And this is the record
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that God hath
given to us eternal life
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and this life is in His Son.
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Welcome to 3ABN
Australia Homecoming.
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Thank you for being part
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of our 3ABN
Australia Homecoming, 2020.
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I'd like to welcome
all our audience here
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and those of
you who are watching
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through whatever means
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by the internet, via satellite,
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and in Australia in particularly
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if you're watching on
VAST, special welcome to you.
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You know, we're talking
about preparing for eternity.
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Preparing means
actually doing something.
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We're going through
the book Steps to Christ.
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And there's a picture here
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and there are
many, many versions
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and different
covers for this book,
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which we're
covering 13 chapters.
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And this one here shows
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Jesus Christ
knocking at the door.
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Preparing for eternity is
really you opening the door,
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and allowing Jesus to come in
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and learning about
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what He has to
teach and tell you.
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And, you know, before we
get into today's program,
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I just want to recap
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the last speaker
was David McKibben.
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He spoke on Chapter
4, and it was confession,
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that's an important part
of preparation for eternity.
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David
summarized his presentation
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by five points.
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Genuine confession is specific
and makes no excuses for sin.
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Confession leads to freedom
from the burden of guilt.
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Confession is the
doorway to God's grace
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and the blessing of the gospel.
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Number four,
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genuine confession is
accompanied by change.
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Interesting.
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Number five,
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God promises forgiveness
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and cleansing to the one
who recognizes his or her need.
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You know, before we
begin with our program,
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I want to introduce to
you Pastor Abel Iorgulescu.
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It's a bit like my
name John Malkiewycz.
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His is a little bit
harder, but you know,
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it's a name really
represents a person.
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And he will be
speaking on Chapter 5
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and that's another step
and it's called Consecration.
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You know, consecration is
making holy, setting aside.
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And before he will speak,
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we are very
privileged to have Marleta Fong
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and Sanja Kitevski,
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and they will be
presenting an item called,
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"You Are My All In All."
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Now these two
ladies have been singing,
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working together.
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I asked them before the program
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for about 9 or 10 years.
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And so God has blessed them
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and I'm sure they're going
to bless you with this song.
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You are my strength
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when I am weak
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You are the treasure that I seek
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You are my all in all
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Seeking You as a precious jewel
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Lord, to give up I'd be a fool
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You are my all in all
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Jesus,
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Lamb of God
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Worthy is Your name
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Jesus,
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Lamb of God
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Worthy is Your name
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Taking my sin,
my cross, my shame
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Rising again I bless Your name
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You are my all in all
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When I fall down You pick me up
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And when I am
dry You fill my cup
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You are my all in all
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Jesus,
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Lamb of God
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Worthy is Your name
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Jesus,
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Lamb of God
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Worthy is Your name
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Jesus,
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Lamb of God
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Worthy is Your name
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Jesus,
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precious Lamb of God
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Worthy is Your name
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Worthy is Your name
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Worthy is Your name
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Marleta and Sanja,
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thank you very much
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for drawing us closer
to the throne room of God,
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through music.
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Isn't music a beautiful gift?
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It is a way that our hearts,
our entire being is touched,
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it's touched like no other way.
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I like us to invite, I
mean God is already here.
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It's always the privilege
to be in God's presence.
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But I'd like to
really acknowledge
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and invite the
power of the Holy Spirit
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to work through us and in us
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as we spend some time
preparing for eternity.
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So please bow your
heads with me as we pray.
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Loving Father, it is
always a privilege for us
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to come into Your presence.
00:07:04.49\00:07:06.49
And today at this very moment,
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we ask that Your Holy
Spirit will minister to us.
00:07:08.26\00:07:11.73
We want to be ready
for Your soon return.
00:07:11.76\00:07:14.36
We want to be standing
looking towards heaven,
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as You return to take us home.
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And, Lord, as we
are getting ready
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for Your soon return,
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may others be ready
for that day as well.
00:07:22.30\00:07:24.31
So please,
minister to our hearts,
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teach us new things.
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In Jesus' name we pray.
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Amen.
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From the very beginning,
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I like to plant a
question in your mind.
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And this
question will stay with us
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for the rest of
our time together.
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We'll try to unpack it,
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we'll try to answer it
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and hopefully will be a question
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that we take with us
and ask others as well.
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So here's the question.
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What is the greatest
battle that was ever fought?
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What is the greatest
battle that was ever fought?
00:07:52.73\00:07:57.17
Just ponder on this question
for a moment, let it sink in.
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Because just as I said,
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we are going to spend
the rest of our time together
00:08:02.48\00:08:05.61
trying to answer this question,
00:08:05.65\00:08:08.35
what is the greatest
battle that was ever fought?
00:08:08.38\00:08:13.25
Now, if you were
to go down the road,
00:08:13.29\00:08:15.66
probably not so much these days.
00:08:15.69\00:08:17.33
But when you had
people on the road,
00:08:17.36\00:08:19.09
and you could ask
the question, you know,
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what is the greatest
battle that was ever fought?
00:08:20.83\00:08:23.53
People would come
up with various answers
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from examples
of ancient battles,
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to wars closer to our home,
such as the Second World War,
00:08:28.84\00:08:31.81
which, according to historians
00:08:31.84\00:08:34.11
was the
deadliest military conflict
00:08:34.14\00:08:36.95
in human history.
00:08:36.98\00:08:39.91
They are saying that close
to 85 million people perished
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during the Second World War,
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which represented
3% of the population
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at that stage.
00:08:51.33\00:08:53.63
But think for a
moment, was Second World War
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the greatest battle
that was ever fought
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on planet earth?
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Christians, you
know, would come up
00:09:02.14\00:09:03.47
probably with other answers.
00:09:03.51\00:09:05.17
But there is a battle
00:09:05.21\00:09:06.54
that I want to bring
up to your attention,
00:09:06.57\00:09:08.08
I want to present to you.
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It is a battle that
you and I are part of.
00:09:09.78\00:09:12.68
And I think that if we
look in the Word of God,
00:09:12.71\00:09:14.52
we're going to find more clarity
00:09:14.55\00:09:16.05
about this battle,
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the greatest battle
that was ever fought.
00:09:17.45\00:09:20.42
So I'd like to invite you
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to open up your Bibles with me
00:09:22.26\00:09:24.66
in the Book of the Prophet Joel,
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in the Old Testament,
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and I'll be reading from 3:14,
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and I believe that
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this verse sets the
platform for our conversation,
00:09:33.10\00:09:36.97
understanding the battle
and how to fight it properly.
00:09:37.01\00:09:40.44
In the Book of
Prophet Joel 3:14,
00:09:40.48\00:09:44.81
I think Joel tells us a
very important message for us
00:09:44.85\00:09:49.18
as we are
preparing for eternity.
00:09:49.22\00:09:52.65
So this is what
it says, Joel 3:14,
00:09:52.69\00:09:56.79
"Multitudes, "
00:09:56.83\00:09:58.46
and then Joel
repeats that again,
00:09:58.49\00:10:00.43
"Multitudes in the
valley of decision!
00:10:00.46\00:10:06.00
For the day of the Lord is near
00:10:06.03\00:10:09.27
in the valley of decision."
00:10:09.30\00:10:13.04
What the prophet says here
00:10:13.07\00:10:14.68
is that that many, many people
have gathered into one place,
00:10:14.71\00:10:20.38
that everyone, you and I,
00:10:20.42\00:10:22.52
those that are
present here today,
00:10:22.55\00:10:24.29
and those that are watching us
00:10:24.32\00:10:25.65
and those that will continue
to watch us into the future.
00:10:25.69\00:10:28.22
Every single one of us is
in the valley of decision.
00:10:28.26\00:10:32.99
There are
multitudes, multitudes,
00:10:33.03\00:10:36.40
for the day of the Lord is near.
00:10:36.43\00:10:40.10
The day when
Jesus Christ will return
00:10:40.14\00:10:43.41
to take His children home,
00:10:43.44\00:10:45.34
the day when Jesus
Christ will call out those
00:10:45.37\00:10:48.31
that have died in their
faith, come back to life,
00:10:48.34\00:10:51.21
come and inherit
the kingdom of heaven.
00:10:51.25\00:10:53.78
Everything that
happens in this world
00:10:53.82\00:10:56.15
tells us with clarity,
00:10:56.18\00:10:58.35
one big message
00:10:58.39\00:11:00.39
that Jesus Christ
will return very soon.
00:11:00.42\00:11:03.12
Someone was saying that
00:11:03.16\00:11:04.49
as we look at the
events of the world,
00:11:04.53\00:11:07.06
we can hear the
footsteps of a soon coming King.
00:11:07.10\00:11:13.54
Amen.
00:11:13.57\00:11:15.60
That is the good news.
00:11:15.64\00:11:17.34
But Joel says,
00:11:17.37\00:11:18.71
we all know that the
day of the Lord is near.
00:11:18.74\00:11:22.51
But he emphasizes the problem
00:11:22.54\00:11:25.05
that multitudes,
00:11:25.08\00:11:26.58
multitudes of
people are still where?
00:11:26.61\00:11:31.15
In the valley of decision.
00:11:31.19\00:11:34.72
And I'd like to
suggest to you today
00:11:34.76\00:11:37.49
that the greatest battle
00:11:37.53\00:11:39.79
that every single
person has to fight
00:11:39.83\00:11:42.46
is actually right there
in the valley of decision.
00:11:42.50\00:11:46.94
Because for a person to
make a decision for God,
00:11:46.97\00:11:52.34
in a world that presents
you with every single reason
00:11:52.37\00:11:55.78
to turn away from God
00:11:55.81\00:11:58.85
is the greatest battle
00:11:58.88\00:12:01.58
that human
history has ever seen.
00:12:01.62\00:12:04.62
For a decision, for a person
that finds himself or herself
00:12:04.65\00:12:08.66
in the valley of decision,
00:12:08.69\00:12:10.53
with the temptations
and the distractions,
00:12:10.56\00:12:13.83
and the glory and the shine
00:12:13.86\00:12:15.46
that the world promotes
00:12:15.50\00:12:17.37
for that person to
make a decision for God.
00:12:17.40\00:12:20.74
As that day draws near,
00:12:20.77\00:12:22.54
as we are
preparing for eternity,
00:12:22.57\00:12:25.71
it represents
the greatest battle
00:12:25.74\00:12:28.01
that was ever fought.
00:12:28.04\00:12:29.38
Did you know, life
is made up of choices?
00:12:29.41\00:12:33.98
You've made a choice to be here.
00:12:34.02\00:12:35.75
Those that are watching,
00:12:35.78\00:12:37.12
they've made a
choice to watch us.
00:12:37.15\00:12:38.82
Life is made up of choices.
00:12:38.85\00:12:40.66
In fact, scientists believe that
00:12:40.69\00:12:42.79
about an average person
00:12:42.82\00:12:45.69
makes about 35,000 decisions
00:12:45.73\00:12:50.80
or choices a day.
00:12:50.83\00:12:52.77
Just think about it,
00:12:52.80\00:12:54.77
35,000 choices a day.
00:12:54.80\00:13:00.51
And if we accept the fact that
00:13:00.54\00:13:02.84
a person may sleep
about seven hours a day,
00:13:02.88\00:13:06.11
and thus blissfully choice free,
00:13:06.15\00:13:10.72
that leaves us with
about 2,000 decisions per hour.
00:13:10.75\00:13:17.69
We're about one
choice every two seconds.
00:13:17.73\00:13:22.10
One choice every two seconds.
00:13:22.13\00:13:23.63
And some of the decisions
are very, you know, minimal,
00:13:23.67\00:13:25.97
trivial, you know,
00:13:26.00\00:13:27.34
what are you going
to have for breakfast,
00:13:27.37\00:13:28.70
cereal or toasts or nothing?
00:13:28.74\00:13:30.87
You know, that is a decision.
00:13:30.91\00:13:32.41
For example,
you're making a decision
00:13:32.44\00:13:33.78
whether to listen to me
or not at this very moment,
00:13:33.81\00:13:35.61
whether to think of
something else or not.
00:13:35.64\00:13:38.51
Every single second,
we are making decisions.
00:13:38.55\00:13:41.48
Some of the decisions
are very insignificant.
00:13:41.52\00:13:44.55
But some decisions,
00:13:44.59\00:13:46.79
as the Prophet
Joel tells us here
00:13:46.82\00:13:49.62
in the valley of decisions.
00:13:49.66\00:13:51.46
These are decisions
00:13:51.49\00:13:54.13
that are impacting a
person's life for eternity.
00:13:54.16\00:13:59.80
Being in the valley of decision,
00:13:59.83\00:14:02.94
and choosing to follow God
00:14:02.97\00:14:06.17
in a world that
tries to stop you from that
00:14:06.21\00:14:09.94
represents the greatest
battle that was ever fought.
00:14:09.98\00:14:15.85
And I want to share with
you a beautiful paragraph
00:14:15.88\00:14:18.45
from the famous
book Steps to Christ,
00:14:18.49\00:14:22.52
Chapter Consecration.
00:14:22.56\00:14:25.59
And this is what the
servant of the Lord wrote,
00:14:25.63\00:14:29.03
"The warfare against self
00:14:29.06\00:14:34.50
is the greatest
battle that was ever fought."
00:14:34.54\00:14:39.04
And let's just
pause for a second.
00:14:39.07\00:14:41.84
We acknowledge the wars
00:14:41.88\00:14:43.55
that have taken
place in this world.
00:14:43.58\00:14:46.55
We acknowledge
all the many battles
00:14:46.58\00:14:48.65
that are taking place every day.
00:14:48.68\00:14:51.25
But Ellen White, guided by God,
00:14:51.29\00:14:54.96
she wrote that the
warfare against self
00:14:54.99\00:14:59.53
represents the greatest
battle that was ever fought.
00:14:59.56\00:15:03.53
And she goes on saying,
00:15:03.57\00:15:04.90
"The yielding of self,
00:15:04.93\00:15:06.27
surrendering all
to the will of God
00:15:06.30\00:15:09.97
requires a struggle,
00:15:10.01\00:15:13.68
but the soul must submit to God
00:15:13.71\00:15:15.68
before it can be
renewed in holiness."
00:15:15.71\00:15:19.41
So why is this
the greatest battle?
00:15:19.45\00:15:21.95
Why is it so hard?
00:15:21.98\00:15:23.79
Just think for a second
00:15:23.82\00:15:25.15
what happened to Adam
and Eve once they sinned?
00:15:25.19\00:15:28.42
What was their reaction?
00:15:28.46\00:15:30.13
Did they run to God and say,
00:15:30.16\00:15:31.56
"God, we need Your
help, look what we've done."
00:15:31.59\00:15:35.53
Or they did quite the opposite,
00:15:35.56\00:15:37.60
they became afraid,
they were terrified,
00:15:37.63\00:15:40.24
and they hid themselves
from the presence of God.
00:15:40.27\00:15:43.84
And what this tells me is
that it is natural for you and I
00:15:43.87\00:15:47.58
to run away from God,
00:15:47.61\00:15:50.15
to hide, to do the opposite.
00:15:50.18\00:15:53.65
But God calls us
into His presence.
00:15:53.68\00:15:55.78
Therefore, the
surrendering of self to God
00:15:55.82\00:15:58.99
represents the greatest battle
00:15:59.02\00:16:01.66
that was ever
fought on planet earth.
00:16:01.69\00:16:05.09
And I'd like to add
another paragraph in the book,
00:16:05.13\00:16:07.66
Thoughts from the
Mount of Blessings.
00:16:07.70\00:16:09.56
I like how in
this second paragraph,
00:16:09.60\00:16:11.70
Ellen White unpacks this idea
00:16:11.73\00:16:13.97
of the
surrendering of self to God,
00:16:14.00\00:16:16.57
because
consecrating our lives to God
00:16:16.60\00:16:18.57
represents the greatest battle
00:16:18.61\00:16:20.24
that you and I will
ever fight in this world.
00:16:20.28\00:16:22.81
Thoughts from the
Mount of Blessings,
00:16:22.84\00:16:24.18
this is what she wrote,
00:16:24.21\00:16:25.91
"The Christian life
is a battle and a march."
00:16:25.95\00:16:30.25
Now, if you read this sentence,
00:16:30.29\00:16:31.62
and then you still be
sort of terrified, like,
00:16:31.65\00:16:33.36
how am I going
to win this battle?
00:16:33.39\00:16:35.16
How am I going
to win this march?
00:16:35.19\00:16:37.33
You know, is
there strength within me
00:16:37.36\00:16:39.66
to make it to the end?
00:16:39.69\00:16:41.56
But look what she says next.
00:16:41.60\00:16:42.93
"But the victory to be gained
is not won by human power."
00:16:42.96\00:16:49.07
Isn't that good news,
00:16:49.10\00:16:50.57
that the victory to be
gained is not by human power.
00:16:50.61\00:16:56.21
She goes on saying,
00:16:56.24\00:16:57.58
"The battle
which we have to fight,
00:16:57.61\00:16:59.15
the greatest battle
that was ever fought by men,"
00:16:59.18\00:17:02.15
again, the same phrase,
00:17:02.18\00:17:03.75
the greatest battle
that was ever fought by men,
00:17:03.79\00:17:06.62
"is this surrender of
self to the will of God,
00:17:06.65\00:17:10.13
the yielding of the heart
to the sovereignty of love."
00:17:10.16\00:17:16.23
This is how God is described.
00:17:16.26\00:17:19.50
Precious people,
those that are here
00:17:19.53\00:17:21.07
and those that are watching us,
00:17:21.10\00:17:22.87
when we are invited
to consecrate our lives,
00:17:22.90\00:17:26.44
we are not invited
00:17:26.47\00:17:27.81
to consecrate our
lives to a dictator,
00:17:27.84\00:17:30.98
or to a tyrant king,
00:17:31.01\00:17:32.81
or to someone that hates
us and seeks to destroy us.
00:17:32.85\00:17:37.85
But to the one
that is defined by love,
00:17:37.89\00:17:42.02
His very essence is love.
00:17:42.06\00:17:45.16
We've got nothing
to lose by doing that.
00:17:45.19\00:17:47.73
And she finishes off by saying,
00:17:47.76\00:17:49.80
"The old nature, "
00:17:49.83\00:17:51.17
which we all have,
00:17:51.20\00:17:52.53
"born of blood and of
the will of the flesh,
00:17:52.57\00:17:54.84
cannot inherit
the kingdom of God.
00:17:54.87\00:17:57.11
The hereditary
tendencies, the former habits,
00:17:57.14\00:18:00.34
must be given up."
00:18:00.38\00:18:03.68
You see, my friends,
00:18:03.71\00:18:05.05
God's desire for you and
for me is to have a new life.
00:18:05.08\00:18:09.58
A life that is defined by joy,
00:18:09.62\00:18:12.52
a life that is defined by peace.
00:18:12.55\00:18:14.59
God wants us to
be prisoners of hope.
00:18:14.62\00:18:19.59
Don't you like that,
to be prisoner of hope,
00:18:19.63\00:18:22.30
to not allow the current events
that are happening in the world
00:18:22.33\00:18:26.13
to take away from you the faith
00:18:26.17\00:18:28.24
that was placed in Jesus Christ,
00:18:28.27\00:18:30.87
to be a prisoner of hope.
00:18:30.91\00:18:32.24
God wants to bestow upon us
00:18:32.27\00:18:34.38
the most precious gift
00:18:34.41\00:18:35.74
and that is the
gift of Jesus Christ
00:18:35.78\00:18:37.61
and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
00:18:37.65\00:18:40.12
He wants to,
00:18:40.15\00:18:41.48
He wants us to have
the fruit of the Spirit.
00:18:41.52\00:18:43.95
And this happens only
when we choose to fight
00:18:43.99\00:18:47.79
the greatest battle
that was ever fought.
00:18:47.82\00:18:51.09
And that is to
surrender self to God,
00:18:51.13\00:18:55.86
to surrender your will.
00:18:55.90\00:18:57.37
And to say, God, it's
me, it's my entire being.
00:18:57.40\00:19:01.74
I give it all to you,
my mind, my hands, my feet.
00:19:01.77\00:19:08.41
I'm just
reminded all of a sudden
00:19:08.44\00:19:09.78
as I speak to you,
00:19:09.81\00:19:11.31
at this moment,
00:19:11.35\00:19:14.28
when the priests
in the Old Testament,
00:19:14.32\00:19:17.79
they were
consecrated for this service,
00:19:17.82\00:19:21.12
there was a sacrifice
that was made on the altar.
00:19:21.16\00:19:24.76
And Aaron was instructed
to take blood from the animal
00:19:24.79\00:19:29.76
that was sacrificed.
00:19:29.80\00:19:31.43
And with his fingers,
00:19:31.47\00:19:32.97
he was meant to apply the blood
on the ears of the priests.
00:19:33.00\00:19:37.84
Probably you
remember the passage
00:19:37.87\00:19:39.24
in the Old Testament,
00:19:39.27\00:19:40.61
just on the lobe of the
year, and then on the thumb,
00:19:40.64\00:19:45.68
and then on the toe.
00:19:45.71\00:19:47.55
So here you had the priests
00:19:47.58\00:19:50.85
and the nation was watching
00:19:50.89\00:19:53.66
and they were consecrated.
00:19:53.69\00:19:56.02
And you will wonder,
00:19:56.06\00:19:57.43
why would they
apply blood on the ear
00:19:57.46\00:20:00.26
and why would they
apply it on the thumb?
00:20:00.30\00:20:02.66
And why would they
apply it on the toe?
00:20:02.70\00:20:06.67
You can think of many ways.
00:20:06.70\00:20:08.84
But what I came up
with to understand is that,
00:20:08.87\00:20:11.81
that their ears
were consecrated,
00:20:11.84\00:20:13.61
they were to listen
only to the voice of God,
00:20:13.64\00:20:17.25
that in this service,
00:20:17.28\00:20:18.61
they were going to resemble
their consecration to God,
00:20:18.65\00:20:22.58
that their hands is
they're engaged in the work.
00:20:22.62\00:20:27.16
Whatever their
hands would do with do it
00:20:27.19\00:20:30.23
for the glory of God.
00:20:30.26\00:20:31.96
And why the toe?
00:20:31.99\00:20:33.33
That whatever path
they may choose to walk in,
00:20:33.36\00:20:36.36
would be the right path.
00:20:36.40\00:20:38.57
So what God is
inviting you and me?
00:20:38.60\00:20:41.07
Is that we may
consecrate ourselves to God,
00:20:41.10\00:20:44.17
our entire being.
00:20:44.21\00:20:46.34
This is the greatest
battle that was ever fought
00:20:46.37\00:20:51.31
to surrender self to God.
00:20:51.35\00:20:54.28
My friend, the choice is ours,
00:20:54.32\00:20:57.59
whether to be set free from sin,
00:20:57.62\00:20:59.49
and live this glorious life
that God has in mind for us,
00:20:59.52\00:21:03.83
or to continue to
remain a slave to Satan.
00:21:03.86\00:21:07.83
The reality,
according to the Book of Joel,
00:21:07.86\00:21:10.33
is that we are all in
the valley of decision.
00:21:10.37\00:21:15.27
And right there in
the valley of decisions,
00:21:15.30\00:21:18.21
people are choosing
00:21:18.24\00:21:19.74
where they're
going to spend eternity.
00:21:19.77\00:21:22.28
In order to understand
00:21:22.31\00:21:23.65
more about this
process of consecration
00:21:23.68\00:21:26.61
and the work
00:21:26.65\00:21:27.98
that God is
willing to do in our lives.
00:21:28.02\00:21:29.85
I'd like to invite
you to look with me
00:21:29.88\00:21:31.55
the life of one of the
kings in the Old Testaments,
00:21:31.59\00:21:35.36
excuse me in the Old Testament.
00:21:35.39\00:21:36.79
And I want to
take you on a journey
00:21:36.83\00:21:38.16
beginning in the Book
of 2 Kings Chapter 21.
00:21:38.19\00:21:42.83
And in order to understand
more about consecration,
00:21:42.86\00:21:46.10
and the call that God puts
into our lives, into our heart,
00:21:46.13\00:21:50.21
we're going to understand
00:21:50.24\00:21:51.57
about this
individual King Manasseh
00:21:51.61\00:21:54.24
and the way he was placed
in the valley of decision.
00:21:54.28\00:21:58.05
So I'm here in
2 Kings Chapter 21
00:21:58.08\00:22:01.12
and I'll be
reading verses 1 and 2.
00:22:01.15\00:22:04.69
This is what it says.
00:22:04.72\00:22:06.05
"Manasseh was twelve
years old when he became king,
00:22:06.09\00:22:09.79
and he reigned
fifty-five years in Jerusalem.
00:22:09.82\00:22:14.46
His mother's
name was Hephzibah."
00:22:14.50\00:22:17.70
Or guess you can
pronounce it differently.
00:22:17.73\00:22:19.70
But I've chosen to
pronounce her Hephzibah.
00:22:19.73\00:22:23.37
And, unfortunately,
verse 2 is not very promising.
00:22:23.41\00:22:27.08
"He did evil in
the sight of the Lord,
00:22:27.11\00:22:30.35
according to the
abominations of the nations
00:22:30.38\00:22:33.25
whom the Lord had cast out
before the children of Israel."
00:22:33.28\00:22:39.05
Before we look at
Manasseh's actions,
00:22:39.09\00:22:40.62
let me share with
you a bit about Manasseh.
00:22:40.66\00:22:44.09
His father was King Hezekiah.
00:22:44.13\00:22:47.16
And if we know
anything about King Hezekiah,
00:22:47.20\00:22:49.83
we know that he was the
king, that on his deathbed,
00:22:49.86\00:22:54.70
reached out to
God, and He prayed,
00:22:54.74\00:22:56.87
"God, you know, mercy,
heal me and lengthen my days."
00:22:56.91\00:23:03.31
And beautifully,
his prayer was answered,
00:23:03.35\00:23:05.25
and he lived another 15 years.
00:23:05.28\00:23:09.05
Now, Manasseh's mother
was, as we can see, Hephzibah.
00:23:09.08\00:23:13.86
Now the Bible doesn't
give us much information
00:23:13.89\00:23:15.66
about Hephzibah.
00:23:15.69\00:23:17.03
But what Jewish
tradition tells us is that
00:23:17.06\00:23:18.99
she was the
daughter of Prophet Isaiah.
00:23:19.03\00:23:22.93
And the reason why I bring
these two elements together,
00:23:22.96\00:23:25.80
the king that prayed
and his life was lengthened,
00:23:25.83\00:23:28.77
and this woman
00:23:28.80\00:23:30.31
that comes from a special house,
00:23:30.34\00:23:33.01
what I'm
understanding from here is
00:23:33.04\00:23:34.41
that Manasseh
grew up in a beautiful,
00:23:34.44\00:23:37.91
God fearing family.
00:23:37.95\00:23:41.38
He was taught the right way.
00:23:41.42\00:23:43.18
He knew what it
looked like to worship God.
00:23:43.22\00:23:48.76
He had the right environment.
00:23:48.79\00:23:51.06
And yet Manasseh
00:23:51.09\00:23:53.53
being in the valley of decision,
00:23:53.56\00:23:57.50
he chose to rebel against God.
00:23:57.53\00:24:01.27
And in order to fully appreciate
00:24:01.30\00:24:03.64
Manasseh's journey,
00:24:03.67\00:24:05.67
we need to understand
00:24:05.71\00:24:07.51
a couple of things that
he has done in his life.
00:24:07.54\00:24:10.28
And look with me
at verses 4 to 6.
00:24:10.31\00:24:14.62
The reason why,
00:24:14.65\00:24:15.98
the reason these things
are recorded in the Bible
00:24:16.02\00:24:18.82
is to give us an understanding
00:24:18.85\00:24:21.32
of how far from
God this king traveled,
00:24:21.36\00:24:26.03
because he traveled
into the depths of sin
00:24:26.06\00:24:28.90
while he was in
the valley of decision.
00:24:28.93\00:24:32.73
Verse 4, it says,
00:24:32.77\00:24:34.10
"He built altars in
the house of the Lord,
00:24:34.14\00:24:36.87
of which the Lord
had said in Jerusalem,
00:24:36.91\00:24:39.57
I will put my name.
00:24:39.61\00:24:41.24
And he built altars for
all the hosts of heaven,
00:24:41.28\00:24:44.65
in the two courts of
the house of the Lord."
00:24:44.68\00:24:47.35
So instead of worshiping God
00:24:47.38\00:24:49.05
and using the
altars to praise God,
00:24:49.08\00:24:51.09
he was worshiping
every host of heaven.
00:24:51.12\00:24:54.06
He was worshiping
basically everything but God.
00:24:54.09\00:24:59.46
And verse 6,
00:24:59.49\00:25:01.03
"And he made his son
pass through the fire,
00:25:01.06\00:25:05.67
practiced
soothsaying, used witchcraft,
00:25:05.70\00:25:08.77
consulted
spiritists and mediums.
00:25:08.80\00:25:11.44
He did much evil in
the sight of the Lord,
00:25:11.47\00:25:14.04
to provoke Him to anger."
00:25:14.08\00:25:17.55
Probably you've read
about Manasseh before.
00:25:17.58\00:25:19.95
But now as you hear
these verses once again,
00:25:19.98\00:25:21.75
what do you think
about this individual?
00:25:21.78\00:25:24.09
Did he choose a good path
00:25:24.12\00:25:25.55
as he was in the
valley of decision?
00:25:25.59\00:25:28.19
Was he preparing
himself for eternity?
00:25:28.22\00:25:32.89
The answer would be no.
00:25:32.93\00:25:35.16
But why does the Bible
go to such extreme length
00:25:35.20\00:25:38.80
to describe us what he did?
00:25:38.83\00:25:40.70
I mean to pass your
own son through fire.
00:25:40.74\00:25:46.11
I'm not sure if you've
seen pictures of those idols
00:25:46.14\00:25:49.94
they had back then,
00:25:49.98\00:25:51.31
there was these big metal idols.
00:25:51.35\00:25:54.75
And there was a fire
00:25:54.78\00:25:56.12
that was burning
within the metal idol
00:25:56.15\00:25:58.35
in order to heat up
the metal structure.
00:25:58.39\00:26:02.12
And the way they shaped
00:26:02.16\00:26:03.49
and to design
that metal structure
00:26:03.53\00:26:05.26
that had the fire
within, the idol had some,
00:26:05.29\00:26:09.26
I'll stretch arms like this.
00:26:09.30\00:26:11.67
So whenever
someone was worshipping,
00:26:11.70\00:26:14.44
was sacrificing
their son to the idol,
00:26:14.47\00:26:19.37
they would place that baby
00:26:19.41\00:26:22.64
on the burning
arms of the child.
00:26:22.68\00:26:28.08
I mean, how far do
you have to go from God
00:26:28.12\00:26:31.85
to be willing to do
something like this?
00:26:31.89\00:26:34.32
The one that grew up in,
00:26:34.36\00:26:36.22
in a house with
Hezekiah as a father,
00:26:36.26\00:26:38.89
Hephzibah as a
mother, knowing about God.
00:26:38.93\00:26:43.10
The reason why I'm going
on about this story is that
00:26:43.13\00:26:45.93
many people are in
the valley of decisions,
00:26:45.97\00:26:48.74
and many are
choosing the path of Manasseh.
00:26:48.77\00:26:54.28
Choosing to walk away from God,
00:26:54.31\00:26:56.75
choosing to do what is wrong.
00:26:56.78\00:26:59.28
So what about you and me?
00:26:59.31\00:27:00.65
What about your children?
00:27:03.65\00:27:06.92
What about your relatives?
00:27:06.96\00:27:09.49
What about the
friends you may have?
00:27:09.52\00:27:12.16
What about people you may know?
00:27:12.19\00:27:15.10
Definitely,
00:27:15.13\00:27:16.73
every single one of
us is thinking of someone
00:27:16.77\00:27:19.87
that just like Manasseh
has walked away from the Lord.
00:27:19.90\00:27:25.91
And our hearts are
heavy because we're wondering,
00:27:25.94\00:27:29.91
how can she, how can
he be ready for eternity?
00:27:29.94\00:27:35.25
But the greater
question is this.
00:27:38.65\00:27:40.99
What does God do
in moments like this?
00:27:41.02\00:27:45.66
Where is God when
someone wanders away,
00:27:45.69\00:27:49.43
when they refuse to surrender?
00:27:49.46\00:27:52.20
Because we know we've discovered
00:27:52.23\00:27:54.70
the greatest battle is
to surrender self to God.
00:27:54.74\00:28:00.11
Look at what it says in verse 9,
00:28:03.61\00:28:05.08
about Manasseh.
00:28:05.11\00:28:06.55
"They paid no attention,
00:28:06.58\00:28:08.22
and Manasseh seduced them
00:28:08.25\00:28:11.42
to do more evil
00:28:11.45\00:28:12.79
than the nations whom
the Lord had destroyed
00:28:12.82\00:28:15.02
before the children of Israel."
00:28:15.06\00:28:17.59
Manasseh not only
rebelled against God,
00:28:21.16\00:28:24.43
but he also influenced
others to do the same.
00:28:24.47\00:28:29.27
Did you know that
00:28:29.30\00:28:30.64
every single one of
us influences people
00:28:30.67\00:28:33.27
within the circle,
00:28:33.31\00:28:35.31
either for good or for bad?
00:28:35.34\00:28:39.78
Every single one of us
00:28:39.81\00:28:41.18
influences people
one way or another.
00:28:41.22\00:28:43.59
And sadly, what we
discover here about Manasseh
00:28:43.62\00:28:46.69
is that he influenced them
00:28:46.72\00:28:48.39
to turn away
from God, to run away.
00:28:48.42\00:28:53.40
And let's pause for a
moment and let's ask ourselves,
00:28:53.43\00:28:56.03
how have I
influenced people around me?
00:28:56.06\00:28:59.43
As people are spending
time in the valley of decision,
00:28:59.47\00:29:03.67
am I influencing
them in such a way
00:29:03.71\00:29:06.54
that they can
prepare for eternity?
00:29:06.57\00:29:10.28
Am I influencing my own family
00:29:10.31\00:29:13.78
in order so they can
be ready for eternity?
00:29:13.82\00:29:16.58
These are questions that we can,
00:29:16.62\00:29:18.19
we need to reflect on.
00:29:18.22\00:29:20.06
Ellen White draw the following.
00:29:20.09\00:29:21.49
Every act of our lives
00:29:21.52\00:29:24.29
affects others for good or evil.
00:29:24.33\00:29:27.76
Every act
affects someone's life,
00:29:27.80\00:29:30.00
either for good or for evil.
00:29:30.03\00:29:32.43
Our influence is standing upward
00:29:32.47\00:29:35.84
or downward,
00:29:35.87\00:29:37.21
it is felt, acted upon,
00:29:37.24\00:29:39.17
and to a
greater or lesser degree
00:29:39.21\00:29:41.41
reproduced by others.
00:29:41.44\00:29:44.38
And the reason again
why we're going through
00:29:44.41\00:29:46.41
the story of Manasseh,
00:29:46.45\00:29:48.22
the one who was in
the valley of decision,
00:29:48.25\00:29:50.25
the one who was mentored
to fight the greatest battle
00:29:50.29\00:29:52.95
and chose to run away from God
00:29:52.99\00:29:54.52
is that not only
he ran away from God,
00:29:54.56\00:29:56.79
but he took the nation with him
00:29:56.83\00:29:58.79
and together,
they ran away from God.
00:29:58.83\00:30:02.33
But what is my
influence upon others?
00:30:02.36\00:30:05.93
What is your
influence upon those around you?
00:30:05.97\00:30:09.47
Are we inspiring them,
00:30:09.50\00:30:11.97
so they can be
ready for eternity?
00:30:12.01\00:30:15.71
And in order to
finish this sad chapter
00:30:15.74\00:30:19.18
in Manasseh's life,
00:30:19.21\00:30:20.58
allow me to read
from 2 Kings 21:6-18.
00:30:20.62\00:30:26.35
It says,
00:30:26.39\00:30:27.72
"Moreover Manasseh shed
very much innocent blood,
00:30:27.76\00:30:32.46
till he had filled Jerusalem
from one end to another,
00:30:32.49\00:30:38.37
besides his sin by
which he made Judah sin,
00:30:38.40\00:30:40.90
in doing evil in
the sight of the Lord.
00:30:40.94\00:30:44.81
Now the rest of
the acts of Manasseh,
00:30:44.84\00:30:46.47
in all that he did,
00:30:46.51\00:30:47.84
and the sin
that he had committed
00:30:47.88\00:30:49.34
are they not written
00:30:49.38\00:30:50.71
in the book of the chronicles
of the kings of Judah?
00:30:50.75\00:30:53.85
So Manasseh
rested with his fathers,
00:30:53.88\00:30:55.82
and was buried in the
garden of his own house,
00:30:55.85\00:30:59.62
in the garden of Uzza.
00:30:59.65\00:31:01.36
Then his son Amon
reigned in his place."
00:31:01.39\00:31:04.53
And this is how the
story of Manasseh ends
00:31:07.63\00:31:09.46
according to 2 Kings.
00:31:09.50\00:31:12.93
Is that an inspiring story?
00:31:12.97\00:31:14.47
Is that a positive story?
00:31:14.50\00:31:16.10
Is that a story that you rejoice
00:31:16.14\00:31:18.31
about someone that was
in the valley of decision
00:31:18.34\00:31:20.68
and chose to run away from God,
00:31:20.71\00:31:23.04
chose to deflect
fighting the greatest battle
00:31:23.08\00:31:26.45
of surrendering self to God?
00:31:26.48\00:31:29.28
Isn't that sad?
00:31:29.32\00:31:31.39
That according to Kings
that life ends like this,
00:31:31.42\00:31:34.32
not only he's sinned,
00:31:34.36\00:31:35.69
but he says he
influenced others to sin,
00:31:35.72\00:31:38.33
he influenced the nation,
00:31:38.36\00:31:40.00
and God, it seemed that
00:31:40.03\00:31:41.36
He sent all
these prophets to him.
00:31:41.40\00:31:43.77
But he shed much innocent blood.
00:31:43.80\00:31:48.00
He shed much innocent blood.
00:31:48.04\00:31:50.31
In the book Prophets and Kings,
00:31:50.34\00:31:52.41
Ellen White wrote
00:31:52.44\00:31:53.78
that Manasseh had a way
00:31:53.81\00:31:55.48
of silencing every
voice of disapproval.
00:31:55.51\00:32:00.32
And interestingly
enough, his name Manasseh,
00:32:00.35\00:32:02.85
in fact, means one who
forgets, as if it was prophetic.
00:32:02.88\00:32:08.26
One who forgets
00:32:08.29\00:32:09.89
because he indeed
forgot the way of the Lord.
00:32:09.92\00:32:13.09
He forgot the law of God
00:32:13.13\00:32:14.53
by which the entire nation
should have been guided by.
00:32:14.56\00:32:17.40
And it was during
his time during his reign
00:32:17.43\00:32:19.93
that the law of God was lost,
00:32:19.97\00:32:22.14
and was later on discovered
by his grandson Josiah.
00:32:22.17\00:32:26.57
But his name one who forgets
00:32:26.61\00:32:28.84
really, really became
a reality in his life,
00:32:28.88\00:32:32.31
because he forgot God,
00:32:32.35\00:32:33.82
he forgot what is right
00:32:33.85\00:32:35.18
and he led the
entire nation away from God.
00:32:35.22\00:32:39.12
So the question is this,
00:32:39.15\00:32:41.52
what happens when you
travel into the depths of sin?
00:32:41.56\00:32:45.33
What happens when you
turn your back to God?
00:32:45.36\00:32:48.06
What happens when you choose
to worship everything else
00:32:48.10\00:32:51.27
that this world offers you,
00:32:51.30\00:32:52.93
when you worship
everything but God?
00:32:52.97\00:32:56.37
What happens then?
00:32:56.40\00:32:57.77
Is that the end of the journey?
00:32:57.81\00:32:59.87
Is there any hope
left for Manasseh?
00:32:59.91\00:33:04.68
Is any hope left for you and me?
00:33:04.71\00:33:08.62
What about any hope
left for those whom you love,
00:33:08.65\00:33:13.69
but have chosen to
walk away from God?
00:33:13.72\00:33:16.69
Is there any hope for them?
00:33:16.73\00:33:20.20
Can they still
fight the greatest battle
00:33:20.23\00:33:23.53
of surrendering self to God?
00:33:23.57\00:33:26.13
I want to bring a message
of comfort of encouragement
00:33:26.17\00:33:29.10
because we are here
00:33:29.14\00:33:30.47
to prepare our
lives for eternity.
00:33:30.51\00:33:34.11
And I want to
bring hope into our lives
00:33:34.14\00:33:36.24
by telling you
00:33:36.28\00:33:37.78
that the story of
Manasseh is not over.
00:33:37.81\00:33:41.52
That the Book of Kings,
00:33:41.55\00:33:43.32
2 Kings doesn't
tell us the full picture.
00:33:43.35\00:33:47.06
Because what the
Book of Kings tells us is,
00:33:47.09\00:33:49.29
isn't the rest of his
actions recorded in Chronicles?
00:33:49.32\00:33:54.23
Well, let's go to Chronicles
00:33:54.26\00:33:55.93
and discover what
happens in Manasseh's life.
00:33:55.96\00:33:59.77
So I wanna invite you to
open your Bibles with me,
00:33:59.80\00:34:02.20
or to go with the 2
Chronicles 33:10-11.
00:34:02.24\00:34:08.78
And here we are
picking up from a point
00:34:08.81\00:34:10.81
that 2 Kings no longer records,
00:34:10.85\00:34:13.48
but here in
Chronicles is recorded for us.
00:34:13.52\00:34:16.82
Because it tells us
00:34:16.85\00:34:18.19
that even when
someone walks away from God,
00:34:18.22\00:34:21.06
God does not give up on them.
00:34:21.09\00:34:24.06
So 2 Chronicles 33:10-11.
00:34:24.09\00:34:28.93
Please pay attention
to what it says here.
00:34:28.96\00:34:30.83
"And the Lord spoke to
Manasseh and his people,
00:34:30.87\00:34:33.97
but they would not listen."
00:34:34.00\00:34:35.50
So here we have God Himself
00:34:35.54\00:34:37.94
speaking to
Manasseh and to his people.
00:34:37.97\00:34:40.14
How did he do it?
00:34:40.18\00:34:41.54
Of course through the prophets.
00:34:41.58\00:34:43.41
He would send
prophet after prophet.
00:34:43.45\00:34:45.38
Now what did
Manasseh do to the prophets?
00:34:45.41\00:34:49.62
He killed them, he silenced
every voice of disapproval.
00:34:49.65\00:34:52.99
He filled the
streets of Jerusalem
00:34:53.02\00:34:55.52
with their blood.
00:34:55.56\00:34:57.53
And after he
killed one and another,
00:34:57.56\00:34:59.66
God did not give up on Manasseh.
00:34:59.69\00:35:01.96
He continued to speak to him,
00:35:02.00\00:35:03.53
because this is the
God that we serve that
00:35:03.57\00:35:05.47
while we're in the
valley of decision,
00:35:05.50\00:35:07.60
when we are engaged
00:35:07.64\00:35:08.97
in fighting the
greatest battle on earth,
00:35:09.00\00:35:11.27
and we choose to
run away from God,
00:35:11.31\00:35:13.38
God does not give up on us.
00:35:13.41\00:35:17.35
And verse 11,
00:35:17.38\00:35:19.18
"Therefore the
Lord brought upon them
00:35:19.21\00:35:22.35
the captains of the
army of the king of Assyria,
00:35:22.38\00:35:25.95
who took Manasseh with hooks,
bound him with bronze fetters,
00:35:25.99\00:35:29.86
and carried him off to Babylon."
00:35:29.89\00:35:32.86
So after all the failed attempts
00:35:32.89\00:35:35.40
through the prophets,
00:35:35.43\00:35:37.33
God resorted to
one last attempt.
00:35:37.37\00:35:40.57
Grabbed him by the
hook was placed in his nose,
00:35:40.60\00:35:44.97
grabbed him by that
00:35:45.01\00:35:46.34
and carried all the
way to Babylonian prison.
00:35:46.37\00:35:50.11
One last attempt to
reach out to this stubborn,
00:35:53.15\00:35:58.55
rebellious king.
00:35:58.59\00:36:04.66
And you may not
like this picture,
00:36:04.69\00:36:06.03
but I find a lot of comfort.
00:36:06.06\00:36:08.73
Because God tries
over and over again
00:36:08.76\00:36:13.44
to reach out to someone's heart
00:36:13.47\00:36:15.27
in various
means, in various forms.
00:36:15.30\00:36:19.07
Now, what happens next
is very, very fascinating.
00:36:19.11\00:36:25.28
Look at me in verse 12.
00:36:25.31\00:36:27.78
Actually, I'll read 12 and 13.
00:36:27.82\00:36:30.19
This is, I mean,
Manasseh is already in prison.
00:36:30.22\00:36:32.79
In Babylon,
00:36:32.82\00:36:34.16
the kingdom was
taken away from him.
00:36:34.19\00:36:36.02
He's by himself.
00:36:36.06\00:36:37.76
Look what it says.
00:36:37.79\00:36:39.13
Now, when he,
talking about Manasseh,
00:36:39.16\00:36:43.10
when he was in affliction,
he implored the Lord his God,
00:36:43.13\00:36:47.34
and humbled himself greatly
before the God of his fathers.
00:36:47.37\00:36:54.14
Have you read
these verses before?
00:36:54.18\00:36:56.54
This is the same king
00:36:56.58\00:36:58.38
that filled the
streets of Jerusalem
00:36:58.41\00:37:00.25
with the blood of the prophets.
00:37:00.28\00:37:01.88
This is the same king
that sacrificed his son
00:37:01.92\00:37:04.65
on the altar of false gods.
00:37:04.69\00:37:06.49
This is the same king
00:37:06.52\00:37:07.86
that silenced every
voice of disapproval.
00:37:07.89\00:37:09.99
This is the same king
00:37:10.03\00:37:11.36
that destroyed the altars of God
00:37:11.39\00:37:13.03
in order to establish
all their other altars.
00:37:13.06\00:37:16.03
And this is the same king
who in the valley of decision
00:37:16.06\00:37:19.03
turned away from God.
00:37:19.07\00:37:21.30
But this is the same king
00:37:21.34\00:37:23.04
who God in His mercy
and love continue to pursue.
00:37:23.07\00:37:27.38
And when he ended up in prison,
00:37:27.41\00:37:29.44
this stubborn king
00:37:29.48\00:37:32.88
chose to fight the
greatest battle on earth,
00:37:32.91\00:37:37.79
the battle of
surrendering self to God.
00:37:37.82\00:37:40.59
Verse 13,
00:37:43.63\00:37:44.96
"Manasseh prayed to God,
00:37:44.99\00:37:47.26
and He received his entreaty,
heard his supplication,
00:37:47.30\00:37:50.73
and brought him back to
Jerusalem into his kingdom.
00:37:50.77\00:37:54.27
Then Manasseh knew
that the Lord was God."
00:37:54.30\00:38:01.21
I'm sure if
you're understanding,
00:38:01.24\00:38:02.58
if it
comprehending the full picture.
00:38:02.61\00:38:05.15
But here in prison in
that Babylonian prison,
00:38:05.18\00:38:08.78
when Manasseh was still
in the valley of decision,
00:38:08.82\00:38:11.99
Manasseh fought
the greatest battle,
00:38:12.02\00:38:14.99
that is out there in the world,
00:38:15.02\00:38:16.73
the battle of
surrendering self to God.
00:38:16.76\00:38:21.86
Commenting on this
passage, Ellen White wrote,
00:38:21.90\00:38:24.27
"In the case of Manasseh,
00:38:24.30\00:38:26.10
the Lord gives us
an instance of the way
00:38:26.13\00:38:28.80
in which He works.
00:38:28.84\00:38:31.34
He has not left
His backsliding people
00:38:31.37\00:38:33.68
to the will of the enemy,
00:38:33.71\00:38:38.01
but has borne long with them,
even during obdurate apostasy.
00:38:38.05\00:38:42.52
We have reason to
offer thanksgiving to God,
00:38:42.55\00:38:46.22
that He has not taken His Spirit
00:38:46.25\00:38:49.46
from those who have
refused to walk in His way."
00:38:49.49\00:38:53.06
And the only thing I can cry out
00:38:53.09\00:38:54.96
at the end of such a
statement is hallelujah.
00:38:55.00\00:38:58.43
Because if someone
chooses to walk away from God,
00:38:58.47\00:39:01.87
God does not remove His
Spirit from them immediately.
00:39:01.90\00:39:04.67
He pursues them,
00:39:04.71\00:39:06.07
He brings opportunity
after opportunity before them.
00:39:06.11\00:39:09.64
And if this doesn't work,
00:39:09.68\00:39:11.01
God will come up
with another plan
00:39:11.05\00:39:12.61
because this is
the God we serve.
00:39:12.65\00:39:15.02
This is the God we worship.
00:39:15.05\00:39:16.75
It is a God that wants us
to fight the greatest battle,
00:39:16.79\00:39:20.29
and it's the battle of
surrendering self to God,
00:39:20.32\00:39:22.82
because He wants us
to be ready for eternity,
00:39:22.86\00:39:25.06
He wants us to spend
eternity with Him in heaven.
00:39:25.09\00:39:28.40
In that prison,
Manasseh became a free man.
00:39:28.43\00:39:33.77
He experienced
freedom like never before.
00:39:33.80\00:39:36.64
In that Babylonian prison
when Manasseh implored God
00:39:36.67\00:39:40.91
and he humbled himself,
00:39:40.94\00:39:42.74
he experienced freedom
from the chains of the devil.
00:39:42.78\00:39:46.61
He experienced freedom
00:39:46.65\00:39:47.98
from whatever he did
in his previous time.
00:39:48.02\00:39:50.89
He experienced freedom
like never before in his life.
00:39:50.92\00:39:55.09
All he had to
offer at that stage,
00:39:55.12\00:39:58.09
all he had to offer,
00:39:58.13\00:39:59.63
do you know what it was?
00:39:59.66\00:40:02.93
A sin polluted heart.
00:40:02.96\00:40:06.27
That's all.
00:40:06.30\00:40:08.20
And sometimes we think
00:40:08.24\00:40:09.97
that consecration is
such a hard thing to do.
00:40:10.01\00:40:14.08
How can I give my
entire being to God,
00:40:14.11\00:40:16.64
when in reality,
00:40:16.68\00:40:18.15
all we give to
Him is a sin polluted,
00:40:18.18\00:40:22.18
selfish, stubborn,
00:40:22.22\00:40:24.59
rebellious, wicked heart.
00:40:24.62\00:40:30.33
That's what He's asking for.
00:40:30.36\00:40:33.29
That He may bring about healing,
00:40:33.33\00:40:35.70
that He may bring
about restoration,
00:40:35.73\00:40:38.23
that He may bring about renewal,
00:40:38.27\00:40:40.40
that He may bring
about reformation,
00:40:40.44\00:40:42.87
that He may bring about
a new person, born again,
00:40:42.90\00:40:48.08
walking not
according to the flesh,
00:40:48.11\00:40:50.88
but according to the Spirit.
00:40:50.91\00:40:53.58
Right there in that prison,
00:40:53.62\00:40:56.92
Manasseh experienced freedom.
00:40:56.95\00:40:59.89
It was in that prison
00:40:59.92\00:41:01.26
where Manasseh chose to fight
the greatest battle on earth.
00:41:01.29\00:41:05.63
Despite all the
damage that he's done
00:41:05.66\00:41:08.93
and this is
where I hope you find,
00:41:08.96\00:41:11.33
you know, assurance for yourself
00:41:11.37\00:41:12.70
and for those around you.
00:41:12.73\00:41:14.07
Despite all the
damage that he has done,
00:41:14.10\00:41:17.21
despite all his crimes,
00:41:17.24\00:41:20.34
despite all the hurt he's
inflicted upon the nation,
00:41:20.38\00:41:24.15
God was willing to forgive him.
00:41:24.18\00:41:28.58
As Jesus Christ
Himself said in John 6:37,
00:41:28.62\00:41:32.82
"The one who comes to Me,
I will by no means cast out."
00:41:32.85\00:41:38.96
And I thank Jesus today
00:41:38.99\00:41:41.20
that He didn't
put any conditions,
00:41:41.23\00:41:43.57
He didn't say,
00:41:43.60\00:41:44.93
the one who lived the
beautiful, perfect life
00:41:44.97\00:41:47.84
can come to Me.
00:41:47.87\00:41:49.50
He didn't say,
00:41:49.54\00:41:50.87
the one who loves
Me above the world
00:41:50.91\00:41:52.94
can come to Me
and I'll receive him.
00:41:52.97\00:41:55.38
He didn't give
any prerequisites.
00:41:55.41\00:41:58.91
But rather, He said,
the one who comes to Me,
00:41:58.95\00:42:03.18
and the invitation that
was addressed to Manasseh
00:42:03.22\00:42:05.82
in that prison
00:42:05.85\00:42:07.19
thousands of years ago,
00:42:07.22\00:42:08.62
is the same invitation
00:42:08.66\00:42:10.23
that is
addressed to you and to me,
00:42:10.26\00:42:12.39
to you that are watching,
00:42:12.43\00:42:13.76
to those that will
watch us in the future,
00:42:13.80\00:42:15.63
the one who comes to me.
00:42:15.66\00:42:18.07
God says, come to
Me with your problems,
00:42:18.10\00:42:21.00
with your broken life,
with your broken heart,
00:42:21.04\00:42:23.51
with your addiction,
with your shortcomings,
00:42:23.54\00:42:25.44
with your failures.
00:42:25.47\00:42:27.58
Come to Me as you are
and I will not cast you out.
00:42:27.61\00:42:32.21
I will receive you
00:42:32.25\00:42:33.58
just as He has
received Manasseh,
00:42:33.62\00:42:36.99
He will receive us as well.
00:42:37.02\00:42:39.89
There is no better time
00:42:39.92\00:42:41.79
to fight the
greatest battle on earth
00:42:41.82\00:42:43.83
of surrendering
self to God than today.
00:42:43.86\00:42:47.93
Why is that?
00:42:47.96\00:42:49.63
Because tomorrow is gone.
00:42:49.66\00:42:53.40
Apologies, yesterday is gone,
00:42:53.44\00:42:55.60
tomorrow doesn't belong to us.
00:42:55.64\00:42:59.47
All we have is today, now.
00:42:59.51\00:43:02.51
And as a minister of
the gospel of Jesus Christ,
00:43:02.54\00:43:05.58
I can bring before you
only the words of the Bible,
00:43:05.61\00:43:08.38
and the Bible says this,
00:43:08.42\00:43:09.88
today is the day of salvation
in the valley of decision.
00:43:09.92\00:43:16.02
If we want to be
ready for eternity,
00:43:16.06\00:43:18.99
if we want to be ready for
the day when Jesus returns,
00:43:19.03\00:43:22.40
please hear the words of Christ
00:43:22.43\00:43:24.67
that says today is
the day of salvation.
00:43:24.70\00:43:29.57
Come to me as you are today.
00:43:29.60\00:43:34.61
And in response to God's love,
00:43:34.64\00:43:36.61
Manasseh turned,
surrendered self.
00:43:36.64\00:43:39.95
He says, take my
sins, take my broken life,
00:43:39.98\00:43:42.68
take my stubborn heart.
00:43:42.72\00:43:45.29
And you know what's amazing?
00:43:45.32\00:43:46.65
God not only forgave him,
I mean, He could have like,
00:43:46.69\00:43:50.53
couldn't forgive Manasseh
00:43:50.56\00:43:53.06
and allow him to die
in that Babylonian prison.
00:43:53.09\00:43:56.26
But no, do you
know what happens?
00:43:56.30\00:43:58.10
God forgives him,
God forgives Manasseh,
00:43:58.13\00:44:01.27
sets him free from
the Babylonian prison
00:44:01.30\00:44:04.94
and appoints him
king again in Israel.
00:44:04.97\00:44:10.28
I mean, can you see more
of God's mercy and goodness?
00:44:10.31\00:44:15.28
After everything he has done,
00:44:15.32\00:44:16.95
I mean, just allow him to
rot and die in that prison.
00:44:16.99\00:44:21.49
The blood of the
innocents are crying out to God.
00:44:21.52\00:44:24.89
But we don't understand
00:44:24.93\00:44:26.26
because God's
ways are not our ways.
00:44:26.29\00:44:28.53
His thoughts are
not our thoughts.
00:44:28.56\00:44:30.87
We are dealing here
with a great controversy.
00:44:30.90\00:44:34.30
And God's character is
on display for the universe.
00:44:34.34\00:44:38.77
This wicked king
not only was forgiven,
00:44:38.81\00:44:41.08
but he was allowed
to return to Jerusalem.
00:44:41.11\00:44:45.71
But I'd like to
talk to you is that
00:44:45.75\00:44:47.25
it was in that prison
00:44:47.28\00:44:48.75
where he surrendered self,
00:44:48.78\00:44:50.39
where he fought
the greatest battle,
00:44:50.42\00:44:51.85
where he
consecrated himself to God.
00:44:51.89\00:44:55.06
And what happens next,
00:44:55.09\00:44:56.42
tells me that his
consecration was authentic.
00:44:56.46\00:45:00.80
Because consecration to God
brings about transformation,
00:45:00.83\00:45:07.04
brings about renewal.
00:45:07.07\00:45:09.20
You are empowered to live a life
00:45:09.24\00:45:11.41
that will influence
others for eternity,
00:45:11.44\00:45:13.74
will empower you to live a life
00:45:13.78\00:45:15.14
that will bring
glory and honor to God.
00:45:15.18\00:45:18.51
And it really follows
00:45:18.55\00:45:20.08
from the previous
talks on repentance,
00:45:20.12\00:45:22.75
because true repentance is
00:45:22.78\00:45:24.12
as it was mentioned in the past,
00:45:24.15\00:45:25.49
it's not just I'm
sorry for this sin,
00:45:25.52\00:45:27.66
but it's also a desire,
00:45:27.69\00:45:29.12
I don't want to go back
there in anymore in that mess.
00:45:29.16\00:45:31.63
I don't want to do that anymore.
00:45:31.66\00:45:33.93
Look what Manasseh did?
00:45:33.96\00:45:35.60
Verses 15 and 16
00:45:35.63\00:45:37.40
and we'll bring it
to close very soon.
00:45:37.43\00:45:41.94
This is Manasseh
back in Jerusalem,
00:45:41.97\00:45:44.04
a new man, new heart,
00:45:44.07\00:45:46.84
worshiping the
true God of heaven.
00:45:46.88\00:45:48.31
It says,
00:45:48.34\00:45:49.68
"He took away the foreign gods
00:45:49.71\00:45:51.55
and the idol from
the house of the Lord."
00:45:51.58\00:45:53.21
He was the one
that brought him there.
00:45:53.25\00:45:55.58
But now because he
has consecrated himself,
00:45:55.62\00:45:57.72
his life was giving
evidence of the transformation.
00:45:57.75\00:46:00.96
He removed temptations for sin.
00:46:00.99\00:46:05.23
"And all the
altars that he had built
00:46:05.26\00:46:07.30
in the mount of the house
of the Lord and in Jerusalem,
00:46:07.33\00:46:10.07
and he cast them
out of the city."
00:46:10.10\00:46:13.13
The reformation that now
was taking place in Jerusalem
00:46:13.17\00:46:16.67
was a mere evidence
00:46:16.71\00:46:18.77
of the reformation
that God had produced
00:46:18.81\00:46:21.81
in his own life,
in his own heart.
00:46:21.84\00:46:25.45
Finally, verse 16,
00:46:25.48\00:46:27.58
"He also repaired
the altar of the Lord."
00:46:27.62\00:46:32.65
Who had destroyed it?
00:46:32.69\00:46:34.49
It was him.
00:46:34.52\00:46:36.02
But now he's a new person.
00:46:36.06\00:46:37.99
He had repaired
the altar of the God.
00:46:38.03\00:46:39.96
"He sacrificed peace-offerings,
00:46:40.00\00:46:41.93
thank-offerings on it,
00:46:41.96\00:46:43.30
and commanded Judah
00:46:43.33\00:46:44.87
to serve the
Lord God of Israel."
00:46:44.90\00:46:48.94
In the past, he was
a negative influence.
00:46:48.97\00:46:51.77
But now he was
trying to lead people back
00:46:51.81\00:46:54.34
into a relationship with God.
00:46:54.38\00:46:57.31
And this tells me,
00:46:57.35\00:46:58.85
that consecration when
we surrender self to God,
00:46:58.88\00:47:03.89
brings about
renewal, transformation.
00:47:03.92\00:47:07.72
We have new desires, the
things that we once loved,
00:47:07.76\00:47:12.49
we now hate.
00:47:12.53\00:47:14.26
And the things that we
once despise and rejected,
00:47:14.30\00:47:18.33
we now embrace
00:47:18.37\00:47:19.73
because God has
given us a new heart.
00:47:19.77\00:47:23.07
So how is that possible?
00:47:23.10\00:47:25.07
How is that possible
as we coming to an end?
00:47:25.11\00:47:28.64
How is it possible to
fight the greatest battle
00:47:28.68\00:47:33.05
that was ever fought, of
surrendering self to God,
00:47:33.08\00:47:35.85
of consecrating
ourselves to God?
00:47:35.88\00:47:38.92
I wanna leave you with
inspiring words of Paul
00:47:38.95\00:47:43.43
recorded in Philippians 2:13,
00:47:43.46\00:47:48.56
in the context of
fulfilling God's plan for you.
00:47:48.60\00:47:53.40
This is what he
says in Philippians 2:13,
00:47:53.44\00:47:57.97
"For it is God
who works in you both
00:47:58.01\00:48:02.34
to will and to do
for His good pleasure."
00:48:02.38\00:48:08.45
What Paul says here is that
00:48:08.48\00:48:09.82
God gives you both the
desire for what is pure,
00:48:09.85\00:48:14.49
but He also gives you the power.
00:48:14.52\00:48:16.83
I mean, if you have the
power, but you have no desire,
00:48:16.86\00:48:20.16
that doesn't help.
00:48:20.20\00:48:21.53
If you have the
desire, but have no power,
00:48:21.56\00:48:24.30
that doesn't help either.
00:48:24.33\00:48:25.97
But God gives you both.
00:48:26.00\00:48:27.94
That's why salvation is by faith
00:48:27.97\00:48:30.67
through the
grace of Jesus Christ.
00:48:30.71\00:48:32.81
He gives you both a desire
to fight the greatest battle.
00:48:32.84\00:48:37.05
And He gives you
the power to do it,
00:48:37.08\00:48:39.71
of surrendering self,
00:48:39.75\00:48:41.18
surrendering all
to the will of God.
00:48:41.22\00:48:44.19
If you take a
moment and you read,
00:48:44.22\00:48:45.92
not now but read
Matthew Chapter 1,
00:48:45.95\00:48:50.36
beautiful chapter,
genealogy of Jesus Christ,
00:48:50.39\00:48:53.43
lot of names,
00:48:53.46\00:48:55.00
you know what
you're going to find?
00:48:55.03\00:48:56.90
You're going to
find Manasseh there.
00:48:56.93\00:49:00.14
This rebellious,
wicked, stubborn king
00:49:00.17\00:49:03.67
that chose to rebel,
00:49:03.71\00:49:05.47
being part of the genealogy,
00:49:05.51\00:49:08.11
being part of the
family of Jesus Christ.
00:49:08.14\00:49:11.95
It is a message that
you can turn back to God.
00:49:11.98\00:49:17.39
It is a message for
those that have wandered away
00:49:17.42\00:49:20.86
that today God is
calling them back.
00:49:20.89\00:49:23.29
It is a message for
those whom you love,
00:49:23.32\00:49:25.83
and are fighting against God,
00:49:25.86\00:49:29.06
that God is still pursuing them.
00:49:29.10\00:49:32.10
He has not given up on them.
00:49:32.13\00:49:34.00
He wants to
bring them back home.
00:49:34.04\00:49:36.57
He wants them to
be ready for eternity,
00:49:36.60\00:49:39.37
just like He wanted Manasseh
to be ready for eternity.
00:49:39.41\00:49:43.21
We are serving a mighty
and amazing beautiful God
00:49:43.24\00:49:48.15
who seeks to save the lost.
00:49:48.18\00:49:49.72
There's a passage
that I want to share
00:49:55.02\00:49:56.49
as we close
00:49:56.52\00:49:57.86
from Christ Object Lessons.
00:49:57.89\00:50:01.26
It is a passage that I
hope will become our prayer
00:50:01.30\00:50:04.77
as we make a decision
00:50:04.80\00:50:07.37
to fight the
greatest battle on earth.
00:50:07.40\00:50:11.31
In Christ Object Lessons,
00:50:11.34\00:50:13.01
Ellen White wrote the following.
00:50:13.04\00:50:14.64
"Lord, take my heart,
00:50:14.68\00:50:18.61
for I cannot give it.
00:50:18.65\00:50:22.25
It is Thy property.
00:50:22.28\00:50:24.25
Keep it pure, for I
cannot keep it for Thee.
00:50:24.29\00:50:29.32
Save me in spite of myself,
my weak, unchristlike self.
00:50:29.36\00:50:35.50
Mold me, fashion me,
00:50:35.53\00:50:38.07
raise me into a
pure and holy atmosphere,
00:50:38.10\00:50:41.67
where the rich
current of Thy love
00:50:41.70\00:50:43.57
can flow through my soul."
00:50:43.61\00:50:46.07
Those that are here with me,
00:50:51.05\00:50:53.35
and those that
will be watching us
00:50:53.38\00:50:54.75
in the future,
00:50:54.78\00:50:56.15
the appeal is that today,
00:50:56.18\00:50:58.92
God is inviting us
to pray this prayer,
00:50:58.95\00:51:04.33
to fight the greatest
battle that was ever fought
00:51:04.36\00:51:08.63
of consecrating
our lives to God,
00:51:08.66\00:51:11.07
of surrendering self,
00:51:11.10\00:51:13.47
of giving Him our sin
00:51:13.50\00:51:15.64
polluted,
stubborn, hardened heart.
00:51:15.67\00:51:19.11
See God take it, I
cannot fully give it to You,
00:51:19.14\00:51:22.14
but You take it,
and You keep it pure,
00:51:22.18\00:51:25.05
for I cannot keep it for Thee.
00:51:25.08\00:51:27.88
Today is the day of salvation
in the valley of decision.
00:51:27.92\00:51:33.82
May we all that
are present here,
00:51:33.86\00:51:35.76
and those that will hear
this message in the future
00:51:35.79\00:51:38.93
surrender to God,
00:51:38.96\00:51:40.60
fight the greatest battle
and surrender self to Christ.
00:51:40.63\00:51:43.26
Amen. Amen.
00:51:43.30\00:51:45.50
Let's bow our heads as we pray.
00:51:45.53\00:51:47.64
Almighty Father,
creator of heaven and earth,
00:51:47.67\00:51:50.31
we want to thank You
00:51:50.34\00:51:51.67
for Your mercy and
goodness towards us sinners.
00:51:51.71\00:51:54.78
Lord, I want to thank You
00:51:54.81\00:51:56.14
that even when we
rebel and run away from You,
00:51:56.18\00:51:59.11
You choose to
pursue us, to remind us,
00:51:59.15\00:52:02.85
and to bring us back home.
00:52:02.88\00:52:04.69
Lord, I want to thank You
00:52:04.72\00:52:06.05
that the picture that
we have of Jesus Christ
00:52:06.09\00:52:07.72
is the one who continues
00:52:07.76\00:52:09.09
to knock on the
door of our hearts,
00:52:09.12\00:52:11.76
is waiting to be invited in.
00:52:11.79\00:52:14.00
And, Lord, today,
00:52:14.03\00:52:15.40
we boldly proclaim
00:52:15.43\00:52:16.77
and we invite
you into our lives.
00:52:16.80\00:52:18.83
Help us to
surrender self to You.
00:52:18.87\00:52:21.17
Help us to give it all to You.
00:52:21.20\00:52:22.54
May we experience
that true consecration
00:52:22.57\00:52:24.47
in the transformation that comes
00:52:24.51\00:52:26.44
as a result of You
indwelling within us.
00:52:26.47\00:52:29.08
And, Lord, we cannot
finish our prayer without those,
00:52:29.11\00:52:32.18
without praying for those
00:52:32.21\00:52:33.55
that are still in
the valley of decision
00:52:33.58\00:52:35.58
and haven't made a
decision for You, Lord.
00:52:35.62\00:52:37.85
Our hearts ache,
00:52:37.89\00:52:39.22
and we want them
to be in Your kingdom
00:52:39.25\00:52:41.32
forever and ever.
00:52:41.36\00:52:42.69
So, Lord, please continue
to work in their hearts,
00:52:42.72\00:52:45.69
bring them back home,
00:52:45.73\00:52:47.26
that we may all rejoice
in Your presence in heaven.
00:52:47.30\00:52:50.53
So this is our
prayer, in the name of Jesus.
00:52:50.57\00:52:53.13
Amen.
00:52:53.17\00:52:54.50
I want to thank Pastor Abel.
00:52:59.07\00:53:01.14
You know, it is a decision
we face every day of our life.
00:53:01.18\00:53:05.81
When you wake up in the morning,
00:53:05.85\00:53:08.72
let Jesus in, open the door,
00:53:08.75\00:53:11.62
and He will transform your life,
00:53:11.65\00:53:14.06
He will work from
within and change you.
00:53:14.09\00:53:17.23
This has been part,
this is what God wants.
00:53:17.26\00:53:19.29
That's what He
did with Manasseh.
00:53:19.33\00:53:21.00
And you know what?
00:53:21.03\00:53:22.36
It takes time to understand
what God wants you to do.
00:53:22.40\00:53:28.10
And He's waiting for you.
00:53:28.14\00:53:29.47
He's just waiting for you
00:53:29.50\00:53:31.21
to open the door
00:53:31.24\00:53:32.57
and begin that
transformation of your heart.
00:53:32.61\00:53:34.88
He loves you.
00:53:34.91\00:53:36.24
I'm sure you are being
blessed by these programs.
00:53:36.28\00:53:39.31
And I know that
00:53:39.35\00:53:40.68
as time draws on and
eternity becomes closer.
00:53:40.72\00:53:44.89
The closer you get to Jesus,
the more prepared you'll be.
00:53:44.92\00:53:50.29
So spend time every
day in the Word of God.
00:53:50.33\00:53:53.63
Spend time on your knees,
00:53:53.66\00:53:55.76
asking for the heart of Jesus
to be developed within you.
00:53:55.80\00:54:00.97
I want to thank you all,
00:54:01.00\00:54:03.00
especially those that are
here during this COVID-19 time.
00:54:03.04\00:54:06.54
May God richly bless you
00:54:06.57\00:54:08.68
and we look
forward to seeing you
00:54:08.71\00:54:10.05
in the next program.
00:54:10.08\00:54:11.41