Hello and welcome
again to camp meeting 2007,
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the Fall version of
our celebration of the year
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of victory. You
know when you see a group
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of good looking
Adventist looking so well you
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almost wanna say happy Sabbath,
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it's almost you know
it just it wants to come
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out, but it is
not Sabbath quite yet.
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Though Sabbath is
indeed on the way,
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it is Friday
afternoon and we've been meeting
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since last evening
and we've had a good time
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at each meeting have we not.
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Indeed we have.
Good information,
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good inspiration and
God has been so very,
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very good. Now, this
is the afternoon and it
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is after a lunch.
When I was in the seminary,
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I had a teacher
by the name of Leona
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Running, who taught
Greek and a bunch of
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dead languages that
nobody speaks anymore.
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And they invariably
put Dr. Running's class
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right after lunch
and I found that I had to
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cancel that class or
fail that class or starve,
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because Samarian
and Hebrew and Greek
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on a full stomach
just don't mix and it was
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very difficult to
stay awake and try to study
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Hebrew and Greek
on a full stomach.
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So, I'm praying now
that you will stay awake
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and that you'll be
awake and alert and if
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you fall asleep I'm
gonna ask Larry McLucas
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come and give you a
little pop on the head.
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Now, I think
we're gonna stay awake,
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because of the,
the message and the
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messenger and
what the Holy Spirit is
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gonna do for us
this afternoon, amen?
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Amen, and amen,
before Ty comes out to
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speak we wanna
bring Stephanie Dawn.
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My first time
hearing her was actually at a
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union concert in
Dallas some years ago.
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And just impressed
by Stephanie's ability
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to sing from the
heart and from the soul,
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she is such a sweet
person and a Christian
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young lady. Who
God has given a very
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incredible gift and
so we thank you Stephanie
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for being with us
and how the Lord is
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gonna use you to
bless us. Thank you.
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Now and for always it is written
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And by the loving hand of God
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My people perish
without vision, they go astray
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And when a man
makes it his mission
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To go where others have not trod
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Into the valley of
decision to show the way
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Of Him they'll say
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They'll say, "Hallelujah!
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Blessed is the man with a vision
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Hallelujah! One who
delights in God's Word
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Hallelujah! He
is a lover of Jesus
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Hallelujah! Blessed is
the man who fears the Lord"
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And in the midst of tribulation
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He will stand
steadfast and secure
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Gracious is he who shows
compassion in all his ways
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And when his hands
are filled with riches
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They're extended to the poor
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This one will bless his
generation all of his days
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And they will say
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They'll say, "Hallelujah!
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Blessed is the man with a vision
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Hallelujah! One who
delights in God's Word
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Hallelujah! He
is a lover of Jesus
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Hallelujah! Blessed is
the man who fears the Lord"
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And in a world
turned cold & heartless
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And at a time we've lost our way
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He is a beacon in the darkness
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And all who hear of Him will say
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They'll say, "Hallelujah!
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Blessed is the man with a vision
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Hallelujah! One who
delights in God's Word
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Hallelujah! He
is a lover of Jesus
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Hallelujah! Blessed is
the man who fears the Lord"
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Yes, blessed is the
man who fears the Lord.
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Amen, amen and
amen thank you so very
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much beautifully
sung, beautifully done.
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Our speaker for
this afternoon is,
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is Ty Gibson. And I
don't know if there is
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another duo in
Adventism that we tend to
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think of in the same
voice and same breathe
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as we to do Ty and
James. When you think of
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one, you think of the
other, when you see one
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you usually see the
other. But they do separate
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from time to time
and conduct their own
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ministries. Now, I
want you to keep in mind
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when he comes out
that Ty is a grandfather
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and I don't know what is
in the water or if he's a
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poster boy for
vegetarian meat or whatever,
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but he is a
grandfather, the father of three
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adult children. And I
ask him backstage what
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the secret of that
was, because whatever
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he's drinking I wanna buy some.
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Because he does
look incredibly young,
00:08:06.29\00:08:08.35
three grown
children, he is a grandfather.
00:08:08.84\00:08:11.11
And a student of
the word, I had a chance
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to hear him at ASI,
he preached a sermon
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I don't recall the
enter, entire title,
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but it had to do with
pizza and I'm a person
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who likes titles, you
know I like tricky titles.
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And so when I heard
something about pizza, I,
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so you let me
listen and it was a really
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wonderful sermon,
I'm working on a book now
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entitled "Never Get
Into A Fight With A Pig"
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because they're both
gonna get dirty and the
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pig is gonna like it.
So, I like titles and he had
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this title about pizza,
so it intrigued me and we
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were listening to him
at ASI and he did a very,
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very fine job. And
so now we present to you
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Ty Gibson, who co-
founded and co-labors in
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Light Bearers
Ministries with James Rafferty,
00:08:55.35\00:08:57.61
but to whom God has
give a very precious gift
00:08:57.62\00:09:01.33
of ministry and
teaching and we ask for him
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from you, you're prayerful
and undivided attention.
00:09:05.11\00:09:07.61
Well, good
afternoon, good afternoon,
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I appreciate that
introduction and the
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mention of my
three children and my two
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grand babies.
Because that's going to fit
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into my message
nicely this afternoon,
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the reason why I
guess I look so young,
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I appreciate that
as well as, is because
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my wife Sue and I
were married when we
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were nine
that's why, that's why.
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But I wanna begin
by telling you about my
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daughter Amber, my
daughter is far too
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scheduled and
organized, it was in August
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of last year that she
called me and she said
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daddy, I will be
getting pregnant on
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November 10th. I said
really, that is rather
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precise and so I just
waited and then toward
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the end of November
of last year she told
00:10:01.43\00:10:05.73
me she said,
daddy, I have succeeded,
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ahead of schedule,
baby is on board and I
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will be giving birth
my due date is July 22nd.
00:10:12.57\00:10:17.95
I thought wow! This is
exciting, this is gonna
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be, this is gonna be
great, well months passed
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by and right around
Father's day she gave
00:10:22.94\00:10:26.53
me a gift which is
really nifty little electronic
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device that is a
photo album that you can
00:10:30.44\00:10:33.30
just click through
the photos, you don't have
00:10:33.31\00:10:35.28
to turned pages,
you just push a button
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and you see all these photos.
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Well, Amber had
put on there for me one
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very impressive
photo which was a profile
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view of her belly.
And I couldn't believe the
00:10:46.54\00:10:50.82
photo because it
looked to me that if she
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stretched out her
arms that she couldn't
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lock her fingers
around this child that was
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inside of her. It
was just incredible,
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I called her up and
I said, Amber can you
00:11:01.50\00:11:03.41
keep your balance? Are you okay?
00:11:03.42\00:11:06.43
Is everybody
keeping sharp objects away
00:11:06.56\00:11:09.06
from you? Because
she looked to me like she
00:11:09.07\00:11:11.46
could pop very
easily. And she said dad,
00:11:11.47\00:11:14.53
I am so done. This
baby has got already be
00:11:14.54\00:11:19.23
8 or 9 pounds. I
really need to give birth and
00:11:19.24\00:11:23.87
I don't know how to
hurry up the process at all.
00:11:23.88\00:11:27.39
Well, then a little
while later she called
00:11:27.40\00:11:29.85
me and she said,
that's it, I can't take it
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anymore, I called
those who bring babies into
00:11:32.11\00:11:35.19
the world and in
her case a midwife.
00:11:35.20\00:11:37.07
And she said I am
scheduling my birth for
00:11:37.76\00:11:41.99
the 11th of July. I
will be coming in at that
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time and you're
going to get him out or if
00:11:45.50\00:11:49.87
you don't I am going
to pull him out myself.
00:11:49.88\00:11:52.79
She was so urgent about this.
00:11:52.80\00:11:54.70
And do you know, that
is exactly the position
00:11:57.40\00:12:02.75
that our maker's in.
The Bible is filled with
00:12:03.98\00:12:08.17
pictures of God. The
Bible from Genesis to
00:12:08.18\00:12:10.95
Revelation we're
told in a very fascinating
00:12:10.96\00:12:13.17
one line from the
inspiration that says,
00:12:13.27\00:12:17.27
the Bible is the
unfolding of the character
00:12:17.28\00:12:19.56
of God. That's
what the book is about.
00:12:19.57\00:12:22.07
It is God's self
Revelation, it's a
00:12:22.66\00:12:24.88
disclosure of the
heart and mind of God,
00:12:24.89\00:12:29.06
and that's what
we find in the Bible.
00:12:30.01\00:12:32.60
Snapshot after
snapshot of the character
00:12:33.37\00:12:36.61
of God from various
different angles so that
00:12:36.62\00:12:39.52
we can see the
beauty and goodness of His
00:12:39.53\00:12:43.02
heart. And one of the
pictures that we find in
00:12:43.03\00:12:45.29
the Bible that is very
fascinating is in Isaiah
00:12:45.30\00:12:49.12
chapter 42 and
verse 14 where God likens
00:12:49.13\00:12:52.63
Himself to a
pregnant woman who is urgent
00:12:52.64\00:12:57.15
to give birth and to
bring forth something new
00:12:57.16\00:13:01.97
into the world. Notice
this in Isaiah chapter 42
00:13:01.99\00:13:05.65
and verse 14, and
you can hear the urgency
00:13:06.01\00:13:10.52
in God's tone here.
"I have held My peace for
00:13:11.15\00:13:16.10
a long time, I have
been still and restrained
00:13:16.11\00:13:21.33
Myself. Now I will
cry like a woman in labor,
00:13:21.34\00:13:26.59
I will pant and gasp at once."
00:13:26.60\00:13:30.58
Now, this is
pretty serious, passionate
00:13:30.82\00:13:33.53
language. God
says, the creator of the
00:13:33.54\00:13:36.14
universe, the one
who transcends time.
00:13:36.15\00:13:39.41
The omniscient,
omnipotent, omnipresent
00:13:40.04\00:13:43.66
creator of the
universe says, I am done
00:13:43.92\00:13:47.05
waiting, I have waited he says,
00:13:47.26\00:13:51.02
for a long time. And
we're going to learn in
00:13:51.67\00:13:55.78
this time together
what it is that God is
00:13:55.79\00:13:59.51
waiting for. He cries
out, I am like a woman
00:13:59.52\00:14:04.49
in labor He says,
and I will pant and gasp,
00:14:05.08\00:14:10.58
some of you woman
know exactly what that
00:14:10.59\00:14:12.62
was like. I will pant
and gasp simultaneously
00:14:12.63\00:14:17.02
at once God says. And
I will birth something
00:14:17.03\00:14:21.17
new into the world.
There is an urgency in
00:14:21.49\00:14:26.11
God's tone here; I
don't know if you thought
00:14:26.12\00:14:29.67
about God's
prospective in this great
00:14:29.68\00:14:33.15
controversy
between good and evil.
00:14:33.16\00:14:34.80
We often think in
terms of the great
00:14:34.81\00:14:38.15
controversy being
over for our sake.
00:14:38.16\00:14:40.70
We close our
prayers, may we all have our
00:14:41.77\00:14:43.89
home in thy kingdom.
We look forward to the
00:14:43.90\00:14:47.63
mansions of plenty
and we talk about building
00:14:47.64\00:14:50.46
our country homes.
We think in terms of the
00:14:50.47\00:14:53.76
streets of Gold
and the gates of pearl.
00:14:53.77\00:14:57.40
We think in terms of
all the blessings that will
00:14:58.15\00:15:02.98
come to us, but have
you thought about God's
00:15:03.06\00:15:07.27
prospective in
this great controversy.
00:15:07.28\00:15:10.29
Have you considered
the heart of your maker?
00:15:10.64\00:15:13.78
Do you realize that
scripture portrays God as
00:15:14.01\00:15:18.80
it were on the edge of His seat,
00:15:18.81\00:15:21.92
stooped forward over this world.
00:15:22.63\00:15:25.55
Urgently longing
that the great controversy
00:15:25.76\00:15:29.39
would be over, that
all evil and pain and
00:15:29.40\00:15:32.86
suffering would be
banished from His universe.
00:15:32.87\00:15:36.85
And that a whole new
reality would be born
00:15:37.05\00:15:40.13
free from evil and
suffering. Have you
00:15:40.92\00:15:44.52
considered God's
prospective in this thing?
00:15:44.53\00:15:47.52
The Bible portrays
God as a passionate being,
00:15:48.62\00:15:51.83
contrary to the
Greek philosophy that crept
00:15:52.52\00:15:56.14
into Christianity
during the middle ages which
00:15:56.15\00:15:59.37
portrayed God as a
distinct monarch on a
00:15:59.38\00:16:03.23
throne with little or
no feelings for creation.
00:16:03.24\00:16:09.55
A God who not
only transcends time,
00:16:10.03\00:16:13.65
a God who not only
possesses all power,
00:16:13.70\00:16:16.34
but a God who
transcends all human emotion.
00:16:16.61\00:16:21.55
It was Aristotle
who said that God is the
00:16:22.57\00:16:24.87
unmoved mover,
which is used to say that
00:16:24.88\00:16:29.02
God moves everything
external to Himself like
00:16:29.03\00:16:33.02
pulling puppet
strings. So, that everything
00:16:33.03\00:16:35.32
that happens in this
world is by the will of
00:16:35.33\00:16:39.53
sovereign,
almighty, transcendent,
00:16:39.54\00:16:42.55
absolute being God.
This was the Greek idea
00:16:42.69\00:16:46.04
of deity and this
God who is the mover,
00:16:46.05\00:16:50.05
Aristotle said, remains unmoved.
00:16:50.94\00:16:53.83
He's the unmoved
mover, that is to say this
00:16:53.95\00:16:56.71
God of Greek
philosophy that crept into
00:16:56.72\00:17:00.70
Christianity, this
image of God is a God that
00:17:00.71\00:17:03.96
is the word they use
in the academic circles
00:17:03.97\00:17:07.49
is impassible, that
is incapable of passion,
00:17:07.50\00:17:11.17
no pathos, no
feeling, no emotion.
00:17:11.51\00:17:14.09
This is a God who
doesn't feel in resonance with
00:17:14.26\00:17:18.21
the suffering that
takes place in this world,
00:17:18.22\00:17:20.90
but contrary to all of
that. Scripture portrays
00:17:21.47\00:17:24.97
a very passionate
God, a God who's grieved
00:17:24.98\00:17:28.48
at suffering, A God
who Himself longs to bring
00:17:28.49\00:17:34.22
closure to this
great controversy.
00:17:34.23\00:17:37.52
So, that not another
tear is shed by even one
00:17:38.03\00:17:42.74
of His children. Now
the question in this context
00:17:43.05\00:17:47.24
is what does God
long to bring forth?
00:17:47.46\00:17:50.80
What is that,
that He is telling us.
00:17:50.95\00:17:53.37
He is pregnant with
and longs to bring to pass.
00:17:53.90\00:17:57.72
Well, if you look at
the context of Isaiah
00:17:57.73\00:18:00.69
chapter 42; it's
remarkable that God says,
00:18:00.70\00:18:04.28
for example; in verse
1 that He wants to bring
00:18:04.29\00:18:08.14
forth justice to the
gentiles. Again this idea
00:18:08.15\00:18:13.11
is repeated in verse
4 where God says that
00:18:13.12\00:18:15.39
He wants to established
justice in the earth.
00:18:15.40\00:18:20.38
This is a God of righteousness,
00:18:20.83\00:18:23.14
who can't bear to see
injustice perpetuated on
00:18:23.30\00:18:27.49
the human race. This
is a God who is against
00:18:27.50\00:18:30.09
all oppression, this is
a God who is against all
00:18:30.10\00:18:33.51
the enslavement of
human beings by other
00:18:33.85\00:18:37.23
human beings. Do you
realize that in our world
00:18:37.24\00:18:40.12
today. And this is
from God's prospective,
00:18:40.13\00:18:42.47
but we can see a
little bit of it.
00:18:42.48\00:18:44.49
That right now
in this world today,
00:18:44.93\00:18:46.68
it is estimated that
there are more people who
00:18:46.69\00:18:49.19
are in slavery then
they were at the time
00:18:49.20\00:18:53.93
of the emancipation,
proclamation of Abraham
00:18:53.94\00:18:56.44
Lincoln in 1864, there
are more slaves in this
00:18:56.45\00:19:00.53
world today then at that time,
00:19:00.54\00:19:03.32
that are sold into
sexual slavery all over the
00:19:04.06\00:19:07.12
world, sold into
labor slavery all over the
00:19:07.13\00:19:11.31
world. In dark alleys
and in back streets and in
00:19:11.32\00:19:16.27
warehouses and in
wealthy men's basements,
00:19:16.46\00:19:21.00
that's the world we
live in. Recently I took a
00:19:22.09\00:19:24.87
look at
worldclock.com; worldclock.com
00:19:24.88\00:19:30.35
is a website
that is alive. You go
00:19:30.57\00:19:34.53
to worldclock.com and
you see all the numbers
00:19:34.54\00:19:37.30
changing immediately,
the first is birth and
00:19:37.31\00:19:39.96
you see it changing
6.6 billion and the number
00:19:39.97\00:19:43.64
is changing as people
are being born into the
00:19:43.65\00:19:45.66
world. Then you see
deaths and it's changing,
00:19:45.67\00:19:48.50
how many people
are dying every second,
00:19:48.57\00:19:50.91
every minute, every
hour. Then you go down,
00:19:50.92\00:19:53.36
you see how many
people are dying of
00:19:53.37\00:19:55.22
cardiovascular disease
which is the number one
00:19:55.23\00:19:57.27
killer in the world
and the number is changing
00:19:57.28\00:19:59.66
continually. I clicked
on it recently and I saw as
00:19:59.67\00:20:03.63
I clicked on
worldclock. com for the present
00:20:03.64\00:20:07.00
time that in a
matter of 15 minutes at
00:20:07.01\00:20:11.44
worldclock.com there
had been something like
00:20:11.69\00:20:15.07
62,000 abortions in the world.
00:20:16.25\00:20:19.64
And just watch them clicked by.
00:20:19.79\00:20:21.18
As I watched world
clock for a couple of hours
00:20:21.79\00:20:24.02
I saw that species
were going extinct in the
00:20:24.03\00:20:27.37
world. And by the end
of the day I went back
00:20:27.38\00:20:30.07
at the end of the day
and I look at it again
00:20:30.08\00:20:32.01
and already by the
end of the day we had
00:20:32.23\00:20:35.00
lost some 15 different
species were extinct in
00:20:35.01\00:20:39.78
one day's period of
time. We are literary in the
00:20:39.79\00:20:43.16
process of killing
our planet and ourselves.
00:20:43.17\00:20:47.37
We're caught up in a
mass suicide and we don't
00:20:47.45\00:20:51.34
even know it. And God
is looking down on this
00:20:51.35\00:20:53.59
world as 40,000
children a day die of starvation
00:20:53.60\00:20:57.26
on this planet.
Right now while we're in
00:20:57.27\00:20:59.63
this meeting, children
are dropping dead simply
00:20:59.64\00:21:02.75
for a lack of food to
eat while listen to this.
00:21:02.76\00:21:05.31
Ninety percent of the
world's wealth resides in
00:21:05.75\00:21:09.06
the hands of 10
percent of the population.
00:21:09.07\00:21:12.07
Forty thousand deaths
a day just among children
00:21:14.06\00:21:16.20
of starvation. Every
three minutes just in the
00:21:16.21\00:21:19.67
United States of
America, another woman is
00:21:19.68\00:21:21.52
raped. And every three
seconds there is another
00:21:21.53\00:21:24.27
act of domestic violence
or abuse against children,
00:21:24.28\00:21:27.54
one, two, and three
it just happen again.
00:21:27.70\00:21:29.31
One, two, three,
right now, little kids are
00:21:29.63\00:21:32.80
screaming out under the weight
00:21:32.81\00:21:35.34
of their daddy's abuse.
00:21:36.04\00:21:37.71
That's the world we
live in and God from His
00:21:38.57\00:21:41.17
vantage point
according to scripture,
00:21:41.18\00:21:43.41
the eyes of the Lord
run to and fro over the
00:21:43.78\00:21:46.39
whole earth. He sees
it all but not only does
00:21:46.40\00:21:50.54
He see it all, He
feels it all. According to
00:21:50.55\00:21:54.77
scripture in chapter
4 of Hebrews; we do not
00:21:54.78\00:21:58.79
have a high priest
who can not be touched
00:21:58.80\00:22:01.84
with the feelings
of our infirmities,
00:22:01.85\00:22:04.90
but was in all points
tempted like as we are
00:22:05.14\00:22:07.22
yet without sin.
According to the Prophet
00:22:07.23\00:22:09.44
Isaiah; God through
Isaiah said, tell my
00:22:09.45\00:22:12.37
people in all their
afflictions I am afflicted.
00:22:12.38\00:22:15.87
In other words, God's
heart is so linked with
00:22:16.34\00:22:19.94
every member of the
human family that it is
00:22:19.95\00:22:22.06
literally impossible
for anyone to suffer,
00:22:22.07\00:22:25.53
without that
suffering impacting the heart of
00:22:26.25\00:22:30.32
God. That's why Jesus
said, anything you do to
00:22:30.33\00:22:33.37
anyone it's like you
did it to me. If you feed
00:22:33.38\00:22:38.19
someone who is hungry,
you satisfied my hunger,
00:22:38.20\00:22:40.92
if you give water to
someone who is thirsty
00:22:41.06\00:22:42.99
you satiated my
thirst. If you visit someone
00:22:43.00\00:22:46.05
who is in prison
you visited at me.
00:22:46.06\00:22:47.75
And they will say
unto him what they will say
00:22:47.90\00:22:50.09
to him, you've read
it there in Matthew 25,
00:22:50.10\00:22:52.26
when did we visit
you? When did we feed you?
00:22:52.37\00:22:54.39
When did we give
you water to drink?
00:22:54.40\00:22:56.00
And he'll say what?
Inasmuch as you have done
00:22:56.01\00:22:59.94
it unto the least of
these my brethren it is as
00:22:59.95\00:23:02.46
if you did to me,
that's how love works.
00:23:02.47\00:23:05.59
You know from your
own personal experience
00:23:06.50\00:23:09.01
on a finite level and
God on an infinite level.
00:23:09.33\00:23:12.04
But on a micro level
you know that the major
00:23:12.28\00:23:15.29
of your love
calibrates the measures of your
00:23:15.30\00:23:18.29
potential for suffering,
right. In other words,
00:23:18.30\00:23:21.86
the more you love
someone, the more you
00:23:22.05\00:23:24.18
hurt when they hurt,
yes. That's exactly how
00:23:24.19\00:23:27.79
we're wired
emotionally. If my wife Sue,
00:23:27.80\00:23:30.91
if her eyes tear up,
I have to hold back the
00:23:31.15\00:23:35.42
tears, I have to
discover the problem;
00:23:35.43\00:23:38.25
I have to bring
some kind of resolve.
00:23:38.34\00:23:40.74
Because sympathy
in the human heart is
00:23:41.19\00:23:45.66
deeply linked to
those who are closest to us,
00:23:45.67\00:23:48.64
but think about this.
God occupies that position
00:23:48.73\00:23:54.25
on an even more
intimate level to every person
00:23:54.65\00:23:58.34
we've ever known met
or passed on the freeway.
00:23:58.56\00:24:01.71
There's not a human
being in this world that
00:24:02.04\00:24:04.21
God is not so deeply
linked with that literally
00:24:04.22\00:24:10.04
as Jesus said, He is
aware of everything that's
00:24:10.27\00:24:15.71
happening to every
person, every second of
00:24:15.72\00:24:18.95
every day. That's the
God who resides on the
00:24:18.96\00:24:23.20
throne of the
universe. A God of incredible
00:24:23.21\00:24:25.60
passion, a God of
deep feeling and this God
00:24:26.34\00:24:29.97
says, I so long to
bring forth something new
00:24:29.98\00:24:34.65
into the world. What
is it that God wants to
00:24:34.66\00:24:37.22
bring into the
world? He wants to establish
00:24:37.23\00:24:39.76
justice in the earth.
He wants to stop all of
00:24:39.89\00:24:44.60
the perpetuating of
crimes against humanity
00:24:44.61\00:24:48.02
by human beings. He
says, later on, down in
00:24:48.03\00:24:52.19
verse 6, I want to
bring light to the gentiles;
00:24:52.20\00:24:54.80
He wants the whole
world to be illuminated with
00:24:54.83\00:24:57.27
the truth about
God. He says further in
00:24:57.28\00:25:01.67
verse 7 that He wants
to bring all prisoners
00:25:01.68\00:25:04.59
out of their prison
houses. God is a God of
00:25:04.81\00:25:07.93
liberty and
liberation. He wants to create a
00:25:07.94\00:25:11.26
whole new order of
things in which all
00:25:11.27\00:25:15.23
imprisonment, both
emotional as well as
00:25:15.90\00:25:19.52
physical
imprisonment is all banished.
00:25:19.80\00:25:22.64
Justice is established.
Now the context here is
00:25:22.81\00:25:26.42
that the Messiah is
the embodiment of this
00:25:26.71\00:25:31.84
totally new thing
that God wants to do as you
00:25:32.33\00:25:35.14
read there in verse
9, "Behold, the former
00:25:35.15\00:25:37.97
things have come to
pass, and new things I
00:25:37.98\00:25:41.64
declare; Behold, they
spring forth and I tell
00:25:41.65\00:25:44.58
you of them." And then
God explains this whole
00:25:44.59\00:25:47.23
new thing that He's
going to do and the Messiah
00:25:47.24\00:25:50.15
is the fulfillment, the
embodiment of this whole
00:25:50.37\00:25:54.08
new thing that God has in mind.
00:25:54.09\00:25:56.32
But here's the fascinating
thing as you continue
00:25:57.19\00:26:00.20
reading through,
Isaiah chapter 42 and you see
00:26:00.21\00:26:04.12
that it is in fact
their messianic prophecy.
00:26:04.13\00:26:06.48
It foretells the
coming Christ who in Himself
00:26:06.76\00:26:09.66
will bring forth
justice for the Gentiles,
00:26:09.67\00:26:11.89
who in Himself will
bring a light to the nations,
00:26:11.99\00:26:14.97
who in Himself was
set the prisoners free,
00:26:15.13\00:26:17.96
Jesus fulfilled all of
that in His life but as
00:26:18.24\00:26:20.95
you keep reading
through chapter 42,
00:26:20.96\00:26:23.32
in the chapter 43,
here's what you discover.
00:26:23.50\00:26:25.90
The Jesus embodied the
fulfillment of this whole
00:26:26.26\00:26:30.55
new creation that
God wants to bring forth
00:26:30.56\00:26:33.01
but that through
God's people it will be made
00:26:33.52\00:26:37.81
global and brought
to pass in completion,
00:26:37.82\00:26:41.38
watch this very
carefully as the prophecy
00:26:42.16\00:26:45.02
unfolds. Go to
chapter 43, after God says,
00:26:45.30\00:26:48.67
in chapter 42 that He
wants to give birth to
00:26:48.68\00:26:51.74
something new. He
says in verse 23 while back
00:26:51.75\00:26:55.55
in chapter 42 verse
23, who among you will
00:26:55.56\00:26:58.52
give ear to this, who
will listen and hear for
00:26:58.53\00:27:03.88
the time to come.
There is to be some future
00:27:04.25\00:27:09.10
development, some
future fulfillment of this
00:27:09.27\00:27:12.96
new thing that God
wants to bring to pass.
00:27:13.24\00:27:15.61
We come down to
chapter 43 now and verses 6
00:27:15.77\00:27:19.12
and 7, God says, I
will say to the North,
00:27:19.13\00:27:22.64
"Give up!" and to the South,
00:27:22.81\00:27:24.53
"Do not keep back."
Bring my sons from afar
00:27:24.54\00:27:27.74
and my daughters from
the ends of the earth,
00:27:27.95\00:27:30.24
everyone who is
called by my name whom
00:27:30.42\00:27:33.98
I have created for
my glory. I have formed
00:27:33.99\00:27:38.71
him, yes, I have
made him. God says I am
00:27:38.72\00:27:42.26
calling to the North,
to the South, to the East,
00:27:42.27\00:27:46.11
to the West; I am
calling together my sons
00:27:46.12\00:27:49.37
and my daughters
whom I have created for
00:27:49.38\00:27:53.48
my glory. There are
a people that God is in
00:27:53.49\00:27:57.85
the process of
forming, who are the
00:27:57.86\00:28:00.07
repositories of His
glory, who are the channel
00:28:00.08\00:28:04.46
through which His
glory; His character is to be
00:28:04.78\00:28:07.86
made known to the
nations as the residual
00:28:07.87\00:28:10.81
effect of what was
accomplished in Jesus.
00:28:10.82\00:28:13.93
Yes, Jesus is the
accomplishment of this
00:28:14.16\00:28:17.41
prophecy, but Jesus
came to this world lived
00:28:17.42\00:28:21.98
and died and was
resurrected for a purpose
00:28:21.99\00:28:25.47
that would continue
unfolding until it reaches
00:28:25.48\00:28:28.50
it's climatic point.
When God will say to the
00:28:28.51\00:28:31.73
heavens and to the
earth here they are,
00:28:31.74\00:28:34.55
here are they who
keep the commandments
00:28:35.16\00:28:37.58
of God and have the
very same faith that
00:28:37.59\00:28:40.63
Jesus had. Here they
are, a spectacle to the
00:28:40.64\00:28:44.94
universe and to the
world. Here are my people
00:28:44.95\00:28:47.27
finally, finally the
ultimate result of the
00:28:47.28\00:28:51.46
death of Jesus.
In Isaiah chapter 43,
00:28:51.47\00:28:54.02
Isaiah prophesied that
Jesus in His sufferings
00:28:55.73\00:28:58.84
would see the
travail of His soul,
00:28:58.85\00:29:02.20
that is the labor
pains. When Jesus died on the
00:29:02.40\00:29:05.30
cross His soul was
travailing to give birth
00:29:05.31\00:29:09.16
to sons and daughters,
who would in fact become
00:29:09.80\00:29:14.03
His little brothers
and sisters, according to
00:29:14.38\00:29:16.44
Paul in chapter 8 of
Romans. That Jesus would
00:29:16.45\00:29:20.39
be our elder brother
and we would as it were
00:29:20.40\00:29:23.72
be the continuation
of the Revelation that he
00:29:23.92\00:29:26.84
began. Jesus travailed
to give birth to this new
00:29:26.85\00:29:33.28
thing that God wants to
bring forth in the world
00:29:33.29\00:29:35.57
and in the
universe and Isaiah says,
00:29:35.58\00:29:38.31
He shall see the
travail of his soul and be
00:29:38.32\00:29:40.52
satisfied. There is
nothing I can think of that
00:29:40.85\00:29:45.38
would bring greater
joy to me and I assume to
00:29:45.39\00:29:48.87
you as well,
then to actually bring
00:29:48.88\00:29:52.02
satisfaction to the
heart of our Savior.
00:29:52.25\00:29:55.29
Can you imagine
bringing a smile to Jesus' face.
00:29:55.81\00:29:59.19
To somehow being that
instrument who according
00:29:59.87\00:30:04.94
to Isaiah 43, declares
the glory of God to this
00:30:04.95\00:30:09.05
world in which we
live. So look at Isaiah 43
00:30:09.06\00:30:12.80
now further, because
as God says, in verses 6
00:30:13.06\00:30:17.62
and 7, I am calling to
the North and to the South
00:30:17.63\00:30:20.20
for my sons and
daughters to come whom
00:30:20.59\00:30:22.43
I have created for my
glory, which is to say
00:30:22.44\00:30:24.53
I have created them
to be a conduit through
00:30:24.54\00:30:27.01
whom my
character will be revealed.
00:30:27.02\00:30:29.11
Look at verse 9 now.
Let all of the nations
00:30:29.24\00:30:31.79
be gather together
and let the people be
00:30:31.80\00:30:35.55
assembled and who
among them can declare
00:30:35.56\00:30:38.88
this and show us former things.
00:30:38.89\00:30:41.22
Now watch this
carefully, let them bring
00:30:41.23\00:30:43.63
forth their witnesses
that they maybe justified
00:30:43.76\00:30:48.13
or let them sit
here and say it is truth.
00:30:48.14\00:30:50.88
Now let me just
unpack that for you.
00:30:51.34\00:30:53.10
God says, I am
calling my people to assemble
00:30:53.53\00:30:56.74
together to give a
testimony on my behalf.
00:30:56.75\00:31:00.46
Then God says, I am
summoning the nations.
00:31:00.82\00:31:04.19
I am calling the
nations to bear witness against
00:31:04.55\00:31:08.59
me. The testimony of
the unbelieving world,
00:31:08.60\00:31:13.18
God is calling for
here, go ahead, witness
00:31:13.19\00:31:15.90
against me God says, I
am calling the nations,
00:31:15.91\00:31:18.43
and give your testimony.
But then listen to the
00:31:18.44\00:31:22.07
testimony of my
people and if your testimony
00:31:22.08\00:31:25.55
does not trump theirs.
What is God say to them
00:31:26.14\00:31:29.93
in verse 9 the later
part; then here what they
00:31:30.11\00:31:32.37
have to say and
say what? It is truth.
00:31:32.38\00:31:37.36
God is looking for
His people to give a
00:31:38.46\00:31:41.77
testimony to the
nations contrary to the
00:31:41.78\00:31:45.57
testimony against
God that is given in our
00:31:45.58\00:31:48.10
world. There is a
battle here, there is a great
00:31:48.11\00:31:52.11
controversy, there
is evidence that God is
00:31:52.12\00:31:55.75
looking to be brought
to the table and you and I,
00:31:55.76\00:31:59.64
we are called upon by
God to put evidence on
00:32:00.14\00:32:02.71
the table to
testify on His behalf.
00:32:02.72\00:32:05.98
This becomes even
more clear as you continue
00:32:06.10\00:32:08.13
reading. Because in
verse 10, God says to His
00:32:08.14\00:32:11.06
people you are my
witnesses. Now, just
00:32:11.07\00:32:15.30
previously in verse 9,
He said to the nations,
00:32:15.31\00:32:18.47
gather together you
nations and testify.
00:32:18.63\00:32:21.54
Let your testimony to
be heard, but God says
00:32:22.12\00:32:25.27
verse 10; you speaking
to His people, you are my
00:32:25.28\00:32:28.27
witnesses. You are my
witnesses says the Lord
00:32:28.28\00:32:32.62
and my servants whom
I am chosen that you may
00:32:32.63\00:32:36.60
know and believe me
and understand that I am
00:32:36.61\00:32:39.83
He, "Before me there
was no God formed nor
00:32:39.84\00:32:43.25
shall there be after
me." Incredible, God is
00:32:43.26\00:32:47.78
calling upon us to be
a witness to testify on
00:32:47.79\00:32:53.01
His behalf. Now fast
forward to Revelation
00:32:53.38\00:32:56.95
chapter 12, hold
your hand there in Isaiah
00:32:57.36\00:32:59.55
because we're coming
back, but fast forward
00:32:59.56\00:33:01.14
now to Revelation
chapter 12 and this is amazing.
00:33:01.15\00:33:04.48
God says that
something going to happen
00:33:04.97\00:33:07.94
through an end-time
people. In verse 10,
00:33:09.20\00:33:15.10
there is acquisition
that is occurring against
00:33:15.42\00:33:17.66
the Lord. The
accuser of the brethren is
00:33:17.67\00:33:20.84
accusing them, God's
people day and night and
00:33:20.85\00:33:23.86
by logical extension
God is being accused in
00:33:23.87\00:33:27.53
these implications in
the great controversy.
00:33:27.54\00:33:30.46
But notice what's
going to emerge in verse
00:33:30.73\00:33:32.31
11 and they, that's
God's people overcame Him
00:33:32.32\00:33:38.72
that is the
accuser back in verse 10.
00:33:38.98\00:33:41.67
They overcame Him by
the blood of the Lamb,
00:33:41.91\00:33:45.74
and the word of their
what? The word of their
00:33:45.98\00:33:49.45
testimony; and they
did not love their lives
00:33:49.63\00:33:52.47
even to the point
of death. So, God says,
00:33:52.48\00:33:56.55
I will have a people
and that people will give
00:33:56.88\00:34:02.53
testimony against
the acquisitions of the
00:34:02.54\00:34:06.64
enemy against me
and against them,
00:34:06.65\00:34:09.14
and as they bear this
testimony they will be
00:34:09.43\00:34:12.72
pointing to the
cross. They will overcome by
00:34:12.73\00:34:17.83
the blood of the
lamb. Now, here's the thing
00:34:17.84\00:34:21.31
about this blood of
the lamb that they will
00:34:21.32\00:34:23.56
be testifying on
behalf of. What happened in
00:34:23.57\00:34:26.99
the person of Jesus
Christ, if you cut right
00:34:27.00\00:34:29.14
through all the
theology and get down to the
00:34:29.15\00:34:32.05
very bottom line of
what occurred in Christ.
00:34:32.06\00:34:35.16
According to Hebrews
chapter 9 and verse 26,
00:34:35.29\00:34:37.76
don't go there
for the sake of time,
00:34:37.77\00:34:39.26
the Bible says that
He appeared once at the
00:34:39.60\00:34:42.98
end of the ages to
put away sin by the
00:34:42.99\00:34:45.57
sacrifice of Himself.
What we witness in Jesus
00:34:45.58\00:34:51.18
is absolute self
sacrifice. We witness a self
00:34:51.43\00:34:56.96
giving, other centered
love that proved to the
00:34:56.97\00:35:01.72
accuser to the on,
on looking universe and
00:35:01.73\00:35:04.85
to all of humanity
who will look and live,
00:35:04.86\00:35:08.20
who will look to the
cross and see that Jesus
00:35:08.99\00:35:11.17
demonstrated that God
almighty literally loves
00:35:11.18\00:35:15.14
all others above
and before Himself.
00:35:15.15\00:35:19.97
John chapter 13 verses
1 and 2, scripture says
00:35:20.20\00:35:23.89
of Jesus leading up
to the cross. It says,
00:35:23.90\00:35:26.71
He loved them to
the end, that is to say,
00:35:26.72\00:35:31.61
He loved them to
the end of Himself.
00:35:31.83\00:35:35.48
Complete self
sacrifice was made on your
00:35:36.39\00:35:41.39
behalf and mine, on
behalf of the whole human
00:35:41.40\00:35:43.51
race. What
happened at the cross?
00:35:43.52\00:35:45.42
Jesus loved us to
the end and when we point
00:35:46.00\00:35:51.52
the cross that's
what we're pointing to.
00:35:51.53\00:35:53.45
We're pointing to a
God who loves all others
00:35:53.86\00:35:56.66
above Himself that's
the testimony and it pans
00:35:56.67\00:36:01.24
out in their
experience. It says that they
00:36:01.25\00:36:05.45
overcome by the blood
of the lamb pointing to
00:36:06.36\00:36:09.64
the cross and the
Revelation of God's
00:36:09.65\00:36:11.43
character that was
given there. By the word
00:36:11.44\00:36:13.85
of their testimony and
notice the third part of
00:36:13.86\00:36:17.47
this Revelation to
the world at this time.
00:36:17.48\00:36:19.91
They loved not their
lives even unto death.
00:36:20.78\00:36:26.46
In other words, God's
people at the end of time
00:36:27.51\00:36:32.29
will become a
reflection of the same kind of
00:36:32.71\00:36:36.03
self-sacrificing love
that led Jesus to shed His
00:36:36.04\00:36:39.35
blood at the cross.
They who look to the cross
00:36:39.36\00:36:43.68
will come to the
place where they love not
00:36:44.32\00:36:46.38
their own lives to
the point of death,
00:36:46.39\00:36:48.45
they will mirror the
love of God in Christ,
00:36:48.73\00:36:53.44
and they will show to
the world that God truly
00:36:53.72\00:36:56.75
is a God of infinite
love. As you go on in
00:36:56.88\00:37:00.14
Revelation you see
another time in chapter 12
00:37:00.15\00:37:04.14
verse 17, that God
points to this people.
00:37:04.15\00:37:07.38
And He says, there
will be a remnant and the
00:37:08.09\00:37:10.69
dragon will be
angry against them,
00:37:10.70\00:37:13.09
but they will be a
people who will keep the
00:37:13.46\00:37:16.50
commandments of
God and have the,
00:37:16.51\00:37:18.31
what of Jesus? The
testimony of Jesus.
00:37:18.32\00:37:21.33
They will continue
testifying to the world on
00:37:21.53\00:37:25.27
behalf of God. And
then in chapter 14 and
00:37:25.28\00:37:29.13
verse 12, this
awesome announcement,
00:37:29.14\00:37:31.84
here they are, here
are they who keep the
00:37:32.02\00:37:35.85
commandments of God and
have the faith of Jesus.
00:37:35.86\00:37:39.59
The faith of Jesus that
we witnessed in His very
00:37:39.77\00:37:43.01
life and sacrifice
will be reproduced in the
00:37:43.02\00:37:47.35
people of God. Here
they are. Can you imagine
00:37:47.36\00:37:50.61
the joy that will
course through God's heart
00:37:51.42\00:37:53.68
when He will finally
be able to say to all the
00:37:53.69\00:37:56.41
angels of heaven who
have been waiting for
00:37:56.42\00:37:59.71
this great
controversy to become or to get
00:37:59.72\00:38:03.11
over. When he can
say to the on looking
00:38:03.12\00:38:05.45
universe of an
inhabited world that Paul talks
00:38:05.46\00:38:08.67
about in the book of Ephesians.
00:38:08.68\00:38:10.09
The principalities and
powers in heavenly places,
00:38:10.10\00:38:13.53
all the worlds,
all the angels and most
00:38:14.24\00:38:17.31
importantly to all
the human race God will
00:38:17.32\00:38:19.97
finally be able to
point to a people and say
00:38:19.98\00:38:22.88
here they are. This
is what I've been waiting
00:38:23.21\00:38:27.17
for, this is what the
world has been waiting to
00:38:27.18\00:38:30.38
see, this is what the
universe has been waiting
00:38:30.39\00:38:33.90
to see, a people in
whom the faith of Jesus,
00:38:33.91\00:38:39.10
the love of Jesus is reproduced.
00:38:39.43\00:38:43.14
Can you imagine the
joy in God's heart when
00:38:43.49\00:38:45.52
He can finally point
to that people with great
00:38:45.53\00:38:49.18
happiness and
rejoicing and call upon the
00:38:49.74\00:38:52.43
whole world. He is
calling you and me,
00:38:52.44\00:38:54.90
in Isaiah chapter
43, He saying, you are my
00:38:55.69\00:38:59.67
witnesses you are the testimony,
00:38:59.68\00:39:01.73
you are the evidence
that I want to bring to
00:39:01.83\00:39:03.74
the table, not just
theology, but a living
00:39:03.75\00:39:09.42
testimony. That's
why when Jesus in Matthew
00:39:09.96\00:39:13.21
24 verse 14, told
about the gospel going to the
00:39:13.22\00:39:16.35
world, He said this
gospel of the kingdom
00:39:16.36\00:39:19.08
shall be preached in
all the world period, no,
00:39:19.09\00:39:22.70
as a witness and
then shall the end come.
00:39:22.71\00:39:27.49
We've been talking
about this testimony
00:39:28.17\00:39:31.60
for many years.
But finally God says,
00:39:32.25\00:39:36.43
Jesus prophesied,
it's going to come forth
00:39:36.44\00:39:39.35
as a witness, as a
testimony. God is saying
00:39:39.36\00:39:43.06
that you and me, we
are the evidence He wants
00:39:43.07\00:39:45.64
to bring to the table
in the great controversy.
00:39:45.65\00:39:47.85
As the devil levels
acquisitions against the
00:39:48.06\00:39:50.34
character of God, as the
devil levels acquisitions
00:39:50.35\00:39:53.66
against the people
of God, the Lord says in
00:39:53.96\00:39:57.55
Isaiah 43, you are it,
you are the evidence that
00:39:57.56\00:40:03.10
I want to bring forth
as a testimony against the
00:40:03.11\00:40:07.56
devil and all his ways
and his acquisitions to
00:40:07.57\00:40:11.82
bring closure to
the great controversy.
00:40:11.83\00:40:15.95
Now this is a remarkable thing.
00:40:16.11\00:40:18.10
You will not find this
line of thought anywhere
00:40:18.21\00:40:22.15
in Christianity
Adventism has a unique
00:40:22.16\00:40:26.19
message for the
world, because Adventism
00:40:26.20\00:40:28.56
doesn't speak; now
listen very carefully,
00:40:28.57\00:40:30.60
doesn't speak
merely in terms of personal
00:40:30.61\00:40:35.68
individual salvation.
The evangelical gospel is
00:40:35.69\00:40:41.34
primarily focused
on getting me saved.
00:40:41.35\00:40:45.18
Jesus died so you
could be forgiven and not
00:40:46.64\00:40:50.46
go to hell so
you can go to heaven.
00:40:50.47\00:40:52.99
Now, of course,
from God's prospective He
00:40:53.18\00:40:56.46
is very concerned about
your salvation and mine,
00:40:56.47\00:40:59.03
but let me tell
you a secret now.
00:40:59.04\00:41:00.49
The very nature of
the salvation He wants
00:41:01.76\00:41:05.23
to give us will free
us from all self concern.
00:41:05.24\00:41:09.45
So, that while God
is focused on saving Ty.
00:41:09.88\00:41:13.38
Ty is focused on
glorifying and vindicating
00:41:14.06\00:41:17.91
God, amen. So, that
scripture brings us all
00:41:17.92\00:41:22.55
the way through this
salvation process to a
00:41:22.56\00:41:26.13
final end product, to a
people whose only concern,
00:41:26.14\00:41:32.16
is giving God the
glory His name has always
00:41:33.26\00:41:37.92
been due against the
lies and charges against
00:41:37.93\00:41:41.91
His character that
have been leveled against
00:41:41.92\00:41:45.75
the Lord. We're the evidence.
00:41:45.76\00:41:47.60
We need to allow
God to lift us above the
00:41:48.35\00:41:53.14
concern for personal salvation,
00:41:53.15\00:41:54.87
not that I don't
want to saved, praise God.
00:41:54.88\00:41:57.82
I want to spend all
eternity in that, that
00:41:57.95\00:42:01.33
kingdom and the
earth made new, don't you?
00:42:01.34\00:42:04.77
Yes, but listen we
need to get about our
00:42:04.93\00:42:07.62
Father's business,
there's something more,
00:42:07.63\00:42:10.55
there's something
that transcends all
00:42:10.56\00:42:12.50
self-interest. We see
it, hinted at in Moses,
00:42:12.51\00:42:16.30
when Moses said,
Lord forgive these people
00:42:16.49\00:42:19.62
but if you can't
forgive them then brought my
00:42:19.63\00:42:21.42
name out of the book of life.
00:42:21.43\00:42:22.83
Moses somehow
through his encounter with
00:42:23.55\00:42:25.55
God had lost all
self concern even for his
00:42:25.56\00:42:28.17
eternal salvation
and was more interested
00:42:28.18\00:42:30.71
in the salvation of
others encountering God
00:42:30.72\00:42:33.91
then his own
salvation. Paul in the book of
00:42:34.45\00:42:37.08
Roman experienced a
similar transcendence of
00:42:37.09\00:42:41.35
self concern when He
said; I wish that I myself
00:42:41.36\00:42:45.13
could be accursed
for my brethren according
00:42:45.14\00:42:47.09
to the flesh. In other
words, Paul was saying,
00:42:47.10\00:42:49.96
if my fellow Israelites
could be saved I would be
00:42:50.19\00:42:54.89
willing to give my own
eternal salvation for them.
00:42:54.90\00:42:57.84
That's incredible.
That's exactly what we see
00:42:58.09\00:43:00.19
in Jesus. We see Jesus
in this world revealing
00:43:00.20\00:43:05.76
a love that
transcends all self concern.
00:43:05.77\00:43:08.67
We see in Jesus a
testimony in favor of the
00:43:09.56\00:43:13.79
character of God and
Jesus longs to see in
00:43:13.80\00:43:18.20
you and me a
testimony in favor of the
00:43:18.21\00:43:23.15
character of God.
That's what He's longing for.
00:43:23.16\00:43:27.18
According to the
incredible prophecies that
00:43:27.40\00:43:32.93
Paul opens to us
in Romans chapter 8,
00:43:32.94\00:43:35.75
don't turn there
for the sake of time.
00:43:35.76\00:43:37.33
But Paul says that
God is longing for the new
00:43:38.25\00:43:43.01
creation to be
brought forth, for a whole new
00:43:43.02\00:43:45.31
order of things. Do
you know, what Paul said
00:43:45.32\00:43:47.83
there. In verse 18, he
said, I reckon that the
00:43:47.84\00:43:51.29
sufferings of this
present time are not worthy
00:43:51.30\00:43:55.03
to be compared with
the glory which shall be
00:43:55.04\00:43:59.00
revealed where? In us.
Paul anticipates future
00:43:59.01\00:44:04.85
tense to him writing
this, that there will be a
00:44:04.86\00:44:07.29
time when the glory
of God will be revealed
00:44:07.30\00:44:10.82
where, in us, in God's
people, and it won't even,
00:44:10.83\00:44:15.03
it will be so
incredible that it will cause
00:44:15.04\00:44:18.39
the sufferings of this
present world to pale into
00:44:18.40\00:44:21.29
in significance. The
sufferings of this present
00:44:21.30\00:44:23.80
world aren't even
worthy to be compared
00:44:23.81\00:44:26.07
somebody has said,
that from eternities
00:44:26.30\00:44:29.77
prospective
looking back on this world,
00:44:29.78\00:44:32.98
I mean think about it.
A million years from now
00:44:33.44\00:44:35.80
someone has said, that
our life in this world will
00:44:36.13\00:44:39.98
look like one night
in a bad hotel. And some
00:44:39.99\00:44:44.94
of us have
experienced suffering in the
00:44:44.95\00:44:47.11
raw, concrete, radical
evil, I happen to be one
00:44:47.12\00:44:50.89
of them. And it's
somehow feels like that kind
00:44:50.90\00:44:54.41
of statement
trivializes our suffering.
00:44:54.42\00:44:56.36
But think about it,
just think about it.
00:44:56.94\00:44:59.12
A million years from
now, under the tree of life
00:44:59.31\00:45:02.43
with Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob, Daniel,
00:45:02.44\00:45:04.46
Nebuchadnezzar,
fellowshipping for eternity
00:45:04.67\00:45:07.82
with the saved of all
ages and most importantly
00:45:07.83\00:45:10.27
in communion with
Jesus. A million years from
00:45:10.78\00:45:15.13
now under the tree
of life, yeah, whatever
00:45:15.14\00:45:18.18
we've experienced in
this life is gonna look like
00:45:18.19\00:45:20.11
one night in motel
sets, yeah. That's the true
00:45:20.12\00:45:26.13
prospective that we
need to be focused on,
00:45:26.14\00:45:29.46
eternity future. James
says that our life in this
00:45:29.85\00:45:33.79
world is like a
vapor that vanishes away.
00:45:33.80\00:45:36.71
It's like what you
see coming out of end of
00:45:37.51\00:45:39.01
the spray bottle,
just. That's it, and then all
00:45:39.02\00:45:45.35
eternity future,
amen. Paul says the
00:45:45.36\00:45:49.53
sufferings of this
present time are not even
00:45:49.54\00:45:51.52
worthy to be compared
to the glory that shall
00:45:51.53\00:45:54.38
be revealed in us.
And get this my friends.
00:45:54.39\00:45:56.95
Feel the heart of
God through what Paul
00:45:58.24\00:46:01.11
says here. He says in verse 19,
00:46:01.12\00:46:04.54
that there is an
earnest expectation and an
00:46:05.46\00:46:08.90
eager waiting of the
revealing of the sons of
00:46:08.91\00:46:12.59
God in verse 19 of Romans 8.
00:46:12.60\00:46:15.45
There is an earnest expectation,
00:46:16.32\00:46:18.64
who is earnestly
expecting this revelation
00:46:18.82\00:46:21.77
of the sons of God.
The final glorious people
00:46:21.78\00:46:25.70
who give the
Zenith Revelation of the
00:46:26.10\00:46:28.38
character of God to
the world as a testimony.
00:46:28.39\00:46:30.60
Who's waiting with
earnest expectation for
00:46:31.11\00:46:34.67
the revealing of the
sons of God? There are
00:46:34.68\00:46:36.69
three groanings that
Paul says are taking place,
00:46:36.91\00:46:40.78
you know, what the
word groaning means,
00:46:41.32\00:46:42.95
right, it is the
deep expression. It's a
00:46:42.96\00:46:47.36
wordless
expression, it's not a word
00:46:47.54\00:46:50.49
that comes forth, it
is a deep feeling that
00:46:50.66\00:46:54.66
becomes audible of
internal pain, grief,
00:46:54.67\00:46:58.36
and suffering
that's what groaning is,
00:46:58.37\00:47:00.44
and according
to Paul, Paul says,
00:47:01.10\00:47:02.88
creation itself
verse 22 is groaning,
00:47:03.48\00:47:07.89
waiting for the
sons of God to be brought
00:47:08.74\00:47:12.78
forth and for the end
of bondage on the creation.
00:47:12.88\00:47:15.92
Look at the
animal creation, friends,
00:47:16.67\00:47:18.81
look at this
world in which we live,
00:47:19.45\00:47:21.22
and you can see
with a perceptive eye.
00:47:21.62\00:47:24.60
You can see a deep
painful groaning in
00:47:24.97\00:47:29.05
creation as it
wastes away. If you have the
00:47:29.06\00:47:32.15
evolutionary
prospective, none of it troubles
00:47:32.16\00:47:34.63
you, because it's also
survival of the fittest
00:47:34.64\00:47:38.06
and everything is
natural selection.
00:47:38.38\00:47:40.20
So, all the brutality
that we see in the animal
00:47:40.53\00:47:43.92
kingdom is just the
way things are supposed
00:47:43.98\00:47:46.58
to be and that's
how progress is made.
00:47:46.59\00:47:48.71
That's the
evolutionary prospective.
00:47:49.77\00:47:51.58
This is all simply the
way it's supposed to be
00:47:51.88\00:47:55.18
in order to evolved,
but with the perceptive,
00:47:55.55\00:47:59.52
biblically enlightened
eye you look at creation
00:47:59.75\00:48:03.97
in all its agony and
pain. You look at the
00:48:03.98\00:48:08.30
destruction of this
world and it pains your
00:48:08.31\00:48:11.32
heart deeply and you
see the creation itself
00:48:11.33\00:48:13.69
as Paul says is
groaning, waiting to be
00:48:13.70\00:48:16.54
delivered from what
we as human beings have
00:48:16.55\00:48:21.34
brought upon the
creation. If Adam and Eve
00:48:21.35\00:48:25.70
were somehow to be
resurrected and brought
00:48:26.76\00:48:29.50
here today to this
beautiful place here with
00:48:29.51\00:48:32.76
what we regard as
the lush greenery that
00:48:33.29\00:48:36.96
surrounds us, you go
outside and if you can
00:48:36.97\00:48:39.21
get pass the
humidity of this place.
00:48:39.22\00:48:41.08
Visually at least you
oh, this is so beautiful.
00:48:42.89\00:48:45.03
If Adam and Eve could
be resurrected and you
00:48:45.04\00:48:47.50
would take them
around showing them all
00:48:47.51\00:48:48.84
the beauty of this
place. They would say,
00:48:48.85\00:48:51.05
what happened here?
What kind of devastation
00:48:51.38\00:48:54.00
came through
Illinois? This is horrible,
00:48:54.19\00:48:57.14
because from the
standpoint of the Garden
00:48:58.74\00:49:01.27
of Eden this looks
pretty bad. Can you imagine
00:49:01.28\00:49:05.43
the creation itself
is groaning but not only
00:49:06.29\00:49:09.77
creation is groaning.
It says there in verse 23,
00:49:09.78\00:49:13.27
that even we
ourselves groan within ourselves
00:49:14.00\00:49:18.35
eagerly awaiting the
adoption, the redemption
00:49:18.44\00:49:21.90
of our bodies. So,
creation groans and we who
00:49:21.91\00:49:27.99
understand the gospel
we groan within ourselves.
00:49:28.00\00:49:33.17
And I want to ask
you quite personally do
00:49:33.74\00:49:36.49
you groan within
yourself? Or do you flip the
00:49:36.50\00:49:41.04
channel and watch
CNN and Fox News and all
00:49:41.05\00:49:45.12
these documentaries
and see what's happening
00:49:45.13\00:49:47.82
in Zimbabwe right now.
As millions of people are
00:49:47.83\00:49:52.08
flooding out of the
Zimbabwe into South Africa,
00:49:52.09\00:49:54.17
because the entire
economy and infrastructure
00:49:54.18\00:49:57.41
of the country is
just imploding on itself.
00:49:57.42\00:49:59.98
People can't even
find food to eat or just go
00:49:59.99\00:50:03.11
over to Botswana,
where 1 in 3 people are
00:50:03.12\00:50:07.02
dying of AIDS, 1 in
3. Do you look at this
00:50:07.03\00:50:13.04
world and do you feel
what Paul says you ought
00:50:13.05\00:50:15.42
to feel here? Do
you feel a deep inner
00:50:15.43\00:50:17.46
groaning or do you
just switch the channels
00:50:17.47\00:50:19.53
and say, honey,
what's for dinner?
00:50:19.54\00:50:20.53
Or you jaded, are you
numb? I have to confess
00:50:22.35\00:50:27.07
I am. I don't feel
what the sensitivity of the
00:50:27.08\00:50:31.60
heart of God the way I should.
00:50:31.61\00:50:33.04
But I want to see
through God's eyes.
00:50:33.74\00:50:36.82
I want to feel what
God feels to the degree
00:50:37.47\00:50:41.30
that my finite human
nature can, can handle
00:50:41.31\00:50:44.12
it enough to get
motivated to put all my
00:50:44.13\00:50:47.82
talents and
resources and energies into
00:50:47.83\00:50:50.98
bringing closure to
this great controversy.
00:50:50.99\00:50:54.33
God is looking for a
people who will resonate
00:50:54.34\00:50:57.02
with God's heart and
get serious about bringing
00:50:57.29\00:51:02.37
an end of the great
controversy and bringing
00:51:03.29\00:51:05.73
the gospel to the
world. But there is a third
00:51:05.74\00:51:08.26
groaning. There is
the groaning of creation,
00:51:08.27\00:51:11.42
there is the groaning
of God's people as they
00:51:11.43\00:51:13.34
witness what's
happening in this world
00:51:13.48\00:51:15.89
and then the most
amazing that of all.
00:51:15.90\00:51:18.71
In verse 26, it
says, that the Holy Spirit
00:51:19.01\00:51:22.09
himself make intercession
for us with groaning
00:51:22.10\00:51:25.19
which cannot be
articulated, which cannot
00:51:25.28\00:51:28.59
be uttered. God is
groaning within the divine
00:51:28.60\00:51:34.46
self. There is a deep
inner longing and urgency.
00:51:34.47\00:51:41.00
Do you feel that
urgency? Do you identify
00:51:42.14\00:51:46.00
with the heart of
God? And do you long with
00:51:46.01\00:51:49.04
God's logging in
your heart to bring all
00:51:49.05\00:51:52.56
suffering and evil to
an end and to launch into
00:51:52.57\00:51:56.67
eternity future, when
all suffering is completely
00:51:56.68\00:52:02.09
banished and
everything will be beautiful
00:52:02.10\00:52:05.68
and clean and pure.
Do you long for that?
00:52:05.69\00:52:10.53
Go back to Isaiah
now because here is the
00:52:10.80\00:52:12.99
heart of God, as
Isaiah goes from chapter 43,
00:52:13.00\00:52:15.98
longing for this
people to be revealed,
00:52:15.99\00:52:17.96
he finally comes to
the place at the end of
00:52:17.97\00:52:20.79
his book where he
brings to our attention
00:52:20.80\00:52:24.38
something remarkable,
he says for verse 17,
00:52:24.65\00:52:28.17
" For behold, I
create new heavens and a
00:52:28.18\00:52:31.04
new earth. Chapter
65 of Isaiah verse 17.
00:52:31.05\00:52:34.57
A new heavens and a new earth,
00:52:34.80\00:52:36.26
the former things
shall not be remembered;
00:52:36.56\00:52:38.99
praise God, there are
somethings I would very
00:52:39.07\00:52:40.85
much like to
forget nor come to mind.
00:52:40.86\00:52:44.49
Verse 18, now this is
so incredible watch this,
00:52:44.81\00:52:49.02
be glad and rejoice
forever in what I create.
00:52:49.75\00:52:54.48
This is God saying I
am going to usher you into
00:52:55.94\00:52:59.65
a future new
creation and I want you to
00:52:59.78\00:53:02.60
rejoice, I want you to
be glad at what I create.
00:53:02.61\00:53:06.31
This new thing, is
going to stretch out before
00:53:06.32\00:53:09.29
you into eternity in
future, I want you to
00:53:09.30\00:53:11.21
rejoice and be
glad. And that's an
00:53:11.22\00:53:12.49
understatement. We
are not, we're not gonna
00:53:12.50\00:53:15.30
just be glad, we're
not just gonna rejoice,
00:53:15.31\00:53:18.30
we're gonna be
ecstatic with happiness for
00:53:18.31\00:53:21.71
all eternity future
on a level we can't even
00:53:21.72\00:53:24.37
comprehend or explain right now.
00:53:24.69\00:53:26.06
Can you imagine
standing in the immediate
00:53:26.07\00:53:28.49
presence of God
almighty for your first
00:53:28.50\00:53:30.49
few seconds?
Rejoice, be glad, that's an
00:53:30.65\00:53:36.45
understatement.
We're gonna be doing back
00:53:36.46\00:53:40.18
flips and shouting
Halleluiah simultaneously,
00:53:40.19\00:53:44.82
amen. And God says
and here is an even more
00:53:45.14\00:53:47.73
remarkable verse 19, I
will rejoice in Jerusalem,
00:53:47.74\00:53:51.43
and joy in my
people. What? Not just we're
00:53:52.43\00:53:57.94
going to rejoice but
God is going to rejoice.
00:53:57.95\00:54:01.44
Can you imagine
God being flooded with
00:54:01.47\00:54:04.92
happiness at the end
of the great controversy
00:54:04.93\00:54:07.65
and going into the
future. Can you imagine a
00:54:08.13\00:54:11.03
smile on God's face
oh, I so glad it's over,
00:54:11.04\00:54:14.22
I am so glad it's
over, amen. Don't you long
00:54:14.67\00:54:17.90
to bring that joy to
God's heart; I will joy in
00:54:17.91\00:54:20.55
my people. What is
it that makes God happy?
00:54:20.56\00:54:22.73
The latter part of
verse 19, because the voice
00:54:23.69\00:54:26.67
of weeping shall no
longer be heard nor the
00:54:26.68\00:54:29.92
voice of crying,
wow! That's what makes
00:54:29.93\00:54:33.95
God happy, no more
tears, no more crying,
00:54:33.96\00:54:36.95
no more pain, down
in verse 25 he says,
00:54:37.22\00:54:39.36
the wolf and the
lamb will feed together,
00:54:39.37\00:54:41.12
and the lion will
eat straw like the ox,
00:54:41.67\00:54:43.71
vegetarian lions. See
this is God's new world
00:54:43.88\00:54:47.10
order, no pain, no
hurt. Look at the later part
00:54:47.11\00:54:49.78
of verse 25 they shall
not hurt, no destroy in
00:54:49.79\00:54:52.99
all my holy
mountain says the Lord.
00:54:53.00\00:54:55.35
This is God speaking
of His ultimate heart's
00:54:55.62\00:54:59.89
desire. I long for a
creation in which there is
00:55:00.07\00:55:04.44
no hurt and no
destruction. This is the mind
00:55:04.45\00:55:10.39
and heart of your
creator. He's so relieved at
00:55:10.56\00:55:15.89
this point. There is
closure and only eternal
00:55:15.90\00:55:20.87
joy stretches out before Him.
00:55:20.88\00:55:22.53
I remember my wife Sue and I,
00:55:23.81\00:55:26.30
when we got married,
we were so idealistic,
00:55:26.31\00:55:28.30
we said, ooh,
let's have 12 children,
00:55:29.78\00:55:31.88
one every two years.
We wanted to populate
00:55:32.25\00:55:35.43
the kingdom and we
were biblical about it.
00:55:35.44\00:55:37.04
That's why we picked
the number 12 and then
00:55:37.05\00:55:40.12
we had Amber 8 pounds
10 ounces out of Sue's
00:55:40.13\00:55:42.65
100 pound body, and she
said, what was that number
00:55:42.97\00:55:45.49
we picked was. I
said, it was 12, Baby.
00:55:45.50\00:55:47.77
She said, could you
do six? Then we had Jason
00:55:48.75\00:55:51.69
who wrapped
himself around her spine or
00:55:51.70\00:55:54.22
something I think for
about 4 months she was
00:55:54.23\00:55:57.00
in pain. Jason came
into the world she said
00:55:57.01\00:55:59.79
six, could we do
four? And then Leah came
00:56:00.02\00:56:04.45
along and Leah did
not want to be born.
00:56:04.46\00:56:07.32
She didn't want to
come out and we had this
00:56:07.58\00:56:09.06
Hippy midwife who
only wanted to use natural
00:56:09.07\00:56:13.19
methods, the only
things she would allow was
00:56:13.35\00:56:15.35
gentle breathing,
oh ah, that's all.
00:56:15.36\00:56:19.31
But my wives finger
nails were dug into my arm
00:56:20.15\00:56:22.74
and I wanted the
child to come out as bad,
00:56:24.09\00:56:26.95
no, not as bad as
Sue did, but I wanted the
00:56:26.96\00:56:28.85
child to be born and
the midwife, midwife left
00:56:28.86\00:56:30.97
the room, this
was my chance and I
00:56:30.98\00:56:32.54
remembered an
Indian squall story.
00:56:32.55\00:56:34.48
Where they let gravity
help. She left the room
00:56:36.49\00:56:39.59
and I said, Sue get
up here on my legs and
00:56:39.60\00:56:41.42
she got there and I
began moving my heels
00:56:41.43\00:56:43.63
and bouncing, and I
reached around just in
00:56:43.64\00:56:46.91
time to catch that
baby and the midwife
00:56:46.92\00:56:48.88
walked in and said,
that was not natural.
00:56:48.89\00:56:50.65
Yeah! That was not natural.
00:56:52.42\00:56:54.64
But Sue was so
relieved, it is a glorious thing
00:56:56.37\00:57:01.96
to be bring a whole
new person into existence.
00:57:02.14\00:57:05.21
And I held that
pristine new little baby Leah in
00:57:05.81\00:57:08.62
my arms as we named
her and Sue passed out
00:57:08.63\00:57:12.35
in exhaustion. God is
looking for birthing the
00:57:12.82\00:57:18.13
new creation. He
is asking you and me.
00:57:18.14\00:57:20.35