Please stand as
we sing together.
00:00:34.30\00:00:36.10
Have you heard the story told
00:00:55.02\00:00:59.32
Of the man whose heart was sold
00:00:59.35\00:01:03.36
To save my dying soul?
00:01:03.39\00:01:07.60
Oh, what love untold
00:01:07.63\00:01:11.73
To the end He's always sought me
00:01:11.77\00:01:15.84
To the end He's always loved me
00:01:15.87\00:01:19.91
To the end I long to follow
00:01:19.94\00:01:24.01
For He bore my cross of sorrow
00:01:24.05\00:01:28.08
I will stay here in
the hollow of His care
00:01:28.12\00:01:33.62
And I will go
anywhere, to the end
00:01:33.66\00:01:40.30
This witness I will bear
00:01:40.33\00:01:44.47
To the end
00:01:44.50\00:01:47.34
In the grove I heard Him say
00:01:52.37\00:01:56.38
"Oh my Father please just stay"
00:01:56.41\00:02:00.48
Through broken hearted pain
00:02:00.52\00:02:04.42
He did pave the way
00:02:04.45\00:02:08.42
To the end His heart is faithful
00:02:08.46\00:02:12.43
To the end His hand is able
00:02:12.46\00:02:16.50
To the end I can now follow
00:02:16.53\00:02:20.57
For He bore my cross of sorrow
00:02:20.60\00:02:24.74
I will stay here in
the hollow of His care
00:02:24.77\00:02:30.05
And I will go
anywhere, to the end
00:02:30.08\00:02:36.79
This witness I will bear
00:02:36.82\00:02:41.02
To the end
00:02:41.06\00:02:44.93
As they took Him off to die
00:02:48.96\00:02:53.03
There His friendship I denied
00:02:53.07\00:02:56.97
Forgiveness in His eyes
00:02:57.01\00:03:01.01
He did not despise
00:03:01.04\00:03:04.71
To the end His
love constrains me
00:03:04.75\00:03:08.82
To the end He has restored me
00:03:08.85\00:03:12.82
To the end I will still follow
00:03:12.85\00:03:16.89
For He bore my cross of sorrow
00:03:16.93\00:03:20.86
I will stay here in
the hollow of His care
00:03:20.90\00:03:26.27
And I will go
anywhere, to the end
00:03:26.30\00:03:33.11
This witness I will bear
00:03:33.14\00:03:37.21
This witness I
will bear, to the end
00:03:37.25\00:03:43.65
Please be seated.
00:03:49.46\00:03:53.70
Happy Sabbath.
00:03:53.73\00:03:55.83
Eric and I are here to
represent to you GYC Beyond.
00:03:55.86\00:04:01.30
Three years ago,
00:04:01.34\00:04:02.67
we started a program
called GYC Ambassador,
00:04:02.70\00:04:06.37
where we focused on
a small group of you,
00:04:06.41\00:04:08.74
who were willing to commit
00:04:08.78\00:04:10.11
one year to serve
Christ and reach their peers.
00:04:10.15\00:04:13.95
And we saw some
wonderful results
00:04:13.98\00:04:15.95
from your work.
00:04:15.98\00:04:17.32
I remember how
we got the results
00:04:17.35\00:04:19.22
and then we had over
300 Bible study contacts
00:04:19.25\00:04:22.62
that were being
followed up on and worked with.
00:04:22.66\00:04:25.09
And from those we had
36 baptisms, praise God,
00:04:25.13\00:04:28.73
and even a church plant.
00:04:28.76\00:04:30.53
So that's a very
exciting time and we said,
00:04:30.57\00:04:32.70
"Hey, we wanna take
this to the next level."
00:04:32.73\00:04:35.24
And so last year we
started an initiative
00:04:35.27\00:04:37.81
called GYC Beyond,
00:04:37.84\00:04:40.18
which provides
different resources
00:04:40.21\00:04:42.04
and materials to
support the mission work.
00:04:42.08\00:04:43.95
But, Eric, tell
me a little bit more,
00:04:43.98\00:04:45.78
what is GYC Beyond?
00:04:45.81\00:04:48.35
So really it is called
GYC Beyond is an ideology.
00:04:48.38\00:04:52.12
GYC Beyond represents
00:04:52.15\00:04:54.56
any person who
considers themselves
00:04:54.59\00:04:56.09
a part of this generation,
of young people or old,
00:04:56.12\00:04:59.49
who want to be a part
of hastening Christ return,
00:04:59.53\00:05:02.96
who want to be a part
00:05:03.00\00:05:04.33
of working for the
sake of the gospel,
00:05:04.37\00:05:05.77
who want to be a part
00:05:05.80\00:05:07.14
of taking sacrificial initiative
00:05:07.17\00:05:08.94
for Christ.
00:05:08.97\00:05:10.31
So basically,
everyone in this room.
00:05:10.34\00:05:11.84
Amen. Amen.
00:05:11.87\00:05:13.21
That's right. Amen?
00:05:13.24\00:05:14.58
You are a GYC,
right? That's right.
00:05:14.61\00:05:15.94
So last year, we
did a couple of things
00:05:15.98\00:05:17.85
that we wanted to, try use to,
00:05:17.88\00:05:20.55
empower everyone
00:05:20.58\00:05:22.18
who came to the previous GYC,
00:05:22.22\00:05:23.69
and anyone viewing at home
or anywhere around the world
00:05:23.72\00:05:26.59
to do ministry.
00:05:26.62\00:05:27.96
And we worked on two things,
00:05:27.99\00:05:29.42
the first one we
worked on was a workbook
00:05:29.46\00:05:30.93
which we made available
00:05:30.96\00:05:32.29
to have people be
involved in ministry year-round.
00:05:32.33\00:05:35.20
And we'll talk a bit
about that in a moment.
00:05:35.23\00:05:37.90
We also worked on a podcast,
which was a lot of work.
00:05:37.93\00:05:41.17
But it was something
that was a real blessing.
00:05:41.20\00:05:42.67
We had 21
episodes over the year,
00:05:42.70\00:05:45.97
and we made it
available on Google Play,
00:05:46.01\00:05:49.51
podcast on iTunes,
00:05:49.54\00:05:51.18
podcast we made it
available on AudioVerse,
00:05:51.21\00:05:53.58
and we had thousands
and thousands of views.
00:05:53.62\00:05:56.52
And the focus
more than anything else
00:05:56.55\00:05:58.15
was looking, and interviewing,
00:05:58.19\00:06:00.12
and talking with people
who are just like you and I.
00:06:00.16\00:06:03.39
We have careers, we're students,
00:06:03.43\00:06:06.13
we're people going
about everyday lives.
00:06:06.16\00:06:08.16
And not everyone's a pastor,
not everyone's a Bible worker
00:06:08.20\00:06:11.30
and so we had podcast
on, how to use media for God,
00:06:11.33\00:06:14.87
how to do
medical missionary work,
00:06:14.90\00:06:17.37
how to work with refugees.
00:06:17.41\00:06:19.47
And we just really
want to broaden the idea
00:06:19.51\00:06:21.78
of what is
ministry for us today.
00:06:21.81\00:06:24.18
So I can still
listen to those now?
00:06:24.21\00:06:25.81
Amen. Absolutely.
00:06:25.85\00:06:27.18
Just look it up
on gycweb.org/beyond.
00:06:27.22\00:06:30.12
All right, wonderful.
00:06:30.15\00:06:31.49
So tell me more about this
workbook that you mentioned?
00:06:31.52\00:06:33.52
Yes,
00:06:33.56\00:06:34.89
so along with what we're doing,
00:06:34.92\00:06:37.09
we did this workbook.
00:06:37.13\00:06:38.46
And we worked
through it over year,
00:06:38.49\00:06:40.60
and we thought of ourselves
00:06:40.63\00:06:42.63
this is such a great
resource that we developed,
00:06:42.66\00:06:45.23
but we need to take it beyond.
00:06:45.27\00:06:47.77
And so we developed a workbook
00:06:47.80\00:06:49.14
called the GYC
Activate workbook,
00:06:49.17\00:06:52.31
and so this year
we're pleased to announce
00:06:52.34\00:06:54.68
that we're doing something
you may have seen already,
00:06:54.71\00:06:56.85
called GYC Activate workshops.
00:06:56.88\00:06:59.38
Now I don't have one on me,
00:06:59.41\00:07:00.75
but many of you
should have picked one up
00:07:00.78\00:07:02.62
as you registered.
00:07:02.65\00:07:03.99
Does anyone have this?
00:07:04.02\00:07:05.35
If you have it,
hold it up for a moment.
00:07:05.39\00:07:06.72
The Activate workbook,
00:07:06.76\00:07:08.09
I see them all
throughout our participants.
00:07:08.12\00:07:11.39
And something that
we're doing this year
00:07:11.43\00:07:13.40
with this workbook
00:07:13.43\00:07:14.76
will be something as we
never really done before.
00:07:14.80\00:07:17.80
Many times you come
to a conference like this
00:07:17.83\00:07:19.53
and you kind of have
cookie-cutter seminars,
00:07:19.57\00:07:21.37
cookie-cutter
approaches to ministry
00:07:21.40\00:07:23.71
and we thought how
can we really rework this
00:07:23.74\00:07:26.11
completely from ground up.
00:07:26.14\00:07:27.91
And so we're pleased to announce
00:07:27.94\00:07:29.58
this GYC
Activate workshop program
00:07:29.61\00:07:31.75
is replacing our small
groups that we did before
00:07:31.78\00:07:34.08
that'll be a similar format
00:07:34.12\00:07:35.45
but a completely
different kind of progression.
00:07:35.48\00:07:37.75
And we're
focusing on three areas,
00:07:37.79\00:07:40.12
number one,
finding your calling,
00:07:40.16\00:07:42.76
number two,
fueling your passion,
00:07:42.79\00:07:45.26
and number three,
fulfilling your dreams.
00:07:45.29\00:07:47.13
And each night
we'll work in succession
00:07:47.16\00:07:49.00
going through the workbook.
00:07:49.03\00:07:50.50
And you gonna
have an amazing time,
00:07:50.53\00:07:51.90
it's gonna help you
find ways to do ministry,
00:07:51.93\00:07:54.84
in whatever your passion,
your calling, your career is.
00:07:54.87\00:07:58.17
And we're just super
excited to see where that goes.
00:07:58.21\00:08:00.38
Praise the Lord.
00:08:00.41\00:08:01.74
I'm really excited
for this opportunity
00:08:01.78\00:08:03.11
for all of us
00:08:03.14\00:08:04.48
to find what God
wants us to do for Him,
00:08:04.51\00:08:07.42
and how to step by step
get to accomplish those goals
00:08:07.45\00:08:11.15
for Jesus.
00:08:11.19\00:08:12.75
Is there anything else we need
to know about this workshop?
00:08:12.79\00:08:15.29
Yes, absolutely.
There's a couple things.
00:08:15.32\00:08:17.13
If you have been
involved in GYC Beyond
00:08:17.16\00:08:19.66
over the past year,
00:08:19.69\00:08:21.03
please go by the GYC booth.
00:08:21.06\00:08:23.47
And either share your testimony,
00:08:23.50\00:08:25.13
you will be recording it there
00:08:25.17\00:08:27.04
or on the screen
we may have a slide
00:08:27.07\00:08:28.84
with a number you
can text your name
00:08:28.87\00:08:30.71
and what you did over the year,
00:08:30.74\00:08:33.44
just to give us
some encouragement,
00:08:33.48\00:08:35.14
we may use those in the
future just to share with others
00:08:35.18\00:08:38.01
and inspire others
with what has been going on.
00:08:38.05\00:08:40.82
And then more
than anything else,
00:08:40.85\00:08:42.18
we need volunteers to
help and lead the small groups.
00:08:42.22\00:08:45.55
You've got about 60
table leaders right now,
00:08:45.59\00:08:47.99
but we need another
hundred plus volunteers,
00:08:48.02\00:08:51.43
who would be
willing to be table leaders.
00:08:51.46\00:08:53.29
Very simple,
we'll have training,
00:08:53.33\00:08:54.96
we'll message you
in the app shortly
00:08:55.00\00:08:56.33
with the time and place,
00:08:56.36\00:08:57.70
and if you're interested
in being a table leader,
00:08:57.73\00:08:59.30
show up, and we'll
train you in on that.
00:08:59.33\00:09:01.67
So it'll be
sometime tomorrow afternoon.
00:09:01.70\00:09:03.27
We're excited to
see how God will use you
00:09:03.30\00:09:06.51
to fulfill your dream for Him.
00:09:06.54\00:09:08.58
God want us to dream
big, so that we can go home.
00:09:08.61\00:09:11.41
Amen?
00:09:11.45\00:09:12.78
God bless you.
00:09:12.81\00:09:14.85
The time has come for us
00:09:14.88\00:09:16.25
to be able to experience
what GYC is all about,
00:09:16.28\00:09:20.32
which is receiving
the Word of the God
00:09:20.36\00:09:22.22
into the personal life,
00:09:22.26\00:09:24.33
and the personal heart
of everyone here tonight.
00:09:24.36\00:09:27.56
Our speaker for this
evening's presentation
00:09:27.60\00:09:29.90
is Moise Ratsara.
00:09:29.93\00:09:31.97
He is a pastor in
Kalamazoo, Michigan,
00:09:32.00\00:09:34.80
which is home to
Western Michigan University,
00:09:34.84\00:09:36.81
and we have some of the students
00:09:36.84\00:09:38.17
from his
congregation who are here,
00:09:38.21\00:09:40.41
and we want to give
them a special welcome.
00:09:40.44\00:09:43.14
He's also the
president of our organization,
00:09:43.18\00:09:45.95
and it is time for us
00:09:45.98\00:09:47.58
to be able to
hear from our president
00:09:47.62\00:09:49.98
what is on his heart.
00:09:50.02\00:09:51.82
The most important
aspect of GYC is Bible study.
00:09:51.85\00:09:56.12
And so our prayer is that
as he speaks to us tonight
00:09:56.16\00:09:59.39
from the Word of God,
00:09:59.43\00:10:00.76
that our hearts will
be drawn closer to Him,
00:10:00.80\00:10:03.26
and that we'll make
commitments to be more like Him.
00:10:03.30\00:10:06.30
We'll have a special
music and then following that,
00:10:06.33\00:10:08.77
the next voice that you'll hear
00:10:08.80\00:10:10.64
will be that of
Pastor Moise Ratsara.
00:10:10.67\00:10:12.91
If You had not come
00:10:32.36\00:10:36.67
Tender Baby King
00:10:36.70\00:10:40.84
And humbly left Your throne
00:10:40.87\00:10:45.11
To reach someone like me
00:10:45.14\00:10:49.51
If You had not walked
00:10:49.54\00:10:53.48
Upon this broken ground
00:10:53.52\00:10:57.89
Where on earth would I be now
00:10:57.92\00:11:04.49
If You had not come
00:11:04.53\00:11:08.93
If You had not come
00:11:15.27\00:11:19.24
To seek the sick and lame
00:11:19.27\00:11:23.55
To set the captives free
00:11:23.58\00:11:27.65
To break the prisoner's chains
00:11:27.68\00:11:31.75
I'd still be in the dark
00:11:31.79\00:11:36.29
Grappling for the door
00:11:36.32\00:11:40.36
Longing for some way somehow
00:11:40.40\00:11:46.13
But love came for me
00:11:46.17\00:11:50.61
Love rescued me
00:11:50.64\00:11:54.74
Love called my name
00:11:54.78\00:11:58.85
Love took my place
00:11:58.88\00:12:02.85
Sweet Lamb of God
00:12:02.88\00:12:06.99
I'm bowing down
00:12:07.02\00:12:11.06
My eyes have seen
00:12:11.09\00:12:15.30
I'm finally free
00:12:15.33\00:12:19.43
Love came for me
00:12:19.47\00:12:23.81
If You had not come
00:12:30.65\00:12:34.85
Willing spotless Lamb
00:12:34.88\00:12:38.75
My sin would be too much
00:12:38.79\00:12:42.49
For You to take me as I am
00:12:42.52\00:12:46.96
But all the blood of Christ
00:12:47.00\00:12:51.13
That washes over me
00:12:51.17\00:12:55.50
Flowing from His hands
00:12:55.54\00:12:58.57
His feet
00:12:58.61\00:13:03.28
I don't have to
worry where I'd be
00:13:03.31\00:13:09.35
'Cause love came for me
00:13:09.38\00:13:13.79
Love rescued me
00:13:13.82\00:13:17.69
Love called my name
00:13:17.73\00:13:21.80
Love took my place
00:13:21.83\00:13:25.80
Sweet Lamb of God
00:13:25.83\00:13:29.74
I'm bowing down
00:13:29.77\00:13:33.94
My eyes have seen
00:13:33.98\00:13:38.25
I'm finally free
00:13:38.28\00:13:42.35
Love came for me
00:13:42.38\00:13:47.89
This manger King
00:13:51.23\00:13:55.53
My everything
00:13:55.56\00:14:00.34
Love came for me
00:14:00.37\00:14:07.01
Amen. Amen.
00:14:20.22\00:14:24.19
Thank you, Amaris and your team,
00:14:24.23\00:14:25.79
for that special music.
00:14:25.83\00:14:28.13
And once again,
00:14:28.16\00:14:29.50
I wanna welcome you to
GYC, and happy Sabbath.
00:14:29.53\00:14:34.30
It is such a
privilege to be in this place
00:14:34.34\00:14:37.01
and I want to thank above all,
00:14:37.04\00:14:41.78
our Lord and Savior,
00:14:41.81\00:14:43.71
for making sure that
we made it through a year.
00:14:43.75\00:14:46.61
So many people
started this year,
00:14:46.65\00:14:49.42
began this year,
and did not finish it.
00:14:49.45\00:14:52.22
And by God's grace we
thank Him that we can be alive
00:14:52.25\00:14:55.32
and still have a
chance to take the gospel
00:14:55.36\00:15:00.63
to the entire
world in our generation.
00:15:00.66\00:15:05.10
I also want to thank you all,
00:15:05.13\00:15:06.90
our
participants, for travelling.
00:15:06.94\00:15:09.94
Some of you drove
all the way from Canada
00:15:09.97\00:15:12.64
for 24 hours, straight.
00:15:12.67\00:15:16.31
Some of you came from all
sorts of different places,
00:15:16.34\00:15:19.21
and if you noticed we
have flags on the stage.
00:15:19.25\00:15:23.25
These flags
represent each country
00:15:23.28\00:15:26.12
that is present at this GYC.
00:15:26.15\00:15:29.46
I don't know about
you, but I praise the Lord,
00:15:29.49\00:15:31.69
because as you
look at the stage,
00:15:31.73\00:15:34.36
these are nations
from all over the world,
00:15:34.40\00:15:37.77
that are at this GYC in Houston.
00:15:37.80\00:15:42.14
We praise the Lord
for that, and God is good.
00:15:42.17\00:15:47.08
Also we would like to tell you
00:15:47.11\00:15:48.61
that I'm gonna
make a baptismal appeal
00:15:48.64\00:15:50.98
at the end of my message today.
00:15:51.01\00:15:55.72
I always want to
give you a heads up,
00:15:55.75\00:15:58.65
so that you can think about it.
00:15:58.69\00:16:00.86
I always wanna
give you an opportunity
00:16:00.89\00:16:03.86
to respond to the
gospel and to the Word of God.
00:16:03.89\00:16:07.76
But before we begin,
00:16:07.80\00:16:09.13
why don't we have a
word of prayer together?
00:16:09.16\00:16:12.97
Dear, Heavenly Father,
00:16:13.00\00:16:15.87
we're gathered here...
00:16:15.90\00:16:17.41
and we want You
to be in this place.
00:16:22.91\00:16:27.48
We want You to be lifted up.
00:16:27.52\00:16:30.12
My friends here
have traveled from far,
00:16:30.15\00:16:33.42
some from this Houston town,
00:16:33.46\00:16:36.73
not to hear about men's ideas
00:16:36.76\00:16:39.66
or what we think is good or
bad but to hear the Word of God.
00:16:39.69\00:16:44.93
So I pray that word will
be spoken in spite of me.
00:16:44.97\00:16:50.27
In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
00:16:50.31\00:16:54.74
I grew up as a missionary kid,
00:16:54.78\00:16:57.55
travelling all across
the continent of Africa
00:16:57.58\00:17:00.12
and we had a wonderful time
00:17:00.15\00:17:03.12
going to all sorts
of different countries.
00:17:03.15\00:17:06.15
But for some of you
00:17:06.19\00:17:07.52
who might have grown
up as missionary kids,
00:17:07.56\00:17:09.36
you know that some of the places
00:17:09.39\00:17:11.26
that you go to are not safe.
00:17:11.29\00:17:14.26
We went to all sorts
of different countries,
00:17:14.30\00:17:17.40
and for about 12
years of our lives,
00:17:17.43\00:17:19.87
either we were in
conflict or running from war.
00:17:19.90\00:17:24.31
I remember this one time
00:17:24.34\00:17:25.97
we were in the
country called Congo,
00:17:26.01\00:17:28.84
the capital city of that country
00:17:28.88\00:17:30.58
was Brazzaville.
00:17:30.61\00:17:32.75
We have just
escaped from another country
00:17:32.78\00:17:35.55
by the name of DRC,
00:17:35.58\00:17:37.35
which at the
time was named Zaire.
00:17:37.39\00:17:40.26
We had escaped from a dictator
00:17:40.29\00:17:41.72
that was about to be overthrown,
00:17:41.76\00:17:43.32
and here we were
starting our life
00:17:43.36\00:17:46.26
in this country of Congo
00:17:46.29\00:17:48.23
almost right in
the centre of Africa.
00:17:48.26\00:17:52.60
My family were there
00:17:52.63\00:17:53.97
and we were
starting to do our ministry
00:17:54.00\00:17:55.80
when we heard
00:17:55.84\00:17:57.17
that war was about to break.
00:17:57.21\00:18:02.61
We started to see gunfire,
and looking outside, and bombs,
00:18:02.64\00:18:06.41
and the earth was shaking,
00:18:06.45\00:18:08.18
and we knew that if we
did not get out of that place,
00:18:08.22\00:18:12.55
either we were
gonna be dead, kidnapped,
00:18:12.59\00:18:14.86
or something worse
00:18:14.89\00:18:16.22
that we did not
want to think about.
00:18:16.26\00:18:19.63
Our plan was
very straightforward,
00:18:19.66\00:18:21.43
we decided we were going
to go to a UN refugee camp
00:18:21.46\00:18:26.94
on the other
side of the country.
00:18:26.97\00:18:30.24
In order to go to that UN site,
00:18:30.27\00:18:32.87
we had to go
through a lot of back roads
00:18:32.91\00:18:36.28
through the country side.
00:18:36.31\00:18:38.28
We also knew that we'll be going
00:18:38.31\00:18:40.08
through some rebel territory,
00:18:40.12\00:18:42.05
and that we could literally die
00:18:42.08\00:18:44.49
any moment without knowing it.
00:18:44.52\00:18:47.62
But we knew
00:18:47.66\00:18:48.99
that we wanted to
make it out alive,
00:18:49.02\00:18:51.53
so as we counted the cost,
00:18:51.56\00:18:54.66
we decided to go by faith.
00:18:54.70\00:18:57.93
We went into the car,
00:18:57.97\00:18:59.30
and there we were
driving one afternoon
00:18:59.33\00:19:02.34
going through all
sorts of different roads,
00:19:02.37\00:19:05.27
evading different
things and seeing gunshots
00:19:05.31\00:19:08.51
and all of those
different things all around us.
00:19:08.54\00:19:12.28
And I cannot describe to you
00:19:12.31\00:19:14.02
the feeling that
I had in my heart,
00:19:14.05\00:19:16.58
it was even worse than,
00:19:16.62\00:19:18.42
I don't think
fear could describe it,
00:19:18.45\00:19:21.32
maybe terror
could come closer to it.
00:19:21.36\00:19:24.96
But I was frozen.
00:19:24.99\00:19:27.66
As we travel and
going to this UN campsite,
00:19:27.70\00:19:31.23
this refugee camp site,
00:19:31.27\00:19:33.13
I remember as we were
going through this one road,
00:19:33.17\00:19:35.87
we saw in the sky
helicopters that were coming
00:19:35.90\00:19:40.91
in great number.
00:19:40.94\00:19:43.18
We also saw across in it,
00:19:43.21\00:19:45.01
we looked at the field
and we saw people lining up
00:19:45.05\00:19:48.62
boarding some of the helicopters
00:19:48.65\00:19:50.52
that were coming.
00:19:50.55\00:19:52.82
I remember asking the
guy who was driving us
00:19:52.85\00:19:55.26
through the
countryside, and I said,
00:19:55.29\00:19:58.19
why don't we
just stop over there,
00:19:58.23\00:20:00.30
and escaped this country?
00:20:00.33\00:20:03.16
Why don't we just take
one of those helicopters?
00:20:03.20\00:20:05.47
And, you know, instead
of going to a refugee camp,
00:20:05.50\00:20:09.44
why don't we just
go with these guys?
00:20:09.47\00:20:13.78
I remember, he
looked at me and he says,
00:20:13.81\00:20:15.61
well, you know,
these people are Americans,
00:20:15.64\00:20:19.78
and in their country,
wherever you are in the world,
00:20:19.81\00:20:23.39
if they know where you
are, they leave no man behind.
00:20:23.42\00:20:28.96
Leave no man behind.
00:20:28.99\00:20:32.43
As a matter of fact,
00:20:32.46\00:20:33.80
it's part of the
creed of the US army
00:20:33.83\00:20:35.83
that they leave no man behind.
00:20:35.86\00:20:38.70
At the time, I didn't know
00:20:41.80\00:20:43.14
even where the
United States was.
00:20:43.17\00:20:46.41
All I cared about
really was my life.
00:20:46.44\00:20:49.91
But I knew that this nation
00:20:49.94\00:20:53.58
left no man behind.
00:20:53.62\00:20:57.15
Today, my friends,
00:21:00.32\00:21:01.66
we are living in
a Great Controversy.
00:21:01.69\00:21:05.89
If you'll turn
your Bibles with me
00:21:05.93\00:21:07.96
to the Book of Revelation,
00:21:08.00\00:21:10.63
Revelation 12:7.
00:21:10.67\00:21:16.57
Today we are living in a war,
00:21:16.60\00:21:20.61
the war of all wars.
00:21:20.64\00:21:23.41
And it begins this
way in Revelation 12:7,
00:21:23.45\00:21:27.65
if you're there, so
I know you're there,
00:21:27.68\00:21:29.18
if you could say good, amen.
00:21:29.22\00:21:30.95
Amen!
00:21:30.99\00:21:32.32
Praise the Lord.
00:21:32.35\00:21:33.76
Revelation12:7,
00:21:33.79\00:21:36.06
this is what the Bible says.
00:21:36.09\00:21:39.59
It says, "And war
broke out in heaven:
00:21:39.63\00:21:42.76
Michael and his
angels fought with a dragon,
00:21:42.80\00:21:46.23
and the dragon
and his angels fought,
00:21:46.27\00:21:50.47
but they did not prevail,
00:21:50.51\00:21:51.84
nor was a place found for
them in heaven any longer.
00:21:51.87\00:21:57.15
So the great
dragon was cast down,
00:21:57.18\00:21:58.98
that serpent of old,
called the Devil and Satan,
00:21:59.01\00:22:02.85
who deceives" part of the world.
00:22:02.88\00:22:05.25
Is that what the Bible says?
00:22:05.29\00:22:08.19
"The whole world.
00:22:08.22\00:22:13.73
He was cast out to the earth,
00:22:13.76\00:22:16.40
and his angels
were cast out with him.
00:22:16.43\00:22:19.33
Then I heard a loud
voice saying in heaven,
00:22:19.37\00:22:21.94
'Now salvation, and strength,
00:22:21.97\00:22:24.41
and the kingdom of our God,
00:22:24.44\00:22:25.77
and the power of
His Christ have come,
00:22:25.81\00:22:29.88
for the accuser of our brethren,
00:22:29.91\00:22:32.45
who accused them
before our God day and night,
00:22:32.48\00:22:37.09
has been cast down,
00:22:37.12\00:22:40.22
and they overcame him
by the blood of the Lamb,
00:22:40.26\00:22:42.52
and by the word
of their testimony,
00:22:42.56\00:22:44.86
and they did not
love their lives"
00:22:44.89\00:22:46.66
to the what, my friends?
00:22:46.70\00:22:49.06
Oh, I only heard 10% of you.
00:22:49.10\00:22:51.77
They did not love
their lives to the what?
00:22:51.80\00:22:54.20
"Death." Amen.
00:22:54.24\00:22:56.04
"Therefore rejoice, O heaven,
00:22:56.07\00:22:58.07
and you who dwell in them.
00:22:58.11\00:23:02.08
But woe to the inhabitants
of the earth and the sea,
00:23:02.11\00:23:07.72
for the devil
has come down to you,
00:23:07.75\00:23:10.42
having" what type of wrath?
00:23:10.45\00:23:13.15
"Great wrath,
00:23:13.19\00:23:14.66
because he knows that he has
00:23:14.69\00:23:16.96
but a short time."
00:23:16.99\00:23:22.66
The Great Controversy.
00:23:22.70\00:23:26.10
Oh, we know it so well.
00:23:26.13\00:23:30.01
We see it today in our society.
00:23:30.04\00:23:34.78
The devil is mad at society,
00:23:34.81\00:23:39.18
we see it as well in our church.
00:23:42.52\00:23:46.42
The devil is not happy
about the Church of God,
00:23:46.45\00:23:50.03
even though he
knows he's a defeated foe,
00:23:50.06\00:23:53.26
but he's a sore loser.
00:23:53.29\00:23:56.16
And he will do
whatever he can to distract us,
00:23:56.20\00:24:00.57
because he has come down
00:24:00.60\00:24:02.14
with what kind of
wrath, my friends?
00:24:02.17\00:24:04.47
A great wrath,
00:24:04.51\00:24:06.17
because he knows
that his time is short.
00:24:06.21\00:24:11.35
We see it as well, my
friends, in our schools,
00:24:11.38\00:24:15.48
the Great Controversy.
00:24:15.52\00:24:20.36
We see it so many times.
00:24:20.39\00:24:24.66
In our schools today,
00:24:24.69\00:24:26.06
you can either find Christ
or you can find the devil.
00:24:26.09\00:24:29.20
The Great Controversy
is alive in our schools.
00:24:32.70\00:24:37.44
But also the Great Controversy,
00:24:37.47\00:24:39.07
this war between good and
evil is very alive as well,
00:24:39.11\00:24:42.88
in our families.
00:24:42.91\00:24:44.25
More than anything,
00:24:47.15\00:24:48.65
that I have
seen in my short life
00:24:48.68\00:24:51.22
is the attack upon families,
00:24:51.25\00:24:55.02
little children, who
maybe not have a present,
00:24:55.06\00:24:58.06
don't have both sets of parents.
00:24:58.09\00:25:02.13
A little child who
wants to study the Bible
00:25:02.16\00:25:04.53
and learn more about God,
00:25:04.57\00:25:06.30
but the parents have no time
00:25:06.33\00:25:07.70
and are too busy to read
or teach him about Jesus.
00:25:07.74\00:25:13.21
We see all sorts of
conflicts in our family,
00:25:13.24\00:25:15.88
the Great Controversy.
00:25:15.91\00:25:19.51
But more than that,
we see it in ourselves
00:25:19.55\00:25:23.69
the things we want to
do, but know we shouldn't do,
00:25:23.72\00:25:27.52
we do them anyways.
00:25:27.56\00:25:29.99
We know what we should be doing,
00:25:30.03\00:25:31.56
but we don't do those things
00:25:31.59\00:25:33.06
because there's
something in us called self...
00:25:33.09\00:25:36.20
and it robs us of our peace.
00:25:39.90\00:25:44.91
In the midst of all of
this Great Controversy,
00:25:44.94\00:25:47.44
according to the Word of God,
00:25:47.48\00:25:50.65
this war between good and evil,
00:25:50.68\00:25:53.85
a war between life and death
00:25:53.88\00:25:56.89
in the midst of all of
this God has always had a creed,
00:25:56.92\00:26:02.36
leave no man behind,
00:26:02.39\00:26:05.09
no matter the cost.
00:26:05.13\00:26:08.73
Leave no man
behind in this conflict,
00:26:08.76\00:26:12.10
no matter the cost.
00:26:12.13\00:26:14.87
No matter the cost.
00:26:14.90\00:26:18.14
What makes it even hard for God
00:26:18.17\00:26:20.01
to accomplish this
mission here today in 2018,
00:26:20.04\00:26:24.85
is that above all the
thing that He hates the most
00:26:24.88\00:26:27.68
resides in the person
that He loves the most,
00:26:27.72\00:26:31.79
and that is you.
00:26:31.82\00:26:34.59
He does not like sin,
00:26:34.62\00:26:38.89
but He loves you.
00:26:38.93\00:26:42.00
That is what
makes it complicated.
00:26:42.03\00:26:44.00
What else makes it complicated
00:26:44.03\00:26:45.83
is that the devil
does not play fair.
00:26:45.87\00:26:50.71
Something else that
makes even more complicated
00:26:50.74\00:26:53.17
is that sin must be allowed
to bear its fruits of death.
00:26:53.21\00:26:57.31
In the midst of
this great conflict,
00:27:00.48\00:27:02.32
and all of this complication,
00:27:02.35\00:27:04.09
God has one creed
to leave no man behind,
00:27:04.12\00:27:06.59
but here are his obstacles.
00:27:06.62\00:27:10.26
But the worst thing
about our day to day,
00:27:10.29\00:27:13.70
is that we feel that we are safe
00:27:13.73\00:27:17.83
because we come to GYC.
00:27:17.87\00:27:20.87
We feel that we are saved
00:27:20.90\00:27:22.27
because we have our
names in the church books.
00:27:22.30\00:27:26.24
We feel that we
are in need of nothing,
00:27:26.27\00:27:32.11
while we need Christ.
00:27:32.15\00:27:35.42
And the whole world at
times is being deceived.
00:27:35.45\00:27:39.32
And in the midst of
this Great Controversy,
00:27:39.35\00:27:42.69
God still has to
preserve our freedom of choice.
00:27:42.72\00:27:46.29
I don't know
about you, my friend,
00:27:55.20\00:27:56.67
but if it was not
00:27:56.71\00:27:59.74
for this creed that God
has to leave no man behind,
00:27:59.77\00:28:02.74
I would be lost.
00:28:02.78\00:28:07.52
Jesus looking
at the span of time
00:28:07.55\00:28:09.65
and seeing this conflict
and all these challenges,
00:28:09.68\00:28:12.42
God seeing all of this decided
00:28:12.45\00:28:14.72
that He was going to
pay the ultimate price...
00:28:14.76\00:28:17.86
because one of you
was worth all of heaven.
00:28:20.90\00:28:25.27
I hope you realize, GYC,
00:28:28.30\00:28:30.07
I just don't want to
stand here and preach a sermon
00:28:30.11\00:28:32.97
and then you forget about it.
00:28:33.01\00:28:34.91
I want you to realize and
myself to realize as well,
00:28:34.94\00:28:38.28
what the cost is of
losing one soul for Christ.
00:28:38.31\00:28:41.58
There was a woman
00:28:46.29\00:28:47.62
who was praying
for her children,
00:28:47.66\00:28:51.59
she had raised them in
the way that they should go,
00:28:51.63\00:28:53.86
and she has been praying,
00:28:53.90\00:28:55.23
she had been
praying and praying.
00:28:55.26\00:28:56.60
But unfortunately,
00:28:56.63\00:28:57.97
one of her sons
decided to go another route.
00:28:58.00\00:29:02.64
He decided to go
the way of the world,
00:29:02.67\00:29:04.41
the way of the world
that's more appealing to him,
00:29:04.44\00:29:06.84
pleasure came faster,
00:29:06.88\00:29:08.21
and all those different things
that he wanted to experience.
00:29:08.24\00:29:13.72
And his mother will be
there praying for her son,
00:29:13.75\00:29:17.25
that her son will
come back to the faith
00:29:17.29\00:29:19.35
that he was taught.
00:29:19.39\00:29:22.82
One day, almost to
the point of frustration,
00:29:22.86\00:29:28.73
she started to pray
and as she was praying,
00:29:28.76\00:29:31.27
she says, "Lord,
show me Your heart.
00:29:31.30\00:29:36.24
Show me Your heart."
00:29:36.27\00:29:39.11
I want to tell you,
00:29:39.14\00:29:40.48
be careful when
you pray that prayer,
00:29:40.51\00:29:42.48
Lord, show me Your heart.
00:29:42.51\00:29:45.71
This woman,
there she was praying,
00:29:45.75\00:29:47.82
and she fell
asleep as she was praying,
00:29:47.85\00:29:49.55
and she had a dream.
00:29:49.58\00:29:51.89
In her dream, she
was in a beautiful city,
00:29:51.92\00:29:54.76
wonderful city,
00:29:54.79\00:29:56.12
all sorts of
things you could imagine.
00:29:56.16\00:30:00.30
She was in New Jerusalem.
00:30:00.33\00:30:03.53
Right there in their horizon
00:30:03.57\00:30:05.17
through those transparent walls,
00:30:05.20\00:30:08.07
she would look out,
00:30:08.10\00:30:09.44
and as she
looked out she saw like
00:30:09.47\00:30:11.17
it was a black
line in the horizon.
00:30:11.21\00:30:15.24
As she kept looking out
there, she started to notice
00:30:15.28\00:30:17.81
that the line was
getting thicker and thicker.
00:30:17.85\00:30:22.38
Soon, she realized that
that line were actually people,
00:30:22.42\00:30:26.35
running for the holy city.
00:30:26.39\00:30:29.99
As she kept looking
over there and as she saw,
00:30:30.03\00:30:32.43
she started to
recognize some of the people.
00:30:32.46\00:30:35.13
But one of the person,
00:30:35.16\00:30:36.50
the people that she recognized
00:30:36.53\00:30:39.53
was the face of her son.
00:30:39.57\00:30:42.27
Her son recognized that
mama was on the other side,
00:30:45.27\00:30:48.21
and her son started
to run towards mama.
00:30:48.24\00:30:52.68
And he went, he went there,
00:30:52.71\00:30:54.05
and as he was
running towards the wall,
00:30:54.08\00:30:56.22
he did not know that
there was a wall there.
00:30:56.25\00:30:58.09
So he hit it,
00:30:58.12\00:30:59.45
and he tried to
scream and say, let me in.
00:30:59.49\00:31:03.06
With a mother's heart
she was pleading for her son,
00:31:07.16\00:31:10.47
come in...
00:31:10.50\00:31:11.83
but she could not get him in.
00:31:14.54\00:31:16.00
This was going
on back and forth,
00:31:19.64\00:31:21.34
and she was pleading
and the son was pleading,
00:31:21.38\00:31:23.68
please mama, let
me in, let me in.
00:31:23.71\00:31:26.11
This was going on,
00:31:29.85\00:31:31.19
and then the
voice from behind said,
00:31:31.22\00:31:35.76
destroy him, destroy him.
00:31:35.79\00:31:41.73
The strange work of God.
00:31:41.76\00:31:47.67
She woke up from that dream.
00:31:47.70\00:31:49.24
And as she woke
up from that dream,
00:31:49.27\00:31:50.81
she was so shaken up,
she did not know what to do.
00:31:50.84\00:31:54.91
And then a voice told her,
00:31:54.94\00:31:58.81
you weep for your son...
00:31:58.85\00:32:00.28
but think about
all of those people
00:32:03.65\00:32:05.62
that are left behind.
00:32:05.65\00:32:08.49
In essence,
00:32:08.52\00:32:10.93
they're God's children too.
00:32:10.96\00:32:15.10
Now, you have seen my heart.
00:32:15.13\00:32:20.50
God suffers
00:32:20.54\00:32:23.64
and will never forget
someone who is left behind
00:32:23.67\00:32:26.78
because He has
scars in paradise.
00:32:26.81\00:32:32.75
The cost of leaving one
person behind for Christ
00:32:32.78\00:32:36.65
was so immense,
00:32:36.69\00:32:38.02
that we know this verse so well,
00:32:38.05\00:32:40.06
John 3:16,
00:32:40.09\00:32:41.59
for who loved the
world, my friends?
00:32:41.62\00:32:44.49
"For God so loved the world
00:32:44.53\00:32:46.43
that He gave His
only begotten Son,
00:32:46.46\00:32:50.13
so that
whosoever believes in Him
00:32:50.17\00:32:52.97
shall not," do what?
00:32:53.00\00:32:54.54
"Perish but have
everlasting life."
00:32:54.57\00:32:58.91
The creed of God,
00:32:58.94\00:33:01.51
leave no man behind,
00:33:01.54\00:33:04.48
no matter the cost.
00:33:04.51\00:33:06.25
Jesus came to this earth,
00:33:15.66\00:33:19.83
and He had to
live a sinless life
00:33:19.86\00:33:23.70
among men.
00:33:23.73\00:33:27.04
He died the worst of death.
00:33:27.07\00:33:31.24
The cross was so
abhorrent to a Roman citizen,
00:33:31.27\00:33:34.08
by the way, that
it was a taboo word.
00:33:34.11\00:33:39.28
He endured being
spat on the face,
00:33:39.31\00:33:43.69
scourged with pieces of metal
00:33:43.72\00:33:46.59
ripping His back,
nailed to a cross.
00:33:46.62\00:33:53.19
A carpenter who worked with wood
00:33:53.23\00:33:55.86
is hanged on that wood
00:33:55.90\00:33:58.13
that He created and worked with.
00:33:58.17\00:34:00.54
He is hanging there
among two criminals,
00:34:03.61\00:34:06.64
and you can know that
these guys were the real deal,
00:34:06.68\00:34:11.81
because they were on that cross.
00:34:11.85\00:34:15.25
But none of that
00:34:15.28\00:34:16.62
was greater than
the pain of losing you.
00:34:16.65\00:34:20.79
So He died of a broken heart.
00:34:20.82\00:34:23.29
I want to tell you, my friends,
00:34:26.76\00:34:28.10
that you are of
precious value to God.
00:34:28.13\00:34:33.54
But more than that,
00:34:33.57\00:34:34.90
this world is of
precious value to God.
00:34:34.94\00:34:40.48
We cannot leave no man behind
00:34:40.51\00:34:42.74
no matter what
the cost might be,
00:34:42.78\00:34:44.88
for Christ paid
an infinite price
00:34:44.91\00:34:50.45
that you and I
might have the chance
00:34:50.49\00:34:55.09
of not being left behind.
00:34:55.12\00:34:58.79
But I have very good news
for you today, my friends,
00:35:03.26\00:35:07.10
not only Christ
died on the cross,
00:35:07.14\00:35:10.97
He did something else
and I want you to go with me
00:35:11.01\00:35:13.38
to Acts Chapter 1, Acts 1:8.
00:35:13.41\00:35:19.41
Acts 1:8.
00:35:19.45\00:35:23.12
In Acts 1:8,
00:35:33.80\00:35:38.23
the context of the story
00:35:38.27\00:35:39.67
is that Christ
had died on the cross,
00:35:39.70\00:35:42.04
He was crucified and risen,
00:35:42.07\00:35:45.07
but He had something
else to give to this world
00:35:45.11\00:35:47.61
so that you and I can
accomplish our mission.
00:35:47.64\00:35:52.08
In verse 4, let
us begin in verse 4,
00:35:52.11\00:35:56.38
Acts 1:4, it said,
00:35:56.42\00:35:58.69
"And being
assembled together..."
00:35:58.72\00:36:00.79
I hope you don't mind
00:36:00.82\00:36:02.16
I will put it
in our GYC context.
00:36:02.19\00:36:07.93
"And being
assembled together at GYC,
00:36:07.96\00:36:13.27
He commanded them
00:36:13.30\00:36:18.01
not to depart from Houston,
00:36:18.04\00:36:22.78
but to wait for the
promise of the Father
00:36:22.81\00:36:27.28
which he said,
'You have heard from me,
00:36:27.32\00:36:31.45
for John truly
baptized with water,
00:36:31.49\00:36:33.62
but you my
friends will be baptized
00:36:33.66\00:36:36.16
with the Holy Spirit,
00:36:36.19\00:36:37.99
not many days from now.
00:36:38.03\00:36:42.13
Therefore, when
they had come together,
00:36:42.16\00:36:46.33
at GYC, Houston,
00:36:46.37\00:36:49.00
they asked for one thing saying,
00:36:49.04\00:36:50.77
'Lord, will You at this time
00:36:50.81\00:36:52.84
restore the kingdom of Israel?'"
00:36:52.87\00:36:54.48
They were chasing
the devil's rabbits.
00:36:54.51\00:36:58.68
Focusing on all
sorts of different things,
00:36:58.71\00:37:02.45
but this is what God
says to us, here today,
00:37:02.48\00:37:05.39
"And He said to them,
00:37:05.42\00:37:06.76
it is not for you to
know the times or the seasons,
00:37:06.79\00:37:10.26
which the Father has
put in His own authority.
00:37:10.29\00:37:13.50
But you shall
receive" what, my friends?
00:37:13.53\00:37:16.77
"Power."
00:37:16.80\00:37:18.50
Do you believe that at
this GYC we can receive power?
00:37:18.53\00:37:23.54
Do you believe that at this GYC,
00:37:23.57\00:37:25.87
we can
experience Pentecost again?
00:37:25.91\00:37:32.18
When the Holy
Spirit has come upon you,
00:37:32.21\00:37:37.19
and you shall be,
00:37:37.22\00:37:38.72
this word is so
key witnesses to me,
00:37:38.75\00:37:43.96
in Houston,
00:37:43.99\00:37:47.36
in Los Angeles, in Moscow,
00:37:47.40\00:37:53.90
in Beijing, in Cairo,
00:37:53.94\00:37:59.37
in Rio de Janeiro,
00:37:59.41\00:38:01.64
in Paris, in Quebec,
00:38:01.68\00:38:07.62
to the end of the earth.
00:38:07.65\00:38:14.39
Our greatest need
today, my friends,
00:38:14.42\00:38:18.66
is the Holy Spirit.
00:38:18.69\00:38:22.66
The disciples,
00:38:22.70\00:38:24.03
when they had gathered together,
00:38:24.07\00:38:25.80
they were focusing on a kingdom,
00:38:25.83\00:38:31.44
while God wanted
to give them power
00:38:31.47\00:38:34.78
and citizenship to
a heavenly country,
00:38:34.81\00:38:39.15
in which no man is left behind.
00:38:39.18\00:38:44.45
God wanted to give
them the Holy Spirit.
00:38:44.49\00:38:46.62
And I tell you,
my friends, today,
00:38:46.65\00:38:48.66
we need the Holy Spirit
more than any time before.
00:38:48.69\00:38:53.60
I don't know about you,
00:38:53.63\00:38:54.96
but I don't even like
reading the news anymore,
00:38:55.00\00:38:58.83
even our own
publications at times.
00:38:58.87\00:39:01.64
If we will only
ask for this one thing
00:39:09.38\00:39:11.21
the Holy Spirit
in our communities,
00:39:11.25\00:39:14.82
in our families, in our schools.
00:39:14.85\00:39:20.26
More than 60% of
young Seventh-day Adventists
00:39:20.29\00:39:23.22
like you and I
leave the Adventist church
00:39:23.26\00:39:29.53
when they go to college.
00:39:29.56\00:39:33.37
You, my friend,
are very rare breed.
00:39:33.40\00:39:38.34
I said this the other time,
00:39:38.37\00:39:39.71
but most of my friends
that I went to college with
00:39:39.74\00:39:42.64
are not in the church anymore.
00:39:42.68\00:39:47.58
We need to leave no
man behind in our schools.
00:39:47.62\00:39:52.39
But we also need to leave
no man behind in our churches.
00:39:52.42\00:39:58.39
I'm a pastor.
00:39:58.43\00:40:02.70
Some members have
never received the visitation
00:40:02.73\00:40:05.27
from the pastor or
the elder in 30 years.
00:40:05.30\00:40:09.74
Yet we look
forward to their tithe,
00:40:09.77\00:40:12.27
participation, and
organizing all sorts of events,
00:40:12.31\00:40:16.01
but we will not
even give the time
00:40:16.04\00:40:18.85
to visit with them.
00:40:18.88\00:40:22.38
There are so many
people in our local churches,
00:40:22.42\00:40:25.99
young people who
should not be left behind.
00:40:26.02\00:40:29.72
I'm also talking to you,
00:40:34.10\00:40:35.43
because maybe
you're not a pastor,
00:40:35.46\00:40:37.80
but you have a great commission,
00:40:37.83\00:40:39.27
not a great option.
00:40:39.30\00:40:44.91
We are all called to
win souls for Christ.
00:40:44.94\00:40:48.84
And I want to
tell you, my friends,
00:40:54.42\00:40:56.22
don't depend upon someone
else for your spiritual walking,
00:40:56.25\00:41:01.36
for you to be
active in soul winning.
00:41:01.39\00:41:05.89
By your zeal
many will be inspired.
00:41:05.93\00:41:09.90
You're a leader,
if you come to GYC,
00:41:09.93\00:41:12.07
you're a leader.
00:41:12.10\00:41:15.40
As long as you're surrendered
to Christ, and follow His word,
00:41:15.44\00:41:19.77
and follow His church,
00:41:19.81\00:41:21.51
you are in the majority
00:41:21.54\00:41:23.04
because when
God is in your life,
00:41:23.08\00:41:24.68
you are in the majority.
00:41:24.71\00:41:26.25
We need to leave no
man behind in our families.
00:41:30.72\00:41:37.53
Some of our family
members don't even know
00:41:37.56\00:41:39.56
we're Seventh-day
Adventists and what that means?
00:41:39.59\00:41:45.47
For some of us, let's be honest,
00:41:45.50\00:41:47.00
we've been a bad example.
00:41:47.04\00:41:48.90
But, you know what,
my friends, there's hope
00:41:52.34\00:41:54.21
because as long as
there's the Holy Spirit,
00:41:54.24\00:41:57.35
He can change us.
00:41:57.38\00:42:03.05
But most importantly,
00:42:03.08\00:42:07.59
we ourselves must
not be left behind.
00:42:07.62\00:42:10.26
If we want to take
the gospel to the end,
00:42:14.96\00:42:18.57
and survive the end,
we need the Holy Spirit.
00:42:18.60\00:42:22.20
And how do we have the
Holy Spirit, my friend?
00:42:26.47\00:42:28.51
We must be emptied of self,
00:42:28.54\00:42:32.15
by beholding the matchless
love of God in His Word,
00:42:32.18\00:42:37.52
abiding in His Word.
00:42:37.55\00:42:41.02
In order to be
filled with the Holy Spirit,
00:42:41.06\00:42:42.99
we must be emptied.
00:42:43.02\00:42:45.66
And to be emptied,
we can only be emptied
00:42:45.69\00:42:47.93
as we lay self on
the altar of the cross,
00:42:47.96\00:42:52.00
and pierce it to that cross.
00:42:52.03\00:42:57.74
Leave no man behind, GYC.
00:42:57.77\00:43:01.18
There was a pastor
who lived by this creed.
00:43:01.21\00:43:04.88
There he was living
in a communist country,
00:43:04.91\00:43:08.68
and he decided that
he wanted this country
00:43:08.72\00:43:11.02
even though it
was under communism,
00:43:11.05\00:43:13.09
to know about Jesus Christ.
00:43:13.12\00:43:17.89
But he paid a heavy price.
00:43:17.93\00:43:19.39
They decided to rally
all the spiritual leaders
00:43:19.43\00:43:23.00
and this pastor
they decided to take him
00:43:23.03\00:43:26.10
and put him in a cell
under the police department.
00:43:26.13\00:43:31.44
There he was for many days,
00:43:31.47\00:43:33.44
and the food that they gave him
00:43:33.48\00:43:35.64
was just a piece of
toast, and excuse me,
00:43:35.68\00:43:39.61
with human waste.
00:43:39.65\00:43:43.92
The main guard
would bring it to him,
00:43:43.95\00:43:46.65
almost joyfully to break him.
00:43:46.69\00:43:52.13
As time went by, they decided,
00:43:56.10\00:43:57.73
well, some of these
people are not being broken,
00:43:57.77\00:44:00.57
so let us take
them to a remote place
00:44:00.60\00:44:03.17
apart from their families.
00:44:03.20\00:44:06.57
But before we send them
to this remote location,
00:44:06.61\00:44:09.31
why don't we invite
their families for an hour
00:44:09.34\00:44:14.48
to talk to them, and
maybe they will give some,
00:44:14.52\00:44:16.82
they will put
some sense into them.
00:44:16.85\00:44:21.02
This pastor just
before he was put in prison,
00:44:21.06\00:44:24.49
told his family,
if I go to prison,
00:44:24.53\00:44:28.60
and I hear that you,
00:44:28.63\00:44:32.03
yourselves went to
prison for Jesus Christ,
00:44:32.07\00:44:36.71
I will be the
happiest man on this world.
00:44:36.74\00:44:42.21
If you don't give up the faith,
even if you are sent to prison,
00:44:42.24\00:44:46.38
I will be the happiest man.
00:44:46.41\00:44:50.52
And there he was.
00:44:50.55\00:44:52.82
So there came the time
00:44:52.85\00:44:54.19
for to take all the
spiritual leaders away.
00:44:54.22\00:44:56.83
They invited the families
and as the families gathered,
00:44:56.86\00:45:01.33
they had tables across the yard.
00:45:01.36\00:45:06.94
And there they
were, as they had tables,
00:45:06.97\00:45:09.04
they were...
00:45:09.07\00:45:10.74
The family members were meeting
00:45:10.77\00:45:12.94
with the
pastors, the evangelists,
00:45:12.97\00:45:14.84
and all those spiritual
leaders for about an hour.
00:45:14.88\00:45:18.31
And this pastor's family
was there waiting to see him.
00:45:18.35\00:45:24.35
Five minutes passed
by, he didn't show up,
00:45:24.39\00:45:28.46
10 minutes passed
by he wasn't there,
00:45:28.49\00:45:31.96
15 minutes, 30
minutes, he wasn't showing up.
00:45:31.99\00:45:38.03
All the other families
00:45:38.07\00:45:39.40
were meeting
their family members,
00:45:39.43\00:45:42.87
and no one was showing up.
00:45:42.90\00:45:47.24
Until 45 minutes later,
00:45:47.28\00:45:48.98
there was a man who
walked up to the table
00:45:49.01\00:45:51.65
where the family was,
00:45:51.68\00:45:54.55
brought in something in a
bag and laid it on the table.
00:45:54.58\00:45:59.75
When they opened the bag,
00:45:59.79\00:46:01.96
the wife could only
recognize her husband
00:46:01.99\00:46:05.06
through his blue eyes.
00:46:05.09\00:46:08.83
He was so frail that
he had to be carried.
00:46:08.86\00:46:13.57
At that moment the wife knew
00:46:13.60\00:46:15.20
that the only thing
that her husband would like
00:46:15.24\00:46:17.21
would be a Bible.
00:46:17.24\00:46:19.24
So she tried to slip in
a Bible right next to him,
00:46:19.27\00:46:22.34
and at that point,
00:46:22.38\00:46:23.71
one of the
guards saw her and said,
00:46:23.75\00:46:26.01
"Do you know, I can kill you?"
00:46:26.05\00:46:29.35
She says,
"Well, you can kill me,
00:46:29.38\00:46:30.72
but you cannot separate
me from the love of God."
00:46:30.75\00:46:36.52
They took the
husband, took him away,
00:46:36.56\00:46:39.16
put him in some remote place,
00:46:39.19\00:46:41.83
but this man lived by the creed,
00:46:41.86\00:46:43.50
leave no man behind.
00:46:43.53\00:46:45.10
So in that prison,
00:46:45.13\00:46:46.47
he kept
preaching about the gospel.
00:46:46.50\00:46:50.11
The guards got tired of him.
00:46:50.14\00:46:52.14
So they decided to
play a trick on him.
00:46:52.17\00:46:56.34
They told him today is
going to be your last day.
00:46:56.38\00:47:01.32
They brought him to the yard,
00:47:01.35\00:47:05.49
and they were
getting ready to execute him.
00:47:05.52\00:47:10.39
The man was there,
00:47:10.43\00:47:11.76
and he in his frail
body, stood straight
00:47:11.79\00:47:17.13
and was ready to die.
00:47:17.17\00:47:21.37
The guards were so
astonished by this man,
00:47:21.40\00:47:24.51
though he seemed
like he had no strength,
00:47:24.54\00:47:27.41
he was apart from his
family, he was starving,
00:47:27.44\00:47:30.11
he had almost nothing, yet,
00:47:30.15\00:47:32.15
he was still willing
to die for the gospel,
00:47:32.18\00:47:37.15
that no man may be left behind.
00:47:37.19\00:47:41.29
The guards thought he was crazy
00:47:41.32\00:47:42.69
so they threw him
out of the prison.
00:47:42.72\00:47:45.69
This man
started to find his way,
00:47:45.73\00:47:47.93
and he found his
family, and the local church.
00:47:47.96\00:47:53.07
There in this local church,
00:47:53.10\00:47:54.44
an older lady
came to him and said,
00:47:54.47\00:47:56.81
"Pastor, I want you
to come and see my son
00:47:56.84\00:48:01.44
because he's dying."
00:48:01.48\00:48:04.98
The pastor said, "Oh, yes,
00:48:05.01\00:48:07.55
I want to make
sure I meet your son."
00:48:07.58\00:48:11.89
So there, the
pastor went to the home,
00:48:11.92\00:48:13.66
and the lady
brought him to the room.
00:48:13.69\00:48:19.16
And there was
her son almost dying.
00:48:19.19\00:48:24.93
When he looked
at who the son was,
00:48:24.97\00:48:28.14
it was the man in the prison,
00:48:28.17\00:48:30.84
who gave him the piece
of toast and human waste.
00:48:30.87\00:48:34.71
It was that jail guard.
00:48:38.75\00:48:44.29
He was so shocked that he says,
00:48:44.32\00:48:45.65
"Lord, I cannot
disappoint you today.
00:48:45.69\00:48:49.06
I can't.
00:48:49.09\00:48:52.06
I can't."
00:48:52.09\00:48:56.40
But if you live by the
creed, the man got on his knees,
00:48:56.43\00:49:01.27
prayed for the
man who tortured him,
00:49:01.30\00:49:05.74
and prayed for his healing,
00:49:05.77\00:49:10.71
because he knew the
cost of leaving a man behind.
00:49:10.75\00:49:15.65
Today, my friends,
00:49:19.79\00:49:21.12
I want to give
you an opportunity
00:49:21.16\00:49:22.62
as I invite my friend Naomi,
00:49:22.66\00:49:28.00
she's going to have
a special piece for us.
00:49:28.03\00:49:30.00
And as she sings for us,
00:49:30.03\00:49:32.10
I'm going to make a
very straightforward appeal.
00:49:32.13\00:49:35.30
These appeals are between
you and the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:49:38.84\00:49:45.15
And as Naomi begins to sing,
00:49:45.18\00:49:47.05
I want you to listen
to the words of the song
00:49:47.08\00:49:50.95
and then we'll have our appeal.
00:49:50.99\00:49:52.42
Be still my soul
00:50:03.06\00:50:10.87
The Lord
00:50:10.91\00:50:13.21
Is on your side
00:50:13.24\00:50:19.41
Bear patiently
00:50:19.45\00:50:27.39
The cross of grief
00:50:27.42\00:50:32.43
Or pain
00:50:32.46\00:50:36.10
Leave to your God
00:50:36.13\00:50:44.07
To order
00:50:44.11\00:50:47.48
And provide
00:50:47.51\00:50:52.28
In every change
00:50:52.31\00:50:59.92
He faithful will remain
00:50:59.95\00:51:07.46
Be still...
Please, come in here.
00:51:07.50\00:51:10.97
And I will not
leave one soul behind,
00:51:11.00\00:51:13.00
and I want to focus on bringing
one soul to Jesus Christ
00:51:13.03\00:51:18.11
and bring them to GYC.
00:51:18.14\00:51:21.98
I want to invite you to stand.
00:51:22.01\00:51:24.05
Through thorny ways
00:51:24.08\00:51:27.78
Leads to a joyful end
00:51:27.82\00:51:34.92
My second appeal.
00:51:34.96\00:51:39.56
I want to be on your team.
00:51:39.59\00:51:42.03
I want to be
part of your movement.
00:51:42.06\00:51:45.97
Praise the Lord
00:51:46.00\00:51:47.34
for this courageous
young people, who are here.
00:51:47.37\00:51:49.80
But there are
more of you out there.
00:51:49.84\00:51:54.41
This is a decision
between you and the Lord,
00:51:54.44\00:51:58.01
and He will not disappoint you.
00:51:58.05\00:52:00.62
He has never failed
at leaving a man behind
00:52:00.65\00:52:05.95
when they have chosen Him
to be the Lord of their life.
00:52:05.99\00:52:12.43
God knows no failure, my friend.
00:52:12.46\00:52:16.63
And as you're here,
God is gonna bless you.
00:52:16.67\00:52:23.24
Those of you who
are here in the front,
00:52:23.27\00:52:24.94
who've made a
decision for baptism.
00:52:24.97\00:52:28.54
After this
service, I'll come down
00:52:28.58\00:52:30.15
and I'd like to meet with
you, but I also have an appeal.
00:52:30.18\00:52:35.58
And this is my last appeal.
00:52:35.62\00:52:39.29
For some of you,
00:52:39.32\00:52:40.66
you know that you're called
00:52:40.69\00:52:44.76
to give your life
a missionary service
00:52:44.79\00:52:51.60
and go to the ends of the earth.
00:52:51.63\00:52:55.10
I want you to count
the cost of this appeal.
00:53:00.68\00:53:07.32
If you are willing to say today,
00:53:07.35\00:53:09.08
"Lord, I want
to dedicate a year,
00:53:09.12\00:53:12.12
two years, three
years, four years, five years,
00:53:12.15\00:53:18.56
seven years maybe
to missionary service
00:53:18.59\00:53:25.50
in a place that you know
the Lord has been calling you.
00:53:25.53\00:53:30.41
It might even be
right here in Houston,
00:53:30.44\00:53:33.88
it might be in a place
in an undisclosed location.
00:53:33.91\00:53:39.71
But, you know,
00:53:39.75\00:53:41.08
you need to take
a stand for Christ,
00:53:41.12\00:53:43.32
and give your life
and use your talents
00:53:43.35\00:53:46.72
to bring the gospel
to the end of the earth.
00:53:46.76\00:53:49.32
If that is you,
00:53:49.36\00:53:50.69
I'll invite you
as well to come home.
00:53:50.73\00:53:52.76