Good morning, everyone.
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We are so excited that
we can all be here today
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to come together,
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to be with each other
to spend time with Christ
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on this very
last day of the year.
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And to realize that we
are all a called generation
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to serve the Lord.
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Please join us
as we'll be singing
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some songs together.
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Our first song
this morning will be
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"Wonderful Words of Life,"
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so we invite you
to raise your voice
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and praise to God
this morning with us.
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Sing them over again to
me Wonderful words of life
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Let me more of their beauty
see Wonderful words of life
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Words of life and
beauty Teach me faith and duty
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Beautiful words, wonderful words
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Wonderful words of life
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Beautiful words, wonderful words
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Wonderful words of life
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Christ, The
blessed One, gives to all
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Wonderful words of life
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Sinner, list to the loving call
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Wonderful words of life
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All so freely
given Wooing us to heaven
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Beautiful words, wonderful words
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Wonderful words of life
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Beautiful words, wonderful words
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Wonderful words of life
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Sweetly echo the gospel
call Wonderful words of life
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Offer pardon and peace to
all Wonderful words of life
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Jesus, only
Savior Sanctify forever
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Beautiful words, wonderful words
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Wonderful words of life
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Beautiful words, wonderful words
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Wonderful words of life
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Please join us
in our theme song.
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Amen, please stand.
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Once to every man and nation
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Comes the moment to decide
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In the strife of
truth with falsehood
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For the good or evil side
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Some great
cause, God's new Messiah
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Offering each
the bloom or blight
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And the choice goes by forever
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'Twixt that
darkness and that light
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Then to side with truth is noble
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When we share her wretched crust
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Ere her cause
bring fame and profit
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And 'tis prosperous to be just
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Then it is the brave man chooses
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While the coward stands aside
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Till the multitude make virtue
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Of the faith they had denied
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By the light of burning martyrs
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Christ, Thy
bleeding feet we track
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Toiling up new Calvaries ever
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With the cross
that turns not back
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New occasions teach new duties
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Time makes ancient good uncouth
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They must
upward still and onward
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Who would keep abreast of truth
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Though the cause of evil prosper
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Yet the truth alone is strong
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Though her
portion be the scaffold
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And upon the throne be wrong
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Yet that
scaffold sways the future
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And, behind the dim unknown
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Standeth God within the shadow
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Keeping watch above His own
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Amen.
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You may be seated.
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Good morning GYC.
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Good morning.
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You can do better than that.
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Good morning.
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Good morning. Amen, amen.
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Did you sleep well?
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The few hours that you
were actually in your bed,
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I trust and pray that
God was with you last night,
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and I appreciate you
being here early this morning
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something that I
personally appreciate about GYC
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is that there is a
blessing all day long
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from the morning to the evening,
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and you will
not want to miss out
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on the morning devotional
and the reason why is that
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we are incredibly blessed
to have speaker Taj Pacleb.
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Taj Pacleb is the
director and speaker
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for Revelation
of Hope Ministries
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and he and his wife Wati
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have the privilege of
traveling around the world
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sharing the gospel.
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And Taj was not born
into a Christian home,
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but at the age of 16,
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because of a
Bible prophecy seminar,
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he fully gave his life to Jesus.
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Amen.
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And because of that decision
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he has been sharing
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the end time message
of hope ever since then.
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And I love what it
says here in your booklet
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about Taj Pacleb, it says,
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"He and his wife's
mission is to change
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the population of
heaven one soul at a time.
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By sharing the hope, health
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and harmony of
heaven in all the world."
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And praise God for his message.
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He'll be speaking
every single morning at GYC.
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So this morning, Friday morning,
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Sabbath morning, and
Sunday morning at 7:30,
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so I encourage you
to invite your friends,
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we know that there are
more attendees than this.
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Sometimes, it's hard
getting their breakfast,
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getting out of the room,
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but I encourage you to
bring your friends with you,
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and I know that
this will be a blessing.
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So why don't we bow
our heads and ask God
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to be with us as we begin.
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Father,
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thank you, thank you, thank you
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for being a God,
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that is incredibly
interested in lowly man.
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Lord, we are but dust
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and you still know
the hairs on our head.
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You still have
incredible care and concern,
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and love for each person here,
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and Father, I pray that
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You would pour
out your Holy Spirit
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on these morning devotionals.
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I pray that you
would speak through Taj.
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And I pray that our hearts
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would be open to Your working.
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Lord, we give
You permission to do
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an awesome work here at GYC.
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And this is not
about the speakers,
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this is not about
us, this is about You.
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And so we give You all the honor
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and glory this morning.
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We love You,
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we invite Your
presence to be here with us
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as we continue to worship You,
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and Father, would You
silence the noise of our heart,
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the distractions,
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and we want to
turn our eyes upon Jesus
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in your name, amen, amen.
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Time measured out my days
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Life carried me along
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In my soul I
yearned to follow God
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But knew I'd never be so strong
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I looked hard at this world
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To learn how
heaven could be gained
00:10:00.60\00:10:08.20
Just to end where I began
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Where human effort
00:10:12.54\00:10:15.51
Was all in vain
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Were it not for grace
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I can tell you where
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I'd be Wandering down
some pointless road to nowhere
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With my salvation up to me
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I know how that can go
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The battles I would face
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Forever running
but losing the race
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Were it not for grace
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So here is all my praise
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Expressed with all my heart
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Offered to the
Friend who took my place
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And ran a course
I could not start
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And when He saw in full
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Just how much
His love would cost
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He still went the final
mile between me and heaven
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So I would not be lost
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Were it not for grace
00:11:57.61\00:12:03.95
I can tell you where I'd be
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Wandering down some
pointless road to nowhere
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With my salvation up to me
00:12:15.46\00:12:20.80
I know how that can go
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The battles I would face
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Forever running
but losing the race
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Were it not for grace
00:12:37.72\00:12:44.06
Forever running
but losing the race
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Were it not for grace.
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Amen.
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All right.
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Good morning GYC.
00:13:04.08\00:13:05.48
Good morning,
00:13:05.51\00:13:08.02
I didn't hear anyone respond.
00:13:08.05\00:13:10.22
Is it a good morning?
00:13:10.25\00:13:11.65
Good morning.
00:13:11.69\00:13:13.02
All right.
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I want to just share
that it's a very high honor
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and a great privilege to stand
before you here this morning,
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and sharing in the
morning devotionals.
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I want to thank
God first and foremost
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as well as the GYC team
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for orchestrating
this wonderful opportunity
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for us to come to press together
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in preparation for our
Lord Jesus' soon return.
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How many are
thankful to be here at GYC.
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Amen.
00:13:33.61\00:13:35.41
To begin this morning,
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I want to make a few
comments upon this year's theme,
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"Called, Chosen, and Faithful."
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These solemn words come
from a very powerful prophecy
00:13:42.85\00:13:46.22
in the Book of Revelation 17.
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A prophecy pointing to a time
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when the nations of the world
are going to come together,
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not in a one-world government
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or some type of new world order,
00:13:55.73\00:13:58.07
but ecumenical unity were
differences are going to be
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put aside for the
common good of all.
00:14:01.37\00:14:04.04
It's a time when the nations
will come together in one mind
00:14:04.07\00:14:07.21
the Bible says,
one goal, one intent,
00:14:07.24\00:14:10.91
one resolve, one agenda
00:14:10.95\00:14:13.78
and they're going to come
together in unity and unity
00:14:13.82\00:14:16.25
sounds good in a
world that is fragmented
00:14:16.28\00:14:18.85
and divided and torn apart.
00:14:18.89\00:14:20.96
But the Bible tells us
in this solemn prophecy
00:14:20.99\00:14:23.39
in the 17th of Revelation
00:14:23.43\00:14:24.76
that the inevitable
results of this unity
00:14:24.79\00:14:27.53
is that they're going
to look upon the beast
00:14:27.56\00:14:30.00
and they're going
to give their power
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and strength to
the beast, and it says,
00:14:31.40\00:14:33.54
that they're going to
make war with the Lamb.
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And as the world is
coming together in unity
00:14:36.50\00:14:39.64
to fight against
God and the truth of God
00:14:39.67\00:14:42.04
and ultimately
the people of God.
00:14:42.08\00:14:44.98
The Bible tells us that
00:14:45.01\00:14:46.35
in this
controversy the Lamb wins.
00:14:46.38\00:14:49.28
Amen.
00:14:49.32\00:14:50.79
And they that are
with him are called,
00:14:50.82\00:14:54.42
Chosen and Faithful.
00:14:54.46\00:14:56.76
I'm so thankful, friends,
00:14:56.79\00:14:58.13
that in this war
between good and evil.
00:14:58.16\00:15:00.00
And as the world is
coming together today,
00:15:00.03\00:15:02.60
to fight against God
and the truth of God,
00:15:02.63\00:15:05.10
that we are on the winning team
00:15:05.13\00:15:07.00
when we're on the
Lamb's team, amen.
00:15:07.04\00:15:09.34
That we don't have to
be afraid of the beast,
00:15:09.37\00:15:11.94
as long as we are connected
00:15:11.97\00:15:14.84
with the wonderful
Lamb, Jesus Christ.
00:15:14.88\00:15:18.31
And so this
morning and the other,
00:15:18.35\00:15:21.18
in the following mornings
00:15:21.22\00:15:22.98
for our morning devotional time.
00:15:23.02\00:15:25.15
I want to share
with you some messages
00:15:25.19\00:15:26.89
that have been
crafted to remind us
00:15:26.92\00:15:29.42
that we don't
have to be afraid of
00:15:29.46\00:15:30.93
what's happening
in the last days.
00:15:30.96\00:15:32.73
We just have to be with Jesus.
00:15:32.76\00:15:34.83
We want to share
some messages to remind us
00:15:34.86\00:15:38.00
of what it means to be,
Called, Chosen and Faithful.
00:15:38.03\00:15:43.10
I want to share with
you two messages really,
00:15:43.14\00:15:45.71
broke it up into four
parts, that deal with that theme
00:15:45.74\00:15:48.74
and so this morning's
presentation is entitled,
00:15:48.78\00:15:51.85
"Called,
Chosen, But Unfaithful."
00:15:51.88\00:15:56.05
Called, Chosen, But Unfaithful.
00:15:56.08\00:15:58.75
I invite you to take your Bible
00:15:58.79\00:16:00.12
and open with me to
the Book of Matthew.
00:16:00.16\00:16:02.22
And we're going to
go to the 12 chapter
00:16:02.26\00:16:03.89
as we begin our
Bible study this morning.
00:16:03.93\00:16:06.53
Matthew Chapter 12,
00:16:06.56\00:16:08.93
as we study, Called,
Chosen, But Unfaithful.
00:16:08.96\00:16:13.50
Matthew Chapter 12,
00:16:13.54\00:16:15.24
and notice in this passage
the scribes and Pharisees
00:16:15.27\00:16:18.67
and religious leaders of
that during the days of Christ
00:16:18.71\00:16:22.14
presents a very vain
and immodest requests
00:16:22.18\00:16:25.58
to the Lord Jesus.
00:16:25.61\00:16:27.18
Notice what it says
here in Matthew Chapter 12,
00:16:27.22\00:16:30.25
beginning with verse 38.
00:16:30.29\00:16:32.42
But let us pray first.
00:16:32.45\00:16:34.22
Father in heaven, we
thank You so much Lord,
00:16:34.26\00:16:36.69
for gathering us together
as Your children in this place
00:16:36.73\00:16:40.76
that we might press together,
00:16:40.80\00:16:42.66
that we might
draw closer to You,
00:16:42.70\00:16:45.73
and Lord, we just
pray that your Holy Spirit
00:16:45.77\00:16:47.37
would fill this
room, fill our hearts.
00:16:47.40\00:16:50.61
Give us clarity of thought
00:16:50.64\00:16:52.94
and an open heart to receive
the message of this hour,
00:16:52.97\00:16:56.28
speak to us Lord,
00:16:56.31\00:16:57.65
not only
corporately as a church,
00:16:57.68\00:17:00.02
but personally and
individually as Your child.
00:17:00.05\00:17:04.35
This is our prayer
in Jesus' name, amen.
00:17:04.39\00:17:08.36
Matthew 12:38,
00:17:08.39\00:17:11.56
if you are there and
if you are ready to study
00:17:11.59\00:17:12.93
the Bible this morning,
00:17:12.96\00:17:14.30
would you let me
know by saying amen.
00:17:14.33\00:17:15.66
Amen.
00:17:15.70\00:17:17.03
The Bible says in Matthew 12:38,
00:17:17.07\00:17:18.87
"Then some of the scribes
and Pharisees answered saying,
00:17:18.90\00:17:21.64
"Teacher we would see a..."
00:17:21.67\00:17:24.51
' What did they want?
00:17:24.54\00:17:26.04
"A sign from thee."
00:17:26.07\00:17:28.64
Here the Pharisees and
scribes are asking Jesus
00:17:28.68\00:17:31.85
to perform some type of
sign to prove His Messiahship.
00:17:31.88\00:17:36.35
Now we have to understand that
these seekers were skeptical,
00:17:36.38\00:17:40.16
but they had no
reason to be skeptical
00:17:40.19\00:17:42.29
because they had
abundant evidence in the Word
00:17:42.32\00:17:45.33
of the character mission
and identity of the Messiah.
00:17:45.36\00:17:49.26
These were the
guardians of the Torah.
00:17:49.30\00:17:51.63
The expositors of
the second writings.
00:17:51.67\00:17:54.27
These were the facilitators
of the temple services
00:17:54.30\00:17:56.67
the shepherds of
the flock of God,
00:17:56.71\00:17:58.87
the priests of the Most High.
00:17:58.91\00:18:00.58
These who have been
entrusted with much light
00:18:00.61\00:18:03.28
must much knowledge
are asking Jesus to perform
00:18:03.31\00:18:06.92
some type of silly sign,
00:18:06.95\00:18:08.65
some miracle to
prove himself to them.
00:18:08.68\00:18:12.62
But Jesus response to this
presumptuous prayer request
00:18:12.65\00:18:15.92
in verse 39, "And He
answered and said to them,
00:18:15.96\00:18:18.63
"An evil and adulterous
generation seeks after a sign,
00:18:18.66\00:18:22.36
and there shall no
sign be given unto it."
00:18:22.40\00:18:26.53
Christ here refuses to
satisfy the sight of their eyes.
00:18:26.57\00:18:31.37
He would not perform
some type of miracle,
00:18:31.41\00:18:33.68
some silly sign to
prove His Messiahship.
00:18:33.71\00:18:36.24
Why?
00:18:36.28\00:18:37.61
Because these
religious leaders as I mentioned
00:18:37.65\00:18:40.72
already had sufficient evidence
00:18:40.75\00:18:42.55
that He was the
Messiah in the prophetic word.
00:18:42.58\00:18:45.99
And therein,
00:18:46.02\00:18:47.36
in the Bible the
scrolls of the prophets
00:18:47.39\00:18:49.42
was the character and identity
of the Messiah reviewed.
00:18:49.46\00:18:53.73
But these religious leaders
are like many religious leaders
00:18:53.76\00:18:56.10
and religious people today,
00:18:56.13\00:18:58.00
they instead of going by
what the Bible clearly teaches,
00:18:58.03\00:19:00.74
they wanted to be
satisfied with their eyes.
00:19:00.77\00:19:03.87
They want some type
of outward demonstration,
00:19:03.91\00:19:06.11
some type of
burning in the boot, bosom.
00:19:06.14\00:19:08.98
But Christ
refused to do it, friends,
00:19:09.01\00:19:10.91
because our faith is not
to be founded upon some sign
00:19:10.95\00:19:13.98
or wonder or miracle
but upon the Word of God.
00:19:14.02\00:19:18.52
This is the foundation of faith.
00:19:18.55\00:19:21.12
Bible tells us,
00:19:21.16\00:19:22.69
"We walk by
faith and not by sight
00:19:22.72\00:19:24.16
and faith comes by hearing
00:19:24.19\00:19:25.76
and hearing by the Word of God."
00:19:25.79\00:19:28.56
And so Christ refused
to perform the miracle.
00:19:28.60\00:19:31.33
He performed many miracles
00:19:31.37\00:19:33.74
but He never performed
the miracle to prove Himself.
00:19:33.77\00:19:38.07
Because miracles are not
the evidence of true faith.
00:19:38.11\00:19:41.48
God wants us to
live by the word.
00:19:41.51\00:19:44.05
However, there is one
sign that Jesus would perform
00:19:44.08\00:19:49.42
that would unmistakably
verify His identity.
00:19:49.45\00:19:54.06
Verify the fact
that He is the Messiah,
00:19:54.09\00:19:57.06
and notice what
this sign is in verse 39.
00:19:57.09\00:20:01.03
He continues the
rest of verse 39,
00:20:01.06\00:20:03.23
"He said but the
sign of the Prophet Jonas"
00:20:03.26\00:20:06.20
verse 40.
00:20:06.23\00:20:07.57
"For as Jonas was
three days and three nights
00:20:07.60\00:20:09.70
in the whale's belly,
00:20:09.74\00:20:11.07
so shall the Son of Man be
three days and three nights
00:20:11.11\00:20:13.44
in the heart of the earth.
00:20:13.48\00:20:14.81
Then the men of
Nineveh shall rise in judgment
00:20:14.84\00:20:16.91
with this generation
and shall condemn it,
00:20:16.95\00:20:19.68
because they repented
at the preaching of Jonas,
00:20:19.71\00:20:22.28
and behold a
greater than Jonas is here."
00:20:22.32\00:20:26.55
So here we find
Jesus telling the Pharisees
00:20:26.59\00:20:29.89
that there is one
sign that He would perform
00:20:29.92\00:20:32.59
that would
verify His Messiahship.
00:20:32.63\00:20:35.56
And that was the
sign of the Prophet Jonah.
00:20:35.60\00:20:38.43
In other words,
Jonah or Jesus is likening
00:20:38.47\00:20:40.70
the experience of
Jonah to that of himself,
00:20:40.74\00:20:43.44
as Jonah was three
days and three nights
00:20:43.47\00:20:46.01
in the whale's belly.
00:20:46.04\00:20:47.38
So He would be three
days and three nights
00:20:47.41\00:20:49.61
not in the grave but
in the heart of the earth.
00:20:49.64\00:20:54.35
This my friends,
00:20:54.38\00:20:56.12
this singular sign is the sign
00:20:56.15\00:20:59.72
that Jesus gave to
prove his Messiahship
00:20:59.75\00:21:02.46
and we're going to see
today as well as tomorrow,
00:21:02.49\00:21:05.49
that it's the same sign
00:21:05.53\00:21:07.46
that proves our
discipleship to Jesus.
00:21:07.50\00:21:12.20
It proves His Messiahship
00:21:12.23\00:21:13.97
but it also
proves our discipleship.
00:21:14.00\00:21:17.71
We're going to see that
this sign is the evidence
00:21:17.74\00:21:20.94
that we have been
called and chosen.
00:21:20.98\00:21:23.88
But it's also the power
00:21:23.91\00:21:25.51
that enables us to be
faithful in the last days,
00:21:25.55\00:21:28.98
and so the question is this.
00:21:29.02\00:21:30.35
What of Jonah
teaches us about Christ?
00:21:30.39\00:21:34.36
And what of Jonah
teaches us about ourselves?
00:21:34.39\00:21:38.66
Well now I invite
you to take your Bible
00:21:38.69\00:21:40.26
and turn to the Book of Jonah.
00:21:40.30\00:21:42.03
As we look at
this very famous story
00:21:42.06\00:21:47.47
and see some things that perhaps
00:21:47.50\00:21:48.84
you've never seen before.
00:21:48.87\00:21:50.21
Notice what the Bible says,
00:21:50.24\00:21:51.57
we're going to the
Book of Jonah Chapter 1.
00:21:51.61\00:21:53.98
And as you're turning there,
00:21:54.01\00:21:55.38
first of all who was Jonah?
00:21:55.41\00:21:57.51
He was a prophet of God.
00:21:57.55\00:21:59.31
He was the runaway
prophet of the Lord,
00:21:59.35\00:22:01.65
but nonetheless he was
one that God had called
00:22:01.68\00:22:04.35
and chosen to do a special work.
00:22:04.39\00:22:06.96
Jonah is a
worshipper of the true God.
00:22:06.99\00:22:09.52
He did not worship idols.
00:22:09.56\00:22:11.06
He was the worshipper
of Jehovah the true God,
00:22:11.09\00:22:13.90
but the question is,
00:22:13.93\00:22:15.26
what constitutes a
true worshipper of God.
00:22:15.30\00:22:18.40
Well, Jesus told us in
the Book of John Chapter 4,
00:22:18.43\00:22:22.54
"That the true worshippers
00:22:22.57\00:22:23.91
worship God in
spirit and truth."
00:22:23.94\00:22:28.31
Not just in
spirit, not just in truth
00:22:28.34\00:22:30.65
but both of these
two things together
00:22:30.68\00:22:32.95
constitute a true
worshipper of God.
00:22:32.98\00:22:36.99
This is who Jonah is,
00:22:37.02\00:22:39.32
for notice in his very
name we find his identity
00:22:39.35\00:22:44.33
and by extension his
mission and his message.
00:22:44.36\00:22:47.40
Notice Jonah
Chapter 1:1, the Bible says,
00:22:47.43\00:22:50.63
"Now the word of the Lord
came to Jonah the son of..."
00:22:50.67\00:22:54.14
What is his daddy's name?
00:22:54.17\00:22:56.04
"Amittai."
00:22:56.07\00:22:57.41
Now I want you
to stop right there.
00:22:57.44\00:22:58.97
That word Jonah in the original,
00:22:59.01\00:23:01.61
it means dove.
00:23:01.64\00:23:04.41
That's what the
word Jonah means,
00:23:04.45\00:23:06.31
it means dove.
00:23:06.35\00:23:08.02
Now what is the dove a
symbol of in the Bible?
00:23:08.05\00:23:11.29
It's a symbol of
the Holy Spirit of God.
00:23:11.32\00:23:15.32
And the Bible tells us
00:23:15.36\00:23:16.69
that Jonah's
father's name was Amittai,
00:23:16.73\00:23:18.76
and that word Amittai
00:23:18.79\00:23:20.16
in the original Hebrew it means,
00:23:20.20\00:23:22.43
''My truth''.
00:23:22.46\00:23:24.47
What does it mean everyone?
00:23:24.50\00:23:26.37
My truth and so when you
look at the very name of Jonah
00:23:26.40\00:23:28.97
which means dove, a
symbol of the spirit,
00:23:29.00\00:23:31.27
the son of Amittai, my truth,
00:23:31.31\00:23:33.44
we see that in Jonah's very name
00:23:33.48\00:23:36.14
we find his identity.
00:23:36.18\00:23:38.08
He is a son of truth
00:23:38.11\00:23:39.45
that is to be
feared with the spirit,
00:23:39.48\00:23:41.08
a true
worshipper that worships God
00:23:41.12\00:23:43.25
in spirit and in truth.
00:23:43.28\00:23:45.85
At least this is
what he was called
00:23:45.89\00:23:49.99
and chosen to be.
00:23:50.03\00:23:53.50
In other words, his identity
is found in his very name,
00:23:53.53\00:23:57.70
which by extension
points out his mission
00:23:57.73\00:24:00.80
and defines his message.
00:24:00.84\00:24:02.80
In other words,
Jonah's message is rooted,
00:24:02.84\00:24:04.91
friends, listen,
listen to the point.
00:24:04.94\00:24:06.47
Jonah's message is rooted
in his name or his identity.
00:24:06.51\00:24:12.41
He is to be a
messenger of spirit and truth
00:24:12.45\00:24:16.89
and that's the same for us.
00:24:16.92\00:24:18.72
Now what
specifically is Jonah's message?
00:24:18.75\00:24:20.66
Well, let's jump down to verse 9
00:24:20.69\00:24:22.76
Jonah Chapter 1.
00:24:22.79\00:24:24.76
And notice what
Jonah said in verse 9.
00:24:24.79\00:24:27.70
This is when he was on the
boat speaking to the mariners
00:24:27.73\00:24:30.87
and he said to
them, "I am a Hebrew,
00:24:30.90\00:24:35.84
and I do, what everyone,
00:24:35.87\00:24:38.37
fear the Lord,
the God of heaven,
00:24:38.41\00:24:41.41
who, did what, made
the sea and the dry land."
00:24:41.44\00:24:46.31
So notice what Jonah
says here is his message.
00:24:46.35\00:24:49.18
"I am a Hebrew,"
this is who I am.
00:24:49.22\00:24:51.55
This is my identity and
by extension of who I am,
00:24:51.59\00:24:55.42
I fear God the
one that made the sea
00:24:55.46\00:24:59.29
and the dry lands,
00:24:59.33\00:25:00.66
the true creator
that made all things.
00:25:00.70\00:25:03.37
I fear God the one
that made all things.
00:25:03.40\00:25:05.47
And by the way when
Jonah went to Nineveh,
00:25:05.50\00:25:07.44
he gave a message of
judgment, did he not?
00:25:07.47\00:25:10.14
Basically when he came
to the kingdom of Nineveh,
00:25:10.17\00:25:14.88
Jonah's message was that
00:25:14.91\00:25:16.88
the hour of
God's judgment is come.
00:25:16.91\00:25:20.62
And so when you
put that all together,
00:25:20.65\00:25:22.12
that sounds very
familiar, doesn't it?
00:25:22.15\00:25:24.25
I fear God, the one
that made all things
00:25:24.29\00:25:26.65
and I'm here to tell you
00:25:26.69\00:25:28.02
that the hour of
His judgment is come.
00:25:28.06\00:25:29.42
Friends, this is exactly
00:25:29.46\00:25:31.09
what the first angel declares
00:25:31.13\00:25:33.13
in Revelation 14:7.
00:25:33.16\00:25:35.76
The point is this, friends,
00:25:35.80\00:25:37.50
Jonah's message is
very similar to ours,
00:25:37.53\00:25:40.54
our message and our identity
is the same as that of Jonah.
00:25:40.57\00:25:45.01
God is calling us, friends,
00:25:45.04\00:25:46.54
not only to be
recipients of the message
00:25:46.57\00:25:49.64
but He's calling us to be
participants of the mission.
00:25:49.68\00:25:53.11
We're not always to
be on the receiving end.
00:25:53.15\00:25:55.62
God wants us
00:25:55.65\00:25:56.99
and He's calling us
to be on the giving end.
00:25:57.02\00:25:58.82
And so if you
receive the gospel,
00:25:58.85\00:26:00.62
if you've heard the truth,
00:26:00.66\00:26:01.99
if you have been a recipient,
00:26:02.02\00:26:03.89
automatically that
enrolls you to be a participant
00:26:03.93\00:26:07.33
because Christianity
is not a spectator sport.
00:26:07.36\00:26:10.97
God is calling us to
receive so that we can give,
00:26:11.00\00:26:15.20
and so the word
came to Jonah first,
00:26:15.24\00:26:17.14
he received this commission.
00:26:17.17\00:26:19.84
And I want you notice
what God called Jonah to do?
00:26:19.87\00:26:24.21
Verse 2, notice what it says.
00:26:24.25\00:26:27.22
What is the first word
that the Word of God said Jonah
00:26:27.25\00:26:30.85
or called Jonah to do?
00:26:30.89\00:26:32.22
What is that
first word in verse 2?
00:26:32.25\00:26:33.59
It says, "Arise".
00:26:33.62\00:26:36.42
Now, friends, I
like that word Arise.
00:26:36.46\00:26:38.79
It's a word that
calls us to come up higher.
00:26:38.83\00:26:42.43
You see when the
word of God comes to us,
00:26:42.46\00:26:44.40
God's word is an uplifting word.
00:26:44.43\00:26:47.57
Man's word brings us down
but God's word brings us up.
00:26:47.60\00:26:51.44
Whenever the word
of God comes to us,
00:26:51.47\00:26:53.14
it's always a call to
come up on higher ground.
00:26:53.17\00:26:56.41
It's a call out of
the darkness of deception
00:26:56.44\00:26:59.11
and into the light of truth.
00:26:59.15\00:27:00.65
God's word and
call to us is a call
00:27:00.68\00:27:03.08
to come up out of
the valley of despair
00:27:03.12\00:27:05.45
to stand upon
the mountain of hope.
00:27:05.49\00:27:07.16
It's a call to come out
of the raging waves of worry
00:27:07.19\00:27:10.73
and on to the peaceful
shore of calm assurance.
00:27:10.76\00:27:13.90
It's a word that calls us
out of the bondage of bitterness
00:27:13.93\00:27:17.37
and into the
freedom of forgiveness
00:27:17.40\00:27:19.23
out of the slavery of sin
00:27:19.27\00:27:21.20
and into the
security of full salvation.
00:27:21.24\00:27:23.97
And so my
brothers and my sisters,
00:27:24.01\00:27:25.81
today if you find
yourself discouraged
00:27:25.84\00:27:28.31
by your
depressing circumstances,
00:27:28.34\00:27:30.38
the Word of God
calls you to arise.
00:27:30.41\00:27:34.22
Arise and be encouraged
00:27:34.25\00:27:36.55
but the reality that God
is still the sovereign King,
00:27:36.58\00:27:39.99
sitting up on the
throne of the universe
00:27:40.02\00:27:42.02
and come what may,
He is still in control.
00:27:42.06\00:27:45.69
Arise, realizing
that God can make a way
00:27:45.73\00:27:49.86
when there seems to be no way,
00:27:49.90\00:27:51.83
for he is the Way,
the Truth and the Life.
00:27:51.87\00:27:54.84
He can open the Red
Sea like He did for Moses
00:27:54.87\00:27:58.01
and provide a plain
path before your feet
00:27:58.04\00:28:00.51
or He will give you the power
00:28:00.54\00:28:02.74
to walk on water like Peter
did as a rider of the storm,
00:28:02.78\00:28:06.58
and so I call you in the
name of Jesus today to arise,
00:28:06.61\00:28:10.59
arise out of
your discouragement.
00:28:10.62\00:28:13.46
If you feel yourself
ridden with guilt and shame
00:28:13.49\00:28:15.52
because of the
mistakes of your past,
00:28:15.56\00:28:17.69
God's word says to arise.
00:28:17.73\00:28:19.59
Arise and receive
the blessed assurance
00:28:19.63\00:28:22.00
of the pardon and forgiveness
00:28:22.03\00:28:23.57
that is so freely
offered to us in Christ.
00:28:23.60\00:28:27.74
Bible tells us that
we can come to Jesus
00:28:27.77\00:28:30.51
just as we are broken,
00:28:30.54\00:28:33.84
filled with issues, messed up.
00:28:33.88\00:28:37.81
God's love
accepts us just as we are,
00:28:37.85\00:28:41.28
but He loves us enough
not to leave us as we are,
00:28:41.32\00:28:43.82
amen.
00:28:43.85\00:28:45.25
Stop allowing the devil to
rub your past in your face,
00:28:45.29\00:28:48.86
arise and washed in the fountain
00:28:48.89\00:28:50.86
filled with blood
flowing from Immanuel's veins,
00:28:50.89\00:28:53.90
because the blood of
Jesus is the best detergent
00:28:53.93\00:28:56.56
to cleanse every stain of sin
upon the garment of your life.
00:28:56.60\00:28:59.97
And so today,
00:29:00.00\00:29:01.34
if you're ridden with
guilt and shame, arise.
00:29:01.37\00:29:05.07
If you find yourself
enslaved by the power
00:29:05.11\00:29:06.91
of your own sinful flesh,
00:29:06.94\00:29:09.74
perhaps it's the paralyzing
00:29:09.78\00:29:11.11
addictions of drugs and alcohol.
00:29:11.15\00:29:14.68
Maybe it's the
consuming fire of lust,
00:29:14.72\00:29:17.65
pornography, adultery,
00:29:17.69\00:29:20.12
fornication or for others
00:29:20.16\00:29:21.69
it could be the
chains of materialism
00:29:21.72\00:29:23.89
in the form of
gambling, wasteful spending
00:29:23.93\00:29:26.46
or selfish hoarding
that holds you as a slave
00:29:26.49\00:29:29.86
in the bondage to your stuff.
00:29:29.90\00:29:32.73
Maybe it's the
captivating lights
00:29:32.77\00:29:36.64
and screens of the
entertainment of the world.
00:29:36.67\00:29:41.48
The computer
screen or the TV screen
00:29:41.51\00:29:43.31
or your phone
screen in the church.
00:29:43.35\00:29:45.68
Hollywood
entertainment and social media
00:29:45.71\00:29:47.98
and worldly music
all the sound bites
00:29:48.02\00:29:50.29
and the flashing lights,
00:29:50.32\00:29:51.65
whatever the sin,
friends, big or small,
00:29:51.69\00:29:53.86
our sovereign God sees it all,
00:29:53.89\00:29:56.09
and today His word
is calling us to arise.
00:29:56.12\00:29:59.69
Arise and
recognize that Jesus' blood
00:29:59.73\00:30:02.03
not only pardons our
path, past but it gives us power
00:30:02.06\00:30:05.63
to live a new
life of victorious life
00:30:05.67\00:30:08.00
in the present.
00:30:08.04\00:30:09.57
Arise, stop
eating the pig's food.
00:30:09.60\00:30:13.41
why will you live like beggars
when your father is rich?
00:30:13.44\00:30:16.91
Arise like the prodigal son did
00:30:16.95\00:30:18.61
and go back to
the father's home.
00:30:18.65\00:30:20.88
Arise and come back
00:30:20.92\00:30:22.25
because you've
been gone for too long,
00:30:22.28\00:30:23.65
your father misses you.
00:30:23.69\00:30:25.12
His heart weeps for you,
00:30:25.15\00:30:27.12
and heaven is not
going to be the same
00:30:27.16\00:30:29.06
if you're not there.
00:30:29.09\00:30:31.39
Arise, and let the
father cover your wretchedness
00:30:31.43\00:30:35.70
with his perfect righteousness.
00:30:35.73\00:30:37.77
That's what God's
word calls Jonah to do.
00:30:37.80\00:30:40.74
And, friends, when we do that,
00:30:40.77\00:30:42.27
we will see that
the chains of bondage
00:30:42.30\00:30:44.24
will fall off from our hands
00:30:44.27\00:30:46.54
as we raise them
up into surrender
00:30:46.57\00:30:49.11
to our great God of heaven.
00:30:49.14\00:30:50.55
For he, my friends, is
the great chain breaker,
00:30:50.58\00:30:53.48
he is the burden lifter,
the undefeated emancipator,
00:30:53.52\00:30:57.35
our faithful father,
and so in the name of Jesus,
00:30:57.39\00:30:59.99
I call you today to arise.
00:31:00.02\00:31:04.43
That's what God
called Jonah to do.
00:31:04.46\00:31:07.20
It was a call out of
idleness and into action.
00:31:07.23\00:31:11.03
It was a call to not be
afraid or ashamed of his name,
00:31:11.07\00:31:15.00
his identity, his
mission and message.
00:31:15.04\00:31:17.44
It was a call to
stand up and to stand out
00:31:17.47\00:31:20.54
and not be afraid to speak up
00:31:20.58\00:31:22.24
and speak out for
the cause of Christ.
00:31:22.28\00:31:24.11
And so arise, arise and do what?
00:31:24.15\00:31:28.12
Notice, what is
the very second word
00:31:28.15\00:31:30.99
God says to Jonah?
00:31:31.02\00:31:32.95
Arise and then the
second word is what,
00:31:32.99\00:31:35.86
"Go".
00:31:35.89\00:31:37.89
Arise and then go.
00:31:37.93\00:31:41.10
Why, friends, because
where you are now is not
00:31:41.13\00:31:43.20
where you ought to
be, so you have to go.
00:31:43.23\00:31:45.67
Go why, because you've been
00:31:45.70\00:31:47.24
spiritually
stagnant for too long
00:31:47.27\00:31:49.20
and if you want to
grow, you've got to go.
00:31:49.24\00:31:52.27
Go why because God says,
00:31:52.31\00:31:54.11
I know the thoughts
that I think towards you,
00:31:54.14\00:31:56.38
thoughts of
peace and not of evil,
00:31:56.41\00:31:58.18
to give you a future and a hope.
00:31:58.21\00:31:59.91
But you won't
know unless you go.
00:31:59.95\00:32:03.42
Go why, because there is someone
00:32:03.45\00:32:05.05
that's waiting for your arrival.
00:32:05.09\00:32:07.22
Someone that
needs to see the things
00:32:07.26\00:32:08.72
that your eyes have seen.
00:32:08.76\00:32:10.59
Someone that
needs to hear the words
00:32:10.63\00:32:12.26
that your ears have heard.
00:32:12.29\00:32:14.16
Someone out there in the world
00:32:14.20\00:32:16.16
that must know the
things that you know
00:32:16.20\00:32:18.07
and they won't
know unless you go.
00:32:18.10\00:32:21.94
Go and share the
message with others.
00:32:21.97\00:32:25.07
That's the same word
Jesus said to the disciples,
00:32:25.11\00:32:27.38
isn't that right?
00:32:27.41\00:32:28.74
In that great
commission the Lord said,
00:32:28.78\00:32:30.45
"Go to all nations
and preach all things."
00:32:30.48\00:32:35.22
You see, friends,
human nature is such
00:32:35.25\00:32:37.82
that we are so
quick to spread bad news
00:32:37.85\00:32:42.02
and so slow to share good news,
00:32:42.06\00:32:44.56
isn't that right?
00:32:44.59\00:32:46.23
The gospel, that
God is calling us to go
00:32:46.26\00:32:48.76
and give His good
news, but why is it, friends,
00:32:48.80\00:32:51.43
that we are so
hesitant to witness
00:32:51.47\00:32:53.40
and share the gospel.
00:32:53.44\00:32:55.17
You see many
books have been written.
00:32:55.20\00:32:57.37
Many sermons have been preached.
00:32:57.41\00:32:59.71
Many seminars
have been conducted
00:32:59.74\00:33:01.84
to teach people how
to share their faith.
00:33:01.88\00:33:05.85
And yet despite all the
books that have been written
00:33:05.88\00:33:07.72
and all the sermons
that have been preached,
00:33:07.75\00:33:09.88
there is still
a lack of laborers
00:33:09.92\00:33:13.05
to reap the great harvests
00:33:13.09\00:33:14.99
that's all around us.
00:33:15.02\00:33:16.36
And, friends,
00:33:16.39\00:33:17.73
I want to submit
to us this morning,
00:33:17.76\00:33:19.09
that what we need is not so much
00:33:19.13\00:33:20.46
more
opportunities to be trained.
00:33:20.50\00:33:23.06
What we really needed
00:33:23.10\00:33:24.73
and what we really
lack is a personal encounter
00:33:24.77\00:33:28.87
and experience
with the divine trainer.
00:33:28.90\00:33:32.47
There's lots of
training available to us,
00:33:32.51\00:33:35.31
but what we
lack is not training,
00:33:35.34\00:33:36.95
what we lack is an experience.
00:33:36.98\00:33:38.31
You see, my friends,
00:33:38.35\00:33:39.68
when you
experience something good,
00:33:39.71\00:33:41.18
it's not hard to
share with someone else.
00:33:41.22\00:33:44.32
If you tasted a good food,
00:33:44.35\00:33:46.86
it's not difficult to convince
someone else to try it out.
00:33:46.89\00:33:52.86
The expression
on your countenance
00:33:52.89\00:33:54.93
and the enthusiasm
in your voice is enough
00:33:54.96\00:33:57.70
to convince someone else
00:33:57.73\00:33:59.73
that what you have is good
00:33:59.77\00:34:01.10
and they ought to
try it for themselves.
00:34:01.14\00:34:03.84
I'll never forget,
one Sabbath morning,
00:34:03.87\00:34:06.64
I was getting ready to preach.
00:34:06.68\00:34:09.21
And that morning I was
going to share a message
00:34:09.24\00:34:11.68
on the importance of witnessing
00:34:11.71\00:34:13.48
and sharing our faith.
00:34:13.52\00:34:15.18
And with the mental preparation,
00:34:15.22\00:34:16.89
I also needed the physical
preparation of breakfast.
00:34:16.92\00:34:20.12
And that morning or
few days before that
00:34:20.16\00:34:22.42
some wonderful church member
00:34:22.46\00:34:25.03
gave my wife and
I a bag of mangos.
00:34:25.06\00:34:28.50
And that's what I
had for breakfast.
00:34:28.53\00:34:30.87
I must have eaten
four or five mangoes
00:34:30.90\00:34:33.30
that morning.
00:34:33.34\00:34:34.87
And it was wonderful.
00:34:34.90\00:34:36.74
How many of you like mangos?
00:34:36.77\00:34:38.71
If you don't like mangoes,
00:34:38.74\00:34:40.08
it's probably
because you've never tasted
00:34:40.11\00:34:41.94
a Hawaiian mango.
00:34:41.98\00:34:44.48
Our mangoes in
Hawaii are so good.
00:34:44.51\00:34:47.62
And I remember I was
eating these mangoes,
00:34:47.65\00:34:49.48
mango after mango
00:34:49.52\00:34:50.89
and I was hunched over the sink,
00:34:50.92\00:34:53.69
just devouring these mangos.
00:34:53.72\00:34:55.62
The juice was flowing
down my hands and arms
00:34:55.66\00:34:58.09
and all the fiber was
getting stuck in my teeth,
00:34:58.13\00:35:00.23
but I didn't care.
00:35:00.26\00:35:01.60
It was a happy
Sabbath that morning,
00:35:01.63\00:35:03.10
let me tell you.
00:35:03.13\00:35:04.70
And as I'm eating these mangoes
00:35:04.73\00:35:06.60
and preparing in my
mind to preach that morning,
00:35:06.63\00:35:08.77
I'm asking God,
00:35:08.80\00:35:10.14
Lord, what can I do
00:35:10.17\00:35:11.51
to help others to
see how sweet You are.
00:35:11.54\00:35:14.68
Lord, what can I
share this morning in church
00:35:14.71\00:35:16.58
that will encourage someone
00:35:16.61\00:35:18.45
to share their faith
with their neighbors.
00:35:18.48\00:35:21.05
And then I started
thinking about the mango
00:35:21.08\00:35:22.72
that was in my hand,
and how sweet and juicy,
00:35:22.75\00:35:25.69
and wonderful that mango was.
00:35:25.72\00:35:27.49
It was filling,
it was satisfying,
00:35:27.52\00:35:30.26
and God impressed
me just tell the people
00:35:30.29\00:35:32.53
to taste and see
that the Lord is good.
00:35:32.56\00:35:37.30
Taste and see for yourself.
00:35:37.33\00:35:40.14
You see, friends, when we taste
00:35:40.17\00:35:44.24
and see for ourselves
00:35:44.27\00:35:46.78
and people see us tasting,
00:35:46.81\00:35:49.31
then they're going
to want to taste it
00:35:49.34\00:35:50.71
for themselves as well.
00:35:50.75\00:35:52.68
And so I started
thinking about that mango
00:35:52.71\00:35:54.15
and I thought
about the word mango
00:35:54.18\00:35:56.25
and in the word
mango are two words.
00:35:56.28\00:35:59.29
Man-go,
00:36:02.89\00:36:08.56
that's the great
commission friends.
00:36:08.60\00:36:11.40
Man-go that's what
God called Jonah to do.
00:36:11.43\00:36:15.80
You see,
friends, here's the point.
00:36:15.84\00:36:17.27
It's not hard to
fulfill the great commission
00:36:17.31\00:36:20.28
when we have
experienced the sweetness
00:36:20.31\00:36:22.71
of the great commissioner.
00:36:22.74\00:36:25.55
Training is
helpful, but remember
00:36:25.58\00:36:29.65
that which is your
greatest qualification to go
00:36:29.68\00:36:32.82
is your experience with God.
00:36:32.85\00:36:35.46
When you have an experience
with the divine mango,
00:36:35.49\00:36:40.50
then it becomes
easy to invite others
00:36:40.53\00:36:43.97
to taste and see, amen.
00:36:44.00\00:36:47.04
I hope and pray you
never look at a mango
00:36:47.07\00:36:48.94
the same way ever again.
00:36:48.97\00:36:51.77
I love what Ellen
White said in the book,
00:36:51.81\00:36:54.01
in the Review and Herald,
00:36:54.04\00:36:55.98
I want you to notice
as we read this quotation.
00:36:56.01\00:36:59.05
"Do you think that
it is those men only
00:36:59.08\00:37:01.25
who have been
ordained as gospel ministers
00:37:01.28\00:37:05.19
that are to work for
the uplifting of humanity?"
00:37:05.22\00:37:07.82
Here's her answer, "No, no!
00:37:07.86\00:37:11.43
she says it twice.
00:37:11.46\00:37:13.33
Everyone who names the name
of Christ is expected by God
00:37:13.36\00:37:18.60
to engage in this work."
00:37:18.63\00:37:20.34
How many people, friends?
00:37:20.37\00:37:21.80
Everyone.
00:37:21.84\00:37:23.17
"The hands of ordination
00:37:23.20\00:37:25.21
may not have been laid upon you,
00:37:25.24\00:37:28.48
but you are none the
less God's messengers.
00:37:28.51\00:37:33.85
If you have,
what is the next word,
00:37:33.88\00:37:35.98
tasted that the
Lord is gracious,
00:37:36.02\00:37:38.45
if you know his saving power,
00:37:38.49\00:37:41.32
you can no more keep from
telling this to someone else
00:37:41.36\00:37:45.53
than you can keep
the wind from blowing."
00:37:45.56\00:37:49.43
The point is this, friends.
00:37:49.46\00:37:51.27
When we have tasted and
then seen for ourselves,
00:37:51.30\00:37:54.24
when we have an experience,
00:37:54.27\00:37:56.04
training is
helpful but it's not really
00:37:56.07\00:37:58.27
the most important thing.
00:37:58.31\00:37:59.64
What we really
need is an experience.
00:37:59.67\00:38:02.08
When the wind of
the Holy Spirit blows,
00:38:02.11\00:38:04.58
the fire of
evangelism is going to grow.
00:38:04.61\00:38:08.68
I'll never forget when
I first came to the Lord,
00:38:08.72\00:38:11.55
I was 16 years old.
00:38:11.59\00:38:13.49
And time would not permit
me to share my whole testimony.
00:38:13.52\00:38:16.99
But let me give
you the short version.
00:38:17.03\00:38:19.76
As a 16 year old,
00:38:19.79\00:38:21.13
I was not
raised up in the church
00:38:21.16\00:38:22.50
or any church.
00:38:22.53\00:38:23.87
Growing up, I had no idea
what was God or who was God,
00:38:23.90\00:38:26.50
totally ignorant
of spiritual things.
00:38:26.53\00:38:28.77
And as a result of not having
a strong spiritual foundation,
00:38:28.80\00:38:31.27
I made a lot of mistakes,
that was me, I was a druggie.
00:38:31.31\00:38:35.04
Burning up my brain
cells, chasing the world,
00:38:35.08\00:38:37.48
not caring about
anyone but myself.
00:38:37.51\00:38:40.62
And in this lost condition,
00:38:40.65\00:38:43.89
God send someone to my door.
00:38:43.92\00:38:46.86
Another young person
who was 16, 17 years old,
00:38:46.89\00:38:51.63
and these two
individuals knocked on my door
00:38:51.66\00:38:53.76
and they invited me to
a Bible prophecy seminar.
00:38:53.80\00:38:57.77
Have ever heard of
something like that before?
00:38:57.80\00:39:00.84
And I went to those meetings
for the first time in my life,
00:39:00.87\00:39:06.01
I learned about Jesus.
00:39:06.04\00:39:08.68
In the context of
His prophetic word
00:39:08.71\00:39:12.18
in the Three Angels' Messages.
00:39:12.21\00:39:14.32
And as these wonderful
truths were being presented,
00:39:14.35\00:39:17.09
Jesus was magnified
00:39:17.12\00:39:18.75
and the Lord in
those meetings rescued me
00:39:18.79\00:39:21.12
from the terrible life
of drugs and emptiness.
00:39:21.16\00:39:23.63
He set me free
from that love lifestyle
00:39:23.66\00:39:26.19
in one prayer and
he sent me a blaze.
00:39:26.23\00:39:28.96
He turned me on
fire for Him, I knew Him,
00:39:29.00\00:39:32.67
and as a result
my greatest desire
00:39:32.70\00:39:35.14
was to make Him known to others.
00:39:35.17\00:39:37.61
To know Christ and
to make Christ know
00:39:37.64\00:39:41.44
'cause what God is
calling us to be and do.
00:39:41.48\00:39:45.31
And so what happened was
this, I was 16 years old,
00:39:45.35\00:39:47.85
and I went back to my
old public high school.
00:39:47.88\00:39:50.49
The place where people
used to know me as a chronic,
00:39:50.52\00:39:53.22
as a stony boy, as a pothead,
00:39:53.25\00:39:55.59
I went back to
that public high school
00:39:55.62\00:39:57.63
and I just let the light shine.
00:39:57.66\00:40:00.20
I would pass out Steps to Christ
00:40:00.23\00:40:01.66
all over campus in
this public high school.
00:40:01.70\00:40:04.43
I would go back to my friends
00:40:04.47\00:40:05.80
who I used to
do drugs with them,
00:40:05.83\00:40:07.17
I witness to them
00:40:07.20\00:40:08.54
and they would try
to tempt me and say,
00:40:08.57\00:40:09.90
"Oh, you want to
get high, don't you?"
00:40:09.94\00:40:11.27
I would say, "No,
thanks, I found a better high,
00:40:11.31\00:40:12.64
a spiritual high,
00:40:12.67\00:40:14.01
you got to taste
it for yourself."
00:40:14.04\00:40:15.41
I would preach in English class
00:40:15.44\00:40:17.45
and I'll be sharing my
faith and the security guards,
00:40:17.48\00:40:19.78
whenever they saw me
talking to someone during class,
00:40:19.81\00:40:22.45
they left us alone.
00:40:22.48\00:40:23.82
They didn't tell
us to go to class
00:40:23.85\00:40:25.19
because they knew
that I was encouraging
00:40:25.22\00:40:27.19
and giving
counsel to other students.
00:40:27.22\00:40:30.56
And I held Bible
studies every lunch period,
00:40:30.59\00:40:33.06
every single day.
00:40:33.09\00:40:34.83
And I would invite
the whole school to come.
00:40:34.86\00:40:36.90
I was 16 years old,
00:40:36.93\00:40:38.43
I was the only
one in that school
00:40:38.47\00:40:40.10
that I knew of that was
interested in these things,
00:40:40.14\00:40:42.97
and I would
invite all my friends
00:40:43.00\00:40:44.91
and many people,
00:40:44.94\00:40:46.27
multitudes would
come to this Bible Study,
00:40:46.31\00:40:48.24
students as well as
teachers would come.
00:40:48.28\00:40:52.98
I love what John Wesley said,
00:40:53.01\00:40:55.32
"Catch on fire and
people will come from miles
00:40:55.35\00:40:57.69
to see you burn."
00:40:57.72\00:41:00.46
And so people are
coming to these Bible studies
00:41:00.49\00:41:02.82
and they saw the fire in my life
00:41:02.86\00:41:04.93
and because of
that they were open
00:41:04.96\00:41:07.53
to hear proclaimed on my lips.
00:41:07.56\00:41:09.70
Now you have to
understand, friends,
00:41:09.73\00:41:11.07
that I was not
trained to give Bible studies.
00:41:11.10\00:41:13.37
I've never gone to some type of
00:41:13.40\00:41:14.97
Bible training
seminar at that point.
00:41:15.00\00:41:16.87
I was 16 years old,
00:41:16.91\00:41:18.54
just recently
converted and baptized,
00:41:18.57\00:41:20.61
and I was the least
likely candidate to preach.
00:41:20.64\00:41:23.35
I was slow at speech and
introverted and very shy.
00:41:23.38\00:41:26.51
My vocabulary was very limited,
00:41:26.55\00:41:28.88
but nonetheless there
was a fire in my heart
00:41:28.92\00:41:31.05
and I just had to
share it with others,
00:41:31.09\00:41:33.02
and so every lunch period,
00:41:33.05\00:41:34.56
I would just open my
Bible and open my mouth
00:41:34.59\00:41:37.53
and the Word of God would speak,
00:41:37.56\00:41:38.89
and as result of
those Bible studies,
00:41:38.93\00:41:41.00
six of my friends
and their family members
00:41:41.03\00:41:43.77
were baptized, accepted Christ
00:41:43.80\00:41:46.03
as well as the great
truths that we believe, amen.
00:41:46.07\00:41:49.20
It was wonderful.
00:41:49.24\00:41:50.57
Now, friends, I share
that simply to say this,
00:41:50.61\00:41:53.27
I'm just a beggar
trying to share some bread.
00:41:53.31\00:41:56.78
Nothing special with me,
00:41:56.81\00:41:58.58
nothing that I
have to boast about
00:41:58.61\00:42:00.18
except the mercy
of God in my life.
00:42:00.22\00:42:02.35
I share that
simply to encourage you
00:42:02.38\00:42:03.99
that if God can
use someone like me.
00:42:04.02\00:42:07.56
Surely, He can use
any one of us, amen.
00:42:07.59\00:42:11.99
So arise and go.
00:42:12.03\00:42:15.43
Training is helpful
00:42:15.46\00:42:17.30
but the most important thing
00:42:17.33\00:42:18.67
that we need is an experience
with a divine trainer,
00:42:18.70\00:42:21.37
so come and taste for yourself,
00:42:21.40\00:42:23.64
then go and share with others.
00:42:23.67\00:42:25.37
You are called to
come. You are chosen to go.
00:42:25.41\00:42:28.61
Man go, but go where God?
00:42:28.64\00:42:30.95
Notice verse 2,
"Arise go to what?
00:42:30.98\00:42:35.02
Nineveh, that great
city and cry against it
00:42:35.05\00:42:39.42
for their wickedness
is come up before me,
00:42:39.45\00:42:41.49
so notice God called
Jonah to go to Nineveh.
00:42:41.52\00:42:44.06
And Nineveh was a great city,
00:42:44.09\00:42:45.93
and Jonah was to give a
loud cry message to Nineveh.
00:42:45.96\00:42:50.37
Does that sound familiar?
00:42:50.40\00:42:52.50
In Revelation 14:8 and
18:4, we find the same thing.
00:42:52.53\00:42:56.44
Another great
city called Babylon,
00:42:56.47\00:42:58.77
a wicked city
that God is calling us
00:42:58.81\00:43:01.04
to give a loud cry message to,
00:43:01.08\00:43:03.45
so friends, Nineveh
and Babylon are a type.
00:43:03.48\00:43:07.55
Nineveh is a type of Babylon.
00:43:07.58\00:43:09.48
Babylon is a
reflection of Nineveh.
00:43:09.52\00:43:11.42
Nimrod was the same
founder of Nineveh and Babylon.
00:43:11.45\00:43:15.42
And in the Bible,
00:43:15.46\00:43:16.79
both Nineveh and
Babylon are symbolized
00:43:16.83\00:43:19.33
by the same
animal that of a lion.
00:43:19.36\00:43:22.96
The point is this.
00:43:23.00\00:43:24.63
Jonah's mission was to give
a message of spirit in truth,
00:43:24.67\00:43:29.14
a loud cried message to Nineveh.
00:43:29.17\00:43:31.44
And that's the same mission
that God has given to us,
00:43:31.47\00:43:34.44
so arise and go
and give the loud cry.
00:43:34.48\00:43:37.48
My friends, let's
never be ashamed of our name,
00:43:37.51\00:43:40.52
our identity, our
mission and our message.
00:43:40.55\00:43:43.15
Jonah had a God given
name that stood for something
00:43:43.18\00:43:46.29
and so God has given us a name.
00:43:46.32\00:43:48.62
Notice what it says in the book,
00:43:48.66\00:43:49.99
The Faith I Live By, page 304,
00:43:50.03\00:43:52.03
"We are Seventh-day Adventists.
00:43:52.06\00:43:54.83
Are we have shamed of our name?
00:43:54.86\00:43:56.56
We answer, No, no!
00:43:56.60\00:43:59.97
We are not.
00:44:00.00\00:44:01.50
It is the name
the Lord has given us.
00:44:01.54\00:44:04.11
It points out the truth
00:44:04.14\00:44:05.47
that is to be the
test of the churches.
00:44:05.51\00:44:07.51
The name Seventh-day Adventists
00:44:07.54\00:44:09.44
carries the true
features of our faith in front,
00:44:09.48\00:44:12.65
it will convict
the inquiring mind.
00:44:12.68\00:44:15.08
Like an arrow
from the Lord's quiver,
00:44:15.12\00:44:16.75
it will wound the
transgressors of God's law,
00:44:16.79\00:44:19.15
and it will lead to
repentance toward God
00:44:19.19\00:44:20.92
and faith in our
Lord Jesus Christ."
00:44:20.96\00:44:23.73
Jonah had a name
that stood for something.
00:44:23.76\00:44:26.36
God has given us a name that
stands for something as well.
00:44:26.39\00:44:29.36
Let's never be ashamed
of our name or our identity.
00:44:29.40\00:44:32.97
For our name, friends,
00:44:33.00\00:44:34.60
points to the great
truth of the great God
00:44:34.64\00:44:37.44
that made all
things in six literal days
00:44:37.47\00:44:39.94
and rested on the seventh
day of the week to remind us
00:44:39.97\00:44:42.71
that He is the true
God, the true creator,
00:44:42.74\00:44:45.15
that we are made in His image
00:44:45.18\00:44:46.78
and He has a plan
and purpose for our life.
00:44:46.82\00:44:48.95
Seventh-day reminds
us of the God of creation
00:44:48.98\00:44:51.85
and the word Adventist
reminds us of that same God
00:44:51.89\00:44:54.52
that made all
things who is coming back.
00:44:54.56\00:44:56.73
He's returning to
restore all things.
00:44:56.76\00:44:59.46
The name Seventh-day Adventist
00:44:59.49\00:45:01.40
points to the
Alpha and the Omega,
00:45:01.43\00:45:03.87
the beginning and the
end, and everything in between
00:45:03.90\00:45:06.87
and encompasses the
entire gospel message,
00:45:06.90\00:45:09.74
the everlasting
gospel from beginning to end.
00:45:09.77\00:45:13.54
The Lord of creation,
and the Lord of restoration.
00:45:13.58\00:45:18.21
It glorifies the
one that made all things
00:45:18.25\00:45:20.78
and is soon to return
to restore all things,
00:45:20.82\00:45:23.28
not only that but our name
00:45:23.32\00:45:24.69
points to the great truth
of righteousness by faith,
00:45:24.72\00:45:27.52
for the Sabbath,
friends, listen carefully.
00:45:27.56\00:45:29.72
The Seventh-day Sabbath
rightly understood highlights
00:45:29.76\00:45:33.06
the fact that we cannot
save ourselves by our own works.
00:45:33.09\00:45:37.57
It invites us to rest
00:45:37.60\00:45:39.47
in the completed work
of Christ at the cross
00:45:39.50\00:45:42.30
and the continued
work of Christ for us
00:45:42.34\00:45:44.54
in the most holy place,
00:45:44.57\00:45:46.84
that's what our name means.
00:45:46.88\00:45:48.64
And so,
friends, don't let anyone
00:45:48.68\00:45:50.01
tell you that your
name is not important.
00:45:50.05\00:45:52.28
Don't let anyone
ever tell you that
00:45:52.31\00:45:53.92
the distinctive doctrines that
we hold don't really matter,
00:45:53.95\00:45:57.09
for everything
that God has revealed
00:45:57.12\00:45:58.69
from Genesis to
Revelation is significant
00:45:58.72\00:46:01.22
and important and relevant.
00:46:01.26\00:46:03.02
Jesus said,
concerning the scriptures.
00:46:03.06\00:46:04.89
"These are they
which testify of me."
00:46:04.93\00:46:07.16
And the testimony
of Jesus is revealed
00:46:07.20\00:46:09.76
in the Spirit of Prophecy
00:46:09.80\00:46:11.17
and that's not just one
prophet in the last days,
00:46:11.20\00:46:13.70
but it's God speaking
through every single prophet
00:46:13.74\00:46:16.04
from the beginning,
all the way to the end.
00:46:16.07\00:46:18.27
And so, friends, let
us arise and let us go
00:46:18.31\00:46:20.88
and give our whole
message to the world,
00:46:20.91\00:46:23.18
a message founded upon the word,
00:46:23.21\00:46:25.25
focused in
Christ, framed in prophecy
00:46:25.28\00:46:28.48
and filled with the spirit.
00:46:28.52\00:46:30.92
Let us go.
00:46:30.95\00:46:32.65
Beware of one-sided preaching
that throws us off balance,
00:46:32.69\00:46:36.86
and let us not
have anything to do
00:46:36.89\00:46:38.93
with this ecumenical unity,
00:46:38.96\00:46:40.80
this counterfeit
unity that is sweeping
00:46:40.83\00:46:42.46
across the world today,
00:46:42.50\00:46:43.83
a unity that
sacrifices the truth
00:46:43.87\00:46:46.13
for the sake of the spirit.
00:46:46.17\00:46:47.50
The Bible says,
00:46:47.54\00:46:48.87
"That we are to
have no fellowship
00:46:48.90\00:46:51.37
with the
unfruitful works of darkness
00:46:51.41\00:46:53.91
but rather expose them."
00:46:53.94\00:46:55.91
And why not
because, friends, God,
00:46:55.94\00:46:57.48
like Jonah has given us a name
that points to our identity.
00:46:57.51\00:47:02.02
And our identity
that defines our mission
00:47:02.05\00:47:05.05
and a mission that
reveals our message
00:47:05.09\00:47:07.09
and so when we watered
down or change our message,
00:47:07.12\00:47:10.33
it results in
an identity crisis.
00:47:10.36\00:47:12.89
So let's not
forget our identity.
00:47:12.93\00:47:15.16
Let's not neglect our mission.
00:47:15.20\00:47:16.53
Let us arise and let us go
00:47:16.56\00:47:18.67
and let us live up
to the God given name
00:47:18.70\00:47:21.24
that He's placed upon us, amen.
00:47:21.27\00:47:23.47
That's what God
called Jonah to do.
00:47:23.51\00:47:25.97
God called Jonah.
00:47:26.01\00:47:28.54
He chose Jonah,
00:47:28.58\00:47:30.35
he was called
chosen but unfortunately,
00:47:30.38\00:47:34.48
he was unfaithful.
00:47:34.52\00:47:36.25
Called, chosen but unfaithful
00:47:36.28\00:47:39.32
because notice what
happens next, verse 3.
00:47:39.35\00:47:42.12
What did Jonah do?
00:47:42.16\00:47:43.73
But Jonah arose
to flee to where,
00:47:43.76\00:47:47.06
Tarshish from the
presence of the Lord
00:47:47.10\00:47:50.10
and he went down to Joplin
found a ship going to Tarshish.
00:47:50.13\00:47:53.47
He paid the fare there
of them went down into it
00:47:53.50\00:47:55.84
to go with them to Tarshish,
from the presence of the Lord.
00:47:55.87\00:47:58.91
So notice, friends,
Jonah turns from God's mission.
00:47:58.94\00:48:02.34
He rose up simply to
go down in disobedience
00:48:02.38\00:48:05.81
and he's fleeing to Tarshish,
00:48:05.85\00:48:07.52
a land of luxury to
quiet his conscience.
00:48:07.55\00:48:09.88
You see, friends,
00:48:09.92\00:48:11.25
Tarshish was a port city located
00:48:11.29\00:48:13.05
on the southern coast of Spain
00:48:13.09\00:48:14.76
and this city in the Bible
was known for their wealth,
00:48:14.79\00:48:17.39
known for their gold in fact.
00:48:17.43\00:48:19.93
And if you were
to do a word study
00:48:19.96\00:48:21.46
on the word
Tarshish in the Bible
00:48:21.50\00:48:23.23
you would know that
Tarshish was a proverb.
00:48:23.26\00:48:26.60
It was a symbol
of a place of ease,
00:48:26.63\00:48:29.37
a place of wealth,
a place of comfort,
00:48:29.40\00:48:31.64
and a place of luxury,
00:48:31.67\00:48:33.01
and this is
where Jonah is going to
00:48:33.04\00:48:35.31
in order to avoid his mission.
00:48:35.34\00:48:37.38
Instead of doing
that which was right,
00:48:37.41\00:48:40.05
he was seeking to do
that which was comfortable.
00:48:40.08\00:48:43.49
Because in this crowded city,
00:48:43.52\00:48:45.49
he was trying to
silence the voice of risen.
00:48:45.52\00:48:48.26
He was trying to escape his duty
00:48:48.29\00:48:50.39
instead of doing
that which was right,
00:48:50.43\00:48:52.03
he was seeking to
do that which was easy.
00:48:52.06\00:48:54.13
And which direction did he go
00:48:54.16\00:48:55.63
instead of arising and going up,
00:48:55.66\00:48:57.57
the Bible says
that "He went down,
00:48:57.60\00:48:59.73
down, down to Joppa.
00:48:59.77\00:49:02.54
That word Joppa in
the Bible means beautiful.
00:49:02.57\00:49:05.17
He's seeking for a place of ease
00:49:05.21\00:49:07.14
and luxury and beauty,
00:49:07.18\00:49:08.84
and even though
he's seeking for beauty,
00:49:08.88\00:49:10.65
things are about
to get ugly for Jonah.
00:49:10.68\00:49:13.55
Why was Jonah so
hesitant in going to Nineveh?
00:49:13.58\00:49:17.75
There are two main reasons.
00:49:17.79\00:49:19.52
Number one, Nineveh was
way out of his comfort zone.
00:49:19.55\00:49:22.29
You see Jonah like
the rest of the Jews,
00:49:22.32\00:49:25.69
looked upon other
nations as unclean.
00:49:25.73\00:49:28.13
Fit only for destruction.
00:49:28.16\00:49:29.86
Jonah was far more comfortable
00:49:29.90\00:49:31.97
preaching and being
with his own people.
00:49:32.00\00:49:34.24
He had experience a lot of
success preaching to Israel.
00:49:34.27\00:49:38.14
But now, God is
calling him to Nineveh.
00:49:38.17\00:49:40.78
It was way out
of his comfort zone,
00:49:40.81\00:49:42.24
and Jonah was
not willing to do it.
00:49:42.28\00:49:44.01
The second reason why Jonah
was so hesitant to go to Nineveh
00:49:44.05\00:49:46.92
is because Jonah had a
reputation to preserve.
00:49:46.95\00:49:50.45
He knew that if
he went to Nineveh
00:49:50.49\00:49:52.19
and said that it was
going to be destroyed.
00:49:52.22\00:49:55.09
And if they repented
and God spared the city,
00:49:55.12\00:49:57.86
then Jonah would
have been looked upon
00:49:57.89\00:49:59.46
as an alarmist, an
extremist, a false prophet.
00:49:59.49\00:50:03.20
He would have
been labeled as such,
00:50:03.23\00:50:04.87
and so Jonah
did not want to risk
00:50:04.90\00:50:07.04
this taint in his reputation.
00:50:07.07\00:50:08.84
Two reasons, it was
out of his comfort zone
00:50:08.87\00:50:11.67
and because he did not
want to taint his reputation.
00:50:11.71\00:50:16.01
Friends, Jonah is so
many times like a lot of us.
00:50:16.04\00:50:20.22
We who are too concerned
00:50:20.25\00:50:22.65
or more concerned
with our own comfort
00:50:22.68\00:50:24.82
instead of God's commission
we live many times to guard,
00:50:24.85\00:50:28.19
guard our own reputation
00:50:28.22\00:50:30.06
instead of
seeking to glorify God.
00:50:30.09\00:50:32.06
We prioritize that
which will bring us
00:50:32.09\00:50:34.43
recognition and success,
00:50:34.46\00:50:36.03
while the mission is neglected.
00:50:36.06\00:50:37.47
We're willing to
do something for God
00:50:37.50\00:50:39.47
as long as it
doesn't inconvenience
00:50:39.50\00:50:41.70
our nice easy comfortable lives.
00:50:41.74\00:50:44.97
Lord have mercy.
00:50:45.01\00:50:46.94
One day, Jesus
called a man to follow him
00:50:46.98\00:50:50.41
and he said,
"Lord, let me first go
00:50:50.45\00:50:53.82
and bury my father,"
00:50:53.85\00:50:55.18
now that sounds like
a reasonable request,
00:50:55.22\00:50:57.52
but the problem was that
00:50:57.55\00:50:58.89
this man's
father was not dead yet.
00:50:58.92\00:51:01.86
What he was
basically, saying to Jesus
00:51:01.89\00:51:04.23
wait until my father's dead.
00:51:04.26\00:51:06.83
And I don't have
this responsibility.
00:51:06.86\00:51:09.50
Then I'll have
more time to follow you.
00:51:09.53\00:51:12.37
That's what he was saying.
00:51:12.40\00:51:14.07
Many people are essentially
saying the same thing.
00:51:14.10\00:51:16.54
They're saying to God
wait until I'm finished
00:51:16.57\00:51:18.24
with this project,
then I'll follow you.
00:51:18.27\00:51:20.31
After I graduate from college,
after I establish my business.
00:51:20.34\00:51:24.05
Let me first settle
down and get married,
00:51:24.08\00:51:26.21
there are other things
00:51:26.25\00:51:27.58
that are more of a
priority at this time
00:51:27.62\00:51:29.68
and when things
are more convenient,
00:51:29.72\00:51:31.52
then I will follow
you. There are people
00:51:31.55\00:51:33.25
who are saying to God,
00:51:33.29\00:51:34.62
"Lord, I will go
if I can go to Israel.
00:51:34.66\00:51:39.53
If I can go to Tarshish,
00:51:39.56\00:51:41.36
but if you want
me to go to Nineveh,
00:51:41.40\00:51:43.50
you gonna have to
wait until I'm old
00:51:43.53\00:51:44.87
and I can't do anything else."
00:51:44.90\00:51:46.67
Many people are want are giving
00:51:46.70\00:51:48.27
the leftover of
their lives to God
00:51:48.30\00:51:51.31
and making God
a retirement plan.
00:51:51.34\00:51:53.07
For young people, why not give
00:51:53.11\00:51:54.51
the best years of your
life to the Lord, amen.
00:51:54.54\00:51:56.88
Jesus gave his best for us,
00:51:56.91\00:51:58.78
let's give the best
years of our life to him.
00:51:58.81\00:52:01.72
You see, friends, in
this journey called life,
00:52:01.75\00:52:03.89
God does not want us to
make him the spare wheel
00:52:03.92\00:52:08.86
that we resort to
when we're in trouble.
00:52:08.89\00:52:11.03
God is not to be the spare wheel
00:52:11.06\00:52:13.29
he's to be the steering wheel
00:52:13.33\00:52:15.20
that steers the
direction of your life.
00:52:15.23\00:52:17.83
God knows what's best
and when we put him first,
00:52:17.87\00:52:20.84
he will never
lead us astray, amen.
00:52:20.87\00:52:23.51
Jesus responded to this man.
00:52:23.54\00:52:25.74
And He said to him,
"Let the dead bury their dead
00:52:25.77\00:52:28.84
but you go and
preach the kingdom of God."
00:52:28.88\00:52:32.81
What Christ was saying is this,
00:52:32.85\00:52:34.25
"Don't put off for tomorrow,
00:52:34.28\00:52:35.62
what I'm
calling you to do today.
00:52:35.65\00:52:37.92
Let the spiritually dead
bury the physically dead.
00:52:37.95\00:52:42.22
Let those who care
not for eternal realities
00:52:42.26\00:52:44.89
deal with the
temporal things of life.
00:52:44.93\00:52:46.93
Let those who do
not know the truth,
00:52:46.96\00:52:48.80
deal with earthly affairs."
00:52:48.83\00:52:50.17
Why?
00:52:50.20\00:52:51.53
Because you my child
are called to a much higher
00:52:51.57\00:52:53.57
and holier work
than caring for the dead.
00:52:53.60\00:52:56.07
You are called to
live for something more
00:52:56.10\00:52:57.74
than just flipping
burgers and growing produce.
00:52:57.77\00:53:00.24
You are called to
live for something more
00:53:00.28\00:53:01.81
than building
houses and fixing cars
00:53:01.84\00:53:03.75
and counting
money and teaching math
00:53:03.78\00:53:05.71
and pulling teeth
and filling cavities
00:53:05.75\00:53:07.58
and prescribing drugs
and performing surgeries
00:53:07.62\00:53:09.85
and singing songs
and preaching sermons.
00:53:09.88\00:53:12.22
Surely God can use us
00:53:12.25\00:53:14.26
in all of these different
contexts and capacities.
00:53:14.29\00:53:17.76
But remember that these things
are not an end in themselves.
00:53:17.79\00:53:21.96
This is just a temporal
means to an eternal end,
00:53:22.00\00:53:25.47
it is the means of
connecting with people
00:53:25.50\00:53:27.64
and all those, all of
those different contexts
00:53:27.67\00:53:30.01
so that we can
connect them to Christ.
00:53:30.04\00:53:32.07
It is a making,
it's making a living
00:53:32.11\00:53:33.91
so that we can
show people how to live.
00:53:33.94\00:53:36.18
It's making money so that
00:53:36.21\00:53:37.55
we can move forward the mission.
00:53:37.58\00:53:39.28
I heard it once said that
your job is what you're paid for
00:53:39.31\00:53:42.42
but your calling is
what you're made for.
00:53:42.45\00:53:44.92
Don't allow your job
or your career to be,
00:53:44.95\00:53:48.12
to be an excuse for
neglecting your calling.
00:53:48.16\00:53:50.96
But let God use
your job and career
00:53:50.99\00:53:54.66
to fulfill your calling.
00:53:54.70\00:53:56.46
Amen.
00:53:56.50\00:53:58.03
You don't need a title or
a position to work for God.
00:53:58.07\00:54:02.07
Just do the
duty that lies nears,
00:54:02.10\00:54:04.01
be faithful in
the little things.
00:54:04.04\00:54:06.68
And though no earthly
hand is laid upon you,
00:54:06.71\00:54:09.58
make sure that your
life is in the hands of God.
00:54:09.61\00:54:12.15
Amen.
00:54:12.18\00:54:14.28
So Chapter 1 talks
about the fact that
00:54:14.32\00:54:17.25
Jonah was called and chosen,
00:54:17.29\00:54:20.46
he had a name which
reflected his mission
00:54:20.49\00:54:22.32
and his message.
00:54:22.36\00:54:24.09
But instead of being
faithful, he went to Tarshish.
00:54:24.13\00:54:29.00
He was hiding and
running from his calling.
00:54:29.03\00:54:32.40
He was unfaithful.
00:54:32.43\00:54:34.60
God sent the storm
00:54:34.64\00:54:35.97
but the storm did
not wake Jonah up.
00:54:36.00\00:54:39.27
And so God
provided a fish for Jonah,
00:54:39.31\00:54:42.94
not for him to eat
but a fish to eat him.
00:54:42.98\00:54:47.15
And tomorrow morning
we're going to continue
00:54:47.18\00:54:49.48
our study in
Chapter 2 to see that
00:54:49.52\00:54:51.09
what Jonah experience
in the belly of the fish
00:54:51.12\00:54:54.42
is the same thing
that we need to experience
00:54:54.46\00:54:57.39
in order for us to be
called and chosen and faithful.
00:54:57.43\00:55:02.00
And so today as we close,
00:55:02.03\00:55:04.30
are you running from
your mission like Jonah was?
00:55:04.33\00:55:07.34
Are you wasting
your time and money
00:55:07.37\00:55:09.60
doing your own thing?
00:55:09.64\00:55:11.27
Chasing your own dreams
00:55:11.31\00:55:12.64
instead of following God's will?
00:55:12.67\00:55:14.01
I want to invite
you friends to taste
00:55:14.04\00:55:16.98
and to see that
the Lord is good.
00:55:17.01\00:55:19.08
And let Him be in
control of your life,
00:55:19.11\00:55:22.02
to put Him first.
00:55:22.05\00:55:24.72
Wake up from spiritual seekings.
00:55:24.75\00:55:26.52