Participants:
Series Code: 17GYC
Program Code: 17GYC000008A
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00:34 That summer was life changing,
00:36 not only did God answered my prayer for a friend 00:39 but also someone who I would look up to, 00:41 who spiritually is led by the Lord. 00:43 It's the Jesus inside of Ranela that shines so brightly. 00:50 Ranela loves her family. 00:51 All she does is talk about how amazing her family is. 00:54 She loves God's people, but most of all, 00:57 she loves the creator of this universe. 01:00 She loves the Jesus that died for her. 01:03 And I know 01:04 that you all will hear a message 01:05 from heaven today. 01:07 Her scripture reading for this morning is found 01:09 in the Book of John, if you have your Bibles, 01:11 you can turn there, John 6... 01:17 John 6:37. 01:23 As you're turning there, 01:25 the story of this passage of scripture 01:27 is so special to me 01:29 because it's the very first verse 01:30 Ranela ever shared with me. 01:32 I don't know if she remembers that, 01:34 but I remember being in despair in my Christian relationship 01:37 in walk with God. 01:38 But this is the verse she shared, 01:40 and it's her scripture reading for this morning, John 6:37-40. 01:45 It reads in, 01:46 "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, 01:49 and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 01:52 For I have come down from heaven, 01:54 not to do My own will, 01:55 but the will of Him who sent Me. 01:57 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, 01:59 that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, 02:03 but should raise it up at the last day. 02:05 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, 02:08 that everyone who sees the Son 02:09 and believes in Him may have everlasting life, 02:13 and I will raise him up on that last day." 02:16 Let us have a prayer 02:17 for the Word this morning and for Ranela. 02:20 Father in heaven, thank You so much for the Word of God. 02:24 Thank You for the Holy Spirit. 02:26 We asked that You would fill Ranela, 02:29 and that this morning 02:30 we would hear a message from heaven. 02:32 In Jesus' name we pray, amen. 02:49 As the earth is full of beauty 02:54 As the sun is full of light 02:59 As the oceans swell with water 03:04 And the mountains burst with height 03:09 Overwhelm my soul with You 03:13 Lord Like the waters fill the sea 03:19 Give me Jesus 03:22 Without measure 03:26 That my heart be full 03:31 Of Thee 03:40 Come as beauty that engulfs me 03:45 Come as joy that floods my soul 03:50 Come as wisdom to direct me 03:54 May I yield to Your control 03:59 Every thought and every motive 04:04 All of You and none of me 04:09 Give me Jesus 04:11 Without measure 04:16 That my heart be full 04:21 Of Thee 04:29 Be my power, reign within me 04:34 Vanquish every wrong desire 04:38 Be my purpose, be my passion 04:43 Set my languid soul a-fire 04:47 Every word and every action 04:52 For Your glory, this my plea 04:57 Give me Jesus without measure 05:04 That my heart be full 05:08 Of Thee 05:13 Jesus 05:17 Give Me Jesus, Jesus 05:23 That my heart be full 05:28 Of Thee 05:36 May my life exalt You only 05:41 Every breath lift up Your name 05:45 Fill my being with Your Spirit 05:50 Let no empty part remain 05:54 Purge the dross and melt the coldness 05:59 Conquer sin to set me free 06:04 Give me Jesus Give me Jesus 06:09 Without measure Without measure 06:18 That my heart 06:22 Be full 06:27 Of Thee 06:33 Full of 06:40 Thee 06:58 Good morning and happy Sabbath. 07:02 Isn't it a great Sabbath to be together? 07:06 I hope you guys got at least a few hours of sleep last night 07:11 after catching up with friends, 07:13 and waking up early to have personal devotions, 07:16 and rushing to catch this meeting. 07:19 You know, I love GYC, don't you? 07:22 Everyone's either are hungry or tired or both. 07:25 But it's okay 07:27 because it's a big happy reunion of people 07:29 we love and we don't see enough of. 07:33 And it's a time to be spiritually challenged, 07:37 encouraged, uplifted, 07:39 a little taste of heaven, isn't it? 07:42 The Bible says, 07:43 "Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together. 07:47 So much the more as you see the day approaching." 07:53 On this Sabbath day, I'm sure the Holy Spirit 07:56 is just waiting to be poured out on those 07:59 who are hungering and thirsting to receive a blessing. 08:05 I want to begin with an experience 08:07 I had just about a month ago. 08:11 I recently moved to Maryland a few months ago, 08:13 and I was driving on the highway 08:15 one rainy evening, 08:17 going to pick up my boyfriend, Kyle, 08:18 from the airport which I tend to do often. 08:22 I was singing at the top of my lungs 08:24 trying to lift my spirits from the rainy night, 08:26 just having a peaceful ride. 08:29 I was in the fast lane, which, especially in Maryland, 08:33 I love being in 08:34 because, you know, I'm still getting used 08:35 to Maryland versus California. 08:38 In California, you can typically drive like 74 08:41 and it's okay in a 65. 08:44 But in Maryland, the speed limit's like 55. 08:47 So anyway, I'm in the fast lane 08:48 and I'm little frustrated that the people in front of me 08:51 are going kind of slow. 08:53 You know, it's raining but I'm in Kyle's Outback, 08:56 so I feel really safe. 08:58 Well, as things go on the highway sometimes, 09:02 a car starts pulling up next to me 09:04 in the next to fast lane, 09:06 but he can't seem to get in front of me 09:09 because of the car in front of him 09:11 who's going a little too slow. 09:13 Of course, I'm thinking, 09:15 why is this person trying to pass me. 09:18 Doesn't he see that the person in front of me is going slow 09:21 and I'm keeping the closest and safest following distance 09:25 and there are several cars in front of him. 09:27 And so... 09:28 you know, you know how it goes. 09:31 So he's inching his way forward trying to cut in front of me. 09:37 And I'll admit I'm like. 09:40 And I inched closer, you know, subconsciously. 09:43 I inched closer and closer to the car in front of me 09:45 just shaking my head, thinking, 09:47 "Man, why Maryland drivers, why?" 09:50 We go back and forth like this for a few minutes, 09:53 me being adamant about not letting him in 09:56 and wanting to keep my spot. 09:58 And why are Maryland drivers the worst, 10:00 and all these thoughts in my head. 10:01 All the while Google Maps is going off telling me 10:06 that my exit is coming up in 1.8 miles, 10:09 in 1 mile, in 0.5 mile. 10:13 But unfortunately, 10:15 I had the volume turned down a little low, 10:17 I could hear it but I couldn't hear it 10:20 because I was so focused on the frustration, 10:23 the distraction you could say, 10:26 of trying to keep my place in the fast lane, 10:30 not letting this guy in. 10:32 When I finally realized my exit is half a mile away, 10:35 my mind quickly begins to work out 10:37 how in the world I can get over fast enough to my exit 10:40 because I knew if I didn't, 10:41 it'd be several miles before the next exit, 10:43 and I would just waste so much time 10:45 so I quickly lose sight of wanting to keep my place, 10:47 I actually break motioning to this guy 10:50 to get over in front of me. 10:51 So now I can move over to the slower lanes. 10:55 I see a wide gap of cars in the next two lanes 10:57 and as I'm swerving over to exit, I'm thinking, 10:59 "I'm such a bad Maryland driver." 11:02 Simultaneously, I'm not quite clearing, 11:05 you know, that triangle before it splits 11:07 and the exit sign is there. 11:09 So I sort of clear but not really, 11:11 I hit two huge potholes and I'm yelling, 11:13 praise the Lord for Outbacks. 11:17 You know, I'm sorry, Kyle, 11:18 I've never actually told you this story 11:20 but I think your car is safe. 11:23 I make it off the freeway barely all 11:28 because of petty distraction. 11:33 Distractions can create real problems. 11:37 They can cause us to lose sight 11:39 of what's important, what really matters. 11:44 And when you look back on that distraction, 11:46 sometimes you think, "Wow" that deserves 11:48 so little of my attention compared 11:50 to what I really should have been focused on. 11:54 The message this morning is titled 11:56 "The Power of the Undistracted". 12:00 Let's have one more word of prayer. 12:06 Father in heaven, 12:08 this Sabbath morning, 12:11 we come to You so in need of Your Holy Spirit 12:15 because I can't see anything that means anything. 12:19 And the listeners can't really 12:21 have this message touch their hearts 12:23 without Your Holy Spirit. 12:25 And so we pray, Lord, 12:27 that You do the miracle of changing a human heart 12:30 to be spiritual. 12:32 And that the words that you want me 12:34 to speak would come out 12:35 and would reach deep into the hearts of these people 12:38 and my own. 12:39 We thank You, Lord, in Your name, amen. 12:45 Distractions or diversions are used in war 12:50 to cause the enemy to be surprised 12:53 and overcome by the unexpected attack. 12:56 They're used in competitive sports 12:58 to lure as many people away from that one player 13:02 who is planning on making the touchdown 13:04 or driving to the basket. 13:07 Have you ever been talking to someone 13:09 who is easily distracted? 13:11 Maybe here at GYC, you're at the booth, 13:14 you're so excited to see your friend 13:16 that you haven't seen in a while 13:18 and you start talking. 13:19 And as you're talking, 13:21 you'd start noticing their eyes are going everywhere. 13:24 "Wow, so you're going back to school, that's great. 13:27 Oh, I'm so sorry your daddy is not doing well. 13:31 I hope he feels better." 13:34 A distraction is anything that prevents someone 13:38 from giving full attention to something or someone else. 13:43 I want you to take your Bibles and go to John 6. 13:49 In John 6, we find a story, a fascinating story, 13:54 that we've heard, some of us many times. 13:57 Jesus has just performed an incredible miracle 14:02 of the feeding of the 5,000, 14:05 probably thousands of people more that were actually there. 14:08 He's just multiplied the loaves and fish for that young boy, 14:12 and the people are incredibly amazed 14:14 at what has just taken place. 14:17 The men gathered there are being confirmed 14:19 more and more in their minds, this is the Messiah 14:23 who is finally here to free us from the Romans. 14:28 He can restore the kingdom to Jerusalem. 14:31 He will make Judea an earthly paradise, 14:34 a land flowing with milk and honey. 14:37 He can heal soldiers wounded in battle 14:40 and supply whole armies with food. 14:44 He'll conquer the nations 14:45 and give Israel the long sought dominion. 14:48 Their hopes are running high and they begin to talk, 14:52 "How are we going to crown Him like King, like He deserves?" 14:58 The disciples joined in, 15:00 and as they're about to advance towards Jesus, 15:03 Jesus senses what is taking place. 15:06 And the Bible says 15:08 that immediately Jesus made His disciples 15:10 get into the boat 15:11 and go before Him to the other side 15:12 while He sent the multitudes away. 15:14 He spoke in an authoritative voice, 15:16 He knew that this was not why He came. 15:20 Jesus, not in the slightest flattered 15:23 by the ambition of the multitudes knows 15:25 that He was not called for this purpose. 15:29 Let me pick up the story in verse 37. 15:32 This is actually the day after the events 15:35 when He multiplied the loaves and fish. 15:37 And the people are looking frantically for Him. 15:40 And Jesus tries to tell them what His mission is. 15:44 And in verse 37, it says, 15:47 "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, 15:51 and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out." 15:55 Amen. 15:56 "For I have come down from heaven, 15:58 not to do My own will, 16:00 but the will of Him who sent Me. 16:03 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, 16:05 that of all that He has given Me 16:07 I should lose nothing, 16:09 but should raise it up at the last day. 16:12 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, 16:13 that everyone who sees the Son 16:16 and believes in Him may have everlasting life, 16:19 and I will raise him up at the last day." 16:22 Jesus was saying, "This is the Father's will. 16:24 I know what the Father's will is, 16:26 and I have come to do His will." 16:29 You see in situations that would allure any of us 16:35 to worldly honor, and riches, and fame, 16:39 Jesus held strong to what He knew 16:42 the Father's ultimate will was for Him. 16:45 They wanted to crown Him king. 16:47 They wanted to give Him honor and allegiance, 16:49 and yet this was not even tempting to Jesus 16:53 because He knew so clearly His mission. 16:56 Jesus faced temptation similar to this 16:59 when the devil took Him up to the mountain 17:01 and offered Him the whole world, fame, 17:04 riches, power, authority, 17:06 but Jesus remains undeterred from His mission. 17:09 Nothing can stop Him, nothing can distract Him, 17:12 nothing can seem to move Him 17:14 from His mission of revealing the character of God 17:17 and dying for the sinful race. 17:19 In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus says, 17:22 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, 17:24 because He anointed Me 17:26 to preach the gospel to the poor, 17:28 He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, 17:30 to proclaim liberty to the captives, 17:32 and recovery of sight to the blind, 17:34 to set at liberty those who are oppressed." 17:36 Jesus knew clearly what He was sent to do 17:40 and what His purpose was. 17:42 Luke 19:9-10, 17:44 "For the Son of Man come to seek 17:47 and save the lost." 17:49 In John 9, Jesus says, 17:51 "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day, 17:55 the night is coming when no one can work." 17:57 Jesus was so focused, 17:59 He was undistracted from His mission. 18:02 And finally, Luke 9:51. 18:06 "Now it came to pass, 18:08 when the time had come for Him to be received up, 18:11 that He steadfastly set His face 18:14 to go to Jerusalem." 18:17 Jesus would not be deterred from His mission. 18:19 He was so convinced of His purpose, 18:23 He had so accepted and embraced His calling, 18:26 that you couldn't offer Him the world. 18:29 You know, we sing 18:30 "You can have all this world but give me Jesus." 18:32 Jesus is saying, 18:33 "You could have all this world but give me lost souls." 18:36 Jesus had purpose, He had vision, He had focus. 18:40 His attention was absorbed in one thing, 18:44 nothing could distract Him from it. 18:47 And this life of focus was a life of power. 18:52 This life of purpose was a life that shook the world 18:54 because nothing could distract Him 18:57 from His mission. 19:00 Why was it that Jesus could be so focused on His mission? 19:05 Why was it that nothing could distract Him 19:07 from His calling? 19:09 Did you know that Jesus 19:13 had to study the scriptures overtime as a child 19:18 and began to understand more fully His calling. 19:22 Mary, Jesus' mother, taught Him from the words of scripture, 19:26 and Jesus was an earnest student 19:28 of the prophecies of the Bible. 19:31 In Desire of Ages, we're given a picture 19:33 for the first time of Jesus' parents taking Him 19:36 to Jerusalem for the Passover. 19:39 He is of age, 12 years old. 19:42 Are there any 12 year olds in here, 19:44 this early in the morning? 19:46 A few, okay. 19:48 At that age, 19:50 Jesus was understanding His mission. 19:54 You know, parents don't underestimate 19:55 the capacity of your child 19:57 to sense a calling in their lives from God. 20:01 Jesus was 12, and as He studied the words of scripture, 20:05 He was understanding something, 20:07 and listen to what it says in Desire of Ages, page 78. 20:11 "For the first time, 20:13 the child Jesus looked upon the temple. 20:16 He beheld the bleeding victim upon the altar of sacrifice. 20:21 With the worshipers, He bowed in prayer, 20:24 while the cloud of incense ascended before God. 20:27 He witnessed the impressive rites 20:29 of the paschal service. 20:31 Day by day He saw their meaning more clearly. 20:34 New impulses were awakening within Him. 20:37 Every act seemed 20:39 to be bound up with His own life. 20:42 Silent and absorbed, 20:44 He seemed to be studying out a great problem. 20:48 The mystery of His mission was opening to the Savior. 20:51 Rapt in contemplation of these scenes, 20:54 He did not remain beside His parents. 20:57 He sought to be alone. 20:59 When the paschal services were ended, 21:01 He still lingered in the temple courts. 21:04 And when the worshipers departed 21:05 from Jerusalem, He was left behind." 21:10 You can imagine Jesus 21:11 as He's starting to understand His mission. 21:14 It goes on in Desire of Ages, 21:15 it says, "As one seeking for wisdom, 21:17 He questioned these teachers," speaking of the rabbis, 21:20 "in regard to the prophecies, 21:23 and to events then taking place that pointed 21:25 to the advent of the Messiah." 21:28 He knew the fulfillment of the time of the Messiah 21:31 was coming near, and many people did. 21:35 Time prophecies gave Him and gave them an understanding 21:39 that the Messiah should be there. 21:42 Later on in Desire of Ages, 21:44 it says, "The rabbis knew 21:45 that Jesus had not been instructed 21:47 in their schools, yet His understanding 21:51 of the prophecies far exceeded theirs." 21:55 He knew more of the rabbis because He studied the Bible. 21:58 He studied the scriptures, He understood just where 22:02 they were in earth's history at that time. 22:05 And He knew that the Messiah was to come. 22:08 He understood the sanctuary service. 22:10 And He realized that He was the fulfillment. 22:14 One of the reasons Jesus was able to stay so fixed 22:17 on His mission, completely undistracted, 22:20 was because He realized 22:22 that He was the fulfillment of the prophecies 22:25 given hundreds and thousands of years prior. 22:28 And He accepted that calling. 22:32 You know, there's something about studying the Bible. 22:36 Something about studying the prophecies of Daniel 22:39 and Revelation that helps build a reason for our faith 22:43 that convicts us deeply 22:45 and keeps us focused on the purpose 22:47 for our existence in this day and age of the 21st century. 22:52 As you read and study the Bible, 22:54 as you discover this man, Jesus, 22:57 who was willing to die eternally 23:00 so that you could live eternally, 23:02 you start to realize 23:04 that this redeemer was also your creator, 23:07 and you begin to fall in love with Him. 23:10 As you read and study the scriptures, 23:12 you start to respect the true God of the Bible, 23:15 someone who wouldn't burn people 23:17 in hell for eternity, 23:19 someone who is just and merciful, 23:21 someone who forgives over and over and over 23:25 and who loves you just the same, 23:27 and you commit your life to Him as you read the Bible. 23:30 As you read the prophecies of the Bible, 23:32 you recognize 23:34 that your best friend has promised 23:35 that He is going to come back. 23:37 And He's outlined 23:38 how you can know He is coming soon. 23:40 You see the rise and fall of nations 23:43 that were foretold thousands of years in advance, 23:46 and your heart is strengthened to believe 23:48 that the book He left you can be trusted. 23:51 You see just where you are in earth's history 23:55 and that you're living in the time 23:56 just prior to when He is coming again. 23:58 He tells you 24:00 that He has a special plan for you 24:02 in the time period that you were born, 24:05 in a special sense 24:06 to call people's attention to Him 24:08 and to prepare the way for Him. 24:11 You recognize that the calling is a personal calling. 24:14 And how do you recognize that? 24:17 Because you read the Bible and you realize 24:21 that you are those messengers in Revelation 14. 24:25 And that you have a part to play in Revelation 18, 24:28 in the whole earth being illuminated 24:30 with the glory of God. 24:32 You are part of that group 24:33 that must prophesy again in Revelation 10. 24:36 And God is calling you to be part of that group 24:39 in Revelation 14, 24:40 who are redeemed from the earth, 24:41 who follow the lamb wherever he goes, 24:44 and who keep the commandments and have the faith of Jesus. 24:48 Yes, you read the scriptures, as you read the prophecies, 24:53 you understand 24:54 that this is a very personal calling. 24:58 Knowing and understanding the scriptures in the time 25:02 that we live in, friends, is crucial. 25:09 No wonder we are so distracted from our mission, 25:14 we don't really know what our mission is about. 25:19 No wonder, we so easily adopt the principles of the world, 25:23 the ambitions of the world, 25:25 we settle so easily for our lives here on earth 25:28 because maybe 25:30 we have not discovered our real purpose 25:33 as Seventh-day Adventist from the Word of God. 25:37 I was 15 years old, 25:39 I was sitting in the cafeteria of my high school, 25:41 Monterey Bay Academy. 25:43 A group of young people, 25:44 all 20s and 30s came to visit my school. 25:48 They were talking about canvassing and evangelism. 25:52 One guy was named Taj Pacleb, 25:56 and another guy, Bill Krick. 26:00 I was 15 years old 26:01 and was very open to God during that time. 26:04 I had been planning on going on a mission trip 26:08 with my school to South Africa. 26:10 But some of these guys started 26:12 talking about a ShareHim mission trip, 26:14 they were taking to Ethiopia. 26:17 And I sense the Holy Spirit really speaking to me 26:20 that I should go. 26:23 And so I don't know 26:24 how my parents let me do this as a 15 year old, 26:27 but I went to Africa with a group of people 26:29 I didn't know. 26:31 I've always appreciated my parents... 26:39 That even if I wanted to do something 26:41 that sounded crazy, 26:42 they would allow me to go where they sensed 26:44 the Holy Spirit was leading. 26:47 Parents, if you're out there or watching online, 26:50 don't be afraid 26:51 to let your children experience God in radical ways. 26:55 It might seem crazy to you or a waste of time, 26:57 but be sensitive to the desires 27:00 of your children to go on missions for God. 27:03 We're living in different times and don't be surprised 27:06 if the Holy Spirit is moving 27:08 on your children in powerful ways 27:10 because it could change their lives for eternity. 27:14 So I went on this trip, 27:15 not knowing anyone, pretty nervous, 27:18 we would review 27:19 and edit the sermons in the morning, 27:21 take a little break in the afternoon, 27:23 go around the town, 27:25 and in the evening, we would preach. 27:28 I remember my first sermon preaching on Daniel 2. 27:32 I had no idea what I was doing. 27:35 If any of you have been on these trips, 27:37 you know that they have 27:38 all the sermons outlined for you. 27:39 So you can edit them 27:41 or you can just read them word for word, 27:42 and I pretty much read a lot of it word for word. 27:45 I remember my first night making an appeal, 27:49 and I was just doing what I saw my dad do, 27:51 and what I'd seen growing up, and I said if you believe, 27:55 if you want to take the Word of God 27:57 as your only rule of authority, 27:59 I want you to raise your Bibles in the air. 28:01 And I saw people raising their Bibles, 28:03 and I was thinking, "Wow, they're actually doing it. 28:06 That's awesome." 28:08 I remember preaching night after night under a tree 28:12 in a small town called Dongoro. 28:14 And I had a great translator, you know, I was only 15, 28:17 so he was the type of translator 28:18 when I got to the end of the sermon, 28:20 I'd make my appeal 28:21 and then he would look at me and say, "Okay, wait." 28:23 And then he would go off in a row 28:24 and just start preaching and appealing, 28:27 and I would stand there and be like, "Amen." 28:31 What was a life changing about that trip 28:34 was that as I read and studied in the morning, 28:38 I was amazed how everything 28:41 we believed a Seventh-day Adventist 28:43 was straight from the Bible and how much sense it made. 28:47 I hadn't studied too much 28:49 for myself into Daniel and Revelation 28:50 or asking the deep questions of life, 28:53 but because I had to present it, 28:54 I had to understand it. 28:57 And I remember thinking, "Wow, this is amazing." 29:00 Fifteen years old. 29:02 There are teenagers 29:04 that would love to dig deep into the Word of God 29:07 if we gave them opportunities. 29:10 As I saw how God foretold in Daniel 2, 29:12 the rise and fall of the nations of Babylon, 29:15 Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, 29:16 divided Rome, hundreds and thousands of years 29:19 before the events took place. 29:21 It was as a large stone 29:22 in the foundation of my faith being laid. 29:25 I began to trust 29:26 that this book was reliable, that they just... 29:29 They aren't just stories or allegories or metaphors, 29:33 these were real life experiences, 29:35 and the promises were for me. 29:38 I understood the issues of the great controversy 29:41 that an enemy has done this, has brought sin into the world, 29:45 and that God created a perfect world 29:47 and made provision for sin through His Son, Jesus, 29:50 if man were to sin because He gave us free choice. 29:53 I begin to understand 29:54 why bad things happen to good people 29:57 and why God is full of love 29:59 and is a relational, personal God, 30:01 and yet why 30:02 there is so much suffering in the world 30:04 sometimes in the name of God? 30:07 These deep-seated questions that 30:10 for lack of an adequate answer 30:11 turn people away from God began to be answered 30:14 in my mind 30:16 and was another affirmation of my faith, 30:18 another stone laid in the foundation of my faith. 30:22 I understood why we believe 30:23 that when you die you don't go straight to heaven 30:25 or burn in some cauldron in the middle of the earth, 30:28 but you're asleep awaiting the resurrection. 30:30 I begin to understand that the Bible teaches 30:33 that Jesus' second coming was literal, 30:35 physical, all would see it, it would be decisive, 30:38 an end to living on this sinful planet, 30:40 and that Jesus would be coming back 30:41 to take us home, that heaven is real. 30:45 And that heaven could begin here on earth 30:46 with Jesus in my heart. 30:49 I began to understand 30:52 more of the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation, 30:55 and how they confirmed and expanded on Daniel 2, 30:58 how outlined 2,300 years of history, 31:01 including the first coming of Jesus, 31:03 His baptism, His death, 31:04 the sanctuary being cleansed at the end of those years, 31:07 what the sanctuary even was? 31:09 And how it outlines the plan of salvation? 31:12 The signs of the second coming, 31:13 the history of God's people throughout the ages 31:16 and their role in the last days, 31:18 the three angels preparing for the reaping of the harvest, 31:21 the judgment, and all the beauty of that, 31:24 and what the new heavens and the earth would be like. 31:27 So many beautiful truths 31:30 about the merciful dealings of God with man 31:32 throughout history, 31:34 and His plan to end sin forever, 31:38 these were being impressed in my mind. 31:41 And as I understood the clear message of the Bible, 31:44 it was logical, it was spiritual, 31:47 it was moving, it was relational, 31:51 and it changed my life. 31:54 And in a sense, just like the experience of Jesus, 31:57 I began to realize and understand 32:00 that I wasn't born in this world 32:02 by accident in this day and age, 32:05 to live in the 21st century just for no reason. 32:08 I was born during this time in earth's history 32:11 for a very specific purpose, 32:13 to prepare a people to stand before God 32:16 and to usher in the second coming. 32:19 I began to understand God's purpose for me 32:22 as I read the scriptures and I studied the prophecies. 32:30 My friends, if you do not know 32:31 why you are a Seventh-day Adventist, 32:35 you might be young or old, 32:37 you might have been in the church 32:39 for just a few years or for 50 years, 32:42 if you don't know why you are a Christian, 32:45 why you can trust this book, why you go to church, 32:51 what your specific calling is here in life, 32:54 you will be all too easily distracted 32:59 from this message, this mission, and this calling 33:03 because your foundation is faulty. 33:06 You will be distracted by false theology, 33:09 higher criticism or watering down of the message 33:12 of the Seventh-day Adventist movement. 33:15 Distractions happen easily to those who are not focused. 33:20 And those only are focused 33:22 who are deeply in love with Jesus 33:24 and fully convicted of their mission. 33:28 Jesus was convicted, sold out, sure of His calling. 33:33 In Hebrews 11:24-25, it says of Moses, 33:37 "By faith Moses, when he became of age, 33:39 refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 33:42 choosing rather to suffer affliction 33:44 with the people of God than to enjoy 33:46 the passing pleasures of sin, 33:48 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches 33:50 than the treasures in Egypt, for he looked to the reward." 33:54 Moses was taught by his parents about the true God. 33:58 And he was actually visited by angels, we're told. 34:00 He was told of his mission 34:02 to lead God's people out of Egypt 34:04 as the deliverer. 34:05 And nothing could deter him from that mission, 34:09 not even the hopes of being the next Pharaoh, 34:14 the most powerful leader 34:15 of the most powerful nation of the world. 34:18 All the riches and treasures could not distract him 34:22 because he had understood and embraced his calling 34:25 that God had revealed to him. 34:29 Unless you are convinced of your calling today, GYC, 34:34 everything that can be shaken will be shaken. 34:37 And just because you're here at GYC, 34:39 and just because I'm here about GYC, 34:41 excited about the message and mission, 34:43 doesn't mean you'll always be. 34:47 Distractions will come easily 34:50 if you haven't had 34:51 a personal realization of your calling 34:54 from the Word of God, 34:55 your mission, why you were born 34:59 to live in the 21st century. 35:03 We must first build the foundation for our faith 35:05 that is fully built on the Word of God and a connection 35:09 with the Jesus of the Bible. 35:11 And if we have any hope of living in undistracted life, 35:15 focused on the mission God has given to us, 35:17 we need to have a strong grasp and clear understanding 35:20 of the personal mission 35:22 God has given to us. 35:27 But even for those who have built a foundation 35:30 on the Word of God, who understand the prophecies, 35:34 who see clearly the beauty of Jesus' character, 35:37 the glory of the plan of salvation, 35:39 the hope of the second coming, 35:42 there are yet still distractions 35:44 that the devil loves to use. 35:48 Just because you have a knowledge of the Bible 35:50 doesn't mean you are exempt from the distractions 35:53 that the devil throws your ways, 35:55 isn't that right? 35:56 I want you to turn in your Bibles 35:58 to 1 John, 36:00 1 John 2:15-17, 36:08 and there it says, 36:09 "Do not love the world or the things in the world. 36:14 If anyone loves the world, 36:15 the love of the Father is not" what? 36:19 "is not in him. 36:20 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, 36:23 the lust of the eyes, 36:24 and the pride of life is not of the Father 36:27 but is of the world. 36:29 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it, 36:31 but he who does 36:32 the will of God abides forever." 36:35 My friends in the ministry, 36:39 those who are leaders, anyone in this room, 36:43 the distractions in our day and age are unprecedented. 36:47 And anything that is distracting you 36:50 from fulfilling the calling of God in your life, 36:54 whether seemingly good or bad is a distraction. 36:58 The devil won't stop at anything, 37:01 whether you've been in seminary, 37:03 you're a pastor, a Bible worker, 37:05 a ministry leader, 37:06 whether you know 37:08 the prophecies backwards and forwards, 37:10 whether you long to preach the Word 37:11 and share Jesus with the world, 37:14 the devil will still come in and try to distract in any way 37:17 that he can, away from the mission 37:20 that we have in these days. 37:22 No wonder the Bible says in Proverbs 4:25-26, 37:26 "Let your eyes look straight ahead, 37:28 and your eyelids look right before you. 37:30 Ponder the path of your feet, 37:32 and let all your ways be established." 37:35 Don't lose sight of where your feet are going, 37:37 make every move intentional, look straight ahead. 37:43 I don't know, this morning, what your distraction is. 37:51 Maybe it's social media, 37:56 you know, I know how it is. 37:58 I have to catch myself too. 38:00 You start off with 10 minutes 38:02 and it turns into however long. 38:08 Maybe of social media, but every time you get on, 38:12 the temptation is too strong to look at things 38:15 you shouldn't look at there. 38:17 And you find yourself caught in the devil's snare, 38:21 distracted by the world, its principles, 38:24 by its temptations to sin. 38:27 I know social media can be a powerful tool for ministry. 38:35 But I'm just going to be raw and real. 38:38 I would venture to say 38:40 that at least half of us in this room 38:41 find a satisfaction from social media 38:43 that we really should be finding in God. 38:48 If you keep getting distracted for hours or tempted to sin, 38:53 get rid of it, cut it down. 38:56 Jesus said that if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. 39:00 He meant go to any length to remove the obstruction, 39:03 remove the distraction. 39:05 It's taking your heart away from holy things. 39:08 Yes, you're keeping in touch with people, 39:10 but you keep seeing things 39:12 that are pulling your heart away 39:14 from the principles of heaven. 39:18 As I told you, we have no power to change ourselves, 39:21 it's God's power that does the work in us 39:23 but He gives us a will. 39:26 He promises to even help us with our will. 39:31 Philippians 3:13, brothers, 39:34 I do not consider that I have made it my own 39:36 but one thing I do. 39:38 Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward 39:40 to what lies ahead, 39:42 I press on toward the goal for the prize 39:45 of the upward call of Jesus Christ. 39:48 Are we straining ahead 39:50 are we continuing to be moved 39:53 off of the path every day? 39:56 Perhaps a distraction in your life 39:58 is an unholy ambition, 40:00 a refusal to let go of something 40:01 you've always wanted to accomplish 40:03 or do even if it takes you away 40:05 from living the life of ministry 40:07 God has called you to. 40:09 Maybe you're distracted by the issues of the church. 40:12 Believe me, it's distracting to all of us 40:14 but we are called to stay focused. 40:16 We're called to spread the gospel to the world, 40:18 to share Jesus in unreached places, 40:21 to love our brothers and sisters, 40:23 and to not look down upon one another. 40:27 Maybe there's a major distraction 40:29 in your life, a besetting sin. 40:36 I'm just trying to be real here this morning 40:38 because I think it's really important 40:41 to challenge each other to the core 40:44 if we really love each other. 40:47 Some of you may be distracted in a significant way by a sin 40:51 that is weighing you down spiritually, 40:55 and you feel caught. 40:59 You just don't know how to get out. 41:02 Statistically, many of you 41:05 in this room are struggling 41:08 with self control in the area of pornography, 41:11 and you just don't know how to get out, 41:16 there is help for you in God, 41:19 there is hope, so much hope. 41:23 The purity of heaven is more powerful 41:26 than the pull of lust. 41:29 I promise you, 41:31 Jesus can help you through this, 41:33 keep getting back up, keep getting back up. 41:38 God is in the business of complete 41:40 and total restoration of bringing us up 41:43 out of the miry clay 41:45 and setting our feet on solid ground. 41:48 He will remove this from your life. 41:56 Maybe today you're in a relationship 41:57 that is taking your heart away from loving the things of God. 42:02 Perhaps this person is not leading you to Jesus, 42:05 not leading you to love the things of God more, 42:09 and little by little you're losing your love for God 42:11 and interest in fulfilling God's purpose 42:14 for your life. 42:15 I remember at one point, as a teenager, 42:19 being involved with a guy who I knew I shouldn't be with. 42:24 I knew my Bible, I was giving Bible studies, 42:26 I was so on fire, I loved spiritual things, 42:29 and little by little as I hung out more with him, 42:32 and as I wasn't careful in my physical boundaries, 42:35 as my heart was drawn out, 42:38 my love for spiritual things began to wane. 42:44 I stopped opening up my Bible every morning 42:46 because every time I did, I was convicted. 42:49 And I didn't like the feeling of conviction. 42:52 I hated feeling like a hypocrite 42:55 'cause I knew if I open the Bible, 42:56 I'd just go on doing what I was doing, 42:59 so I just stopped. 43:01 I drifted further and further and began to backslide 43:04 and adopt my old ways again. 43:07 But praise the Lord, several months later, 43:09 I just couldn't bring myself to live such a hollow life 43:12 without God when I had experienced 43:14 so much richness with Him before. 43:17 And one day, I told God, I don't feel like it, 43:20 but if You change my heart, and help me, 43:24 and give me a desire 43:25 'cause I don't even want to open up the Bible, 43:27 I feel so far away from You. 43:29 I want the things of the world, I'm so distracted 43:33 by the allurements of the world, 43:34 but I said if You will change my heart, 43:37 I'll be devoted to You again. 43:41 I knew I didn't have it in me to change myself. 43:45 But it was God's power, 43:46 and I remember the next morning, 43:48 I woke up 43:49 and I couldn't wait to read my Bible. 43:51 God worked in me to will and to do of His good pleasure. 43:56 And I continued to walk in the path of God. 44:00 If your time and energy, 44:01 your money, your morality 44:04 is being sapped by something or someone, 44:07 if it's distracting you 44:08 from being the man or woman God has called you to be, 44:11 God is calling you to give it up. 44:15 No matter the cost, 44:17 God will supply the lack that you feel. 44:20 You feel socially alone when you cut down 44:22 or get rid of social media, that's okay. 44:25 God will speak to you through His Word. 44:27 Even if God were to call you to give up on a relationship 44:30 that's holding you back from growing in Him, 44:33 He will take care of your heart. 44:37 I'm just like you, friends, I feel the pull of the world, 44:41 of the distractions, of everything 44:43 that devil uses to pull our hearts away 44:46 from the message and mission 44:47 we've been given to share with the world. 44:50 I've been jaded by church politics 44:52 in the past. 44:54 I've struggled with depression. 44:56 I've been addicted to social media. 44:58 I've been addicted to impure thoughts 45:00 and had to learn to overcome. 45:02 I've had family struggles, 45:05 and I've longed for the things of the world too. 45:09 But this morning, 45:10 I'm here to tell you 45:12 that God has a greater plan for your life, 45:16 that He has called you to live in the 21st century, 45:20 in this time of earth's history for a reason, 45:23 and He wants to call you 45:24 out of darkness into His marvelous light. 45:28 He Himself will clear 45:29 the distractions so you can arise, 45:32 and shine, and live out 45:34 the calling God has placed on you 45:36 to be a beacon of light in a dark world. 45:40 This is His heart's desire for you. 45:46 What is more important than fulfilling the calling God 45:49 has placed on us, as young people, 45:51 in this time of earth's history? 45:55 You were not born to live a conventional life. 45:58 You were born with a very specific calling 46:01 just like Jesus was, and John the Baptist, 46:03 and Daniel, and Joseph, and Moses, 46:05 a call to be completely devoted to spreading 46:08 the gospel to the world. 46:11 As one of my friends said, "Stop living your life. 46:15 Your life is boring. 46:17 Live your calling." 46:21 I know that one of the reasons we exist today as a church 46:24 is because of a group of young people, 46:26 some of them teenagers, 46:28 who study the Word of God, who made it their one focus, 46:32 many times staying up all night 46:33 as they studied and prayed for guidance. 46:36 They were sold out for the message, 46:38 they were sold out for the mission 46:39 to see Jesus come soon. 46:41 Their hearts burned within them as they read of Jesus, 46:44 as they realize where they were in earth's history, 46:46 and that God would have a group of people 46:48 who would follow His commandments 46:50 and who would have the faith of Jesus. 46:52 I think of their sacrifice, 46:54 of the miles they would walk in the snow 46:56 just to publish their first papers 46:59 to send to the surrounding area, 47:01 to tell people that Jesus was coming soon. 47:04 And I think of how hard it is for us 47:06 to even just pass out one piece of literature, 47:09 people who started our church 47:12 were so devoted and committed to the mission. 47:17 I want to be like them. 47:19 I want to be sold out. 47:22 They were radical, they lived their lives 47:25 as if Jesus was coming soon, 47:28 ridiculed by many because of the way 47:31 they live their lives. 47:33 I don't believe that Jesus will come at a time 47:35 when we have less determination, 47:37 less focus or less sacrifice 47:39 than those who have gone before us. 47:42 And I'm appealing to you, my friends, in this room 47:45 and to myself, 47:47 those who were driven and tossed by the world, 47:50 unsure of what to believe, moved in every direction, 47:54 caught up in the ambitions of the world, 47:57 how are we going to go home? 48:00 Maybe you're waiting for some magical moment 48:03 like the latter rain to come when all of a sudden 48:05 you'll be magically transformed into someone 48:07 who puts away all distractions, 48:09 and focuses on the mission, and who loves winning souls, 48:12 and spending time with God. 48:14 Maybe you're waiting for the world 48:16 to get a little more worse 48:17 so you'll have a bit more reason 48:19 to believe Jesus is coming soon, 48:20 and now it won't be as big of a risk 48:22 to be sold out for Him. 48:25 Maybe you're waiting to get older, 48:26 but for now you just want to have fun 48:28 because you're young. 48:30 Friends, that day won't come. God works through our choice. 48:34 And today His still small voice is reaching out to your hearts 48:38 to live differently than you've ever lived before. 48:42 He's calling you to walk worthy of your calling 48:45 to make your calling and election sure. 48:48 When the moment comes 48:49 when we see Jesus come in the clouds, 48:51 the hope of all nations is here, 48:54 the moment we've all been waiting for, 48:56 I don't want to regret, and look back, 48:58 and think, well, I just wish 49:00 I would have lived my life differently, 49:02 so that more people could be saved. 49:04 I wish I wasn't so caught up in this thing, 49:06 or this relationship, or this pursuit 49:09 because now it doesn't mean anything compared 49:13 to our life in heaven with Jesus. 49:18 Today, 49:20 I have a very specific appeal. 49:25 You know, this weekend is a weekend of decisions. 49:29 It's a Sabbath to allow God to radically change your life. 49:34 And today you recognize 49:37 that you don't really have an understanding 49:40 of what the Bible teaches. 49:43 Maybe your understanding is surface, 49:46 maybe you are easily distracted 49:47 because you really don't know what you believe. 49:52 And you want to begin 49:53 having Bible studies with your pastor, 49:56 with your Bible worker, 49:57 someone who can teach you the Adventist message, 49:59 maybe you want to go online and find a training program. 50:03 You're committing to God to be trained at home 50:07 by someone locally 50:08 or find an online training site. 50:11 You want to study the prophecies, 50:12 you want to understand you're calling for yourself. 50:16 And this is not just head knowledge 50:18 we're talking about, 50:19 it's an experience with God's Word 50:21 that transforms our lives. 50:22 But you realize that you need that. 50:24 I invite you to raise your hands right now. 50:26 You realize that you need 50:28 to know more about the prophecies. 50:31 You need to know more about what you believe and understand 50:34 what your calling is in this day and age. 50:37 Amen. Amen. 50:40 My second appeal builds on this first appeal. 50:46 This morning you realize 50:47 that you have not built a solid foundation 50:49 for your faith 50:51 and you want to be trained in a very intentional way. 50:56 You sense that you don't know how to share your faith. 51:00 And you feel 51:01 that God is calling you to go to a Bible college, 51:06 to a training school or somewhere 51:10 where you will be intentionally guided 51:12 to study your Bible 51:13 and learn how to share your faith, 51:15 you need to be trained. 51:19 Maybe it's a summer of training. 51:21 I took a significant amount of time out of school. 51:24 I graduated later than everyone else 51:26 but I don't regret it for the world 51:29 because I believe that nothing is more important 51:31 than being trained, 51:32 and equipped, and on fire for God. 51:35 To be in an environment where you can spiritually grow, 51:37 there is nothing more important. 51:39 God is not calling all of us to leave school 51:42 or whatever we're doing, He isn't. 51:43 But there are some people 51:45 that he wants to go to a training school. 51:52 You want to be grounded in your faith 51:53 and you feel 51:55 that it necessitates focusing only on that 51:57 for a period of time. 52:00 I invite you to come forward. 52:03 God is moving on your heart. 52:05 I need to know my faith. 52:07 I need to understand 52:09 where we are in earth's history. 52:11 It might be a Bible college, it might be another school, 52:14 it might be some training program, 52:16 but in your heart you sense. 52:18 I know why I am living in these last days 52:21 but I don't know how to fulfill that, 52:23 and I want to be trained. 52:26 I invite you to come forward, 52:27 so that someone can scan your badge 52:31 and follow up with you. 52:33 God is moving on your heart to live differently 52:35 than you've ever lived before. 52:37 Yes, this is radical, yes, it's a risk, and believe me, 52:41 pray about it, it's a risk because if you do it, 52:44 and you're behind, and later on, 52:47 you regret it later 52:48 because you decided it wasn't worth your time, 52:50 you're going to be really bitter 52:52 or you're going to really love it 52:54 because your life is transformed forever. 52:56 This is a risk 52:57 but it's a risk God is calling you to take. 52:59 I'm not calling for an emotional decision, 53:02 I'm calling you to pray in your heart. 53:04 Lord, I need to be stronger in my faith. 53:07 I need to be trained. 53:09 I need to know what I believe. 53:13 Praise the Lord. 53:16 And as they're coming forward, 53:19 my last appeal is for those 53:20 who find themselves distracted this morning. 53:25 We talked about the distractions 53:26 that face us as young people, maybe it's social media, 53:30 maybe it's a relationship, maybe it's a besetting sin, 53:33 maybe you're distracted by your career, 53:35 one that isn't necessarily bad 53:37 but distracting you from living out your calling, 53:39 and God is calling you to make a choice 53:43 to put aside that distraction. 53:45 You know that 53:46 there's a distraction in your life 53:47 that is keeping you from fulfilling your mission, 53:50 I want to invite you forward as well. 53:52 You're committing to God, 53:54 Lord, I don't have a will of my own 53:56 but please take my will, take my heart, change me, 54:01 help me to overcome in this sin, 54:04 help me to overcome in this distraction in my life. 54:08 I don't have the power, I know I can't do it, 54:11 but I know that You have the power, 54:13 and that Jesus, You want me to live differently 54:17 than I've ever thought of living before. 54:20 Praise the Lord. |
Revised 2018-06-18