Participants: Jenny Tillay & Wilbur Atwood
Series Code: OTR
Program Code: OTR000750
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01:00 God is love,
01:02 and He loves to give good gifts to His children. 01:07 Equally He loves to give good gifts to parents. 01:11 Our first speaker today 01:13 is a wonderful gift 01:15 to each of us in the ASI family and that's Jenny Tillay. 01:19 Several years ago, 01:20 the ASI family gave me the undeserved privilege 01:23 of serving and falling in love with their children. 01:26 One of them was Jenny 01:28 and other was her brother, little John John. 01:31 We met little John John last night. 01:34 Today, we're gonna be blessed as Jenny shares with us 01:39 the thoughts 01:42 and the desires that God has put on her heart. 01:45 And we want to thank Mike and Colleen 01:48 for sharing their children with the ASI family. 01:52 They made the gift she brings today, 01:54 be for each of us. 01:57 About 28 years ago, a young man visited 02:00 a small fledgling supporting ministry 02:05 in a Sabbath morning. 02:07 And when it was time for Sabbath School, 02:10 a group left a little chapel 02:13 and gathered around the bed of the leader of that ministry. 02:17 And this man taught Sabbath School 02:19 from his bed. 02:21 And that young man was so drawn and so impressed 02:24 by what was shared from God's word that day 02:29 that he joined that ministry, 02:31 and for the next 28 years served supporting ministries 02:35 around the world. 02:38 It was put in his heart 02:39 through the leader of that ministry to enter in 02:42 to sacrificial service for Jesus. 02:45 Well, that young man was myself 02:47 and that leader was Wilbur Atwood. 02:50 And the Lord has used Brother Atwood 02:52 to inspire young people by the hundreds into ministry, 02:57 into service for Him. 02:59 And around the world today, 03:01 there's memorials 03:04 to the sacrifice and the commitment 03:07 made by Brother Atwood. 03:09 And I'm sure the gift that awaits is great 03:14 that our hearts will be warmed 03:17 as God speaks through these two today. 03:33 Jesus wants me for a sunbeam 03:37 To shine for Him each day 03:41 In every way try to please Him 03:44 At home, at school, at play 03:47 A sunbeam, a sunbeam 03:51 Jesus wants me for a sunbeam 03:55 A sunbeam, a sunbeam 03:58 I'll be a sunbeam for Him 04:02 Jesus wants you for a sunbeam 04:06 To shine for Him each day 04:09 In every way try to please Him 04:13 At home, at work, at play 04:16 A sunbeam, a sunbeam 04:20 Jesus wants you for a sunbeam 04:23 A sunbeam, a sunbeam 04:27 Will you be a sunbeam for Him? 04:31 I'll be a sunbeam for Him 04:34 Let's all be a sunbeam for Him 04:39 This Little Light Of Mine 04:45 I'm gonna let it shine 04:50 This Little Light Of Mine 04:54 I'm gonna let it shine 04:59 This Little Light Of Mine 05:03 I'm gonna let it shine 05:07 Let it shine, let it shine 05:12 Let it shine 05:16 Let it shine, let it shine, 05:21 Let it shine 05:29 Light of the world, 05:33 Living in me 05:36 Shine through the darkness 05:40 For all to see 05:43 Light of the world, 05:47 Lighting the way 05:50 Shine on, Jesus, I pray 05:58 Shine on, Jesus, 06:01 Shine through me I pray 06:05 Shine on, Jesus, 06:08 Shine through me each day 06:12 In all that I do, 06:15 In all that I say 06:19 Shine on, Jesus, I pray 06:26 Shine on, Jesus, 06:30 Shine through me I pray 06:34 Shine on, Jesus, 06:37 Shine through me each day 06:40 In all that I do, 06:44 In all that I say 06:48 Shine on, Jesus 06:51 I pray 06:56 I'll be 06:57 A sunbeam for You 07:06 Amen. 07:13 What a blessing this week has been. 07:16 Every year I come to ASI excited to see 07:18 what God is doing in our lives. 07:21 I begin to think 07:22 what makes for a successful ASI convention. 07:26 Is that getting to connect with friends? 07:28 I know for some that's important. 07:30 For others, making our offering goal 07:32 really makes this a success. 07:35 But I begin to wonder 07:37 what makes for a successful convention 07:39 for God. 07:41 Is it the testimonies we've heard? 07:43 The youth who have had a summer to remember, 07:46 the vegan food, all wonderful. 07:49 And yet, I think if we ask God today, 07:52 He would say having each one of us 07:54 make a commitment to take it back, 07:57 to take the joy we saw 07:59 reflected on everyone's faces last night, 08:02 to have our own faces reflecting that joy 08:05 throughout this year as we share Jesus. 08:08 To take the termination, 08:10 the stubborn persistence of the testimonies 08:13 and the outreach to take that 08:16 and in our own lives and witness 08:19 to have that same determination to share Jesus. 08:23 You and your ministry have the opportunity 08:25 to make this the most successful ASI 08:29 in history. 08:30 Our theme text this year has been Joel 2:28-29. 08:35 It's in your programs as well as in your Bibles. 08:38 Joel's a little book. 08:39 Two books pass Daniel if you'd like to turn there. 08:43 Joel was the messenger 08:44 that God sent to the people of Judah. 08:47 We know very little about him, 08:48 but we do know his name means in Hebrew, 08:52 the Lord is God. 08:54 How like God to use even the name of his messenger 08:59 to be a witness. 09:01 So God sends Joel, 09:03 the Lord is God to the people of Judah. 09:06 The people who'd become so complacent, 09:09 they'd become so self-satisfied and self-focused. 09:13 Sounds familiar to any of us. 09:16 And at this point, 09:18 the book opens with a huge plague of locusts 09:21 who've come and ravaged their land. 09:24 And Joel comes to them. 09:25 He says, "Listen, we need to have a revival. 09:30 We need to fast and pray. 09:32 We need to return our spiritual focus 09:35 to that of Jesus." 09:37 The people had had their entire lives 09:40 stripped away by the locust. 09:43 In chapter 1, verse 12, we read, 09:45 surely the joy of people is withered away. 09:49 Their joy was gone 09:50 because they weren't looking to Jesus, 09:53 to God for their joy. 09:55 Their joy was found in their material things. 09:58 As people often live paycheck to paycheck today 10:02 or stipend to stipend for some, 10:04 they lived harvest to harvest. 10:07 One harvest being gone meant devastation. 10:11 The people were desolate. 10:13 Have you ever had locusts ravage your life? 10:17 Have you ever had your faith hanging in shreds? 10:22 Here we find what we need to do 10:25 when the locusts come to our lives. 10:27 You know, every time I turn on the news these days, 10:30 I see people whose lives have been eaten by locusts. 10:34 Every time we see the news in Iraq 10:37 and now in Lebanon and Israel, 10:38 the bombs assailing the people, it's reminded me. 10:43 Well, I don't live in Beirut today. 10:45 I'm still living in a war zone. 10:47 I'm still living 10:49 where bombs gonna assail my life. 10:51 Well, they're not after my house. 10:54 The bombs of the enemy come to our souls, 10:57 to kill our souls, to take away the joy of Jesus. 11:02 Friends, today, there is a battle ground. 11:06 The Holy Spirit is wanting to help us fight 11:10 the great controversy raging 11:13 on the battleground of our lives. 11:15 Now is the time for us 11:17 to stand up in that war zone. 11:21 Our theme this year has been Tell Them Now. 11:24 We see that up here, tell the world, tell them. 11:27 Not only tell them the good news of Jesus, 11:30 but to tell them now 11:33 for what are we really waiting for. 11:37 In the second half of the Joel 2, 11:40 we see Jesus. 11:42 We see God speaking through Joel. 11:46 In verse 12, he says, 11:47 even now return to me with all of your hearts. 11:52 Verse 13, 11:54 "Rend your hearts, and not your garments." 11:58 God is saying enough with the outward shows 12:01 of humility, 12:02 enough with your outward shows of worship. 12:05 I want you, I want your hearts. 12:10 God is saying enough with your offerings, 12:13 I want you to be the offering. 12:16 I want you to make a commitment for me. 12:20 He goes on to say, return to the Lord your God. 12:25 Throughout Joel, 12:26 we see this common theme of urgency. 12:29 Do you hear the immediacy? 12:31 God is wanting you to make a decision 12:35 to stand up, 12:36 to live intentionally in the day of the Lord. 12:39 For really the day of the Lord 12:41 is when God fills all of our space. 12:44 It's when he is at the greatest priority 12:47 when working and serving Him 12:49 is the most important thing on my agenda for today. 12:54 Living in the day of the Lord, 12:56 our lives have to change in light of that fact. 13:00 At Pentecost, we see another great day of the Lord. 13:03 We see with Peter who quotes this text from Joel, 13:07 Joel 28 and 29, He says, 13:10 Now God's Spirit is being poured out on everyone. 13:15 If you read that milestone of all verses, 13:18 it says, "I will pour out my Spirit on all people, 13:22 your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. 13:25 Your old men will dream dreams 13:26 and your young men will see visions. 13:29 Even on my servants both men and women, 13:32 I will pour out my spirit in those days. 13:36 This is an all inclusive text. 13:39 None of us are off the hook. 13:41 Everyone has a chance to have God's Spirit poured out 13:46 on their lives. 13:48 The question is if we are willing 13:50 to stand up to the challenge 13:53 for really we're waiting for that final day of the Lord, 13:56 that final great judgment. 13:58 That day if Joel says 14:00 where everyone who calls on the name of the Lord 14:03 will be saved. 14:05 That is the day that we're waiting for. 14:06 We're waiting as Paul writes, 14:08 the day that comes as a thief in the night, 14:11 our lives have to change in light of that day. 14:15 There will come that day when we will be repaid 14:18 from what the locusts have eaten. 14:20 Verse 27, actually 25 gives us that hope. 14:24 It says I will repay you for the years 14:26 the locusts have eaten. 14:27 We don't have to worry about it now, friends, 14:30 we will be repaid for those years. 14:35 Our job now is as the Desire of Ages puts it, 14:38 I love the story of how Ellen White writes it 14:41 at the feeding of the 5,000 14:43 or Jesus takes a little boy's lunch 14:45 and makes it a feast. 14:47 She writes, 14:49 know that when you are surrounded 14:51 by souls in need, 14:53 Jesus is there. 14:55 Commune with Him. 14:56 And I love this last line. 14:58 It says bring your barley loaves 15:00 to Jesus. 15:02 It's not our job to feed the 5,000. 15:05 It's mine and your job to bring our loaves to Jesus, 15:10 to bring the tools and the gifts 15:12 to bring his spirit back to him, 15:15 and say, "Lord, here I am. 15:17 This is what I have, use me today." 15:20 He will take our loaves, 15:22 and He will help you feed whatever multitude 15:24 you are facing that day. 15:27 Our decision has to be though to bring them to Him. 15:32 This year, I've been privileged to work as a hospital chaplain 15:36 at Florida hospital. 15:38 And I've seen the immediacy of life 15:39 of how important it is to take every opportunity 15:43 to minister for God. 15:46 This lesson was brought quite forcibly to my life. 15:49 When I visited with a patient named Ray. 15:52 As I was visiting with Ray and his two daughters, 15:55 I realized that Ray would not long be with us 15:58 here on Earth. 15:59 His breathing was beginning to get very heavy. 16:02 The cancer was eating away at his body, 16:05 and he wasn't strong enough to fight it anymore. 16:08 And I knew as I talk to him, I felt the spirit impressed me, 16:11 now is the time to invite him 16:14 to participate with Jesus, to pray, 16:17 to enter into a season of time with God. 16:20 Invite God, the God of all comfort, 16:22 the father of compassion. 16:25 As I'm getting ready to invite them 16:26 to have this time of prayer, 16:29 there was a knock at the door 16:31 and the technicians rushed in to do a test. 16:35 And I began to think, well, I could come back to pray. 16:38 I mean, I can pray on my own. 16:40 I don't need to be in the room to pray for Ray. 16:42 And I started to talk myself out 16:44 of standing up 16:46 to inviting him into a relationship with Jesus. 16:49 But then I heard that still small voice. 16:53 You know that voice. 16:54 That voice with all its smallness 16:56 speaks with such great power. 16:59 Jenny, what are you doing? 17:01 Why aren't you inviting me into this room? 17:05 They need my presence. 17:09 Stand up for me. 17:11 I realized, I couldn't say no to that voice. 17:15 And so I said, "Wait a minute." 17:17 With my best chaplaincy authority, 17:20 we were just gonna have prayer. 17:22 To my great surprise, the technician said, 17:25 "Well, sure, that would be great." 17:27 And so as we grab hands around Ray's bed, 17:30 we entered into that spiritual time of prayer, 17:34 where you could just feel God's Spirit. 17:36 It's one of those holy moments that take your shoes off 17:40 kind of holy ground times where you knew 17:43 that God was working on behalf of His people. 17:46 As I left that room, 17:47 I plan to come back in the afternoon 17:49 to commune more with Ray to help him see the God, 17:54 even in these last moments was still with him. 17:57 As I'm planning to come back, I receive a page on my beeper. 18:01 And Ray, 18:03 it said Ray is in cardiac arrest. 18:06 And so I'm running to his floor, 18:07 trying to reach his unit. 18:09 And as I come up to his room, 18:11 the nurse comes out and says, "Jenny, it's over. 18:14 Ray just died." 18:17 And I was so stunned. I couldn't believe it. 18:20 And I'm ministering to the family 18:21 and there was crying, and there's denial, 18:23 and we just can't believe that Ray is gone. 18:27 But then I began to hear something else, 18:28 I begin to hear the family telling 18:31 the other family members who were just coming. 18:33 We got to pray with dad. 18:35 Jenny was here 18:36 and he was still coherent enough, 18:38 and we were able to pray with dad. 18:41 And the comfort and the joy that they got 18:44 from having that last spiritual moment 18:47 was such a blessing. 18:49 They knew that Jesus had been with him. 18:52 And as I now stood at Ray's empty bed, 18:56 I realized what if I hadn't listened 18:58 to that still small voice, 19:01 what if I had done what was more comfortable, 19:04 which I wanted to do, which was easier. 19:07 What if I listened to the voice of inclination 19:09 as opposed to the voice of duty? 19:12 What if I had squelch that voice? 19:16 Friends, we don't always get a second chance 19:19 to minister with people. 19:21 We don't always get another time 19:23 to hear God's voice. 19:25 Now I could tell you other stories 19:27 of times that I shushed that voice. 19:29 I did what was easier. 19:32 Have you been hearing that voice lately? 19:34 You see, living in the day of the Lord 19:36 means not only hearing God's voice, 19:39 it means acting upon it. 19:42 It means standing up and saying, 19:44 I'm going to take it to a higher level. 19:46 There's something more that Jesus wants to do with me. 19:50 For as I've learned in the hospital, 19:52 today is the day I might be the only Jesus 19:55 someone gets to meet. 19:57 The same is true in your work. 20:00 We see this throughout scripture. 20:03 Jesus wants us to stand up for him. 20:09 In closing, 20:10 there is one story 20:11 that I think many of you probably haven't heard. 20:14 It's an Uncle Arthur story. 20:16 You remember Uncle Arthur, don't you? 20:18 Those big blue books with the Bible stories, 20:21 Billy and the Bees. 20:23 The story of the two Carolyns. 20:26 That is when my mother love to use on me. 20:29 It would become the story of the two Jennys. 20:32 But there is one story that Uncle Arthur, 20:36 his son actually was able to relate to me, 20:39 that Uncle Arthur in the back of his closet 20:41 had a large locked box. 20:43 It was a cash box. It was over 100 years old. 20:47 It was locked. 20:49 But after Uncle Arthur's death, 20:51 the sons are going through his belongings, 20:54 and they find the key to that locked box. 20:57 Now their father was notorious for treasure hunts. 21:01 So they begin to get excited 21:02 what could be inside the locked box. 21:06 And as they open the box, 21:07 they lift the lid expectedly excited to know 21:11 what it's going to be. 21:13 Inside the box was a simple phrase. 21:17 A little piece of paper with three words. 21:20 The three words Uncle Arthur thought 21:22 were the most important ones he could leave for his sons. 21:27 Those words were, "Do it now." 21:30 Do it now. 21:33 They knew what that meant. 21:35 They knew it was time to stand up 21:38 to do whatever God was impressing 21:40 upon their lives. 21:42 That same message is for us today, 21:46 to do it now. 21:48 To do whatever you've been feeling 21:50 God impressing upon your hearts 21:53 because we don't know if we'll get another chance. 21:57 There is nothing worse than hearing God's voice 22:00 and not acting upon it. 22:03 Today, you and I 22:05 are being brought together for a reason. 22:07 Young and old, experienced and novice, 22:09 each one of us have a work 22:12 and a need to follow God. 22:14 We have a need to bring God's Spirit, 22:18 to bring our tools, to bring our loaves to Jesus. 22:22 In this day of the Lord, 22:24 we need to start acting 22:26 like we're living in the end times. 22:28 We need to come back 22:31 to what is important and essential 22:33 in the Gospel message, the simplicity of Jesus. 22:37 It's time for you to stand up 22:40 wherever you are to reach someone this year. 22:44 You and your ministry will help make this ASI 22:48 the most successful ASI convention in history. 22:52 God will long remember what's happened this week. 22:55 But he's a lot more excited on what happens now. 23:00 It is my challenge 23:01 and then my encouragement to each one of us 23:04 to take it back. 23:06 As in the words of Jesus, 23:09 "My sheep hear My voice 23:11 and they follow it." 23:14 In our daily lives, 23:16 this year when we hear that still small voice, 23:20 let's do it now. 23:21 Amen. 23:34 Let us go back to the upper room. 23:38 Jesus had just left our home, 23:41 and He had given certain instructions 23:44 to His disciples. 23:47 One of them was tell them now, 23:52 but another instruction 23:55 gave them the privilege 24:00 of having power. 24:02 He said I want you to, Tarry, in Jerusalem 24:07 until you receive power. 24:10 In other words, don't try to tell them now 24:14 if you don't have the power. 24:18 The disciples were also instructed 24:22 that they should pray for that power. 24:26 They entered the upper room, 24:29 and they spent 10 days pleading with God 24:33 to give them the power to do the work 24:36 that Jesus had asked him to do. 24:40 We know that it was successful 24:43 because in Colossians 1:23, 24:48 Paul penned these words, 24:51 "The gospel, which ye have heard, 24:55 and which was preached to every creature, 25:00 which is under heaven." 25:02 And if you check the date 25:04 of when that epistle was written, 25:07 it was only about 30 years. 25:11 Within 30 years, 25:13 following the commission to tell them now, 25:18 but to tell them now under the power of Pentecost, 25:23 they were completely successful 25:27 in taking the gospel to the world. 25:31 Now we go down to the Millerite movement. 25:36 Some people would like to distance themselves 25:39 from the Millerite movement 25:41 because some are saying 25:44 that we were false prophets 25:47 because of predicting a coming of Christ. 25:51 But we do not need to distance ourselves 25:55 from the Millerites 25:57 because they received 25:59 the same power of Pentecost. 26:04 Let me just read an account 26:06 from Great Controversy 369, and 70. 26:12 "Rich and poor, 26:15 high and low, 26:17 were from various causes, 26:19 anxious to hear for themselves, 26:22 the doctrine of the Second Advent. 26:25 The Lord held the spirit of opposition in check, 26:31 while His servants 26:32 explained the reasons of their faith. 26:36 Sometimes the instrument was feeble, 26:39 but the Spirit of God gave power 26:42 to His truth. 26:44 The presence of Holy Angels 26:47 was felt in these assemblies, 26:50 and many were daily added to the believers. 26:54 As the evidences of Christ's soon coming were repeated, 26:59 vast crowds listened in breathless silence 27:03 to the solemn words. 27:06 Heaven and earth seem to approach each other. 27:11 The power of God was felt upon old and young 27:16 and middle-aged. 27:18 Men sought their homes with praises upon their lips, 27:23 and the glad sound rang out upon the still night air. 27:28 None who attended those meetings 27:32 can ever forget those scenes of deepest interest." 27:37 And so from about the year 1833, 27:41 until the year 1844, 27:44 Pentecost was falling again upon the Millerite movement. 27:49 As a result, the gospel went 27:52 to every mission station in the world. 27:56 Now not every heathen heard about it, 27:59 but every Christian on planet earth 28:02 heard about this message 28:04 within just a few years. 28:08 As we begin to look at this bit of history, 28:12 we realize that it's a fulfillment 28:15 of Joel 2:23. 28:20 Joel said, "Be glad then, ye children of Zion, 28:24 and rejoice in the Lord your God 28:27 for he hath given you 28:29 the former rain moderately, 28:32 and he will cause to come down for you the rain, 28:37 the former rain, 28:39 and the latter rain in the first month." 28:43 Yes, the disciples receive the early rain. 28:48 But now as God came to the time for the final message 28:53 to go to the world, 28:55 He poured out the early rain upon the Millerites, 29:00 and He promised that the latter rain was to follow 29:05 after that early rain. 29:07 But unfortunately there, 29:09 we see the change. 29:13 As we come to the year 1856, 29:18 we find that instead of the latter rain falling 29:22 upon the majority, I'm sure there was some, 29:25 there were receiving still the early rain power. 29:28 But in general, 29:30 we had to be called the latter sea in church. 29:35 By 1868, 29:38 a very sad statement 29:41 had to be made from the testimony of Jesus. 29:45 And here's the testimony. 29:48 God's willingness to have His people perish 29:53 has been the reason 29:56 for so long delay. 30:00 There is no reason 30:03 why we had to be called a false prophet 30:07 for predicting a coming of Christ in 1844. 30:12 Yes, it's true. 30:13 He couldn't come on that day, 30:15 but it was His plan to come shortly after. 30:20 If the early rain had continued to fall, 30:24 and if the latter rain had been added 30:28 to that early rain power, 30:32 we see in 1868, 30:36 there had already been a long delay. 30:41 But that's not all. 30:43 Again, we find from the testimony of Jesus, 30:48 a statement in 1901. 30:51 We may have to remain here in this world 30:56 because of insubordination many more years, 31:02 as did the children of Israel. 31:07 We cannot say anything against that statement today 31:11 because we have been here 31:12 more than 100 years since that time. 31:16 We have been here 162 years 31:22 since the time. 31:24 When the early rain 31:26 was beginning to fall upon God's people 31:30 and God had a plan, 31:32 they went in a very short time 31:35 it could have all been finished up. 31:37 You see, when God's people are full of the Holy Spirit, 31:42 it doesn't take very long. 31:45 The work is able to go rapidly. 31:49 We as human beings have a tendency 31:52 to work on the plan of addition, 31:55 but God is able to work on a plan of multiplication 32:01 and things can go quickly 32:03 if the gospel could go to every creature 32:05 on planet earth 32:07 within 30 years with 120 people. 32:11 And if God through a few Millerites, 32:14 the maximum numbers they got to was about 300,000, 32:18 the midnight cry about 50,000. 32:22 If God could take the message 32:24 to every single Christian on planet Earth 32:28 through these people, 32:30 then we know that it wouldn't take very long 32:35 for the work to be done. 32:37 In fact, as we look at this statement 32:42 from the book Acts of the Apostles, 32:44 page 50, 32:46 we see something important for us 32:49 at this moment. 32:52 "The lapse of time has wrought no change 32:57 in Christ's parting promise 32:59 to send the Holy Spirit as His representative." 33:03 You see, Jesus has the same plan 33:07 that he had for His disciples. 33:09 And the plan is 33:11 to share with the world now, 33:16 but not to try to share without the power. 33:21 "It is not because of any restriction 33:24 on the part of God 33:26 that the riches of His grace 33:29 do not flow earthward to men. 33:31 If the fulfillment of the promise 33:34 is not seen as it might be, 33:38 it is because the promise is not appreciated 33:43 as it should be. 33:45 If all were willing, 33:49 all would be filled with the Spirit." 33:54 Now and some of these experiences 33:56 we've heard, 33:57 it seems for sure 33:59 that there are people that are willing to be filled 34:03 and God is blessing. 34:06 But when we look at the whole picture, 34:09 there is a lot more to be done. 34:13 In fact, I think of that song 34:16 that we sing showers of blessing. 34:20 And in there, there's a phrase that says this. 34:25 Around us, mercy drops are falling. 34:30 But for the showers, we plead, 34:35 this is a time 34:36 for all of God's people 34:40 to accept the opportunity and the privilege 34:43 that they have, 34:45 to reach out for the early rain. 34:49 We don't have to wait for the latter rain. 34:53 There is an early rain that has to happen now. 34:57 If all we're willing, 34:59 all would be filled with the Spirit. 35:04 Wherever, the need of the Holy Spirit 35:07 is the matter little thought of, 35:09 there is scenes spiritual drought, 35:12 spiritual darkness, spiritual declension, 35:16 and death. 35:18 Whenever minor matters, occupy the attention, 35:22 the divine power which is necessary 35:25 for the growth and prosperity of the church, 35:28 and which would bring all other blessings 35:30 in His stream is lacking, 35:33 though offered in infinite plenitude. 35:37 Yes, God never made a decision to turn up the power. 35:41 The early disciples lost it after a while. 35:45 Those who came after the Millerite movement, 35:48 they lost it after a while. 35:50 At least in general, 35:52 but God never intended to turn it off. 35:55 It was His plan to have that power 35:58 showered upon His people 36:00 from the time it started in 1833 36:03 until it finished. 36:05 And there would have been no long delay. 36:10 So we look at what God has for the future, 36:14 which no doubt, 36:16 if we are the ones who will seek God 36:20 for the outpouring of His Holy Spirit 36:22 as He desires us to, 36:24 we are going to be the ones to see it. 36:28 From Spalding and Magan collections, 36:30 page four, it says, 36:32 "I saw the latter rain was coming, 36:35 as the midnight cry 36:37 and with 10 times the power." 36:41 It doesn't take long for God to finish the work, 36:45 but it requires the power. 36:48 A decision to go forward with telling them now 36:53 and a decision to say, Lord, 36:56 there's no way, I can tell them now 36:59 if you do not give me the power that you have promised. 37:04 There's one other dimension in the verse 37:08 of Joel 2:28. 37:10 It's implied. 37:12 And it says that the older and the younger 37:17 are both going to be used of God 37:20 in a special way in these last days, 37:23 old men, dreaming dreams, 37:25 young men seeing visions. 37:28 Yes, God is looking for us to work together. 37:32 It is time to abolish the generation gap 37:36 and to press together. 37:38 There is a reason why we need to press together. 37:42 God has given experience to those of older years. 37:47 The things that they have gone through, 37:49 the experience that they have had 37:53 requires many, many trials, 37:57 many, many struggles, 37:58 and they are prepared to help others. 38:01 But I have to say to many of us that are older here, 38:06 we have not been as faithful as we should have been 38:11 to the training of the young people. 38:14 You know, many times, it's easier to work alone, 38:18 but God has called us to get some young people 38:22 and to help them learn. 38:24 Not only 38:25 will they be able to do what we are doing 38:28 in some other place, 38:29 but someday, 38:31 they will have to take our place. 38:33 And therefore, God is calling 38:37 under the special outpouring of His Holy Spirit 38:40 for the older folks 38:42 to become interested in the training of the youth. 38:46 Second, He's calling for the youth 38:49 to get rid of their attitude, 38:51 which often exists toward those that are older, 38:55 their view of those that are older 38:59 and to begin, to recognize that there is wisdom, 39:03 there is understanding, 39:04 there is a benefit to press close to those 39:08 that are of experience. 39:11 There is a danger 39:13 when we advance too rapidly as a youth 39:19 that we become lifted up and proud. 39:22 In fact, I was reading one day, 39:24 and this sentence caught my eye. 39:26 It was in regard to Dr. Kellogg. 39:29 And it said, 39:31 when God gives success to anyone, 39:35 9 times out of 10, 39:38 they lose their way. 39:42 In order for us to really be able 39:46 to not lose our way, 39:48 it is important to grow together 39:51 and to work together, 39:53 the old and the young. 39:55 This morning, 39:56 I would like to ask for a decision 39:59 on the part of some of you here in the audience. 40:03 First, I would like to ask for those that are older. 40:08 Would you be willing to take your time, 40:12 some of your time this next year 40:15 to give training to some young people, 40:18 to find a way, 40:21 to help them to learn what you know how to do. 40:25 If you would be willing, 40:26 we just invite you to bow on your knees 40:29 there by your seat. 40:31 And if you're not able to bow on your knees, 40:34 you can sit with your bowed head. 40:37 But we would like to ask 40:39 that you make a commitment to the Lord 40:42 that you're gonna train, 40:43 you're gonna find somebody to train. 40:46 And I like to pray as the young people as well. 40:49 If God is impressing your heart 40:52 that you would like to help, 40:56 we would pray that you to kneel, 40:59 and that you would be willing to work 41:01 with someone that's older. 41:03 May God bless each of you. 41:05 Let us pray. 41:11 Our Father in heaven, 41:14 You have called some of us that are older 41:17 to do some training this next year. 41:20 We pray that Your blessing will rest upon everyone 41:24 that has made that decision. 41:26 We also want to pray for those young people 41:31 that are willing to work with the older folks 41:35 and do overcome 41:37 the natural tendencies to pull away. 41:40 We pray that You'll bless them 41:43 that they will gain an experience 41:44 that will make them mighty workers in your cause. 41:48 In Jesus name, amen. 42:09 Wherever Ye may lead me 42:16 I want to follow You 42:22 Through the valley Of the shadow 42:27 Or through the mountain's Breathless view 42:34 If the crowds applaud My progress 42:40 Or if they never know my name 42:47 I will follow You 42:53 Just the same 42:58 If you lead me Through the desert 43:05 Where Your voice seems far away 43:11 I will still believe You love me 43:16 I will listen and I will pray 43:22 For if the thousands Throng around me 43:27 Or if I am the critics' toys 43:35 I will need to know 43:42 Your still small voice 43:47 Lord, I want to be Your servant 43:53 Though I don't always know how 43:59 But You promised to be with me 44:03 Lord, I need You near me now 44:09 So let me see You In each moment 44:16 Day by day 44:18 And week by week 44:24 And I will follow You 44:31 Wherever 44:32 Ye may lead 44:45 Lord, I will follow You 44:51 Wherever 44:53 Ye may 45:00 Lead |
Revised 2020-02-10