We just are so glad
you're here with us today.
00:00:53.78\00:00:55.68
And for those who are watching
by TV or on the Internet
00:00:55.88\00:00:59.05
or listening on the
radio: we welcome you!
00:00:59.25\00:01:01.62
Are you guys having a
good time at Camp Meeting?
00:01:02.02\00:01:05.09
If you are, say Praise the Lord!
00:01:05.29\00:01:06.83
Praise the Lord! I think
we're having a GREAT time.
00:01:07.03\00:01:10.17
And this hour
will be no exception.
00:01:10.57\00:01:13.30
Pastor John Lomacang. I'm privi-
leged to call him my pastor.
00:01:13.70\00:01:17.27
And he is such a talented man.
00:01:17.57\00:01:19.74
He began his ministry in
song. He was a minister of music
00:01:19.94\00:01:24.45
with the Heritage Singers.
Went all over the world with the
00:01:24.65\00:01:27.38
Heritage Singers and
then he became a pastor.
00:01:27.58\00:01:30.69
And now he travels the
world giving inspired messages
00:01:30.89\00:01:34.76
on the Word of God. And
his message today is called
00:01:34.96\00:01:38.43
Quicksand. Clever title.
00:01:38.63\00:01:41.16
But before he comes to speak
00:01:41.56\00:01:43.73
we've got another
dear 3ABN family member
00:01:43.93\00:01:47.20
C. A. Murray who is
going to sing for us
00:01:47.40\00:01:50.44
Go Free.
00:01:50.64\00:01:52.04
Troubled soul,
00:02:06.29\00:02:09.76
why are you sad and downhearted?
00:02:09.96\00:02:15.00
Don't you know
00:02:15.30\00:02:18.50
He doesn't care
where you started.
00:02:18.70\00:02:24.44
Yesterday can't change tomorrow
00:02:24.84\00:02:30.15
so leave behind all your sorrow.
00:02:30.35\00:02:35.52
Go free! Go free!
00:02:35.82\00:02:41.06
In the name of Jesus go free.
00:02:41.26\00:02:46.96
Child of God,
00:02:47.13\00:02:49.86
child adored:
00:02:50.10\00:02:53.30
come to the Lord and go free.
00:02:53.70\00:02:59.67
Trembling soul,
00:03:07.32\00:03:11.02
I know you're
so tired of aching.
00:03:11.22\00:03:16.02
Don't you know
00:03:16.22\00:03:19.53
Jesus has cures for the taking?
00:03:19.93\00:03:25.60
His hand of mercy and healing
00:03:25.80\00:03:31.01
can untie the hurt
that you're feeling.
00:03:31.21\00:03:36.34
Go free! Go free!
00:03:36.75\00:03:42.22
In the name of Jesus go free.
00:03:42.42\00:03:47.69
Child of God,
00:03:47.89\00:03:50.73
child adored:
00:03:50.93\00:03:54.36
come to the Lord and go free.
00:03:54.73\00:04:00.47
Tempted soul,
00:04:08.24\00:04:11.81
I know you're so
tired of fighting.
00:04:12.21\00:04:16.99
Don't you know
00:04:17.19\00:04:20.66
He sees the wounds
you've been hiding.
00:04:21.26\00:04:26.70
The battle that
rages is so strong
00:04:27.00\00:04:32.10
and you've been a
captive for too long!
00:04:32.30\00:04:38.21
Go free! Oh, ya gotta go free!
00:04:38.97\00:04:44.45
In the name of Jesus go free.
00:04:44.85\00:04:50.65
Child of God,
00:04:50.85\00:04:53.05
child adored:
00:04:53.25\00:04:57.03
come to the Lord
00:04:57.23\00:05:01.76
and go free...
00:05:01.96\00:05:04.70
In the name of Jesus go free.
00:05:05.10\00:05:10.74
Child of God,
00:05:10.94\00:05:13.17
child adored:
00:05:13.38\00:05:17.45
come to the Lord
00:05:17.65\00:05:22.02
and go free.
00:05:22.22\00:05:25.05
Go free!
00:05:25.45\00:05:28.06
Go free...
00:05:28.26\00:05:31.13
Now go free.
00:05:31.49\00:05:37.43
Amen!
00:05:41.80\00:05:43.77
Thank you, Pastor C.A.
Can you say amen again?
00:05:45.21\00:05:47.38
Amen! That song is fitting
for the message this morning.
00:05:47.58\00:05:51.38
Freedom! What we
need more than a new car
00:05:51.58\00:05:55.12
is freedom in Jesus. Amen!
00:05:55.32\00:05:57.45
And thank you
Pastor C.A. for that song.
00:05:57.62\00:05:59.89
I particularly requested that
00:06:00.19\00:06:02.02
because it fits into the
message this morning entitled
00:06:02.22\00:06:06.53
Quicksand. I invite
you to bow your heads
00:06:06.73\00:06:09.76
with me as I ask
for the Lord to guide.
00:06:09.96\00:06:12.23
Loving Father in
heaven, this is the opportunity
00:06:13.44\00:06:16.27
that only
divinity can accomplish.
00:06:16.47\00:06:20.21
I pray that you
will take my mind
00:06:20.78\00:06:23.55
and the words that
are penned on this page
00:06:24.41\00:06:28.35
and bring them to
life by Your Holy Spirit.
00:06:28.55\00:06:32.62
In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
00:06:33.36\00:06:36.62
Matthew chapter 7 verses 24-26
if you have your Bibles with you
00:06:38.09\00:06:42.06
this morning.
Matthew chapter 24...
00:06:42.26\00:06:46.80
Matthew chapter 7:24-26.
00:06:47.60\00:06:51.44
You know, whenever
they ask for sermon titles
00:06:52.94\00:06:54.98
it's always a quandary
because normally I don't
00:06:55.18\00:06:58.01
decide my sermon title
until the sermon is done.
00:06:58.21\00:07:01.78
But Shelley Quinn
sent me an e-mail and said:
00:07:02.28\00:07:04.62
"I need your sermon title NOW! "
00:07:04.82\00:07:06.69
And I had been
reading and studying
00:07:08.39\00:07:11.06
and the Lord just
gave me a single word:
00:07:11.26\00:07:15.06
Quicksand...
00:07:15.36\00:07:16.80
which in fact defines
the environment of the world
00:07:17.00\00:07:19.97
we live in today.
00:07:20.17\00:07:21.50
But Matthew - the
converted tax collector -
00:07:21.77\00:07:24.34
gives us these words of
consideration this morning.
00:07:24.54\00:07:26.88
Verses 24 to 27
in Matthew chapter 7:
00:07:27.74\00:07:30.38
"Therefore, whoever
hears these sayings of Mine
00:07:30.78\00:07:35.05
and does them I will
liken him to a wise man
00:07:35.45\00:07:39.25
who built his house on
the... " Rock! "on the rock. "
00:07:39.45\00:07:42.92
"And the rain
descended and the floods came
00:07:43.32\00:07:46.29
and the winds blew
and beat on that house
00:07:46.70\00:07:49.06
and it did not fall
00:07:49.56\00:07:51.57
for it was founded on the rock.
00:07:51.97\00:07:54.94
But everyone who hears
these sayings of Mine and
00:07:55.97\00:07:58.71
does not do them
will be like a foolish man
00:07:58.91\00:08:03.58
who built his house on the sand.
00:08:03.78\00:08:06.08
And the rain
descended and the floods came
00:08:06.48\00:08:10.52
and the wind blew
and beat on that house
00:08:10.72\00:08:13.59
and it fell... and
great was its fall. "
00:08:13.99\00:08:18.36
Allow me to expand
on the words of Matthew.
00:08:19.19\00:08:21.66
If you follow
what he is describing,
00:08:22.50\00:08:25.03
he is saying to us:
"The collapse of the house
00:08:25.23\00:08:27.97
was facilitated by heavy
rains resulting in a flood
00:08:28.94\00:08:34.01
that destabilized
the sandy foundation
00:08:34.41\00:08:37.35
on which the house was built. "
00:08:37.55\00:08:40.25
It was not so much the
house but the foundation
00:08:40.82\00:08:44.19
on which it was built. And
when the trials of life came -
00:08:44.35\00:08:47.46
the rains and the floods
- and they combined together
00:08:47.66\00:08:50.66
to liquefy the foundation
00:08:50.86\00:08:52.53
the house was then
determined as unsafe.
00:08:52.93\00:08:55.83
Not because of what
the house was built OF
00:08:56.23\00:08:59.00
but because of what
the house was built ON.
00:08:59.40\00:09:02.77
I began to research and
to begin to look into the
00:09:03.17\00:09:06.64
historical effects of quicksand:
00:09:06.84\00:09:08.84
often referred to as
sinkholes or other anomalies
00:09:09.24\00:09:12.68
that often hide themselves.
And the person that becomes
00:09:12.88\00:09:16.92
the victim to
these hidden dangers
00:09:17.12\00:09:19.85
often don't know their existence
until they are dragged in
00:09:20.29\00:09:25.49
and pulled under by them.
00:09:25.69\00:09:27.23
And a very
impressing story came to me
00:09:27.46\00:09:29.16
September 28, 2015.
00:09:29.36\00:09:31.03
As I looked at the pictures
I wanted to show them to you
00:09:31.43\00:09:34.44
but I decided to paint
the mental picture instead.
00:09:34.64\00:09:36.71
An Australian
waterfront campsite
00:09:37.41\00:09:40.08
in 2015 was swallowed
00:09:40.61\00:09:43.11
by a 650' wide, 160' long
00:09:43.55\00:09:49.05
sinkhole. It
swallowed a car, a fifth-wheel
00:09:49.25\00:09:54.79
camping trailer
and several tents.
00:09:54.99\00:09:57.83
But fortunately
there were no fatalities.
00:09:58.23\00:10:01.40
Amen somebody. Amen!
00:10:01.60\00:10:03.03
But July 14, 2017-
00:10:03.23\00:10:05.57
and the name of this
county should be suspect
00:10:06.47\00:10:11.31
when you think about the title:
00:10:11.51\00:10:12.91
in Land of Lakes, Florida -
00:10:13.11\00:10:15.61
two homes were swallowed
and five additional homes
00:10:17.88\00:10:20.58
were destroyed by a
sinkhole that stretched
00:10:20.78\00:10:23.55
and continued to
grow to 260' wide.
00:10:23.75\00:10:26.82
According to the Department
of Environmental Protection
00:10:27.62\00:10:30.29
more than 1,900
sinkholes have been identified
00:10:30.49\00:10:34.30
by longitude and latitude coord-
inates in the state of Florida.
00:10:34.46\00:10:37.93
I like Florida, but now
I'm questioning whether or not
00:10:38.13\00:10:40.27
to live there.
Nineteen hundred sinkholes!
00:10:40.47\00:10:44.04
And the residents don't know it
until their homes are destroyed.
00:10:44.24\00:10:47.04
Some are sleeping when
their homes are swallowed.
00:10:47.44\00:10:49.64
Some return home from work
only to find their residence
00:10:49.84\00:10:52.31
is gone. The question
is: what is a sinkhole?
00:10:52.51\00:10:57.25
Let me further
explain before I get into the
00:10:57.85\00:11:00.09
heart of the message.
00:11:00.29\00:11:01.62
According to the
scientists sinkholes occur when
00:11:01.99\00:11:05.33
cave systems and cavities
below the ground collapse
00:11:05.53\00:11:08.30
and the sandy soil on
the surface starts funneling
00:11:10.03\00:11:13.34
into the collapsed tunnel.
00:11:13.54\00:11:15.44
This can be dangerous
enough the scientists say
00:11:15.84\00:11:18.57
but when water is involved
that failing or falling sand
00:11:18.77\00:11:23.21
can start to
behave like quicksand...
00:11:23.41\00:11:25.95
suddenly sucking in
everything in its reach.
00:11:26.35\00:11:30.19
But they also say that long
before the devastating collapse
00:11:30.39\00:11:33.02
occurs the
process of erosion begins.
00:11:33.22\00:11:38.09
When water slowly seeps
into the sand or limestone
00:11:38.29\00:11:41.16
foundation, the
result - scientists say -
00:11:41.36\00:11:44.00
is as devastating as quicksand.
00:11:44.20\00:11:46.97
And so the question that I
pose to you and those that are
00:11:47.67\00:11:49.94
watching and listening to
the message this morning is:
00:11:50.14\00:11:52.47
are we building in
these last days on quicksand?
00:11:52.67\00:11:55.74
On what are we taking our stand?
00:11:56.68\00:11:58.85
Is the world shaping
our minds? Quicksand!
00:11:59.25\00:12:02.18
Think about it for a
moment.. silent but stealthy.
00:12:02.38\00:12:05.42
Quicksand. Blending
into the unproductive foliage
00:12:05.62\00:12:09.39
of a barren wasteland.
00:12:09.59\00:12:11.39
Quicksand. Lurking on the
innocuous shores of apparently
00:12:11.59\00:12:16.53
safe waterfronts.
00:12:16.73\00:12:18.73
Quicksand. Looks
solid until it is disturbed.
00:12:18.93\00:12:23.24
Quicksand.
Disguised as a firm foundation
00:12:23.47\00:12:28.21
until you
attempt to stand on it.
00:12:28.61\00:12:31.05
Am I getting close?
00:12:31.25\00:12:32.58
Quicksand camouflages itself
00:12:32.98\00:12:36.02
while its danger
lies beneath the surface.
00:12:36.22\00:12:40.86
Quicksand. They also say
that once you are caught in it
00:12:41.26\00:12:44.99
freedom by yourself
is nearly impossible.
00:12:45.19\00:12:50.33
Quicksand. The
nemesis of contentment.
00:12:50.90\00:12:54.00
The adversary of
progress. Uninvited and crafty
00:12:54.20\00:12:57.84
anxiously
anticipating its next victim.
00:12:58.04\00:13:01.74
Quicksand.
Quicksand is dangerous
00:13:02.38\00:13:05.21
not because it exists but
because - hear me carefully -
00:13:05.41\00:13:09.78
the one that
eventually gets caught by it
00:13:09.98\00:13:12.42
does not suspect that each
step taken on an unfamiliar path
00:13:12.62\00:13:18.26
carries that person one
step closer to quicksand.
00:13:18.46\00:13:22.60
You've seen the movies...
Now I must say, those are
00:13:23.53\00:13:26.07
dramatizations... those
are exploded, dramatized
00:13:26.27\00:13:31.44
displays of what quicksand does.
00:13:31.84\00:13:34.08
Nobody sinks within a minute
up to their neck in quicksand.
00:13:34.28\00:13:38.61
But they also say that the
more you try to free yourself
00:13:39.38\00:13:42.82
in quicksand the deeper you get.
00:13:43.02\00:13:45.62
So the remedy
is: try at all costs
00:13:45.82\00:13:50.79
to avoid quicksand.
Can you say amen? Amen!
00:13:51.13\00:13:56.03
But I must add: at no
other time in the church -
00:13:56.23\00:14:01.30
in the history of the church
- is the church in more danger
00:14:01.90\00:14:05.61
than when the
issues that it embraces
00:14:05.81\00:14:08.28
takes us on a
journey on shifting sand.
00:14:08.48\00:14:12.91
Now you know me well enough
00:14:13.72\00:14:15.45
I am not going to ignore
the issues that our church
00:14:16.45\00:14:19.69
is confronting. Amen!
00:14:19.89\00:14:21.76
Quicksand indicator #1:
00:14:22.56\00:14:24.56
when the message of human
proclamation is not a message
00:14:24.96\00:14:29.26
of divine inspiration.
00:14:29.46\00:14:31.73
When we begin to preach things
that God's Word does not ordain
00:14:32.60\00:14:37.41
nor give birth to we
are standing on quicksand.
00:14:37.61\00:14:41.04
The danger facing the
church is not a cultural shift
00:14:41.44\00:14:44.85
but a gospel shift.
00:14:45.05\00:14:47.48
I'm concerned less...
and hear me this morning...
00:14:47.68\00:14:50.55
I'm concerned less about
what's happening around us.
00:14:50.75\00:14:54.32
I'm concerned more about what's
happening on the inside of us.
00:14:54.82\00:14:58.03
It is not the world
that we're concerned about,
00:14:59.19\00:15:01.63
it is the stand we take in
the world that is a concern
00:15:01.83\00:15:05.50
to Christ. He calls us to
be in the world but not of it.
00:15:05.70\00:15:09.40
And yet as we get
closer and closer to the end
00:15:09.60\00:15:12.51
it is amazing to me
00:15:12.71\00:15:14.94
how many things we allow
to shift our focus away from
00:15:15.34\00:15:19.41
the urgency of the
proclamation of the gospel.
00:15:19.61\00:15:22.32
Knowing that
Jesus is soon to come
00:15:22.72\00:15:24.85
Satan has found a
way to divide even those
00:15:25.05\00:15:28.56
who claim to be getting
ready for the coming of Jesus.
00:15:28.76\00:15:31.69
That's why Paul the apostle
says... Go to Galatians 1:8.
00:15:32.76\00:15:35.86
Listen to the
words of the church
00:15:36.26\00:15:38.47
in a
culturally-shifting society:
00:15:38.67\00:15:41.20
He says in
Galatians 1 and verse 8:
00:15:41.70\00:15:43.87
"But even if we or
an angel from heaven
00:15:45.84\00:15:48.54
preach any other gospel to you
00:15:48.74\00:15:51.31
other than what we
have preached to you
00:15:51.51\00:15:53.62
let him be accursed. "
00:15:53.82\00:15:55.58
Brothers and sisters,
there is no better message
00:15:56.12\00:15:58.29
in these last
hours of earth's history
00:15:58.49\00:16:00.89
than the urgency of
the proclamation of God's
00:16:01.06\00:16:04.39
three angels' messages. Amen!
00:16:04.59\00:16:07.13
That's why I'm so
convinced that God called 3ABN
00:16:07.30\00:16:11.23
for such an hour as this.
00:16:11.43\00:16:12.80
To preach an undiluted...
Can you say amen? Amen!
00:16:13.00\00:16:15.90
undiluted... unconcerned.
We've got to call sin
00:16:16.10\00:16:20.08
what it is - that's right -
00:16:20.28\00:16:21.74
and awaken the people of
God as we get closer to the end
00:16:22.21\00:16:24.61
because as you know if you look
at the trek of the historical
00:16:24.81\00:16:27.65
journey of the Israelites
the devil was not concerned
00:16:27.85\00:16:30.82
that they left Egypt.
He was concerned that they
00:16:31.02\00:16:33.36
would enter the Promised Land.
00:16:33.56\00:16:35.52
The devil is less concerned
about what you came out of
00:16:35.92\00:16:38.66
he's more concerned about
what you're about to enter into.
00:16:38.86\00:16:41.36
So he doesn't mind
what you overcame...
00:16:42.20\00:16:44.47
he still wants to overcome us.
00:16:44.67\00:16:47.24
What better decision can we make
00:16:47.74\00:16:52.17
that in our journey
to the Promised Land
00:16:53.17\00:16:56.11
to make a determined effort...
Now we're not saved by works
00:16:56.31\00:16:59.75
but somewhere along the way
00:17:00.05\00:17:01.38
we've got to put
forth some effort.
00:17:01.42\00:17:03.02
Amen! Somewhere along
the way we've got to say
00:17:03.22\00:17:05.45
"I'm more concerned about
going in than going back. "
00:17:05.65\00:17:08.02
"I'm more concerned
about where I'm headed
00:17:09.29\00:17:11.46
than where I came from. "
00:17:11.66\00:17:13.19
That's why Paul says when
the gospel begins to shift
00:17:14.13\00:17:16.77
the church is in trouble.
00:17:16.97\00:17:18.47
I read an article by a man
by the name of Russell Moore.
00:17:18.67\00:17:21.24
Lifeway Press put this together.
00:17:22.37\00:17:24.34
He said, and the
article is entitled "Onward, "
00:17:24.54\00:17:29.04
he said: "The most dangerous
threat to the Christian church
00:17:29.24\00:17:32.85
isn't the gale-force
winds of a shifting culture
00:17:33.05\00:17:36.55
or political decisions
or lack of popularity. "
00:17:37.59\00:17:40.26
He said: "The issue is not what
the church is doing to the world
00:17:40.46\00:17:44.46
but the issue is what the
world is doing to the church. "
00:17:44.66\00:17:47.30
And when we look
at our church today
00:17:48.60\00:17:51.20
I must say as much as I love
being a Seventh-day Adventist
00:17:51.40\00:17:55.74
Christian let me
preface it by saying
00:17:55.94\00:17:57.67
I would rather be a
troubled SDA Christian
00:17:57.87\00:18:01.51
standing on the truth
than standing on error
00:18:01.91\00:18:05.01
in a comfortable
environment. Amen!
00:18:05.21\00:18:08.15
Because so many people say:
"Well we've got so many problems
00:18:08.35\00:18:11.05
here. " Why would the devil
leave us alone when he knows
00:18:11.25\00:18:15.02
that God has given us a message
that the world is in need of?
00:18:15.22\00:18:18.23
So some people say: "Well
I'm going to that denomination
00:18:18.96\00:18:21.00
or that church. " The
devil's not concerned about
00:18:21.20\00:18:23.47
folk going in
the wrong direction.
00:18:23.67\00:18:25.13
He is concerned about those
going in the right direction
00:18:26.84\00:18:28.90
so why would he leave us alone?
00:18:29.10\00:18:30.54
The church must be
reminded of its mission today.
00:18:30.74\00:18:34.08
Go to Matthew 28
verses 19 and 20.
00:18:34.28\00:18:36.41
Let's look again at
the mission of the church.
00:18:36.61\00:18:38.45
And by the way, the mission
of the church hasn't changed
00:18:38.85\00:18:41.95
because Jesus hasn't changed.
00:18:42.45\00:18:44.49
Amen! The times have changed
but He's the same - come on -
00:18:44.69\00:18:47.66
yesterday, today, and forever.
00:18:47.86\00:18:49.39
The mission of the
church let me remind you again:
00:18:49.79\00:18:52.29
Matthew 28:19-20. A
very familiar passage
00:18:52.49\00:18:55.53
but very apropos to
the hour in which we live.
00:18:55.73\00:18:58.20
The Lord said - the mission:
"Go therefore and make... "
00:19:00.07\00:19:02.90
What? "disciples of all nations,
00:19:03.10\00:19:06.81
baptizing them in the
name of... " The word there
00:19:07.01\00:19:10.58
name means the
authority of... "the Father
00:19:10.78\00:19:13.08
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit
00:19:13.28\00:19:15.25
teaching them to
observe... " How many things?
00:19:15.45\00:19:17.72
ALL! "all things
whatsoever I command you.
00:19:17.92\00:19:22.42
And lo, I am with you always
00:19:22.62\00:19:24.86
even to the end of the
world. " Amen, somebody. Amen!
00:19:25.06\00:19:28.10
The Commission is
"go and make disciples. "
00:19:28.30\00:19:30.17
The Commission is
not go and make trouble.
00:19:31.20\00:19:33.44
The Commission is not go
and find out what we can take
00:19:35.17\00:19:37.74
from the world to
make our church stronger.
00:19:37.94\00:19:39.71
The Commission is: "Go and
make disciples of all nations. "
00:19:40.68\00:19:44.45
And it also says:
"Teaching them to observe... "
00:19:44.75\00:19:47.52
How many things? ALL! "all
things that I command you. "
00:19:47.68\00:19:51.02
I'm amazed that some
Adventists are becoming
00:19:51.22\00:19:53.49
disenfranchised or disenchanted
by some of the doctrines
00:19:53.69\00:19:57.66
that we hold so dear
00:19:57.86\00:19:59.26
and so they're
trading them for feelings
00:19:59.66\00:20:01.93
and for emotional Christianity.
00:20:02.13\00:20:03.67
And I've gotta say: if
your Christianity is not safe,
00:20:04.07\00:20:06.84
you can't fight against churches
that are emotionally charged
00:20:07.04\00:20:11.37
because what feels right
is not necessarily right.
00:20:11.57\00:20:14.61
The Commission is
connected to the gospel.
00:20:19.98\00:20:23.35
Romans 1:16-17.
00:20:23.55\00:20:25.52
Let us be reminded
again of what the gospel is.
00:20:25.72\00:20:27.89
By the way, I must say
this in the context of one who
00:20:28.39\00:20:31.33
believes in being healthy:
the gospel is not healthy eating
00:20:31.53\00:20:36.80
but the gospel
transforms the way we eat.
00:20:38.67\00:20:41.97
The gospel is not
whether I dress a certain way...
00:20:42.37\00:20:47.11
but the gospel will
influence the way I dress.
00:20:47.64\00:20:50.91
The gospel is not
drum or no drum...
00:20:51.85\00:20:54.78
but the gospel will determine
what we do WITH a drum!
00:20:54.98\00:20:59.09
I didn't think I'd get
so many amen's on that one
00:21:00.16\00:21:02.12
because we villainize
instruments when our hearts
00:21:03.73\00:21:06.16
are corrupt. The
gospel is Romans 1:16-17.
00:21:06.36\00:21:11.47
The Bible says and I
read it very carefully.
00:21:11.67\00:21:14.34
Paul says: "For I am
not ashamed of the gospel
00:21:14.54\00:21:16.50
of Christ for it
is the power of God
00:21:16.71\00:21:19.84
to salvation for
everyone who... " Does what?
00:21:20.04\00:21:22.54
"believes. For the Jew
first and also for the Greek. "
00:21:22.74\00:21:25.31
Why? Verse 17: "For in
it... " In the gospel...
00:21:25.51\00:21:28.38
"the righteousness of God is
revealed from faith to faith.
00:21:28.58\00:21:31.49
As it is written: the just shall
live by? " FAITH! "faith. "
00:21:31.69\00:21:35.39
Don't forget the gospel
00:21:35.59\00:21:36.93
and don't be
ashamed of the gospel...
00:21:37.29\00:21:39.36
for it is the only
converting power in the world
00:21:39.76\00:21:41.86
that the church needs.
That's why as I get older
00:21:42.06\00:21:44.63
some people once said to
me... somebody said to me,
00:21:44.83\00:21:46.97
not too long ago they said:
00:21:47.17\00:21:48.50
"Pastor, I'm really concerned
that you're not talking about
00:21:48.70\00:21:50.97
prophecy as much
as you used to. "
00:21:51.17\00:21:53.61
You know what I said? "I
could be the best student
00:21:53.81\00:21:56.78
in prophecy and all I
would do is terrify you
00:21:56.98\00:21:59.81
if you don't know Jesus. "
00:22:00.12\00:22:01.45
Amen! You could
have it all lined up
00:22:03.05\00:22:05.32
and you're so fearful
because you don't know Christ
00:22:06.86\00:22:09.72
on whom all prophecy points.
00:22:10.36\00:22:13.43
I love prophecy! I
did an entire series
00:22:13.63\00:22:16.10
on Revelation. I love
Revelation! I love Daniel!
00:22:16.30\00:22:19.20
But I love Jesus more!
00:22:19.40\00:22:21.10
And Jesus is not the cart,
and He's not the horse either.
00:22:21.30\00:22:25.14
But He precedes
anything that is...
00:22:25.34\00:22:28.04
that takes... let me
say this correctly...
00:22:28.24\00:22:30.41
any intellectual stimulation
must not be substituted for
00:22:30.61\00:22:35.35
Christ. There are
those that understand
00:22:35.55\00:22:38.19
what is going to
happen. There are people that,
00:22:38.39\00:22:39.92
even in our church, there
are people that are outlining.
00:22:40.12\00:22:42.16
Just recently there
was an Adventist that said
00:22:42.36\00:22:44.33
that... I don't know if it
was an Adventist or not but
00:22:44.73\00:22:47.56
somebody said the world was
going to end on September 23rd.
00:22:47.66\00:22:49.80
It wasn't an Adventist. Amen!
00:22:51.07\00:22:53.37
We have been accused of that.
00:22:55.44\00:22:57.24
But I don't need to know the
date the world is going to end;
00:22:58.41\00:23:01.64
I just need to know
Jesus. And when I know Him
00:23:01.84\00:23:04.28
the date doesn't matter. Amen!
00:23:04.48\00:23:06.61
The gospel is the
power of God to salvation.
00:23:06.82\00:23:09.65
But I must also say
when the gospel is preached
00:23:10.79\00:23:13.25
disciples are made.
Acts 14 and verse 21.
00:23:13.46\00:23:15.69
Go quickly now.
Acts 14 verse 21.
00:23:15.89\00:23:18.29
The Bible says very carefully
00:23:19.26\00:23:20.80
speaking about
Paul and Barnabas.
00:23:21.43\00:23:23.93
The Bible says: "And when
they had preached the gospel
00:23:24.13\00:23:27.40
to that city and
made many disciples
00:23:27.60\00:23:31.71
they returned to
Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch. "
00:23:31.91\00:23:34.88
You see, they went from city
to city preaching the gospel.
00:23:35.08\00:23:39.41
When the gospel is
preached Satan is upset.
00:23:39.81\00:23:43.75
But if we only talk theory,
00:23:44.52\00:23:46.32
if we only talk about events
that are happening around us...
00:23:46.72\00:23:48.69
And by the way, yes, I
can see the mad man in Korea
00:23:48.89\00:23:51.43
and the mad man
in Washington, D.C.
00:23:51.63\00:23:54.00
But I'm not focused on men.
00:23:56.46\00:23:58.23
And the church
ought not be either.
00:23:59.30\00:24:00.97
I didn't get to that
point in the sermon yet
00:24:01.17\00:24:02.50
but I'm getting there.
00:24:02.54\00:24:03.91
I could see the
devastations taking place
00:24:03.94\00:24:06.98
in the Caribbean... of which
my family has become victim.
00:24:07.18\00:24:10.25
But I'm not focused on
that because we have had wars
00:24:10.65\00:24:12.58
and rumors of wars,
nation rising against nation.
00:24:12.78\00:24:14.85
And even though the
intensity is increasing
00:24:15.25\00:24:17.29
our focus needs to
be on the "right house"
00:24:17.49\00:24:20.09
not necessarily the White House.
00:24:20.49\00:24:22.42
Amen!
00:24:22.62\00:24:24.16
In Evangelism 186
paragraph 1 Ellen White says:
00:24:24.89\00:24:28.03
"Theoretical discourses
are essential that people may
00:24:28.56\00:24:31.53
see the chain of
truth link after link
00:24:31.73\00:24:34.44
uniting in a perfect whole.
00:24:34.64\00:24:37.17
But... " she says...
"no discourse should ever be
00:24:37.37\00:24:41.31
preached without presenting
Christ and Him crucified
00:24:41.51\00:24:44.81
as the
foundation of the gospel. "
00:24:45.01\00:24:47.32
Amen! I must say -
00:24:47.52\00:24:51.25
give him credit for
it... Pastor C.A. said
00:24:51.45\00:24:53.32
"We have a lot of convicts
but not enough converts. "
00:24:53.52\00:24:56.16
Convicted by the
message but not converted by it.
00:24:57.29\00:24:59.73
And she says as I end the quote:
00:25:00.63\00:25:02.23
"Ministers would reach
more hearts if they would dwell
00:25:02.43\00:25:05.47
more upon practical godliness. "
00:25:05.67\00:25:08.87
That's where we
fail. Not on our doctrines.
00:25:09.47\00:25:10.94
There's nothing wrong
with our 28 Fundamentals.
00:25:11.14\00:25:12.71
But the most fundamental
of it all is what impact
00:25:12.91\00:25:17.85
is it having on your life.
00:25:18.05\00:25:19.38
That's why the
remedy to quicksand #1 is
00:25:20.82\00:25:23.12
preach a message that
points people to Jesus.
00:25:23.32\00:25:26.96
Any message that
does not lift up Jesus
00:25:27.16\00:25:30.06
is quicksand!
00:25:30.26\00:25:32.86
He says: "If I be lifted
up, I will draw all people
00:25:33.26\00:25:35.23
to Myself. "
Amen, somebody. Amen!
00:25:35.43\00:25:37.73
Quicksand indicator #2:
00:25:37.93\00:25:40.74
are you ready?
00:25:41.14\00:25:42.60
When politics
obstructs Christianity.
00:25:43.00\00:25:45.81
You can breathe.
00:25:46.74\00:25:48.11
Jesus made it clear.
In John 18:36 He said:
00:25:49.74\00:25:53.92
"My kingdom is
not of this world.
00:25:54.12\00:25:56.15
If My kingdom were of this
world my servants would fight. "
00:25:56.55\00:26:00.42
I'm looking forward to the day
when there is no more politics.
00:26:04.19\00:26:08.10
Amen!
00:26:08.30\00:26:09.66
We talk about sin being erased.
00:26:10.27\00:26:11.83
I'm looking forward to the
day when the Lord gets rid of
00:26:12.03\00:26:13.77
politics permanently and
when the kingdom of this world
00:26:13.97\00:26:17.64
is based on the
government OF God
00:26:17.84\00:26:20.28
not on a
government that opposes God.
00:26:20.68\00:26:22.64
I don't know at
what point we thought
00:26:23.04\00:26:25.81
that politicians were honest.
00:26:26.01\00:26:28.38
I mean, where did that come in?
00:26:30.49\00:26:31.89
Where did Christians
become so converted to follow
00:26:32.52\00:26:36.09
this president because
that one wasn't sufficient?
00:26:36.29\00:26:40.33
Where did we get the idea
that somewhere along the way
00:26:41.16\00:26:43.73
Washington has replaced
the validity of the gospel
00:26:43.93\00:26:48.54
of Christ? And so
I did my homework.
00:26:48.74\00:26:51.67
A writer by the
name of Brian Roberts
00:26:54.28\00:26:56.48
in a magazine
called Relative Magazine...
00:26:57.85\00:27:00.08
He wrote this article
in 2016... February 1...
00:27:00.28\00:27:03.15
as the political
landscape began to be developed.
00:27:03.35\00:27:06.65
He said some
very interesting words
00:27:06.89\00:27:08.62
that I embrace and I
share with you. He said:
00:27:08.82\00:27:10.99
"Political discourse is
the Las Vegas of Christianity:
00:27:11.79\00:27:15.13
it's a gamble.
00:27:15.33\00:27:16.67
It is the environment in
which our sin is excused,
00:27:16.87\00:27:20.14
hate is winked at,
fear is perpetuated,
00:27:20.54\00:27:23.04
and strife is applauded. "
00:27:23.24\00:27:24.57
That's what it's doing
to the Christian church.
00:27:24.61\00:27:26.24
"Not only are believers
excused for their political
00:27:26.44\00:27:29.04
indiscretions but
they are often applauded
00:27:29.24\00:27:30.98
for committing them.
00:27:31.18\00:27:32.65
Slander is explained
away as righteous anger.
00:27:33.55\00:27:35.98
Winning arguments are esteemed
higher than truthful ones
00:27:36.18\00:27:39.12
whether or not the facts align,
and those who stir up dissention
00:27:39.32\00:27:43.63
are often given the pulpit.
00:27:43.83\00:27:45.29
In a country where religion
should not be a litmus test
00:27:50.53\00:27:54.00
it has become one. "
00:27:54.20\00:27:55.57
But I know that in your
minds you're asking questions
00:27:57.01\00:27:59.37
that I'm going
to answer right now.
00:27:59.57\00:28:01.01
Should we have an opinion? Yes.
00:28:01.08\00:28:03.21
Should we care
about our country? Yes.
00:28:03.61\00:28:05.55
Do we have the
right to vote? Yes.
00:28:05.95\00:28:08.58
But it's time that we talk
politics in a way that models...
00:28:08.78\00:28:12.45
models the teachings of
Jesus rather than mocks them.
00:28:12.65\00:28:17.46
On Sabbath morning there are
no Republicans and Democrats.
00:28:21.36\00:28:23.97
Oh, I forgot... no
Independents either.
00:28:26.07\00:28:27.90
On Sabbath morning there
should be no bipartisanship
00:28:30.97\00:28:34.18
because at the cross we
are all sinners saved by grace.
00:28:35.08\00:28:39.31
Amen!
00:28:39.51\00:28:40.85
Let me really mess
with your mind this morning.
00:28:41.08\00:28:42.58
Go to Matthew
chapter 5 verses 43 to 45.
00:28:42.78\00:28:45.02
After you hear what
I'm going to say next
00:28:47.46\00:28:49.42
you might have to go and have
some psychological evaluation
00:28:49.62\00:28:52.73
but I'm going to really
mess with you this morning.
00:28:52.93\00:28:54.73
Matthew 5:43-45.
00:28:55.26\00:28:57.23
Listen to what Jesus said.
You know, what I've learned
00:28:57.43\00:29:00.57
about the gospel is living
the Christian life is not easy.
00:29:00.77\00:29:05.17
Anybody that thinks
living the Christian life
00:29:05.57\00:29:07.88
does not know
what Christianity is.
00:29:08.08\00:29:10.11
How do you live a
spiritual life in a natural body
00:29:11.01\00:29:14.08
when the impetus of our
world continues to bombard us
00:29:14.28\00:29:17.65
from every angle? We've
got to have on the whole
00:29:17.85\00:29:20.89
armor of God not to be affected
by the world in which we live.
00:29:21.06\00:29:25.23
Look at the words of Jesus.
00:29:26.59\00:29:28.13
This is revolutionary!
This is by no means
00:29:28.33\00:29:30.60
accomplished
naturally. He said...
00:29:30.80\00:29:32.93
verse 43 and Matthew 5:
"You have heard it said...
00:29:33.34\00:29:36.40
You have heard that it was said
00:29:36.60\00:29:38.74
'You shall love your neighbor
and hate your enemy. ' "
00:29:38.94\00:29:41.34
Are you ready?
00:29:42.38\00:29:43.75
"But I say to you:
love your enemies. "
00:29:43.85\00:29:46.08
You try to do that naturally.
00:29:46.48\00:29:48.45
"Bless those who curse you;
00:29:48.85\00:29:50.82
do good to those who hate you
00:29:51.22\00:29:53.86
and pray for those
who spitefully use you
00:29:54.06\00:29:56.86
and persecute you
00:29:57.06\00:29:58.83
that you may be sons
of your Father in heaven.
00:29:59.23\00:30:01.26
For He makes the sun rise
on the evil and on the good
00:30:01.66\00:30:05.40
and He sends rain on the
just and on the unjust. "
00:30:05.60\00:30:08.90
In that very same
article written by Brian Roberts
00:30:09.54\00:30:13.07
he said: "We are called to
love atheists who want to keep
00:30:13.27\00:30:16.34
creationism out
of our schools. "
00:30:16.54\00:30:18.25
You try to do that. That's what
the Christian is called to do.
00:30:19.41\00:30:22.22
"We are called to love atheists
who want to keep creationism
00:30:22.72\00:30:25.45
out of our schools... or those
who want to keep gay marriage
00:30:25.65\00:30:28.52
and abortion legal...
we are called to love them.
00:30:28.72\00:30:30.89
Or those who celebrate
death penalty statistics
00:30:31.66\00:30:34.40
and gun ownership...
And yes, even the president
00:30:34.60\00:30:37.10
that you may or
may not agree with. "
00:30:37.30\00:30:39.47
We are called to
love all of them.
00:30:39.67\00:30:41.24
We ought to love people
whether they stand or kneel.
00:30:44.84\00:30:47.64
And regardless of what
country they migrate from -
00:30:53.01\00:30:56.62
wall or no wall - we
ought to love them, too.
00:30:56.82\00:30:59.29
Amen!
00:30:59.65\00:31:01.06
Think about our history.
America's not this paradigm
00:31:01.22\00:31:03.76
of virtue.
00:31:03.96\00:31:05.56
Native Americans did
not invite the Puritans
00:31:07.23\00:31:09.13
to take over this country.
00:31:09.33\00:31:10.83
Injustice of any nature ought
not be praised by Christians.
00:31:14.90\00:31:19.34
And I hope you're
ready for the next statement.
00:31:22.38\00:31:24.21
If the flag of any nation
becomes more important than
00:31:26.01\00:31:28.48
the cross of Christ
your Christianity is in vain.
00:31:28.68\00:31:31.82
Amen!
00:31:32.02\00:31:33.36
One lesson I've learned from
the recent natural disasters
00:31:34.89\00:31:37.76
that I've been re-taught is
this, and hear me carefully:
00:31:39.16\00:31:42.23
that hunger, thirst,
deprivation, pain, death,
00:31:43.53\00:31:47.17
despair, and
destruction of property
00:31:47.37\00:31:49.54
are experienced by
everyone regardless of race,
00:31:49.74\00:31:53.51
class, or creed.
00:31:53.71\00:31:55.41
You might wonder why
God allowed devastation.
00:31:55.94\00:31:58.15
You know, right now in the
Virgin Islands where my family
00:31:58.35\00:32:01.05
is hoping to get clean water
00:32:01.25\00:32:03.02
or running water
00:32:03.42\00:32:05.39
or flushable toilets
00:32:05.79\00:32:07.56
or enough electricity to get a
generator to start their houses
00:32:08.62\00:32:12.13
thank God, and I praise
the Lord... I'm going to go
00:32:12.33\00:32:14.40
to Home Depot right after this.
00:32:14.60\00:32:15.93
God moved some
mountains at Home Depot.
00:32:16.63\00:32:18.87
They did something for me
that they don't do for anybody.
00:32:19.27\00:32:21.94
They're helping
bear the financial cost
00:32:23.61\00:32:26.21
of sending
generators down to Florida
00:32:26.64\00:32:29.44
so I can ship them
to the Virgin Islands.
00:32:29.64\00:32:31.38
Amen! They said:
"We don't do this... but
00:32:31.58\00:32:33.52
we're going to
do this for you. "
00:32:33.72\00:32:35.05
When your politics
rise above your empathy
00:32:37.55\00:32:40.52
your Christianity is worthless.
00:32:40.72\00:32:42.56
Pity looks down...
sympathy gets down.
00:32:42.96\00:32:46.23
Anybody can feel bad
about what's happening,
00:32:46.43\00:32:48.53
but it takes a true Christian
to do something about it.
00:32:48.73\00:32:51.77
In this society when
we are so desensitized
00:32:52.63\00:32:55.14
we've seen more disaster
in movies than we ever can
00:32:55.34\00:32:57.77
imagine. And when the movie
is more real than the disaster
00:32:57.97\00:33:01.14
that actually occurs, it
does nothing to us any longer.
00:33:01.34\00:33:03.88
We say: "Oh how bad for the
people in the Virgin Islands. "
00:33:04.08\00:33:06.31
Or: "We feel bad for those in
Puerto Rico or those in Texas. "
00:33:06.51\00:33:09.48
We really feel bad but we
do nothing to lift our finger
00:33:09.68\00:33:12.52
to even relieve their suffering
00:33:12.72\00:33:14.39
because it might
cost us something.
00:33:15.19\00:33:17.13
But the words of Jesus
challenge our Christianity.
00:33:19.09\00:33:22.16
He says in Matthew
25 verses 42 and 45:
00:33:22.56\00:33:25.20
"For I was hungry
and you gave Me no food;
00:33:26.47\00:33:29.20
I was thirsty and
you gave Me no drink. "
00:33:29.84\00:33:31.94
And then He says in
verse 45: "Inasmuch as you
00:33:33.07\00:33:36.18
did not do it to one
of the least of these
00:33:36.38\00:33:38.85
you did not do it to Me. "
00:33:39.05\00:33:41.08
The remedy for
quicksand #2 is: let the example
00:33:43.05\00:33:47.66
of Christ define your politics.
00:33:47.86\00:33:51.33
When politics
defines your Christianity
00:33:51.83\00:33:55.26
it is all
quicksand. Can you say amen?
00:33:55.46\00:33:58.30
Amen!
00:33:58.50\00:33:59.83
The clarion call of
Christianity is this:
00:34:00.64\00:34:04.31
"By this all will know
that you are My disciples:
00:34:04.51\00:34:08.18
by your love for one another. "
00:34:08.38\00:34:13.35
My third and final point:
00:34:14.52\00:34:16.89
quicksand indicator #3:
00:34:17.29\00:34:19.25
unchanged by the signs
of the soon return of Jesus.
00:34:19.65\00:34:22.62
UNCHANGED by the signs
of the soon return of Jesus.
00:34:23.36\00:34:27.60
You know, brethren, we
have passed the fulcrum point
00:34:27.96\00:34:30.13
of Bible prophecy.
00:34:30.33\00:34:31.77
For those of you that don't
understand the fulcrum point
00:34:32.67\00:34:35.04
it's the point of balance.
00:34:35.24\00:34:36.57
It's the center point...
it's the middle of the seesaw.
00:34:36.87\00:34:39.67
We are long past the pivotal
point of last day events.
00:34:39.87\00:34:44.58
Amen! Amen. We're
down to the 7th church.
00:34:44.78\00:34:47.82
We are in the
fourth beast of Daniel.
00:34:48.85\00:34:51.42
We are in the last
part of the image of metal.
00:34:52.59\00:34:56.36
We are in the
toes. Praise God! Amen!
00:34:56.56\00:34:59.96
And the sands of
time are running out
00:35:01.23\00:35:03.30
but the quicksand of
controversy is bogging us down
00:35:03.50\00:35:06.10
as a church. Listen
to these inspired words
00:35:06.30\00:35:09.74
and pray for my
throat to clear up somewhere.
00:35:10.71\00:35:12.74
Maranatha page 175:
00:35:15.04\00:35:17.05
"The judgments of
God are in the land. "
00:35:18.08\00:35:20.72
Is that true?
00:35:21.08\00:35:22.42
"The wars and rumors of
wars; the destruction by fire
00:35:25.52\00:35:30.73
and flood say clearly
that the time of trouble
00:35:30.93\00:35:34.10
which is to
increase until the end
00:35:34.56\00:35:36.87
is very near at hand.
00:35:37.27\00:35:38.80
We have no time to lose.
00:35:39.33\00:35:40.90
The world is stirred
with the spirit of war. "
00:35:41.30\00:35:43.30
How accurate
00:35:43.67\00:35:45.81
are those words!
00:35:48.54\00:35:49.88
"Soon strife among
the nations will break out
00:35:50.01\00:35:53.31
with an intensity that
we do not now anticipate.
00:35:53.72\00:35:56.95
The present is a time
of overwhelming interest
00:35:58.19\00:36:01.32
to all living.
Rulers and statesmen,
00:36:01.52\00:36:05.43
men who occupy positions
of trust and authority,
00:36:05.93\00:36:09.13
thinking men and
women of all classes
00:36:09.63\00:36:11.67
have their attention
fixed on the events taking place
00:36:11.87\00:36:15.84
about us. " How
accurate can those words be?
00:36:16.04\00:36:21.14
"They are watching the
strained, restless relations
00:36:21.81\00:36:24.68
that exist among the nations.
00:36:24.88\00:36:26.21
They observe the intensity that
is taking possession of every
00:36:26.72\00:36:30.59
earthly element and
they realize... " These are
00:36:30.79\00:36:34.26
unChristian people... "and
they realize that something
00:36:34.42\00:36:37.96
great and decisive is
about to take place...
00:36:38.16\00:36:41.03
that the world is on the
verge of a stupendous crisis. "
00:36:41.23\00:36:45.43
Amen! How accurate
00:36:45.63\00:36:48.84
are those words to
the hour in which we live!
00:36:49.74\00:36:52.71
My brother said to me
as I spoke to him there -
00:36:53.34\00:36:55.24
they finally got
a signal through...
00:36:55.44\00:36:57.11
Everybody's upset with Sprint.
00:36:57.31\00:36:58.65
It doesn't work in St.
Thomas in the Virgin Islands
00:36:59.58\00:37:01.78
but AT&T does.
00:37:01.98\00:37:03.52
There are no
Verizon towers down there.
00:37:04.79\00:37:06.62
So we get the chance
to talk on a daily basis
00:37:07.02\00:37:09.46
after they go to the neighbors
and plug in their phones
00:37:09.66\00:37:11.49
to get some
charge through the night.
00:37:11.69\00:37:13.56
And he said: "Brother,
we have had Hugo and Marilyn
00:37:14.60\00:37:19.37
but Irma is unequivocally
00:37:19.57\00:37:25.24
the worst hurricane
that ever hit St. Thomas. "
00:37:25.44\00:37:30.05
He said the wind speeds were
clocked at 202 miles an hour
00:37:30.75\00:37:34.02
on that small 13 by
4 mile strip of land.
00:37:34.42\00:37:39.15
The trees were
raped from their roots up.
00:37:39.82\00:37:42.66
Boats that were anchored down
he said they were airborne...
00:37:43.73\00:37:46.80
tossed as though
they were made of paper.
00:37:47.30\00:37:50.43
Telephone poles and power
poles are laying everywhere.
00:37:51.30\00:37:54.37
On his housetop there is a tree
with the wires mingled in it.
00:37:54.57\00:37:58.81
And he said: "The
radio announcer said
00:37:59.01\00:38:00.41
don't touch it because
they don't know what's live
00:38:00.61\00:38:03.48
and what's dead. "
00:38:03.68\00:38:05.01
And he said: "The
mosquitoes are larger
00:38:06.38\00:38:08.45
than I've ever seen them.
00:38:08.65\00:38:10.22
They are just driving us mad. "
00:38:11.12\00:38:13.59
So my sister and I have
pushed as hard as we can
00:38:14.29\00:38:16.96
putting together a campaign
to raise funds to get my
00:38:17.16\00:38:20.06
family relief. And I'm
so glad that... that...
00:38:20.26\00:38:22.73
that... that... I'm
so glad that Home Depot
00:38:22.93\00:38:26.40
looked in my eyes - the manager.
She says: "I can understand
00:38:26.60\00:38:29.37
your pain and we're
going to do whatever we can
00:38:29.57\00:38:31.91
to make a difference. "
00:38:32.11\00:38:33.48
So much concerned that this
morning she called me. She said:
00:38:33.58\00:38:35.68
"I hope you're on your way
'cause we want to get this thing
00:38:36.08\00:38:38.71
done as quickly as we can. "
00:38:38.91\00:38:40.25
The signs are all around us.
00:38:43.25\00:38:45.12
And the signs are so
thick that the apostle Paul
00:38:45.52\00:38:47.86
was forced to pen what he
referred to as the "unnecessary
00:38:48.06\00:38:51.66
letter. " Listen to his
words in I Thessalonians 5:1-3.
00:38:51.86\00:38:55.93
Listen to what he said.
00:38:56.13\00:38:57.47
And he's saying
this to the Christians
00:38:57.53\00:38:59.53
not to the "worldlians. "
00:38:59.73\00:39:01.14
He said: "But
concerning the times and seasons
00:39:01.34\00:39:03.64
brethren you have no need
that I should write to you. "
00:39:03.84\00:39:06.71
We don't need another book.
00:39:07.11\00:39:08.68
Come on, say
amen somebody. Amen!
00:39:09.08\00:39:11.25
The Great Controversy
is the book for this hour.
00:39:11.98\00:39:14.62
Inspiration - I hope I
can say that with assurance...
00:39:16.55\00:39:20.09
assurance. Inspiration...
00:39:20.29\00:39:22.89
God has given us an inspiration
that we need to lean on now
00:39:23.09\00:39:26.76
as we lean on Christ.
00:39:26.96\00:39:28.33
He says: "Concerning
the times and seasons
00:39:28.53\00:39:30.57
you have no need
that I should write to you
00:39:30.77\00:39:32.43
for you
yourselves know perfectly. "
00:39:32.63\00:39:36.20
You've got the information
00:39:36.60\00:39:38.91
that the "day of the Lord so
comes as a thief in the night.
00:39:39.11\00:39:41.01
For when they shall
say 'peace and safety'
00:39:41.21\00:39:44.15
then sudden
destruction comes upon them
00:39:44.31\00:39:46.18
as labor pains
upon a pregnant woman.
00:39:46.38\00:39:48.25
And they SHALL NOT escape. "
00:39:48.45\00:39:50.22
In Maranatha Ellen White says:
00:39:52.12\00:39:53.89
"Soon grievous troubles
will arise among the nations...
00:39:54.29\00:39:57.23
troubles that will not
cease until Jesus comes. "
00:39:57.43\00:40:00.90
We are there! Amen!
00:40:01.03\00:40:04.13
"As never before we
need to press together,
00:40:06.57\00:40:09.30
serving Him who has
prepared His throne in heaven
00:40:09.50\00:40:13.74
and whose
kingdom rules over all.
00:40:14.34\00:40:16.75
God has not
forsaken His people -
00:40:17.55\00:40:20.38
Amen - and our strength
lies in not forsaking Him. "
00:40:20.58\00:40:24.05
THIS is the hour
that we turn back to God.
00:40:24.99\00:40:29.22
You see, the fact of the
matter is the world is built on
00:40:29.42\00:40:31.39
quicksand. But it is too
late for the church to stand on
00:40:31.59\00:40:35.03
quicksand and not
understand that will reap
00:40:35.23\00:40:37.97
the consequences of the
foundation on which we stand.
00:40:38.17\00:40:41.94
If I sound sober this
morning, understand I sense the
00:40:42.34\00:40:45.37
urgency of the hour.
00:40:45.57\00:40:47.11
We're not living in a
time where we could meander
00:40:47.31\00:40:49.88
and tickle the fancy or
try to entertain the intellect.
00:40:50.08\00:40:53.65
It is too late for the
church to be preoccupied with
00:40:53.85\00:40:55.82
destabilizing issues.
00:40:56.02\00:40:57.75
And so can I get deeper
this morning in your hearing?
00:40:57.95\00:41:00.56
When you are more concerned
about women's ordination
00:41:01.46\00:41:04.83
than exalting Jesus
we are on quicksand!
00:41:05.03\00:41:07.50
Amen! Now I'm not
asking you where you stand.
00:41:07.73\00:41:11.53
But if you stand on anything
but Jesus you are on quicksand!
00:41:12.27\00:41:14.97
Amen! As the Pope
pushes for Christian unity
00:41:15.17\00:41:18.84
Christian unity
without Biblical authority
00:41:19.04\00:41:21.68
is quicksand. When
the sanctity of marriage
00:41:21.88\00:41:25.55
ceases to be your
goal you are on quicksand.
00:41:25.75\00:41:28.78
When you disrespect
your parents with impunity
00:41:28.98\00:41:31.89
you are on quicksand.
00:41:32.09\00:41:34.02
When you deny the sanctuary
message you are on quicksand!
00:41:34.22\00:41:37.39
When we ignore the
personage of the Holy Spirit
00:41:37.59\00:41:41.36
we are on quicksand. Amen!
00:41:41.56\00:41:44.90
And I say this to those
who once walked with us:
00:41:46.80\00:41:49.37
when you walk away from
God's holy Sabbath and embrace
00:41:50.51\00:41:53.64
man's substitution of
Sunday you are on quicksand.
00:41:53.84\00:41:57.58
Amen!
00:41:57.78\00:41:59.11
When the gift of prophecy
loses its relevance with you
00:41:59.15\00:42:02.28
you are on quicksand.
00:42:02.48\00:42:06.35
When you live a
life of robbing God
00:42:08.36\00:42:10.83
and it does not even phase you
00:42:11.19\00:42:13.43
you are on quicksand.
00:42:14.30\00:42:16.43
When you attempt to live
in harmony with any of the
00:42:16.83\00:42:20.00
above-mentioned teachings
without the power of Jesus
00:42:20.20\00:42:22.60
you're on quicksand.
00:42:25.14\00:42:26.51
You see, this is an hour
00:42:28.01\00:42:29.81
that demands we get back
to the basics of our walk.
00:42:31.08\00:42:34.42
And the basics of our
walk is the foundation
00:42:34.62\00:42:38.25
that Jesus has laid that will
never shift in a shifting world.
00:42:38.99\00:42:43.59
Can somebody say amen? Amen!
00:42:43.79\00:42:45.89
We are called to stand
where people would dare to stand
00:42:46.09\00:42:50.20
in the hour where the church
is at its greatest crisis.
00:42:51.07\00:42:57.04
There was a time when I used
to... growing up... when I was
00:42:57.24\00:42:59.94
idealistic. I
used to think: "Well,
00:43:00.21\00:43:03.68
let me find out what the
General Conference decides next
00:43:03.88\00:43:06.38
and then I'll follow it. "
00:43:07.42\00:43:08.75
I pray for our
president, Ted Wilson.
00:43:09.85\00:43:12.72
Amen.
00:43:12.92\00:43:14.26
I pray for our
conference leaders.
00:43:14.59\00:43:17.93
But why do we have
to call it "divisions? "
00:43:18.66\00:43:21.06
We should say:
"We have 13 unities. "
00:43:25.57\00:43:27.67
Come on, somebody.
We don't need divisions.
00:43:27.87\00:43:30.77
Amen! Why do we
call it divisions?
00:43:30.94\00:43:33.21
OK, how many
divisions do we have?
00:43:34.31\00:43:35.94
I could give you any
number of divisions we have.
00:43:36.14\00:43:38.31
We ought to find ways
that the insignificant things
00:43:39.01\00:43:42.18
that do not amount to salvation
ought to be taken off of our
00:43:42.38\00:43:45.19
agenda. When I was at the
General Conference session
00:43:45.39\00:43:47.62
in 2015 I was amazed
how many people came out.
00:43:47.79\00:43:51.13
How many guns
were spiritually loaded
00:43:51.33\00:43:53.36
on that day when women's
ordination was discussed.
00:43:53.56\00:43:56.30
I was saying to myself: "If we
would turn out in such numbers
00:43:57.03\00:44:00.34
for evangelism... " Amen!
00:44:00.54\00:44:03.51
Wasted money on material to
convince one way or the other.
00:44:04.37\00:44:08.31
Would to God that
the funds He gives to us
00:44:08.51\00:44:10.98
would be used in saving souls.
00:44:11.18\00:44:13.82
My wife and I just came
back from Bogotá, Colombia,
00:44:14.22\00:44:16.62
where 3ABN Latino
organized an evangelistic series
00:44:18.62\00:44:22.36
where 176 simultaneous messages
00:44:22.56\00:44:26.49
were being preached
at the same time. Amen!
00:44:26.70\00:44:29.70
And in less than a week
758 people got baptized! Amen!
00:44:29.90\00:44:35.07
Folk put aside their
mortgage to go and preach. Wow!
00:44:35.70\00:44:40.24
People were willing to
take their entire paycheck
00:44:40.44\00:44:43.11
and go and preach.
But I want to thank you.
00:44:43.31\00:44:45.21
When you sacrifice for Jesus
- talking about the year of
00:44:45.41\00:44:47.72
sacrifice - when
you sacrifice for Jesus
00:44:47.92\00:44:50.19
He will move
your mountains. Amen!
00:44:50.39\00:44:53.46
One young lady who sat in
the foyer... my wife and I
00:44:54.12\00:44:58.23
rode with her every day
to our different sites...
00:44:59.29\00:45:02.03
and she was waving a hankie
and she was going "Whew! "
00:45:02.23\00:45:05.73
And she looked like
she was going to cry.
00:45:06.13\00:45:07.80
My wife said:
"Are you all right? "
00:45:08.00\00:45:09.34
She said: "God is so good! "
00:45:09.90\00:45:12.11
She said: "I put aside my
mortgage to come here to preach
00:45:12.41\00:45:15.51
and my husband has
been unemployed for a year.
00:45:19.45\00:45:21.72
But he got a call
today... he got a job today. "
00:45:23.32\00:45:26.96
Amen! And when he
went to that job...
00:45:27.16\00:45:29.32
Let me tell you something:
God will give you what He wants
00:45:29.52\00:45:31.83
to bless you with if
you remain uncompromised
00:45:32.03\00:45:34.20
in a compromising world.
00:45:34.30\00:45:35.83
Standing before the
potential employer he said:
00:45:36.03\00:45:38.80
"I will not work on Sabbaths.
00:45:39.00\00:45:40.80
I just want to
make that clear. "
00:45:40.97\00:45:42.80
And the guy said:
"What did you say? "
00:45:43.30\00:45:44.64
He said: "I will not work
from sunset Friday to sunset
00:45:44.84\00:45:47.14
Saturday. " He said:
"Did I hear you correctly? "
00:45:47.34\00:45:49.28
He said: "Yes. " He said: "Are
you a Seventh-day Adventist? "
00:45:49.48\00:45:52.25
He said: "Yes. "
He said: "So am I! "
00:45:52.45\00:45:54.62
"I'm going to hire
you for that reason. "
00:45:56.45\00:45:58.22
Not for his religious
convictions but for the fact
00:45:58.42\00:46:02.42
that he was willing to tell.
He didn't have a job for more
00:46:02.62\00:46:06.93
than a year, but I'm
not going to take a job
00:46:07.13\00:46:09.23
even though I need funds
I'm not going to compromise
00:46:09.43\00:46:12.83
my stand for the
sake of financial gain.
00:46:13.03\00:46:15.50
And she said: "And he's making
more than I thought he would! "
00:46:16.40\00:46:19.44
So God did not just
give her back her mortgage
00:46:19.84\00:46:22.28
but God gave her husband a
job. Come on, say amen somebody.
00:46:22.48\00:46:25.18
And when you're busy doing
God's work, the devil finds ways
00:46:25.98\00:46:28.48
to stir up difficulty, to
stir up trials and tribulations
00:46:28.68\00:46:32.65
and try to get you off course.
And I said: "Lord, why did You
00:46:32.85\00:46:35.29
take me to a Spanish
country when I speak English? "
00:46:35.49\00:46:38.26
And I said: "Lord, what are
their needs. And He said to me:
00:46:40.23\00:46:42.36
"Their needs are just like
your needs. They need Jesus
00:46:42.56\00:46:44.90
just like you do. " Amen!
So I began to preach Jesus.
00:46:45.10\00:46:48.20
And souls were being touched,
and through the conversion of
00:46:48.60\00:46:51.31
language, through the
interpretation of language.
00:46:51.51\00:46:53.58
And even Idalia Dinzey.
She sat me down. My wife said:
00:46:53.78\00:46:57.21
"John, you've got
to sing in Spanish. "
00:46:57.41\00:46:58.75
And my wife and Idalia
sat down and schooled me.
00:46:58.78\00:47:01.88
And I was able to
sing two songs in Spanish
00:47:02.28\00:47:04.32
without an English accent.
Come on, say amen somebody.
00:47:04.52\00:47:06.69
The gift of tongues.
00:47:07.62\00:47:09.06
And I realized again: God
doesn't call the qualified
00:47:10.76\00:47:13.29
He qualifies the called. Amen!
00:47:13.53\00:47:15.63
This is the hour that the people
of God need to put all these
00:47:15.83\00:47:18.30
ridiculous issues aside
because in Manuscript 20, 1889,
00:47:18.50\00:47:22.44
Ellen White said: "It
makes every difference
00:47:22.64\00:47:25.64
whether the structure
is built upon quicksand
00:47:25.84\00:47:29.91
or on solid rock. "
00:47:30.15\00:47:32.08
It makes every difference!
00:47:32.58\00:47:33.95
It makes EVERY difference.
00:47:34.15\00:47:36.02
So I no longer idolize men.
00:47:36.22\00:47:38.99
I idolize Jesus. Amen!
00:47:39.95\00:47:42.82
I no longer wait to see
what the next decision is.
00:47:43.02\00:47:45.56
I read my Bible and get
the decision before men make
00:47:45.76\00:47:48.00
the decision.
Amen! I'm no longer
00:47:48.20\00:47:54.00
swayed by the
number or lack thereof
00:47:54.20\00:47:57.11
that comes to
Wednesday night prayer meeting.
00:47:57.31\00:47:59.17
If I'm alive and God has
given me the ability to walk
00:48:00.91\00:48:04.78
I will be there.
00:48:04.98\00:48:06.31
I'm tired of begging
people to come to church.
00:48:06.88\00:48:08.78
How're you going to beg
folk to come to church that say
00:48:09.78\00:48:12.69
they're on their way to heaven?
00:48:12.89\00:48:14.22
Can't spend an hour in prayer
meeting but you plan on being
00:48:15.99\00:48:18.73
in heaven? You're going to tell
God: "Sorry, I've gotta go home.
00:48:18.93\00:48:23.00
The sermon's too long. "
00:48:23.20\00:48:24.57
What on earth are
we doing on Sabbath
00:48:25.10\00:48:26.77
that you've gotta rush out of
the sanctity of a beautiful day?
00:48:27.47\00:48:30.21
Some of us keep the
Sabbath like Sunday folk.
00:48:30.41\00:48:32.24
We just need a little bit of it.
00:48:32.44\00:48:33.81
I was in a church once where
they used to set their watches
00:48:34.78\00:48:37.68
for 12 noon. I would
hear it go off: "Bing, bing. "
00:48:37.88\00:48:41.82
And I had to say something.
One day I said: "I heard
00:48:43.59\00:48:45.25
the midnight cry but
never the mid-day cry. "
00:48:45.45\00:48:47.56
In that very same church
people went out on the Sabbath
00:48:51.43\00:48:54.30
looking at the Blue Angels.
And I couldn't leave that alone
00:48:54.50\00:48:56.53
either. I said: "You're more
concerned about the Blue Angels
00:48:56.73\00:48:58.50
than the three angels! "
00:48:58.70\00:49:00.20
And I got a lot of
flack... I got letters.
00:49:02.10\00:49:03.94
I still have them in my library.
00:49:04.14\00:49:05.47
I look back every now and
then at them to see how God has
00:49:05.54\00:49:07.78
taken me from all
black hair clueless
00:49:07.98\00:49:11.55
to gray hair and well informed.
00:49:11.75\00:49:14.38
It makes a difference whether
we're built on quicksand or on
00:49:18.85\00:49:23.29
the Solid Rock. So
allow me to interrupt your
00:49:23.49\00:49:26.06
regularly-scheduled
thought with good news:
00:49:26.26\00:49:28.66
there is an answer to
quicksand. Can you say amen?
00:49:28.86\00:49:31.13
Amen! You see in Matthew 1:21
00:49:31.33\00:49:32.80
the Bible says:
"Call His name Jesus
00:49:33.00\00:49:34.94
for He will save His
people from... " THEIR SINS!
00:49:35.14\00:49:38.21
"quicksand. " Sin is quicksand.
00:49:38.41\00:49:43.35
Amen! You can't stand on it
00:49:43.55\00:49:45.78
and not understand
that it will bring you down.
00:49:45.98\00:49:48.02
Anything that we build on
other than the foundation of
00:49:48.42\00:49:51.39
Jesus is quicksand.
00:49:51.59\00:49:53.19
So let me encourage you. Don't
do it because somebody else
00:49:53.39\00:49:56.12
is doin' it. Do it because
salvation is your determined
00:49:56.32\00:49:59.06
focus. Don't do it
because it's popular.
00:49:59.26\00:50:02.06
Don't ask questions
like: "Who's preaching? "
00:50:02.26\00:50:04.37
That troubles me.
00:50:05.43\00:50:07.67
People say: "I didn't go
to church 'cause you were out
00:50:08.30\00:50:09.97
of town. " You don't
have a relationship with Jesus
00:50:10.17\00:50:12.77
if that's why you come.
00:50:12.97\00:50:14.31
You don't come
because of who's preaching...
00:50:14.71\00:50:16.61
you come because The
Word is preached. Amen!
00:50:16.81\00:50:19.75
You don't come because of
popularity of the moment...
00:50:22.48\00:50:25.32
you come because of
the sanctity of the moment.
00:50:25.82\00:50:28.29
You pay attention to the
foundation on which you stand
00:50:29.16\00:50:31.46
because when you are
converted by the obvious
00:50:31.86\00:50:33.86
you are standing on quicksand
for the Bible makes it clear
00:50:34.03\00:50:36.30
no other
foundation can anyone lay
00:50:36.50\00:50:38.53
than that which is
laid which is Christ Jesus.
00:50:38.73\00:50:41.17
Edward Mote reminds me
00:50:42.70\00:50:45.81
of our need for
a solid foundation.
00:50:46.01\00:50:48.84
I was very fascinated by
the story as I close the message
00:50:49.04\00:50:52.01
with this very important
focus. Not just a story
00:50:52.21\00:50:55.18
but a real-life experience.
00:50:55.38\00:50:57.02
Born 1797 to a poor and ungodly
family in London, England.
00:50:57.22\00:51:02.02
Young Edward wrote the
following words. He said:
00:51:03.16\00:51:05.56
"My Sundays were
spent in the streets.
00:51:05.76\00:51:08.13
So ignorant was I that I did
not know that there was a God. "
00:51:08.33\00:51:12.33
But at age 16 his
schoolmaster took him to hear
00:51:13.60\00:51:16.54
the esteemed preacher John Hyatt
00:51:16.77\00:51:19.04
of the Tottenham Court Chapel.
00:51:19.24\00:51:21.78
There that Sunday
morning Edward was genuinely
00:51:21.98\00:51:25.75
converted to Christ.
00:51:25.95\00:51:27.85
And then he wrote
the following song
00:51:28.05\00:51:30.65
that you might recognize.
00:51:30.85\00:51:32.55
He said: "My hope is
built on nothing less
00:51:32.75\00:51:35.92
than Jesus' blood and
righteousness. " Amen!
00:51:36.12\00:51:38.83
But here were the former words:
00:51:39.03\00:51:40.46
"Midst all the
hell I feel within
00:51:40.86\00:51:42.86
on His complete
work I will lean. "
00:51:43.30\00:51:46.53
"I trust His righteous
character, His counsel,
00:51:46.97\00:51:49.64
promise, and His
power... His honor and His name
00:51:49.84\00:51:52.61
at stake to save me
from that burning lake. "
00:51:52.81\00:51:56.28
Those were the former words.
00:51:56.48\00:51:58.65
And he went on to
pen more than 100 hymns.
00:51:58.85\00:52:01.72
But he said, and as
his life was closing,
00:52:01.92\00:52:03.99
they said the one that he loved
the most was the first one that
00:52:04.19\00:52:07.16
God gave him: On
Christ, the Solid Rock, I stand.
00:52:07.36\00:52:10.23
All other
ground is sinking sand.
00:52:10.43\00:52:14.10
But he didn't have those lyrics
when he began to pen the song.
00:52:14.50\00:52:16.83
Finally one Sunday
morning the Lord impressed him
00:52:17.03\00:52:19.33
to write the
song that we now sing:
00:52:19.53\00:52:21.14
On Christ, the
Solid Rock, I stand.
00:52:21.34\00:52:23.10
All other
ground is sinking sand.
00:52:23.30\00:52:24.97
And so I say to you today
00:52:25.37\00:52:27.78
in a world that's shifting,
a government that's sinking,
00:52:28.18\00:52:31.38
and a church that is shaking
00:52:31.58\00:52:32.98
we need to stand on the
Solid Rock, Christ Jesus.
00:52:33.18\00:52:35.98
Amen! When all we have is Christ
00:52:36.18\00:52:38.05
Christ is all we need. Amen!
00:52:38.25\00:52:40.82
When I was in
Colombia the other day
00:52:41.19\00:52:43.53
and I dropped a microSD card
00:52:44.16\00:52:46.39
I picked it up and the
most amazing revelation
00:52:47.00\00:52:49.36
came to my mind.
00:52:49.56\00:52:50.90
As I was holding
onto this microSD card
00:52:50.97\00:52:52.83
some of you were raised so
long ago and born so long ago
00:52:53.03\00:52:55.90
that the word microSD card
doesn't even make sense to you.
00:52:56.10\00:52:58.31
It's so tiny it
looks like a chip.
00:53:00.48\00:53:02.54
And I picked it up
and I said to my wife
00:53:03.38\00:53:05.28
"Look how tiny this thing is.
00:53:05.58\00:53:07.68
We can't even
take this to heaven.
00:53:08.08\00:53:10.29
And we're tripping
about cars and houses
00:53:11.52\00:53:14.69
and things that we can't
carry with us to the kingdom. "
00:53:15.09\00:53:18.09
And I said: "Honey,
00:53:18.29\00:53:19.89
if I can't even take this
little thing to the kingdom
00:53:20.10\00:53:23.63
why am I worried about it? "
00:53:24.03\00:53:26.47
We've got to hold
onto the world loosely
00:53:26.90\00:53:28.94
and hold onto Christ firmly.
Can I get an amen somewhere?
00:53:29.14\00:53:31.87
Amen! Everything
else is sinking sand.
00:53:32.07\00:53:34.04
We can't pack the bank
with funds that we have to leave
00:53:34.24\00:53:36.48
behind. We've
got to empty the bank
00:53:36.71\00:53:38.11
so that souls are
not left behind. Amen!
00:53:38.31\00:53:41.15
We've got to be more
concerned about where we stand
00:53:41.35\00:53:44.05
than on what issue
becomes the next political push.
00:53:44.25\00:53:47.42
Because I want to tell you:
whether the world ends under
00:53:47.62\00:53:49.72
this administration or
there's another one after this
00:53:49.92\00:53:52.26
remember, don't look to
any man... look to Christ.
00:53:52.46\00:53:54.76
"Look unto Me and be saved
for I am God and there is no
00:53:54.96\00:53:57.20
other. " Amen!
00:53:57.40\00:53:58.93
And He's declared the
end from the beginning
00:53:59.13\00:54:01.10
so I stand on His Word.
00:54:01.30\00:54:02.64
When Jesus comes, I want
to be ready. What about you?
00:54:04.54\00:54:07.38
Amen! When He comes I
want to have the certainty
00:54:07.58\00:54:09.91
that I've been
standing in the right place.
00:54:10.15\00:54:11.58
And I want to tell you:
I've made this commitment
00:54:11.78\00:54:14.02
in covenant with God
and with my wife and I said:
00:54:14.22\00:54:16.02
"Lord, whatever happens,
whatever You must do to get me
00:54:16.22\00:54:18.35
into that kingdom, get me in. "
00:54:18.55\00:54:20.19
And you know what? I
don't need a mansion...
00:54:20.39\00:54:21.72
I just need a sleeping bag.
00:54:21.76\00:54:23.83
Amen? Amen! If I
don't get a sleeping bag
00:54:24.66\00:54:26.83
I'd be glad to sleep
on some golden streets.
00:54:27.03\00:54:29.73
I don't need golden
spoons or a crown, I just
00:54:30.73\00:54:33.20
want to get in there. Amen!
00:54:33.40\00:54:35.27
I don't care if the door
closes... I don't care if I go
00:54:35.47\00:54:38.47
in first or last as long
as the door shuts behind me.
00:54:38.67\00:54:41.94
Amen!
00:54:42.14\00:54:43.51
And you're going to find
out that you could be saved!
00:54:44.81\00:54:47.48
Faulty as we are, Jesus loves
us with an everlasting love.
00:54:47.68\00:54:51.55
But today let me
say to you, church,
00:54:53.42\00:54:55.29
in this shifting society,
00:54:55.69\00:54:58.09
in this world where every
issue has occupied the mind
00:54:58.29\00:55:01.50
that should be
occupied by Jesus,
00:55:01.70\00:55:03.77
let us get back to the
solid foundation of Christ.
00:55:03.97\00:55:08.10
Do as David the Psalmist
says: "Lead me to the Rock
00:55:08.50\00:55:10.84
that is higher than I. "
00:55:11.04\00:55:12.37
If we follow that Rock
that Rock is Christ Jesus.
00:55:12.41\00:55:14.78
If you're not standing on THAT
you're standing on sinking sand.
00:55:14.98\00:55:20.12
Let your light
shine... don't let it burn.
00:55:21.65\00:55:24.72
And be more concerned about
a clean heart rather than just
00:55:25.12\00:55:27.69
a clean colon.
00:55:27.89\00:55:29.69
Don't think too long on that.
00:55:30.13\00:55:32.39
Watch what's
coming out of your mouth
00:55:35.06\00:55:37.23
not just what's going in it.
00:55:37.43\00:55:38.77
And treat everybody as
you would want to be treated.
00:55:40.30\00:55:44.47
For in the final analysis
00:55:45.51\00:55:47.44
the Lord's not going to
ask you only what you believed
00:55:47.58\00:55:51.91
but how you treated people.
00:55:52.35\00:55:54.82
Don't become so desensitized
by the drama around the world
00:55:56.69\00:55:59.52
that you forget to reflect
Christ in everything you do.
00:56:00.62\00:56:03.32
And don't be vengeful...
let the Lord fight your battles.
00:56:03.96\00:56:07.30
Let the light of Christ
glow so beautifully from you
00:56:09.03\00:56:12.80
that when you're in the presence
of anybody they might say
00:56:13.20\00:56:15.84
"There's something
different about that woman;
00:56:16.04\00:56:17.94
there's something
different about that man:
00:56:18.14\00:56:20.21
they've been converted
and changed. " You see,
00:56:20.61\00:56:22.84
I don't really care
about how many songs I sang
00:56:23.04\00:56:25.78
or the tenor of my voice
00:56:25.98\00:56:27.55
or whether the
injury is healed or not.
00:56:27.75\00:56:29.22
I just want to get to heaven
because I know when I see Jesus
00:56:29.42\00:56:31.95
all the broken places
will be put back together.
00:56:32.15\00:56:34.66
Amen! I can't preach my way in.
00:56:34.86\00:56:37.13
I can't sing my way in.
00:56:37.33\00:56:38.69
I can't work my way in...
00:56:38.89\00:56:40.23
so I've chosen today not
to stand on what I can do
00:56:40.30\00:56:43.20
but on the Solid
Rock, Christ Jesus. Amen!
00:56:43.43\00:56:45.77
My hope is built on nothing less
00:56:45.97\00:56:49.00
than Jesus' blood
and righteousness.
00:56:49.40\00:56:52.71
May that be your clarion desire;
00:56:53.11\00:56:55.31
may that be your
focus that when He comes
00:56:55.51\00:56:58.21
He'll look around and
say to you: "Come up hither
00:56:59.01\00:57:02.45
to stand on the Solid Rock. "
00:57:02.65\00:57:04.95
May God bless you. Let us pray.
00:57:05.15\00:57:07.59