Come, Thou Fount
of every blessing
00:00:24.47\00:00:28.81
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace
00:00:28.84\00:00:32.74
Streams of mercy, never ceasing
00:00:32.77\00:00:36.85
Call for songs of loudest praise
00:00:36.88\00:00:40.88
Teach me ever to adore Thee
00:00:40.91\00:00:44.93
May I still Thy goodness prove
00:00:44.96\00:00:49.17
While the hope of endless glory
00:00:49.20\00:00:53.21
Fills my heart with joy and love
00:00:53.24\00:00:57.97
Here I raise my Ebenezer
00:00:58.00\00:01:02.00
Hither by Thy help I've come
00:01:02.03\00:01:05.75
And I hope by Thy good pleasure
00:01:05.78\00:01:09.47
Safely to arrive at home
00:01:09.50\00:01:13.34
Jesus sought me when a stranger
00:01:13.37\00:01:17.30
Wandering from the fold of God
00:01:17.33\00:01:21.48
He to rescue me from danger
00:01:21.51\00:01:25.57
Interposed His precious blood
00:01:25.60\00:01:29.84
O, to grace how great a debtor
00:01:29.87\00:01:34.20
Daily I'm constrained to be!
00:01:34.23\00:01:38.05
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter
00:01:38.08\00:01:42.11
Bind me closer still to Thee
00:01:42.14\00:01:45.93
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it
00:01:45.96\00:01:49.72
Prone to leave the God I love
00:01:49.75\00:01:54.67
Here's my heart
O, take and seal it
00:01:54.70\00:01:59.05
Seal it for Thy courts above
00:01:59.08\00:02:04.96
Nice time to
sing our theme song,
00:02:06.74\00:02:08.42
"The Stage."
00:02:08.45\00:02:09.58
Please stand as we sing it.
00:02:09.61\00:02:12.39
The stage has been set
00:02:24.65\00:02:27.42
All creation looks on
00:02:27.45\00:02:30.40
Two kingdoms are
warring between right and wrong
00:02:30.43\00:02:35.91
The choices you make
have a very high cost
00:02:35.94\00:02:41.24
Eternity's won
or eternity's lost
00:02:41.27\00:02:47.03
Before men and angels
00:02:47.06\00:02:50.04
Which side will you choose?
00:02:50.07\00:02:52.91
The Savior is waiting,
there's no time to lose
00:02:52.94\00:02:58.51
Before men and
angels, each soul plays a part
00:02:58.54\00:03:04.21
For you are the world
00:03:04.24\00:03:06.77
And the stage is your heart
00:03:06.80\00:03:12.14
Invisible
forces are vying to win
00:03:12.17\00:03:17.58
Is God in your heart,
or is darkness and sin?
00:03:17.61\00:03:22.97
For greater than
angels, above God's own voice
00:03:23.00\00:03:28.39
The power that's
strongest of all is your choice
00:03:28.42\00:03:34.25
Before men and angels,
which side will you choose?
00:03:34.28\00:03:40.19
The Savior is waiting,
there's no time to lose
00:03:40.22\00:03:45.99
Before men and
angels, each soul plays a part
00:03:46.02\00:03:51.87
For you are the world
00:03:51.90\00:03:54.49
And the stage is your heart
00:03:54.52\00:03:59.50
It's God's
reputation in question today
00:03:59.53\00:04:05.03
It's His vindication
for which you should pray
00:04:05.06\00:04:10.47
His glory is shown
through the universe wide
00:04:10.50\00:04:15.80
When you let Him
into your heart to reside
00:04:15.83\00:04:22.11
Before men and angels,
which side will you choose?
00:04:22.14\00:04:28.35
The Savior is waiting,
there's no time to lose
00:04:28.38\00:04:34.47
Before men and
angels, each soul plays a part
00:04:34.50\00:04:40.77
For you are the world
00:04:40.80\00:04:43.53
And the stage is your heart
00:04:43.56\00:04:48.84
You may be seated.
00:04:51.20\00:04:53.38
Good morning, GYC.
00:04:57.95\00:04:59.21
Good morning.
00:04:59.24\00:05:00.54
Have you been blessed by
the theme song this year?
00:05:00.57\00:05:04.33
I really, really like it,
the words, the music everything
00:05:04.36\00:05:07.51
really kind of I
hope is going to help us
00:05:07.54\00:05:10.35
take this theme on
for the rest of the year.
00:05:10.38\00:05:13.31
Anyhow I would like
to welcome you today
00:05:13.34\00:05:15.17
to morning devotions,
morning devotional program.
00:05:15.20\00:05:19.45
I really want to
ask you that you join me
00:05:19.48\00:05:22.96
as we pray for our
speaker this morning.
00:05:22.99\00:05:25.15
She has been feeling a
little bit ill with her voice
00:05:25.18\00:05:28.40
but she has a
passion and a desire
00:05:28.43\00:05:30.15
to share a word of God with you.
00:05:30.18\00:05:32.22
So if you just join
me as we pray for her
00:05:32.25\00:05:34.61
and pray for our hearts as well
00:05:34.64\00:05:35.76
that we'll be open and receptive
00:05:35.79\00:05:37.79
to the message this morning.
00:05:37.82\00:05:39.27
Let us pray.
00:05:39.30\00:05:41.33
Heavenly Father,
we thank You so much
00:05:41.36\00:05:42.84
because You love
us unconditionally.
00:05:42.87\00:05:44.43
You loved us first, Father.
00:05:44.46\00:05:46.10
And we just want
to pray at this point
00:05:46.13\00:05:48.29
that You will
please open our hearts
00:05:48.32\00:05:50.12
that you would
bless the word, Father,
00:05:50.15\00:05:52.29
that is going to be spoken
00:05:52.32\00:05:53.93
and I pray that You
would come into this place
00:05:53.96\00:05:57.75
and allow us an
encounter with You.
00:05:57.78\00:06:00.36
We pray for blessing
Father in Your son's name, amen.
00:06:00.39\00:06:04.42
Now and for always it is written
00:06:24.33\00:06:28.10
Penned by the loving hand of God
00:06:28.13\00:06:31.60
My people perish without vision
00:06:31.63\00:06:35.17
They go astray
00:06:35.20\00:06:38.82
And when a man
makes it his mission
00:06:38.85\00:06:42.39
To go where others have not trod
00:06:42.42\00:06:45.90
Into the Valley of Decision
00:06:45.93\00:06:49.39
To show the way
00:06:49.42\00:06:52.73
Of him they'll say
00:06:52.76\00:06:57.66
Hallelujah!
00:06:57.69\00:07:01.55
Blessed is the Man with a vision
00:07:01.58\00:07:05.18
Hallelujah!
00:07:05.21\00:07:08.64
One who delights in God's Word
00:07:08.67\00:07:12.22
Hallelujah!
00:07:12.25\00:07:15.56
He is a lover of Jesus
00:07:15.59\00:07:19.04
Hallelujah!
00:07:19.07\00:07:22.50
Blessed is the
man who fears the Lord
00:07:22.53\00:07:27.78
And in the midst of tribulation
00:07:33.47\00:07:36.77
He will stand
steadfast and secure
00:07:36.80\00:07:40.25
Gracious is he who shows
compassion in all his ways
00:07:40.28\00:07:47.34
And when his hands
are filled with riches
00:07:47.37\00:07:50.88
They're still
extended to the poor
00:07:50.91\00:07:54.42
This one will
bless his generation
00:07:54.45\00:07:58.04
All of his days
00:07:58.07\00:08:01.52
And they'll say
00:08:01.55\00:08:05.05
They'll say
00:08:05.08\00:08:06.28
Hallelujah!
00:08:06.31\00:08:09.86
Blessed is the Man with a vision
00:08:09.89\00:08:13.52
Hallelujah!
00:08:13.55\00:08:16.94
One who delights in God's Word
00:08:16.97\00:08:20.61
Hallelujah!
00:08:20.64\00:08:24.15
He is a lover of Jesus
00:08:24.18\00:08:27.62
Hallelujah!
00:08:27.65\00:08:31.18
Blessed is the
man who fears the Lord
00:08:31.21\00:08:36.11
And in a world
turned cold and heartless
00:08:44.42\00:08:51.75
And at a time we've lost our way
00:08:51.78\00:08:59.01
He is a beacon in the darkness
00:08:59.04\00:09:06.15
And all who hear of him will say
00:09:06.18\00:09:14.11
They'll say
00:09:15.64\00:09:17.59
Hallelujah!
00:09:17.62\00:09:21.19
Blessed is the Man with a vision
00:09:21.22\00:09:24.88
Hallelujah!
00:09:24.91\00:09:28.23
One who delights in God's Word
00:09:28.26\00:09:31.88
Hallelujah!
00:09:31.91\00:09:35.55
He is a lover of Jesus
00:09:35.58\00:09:39.24
Hallelujah!
00:09:39.27\00:09:42.67
Blessed is the
man who fears the Lord
00:09:42.70\00:09:47.83
Yes, blessed is the
man who fears the Lord
00:09:49.48\00:09:56.25
Good morning, GYC.
00:10:18.10\00:10:22.93
The remnant.
00:10:22.96\00:10:24.02
Amen.
00:10:28.42\00:10:31.16
Many of you've
been blessed this year.
00:10:31.19\00:10:33.79
Amen.
00:10:33.82\00:10:35.29
I've been uniquely blessed.
00:10:35.32\00:10:38.67
This has been a very
different GYC experience for me.
00:10:38.70\00:10:43.30
But especially getting
to see the Great Controversy
00:10:43.33\00:10:47.35
working out in my own life.
00:10:47.38\00:10:51.34
You know, I was
talking with the friend of mine
00:10:51.37\00:10:53.50
and she said
I'm praying for you.
00:10:53.53\00:10:55.47
And I'm praying
that as you prepare
00:10:55.50\00:10:58.15
that God would make
the Great Controversy
00:10:58.18\00:11:00.07
a reality in your life.
00:11:00.10\00:11:01.27
And I said why?
00:11:01.30\00:11:04.73
Why you praying that for me?
00:11:04.76\00:11:06.50
I don't want that
but it's a blessing
00:11:06.53\00:11:10.02
to represent God in our lives.
00:11:10.05\00:11:12.59
It's a blessing
to be an argument
00:11:12.62\00:11:17.13
in this controversy
00:11:17.16\00:11:18.47
and argument in
favor of God to say that
00:11:18.50\00:11:20.74
God is worthy of our trust
00:11:20.77\00:11:23.69
and because we trust
Him, we obey Him, amen.
00:11:23.72\00:11:27.81
That's a blessing and
the privilege that we have.
00:11:27.84\00:11:30.36
This morning, our message is--
00:11:30.39\00:11:34.81
I guess a
combination of the messages that
00:11:34.84\00:11:37.09
we've been sharing
together in the mornings.
00:11:37.12\00:11:39.79
So let's bow our heads
00:11:39.82\00:11:41.12
and we'll get
started this morning.
00:11:41.15\00:11:45.69
Loving Father, we're thankful
00:11:45.72\00:11:49.64
that You call us
00:11:49.67\00:11:54.63
to be an argument in Your favor.
00:11:54.66\00:11:57.52
Lord, we pray that
the way we live our lives
00:11:57.55\00:12:00.73
would be the way that
Christ lived His life.
00:12:00.76\00:12:03.41
We thank You that Jesus
came to be an example for us
00:12:03.44\00:12:07.61
and that because of His example
00:12:07.64\00:12:09.04
and because He
triumphed in our behalf,
00:12:09.07\00:12:11.62
we can also have the victory.
00:12:11.65\00:12:14.21
We pray that as we
open Your word this morning,
00:12:14.24\00:12:17.95
the Holy Spirit
would be our teacher
00:12:17.98\00:12:20.12
that You'd be the one to speak
00:12:20.15\00:12:21.18
to our hearts and to our minds.
00:12:21.21\00:12:23.11
We pray these things in
the name of Jesus, amen.
00:12:23.14\00:12:26.91
Turn with me in your
Bibles to 1 Kings 19,
00:12:26.94\00:12:31.19
1 Kings 19.
00:12:31.22\00:12:37.46
Israel had been in apostasy,
the worst king ever Ahab
00:12:37.49\00:12:44.16
and he had led the
nation into apostate state.
00:12:44.19\00:12:51.47
You see he had married
Jezebel who was the daughter
00:12:51.50\00:12:56.41
of the priest of another
God who is not their God.
00:12:56.44\00:13:03.68
And this decision that he made
00:13:03.71\00:13:05.04
to marry this woman
who was not of Israel,
00:13:05.07\00:13:08.27
who was not one of God's people
00:13:08.30\00:13:11.11
had a huge impact on
the children of Israel,
00:13:11.14\00:13:13.89
huge.
00:13:13.92\00:13:15.02
Jezebel came in
00:13:15.05\00:13:16.35
and she had all of
God's prophets killed
00:13:16.38\00:13:18.73
and she instated
her own prophets.
00:13:18.76\00:13:22.61
Four hundred and
fifty prophets of Baal,
00:13:22.64\00:13:27.72
so that the
decisions that we make
00:13:27.75\00:13:29.86
when it comes to that
very important decision
00:13:29.89\00:13:33.38
the marital union,
00:13:33.41\00:13:35.07
have huge impact on our ministry
00:13:35.10\00:13:39.31
and our ability to reach people,
00:13:39.34\00:13:41.35
and our ability
to have an impact
00:13:41.38\00:13:42.82
in the world for Christ.
00:13:42.85\00:13:44.94
And Ahab had made this decision
00:13:44.97\00:13:47.89
and it had brought
the children of Israel
00:13:47.92\00:13:50.44
into a terrible state.
00:13:50.47\00:13:52.58
But then shows up Elijah,
00:13:55.36\00:13:58.47
the prophet of
God, mighty man of God.
00:13:58.50\00:14:02.66
And he came and he told Ahab
00:14:02.69\00:14:05.77
that there was gonna
be famine in the land
00:14:05.80\00:14:08.24
for three years.
00:14:08.27\00:14:10.81
And thereafter
God did something,
00:14:10.84\00:14:15.90
He told Ahab and He told Elijah
00:14:15.93\00:14:18.31
to call all those prophets
together onto that mountain
00:14:18.34\00:14:22.38
and they were gonna try to
see whose God was the real God?
00:14:22.41\00:14:29.03
And they
brought their sacrifices
00:14:29.06\00:14:31.58
and all those prophets
of Baal, all those priests,
00:14:31.61\00:14:35.70
they came and he said,
00:14:35.73\00:14:37.90
we want to see the God
who will answer by fire.
00:14:37.93\00:14:41.97
And so they
started begging their God
00:14:42.00\00:14:46.63
to bring fire down
to burn the sacrifice
00:14:46.66\00:14:50.76
and no fire came.
00:14:50.79\00:14:54.08
And the day
wore on and they kept
00:14:54.11\00:14:55.92
trying and trying,
00:14:55.95\00:14:57.52
they started cutting themselves.
00:14:57.55\00:14:59.23
And you know,
it's-- I love the Bible,
00:14:59.26\00:15:01.31
I think the
Bible is so real, yeah?
00:15:01.34\00:15:04.51
Because it tells us that
00:15:04.54\00:15:06.60
Elijah started
making fun of them.
00:15:06.63\00:15:08.72
He said, "Oh,
cry a little louder,
00:15:08.75\00:15:11.17
maybe your God is sleeping."
00:15:11.20\00:15:12.77
And so they
cried a little louder.
00:15:15.61\00:15:21.32
Finally when they
gave up, Elijah comes.
00:15:21.35\00:15:25.37
He makes the
situation even more impossible
00:15:25.40\00:15:27.84
than it had been before.
00:15:27.87\00:15:29.12
Pouring water over the altar,
00:15:29.15\00:15:30.79
over the sacrifice
and then they pray,
00:15:30.82\00:15:33.94
he prays and
God answers by fire.
00:15:33.97\00:15:37.44
Consumes the sacrifice,
the altar everything around it,
00:15:37.47\00:15:40.45
licks up all the water.
00:15:40.48\00:15:43.65
Elijah, mighty man of God.
00:15:43.68\00:15:49.64
But thereafter the
devil doesn't let up.
00:15:49.67\00:15:57.62
He is tired.
00:15:57.65\00:15:59.87
After that God gives
him supernatural energy
00:15:59.90\00:16:02.47
to run ahead of
the king's chariot
00:16:02.50\00:16:05.24
as the rain comes down and...
00:16:05.27\00:16:08.32
he goes and he
sleeps outside of the palace
00:16:11.39\00:16:13.88
and Jezebel hears
what just happened.
00:16:13.91\00:16:16.63
She is not happy and
so she threatens Elijah
00:16:16.66\00:16:20.95
and he knows that
these are not empty threats
00:16:20.98\00:16:22.76
so he get scared
and he runs away.
00:16:22.79\00:16:27.11
But you know what,
00:16:27.14\00:16:28.21
Elijah was saying
as he ran away he said,
00:16:28.24\00:16:31.22
"I am the only one
left, I am the only one left.
00:16:31.25\00:16:35.71
I've tried so hard to obey God.
00:16:35.74\00:16:38.70
I've tried to
do all these things
00:16:38.73\00:16:40.13
and nobody else is
following God and it's just me.
00:16:40.16\00:16:46.63
There is no one else
trying to do the right thing,
00:16:46.66\00:16:48.47
it's just me."
00:16:48.50\00:16:51.69
And he felt sad
and he felt alone.
00:16:51.72\00:16:58.20
And you know sometimes,
00:16:58.23\00:16:59.59
I know I have this experience
when I was in college,
00:16:59.62\00:17:02.74
going to non-Adventist college
and you're there in campus
00:17:02.77\00:17:06.35
and sometimes it feels
like you are the only one there.
00:17:06.38\00:17:09.82
The only one who cares
about spiritual things.
00:17:09.85\00:17:12.26
The only one whose got a burden
00:17:12.29\00:17:14.37
to share the
Three Angels Messages
00:17:14.40\00:17:15.74
on your campus and
it can feel very lonely.
00:17:15.77\00:17:19.62
And this is the experience
that Elijah was having
00:17:19.65\00:17:23.35
or in a workplace,
in a corporate office
00:17:23.38\00:17:25.50
and there is-- it seems like
00:17:25.53\00:17:27.09
there is no one else
that you are the only one.
00:17:27.12\00:17:33.29
But you remember what God said
to Elijah in response to that,
00:17:33.32\00:17:39.52
He said, I have me, how many?
00:17:39.55\00:17:42.12
Seven thousand who
have not bow the knee, amen.
00:17:42.15\00:17:49.23
So that even in those moments
00:17:49.26\00:17:50.34
when it feels like you
are the only one God says,
00:17:50.37\00:17:53.84
I know you
can't see it right now
00:17:53.87\00:17:55.29
but I have 7,000 who
haven't bowed the knee.
00:17:55.32\00:18:00.52
I have me 7,000.
00:18:00.55\00:18:04.89
And so our
story for this morning
00:18:04.92\00:18:09.68
actually starts
after Elijah is up there,
00:18:09.71\00:18:14.27
you know, praying and
hears that still small voice
00:18:14.30\00:18:17.50
and then God speaks to him
00:18:17.53\00:18:20.35
and he gives him
such an instructions.
00:18:20.38\00:18:24.31
So in 1 Kings 19:15,
00:18:24.34\00:18:32.28
the Lord said unto Elijah,
00:18:32.31\00:18:35.64
"Go, return on thy way to
the wilderness of Damascus:
00:18:35.67\00:18:39.52
and when thou comest,
00:18:39.55\00:18:40.71
anoint Hazael to
be king over Syria,
00:18:40.74\00:18:43.89
And Jehu the son of Nimshi
00:18:43.92\00:18:45.58
shalt thou anoint
to be king over Israel:
00:18:45.61\00:18:48.73
and Elisha the son of
Shaphat of Abelmeholah
00:18:48.76\00:18:54.74
shalt thou anoint to
be prophet in thy room.
00:18:54.77\00:18:57.90
And it shall come to
pass, that him that escapeth
00:18:57.93\00:19:00.56
the sword of
Hazael shall Jehu slay:
00:19:00.59\00:19:03.03
and him that escapeth
00:19:03.06\00:19:04.10
from the sword of
Jehu shall Elisha slay.
00:19:04.13\00:19:07.40
Yet I have left me
seven thousand in Israel,
00:19:07.43\00:19:10.34
all the knees which
have not bowed unto Baal,
00:19:10.37\00:19:13.24
and every mouth
which hath not kissed him."
00:19:13.27\00:19:16.81
And so he left from there
and he went to find Elisha.
00:19:16.84\00:19:24.13
Now Elisha was in the
fields working with his father
00:19:24.16\00:19:29.37
and you know how God had said
00:19:29.40\00:19:33.05
I have me 7,000 who
haven't bowed the knee.
00:19:33.08\00:19:37.08
Elisha's family was actually
00:19:37.11\00:19:39.12
one of the families of those
who had not bowed the knee.
00:19:39.15\00:19:43.40
You see, even
though it seemed like
00:19:43.43\00:19:46.19
everybody was in apostasy,
00:19:46.22\00:19:48.43
there were some-- there
were people who were not
00:19:48.46\00:19:50.28
and so God says,
00:19:50.31\00:19:51.37
I want you to go
find this guy Elisha
00:19:51.40\00:19:54.11
and Elisha and his
family have been faithful.
00:19:54.14\00:19:58.23
They have been faithful
00:19:58.26\00:20:00.24
in everything that
they've been doing.
00:20:00.27\00:20:04.15
And so he goes
and he finds Elisha
00:20:04.18\00:20:05.68
and Elisha is
plowing the fields.
00:20:05.71\00:20:08.85
Now when you think
about someone that God calls,
00:20:08.88\00:20:14.54
a lot of times you think
about people who are doing
00:20:14.57\00:20:17.16
huge great amazing things,
00:20:17.19\00:20:19.91
like they are out
there like preaching...
00:20:19.94\00:20:25.89
evangelistic series.
00:20:28.29\00:20:29.46
And you think like, yeah,
00:20:29.49\00:20:30.52
that's the kind of
person that God would pick.
00:20:30.55\00:20:34.38
But Elisha was in the
fields, plowing the fields.
00:20:34.41\00:20:39.52
So that Elisha
for when he got called
00:20:39.55\00:20:44.11
is because he was being
faithful in the little things.
00:20:44.14\00:20:49.66
He was being faithful
in the things that in the--
00:20:49.69\00:20:52.38
in the work that
was closest to him.
00:20:52.41\00:20:55.73
He was being faithful
in doing his homework.
00:20:55.76\00:21:01.71
He was being faithful
in doing his assignments
00:21:01.74\00:21:03.88
and studying for his exams.
00:21:03.91\00:21:07.72
He was being faithful in his
relationship with his siblings.
00:21:07.75\00:21:13.53
He was being
faithful in the small things
00:21:13.56\00:21:16.29
that sometimes we
think are insignificant.
00:21:16.32\00:21:21.43
And yet if we want to
do great things for God,
00:21:21.46\00:21:25.25
it starts with
faithfulness in little things.
00:21:25.28\00:21:29.19
It starts with
faithfulness in the small things
00:21:29.22\00:21:31.83
that are closest to us.
00:21:31.86\00:21:34.45
That's where great
things for God begin.
00:21:34.48\00:21:39.64
And that's the
problem that we have,
00:21:39.67\00:21:41.38
is we want to do
these huge amazing things
00:21:41.41\00:21:44.19
and God is saying,
00:21:44.22\00:21:45.75
I just want you to be
faithful where you are.
00:21:45.78\00:21:52.56
I would like for
your life in your--
00:21:52.59\00:21:54.81
in your current experience
to be an argument in my favor
00:21:54.84\00:21:58.74
because you treat people kindly,
00:21:58.77\00:22:06.59
faithfulness in small things.
00:22:06.62\00:22:11.32
So my challenge,
my first challenge,
00:22:11.35\00:22:15.87
we're going back home soon.
00:22:15.90\00:22:21.47
It's for us to be
faithful in the small things.
00:22:21.50\00:22:27.23
In taking our exams, in
the way we do our homework.
00:22:27.26\00:22:33.69
In the way we
interact with our classmates.
00:22:33.72\00:22:37.22
Faithfulness in
the small things.
00:22:37.25\00:22:39.47
In our relationships.
The way we treat people.
00:22:39.50\00:22:44.02
Faithfulness in
the small things.
00:22:44.05\00:22:46.96
That is gonna be the
first and greatest challenge
00:22:46.99\00:22:49.45
as we leave this place.
00:22:49.48\00:22:52.84
But Elisha was there and
he was working in the fields--
00:22:52.87\00:22:55.95
Oh, by the way you know, when
we're faithful in small things
00:22:55.98\00:22:59.85
you know, I
heard the story once.
00:22:59.88\00:23:02.69
There was a young lady, who--
she was taking history class
00:23:02.72\00:23:07.68
and she was
faithful in her class work.
00:23:07.71\00:23:12.18
She did all her homework.
00:23:12.21\00:23:14.17
She handed her
assignments on time.
00:23:14.20\00:23:17.01
She paid attention
in class, participated.
00:23:17.04\00:23:19.88
And at the end of the semester--
00:23:19.91\00:23:21.53
she was attending
a secular university.
00:23:21.56\00:23:23.71
At the end of semester
she went up to her professor
00:23:23.74\00:23:26.36
and she handed him
the Great Controversy.
00:23:26.39\00:23:29.86
And she said, Professor X,
00:23:29.89\00:23:32.65
this book has been
a blessing in my life.
00:23:32.68\00:23:36.09
And I think that
you'll appreciate
00:23:36.12\00:23:39.91
the contents of this book.
00:23:39.94\00:23:43.41
And what do you think?
00:23:43.44\00:23:44.49
Do you think he took the book
or he did not take the book?
00:23:44.52\00:23:48.60
He took it.
00:23:48.63\00:23:51.27
He took the book
and he said, Student X
00:23:51.30\00:23:56.76
because it's you who
is giving me this book,
00:23:56.79\00:23:59.52
I'm likely to read it. Amen.
00:23:59.55\00:24:04.55
You see, it's an
evangelistic tool.
00:24:04.58\00:24:08.43
It's an opportunity for people
to look at you and say well,
00:24:08.46\00:24:12.37
this student is not stupid
00:24:12.40\00:24:19.32
so there must be
something to what they say,
00:24:19.35\00:24:21.61
there must be
something to them, to their life
00:24:21.64\00:24:25.18
because they see its
fruit working out in your life
00:24:25.21\00:24:27.62
and in the small things
you're putting God first
00:24:27.65\00:24:30.44
and doing well in your classes
00:24:30.47\00:24:31.71
and they say there
is something to this.
00:24:31.74\00:24:36.72
And I think it's part of what
Jeff Hew had been taking about,
00:24:36.75\00:24:39.88
you know, so for the nations
to come tugging at our sleeves
00:24:39.91\00:24:44.18
saying I want to
know what you have.
00:24:44.21\00:24:47.84
You know and they come to
you and they say, you know,
00:24:47.87\00:24:50.12
I don't know how it is
that you do well in this class
00:24:50.15\00:24:52.80
but I want to know what you have
00:24:52.83\00:24:56.18
and I had that experience once,
00:24:56.21\00:24:57.30
I thought I was super
lost in my physics class,
00:24:57.33\00:25:00.15
sitting there just
lost in the sauce, you know.
00:25:00.18\00:25:04.39
And several classmates
came to me and they said,
00:25:04.42\00:25:06.87
"Sikhu, Could
we study with you?"
00:25:06.90\00:25:10.64
And I said, "Oh, yeah, okay."
00:25:10.67\00:25:13.12
Like yeah, you just,
00:25:13.15\00:25:14.18
you just looks like
you have it together.
00:25:14.21\00:25:16.40
I thought, man,
I'm lost in the sauce.
00:25:18.46\00:25:23.70
But it becomes an opportunity
to share the God that we have.
00:25:23.73\00:25:28.88
And you see, you know what?
00:25:28.91\00:25:29.98
Even when I don't understand,
00:25:30.01\00:25:31.35
I pray that God would
give me understanding.
00:25:31.38\00:25:34.86
And you see before I
study every single time
00:25:34.89\00:25:36.93
before I crack a
book open to study,
00:25:36.96\00:25:39.06
I pray that God would
giving me wisdom because,
00:25:39.09\00:25:41.90
because God is the
source of all wisdom.
00:25:41.93\00:25:44.30
And if anyone lacks
wisdom, he should ask from God
00:25:44.33\00:25:46.60
who give it liberally
and he appraise it not.
00:25:46.63\00:25:50.87
And you tell them that
00:25:50.90\00:25:53.73
faithfulness in
the small things.
00:25:53.76\00:25:58.57
And so Elisha was
19, "The son of Shaphat,
00:25:58.60\00:26:04.56
who was plowing with
twelve yoke of oxen before him,
00:26:04.59\00:26:08.73
and he with the twelfth:
and Elijah passed him by,
00:26:08.76\00:26:12.20
and cast his mantle upon him."
00:26:12.23\00:26:16.22
And in that action of Elisha
casting his mantle upon him
00:26:16.25\00:26:20.30
after that you read that Elisha
went running after Elijah,
00:26:20.33\00:26:24.10
he recognized something
significant in that act
00:26:24.13\00:26:28.11
of Elijah casting
his mantle upon him.
00:26:28.14\00:26:30.84
And you know, if it sounds like
00:26:30.87\00:26:31.99
that this doesn't
make sense but why?
00:26:32.02\00:26:35.02
Why would he run after
the prophet because he heard--
00:26:35.05\00:26:39.88
he saw him casting
his mantle upon him?
00:26:39.91\00:26:45.39
But Elisha recognized the
call of God in that action.
00:26:45.42\00:26:53.39
And how is that possible?
00:26:53.42\00:26:56.30
I don't know any other story
in the Bible before this where
00:26:56.33\00:26:59.20
you know, someone goes
and cast their mantle upon--
00:26:59.23\00:27:01.43
upon the individual and
that represents the call,
00:27:01.46\00:27:03.66
I mean, how did he know?
00:27:03.69\00:27:07.90
Except to say
that Elisha had learned
00:27:07.93\00:27:10.54
how to
understand the voice of God.
00:27:10.57\00:27:14.62
He had learned what the
voice of God sounded like.
00:27:14.65\00:27:19.89
And it's our privilege
to learn the voice of God
00:27:19.92\00:27:22.72
so that when we
hear the voice of God,
00:27:22.75\00:27:24.98
we will understand
that it's God calling us.
00:27:25.01\00:27:31.40
You know, when...
00:27:31.43\00:27:35.62
I was in my
senior year in college,
00:27:36.83\00:27:42.38
I sense that God was
calling me to take a year
00:27:42.41\00:27:48.02
and get trained
in campus ministry.
00:27:48.05\00:27:52.17
Because I'd seen the potential
00:27:52.20\00:27:55.61
and I thought if I
were better trained,
00:27:55.64\00:27:58.14
maybe I could be more effective
if I were better trained.
00:27:58.17\00:28:02.66
But this was in congruent
with the plan of my life
00:28:02.69\00:28:07.19
and I struggled
with this decision
00:28:10.72\00:28:14.28
until I finally came to a point
00:28:14.31\00:28:15.72
where I knew that
if I didn't do this,
00:28:15.75\00:28:19.21
it would be blatant
disregard of God's will
00:28:19.24\00:28:23.19
for me at that time, I knew it.
00:28:23.22\00:28:27.92
And so finally I gave
up I said, okay, you know,
00:28:27.95\00:28:31.38
let go off the dream job
00:28:31.41\00:28:33.63
and do this campus
ministry training thing.
00:28:33.66\00:28:40.64
But it wasn't easy because
00:28:40.67\00:28:44.06
my family also had
plans for me, good plans.
00:28:44.09\00:28:49.83
I remember talking to
my sister and she said,
00:28:49.86\00:28:53.54
"You know, I don't know what it
is that God's calling you to."
00:28:53.57\00:28:59.74
She said, "You know,
sometimes when God calls you,
00:28:59.77\00:29:03.77
you're the only
one who'll understand
00:29:03.80\00:29:05.27
what he's calling you to.
00:29:05.30\00:29:07.39
Because he's not
talking to everybody,
00:29:07.42\00:29:08.99
he's talking to you."
00:29:09.02\00:29:12.23
Look at Moses.
00:29:12.26\00:29:14.86
Moses had every advantage,
anyone could ever want.
00:29:14.89\00:29:20.27
He belonged to the people of God
00:29:20.30\00:29:22.37
and yet he had been
trained in the best schools
00:29:22.40\00:29:24.85
so while the people
of God were in bondage,
00:29:24.88\00:29:26.90
he was in the palace.
00:29:26.93\00:29:29.63
He had every advantage,
he had every protection
00:29:29.66\00:29:31.79
because his mother was
the daughter of pharaoh,
00:29:31.82\00:29:34.28
well his adopted mother
00:29:34.31\00:29:35.58
and in spite of all these things
00:29:35.61\00:29:38.42
it says that Moses
decided that it was better
00:29:38.45\00:29:41.61
to suffer affliction
with the people of God
00:29:41.64\00:29:45.00
than to enjoy the
pleasures of sin for a Caesar.
00:29:45.03\00:29:48.73
Do you think the
people around him
00:29:48.76\00:29:49.93
understood what he was doing?
00:29:49.96\00:29:52.51
Do you think they
looked at him and said,
00:29:52.54\00:29:53.94
that makes a lot of sense.
00:29:53.97\00:29:56.09
No, it made no sense.
00:29:56.12\00:29:59.26
But Moses knew what
God was calling him to.
00:29:59.29\00:30:02.56
And Elisha knew what
God was calling him to.
00:30:02.59\00:30:06.06
And in that act he recognized
the voice of God and he obeyed.
00:30:06.09\00:30:10.16
So the challenge becomes
00:30:14.00\00:30:17.01
that we need to
learn the voice of God
00:30:17.04\00:30:19.80
and that doesn't
happen in an instant.
00:30:19.83\00:30:22.45
That happens on
a day to day basis,
00:30:22.48\00:30:25.12
spending time in His word,
00:30:25.15\00:30:27.44
those morning and
evening devotions,
00:30:27.47\00:30:29.48
and then throughout the
day spending time in prayer.
00:30:29.51\00:30:32.23
Elisha recognized the
voice of God and he followed.
00:30:34.98\00:30:38.66
And so he tells
us that in verse 20.
00:30:38.69\00:30:44.80
"He left the oxen, and
ran after Elijah, and said,
00:30:44.83\00:30:49.48
Let me, I pray thee,
kiss my father and my mother,
00:30:49.51\00:30:52.33
and then I will follow thee.
00:30:52.36\00:30:54.15
And he said unto
him, Go back again:
00:30:54.18\00:30:55.65
for what have I done to thee?"
00:30:55.68\00:30:57.13
And in the statement
Elijah was saying, you know,
00:30:57.16\00:30:59.67
I'm not gonna force
you to come with me.
00:30:59.70\00:31:02.02
I'm not gonna-- it's up to
you if you want to follow this,
00:31:02.05\00:31:05.63
if you want to do this.
00:31:05.66\00:31:07.74
And so he went
back, in verse 21,
00:31:07.77\00:31:10.09
"And he took the yoke
of oxen, and slew them,
00:31:10.12\00:31:12.68
and boiled their flesh with
the instruments of the oxen,
00:31:12.71\00:31:15.15
and gave unto the
people, and they did eat."
00:31:15.18\00:31:17.02
He went back, he
slew the oxen he said
00:31:17.05\00:31:19.74
I'm done with this
life, no turning back,
00:31:19.77\00:31:25.63
I have set my face like a
flint and I'm not turning back.
00:31:25.66\00:31:30.73
I have made my decision
that I'm gonna follow God
00:31:30.76\00:31:33.41
and I'm not turning
back, no turning back.
00:31:33.44\00:31:39.37
And we have too few
examples of this in the world.
00:31:39.40\00:31:43.68
What 20-- 50% marriages
ending in divorce in the church.
00:31:43.71\00:31:48.68
We don't even know
what commitment is anymore.
00:31:52.34\00:31:56.63
It's just words.
00:31:56.66\00:31:57.97
And so we say we'll do something
00:32:01.33\00:32:02.44
and we don't do it.
00:32:02.47\00:32:03.93
But Elisha
committed, he made a decision
00:32:07.22\00:32:14.04
and he wasn't gonna
turn back on that decision.
00:32:14.07\00:32:17.62
And that is
gonna be the hard part,
00:32:17.65\00:32:20.01
the decisions that
we've made here at GYC.
00:32:20.04\00:32:23.44
The decisions that
God has called us to.
00:32:23.47\00:32:26.39
The hard part is do we
set our faces like a flint
00:32:26.42\00:32:30.77
and we say no turning back,
I have decided to follow Jesus,
00:32:30.80\00:32:35.98
and I'm not turning back,
even when the going gets tough,
00:32:36.01\00:32:40.25
I'm not turning back.
00:32:40.28\00:32:41.52
No turning back,
Elisha made that decision.
00:32:44.34\00:32:50.62
Then it says, "He
arose and went after Elijah."
00:32:54.39\00:33:00.44
Elisha, when he
left to go with Elijah,
00:33:00.47\00:33:06.37
he didn't leave behind
bad things, you follow?
00:33:06.40\00:33:13.45
See, his parents
were godly parents.
00:33:13.48\00:33:17.68
Even when the
entire nation of Israel
00:33:17.71\00:33:20.04
seemed to be in apostasy,
his parents remained faithful.
00:33:20.07\00:33:23.83
They were part of that 7,000.
00:33:23.86\00:33:27.47
And so what Elisha was leaving
behind was not bad things.
00:33:27.50\00:33:33.97
And sometimes we
think that to follow God,
00:33:34.00\00:33:36.53
we have to be
leaving bad things.
00:33:36.56\00:33:41.03
Isn't it possible
that sometimes God calls us
00:33:41.06\00:33:43.32
to leave things
that are even good?
00:33:43.35\00:33:45.87
Look at Jesus.
00:33:47.22\00:33:51.28
Jesus came down to this earth
and in John 1 He tells us that
00:33:51.31\00:33:56.05
the light came into the world
00:33:56.08\00:33:57.28
and darkness
comprehended it not.
00:33:57.31\00:34:02.04
Jesus came to this earth
and He was unappreciated.
00:34:02.07\00:34:06.06
That He was on this earth
00:34:06.09\00:34:09.31
and it seemed like
nobody liked Him even.
00:34:09.34\00:34:13.32
You know, one
minute they're following,
00:34:13.35\00:34:14.51
the next minute they're not
and the multitude is so fickle.
00:34:14.54\00:34:20.85
But what did
Jesus leave in heaven?
00:34:20.88\00:34:24.60
He left adoring angels
who would do anything for Him.
00:34:24.63\00:34:31.38
He left the love of His Father
00:34:31.41\00:34:34.35
with whom He had always
been they had never been apart.
00:34:34.38\00:34:39.50
When Christ came to this earth,
00:34:39.53\00:34:43.59
He didn't give up bad
things, He gave up good things.
00:34:43.62\00:34:49.50
So yes, we must give
up the bad things, amen.
00:34:49.53\00:34:52.33
But sometimes maybe God calls us
00:34:55.59\00:34:58.05
to give up even the good things
to follow Him wholeheartedly.
00:34:58.08\00:35:03.51
You look at the life of Abraham.
00:35:07.45\00:35:11.66
Abraham had the son of promise
00:35:11.69\00:35:15.03
of whom it was
said that in Isaac
00:35:15.06\00:35:17.18
shall thy seed be blessed.
00:35:17.21\00:35:20.28
And then God tells him,
00:35:23.04\00:35:24.57
"Abraham I want you to take
your son, your only son Isaac
00:35:24.60\00:35:28.94
and I want you to
sacrifice him to Me."
00:35:28.97\00:35:33.34
And so we'll
argue with God and say,
00:35:33.37\00:35:34.90
no, it doesn't make any
sense, these things are good.
00:35:34.93\00:35:41.21
But God calls us
sometimes to give up the things
00:35:41.24\00:35:44.64
that are even good
because you know why?
00:35:44.67\00:35:49.08
Because we love Him supremely,
and that's why Jesus came,
00:35:49.11\00:35:53.67
He came because He
loved us so much that even--
00:35:53.70\00:35:58.06
He was even willing to give
up those things that were good
00:35:58.09\00:36:00.51
so that we could
have a shot at salvation.
00:36:00.54\00:36:03.58
Are we willing to
do that for others?
00:36:03.61\00:36:05.40
And I'm fearful saying this
00:36:10.26\00:36:11.95
because I
realized that it's true
00:36:11.98\00:36:15.17
that maybe some
of us need to give up
00:36:15.20\00:36:16.59
that really good job,
00:36:16.62\00:36:19.45
because we know
00:36:19.48\00:36:20.54
God is calling us
to something else.
00:36:20.57\00:36:25.06
And the problem
that we have with it
00:36:25.09\00:36:26.12
is God, this is a good thing,
00:36:26.15\00:36:27.33
I prayed for this
job, You gave me this job.
00:36:27.36\00:36:31.27
And then God says, since
you know that I'm the one
00:36:31.30\00:36:33.59
who gave you that
job, give it back to Me.
00:36:33.62\00:36:35.93
Since you know that
00:36:38.68\00:36:39.88
I'm the giver of all good gifts,
00:36:39.91\00:36:43.63
give it back to Me.
00:36:43.66\00:36:47.29
And it becomes this thing where
00:36:47.32\00:36:48.58
we're not just
giving 10% of our income.
00:36:48.61\00:36:53.50
But God says,
what if you give more
00:36:53.53\00:37:01.50
and for some of us and this--
this goes for a knowledge of--
00:37:01.53\00:37:07.85
like I said this is
about knowing God's voice,
00:37:07.88\00:37:10.27
like you hear His voice,
00:37:10.30\00:37:11.46
you understand
that is Him speaking.
00:37:11.49\00:37:13.44
And once we know
that, we have to follow.
00:37:13.47\00:37:16.84
And what I'm trying to say is,
00:37:16.87\00:37:19.73
it is possible
that it is His voice,
00:37:19.76\00:37:22.95
that is asking you
to let go of something
00:37:22.98\00:37:25.02
that you know is a good thing.
00:37:25.05\00:37:27.15
That relationship that
you know isn't awesome thing
00:37:29.54\00:37:33.38
and He says, maybe I need
it to give that up right now
00:37:33.41\00:37:38.71
for the sake of the cause.
00:37:38.74\00:37:42.38
It is possible
is what I'm saying.
00:37:42.41\00:37:45.00
And so Elisha, he
follows, he runs after Elijah
00:37:49.18\00:37:55.69
and the Bible says
that he ministered unto him.
00:37:57.72\00:38:03.22
Oh, firstly when I
thought about, you know,
00:38:03.25\00:38:06.92
Elisha going after
Elijah, I thought, you know,
00:38:06.95\00:38:10.97
he probably went
and then you know,
00:38:11.00\00:38:12.47
he became like
the assistant prophet
00:38:12.50\00:38:19.44
or like associate
prophet kind of thing,
00:38:19.47\00:38:22.16
where he got to
do some miracles too
00:38:22.19\00:38:27.59
and like all
this cool crazy stuff.
00:38:27.62\00:38:33.05
But the Bible says
that Elisha followed
00:38:33.08\00:38:35.89
and he ministered unto Elijah.
00:38:35.92\00:38:39.97
He went and he was
Elijah's personal assistant
00:38:40.00\00:38:47.68
which means like, you know,
00:38:47.71\00:38:49.13
back in the day
they walk in the dust
00:38:49.16\00:38:50.72
and they get to a place
00:38:50.75\00:38:51.78
and they have
to wash their feet,
00:38:51.81\00:38:52.85
he'd be the one
washing his feet.
00:38:52.88\00:38:56.94
So that Elisha's work
wasn't some glamorous,
00:38:56.97\00:39:02.26
wow, he is just
so awesome thing.
00:39:02.29\00:39:07.66
Elisha he went
from plowing fields
00:39:07.69\00:39:10.91
being faithful in the small
things, to doing small things.
00:39:10.94\00:39:14.66
And he was willing to
let go of being, you know,
00:39:18.58\00:39:22.48
he was, you know,
he's the son of his father,
00:39:22.51\00:39:25.12
so everything the
father has is his essentially.
00:39:25.15\00:39:28.74
He left all of that
to go do small things.
00:39:28.77\00:39:32.66
And this is what I struggled
with for years in my ministry.
00:39:35.94\00:39:40.98
I went to a good enough school,
00:39:41.01\00:39:42.97
that when you graduate
there are certain expectations
00:39:43.00\00:39:46.06
of what you're
gonna do with your life.
00:39:46.09\00:39:48.59
And I hated going to
reunion's type stuff,
00:39:48.62\00:39:51.55
you know, like, when
a friend gets married
00:39:51.58\00:39:53.20
and you have to go
and meet everybody.
00:39:53.23\00:39:55.87
I hated it. Why?
00:39:55.90\00:39:57.25
Because every time people will
say, oh, so what are you doing?
00:39:57.28\00:40:01.72
And I'll be like oh,
yeah, I worked for the church
00:40:01.75\00:40:08.43
and they are like, oh,
cool, like, are you like bishop?
00:40:08.46\00:40:12.33
And I'll say, oh, no, we
don't have bishops in my church.
00:40:17.00\00:40:21.15
I'm a secretary and
they'll look at me like,
00:40:21.18\00:40:27.32
all that
education to be a secretary.
00:40:27.35\00:40:30.04
Why did you study biochemistry?
00:40:30.07\00:40:32.87
I was so embarrassed.
00:40:32.90\00:40:35.59
And my friends would
like, oh, you know, I'm just,
00:40:35.62\00:40:38.24
you know, finishing up
on the PhD part of my MD-PhD
00:40:38.27\00:40:41.57
and then I'm applying for
residencies in like cardiology.
00:40:41.60\00:40:46.06
I'm thinking, oh, man.
00:40:46.09\00:40:47.53
Because it felt
to me like I left
00:40:52.06\00:40:54.90
what could potentially
have been these amazing things
00:40:54.93\00:40:58.41
at least as the
world sees amazing
00:40:58.44\00:41:01.71
to be measly, is that a word?
00:41:01.74\00:41:06.11
Yeah, okay. Secretary.
00:41:06.14\00:41:11.71
But does God need secretaries?
00:41:11.74\00:41:14.11
Amen.
00:41:14.14\00:41:15.18
And it took me years to get
to the point where I realized,
00:41:17.82\00:41:20.97
I realized what that
test means when it says,
00:41:21.00\00:41:23.23
better is one day in your courts
00:41:23.26\00:41:27.03
than a thousand elsewhere,
00:41:27.06\00:41:28.62
that I would rather be
where God wants me to be.
00:41:28.65\00:41:31.44
And even I'm
sweeper in God's kingdom,
00:41:33.77\00:41:36.59
I want to be there.
00:41:36.62\00:41:37.65
And we still have this
idea of what greatness is
00:41:40.85\00:41:45.03
and we view greatness the
way the world views greatness.
00:41:45.06\00:41:50.13
And because of that we won't
do what God is calling us to do.
00:41:50.16\00:41:56.06
One thing that
would frustrated me.
00:41:56.09\00:41:59.28
A friend of mine
told me how at seminary X
00:41:59.31\00:42:04.75
which is not Andrew's Seminary
00:42:04.78\00:42:07.23
but, you know,
different part of the world.
00:42:07.26\00:42:10.18
He said that, you know
00:42:10.21\00:42:11.73
who goes to the
seminary to become a pastor?
00:42:11.76\00:42:16.20
Is those people who
failed at everything else.
00:42:16.23\00:42:18.86
As a matter of fact one of
my friends went to the seminary
00:42:22.52\00:42:24.54
because he couldn't get
into his accounting program.
00:42:24.57\00:42:29.86
Makes me so mad, God's
work is the last resort.
00:42:29.89\00:42:35.94
Oh, I want to do
great things with my life
00:42:40.70\00:42:42.52
and that's too
small, small for me.
00:42:42.55\00:42:48.35
But God wants people
with engineering brains,
00:42:48.38\00:42:53.50
with history
brains, with biology brains,
00:42:53.53\00:42:56.93
He wants people who
are diligent in their work,
00:42:56.96\00:43:02.08
in His ministry,
I'm not saying that
00:43:02.11\00:43:04.97
everybody needs to go fulltime
ministry you understand.
00:43:05.00\00:43:08.48
I'm not saying that.
00:43:08.51\00:43:09.54
But I'm saying
that why is God's work
00:43:11.89\00:43:14.85
of lesser value in our
eyes than every other work?
00:43:14.88\00:43:21.15
Why is that when we
think of pastoral ministry
00:43:21.18\00:43:23.80
or we you think about you know,
a person who is a secretary
00:43:23.83\00:43:26.07
in a conference office, so
we think about this or that,
00:43:26.10\00:43:28.92
we're like, oh, well, you
know, that's what you're doing,
00:43:28.95\00:43:30.93
you can't do
anything else, why is that?
00:43:30.96\00:43:36.30
We have a problem.
Our value system is off.
00:43:36.33\00:43:43.28
Because God's work is
the highest order of work.
00:43:46.55\00:43:52.11
This means that the secretary
00:43:55.87\00:44:00.63
who is not a secretary
in the conference office
00:44:00.66\00:44:02.45
I mean, just the
secretary or the accountant
00:44:02.48\00:44:05.46
or whomever that ultimately
00:44:05.49\00:44:09.89
it better be about
God's work in your workplace,
00:44:09.92\00:44:14.03
that regardless of
where we're working,
00:44:14.06\00:44:15.48
regardless of what
circumstance we're in,
00:44:15.51\00:44:18.57
that number one thing
for us is to do God's work,
00:44:18.60\00:44:22.56
that is what
we've been called to do.
00:44:22.59\00:44:27.11
So that if He calls us to
do anything more we will obey.
00:44:27.14\00:44:32.49
And there are
some people in here
00:44:36.29\00:44:39.75
whom maybe God is
calling to fulltime ministry.
00:44:39.78\00:44:43.86
But because of our
skewed value system,
00:44:47.80\00:44:53.25
you're thinking
well, I haven't failed
00:44:53.28\00:44:54.90
at anything or everything else.
00:44:54.93\00:44:56.53
And praise God
sometimes you know,
00:45:01.94\00:45:03.37
He does permit that
we'll fail at everything else
00:45:03.40\00:45:07.56
so that He can
call us to do that thing
00:45:07.59\00:45:09.92
that He wants us to call us to,
00:45:09.95\00:45:11.84
but why does it
have to go that far?
00:45:11.87\00:45:14.73
Well, we just trust Him
and we hear His voice, obey.
00:45:14.76\00:45:17.28
And so Elisha comes
and he ministers to Elijah,
00:45:21.12\00:45:26.02
until finally Elijah was
called up to go to heaven
00:45:28.09\00:45:30.70
and he saw him
ascend in that chariot.
00:45:30.73\00:45:34.71
Now God wants something from us,
00:45:40.48\00:45:46.98
and I've talked already about
00:45:48.89\00:45:51.45
faithfulness in the small things
00:45:51.48\00:45:54.41
I've talked about
hearing His voice and obeying,
00:45:54.44\00:46:01.29
even if it sounds
contrary to logic,
00:46:01.32\00:46:04.27
but God want
something more from us.
00:46:06.77\00:46:10.47
God wants all of us.
00:46:10.50\00:46:11.76
Yes, all of us but all
of us, the whole of you.
00:46:14.55\00:46:21.77
He wants all of you.
00:46:21.80\00:46:25.35
He wants for your whole
life to be surrendered to Him
00:46:25.38\00:46:29.75
as a sacrifice that is living.
00:46:29.78\00:46:34.32
That's what God wants from us.
00:46:34.35\00:46:37.77
Story about a little boy,
00:46:37.80\00:46:42.52
who brought
everything that he had to Jesus.
00:46:42.55\00:46:49.74
And they were there and
there were 5,000 people plus
00:46:49.77\00:46:56.14
and the people were hungry,
Jesus needed to feed them
00:46:56.17\00:47:00.13
and they said, we
don't have anything.
00:47:00.16\00:47:02.57
And so Jesus asked what
do you have in your hands
00:47:02.60\00:47:10.07
like, nobody has nothing
00:47:11.43\00:47:12.62
and he say, well,
there is a little boy
00:47:12.65\00:47:13.83
and he has his own sack lunch
00:47:13.86\00:47:19.66
and said, he
said, bring it to me
00:47:19.69\00:47:21.80
and this little boy
brigs his lunch to Jesus,
00:47:21.83\00:47:24.82
thinking what is this
little thing among so many?
00:47:28.29\00:47:34.57
What does it help, this
small sacrifice that I have?
00:47:34.60\00:47:40.68
What's my little life compared
00:47:40.71\00:47:44.05
to the needs that
I see in the world?
00:47:46.99\00:47:50.35
I remember driving on
Storrow Drive in Boston
00:47:50.38\00:47:54.16
and it was a Friday evening
and I was looking around me
00:47:54.19\00:47:58.23
and all these
people and I thought,
00:47:58.26\00:48:02.07
Lord, do they even know
that it's Sabbath today?
00:48:02.10\00:48:07.71
And I felt so
small but what can I do,
00:48:07.74\00:48:12.87
I'm just me and
there is a whole city here
00:48:12.90\00:48:16.60
full of people who
have no clue, no idea.
00:48:16.63\00:48:23.56
And I felt so insignificant.
00:48:23.59\00:48:26.05
But even though we are small,
00:48:32.55\00:48:36.48
when we bring our
little lunches to Jesus
00:48:36.51\00:48:39.88
and we give Him all, He
takes that and blesses it.
00:48:39.91\00:48:43.80
And then when He
blesses it, it multiplies.
00:48:43.83\00:48:47.09
And as it multiplies it becomes
00:48:49.53\00:48:51.16
a blessing to
so many more people
00:48:51.19\00:48:53.00
but what He needs from us,
is that we would bring all.
00:48:53.03\00:48:56.45
Is that we would give Him all,
00:48:59.11\00:49:00.50
that we would commit ourselves
we would say, you know, what,
00:49:00.53\00:49:04.72
it seems like
nothing and I feel so small
00:49:04.75\00:49:09.32
and what does it matter
00:49:09.35\00:49:10.39
what little decision that I make
00:49:10.42\00:49:12.72
and even if I commit
my life and I say, okay,
00:49:12.75\00:49:15.26
I hear Your
voice calling me, Lord,
00:49:15.29\00:49:16.66
and I know there is a
decision I have to make
00:49:16.69\00:49:18.62
but what difference does it make
00:49:18.65\00:49:20.02
in the grand scheme of things
00:49:20.05\00:49:21.69
and that's how we
may feel but God says,
00:49:21.72\00:49:23.70
I just want you to bring all,
00:49:23.73\00:49:26.84
just give me all of
you, give me all of you.
00:49:26.87\00:49:32.13
And if we would
just give Him all of us,
00:49:34.18\00:49:38.06
maybe He could
bless and multiply.
00:49:38.09\00:49:43.08
Maybe our lives could be
a blessing to somebody else.
00:49:43.11\00:49:45.33
I'd like to invite us to
make some decision this morning.
00:49:50.17\00:49:56.31
And I would like for them
to be premeditated decisions,
00:50:00.40\00:50:04.00
so these are the
kind of decisions
00:50:04.03\00:50:05.10
you've been thinking about this,
00:50:05.13\00:50:06.60
God is speaking to your heart,
00:50:06.63\00:50:08.43
you recognize His
voice, you want to obey Him.
00:50:08.46\00:50:11.68
It may seem illogical but you
know that it is God calling you
00:50:11.71\00:50:15.66
and you want to commit
your life to those decisions
00:50:15.69\00:50:18.54
that you know God
is calling you to.
00:50:18.57\00:50:20.43
I would like to invite
us to make-- to take a stand
00:50:20.46\00:50:25.70
in saying, God, I want
to make that commitment.
00:50:25.73\00:50:31.36
When I leave here,
00:50:31.39\00:50:34.05
I'm gonna be
faithful in the small things.
00:50:34.08\00:50:37.87
When I leave here,
I want You to use me.
00:50:37.90\00:50:44.73
I feel like I'm
small and insignificant
00:50:44.76\00:50:48.22
but on that huge
campus I want You to use me.
00:50:48.25\00:50:51.33
Maybe one
person will be snatched
00:50:51.36\00:50:54.11
from the arms of the enemy.
00:50:54.14\00:50:57.95
But I want You to use me.
00:50:57.98\00:50:59.62
I'm not inviting
you to come forward,
00:51:04.06\00:51:06.08
I'm inviting you
to stand where you are
00:51:06.11\00:51:09.56
as my friend Naomi sings a song.
00:51:09.59\00:51:13.42
I'm gonna invite you
to stand where you are
00:51:13.45\00:51:15.16
and as she sings this song,
00:51:15.19\00:51:17.11
the commitment that
we're making in our heart,
00:51:19.39\00:51:22.44
that it get solidified
by the words of this music.
00:51:22.47\00:51:24.74
And so as you
listed to the words
00:51:29.11\00:51:31.19
that this
commitment that we are making
00:51:31.22\00:51:35.11
will be solidified by
the words we're hearing.
00:51:35.14\00:51:38.42
He heard the preacher
say A single dime can feed
00:51:56.97\00:52:02.89
A hungry boy or
girl With nothing to eat
00:52:02.92\00:52:08.79
So he pulled a dollar
From the pocket of his jeans
00:52:08.82\00:52:15.10
And he asked his mama
How many will this feed?
00:52:15.13\00:52:21.80
She just smiled And
when she told him ten
00:52:21.83\00:52:28.44
He reached back again
00:52:28.47\00:52:34.77
What if I give all I have?
00:52:34.80\00:52:41.25
What's will that gift do?
00:52:41.28\00:52:47.16
My child, a gift like
that Could change the world
00:52:47.19\00:52:53.80
It could feed a multitude
00:52:53.83\00:52:59.77
He didn't close
his eyes And turn away
00:52:59.80\00:53:06.22
I can see him Standing tall
00:53:06.25\00:53:12.01
He saw the need
And I can hear him say
00:53:12.04\00:53:18.43
What if I give all?
00:53:18.46\00:53:26.43
Three birthday dollars
Could have bought a special toy
00:53:27.92\00:53:34.11
But he reminds me
Of another little boy
00:53:34.14\00:53:40.35
Who gave to Jesus A
gift of fish and bread
00:53:40.38\00:53:47.25
I wonder if he said
00:53:47.28\00:53:53.11
What if I gave all I have?
00:53:53.14\00:53:59.36
What's will that gift do?
00:53:59.39\00:54:05.05
My child, a gift like
that Could change the world
00:54:05.08\00:54:11.32
It could feed a multitude
00:54:11.35\00:54:17.54
He didn't close
his eyes And turn away
00:54:17.57\00:54:23.92
I can see him Standing tall
00:54:23.95\00:54:29.61
He saw the need
And I can hear him say
00:54:29.64\00:54:35.91
What if I give all?
00:54:35.94\00:54:42.10
And long ago a Father and a Son
00:54:42.13\00:54:48.30
Saw the children lost in sin
00:54:48.33\00:54:54.62
Can you see the
tears In the Father's eyes
00:54:54.65\00:55:00.48
As Jesus says to him
00:55:00.51\00:55:07.11
What if I gave all I have?
00:55:07.14\00:55:13.79
What's will that gift do?
00:55:13.82\00:55:19.59
My Son, that gift
Will change the world
00:55:19.62\00:55:27.09
It will free The multitudes
00:55:27.12\00:55:33.25
What if I gave all I have?
00:55:33.28\00:55:39.22
What's will that gift do?
00:55:39.25\00:55:44.90
My child a gift like
that Could change the world
00:55:44.93\00:55:51.45
It could feed A multitude
00:55:51.48\00:55:57.23
We cannot close
our eyes And turn away
00:55:57.26\00:56:03.31
When we hear His
Spirit call We see the need
00:56:03.34\00:56:10.64
Now let Him hear us say
00:56:10.67\00:56:15.39
What if I give all?
00:56:15.42\00:56:21.81
What if I give all?
00:56:21.84\00:56:29.81