Oh, GYC, do you love Jesus?
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Oh, yes, we love Jesus
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Are you sure you love Jesus?
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We're sure we love Jesus
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And why do you love
Jesus? All together.
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Because He first loved me
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That's the reason we
all ought to love Him
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Oh, how I love Jesus
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Singing oh, how I love Jesus
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Oh, how I love Jesus
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Because He first loved me
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How many of you that's
why you're here this morning?
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Amen. Amen?
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Oh, what a
privilege it is to be here.
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Before I dive headway
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into our message this morning,
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I first want to say hi, Mom.
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Then I want to say hello
to my little four Braxtalinos,
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Nafti, Zenin, Marari,
and my new baby girl Ava.
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Amen.
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They all prayed
for me this morning
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before I came to
preach, and I told them
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when Papa gets on TV,
I'll say hello to you,
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and, of course, my
heart and my best friend,
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my sunrise and
my sunset, my wife.
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Amen.
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So thank you for
letting me be here at GYC
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to minister for my Lord.
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Amen. It's a privilege.
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I miss you too, baby.
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But moving forward,
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this morning,
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I've entitled my message
"here's your church back."
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Amen.
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"Here's your church back."
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Would you bow your
heads with me as we pray?
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Mighty God,
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everlasting Father,
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we are so grateful
that in this moment
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we can be in
the audience chamber
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of the Most High.
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Father, we are not
worthy to hear from our Creator.
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But, Lord, as we
gather about Your feet,
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we have not come to
hear the words of a man,
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but we've come to
hear the Word of God.
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And so we pray that this man
who is but dust in Your sight
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that You would speak through him
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and You would speak to him.
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Father, that
Jesus would be lifted up
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and Jesus would be seen,
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that we may leave
this place transformed,
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not the way that we came.
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For whatever
level we came to GYC,
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may we finish this
final meeting believing
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that we go home to
Korea, to New York,
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to Carolina, to California,
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to New Mexico having arisen,
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people find us
higher than when we came.
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This is our prayer,
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and we trust that
You will help this
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to be our experience.
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For we offer this
prayer from our hearts
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in the mighty name of Jesus.
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Let all of God's people say...
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Amen. Amen.
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Take your Bibles
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and turn to the
Book of Joshua 1.
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Joshua 1,
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when you're
there you can say amen.
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Amen. Joshua 1.
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Are we there? Amen.
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The Bible says, "Now
after the death of Moses
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the servant of the Lord,
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it came to pass that
the Lord spake unto," who?
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"Unto Joshua the son of nun,
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Moses' minister
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or Moses' assistant saying,
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'Moses, my servant is dead.
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Now therefore arise,
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go over this Jordan thou
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and all this
people unto the land
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which I do give to them
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even to the
children of Israel."'
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You know it was
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January 30th, 2006
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and Coretta Scott
King had passed away.
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She was the widower
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of the civil rights pioneer
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Martin Luther King Jr.
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And at her funeral
there were politicians,
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there were leaders,
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there were community influencers
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that came to pay their respects
to this great man's wife.
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And one of the comments
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that was made at
her funeral was this.
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They said,
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"Coretta took up her
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husband's work quietly
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so that the world
would not die from grief
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from losing him so soon."
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She recognized
that she had to have
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the courage
despite her four children
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having to help
them go through the fact
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that your father died at
the very hands of hatred.
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She had to have the courage
to carry on despite the fact
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that she had to deal
with all the other leaders,
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and the political jockeying,
and the power struggles
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that were going to
go on in the movement,
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she had to have the
courage to carry on.
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She recognized that the movement
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was greater than the man.
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And this is the moment
that came to Joshua that Moses
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who was his hero,
Moses who was his leader.
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Moses is the one
that changed Joshua's name
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from Hosea to Joshua.
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Moses was his
deliverer from slavery in Egypt.
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Moses was the one
that as Joshua sat down
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at the bottom of the mountain
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as it shook in the glory of God,
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he watched his mentor,
his hero go in and commune
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with the very
creator of the universe
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and come down with
the Ten Commandments.
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Moses had died.
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You see, what do you do
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when you are called
to follow greatness?
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It is easy for us to come to GYC
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and be spectators of greatness.
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We listen to people, we say,
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"Man, God is really
using this individual.
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God is really
using this ministry."
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And all along in the background
as Moses raised his hands
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and parted the Red
Sea, there was Joshua.
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And all along when
Moses went into the temple
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and his prayers
delivered thousands of people
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from the venom of snakes
and serpents, there was Joshua.
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All along, he thought to himself
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who could ever replace Moses.
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And surely
Moses was God's chosen
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to lead us to the Promised Land,
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but on this very morning
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after 30 days of mourning
the loss of this great man,
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God finally spoke to Joshua.
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And He said, "Joshua, Moses,
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My servant is dead but
the movement is not dead."
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"Moses, My servant
is dead, but guess what,
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the promises are still
waiting to be fulfilled."
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You see, this has always been
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the legacy of the people of God.
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When Abraham died,
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Isaac was there
and he had to know
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that the promises still remained
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even though Abraham died.
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Someone had to have
the courage to carry on.
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And when Isaac died in blindness
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and Jacob was there
in some foreign land,
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estranged from his
only other earthly relative
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in his brother.
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Jacob had to have
the courage to carry on.
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When you come down
to the Apostle Paul
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and he's writing to
young Timothy and saying,
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"Look, I fought a good fight.
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I have kept the faith
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but, Timothy, this
is greater than me.
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You must have the
courage to carry on.
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I know the persecution is rough,
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I know that the emperor of Rome
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is making it difficult
for you to do evangelism
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but you must have
the courage to carry on."
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We believe that
secularism is post modernism,
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it's causing us problems.
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Let's go back to ancient Rome
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where it was
illegal to be a Christian,
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where it was
illegal to do exactly
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what we are doing
this morning, to show up
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what's the
guarantee certain death.
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Don't tell me you got it hard
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because all your
professors talk about evolution.
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Don't tell me you got it hard
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because, well, they're preaching
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all the boring sermons and
nothing's really happening.
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I don't invite
people out to church.
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You see, Joshua learned
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something very, very,
very special this day.
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The Book of Joshua teaches
us that leadership is important.
00:10:03.97\00:10:09.07
In fact, it is more important
00:10:09.10\00:10:10.74
than the leader
himself or herself.
00:10:10.77\00:10:15.04
I remember when Charles Spurgeon
00:10:15.08\00:10:17.51
was talking to a minister,
00:10:17.55\00:10:19.71
and as Spurgeon
was waxing eloquent
00:10:19.75\00:10:21.48
about how the minister is
a liability to the gospel.
00:10:21.52\00:10:26.22
He says,
"Because you are minister,
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because you are a preacher,
because you are a pastor,
00:10:28.52\00:10:30.73
you're a liability
to the work of God.
00:10:30.76\00:10:34.13
God did not call you
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because you were
stronger than your members,
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God did not call you
because you were wiser
00:10:37.83\00:10:40.00
or more spiritual
than your members."
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Any preacher who is honest
with his or her heart knows
00:10:41.94\00:10:45.21
that if they were
not mounting pulpits,
00:10:45.24\00:10:47.18
they would be spiritually dying.
00:10:47.21\00:10:51.48
So Spurgeon said,
00:10:51.51\00:10:52.85
"Let me give you an illustration
00:10:52.88\00:10:54.22
of what I'm talking about."
00:10:54.25\00:10:55.72
He says, "There
was a man on a ship.
00:10:55.75\00:10:58.09
And as they were sailing in
the ocean across to America,
00:10:58.12\00:11:02.72
all the sudden a storm came in
00:11:02.76\00:11:05.56
and everyone
started panicking saying
00:11:05.59\00:11:07.43
the ship is not
going to make it.
00:11:07.46\00:11:10.07
So as this man was
running around on the ship,
00:11:10.10\00:11:12.10
'We're going to die.
00:11:12.13\00:11:13.47
We're not going to make it.'
00:11:13.50\00:11:14.90
They said, 'Look, man,
00:11:14.94\00:11:16.27
we need you to
have some courage.
00:11:16.30\00:11:17.94
Can you do something for
us? This could save the ship.'
00:11:17.97\00:11:21.21
And he said,
'Sure, I'll do anything.'
00:11:21.24\00:11:22.58
They said, 'Look, man,
you can be a hero right now.
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This is what we need you to do.'
00:11:24.78\00:11:26.11
He said, 'Sure,
I'll do anything.'
00:11:26.15\00:11:27.48
They said, 'Take this rope,
00:11:27.52\00:11:28.85
and I want you
to pull this rope,
00:11:28.88\00:11:30.59
and hold this
rope, and don't let go.
00:11:30.62\00:11:33.39
If you let go, this may
be the end of all of us.
00:11:33.42\00:11:37.53
So I need you to hold
this rope with all your life.'
00:11:37.56\00:11:40.70
So the man grabbed that rope
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and he wrapped
it around his arm,
00:11:42.10\00:11:43.43
and as he held that
rope, and he wouldn't let go,
00:11:43.47\00:11:45.50
and people were doing
their things on the deck,
00:11:45.53\00:11:47.40
people were doing things below,
the captain was giving orders,
00:11:47.44\00:11:50.21
and finally the storm
calmed, the ship was saved,
00:11:50.24\00:11:54.04
and everybody just went
about their business as usual.
00:11:54.08\00:11:58.28
He was still holding the rope.
00:11:58.31\00:12:01.05
Then finally, he thought,
"Man, it's sunny out here
00:12:01.08\00:12:04.15
like nobody's coming
saying hey, let go of the rope."
00:12:04.19\00:12:06.72
So finally, he
let go of the rope
00:12:06.76\00:12:08.09
and he went into
the captain's quarters,
00:12:08.12\00:12:10.83
and he said, "Captain,
you know, I'm walking around,
00:12:10.86\00:12:13.40
and I was holding the rope,
00:12:13.43\00:12:14.76
and, you know,
the ship is saved.
00:12:14.80\00:12:16.43
How come
nobody's giving me thanks?
00:12:16.46\00:12:18.93
And he says, "What
are you talking about?"
00:12:18.97\00:12:20.64
"Well, they told
me to hold the rope,
00:12:20.67\00:12:22.30
and they said this
would save the ship."
00:12:22.34\00:12:24.44
They said, "Brother, we
told you to hold the rope
00:12:24.47\00:12:26.51
so you could
stay out of the way,
00:12:26.54\00:12:27.88
so we could save the ship."
00:12:27.91\00:12:29.24
This is the
calling to preaching.
00:12:33.05\00:12:36.28
God needs to
hide you in the work
00:12:36.32\00:12:38.29
so you don't get
in and mess stuff up.
00:12:38.32\00:12:41.52
In other words,
God doesn't need us.
00:12:41.56\00:12:44.49
God could finish the
gospel by speaking one word.
00:12:44.53\00:12:47.96
He calls us to preach as
a privilege for ourselves.
00:12:48.00\00:12:51.90
We must take up the
work that Jesus started
00:12:51.93\00:12:54.80
that the world
would not die from grief
00:12:54.84\00:12:56.81
from losing Him so soon.
00:12:56.84\00:12:59.37
More than anything else,
00:12:59.41\00:13:00.74
the world needs a
revelation of Jesus Christ,
00:13:00.78\00:13:03.38
not a discourse,
not a YouTube video,
00:13:03.41\00:13:06.65
not a Facebook
post, not a Snapchat,
00:13:06.68\00:13:09.48
the world needs a
revelation of Jesus through you.
00:13:09.52\00:13:15.92
And so Joshua
being called to step up
00:13:15.96\00:13:21.60
in this very moment...
00:13:21.63\00:13:23.53
You know the word "arise"
00:13:23.57\00:13:25.03
is, kind of, like
a nice clinical word.
00:13:25.07\00:13:27.57
We need to arise,
it just sounds nice.
00:13:27.60\00:13:30.74
But when I started
looking up synonyms,
00:13:30.77\00:13:32.27
I said, you know,
I'm the kind of person
00:13:32.31\00:13:34.41
that when I was
growing up, people say,
00:13:34.44\00:13:36.85
"Sebastian, you know,
you need to get in touch
00:13:36.88\00:13:38.31
with your feminine
side a little bit more.
00:13:38.35\00:13:40.55
You know,
tenderness, compassion,
00:13:40.58\00:13:44.32
you know, smile in a
picture every once in a while."
00:13:44.35\00:13:48.69
I'm like,
"Well, if it's a virtue
00:13:48.72\00:13:50.73
to get in touch
with your feminine side,
00:13:50.76\00:13:52.93
then it must be a
virtue at some times
00:13:52.96\00:13:54.60
to get in touch with
your masculine side."
00:13:54.63\00:13:58.87
And I believe in
so many different ways
00:13:58.90\00:14:00.74
when we have moved
the message forward,
00:14:00.77\00:14:03.61
we've neutered the message
and just gone towards the nice,
00:14:03.64\00:14:07.28
tender,
compassion, Jesus died for us
00:14:07.31\00:14:09.58
as if Jesus died on
the cross as a coward.
00:14:09.61\00:14:14.75
No one has gone
through what Gethsemane was,
00:14:14.78\00:14:17.59
and no one had
the courage to say,
00:14:17.62\00:14:18.95
"You know what,
00:14:18.99\00:14:20.32
I'm going to
give up my salvation
00:14:20.36\00:14:21.69
for someone else."
00:14:21.72\00:14:23.93
You know, at some point in
time as Joshua was stepping up
00:14:23.96\00:14:27.26
in his mind,
00:14:27.30\00:14:28.63
he had to recognize
00:14:28.66\00:14:30.67
that, guess what, Joshua,
00:14:30.70\00:14:32.57
it's time for you
to be the next man up.
00:14:32.60\00:14:36.44
So instead of just
saying let's arise,
00:14:36.47\00:14:38.67
what if we just used
the phrase "step up?"
00:14:38.71\00:14:42.54
Don't come to me and
tell me about all the problems
00:14:42.58\00:14:44.85
in your church, it's
time for you to step up.
00:14:44.88\00:14:48.35
Don't tell me about
00:14:48.38\00:14:49.72
oh, my conference this
and my conference that,
00:14:49.75\00:14:51.85
it's time for you to step up.
00:14:51.89\00:14:54.46
My youth group,
00:14:54.49\00:14:55.86
you know, we're
not really having
00:14:55.89\00:14:57.26
a lot of
evangelism and outreach,
00:14:57.29\00:14:58.76
then go out by
yourself and step up.
00:14:58.79\00:15:01.93
You know what's so interesting,
everybody wants the reward
00:15:01.96\00:15:04.83
but nobody wants
to bear the cross.
00:15:04.87\00:15:07.90
Everybody wants the results
00:15:07.94\00:15:09.47
and to stand
onstage at GYC and say,
00:15:09.50\00:15:12.14
"Guess what, look at
all the souls we reached."
00:15:12.17\00:15:14.44
You go forth sowing in
tears that you may reap in joy.
00:15:14.48\00:15:20.95
This is why nobody
likes colporteuring
00:15:20.98\00:15:24.02
cause it's hard,
00:15:24.05\00:15:26.59
ain't for boys.
00:15:26.62\00:15:30.09
It's for people
who really love souls.
00:15:30.13\00:15:33.09
And someone asked me, they said,
00:15:33.13\00:15:34.46
"Sebastian, you know,
00:15:34.50\00:15:35.83
what would make you do
canvassing for 10 years?"
00:15:35.86\00:15:39.87
I said, "You know, to be honest,
00:15:39.90\00:15:42.80
I don't even know
00:15:42.84\00:15:44.17
why I was doing
it for 10 years."
00:15:44.21\00:15:45.54
But I said, "When I look
back at the years of service
00:15:50.45\00:15:53.75
in canvassing,
00:15:53.78\00:15:55.12
I recognize what
canvassing produced in me."
00:15:55.15\00:15:58.62
When it's a 100 degrees,
100 % humidity, no shade,
00:15:58.65\00:16:04.06
nothing but rejection,
00:16:04.09\00:16:05.43
you're sitting and
you're thinking yourself,
00:16:05.46\00:16:06.80
what am I doing out here.
00:16:06.83\00:16:09.86
Go into houses, and they said,
00:16:09.90\00:16:11.23
"Brother, do you
have money in that bag?
00:16:11.27\00:16:13.03
You should not be
in this neighborhood.
00:16:13.07\00:16:15.84
And you're still knocking doors.
00:16:15.87\00:16:17.34
When you roll up,
00:16:17.37\00:16:18.71
and somebody's
dog is rushing out,
00:16:18.74\00:16:20.78
and you're like that
dog does not have a leash.
00:16:20.81\00:16:25.38
And I used to tell people
00:16:25.41\00:16:26.75
I'm not afraid of
what the dog will do to me,
00:16:26.78\00:16:28.35
I'm afraid of what
I'll do to their dog.
00:16:28.38\00:16:30.19
But I remember
grabbing a young lady's hand,
00:16:35.92\00:16:37.56
she was one of my
canvassing students
00:16:37.59\00:16:39.03
and this dog was coming.
00:16:39.06\00:16:41.56
And it had like
an eye that was like
00:16:41.60\00:16:43.60
at least two inches
lower than the other eye.
00:16:43.63\00:16:47.47
And then it had
pictures of the dog
00:16:47.50\00:16:49.14
all around the yard,
00:16:49.17\00:16:50.51
big posters that said, "Beware."
00:16:50.54\00:16:53.94
She said, "Mobile
one, needs support."
00:16:53.98\00:16:59.65
So I drive up to this house.
00:16:59.68\00:17:04.79
Now as I'm driving
up, I see the posters,
00:17:04.82\00:17:06.92
and you see the dog
going back and forth,
00:17:06.96\00:17:08.46
and this yard
was at least an acre.
00:17:08.49\00:17:10.89
So this dog's
running back and forth free.
00:17:10.93\00:17:13.43
And she's like,
00:17:13.46\00:17:14.80
"There's no way we
can do this house."
00:17:14.83\00:17:16.23
I said, "What if
this is their last chance
00:17:16.26\00:17:17.83
to receive the gospel?"
00:17:17.87\00:17:21.04
She said, "I'm
sorry. I can't do it."
00:17:21.07\00:17:23.37
So I grabbed her by the hand.
00:17:23.41\00:17:24.94
I said, "Sister, I know
this may feel inappropriate...
00:17:24.97\00:17:27.14
But we're going
to go to this house."
00:17:30.35\00:17:33.78
She says, "What are you
doing?" I said, "Let's go."
00:17:33.82\00:17:36.79
She was a little
Korean girl. I pulled her.
00:17:36.82\00:17:41.82
We started
walking into the yard,
00:17:41.86\00:17:43.83
the dog started running to
us, the girl started screaming.
00:17:43.86\00:17:48.46
She broke free and
ran out of the yard.
00:17:48.50\00:17:52.00
So I ran out, and
went and got her again.
00:17:52.03\00:17:55.77
And we walked back
into the grass again.
00:17:55.80\00:17:59.11
And when we got to the door,
there was a young man there.
00:17:59.14\00:18:02.44
And after all of
this, he was like,
00:18:02.48\00:18:03.81
"Yeah, my parents are not home."
00:18:03.85\00:18:05.18
And he was
interested in some Bible study.
00:18:05.21\00:18:06.72
So we signed him
up and we walked out.
00:18:06.75\00:18:08.15
She says, "Nobody was even here.
00:18:08.18\00:18:09.68
We didn't even sell any books."
00:18:09.72\00:18:11.09
And I said, "Now you understand
00:18:11.12\00:18:12.49
what it's like
to go to the cross."
00:18:12.52\00:18:15.82
You're not guaranteed results.
00:18:15.86\00:18:17.36
We don't go to
the door for results,
00:18:17.39\00:18:19.43
we go because He
commended us to go.
00:18:19.46\00:18:23.57
And guess what?
00:18:23.60\00:18:24.93
When I get to heaven,
00:18:24.97\00:18:26.30
this mortal will
put on immortality.
00:18:26.33\00:18:28.10
I can survive a dog bite
if it's going to save a soul.
00:18:28.14\00:18:33.07
How come we don't preach that?
00:18:33.11\00:18:37.68
How can we walk around and say,
00:18:37.71\00:18:39.05
"Well, you know,
I'm not telling people
00:18:39.08\00:18:40.42
to go do crazy stuff."
00:18:40.45\00:18:41.78
That's not the point.
00:18:41.82\00:18:43.25
Don't put yourself
in unnecessary harm
00:18:43.28\00:18:45.09
but recognize
00:18:45.12\00:18:46.45
if God called
us to do this work,
00:18:46.49\00:18:48.09
He called us to success.
00:18:48.12\00:18:49.92
And whether we
see that success here
00:18:49.96\00:18:51.69
or in heaven is irrelevant
00:18:51.73\00:18:56.30
because it's time to step up.
00:18:56.33\00:18:59.33
You know, I have to tell you
00:18:59.37\00:19:00.70
that when Joshua goes forward,
00:19:00.74\00:19:05.81
everyone's not
called to be a Joshua,
00:19:05.84\00:19:09.31
everyone's not
called to be a leader.
00:19:09.34\00:19:10.68
That's clear.
00:19:10.71\00:19:12.28
But everyone's
called to cross the Jordan.
00:19:12.31\00:19:16.89
Everyone's called to engage
00:19:16.92\00:19:18.25
the battle on the
other side of Jordan.
00:19:18.29\00:19:21.69
And everyone is called to go in
00:19:21.72\00:19:23.06
and possess the land
that God is giving to them.
00:19:23.09\00:19:27.36
You know, I go back to the Bible
00:19:31.43\00:19:34.30
and look in verse 3.
00:19:34.34\00:19:36.40
The Bible says
00:19:36.44\00:19:37.77
that as God
charges Joshua to arise
00:19:37.81\00:19:42.78
and go over this
Jordan, He says in verse 3,
00:19:42.81\00:19:46.72
"Every place that
the sole of your foot
00:19:46.75\00:19:49.25
shall tread upon
00:19:49.28\00:19:50.62
that have I given
you, as I said unto Moses."
00:19:50.65\00:19:54.82
Now it's very interesting
00:19:54.86\00:19:56.22
that people will take this verse
00:19:56.26\00:19:58.29
and they start doing these,
00:19:58.33\00:19:59.66
you know, zip code prayer walks.
00:19:59.69\00:20:02.13
We're going to walk
around this zip code
00:20:02.16\00:20:03.70
and we're going
to claim this thing
00:20:03.73\00:20:05.37
because Joshua 1:3 says,
00:20:05.40\00:20:06.74
"Every place the
sole of your foot treads,"
00:20:06.77\00:20:08.30
Well, guess what?
00:20:08.34\00:20:09.67
We're not reading
the whole text correctly.
00:20:09.70\00:20:12.44
It says, "Every place
that the sole of your foot
00:20:12.47\00:20:15.14
shall tread upon."
00:20:15.18\00:20:16.78
And then verse 4 says,
00:20:16.81\00:20:18.41
"From the
wilderness in this Lebanon
00:20:18.45\00:20:22.02
even unto the great river,
00:20:22.05\00:20:24.52
the river Euphrates all
the land of the Hittites
00:20:24.55\00:20:27.09
and unto the Great Sea
toward the going down of the Sun
00:20:27.12\00:20:29.52
shall be your coast."
00:20:29.56\00:20:30.89
In other words,
Lebanon's in the north,
00:20:30.93\00:20:33.66
the wilderness is in the south,
the Euphrates is on the east,
00:20:33.70\00:20:37.27
and on the other
side is the west.
00:20:37.30\00:20:38.80
This is your land.
00:20:38.83\00:20:41.34
If you tread in any other
land, you will not have victory.
00:20:41.37\00:20:45.67
God doesn't just send
people on and be like,
00:20:45.71\00:20:47.11
"Well, I'm just going to go here
00:20:47.14\00:20:48.48
and I'm just going
to claim this land."
00:20:48.51\00:20:49.84
No, God is giving you the land.
00:20:49.88\00:20:52.51
You need to focus on
and I need to focus on
00:20:52.55\00:20:54.88
what is God giving to me.
00:20:54.92\00:20:57.95
So when we go home,
00:20:57.99\00:20:59.32
we sometimes
focus on this one soul
00:20:59.35\00:21:01.99
that we want to reach,
00:21:02.02\00:21:03.46
this one group of
people that we want to reach.
00:21:03.49\00:21:05.19
We say, "Oh, you know, we
have a big homeless problem
00:21:05.23\00:21:07.90
but what if God
wants to give you
00:21:07.93\00:21:09.36
the wealthy and
the influential?"
00:21:09.40\00:21:12.13
But we got no ministry for them,
00:21:12.17\00:21:14.40
all those people are
hard, they have no need.
00:21:14.44\00:21:17.01
I said, "Yes, they do.
00:21:17.04\00:21:18.37
If they don't have Jesus,
they got everything but...
00:21:18.41\00:21:23.95
That's all you have as need."
00:21:23.98\00:21:26.38
You like Jesus,
you like everything.
00:21:26.41\00:21:28.75
I don't care how
big your house is,
00:21:28.78\00:21:30.75
I don't care how much
money you have in the bank,
00:21:30.79\00:21:33.39
I don't care what
kind of connections
00:21:33.42\00:21:35.12
you have or political alliances,
00:21:35.16\00:21:37.09
you don't have
Jesus, you have nothing.
00:21:37.13\00:21:40.53
And until we believe that,
00:21:40.56\00:21:41.90
it doesn't matter what color
the suit the person is wearing,
00:21:41.93\00:21:44.70
how much money,
00:21:44.73\00:21:46.07
what kind of car
he drives or she.
00:21:46.10\00:21:50.37
Do you know the
Lord or don't you?
00:21:50.41\00:21:53.41
If you don't, you got
need, this is the ministry.
00:21:53.44\00:21:57.91
Joshua goes
forward and God says,
00:21:57.95\00:21:59.91
"This is the
land and the territory
00:21:59.95\00:22:01.65
that I'm going to give to you."
00:22:01.68\00:22:05.89
And He outlines the boundaries.
00:22:05.92\00:22:08.66
Then in verse 5, he tells
him, in Joshua 1, He says,
00:22:08.69\00:22:12.16
"There shall not
any man be able to stand
00:22:12.19\00:22:14.63
before you all the
days of your," what?
00:22:14.66\00:22:18.23
"Of your life.
00:22:18.27\00:22:19.60
As I was with Moses
so I will be with," who?
00:22:19.63\00:22:23.81
And God says,
00:22:23.84\00:22:25.17
"I will not fail
you nor forsake you."
00:22:25.21\00:22:30.38
You know, the funny
thing is God told Moses
00:22:30.41\00:22:32.25
the same thing
in Deuteronomy 7:24.
00:22:32.28\00:22:36.08
This is why God is saying,
00:22:36.12\00:22:37.45
"You thought that the
success of the movement
00:22:37.49\00:22:39.35
in the wilderness
00:22:39.39\00:22:40.72
and all these things
came about because of Moses.
00:22:40.76\00:22:42.89
No, it's because My
promises were with Moses,
00:22:42.92\00:22:45.99
My presence was with Moses,
00:22:46.03\00:22:47.76
and I told Moses I
will not fail him."
00:22:47.80\00:22:50.87
So now that you
are called to step up
00:22:50.90\00:22:55.10
into a fresh position,
00:22:55.14\00:22:57.67
you are now called
to see fresh revelations
00:22:57.71\00:23:00.48
of the faithfulness of God.
00:23:00.51\00:23:03.01
You don't have to
be afraid to step up
00:23:03.04\00:23:05.05
because as he was
with the great men
00:23:05.08\00:23:07.08
and women before you,
00:23:07.12\00:23:08.68
He's going to be
with you in the same way.
00:23:08.72\00:23:12.25
Listen, brothers and
sisters, we sometimes sit back
00:23:12.29\00:23:14.92
and we're all afraid
about the time of trouble.
00:23:14.96\00:23:16.86
Do you want to live
through the time of trouble?
00:23:16.89\00:23:19.93
Are you afraid to go
through the time of trouble?
00:23:19.96\00:23:21.53
And I said, "You know,
00:23:21.56\00:23:22.90
if you read The
Great Controversy,
00:23:22.93\00:23:25.23
and you look at John Wesley
00:23:25.27\00:23:27.20
preaching on the
plains of England,
00:23:27.24\00:23:29.37
and while he's preaching
on the plains of England,
00:23:29.40\00:23:31.17
he says two men in the
crowd with big pieces of wood,
00:23:31.21\00:23:35.31
super-strong men
came looking for him
00:23:35.34\00:23:37.05
while he was preaching.
00:23:37.08\00:23:39.35
So as they come approaching him,
00:23:39.38\00:23:41.02
he's still preaching.
00:23:41.05\00:23:42.38
He's not backing
down, he's not running,
00:23:42.42\00:23:43.75
he's not doing anything.
00:23:43.79\00:23:45.12
He just keeps preaching.
00:23:45.15\00:23:46.49
And finally, he
finishes the sermon,
00:23:46.52\00:23:47.86
as he's walking
out, they are cutting
00:23:47.89\00:23:49.22
through the crowd
to try to find him,
00:23:49.26\00:23:50.86
and finally they
find him, and he says,
00:23:50.89\00:23:53.16
"The man punched
him so hard in the face
00:23:53.19\00:23:56.50
that blood
immediately started coming out
00:23:56.53\00:23:58.30
of his mouth, just gushing out."
00:23:58.33\00:24:01.10
But he said, "It felt
like someone had hit me
00:24:01.14\00:24:03.84
with a straw."
00:24:03.87\00:24:06.17
And he just kept walking.
00:24:06.21\00:24:08.11
And you're talking about
00:24:08.14\00:24:09.48
you're afraid of
the time of trouble.
00:24:09.51\00:24:11.58
Because as I was
with John Wesley,
00:24:11.61\00:24:13.82
so I will be with you,
if you learn to step up.
00:24:13.85\00:24:19.39
These promises
do not apply to you
00:24:19.42\00:24:21.19
if you don't arise.
00:24:21.22\00:24:24.29
The success and the
victory does not apply to you
00:24:24.33\00:24:26.83
if you do not arise,
if you don't step up.
00:24:26.86\00:24:32.60
If you leave this conference
00:24:32.63\00:24:34.07
and go back to your
regularly scheduled program,
00:24:34.10\00:24:36.81
you will not
receive those promises.
00:24:36.84\00:24:39.41
You will not see the testimonies
00:24:39.44\00:24:41.21
you saw on stage
in your very life,
00:24:41.24\00:24:43.88
the Spirit of
God is not restricted
00:24:43.91\00:24:45.85
by geography.
00:24:45.88\00:24:47.62
He's not restricted by,
00:24:47.65\00:24:48.98
"Well, you know, Elder
Finley is not in our area,
00:24:49.02\00:24:51.59
we don't have any big
preachers in our area."
00:24:51.62\00:24:53.56
That does not matter.
00:24:53.59\00:24:54.99
These men preach,
these women preach
00:24:55.02\00:24:56.96
because the Spirit uses them.
00:24:56.99\00:25:00.16
There is nothing in them.
00:25:00.20\00:25:02.03
So this call to arise
00:25:05.33\00:25:07.20
is not just a nice
little thing for us
00:25:07.24\00:25:08.90
to talk about for five days.
00:25:08.94\00:25:12.74
The whole concept of
"arise" is to call us
00:25:12.77\00:25:15.68
to even greater
dedication and service for God
00:25:15.71\00:25:19.28
when we leave.
00:25:19.31\00:25:21.82
GYC is not a
conclusion of the year.
00:25:21.85\00:25:24.05
It is the
inauguration of the next one.
00:25:24.09\00:25:27.62
This is where we
need to take the movement.
00:25:27.66\00:25:31.09
And now we've been
around for over a decade,
00:25:31.13\00:25:34.93
year after year,
00:25:34.96\00:25:36.30
seminars after
seminars, and people say,
00:25:36.33\00:25:37.83
"Well, you
know, can GYC do this?
00:25:37.87\00:25:40.30
Can GYC do that?
Does GYC have this?"
00:25:40.34\00:25:43.57
This is not the
kingdom of heaven.
00:25:43.61\00:25:46.37
This is a five-day conference
that God uses to inspire us
00:25:46.41\00:25:50.28
but it's supposed
to let us go and say,
00:25:50.31\00:25:52.15
"If GYC doesn't have it,
then I'm going to build it."
00:25:52.18\00:25:57.92
You don't need the logo in order
00:25:57.95\00:25:59.62
to make it official of God.
00:25:59.65\00:26:01.42
But in our minds
if it's not under GYC,
00:26:04.93\00:26:06.80
then I guess it
won't happen, we'll wait.
00:26:06.83\00:26:09.80
You know, as Moise
said, "Stay tuned."
00:26:09.83\00:26:12.50
And I'll just wait
to hear from Moise.
00:26:12.53\00:26:14.74
I'll wait to check the GYC blog
00:26:14.77\00:26:17.47
or we could go home and step up.
00:26:17.51\00:26:19.24
He says in verse 5,
00:26:26.25\00:26:28.72
"There shall not
any man be able to stand
00:26:28.75\00:26:31.92
before you all the
days of your life."
00:26:31.95\00:26:37.06
He's talking about victory.
00:26:37.09\00:26:39.93
You know, what's
interesting is God says,
00:26:39.96\00:26:42.13
"I want you to
go possess this land
00:26:42.16\00:26:44.27
that I'm giving to you."
00:26:44.30\00:26:45.97
Then all of a sudden,
He turns around and says,
00:26:46.00\00:26:47.37
"Oh, don't worry,
00:26:47.40\00:26:48.74
no one's going
to be able to stand
00:26:48.77\00:26:50.11
before you in battle."
00:26:50.14\00:26:51.47
What do you mean battle?
00:26:51.51\00:26:52.84
I thought You just said
You're giving me the land.
00:26:52.87\00:26:56.34
"Yeah, I'm giving you the land
but you got to go possess it."
00:26:56.38\00:27:01.48
"Yeah, I'm giving you the land
00:27:01.52\00:27:02.85
but you got to go
engage in the battle.
00:27:02.88\00:27:05.85
And whoever, and whatever,
whenever it stands against you,
00:27:05.89\00:27:09.56
it will not be able
to stand, you will win."
00:27:09.59\00:27:13.80
You know, I love the
fact that this statement,
00:27:13.83\00:27:18.43
the testimony says,
00:27:18.47\00:27:20.44
"To stand in defense
of truth and righteousness
00:27:20.47\00:27:24.77
when the majority forsakes us,
00:27:24.81\00:27:27.44
to fight the battles of the Lord
00:27:27.48\00:27:29.21
when champions are few."
00:27:29.24\00:27:31.45
This will be our test.
00:27:31.48\00:27:33.95
It is at this time...
00:27:33.98\00:27:35.68
At what time? This time.
00:27:35.72\00:27:37.39
It is at this time
that we must gather courage
00:27:37.42\00:27:41.12
from the cowardice of others,
loyalty from their treason,
00:27:41.16\00:27:45.69
warmth from the
coldness of others.
00:27:45.73\00:27:49.26
People tell me, they say,
"My church is cold-hearted,
00:27:49.30\00:27:51.27
I want to invite
you to my church."
00:27:51.30\00:27:52.83
Then you better gather warmth
00:27:52.87\00:27:54.34
from the coldness of the others.
00:27:54.37\00:27:59.37
Listen, I came into a
church that was not perfect.
00:27:59.41\00:28:04.01
But there were
some people in there
00:28:04.05\00:28:05.38
that were living like Jesus.
00:28:05.41\00:28:08.38
All it takes is one.
00:28:08.42\00:28:10.32
Amen.
00:28:10.35\00:28:12.89
All it takes is one.
00:28:12.92\00:28:16.42
He says, "No men shall be
able to stand before you."
00:28:16.46\00:28:19.26
You see that
statement is so potent
00:28:19.29\00:28:22.03
because if we say
00:28:22.06\00:28:23.40
we're going to go fight
the battles of the Lord,
00:28:23.43\00:28:24.77
the question becomes
00:28:24.80\00:28:26.13
what are the battles of the Lord
00:28:26.17\00:28:28.77
when champions are few?
00:28:28.80\00:28:30.14
We're not talking about
arguing in your board meeting,
00:28:30.17\00:28:33.68
we're not talking
about posting on blogs,
00:28:33.71\00:28:35.78
super-long comments.
00:28:35.81\00:28:37.51
That is not fighting
the battles of the Lord.
00:28:37.55\00:28:40.38
The battles of the Lord
are against three things.
00:28:40.42\00:28:42.62
How many things? Three.
00:28:42.65\00:28:44.05
Three things. The
first one is against error.
00:28:44.09\00:28:47.99
We preach against error. Amen.
00:28:48.02\00:28:50.99
We recognize
that when GYC started,
00:28:51.03\00:28:53.29
the goal was to
make sure people knew
00:28:53.33\00:28:55.43
that there was an
army of young people
00:28:55.46\00:28:57.37
on a mission for the
Lord that loved the teachings
00:28:57.40\00:29:00.47
and the pure
doctrine of this church.
00:29:00.50\00:29:03.34
We are unashamed,
00:29:03.37\00:29:04.91
unabashedly
Seventh-day Adventists.
00:29:04.94\00:29:08.74
And people say,
"Well, Sebastian,
00:29:08.78\00:29:10.11
you know, you don't think
that's a little exclusive?
00:29:10.15\00:29:12.71
You don't think
that's a little bit arrogant
00:29:12.75\00:29:14.25
to say those things?"
00:29:14.28\00:29:15.62
I said, "The
truth is the truth."
00:29:15.65\00:29:17.45
Amen.
00:29:17.49\00:29:18.82
And number two,
someone comes and they say,
00:29:21.62\00:29:24.96
"Well, you know,
this doctrinal purity
00:29:24.99\00:29:27.63
is not just about doctrine."
00:29:27.66\00:29:29.06
It's true.
00:29:29.10\00:29:30.43
It's not just about doctrine
but it sure includes it.
00:29:30.47\00:29:34.50
Sometimes we got
people beating up
00:29:34.54\00:29:36.17
on our doctrines, and
I used to tell people,
00:29:36.20\00:29:37.87
I said, you know,
coming into the church
00:29:37.91\00:29:40.54
from the world as an unbeliever.
00:29:40.58\00:29:44.88
It's interesting, people say,
00:29:44.91\00:29:46.41
"Sebastian, why do you think
that people who are converted
00:29:46.45\00:29:50.59
in the church
are "more dedicated"?
00:29:50.62\00:29:54.89
More dedicated than people
who were raised in the church,
00:29:54.92\00:29:56.96
they just don't
come in as on fire."
00:29:56.99\00:29:58.76
And I said, "You know why?
00:29:58.79\00:30:00.70
Because when you
come into the church
00:30:00.73\00:30:02.13
and someone says, "Guess what,
00:30:02.16\00:30:03.50
this is the
Seventh-day Sabbath?"
00:30:03.53\00:30:04.87
So all those Friday
nights, and that partying,
00:30:04.90\00:30:07.17
and all the
stuff you like to do,
00:30:07.20\00:30:08.57
you got to give that up."
00:30:08.60\00:30:10.94
And I said, "In other words,
00:30:10.97\00:30:12.31
in order for me
to follow the truth,
00:30:12.34\00:30:13.91
and to come to know
Jesus, and to join this church,
00:30:13.94\00:30:16.64
I had to give up things I liked.
00:30:16.68\00:30:18.75
It cost me something."
00:30:18.78\00:30:21.78
"I didn't just
receive it by osmosis."
00:30:21.82\00:30:24.99
Oh, yeah, I'm used
to singing these songs,
00:30:25.02\00:30:26.69
I know the drill, we
always keep this out.
00:30:26.72\00:30:28.92
That's just how life is.
00:30:28.96\00:30:30.53
This is exactly what
happens when we take people
00:30:30.56\00:30:33.23
who are raised in the church
00:30:33.26\00:30:34.60
and we do not
call them to account.
00:30:34.63\00:30:38.97
So I love what
Justin said, accountability.
00:30:39.00\00:30:43.00
But you know why?
00:30:43.04\00:30:44.37
Because we're
afraid to offend somebody.
00:30:44.41\00:30:47.74
And I'm not
talking about these people
00:30:47.78\00:30:49.11
who want to confuse,
rebuke with being rude.
00:30:49.14\00:30:52.51
Some people are just plain rude.
00:30:52.55\00:30:55.22
It's the truth.
00:30:55.25\00:30:56.58
Oh, brothers...
00:30:56.62\00:30:57.95
So they think, if
they pray with you and,
00:30:57.99\00:30:59.49
you know, if we
say, "Hey, brother,
00:30:59.52\00:31:00.86
can I talk to you for a second?"
00:31:00.89\00:31:02.22
I just pray with you
and as long as I'm quoting
00:31:02.26\00:31:03.96
the Spirit of
Prophecy in the Bible,
00:31:03.99\00:31:05.33
you know, it's okay
whatever I say to you,
00:31:05.36\00:31:07.20
however I say it to you.
00:31:07.23\00:31:10.13
It's not true.
00:31:10.17\00:31:11.97
You're just
trying to mask the fact
00:31:12.00\00:31:13.34
that you're a judgmental person.
00:31:13.37\00:31:15.70
And you need the
Lord in your heart.
00:31:15.74\00:31:18.47
Walking around
accusing the brethren,
00:31:18.51\00:31:21.34
doing the
devil's work for himself,
00:31:21.38\00:31:25.65
all in the guise
of I'm more spiritual,
00:31:25.68\00:31:27.75
holier than thou.
00:31:27.78\00:31:29.12
You're not arising
because your light has come,
00:31:29.15\00:31:31.09
you're walking in the
sparks of your own kindling.
00:31:31.12\00:31:33.29
We talk about
stepping up against error.
00:31:40.43\00:31:45.87
We need to learn to
stand and be counted
00:31:45.90\00:31:47.50
when it comes to the truth.
00:31:47.54\00:31:48.87
But, you know, for many of us,
it's about those worldly gains
00:31:52.41\00:31:54.98
and respectable conventionality.
00:31:55.01\00:31:59.21
The second thing we fight
00:31:59.25\00:32:00.58
the battles of the
Lord against is hatred.
00:32:00.62\00:32:04.55
You know, if there is anything
00:32:04.59\00:32:06.05
that we need to grow as a church
00:32:06.09\00:32:08.89
and as a movement is the ability
00:32:08.92\00:32:11.36
to love people we disagree with.
00:32:11.39\00:32:15.33
I don't agree with you,
00:32:15.36\00:32:17.57
but you need to love that person
00:32:17.60\00:32:18.93
because Ellen White says,
"The most fatal deception..."
00:32:18.97\00:32:22.80
Fatal means deadly.
00:32:22.84\00:32:25.37
"The most fatal
deception is that people think
00:32:25.41\00:32:27.91
they're going to heaven
00:32:27.94\00:32:29.31
without having Christ-like
love for their brethren."
00:32:29.34\00:32:33.82
You think you're just
going to live on the other side
00:32:33.85\00:32:35.45
of the New Jerusalem.
00:32:35.48\00:32:36.99
Oh, yeah, her
mansion ain't going
00:32:37.02\00:32:38.35
to be next to mine.
00:32:38.39\00:32:41.56
You won't be there.
00:32:41.59\00:32:45.99
Many people will come to Jesus,
00:32:46.03\00:32:47.80
did we not
prophesy in Your name?
00:32:47.83\00:32:50.13
Did we not do
many wonderful works
00:32:50.17\00:32:52.33
in Your name?
00:32:52.37\00:32:54.47
Did we not tell
other people about You?
00:32:54.50\00:32:59.51
But God is against
hatred of all forms,
00:32:59.54\00:33:03.81
even if the other
member across the table
00:33:03.85\00:33:06.28
at the board
meeting was your enemy,
00:33:06.31\00:33:08.02
the Bible says,
00:33:08.05\00:33:09.38
"Love your enemy even
if they were your enemy."
00:33:09.42\00:33:14.42
But, you know, it's all
just a deception of the devil
00:33:14.46\00:33:18.83
to bring us back
in and forget the fact
00:33:18.86\00:33:21.06
that we wrestle not
against flesh and blood.
00:33:21.10\00:33:24.23
People are not our problem.
00:33:24.27\00:33:25.97
Error, hatred are our problem.
00:33:29.24\00:33:32.04
And the last battle of the Lord
00:33:32.07\00:33:34.18
that we must
fight as illustrated
00:33:34.21\00:33:36.85
by the Book of Joshua is sin.
00:33:36.88\00:33:41.62
We are against sin.
00:33:41.65\00:33:44.69
We fight against
sin, not sinners.
00:33:44.72\00:33:46.76
Can you say amen? Amen.
00:33:46.79\00:33:50.96
The only thing that
we should have a problem
00:33:50.99\00:33:52.69
with is sin.
00:33:52.73\00:33:54.96
And people come and
they act all shocked,
00:33:55.00\00:33:56.33
"Can you believe
00:33:56.36\00:33:57.70
that this brother did XY and Z?"
00:33:57.73\00:33:59.33
I'm like, "Why are you shocked?
00:33:59.37\00:34:00.70
The Bible said,
00:34:00.74\00:34:02.07
"The heart is
deceitful above all things
00:34:02.10\00:34:04.51
and desperately wicked."
00:34:04.54\00:34:06.27
Why are you
surprised that a sinner
00:34:06.31\00:34:08.38
does what a sinner does?
00:34:08.41\00:34:10.85
The point is we
need to be against sin,
00:34:10.88\00:34:13.45
preaching against it.
00:34:13.48\00:34:15.35
As we are always told
00:34:15.38\00:34:16.95
that the
greatest one of the world
00:34:16.99\00:34:18.32
is the one of what?
00:34:18.35\00:34:19.79
Men. Men who do what?
00:34:19.82\00:34:21.52
Call sin by its right
name, not justification.
00:34:21.56\00:34:25.76
You get to these
people where they're like,
00:34:25.79\00:34:27.20
"Oh, you know,
God knows my heart."
00:34:27.23\00:34:29.00
You're right, He
does know your heart,
00:34:29.03\00:34:30.37
you're backslidden.
00:34:30.40\00:34:33.30
He does know.
00:34:33.34\00:34:35.60
But we come in,
00:34:35.64\00:34:36.97
and we want to justify, and say,
00:34:37.01\00:34:38.34
"Well, you know,
is it really wrong
00:34:38.37\00:34:39.71
to have oral sex?
00:34:39.74\00:34:41.08
Is it really wrong
00:34:41.11\00:34:42.44
if you're
kissing and making out?
00:34:42.48\00:34:43.81
You're not sleeping together."
00:34:43.85\00:34:45.18
Really, how close to
the edge do you want to get?
00:34:45.21\00:34:48.48
Are you willing to
bet your salvation on that
00:34:48.52\00:34:52.39
and find out in the
judgment you were wrong
00:34:52.42\00:34:55.36
because we don't
have the humility
00:34:55.39\00:34:56.76
to admit the fact
00:34:56.79\00:34:58.13
that I got a lust problem
and I need to go to Jesus.
00:34:58.16\00:35:01.96
'Cause the gospel is able
to overcome every tendency
00:35:02.00\00:35:05.90
to wrong.
00:35:05.93\00:35:07.97
Not just the ones we want
00:35:08.00\00:35:09.34
to come out of
that bring us shame,
00:35:09.37\00:35:11.04
even the ones we enjoy.
00:35:11.07\00:35:16.48
But those aren't the
sins that we want to rebuke
00:35:16.51\00:35:18.11
because the battles of the Lord
00:35:18.15\00:35:19.75
when champions are few.
00:35:19.78\00:35:22.22
People say, "I'm
against sin in all its forms,
00:35:25.69\00:35:30.79
small white lies,
00:35:30.83\00:35:33.43
as well as
gross dark deception."
00:35:33.46\00:35:38.60
You know, the next verse,
00:35:38.63\00:35:44.11
verse 6,
00:35:44.14\00:35:46.34
He tells Joshua three times
00:35:46.37\00:35:49.78
to be strong and
of a good courage.
00:35:49.81\00:35:55.05
He says, "Joshua, I
want you to be strong
00:35:55.08\00:35:58.05
and of a good courage."
00:35:58.09\00:36:00.46
And he says,
"For unto this people,
00:36:00.49\00:36:02.59
you shall divide
for them a," what?
00:36:02.62\00:36:05.89
What does the
word say in your Bible?
00:36:05.93\00:36:07.56
Inheritance. "An inheritance."
00:36:07.60\00:36:09.40
He says, "You're going
to divide an inheritance
00:36:09.43\00:36:11.93
unto this people."
00:36:11.97\00:36:13.30
So wait, wait, wait, why does
00:36:13.34\00:36:14.67
that require
strength and courage?
00:36:14.70\00:36:17.37
What kind of courage do you need
00:36:17.41\00:36:19.17
to divide an inheritance
among a group of people?
00:36:19.21\00:36:23.04
You see, when I was a
little kid, six years old,
00:36:23.08\00:36:25.91
living in Chicago,
00:36:25.95\00:36:28.38
you know, I
remember playing baseball.
00:36:28.42\00:36:31.72
And this girl,
her name was Collette,
00:36:31.75\00:36:33.36
she has the same name as my mom.
00:36:33.39\00:36:35.52
But she was like the
tough girl in the neighborhood.
00:36:35.56\00:36:37.36
I mean, she was known
for beating boys down.
00:36:37.39\00:36:42.00
And so when it
came to play baseball,
00:36:42.03\00:36:43.87
if the game was close,
00:36:43.90\00:36:45.30
she just had ways
of pitching the ball,
00:36:45.33\00:36:49.57
that it was just
either impossible to hit
00:36:49.60\00:36:52.04
or she would almost
hit you with the ball.
00:36:52.07\00:36:56.14
And so there I
was, six years old,
00:36:56.18\00:36:57.68
Collette was like eight or nine,
00:36:57.71\00:36:59.08
she was bigger than me.
00:36:59.11\00:37:01.22
And so she was pitching
the ball, this crazy thing,
00:37:01.25\00:37:03.02
and, of course,
everyone else was like,
00:37:03.05\00:37:04.39
"Sebastian,
man, just let it go."
00:37:04.42\00:37:05.75
I'm like, "She's not
supposed to do this, man.
00:37:05.79\00:37:07.16
This is not how this
is supposed to work."
00:37:07.19\00:37:09.66
So I catch the
ball, throw it back,
00:37:09.69\00:37:12.39
and then she
throws the same thing.
00:37:12.43\00:37:14.80
Then I catch it and
throw it back, same thing.
00:37:14.83\00:37:17.40
Third time, I
said, "You know what,
00:37:17.43\00:37:18.77
I'm just going to
throw this ball at her."
00:37:18.80\00:37:20.74
Everyone's eyes
just opened wide.
00:37:20.77\00:37:23.61
After I threw the ball
at her and almost hit her,
00:37:23.64\00:37:25.61
she started running at me.
00:37:25.64\00:37:27.38
I just held the bat in my hand.
00:37:27.41\00:37:28.78
And the whole neighborhood
was gathered around.
00:37:31.98\00:37:34.75
They said,
"Sebastian, this is a girl.
00:37:34.78\00:37:37.12
What are you doing with a bat?"
00:37:37.15\00:37:38.95
I'm like, "She is not a girl.
00:37:38.99\00:37:40.32
There's a female tiger as well."
00:37:40.36\00:37:41.92
"Put the bat down, Sebastian."
00:37:45.39\00:37:47.83
And one of my
friends looked at me,
00:37:47.86\00:37:49.20
he said, "Sebastian,
00:37:49.23\00:37:50.57
are you really going to
hold a bat to fight a girl?"
00:37:50.60\00:37:53.23
He says, "You don't
have the courage to fight her
00:37:53.27\00:37:55.64
like a man."
00:37:55.67\00:37:58.84
See that just gets you
right there in your pride.
00:37:58.87\00:38:02.64
So I put the bat down
and I took my beating.
00:38:02.68\00:38:04.88
And after I took my beating,
went in the house crying.
00:38:13.52\00:38:17.56
"What happened?"
00:38:17.59\00:38:18.93
You know, we
don't talk about it.
00:38:18.96\00:38:23.73
But, you know,
00:38:23.77\00:38:25.10
she never
pitched like that again.
00:38:25.13\00:38:26.47
You see, brothers and sisters,
sometimes we have to recognize
00:38:29.64\00:38:32.14
that when we have the
courage to do the right thing,
00:38:32.17\00:38:37.91
sometimes we don't win.
00:38:37.95\00:38:39.28
Sometimes we do everything right
00:38:42.38\00:38:44.35
and we still lose.
00:38:44.39\00:38:47.42
And too many of us,
00:38:47.46\00:38:48.79
we get discouraged
when we did everything right
00:38:48.82\00:38:50.66
and the result doesn't
come as if God is a magic lamp.
00:38:50.69\00:38:55.66
"Well, Lord, I fulfilled
this. So You have to do this."
00:38:55.70\00:38:57.90
No, He doesn't.
00:38:57.93\00:39:01.84
Joseph was faithful
to Potiphar and to God,
00:39:01.87\00:39:04.21
he ended up in prison.
00:39:04.24\00:39:06.41
Jesus lived a perfect
life, they crucified Him.
00:39:06.44\00:39:10.15
Paul preached the truth
and even humbled himself
00:39:13.98\00:39:17.52
to his brethren request,
00:39:17.55\00:39:18.92
he ended up in
prison the rest of his life.
00:39:18.95\00:39:23.96
Brothers and sisters,
00:39:23.99\00:39:25.33
we have to come to
accept that courage
00:39:25.36\00:39:27.26
is not the absence of
fear, it is not presumption,
00:39:27.30\00:39:30.90
it is not just
rush into it blindly
00:39:30.93\00:39:32.63
without thinking, without plans.
00:39:32.67\00:39:34.90
Courage is saying,
00:39:34.94\00:39:36.27
"Yes, I'm afraid but
I'm going to go anyway."
00:39:36.30\00:39:40.64
I'm not the best speaker,
but I'm going to go anyway.
00:39:40.68\00:39:44.48
That's courage.
00:39:44.51\00:39:46.45
Courage is saying,
00:39:46.48\00:39:47.82
"I'm going to go back
home and they're going to say,
00:39:47.85\00:39:49.25
'Oh wait, weren't you the
kid before you went to GYC,
00:39:49.28\00:39:52.92
you was out partying,
00:39:52.95\00:39:54.29
you was dating
this girl and that girl
00:39:54.32\00:39:56.06
and now you want to
come back all spiritual
00:39:56.09\00:39:57.89
talking about we need
to have a Bible study?
00:39:57.93\00:40:00.20
Please, you need to
go somewhere with that."'
00:40:00.23\00:40:03.67
You need to have the courage
to go forward anyway and say,
00:40:03.70\00:40:06.37
"Yes, I was that guy.
00:40:06.40\00:40:08.04
Yes, I was doing
that but guess what?
00:40:08.07\00:40:10.21
I went to GYC
and Jesus found me.
00:40:10.24\00:40:13.27
Jesus transformed me and
now I am ready to step up."
00:40:13.31\00:40:16.51
We got to have courage.
00:40:20.52\00:40:24.72
Three times He tells
Joshua and guess what?
00:40:24.75\00:40:28.52
If a little girl
came to me and she said,
00:40:28.56\00:40:31.26
"You know, Brother Sebastian,
00:40:31.29\00:40:32.86
I hear you're
preaching on Sunday morning,
00:40:32.89\00:40:35.46
be strong and
have a good courage."
00:40:35.50\00:40:38.23
You know, you'd be
like, "Oh, that's so cute."
00:40:38.27\00:40:41.24
But if a Navy SEAL
came to me and he said,
00:40:41.27\00:40:44.11
"Sebastian, you
need to be strong
00:40:44.14\00:40:48.21
and of a good courage."
00:40:48.24\00:40:49.98
You're like, "Now,
this guy's a Navy SEAL.
00:40:50.01\00:40:52.85
He's telling me to have courage,
00:40:52.88\00:40:54.92
that means there's
some serious danger
00:40:54.95\00:40:56.72
waiting over there."
00:40:56.75\00:40:59.09
But how much more when
God, who fears nothing,
00:40:59.12\00:41:04.33
comes to you and says,
00:41:04.36\00:41:05.69
"You need to be
strong and of a good courage
00:41:05.73\00:41:09.76
because there's
going to be battles
00:41:09.80\00:41:11.20
you have to fight in your
life, I'm not sure I can win.
00:41:11.23\00:41:14.84
There's going to be
dangers lurking for you
00:41:14.87\00:41:17.24
when you go into
that land to fight
00:41:17.27\00:41:19.14
those battles of the Lord."
00:41:19.17\00:41:20.94
And it is no different,
GYC, when we leave this place,
00:41:20.98\00:41:23.91
the devil is waiting on
the other side of the doors
00:41:23.95\00:41:26.01
of this convention center.
00:41:26.05\00:41:27.65
As soon as you get on the plane,
00:41:27.68\00:41:29.08
as soon as you get on the bus,
as soon as you get in the car,
00:41:29.12\00:41:31.62
as soon as you get back home,
the devil is waiting for you.
00:41:31.65\00:41:36.12
And God says, "Guess what?
00:41:36.16\00:41:37.49
I'm charging you to arise,
to step up, to go over this,
00:41:37.53\00:41:40.73
Jordan, to finish this work
00:41:40.76\00:41:42.50
but there are
dangers waiting for you
00:41:42.53\00:41:44.60
on the other side."
00:41:44.63\00:41:45.97
And as my favorite
preacher used to say,
00:41:49.27\00:41:51.34
"When you give
your life to Jesus
00:41:51.37\00:41:53.17
and you want to
do the right thing,
00:41:53.21\00:41:54.64
what do you
expect the devil to do?
00:41:54.68\00:41:56.41
Pat you on the
back and wish you well?"
00:41:56.44\00:42:00.45
"Thanks, man, you
chose Jesus. Good job.
00:42:00.48\00:42:04.29
Have a good life."
00:42:04.32\00:42:05.65
No, as soon as you
decide at this conference,
00:42:05.69\00:42:08.62
when you came up for the appeal,
00:42:08.66\00:42:10.23
when you came up and
said, "You know what?
00:42:10.26\00:42:11.83
I'm going to do
something for God.
00:42:11.86\00:42:13.33
I'm going to go
on a mission trip,
00:42:13.36\00:42:14.76
I'm going to go
through the Middle East,
00:42:14.80\00:42:16.13
I'm going to go on
this service project."
00:42:16.16\00:42:17.90
As soon as you
decided to do that,
00:42:17.93\00:42:21.44
you were put in
the devil's crosshairs
00:42:21.47\00:42:23.67
and please believe your life
00:42:23.71\00:42:25.47
may go awry when
you leave this place.
00:42:25.51\00:42:30.55
And then people
come back and say,
00:42:30.58\00:42:31.91
"Maybe God
doesn't want me to do it."
00:42:31.95\00:42:34.35
That's the exact opposite.
00:42:34.38\00:42:37.45
It is because we are
doing the right thing
00:42:37.49\00:42:39.42
that the devil is there
to try to discourage us.
00:42:39.45\00:42:41.92
He will contest
every inch, every what?
00:42:41.96\00:42:47.13
Every inch of
ground that we made back
00:42:47.16\00:42:49.43
to the heavenly
Canaan, every inch.
00:42:49.46\00:42:54.94
The devil's not just content
trying to get you into sin,
00:42:54.97\00:42:57.57
he's also content
about making it hard for you
00:42:57.61\00:43:00.28
to wake up and study the Bible,
00:43:00.31\00:43:02.94
making it
difficult you want to pray.
00:43:02.98\00:43:04.31
You know, I love the fact
00:43:04.35\00:43:05.68
that we're getting
together in the prayer room.
00:43:05.71\00:43:07.05
My question is how many of us
00:43:07.08\00:43:08.48
are going to be
in the prayer room
00:43:08.52\00:43:09.85
when we get home?
00:43:09.88\00:43:13.56
That's my favorite
part of GYC is outreach.
00:43:13.59\00:43:15.89
What outreach are
you doing at home?
00:43:15.92\00:43:17.63
There's houses in Phoenix
00:43:17.66\00:43:18.99
and there's houses
in your neighborhood.
00:43:19.03\00:43:20.83
Amen.
00:43:20.86\00:43:22.53
There's no
difference between them.
00:43:22.56\00:43:23.90
The only difference is
if you decided to step up.
00:43:23.93\00:43:28.14
Stepping up in a crowd is easy.
00:43:28.17\00:43:31.54
Stepping up when
you're by yourself is not.
00:43:31.57\00:43:36.31
That takes courage.
00:43:36.34\00:43:37.68
You see, I believe
there's a lot of stepping up
00:43:40.68\00:43:43.45
for us to do.
00:43:43.49\00:43:45.85
You know, if you're a preacher,
00:43:45.89\00:43:48.66
stepping up means that,
00:43:48.69\00:43:50.03
you know, I need to make sure
00:43:50.06\00:43:52.49
that my sermons
are biblically correct
00:43:52.53\00:43:54.36
and not politically correct.
00:43:54.40\00:43:57.87
I need to mount the pulpit
00:43:57.90\00:43:59.23
as the mighty
proclaimer of truth
00:43:59.27\00:44:01.10
that Jesus called me to be
00:44:01.14\00:44:03.51
when I stepped
into the ministry.
00:44:03.54\00:44:05.87
I need to make
sure that the message
00:44:05.91\00:44:07.68
and not the massage
of my ego is the goal.
00:44:07.71\00:44:11.25
I need to make
sure that I'm worrying
00:44:11.28\00:44:13.05
about when God
invites me to give an account
00:44:13.08\00:44:15.35
for my sermon
00:44:15.38\00:44:16.72
than if they're
going to invite me back.
00:44:16.75\00:44:20.66
Everybody wants to be popular.
00:44:20.69\00:44:22.02
Nobody wants to be Jeremiah.
00:44:22.06\00:44:26.26
Nobody wants to say
the uncomfortable things
00:44:26.29\00:44:28.00
but those are the
sermons that change lives.
00:44:28.03\00:44:31.17
But, you see, we can
also step up as members.
00:44:31.20\00:44:34.80
You know, stop complaining
00:44:34.84\00:44:36.17
about boring
sermons and preach one.
00:44:36.20\00:44:38.31
That's fire.
00:44:38.34\00:44:39.91
Stop worrying about my
church is a dead church
00:44:39.94\00:44:41.78
and start a prayer
00:44:41.81\00:44:43.14
and Bible study
group to revive it.
00:44:43.18\00:44:45.45
No, no, no, stop
worrying about what's happening
00:44:45.48\00:44:48.72
at a GC vote
00:44:48.75\00:44:50.09
but you don't even show up
to a church business meeting.
00:44:50.12\00:44:54.69
And probably don't even know
00:44:54.72\00:44:56.06
what a union
constituency meeting is.
00:44:56.09\00:45:00.53
We're constantly
looking for the next event
00:45:00.56\00:45:02.36
as if it was cocaine.
00:45:02.40\00:45:05.50
"When am I going to
get my spiritual fix?
00:45:05.53\00:45:07.24
Oh, there's GYC
affiliate meetings,
00:45:07.27\00:45:08.87
I'm going to go to GYC,
00:45:08.90\00:45:10.24
I'm going to go
to GYC Southeast,
00:45:10.27\00:45:11.61
and I'm going to go to GYC West,
00:45:11.64\00:45:12.97
and I'm a
volunteer here at Pathways."
00:45:13.01\00:45:14.81
We're just looking
for the next event.
00:45:14.84\00:45:16.44
That ain't going to
carry you through the end time.
00:45:16.48\00:45:19.35
You got to have your own
personal experience with Jesus.
00:45:19.38\00:45:22.35
Amen.
00:45:22.38\00:45:23.72
When all the lights are off,
00:45:23.75\00:45:26.59
you got to have the
courage to carry on.
00:45:26.62\00:45:29.29
But, you know, even as a GYCer,
00:45:33.19\00:45:37.60
we got to stand
up and be counted.
00:45:37.63\00:45:41.80
You know, the
beauty of the movement,
00:45:41.84\00:45:45.04
since I've been a part of
it, is that we all don't agree.
00:45:45.07\00:45:49.58
That's part of the beauty.
00:45:49.61\00:45:51.41
There are things we all agree on
00:45:51.45\00:45:53.55
but there are
things that we don't.
00:45:53.58\00:45:56.69
And the fact that
we can come to unity
00:45:56.72\00:45:58.55
on the mission
00:45:58.59\00:46:00.26
and the message of what
God is calling us to do,
00:46:00.29\00:46:03.43
that's what makes it beautiful,
00:46:03.46\00:46:05.46
that's what makes
it unity in diversity.
00:46:05.49\00:46:08.76
But, you know, even stepping
up there reminds us of the fact
00:46:08.80\00:46:11.93
that many of us,
00:46:11.97\00:46:13.30
we need to stop
worrying about being judged
00:46:13.34\00:46:15.47
and we need to
welcome accountability.
00:46:15.50\00:46:18.47
We can't dis-phrase of
saying, "Hey, man, you know..."
00:46:18.51\00:46:20.78
Before we say
that we did something,
00:46:20.81\00:46:22.48
we know we
shouldn't be doing it.
00:46:22.51\00:46:23.85
"Hey, man, don't judge me."
00:46:23.88\00:46:26.28
As if that's just going
to give you an excuse to do
00:46:26.31\00:46:28.85
what you did.
00:46:28.88\00:46:30.89
Rather than being
like, "You know what?
00:46:30.92\00:46:32.29
I know I was
tripping, I was backsliding,
00:46:32.32\00:46:35.12
I was whiling out,
00:46:35.16\00:46:36.49
I was doing something I
knew I shouldn't be doing,
00:46:36.52\00:46:38.49
and I'm welcoming
the accountability.
00:46:38.53\00:46:40.66
Don't judge me, get
on your knees with me,
00:46:40.70\00:46:43.10
and pray for me."
00:46:43.13\00:46:44.47
Amen.
00:46:44.50\00:46:46.67
And say, "If a brother
be overtaken in a fault,
00:46:46.70\00:46:48.97
restore such a one."
00:46:49.00\00:46:50.47
Amen.
00:46:50.51\00:46:52.44
Considering yourself also
00:46:52.47\00:46:55.68
with meekness and gentleness.
00:46:55.71\00:46:58.48
Amen.
00:46:58.51\00:47:01.08
I got to hurry to my conclusion.
00:47:01.12\00:47:03.55
My time is out.
00:47:03.59\00:47:04.92
I want you to notice in verse 9,
00:47:08.46\00:47:10.53
the last question.
00:47:10.56\00:47:15.06
The only question
that God asked Joshua
00:47:15.10\00:47:18.97
when He charges him,
00:47:19.00\00:47:21.60
He says, "Joshua,
00:47:21.64\00:47:25.94
have not I commanded you,
00:47:25.97\00:47:30.61
be strong and
of a good courage."
00:47:30.65\00:47:34.48
You know, I
remember in the military,
00:47:34.52\00:47:37.15
they have this concept
called "the commander's intent."
00:47:37.19\00:47:42.22
The commander's intent,
00:47:42.26\00:47:45.63
the purpose of
this concept is to say
00:47:45.66\00:47:47.36
that most military plans...
00:47:47.40\00:47:49.46
And they are long, you
get a military briefing
00:47:49.50\00:47:51.63
it's like 40 pages long,
everything you can think of,
00:47:51.67\00:47:55.90
every possible contingency.
00:47:55.94\00:47:58.11
And they say,
"Here is your plan."
00:47:58.14\00:47:59.54
But the first
thing they learn is
00:47:59.57\00:48:00.98
that the plans
become obsolete the moment
00:48:01.01\00:48:04.11
you come in
contact with the enemy.
00:48:04.15\00:48:06.45
You laid all these plans
and then you get out there,
00:48:06.48\00:48:08.38
and you're like,
"This ain't going to work."
00:48:08.42\00:48:11.05
So then they're
like what do we do,
00:48:11.09\00:48:12.42
these soldiers are out there.
00:48:12.45\00:48:14.22
We told them to go forward.
00:48:14.26\00:48:15.59
We told them here's the mission
00:48:15.62\00:48:16.96
and now the step-by-step
nitty-gritty instructions,
00:48:16.99\00:48:19.96
it doesn't work
00:48:20.00\00:48:21.33
because they get to
step five, and they're like,
00:48:21.36\00:48:22.70
"Wait, what do we do?
00:48:22.73\00:48:24.07
It's not here. It doesn't work."
00:48:24.10\00:48:25.43
So they came up
00:48:25.47\00:48:26.80
with the concept
in the 1990s called
00:48:26.84\00:48:28.50
"the commander's intent."
00:48:28.54\00:48:31.81
And the purpose of
the commander's intent
00:48:31.84\00:48:33.51
is when you get
your military briefing,
00:48:33.54\00:48:36.11
at the very top
and very plain language
00:48:36.14\00:48:40.05
is the very central
objective of the mission.
00:48:40.08\00:48:44.69
It'll say something like,
00:48:44.72\00:48:46.05
"To neutralize the
enemy in this city."
00:48:46.09\00:48:49.42
That's the intent.
00:48:49.46\00:48:50.79
So when you get out there,
and you're following the plans,
00:48:50.83\00:48:52.96
and everybody says,
00:48:52.99\00:48:54.33
"Oh, man, the plan,
this is not working."
00:48:54.36\00:48:56.20
We learn to improvise
00:48:56.23\00:48:59.47
because we remember
what's the commander's intent.
00:48:59.50\00:49:02.70
So in the same
sense, when we go to GYC,
00:49:02.74\00:49:04.91
yes, we can give you workbooks
and step-by-step instructions
00:49:04.94\00:49:08.11
of how to start
a Bible study group
00:49:08.14\00:49:09.58
but then you start going forward
00:49:09.61\00:49:10.95
and guess what?
00:49:10.98\00:49:12.31
Plans fail
immediately upon contact.
00:49:12.35\00:49:15.28
"Oh, we can't do that.
Oh, this is not working out."
00:49:15.32\00:49:16.99
Well, guess what?
00:49:17.02\00:49:18.35
We need to remember
the commander's intent.
00:49:18.39\00:49:22.72
The goal is to
leave this place to arise,
00:49:22.76\00:49:25.59
to step up, and to
go over this Jordan.
00:49:25.63\00:49:28.13
It is to finish this work.
00:49:28.16\00:49:30.50
So if that means, guess what?
00:49:30.53\00:49:31.87
The step-by-step plans are
not working, then so be it.
00:49:31.90\00:49:36.00
I got to improvise
and go a different way.
00:49:36.04\00:49:40.18
So he said, "Hey,
here's your step-by-step plan
00:49:40.21\00:49:41.98
of how to start
your small group."
00:49:42.01\00:49:43.35
And you're like,
"It's not working for me."
00:49:43.38\00:49:46.35
Then you say well,
00:49:46.38\00:49:47.72
but the intent is to
start a small group of people
00:49:47.75\00:49:49.48
who study and
pray over the Bible.
00:49:49.52\00:49:52.12
So if I got to
do it in my house,
00:49:52.15\00:49:53.89
if I got to do it at the park,
00:49:53.92\00:49:55.26
if I got to go
to Barnes & Noble,
00:49:55.29\00:49:56.62
then that's
what I'm going to do.
00:49:56.66\00:49:58.93
Because I know the
commander's intent.
00:49:58.96\00:50:00.90
You know, I want to end...
00:50:06.00\00:50:08.07
With this story.
00:50:11.21\00:50:14.44
It's about a man named
00:50:14.48\00:50:17.15
Charles Decatur Brooks.
00:50:17.18\00:50:23.49
Also known as CD Brooks.
00:50:23.52\00:50:25.75
It's on June 5th last year
00:50:28.89\00:50:30.43
that he passed
away at 85 years old.
00:50:30.46\00:50:35.10
They said that CD Brooks
00:50:35.13\00:50:39.97
probably brought
somewhere around 20,000 people
00:50:40.00\00:50:43.10
to the church in his ministry.
00:50:43.14\00:50:45.54
And when he
passed away last year,
00:50:50.25\00:50:54.92
you know, as a
product of his ministry
00:50:54.95\00:51:00.72
influenced by the fact
00:51:00.76\00:51:03.06
that he was willing to
preach the Word with nerve,
00:51:03.09\00:51:06.09
with backbone,
00:51:06.13\00:51:08.70
and unafraid of
what people thought.
00:51:08.73\00:51:10.20
And you think to
yourself what do you do
00:51:13.30\00:51:16.54
when you're called
to follow greatness?
00:51:16.57\00:51:18.61
We lost this man
00:51:22.58\00:51:23.91
whom God had been
using for so many years.
00:51:23.95\00:51:28.62
And I thought to myself,
00:51:28.65\00:51:30.75
one of his
signature sermons was titled
00:51:30.79\00:51:34.49
"I want my church back."
00:51:34.52\00:51:38.23
The church was going
awry as he says in the sermon,
00:51:38.26\00:51:42.30
Sabbath on the golf course,
00:51:42.33\00:51:45.30
picnicking, theater-going.
00:51:45.33\00:51:50.04
And he said right
before he got up to preach,
00:51:50.07\00:51:51.97
he didn't know what
to title his sermon,
00:51:52.01\00:51:53.48
and his friends slipped a
note under his door, and said,
00:51:53.51\00:51:55.91
"Charles, I
want my church back."
00:51:55.94\00:52:00.88
So as he was preaching
his sermon to other ministers,
00:52:00.92\00:52:04.99
eventually we had the privilege
to have him come to GYC,
00:52:05.02\00:52:09.42
and I had the
privilege to pick him up,
00:52:09.46\00:52:12.86
and also to pick up his wife.
00:52:12.89\00:52:16.60
And I remember
00:52:16.63\00:52:18.47
just talking to
him and in my mind,
00:52:18.50\00:52:20.10
you know, I didn't
even know how to behave,
00:52:20.14\00:52:21.64
I was a young GYC volunteer.
00:52:21.67\00:52:24.81
You know, you just say
nothing, just be quiet.
00:52:24.84\00:52:29.78
You don't want to mess this up.
00:52:29.81\00:52:32.65
So I just said nothing.
00:52:32.68\00:52:35.82
And every single time,
00:52:35.85\00:52:37.19
you know, I had to check on him,
00:52:37.22\00:52:38.55
make sure everything was fine,
00:52:38.59\00:52:39.92
he would say,
"Everything's fine, brother."
00:52:39.95\00:52:41.29
But eventually when I
reflected on last year
00:52:44.93\00:52:47.86
and I think about that sermon,
00:52:47.90\00:52:49.23
I realized that GYC
00:52:49.26\00:52:52.23
was supposed to be an
answer to that question.
00:52:52.27\00:52:56.14
He said, "Those individuals
00:52:56.17\00:52:58.57
who died spent their
whole lives in ministry,
00:52:58.61\00:53:03.24
they didn't die for
a backslidden church,
00:53:03.28\00:53:06.61
they didn't endure weeks,
00:53:06.65\00:53:08.25
and hours, and days
away from their wives
00:53:08.28\00:53:10.35
and family for a
backslidden church
00:53:10.39\00:53:12.92
that doesn't now want to step up
00:53:12.95\00:53:14.42
to its identity and its mission,
00:53:14.46\00:53:17.03
that doesn't want to
surrender to its calling.
00:53:17.06\00:53:21.60
They spend all these
things and that's why
00:53:21.63\00:53:23.13
when they saw where
the church was going,
00:53:23.16\00:53:25.63
the statement was made,
"I want my church back."
00:53:25.67\00:53:28.00
And so I decided
that, you know what?
00:53:28.04\00:53:33.11
It's time for us and for me
00:53:33.14\00:53:35.41
to live a life that says to him,
00:53:35.44\00:53:37.91
here's your church back.
00:53:37.95\00:53:39.91
I'm going to show you
00:53:39.95\00:53:41.28
that we are still
holding to the old values
00:53:41.32\00:53:43.79
that have always
been since very beginning.
00:53:43.82\00:53:46.92
We are still holding the truths,
00:53:46.96\00:53:48.52
we are still
holding the mission,
00:53:48.56\00:53:49.99
we are still
pushing things forward.
00:53:50.03\00:53:53.56
So that Martin Luther
who died for the truth,
00:53:53.60\00:53:57.30
who was persecuted
for the truth, Jan Haas
00:53:57.33\00:53:59.90
because he was
persecuted for the truth,
00:53:59.93\00:54:02.80
the apostles who
died for the truth
00:54:02.84\00:54:06.17
as they stand in the
halls of the champions
00:54:06.21\00:54:09.04
who have run the
Christian race before us.
00:54:09.08\00:54:11.78
That means now it's time for us
to step up to the starting line
00:54:11.81\00:54:16.48
and to tell Peter,
here's your church back.
00:54:16.52\00:54:19.69
We are still here.
00:54:19.72\00:54:21.06
There is a
remnant that the dragon
00:54:21.09\00:54:22.69
could not squash
out of the earth.
00:54:22.72\00:54:25.59
And we're going to hold on
00:54:25.63\00:54:26.96
and we're going to run
this race with patience.
00:54:27.00\00:54:29.26
Amen.
00:54:29.30\00:54:31.40
Because no man
shall be able to stand
00:54:31.43\00:54:33.77
before us all
the days of our life.
00:54:33.80\00:54:37.47
Because God is not going
00:54:37.51\00:54:38.84
to fail us.
00:54:38.87\00:54:40.21
So my appeal is very simple.
00:54:43.95\00:54:45.65
You want to say to
those great men and women
00:54:50.62\00:54:54.06
who have gone
before us, you want to say,
00:54:54.09\00:54:58.33
"Here's your church back."
00:54:58.36\00:55:00.70
And I'm coming to
represent, as the song says,
00:55:00.73\00:55:03.60
though no one joined
me, still I will follow.
00:55:03.63\00:55:08.20
If I'm the only
one that's holding on
00:55:08.24\00:55:11.41
to true Adventist values,
00:55:11.44\00:55:13.78
if I'm the only
one moving forward
00:55:13.81\00:55:15.94
in the mission,
then let it be me.
00:55:15.98\00:55:19.58
As Athanasius
said, contra mundum,
00:55:19.61\00:55:21.68
me against the world,
if that's what it takes,
00:55:21.72\00:55:23.35
then I'm going to stand
00:55:23.39\00:55:24.72
because me and
God is a majority.
00:55:24.75\00:55:28.06
And no man
shall be able to stand
00:55:28.09\00:55:30.63
before you all
the days of your life.
00:55:30.66\00:55:32.06
You want to come
up front, and you say,
00:55:32.09\00:55:33.46
"This morning, Sebastian,
00:55:33.50\00:55:35.56
I want to say to the
faith of our fathers,
00:55:35.60\00:55:38.13
here's your church back.
00:55:38.17\00:55:41.10
I'm going to
stand and be counted.
00:55:41.14\00:55:44.67
I'm going to
leave this conference
00:55:44.71\00:55:46.04
and I'm going to be
strong and of a good courage."
00:55:46.07\00:55:51.11
"And I'm going to make sure
00:55:51.15\00:55:53.48
that when the devil
thinks he has squashed
00:55:53.52\00:55:56.22
this little remnant
group of people off the earth,
00:55:56.25\00:55:59.95
there is still one
like God told him in Job."
00:55:59.99\00:56:03.12
He says, "Have you
considered my servant Job,
00:56:03.16\00:56:07.06
that there is none
like him in the earth."
00:56:07.10\00:56:10.77
Everyone else had gone
00:56:10.80\00:56:13.84
but Job said,
00:56:13.87\00:56:15.20
"I'm still going to
stand and be counted."
00:56:15.24\00:56:16.74
And when he lost his children,
when he lost his wealth,
00:56:16.77\00:56:20.18
when he lost his health,
00:56:20.21\00:56:21.54
he didn't go back in
discouragement and said,
00:56:21.58\00:56:23.08
"God, I was faithful.
00:56:23.11\00:56:24.45
Why did You forsake me?"
00:56:24.48\00:56:25.81
He bowed down and
he worshiped. Amen.
00:56:25.85\00:56:29.65
And he says, "Even
when I lose everything,
00:56:29.68\00:56:31.82
even when I feel
like I'm discouraged,
00:56:31.85\00:56:33.69
even when I want to give up,
00:56:33.72\00:56:38.33
You're still worthy
00:56:38.36\00:56:40.56
of all that I am
and all that I have.
00:56:40.60\00:56:44.10
I'm still going to
stand and be counted,"
00:56:44.13\00:56:47.44
even when his
wife comes and says,
00:56:47.47\00:56:48.80
"Curse God and die."
00:56:48.84\00:56:51.97
I'm still going to
stand and be counted.
00:56:52.01\00:56:56.01
You want to frustrate the devil,
00:56:56.04\00:56:58.75
you got to learn to arise
00:56:58.78\00:57:01.75
and step up.
00:57:01.78\00:57:03.12
Be strong and of a good courage
00:57:07.19\00:57:12.79
because when we
leave this conference,
00:57:12.83\00:57:15.80
I've been in this
movement a long time,
00:57:15.83\00:57:19.63
I know the struggles you face
00:57:19.67\00:57:22.14
because I've
counseled many of you.
00:57:22.17\00:57:23.67
I know the losses you've had,
00:57:27.08\00:57:30.88
and my wife knows the truth,
and pray for you all the time.
00:57:30.91\00:57:34.58
But, brothers and
sisters, we're almost home.
00:57:37.99\00:57:41.72
This is not the time to go back.
00:57:41.76\00:57:46.09
We want to let the
apostles, and the reformers,
00:57:46.13\00:57:49.36
and the angels of
heaven, here's your church back.
00:57:49.40\00:57:54.17
And one day the
church of this earth is going
00:57:54.20\00:57:56.10
to be united with
the church in heaven.
00:57:56.14\00:57:58.57
Amen.
00:57:58.61\00:58:02.64
And Gabriel is going to say,
00:58:02.68\00:58:04.01
"You stood exactly the
way I would have stood.
00:58:04.05\00:58:06.18
Because you were
strong and of a good courage."
00:58:12.19\00:58:16.49