You know, I think
about this generation,
00:00:16.85\00:00:18.94
and this generation is
quite a bit more technical
00:00:19.04\00:00:23.21
than the
generation I was raised in...
00:00:23.24\00:00:25.29
We only had telephones
when I was being raised.
00:00:25.32\00:00:28.23
We didn't have all these
gadgets and devices nowadays...
00:00:28.26\00:00:31.00
And it is so easy, if
you want to, to watch a movie
00:00:31.03\00:00:34.38
anytime you want to.
00:00:34.41\00:00:35.98
And so one day, I was
sitting down reading my Bible,
00:00:36.01\00:00:38.69
and a thought came to my mind
that will be revealed to you
00:00:38.72\00:00:42.02
in the sermon today.
00:00:42.05\00:00:43.26
The message is
entitled: "The Script"
00:00:43.29\00:00:47.82
Let's open our
Bibles to 1 John 3:1-2
00:00:47.85\00:00:51.34
The message is
entitled: "The Script"
00:00:51.37\00:00:57.31
The Lord gave me a sermon
for this modern generation.
00:00:57.34\00:01:03.92
1 John 3:1-2- The
Bible begins with the word...
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"Behold what manner of love
the Father has bestowed on us,
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that we should be
called "The children of God.
00:01:15.10\00:01:19.64
Therefore, the
world does not know us,
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because it did not know Him.
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Beloved, now are we
the children of God."
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Can you say Amen to that?
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We are not becoming
the children of God,
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we are God's children now.
00:01:32.74\00:01:36.58
And it has not yet been
revealed what we shall be.
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...But we know that
when He is revealed,
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we shall be like Him, for
we shall see Him as He is."
00:01:44.70\00:01:51.65
Let us pray...
00:01:51.68\00:01:53.41
Heavenly Father,
This is Your time,
00:01:53.44\00:01:55.61
I am your servant,
I'm in Your hand, Lord,
00:01:55.64\00:01:59.59
do what I cannot do.
In Jesus name... Amen
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Thomas Jeffrey, you may not
have heard about him before.
00:02:05.37\00:02:12.21
He was born in 1956,
to be specific, July 9th.
00:02:12.24\00:02:18.87
Maybe I should use the
name that most of you are
00:02:18.90\00:02:21.16
most familiar with... the
man by the name of "Tom Hanks."
00:02:21.19\00:02:26.34
He was born in 1956;
he is an American actor;
00:02:26.37\00:02:33.37
producer; writer and director.
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Tom Hanks is best known
for his roll in "Money Pit,
00:02:37.10\00:02:41.35
Big, A League of Their
Own, Sleepless in Seattle,
00:02:41.38\00:02:45.90
Apollo 13, Saving
Private Ryan, You've Got Mail,
00:02:45.93\00:02:51.38
The Green Mile, Castaway..."
00:02:51.41\00:02:53.47
I did my homework
- can you say, "Amen"
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"The Da Vinci Code
and the animated film,
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The Polar
Express, and Toy Story,"
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but the one that most
people remember the most...
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"Forrest Gump"
00:03:03.50\00:03:07.06
People think they know
him because they have seen him
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so many times in so
many different roles,
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but the fact of the matter is
00:03:14.60\00:03:16.14
most people
don't know him at all.
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Most people also don't
know that when Tom Hanks
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was a teenager, he was a
Bible-toting evangelical.
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One of the films that
best describe the kind of
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young man that he is is
the film - "Forrest Gump"
00:03:28.97\00:03:32.74
The reason is, it best
describes his youthful years.
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He was interviewed by
"Rolling Stone Magazine,"
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and list to what he
said, Tom Hanks says,
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"When I was young, I
was a geek, I was a spaz,
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I was horribly,
painfully, terribly shy.
00:03:48.13\00:03:51.81
At the same time, I was
the guy who would yell out
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funny captions
during film strips,
00:03:55.64\00:03:58.13
but I didn't get in trouble.
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I was always a real good
kid, and pretty responsible."
00:04:00.21\00:04:05.12
People mostly identify the
man with the role that he plays.
00:04:05.15\00:04:10.51
You see, he's so
good at what he does.
00:04:10.54\00:04:13.14
But when you boil it down,
Tom Hanks is just a good actor.
00:04:13.17\00:04:19.23
Tom Hanks could be
whatever he wants to be.
00:04:19.26\00:04:21.63
He played the role of a pilot,
a soldier, a prison guard,
00:04:21.66\00:04:26.43
an astronaut, and a
stranded FedEx worker,
00:04:26.46\00:04:30.82
but truth be told, we
don't really know Tom Hanks.
00:04:30.85\00:04:35.07
What we know
about him is not what he
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knows about himself.
00:04:37.33\00:04:39.54
We are not really sure
if, in Tom Hanks' life,
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that life is really
like a box of chocolate.
00:04:44.69\00:04:48.80
The one thing that we can
almost be certain of is this...
00:04:48.83\00:04:51.87
sooner or later, Tom Hanks
will add another character to
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his acting resume and he
did not too longer after I
00:04:55.72\00:04:59.03
put this sermon together in
the role of "Captain Phillips."
00:04:59.06\00:05:03.89
In studying for this message,
and I hope you are following me,
00:05:03.92\00:05:06.32
this is very deep today,
I know you are following me,
00:05:06.35\00:05:08.76
I appreciate that.
00:05:08.79\00:05:09.89
In studying for this
message, I discovered that
00:05:09.92\00:05:12.75
Tom Hanks is
really not in charge.
00:05:12.78\00:05:17.78
When he is on the set,
the director is in charge.
00:05:17.81\00:05:21.85
Having said that, we
ought to give the director
00:05:21.88\00:05:25.65
as much credit as
we give to the actor
00:05:25.68\00:05:28.24
because it is the
director's job to keep the actor
00:05:28.27\00:05:33.68
in character!
00:05:33.71\00:05:36.60
You see, the director
envisions the character
00:05:36.63\00:05:39.53
before the actor
can bring it to reality.
00:05:39.56\00:05:42.58
The actor trusts his character
to the mind of the director.
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You see, in movie-producing,
the director calls the shots.
00:05:48.80\00:05:53.03
I mean
literally calls the shots.
00:05:53.06\00:05:55.45
For that matter,
"Robert Zemeckis"
00:05:55.48\00:05:58.94
is one that should be
given the credit for the movie,
00:05:58.97\00:06:03.41
"Forrest Gump."
00:06:03.44\00:06:05.09
You see, "Forrest
Gump," aka, Tom Hanks,
00:06:05.12\00:06:08.15
would have been a production
failure had it not been
00:06:08.18\00:06:13.40
for that academy awarding
winning director called,
00:06:13.43\00:06:16.42
"Robert Zemeckis."
00:06:16.45\00:06:18.10
And the fact of the
matter is, you can have the most
00:06:18.13\00:06:20.93
esthetically-appealing
movie set; the largest budget;
00:06:20.96\00:06:24.85
the best production team;
but if the actor and director
00:06:24.88\00:06:29.03
are on different pages,
the end result is a failure.
00:06:29.06\00:06:34.19
Continue to follow...
So far, we've talked about
00:06:34.22\00:06:37.30
the actor, the
character, and the director,
00:06:37.33\00:06:40.55
the production team
and the movie set...
00:06:40.58\00:06:42.71
However, a key
element is missing...
00:06:42.74\00:06:46.23
And here's the
question, How can the same actor
00:06:46.26\00:06:50.89
transition from one
character to another,
00:06:50.92\00:06:53.78
from one movie to another,
and still capture his audience?
00:06:53.81\00:06:58.74
And the answer is simple...
By following the script!
00:06:58.77\00:07:03.52
You see, without Eric Roth,
00:07:03.55\00:07:05.33
Tom Hanks would never
have been "Forrest Gump."
00:07:05.36\00:07:09.08
Robert Zemeckis
was the director,
00:07:09.11\00:07:11.41
but Eric Roth wrote the script.
00:07:11.44\00:07:14.92
Eric Roth, an
Oscar-winning screenwriter,
00:07:14.95\00:07:18.15
authored the script for
the movie, "Forrest Gump."
00:07:18.18\00:07:22.23
And what I've learned
is... follow carefully..
00:07:22.26\00:07:25.39
Before the actor accepts
the role, he looks at the script
00:07:25.42\00:07:29.26
to see if it represents the
character he wants to become.
00:07:29.29\00:07:33.44
If it does, then the
actor commits himself;
00:07:33.47\00:07:37.48
he signs the contract
with the author of the script,
00:07:37.51\00:07:40.58
which is an agreement to
do whatever the author says.
00:07:40.61\00:07:47.18
Now allow me to add
this scriptural component
00:07:47.21\00:07:49.78
to my description...
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You see, the Bible says
that God became the author
00:07:51.33\00:07:55.79
of salvation to
all who will obey Him.
00:07:55.82\00:08:00.39
Can you say "Amen" to that?
00:08:00.42\00:08:01.91
You see, what I
love about this story,
00:08:01.94\00:08:04.36
as God had given it to
me, is that the Lord sees us
00:08:04.39\00:08:08.23
in a role that we are
one day going to occupy
00:08:08.26\00:08:12.63
long before the
character is fully developed.
00:08:12.66\00:08:15.75
God sees us in His kingdom.
00:08:15.78\00:08:18.10
God sees us as His
sons and daughters.
00:08:18.13\00:08:21.11
God sees us on
the streets of gold.
00:08:21.14\00:08:23.97
God sees us
living a sinless life.
00:08:24.00\00:08:26.94
God sees us eating
from the Tree of Life.
00:08:26.97\00:08:29.78
Do I need to keep
going before I get an "Amen?"
00:08:29.81\00:08:32.33
I'm not African, but it
does help for Americans too.
00:08:32.36\00:08:36.45
God sees in us long
before we become what He sees.
00:08:36.48\00:08:42.13
He commits Himself
to us, and get this,
00:08:42.16\00:08:44.89
only as we commit ourselves
to Him - what do ya say?
00:08:44.92\00:08:48.54
The script has everything
to do with who we become.
00:08:48.57\00:08:53.28
You see, the character
that God wants to create in us
00:08:53.31\00:08:56.49
can only occur if
we obey the Author.
00:08:56.52\00:09:01.54
And don't forget this,
you cannot obey the Author
00:09:01.57\00:09:05.01
unless you follow the Script.
00:09:05.04\00:09:09.76
Years ago, when I
joined the church,
00:09:09.79\00:09:12.44
and I should put that
in the proper context...
00:09:12.47\00:09:14.77
when I came back to the church.
00:09:14.80\00:09:17.70
If Bible study had not become
an indelible part of my life,
00:09:17.73\00:09:21.50
I would not be who I am today.
00:09:21.53\00:09:24.39
You see, when this
conference is over,
00:09:24.42\00:09:26.07
we had so much Bible
study, we've had conferences,
00:09:26.10\00:09:28.50
we've had seminars, and
workshops and good sermons,
00:09:28.53\00:09:31.75
but if you don't
continue studying your Bible
00:09:31.78\00:09:34.19
from day to day, committing
yourself to the script of God,
00:09:34.22\00:09:37.27
a righteous script, you
will never become who God
00:09:37.30\00:09:41.14
envisions that
we can be one day.
00:09:41.17\00:09:43.97
God sees us in
the final production.
00:09:44.00\00:09:46.07
And you know what, when
you think about your life,
00:09:46.10\00:09:48.06
the Bible says, "It has not yet
been revealed what we shall be."
00:09:48.09\00:09:51.38
In other words, if
you're discouraged about
00:09:51.41\00:09:53.91
the things that
you see in your life,
00:09:53.94\00:09:55.31
if you simply stay on
the set, and commit yourself
00:09:55.34\00:09:58.76
to the director, and follow the
script, you too, like Tom Hanks,
00:09:58.79\00:10:03.66
can become what you never
envisioned - can be your reality
00:10:03.69\00:10:07.25
God sees us as His children.
00:10:07.28\00:10:10.35
God sees us in
the final production.
00:10:10.38\00:10:15.46
The other thing I discovered,
is that after signing
00:10:15.49\00:10:19.57
the contract, the actor then
commits himself to the director
00:10:19.60\00:10:23.51
to produce a character
that he sometimes is even
00:10:23.54\00:10:27.67
surprised by when
he fulfills the role.
00:10:27.70\00:10:30.85
The actor submits to
the work of the director.
00:10:30.88\00:10:35.24
Now let me make
that very, very clear...
00:10:35.27\00:10:36.86
Some of us are good singers,
some of us are good teachers,
00:10:36.89\00:10:40.21
some of us are
good Bible students,
00:10:40.24\00:10:42.04
some of us are
good Bible workers,
00:10:42.07\00:10:43.95
some of us have many gifts,
but let us not ever forget as
00:10:43.98\00:10:47.41
Paul says in Philippians
2:13, When we think that we are
00:10:47.44\00:10:50.59
the ones in charge of
doing the work, the Bible says,
00:10:50.63\00:10:53.75
"For it is God who works
where? in us, both to will,
00:10:53.78\00:10:59.43
and to do of His good pleasure."
00:10:59.46\00:11:01.93
In other words, God is
able to make us into whatever
00:11:01.96\00:11:05.38
He envisions, but we have to
submit to His creative power.
00:11:05.41\00:11:10.31
My first point is this...
write this down if you can.
00:11:10.34\00:11:12.55
We will never
become what God envisions
00:11:12.58\00:11:15.30
unless we commit to the script.
00:11:15.33\00:11:17.87
We will never become
what God envisions unless
00:11:17.90\00:11:21.84
we commit to the script.
00:11:21.87\00:11:23.80
You see, I repeat this again...
00:11:23.83\00:11:25.43
This is the only thing that
the devil is really upset about,
00:11:25.46\00:11:28.63
the only Book that
he's really afraid.
00:11:28.66\00:11:30.82
We've got to keep
our scripts with us.
00:11:30.85\00:11:32.88
There are some
young people I know...
00:11:32.91\00:11:34.30
My wife and I were coming...
I can't remember where we were
00:11:34.33\00:11:37.15
coming from, but we were going
to, I think it was, Oregon.
00:11:37.18\00:11:40.29
And what I discovered that,
the more you study God's word,
00:11:40.32\00:11:43.92
the less ashamed
about Jesus you will become.
00:11:43.95\00:11:50.32
Let me put that in context...
00:11:50.35\00:11:54.21
In the streets of New York,
people will walk up to you and
00:11:54.24\00:11:56.84
give you flyers and pamphlets
and invitations to things that
00:11:56.87\00:12:01.18
don't match our
Christian character.
00:12:01.21\00:12:03.17
If they can do so
boldly representing the world,
00:12:03.20\00:12:06.41
how much more bold should we be
00:12:06.44\00:12:08.78
in representing the God
that we serve? What do ya say?
00:12:08.81\00:12:11.75
We should be bold, but the only
way that you get the boldness
00:12:11.78\00:12:14.70
is in studying the script,
getting to know the director,
00:12:14.73\00:12:17.77
getting to know the
character that God wants us
00:12:17.80\00:12:19.90
to portray before the world.
00:12:19.93\00:12:21.54
As we got off the
plane, I believe it was
00:12:21.57\00:12:23.45
in Portland, Oregon,
when we were getting up,
00:12:23.48\00:12:25.31
we saw this young lady
that was sitting in a seat right
00:12:25.34\00:12:29.31
across the aisle, and we
made eye contact with her,
00:12:29.34\00:12:32.78
and she said, "Hello,"
and we said, "Hello," and we
00:12:32.81\00:12:36.47
exchanged our names and
she said, "What do you do?"
00:12:36.50\00:12:38.41
I said, "I'm a pastor,"
and she said, "Well, I'm a
00:12:38.44\00:12:40.86
Christian," and we talked for
a little bit but then we had to
00:12:40.89\00:12:45.89
exit the plane and we met
again by the baggage claim area.
00:12:45.92\00:12:50.23
And this young
teenage girl said to us,
00:12:50.26\00:12:52.95
"Can I pray for
you before you leave?"
00:12:52.98\00:12:56.28
Amen... somebody?
00:12:56.31\00:12:58.13
Now what amazes me is
that with this powerful message
00:12:58.16\00:13:01.92
that God has given to
us, we should never be afraid
00:13:01.95\00:13:05.85
to pray for
somebody in public...
00:13:05.88\00:13:11.68
because the world is
living a sinful life in public.
00:13:11.71\00:13:14.55
The Lord wants us to shine.
00:13:14.58\00:13:16.48
But I firmly believe,
that until we have an intimate
00:13:16.51\00:13:19.43
relationship with Christ,
until we have such a connection
00:13:19.46\00:13:21.80
that cannot be
broken, until we have such a
00:13:21.83\00:13:24.30
relationship that
we are not ashamed of,
00:13:24.33\00:13:26.68
we really wouldn't be confident
to represent Him in society.
00:13:26.71\00:13:30.74
I'm the kind of person that
I don't mind who I run into.
00:13:30.77\00:13:33.51
As-a-matter-of-fact, I like to
00:13:33.54\00:13:35.17
run into people
that are in public.
00:13:35.20\00:13:37.64
I like to share my faith.
00:13:37.67\00:13:39.10
I remember giving a
Bible study to a young lady
00:13:39.13\00:13:41.35
that was working at my
wife's job in Orlando, Florida,
00:13:41.38\00:13:44.30
she was a Jehovah's Witness...
00:13:44.33\00:13:46.57
And, in many
cases, Jehovah's Witnesses
00:13:46.60\00:13:49.06
don't study with Adventists.
00:13:49.09\00:13:52.04
I mean, they know
who not to mess with.
00:13:52.07\00:13:55.33
But this young lady,
still not yet confirmed in what
00:13:55.36\00:13:59.68
she wanted to be... My
wife said, "Hey, why don't
00:13:59.71\00:14:04.07
you let us give
you Bible studies?
00:14:04.10\00:14:05.59
And so, she went ahead and
contacted one of the elders
00:14:05.62\00:14:10.89
in her church, one of the elders
that are Jehovah's Witness,
00:14:10.92\00:14:14.20
and we set the Bible study
up, and when we walked into the
00:14:14.23\00:14:19.20
house where the
Bible study was to be,
00:14:19.23\00:14:21.42
they had two seats set in
the middle of the living room.
00:14:21.45\00:14:25.84
And, around the walls of that
living room, we were surrounded
00:14:25.87\00:14:32.10
by Jehovah's Witnesses.
00:14:32.13\00:14:35.42
And the elder that was
going to give the Bible study,
00:14:35.45\00:14:39.00
he sat in a big
easy chair, a recliner.
00:14:39.03\00:14:43.02
And he had a kind of
cocky, self-confident look,
00:14:43.05\00:14:46.73
but what he did not know,
he was about to run into a
00:14:46.76\00:14:49.53
buzz saw called a
"Seventh-day Adventist."
00:14:49.56\00:14:52.68
And he made the ground
rules having done his homework,
00:14:52.71\00:14:56.26
he said, "Now we
cannot use any other books."
00:14:56.29\00:14:58.77
He thought I was going
to pull out "Ellen White."
00:14:58.80\00:15:01.35
I want to tell you this...
00:15:01.38\00:15:02.70
Ellen White says,
"Our creed is the Bible,
00:15:02.73\00:15:05.81
and the Bible only."
00:15:05.84\00:15:09.52
If you study your
Bible, you don't need
00:15:09.55\00:15:12.46
Ellen White in a public
setting to convince somebody
00:15:12.49\00:15:15.96
about a "Thus saith the Lord."
00:15:15.99\00:15:18.29
Primarily, her
writings are mostly for us.
00:15:18.32\00:15:22.50
Anyway, the Bible study
began, and he started...
00:15:22.53\00:15:25.96
Well, let's talk
about the nature of Christ -
00:15:25.99\00:15:28.26
he began with that one,
and that's a favorite one.
00:15:28.29\00:15:31.30
You know, they say
that Jesus is mighty God,
00:15:31.33\00:15:33.77
and that His
Father is Almighty God.
00:15:33.80\00:15:35.74
They say Jesus is a lesser God,
and His Father is a greater God.
00:15:35.77\00:15:38.71
So we began with that
topic and he was meandering
00:15:39.77\00:15:42.36
in the maze of mediocrity,
pondering at the political
00:15:42.39\00:15:44.32
popularity, negotiating
at the table of the enemy,
00:15:44.35\00:15:47.87
and then he brought up
scriptures that one by one by
00:15:47.90\00:15:50.86
using God's word, we
were able to defend the fact
00:15:50.89\00:15:54.64
that Jesus is not mighty
God, Jesus is Almighty God!
00:15:54.67\00:16:01.06
And then he said, "Well
let's go to another subject.
00:16:01.09\00:16:03.86
Let's go to the commandments."
00:16:03.89\00:16:05.40
Lord have mercy! Let's
go to the commandments.
00:16:05.43\00:16:08.56
Because they say that
the commandments were nailed
00:16:08.59\00:16:10.31
to the cross, we don't have
to really keep the commandments.
00:16:10.34\00:16:12.61
You don't want to mess with an
Adventist when it comes to the
00:16:12.64\00:16:14.48
commandments... What do ya say?
00:16:14.51\00:16:16.07
So he's going down, going
down, going down, going down,
00:16:16.10\00:16:19.40
and I don't remember, but I may
have said something like this...
00:16:19.43\00:16:22.16
"If you say that we
cannot keep the commandments,
00:16:22.19\00:16:25.72
which one are you breaking?"
00:16:25.75\00:16:29.69
"Let's go to
another subject," he said.
00:16:29.72\00:16:33.63
So we went to the Sabbath.
00:16:33.66\00:16:35.91
Well it wasn't maybe 15 minutes
into the discussion about
00:16:35.94\00:16:38.92
the Sabbath, that he
called for one of the other
00:16:38.95\00:16:41.98
Jehovah's Witnesses to
go and get another book...
00:16:42.01\00:16:44.23
I said, uh, uh, uh,
uh, uh, remember you said,
00:16:44.26\00:16:47.26
"No other books."
00:16:47.29\00:16:49.63
And surely as we
predicted to that young lady,
00:16:49.66\00:16:54.10
"We said, "Now let me just tell
you what's going to happen."
00:16:54.13\00:16:56.25
"They may have one
Bible study with us,
00:16:56.28\00:16:58.92
but no sensible
Jehovah's Witness will have more
00:16:58.95\00:17:02.02
than one Bible study with an
Adventist that knows the Script"
00:17:02.05\00:17:07.33
And surely enough, they
never met with us again.
00:17:07.36\00:17:11.82
We had a couple that joined
our church about 2 years ago.
00:17:11.85\00:17:14.43
And we sat in the living
room... I'm talking about
00:17:14.46\00:17:17.64
the beauty of God's Script,
the power in God's Script,
00:17:17.67\00:17:21.98
the transforming
power, the defensive power,
00:17:22.01\00:17:24.94
the exaltation
power in God's Script.
00:17:24.97\00:17:27.51
My point again - We will
never become what God envisions
00:17:27.54\00:17:30.66
until we commit to the Script.
00:17:30.69\00:17:34.44
Ellen White says in
"Messages to Young People,"
00:17:34.47\00:17:36.65
"Higher than the
highest human thought can reach,
00:17:36.68\00:17:39.91
is God's ideal for His children.
00:17:39.94\00:17:43.39
Godliness is the goal to
be reached." Amen somebody!
00:17:43.42\00:17:48.37
Godliness - and He said,
"As Christ is, so are we."
00:17:48.40\00:17:53.19
He is godly, we
ought to be godly.
00:17:53.22\00:17:55.22
He is holy, we ought
to strive for holiness.
00:17:55.25\00:17:58.78
I was sitting down with this
couple that had somewhat of a
00:17:58.81\00:18:02.29
nondenominational background,
kind of a pseudo-Pentecostal
00:18:02.32\00:18:06.07
Church of God in Christ
- you know, the loud music,
00:18:06.10\00:18:08.31
the shouting, the halleluiahs,
the jumping over the pews
00:18:08.34\00:18:11.17
and all that emotionalism,
and the Lord worked in a
00:18:11.20\00:18:15.07
powerful way to get
them in contact with us,
00:18:15.10\00:18:18.39
but the young lady
that was a part of that,
00:18:18.42\00:18:20.01
her uncle had his own church,
and they committed themselves
00:18:20.04\00:18:23.51
to being baptized.
00:18:23.54\00:18:25.04
So a week before their
baptism, she invited us to their
00:18:25.07\00:18:27.86
home on a Friday evening.
00:18:27.89\00:18:29.39
She invited her uncle, who
is the pastor of the church,
00:18:29.42\00:18:32.31
and one of the elders or
one of the deacons of the church
00:18:32.34\00:18:35.03
and when we walked in, I
remember this very well...
00:18:35.06\00:18:37.36
I didn't understand
until after the Bible study
00:18:37.39\00:18:39.23
what the actual
body language meant,
00:18:39.26\00:18:41.59
but when we walked into
their house to study the Bible
00:18:41.62\00:18:44.35
together, the deacon
looked at the pastor,
00:18:44.38\00:18:47.48
and went like this...
In other words, watch us
00:18:47.51\00:18:53.53
make mince meat out of
this Adventist pastor... NOT
00:18:53.56\00:19:00.53
Like the young people say, "NOT"
00:19:00.56\00:19:03.96
So I sat there and I
said, "What topic would you like
00:19:03.99\00:19:08.21
to begin with... And surely
enough, he began to pull out...
00:19:08.24\00:19:10.53
He attacked those
things that he knew were near
00:19:10.57\00:19:12.55
and dear to us... the
Sabbath, the second coming,
00:19:12.58\00:19:14.91
the state of the dead...
00:19:14.94\00:19:16.28
And the Holy Spirit
fell down on me and in about
00:19:16.31\00:19:23.18
10 or 15 minutes, the deacon
started getting defensive.
00:19:23.21\00:19:27.42
And I began to open my
Bible and go from one verse to
00:19:27.45\00:19:30.29
the other, from one
chapter to the other,
00:19:30.32\00:19:31.77
and the pastor said,
"Wait a minute, wait a minute,
00:19:31.80\00:19:33.68
why are you going
throughout the whole Bible?
00:19:33.72\00:19:35.57
Aren't you supposed
to stick in one book?"
00:19:35.60\00:19:37.38
I said, "Oh no, "Line
upon line, line upon line,
00:19:37.42\00:19:40.99
precept on precept,
precept on precept,"
00:19:41.02\00:19:44.03
and he sat there
and he had to take it.
00:19:44.06\00:19:46.03
And when we got to the Sabbath,
this cordial, nice God-loving,
00:19:46.06\00:19:50.05
smiling deacon got up and said,
"I'm done! I'm outta here!"
00:19:50.08\00:19:55.20
I said, "Brother, this
is exactly what I did not
00:19:55.23\00:19:57.46
want to happen... why don't
we pray and ask for God's Spirit
00:19:57.49\00:20:00.45
to recover our
attitude toward..."
00:20:00.48\00:20:02.85
He said, "I ain't
praying with nobody!"
00:20:02.88\00:20:05.65
And he got up and left.
00:20:05.68\00:20:07.47
You know what?
00:20:07.50\00:20:08.61
They said, "Resist
the devil." Come on now...
00:20:08.64\00:20:11.12
And he what?
He'll get out of there.
00:20:11.15\00:20:13.92
"He will flee from you."
00:20:13.95\00:20:15.00
When you are standing
on the power of God's word,
00:20:15.03\00:20:18.45
Satan will run.
00:20:18.48\00:20:20.47
Well, you gotta know this guy
to understand this next gesture,
00:20:20.50\00:20:24.47
but the pastor sat
there just to maintain pride,
00:20:24.50\00:20:27.02
and to be cordial to
his family members...
00:20:27.05\00:20:28.66
He sat there and there was
a text after text, after text
00:20:28.69\00:20:31.91
after text, and I got on
my knee in front of them,
00:20:31.94\00:20:34.36
and I said, "Now
pastor, let me make a point...
00:20:34.39\00:20:36.86
You're the pastor,
you are a whole lot more
00:20:36.89\00:20:40.29
responsible than
your members here.
00:20:40.33\00:20:41.84
You cannot say... you're
the pastor and be ignorant of
00:20:41.87\00:20:46.04
God's word because God is
going to hold you accountable!"
00:20:46.08\00:20:50.22
And he went like this...
00:20:50.25\00:20:58.73
Like "whatever."
00:20:58.76\00:21:01.41
I tell you what I
like about God's word,
00:21:01.44\00:21:04.01
it will take the devil by the
tail and, as the saying goes,
00:21:04.04\00:21:08.89
"turn him every
which way, but loose."
00:21:08.92\00:21:12.27
The POWER of the script
that is found in God's word.
00:21:12.30\00:21:16.69
You will also discover -
we'll never know how badly
00:21:16.72\00:21:19.58
we need Jesus until Jesus is
all we recognize that we cannot
00:21:19.61\00:21:23.28
have His character
without being connected to Him.
00:21:23.31\00:21:26.91
The word of God
connects us to the One who is
00:21:26.94\00:21:29.46
the author of salvation.
00:21:29.49\00:21:31.40
It connects us to Christ.
00:21:31.43\00:21:32.72
He says, "I am the vine...
together - I am the vine what?
00:21:32.75\00:21:36.19
"Ye are the branches,
abide in Me and I in Him.
00:21:36.22\00:21:39.87
When we do that, we bear
much fruit for without Me,
00:21:39.90\00:21:43.06
you can DO nothing."
00:21:43.09\00:21:45.92
I was invited once to
sing at a television station in
00:21:45.95\00:21:50.38
Northern California
when I was pastoring in the
00:21:50.41\00:21:52.67
Northern California Conference,
and I was invited to sing often,
00:21:52.70\00:21:56.20
but I knew that God had given
me more than just the ability
00:21:56.23\00:21:58.73
to sing and during
Thanksgiving, not Thanksgiving,
00:21:58.76\00:22:02.57
but Valentine's Day - it
a celebration in the states,
00:22:02.60\00:22:05.51
they invited me to
sing and they said,
00:22:05.54\00:22:08.35
"Just sing
Christian songs about love -
00:22:08.38\00:22:10.28
you know, like
"Yes, Jesus Loves Me,
00:22:10.31\00:22:11.97
the Language of Love, all
those songs that had to do
00:22:12.00\00:22:14.83
with the
particular theme of love."
00:22:14.86\00:22:16.59
Well that day... let
me caveat and say this,
00:22:16.62\00:22:20.19
"You know, there are
times when you know that God is
00:22:20.22\00:22:22.81
about to do something
in your life that is not
00:22:22.84\00:22:25.93
going to be ordinary."
00:22:25.96\00:22:27.15
That day when I was singing,
I was sitting in the green room
00:22:27.18\00:22:32.09
kind of like when
Rosemary puts the makeup on you,
00:22:32.12\00:22:34.09
that room there... I was
sitting in the green room,
00:22:34.12\00:22:36.44
and after they put the makeup
on me, I went to the foyer
00:22:36.47\00:22:38.76
to wait for them
to call me to sing,
00:22:38.79\00:22:40.27
and there was a little corner,
a little dark corner in the room
00:22:40.30\00:22:45.95
I was waiting and I
peaked outside and I looked
00:22:45.98\00:22:49.29
at the couch, the set
where they have the guests
00:22:49.32\00:22:51.89
sitting down... it
was a first-day station.
00:22:51.92\00:22:55.26
They believed everything
that we did not believe,
00:22:55.29\00:22:57.76
and I said to the Lord,
"Lord, I know that You have me
00:22:57.79\00:23:01.09
here for something
other than just to sing.
00:23:01.12\00:23:03.88
And then I said this, "LORD,
I want to be on that couch."
00:23:03.91\00:23:09.63
And I turned my head and
went to the corner of that room
00:23:09.66\00:23:11.43
and I prayed, and I
prayed, and I prayed.
00:23:11.46\00:23:15.34
And I went and sat on
somewhat of a high chair...
00:23:15.37\00:23:17.98
It looked like a
director's chair.
00:23:18.01\00:23:19.57
I sat on the
chair, right in the foyer,
00:23:19.60\00:23:22.65
and then they had a
meeting in the foyer about a
00:23:22.68\00:23:26.18
new program they were starting
called, "Coast-to-Coast."
00:23:26.21\00:23:30.77
That means from the north coast
to the south coast in California
00:23:30.80\00:23:35.03
And then the question was
asked by one of the employees,
00:23:35.06\00:23:38.14
"Well, what's going
to be our first topic?"
00:23:38.17\00:23:39.66
Now, you gotta get
this... this powerful.
00:23:39.69\00:23:41.26
It's a first-day
station, they keep Sunday.
00:23:41.29\00:23:44.47
And the program director
and the station's owner's son
00:23:44.50\00:23:48.82
said, "Our first
discussion is going to be
00:23:48.85\00:23:52.46
"Sabbath versus Sunday"
00:23:52.49\00:23:57.75
And then they said,
"What? Sabbath versus Sunday,
00:23:57.78\00:24:02.80
Where are you
going to find somebody
00:24:02.83\00:24:05.04
to represent the Sabbath?"
Laughter from audience...
00:24:05.07\00:24:11.17
He went like this...
"John, John - he's an
00:24:11.20\00:24:17.08
Adventist pastor -
we'll have him get two folk!"
00:24:17.11\00:24:21.11
Amen somebody!
00:24:21.14\00:24:23.09
So here I am, I'm
bubbling like a kettle.
00:24:23.12\00:24:26.99
I'm saying, "Lord, I knew it!"
00:24:27.02\00:24:30.60
And so they set it up,
"Sabbath versus Sunday"
00:24:30.63\00:24:33.91
Now there's going
to be the discussion...
00:24:33.94\00:24:36.21
They set the date and
they said "Invite two guests."
00:24:36.24\00:24:40.10
Well, I invited Doug Batchelor,
and my good old Jewish
00:24:40.13\00:24:45.01
friend from New
York City, Alan Reinach,
00:24:45.04\00:24:46.92
who is with "Religious Liberty"
in the General Conference there.
00:24:46.95\00:24:50.95
Two Jewish guys and
a fired-up Adventist!
00:24:50.98\00:24:55.49
As somebody once
said to me just recently,
00:24:55.52\00:24:57.50
he said... I was preaching
at a funeral in Oregon,
00:24:57.53\00:25:00.57
and he said, "I don't want
anybody at my father's funeral
00:25:00.60\00:25:03.86
that's going to be a
wet noodle in the pulpit.
00:25:03.89\00:25:05.65
I want a gun-toting,
former gang member from
00:25:05.68\00:25:09.87
New York to preach
at my dad's funeral."
00:25:09.90\00:25:12.23
He said, "I want somebody
that's going to throw down."
00:25:12.26\00:25:14.07
So here I was,
still had black hair,
00:25:14.10\00:25:18.15
and I had my Doug
Batchelor, and Alan J. Reinach
00:25:18.18\00:25:21.74
and the guy began the
program with this phrase...
00:25:21.77\00:25:24.00
to the
television camera, he said,
00:25:24.03\00:25:25.44
"Hey, welcome to the
first program of Coast-to-Coast.
00:25:25.47\00:25:29.52
On this show today,
the topic is going to be
00:25:29.55\00:25:31.92
"Sabbath versus Sunday."
00:25:31.95\00:25:33.78
Now I could see
all the evangelicals...
00:25:33.81\00:25:35.62
I could hear heads
exploding from coast to coast.
00:25:35.65\00:25:39.36
He said, "Now here's
what we want to do today."
00:25:39.39\00:25:42.22
He said, "We don't want to
go to church on Sunday because
00:25:42.25\00:25:44.96
grandma said it, or because we
learned that in Bible college,
00:25:44.99\00:25:48.88
or because that's our
tradition, we only want to go to
00:25:48.91\00:25:51.57
church on Sunday
because the Bible says it."
00:25:51.60\00:25:56.43
That sounded like
Haman building a gallows.
00:25:56.46\00:26:00.79
He says, "Get your
Bibles, get your pens,
00:26:00.82\00:26:03.04
and at the half-time, we will
you know, field your questions."
00:26:03.07\00:26:06.75
It was a one hour program.
00:26:06.78\00:26:09.34
And then the war
began... Laughter from audience
00:26:09.37\00:26:12.30
He was the moderator;
he had 3 guys that were
00:26:12.33\00:26:15.03
representing his viewpoint,
and Doug and I and Alan Reinach
00:26:15.06\00:26:18.61
were on the other side,
and at the 30-minute mark,
00:26:18.64\00:26:21.36
they had a 3-minute break,
and at the 3-minute break...
00:26:21.39\00:26:23.45
this is funny, at the
3-minute break, he got up from
00:26:23.48\00:26:26.24
the table where he was
sitting, came down around the
00:26:26.27\00:26:29.35
front of the table where
the other guys were sitting,
00:26:29.38\00:26:31.38
they looked like they
were sheep without a shepherd,
00:26:31.41\00:26:34.48
and he leaned his head
over and he said to his side...
00:26:34.51\00:26:38.38
"Guys, they're
killing us." Laughter...
00:26:38.41\00:26:42.61
He said to them,
"Give me SOMETHING..."
00:26:42.64\00:26:46.11
Well, you can't give
what's not in the Script...
00:26:46.14\00:26:48.30
Amen somebody?
00:26:48.33\00:26:49.40
You can't find light
and dark in the same Book.
00:26:49.43\00:26:51.92
You can't find sweet water
00:26:51.95\00:26:55.49
and bitter water
at the same well.
00:26:55.52\00:26:59.05
When the program was over,
00:26:59.08\00:27:01.44
... I heard about
it about a week later-
00:27:01.47\00:27:03.45
He told me, and you know
what, he was an honest pastor.
00:27:03.48\00:27:06.35
You know why, he said
the thing that motivated
00:27:06.38\00:27:08.58
him to do that topic
is he was preaching on the
00:27:08.61\00:27:10.43
Ten Commandments and
when he got to the fourth,
00:27:10.46\00:27:12.38
he said to his congregation,
00:27:12.41\00:27:13.79
"I really don't
know about the Sabbath,
00:27:13.82\00:27:15.48
so I'm just going to
talk about the work ethic."
00:27:15.51\00:27:17.93
And that's what motivated him to
have the topic about the Sabbath
00:27:17.96\00:27:22.48
The good news is he
invited us back... Laughter
00:27:22.51\00:27:29.57
This time, he was
smart, he invited me to defend
00:27:29.60\00:27:33.38
the position that he
and I had in common...
00:27:33.41\00:27:35.02
Come on, say "Amen" somebody.
00:27:35.05\00:27:36.48
This time, he invited me
to defend his position on the
00:27:36.51\00:27:39.83
Father, the Son
and the Holy Spirit
00:27:39.86\00:27:41.27
because his former
Assemblies of God pastor
00:27:41.30\00:27:44.62
believed in three manifestations
of God, and we believe
00:27:44.65\00:27:48.21
in the scriptural teaching of
the Godhead and the Holy Spirit.
00:27:48.24\00:27:54.87
And after the program...
I never forgot this...
00:27:54.90\00:27:58.77
He pulled me aside and said,
"Okay, okay, I need to ask you
00:27:58.80\00:28:02.85
some questions...
Tell me about Ellen White."
00:28:02.88\00:28:11.76
Ellen White?
00:28:11.79\00:28:13.28
He said, "Tell me about
Ellen White, I read about her.
00:28:13.31\00:28:17.16
You tell me about Ellen White."
00:28:17.19\00:28:19.28
All right, we got through that.
00:28:19.31\00:28:20.63
All right, "Tell me
what you believe about diet,
00:28:20.66\00:28:25.04
about clean and unclean foods."
00:28:25.07\00:28:30.36
Clean and
unclean... you want to know?
00:28:30.39\00:28:32.55
And I explained... He
said, "Now I want you to know
00:28:32.58\00:28:35.31
my congregation and I
don't agree on everything."
00:28:35.34\00:28:38.00
He said, "I was invited to
one of their homes for a luau."
00:28:38.03\00:28:40.63
You know what that is...
where the pig is put on a
00:28:40.66\00:28:43.07
stick and they
roast it in a circle.
00:28:43.10\00:28:45.85
Don't you Adventists
remember what that is?
00:28:45.88\00:28:54.33
Now I'm glad you don't know,
00:28:54.36\00:28:55.67
that means you don't eat pig.
00:28:55.70\00:28:58.58
But he said, "One of
them, they cut the pig,
00:28:58.61\00:29:00.71
and they put a big
chunk of pig in his mouth,"
00:29:00.74\00:29:02.61
and he said, "I said the
prayer, went to the bathroom,
00:29:02.64\00:29:04.79
and I spit it out."
00:29:04.82\00:29:06.57
Then he said,
"Tell me about jewelry."
00:29:06.60\00:29:11.97
And his wife was
sitting right next to him with
00:29:12.00\00:29:13.96
some of the most
expensive jewelry,
00:29:13.99\00:29:15.82
and I said, "Now
R.C. are you serious?
00:29:15.85\00:29:18.01
I mean, your
wife... and he said this,
00:29:18.04\00:29:21.35
"My wife and I don't agree
on a lot of things." Laughter
00:29:21.38\00:29:26.71
And she bumped
into the conversation...
00:29:26.74\00:29:28.76
She said, "Now R.C."
when it really got heated,
00:29:28.79\00:29:30.64
She said, "Now R.C.,
R.C., R.C., remember now,
00:29:30.67\00:29:33.30
it's our 7th anniversary..."
and she got him back -
00:29:33.33\00:29:35.98
"And don't forget,
7 is God's number."
00:29:36.01\00:29:40.95
Brothers and sisters,
when you stand on God's word,
00:29:40.98\00:29:43.10
you never have to be
ashamed. What do you say?
00:29:43.13\00:29:45.71
You see, we can see
God developing in us
00:29:45.74\00:29:47.77
all those things that represent
Him, and like some of the
00:29:47.80\00:29:50.65
actors when they get
their Academy Awards,
00:29:50.68\00:29:53.55
and their Oscars,
I've heard them say,
00:29:53.58\00:29:55.91
"I did not think I
could do it, but the director
00:29:55.94\00:29:59.30
saw in me something
that I could never see."
00:29:59.33\00:30:01.95
You see, God sees in us
things that He is yet developing
00:30:01.98\00:30:05.32
and you'll never know
until the time goes by...
00:30:05.35\00:30:07.81
I listened to Pastor Taj
last night and I sat there
00:30:07.84\00:30:11.16
marveled- can you say "Amen?"
00:30:11.19\00:30:13.88
I sat there
marveled, I was ignited,
00:30:13.91\00:30:16.91
I was so excited, I
said, "Now that's a young
00:30:16.94\00:30:19.39
man that I can identify with."
00:30:19.42\00:30:21.53
Because we had a
similar prayer...
00:30:21.57\00:30:22.75
"Father, put me in the
ministry, open the door,
00:30:22.79\00:30:24.50
take me from where I was
to where you want me to be."
00:30:24.53\00:30:27.69
And I'm looking back now,
28 years in pastoral ministry,
00:30:27.72\00:30:31.00
to this knucklehead that
was on the streets of Brooklyn
00:30:31.03\00:30:34.27
partying and
gambling and pool hustling,
00:30:34.30\00:30:36.96
and to say that God
has transformed my life
00:30:36.99\00:30:40.61
is a minimal statement.
00:30:40.64\00:30:42.36
To God be the glory...
can you say "Amen" to that?
00:30:42.39\00:30:45.65
God can do
anything with anybody!
00:30:45.68\00:30:47.54
As-a-matter-of-fact,
somebody said, "God has done
00:30:47.57\00:30:49.64
so much with so little
for so long, that God could do
00:30:49.67\00:30:53.27
anything with nothing!
00:30:53.30\00:30:55.53
Isn't that right?
00:30:55.56\00:30:57.22
He speaks and it
happens... praise be to God!
00:30:57.25\00:31:01.18
When Paul the
apostle talks about that,
00:31:01.21\00:31:03.35
you see this
Witness Conference is good,
00:31:03.38\00:31:05.33
but it's only as good
as our spiritual follow up.
00:31:05.36\00:31:10.49
If you dedicate
yourself after this is done,
00:31:10.52\00:31:12.31
you'll see God do as Paul says,
00:31:12.34\00:31:14.16
"He can do things exceedingly
abundantly above all that
00:31:14.19\00:31:18.78
you ask or think and
how according to the power
00:31:18.81\00:31:22.66
that works in us."
00:31:22.69\00:31:25.77
Let me add another component...
00:31:25.80\00:31:27.86
It is not enough to
just have God working in you,
00:31:27.89\00:31:31.25
but you have to
participate with the process.
00:31:31.28\00:31:33.58
Go to Romans 12, very quickly.
00:31:33.61\00:31:35.11
Romans 12- It's not enough
just to have God working in you.
00:31:35.14\00:31:39.87
This is not a
puppet-master relationship,
00:31:39.90\00:31:42.96
God wants us to
participate in the process.
00:31:42.99\00:31:46.76
Romans 12:1-2: Paul the
apostle appealing to the Romans,
00:31:46.79\00:31:52.72
and now he appeals to us through
the very same set of verses.
00:31:52.75\00:31:58.62
The Bible says, "I
beseech you, therefore brethren,
00:31:58.65\00:32:02.68
by the mercies of God that
you present your... your what?
00:32:02.71\00:32:06.38
Your body is a living
sacrifice, that's your mind,
00:32:06.41\00:32:09.39
your heart, your activities...
00:32:09.42\00:32:11.29
...holy acceptable to God which
is your reasonable service."
00:32:11.32\00:32:15.25
And get this, "And do not
be conformed to this world,
00:32:15.28\00:32:19.05
but be
transformed by the...what?
00:32:19.08\00:32:21.96
...renewing of your
mind that you may prove
00:32:21.99\00:32:25.35
what is that good and acceptable
and perfect will of God."
00:32:25.38\00:32:30.29
A lot of people ask the question
... "What is God's will?"
00:32:30.32\00:32:34.56
Like we want a single answer!
00:32:34.59\00:32:37.38
God's will is that we commit
ourselves to Him every day,
00:32:37.41\00:32:41.50
for it is God who works
in us both to will and to do
00:32:41.53\00:32:47.94
of His good pleasure.
00:32:47.97\00:32:49.39
He wants us not to be conformed,
00:32:49.42\00:32:52.49
but to be transformed.
00:32:52.52\00:32:54.92
And what you need to know
is that character development
00:32:54.95\00:32:57.66
requires sacrifice.
00:32:57.69\00:32:59.46
In other words, it
takes time to read the Script.
00:32:59.49\00:33:05.28
I read the
story about Tom Hanks.
00:33:05.31\00:33:06.53
He said, "When I was
studying to be Forrest Gump,
00:33:06.56\00:33:09.33
he said, "There were
days that I didn't feel like
00:33:09.36\00:33:11.38
reading the script."
I was reading this in
00:33:11.41\00:33:12.75
"Rolling Stone Magazine,"
He said, "I didn't feel like
00:33:12.78\00:33:15.52
reading the script,
but if I wanted to be ready
00:33:15.55\00:33:17.71
for the movie, I had to
not go based on feeling.
00:33:17.74\00:33:21.86
I had to commit
myself based on fact."
00:33:21.89\00:33:25.35
The movie was going to be
filmed; they had the air date;
00:33:25.38\00:33:28.98
they had the
production schedule...
00:33:29.01\00:33:30.75
He said, "I couldn't waste
time, I had to commit myself.
00:33:30.78\00:33:33.69
It wasn't whether
or not I was tired,
00:33:33.72\00:33:35.84
the question was...
whether or not I really
00:33:35.87\00:33:38.69
want to be what the
writer and the director
00:33:38.72\00:33:41.92
has envisioned me to be."
00:33:41.95\00:33:43.37
You see, God has a blueprint,
00:33:43.40\00:33:47.17
and He knows what
He wants us to be,
00:33:47.20\00:33:50.40
but in order for us to
be what God has envisioned,
00:33:50.43\00:33:53.22
we gotta find a way
to get God's vision of us
00:33:53.25\00:33:57.09
from here to here.
00:33:57.12\00:34:01.38
Thus Paul says, "Let
this mind be... where?
00:34:01.41\00:34:04.39
... in you which
was also in... where?
00:34:04.42\00:34:06.98
... in Christ Jesus.
00:34:07.01\00:34:08.16
It's not enough for the
word of God to be here...
00:34:08.19\00:34:10.62
because the character of
God will never be developed
00:34:10.65\00:34:13.65
if we don't invest
time in reading the Script.
00:34:13.68\00:34:16.26
In other words, before
Tom Hanks became Forrest Gump
00:34:16.29\00:34:19.70
externally, he had to
become Forrest Gump internally.
00:34:19.73\00:34:23.96
He had to think
like Forrest Gump,
00:34:23.99\00:34:25.60
walk like Forrest
Gump, be discombobulated
00:34:25.63\00:34:29.08
like Forrest Gump, act
geeky like Forrest Gump!
00:34:29.11\00:34:33.80
And if you've seen in the movie,
00:34:33.83\00:34:35.38
he did a really
good job, didn't he?
00:34:35.42\00:34:36.90
Aww come on, you know
you saw it. Laughter...
00:34:36.94\00:34:41.72
Are you holier than thou folk...
00:34:41.75\00:34:47.53
You see, the last day
battle is not just for
00:34:47.56\00:34:49.87
the condition of our minds.
00:34:49.90\00:34:52.23
The last day battle is also
for the location of our bodies.
00:34:52.26\00:34:56.05
Let me say that again...
00:34:56.08\00:34:57.49
The last day battle is not just
for the condition of our minds,
00:34:57.52\00:35:00.92
but the last day battle is also
for the location of our bodies,
00:35:00.95\00:35:04.93
and this is where
the church comes in.
00:35:04.96\00:35:07.49
I'm always
amazed when people say,
00:35:07.52\00:35:09.48
"Do I have to join your
church if I get baptized?"
00:35:09.51\00:35:13.75
Well, let's go to Tom Hanks...
00:35:13.78\00:35:15.91
Do I have to show up on the
00:35:15.94\00:35:17.11
movie set in
order to be the actor?
00:35:17.14\00:35:21.12
Well see brethren, we are
not only to commit ourselves
00:35:21.15\00:35:24.31
to the study of the word,
but we have to be on the set.
00:35:24.34\00:35:29.28
We have to show up on the set.
00:35:29.31\00:35:31.12
How can an actor
stay away from the set,
00:35:31.15\00:35:34.54
and say that he is in
harmony with the director?
00:35:34.57\00:35:37.89
How can a Christian stay
away from church and say that
00:35:37.92\00:35:42.45
they are in harmony
with God? It is not possible.
00:35:42.48\00:35:47.05
In these last days, some of you
folk that can't handle church,
00:35:47.08\00:35:49.78
I'm amazed, it seems
like something is happening
00:35:49.81\00:35:52.19
in the Adventist Church.
00:35:52.22\00:35:53.48
People are getting antsy when
the sermon is 5 minutes longer.
00:35:53.51\00:35:56.55
I was in a church once,
when I first started there,
00:35:56.58\00:35:59.25
and at noon, I heard
like 5 alarms go off.
00:35:59.28\00:36:04.68
Five alarms! A 5-alarm fire.
00:36:04.71\00:36:08.83
And I thought to
myself, and I said this
00:36:08.86\00:36:11.32
from the pulpit, I said,
"I heard of the midnight cry,
00:36:11.35\00:36:14.05
but I never heard of the
midday cry." Amen somebody.
00:36:14.08\00:36:18.23
I said, "Would you
please deactivate your alarms."
00:36:18.26\00:36:21.24
And I kept
preaching past 12 o'clock
00:36:21.27\00:36:23.05
until they got used
to it. Amen somebody.
00:36:23.08\00:36:25.11
Because here's my point...
00:36:25.14\00:36:26.39
If you cannot handle
church just for one hour,
00:36:26.43\00:36:29.59
how are you
going to handle heaven?
00:36:29.63\00:36:34.04
God ain't going to
say, "Well, Sabbath's over,
00:36:34.07\00:36:36.93
go to the mall." Laughter...
00:36:36.96\00:36:40.12
Forever throughout
eternity, we will be learning
00:36:40.15\00:36:42.72
the themes of
godliness and righteousness.
00:36:42.75\00:36:46.13
Brothers and sisters, develop
an appetite for Godly things
00:36:46.16\00:36:51.81
and for Godly time.
00:36:51.84\00:36:54.39
I don't know why
people are rushing from church
00:36:54.42\00:36:56.67
to go home to do
what? To read the mail?
00:36:56.70\00:36:59.82
We don't read
mail on the Sabbath.
00:36:59.85\00:37:01.83
Some folk want to... what
do you want to go home and do?
00:37:01.86\00:37:03.67
Smell your laundry?
00:37:03.70\00:37:05.02
What do you want
to go home and do?
00:37:05.05\00:37:06.18
Clean the house?
00:37:06.22\00:37:07.72
We don't clean
the house on Sabbath.
00:37:07.75\00:37:09.65
Some folk ought to
get used to the idea...
00:37:09.68\00:37:11.83
As one of my board
members once said...
00:37:11.86\00:37:13.75
One of my board members said...
00:37:13.78\00:37:17.15
Have we forgotten
that Sabbath is 24 hours?
00:37:17.18\00:37:22.77
I think some people have.
00:37:22.80\00:37:24.84
That's why the writer
of Hebrews tells us...
00:37:24.87\00:37:27.68
"Not forsaking the assembling
of ourselves together,
00:37:27.71\00:37:30.55
as is the manner of
some, but exhorting one another
00:37:30.58\00:37:33.61
and so much the more, as
you see the day approaching."
00:37:33.64\00:37:40.74
And the other reason why we
have to go to church is that...
00:37:40.77\00:37:44.62
... this is powerful, are
you listening, here we go...
00:37:44.65\00:37:47.70
You'll never know whether
or not you're becoming like
00:37:47.73\00:37:50.51
the character
that God has envisioned
00:37:50.54\00:37:52.73
unless there's some church
member to test your character.
00:37:52.76\00:38:00.46
I had a church member that
one day bought a baseball bat
00:38:00.49\00:38:03.93
to church.
00:38:03.96\00:38:05.88
The lady just came out of
the Assemblies of God Church,
00:38:05.91\00:38:08.86
a black lady and the
white deacon and she said to me,
00:38:08.89\00:38:12.94
... as I was
standing in the foyer,
00:38:12.97\00:38:14.61
"Happy Sabbath," and she
had a baseball bat in her hand,
00:38:14.64\00:38:20.01
a small, little wooden
baseball bat, and I said,
00:38:20.04\00:38:21.77
"Sister Hall, what are you
doing with a baseball bat?"
00:38:21.80\00:38:23.96
She said, "I'm going to
beat up the head deacon."
00:38:23.99\00:38:27.27
"Are you serious?"
00:38:27.30\00:38:28.40
She said, "I am sick and tired."
00:38:28.43\00:38:29.78
And she listed all these things
00:38:29.81\00:38:31.27
that she was sick
and tired of him doing.
00:38:31.30\00:38:32.84
What I discovered is,
she came out of the church
00:38:32.87\00:38:36.17
that was so
involved in spiritualism,
00:38:36.20\00:38:38.44
that she started
seeing spirits in her house,
00:38:38.47\00:38:40.83
and she associated one of
the spirits to the head deacon.
00:38:40.86\00:38:45.58
And I said to
her, "Can we pray?"
00:38:45.61\00:38:50.40
And I prayed and I prayed,
00:38:50.43\00:38:53.07
Lord, please chase
the devil out of here."
00:38:53.11\00:38:56.80
I didn't say, chase
Sister Hall out of here because
00:38:56.84\00:38:59.83
as one church member
said, "If you can see them,
00:38:59.86\00:39:02.82
they're not your enemy."
00:39:02.85\00:39:04.02
Our battle is not
against flesh and blood.
00:39:04.05\00:39:08.85
I prayed that
prayer and praise God,
00:39:08.88\00:39:10.69
between Sabbath
School and the sermon,
00:39:10.72\00:39:12.39
she went home and
left the bat and came back.
00:39:12.42\00:39:14.76
But I want to tell
you, that deacon kept his
00:39:14.79\00:39:16.35
eye on her all
service long. Laughter
00:39:16.38\00:39:22.48
You'll never know
whether or not God is really
00:39:22.51\00:39:24.30
working in you
unless you're in church.
00:39:24.33\00:39:25.86
Some of us need to come
to church... you know why?
00:39:25.89\00:39:28.45
Because iron sharpens iron!
00:39:28.48\00:39:31.65
There are some hard
folk in the Adventist Church.
00:39:31.68\00:39:34.16
Somebody once said,
"This is the hospital."
00:39:34.19\00:39:36.04
No, it isn't,
it's an insane asylum.
00:39:36.07\00:39:38.26
There are some fruits
and there are some nuts.
00:39:38.29\00:39:41.53
We are really
vegetarian to the core.
00:39:41.56\00:39:47.90
Character will be tested, that's
why the key of the sermon is
00:39:47.93\00:39:52.41
the script.
00:39:52.44\00:39:53.47
You see, the Holy
Spirit is the director;
00:39:53.50\00:39:58.37
Jesus is the author,
and unless the word of God
00:39:58.40\00:40:03.64
is hidden in your heart,
you are on the battlefield
00:40:03.67\00:40:06.86
without the proper armor.
00:40:06.89\00:40:08.22
We got to follow the example
of David, the psalmist...
00:40:08.25\00:40:11.37
"Thy word have I hid in
my heart that I might not
00:40:11.40\00:40:14.93
sing against
thee." Amen somebody.
00:40:14.96\00:40:17.08
And the other thing I
want to also put together...
00:40:17.11\00:40:20.30
Because there are a whole lot of
fruits and nuts in the church,
00:40:20.33\00:40:23.16
the other thing that you have
to do - as God is developing
00:40:23.19\00:40:26.11
within you, the character
that He envisions you to have
00:40:26.14\00:40:29.35
throughout eternity,
you gotta stop looking
00:40:29.38\00:40:31.82
at the other actors...
because there are some folk
00:40:31.85\00:40:37.96
in the church that are not
where you are, and you are not
00:40:37.99\00:40:41.12
where some of
the other people are.
00:40:41.15\00:40:43.77
One Sabbath, after
church fellowship lunch,
00:40:43.80\00:40:47.32
or during church fellowship
lunch, we had a person that just
00:40:47.35\00:40:51.21
started coming to
church; not a member yet,
00:40:51.24\00:40:53.04
but they wanted to
contribute something to potluck.
00:40:53.07\00:40:56.06
And we had one of our
elders that was raised
00:40:56.09\00:40:58.11
in heaven and he came to
earth to spend time with us.
00:40:58.14\00:41:01.00
...You know, those godly people
that never touch the ground;
00:41:01.03\00:41:04.42
no sin in their lives.
00:41:04.45\00:41:07.19
And he walks up to this guest
in her second week of church...
00:41:07.22\00:41:10.41
She brought
something for fellowship lunch,
00:41:10.44\00:41:12.41
and instead of
looking at his own life,
00:41:12.44\00:41:14.97
he walked up to this
lady who was just getting
00:41:15.00\00:41:17.66
excited about the
Adventist Message,
00:41:17.69\00:41:19.08
and he said to her, "Is
there any pork in that?"
00:41:19.11\00:41:24.03
Pork? Do you guys eat pork?
00:41:24.06\00:41:30.40
We ought to
let... I'm gonna say it.
00:41:30.43\00:41:33.12
We ought to let
God clean the fish.
00:41:33.15\00:41:36.24
God calls us to catch the fish.
00:41:36.27\00:41:40.11
Some of us want to do
the work of the Holy Spirit.
00:41:40.14\00:41:42.37
You can never do the
work of the Holy Spirit.
00:41:42.40\00:41:44.89
That's why I'm always
amazed when we talk about
00:41:44.92\00:41:47.11
the unpurified church.
00:41:47.14\00:41:48.70
There are a lot of unbalanced
folk in these last days
00:41:48.73\00:41:51.28
that they think that their
job is to purify the church
00:41:51.31\00:41:54.11
when, in fact, God never
appointed any human agent
00:41:54.14\00:41:56.78
the job to purify the church.
00:41:56.81\00:41:58.49
It's God's work!
00:41:58.52\00:42:00.22
Your job is to
live by the Script.
00:42:00.25\00:42:03.89
Get your own mirror
out and examine yourself
00:42:03.92\00:42:06.27
to see whether or
not you're in the faith.
00:42:06.30\00:42:09.08
The fact of the matter
is, I can't make it to heaven
00:42:09.11\00:42:11.52
for my wife and she
can't make it for me.
00:42:11.55\00:42:13.61
We each have to battle through
our own struggles in life.
00:42:13.64\00:42:16.61
Each one of us has to have our
own relationship with Christ.
00:42:16.64\00:42:19.38
We have to allow God
to clean each of us up.
00:42:19.41\00:42:21.74
She can't be clean for me,
and I can't be clean for her.
00:42:21.77\00:42:24.37
I cannot examine where she is
00:42:24.40\00:42:25.95
and she can't
examine where I am...
00:42:25.98\00:42:27.61
Because the Lord is
the only one that knows
00:42:27.64\00:42:29.39
the issues of the heart.
00:42:29.42\00:42:31.25
So when you see somebody
that is new to the church,
00:42:31.28\00:42:34.03
don't become an inspector.
00:42:34.06\00:42:36.00
Christ is the One - we
have to look to Jesus the author
00:42:36.03\00:42:39.60
and finisher of our faith.
00:42:39.63\00:42:41.22
As-a-matter-of-fact, in
"Christ Object Lessons,"
00:42:41.25\00:42:43.07
Ellen White says, "Christ
is waiting with longing desire
00:42:43.10\00:42:47.55
for the manifestation
of Himself in His church."
00:42:47.58\00:42:50.88
This is powerful... now I
have to put this in context.
00:42:50.91\00:42:54.65
Why do you think the enemy
works so hard on keeping us
00:42:54.68\00:42:59.77
in our old
character? This is powerful!
00:42:59.80\00:43:02.52
You see, if Tom Hanks was
settled with his old character,
00:43:02.55\00:43:05.85
he'll never be known
as the actor he is today.
00:43:05.88\00:43:10.95
We have to be just as discontent
about our old character
00:43:10.98\00:43:14.50
as actors are
about their former role.
00:43:14.53\00:43:17.91
He has played so many
roles, and he could only
00:43:17.94\00:43:20.35
fit into the new
role as he disconnects
00:43:20.38\00:43:22.65
himself from the old role.
00:43:22.68\00:43:25.65
Why does the devil work
so hard on our character?
00:43:25.68\00:43:27.67
Ellen White says
here is the reason why...
00:43:27.70\00:43:30.61
Here is the reason why he
works so hard on keeping us
00:43:30.64\00:43:33.59
to be anything other than
what Christ wants us to be.
00:43:33.62\00:43:36.26
She says, "When the character
of God shall be perfectly
00:43:36.29\00:43:40.15
reproduced in His
people, then He will come
00:43:40.18\00:43:43.85
and claim them as
His own." Amen somebody!
00:43:43.88\00:43:46.61
You know why I'm excited
about that - because one day
00:43:46.64\00:43:48.43
there is going to
be an academy award...
00:43:48.46\00:43:50.16
it's called a
crown of glory. Amen!
00:43:50.19\00:43:52.27
And I'm looking forward to
that - I don't want an Oscar;
00:43:52.30\00:43:54.49
I don't want a star on
the Hollywood Walk of Fame
00:43:54.52\00:43:56.88
where, you know, animals will
... you know what happens there.
00:43:56.91\00:44:00.80
I don't want any earthly crown.
00:44:00.83\00:44:02.88
I want that heavenly
crown. Amen somebody?
00:44:02.91\00:44:05.41
But Christ is waiting
for us to be reproduced
00:44:05.44\00:44:08.64
after His similitude,
and how does that happen?
00:44:08.67\00:44:11.20
Points again - study God's word.
Say that... "Study God's word."
00:44:11.23\00:44:15.59
That's the only
way that He can develop
00:44:15.62\00:44:17.87
within you the character.
00:44:17.90\00:44:19.08
Secondly, stay on
the set. Do what church?
00:44:19.11\00:44:21.81
Stay on the set!
Stay in the church.
00:44:21.84\00:44:25.38
And finally, my closing story...
00:44:25.41\00:44:28.32
You know, I read another
magazine article about a man,
00:44:28.35\00:44:31.30
an actor named "Rob
Lowe," and you may have
00:44:31.33\00:44:33.97
or may not have heard about
"John Fitzgerald Kennedy, JFK",
00:44:34.00\00:44:36.90
one of the famous
American presidents that was
00:44:36.93\00:44:39.40
assassinated in 1963...
00:44:39.43\00:44:42.03
This young man by
the name of Rob Lowe...
00:44:42.06\00:44:44.53
He told the story how he played
the role of John F. Kennedy.
00:44:44.56\00:44:48.74
He said, listen to this...
00:44:48.77\00:44:51.10
When he received the
call to play the role,
00:44:51.13\00:44:54.06
that he was highly honored
to be like John F. Kennedy.
00:44:54.09\00:44:58.11
He said that all
his life, he admired the
00:44:58.14\00:45:00.85
former
President John F. Kennedy.
00:45:00.89\00:45:02.72
Rob Lowe said he read
every major book written
00:45:02.76\00:45:06.32
by John F. Kennedy.
00:45:06.35\00:45:07.96
He said that he had all
the knowledge that he needed,
00:45:07.99\00:45:12.89
but he did not yet
have the character.
00:45:12.92\00:45:16.30
He read the books, but he
did not have the character.
00:45:16.33\00:45:19.69
And then he said, "To become
the president in character,
00:45:19.72\00:45:25.38
he studied the
script every waking moment."
00:45:25.41\00:45:30.44
He studied the president's
mannerisms, his smile,
00:45:30.47\00:45:34.66
the way Kennedy
spoke, and the way he walked,
00:45:34.69\00:45:38.67
and when the day came
for him to step on the set,
00:45:38.70\00:45:40.97
Rob Lowe said, "In my mind,
I had become John F. Kennedy."
00:45:41.00\00:45:47.08
Now brothers and sisters,
if an actor on a temporary set,
00:45:47.11\00:45:51.59
in a character that will
be forgotten in eternity,
00:45:51.62\00:45:53.83
will do all that, to
become a temporal president,
00:45:53.86\00:45:57.06
what must we do if we're
going to become like Jesus?
00:45:57.09\00:46:00.58
Amen somebody.
00:46:00.61\00:46:01.99
He studied his mannerisms.
00:46:02.02\00:46:03.73
You want to be
like Christ? Study!
00:46:03.76\00:46:05.97
It is not the
fruits of the Spirit...
00:46:06.00\00:46:07.95
we gotta change - it's the
fruit of the Spirit - one fruit
00:46:07.98\00:46:12.89
has in it love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness,
00:46:12.92\00:46:17.01
meekness... You don't
eat a patience fruit today,
00:46:17.04\00:46:20.62
and a
longsuffering fruit tomorrow.
00:46:20.65\00:46:22.48
It's all in one
fruit, come on somebody.
00:46:22.51\00:46:24.45
It's all in one fruit.
00:46:24.49\00:46:25.53
When you bite that
fruit, you become loving,
00:46:25.57\00:46:27.33
kind, compassionate,
gentle... it's in one fruit.
00:46:27.36\00:46:30.78
It took one fruit
to plunge us into sin;
00:46:30.81\00:46:32.67
it's going to take one
fruit to get us out of sin.
00:46:32.70\00:46:35.41
That one fruit - so I say
again, the good news is that
00:46:35.44\00:46:39.75
God sees us in
the final production.
00:46:39.78\00:46:42.16
One day, we're
going to step out on set,
00:46:42.19\00:46:44.66
we're going to step on
the set, we're going to step
00:46:44.69\00:46:46.88
into the set - the New Jerusalem
and throughout eternity,
00:46:46.91\00:46:52.02
we're going to be
actors in the eternal kingdom.
00:46:52.05\00:46:55.87
What do I mean by that?
00:46:55.90\00:46:57.01
We're going to go from one
unfallen world to the other,
00:46:57.04\00:47:00.18
and tell them how God developed
us into His own character.
00:47:00.21\00:47:04.62
For only us, only us, are
familiar with what sin has done.
00:47:04.65\00:47:10.96
We're going to be
telling our story...
00:47:10.99\00:47:12.57
So if you're going to
tell the old, old story,
00:47:12.60\00:47:15.00
if you're going to
proclaim the everlasting gospel
00:47:15.03\00:47:17.53
throughout eternity,
you have to become familiar
00:47:17.56\00:47:22.82
with that
everlasting gospel today.
00:47:22.85\00:47:25.49
We must commit to
Christ, the Author of salvation;
00:47:25.52\00:47:28.07
commit to the Holy
Spirit, the Director,
00:47:28.10\00:47:30.71
and commit to the
Script, God's Holy Word.
00:47:30.74\00:47:35.27
Then finally, we will see
Him as He is, the Director,
00:47:35.30\00:47:42.21
the Author, and
finally, we will be everything
00:47:42.24\00:47:46.27
He always envisioned us to be.
00:47:46.30\00:47:48.66
So when you go home,
your prayer should be
00:47:48.69\00:47:52.02
"I want to be like Jesus."
00:47:52.05\00:47:53.52
Can I hear somebody say that?
00:47:53.55\00:47:54.90
Come on - "I
want to be like Jesus"
00:47:54.93\00:47:59.24
in the Word, on the
set, and in the Lord.
00:47:59.27\00:48:02.97
Shall we
pray... Heavenly Father,
00:48:03.00\00:48:05.75
These are your children.
00:48:05.78\00:48:07.60
These are the
sheep of Your pasture.
00:48:07.63\00:48:09.46
These are the characters
that You are developing
00:48:09.49\00:48:12.35
for eternity.
00:48:12.38\00:48:13.42
Lord, help us after this
Witness Conference is done
00:48:13.45\00:48:16.98
to commit ourselves
endlessly to the process,
00:48:17.01\00:48:20.54
allow the Spirit to direct
us, the Word to mold us...
00:48:20.57\00:48:24.50
that one day when we
stand before on the heavenly
00:48:24.53\00:48:28.33
academy awards and
that crown of glory
00:48:28.36\00:48:31.33
is placed on our
foreheads, we can thank You
00:48:31.36\00:48:34.66
for seeing in us
something that one day
00:48:34.69\00:48:38.99
will amaze even us.
00:48:39.02\00:48:41.19
Strengthen us and
make us into Your glory,
00:48:41.22\00:48:44.44
we pray in Jesus name... Amen
00:48:44.47\00:48:48.85