Participants: C.D. Brooks
Series Code: 13ASIC
Program Code: 13ASIC000011
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00:18 Happy Sabbath.
00:20 Would you like to go to the mission field with me? 00:23 Can you say, amen? 00:25 Let's go the mission field and share little bit-- 00:27 I have with me Kelli 00:29 who is going to be talking about a special ministry 00:32 in the Atlantic area called Free. 00:35 Is there anything free in this world? 00:37 No. 00:38 No. Well, tell us F-R-E-E mean. 00:41 FREE is Friends of Refugees 00:44 providing Education and Empowerment. 00:48 And where are you targeting? 00:50 We are targeting Clarkston 00:52 which is close to Atlanta, Georgia 00:54 where there are currently 10,000 refugees residing. 01:00 And what kind of refugees, where are they largely from? 01:04 There's actually too many to name. 01:07 There's 69 different languages spoken in the Clarkston area. 01:11 A lot of the Adventist people that we are helping 01:14 are from Congo and Burma. 01:16 Amen, you have a video two minutes 01:19 so just get us into this 01:20 and help us how it feel for why we are here. 01:23 Let's roll that. 03:35 Well, before we come back to Clarkston we have a-- 03:39 we're gonna go to Burma what was Burma now Myanmar 03:43 and I want to introduce to you Jazmine 03:45 who has a fantastic experience but it will really be a-- 03:51 it really pulls on your heart when you think about it. 03:54 Your family was in Burma and the predominant religion 03:59 in Burmese, in the Burma is what? 04:02 Buddhist. 04:04 That's the Buddhist religion. 04:06 Now some years ago they decided that 04:10 their country be better 04:11 if they didn't have any Christians, is that right? 04:16 And what happened? 04:18 Actually the army began to come into the villages 04:23 and actually where its killing people, 04:25 killing Christians 04:27 and one day I understand your parents 04:32 and your grandparents heard the shooting coming 04:35 in the nearby villages and what they have to do? 04:38 They have to run away to, to save their life. 04:43 To save their life. 04:45 And the safety for their lives, 04:47 for the Waldensians people may not know was the mountains 04:52 but for your people it was the jungle. 04:55 Yes. 04:57 Now the story gets more interesting. 05:00 So there was mommy and daddy 05:02 and there was grandma and grandpa 05:03 and they are fleeing to the jungle 05:06 and where did you come into the picture? 05:11 Was your mother pregnant at that time? 05:13 Momma was pregnant, my brother and I. 05:17 She was. 05:18 So she is there in the jungle, they are fleeing, 05:20 they have nothing with them that they can carry 05:23 and momma starts to go into labor 05:28 and she has her baby. 05:30 But it wasn't you. 05:33 He was my brother first. 05:34 Your brother first. 05:36 You mean he came out first and then you surprised them 05:40 and came out also, twins. 05:43 She was so little, she told me 05:47 because her brother took all the space. 05:49 And she was so little 05:51 they didn't think she would make it. 05:53 They didn't have food, 05:55 they have to take leaves to wrap them in, 05:58 leaves to catch water to feed them. 06:03 So they were in the jungle one month, two months. 06:07 No, three years. 06:09 One year? 06:10 Three years hiding in the jungle, 06:12 finally the door opens, 06:15 somehow they make their way clear to Thailand by foot 06:19 and at last they are in the UN refugee came. 06:22 Yes. 06:24 Was it like heaven? 06:26 No. 06:27 Did you have enough food? 06:28 We would have enough food either, no, not enough water, 06:33 not enough cloth to cover our self. 06:37 Just hardly exist. 06:39 But anyway, one month, two months, one year? 06:41 No, its 13 years. 06:42 How many? 06:43 Thirteen years. 06:44 Thirteen years in a refugee camp. 06:48 Can you imagine this, folks? 06:50 Finally the time comes and the door opens, 06:54 they come to Georgia. 06:56 That was a miracle. 06:57 She is 16 by that time, not a word of English 07:00 and they are dropped into Clarkston, Georgia 07:03 among 2,500 refugees with three months free rent 07:08 and then Niang, you pick it from here. 07:11 You were eight years old when you came to America. 07:14 Yes. 07:15 And you landed in Clarkston. 07:17 What was that like? 07:19 When we first got here everything is different. 07:22 We don't speak any English 07:25 so it was hard and the government supported us 07:30 for three months after that we are on our own 07:34 and a lot of parents don't get 07:37 or find jobs after the three months 07:40 so we don't have like enough food or cloths 07:44 and our basic necessities. 07:46 And when we go to school we don't understand 07:49 what the teacher is teaching and we don't have any friends. 07:55 It was hard. 07:56 So and they bullied, they are isolated, 08:00 they are struggling and but they are praying. 08:03 These are Adventist families praying 08:06 and one day your daddy saw-- 08:11 We pray everyday and night that with hope and faith 08:17 that God was some day show us an Adventist church 08:23 and that we will be able to go to Adventist school. 08:27 So one day my dad saw an Adventist van 08:30 in our neighborhood and he asked them 08:35 to take us for the next Sabbath. 08:36 So we started attending church. 08:39 Amen, and that was the Adventist connection, 08:42 that was free. 08:44 Right there Kelli on the spot. 08:46 We are out of time 08:47 but praise the Lord you were there. 08:50 Your burden for these girls was to get them where? 08:53 Into Adventist education. 08:55 We have 17 now, we are bringing on, 08:57 rock it down on faith and ten more this year 09:00 and we have 42 Adventist children 09:02 that are back end to come 09:04 to Adventist education to leave the gangs 09:06 and the drugs and the violence that filtrate 09:09 the public school system in their area. 09:11 If you want to learn more about this beautiful refugee work 09:13 you could come to the exhibits this afternoon 09:16 and this evening to number 7135. 09:19 I hate to mention this in passive 09:21 but Kelli this is your 40th birthday, 09:24 I heard that you had a cruise 09:26 you could have gone on but this is here life. 09:29 Can we all say, amen? 09:31 Thank you so much. Thank you. 09:32 God bless you. 09:33 Okay. 09:39 Next I have with me representing our mission work 09:44 far and near, Jud Wickwire. 09:47 We're so glad that you are here with us today 09:49 representing Adventist World Aviation. 09:52 And back in the mid 1990s the Adventist church 09:55 I understand found it necessary to pull back 09:59 from its aviation program, not entirely but in part. 10:03 Elder Folkenberg was president then 10:05 and he encouraged Adventist pilots 10:09 don't give up, go self supporting 10:11 but we need Adventist missions. 10:13 Is that correct? 10:14 That's correct and we had to change the ways 10:18 that we reach the people 10:20 and provided airplanes to the mission field 10:22 because that was still an ongoing need. 10:25 So how does a bush pilot from Canada 10:29 in British Columbia going to camp meeting at Hope 10:35 get into Adventist World Aviation? 10:37 Well, the short answer is a free lunch. 10:39 Free lunch? 10:40 That's two words of true story, a free lunch. 10:42 We getting a lot of trouble with those-- no way. 10:45 My wife and I were at a camp meeting there 10:47 and we-- its midweek and saw poster that said 10:49 there was a free lunch for pilots, 10:52 it said 12 o'clock and we looked at our watch 10:55 and that's how close we were to missing the call. 10:57 Is that right? 10:59 You went to that lunch, what did you hear? 11:00 Well, we heard about Adventist World Aviation 11:02 which we never heard of before, 11:04 heard about the need for mission pilots 11:06 and it was a long term service, 11:10 it was five years that was required 11:11 and self supporting and honestly 11:14 that was discouraging thing for us at the time. 11:17 Yeah, so many of us 11:18 we don't know how to get into self supporting work 11:20 but when God calls He provides for, doesn't He? 11:24 Yes, He certainly does. 11:25 Over for some reason God touched my heart 11:28 and a couple months later 11:30 I just said, well, I just gonna send in a resume of our family 11:34 to Adventist World Aviation just see what they say 11:37 and the answer was immediate. 11:39 They came back and said we've been praying for a family 11:42 and they have a-- they showed me the list 11:45 of what they were praying for and it was an impossible list. 11:48 Not because it was such difficult requirements 11:51 but just an odd collection of skills 11:53 and our family met that requirement exactly. 11:55 Of course. Isn't God good? 11:58 That was back in 2005. That was 2005. 12:00 So you had to commit five years-- 12:03 Five years of service. 12:04 And you had to figure how to support yourself? 12:05 And the time required to develop that support. 12:08 That's a great ministry, a great mission. 12:10 It was. To take it on. 12:11 You have to believe it, you have to do it. 12:13 Yes. 12:14 Now, did you network with anybody? 12:16 I know you are working in Glasgow, Philippines 12:18 but particularly we are gonna be talking about Guyana. 12:21 Guyana is where we were call to serve. 12:23 And there was a family there already? 12:24 Another family there, LaBore family 12:26 that were serving. 12:27 What was their name? 12:28 LaBore. LaBore. 12:29 Serving there, LaBore. That was critical. 12:30 There were on boots on the ground 12:31 already to join them. 12:33 We've got some slides, can we roll those 12:35 and tell us just quickly how this work progressions. 12:39 Often in the communities we would go to 12:41 religion was not the first thing they wanted to hear 12:43 so we would bring in supplies and do medical work. 12:48 And the next picture just shows some of the mining 12:51 that goes on in many of the communities 12:52 and a lot of outsiders come in 12:54 with the intent of exploring the recourses. 12:56 They will promise the community's services 13:00 and things that were are good for them 13:01 but really their ultimate goal is to exploit the resources. 13:05 Hence, we had to prove that our intentions were pure 13:09 and that we only wanted to help the people 13:10 and just demonstrate the love of Jesus to them. 13:13 And in this next picture here you can see that 13:16 we would pick up patients, this patient was carried 13:18 from miles through the jungle to meet the airplane 13:21 to be carried out for medical care. 13:24 Okay, well, dental work? 13:27 Dental work was a key component to touching the most people. 13:32 Almost everyone suffers 13:34 from some form of tooth decay and pain. 13:38 It's almost chronic for most people 13:39 and so dental care was one of the greatest needs 13:41 we could bring to the people. 13:43 Well, do you have video that we can actually 13:45 see some of your flying in there and-- 13:47 We have a particularly story about a community 13:49 called Baramita that really demonstrates 13:51 how just taking our time 13:53 and demonstrating the love of Jesus 13:54 through our actions made a difference. 13:56 Two minutes, let's see this video. 14:03 We're in the village today of Baramita 14:05 and Baramita is a project that we are working on. 14:08 We began here just doing medical evacuations 14:11 and brining in supplies for the villages. 14:13 Initially we were told that, 14:15 you know, we could not talk about 14:17 our religion here anything like that. 14:18 They said, you know what, 14:19 you can come here and you can fly us up 14:21 but we don't want anything to do with the religion. 14:23 While the other day that a Tachau got very, very sick. 14:28 Tachau means chief or captain or leader of a village. 14:32 Jud Wickwire gets a call for an emergency medevac. 14:35 And this morning he lost consciousness. 14:37 So we called the hospital an hour ago 14:38 and said they can come up so. 14:40 Patients are flown to the hospital in Georgetown 14:43 where they can receive a higher level of care. 14:46 Now that the Tachau is in the plane 14:49 Jed offers a word of prayer and asks for a safe flight 14:52 and healer to the Tachau. 14:56 As Jed taxis and takes off towards Georgetown 15:00 nothing is visible but jungle only. 15:02 It would have been impossible 15:03 to get this patient out of the jungle in time 15:06 had it not been for the aircraft. 15:08 Jed was able to medevac him out 15:10 and it turns out he had appendicitis and had ruptured. 15:13 We got him into the hospital 15:15 and he needed an emergency appendectomy. 15:18 So certainly left too long he certainly would have died 15:24 if left in that community without being cured. 15:27 Now that we've been doing flying for them 15:30 and some health seminars 15:32 they begged us to come and live there 15:34 and we even started a building a house there. 15:37 A year and half later they said 15:39 we want you to come here and live among us 15:40 and to, you know, teach them about what we know. 15:44 And so they actually gave us a piece of land 15:45 and they build the house that's behind me here 15:48 and that house has been built specifically for Bible workers 15:51 and medical workers to stay at 15:53 as we minister to the people here in Baramita. 15:55 Its actually see the gospel has done to someone's life. 15:59 Amen. 16:00 You know, I think one of my favorite pictures 16:02 that I saw, I don't know if they still have it available 16:04 but was the plane and a return flight. 16:08 How is that so important? 16:10 Taking patients back to their homes 16:12 after they have had medical treatment 16:14 is a service that was never provided before. 16:17 And I know one of the first flights 16:19 that I made back into that village 16:20 I took in two-- three mothers 16:22 and their children had been waiting 16:24 for three months to go home 16:25 after giving birth to newborn babies. 16:28 Three months with their families waiting. 16:30 They either find their way out, 16:32 out of very hard travel and much time 16:35 or they fly out in this magic machine 16:37 and I trip you for back at the village wonder 16:40 if they'll ever come home again. 16:42 What a privilege it must be as you land there 16:44 and bring home their loved ones. 16:46 Yes, it is. It is very rewarding. 16:47 If people want to learn more about your ministry 16:48 they can come over the exhibit today. 16:50 Our exhibit's stall 2310. 16:53 Can't promise you a free lunch 16:54 but certainly a rewarding ministry 16:57 if you want to get involved. 16:58 Come and talk to Jud there at-- 17:01 7310. 310. 17:02 Okay, thank you. 17:03 God bless you. Thank you so much. 17:11 I'd like to invite you to turn in your Bibles 17:13 to Philippians Chapter 4, Philippians Chapter 4 17:19 and in here we find an amazing promise 17:22 that if everyone at ASI would thoroughly believe 17:25 and act accordingly 17:27 we would turn the world upside down. 17:30 This is Acts Chapter 4 and we are looking at verse 13. 17:33 I suppose you know it by heart. 17:35 Acts 4:13, the apostle Paul writes. 17:40 "I can do all things through Christ 17:44 that strengthens me." 17:45 Can you? 17:47 Yes, you can if you believe it. 18:35 A frightening place this world of ours 18:41 The frantic pace of changing powr's 18:46 Where no one plays familiar roles 18:51 But in these days one promise holds 18:59 I can ride the morning winds 19:05 And You are there 19:11 I can sail the widest seas 19:17 And you are there 19:24 I can find the darkest night 19:31 And you are there 19:35 O Lord 19:37 I can never 19:42 Be lost from You 20:05 Please search me now 20:07 And know my heart 20:10 Then show me how to do my part 20:14 To walk the way You'd have me go 20:18 And if I stray Lord I still know 20:27 I can ride the morning winds 20:33 And You are there 20:38 I can sail the widest seas 20:45 And You are there 20:48 You are there 20:52 I can find the darkest night 20:58 And You are there 21:03 O Lord 21:07 I can never 21:11 I can never 21:15 I can never 21:19 I can never 21:22 I can never be lost 21:29 Never be lost 21:38 from You 21:52 Amen. 21:58 The Lord is pleased 22:00 when He can find an individual 22:02 that He can use and the individual 22:04 were about to listen to has been used mightily of the Lord. 22:09 I assume the Lord is pleased. 22:11 I want you to welcome Pastor C.D. Brooks. 22:13 Amen. 22:18 Thank you. 22:26 Want to say good morning to everyone. 22:29 And may God bless you as He has blessed me already. 22:33 I'm very honored to be here on this particular day 22:39 and because of my sincere admiration 22:44 for ASI what it has done, what it does, 22:51 what it contributes, what it stands for. 22:55 I consider this a high privilege today. 23:00 God was gracious to call me from dentistry to ministry. 23:08 And I'm so thankful that He did. 23:12 And so I'm overwhelmed with I with a whole idea 23:16 I thought God was calling me to impossibilities 23:22 and I needed an anchor. 23:25 I needed something to under guard my faith 23:29 and I found it soon in my personal study 23:33 Christ's Object Lessons, 23:36 "All of His biddings are enablings." 23:42 All Gods biddings are enablings. 23:48 There was a time when this world was lost 23:53 through the sins of our fathers. 23:57 Heaven took into consideration, a plan of redemption 24:04 which involved also the cost of redemption. 24:11 God who owns the cattle upon a thousand hills 24:16 He doesn't count His cattle by head, 24:20 or by hills. 24:25 The gold is mine, the silver is mine. 24:27 He doesn't really need us. 24:31 But to fight greed and selfishness 24:34 and other such immoralities 24:38 God has willed that we have a part 24:42 in His work including a financial part 24:48 as He seeks to salvage from humanity 24:52 and build up the population of His entire universe. 24:58 Love, decided on a mission to this earth. 25:03 Love was committed to that mission 25:06 before the fall ever occurred 25:11 God had decided, God had determined 25:16 I will put enmity between thee and the woman 25:20 thy seed in hers a Messiah is coming 25:23 who will bruise your head. 25:25 Now Satan is listening to this and then he got the promise, 25:31 I'm going to sin someone born of a woman. 25:36 Now I want you to imagine 25:38 Eve gets pregnant first time 25:45 and the devil is watching everyday. 25:49 The child is born he fastens his eyes on Cain. 25:55 Could this be Messiah? 26:00 Well, he was wrong. 26:01 When he saw Cain's attitude, 26:04 his desire to as he pleased in spite of what God said 26:08 even the devil decided he is not the one. 26:13 But then came Abel 26:16 who wanted always to follow the Word of God, 26:18 to it as God said. 26:20 Not according to his own opinion 26:22 but according to the word of God 26:25 and he offered a blood sacrifice on an unshared altar 26:30 and the devil worried and he inspired Cain 26:35 and Cain killed his own brother. 26:41 Still Satan wondered was he the promised one? 26:47 Hundreds of years passed 26:50 Satan remained confused about some things 26:54 yet his kingdom outnumbered 26:57 the kingdom of God a scores of thousands. 27:04 He seemed to have had more 27:07 in his forces than God did in His. 27:12 Down the centuries until lowest time 27:16 Satan drove the world mad with pleasures of sin 27:21 and sex and every other debasing element 27:25 Satan was doing his program always wondering 27:31 where is this Messiah fella. 27:35 And then he heard God speaking to Noah 27:39 through Noah's own testimony. 27:42 Build an ark for the salvation of man and beast. 27:48 Build an ark and preach salvation 27:52 and here was the man willing to do what God says. 27:55 For 120 years he preached his eschatological messages 28:02 to the sport of the unbelievers the hearts made of stone. 28:08 And finally it was finished. 28:11 Methuselah, which mans "when he dies it shall come." 28:16 Methuselah was the living sign and his death occurred. 28:21 It's got to be close now. 28:23 It's got to be close now. 28:26 And one day while they were in festivities 28:29 and mocking and laughing and deriding 28:33 an unusual sight-- animals a very description. 28:38 I have spoken about this business before 28:41 and it seems to me that if I looked 28:45 and saw a lion walking down the street 28:50 with a cat it seems to me 28:55 if a wolf was leading sheep I would be impressed 29:02 but sight set answers and they gave them 29:06 and the people continued in that rebellion 29:08 until the door was shut that no man can open. 29:13 Noah had predicted and no one had ever seen that 29:17 but now they hear it 29:19 like drive breeze on a summer threshing floor. 29:22 They hear the rattle of rain as it strikes the earth. 29:28 Dark thunder herds, thunder heads build up. 29:34 It is being fulfilled. 29:37 They knocked on the door on the sides of the ark Noah, 29:41 we believe you now. 29:45 We will come in if you, if you let us 29:49 but it was out of the hands of Noah 29:54 and the raids came, the battle rain, 29:58 shatter rain, waters of the deluge. 30:01 The plates of the earth were jostled about, 30:06 the stones, the skeleton structure of earth 30:12 was changed and moved and broken. 30:17 It was too late and the Lord's servant says 30:19 Satan himself feared for his own life at that time. 30:27 One this is sure the patriarchal age was over, 30:30 no more 900 plus year old giants in the land. 30:38 One man was a calculated and they do everything 30:40 with those foolish things anymore. 30:43 That man figured it out and he said, 30:45 there was an 81 declension, 30:48 81 percent declension in the lifespan. 30:53 Eighty one percent declension in the lifespan 30:58 and it seriously affected the growth, 31:01 the height and the weight of man. 31:08 God trying to save man inexplicably 31:14 absolute, hard, 31:17 unwilling to listen, unwilling to do 31:21 and then the earth was repopulated. 31:23 There came a man on the scene of action 31:25 whose name was Abraham. 31:28 And God called him one day and said get thee out 31:31 from thy father's house, from your kindred to a land 31:33 that I will afterwards show you all. 31:37 No wonder He's called the Father of the faithful. 31:40 Anybody would go if they knew exactly 31:42 where they were going 31:43 and so our land flowing with milk and honey 31:46 but it takes faith to go when you don't know 31:48 where you are going 31:51 when God said I'll show you all later. 31:56 Abraham bid goodbye to his people 32:01 and struck out with his possessions 32:04 as a stranger in a strange land. 32:09 The plan of redemption 32:12 had been brought to his attention through a covenant 32:14 God made with him a blood covenant. 32:19 He also understand the 400 year bondage 32:24 of His people in Egypt land. 32:29 Joseph had been the hero of Egypt. 32:32 I never will forget when I went to Egypt 32:34 for the first time the smiles that curled 32:37 across my hosts as I called Egypt 32:43 the greenery of the world. 32:47 But then Bible says 32:49 there came a pharaoh that knew not Joseph. 32:53 They had been driven down into the-- 32:56 in fact, it's a strange country. 32:59 You go down north and up south. 33:06 And there was down there a man 33:08 with hatred seeding in his heart, 33:11 a pharaoh that knew not Joseph. 33:14 He began his march down north 33:20 and he drove the Hyksos out of power 33:23 and out of land into the Fertile Crescent. 33:30 A pharaoh that knew not Joseph. 33:35 But somehow Satan inspired him 33:37 with a fear and an awe of a king called Messiah 33:42 who would be born among these very people. 33:45 Stirred him up so much that he ordered 33:48 the slaughter of new born babes 33:53 and everybody in the Jewish race 33:58 who had one of those was trying best 34:04 to preserve him that was born 34:08 to a couple Amram and Yoshebel a son. 34:15 Mother had prepared an ark, pitched it with tar, 34:18 set it afloat on the Nile trying to keep him alive. 34:25 Somebody knew, especially the devil 34:27 that this one would be dangerous. 34:31 This one could be the deliverer. 34:36 This one going up could seize power. 34:40 And Satan knew what the power of God could do. 34:45 God had made this covenant 34:46 with Abraham and Moses 34:51 was a part of the consideration of that covenant. 34:55 That covenant flew down stream 34:59 and it did not change. 35:01 Isaac and Jacob were involved. 35:05 It's wonderful to meet or realize 35:08 that even though this beautiful boy was born 35:11 and his named would be called Moses 35:14 and he didn't understand his role God understood it 35:19 and the promise flew down the streams of time 35:22 not to be changed at all but to be accepted 35:25 and believed by his own people. 35:28 it would not fade in to a oblivion 35:32 and it did not pertained frank led to Israel alone 35:36 to the exclusion of other people every where. 35:39 Israel set free would become God's, witness says. 35:46 Israel set free would become examples 35:50 to the rest of the world, 35:51 the pagan's through which they would pass. 35:55 Israel would say something to them 35:57 that they had never heard before 36:00 that there is a God who cares 36:02 and He offer salvation through the blood of His own son. 36:07 Nobody else could teach that lesson like Israel 36:11 and Moses was chosen to confront pharaoh. 36:15 He said to pharaoh thus save the Lord, 36:19 let my people go. 36:22 Pharaoh was incredulous. 36:24 He asked a sensible question, 36:26 who is God that I should let the people go? 36:31 He laughed at the idea. 36:34 Why, he thought to himself no God 36:37 that I don't know, I worship this one and that one 36:39 but this one I never heard of. 36:41 He is not going to order me around, 36:45 said the pharaoh and God would have to teach it. 36:50 Now there are many who feel so badly towards pharaoh. 36:54 Do you know Israel asked the same question 36:57 when Moses went to them, 36:58 they wanted to know who is God? 37:00 Moses had to get the answer from God, I'm that I'm. 37:04 What does that mean? 37:05 I'm whatever you need. 37:09 If you are hungry I'm the bread of life. 37:12 If you are thirsty I'm the water of life 37:14 but more than that if your soul hungers for truth 37:18 I am the truth. 37:22 He went back and told Laman, 37:24 they never quite seemed to have gotten that 37:27 but they at least were willing to listen. 37:32 And so God sent ten plagues. 37:35 Ten, yeah, I think the first three 37:38 had to teach Israel but the last seven 37:44 were experienced by the Egyptians alone. 37:51 And that just were needed for this trip. 37:56 I think God looked over his plans 37:59 and said I need ASI on this one. 38:05 They had to have code for the sanctuary, 38:11 for the ark, for the candelabra. 38:16 They had to have gold and silver and brass. 38:22 These were slaves 38:23 where were they going to get it? 38:26 That's a little episode that 38:27 perhaps we haven't always caught 38:30 but when the time came the people of Egypt 38:34 had been so terrorized and flat-out beaten 38:39 that they came out with loads of gold and silver 38:42 and gave that to the Israelites. 38:45 Pleaded with them to take it, 38:46 maybe you cannot please your God and call him off 38:52 and they made them rich, instantly rich. 38:57 These Egyptians, God saw beyond, 39:04 God saw the sanctuary being developed. 39:06 He saw the implements. 39:08 This could not be shoddy, this would represent God. 39:15 So they brought enough gold, even gems 39:18 for the high priests garments, god providing. 39:23 I read somewhere that the trip should have taken 11 days, 39:27 11 days from Egypt to and Canaan 39:30 but because of murmuring and resistance 39:36 it turned into a 40 year nightmare. 39:42 There were times when God seemed to be on age. 39:46 Imagine God saying to Moses, a creature leave me alone. 39:51 Why in the world would God speak to a man like that 39:55 as though the man controls the moment? 39:57 Leave me alone that I might know 40:00 what to do with these people. 40:02 Moses hung in there pleading for their Savior. 40:10 Leave me alone, 40:13 and he even offered himself to thy rested. 40:16 Now, that's Christ job. 40:19 What was this he couldn't do that 40:20 but he could become a type of that 40:24 and he did become a type of that. 40:27 The wrath of God subsided until there was the roar, 40:32 the low rumble of thunder on the horizon 40:37 and God said I will forgive. 40:41 A long and tedious and hard and unnecessary journey 40:47 should have taken 11 days instead 40:51 it took quite a bit longer. 40:55 It took quite a bit longer. 40:59 Ladies and gentlemen, 41:01 God has already, always that is 41:04 God has always needed finances and financers. 41:10 People who are willing to carry His work forward. 41:15 For God had to defeat selfishness 41:17 and greed in the hearts of His own people. 41:21 Even when Israel was allowed to go back 41:23 after the second captivity 41:25 and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem 41:28 the Medes and the Persians handled the finances. 41:32 God always needed someone who could do that. 41:37 And then along came Jesus 41:41 as a babe born in a manger, poor heritage. 41:47 There is Jesus then came an urgent message 41:51 Josephise take the mother and child and flew into Egypt. 41:55 Now who could just do that in the middle of the night? 42:01 Maybe if you had time you could find a father-in-law 42:04 or somebody who could led you, loaned you the money. 42:12 But to be told to leave now 42:15 without consideration of where he would get the funds 42:18 to finance such a trip. 42:19 You couldn't go that far 42:22 without finances. 42:27 And I have wondered how could he do it? 42:30 Well, I discovered an answer. 42:34 Three wise men came to visit the child 42:39 and I can imagine God impressed them 42:42 don't go empty handed but take with your gold, 42:47 and myrrh and frankincense and they brought these gifts 42:52 and laid them at the feet of the babe. 42:56 Now you've got the money to finance your trip to Egypt. 43:01 My wife and I have been to the area called Matariya 43:05 they say that's the place where the holy family stayed 43:08 until God bid them return 43:12 to their own land and they did. 43:17 Matariya, the Savior of the world 43:20 escaping to a remote village with His parents 43:24 but the finances were supplied by God. 43:28 Christ was that babe, the preeminent one, 43:32 the conquering king, indeed God himself 43:38 the Lord Jesus Christ 43:42 soon a reputation would develop around Him 43:45 and soon men here and there from every where 43:50 would get to know the plan of salvation. 43:53 For before the foundations of the earth were laid 43:56 God and Christ were committed to the cross. 44:02 Christ was seen as a triumphed one. 44:06 After years of powerful perfect prayerful ministry 44:10 busy all day from here to there 44:13 healing the sick, opening the eyes of the blind, 44:16 doing exactly what He should have done 44:20 He knew that His time on earth 44:23 for now was growing quite short 44:28 and He would have to tell His disciples 44:32 about their assignment. 44:34 Now who in the world hearing the words back there 44:39 a despise small group, 44:42 who in the world could have imagined 44:45 growth and prosperity and progress 44:48 such as Christ envisioned. 44:51 Go into all the world, teach all nations, 44:54 baptizing them in the name of the Father 44:57 and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost 44:59 and don't worry about extra clothing, 45:03 don't worry about piles of money, 45:08 forget about script, I would compare that 45:10 to credit cards of today, 45:15 Bank of America cards. 45:19 Than Lord how are we going to do it? 45:23 How are we going to handle this? 45:27 You know, it's almost inevitable 45:30 that if you follow a line of Adventist preachers 45:33 by the time you get there 45:35 they will have ploughed the earth well. 45:40 Last night I listened to a powerful, 45:43 beautiful sermon about a character 45:45 who shows up in my message today. 45:49 A man who was fabulously rich, 45:52 a man who had the top education 45:57 in all the land of Israel, 46:00 a man who had the last word in the Sanhedrin, 46:07 a man who had more money than he could ever use 46:11 that man's name was Nicodemus 46:14 about whom we heard so delightfully last night. 46:18 He slipped over by night and I heard Dr. Kim 46:23 talking about the fact that Jesus and Nicodemus 46:28 must inevitably meet 46:30 but Nicodemus might have been a coward, 46:32 he might have been afraid. 46:34 I read all those various and various 46:37 and differing ideas about him. 46:40 He would come slipping over after dark. 46:44 Now was he a moral coward? 46:46 I don't picture him as that altogether 46:49 but he certainly didn't have complete understanding 46:52 when he did it. 46:54 Fearful of his fellow Sanhedrin, 46:56 maybe so I don't know 46:58 and what difference did it make. 47:01 He had the last word in Jerusalem. 47:04 Maybe after dark could have been 47:06 the best time for him and Jesus. 47:09 He had some protracted discussions 47:12 and he couldn't just receive them 47:14 as Christ passed by. 47:16 They needed to study the angels 47:19 so he went by night to see the young teacher. 47:26 The young teacher, 47:27 he called him a teacher said from God. 47:31 He went by to see Him, Nicodemus the master of Israel 47:35 gave John an account of their meeting together 47:40 and there are few other times 47:42 his name mentioned in the various texts. 47:47 "God so loved the world, 47:50 that He gave His only begotten Son." 47:53 That most famous off quoted text 47:57 John 3:16 was delivered to Nicodemus. 48:02 But he heard much more than that. 48:04 He was a moral man, 48:07 he was busy with temple and temple sacrifices 48:12 and their meanings as he talked to others 48:17 and now the young teacher says to him, 48:19 you must be born again. 48:21 Oh, that could wake him up. 48:24 You're talking to me? 48:25 That is what you have to say to me. 48:29 Not only that but I have this to say, 48:33 if I be lifted up from there I will draw all men. 48:39 All men? 48:41 Israel, Nicodemus country had become a narrow prejudice, 48:46 little split up nation with confusing traditions 48:51 getting hardly anything done that God willed for them. 48:56 Nicodemus was aware of it 48:58 and wondered what to do about it. 49:01 But Ellen White says, 49:02 at the best time Nicodemus came to Christ. 49:07 At the best time for him 49:09 and for the church Nicodemus came to Christ. 49:14 He had a close friend another rich man, 49:18 Joseph of Arimathea. 49:20 Joseph had prepared for a tomb for himself and for his family. 49:27 You know, when the vulnerable H.M.S. Richards Sr. 49:32 and I were having a conversation one day 49:35 and he began to describe this grief sight. 49:39 And H.M.S. Richards Sr. wept as he talked to me. 49:44 He said Brooks, don't fail to go there. 49:48 Don't fail to go there. 49:51 We not only didn't fail the first time 49:55 but we came back to that spot to film Breath of Life. 50:00 Richards wept in that garden 50:04 which still has its vine press 50:07 which does not fit the descriptions 50:09 or the descriptions of the tomb inside Jerusalem 50:14 does not fit, this one fits. 50:18 And he told me to look for three crosses 50:20 on the back wall, Byzantine crosses. 50:24 He told me the meaning of that, Richards did. 50:29 What an experience. 50:32 But then became poor, 50:37 Jesus became poor 50:41 and yet the Bible had predicted 50:43 He would be buried amongst the rich. 50:46 We heard that last night. 50:48 Richards said Brooks, 50:49 when you look in the tomb itself 50:52 you will see that one end of it has been extended 50:57 that's because Jesus was a tall man 51:01 and they had to work on it in a hurry. 51:05 He said and if you find the caretaker alone 51:11 ask him to do for you what he did for me. 51:16 I was anxious to see what it was. 51:19 I asked the caretaker he knew H.M.S. Richards well 51:24 and he went to the front of the tomb 51:27 and he looked out 51:28 and he didn't see anyone else coming 51:31 and he unlocked the bars 51:34 and I went in and laid down in the tomb 51:39 where we believe the Son of God spent a little time. 51:47 Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea begged 51:49 for the body of Jesus. 51:51 In those days bodies like those 51:53 and the two thieves there were like throwaways. 51:57 If any family was interested 51:58 they could buy the body, buy the body. 52:04 But when these two influential rich man showed up 52:08 Pilate who had made a mess of everything 52:11 signed a death warrant and Nicodemus 52:17 and Joseph took the body of Christ. 52:20 Washed it, clothed it partially 52:23 and perfumed partially. 52:29 Does that sound like a man scared to be seen? 52:34 No, I don't think so. 52:36 He did dread the hostility of the Jew says Desire of Ages 52:40 who held Him in such high esteem 52:45 but they were courageous men. 52:48 Joseph surrendered his own tomb, 52:52 the Sanhedrin found out about it 52:55 and they did douche the Lord. 52:58 He will bring calamities upon Israel. 53:02 In John 3 he didn't call Jesus Messiah 53:05 but Rabi, that's what He was 53:08 and he didn't indicate 53:09 which he though was above the other 53:12 but he called him Lord later on. 53:17 He then founded heart to associate Christ 53:20 and his end to Messiah 53:24 by referring to a snake on a pole. 53:29 The Bible said cursed is the man 53:33 who would hang on a tree. 53:35 He had to deal with that but he dealt with it 53:38 under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 53:42 He looked for the Messiah and he expected Him to come 53:46 with rich powerful gestures before the people. 53:50 He expected Him to come with glory surrounded him. 53:54 He expected a big celebration but he is boarded to a separate 53:58 and wilderness wrapped around aboard. 54:03 Cursed the man who dies that way. 54:09 Nicodemus, Ellen White says 54:10 in Desire of Ages became as firm as a rock. 54:14 He was rich man but he was as firm as a rock. 54:21 Don't worry about financing 54:23 the ministry and evangelism of the disciples, 54:28 I've got your back said the rich man 54:31 and he spent his money. 54:33 He spent his money and became poor. 54:36 Desire of Ages says, 54:37 he became poor yet he faltered not. 54:41 All of this began with a night conference in a garden 54:46 when Jesus said to him you must be born again. 54:51 I'm bound by the tyranny of the clock. 54:55 I did want to say this however. 54:59 I believe that before you had your first meeting, 55:03 I believe that before you stepped out 55:06 by faith to accomplish 55:08 what God has allowed you to accomplish ASI, 55:11 I believe you were conceived in the mind of God 55:15 and I believe that He chose you 55:17 and He chose these attitudes and that's why you are here. 55:20 That's what I believe. 55:22 And therefore ASI defines me to a large measure. 55:28 I'm going to skip over some things I would have said. 55:31 I want to tell you about a large evangelistic campaign 55:35 in one of the beautiful islands of the Caribbean. 55:38 We put our people into teams 55:40 and my brother five years older than I 55:42 whom I had the privilege of baptizing 55:44 he and his partner had a lady on their list, 55:49 I want to see her one day. 55:50 She always seems solemn and quiet. 55:53 And on this particular day her husband 55:55 was chopping down the grass with a machete 56:00 and when they approached he wanted to know 56:01 what do you want? 56:03 And they told him they had come to see her, 56:05 she had been coming to our meeting. 56:06 He said listen, I told that woman 56:09 if she were baptized in this church 56:11 I was gonna kill her. 56:12 That's his own wife. 56:14 And as he spoke she came out on the porch. 56:17 Didn't say a word for a while, did not tell you she said 56:22 and the woman said but I must. 56:26 On the day of baptism thousands were there 56:29 because all these people normally go to the beach, 56:32 saw what was happening and gathered around. 56:35 And we had a rather large baptism too 56:38 and that woman was in the group to be baptized with a robe on. 56:42 Ten men in the sea, 56:44 ten associates out there with them 56:47 and ten deacons bringing the candidates 56:49 and ten leading them all, 56:51 we had a assistant and he was clicking 56:54 when suddenly my brother looked 56:56 and here comes that man apparently in a rage. 57:00 And as he came he saw her, 57:05 they moved up close to her sides 57:09 and he said to his wife, didn't I tell you 57:14 that if you join this thing I was going to kill you? 57:17 And she said that same two words, but I must. 57:23 You mean to tell me I'm gonna kill you 57:26 and yet you're gonna join this? 57:30 I must. 57:33 He reached out and grabbed her shoulders, 57:35 the man moved in closer 57:37 but then they couldn't understand 57:38 what he was doing. 57:39 He was sliding his hands down her arms 57:43 as he knelt on the ground 57:46 and he said, all my life I've been looking 57:50 for religion worth dying for. 57:53 Hey, this one is worth dying for. 57:57 Ellen White says, that God will show you 58:00 when you should sell your house and your land 58:05 and finances work around the world. 58:07 An old man told me in Cleveland, Ohio, 58:10 that people are gonna have to come down 58:12 and leave those expensive technological inventions, 58:16 leave those large television screens, 58:20 leave all of that that they cherish 58:23 and He will come out the front door 58:25 and He will take that as key to lock it 58:27 and He will dawn on Him no need locking it, 58:30 I'm not coming back here. 58:31 You'll throw the key down, 58:33 you're off to a new quarters in Christ Jesus. 59:00 Please, stand with me and sing our song 59:03 of commitment, "Soldiers of Christ arise." 59:09 Soldiers of Christ arise 59:13 And put your armor on 59:18 Strong in the strength which God supplies 59:23 Thru His eternal Son 59:28 Strong in the Lord of hosts 59:33 And in His mighty power 59:39 Who in the strength of Jesus trusts 59:44 Is more than conqueror 59:50 Stand then in His great might 59:54 With all His strength endued 59:59 But take, to arm you for the fight 01:00:04 The panoply of God 01:00:10 That, having all things done 01:00:14 And all your conflicts past 01:00:20 Ye may o'ercome thro' Christ alone 01:00:25 And stand complete at last 01:00:32 From strength to strength go on 01:00:37 Wrestle, and fight and pray 01:00:42 Tread all the powers of darkness down 01:00:47 And win the well fought day 01:00:52 Still let the Spirit cry 01:00:58 In all his soldiers, "Come!" 01:01:03 Till Christ the Lord who reigns on high 01:01:09 Shall take the conquerors home |
Revised 2015-02-12