Music...
00:00:02.03\00:00:19.61
In your Programs is a
Bio for our opening Speaker.
00:00:19.65\00:00:24.95
Pastor John Bradshaw
00:00:24.99\00:00:27.26
so I'm not going
to read the Bio to you
00:00:27.29\00:00:29.86
but I'll give you some
things from my own experience.
00:00:29.89\00:00:31.86
I've known Pastor
Bradshaw since let's see...
00:00:31.89\00:00:36.26
I'm General Manager now,
before that, I was an employee,
00:00:36.30\00:00:39.67
I was on the Board and a
Partner of: It is Written
00:00:39.70\00:00:43.57
and I was
actually on the Committee
00:00:43.61\00:00:45.47
that got to vote him in
00:00:45.51\00:00:47.04
as Speaker/Director
for It is Written.
00:00:47.08\00:00:48.88
He is a writer... he's
a voice and video artiste,
00:00:48.91\00:00:53.82
he's a husband and father,
00:00:53.85\00:00:56.75
now, I should warn you, he
does have a bit of an accent
00:00:56.79\00:00:59.75
okay... he's...
he's from the deep south
00:00:59.82\00:01:03.26
and I mean... the
really deep south...
00:01:03.29\00:01:06.73
he's from New Zealand.
00:01:06.76\00:01:08.26
As a friend, I
can tell you something
00:01:08.30\00:01:11.13
that he would never
tell you and that is that...
00:01:11.17\00:01:14.80
that John is entirely dedicated
to serving God entirely.
00:01:14.84\00:01:19.31
He's committed to spreading
the everlasting gospel,
00:01:19.34\00:01:23.55
this isn't just a job to him...
00:01:23.58\00:01:25.01
it's not "just a
good thing to do... "
00:01:25.05\00:01:28.62
it's who he is... it
is absolutely who he is
00:01:28.65\00:01:32.39
so after our
special music tonight,
00:01:32.42\00:01:34.06
the next voice you'll hear
will be Pastor John Bradshaw.
00:01:34.09\00:01:38.29
Piano...
00:01:38.33\00:01:47.04
more piano...
00:01:47.07\00:01:55.21
Last night I lay a-sleeping
00:01:55.24\00:01:58.61
There came a dream so fair,
00:01:58.65\00:02:02.25
I stood in old Jerusalem
00:02:02.28\00:02:06.05
Beside the temple there.
00:02:06.09\00:02:09.82
I heard the children singing,
00:02:09.86\00:02:12.43
And ever as they sang,
00:02:12.46\00:02:16.06
Me thought the voice of angels
00:02:16.10\00:02:20.20
From heaven in answer rang
00:02:20.24\00:02:24.91
the voice of angels
00:02:24.94\00:02:30.41
From heaven in answer rang.
00:02:30.45\00:02:35.88
Jerusalem! Jerusalem!
00:02:35.92\00:02:42.72
Lift up your gates and sing,
00:02:42.79\00:02:47.86
Hosanna in the highest!
00:02:47.90\00:02:56.04
Hosanna to your King!
00:02:56.07\00:03:02.28
Piano.
00:03:02.31\00:03:11.65
And then me thought
my dream was changed,
00:03:11.69\00:03:16.19
The streets no longer rang,
00:03:16.22\00:03:20.60
Hushed were the glad Hosannas
00:03:20.63\00:03:24.60
That the little children sang.
00:03:24.63\00:03:28.77
The sun grew dark with mystery,
00:03:28.80\00:03:33.17
The morn was cold and chilled,
00:03:33.21\00:03:37.91
As the shadow of a cross arose
00:03:37.95\00:03:42.65
Upon a lonely hill.
00:03:42.68\00:03:46.22
As the shadow of a cross arose
00:03:46.25\00:03:52.26
Upon a lonely hill.
00:03:52.29\00:03:58.67
Jerusalem! Jerusalem!
00:03:58.70\00:04:05.04
Hark! How the angels sing,
00:04:05.07\00:04:10.85
Hosanna in the highest!
00:04:10.88\00:04:17.09
Hosanna to your King!
00:04:17.12\00:04:23.19
Piano...
00:04:23.22\00:04:28.36
more piano...
00:04:28.40\00:04:34.84
And once again
the scene was changed;
00:04:34.87\00:04:39.91
New earth there seemed to be;
00:04:39.94\00:04:43.18
I saw the Holy City
00:04:43.21\00:04:47.78
Beside the tideless sea.
00:04:47.82\00:04:51.75
The light of God
was on the streets
00:04:51.79\00:04:56.09
and the gates were open wide,
00:04:56.12\00:05:00.43
And all who would might enter,
00:05:00.46\00:05:04.73
And no one was denied.
00:05:04.77\00:05:09.77
No need of a moon
or the stars by night,
00:05:09.80\00:05:16.28
Or the sun to shine by day;
00:05:16.31\00:05:21.72
It was the new Jerusalem
00:05:21.75\00:05:26.86
That would not pass away.
00:05:26.89\00:05:33.06
It was a new Jerusalem
00:05:33.09\00:05:41.07
That would not pass away.
00:05:41.10\00:05:48.34
Jerusalem! Jerusalem!
00:05:48.38\00:05:55.55
Sing for the night is o'er!
00:05:55.58\00:06:01.19
Hosanna in the highest!
00:06:01.22\00:06:06.59
Hosanna for ever more!
00:06:06.63\00:06:12.13
Hosanna
00:06:12.17\00:06:15.27
in the highest!
00:06:15.30\00:06:24.55
Hosanna
00:06:24.58\00:06:29.45
for ever
00:06:29.48\00:06:35.42
more!
00:06:35.49\00:06:40.13
Piano.
00:06:40.16\00:06:44.73
Audience: Clapping.
00:06:44.80\00:06:48.80
Amen... amen...
good evening everyone.
00:06:48.84\00:06:51.67
Audience: Good evening.
00:06:51.71\00:06:53.41
Welcome to Rain S I 2018.
00:06:53.44\00:06:55.14
Audience: Laughter.
00:06:55.18\00:06:56.51
Enjoyed that little
display we had earlier?
00:06:56.54\00:06:57.88
For all I know it
might be still going on.
00:06:57.91\00:06:59.75
I thought tonight
we could be competing
00:06:59.78\00:07:01.35
with the thunder in here,
00:07:01.38\00:07:02.82
I could hear it earlier.
00:07:02.85\00:07:04.25
I think it's okay, I
mentioned it to somebody
00:07:04.29\00:07:06.42
and that person said,
00:07:06.45\00:07:07.79
"It's like the Holy Spirit
coming down like the rain. "
00:07:07.82\00:07:10.89
I said, that's
okay, that's what we want.
00:07:10.93\00:07:13.29
Well, let's pray and expect God
to bless us tonight, shall we?
00:07:13.33\00:07:17.17
To bless us more
tonight, let's pray.
00:07:17.20\00:07:19.47
"Our Father in heaven, we
come to You in the name of Jesus
00:07:19.50\00:07:23.00
and we are grateful that we can.
00:07:23.04\00:07:25.47
We thank You that we
can be in this place tonight
00:07:25.51\00:07:29.71
where the focus is on salvation
00:07:29.74\00:07:32.28
and seeking the lost
00:07:32.31\00:07:35.78
and blessing the
lives and lifting people up
00:07:35.82\00:07:39.45
and being involved in
ministry on the front lines...
00:07:39.49\00:07:44.46
financially
invested... we are grateful.
00:07:44.49\00:07:48.36
We thank You for soul
winning and evangelism...
00:07:48.40\00:07:52.67
Your great gift to
the end-time church
00:07:52.70\00:07:56.84
and we pray that
because we being here tonight
00:07:56.87\00:08:00.21
we would hear your voice
and we would be encouraged.
00:08:00.24\00:08:03.58
Lord, I pray knowing
that You will not rely
00:08:03.65\00:08:08.08
on the limitations of
fallen humanity tonight
00:08:08.12\00:08:12.52
and I pray Your Spirit
would not be restricted by that,
00:08:12.55\00:08:16.62
but that You would
speak to us and bless us.
00:08:16.66\00:08:20.50
We love You... we
thank You... we praise You
00:08:20.53\00:08:24.33
and we pray in Jesus' name,
00:08:24.37\00:08:26.74
please say with me, amen. "
00:08:26.77\00:08:29.14
Audience: Amen.
00:08:29.17\00:08:30.51
Every so often you
meet somebody who will admit
00:08:30.54\00:08:35.24
to things that certain
other people wouldn't admit to.
00:08:35.28\00:08:39.31
I was in a Camp
Meeting earlier in the year
00:08:39.35\00:08:41.25
and spoke with a
Pastor who happened to mention
00:08:41.28\00:08:43.42
that he was a musician
00:08:43.45\00:08:44.79
and as you do, we
talked a little more
00:08:44.82\00:08:46.69
and I said, "What
is it that you played?"
00:08:46.72\00:08:48.76
Or "What is it that you play?"
00:08:48.79\00:08:50.53
He said, "Played... played. "
00:08:50.56\00:08:52.23
I said, "Okay, what
was it that you played?"
00:08:52.26\00:08:54.70
And he said, "I was a drummer. "
00:08:54.73\00:08:56.40
He didn't look the type...
00:08:56.43\00:08:59.17
I said, "You
were... you were a drummer?"
00:08:59.20\00:09:02.04
I mean, "What sort of drummer?"
00:09:02.07\00:09:03.41
He said, "I was a
drummer in a heavy metal band. "
00:09:03.44\00:09:05.74
Ha ha... ha... and
he didn't look the type
00:09:05.77\00:09:08.24
which I think, on the
balance, is a really good thing.
00:09:08.28\00:09:11.15
Not everybody wants you to know
00:09:11.18\00:09:13.35
about some things
from their past...
00:09:13.38\00:09:14.78
I'm not trying to suggest that
would be the most shameful thing
00:09:14.82\00:09:17.42
by any means but
it was interesting.
00:09:17.45\00:09:18.99
There are some things
people won't admit to.
00:09:19.02\00:09:22.66
Many of us here are old
enough to remember 1977,
00:09:22.72\00:09:26.33
that's when
Saturday Night Fever came out
00:09:26.36\00:09:28.30
and you won't find a
person at this Convention
00:09:28.33\00:09:30.63
who will admit to have
"bought the double album. "
00:09:30.67\00:09:32.90
Audience: Laughter.
00:09:32.93\00:09:35.00
And some of you did,
00:09:35.04\00:09:37.04
many of you thank God...
00:09:37.07\00:09:39.31
because you walked a
better path... didn't
00:09:39.34\00:09:41.28
but some of you did
but you won't admit it,
00:09:41.31\00:09:43.24
there aren't many
people who will admit
00:09:43.28\00:09:45.25
to having worn once a
powder-blue polyester suit...
00:09:45.28\00:09:48.32
Audience: Laughter.
00:09:48.35\00:09:49.78
Or bell bottoms.
00:09:49.82\00:09:51.25
Audience: Laughter.
00:09:51.29\00:09:52.62
I don't think you
should admit to that, frankly,
00:09:52.65\00:09:54.62
better that you admit to
being a heavy-metal drummer.
00:09:54.66\00:09:56.73
Audience: Laughter.
00:09:56.76\00:10:00.33
1975...
00:10:00.36\00:10:02.66
a craze swept the United States,
00:10:02.70\00:10:06.23
I just wonder how
many people would admit
00:10:06.27\00:10:08.00
to have been part of this.
00:10:08.04\00:10:09.50
A business man...
00:10:09.57\00:10:11.91
well he was an Advertising
Executive to begin with,
00:10:11.97\00:10:14.28
his name was
Gary Dahl... D A H L.
00:10:14.31\00:10:17.95
Gary Dahl grew sick and
tired of hearing his friends
00:10:17.98\00:10:21.95
talk about the trouble they
were having with their pets,
00:10:21.98\00:10:24.09
cats that roamed
the neighborhood,
00:10:24.15\00:10:26.92
dogs that dug in the garden,
00:10:26.96\00:10:29.46
dogs that shed
and left hair or fur
00:10:29.49\00:10:33.06
or whatever it was they
left everywhere they went
00:10:33.09\00:10:35.80
he said, "Man, you all
should get a better pet"
00:10:35.83\00:10:38.83
and that's when he
came up with the idea...
00:10:38.87\00:10:41.80
a pet you don't have to feed...
00:10:41.84\00:10:43.74
a pet that doesn't shed,
00:10:43.81\00:10:45.14
a pet that doesn't make
noise in the middle of the night
00:10:45.17\00:10:47.14
or any time at
all for that matter,
00:10:47.18\00:10:48.91
a pet that won't
cost terribly much to buy
00:10:48.94\00:10:51.75
and if you wanted to buy
one, you could buy it from him
00:10:51.78\00:10:55.65
and along with a bed of
straw and a cardboard box...
00:10:55.68\00:10:59.42
a little carry container...
00:10:59.45\00:11:00.99
for just $3.95 Mr. Dahl started
marketing "The Pet Rock. "
00:11:01.02\00:11:06.46
Audience: Silent.
00:11:06.49\00:11:09.43
Did you buy one?
00:11:09.46\00:11:12.30
Audience: Laughter.
00:11:12.33\00:11:15.10
Out yourself... one
honest person here...
00:11:15.14\00:11:18.67
Audience: Laughter.
00:11:18.71\00:11:20.81
Two... I'm concerned
for this year's Convention.
00:11:20.88\00:11:24.01
Audience: Laughter.
00:11:24.05\00:11:25.51
Because some of you all
are sitting on your hands.
00:11:25.55\00:11:27.22
Audience: Laughter.
00:11:27.25\00:11:29.68
The Pet Rock...
what a craze, huh?
00:11:29.72\00:11:31.69
Now, he made a lot of money,
00:11:31.75\00:11:33.49
he ended up
losing a lot of money,
00:11:33.52\00:11:35.12
in his words, "Wackos" came
out of the woodwork to sue him
00:11:35.16\00:11:38.09
and he spent money on
lawsuits that, I think,
00:11:38.13\00:11:40.23
were largely frivolous,
00:11:40.30\00:11:41.63
he would drive to Rosarita Beach
ten miles south of the border...
00:11:41.66\00:11:45.10
the California
border... into Mexico,
00:11:45.13\00:11:47.94
he'd load up with the
rocks... bring them back
00:11:47.97\00:11:49.67
and... and it
was just like that...
00:11:49.70\00:11:51.41
he was selling rocks...
00:11:51.44\00:11:53.17
he tried to sell a few more
fascinating things after that
00:11:53.21\00:11:55.98
one... one... he
would this is interesting...
00:11:56.01\00:12:00.08
he told a tube of sand...
and you don't remember this
00:12:00.12\00:12:03.52
because for some strange
reason, it wasn't successful,
00:12:03.55\00:12:06.92
and next to it there
was another tube of sand,
00:12:06.96\00:12:09.36
he said, "This is the male tube
and this is the female tube"
00:12:09.39\00:12:12.29
and he says,
"This is... you know...
00:12:12.33\00:12:14.13
you can grow your own beach
00:12:14.16\00:12:15.80
if you just put
the sand together. "
00:12:15.83\00:12:17.80
Audience: Laughter.
00:12:17.83\00:12:22.17
He demonstrated... lightning
does not always strike twice.
00:12:22.20\00:12:25.31
Of course
people bought pet rocks
00:12:25.34\00:12:27.64
because what they were doing
is, buying into the gimmick...
00:12:27.68\00:12:29.84
buying into the fad...
00:12:29.88\00:12:31.91
a pet rock...
00:12:31.95\00:12:33.62
you know, you like to think
00:12:33.65\00:12:36.05
when you get together
with other business types
00:12:36.08\00:12:38.29
or entrepreneurial types
00:12:38.32\00:12:39.79
that you come away
with great ideas...
00:12:39.82\00:12:41.26
great ministry ideas...
00:12:41.29\00:12:42.62
maybe some good business ideas
00:12:42.66\00:12:44.23
maybe some... I don't know...
00:12:44.26\00:12:45.76
ideas to enhance
your personal life,
00:12:45.79\00:12:48.00
Pet Rock... who would
have thought that would fly
00:12:48.03\00:12:51.63
but the Pet Rock was
business... finish the phrase...
00:12:51.67\00:12:55.20
it was "Business... "
00:12:55.24\00:12:56.57
Audience: Unusual.
00:12:56.60\00:12:57.94
Yes it was... it
was Business Unusual
00:12:57.97\00:13:00.28
and sometimes,
"Business Unusual" comes along
00:13:00.31\00:13:03.61
because somebody
just has a bright idea,
00:13:03.65\00:13:06.28
it might be
motivated by making money,
00:13:06.31\00:13:08.95
it might simply be...
00:13:08.98\00:13:10.72
be... because you
looked at something
00:13:10.75\00:13:12.89
and you said, "Wait,
there's a better way"
00:13:12.92\00:13:16.52
and you can think of many
products that you think...
00:13:16.56\00:13:20.13
"I could have thought of that"
00:13:20.16\00:13:21.93
or "I might
have thought of that"
00:13:21.96\00:13:23.63
somebody looked at what
you'd been looking at for years
00:13:23.67\00:13:26.23
and just saw a difference...
business unusual...
00:13:26.27\00:13:29.67
sometimes "Business
Unusual" is pressed upon us
00:13:29.70\00:13:33.04
by the simple fact that the
times they are... are changing
00:13:33.07\00:13:36.41
pause...
00:13:36.44\00:13:37.78
then so... a few years ago,
00:13:37.81\00:13:39.18
you could do your shopping
without even leaving home...
00:13:39.21\00:13:41.55
the Internet came along...
00:13:41.58\00:13:42.92
and what is so fascinating
is that you can go online
00:13:42.95\00:13:46.29
and order your groceries
00:13:46.32\00:13:48.99
and your food could be
delivered to your doorstep.
00:13:49.02\00:13:54.16
What an amazing concept!
00:13:54.20\00:13:57.17
When I was this big,
00:13:57.20\00:14:00.07
my mother used to
get on our telephone,
00:14:00.10\00:14:02.54
which was a telephone connected
to the wall with a curly cord
00:14:02.57\00:14:05.87
and she would call
Phyllis at the IGA downtown...
00:14:05.91\00:14:10.65
make her order over the phone
00:14:10.71\00:14:12.98
and the man who ran the
supermarket would deliver it.
00:14:13.01\00:14:15.05
So, business unusual
isn't always very unusual
00:14:15.08\00:14:19.09
but we started to shop online
00:14:19.12\00:14:20.59
and Amazon changed the world
00:14:20.62\00:14:21.99
after Walmart changed the world,
00:14:22.02\00:14:23.63
business unusual...
00:14:23.66\00:14:25.73
you know what's odd?
00:14:25.76\00:14:27.76
I remember when...
a... a few years ago
00:14:27.80\00:14:30.97
when the kids were
younger than they are now
00:14:31.00\00:14:32.53
and we explained
to them, we said,
00:14:32.57\00:14:35.34
"We used to stay
at this hotel... "
00:14:35.37\00:14:38.04
it was all that
happened to be back there,
00:14:38.07\00:14:39.74
we used to stay at this hotel,
00:14:39.77\00:14:41.11
we would go to
Conventions at this hotel.
00:14:41.14\00:14:42.48
"Oh, would you?"
"Yes, we would. "
00:14:42.51\00:14:43.85
And let me tell you this,
00:14:43.88\00:14:45.21
when we were
looking for restaurants,
00:14:45.25\00:14:46.78
in fact, this was at a
town that later on we lived in
00:14:46.82\00:14:49.38
and so there was
a point of reference
00:14:49.42\00:14:51.29
and when we
looked for a place to eat
00:14:51.32\00:14:53.19
we would go downstairs
00:14:53.22\00:14:55.59
and we'd go to the
foyer and go to the front desk
00:14:55.62\00:14:58.83
and they had a card
with recommendations on it
00:14:58.86\00:15:01.80
and you read it and
you took down the address
00:15:01.86\00:15:04.73
and then somebody either had a
map or you asked for directions
00:15:04.77\00:15:07.97
and they looked at
us like we had two heads
00:15:08.00\00:15:10.67
not between us but two each...
00:15:10.71\00:15:12.74
then they looked
at us and they said,
00:15:12.77\00:15:15.41
"You didn't just Google?"
00:15:15.44\00:15:17.21
Audience: Laughter.
00:15:17.25\00:15:19.65
Things changed...
Business Unusual...
00:15:19.68\00:15:22.42
it's all different now.
00:15:22.45\00:15:24.29
Pause.
00:15:24.32\00:15:26.15
Sometimes, our
business practices change
00:15:26.19\00:15:30.66
because of great ideas
or because of circumstances.
00:15:30.69\00:15:33.46
Here we are... it is 2018,
00:15:33.50\00:15:38.50
I'd like to hope that nobody
watches this 20 years from now
00:15:38.53\00:15:44.57
and says,
"2018... remember that?"
00:15:44.61\00:15:47.08
I'd like to think
that doesn't happen.
00:15:47.11\00:15:49.54
I'd like to think we're
going to be out of here by then.
00:15:49.58\00:15:52.05
Audience: Amen.
00:15:52.08\00:15:53.42
So, we all like to think we're
going to be out of here by then,
00:15:53.45\00:15:58.25
that's what we
all wanted to think,
00:15:58.32\00:16:00.89
so, the question we've
got to ask ourselves is,
00:16:00.92\00:16:05.39
"What are we doing to ensure
00:16:05.43\00:16:08.40
that we're going to
be out of here by then?"
00:16:08.43\00:16:10.27
You see, if you're producing...
let me try to think of something
00:16:10.30\00:16:16.47
shoes... no one
here is doing that...
00:16:16.50\00:16:20.24
if you're producing shoes
00:16:20.28\00:16:22.44
and you're producing a
100 pairs of shoes a day,
00:16:22.48\00:16:27.68
and yet, you want to
take California by storm
00:16:27.72\00:16:32.72
with your shoes,
00:16:32.75\00:16:34.09
you know you're
going to have to produce
00:16:34.12\00:16:36.06
more than a 100
pairs of shoes a day,
00:16:36.09\00:16:38.13
something's got to change
00:16:38.16\00:16:39.89
and so, you know that you
needed an injection of cash
00:16:39.93\00:16:43.40
and you need to hire more staff
00:16:43.43\00:16:45.20
and you've got to
buy more equipment...
00:16:45.23\00:16:46.63
things have got to change
00:16:46.67\00:16:48.30
because if you don't
do something different
00:16:48.34\00:16:51.21
in the way you do your business,
00:16:51.24\00:16:52.57
you are going to end up
00:16:52.61\00:16:54.11
with exactly the
same results am I right?
00:16:54.14\00:16:55.61
Absolutely!
00:16:55.64\00:16:57.21
So here we
are... these many years
00:16:57.25\00:17:00.12
after the church was
called into existence by God
00:17:00.15\00:17:02.45
and we're doing what we're doing
00:17:02.48\00:17:03.82
and we're doing it
how we're doing it,
00:17:03.85\00:17:05.19
and it would seem then
00:17:05.22\00:17:08.12
that what we have done
that has brought us this far...
00:17:08.16\00:17:11.69
if we're on a
trajectory like this
00:17:11.76\00:17:13.50
and I know there
are some variables
00:17:13.56\00:17:15.10
I will consider those with you,
00:17:15.13\00:17:16.60
if we're on this trajectory,
then, the likelihood is,
00:17:16.63\00:17:20.14
we're going to
stay on this trajectory
00:17:20.17\00:17:22.60
if we just keep
doing what we're doing
00:17:22.64\00:17:26.31
so that in 20 years,
we can come back here
00:17:26.34\00:17:29.71
and hear somebody say,
00:17:29.74\00:17:32.25
"I hope we're
not here in 20 years"
00:17:32.28\00:17:34.25
and we could all say,
"Amen" all over again.
00:17:34.28\00:17:35.88
Ladies and Gentlemen,
00:17:35.92\00:17:38.55
there is no way in the
world we can be satisfied
00:17:38.59\00:17:41.42
with the status
quo... we just cannot
00:17:41.49\00:17:44.33
and that's not to
criticize the status quo,
00:17:44.36\00:17:46.80
that's not to say that
what we're doing is bad
00:17:46.83\00:17:49.23
or wrong or foolhardy,
00:17:49.26\00:17:51.23
it's simply to say,
00:17:51.27\00:17:53.13
"If we are serious
about getting out of here
00:17:53.17\00:17:56.07
and getting home
to where we belong,
00:17:56.10\00:17:58.57
we are going to
have to change gears,
00:17:58.61\00:18:00.98
we are going to have
to kick it up a notch. "
00:18:01.04\00:18:03.35
We just must
because the Law says,
00:18:03.38\00:18:06.38
"If you keep
doing what you're doing
00:18:06.41\00:18:09.22
how you've been doing it,
00:18:09.25\00:18:10.59
you are damned to
achieve the same results
00:18:10.62\00:18:14.16
that you've been achieving. "
00:18:14.22\00:18:15.56
So, with that in mind,
let's consider a Bible story,
00:18:15.59\00:18:18.59
we're going to the book
of Numbers and chapter 11,
00:18:18.63\00:18:21.66
Numbers chapter 11,
00:18:21.70\00:18:23.70
we're going to start at
the beginning of the chapter,
00:18:23.73\00:18:25.07
that would be
verse 1 in most chapters,
00:18:25.10\00:18:26.60
Numbers chapter 11 and verse 1
00:18:26.63\00:18:28.97
and while you're
turning, I'll start reading,
00:18:29.00\00:18:31.21
if you have a Bible, open it up,
00:18:31.24\00:18:32.57
if you have a Device,
turn to Numbers chapter 11
00:18:32.61\00:18:34.64
and we'll begin in verse
1, where the Word of God says,
00:18:34.68\00:18:37.98
"And when the people complained"
00:18:38.01\00:18:40.08
now, that's something that
doesn't happen in church today,
00:18:40.12\00:18:41.82
that was yesterday...
00:18:41.85\00:18:43.18
it's an old-fashioned concept,
00:18:43.22\00:18:46.32
"And when the people complained,
it displeased the LORD."
00:18:46.35\00:18:50.83
Oh, my Brother, my Sister,
00:18:50.89\00:18:52.36
we could take an
hour to talk about that.
00:18:52.39\00:18:54.60
"When the people complained,
it displeased the LORD:
00:18:54.63\00:18:59.57
and the LORD heard it;
and His anger was kindled... "
00:18:59.60\00:19:04.51
I read that... and I think
about me to be honest with you
00:19:04.54\00:19:10.28
and I say, "Oh, my goodness,
00:19:10.31\00:19:12.15
Lord there has to be a better
way than the complaining I do"
00:19:12.21\00:19:15.85
and if we all thought like that
00:19:15.88\00:19:17.55
and if we all gave
our complaining to God,
00:19:17.59\00:19:19.85
and invested a
fraction of the energy
00:19:19.89\00:19:22.72
we invest in
complaining... in ministry,
00:19:22.76\00:19:25.53
I tell you what... it
would be business unusual
00:19:25.56\00:19:27.46
it would be business unusual
00:19:27.50\00:19:29.50
and so the Word of God
says that people complained...
00:19:29.53\00:19:31.57
the Lord heard
it... He was not happy...
00:19:31.60\00:19:33.23
"the fire of the LORD burnt
among them, and consumed them
00:19:33.30\00:19:36.14
that were in the
uttermost part of the camp. "
00:19:36.17\00:19:37.61
Can you imagine if
that happened today?
00:19:37.64\00:19:39.21
Why did God do that?
00:19:39.27\00:19:41.84
Why did God incinerate
people who were complainers?
00:19:41.88\00:19:44.61
I shall tell you why God
did that... because He loves us.
00:19:44.65\00:19:47.75
God did that
because He is good...
00:19:47.78\00:19:50.15
it's not because He
was unkind or ruthless
00:19:50.19\00:19:53.22
or hateful or spiteful...
00:19:53.25\00:19:55.02
God knows... He
wants us to get to heaven
00:19:55.06\00:20:00.26
and He'll do whatever it takes
to get our focus off ourselves
00:20:00.30\00:20:04.93
and off our
unpleasant circumstances
00:20:04.97\00:20:07.24
and on to the only One who can
do anything meaningful about it.
00:20:07.27\00:20:11.31
"And fire came... "
00:20:11.34\00:20:13.24
and this was
God's way of saying,
00:20:13.27\00:20:14.98
"Look up... don't look down...
look to Me... not to yourselves,
00:20:15.01\00:20:18.15
look to God and not
those unpleasant things
00:20:18.18\00:20:20.98
that you don't like. "
00:20:21.02\00:20:22.35
They cried to
Moses, Moses prayed,
00:20:22.38\00:20:24.45
the fire was quenched
00:20:24.49\00:20:25.82
and he called the name
of the place, Taberah...
00:20:25.85\00:20:27.46
that mean "burning"
00:20:27.49\00:20:28.82
you don't even need to
be a scholar to know that
00:20:28.86\00:20:31.16
because the fire of
the Lord burned among them,
00:20:31.19\00:20:33.56
that's what happened
00:20:33.60\00:20:34.93
and so, we come down
and what do you read?
00:20:34.96\00:20:36.77
You read some amazing things...
00:20:36.80\00:20:38.13
I'm losing my Monitor...
00:20:38.17\00:20:39.50
I don't know if that was playing
or not... but it was describing
00:20:39.53\00:20:41.54
and we read in
Numbers chapter 11
00:20:41.57\00:20:43.84
and... and... and... and
verse... we'll find it...
00:20:43.87\00:20:46.31
oh my goodness... verse... man!
00:20:46.34\00:20:52.91
the "mixed multitude" at
least we can blame them...
00:20:52.95\00:20:57.69
pause...
00:20:57.72\00:21:00.62
"they fell a lusting"
00:21:00.66\00:21:02.12
and the children of
Israel caught the disease,
00:21:02.19\00:21:05.93
"and they wept again, and said,
00:21:05.96\00:21:08.20
who will give us flesh to eat?"
00:21:08.23\00:21:10.40
Here they were on
their vegetarian diet
00:21:10.43\00:21:12.67
that God had them on...
00:21:12.70\00:21:14.04
preparing them for
the Promised Land...
00:21:14.07\00:21:15.97
I see a
parallel... I hope you do too.
00:21:16.00\00:21:18.01
Audience: Agreeing.
00:21:18.04\00:21:20.08
"We remember the fish, which
we did eat in Egypt freely... "
00:21:20.11\00:21:23.04
and then they spoke about
the cucumbers and the melons
00:21:23.08\00:21:25.35
and the leeks and the
onions and the garlic...
00:21:25.41\00:21:26.75
"But now our soul is dried away"
00:21:26.78\00:21:28.42
listen to this...
00:21:28.45\00:21:29.78
this is one of the
most staggering statements
00:21:29.82\00:21:33.19
that you'll read
in the whole Bible,
00:21:33.22\00:21:34.86
"there is nothing at all,
00:21:34.89\00:21:36.73
beside this
manna, before our eyes. "
00:21:36.76\00:21:42.10
Can you imagine that?
00:21:42.13\00:21:43.77
It was their
lifeline and they were saying,
00:21:43.80\00:21:46.43
"We've got nothing to eat"
except, of course, for this
00:21:46.47\00:21:49.27
which is given
to keep us alive. "
00:21:49.30\00:21:51.04
Isn't that remarkable
00:21:51.07\00:21:54.04
some of the things
that we complain about.
00:21:54.08\00:21:55.51
You complain about the
Pastor, thank God you have one,
00:21:55.54\00:21:58.48
I mean, in most
cases... thank God you have one.
00:21:58.51\00:22:00.48
You complain about your spouse,
you're lucky to have her, man!
00:22:00.52\00:22:05.52
Audience: Laughter.
00:22:05.55\00:22:09.12
How spoiled for choice
were you back in the day?
00:22:09.16\00:22:12.69
The things we complain about...
00:22:12.73\00:22:15.13
you complain about your kids...
00:22:15.16\00:22:17.50
ah, what if you didn't have
any? You'd complain about that.
00:22:17.53\00:22:20.64
And here they were complaining
about the greatest blessing
00:22:20.67\00:22:23.84
that God was giving to them,
other than the gift of life
00:22:23.91\00:22:27.04
and this was sustaining life...
00:22:27.08\00:22:28.84
they complained...
00:22:28.88\00:22:30.35
and God describes
the manna and so on
00:22:30.38\00:22:32.75
and then, Moses in those days...
00:22:32.78\00:22:35.98
"here's the people
we... that complain"
00:22:36.02\00:22:38.22
Moses was unhappy
and he cries out to God,
00:22:38.25\00:22:40.16
he said, "Why
You're doing this to me?
00:22:40.19\00:22:42.32
Why have I not
found favor in Your sight?
00:22:42.36\00:22:44.39
You are laying the burden
of all the people upon me... "
00:22:44.43\00:22:46.36
it was Moses' turn...
00:22:46.39\00:22:47.73
"have I... did I give
birth to these people?
00:22:47.76\00:22:50.37
Have I begotten them
that you should say to me,
00:22:50.40\00:22:53.20
'Carry them in your bosom,
00:22:53.23\00:22:54.57
as a nursing father
beareth a sucking child?'
00:22:54.60\00:22:56.97
Man! how am I
going to find food?
00:22:57.01\00:23:00.04
There are too many
people, it's too heavy,
00:23:00.08\00:23:02.91
if you deal with me like
this, kill me, I pray thee,
00:23:02.94\00:23:08.28
out of hand, if I have
found favor in Your sight. "
00:23:08.32\00:23:12.32
Can you imagine
praying that prayer?
00:23:12.35\00:23:14.02
Pause.
00:23:14.06\00:23:16.06
Well, the Lord said to Moses,
00:23:16.12\00:23:18.56
"Get 70 men of
the elders of Israel,
00:23:18.59\00:23:21.30
people you know to be
the elders of the people...
00:23:21.33\00:23:24.33
officers over them,
00:23:24.37\00:23:25.70
bring them to the
tabernacle of the congregation,
00:23:25.73\00:23:27.47
that they may
stand there with thee,
00:23:27.50\00:23:28.84
and I will come down
and talk with thee there:
00:23:28.87\00:23:30.91
and I will take of the
spirit that is upon thee,
00:23:30.94\00:23:32.94
and I will put it upon them;
00:23:32.97\00:23:34.58
and they shall bear the
burden of the people with you,
00:23:34.61\00:23:37.78
that you will bear
it not thyself alone. "
00:23:37.81\00:23:40.95
God promised something
great was going to take place
00:23:40.98\00:23:44.62
and he demonstrated to
Moses that He was with Moses
00:23:44.65\00:23:47.02
at every step in that journey.
00:23:47.06\00:23:48.89
Well, let's drop down
here, they talk about the meat
00:23:48.92\00:23:51.49
that God's going to
provide it for them somehow,
00:23:51.53\00:23:54.10
those 24... we're
narrowing in our point here,
00:23:54.13\00:23:56.70
"And Moses went out and told the
people the words of the LORD,
00:23:56.73\00:24:00.24
and gathered the seventy
men of the elders of the people,
00:24:00.27\00:24:03.27
and set them round
about the tabernacle. "
00:24:03.30\00:24:06.44
"And the LORD came down
in a cloud and spoke to him,
00:24:06.47\00:24:14.08
and took of the
spirit that was upon him... "
00:24:14.12\00:24:17.29
that is... that
was upon Moses...
00:24:17.32\00:24:20.92
"and gave it to the 70 elders:
00:24:20.96\00:24:24.49
and it came to pass, that, when
the spirit rested upon them,
00:24:24.53\00:24:29.50
they prophesied, and
they did not cease... "
00:24:29.53\00:24:34.40
which is interesting because
00:24:34.44\00:24:35.77
most every other
translation of the Bible says,
00:24:35.80\00:24:37.67
they prophesied
and that was it...
00:24:37.71\00:24:39.47
they were one and done...
00:24:39.51\00:24:40.84
they stopped prophesying and
they prophesied... so no more,
00:24:40.88\00:24:43.18
you can work that
one out in your own time.
00:24:43.21\00:24:45.21
Pause.
00:24:45.25\00:24:47.62
So, this was a blessing,
there are a number of things
00:24:47.65\00:24:49.48
that we could deduce from
this, let me tell you this...
00:24:49.52\00:24:51.32
let me tell you
this, church member,
00:24:51.35\00:24:53.36
let me tell you
this Christian friend,
00:24:53.39\00:24:55.36
there are times when
you will look around and...
00:24:55.39\00:24:57.69
and you are
going to be convinced
00:24:57.73\00:24:59.06
that you have
"just cause" to complain.
00:24:59.09\00:25:01.16
You are convinced that
the church is going to hell
00:25:01.20\00:25:04.67
because of what you see in
your little corner of the world.
00:25:04.70\00:25:06.77
You are convinced that
everybody is mad except you
00:25:06.84\00:25:09.04
and when you
have those thoughts...
00:25:09.07\00:25:10.74
it's probably
good to double check.
00:25:10.77\00:25:12.37
Audience: Laughter.
00:25:12.41\00:25:14.28
You are convinced that it's not
like it was in the good old days
00:25:14.31\00:25:18.55
and it may well be that it's not
00:25:18.58\00:25:20.32
but I want you to see what God
demonstrates here in the Bible.
00:25:20.35\00:25:24.42
Moses hears them complaining
and they are complaining
00:25:24.45\00:25:29.16
and he's done with
carrying the burden
00:25:29.19\00:25:31.96
and he goes to God and
cries out and what does God do?
00:25:31.99\00:25:35.90
In the midst of his distress,
00:25:35.93\00:25:39.47
in the midst of
his discouragement,
00:25:39.50\00:25:42.34
God pours out his Holy
Spirit in a marked way...
00:25:42.40\00:25:48.04
in an unusual way...
00:25:48.08\00:25:50.01
in a meaningful way
and God is saying to Moses,
00:25:50.05\00:25:53.75
"Hey Moses, I am in
the middle of this thing,
00:25:53.78\00:25:57.49
this is still my people,
00:25:57.52\00:25:59.89
you don't have to
like what you see,
00:25:59.95\00:26:02.02
you don't have to agree
with everything that's going on
00:26:02.06\00:26:04.26
but it's my people
00:26:04.29\00:26:07.06
and if you want to
transpose that to another key,
00:26:07.10\00:26:09.53
God will be saying to you today,
00:26:09.56\00:26:11.43
"You may not like
everything that you see...
00:26:11.47\00:26:13.67
but it is still my church. "
00:26:13.70\00:26:17.77
I believe that.
00:26:17.81\00:26:19.14
If I didn't
believe it, I would leave.
00:26:19.17\00:26:21.88
This is still God's church
00:26:21.91\00:26:25.85
and it doesn't matter
where on the color palette
00:26:25.88\00:26:29.12
you color yourself,
00:26:29.15\00:26:30.49
you can hear
people next to you...
00:26:30.52\00:26:32.59
nearby you bellyaching
like nobody's business,
00:26:32.62\00:26:35.79
listen... if we simply
coveted to get our noses down
00:26:35.82\00:26:40.40
and our tails up
00:26:40.43\00:26:41.80
and put our
shoulders to the grindstone,
00:26:41.83\00:26:43.93
it would be Business Unusual.
00:26:43.97\00:26:46.43
We would see a flurry
of soul-winning activities
00:26:46.50\00:26:49.60
like we've never seen before
00:26:49.64\00:26:50.97
and I want to
point out something here
00:26:51.01\00:26:53.04
that I think is crucial.
00:26:53.07\00:26:54.68
"They prophesied and... "
00:26:54.71\00:26:56.28
they either did cease
or they didn't cease...
00:26:56.31\00:26:57.88
depending on which version
of the Bible you are reading
00:26:57.91\00:26:59.61
"But there remained
two of the men in the camp,
00:26:59.65\00:27:02.78
the name of the one was Eldad,
00:27:02.82\00:27:05.59
and the name of
the other was Medad:
00:27:05.62\00:27:08.36
and the spirit rested upon them;
00:27:08.39\00:27:12.59
they were of them
that were written,
00:27:12.63\00:27:14.66
but went not out
unto the tabernacle:
00:27:14.70\00:27:16.63
and they
prophesied back in the camp. "
00:27:16.67\00:27:19.73
Moses called 70...
for some reason 68 came.
00:27:19.77\00:27:22.70
These two fellows were detained
or they didn't get the message
00:27:22.77\00:27:26.21
or something and they
prophesied back there,
00:27:26.24\00:27:28.94
"And then, a young man
ran and told Moses, and said,
00:27:29.01\00:27:33.98
Eldad and Medad do
prophesy in the camp"
00:27:34.02\00:27:36.85
we don't know what
tone of voice he was using,
00:27:36.89\00:27:39.05
we simply know that he
was reporting the facts
00:27:39.09\00:27:43.53
and of all people,
Joshua the son of Nun...
00:27:43.56\00:27:45.49
Moses' number two...
00:27:45.53\00:27:47.66
"One of his young
men, answered and said,
00:27:47.70\00:27:52.03
My lord Moses, forbid them. "
00:27:52.07\00:27:56.74
And Moses... we're going
to read in just a moment,
00:27:56.77\00:28:01.28
did not want to do that.
00:28:01.31\00:28:02.74
In fact, let me read that
verse, I'll make this point
00:28:02.78\00:28:05.15
and then I'll double back
around and make another one.
00:28:05.21\00:28:07.55
"Moses said to him,
Enviest thou for my sake?
00:28:07.58\00:28:11.85
would God that all the
LORD's people were prophets,
00:28:11.89\00:28:14.89
and that the LORD would
put his spirit upon them!"
00:28:14.92\00:28:17.49
Now there's...
00:28:17.53\00:28:18.86
I think, at least two
points that we can make here,
00:28:18.89\00:28:20.73
Number 1 is this, if you have
anything to do with the work,
00:28:20.76\00:28:23.50
it is not your role to
limit the activity of others,
00:28:23.53\00:28:28.00
of course you want
to provide guidance,
00:28:28.04\00:28:30.01
pause
00:28:30.04\00:28:33.11
I find it interesting...
we're in a place here
00:28:33.14\00:28:34.74
where there are a lot
of people representing
00:28:34.78\00:28:36.31
supporting ministries
00:28:36.34\00:28:37.68
and yet you can go to...
sometimes in the field...
00:28:37.71\00:28:39.61
and you define the field,
00:28:39.65\00:28:41.48
and you can discover
that among leadership
00:28:41.55\00:28:43.12
there is no love for
supporting ministries,
00:28:43.15\00:28:45.42
you know,
00:28:45.45\00:28:47.62
that attitude has got to be an
abomination in the sight of God.
00:28:47.66\00:28:52.59
It just has to be...
00:28:52.63\00:28:54.00
as though there is
any group of leaders
00:28:54.03\00:28:56.53
who can actually get the
work done all by themselves...
00:28:56.56\00:28:59.10
it's madness...
00:28:59.13\00:29:00.87
what God is saying here is,
00:29:00.90\00:29:02.24
"Don't envy
because there's somebody
00:29:02.27\00:29:06.01
not in your
direct jurisdiction...
00:29:06.04\00:29:09.31
who is getting on
and doing the work,
00:29:09.34\00:29:12.58
don't do that,
00:29:12.61\00:29:14.08
thank God for what God is doing
wherever God is getting it done,
00:29:14.12\00:29:19.15
wherever He is getting it done,
00:29:19.19\00:29:21.09
we don't need less Eldad
and less Medad... we need more,
00:29:21.12\00:29:26.16
we need more
people in more places
00:29:26.19\00:29:29.13
who are filled with
the Holy Spirit of God,
00:29:29.16\00:29:31.53
can you say
"Amen"? I know you can...
00:29:31.60\00:29:33.37
we need more... we
need more people raising up,
00:29:33.40\00:29:36.27
now, I don't want you to
take my remarks out of context
00:29:36.30\00:29:39.81
obviously, we are
all part of a whole
00:29:39.84\00:29:42.11
and we need to
plug into that "whole"
00:29:42.14\00:29:44.31
and understand where we
fit into that "whole... "
00:29:44.35\00:29:46.45
understand that unity in the
church is absolutely essential
00:29:46.48\00:29:50.62
but God isn't
bound by our boundaries
00:29:50.65\00:29:53.69
and God wants to
work in unusual ways.
00:29:53.76\00:29:56.73
This was unusual... so
unusual that Joshua said,
00:29:56.76\00:29:59.53
"We got to put a stop to that. "
00:29:59.59\00:30:01.66
But Moses, as
wise as he was said,
00:30:01.70\00:30:03.70
"No you don't want
to put a stop to that"
00:30:03.73\00:30:06.07
and I want you now to
notice what Moses said,
00:30:06.10\00:30:08.27
he said, "would God that all
the LORD's people were prophets,
00:30:08.30\00:30:13.04
and that the LORD would
put his spirit upon them!"
00:30:13.07\00:30:17.75
You know what
Moses was praying for?
00:30:17.78\00:30:20.22
He was praying
for Business Unusual.
00:30:20.28\00:30:22.65
Moses knew... here
we have 68 men... 69...
00:30:22.68\00:30:27.52
two over there
who are prophesying,
00:30:27.56\00:30:29.22
what about the others...
00:30:29.29\00:30:30.99
what about the others?
00:30:31.06\00:30:32.69
What if God had so many
people in such a powerful way
00:30:32.76\00:30:36.80
that His Spirit did
something the likes of which
00:30:36.83\00:30:39.43
we have never seen before?
00:30:39.50\00:30:40.84
Can you imagine it?
00:30:40.87\00:30:43.34
Listen, if we go on
the way we're going on
00:30:43.37\00:30:47.28
with a few people active
00:30:47.31\00:30:50.38
and a bunch of people
who are just spectators,
00:30:50.45\00:30:53.52
if we go on with
churches where people come
00:30:53.55\00:30:56.58
merely for the performance
00:30:56.65\00:30:58.15
and not to plug
in and be active,
00:30:58.19\00:31:00.89
if we continue to educate people
00:31:00.92\00:31:03.32
that church
members are consumers
00:31:03.39\00:31:05.73
and the... I'm going to
use the word "clergy... "
00:31:05.76\00:31:08.10
the clergy... because I
think it fits the concept,
00:31:08.13\00:31:10.47
the clergy are the producers...
00:31:10.50\00:31:12.33
we are going to be
wandering in the wilderness
00:31:12.37\00:31:14.90
for another 1,000 years.
00:31:14.94\00:31:16.40
It's God's plan to pour
out His Spirit on everybody
00:31:16.44\00:31:21.38
so that everybody takes
her or his meaningful place
00:31:21.44\00:31:25.78
in the front lines of
the work sharing one's faith
00:31:25.81\00:31:30.12
and this is what I
love about the church,
00:31:30.15\00:31:32.69
there are places where
people clamor for office,
00:31:32.72\00:31:35.79
they want to be the
Pastor or the Senior Pastor
00:31:35.82\00:31:38.29
or the Elder or the
Head Elder or the Deaconess
00:31:38.33\00:31:40.56
or the Head Deaconess or the
Choir Leader or whatever it is
00:31:40.60\00:31:43.47
and there are people... some
of them who get a little miffed
00:31:43.50\00:31:46.33
when they don't get to
be what they wanted to be.
00:31:46.37\00:31:48.34
Well, here is
the wonderful thing,
00:31:48.37\00:31:50.17
The highest you
can climb in church
00:31:50.21\00:31:51.91
is sharing your
faith with somebody else,
00:31:51.94\00:31:53.74
that's the highest you can climb
00:31:53.78\00:31:55.54
and you don't need
anybody's permission to do that.
00:31:55.58\00:31:58.38
You don't need the permission...
00:31:58.41\00:31:59.81
you don't need a
position to do that,
00:31:59.85\00:32:02.68
you can share your
faith wherever you are
00:32:02.72\00:32:05.49
at any time... day or
night you have God's permission.
00:32:05.55\00:32:09.76
Moses said, "Would God that
He would pour out His Spirit
00:32:09.79\00:32:14.00
on everybody... "
00:32:14.03\00:32:15.36
and the fact of the matter is,
00:32:15.40\00:32:16.73
"God wants to pour
out His Holy Spirit,
00:32:16.77\00:32:19.13
He has said, "If
you then being evil
00:32:19.20\00:32:21.77
know how to give good
gifts to your children,
00:32:21.80\00:32:23.51
how much more will
your heavenly Father
00:32:23.54\00:32:27.84
give the Holy
Spirit to them that ask. "
00:32:27.88\00:32:30.55
Moses knew...
00:32:30.58\00:32:32.01
Business Unusual...
it's not better plans...
00:32:32.08\00:32:35.58
although better plans are great,
00:32:35.62\00:32:37.05
it's not more
workers on the payroll,
00:32:37.09\00:32:39.55
although that may
be a blessing too,
00:32:39.59\00:32:42.02
it's not better programs...
00:32:42.09\00:32:44.56
although better
programs never hurt nobody,
00:32:44.59\00:32:46.59
it is more of God's Holy Spirit
00:32:46.63\00:32:50.77
coursing through
the veins of the church,
00:32:50.80\00:32:53.64
coursing through the
veins of church members,
00:32:53.67\00:32:56.44
it is people on fire for
God whose primary urge...
00:32:56.50\00:33:01.44
whose number one priority is
sharing Christ when they can,
00:33:01.51\00:33:06.61
any place they can...
00:33:06.68\00:33:08.22
because we know Jesus said,
"This gospel of the kingdom
00:33:08.28\00:33:11.85
shall be
preached in all the world,
00:33:11.89\00:33:13.59
for a witness to all nations
00:33:13.62\00:33:15.26
and... " what's the next word?
00:33:15.29\00:33:17.63
"and then shall the end come. "
00:33:17.66\00:33:19.93
That's when... and as long as we
sit around like bumps on a log
00:33:19.96\00:33:24.37
the work won't
ever get done except...
00:33:24.43\00:33:28.84
my last statement of
course doesn't take into account
00:33:28.90\00:33:32.21
that God has a plan...
00:33:32.24\00:33:33.58
God's going to
get the work done,
00:33:33.61\00:33:35.38
you know what I read some place?
00:33:35.41\00:33:37.15
I read that the Holy
Spirit is going to pour down
00:33:37.18\00:33:39.41
with such great measure...
00:33:39.48\00:33:40.82
in such great measure
00:33:40.85\00:33:43.18
that many people
are going to look around
00:33:43.22\00:33:45.79
and see this
outpouring of the Holy Spirit
00:33:45.85\00:33:48.36
and call it fanaticism.
00:33:48.42\00:33:50.43
Can you imagine
what that looks like?
00:33:50.46\00:33:53.56
Can you imagine
being part of that?
00:33:53.60\00:33:56.63
Can you imagine?
00:33:56.67\00:33:58.33
You know God wants to
see the church rise up
00:33:58.37\00:34:02.10
and do something different.
00:34:02.14\00:34:05.81
That's my statement,
00:34:05.84\00:34:08.18
you can check
the validity of that
00:34:08.21\00:34:10.55
and I think that's true
00:34:10.61\00:34:12.95
because I've read what
you all have read in the Bible
00:34:12.98\00:34:15.75
about the gospel going to
earth's remotest boundary,
00:34:15.78\00:34:17.95
we haven't done that yet
00:34:17.99\00:34:19.32
and it's not just that
God wants to see the gospel go
00:34:19.35\00:34:23.26
go to the earth's
remotest boundaries,
00:34:23.29\00:34:24.66
if we really believe
that that's what God wanted,
00:34:24.69\00:34:28.93
we'd crank up
the printing presses
00:34:28.96\00:34:30.93
and send The Great Controversy
and a set of Bible Studies...
00:34:30.97\00:34:33.84
It is Written Bible Studies
to everybody in the world.
00:34:33.87\00:34:36.71
Pause.
00:34:36.74\00:34:38.74
We'd just had a
great big offering
00:34:38.77\00:34:40.98
and then mail
them out and we'd say,
00:34:41.04\00:34:43.18
"That's it... the
gospel has gone to the world. "
00:34:43.24\00:34:44.81
But you know that that's
not exactly what God's asking.
00:34:44.88\00:34:47.98
We could mail them all DVDs...
00:34:48.02\00:34:50.05
there it is, the gospel's
gone all over the world,
00:34:50.09\00:34:53.56
if we really believed,
00:34:53.59\00:34:55.19
that's what God
was trying to get done.
00:34:55.22\00:34:57.59
Bible Studies... DVDs...
00:34:57.63\00:35:01.26
that's it...
Jesus is coming back
00:35:01.30\00:35:03.90
but we know there's
more to it than that.
00:35:03.93\00:35:08.37
I was really fascinated
to read that in Nebraska...
00:35:08.40\00:35:13.21
about five miles
from Union College,
00:35:13.24\00:35:17.18
scientists at the
University of Nebraska, Lincoln,
00:35:17.21\00:35:21.28
produced... I
believe this was last year,
00:35:21.32\00:35:23.82
might have been this year,
00:35:23.85\00:35:25.19
a flash of light
or a beam of light
00:35:25.22\00:35:26.89
that was... let me read
it, I wrote it down here,
00:35:26.96\00:35:30.36
one billion times brighter
than the surface of the sun.
00:35:30.39\00:35:34.50
I wonder how they did that.
00:35:34.53\00:35:37.10
Now... now, that only lasted
00:35:37.17\00:35:39.67
for 30 billions of a
millionth of a second,
00:35:39.70\00:35:41.94
but still, that's
a really bright light
00:35:41.97\00:35:44.14
and when we talk about light,
00:35:44.17\00:35:46.71
we know how vital light is.
00:35:46.74\00:35:49.21
First day of
creation, what did Jesus say?
00:35:49.24\00:35:52.85
"Let there be... "
00:35:52.88\00:35:55.08
that Jesus is the
light of the world.
00:35:55.12\00:35:58.35
Now we know that
00:35:58.42\00:36:00.96
but the plot thickens
when we listen to Jesus say
00:36:00.99\00:36:04.86
in Matthew chapter 5,
00:36:04.89\00:36:06.23
"You are the
light of the world. "
00:36:06.26\00:36:08.43
That's when the plot thickens.
00:36:08.46\00:36:10.67
Jesus never said, "You are
the Preacher of the world. "
00:36:10.70\00:36:15.24
Pause.
00:36:15.27\00:36:17.11
Although I'll be
the last one to say,
00:36:17.14\00:36:19.47
"Let's sack all the preachers"
I'm in favor of preachers
00:36:19.51\00:36:21.74
but he said, "You are
the light of the world. "
00:36:21.78\00:36:25.91
He didn't even say, "You are
the Bible Study of the world. "
00:36:25.95\00:36:29.12
Pause.
00:36:29.15\00:36:30.52
Although we know that
00:36:30.55\00:36:31.99
sharing the Word of
God is sharing light.
00:36:32.02\00:36:33.89
It was David who wrote,
00:36:33.96\00:36:35.89
"The entrance of
Your Word gives light... "
00:36:35.92\00:36:37.53
"God's Word is a lamp to
our feet and a... " tell me...
00:36:37.56\00:36:40.43
"a light to our path. "
00:36:40.46\00:36:41.93
God is calling
for Business Unusual.
00:36:41.96\00:36:46.00
We just can't go on
doing exactly what we've done
00:36:46.03\00:36:50.57
the... the same way... "
00:36:50.61\00:36:52.34
now see, when I
say, "the same way"
00:36:52.37\00:36:54.18
that didn't cause
our methods into question
00:36:54.21\00:36:56.54
and our methods
have got us this far.
00:36:56.58\00:36:58.58
Pause.
00:36:58.61\00:37:00.58
It's not the
message or the method,
00:37:00.62\00:37:02.45
it's the messenger...
00:37:02.48\00:37:04.42
Jesus said, "You are
the light of the world. "
00:37:04.45\00:37:08.89
The Prophet Isaiah wrote this,
00:37:08.92\00:37:11.09
"Behold, the darkness
shall cover the earth,
00:37:11.13\00:37:14.00
gross darkness the people:
00:37:14.03\00:37:15.96
but the Lord
shall arise upon thee,
00:37:16.00\00:37:18.67
and His glory shall
be seen upon thee. "
00:37:18.70\00:37:23.00
And when you go to Revelation
chapter 18 and verse 1,
00:37:23.04\00:37:25.97
you'll read that God's Spirit
is poured out into His people
00:37:26.04\00:37:29.14
with such amazing power
that the earth is lit up
00:37:29.18\00:37:31.78
with the manifestation
of the glory of God.
00:37:31.81\00:37:34.38
That's the
fourth angel's message.
00:37:34.45\00:37:36.12
The earth lit up by God's Spirit
shining out of God's people.
00:37:36.15\00:37:44.49
My friend, I would say to
you that is Business Unusual.
00:37:44.53\00:37:48.23
It seems to me, of course,
00:37:48.26\00:37:51.00
there are plenty of
people committed to that ideal
00:37:51.03\00:37:52.83
but so many that are not...
00:37:52.87\00:37:54.20
so many that are not
00:37:54.24\00:37:56.84
and this is why
the shaking will come
00:37:56.87\00:37:58.74
and tribe after
tribe will go out
00:37:58.77\00:38:00.58
and company after
company will come in
00:38:00.61\00:38:02.04
and then we'll have a
people that are radiant.
00:38:02.08\00:38:04.61
I'm not... I'm not
angling for that day
00:38:04.65\00:38:06.41
but it's going to take place.
00:38:06.45\00:38:07.78
Business Unusual...
00:38:07.82\00:38:09.75
Moses was there
with 68 of his brothers,
00:38:09.78\00:38:12.85
the Spirit of
God was poured out,
00:38:12.89\00:38:15.72
two more over
there in the camp...
00:38:15.89\00:38:17.43
not right there
with Moses and the boys,
00:38:17.46\00:38:19.26
"Ah, there's a problem. "
00:38:19.29\00:38:20.90
Moses said, "No problem, we
need more of that not less. "
00:38:20.93\00:38:23.93
We need more of God's Spirit
being poured out... not less.
00:38:23.97\00:38:26.67
We need more people
being raised up by God
00:38:26.70\00:38:30.11
under the unction of the
Holy Spirit of God... not less.
00:38:30.14\00:38:33.58
Not less... the world
must see in God's people
00:38:33.61\00:38:39.51
a revelation of
the character of God.
00:38:39.55\00:38:41.98
It must...
00:38:42.02\00:38:43.35
you can imagine
then, can't you if we...
00:38:43.39\00:38:46.12
if we possess Christ
in our hearts by faith
00:38:46.15\00:38:48.86
and then we
share the Word of God,
00:38:48.89\00:38:50.96
can you imagine that?
00:38:50.99\00:38:52.33
Can you imagine
sitting down with a Bible Study
00:38:52.39\00:38:55.20
and God's Spirit has you...
00:38:55.23\00:38:56.87
it's no guarantee... but it
makes this book irresistible,
00:38:56.90\00:39:02.20
when God has you...
00:39:02.24\00:39:03.87
and you indeed are
the light of the world,
00:39:03.91\00:39:06.04
not just talking about
it, not thinking about it,
00:39:06.07\00:39:08.78
not hoping for it
but experiencing it...
00:39:08.81\00:39:11.91
Business Unusual...
00:39:11.95\00:39:13.82
it has to be the
missing link, it has to be...
00:39:13.85\00:39:16.95
our doctrine is solid...
00:39:16.99\00:39:18.92
sorry if you don't
like it, it's solid.
00:39:18.95\00:39:22.02
Sorry if you're busy
finding fault with it,
00:39:22.06\00:39:25.06
it's you who's
wrong not the church.
00:39:25.09\00:39:27.76
It's solid... so it's not
the doctrine that's the problem.
00:39:27.83\00:39:31.50
Is it the methods that the...
00:39:31.53\00:39:33.34
we simply haven't
come up with a new program,
00:39:33.37\00:39:35.14
E.M. Bounds said, "The church
is looking for better methods,
00:39:35.17\00:39:38.54
God is looking for better men. "
00:39:38.57\00:39:40.88
We just came back from Manila,
00:39:40.91\00:39:43.14
we led a team of 41 on a
It is Written Mission Trip
00:39:43.18\00:39:45.68
it was fantastic...
00:39:45.71\00:39:47.05
three-and-a-half-thousand
people were baptized...
00:39:47.08\00:39:48.88
that's credit to the
work of the church in Manila,
00:39:48.92\00:39:50.85
Central Luzon
Conference... it was fantastic.
00:39:50.89\00:39:53.96
I'm standing in the
pool baptizing people
00:39:53.99\00:39:56.86
just this last
Sabbath and as they come...
00:39:56.89\00:39:59.36
I... I've never seen
so many pastors in a pool
00:39:59.39\00:40:01.66
baptizing at one time
00:40:01.70\00:40:03.20
and as they would come
to me, I would say to them,
00:40:03.23\00:40:04.77
"How did you hear about God?"
00:40:04.80\00:40:07.90
And person after person...
I'd like to tell you "everyone"
00:40:07.94\00:40:12.57
not every one... only 90% or so,
00:40:12.61\00:40:15.41
90% of them said,
"My friend told me. "
00:40:15.44\00:40:19.38
"My friend invited me... "
00:40:19.41\00:40:21.65
I should have... "Did
you come to the meetings?"
00:40:21.68\00:40:23.32
"Yes. "
00:40:23.39\00:40:24.72
"How long have you
been coming to the church?"
00:40:24.75\00:40:26.09
"Ten years. "
00:40:26.12\00:40:27.96
I said, "What took you so long?"
00:40:27.99\00:40:29.42
She said, "Well, you know,
I just was never ready but...
00:40:29.46\00:40:31.89
but now I'm ready and
00:40:31.93\00:40:33.33
I'm just so glad to be
getting baptized today. "
00:40:33.36\00:40:35.83
I said, "How did it begin?"
00:40:35.86\00:40:37.23
she said, "My friend asked me. "
00:40:37.27\00:40:39.77
"My friend... "
00:40:39.80\00:40:41.90
You know here in
the United States,
00:40:41.94\00:40:43.94
we talk about the Philippines,
00:40:43.97\00:40:45.44
we talk about places like Peru
as though they're aberrations,
00:40:45.47\00:40:48.81
well they are,
00:40:48.84\00:40:50.21
inasmuch as people are
willing to share their faith,
00:40:50.25\00:40:53.18
of course it's not one
world and one field is different
00:40:53.21\00:40:55.72
and the other field is
different... understand that...
00:40:55.75\00:40:58.19
but can you imagine,
00:40:58.22\00:40:59.72
if everybody in your
church including you,
00:40:59.75\00:41:02.49
was praying and
looking for ways 24 hours a day
00:41:02.52\00:41:05.66
seven days a week to
share Jesus with others.
00:41:05.69\00:41:08.66
Would it change things?
00:41:08.70\00:41:10.43
Man! it would change things,
it would be Business Unusual.
00:41:10.47\00:41:14.40
Unfortunately, we... we...
we're too often like the squid,
00:41:14.44\00:41:18.37
that 20 million people
have watched this on YouTube.
00:41:18.41\00:41:21.24
In a restaurant somebody
gets served a bowl of food
00:41:21.28\00:41:24.05
and a squid is on top of it,
it is a dead squid, of course,
00:41:24.08\00:41:27.02
that I never had figured out
why anybody wants to eat squid,
00:41:27.05\00:41:29.95
I tried octopus
once... not lately...
00:41:30.05\00:41:32.82
Audience: Laughter.
00:41:32.85\00:41:35.42
and I would... I
would have been better off
00:41:35.46\00:41:36.86
chewing on my rubber
boots, it was terrible stuff
00:41:36.89\00:41:39.86
and so the person
reaches for the soy sauce...
00:41:39.89\00:41:42.83
what is it I
said? It was a squid...
00:41:42.86\00:41:46.20
the squid is
there looking squid-like
00:41:46.23\00:41:49.30
just sitting on
the... on the food
00:41:49.34\00:41:52.37
and the person... the diner...
you ought to look at this...
00:41:52.41\00:41:56.21
it will creepy you out...
00:41:56.41\00:41:57.75
the diner takes the soy sauce
and sprinkles soy sauce on it,
00:41:57.78\00:42:01.08
and the squid comes to life.
00:42:01.12\00:42:03.45
It looks like one of these...
00:42:03.49\00:42:05.75
one of these boys on
the cardboard on the street
00:42:05.79\00:42:07.79
break dancing,
00:42:07.82\00:42:09.36
it is just all over,
like Michael Flatley...
00:42:09.39\00:42:12.39
it's just... it's
river dance on the plate...
00:42:12.43\00:42:14.53
pause...
00:42:14.56\00:42:16.87
there's a lot of activity in
that bowl but the squid is dead
00:42:16.90\00:42:22.10
and I wonder if far too often,
00:42:22.17\00:42:27.41
we don't confuse
activity and life.
00:42:27.44\00:42:31.15
Pause.
00:42:31.18\00:42:33.88
Jesus told us, "You are
to be the light of the world"
00:42:33.92\00:42:39.39
that can only happen one way.
00:42:39.42\00:42:42.22
As Christ pours His Spirit
out as we yield to that...
00:42:42.26\00:42:48.53
and pray, "Lord, fill me up,
00:42:48.56\00:42:50.73
fill me up... "
00:42:50.77\00:42:53.70
if we got a 100% of
the people in church
00:42:53.74\00:42:56.24
praying for the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit,
00:42:56.30\00:42:58.94
Business Unusual...
00:42:58.97\00:43:00.58
Yes, we ought to plan bigger,
we ought to strategize... plan,
00:43:00.61\00:43:04.45
get your brightest minds,
00:43:04.48\00:43:05.98
come up with better
resources and pro-action...
00:43:06.01\00:43:08.28
think about the
technology and the times...
00:43:08.32\00:43:10.49
of course, but
without the Holy Spirit of God
00:43:10.55\00:43:14.42
it's just business as usual.
00:43:14.46\00:43:17.03
Same song... different verse...
00:43:17.06\00:43:19.59
that's all it is...
00:43:19.66\00:43:21.16
pause
00:43:21.20\00:43:24.27
we are standing as close to
the edge of eternity as we want.
00:43:24.33\00:43:29.27
The X-Factor, of
course, is God's timetable
00:43:29.30\00:43:33.74
and what God is going to do
00:43:33.78\00:43:35.11
but we are standing as close to
the coming of Christ as we wish,
00:43:35.14\00:43:38.68
if you want to be filled up
with the Holy Spirit of God,
00:43:38.71\00:43:40.55
you can be... today...
00:43:40.58\00:43:42.22
tonight... you may be...
00:43:42.25\00:43:43.82
and you may
receive more tomorrow,
00:43:43.89\00:43:46.12
no matter who you
are, where you're from,
00:43:46.15\00:43:48.02
what your background,
what your educational level
00:43:48.06\00:43:50.59
or your
attainments in this world
00:43:50.63\00:43:51.96
and God would use all of us,
00:43:51.99\00:43:53.80
every one of us in
the most powerful way.
00:43:53.83\00:43:56.06
Business Unusual...
00:43:56.10\00:43:59.93
I think it's time... and
if the Holy Spirit has us
00:43:59.97\00:44:04.81
if Eldad and Medad rise up and
we don't try and push them down,
00:44:04.84\00:44:10.11
and if there are more
Eldads and more Medads
00:44:10.15\00:44:14.55
who are prophesying in the
camp or wherever it is they are
00:44:14.58\00:44:17.39
because they are
filled with the Holy Spirit,
00:44:17.45\00:44:18.95
it's a new day.
00:44:18.99\00:44:21.92
Thank God this is not a mystery,
thank God it's not unattainable,
00:44:21.96\00:44:26.39
he's not asking us to
climb the highest mountain,
00:44:26.43\00:44:28.33
simply yield and
let Christ fill us
00:44:28.36\00:44:32.50
and let His Spirit empower us
00:44:32.53\00:44:34.77
and let the power
of heaven re-make us
00:44:34.80\00:44:37.97
and then use us
in incredible ways
00:44:38.01\00:44:40.44
God will do it,
the work will be done.
00:44:40.48\00:44:42.91
You know, some time ago,
00:44:42.94\00:44:45.78
Alexander Graham Bell had a
vision... not even a vision...
00:44:45.81\00:44:48.32
a dream...
00:44:48.35\00:44:50.52
he said, "I have
heard articulate speech
00:44:50.55\00:44:53.15
produced by sunlight
00:44:53.22\00:44:54.56
I've heard a ray of the
sun laugh and cough and sing. "
00:44:54.59\00:44:57.73
What Alexander Graham Bell
had done with the telephone...
00:44:57.76\00:45:01.20
he believed could be
done with a photo phone.
00:45:01.23\00:45:03.30
He said, "You ought to be able
to send a message with lights"
00:45:03.33\00:45:07.54
and now with fiber optics,
that's exactly what happens,
00:45:07.57\00:45:11.54
your text message
00:45:11.57\00:45:12.91
goes to a "receiving
station" let's call it...
00:45:12.94\00:45:15.74
that electro-magnetic
wave is converted to light
00:45:15.78\00:45:18.55
and then along with
millions of messages,
00:45:18.61\00:45:20.88
it travels across
the Pacific Ocean...
00:45:20.92\00:45:23.15
let's say to China
from where we are here,
00:45:23.18\00:45:25.65
some messages
getting off along the way...
00:45:25.69\00:45:28.56
the process is
converted at the other end
00:45:28.59\00:45:31.29
and it happens in
1/20th of a second
00:45:31.33\00:45:34.00
pause...
00:45:34.03\00:45:36.16
because your
message is sent as light.
00:45:36.20\00:45:39.67
We have a wonderful message,
00:45:39.70\00:45:42.80
here it is... the
Three Angels' Messages.
00:45:42.84\00:45:46.37
Sell it... never...
keep it... always...
00:45:46.41\00:45:49.91
love it... share it...
00:45:49.94\00:45:51.28
but I tell you something,
00:45:51.31\00:45:52.65
when it goes forward as light,
00:45:52.68\00:45:55.15
the message will be
accompanied by a power
00:45:55.18\00:45:58.95
the likes of which
we have never seen.
00:45:58.99\00:46:02.69
Let us pray tonight
that God would have us
00:46:02.72\00:46:06.49
and use us and pour
out His Spirit upon us
00:46:06.53\00:46:10.27
and that as Jesus wished,
00:46:10.30\00:46:12.77
we truly would be
the light of the world.
00:46:12.80\00:46:16.50
Piano...
00:46:16.54\00:46:24.11
more piano...
00:46:24.15\00:46:28.08
piano...
00:46:28.15\00:46:37.03
O Love... O Love...
00:46:37.06\00:46:43.50
O Love that will not let me go
00:46:43.53\00:46:53.44
O Love...
00:46:53.48\00:46:56.04
I rest my weary soul in thee;
00:46:56.08\00:47:02.58
I give thee back the life I owe,
00:47:02.62\00:47:09.06
That in thine
ocean depths its flow
00:47:09.09\00:47:16.43
May richer, fuller be.
00:47:16.46\00:47:22.70
Piano...
00:47:22.74\00:47:28.71
O Joy... O Joy...
00:47:28.74\00:47:35.05
O Joy
00:47:35.08\00:47:38.09
that seeks me through the pain,
00:47:38.12\00:47:45.49
I cannot close my heart to thee;
00:47:45.53\00:47:52.87
I trace the
rainbow through the rain,
00:47:52.93\00:47:59.11
And feel the
promise is not vain,
00:47:59.17\00:48:04.98
That morn shall tearless be...
00:48:05.01\00:48:11.42
That morn shall tearless be,
00:48:11.45\00:48:19.03
O Love...
00:48:19.09\00:48:26.10
O Love
00:48:26.13\00:48:31.31
that did not let me go...
00:48:31.37\00:48:39.31
O Love...
00:48:39.38\00:48:42.85
I rest my weary soul in thee;
00:48:42.88\00:48:52.53
I give thee back the life I owe,
00:48:52.56\00:49:00.77
I give thee back
the life I owe...
00:49:00.80\00:49:08.91
I give thee back the life I owe,
00:49:08.94\00:49:16.69
That in thine
ocean depths its flow
00:49:16.75\00:49:24.46
May richer, fuller be.
00:49:24.49\00:49:33.47
That morn shall tearless see...
00:49:33.50\00:49:42.44
O Love... O Love...
00:49:42.48\00:49:50.69
O Love...
00:49:50.75\00:49:57.79
O Love... O Love..
00:49:57.83\00:50:05.07
O Love
00:50:05.10\00:50:09.47
that will not let me go
00:50:09.50\00:50:17.71
go...
00:50:17.75\00:50:21.62
that will not
00:50:21.65\00:50:29.92
let me go.
00:50:29.96\00:50:37.70
Music.
00:50:37.73\00:50:44.71