And I want to
begin with the text
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that ought to be well
familiar to all of us.
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It's in Revelation 12:17.
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You know this text, don't you?
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"And the dragon was wroth"
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That's an old
English word for angry.
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"The dragon was
wroth with the woman,
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and went to make war
with the remnant of her seed,
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which keep the
commandments of God,
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and have the
testimony of Jesus."
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In fact that is basically
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the message of
Revelation Chapter 12.
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We have conflict, we have war
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and we have an
enemy that is angry.
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Actually needs a little
bit of angry management,
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if you think about it.
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And by the way, God
has committed Himself
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to providing a little
bit of angry management.
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He is not gonna let you
get totally out of control,
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but nevertheless he is angry
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and he is angry with whom?
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He is angry with
the people of God.
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And though we know
that God has His people
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scattered
throughout Christianity
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we believe that
Seventh-day Adventist are unique
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that God's purpose
in the reformation,
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now follow me, that God's
purpose on the reformation
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will find it's full fulfillment
through the advent movement.
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When all things will be restored
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Jesus refers to
this the Matthew 17:10.
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And the work of God
will be finished on earth.
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Yes indeed Satan is angry,
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he is angry with
God's remnant people
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who keep the
commandments of the God
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and have the testimony of
Jesus which Revelation 19:10
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identifies as the
Spirit of Prophecy.
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And by the way, we believe
that Ellen White was called
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to that prophetic ministry.
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The evil one, the evil one
has declared war against us
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and he is working to
undermine our sense of identity
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as God's remnant people
to confuse our understanding
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of the message entrusted to us
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and to silence
the prophetic voice
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among us thus preventing us
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from fulfilling
the worldwide mission
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we've been called to.
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While we are in our Laodicean
condition-- you know about
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the Laodicean
condition don't you?
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Take Revelation 3
out this afternoon
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if you want to
re-familiarize yourself
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with the seventh
church it's the last church
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and as we have it in
sequence there chapter 1-3.
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Well, we remain in
our Laodicean condition,
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my friend, he is
working feverishly to derail
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and destroy this movement.
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Though we must never forget
that the Lord Jesus will defend
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and preserve His people,
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we cannot afford to be passive.
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We must act our part boldly
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in the love and
the Spirit of Jesus
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in defending our
message and mission.
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And my friend,
there is a defense
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that needs to be put up,
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because remember
again, whose ought to get us?
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Who is angry with us?
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Who is
determined to take us down?
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Satan, yes. Satanist, yes.
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And so my friend, as we talk
about our Laodicean condition
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and all these things that
are taking place against us
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it means that one
of our greatest needs
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is for revival and reformation
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is one of if not the
most important of our needs.
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And I want to remind
you of some of the elements
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that are vital in the process
of revival and reformation.
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Number one, it is a call
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to a re-committed
relationship with Jesus Christ.
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In a committed
relationship with Jesus
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and if we're in the committed
relationship with Jesus
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it means that we
are going to have
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a daily experience
in the Word of God.
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The Bible is foundation
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to our relationship
with the Jesus Christ.
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And number three, I would add
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the importance of the
study of the Sprit of Prophecy.
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The prophetic gift is vital
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if there is gonna be
revival among us as the people.
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And number four, we
need to be active in prayer.
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And if we're in
this relationship
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I mean if you're not, if you are
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in the relationship you know
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that there is this interaction
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that must take place
between two individuals
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and suddenly it's
true in a relationship
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with God through Jesus Christ
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that is why our prayer life
is so vitally important to us.
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And number
five, if we are really
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in the committed relationship
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we will be sharing our
faith, our faith with others.
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My friend, as we
talk about the importance
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of the scriptures, the Bible,
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the Bible is fundamental
to our understanding,
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to understanding our message
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and is vital to
every genuine revival.
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The Scriptures alone are
the foundation of our teachings
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and must continue to be so.
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This we must
never lose sight of.
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It is our
fidelity to the scriptures
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in our commitment to Jesus
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that will preserve us
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from the
dissections of the evil one.
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We must through
faith make God's word
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the foundation of our
individual experiences
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the focal point of
our worship services
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and in the
process I believe we need
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to reexamined the vital role
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of our Sabbath school
programs within the church,
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uniquely designed
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where we can come
together in small groups
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to open the Word of God
to discuss the Word of God.
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My friends, Sabbath
school is vital in our process
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of continuing the
study of the scriptures
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and to make them the focal
point of the life of the church.
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Worship is important,
but it cannot take the place.
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I believe on bias I'll admit it
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cannot take the place
of our Sabbath schools.
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Seem now I don't know if
you agree with me or not?
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I guess it
doesn't really matter,
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because I'm the
one up here preaching.
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And then I take
you to this statement
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that Ellen White
makes in the book
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Christian Experience and
Teaching of Ellen G. White
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where she says "We have
nothing to fear for the future,
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except as we shall forget
the way the Lord has led us,
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and His teaching
in our past history."
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We have nothing to
fear except if we forget,
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we forget our past history,
if we forget who we are,
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that God historically
establish this movement
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and that He
entrusted us with a message
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and He has
commissioned us to take it,
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take it to the whole world.
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My friend, it's a drift that's
taking place in the church
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and we're losing impart a
sense of again this throaty
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of the place of
our message as relates
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to our
commitment to Jesus Christ
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and we must not let that happen.
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We must never
forget that the things
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that the elements that make up
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the essence of our message
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my friend, have
our historically sound.
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God has entrusted us
with, with that message.
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This morning I want to
focus in on the prophetic gift
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that is been so vital in
our experience as a people.
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I invite you to your Bibles
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and turn with me
the Daniel Chapter 9,
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Daniel 9 we're gonna
be looking at verse 10.
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And as we come to
Daniel 9:10 we find that Daniel
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is an interstitial
prayer for his people.
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He is been in captivity
with many of his people,
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in Babylon some 70 years.
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And he knows that the
time of restoration has come
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and so we find that impart
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he is confessing
the sins of his people.
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And notice what we find
as we look at Daniel 9:10
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he confesses "Nor have we obeyed
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the voice of the Lord our God,
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to walk in His
teachings which He set before us
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through His
servants the prophets."
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That was one of
the great mistakes
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of God's people
in the Old Testament.
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Indeed the people of God
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in past ages had
paid an awful price
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for neglecting or rejecting
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the prophetic
gift in their midst.
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And my friend, we cannot
afford to make the same mistake.
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We must reject an emphasis
in our time on a spirituality
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that is not clearly
linked to God's word.
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It's what I
called the Oprah Winfrey
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spirituality, mentality.
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And as in many churches
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and it's seeping
into our church as well.
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It's an emphasis
on a spirituality
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again that is not
embedded in the teachings
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the foundational
teachings of the Word of God.
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And my friend, you
can always count on it
00:10:00.47\00:10:03.13
in the life of the church
00:10:03.16\00:10:04.42
if somehow the
Bible is been undermined,
00:10:04.45\00:10:07.40
is becoming secondary
in the life of the church.
00:10:07.43\00:10:10.17
You have to know that
something is not right.
00:10:10.20\00:10:14.00
It's not just a
fuzzy warm feeling.
00:10:14.03\00:10:16.78
Oh yes, I believe that
there is joy in the love
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and the grace of
Jesus to be sure.
00:10:18.89\00:10:22.38
But my friend, that love and joy
00:10:22.41\00:10:24.02
that we find in
Jesus will always recognize
00:10:24.05\00:10:26.88
how vitally important the Bible
00:10:26.91\00:10:29.60
is to us individually
and to us as a people.
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Historically we've been
known as the people of the book
00:10:34.54\00:10:38.14
and may that never change.
00:10:38.17\00:10:40.84
When I was in Kenya
00:10:40.87\00:10:42.62
during the series
of meeting years ago,
00:10:42.65\00:10:45.50
I was in the conference
00:10:45.53\00:10:46.56
where they had
over 180,000 members.
00:10:46.59\00:10:49.99
I have never been in
that size of conference
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in my life and they said,
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you know, we're gonna advertise
00:10:53.89\00:10:55.35
that the Adventist
are having meetings.
00:10:55.38\00:10:57.31
And when the people hear
00:10:57.34\00:10:58.40
that Adventist are be
going to putting on meetings
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they are going to becoming
00:11:00.60\00:11:01.63
by the hundreds
and the thousands,
00:11:01.66\00:11:04.73
because they know that
when Adventists put on meetings
00:11:04.76\00:11:08.20
that they are going to get
00:11:08.23\00:11:10.18
the true teachings
of the Word of God.
00:11:10.21\00:11:13.43
Now that's a great
reputation to treasure.
00:11:13.46\00:11:17.96
And my friend, that goes again
00:11:17.99\00:11:19.61
to the heart of our
identity too, doesn't it?
00:11:19.64\00:11:24.53
We also must
recognize that there is a danger
00:11:24.56\00:11:28.27
that the Spirit of Prophecy is
becoming marginalized among us
00:11:28.30\00:11:32.17
as a people and
it's been relegated
00:11:32.20\00:11:35.02
to the backwaters of the church.
00:11:35.05\00:11:36.93
And I'm speaking specifically
here in North America,
00:11:36.96\00:11:39.48
I'm not gonna speak for
other parts of the world,
00:11:39.51\00:11:42.14
but I know something about
the church here in America.
00:11:42.17\00:11:45.59
It's as if its
inspired messages are irrelevant
00:11:45.63\00:11:50.38
to the life of the
church for too many.
00:11:50.41\00:11:53.89
Some are simply
neglecting or ignoring
00:11:53.92\00:11:56.23
the messages given us
by God through this agency
00:11:56.26\00:12:00.23
and often it's
stemming from confusion
00:12:00.26\00:12:03.13
or misunderstanding
of the proper role
00:12:03.16\00:12:05.57
of the prophetic
gift in the church.
00:12:05.60\00:12:08.54
Others have given
themselves over to unbelief
00:12:08.57\00:12:12.18
and have rejected
the inspired councils
00:12:12.21\00:12:14.20
that God has given us.
00:12:14.23\00:12:17.38
The pendulum
swing, the pendulum swing
00:12:17.41\00:12:20.70
that's taken place among us
as a people in recent decades
00:12:20.73\00:12:23.94
particularly as it
relates to our understanding
00:12:23.97\00:12:26.34
of righteousness by
faith has contributed,
00:12:26.37\00:12:30.02
I believe
significantly to the problem.
00:12:30.05\00:12:33.12
Rightfully we reject
extremism of legalism,
00:12:33.15\00:12:37.26
but many have gone
to the opposite extreme
00:12:37.29\00:12:41.32
where practical godliness as
reflected in Christian values
00:12:41.35\00:12:45.33
and lifestyle
issues have come to be seen
00:12:45.36\00:12:47.87
as legalistic and irrelevant.
00:12:47.90\00:12:52.24
As a result the
practical councils
00:12:52.27\00:12:55.52
that we find in
the Spirit of Prophecy
00:12:55.55\00:12:58.46
that call us out of the world
00:12:58.49\00:13:01.37
as a distinctive
people are too often looked
00:13:01.40\00:13:04.99
upon with suspicion
or outright rejection.
00:13:05.02\00:13:09.97
I remember it was back,
00:13:10.00\00:13:11.11
I believe it was
the summer of 1990
00:13:11.14\00:13:13.85
I was in workers
meeting, pastors meeting
00:13:13.88\00:13:17.24
that summer and I
remember that one of our pastors
00:13:17.27\00:13:20.25
have been appointed
to make a presentation.
00:13:20.28\00:13:22.17
And during the
course of his presentation
00:13:22.20\00:13:24.17
it's the first time that
I've been heard the idea,
00:13:24.20\00:13:27.14
let alone heard it
articulated as it was,
00:13:27.17\00:13:31.01
but a pastor publicly
declared that he believed
00:13:31.04\00:13:37.03
that it was
inappropriate for us ever
00:13:37.06\00:13:40.86
to quote the Spirit
of Prophecy publicly.
00:13:40.89\00:13:44.29
And in the intervening years
00:13:49.23\00:13:51.36
it's seems that many
others have become confused
00:13:51.39\00:13:54.05
about the role of
the Spirit of Prophecy
00:13:54.08\00:13:55.86
in the life of
the church as well.
00:13:55.89\00:13:58.35
Knowing the conference
president that period of time,
00:13:58.38\00:14:02.16
I know that Jerry do not buy
into what was being represented.
00:14:02.19\00:14:07.02
If you've ever heard of
the Jerry Potter preached
00:14:07.05\00:14:10.33
and do you know
00:14:10.36\00:14:11.66
it has been a year and a
half since we've lost him.
00:14:11.69\00:14:17.37
You know, that he was a sound
Biblical preacher Jerry was,
00:14:17.40\00:14:23.33
but had a high regard
for the Spirit of Prophecy
00:14:23.36\00:14:25.84
in his councils and actively
used it in his preaching
00:14:25.87\00:14:30.65
and we are blessed,
00:14:30.68\00:14:32.60
we are blessed
here in this church
00:14:32.63\00:14:34.16
that we have a pastor
00:14:34.19\00:14:37.21
that believes in the
scriptures and the message
00:14:37.24\00:14:39.99
and believes in a sound
use of the Spirit of Prophecy.
00:14:40.02\00:14:46.47
Because you see, if we shutdown
the voice of the messenger,
00:14:46.50\00:14:51.20
if it's inappropriate ever
for her voice to ever be heard
00:14:51.23\00:14:54.55
in the life of the church
00:14:54.58\00:14:56.24
whether we're talking
about in the worship service,
00:14:56.27\00:14:58.53
it was being preached,
or in our Sabbath schools
00:14:58.56\00:15:02.96
then where is that voice
gonna be heard for many of us?
00:15:02.99\00:15:05.79
Unfortunately we're
not students of the word
00:15:05.82\00:15:08.65
or of the Spirit of Prophecy
as we really ought to be,
00:15:08.68\00:15:12.62
you know, that, I'm saying that
by observation, but it's a fact.
00:15:12.65\00:15:16.91
It's like, she is not relevant
00:15:16.94\00:15:19.51
and she is my
friend, she is relevant.
00:15:19.54\00:15:25.08
Unfortunately there are
those knowingly or unknowingly
00:15:25.11\00:15:29.27
who are working as
revisionist of the message
00:15:29.30\00:15:32.02
that the Spirit of God
has affirmed among us time
00:15:32.05\00:15:35.15
and time again
throughout our history.
00:15:35.18\00:15:38.51
Its happening, it's happening.
00:15:38.54\00:15:43.16
Impart as a result we
have an upcoming generation
00:15:43.19\00:15:48.99
that understand
little of the prophetic gift.
00:15:49.02\00:15:53.32
Often they are unacquainted
with the Spirit of Prophecy
00:15:53.35\00:15:56.06
and I've heard little of
his councils in the church.
00:15:56.09\00:15:59.03
And again as we
talked about that
00:15:59.06\00:16:00.57
pendulum swing
a few moments ago,
00:16:00.60\00:16:02.85
I understand the pendulum swing
00:16:02.88\00:16:04.94
it does affect our understanding
00:16:04.97\00:16:07.07
our appreciation of
the gift of prophecy.
00:16:07.10\00:16:10.58
But my friend, I understand,
00:16:10.61\00:16:12.25
you know, some decades
ago that they were those
00:16:12.28\00:16:16.22
who felt that it was
been stuff down their throats.
00:16:16.25\00:16:23.07
And some of you
know this. It did happen.
00:16:23.10\00:16:26.76
But let me tell
you the same thing
00:16:26.79\00:16:28.12
is done with the Word of God.
00:16:28.15\00:16:30.90
Are we going to cast out
the baby with the bathwater
00:16:30.93\00:16:33.68
just simply because
somebody has misused the Bible
00:16:33.71\00:16:36.16
or the Spirit of Prophecy?
00:16:36.19\00:16:38.33
And my friend, the answer is no.
00:16:38.36\00:16:40.44
We are not going to as a people.
00:16:40.47\00:16:46.39
We're not, are we?
00:16:46.42\00:16:50.20
See, sometimes it seems like
we're bouncing off the walls
00:16:50.23\00:16:53.68
from the trends come
and go, but my friend,
00:16:53.71\00:16:57.13
if we keep our
eyes focused on Jesus,
00:16:57.16\00:17:01.03
if we keep our eyes
focused on the teachings
00:17:01.06\00:17:04.32
and the Revelation of His word
00:17:04.35\00:17:06.95
and if we take council
from the Spirit of Prophecy
00:17:06.98\00:17:10.38
we will be blessed,
00:17:10.41\00:17:13.69
and we will be kept in balance.
00:17:13.72\00:17:18.04
Now we won't be tossed to
and fro with the latest trend
00:17:18.07\00:17:23.88
that seems to watch over
the church from time to time.
00:17:23.91\00:17:30.51
Impart as I said
we have a generation
00:17:30.54\00:17:34.46
that knows little
about the Spirit of Prophecy.
00:17:34.49\00:17:37.59
What does that say for
the Church in 20-30 years
00:17:37.62\00:17:42.32
if the Lord today
to have a generation
00:17:42.35\00:17:46.43
that knows almost
nothing about this gift.
00:17:46.46\00:17:53.42
It's troubling
and that's important
00:17:53.45\00:17:56.24
why I'm preaching
on it this morning.
00:17:56.27\00:18:00.94
What does a future
hold for the church
00:18:00.97\00:18:02.64
without the benefits
of the inspired guidance
00:18:02.67\00:18:05.62
that has been such a blessing
00:18:05.65\00:18:07.36
to this people, to
God's people it has.
00:18:07.39\00:18:10.33
I bear witness of it
in my own experience.
00:18:10.36\00:18:14.66
My relationship with
Jesus has been enriched.
00:18:14.69\00:18:18.98
First of all by the Scriptures,
00:18:19.01\00:18:20.95
but secondarily by the councils
00:18:20.98\00:18:22.96
that we find in
the Spirit of Prophecy
00:18:22.99\00:18:26.21
and then if you
compare the same witness.
00:18:26.24\00:18:29.87
My understanding of scripture
has been deeply enriched
00:18:29.90\00:18:33.82
by the Spirit of Prophecy
00:18:33.85\00:18:35.35
for it bares
witness to the truth.
00:18:35.38\00:18:37.87
And so without the benefit
of these inspired councils
00:18:42.67\00:18:46.09
too many are
going through a drift
00:18:46.12\00:18:49.15
away from the
centrality of the message.
00:18:49.18\00:18:52.80
Now you know I'm an evangelist,
00:18:52.83\00:18:54.11
so the message is pretty
close at heart to what I do.
00:18:54.14\00:18:58.35
You see, those of us in ministry
00:18:58.38\00:19:00.34
and church
leadership have a responsibility
00:19:00.37\00:19:04.10
before God to hold the line
00:19:04.13\00:19:06.67
against the
incursions of the enemy.
00:19:06.70\00:19:10.76
We have a responsibility.
00:19:10.79\00:19:13.44
I know I don't share
these concerns alone.
00:19:13.47\00:19:17.52
I'm not alone in them.
00:19:17.55\00:19:19.74
Several years ago Max and I
had a conversation after church.
00:19:19.77\00:19:23.99
Our former conference president
00:19:24.02\00:19:26.31
and we were talking
about this very issue
00:19:26.34\00:19:28.60
and Max was telling me, he said,
00:19:28.63\00:19:30.46
we've been discussions about
this at the conference office
00:19:30.49\00:19:32.94
what are we gonna do?
00:19:32.97\00:19:34.43
You look at the ABC sales,
00:19:34.46\00:19:36.47
talk to Herman
Schreven our ABC manager
00:19:36.50\00:19:38.99
and he has told
me, he said, man,
00:19:39.02\00:19:41.31
in the last 20 years
the sales of Ellen G.
00:19:41.34\00:19:44.21
White books has
gone down dramatically.
00:19:44.24\00:19:49.96
And Max says we're
trying to find a way to,
00:19:49.99\00:19:52.86
to arouse the
interest of our people
00:19:52.89\00:19:55.90
in the Spirit of Prophecy.
00:19:55.93\00:20:02.93
So how do we
relate to the ministry
00:20:02.96\00:20:07.23
of Ellen White as a prophet?
00:20:07.26\00:20:09.70
Is she a prophet
or something less?
00:20:09.73\00:20:12.38
Was she inspired in the sense
00:20:12.41\00:20:14.05
of Biblical
prophets were inspired?
00:20:14.08\00:20:16.69
Are there different
levels of inspiration
00:20:16.72\00:20:20.01
and what is her relationship
to the Bible anyway?
00:20:20.04\00:20:23.38
Take your Bible and
turn with me to John 16:12.
00:20:23.41\00:20:27.62
John 16:12, the setting,
00:20:27.65\00:20:30.68
the setting we will
find is the upper room,
00:20:30.71\00:20:32.98
Jesus is spending
these last quite moments
00:20:33.01\00:20:35.12
with His disciples
and over and over again
00:20:35.15\00:20:38.26
He comes to back to
the theme of the promise
00:20:38.29\00:20:41.23
of the Holy Spirit,
the Spirit of truth.
00:20:41.26\00:20:44.89
And here John 16
beginning with verse 12 He said,
00:20:44.92\00:20:48.11
Jesus said, "I have many
more things to say to you,
00:20:48.14\00:20:51.93
but you cannot bear them now."
00:20:51.96\00:20:55.37
Think of it after
three and a half years
00:20:55.40\00:20:57.93
as His closest disciples
Jesus is saying to them
00:20:57.96\00:21:02.00
there is more and
there is much more,
00:21:02.03\00:21:06.41
but you're not ready to
here it, you're not ready.
00:21:06.44\00:21:11.16
And my friend, they
wouldn't be ready to hear
00:21:11.19\00:21:12.95
what Jesus had to
say and tell they went
00:21:12.98\00:21:15.02
through initially
it was to them crushing
00:21:15.05\00:21:17.45
when Jesus died on
the cross of Calvary
00:21:17.48\00:21:21.16
and then that wondrous joy
00:21:21.19\00:21:23.67
when Jesus was
resurrected on the third day.
00:21:23.70\00:21:28.49
I don't know that we
can really appreciate
00:21:28.52\00:21:30.07
what those
disciples went through.
00:21:30.10\00:21:31.99
And in the process
their hearts were open,
00:21:32.02\00:21:34.32
their minds were open to
receive a greater revelation.
00:21:34.35\00:21:39.50
And I believe in
a similar fashion
00:21:39.53\00:21:41.70
that Jesus is saying to us today
00:21:41.73\00:21:44.31
to you and I as a people of God
00:21:44.34\00:21:47.20
that there is much more,
00:21:47.23\00:21:49.77
there are deeper understandings
00:21:49.80\00:21:52.25
to be gained in
this precious message
00:21:52.28\00:21:54.52
that we have
been entrusted with.
00:21:54.55\00:21:57.15
But my friend, let
it not be said of us
00:21:57.18\00:21:59.27
as it was of the
disciples of long ago that
00:21:59.30\00:22:02.33
but they could not bare it.
00:22:02.36\00:22:05.37
You see when we're in
this loving relationship
00:22:05.40\00:22:07.31
with Jesus Christ
there is a thirsty
00:22:07.34\00:22:11.73
and there is a longing to know
00:22:11.76\00:22:13.59
the heart and the
mind of the Savior.
00:22:13.62\00:22:16.99
And my friend, again
that is not just something
00:22:17.02\00:22:20.10
that's floating out there in
space it's concretely founded
00:22:20.13\00:22:25.04
in the teachings
of the Word of God.
00:22:25.07\00:22:28.61
It's like falling in love.
00:22:28.64\00:22:31.13
I remember when I
fell in love with Donna.
00:22:31.16\00:22:34.56
Yeah I do
remember. I do remember.
00:22:34.59\00:22:37.88
Man, I couldn't
spend enough time with her.
00:22:37.91\00:22:41.41
You know, I have my studies
00:22:41.44\00:22:42.85
and now we were eating together,
00:22:42.88\00:22:44.45
we were doing everything
we possibly could do together.
00:22:44.48\00:22:47.38
I just was fascinated
with this then young woman.
00:22:47.41\00:22:50.53
I didn't need to
say that way did I,
00:22:50.56\00:22:52.59
but anyway we were both young
00:22:52.62\00:22:55.20
I just was fascinated with her.
00:22:55.23\00:22:57.05
I couldn't get enough of,
you know, the conversations,
00:22:57.08\00:23:00.09
the interaction
really getting to know her.
00:23:00.12\00:23:03.11
And my friends, so it
is in the relationship
00:23:03.14\00:23:04.94
with Jesus with God,
00:23:04.97\00:23:07.32
we can't get enough of,
of getting to really know
00:23:07.35\00:23:09.97
who Jesus is, who
God the Father is.
00:23:10.00\00:23:12.99
And my friend, that is where
00:23:13.02\00:23:14.16
the Bible is so
vitally important.
00:23:14.19\00:23:16.15
How else are we going to learn
00:23:16.18\00:23:17.94
what is in the
heart and the mind of God
00:23:17.97\00:23:20.84
through Jesus Christ
except through the Word of God.
00:23:20.87\00:23:25.88
And that's when the
dangers of the worship movement
00:23:25.91\00:23:28.46
that has overtaken
much of the Christian world
00:23:28.49\00:23:30.45
and they are
some positive things
00:23:30.48\00:23:32.89
in the worship movement.
00:23:32.92\00:23:34.27
I mean, let's, you
know, let's be fair about it.
00:23:34.30\00:23:37.94
But again that tendency,
00:23:37.97\00:23:40.54
you know, it's like,
I'd like to put it this way,
00:23:40.57\00:23:44.09
that when we come and worship
00:23:44.12\00:23:45.45
we're in a
conversation with God.
00:23:45.48\00:23:48.89
And in the extremes
of the worship movement
00:23:48.92\00:23:50.94
we are
dominating the conversation.
00:23:50.97\00:23:54.66
It's all about me,
all about my praises,
00:23:54.69\00:23:57.21
all about what I have to say.
00:23:57.24\00:24:00.58
Sadly I was in a church
were one of the elders told me,
00:24:00.61\00:24:04.84
it was just oh, I probably
should identify how long ago,
00:24:04.87\00:24:08.01
but I was in the church
one of the elders told me,
00:24:08.04\00:24:11.09
you know, they had a
wonderful praise program.
00:24:11.12\00:24:14.17
I love music, I
happen to do praise,
00:24:14.20\00:24:17.90
praise music here once
in a while on occasion,
00:24:17.93\00:24:22.08
but the elder told me
00:24:22.11\00:24:23.42
the pastor typically is
left about 15 minutes to preach.
00:24:23.45\00:24:28.80
And I don't know
]how you feel about that,
00:24:28.83\00:24:30.36
but 15 minutes is not a sermon,
00:24:30.39\00:24:32.68
15 minutes is hardly
getting started on the devotion.
00:24:32.71\00:24:38.28
So anything I said
again, anything that tends
00:24:38.31\00:24:41.05
to undermine the
centrality of Christ
00:24:41.08\00:24:44.02
and the teachings of this book
00:24:44.05\00:24:46.56
we have to be on guard against.
00:24:46.59\00:24:52.63
It's vital, absolutely vital.
00:24:52.66\00:24:56.00
Let me get back
to my notes here.
00:24:56.03\00:24:58.09
Let me take you to John 16
00:24:58.12\00:25:01.74
and looking at the
first part of verses 13
00:25:01.77\00:25:04.90
where it says
"But when he, when he,
00:25:04.93\00:25:08.23
the Spirit of truth, comes,
00:25:08.26\00:25:10.65
he will guide you
into all the truth."
00:25:10.68\00:25:14.33
Notice, how vital
this whole subject
00:25:14.36\00:25:17.43
was to Jesus on that occasion.
00:25:17.46\00:25:19.46
There is many more
things I'd like to say you,
00:25:19.49\00:25:21.50
you're not ready to hear them
00:25:21.53\00:25:23.98
but you just wait I'm
gonna send the Spirit,
00:25:24.01\00:25:28.04
I'm gonna be sending
the Holy Spirit to you.
00:25:28.07\00:25:30.08
The Spirit of
truth which is a phrasing
00:25:30.11\00:25:34.27
that are used I
think four or five times
00:25:34.30\00:25:38.19
that night in that setting
00:25:38.22\00:25:40.39
He kept coming back
to the Spirit of truth
00:25:40.42\00:25:42.35
that I'm gonna send to you.
00:25:42.38\00:25:44.73
And He says when the
Spirit of truth comes
00:25:44.76\00:25:46.74
He will guide you
into all the truth.
00:25:46.77\00:25:49.96
My friend, as a people
we are the beneficiaries
00:25:49.99\00:25:52.77
of centuries of
Christian development
00:25:52.80\00:25:58.12
and as we talk
about the reformation
00:25:58.15\00:26:01.62
we are the
recipients of the blessings
00:26:01.65\00:26:03.38
that come out of the reformation
00:26:03.41\00:26:05.35
as it was novel it was actually
00:26:05.38\00:26:09.82
revolutionary for
it's period of time.
00:26:09.85\00:26:12.89
It had political and
religious ramifications
00:26:12.92\00:26:16.12
on Europe itself as you
look at it historically,
00:26:16.15\00:26:19.75
but this idea of, you
know, the people of God
00:26:19.78\00:26:23.80
having the
scriptures in their own language
00:26:23.83\00:26:25.85
and that we really ought to
go by what the Bible teaches,
00:26:25.88\00:26:28.04
not what the church teaches,
but what the Bible teaches.
00:26:28.07\00:26:31.63
That is a part of our heritage,
00:26:31.66\00:26:34.07
we do see ourselves in
like of the reformation,
00:26:34.10\00:26:36.94
we see ourselves as
the part of the reformation
00:26:36.97\00:26:39.53
and we believe as the prophecies
00:26:39.56\00:26:41.46
indicate very
clearly that in the end times
00:26:41.49\00:26:43.95
and we are in the end times
00:26:43.98\00:26:47.53
that all things
would be restored.
00:26:47.56\00:26:49.95
Jesus said it
again in Matthew 17:10.
00:26:49.98\00:26:52.97
If you not acquainted
with the Elijah message
00:26:53.00\00:26:55.24
get acquainted with it.
00:26:55.27\00:26:58.57
I believe that's a message
that God has given to us.
00:26:58.60\00:27:02.82
And so this movement
stands for something,
00:27:02.85\00:27:04.60
this church
stands for something.
00:27:04.63\00:27:08.12
Again though we recognize
00:27:08.15\00:27:09.18
there are many Christians
on the various churches.
00:27:09.21\00:27:12.32
My friend, this
church is unique.
00:27:12.35\00:27:16.18
We don't say that
with pride or arrogantly,
00:27:16.21\00:27:22.22
but ought to with humility
recognizing the responsibility
00:27:22.25\00:27:26.57
that it lays
upon each one of us.
00:27:26.60\00:27:29.71
I tell you,
what a blessing it is
00:27:29.74\00:27:32.36
that you and I
somewhere in our experience
00:27:32.39\00:27:35.31
came to know Jesus, came to know
00:27:35.34\00:27:36.78
something about this message.
00:27:36.81\00:27:38.39
It impacted our lives
on some fundamental level
00:27:38.42\00:27:42.78
and so we are
here in fellowship.
00:27:42.81\00:27:46.68
I still love the message, amen.
00:27:46.71\00:27:51.07
Anybody else out there?
I still love the message.
00:27:51.10\00:27:54.97
I've known it, I've
been raised with it,
00:27:55.00\00:27:56.89
I'm not grown weary with
it, I'm not grown tired of it.
00:27:56.92\00:28:00.60
You know, in this typically,
you know, I'm preaching 140,
00:28:00.63\00:28:03.45
40 times a year that's a lot,
00:28:03.48\00:28:06.26
but doing this
I'm into my 28th year.
00:28:06.29\00:28:10.08
Don't you try to
guess my age now,
00:28:10.11\00:28:13.06
I'm younger than you think I'm.
00:28:13.09\00:28:14.42
But anyway, so I've
been preach in a long time,
00:28:14.45\00:28:17.88
I have not grown
weary with the message,
00:28:17.91\00:28:22.14
because I don't have a
grown weary with the messenger.
00:28:22.17\00:28:27.92
And I believe many of you
have that same conviction.
00:28:27.95\00:28:32.70
You see when we become casual
00:28:32.73\00:28:35.23
about our
relationship with Jesus
00:28:35.26\00:28:38.21
it always leads to casualness
in regards to the teachings
00:28:38.24\00:28:42.67
of the Word of God
into the prophetic gift.
00:28:42.70\00:28:45.76
There is that direct
cause affect relationship.
00:28:45.79\00:28:48.97
So Jesus promised I
gonna send you the Holy Spirit
00:28:49.00\00:28:51.18
when he comes, he will
guide you into all the truth.
00:28:51.21\00:28:55.99
And my friend, that means
experientially each one of us
00:28:56.02\00:28:59.41
are in this growing
experience, growing in Jesus,
00:28:59.44\00:29:03.50
growing in an
understanding of Jesus
00:29:03.53\00:29:05.55
in our
understanding of the message.
00:29:05.58\00:29:08.90
And it cannot be limited alone
to what happens in this place,
00:29:08.93\00:29:13.12
it means that we
must have a viable
00:29:13.15\00:29:15.39
and active
devotional life right?
00:29:15.42\00:29:19.23
We need to be
studying the Word of God,
00:29:19.26\00:29:20.93
we need to learn how
the study the Word of God
00:29:20.96\00:29:24.06
and we need to be
into the Spirit of Prophecy
00:29:24.09\00:29:27.54
in the process of it.
00:29:27.57\00:29:29.25
Let me take you
and yes I'm gonna quote
00:29:29.28\00:29:31.10
from the Spirit of
Prophecy this morning,
00:29:31.13\00:29:33.10
beginning with
early writings page 78
00:29:33.13\00:29:36.08
where Ellen White one of
those beautiful statements
00:29:36.11\00:29:39.38
where she says "I
recommend to you dear reader,
00:29:39.41\00:29:42.10
the Word of God as the
rule of your faith and practice.
00:29:42.13\00:29:46.66
By that Word we
are to be judged.
00:29:46.69\00:29:50.34
God has promised, in that Word,
00:29:50.37\00:29:54.07
to give visions
in the last days."
00:29:54.10\00:29:58.09
What's that mean?
00:29:58.12\00:29:59.16
That God in His
word has promised
00:29:59.19\00:30:00.43
to give us
visions in the last days.
00:30:00.46\00:30:03.04
She seems to be
referring to a Biblical passage.
00:30:03.07\00:30:06.00
Anybody having idea
00:30:06.03\00:30:07.06
where we would
find this passage?
00:30:07.09\00:30:08.36
I think some of you do.
00:30:08.39\00:30:09.79
It's in the Book
of Joel Chapter 2
00:30:09.82\00:30:11.40
what is it verses 27,
28 somewhere in their.
00:30:11.43\00:30:14.43
It talks about in the last days
00:30:14.46\00:30:16.89
before the great and
terrible day of the Lord
00:30:16.92\00:30:18.75
that refers to
the coming of Jesus,
00:30:18.78\00:30:20.50
that there would
be prophetic dreams
00:30:20.53\00:30:22.48
and there would
be prophetic visions.
00:30:22.51\00:30:24.95
So the prophetic visions
00:30:24.98\00:30:26.51
that we believe
some 2,000 of them
00:30:26.54\00:30:28.99
that were given to Ellen G.White
00:30:29.02\00:30:30.85
we believe is a
fulfillment of Bible prophecy.
00:30:30.88\00:30:34.41
It is biblical,
00:30:34.44\00:30:36.80
it's not actual
Biblical, it's Biblical.
00:30:36.83\00:30:39.68
"Not" these
visions "were not given
00:30:39.71\00:30:43.14
for a new rule of faith."
00:30:43.17\00:30:47.76
And so one of the things
I'd love about being able
00:30:47.79\00:30:50.33
to have this privilege
of preaching this message
00:30:50.36\00:30:53.30
and have done so far so long.
00:30:53.33\00:30:56.03
I never want-- I can
always stick to the Bible.
00:30:56.06\00:30:59.13
I tell every
truth vital truth to us
00:30:59.16\00:31:02.72
as a people is sound biblically,
00:31:02.75\00:31:07.77
have that confidence.
00:31:07.80\00:31:12.35
And how did we come about,
00:31:12.38\00:31:14.83
how did this come
about in the Church
00:31:14.86\00:31:16.81
in the Adventist Church?
00:31:16.84\00:31:18.10
Is it because we
were just so much smarter
00:31:18.13\00:31:20.05
than anybody else?
00:31:20.08\00:31:21.98
We were just brighter
than other Christians?
00:31:22.01\00:31:25.15
No, my friend, I
think it bars witness,
00:31:25.18\00:31:27.00
I know what we
think, I know that it bares
00:31:27.03\00:31:28.75
witness to the fact
that God has been at work
00:31:28.78\00:31:31.68
among us from
the very beginning.
00:31:31.71\00:31:35.15
The Spirit of God,
the Spirit of truth
00:31:35.18\00:31:37.86
where God is into all the truth
00:31:37.89\00:31:39.54
has borne witness
to us of the truth
00:31:39.57\00:31:42.21
and has bidden us
to take this message
00:31:42.24\00:31:44.55
to the whole world.
00:31:44.58\00:31:45.61
I believe that and the day
00:31:48.73\00:31:49.77
I start believing
it's the day I am lost.
00:31:49.80\00:31:52.73
It's says "not
for new rule of faith,
00:31:52.76\00:31:55.16
but for the
comfort of His people."
00:31:55.19\00:31:58.33
Notice first of all,
it's given to comfort us.
00:31:58.36\00:32:02.00
And my friend, I have
found such weak comfort
00:32:02.03\00:32:05.12
through the councils
of the Spirit of Prophecy
00:32:05.15\00:32:07.65
that book Steps
to Christ is one that
00:32:07.68\00:32:09.55
I always return to
time and time again.
00:32:09.58\00:32:12.94
Whenever I feel I
need a little bit of
00:32:12.97\00:32:16.40
been reenergized
in my spiritual life
00:32:16.43\00:32:18.66
is to the Steps to
Christ that I often go to
00:32:18.69\00:32:21.09
and there are other
books like Desire of Ages.
00:32:21.12\00:32:23.90
But for the
comfort of His people,
00:32:23.93\00:32:26.01
and further more another reason
00:32:26.04\00:32:28.35
why this beautiful
gift has been given
00:32:28.38\00:32:30.84
is "to correct those
who err from Bible truth."
00:32:30.87\00:32:36.65
Okay, to correct those.
00:32:36.68\00:32:39.25
My friend, we're not in the age
00:32:39.28\00:32:40.32
where some of us
really want to go through
00:32:40.35\00:32:42.51
any correction whatsoever.
00:32:42.54\00:32:46.58
But it's a part of
our Christian growth.
00:32:46.61\00:32:50.08
And so, my friend, when
there are new theories of truth
00:32:50.11\00:32:55.21
then we must always,
we always must be sure to
00:32:55.24\00:32:59.50
look carefully what
the Bible is teaching.
00:32:59.53\00:33:02.36
But, my friend, secondarily
00:33:02.39\00:33:03.73
we must be looking at what
the councils are in regards
00:33:03.76\00:33:07.53
to the matter as we find
it in the Spirit of Prophecy.
00:33:07.56\00:33:12.50
And that is one other
things that's concerns me
00:33:12.53\00:33:14.79
when the voice of the
messenger is often so silent
00:33:14.82\00:33:21.52
and the more we become in
time ignorant of the councils
00:33:21.55\00:33:25.07
that we have in
the Spirit of Prophecy
00:33:25.10\00:33:27.40
the more we're set
in ourselves up for,
00:33:27.43\00:33:31.96
we're setting ourselves
up for trouble, we are.
00:33:31.99\00:33:36.94
This gift has kept us on track
00:33:36.97\00:33:39.43
time and time again as you look
over the history of this church.
00:33:39.46\00:33:45.00
It is kept us
faithful to the mission
00:33:45.03\00:33:49.52
to which we've been called.
00:33:49.55\00:33:51.08
It's kept us
faithful to the message
00:33:51.11\00:33:54.34
that we've been
entrusted with in the Bible.
00:33:54.37\00:33:56.83
It has over and over again.
00:33:56.86\00:34:00.61
And so the Bible is so vital,
00:34:00.64\00:34:02.36
the Bible must
always be our first study
00:34:02.39\00:34:05.32
and the Spirit of
Prophecy must be secondary
00:34:05.35\00:34:07.68
in our preaching, in our
personal devotional life.
00:34:07.71\00:34:10.67
The Bible is not a
substitute for the Bible,
00:34:10.70\00:34:12.91
but it enriches,
enriches our experience
00:34:12.94\00:34:15.84
and our
understanding of the Bible.
00:34:15.87\00:34:17.97
Earlier this year I
was in the Loveland,
00:34:18.00\00:34:20.99
Colorado area
holding a series of meetings.
00:34:21.02\00:34:23.14
Doris, Doris was
attending my meetings.
00:34:23.17\00:34:25.49
I had the
privilege of baptizing her.
00:34:25.52\00:34:27.62
I don't usually baptize,
00:34:27.65\00:34:29.49
I usually look to
the pastor to do that,
00:34:29.52\00:34:31.67
but the circumstances
00:34:31.70\00:34:36.58
required my involvement
and so I was involved.
00:34:36.61\00:34:39.90
And, you know, about
three weeks after her baptism
00:34:39.93\00:34:43.84
I was on the phone,
the series was over,
00:34:43.87\00:34:45.94
but I kept in touch and
she, she said, you know,
00:34:45.97\00:34:49.61
I've gotten
these beautiful books,
00:34:49.64\00:34:51.57
because I introduced
people to Ellen G White.
00:34:51.60\00:34:54.72
I preached
openly in the meetings.
00:34:54.75\00:34:57.41
And she got the
hold of Desired of Ages
00:34:57.44\00:34:59.39
and several other of her books
and immediately she is a reader
00:34:59.42\00:35:03.52
and she told me in
just about three weeks
00:35:03.55\00:35:05.90
she had read 2,000 pages
into the Spirit of Prophecy.
00:35:05.93\00:35:12.03
And she was glowing as
she was sharing with me.
00:35:12.06\00:35:14.83
You know, on page such
and such of Desired of Ages.
00:35:14.86\00:35:17.58
I mean this woman was
inspired she was telling me.
00:35:17.61\00:35:21.18
And my friend, she was
inspired of the Holy Spirit.
00:35:21.21\00:35:28.71
What we think
she just was a genius
00:35:28.74\00:35:30.52
and she just kind of
came up with this stuff.
00:35:30.55\00:35:34.58
And my friend, if
she is not a genius
00:35:34.61\00:35:36.03
and most of us
would probably agree,
00:35:36.06\00:35:37.61
she was Godly woman,
00:35:37.64\00:35:39.67
but it didn't come
out of anything inherently
00:35:39.70\00:35:42.52
within her then on some level
00:35:42.55\00:35:44.74
it bares witness
to the Spirit of God
00:35:44.77\00:35:48.38
that was at work in
her life and ministry.
00:35:48.41\00:35:51.79
I don't know how long it's been
00:35:56.49\00:35:57.80
since she you
been into the books,
00:35:57.83\00:36:00.67
that's important.
00:36:00.70\00:36:03.05
Again as I move on
and I must move on.
00:36:03.08\00:36:10.58
Well, that's the
life of an evangelist
00:36:10.61\00:36:12.31
you're she always moving on.
00:36:12.34\00:36:14.56
So the question
comes, since the Bible
00:36:14.59\00:36:16.40
is our only rule
of faith and practice
00:36:16.43\00:36:19.14
does that mean
that the prophetic gift
00:36:19.17\00:36:21.41
has no authority.
00:36:21.44\00:36:24.47
And my friend,
my response would be
00:36:24.50\00:36:26.18
you're not gonna back it up.
00:36:26.21\00:36:27.95
Does she have any authority
whatsoever her writings that is,
00:36:27.98\00:36:30.81
the revelations given to her?
00:36:30.84\00:36:33.28
And my answer is
that she authoritatively
00:36:33.31\00:36:36.69
her councils authoritatively
affirms Bible truth.
00:36:36.72\00:36:44.12
Some feel we
should go by the Bible
00:36:44.15\00:36:46.55
and the Spirit of Prophecy
00:36:46.58\00:36:47.85
is only good for
devotional reading.
00:36:47.88\00:36:50.52
My friend, the difference
is found only in the function,
00:36:50.55\00:36:54.71
inspiration is inspiration,
the difference is in function.
00:36:54.74\00:36:58.89
It's like the Godhead.
00:36:58.92\00:37:00.81
Father, Son and Holy
Spirit are all divine,
00:37:00.84\00:37:02.95
but they have each
one unique functions
00:37:02.98\00:37:05.44
as it relates particularly
to our salvation, we see that.
00:37:05.47\00:37:09.59
And so her ministry
00:37:09.62\00:37:12.10
impart was given to
keep us on track Biblically
00:37:12.13\00:37:16.94
and to keep us from
following away from the truth,
00:37:16.97\00:37:20.46
affirming Biblical truth.
00:37:20.49\00:37:22.05
And I'll give you an
example of this in own history,
00:37:22.08\00:37:24.23
going back to the
General Conference
00:37:24.26\00:37:25.67
of 1888 in
Minneapolis, Minnesota
00:37:25.70\00:37:30.02
these two young men A.T.
Jones and Dr. Waggoner were,
00:37:30.05\00:37:34.52
they were doing
the devotional program.
00:37:34.55\00:37:37.66
This was not
really part of the agenda
00:37:37.69\00:37:39.13
of the General
Conference in 1888,
00:37:39.16\00:37:42.51
but the Spirit of God was
moving in a markedly manner,
00:37:42.54\00:37:46.75
you know, God has this way
00:37:46.78\00:37:48.02
of giving us
midcourse corrections.
00:37:48.05\00:37:50.19
I think that's what was going on
00:37:50.22\00:37:52.56
and I think historically
God keeps bringing us back
00:37:52.59\00:37:57.14
to the importance of
righteousness by faith,
00:37:57.17\00:38:00.31
a proper understanding
of righteousness by faith.
00:38:00.34\00:38:03.64
The imputed that's
where we are accounted
00:38:03.67\00:38:05.96
righteous through
Jesus by accepting Him,
00:38:05.99\00:38:08.20
we accept the
righteousness that is His.
00:38:08.23\00:38:11.94
And the beautiful power
process by which His life,
00:38:11.97\00:38:16.33
His righteousness
is being imparted to us
00:38:16.36\00:38:20.09
something that I don't
often I hear it being preached
00:38:20.12\00:38:24.43
that's no refection
on anybody specifically,
00:38:24.46\00:38:27.53
but, you know, it's the imputed
00:38:27.56\00:38:29.58
and imparted righteousness,
is that process by which
00:38:29.61\00:38:31.94
we become like Jesus.
00:38:31.97\00:38:33.53
And for some that
we're in attendance
00:38:33.56\00:38:35.57
and some that got word of what
00:38:35.60\00:38:37.38
was being
shared in the devotions
00:38:37.41\00:38:39.23
this became quite controversial.
00:38:39.26\00:38:40.81
What do you mean?
00:38:40.84\00:38:42.54
You know the truth as we've
been teaching and preaching it,
00:38:42.57\00:38:47.14
it really wasn't
all that relevant.
00:38:47.17\00:38:50.43
It did, it breed controversy.
00:38:50.46\00:38:53.99
And my friend, Ellen White
00:38:54.02\00:38:56.69
through her
prophetic gift affirmed that
00:38:56.72\00:39:00.78
what A.T. Jones and Dr. Waggoner
00:39:00.81\00:39:03.28
were preaching
was straight from God.
00:39:03.31\00:39:08.27
And that is often how her gift
has function within the Church
00:39:08.30\00:39:13.39
is to affirm, to
a firm Bible truth.
00:39:13.42\00:39:17.92
So was she a prophet?
00:39:17.95\00:39:21.59
Is it wrong to
refer to her as a prophet?
00:39:21.62\00:39:26.90
Let me take you to
1 Selected Messages
00:39:26.93\00:39:30.11
and page 34,
00:39:30.14\00:39:31.17
you gonna find the
whole section there
00:39:31.20\00:39:32.92
that deals with some
of these primary issues
00:39:32.95\00:39:35.07
in which she said "To
claim to be a prophetess
00:39:35.10\00:39:37.71
is something that
I have never done.
00:39:37.74\00:39:41.57
If others call me by that name,
00:39:41.60\00:39:43.46
I have no controversy with them.
00:39:43.49\00:39:45.94
But my work has
covered so many lines
00:39:45.97\00:39:48.43
that I cannot call
myself other than a messenger,
00:39:48.46\00:39:51.41
sent to bear a
message from" whom
00:39:51.44\00:39:55.56
"from the Lord" to whom?
00:39:55.59\00:39:58.14
"To his people."
00:39:58.17\00:39:59.75
My friend, this
we must never forget
00:39:59.78\00:40:02.99
we must get beyond
the instrumentality.
00:40:03.02\00:40:05.56
She was a woman,
she was a godly woman,
00:40:05.59\00:40:09.15
a dedicated woman.
00:40:09.18\00:40:11.13
I mean, think of
stuff to you're ministering
00:40:11.16\00:40:12.91
the responsibility that
was placed on her shoulders.
00:40:12.94\00:40:18.52
We must get beyond
the human instrumentality
00:40:18.55\00:40:21.00
and recognize that it is
the voice of God Himself,
00:40:21.03\00:40:25.40
it is the Lord Himself
that is speaking to us.
00:40:25.43\00:40:31.74
"To His people, and to a work
in any line that He points out."
00:40:31.77\00:40:36.26
When in
evangelism I am talking about
00:40:36.29\00:40:38.31
this matter of
the gift of prophecy
00:40:38.34\00:40:40.52
as it relates to the Bible.
00:40:40.55\00:40:41.58
I use the
illustration, by the way
00:40:41.61\00:40:43.65
I am in to see my optometrist
on Tuesday, I am over do.
00:40:43.68\00:40:48.76
I think I'm gonna have
to upgrade my prescription.
00:40:48.79\00:40:53.28
And anyway I use this example,
00:40:53.31\00:40:55.77
you know, without my
glasses I can look at the page
00:40:55.80\00:40:58.20
I could see that
there is letters there,
00:40:58.23\00:41:01.94
but I really can't read it.
00:41:01.97\00:41:04.66
But when I put these glasses on
00:41:04.69\00:41:08.22
every thing
comes into sharp focus.
00:41:08.25\00:41:11.83
I ask you, did
to this instrument
00:41:11.86\00:41:15.54
did this put the
words there in the book?
00:41:15.57\00:41:19.78
No.
00:41:19.81\00:41:21.63
It didn't really add,
it just brought into focus
00:41:21.66\00:41:25.06
that which I couldn't
otherwise have perceived
00:41:25.09\00:41:28.70
and comprehended and that is
one of the fundamental reasons
00:41:28.73\00:41:33.63
why the Spirit of
Prophecy is so very vital to us.
00:41:33.66\00:41:37.76
And then I take you
on Selected Messages,
00:41:37.79\00:41:40.16
book 1 still page 32.
00:41:40.19\00:41:41.92
"Why have I not
claimed to be a prophet?
00:41:41.95\00:41:44.34
Because in these
days many who boldly claim
00:41:44.37\00:41:47.84
that they are
prophets are a reproach
00:41:47.87\00:41:50.42
to the cause of Christ
and because my work includes
00:41:50.45\00:41:52.95
much more than the
word prophet signifies."
00:41:52.98\00:41:57.46
There is some really
key statements in here
00:41:57.49\00:41:59.86
about this whole issue,
was she a prophet or not.
00:41:59.89\00:42:03.61
And one other statement
on this matter from page 36
00:42:03.64\00:42:06.64
she says "My commission
embraces the work of a prophet,
00:42:06.67\00:42:11.60
but it does not end there."
00:42:11.63\00:42:15.39
So it includes
the work of a prophet.
00:42:15.42\00:42:18.08
She did not choose
to use that terminology.
00:42:18.11\00:42:21.19
I don't believe it's
improper to refer to her
00:42:21.22\00:42:24.06
as a prophetess
or as a messenger
00:42:24.09\00:42:27.87
which is the terminology I think
that she would prefer to use.
00:42:27.90\00:42:32.18
You know this is a part of
the 28 fundamental believes
00:42:32.21\00:42:34.93
of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:42:34.96\00:42:37.67
I wondered at that
time did we really need,
00:42:37.70\00:42:39.90
they were 27 and
then we've added 28,
00:42:39.93\00:42:43.93
do we really
need to put this down?
00:42:43.96\00:42:45.44
Yeah we do.
00:42:45.47\00:42:47.99
We needed to put it
down that this is what
00:42:48.02\00:42:50.20
this church stands for, this
is what we believe biblically.
00:42:50.23\00:42:53.92
And number seven, in
the fundamental believes
00:42:53.95\00:42:56.49
just give you the
actual official position
00:42:56.52\00:42:59.77
of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:42:59.80\00:43:00.99
I'm sharing this because
there is so much confusion
00:43:01.02\00:43:03.36
over this matter.
00:43:03.39\00:43:05.03
It says "One of the gifts
of the Holy Spirit is prophecy.
00:43:05.06\00:43:08.61
This gift is an identifying
mark of the remnant Church
00:43:08.64\00:43:11.29
I was manifested in the
ministry of Ellen G. White.
00:43:11.32\00:43:15.35
As the Lord's messenger,
her writings are a continuing
00:43:15.38\00:43:19.38
and authoritative
source of truth which provide
00:43:19.41\00:43:24.31
for the Church
comfort, guidance,
00:43:24.34\00:43:26.23
instruction and correction."
00:43:26.26\00:43:29.41
And then it goes on to
say "They also make clear
00:43:29.44\00:43:33.04
that the Bible is the
standard by which all teaching
00:43:33.07\00:43:36.23
and experience must be tested."
00:43:36.26\00:43:41.92
It's a good clear
statement on the whole matter.
00:43:41.95\00:43:44.96
And then in 2 Chronicles 20:20.
00:43:44.99\00:43:49.62
I add, and the
words of Scripture says
00:43:49.65\00:43:53.17
"Believe in the Lord your God,
so you shall be established,
00:43:53.20\00:43:58.26
believe His prophets,
so shall you prosper."
00:43:58.29\00:44:03.82
Again I refer you to
what happen in ancient Israel,
00:44:03.85\00:44:06.62
we were there in Daniel 9:10.
00:44:06.65\00:44:09.51
Look at the awful
consequence that came to them
00:44:09.54\00:44:11.67
as a people as they
were turning themselves off
00:44:11.70\00:44:14.95
to the messages that
God in love and mercy
00:44:14.98\00:44:17.53
was sending to them
through the prophetic gift.
00:44:17.56\00:44:21.57
I said again this must
not happen to us as a people.
00:44:21.60\00:44:27.59
We must not go
down that same road.
00:44:27.62\00:44:31.62
We will not
prosper, God cannot bless us
00:44:31.65\00:44:37.80
if we do not
recognize how vitally important
00:44:37.83\00:44:41.17
the prophetic gift is
beginning with the Word of God
00:44:41.20\00:44:45.19
and inclusive of the
ministry of Ellen G. White.
00:44:45.22\00:44:50.06
We can afford to be wishy-washy
about this whole thing.
00:44:50.09\00:44:55.79
We must be absolutely
clear in our thinking.
00:44:55.82\00:44:58.23
Revelation-- John 16:13
00:44:58.26\00:45:03.42
as we continue just a little
bit more in the Word of God.
00:45:03.45\00:45:06.50
The first part that we've read.
00:45:06.53\00:45:07.70
" But when He, the
Spirit of truth, comes,
00:45:07.73\00:45:10.35
He will guide you
into all the truth
00:45:10.38\00:45:12.41
for He will not speak
on His own initiative,
00:45:12.44\00:45:15.74
" the spirit will not
speak on its own initiative
00:45:15.77\00:45:18.21
"but whatever He
hears, He will speak
00:45:18.24\00:45:22.38
and He will disclose
to you what is to come."
00:45:22.41\00:45:25.83
Now, that tie that into verse 12
00:45:25.86\00:45:27.30
where we were
just a little bit ago.
00:45:27.33\00:45:29.17
Where Jesus said, "I have
many more things to say to you,
00:45:29.20\00:45:31.52
but you are not
ready to hear them."
00:45:31.55\00:45:35.05
So when it says that the
spirit is not speaking on
00:45:35.08\00:45:37.29
His own initiative,
but whatever He hears,
00:45:37.32\00:45:40.76
He speaking, who
is He hearing from?
00:45:40.79\00:45:47.31
What is the Spirit hearing?
00:45:47.34\00:45:49.84
That He then He's
communicating to us.
00:45:49.87\00:45:53.77
Who is that send us
a Holy Spirit anyway?
00:45:53.80\00:45:56.91
Jesus did.
00:45:56.94\00:45:59.78
And my friend,
what He is hearing
00:45:59.81\00:46:01.31
is what Jesus wants to be
revealed to us as a people.
00:46:01.34\00:46:06.61
What He hears,
but whatever hears
00:46:06.64\00:46:09.90
He will speak and He
will disclose it to you,
00:46:09.93\00:46:13.30
He will reveal it you, is
what the scriptures tell us,
00:46:13.33\00:46:18.98
reveal it to us.
00:46:19.01\00:46:20.86
Let me take you on the volume 5
00:46:20.89\00:46:22.13
the Testimonies page 667.
00:46:22.16\00:46:27.07
But because of the
nature of this presentation
00:46:27.10\00:46:29.62
I am using the
Spirit of Prophecy
00:46:29.65\00:46:31.74
more than I normally would
00:46:31.77\00:46:33.28
in a typical sermon
on the Sabbath morning.
00:46:33.31\00:46:35.84
But you know why, I
think you can handle it.
00:46:35.87\00:46:38.45
It's all right isn't it?
00:46:38.48\00:46:40.79
It's all right.
00:46:40.82\00:46:42.84
In which he said "One
stood by my side and said
00:46:42.87\00:46:45.87
'God has raised you up and
has given you words to speak
00:46:45.90\00:46:48.80
to the people
and to reach hearts
00:46:48.83\00:46:51.07
as He has given to no other one.
00:46:51.10\00:46:55.17
He will make you a means
through which to communicate
00:46:55.20\00:46:58.36
His light to the people.
00:46:58.39\00:47:00.23
It is Satan's special
object to prevent this light
00:47:00.26\00:47:04.48
from coming to
the people of God,
00:47:04.51\00:47:06.67
who so greatly needed it amid
the perils of these last days."
00:47:06.70\00:47:12.32
And my friend, some by attitude
00:47:12.35\00:47:14.43
and some actually will state it.
00:47:14.46\00:47:16.64
Oh we don't really need this,
00:47:16.67\00:47:18.23
apparently we out grown this
yet this 19th centuries stuff,
00:47:18.26\00:47:21.91
let's get on with it.
00:47:21.94\00:47:27.27
Let's get on with it.
00:47:27.30\00:47:30.42
Some act as if
what she has to say
00:47:30.45\00:47:33.10
what God has revealed
through her is irrelevant to us.
00:47:33.13\00:47:37.06
My friend, as the end
approaches as we advance,
00:47:37.09\00:47:42.06
I hope we're advancing
00:47:42.09\00:47:44.97
we need the gift even more so
00:47:45.00\00:47:49.50
than back there
at the beginning.
00:47:49.53\00:47:51.04
Well, we need to
the get all along,
00:47:51.07\00:47:53.24
but we needed
even more so today,
00:47:53.27\00:47:57.94
even more so today.
00:47:57.97\00:48:00.94
And then what else I'm
gonna take you on to, oh yeah,
00:48:00.97\00:48:04.67
1 Selected Messages page 48.
00:48:04.70\00:48:07.65
Notice she says "The
very last deception of Satan
00:48:07.68\00:48:10.69
will be to make of
none effect the testimony
00:48:10.72\00:48:13.60
of the Spirit of God."
00:48:13.63\00:48:14.66
Remember we have an evil
one that is angry with us,
00:48:14.69\00:48:18.17
who is
determine to take us down,
00:48:18.20\00:48:20.06
who is gonna
oppose us at every step.
00:48:20.09\00:48:25.09
And so this is-- and she said
00:48:25.12\00:48:26.90
"The very last
deception of Satan
00:48:26.93\00:48:29.45
will be to make of none effect
00:48:29.48\00:48:31.53
the testimony of
the Spirit of God.
00:48:31.56\00:48:34.08
Satan will work
ingeniously to unsettle
00:48:34.11\00:48:39.10
the confidence of
God's remnant people."
00:48:39.13\00:48:43.24
His people the Church
"in the true testimony."
00:48:43.27\00:48:49.52
My friend, we know the design,
00:48:49.55\00:48:51.44
we know this because we
have this insight biblically
00:48:51.47\00:48:53.93
and we have the
insights from the councils
00:48:53.96\00:48:55.44
of the Spirit of Prophecy.
00:48:55.47\00:48:57.94
His working ingeniously
to undermine and to undercut
00:48:57.97\00:49:02.98
the benefit of this
gift to us as a people.
00:49:03.01\00:49:07.10
Are we gonna let
him get away with it?
00:49:07.13\00:49:10.22
I hope not.
00:49:10.25\00:49:11.57
"The workings of
Satan will be to unsettle
00:49:11.60\00:49:14.01
the faith of the
Churches in them."
00:49:14.04\00:49:17.87
And my friend,
that's what he is about,
00:49:17.90\00:49:19.22
he is trying to
unsettle our faith
00:49:19.25\00:49:21.57
in regard to the testimonies
that have been given to us.
00:49:21.60\00:49:25.45
To question the
validity of the testimonies
00:49:25.48\00:49:28.10
that had been given to us.
00:49:28.13\00:49:29.78
To model on and to
confuse the whole matter.
00:49:29.81\00:49:32.12
My friend, this gift
has been given to prepare us
00:49:32.15\00:49:34.47
for the coming of
the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:49:34.50\00:49:37.16
In volume 5 of the
Testimonies page 654
00:49:37.19\00:49:42.61
she says "As the end draws near
00:49:42.64\00:49:44.83
and the work of giving the last
warning to the world extends,
00:49:44.86\00:49:48.10
it becomes more important for
those who accept present truth
00:49:48.13\00:49:52.17
to have a clear
understanding of the nature
00:49:52.20\00:49:56.32
and influence
of the Testimonies,
00:49:56.35\00:49:58.77
which God in His
providence has linked."
00:49:58.80\00:50:01.68
What has God in His
providence has done?
00:50:01.71\00:50:04.37
He's linked the Testimonies.
00:50:04.40\00:50:07.35
Talking about the prophetic
gift the ministry of Ellen White
00:50:07.38\00:50:10.30
"Has linked the
Testimonies with the work
00:50:10.33\00:50:13.60
of the third angle's
message from its very rise."
00:50:13.63\00:50:19.74
My friend, without the
ministry of Ellen G. White
00:50:19.77\00:50:21.83
we would not be
the people that we are,
00:50:21.86\00:50:23.49
we will not be the
church that we are,
00:50:23.52\00:50:25.76
we will not be the seventh
largest world church as we are
00:50:25.79\00:50:32.14
if it wasn't for the
influence of Ellen White
00:50:32.17\00:50:36.17
and again recognize
indeed she was a challenge,
00:50:36.20\00:50:39.25
she was the means by
which God was speaking to us
00:50:39.28\00:50:44.27
as the people
directing us giving us a vision.
00:50:44.30\00:50:48.65
You know, that Bible says the
people perish without a vision.
00:50:48.68\00:50:53.31
And we must have it.
00:50:53.34\00:50:56.23
John 16:14, 15 and then one
other text and we'll wrap it up.
00:50:56.26\00:51:03.15
In John 16:14 Jesus continues
00:51:03.18\00:51:06.85
when He is talking
about the Holy Spirit,
00:51:06.88\00:51:09.29
"He will glorify me."
00:51:09.32\00:51:13.15
That's fundamental to
the ministry of the Spirit.
00:51:13.18\00:51:14.97
He will glorify me, He
will bear witness to me.
00:51:15.00\00:51:17.82
"For He will take of Mine
and will disclose it to you."
00:51:17.85\00:51:22.79
So when we talk about
the ministry the Holy Spirit
00:51:22.82\00:51:26.63
and, my friend,
the Spirit of Prophecy
00:51:26.66\00:51:28.30
is the ministry
of the Holy Spirit
00:51:28.33\00:51:31.14
in a very unique and
powerful way in the end times
00:51:31.17\00:51:34.30
in which Jesus is disclosing
and revealing things to us.
00:51:34.33\00:51:42.05
"He will glorify me,
00:51:42.14\00:51:44.16
for He will take of Mine
and will disclose it to you.
00:51:44.19\00:51:46.80
All things that the Father
has are Mine therefore I said
00:51:46.83\00:51:49.91
that He takes of Mine
and will disclose it to you."
00:51:49.94\00:51:54.79
And so, my friend,
one of the vital parts
00:51:54.82\00:51:58.53
of the ministry
of the Holy Spirit
00:51:58.56\00:52:00.89
is that is going
to point us to Jesus.
00:52:00.92\00:52:03.57
It's going to lead us into a
00:52:03.60\00:52:05.20
deeper
relationship with the Savior,
00:52:05.23\00:52:08.29
its points to
Jesus as our intercessor
00:52:08.32\00:52:11.27
in the heavenly sanctuary.
00:52:11.30\00:52:13.38
It points to Jesus
as our coming King,
00:52:13.41\00:52:17.20
our deliver and our victor.
00:52:17.23\00:52:22.97
I take you back
to Revelation 12:17,
00:52:23.00\00:52:27.55
you know, usually we
make this connection.
00:52:27.58\00:52:28.98
Revelation 12:17 they will
keep the commandments of God
00:52:29.01\00:52:31.30
and they will have
the testimony of Jesus
00:52:31.33\00:52:34.31
and then of course we
want to define this biblically,
00:52:34.34\00:52:36.23
so we go to
Revelation 19:10 where it says
00:52:36.26\00:52:39.07
the "Testimony of Jesus
is the Spirit of Prophecy."
00:52:39.10\00:52:41.63
That's where we
get the terminology
00:52:41.66\00:52:43.73
the Spirit of Prophecy.
00:52:43.76\00:52:45.64
But as I've been thinking
through this in recent years
00:52:45.67\00:52:48.64
I have come to
appreciate with renewed meaning
00:52:48.67\00:52:55.27
the term of Revelation 12:17
00:52:55.30\00:52:58.23
as it relates to
the prophetic gift.
00:52:58.26\00:53:01.43
What we have in the ministry
and in the councils of--
00:53:01.46\00:53:07.24
they are given to
us through Ellen White
00:53:07.27\00:53:08.74
what we have is
the testimony of Jesus.
00:53:08.77\00:53:15.65
In those books,
those revelations
00:53:15.68\00:53:19.73
Jesus is speaking
to us as a people,
00:53:19.76\00:53:22.84
Jesus is
addressing us as His people.
00:53:22.87\00:53:27.39
He is giving us instruction
00:53:27.42\00:53:28.99
and again He is
giving us council.
00:53:29.02\00:53:32.64
So we must not forget that
we are a prophetic movement
00:53:32.67\00:53:37.07
that God has
been at work among us
00:53:37.10\00:53:39.31
and has called us to take
His message through the world.
00:53:39.34\00:53:42.38
Oh my friend, let's
seek Jesus through His Word,
00:53:42.41\00:53:44.92
let's seek Jesus
through the councils
00:53:44.95\00:53:46.64
He has given us through
the testimony of His spirit.
00:53:46.67\00:53:49.53
And my friend, if you
haven't been spending time
00:53:49.56\00:53:52.21
in the prophetic gift
00:53:52.24\00:53:53.75
I encourage you to
begin systematically
00:53:53.78\00:53:57.26
to study the testimonies
that we have been given.
00:53:57.29\00:54:01.62
Dust off the books
00:54:01.65\00:54:03.79
if there is somewhere
there in your house unused.
00:54:03.82\00:54:07.76
I'm not saying let's
put our Bibles aside.
00:54:07.79\00:54:10.32
I'm not saying that whatsoever,
00:54:10.35\00:54:11.93
the Bible must
always be the focal point.
00:54:11.96\00:54:14.51
But my friend, we need benefit
00:54:14.54\00:54:17.58
of spending time with Jesus
00:54:17.61\00:54:20.19
through these precious
revelations and affirmations
00:54:20.22\00:54:24.43
that have been given to
us in the Spirit of Prophecy.
00:54:24.46\00:54:28.75
Let's pray shall we?
00:54:28.78\00:54:31.78
Father, again it's a privilege
00:54:31.81\00:54:34.33
that we've been able to
be here this Sabbath morning.
00:54:34.36\00:54:38.20
That worship has been sweet.
00:54:38.23\00:54:42.89
Not only the
fellowship that we've enjoyed
00:54:42.92\00:54:44.91
together as believers,
00:54:44.94\00:54:47.27
but fellowship that
comes by means of Your spirit
00:54:47.30\00:54:50.83
and knowing that
You're present among us.
00:54:50.86\00:54:55.10
And Lord, we
acknowledge this morning,
00:54:55.13\00:54:58.42
we acknowledge that, Lord,
00:54:58.45\00:55:01.48
we have fallen
short of Your glory.
00:55:01.51\00:55:05.41
We acknowledge this morning
00:55:05.44\00:55:06.60
we are sinners in need of
the saving grace of Jesus.
00:55:06.63\00:55:10.76
But we further knowledge
that You have called us
00:55:10.79\00:55:14.12
and we have answered
00:55:14.15\00:55:18.38
and we pray that You
will bless us as Your people.
00:55:18.41\00:55:21.93
Be with us in this coming week
00:55:21.96\00:55:23.44
is our prayer in
Jesus name, amen.
00:55:23.47\00:55:26.24
If My people
00:55:31.83\00:55:37.15
which are called by My name
00:55:37.18\00:55:41.64
Shall humble themselves
00:55:41.67\00:55:45.44
Shall humble themselves and pray
00:55:45.47\00:55:50.69
If My people
00:55:57.29\00:56:02.68
which are called by My name
00:56:02.71\00:56:07.34
Shall seek My face
00:56:07.37\00:56:11.17
and turn from their wicked ways
00:56:11.20\00:56:16.14
Then will I hear from heaven
00:56:21.91\00:56:28.28
Then will I hear from heaven
00:56:28.31\00:56:34.74
And will forgive
00:56:34.77\00:56:38.43
their sin
00:56:42.84\00:56:49.42
If my people
00:56:49.45\00:56:54.96
which are called by My name
00:56:54.99\00:56:59.28
Shall humble themselves
00:56:59.31\00:57:03.06
Shall humble themselves and pray
00:57:03.09\00:57:10.54
I will forgive their sins
00:57:10.57\00:57:17.05
I will forgive their sins
00:57:17.08\00:57:23.52
I will forgive their sins
00:57:23.55\00:57:29.53
And heal their land
00:57:36.89\00:57:43.95