Lord, now indeed I find
00:00:32.26\00:00:36.72
Thy power, and Thine alone
00:00:36.75\00:00:41.22
Can change the leper's spots
00:00:41.25\00:00:45.76
And melt the heart of stone
00:00:45.79\00:00:51.31
Let's sing the
third verse together.
00:00:51.34\00:00:57.20
And when before the throne
00:00:57.23\00:01:01.60
I stand in Him complete
00:01:01.63\00:01:06.28
I'll lay my trophies down
00:01:06.31\00:01:10.81
All down at Jesus' feet
00:01:10.84\00:01:16.13
Jesus paid it all
00:01:16.16\00:01:20.63
All to Him I owe
00:01:20.66\00:01:25.01
Sin had left a crimson stain
00:01:25.04\00:01:29.17
He washed it white as snow
00:01:29.20\00:01:33.86
Oh, praise the
One who paid my debt
00:01:40.14\00:01:44.62
And raised this
life up from the dead
00:01:44.65\00:01:49.14
Oh, praise the
One who paid my debt
00:01:49.17\00:01:53.51
And raised this
life up from the dead
00:01:53.54\00:01:57.98
Oh, praise the
One who paid my debt
00:01:58.01\00:02:02.46
And raised this
life up from the dead
00:02:02.49\00:02:06.79
Oh, praise the
One who paid my debt
00:02:06.82\00:02:11.29
And raised this
life up from the dead
00:02:11.32\00:02:18.84
Jesus paid it all
00:02:18.87\00:02:24.00
All to Him I owe
00:02:24.03\00:02:28.90
Sin had left a crimson stain
00:02:28.93\00:02:34.39
He washed it white as snow
00:02:34.42\00:02:41.29
Amen.
00:02:47.51\00:02:48.56
That same God who
sent His Son to die,
00:02:48.59\00:02:52.57
the same God who
created the entire universe
00:02:52.60\00:02:56.30
also considers
Himself to be our Father
00:02:56.33\00:03:00.44
and when we
approach Him in prayer,
00:03:00.47\00:03:02.77
we can call Him Father.
00:03:02.80\00:03:05.02
What a blessing that is to us.
00:03:05.05\00:03:12.08
I have a Maker
00:03:12.11\00:03:18.15
He formed my heart
00:03:18.18\00:03:24.39
Before even time began
00:03:24.42\00:03:29.70
My life was in His hands
00:03:29.73\00:03:37.24
He knows my name
00:03:37.27\00:03:43.38
He knows my every thought
00:03:43.41\00:03:49.53
He sees each tear that falls
00:03:49.56\00:03:54.56
And He hears me when I call
00:03:54.59\00:04:00.21
I have a Father.
00:04:02.64\00:04:04.97
I have a Father
00:04:05.00\00:04:11.13
He calls me His own
00:04:11.16\00:04:17.33
He'll never leave me
00:04:17.36\00:04:22.18
No matter where I go
00:04:22.21\00:04:29.48
He knows my name
00:04:29.51\00:04:35.57
He knows my every thought
00:04:35.60\00:04:41.61
He sees each tear that falls
00:04:41.64\00:04:46.59
And He hears me when I call
00:04:46.62\00:04:52.75
And He hears me when I call
00:04:52.78\00:04:57.81
How many of you have
someone in their lives
00:05:01.72\00:05:03.65
or someone that they
know, that they think
00:05:03.68\00:05:05.21
it would be impossible
for them to come to Christ.
00:05:05.24\00:05:10.44
Impossible.
00:05:10.47\00:05:13.90
I had the opportunity to
come and share just briefly
00:05:13.93\00:05:17.21
something that's
happened in my life.
00:05:17.24\00:05:20.91
I was speaking to a pastor
once and he expressed to me
00:05:20.94\00:05:23.90
how he had a spiritual
revival in his own life.
00:05:23.93\00:05:27.17
And he felt like David.
00:05:27.20\00:05:28.66
He said, he told me
00:05:28.69\00:05:30.02
"I feel like I can run a giant."
00:05:30.05\00:05:33.69
I remember sitting there
00:05:33.72\00:05:34.75
and listening to
him and thinking,
00:05:34.78\00:05:37.04
I've never felt like
that in my whole life.
00:05:37.07\00:05:41.05
During this time I
was reading this book
00:05:41.08\00:05:43.39
known as the "Desire of Ages,"
00:05:43.42\00:05:45.83
and in a
chapter there as a child
00:05:45.86\00:05:47.83
she writes a
statement about Jesus,
00:05:47.86\00:05:50.36
when he was a young boy.
00:05:50.39\00:05:51.42
He says "He attempted
much because He expected much."
00:05:51.45\00:05:56.86
And I was thinking to myself
00:05:56.89\00:05:59.52
perhaps, the reason
that I'm not doing a lot
00:05:59.55\00:06:03.51
is because I don't really expect
00:06:03.54\00:06:04.95
that God's
gonna do a lot for me.
00:06:04.98\00:06:07.76
See my God was the
God of the lost keys.
00:06:07.79\00:06:11.95
I serve the God that
helped me get to class on time.
00:06:11.98\00:06:16.53
I serve the God that made
sure that nobody else noticed
00:06:16.56\00:06:19.69
that spaghetti
stain on my shirt.
00:06:19.72\00:06:22.27
That was the God I served.
00:06:22.30\00:06:25.27
And so during time I
was reading Testimonies,
00:06:25.30\00:06:27.22
she talked about how
before she became a prophet,
00:06:27.25\00:06:29.95
how one by one
she started working
00:06:29.98\00:06:32.03
in the lives of all her friends
and so they were all converted.
00:06:32.06\00:06:34.46
And I said "Well, if
she can do it, why not me?"
00:06:34.49\00:06:38.11
The Bible says
that God is the same
00:06:38.14\00:06:39.54
yesterday, today and forever.
00:06:39.57\00:06:40.69
So I'm not waiting on
Him. He's waiting on me.
00:06:40.72\00:06:44.66
And so I decided, all
right, I'm going to attempt much
00:06:44.69\00:06:49.67
and really expect that
God's gonna do a lot for me.
00:06:49.70\00:06:53.85
And so I talked to my
family and some of my friends
00:06:53.88\00:06:56.03
and we started to write
down on a piece of paper
00:06:56.06\00:06:59.30
people that we thought
it would be impossible,
00:06:59.33\00:07:01.88
a literal miracle for
them to come to Christ.
00:07:01.91\00:07:06.60
And to make a
very long story short,
00:07:06.63\00:07:09.62
ladies and gentlemen,
00:07:09.65\00:07:10.68
I have seen the impossible done.
00:07:10.71\00:07:14.28
I have seen
atheists going to church.
00:07:14.31\00:07:17.56
I have seen addictions
00:07:17.59\00:07:18.99
that have been
longstanding broken
00:07:19.02\00:07:22.24
and by God's honoring glory,
00:07:22.27\00:07:23.81
I have seen at least
already three baptisms
00:07:23.84\00:07:26.35
and expecting many more,
including my very own brother.
00:07:26.38\00:07:30.61
Folks, we serve a God
who can do the impossible
00:07:30.64\00:07:35.78
and there is power in prayer.
00:07:35.81\00:07:38.37
Happy Sabbath, everybody.
00:07:41.85\00:07:45.45
This morning we're bringing you
comfort in words and in music.
00:07:45.48\00:07:52.57
We come from Arkansas,
Maryland, Ohio, New Jersey,
00:07:52.60\00:07:58.58
Berrien Springs and Wisconsin.
00:07:58.61\00:08:03.38
And we bring you music in
a Nigerian language, Yoruba,
00:08:03.41\00:08:09.07
it says "So Wa Oluwa."
00:08:09.10\00:08:12.49
So to keep you in
tune with the song
00:08:12.52\00:08:13.93
I'm gonna give
you a few definitions.
00:08:13.96\00:08:16.58
When we say or sing "a
labada" and we do this,
00:08:16.61\00:08:22.09
we're asking for strength.
00:08:22.12\00:08:26.48
When we say "aayo,"
we're asking for joy.
00:08:26.51\00:08:31.84
When we say "okun,"
we're asking for endurance
00:08:31.87\00:08:38.38
to go and to
continue on this journey
00:08:38.41\00:08:44.67
until He returns.
00:08:44.70\00:08:46.49
"So Wa Oluwa," save us
and guide us, dear God.
00:08:46.52\00:08:54.00
The One who died and now lives,
00:11:21.18\00:11:27.03
the One who saves,
00:11:27.06\00:11:31.59
He is calling, He is waiting.
00:11:31.62\00:11:35.55
Give Him your
heart, hold His hand.
00:11:35.58\00:11:39.61
Let Him guide you. Hold on.
00:11:39.64\00:11:43.95
Thank you.
00:12:52.33\00:12:55.95
Thank you, Ambassadors.
00:12:55.98\00:12:57.40
What a revival prayer,
00:12:57.43\00:12:59.50
"So Wa Oluwa," save us, our God.
00:12:59.53\00:13:05.97
Last night I'd some quiet
time, just doing some brooding
00:13:06.00\00:13:13.58
over this journey that
we have commenced together,
00:13:13.61\00:13:19.42
thinking what would a revival
00:13:19.45\00:13:20.72
at Andrews University look like.
00:13:20.75\00:13:23.98
I mean a full blown
Holy Spirit revival.
00:13:24.01\00:13:30.27
So I opened up my Bible
there in my little study at home
00:13:30.30\00:13:35.26
and find these familiar words.
00:13:35.29\00:13:37.90
I'm opening up my new
Andrew Study Bible at home
00:13:37.93\00:13:42.06
and I find these
words and I noticed
00:13:42.09\00:13:43.77
something
interesting in the note.
00:13:43.80\00:13:46.95
So if you're a freshman you
already have your Bible here.
00:13:46.98\00:13:51.09
Take a look at Joel,
00:13:51.12\00:13:52.80
the little book of
Joel Chapter 2, Peter,
00:13:52.83\00:13:57.16
you remember preached these
words on the day of Pentecost.
00:13:57.19\00:14:01.58
So I want to share this
with you, then we'll have
00:14:01.61\00:14:02.91
prayer and plunge into
today's teaching, all right?
00:14:02.94\00:14:04.91
Joel 2:28.
00:14:04.94\00:14:10.79
I am thinking what would revival
00:14:10.82\00:14:12.30
on this campus look like
if God answered our prayers.
00:14:12.33\00:14:17.69
"And it shall
come to pass afterward,
00:14:17.72\00:14:19.72
that I will pour out
my Spirit on all flesh."
00:14:19.75\00:14:23.86
So I jumped down, I
want to read the note
00:14:23.89\00:14:25.85
and the author of the
note, one of our scholars here,
00:14:25.88\00:14:28.31
the author of
the note points out
00:14:28.34\00:14:31.81
that God's gift of His Spirit
00:14:31.84\00:14:33.25
is not limited
by three categories,
00:14:33.28\00:14:35.31
and here come
the three categories.
00:14:35.34\00:14:36.56
Number one, it's
not limited by gender,
00:14:36.59\00:14:39.17
"I am gonna pour out
my Spirit on all flesh.
00:14:39.20\00:14:40.94
Your sons and your
daughters shall prophesy."
00:14:40.97\00:14:44.01
It doesn't matter the gender.
00:14:44.04\00:14:45.35
Number two, it's
not limited by age,
00:14:45.38\00:14:47.24
"Your old men shall dream dreams
00:14:47.27\00:14:49.96
and your young men
shall see visions."
00:14:49.99\00:14:51.69
Young women see visions.
00:14:51.72\00:14:53.55
And then number three,
00:14:53.58\00:14:54.61
it's not limited
by social status.
00:14:54.64\00:14:56.92
It doesn't matter who
you are, who your daddy was.
00:14:56.95\00:15:00.30
"And also on my menservants
and on my maidservants
00:15:00.33\00:15:03.57
I will pour out my
Spirit in those days."
00:15:03.60\00:15:06.19
When the mighty
outpouring comes,
00:15:06.22\00:15:08.95
it is cross
generational, multi-ethnic
00:15:08.98\00:15:14.03
and it is concentrated
00:15:14.06\00:15:15.47
where people are
gathered together
00:15:15.50\00:15:17.37
in one accord and are in prayer.
00:15:17.40\00:15:20.68
And by the way, it's
not just getting filled
00:15:20.71\00:15:22.20
with warm spiritual fuzzies
that the revival is all about
00:15:22.23\00:15:25.34
because you
drop down to verse 32
00:15:25.37\00:15:26.96
and that revival
comes it will come to pass
00:15:26.99\00:15:29.52
that whoever calls
on the name of the Lord
00:15:29.55\00:15:31.96
gets saved on that
spot, at that moment.
00:15:31.99\00:15:37.03
So I'm thinking,
"God, here we are,
00:15:37.06\00:15:38.66
we've just embarked on
this 40-days of prayer.
00:15:38.69\00:15:41.71
What would happen if
we were bound together
00:15:41.74\00:15:46.95
with this passionate
quest for Andrews University
00:15:46.98\00:15:51.34
and the Pioneer Memorial Church,
00:15:51.37\00:15:53.88
that at the
beginning of this school year
00:15:53.91\00:15:55.99
you did something supernatural,
00:15:56.02\00:15:58.52
you did something beyond
the ordinary in our midst?"
00:15:58.55\00:16:03.73
That's why, guys, we
have embarked on this 40-days
00:16:03.76\00:16:07.34
and 40-nights of prayer.
00:16:07.37\00:16:08.94
That's why last
Sabbath I preached on it.
00:16:08.97\00:16:13.34
We handed out the
books as you left.
00:16:13.37\00:16:15.62
We gave out last
Sabbath 1,500 books,
00:16:15.65\00:16:20.28
we gave another 250 out,
00:16:20.31\00:16:21.83
people came that
didn't have the books
00:16:21.86\00:16:24.33
our opening night September
1, here in the sanctuary.
00:16:24.36\00:16:29.54
And because we have
collectively embarked
00:16:29.57\00:16:31.80
on this journey together
I am absolutely convinced
00:16:31.83\00:16:38.46
that if you will join us,
00:16:38.49\00:16:41.77
if you will be willing
to commit the next 40 days
00:16:41.80\00:16:46.31
to ask for a baptism of
the Holy Spirit in your life
00:16:46.34\00:16:48.94
and to pray for
five lost people,
00:16:48.97\00:16:51.07
as Edwin was just
sharing a moment ago,
00:16:51.10\00:16:52.92
pray for five lost
people, I am utterly convicted
00:16:52.95\00:16:58.81
that God will be
released to do something
00:16:58.84\00:17:00.97
he has perhaps never
been able to do in our midst.
00:17:01.00\00:17:06.22
I'm dreaming of a revival.
00:17:06.25\00:17:08.92
I am praying, God,
we're at the end of time.
00:17:08.95\00:17:12.47
Jesus is coming soon.
00:17:12.50\00:17:13.57
You're not waiting
for another headline,
00:17:13.60\00:17:15.37
you're waiting for
your church to wake up.
00:17:15.40\00:17:17.33
Give me everything you have.
00:17:17.36\00:17:20.51
And so here is the deal.
00:17:20.54\00:17:22.44
I'm joining pastor Aster--
00:17:22.47\00:17:25.44
I need you to come
out on Wednesday night.
00:17:28.05\00:17:31.68
Now we need just the numbers,
00:17:31.71\00:17:35.36
the sheer numbers
united in a shared passion.
00:17:35.39\00:17:42.68
If you're free
Wednesday night at 7 o'clock,
00:17:44.50\00:17:47.26
come on-- come
here to the sanctuary.
00:17:47.29\00:17:49.05
We're out at
7:45, it's 45 minutes.
00:17:49.08\00:17:52.30
It's not a preaching service.
00:17:52.33\00:17:53.92
We get right-- We
move right into praying.
00:17:53.95\00:17:57.15
If you could come, this
business of all together,
00:17:57.18\00:18:01.42
in one accord, in
one place, why not?
00:18:01.45\00:18:04.61
Come on, come on
out, Wednesday night.
00:18:04.64\00:18:08.50
Share--
00:18:08.53\00:18:10.10
Claim the promise
of that outpouring.
00:18:10.13\00:18:13.63
God will do
something, God will do something
00:18:13.66\00:18:16.55
we've never dreamed
could happen in our lifetime.
00:18:16.58\00:18:21.66
Why not?
00:18:21.69\00:18:23.44
Please, do it for your pastor.
00:18:23.47\00:18:27.30
Come on out and let's
pray together, Wednesday night.
00:18:27.33\00:18:31.44
Let's pray right now.
00:18:31.47\00:18:32.50
Oh, God, so wa oluwa.
00:18:32.53\00:18:37.40
Almighty God, save us.
00:18:37.43\00:18:40.23
We can't save ourselves,
we can't save this world,
00:18:40.26\00:18:44.54
but we can go to our
knees and so, Holy Father,
00:18:44.57\00:18:50.01
do whatever it takes,
band this campus together
00:18:50.04\00:18:54.69
in a shared spiritual quest
00:18:54.72\00:19:00.33
and leave us
never the same again.
00:19:00.36\00:19:02.42
We're not telling
you how to respond,
00:19:02.45\00:19:04.00
you respond in your own way.
00:19:04.03\00:19:05.92
Just use us and fill
us and let this teaching,
00:19:05.95\00:19:12.25
this critical
teaching this morning,
00:19:12.28\00:19:13.96
let it be clear to all of us.
00:19:13.99\00:19:16.61
I humbly pray in
Jesus' name, Amen.
00:19:16.64\00:19:21.52
I'm not gonna say the government
00:19:21.55\00:19:23.95
by its response to this
crisis reminds me of God,
00:19:23.98\00:19:28.01
but what I want to say is
00:19:28.04\00:19:30.26
the Chilean government
facing the mining disaster,
00:19:30.29\00:19:36.70
the way they responded
00:19:36.73\00:19:40.70
reminds me how God may be
facing a very similar dilemma.
00:19:40.73\00:19:45.68
I mean you think about it.
00:19:45.71\00:19:46.77
Everybody is
following the story, right?
00:19:46.80\00:19:48.08
Thirty-three men
trapped, one half mile
00:19:48.11\00:19:51.85
down inside the
bowels of this mountain,
00:19:51.88\00:19:54.93
hallelujah,
found alive and well.
00:19:54.96\00:19:59.39
Then the government
moves into the rescue
00:19:59.42\00:20:01.08
and discovers
that in order to drill
00:20:01.11\00:20:03.89
a 28-inch hole through which
they're gonna extricate all 33
00:20:03.92\00:20:08.94
through solid
one half mile rock,
00:20:08.97\00:20:11.21
it will take them
possibly until Christmas.
00:20:11.24\00:20:16.52
And so the government announces
00:20:16.55\00:20:17.74
a gag order on
all communication.
00:20:17.77\00:20:20.13
No-- No fam--
Nobody say a word to them
00:20:20.16\00:20:23.13
about how long
this is gonna take.
00:20:23.16\00:20:25.79
We can't break their spirits,
we can't dash their hopes,
00:20:25.82\00:20:29.18
we can't crush
their expectations.
00:20:29.21\00:20:32.12
Mum's the word, until last
week somebody spilled the beans.
00:20:32.15\00:20:36.91
Yep, the health minister of
the Chilean government himself,
00:20:36.94\00:20:41.21
on purpose,
00:20:41.24\00:20:43.35
through a line lowered
to that tiny little tube
00:20:43.38\00:20:45.89
that they've got going
down to that little chamber
00:20:45.92\00:20:49.40
radio messaged to the men
below, "I'm sorry, amigos,
00:20:49.43\00:20:54.82
but we're not gonna get
you as fast as you think.
00:20:54.85\00:20:56.82
It may take us until Christmas.
00:20:56.85\00:20:59.72
And so coming down
this lifeline right now
00:20:59.75\00:21:03.75
are antidepressants.
00:21:03.78\00:21:06.32
Take the pills and deal
with your disappointment."
00:21:06.35\00:21:12.75
I think of that dilemma
and I'm thinking to myself,
00:21:12.78\00:21:15.05
wait a minute, wait
a minute, isn't that,
00:21:15.08\00:21:16.85
isn't that, isn't
that the picture of God
00:21:16.88\00:21:18.92
without the
antidepressants part?
00:21:18.95\00:21:22.30
Isn't that the picture of God
00:21:22.33\00:21:23.85
looking down through
the universe into the dark,
00:21:23.88\00:21:27.41
collapsed mine shaft
of this fallen planet?
00:21:27.44\00:21:30.33
And there His
children are entombed
00:21:30.36\00:21:32.58
and he's talking to
everybody up on top,
00:21:32.61\00:21:35.12
"Hey, guys, what
are we going to do?
00:21:35.15\00:21:36.34
We can't tell them how
long this is going to take
00:21:36.37\00:21:38.66
before we can successfully
extricate them from that hole.
00:21:38.69\00:21:42.09
So what shall we do?
Shall we tell them anything?
00:21:42.12\00:21:44.08
Shall we parse out the
secret portion by portion?"
00:21:44.11\00:21:49.20
Spilling the secret, the
title of today's teaching
00:21:49.23\00:21:53.21
from an ancient line
written by a very minor prophet
00:21:53.24\00:21:57.32
who packs a very
major wallop, prophet Amos,
00:21:57.35\00:22:04.10
and God through Amos saying,
"Hey, I want you to watch
00:22:04.13\00:22:07.30
how I spill the secret
one portion at a time."
00:22:07.33\00:22:12.19
Open your Bible up
to the teaching today
00:22:12.22\00:22:14.18
found in Amos 3, Old Testament.
00:22:14.21\00:22:17.05
If you got-- If you
found Joel you're there,
00:22:17.08\00:22:20.23
it's the next
book right after Joel.
00:22:20.26\00:22:22.26
Find Amos 3,
00:22:22.29\00:22:25.49
I'm gonna be here in
my New King James version.
00:22:25.52\00:22:29.70
If you didn't bring a Bible,
00:22:29.73\00:22:30.76
grab the pew
Bible in front of you
00:22:30.79\00:22:32.03
so that you get--
you'll be able to track this,
00:22:32.06\00:22:34.13
just one line,
amazing, amazing line.
00:22:34.16\00:22:37.04
The very dilemma the
Chilean government faced,
00:22:37.07\00:22:39.93
God has been facing
all these millennia.
00:22:39.96\00:22:42.80
By the way, that
would be page 618
00:22:42.83\00:22:44.66
in your pew Bible,
Amos 3, to get to the line
00:22:44.69\00:22:47.05
I want to begin at the
beginning of the chapter.
00:22:47.08\00:22:48.46
We'll have a little
run on to that line.
00:22:48.49\00:22:50.38
Amos 3, pick it up
please in verse 1, Amos 3:1,
00:22:50.41\00:22:55.05
"Hear this word that the
Lord has spoken against you,
00:22:55.08\00:22:58.99
O children of Israel,
against the whole family
00:22:59.02\00:23:01.30
which I brought up
from the land of Egypt,"
00:23:01.33\00:23:03.87
you're my people,
you're my children, listen up.
00:23:03.90\00:23:08.38
"You," verse 2, "You only have
00:23:08.41\00:23:10.37
I known of all the
families of the earth,
00:23:10.40\00:23:13.93
Therefore I will punish
you for all your iniquities."
00:23:13.96\00:23:17.31
Ouch.
00:23:17.34\00:23:19.51
'Cause when
you're on the inside,
00:23:19.54\00:23:22.77
when you're a part
of that inner circle
00:23:22.80\00:23:24.73
to whom much is
given, how does it go?
00:23:24.76\00:23:26.86
To whom much is
given, much will be required.
00:23:26.89\00:23:29.73
It makes me think of the
words of Richard John Neuhaus.
00:23:29.76\00:23:32.02
Boy, he was
spot on when he wrote
00:23:32.05\00:23:34.21
"It is a fearful
thing to be chosen."
00:23:34.24\00:23:38.53
When you end up being
chosen, it's no picnic.
00:23:38.56\00:23:43.21
Of all people I
was counting on you.
00:23:43.24\00:23:46.83
You let me down.
00:23:46.86\00:23:48.28
Now God launches
a series of seven
00:23:48.31\00:23:50.21
rhetorical
questions, watch this.
00:23:50.24\00:23:51.90
You know what a
rhetorical is, don't you?
00:23:51.93\00:23:53.80
A rhetorical
question is that question
00:23:53.83\00:23:55.67
that implies the
answer tucked inside of it.
00:23:55.70\00:23:59.09
So that if I-- if I say to you,
00:23:59.12\00:24:01.17
here is a rhetorical question.
00:24:01.20\00:24:02.33
If I say to you, "Yo,
isn't this a gorgeous day?"
00:24:02.36\00:24:06.76
I'm not hoping that
you'll respond "Man, I hate it."
00:24:06.79\00:24:11.59
I am expecting that you're
gonna say, "But of course."
00:24:11.62\00:24:16.19
So here they come, watch them,
00:24:16.22\00:24:17.25
seven of them,
God lines them up.
00:24:17.28\00:24:19.70
Here they go, Chapter 3:3,
rhetorical question number 1
00:24:19.73\00:24:23.69
"Can two walk together,
unless they are agreed?"
00:24:23.72\00:24:25.64
No, how could I walk with you--
00:24:25.67\00:24:27.31
you and I go for a
walk this afternoon
00:24:27.34\00:24:28.69
if we don't make an
appointment together.
00:24:28.72\00:24:29.98
You got to be agreed.
00:24:30.01\00:24:31.14
Rhetorical question number 2
00:24:31.17\00:24:32.40
"Will a lion roar in the forest,
00:24:32.43\00:24:34.04
when he has no prey?"
00:24:34.07\00:24:35.11
Nope.
00:24:35.14\00:24:36.17
He's gonna roar
when he's got it.
00:24:36.20\00:24:37.43
"Will a young lion
cry out of his den,
00:24:37.46\00:24:38.97
if he has caught nothing?"
00:24:39.00\00:24:40.03
Nope.
00:24:40.06\00:24:41.14
Rhetorical question number 4
00:24:41.17\00:24:42.54
"Will a bird fall
into a snare on the earth,
00:24:42.57\00:24:44.45
where there is no trap for it?"
00:24:44.48\00:24:45.95
No. How could it?
00:24:45.98\00:24:47.29
Rhetorical question number 5
00:24:47.32\00:24:49.04
"Will a snare
spring up from the earth,
00:24:49.07\00:24:51.04
if it has
caught nothing at all?"
00:24:51.07\00:24:52.48
Nope.
00:24:52.51\00:24:53.54
Rhetorical
question number 6, verse 6
00:24:53.57\00:24:55.44
"If a trumpet
is blown in a city,
00:24:55.47\00:24:57.22
will not the people be afraid?"
00:24:57.25\00:24:58.80
Yep.
00:24:58.83\00:25:00.06
And finally
rhetorical question number 7 "
00:25:00.09\00:25:02.33
If there is calamity in a city,
00:25:02.36\00:25:04.61
will not the Lord have done it?"
00:25:04.64\00:25:07.22
God it would have
been-- Then he goes
00:25:07.25\00:25:11.26
"Surely the Lord
God does nothing,
00:25:11.29\00:25:13.64
unless He reveals His secret
to His servants the prophets."
00:25:13.67\00:25:16.48
In a deft literary
twist what Amos does is,
00:25:16.51\00:25:19.49
we're expecting
another rhetorical question.
00:25:19.52\00:25:21.59
Amos should have
asked, "Will not the Lord
00:25:21.62\00:25:23.97
reveal His secrets to
His servants, the prophets?"
00:25:24.00\00:25:26.19
Yep.
00:25:26.22\00:25:27.25
But, oh no, he catches
us off-guard and he quickly
00:25:27.28\00:25:30.45
moves from the
interrogative to the declarative
00:25:30.48\00:25:33.02
and he says, "Yo,
God will do nothing
00:25:33.05\00:25:37.46
without first
revealing His secret
00:25:37.49\00:25:39.46
to His servants, the prophets."
00:25:39.49\00:25:41.97
Brilliant. One line.
00:25:42.00\00:25:47.53
God has
apparently a select circle,
00:25:47.56\00:25:51.92
an inner circle on this planet
00:25:51.95\00:25:55.72
that He uses to
spill His secrets,
00:25:55.75\00:26:00.38
that we can call the
prophets God's secret spillers.
00:26:00.41\00:26:03.84
I want to nail that point down
00:26:03.87\00:26:04.90
before it gets
past my mind and yours.
00:26:04.93\00:26:06.37
Would you grab your
study guide, please, right now?
00:26:06.40\00:26:07.86
It's inside your
worship bulletin.
00:26:07.89\00:26:09.39
Pull that study guide out.
00:26:09.42\00:26:10.79
If you didn't get
a study guide out,
00:26:10.82\00:26:11.85
so let's make sure
everybody gets it today,
00:26:11.88\00:26:13.90
because you're gonna
want this study guide.
00:26:13.93\00:26:16.21
Just hold your hand
up as our friendly ushers
00:26:16.24\00:26:17.81
come your way,
up in the balcony,
00:26:17.84\00:26:19.01
those of you
sitting in the overflow,
00:26:19.04\00:26:21.39
we're glad to have you as well.
00:26:21.42\00:26:22.58
If you need a study
guide, just hold your hand up,
00:26:22.61\00:26:24.68
we'll get a study guide to you.
00:26:24.71\00:26:26.30
And while these are going out,
I want to say to those of you
00:26:26.33\00:26:28.22
watching on television,
we're delighted to have you.
00:26:28.25\00:26:30.45
You can have the same
study guide, go to our website.
00:26:30.48\00:26:32.87
Let me put it on
the screen for you.
00:26:32.90\00:26:34.66
There you see it, at
the bottom of the screen,
00:26:34.69\00:26:36.72
www.pmchurch.tv.
00:26:36.75\00:26:41.09
You go to that website,
00:26:41.12\00:26:42.15
you're looking
for the new series,
00:26:42.18\00:26:43.21
brand new, this is
only part two, "The Gift".
00:26:43.24\00:26:45.99
By the way, if
you missed part 1,
00:26:46.02\00:26:47.36
it's already there in
podcast and videocast.
00:26:47.39\00:26:49.58
You can get it, it's
sitting there right now for you,
00:26:49.61\00:26:52.05
but this is part 2 and
the title of this teaching
00:26:52.08\00:26:54.22
"Spilling the secret."
00:26:54.25\00:26:57.62
When you get to
"Spilling the Secret,
00:26:57.65\00:26:58.91
" it says study guide
right there, you click on it,
00:26:58.94\00:27:00.44
you'll have the
same study guide we have.
00:27:00.47\00:27:02.31
Delighted to have
you. All right, let's go.
00:27:02.34\00:27:04.87
We got to move, Amos 3:7,
00:27:04.90\00:27:06.73
let's jot it down,
put it on the screen.
00:27:06.76\00:27:09.14
This is the verse, Amos 3:7,
00:27:09.17\00:27:12.36
"Surely the Lord
God does nothing."
00:27:12.39\00:27:13.74
Will you fill that in please?
00:27:13.77\00:27:14.80
There are three keywords
here that you need to fill in.
00:27:14.83\00:27:16.44
"Surely the
Lord God does nothing
00:27:16.47\00:27:18.39
unless He reveals His secret."
00:27:18.42\00:27:21.81
Notice something-- By the way,
how much of nothing is nothing?
00:27:21.84\00:27:26.41
Nothing.
00:27:26.44\00:27:27.47
God does nothing
without revealing His secrets
00:27:27.50\00:27:31.24
to His servants, the prophets.
00:27:31.27\00:27:34.25
They are--
00:27:34.28\00:27:35.68
In fact, keep your pen moving.
00:27:35.71\00:27:37.16
We'll go to the very next slide.
00:27:37.19\00:27:39.66
God's prophets
were His confidants,
00:27:39.69\00:27:43.79
His "secret-spillers,"
we'll call them.
00:27:43.82\00:27:46.62
Thus you can understand,
ladies and gentlemen,
00:27:46.65\00:27:48.19
theirs was not an
ordinary relationship,
00:27:48.22\00:27:50.33
God and His prophets.
00:27:50.36\00:27:51.39
God drew them
into His inner circle.
00:27:51.42\00:27:54.60
That's why Abraham Heschel,
00:27:54.63\00:27:56.06
the Great Rabbi of the
20th-centurty, scholar,
00:27:56.09\00:27:59.26
in his magisterial two volume
series called "The Prophets,"
00:27:59.29\00:28:02.87
I've got those two
books, I tell you dynamite.
00:28:02.90\00:28:05.41
Abraham Heschel
describes the prophets this way.
00:28:05.44\00:28:08.20
You'll have to fill it
in. Put it on the screen.
00:28:08.23\00:28:10.49
"The prophet claims to be
far more than a messenger."
00:28:10.52\00:28:14.99
Notice what he is saying here.
00:28:15.02\00:28:16.62
"He is a person who
stands in the presence of God,
00:28:16.65\00:28:19.78
who stands, "
according to Jeremiah 23:18,
00:28:19.81\00:28:22.22
"who stands in the
council," and by the way,
00:28:22.25\00:28:25.03
I put that
little sidebar in there
00:28:25.06\00:28:26.63
because you need to know that
the Hebrew word for "council"
00:28:26.66\00:28:29.16
is the same Hebrew word
for "secret" that we just read.
00:28:29.19\00:28:32.18
God will reveal His
secret through His prophets.
00:28:32.21\00:28:35.50
So this prophet stands
in the council of the Lord,
00:28:35.53\00:28:39.02
in other words,
the secret council.
00:28:39.05\00:28:40.65
"Who is a
participant," Heschel goes on,
00:28:40.68\00:28:42.76
"as it were in
the Council of God,
00:28:42.79\00:28:44.95
not a bearer of dispatches
00:28:44.98\00:28:46.77
whose function is limited
to being sent on errands."
00:28:46.80\00:28:49.24
Now here it goes.
"He is a counselor."
00:28:49.27\00:28:52.48
Jot that in please.
00:28:52.51\00:28:53.54
"He is a counselor
as well as a messenger."
00:28:53.57\00:28:59.47
The point, there is a very close
00:28:59.50\00:29:01.98
and even intimate relationship
00:29:02.01\00:29:03.13
between God and
the prophet of God
00:29:03.16\00:29:05.24
to the place
that Amos, get this,
00:29:05.27\00:29:07.79
the prophet Amos can argue
with God to change God's mind.
00:29:07.82\00:29:11.12
I want you to watch this happen.
00:29:11.15\00:29:12.47
Just turn one page over
00:29:12.50\00:29:13.60
or maybe two pages
in your Bible to Amos 7.
00:29:13.63\00:29:17.56
Look at this.
00:29:17.59\00:29:19.73
A massive locust
attack has taken place
00:29:19.76\00:29:22.33
in the northern kingdom
where Amos is ministering,
00:29:22.36\00:29:25.13
the ten tribes.
00:29:25.16\00:29:26.84
Massive locust attack.
00:29:26.87\00:29:28.74
Amos is crushed
by this judgment,
00:29:28.77\00:29:32.61
this apparent divine judgment.
00:29:32.64\00:29:33.87
So notice verse 2,
"And so it was, when they,"
00:29:33.90\00:29:36.24
the locust, "had finished
eating the grass of the land
00:29:36.27\00:29:38.64
that I said: 'O Lord
God, forgive, I pray!
00:29:38.67\00:29:42.76
Oh, that Jacob may
stand, for he is small.'
00:29:42.79\00:29:46.41
"Please be merciful to us.
00:29:46.44\00:29:49.71
"So," watch God,
00:29:49.74\00:29:51.22
"So the Lord
relented concerning this.
00:29:51.25\00:29:55.22
'It shall not be,' He said."
00:29:55.25\00:29:58.52
That's how close the prophet is,
00:29:58.55\00:30:00.16
that's how close
the prophet is with God,
00:30:00.19\00:30:02.84
changing His
mind, attempting to.
00:30:02.87\00:30:05.47
So that Heschel
now-- Keep your pen moving.
00:30:05.50\00:30:07.46
Heschel
observes, "When the secret,
00:30:07.49\00:30:11.35
" that Amos 3:7 talks about
this secret that God reveals.
00:30:11.38\00:30:14.11
"When the secret
revealed is one of woe,
00:30:14.14\00:30:17.96
the prophet does not hesitate
00:30:17.99\00:30:20.01
to challenge the
intention of the Lord,"
00:30:20.04\00:30:21.93
as we just saw, 7:2.
00:30:21.96\00:30:23.63
"When the lives of
others are at stake,
00:30:23.66\00:30:25.45
the prophet does not
say 'Thy will be done,'
00:30:25.48\00:30:27.94
but rather, 'Thy
will be changed.'
00:30:27.97\00:30:31.12
"Jot that down.
00:30:31.15\00:30:32.19
Thy will be
changed, Amos just did it.
00:30:32.22\00:30:35.29
By the way, that's what
the prophet Abraham does.
00:30:35.32\00:30:37.07
God, you don't-- Whoa!
00:30:37.10\00:30:39.00
God, you don't mean you're
gonna destroy Sodom, are you?
00:30:39.03\00:30:41.73
Not Sodom.
00:30:41.76\00:30:43.35
God, if there are
50 people in Sodom,
00:30:43.38\00:30:44.88
won't you keep us alive?
00:30:44.91\00:30:46.15
45? 40? 30? 20? 10?
00:30:46.18\00:30:47.88
Yep, I'll do it, I'll do it,
00:30:47.91\00:30:48.94
I'll do it, I'll
do it, I'll do it.
00:30:48.97\00:30:50.17
The prophet trying to
change the mind of God.
00:30:50.20\00:30:54.09
Isn't that amazing?
00:30:54.12\00:30:55.65
That's how close they are.
00:30:55.68\00:30:58.32
Inner circle.
00:30:58.35\00:31:00.37
In fact would you
jot it down please?
00:31:00.40\00:31:02.33
"A very unique
and close relationship
00:31:02.36\00:31:05.11
has ever existed
between God and His prophets."
00:31:05.14\00:31:10.59
Very close.
00:31:10.62\00:31:11.81
You can use the word "intimate"
between God and His prophets.
00:31:11.84\00:31:15.64
Now keep going
because the sentence goes on,
00:31:15.67\00:31:17.66
"Because such a relationship,"
and here's the key point,
00:31:17.69\00:31:20.66
"Such a relationship manifested
through the gift of prophecy-
00:31:20.69\00:31:24.42
was utterly
essential and strategic
00:31:24.45\00:31:27.34
in the divine
gift of salvation."
00:31:27.37\00:31:30.87
That's what's at stake.
00:31:30.90\00:31:32.04
It's not about, "Shall we
have a gift called prophecy?"
00:31:32.07\00:31:33.83
No, no, no.
00:31:33.86\00:31:34.89
The huge, the huge
issue is the gift of salvation
00:31:34.92\00:31:40.81
driven by the desire to give
that gift to the human race.
00:31:40.84\00:31:43.57
God comes up with
the gift of prophecy.
00:31:43.60\00:31:45.31
In fact, weren't we
talking about that last week?
00:31:45.34\00:31:47.72
Weren't we in the
garden last week at the gates,
00:31:47.75\00:31:49.19
the locked gates of
the garden, two gifts.
00:31:49.22\00:31:51.30
Remember that?
00:31:51.33\00:31:52.36
Two gifts that God
gave to the human race, why?
00:31:52.39\00:31:55.28
Because the creator
could no longer enjoy
00:31:55.31\00:31:58.54
face to face communion.
00:31:58.57\00:32:00.62
Some of you have been
brooding over that thought
00:32:00.65\00:32:02.79
and saying "you know what?
00:32:02.82\00:32:03.85
What's the big deal with that?
00:32:03.88\00:32:04.98
God, why don't you just go ahead
00:32:05.01\00:32:06.04
and talk to us face to face?"
00:32:06.07\00:32:08.20
Ah, look at, it's not that God
00:32:08.23\00:32:10.13
doesn't want to
talk to us face to face.
00:32:10.16\00:32:12.71
It's that he can't
talk to us face to face.
00:32:12.74\00:32:15.17
Look at, when you go,
when you to into a darkroom
00:32:15.20\00:32:19.39
and you turn on the light, okay.
00:32:19.42\00:32:22.32
Where does the darkness
go? Does it run for cover?
00:32:22.35\00:32:25.51
Hide under the bed?
Where does the darkness go?
00:32:25.54\00:32:29.25
The fact of the matter
is, ladies and gentlemen,
00:32:29.28\00:32:30.94
darkness and light
cannot co-habit the same space.
00:32:30.97\00:32:35.34
When light comes
in, darkness is gone
00:32:35.37\00:32:38.88
and that's why God
cannot say, "Hey, Dwight,
00:32:38.91\00:32:40.85
yo, I want to come
down, I want to meet you
00:32:40.88\00:32:42.67
where you're having your prayers
00:32:42.70\00:32:43.73
and worship today, so
just to keep the door open.
00:32:43.76\00:32:46.28
I'll be walking
through in just a moment."
00:32:46.31\00:32:47.79
God cannot walk into
my space. You know why?
00:32:47.82\00:32:50.76
Because there is still
darkness in Dwight's heart.
00:32:50.79\00:32:53.34
There is still
darkness in my mind.
00:32:53.37\00:32:54.92
There is darkness in my body.
00:32:54.95\00:32:56.24
It clings to me or I cling to it
00:32:56.27\00:32:58.42
and if light walks in
to where that darkness is,
00:32:58.45\00:33:01.02
boom, the darkness is gone.
00:33:01.05\00:33:02.34
And if I'm
holding onto that darkness
00:33:02.37\00:33:03.96
in any way, poosh, I'm gone.
00:33:03.99\00:33:09.44
God says, "I can't
do this to you, boy.
00:33:09.47\00:33:12.42
We're gonna have to do this
whole thing not face to face.
00:33:12.45\00:33:18.12
I'll kill you and
I don't want that."
00:33:18.15\00:33:21.51
And so He gives two
gifts to the human race.
00:33:21.54\00:33:24.06
Because we
can't go face to face,
00:33:24.09\00:33:26.38
God says, "I'm gonna
give you a gift whereby 24/7,
00:33:26.41\00:33:30.21
I don't care where
you are on this planet,
00:33:30.24\00:33:32.05
24/7 we will meet face to face."
00:33:32.08\00:33:36.99
Face to face.
00:33:37.02\00:33:38.05
Look at this, Hebrews 11:6
00:33:38.08\00:33:41.24
"But without faith it is
impossible to please God,
00:33:41.27\00:33:45.62
for he, for she who comes
to God must believe that He is,
00:33:45.65\00:33:50.15
and that He is a
rewarder of those
00:33:50.18\00:33:51.59
who diligently seek Him."
00:33:51.62\00:33:53.03
God says, we
can't do face to face,
00:33:53.06\00:33:54.79
but if you're just lisp face
to face you get faith to faith.
00:33:54.82\00:33:58.42
We'll do faith
to faith together.
00:33:58.45\00:34:00.67
Prayer, because I
need to hear from you
00:34:00.70\00:34:03.01
and the gift of prophecy,
00:34:03.04\00:34:04.30
yeah, I'm gonna
give you a second gift
00:34:04.33\00:34:05.48
at the gates of
the locked garden.
00:34:05.51\00:34:07.33
I'm gonna give you this
mysterious collaboration
00:34:07.36\00:34:09.46
between the divine and the human
00:34:09.49\00:34:10.85
whereby certain select
individual human beings
00:34:10.88\00:34:14.14
though they're
very human foibles
00:34:14.17\00:34:16.75
and failures are
more than obvious.
00:34:16.78\00:34:19.13
Don't you miss next week, oh my,
00:34:19.16\00:34:20.91
of maniacs and fools
and other such gifts.
00:34:20.94\00:34:24.40
It's heartrending.
00:34:24.43\00:34:25.67
They are utterly human.
00:34:25.70\00:34:28.75
But in spite of
their foibles I picked them
00:34:28.78\00:34:32.33
and they will
spill my secrets to you.
00:34:32.36\00:34:34.59
Listen up to them.
00:34:34.62\00:34:36.61
Now, I am talking to you.
00:34:36.64\00:34:38.93
Gift of prophecy. In
fact, let's read it again.
00:34:38.96\00:34:41.45
That's what's
happening here, Amos 3:7
00:34:41.48\00:34:43.50
"Surely the Lord
God does nothing,
00:34:43.53\00:34:46.09
unless He reveals His secret
to His servants the prophets."
00:34:46.12\00:34:51.13
I mean, you know,
folks just think about this.
00:34:51.16\00:34:52.78
What does this say
about the character of God?
00:34:52.81\00:34:55.76
You know, He could have
said "Hey, adios, don't call us.
00:34:55.79\00:34:59.08
We'll call you."
00:34:59.11\00:35:00.94
But instead, He
gives two gifts because--
00:35:00.97\00:35:03.24
What is the
passion of His heart?
00:35:03.27\00:35:04.53
I have got to
keep in touch with you.
00:35:04.56\00:35:07.18
I'm doing everything,
everything divinely possible
00:35:07.21\00:35:11.24
so that we are never separated.
00:35:11.27\00:35:14.21
What does it say about
God? Does He love you or what?
00:35:14.24\00:35:18.14
24/7, 24/7.
00:35:18.17\00:35:21.83
Wow.
00:35:21.86\00:35:23.33
So why should we be
surprised then to discover
00:35:24.52\00:35:28.99
that when we trace
the salvation story
00:35:29.02\00:35:31.21
from beginning to
end, look what we discover
00:35:31.24\00:35:33.32
before every major
chapter in the salvation story.
00:35:33.35\00:35:38.10
Just before the
chapter is to begin,
00:35:38.13\00:35:40.38
God raises up one of these
inner circle secret-spillers.
00:35:40.41\00:35:45.53
Every time.
00:35:45.56\00:35:46.67
Watch this
00:35:46.70\00:35:49.08
"The secret things
belong to the Lord our God."
00:35:49.11\00:35:51.84
Amos is being clear on that.
00:35:51.87\00:35:53.11
Yeah, the secret
things belong to God,
00:35:53.14\00:35:55.47
"but those things
which are revealed,
00:35:55.50\00:35:57.42
"the secrets
He's already spilled,
00:35:57.45\00:35:59.60
"belong to us and to
our children forever."
00:35:59.63\00:36:02.81
Why is God
sending these secrets?
00:36:02.84\00:36:04.64
So "that we may do all
the words of this law."
00:36:04.67\00:36:07.17
So that we may be in the
heart of His salvation journey.
00:36:07.20\00:36:11.25
The whole point of
it, the whole point of it
00:36:11.28\00:36:14.34
is because He wants to
save you and me, that's it,
00:36:14.37\00:36:16.84
two gifts, to save
the likes of you and me.
00:36:16.87\00:36:19.92
So, God, how does this work?
You send your secrets down?
00:36:19.95\00:36:21.84
I mean how do you do it?
00:36:21.87\00:36:23.91
New Testament
now, 2 Peter 1:19-21
00:36:23.94\00:36:27.35
"And so," Peter says, remember
00:36:27.38\00:36:29.76
"we have the
prophetic word confirmed,
00:36:29.79\00:36:32.65
which you do well
to heed as a light
00:36:32.68\00:36:34.33
that shines in a dark
place, until the day dawns
00:36:34.36\00:36:38.73
and the morning star
rises in your hearts."
00:36:38.76\00:36:41.39
How does this work?
00:36:41.42\00:36:42.45
Well, you need
to know this first,
00:36:42.48\00:36:43.66
"that no prophecy of Scripture
00:36:43.69\00:36:45.38
is of any
private interpretation,
00:36:45.41\00:36:48.42
for prophecy never
came by the will of man,
00:36:48.45\00:36:51.21
but holy men of God spoke
00:36:51.24\00:36:53.17
as they were moved
by the Holy Spirit."
00:36:53.20\00:36:56.23
That's what's happening,
God's taking His secret
00:36:56.26\00:36:58.09
and entrusting it to
these select chosen ones.
00:36:58.12\00:37:03.54
They'll be my messengers,
they'll be my prophets,
00:37:03.57\00:37:05.84
they're my servants.
00:37:05.87\00:37:08.33
Read it again, Amos 3:7 "Surely
the Lord God does nothing,
00:37:08.36\00:37:14.23
unless He reveals His secret
to His servants the prophets."
00:37:14.26\00:37:17.68
Would you jot this down
please? It is the truth.
00:37:17.71\00:37:20.64
Before every major chapter
of salvation history story
00:37:20.67\00:37:25.37
God first raised up a prophet.
00:37:25.40\00:37:28.16
That's the point.
00:37:28.19\00:37:29.47
God raised up a prophet
to announce the divine secret
00:37:29.50\00:37:33.32
of the
impending salvation event.
00:37:33.35\00:37:37.40
Let's just check this out, okay?
00:37:37.43\00:37:39.21
I want to share with you
00:37:39.24\00:37:40.61
seven major chapters
from salvation history.
00:37:40.64\00:37:42.51
When it's over, I'll
sit down and we're through.
00:37:42.54\00:37:44.77
Seven chapters, let me
run these by you real quick,
00:37:44.80\00:37:46.54
keep your pen moving.
00:37:46.57\00:37:47.73
Seven spilling-the-secret
chapters in salvation history
00:37:47.76\00:37:51.45
where God raises up a prophet
first to prepare His people
00:37:51.48\00:37:54.89
for what is
just about to happen.
00:37:54.92\00:37:57.40
Chapter number 1, we're just--
00:37:57.43\00:37:59.08
These are not--
These aren't all of them.
00:37:59.11\00:38:01.27
I just picked
seven of them, all right?
00:38:01.30\00:38:02.71
Chapter number 1,
jot it down, the flood.
00:38:02.74\00:38:05.08
And who would be the prophet
associated with the flood?
00:38:05.11\00:38:07.39
But of course our
friend Noah, yeah.
00:38:07.42\00:38:11.98
I mean what a monumental
chapter in salvation history.
00:38:12.01\00:38:16.22
God's primeval creation
obliterated by a global flood.
00:38:16.25\00:38:20.24
Let's just read a
few words from Genesis 6.
00:38:20.27\00:38:22.51
We'll just-- We'll
read it off the screen,
00:38:22.54\00:38:24.28
"Then the Lord--"
00:38:24.31\00:38:25.59
You know, I read these
words and I keep thinking,
00:38:25.62\00:38:27.21
"Am I looking at
the third millennium?
00:38:27.24\00:38:29.16
Is this the
21st-century in my homeland?"
00:38:29.19\00:38:32.76
"Then the Lord saw
that the wickedness of man
00:38:32.79\00:38:34.58
was great in the
earth and that every intent
00:38:34.61\00:38:36.30
of the thoughts of his
heart was only evil continually.
00:38:36.33\00:38:39.81
And the Lord was sorry that
He had made man on the earth
00:38:39.84\00:38:42.58
and He was
grieved in His heart."
00:38:42.61\00:38:44.05
You'll say how
can anybody be sorry
00:38:44.08\00:38:45.38
that you made--
you made that child?
00:38:45.41\00:38:48.25
Listen, I have
talked to some parents
00:38:48.28\00:38:51.48
whose hearts are so broken
00:38:51.51\00:38:53.02
over what has
happened to their children
00:38:53.05\00:38:55.30
that they dared
to breed the thought,
00:38:55.33\00:38:58.49
"I wish to God that we
hadn't brought that life.
00:38:58.52\00:39:04.42
Look what has happened."
00:39:04.45\00:39:07.33
Don't you tell me that
there aren't parents' hearts
00:39:07.36\00:39:10.12
who are broken and wondering
did I do the right thing.
00:39:10.15\00:39:13.13
God's no different.
00:39:13.16\00:39:14.40
He's shown-- He's
shown as a parent.
00:39:14.43\00:39:16.55
God says, "Look, I'm sorry,
00:39:16.58\00:39:19.12
but I'm gonna have
to destroy humanity
00:39:19.15\00:39:21.57
whom I have created
from the face of the earth,
00:39:21.60\00:39:23.15
both man and beast,
00:39:23.18\00:39:24.21
creeping things
and birds of the air,
00:39:24.24\00:39:25.91
for I am sorry
that I have made them."
00:39:25.94\00:39:28.32
But hallelujah,
Noah, got him, I found one.
00:39:28.35\00:39:34.46
"Noah found grace in
the eyes of the Lord."
00:39:34.49\00:39:37.73
It wasn't just Noah,
there was a whole community,
00:39:37.76\00:39:39.54
the community of Seth.
00:39:39.57\00:39:40.77
I got Noah. "This is
the genealogy of Noah.
00:39:40.80\00:39:42.98
Noah was a just man,
perfect in his generations."
00:39:43.01\00:39:45.45
And Noah, just like
Enoch, "Noah walked with God."
00:39:45.48\00:39:51.55
It's possible in the most
corrupt hour of human history.
00:39:51.58\00:39:55.07
Isn't that great
news? You can walk with God.
00:39:55.10\00:39:57.00
Yeah, "And so
Noah begot three sons."
00:39:57.03\00:39:58.83
You know them,
Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
00:39:58.86\00:40:00.18
Oh, but let's hear a
little bit more of the story.
00:40:00.21\00:40:01.64
"And God said to Noah,
00:40:01.67\00:40:02.93
"The end of all
flesh has come before Me,
00:40:02.96\00:40:04.29
for the earth is filled
with violence through them;
00:40:04.32\00:40:06.23
behold, I'm gonna
destroy them with the earth."
00:40:06.26\00:40:07.81
So here's what I
need you to do, Noah,
00:40:07.84\00:40:09.15
"Make yourself an
ark of gopherwood;
00:40:09.18\00:40:10.71
make rooms in the ark,
00:40:10.74\00:40:11.77
and cover it inside
and outside with pitch."
00:40:11.80\00:40:13.79
And how does Noah respond?
00:40:13.82\00:40:15.36
"Thus Noah did, according
to all that God commanded him,
00:40:15.39\00:40:17.87
so he did."
00:40:17.90\00:40:20.28
Inner circle,
the secret-spiller,
00:40:20.31\00:40:22.48
you're gonna tell
everybody what I just told you.
00:40:22.51\00:40:26.37
You know, when I get to heaven
00:40:26.40\00:40:27.43
I hope to have a quiet
conversation with Noah.
00:40:27.46\00:40:30.15
By the way, I already
know what Noah looks like.
00:40:30.18\00:40:32.37
I believe Noah looks like
the cover of our bulletin,
00:40:32.40\00:40:34.99
the picture that
actually Peterson found.
00:40:35.02\00:40:37.12
I'll put it on
the screen for you.
00:40:37.15\00:40:38.43
Let's put it on the-- Doesn't
that look like Noah or what?
00:40:38.46\00:40:40.70
Is that a picture of Noah?
00:40:40.73\00:40:42.07
We googled Noah
and we found him.
00:40:42.10\00:40:45.32
Look at that.
00:40:45.35\00:40:46.39
That is Noah if there
ever were a Noah, there it is.
00:40:46.42\00:40:50.36
So anyway, I would like to
sit down with Noah one day,
00:40:50.39\00:40:52.79
I'll say, "Noah, listen, I
have two questions for you.
00:40:52.82\00:40:55.43
Question number
one, sir, how did it feel
00:40:55.46\00:41:00.47
proclaiming a truth
that could not be proven,
00:41:00.50\00:41:03.96
a truth for which
you were ridiculed
00:41:03.99\00:41:06.37
by the scholars of your age?
00:41:06.40\00:41:07.91
How did that really feel?"
00:41:07.94\00:41:11.06
Then I throw in
question number two,
00:41:11.09\00:41:13.37
"And why is it
that you only preached
00:41:13.40\00:41:15.71
one sermon the entire 120 years?
00:41:15.74\00:41:20.38
No wonder you
didn't have a congregation
00:41:20.41\00:41:21.88
when you were through."
00:41:21.91\00:41:25.74
And while we're at it,
00:41:25.77\00:41:26.80
I'm throwing in
question number three,
00:41:26.83\00:41:28.25
"Why did you get
drunk after the flood?"
00:41:28.28\00:41:32.52
I throw that question
in for you to remind you
00:41:32.55\00:41:34.35
that when God gets
00:41:34.38\00:41:35.48
an inner circle
confidant secret-spiller,
00:41:35.51\00:41:38.36
He doesn't look
for somebody perfect.
00:41:38.39\00:41:41.61
He needs somebody willing.
00:41:41.64\00:41:44.63
We'll deal with those foibles
and failures next Sabbath.
00:41:44.66\00:41:47.80
All right, so there
is chapter number one,
00:41:47.83\00:41:49.03
we'll call it "The Flood."
00:41:49.06\00:41:50.09
Noah is the prophet.
00:41:50.12\00:41:51.15
Chapter number two,
we'll call this one--
00:41:51.18\00:41:52.21
Put it on the screen please,
00:41:52.24\00:41:53.37
we'll call this one "The Chosen,
00:41:53.40\00:41:54.95
"the prophet would
be Abraham, of course.
00:41:54.98\00:41:57.00
This is a massive
chapter in salvation history
00:41:57.03\00:41:59.69
because God is going
to raise up a people,
00:41:59.72\00:42:02.25
not because they're
the greatest on earth.
00:42:02.28\00:42:03.71
Are you kidding, God, in
fact, finally had to tell them
00:42:03.74\00:42:06.65
you're about the
worst I've ever had.
00:42:06.68\00:42:08.40
But I need to have somebody.
00:42:08.43\00:42:12.15
Stiff neck-- Stiff
neck though you are,
00:42:12.18\00:42:14.18
I need to have
somebody and you're it
00:42:14.21\00:42:18.18
because I need you to
take the light of my character
00:42:18.21\00:42:20.34
to the whole
world, then I'll come.
00:42:20.37\00:42:22.50
That's the only
reason you ever get chosen.
00:42:22.53\00:42:24.52
You're chosen for
service and they were.
00:42:24.55\00:42:28.03
It's a massive chapter.
00:42:28.06\00:42:29.96
Ah, praise God.
00:42:29.99\00:42:31.99
Oh, but there's
chapter 3, chapter 3,
00:42:32.02\00:42:34.42
jot it down, will you please?
00:42:34.45\00:42:35.66
"The Exodus,"
00:42:35.69\00:42:37.22
because the
chosen end up in slavery.
00:42:37.25\00:42:39.36
Of all things, the exodus.
00:42:39.39\00:42:40.43
And who is the great
prophet with the exodus?
00:42:40.46\00:42:42.18
But of course,
that would be Moses.
00:42:42.21\00:42:43.75
And so God comes to
Moses, in Exodus 3:2
00:42:43.78\00:42:46.81
"Come now, therefore, Moses,
00:42:46.84\00:42:48.44
and I'm gonna
send you to Pharaoh
00:42:48.47\00:42:50.03
that you may bring My people,
00:42:50.06\00:42:51.69
the children of
Israel, out of Egypt."
00:42:51.72\00:42:54.07
Let My people go.
00:42:54.10\00:42:56.41
That is a huge
chapter in salvation history.
00:42:56.44\00:42:59.28
In fact, do you know that,
00:42:59.31\00:43:00.34
that chapter
becomes the prototype
00:43:00.37\00:43:03.21
of the grand Calvary chapter,
when the entire human race
00:43:03.24\00:43:07.05
is released from
the bondage of Satan?
00:43:07.08\00:43:09.74
What God does through,
Moses in Egypt is a type,
00:43:09.77\00:43:14.17
it's a foreshadowing
of what Christ would do
00:43:14.20\00:43:17.04
on Calvary's middle cross.
00:43:17.07\00:43:18.93
That's huge.
And then guess what?
00:43:18.96\00:43:20.94
Moses not only has one 40 days
and 40 nights prayer period,
00:43:20.97\00:43:24.31
he does double 40 days
and 40 nights of praying
00:43:24.34\00:43:28.03
and in those doubles,
00:43:28.06\00:43:29.34
he's alone, face to
face with God almost.
00:43:29.37\00:43:33.21
And God says "Take
these Ten Commandments
00:43:33.24\00:43:34.95
that I've
written with my finger,
00:43:34.98\00:43:36.53
take this sanctuary system
00:43:36.56\00:43:37.93
that illustrates the
entire planet's salvation."
00:43:37.96\00:43:40.47
I'm telling you, this chapter
is huge, but it's not the end.
00:43:40.50\00:43:44.26
There comes another chapter.
00:43:44.29\00:43:45.93
Put this one down,
it's chapter number four,
00:43:45.96\00:43:47.79
this is "The Exile".
00:43:47.82\00:43:49.44
Who are the prophets
associated with the exile?
00:43:49.47\00:43:51.16
Put Jeremiah, write Jeremiah
00:43:51.19\00:43:53.98
and then put the
little Latin "et al".
00:43:54.01\00:43:56.10
That means "and all the others".
00:43:56.13\00:43:58.38
Because this was a
string for three centuries,
00:43:58.41\00:44:01.42
God sends a string, prophet
after prophet after prophet
00:44:01.45\00:44:04.40
after prophet begging,
pleading, cajoling the people.
00:44:04.43\00:44:09.55
You don't want to--
You don't really mean this
00:44:09.58\00:44:11.23
that you don't want
Me to be your protector.
00:44:11.26\00:44:12.90
Are you telling Me
that you don't want Me
00:44:12.93\00:44:14.61
to be your shield,
00:44:14.64\00:44:15.67
because if I step back,
it's adios, it's curtains.
00:44:15.70\00:44:19.55
I'm begging you
keep Me as your God.
00:44:19.58\00:44:23.91
They're aping
their pagan neighbors.
00:44:23.94\00:44:25.19
Can you believe that?
00:44:25.22\00:44:26.25
If the pagan neighbors
do it, we got to do it.
00:44:26.28\00:44:28.30
They're worshipping
their neighbors' gods.
00:44:28.33\00:44:31.83
God says you can't
do this, you just can't.
00:44:31.86\00:44:36.14
By the way the
string of prophets,
00:44:36.17\00:44:37.21
listen to this,
Obadiah, Joel, Jonah, Hosea,
00:44:37.24\00:44:39.90
Amos, Isaiah,
Micah, Nahum and Zephaniah,
00:44:39.93\00:44:41.87
Habakkuk and then Jeremiah.
00:44:41.90\00:44:43.55
And the whole
thing goes down the tubes
00:44:43.58\00:44:46.11
in Jeremiah's ministry.
00:44:46.14\00:44:48.65
Ah, but there's
another chapter coming
00:44:48.68\00:44:50.52
called chapter number
five "The Return," Daniel,
00:44:50.55\00:44:55.01
the return from
exile/ Daniel, et al.,
00:44:55.04\00:44:57.53
because there are
other prophets as well
00:44:57.56\00:45:00.39
to prepare the people for
one last probationary period,
00:45:00.42\00:45:07.00
to prepare the people
00:45:07.03\00:45:08.06
for the coming of
the Messiah, Daniel.
00:45:08.09\00:45:13.05
Hundreds of years go by,
00:45:13.08\00:45:14.96
then comes the
great chapter number 6,
00:45:14.99\00:45:18.00
salvation
chapter and, of course,
00:45:18.03\00:45:19.42
the salvation history,
jot it down "The Coming."
00:45:19.45\00:45:22.10
The coming of who?
00:45:22.13\00:45:23.17
The coming of the
Messiah, of course.
00:45:23.20\00:45:25.84
And who's the prophet associated
00:45:25.87\00:45:27.14
with the Messiah's first coming?
00:45:27.17\00:45:29.11
John the Baptist, it's got
to be John, John the Baptist.
00:45:29.14\00:45:32.50
So critical was this
secret spilling prophet
00:45:32.53\00:45:35.39
that God sent the mighty angel,
00:45:35.42\00:45:37.39
the angel Gabriel to
alert the birth of John.
00:45:37.42\00:45:41.69
Put this up on
the screen please.
00:45:41.72\00:45:42.81
Luke 1:15 "For he," John,
00:45:42.84\00:45:45.27
"will be great in
the sight of the Lord,
00:45:45.30\00:45:46.87
and shall drink
neither wine nor strong drink.
00:45:46.90\00:45:49.16
He will also be
filled with the Holy Spirit,
00:45:49.19\00:45:50.91
even from his mother's womb.
00:45:50.94\00:45:52.85
And he will turn many
of the children of Israel
00:45:52.88\00:45:54.57
to the Lord their God.
00:45:54.60\00:45:56.24
He will also go
before the Messiah
00:45:56.27\00:45:57.96
in the spirit
and power of Elijah,
00:45:57.99\00:45:59.79
'to turn the hearts of
the fathers to the children,'
00:45:59.82\00:46:01.64
and the disobedient to
the wisdom of the just,
00:46:01.67\00:46:04.35
to make ready a people
prepared for the Lord."
00:46:04.38\00:46:08.28
How could there
be a greater mission
00:46:08.31\00:46:11.09
than to prepare a
people for the coming Messiah?
00:46:11.12\00:46:15.39
Stupendous.
00:46:15.42\00:46:16.71
Behold the Lamb of God
00:46:16.74\00:46:18.57
who takes away
the sin of the world.
00:46:18.60\00:46:21.64
Seven chapters.
00:46:21.67\00:46:23.09
So what was that
one? Was that number six?
00:46:23.12\00:46:24.92
Okay, here comes
number seven, "Coming-2".
00:46:24.95\00:46:28.45
Jot that down
please, "Coming-2".
00:46:28.48\00:46:30.74
Who is this one?
00:46:30.77\00:46:31.80
Not John the Baptist, but
this one is John the Revelator.
00:46:31.83\00:46:35.18
And John who
opens his apocalypse up,
00:46:35.21\00:46:37.32
he shows as the Amos
3:7 process, look at this,
00:46:37.35\00:46:40.24
we put
Revelation 1 on the screen.
00:46:40.27\00:46:42.73
John is describing
how this process works.
00:46:42.76\00:46:44.68
"The Revelation," the secret
spilling, "of Jesus Christ,
00:46:44.71\00:46:47.91
which God gave him
to show His servants -
00:46:47.94\00:46:51.08
things which must
shortly take place.
00:46:51.11\00:46:53.66
And He sent," the secret, "
00:46:53.69\00:46:55.60
and signified it by His
angel to His servant John."
00:46:55.63\00:46:58.59
And is John just
hanging on to the secret?
00:46:58.62\00:47:00.51
Are you kidding? No.
00:47:00.54\00:47:01.69
John, "who bore
witness to the word of God,
00:47:01.72\00:47:03.56
and to the
testimony of Jesus Christ,
00:47:03.59\00:47:05.05
to all things that he saw.
00:47:05.08\00:47:06.85
Blessed," now
notice the next verse,
00:47:06.88\00:47:08.26
"Blessed are those who read
and those who hear the words
00:47:08.29\00:47:11.68
of this prophecy,
and keep those things
00:47:11.71\00:47:13.86
which are written in
it for the time is near."
00:47:13.89\00:47:17.27
Every single time,
ladies and gentlemen,
00:47:17.30\00:47:18.83
God has something huge
coming on the radar screen
00:47:18.86\00:47:22.00
of salvation history
and boom, before it comes,
00:47:22.03\00:47:24.73
He raises up a prophet.
00:47:24.76\00:47:29.15
Seven major chapters, there
they are, in salvation history.
00:47:29.18\00:47:32.44
And by the way, all of them
clustered around the prophets
00:47:32.47\00:47:35.27
and the book that the prophets
have bequeathed as our legacy,
00:47:35.30\00:47:39.86
this book right here.
00:47:39.89\00:47:42.26
I want to read you these words.
00:47:42.29\00:47:43.32
I'll put them on
the screen for you,
00:47:43.35\00:47:44.67
from that apocalyptic classic.
00:47:44.70\00:47:46.20
Speaking of this book,
what place does this book
00:47:46.23\00:47:48.26
have in the life
of this community?
00:47:48.29\00:47:50.16
This is the apocalyptic
classic "Great Controversy".
00:47:50.19\00:47:52.97
Put the words on the screen,
words written a century ago,
00:47:53.00\00:47:56.28
"God will have a
people upon the earth,
00:47:56.31\00:48:00.53
"at the end of
time, he's talking about,
00:48:00.56\00:48:02.68
"God will have a
people upon the earth
00:48:02.71\00:48:04.99
to maintain the
Bible, and the Bible only,
00:48:05.02\00:48:09.01
as the standard of all doctrines
00:48:09.04\00:48:10.68
and the basis of all reforms."
00:48:10.71\00:48:13.44
Listen to this, "The
opinions of learned men,
00:48:13.47\00:48:16.52
the deductions of science,
00:48:16.55\00:48:18.55
the creeds or decisions
of ecclesiastical councils,
00:48:18.58\00:48:21.41
as numerous and
discordant as are the churches
00:48:21.44\00:48:23.83
which they represent,
the voice of the majority-
00:48:23.86\00:48:26.37
not one nor all of
these should be regarded
00:48:26.40\00:48:28.93
as evidence for or against
any point of religious faith."
00:48:28.96\00:48:32.64
Before-- This is our call.
00:48:32.67\00:48:35.03
"Before accepting
any doctrine or precept,
00:48:35.06\00:48:38.48
we should demand a plain
00:48:38.51\00:48:40.83
'Thus saith the
Lord' in response."
00:48:40.86\00:48:45.50
God will have a people for whom
the Bible and the Bible alone
00:48:45.53\00:48:53.32
is their sole
authority at the end of time.
00:48:53.35\00:48:58.52
These 40 days of prayer
they're not just about praying.
00:48:58.55\00:49:02.70
The 40 days of prayer have
to be feasting from the Word.
00:49:02.73\00:49:08.70
You'll say "I don't
want to read the Word.
00:49:08.73\00:49:09.78
Dwight, I'm just not
really into the Bible right now.
00:49:09.81\00:49:11.60
I just want to pray."
00:49:11.63\00:49:12.85
Let me tell you
something, my friend,
00:49:12.88\00:49:14.08
if you pray without the Word,
your prayer is nearly bankrupt.
00:49:14.11\00:49:21.34
It is the word of
God that will empower
00:49:21.37\00:49:24.27
and inform you're praying.
00:49:24.30\00:49:27.03
So in these 40
days get into the Word.
00:49:27.06\00:49:28.87
You got the new
Andrews Study Bible,
00:49:28.90\00:49:30.07
get into the Word,
get into the word of God.
00:49:30.10\00:49:32.34
You don't have
the study Bible, fine.
00:49:32.37\00:49:33.75
Take any Bible you
have, just get into the Word,
00:49:33.78\00:49:36.76
40 days and 40 nights in
the Word and on our knees.
00:49:36.79\00:49:40.53
It's the combination.
00:49:40.56\00:49:41.97
God will have a
people at the end of time
00:49:42.00\00:49:44.70
for whom the
Bible and the Bible only
00:49:44.73\00:49:48.40
is their sole authority.
00:49:48.43\00:49:51.64
And by the way,
in reading this Bible
00:49:51.67\00:49:53.51
I have come to this conclusion,
00:49:53.54\00:49:55.34
carefully studying it I
am convicted that before
00:49:55.37\00:49:58.37
every major chapter
of salvation history,
00:49:58.40\00:50:00.87
God has raised up a
prophet to prepare His people
00:50:00.90\00:50:04.06
for what is yet ahead,
00:50:04.09\00:50:05.56
leading me to
wonder out loud with you,
00:50:05.59\00:50:09.11
if that is true
00:50:09.14\00:50:11.40
that in every major
chapter of salvation history
00:50:11.43\00:50:13.99
God has raised up a
prophet to prepare His people
00:50:14.02\00:50:17.10
for what is
impending, do you not suppose
00:50:17.13\00:50:20.25
He would do the same
before the return of Christ?
00:50:20.28\00:50:26.47
Think with me now
this last sentence.
00:50:26.50\00:50:29.82
I'm gonna repeat it.
00:50:29.85\00:50:32.94
If God has undertaken
no major spiritual chapter
00:50:32.97\00:50:37.79
in salvation history
00:50:37.82\00:50:39.18
without first raising up a
prophet to share that secret
00:50:39.21\00:50:42.78
and prepare His people
for what was just ahead,
00:50:42.81\00:50:45.10
if that's true, and
we've just seen that it is,
00:50:45.13\00:50:48.78
then would it not be
both logical and consistent
00:50:48.81\00:50:53.05
to expect that before the most
explosive and spectacular event
00:50:53.08\00:50:58.75
in salvation history?
00:50:58.78\00:51:00.68
I'm talking about
the physical, visible,
00:51:00.71\00:51:03.60
personal return of the
King of heaven and earth
00:51:03.63\00:51:06.38
the second time to this planet,
00:51:06.41\00:51:08.18
the most explosive
moment in human history.
00:51:08.21\00:51:12.79
Would it not be
logically consistent
00:51:12.82\00:51:15.10
to expect that
just before that event,
00:51:15.13\00:51:18.99
God would raise up a prophet
00:51:19.02\00:51:23.63
before the return of Christ?
00:51:23.66\00:51:29.25
Wouldn't He do that,
00:51:33.55\00:51:38.75
if this is His story?
00:51:38.78\00:51:43.30
I want to invite you to
sing a hymn about this Book.
00:51:52.23\00:51:57.68
Sing a hymn about this
Book, ponder to that question
00:51:57.71\00:52:00.90
as our worship concludes.
00:52:00.93\00:52:02.04
We'll put the words
on the screen for you,
00:52:02.07\00:52:03.57
"How firm a
foundation we hear in His word."
00:52:03.60\00:52:10.97
Let's stand together
and let's sing this hymn,
00:52:11.00\00:52:13.57
sing your heart out,
this confession of this Book.
00:52:13.60\00:52:18.40
How firm a foundation
00:52:44.27\00:52:47.59
Ye saints of the Lord
is laid for your faith
00:52:47.62\00:52:53.38
In His excellent word
00:52:53.41\00:52:56.71
What more can He say
00:52:56.74\00:53:00.54
Than to you He hath said
00:53:00.57\00:53:02.82
To you who for refuge
00:53:02.85\00:53:06.84
To Jesus hath fled?
00:53:06.87\00:53:11.54
Fear not, I am with thee
00:53:11.57\00:53:15.95
O, be not dismayed
00:53:15.98\00:53:17.43
For I am thy God
00:53:17.46\00:53:20.28
And will still give thee aid
00:53:20.31\00:53:23.65
I'll strengthen thee, help thee
00:53:23.68\00:53:27.52
And cause thee to stand
00:53:27.55\00:53:29.98
Upheld by My righteous,
00:53:30.01\00:53:33.81
Omnipotent hand
00:53:33.84\00:53:38.56
When thro' the deep
waters I call thee to go
00:53:38.59\00:53:45.31
The rivers of
sorrow shall not overflow
00:53:45.34\00:53:52.65
For I will be with
Thee, thy trouble to bless
00:53:52.68\00:53:59.25
And sanctify to Thee
00:53:59.28\00:54:03.39
Thy deepest distress
00:54:03.42\00:54:08.43
When thro' fiery
trials thy pathway shall lie
00:54:08.46\00:54:14.67
My grace, all-sufficient,
shall be thy supply
00:54:14.70\00:54:21.37
The flame shall not
hurt thee; I only design
00:54:21.40\00:54:27.63
Thy dross to consume
00:54:27.66\00:54:30.94
And thy gold to refine
00:54:30.97\00:54:37.24
The soul that on
Jesus hath leaned for repose
00:54:37.27\00:54:43.26
I will not, I will
not, desert to his foes
00:54:43.29\00:54:50.39
That soul, though all
hell should endeavor to shake
00:54:50.42\00:54:56.94
I'll never, no
never, no never forsake
00:54:56.97\00:55:04.94
Holy Father, we
hear Your promise
00:55:08.48\00:55:10.02
to never, never forsake us.
00:55:10.05\00:55:12.87
Please hear our
benediction response
00:55:12.90\00:55:20.01
by the grace of
the Lord Jesus Christ
00:55:20.04\00:55:23.92
and through the
empowerment of the Holy Spirit
00:55:23.95\00:55:26.03
we will never,
never forsake You, either.
00:55:26.06\00:55:31.14
Seal our souls,
00:55:31.17\00:55:36.92
our lives in the bedrock
of Holy Scripture we pray.
00:55:36.95\00:55:44.11
And now to Him who is able
to do exceedingly abundantly
00:55:45.54\00:55:48.80
above all that we ask or think,
00:55:48.83\00:55:52.05
according to the
power that works in us,
00:55:52.08\00:55:55.28
to Him be glory in
the church by Christ Jesus
00:55:55.31\00:55:59.42
to all
generations forever and ever.
00:55:59.45\00:56:04.82
Amen.
00:56:04.85\00:56:06.25
I'd like to take a moment here
00:56:24.25\00:56:25.28
at the end of the
service to tell you about
00:56:25.31\00:56:26.79
one of the most
important groups of people
00:56:26.82\00:56:28.68
that make this
ministry possible.
00:56:28.71\00:56:31.63
They're a team of people
that are not afraid to get down
00:56:31.66\00:56:34.26
into the thick of life itself,
00:56:34.29\00:56:36.76
which is why
you're gonna find them,
00:56:36.79\00:56:38.14
you will find them
moving forward on their knees.
00:56:38.17\00:56:41.41
They're our prayer partners,
00:56:41.44\00:56:43.13
a group of men and
women and young adults
00:56:43.16\00:56:46.23
who believe that this
humble television ministry
00:56:46.26\00:56:49.14
has been raised up by
God for such a time as this.
00:56:49.17\00:56:51.59
And so they pray earnestly
that God will use the preacher
00:56:51.62\00:56:54.89
and God will use me and
God will use the countless
00:56:54.92\00:56:57.02
other volunteers to
spread the everlasting Gospel
00:56:57.05\00:57:00.80
and the word of God in ways
00:57:00.83\00:57:01.95
we could never
have imagined before.
00:57:01.98\00:57:04.11
They're the ones who are praying
00:57:04.14\00:57:05.61
that God is gonna open
up the hearts of people,
00:57:05.64\00:57:08.76
open up the hearts of viewers
00:57:08.79\00:57:10.39
around the
world, for the message,
00:57:10.42\00:57:12.40
the critical message for
this end time generation.
00:57:12.43\00:57:16.48
And what I'd
like to do is ask you,
00:57:16.51\00:57:18.67
would you be willing to
be a prayer partner with us,
00:57:18.70\00:57:21.42
a prayer partner
with New Perceptions?
00:57:21.45\00:57:23.09
You don't have to
call a toll free number,
00:57:23.12\00:57:24.69
you don't have to
go online or register.
00:57:24.72\00:57:26.81
All I need to know
is that you'd be willing
00:57:26.84\00:57:29.64
to lift this little ministry
up day after day after day,
00:57:29.67\00:57:35.28
pray that somehow through
radio and television and the web
00:57:35.31\00:57:39.17
God will open up new
doors, new regions on earth
00:57:39.20\00:57:43.67
where the everlasting
Gospel can be proclaimed.
00:57:43.70\00:57:46.24
There is no
question the power of prayer
00:57:46.27\00:57:48.77
has potential to take
this ministry to places
00:57:48.80\00:57:50.91
we could never
have imagined before.
00:57:50.94\00:57:53.92
So that's it, would
you please be willing
00:57:53.95\00:57:56.93
to partner with me in prayer?
00:57:56.96\00:57:58.52
The times are
urgent, the need is critical
00:57:58.55\00:58:02.27
and I hope you'll say yes.
00:58:02.30\00:58:04.18
Till we're together next time,
may the prayer-answering God
00:58:04.21\00:58:08.39
accompany you
every step of the way.
00:58:08.42\00:58:11.74