John 1, and I'll be
reading verses 1-5, and 14.
00:00:34.86\00:00:41.57
John 1-5, and 14.
00:00:44.57\00:00:48.54
The Bible reads, "In
the beginning was the Word,
00:00:48.58\00:00:53.05
and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God.
00:00:53.08\00:00:58.39
The same was in
the beginning with God.
00:00:58.42\00:01:01.46
All things were made by Him,
00:01:01.49\00:01:03.56
and without Him was not
anything made that was made.
00:01:03.59\00:01:07.46
In Him was life, and the
life was the light of men.
00:01:07.50\00:01:12.87
And the light
shineth in darkness,
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and the darkness
comprehended it not."
00:01:14.54\00:01:17.11
And verse 14.
00:01:17.14\00:01:18.61
"And the Word was made
flesh, and dwelt among us,
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and we beheld the glory,
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the glory of the only
begotten of the Father,
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full of grace and truth."
00:01:27.18\00:01:30.09
Amen.
00:01:30.12\00:01:31.45
Our speaker this morning,
00:01:31.49\00:01:32.82
I had the privilege to
meet about 14 years ago,
00:01:32.85\00:01:35.82
I decided to go
00:01:35.86\00:01:37.19
to the Amazing Facts
College of Evangelism in 2004.
00:01:37.23\00:01:40.60
I met a young man there,
00:01:40.63\00:01:41.96
we sat next to
each other in class,
00:01:42.00\00:01:43.33
we became friends, and we
also became outreach partners,
00:01:43.37\00:01:47.24
his name was Wes Peppers.
00:01:47.27\00:01:50.91
While we were outreach partners,
00:01:50.94\00:01:52.27
we had some very
interesting conversations,
00:01:52.31\00:01:54.38
myself as someone
born and raised in England
00:01:54.41\00:01:56.78
and him as a good old
southern boy from Alabama.
00:01:56.81\00:02:00.95
And I remember one
conversation in particular,
00:02:00.98\00:02:04.62
he told me that he
really wanted to get married.
00:02:04.65\00:02:07.26
He was dating his
current wife at the time,
00:02:07.29\00:02:09.72
and he gave a number of reasons.
00:02:09.76\00:02:11.09
Now one of the reasons
00:02:11.13\00:02:12.46
he really wanted to get married
00:02:12.49\00:02:14.00
was because he was so old.
00:02:14.03\00:02:17.43
He was 23 at the time.
00:02:17.47\00:02:20.47
And I thought, I guess
they do things different.
00:02:20.50\00:02:24.81
After graduation, he became
a Bible worker in Tennessee
00:02:24.84\00:02:27.58
and six months later
00:02:27.61\00:02:28.94
due to his
impending complications
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from old age, he got married.
00:02:30.35\00:02:33.01
A year after that he
became a Bible worker in Kansas,
00:02:33.05\00:02:35.98
then a year after that he went
00:02:36.02\00:02:37.65
to the Amazing Facts
College of Evangelism
00:02:37.69\00:02:39.39
to be the outreach coordinator
00:02:39.42\00:02:40.99
and serve there for five years.
00:02:41.02\00:02:43.06
In 2012, he took
a call to Michigan
00:02:43.09\00:02:45.19
where he served
the Traverse City,
00:02:45.23\00:02:46.83
and the Lansing
district of churches,
00:02:46.86\00:02:49.13
until three months ago
00:02:49.16\00:02:50.50
when he became the
Personal Ministries
00:02:50.53\00:02:51.87
and Evangelism
Coordinator for the Conference.
00:02:51.90\00:02:53.57
Amen.
00:02:53.60\00:02:54.94
Experienced in ministry
and in frontline evangelism,
00:02:54.97\00:02:58.47
he is a committed husband,
00:02:58.51\00:03:01.38
a loving father of two children.
00:03:01.41\00:03:04.65
This week he
hasn't been feeling well,
00:03:04.68\00:03:07.35
but I was never in any doubt
00:03:07.38\00:03:08.72
that he would
stand before you today
00:03:08.75\00:03:10.09
to deliver the
message on Sabbath morning.
00:03:10.12\00:03:12.72
He's a soldier, he's a
warrior, he's a trooper,
00:03:12.75\00:03:16.19
he's not the type
that calls in sick.
00:03:16.22\00:03:18.73
And I believe today,
00:03:18.76\00:03:20.10
he's going to
deliver a message from God.
00:03:20.13\00:03:22.43
And I'd like to
invite to bow your heads
00:03:22.46\00:03:23.90
as we pray for Wes that
God would bless Pastor Peppers.
00:03:23.93\00:03:29.47
Father in Heaven Lord,
00:03:29.50\00:03:31.61
I pray today that You
would bless us at this time.
00:03:31.64\00:03:35.64
I pray, Lord, that You
will be with Pastor Wes Peppers,
00:03:35.68\00:03:38.85
may You give him
physical strength.
00:03:38.88\00:03:41.78
I pray that You will give him
00:03:41.82\00:03:43.15
the discernment
of Your Holy Spirit,
00:03:43.18\00:03:45.39
and I pray, Lord,
that You would give him
00:03:45.42\00:03:47.36
holy boldness as he preaches.
00:03:47.39\00:03:51.29
This we pray in
Christ name. Amen.
00:03:51.33\00:03:54.16
Arise, my soul, arise
00:04:13.62\00:04:19.39
Shake off thy guilty fears
00:04:22.39\00:04:27.40
The bleeding
00:04:31.10\00:04:32.67
Sacrifice in my behalf appears
00:04:32.70\00:04:39.77
Before the
throne my surety stands
00:04:43.04\00:04:47.25
Before the
throne my surety stands
00:04:47.28\00:04:53.56
My name is written
00:04:53.59\00:04:56.02
On His hands
00:04:56.06\00:05:01.76
My name is written on His hands
00:05:01.80\00:05:07.74
Five bleeding wounds
00:05:20.88\00:05:22.98
He bears, received on Calvary
00:05:23.02\00:05:28.36
They pour effectual prayers
00:05:28.39\00:05:31.16
They strongly plead for me
00:05:31.19\00:05:37.23
"Forgive him, oh,
forgive," they cry
00:05:37.27\00:05:41.04
"Forgive him, oh,
forgive," they cry
00:05:41.07\00:05:47.31
"Nor let that ransomed
00:05:47.34\00:05:49.38
Sinner die!"
00:05:49.41\00:05:55.38
"Nor let that
ransomed sinner die!"
00:05:55.42\00:06:02.52
My God is
reconciled His pardoning voice
00:06:13.64\00:06:19.24
I hear He owns me for His child
00:06:19.27\00:06:23.28
I can no longer fear
00:06:23.31\00:06:27.15
With confidence I now draw nigh
00:06:31.09\00:06:34.52
With confidence I now draw nigh
00:06:34.56\00:06:40.83
And "Father,
00:06:40.86\00:06:43.87
Abba, Father," cry
00:06:43.90\00:06:50.77
Arise, my soul, arise
00:06:50.81\00:06:56.81
And "Father, Abba, Father," cry
00:07:02.95\00:07:09.96
Arise, my soul, arise
00:07:16.90\00:07:24.91
Amen.
00:07:35.45\00:07:36.92
Good morning, GYC. Good morning.
00:07:42.76\00:07:45.63
Happy Sabbath. Happy Sabbath.
00:07:45.66\00:07:47.73
It is a blessed
opportunity to join you today
00:07:47.76\00:07:52.17
for worshipping
our Lord and Savior.
00:07:52.20\00:07:54.47
Amen? Amen.
00:07:54.50\00:07:55.84
The only place
greater we could imagine
00:07:55.87\00:07:57.97
being than here right now
00:07:58.01\00:07:59.94
would be to be face to face
before His throne and heaven.
00:07:59.97\00:08:05.28
It's my prayer today
that this will be the last GYC
00:08:05.31\00:08:09.85
that we have to
celebrate here on earth.
00:08:09.88\00:08:12.49
Amen? Amen.
00:08:12.52\00:08:13.86
But that the next GYC
might be before His throne
00:08:13.89\00:08:18.13
on the pearly sea of glass.
00:08:18.16\00:08:19.89
Amen?
00:08:19.93\00:08:21.26
How many of you have that
prayer as well this morning?
00:08:21.30\00:08:24.30
I want to thank
you for being here,
00:08:24.33\00:08:25.90
thank those that are watching
online around the world,
00:08:25.93\00:08:29.90
and I want to give a
special greeting to my family
00:08:29.94\00:08:33.11
who are watching, my children,
and my father, and mother,
00:08:33.14\00:08:37.85
and others that
are watching as well.
00:08:37.88\00:08:40.25
I appreciate that.
00:08:40.28\00:08:41.95
And this week, I have
not been feeling very well.
00:08:41.98\00:08:45.72
In fact, just Monday night,
00:08:45.75\00:08:47.76
I was in the emergency
room with vomiting, and fever,
00:08:47.79\00:08:52.79
and flu, and
all kinds of things,
00:08:52.83\00:08:54.56
and throughout this
week, it's been up and down.
00:08:54.60\00:08:57.17
I gave five seminars
just yesterday and Friday,
00:08:57.20\00:09:01.90
and I'll tell you, friends,
00:09:01.94\00:09:03.37
that the power
of God was present.
00:09:03.41\00:09:06.98
When I needed His
strength the most, it was there.
00:09:07.01\00:09:10.48
And I heard this morning
00:09:10.51\00:09:11.85
that more than a 1,000 people
gathered into the prayer room
00:09:11.88\00:09:16.18
and were asking God's
blessing to be poured out.
00:09:16.22\00:09:19.39
So I praise God today
that all of you are here,
00:09:19.42\00:09:22.72
and I hope that you're prayed up
00:09:22.76\00:09:24.53
because we're
going to be studying
00:09:24.56\00:09:26.33
the power of
God's Word this morning.
00:09:26.36\00:09:28.43
Amen?
00:09:28.46\00:09:29.80
Are you ready for a
Sabbath blessing today?
00:09:29.83\00:09:31.70
Amen. Amen.
00:09:31.73\00:09:34.37
The title of our
message this morning
00:09:34.40\00:09:36.71
is remnant surrender.
00:09:36.74\00:09:40.48
And that's what we need
to experience in our lives
00:09:40.51\00:09:44.15
as God's people
living in the last days.
00:09:44.18\00:09:47.15
And before we go any farther,
00:09:47.18\00:09:48.58
we're just going to ask
00:09:48.62\00:09:49.95
the Lord's
presence to be with us.
00:09:49.98\00:09:52.52
So I would like to
invite you to bow your heads,
00:09:52.55\00:09:55.06
and I'm going to
kneel this morning
00:09:55.09\00:09:56.76
as we seek His blessing.
00:09:56.79\00:10:00.76
Father in heaven,
today we are so grateful
00:10:00.80\00:10:04.63
to be in Your presence.
00:10:04.67\00:10:06.60
Today, Lord, we would
hide behind the cross,
00:10:06.63\00:10:11.17
we would not yet
though stand at its shadow,
00:10:11.21\00:10:14.38
but we would stand in
its glorious light and truth.
00:10:14.41\00:10:18.35
And we pray today, Father,
00:10:18.38\00:10:19.98
that the Spirit of
God would touch our hearts
00:10:20.02\00:10:23.92
that He would move upon us
and that Jesus would be seen
00:10:23.95\00:10:28.46
and known that
we would experience
00:10:28.49\00:10:31.29
the power of Your Spirit
00:10:31.33\00:10:32.73
changing our
hearts, bringing conviction,
00:10:32.76\00:10:36.46
bringing a change,
00:10:36.50\00:10:39.00
a transformation that
we so desperately need.
00:10:39.03\00:10:42.60
And we pray, Father, today
00:10:42.64\00:10:44.07
that we would not
be the same people
00:10:44.11\00:10:45.74
when we leave as when we came.
00:10:45.77\00:10:48.71
Lord, I am not worthy
00:10:48.74\00:10:51.18
to stand on this platform today
00:10:51.21\00:10:53.68
but by the power of
Your grace, it shall be so.
00:10:53.72\00:10:56.92
And I pray, Lord, that
You would hide this man
00:10:56.95\00:11:00.42
behind Your grace,
and Your Son Lord Jesus.
00:11:00.46\00:11:04.79
That the people
would see Him today
00:11:04.83\00:11:06.63
and not me that all the
heaven would shine down,
00:11:06.66\00:11:10.13
all heaven would
look upon us this hour,
00:11:10.17\00:11:13.23
and heaven would be
gathered together in this place,
00:11:13.27\00:11:17.01
but not just in the
room, Lord, but in our hearts.
00:11:17.04\00:11:21.11
And we ask Your Spirit
now to come and speak to us
00:11:21.14\00:11:25.41
through the Word of God
which is the Lord Jesus.
00:11:25.45\00:11:30.25
And we ask it in His name,
let all God's people say amen.
00:11:30.29\00:11:35.26
As Seventh-day Adventists,
we have a rich heritage.
00:11:39.13\00:11:42.76
Amen? Amen.
00:11:42.80\00:11:44.70
As Seventh-day Adventists,
00:11:44.73\00:11:46.53
we have held to the
great Protestant Reformation,
00:11:46.57\00:11:50.54
the theme of Sola Scriptura,
00:11:50.57\00:11:53.07
we have built upon the
great faith of men and women
00:11:53.11\00:11:55.94
who have given their lives,
who have given their hearts,
00:11:55.98\00:11:59.21
who have given their wealth,
00:11:59.25\00:12:00.62
who have given everything
00:12:00.65\00:12:01.98
that they had to
stand firm on a faith
00:12:02.02\00:12:05.02
that we have
cherished for centuries
00:12:05.05\00:12:07.72
and the ages of darkness.
00:12:07.76\00:12:11.26
This very year we celebrated
00:12:11.29\00:12:13.06
the 500th year of the
Protestant Reformation.
00:12:13.09\00:12:16.10
And there was a call
given for many world leaders
00:12:16.13\00:12:19.30
to actually put an
end to that reformation.
00:12:19.33\00:12:22.74
But as Seventh-day Adventists,
00:12:22.77\00:12:24.11
we believe that the reformation
will not come into an end
00:12:24.14\00:12:28.94
until the Lord Jesus
comes in the clouds of heaven
00:12:28.98\00:12:31.88
to take His people home.
00:12:31.91\00:12:33.28
Amen.
00:12:33.31\00:12:34.65
As an Adventist people, we have
a specific biblical identity.
00:12:34.68\00:12:40.56
We are not just
another Protestant denomination
00:12:40.59\00:12:43.12
within that
Protestant Reformation,
00:12:43.16\00:12:45.63
but we believe that
00:12:45.66\00:12:47.00
we are the prophetic
movement of Bible prophecy
00:12:47.03\00:12:50.80
that would bring a climax
to that great reformation.
00:12:50.83\00:12:55.10
We believe as
Seventh-day Adventists
00:12:55.14\00:12:56.87
that we are just not
another prophetic movement,
00:12:56.91\00:13:00.78
but we are the remnant
church of Bible prophecy.
00:13:00.81\00:13:04.31
We are the final
piece to the long puzzle
00:13:04.35\00:13:07.08
of the Great Controversy
00:13:07.12\00:13:08.62
that God is
seeking to put in place
00:13:08.65\00:13:11.25
to make the picture complete.
00:13:11.29\00:13:15.69
We believe in the prophecies
of Daniel and Revelation.
00:13:15.72\00:13:19.69
We believe and have
a strong understanding
00:13:19.73\00:13:22.80
that the roots of
our very existence
00:13:22.83\00:13:25.57
are contained in Bible prophecy.
00:13:25.60\00:13:28.24
In fact, in the
Book of Revelation 10,
00:13:28.27\00:13:31.37
we find the
origin of this movement.
00:13:31.41\00:13:35.01
Brothers and
sisters, friends, today,
00:13:35.04\00:13:37.75
the rise of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:13:37.78\00:13:40.95
and the course of human history
is not a mere coincidence,
00:13:40.98\00:13:46.49
but it was predicted
and revealed in prophecy
00:13:46.52\00:13:49.76
thousands of
years before it began.
00:13:49.79\00:13:52.59
We can be sure as
Seventh-day Adventists today
00:13:52.63\00:13:56.20
that we are God's
movement for the last days,
00:13:56.23\00:13:59.33
for the Bible says so.
00:13:59.37\00:14:01.24
Amen!
00:14:01.27\00:14:04.24
And the prophecies that we
have preached as Adventists
00:14:04.27\00:14:09.18
for the last 150 years
00:14:09.21\00:14:11.68
are coming true
before our very eyes.
00:14:11.71\00:14:15.38
They are coming to pass
00:14:15.42\00:14:17.02
like never before
in earth's history.
00:14:17.05\00:14:20.16
And the last five years,
but especially in the last year
00:14:20.19\00:14:23.49
more prophetic events
have taken place in our time
00:14:23.53\00:14:26.93
than in any other
course in history.
00:14:26.96\00:14:31.10
We can be confident
that what we have believed,
00:14:31.13\00:14:34.47
what we have preached,
00:14:34.50\00:14:36.27
and what we have
proclaimed is the truth
00:14:36.30\00:14:39.57
because we see the Bible
coming alive before our eyes.
00:14:39.61\00:14:43.61
Every day in the
newspapers, we see it.
00:14:43.65\00:14:46.41
Our prophetic
message in many ways
00:14:46.45\00:14:48.98
is no longer prophetic
truth but present truth.
00:14:49.02\00:14:52.45
Amen!
00:14:52.49\00:14:53.82
What we have
preached just 10 years ago,
00:14:53.86\00:14:55.92
we see happening now.
00:14:55.96\00:14:58.29
I say all these things
not boastfully but humbly
00:14:58.33\00:15:02.76
because to put it
plainly even though
00:15:02.80\00:15:05.23
we've had these
gifts of prophecy,
00:15:05.27\00:15:08.07
and truth, and His church
00:15:08.10\00:15:11.77
without any credit to ourselves.
00:15:11.81\00:15:14.94
No man can boast in it,
00:15:14.98\00:15:17.25
but I fear that we've
fallen short in appreciating it
00:15:17.28\00:15:20.72
in the way that we should.
00:15:20.75\00:15:22.38
I fear that we've not
been broken in humility
00:15:22.42\00:15:25.45
at the great
weight of responsibility
00:15:25.49\00:15:28.02
that God has laid
upon us to warn the world.
00:15:28.06\00:15:31.93
I fear like that we
are overindulged children,
00:15:31.96\00:15:35.76
we have been
selfish and arrogance,
00:15:35.80\00:15:38.03
and the way that we
have dealt with the blessings
00:15:38.07\00:15:40.47
that God has given
His remnant church.
00:15:40.50\00:15:44.57
We have had a mission
as a people of destiny.
00:15:44.61\00:15:48.34
Specifically, in
Revelation 10:11,
00:15:48.38\00:15:51.71
the Bible tells us
00:15:51.75\00:15:53.31
that we are to
rise and prophesy again.
00:15:53.35\00:15:56.85
After the great disappointment,
00:15:56.89\00:15:58.89
which is speaking to
our generation today,
00:15:58.92\00:16:01.72
the Bible calls
us to prophesy again
00:16:01.76\00:16:05.29
to many people,
nations, and tongues.
00:16:05.33\00:16:09.10
We are called to carry a
message to the whole world
00:16:09.13\00:16:12.67
that will give
the last great appeal
00:16:12.70\00:16:14.94
for a broken
world to receive Christ
00:16:14.97\00:16:17.91
and prepare them for
the second coming of Jesus.
00:16:17.94\00:16:21.01
This is the
three angels' message.
00:16:21.04\00:16:23.48
And we are commissioned
to carry Christ to those
00:16:23.51\00:16:27.02
who know Him not
00:16:27.05\00:16:28.38
and to carry the truth
to others who know Him well.
00:16:28.42\00:16:32.05
Amen.
00:16:32.09\00:16:35.89
We are called to call
the world out of Babylon,
00:16:35.92\00:16:40.23
both in its pagan
00:16:40.26\00:16:41.70
and its
apostate Christian forms.
00:16:41.73\00:16:45.43
We are challenged to
call His remnant people
00:16:45.47\00:16:48.30
out of false movements
into His remnant church.
00:16:48.34\00:16:52.31
God has remnant
people in every church.
00:16:52.34\00:16:54.91
Amen? Amen.
00:16:54.94\00:16:56.28
But He only has
one remnant church.
00:16:56.31\00:17:02.52
And yet somehow we
have failed in our mission,
00:17:02.55\00:17:06.25
somehow currently
we are failing in it.
00:17:06.29\00:17:09.32
This somehow is
not a mystery today,
00:17:09.36\00:17:12.43
we are going to put our finger
directly on it this morning.
00:17:12.46\00:17:16.16
Part of it is that though
00:17:16.20\00:17:17.63
we are called to call
others out of Babylon,
00:17:17.67\00:17:20.40
Babylon is alive and
well in our own hearts.
00:17:20.44\00:17:26.61
Before we can call
our people out of Babylon,
00:17:26.64\00:17:29.84
we have to allow God to remove
Babylon out of our own lives.
00:17:29.88\00:17:36.38
And it is sad,
brothers and sisters,
00:17:36.42\00:17:38.59
very sad that the
state of affairs in Babylon
00:17:38.62\00:17:43.02
and the unity that
they are experiencing
00:17:43.06\00:17:46.43
is greater than that
of God's remnant church.
00:17:46.46\00:17:50.03
In fact, they are also...
00:17:50.07\00:17:51.70
Babylon is also a
prophetic movement,
00:17:51.73\00:17:56.60
and it is fulfilling its
prophetic destiny currently
00:17:56.64\00:18:01.61
much better than
God's own people.
00:18:01.64\00:18:04.55
Mercy.
00:18:04.58\00:18:07.25
And it is rapidly
fulfilling its destiny.
00:18:07.28\00:18:11.59
We are the remnant movements,
why are they fulfilling it?
00:18:11.62\00:18:17.26
Because that we
are the remnant church,
00:18:17.29\00:18:20.83
the remnant movement,
00:18:20.86\00:18:22.80
we are not living remnant lives.
00:18:22.83\00:18:25.67
We are not fulfilling
00:18:25.70\00:18:27.04
the fullness of
our prophetic destiny.
00:18:27.07\00:18:29.10
They understand their destiny,
00:18:29.14\00:18:31.11
and they are moving
in orchestrated unity
00:18:31.14\00:18:33.81
to accomplish it.
00:18:33.84\00:18:35.28
In fact, I
believe that in many ways,
00:18:35.31\00:18:37.81
God has restrained them
00:18:37.85\00:18:39.78
because His
people are not ready.
00:18:39.81\00:18:43.59
God is calling today
00:18:43.62\00:18:45.02
His remnant church
to arise and shine.
00:18:45.05\00:18:47.92
Babylon may arise, it may unite,
00:18:47.96\00:18:51.93
but it does not shine.
00:18:51.96\00:18:54.80
It does not shine
with the light of heaven
00:18:54.83\00:18:57.20
or the beauty of its truth.
00:18:57.23\00:18:58.80
But God's people are
called to rise and shine
00:18:58.83\00:19:02.60
by possessing His character,
00:19:02.64\00:19:05.34
His
righteousness, and His truth.
00:19:05.37\00:19:08.84
But God's people have one thing
00:19:08.88\00:19:11.21
that we have in
common with Babylon
00:19:11.25\00:19:13.35
is that we are
not shining either.
00:19:13.38\00:19:17.89
Mercy.
00:19:17.92\00:19:19.25
At least to the
fullness of our potential.
00:19:19.29\00:19:23.43
This morning, we're
going to discover the one thing
00:19:23.46\00:19:25.33
that we're doing poorly.
00:19:25.36\00:19:27.30
We're going to
discover the one thing
00:19:27.33\00:19:28.80
that is the answer
to all other things.
00:19:28.83\00:19:31.67
We're going to discover
what it is that continues
00:19:31.70\00:19:34.40
to plague God's people,
00:19:34.44\00:19:36.17
and we're going
to find a solution
00:19:36.20\00:19:38.17
that will allow us to rise
and shine like never before.
00:19:38.21\00:19:42.94
In the Book of 2
Corinthians 11:2, 3,
00:19:42.98\00:19:47.12
the Bible says,
"For I am jealous for you
00:19:47.15\00:19:50.35
with a godly jealousy.
00:19:50.39\00:19:52.62
For I have
betrothed you to one husband,
00:19:52.65\00:19:55.79
that I may present you as
a chaste virgin to Christ.
00:19:55.82\00:20:02.30
But I fear, lest somehow,
00:20:02.33\00:20:04.00
as the serpent
deceived Eve by his craftiness,
00:20:04.03\00:20:07.40
so your minds may be corrupted
00:20:07.44\00:20:15.28
from a simplicity
that is in Christ."
00:20:15.31\00:20:21.68
Friends, today, the
answer to our troubles,
00:20:21.72\00:20:27.76
the challenge to our weakness
00:20:27.79\00:20:30.89
as that we have
forgotten the simplicity
00:20:30.93\00:20:35.16
that is in the Lord Jesus.
00:20:35.20\00:20:39.23
It seems that as a church
00:20:39.27\00:20:41.97
though we have
had a clear truth,
00:20:42.00\00:20:44.44
a clear
mission, a clear purpose,
00:20:44.47\00:20:47.68
we have somehow
missed the simplicity
00:20:47.71\00:20:50.61
of the righteousness of Christ
00:20:50.65\00:20:52.41
to transform and
empower our daily lives
00:20:52.45\00:20:56.32
because although we've
known the truth as a people,
00:20:56.35\00:20:59.52
although we've had the
doctrines of the last days,
00:20:59.55\00:21:03.63
we have not been transformed,
00:21:03.66\00:21:05.89
our hearts have not
been changed by the power
00:21:05.93\00:21:09.36
and the
simplicity of the Word of God
00:21:09.40\00:21:12.13
that reveals
Christ as a person to us.
00:21:12.17\00:21:15.10
We have been a scripture-based
people since our existence.
00:21:18.27\00:21:21.71
Say amen. Amen.
00:21:21.74\00:21:25.01
We have been a
Sabbath keeping people.
00:21:25.05\00:21:28.98
We have been a Second
Coming proclaiming people.
00:21:29.02\00:21:32.82
But, brothers and sisters,
00:21:32.85\00:21:34.19
today, we have not been a
surrendered living people.
00:21:34.22\00:21:37.36
We have not been called to
simply preach the character
00:21:41.46\00:21:45.33
and righteousness of Christ,
00:21:45.37\00:21:47.17
but we have been called
as a people to possess it.
00:21:47.20\00:21:50.54
Amen.
00:21:50.57\00:21:52.87
We have failed in our mission
because we have not been just
00:21:52.91\00:21:56.54
called to carry
Christ to the world
00:21:56.58\00:21:58.61
but to actually
reveal Christ to the world
00:21:58.65\00:22:02.75
through our lives,
through our characters,
00:22:02.78\00:22:06.19
through our persons.
00:22:06.22\00:22:09.42
We have not yet seen God's
glory arise and shine in us
00:22:09.46\00:22:14.26
because we have not
fully surrendered our hearts
00:22:14.30\00:22:17.40
to receive His
righteousness and character.
00:22:17.43\00:22:20.37
And yet God, it is mercy
00:22:20.40\00:22:23.54
and the theme
text of our conference,
00:22:23.57\00:22:27.01
Isaiah 60:1
says, "Arise and shine,
00:22:27.04\00:22:31.75
for your light has come,
00:22:31.78\00:22:33.55
and the glory of the
Lord has risen upon you."
00:22:33.58\00:22:38.05
Before this can happen though,
00:22:38.09\00:22:40.19
we must have an experience
with the Spirit of God
00:22:40.22\00:22:44.49
that transforms our lives.
00:22:44.53\00:22:47.66
Go with me please to
the Book of 2 Timothy 3.
00:22:47.70\00:22:52.30
2 Timothy 3.
00:22:52.33\00:22:55.24
I'm going to take
a look at a passage
00:22:55.27\00:22:57.67
that I believe
directly correlates
00:22:57.71\00:23:00.01
with our theme this morning.
00:23:00.04\00:23:01.91
2 Timothy 3.
00:23:01.94\00:23:04.45
And it's a passage
00:23:04.48\00:23:05.81
that I believe that most of you
00:23:05.85\00:23:07.18
are probably very familiar with,
00:23:07.22\00:23:09.92
it's a letter
from the Apostle Paul
00:23:09.95\00:23:12.29
to a young person named Timothy.
00:23:12.32\00:23:14.72
Now Timothy, many of
you can identify with
00:23:14.76\00:23:17.66
because Timothy was a young
man growing up in the church.
00:23:17.69\00:23:21.70
We know that he was at least
a third generation Christian
00:23:21.73\00:23:25.40
because Paul speaks about
his mother and his grandmother
00:23:25.43\00:23:30.04
who taught him the scriptures.
00:23:30.07\00:23:32.37
Timothy was a
faithful young man,
00:23:32.41\00:23:34.68
most of you in this room
can identify with Timothy.
00:23:34.71\00:23:38.71
He was a young person.
00:23:38.75\00:23:40.12
He was raised in the church,
00:23:40.15\00:23:41.92
and he strove to
be faithful and true.
00:23:41.95\00:23:44.69
He would have loved GYC.
00:23:44.72\00:23:46.65
Amen? Amen.
00:23:46.69\00:23:48.02
He would have
loved to have been here.
00:23:48.06\00:23:49.72
In fact, if he was here today,
00:23:49.76\00:23:51.96
I would sit down
and let him preach.
00:23:51.99\00:23:55.96
Timothy was a
wonderful young man,
00:23:56.00\00:23:58.07
and God spoke to him
through the Apostle Paul.
00:23:58.10\00:24:02.10
Paul tells Timothy in verse
10, he says of 2 Timothy 3:10,
00:24:02.14\00:24:08.94
"But you have
carefully followed by doctrine,
00:24:08.98\00:24:11.71
my manner of life, my purpose,
my faith, my longsuffering,
00:24:11.75\00:24:16.42
my love,
perseverance, persecutions,
00:24:16.45\00:24:20.02
afflictions which happened
to me at Antioch, at Iconium,
00:24:20.06\00:24:23.96
at Lystra, what
persecutions I endured.
00:24:23.99\00:24:26.49
And out of them,
the Lord delivered me."
00:24:26.53\00:24:29.23
The Bible tells
us, dear friends,
00:24:29.26\00:24:31.53
that as Christians we are
going to suffer persecution.
00:24:31.57\00:24:35.50
Amen.
00:24:35.54\00:24:36.87
In the book Great Controversy,
we're told that the reason
00:24:36.91\00:24:40.34
God's church today does
not experience persecution
00:24:40.38\00:24:44.41
is because it is
not living the lives
00:24:44.45\00:24:46.88
that God has called us to live.
00:24:46.92\00:24:50.09
And if we were to
live that kind of a life,
00:24:50.12\00:24:52.95
like the early church lived
00:24:52.99\00:24:55.72
that the pursuit of
persecution would rise again.
00:24:55.76\00:24:59.89
The reason today
that the unbelieving world
00:24:59.93\00:25:02.43
will mock God's
church and mock God's people
00:25:02.46\00:25:05.97
is because there is no
power of God in our lives
00:25:06.00\00:25:09.80
because we are
living a form of godliness
00:25:09.84\00:25:13.24
but denying its power.
00:25:13.27\00:25:15.91
But Paul tells
Timothy, he goes on,
00:25:15.94\00:25:19.71
and he says in verse 14.
00:25:19.75\00:25:22.58
Verse 13, "But evil
men and impostors will grow
00:25:22.62\00:25:25.25
worse and worse,
00:25:25.29\00:25:26.92
deceiving and being deceived."
00:25:26.96\00:25:28.96
Friends, are we not
seeing that in today's world?
00:25:28.99\00:25:32.29
Are we not seeing that
even in the church today?
00:25:32.33\00:25:36.50
He goes on and says,
00:25:36.53\00:25:38.77
that despite
all of these things,
00:25:38.80\00:25:41.64
despite the difficulties
that God's Church may face,
00:25:41.67\00:25:46.27
despite the persecution
that God's Church may face,
00:25:46.31\00:25:50.41
despite the deception
00:25:50.45\00:25:51.88
and the apostasy that might
creep in through individuals
00:25:51.91\00:25:56.15
who are led astray,
he says this one thing,
00:25:56.18\00:25:59.82
and this must be the
theme of our hearts today
00:25:59.85\00:26:02.92
if God is going
to call us to arise.
00:26:02.96\00:26:06.96
Verse 14, he says,
"But you must continue,"
00:26:07.00\00:26:10.87
you must do what everyone?
00:26:10.90\00:26:12.83
"You must continue in the things
00:26:12.87\00:26:16.07
which you have
learned and been assured of,
00:26:16.10\00:26:18.54
knowing from whom
you have learned them,
00:26:18.57\00:26:21.24
and that from childhood
00:26:21.28\00:26:22.71
you have known
the Holy Scriptures,
00:26:22.74\00:26:24.75
which are able to
make you wise for salvation
00:26:24.78\00:26:28.78
through faith which
is in Christ Jesus."
00:26:28.82\00:26:32.45
Paul urges
Timothy, in the early days,
00:26:32.49\00:26:35.79
when he was about himself
to depart from the earth,
00:26:35.82\00:26:39.79
when he
understood through visions
00:26:39.83\00:26:41.83
that the Lord had given
him that things would creep in,
00:26:41.86\00:26:45.40
apostasy would come
in after he was gone.
00:26:45.43\00:26:49.00
He urges Timothy to
continue in the word
00:26:49.04\00:26:53.11
which first set him free.
00:26:53.14\00:26:56.34
And as a
movement of people today,
00:26:56.38\00:26:58.88
as God's final people on whom
He's going to arise and shine.
00:26:58.91\00:27:04.19
I'm appealing to you today that
we also must continue in that
00:27:04.22\00:27:09.22
which He has given
us at the beginning.
00:27:09.26\00:27:11.69
Amen.
00:27:11.73\00:27:13.06
The Word of God
which reveals the truth
00:27:13.09\00:27:16.77
and the person of Christ must be
00:27:16.80\00:27:19.70
our anchor in these last days.
00:27:19.73\00:27:22.47
Amen.
00:27:22.50\00:27:24.64
Verse 15, he speaks and says
00:27:24.67\00:27:28.28
that the Holy Scriptures
are able to make you wise.
00:27:28.31\00:27:32.25
By the way, he's
speaking of which texts...
00:27:32.28\00:27:34.35
Which scriptures
is he speaking about?
00:27:34.38\00:27:37.55
He's speaking
about the Old Testament.
00:27:37.59\00:27:39.25
Of course, it applies to
the New Testament as well.
00:27:39.29\00:27:41.92
But the beauty
of the Old Testament
00:27:41.96\00:27:43.79
is that if that's all we had,
00:27:43.83\00:27:45.76
you could find faith,
you could find wisdom,
00:27:45.79\00:27:49.30
you can find salvation,
and you can find Jesus
00:27:49.33\00:27:52.83
in the Old Testament scriptures.
00:27:52.87\00:27:54.34
Amen? Amen.
00:27:54.37\00:27:55.70
We're not a New
Testament church,
00:27:55.74\00:27:57.67
we're not an Old
Testament church,
00:27:57.71\00:27:59.94
we're a Bible church.
00:27:59.97\00:28:01.34
Amen? Amen.
00:28:01.38\00:28:02.71
We believe in the
truth of God's Word.
00:28:02.74\00:28:06.21
He continues on and says,
00:28:06.25\00:28:08.48
"All Scripture is
given by inspiration of God,
00:28:08.52\00:28:12.52
and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof,
00:28:12.55\00:28:15.62
for correction, and
instruction in righteousness."
00:28:15.66\00:28:22.50
We know that all Scripture
is given by inspiration of God.
00:28:22.53\00:28:27.34
And I'm going to say
this because of the dangers
00:28:27.37\00:28:30.97
better creeping in
to our church today.
00:28:31.01\00:28:34.81
If all Scripture is
given by inspiration of God,
00:28:34.84\00:28:40.85
and the Holy
Spirit is not a person,
00:28:40.88\00:28:44.65
the third person of the Godhead,
00:28:44.69\00:28:47.62
then the Bible cannot
be a living documents,
00:28:47.66\00:28:51.19
they cannot be truly
the revelation of Christ
00:28:51.23\00:28:54.50
but it's just a book
of an impersonal force
00:28:54.53\00:28:58.63
that has no
relevance for us today.
00:28:58.67\00:29:01.60
We believe in the three
person Godhead as a church.
00:29:01.64\00:29:05.21
Amen? Amen.
00:29:05.24\00:29:06.57
We believe in the
truth of the Holy Spirit
00:29:06.61\00:29:09.14
to reveal Christ to
us and change our lives.
00:29:09.18\00:29:11.81
We believe that
He's a real person.
00:29:11.85\00:29:14.18
We believe that He
is the revealer of truth
00:29:14.22\00:29:17.15
and that He convicts our hearts.
00:29:17.19\00:29:19.12
No force can bring the
personal conviction and comfort
00:29:19.15\00:29:24.09
to our hearts unless He's
truly a person of the Godhead.
00:29:24.13\00:29:28.56
Amen? Amen.
00:29:28.60\00:29:31.00
Verse 17.
00:29:31.03\00:29:32.37
I'm sorry, he says, verse 16.
00:29:32.40\00:29:34.34
"All Scripture is
given by inspiration of God,
00:29:34.37\00:29:37.44
and profitable for doctrine."
00:29:37.47\00:29:39.31
You see,
friends, the Word of God
00:29:39.34\00:29:40.84
has the power to
transform our lives.
00:29:40.88\00:29:43.71
Yes or no? Yes.
00:29:43.75\00:29:45.15
It has the power to allow
00:29:45.18\00:29:46.78
the righteousness
of Christ to cover us.
00:29:46.82\00:29:49.45
I remember there was this man
named John number of years ago,
00:29:49.48\00:29:53.59
I was doing a meeting in Alabama
00:29:53.62\00:29:56.26
for my father-in-law's church.
00:29:56.29\00:29:58.33
And this man
came to the meetings,
00:29:58.36\00:30:00.96
and he didn't know how to read,
but he knew what the Bible said
00:30:01.00\00:30:04.97
because every night his wife
00:30:05.00\00:30:06.74
would read to him the Scripture.
00:30:06.77\00:30:09.50
She would speak to him,
00:30:09.54\00:30:10.87
and she would read
chapters at a time,
00:30:10.91\00:30:13.61
and he came in
to me, and he said,
00:30:13.64\00:30:15.28
the very first
night of the meetings.
00:30:15.31\00:30:17.65
He said, "Listen, Preacher,
00:30:17.68\00:30:19.21
I'm here to tell you something."
00:30:19.25\00:30:20.95
And I said, "I'm listening."
00:30:20.98\00:30:22.65
And he said,
"If I hear one thing
00:30:22.68\00:30:25.39
come out of your mouth
00:30:25.42\00:30:27.72
that is not in
harmony with the Bible,"
00:30:27.76\00:30:30.39
he says, "I'm telling you now
00:30:30.43\00:30:31.76
that me and my family
will get up and leave."
00:30:31.79\00:30:34.53
And I said,
"Brother, I hope you do,
00:30:34.56\00:30:36.80
and I hope you
tell everyone else
00:30:36.83\00:30:38.30
that they should leave too."
00:30:38.33\00:30:40.40
That brother
came the next night,
00:30:40.44\00:30:42.54
he came the next
night, and the next night,
00:30:42.57\00:30:45.41
and he came every
night throughout the series.
00:30:45.44\00:30:48.41
At the end of the meetings,
he and his wife were baptized,
00:30:48.44\00:30:52.85
later his son was baptized,
00:30:52.88\00:30:55.55
a little later his other
son was baptized, a little...
00:30:55.58\00:30:59.19
Sometime after that
he began to learn to read
00:30:59.22\00:31:02.72
by using the Bible,
00:31:02.76\00:31:04.13
it wasn't long before
he was up on the platform
00:31:04.16\00:31:07.43
doing the scripture reading,
00:31:07.46\00:31:09.33
and then several
months after that
00:31:09.36\00:31:11.10
he preached his first sermon.
00:31:11.13\00:31:13.67
The Bible taught
the man how to read,
00:31:13.70\00:31:17.01
and now he reads fluently,
00:31:17.04\00:31:18.94
and he's a deacon in the church.
00:31:18.97\00:31:20.71
A faithful man of God.
00:31:20.74\00:31:23.21
This is what the
power of God's Word
00:31:23.24\00:31:25.35
will do for our lives today.
00:31:25.38\00:31:26.88
Amen? Amen.
00:31:26.92\00:31:29.02
I want to read a quote for you
00:31:29.05\00:31:30.65
from the book
Christian Education, page 118.
00:31:30.69\00:31:33.76
"The Bible is the only
rule of faith and doctrine.
00:31:33.79\00:31:37.26
There is nothing more calculated
00:31:37.29\00:31:39.59
to energize the mind,
00:31:39.63\00:31:41.10
and strengthen the intellect
00:31:41.13\00:31:43.06
than the study
of the Word of God.
00:31:43.10\00:31:45.87
No other book is so
potent to elevate the thoughts,
00:31:45.90\00:31:49.07
to give vigor to the
faculties, as the broad,
00:31:49.10\00:31:52.07
ennobling truths of the Bible.
00:31:52.11\00:31:54.24
If God's Word were
studied as it should be,
00:31:54.28\00:31:57.18
men would have
a breadth of mind,
00:31:57.21\00:31:59.61
a nobility of character,
00:31:59.65\00:32:01.75
and a stability of purpose
00:32:01.78\00:32:03.79
that is rarely
seen in these times."
00:32:03.82\00:32:05.49
Amen.
00:32:05.52\00:32:06.86
If you want those
qualities today, friends,
00:32:06.89\00:32:09.36
you need to spend
time studying God's Word.
00:32:09.39\00:32:12.09
Amen? Amen.
00:32:12.13\00:32:13.46
Too often, we are taking these
little one page devotionals
00:32:13.50\00:32:19.87
or watching these
little two or three-minute
00:32:19.90\00:32:22.10
devotional videos,
00:32:22.14\00:32:24.07
and we are lacking a true
experience in the Word of God.
00:32:24.11\00:32:27.94
We are lacking deep
Bible study in our lives.
00:32:27.98\00:32:31.11
We are lacked that leads us
00:32:31.15\00:32:32.48
to repentance and
confession of our sin.
00:32:32.51\00:32:35.55
And our hearts are
paying the price because of it
00:32:35.58\00:32:39.35
because we go
further and further away
00:32:39.39\00:32:41.66
from God's idea in our lives.
00:32:41.69\00:32:43.73
But if we will make it
our work to draw near to Him
00:32:43.76\00:32:47.53
in the Word, He
will transform us.
00:32:47.56\00:32:51.90
He goes on in verse 16,
00:32:51.93\00:32:53.84
He says that the Word of
God is profitable for what?
00:32:53.87\00:32:57.01
For doctrine.
00:32:57.04\00:32:58.54
As Seventh-day Adventists,
00:32:58.57\00:32:59.91
we have one creed,
and what is it, friends?
00:32:59.94\00:33:03.28
We have the Bible as our creed.
00:33:03.31\00:33:05.35
We believe that the
whole Bible is inspired.
00:33:05.38\00:33:08.32
We believe that
our doctrine is true.
00:33:08.35\00:33:11.42
In fact, Jesus gives
rebuke to the churches
00:33:11.45\00:33:15.42
and Revelation 2, 3 many of them
00:33:15.46\00:33:18.13
because of their
doctrine but to the Last Church,
00:33:18.16\00:33:21.36
the Church of Laodicea,
He gives no doctrinal rebuke
00:33:21.40\00:33:26.33
because our doctrines are true,
they are the remnant doctrines.
00:33:26.37\00:33:31.24
We have never had a
problem with our doctrines.
00:33:31.27\00:33:35.71
Recently, we have many
people have problems with them,
00:33:35.74\00:33:39.55
but in of themselves
they are pure and true.
00:33:39.58\00:33:42.48
Amen? Amen.
00:33:42.52\00:33:43.85
But the doctrine of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:33:43.89\00:33:46.79
has not been the problem.
00:33:46.82\00:33:49.56
The rebuke to the Laodicean
Church is not for doctrine
00:33:49.59\00:33:53.33
but because of the
condition of their hearts.
00:33:53.36\00:33:57.63
In our preaching and teaching
00:33:57.67\00:33:59.17
if the power of Christ
00:33:59.20\00:34:00.90
is not revealed
through the doctrine,
00:34:00.94\00:34:02.77
it becomes dry as a bone.
00:34:02.80\00:34:06.21
The work of God's
Spirit must transform us
00:34:06.24\00:34:09.51
through the messages we preach.
00:34:09.54\00:34:11.71
You see, friends, it's
possible to be a strict vegan
00:34:11.75\00:34:15.48
and act like an animal.
00:34:15.52\00:34:16.99
It's possible to eat
very clean and act like a pig.
00:34:21.42\00:34:27.66
Mercy.
00:34:27.70\00:34:29.03
Amen.
00:34:33.80\00:34:35.14
And you can preach the Sabbath.
00:34:35.17\00:34:39.37
You can preach
the Second Coming.
00:34:39.41\00:34:42.74
You can preach the sanctuary.
00:34:42.78\00:34:45.55
But if your heart is
not connected to the Christ
00:34:45.58\00:34:49.65
that gave the doctrine,
00:34:49.68\00:34:53.09
but your life will
be as filthy as a pig
00:34:53.12\00:34:55.46
that you refrain from eating.
00:34:55.49\00:34:56.86
It's possible to be on
the righteous side of hell
00:34:59.89\00:35:03.47
but on the wrong side of heaven.
00:35:03.50\00:35:07.07
If the Christ who gave
the doctrine isn't changing
00:35:07.10\00:35:09.87
the heart to live
above the carnal flesh
00:35:09.90\00:35:13.34
of our natural nature,
00:35:13.38\00:35:15.04
then we have made the great sin
00:35:15.08\00:35:17.11
of separating
Christ from His truth.
00:35:17.15\00:35:19.61
We must defend the
truth from apostasy,
00:35:24.19\00:35:27.99
but we must also be
transformed by apostolic love
00:35:28.02\00:35:31.99
for those who disagree
with us, those who slander us,
00:35:32.03\00:35:35.86
or those who openly attack us.
00:35:35.90\00:35:38.87
Whether you view yourself
00:35:38.90\00:35:40.54
on the
conservative side of Adventism
00:35:40.57\00:35:43.20
or on the liberal
side of Adventism,
00:35:43.24\00:35:47.78
it doesn't really matter,
00:35:47.81\00:35:49.81
if we do not
love as Christ's love
00:35:49.84\00:35:52.91
while maintaining the
truth, it's all in vain.
00:35:52.95\00:35:59.09
You see the world
church still has authority
00:35:59.12\00:36:05.19
because of the
pureness of our doctrine.
00:36:05.23\00:36:07.96
The world church
still has authority.
00:36:08.00\00:36:10.77
Satan lost his
authority in heaven
00:36:10.80\00:36:13.00
because he went
contrary to God's Word.
00:36:13.03\00:36:15.80
Adam and Eve lost
Eden for the same reason.
00:36:15.84\00:36:18.97
The world was lost to the flood
00:36:19.01\00:36:21.31
because it went
contrary to the Word of God.
00:36:21.34\00:36:25.11
Saul lost his kingdom
today that because of the same.
00:36:25.15\00:36:28.62
The reason in the Book of Acts
00:36:28.65\00:36:31.15
that the church had
authority and powers
00:36:31.19\00:36:33.29
because it remained
faithful to God's Word,
00:36:33.32\00:36:35.72
and its voted actions.
00:36:35.76\00:36:38.36
The world church
today, the General Conference
00:36:38.39\00:36:41.36
and Session has not taken a vote
00:36:41.40\00:36:44.53
that has gone directly
contrary to the Word of God.
00:36:44.57\00:36:48.07
Therefore, it
still has spiritual
00:36:48.10\00:36:51.54
and ecclesiastical authority
00:36:51.57\00:36:53.64
as a body that God's
people should submit to
00:36:53.68\00:36:57.28
as long as it
remains faithful to the Word.
00:36:57.31\00:36:59.81
Amen.
00:36:59.85\00:37:01.18
We need to
support our world church
00:37:01.22\00:37:03.65
because of the doctrine
00:37:03.69\00:37:05.05
that unites us is pure and true.
00:37:05.09\00:37:07.66
He goes on, and he says,
00:37:11.36\00:37:12.83
"It is profitable for
doctrine and for rebuke."
00:37:12.86\00:37:17.03
If you turn with me
to the Book of Hebrews 4.
00:37:17.07\00:37:22.17
Hebrews 4.
00:37:22.20\00:37:26.31
And the Bible speaks
to us very loud and clear,
00:37:26.34\00:37:28.74
he says, "For
the Word of God..."
00:37:28.78\00:37:31.01
In verse 12.
00:37:31.05\00:37:32.38
"For the Word of God
is living, and powerful,
00:37:32.41\00:37:34.08
and sharper than
any two-edged sword,
00:37:34.12\00:37:36.89
piercing even to the
division of soul and spirit,
00:37:36.92\00:37:40.19
and the joints and marrow,
00:37:40.22\00:37:41.76
and is a
discerner of the thoughts
00:37:41.79\00:37:43.76
and the intents of the heart."
00:37:43.79\00:37:46.33
When you open the Word of God,
00:37:46.36\00:37:48.56
and you read and
understand the truth there.
00:37:48.60\00:37:51.57
When you open the Word of God,
00:37:51.60\00:37:53.03
you come face to face
with the living Christ,
00:37:53.07\00:37:56.17
who begins to
speak to your soul.
00:37:56.20\00:37:59.37
And as you see
that which is true
00:37:59.41\00:38:01.34
and ideal in God's Word,
00:38:01.38\00:38:02.74
it begins to reveal
00:38:02.78\00:38:04.11
what is untrue and
unideal in your own life.
00:38:04.15\00:38:08.02
And that beauty of
the Word of God is that
00:38:08.05\00:38:10.29
it knows every excuse
and knows every motivation,
00:38:10.32\00:38:15.52
and knows every
secret thing in your heart,
00:38:15.56\00:38:18.59
and it reveals it,
00:38:18.63\00:38:19.96
and it lays us bare
before a living God who is holy,
00:38:20.00\00:38:24.17
just and righteous.
00:38:24.20\00:38:27.20
And we see
ourselves as we really are,
00:38:27.24\00:38:30.07
and we see Him
for who He really is,
00:38:30.11\00:38:32.71
and we realize the
great depth of chasm
00:38:32.74\00:38:35.34
that is between us and Him
00:38:35.38\00:38:37.15
but oh, dear friends,
the mercy of God to us today
00:38:37.18\00:38:43.82
to give us a rebuke.
00:38:43.85\00:38:47.56
You see, friends, we
don't need cool catchy phrases
00:38:47.59\00:38:50.96
or entertaining preachers,
00:38:50.99\00:38:53.26
we just need the
straight untainted naked truth
00:38:53.29\00:38:57.03
to speak to our minds,
00:38:57.07\00:38:58.80
and our hearts to
call us to repentance,
00:38:58.83\00:39:01.40
and transform our lives.
00:39:01.44\00:39:03.61
Isaiah 60:2 says,
00:39:03.64\00:39:06.21
"For behold, the
darkness shall cover the earth,
00:39:06.24\00:39:08.94
and deep darkness the people."
00:39:08.98\00:39:10.88
There's been a lot of darkness
in the journey of our church.
00:39:10.91\00:39:14.65
There's a lot of
darkness today in the church.
00:39:14.68\00:39:17.95
I don't want to speak
to some of that just now.
00:39:17.99\00:39:21.59
Many of us instead of
allowing the Word of God
00:39:21.62\00:39:25.49
to cut our hearts,
00:39:25.53\00:39:27.50
we have relied ourselves
upon Adventist culture.
00:39:27.53\00:39:33.27
For many of us like
Esau in the house of Isaac,
00:39:33.30\00:39:36.44
we've been raised in the truth
00:39:36.47\00:39:38.37
but have not allowed
the truth to transform us.
00:39:38.41\00:39:41.88
We have taken advantage
00:39:41.91\00:39:43.48
of the benefits
of Adventist culture
00:39:43.51\00:39:45.61
that God has blessed with,
00:39:45.65\00:39:46.98
but we've used it for our
own selfish gratification,
00:39:47.02\00:39:50.09
similar to the cup
of soup that symbolize
00:39:50.12\00:39:53.66
the appetite and
flesh of the world
00:39:53.69\00:39:55.96
that Esau sold
his birthright for.
00:39:55.99\00:39:58.93
Some of us had
sold our birthrights.
00:39:58.96\00:40:01.53
Some of us are sold our blessing
00:40:01.56\00:40:03.67
for much less
than a cup of soup.
00:40:03.70\00:40:06.47
Some of you today are
going to medical school,
00:40:06.50\00:40:10.34
or nursing school,
or business school,
00:40:10.37\00:40:12.37
or some kind of professional
00:40:12.41\00:40:15.11
which you're going to be
very influential in the world,
00:40:15.14\00:40:18.38
you're probably going
to make a lot of money.
00:40:18.41\00:40:23.45
And start spoken to many
young people and they said,
00:40:23.49\00:40:26.49
"I'm going into this business
00:40:26.52\00:40:28.49
because I want to
make a lot of money.
00:40:28.52\00:40:31.69
I want to live that
kind of a lifestyle."
00:40:31.73\00:40:34.73
But let me tell you, friends,
00:40:34.76\00:40:36.60
God has not called you
to that kind of a lifestyle.
00:40:36.63\00:40:40.54
If He has placed
you in such a position,
00:40:40.57\00:40:43.44
He expects that you be
a servant to His cause.
00:40:43.47\00:40:48.21
He has not called you
to live within your means.
00:40:48.24\00:40:51.55
He has not called you to live
a worldly luxurious lifestyle,
00:40:51.58\00:40:57.39
but He has called you
to live within your needs,
00:40:57.42\00:41:00.59
and then to use your
means to further His cause.
00:41:00.62\00:41:04.23
At the end of the day,
00:41:08.23\00:41:10.13
we often make an
idolatry out of academics.
00:41:10.17\00:41:14.37
We have to get our
degrees and make our money.
00:41:14.40\00:41:17.27
Some of you, God has
called into missionary service,
00:41:17.31\00:41:20.31
all of you, He's called
into missionary service.
00:41:20.34\00:41:22.51
Some of you, He's
called into fulltime service,
00:41:22.54\00:41:25.11
and you run away from it
00:41:25.15\00:41:26.58
because you're
chasing the world,
00:41:26.61\00:41:29.12
and you're constantly
looking over your shoulder
00:41:29.15\00:41:31.65
to see if He's following
00:41:31.69\00:41:33.42
and He is following
00:41:33.46\00:41:34.82
because He want you
to turn your life around,
00:41:34.86\00:41:38.13
and He want you to give
yourself wholeheartedly to Him.
00:41:38.16\00:41:42.40
Some of you have
told your parents,
00:41:42.43\00:41:45.93
you want to go and
serve in a missionary service
00:41:45.97\00:41:48.84
and when you told your
parents that, they had a fit.
00:41:48.87\00:41:53.04
And they said, "What
are you talking about?
00:41:53.07\00:41:54.41
You need to get your degree.
00:41:54.44\00:41:55.91
You need to get that job.
00:41:55.94\00:41:57.35
You need to make that money."
00:41:57.38\00:41:59.68
But God has called you to do
something more than that today.
00:41:59.71\00:42:03.25
God has called you to do
something greater than that.
00:42:03.28\00:42:06.42
We've adopted as
we have progressed
00:42:06.45\00:42:10.33
and rely upon Adventist culture.
00:42:10.36\00:42:12.73
Now it seems that
coming into the church
00:42:12.76\00:42:15.46
is the world's culture.
00:42:15.50\00:42:17.67
We relied upon our Adventist
culture and our heritage
00:42:17.70\00:42:21.40
until now the
world has crept in,
00:42:21.44\00:42:24.47
and as we've
become weak in the Word,
00:42:24.51\00:42:26.61
we've been caught up in
various social movements,
00:42:26.64\00:42:30.01
sort of cause
strife and contentions.
00:42:30.05\00:42:33.42
Why?
00:42:33.45\00:42:34.78
Because no
social justice movement
00:42:34.82\00:42:37.42
can change the human heart.
00:42:37.45\00:42:41.19
Social justice
movements have their place,
00:42:41.22\00:42:44.36
but they're
certainly not the gospel.
00:42:44.39\00:42:47.30
Only the gospel
can change your heart.
00:42:47.33\00:42:49.90
If social justice alone could
solve the world's problems,
00:42:49.93\00:42:53.87
then Jesus would have allowed
00:42:53.90\00:42:55.64
His disciples to crown Him King.
00:42:55.67\00:43:00.31
The gospel is the
greatest solution, friends,
00:43:00.34\00:43:04.88
to social injustice.
00:43:04.91\00:43:07.22
A transformed heart,
you will never solve racism,
00:43:07.25\00:43:12.02
social or economical injustice
00:43:12.05\00:43:15.86
without the purity of the gospel
00:43:15.89\00:43:18.96
changing the life.
00:43:18.99\00:43:20.56
We've often through our culture
00:43:26.97\00:43:29.47
become reliant
upon the ever-changing
00:43:29.50\00:43:32.31
and degrading culture
00:43:32.34\00:43:33.68
vesture in society
for our values and ideals.
00:43:33.71\00:43:37.48
We've rather than the timeless
principles of God's Word,
00:43:37.51\00:43:40.88
we've leaned upon
personal narratives
00:43:40.92\00:43:45.99
or momentary emotions
about sensitive topics.
00:43:46.02\00:43:49.62
We think that if someone shares
a story about their journey
00:43:49.66\00:43:53.83
or about their experience
00:43:53.86\00:43:55.50
that somehow becomes leveled
00:43:55.53\00:43:57.50
with the same
authority as the Word of God.
00:43:57.53\00:44:00.54
This has caused
a lot of confusion
00:44:00.57\00:44:02.74
among young people today.
00:44:02.77\00:44:05.24
But let me tell you
what, friends, no biography,
00:44:05.27\00:44:09.54
personal journey, or experience
should deviate our focus
00:44:09.58\00:44:13.15
from the truth of God's Word,
00:44:13.18\00:44:14.85
and change us no
matter what journey we've had.
00:44:14.88\00:44:18.92
It doesn't
matter how we were born.
00:44:18.95\00:44:22.06
We can be born again.
00:44:22.09\00:44:23.79
Amen.
00:44:23.83\00:44:26.96
I love that.
00:44:27.00\00:44:29.16
I want to be born again.
00:44:29.20\00:44:30.53
Amen? Amen.
00:44:30.57\00:44:32.87
We must love, we
must be compassionate,
00:44:32.90\00:44:34.84
and we must sympathize,
00:44:34.87\00:44:36.20
but we must point
people to the Savior
00:44:36.24\00:44:38.81
who is able to transform
the depths of their souls.
00:44:38.84\00:44:43.51
It's not social
culture that drives us
00:44:43.55\00:44:46.51
whether it be Western
culture, American culture,
00:44:46.55\00:44:49.52
or Seventh-day
Adventist culture,
00:44:49.55\00:44:51.62
but it must be Heaven's culture
00:44:51.65\00:44:53.79
and the pure ways
of Heaven's culture
00:44:53.82\00:44:55.89
are contained in the Bible
00:44:55.92\00:44:57.49
and the Spirit
of Prophecy today.
00:44:57.53\00:45:01.40
But cultural mindset
has led to a big change
00:45:01.43\00:45:04.57
that's occurred in the church
00:45:04.60\00:45:06.20
where we went
from serving the church
00:45:06.23\00:45:08.70
to wanting the
church to serve us.
00:45:08.74\00:45:11.27
You are of the church,
00:45:14.88\00:45:16.91
so if you're waiting
for the church to serve you,
00:45:16.95\00:45:20.32
you have entered into idolatry
00:45:20.35\00:45:22.45
because you're
worshipping yourself.
00:45:22.48\00:45:24.85
The popularity
of American culture
00:45:24.89\00:45:26.86
does not trump the Word of God.
00:45:26.89\00:45:29.79
Colossians 2:8 says,
00:45:29.82\00:45:31.46
"Beware lest anyone cheat you
00:45:31.49\00:45:34.66
through
philosophy and empty deceit,
00:45:34.70\00:45:36.80
according to the
traditions of men,
00:45:36.83\00:45:39.00
according to the basic
principles of the world,
00:45:39.03\00:45:41.60
and not according to Christ."
00:45:41.64\00:45:44.21
"When men choose
to have their own way
00:45:44.24\00:45:46.68
without seeking
counsel from God..."
00:45:46.71\00:45:48.88
This is from Patriarchs
and Prophets, page 605,
00:45:48.91\00:45:51.95
"Or in opposition
to His revealed will,
00:45:51.98\00:45:54.68
He often grants their
desires, in order that,
00:45:54.72\00:45:57.62
through the bitter
experience that follows,
00:45:57.65\00:46:01.02
they may be led to
realize their folly
00:46:01.06\00:46:03.59
and repent of their sin.
00:46:03.63\00:46:05.66
Human pride and wisdom
will prove a dangerous guide.
00:46:05.69\00:46:10.77
That which the heart desires
contrary to the will of God
00:46:10.80\00:46:13.74
will in the end be found a curse
00:46:13.77\00:46:16.67
rather than a blessing."
00:46:16.71\00:46:19.07
And how often were too
many of us when that happens,
00:46:19.11\00:46:22.54
we want to blame God Himself
00:46:22.58\00:46:24.88
for the problems
we've gotten ourselves into.
00:46:24.91\00:46:27.45
If Jesus today is
interceding 24/7 for you,
00:46:27.48\00:46:32.02
then He expects us to
be receiving His power 24/7
00:46:32.05\00:46:36.29
and to be Christians 24/7.
00:46:36.32\00:46:39.79
How we respond to
the trials of our faith,
00:46:39.83\00:46:42.43
say much more
about our characters
00:46:42.46\00:46:45.10
than it does His.
00:46:45.13\00:46:48.40
We've loved
comforts, we come to GYC
00:46:48.44\00:46:52.07
and we get addicted
to the environments,
00:46:52.11\00:46:55.08
we like the nice
hotels, we like the good meals,
00:46:55.11\00:46:59.08
but if we slept in barns
00:46:59.11\00:47:00.68
and had to have a
bowl of rice per day
00:47:00.72\00:47:03.69
as some do around the world.
00:47:03.72\00:47:05.25
If we have such meetings,
00:47:05.29\00:47:07.26
how many of us would still come?
00:47:07.29\00:47:09.92
Compromise, to promote
comfort, decline spirituality.
00:47:09.96\00:47:16.26
We cannot afford
to live comfortably
00:47:16.30\00:47:18.17
at the expense of spirituality
00:47:18.20\00:47:20.40
because God's
calling on our lives
00:47:20.44\00:47:22.80
cannot be compromised by
our comfort or our pleasure.
00:47:22.84\00:47:27.04
We need to stop
trying to feel good
00:47:30.68\00:47:35.92
and rather choose good
00:47:35.95\00:47:39.85
as it was said by
the great CH Spurgeon,
00:47:39.89\00:47:42.66
"There are no
crown wearers in heaven
00:47:42.69\00:47:45.13
who are not cross
bearers on earth."
00:47:45.16\00:47:48.83
We live in a time when
people want to take away
00:47:48.86\00:47:51.77
the cross that
Christ has called us to bear
00:47:51.80\00:47:57.14
rather than challenging people
00:47:57.17\00:47:59.57
and encouraging
them to carry it.
00:47:59.61\00:48:02.61
We often deal
with de-sanctification,
00:48:02.64\00:48:05.71
I call it.
00:48:05.75\00:48:07.22
Where when we
come into the church,
00:48:07.25\00:48:09.72
we saw the beauty
in the spirit of grace
00:48:09.75\00:48:12.25
that transformed our lives,
00:48:12.29\00:48:14.32
and we were
walking in the purity,
00:48:14.36\00:48:16.09
in the blessedness
of fellowship with God.
00:48:16.12\00:48:19.59
But as we cease
to watch and pray,
00:48:19.63\00:48:22.60
things began to
shift in our lives
00:48:22.63\00:48:24.37
without us even realizing it,
00:48:24.40\00:48:26.57
and the things that
were once precious to us,
00:48:26.60\00:48:28.87
the things that were
once important to us,
00:48:28.90\00:48:31.67
the truths that
we bore in our hearts
00:48:31.71\00:48:34.34
began to slowly erode away.
00:48:34.38\00:48:36.95
And before we know,
we become indifferent
00:48:36.98\00:48:38.78
to this thing and that thing,
00:48:38.81\00:48:40.28
and we begin to
compromise in our lives.
00:48:40.32\00:48:43.72
And the church
becomes irrelevant to us,
00:48:43.75\00:48:46.65
and we think to
ourselves, we need to leave it.
00:48:46.69\00:48:49.92
We've been enthralled,
00:48:49.96\00:48:51.29
we've been enamored
with the peril of novelty.
00:48:51.33\00:48:56.36
We want what's
new, but God says,
00:48:56.40\00:48:59.60
"You don't need what's
new, you need what is needed."
00:48:59.63\00:49:04.27
And God is not going
to give us anything new
00:49:04.31\00:49:07.04
until we've done
what He's already said.
00:49:07.08\00:49:11.35
Hypocrisy, many
people talk about hypocrisy.
00:49:11.38\00:49:15.18
You see, hypocrisy is
not a problem in the church,
00:49:15.22\00:49:18.35
it's a problem in our hearts.
00:49:18.39\00:49:21.02
And many people say,
"Well, you know, my parents,
00:49:21.06\00:49:23.22
they did this and they did that,
00:49:23.26\00:49:25.79
and they weren't faithful,
00:49:25.83\00:49:27.86
and they would
act one way at church
00:49:27.90\00:49:30.00
and one way at home.
00:49:30.03\00:49:31.37
So, therefore, I'm
going to leave the church.
00:49:31.40\00:49:33.00
I don't need the church."
00:49:33.03\00:49:34.54
Well, the reality is this,
00:49:34.57\00:49:36.44
if you understood enough truth
00:49:36.47\00:49:38.97
to recognize that
they were hypocritical,
00:49:39.01\00:49:41.64
and you leave the church
because they were hypocritical,
00:49:41.68\00:49:44.91
then that also
makes you a hypocrite.
00:49:44.95\00:49:47.28
Why?
00:49:47.32\00:49:48.65
Because if you know
the truth and reject it
00:49:48.68\00:49:50.92
because someone
else is not following it,
00:49:50.95\00:49:53.02
then that doesn't
allow you to escape.
00:49:53.05\00:49:55.32
You are also a hypocrite.
00:49:55.36\00:49:57.03
If you know the truth, live it.
00:49:57.06\00:49:59.39
Amen? Amen.
00:49:59.43\00:50:00.76
If you know the truth,
surrender yourself to Christ.
00:50:00.80\00:50:06.03
And one other point of darkness
is straight up worldliness
00:50:06.07\00:50:10.81
that we have engaged in.
00:50:10.84\00:50:13.27
Social media, some of
us post Adventist lingo
00:50:13.31\00:50:17.21
or church politics on Facebook,
00:50:17.25\00:50:19.61
like we didn't
have any non-Adventists
00:50:19.65\00:50:21.58
or non-Christian friends.
00:50:21.62\00:50:23.59
You think you're
going to draw people
00:50:27.46\00:50:28.82
into the church
that way, you're fooled.
00:50:28.86\00:50:33.26
Others post things on their,
00:50:33.29\00:50:35.03
like, they've never
heard of Christ or Adventism
00:50:35.06\00:50:38.13
even though we're supposed
00:50:38.17\00:50:39.77
to have known
him our whole lives.
00:50:39.80\00:50:42.94
Some of us are caught
up in sports, or fashion,
00:50:42.97\00:50:47.14
or competition in various
ways, or false relationships.
00:50:47.18\00:50:51.95
Relationships with a
young man or young woman
00:50:51.98\00:50:54.25
that we shouldn't
find ourselves in.
00:50:54.28\00:50:57.29
All kinds of worldliness
00:50:57.32\00:50:59.55
and Jesus rebukes us for it all.
00:50:59.59\00:51:03.86
But He rebukes us
00:51:03.89\00:51:05.23
because of His
tender love for us
00:51:05.26\00:51:07.63
and His desire
for us to be saved.
00:51:07.66\00:51:10.63
You see, there
are two kinds of sin,
00:51:10.67\00:51:13.54
those that are acceptable
00:51:13.57\00:51:15.37
and those that are unacceptable.
00:51:15.40\00:51:17.51
How do we know the difference?
00:51:17.54\00:51:19.47
The acceptable ones are mine,
00:51:19.51\00:51:21.41
the unacceptable ones are yours.
00:51:21.44\00:51:23.51
But aren't you thankful
that God doesn't leave us there?
00:51:28.68\00:51:32.35
Though He gives the rebuke,
in the same verse He says,
00:51:32.39\00:51:36.12
"The Word of God is also
profitable for correction."
00:51:36.16\00:51:39.53
For what, everyone?
00:51:39.56\00:51:41.00
For correction.
00:51:41.03\00:51:42.36
You see, God doesn't
want to just rebuke us,
00:51:42.40\00:51:44.93
He wants to correct us.
00:51:44.97\00:51:48.37
How many of you
are thankful for that?
00:51:48.40\00:51:50.64
Isaiah 60:2, he says,
00:51:50.67\00:51:53.48
"But the Lord
will arise over you
00:51:53.51\00:51:55.48
and His glory
will be seen upon you."
00:51:55.51\00:51:57.98
Though we've been in
sin, He's going to arise us.
00:51:58.01\00:52:01.65
He's going to call us out.
00:52:01.68\00:52:03.69
I want to share with you
00:52:03.72\00:52:05.45
Testimonies, volume 2, page 453,
00:52:05.49\00:52:08.92
"None are so low,
so corrupt and vile,
00:52:08.96\00:52:11.73
that they cannot find in
Jesus, who died for them,
00:52:11.76\00:52:14.46
strength, purity,
and righteousness,
00:52:14.50\00:52:18.33
if they will
put away their sins,
00:52:18.37\00:52:20.54
cease their course of iniquity,
00:52:20.57\00:52:22.80
and turn with full purpose
of heart to the living God.
00:52:22.84\00:52:26.37
He is waiting to strip
them of their garments,
00:52:26.41\00:52:29.64
stained and polluted by sin,
00:52:29.68\00:52:31.91
and to put on them the
white robes of righteousness,
00:52:31.95\00:52:35.58
and He bids them
live and not die.
00:52:35.62\00:52:40.89
In Him they may flourish.
00:52:40.92\00:52:44.06
Their branches will not
wither nor be fruitless.
00:52:44.09\00:52:46.23
If they abide in Him,
00:52:46.26\00:52:47.60
they can draw sap
and nourishment from Him,
00:52:47.63\00:52:50.00
be imbued with His
Spirit, walk as He walked,
00:52:50.03\00:52:53.13
overcame as He overcame,
00:52:53.17\00:52:55.00
and be exalted to
His own right hand.
00:52:55.04\00:52:58.41
I'll tell you a story today.
00:52:58.44\00:53:02.58
Two thousand nine, I
had cancer, I almost died.
00:53:02.61\00:53:06.72
Some of you know that story.
00:53:06.75\00:53:08.98
God worked a miracle in my life,
00:53:09.02\00:53:10.72
I don't have time to
tell that story today,
00:53:10.75\00:53:12.55
but He basically
resurrected me from the dead.
00:53:12.59\00:53:16.22
I've had cancer twice,
I've had a skin cancer,
00:53:16.26\00:53:18.86
I've had the other cancer,
a terrible blood infection.
00:53:18.89\00:53:23.53
But when God
miraculously saved me,
00:53:23.57\00:53:25.60
I was so
grateful, I was so happy.
00:53:25.63\00:53:27.87
And I thought to myself,
00:53:27.90\00:53:29.24
surely, God has
raised me up and saved me
00:53:29.27\00:53:32.17
because He wants me
to preach His truth,
00:53:32.21\00:53:34.38
He wants me to preach His Word,
00:53:34.41\00:53:36.54
His message.
00:53:36.58\00:53:38.05
And then, one day,
I was sitting at home
00:53:38.08\00:53:40.22
at my desk in my office,
00:53:40.25\00:53:42.18
and I came across this letter
00:53:42.22\00:53:43.72
that Ellen White
had written to a man.
00:53:43.75\00:53:46.19
And she said to him, he had had
a very similar experience as I.
00:53:46.22\00:53:52.26
He had laid on his death bed
00:53:52.29\00:53:54.00
and she says, "God
was merciful to you
00:53:54.03\00:53:57.40
to raise you up from the dead."
00:53:57.43\00:54:00.70
She said, "God healed you."
00:54:00.74\00:54:02.87
She says, "But you have thought
that God was merciful to you
00:54:02.90\00:54:07.11
because of some righteousness
that was found in you."
00:54:07.14\00:54:10.58
And then, she told
him that the true reason
00:54:10.61\00:54:14.65
God made you well
00:54:14.68\00:54:17.52
was because you
were unprepared to die.
00:54:17.55\00:54:20.62
She said to the man,
"Satan stood by your bedside
00:54:24.03\00:54:28.80
ready to take your life.
00:54:28.83\00:54:32.50
And God in His abundant mercy,
00:54:32.53\00:54:34.77
rescued you to
give you another chance,
00:54:34.80\00:54:39.34
to cling to Him and Him alone,
00:54:39.37\00:54:42.04
to make the full
surrender of your life."
00:54:42.08\00:54:45.58
She said, "Do not
waste it, do not waste it."
00:54:45.61\00:54:50.02
And, friends, let me tell
you when I read that letter,
00:54:50.05\00:54:53.25
I wept and was
broken before the Lord
00:54:53.29\00:54:56.26
for more than two hours.
00:54:56.29\00:54:58.29
I cried at my desk
00:54:58.33\00:55:00.60
recognizing that there
was no good thing in me
00:55:00.63\00:55:04.30
that I could recommend to Him.
00:55:04.33\00:55:07.27
But that I could only
trust in His righteousness.
00:55:07.30\00:55:12.74
The 1893 General
Conference Session
00:55:12.77\00:55:15.74
was one of the greatest sessions
00:55:15.78\00:55:17.11
in the history of Adventism.
00:55:17.15\00:55:19.25
Many appeals were made.
00:55:19.28\00:55:22.62
And this is the correction
that as a church in our pride
00:55:22.65\00:55:27.79
and in our
arrogance that we need.
00:55:27.82\00:55:30.79
AT Jones made the statements,
"Our goodness, our wisdom,
00:55:30.83\00:55:35.03
our ability are nothing."
00:55:35.06\00:55:38.37
Ellen White says,
00:55:38.40\00:55:39.80
"That if we are to
praise brilliance..."
00:55:39.83\00:55:43.41
To praise the
celebrity speakers.
00:55:43.44\00:55:46.91
Of the brilliance of how
someone delivers them as,
00:55:46.94\00:55:49.44
she says, "If we're to praise
brilliance as a great virtue,
00:55:49.48\00:55:52.45
then we should
give our armors to Satan
00:55:52.48\00:55:54.85
because he is the
greatest brilliant mind
00:55:54.88\00:55:57.69
outside of God Himself."
00:55:57.72\00:56:00.76
Our goodness, wisdom,
our ability are nothing.
00:56:00.79\00:56:03.69
But God can work and
will work with a heart
00:56:03.73\00:56:06.26
that is emptied of self,
00:56:06.29\00:56:08.00
a heart that
has made no reserve,
00:56:08.03\00:56:10.47
and one that is
yielded all to God
00:56:10.50\00:56:13.17
and laid upon his altar.
00:56:13.20\00:56:15.67
We must repent of our works
00:56:15.70\00:56:19.34
that we have
attempted in our own strength.
00:56:19.37\00:56:22.34
Brothers and sisters,
not just our bad works,
00:56:22.38\00:56:25.11
not just the
losing of our tempers,
00:56:25.15\00:56:27.25
not just the overindulgences,
not just all the things,
00:56:27.28\00:56:30.62
the secret sins that we've done,
00:56:30.65\00:56:32.95
but we must also
repent of our good works
00:56:32.99\00:56:36.73
that we have done
in our own strength.
00:56:36.76\00:56:38.09
There are lots of people
00:56:38.13\00:56:39.46
doing great things
in their own strength.
00:56:39.49\00:56:43.63
But they are at a loss
00:56:43.67\00:56:46.10
of laying the hold
of divine strength.
00:56:46.13\00:56:49.64
And, friends, we must
repent of even our good works
00:56:49.67\00:56:52.77
because if Jesus had
it done them through us,
00:56:52.81\00:56:55.24
they would have
been 1000 times better.
00:56:55.28\00:56:59.08
Infinitely better.
00:56:59.11\00:57:03.18
"A permanent
sense of unworthiness
00:57:03.22\00:57:06.12
by looking to Christ,
00:57:06.15\00:57:07.49
recognizing His
goodness to make us worthy.
00:57:07.52\00:57:11.03
Repentance and confession
00:57:11.06\00:57:13.16
are the only ways
out of sin and darkness."
00:57:13.19\00:57:19.13
WW Prescott made this statement.
00:57:19.17\00:57:22.10
He said, "What
can I say about this?
00:57:22.14\00:57:23.87
These things are
as plain as A, B, C,
00:57:23.91\00:57:26.81
that
righteousness is the gift of God
00:57:26.84\00:57:29.28
that all in the
world He ask us to do
00:57:29.31\00:57:31.41
is submit to
the receiving of it,
00:57:31.45\00:57:33.52
to open the door to
confession, repentance,
00:57:33.55\00:57:36.25
and closing every door to Satan
00:57:36.28\00:57:40.36
by accepting Him
in His simplicity."
00:57:40.39\00:57:44.53
I find this interesting
00:57:44.56\00:57:46.39
that at the greatest
General Conference session
00:57:46.43\00:57:50.50
where the Latter
Rain was almost beginning
00:57:50.53\00:57:52.83
to be poured out that AT Jones
00:57:52.87\00:57:55.57
in his final appeal
made this statement.
00:57:55.60\00:57:59.21
He said, "The righteousness
of God upon His people
00:57:59.24\00:58:03.18
is the one thing,
00:58:03.21\00:58:04.61
the only thing that
can fit up God's people
00:58:04.65\00:58:06.95
for receiving the
promise of the Holy Spirit
00:58:06.98\00:58:09.38
and the outpouring of it,
00:58:09.42\00:58:11.05
and when that message
00:58:11.09\00:58:12.42
is received and accepted gladly,
00:58:12.45\00:58:14.79
God tells you and
me," guess what, friends?
00:58:14.82\00:58:18.26
"Arise, shine,
for the light is come
00:58:18.29\00:58:22.03
and the glory of the
Lord is risen upon thee."
00:58:22.06\00:58:24.90
The same appeal
that was made there
00:58:24.93\00:58:28.24
is made here today
00:58:28.27\00:58:30.47
that the righteousness of Christ
00:58:30.51\00:58:33.31
would be our only plea
00:58:33.34\00:58:36.68
that only as we
become like little children
00:58:36.71\00:58:39.08
with genuine humility
00:58:39.11\00:58:40.45
and sincere
honesty about ourselves
00:58:40.48\00:58:43.45
and our own failings
individually and as a church,
00:58:43.49\00:58:46.79
can God truly bring
healing to our lives.
00:58:46.82\00:58:51.29