Music...
00:00:01.36\00:00:23.08
Piano...
00:00:23.12\00:00:45.54
In this world of darkness,
00:00:45.57\00:00:52.75
We are given light,
00:00:52.81\00:00:59.39
Hope for all the dying,
00:00:59.42\00:01:05.99
How will they know
00:01:06.03\00:01:13.44
that Jesus loves them
00:01:13.47\00:01:21.34
and He died to save them
00:01:21.38\00:01:29.25
Carry the Light,
00:01:29.28\00:01:32.62
Carry the Light
00:01:32.65\00:01:40.90
Go and tell the children
00:01:40.93\00:01:44.80
they are precious in His sight
00:01:44.83\00:01:52.17
Carry the Light,
00:01:52.21\00:01:55.58
Now, carry the Light
00:01:55.61\00:01:58.91
Carry the Light
00:01:58.95\00:02:03.82
Go and preach the gospel,
00:02:03.85\00:02:07.12
'Till there is no more night
00:02:07.16\00:02:11.33
In the name of Jesus Christ
00:02:11.36\00:02:15.46
Carry the Light
00:02:15.50\00:02:20.77
Piano...
00:02:20.80\00:02:23.47
Count them by the millions
00:02:23.51\00:02:30.15
Blinded slaves to sin
00:02:30.21\00:02:36.79
Inside they are dying
00:02:36.82\00:02:41.66
How will they know
00:02:41.69\00:02:51.57
That Jesus loves them,
00:02:51.60\00:02:59.14
and His heart is breaking
00:02:59.17\00:03:06.65
Carry the Light,
00:03:06.68\00:03:09.88
Now carry the Light
00:03:09.95\00:03:14.02
Carry the Light
00:03:14.06\00:03:18.03
Go and tell the children,
00:03:18.09\00:03:22.13
They are precious in His sight
00:03:22.16\00:03:29.30
Carry the Light,
00:03:29.34\00:03:32.64
Now carry the Light
00:03:32.67\00:03:36.75
Carry the Light
00:03:36.78\00:03:40.78
Go and preach the gospel
00:03:40.82\00:03:44.15
'Till there is no more night
00:03:44.19\00:03:48.32
In the name of Jesus Christ
00:03:48.36\00:03:52.49
Carry the Light
00:03:52.53\00:03:57.37
Go ye into all the world...
00:03:57.40\00:04:03.71
Go ye into all the world
00:04:03.77\00:04:10.08
Go...
00:04:10.11\00:04:11.88
carry the Light,
00:04:11.91\00:04:14.92
Now carry the Light
00:04:14.95\00:04:17.95
Carry the Light
00:04:17.99\00:04:23.32
Go and tell the children
00:04:23.36\00:04:27.43
They are precious in His sight
00:04:27.46\00:04:34.80
Carry the Light,
00:04:34.84\00:04:38.14
Now carry the Light
00:04:38.17\00:04:42.31
Carry the Light
00:04:42.34\00:04:46.41
Go and preach the gospel
00:04:46.45\00:04:49.78
'Till there is no more night
00:04:49.82\00:04:53.96
In the name of Jesus Christ
00:04:53.99\00:04:58.09
Carry the Light
00:04:58.13\00:05:04.43
Carry the Light,
00:05:04.47\00:05:12.44
Carry the Light.
00:05:12.47\00:05:17.71
Audience: Amen.
00:05:17.75\00:05:21.38
Good evening...
00:05:21.42\00:05:24.92
Audience: Good evening.
00:05:24.95\00:05:26.96
Let's do that
again, Good evening...
00:05:26.99\00:05:29.62
Audience: Good evening.
00:05:29.66\00:05:30.99
Pause...
00:05:31.03\00:05:32.86
It's wonderful to have
the privilege and opportunity
00:05:32.89\00:05:36.13
to speak with you again,
00:05:36.16\00:05:38.83
let us bow our heads together,
00:05:38.90\00:05:40.64
"Loving Father, we are grateful
for the privilege of life,
00:05:40.67\00:05:45.14
health and strength
00:05:45.17\00:05:46.51
and for the opportunity
to dig into Your Word.
00:05:46.54\00:05:50.71
I pray that You will
jolt your people tonight.
00:05:50.75\00:05:55.32
I pray, dear Father that
hearts and minds might be open
00:05:55.35\00:06:02.66
to looking at
things a different way
00:06:02.69\00:06:05.86
and I pray that You would
help us to begin to understand
00:06:05.89\00:06:11.50
Your thoughts are
not our thoughts...
00:06:11.53\00:06:14.60
Your ways are not our ways...
00:06:14.67\00:06:17.91
for as high as the
heavens are from the earth,
00:06:17.94\00:06:21.14
so are Your
thoughts from our thoughts
00:06:21.18\00:06:23.24
and Your ways from our ways.
00:06:23.28\00:06:25.48
We give you praise in advance
00:06:25.51\00:06:27.65
for what we trust
you can do for us,
00:06:27.68\00:06:30.89
in Jesus' name, amen.
00:06:30.92\00:06:32.65
Audience: Amen.
00:06:32.69\00:06:34.22
Pause.
00:06:34.26\00:06:38.09
The theme of GYC
is: To the end...
00:06:38.13\00:06:42.83
pause...
00:06:42.86\00:06:45.27
I believe as I share
with you one last night
00:06:45.30\00:06:47.84
that we cannot reach
the ends of the earth
00:06:47.87\00:06:51.64
until we first reach
the end of ourselves.
00:06:51.67\00:06:55.41
Beloved, one of
our biggest obstacles
00:06:55.44\00:07:00.82
is our thinking...
00:07:00.85\00:07:02.22
it's our... what?
00:07:02.25\00:07:03.59
Audience: Thinking.
00:07:03.62\00:07:04.95
In Isaiah
00:07:04.99\00:07:09.86
chapter 55 verse 7,
00:07:09.89\00:07:15.26
the Bible says, "Let
the wicked forsake his way,
00:07:15.30\00:07:19.73
and the
unrighteous man his thoughts:
00:07:19.77\00:07:23.71
let him return unto the LORD,
00:07:23.74\00:07:26.88
and He will have mercy
upon him; and to our God,
00:07:26.91\00:07:31.08
for He will abundantly pardon. "
00:07:31.11\00:07:32.81
Verse 8, "For my
thoughts are not... "
00:07:32.85\00:07:35.92
Audience: your thoughts...
00:07:35.95\00:07:37.29
"neither are your
ways... " Audience: my ways...
00:07:37.32\00:07:40.32
"says the LORD.
00:07:40.36\00:07:42.26
For as the heavens
are higher than the earth,
00:07:42.32\00:07:44.46
so are my ways higher than... "
00:07:44.49\00:07:46.70
Audience: your ways...
00:07:46.73\00:07:48.13
"and my thoughts
than your thoughts. "
00:07:48.16\00:07:52.00
Pause...
00:07:52.03\00:07:54.57
I want to suggest to you tonight
00:07:54.60\00:07:55.94
that we need a radical
change in the way we think.
00:07:55.97\00:08:01.24
Pause...
00:08:01.28\00:08:03.41
it's not radical
because it's new,
00:08:03.45\00:08:05.61
what we'll talk
about tonight is Biblical,
00:08:05.65\00:08:10.55
it is radical in the
sense that we've not done it...
00:08:10.59\00:08:16.12
pause...
00:08:16.16\00:08:19.86
I want to start by sharing
00:08:19.89\00:08:21.26
the examples of three
luminaries in Scripture,
00:08:21.30\00:08:25.63
of course, no one
shines brighter than Jesus
00:08:25.67\00:08:30.01
but these individuals are most
certainly Scriptural luminaries.
00:08:30.04\00:08:36.75
The first one is Moses,
00:08:36.78\00:08:39.45
everybody is
familiar with Moses.
00:08:39.48\00:08:41.05
Moses was unique
because Moses understood
00:08:41.08\00:08:45.32
from the time he was a child
00:08:45.35\00:08:48.19
that God had a
purpose for His life.
00:08:48.22\00:08:51.69
Isn't that an
amazing thing to know
00:08:51.73\00:08:55.16
from the time that
you are a little child
00:08:55.20\00:08:57.73
that God has a
purpose for your life?
00:08:57.80\00:09:00.34
Pause...
00:09:00.37\00:09:02.24
But what Moses knew
went even further than that.
00:09:02.27\00:09:06.44
He didn't just know that
God had a purpose for his life,
00:09:06.47\00:09:10.71
he knew the specific purpose...
00:09:10.75\00:09:12.98
the reason behind his
birth and how God would use him.
00:09:13.01\00:09:16.85
Moses was taught
at his mother's knee
00:09:16.89\00:09:19.85
that God would use him to
be the deliverer of Israel,
00:09:19.89\00:09:24.59
he would lead them
out of Egyptian bondage
00:09:24.63\00:09:28.00
into the Promised Land...
00:09:28.03\00:09:30.57
the place that had been
promised to their ancestors,
00:09:30.60\00:09:34.14
Moses knew this from the
time that he was a child.
00:09:34.17\00:09:38.47
Along the way, Moses
hit a bump in the road...
00:09:38.51\00:09:42.54
he thought... he what?
00:09:42.58\00:09:45.21
He thought that he
would fulfill the purpose
00:09:45.25\00:09:50.99
that God had for him by
exercising his strength.
00:09:51.02\00:09:56.73
So, one day he sees
an Egyptian Task Master
00:09:56.79\00:10:00.93
abusing cruelly one
of his Hebrew brethren
00:10:00.96\00:10:04.53
and the Bible says
that he laid hands on him.
00:10:04.57\00:10:08.10
These were not holy hands...
00:10:08.17\00:10:10.84
he laid hands on him
00:10:10.87\00:10:14.44
and he killed the
Egyptian and he buried him
00:10:14.48\00:10:16.85
only to discover that his
Hebrew brethren and sisters
00:10:16.88\00:10:21.15
did not appreciate
his vision of deliverance
00:10:21.18\00:10:25.15
and so, Moses of course
goes into the wilderness,
00:10:25.19\00:10:29.22
but ultimately,
God reaches him there
00:10:29.26\00:10:31.89
from a burning bush
00:10:31.93\00:10:33.46
that draws him closer into
the very presence of God Himself
00:10:33.50\00:10:37.63
and God reacclimatizes Moses...
00:10:37.67\00:10:41.27
He... He re-trained Moses
00:10:41.30\00:10:43.71
and now He sets him
off to fulfill His purpose.
00:10:43.74\00:10:47.54
Moses' life is a unique life
00:10:47.58\00:10:50.68
because Moses
understood his purpose.
00:10:50.71\00:10:53.75
"God is going to use
me to deliver His people
00:10:53.78\00:10:56.69
and God is going to
use me to bring His people
00:10:56.72\00:10:59.59
into the Promised Land. "
00:10:59.62\00:11:01.76
But Moses' life is
also unique, Beloved,
00:11:01.79\00:11:06.06
because Moses did not take God's
people into the Promised Land.
00:11:06.09\00:11:12.40
We all know the story...
00:11:12.43\00:11:14.77
it's interesting,
one time in 40 years,
00:11:14.80\00:11:20.01
the Bible records Moses' sin
00:11:20.04\00:11:23.38
dealing with the
murmuring and complaining
00:11:23.41\00:11:26.82
and he messed up
God's beautiful picture
00:11:26.85\00:11:30.19
his salvific picture...
00:11:30.22\00:11:32.25
he destroyed it by
not speaking to the rock
00:11:32.29\00:11:35.06
but smiting the rock
00:11:35.12\00:11:36.83
and God tells Moses,
00:11:36.86\00:11:38.46
"You will not go over
into the Promised Land... "
00:11:38.49\00:11:41.36
imagine with me tonight
00:11:41.40\00:11:43.06
knowing from the
time that you're a child
00:11:43.10\00:11:45.73
that God has
called you into existence
00:11:45.77\00:11:48.34
for this purpose only
00:11:48.40\00:11:50.47
and then to hear that
same God say, "You will not...
00:11:50.51\00:11:54.54
you cannot do it. "
00:11:54.58\00:11:56.24
Pause...
00:11:56.28\00:11:58.48
Moses speaks to God
and he's pleading his case
00:11:58.51\00:12:03.12
and God says to him,
00:12:03.18\00:12:04.92
"Do not speak to
me of it again. "
00:12:04.95\00:12:08.49
Pause...
00:12:08.52\00:12:12.96
God tells Moses, "It's
time for you to lay down,
00:12:12.99\00:12:16.60
time for you to lay
down your sword and shield,
00:12:16.63\00:12:20.24
time for you to
study war no more
00:12:20.27\00:12:23.44
and so, you need to make
your way to the top of Nebo
00:12:23.51\00:12:26.37
and... and Moses does that.
00:12:26.41\00:12:28.51
Pause...
00:12:28.54\00:12:32.51
While he's there, he has a...
00:12:32.55\00:12:35.75
and this is
Patriarchs and Prophets
00:12:35.78\00:12:38.15
page 475...
00:12:38.19\00:12:39.69
God is showing him, essentially,
the history of humanity
00:12:39.72\00:12:45.59
and the history
specifically of His people
00:12:45.63\00:12:48.30
to the crucifixion of Christ
00:12:48.33\00:12:50.33
down to the
spreading of the gospel
00:12:50.37\00:12:52.97
on down to the end of time.
00:12:53.00\00:12:54.97
Pause...
00:12:55.00\00:12:57.41
Moses looks over and sees
the physical Promised Land
00:12:57.47\00:13:02.44
but then, shows
him something else.
00:13:02.48\00:13:05.08
Pause...
00:13:05.11\00:13:08.92
"The darkness
of hopeless despair
00:13:08.95\00:13:10.62
seemed to enshroud the
world. But he looked again... "
00:13:10.69\00:13:13.59
this is Moses...
"and beheld Him... "
00:13:13.62\00:13:15.79
speaking of Jesus' resurrection
00:13:15.82\00:13:17.53
"coming forth a conqueror
and ascending to heaven... "
00:13:17.56\00:13:21.53
listen to me tonight,
00:13:21.56\00:13:22.90
"escorted by adoring angels
00:13:22.93\00:13:25.30
and leading a
multitude of captives.
00:13:25.33\00:13:27.70
He saw the shining
gates open to receive Him,
00:13:27.74\00:13:31.34
and the host of
heaven with songs of triumph
00:13:31.37\00:13:34.91
welcoming their Commander.
00:13:34.94\00:13:36.64
And it was there
revealed... " listen,
00:13:36.68\00:13:38.91
"it was there revealed to him
00:13:38.95\00:13:40.95
that he himself would be one
who should attend the Saviour,
00:13:40.98\00:13:45.29
and open to Him the
everlasting gates. "
00:13:45.32\00:13:49.22
I want to tell you tonight
00:13:49.26\00:13:52.36
that Moses had a
vision for his life
00:13:52.39\00:13:54.90
and he understood what
his purpose was supposed to be
00:13:54.96\00:13:58.43
but listen to me Friends,
00:13:58.47\00:13:59.80
God's ultimate
purpose for Moses' life
00:13:59.83\00:14:02.90
far surpassed his
own visions for his life.
00:14:02.94\00:14:06.84
Moses didn't make it
into the earthly Promised Land
00:14:06.88\00:14:11.58
but I think we
can praise God tonight
00:14:11.61\00:14:13.92
that he made it
into the heavenly Canaan.
00:14:13.95\00:14:16.18
Audience: Amen.
00:14:16.25\00:14:17.59
And not just that,
but he had the privilege
00:14:17.62\00:14:19.92
of swinging
open the pearly gates
00:14:19.95\00:14:22.22
and welcoming Jesus in as a...
00:14:22.26\00:14:24.19
are you listening to me tonight?
00:14:24.23\00:14:26.16
Pause...
00:14:26.19\00:14:28.46
Disappointment was
turned into rejoicing...
00:14:28.50\00:14:31.53
that's Moses.
00:14:31.57\00:14:34.70
Pause...
00:14:34.74\00:14:36.50
The other story I'd
like to share with you
00:14:36.54\00:14:39.27
is one you are
also familiar with
00:14:39.31\00:14:41.94
it's the story of David.
00:14:41.98\00:14:46.21
In 2nd Samuel chapter 7,
00:14:46.25\00:14:50.45
I'm not talking
about his entire story
00:14:50.49\00:14:52.92
but in 2nd Samuel chapter 7,
the Bible paints a picture of...
00:14:52.95\00:14:56.42
of David going
about in his palace
00:14:56.46\00:14:59.89
and apparently he comes to
00:14:59.93\00:15:01.26
either one of the
windows or terraces
00:15:01.30\00:15:03.23
and he looks out and he
sees the Sanctuary in a tent.
00:15:03.26\00:15:08.74
Pause...
00:15:08.77\00:15:10.57
and David says,
"uh... uh... mmm... mmm...
00:15:10.61\00:15:13.38
this... this is not
right, it ain't right... "
00:15:14.78\00:15:18.41
and David has a
vision birthed in him,
00:15:18.45\00:15:22.45
I don't know if it was birthed
on that particular day or night
00:15:22.48\00:15:25.95
but a vision is birthed
that God should have a house
00:15:25.99\00:15:29.42
that is unrivaled...
unmatched in all the world,
00:15:29.46\00:15:33.26
it should surpass all
the houses of the other gods
00:15:33.29\00:15:37.10
in splendor and
beauty because after all,
00:15:37.13\00:15:39.87
it is the house of
the God of the universe...
00:15:39.90\00:15:42.60
the only true God...
00:15:42.64\00:15:44.04
David calls the
prophet Nathan and says,
00:15:44.07\00:15:48.28
"Listen, I've had a vision
00:15:48.31\00:15:51.01
and it's unsettled me that God
is dwelling underneath a tent
00:15:51.05\00:15:57.29
while I'm living
in a palace of Cedar,
00:15:57.35\00:15:59.95
I'm going to
build God a house. "
00:15:59.99\00:16:03.02
Pause...
00:16:03.06\00:16:04.69
The prophet Nathan
responds to David and says,
00:16:04.73\00:16:07.96
"All that is in
your heart... do it"
00:16:08.00\00:16:10.17
and he leaves
00:16:10.20\00:16:12.40
and I imagine that
David goes to bed that night
00:16:12.43\00:16:15.10
dreaming of the
splendor... the magnificence...
00:16:15.14\00:16:17.74
the beauty of God's house.
00:16:17.77\00:16:19.97
Pause...
00:16:20.01\00:16:22.71
God interrupts
Nathan's sleep that night
00:16:22.74\00:16:26.45
and says, "I want you to go
back and speak to David... "
00:16:26.48\00:16:30.72
Nathan comes back to David,
00:16:30.75\00:16:35.99
I don't know if it was the
next day... the next week...
00:16:36.02\00:16:39.26
I don't know
what the chronology is
00:16:39.29\00:16:42.06
but the prophet Nathan
comes in to see David and says,
00:16:42.10\00:16:45.50
and this is amazing...
00:16:45.53\00:16:49.20
pause...
00:16:49.24\00:16:51.37
God, speaking
through Nathan says,
00:16:51.41\00:16:53.41
"Since I brought
Israel up out of Egypt
00:16:53.44\00:16:57.21
and settled them in this land,
00:16:57.25\00:16:59.45
no one has ever
suggested building Me a house,
00:16:59.48\00:17:04.29
pause...
00:17:04.32\00:17:06.09
David, you are
on hallowed ground,
00:17:06.12\00:17:08.89
David, you're in a unique place
00:17:08.92\00:17:11.16
because you have thought of Me
00:17:11.19\00:17:13.56
in a way that no one else has
00:17:13.60\00:17:15.86
since I have delivered
my people out of Egypt.
00:17:15.90\00:17:18.70
David, I want to tell you,
00:17:18.73\00:17:21.50
I'm really feeling
this thing about this house,
00:17:21.54\00:17:24.57
but I've got
some bad news, David,
00:17:24.61\00:17:28.54
you are not going
to build me a house. "
00:17:28.58\00:17:32.11
"Say... say what?"
00:17:32.15\00:17:37.29
Pause...
00:17:37.32\00:17:39.95
"But you just said
yesterday or last week
00:17:39.99\00:17:43.36
that all that
was in my heart... "
00:17:43.43\00:17:44.76
"David you will not
build God's house. "
00:17:44.79\00:17:49.03
Can you imagine? It
must have been devastating.
00:17:49.06\00:17:53.17
God says, "It's a good plan...
00:17:53.23\00:17:55.97
in fact, it's an excellent
plan and it's going to happen
00:17:56.00\00:18:00.54
but you won't be the
one to accomplish it. "
00:18:00.58\00:18:03.68
I imagine that as
Nathan continues to speak,
00:18:03.75\00:18:06.82
David's head drops and
his... his shoulders slink
00:18:07.25\00:18:10.59
and he... he's
slumping down in this throne,
00:18:10.65\00:18:14.19
thinking to
himself, "Why? Why...?"
00:18:14.22\00:18:16.39
but something catches his ear...
00:18:16.42\00:18:18.53
as the Prophet
Nathan continues to speak
00:18:18.59\00:18:21.66
and he says, "David, you
have wanted to build me a house,
00:18:21.70\00:18:26.90
but I will make you a house. "
00:18:26.94\00:18:29.67
Woooo... you all
didn't hear me tonight,
00:18:29.70\00:18:31.67
you wanted to
build a house for me,
00:18:31.71\00:18:35.31
but David... "
00:18:35.34\00:18:37.45
because as we used to sing
in the church I grew up in,
00:18:37.48\00:18:40.35
"You can't beat God giving...
00:18:40.38\00:18:43.69
no matter how hard you try
00:18:43.72\00:18:45.99
because the more you give... "
00:18:46.02\00:18:48.29
anybody know that song?
00:18:48.32\00:18:49.66
"the more He... the
more He gives to you. "
00:18:49.69\00:18:53.46
So, God says,
00:18:53.50\00:18:55.90
"David, if you have
decided to build me a house,
00:18:55.93\00:18:58.67
but I'm going to
make you a house... "
00:18:58.70\00:19:01.00
"What does that mean God?"
00:19:01.04\00:19:02.37
It means that you will
become the receptacle of my Son,
00:19:02.40\00:19:06.44
He's going to come
through your family line...
00:19:06.47\00:19:08.91
the Messiah will be a
part of your family, David. "
00:19:08.94\00:19:12.25
David breaks down...
it's... it's beautiful...
00:19:12.28\00:19:17.02
if you never
read... go home tonight...
00:19:17.05\00:19:19.59
to your hotel room or
wherever you're staying,
00:19:19.62\00:19:22.02
and open up 2nd Samuel chapter 7
00:19:22.06\00:19:25.03
and you will find
David is not devastated...
00:19:25.06\00:19:27.86
he's not
disappointed, he is humbled.
00:19:27.90\00:19:31.53
Pause...
00:19:31.57\00:19:33.70
"Who am I...?" David says,
00:19:33.74\00:19:36.77
"who am I?
00:19:36.81\00:19:39.11
I was just tending the sheep
00:19:39.14\00:19:42.41
and you went and you
called me and you anointed me
00:19:42.44\00:19:45.05
and exalted me to be
king over all of your people
00:19:45.08\00:19:47.68
but now, this too?
00:19:47.72\00:19:49.05
David had a vision for himself
when he was anointed as king,
00:19:49.08\00:19:53.82
I imagine... and he
had even a greater vision
00:19:53.86\00:19:56.66
of building God a house
00:19:56.69\00:19:58.19
but he was not
disappointed, why?
00:19:58.23\00:20:00.56
Because God's vision for David,
surpassed his vision for himself
00:20:00.60\00:20:05.60
are you with me tonight?
00:20:05.63\00:20:06.97
The third person I want to
talk to you about is Elijah...
00:20:07.00\00:20:13.01
This... this... this
brother is amazing...
00:20:13.04\00:20:17.65
Elijah comes out of nowhere...
00:20:17.68\00:20:20.98
comes into the palace
00:20:21.02\00:20:24.52
and the implications
or the inferences are
00:20:24.55\00:20:28.82
that Elijah had
spent much time in prayer
00:20:28.86\00:20:32.46
sighing and crying
for the abominations
00:20:32.49\00:20:36.03
that had been done in the land
00:20:36.06\00:20:37.77
and a burden developed in
his heart and in his mind,
00:20:37.80\00:20:41.30
he wanted to see the people
of God experience repentance.
00:20:41.34\00:20:46.24
He wanted to see idolatry kicked
out of the land of Israel.
00:20:46.27\00:20:51.11
He wanted to see
the people's hearts
00:20:51.15\00:20:53.62
turned away from the
false worship of Baal
00:20:53.68\00:20:56.52
back to the worship
of the true God, Jehovah.
00:20:56.55\00:20:59.35
Elijah dedicates himself to this
00:20:59.39\00:21:02.59
and the Bible tells us that he
appears on the scene and says,
00:21:02.62\00:21:06.49
"There will be neither dew
nor rain except at my word"
00:21:06.53\00:21:10.33
and then
immediately he disappears
00:21:10.37\00:21:12.90
and there was a manhunt...
a nationwide manhunt for him.
00:21:12.93\00:21:16.27
He spends about a year and
a half by the brook Cherith
00:21:16.30\00:21:19.57
and then he spends
the rest of the famine
00:21:19.61\00:21:21.94
there with the
widow at Zarepheth
00:21:22.01\00:21:24.71
and Elijah has
dedicated himself.
00:21:24.75\00:21:27.42
Elijah has sacrificed to see
God's people turn back to him.
00:21:27.45\00:21:34.09
You know the story.
00:21:34.12\00:21:35.96
At the appointed time
he goes and he tells Ahab
00:21:35.99\00:21:39.29
to gather everyone
there at Mount Carmel...
00:21:39.33\00:21:42.40
fire comes down
from God out of heaven,
00:21:42.43\00:21:45.43
all of Israel... can you
imagine the scene, Beloved?
00:21:45.47\00:21:48.50
Thousands upon
thousands of voices that...
00:21:48.54\00:21:53.98
and this has never been
heard in Elijah's lifetime...
00:21:54.01\00:21:57.41
thousands of...
upon thousands of voices
00:21:57.45\00:22:01.72
"The Lord... He is the God...
00:22:01.75\00:22:03.62
the Lord... He is the God"
00:22:03.65\00:22:05.45
it must have made the
hair on Elijah's back stand up.
00:22:05.49\00:22:09.82
Pause...
00:22:09.86\00:22:12.49
All of Baal's prophets
and priests are destroyed.
00:22:12.53\00:22:16.77
Elijah goes up and
he prays seven times...
00:22:16.80\00:22:25.64
he's on his knees
00:22:25.67\00:22:27.24
pause...
00:22:27.28\00:22:29.61
and he sees a
dark cloud... small...
00:22:29.64\00:22:32.98
the size of a man's hand
00:22:33.01\00:22:34.88
or his servant sees it
and comes back and tells him
00:22:34.92\00:22:37.39
and Elijah gets
up and begins to run.
00:22:37.42\00:22:40.32
He runs before Ahab's chariot,
00:22:40.36\00:22:45.49
supernaturally endowed.
00:22:45.53\00:22:49.53
He runs before Ahab's chariot
down to the city of Jezreel
00:22:49.56\00:22:56.47
and he falls down exhausted
00:22:56.50\00:22:59.27
and then, Jezebel's servant
comes and whispers the news...
00:22:59.31\00:23:07.52
her response to all
that had taken place
00:23:07.55\00:23:10.29
and Elijah begins to run
again into the wilderness
00:23:10.32\00:23:19.13
towards the mountain of God.
00:23:19.16\00:23:23.10
Elijah's life had
been dedicated to reform...
00:23:23.13\00:23:31.11
to revival and reformation
and Elijah is devastated.
00:23:31.17\00:23:37.21
It appears to learn that
after all that has transpired,
00:23:37.25\00:23:42.85
there are still some who
would resist the power of God.
00:23:42.88\00:23:48.49
Pause...
00:23:48.52\00:23:50.66
I want to share with you
tonight Elijah never fully saw
00:23:50.69\00:23:55.90
the nation of Israel
turn in repentance to God
00:23:55.93\00:24:03.84
pause...
00:24:03.87\00:24:07.41
but Elijah's story...
00:24:07.44\00:24:09.31
I don't think anybody in here
tonight feels sorry for Elijah,
00:24:09.34\00:24:12.68
do you?
00:24:12.71\00:24:14.35
Because you know
where he is, right?
00:24:14.38\00:24:16.85
The Bible says that God sent...
00:24:16.89\00:24:20.39
He sent fiery
chariots to come down
00:24:20.42\00:24:24.83
and translate him to
heaven without seeing death
00:24:24.86\00:24:30.43
and Elijah is granted the
privilege along with Moses,
00:24:30.47\00:24:36.87
oooh... help me Lord...
00:24:36.91\00:24:38.77
he is granted the
privilege of coming down
00:24:38.81\00:24:43.28
to encourage Jesus.
00:24:43.35\00:24:46.05
Oh, how would you like
that privilege tonight?
00:24:46.08\00:24:50.72
To encourage Jesus...
00:24:50.75\00:24:54.49
"It... it's going
to be all right Jesus,
00:24:54.52\00:24:57.43
it's going to be all
right, we believe in You,
00:24:57.46\00:25:01.53
You're going to make it.
00:25:01.56\00:25:03.70
We've been waiting on
this... all of humanity
00:25:03.73\00:25:06.84
and all of nature has
been waiting on this...
00:25:06.87\00:25:09.94
You are going to do it...
00:25:09.97\00:25:11.41
it's going to be
all right, Jesus. "
00:25:11.44\00:25:13.27
Pause...
00:25:13.34\00:25:17.25
Elijah wanted to see
revival and reformation
00:25:17.28\00:25:20.35
in his lifetime
and he didn't see it
00:25:20.38\00:25:24.05
but God took him to heaven
00:25:24.09\00:25:26.92
because God's vision for Elijah
00:25:26.96\00:25:31.39
was higher than
Elijah's vision for himself.
00:25:31.43\00:25:37.03
Pause...
00:25:37.07\00:25:39.83
In the book Education page 18,
and it's been such a long time
00:25:39.87\00:25:45.87
almost 17 years of
what have you with GYC
00:25:45.91\00:25:49.61
I think this used
to be one of the things
00:25:49.64\00:25:53.31
folks used to talk about at GYC.
00:25:53.35\00:25:55.35
"Higher than the
highest human thought can reach,
00:25:55.38\00:26:00.46
higher than the
highest human thought can reach
00:26:00.49\00:26:05.53
is God's ideal
for His children. "
00:26:05.56\00:26:08.60
Godliness... Godlikeness
is the goal to be reached.
00:26:08.63\00:26:16.37
Pause...
00:26:16.40\00:26:18.74
I want to remind you, Beloved,
of these three individuals
00:26:18.77\00:26:22.11
and tell you that what God
designed for these individuals
00:26:22.14\00:26:25.45
was better than what
they imagined for themselves.
00:26:25.48\00:26:30.02
Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha...
00:26:30.05\00:26:33.62
help us Lord,
00:26:33.66\00:26:34.99
pause...
00:26:35.02\00:26:38.36
here's our question,
00:26:38.39\00:26:39.83
"What do we
imagine for ourselves?"
00:26:39.86\00:26:43.43
I'm going to go
out on a limb tonight
00:26:43.47\00:26:46.94
and I'm going to say that
there are at least two things
00:26:46.97\00:26:52.51
that we imagine for ourselves.
00:26:52.54\00:26:54.84
Just know this, I'm not here
to make you feel good tonight,
00:26:54.88\00:26:59.28
I'm here to
challenge you to think.
00:26:59.31\00:27:02.82
There are at least two
things that we envision...
00:27:02.85\00:27:09.92
that we desire for ourselves
00:27:09.96\00:27:11.63
especially this crowd,
00:27:11.66\00:27:14.93
you want to know what they are?
00:27:14.96\00:27:16.70
You already know what they
are, number one, soul winning.
00:27:16.73\00:27:23.27
What's number one?
00:27:23.30\00:27:25.34
Audience: Soul winning.
00:27:25.37\00:27:26.71
Ask what the
testimonies were about,
00:27:26.74\00:27:28.74
ask what GYC is all about,
00:27:28.78\00:27:34.32
but the other one
is closely related.
00:27:34.35\00:27:38.95
Soul winning
and to stop sinning.
00:27:38.99\00:27:43.53
Now, just stick your
toes under your seats
00:27:43.56\00:27:48.00
because I'm going to step on it.
00:27:48.03\00:27:51.23
Soul winning
and to stop sinning.
00:27:51.27\00:27:54.40
Pause...
00:27:54.47\00:27:57.04
I'm not going to deal
with both of those tonight
00:27:57.07\00:27:58.64
but I'm going to deal with
the "stop sinning" one tonight.
00:27:58.67\00:28:00.88
Pause...
00:28:00.91\00:28:03.45
And I want to
suggest to you a question.
00:28:03.48\00:28:06.05
What if, Beloved, the
way to achieve what we desire
00:28:06.08\00:28:13.29
is not in fact
what we think it is?
00:28:13.36\00:28:17.09
Pause...
00:28:17.13\00:28:21.56
Nothing wrong with the goal
00:28:21.63\00:28:24.07
but what if the
way to achieve the goal
00:28:24.10\00:28:27.97
is not what we think?
00:28:28.00\00:28:30.04
Pause...
00:28:30.07\00:28:32.07
I can't tell you how
many people I've spoken to
00:28:32.11\00:28:36.88
especially young
men and young women
00:28:36.91\00:28:40.72
who are wrestling
with their inability
00:28:40.75\00:28:44.49
to live up to God's
high ideals and standards.
00:28:44.55\00:28:50.09
Pause...
00:28:50.13\00:28:53.73
His purposes...
00:28:53.76\00:28:55.10
Pause...
00:28:55.13\00:28:58.43
I can't tell you
how many I've spoken to
00:28:58.47\00:29:02.74
who are
discouraged and feel defeated
00:29:02.77\00:29:06.71
because they look at
themselves and recognize
00:29:06.78\00:29:11.51
that I fall miserably short.
00:29:11.55\00:29:16.38
Pause...
00:29:16.42\00:29:20.79
Ah...
00:29:20.82\00:29:22.29
I could say more about that
00:29:22.32\00:29:25.13
but I don't have a
lot of time tonight.
00:29:25.16\00:29:28.20
Turn with me to
Isaiah the 58th chapter,
00:29:28.23\00:29:31.23
Pause...
00:29:31.30\00:29:38.27
Isaiah chapter 58 is
fascinating, Beloved,
00:29:38.31\00:29:40.48
verse one says this, "Cry aloud,
00:29:40.51\00:29:46.41
spare not,
00:29:46.45\00:29:48.92
lift up your
voice like a trumpet,
00:29:48.98\00:29:52.05
and show my people
their transgression,
00:29:52.09\00:29:55.99
at the house of
Jacob their sins. "
00:29:56.02\00:29:59.86
Now I've got to...
I've got to admit to you
00:29:59.89\00:30:03.16
when I first read that,
00:30:03.20\00:30:04.53
my expectation is that God is
getting ready to go down a list
00:30:04.57\00:30:09.10
of idolatrous practices.
00:30:09.14\00:30:11.34
Right?
00:30:11.37\00:30:13.14
I mean, these are folks
who need to see their sins,
00:30:13.17\00:30:17.45
they need to
understand their transgressions
00:30:17.48\00:30:19.91
and apparently they are
blind to what's really going on.
00:30:19.95\00:30:23.59
So, God says, "When you talk,
you got to do it really loud...
00:30:23.62\00:30:27.66
lift up your
voice like a trumpet,
00:30:27.69\00:30:29.82
cry aloud, don't spare anyone
00:30:29.86\00:30:32.36
show my people their sins,
00:30:32.39\00:30:34.83
let them know what
their transgressions are. "
00:30:34.86\00:30:37.07
But listen to this, verse 2,
00:30:37.10\00:30:40.87
"Yet they seek me daily,
and delight to know my ways,
00:30:40.94\00:30:47.71
as a nation that
did righteousness,
00:30:47.74\00:30:50.95
and forsook not the
ordinances of their God:
00:30:50.98\00:30:54.48
they ask of me the
ordinances of justice;
00:30:54.52\00:30:57.79
they take delight in
approaching to God. "
00:30:57.82\00:31:01.06
Beloved, I want you to get
00:31:01.09\00:31:02.42
what Isaiah
chapter 58 is saying to us,
00:31:02.46\00:31:04.69
these are not
irreligious people,
00:31:04.76\00:31:07.66
they're the type of individuals
00:31:07.70\00:31:10.57
who plan on
coming to GYC every year,
00:31:10.60\00:31:13.70
they're the types of individuals
00:31:13.74\00:31:15.37
who are the first ones in the
church when the doors are opened
00:31:15.40\00:31:19.04
they're the types of individuals
00:31:19.07\00:31:20.78
who want revival and
reformation in their lives,
00:31:20.81\00:31:23.98
they're the types of
people who want to be like God.
00:31:24.01\00:31:27.18
Pause...
00:31:27.22\00:31:29.78
And yet, God says,
00:31:29.82\00:31:31.15
that in their religious
round of practices and services,
00:31:31.19\00:31:34.82
they have, in fact,
missed the point entirely.
00:31:34.86\00:31:38.76
Pause...
00:31:38.79\00:31:40.93
It is these people that God says
00:31:40.96\00:31:43.06
need to see their sins
and their transgressions.
00:31:43.10\00:31:46.63
I'm scratching my
head just like the people
00:31:46.67\00:31:50.61
that this was written to.
00:31:50.64\00:31:51.97
"What do you mean, Doc?
00:31:52.01\00:31:53.34
Pause...
00:31:53.84\00:31:57.35
Verse 3, this erupts
in their response to God,
00:31:57.38\00:32:02.08
"Wherefore have
we fasted, say they,
00:32:02.12\00:32:04.99
and you don't see?
00:32:05.02\00:32:06.55
wherefore have we
afflicted our soul,
00:32:06.59\00:32:08.82
and you have
not taken knowledge?
00:32:08.86\00:32:11.09
Behold, in the
day of your fast... "
00:32:11.13\00:32:13.29
God is responding now...
00:32:13.33\00:32:14.66
"you find pleasure,
and exact all your labours.
00:32:14.70\00:32:18.00
You fast for strife and debate,
00:32:18.03\00:32:21.97
and to smite with
the fist of wickedness:
00:32:22.00\00:32:24.51
you will not fast
as you do this day,
00:32:24.54\00:32:27.58
to make your voice
to be heard on high. "
00:32:27.61\00:32:30.58
Then God asked a
question in verse 5,
00:32:30.61\00:32:33.42
"Is it such a fast
that I have chosen?
00:32:33.45\00:32:36.62
a day for a man
to afflict his soul?
00:32:36.65\00:32:39.79
is it to bow down
his head as a bulrush,
00:32:39.82\00:32:43.16
and to spread
sackcloth and ashes under him?
00:32:43.19\00:32:46.49
wilt thou call this a fast,
00:32:46.53\00:32:48.53
and an
acceptable day to the LORD?"
00:32:48.56\00:32:50.37
God says, "Listen,
you've laid prostrate
00:32:50.40\00:32:52.67
and you've prayed
and you've cried...
00:32:52.73\00:32:54.64
and you've
prayed and you've cried
00:32:54.67\00:32:56.54
and you have pled with me
00:32:56.60\00:32:58.01
and you have... you
have... you have fasted
00:32:58.04\00:33:00.01
and you've said, "Lord,
I'll do whatever it takes"
00:33:00.04\00:33:02.08
but God asked
the question tonight
00:33:02.14\00:33:06.51
as he did from the pen of
the lips of Prophet Isaiah,
00:33:06.55\00:33:12.85
"Is this what I really desire?"
00:33:12.89\00:33:15.36
Pause...
00:33:15.39\00:33:19.06
God begins to
explain the dilemma.
00:33:19.09\00:33:22.40
Verse 6, "Is not this
the fast that I have chosen?"
00:33:22.43\00:33:28.20
to loose the
bands of wickedness,
00:33:28.24\00:33:31.81
to undo the heavy burdens,
00:33:31.84\00:33:34.48
and to let the
oppressed go free,
00:33:34.51\00:33:37.01
and that you break every yoke?
00:33:37.05\00:33:39.48
Is it not to give
your bread to the hungry,
00:33:39.51\00:33:42.88
and that you bring the poor
that are cast out to your house,
00:33:42.92\00:33:46.19
when you see the
naked, that you cover him,
00:33:46.22\00:33:49.22
that you hide not
yourself from your own flesh?"
00:33:49.26\00:33:53.06
Pause...
00:33:53.09\00:33:56.23
Did you notice
what the difference is?
00:33:56.26\00:33:57.63
Pause...
00:33:57.67\00:33:59.13
the fast that
Israel was engaged in
00:33:59.17\00:34:02.84
was a fast that
centered around themselves
00:34:02.87\00:34:06.71
and God introduces a fast
that centers on serving others.
00:34:06.74\00:34:14.68
Pause...
00:34:14.72\00:34:16.42
Did you get it or did you
miss it this evening, Beloved?
00:34:16.45\00:34:18.35
Pause...
00:34:18.39\00:34:20.82
Now, I want you to pay attention
to what God goes on to say,
00:34:20.86\00:34:23.46
one fast is centered on me...
00:34:23.49\00:34:26.80
"Oh Lord, if I could just
overcome two more sins... "
00:34:26.83\00:34:31.40
"Lord, if I could just get
rid of this besetting sin...
00:34:31.43\00:34:36.00
the one that so
easily besets me... "
00:34:36.04\00:34:37.94
and my prayers are
consumed with me...
00:34:37.97\00:34:42.34
"God help me...
God deliver me... "
00:34:42.38\00:34:46.68
Pause...
00:34:46.72\00:34:50.19
God says, "Get your mind... "
00:34:50.22\00:34:53.32
remember what we
read in Isaiah 55?
00:34:53.36\00:34:55.32
It's a change in the we...
00:34:55.36\00:34:58.33
Audience: think.
00:34:58.36\00:34:59.69
God says, "Get your
mind off of yourself. "
00:34:59.73\00:35:05.23
Pause...
00:35:05.27\00:35:08.17
"But I want to stop sinning... "
00:35:08.20\00:35:09.94
"Yeah, but your
mind is only on you. "
00:35:10.01\00:35:15.84
Pause...
00:35:15.91\00:35:21.22
Verse 8...
00:35:21.25\00:35:24.25
"Then... "
00:35:24.29\00:35:26.59
it says... this is
when we begin to live
00:35:26.65\00:35:29.16
and... and by-the-way,
00:35:29.19\00:35:31.19
who lived like this?
00:35:31.23\00:35:32.93
Come on Beloved,
who lived like this?
00:35:32.96\00:35:36.73
This is the way
that Jesus lived.
00:35:36.77\00:35:40.50
You remember when He said,
00:35:40.54\00:35:42.84
when someone said,
"Hey, I want to follow you,
00:35:42.87\00:35:45.47
I want to be your disciple,"
00:35:45.51\00:35:47.21
He said, "Foxes have holes
00:35:47.24\00:35:48.64
and the birds have nests
but the Son of man has...
00:35:48.71\00:35:51.55
He has nowhere
to lay His head... "
00:35:51.58\00:35:54.82
He could have
certainly taken up a collection
00:35:54.85\00:35:57.39
so that he could get
Himself a decent place to stay
00:35:57.42\00:36:00.52
but Jesus was more
interested in serving others
00:36:00.56\00:36:03.63
than He was in
making Himself comfortable,
00:36:03.66\00:36:05.89
are you listening to me tonight?
00:36:05.93\00:36:07.26
Now listen to what
happens in verse 8,
00:36:07.30\00:36:11.47
as a result of adopting
this type of selflessness,
00:36:11.50\00:36:15.54
"Then... then shall thy
light break forth as the morning
00:36:15.57\00:36:22.21
and your health will
spring forth speedily... "
00:36:22.24\00:36:26.38
Lord, have mercy...
00:36:26.41\00:36:27.75
"your righteousness
shall go before you;
00:36:27.78\00:36:31.45
the glory of the LORD
will be your reward. "
00:36:31.49\00:36:35.56
Have you ever
considered my dear Friends,
00:36:35.59\00:36:39.56
that when you're
praying for your health,
00:36:39.59\00:36:43.50
God might ask, "Why
should I give you more health?"
00:36:43.53\00:36:47.94
Pause...
00:36:48.00\00:36:50.37
you're just going to
consume it on yourself
00:36:50.41\00:36:52.41
like you've been doing already
00:36:52.44\00:36:54.64
but the individual who's
living to bless others...
00:36:54.68\00:36:59.75
listen to how
this individual prays,
00:36:59.81\00:37:01.58
"Lord, give me more years so
I can continue to glorify You
00:37:01.62\00:37:09.16
by serving the
men... women and children
00:37:09.19\00:37:12.36
that You have laid
down Your life for.
00:37:12.39\00:37:15.56
Pause...
00:37:15.60\00:37:17.60
The servant of the Lord...
00:37:17.63\00:37:19.17
I always get this mixed
up... please forgive me...
00:37:19.20\00:37:21.47
she says, "The Law
of heaven is this...
00:37:21.50\00:37:24.17
to live is to give. "
00:37:24.21\00:37:26.78
And my dear Friends,
00:37:26.81\00:37:29.31
all of the universe is
in harmony with this law
00:37:29.34\00:37:31.95
except here on planet Earth.
00:37:32.01\00:37:34.95
And God says, "If you get into
harmony with this principle,
00:37:34.98\00:37:40.99
then, your light...
00:37:41.02\00:37:43.99
then your light will
break forth as the morning
00:37:44.03\00:37:47.53
and your health will
spring forth speedily,
00:37:47.56\00:37:51.03
your righteousness
will go before you,
00:37:51.07\00:37:53.13
the glory of the Lord
will be your reward... "
00:37:53.17\00:37:55.24
verse 9...
listen... listen friends...
00:37:55.27\00:37:57.01
"Then you will call, and
the LORD will answer... "
00:37:57.04\00:38:01.74
did you hear what I just said?
00:38:01.81\00:38:03.95
I've read to my children
the story of Samuel, right,
00:38:03.98\00:38:09.65
and I've told them, as we pray,
00:38:09.68\00:38:12.49
"Now we're going to
pray like Samuel prayed...
00:38:12.52\00:38:14.52
Samuel prayed, 'Speak
Lord, for Thy servant hears. '"
00:38:14.56\00:38:19.29
But here in Isaiah chapter 58,
a different picture is painted,
00:38:19.33\00:38:24.63
God says, "When you live in
harmony with My principle...
00:38:24.67\00:38:28.37
when you live in
harmony with My character...
00:38:28.40\00:38:30.57
when you call, I will answer. "
00:38:30.61\00:38:32.91
I don't know about you
but I want God on speed dial.
00:38:32.94\00:38:36.78
Audience: Amen.
00:38:36.81\00:38:38.35
I want to call on the
Lord and I want Him to show up
00:38:38.38\00:38:41.45
every single time
I call on His name.
00:38:41.48\00:38:43.89
Audience: Amen.
00:38:43.92\00:38:45.25
And God says,
"I'll do that for you
00:38:45.29\00:38:47.69
if you adopt this principle...
if it permeates your being. "
00:38:47.72\00:38:51.79
Pause...
00:38:51.83\00:38:54.10
"then you will call
and the Lord shall answer;
00:38:54.16\00:38:58.77
you will cry... "
00:38:58.83\00:39:00.74
wooo ooo... it's
almost blasphemous...
00:39:00.77\00:39:03.81
but it's not... it's Biblical...
00:39:03.84\00:39:05.87
"Thou shalt cry,
and He shall say... "
00:39:05.91\00:39:11.48
this is God... "Here I am. "
00:39:11.51\00:39:14.82
Hooo... that's
Samuel's prayer inverted
00:39:14.85\00:39:19.65
so that God is responding
00:39:19.72\00:39:21.52
to faithful,
loving, selfless humanity,
00:39:21.56\00:39:25.26
by saying, "Here I am...
00:39:25.29\00:39:27.20
what do you want
me to do for you?
00:39:27.23\00:39:29.70
What do you need from me?"
00:39:29.73\00:39:31.20
Pause...
00:39:31.23\00:39:34.14
"Thou take away from
the midst of thee the yoke,
00:39:34.17\00:39:37.41
the putting forth of the
finger and speaking vanity,
00:39:37.44\00:39:38.97
if you draw out
your soul to the hungry
00:39:39.01\00:39:41.51
and satisfy the afflicted soul,
00:39:41.54\00:39:43.48
then shall thy light
arise in obscurity... "
00:39:43.55\00:39:48.08
let me just get prophetic and
apocalyptic for a minute here,
00:39:48.12\00:39:54.06
this is when the
prophetic message
00:39:54.09\00:39:58.86
that we have been gifted
with and blessed with by God
00:39:58.89\00:40:03.00
will go forth with
speed and with power.
00:40:03.03\00:40:06.84
This is when the
three angels' messages
00:40:06.87\00:40:10.41
will arise from a
place of obscurity
00:40:10.44\00:40:13.34
so that we don't
have to knock on doors
00:40:13.38\00:40:16.18
and people say, "What
church do you belong to?"
00:40:16.24\00:40:18.31
"The Seventh-day Adventist. "
00:40:18.35\00:40:19.85
"The Seventh-shibi dibi who?"
00:40:19.88\00:40:21.35
Audience: Laughter.
00:40:21.38\00:40:22.85
"Yeah, yeah, the
Seventh-day Adventist... "
00:40:22.88\00:40:24.72
"I've never heard of that. "
00:40:24.75\00:40:26.09
God says... when we live
in harmony with His principle
00:40:26.12\00:40:30.76
that is outlined here in
the 58th chapter of Isaiah,
00:40:30.79\00:40:33.53
then our life will
rise out of obscurity...
00:40:33.56\00:40:36.40
people will say, "I
know who you are... "
00:40:36.43\00:40:39.23
Audience: Amen.
00:40:39.27\00:40:41.14
Pause...
00:40:41.17\00:40:46.11
"Then shall thy
light rise in obscurity,
00:40:46.14\00:40:49.01
and thy darkness
be as the noonday. "
00:40:49.04\00:40:51.81
Verse 11, "And the Lord
shall guide thee continually
00:40:51.85\00:40:58.42
and satisfy your
soul in drought. "
00:40:58.45\00:41:04.03
When the Spirit of God
00:41:04.06\00:41:06.96
is slowly being
withdrawn from the earth,
00:41:07.00\00:41:09.96
those who have made this
principle of selfless love
00:41:10.00\00:41:15.47
and service...
00:41:15.50\00:41:17.07
those who have made
this their objective
00:41:17.11\00:41:22.21
not separate from
the person of Christ
00:41:22.24\00:41:27.32
but because it
reflects perfectly who Jesus is
00:41:27.35\00:41:31.29
those who have embraced Jesus
00:41:31.32\00:41:33.19
and the same
principle in their lives
00:41:33.22\00:41:35.96
when the Spirit of
God is being withdrawn...
00:41:35.99\00:41:39.09
and there is a time
of drought and of famine,
00:41:39.13\00:41:42.20
God promises,
"You will be watered"
00:41:42.23\00:41:44.97
you will be watered...
00:41:45.00\00:41:48.94
pause...
00:41:48.97\00:41:52.37
"God will make fat your bones
00:41:52.41\00:41:55.04
and you will be
like a watered garden
00:41:55.08\00:41:57.78
and like a spring of waters...
00:41:57.81\00:41:59.15
whose waters fail not. "
00:41:59.18\00:42:03.22
Pause...
00:42:03.25\00:42:07.69
Oh Lord, hmmm...
00:42:07.72\00:42:10.59
pause...
00:42:10.63\00:42:13.90
I want to tell you
tonight, religious exercises
00:42:13.93\00:42:17.23
and spiritual exercises alone...
there is a place for them
00:42:17.27\00:42:22.17
are not the way to reach
God's ideal for our lives
00:42:22.20\00:42:27.54
or perhaps, it's not
even the way for us to reach
00:42:27.58\00:42:32.88
our own ideals for our lives.
00:42:32.91\00:42:36.48
Pause...
00:42:36.52\00:42:38.65
This is from
Medical Ministry, 239,
00:42:38.69\00:42:40.72
"Medical missionary
work brings to humanity
00:42:40.76\00:42:45.16
the gospel of
release from suffering.
00:42:45.19\00:42:49.03
It is the pioneer
work of the gospel. "
00:42:49.06\00:42:52.87
Did you all hear that?
00:42:52.90\00:42:55.00
Pause...
00:42:55.04\00:42:57.07
"It is the pioneer
work of the gospel...
00:42:57.11\00:42:59.14
it is the gospel practiced,
00:42:59.17\00:43:03.75
the compassion
of Christ revealed.
00:43:03.81\00:43:09.28
Of this work there is great need
and the world is open for it.
00:43:09.32\00:43:18.06
Pause...
00:43:18.09\00:43:21.80
Our country just experienced
here in the United States
00:43:21.83\00:43:25.27
an Opioid Crisis...
00:43:25.30\00:43:28.04
anybody hear about that?
00:43:28.07\00:43:29.90
Pause...
00:43:29.94\00:43:32.04
What about if
medical ministry involved
00:43:32.07\00:43:35.81
ministering to
those who are addicted?
00:43:35.84\00:43:39.51
Pause...
00:43:39.55\00:43:41.68
Because addicts
also have families
00:43:41.72\00:43:45.65
who are enduring crisis, in
some cases, on a daily basis.
00:43:45.69\00:43:52.43
Pause...
00:43:52.46\00:43:54.86
Now look, I love
prophecy as much as the next...
00:43:54.90\00:43:57.30
Daniel... Revelation...
00:43:57.33\00:43:59.83
hooo... man! talk about it...
00:43:59.87\00:44:02.57
pause...
00:44:02.60\00:44:04.24
but if someone is
suffering from an opioid crisis,
00:44:04.27\00:44:09.24
don't tell me all you got to
offer is a Revelation Seminar.
00:44:09.28\00:44:12.65
Pause...
00:44:12.68\00:44:15.72
Did you hear what I
said, Friends of God?
00:44:15.75\00:44:17.62
pause...
00:44:17.65\00:44:18.99
Practice the
gospel... don't just preach it.
00:44:19.02\00:44:23.36
Pause...
00:44:23.39\00:44:25.66
Reveal the compassion of Christ.
00:44:25.69\00:44:28.16
Don't just tell people where He
is in the heavenly sanctuary...
00:44:28.20\00:44:32.27
show them how He
lives through you.
00:44:32.30\00:44:37.67
Pause...
00:44:37.71\00:44:40.14
Now, I know, when
we talk about things
00:44:40.18\00:44:42.18
like the 58th chapter of Isaiah
00:44:42.21\00:44:43.95
and we talk about ministry
to the poor and what have you,
00:44:44.01\00:44:47.08
some folks get discouraged...
00:44:47.12\00:44:48.68
ah... there we
go... there we go...
00:44:48.75\00:44:50.92
you know, we got a special work,
00:44:50.95\00:44:53.39
we're not the Salvation Army,
00:44:53.42\00:44:56.36
and that sounds real nice,
00:44:56.39\00:44:59.33
and it's true.
00:44:59.36\00:45:01.50
Pause...
00:45:01.53\00:45:04.10
We're not the Salvation Army.
00:45:04.13\00:45:05.47
I'm going to share
with you a story...
00:45:05.50\00:45:07.74
had an Elder and
his wife in my church
00:45:07.77\00:45:10.17
and they were leading out in
the Community Service Department
00:45:10.21\00:45:16.04
in the church
00:45:16.08\00:45:17.68
and we had a huge program
where we invited the community,
00:45:17.71\00:45:23.62
we were doing blood pressure
checks and there was health
00:45:23.65\00:45:27.76
and we had a
vegetarian-tasting going on
00:45:27.79\00:45:30.56
and we were
giving out book bags...
00:45:30.59\00:45:32.33
it was just before
the beginning of school.
00:45:32.36\00:45:34.70
We had over 300 people who came
00:45:34.73\00:45:38.40
and one of the
volunteers there...
00:45:38.43\00:45:41.20
at this community service event,
00:45:41.24\00:45:43.94
was a neighbor of
my Elder and his wife.
00:45:43.97\00:45:47.41
They had prayed for this woman
00:45:47.48\00:45:51.11
to come to our
evangelistic meetings...
00:45:51.15\00:45:53.35
prayed for her
to come to church...
00:45:53.38\00:45:55.52
invited her...
00:45:55.55\00:45:56.89
they had given her the flyers...
00:45:56.92\00:45:58.92
they had said, "Just
come once, you'll enjoy it. "
00:45:58.95\00:46:01.16
All of this... and
you know, she never came
00:46:01.22\00:46:04.06
but when they
invited her to come
00:46:04.09\00:46:07.83
and be a part of a Community
Outreach that we were holding
00:46:07.86\00:46:12.43
to be a blessing to
people in the community,
00:46:12.50\00:46:14.87
she showed up.
00:46:14.90\00:46:16.91
Pause...
00:46:16.94\00:46:19.74
They introduced me...
00:46:19.77\00:46:21.14
"Pastor, Pastor,
this is our neighbor,
00:46:21.18\00:46:23.35
we've been trying to get
her to church for years... "
00:46:23.38\00:46:25.75
came over and I greeted
00:46:25.81\00:46:28.48
we exchanged
niceties and she said this,
00:46:28.52\00:46:31.12
"I have so
thoroughly enjoyed... "
00:46:31.15\00:46:32.92
and we were
there like all day...
00:46:32.95\00:46:34.72
not eight hours...
00:46:34.76\00:46:36.09
she says, "I have so
thoroughly enjoyed myself"
00:46:36.12\00:46:40.53
and this is what she said,
00:46:40.56\00:46:41.96
she said, "Any
time that you do this,
00:46:42.00\00:46:46.37
I'll be here. "
00:46:46.40\00:46:48.44
Pause...
00:46:48.50\00:46:51.61
You see, Beloved,
when you and I reach out
00:46:51.67\00:46:54.34
to those who are underprivileged
00:46:54.41\00:46:56.41
and less fortunate,
00:46:56.44\00:46:57.78
it is also an opportunity
00:46:57.81\00:46:59.81
to reach out to those who
are privileged and fortunate
00:46:59.88\00:47:02.82
and invite them
to come beside us
00:47:02.85\00:47:07.22
pause...
00:47:07.26\00:47:09.52
I hate to use this illustration
but you guys remember Jehu...
00:47:09.59\00:47:13.40
"Come up in my chariot,
see my zeal for the Lord"
00:47:13.46\00:47:17.13
that brother was crazy...
I'm not suggesting that...
00:47:17.17\00:47:20.80
but when we invite the
privileged and the fortunate
00:47:20.84\00:47:24.41
to come beside us
00:47:24.44\00:47:25.81
and labor with us to
bless and uplift humanity,
00:47:25.84\00:47:30.91
they do see our
zeal for the Lord.
00:47:30.95\00:47:33.15
They say, "Man! you
guys are something else,
00:47:33.18\00:47:38.85
I want to be a
part of this church. "
00:47:38.89\00:47:43.76
Self-sacrifice and
service, dear friends,
00:47:43.79\00:47:48.63
others-centered living
00:47:48.66\00:47:51.73
which is actually
Christ-centered living,
00:47:51.77\00:47:55.80
check it in Matthew chapter 25,
00:47:55.87\00:47:58.07
"As you have done it unto
the least of these my Brethren,
00:47:58.11\00:48:02.44
you have done it
unto... " Audience: Me.
00:48:02.48\00:48:04.25
Self-sacrificial service...
00:48:04.28\00:48:07.48
other-centered living
which is Christ-centered living,
00:48:07.52\00:48:10.72
is God pleasing
00:48:10.75\00:48:13.15
and I want to say this tonight,
it is the path to Godliness
00:48:13.19\00:48:20.16
and God-likeness.
00:48:20.20\00:48:22.40
We are never more like God
00:48:22.43\00:48:26.94
than when we
are self-sacrificing
00:48:26.97\00:48:29.74
and when we are doing
whatever it is that we're doing
00:48:29.77\00:48:33.04
for the benefit of others.
00:48:33.07\00:48:35.21
O Beloved, I hope
you hear me tonight.
00:48:35.24\00:48:37.68
You can go off in the wilderness
and pray for three months,
00:48:37.71\00:48:43.18
and won't be a lick
more like God than you will
00:48:43.25\00:48:46.86
if you go down into the streets
and into the highways and byways
00:48:46.89\00:48:50.93
and give of yourself.
00:48:50.96\00:48:52.69
The Bible says of Jesus,
He went about... doing what?
00:48:52.73\00:48:59.47
He went about doing good.
00:48:59.50\00:49:02.44
A man by the name of Viktor Hugo
00:49:02.47\00:49:06.84
he's the author
of a book entitled,
00:49:06.88\00:49:11.18
"Man's Search For Meaning"
it's a very interesting story,
00:49:11.21\00:49:15.18
he was in a
Concentration Camp...
00:49:15.22\00:49:17.29
can you play something...
00:49:17.32\00:49:20.16
give him some
sound, praise the Lord,
00:49:20.19\00:49:25.49
he was in a Concentration Camp
00:49:25.56\00:49:30.40
and as he was there
in the Concentration Camp
00:49:30.47\00:49:32.70
one of his associates and
he developed a plan for escape.
00:49:32.73\00:49:38.04
It's World War 2...
00:49:38.07\00:49:40.71
you don't want to be
in a Concentration Camp,
00:49:40.74\00:49:43.45
you want to get out.
00:49:43.48\00:49:44.81
But Victor Hugo
also had medical skills
00:49:44.85\00:49:47.35
and he had been
servicing and ministering
00:49:47.38\00:49:50.05
to those who were sick and
those who were afflicted...
00:49:50.09\00:49:54.16
he had been trying to
give or deliver acts of mercy
00:49:54.19\00:49:58.23
to various
individuals there in the camp
00:49:58.29\00:50:00.36
and one day he
approached one of his comrades
00:50:00.40\00:50:03.16
and he hadn't told
anyone of this plan
00:50:03.20\00:50:05.67
but the man who he
was ministering to...
00:50:05.70\00:50:08.14
and Viktor says, "This man was
at the very point of death... "
00:50:08.17\00:50:12.64
this man looked into
his eyes, and he said,
00:50:12.67\00:50:18.01
"You're leaving aren't you?"
00:50:18.05\00:50:19.45
Viktor was shocked...
nobody was supposed to know that
00:50:19.48\00:50:23.72
did somebody tell?
00:50:23.75\00:50:25.29
The man took his hand and
said, "No one has said anything
00:50:25.32\00:50:28.82
but I can see it in your eyes...
00:50:28.86\00:50:31.39
I can see it in your eyes. "
00:50:31.43\00:50:34.50
What did he see, Beloved?
00:50:34.53\00:50:37.53
He saw a man who
wanted to get away...
00:50:37.57\00:50:41.14
a man who had
been laboring in love
00:50:41.17\00:50:44.41
and serving others
and blessing others
00:50:44.44\00:50:46.71
who was tired and wanted the
release that came from escape
00:50:46.74\00:50:50.48
Viktor says, he left this man's
bedside... he was perplexed...
00:50:50.51\00:50:53.98
he was angry...
00:50:54.02\00:50:55.35
he didn't quite
understand all that was going on
00:50:55.38\00:50:57.62
in his heart and in his mind
00:50:57.65\00:50:59.32
and he did something
that was radical and strange,
00:50:59.35\00:51:04.19
Viktor says that that night as
he was wrestling and deciding,
00:51:04.23\00:51:09.20
you know, what
he was going to do,
00:51:09.23\00:51:10.57
he decided that he would stay.
00:51:10.60\00:51:12.77
Pause...
00:51:12.80\00:51:15.87
Who decides to stay
in a Concentration Camp?
00:51:15.90\00:51:19.64
Pause...
00:51:19.67\00:51:21.34
He decided to stay and
live out, so he thought,
00:51:21.41\00:51:26.18
the remainder of his days
00:51:26.21\00:51:27.55
blessing and
ministering to others.
00:51:27.58\00:51:29.78
He said something wonderful,
00:51:29.85\00:51:31.82
he said, "When I
made that decision,
00:51:31.85\00:51:34.62
I had peace. "
00:51:34.69\00:51:36.62
Pause...
00:51:36.66\00:51:42.00
Peace...
00:51:42.06\00:51:43.40
When you decide to
die serving others,
00:51:43.43\00:51:47.44
you have peace.
00:51:47.47\00:51:51.51
One author who was commenting
on this story says this,
00:51:51.57\00:51:58.01
"It is only in the
line of service... "
00:51:58.05\00:52:01.15
listen to me my young friends...
00:52:01.18\00:52:03.08
"It is only in
the line of service
00:52:03.15\00:52:04.99
that our purpose
becomes clear to us. "
00:52:05.02\00:52:09.32
Pause...
00:52:09.39\00:52:12.83
It's not looking through the
university catalog and deciding,
00:52:12.86\00:52:15.80
what... oh, oh, what course
of study you're going to get...
00:52:15.83\00:52:18.73
that's not how you
gain clear purpose.
00:52:18.77\00:52:21.07
I would suggest, it's not only
by spending time on your knees
00:52:21.10\00:52:26.21
and saying, "God, what
would you have me to do?"
00:52:26.24\00:52:28.54
But I'm
suggesting to you tonight,
00:52:28.61\00:52:30.58
that it is only in
the line of service
00:52:30.61\00:52:32.81
that our purpose becomes clear
00:52:32.85\00:52:34.85
that you and I come
to the realization...
00:52:34.88\00:52:37.09
this is what God has
called me into existence for.
00:52:37.12\00:52:42.92
Everything else becomes fuzzy
00:52:42.96\00:52:46.59
because the most important
thing has become clear.
00:52:46.63\00:52:50.33
Pause...
00:52:50.37\00:52:53.47
Beloved those...
00:52:53.54\00:52:54.87
I got to throw this in for
folks who got some rocks tonight
00:52:54.90\00:52:59.97
that they want to hit me with,
00:53:00.01\00:53:04.68
those who experience
victory over sin... do so
00:53:04.71\00:53:09.68
because victory over
sin is not their goal.
00:53:09.72\00:53:14.66
Audience: Amen.
00:53:14.69\00:53:16.66
Service... and living like Jesus
00:53:16.69\00:53:20.76
and loving as He
did is their goal
00:53:20.80\00:53:24.80
and you know what you
discover my dear Friends,
00:53:24.83\00:53:26.74
you discover that you don't
have time to think about you,
00:53:26.77\00:53:31.47
those of you who've
been on a mission trip
00:53:31.54\00:53:34.61
you know what
I'm saying is real.
00:53:34.64\00:53:37.05
The plane touches
down... "Oh the mosquitoes...
00:53:37.08\00:53:40.62
it's so hot... oh... oh... oh...
00:53:40.65\00:53:41.98
what's going on?"
00:53:42.02\00:53:43.82
Audience: Laughter.
00:53:43.85\00:53:45.62
But as your hands
begin to get dirty
00:53:45.65\00:53:47.96
and as you begin
laboring for souls
00:53:47.99\00:53:50.23
and you begin
spending time with the people
00:53:50.26\00:53:52.56
and as you are praying,
00:53:52.59\00:53:54.06
all of a sudden, the mosquitoes
don't seem to matter anymore
00:53:54.10\00:53:57.10
and all of a sudden the fact
that there's no air conditioning
00:53:57.13\00:54:00.14
it has no meaning absolutely
in your mind whatsoever,
00:54:00.17\00:54:03.64
why?
00:54:03.67\00:54:05.01
Because your
thinking has been changed...
00:54:05.04\00:54:07.08
pause...
00:54:07.11\00:54:09.54
consumed with service...
00:54:09.58\00:54:11.55
consumed with loving
and living like Jesus,
00:54:11.61\00:54:14.58
that's what I want tonight.
00:54:14.62\00:54:16.22