From the campus of
Andrews University,
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this is New Perceptions
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with Dr. Dwight K. Nelson.
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Lift up the trumpet
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And loud let it ring
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Jesus is coming again!
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Cheer up ye pilgrims
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Be joyful and sing
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Jesus is coming again!
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Coming again, coming again
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Jesus is coming again
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Nations are angry
by this we do know
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Jesus is coming again!
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Knowledge increases
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Men run to and fro
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Jesus is coming again!
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Coming again, coming again
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Jesus is coming again
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Amen! Amen.
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This morning we
want to celebrate
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one of our key
mission statement components.
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It's celebration of "Go".
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One of the things
that Andrews University
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is full of is spiritually mature
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and committed
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Seventh-day
Adventist young people.
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So I'm going to ask
some of those young people
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to come up.
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If you worked at a summer camp
this summer, please come on up,
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join me up here.
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If you are an R.A.
this year, please come up.
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If you were on a
study tour this last summer,
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please come forward.
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If you're a student dean,
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any of the
residence halls come up.
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If you did colporteur ministry
this summer, come on up.
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Just join me up here
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on the platform
and on the stairs.
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We have a lot of young people
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that go out at the
conclusion of every school year,
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go at the end of
every school year
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and do ministry.
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All right, so where
is Paul? Paul, come here.
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Paul is one of the leaders
from Flag Camp right here
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in Berrien Springs, Michigan,
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a ministry of
Pioneer Memorial Church.
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Paul, why do you do summer camp?
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This was my first
year working at camp.
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And honestly, I can
say working with the kids
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is probably one of the most life
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changing experiences.
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Like every single day
we got excited to get up
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in the morning and go to
work just because I know like,
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if the kid can leave camp
with a smile on their face,
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I know I made a
difference that day.
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And you did that every day.
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Sophia, my daughter was
at Flag Camp this summer.
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She came back,
she was singing songs
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that I didn't teach her.
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And that was just one
of the beautiful things
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is that she would
come home every day
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with new Christian songs
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that she was praising God
and every time she see Paul,
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she sees Paul she
smiles and she laughs.
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And Paul smiles and he
laughs and it's a special.
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Thank you. Thank you, Paul.
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Now we had something
really interesting happen.
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I'm going to show you a picture,
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we do study tours
here at Andrews University.
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Where is Constanza and
Ruben. Come on up, Constanza.
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We do study tours
every year and this year
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there was a
Bible land study tour
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and something
special really happened,
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what happened?
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I was baptized.
She was baptized.
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Let's see if we can get
those pictures on there.
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That's her
father Ruben right here
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who is your professor.
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She went on the
study tour and she just...
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You felt compelled to
give your life to Jesus.
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And that's, that's what
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these Go
ministries are all about.
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It's about going out
once you've left this place
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and taking what you've learned,
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taking what you've
experienced and the inspiration
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that you've had in your life
and sharing that with others
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and that results in baptism.
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So I want to do something
really special right now.
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Doc, if you could
have a prayer to bless
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and welcome Constanza,
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but also to bless
all of the students
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who have gone out
this last summer returning
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and those students
who are now serving
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that they would be
blessed in the ministry.
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If you want to
join me in this prayer,
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please come forward,
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lay your hands on
some of these young people.
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Otherwise stand in your place
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as we have this
prayer of blessing.
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Holy God, we are
so thankful to You
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for everything
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that You are
doing on this campus.
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The way You are inspiring
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young people giving
them wisdom them and strength
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and passion for Your cause.
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We thank You Father
that Your Spirit is moving
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in so many different
ways here in the classroom,
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in these big activities
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that we do in one
on one conversations.
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You're ministering on so
many different levels here
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and I thank You so much.
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What a privilege that
we have to be surrounded
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with such a great
crowd of young people
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who love You so dearly.
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And especially this morning
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we would like
to have a blessing,
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a prayer for Constanza,
that You ought to be with her,
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she has made such an
incredible commitment back there
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at the River Jordan
and deciding to follow You,
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and we ask You Father
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that You protect
her and guide her,
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and if You give her
compassion and wisdom
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on how to live for Your glory
in every aspect of her life.
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This we pray in the name
of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
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Amen. Amen.
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Soon I will be done
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With the troubles of the world
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Troubles of the world
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The troubles of the world
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Soon I will be done
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With the troubles of the world
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Going home to live with God
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Soon I will be done With
the troubles of the world
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Soon I will be done
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With the troubles of the world
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Soon I will be done With
the troubles of the world
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The troubles of the
world The troubles of the world
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Soon I will be done With
the troubles of the world
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Going home to live with God
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I want to meet my
mother I want to meet my mother
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I want to meet my
mother Going to live with God
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I want to meet my
mother I want to meet my mother
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I want to meet my
mother Going to live with God
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Soon I will be done With
the troubles of the world
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The troubles of the
world The troubles of the world
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Soon I will be done With
the troubles of the world
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Going home to live with God
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Soon I will be done With
the troubles of the world
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The troubles of the
world The troubles of the world
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Soon I will be done With
the troubles of the world
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Going home to live with God
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No more weepin' and wailin'
No more weepin' and wailin'
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No more weepin' and wailin'
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I'm going to live with God
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No more weepin' and wailin'
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No more weepin' and wailin'
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No more weepin' and wailin'
I'm going to live with God
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No more suffering
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Suffering or crying
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No weeping
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Soon I will be done With
the troubles of the world
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The troubles of the
world The troubles of the world
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Soon I will be done With
the troubles of the world
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Going home to live with God
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I want to meet my
Jesus I want to meet my Jesus
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I want to meet my Jesus
I'm going to live with God
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I want to meet my
Jesus I want to meet my Jesus
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I want to meet my Jesus
I'm going to live with God
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I'm going to live with God
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With God
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Amen.
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We'll, thank you Gurney.
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Thank you very
much Gurney and Josh.
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We needed that soon
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I will be done with
the troubles of the world.
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Because let me
tell you something,
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if this life is no
trouble to you, you have no,
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you have no heart
for the return of Christ.
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If life is one
non-stop picnic for you,
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you will never have a
passion for Jesus to come.
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The moment trouble strikes,
the moment suffering comes,
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our paradigm is
radically shifted.
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And trust me before it's over,
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we will all be
pleading that prayer,
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"Soon I will be done
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with the troubles
of the world, oh God."
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We are not left...
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Without the
shining light of hope
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on our dark horizon.
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And our hearts here
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who already know
the meaning of trouble,
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and pain, and sorrow.
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Someday we all will.
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But in this
interim, in this space,
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we have left.
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Oh, God, prepare
us, get us ready,
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may this morning's teaching,
may this morning's teaching
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from Holy Scripture be clear
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to all of our thinking minds
and our worshipping hearts.
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We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
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Psychologists have a
term that I fear now,
00:10:58.75\00:11:06.63
describes the prevailing mindset
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of this generation
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and this civilization.
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Here's the term.
00:11:11.83\00:11:13.97
Normalcy bias.
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What's it mean?
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Let me put
Wikipedia's definition
00:11:20.48\00:11:22.18
on the screen for you.
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Take a look at this.
Read it off the screen.
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The normalcy bias
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or normality bias
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refers to a mental state
00:11:33.96\00:11:35.82
people enter when
facing a disaster.
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It causes
people to underestimate
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both the possibility
of a disaster occurring
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and its possible effects."
00:11:43.97\00:11:45.40
Hit the pause
button right there.
00:11:45.43\00:11:47.37
Case in point,
Hurricane Katrina.
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We just passed that
anniversary, didn't we?
00:11:52.37\00:11:54.64
Isaac was coming
in at the same time.
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Hurricane Katrina back in 2005.
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As that massive
category five hurricane came,
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howling out of
the Gulf of Mexico,
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dead eye toward the
city of New Orleans.
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And the word went
out that our levee system
00:12:10.63\00:12:14.06
is not going to handle
so horrendous a cataclysm.
00:12:14.10\00:12:20.04
By the tens of
thousands, people said,
00:12:20.07\00:12:24.74
"it's not going to be that bad.
00:12:24.77\00:12:26.11
It's okay."
00:12:26.14\00:12:27.48
And by the
thousands they perished.
00:12:27.51\00:12:30.91
Normalcy bias, the
mental state people enter
00:12:30.95\00:12:32.78
when facing a
disaster causing them
00:12:32.81\00:12:34.42
to underestimate both
the possibility of a disaster
00:12:34.45\00:12:37.65
occurring and
its possible effects.
00:12:37.69\00:12:40.02
Normalcy bias,
Wikipedia goes on,
00:12:40.06\00:12:43.43
"This often
results in situations
00:12:43.46\00:12:45.16
where people fail to
adequately prepare, keyword,
00:12:45.19\00:12:49.73
failed to adequately
prepare for disaster.
00:12:49.76\00:12:52.53
The assumption
that is made in the case
00:12:52.57\00:12:54.24
of the normalcy bias
is that since a disaster
00:12:54.27\00:12:57.01
never has occurred
then it never will occur."
00:12:57.04\00:13:00.14
It's never
happened on this planet,
00:13:00.18\00:13:01.51
it's not going
to happen, trust me.
00:13:01.54\00:13:05.21
"It also results in
the inability of people
00:13:05.25\00:13:07.18
to cope with a
disaster once it does occur.
00:13:07.22\00:13:09.78
People with a normalcy bias
00:13:09.82\00:13:11.15
have difficulties
reacting to something
00:13:11.19\00:13:12.75
they have not
experienced before.
00:13:12.79\00:13:14.69
People also tend
to interpret warnings
00:13:14.72\00:13:16.62
in the most
optimistic way possible,
00:13:16.66\00:13:18.89
seizing on any ambiguities
00:13:18.93\00:13:20.70
to infer a less
serious situation."
00:13:20.73\00:13:23.26
It's not gonna be so bad,
00:13:23.30\00:13:25.23
I'm telling
you, don't get upset.
00:13:25.27\00:13:28.00
Case in point number two:
00:13:28.04\00:13:29.77
World War II Holocaust,
6 million Jews perish.
00:13:29.80\00:13:34.88
Initially a few
Jewish proprietors
00:13:34.91\00:13:38.48
in Germany are troubled
00:13:38.51\00:13:39.85
as their places of
business are ransacked.
00:13:39.88\00:13:43.42
Then there were a few
incarcerations and arrests,
00:13:43.45\00:13:46.45
but the vast majority of
the Jews living in Germany
00:13:46.49\00:13:49.56
minimized the Nazi threat
00:13:49.59\00:13:51.09
and simply could
not come to believe
00:13:51.13\00:13:53.16
that there was
an impending crisis
00:13:53.19\00:13:54.93
endangering their very survival.
00:13:54.96\00:13:59.33
It's not going to
happen. This will pass.
00:13:59.37\00:14:04.97
What have we just read,
00:14:05.01\00:14:06.34
"People with the normalcy
bias have difficulties reacting
00:14:06.37\00:14:08.18
to something they have
not experienced before.
00:14:08.21\00:14:10.38
People also tend
to interpret warnings
00:14:10.41\00:14:11.88
in the most
optimistic way possible,
00:14:11.91\00:14:13.88
seizing on any ambiguities
00:14:13.92\00:14:15.25
to infer a less
serious situation."
00:14:15.28\00:14:17.92
So here's the question.
00:14:17.95\00:14:19.29
Are you and am I,
00:14:19.32\00:14:20.76
are we also
suffering from a normalcy bias?
00:14:20.79\00:14:25.86
Just like the
citizens of New Orleans?
00:14:25.89\00:14:29.16
Just like the
Jews of the Holocaust?
00:14:29.20\00:14:32.93
Is that our mindset as well?
00:14:32.97\00:14:35.94
Open your Bible with me
please to the theme text
00:14:35.97\00:14:37.87
for this little
three part mini series
00:14:37.91\00:14:40.81
that's launching this New Year.
00:14:40.84\00:14:42.18
Open your Bible
to 1 Thessalonians 5.
00:14:42.21\00:14:44.88
1 Thessalonians 5,
The Dark Knight Rises.
00:14:44.91\00:14:49.08
We were there last Sabbath,
will be there next Sabbath
00:14:49.12\00:14:51.75
and that's it one
two three and it's over.
00:14:51.79\00:14:55.09
Let's go back to
that theme passage.
00:14:55.12\00:14:56.89
You didn't bring a
Bible, please track this.
00:14:56.93\00:14:59.13
Pull the Bible
out in front of you.
00:14:59.16\00:15:00.50
Pull it out of the pew
rack and it will be page 796
00:15:00.53\00:15:04.37
in your pew rack Bible,
that's the New King James.
00:15:04.40\00:15:06.50
I'm going to be
once again in the NIV.
00:15:06.53\00:15:08.74
This is the new NIV. I like it.
00:15:08.77\00:15:12.34
1 Thessalonians 5:1.
00:15:12.37\00:15:14.84
We read these words
last week. We return to them.
00:15:14.88\00:15:16.64
Verse 1.
00:15:16.68\00:15:18.01
"Now brothers and sisters,
00:15:18.05\00:15:19.88
about times and dates we
do not need to write to you,
00:15:19.91\00:15:22.42
for you know very well."
00:15:22.45\00:15:23.82
Verse two. "That
the day of the Lord."
00:15:23.85\00:15:26.35
By the way day of the Lord,
00:15:26.39\00:15:27.72
code phrase in Holy Scripture
for the end of the world.
00:15:27.76\00:15:31.39
Code phrase for
the return of Christ.
00:15:31.43\00:15:34.06
"For you know,"
verse 2, "very well
00:15:34.10\00:15:35.93
that the day of
the Lord will come
00:15:35.96\00:15:37.43
like a thief in the night."
00:15:37.47\00:15:40.70
Verse 3.
00:15:40.74\00:15:42.07
"While people are
saying, 'Peace and safety,'
00:15:42.10\00:15:45.17
destruction will
come on them suddenly,
00:15:45.21\00:15:47.48
as labor pains
on a pregnant woman,
00:15:47.51\00:15:49.44
and they will not escape."
00:15:49.48\00:15:50.85
We learned last
week double negative.
00:15:50.88\00:15:52.21
They will no not escape.
00:15:52.25\00:15:53.82
Read my lips, nobody
escapes the end, nobody.
00:15:53.85\00:15:59.82
Clearly Paul is
describing a normalcy bias
00:15:59.85\00:16:03.49
for the last
generation living on this planet
00:16:03.53\00:16:06.83
just before Jesus comes.
00:16:06.86\00:16:08.26
Normalcy bias, that
point is so critical.
00:16:08.30\00:16:10.63
Grab your study guide.
00:16:10.67\00:16:12.00
Let's scribble
it down right now.
00:16:12.03\00:16:13.84
Pull your study guide
out of your worship bulletin,
00:16:13.87\00:16:15.20
there's a brand new one.
00:16:15.24\00:16:16.57
This is a keeper,
this study guide, trust me,
00:16:16.60\00:16:18.07
you're going to want this
and so if you don't have it.
00:16:18.11\00:16:20.24
Ushers, where are
you ushers? Let's go.
00:16:20.28\00:16:22.31
Let's do this quickly please.
00:16:22.34\00:16:23.68
Right now ushers,
00:16:23.71\00:16:25.05
if you'll stand and those of you
00:16:25.08\00:16:26.95
who are watching on television,
we're delighted to have you.
00:16:26.98\00:16:29.52
While they are getting
these study guides out,
00:16:29.55\00:16:32.49
you get the same study guide.
00:16:32.52\00:16:33.86
Let me put it on the
screen for you our website.
00:16:33.89\00:16:35.59
This is a little,
00:16:35.62\00:16:36.96
it's a little punchy miniseries,
00:16:36.99\00:16:38.33
The Dark Knight Rises Two.
00:16:38.36\00:16:40.60
That's today,
two. Last week was one.
00:16:40.63\00:16:42.56
Next week will be
three and it's over.
00:16:42.60\00:16:44.40
The Dark Knight Rises
two, you can't miss it,
00:16:44.43\00:16:46.63
you'll see The
Dark Knight artwork
00:16:46.67\00:16:48.40
on our website.
00:16:48.44\00:16:49.77
Click on there, go to two,
00:16:49.80\00:16:51.31
you'll have the same study guide
00:16:51.34\00:16:53.24
and you can join us.
00:16:53.27\00:16:54.84
You'll want this
study guide, trust me.
00:16:54.88\00:16:56.48
You will want this study guide.
00:16:56.51\00:16:58.35
If you didn't get a
bulletin when you came in,
00:16:58.38\00:17:00.78
keep your hand up,
they're going to get your way.
00:17:00.82\00:17:05.32
And I want you
to have the teaching
00:17:05.35\00:17:07.16
that we are
going to share together
00:17:07.19\00:17:09.32
in Holy Scripture.
00:17:09.36\00:17:10.69
All right, let's go. Jot
that first one down please.
00:17:10.73\00:17:12.63
Clearly Paul here,
in 1 Thessalonians 5.
00:17:12.66\00:17:16.73
"Clearly Paul here is
describing a "normalcy bias"
00:17:16.77\00:17:19.67
as the mindset
00:17:19.70\00:17:21.14
of the final
generation on earth!"
00:17:21.17\00:17:25.27
Hey, not to
worry, peace and safety.
00:17:25.31\00:17:27.64
Boom! It's over.
00:17:27.68\00:17:29.34
Normalcy bias,
00:17:29.38\00:17:30.71
they do not
believe it can happen here.
00:17:30.75\00:17:33.72
Clearly that's
what Paul is describing.
00:17:33.75\00:17:35.38
Now because
00:17:35.42\00:17:37.05
that Wikipedia
definition is so punching,
00:17:37.09\00:17:40.16
you have it right there
but now you need to fill it in.
00:17:40.19\00:17:42.06
Let's put the
Wikipedia definition
00:17:42.09\00:17:43.46
on the screen please.
00:17:43.49\00:17:44.83
"The normalcy bias refers
to a mental state people enter
00:17:44.86\00:17:48.36
when facing a disaster."
00:17:48.40\00:17:49.76
That's the key word.
00:17:49.80\00:17:51.13
It's not all
day long, every day,
00:17:51.17\00:17:52.50
it's when you're
facing a disaster
00:17:52.53\00:17:54.04
that this bias kicks in.
00:17:54.07\00:17:56.64
Keep reading.
00:17:56.67\00:17:58.01
"It causes
people to underestimate
00:17:58.04\00:17:59.44
both the possibility
of a disaster occurring
00:17:59.47\00:18:02.94
and its possible effects."
00:18:02.98\00:18:04.81
Now I thought this
next line was significant.
00:18:04.85\00:18:08.45
"This often
results in situations
00:18:08.48\00:18:10.49
where people fail to
adequately prepare..."
00:18:10.52\00:18:14.22
The whole point of a
crisis is you've got to be ready
00:18:14.26\00:18:16.02
before it comes,
00:18:16.06\00:18:17.39
but now normalcy
bias, is no big deal.
00:18:17.43\00:18:19.79
People fail to
prepare. Write that word in.
00:18:19.83\00:18:23.97
They fail to
prepare for a disaster.
00:18:24.00\00:18:25.33
Keep reading.
00:18:25.37\00:18:26.70
"The assumption that is made
in the case of normalcy bias
00:18:26.74\00:18:29.84
is that since a
disaster never has occurred
00:18:29.87\00:18:35.31
then it never will occur."
00:18:35.34\00:18:37.71
It's never
happened on this planet,
00:18:37.75\00:18:39.61
it's not going
to happen, trust me.
00:18:39.65\00:18:42.48
Look out.
00:18:42.52\00:18:43.85
"People with a normalcy
bias have difficulties reacting
00:18:43.89\00:18:45.42
to something
00:18:45.45\00:18:46.79
they have not
experienced before,
00:18:46.82\00:18:48.16
tending to interpret warnings
00:18:48.19\00:18:49.52
in the most
optimistic way possible,
00:18:49.56\00:18:51.13
seizing on any ambiguities
00:18:51.16\00:18:52.86
to infer a less
serious situation."
00:18:52.89\00:18:56.43
Ladies and gentlemen,
00:18:56.46\00:18:57.80
Paul is describing a
very serious normalcy bias
00:18:57.83\00:19:02.17
at the end of time, the
final generation on earth.
00:19:02.20\00:19:04.54
The entire
planet, normalcy bias.
00:19:04.57\00:19:09.31
And by the way did you
catch that word sudden?
00:19:09.34\00:19:11.95
Did you catch
that word suddenly?
00:19:11.98\00:19:14.72
Let's read it again, verse 3.
00:19:14.75\00:19:17.75
Verse 3, "While
people are saying,
00:19:17.79\00:19:19.75
'peace and safety.'
00:19:19.79\00:19:21.49
destruction will
come on them suddenly."
00:19:21.52\00:19:23.32
Those of you that
have the New King James,
00:19:23.36\00:19:24.69
sudden
destruction will come on them.
00:19:24.73\00:19:27.23
Destruction will
come on them suddenly,
00:19:27.26\00:19:28.60
"as labor pains
on a pregnant woman,
00:19:28.63\00:19:30.13
and they will
not, no, not escape."
00:19:30.17\00:19:34.84
Guess what?
00:19:34.87\00:19:36.30
This is hardly a
new thought for Paul.
00:19:36.34\00:19:38.24
He happens to be
borrowing it from his master.
00:19:38.27\00:19:41.68
Once upon a time
when Jesus was teaching,
00:19:41.71\00:19:43.31
he sees two dramatic
Old Testament narratives
00:19:43.35\00:19:47.28
and he says, "Here you
go, this is normalcy bias."
00:19:47.32\00:19:50.49
Watch Jesus take
00:19:50.52\00:19:51.85
two dramatic tales
out of the Old Testament.
00:19:51.89\00:19:55.76
And in fact I
want you to see this,
00:19:55.79\00:19:57.13
not just on the screen.
00:19:57.16\00:19:58.49
Follow it in your Bible.
00:19:58.53\00:19:59.86
So go back to Luke,
the Gospel of Luke 17.
00:19:59.89\00:20:04.20
I want you to see it right there
00:20:04.23\00:20:05.70
in the Word of God.
00:20:05.73\00:20:07.07
You didn't bring a Bible,
00:20:07.10\00:20:08.44
then of course you
can read on the screen.
00:20:08.47\00:20:09.80
Those of you
watching on live streaming,
00:20:09.84\00:20:11.61
I hope you have your Bible near.
00:20:11.64\00:20:15.54
And in mine it's bright red.
00:20:15.58\00:20:17.65
Oh, I love this, I
love my red letter Bibles
00:20:17.68\00:20:19.81
because these are
the words of Christ.
00:20:19.85\00:20:22.02
No question. This
is Luke 17, page 26.
00:20:22.05\00:20:26.72
Luke 17.
00:20:26.76\00:20:28.09
Here come the two
dramatic narratives
00:20:28.12\00:20:29.46
out of the Old Testament.
00:20:29.49\00:20:30.83
Verse 26, Jesus speaking,
00:20:30.86\00:20:32.19
"Just as it was
in the days of" whom?
00:20:32.23\00:20:36.30
"Just as it was
in the days of Noah,
00:20:36.33\00:20:39.20
so also will it be in
the days of the Son of Man."
00:20:39.23\00:20:41.40
Verse 27,
"People were eating..."
00:20:41.44\00:20:43.41
Is it a sin to eat?
00:20:43.44\00:20:45.17
No, it is not.
People were drinking.
00:20:45.21\00:20:46.78
Is it a sin to
drink? No, it is not.
00:20:46.81\00:20:48.98
People were
marrying. Is it a sin to marry?
00:20:49.01\00:20:51.41
Better not be.
00:20:51.45\00:20:53.82
People were marrying
and being given in marriage
00:20:53.85\00:20:55.42
right up
00:20:55.45\00:20:56.79
until the day
Noah entered the ark.
00:20:56.82\00:20:59.99
Then the flood came
and destroyed them all.
00:21:00.02\00:21:04.53
Normalcy bias
illustration number one
00:21:04.56\00:21:06.80
from the Lord Jesus Himself.
00:21:06.83\00:21:08.16
Fill it in your
study guide please,
00:21:08.20\00:21:09.66
"In the days of Noah society
was enjoying "peace and safety"
00:21:09.70\00:21:13.44
right up until
00:21:13.47\00:21:15.37
"sudden
destruction" swept them away."
00:21:15.40\00:21:17.41
Just like that it was
over. No time to prepare.
00:21:17.44\00:21:21.61
You had to be prepared
before the event itself.
00:21:21.64\00:21:26.72
Jesus says I have
another one for you,
00:21:26.75\00:21:28.48
Luke 17:28.
00:21:28.52\00:21:30.69
"It was the same
in the days of Lot.
00:21:30.72\00:21:34.26
People were eating and drinking,
00:21:34.29\00:21:35.62
buying and selling..."
00:21:35.66\00:21:36.99
Anything wrong
with buying and selling?
00:21:37.03\00:21:38.36
Of course not.
Planting and building?
00:21:38.39\00:21:39.73
Nothing wrong with that either.
00:21:39.76\00:21:41.10
"But the day Lot left Sodom..."
00:21:41.13\00:21:42.46
It was that predawn moment,
the purple horizon hemorrhaging
00:21:42.50\00:21:47.10
with the realization
that this is Judgment Day.
00:21:47.14\00:21:50.57
And Lot and Mrs. Lot and
the two girls are fleeing.
00:21:50.61\00:21:54.71
That's what Jesus
is talking about here.
00:21:54.74\00:21:56.88
"But the day Lot left Sodom,
00:21:56.91\00:21:58.41
fire and sulfur
rained down from heaven
00:21:58.45\00:22:01.88
and destroyed them all."
00:22:01.92\00:22:05.15
Keep your pen moving.
Jot it down, will you?
00:22:05.19\00:22:07.36
Also in the days
of Lot, not just Noah.
00:22:07.39\00:22:10.03
"In the days of Lot society
was enjoying "peace and safety"
00:22:10.06\00:22:12.93
right up until "
sudden destruction"
00:22:12.96\00:22:15.43
swept them away.
00:22:15.46\00:22:16.80
Normalcy bias.
Boom! And it's over.
00:22:16.83\00:22:20.70
So what's your point, Jesus?
What are You trying to tell us?
00:22:20.74\00:22:23.67
He goes on verse
30, Jesus speaking,
00:22:23.71\00:22:26.51
"And it will be
just like this on the day
00:22:26.54\00:22:28.54
the Son of Man is revealed.
00:22:28.58\00:22:30.21
On that day no one
who is on the housetop,
00:22:30.25\00:22:32.28
with possessions inside,
should go down to get them.
00:22:32.31\00:22:34.82
Likewise, no one in the field
should go back for anything."
00:22:34.85\00:22:37.29
It's over, go move.
00:22:37.32\00:22:39.92
In fact, one of
the shortest lines
00:22:39.95\00:22:41.29
in the New Testament,
00:22:41.32\00:22:42.66
"Remember Lot's wife!"
00:22:42.69\00:22:47.40
So Paul's point is
hardly a new thought here
00:22:47.43\00:22:50.03
in 1 Thessalonians 5.
00:22:50.07\00:22:53.37
He simply echoing his master.
00:22:53.40\00:22:54.74
In fact scholars believe
that Paul is actually taking
00:22:54.77\00:22:57.71
a specific teaching of Jesus
00:22:57.74\00:22:59.74
and paraphrasing
it and it's in Luke.
00:22:59.77\00:23:01.64
So just turn a few pages forward
00:23:01.68\00:23:03.51
and Luke tell you.
00:23:03.55\00:23:04.88
Come to Luke 21.
00:23:04.91\00:23:08.52
You read these words carefully
00:23:08.55\00:23:09.88
and you hear the
echo of them all the way
00:23:09.92\00:23:11.25
through that 1
Thessalonians 5 passage.
00:23:11.29\00:23:14.16
This is Luke 21 now.
00:23:14.19\00:23:15.96
Also red letters,
verse 34, Jesus speaking...
00:23:15.99\00:23:19.63
This is on the eve
00:23:19.66\00:23:21.46
of His own
death and crucifixion.
00:23:21.50\00:23:23.63
"Be careful," Jesus says, "
00:23:23.67\00:23:25.17
or your hearts will be
weighed down with carousing,
00:23:25.20\00:23:28.17
drunkenness and
the anxieties of life,
00:23:28.20\00:23:30.54
and that day will
close on you suddenly..."
00:23:30.57\00:23:33.21
There's that word.
00:23:33.24\00:23:34.58
"That day will close on
you suddenly like a trap.
00:23:34.61\00:23:37.91
For it will come on those
00:23:37.95\00:23:39.28
who live on the
face of the whole earth.
00:23:39.31\00:23:40.72
Be always
therefore on the watch,
00:23:40.75\00:23:42.92
and pray that you
may be able to escape
00:23:42.95\00:23:44.69
all that is about to happen,
00:23:44.72\00:23:46.32
and that you
may be able to stand
00:23:46.35\00:23:47.69
before the Son of Man."
00:23:47.72\00:23:49.86
Suddenly it will
come like a trap.
00:23:49.89\00:23:53.09
A few months ago,
00:23:53.13\00:23:54.46
I noticed that we
had a ground squirrel
00:23:54.50\00:23:56.87
that was beginning to dig down
by the foundation of our house
00:23:56.90\00:24:00.74
going down, down, down.
00:24:00.77\00:24:02.17
And I'm thinking if
this guy goes too far south,
00:24:02.20\00:24:04.37
he's going to hit water
00:24:04.41\00:24:05.74
and it's going to
come into the house.
00:24:05.77\00:24:07.11
I've got to get
that ground squirrel.
00:24:07.14\00:24:08.54
So I went to Guerin
dense village hardware
00:24:08.58\00:24:10.58
and I bought a
small rodent trap.
00:24:10.61\00:24:14.28
Ever seen those?
It's just a cage.
00:24:14.32\00:24:17.32
Has a trap door that goes up
00:24:17.35\00:24:19.62
and you have a little trigger
where you place some bait.
00:24:19.65\00:24:22.92
So I had that trap
door right by the hole
00:24:22.96\00:24:25.43
when he comes out and
he's hungry, he'll go in.
00:24:25.46\00:24:27.80
I tried this
bait, it didn't work.
00:24:27.83\00:24:29.23
The next day I
tried another bait,
00:24:29.26\00:24:30.77
didn't work,
00:24:30.80\00:24:32.13
and then I found out
peanut butter, peanut butter.
00:24:32.17\00:24:34.37
So I put peanut butter
came back, there he was.
00:24:34.40\00:24:37.51
Now, ladies and gentlemen,
00:24:37.54\00:24:38.87
the trap door on
that ground squirrel trap,
00:24:38.91\00:24:41.68
the trap door does it come,
00:24:41.71\00:24:44.11
does it come down
00:24:44.15\00:24:45.95
like a garage door slowly?
00:24:45.98\00:24:47.45
Keeping your peanut
butter there's times.
00:24:50.72\00:24:53.76
Keep eating, they got more time.
00:24:53.79\00:24:55.12
Does it come down that way?
You kidding? Boom! It's over.
00:24:55.16\00:24:57.73
That door wham! And it's shut.
00:24:57.76\00:25:00.73
That is Jesus point,
suddenly the trap is sprung,
00:25:00.76\00:25:05.57
there is no getting out.
00:25:05.60\00:25:07.64
Jesus says the whole earth
will be caught in that trap.
00:25:07.67\00:25:12.54
Is this just a
uniquely New Testament idea?
00:25:12.57\00:25:14.71
No.
00:25:14.74\00:25:16.08
Jesus actually inspired
writers in the Old Testament.
00:25:16.11\00:25:18.11
Look at this.
00:25:18.15\00:25:19.48
This is the wisest man
who ever lived, Solomon.
00:25:19.51\00:25:21.62
Ecclesiastes 9:12, "No one knows
00:25:21.65\00:25:23.99
when their hour will
come, so people are trapped..."
00:25:24.02\00:25:26.79
There that word.
00:25:26.82\00:25:28.16
"People are trapped
00:25:28.19\00:25:29.52
by evil times
that fall suddenly..."
00:25:29.56\00:25:31.09
Write that down.
00:25:31.13\00:25:32.46
"That fall suddenly upon them."
00:25:32.49\00:25:35.53
That just in Ecclesiastes? No.
00:25:35.56\00:25:37.20
Look at one of
the minor prophets,
00:25:37.23\00:25:38.57
Zephaniah 1:18.
00:25:38.60\00:25:40.07
"For the Lord
will make a sudden end
00:25:40.10\00:25:44.94
of all who live on the earth."
00:25:44.97\00:25:48.78
You know what?
00:25:48.81\00:25:50.15
This normalcy bias,
00:25:50.18\00:25:52.51
Christianity has plague with it.
00:25:52.55\00:25:54.42
There are vast swathes
of the Christian community
00:25:54.45\00:25:57.65
who say end of the world.
00:25:57.69\00:25:59.02
Please!
00:25:59.05\00:26:00.39
You're not really serious
00:26:00.42\00:26:01.76
that this is going to
happen that way, are you?
00:26:01.79\00:26:03.12
I mean, please!
It couldn't happen.
00:26:03.16\00:26:05.03
Normalcy bias is
not for pagans only,
00:26:05.06\00:26:08.26
even for believers in Christ.
00:26:08.30\00:26:13.34
In full concurrence
with these pieces of evidence
00:26:13.37\00:26:15.54
that we've just noted.
00:26:15.57\00:26:16.91
A little lady who
wrote in the 19th century,
00:26:16.94\00:26:19.57
issued some
unmistakable warnings,
00:26:19.61\00:26:21.78
may I put her
words on the screen.
00:26:21.81\00:26:23.65
Fill them in please.
00:26:23.68\00:26:25.01
This is from that
apocalyptic classic,
00:26:25.05\00:26:26.41
The Great
Conversely, take a look at this.
00:26:26.45\00:26:28.18
"The end will
come more quickly..."
00:26:28.22\00:26:30.09
Write that in.
00:26:30.12\00:26:31.45
"The end will come more
quickly than we expect."
00:26:31.49\00:26:35.69
There's another one.
00:26:35.72\00:26:37.06
"Great changes are soon
to take place in the world,
00:26:37.09\00:26:39.03
and the final
movements will be..."
00:26:39.06\00:26:40.60
What's that word?
00:26:40.63\00:26:41.96
The final
movements will be what?
00:26:42.00\00:26:43.47
"Rapid ones."
And here's one more.
00:26:43.50\00:26:47.64
"Many of the prophecies
00:26:47.67\00:26:49.00
are about to be
fulfilled in quick succession.
00:26:49.04\00:26:51.64
Boom, boom, boom, boom,
boom! Over, just like that.
00:26:51.67\00:26:57.08
What's the point? Noah's point.
00:26:57.11\00:26:59.48
Lot's point. Jesus' point.
00:26:59.51\00:27:01.88
Paul's point.
Ellen White's point.
00:27:01.92\00:27:04.79
At a time when
normalcy bias declares
00:27:04.82\00:27:07.36
"peace and safety"
00:27:07.39\00:27:08.72
will prevail, sudden destruction
00:27:08.76\00:27:11.26
will end human
history as we know it.
00:27:11.29\00:27:14.83
That's the point.
00:27:14.86\00:27:16.70
So here's the
question that begs to be asked.
00:27:16.73\00:27:18.53
How can we know
we are approaching
00:27:18.57\00:27:23.00
that point of no return?
00:27:23.04\00:27:26.37
How can we know we
are inexorably arriving,
00:27:26.41\00:27:31.78
approaching the
end of the world?
00:27:31.81\00:27:33.88
Let's go back to
Paul. In 1 Thessalonians 5.
00:27:33.92\00:27:39.65
Let's pick it up in verse 4 now.
00:27:39.69\00:27:41.02
We will add a verse that
we didn't read last week.
00:27:41.06\00:27:42.46
Verse 4.
00:27:42.49\00:27:44.03
"But you brothers and
sisters, are not in darkness
00:27:44.06\00:27:47.00
so that this day
should surprise you
00:27:47.03\00:27:49.46
like a thief.
00:27:49.50\00:27:52.77
You are all
children of the light
00:27:52.80\00:27:56.04
and children of the day.
00:27:56.07\00:27:58.04
We do not belong in the
night or to the darkness."
00:27:58.07\00:28:00.14
Now here comes a
verse we're reading.
00:28:00.18\00:28:01.51
"So then, let us
not be like others,
00:28:01.54\00:28:04.05
who are asleep, but
let us be awake and sober."
00:28:04.08\00:28:07.85
Apparently there is a
way for the friends of Jesus
00:28:11.45\00:28:14.26
to remain awake and unaffected,
00:28:14.29\00:28:17.03
uninfected by this
mass normalcy bias.
00:28:17.06\00:28:21.10
Apparently there is some...
00:28:21.13\00:28:23.26
There is some provision
00:28:23.30\00:28:24.90
that alerts the
friends of Christ
00:28:24.93\00:28:27.07
so that they are not caught
when that trap door drops.
00:28:27.10\00:28:32.41
Before I share with you,
00:28:32.44\00:28:34.64
but for me it's one
00:28:34.68\00:28:36.01
of the most compelling evidences
00:28:36.04\00:28:37.38
that we are living right
now on the edge of the end,
00:28:37.41\00:28:40.58
and in just one moment I
want to share that with you,
00:28:40.62\00:28:42.88
but before I do,
here are three promises.
00:28:42.92\00:28:45.32
I wish you jot these down.
00:28:45.35\00:28:46.69
Here are three promises
you and I can begin to claim
00:28:46.72\00:28:49.26
immediately asking
God to open our eyes
00:28:49.29\00:28:52.29
to see the
critical trends and signs
00:28:52.33\00:28:54.00
that are taking place around us.
00:28:54.03\00:28:56.50
Promise number one.
00:28:56.53\00:28:57.87
We won't take the
time to look this up.
00:28:57.90\00:28:59.93
Jeremiah 33:3.
33:3. Jeremiah 33:3.
00:28:59.97\00:29:03.91
Jot it down, will you?
00:29:03.94\00:29:05.27
God's inviting us, "Call to Me,
00:29:05.31\00:29:08.21
and I will answer you
and I will show you great
00:29:08.24\00:29:11.78
and unsearchable
things you do not know."
00:29:11.81\00:29:16.69
Ladies and
gentlemen, let this be clear,
00:29:16.72\00:29:18.49
God is not
playing hide and seek.
00:29:18.52\00:29:19.92
God's not saying.
00:29:19.95\00:29:21.29
"Hey I want to catch you
by surprise, I got harder way,
00:29:21.32\00:29:23.59
I got harder way to spook you."
00:29:23.63\00:29:26.70
He's not playing hard to get.
00:29:26.73\00:29:28.06
God says,
"Listen, listen, listen.
00:29:28.10\00:29:29.76
Call to Me, just call to Me.
00:29:29.80\00:29:33.30
I'll show you
what you don't know."
00:29:33.34\00:29:36.00
Didn't you love it
when your mom came to you
00:29:36.04\00:29:37.41
and maybe it was
when you went to church.
00:29:37.44\00:29:40.14
She gave you that little book
00:29:40.18\00:29:41.58
that was a series
of connect the dots.
00:29:41.61\00:29:44.41
You remember
those little connect
00:29:44.45\00:29:45.78
the dots puzzles,
you remember that?
00:29:45.81\00:29:47.32
Dot one, you draw a
line to, what's the next one?
00:29:47.35\00:29:50.79
Two. And then you draw line two.
00:29:50.82\00:29:52.32
It's an amazing thing.
00:29:52.35\00:29:53.69
Three and you go
all the way around
00:29:53.72\00:29:55.06
and suddenly
00:29:55.09\00:29:56.42
what was just a
series of dots now, voila,
00:29:56.46\00:29:57.83
this beautiful big picture.
00:29:57.86\00:30:01.63
I got to say,
hey, I know, I know,
00:30:01.66\00:30:04.37
I know how the dots connect.
00:30:04.40\00:30:06.23
Ask me. Ask Me to show you.
00:30:06.27\00:30:10.64
I want to tell you
just a personal testimony,
00:30:10.67\00:30:13.11
I go to Jeremiah 33:3,
often in my private prayer.
00:30:13.14\00:30:18.35
And I say God, You
just said right here
00:30:18.38\00:30:22.22
that You will show
me what I do not know.
00:30:22.25\00:30:25.92
There are a whole lot of
people sleeping right now, God.
00:30:25.95\00:30:29.29
Is there
something I should be seeing
00:30:29.32\00:30:31.93
that I need to be sharing?
00:30:31.96\00:30:34.13
Open my eyes,
you can do the same.
00:30:34.16\00:30:37.07
Go to Jeremiah 33:3.
00:30:37.10\00:30:38.53
Put your finger
on it, say Jesus,
00:30:38.57\00:30:40.54
I want to see
what I do not know.
00:30:40.57\00:30:42.74
I don't want to be
caught by surprise.
00:30:42.77\00:30:44.11
I don't want to
live with normalcy bias.
00:30:44.14\00:30:46.24
Oh, there's one
more you got to...
00:30:46.27\00:30:47.84
And this is New Testament,
just before he is betrayed,
00:30:47.88\00:30:52.91
the night of His betrayal.
00:30:52.95\00:30:55.02
John 16:13.
00:30:55.05\00:30:57.29
Red letter words,
we won't look them up.
00:30:57.32\00:30:58.85
I hope you mark
these verses eventually
00:30:58.89\00:31:00.22
in your Bible that
you go to them often.
00:31:00.26\00:31:01.99
Jesus speaking
upper room, "When He..."
00:31:02.02\00:31:04.03
Speaking about the Holy Spirit.
00:31:04.06\00:31:05.39
"When He, the
Spirit of truth, comes,
00:31:05.43\00:31:07.36
He will guide you into all truth
00:31:07.40\00:31:09.63
and He will tell you
what is yet to come."
00:31:09.66\00:31:13.13
Would you jot that down?
00:31:13.17\00:31:14.50
"He will tell you
what is yet to come."
00:31:14.54\00:31:17.51
Jesus said, hey,
listen, listen guys,
00:31:17.54\00:31:19.94
you are my friends, I
have called you friends.
00:31:19.97\00:31:22.61
I'm not trying to surprise you,
00:31:22.64\00:31:24.28
I'm not trying to
catch you, gotcha.
00:31:24.31\00:31:27.05
I want you to know,
so ask and you receive,
00:31:27.08\00:31:29.92
seek and you'll find,
00:31:29.95\00:31:31.49
knock and it
will be open to you.
00:31:31.52\00:31:33.56
I will send you the Holy Spirit
00:31:33.59\00:31:35.72
and He will tell
you what is yet to come.
00:31:35.76\00:31:39.36
You can put your
finger on John 16:13.
00:31:39.39\00:31:41.80
God, you've got
to help me please.
00:31:41.83\00:31:44.03
And then just a few weeks
ago, I found this third one.
00:31:44.07\00:31:46.50
So now I have three
that I claim and worship.
00:31:46.53\00:31:48.77
Here's number three.
00:31:48.80\00:31:50.91
This is Review and
Herald, August 5, 1902.
00:31:50.94\00:31:56.71
"Those who place
themselves under God's control,
00:31:56.75\00:32:00.55
to be led and guided by Him,
will catch the steady trend..."
00:32:00.58\00:32:04.49
That is a key word,
would you jot that down?
00:32:04.52\00:32:06.62
"Those who are under
00:32:06.65\00:32:08.16
who placed
themselves under God's control
00:32:08.19\00:32:09.92
to be led and
guided by hand will catch
00:32:09.96\00:32:11.86
the steady trend
of events ordained
00:32:11.89\00:32:15.56
by God to take place."
00:32:15.60\00:32:19.03
I'll share the trends with you.
00:32:19.07\00:32:21.47
That means I'll help
you connect the dots.
00:32:21.50\00:32:25.64
I'll show you the trends. Wow!
00:32:25.67\00:32:30.71
And listen, keep in mind
this little caveat please.
00:32:30.75\00:32:34.15
God has never
promised to reveal every detail
00:32:34.18\00:32:36.45
of His endgame even
to His friends on earth.
00:32:36.48\00:32:38.72
There are some surprises
00:32:38.75\00:32:40.09
that will be a surprise
for the entire human race.
00:32:40.12\00:32:42.32
In fact Jesus Himself
said when He was here, "Yo!
00:32:42.36\00:32:44.43
You're not
going to know the day,
00:32:44.46\00:32:45.79
you're not going
to know the hour.
00:32:45.83\00:32:47.16
You will not know a
date for when I return."
00:32:47.20\00:32:49.66
That'll be a surprise.
00:32:49.70\00:32:52.07
But here are three promises
with the stunning assurance
00:32:52.10\00:32:56.60
that God Himself
will open our minds
00:32:56.64\00:32:59.37
and our eyes to the trends,
00:32:59.41\00:33:01.74
to the trend of
events happening,
00:33:01.78\00:33:04.08
swirling all around us.
00:33:04.11\00:33:05.81
This is a 24/7 news cycle.
The news cycle never stops.
00:33:05.85\00:33:09.68
We are flooded and
drowning in information.
00:33:09.72\00:33:13.62
God says, ask me
00:33:13.66\00:33:15.46
and I'll help you
pull this, this, this.
00:33:15.49\00:33:18.63
I'll show you the trend.
00:33:18.66\00:33:22.26
As a child of the
light, as a child of the day,
00:33:22.30\00:33:24.67
I am urging you,
00:33:24.70\00:33:26.07
I am earnestly appealing to you,
00:33:26.10\00:33:30.91
please claim these promises
00:33:30.94\00:33:34.18
and ask him to show you
00:33:34.21\00:33:37.91
what is yet to come.
00:33:37.95\00:33:41.05
One of the critical trends.
00:33:41.08\00:33:43.32
I am now carefully watching
00:33:43.35\00:33:44.69
and I have a
feeling you are too.
00:33:44.72\00:33:47.22
Is He
unraveling the melting down
00:33:47.26\00:33:50.66
of our national
and global economies?
00:33:50.69\00:33:55.66
Have a file of news
clippings and Internet postings
00:33:55.70\00:33:58.33
and financial
news letter exposés,
00:33:58.37\00:34:02.04
simply in tied,
00:34:02.07\00:34:03.41
it's about this thick
is a manila file folder.
00:34:03.44\00:34:05.71
Simply entitled, "The Economy."
00:34:05.74\00:34:09.81
Listen, forget about Greece,
00:34:09.84\00:34:11.71
forget about the European Union,
00:34:11.75\00:34:13.08
some of you are from
here, forget about China.
00:34:13.11\00:34:15.85
The fact of the
matter is, we are facing
00:34:15.88\00:34:17.25
an even greater
economic collapse
00:34:17.29\00:34:19.22
in our own nation
00:34:19.25\00:34:20.99
of the United States of America.
00:34:21.02\00:34:24.06
Just this last week,
00:34:24.09\00:34:25.43
you surely were
following this little,
00:34:25.46\00:34:27.40
this little dot that
appeared in the news.
00:34:27.43\00:34:30.23
The news media
reminded us this last week
00:34:30.27\00:34:32.23
that we have now passed
our national government debt.
00:34:32.27\00:34:36.77
We have crossed the
$16 trillion threshold.
00:34:36.81\00:34:42.91
Never mind that
the number 16 trillion
00:34:42.94\00:34:44.65
is humanly
impossible to fathom, all right.
00:34:44.68\00:34:47.08
Nobody knows
what 16 trillion is?
00:34:47.12\00:34:50.69
Look at it this way.
00:34:50.72\00:34:53.19
The IRS estimates
that our government takes
00:34:53.22\00:34:56.73
in every year $2.1 trillion
00:34:56.76\00:35:02.40
in tax revenue from all sources
that would be corporate taxes,
00:35:02.43\00:35:04.80
business taxes, personal taxes,
00:35:04.83\00:35:07.04
$2.1 trillion a
year but just this year,
00:35:07.07\00:35:11.47
Congress has voted a
budget of $3.2 trillion.
00:35:11.51\00:35:16.64
Spending more than we
have by $1.1 trillion.
00:35:16.68\00:35:21.68
That difference
is called the deficit
00:35:21.72\00:35:24.22
which is a euphemism
00:35:24.25\00:35:25.82
for more debt.
00:35:25.85\00:35:30.19
Every woman here who
balances a checkbook,
00:35:30.23\00:35:35.90
knows that you cannot spend more
00:35:35.93\00:35:41.47
than you are receiving
and survive financially.
00:35:41.50\00:35:46.07
Is that true? Is that true?
00:35:46.11\00:35:48.18
But what's also interesting is
00:35:51.78\00:35:53.65
that the interest
on our national debt
00:35:53.68\00:35:55.65
is now running nearly
00:35:55.68\00:35:57.12
one-half
trillion dollars a year,
00:35:57.15\00:36:00.56
just to pay the interest.
00:36:00.59\00:36:02.02
Not touching the
$16 trillion principle.
00:36:02.06\00:36:05.79
Ladies and gentlemen,
00:36:05.83\00:36:07.16
if you keep
spending more than you make
00:36:07.20\00:36:08.53
and your interest on
00:36:08.56\00:36:09.90
that accumulating
debt keeps climbing,
00:36:09.93\00:36:11.27
you don't have to
be a rocket scientist,
00:36:11.30\00:36:12.63
you don't have to be a
Nobel laureate economist
00:36:12.67\00:36:14.87
either to conclude
that we are facing...
00:36:14.90\00:36:18.74
We're facing a
catastrophic financial collapse
00:36:18.77\00:36:23.38
because the hemorrhaging
is now irreversible.
00:36:23.41\00:36:27.22
My friend, Norman
Waggs loaned me a book
00:36:27.25\00:36:31.02
over the Labor Day holiday,
had a chance to go through it,
00:36:31.05\00:36:33.66
the title of
the book Aftershock,
00:36:33.69\00:36:35.32
written by
macroeconomist David Wiedemer,
00:36:35.36\00:36:37.76
and his brother
Robert, and Cindy Spitzer,
00:36:37.79\00:36:40.43
the three of them collaborating.
00:36:40.46\00:36:41.80
This book Aftershock has
been on the Wall Street Journal
00:36:41.83\00:36:44.40
Business bestseller list
00:36:44.43\00:36:45.87
having predicted the
first financial meltdown
00:36:45.90\00:36:48.70
in our nation back in 2007-2009.
00:36:48.74\00:36:51.67
They actually were making
the prediction in 2005-2006.
00:36:51.71\00:36:54.94
So they had gotten
everybody's attention.
00:36:54.98\00:36:57.18
The authors now,
00:36:57.21\00:36:58.55
this economic team
has revised their book
00:36:58.58\00:37:00.08
into a second
edition are now predicting
00:37:00.12\00:37:02.38
an even greater aftershock
00:37:02.42\00:37:05.25
which will follow
the great recession
00:37:05.29\00:37:06.82
which is now
theoretically behind us.
00:37:06.86\00:37:08.79
They write that this
aftershock will be the meltdown,
00:37:08.82\00:37:12.43
they are
suggesting, we don't know when
00:37:12.46\00:37:13.90
but sometime 2013-2015
maybe, we don't know for sure.
00:37:13.93\00:37:18.60
They are
suggesting that this meltdown,
00:37:18.63\00:37:24.04
the aftershock will
collapse both the US dollar
00:37:24.07\00:37:29.88
and the US government debt.
00:37:29.91\00:37:34.42
Notice the language of sudden
00:37:34.45\00:37:35.98
that they probably
unwittingly embedded
00:37:36.02\00:37:38.35
in this line from their book.
00:37:38.39\00:37:40.16
I'll put it on the
screen for you here,
00:37:40.19\00:37:41.69
"The dollar bubble,"
00:37:41.72\00:37:43.06
'Cause there are the two bubbles
00:37:43.09\00:37:44.43
they are watching
now, the dollar bubble,
00:37:44.46\00:37:45.79
it's the worth of
the dollar in the world
00:37:45.83\00:37:47.16
and the US government debt.
00:37:47.20\00:37:48.56
"The dollar bubble will
remain relatively hidden
00:37:48.60\00:37:51.70
until the end,
00:37:51.73\00:37:53.10
but when it starts to blow
up, it will look a lot like
00:37:53.13\00:37:56.74
the financial
crisis of late 2008,
00:37:56.77\00:37:58.97
meaning it will come on..."
00:37:59.01\00:38:00.38
What are the next two words?
00:38:00.41\00:38:02.28
"Very quickly..."
00:38:02.31\00:38:04.41
Very quickly.
00:38:04.45\00:38:06.45
Suddenly Jesus says
the trap will spring.
00:38:06.48\00:38:09.48
The final events
will be rapid ones,
00:38:09.52\00:38:11.45
very quickly.
00:38:11.49\00:38:12.82
Now notice the next line,
00:38:12.85\00:38:14.19
"It will be like a
fire that firefighters
00:38:14.22\00:38:15.56
can no longer control...
00:38:15.59\00:38:17.23
In fact, it will..."
00:38:17.26\00:38:18.59
I thought this
was rather unique.
00:38:18.63\00:38:19.96
"It will be a
once-in-history event."
00:38:20.00\00:38:24.97
Not lifetime,
once in history event.
00:38:25.00\00:38:29.04
The point is,
ladies and gentlemen,
00:38:29.07\00:38:30.41
we're poised on the razor edge
00:38:30.44\00:38:31.97
of an
unprecedented economic meltdown,
00:38:32.01\00:38:35.44
but you listen to
both political parties
00:38:35.48\00:38:37.41
who coincidently
both have concluded
00:38:37.45\00:38:39.61
their recent
presidential conventions.
00:38:39.65\00:38:41.28
And you would think that
00:38:41.32\00:38:42.65
with their
popular hero at the helm,
00:38:42.68\00:38:44.52
this baby can be turned around.
00:38:44.55\00:38:46.59
It's going to work someday,
it's called normalcy bias.
00:38:46.62\00:38:53.23
There are people high enough
00:38:53.26\00:38:54.60
and bright enough
to know the truth.
00:38:54.63\00:38:56.80
They're not going
00:38:56.83\00:38:58.17
to tell little
people like you and me
00:38:58.20\00:38:59.53
for fear of
creating some sort of panic.
00:38:59.57\00:39:03.67
And then it becomes a
self-fulfilling prophecy.
00:39:03.71\00:39:06.61
I'll tell you what's happening
00:39:06.64\00:39:07.98
with those two
presidential conventions,
00:39:08.01\00:39:09.91
they were simply
whistling past the graveyard.
00:39:09.94\00:39:15.25
Let's do a little bit of
sanctified dot connecting
00:39:15.28\00:39:17.42
for a moment to remind ourselves
00:39:17.45\00:39:18.89
why the economy is
such a critical bell
00:39:18.92\00:39:21.46
weather trend.
00:39:21.49\00:39:22.82
I'm going to give you six dots.
00:39:22.86\00:39:24.19
Watch how these six dots
can now connect, six dots,
00:39:24.23\00:39:27.03
they are in your study guide.
00:39:27.06\00:39:28.76
You brood over it later on,
you just write them down now.
00:39:28.80\00:39:31.27
Dot number one,
00:39:31.30\00:39:32.63
we will all accept
this dot, I'm certain.
00:39:32.67\00:39:34.84
Dot number one, our
national/global civil
00:39:34.87\00:39:38.01
and social infrastructure
00:39:38.04\00:39:39.47
depends on the
solvency of the economy.
00:39:39.51\00:39:42.44
Yes or no?
00:39:42.48\00:39:44.15
But of course, but of course,
00:39:44.18\00:39:46.72
it all depends on the
solvency of the economy.
00:39:46.75\00:39:48.65
That's dot one.
Let's go to dot number two.
00:39:48.68\00:39:51.12
Dot number two, if
the economy collapses,
00:39:51.15\00:39:54.36
then law and order
are likely to do the same.
00:39:54.39\00:39:59.89
Isn't that right?
00:39:59.93\00:40:01.86
Just look, rewind the video
00:40:01.90\00:40:03.23
to Hurricane
Katrina in New Orleans.
00:40:03.26\00:40:05.20
When the catastrophe
hit, law and order finished.
00:40:05.23\00:40:11.41
Just two months ago in
Athens, what are they doing?
00:40:11.44\00:40:14.28
They are rioting,
00:40:14.31\00:40:15.64
burning vehicles on the
streets of that ancient city.
00:40:15.68\00:40:18.01
Why?
00:40:18.05\00:40:19.38
Because once the
economy is insolvent,
00:40:19.41\00:40:21.65
you are
threatening my very survival
00:40:21.68\00:40:23.55
and the masses will rise up.
00:40:23.59\00:40:27.26
Dot number three, jot it down,
if law and order collapses,
00:40:27.29\00:40:31.23
then strident measures
will have to be enacted
00:40:31.26\00:40:34.03
in an attempt to restore it.
00:40:34.06\00:40:35.43
True or false? You have to.
00:40:35.46\00:40:37.97
If you don't, it's curtains
for the whole civilization.
00:40:38.00\00:40:42.00
Strident measures
will have to be enacted.
00:40:42.04\00:40:45.67
In fact, you have the
blogosphere right now,
00:40:45.71\00:40:49.11
going hot over the Patriot
Act and I've checked it out,
00:40:49.14\00:40:52.18
there really was a Patriot Act
00:40:52.21\00:40:53.55
and it really
does give the President
00:40:53.58\00:40:55.35
and the military police
powers over this nation.
00:40:55.38\00:41:00.42
It's been enacted, it's there.
00:41:00.46\00:41:05.86
Dot number four,
such drastic measures
00:41:05.89\00:41:08.86
undertaken in a time of crisis,
00:41:08.90\00:41:12.40
which will be
what will have be done,
00:41:12.43\00:41:15.24
but such drastic measures
00:41:15.27\00:41:16.60
open the door to the curtailing,
00:41:16.64\00:41:18.57
write it down,
of civil liberties.
00:41:18.61\00:41:22.64
You'll say, "Oh, Dwight,
you're just making it up."
00:41:22.68\00:41:24.21
No, I'm not.
00:41:24.25\00:41:25.68
September 11, we're coming up
00:41:25.71\00:41:27.05
to that anniversary in
just a few hours, aren't we?
00:41:27.08\00:41:28.48
September 11, 2001, 3 days
or 2 days after September 11,
00:41:28.52\00:41:32.55
South Ben Tribune, front page,
00:41:32.59\00:41:34.42
I still remember
reading the report,
00:41:34.46\00:41:36.52
a survey of Americans
found out that between 51,
00:41:36.56\00:41:40.76
I don't what the
number was, 51, 52,
00:41:40.80\00:41:42.13
53% of American
surveyed told the surveyors,
00:41:42.16\00:41:47.57
"I'm willing to yield
some of my civil liberties
00:41:47.60\00:41:51.64
for the sake of
personal and national security."
00:41:51.67\00:41:54.94
I'll let it go.
00:41:54.98\00:41:58.61
Let me tell you something,
in a crisis that will sweep
00:41:58.65\00:42:02.82
across the
cities of this nation,
00:42:02.85\00:42:05.49
will Americans be willing
to let go civil liberties
00:42:05.52\00:42:08.29
for the sake of security?
00:42:08.32\00:42:10.56
You bet.
00:42:10.59\00:42:11.93
Dot number five,
jot it down please.
00:42:11.96\00:42:13.96
If civil liberties are curtailed
00:42:14.00\00:42:15.96
for the sake of
national security,
00:42:16.00\00:42:17.60
then legislation
to enforce a public,
00:42:17.63\00:42:20.64
even religious act of
conformity becomes feasible.
00:42:20.67\00:42:24.94
Fascinating. Let me
share this with you.
00:42:28.68\00:42:30.81
Michael Barkun,
Professor of Social Science
00:42:30.85\00:42:32.88
at the University
of New York in Buffalo,
00:42:32.91\00:42:35.18
studied the effect disasters
can have on people's attitudes.
00:42:35.22\00:42:38.42
Now I'm indebted to
my friend, Marvin Moore,
00:42:38.45\00:42:39.95
who includes this
research in his book
00:42:39.99\00:42:41.39
Could It Really Happen?
00:42:41.42\00:42:42.76
I want to put Barkun's
words on the screen for you,
00:42:42.79\00:42:44.93
you'll fill them in.
00:42:44.96\00:42:46.29
"One of Barkun's most
significant conclusions
00:42:46.33\00:42:48.76
was that," Fascinating,
00:42:48.80\00:42:50.70
"look at this,
'Disaster creates conditions
00:42:50.73\00:42:53.13
peculiarly fitted
to the rapid alteration
00:42:53.17\00:42:56.37
of belief systems...'"
00:42:56.40\00:42:58.14
What I believe
before is now suddenly up
00:42:58.17\00:43:01.74
for grabs in the time
of a crisis or a disaster.
00:43:01.78\00:43:04.91
Isn't that amazing? Wow.
00:43:04.95\00:43:09.12
Keep reading.
00:43:09.15\00:43:10.49
"Belief system
00:43:10.52\00:43:11.85
which under nondisaster
conditions might be dismissed,
00:43:11.89\00:43:15.12
now receive
sympathetic consideration."
00:43:15.16\00:43:18.69
We would never do that,
00:43:18.73\00:43:20.30
we would never
do that in America,
00:43:20.33\00:43:22.73
but suddenly now the
conditions have changed
00:43:22.76\00:43:25.87
and what I never
would have done before,
00:43:25.90\00:43:28.00
I'm willing to do now.
00:43:28.04\00:43:31.87
Dot number six, if
some form, final dot,
00:43:31.91\00:43:35.74
if some form of
prescribed moral conformity
00:43:35.78\00:43:38.08
is made a legal mandate,
then the "great controversy"
00:43:38.11\00:43:41.25
scenario of Revelation 13
00:43:41.28\00:43:43.49
is suddenly now
00:43:43.52\00:43:45.49
very possible.
00:43:45.52\00:43:49.79
Ladies and gentlemen, six dots,
you can get there from here,
00:43:49.82\00:43:54.36
you can get
there from an economy
00:43:54.40\00:43:56.06
that is on the cliff
00:43:56.10\00:43:58.00
to the
fulfillment of Revelation 13.
00:43:58.03\00:44:00.14
Six dots, you can
get there in six dots.
00:44:00.17\00:44:05.04
Isn't that amazing?
00:44:05.07\00:44:08.34
Now wonder Paul was so adamant
00:44:08.38\00:44:10.48
that we live out
our divine destiny.
00:44:10.51\00:44:12.88
Read it again, one last time.
00:44:12.91\00:44:14.25
Pick it up in verse 4,
00:44:14.28\00:44:15.62
"But you,
brothers and sisters..."
00:44:15.65\00:44:16.99
This is 1 Thessalonians 5.
00:44:17.02\00:44:18.65
"But you, brothers and
sisters, are not in darkness
00:44:18.69\00:44:21.22
so that this day should surprise
00:44:21.26\00:44:22.79
you like a thief."
00:44:22.82\00:44:24.16
No, no, no, verse 5,
00:44:24.19\00:44:25.59
"You are children of the light,"
00:44:25.63\00:44:27.16
Do you know what it means
00:44:27.20\00:44:28.53
when it says
children of the light?
00:44:28.56\00:44:29.90
That means we're
children of Jesus.
00:44:29.93\00:44:31.53
Who's the light of the world?
00:44:31.57\00:44:32.90
Who's the light of
the world? It's Christ.
00:44:32.93\00:44:35.07
So when you are children of...
00:44:35.10\00:44:36.44
When I'm a child of the
light, I'm a child of Christ.
00:44:36.47\00:44:39.51
Paul's saying, "Hey,
guys, don't worry, don't worry,
00:44:39.54\00:44:41.81
we're all children of Christ."
00:44:41.84\00:44:44.65
"You are all
children of the light
00:44:44.68\00:44:46.01
and children of the day.
00:44:46.05\00:44:47.38
We do not belong to the
night or to the darkness.
00:44:47.42\00:44:49.18
So then," verse 6,
00:44:49.22\00:44:51.55
"let us not be like
others, who are asleep,
00:44:51.59\00:44:55.02
but let us be awake and sober."
00:44:55.06\00:44:59.63
Children of
Christ, let us be awake.
00:44:59.66\00:45:04.30
Ellen White, a century ago wrote
00:45:04.33\00:45:06.84
a one sentence prayer,
00:45:06.87\00:45:08.57
I've scribbled it in my Bible,
put it on the screen for you,
00:45:08.60\00:45:11.41
"God of heaven, wake us up!"
00:45:11.44\00:45:16.34
"God of heaven, wake us up!"
00:45:16.38\00:45:22.12
"God of heaven,
00:45:22.15\00:45:24.45
wake us up!"
00:45:24.49\00:45:27.99
That's the line to
tweet to the world by the way.
00:45:28.02\00:45:31.03
That's the line to
tweet to your little world,
00:45:31.06\00:45:34.46
"God of heaven, wake us up!"
00:45:34.50\00:45:40.04
Because the dark
night is rising faster
00:45:40.07\00:45:41.57
than we first imagined.
00:45:41.60\00:45:43.84
And we still have work to do,
00:45:43.87\00:45:45.44
we have lives to
prepare for Jesus,
00:45:45.47\00:45:47.01
we have people
to warn for Jesus,
00:45:47.04\00:45:48.81
we have a world
yet to reach for Jesus.
00:45:48.84\00:45:51.35
And we must reach this
world in this generation.
00:45:51.38\00:45:54.42
We do not have decades now.
00:45:54.45\00:45:57.85
We do not have
decades now, we have years.
00:45:57.89\00:46:02.02
Some of you have
only months left.
00:46:02.06\00:46:04.26
God of heaven,
00:46:07.33\00:46:09.70
wake us up now, please.
00:46:09.73\00:46:14.50
I want to conclude,
I told you last week.
00:46:14.54\00:46:15.87
Didn't I tell you last week,
00:46:15.90\00:46:17.24
I got an email at the
beginning of this summer
00:46:17.27\00:46:19.07
and then another one at the end.
00:46:19.11\00:46:20.84
Let me just end
now with that email
00:46:20.88\00:46:22.38
I got at the end of this
summer from a total stranger.
00:46:22.41\00:46:25.51
"Hello, Pastor,
I'll keep it short.
00:46:28.85\00:46:31.65
I'm 25, doing mission work
in Africa from Boise, Idaho,
00:46:31.69\00:46:37.46
preaching my first
evangelism campaign last month
00:46:37.49\00:46:39.76
in the DRC,"
00:46:39.79\00:46:41.13
The Democratic
Republic of the Congo,
00:46:41.16\00:46:43.80
"in the midst of 20,000
UN troops protecting Goma,"
00:46:43.83\00:46:47.50
the city where he is preaching,
00:46:47.54\00:46:48.87
"from a tax by a
huge rebel army."
00:46:48.90\00:46:51.04
How'd you like to be preaching
with the army ringing the city?
00:46:51.07\00:46:54.64
"Was with a team
of 19 other speakers,
00:46:54.68\00:46:56.51
thousands were baptized,
00:46:56.54\00:46:57.88
87 of my side will
be in Ghana in November
00:46:57.91\00:47:00.45
for another series with
a team of 44 other speakers
00:47:00.48\00:47:02.85
and I'm currently
in Rwanda doing work."
00:47:02.88\00:47:08.82
Turns out he's been listening
to the Pioneer podcasts.
00:47:08.86\00:47:11.89
"Two big things I've learned.
00:47:11.93\00:47:13.83
Number one, every Friday
night I pray for five people
00:47:13.86\00:47:16.20
who I know are either lost
00:47:16.23\00:47:17.57
or haven't completely discovered
00:47:17.60\00:47:18.93
the full Bible truth.
00:47:18.97\00:47:20.30
And number two,
00:47:20.34\00:47:21.67
I pray frequently to
have the heart of God
00:47:21.70\00:47:23.04
for this lost world,
00:47:23.07\00:47:24.41
also those teachings
have definitely reinforced
00:47:24.44\00:47:26.31
my desire above all else
00:47:26.34\00:47:27.68
that God's Spirit be poured out.
00:47:27.71\00:47:29.44
So we can tell the
world and go home."
00:47:29.48\00:47:31.85
So I wrote this
kid back, 25 years old,
00:47:31.88\00:47:34.12
never met him in my life.
00:47:34.15\00:47:35.85
I said, "How does a 25-year-old
American end up in Africa?"
00:47:35.88\00:47:40.86
He told me a story,
00:47:40.89\00:47:42.62
just printed the
email off yesterday.
00:47:42.66\00:47:46.33
He said, "It's now
impossible to express in words
00:47:46.36\00:47:49.03
how much this world
needs to hear about Jesus
00:47:49.06\00:47:51.17
and His soon-coming all
seven plus billion of them.
00:47:51.20\00:47:55.17
I got to hit hard
00:47:55.20\00:47:56.54
with this third
member of the Godhead,"
00:47:56.57\00:47:57.97
he means the Holy Spirit,
00:47:58.01\00:47:59.34
"on May 11 of this year
00:47:59.37\00:48:00.71
about 11:30 at
night was laying down on,"
00:48:00.74\00:48:02.91
I like this, "was laying down
00:48:02.94\00:48:04.28
on my comfortable couch
in my comfortable house,
00:48:04.31\00:48:06.75
in my comfortable neighborhood,
00:48:06.78\00:48:08.15
in comfortable Boise, Idaho,
00:48:08.18\00:48:10.05
when all of a
sudden I sat up quickly
00:48:10.09\00:48:11.52
and agreed in my
head to serve full time
00:48:11.55\00:48:14.06
as a life-long missionary.
00:48:14.09\00:48:16.39
If somebody would have told me
00:48:16.42\00:48:18.19
that was going to
happen 10 seconds beforehand,
00:48:18.23\00:48:20.46
I would have
grinned and gone back
00:48:20.50\00:48:21.90
into the comfortable mode.
00:48:21.93\00:48:24.20
Trying to describe
the event is difficult
00:48:24.23\00:48:25.60
but it was like a
comprehension bomb
00:48:25.63\00:48:27.27
exploded in my mind,
00:48:27.30\00:48:28.64
things in my
life flashed quickly,
00:48:28.67\00:48:30.54
my friends life,
00:48:30.57\00:48:31.91
my experiences in this
life all the same conclusion,
00:48:31.94\00:48:34.31
Jesus has to come soon
00:48:34.34\00:48:36.14
but we have work to
do to make it happen."
00:48:36.18\00:48:38.95
Turns out the
kid is a videographer
00:48:38.98\00:48:41.15
for NBC
television in Boise, Idaho.
00:48:41.18\00:48:43.55
He's been working for NBC
for five years and in May,
00:48:43.59\00:48:48.56
comprehension
bomb as he calls it.
00:48:48.59\00:48:50.93
Guess what he does?
00:48:50.96\00:48:52.29
Next prayer he tells
me, he sells his house
00:48:52.33\00:48:55.63
above what he was
asking for five days
00:48:55.66\00:48:58.60
before he got on that plane.
00:48:58.63\00:48:59.97
Sold everything he had except
for some clothes, laptop, iPod,
00:49:00.00\00:49:05.01
and a few other
miscellaneous items.
00:49:05.04\00:49:06.41
Look, as long as
you have your laptop
00:49:06.44\00:49:07.78
and iPod
00:49:07.81\00:49:09.14
you can go
anywhere on this planet.
00:49:09.18\00:49:11.48
Come on, you
know what generation
00:49:11.51\00:49:12.85
he is a part of, of course.
00:49:12.88\00:49:14.22
He said, "I sold everything else
00:49:14.25\00:49:15.58
but I got my laptop, and
iPod, and a plane ticket.
00:49:15.62\00:49:17.52
And I flew on July
17th," get this, "July 17th,
00:49:17.55\00:49:21.52
I found myself getting off
a plane in Africa on the way
00:49:21.56\00:49:24.33
to do something I've
never done before, preach.
00:49:24.36\00:49:29.06
Never had a desire to do
it, never wanted to do it.
00:49:29.10\00:49:32.27
And at 25 years old,
00:49:32.30\00:49:33.64
I felt too young
and inexperienced
00:49:33.67\00:49:35.27
but God blessed the meetings
00:49:35.30\00:49:36.64
though even in the
midst of a city of about
00:49:36.67\00:49:38.04
a million on the edge
00:49:38.07\00:49:39.41
because of the
intense fighting taking place
00:49:39.44\00:49:40.78
just a few
miles outside of town.
00:49:40.81\00:49:42.14
Every one of the meetings
00:49:42.18\00:49:43.51
was packed to the brim
over the course of two weeks.
00:49:43.55\00:49:45.35
The desire to
learn about the Bible
00:49:45.38\00:49:46.82
and Jesus was
powerful to witness.
00:49:46.85\00:49:50.52
I'll be here in
Africa for two years,
00:49:50.55\00:49:52.55
after that I don't know.
00:49:52.59\00:49:53.96
Personally, I wish
all 18 million of us
00:49:53.99\00:49:56.12
in the church,"
00:49:56.16\00:49:57.49
He's talking about
Seventh-day Adventist,
00:49:57.53\00:49:59.03
"I wish all of us
were full-time missionaries
00:49:59.06\00:50:01.50
at home or abroad.
00:50:01.53\00:50:02.93
There is just so much needed.
00:50:02.96\00:50:04.43
We'd have been home
yesterday if that was the case.
00:50:04.47\00:50:07.17
Man, I'm just so tired of seeing
00:50:07.20\00:50:09.84
what I'm seeing in this life."
00:50:09.87\00:50:12.97
I tell you what, I
get a letter like this,
00:50:13.01\00:50:15.08
the letter is burning
around the edges in my hand
00:50:15.11\00:50:18.45
after I printed off.
00:50:18.48\00:50:20.32
And something gets
ignited in my heart
00:50:20.35\00:50:22.95
and I pray this prayer,
"God of heaven, wake me up.
00:50:22.98\00:50:27.92
Wake me up."
Twenty five years old.
00:50:27.96\00:50:33.90
God of heaven, wake us up!
00:50:33.93\00:50:37.73
We've got lives
to prepare for Jesus.
00:50:37.77\00:50:40.34
We've people to warn for Jesus.
00:50:40.37\00:50:42.17
We've a world
to reach for Jesus.
00:50:42.20\00:50:44.34
God of heaven, wake us up!"
00:50:44.37\00:50:49.94
I pray.
00:50:49.98\00:50:53.48
Pull out your connect
card, will you please?
00:50:53.52\00:50:56.38
It's tucked away,
it looks like this.
00:50:56.42\00:50:57.75
It's in your worship bulletin.
I want to end with this.
00:50:57.79\00:51:02.72
A little connect card
00:51:02.76\00:51:04.09
because, brothers and
sisters of the Advent hope,
00:51:04.13\00:51:09.36
we can't come to
an end of a teaching
00:51:09.40\00:51:10.73
like this and just say,
00:51:10.77\00:51:12.10
"Oh, that's
great, I'm inspired now.
00:51:12.13\00:51:13.47
I'll just look
forward to Jesus coming."
00:51:13.50\00:51:14.84
There has to be a
next step we can take.
00:51:14.87\00:51:18.67
Last week, two stacks,
00:51:18.71\00:51:23.91
this high.
00:51:23.95\00:51:27.98
You're guest here
for the first time,
00:51:28.02\00:51:29.58
please take a
moment and fill this out.
00:51:29.62\00:51:31.62
Let's know how
you have found out
00:51:31.65\00:51:32.99
about this place.
00:51:33.02\00:51:35.79
You've been here a few
times in a row, that's great.
00:51:35.82\00:51:37.89
We consider you
part of the family.
00:51:37.93\00:51:40.90
Would you please
put your email address
00:51:40.93\00:51:42.56
on the front side of this card?
00:51:42.60\00:51:43.97
We got several email
addresses this last week
00:51:44.00\00:51:47.10
that we could not read.
00:51:47.14\00:51:49.00
We can't send you
what you are asking for,
00:51:49.04\00:51:50.57
this material that
you'll ask for here.
00:51:50.61\00:51:52.51
So please make
sure you allegedly write
00:51:52.54\00:51:53.88
your email address.
00:51:53.91\00:51:55.24
If you're not
sure it's readable,
00:51:55.28\00:51:56.95
go ahead and
include your cell phone,
00:51:56.98\00:51:58.31
so we can call to
ask you what it is.
00:51:58.35\00:52:00.35
Turn the card over,
it says, "My next step."
00:52:00.38\00:52:03.22
What's the next
step we take together?
00:52:03.25\00:52:06.02
We got to do something,
we can't just sit here,
00:52:06.05\00:52:07.82
and go home, and eat that
vegan cottage cheese loaf.
00:52:07.86\00:52:13.06
Number one, I will claim...
00:52:13.09\00:52:15.50
Oh, this is the one I
can put a checkmark by
00:52:15.53\00:52:17.93
and I'm sure you can too,
00:52:17.97\00:52:19.30
"I will claim the
three divine promises
00:52:19.33\00:52:21.20
for insight to
connect the dots and discern
00:52:21.24\00:52:24.57
the trends of this
end time generation."
00:52:24.61\00:52:27.08
You've been here long time,
you've been here short time,
00:52:27.11\00:52:29.01
it doesn't matter
but can you join me?
00:52:29.04\00:52:30.38
Can you put a
checkmark right there?
00:52:30.41\00:52:31.75
Why can't we? Of course.
00:52:31.78\00:52:33.11
I will claim
those three promises.
00:52:33.15\00:52:34.48
Hang on to that study guide,
00:52:34.52\00:52:35.85
you will have those promises
for the rest of your life.
00:52:35.88\00:52:37.89
Never lose them,
never, never lose them.
00:52:37.92\00:52:40.76
Number two, "I would join you,
Dwight, in praying the prayer,
00:52:40.79\00:52:43.43
'God, of heaven, wake me up!'"
00:52:43.46\00:52:46.63
Would you really?
00:52:46.66\00:52:48.00
Would you be
willing to ask Jesus
00:52:48.03\00:52:49.60
to just wake you up like
I'm willing to ask for me?
00:52:49.63\00:52:53.10
Put a checkmark
there. Jesus, wake me up."
00:52:53.13\00:52:56.37
And I'm putting it
here, box number three.
00:52:56.40\00:52:59.74
I would like information
about becoming a missionary
00:52:59.77\00:53:02.11
for Christ in this dark world.
00:53:02.14\00:53:04.58
Last Sabbath, a 146
of you checked that box.
00:53:04.61\00:53:10.15
A 146 people
sitting around you said,
00:53:10.19\00:53:14.19
"I want to be a missionary.
00:53:14.22\00:53:16.12
What do I need to know?"
00:53:16.16\00:53:18.39
You don't become a
missionary tomorrow,
00:53:18.43\00:53:19.76
we're not
shipping you on a plane,
00:53:19.79\00:53:21.53
but if you would
like more information
00:53:21.56\00:53:23.40
about how you can
become a missionary,
00:53:23.43\00:53:25.23
put a checkmark there.
00:53:25.27\00:53:26.60
Within 48 hours, we
will get information to you
00:53:26.63\00:53:30.14
and you can begin to
think and pray about it.
00:53:30.17\00:53:32.51
25 years old lying
on a comfortable couch
00:53:32.54\00:53:36.11
and he wakes up at 11:30
00:53:36.14\00:53:37.78
just like that and
his brain is saying,
00:53:37.81\00:53:39.98
"You're going to be
a missionary for me."
00:53:40.02\00:53:43.05
It can happen that way.
00:53:43.08\00:53:45.19
Sometimes it takes
longer as I just, kind of,
00:53:45.22\00:53:47.02
brood over the possibility.
00:53:47.06\00:53:48.72
Don't worry about how,
just make your life available.
00:53:48.76\00:53:51.23
Put a checkmark there
if you are interested.
00:53:51.26\00:53:52.99
If you're one of
the 146 from last week,
00:53:53.03\00:53:54.86
don't check it
again, you don't need to.
00:53:54.90\00:53:56.87
But we've added a
new one on the other box.
00:54:00.04\00:54:03.24
And so I need to
draw your attention to it.
00:54:03.27\00:54:07.38
"I'm interested in beginning
a relationship with Jesus."
00:54:07.41\00:54:10.91
Some of you who
are hearing material
00:54:10.95\00:54:12.28
for the first time, you say,
00:54:12.31\00:54:13.65
"I didn't know there
were any dots to connect.
00:54:13.68\00:54:15.02
I didn't know that
00:54:15.05\00:54:16.38
there is some kind
of normalcy bias here
00:54:16.42\00:54:17.75
that the world's
coming to an end.
00:54:17.79\00:54:19.12
I didn't know
that Jesus is the light
00:54:19.15\00:54:20.86
that I'm desperate for."
00:54:20.89\00:54:22.89
If your heart
right now is sensing,
00:54:22.92\00:54:25.59
you know what, boy,
00:54:25.63\00:54:26.96
you know what, girl,
I need that friendship.
00:54:27.00\00:54:29.60
And you would like to know how.
00:54:29.63\00:54:30.97
We'll send you
something through Cyberspace.
00:54:31.00\00:54:32.33
We're not going to
knock on your door,
00:54:32.37\00:54:33.70
just put a checkmark there.
00:54:33.74\00:54:35.07
Why not begin to
grow a friendship
00:54:35.10\00:54:38.11
with the one
who is soon to come?
00:54:38.14\00:54:39.47
Put a checkmark there.
00:54:39.51\00:54:40.84
"I want information on baptism."
00:54:40.88\00:54:42.21
Put a checkmark there,
00:54:42.24\00:54:43.58
nobody is going to
be baptized next week.
00:54:43.61\00:54:44.95
You haven't been
baptized? This is the year.
00:54:44.98\00:54:47.05
"Normalcy bias means
00:54:47.08\00:54:48.42
I have all kinds of
time, life goes on."
00:54:48.45\00:54:50.45
No, you don't
have all kinds of time,
00:54:50.49\00:54:52.22
this is the year
to make your decision
00:54:52.25\00:54:54.22
for the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:54:54.26\00:54:55.59
Put a checkmark there. We
will be in touch with you.
00:54:55.62\00:54:57.73
You take your time
00:54:57.76\00:54:59.09
but make the decision
now, don't put it off.
00:54:59.13\00:55:01.66
Don't put the decision off.
00:55:01.70\00:55:03.67
Now here's the one we're adding,
00:55:03.70\00:55:05.40
"I'd like to serve on
the prayer ministry team."
00:55:05.43\00:55:08.07
You know, both of these
emails from both young adults
00:55:08.10\00:55:11.57
talked about a renewed
sense of earnest praying,
00:55:11.61\00:55:16.88
earnest praying.
00:55:16.91\00:55:19.78
You want to
join the prayer team?
00:55:19.81\00:55:21.82
You want to be
strategic in your praying?
00:55:21.85\00:55:23.32
Put a checkmark there.
00:55:23.35\00:55:24.69
We'll send you an email,
00:55:24.72\00:55:26.05
we'll put you in
touch with the team.
00:55:26.09\00:55:29.42
"I would like to
join that prayer team.
00:55:29.46\00:55:32.09
I would like to intercede
on behalf of this world,
00:55:32.13\00:55:36.60
this campus, this congregation."
00:55:36.63\00:55:40.50
Put a checkmark there.
00:55:40.54\00:55:41.87
The ushers are going to
come in just a moment to receive
00:55:41.90\00:55:43.34
these along
00:55:43.37\00:55:44.71
with our morning
tithes and offerings.
00:55:44.74\00:55:47.01
But there's some life's...
00:55:47.04\00:55:48.38
Look at 146 last
week I didn't know,
00:55:48.41\00:55:50.38
their life-changing decision
is being made right now,
00:55:50.41\00:55:52.45
and I'd like to
pray over the decision
00:55:52.48\00:55:54.72
that you're
wrestling with as you decide
00:55:54.75\00:55:56.99
whether I put a
checkmark there or not.
00:55:57.02\00:55:58.62
That offering plate will be
by your side in just a moment.
00:55:58.65\00:56:01.52
But let me pray first,
00:56:01.56\00:56:03.46
and then we'll
receive your cards.
00:56:03.49\00:56:04.83
Oh, God...
00:56:04.86\00:56:07.46
Connecting the dots,
you can get there from here.
00:56:07.50\00:56:12.13
We never realized that
00:56:12.17\00:56:14.30
the actual conditions
today in a matter of dots,
00:56:14.34\00:56:19.07
how many other trends
00:56:19.11\00:56:22.31
are also connecting
00:56:22.34\00:56:25.55
to that same destination,
00:56:25.58\00:56:27.62
the return of the
Lord Jesus Christ.
00:56:27.65\00:56:30.65
Oh, Father,
children of the light,
00:56:30.69\00:56:32.72
children of the day,
00:56:32.75\00:56:34.76
shine that light
brightly into our minds.
00:56:34.79\00:56:37.99
Please let us know,
00:56:38.03\00:56:41.80
and then with that
light shining upon us,
00:56:41.83\00:56:43.93
send us out into this world.
00:56:43.97\00:56:45.53
If the world is
just a block away,
00:56:45.57\00:56:47.37
or 12 miles away,
00:56:47.40\00:56:49.27
or an ocean away,
send us out into the world
00:56:49.30\00:56:52.14
with the light
of the Lord Jesus,
00:56:52.17\00:56:56.24
shining our light for
the one who is soon to come.
00:56:56.28\00:57:01.05
Take our morning
tithes and offerings,
00:57:01.08\00:57:03.72
it isn't a lot but multiply
00:57:03.75\00:57:05.75
these gifts to permeate
00:57:05.79\00:57:09.96
Your light into
all this dark world.
00:57:09.99\00:57:12.26
We pray in Jesus name,
00:57:12.29\00:57:14.96
amen.
00:57:15.00\00:57:18.50
Living as you and
I are in this time
00:57:18.53\00:57:20.04
when the dark night is rising.
00:57:20.07\00:57:22.37
I believe it's
absolutely critical
00:57:22.40\00:57:24.04
that we prepare ourselves
for what's yet to come.
00:57:24.07\00:57:26.61
That's why I'm excited
about this little book.
00:57:26.64\00:57:28.88
You can see it,
On the Edge of Time,
00:57:28.91\00:57:31.28
preparing for the crisis ahead.
00:57:31.31\00:57:33.65
This is a short condensation
of that apocalyptic classic,
00:57:33.68\00:57:36.79
The Great Controversy.
00:57:36.82\00:57:38.32
And I'd love to
send this to you.
00:57:38.35\00:57:39.89
No charge, even
the phone call is free.
00:57:39.92\00:57:42.39
So jot this number
down. It's easy to remember.
00:57:42.42\00:57:44.46
Here's the number, 877,
00:57:44.49\00:57:45.83
that's all you have to remember,
00:57:45.86\00:57:47.20
877 plus two words,
00:57:47.23\00:57:48.83
HIS-WILL, 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:48.86\00:57:52.70
Our friendly
operators are standing
00:57:52.73\00:57:54.07
by to receive your order.
00:57:54.10\00:57:55.44
No cost to you.
00:57:55.47\00:57:56.81
I'm happy to send you
this gift copy of a book
00:57:56.84\00:57:58.47
that will stir your
mind and your heart,
00:57:58.51\00:58:00.88
I believe, to the core.
00:58:00.91\00:58:02.24
You'll never regret
reading the book for yourself.
00:58:02.28\00:58:05.28
So please call our
toll-free number 877-HIS-WILL.
00:58:05.31\00:58:09.42
And until we meet again
next time, God be with you.
00:58:09.45\00:58:12.49