And Abram hearkened
to the voice of Sarai."
00:18:05.92\00:18:10.13
Unfortunately,
in all the stories
00:18:10.16\00:18:11.47
that I have
shared from the Bible
00:18:11.50\00:18:13.09
the women are a bad influence.
00:18:13.12\00:18:15.44
It's not always like that.
00:18:15.47\00:18:17.52
I don't think.
00:18:17.55\00:18:19.81
And we don't have to be a
bad influence right, women?
00:18:19.84\00:18:21.96
Amen. Amen.
00:18:21.99\00:18:23.02
Amen, okay, but
unfortunately in the situation,
00:18:23.05\00:18:27.72
God had given a
promise to Abram and Sarai
00:18:27.75\00:18:31.08
and she says,
okay you know what,
00:18:31.11\00:18:33.19
God give us this promise
00:18:33.22\00:18:34.37
but clearly he is not
fulfilling it through me.
00:18:34.40\00:18:38.43
So maybe there is something
we can do to help God out.
00:18:38.46\00:18:42.42
Maybe there is
something we can contribute
00:18:42.45\00:18:45.21
in the fulfillment
of the Word of God.
00:18:45.24\00:18:47.96
Maybe, maybe we can
bring something to the table
00:18:47.99\00:18:51.15
in this situation.
00:18:51.18\00:18:53.36
And sadly Abram
listened to his wife.
00:18:53.39\00:18:56.72
I've heard from
my married friends
00:18:56.75\00:18:58.71
that husbands should
always listen to their wives
00:18:58.74\00:19:00.36
because they're always right.
00:19:00.39\00:19:03.31
The Bible says no.
00:19:03.34\00:19:04.55
So I don't know, I'd
say that I'm not married.
00:19:04.58\00:19:07.03
So I have no, no--
00:19:07.06\00:19:13.45
It won't effect
my life negatively.
00:19:13.48\00:19:14.97
That's what I'm trying to say.
00:19:15.00\00:19:16.32
Abram listens to his
wife and he goes into the maid
00:19:19.48\00:19:24.37
and they have a child
and his name is Ishmael.
00:19:24.40\00:19:27.63
Chapter 17:15, God
comes to Abram again
00:19:27.66\00:19:32.54
and He's reiterating the promise
00:19:32.57\00:19:35.64
that He'd
already given him earlier
00:19:35.67\00:19:38.70
and in verse 15
"God said to Abraham,
00:19:38.73\00:19:41.17
As for Sarai thy wife,
00:19:41.20\00:19:42.60
thou shalt not
call her name Sarai,
00:19:42.63\00:19:44.59
but Sarah shall her name be.
00:19:44.62\00:19:46.52
And I will bless her,
00:19:46.55\00:19:48.96
and give thee a son also
of her yea, I will bless her,
00:19:48.99\00:19:51.99
and she shall be
a mother of nations,
00:19:52.02\00:19:54.05
kings of people
shall be of her."
00:19:54.08\00:19:56.27
God had already
initially given the blessing
00:19:56.30\00:19:59.16
that I'm gonna
make you a great nation.
00:19:59.19\00:20:01.35
And he said okay, that's
nice and then he said well,
00:20:01.38\00:20:05.20
we don't have any kids
how about my servant Elias
00:20:05.23\00:20:07.37
and God said no.
00:20:07.40\00:20:08.62
I'm going to bless you with
a nation coming from you Abram
00:20:08.65\00:20:12.35
and then they
waited and they said well,
00:20:12.38\00:20:14.28
you know this
blessing isn't coming
00:20:14.31\00:20:15.96
so maybe we can
do something else
00:20:15.99\00:20:17.75
like and then he
says in verse 17.
00:20:17.78\00:20:22.03
"Abraham fell upon
his face, and laughed,
00:20:22.06\00:20:26.57
and said in his heart,
00:20:26.60\00:20:28.04
Shall a child be born unto him
that is an hundred years old?
00:20:28.07\00:20:32.91
And shall Sarah, that
is ninety years old, bear?"
00:20:32.94\00:20:36.22
So Abraham tries to
reason with God and he says
00:20:36.25\00:20:39.75
"O that Ishmael
might live before thee"
00:20:39.78\00:20:43.25
And God said no
you don't understand,
00:20:43.28\00:20:46.31
when I said I was
gonna bless you Abraham,
00:20:46.34\00:20:50.49
I meant you corporately you
and your wife are one flesh.
00:20:50.52\00:20:55.65
So I didn't mean
I'm gonna bless you
00:20:55.68\00:20:57.68
through some other women.
00:20:57.71\00:20:59.07
It should be understood
00:20:59.10\00:21:00.30
because you know
that God created man
00:21:00.33\00:21:02.79
to have one woman.
00:21:02.82\00:21:04.08
So it should be
understood and all this time
00:21:04.11\00:21:06.55
you're still struggling
with this and he says no
00:21:06.58\00:21:08.73
I'm gonna give you an
heir through your wife Sarah.
00:21:08.76\00:21:12.22
You see when God
gives a promise sometimes
00:21:16.07\00:21:19.58
we try in our own strength
to fulfill that promise.
00:21:19.61\00:21:24.22
Whereas God is capable
00:21:24.25\00:21:27.15
of fulfilling the
promises that He gives.
00:21:27.18\00:21:31.12
So in Genesis 12 let's go there
00:21:31.15\00:21:32.85
and read the promise
that God gave to Abraham.
00:21:32.88\00:21:37.86
Verse 1, it says, "And
the Lord had said unto Abram,
00:21:40.62\00:21:44.74
Get thee out of thy
country, and from thy kindred,
00:21:44.77\00:21:47.67
and from thy father's house,
00:21:47.70\00:21:48.94
unto a land that
I will show thee.
00:21:48.97\00:21:51.25
And I will make of
thee a great nation,
00:21:51.28\00:21:53.15
I will bless thee, I
will make thy name great;
00:21:53.18\00:21:56.01
and thou shalt be a blessing,
00:21:56.04\00:21:57.55
I will bless
them that bless thee,
00:21:57.58\00:21:58.74
and curse them that curseth thee
00:21:58.77\00:22:00.45
and in thee shall all families
of the earth be blessed.
00:22:00.48\00:22:04.57
So Abram departed,
00:22:05.90\00:22:07.18
as the Lord had spoken unto him,
00:22:07.21\00:22:08.98
and Lot went with him
and Abram was 75 years old
00:22:09.01\00:22:11.67
when he departed out of Haran."
00:22:11.70\00:22:13.34
God gives this promise, right,
00:22:13.37\00:22:14.67
and He says, "Okay
here is the deal Abram,
00:22:14.70\00:22:18.71
I'm calling you out to become
the father of many nations.
00:22:18.74\00:22:23.20
And here is how it's gonna down,
00:22:23.23\00:22:24.87
I'm gonna bless you.
00:22:24.90\00:22:26.54
I will make thy name great.
00:22:26.57\00:22:28.08
I will do this for
you. I will do this.
00:22:28.11\00:22:30.24
And here is what
I want you to do.
00:22:30.27\00:22:32.12
Here is your part of the deal.
00:22:32.15\00:22:34.56
You obey Me."
00:22:34.59\00:22:37.39
God said, I will be
responsible for your future.
00:22:41.43\00:22:45.39
I will be responsible
for what happens in your life
00:22:45.42\00:22:47.47
all that I want for
you to do is to obey me
00:22:47.50\00:22:50.45
because you trust me.
00:22:50.48\00:22:52.78
And so in Hebrews 11
when he talks about Abram
00:22:52.81\00:22:55.16
as a father of
faith and he says,
00:22:55.19\00:22:57.46
"By faith that Abraham
went out from his hometown
00:22:57.49\00:23:00.44
and he sojourned
in the land of promise
00:23:00.47\00:23:02.58
as if he was a stranger."
00:23:02.61\00:23:04.98
By faith he obeyed what
God was asking him to do
00:23:05.01\00:23:07.96
even though he had no clue
00:23:07.99\00:23:09.36
where he was going to be living.
00:23:09.39\00:23:10.59
Even though, even though God
had promised him these things,
00:23:10.62\00:23:12.76
and he wasn't
seeing the results of it
00:23:12.79\00:23:14.53
right here and then,
00:23:14.56\00:23:15.59
but he did it by
faith because, why?
00:23:15.62\00:23:17.07
Because he trusted God.
00:23:17.10\00:23:19.56
So God says to him "Abraham,
look, here is the deal,
00:23:19.59\00:23:23.36
I'm gonna bless you all
you have to do is obey Me.
00:23:23.39\00:23:29.45
And obey Me
because you trust Me."
00:23:29.48\00:23:32.89
And this concept
of God being the one
00:23:35.34\00:23:37.70
who determines our lives
and who determines our future,
00:23:37.73\00:23:41.03
it's a hard
thing for a lot of us.
00:23:41.06\00:23:43.58
Because you know, we
have plans for our lives.
00:23:43.61\00:23:47.63
We have, we have
the cookie cutter thing
00:23:47.66\00:23:52.83
that we want to accomplish.
00:23:52.86\00:23:54.41
And sometimes it's kind of
hard to surrender that to God
00:23:54.44\00:23:57.38
and say okay, you know
what, Lord, all I need to do,
00:23:57.41\00:24:00.15
all you're asking me to
do is to trust and obey You.
00:24:00.18\00:24:02.85
Everything else I
leave in Your hands.
00:24:02.88\00:24:05.64
That may sound a
little extreme but I mean it.
00:24:07.28\00:24:11.70
I mean it because
it's in the Bible.
00:24:11.73\00:24:14.10
So my plan is to
go to medical school
00:24:18.97\00:24:23.02
and be a rich doctorate.
00:24:23.05\00:24:25.05
But maybe God says
00:24:25.08\00:24:26.42
that's not how I want
to use you in My work.
00:24:26.45\00:24:32.02
Maybe God wants
you to go be a janitor
00:24:32.05\00:24:34.44
in a conference office.
00:24:34.47\00:24:36.11
So everybody needs to
be a lawyer or doctor--
00:24:40.74\00:24:44.98
I keep picking on
doctor because Adventists,
00:24:45.01\00:24:47.08
everyone becomes a
doctor, you know what,
00:24:47.11\00:24:48.84
no lawyers, engineers, we
need more of those people.
00:24:48.87\00:24:52.24
But, you know, okay
I want to be a doctor
00:24:52.27\00:24:53.54
or maybe a lawyer
00:24:53.57\00:24:56.27
and God says, no, I
want you to be a mechanic.
00:24:56.30\00:24:59.04
Look, I have gifted
your hands, you have skills.
00:25:00.20\00:25:02.83
I was complaining
to a friend of mine
00:25:02.86\00:25:05.42
that a lot of times
when we talk about Adventist
00:25:05.45\00:25:08.96
in the professional world
doing amazing things for God.
00:25:08.99\00:25:12.03
It's like, where
are the mechanics.
00:25:12.06\00:25:15.57
Where are they?
00:25:15.60\00:25:16.96
Where are the
mechanics who are so excellent
00:25:16.99\00:25:19.26
in the "mechanicazizationing"
00:25:19.29\00:25:22.33
that people run to
their mechanic place.
00:25:22.37\00:25:27.82
I'm a girl, okay.
00:25:27.85\00:25:29.21
Bad excuse, I know.
00:25:31.62\00:25:33.73
But where are they?
00:25:33.76\00:25:35.72
Where are the
people who are excellent
00:25:35.75\00:25:37.33
in whatever trade they pick up.
00:25:37.36\00:25:39.78
And sometimes I think
we're living mediocre lives
00:25:42.06\00:25:44.88
because we are
following somebody else's dream
00:25:44.91\00:25:46.95
for our life.
00:25:46.98\00:25:48.05
We're following what
society says we should do.
00:25:48.08\00:25:51.54
And not what God said
and so God says Abraham,
00:25:51.57\00:25:56.66
it doesn't make
sense to anybody else.
00:25:56.69\00:25:58.86
I'm going to ask you to
leave your family behind,
00:25:58.89\00:26:01.52
I'm going to ask you to
leave all your extended family,
00:26:01.55\00:26:03.62
your relative, I'm going
to ask you leave everything
00:26:03.65\00:26:05.55
that is
comfortable about your life
00:26:05.58\00:26:07.05
and you're gonna go wander
in a wilderness, for what?
00:26:07.08\00:26:10.03
For a promise that
you're not even going to see
00:26:10.06\00:26:11.48
the fulfillment off in your day.
00:26:11.51\00:26:13.93
But Abraham trusted God
00:26:15.72\00:26:19.97
and because he
trusted God he obeyed.
00:26:20.00\00:26:22.32
Now turn with
me to Ezekiel 28...
00:26:24.08\00:26:27.91
Ezekiel 28...
00:26:32.43\00:26:34.80
and we'll start in verse 12,
00:26:39.45\00:26:42.10
Ezekiel 28:12 reads "Son of man,
00:26:42.13\00:26:45.17
take up a lamentation
upon the king of Tyrus,
00:26:45.20\00:26:47.72
and say unto him,
Thus saith the Lord God,
00:26:47.75\00:26:51.34
Thou sealest up the
sum, full of wisdom,
00:26:51.37\00:26:53.59
and perfect in beauty.
00:26:53.62\00:26:55.17
Thou hast been in
Eden the garden of God,
00:26:55.20\00:26:57.63
every precious
stone was thy covering."
00:26:57.66\00:26:59.75
And the he lists the stones.
00:26:59.78\00:27:02.06
"In the middle of day he starts
the workmanship of thy tabrets
00:27:02.09\00:27:04.84
and of thy pipes
was prepared in thee
00:27:04.87\00:27:06.84
in the day that
thou wast created."
00:27:06.87\00:27:08.31
Verse 14 "Thou art the
anointed cherub that covereth."
00:27:08.34\00:27:12.68
And t his is the part
that I like us to focus on.
00:27:12.71\00:27:15.38
"God says, and I
have set thee so."
00:27:15.41\00:27:21.29
God says to Lucifer
00:27:21.32\00:27:23.94
you are this
anointed cherub that covers
00:27:23.97\00:27:26.61
and that is the
place that I gave you.
00:27:26.64\00:27:30.31
That is the
role that I gave you.
00:27:30.34\00:27:32.27
That is your purpose--
00:27:32.30\00:27:34.53
That's, that's My
plan for you life.
00:27:34.56\00:27:37.55
Well, let's turn to Isaiah 14
00:27:40.31\00:27:41.76
and some of you
know where this is going,
00:27:41.79\00:27:44.44
Isaiah 14...
00:27:46.39\00:27:48.18
verse 12 says,
00:27:54.91\00:27:58.15
"How art thou fallen
from heaven, O Lucifer,
00:27:58.18\00:28:01.39
son of the morning,
00:28:01.42\00:28:03.73
how art thou cut
down to the ground,
00:28:03.76\00:28:05.80
which didst weaken the nations."
00:28:05.83\00:28:07.52
And this is what was
going on in Lucifer's heart.
00:28:07.55\00:28:09.84
"For thou hast
said in thine heart,
00:28:09.87\00:28:12.53
I will ascend into heaven,
00:28:12.56\00:28:14.34
I will exalt my throne
above the stars of God,
00:28:14.37\00:28:16.93
I will sit also upon the
mount of the congregation,
00:28:16.96\00:28:19.39
in the sides of the north,
00:28:19.42\00:28:20.45
I will ascend above
the heights of the clouds,
00:28:20.48\00:28:22.95
I will be like the Most High."
00:28:22.98\00:28:26.97
In his heart he said, "Okay,
00:28:28.24\00:28:30.10
this is the
position you've given to me
00:28:30.13\00:28:32.01
but this is what I
want to do with my life."
00:28:32.04\00:28:36.19
This is what I want to
become covering cherub,
00:28:36.22\00:28:40.45
I want to be something else.
00:28:40.48\00:28:43.05
And we have the same problem.
00:28:46.59\00:28:49.32
We have the same problem.
00:28:54.24\00:28:56.96
This is my plan for my life.
00:28:56.99\00:28:59.31
And even though God
has said something else,
00:28:59.34\00:29:02.95
even though it may be God is
calling me to something else,
00:29:02.98\00:29:06.04
no, I want to make
something of myself
00:29:06.07\00:29:11.26
rather than trusting that God
will be the one who makes me.
00:29:11.29\00:29:16.34
You know, I just need
to share this quotation.
00:29:16.37\00:29:21.59
This is gonna be
paraphrased quotation
00:29:21.62\00:29:23.07
because I didn't search
it out before coming up here.
00:29:23.10\00:29:26.50
It's in Adventist home
00:29:26.53\00:29:29.02
and Ellen White
is talking to parents
00:29:29.05\00:29:31.61
and she says, you know, we
have this great commission,
00:29:31.64\00:29:35.80
we have a gospel to
preach to the world.
00:29:35.83\00:29:38.76
Jesus is coming soon, amen.
00:29:38.79\00:29:40.35
Amen.
00:29:40.38\00:29:41.45
We have the
Three Angels' Messages,
00:29:41.48\00:29:42.81
this precious trust that God
has given to us as a movement.
00:29:42.84\00:29:48.59
And then she
said, in light of this,
00:29:48.62\00:29:50.58
in light of the
gospel commission
00:29:50.61\00:29:52.05
that God has given to us,
00:29:52.08\00:29:53.61
in light of this fact,
00:29:53.64\00:29:54.92
how can we educate our children
00:29:57.71\00:30:00.16
for lives of
respectable conventionality?
00:30:00.19\00:30:03.80
Do you understand
what she is saying?
00:30:06.14\00:30:08.68
She's saying if your
only goal is to get a job,
00:30:08.71\00:30:12.71
get married and
that's it, you've arrived.
00:30:12.74\00:30:15.38
She's like how can we
do that as God's people?
00:30:15.41\00:30:19.42
Knowing what we know.
00:30:19.45\00:30:22.44
How can that be
our goal in life?
00:30:22.47\00:30:24.10
How can that be the
end all and the be all.
00:30:24.13\00:30:26.63
Yes, now, you know,
I'm a great Christian.
00:30:26.66\00:30:28.49
And I read an article, it was
not by a Seventh-day Adventist
00:30:28.52\00:30:32.31
and I was surprised to
read this but in this--
00:30:32.34\00:30:36.46
It was a blog actually
and this guy was saying,
00:30:36.49\00:30:39.30
he was saying, you
know, we're not raising--
00:30:39.33\00:30:43.26
How do you say?
00:30:43.29\00:30:44.35
He said we're not
raising Christians,
00:30:44.38\00:30:46.00
we're raising good citizens.
00:30:46.03\00:30:49.24
He said we're raising
kids not to trust God,
00:30:49.27\00:30:52.97
obey him, depend upon him,
00:30:53.00\00:30:55.57
we're raising kids who will
do right, do the right thing.
00:30:55.60\00:31:01.18
Who will pay their taxes?
00:31:01.21\00:31:04.11
We're raising kids who'll
be nice to their neighbors
00:31:04.14\00:31:06.54
and take them
cookies or vegan cookies,
00:31:06.57\00:31:10.26
the peanut butter kind.
00:31:10.29\00:31:12.53
He said, we're not
raising Christians.
00:31:15.02\00:31:18.15
And I read that
and I thought, my.
00:31:18.18\00:31:23.05
We have the same
problem in our church.
00:31:26.73\00:31:31.66
We're not raising Christians,
we're raising good citizens,
00:31:31.69\00:31:37.42
who'll do "the right thing."
00:31:37.45\00:31:41.25
And then we grow up as kids
00:31:41.28\00:31:42.80
and that's my only goal in life.
00:31:42.83\00:31:47.32
Look, there is a
purpose that is higher
00:31:47.35\00:31:49.77
than just
respectable conventionality.
00:31:49.80\00:31:53.97
There can be more
to life than just that.
00:31:54.00\00:31:57.64
More to life than that.
00:31:57.67\00:32:01.48
But it means that
we got to trust God.
00:32:01.51\00:32:04.53
It means that I
got to say, Lord,
00:32:04.56\00:32:06.19
I'm willing to do whatever
it is that you ask me to do.
00:32:06.22\00:32:09.29
Go wherever it is
that you ask me to go.
00:32:09.32\00:32:12.72
My life is in Your hands
and I want to challenge parents
00:32:12.75\00:32:18.89
let's raise Christians, amen.
00:32:18.92\00:32:20.71
Amen.
00:32:20.74\00:32:21.77
Let's raise
Seventh-day Adventist Christians
00:32:21.80\00:32:24.92
who have a gospel to preach.
00:32:24.95\00:32:27.61
So as they grow
up they realize that
00:32:27.64\00:32:29.23
I'm not going
to be here forever.
00:32:29.26\00:32:30.55
I'm not planning
to be here forever.
00:32:30.58\00:32:32.48
I will be as long
as I have to be here
00:32:32.51\00:32:34.58
but that's not
my purpose in life,
00:32:34.61\00:32:36.70
is not to be comfortable.
00:32:36.73\00:32:38.29
We need to be converted.
00:32:43.42\00:32:45.29
So turn with me to Genesis 1
00:32:49.22\00:32:51.30
and we're gonna read verse 1.
00:32:55.71\00:32:58.05
We're actually gonna read it
not because you don't know it
00:32:58.08\00:33:02.03
but we're just
gonna read it together.
00:33:02.06\00:33:04.38
Sometimes it good to read
something you've heard or said
00:33:04.41\00:33:06.02
over and over again.
00:33:06.05\00:33:07.76
The Bible says in Genesis 1:1
00:33:07.79\00:33:11.82
"In the beginning God created
the heaven and the earth."
00:33:11.85\00:33:19.82
Bible tells us in
the beginning God,
00:33:19.85\00:33:24.63
no explanation
for how he came about,
00:33:27.46\00:33:29.80
no teleological or cosmological,
00:33:29.83\00:33:33.53
ontological, all the articles,
arguments about why we believe.
00:33:33.56\00:33:38.34
It just says, it
just presents him.
00:33:38.37\00:33:39.79
In the beginning God
00:33:39.82\00:33:43.20
and then the first
thing it tells about God,
00:33:43.23\00:33:46.63
is that in the
beginning God created.
00:33:46.66\00:33:51.19
So the first thing that we
learn about God in this book
00:33:51.22\00:33:53.60
which is all about
telling us about God
00:33:53.63\00:33:56.15
and how we can
reconnect with Him.
00:33:56.18\00:33:57.31
It says, in the
beginning God created.
00:33:57.34\00:33:59.52
So here is the story, right?
00:33:59.55\00:34:01.85
God, okay.
00:34:01.88\00:34:04.98
Created. You get it?
00:34:09.77\00:34:14.72
No? Don't make
me run again, okay.
00:34:14.75\00:34:17.57
God created.
00:34:17.60\00:34:22.67
There is God and then
there is everything else
00:34:22.70\00:34:26.89
in the entire
universe that is created.
00:34:26.92\00:34:32.18
You guys get it?
00:34:32.21\00:34:33.50
Yeah, okay.
00:34:33.53\00:34:35.58
This is important because
in the beginning God created
00:34:35.61\00:34:42.60
and no matter what creator does,
00:34:42.63\00:34:45.12
created will never be God.
00:34:45.15\00:34:47.35
Amen.
00:34:47.38\00:34:48.88
There is no way
we can we can be God.
00:34:48.91\00:34:50.85
Impossible, because we
weren't' in the beginning.
00:34:50.88\00:34:54.44
No, too late.
00:34:54.47\00:34:55.96
So in my favorite passage
in the Bible in Genesis 3,
00:35:00.25\00:35:05.50
when Lucifer says to Eve,
00:35:05.53\00:35:08.18
you know the reason why God
is withholding this from you
00:35:08.21\00:35:10.29
is because he knows that
in the day you eat their off
00:35:10.32\00:35:12.71
you shall be as God's.
00:35:12.74\00:35:15.65
He's saying, look,
00:35:15.68\00:35:16.83
I know that God has
given you a specific place,
00:35:16.86\00:35:19.79
a role, purpose,
00:35:19.82\00:35:23.35
but are you sure that the place
00:35:23.38\00:35:28.15
that God has given to
you is a right place for you?
00:35:28.18\00:35:30.72
I mean,
shouldn't you have a say?
00:35:30.75\00:35:33.37
I mean, like maybe you
could be something else.
00:35:33.40\00:35:36.55
So you start to see
that in the universe
00:35:40.89\00:35:44.21
there is God and there
is everything else created
00:35:44.24\00:35:47.35
and when God creates,
00:35:47.38\00:35:48.80
He sets things
in a certain place.
00:35:48.83\00:35:50.89
He gives things a certain role.
00:35:50.92\00:35:53.31
And we're happiest when
we're living in accordance
00:35:53.34\00:35:56.64
with the role that
God has given to us.
00:35:56.67\00:35:59.93
And I struggled
with that concept,
00:35:59.96\00:36:02.48
because I'm all about
independence, you know.
00:36:02.51\00:36:05.36
I went to a women's
college which boasts some
00:36:05.39\00:36:10.36
well-known
alumni, Hillary Clinton,
00:36:10.39\00:36:14.92
Madeleine Albright,
Chiang Kai-shek's wife.
00:36:14.95\00:36:20.67
And it's all about like freedom.
00:36:25.66\00:36:27.74
I can do it. I got this.
00:36:27.77\00:36:31.41
D-I-Y, 'Do It Yourself'.
00:36:31.44\00:36:37.34
You don't need anybody else.
00:36:39.56\00:36:41.93
And I think maybe it's
because I came to America
00:36:41.96\00:36:44.80
and just got more
deeply ingrained in me.
00:36:44.83\00:36:46.88
This society has a
serious independence problem.
00:36:46.91\00:36:52.45
I can do it myself, I
don't need anybody else.
00:36:52.48\00:36:55.15
I got this.
00:36:55.18\00:36:57.10
I don't need you
help, I can do it.
00:36:57.13\00:37:00.83
And it's only when you get
00:37:00.86\00:37:02.16
to the very,
very, very, very extreme
00:37:02.19\00:37:05.75
maybe you'll accept help.
00:37:05.78\00:37:07.23
And even then sometimes
people don't accept help.
00:37:07.26\00:37:09.48
I have never seen
a society so lonely,
00:37:11.93\00:37:16.01
surrounded by people
and yet unable to connect.
00:37:18.86\00:37:23.68
And we can't connect, why?
00:37:23.71\00:37:25.38
Because I got
this, I got my own space,
00:37:25.41\00:37:28.03
I'm in charge of this
area, I will handle this stuff,
00:37:28.06\00:37:31.15
you handle your own business,
I will handle my business,
00:37:31.18\00:37:33.74
we're happy.
00:37:33.77\00:37:35.06
It happens in the church,
00:37:37.25\00:37:39.71
instead of the church
being a community of people
00:37:39.74\00:37:41.91
who come together,
bear one another's burdens,
00:37:41.94\00:37:44.53
church becomes a place
where you come to act upfront.
00:37:44.56\00:37:48.74
Look good in
front of the pulpit,
00:37:48.77\00:37:51.88
sing a really nice song
00:37:51.91\00:37:54.88
and the very
purpose of church lost.
00:37:54.91\00:37:58.80
We're supposed to
be family, community.
00:37:58.83\00:38:02.38
You know that's one thing I
appreciate when I come to GYC
00:38:02.41\00:38:05.26
I get that sense, you know,
we're praying for each other,
00:38:05.29\00:38:08.65
you meet people in the
corridor and let's pray together
00:38:08.68\00:38:11.00
and I'm like, why can't
we just have this everywhere?
00:38:11.03\00:38:15.25
This is what it should be like.
00:38:15.28\00:38:17.95
Because I want to suggest
to you that what the Bible--
00:38:19.66\00:38:26.31
The model the Bible has
is not one of independence.
00:38:26.34\00:38:31.59
Neither is it
one of co-dependence.
00:38:31.62\00:38:33.55
Now you've seen those people
00:38:33.58\00:38:34.77
in codependent
relationships, right?
00:38:34.80\00:38:37.48
Like, you can't see
him without seeing her.
00:38:37.51\00:38:40.93
It's like they're
attached to their hip.
00:38:40.96\00:38:42.82
Am I the only one?
00:38:42.85\00:38:45.57
Yeah, I guess I'm the only one.
00:38:45.60\00:38:46.82
Okay...
00:38:46.85\00:38:47.96
Where-- It's like
they have no individuality.
00:38:51.86\00:38:55.43
No personal sense of,
this is my purpose in my life.
00:38:59.55\00:39:02.34
I will do anything he says
or he'll do anything she says.
00:39:02.37\00:39:06.80
Ellen White says,
before you're getting married
00:39:06.83\00:39:09.10
you better know what
God has called you to do.
00:39:09.13\00:39:11.88
You better know who you
are, your purpose in life
00:39:11.91\00:39:16.12
and then you don't give that
up just to be with somebody.
00:39:16.15\00:39:19.80
But the problem is we're
getting into relationships
00:39:21.95\00:39:24.18
before we have a
relationship with God.
00:39:24.21\00:39:27.47
Before we know Him,
00:39:27.50\00:39:28.86
before we know
His will for or lives.
00:39:28.89\00:39:31.09
So I don't know,
people talk about,
00:39:33.68\00:39:34.79
you know, there is an age,
00:39:34.82\00:39:35.88
oh, she is too young, too old.
00:39:35.91\00:39:38.03
I'm like nobody should be--
00:39:38.07\00:39:39.23
As Adventist
nobody should be getting--
00:39:39.26\00:39:42.42
is that the right word to
use, no that's not right word.
00:39:42.45\00:39:44.14
Nobody should be
getting connected
00:39:44.17\00:39:46.02
in an intimate relationship
for the purpose of marriage
00:39:46.05\00:39:50.20
until, unless they have
relationship with Jesus first.
00:39:50.23\00:39:56.01
Amen.
00:39:56.04\00:39:58.36
And that's how
codependence happens.
00:39:58.39\00:40:00.46
And I want to suggest you
00:40:00.49\00:40:01.52
that the Bible's
model is not independence.
00:40:01.55\00:40:06.37
Like I don't need you
and it's not co-dependence,
00:40:06.40\00:40:09.39
I can't live without
you, my life is so empty,
00:40:09.42\00:40:11.60
I fall to pieces every
time you walk out the room.
00:40:11.63\00:40:13.44
No, the Bible's model,
00:40:13.47\00:40:18.23
the Bible's model
is interdependence.
00:40:18.26\00:40:24.12
Interdependence, turn
with me to Philippians 2.
00:40:24.15\00:40:26.57
Philippians 2
00:40:31.13\00:40:32.71
and we'll read from verse 12.
00:40:39.17\00:40:43.05
Paul says,
"Wherefore, my beloved,
00:40:43.08\00:40:46.08
as ye have always obeyed,
not as in my presence only,
00:40:46.11\00:40:49.39
but now much
more in my absence."
00:40:49.42\00:40:51.97
And then he says,
"Workout your own salvation
00:40:52.00\00:40:54.58
with fear and trembling."
00:40:54.61\00:40:57.67
And the question becomes,
00:40:57.70\00:40:58.93
I mean, we don't
believe in righteousness by work
00:40:58.96\00:41:01.83
so what is he talking about,
00:41:01.86\00:41:03.14
workout your own salvation
with fear and trembling?
00:41:03.17\00:41:07.67
And lot of times this is what
I've heard, people then say,
00:41:07.70\00:41:09.95
oh, well, but look at verse 13.
00:41:09.98\00:41:11.59
"For it is God
which worketh in you
00:41:11.62\00:41:13.60
both to will and to
do of his good pleasure."
00:41:13.63\00:41:15.59
So you see,
workout your salvation,
00:41:15.62\00:41:17.37
it does not really
mean workout your salvation.
00:41:17.40\00:41:19.75
It means that let God
workout your salvation.
00:41:19.78\00:41:21.86
I mean, okay.
00:41:24.15\00:41:25.38
But what I'm
reading here is Paul says,
00:41:27.86\00:41:31.40
"Workout your
own salvation." Why?
00:41:31.43\00:41:34.59
Because God is working in you.
00:41:34.62\00:41:40.23
That means you
have a role to play
00:41:40.26\00:41:44.23
and let's not
run away from that.
00:41:44.26\00:41:47.16
We have a part to
play in this thing.
00:41:47.19\00:41:49.64
There is a work that
God is calling us to do.
00:41:49.67\00:41:53.46
Workout your own salvation
with fear and trembling,
00:41:53.49\00:41:56.12
take it seriously.
00:41:56.15\00:41:58.90
Because God is
taking His part seriously,
00:41:58.93\00:42:01.47
He took it so seriously,
00:42:01.50\00:42:02.54
He took it all
the way to the cross.
00:42:02.57\00:42:04.80
Now you have a role to play too.
00:42:04.83\00:42:06.75
And we've been
talking about it already.
00:42:11.69\00:42:13.93
So as He said with Abraham,
00:42:16.68\00:42:20.18
"Abraham, I want
to do this for you.
00:42:20.21\00:42:24.85
This is what I
have for your life.
00:42:24.88\00:42:28.72
I just need you to
trust Me because you trust Me,
00:42:28.75\00:42:33.52
I want you to obey."
00:42:33.55\00:42:36.58
Abraham gets caught
up, trying to do God's part
00:42:36.61\00:42:41.48
and God says, I never
asked to you to make the nation.
00:42:41.51\00:42:44.09
I will make a nation of you.
I never asked you to do that.
00:42:44.12\00:42:48.86
I asked you to trust me
00:42:48.89\00:42:50.77
and because you
trust Me, obey Me.
00:42:50.80\00:42:53.12
That's what I
have asked you to do.
00:42:53.15\00:42:54.57
That is the work
that I want for you to do.
00:42:54.60\00:42:56.94
We get caught up
trying to do God's work
00:43:00.63\00:43:04.84
and so this idea of
interdependence means
00:43:04.87\00:43:08.12
that everyone
has a role to play.
00:43:08.15\00:43:09.81
I have a role to play,
God has a role to play.
00:43:12.24\00:43:15.96
And in my salvation,
00:43:15.99\00:43:18.11
I have a role to play,
God has a role to play.
00:43:18.14\00:43:21.49
I'll read a quote for
you from Spirit of Prophecy.
00:43:24.87\00:43:31.18
This is from Acts of
the Apostles, page 482.
00:43:31.21\00:43:35.28
She is commenting
on this very text.
00:43:35.31\00:43:38.01
She says, "The work
of gaining salvation
00:43:38.04\00:43:39.88
is one of co-partnership.
00:43:39.91\00:43:43.41
A joint operation
00:43:43.44\00:43:46.36
there is to be
cooperation between God
00:43:46.39\00:43:49.33
and the repentance sinner."
00:43:49.36\00:43:52.60
Now I'm not preaching
righteousness by works.
00:43:52.63\00:43:55.74
Please don't misquote me.
00:43:55.77\00:43:59.50
I'm talking about
there is work for us to do
00:43:59.53\00:44:02.11
which is a work of trusting God.
00:44:02.14\00:44:04.11
We're to cooperate
with Him in the work
00:44:04.14\00:44:06.01
that that He wants to do in us.
00:44:06.04\00:44:07.21
We have a role to play.
00:44:12.00\00:44:14.57
And so we went to Genesis
1 it said, in the beginning,
00:44:17.38\00:44:21.06
God created.
00:44:21.09\00:44:25.17
And ever since sin came,
00:44:25.20\00:44:28.08
created has been
trying to be God.
00:44:28.11\00:44:31.96
Impossible and
not even a good idea.
00:44:36.03\00:44:40.46
Now here is the thing, you know,
00:44:40.49\00:44:41.53
when we talk
about interdependence,
00:44:41.56\00:44:43.85
it's not a conversation
about equality, okay.
00:44:43.88\00:44:49.25
It's not I put in
50% you put in 50%.
00:44:49.28\00:44:51.74
Here's what I mean.
00:44:54.37\00:44:56.69
God has this role to play,
00:44:56.72\00:44:58.02
He's got this part
and I got my part to play.
00:44:58.05\00:45:00.87
And I am suggesting and my part
to play is to trust and obey.
00:45:00.90\00:45:04.22
And God has His--
Sorry, God has His part to play
00:45:04.25\00:45:07.55
and imagine if God was like,
00:45:07.58\00:45:10.87
okay, Sikhu, let's
do this fifty-fifty.
00:45:10.90\00:45:13.31
Right, because I mean,
00:45:13.34\00:45:14.37
I'm just carrying a
heavy load here on my part,
00:45:14.40\00:45:18.09
so you know, one of the
things that I do as God is
00:45:18.12\00:45:20.87
I number the hairs
on people's heads, okay.
00:45:20.90\00:45:24.08
I'm not going to ask
you to number the hairs
00:45:24.11\00:45:26.10
on everybody's head
because that's a big job.
00:45:26.13\00:45:29.16
But could you just number
the hairs on Sikhu's head?
00:45:29.19\00:45:33.11
And then could you decipher
00:45:33.14\00:45:35.53
which ones were
planted on her head
00:45:35.56\00:45:39.00
and which ones
grew out of her scull?
00:45:39.03\00:45:42.40
You would have a hard time.
00:45:45.24\00:45:46.61
You know we sometimes
think oh, well, you know,
00:45:51.23\00:45:53.31
I'm putting 50%,
other person puts in 50%
00:45:53.34\00:45:56.08
but that's not how
interdependence works
00:45:56.11\00:45:57.79
because when you
have different roles
00:45:57.82\00:45:59.53
you have different capabilities.
00:45:59.56\00:46:02.53
And your capabilities are geared
00:46:02.56\00:46:03.78
towards the role that
you have and that's okay.
00:46:03.81\00:46:08.78
And because I'm
not the same as you,
00:46:08.81\00:46:10.66
you can do
things that I can't do.
00:46:10.69\00:46:12.24
That's why we need each other.
00:46:12.27\00:46:13.51
And so in human
to human interaction
00:46:19.50\00:46:25.37
we're called to bare
one another's burdens,
00:46:25.40\00:46:28.69
to depend on one another.
00:46:28.72\00:46:30.92
In order to do that right,
00:46:30.95\00:46:33.58
we have to have a
sense of our own identity.
00:46:33.61\00:46:36.73
And I want to make
this distinction as well.
00:46:36.76\00:46:42.11
You know, there is
independence of thought
00:46:42.14\00:46:44.37
and then there is
independence of living, okay.
00:46:44.40\00:46:46.68
Independence of thought is
00:46:46.71\00:46:47.90
being able to
think for yourself, okay.
00:46:47.93\00:46:51.60
That's being able
to look at a situation
00:46:51.63\00:46:53.90
and think through the situation
00:46:53.93\00:46:56.44
and make an assessment,
make a decision, okay.
00:46:56.47\00:46:59.94
It manifest itself sometimes
it's commonsense, okay.
00:46:59.97\00:47:03.40
You know, just being able
00:47:03.43\00:47:04.99
to process things
for yourself and--
00:47:05.02\00:47:07.72
How many of you go to
secular universities here?
00:47:07.75\00:47:09.86
Show your hands.
00:47:09.89\00:47:11.16
Okay, all right.
00:47:11.19\00:47:13.26
I feel bad for you.
00:47:13.29\00:47:16.43
Because I mean, I went
to a secular university.
00:47:16.46\00:47:20.08
And by the way if you've have
never read the book Education,
00:47:20.11\00:47:22.92
you need to read it.
00:47:22.95\00:47:25.75
Because when I read that it
was after I finished college
00:47:25.78\00:47:28.36
and I thought I had been
mis-educated all my life.
00:47:28.39\00:47:34.45
Because in school they teach
you to sit there and listen
00:47:34.48\00:47:39.37
but there is no
action that follows it.
00:47:39.40\00:47:42.27
So they teach you to think
but there is no do that follows.
00:47:42.30\00:47:46.22
Or they teach you
to do without thinking.
00:47:46.25\00:47:52.24
Whereas true education is
the power to think and to do
00:47:52.27\00:47:58.42
and so we need to be
reeducated a lot of us.
00:47:58.45\00:48:02.01
So we can think and do.
00:48:02.04\00:48:04.99
So we can be capable of
having independent thought.
00:48:05.02\00:48:07.74
And God is counting on that.
00:48:10.22\00:48:11.74
You know, when
Ellen White talks about
00:48:11.77\00:48:12.84
what salvation
looks like she says,
00:48:12.87\00:48:14.14
you know, we put our
will on the side of God.
00:48:14.17\00:48:16.95
If we ain't got no will
00:48:16.98\00:48:18.05
to put on the side of
God you're in trouble.
00:48:18.08\00:48:20.19
The power to think and
to do, independent thought,
00:48:25.51\00:48:30.16
but then there's
a independent living
00:48:30.19\00:48:32.40
where I don't think I
need the other person.
00:48:32.43\00:48:34.76
Now let's go to Exodus
20 and we're winding down.
00:48:38.45\00:48:42.22
Exodus 20:8, it reads,
00:48:47.69\00:48:54.16
"Remember the
Sabbath day to keep it holy."
00:48:56.22\00:49:00.75
And then he says, "Six
days shalt thou labour,
00:49:00.78\00:49:04.23
and do all thy work."
00:49:04.26\00:49:06.27
Did you hear it?
00:49:06.30\00:49:07.98
Six days shall thou
labor and do all thy work.
00:49:08.01\00:49:12.70
I eat, I want to do something.
00:49:12.73\00:49:15.04
Well, remembering
the Sabbath is not about
00:49:15.07\00:49:17.22
oh, well, you
know, I don't anything.
00:49:17.25\00:49:18.96
He's is like, I
want you to do something
00:49:18.99\00:49:20.52
for six days labor
and do all thy work.
00:49:20.55\00:49:23.07
And He says,
"But the seventh day
00:49:23.10\00:49:25.54
is the sabbath of
the Lord thy God."
00:49:25.57\00:49:28.30
And then He tells us not
to do any work in that day."
00:49:28.33\00:49:30.37
And this is why in
verse 11, "For in six day
00:49:30.40\00:49:34.20
the Lord made heaven and earth,
the sea and all that in them is
00:49:34.23\00:49:38.34
and rested the
seventh day wherefore the Lord
00:49:38.37\00:49:41.09
blessed the Sabbath
day, and hallowed it."
00:49:41.12\00:49:45.44
And so he says, Sabbath,
the experience of Sabbath
00:49:45.47\00:49:51.26
is to remind
you that in six days
00:49:51.29\00:49:54.76
God created everything.
00:49:54.79\00:49:56.62
That in six days God created.
00:49:56.65\00:50:00.60
And whenever you
come to the Sabbath
00:50:00.63\00:50:02.28
you need to remember
this that God created.
00:50:02.31\00:50:05.58
And so when you're
resting from your work
00:50:05.61\00:50:07.43
you're realizing that
even though I can do stuff
00:50:07.46\00:50:10.35
whatever I do will
never get me over there.
00:50:10.38\00:50:14.68
No mater what I do,
I will be never be God.
00:50:14.71\00:50:17.14
I want you to remember that.
00:50:19.35\00:50:22.06
I want to propose as well
that the Sabbath reminds us that
00:50:22.09\00:50:26.76
I need to do something.
00:50:26.79\00:50:30.30
I need to put my trust in Him.
00:50:30.33\00:50:33.65
I need to depend on Him.
00:50:33.68\00:50:36.85
I need to rely on Him.
00:50:36.88\00:50:38.24
So that the Sabbath
there's a memorial in creation
00:50:41.11\00:50:44.70
becomes a barrier,
00:50:44.73\00:50:48.72
it prevents us from
falling into apostasy.
00:50:52.16\00:50:58.90
You know, Ellen
White says, how--
00:50:58.93\00:50:59.96
If God's people
had kept the Sabbath
00:50:59.99\00:51:02.37
they would
never have an infidel.
00:51:02.40\00:51:04.09
That the Sabbath is supposed
to be that kind of experience
00:51:08.33\00:51:11.38
and so how do we
remember the Sabbath day
00:51:11.41\00:51:13.96
not just on Saturday,
00:51:13.99\00:51:17.65
how do we remember the
Sabbath day throughout the week?
00:51:17.68\00:51:21.82
Here is how we remember
00:51:21.85\00:51:22.92
the Sabbath day
throughout the week.
00:51:22.95\00:51:24.84
God, I'm dependent upon You.
00:51:24.87\00:51:29.41
I rely on You.
00:51:29.44\00:51:31.75
I realize You're the creator,
00:51:31.78\00:51:32.82
You're the
sustainer of the universe.
00:51:32.85\00:51:36.04
And that every breath
that I take is a gift from You.
00:51:36.07\00:51:40.03
I realize that and I
chose to place my trust in You.
00:51:40.06\00:51:46.86
And because I trust
You, I will obey You.
00:51:46.89\00:51:50.75
And that's every
single day of the week
00:51:50.78\00:51:53.08
we remember the
principle of the Sabbath.
00:51:53.11\00:51:58.12
That God is creator, we're not,
00:51:58.15\00:52:02.68
His role is to be creator,
our role is to trust and obey.
00:52:02.71\00:52:06.47
And that becomes the
life of the Christian.
00:52:10.88\00:52:12.77
Are you following me?
Is anyone completely lost?
00:52:12.80\00:52:16.95
Okay.
00:52:16.98\00:52:19.76
I'm going to make an appeal.
00:52:19.79\00:52:22.45
It's not a stand up and
come forward kind of an appeal.
00:52:22.48\00:52:26.61
But my appeal is this,
00:52:26.64\00:52:30.95
maybe people in here
00:52:35.10\00:52:36.18
who have their own
plans with their lives
00:52:36.21\00:52:40.51
and you've been here at GYC
00:52:40.54\00:52:43.88
and it's become
abundantly clear to you
00:52:43.91\00:52:47.37
that maybe God is
calling you to something else.
00:52:47.40\00:52:52.90
That maybe that life of
respectable conventionality
00:52:52.93\00:52:57.81
that was the goal, maybe
that ought not to be the goal.
00:52:57.84\00:53:04.93
That maybe someone in here
who has already had that thought
00:53:04.96\00:53:07.59
because you've been
listening to the messages,
00:53:07.62\00:53:09.03
you've been listening to
the something is happening
00:53:09.06\00:53:10.68
and you're like, God is
calling me to do something.
00:53:10.71\00:53:15.53
And maybe you
don't even know what yet,
00:53:15.56\00:53:17.66
but you want to
say in your heart today
00:53:19.76\00:53:23.43
you want to say I will
obey, because I trust You.
00:53:23.46\00:53:26.42
That I'm not the
one who makes my life,
00:53:28.66\00:53:30.45
what I want my life to be,
00:53:30.48\00:53:31.63
that I put my
life in your hands.
00:53:31.66\00:53:35.14
And then God, whatever
you want to do with me do it.
00:53:35.17\00:53:39.51
There is a song that I used
to hate, a hymn, I used to hate.
00:53:39.54\00:53:44.83
I love hymns in general
but this one I didn't like.
00:53:44.86\00:53:48.37
It's called, "I will go
where you want me to go"
00:53:48.40\00:53:52.14
And every time we'd sing that
in church I would get so mad.
00:53:52.17\00:53:57.81
I will get angry and I
will look at everyone around me
00:53:57.84\00:54:01.13
and I will be
like, are you serious?
00:54:01.16\00:54:03.02
That's in my
heart, I didn't say it.
00:54:03.05\00:54:04.64
But I'm thinking,
are you serious right.
00:54:04.67\00:54:05.85
You will really go
where he wants you to?
00:54:05.88\00:54:07.72
What if he wants you to go
somewhere you wanted to go?
00:54:07.75\00:54:11.79
And that was my problem
with the song I was like,
00:54:11.82\00:54:13.39
well, I will go
where you want me to go
00:54:13.42\00:54:15.81
if it's somewhere I want to go.
00:54:15.84\00:54:18.50
Like why couldn't they just
add that little adage, you know.
00:54:18.53\00:54:21.61
"I will go where
you want me to go,
00:54:21.64\00:54:23.23
if it's where I want to go."
00:54:23.26\00:54:25.72
But it's a kind
of life that says,
00:54:28.93\00:54:30.29
I will go where
you want me to go.
00:54:30.32\00:54:32.85
I will say what
you want me to say.
00:54:32.88\00:54:35.34
I will be what
you want to be to be.
00:54:35.37\00:54:38.15
And the role that you
have selected for me--
00:54:38.18\00:54:40.02
See, when we get to heaven
00:54:40.05\00:54:41.08
God has a purpose
for our lives there too.
00:54:41.11\00:54:43.82
And this thing
of rebelling against
00:54:43.85\00:54:45.39
oh, well, I don't
want to do just like it.
00:54:45.42\00:54:47.05
I'm gonna get there because
you will be unhappy in heaven.
00:54:47.08\00:54:50.08
You'll still be rebelling
same thing that Lucifer did.
00:54:50.11\00:54:52.28
Well, God is calling us to do
00:54:56.13\00:54:58.85
and that I hope that we
had a strong enough foundation
00:54:58.88\00:55:01.47
on the trust and obey part,
00:55:01.50\00:55:03.18
that you'll understand this is
not a legalistic kind of thing.
00:55:03.21\00:55:06.13
We're saying if you want to say
00:55:09.10\00:55:12.22
that I'm actually
worthy of your trust.
00:55:12.25\00:55:14.39
And in this controversy
where Satan is claiming that,
00:55:14.42\00:55:18.18
you know, my
character is not worthy of trust
00:55:18.21\00:55:20.57
because I'm selfish and--
00:55:20.60\00:55:21.72
but if you want to be
one of those arguments
00:55:21.75\00:55:23.64
that says, you know what, no.
00:55:23.67\00:55:25.25
God is worthy of my trust
and because I trust Him so much
00:55:25.28\00:55:28.26
I will put my life in His hands.
00:55:28.29\00:55:30.82
I will go, say, do
whatever He wants for me to go
00:55:30.85\00:55:36.74
wherever and whatever
He wants me to go, say, do.
00:55:36.77\00:55:39.84
If that's you, I
invite you to raise your hand
00:55:44.64\00:55:47.62
because this is
between you and God.
00:55:47.65\00:55:51.23
And God is seeing those hands.
00:55:51.26\00:55:54.07
This is saying, I haven't been
doing this, I want to do this.
00:55:54.10\00:55:58.09
It is saying, I
have not being doing--
00:55:58.12\00:56:00.41
This is saying I
haven't been doing this,
00:56:00.44\00:56:01.76
I want to do this now.
00:56:01.79\00:56:04.09
This is what I
want to do with my life.
00:56:04.12\00:56:05.47
I want to put my
life in your hands.
00:56:05.50\00:56:08.73
And whatever you ask me to do,
00:56:08.76\00:56:10.13
even if it looks
uncomfortable I will do it.
00:56:10.16\00:56:15.37
Let's bow our heads as we pray.
00:56:15.40\00:56:18.08
Father, you see the
hands that are raised
00:56:18.11\00:56:22.31
and I know Lord, that
we all struggle with this
00:56:22.34\00:56:24.78
because we have our
own plans for our lives.
00:56:24.81\00:56:27.01
We have the way
society has told us to think,
00:56:27.04\00:56:29.30
we have the way
we've been raised,
00:56:29.33\00:56:30.95
we have all these
goals that we have
00:56:30.98\00:56:32.74
and sometimes it's hard
to just let go and trust You.
00:56:32.77\00:56:37.26
But Father, in
the Sabbath experience
00:56:39.57\00:56:41.83
we see that You're
God and You created us.
00:56:41.86\00:56:47.45
That Your role is to
make of us what you see fit.
00:56:47.48\00:56:52.31
And we just need to surrender
00:56:52.34\00:56:53.44
and put
ourselves into Your hands.
00:56:53.47\00:56:56.35
Father, we pray
that our experience
00:56:56.38\00:56:58.16
on a day to day basis will
be this kind of an experience.
00:56:58.19\00:57:02.50
Not so people
can see and praise,
00:57:02.53\00:57:08.27
but because we love You.
00:57:08.30\00:57:11.73
We want to pray especially
for these hands that are raised
00:57:11.76\00:57:14.57
that you'd make
it abundantly clear
00:57:14.60\00:57:17.16
what Your will
is for their lives.
00:57:17.19\00:57:19.96
That You'd send the
Holy Spirit even this weekend
00:57:19.99\00:57:21.89
especially on this Sabbath
day to speak to their hearts,
00:57:21.92\00:57:25.72
to show them what it
is You're calling them to.
00:57:25.75\00:57:29.40
And Father, we
thank You, we thank You
00:57:29.43\00:57:32.94
that even though You're
a God and You're so great
00:57:32.97\00:57:38.16
that You chose to
condescend to minister to us.
00:57:38.19\00:57:45.81
In surrender, Lord,
we pray these things
00:57:45.84\00:57:47.48
in name of Jesus, amen.
00:57:47.51\00:57:49.35