Participants: Mike Lemon (Host)
Series Code: HDL
Program Code: HDL000004
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00:38 Hello and welcome to Help in Daily Living. Today we're going
00:41 to be looking at true greatness. What does it mean to be truly 00:44 great in God's kingdom. Jesus says if you want to be great 00:47 in my kingdom you must become the servant of all. Or in 00:52 Jeremiah 45:5 it tells us: Seekest thou great things for 00:55 thyself? Seek them not. Why does it say seek them not? 00:59 Because God has no place in his work for those who have a 01:03 greater desire to win the crown than to bear the cross. 01:06 God is saying to us if you want to go higher you must go lower. 01:12 So in this episode we're going to be looking at characters 01:15 like Moses and people like John the Baptist and Jesus himself 01:20 who, in order to become great, became lowly and became servants 01:24 of all. Such a very important topic, I'm going to ask Allie 01:28 to lead us in a word of prayer to beging with. 01:31 Father in Heaven, I want to thank you that you to bring 01:36 us all higher. Lord help us to realize though that being great 01:41 isn't really about being center stage; it's about being humble 01:45 and doing the duties faithfully that you called us to. Help us 01:49 to follow your plan every single day of our lives. 01:51 In Jesus name, Amen. 01:56 Have you ever been in a period of indecision, a time when you 02:01 really didn't know what's next in your walk in life. Well I'm 02:06 in that indicision right now concerning my future. College, 02:10 a career? Really everything is up in the air right now and 02:15 being in this position is very unsettling. I mean what if the 02:19 decision I make causes me to make an utter failure of my 02:23 life? I could try to work through this time of uncertainty 02:27 by myself, but that's not the best way of making such an 02:31 important decision. And just like a lot of things in life 02:36 an advisor can always be beneficial. For some of us that 02:41 advisor could be our parents, our spouse or any other good 02:46 friend. But why not Christ? I mean, who better to go to 02:50 than to him who knows you better than you know yourself 02:53 and who only wants the very, very best for you? 02:58 In Jeremiah 29:11 it says: For I know what I have planned for 03:03 you says the Lord. I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. 03:08 I have plans to give you a future filled with hope. 03:11 So leaving my future to God is one of the greatest decisions 03:17 that I've made. He sees 1000 ways where I can't even see one. 03:22 When I ask him to give me his eyes and to guide my future 03:27 according to his will, that burden of worry is taken away 03:31 and that peace of God that passes all understanding will 03:35 help me to overcome as it says in the Bible. So what about 03:40 you? Why don't you turn to him in prayer and ask him to 03:44 give you his eyes and to guide your future according to his 03:49 will? Open your heart to him and say, Lord, I want you to 03:53 be my vision. 04:20 Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else 04:31 to me save that thou art. Thou my best thought by day or by 04:42 night. Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light 05:00 Be thou my wisdom, Be thou my true word 05:08 I ever with thee and thou with me Lord 05:16 Thou my great father, I thy true son; 05:25 Thou with me dwelling and I with thee one. 05:34 Riches I heed not Nor man's empty praise; 05:42 Thou my inheritance Now and always. 05:51 Thou and Thou only, first in my heart, 06:03 High king of heaven, my treasure Thou art. 06:13 Be my vision, Be my vision Oh ruler of all. 06:50 You know that song, Be Thou My Vision is a prayer and it's 06:54 really a prayer that you can pray when you're truly humble. 06:59 Humble enough to say, Lord, I don't want to trust my 07:03 definition of true greatness. I don't want to see how I 07:07 want true greatness but I want to see your definition of true 07:10 I want to see your definition worked out in my life. Can you 07:13 relate to that Victoria? 07:15 I really can, because before I came to Fountain View I was a 07:19 really good violinist in my church and also I would speak 07:22 up during Sabbath School. I was considered to be one of 07:25 the more spiritual kids. Then also I was a really hard worker 07:30 and I had a lot of things going for me when I was at home. 07:34 When I came to Fountain View I guess I expected the other 07:38 kids would be talented but maybe not as talented or gifted 07:43 as I was. So when I got to Fountain View I got into the 07:46 first violin section, which I was really excited about, but 07:49 I was half way back. Hmm, that's kind of humbling. Yes I wasn't 07:53 the best violinist at Fountain View. Then also as far as 07:56 spirituality, there are lots of other kids that had a 07:59 relationship with God and that was a more common thing and 08:02 they would display it in their everyday lives. So I wasn't 08:06 the most spiritual either. Also I was wanting to work in the 08:10 music office this year so I got to be a music arranger 08:13 and that was really fun. I arranged like two songs, but 08:16 then I guess they realized that they wanted something different 08:21 in the music arranging or something so I realized that 08:24 really wasn't my strong place either as music arranging. 08:27 I wasn't the best at that either. So now here I am, I'm 08:30 working in the cafeteria, that's what I've been doing recently 08:33 and I'm not really the best cafeteria worker either. I'm not 08:36 the one doing all the cooking and all the fun stuff but I'm 08:39 the one scrubbing potatoes and scrubbing the floors and 08:42 wiping the tables, all the things that need to be done but 08:44 that people don't necessarily want to do, the more lowly 08:48 tasks. God's really had to take me from my exalted position, 08:52 you know, he's made me more humble in coming to Fountain 08:56 View. You know, it makes me think of 08:58 a time last year when we went on a campout to Rosea Beach in 09:03 Washington. It was after our Christman music tour. So every 09:06 body was tired. It was change in semester and everybody was 09:10 ready for a break. We got there and I was assigned for cleanup 09:14 for one of the meals. I went in the kitchen and I went toward 09:18 the sink and Scott, our school's president, and Mr. Brousson 09:22 who is the owner of a large company were there and I was 09:25 so surprised to see them there. It really inspired me because 09:30 they didn't have to be there, because there were other people 09:34 assigned to kitchen duty. But they chose to be there and to 09:37 help out. That really inspired me because I thought wow that 09:40 makes me want to be the kind of person who's truly great, 09:44 who's truly humble enough to step down and do the duties 09:48 they don't necessarily have to do or that nobody really wants 09:50 to do. That's very inspirational. 09:53 When I was younger my family would grow a garden each year. 09:58 In the spring, my dad would take the entire family outside and 10:02 we would all help plant. Then throughout the summer we would 10:05 to out on Sundays to work in the garden. My dad would ask us 10:09 kids to come and join him. Sometimes we would protest 10:12 that we didn't want to work in the garden, but he would 10:15 explain that he needed us to work with him. After a while 10:19 though we would become bored with weeding and we would wander 10:22 off to do something else leaving my dad working there in the 10:26 garden alone. Jesus is working in the garden of this world. 10:29 He calls us to come and join him, to sow the seeds of truth 10:33 in uncultivated minds. He's already there working. Why 10:37 should we make him who died for us work alone? We are called 10:40 to work with Christ for the salvation of souls. Cooperation 10:44 with him in the work of salvation is the greatest 10:47 privilege that we could ever have. 10:50 ¤ 11:16 Must Jesus bear the cross alone and all the world go 11:31 free? No there's a cross for everyone, And there's a cross 11:48 for me... 12:10 The consecrated cross I'll bear, Till He shall set me 12:25 free; and then go home my crown to wear, For there's a crown 12:44 for me... 13:25 Upon the crystal pavement, down at Jesus' pierc-ed feet, 13:44 With joy I'll cast my golden crown, And His dear name repeat. 14:05 His dear name repeat... 14:41 You know that song Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone? The word 14:45 that really hits me there is alone. Moses was taken from a 14:49 place where he had family around him, people looking up 14:53 to him and now he's alone in the wilderness. Jesus is taken 14:57 from a place where the crowds are around him and then he's 15:02 alone and he's bearing the cross. You know, we go from 15:07 greatness or, in our eyes, from high to low. You know 15:12 Sarah I know you kind of had a type of an experience where 15:16 it felt like you were going from high to low when you came 15:19 to Fountain View. Yes, Fountain View for sure 15:23 as I reflect on my life has been my wilderness experience. 15:27 Just like Moses, he's this mighty prince of Egypt and God 15:30 takes him away and he says no come here, spend time with me, 15:34 and he has him herd sheep for 40 years. I'm sure Moses and 15:39 other people wonder how is that helping Moses? Because he is 15:43 this prince, he's had the best education, he's the highest 15:48 military leader, he's popular, he's got a great family and 15:52 yet God still takes that and he says no, come abide with me 15:56 right? So likewise Fountain View was that for me. 16:00 I came to Fountain View and I was wondering, God, why? 16:04 I'm not going to have the same academic opportunities like at 16:07 home. I'm not going to have the same musical opportunties. 16:09 So what is my purpose in coming here? I realize now 16:16 he wanted to teach me how to have a relationship with him and 16:19 also to develop meekness and humility. That's what Moses 16:23 developed in his character. In the book Help in Daily Living 16:29 Ellen G. White writes and says that Moses' 40 years that he 16:33 spent in the wilderness, that was the most important part 16:38 of his education. For me, I had this job working dorm and 16:43 for six months I got to scrub toilets every day. It was a 16:48 very humbling experience for me. But I wouldn't trade it for 16:53 anything at all. It's been the best situation God could have 16:58 placed me in. So you're not going to this 17:01 straight private school where you can wear a uniform and be 17:05 preppy but a place where you can clean toilets and yes, you 17:08 can perform in an orchestra and yes you can perform, but 17:11 there are certain things that you can do but it's not the 17:14 same as what you had. It seemed like a step down but God was 17:18 leading you because that was the highest position where he 17:21 could lead you to for true greatness in your life. 17:25 And then nature, Zach, I know you like to be out in nature. 17:29 How do you relate to Moses' experience in that way? 17:31 Well I grew up in eastern Canada rambling around the woods 17:35 and forests of Prince Edward Island and I always loved 17:39 getting away to the sounds of the trees. Back wading through 17:42 creek and mud and just being in God's beautiful creation. 17:45 It's a phenomonal feeling. Not much has changed as I've 17:48 grown older. I mean I still love getting out and speaking to God 17:52 and seeing his hands through what's around us. It's a really 17:55 neat experience that he likes to share with us. Just recently 17:59 I had the opportunity to go on a campout to Strime. It's a 18:02 cabin tucked up way in the woods in the mountain and it's in the 18:06 middle of a snow bank and it's just beautiful beyond belief. 18:10 The night before I decided to go, I wasn't planning on going, 18:12 I had a lot of stress in my life at that time. It had been a 18:16 busy last month or so. It just seemed like stressful life in 18:19 school like crazy. I was just not planning to go. I was going 18:23 to chill. But the night before I decided to go and man I was 18:26 so glad that I did. It was a worthwhile three-hour hike up 18:30 the mountain through snow and slippery ice. Once we got up 18:34 there just the beauty of the snow made everything so white 18:39 and clean. We spent that weekend snow shoeing rigorously, just 18:44 sleeping on the ground. That may not sound like a restful 18:47 weekend to some, but for me it was a rest beyond all other 18:51 rest. God really helped my soul to relax, to become refreshed 18:56 and to become transformed by spending that quiet time with 19:00 God. I think it's cool that he did the same with Moses. 19:04 It's neat that I can share in the same experiences that 19:07 Moses had in a way. He took Moses from the busyness and 19:10 the stresses of the city and he brought him to a place that 19:13 was peaceful where he could just really transform his 19:16 character for the big task he had ahead and I just think it's 19:19 so neat that I could be a part of that same kind of 19:21 transforming character that God had. 19:23 So true greatness is not just coming from a high position 19:27 to a low position but God is actually leading us to hear 19:31 his voice and trust him completely and often he does 19:34 that through nature where we can actually be still and hear 19:38 him speak to us through the works of his creation that are 19:42 around us. God has given you and me so 19:48 many different gifts. You know one of the gifts God has given 19:51 me is the gift of singing and he asks that I would use this 19:55 gift to honor and glorify him. But to be honest, I have a big 20:00 problem. So often I become captive to the thought of what 20:04 does the audience think of me when my thought should be what 20:08 does the audience see of Christ through me. I want to use my 20:13 gifts for their intended purpose. So every day my 20:17 prayer is that God would take my sinful foolish desires and 20:22 make me a captive to him. 20:24 Make me a captive, Lord, And then I shall be free; 20:35 Force me to render up my sword, And I shall conqueror be. 20:47 I sink in life's alarms When by myself I stand; 20:57 Imprison me within Thine arms, And strong shall be my hand. 21:10 My heart is weak and poor, Till it a master find; 21:19 It has no spring of action sure It varies with the wind. 21:30 It cannot freely move Till Thou has wrought its chain; 21:40 Enslave it with Thy matchless love, 21:48 And deathless it shall reign. 21:53 My will is not my own Till Thou hast made it Thine; 22:03 If it would reach a monarch's throne 22:09 It must its crown resign; 22:15 It only stands unbent, Amid the clashing strife, 22:25 When on Thy bosom it has leant And found in Thee its life. Amen 22:53 You know the words of that song Make Me a Captive, Lord? 22:56 They're absolutely the opposite of what we think we need to 22:59 become truly great. You don't want to be a captive. But the 23:03 words are Make me a captive Lord and then I will be truly 23:08 free. I will be truly free for you to work in me and the 23:12 words of the song also talk about how we can surrender up 23:17 our sword, which tells me it's a symbol of how we force our 23:22 own way and we want to achieve greatness by our own strength. 23:27 So as we surrender to God we become truly great. James, you 23:31 know what it means to surrender to God? You grew up in a 23:35 Christian home and so you were always surrendered to God. 23:39 Was that your experience? 23:41 Not really. I had to realize my need of Christ was much 23:45 greater than I every thought. As a kid I had a pretty good 23:50 Christian walk. I had a pretty good relationship with God. 23:55 But then when I started becoming a teenager around age 14, 15, I 24:00 started getting into computer games and I started developing 24:06 friendships with friends who weren't the best for my 24:11 Christian experience. Most people when they look at 24:16 computer games they think oh that's just innocent fun, I mean 24:20 kids are having fun. So why is that a problem to your Christian 24:23 walk? Well actually towards the 24:25 beginning, my friends and I, we started playing games that 24:29 more "innocent," as you might say. They were just time 24:34 wasters. But we eventually got into other games. We were 24:38 getting more numb to the innocent games and getting into 24:43 games that were more violent and movies and stuff. So we 24:48 got into all these evil habits. I felt like a hypocrit because 24:52 the Lord kept on convicting me that these things were wrong 24:58 in my life. But yet I kept on doing them. Eventually when I 25:02 was home I listened to a sermon or something and I felt 25:07 convicted that these games were wrong. So I deleted the games 25:12 off my computer. I felt so free and revived and stuff. But the 25:16 very next time I saw my friends we got together and played 25:20 the games again. I installed them again onto my computer 25:23 and I kept on doing that for a long time, several years. 25:28 That's a struggle. Now you're going back and forth, you're 25:33 taking them off and then you're putting them back on. 25:37 I know. I felt like such a hypocrit. But eventually the 25:41 Lord convicted me that this was wrong and this dual face 25:47 was wrong, appearing like a good Christian to my church 25:52 family and family but yet indulging in these games just 25:57 was wrong. But eventually the Lord helped me to have the 26:02 strength finally just delete the games off my computer 26:07 and just tell my friends that no I don't want to play these 26:12 games anymore. So my friends, they kind of became not my 26:17 friends anymore. So I kind of just had to sacrifice those 26:22 relationships for my relationship with Christ. 26:25 But as I became more interested in spiritual things, I became 26:31 more interested in more reading of the Bible and gardening and 26:36 nature. Mom was so surprised because I was spending so much 26:41 time in the garden. Yes it was just a turning point in my life. 26:46 And all these talents on my computer I transfered to 26:50 productive things like web development for God's cause. 26:54 So becoming a captive to the Lord, he set you free indeed. 26:58 Amen, Amen. Katie, I'm going to ask you to 27:01 close with a work of prayer for us now. Sure. 27:03 Father in heaven, thank you so much for your love for us and 27:07 how you're willing to fight our battles. Lord, I just pray 27:11 that you'll help us to surrender up our sword. Help us to not 27:15 try to make ourselves great but to trust you with our future 27:20 and Lord I pray that you will help us to reveal your greatness 27:25 and to glorify you through the life that you have given 27:29 us. Thank you so much Father. In Jesus name, Amen. 27:36 Help in Daily Living is a 13- part series from Fountain 27:40 View Productions designed to share the solid principles of 27:44 practical everyday Christianity. It's a simple way to share the 27:48 good news about the power of the gospel with your friends, 27:52 family and coworkers. Order your copies now by calling 27:55 1-877-490-4141 or visit us online at 28:01 www.fountainviewproductions.com Help in Daily Living 28:07 is also available at your local ABC Christian Book Stores. |
Revised 2014-12-17