Good morning, ASI.
00:00:19.91\00:00:22.25
It is such a privilege
00:00:22.28\00:00:23.65
to welcome you
here to this meeting.
00:00:23.69\00:00:25.15
You may be seated
00:00:25.19\00:00:26.62
and we are about
to begin this weekend
00:00:26.65\00:00:31.13
that I look
forward to every summer.
00:00:31.16\00:00:33.50
And I believe that the
Lord has rich blessings for us,
00:00:33.56\00:00:36.30
and just a reminder that
00:00:36.33\00:00:38.17
there is live streaming
happening on the ASI website,
00:00:38.20\00:00:41.14
and so for those who
aren't able to join us,
00:00:41.17\00:00:43.10
let them know they can still
be a part of this high weekend.
00:00:43.14\00:00:47.04
And with me is
Pastor Scott Chris Wald,
00:00:47.11\00:00:49.61
who is going to once again share
00:00:49.64\00:00:51.38
a little bit about how
God is bringing the world
00:00:51.41\00:00:53.75
to our doorsteps,
00:00:53.78\00:00:55.12
and the opportunities we
have to share the gospel,
00:00:55.15\00:00:58.02
and he will also open
with prayer afterwards.
00:00:58.05\00:01:02.76
Good morning.
00:01:02.79\00:01:04.33
What an incredibly beautiful day
00:01:04.36\00:01:06.09
with so much potential.
00:01:06.13\00:01:07.60
I'm excited to see what God
will do through this weekend.
00:01:07.66\00:01:10.37
Let's consider
Thailand just for a moment.
00:01:10.43\00:01:12.87
My family and I
lived there for ten years.
00:01:12.90\00:01:15.54
It's very much on our heart,
we love the people so much,
00:01:15.57\00:01:18.41
an incredibly beautiful country.
00:01:18.44\00:01:20.74
Yet my heart also breaks
when I think of Thailand,
00:01:20.78\00:01:23.85
because I know that
there are millions of people
00:01:23.91\00:01:26.45
who have never met
even one Christian.
00:01:26.48\00:01:29.18
They are people who are
close to 67 million un-reached,
00:01:29.22\00:01:34.06
one of the largest un-reached
people groups in the world,
00:01:34.12\00:01:36.83
yet the door is
wide open for the gospel
00:01:36.89\00:01:38.99
to be shared there with
complete religious liberty.
00:01:39.03\00:01:42.13
As I think of those people,
00:01:42.16\00:01:43.80
I think can you imagine
if you were one of them,
00:01:43.83\00:01:46.87
if you were a Buddhist there
00:01:46.90\00:01:48.30
who your
relatives are Buddhists,
00:01:48.34\00:01:50.57
your neighbors are Buddhists,
00:01:50.64\00:01:52.01
your whole country
pretty much is Buddhist,
00:01:52.04\00:01:54.64
and you basically
never seen anything else
00:01:54.68\00:01:56.88
to consider becoming.
00:01:56.91\00:01:59.01
They believe in
karma that everything
00:01:59.05\00:02:01.15
that has happened to them is
00:02:01.18\00:02:02.95
because of something they
did good or bad in the past
00:02:02.98\00:02:06.32
and that everything
that they do now will be
00:02:06.35\00:02:09.06
either rewarded or
punished in some future life.
00:02:09.09\00:02:13.06
I will never forget
staring into the face of a man
00:02:13.09\00:02:16.50
who had been a pimp,
00:02:16.53\00:02:17.97
a trafficker of children
into slavery and prostitution.
00:02:18.00\00:02:21.60
I watched as his eyes
just poured with water
00:02:21.64\00:02:24.21
as he cried
realizing that Jesus had died
00:02:24.27\00:02:27.68
for people even like
him, to set them free,
00:02:27.71\00:02:31.35
to give them forgiveness,
00:02:31.38\00:02:32.71
and prevent them
from having to experience
00:02:32.75\00:02:35.18
the punishment for their sins.
00:02:35.22\00:02:37.25
Doesn't that
make you want to share
00:02:37.29\00:02:38.69
with Thai Buddhists too?
00:02:38.72\00:02:40.99
The joy is that
you do not have to go
00:02:41.02\00:02:43.29
over to Thailand or learn Thai
00:02:43.32\00:02:45.29
to be able to share
with the Thai Buddhists.
00:02:45.33\00:02:48.03
Just right over there
in Southern California
00:02:48.06\00:02:50.53
about 20,000 of the Thai people
and they're scattered around.
00:02:50.60\00:02:55.14
Where can you find them?
00:02:55.17\00:02:56.94
Well, if you love
green curry and pot Thai
00:02:56.97\00:02:59.67
and sticky rice and
mangoes, you probably know.
00:02:59.71\00:03:03.01
There are Thai restaurants
everywhere just in this,
00:03:03.04\00:03:06.65
this place right here,
00:03:06.72\00:03:08.05
this metropolitan area
there are 37 restaurants
00:03:08.08\00:03:11.62
and they're scattered in
little country towns too.
00:03:11.65\00:03:14.16
Many of the workers that
are there come to America
00:03:14.19\00:03:16.86
just to learn English
while they're cooking.
00:03:16.93\00:03:20.00
So they're eager for a friend
and you would find it very easy
00:03:20.03\00:03:23.37
to begin speaking a
little bit with them,
00:03:23.43\00:03:25.67
ask about their country
00:03:25.70\00:03:27.14
and then offer to
practice English with them.
00:03:27.20\00:03:30.67
Jesus can lead you
right to that place
00:03:30.71\00:03:33.04
and be able to share
and to touch their lives.
00:03:33.07\00:03:36.14
So I want to
encourage you to be thinking,
00:03:36.18\00:03:37.95
to be praying.
00:03:37.98\00:03:39.31
We even have a
whole set of studies
00:03:39.35\00:03:40.78
that ASI
sponsored a few years ago,
00:03:40.82\00:03:43.55
called New
Beginnings, Bridge of Hope,
00:03:43.59\00:03:46.29
special message for
Thai Buddhist people,
00:03:46.32\00:03:48.79
that you can find out at
our website there as well.
00:03:48.82\00:03:51.39
God has a plan to
reach the whole world.
00:03:51.43\00:03:53.76
Jesus said, "I was a
stranger and you welcomed me."
00:03:53.80\00:03:58.93
He personally will
take it to His heart
00:03:58.97\00:04:01.47
as you welcoming and loving
Him as we reach out together.
00:04:01.50\00:04:05.07
Let's pray.
00:04:05.11\00:04:06.68
Let's stand together as we pray
00:04:06.71\00:04:09.48
and seek the Lord
asking Him to fill our hearts
00:04:09.51\00:04:13.25
with His love for these people.
00:04:13.28\00:04:15.72
Father in heaven,
00:04:15.75\00:04:17.29
You are loving and
reaching and caring
00:04:17.32\00:04:20.99
for every single
person in the world,
00:04:21.02\00:04:23.29
today through the
power of the Holy Spirit
00:04:23.32\00:04:25.56
and as you
strive with the hearts
00:04:25.59\00:04:27.30
of the very special Thai people,
00:04:27.30\00:04:29.50
the majority who do not
know their Father in heaven
00:04:29.53\00:04:31.93
do not know Jesus'
death on the cross.
00:04:31.97\00:04:34.54
We ask that You would
fill our hearts with love
00:04:34.57\00:04:37.17
that You would raise us up
00:04:37.21\00:04:38.71
and throw us into
this beautiful harvest
00:04:38.74\00:04:40.84
that You have
brought from around the world
00:04:40.88\00:04:42.98
right into our neighborhoods,
00:04:43.01\00:04:44.65
that You will find ways
to lead them to the knowledge
00:04:44.68\00:04:47.08
that they do not have to
strive through their own merits,
00:04:47.12\00:04:49.72
their own good deeds to
win their way to heaven,
00:04:49.75\00:04:52.59
that they can be forgiven,
they can be transformed,
00:04:52.62\00:04:55.22
they can die to self
through Jesus Christ.
00:04:55.26\00:04:58.26
Lord, we thank You that
You will finish Your work,
00:04:58.29\00:05:00.96
and we ask that we might
be right in the center of that
00:05:01.00\00:05:03.47
as You finish it up
and we see Jesus return.
00:05:03.50\00:05:06.87
Please bless this meeting now,
00:05:06.94\00:05:08.27
pour out Your
spirit on Elder Morris
00:05:08.30\00:05:09.94
as he preaches on
those who have a part.
00:05:10.01\00:05:12.41
Fill us and speak to us exactly
what You are wanting to say
00:05:12.44\00:05:15.78
throughout this
convention that we might go home
00:05:15.81\00:05:18.28
and be a channel
for Your blessing,
00:05:18.31\00:05:20.22
we ask in Jesus'
name, amen, amen.
00:05:20.25\00:05:24.29
You may be seated.
00:05:24.32\00:05:27.99
Good morning ASI.
00:05:28.02\00:05:30.26
I have somewhat difficult
opportunity of introducing
00:05:30.33\00:05:34.10
someone to you that
most of you already know.
00:05:34.10\00:05:36.53
Derek Morris will be
our speaker this morning,
00:05:36.56\00:05:38.70
has helped many,
Sabbath school teacher,
00:05:38.73\00:05:41.50
have a lively
Sabbath school class
00:05:41.54\00:05:43.37
through his Hope Sabbath school.
00:05:43.41\00:05:44.81
How many of you have been
00:05:44.84\00:05:46.17
blessed through
that presentation?
00:05:46.21\00:05:47.54
Amen, I can see
many of your hands.
00:05:47.58\00:05:49.11
Derek has a heart for passion.
00:05:49.14\00:05:51.55
One of his great
desires is taking scriptures
00:05:51.58\00:05:55.85
and putting them to song.
00:05:55.88\00:05:57.45
He does that
with his wife Bodil,
00:05:57.49\00:05:59.42
his book, Radical Prayer,
00:05:59.45\00:06:01.12
has impacted
many peoples' lives.
00:06:01.16\00:06:03.96
Currently Derek serves
as president for Hope TV,
00:06:03.99\00:06:07.66
the arm of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:06:07.73\00:06:09.96
and it's our great privilege
00:06:10.00\00:06:11.33
to welcome Derek
this morning to ASI.
00:06:11.37\00:06:13.94
I am sure you
will be richly blessed
00:06:13.97\00:06:16.30
through his presentation.
00:06:16.34\00:06:17.71
Good morning. Good morning.
00:10:10.21\00:10:12.54
I'm happy to be
at ASI this morning
00:10:12.57\00:10:14.48
and thank you for
that beautiful music,
00:10:14.51\00:10:16.04
that's an old
British hymn, you know,
00:10:16.08\00:10:19.38
Charles Wesley, And Can It Be,
00:10:19.41\00:10:21.88
that I should gain an
interest in my savior's blood.
00:10:21.92\00:10:27.16
As I was flying here
with my wife yesterday
00:10:27.22\00:10:29.49
from Washington D.C,
00:10:29.52\00:10:32.09
I was impressed that
I should change my topic
00:10:32.13\00:10:34.23
for this morning,
I hope that's okay,
00:10:34.30\00:10:36.73
but I brought a gift for you
00:10:36.80\00:10:39.23
because the topic that
Steve Grabner alluded to,
00:10:39.27\00:10:43.97
the radical prayer
has so changed my life
00:10:44.04\00:10:46.74
and my ministry.
00:10:46.81\00:10:48.18
If you've not
heard that message,
00:10:48.21\00:10:50.51
I brought a thousand CD's
at the Hope channel booth,
00:10:50.58\00:10:54.45
and there's a
three part series DVD,
00:10:54.48\00:10:56.82
I'd love you to pick one up,
00:10:56.85\00:10:58.92
even want to share with a friend
00:10:58.95\00:11:01.56
who needs to realize
that God wants to use us
00:11:01.59\00:11:05.09
to change the world, amen?
00:11:05.13\00:11:07.30
We are not here
just to make a living.
00:11:07.30\00:11:10.03
We're not here just to stay out
of trouble until Jesus comes.
00:11:10.07\00:11:14.54
We are here on a mission.
00:11:14.57\00:11:16.67
And so before I share
the message this morning,
00:11:16.71\00:11:19.71
I want to teach you a song,
00:11:19.74\00:11:21.41
I want to thank our AV people
00:11:21.44\00:11:22.78
for the great
work they're doing.
00:11:22.81\00:11:24.41
We're going to put the
words up on the screen.
00:11:24.45\00:11:27.38
The harvest some of
you already know it,
00:11:27.42\00:11:29.32
some came to me
this morning said,
00:11:29.35\00:11:30.69
"Are we going to sing?"
00:11:30.75\00:11:32.22
The scripture
song from Luke 10:2
00:11:32.25\00:11:35.06
and I invite you
to sing it with us.
00:11:35.09\00:11:36.73
Let's sing together.
00:11:50.84\00:11:54.51
The harvest truly is great
00:11:54.54\00:11:58.55
But the laborers are few
00:11:58.58\00:12:01.65
The laborers are few
00:12:01.68\00:12:05.62
The harvest truly is great
00:12:05.65\00:12:09.59
But the laborers are few
00:12:09.62\00:12:13.13
Therefore pray
00:12:13.16\00:12:15.56
Therefore pray the
Lord of the harvest
00:12:15.60\00:12:21.57
To send out laborers
00:12:21.60\00:12:26.44
Therefore pray the
Lord of the harvest
00:12:26.47\00:12:32.55
To send out laborers
00:12:32.58\00:12:37.05
Into His harvest
00:12:37.09\00:12:42.36
Into His harvest
00:12:42.39\00:12:49.13
The harvest truly is great
00:12:49.16\00:12:52.93
But the laborers are few
00:12:52.97\00:12:58.74
Do you not say
00:12:58.77\00:13:04.25
There are still four months
And then comes the harvest
00:13:04.28\00:13:09.68
Behold I say to you
00:13:09.72\00:13:14.99
Lift up your eyes
and look at the field
00:13:15.02\00:13:20.60
For they are all ready white
00:13:20.63\00:13:26.33
For the harvest
00:13:26.37\00:13:29.60
You've learnt it,
now sing it with us.
00:13:29.64\00:13:32.37
The harvest truly is great
00:13:32.41\00:13:36.71
But the laborers are
few The laborers are few
00:13:36.75\00:13:43.59
The harvest truly is great
00:13:43.65\00:13:47.42
But the laborers are few
00:13:47.46\00:13:51.19
Therefore pray
00:13:51.23\00:13:53.56
Therefore pray the
Lord of the harvest
00:13:53.60\00:13:59.73
To send out laborers
00:13:59.77\00:14:04.54
Therefore pray the
Lord of the harvest
00:14:04.57\00:14:10.55
To send out laborers
00:14:10.58\00:14:15.35
Therefore pray the
Lord of the harvest
00:14:15.38\00:14:21.39
To send out laborers
00:14:21.42\00:14:26.23
Therefore pray the
Lord of the harvest
00:14:26.26\00:14:32.37
To send out laborers.
00:14:32.40\00:14:39.41
God's people said...
00:14:39.44\00:14:40.78
Amen! Amen.
00:14:40.84\00:14:42.18
You sounded
beautiful this morning.
00:14:42.21\00:14:43.81
And again I want to invite
you to get a copy of the DVD
00:14:43.85\00:14:46.38
from our Hope Channel
booth, the radical prayer,
00:14:46.41\00:14:48.78
because God wants to use you
00:14:48.82\00:14:50.75
to be an
effective harvest worker,
00:14:50.79\00:14:52.72
and part of my testimony today,
00:14:52.75\00:14:54.76
as I pray the
radical prayer talking to,
00:14:54.79\00:14:57.89
to people even in the back
00:14:57.93\00:15:01.16
who are praying
the radical prayer
00:15:01.20\00:15:02.53
like Scott Griswold saying,
00:15:02.56\00:15:04.33
"Lord, wherever
You want me to go,
00:15:04.37\00:15:06.50
whatever You want me to do,
whenever You want me to do it,
00:15:06.53\00:15:09.20
I'm available."
00:15:09.24\00:15:10.61
Amen.
00:15:10.64\00:15:11.97
And when you pray that prayer,
00:15:12.01\00:15:13.34
God will use
you in amazing ways.
00:15:13.38\00:15:16.51
Well, it was April 11, 2016.
00:15:16.54\00:15:22.65
I was standing in the back
00:15:22.68\00:15:24.09
of the General
Conference auditorium
00:15:24.12\00:15:27.26
about to find my
seat for worship.
00:15:27.29\00:15:31.66
And as I was about
to move toward the seat,
00:15:31.69\00:15:34.46
one of the vice presidents
of the General Conference
00:15:34.50\00:15:37.90
tapped me on the
shoulder and said,
00:15:37.93\00:15:40.97
"I'd like to talk to
you on the third floor."
00:15:41.00\00:15:44.07
Well, I didn't know
if I was in trouble.
00:15:44.11\00:15:47.88
But I found out when
I got to the third floor
00:15:47.91\00:15:51.91
that I was to be asked,
00:15:51.95\00:15:54.28
if I would consider serving
00:15:54.32\00:15:55.82
as president of
the Hope Channel.
00:15:55.85\00:15:58.65
Now, they knew my heart.
00:15:58.69\00:16:01.06
They knew that I was
a passionate volunteer
00:16:01.09\00:16:04.56
with Hope Sabbath School
for the last eight years.
00:16:04.59\00:16:08.30
With more than a million
people now participating in that
00:16:08.33\00:16:11.30
interactive Bible
study, so they knew my heart,
00:16:11.33\00:16:14.37
and even in ministerial
00:16:14.40\00:16:16.07
where we had started a program
called "Ministry in Motion"
00:16:16.10\00:16:19.27
to train pastors and elders,
00:16:19.31\00:16:21.04
so they knew,
00:16:21.08\00:16:22.41
I was committed to the
mission of Hope Channel
00:16:22.44\00:16:25.01
and to the mission of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:16:25.05\00:16:27.62
but what they didn't know
is I was very happy in my work
00:16:27.65\00:16:31.99
in the General Conference
Ministerial Association.
00:16:32.02\00:16:34.46
But when you pray
the radical prayer,
00:16:34.49\00:16:38.09
you give God permission
00:16:38.13\00:16:40.10
to throw you
out into His harvest
00:16:40.13\00:16:42.66
where He knows you
will be most effective.
00:16:42.70\00:16:45.47
Amen?
00:16:45.50\00:16:46.84
It's not about us,
00:16:46.90\00:16:48.24
it's not about how we feel
how talented or strong we are,
00:16:48.27\00:16:53.27
it's about God,
00:16:53.34\00:16:55.04
the Lord of the harvest knowing
00:16:55.08\00:16:56.91
where we will be most effective.
00:16:56.95\00:17:00.78
So my first
reaction was resistance
00:17:00.85\00:17:03.92
because they
said, "Take your time,
00:17:03.95\00:17:06.35
we need to know by 3
o'clock this afternoon."
00:17:06.39\00:17:09.02
My wife and I prayed, I
called one of my mentors.
00:17:13.19\00:17:16.46
Some of you may
know Dr. Jack Blanco.
00:17:16.50\00:17:19.70
I love him as a
spiritual mentor and father,
00:17:19.73\00:17:23.91
I said, "Jack,
please pray for me."
00:17:23.94\00:17:26.68
My wife and I were praying
seeking counsel listening,
00:17:26.71\00:17:30.75
"Lord, what do
You want us to do?"
00:17:30.78\00:17:33.42
And I was walking into
the Hope Channel Studio
00:17:33.45\00:17:36.48
where I would be filming
again not as an employee,
00:17:36.52\00:17:39.75
but as part of
ministerial all day.
00:17:39.79\00:17:42.92
And as I was walking in,
00:17:42.96\00:17:44.33
I saw the media screens
from Hope Channel, Africa,
00:17:44.36\00:17:48.46
from Hope Channel, India,
00:17:48.50\00:17:50.13
from Hope Channel International,
00:17:50.17\00:17:52.17
all around the world
and on one of those screens,
00:17:52.20\00:17:55.34
Greg, I was
teaching Hope Sabbath School.
00:17:55.37\00:17:59.24
And on another screen,
00:17:59.27\00:18:01.24
one of my favorite preachers
00:18:01.28\00:18:02.61
Dwight Nelson was
talking to someone,
00:18:02.64\00:18:04.95
and then the camera
switched and it was me.
00:18:04.98\00:18:08.85
And the Lord in
that moment said, "Derek,
00:18:08.88\00:18:11.05
I have been preparing
you for the last ten years
00:18:11.09\00:18:14.49
for what I'm asking you to do."
00:18:14.52\00:18:17.36
You see when you
pray that radical prayer,
00:18:17.39\00:18:20.03
you give God permission
to do what He knows is best.
00:18:20.06\00:18:24.57
I hope you'll get a copy
of that DVD from our booth.
00:18:24.60\00:18:28.14
We've got a thousand.
00:18:28.17\00:18:29.54
I don't know if
there's a thousand here yet,
00:18:29.57\00:18:31.17
but there will be this weekend,
so make sure you get a copy.
00:18:31.21\00:18:35.14
Well, that afternoon
00:18:35.18\00:18:36.51
I've been
filming most of the day
00:18:36.54\00:18:38.35
and Jack Blanco called me,
00:18:38.38\00:18:40.42
he said, "Derek,
I was just praying,
00:18:40.45\00:18:42.68
to be honest, I had no
idea what you should do,
00:18:42.72\00:18:46.12
and as I was praying,
the Spirit of God said to me,
00:18:46.15\00:18:49.29
"Call Derek and tell
him to take the assignment."
00:18:49.32\00:18:54.10
Well, you say
so did you take it?
00:18:54.10\00:18:55.70
Well, I'd already
felt some conviction,
00:18:55.73\00:18:57.43
but let me tell you,
00:18:57.47\00:18:58.80
when a person who walks with God
00:18:58.83\00:19:01.20
and cares about you
calls you like that,
00:19:01.24\00:19:04.14
it leaves a bit of
an impression on you.
00:19:04.17\00:19:07.11
Then I'm walking
through the building
00:19:07.14\00:19:09.38
and a vice president came up
to me with tears in his eyes.
00:19:09.41\00:19:13.75
Now I know this
man, he walks with God,
00:19:13.78\00:19:16.82
I respect him deeply.
00:19:16.85\00:19:18.55
He said to me,
00:19:18.59\00:19:19.92
"Derek, I have been
praying for you today.
00:19:19.95\00:19:22.72
I want to tell you that
committee is not calling you,
00:19:22.76\00:19:26.56
God is calling you."
00:19:26.59\00:19:27.96
Amen.
00:19:27.96\00:19:29.73
You see when you
pray the radical prayer,
00:19:29.76\00:19:33.23
it's not based on
how strong you are.
00:19:33.27\00:19:36.37
Jesus said, "I
send you out as lambs
00:19:36.40\00:19:39.47
in the midst of wolves,
00:19:39.51\00:19:41.74
but God in His wisdom knows
that you will be more effective
00:19:41.78\00:19:47.12
where He throws you than
where you go by yourself.
00:19:47.15\00:19:50.19
Amen? Amen.
00:19:50.22\00:19:53.15
And so after
praying through the day,
00:19:53.19\00:19:55.79
I went to the board meeting
for Hope Channel that night
00:19:55.82\00:19:59.73
and I knew something was
up when I walked in, I said,
00:19:59.76\00:20:02.06
"When does the assignment start?
00:20:02.10\00:20:03.63
They said, "It just started."
00:20:03.67\00:20:05.00
I'm so glad
that God put me there
00:20:08.50\00:20:11.44
because otherwise I
would feel overwhelmed.
00:20:11.47\00:20:13.78
In fact, God led me
to a passage of scripture
00:20:13.84\00:20:16.81
that I'm going to
share with you today.
00:20:16.85\00:20:19.25
Some lessons that
maybe you need to learn too.
00:20:19.28\00:20:22.98
God said, "Derek, because
I have echo bellowed you,
00:20:23.02\00:20:26.92
thrown you out
into this position,
00:20:26.96\00:20:29.09
there are some
lessons you need to remember."
00:20:29.12\00:20:32.26
And those are the lessons
00:20:32.29\00:20:33.66
I will share with you
this morning after we pray.
00:20:33.70\00:20:38.23
Our Father in heaven,
00:20:38.27\00:20:39.60
thank You that Your
word is a lamp to our feet
00:20:39.63\00:20:42.54
and a light to our path.
00:20:42.57\00:20:45.47
Thank You that when we
pray the radical prayer,
00:20:45.51\00:20:48.18
when we give You
permission to throw us out
00:20:48.21\00:20:50.28
into Your harvest
that You will put us
00:20:50.31\00:20:52.41
where we will be most
effective in Your work,
00:20:52.45\00:20:55.62
that's our
desire to be faithful,
00:20:55.65\00:20:59.05
fruitful, harvest workers.
00:20:59.09\00:21:01.96
We believe You've called
us to be involved, all of us,
00:21:01.99\00:21:04.89
total member involvement
to do what you want us to do?
00:21:04.93\00:21:09.36
Where you want us to do it?
00:21:09.40\00:21:12.47
And so as we come
to scripture today,
00:21:12.50\00:21:15.64
the passage that
you brought to my heart
00:21:15.67\00:21:18.21
to reflect upon
for these past weeks.
00:21:18.24\00:21:21.18
I pray that some lessons
here would bless many lives
00:21:21.21\00:21:24.71
of those present here today
00:21:24.75\00:21:26.88
and those who will
watch this recording.
00:21:26.92\00:21:29.68
And we will be quick to
give you all of the praise
00:21:29.72\00:21:32.49
in the name of Jesus, amen.
00:21:32.52\00:21:36.69
His name was Hacker.
00:21:36.73\00:21:42.40
Not as in computer hacker
00:21:42.43\00:21:45.40
but hacker as someone
who hacks things down.
00:21:45.43\00:21:50.74
Now, I have no idea
00:21:50.77\00:21:52.11
why parents would name
their little boy Hacker.
00:21:52.14\00:21:56.68
But God had amazing plans
for this young man's life.
00:21:56.71\00:22:02.38
Later in the story he's
given another name Jerub-baal
00:22:02.42\00:22:07.26
which means one
who contends with Baal.
00:22:07.29\00:22:11.26
But we know him
by his first name
00:22:11.29\00:22:14.66
Gideon, the hacker.
00:22:14.73\00:22:19.77
As I began to read
the story of Gideon again.
00:22:19.80\00:22:24.77
As the Spirit
of God said, Derek,
00:22:24.81\00:22:26.54
because the Lord of
the harvest has thrown you
00:22:26.57\00:22:29.48
out into his harvest,
00:22:29.51\00:22:30.91
into this new
assignment with Hope Channel.
00:22:30.95\00:22:34.45
There are some
lessons I want you to learn
00:22:34.48\00:22:37.59
from the story of Gideon.
00:22:37.62\00:22:40.36
And so I took my Bible
00:22:40.42\00:22:41.76
and if you have
your Bible with you,
00:22:41.79\00:22:43.12
we're beginning in Judges 6.
00:22:43.16\00:22:46.66
I took my Bible
00:22:46.70\00:22:48.23
and as I began an initial
reading of Gideon's story.
00:22:48.26\00:22:54.24
There were two important
insights that I learned.
00:22:54.27\00:22:58.81
Firstly, Gideon was fearful.
00:22:58.84\00:23:04.25
Gideon was what?
00:23:07.32\00:23:08.65
Fearful.
00:23:08.68\00:23:10.02
Fearful when the
angel came to him
00:23:10.05\00:23:15.26
to announce that
the Lord was with him.
00:23:15.29\00:23:18.19
Where did the angel find him?
00:23:18.23\00:23:22.56
Did the angel find
him standing boldly
00:23:22.60\00:23:25.47
in the field of wheat with
a sword strapped to his hip
00:23:25.50\00:23:28.67
in the face of his
Midianite oppressors
00:23:28.70\00:23:32.21
threshing the wheat, answer?
00:23:32.24\00:23:36.04
He was hiding in
an abandoned winepress
00:23:36.08\00:23:39.68
trying to thresh wheat
with nobody seeing him.
00:23:39.71\00:23:44.05
Gideon first
glimpse was fearful.
00:23:44.09\00:23:49.99
When the angel of
the Lord told Gideon
00:23:50.03\00:23:54.13
that he needed to tear down
00:23:54.20\00:23:56.33
the altar to Baal
at his family house
00:23:56.36\00:23:59.70
and to cut down that's where
the name Hacker comes from,
00:23:59.73\00:24:03.27
to cut down the
poled idol to Ashura
00:24:03.30\00:24:08.54
the Canaanite goddess.
00:24:08.58\00:24:11.18
Scripture records in
verse 27 of Judges 6.
00:24:11.21\00:24:16.42
"He feared his
father's household
00:24:16.45\00:24:19.22
and the men of the city."
00:24:19.25\00:24:22.36
So as I begin to read
about this man Hacker.
00:24:22.39\00:24:27.00
The first thing
that impressed me
00:24:27.03\00:24:28.33
was that he was fearful.
00:24:28.36\00:24:32.07
I see that fear rise
again in Chapter 7 of Judges.
00:24:32.10\00:24:38.67
When the Lord
said to him in verse 9,
00:24:38.71\00:24:42.51
"Arise, go down
against the camp,
00:24:42.54\00:24:44.58
for I have
delivered it into your hand,
00:24:44.61\00:24:47.62
but if you are
afraid to go down..."
00:24:47.65\00:24:50.39
What did the Lord say to him?
00:24:50.45\00:24:51.79
If you're afraid, do what?
00:24:51.82\00:24:54.92
"Go down to the camp
with Purah your servant.
00:24:54.96\00:25:01.20
And you shall hear what they say
00:25:01.23\00:25:02.86
and afterward your
hand shall be strengthened
00:25:02.90\00:25:05.27
to go down against the camp..."
00:25:05.30\00:25:07.04
Notice the next
part of the verse,
00:25:07.07\00:25:08.47
maybe you missed it
before, "Then he went down..."
00:25:08.50\00:25:12.07
What does it say with Purah?
00:25:12.11\00:25:14.94
If you're fearful the Lord said,
00:25:14.98\00:25:16.68
take Purah and Gideon went down
00:25:16.75\00:25:20.12
with Purah to the camp.
00:25:20.15\00:25:24.39
The first thing I learned
00:25:24.42\00:25:25.75
as I read the story of Gideon
is that he was full of fear.
00:25:25.79\00:25:31.69
I don't know about you.
00:25:31.73\00:25:34.96
Have you ever had times when,
00:25:35.00\00:25:36.56
when interferes or
outward anxiety held you back
00:25:36.63\00:25:40.50
from being all that
God wants you to be.
00:25:40.54\00:25:43.57
The woman of God, the man of God
00:25:43.61\00:25:45.11
He wants you to be.
00:25:45.14\00:25:46.47
Maybe more concerned about
00:25:46.51\00:25:47.98
what people think
than what God thinks.
00:25:48.01\00:25:52.58
If you've ever felt fear
or sometime hold you back
00:25:52.61\00:25:55.82
and you said, "Oh
Lord, take away my fear,
00:25:55.85\00:25:59.02
that I can be
strong and courageous."
00:25:59.05\00:26:02.76
Gideon, he understood.
00:26:02.79\00:26:05.89
He struggled with fear.
00:26:05.93\00:26:10.27
There's a second
insight I learned
00:26:10.30\00:26:11.83
from an initial
reading of the story of Gideon.
00:26:11.87\00:26:14.84
I say the Lord is trying
to teach me a lesson here,
00:26:14.87\00:26:17.64
maybe a lesson for you too,
00:26:17.67\00:26:20.01
when He calls you to do
00:26:20.08\00:26:21.41
something extraordinary for Him.
00:26:21.44\00:26:24.51
Gideon was full of fear,
00:26:24.55\00:26:26.25
and secondly his faith was weak.
00:26:26.28\00:26:32.69
His faith was weak.
00:26:32.72\00:26:36.76
The angel of the Lord,
Judges 6:12, said to him,
00:26:36.83\00:26:41.36
"The Lord is with
you mighty man of valor.
00:26:41.40\00:26:45.70
And Gideon said
to him, verse 13,
00:26:45.73\00:26:48.27
"Oh my Lord, if
the Lord is with us,
00:26:48.30\00:26:51.81
why then has all
this happened to us.
00:26:51.84\00:26:56.21
And where are all His miracles
00:26:56.24\00:26:58.78
which our fathers
told us about saying,
00:26:58.81\00:27:01.58
"Did not the Lord
bring us up from Egypt
00:27:01.62\00:27:05.05
but now the Lord
has forsaken us..."
00:27:05.09\00:27:08.69
The Lord has what?
00:27:08.72\00:27:10.16
Forsaken us.
00:27:10.19\00:27:11.53
"Forsaken us Gideon said,
00:27:11.56\00:27:13.66
and delivered us into
the hands of the Midianites."
00:27:13.73\00:27:17.80
Does this sound
like a man full of faith?
00:27:17.83\00:27:20.64
No.
00:27:20.67\00:27:23.27
He's full of fear and
his faith is, is weak.
00:27:23.30\00:27:29.11
The Lord has forsaken us.
00:27:29.14\00:27:32.65
Well, Gideon turns to the
angel of the Lord and says,
00:27:32.68\00:27:36.82
"I need a sign that you are
actually who you say you are."
00:27:36.89\00:27:42.96
The Lord, the angel
of the Lord says to him,
00:27:42.99\00:27:45.46
put an offering on a rock.
00:27:45.49\00:27:48.43
And I want you to notice,
00:27:48.46\00:27:49.80
maybe you didn't see
this before in verse 21.
00:27:49.83\00:27:52.97
The angel of the
Lord, Judges 6:21,
00:27:53.00\00:27:57.87
"Put out his staff that
was in his hand touch the meat
00:27:57.91\00:28:02.14
and the unleavened bread..."
00:28:02.18\00:28:03.51
I don't know what it
says in your Bible, mine says,
00:28:03.58\00:28:06.05
"And fire rose out of the rock."
00:28:06.08\00:28:10.72
That sounds pretty
dramatic, doesn't it?
00:28:10.75\00:28:13.89
We know Elijah saw fire
coming down from heaven.
00:28:13.92\00:28:16.86
This fire is
coming up out of the rock.
00:28:16.89\00:28:20.46
Your faith is weak Gideon,
00:28:20.53\00:28:22.53
let me show you I
am who I say I am,
00:28:22.56\00:28:26.20
and fire comes out of the
rock and consumes the sacrifice.
00:28:26.23\00:28:31.54
You say, well that
ought to be enough.
00:28:31.57\00:28:34.81
But Gideon comes back again.
00:28:34.84\00:28:38.28
In Chapter 6:36,
00:28:38.31\00:28:41.82
"If you will save Israel by
my hand as you have said..."
00:28:41.85\00:28:48.16
That ought to be
enough as you said but,
00:28:48.19\00:28:50.53
but if you'd say,
00:28:50.56\00:28:51.89
I am going to put
this fleece on the floor.
00:28:51.93\00:28:56.23
And in the
morning, do you remember,
00:28:56.26\00:28:58.47
you remember that
story, in the morning,
00:28:58.50\00:29:01.44
I want the floor to be dry
00:29:01.47\00:29:03.77
and the fleece to be wet.
00:29:03.84\00:29:06.27
And the Lord does not
argue with him and say,
00:29:09.34\00:29:11.71
"Well, I've already
shown you that I am the one
00:29:11.75\00:29:14.28
and you will
deliver Israel by My hand."
00:29:14.35\00:29:18.52
Gideon comes
back the next morning.
00:29:18.55\00:29:20.39
That fleece is so wet,
00:29:20.42\00:29:23.76
it says he could
ring a bull full of water.
00:29:23.79\00:29:29.50
And all around it's dry.
00:29:29.53\00:29:33.34
Now, I'm amazed that the
Lord didn't get upset with him.
00:29:33.37\00:29:36.54
The Lord got upset with
Moses when he kept arguing,
00:29:36.57\00:29:39.21
didn't He?
00:29:39.24\00:29:40.61
But Gideon says,
"Well, my faith is weak,
00:29:40.68\00:29:43.68
but I'm going to
ask for another sign.
00:29:43.75\00:29:48.95
Now, I want the floor to be
wet and the fleece to be..."
00:29:48.98\00:29:54.26
Dry!
00:29:54.29\00:29:57.03
Are you not amazed
at the patience of God?
00:29:57.06\00:30:02.90
You know, it is
remarkable, my wife says,
00:30:02.93\00:30:04.83
"Derek, why do
you always tell people
00:30:04.87\00:30:06.37
that you're not that
strong and not that smart."
00:30:06.40\00:30:08.84
Because God uses weak,
00:30:08.87\00:30:12.21
fearful people to
accomplish His work.
00:30:12.24\00:30:17.31
If we will do what
God asked us to do,
00:30:17.35\00:30:22.52
all of us do something.
00:30:22.55\00:30:28.46
While Gideon says,
I need another sign,
00:30:28.49\00:30:30.39
so he comes the next morning,
00:30:30.43\00:30:31.93
the fleecy is dry
and the floor is wet.
00:30:31.96\00:30:38.77
Now, he didn't have the audacity
00:30:38.80\00:30:40.60
to ask for another sign,
00:30:40.67\00:30:42.20
but the Lord
actually gave him a sign
00:30:42.24\00:30:46.17
that he didn't ask for.
00:30:46.21\00:30:47.84
You see God, even
when our faith is weak,
00:30:47.88\00:30:52.85
He will give us the evidence
that we need to be strong
00:30:52.88\00:30:57.59
and courageous for Him.
00:30:57.62\00:30:58.95
Amen?
00:30:58.99\00:31:00.39
He's so good, isn't He?
00:31:00.46\00:31:03.32
The Lord says,
00:31:03.36\00:31:04.69
"Arise, go down
into the Midianite camp."
00:31:04.73\00:31:10.37
Judges 7:13,
00:31:10.43\00:31:13.54
"When Gideon had come there,
00:31:13.60\00:31:14.94
there was a man telling
a dream to his companion.
00:31:14.97\00:31:17.74
He said, 'I've had a dream,
00:31:17.77\00:31:20.28
to my surprise a loaf
of barley bread tumbled
00:31:20.34\00:31:23.04
into the camp of Midian.
00:31:23.08\00:31:25.25
It came to a tent and struck it
so that it fell and overturned
00:31:25.28\00:31:29.62
and the tent collapsed."
00:31:29.65\00:31:30.99
' Did that dream
come from the Lord?
00:31:31.02\00:31:32.85
Yes or no? Yes.
00:31:32.89\00:31:34.22
Absolutely, the
dream came from the Lord,
00:31:34.26\00:31:37.19
but this man
doesn't know what it meant.
00:31:37.23\00:31:39.73
A barley loaf rolling
into the camp, what's that?
00:31:39.76\00:31:45.40
But there's another
part to the miracle,
00:31:45.43\00:31:47.80
Judges 7:14,
00:31:47.84\00:31:49.77
"Then his
companion answered and said,
00:31:49.80\00:31:52.74
"This is nothing else
but the sword of Gideon,
00:31:52.77\00:31:56.44
the son of Joash,
to the man of Israel,
00:31:56.48\00:31:59.01
into his hand God
has delivered Midian
00:31:59.05\00:32:03.39
and the whole camp."
00:32:03.42\00:32:06.32
And from that additional
super natural revelation
00:32:06.35\00:32:13.06
Gideon goes with courage.
00:32:13.09\00:32:16.43
I am just so thankful today
00:32:16.46\00:32:19.07
that God can take fearful,
00:32:19.10\00:32:24.84
weak faith people
and empower them to do
00:32:24.87\00:32:29.21
a mighty work for Him.
00:32:29.24\00:32:30.61
Aren't you thankful for that?
00:32:30.65\00:32:33.78
Total member involvement,
is not saying, well,
00:32:33.82\00:32:36.55
just have the strong do the work
00:32:36.58\00:32:38.55
and we'll sit
there and clap for them.
00:32:38.59\00:32:41.56
God wants to use
you to change the world.
00:32:41.59\00:32:45.89
God wants to use you to do
00:32:45.93\00:32:47.66
something that
no one else can do.
00:32:47.66\00:32:52.87
And what impresses
me about this fearful,
00:32:52.90\00:32:55.70
weak faith man is
in spite of his fear,
00:32:55.74\00:32:59.21
he does what
God asked him to do.
00:32:59.24\00:33:01.04
Amen?
00:33:01.08\00:33:02.41
In spite of his weak faith,
00:33:02.44\00:33:06.45
he'll go not with
32, 000 or with 10,000
00:33:06.48\00:33:11.49
but with how many?
00:33:11.52\00:33:13.46
300 against the 120,000
00:33:13.49\00:33:16.83
that's outnumbered 400 to 1.
00:33:16.86\00:33:21.16
And they don't
even take weapons,
00:33:21.20\00:33:22.86
at least I don't know,
00:33:22.90\00:33:24.23
you've got a pot, and
a torch and a trumpet.
00:33:24.27\00:33:26.40
I suppose you could hit
someone with your trumpet.
00:33:26.43\00:33:28.97
But I think that God is saying,
00:33:31.97\00:33:34.04
the battle is not
yours, it's God's.
00:33:34.08\00:33:38.01
But He wants to use you
00:33:38.05\00:33:41.02
to join Him in His harvest work.
00:33:41.05\00:33:45.29
Gideon goes and
the battle is won.
00:33:45.32\00:33:51.39
And that's all I remember
of the story as a child,
00:33:51.43\00:33:54.00
I guess that's a
nice place to end.
00:33:54.03\00:33:58.07
But there are two ends
insights to the end of the story
00:33:58.10\00:34:00.97
which I want to
draw your attention to.
00:34:01.00\00:34:02.90
I think they come to me
as warnings from the Lord.
00:34:02.94\00:34:07.71
Perhaps not just for
me, but for all of us,
00:34:07.74\00:34:11.21
in Judges 8.
00:34:11.25\00:34:15.45
There is some good news.
00:34:15.48\00:34:18.29
And some very bad news
at the end of Gideon story.
00:34:18.32\00:34:24.83
Having trusted
God and obeyed Him
00:34:24.86\00:34:30.17
and God working a
great deliverance through him
00:34:30.23\00:34:33.94
and the 300,
00:34:34.00\00:34:35.87
Judges 8:22,
00:34:35.90\00:34:40.24
"Then the men of
Israel said to Gideon,
00:34:40.28\00:34:44.01
'Rule over us.
00:34:44.05\00:34:47.38
Both you and your son
and your grandson also,
00:34:47.42\00:34:51.75
for you have delivered
us from the hand of Midian."
00:34:51.79\00:34:58.03
' What's wrong with
that statement by the way?
00:34:58.06\00:35:02.26
Well, I want to want to affirm
Gideon at least for responding,
00:35:02.30\00:35:06.33
"I will not rule over you,
nor shall my son rule over you,
00:35:06.37\00:35:11.84
the Lord shall rule over you."
00:35:11.87\00:35:14.18
Amen?
00:35:14.21\00:35:16.18
But he should also have said,
and by the way it wasn't me,
00:35:16.21\00:35:22.02
it wasn't me and the 300.
00:35:22.05\00:35:25.02
It was the Lord who
work in spite of our frailty,
00:35:25.05\00:35:29.69
because we were
willing to trust and obey.
00:35:29.72\00:35:35.16
I learned that
song when I was little,
00:35:35.20\00:35:36.67
they don't sing it much anymore,
00:35:36.73\00:35:38.20
trust and what?
00:35:38.23\00:35:39.57
Obey.
00:35:39.60\00:35:40.94
That was the key right
there, it's just three words
00:35:40.97\00:35:42.30
trust and what?
00:35:42.34\00:35:43.67
Obey.
00:35:43.71\00:35:45.04
He wasn't that strong,
but he decided to what,
00:35:45.07\00:35:46.44
trust and what?
00:35:46.47\00:35:47.81
Obey.
00:35:47.84\00:35:49.18
Yeah, he, he struggled with
fears, but he decided to what?
00:35:49.21\00:35:51.31
Trust and... Obey.
00:35:51.35\00:35:53.38
He should have said, you
know, I'm not that strong,
00:35:53.42\00:35:55.55
it was the Lord's
victory but we decided to what?
00:35:55.58\00:35:58.92
Trust and... Obey.
00:35:58.95\00:36:00.69
And obey.
00:36:00.72\00:36:02.46
He said, I'm not going
to rule over you, the Lord,
00:36:02.49\00:36:05.23
He is King over us.
00:36:05.26\00:36:08.83
But then comes the
bad news, verse 24,
00:36:08.86\00:36:15.67
"Then Gideon said to
them, the men of Israel.
00:36:15.70\00:36:20.31
I would like to
make a request of you..."
00:36:20.38\00:36:22.74
Be careful.
00:36:22.78\00:36:25.81
I would like to
make a request of you.
00:36:25.85\00:36:30.42
What strangely
missing from that comment?
00:36:30.49\00:36:34.26
The Lord has this word for you,
this is what the Lord wants us.
00:36:34.29\00:36:37.99
No, no, I would like
to make a request of you.
00:36:38.03\00:36:42.63
And what is the request?
00:36:42.66\00:36:47.10
"That each of you would give me
the earrings from his plunder.
00:36:47.14\00:36:51.91
For they had gold earrings,
00:36:51.94\00:36:54.24
because they that is their
enemies were Ishmaelite..."
00:36:54.28\00:36:57.11
This how they
carried their bank accounts.
00:36:57.15\00:37:02.38
They've taken that
having killed their enemies,
00:37:02.42\00:37:05.72
"They answered, "We
will gladly give them."
00:37:05.75\00:37:09.16
They spread out a garment
00:37:09.19\00:37:10.59
and each man threw into it
the earrings from his plunder.
00:37:10.66\00:37:13.93
Now the weight
of the gold earrings
00:37:13.96\00:37:16.10
that he requested was
1700 shekels of gold."
00:37:16.13\00:37:22.04
My Bible says
that's about 43 pounds
00:37:22.07\00:37:25.04
by today's gold rate
00:37:25.07\00:37:26.78
that's a little
over a million dollars.
00:37:26.81\00:37:28.81
You say, oh, no,
you sound like Achan.
00:37:28.84\00:37:31.65
You remember Achan
in the story of Jericho.
00:37:31.68\00:37:34.05
You sound like Achan,
00:37:34.12\00:37:35.52
told to give all
of the glory to God,
00:37:35.55\00:37:37.59
not take the spoil
and you wanting the gold.
00:37:37.62\00:37:40.09
I wish that's all it was though,
00:37:40.16\00:37:42.19
that would be serious enough,
00:37:42.22\00:37:43.93
but something
even worse happens,
00:37:43.96\00:37:46.16
he takes this gold,
scripture records Judges 8:27,
00:37:46.19\00:37:51.80
"Then Gideon made
it into an ephod."
00:37:51.83\00:37:56.97
What my brothers
and sisters is an ephod?
00:37:57.01\00:38:00.91
Help me, what's an ephod?
00:38:04.31\00:38:07.15
An ephod was the garment
that the priest wore, right?
00:38:07.18\00:38:11.85
Why did he make a
golden garment of a priest?
00:38:11.89\00:38:15.59
Had the Lord
asked him to do that?
00:38:19.39\00:38:21.73
No.
00:38:21.76\00:38:23.23
What was he thinking?
00:38:23.26\00:38:24.60
I mean do you remember
00:38:24.63\00:38:25.97
how easy it was to take a symbol
00:38:26.00\00:38:27.84
like the snake on the pole,
00:38:27.87\00:38:29.67
they ended up
calling it Nehushtan
00:38:29.70\00:38:32.01
and worshiping
the snake on the pole,
00:38:32.04\00:38:34.18
you remember that?
00:38:34.21\00:38:36.54
Why did she make
this golden ephod,
00:38:36.58\00:38:38.58
I have no idea,
00:38:38.61\00:38:40.02
but the Bible says,
00:38:40.05\00:38:41.38
"He set it up in
the city of Ophrah
00:38:41.42\00:38:44.32
and all Israel played
the harlot with it there,
00:38:44.35\00:38:47.86
they began to
worship this golden symbol."
00:38:47.89\00:38:54.83
It became a snare to
Gideon and his house.
00:38:54.83\00:38:59.27
I said, Lord, why do you want us
00:39:02.34\00:39:03.84
to reflect on
the story of Gideon,
00:39:03.87\00:39:06.64
what lessons do you have for me?
00:39:06.71\00:39:09.08
What lessons do you
have for us this morning?
00:39:09.11\00:39:12.61
And I'm saying, well,
00:39:12.65\00:39:13.98
this man was
certainly full of fears
00:39:14.05\00:39:15.62
and his faith was weak,
but in spite of all of that,
00:39:15.65\00:39:18.75
he decided to
trust God and what?
00:39:18.79\00:39:21.82
He believed that
God wanted to use him
00:39:21.86\00:39:24.83
to make a difference
for the Kingdom of Heaven,
00:39:24.86\00:39:27.30
so he decided to trust and obey,
00:39:27.36\00:39:30.77
even when he was afraid,
00:39:30.80\00:39:32.67
even when the
obstacle seemed overwhelming.
00:39:32.70\00:39:37.14
But I want to just bring
you to the end of the story.
00:39:37.21\00:39:42.14
Because when you decide
00:39:42.18\00:39:44.61
and what a wonderful thing it is
00:39:44.65\00:39:45.98
that we're being called
to total member involvement,
00:39:46.01\00:39:48.85
that we all have a work
in, in doing the harvest work,
00:39:48.88\00:39:52.92
but I want to tell you
00:39:52.95\00:39:54.29
the devil will be
there to attack you
00:39:54.32\00:39:57.33
if you decide to
be part of the 300.
00:39:57.36\00:40:01.00
The devil would try to distract
you with temporal concerns,
00:40:01.03\00:40:06.63
with fame or fortune.
00:40:06.70\00:40:09.54
I learned as I read
the end of Gideon story
00:40:09.57\00:40:12.41
that we must
determine to be faithful to God
00:40:12.44\00:40:15.94
in every aspect of our lives.
00:40:15.98\00:40:18.68
Amen? Amen.
00:40:18.71\00:40:20.28
We're not talking about
earning our way to heaven.
00:40:20.32\00:40:24.62
We're not
talking about salvation.
00:40:24.65\00:40:27.96
That victory
has already been won
00:40:27.99\00:40:30.53
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
00:40:30.59\00:40:32.76
but we're talking about joining
00:40:32.79\00:40:35.33
the Lord of the
harvest in His work.
00:40:35.36\00:40:37.63
You think the enemy
is going to sit around
00:40:37.67\00:40:40.17
and admire us.
00:40:40.20\00:40:44.04
When the Lord throws us
out into His harvest, He says,
00:40:44.07\00:40:47.24
"I throw you out as
lambs in the midst of wolves."
00:40:47.31\00:40:53.21
Determine that
you will honor God
00:40:53.25\00:40:56.72
in every aspect of your life.
00:40:56.75\00:41:00.86
Determine that you
will trust and obey Him
00:41:00.89\00:41:04.63
even when you are
tempted to be afraid.
00:41:04.66\00:41:07.40
Determine that you
will trust and obey Him
00:41:07.40\00:41:10.37
even when you are fearful
00:41:10.43\00:41:12.57
and you feel that the
enemy is too big for you.
00:41:12.60\00:41:17.77
Determine that you
will trust and obey Him
00:41:17.81\00:41:20.44
even if your family,
00:41:20.48\00:41:22.28
by the way I
know the father says,
00:41:22.31\00:41:24.68
"Well, let Baal defend himself."
00:41:24.71\00:41:26.58
But, but he doesn't
defend Gideon very much
00:41:26.61\00:41:29.05
even if your family
doesn't come to your aid,
00:41:29.08\00:41:32.29
trust God and obey Him.
00:41:32.32\00:41:34.06
Amen.
00:41:34.12\00:41:35.82
And if we will do that,
00:41:35.86\00:41:38.33
I believe that the
great victory won back
00:41:38.36\00:41:44.00
in the Book of Judges
00:41:44.03\00:41:45.93
where God can use a little band.
00:41:45.97\00:41:47.77
You see, I think
the 300 is a symbol
00:41:47.80\00:41:51.17
of the Seventh-day
Adventist movement.
00:41:51.21\00:41:54.94
Hopelessly
outnumbered, limited resources,
00:41:54.98\00:42:01.22
not that strong,
00:42:01.25\00:42:03.79
but if we will trust God
00:42:03.82\00:42:05.92
and obey Him implicitly
in every aspect of our lives,
00:42:05.95\00:42:11.63
He will use us to
accomplish His great victory.
00:42:11.66\00:42:16.50
Do you believe that? Yes.
00:42:16.53\00:42:18.90
I want to appeal
to you this morning.
00:42:18.93\00:42:22.30
If you want to be
part of that Gideon's band.
00:42:22.34\00:42:25.61
I'm talking about those
who will trust and obey.
00:42:25.64\00:42:30.15
If you'll say, Lord, I want to,
00:42:30.21\00:42:32.01
I want to be
involved in your work
00:42:32.05\00:42:34.65
and I choose
today to by Your grace
00:42:34.68\00:42:38.02
and the power of
Your Spirit to honor You
00:42:38.05\00:42:39.69
in every aspect of my life.
00:42:39.72\00:42:43.06
I want to invite
you as we pray to stand.
00:42:43.09\00:42:44.76
is there someone that say, I
want to be part of that band.
00:42:44.79\00:42:47.40
Amen. God bless you.
00:42:47.46\00:42:49.06
People are standing
all over this congregation.
00:42:49.10\00:42:51.33
Maybe you're
watching this recording,
00:42:51.37\00:42:53.70
you're standing
in your living room,
00:42:53.77\00:42:55.30
wherever you are in your church,
00:42:55.34\00:42:57.64
God is raising up a
people who will trust and obey
00:42:57.67\00:43:04.38
and be involved in His work,
00:43:04.41\00:43:06.48
and when Satan
throws snares at us,
00:43:06.51\00:43:08.92
we will not compromise
in any area of our lives.
00:43:08.95\00:43:12.79
We will honor Him in all things.
00:43:12.82\00:43:16.12
Let us pray.
00:43:16.16\00:43:17.53
Our Father in heaven,
00:43:17.56\00:43:19.73
lessons from Gideon.
00:43:19.76\00:43:24.13
We are amazed that
you would look at someone
00:43:24.17\00:43:26.03
who was so fearful and
whose faith was so weak
00:43:26.07\00:43:28.84
and you would still see in him,
00:43:28.87\00:43:31.91
someone You could
use in supernatural ways.
00:43:31.94\00:43:36.04
And, O Lord, we
have courage to believe
00:43:36.08\00:43:37.61
that You see us that way too.
00:43:37.65\00:43:41.68
That You have a plan
for us not just to be saved
00:43:41.72\00:43:46.32
as wonderful as that is,
00:43:46.35\00:43:48.69
but you have a plan for us
00:43:48.72\00:43:50.39
to join you in
Your harvest work.
00:43:50.43\00:43:54.03
You have a plan for us
to participate with You
00:43:54.10\00:43:58.23
and the miracles
that You will perform
00:43:58.27\00:44:00.54
in these last days
of earth's history.
00:44:00.57\00:44:03.91
We're standing
Lord not because we feel
00:44:03.94\00:44:06.17
we're stronger than
others or that our faith is,
00:44:06.21\00:44:09.71
is somehow superior to others.
00:44:09.74\00:44:11.88
We're standing
because we're willing.
00:44:11.91\00:44:15.68
And I pray Lord that
you would throw us out
00:44:15.72\00:44:17.85
into Your harvest,
00:44:17.89\00:44:19.22
You put us where
You want us to be.
00:44:19.25\00:44:22.52
And when the miracles happen,
when the victories are won,
00:44:22.56\00:44:27.40
we will be quick to
give You all of the praise.
00:44:27.50\00:44:31.47
And day by day by Your grace
00:44:31.50\00:44:34.84
we will honor You in
every aspect of our lives.
00:44:34.87\00:44:40.24
We pray this and we thank You
in the wonderful name of Jesus'
00:44:40.28\00:44:46.18
amen, amen.
00:44:46.21\00:44:49.22
Be seated please.
00:44:49.25\00:44:50.59
I would love to tell
you what I think of Jesus
00:45:27.39\00:45:34.83
Since, I found in Him a
friend so strong and true
00:45:34.83\00:45:42.60
I would tell you
00:45:42.64\00:45:45.01
How He changed
my life completely
00:45:45.04\00:45:50.31
He did something
00:45:50.35\00:45:52.58
That no other friend could do
00:45:52.61\00:45:58.52
No one ever cared for me
00:45:58.55\00:46:04.19
Like Jesus
00:46:04.26\00:46:08.20
There's no other
friend so kind as He
00:46:08.23\00:46:16.07
No one else could take the sin
00:46:16.10\00:46:21.04
And darkness from me
00:46:21.08\00:46:27.02
O how much He cared for me
00:46:27.05\00:46:32.59
All my life was full
of sin when Jesus found me
00:46:35.99\00:46:43.16
All my heart was
full of misery and woe
00:46:43.20\00:46:50.31
Jesus placed His strong
and loving arms around me
00:46:50.37\00:46:55.94
And He led me in the way
00:46:58.98\00:47:02.58
I ought to go
00:47:02.62\00:47:07.62
No one ever cared for me
00:47:07.69\00:47:13.53
Like Jesus
00:47:13.56\00:47:17.20
There's no other
friend so kind as He
00:47:17.27\00:47:25.14
No one else could take the sin
00:47:25.17\00:47:30.15
And darkness from me
00:47:30.18\00:47:35.75
O how much He cared for me
00:47:35.78\00:47:41.29
Every day He comes
to me with new assurance
00:47:45.29\00:47:53.00
More and more I understand
00:47:53.03\00:47:57.17
His words of love
00:47:57.21\00:48:01.31
But I'll never know
just why He came to save me
00:48:01.34\00:48:09.15
Till someday I see
00:48:09.18\00:48:11.85
His blessed face above
00:48:11.89\00:48:17.79
No one ever cared for me
00:48:17.83\00:48:23.47
Like Jesus
00:48:23.50\00:48:27.54
There's no other
friend so kind as He
00:48:27.57\00:48:35.48
No one else could take the sin
00:48:35.51\00:48:40.62
And darkness from me
00:48:40.65\00:48:46.49
O how much He cares for me
00:48:46.52\00:48:51.39
O how much He cares for me.
00:48:55.50\00:49:03.54
Let us bow our heads
together for a word of prayer.
00:49:19.39\00:49:23.46
Our Father in heaven,
00:49:23.49\00:49:24.86
we are so grateful that
You care so much for us.
00:49:24.89\00:49:29.16
We thank You for the
friend in Jesus that we have.
00:49:29.20\00:49:34.17
And we thank You for
the reminder this morning
00:49:34.24\00:49:36.54
about the importance
of trusting and obeying
00:49:36.57\00:49:39.51
You fully and completely,
00:49:39.54\00:49:41.84
and we pray
that You will help us
00:49:41.88\00:49:44.65
to avoid the pitfalls
that Gideon fell into,
00:49:44.68\00:49:50.22
that we may be faithful to You
00:49:50.29\00:49:52.09
and be a part of
Gideon's band in the end.
00:49:52.12\00:49:55.56
And we just are
grateful that we can be here,
00:49:55.59\00:49:58.89
that we can hear
00:49:58.93\00:50:00.40
how Your work is going
forward around the world
00:50:00.43\00:50:03.23
and to sing praises to
You and to study Your word,
00:50:03.26\00:50:07.94
and we thank You, in
Jesus' name we pray, amen.
00:50:07.97\00:50:11.31