he said everyday
grandpa she reads the same story
00:27:06.41\00:27:09.75
and she cries, why does she cry?
00:27:09.78\00:27:13.28
Grandpa looked at
his little grandson
00:27:13.31\00:27:14.87
and simply said this
because she believes it.
00:27:14.90\00:27:21.12
Do you weep
00:27:21.15\00:27:23.08
at the word of God this morning?
00:27:23.11\00:27:25.89
Do you weep?
00:27:25.92\00:27:28.24
The third point
I want to bring out
00:27:28.27\00:27:29.45
is that it was proclaimed.
00:27:29.48\00:27:30.59
We got to move quickly
00:27:30.62\00:27:32.14
because I want to
get into something else
00:27:32.17\00:27:34.14
before it's time to close.
00:27:34.17\00:27:36.23
Acts 4:31 please, Acts 4:31.
00:27:36.26\00:27:40.55
The Bible says, "And
when they had prayed,
00:27:40.58\00:27:43.47
the place where they were
00:27:43.50\00:27:44.53
assembled together
was what, everyone?
00:27:44.56\00:27:46.86
It was shaken."
00:27:46.89\00:27:47.92
The Bible says,
"And they were all filled
00:27:47.95\00:27:50.23
with the Holy
Spirit and they spoke
00:27:50.26\00:27:52.25
the word of God with" meekness.
00:27:52.28\00:27:56.67
They spoke the word
of God with modesty.
00:27:56.70\00:28:00.41
They spoke the word of
God as they fell inclined.
00:28:00.44\00:28:05.25
"They spoke it with
boldness" the Bible says.
00:28:05.28\00:28:09.00
Boldness can only
come when we spend time
00:28:09.03\00:28:13.07
in the presence of
our God and Savior.
00:28:13.10\00:28:17.94
You cannot have
boldness without Christ.
00:28:17.97\00:28:22.58
The Bible says that the room
00:28:22.61\00:28:24.14
where they were at were shaken
00:28:24.17\00:28:25.93
and I would pray today friends
00:28:25.96\00:28:27.47
that not only the
room would be shaken
00:28:27.50\00:28:29.63
but God would
shake our hearts. Amen.
00:28:29.66\00:28:35.09
They preach the
word of boldness.
00:28:35.12\00:28:36.91
When was the last time friends
00:28:36.94\00:28:39.25
you prayed all night for a soul.
00:28:39.28\00:28:43.18
When was the last
time that you prayed
00:28:43.21\00:28:45.67
all night over
some Bible passage
00:28:45.70\00:28:47.65
that you wanted to understand
00:28:47.68\00:28:49.35
and you are asking
and pleading with God
00:28:49.38\00:28:51.40
to reveal the truth to you?
00:28:51.43\00:28:53.32
When was the last
time you did that?
00:28:53.35\00:28:56.03
Disciples were
dedicated friends.
00:28:56.06\00:28:58.28
I remember when I
first became a Christian,
00:28:58.31\00:29:00.98
it was so exiting,
I would spend hours
00:29:01.01\00:29:03.61
and hours and
hours in the word of God.
00:29:03.64\00:29:06.08
I could not get
enough, I was a college student
00:29:06.11\00:29:08.60
going to classes
three to four hours a day,
00:29:08.63\00:29:10.70
I had no job, I was
living off student loans
00:29:10.73\00:29:12.70
which later we really regretted.
00:29:12.73\00:29:16.10
But I would study the Bible
00:29:16.13\00:29:18.36
all the several
hours into the night
00:29:18.39\00:29:20.58
and into the early mornings.
00:29:20.61\00:29:22.57
And I remember
friends that there were times
00:29:22.60\00:29:25.06
when I would-- as
I would read the word
00:29:25.09\00:29:26.56
and as I would
pray that I could sense
00:29:26.59\00:29:28.99
God's very presence in the room.
00:29:29.02\00:29:32.41
Some people say,
I pray and I study
00:29:32.44\00:29:34.51
but I don't get anything
out of it. Let me tell you.
00:29:34.54\00:29:36.50
You will get out of
it what you put into it.
00:29:36.53\00:29:40.82
If you are not having
an experience with God,
00:29:40.85\00:29:43.33
get on your knees and
do not get up until you do.
00:29:43.36\00:29:46.89
Somebody says how
long should I pray?
00:29:46.92\00:29:49.17
How long should I
spend time in God's word?
00:29:49.20\00:29:51.49
You should spend the
amount of time it takes
00:29:51.52\00:29:53.64
to know you've had
an experience with Him.
00:29:53.67\00:29:57.17
We need to be a people
that come back to the word.
00:29:57.20\00:30:01.05
The fourth thing
I want you to notice
00:30:01.08\00:30:02.92
is that it reclaimed
those that were lost.
00:30:02.95\00:30:06.30
Turn to the Book of Acts 6:7,
00:30:06.33\00:30:09.13
"Then the word of God spread
00:30:09.16\00:30:11.77
and the number of disciples
multiplied greatly in Jerusalem
00:30:11.80\00:30:15.23
and a great many of the priests
00:30:15.26\00:30:17.33
were obedient to the faith."
00:30:17.36\00:30:19.23
It was so powerful in
the lives of the disciples
00:30:19.26\00:30:22.45
that it transformed
00:30:22.48\00:30:23.96
even the leaders
of the Jewish church.
00:30:23.99\00:30:26.93
Amen.
00:30:26.96\00:30:28.75
What if we could go out
and we could be baptizing
00:30:28.78\00:30:32.38
ministers of other
places, other faiths.
00:30:32.41\00:30:36.93
Amen.
00:30:36.96\00:30:38.25
I remember studying with a man
00:30:38.28\00:30:40.27
who was a
minister of another faith
00:30:40.30\00:30:42.41
and when he
heard the word of God,
00:30:42.44\00:30:44.19
he was baptized.
00:30:44.22\00:30:45.53
I want you to notice friends.
00:30:45.56\00:30:47.07
When was the word of
God-- when the word of God
00:30:47.10\00:30:49.74
was boldly proclaimed,
they were multiplied?
00:30:49.77\00:30:54.22
Today we are simply
adding to the church
00:30:54.25\00:30:58.90
but in the Book of Acts
God was multiplying. Amen.
00:30:58.93\00:31:03.01
How many of you
think that we need to have
00:31:03.04\00:31:05.04
a multiplication factor today?
00:31:05.07\00:31:07.84
In Acts the word of God
00:31:07.87\00:31:09.47
was received, it was believed,
00:31:09.50\00:31:12.27
it was
proclaimed and it reclaimed.
00:31:12.30\00:31:15.11
It fed them, it led them,
00:31:15.14\00:31:17.20
they said it and they spread it.
00:31:17.23\00:31:19.39
Amen.
00:31:19.42\00:31:20.74
If we were to have
that experience today,
00:31:20.77\00:31:23.00
we would see
miracles taking place,
00:31:23.03\00:31:25.71
we would see
miracles taking place.
00:31:25.74\00:31:27.96
Today in
Adventism we long to see
00:31:27.99\00:31:29.96
those miracles of
three, five thousand
00:31:29.99\00:31:32.43
added to the church,
not just the world church
00:31:32.46\00:31:35.84
but the local church.
00:31:35.87\00:31:37.22
But unfortunately
there are many things
00:31:40.67\00:31:42.88
that are
preventing us from having
00:31:42.91\00:31:44.30
that experience
like the early church.
00:31:44.33\00:31:47.79
I want to highlight a
few of those with you.
00:31:47.82\00:31:49.35
Please turn with me in
your Bibles to 2 Peter 3,
00:31:49.38\00:31:54.14
2 Peter 3, we are going to see
00:31:54.17\00:31:56.52
something very
significant to us today.
00:31:56.55\00:31:59.05
I got to move rapidly.
00:31:59.08\00:32:00.94
2 Peter 3, I am
going to begin in verse 3,
00:32:00.97\00:32:05.08
I'm just going to
cut to the point here.
00:32:05.11\00:32:07.01
Bible says Peter
the great apostle,
00:32:07.04\00:32:09.96
the great acts revolutionary
says this about the last days.
00:32:09.99\00:32:14.14
He predicts a time
when people would begin
00:32:14.17\00:32:16.71
to depart from the word of God.
00:32:16.74\00:32:20.01
I'm sorry, 2 Peter 3:3,
Bible says, "Knowing this first,
00:32:20.04\00:32:24.30
that scoffers will
come in the last days--"
00:32:24.33\00:32:27.66
When and where
are we? Thank you.
00:32:27.69\00:32:33.00
"Walking according to
their own lusts and saying,
00:32:33.03\00:32:36.84
"Where is the
promise of His coming?
00:32:36.87\00:32:38.67
For since the
fathers fell asleep,
00:32:38.70\00:32:40.84
all things continue as they were
from the beginning of creation."
00:32:40.87\00:32:44.28
Does that sound like what some
people said to you here today?
00:32:44.31\00:32:47.51
Not may be today but at
some point of your life,
00:32:47.54\00:32:49.34
they say, oh, we've
been hearing for years
00:32:49.37\00:32:52.17
that Jesus is going to come.
00:32:52.20\00:32:54.09
I remember when I was in college
00:32:54.12\00:32:55.54
they said don't go to college,
because Jesus is coming,
00:32:55.57\00:32:58.29
don't get
married, don't have kids
00:32:58.32\00:33:00.07
but Jesus still hasn't come.
00:33:00.10\00:33:01.53
Did you ever
heard somebody say that?
00:33:01.56\00:33:04.90
Notice this verse 5.
00:33:04.93\00:33:07.97
"For this they willfully forget
00:33:08.00\00:33:10.65
that by the word of God
the heavens were of old,
00:33:10.68\00:33:14.26
and the earth
standing out of water
00:33:14.29\00:33:15.86
and in the water
by which the world
00:33:15.89\00:33:17.85
that was then existed perished,
00:33:17.88\00:33:19.21
being flooded by water.
00:33:19.24\00:33:20.27
But the heavens and the earth
00:33:20.30\00:33:21.60
which are now
preserved by the same word,
00:33:21.63\00:33:23.17
are reserved for fire
until the day of judgment."
00:33:23.20\00:33:27.38
Peter tells us
that in the last days
00:33:27.41\00:33:29.67
people would forget
00:33:29.70\00:33:31.25
that the word of
God has creative power.
00:33:31.28\00:33:37.08
Not people that were
outside of the church
00:33:37.11\00:33:39.35
but people that
are inside the church
00:33:39.38\00:33:40.68
because they are saying,
00:33:40.71\00:33:41.77
where is the
promise of His coming.
00:33:41.80\00:33:43.82
Let me ask you a question.
00:33:43.85\00:33:44.89
Does that sound like an issue
00:33:44.92\00:33:46.89
that we have dealt
with in recent times?
00:33:46.92\00:33:51.14
How be it, there are schools,
00:33:51.17\00:33:52.74
some of them are
teaching evolution today
00:33:52.77\00:33:57.17
forgetting that
by the word of God
00:33:57.20\00:34:00.52
the heavens were created.
00:34:00.55\00:34:02.55
Peter is speaking about
00:34:02.58\00:34:03.77
our generation today
right here in his book.
00:34:03.80\00:34:08.57
We have left the word of God.
00:34:08.60\00:34:10.57
We have forgotten
that the word of God
00:34:10.60\00:34:12.88
has creative power
and that is being taught.
00:34:12.91\00:34:15.33
You see, friends, if you
don't believe in creation,
00:34:15.36\00:34:17.51
you cannot be an Adventist,
00:34:17.54\00:34:19.12
because the
Advent movement believes
00:34:19.15\00:34:20.62
that the same
power by the word of God
00:34:20.65\00:34:22.82
which created the
world is the same power
00:34:22.85\00:34:25.04
that can
recreate your heart today.
00:34:25.07\00:34:27.97
When God spoke
it, it stood fast.
00:34:28.00\00:34:30.34
And when God says
create in him a clean hearts.
00:34:30.37\00:34:34.92
We have to believe by
faith that it will happen.
00:34:34.95\00:34:37.22
If we lose our grip on creation,
00:34:37.25\00:34:39.68
we lose our grip on salvation,
we lose our grip on salvation,
00:34:39.71\00:34:42.89
we lose our grip
on the second coming.
00:34:42.92\00:34:45.22
And it has lead to
the shipwreck of many
00:34:45.25\00:34:48.24
in their faith
and in the church.
00:34:48.27\00:34:50.42
And friends this is an issue
00:34:50.45\00:34:52.14
that we are dealing with today.
00:34:52.17\00:34:55.63
Friends, I want to
share with you a quote here,
00:34:55.66\00:35:00.16
The Great
Controversy, page 595, it says,
00:35:00.19\00:35:03.18
"But God will have a people
00:35:03.21\00:35:04.86
upon the earth to
maintain the Bible,
00:35:04.89\00:35:07.24
and the Bible only, as
the standard of all doctrines
00:35:07.27\00:35:10.32
and the basis of all reforms.
00:35:10.35\00:35:12.21
The opinions of learned
men, the deductions of science,
00:35:12.24\00:35:15.75
the creeds, the decisions
of ecclesiastical councils,
00:35:15.78\00:35:18.78
as numerous and
discordant as are the churches
00:35:18.81\00:35:21.36
which they represent,
the voice of the majority--
00:35:21.39\00:35:24.26
not one nor all of these
should be regarded as evidence
00:35:24.29\00:35:27.71
for or against any
point of religious faith.
00:35:27.74\00:35:31.46
Before accepting
any doctrine or precept,
00:35:31.49\00:35:34.59
we should demand a plain
00:35:34.62\00:35:36.38
"Thus saith the
Lord" for its supports."
00:35:36.41\00:35:41.38
We have drifted away
00:35:41.41\00:35:43.91
from the pure simple
faith of the word of God.
00:35:43.94\00:35:48.96
Now, friends, it's
easy here at GYC to sit
00:35:48.99\00:35:53.03
and point the finger at those
who have gone astray, isn't it?
00:35:53.06\00:36:00.98
So easy.
00:36:01.01\00:36:03.30
Jesus said,
"Before you take the speck
00:36:03.33\00:36:07.51
out of your brother's eye,
00:36:07.54\00:36:10.15
take the plank
out of your own eye."
00:36:10.18\00:36:13.41
Did He not?
00:36:13.44\00:36:15.86
In my years as a lay person
00:36:15.89\00:36:18.52
working in and
also working in ministry
00:36:18.55\00:36:21.33
as an evangelist, as a pastor,
00:36:21.36\00:36:23.73
as a administrator,
teacher and whatever else,
00:36:23.76\00:36:27.28
I begun to see a trend
that is increasing in Adventism,
00:36:27.31\00:36:32.66
a very troubling trend
and it exist even here at GYC.
00:36:32.69\00:36:38.86
I see a trend that's
causing spiritual erosion
00:36:38.89\00:36:42.33
amongst young people today
00:36:42.36\00:36:44.69
and I am going to give
it to you in three parts.
00:36:44.72\00:36:47.21
Are you ready? Are
you sure you are ready?
00:36:47.24\00:36:51.92
It's going to be strong
and I don't say it in anger,
00:36:51.95\00:36:54.50
I say it in
passion and love, urgency.
00:36:54.53\00:36:57.89
Are you with me?
00:36:57.92\00:37:00.04
Firstly, we've had
laws of simplicity.
00:37:00.07\00:37:03.36
You remember we said
that the Book of Acts
00:37:03.39\00:37:05.36
the disciples had
simple belief in the word,
00:37:05.39\00:37:08.97
they accepted it
as it was read. Yes?
00:37:09.00\00:37:14.12
Adventism's failure to make
the same impact on the world
00:37:14.15\00:37:17.55
that the early church did
00:37:17.58\00:37:18.66
is because of our relation
to the word of God today.
00:37:18.69\00:37:21.73
As Adventist we are
always looking for some new deep
00:37:21.76\00:37:26.45
truth to tickle our ears
but not to change our hearts.
00:37:26.48\00:37:33.49
We have left the simplicity
of the straight message.
00:37:33.52\00:37:37.84
We do not want it anymore.
00:37:37.87\00:37:40.32
We want something
that will tickle our ears,
00:37:40.35\00:37:42.42
something that will wow us.
00:37:42.45\00:37:44.89
And this has
become like an addiction,
00:37:44.92\00:37:48.93
this tickling
has been an addiction
00:37:48.96\00:37:50.90
and we are not
satisfied with anything less.
00:37:50.93\00:37:53.57
God wants us to follow
00:37:53.60\00:37:55.43
the simple truth
of the word, amen.
00:37:55.46\00:37:59.29
And God is not
wanting to give us
00:37:59.32\00:38:01.32
anything new until we follow
what He has already given,
00:38:01.35\00:38:05.86
but today we
have left the basics.
00:38:05.89\00:38:08.81
We want something deep,
00:38:08.84\00:38:10.11
something rich, something true,
00:38:10.14\00:38:11.61
but we want to
avoid the simple truth
00:38:11.64\00:38:13.93
like loving our brother.
00:38:13.96\00:38:18.60
We have left the simple truth.
00:38:18.63\00:38:21.35
The church doesn't need
the latest and greatest sermon
00:38:21.38\00:38:23.68
that unpack some
truth until that lives
00:38:23.71\00:38:26.40
and believes the truth
that God has already laid out.
00:38:26.43\00:38:31.40
We need to start living it out.
00:38:31.43\00:38:34.54
2 Corinthians 11:3,
"But I fear, lest somehow,
00:38:34.57\00:38:38.09
as the serpent
deceived Eve by his craftiness,
00:38:38.12\00:38:40.70
so your minds may be corrupted
00:38:40.73\00:38:42.67
from the simplicity that
is in who, that is in Christ."
00:38:42.70\00:38:47.43
That is number 1. We
have left the simple faith.
00:38:47.46\00:38:50.08
Number 2, we have
become a celebrity house.
00:38:50.11\00:38:57.46
I heard somebody say, oh, ho,
00:38:57.49\00:39:00.98
I don't know if that
was for me or for you.
00:39:01.01\00:39:04.56
We have become
a celebrity house.
00:39:04.59\00:39:07.66
We have begun to focus,
00:39:07.69\00:39:09.41
I am going to read some of this
00:39:09.44\00:39:10.88
because I want to
make sure I get it right.
00:39:10.91\00:39:12.53
We have begun to
focus more on the one
00:39:12.56\00:39:15.43
that brings the word
than the word itself.
00:39:15.46\00:39:21.80
We have elevated
speakers to a level
00:39:21.83\00:39:25.43
that ought not to be done.
00:39:25.46\00:39:29.67
When we have a
conference coming like GYC
00:39:29.70\00:39:32.83
or some regional GYC and
praise God for GYC, amen,
00:39:32.86\00:39:37.29
Praise God for a
place we can come
00:39:37.32\00:39:39.18
and experience
revival and study the word
00:39:39.21\00:39:41.57
and learn more about
Jesus and His last day message.
00:39:41.60\00:39:44.62
Thank God for
the GYC's everywhere.
00:39:44.65\00:39:48.69
But a trend that has
begun is when there is a GYC
00:39:48.72\00:39:51.70
a youth
conference that is put on,
00:39:51.73\00:39:53.47
the first thing we ask is
what everybody, you tell me?
00:39:53.50\00:39:57.85
You said it, not me.
00:39:57.88\00:40:00.63
I'm off the hook.
No, I'm just kidding.
00:40:00.66\00:40:03.12
We always say who is speaking?
00:40:03.15\00:40:06.72
And we think that if such
and such a speaker isn't there,
00:40:06.75\00:40:10.03
then we can't get a blessing.
00:40:10.06\00:40:11.80
I don't want to name
names but some of us consider
00:40:18.25\00:40:21.19
preacher A, preacher B
00:40:21.22\00:40:23.08
or preacher C to
be the man of the hour
00:40:23.11\00:40:26.05
and when we attend those meeting
00:40:26.08\00:40:28.94
where that speaker is present,
00:40:28.97\00:40:30.67
we will go and we
will hang on every word
00:40:30.70\00:40:33.15
that they speak and then
when that preacher is done,
00:40:33.18\00:40:36.03
we will leave and go
hang out with our friends.
00:40:36.06\00:40:41.37
For some we are
looking for our next hit
00:40:41.40\00:40:43.84
or next fix of our
favorite speaker preacher
00:40:43.87\00:40:47.30
and while we
ignore everything else.
00:40:47.33\00:40:49.68
This is an
addiction and an unhealthy one
00:40:49.71\00:40:54.63
and an unbiblical one.
00:40:54.66\00:40:58.08
Should it matter
who is speaking friends?
00:40:58.11\00:41:00.86
If that speaker has
poured his heart out before God
00:41:00.89\00:41:04.61
to prepare a message to
deliver to the people of God,
00:41:04.64\00:41:08.71
who are we to say I
can't get a blessing from him.
00:41:08.74\00:41:13.70
Who are we to
say, oh, he is boring,
00:41:13.73\00:41:16.63
because you know what friends,
00:41:16.66\00:41:18.20
we have come to the point
where we are more interested
00:41:18.23\00:41:20.82
in theatrics than in truth.
00:41:20.85\00:41:24.25
We would rather see the
preacher dance across the stage
00:41:24.28\00:41:27.08
than to deliver a
true straight statement.
00:41:27.11\00:41:29.47
Do you think popular speakers
00:41:32.75\00:41:34.84
are all there are
that has preaching talent.
00:41:34.87\00:41:37.33
They are men and women
who pour out their hearts
00:41:37.36\00:41:39.12
and if they had surrendered
their hearts to the word of God
00:41:39.15\00:41:41.55
and prepared a message,
00:41:41.58\00:41:42.67
then Christ speaks through them.
00:41:42.70\00:41:44.72
This is much than
he does anyone else.
00:41:44.75\00:41:46.83
We have elevated the
speaker above the word.
00:41:50.53\00:41:54.33
We have become-- many times
00:41:54.36\00:41:57.91
we often have
more endearing things
00:41:57.94\00:41:59.80
to say about speakers
than we do about Jesus.
00:41:59.83\00:42:05.73
Yes, I said it.
00:42:05.76\00:42:08.71
We've become
real, a real American.
00:42:08.74\00:42:13.90
You know where I'm going.
00:42:17.09\00:42:19.30
We've become a real
Adventist idols for sure.
00:42:19.33\00:42:25.00
Is that right or no?
00:42:25.03\00:42:26.30
We like to compare
speakers and line them up.
00:42:30.54\00:42:32.91
We have our favorites.
00:42:32.94\00:42:34.60
And this one is
better than that one.
00:42:34.63\00:42:36.66
But Paul addressed
this issue in his day.
00:42:36.69\00:42:38.63
I invite you to turn in
your Bibles with me please
00:42:38.66\00:42:40.97
to 1 Corinthians
1:12, 13, Corinthians 1,
00:42:47.54\00:42:50.67
the apostle Paul speaks here
with all biblical authority,
00:42:50.70\00:42:54.01
he says, "Now I say
this, that each of you says,
00:42:54.04\00:42:59.10
"I am of Paul,"
or "I'm of Apollos,"
00:42:59.13\00:43:02.13
or "I'm of
Cephas," or "I'm of Christ."
00:43:02.16\00:43:05.01
Is Christ divided? Was
Paul crucified for you?
00:43:05.04\00:43:09.28
Or were you
baptized in the name of Paul?
00:43:09.31\00:43:13.49
We are not called
brothers and sister
00:43:13.52\00:43:15.93
to say I'm of this
preacher, I am of that preacher,
00:43:15.96\00:43:18.79
this preacher does it for me
00:43:18.82\00:43:20.22
or that preacher
doesn't do it for me.
00:43:20.25\00:43:22.11
If they are
preaching the word of God,
00:43:22.14\00:43:23.67
it should be the world of
God doing it in your hearts.
00:43:23.70\00:43:27.07
Turn over to Chapter 3 please,
00:43:27.10\00:43:29.43
Chapter 3, Paul gets
a little bit more bold.
00:43:29.46\00:43:33.10
Please keep in mind
00:43:33.13\00:43:34.16
that I'm not trying
to step on your toes
00:43:34.19\00:43:36.55
but the Holy Spirit is.
00:43:36.58\00:43:38.74
I'm only the messenger,
don't throw tomatoes at me.
00:43:42.90\00:43:45.98
Talk to the author of the book.
00:43:46.01\00:43:49.74
Verse 3 Paul says,
"For you are still carnal"
00:43:49.77\00:43:54.11
if we have this mind set,
"For where there was envy,
00:43:57.57\00:44:02.51
strife, and divisions among you,
00:44:02.54\00:44:04.54
are you not carnal and
behaving like mere men?
00:44:04.57\00:44:07.37
For when one says, "I
am of Paul," and another,
00:44:07.40\00:44:10.56
"I am of Apollos,"
are you not carnal?
00:44:10.59\00:44:15.04
Who then is Paul,
and who is Apollos,
00:44:15.07\00:44:17.90
but ministers, ministers
through whom you believed,
00:44:17.93\00:44:23.11
as the Lord gave each one?
00:44:23.14\00:44:25.21
Look over in verse 21,
00:44:25.24\00:44:26.82
"Therefore let
no one boast in men.
00:44:26.85\00:44:29.45
For all things are yours,
00:44:29.48\00:44:31.53
whether Paul or
Apollos or Cephas,
00:44:31.56\00:44:33.79
or the world or life or death,
00:44:33.82\00:44:35.39
or things present or
things to come--all are yours.
00:44:35.42\00:44:38.38
And you are Christ's
and Christ is God's."
00:44:38.41\00:44:42.87
We are not called
to follow speakers,
00:44:42.90\00:44:45.09
we are called
the follow the word.
00:44:45.12\00:44:47.47
And praise God
for godly speakers,
00:44:47.50\00:44:49.33
I am not condemning them,
I am not putting them down.
00:44:49.36\00:44:52.59
We need godly speakers, amen.
00:44:52.62\00:44:54.83
But we cannot idolize them,
00:44:54.86\00:44:56.92
they put on their
pants the same way
00:44:56.95\00:44:59.91
that you do in the morning.
00:44:59.94\00:45:02.03
We have folks,
ladies put on their skirts
00:45:02.06\00:45:05.33
however they put them on
00:45:05.36\00:45:06.41
but they all put
them on the same.
00:45:06.44\00:45:08.45
I don't know anything about
it, my wife could tell you.
00:45:08.48\00:45:13.38
We tend to take sometimes
their word for everything
00:45:13.41\00:45:17.82
and we often depend
more upon the speaker
00:45:17.85\00:45:20.54
than on the Holy Spirit to guide
00:45:20.57\00:45:22.38
our own personal
study of the Bible.
00:45:22.41\00:45:24.58
It's like traveling
back to the Dark Ages
00:45:28.83\00:45:32.07
brothers and sisters,
00:45:32.10\00:45:33.89
where the people were dependent
00:45:33.92\00:45:35.49
upon the priest to
tell them what to do.
00:45:35.52\00:45:38.82
We have replaced our
own personal devotional life
00:45:41.10\00:45:44.58
with downloaded
sermons of popular speakers
00:45:44.61\00:45:47.72
and books about the Bible.
00:45:47.75\00:45:51.18
We have neglected the
Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy
00:45:51.21\00:45:54.07
and we have been
receiving many of us
00:45:54.10\00:45:55.84
the word secondhand
and I am not speaking
00:45:55.87\00:45:57.38
to all of you but as a result
00:45:57.41\00:45:59.49
we have become spiritually weak.
00:45:59.52\00:46:01.61
We think that we don't have
00:46:01.64\00:46:02.77
the time to
invest in God's word.
00:46:02.80\00:46:05.28
And let me tell you
something friends today.
00:46:05.31\00:46:07.34
If you think you don't have
the time to spend in God's word,
00:46:07.37\00:46:10.69
then you are busier than
heaven ever intended you to be.
00:46:10.72\00:46:14.81
Every day you must
spend time in the word of God.
00:46:14.84\00:46:19.61
There is nothing wrong
with respecting these men.
00:46:19.64\00:46:22.14
Cornelius comes and bows
00:46:22.17\00:46:26.62
before Peter and
Peter picks him up
00:46:26.65\00:46:28.78
and he says stand up for
I myself I am also a man.
00:46:28.81\00:46:33.22
Speakers are just men,
they are capable of false,
00:46:33.25\00:46:35.85
do not look to them.
00:46:35.88\00:46:36.93
Too many people have
looked to men and idolized them
00:46:36.96\00:46:39.96
and when that men falls,
00:46:39.99\00:46:41.47
it creates a
disaster of their faith.
00:46:41.50\00:46:44.37
We must look to Christ.
We must look to His word.
00:46:44.40\00:46:47.61
You know what friends,
00:46:47.64\00:46:48.67
the devil can
preach a good sermon.
00:46:48.70\00:46:52.31
I am not calling
our speakers devils,
00:46:52.34\00:46:53.98
you understand,
don't misunderstand me.
00:46:54.01\00:46:56.67
But my point is as just
because somebody can dance
00:46:56.70\00:46:59.13
across the stage
and entertain you
00:46:59.16\00:47:00.82
and even preach a good sermon.
00:47:00.85\00:47:02.85
Doesn't mean
always a hell of beans.
00:47:02.88\00:47:05.05
What matters is the
character of the life,
00:47:05.08\00:47:08.67
the character of the life.
00:47:08.70\00:47:10.60
We have become a generation
00:47:10.63\00:47:11.79
who heard instead of a
generation of the word.
00:47:11.82\00:47:14.93
We are hearing the word
spoken through others today
00:47:14.96\00:47:17.69
but are we hearing Jesus speak
00:47:17.72\00:47:20.25
through us
personally from His word.
00:47:20.28\00:47:23.23
We need to come back
to our personal experience
00:47:26.54\00:47:28.87
with the word Jesus
said to the Pharisees
00:47:28.90\00:47:30.65
and He says to us today.
00:47:30.68\00:47:32.21
You search the scriptures
00:47:32.24\00:47:33.50
because in them you
think there is eternal life
00:47:33.53\00:47:35.83
but they are those
which testify of me.
00:47:35.86\00:47:38.61
You must have
your own experience
00:47:38.64\00:47:40.59
with the word of
God young people.
00:47:40.62\00:47:42.50
You must have--
we must come back
00:47:42.53\00:47:44.03
to a personal
experience of the word.
00:47:44.06\00:47:47.21
I am not saying it's
wrong to listen to sermons.
00:47:47.24\00:47:50.05
I am not saying it's
wrong to read other books.
00:47:50.08\00:47:52.76
But those things were only
meant to supplement our own
00:47:52.79\00:47:56.33
study of the
word, not to replace it,
00:47:56.36\00:47:59.33
never to replace it.
00:47:59.36\00:48:01.03
I encourage you
to use audio verse.
00:48:01.06\00:48:03.18
I encourage you to read
other books by good speakers,
00:48:03.21\00:48:07.05
but do not let that
replace your own account,
00:48:07.08\00:48:10.01
your own experience.
00:48:10.04\00:48:12.69
We think that we'd
heard it all before.
00:48:12.72\00:48:14.87
But let me ask
you something friends.
00:48:18.35\00:48:21.17
We think we've
heard it all before,
00:48:21.20\00:48:22.57
but have you applied it
to your own lives today?
00:48:22.60\00:48:26.86
You remember the power behind
00:48:26.89\00:48:28.51
the Book of Acts was not simply
00:48:28.54\00:48:30.51
that they heard the word,
00:48:30.54\00:48:31.87
not simply that
they knew the word,
00:48:31.90\00:48:33.63
but that they
acted on the word. Amen.
00:48:33.66\00:48:38.05
How many of you are
acting on the word today?
00:48:38.08\00:48:40.80
How many of you have been
to at least one of the GYC?
00:48:40.83\00:48:44.22
Let me see your hands.
00:48:44.25\00:48:45.31
Those of you that are watching,
00:48:45.34\00:48:46.40
you can raise your
hands in your living rooms.
00:48:46.43\00:48:49.01
How many of you have
been to at least five GYC's?
00:48:49.04\00:48:52.99
How many of you have
been to all the GYC's?
00:48:53.02\00:48:55.74
How many of you have
been to some camp meetings
00:48:55.77\00:48:57.42
or some other type of
youth meeting somewhere?
00:48:57.45\00:49:00.42
We have all been there
00:49:00.45\00:49:02.12
and we all seem to
just befall into the rut
00:49:02.15\00:49:05.24
that we are
becoming seminar junkies
00:49:05.27\00:49:07.56
and this word is not
taking route in our lives
00:49:07.59\00:49:11.62
and we know this
because we are not acting
00:49:11.65\00:49:14.24
upon what we are hearing.
00:49:14.27\00:49:16.10
I am not speaking to
allof you, but many of you.
00:49:16.13\00:49:20.06
Now let me ask you something.
00:49:20.09\00:49:21.47
Here is something
little bit more practical.
00:49:21.50\00:49:23.06
Is it taking
action in your life?
00:49:23.09\00:49:25.58
When was the last time
00:49:25.61\00:49:26.89
that you
memorized the Bible promise?
00:49:26.92\00:49:30.23
When was the last time
that you shared with somebody
00:49:30.26\00:49:33.49
what you've learned in
your devotional life today?
00:49:33.52\00:49:37.04
May be you
didn't share with them
00:49:37.07\00:49:39.00
what you didn't learn,
may be you didn't ask them
00:49:39.03\00:49:41.41
that question
because you are afraid
00:49:41.44\00:49:43.78
that they would ask
you the same question back
00:49:43.81\00:49:46.02
and you won't
have anything to say.
00:49:46.05\00:49:47.84
When was the last time
you lead a person to Christ
00:49:52.61\00:49:56.30
and to baptism
or how about these.
00:49:56.33\00:49:59.40
We are almost finished for 3ABN.
00:49:59.43\00:50:01.38
I know they are stressing
out. We're almost finished.
00:50:01.41\00:50:04.29
How many of you,
but I got to say this.
00:50:04.32\00:50:06.59
How many of you could
come up on the stage right now.
00:50:06.62\00:50:09.32
Do not raise your hands
00:50:09.35\00:50:10.38
because I may
call you up to do it.
00:50:10.41\00:50:12.74
How many of you could
come up on the stage right now
00:50:12.77\00:50:15.22
and give a thorough
discourse on 2300 day prophecy?
00:50:15.25\00:50:19.98
How many of you could
come up on the stage right now
00:50:20.01\00:50:22.37
and explain what
and why Jesus is doing
00:50:22.40\00:50:25.17
in the heavenly sanctuary?
00:50:25.20\00:50:27.37
How many of you could
come up on the stage right now
00:50:27.40\00:50:29.82
and explain why the
Seventh-day Adventist church
00:50:29.85\00:50:32.74
is God's last day remnant
church of Bible prophecy.
00:50:32.77\00:50:37.63
I am not saying you have to do
everything to share something.
00:50:37.66\00:50:40.56
Don't misunderstand me.
00:50:40.59\00:50:42.34
But listen brothers and
sisters, for many of us,
00:50:42.37\00:50:44.91
this word has not
taken effect in our lives,
00:50:44.94\00:50:49.68
because we have not acted on it.
00:50:49.71\00:50:52.72
We have simply heard
and we've simply known
00:50:52.75\00:50:56.20
but we have not done.
00:50:56.23\00:50:57.99
I am going to make
an appeal this morning.
00:51:01.19\00:51:04.32
The Bible brings
purpose power to our lives
00:51:04.35\00:51:10.21
and it carries us
into the presence of God.
00:51:10.24\00:51:15.05
When you study the Bible
you get inside the mind of God.
00:51:15.08\00:51:19.33
What a blessing, amen.
00:51:19.36\00:51:21.40
Hebrew 4:12 says that
it pierces our very soul,
00:51:21.43\00:51:26.38
is it piercing your soul today?
00:51:26.41\00:51:29.62
Psalm 119:11 says, "Thy
word I have hidden in my what?
00:51:29.65\00:51:35.19
In my heart that I
might not sin against you."
00:51:35.22\00:51:38.09
Let me--let me make
something very clear.
00:51:38.12\00:51:41.30
Who is the word? Jesus.
00:51:41.33\00:51:44.81
If we have not hidden
the word in our hearts,
00:51:44.84\00:51:49.82
then we have not
hidden Christ in our hearts,
00:51:49.85\00:51:56.13
and if Christ is
not in our hearts,
00:51:56.16\00:51:58.49
because the word is not there,
00:51:58.52\00:52:01.64
then how can He
possibly be doing the work
00:52:01.67\00:52:04.85
of your eternal
redemption in your life today.
00:52:04.88\00:52:09.76
We must be a people
who come back to the word.
00:52:09.79\00:52:14.20
We must be a people
who has a simple faith,
00:52:14.23\00:52:17.88
who takes it and reads
it and takes it as it says.
00:52:17.91\00:52:21.98
We must be a people who believe
00:52:22.01\00:52:23.58
that the word of God is
authoritative in our lives.
00:52:23.61\00:52:26.82
We must receive
it and believe it,
00:52:26.85\00:52:29.99
but we also must act on it,
00:52:30.02\00:52:31.62
we must say it
and we must spread it.
00:52:31.65\00:52:35.14
This was why the early
church was so powerful.
00:52:35.17\00:52:39.67
My appeal is this,
this morning, three parts.
00:52:39.70\00:52:44.42
Number 1, may be today
your devotional life stinks.
00:52:44.45\00:52:49.71
May be today you've come to GYC
00:52:49.74\00:52:51.96
and you have not touched
your Bible in two months,
00:52:51.99\00:52:54.68
three months,
six months, a year.
00:52:54.71\00:52:58.68
God has spoken
to your heart today
00:52:58.71\00:53:00.44
and He is
convicted you by His Spirit
00:53:00.47\00:53:02.55
and by the power of His word.
00:53:02.58\00:53:04.62
And today you
say, God I don't know
00:53:04.65\00:53:07.47
how I am going to do it,
00:53:07.50\00:53:08.73
but I am going to
get back in Your word.
00:53:08.76\00:53:10.64
Young people do
it whatever it takes.
00:53:10.67\00:53:12.51
We are so willing to do
00:53:12.54\00:53:13.60
whatever it takes in the
secular world to accomplish.
00:53:13.63\00:53:16.37
We will stay up all night
to study for that biology test.
00:53:16.40\00:53:20.40
We will stay up all night
to prepare for that math test,
00:53:20.43\00:53:23.52
but when it comes
to the word of God,
00:53:23.55\00:53:25.04
we want to read one chapter
00:53:25.07\00:53:26.18
and say I can't get anything
out of it, lay it aside.
00:53:26.21\00:53:28.69
Do what it takes, find
a book that teaches you
00:53:28.72\00:53:30.93
how to study the Bible.
00:53:30.96\00:53:32.18
Find a pastor that teaches
you how to study the Bible.
00:53:32.21\00:53:34.47
Do something, do
whatever it takes
00:53:34.50\00:53:37.88
but get
yourselves back to the word.
00:53:37.91\00:53:40.63
And you will experience power,
you will experience Christ.
00:53:40.66\00:53:45.36
I want to challenge you
today to get back to the word.
00:53:45.39\00:53:50.18
Secondly, I don't want
to make it easy for you.
00:53:50.21\00:53:54.81
I don't want you to go home
and memorize a Bible promise.
00:53:54.84\00:53:59.78
I want you to go home
00:53:59.81\00:54:00.84
and memorize an
entire book of the Bible,
00:54:00.87\00:54:03.98
an entire book of the Bible
00:54:04.01\00:54:06.04
and when you memorize that book,
00:54:06.07\00:54:07.66
memorize another book.
00:54:07.69\00:54:08.89
Why can't you
do it young people.
00:54:08.92\00:54:10.73
We can memorize the songs,
00:54:10.76\00:54:12.49
the words of popular
songs, secular songs.
00:54:12.52\00:54:16.79
For three minutes long
we know the words to a song
00:54:16.82\00:54:19.35
that's three minutes
long, five minutes long
00:54:19.38\00:54:21.61
but we can't
memorize a Bible verse
00:54:21.64\00:54:23.59
that takes us ten
minutes, ten seconds to recite.
00:54:23.62\00:54:27.10
Why can't you
memorize the book of the Bible?
00:54:27.13\00:54:29.48
Why can't you
memorize the Book of Daniel,
00:54:29.51\00:54:31.44
the Book of
Revelation, the Book of Hebrews,
00:54:31.47\00:54:33.40
it talks about
heavenly sanctuary?
00:54:33.43\00:54:34.68
Why can't you
do it young people?
00:54:34.71\00:54:36.41
You are bright,
intelligent young people,
00:54:36.44\00:54:38.74
who are being lead
by the Spirit of God,
00:54:38.77\00:54:41.08
don't go for the easy
thing, go for the hard thing,
00:54:41.11\00:54:46.29
that's my second appeal.
00:54:46.32\00:54:48.35
Thirdly, I want you
to act upon that word.
00:54:48.38\00:54:53.29
I am challenging
every single one of you
00:54:53.32\00:54:57.06
to lead somebody
to Christ in 2013.
00:54:57.09\00:55:02.13
Lead somebody to Christ.
00:55:02.16\00:55:03.62
Let that word take
action in your life.
00:55:03.65\00:55:07.09
Read it, memorize it,
live it and act upon it.
00:55:07.12\00:55:13.23
This is my appeal to you today.
00:55:13.26\00:55:14.40
I'm not going to be fancy about,
00:55:14.43\00:55:16.20
I'm not going
to tell some story,
00:55:16.23\00:55:18.71
but I want to
invite everyone of you
00:55:18.74\00:55:19.97
to stand wherever you are,
00:55:20.00\00:55:21.81
just stand wherever you are.
00:55:21.84\00:55:25.09
And I want to
give you an invitation
00:55:25.12\00:55:26.54
this morning to
respond to act on this appeal.
00:55:26.57\00:55:32.31
If you want to
restore your devotional life
00:55:32.34\00:55:34.85
and I don't know you
could all come at the same time,
00:55:34.88\00:55:36.94
you may be coming
for different reasons
00:55:36.97\00:55:39.23
but if you want to renew
your devotional experience,
00:55:39.26\00:55:42.78
renew your devotional life,
00:55:42.81\00:55:44.93
I'm gonna invite you
to slip out of your seat
00:55:44.96\00:55:47.01
and come down here to the front.
00:55:47.04\00:55:48.28
You say God, I don't
know how I'm going to do it,
00:55:48.31\00:55:51.00
I don't--I don't
know but you know.
00:55:51.03\00:55:55.69
Somebody here today
needs to get themselves
00:55:55.72\00:55:57.57
back in the word of God.
00:55:57.60\00:55:59.13
I invite you to come
down here to the front.
00:55:59.16\00:56:01.79
Secondly there may
be somebody who says,
00:56:01.82\00:56:03.94
I don't want to
accept a easy challenge,
00:56:03.97\00:56:05.86
I'm going to
accept the hard challenge,
00:56:05.89\00:56:07.57
I'm not going to
memorize just a Bible promise,
00:56:07.60\00:56:09.79
you can start with that
00:56:09.82\00:56:10.99
but I'm going to
memorize an entire book,
00:56:11.02\00:56:12.89
I'm going to
take the hard things.
00:56:12.92\00:56:15.58
And thirdly there may
be somebody here today
00:56:15.61\00:56:19.64
who says I want to
lead somebody to Christ.
00:56:19.67\00:56:21.40
I want that word
of God to become real.
00:56:21.43\00:56:23.62
And let me tell
you something friends,
00:56:23.65\00:56:24.76
when you lead
somebody to Christ,
00:56:24.79\00:56:26.46
it is a greatest
joy in the world,
00:56:26.49\00:56:30.07
it is a spiritual high
that only heaven can give.
00:56:30.10\00:56:34.11
Young people today,
00:56:34.14\00:56:35.53
do not set up for anything
less than God's best for you.
00:56:35.56\00:56:40.71
Do not set up for anything less
00:56:40.74\00:56:42.64
than thus saith the Lord
00:56:42.67\00:56:44.23
for the foundation
of your life today.
00:56:44.26\00:56:47.81
Be renewed, be empowered
00:56:47.84\00:56:50.35
by the word of
God, the word of God.
00:56:50.38\00:56:53.75
It must be the thing
that drives our movement
00:56:53.78\00:56:57.81
all the way until Jesus comes.
00:56:57.84\00:57:00.88
Is that your desire this morning
00:57:00.91\00:57:03.41
to not just have as you have
the word of God in your hearts,
00:57:03.44\00:57:07.74
knowing that your have
Christ in your hearts as well.
00:57:07.77\00:57:10.72
Is that your
desire this morning?
00:57:10.75\00:57:12.48
I'm gonna invite you
wherever you are to pray,
00:57:12.51\00:57:14.11
bow your heads
with me, as we pray.
00:57:14.14\00:57:16.28
Father in heaven, you see
the young people that have come.
00:57:16.31\00:57:19.22
There may be others in
their seats who need to come.
00:57:19.25\00:57:23.15
I pray Lord that You
will prick their hearts
00:57:23.18\00:57:25.05
and You will not allow
them to rest this weekend
00:57:25.08\00:57:26.84
until they surrender to you.
00:57:26.87\00:57:29.85
Lord, empower us by Your spirit,
00:57:29.88\00:57:31.59
empower us by Your word.
00:57:31.62\00:57:33.35
Let Your word dwell richly in us
00:57:33.38\00:57:36.66
and let our lives be transformed
00:57:36.69\00:57:39.44
and let us change the world
by Your grace and strength.
00:57:39.47\00:57:44.04
I pray for each one here
00:57:44.07\00:57:45.34
that whatever
their need is today,
00:57:45.37\00:57:46.84
whatever reason
they came forward
00:57:46.87\00:57:48.18
that You will
minister to their hearts,
00:57:48.21\00:57:50.54
You will minister their
mind and You would make them
00:57:50.57\00:57:53.75
close with You in a
very intimate and special way
00:57:53.78\00:57:57.54
and then you would use them
00:57:57.57\00:57:59.24
to press forward
this Seventh-day Adventist
00:57:59.27\00:58:02.33
movement to the outermost parts
to the globe and see Jesus come.
00:58:02.36\00:58:07.87
This is our prayer, we
ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.
00:58:07.90\00:58:12.43