Participants: Taj Pacleb
Series Code: 15GYC
Program Code: 15GYC000011A
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00:33 Good afternoon GYC.
00:34 It's me again, and it's time for our I Believe section. 00:41 Our special guest is Justin Terosian. 00:47 After resurrendering his life to the Lord at the age of 17, 00:53 Justin accepted God's call to ministry. 00:58 While a Sophomore in theology, and a theology student at the 01:02 Pacific Union College, the ministry of Share Him, 01:06 and GYC changed his life. 01:09 The year following his graduation in 2008, he worked 01:14 on a Central California Youth Evangelism Team before working 01:20 for four years on the pastoral staff of the 01:23 Fresno Central Church. 01:25 Upon completing his MD at Andrews this coming May, 01:30 he'll be returning to Pastoral Ministry at the 01:34 Central California Conference. 01:36 As the descendent of James White, and Ellen G. White,... 01:40 He's a descendent of James White and Ellen G. White. 01:43 ...he's passionate about Seventh-day Adventist history... 01:48 You could figure!... and helping it come to life 01:52 in our present generation. 01:54 On a more personal note though, Justin loves being out in 02:01 nature, and doing anything that will connect 02:04 him with his Creator. 02:06 He especially enjoys the mountains: hiking, backpacking, 02:10 snow boarding, and mountain biking. 02:12 He also enjoys spending time with family, good food, 02:17 and meeting people of different cultures and languages, 02:21 and he loves to work with young people. 02:25 But Justin really loves Christ, and he loves Jesus. 02:32 And you'll see that as he speaks to us. 02:35 And Justin, GYC wants to know, Why do you love your church 02:40 so much, and your Savior? 02:44 Happy Sabbath GYC. 02:46 Happy Sabbath GYC. 02:48 Have you been blessed this Sabbath? 02:50 Amen. I have as well. 02:53 I'm grateful to be able to share with you this afternoon why I 02:56 love being a Seventh-day Adventist, 02:58 and why I love this church. 03:00 When I was asked to share, I began thinking and praying 03:03 about it, and I realized that there are many things that I 03:06 love about being a Seventh-day Adventist. 03:08 But this afternoon I just want to share two of them with you. 03:12 The first is that because as a Seventh-day Adventist I'm a part 03:16 of a worldwide family; part of a family that spans the globe. 03:22 I had the privilege of being born into an Adventist family. 03:26 I wasn't born an Adventist, because we can't be born 03:29 Adventist; we have to be born again to be Adventist, Amen? 03:33 Now I was born into a Seventh-day Adventist home with 03:37 two very loving parents, and my parents both had many siblings, 03:41 which means, of course, that I have many cousins, and Aunties, 03:45 and Uncles, and have loving grandparents as well. 03:48 In fact I believe one of my cousins is here this afternoon 03:51 with his family who lives here in Louisville. 03:53 But our family is an incredible one, 03:59 and I love my family dearly. 04:01 But like all families, we're not perfect. 04:03 We have our different personalities, 04:07 we have our different quirks, especially me, 04:09 but we stick together, and we love each other no matter what 04:14 comes our way, because we're family. 04:17 We're bonded together, and we share the bond of love that God 04:20 has placed in our hearts for each other. 04:23 Friends I know, and actually, let me ask you if you know, 04:28 what is the one thing that every biological 04:31 family has in common? DNA. 04:35 They're connected by blood. Isn't that right? 04:37 Now, friends, I realize that not everyone here this afternoon 04:42 has a close relationship with their family. 04:45 Many here, or listening, may not have even ever met 04:48 their biological family. 04:50 But friends, the good news of the gospel is that 04:53 the biological connection we share is nothing compared to the 04:57 spiritual connection we share as believers in Christ. 05:00 Christ said in John 1:12, But as many as believe on His name 05:05 to them He gave the right to be called the children of God. 05:09 And, friends, if you have given your life to Christ, 05:11 then we are connected by blood; by the blood of Jesus, Amen? 05:15 Now while we're on the topic of being a worldwide family, I know 05:21 that there are still barriers to overcome in this area. 05:24 But I love being a Seventh-day Adventist because it means that 05:27 I'm a part of the most ethnically diverse 05:29 church in North America. 05:31 I don't know if you read the article in the Adventist Review 05:34 this last summer, but according to the Pew Research Center, 05:38 that's actually a fact. 05:40 After a statistical analysis was done they concluded that the 05:43 Seventh-day Adventist Church is, to put it in their own words, 05:46 the most racially diverse religious group 05:49 in the United States. 05:50 And, friends, don't get me wrong, I understand that we 05:55 still have some barriers to overcome as a church. 05:57 But we can praise God that this statistic is because 06:01 of the Biblical message and mission of our church. 06:05 The message is the everlasting gospel. 06:08 The mission is to take it to every person on planet Earth. 06:12 Amen? And, that of course has fueled the sharing of the gospel 06:20 with every people group on the planet. 06:22 I love being a part of this worldwide family. 06:26 While I love being a Seventh-day Adventist, because it means 06:29 that I'm a part of a worldwide family, 06:31 that, in and of itself, is not enough of a reason to be a 06:35 Seventh-day Adventist. 06:37 You don't have to be a Seventh-day Adventist to have a 06:40 connection with people, because you share a common faith, 06:43 because you share hobbies, or interests. 06:47 But friends, the question must come, 06:50 there are plenty of other groups across the world that are caring 06:54 communities that share a common faith. 06:57 What is the difference? 06:58 Is there a difference? 07:01 And this brings me to the next point of why I love being a 07:04 Seventh-day Adventist. 07:05 Not only does it mean that I'm a part of a family that is 07:08 worldwide, but I'm a part of a faith that is Bible based. 07:13 And I want to begin by clarifying. 07:15 God has many people in different faiths across the world who are 07:19 following Him up to the best light and truth that they have. 07:23 That's why in Revelation 18:4 the loud cry doesn't just say, 07:27 Babylon is fallen, it says, Come out of her My what? My people. 07:32 God has His faithful people in every walk of faith. 07:36 But, friends, He's not leaving them there. 07:38 He wants to bring them into His last day fold. 07:41 What I'm about to say, I say humbly, and that is that there 07:47 is one church in the world that has no teachings that contradict 07:52 each other, and whose doctrines are completely and exclusively 07:55 based upon the Bible. 07:57 And that is the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 08:00 Friends, it's a faith that is Bible based. 08:04 Our Bible based faith is logical. 08:07 You know, there are some churches that tell their members 08:10 not to read anything that is published by any person 08:14 that is not a part of their own church. 08:16 But friends, as Seventh-day Adventists, we don't discourage 08:19 people from reading outside sources. 08:21 We encourage people to study history. Isn't that right? 08:24 We encourage people to go to the library to research 08:28 and check the things that we are saying 08:30 about what the Bible says. 08:31 Friends, our prophetic message is historically verifiable. 08:36 You can check it out. 08:37 You can see that it's true. 08:40 Our Bible based faith is logical, Amen? 08:43 Not only is our Bible based faith logical, 08:46 our Bible based faith is relevant. 08:49 Did you know that early Adventists were some of the 08:52 foremost activists in the antislavery movement? 08:55 Not only with speaking against slavery, but writing against 08:59 slavery, in a time when people in the United States, 09:02 in some places were trying to support it with Scripture. 09:04 Friends, also Seventh-day Adventists were active in the 09:09 temperance movement. 09:10 They were active in social causes that mattered to God. 09:15 Because if it matters to God, it should matter to us, Amen? 09:18 Not only is our faith logical, our faith is relevant. 09:23 Not only is it logical and relevant, but friends our faith, 09:27 our Bible based faith is balanced. 09:30 I'm not saying that every Seventh-day Adventist person 09:34 is balanced, but what I am saying, because we're all on a 09:38 journey, myself included, Amen? 09:40 But what I am saying is that if you correctly understand 09:43 Seventh-day Adventist belief, along with Spirit led surrender 09:47 and study, you will inevitably become more loving, considerate, 09:51 practical, and balanced. 09:53 The reason for this is because Christ is at the 09:55 center of every doctrine. 09:57 Every true Bible teaching has Christ at the center. 10:01 And Jesus was balanced, Amen? 10:04 When we correctly understand the twenty-eight fundamental 10:08 beliefs and teachings of the Bible, when we correctly 10:12 understand these, with Jesus at the center, we will be balanced 10:16 as Christ was balanced. 10:18 We'll be on fire for God. 10:20 We'll be committed to serve Him. 10:22 And we will be balanced, practical, 10:25 and loving Christians. 10:26 I love being a Seventh-day Adventist because our 10:29 prophetic message and mission are rooted in Scripture. 10:32 I love being a Seventh-day Adventist because we are a part 10:34 of a family that is worldwide, a part of a faith 10:37 that is Bible based, because God blessed this movement with the 10:41 gift of prophecy in the life and ministry of Ellen G. White. 10:45 I love being a Seventh-day Adventist because it is not just 10:48 a religious organization, but a movement that God has raised 10:52 up to prepare the world for Jesus' return. 10:54 Friends I love being a Seventh-day Adventist because 10:58 I can see Jesus at the center of every doctrine. 11:03 If you are happy to be a Seventh-day Adventist today, 11:07 I want to invite you to raise your hands. Amen, Amen! 11:11 And if you are watching, or you are here, and you are not yet, 11:15 I want to invite you today to ask someone about how to become 11:19 a part of this Bible based faith, 11:22 and this worldwide family. God bless. 11:40 A man stood by the gate of heaven waiting to go in. 11:47 And he wondered how this Holy place could take a man like him. 11:55 With shouts of great rejoicing, and with music in they came. 12:02 Of the angels standing by him he asked what could be their name. 12:11 These are the company of prophets. 12:17 The lonely fellowship of souls who spake God's Word 12:27 with faith and boldness, who blessed the poor, 12:32 and made the wounded whole. 12:37 Oh, he fell upon his knees and cried, 12:46 I cannot go in with these. 13:00 He waited till another band of shining ones drew nigh. 13:07 They entered in to heaven with a Halleluiah cry. 13:13 He asked again, Who are these? 13:17 Can you tell me whence they came? 13:20 He seemed to see the answer in a burning tongue of flame. 13:30 These are the company of martyrs; 13:37 the mighty fellowship of saints who knew our Lord, 13:46 and walked beside Him. 13:50 Who read the Holy erased it in our fate. 13:56 Oh, he fell upon his knees and cried, 14:05 I cannot go in with these. 14:13 And silently a multitude was led from far away. 14:19 Their voices rang like sounds of joy, 14:23 like children at their play. 14:27 They saw Rahab, David, and Magdalene, and Paul, 14:34 and the thief who died by Jesus was the one who led them all. 14:42 Who like easy almost shouted at the angel. 14:49 These are the sinners saved by grace, saved by grace. 14:54 The host of them who've called upon the Savior, 15:00 washed in blood and justified by faith. 15:06 And all we lift up from the seas; I can go in with these. 15:19 I can go in for my heart is freed from sin. 15:24 I've been washed in the blood; everlasting life to win. 15:30 I can rejoice. I can lift up my voice. 15:36 I can sing, and I can go in. 15:41 For we thought that there could be no Halleluiah's and no cries. 15:48 For the stormy band of people find the world despised. 15:54 But as the scenes of heaven opened up before his eyes, 16:00 he saw the martyr's, and the prophets, 16:03 and the hosts of heaven rise. 16:08 And they sang, I can go in! 16:12 Yes, I can go in! I've been washed in the blood; 16:18 everlasting life to live. 16:22 I can rejoice. I can lift up my voice. 16:27 I can sing, and I can go in. 16:33 I can rejoice. I am redeemed. 16:36 I can lift up my voice; I can sing. 16:44 I can go in! I can go in! Amen! 17:02 Good evening GYC. Good evening. 17:04 Good evening GYC. Good evening! 17:07 Is this a youth conference? Amen. 17:10 One more time. Sit up straight, air in your lungs. 17:15 Oh, GYC do you love Jesus? 17:21 Oh, yes, we love Jesus. 17:24 Are you sure you love Jesus? 17:26 We're sure we love Jesus. 17:28 I can't hear you. And why do you love Jesus? 17:32 Here's why I love Jesus. 17:34 Because He first loved me. 17:37 That's the reason we all ought to... 17:40 All together! Oh, how I love Jesus. 17:46 Singing, Oh, how I love Jesus. 17:52 Oh, how I love Jesus, because He first loved me. 18:02 How many of you, that's why you're here tonight, 18:05 because you love Jesus? Amen! Amen? 18:07 Have you had a high Sabbath? Amen. 18:11 Are you full, or do you have room for one 18:14 more spiritual meal? 18:15 God is good, Amen? Amen! 18:19 My nose is clean. Halleluiah! 18:22 I told someone I don't need any onions, or garlic, or honey. 18:27 I need to pray this stuff out of my nose. 18:30 And that's exactly what I did. 18:33 I said, Who made man's nose? 18:35 The Lord did. Can you say Amen? Amen! 18:40 So it's nice to be able to breathe fresh air while you 18:43 preach God's Word. Amen. 18:45 God is Good. I know many of you were praying for me, 18:48 and I am eternally grateful. 18:49 What a privilege it has been to study the Word of God 18:54 together with you. 18:55 So for this final message, I just invite your prayers 19:00 one more time throughout this entire sermon. 19:04 If you would kneel with me, as far as you're able, 19:07 as we have prayer this night. 19:18 Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Lord what a privilege it is 19:28 to be kneeling in Your presence. 19:34 Lord, Your prophet said that it is when every other voice is 19:39 hushed, and in quietness we wait before God, it makes more 19:46 distinct the voice of God. 19:49 Lord, we just pray that one more time that You would use this 19:55 man, who is but dust in Your sight. 19:58 That You would speak through me, and You would speak to me. 20:02 Father, that Jesus would be lifted up. 20:06 Lord, that He would be seen, and that we would leave this 20:10 place with more ardent desire to love, 20:12 and to serve Him, our King. 20:15 Lord help us to not just be called. 20:20 Help us to not just be chosen. 20:22 But help us to be faithful. 20:26 This is our prayer, and we trust that You will help this to be 20:31 our experience, for we ask in the mighty name of Jesus. 20:36 Let all of God's people say, Amen. 20:43 Sam Walter Foss, he wrote a poem that I love called, 20:50 The Calf Path, and the poem goes something like this: 20:55 One day through the primeval wood a calf walked home, 21:01 as good calves should. 21:02 But made a trail all bent askew; a crooked 21:06 trail as all calves do. 21:08 Since then 300 years have fled, and I infer the calf is dead. 21:14 But still he left behind his trail, 21:18 and thereby hangs my morale tale. 21:20 The trail was taken up the next day by a lone dog 21:25 that passed that way. 21:26 And then a wise bellwether sheep pursued the trail 21:30 o'er vale and steep, and drew the flock behind him, too, 21:34 as good bellwether's always do. 21:37 And from that day, o'er hill and glade, 21:41 through those old woods a path was made. 21:44 And many men wound in and out, and dodged and turned, 21:49 and bent about, and uttered words of righteous wrath, 21:53 because 'twas such a crooked path. 21:56 But still they followed... 21:58 Do not laugh!... the first migrations of that calf. 22:02 And through this winding wood way stalked, 22:05 because he wobbled when he walked. 22:08 This forest path became a lane that bent and turned, 22:12 and turned again. This crooked lane became a road where many 22:17 a poor horse with his load toiled on beneath the burning 22:22 sun, and traveled some three miles in one. 22:26 And thus a century and a half, they trolled the 22:30 footsteps of that calf. 22:33 The years passed on in swiftness fleet. 22:37 The road became a village street. 22:39 And this before men were aware, a city's crowded thoroughfare. 22:45 And soon the central street was this, of a renowned metropolis. 22:51 And men two centuries and a half trod in the 22:55 footsteps of that calf. 22:57 Each day a hundred thousand route followed 23:01 the zig zag calf about. 23:03 And o'er his crooked journey went the traffic of a continent. 23:09 A hundred thousand men were led by one calf, 23:14 near three centuries dead. 23:16 They followed still his crookered way, 23:19 and lost one hundred years a day. 23:22 For thus such reverence is lent to well established precedent. 23:27 A moral lesson this might teach, were I ordained 23:31 and called to preach. 23:33 For men are prone to go it blind along the 23:37 calf paths of the mind. 23:39 And work away from sun to sun to do what other men have done. 23:44 They follow in the beaten track, and out and in, 23:48 and forth and back, and still their devious course pursue, 23:53 to keep the path that others do. 23:56 They keep the path a sacred groove, 23:59 along which all their lives they move, who saw the first. 24:04 But how the wise, old, would God's laugh, 24:07 who saw that first primeval calf. 24:11 Ah, many things this tale might teach, 24:13 but I am not ordained to preach. 24:18 Many of us are walking the calf path when we get up each year 24:25 with the same slides, and the same sermons handed down from 24:30 previous generations, wondering why our hundred thousand dollar 24:34 budget only brought in one soul. 24:37 We are walking the calf path when we continue to adopt 24:41 and promote methods of evangelism, and youth ministry 24:46 that have already been proven not to work, we are walking 24:49 in the crooked calf's path. 24:52 When we simply attend church just in time for the sermon, 24:56 and go home only to sleep, we are only walking in the path 25:00 of the crooked calf. 25:01 You see, when we continue to pursue relationships with 25:06 unbelievers despite the painful examples of Solomon, 25:11 and the antediluvian's, we are walking in the 25:14 crooked path of that calf. 25:16 We need to pause a moment tonight GYC, 25:19 and think about why we do what we do. 25:23 Who is the calf that we are following? 25:26 Is it your favorite pastor? 25:28 Is that your calf? 25:30 Is it your favorite professor? 25:32 Is that your calf? 25:33 Is your best friend your calf? 25:35 Is your boyfriend, or your girlfriend your calf? 25:37 Is it someone you just feel is more intelligent than you? 25:41 That you are just walking in the beaten path? 25:44 But, you see, I believe tonight that we continue to follow 25:49 others because we are afraid to fail on our own. 25:52 But according to Regina Dugan, the former director of the 25:57 Defense Advanced Research Project Agency, she says, 26:01 The path to truly new, never been done before things is paved 26:07 with failure along the way. 26:10 She went on to ask a probing question. 26:13 She says, What would you attempt to do if you 26:18 knew you couldn't fail? 26:19 Too many times in our church board meetings we are not 26:23 attempting to do what we would do if we knew we would fail. 26:26 We wonder why we get meager results because 26:30 we had meager plans. 26:31 The prophet of the Lord says, You do not accomplish much 26:36 because you do not attempt much. 26:38 We need to learn to recognize that young people 26:41 want to be challenged. 26:43 They want to bring all of their being into the work of God. 26:47 God has called a remnant for such a time as this, 26:50 not to come to church to be average. 26:53 I don't want to be more of the same. 26:55 I don't want to be like anyone else. 26:57 I want to be what God made me to be. 27:00 I want to be what God said in His mind when He said, 27:03 I'm going to make a Sebastian Braxton. 27:05 And I live a life that God looks at the picture in His mind, 27:09 and the picture of my life, and He says, Yes, that's what I was 27:13 thinking when I made you. 27:14 I don't want to walk in any more paths of crooked calf's. 27:20 I have my favorite preachers. 27:23 I have my favorite writers. 27:26 I have my favorite sports players. 27:27 I have my favorite people in the world. 27:29 But I've already come to acknowledge and accept that God 27:33 did not make me to be a C. D. Brooks, 2.0. 27:36 God did not say, Okay, you're going to be 27:39 David Asscherick light. 27:41 God did not call us to just be after another man. 27:45 He made you a unique human being. 27:47 The prophet says to us, it says, To every individual who is made 27:54 in the image of God, they have a power akin 27:58 to that of the Creator; the power to think and to act. 28:04 And wherever this power is developed, this is what it means 28:08 to have true education. 28:10 I don't want to train people to be mere reflectors 28:13 of other men's thoughts. 28:14 I want them to know that God can lead them. 28:17 And please believe, brothers and sisters, 28:19 we can easily create spiritual hazing. 28:22 You gotta go through what I went through 28:25 before you become a leader. 28:27 You gotta go through what I went through 28:29 before you become an elder. 28:31 You gotta go through these hazing rituals of the church 28:35 before you can serve. 28:36 Ellen White says that in the last days... 28:40 What days did I say? last days. 28:42 In the last days men and women will come into this church, 28:47 and they will learn in months what took others 28:50 years to understand. 28:51 God doesn't need to take them through your crooked calf path. 28:55 God has His own direct way to lead His people. 28:59 God is calling us to do more than just attempt 29:03 what we think we can do. 29:05 We need to stop being afraid of failure. 29:09 I ask myself this question: Sebastian, what would you do 29:12 if you knew you couldn't fail? 29:14 I said, Lord, if I knew I couldn't fail 29:17 I would play the piano. 29:20 I said, Lord if I knew I couldn't fail, I would memorize 29:25 whole books of the Bible. 29:26 If I knew I couldn't fail, I'd sing a duet with my wife. 29:30 Lord knows that would be a miracle! 29:32 If I knew I couldn't fail, I'd see Jesus come in my lifetime. 29:39 I would see His work finished. 29:42 I would see Revelation 18 end before my very eyes; en vivo. 29:47 What would you do GYC if you knew you couldn't fail? 29:52 We don't need to leave this conference to go home 29:55 to do more of the same. 29:57 What ever programs are on your church books, what ever things 30:01 you have on your academic, or evangelism calendar, 30:04 that's not finishing the work. 30:06 We cannot leave this conference to go home and continue walking 30:11 the crooked calf's path; just following precedent. 30:16 We should be challenging ourselves to say, Lord, 30:20 take us to the next level. 30:24 If I knew I couldn't fail. 30:26 You see, I believe I can think of at least one thing tonight 30:30 that each and every one of us would do, and should do, 30:35 if we know we cannot fail, and that is to 30:39 gain victory over sin. 30:42 You see, throughout Revelation we are reminded that somebody 30:46 is going to overcome. 30:47 I want you to take your Bibles and go to Revelation 2, 30:51 beginning in verse 7, Revelation 2:7. 30:57 And when you're there you can say Amen. 31:03 Are you there? Amen! 31:05 If you're not there you can just say, Have mercy! Have mercy! 31:10 The Bible says in Revelation 2: 7, He who has an ear, 31:15 let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches; 31:18 To him who overcomes... 31:21 To him who what? overcomes. 31:23 ...I will give to eat from the tree of life, 31:26 which is in the midst of the paradise of God. 31:29 Brothers and sisters, someone is going to overcome. 31:32 The Bible goes on to say, in Revelation 2:11. Are you there? 31:37 It says, He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit 31:41 saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt 31:45 of the second death. 31:47 Someone is going to overcome. 31:49 Revelation 2:17, the Bible says, He that hath an ear, 31:54 let him hear what the Spirit said unto the churches; 31:57 To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden manna, 32:02 and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name 32:07 written, which no man knows saving he that receives it. 32:12 God's going to give you a name between you and Him alone. 32:15 God's going to give you a name that when He says it 32:18 only you and Jesus know about that name. 32:21 Can you say Amen? Amen! 32:23 I'm excited about what my new name is going to be, 32:26 although I do like the name Sebastian. 32:29 But someone is going to overcome. 32:31 The Bible goes on to say in Revelation 3:21; it says: 32:39 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with me on My 32:44 throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with My 32:53 Father on His throne. 32:55 Someone is going to overcome. Halleluiah! 33:02 You see, how do I know that someone is going to overcome? 33:06 How can I be certain that someone is going to overcome? 33:10 You see, I've got two reasons why. 33:12 You see, GYC, I know that someone's going to overcome 33:16 because God wouldn't make these promises to a person 33:20 that has never, and will never exist. 33:23 God's not going to make these promises that He doesn't have... 33:26 Oh, someone's going to eat from the tree of life, 33:28 and going to get a new name, knowing full well that no one is 33:32 going to overcome. Are you with me? Yes! 33:34 God doesn't go up and say, I'm going to have a tree of life 33:36 for no one to eat from. 33:38 He's not going to have a white stone with someone's new name, 33:42 and no one's going to get a new name. Are you with me? 33:44 But number 2, the other reason I know is because the Bible says 33:48 that John saw them. 33:50 Whew! Go to Revelation 15, Revelation 15. 34:01 We're going to begin in verse 2. 34:02 Are you there? Yes! 34:04 I want you to say Amen if you're there. Amen. 34:07 The Bible says in verse 2, it says, And I saw something 34:11 like a sea of glass mingled with fire: and those who have the 34:17 victory... It's the same word in the Greek. 34:20 ...those who have overcome the beast, over his image, 34:24 and over his mark, and over the number of his name, 34:27 standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. 34:31 Can you say Amen? Amen! 34:33 John has already saw them in prophecy. 34:36 And I'm wondering, Lord, did John see me 34:39 on that sea of glass? 34:40 Maybe you're wondering tonight, Did John see me 34:43 on the sea of glass? 34:45 Well, I believe that your decision tonight, 34:47 and each and every day until the end of time will determine 34:51 whether John saw you or not. 34:52 I want you to know that you don't have to be discouraged. 34:56 You don't have to feel overwhelmed. 34:59 In counseling, and in preaching, to young people all over 35:03 the world, people are getting tired of sin. 35:06 People are getting discouraged. 35:08 Some young people are coming to a place where they say, Lord, 35:11 I don't know if I'm going to make it. 35:13 They get tired of the same old sins over, and over, 35:18 and over, and over again. 35:20 But I want you to notice the song of these people 35:26 who got the victory. 35:27 Revelation 15, beginning in verse 3, the Bible says, 35:32 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, 35:38 and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous 35:42 are Your works, Lord God Almighty; 35:45 just and true are Your ways, O King of saints. 35:50 Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? 35:55 for You alone are holy: for all nations shall come and worship 36:01 before You; for Your judgments have been manifested. 36:04 I want you to notice in their song there is no, 36:08 just and true are my ways. 36:09 These who have gotten the victory over the beast, 36:13 over his mark, over his image, over the number of his name, 36:17 they're not up in heaven saying, O, yes, worthy, worthy am I. 36:21 They're not up in heaven singing the song and saying, O great and 36:25 marvelous are my works. 36:26 No, no, no, no, no. 36:28 When they get to heaven, the Bible says they're saying, 36:30 Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord. 36:33 These are the ones who got the victory. 36:36 How can your victory song be about anything 36:39 else but your victory? 36:40 Are you with me? Amen. 36:41 And if this song is about their victory, then the question is, 36:45 What is it teaching us about how they got their victory? 36:49 They didn't get their victory because of 36:53 anything inside themselves. 36:55 They didn't get the victory because of what they knew. 36:59 They didn't get the victory because of some inner 37:03 power inside their soul. 37:06 The Bible says they looked down and they said, Lord, 37:10 just and true are Your ways. 37:12 They came to a place where they said, You know what? 37:16 Jesus, the only reason we're here is because 37:19 You have been faithful. 37:20 GYC I've got a message for you tonight, and that message is 37:24 very, very, very simple. 37:26 When you and I get to heaven, we're not going to be standing 37:29 before God talking about, I'm here because I was faithful. 37:32 Because you and I both know we haven't been faithful. 37:36 We've denied Him. We've failed. 37:40 We've been cowards when we should have had courage. 37:43 We compromised when we should have been committed. 37:46 We waivered when we should have been walking the path by faith. 37:50 We strayed away. We got discouraged. 37:53 We were overcome with grief when we should have been 37:56 faithful and rejoicing, with joy in the Lord. 37:58 Not going to be sitting on that sea of glass talking about 38:03 this is what I have done. 38:08 You see, the Bible says we are to overcome 38:14 as Jesus also overcame. 38:19 As means in the same way. 38:21 And I love this quote from, Our Father, Kearse. 38:26 She says, we must overcome as Jesus overcame. 38:33 Her next sentence is, By trusting in God's promises. 38:40 By trusting in His what? 38:42 His promises, He received strength 38:46 to keep His commandments. 38:47 I'm going to say that again. 38:49 She says, Jesus overcame by trusting in God's promises. 38:54 He received strength to keep God's commandments. 38:57 The Bible says that the dragon is wroth with the woman, 39:02 and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, 39:05 who do what? keep the commandments of God. 39:08 How are we going to keep the commandments of God? 39:11 By trusting in His promises. 39:13 GYC I need you to know tonight that there's no reason to be 39:17 discouraged, because what the Bible is trying to teach us 39:20 is that when we look at the promises, we find out that 39:23 Jesus has always been faithful. 39:26 You see, when I was in the Marine Corp, the Marine Corp had 39:31 several different models over time. 39:33 It used to be to the shores of Tripoli. 39:36 It used to be First to Fight. 39:39 But then something happened in 1836, or 1835 when they decided, 39:46 we're gong to choose a different motto. 39:48 And they chose the motto, Semper Fidelis. 39:52 In Latin it means always faithful. 39:57 And they wanted to make sure that people understood what 40:01 the Marine Corp, even to this day, this still continues, 40:05 that the Marine Corp is all about this exact phrase: 40:09 Always Faithful. So they said, Look, in order for you to always 40:15 be faithful it takes three things: It takes honor, 40:18 it takes courage, and it takes commitment. 40:20 So I remember being in boot camp. 40:24 And I remember when we were practicing with the rifle 40:28 on the rifle range. 40:30 I'm not endorsing this. 40:31 I'm just telling you a story. 40:35 And I remember that you had to hit the target 40:38 8 times out of 10 times. 40:40 And if you didn't hit it 8 times out of 10 times from 500 yards, 40:44 that's 5 football fields away, then you failed. 40:47 But you see, boot camp was very interesting because in 40:51 Marine Corp boot camp when you come back to what they call the 40:54 squad bay, where you sleep, and do all your work, 40:57 and everything, and shower. 40:58 They tell you to get on line. 40:59 So they have this little line across, and you stand on line. 41:02 And the Drill instructor walks in, and instead of saying, 41:07 You failed, you failed, you failed, you failed, he stands in 41:13 front and he says, If you failed the rifle range, step out. 41:19 He already knows who failed. 41:22 But it is a test of honor. 41:25 Do you have the honor and the courage to step out 41:29 and own your mistake, knowing the consequences? 41:33 That man is going to make you do pushups until you die. 41:38 You already knew what was coming. 41:40 But even though you knew what was coming, you recognized that 41:44 all that difficulty of doing pushups, all that difficulty 41:48 of being punished would be compared as nothing 41:52 to me loosing my honor. 41:53 It would be compared as nothing to me loosing my courage. 41:58 I would rather do pushups for four hours, but at least I'm 42:04 still an honorable man. 42:05 You see, GYC, this is the place that you and I have to come to, 42:10 and to recognize that this is where Christ is, 42:15 this is where Christ was, and this is where He's always been. 42:18 I'm going to take you back to the book of 1 Samuel to show you 42:22 that Jesus has always been faithful. 42:24 1 Samuel 30. Turn there quickly: 1 Samuel 30. 42:36 The Bible says here, in the life of David, beginning in verse 1 42:41 the Bible says, Now it came to pass, when David and his men 42:44 came to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded 42:49 the south, and Ziklag, and attacked Ziklag, 42:52 and burned it with fire; And had taken captive the women, 42:57 and those who were there from small to great. 43:00 They did not kill anyone, but carried them away, 43:03 and went their way. 43:04 So David and his men came to the city, and there it was, 43:09 burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, 43:12 and their daughters had been taken captive. 43:15 Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their 43:19 voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep. 43:24 And David's two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, 43:28 and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite 43:30 had been taken captive. 43:32 The Bible says in verse 6, Now David was greatly distressed. 43:36 Do you know why David was greatly distressed? 43:38 The Bible says, for the people spoke of stoning him. 43:42 These are the men who've been walking with him. 43:45 They spoke of stoning him, the Bible says, because the soul of 43:50 all the people was bitter. 43:52 It was discouraged, every man for his sons and his daughters. 43:56 But the Bible says, but David strengthened himself 43:59 in the Lord his God. 44:01 Listen, sometimes you come to a place as a leader, 44:05 sometimes you come to a place as a father, as a mother, 44:08 that you've tried to lead, and all of a sudden as you're trying 44:11 to lead your family, lead your church, lead your youth group, 44:15 lead your ministry, things get difficult, things go wrong 44:20 for the people that you are following, 44:21 and for your own life. 44:23 And you're saying, Lord, how can I bear this burden? 44:26 The people I'm leading are suffering as I'm trying to 44:31 follow You, and do the work you've called me to do. 44:33 And now, Lord, it's gotten to the point where the people are 44:37 thinking about stoning me. 44:40 The Bible says that David recognized 44:42 something in that moment. 44:44 He said, Wait a minute. 44:46 Before I get bogged down by what I see, 44:48 before I get discouraged by what's going on around me, 44:52 before I sit down and start meditating on all the gossip, 44:55 he says, Let me remember how God has led me in the past. 44:59 Saul tried to kill me twenty something times. 45:03 I had Saul in my hands, and Saul had me in his hands. 45:07 Saul has an enormous army, I've only got 300 men. 45:10 But God has led me, and I survived. 45:12 And now that David has survived the Bible says, He strengthened 45:17 himself in the Lord his God. 45:18 GYC I need you to know that if you're discouraged about your 45:23 struggle with sin, and Satan, and self, 45:25 even though you're overwhelmed, just sit down and think about 45:28 how God has led you in the past. 45:30 And what you're going to find is that He's always been faithful. 45:35 And you strengthen yourself in the Lord your God. 45:39 But, you see, it's not enough. 45:42 Go to Psalm 3. I want to take you to Psalm 3, because David 45:47 has some of my favorite promises in the Bible. 45:51 Psalm 3. When you're there say Amen. Amen. 45:56 The Bible says, a psalm of David when he was running from 46:01 Absalom, his own son. 46:03 Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! 46:09 many are they who rise up against me. 46:12 Many are they who say of me, There is no help for him in God. 46:18 But You, O Lord, are a shield for me; my glory, 46:23 and the One who lifts up my head. 46:26 I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and He heard me 46:28 from His holy hill. 46:30 I laid down and slept; I awoke; for the Lord has sustained me. 46:34 Somebody better say Amen. Amen. 46:37 Sometimes you're not even sure you're going 46:38 to make it through the night. 46:40 David said, I laid down my head, and I woke up. 46:43 Because the Lord has sustained me. 46:45 Sometimes you're so sick, sometimes the cancer is so bad, 46:50 sometimes the disease is just so debilitating to your body. 46:54 Say, Lord, I don't think I'm going to make it. 46:57 But David said, Listen to me. 46:58 When everyone said there is no help for him in God, 47:02 when everyone was increased against him, he said, 47:06 But You, O Lord, are a shield for me. 47:08 You are my glory, and the lifter of my head. 47:12 And I laid down my head, and I slept, and I got up the next 47:17 morning, because the Lord has sustained me. 47:20 You see, Jesus has always been faithful. 47:26 I want you to go to Isaiah 59, Isaiah 59. 47:43 Isaiah, in the 59th chapter, the Bible says, 47:49 beginning in verse 19. 47:52 Are you there? Amen. 47:54 The Bible says, So shall they fear the name of the Lord 47:59 from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. 48:04 When the enemy comes in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord 48:09 will lift up a standard against him. 48:12 Somebody had better say Amen. Amen! 48:14 You look at these promises and recognize that right here 48:17 he says, When the enemy comes in like a flood... 48:20 When the dragon sent that flood after the woman, 48:24 did not the Spirit raise up a standard against him? yes or no? 48:27 Yes, because He's always been faithful. 48:30 But here in Isaiah he says, Listen, Jesus received strength 48:36 through the promises of God, so that He could keep the 48:41 commandments of God. 48:43 We need to stop focusing on the commandments, 48:46 and start focusing on the promises. 48:49 Lets not sit here and get in the nitty gritty, Well, what is this 48:52 mean to keep the Sabbath? 48:54 We don't need to lower the standard; we need to increase 48:56 our strength and dependence on Christ. 48:59 Too many people want to sit here and say, 49:01 Well, this is too difficult. 49:03 Maybe it is for you, but there's nothing too difficult 49:07 for you and the Lord. 49:08 We don't need to preach easier standards. 49:13 We don't need to make it easier to be a Seventh-day Adventist. 49:16 Because I'm going to tell you right now, when I joined this 49:18 church people said, You know, Brother Sebastian, 49:21 I'm so excited, you know, as you joined our 49:23 church there in Georgia. 49:24 They said, You know, the one thing I love about new converts 49:28 is that they're always on fire. 49:30 They're always ready to go. 49:31 They're always ready to get into evangelism. 49:33 And I looked at the person and I said, You know what? 49:36 I'm going to explain that in my next sermon. 49:38 And I stood in that pulpit the next day and I said, 49:41 I need you to understand something church family. 49:45 That when people come into the church, the reason why we come 49:51 in hitting the ground running, the reason why we come in 49:55 willing to do all that Jesus says, the reason why we come in 49:59 saying, I'm ready to surrender, is because it cost us something 50:02 to be a Christian. 50:04 We had to give up things in order to follow Jesus. 50:08 We knew that, Look, I wasn't born into this. 50:11 I didn't inherit this. 50:12 I didn't grow up singing the songs of Zion. 50:15 I had to recognize that if I'm going to follow Jesus, 50:19 it's going to cost me something. 50:21 So you'd better believe if I'm going to lose my friends, 50:24 I believe 100% of this. 50:26 You'd better believe if I'm going to give up having all 50:30 of these relationships, and family gatherings, 50:32 you'd better believe I believe this 100%. 50:38 Because when it costs you something, that's all the sudden 50:41 when people are not too sure to join. 50:43 So let's not make it easy for people to join the church. 50:51 We need to recognize that when Jesus laid his ideal for us, 50:59 which Ellen White says is higher than the highest human thought 51:02 can reach, is God's ideal for His children. 51:06 Godliness, God likeness, is the goal to be reached. 51:10 How do you think you're going to become God-like 51:12 in your own strength? 51:14 How do you think you're going to become like Jesus 51:17 in your own strength? 51:19 You will never do it. 51:21 We don't even know what it's like to be holy. 51:24 Because everything in us, the Bible says, 51:26 all of our righteousness's are as filthy rags. 51:29 That means even the good things you do. 51:31 We're not talking about your sins. 51:33 We're talking about the fact you got up this morning to have 51:35 devotion; righteousness filthy rags. 51:41 We are never going to do it in our own strength. 51:45 And so the Bible doesn't say, When the enemy comes in like 51:49 a flood, make sure you have your buckets ready. 51:51 The Bible doesn't say, When the enemy comes in like a flood, 51:55 make sure you dig a deep enough ditch to swallow up the flood. 51:58 No, the Bible says, When the enemy comes in like a flood, 52:02 the Spirit... The who? 52:03 The Spirit will raise up a standard for you. Amen. 52:08 We need to be less dependent upon men, 52:10 and more dependent upon Christ. 52:12 Christ's Object Lessons says, The success, our success in the 52:18 work, it is not the capabilities we now possess, 52:24 or ever will possess, that will give us success in the work. 52:28 It is only... It is what? 52:30 ...only that which the Lord can do for you. 52:35 We need to have less confidence in what men can do, 52:38 and more confidence in what God can do for every believing soul. 52:42 Oh, but the quote doesn't stop there. 52:45 She says, God longs to have us reach out after Him in faith. 52:51 God longs to have us expect great things from Him. 52:56 Whew! Do you understand the word longs? 53:02 You see, if somebody was at lunch this afternoon 53:05 and they said, Hey brother, are you going to finish that 53:07 sandwich over there? 53:09 Or, I'd really like your sandwich. 53:11 That's one thing, but if the brother looks at your food 53:13 and says, Hey brother, I'm longing for your sandwich. 53:16 That just feels like a deep soul desire. 53:19 Are you following me? Yes. 53:21 So when the Bible says that God says, I'm longing to have you 53:25 expect great things from Me. 53:27 That is a deep divine soul desire, that God says, 53:32 When are you going to come to Me, and ask Me for things 53:35 that only God can do? 53:38 When you say, Lord, they said there's a twelve step 53:41 Stop Smoking Program. 53:42 Lord, I want you to do it in one step. 53:44 Because only God can do that. 53:46 Lord, they said there's a process of healing from these 53:50 broken relationships, but Lord, I need you to do it today. 53:54 Because I need You to do something that only God can do. 53:58 Let's stop asking God to do things that man can do, 54:02 and then we will see God work. 54:04 Brothers and sisters, Jesus has always been faithful. 54:13 I want to go to my last verse, Hebrews 12. 54:21 Hebrews 12. Let's turn there quickly. 54:34 The Bible says, verse 1, Therefore we also, 54:40 since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, 54:46 let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily 54:52 ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set 54:57 before us, looking unto Jesus, not the finish line. 55:04 Looking unto Jesus, not the finish line. 55:08 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. 55:14 You see, when Paul says, We are surrounded by such a great cloud 55:18 of witnesses, one commentator says that Paul 55:23 is using Olympic language. 55:27 When the runners would gather there in Greece, 55:30 as they're all lined up, as they walk onto the track to run 55:36 the race, along the halls they would see those who have 55:41 run the race before them. 55:43 They would see them wearing their crowns. 55:46 So that as they're coming to the starting line and they say, 55:51 Look, this is a marathon. 55:53 This is going to be a long race. 55:55 This is going to be a hard race. 55:57 But, you see, as you walk by these men sitting in the stands 56:01 with their garlands on, the runner remembers that when I'm 56:05 in the race, and I'm getting tired, when I'm in the race 56:08 and I'm getting discouraged, I remembered that I saw 56:11 Abraham in the stands. 56:12 I remembered that among that great cloud of witnesses, 56:15 I saw Daniel in the stands. 56:17 I remember, as I'm coming to run this race, that I saw Noah 56:22 in the stands, whose faith lasted 120 years. 56:25 I remember that I saw Jesus in the stands saying, 56:31 I've run this race, and we have won. 56:38 Because He's always been faithful. 56:41 Every head is bowed, every eye is closed. 56:53 Heavenly Father, is there someone in this room that is 57:01 discouraged, that is tired of living an average Christian 57:05 life, that is ready to come to Jesus tonight, up to this altar, 57:10 and say, Lord, I want to ask You for something 57:13 that only God can do. 57:16 I want to ask You for a victory that only Jesus can give. 57:19 So that when someone says, Where are the Daniel's today? 57:27 Where are the Esther's? 57:29 Where are the Joseph's? 57:31 Where are the Enoch's today? 57:32 And someone's going to look down at that little church, 57:36 wherever you are, and they'll say, These are they. 57:40 These are they. If that is your desire, as Nestor sings this 57:45 song, I want you to be an answer to the song. 57:49 When they say, Where are the Daniels, we're going to be able 57:53 to say, They're right here in Louisville. 57:55 If that is the call that God has placed upon your heart, 58:00 say, Lord, I'm coming here to ask You to do something 58:03 that only Jesus can do. 58:04 I want you to come to this altar as he sings this song. 58:12 Say Lord, I'm tired, I'm struggling, I'm coming, 58:15 and I'm asking You to do what only Jesus can do. 58:26 I have often heard the stories of great men. 58:31 There was one who gathered storms; layed beside them broke. 58:37 He placed one in a sling, and slung it around and round. 58:43 Before you count to ten, glides tumbling down. 58:49 Where are the David's today? 58:57 What about the man who was falsely accused, 59:03 with a tremor in his voice, as gold in the juice. 59:09 They were cut to the heart. 59:12 They stoned him to death. 59:15 But he prayed and asked the Lord, 59:19 Don't charge them with this sin. 59:21 Where are the Stephens today? 59:30 Where are the saints who keep the 59:35 commandments of our God? 59:43 Where are... |
Revised 2016-08-22