As we look at the
apostates, so we went through
00:00:34.12\00:00:36.96
all of the seven
identifying characteristics.
00:00:36.99\00:00:39.30
Remember Revelation 13,
00:00:39.33\00:00:41.17
by which we
identified the apostate system.
00:00:41.20\00:00:45.07
Well, it's fascinating
00:00:45.10\00:00:46.64
that in the Book of Revelation
in particular that we also find
00:00:46.67\00:00:50.87
the identifying characteristics
of God's people in the end time.
00:00:50.90\00:00:55.79
And that's what I
want to review with you
00:00:55.82\00:00:57.93
before we really get into
the heart of our study tonight.
00:00:57.96\00:01:00.88
So God's people in the end
time are going to be noted for,
00:01:00.91\00:01:03.94
number one, their
faith in Jesus Christ.
00:01:03.97\00:01:07.75
And we would expect that.
Jesus is going to be central.
00:01:07.78\00:01:10.44
Jesus is going
to be foundational
00:01:10.47\00:01:12.56
to their
experience is what we find.
00:01:12.59\00:01:15.30
And number two, we
discover from the word of God
00:01:15.33\00:01:18.35
that is particularly
from the Book of Revelation.
00:01:18.38\00:01:21.58
It is mentioned
specifically twice
00:01:21.61\00:01:23.91
in regards to God's
people in the end time.
00:01:23.94\00:01:26.38
They will keep the
Commandments of God.
00:01:26.41\00:01:30.02
Not just some of
them, but by faith
00:01:30.05\00:01:32.90
through His grace they will
seek to keep all ten of them,
00:01:32.93\00:01:37.31
which tells me that
they are going to be
00:01:37.34\00:01:39.72
a Sabbath keeping people.
00:01:39.75\00:01:42.61
And number three, as we
discover last night in our study
00:01:42.64\00:01:46.83
that God's people
would emerge in the end time.
00:01:46.86\00:01:50.65
Out of that
period of persecution
00:01:50.68\00:01:52.19
represented by the 1,260 years,
00:01:52.22\00:01:54.83
the earth would,
help a woman, remember?
00:01:54.86\00:01:56.94
And they would emerge.
00:01:56.97\00:01:58.04
They would
emerge out of oppression
00:01:58.07\00:01:59.84
and persecution
in the old world.
00:01:59.87\00:02:01.96
And they would emerge here
in the soil of the new world.
00:02:01.99\00:02:06.75
It would take right here,
00:02:06.78\00:02:08.18
and that's
exactly what we found out
00:02:08.21\00:02:10.18
as I shared with you,
00:02:10.21\00:02:11.72
the beginnings of the advent
moment, those early Adventists.
00:02:11.75\00:02:16.79
And it all began in
the early 19th century,
00:02:16.82\00:02:19.09
right on time prophetically.
00:02:19.12\00:02:21.54
And what else
did we learned about
00:02:21.57\00:02:23.15
God's people in the end time?
00:02:23.18\00:02:24.48
We also discover
that as they emerge
00:02:24.51\00:02:28.89
that the Book of
Daniel with his prophecies
00:02:28.92\00:02:31.92
would be unsealed.
00:02:31.95\00:02:33.88
And so that's what
we would expect that
00:02:33.91\00:02:35.80
they would have a
prophetic/biblical message.
00:02:35.83\00:02:41.04
And there will be
a worldwide moment
00:02:41.07\00:02:43.29
because the gospel
must go to the whole world
00:02:43.32\00:02:45.33
as a witness through all nations
and then the end shall come.
00:02:45.36\00:02:48.71
And so it must be
a worldwide moment.
00:02:48.74\00:02:52.72
And Adventists today
are preaching this message
00:02:52.75\00:02:57.25
and are established in
some 210 countries worldwide.
00:02:57.28\00:03:02.50
That is more than
belongs to the United Nations.
00:03:02.53\00:03:06.49
And it is a worldwide moment.
00:03:06.52\00:03:10.23
And again, I would
expect that, wouldn't you?
00:03:10.26\00:03:12.98
It's growing tremendously
in places like Africa,
00:03:13.01\00:03:15.73
even in India, in
some parts of the India,
00:03:15.76\00:03:18.26
Central and South America.
00:03:18.29\00:03:20.27
And, my friend, America
is going to have its day.
00:03:20.30\00:03:23.06
At some point
it's going to happen.
00:03:23.09\00:03:25.54
I really believe it because I
know the prophecy speak of it.
00:03:25.57\00:03:29.32
And there's
going to be something
00:03:29.35\00:03:30.59
that's going to disturb,
00:03:30.62\00:03:31.65
I think our sense of
security at some point.
00:03:31.68\00:03:34.23
I don't know if it's
just current situation,
00:03:34.26\00:03:37.52
I would not presume
to make that assumption,
00:03:37.55\00:03:39.56
but at some point
00:03:39.59\00:03:40.62
it's going to be
disturbed our sense of security.
00:03:40.65\00:03:45.91
And then the last thing
that we discovered last night
00:03:45.94\00:03:48.27
is that they would
have the testimony of Jesus.
00:03:48.30\00:03:50.83
So you got to line this up,
if you are really interested
00:03:50.86\00:03:53.88
in being associated with
God's people in the end time,
00:03:53.91\00:03:57.89
just line it up,
starting with Jesus,
00:03:57.92\00:03:59.68
keeping the commandments
et cetera, et cetera.
00:03:59.71\00:04:02.64
These are the things that
00:04:02.67\00:04:03.95
that ought to be
present among God's people.
00:04:03.98\00:04:07.62
Now as I get into
my subject tonight,
00:04:07.65\00:04:09.83
it is on the subject of
prophecy, the prophetic word.
00:04:09.86\00:04:13.90
And the question is,
will there be a re-emergence
00:04:13.93\00:04:17.35
of the prophetic gift
before the coming of Jesus?
00:04:17.38\00:04:21.95
You have the question.
00:04:21.98\00:04:23.20
Will there be a re-emergence
of the prophetic gift
00:04:23.23\00:04:25.76
before the coming of Jesus?
00:04:25.79\00:04:28.74
Which leads us to the
whole question, why was--
00:04:28.77\00:04:32.08
Why is the
prophetic gift needed anyway?
00:04:32.11\00:04:36.16
Well, my friend,
remember in the very beginning,
00:04:36.19\00:04:39.66
God had face to face
communion with Adam and Eve.
00:04:39.69\00:04:44.13
That is what He
designed life to be
00:04:44.16\00:04:48.77
or something that
we would experience,
00:04:48.80\00:04:50.77
we would know God, we
would have this privilege
00:04:50.80\00:04:53.92
of being able face to
face to talk with God.
00:04:53.95\00:04:58.76
And that's a part
of why there's just--
00:04:58.79\00:05:02.39
If you think about,
00:05:02.42\00:05:03.45
there's just something within
us that just is not right.
00:05:03.48\00:05:07.04
There's
something that's missing.
00:05:07.07\00:05:10.06
And my friend, the
thing that's missing,
00:05:10.09\00:05:12.23
is that the
relationship has been broken.
00:05:12.26\00:05:15.77
That's what it
really comes down to.
00:05:15.80\00:05:18.27
And I won't tell
you people keep filling
00:05:18.30\00:05:19.94
that hole that, you
know, that restlessness
00:05:19.97\00:05:22.86
that some go
through with so many things,
00:05:22.89\00:05:25.63
and hopefully
someday they discover
00:05:25.66\00:05:28.22
that all the time it
was so close in hand,
00:05:28.25\00:05:31.91
there's a God
that really love them
00:05:31.94\00:05:33.44
and really cares for them.
00:05:33.47\00:05:34.76
So why do we need
the prophetic gift?
00:05:34.79\00:05:37.37
I said it the
relationship was broken.
00:05:37.40\00:05:39.46
Isaiah 59:2 says,
00:05:39.49\00:05:41.43
"But your iniquities or sins
00:05:41.46\00:05:43.32
have separated
you from your God."
00:05:43.35\00:05:46.05
The direct communion,
the direct communication
00:05:46.08\00:05:48.97
between God and His people
was broken because of sin.
00:05:49.00\00:05:52.85
And sin always does that.
00:05:52.88\00:05:54.02
Sin always
separates us, doesn't it?
00:05:54.05\00:05:56.61
That's' the tendency of it.
00:05:56.64\00:05:58.62
It breaks down
relationship is what sin does.
00:05:58.65\00:06:01.61
That's what so
very deadly about it.
00:06:01.64\00:06:03.26
And relations are
being broken down.
00:06:03.29\00:06:05.49
My friend, I mean, that
leads us in a horrible state.
00:06:05.52\00:06:10.98
We're not complete
and we're not whole
00:06:11.01\00:06:15.72
when the relationship
has been broken down.
00:06:15.75\00:06:18.84
And the Gods in the--
00:06:18.87\00:06:21.15
God has the purpose of repairing
the broken relationship,
00:06:21.18\00:06:26.92
that's what He's
all about, isn't He?
00:06:26.95\00:06:29.79
So the prophetic
gift was given to operate
00:06:29.82\00:06:34.03
while we are in the
state of separation.
00:06:34.06\00:06:38.26
It is God's ordain means of
communicating His will to us.
00:06:38.29\00:06:42.28
It's what we find
as we study the Bible.
00:06:42.31\00:06:44.38
So, you know, it's vital.
00:06:44.41\00:06:46.07
Take your Bibles
and turn to 2 Peter 1,
00:06:46.10\00:06:48.45
the New Testament page 183, 183.
00:06:48.48\00:06:52.48
2 Peter 1 and
looking at verse 21.
00:06:52.51\00:06:56.99
Back here towards the
end of the New Testament
00:06:57.02\00:06:59.41
is where you are
going to find 2 Peter.
00:06:59.44\00:07:01.99
And as I said it's Chapter 1
00:07:02.02\00:07:03.86
and if you move
right on down the page,
00:07:03.89\00:07:05.55
you will find
verse 21 where it says,
00:07:05.58\00:07:08.59
"For no prophecy was ever
made by an act of human will."
00:07:08.62\00:07:15.23
Let me reassure you,
00:07:15.26\00:07:17.19
that when it came to
the prophetic revelations
00:07:17.22\00:07:19.47
that we have
contained in the word of God,
00:07:19.50\00:07:21.75
it goes on to say,
00:07:21.78\00:07:22.91
" But men moved by the
Holy Spirit spoke from God."
00:07:22.94\00:07:29.83
The message comes from
God. It was initiated by God.
00:07:29.86\00:07:33.95
And, my friend, the
fact that there is harmony
00:07:33.98\00:07:37.36
from the very
beginning of the book to the end
00:07:37.39\00:07:41.02
speaks of the
divine power by which
00:07:41.05\00:07:44.42
the word of God was established,
00:07:44.45\00:07:48.33
and there is harmony, there is.
00:07:48.36\00:07:53.08
So and then I take
you on to Ephesians 4:11
00:07:53.11\00:07:56.78
as we talk about some of
the gifts of the Holy spirit,
00:07:56.81\00:07:59.76
it's speaking of
Jesus when it says,
00:07:59.79\00:08:01.26
"And He gave some as
apostles, and some as prophets,
00:08:01.29\00:08:06.29
and some as evangelists and
some as pastors and teachers."
00:08:06.32\00:08:10.30
Please don't forget
that one of the gifts
00:08:10.33\00:08:12.56
of the Holy
Spirit that Jesus gave
00:08:12.59\00:08:14.61
was the gift of
evangelist, not always,
00:08:14.64\00:08:18.27
not everyone considers us
to be gifts to the church.
00:08:18.30\00:08:23.07
But I am focusing in
on the gift of prophets.
00:08:23.10\00:08:28.38
And again Jesus
gave these gifts,
00:08:28.41\00:08:31.20
so specifically
the gift of prophecy,
00:08:31.23\00:08:33.42
the gift of prophets
to operate in His absence.
00:08:33.45\00:08:37.98
Is that why He gave these gifts?
00:08:38.01\00:08:40.16
And, my friend, when
we're united with Him,
00:08:40.19\00:08:41.91
we no longer will
need these spiritual gifts.
00:08:41.94\00:08:45.39
Again the question is,
is there any indication
00:08:45.42\00:08:48.04
that beyond the New Testament
00:08:48.07\00:08:49.31
that the prophetic
gift would never rise again?
00:08:49.34\00:08:52.27
I just want you to
be thinking about that.
00:08:52.30\00:08:54.97
But I want to as we
further into our study,
00:08:55.00\00:08:57.21
I want to do a survey
of how the prophetic gift
00:08:57.24\00:08:59.84
has operated in the
past, under what circumstances,
00:08:59.87\00:09:03.28
under what historical conditions
was the prophetic gift
00:09:03.31\00:09:06.47
operating in the past
which will give us a clue
00:09:06.50\00:09:09.62
as we think about
the prophetic gift
00:09:09.65\00:09:11.25
as it relates to the end times.
00:09:11.28\00:09:14.14
And, you know, I can
just do this only briefly,
00:09:14.17\00:09:16.87
but I began with Noah.
00:09:16.90\00:09:19.14
Did Noah had the prophetic gift?
00:09:19.17\00:09:21.83
Did he receive
revelations from God?
00:09:21.86\00:09:24.05
Did he, did he not? Yes, he did.
00:09:24.08\00:09:27.90
He received revelations that
the world was coming to an end.
00:09:27.93\00:09:31.02
He was given
instructions to build an ark
00:09:31.05\00:09:33.81
and he was given a message,
it was a prophetic message
00:09:33.84\00:09:36.81
and he preached
that for 120 years.
00:09:36.84\00:09:39.34
By the way, how
successful was he?
00:09:39.37\00:09:41.97
Not very successful
after 120 years only
00:09:42.00\00:09:44.84
eight, he did save his family.
00:09:44.87\00:09:46.80
That's worth
something, isn't it?
00:09:46.83\00:09:49.87
I tell you, if I only save
my family, I will save no one.
00:09:49.90\00:09:52.91
But you know what? We
have ministry "Save No One."
00:09:52.94\00:09:57.93
It's Jesus that does the saving.
00:09:57.96\00:09:59.71
But anyway, you know,
what I am saying here.
00:09:59.74\00:10:02.72
And so, you
know, the message was
00:10:02.75\00:10:05.27
the antediluvian
world was coming to an end
00:10:05.30\00:10:07.73
and so the
prophetic gift was given.
00:10:07.76\00:10:09.63
God gave a warning.
He gave an invitation.
00:10:09.66\00:10:13.77
And, my friend,
He really longed.
00:10:13.80\00:10:15.54
He longed for them to repent.
00:10:15.57\00:10:18.08
He longed for them to survive,
00:10:18.11\00:10:20.86
but they had the
choices like we do.
00:10:20.89\00:10:23.40
Could it be?
00:10:23.43\00:10:25.50
But in the end times,
00:10:25.53\00:10:27.19
knowing the world is
going to come to an end
00:10:27.22\00:10:29.07
that Jesus is coming
that in a similar fashion,
00:10:29.10\00:10:32.76
the prophetic gift
would again be in operation.
00:10:32.79\00:10:36.96
Well, you may have some idea,
00:10:36.99\00:10:39.34
I maybe going
somewhere with this.
00:10:39.37\00:10:41.36
And then I think of Moses.
00:10:41.39\00:10:42.84
Moses certainly
had the prophetic gift.
00:10:42.87\00:10:44.81
The first five
books of the Old Testament
00:10:44.84\00:10:46.72
were written by
Moses and most agree
00:10:46.75\00:10:49.18
that he wrote the Book of Job.
00:10:49.21\00:10:52.14
And we think he was
given the prophetic gift
00:10:52.17\00:10:54.90
as God was bringing His
people out of Egyptian bondage
00:10:54.93\00:10:59.54
that Moses was
the instrumentality
00:10:59.57\00:11:01.73
by which he was
leading his people
00:11:01.76\00:11:03.68
through the
wilderness of their wonderings
00:11:03.71\00:11:05.83
right up to the
borders of Canaan,
00:11:05.86\00:11:09.54
The Promise Land.
00:11:09.57\00:11:12.12
And again, in a similar fashion
00:11:12.15\00:11:14.13
we too are in the
wilderness of our wonderings
00:11:14.16\00:11:17.88
on this planet, aren't we?
00:11:17.91\00:11:19.97
And we are on the
borders of the heavenly Canaan.
00:11:20.00\00:11:25.49
Are there parallels?
00:11:25.52\00:11:26.74
Is that point to the possibility
of it in the end time?
00:11:26.77\00:11:30.77
And then I take of
the prophet Elijah.
00:11:30.80\00:11:33.11
We've been talking about
Elijah this weekend, haven't we?
00:11:33.14\00:11:35.65
Last night, this morning,
00:11:35.68\00:11:36.83
I was talking about
Elijah and his message.
00:11:36.86\00:11:40.00
It was not a popular one.
00:11:40.03\00:11:41.88
Jeremiah, I think
is another prophet.
00:11:41.91\00:11:43.66
His message-- You know,
the people got hated it.
00:11:43.69\00:11:47.51
I tell you, at one point
Jeremiah had its long ministry,
00:11:47.54\00:11:51.66
the people of
God were in apostasy.
00:11:51.69\00:11:53.42
God said-- I
want you to write down
00:11:53.45\00:11:54.68
all of the
messages I've given you.
00:11:54.71\00:11:56.73
Look at
Jeremiah. It's a long book.
00:11:56.76\00:12:00.27
And He said, put it
in he hands of the king.
00:12:00.30\00:12:03.27
And it was
being read to the king
00:12:03.30\00:12:05.37
and as it was
being read page by page,
00:12:05.40\00:12:07.96
you know what
that king was doing?
00:12:07.99\00:12:10.00
He was cutting it up,
throwing it into the fire.
00:12:10.03\00:12:13.34
That's what he thought
about those prophetic messages.
00:12:13.37\00:12:17.63
He held them in despair.
00:12:17.66\00:12:20.96
And now God said to
Jeremiah, write it up again.
00:12:20.99\00:12:23.79
I mean, that was a task.
00:12:23.82\00:12:25.18
And this is by
the way pre-computer
00:12:25.21\00:12:27.04
and word processing.
00:12:27.07\00:12:29.63
You know, that was all longhand
00:12:29.66\00:12:31.60
so he wrote it out again.
00:12:31.63\00:12:33.13
But we're taking about Elijah.
00:12:33.16\00:12:35.01
And his was not
a popular message.
00:12:35.04\00:12:36.94
It was a message to his people
who were locked in apostasy.
00:12:36.97\00:12:40.84
They've been hunting down
the prophets to eliminate them.
00:12:40.87\00:12:44.31
They were trying to eliminate
00:12:44.34\00:12:45.48
the prophetic voice
among them, it's tragic.
00:12:45.51\00:12:51.08
And, my friend,
when we think about it,
00:12:51.11\00:12:53.81
the very fact that
there's so much division
00:12:53.84\00:12:55.85
and confusion in
the Christian world
00:12:55.88\00:12:57.94
does give some indication
that something is wrong.
00:12:57.97\00:13:03.09
That on some level, there maybe
00:13:03.12\00:13:05.05
this represents some kind of
apostasy that was so divided.
00:13:05.08\00:13:10.96
And then we can
talk about the, you know,
00:13:10.99\00:13:12.80
the Major we talk
about the Minor Prophets.
00:13:12.83\00:13:14.95
Minor in the sense that we
only have, you know, like Joel.
00:13:14.98\00:13:18.28
It's not a long
book that we have,
00:13:18.31\00:13:21.05
written by Joel and Amos, Hosea.
00:13:21.08\00:13:23.78
What is that 12
chapters or something.
00:13:23.81\00:13:27.29
You know all giving
messages for God's people.
00:13:27.32\00:13:32.66
God was addressing, God
was speaking to His people.
00:13:32.69\00:13:36.33
In the end times, do we
need God to be speaking to us?
00:13:36.36\00:13:39.12
Now we do have the advantage
00:13:39.15\00:13:40.70
that we have the testimony of
the prophets in the word of God.
00:13:40.73\00:13:44.78
We do, don't we? It's
a wonderful advantage.
00:13:44.81\00:13:48.30
And then I moved
into the New Testament
00:13:48.33\00:13:50.09
for John the Baptist
had the prophetic message.
00:13:50.12\00:13:52.70
By the way, do we have one book
00:13:52.73\00:13:54.07
written by the
Prophet John the Baptist?
00:13:54.10\00:13:59.08
No, not one book.
00:13:59.11\00:14:01.42
And but John, he did
have the prophetic gift
00:14:01.45\00:14:04.76
in the sense that he had a
prophetic message, didn't he?
00:14:04.79\00:14:08.34
And what was his
message for his people
00:14:08.37\00:14:11.42
that were again
locked in apostasy?
00:14:11.45\00:14:14.74
Repent.
00:14:14.77\00:14:16.38
And his purpose
was to prepare the way
00:14:16.41\00:14:19.03
for the coming of
Jesus in a similar way
00:14:19.06\00:14:23.50
as we anticipate
the return of our Lord.
00:14:23.53\00:14:26.53
Could it be that there
would be a prophetic message
00:14:26.56\00:14:29.56
that would at
work, the prophetic gift
00:14:29.59\00:14:32.71
to prepare a people for
the second return of Jesus?
00:14:32.74\00:14:37.68
What do you think?
00:14:37.71\00:14:38.74
Where do you think
I'm heading with this?
00:14:38.77\00:14:40.70
Again I ask, do we
have any indication that
00:14:40.73\00:14:43.10
the prophetic gift would
end with the New Testament?
00:14:43.13\00:14:46.54
And if not, could it
be that in the last days
00:14:46.57\00:14:49.33
in the time of the end
00:14:49.36\00:14:51.06
just before the
coming of the Jesus
00:14:51.09\00:14:52.86
that the prophetic gift
00:14:52.89\00:14:53.98
would again be
present among God's people.
00:14:54.01\00:14:58.41
Well, the Book of Revelation
makes this prediction.
00:14:58.44\00:15:01.06
Look at Revelation 12,
the New Testament page 195.
00:15:01.09\00:15:06.20
195, Revelation 12 and we're
going to be looking at verse 17.
00:15:06.23\00:15:09.97
We were here just last night
00:15:10.00\00:15:11.53
for those of you
who were with us.
00:15:11.56\00:15:14.12
And remember,
Revelation 12 is describing
00:15:14.15\00:15:16.59
the people of God in a state
of conflict, remember that?
00:15:16.62\00:15:19.66
I pointed out in verses 7 and 9
00:15:19.69\00:15:21.91
that it tells us that
this conflict began in heaven.
00:15:21.94\00:15:26.97
But the conflict is being
carried out upon this planet.
00:15:27.00\00:15:30.25
I share with you
whenever we put ourselves
00:15:30.28\00:15:33.59
under the saving grace of Jesus,
00:15:33.62\00:15:35.79
we are setting
ourselves up for conflict.
00:15:35.82\00:15:39.21
Conflict within,
conflict without in the sense
00:15:39.24\00:15:42.93
that we are in conflict
with the principle of evil,
00:15:42.96\00:15:47.48
if you can call
evil a principle, okay.
00:15:47.51\00:15:52.37
And remember, we
went through this.
00:15:52.40\00:15:53.95
The determination of the evil,
00:15:53.98\00:15:55.53
want to take them
down to eliminate them.
00:15:55.56\00:15:58.50
Now God prepared
a place for them.
00:15:58.53\00:16:00.11
He nourished them. They
have to go in the hiding.
00:16:00.14\00:16:03.67
And how the earth hopped women?
00:16:03.70\00:16:05.18
Remember all of that and
we talked about the new world
00:16:05.21\00:16:07.64
and how that, you know, it
was all part of God's plan.
00:16:07.67\00:16:11.56
And then we looked at verse
17, verse 17 where it says,
00:16:11.59\00:16:17.07
"So the dragon was
enraged with the woman
00:16:17.10\00:16:21.43
and went off to make war
with rest of her children
00:16:21.46\00:16:23.96
who keep the commandments of God
00:16:23.99\00:16:25.71
and hold to the
testimony of Jesus."
00:16:25.74\00:16:28.86
And again as I did last night,
I'm going to share with you
00:16:28.89\00:16:31.13
the King James
rendition of this where it says,
00:16:31.16\00:16:34.14
"And the dragon was wroth,
he was angry with the woman,
00:16:34.17\00:16:36.46
and went to make
war with the remnant."
00:16:36.49\00:16:38.44
Remember? I was wanting
to underscore that idea.
00:16:38.47\00:16:41.41
"The remnant of her seed, which
keep the commandments of God,
00:16:41.44\00:16:44.35
and the
testimony of Jesus Christ."
00:16:44.38\00:16:48.52
And there we have two specific,
00:16:48.55\00:16:51.34
clear identifying
characteristics of God's people.
00:16:51.37\00:16:55.56
Keeping the commandments.
00:16:55.59\00:16:56.77
We already went
through that, didn't we?
00:16:56.80\00:16:58.46
But they would have
the testimony of Jesus.
00:16:58.49\00:17:00.48
But as we talk about the remnant
00:17:00.51\00:17:03.41
and represents God's people
in that last remnant of time
00:17:03.44\00:17:08.21
that we call the last days.
00:17:08.24\00:17:10.55
So in the last days,
00:17:10.58\00:17:11.73
they will keep the
commandments of God
00:17:11.76\00:17:13.32
and they will have
the testimony of Jesus,
00:17:13.35\00:17:15.42
but what is this
testimony of Jesus?
00:17:15.45\00:17:19.46
Jesus is speaking to us?
00:17:19.49\00:17:22.15
Jesus is
testifying to us, is He?
00:17:22.18\00:17:26.83
And what is that really about?
00:17:26.86\00:17:28.25
Look at Revelation 19,
the New Testament page 199,
00:17:28.28\00:17:32.16
comparing
scripture with scripture.
00:17:32.19\00:17:33.99
Again taking, out
of our concordances,
00:17:34.02\00:17:36.34
you know, to a
good biblical study.
00:17:36.37\00:17:38.19
And for looking specifically
at the testimony of Jesus,
00:17:38.22\00:17:40.54
we want to find out
00:17:40.57\00:17:41.81
if that is used in
any other context, right?
00:17:41.84\00:17:44.71
That's how we use the
Bible to interpret itself
00:17:44.74\00:17:46.83
and that's exactly how
we can understand biblically
00:17:46.86\00:17:50.87
the true interpretation
of what we are talking about.
00:17:50.90\00:17:53.45
In verse 10, we find that
John is comforted with an angel.
00:17:53.48\00:17:56.26
It is an
overwhelming experience to John.
00:17:56.29\00:17:59.58
For it says, 'Then I fell
at his feet to worship him.
00:17:59.61\00:18:02.42
But he said to
me, 'Do not do that,
00:18:02.45\00:18:04.73
I am a fellow servant
of yours and your brother
00:18:04.76\00:18:07.14
who hold the testimony of Jesus.
00:18:07.17\00:18:10.78
Worship God! For
the testimony of Jesus
00:18:10.81\00:18:14.02
is the Spirit of Prophecy.'"
00:18:14.05\00:18:19.44
That is just simply another way
to refer to the prophetic gift.
00:18:19.47\00:18:25.02
And so you put
these two verses together
00:18:25.05\00:18:28.00
and it speaks of
God's remnant people
00:18:28.03\00:18:29.80
who keep the
commandments of God,
00:18:29.83\00:18:31.30
having the testimony of
Jesus or the Spirit of Prophecy,
00:18:31.33\00:18:35.55
the prophetic gift, it is
clear that the Bible indicates
00:18:35.58\00:18:40.04
the prophetic gift would
arise again in the end times.
00:18:40.07\00:18:46.89
And it makes sense,
00:18:46.92\00:18:47.95
if you go back to the
survey, I shared with you.
00:18:47.98\00:18:50.59
As we looked at the
particular historical settings
00:18:50.62\00:18:53.76
under which the prophetic
gift has operated in the past.
00:18:53.79\00:18:56.62
And, my friend, if indeed as
we believe the Bible teaches,
00:18:56.65\00:18:59.94
the end of time is at hand
that Jesus is soon to come,
00:18:59.97\00:19:05.45
it only make sense
00:19:05.48\00:19:07.72
that the prophetic gift
would again be in operation.
00:19:07.75\00:19:11.90
So let me introduce
you to an individual
00:19:11.93\00:19:13.62
that I believe
had the prophetic gift
00:19:13.65\00:19:15.68
in fulfillment of this
prophecy of revelation.
00:19:15.71\00:19:19.45
I don't know if this is
going to be a new name for you,
00:19:19.48\00:19:21.64
but her name was Ellen G. White.
00:19:21.67\00:19:25.55
I can tell you this. Her
background was Methodist.
00:19:25.58\00:19:27.64
Her family were very
dedicated Methodists.
00:19:27.67\00:19:30.34
They really loved the Lord.
00:19:30.37\00:19:32.25
And as a young
girl when William Miller
00:19:32.28\00:19:34.68
came into her hometown
and was preaching these novel
00:19:34.71\00:19:39.22
ideas of prophecy and end times,
00:19:39.25\00:19:43.33
end of the world
then the coming of Jesus.
00:19:43.36\00:19:45.79
It was craving to stir in and
she and her family were there.
00:19:45.82\00:19:50.94
And they listened
to these preachings
00:19:50.97\00:19:52.92
from God's word
and they embraced
00:19:52.95\00:19:55.29
the prophetic
messages they were hearing.
00:19:55.32\00:19:57.74
They remained Methodist,
but they embraced the message
00:19:57.77\00:20:03.02
and in time all of
those people through those--
00:20:03.05\00:20:05.99
They came to be known
as those Advent believers
00:20:06.02\00:20:08.80
in the various
churches, you know,
00:20:08.83\00:20:10.79
they were all through
the established churches
00:20:10.82\00:20:14.43
who believe this message.
00:20:14.46\00:20:16.61
And that's the story
itself how that, you know,
00:20:16.64\00:20:19.24
congealed in time
into the advent moment,
00:20:19.27\00:20:23.10
the Adventist
moment as it exist today,
00:20:23.13\00:20:25.47
but that's the origins of it.
00:20:25.50\00:20:26.81
So they were
hearing these messages.
00:20:26.84\00:20:29.57
And let me tell
you about Ellen White.
00:20:29.60\00:20:30.92
She was a woman that loved Jesus
00:20:30.95\00:20:33.94
dearly and looked with
longing for His return.
00:20:33.97\00:20:39.85
In 1844, at 17 years
of age. How old was she?
00:20:39.88\00:20:46.77
Seventeen years of age
00:20:46.80\00:20:48.05
she received her
first revelation from God
00:20:48.08\00:20:53.33
that resulted in
a 70 year ministry
00:20:53.36\00:20:57.62
that ended with
her death in 1915.
00:20:57.65\00:21:02.65
During the course of her life,
she received some 2,000 visions.
00:21:02.68\00:21:07.19
Some of them I've
seen as long as four hours.
00:21:07.22\00:21:11.25
There were-- Just to give you
just some statistics on this.
00:21:11.28\00:21:14.19
There were some 26
books that she wrote.
00:21:14.22\00:21:17.58
There are some
55,000 manuscript pages,
00:21:17.61\00:21:20.28
100 compellations of
her writings in English.
00:21:20.31\00:21:24.02
Very possibly, she is the most
00:21:24.05\00:21:25.49
translated woman
in human history.
00:21:25.52\00:21:27.64
She is certainly the most
translated American author
00:21:27.67\00:21:32.09
man or woman for her
book, Steps to Christ,
00:21:32.12\00:21:36.58
which I'm going to
share with you tonight
00:21:36.61\00:21:38.38
has been translated
alone in 135 languages,
00:21:38.41\00:21:45.03
135 languages.
00:21:45.06\00:21:48.14
And, my friend, there
is no doubt in my mind
00:21:48.17\00:21:50.90
that in her life of
ministry was a fulfillment
00:21:50.93\00:21:54.40
of this prophecy
of revelation that
00:21:54.43\00:21:56.28
the Spirit of Prophecy would
be present among God's people.
00:21:56.31\00:21:59.42
But how can we really know that?
00:21:59.45\00:22:01.91
We haven't come to this point
00:22:01.94\00:22:03.42
where I'm going to say
to you, take my word for it.
00:22:03.45\00:22:08.52
In fact, you'll never
hear that spoken up here.
00:22:08.55\00:22:12.08
But let me tell you a
little bit about Ellen White.
00:22:12.11\00:22:16.02
Ellen White, 17 years
of age, that's young...
00:22:16.05\00:22:21.57
Pretty young.
00:22:21.60\00:22:23.55
And I want to tell you about
the character of Ellen White.
00:22:23.58\00:22:25.67
She was not the
kind of individual
00:22:25.70\00:22:27.53
that put herself
into the forefront
00:22:27.56\00:22:30.07
She was not the kind of a
person who wanted attention.
00:22:30.10\00:22:34.04
In fact, when this came to her,
00:22:34.07\00:22:35.98
she begged the Lord to
lay it on somebody else.
00:22:36.01\00:22:42.61
She did not feel adequate in
anyway for that responsibility.
00:22:42.64\00:22:47.69
And, you know, that's
probably why God chose
00:22:47.72\00:22:50.73
to give this woman,
young woman these revelations.
00:22:50.76\00:22:56.40
I would be
worried, wouldn't you?
00:22:56.43\00:22:58.04
If it was somebody that
really wanted to be noticed,
00:22:58.07\00:23:02.49
who wanted attention,
00:23:02.52\00:23:04.98
who wanted to have
authority over people.
00:23:05.01\00:23:10.06
Wouldn't you be
worried about that
00:23:10.09\00:23:12.33
if that was the kind
of person that God chose?
00:23:12.36\00:23:15.17
I don't think
God generally chooses
00:23:15.20\00:23:16.69
those kinds of people for
that kind of holy mission.
00:23:16.72\00:23:19.07
So you need to know that.
00:23:19.10\00:23:20.67
So how do we know
whether there's God or not?
00:23:20.70\00:23:22.59
Well, take your Bibles and turn
with me to Isaiah Chapter 8,
00:23:22.62\00:23:26.00
the Old Testament, page 493.
00:23:26.03\00:23:31.31
493, Isaiah 8:20.
00:23:31.34\00:23:34.92
And by the way, on the screen
there you'll see her home,
00:23:34.95\00:23:37.46
that's the home where
she died in Elmshaven,
00:23:37.49\00:23:42.15
that's up in the Napa
Valley area in California.
00:23:42.18\00:23:48.21
That's where she
finished her ministry.
00:23:48.25\00:23:50.47
And as I said she died in 1915.
00:23:50.50\00:23:54.60
But notice this principle
that we find in Isaiah 8:20.
00:23:54.63\00:23:59.09
How do we know
00:23:59.12\00:24:00.58
where there's something
like this is of God or not?
00:24:00.61\00:24:03.14
Well, it tells us
here in Isaiah 8:20,
00:24:03.17\00:24:05.76
"To the law and
to the testimony!
00:24:05.79\00:24:08.29
If they speak--
If they do not speak
00:24:08.32\00:24:10.90
according to this word,
it is because there is no."
00:24:10.93\00:24:15.60
The King James
translates it properly.
00:24:15.63\00:24:17.62
"There's no light in them."
00:24:17.65\00:24:20.50
So it must be in
keeping with the moral code
00:24:20.53\00:24:24.31
of God's commandments.
00:24:24.34\00:24:26.48
I mean, somebody has revelations
00:24:26.51\00:24:28.05
and they're living a
prolific life and immorality
00:24:28.08\00:24:31.10
that first of all that by
their fruit you shall know them.
00:24:31.13\00:24:34.23
The Bible says, right?
00:24:34.26\00:24:35.91
By their fruits
you shall know them.
00:24:35.94\00:24:38.29
Well, that would be a key.
00:24:38.32\00:24:39.72
And it says,
through the testimony.
00:24:39.75\00:24:41.43
And what is the testimony?
00:24:41.46\00:24:42.81
My friend, you're
holding it here in your hands.
00:24:42.84\00:24:45.76
It is the testimony
of the Holy Spirit to us.
00:24:45.79\00:24:49.95
And the point is,
if they do not speak
00:24:49.98\00:24:52.66
in accordance with this word,
00:24:52.69\00:24:55.65
it is because
there's no light in them.
00:24:55.68\00:24:58.70
So whatever
revelations that supposedly come
00:24:58.73\00:25:01.83
to an individual
must be in harmony
00:25:01.86\00:25:04.17
with what the Bible teaches.
00:25:04.20\00:25:05.52
And if it is
not, it is not a God.
00:25:05.55\00:25:11.96
This is the final authority.
00:25:11.99\00:25:14.38
This one to the points
of faith as you remember
00:25:14.41\00:25:16.06
that we were going
through earlier this evening.
00:25:16.09\00:25:19.56
There has to be in
point of authority.
00:25:19.59\00:25:21.35
And, my friend, the authority
does not reside with you and I.
00:25:21.38\00:25:24.46
You know, I'd smell
it, I would sense it.
00:25:24.49\00:25:26.75
And, my friend, you and
I can't depend upon that
00:25:26.78\00:25:29.22
but what we can depend
upon is the word of God, amen.
00:25:29.25\00:25:32.17
Amen.
00:25:32.20\00:25:33.28
So to me,
that's a crucial issue.
00:25:33.31\00:25:34.98
The issue that I must spend
most of my time on tonight.
00:25:35.01\00:25:38.20
So how did she relate to
the word of God, to the Bible?
00:25:38.23\00:25:43.18
Was her influence in anyway
00:25:43.21\00:25:46.23
undermining the
authority of the scriptures?
00:25:46.26\00:25:51.84
And I'm going to
quote from her because,
00:25:51.87\00:25:53.78
you know, and that's
the best way to do it
00:25:53.81\00:25:55.69
to establish where
she stood on this issue.
00:25:55.72\00:25:58.02
So how did she
relate to the Bible?
00:25:58.05\00:25:59.77
She made the
statement. It's a simple one.
00:25:59.80\00:26:01.95
That is all inclusive
because she said at one point,
00:26:01.98\00:26:05.28
"The Bible and the Bible."
00:26:05.31\00:26:08.14
What's the next word?
"Alone is our rule of faith."
00:26:08.17\00:26:14.37
She did not say, the
Bible and my writings, right?
00:26:14.40\00:26:20.91
She said the Bible
and the Bible alone.
00:26:20.94\00:26:24.70
Let me tell you,
00:26:24.73\00:26:25.76
I've been preaching
this message for a long time.
00:26:25.79\00:26:28.87
I never have to turn
to her writings to say.
00:26:28.90\00:26:33.42
Now let me share with
you why we believe this
00:26:33.45\00:26:37.65
and I take you to
another seven books.
00:26:37.68\00:26:40.16
Does she bear
testimony to the truth?
00:26:40.19\00:26:42.92
Of course, we would
expect that if it's of God.
00:26:42.95\00:26:46.60
Does she bear testimony to
Jesus in the plan of salvation?
00:26:46.63\00:26:49.40
Of course, she does.
00:26:49.43\00:26:51.54
We would expect that
if it was of God, right?
00:26:51.57\00:26:54.69
So we do find truth there,
00:26:54.72\00:26:56.60
but the basis of
truth is from the Bible.
00:26:56.63\00:27:01.14
She bears witness is the
way I would put it to the truth
00:27:01.17\00:27:06.48
as it is in Jesus,
prayers witness to Jesus.
00:27:06.51\00:27:10.49
The Bible and the Babylon.
00:27:10.52\00:27:11.78
In another book,
there's one of the books
00:27:11.81\00:27:13.97
I read early in--
Actually back in my college days
00:27:14.00\00:27:18.34
about my sophomore year,
00:27:18.37\00:27:19.48
I grabbed the book
Early Writings, page 78.
00:27:19.51\00:27:21.98
She said, "I
recommend to you the word of God
00:27:22.01\00:27:25.10
as the rule of
your faith and practice.
00:27:25.13\00:27:27.89
By that word we
are to be judged.
00:27:27.92\00:27:29.99
God has, in that word,
promised to give visions
00:27:30.02\00:27:33.56
for the 'last days,' not
for a new rule of faith."
00:27:33.59\00:27:36.49
Let's stop right there.
00:27:36.52\00:27:37.91
Now she's quoting
from something here.
00:27:37.94\00:27:40.26
When she says
God has in that word
00:27:40.29\00:27:42.64
promise to give
visions for the last days.
00:27:42.67\00:27:45.88
Is that true? Is
that in the Bible?
00:27:45.91\00:27:49.15
And it's so where?
00:27:49.18\00:27:52.27
Joel 2:27:28.
00:27:52.30\00:27:56.18
And the context is just before
the great and terrible day
00:27:56.21\00:27:59.25
of the Lord that
is before His coming.
00:27:59.28\00:28:02.89
It indicated that there
would be prophetic dreams
00:28:02.92\00:28:05.91
and there would
be prophetic visions.
00:28:05.94\00:28:09.18
And, you know, it's supports
00:28:09.21\00:28:10.85
what we just read in revelation
about the Spirit of Prophecy.
00:28:10.88\00:28:14.86
Okay, she said, "Not for a
new rule of faith, but for--"
00:28:14.89\00:28:20.30
Now this one is the
primary reasons that was given,
00:28:20.33\00:28:22.32
"For the comfort of His people."
00:28:22.35\00:28:25.94
And do we need to be comforted?
00:28:25.97\00:28:29.94
I don't know about you.
00:28:29.97\00:28:32.59
I need to be comforted.
00:28:32.62\00:28:36.24
And I want to share something
out of my own experience
00:28:36.27\00:28:38.59
about that will illustrate this,
but I'm not quite there yet.
00:28:38.62\00:28:42.13
And another
reason that was given,
00:28:42.16\00:28:43.65
"And to correct those
who err from Bible truth."
00:28:43.68\00:28:48.33
It authoritatively
bears witness to the truth.
00:28:48.36\00:28:54.39
Did you catch that
the meaning of that?
00:28:54.42\00:29:00.68
But the authority by which
00:29:00.71\00:29:02.27
He bears witness to the truth
00:29:02.30\00:29:03.88
is not the basis of
the foundations of truth.
00:29:03.91\00:29:10.01
The foundation
and truth is biblical,
00:29:10.04\00:29:12.57
but she
authoritatively bears witness
00:29:12.60\00:29:14.87
to the truth of scripture.
00:29:14.90\00:29:17.76
One of the functions
of the Spirit of Prophecy
00:29:17.79\00:29:20.25
as I just referred to
is to affirm Bible truth
00:29:20.28\00:29:25.28
and to apply its teachings
00:29:25.31\00:29:27.46
and its principles
through the specific times
00:29:27.49\00:29:29.69
that we're living in,
00:29:29.72\00:29:31.06
it is to help the people of God
00:29:31.09\00:29:33.69
to prepare for
the return of Jesus.
00:29:33.72\00:29:36.16
And it has been given
to keep us as a people
00:29:36.19\00:29:39.89
from drifting away from
the foundations of our faith
00:29:39.92\00:29:43.57
which are scriptural.
00:29:43.60\00:29:47.00
I tell you, we
have been tremendously
00:29:47.03\00:29:49.44
been blessed as a people.
00:29:49.47\00:29:51.41
I'm going to tell you honestly,
00:29:51.44\00:29:52.92
I have this deep conviction.
00:29:52.95\00:29:54.62
We've been tremendously
blessed by this gift.
00:29:54.65\00:29:58.11
It has kept us
on track biblically.
00:29:58.14\00:30:00.69
Had she been misused? Yes.
00:30:00.72\00:30:04.49
Has the Bible ever
been misused? Absolutely.
00:30:04.52\00:30:08.44
And, my friend, just because
something that's been misused,
00:30:08.47\00:30:11.23
don't let that be a hindrance
00:30:11.26\00:30:15.36
to seeing the God
is behind the gift.
00:30:15.39\00:30:18.47
Whether we're talking
about the Spirit of Prophecy
00:30:18.50\00:30:20.49
or we're talking
about the prophetic gift
00:30:20.52\00:30:22.54
as we have it in the Bible.
00:30:22.57\00:30:24.85
You know, people have
misused the cross, you know.
00:30:24.88\00:30:28.59
It was an emblem of the crusade.
00:30:28.62\00:30:32.30
It represented blood shed,
00:30:32.33\00:30:34.18
prosecution and oppression
of certain period of time.
00:30:34.21\00:30:37.63
Are we going to reject the cross
00:30:37.66\00:30:40.47
because it has
been abused or misused?
00:30:40.50\00:30:44.48
Of course not.
00:30:44.51\00:30:46.31
You know, we need
to be mature about this
00:30:46.34\00:30:48.80
and we need to see
if what it really is.
00:30:48.83\00:30:52.01
But time again to
illustrate the relationship
00:30:52.04\00:30:55.35
between the Spirit of
Prophecy and the Bible.
00:30:55.38\00:30:56.95
I don't know if you noticed,
00:30:56.98\00:30:58.01
but I discovered this
in about 19 years of age.
00:30:58.04\00:31:01.22
I was in college and I
was just wonder all the time,
00:31:01.25\00:31:04.85
you know, I was
just tired all the time,
00:31:04.88\00:31:07.61
I was home.
00:31:07.64\00:31:08.91
I shared this with my
mother and she's an LPN
00:31:08.94\00:31:12.24
and so she put it
together and she took me down,
00:31:12.27\00:31:15.46
and have my eyes
checked and it was eye strain
00:31:15.49\00:31:18.83
that was just wearing me out.
00:31:18.86\00:31:20.35
I was just tired
and sleepy all the time.
00:31:20.38\00:31:23.14
It was all the
reading and I didn't realize
00:31:23.17\00:31:25.66
that my eyes were going bad
00:31:25.69\00:31:27.19
and I tell you it
was a wonderful thing,
00:31:27.22\00:31:29.34
but you know,
when the Lord comes,
00:31:29.37\00:31:30.73
I'm going to get to
throw those things away
00:31:30.76\00:31:32.60
as far as I can go
00:31:32.63\00:31:33.72
because I'm not
going to need them anymore.
00:31:33.75\00:31:36.39
But for the time
being I'm going to keep them
00:31:36.42\00:31:39.09
because let me tell
you, without the glasses,
00:31:39.12\00:31:45.01
and I have little stigmatism
00:31:45.04\00:31:46.33
so things kind
of going in and out
00:31:46.36\00:31:47.57
and that sort of things.
00:31:47.60\00:31:49.77
I tell you, I really can't pick
up hardy a word on the page.
00:31:49.80\00:31:55.11
That's my eyesight,
00:31:55.14\00:31:56.64
but when I put
these spectacles on,
00:31:56.67\00:31:58.79
everything comes
immediately into sharp focus.
00:31:58.82\00:32:02.46
By the way, I do have bifocal,
00:32:02.49\00:32:03.60
so that helps also. Okay.
00:32:03.63\00:32:06.09
Comes into sharp focus.
00:32:06.12\00:32:07.96
Now did the glasses
put the words there?
00:32:07.99\00:32:10.12
No.
00:32:10.15\00:32:11.58
It was there, but I
just could not perceive it
00:32:11.61\00:32:14.57
because of the
limitations you see.
00:32:14.60\00:32:16.97
But with the aid
of those eye glasses
00:32:17.00\00:32:20.31
everything comes
into sharp focus.
00:32:20.34\00:32:23.41
A similar
illustration, you know,
00:32:23.44\00:32:26.15
with the naked eye we can
see some few thousand stars
00:32:26.18\00:32:29.54
out there on the clear night,
00:32:29.57\00:32:31.76
but when you put one of
these instruments to your eyes,
00:32:31.79\00:32:35.43
I tell you there,
our heavenly bodies
00:32:35.46\00:32:37.47
we could not even began to
imagine out there in space.
00:32:37.50\00:32:41.96
Again, the telescope didn't
put those bodies out there.
00:32:41.99\00:32:44.24
They were there,
but we didn't have
00:32:44.27\00:32:45.94
the capability of, you
know, we couldn't see them.
00:32:45.97\00:32:51.10
And so the Spirit of Prophecy
bears witness to the truth.
00:32:51.13\00:32:55.60
And then the early
experience of the advent moment,
00:32:55.63\00:32:59.08
it was such a
fluid period of time,
00:32:59.11\00:33:00.95
that period when
Bible study groups
00:33:00.98\00:33:03.27
were happening all
through the advent moment.
00:33:03.30\00:33:07.57
People, I mean, this
is pre-TV, pre-radio.
00:33:07.60\00:33:11.44
People spent hours
in studying of the Bible
00:33:11.47\00:33:15.39
and they've been
doing this prayerfully.
00:33:15.42\00:33:17.06
Ellen White was a part of it,
00:33:17.09\00:33:19.12
but she was not there saying,
00:33:19.15\00:33:20.63
"Okay, listen to me, folk.
00:33:20.66\00:33:22.19
Do I have your attention?
00:33:22.22\00:33:23.57
Let me tell you, this is
what the word of God is."
00:33:23.60\00:33:27.34
The process was
they would be studying.
00:33:27.37\00:33:30.42
She said,
"Sometimes I could not follow
00:33:30.45\00:33:34.39
the framework of the arguments
00:33:34.42\00:33:35.93
and the
argument of the reasoning
00:33:35.96\00:33:38.82
that was going on
in these discussions."
00:33:38.85\00:33:41.14
And sometimes they
would be kind of deadlock.
00:33:41.17\00:33:44.76
There were times that
God would reveal to us.
00:33:44.79\00:33:47.28
This is the track of truth.
00:33:47.31\00:33:50.48
That's the only time.
00:33:50.51\00:33:51.96
This is not a shortcut
for the study of God's word
00:33:51.99\00:33:55.63
is what I'm trying to say.
00:33:55.66\00:33:57.12
Lord did the truths that
were discovered in that process
00:33:57.15\00:34:02.06
come out of this is
what Ellen White said.
00:34:02.09\00:34:06.42
But she board testimony
that this is what the truth is.
00:34:06.45\00:34:11.54
It's not a
shortcut for Bible study.
00:34:11.57\00:34:13.58
Never should be that,
00:34:13.61\00:34:15.28
right?
00:34:15.31\00:34:16.54
It should never be a
shortcut and when it does,
00:34:16.57\00:34:18.42
we're misusing it.
00:34:18.45\00:34:19.75
In John 14:26,
00:34:19.78\00:34:21.39
Jesus said, "But the
Helper, the Holy Spirit,
00:34:21.42\00:34:24.40
whom the Father
will send in My name,
00:34:24.43\00:34:26.54
He will teach you all things,
00:34:26.57\00:34:29.10
and bring to your remembrance
all that I said to you."
00:34:29.13\00:34:32.96
And so the Holy
Spirit has been promised us
00:34:32.99\00:34:35.60
to lead us into the truth.
00:34:35.63\00:34:40.00
And, my friend, I believe
00:34:40.03\00:34:41.52
the Spirit of Prophecy
is a partial fulfillment
00:34:41.55\00:34:44.96
of this promise
of the Holy Spirit
00:34:44.99\00:34:47.17
to lead us into the truth.
00:34:47.20\00:34:51.24
And again, as I
said it bears witness
00:34:51.27\00:34:52.90
to the truth of scripture.
00:34:52.93\00:34:56.46
It bears witness to
the truth of scripture.
00:34:56.49\00:34:59.11
In her prophets to the
book Great Controversy.
00:34:59.14\00:35:02.30
This is one of the 700 somewhat
page books that she wrote.
00:35:02.33\00:35:06.45
It deals with
prophecy and the end times
00:35:06.48\00:35:08.75
and the major
issues of the end times.
00:35:08.78\00:35:11.18
The night that I was
speaking on the coming of Jesus,
00:35:11.21\00:35:13.24
you may remember I
ended with a reading
00:35:13.27\00:35:15.61
that described
the coming of Jesus.
00:35:15.64\00:35:17.07
"Soon there appears in
the east a small black cloud,
00:35:17.10\00:35:20.03
about half the
size of a man's hand."
00:35:20.06\00:35:21.72
You may remember that.
00:35:21.75\00:35:23.49
And I chose that because I
didn't want just preach the--
00:35:23.52\00:35:26.55
And that's bolds of
what about teaches us
00:35:26.58\00:35:28.30
about the coming of Jesus,
00:35:28.33\00:35:29.40
I wanted a description
and it was the best one
00:35:29.43\00:35:31.96
I know of anywhere
that's describe that there was--
00:35:31.99\00:35:36.59
That was my motivation.
00:35:36.62\00:35:37.81
That came out of the
book Great Controversy
00:35:37.84\00:35:42.03
specifically her chapter
on God's people delivered.
00:35:42.06\00:35:45.83
Beautiful passage.
00:35:45.86\00:35:47.42
Put that the memory in my 20s.
00:35:47.45\00:35:49.18
It's the same book.
00:35:49.21\00:35:50.24
And this is in the prophets
00:35:50.27\00:35:52.01
and she's writing about
this matter of inspiration.
00:35:52.04\00:35:56.34
She says, "In His word,
00:35:56.37\00:35:57.96
God has committed to men
00:35:57.99\00:35:59.25
the knowledge
necessary for salvation."
00:35:59.28\00:36:01.68
And you know, I would say,
00:36:01.71\00:36:02.75
yes. Amen. That's the truth.
00:36:02.78\00:36:05.51
"The Holy
Scriptures are to be accepted
00:36:05.54\00:36:07.41
as an authoritative,
infallible," is the word,
00:36:07.44\00:36:11.32
"Infallible
revelation of His will.
00:36:11.35\00:36:13.32
They are the
standard of character,
00:36:13.35\00:36:14.93
the revealer of doctrines,"
00:36:14.96\00:36:16.60
and this we
often felt overlooked.
00:36:16.63\00:36:19.93
"And the test of experience.
00:36:19.96\00:36:23.07
Yet the fact
that God has revealed
00:36:23.10\00:36:24.89
His will to men
through His word,
00:36:24.92\00:36:26.62
has not rendered needless
00:36:26.65\00:36:28.16
the continued presence and
guiding of the Holy Spirit.
00:36:28.19\00:36:31.89
On the contrary, the Spirit
was promised by our Savior,
00:36:31.92\00:36:35.69
to open the
word to His servants,
00:36:35.72\00:36:38.30
to illuminate and
apply its teachings."
00:36:38.33\00:36:42.33
And we have been
depending upon the Holy Spirit
00:36:42.36\00:36:44.42
from day one my on
down to this point.
00:36:44.45\00:36:48.18
I tell you, I never dare
to stand up here to preach
00:36:48.21\00:36:52.61
without prayerfully asking.
00:36:52.64\00:36:56.43
And first of all, I've
dedicated every meeting.
00:36:56.46\00:37:01.73
I've dedicated
every meeting to the Lord.
00:37:01.76\00:37:04.62
And there's not one night
00:37:04.65\00:37:05.93
I don't ask for
the presence of Jesus
00:37:05.96\00:37:08.99
and asks for the
presence of the Holy Spirit
00:37:09.02\00:37:12.28
to open our hearts and
to lead us to the truth.
00:37:12.31\00:37:18.79
I'm bearing
witness to the truth,
00:37:18.82\00:37:21.35
but that is not
sufficient enough
00:37:21.38\00:37:23.49
without the Holy Spirit.
00:37:23.52\00:37:25.53
"The Spirit was
promised by our Savior,
00:37:25.56\00:37:26.84
to open the
word to His servants,
00:37:26.87\00:37:28.95
to illuminate and
apply its teachings.
00:37:28.98\00:37:31.97
And since it was
the Spirit of God
00:37:32.00\00:37:34.09
that inspired the Bible,
00:37:34.12\00:37:35.48
it is impossible that
the teaching of the Spirit
00:37:35.51\00:37:39.24
should ever be
contrary to that of the word."
00:37:39.27\00:37:42.89
Would you believe that?
00:37:42.92\00:37:45.31
We know that
that book is inspired.
00:37:45.34\00:37:49.31
Any revelation that
comes must be in coherence
00:37:49.34\00:37:55.68
with the teachings of that book,
00:37:55.71\00:37:58.39
of the light
that has preceded it.
00:37:58.42\00:38:01.39
And if it is
not in the coherence
00:38:01.42\00:38:03.35
with the teachings of the book,
00:38:03.38\00:38:05.54
we know it is not a God.
00:38:05.57\00:38:08.63
"The Spirit was not given--
nor can it ever be bestowed--
00:38:08.66\00:38:11.29
to supersede the Bible,
00:38:11.32\00:38:12.87
for the
Scriptures explicitly state
00:38:12.90\00:38:15.45
that the word of God
is the standard by which
00:38:15.48\00:38:17.67
all teaching and
experience must be tested."
00:38:17.70\00:38:21.99
She recognized that as
it related to her gift,
00:38:22.02\00:38:28.02
that it must be in subjection
00:38:28.05\00:38:29.87
to the teachings
of the word of God.
00:38:29.90\00:38:32.37
That is the final authority.
00:38:32.40\00:38:34.17
The fact that our
approach these four weeks,
00:38:34.20\00:38:36.17
and it will be
true to the every end.
00:38:36.20\00:38:38.29
The fact that our approach
has been so very biblical
00:38:38.32\00:38:41.15
is a testimony to the influence
00:38:41.18\00:38:43.36
that Ellen White has
had upon this church.
00:38:43.39\00:38:47.26
And if her
influence in anyway undermines
00:38:47.29\00:38:49.39
the place of
scripture, my friend,
00:38:49.42\00:38:51.23
you wouldn't
have this experience.
00:38:51.26\00:38:55.86
Think about it.
00:38:55.89\00:38:56.96
If anything I found
greater appreciation from--
00:39:01.16\00:39:03.76
for the Bible from her writings.
00:39:03.79\00:39:05.43
Absolutely,
00:39:05.46\00:39:06.67
I have.
00:39:06.70\00:39:09.11
And I never
found them in conflict.
00:39:09.14\00:39:11.46
You know, I'm so growing,
00:39:14.15\00:39:15.56
I don't have all knowledge.
00:39:15.59\00:39:18.19
The others have all knowledge.
00:39:18.22\00:39:19.65
You know, we've learned
some things through the years,
00:39:19.68\00:39:23.85
but you know,
00:39:23.88\00:39:28.26
I have just never
found them in conflict.
00:39:28.29\00:39:33.29
Since my college days,
00:39:33.32\00:39:34.35
I've made it my
practice to make the Bible
00:39:34.38\00:39:37.05
the focal point of my study,
00:39:37.08\00:39:40.39
and secondarily, the study,
00:39:40.42\00:39:43.54
the writings of the Ellen White,
00:39:43.57\00:39:45.20
The Spirit of Prophecy.
00:39:45.23\00:39:47.56
We've got to get away
00:39:47.59\00:39:48.70
from the human
instrument in all of this.
00:39:48.73\00:39:51.13
People get hung up
with the human instrument.
00:39:51.16\00:39:55.53
We have to look at what's
behind the human instrument,
00:39:55.56\00:39:59.56
right?
00:39:59.59\00:40:00.62
That's true,
any of the prophets.
00:40:00.78\00:40:05.00
We honor them,
but she's not a God
00:40:05.03\00:40:10.37
and she's not a
saint in the sense
00:40:10.40\00:40:12.53
that some
people think of saints.
00:40:12.56\00:40:15.02
She is a human being.
00:40:15.05\00:40:17.17
Did she?
00:40:17.20\00:40:18.23
You know,
00:40:18.31\00:40:19.34
did she have
struggles? Yes, she did.
00:40:19.37\00:40:24.98
I can tell you
more stories about that,
00:40:25.01\00:40:26.67
but let me share
with you some warnings
00:40:26.70\00:40:28.73
about false prophets.
00:40:28.76\00:40:29.79
I think that is
appropriate in our study.
00:40:29.82\00:40:31.77
Matthew 24, the
New Testament, page 21.
00:40:31.80\00:40:34.11
Page 21, Matthew 24.
00:40:34.14\00:40:37.71
Jesus, as He's
talking about the end times,
00:40:37.74\00:40:41.67
talks about false prophets here.
00:40:41.70\00:40:43.77
In fact, He gives us
a very clear warning,
00:40:43.80\00:40:46.75
and it is in the
context of the last days
00:40:46.78\00:40:49.49
that we find in here Matthew 24
and looking at verses 24 and 25
00:40:49.52\00:40:54.06
where Jesus says,
00:40:54.09\00:40:55.12
"For false Christ and
false prophets will arise."
00:40:55.15\00:40:59.18
They will arise,
00:40:59.21\00:41:00.24
He says.
00:41:00.27\00:41:01.30
"And will show
great signs and wonders."
00:41:01.33\00:41:04.64
False prophets
giving out powerful signs,
00:41:04.67\00:41:09.38
doing tremendous wonders.
00:41:09.41\00:41:11.68
My friend, that itself
even miracles of itself
00:41:11.71\00:41:16.10
is not a guarantee
that something is of God.
00:41:16.13\00:41:20.48
We've got to go
deeper than that.
00:41:20.51\00:41:22.78
That could be pretty
shallow, that kind of stuff.
00:41:22.81\00:41:26.22
Anyway, "For false
Christ and false prophets
00:41:26.25\00:41:28.79
showing great signs and wonders.
00:41:28.82\00:41:30.38
So as to mislead, it
possible even the elect.
00:41:30.41\00:41:33.87
Behold, I've
told you in advance."
00:41:33.90\00:41:36.79
And when He says, "Behold,
I've told you in advance."
00:41:36.82\00:41:38.31
He says, "I warned you.
00:41:38.34\00:41:40.84
There's going to be false
Christ and false prophets."
00:41:40.87\00:41:43.91
Now Jesus did not say,
00:41:43.94\00:41:46.50
beware of anybody
who in these days,
00:41:46.53\00:41:49.27
the last days
professes to be a prophet
00:41:49.30\00:41:51.35
for there will be none.
00:41:51.38\00:41:53.54
He could have just
settled the whole issue.
00:41:53.57\00:41:57.14
The fact that He warns
us of the false prophets
00:41:57.17\00:41:59.04
indicate that there
must be true prophets
00:41:59.07\00:42:01.32
to distinguish the false farm.
00:42:01.35\00:42:04.82
But if you're like
me, if I hear about
00:42:04.85\00:42:06.40
somebody else
said, how is revelation.
00:42:06.43\00:42:08.06
I almost have
knee-jerk reaction, please.
00:42:08.09\00:42:11.75
You know, spare me.
00:42:11.78\00:42:14.42
You know, there is so--
00:42:14.45\00:42:16.31
We must not reject the
true manifestation of the spirit
00:42:16.34\00:42:18.82
because there are so
many various manifestations
00:42:18.85\00:42:22.16
that are going on and
there are plenty out there,
00:42:22.19\00:42:25.36
they are.
00:42:25.39\00:42:27.96
Scotty, I'm going to tell
you the story about Scotty.
00:42:27.99\00:42:31.58
She was a mother of
a good friend of mine.
00:42:31.61\00:42:33.55
Predicted my seventh
and eight grade years
00:42:33.58\00:42:35.29
as I was the
Moses like Washington.
00:42:35.32\00:42:37.01
She was not raised as
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:42:37.04\00:42:38.79
I don't even remember what
her religious background was,
00:42:38.82\00:42:41.13
but she became one.
00:42:41.16\00:42:42.94
She shared with
me sometime ago how,
00:42:42.97\00:42:45.84
you know, she had been
00:42:45.87\00:42:47.65
a part of the Adventist
Church for some 20 years.
00:42:47.68\00:42:50.67
And really had
not taking the time
00:42:50.70\00:42:52.10
to really study
out these writing,
00:42:52.13\00:42:54.20
she never
therefore had accepted them,
00:42:54.23\00:42:56.94
but she heard
somebody preaching about it
00:42:56.97\00:42:58.93
and she decide, you know,
00:42:58.96\00:43:00.06
I really should
find out about this.
00:43:00.09\00:43:02.31
So she hunt
around, she found out,
00:43:02.34\00:43:04.23
you know, yeah,
00:43:04.26\00:43:05.29
I do, I have the
Book Desire of Ages,
00:43:05.32\00:43:07.10
written by Ellen White.
00:43:07.13\00:43:08.65
The Book of Desire of Ages,
00:43:08.68\00:43:09.96
who do you think
the Desire of Ages is?
00:43:09.99\00:43:13.55
It's on the life of Jesus.
00:43:13.58\00:43:15.57
His life and teachings,
00:43:15.60\00:43:17.04
His crucifixion.
00:43:17.07\00:43:18.10
I tell you, those
chapters are so powerful
00:43:18.13\00:43:21.39
that describe those
closing scenes of Jesus' life
00:43:21.42\00:43:25.64
and His crucifixion,
00:43:25.67\00:43:27.12
His resurrection.
00:43:27.15\00:43:29.25
They are powerful.
00:43:29.28\00:43:30.87
She read through the whole book.
00:43:30.90\00:43:32.22
This is among the
700 to 800 page books
00:43:32.25\00:43:34.25
that she wrote on
the life of Jesus.
00:43:34.28\00:43:37.49
And she came out and she said,
00:43:37.52\00:43:38.98
"You know-- its
just all put together.
00:43:39.01\00:43:41.55
And then she read
the book Steps to Christ
00:43:41.58\00:43:43.39
and reaffirm the
growing convection,
00:43:43.42\00:43:45.72
you know, that
there was something here
00:43:45.75\00:43:49.15
that was of a divine origin.
00:43:49.18\00:43:52.12
And so again, you know,
00:43:52.15\00:43:54.86
we can only find
out for ourselves
00:43:54.89\00:43:56.69
as we take the time to study it
00:43:56.72\00:43:59.27
and discover what
the Bible teaches.
00:43:59.30\00:44:02.27
There has been a
study that has been done
00:44:02.30\00:44:06.38
in regards to the influence
of the Spirit of Prophecy.
00:44:06.41\00:44:09.81
We call the Spirit of Prophecy.
00:44:09.84\00:44:11.16
Actually I have become
00:44:11.19\00:44:13.89
somewhat interested
in Revelation 12:17.
00:44:13.92\00:44:17.20
In fact, that is referred
to as the testimony of Jesus.
00:44:17.23\00:44:22.95
Testimony of Jesus or from Jesus
00:44:22.98\00:44:25.57
or of testimony, of
a reference to Jesus.
00:44:25.60\00:44:29.36
There's, you
know, couple of ways
00:44:29.39\00:44:30.61
that you can
actually interpret it,
00:44:30.64\00:44:32.14
but the center
point, the focal point
00:44:32.17\00:44:35.09
is Jesus no matter how
you interpret that text,
00:44:35.12\00:44:38.39
right?
00:44:38.42\00:44:40.23
But anyway there has been
the study that has been done
00:44:40.26\00:44:42.73
by Dr. Roger Dudley
and Desmond Cummings,
00:44:42.76\00:44:46.88
they studied 8,200
individuals within the church.
00:44:46.91\00:44:49.64
This is study that's
been done some years ago.
00:44:49.67\00:44:53.29
And this is what they found
00:44:53.32\00:44:54.51
as they looked at
these 8,200 people.
00:44:54.54\00:44:56.74
They've found that 82% of those
00:44:56.77\00:44:59.40
who were
readers of her writings,
00:44:59.43\00:45:03.01
reported an intimate
relationship with Jesus Christ
00:45:03.04\00:45:07.32
compare to 50% who were
not studying her writings.
00:45:07.35\00:45:11.94
So there was an
experiential correlation
00:45:11.97\00:45:14.71
that seemed to be
indicated in the study.
00:45:14.74\00:45:16.76
Furthermore, 82% of those
who read her writings reported
00:45:16.79\00:45:20.30
assurance which
is a wonderful thing,
00:45:20.33\00:45:23.88
assurance of
being right with God.
00:45:23.91\00:45:26.40
Well, 59% of those
00:45:26.43\00:45:27.90
who did not read
reported assurance.
00:45:27.93\00:45:31.17
Fascinating to me.
00:45:31.20\00:45:32.65
24% more of
those who were reading
00:45:32.68\00:45:35.47
were involved in
Christian service
00:45:35.50\00:45:37.08
compare to those
who were non-readers.
00:45:37.11\00:45:39.52
So there are
ways to measure this.
00:45:39.55\00:45:41.65
Again, 82% of those
00:45:41.68\00:45:42.77
who were readers reported daily
00:45:42.80\00:45:45.30
personal Bible
study compared to 47%
00:45:45.33\00:45:47.86
who did not read her writings.
00:45:47.89\00:45:49.84
So those are more
active devotional life
00:45:49.87\00:45:52.36
as what we find.
00:45:52.39\00:45:53.93
I want to take yo
to 1 Thessalonians 5,
00:45:53.96\00:45:58.00
the New Testament
page 161, another warning
00:45:58.03\00:46:03.69
that we find in scripture.
00:46:03.72\00:46:04.99
This one by Paul.
00:46:05.02\00:46:07.21
Again, it's 1 Thessalonians 5
00:46:07.24\00:46:08.95
and we're looking
at verses 19-21, 19-21,
00:46:08.98\00:46:15.15
where Paul says, "Do
not quench the spirit,
00:46:15.18\00:46:17.96
do not despise
prophetic utterances
00:46:17.99\00:46:21.23
but examine
everything carefully."
00:46:21.26\00:46:24.54
So do not despise
prophetic utterances.
00:46:24.57\00:46:27.36
Paul instructs us,
00:46:27.39\00:46:28.84
but what's the council?
00:46:28.87\00:46:30.52
"Examine everything carefully."
00:46:30.55\00:46:34.03
And, my friend, if you've
never heard of Ellen White,
00:46:34.06\00:46:36.19
if you've never read a
word that she has written.
00:46:36.22\00:46:39.77
Let me tell you
this presentation
00:46:39.80\00:46:41.49
does not represent
a careful examination.
00:46:41.52\00:46:45.01
It represents an introduction.
00:46:45.04\00:46:48.90
And that's why we
do not expect people
00:46:48.93\00:46:51.41
when they decide
to become a member
00:46:51.44\00:46:53.13
of the Adventist
church, this church.
00:46:53.16\00:46:55.67
We do not
require people to embrace
00:46:55.70\00:46:59.61
and to accept her
and the prophetic gift
00:46:59.64\00:47:03.76
that we believe that she had.
00:47:03.79\00:47:05.16
We do not require that.
00:47:05.19\00:47:07.05
She herself gave us that council
00:47:07.08\00:47:09.63
that it should not be made
00:47:09.66\00:47:10.78
a test of
fellowship to the church.
00:47:10.81\00:47:13.91
I tell you what some tests are.
00:47:13.94\00:47:15.16
Actually we're
going through some of them
00:47:15.19\00:47:17.08
in looking at the
principles of faith.
00:47:17.11\00:47:19.51
The first one is, once
person connect with Jesus Christ
00:47:19.54\00:47:23.76
is one of the fundamental
tests of formal fellowship
00:47:23.79\00:47:26.93
and membership of the
church there ought to be,
00:47:26.96\00:47:29.28
right?
00:47:29.31\00:47:31.26
Now got to deal with the
issue that God used a women.
00:47:31.29\00:47:35.00
God will use whoever
He will, man or woman.
00:47:35.03\00:47:39.17
Ladies, the women all said...
00:47:39.20\00:47:43.57
One man said amen.
00:47:43.60\00:47:45.34
Oh, I don't know
where you ladies are at,
00:47:45.37\00:47:46.81
but anyway I believe it.
00:47:46.84\00:47:48.79
In Exodus 15:20-21,
00:47:48.82\00:47:51.77
Moses' sister prophesied.
00:47:51.80\00:47:54.18
It says in Judges 4:4-5,
00:47:54.21\00:47:57.36
one of the Judges
Gabriel had the prophetic gift.
00:47:57.39\00:48:02.30
2 Kings 22:14,
Huldah was a prophet.
00:48:02.33\00:48:07.06
In Isaiah 8:3,
Isaiah's wife also prophesied.
00:48:07.09\00:48:11.05
So we have the
husband and wife team here.
00:48:11.08\00:48:13.35
And in the New
Testament Luke 23:6,
00:48:13.38\00:48:17.04
it tells us that
Anna was a prophetess,
00:48:17.07\00:48:20.78
when she saw Jesus,
00:48:20.81\00:48:22.08
when he came as a little
baby to the temple there.
00:48:22.11\00:48:25.97
And in Acts 21:9, Phillip's
four daughters prophesy.
00:48:26.00\00:48:33.22
So there we have
chapter and verse
00:48:33.25\00:48:35.72
that shows that
God does used women.
00:48:35.75\00:48:39.27
And women bring
certain advantages
00:48:39.30\00:48:40.82
to the table in a lot of church.
00:48:40.85\00:48:42.96
I tell you, men sometimes
tend to be territorial,
00:48:42.99\00:48:46.23
often times women tend to be,
00:48:46.26\00:48:48.49
you know, let's
get everybody together.
00:48:48.52\00:48:50.46
Women tend to-- I didn't
mean to really get into this,
00:48:50.49\00:48:54.02
but I do, I appreciate women
00:48:54.05\00:48:56.52
because often they're
deal on feeling levels
00:48:56.55\00:48:59.89
when we men as I said
00:48:59.92\00:49:02.90
tend to be
territorial about things.
00:49:02.93\00:49:06.01
Right, guys?
00:49:06.04\00:49:07.53
It's not that we can't feel,
00:49:07.56\00:49:08.99
but when certain
issue comes up, you know.
00:49:09.02\00:49:12.02
I was in seminary.
00:49:12.05\00:49:14.24
I've gone through four years
00:49:14.27\00:49:15.46
of undergraduate
work in theology,
00:49:15.49\00:49:17.20
two years in internship.
00:49:17.23\00:49:18.30
I am in seminary,
00:49:18.33\00:49:19.39
so two years
course. It's intensive.
00:49:19.42\00:49:22.05
And I, you know,
00:49:22.08\00:49:23.57
I reach a point
of discouragement.
00:49:23.60\00:49:25.76
They just seem like my prayers
were bouncing off the ceiling.
00:49:25.79\00:49:28.32
I was, I was on a
state of discouragement.
00:49:28.35\00:49:30.25
And I tell you
honestly what was going on.
00:49:30.28\00:49:33.24
I really believed that god
had called me into the ministry,
00:49:33.27\00:49:35.86
but I was coming face
to face as a young man
00:49:35.89\00:49:38.31
in my 20's with the fact of my--
00:49:38.34\00:49:40.53
I was coming face to
face with my humanity
00:49:40.56\00:49:44.32
and I was feeling so unworthy
00:49:44.35\00:49:49.53
'cause I knew I have
these struggles in my life
00:49:49.56\00:49:52.57
and I was in-- As I said
a state of a discouragement.
00:49:52.60\00:49:55.80
I did something that I made
a practiced to do ever since.
00:49:55.83\00:50:00.39
I grab this book, Step to
Christ written by Ellen White
00:50:00.42\00:50:04.80
and I read through
it and it re-assured me.
00:50:04.83\00:50:09.52
There's something
powerful in my life.
00:50:09.55\00:50:12.71
And I want to share
just a couple of things.
00:50:12.74\00:50:14.01
I want to give you the sense
00:50:14.04\00:50:16.00
by which you'll find
in part in her writings.
00:50:16.03\00:50:20.06
And I'm going to share with you.
00:50:20.09\00:50:21.21
Oh, I love this chapter
on faith and acceptance.
00:50:21.24\00:50:23.99
It's beautiful.
00:50:24.02\00:50:26.05
And in that chapter,
actually it's-- Yeah,
00:50:26.08\00:50:29.06
chapter on faith and acceptance.
00:50:29.09\00:50:32.35
This statement grabbed me.
00:50:32.38\00:50:36.91
It's on page 34, if you want it.
00:50:36.94\00:50:40.19
This is what really spoke to me.
00:50:40.22\00:50:42.38
She wrote Psalm seem to appeal
00:50:42.41\00:50:44.77
that they must be on probation.
00:50:44.80\00:50:46.60
"They must prove to the Lord
00:50:46.63\00:50:47.70
that they are reformed,
00:50:47.73\00:50:49.49
before they can claim
His promise, His blessing."
00:50:49.52\00:50:52.88
It's this idea. I've got
to get my life straighten out
00:50:52.91\00:50:56.09
before I can claim His blessing.
00:50:56.12\00:50:57.91
I've got to get all of
these things worked out
00:50:57.94\00:50:59.51
before I come to Jesus.
00:50:59.54\00:51:01.97
That's what she's addressing.
00:51:02.00\00:51:03.03
Some seem to feel
that they have to do that,
00:51:03.06\00:51:05.19
but she says,
"But they may claim
00:51:05.22\00:51:07.03
the blessing of God even now.
00:51:07.06\00:51:10.15
They must have His grace,
00:51:10.18\00:51:11.58
the Spirit of Christ,
to help their infirmities,
00:51:11.61\00:51:13.84
or they cannot resist evil."
00:51:13.87\00:51:16.25
It's impossible.
00:51:16.28\00:51:17.75
And then this is
the coronal of that
00:51:17.78\00:51:18.90
that really grabbed me.
00:51:18.93\00:51:21.84
She goes on to say,
00:51:21.87\00:51:22.98
"Jesus loves, Jesus
loves to have us come to Him
00:51:23.01\00:51:27.76
just as we are,
sinful, helpless, dependent."
00:51:27.79\00:51:33.28
Oh, I want to tell you, that
was good news to this sinner.
00:51:33.31\00:51:37.77
Didn't know that Jesus wasn't
holding me off at arms length
00:51:37.80\00:51:40.77
and tell you He just got all
of these things straighten out,
00:51:40.80\00:51:43.57
but Jesus didn't
just tolerate me,
00:51:43.60\00:51:46.66
Jesus loved to have me
come to Him just as I am,
00:51:46.69\00:51:51.18
the sinner that I am.
00:51:51.21\00:51:54.77
Helpless and
dependant as I still am.
00:51:54.80\00:51:58.65
And as it changed, I'll tie you.
00:51:58.68\00:52:00.41
I still am
helpless and dependant.
00:52:00.44\00:52:04.35
And, my friend
immediately I realize,
00:52:04.38\00:52:06.16
I can take a mask off.
00:52:06.19\00:52:08.79
You know, we
wear mask in church.
00:52:08.82\00:52:11.56
I can get down
from that pedestal
00:52:11.59\00:52:13.77
that often we put ministers on.
00:52:13.80\00:52:16.93
I could be real with myself
00:52:16.96\00:52:19.21
and I can be real with people,
00:52:19.24\00:52:22.51
you know. I too struggle.
00:52:22.54\00:52:26.50
You know, when we
enter the ministry guild,
00:52:26.53\00:52:27.88
that's not generally the
way that it was presented.
00:52:27.91\00:52:30.06
You've got to be the example.
00:52:30.09\00:52:31.88
You don't emit weakness,
You don't emit failure.
00:52:31.91\00:52:36.17
And, my friend, it
made us a ministry apostate
00:52:36.20\00:52:38.53
and are real and it's so free.
00:52:38.56\00:52:41.46
And I know Gill
has found that, too.
00:52:41.49\00:52:43.45
It's so free to
be able to be real.
00:52:43.48\00:52:45.73
I'm not going to lay
out all of my pr0oblems
00:52:45.76\00:52:47.42
before you
because I don't want that
00:52:47.45\00:52:48.88
to become the issue
of my ministry, you know.
00:52:48.91\00:52:52.38
But let me tell you,
00:52:52.41\00:52:53.44
I have found Jesus
as a sinner-- Anyway,
00:52:53.47\00:52:58.55
"He loves to
have us come to Him."
00:52:58.58\00:52:59.96
Then it goes on to say,
00:52:59.99\00:53:01.16
"We may come
with all our weakness,
00:53:01.19\00:53:03.79
our folly, folly, folly."
00:53:03.82\00:53:06.87
His, I do better,
00:53:06.90\00:53:09.56
but I really blew it.
00:53:09.59\00:53:12.52
How foolish can you be?
00:53:12.55\00:53:14.92
Well, that's been me
at certain times in life.
00:53:14.95\00:53:18.02
"So we may come
with all our weakness,
00:53:18.05\00:53:19.52
our folly, our sinfulness,
00:53:19.55\00:53:21.53
and fall at His
feet in penitence.
00:53:21.56\00:53:24.60
It is His glory to encircle
us in the arms of His love
00:53:24.63\00:53:29.29
and to bind up our wounds,
00:53:29.32\00:53:30.66
to cleanse us
from all impurity."
00:53:30.69\00:53:33.57
And I tell you as I
was reading this book,
00:53:33.60\00:53:35.45
as I was reading
this kind of passages.
00:53:35.48\00:53:37.50
And let me ask you the question.
00:53:37.53\00:53:39.40
Is this something new?
00:53:39.43\00:53:41.44
Is this something that we
wouldn't find in the Bible?
00:53:41.47\00:53:44.57
Well, maybe not
quite in these words,
00:53:44.60\00:53:45.95
but this is the gospel,
00:53:45.98\00:53:47.23
isn't it?
00:53:47.26\00:53:49.59
So this is not an addition to.
00:53:49.62\00:53:51.78
It's a new melody in the gospel.
00:53:51.81\00:53:55.34
And I tell you as
I went through this
00:53:55.37\00:53:57.50
and as began to
grasp this personally,
00:53:57.53\00:54:00.03
I began to feel those
arms of Jesus encircling me
00:54:00.06\00:54:04.80
and the joy and the
peace that came in Jesus.
00:54:04.83\00:54:10.73
I still feel that.
00:54:10.76\00:54:14.74
One other statement
I'll share with you,
00:54:14.77\00:54:16.88
just one other.
Page 42 in this edition.
00:54:16.91\00:54:23.33
And this again
really spoke to me.
00:54:23.36\00:54:24.64
Of course, it spoke to me
00:54:24.67\00:54:25.70
because I'm sharing it with you.
00:54:25.73\00:54:27.23
It says, "There are
those who have known
00:54:27.26\00:54:29.39
the pardoning love of Christ,
00:54:29.42\00:54:30.76
and who really desire
to be children of God,
00:54:30.79\00:54:33.80
yet they realize that
their character is imperfect,
00:54:33.83\00:54:36.75
their life faulty,
and the are ready to doubt
00:54:36.78\00:54:38.55
whether their hearts have been
00:54:38.58\00:54:39.67
renewed by the Holy Spirit."
00:54:39.70\00:54:43.42
And I can relate to that.
00:54:43.45\00:54:46.46
I've been
through that experience
00:54:46.49\00:54:47.88
and some of you
can relate to that,
00:54:47.91\00:54:49.09
I know that. But
she goes on to say,
00:54:49.12\00:54:52.51
"To such I would say, do
not draw back in despair."
00:54:52.54\00:54:58.62
Because of your
short-comings and mistakes.
00:54:58.65\00:55:01.22
"We shall often have to bow down
00:55:01.25\00:55:03.33
and weep at the feet of Jesus
00:55:03.36\00:55:05.61
because of our
short-comings and mistakes,
00:55:05.64\00:55:07.58
but we are not
to be discouraged."
00:55:07.61\00:55:10.27
Why?
00:55:10.30\00:55:12.07
"Even if we are
overcome by the enemy,
00:55:12.10\00:55:16.57
we are not cast off,
00:55:16.60\00:55:19.94
not forsaken and
rejected of God."
00:55:19.97\00:55:23.81
And, my friend, from that moment
00:55:23.84\00:55:25.67
when I read those words
with new meaning to my life,
00:55:25.70\00:55:30.82
it gave me assurance
that I never had before
00:55:30.85\00:55:36.59
that I am His.
00:55:36.62\00:55:38.65
Short of choosing another master
00:55:38.68\00:55:41.39
which we are free to do,
00:55:41.42\00:55:43.12
but stumbling
and falling into sin
00:55:43.15\00:55:45.25
is not of itself
choosing another master.
00:55:45.28\00:55:50.17
Before I had this in and
out of Christ experience.
00:55:50.20\00:55:52.92
In Christ when
things were going well,
00:55:52.95\00:55:55.38
out of Christ when
thing did not go well
00:55:55.41\00:55:58.07
until I got on my
knees and make confession
00:55:58.10\00:56:00.23
and repentant and
I knew I was forgiven
00:56:00.26\00:56:02.40
and then I got up and
then I was back in His arms.
00:56:02.43\00:56:05.92
It was in and out.
00:56:05.95\00:56:07.61
There's no peace
in this in and out.
00:56:07.64\00:56:11.29
The moment we come
to Jesus we are His.
00:56:11.32\00:56:15.33
And when I became a parent,
00:56:15.36\00:56:16.40
I understood it even better.
00:56:16.43\00:56:18.76
My-- I love my boys,
my young men, my sons.
00:56:18.79\00:56:22.45
I love them deeply,
but they made mistakes.
00:56:22.48\00:56:25.31
But let me tell you this.
00:56:25.34\00:56:27.10
Whatever mistakes they've made,
00:56:27.13\00:56:29.34
I am still their father.
00:56:29.37\00:56:32.50
They are still
my sons, my children
00:56:32.53\00:56:35.71
and they are welcome in my home.
00:56:35.74\00:56:39.16
And if I can
have that kind of love
00:56:39.19\00:56:41.77
and acceptance of my children,
00:56:41.80\00:56:44.68
how about our heavenly
father and we as His children.
00:56:44.71\00:56:50.25
My friend, it is not
in and out of Christ,
00:56:50.28\00:56:53.64
it is not. It is
assurance and Jesus.
00:56:53.67\00:56:59.65
And I just pray to God
as I look out on you tonight
00:56:59.68\00:57:03.12
that every one of
you have found this.
00:57:03.15\00:57:08.36
It is the pearl of great
price and centered in Jesus,
00:57:08.39\00:57:12.66
isn't it?
00:57:12.69\00:57:15.50
It's everything and it's joy.
00:57:15.53\00:57:19.53
I can just go on
and on talking about.
00:57:19.56\00:57:21.04
The joy that comes out of that,
00:57:21.07\00:57:22.50
the satisfaction, the assurance,
00:57:22.53\00:57:24.31
the reassurance
that comes out of it.
00:57:24.34\00:57:28.22
It's a wonderful thing.
00:57:28.25\00:57:30.48
Thank you, Jesus.
00:57:30.51\00:57:32.73
Thank you for
loving me that way.
00:57:32.76\00:57:35.48