Participants: Derek Morris
Series Code: 16ASIC
Program Code: 16ASIC000003A
|
00:19 Good morning, ASI.
00:22 It is such a privilege 00:23 to welcome you here to this meeting. 00:25 You may be seated 00:26 and we are about to begin this weekend 00:31 that I look forward to every summer. 00:33 And I believe that the Lord has rich blessings for us, 00:36 and just a reminder that 00:38 there is live streaming happening on the ASI website, 00:41 and so for those who aren't able to join us, 00:43 let them know they can still be a part of this high weekend. 00:47 And with me is Pastor Scott Chris Wald, 00:49 who is going to once again share 00:51 a little bit about how God is bringing the world 00:53 to our doorsteps, 00:55 and the opportunities we have to share the gospel, 00:58 and he will also open with prayer afterwards. 01:02 Good morning. 01:04 What an incredibly beautiful day 01:06 with so much potential. 01:07 I'm excited to see what God will do through this weekend. 01:10 Let's consider Thailand just for a moment. 01:12 My family and I lived there for ten years. 01:15 It's very much on our heart, we love the people so much, 01:18 an incredibly beautiful country. 01:20 Yet my heart also breaks when I think of Thailand, 01:23 because I know that there are millions of people 01:26 who have never met even one Christian. 01:29 They are people who are close to 67 million un-reached, 01:34 one of the largest un-reached people groups in the world, 01:36 yet the door is wide open for the gospel 01:39 to be shared there with complete religious liberty. 01:42 As I think of those people, 01:43 I think can you imagine if you were one of them, 01:46 if you were a Buddhist there 01:48 who your relatives are Buddhists, 01:50 your neighbors are Buddhists, 01:52 your whole country pretty much is Buddhist, 01:54 and you basically never seen anything else 01:56 to consider becoming. 01:59 They believe in karma that everything 02:01 that has happened to them is 02:02 because of something they did good or bad in the past 02:06 and that everything that they do now will be 02:09 either rewarded or punished in some future life. 02:13 I will never forget staring into the face of a man 02:16 who had been a pimp, 02:18 a trafficker of children into slavery and prostitution. 02:21 I watched as his eyes just poured with water 02:24 as he cried realizing that Jesus had died 02:27 for people even like him, to set them free, 02:31 to give them forgiveness, 02:32 and prevent them from having to experience 02:35 the punishment for their sins. 02:37 Doesn't that make you want to share 02:38 with Thai Buddhists too? 02:41 The joy is that you do not have to go 02:43 over to Thailand or learn Thai 02:45 to be able to share with the Thai Buddhists. 02:48 Just right over there in Southern California 02:50 about 20,000 of the Thai people and they're scattered around. 02:55 Where can you find them? 02:56 Well, if you love green curry and pot Thai 02:59 and sticky rice and mangoes, you probably know. 03:03 There are Thai restaurants everywhere just in this, 03:06 this place right here, 03:08 this metropolitan area there are 37 restaurants 03:11 and they're scattered in little country towns too. 03:14 Many of the workers that are there come to America 03:16 just to learn English while they're cooking. 03:20 So they're eager for a friend and you would find it very easy 03:23 to begin speaking a little bit with them, 03:25 ask about their country 03:27 and then offer to practice English with them. 03:30 Jesus can lead you right to that place 03:33 and be able to share and to touch their lives. 03:36 So I want to encourage you to be thinking, 03:37 to be praying. 03:39 We even have a whole set of studies 03:40 that ASI sponsored a few years ago, 03:43 called New Beginnings, Bridge of Hope, 03:46 special message for Thai Buddhist people, 03:48 that you can find out at our website there as well. 03:51 God has a plan to reach the whole world. 03:53 Jesus said, "I was a stranger and you welcomed me." 03:58 He personally will take it to His heart 04:01 as you welcoming and loving Him as we reach out together. 04:05 Let's pray. 04:06 Let's stand together as we pray 04:09 and seek the Lord asking Him to fill our hearts 04:13 with His love for these people. 04:15 Father in heaven, 04:17 You are loving and reaching and caring 04:21 for every single person in the world, 04:23 today through the power of the Holy Spirit 04:25 and as you strive with the hearts 04:27 of the very special Thai people, 04:29 the majority who do not know their Father in heaven 04:31 do not know Jesus' death on the cross. 04:34 We ask that You would fill our hearts with love 04:37 that You would raise us up 04:38 and throw us into this beautiful harvest 04:40 that You have brought from around the world 04:43 right into our neighborhoods, 04:44 that You will find ways to lead them to the knowledge 04:47 that they do not have to strive through their own merits, 04:49 their own good deeds to win their way to heaven, 04:52 that they can be forgiven, they can be transformed, 04:55 they can die to self through Jesus Christ. 04:58 Lord, we thank You that You will finish Your work, 05:01 and we ask that we might be right in the center of that 05:03 as You finish it up and we see Jesus return. 05:06 Please bless this meeting now, 05:08 pour out Your spirit on Elder Morris 05:10 as he preaches on those who have a part. 05:12 Fill us and speak to us exactly what You are wanting to say 05:15 throughout this convention that we might go home 05:18 and be a channel for Your blessing, 05:20 we ask in Jesus' name, amen, amen. 05:24 You may be seated. 05:28 Good morning ASI. 05:30 I have somewhat difficult opportunity of introducing 05:34 someone to you that most of you already know. 05:36 Derek Morris will be our speaker this morning, 05:38 has helped many, Sabbath school teacher, 05:41 have a lively Sabbath school class 05:43 through his Hope Sabbath school. 05:44 How many of you have been 05:46 blessed through that presentation? 05:47 Amen, I can see many of your hands. 05:49 Derek has a heart for passion. 05:51 One of his great desires is taking scriptures 05:55 and putting them to song. 05:57 He does that with his wife Bodil, 05:59 his book, Radical Prayer, 06:01 has impacted many peoples' lives. 06:03 Currently Derek serves as president for Hope TV, 06:07 the arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 06:10 and it's our great privilege 06:11 to welcome Derek this morning to ASI. 06:13 I am sure you will be richly blessed 06:16 through his presentation. 10:10 Good morning. Good morning. 10:12 I'm happy to be at ASI this morning 10:14 and thank you for that beautiful music, 10:16 that's an old British hymn, you know, 10:19 Charles Wesley, And Can It Be, 10:21 that I should gain an interest in my savior's blood. 10:27 As I was flying here with my wife yesterday 10:29 from Washington D.C, 10:32 I was impressed that I should change my topic 10:34 for this morning, I hope that's okay, 10:36 but I brought a gift for you 10:39 because the topic that Steve Grabner alluded to, 10:44 the radical prayer has so changed my life 10:46 and my ministry. 10:48 If you've not heard that message, 10:50 I brought a thousand CD's at the Hope channel booth, 10:54 and there's a three part series DVD, 10:56 I'd love you to pick one up, 10:58 even want to share with a friend 11:01 who needs to realize that God wants to use us 11:05 to change the world, amen? 11:07 We are not here just to make a living. 11:10 We're not here just to stay out of trouble until Jesus comes. 11:14 We are here on a mission. 11:16 And so before I share the message this morning, 11:19 I want to teach you a song, 11:21 I want to thank our AV people 11:22 for the great work they're doing. 11:24 We're going to put the words up on the screen. 11:27 The harvest some of you already know it, 11:29 some came to me this morning said, 11:30 "Are we going to sing?" 11:32 The scripture song from Luke 10:2 11:35 and I invite you to sing it with us. 11:50 Let's sing together. 11:54 The harvest truly is great 11:58 But the laborers are few 12:01 The laborers are few 12:05 The harvest truly is great 12:09 But the laborers are few 12:13 Therefore pray 12:15 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest 12:21 To send out laborers 12:26 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest 12:32 To send out laborers 12:37 Into His harvest 12:42 Into His harvest 12:49 The harvest truly is great 12:52 But the laborers are few 12:58 Do you not say 13:04 There are still four months And then comes the harvest 13:09 Behold I say to you 13:15 Lift up your eyes and look at the field 13:20 For they are all ready white 13:26 For the harvest 13:29 You've learnt it, now sing it with us. 13:32 The harvest truly is great 13:36 But the laborers are few The laborers are few 13:43 The harvest truly is great 13:47 But the laborers are few 13:51 Therefore pray 13:53 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest 13:59 To send out laborers 14:04 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest 14:10 To send out laborers 14:15 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest 14:21 To send out laborers 14:26 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest 14:32 To send out laborers. 14:39 God's people said... 14:40 Amen! Amen. 14:42 You sounded beautiful this morning. 14:43 And again I want to invite you to get a copy of the DVD 14:46 from our Hope Channel booth, the radical prayer, 14:48 because God wants to use you 14:50 to be an effective harvest worker, 14:52 and part of my testimony today, 14:54 as I pray the radical prayer talking to, 14:57 to people even in the back 15:01 who are praying the radical prayer 15:02 like Scott Griswold saying, 15:04 "Lord, wherever You want me to go, 15:06 whatever You want me to do, whenever You want me to do it, 15:09 I'm available." 15:10 Amen. 15:12 And when you pray that prayer, 15:13 God will use you in amazing ways. 15:16 Well, it was April 11, 2016. 15:22 I was standing in the back 15:24 of the General Conference auditorium 15:27 about to find my seat for worship. 15:31 And as I was about to move toward the seat, 15:34 one of the vice presidents of the General Conference 15:37 tapped me on the shoulder and said, 15:41 "I'd like to talk to you on the third floor." 15:44 Well, I didn't know if I was in trouble. 15:47 But I found out when I got to the third floor 15:51 that I was to be asked, 15:54 if I would consider serving 15:55 as president of the Hope Channel. 15:58 Now, they knew my heart. 16:01 They knew that I was a passionate volunteer 16:04 with Hope Sabbath School for the last eight years. 16:08 With more than a million people now participating in that 16:11 interactive Bible study, so they knew my heart, 16:14 and even in ministerial 16:16 where we had started a program called "Ministry in Motion" 16:19 to train pastors and elders, 16:21 so they knew, 16:22 I was committed to the mission of Hope Channel 16:25 and to the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 16:27 but what they didn't know is I was very happy in my work 16:32 in the General Conference Ministerial Association. 16:34 But when you pray the radical prayer, 16:38 you give God permission 16:40 to throw you out into His harvest 16:42 where He knows you will be most effective. 16:45 Amen? 16:46 It's not about us, 16:48 it's not about how we feel how talented or strong we are, 16:53 it's about God, 16:55 the Lord of the harvest knowing 16:56 where we will be most effective. 17:00 So my first reaction was resistance 17:03 because they said, "Take your time, 17:06 we need to know by 3 o'clock this afternoon." 17:13 My wife and I prayed, I called one of my mentors. 17:16 Some of you may know Dr. Jack Blanco. 17:19 I love him as a spiritual mentor and father, 17:23 I said, "Jack, please pray for me." 17:26 My wife and I were praying seeking counsel listening, 17:30 "Lord, what do You want us to do?" 17:33 And I was walking into the Hope Channel Studio 17:36 where I would be filming again not as an employee, 17:39 but as part of ministerial all day. 17:42 And as I was walking in, 17:44 I saw the media screens from Hope Channel, Africa, 17:48 from Hope Channel, India, 17:50 from Hope Channel International, 17:52 all around the world and on one of those screens, 17:55 Greg, I was teaching Hope Sabbath School. 17:59 And on another screen, 18:01 one of my favorite preachers 18:02 Dwight Nelson was talking to someone, 18:04 and then the camera switched and it was me. 18:08 And the Lord in that moment said, "Derek, 18:11 I have been preparing you for the last ten years 18:14 for what I'm asking you to do." 18:17 You see when you pray that radical prayer, 18:20 you give God permission to do what He knows is best. 18:24 I hope you'll get a copy of that DVD from our booth. 18:28 We've got a thousand. 18:29 I don't know if there's a thousand here yet, 18:31 but there will be this weekend, so make sure you get a copy. 18:35 Well, that afternoon 18:36 I've been filming most of the day 18:38 and Jack Blanco called me, 18:40 he said, "Derek, I was just praying, 18:42 to be honest, I had no idea what you should do, 18:46 and as I was praying, the Spirit of God said to me, 18:49 "Call Derek and tell him to take the assignment." 18:54 Well, you say so did you take it? 18:55 Well, I'd already felt some conviction, 18:57 but let me tell you, 18:58 when a person who walks with God 19:01 and cares about you calls you like that, 19:04 it leaves a bit of an impression on you. 19:07 Then I'm walking through the building 19:09 and a vice president came up to me with tears in his eyes. 19:13 Now I know this man, he walks with God, 19:16 I respect him deeply. 19:18 He said to me, 19:19 "Derek, I have been praying for you today. 19:22 I want to tell you that committee is not calling you, 19:26 God is calling you." 19:27 Amen. 19:29 You see when you pray the radical prayer, 19:33 it's not based on how strong you are. 19:36 Jesus said, "I send you out as lambs 19:39 in the midst of wolves, 19:41 but God in His wisdom knows that you will be more effective 19:47 where He throws you than where you go by yourself. 19:50 Amen? Amen. 19:53 And so after praying through the day, 19:55 I went to the board meeting for Hope Channel that night 19:59 and I knew something was up when I walked in, I said, 20:02 "When does the assignment start? 20:03 They said, "It just started." 20:08 I'm so glad that God put me there 20:11 because otherwise I would feel overwhelmed. 20:13 In fact, God led me to a passage of scripture 20:16 that I'm going to share with you today. 20:19 Some lessons that maybe you need to learn too. 20:23 God said, "Derek, because I have echo bellowed you, 20:26 thrown you out into this position, 20:29 there are some lessons you need to remember." 20:32 And those are the lessons 20:33 I will share with you this morning after we pray. 20:38 Our Father in heaven, 20:39 thank You that Your word is a lamp to our feet 20:42 and a light to our path. 20:45 Thank You that when we pray the radical prayer, 20:48 when we give You permission to throw us out 20:50 into Your harvest that You will put us 20:52 where we will be most effective in Your work, 20:55 that's our desire to be faithful, 20:59 fruitful, harvest workers. 21:01 We believe You've called us to be involved, all of us, 21:04 total member involvement to do what you want us to do? 21:09 Where you want us to do it? 21:12 And so as we come to scripture today, 21:15 the passage that you brought to my heart 21:18 to reflect upon for these past weeks. 21:21 I pray that some lessons here would bless many lives 21:24 of those present here today 21:26 and those who will watch this recording. 21:29 And we will be quick to give you all of the praise 21:32 in the name of Jesus, amen. 21:36 His name was Hacker. 21:42 Not as in computer hacker 21:45 but hacker as someone who hacks things down. 21:50 Now, I have no idea 21:52 why parents would name their little boy Hacker. 21:56 But God had amazing plans for this young man's life. 22:02 Later in the story he's given another name Jerub-baal 22:07 which means one who contends with Baal. 22:11 But we know him by his first name 22:14 Gideon, the hacker. 22:19 As I began to read the story of Gideon again. 22:24 As the Spirit of God said, Derek, 22:26 because the Lord of the harvest has thrown you 22:29 out into his harvest, 22:30 into this new assignment with Hope Channel. 22:34 There are some lessons I want you to learn 22:37 from the story of Gideon. 22:40 And so I took my Bible 22:41 and if you have your Bible with you, 22:43 we're beginning in Judges 6. 22:46 I took my Bible 22:48 and as I began an initial reading of Gideon's story. 22:54 There were two important insights that I learned. 22:58 Firstly, Gideon was fearful. 23:07 Gideon was what? 23:08 Fearful. 23:10 Fearful when the angel came to him 23:15 to announce that the Lord was with him. 23:18 Where did the angel find him? 23:22 Did the angel find him standing boldly 23:25 in the field of wheat with a sword strapped to his hip 23:28 in the face of his Midianite oppressors 23:32 threshing the wheat, answer? 23:36 He was hiding in an abandoned winepress 23:39 trying to thresh wheat with nobody seeing him. 23:44 Gideon first glimpse was fearful. 23:50 When the angel of the Lord told Gideon 23:54 that he needed to tear down 23:56 the altar to Baal at his family house 23:59 and to cut down that's where the name Hacker comes from, 24:03 to cut down the poled idol to Ashura 24:08 the Canaanite goddess. 24:11 Scripture records in verse 27 of Judges 6. 24:16 "He feared his father's household 24:19 and the men of the city." 24:22 So as I begin to read about this man Hacker. 24:27 The first thing that impressed me 24:28 was that he was fearful. 24:32 I see that fear rise again in Chapter 7 of Judges. 24:38 When the Lord said to him in verse 9, 24:42 "Arise, go down against the camp, 24:44 for I have delivered it into your hand, 24:47 but if you are afraid to go down..." 24:50 What did the Lord say to him? 24:51 If you're afraid, do what? 24:54 "Go down to the camp with Purah your servant. 25:01 And you shall hear what they say 25:02 and afterward your hand shall be strengthened 25:05 to go down against the camp..." 25:07 Notice the next part of the verse, 25:08 maybe you missed it before, "Then he went down..." 25:12 What does it say with Purah? 25:14 If you're fearful the Lord said, 25:16 take Purah and Gideon went down 25:20 with Purah to the camp. 25:24 The first thing I learned 25:25 as I read the story of Gideon is that he was full of fear. 25:31 I don't know about you. 25:35 Have you ever had times when, 25:36 when interferes or outward anxiety held you back 25:40 from being all that God wants you to be. 25:43 The woman of God, the man of God 25:45 He wants you to be. 25:46 Maybe more concerned about 25:48 what people think than what God thinks. 25:52 If you've ever felt fear or sometime hold you back 25:55 and you said, "Oh Lord, take away my fear, 25:59 that I can be strong and courageous." 26:02 Gideon, he understood. 26:05 He struggled with fear. 26:10 There's a second insight I learned 26:11 from an initial reading of the story of Gideon. 26:14 I say the Lord is trying to teach me a lesson here, 26:17 maybe a lesson for you too, 26:20 when He calls you to do 26:21 something extraordinary for Him. 26:24 Gideon was full of fear, 26:26 and secondly his faith was weak. 26:32 His faith was weak. 26:36 The angel of the Lord, Judges 6:12, said to him, 26:41 "The Lord is with you mighty man of valor. 26:45 And Gideon said to him, verse 13, 26:48 "Oh my Lord, if the Lord is with us, 26:51 why then has all this happened to us. 26:56 And where are all His miracles 26:58 which our fathers told us about saying, 27:01 "Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt 27:05 but now the Lord has forsaken us..." 27:08 The Lord has what? 27:10 Forsaken us. 27:11 "Forsaken us Gideon said, 27:13 and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites." 27:17 Does this sound like a man full of faith? 27:20 No. 27:23 He's full of fear and his faith is, is weak. 27:29 The Lord has forsaken us. 27:32 Well, Gideon turns to the angel of the Lord and says, 27:36 "I need a sign that you are actually who you say you are." 27:42 The Lord, the angel of the Lord says to him, 27:45 put an offering on a rock. 27:48 And I want you to notice, 27:49 maybe you didn't see this before in verse 21. 27:53 The angel of the Lord, Judges 6:21, 27:57 "Put out his staff that was in his hand touch the meat 28:02 and the unleavened bread..." 28:03 I don't know what it says in your Bible, mine says, 28:06 "And fire rose out of the rock." 28:10 That sounds pretty dramatic, doesn't it? 28:13 We know Elijah saw fire coming down from heaven. 28:16 This fire is coming up out of the rock. 28:20 Your faith is weak Gideon, 28:22 let me show you I am who I say I am, 28:26 and fire comes out of the rock and consumes the sacrifice. 28:31 You say, well that ought to be enough. 28:34 But Gideon comes back again. 28:38 In Chapter 6:36, 28:41 "If you will save Israel by my hand as you have said..." 28:48 That ought to be enough as you said but, 28:50 but if you'd say, 28:51 I am going to put this fleece on the floor. 28:56 And in the morning, do you remember, 28:58 you remember that story, in the morning, 29:01 I want the floor to be dry 29:03 and the fleece to be wet. 29:09 And the Lord does not argue with him and say, 29:11 "Well, I've already shown you that I am the one 29:14 and you will deliver Israel by My hand." 29:18 Gideon comes back the next morning. 29:20 That fleece is so wet, 29:23 it says he could ring a bull full of water. 29:29 And all around it's dry. 29:33 Now, I'm amazed that the Lord didn't get upset with him. 29:36 The Lord got upset with Moses when he kept arguing, 29:39 didn't He? 29:40 But Gideon says, "Well, my faith is weak, 29:43 but I'm going to ask for another sign. 29:48 Now, I want the floor to be wet and the fleece to be..." 29:54 Dry! 29:57 Are you not amazed at the patience of God? 30:02 You know, it is remarkable, my wife says, 30:04 "Derek, why do you always tell people 30:06 that you're not that strong and not that smart." 30:08 Because God uses weak, 30:12 fearful people to accomplish His work. 30:17 If we will do what God asked us to do, 30:22 all of us do something. 30:28 While Gideon says, I need another sign, 30:30 so he comes the next morning, 30:31 the fleecy is dry and the floor is wet. 30:38 Now, he didn't have the audacity 30:40 to ask for another sign, 30:42 but the Lord actually gave him a sign 30:46 that he didn't ask for. 30:47 You see God, even when our faith is weak, 30:52 He will give us the evidence that we need to be strong 30:57 and courageous for Him. 30:58 Amen? 31:00 He's so good, isn't He? 31:03 The Lord says, 31:04 "Arise, go down into the Midianite camp." 31:10 Judges 7:13, 31:13 "When Gideon had come there, 31:14 there was a man telling a dream to his companion. 31:17 He said, 'I've had a dream, 31:20 to my surprise a loaf of barley bread tumbled 31:23 into the camp of Midian. 31:25 It came to a tent and struck it so that it fell and overturned 31:29 and the tent collapsed." 31:31 ' Did that dream come from the Lord? 31:32 Yes or no? Yes. 31:34 Absolutely, the dream came from the Lord, 31:37 but this man doesn't know what it meant. 31:39 A barley loaf rolling into the camp, what's that? 31:45 But there's another part to the miracle, 31:47 Judges 7:14, 31:49 "Then his companion answered and said, 31:52 "This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon, 31:56 the son of Joash, to the man of Israel, 31:59 into his hand God has delivered Midian 32:03 and the whole camp." 32:06 And from that additional super natural revelation 32:13 Gideon goes with courage. 32:16 I am just so thankful today 32:19 that God can take fearful, 32:24 weak faith people and empower them to do 32:29 a mighty work for Him. 32:30 Aren't you thankful for that? 32:33 Total member involvement, is not saying, well, 32:36 just have the strong do the work 32:38 and we'll sit there and clap for them. 32:41 God wants to use you to change the world. 32:45 God wants to use you to do 32:47 something that no one else can do. 32:52 And what impresses me about this fearful, 32:55 weak faith man is in spite of his fear, 32:59 he does what God asked him to do. 33:01 Amen? 33:02 In spite of his weak faith, 33:06 he'll go not with 32, 000 or with 10,000 33:11 but with how many? 33:13 300 against the 120,000 33:16 that's outnumbered 400 to 1. 33:21 And they don't even take weapons, 33:22 at least I don't know, 33:24 you've got a pot, and a torch and a trumpet. 33:26 I suppose you could hit someone with your trumpet. 33:31 But I think that God is saying, 33:34 the battle is not yours, it's God's. 33:38 But He wants to use you 33:41 to join Him in His harvest work. 33:45 Gideon goes and the battle is won. 33:51 And that's all I remember of the story as a child, 33:54 I guess that's a nice place to end. 33:58 But there are two ends insights to the end of the story 34:01 which I want to draw your attention to. 34:02 I think they come to me as warnings from the Lord. 34:07 Perhaps not just for me, but for all of us, 34:11 in Judges 8. 34:15 There is some good news. 34:18 And some very bad news at the end of Gideon story. 34:24 Having trusted God and obeyed Him 34:30 and God working a great deliverance through him 34:34 and the 300, 34:35 Judges 8:22, 34:40 "Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, 34:44 'Rule over us. 34:47 Both you and your son and your grandson also, 34:51 for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian." 34:58 ' What's wrong with that statement by the way? 35:02 Well, I want to want to affirm Gideon at least for responding, 35:06 "I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you, 35:11 the Lord shall rule over you." 35:14 Amen? 35:16 But he should also have said, and by the way it wasn't me, 35:22 it wasn't me and the 300. 35:25 It was the Lord who work in spite of our frailty, 35:29 because we were willing to trust and obey. 35:35 I learned that song when I was little, 35:36 they don't sing it much anymore, 35:38 trust and what? 35:39 Obey. 35:40 That was the key right there, it's just three words 35:42 trust and what? 35:43 Obey. 35:45 He wasn't that strong, but he decided to what, 35:46 trust and what? 35:47 Obey. 35:49 Yeah, he, he struggled with fears, but he decided to what? 35:51 Trust and... Obey. 35:53 He should have said, you know, I'm not that strong, 35:55 it was the Lord's victory but we decided to what? 35:58 Trust and... Obey. 36:00 And obey. 36:02 He said, I'm not going to rule over you, the Lord, 36:05 He is King over us. 36:08 But then comes the bad news, verse 24, 36:15 "Then Gideon said to them, the men of Israel. 36:20 I would like to make a request of you..." 36:22 Be careful. 36:25 I would like to make a request of you. 36:30 What strangely missing from that comment? 36:34 The Lord has this word for you, this is what the Lord wants us. 36:38 No, no, I would like to make a request of you. 36:42 And what is the request? 36:47 "That each of you would give me the earrings from his plunder. 36:51 For they had gold earrings, 36:54 because they that is their enemies were Ishmaelite..." 36:57 This how they carried their bank accounts. 37:02 They've taken that having killed their enemies, 37:05 "They answered, "We will gladly give them." 37:09 They spread out a garment 37:10 and each man threw into it the earrings from his plunder. 37:13 Now the weight of the gold earrings 37:16 that he requested was 1700 shekels of gold." 37:22 My Bible says that's about 43 pounds 37:25 by today's gold rate 37:26 that's a little over a million dollars. 37:28 You say, oh, no, you sound like Achan. 37:31 You remember Achan in the story of Jericho. 37:34 You sound like Achan, 37:35 told to give all of the glory to God, 37:37 not take the spoil and you wanting the gold. 37:40 I wish that's all it was though, 37:42 that would be serious enough, 37:43 but something even worse happens, 37:46 he takes this gold, scripture records Judges 8:27, 37:51 "Then Gideon made it into an ephod." 37:57 What my brothers and sisters is an ephod? 38:04 Help me, what's an ephod? 38:07 An ephod was the garment that the priest wore, right? 38:11 Why did he make a golden garment of a priest? 38:19 Had the Lord asked him to do that? 38:21 No. 38:23 What was he thinking? 38:24 I mean do you remember 38:26 how easy it was to take a symbol 38:27 like the snake on the pole, 38:29 they ended up calling it Nehushtan 38:32 and worshiping the snake on the pole, 38:34 you remember that? 38:36 Why did she make this golden ephod, 38:38 I have no idea, 38:40 but the Bible says, 38:41 "He set it up in the city of Ophrah 38:44 and all Israel played the harlot with it there, 38:47 they began to worship this golden symbol." 38:54 It became a snare to Gideon and his house. 39:02 I said, Lord, why do you want us 39:03 to reflect on the story of Gideon, 39:06 what lessons do you have for me? 39:09 What lessons do you have for us this morning? 39:12 And I'm saying, well, 39:14 this man was certainly full of fears 39:15 and his faith was weak, but in spite of all of that, 39:18 he decided to trust God and what? 39:21 He believed that God wanted to use him 39:24 to make a difference for the Kingdom of Heaven, 39:27 so he decided to trust and obey, 39:30 even when he was afraid, 39:32 even when the obstacle seemed overwhelming. 39:37 But I want to just bring you to the end of the story. 39:42 Because when you decide 39:44 and what a wonderful thing it is 39:46 that we're being called to total member involvement, 39:48 that we all have a work in, in doing the harvest work, 39:52 but I want to tell you 39:54 the devil will be there to attack you 39:57 if you decide to be part of the 300. 40:01 The devil would try to distract you with temporal concerns, 40:06 with fame or fortune. 40:09 I learned as I read the end of Gideon story 40:12 that we must determine to be faithful to God 40:15 in every aspect of our lives. 40:18 Amen? Amen. 40:20 We're not talking about earning our way to heaven. 40:24 We're not talking about salvation. 40:27 That victory has already been won 40:30 through Jesus Christ, our Lord, 40:32 but we're talking about joining 40:35 the Lord of the harvest in His work. 40:37 You think the enemy is going to sit around 40:40 and admire us. 40:44 When the Lord throws us out into His harvest, He says, 40:47 "I throw you out as lambs in the midst of wolves." 40:53 Determine that you will honor God 40:56 in every aspect of your life. 41:00 Determine that you will trust and obey Him 41:04 even when you are tempted to be afraid. 41:07 Determine that you will trust and obey Him 41:10 even when you are fearful 41:12 and you feel that the enemy is too big for you. 41:17 Determine that you will trust and obey Him 41:20 even if your family, 41:22 by the way I know the father says, 41:24 "Well, let Baal defend himself." 41:26 But, but he doesn't defend Gideon very much 41:29 even if your family doesn't come to your aid, 41:32 trust God and obey Him. 41:34 Amen. 41:35 And if we will do that, 41:38 I believe that the great victory won back 41:44 in the Book of Judges 41:45 where God can use a little band. 41:47 You see, I think the 300 is a symbol 41:51 of the Seventh-day Adventist movement. 41:54 Hopelessly outnumbered, limited resources, 42:01 not that strong, 42:03 but if we will trust God 42:05 and obey Him implicitly in every aspect of our lives, 42:11 He will use us to accomplish His great victory. 42:16 Do you believe that? Yes. 42:18 I want to appeal to you this morning. 42:22 If you want to be part of that Gideon's band. 42:25 I'm talking about those who will trust and obey. 42:30 If you'll say, Lord, I want to, 42:32 I want to be involved in your work 42:34 and I choose today to by Your grace 42:38 and the power of Your Spirit to honor You 42:39 in every aspect of my life. 42:43 I want to invite you as we pray to stand. 42:44 is there someone that say, I want to be part of that band. 42:47 Amen. God bless you. 42:49 People are standing all over this congregation. 42:51 Maybe you're watching this recording, 42:53 you're standing in your living room, 42:55 wherever you are in your church, 42:57 God is raising up a people who will trust and obey 43:04 and be involved in His work, 43:06 and when Satan throws snares at us, 43:08 we will not compromise in any area of our lives. 43:12 We will honor Him in all things. 43:16 Let us pray. 43:17 Our Father in heaven, 43:19 lessons from Gideon. 43:24 We are amazed that you would look at someone 43:26 who was so fearful and whose faith was so weak 43:28 and you would still see in him, 43:31 someone You could use in supernatural ways. 43:36 And, O Lord, we have courage to believe 43:37 that You see us that way too. 43:41 That You have a plan for us not just to be saved 43:46 as wonderful as that is, 43:48 but you have a plan for us 43:50 to join you in Your harvest work. 43:54 You have a plan for us to participate with You 43:58 and the miracles that You will perform 44:00 in these last days of earth's history. 44:03 We're standing Lord not because we feel 44:06 we're stronger than others or that our faith is, 44:09 is somehow superior to others. 44:11 We're standing because we're willing. 44:15 And I pray Lord that you would throw us out 44:17 into Your harvest, 44:19 You put us where You want us to be. 44:22 And when the miracles happen, when the victories are won, 44:27 we will be quick to give You all of the praise. 44:31 And day by day by Your grace 44:34 we will honor You in every aspect of our lives. 44:40 We pray this and we thank You in the wonderful name of Jesus' 44:46 amen, amen. 44:49 Be seated please. 45:27 I would love to tell you what I think of Jesus 45:34 Since, I found in Him a friend so strong and true 45:42 I would tell you 45:45 How He changed my life completely 45:50 He did something 45:52 That no other friend could do 45:58 No one ever cared for me 46:04 Like Jesus 46:08 There's no other friend so kind as He 46:16 No one else could take the sin 46:21 And darkness from me 46:27 O how much He cared for me 46:35 All my life was full of sin when Jesus found me 46:43 All my heart was full of misery and woe 46:50 Jesus placed His strong and loving arms around me 46:58 And He led me in the way 47:02 I ought to go 47:07 No one ever cared for me 47:13 Like Jesus 47:17 There's no other friend so kind as He 47:25 No one else could take the sin 47:30 And darkness from me 47:35 O how much He cared for me 47:45 Every day He comes to me with new assurance 47:53 More and more I understand 47:57 His words of love 48:01 But I'll never know just why He came to save me 48:09 Till someday I see 48:11 His blessed face above 48:17 No one ever cared for me 48:23 Like Jesus 48:27 There's no other friend so kind as He 48:35 No one else could take the sin 48:40 And darkness from me 48:46 O how much He cares for me 48:55 O how much He cares for me. 49:19 Let us bow our heads together for a word of prayer. 49:23 Our Father in heaven, 49:24 we are so grateful that You care so much for us. 49:29 We thank You for the friend in Jesus that we have. 49:34 And we thank You for the reminder this morning 49:36 about the importance of trusting and obeying 49:39 You fully and completely, 49:41 and we pray that You will help us 49:44 to avoid the pitfalls that Gideon fell into, 49:50 that we may be faithful to You 49:52 and be a part of Gideon's band in the end. 49:55 And we just are grateful that we can be here, 49:58 that we can hear 50:00 how Your work is going forward around the world 50:03 and to sing praises to You and to study Your word, 50:07 and we thank You, in Jesus' name we pray, amen. |
Revised 2022-06-02