¤¤
00:00:00.03\00:00:09.77
[ "Champion" begins ]
00:00:12.17\00:00:14.04
>> Let's hear
those parts. Do it again.
00:02:03.92\00:02:06.72
>> We're gonna
sing that one more time.
00:05:15.41\00:05:16.95
You are my champion.
00:05:16.95\00:05:18.81
[ "Authority" begins ]
00:06:14.04\00:06:15.90
This part is powerful.
00:09:24.09\00:09:25.96
Let's hear those voices.
00:09:54.29\00:09:56.16
Amen. You know, I'm
gonna read a Scripture to you.
00:11:26.72\00:11:34.16
I promise that I picked this
song before I found out what the
00:11:34.16\00:11:37.63
Scripture was. And you know,
that's how the Holy Spirit works
sometimes -- actually, I think,
00:11:37.63\00:11:41.46
all the time. He is so
intentional. So intentional that
He puts the right verses in the
00:11:41.46\00:11:47.10
right places at the right time
with the right people saying it.
I'm reading from the NLT,
00:11:47.10\00:11:53.84
New Living Translation. This is
from my Bible. I wanted to bring
00:11:53.84\00:11:58.65
my Bible this morning 'cause I
believe there's something
powerful when we read it from
00:11:58.65\00:12:02.75
our Bible that we talk to God
every morning with. So read with
00:12:02.75\00:12:07.99
me. Acts 1:6-8. "So when the
apostles were with Jesus, they
kept asking him, 'Lord, has the
00:12:07.99\00:12:14.73
time come for you to free Israel
and restore our kingdom?' He
replied, 'The Father alone
00:12:14.73\00:12:20.17
has the authority to set those
dates and times, and they are
not for you to know.
00:12:20.17\00:12:25.97
But you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit comes upon
00:12:25.97\00:12:30.75
you.'" That power of the Holy
Spirit. "'And you will be my
witnesses, telling people about
00:12:30.75\00:12:36.32
me everywhere -- in Jerusalem,
throughout Judea, in Samaria,
and to the ends of the
00:12:36.32\00:12:42.39
earth.'" My friends,
we're pretty far from Judea.
00:12:42.39\00:12:45.36
I'd say we're close to the end
of the earth compared to them.
Take that to heart as we sing
00:12:45.36\00:12:50.47
this next song -- "Not Yet
I But Through Christ In Me."
00:12:50.47\00:12:54.30
[ "Yet Not I But
Through Christ In Me" begins ]
00:12:54.30\00:12:57.54
With every breath.
00:16:08.76\00:16:10.63
¤¤ ¤¤ >> Nice work. Went well.
00:17:48.63\00:18:12.15
Thank you,
gentlemen. ¤¤ Let's talk to Him.
00:18:12.15\00:18:21.83
O God, that's quite -- quite the
testimony. We were singing it in
00:18:21.83\00:18:27.64
our hearts. "To this I
hold, my hope is only Jesus.
00:18:27.64\00:18:33.27
All the glory evermore to Him.
When the race is complete, still
my lips shall repeat,
00:18:33.27\00:18:41.75
'Yet not I, but through Christ
in me.'" "Yet not I, but through
00:18:41.75\00:18:50.86
Christ in me."
That's our prayer right now.
00:18:50.86\00:18:54.20
In Jesus' name. Amen.
00:18:54.20\00:19:00.04
What if I told you that angels
are showing up in the middle of
00:19:00.04\00:19:05.74
the night in dreams, alerting
the dreamer that Jesus is soon
00:19:05.74\00:19:13.42
to come? Would you believe it?
00:19:13.42\00:19:16.82
What if I told you that Jesus
Himself is showing up in the
00:19:16.82\00:19:22.59
middle of the night in the
middle of a dream and warning
00:19:22.59\00:19:28.13
the dreamer, "I'm coming soon"?
I have a group of friends who
00:19:28.13\00:19:34.84
have put a website together, and
on the home page of the website,
00:19:34.84\00:19:38.81
these words. "Have
you had dreams of a Man in
00:19:38.81\00:19:43.14
White? Did He
call you to follow Him?
00:19:43.14\00:19:46.08
Contact us about your dream. We
will help you." I could not
believe my eyes when
00:19:46.08\00:19:52.92
I saw the post after post after
post on that website of people
who have had that very dream,
00:19:52.92\00:20:01.30
as the they answered the
question, "Have you seen a Man
00:20:01.30\00:20:07.57
in White?" I got a handful
of them right here. Just three.
00:20:07.57\00:20:10.67
The names have been changed.
This goes back to the end of
November to the end of January.
00:20:10.67\00:20:15.88
They're coming in by the dozens
a day, hundreds over these last
00:20:15.88\00:20:22.05
three months. Here's one from --
we'll call him Hamad. "In my
dream I saw an angel
00:20:22.05\00:20:29.42
pointing me to see something
behind me. I turned my head.
00:20:29.42\00:20:32.99
I saw a cloud of angels, and in
the middle a man in white dress
sitting on a throne, His face
00:20:32.99\00:20:40.27
shining like the sun. He
told me, 'Be ready. I am coming
00:20:40.27\00:20:47.34
soon.' Then I woke up." Here's
one from a dreamer named Emir.
00:20:47.34\00:20:54.38
"I had a dream of a man in white
clothing, full of light. He
handed me a book with Arabic
00:20:54.38\00:21:00.46
words on the cover. He told me
to read it carefully because it
is important for my
00:21:00.46\00:21:05.33
life and future. I asked
Him why? He said, 'The day of
00:21:05.33\00:21:09.93
judgment is near. I am coming
soon. You need to be prepared
00:21:09.93\00:21:13.57
and help others too.' Then I
opened it and read, 'Fear Allah
and give Him glory.
00:21:13.57\00:21:18.94
The Day of Judgment is near,
and worship the Creator of all
00:21:18.94\00:21:23.31
things.'" If you recognize those
words, they're straight from the
00:21:23.31\00:21:26.98
Apocalypse. "Then I woke up. I
was so happy. I will not forget
00:21:26.98\00:21:30.85
these words. But what does this
dream mean?" Here's one more.
00:21:30.85\00:21:36.79
Abram. "I had a dream. I saw a
man sitting on throne. I saw
many angels worshiping Him
00:21:36.79\00:21:42.40
and singing, 'You are worthy
to have all the glory.'" What we
00:21:42.40\00:21:47.47
just sang. "Then the man looked
at me with a smile and said, 'Do
00:21:47.47\00:21:52.71
you believe in me? I am the
beginning and the end. I love
you so much. I want you to have
00:21:52.71\00:21:59.08
the best life.' Then I knelt
down in my dream, and I started
00:21:59.08\00:22:03.02
worshiping Him. He then touched
my head with His hand, and I saw
00:22:03.02\00:22:08.89
a scar. Then I woke up. Please,
can you help understand my
00:22:08.89\00:22:14.46
dream? Thank you." By the way,
every one of these posts, by the
00:22:14.46\00:22:20.57
hundreds, is answered by friends
of mine in either English or in
Arabic, the two languages with
00:22:20.57\00:22:26.21
which they come in, and a
correspondence is thus begun.
You surprised that angels would
00:22:26.21\00:22:32.21
be showing up in the middle of
the night in the middle of
dreams, warning that Jesus is
00:22:32.21\00:22:35.98
coming soon? Jesus Himself,
this man in white, showing up?
00:22:35.98\00:22:39.95
Are you surprised? You ought not
be. I mean, look at the Gospels.
00:22:39.95\00:22:44.83
Look at Acts. They're showing up
all the time. I mean, what do we
00:22:44.83\00:22:49.93
have? We have a pagan wife of
the Roman procurator. Pilate's
00:22:49.93\00:22:54.00
wife. "I saw a man in white
in my dream. Have nothing to do
00:22:54.00\00:22:57.91
with him." Hmm. We have a
pagan centurion named Cornelius.
00:22:57.91\00:23:01.88
An angel in white shows up. "You
will look for a man. Ask for
00:23:01.88\00:23:06.78
Peter. He's in the town of
Joppa. And here's the address."
00:23:06.78\00:23:12.19
Paul has a dream. An angel shows
up dressed like a Macedonian
across the water, saying, "Yo,
00:23:12.19\00:23:17.06
come over to Macedonia and help
us over here too." Angels.
They're everywhere.
00:23:17.06\00:23:22.76
Peter, Paul, the apostles.
Prison doors swing open. The
00:23:22.76\00:23:29.90
earth quakes. The jail
collapses. Hey, listen, so why
would it be surprising, then, if
00:23:29.90\00:23:39.61
angels are showing up in dreams
as we come closer and closer to
the return of Jesus?
00:23:39.61\00:23:47.32
Why wouldn't they show up?
"Yeah. I tell you what, Dwight.
00:23:47.32\00:23:54.83
I know what it is. It's
the devil. He's doing this."
00:23:54.83\00:23:58.87
You got to be kidding me?
The devil? Do you know what?
00:23:58.87\00:24:03.10
Why would the devil be sending
people to find Jesus so that
they can get saved?
00:24:03.10\00:24:07.48
That's absolutely ludicrous.
Jesus Himself said it -- "A
house divided against itself
00:24:07.48\00:24:12.71
cannot stand." No, no,
no, no. I believe the Bible.
00:24:12.71\00:24:17.32
Yes, I do. And I look at the
book of Hebrews, and here's a
00:24:17.32\00:24:20.66
line. Hebrews 1:14. "Are not
all angels ministering spirits?"
00:24:20.66\00:24:25.59
They're not wimpy little
wisps plucking at their musical
00:24:25.59\00:24:31.77
instruments. They are a militant
army, and this planet is engaged
in a life-and-death battle to
00:24:31.77\00:24:39.01
the last boy and girl alive.
"Are not all angels ministering
spirits sent to serve those who
00:24:39.01\00:24:48.28
will inherit salvation?" So last
night this was all done, we put
the PowerPoint together,
00:24:48.28\00:24:52.85
and I'm brooding over this. I'm
saying, "Wait a minute, wait a
minute, wait a minute."
00:24:52.85\00:24:57.96
If these angels are showing up
by the hundreds and thousands
all over this planet, you know
00:24:57.96\00:25:04.70
what that means? That means if
God wants to, just like that, He
00:25:04.70\00:25:10.17
can finish everything He
started." And then I remembered
a verse, and we just stuck this
00:25:10.17\00:25:15.38
slide in between services, and
I'm gonna put it on the screen
for you. I want you to find it
00:25:15.38\00:25:19.35
in your own Bible if you've
got your Bible with you. Romans
00:25:19.35\00:25:25.69
9:28. Everybody knows Romans
8:28 -- "All things work
together for good."
00:25:25.69\00:25:28.82
This is 9:28. Don't
you ever forget this verse.
00:25:28.82\00:25:31.19
Paul is making a point here.
"For the Lord will carry out his
sentence on earth with speed and
00:25:31.19\00:25:36.63
finality." Like that. The
old King James put it this
00:25:36.63\00:25:40.17
way -- "For God will
finish the work and it short in
00:25:40.17\00:25:43.97
righteousness." When God is
ready to go, it is over.
Suddenly people are having
00:25:43.97\00:25:49.98
dreams. The Islamic world -- one
billion people to be reached by
00:25:49.98\00:25:55.08
Christ in a hurry, and now
they're showing up. God isn't
00:25:55.08\00:26:00.92
just twiddling his thumbs. God
has an urgent mission, and I
can't believe He's invited you
00:26:00.92\00:26:06.66
and me to share that mission.
Can you believe it? Wow!
00:26:06.66\00:26:14.37
[ Snaps fingers ] Just like
that. Hey, listen, by the way,
00:26:14.37\00:26:18.67
my man, if you're playing around
right now, and you're saying, "I
00:26:18.67\00:26:22.54
got time. I'm just a teen. I'm
just a teen. I'm sitting up in
00:26:22.54\00:26:26.25
the balcony. I got time," I'm
telling you what. The time you
think you have, you
00:26:26.25\00:26:30.99
do not have. You do not have.
Just like that [Snaps fingers]
00:26:30.99\00:26:37.39
God could say, "Stop. It's over.
I know you waiting for some big
00:26:37.39\00:26:41.56
sign. It's over." We can't wait.
If you're playing around, it's
00:26:41.56\00:26:46.23
time to wake up. That's
what the dreams are telling me.
00:26:46.23\00:26:50.31
And I didn't have one of those
dreams, but there's a website
with hundreds of them.
00:26:50.31\00:26:54.71
Amazing, amazing. "Yeah,
well, Dwight, lookit, lookit.
00:26:54.71\00:26:58.75
This is God's mission, right,
and these are His messengers? So
why doesn't God just use His
00:26:58.75\00:27:02.45
messengers and finish the
work Himself?" Great idea.
00:27:02.45\00:27:04.75
We ought to ask Him. You know
what He would say? "Yo, yo, yo.
00:27:04.75\00:27:07.92
Thank you for that suggestion. I
might do it one day myself." But
let me tell you about
00:27:07.92\00:27:12.23
parents. In case you've never
been a parent yet, there isn't a
00:27:12.23\00:27:15.66
father alive who, when his
child, who is doing a chore with
Daddy, grabs that hammer and
00:27:15.66\00:27:20.04
says, "You know what, boy? You
know what, girl? You're making a
00:27:20.04\00:27:23.37
mess of this. Look at all these
hammer marks. Go play with your
own toys. I'll finish the
00:27:23.37\00:27:28.54
project myself." There isn't a
dad alive. My mother may not
need me, but my mother wants me.
00:27:28.54\00:27:32.55
Do you know why she wants me?
Because when we work together,
Mother and me, this is how it
00:27:32.55\00:27:37.59
happens. When a parent and
child work together, this is the
00:27:37.59\00:27:40.86
proximity, and it goes like
this, and it get tighter, and it
00:27:40.86\00:27:43.73
gets tighter. The more they do
together, the tighter the bond
gets. In that time of sharing,
00:27:43.73\00:27:49.00
there's passage of values.
There's sharing of a vision.
There's a vital life strategy
00:27:49.00\00:27:54.60
that is being communicated.
There is no way on earth and
under heaven the Father is ever
00:27:54.60\00:27:59.51
going to stop this mission
and say, "I'm just gonna do it
00:27:59.51\00:28:02.78
myself. You guys are wasting my
time." He will not do it as long
as you're alive and as long as
00:28:02.78\00:28:07.55
I'm alive. We have to be in
this mission. It's not for Him.
00:28:07.55\00:28:11.72
It's for you, it's for me.
Something is happening to us
when we work with Father.
00:28:11.72\00:28:19.03
Once upon a time, that man in
white was resurrected and showed
up that evening in the circle of
00:28:19.03\00:28:25.50
his closest friends on earth,
and He spoke words we have left
00:28:25.50\00:28:30.57
unquoted. He spoke words we have
seemingly ignored, but we can
ignore them no longer.
00:28:30.57\00:28:34.78
I want you to go back to
the Gospel of John, please. The
00:28:34.78\00:28:38.68
Gospel of John 20, where we have
been before. John 20. Take a
look at this moment
00:28:38.68\00:28:43.45
again. Now you're gonna see
the line that we've left out.
00:28:43.45\00:28:46.22
Now it's time.
Here we go. John 20:19.
00:28:46.22\00:28:52.03
I'll be in the NIV. "On the
evening of that first day of the
00:28:52.03\00:28:56.03
week, when the disciples were
together, with the doors locked
for fear of the Jewish leaders,
00:28:56.03\00:29:01.14
Jesus came" -- shoom!
He's there. "How'd you get in?"
00:29:01.14\00:29:04.47
"Jesus came and stood among them
and said" -- "Salaam." That's
how you say it in Arabic.
00:29:04.47\00:29:09.41
"Salaam." "Shalom" in Jewish.
"Peace be with you" in English.
00:29:09.41\00:29:15.72
And watch this -- "After He said
this" -- What does it say there?
00:29:15.72\00:29:21.62
What does He do? He shows them
his sides and His hands. Why is
00:29:21.62\00:29:25.26
He doing it? Because scars are
an I.D. marker. How many of
these posts you will
00:29:25.26\00:29:33.54
notice, the man had scars in his
hand. Why is He showing them His
00:29:33.54\00:29:38.94
hand? "He touched my head. I saw
the scar." Because it's
identifying who the
00:29:38.94\00:29:44.51
man in white is. You say,
"Oh, the devil could do that."
00:29:44.51\00:29:47.65
The devil can't do that. Can't
do that and then exude this
spirit of divine peace.
00:29:47.65\00:29:54.39
"I love you." You can't do that
in the devil. Devil hates you.
00:29:54.39\00:29:58.56
He can't even fake it to
you. Why does He show his scars?
00:29:58.56\00:30:05.70
Because, "It's me. You remember
me?" He shows them his scars,
and the disciples, "Now I got
00:30:05.70\00:30:11.24
it!" They're "overjoyed
when they saw the Lord." And now
00:30:11.24\00:30:14.94
Jesus again says, "Shalom.
Salaam." "'Peace be with you! As
the Father has sent me, I am
00:30:14.94\00:30:19.58
sending you.'" And we've stopped
it here every single time, but
00:30:19.58\00:30:24.05
today no longer. Here comes
verse 22. "And with that Jesus
00:30:24.05\00:30:28.89
breathed on them, and he said,
'Receive the'" what? "'Receive
00:30:28.89\00:30:34.56
the Holy Spirit.'" I imagine
Jesus going around the room.
He's just given them their life
00:30:34.56\00:30:38.50
commission. Myanmar,
America, it doesn't matter.
00:30:38.50\00:30:42.57
And Trudi, you're from Myanmar,
so this headline that we've been
tracking is a big deal, as you
00:30:42.57\00:30:48.51
mentioned, Don, in your prayer.
Jesus walks around the room.
00:30:48.51\00:30:53.31
"Yo, Matthew. Hey, Matthew, come
here. [ Exhales slowly ] Receive
00:30:53.31\00:31:00.46
my Spirit. James and John. Bros,
you're sitting together again.
00:31:00.46\00:31:03.86
[ Exhales slowly ] Receive
my Spirit. Peter, where are you?
00:31:03.86\00:31:08.66
Peter. [ Exhales slowly ]"
I imagine Him going around the
00:31:08.66\00:31:12.10
room. And what would you do if
Jesus suddenly materialized, as
00:31:12.10\00:31:15.10
he did in that upper room, right
now in front of you as you are
00:31:15.10\00:31:18.31
in worship in the Pioneer
Memorial Church on the campus of
Andrews University? Right now He
00:31:18.31\00:31:21.84
shows up. Would you receive it
if He said, "Hey, girl, boy. [
00:31:21.84\00:31:29.62
Exhales slowly ]"? Wouldn't you
love it? Boy, I would. Would you
00:31:29.62\00:31:33.62
drive Him away? "No, I don't
want You breathing on me. It's a
00:31:33.62\00:31:36.32
pandemic." [ Laughter ] He
wouldn't even wear a face mask
00:31:36.32\00:31:42.73
if He showed up. "No, breathe on
me. Breathe on me." There's an
old gospel hymn that
00:31:42.73\00:31:46.37
goes like this... ¤ Breathe on
me, breath of God ¤ Fill me with
00:31:46.37\00:31:52.71
life anew ¤ That I may love what
Thou dost love ¤ ¤ And do what
00:31:52.71\00:32:00.95
Thou wouldst do It's a beautiful
old prayer. I'm gonna put the
prayer on the screen with the
00:32:00.95\00:32:05.15
prayer that you will memorize
this prayer. Jesus has just
breathed on his disciples, and
00:32:05.15\00:32:09.92
He's willing to breathe on you
and me. There's that prayer now.
00:32:09.92\00:32:13.19
"Breathe Your Spirit on me
today." What would happen if
00:32:17.00\00:32:20.37
every day you and I prayed it?
I'm gonna tell you something. I
pray that prayer every day.
00:32:20.37\00:32:24.11
That's not because there's
something special about me. No,
it's because I need
00:32:24.11\00:32:28.58
something special in me. That's
why. I need Jesus in my every
00:32:28.58\00:32:32.55
single day of my life. >> Yes.
Amen. >> O Jesus, breathe on me
00:32:32.55\00:32:40.16
today. What would happen if
before we left that dormitory
room we were praying that
00:32:40.16\00:32:44.06
prayer, before we left the house
in the community, we were
praying that prayer? "Fill me
00:32:44.06\00:32:48.23
with the Holy Spirit today. I
don't know what's coming today.
00:32:48.23\00:32:50.83
I don't know it all, Jesus,
but breathe on me. Breathe your
00:32:50.83\00:32:55.10
Spirit on me." Why would he want
to breathe on you? Because we
have been entrusted
00:32:55.10\00:32:58.41
with a critical message. The
message is one line long. Now
the message comes in the
00:32:58.41\00:33:02.71
right place. No, it doesn't.
There you go. "The Maker of all
00:33:02.71\00:33:08.08
things" -- Read it out loud with
me. I don't know what's going on
up there, but don't worry about
00:33:08.08\00:33:10.72
it. Let's just do it right here.
"The Maker of all things" --
Read it out loud with me.
00:33:10.72\00:33:14.12
"The Maker of all things loves
and wants me." Do you know what,
00:33:14.12\00:33:17.56
ladies and gentlemen? That is
the truth about this Book,
that's the truth about the
00:33:17.56\00:33:20.80
God of this Book, that's the
truth about Jesus, that's the
truth about the angels.
00:33:20.80\00:33:24.37
Why are the angels showing up
all over this planet? Because
the Maker of all things
00:33:24.37\00:33:28.27
loves and wants me. That's why
they're showing up. They are
passionate to save as
00:33:28.27\00:33:33.54
many of the human race. Do
you understand? They love you.
00:33:33.54\00:33:39.68
Little ol' me. I got an angel
standing beside me right now.
00:33:39.68\00:33:44.79
Don't you laugh at that. I had
a lady who was once involved in
00:33:44.79\00:33:48.89
the occult come through line,
and she went to the back door
right there, and she said, "I
00:33:48.89\00:33:53.50
saw your angel standing beside
you as you preached." I said,
00:33:53.50\00:33:57.10
"No." She said, "I saw it. I saw
him." She had been so long in
00:33:57.10\00:34:02.60
the dark world that I think the
veil -- there's some way that
people have a certain proclivity
00:34:02.60\00:34:08.21
to pierce the veil. That's
no big deal. You got an angel
00:34:08.21\00:34:12.55
standing right beside you right
now. Why are the angels here?
Because the Maker of all things
00:34:12.55\00:34:17.49
loves and wants me, that's why.
Breathe on me, Jesus. Breathe on
00:34:17.49\00:34:21.82
me Your Spirit so that I won't
fuddle-duddle this message up.
00:34:21.82\00:34:25.46
It's so simple. The beauty of
this message is, if you'll
repeat that message to yourself
00:34:25.46\00:34:31.07
every day, you'd go out
exhilarated because you know
that the Maker of the universe
00:34:31.07\00:34:36.47
is in love with you. I'm not
talking about the kind of love
between a boy and a girl.
00:34:36.47\00:34:38.91
I'm talking about the deep kind
of love that a father has for
his children, that a mother has
00:34:38.91\00:34:42.28
for her child. It's that kind of
love. That's the kind of love.
00:34:42.28\00:34:46.55
That's why you were
born. He chose you to be born.
00:34:46.55\00:34:50.02
You're no accident. I
don't care what your parents
00:34:50.02\00:34:52.45
tell you. You are
no accident at all.
00:34:52.45\00:34:55.82
You're here because the Maker of
all things loves and wanted you,
00:34:55.82\00:34:59.66
and He got you. All
right, so why would we pray
00:34:59.66\00:35:02.40
this prayer? Because
we need the Holy Spirit.
00:35:02.40\00:35:04.93
Not only because we have a
critical message, but because we
00:35:04.93\00:35:08.14
have a compelling mission.
And what was that mission?
00:35:08.14\00:35:10.97
"Let me live in a house by the
side of the road and be a friend
00:35:10.97\00:35:15.88
to man." That's what Jesus did.
He just went around loving on
00:35:15.88\00:35:19.51
people. That's what He did.
He just kept loving on people.
00:35:19.51\00:35:22.18
That's why He built his house by
the side of the road, because
that's where human traffic is
00:35:22.18\00:35:26.42
the thickest. He loves being
around people. You can be as
00:35:26.42\00:35:31.36
introverted as you are, you can
be as introverted as I am. But
when you build your house by
00:35:31.36\00:35:35.96
the side of the road, you're
with people, and the Spirit that
is breathed into your life, that
00:35:35.96\00:35:43.34
Spirit energizes you, and you're
able to do what you never would
have thought you could do.
00:35:43.34\00:35:50.55
Little ol' you?
Introvert you? Yeah.
00:35:50.55\00:35:53.92
It works. The Spirit
is the one who does it.
00:35:53.92\00:36:00.69
"Let me live in a house by the
side of the road, and let me be
00:36:00.69\00:36:04.46
a friend to man." Because you
know what? You're never gonna
know if you're meeting somebody
00:36:04.46\00:36:08.53
who's on the verge of dying. I
don't know. That person
desperately needs a
00:36:08.53\00:36:11.97
friend. That person desperately
needs somebody to assure her, to
00:36:11.97\00:36:15.44
assure him the Maker of all
things loves and wants me. You
will only meet those people
00:36:15.44\00:36:19.91
in the trafficked thoroughfares
of life. Stay where the people
00:36:19.91\00:36:23.51
are. There's a tendency among
academics to hide in their
corners and to just live in
00:36:23.51\00:36:27.35
silence thinking great thoughts.
Those great thoughts still need
to be thought, but you need to
00:36:27.35\00:36:32.35
think them in the context of a
world swirling by, and your
students are that trafficked
00:36:32.35\00:36:37.26
world. You hang around those
students. You just hang around
00:36:37.26\00:36:40.73
them. You live with them.
They're your mission field. And
students, guess what.
00:36:40.73\00:36:48.27
The faculty can be your
mission field as well. Why?
00:36:48.27\00:36:53.11
Because they are people too. And
some days it is only the grace
of God that gives them
00:36:53.11\00:36:59.61
enough energy to stand in front
of you and do remote and live
00:36:59.61\00:37:05.29
simultaneously. Trust me. it's
the grace of God. We all need
each other. We need to be loved
00:37:05.29\00:37:11.06
on. That's why Jesus hung around
people. That's why he built his
00:37:11.06\00:37:14.20
house by the side of the road.
Because He wanted to love her,
00:37:14.20\00:37:18.10
to love him. I mean, lookit.
They didn't even know. Lookit,
they're climbing the
00:37:18.10\00:37:21.77
stairs together. They have
no idea what's gonna happen on
00:37:21.77\00:37:26.17
these stairs, but fortunately
for Peter, in the morning he
prayed the prayer, "Breathe on
00:37:26.17\00:37:31.25
me, O Jesus, Your Holy Spirit
today. Yes, you did it back in
00:37:31.25\00:37:34.38
the upper room. I was there.
You breathed on me. But Jesus, I
00:37:34.38\00:37:37.55
need it today and today and
today for the rest of my life."
Fortunately he prayed that
00:37:37.55\00:37:40.86
prayer, because the Holy Spirit
answered it. He said, "Yo, Pete.
00:37:40.86\00:37:43.86
You're going up these stairs. I
think today would be a great day
00:37:43.86\00:37:47.46
for a miracle. You see that guy
up there? Let's do it. Hmm? You
00:37:47.46\00:37:51.40
okay with that?" And in one
[Snaps fingers] strong
impression, Peter now knows what
00:37:51.40\00:37:57.17
the Holy Spirit has commanded
him to do. And as he and John
are climbing the stairs
00:37:57.17\00:38:01.94
together, he stops. "Stop, John.
Yo, lame man, born lame by the
00:38:01.94\00:38:10.05
gate beautiful. Look at us. We
have no silver and no gold. But
what I have to you, I give
00:38:10.05\00:38:17.63
to you now in the name of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth. Get up and
00:38:17.63\00:38:24.83
walk!" And that big old
fisherman's hand goes down and
grabs that bony wrist, and the
00:38:24.83\00:38:30.47
man explodes. Legs -- vegetables
all his life -- are now strong.
00:38:30.47\00:38:37.08
Hey, that wasn't Peter pulling
that off. Don't you go around
00:38:37.08\00:38:40.52
thinking Peter. That was
the Holy Spirit. He prayed that
00:38:40.52\00:38:43.35
prayer at the beginning of the
day, and the Holy Spirit says,
00:38:43.35\00:38:46.05
"Today's the day." I want to
tell you something, my young
friend -- or not-so-young friend
00:38:46.05\00:38:49.62
-- the day is coming. Mark my
words. The day is coming when
you will hear that same mighty
00:38:49.62\00:38:53.56
third person of the Godhead
speak, and you will recognize
His voice, and I'm telling you,
00:38:53.56\00:38:58.30
once you start listening to the
Holy Spirit, you will never
forget the sound of His voice
00:38:58.30\00:39:02.60
again. Trust me. You
will hear His voice, and He
00:39:02.60\00:39:06.57
will give a command that will
startle you out of your sandals.
And He'll say, "This is the
00:39:06.57\00:39:13.82
moment. I want you to do
it [Snaps fingers] right now.
00:39:13.82\00:39:17.25
Say it." "I'm not
gonna say it. Not to Him.
00:39:17.25\00:39:21.26
Please." "Say it." I
don't know what it will be.
00:39:21.26\00:39:25.99
It may be one day He'll say, "I
think it's time for a miracle.
Do you mind asking?
00:39:25.99\00:39:33.07
Let's pray." And you
do. And a miracle occurs.
00:39:33.07\00:39:38.47
The day is coming when you'll be
that strategic. You're strategic
00:39:38.47\00:39:42.78
now. You just don't need the big
guns now. The angels will show
00:39:42.78\00:39:48.32
up when they want in the dream.
You need to just show and love.
Just show up and love on them.
00:39:48.32\00:39:55.52
Oh. Remember that line,
we shared it a few days ago?
00:39:55.52\00:40:04.53
"Jesus, breathe Your Spirit on
me today." Boy, that prayer, you
00:40:04.53\00:40:08.27
just pray it every day. But
here's the line. Here's with it
00:40:08.27\00:40:13.38
all restored. "As the Father has
sent Me, I am sending you --
receive the Holy Spirit."
00:40:13.38\00:40:20.95
So pray the prayer. This classic
on Jesus's parables, "Christ's
00:40:20.95\00:40:26.49
Object Lessons." You remember
the line. "The last rays of
00:40:26.49\00:40:29.46
merciful light, the last message
of mercy to be given to the
world, is a revelation of His
00:40:29.46\00:40:33.43
character of love." The
last message, the last message.
00:40:33.43\00:40:36.10
You know how the message will
be delivered? It's you loving on
00:40:36.10\00:40:39.43
people. It's you loving on
people, the message will be
00:40:39.43\00:40:42.97
communicated. But I promise you,
just sentences away from this, a
little further in that same
00:40:42.97\00:40:47.41
closing chapter, just a little
further, here comes this line.
"It is the love of God
00:40:47.41\00:40:52.05
continually transferred to [you
and me] that enables [us] to
00:40:52.05\00:40:56.15
impart light." When the love of
God is poured into you, you
suddenly have light.
00:40:56.15\00:40:59.52
I don't know how it works. But
people know when they see you,
"That guy knows what he's
00:40:59.52\00:41:05.16
talking about. Look at him."
People know when they hear you,
00:41:05.16\00:41:09.10
"That girl knows what she's
talking about. Look at her."
00:41:09.10\00:41:12.77
You can't see a bloomin' thing.
It just likes little old you.
But when the love of God is
00:41:12.77\00:41:19.11
poured out into your heart,
suddenly you now transfer light
to those around you.
00:41:19.11\00:41:25.01
Now keep reading. Here's
the next line. "In the great and
00:41:25.01\00:41:30.55
measureless gift of the Holy
Spirit are contained all of
heaven's resources."
00:41:30.55\00:41:36.93
You know what that's telling
you? You know what that's
00:41:36.93\00:41:39.89
telling me? "Hey, you got it all
right here. Everything you need
to be on my mission, I got it
00:41:39.89\00:41:48.37
for you." So, what do you need?
You say, "Well, listen, I could
use a little courage."
00:41:48.37\00:41:52.27
Oh, good, just ask Him.
Boom! You'll get it. He has the
00:41:52.27\00:41:56.41
courage you need. What do you
need? "I need money." "Are you
00:41:56.41\00:41:58.71
serious? Is this money that
you're gonna spend on yourself?"
00:41:58.71\00:42:01.12
"No. I need this to help
somebody else." He'll give you
00:42:01.12\00:42:06.35
that money. You're standing in
front of somebody, and you're
saying, "I could never -- I
00:42:06.35\00:42:10.09
could never -- not to this
person. I could never even bring
00:42:10.09\00:42:12.49
this up." In that moment, you
ask for wisdom. Luke 12:11-12.
00:42:12.49\00:42:19.20
William, from the NLT. It's
really powerful in the NLT.
Jesus says, "While you are
00:42:19.20\00:42:24.01
standing there, the Spirit of
my Father will give you what to
00:42:24.01\00:42:28.78
say." "While you are standing
there." There's nothing He
doesn't have for you.
00:42:28.78\00:42:33.11
Do you know He wants you to
succeed? Do you understand every
00:42:33.11\00:42:36.75
gift He has is for you? Who's He
supposed to give it to? The rest
00:42:36.75\00:42:40.66
of the universe? No, these are
gifts for His Earth's children.
00:42:40.66\00:42:45.03
He has a gift. Every day, just
keep asking Him. Keep asking
Him. "I need that gift.
00:42:45.03\00:42:48.30
Today I need another gift." Go
ahead and ask Him. "Keep asking
00:42:48.30\00:42:51.87
me," Jesus says. "Seek and you
will find. Knock and it will be
00:42:51.87\00:42:55.10
opened unto you. Just keep
asking me." O Jesus, breathe on
me. Breathe Your Holy Spirit on
00:42:55.10\00:43:02.41
me today. That one gift
brings every other gift with it.
00:43:02.41\00:43:06.21
That's not a bad prayer to pray.
And when you need the other
00:43:06.21\00:43:09.58
gift? I was doing it just a
moment ago. I said, "I really
00:43:09.58\00:43:12.92
need this gift." [ Snaps fingers
] He said, "Dwight, glad you
00:43:12.92\00:43:15.99
asked. I thought you were gonna
get up and preach this whole
00:43:15.99\00:43:18.29
thing and not ask." And just
like that, I'm telling you, I
00:43:18.29\00:43:25.07
said, "Wow. This stuff
is true." And it is. Ahh.
00:43:25.07\00:43:37.21
I'm gonna tell you a story.
Every gift that you need is
offered you in the gift of the
00:43:37.21\00:43:48.99
Holy Spirit, but I need you
to know that the news is even
00:43:48.99\00:43:55.16
better than that. When you offer
God your life to be in service,
to be "on mission" for Him,
00:43:55.16\00:44:01.24
there's a bonus gift, I promise
you, there is a bonus gift, and
I'm gonna tell you about that
00:44:01.24\00:44:07.88
gift right now. Because you've
probably heard the story about
00:44:07.88\00:44:10.81
the cowboy out West. He's stuck
in one of those sudden winter
00:44:10.81\00:44:17.59
blizzards. He's riding his
mount. He's clinging to that
thick neck for his life.
00:44:17.59\00:44:23.53
And it feels like he's dying.
That cutting wind slices like a
00:44:23.53\00:44:29.83
knife. Pieces of his ear, it
feels like piece by piece
they're being torn off.
00:44:29.83\00:44:34.17
His appendages, even covered in
leather as they are, seem like
knuckle by knuckle they are
00:44:34.17\00:44:39.74
disappearing. He knows
that he is about to die.
00:44:39.74\00:44:43.41
He is about to freeze to death.
And the shriek of that blizzard.
And he hugs that faithful
00:44:43.41\00:44:54.69
stallion's neck, and blindly
they proceed into this whiteout,
when suddenly in the pale light
00:44:54.69\00:45:02.93
of a whiteout, he sees something
dark just ahead of him, lying
00:45:02.93\00:45:10.87
across the trail. He jumps from
his mount. He wades through the
drifts. And he looks down.
00:45:10.87\00:45:18.65
It's the corpse of another
traveler. Couldn't make it to
00:45:18.65\00:45:27.19
shelter. Dead. But instinctively
the cowboy drops to his knees,
00:45:27.19\00:45:32.06
throwing off his leathers, he
reaches down. Is there any flesh
here? The cold neck he feels.
00:45:32.06\00:45:37.27
Is there any pulse? Is there any
pulse? And finally, faintly, a
00:45:37.27\00:45:43.74
weak, slow [Imitates heartbeat]
And now, moving into adrenaline
emergency mode, he throws
00:45:43.74\00:45:50.98
everything off, and he goes to
work on this corpse, every
appendage -- the arms, the
00:45:50.98\00:45:57.02
chest, the neck, the face.
Slapping the face. "Wake up!
00:45:57.02\00:46:01.16
Wake up! You're gonna make it!
You're gonna make it!" But the
00:46:01.16\00:46:07.36
man is dead. If only there were
a stand of trees. He just needs
00:46:07.36\00:46:12.70
a shelter to cut out this killer
wind and sandblasting snow. So
he picks up that body.
00:46:12.70\00:46:19.84
He hoists it. He hoists
the body, throws it over his
00:46:19.84\00:46:24.95
shoulder, stumbles back to his
mount, to the horse, and he
rolls the traveler over on that
00:46:24.95\00:46:30.45
horse. He gets up beside the
traveler. He's trying to keep
him -- he's slapping him.
00:46:30.45\00:46:34.06
He's talking to him. He's
doing everything. He needs some
00:46:34.06\00:46:38.76
shelter, some stand, and through
the snow they plod. And there's
00:46:38.76\00:46:45.23
a stand. Reverses everything,
jumps off the horse, grabs that
body, hoists it over his strong
00:46:45.23\00:46:50.81
shoulders, and the cowboy, now
wading through drifts, heads to
the lifesaving stand of trees.
00:46:50.81\00:46:58.51
Drops the body to the
ground. Back to the saddle.
00:46:58.51\00:47:02.58
Unties his buffalo-skin cover.
And he wraps that body, keeping
00:47:02.58\00:47:08.22
open where he can keep
massaging, massaging the chest,
00:47:08.22\00:47:12.49
slapping the
cheeks, moving the hands.
00:47:12.49\00:47:16.10
"Breathe!
Breathe! You can make it!
00:47:16.10\00:47:19.40
I have to have a fire."
His fingers numb, he goes into
00:47:19.40\00:47:22.97
his leather bag. He's
looking for kindling, some
00:47:22.97\00:47:26.01
flint, something so that
he might start -- Sure enough,
00:47:26.01\00:47:29.04
underneath the snow
dropped dead pine needles.
00:47:29.04\00:47:31.78
He ignites the pine needles,
finding everything nearby that
00:47:31.78\00:47:34.78
he can. He
tends the fire, and he
00:47:34.78\00:47:36.72
returns to the man. The cowboy
now is sweating, the adrenaline
00:47:36.72\00:47:46.83
is so high. He grabs his little
tin pan, puts it now on the
fire. He melts the snow.
00:47:46.83\00:47:50.83
the snow turns to cold water,
then it turns to warm water. And
he takes a cup of that warm
00:47:50.83\00:47:55.97
water, and he goes up to the
dead traveler with the cracked,
frozen lips, and he said, "Drink
00:47:55.97\00:48:01.08
this, drink this, drink this."
And you guessed it. Both of them
survived that awful
00:48:01.08\00:48:09.35
night in that terrible storm.
You know why? Because one
traveler came across
00:48:09.35\00:48:21.73
another traveler who was dying
and dropped everything he did to
save this traveler.
00:48:21.73\00:48:31.74
And in the energy he expended to
save this traveler, he ended up
00:48:31.74\00:48:39.98
saving himself. I'm telling you,
that's the bonus gift. You
didn't know this, but
00:48:39.98\00:48:46.25
John 20:21 was placed in order
to save you and me. It's not to
save the world, it's
00:48:46.25\00:48:53.33
to save you and me. Because when
you and I are involved in
mission and suddenly
00:48:53.33\00:48:58.37
now we love on people that we
never loved on before, we care
for people we never cared for
00:48:58.37\00:49:04.11
before, in that moment when we
begin to focus our energies on
saving this life, we get saved
00:49:04.11\00:49:09.88
in the process. In the words of
Flannery O'Connor, the American
00:49:09.88\00:49:17.65
short-story writer, as she put
it, "The life you save may be
00:49:17.65\00:49:27.23
your own." I'm telling you the
truth. That's the bonus, when
00:49:27.23\00:49:34.64
you do this. It's
your life. O God. Man.
00:49:34.64\00:49:44.55
Show us. When we pray this
prayer, dear Father, dear Jesus,
00:49:44.55\00:49:53.02
breathe the Holy Spirit on us.
We were never meant to do this
00:49:53.02\00:49:58.93
alone. We don't have to do it
alone. We have the God of the
universe, our closest friend,
00:49:58.93\00:50:06.90
who'll do it through us. Send us
to those travelers. They're
down, but they're not
00:50:06.90\00:50:12.91
out. They're Yours, and
we claim them for ourselves.
00:50:12.91\00:50:18.51
Use us any way You wish. We pray
in the name of the Maker of all
things, who loves and
00:50:18.51\00:50:28.09
wants us, loves and
wants the whole world. Amen.
00:50:28.09\00:50:35.50
I want you to go to the Connect
Card, please. If you guys up
00:50:35.50\00:50:40.00
there would change it for me,
that would be great. All right,
pmchurch.org/connect.
00:50:40.00\00:50:45.21
"My Next Step Today." It's a
beautiful next step, so let's
00:50:45.21\00:50:48.91
put those up. Number one, "I
choose to pray it each day -- "O
Jesus, breathe Your Spirit on me
00:50:48.91\00:50:53.75
today." You're not promising me
anything, but you can say,
"Jesus, by Your grace, wake me
00:50:53.75\00:50:57.75
up" with that prayer. Every day,
please. Box number two -- "If
00:50:57.75\00:51:02.06
the Holy Spirit offers 'all of
of heaven's resources,' then I
want to begin asking for gifts
00:51:02.06\00:51:07.20
that will strengthen my mission
for Jesus." And by the way, if
00:51:07.20\00:51:10.80
you want to know what those
gifts are, there are dozens of
them. Just read the book of Acts
00:51:10.80\00:51:14.50
through, and you'll see gifts,
and one of those gifts may jump
off the page to you, and that's
00:51:14.50\00:51:19.07
the Holy Spirit saying, "Why
don't you ask for this one? I
see you and this one being a
00:51:19.07\00:51:23.35
good fit." Why
not? Ask for the gifts.
00:51:23.35\00:51:26.58
There's a storehouse in heaven,
and there's a box on it with
00:51:26.58\00:51:30.75
your name. But until you ask,
nobody's gonna crash your party.
You have to ask for the gift.
00:51:30.75\00:51:36.16
You'll get it. And ask
for another one tomorrow.
00:51:36.16\00:51:39.23
And just keep asking until Jesus
comes. And let's go to the next
00:51:39.23\00:51:44.10
box. "I want to know more about
being sent by Jesus and becoming
a student missionary."
00:51:44.10\00:51:48.07
I heard from Teela over in the
Center for Faith Engagement, and
she said, "Hey, Dwight, if
00:51:48.07\00:51:54.04
you're gonna make an appeal,
would you ask students to
consider becoming a student
00:51:54.04\00:51:58.98
missionary next year?" She says,
"People think that because of
00:51:58.98\00:52:02.92
the pandemic, this whole thing
is off." No, it's not off. You
can build your house by the
00:52:02.92\00:52:06.02
side of the road in any country
on this planet right now.
They'll let you in.
00:52:06.02\00:52:09.76
You may have to be masked, but
who cares? They still need love.
00:52:09.76\00:52:14.83
You can go where Jesus sends
you. "As the Father sent me, I'm
00:52:14.83\00:52:17.77
sending you." You want to
know about what to do, call CFE.
00:52:17.77\00:52:21.60
Get ahold of Teela and say,
"Hey, listen." But if you put a
00:52:21.60\00:52:26.01
check mark here, here's the
deal. If you put a check mark
right here, add your e-mail
00:52:26.01\00:52:30.11
address. Please include your
e-mail address. We'll send all
00:52:30.11\00:52:32.98
of the names over to Teela, and
she'll be in touch with you, and
she'll let you know -- you're
00:52:32.98\00:52:36.75
not committing to anything.
You're just saying, "I'm curious
00:52:36.75\00:52:39.12
about this. Send me more
information," and they'll send
you more information.
00:52:39.12\00:52:41.89
And finally, box number four --
"I'd like to follow Jesus in
baptism by water and the
00:52:41.89\00:52:45.69
Spirit." Jesus said you want to
get into the Kingdom of Heaven,
00:52:45.69\00:52:49.53
you got to be baptized by water
and the Spirit. You need both.
00:52:49.53\00:52:53.00
You say, "I've already
been baptized by water." Good.
00:52:53.00\00:52:55.40
Well, then, you're praying
the prayer every day. "O Jesus,
00:52:55.40\00:52:59.07
breathe on me Your Holy Spirit
today." But if you haven't been
baptized by water yet -- and
00:52:59.07\00:53:03.14
we're getting requests every
single week. God bless you.
00:53:03.14\00:53:05.81
You can be baptized
during a pandemic. Trust me.
00:53:05.81\00:53:08.48
You can be baptized during a
pandemic. It'll be a beautiful
00:53:08.48\00:53:12.42
experience. If you'd like to be
baptized, just put a check mark
there, and we'll be in touch
00:53:12.42\00:53:16.26
with you. Singers, I love the
song that you've chosen to end
our teaching this morning.
00:53:16.26\00:53:22.03
"Rescue the
Perishing." Thanks for doing it.
00:53:22.03\00:53:26.23
[ "Rescue the
Perishing" begins ]
00:53:26.23\00:53:29.97
>> Before you go, let me take an
extra moment to share with you
00:56:55.91\00:56:58.88
an opportunity to get into
the Bible in a fresh, new way.
00:56:58.88\00:57:01.65
All across the world, more and
more people are hearing the call
00:57:01.65\00:57:04.65
to examine
Scriptures for themselves.
00:57:04.65\00:57:06.59
If you've felt drawn to learn
more about God's Word, but you
00:57:06.59\00:57:09.39
don't know where to start or
you're just looking for a more
00:57:09.39\00:57:12.19
in-depth examination of Bible
truths, then I have something
00:57:12.19\00:57:14.93
right here that I
believe you're gonna enjoy.
00:57:14.93\00:57:17.13
I want to send a series
of guides to get you started.
00:57:17.13\00:57:19.73
This one's entitled "Why
Does God Allow Suffering?"
00:57:19.73\00:57:22.50
Each guide begins with a story,
an introduction of the subject.
00:57:22.50\00:57:25.54
Then, through a series of focus
questions, you'll be learning
00:57:25.54\00:57:28.31
portions of the Bible you
may never have known before.
00:57:28.31\00:57:30.78
And when you're through, you'll
be able to share with others
00:57:30.78\00:57:33.48
some of these
inspiring Bible truths.
00:57:33.48\00:57:35.28
Just call our toll-free
number. It's on the screen.
00:57:35.28\00:57:37.42
877, the two words "His will."
Friendly operators are standing
00:57:37.42\00:57:41.86
by to send these
study guides to you.
00:57:41.86\00:57:43.59
Once again, that's 877-HIS-WILL.
Call that number, and then
00:57:43.59\00:57:48.90
again join me next week
right here at this same time.
00:57:48.90\00:57:53.00
"New Perceptions."
00:57:53.00\00:57:54.10
¤¤ ¤¤
00:57:58.34\00:58:17.13
¤¤
00:58:17.13\00:58:26.27