Good morning. Good morning.
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I have the
privilege this morning
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of introducing our speaker
for our 11 o'clock service
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Pastor Shawn Boonstra.
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He is the speaker and director
of "It Is Written" telecast
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and I'm sure all of
you are familiar with him
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and he really
needs no introduction.
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On a personal note Shawn
means a lot to our family
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and has a special
place in our hearts,
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especially my husband and I.
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He married us last September
and we just admire Shawn.
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One thing about him, when
you get to know him personally
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he has a close
walk with Jesus Christ.
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He loves Jesus
with all his heart.
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And my husband and I
especially admire his devotion,
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his passion for
finishing the work
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and spreading the
gospel to the ends of the earth
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so that we can go home
with Jesus some day soon.
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I ask you this morning to
prayerfully open your hearts
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and your minds to be receptive
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to the message that
God has for us today.
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The Lord is my Shepherd
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I never shall want
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For lack of His mercies
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My soul shall not pant
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In pleasant green pastures
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I daily abide
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He leads me the peaceful
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Still waters beside
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My soul He restoreth
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And for His Name's sake
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The path of His righteousness
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bids me to take Yea
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Though I pass
through death's dark shade
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I will not by evil
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Be ever dismay'd
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I will not by evil
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Be ever dismay'd
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The Lord is my Shepherd
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I never shall want
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For thou art my Shepherd
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And with me always
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Thy rod and Thy staff are
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my comfort and stay
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My table thou spreadest
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In presence of foes
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My head thou anointest
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My cup overflows
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Thy goodness and mercy
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Shall follow me still
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While life's earnest duties
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I daily fulfill
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Till joyous my spirit
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shall claim its reward
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And dwell evermore
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In the house of the Lord
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And dwell evermore
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In the house of the Lord
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The Lord is my Shepherd
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I never shall want.
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Amen.
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To see Alpha and Beverly here
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singing was a pleasant surprise.
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I didn't know to very recently
that they would be singing.
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They sang for me when I
was with It Is Written, Canada.
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They are Canadian.
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Now, I want you to
see how this works.
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Canada does not have a big army.
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So how do we takeover America?
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Just send preachers and singers.
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We are gonna study
God's word together
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and I have a particular burden
to share with you this morning
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because in some
corners of Christianity
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as of late I have been hearing
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that in this last
hour of earth's history
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we should be
retooling our message
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so that it applies to
the modern secular mind
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and appeals to people
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who are not
interested in spiritual things.
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But as I have
been studying scripture
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I have seen in
the pages of the Bible
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that God deals very clearly
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with this issue
for the last days.
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So in a moment we are
going to turn to Acts Chapter 14
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but before we go
there I would invite you
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to bow your heads
with me in prayer.
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Father in heaven, You
know right now at this moment
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how desperately I need You.
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If I'm to speak I
have nothing to say.
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And my thoughts and my heart
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are tainted by
selfishness and pride and sin.
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And so I beg that You would
take a coal from heaven's altar
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and touch my lips.
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Give me the ability
to think clear thoughts
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and to have my heart
and my eyes and my ears
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focused on Jesus
for these next minutes.
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We sense He is coming soon
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and even before we
see Him face to face.
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Today we want to see Him
in the pages of the Bible
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and it's our prayer
that You would open our eyes
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so we could see that.
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Forgive our sins
and speak to us now
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and we covenant
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that we will
respond when You speak.
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For we ask it in the wonderful
name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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Amen.
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There is this
story in Acts Chapter 14
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where Paul and Barnabas
are visiting the city of Lystra
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and as they are
there God uses them
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to heal a man that has
never been able to walk.
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He was born crippled, the
Bible says in Acts Chapter 14.
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And after this
man has been healed
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all of sudden the
city comes unglued.
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Paul and Barnabas
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are left standing
alone in the city square
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wondering where
everybody has gone.
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The city
evacuates, the people leave.
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And Barnabas is
left looking at Paul
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and now this is the Boonstra
revised version of the story.
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Barnabas says to Paul
where did everybody go.
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Paul says, I don't
know, they are gone.
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You would think
after the healing
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we could have
had an evangelistic
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but they are gone.
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Where are they?
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And so these two men
stand in the city square
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all by themselves in Lystra
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kind of like people on the beach
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just at that point
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when the water sucks out
the sea before a tidal wave.
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Wondering around
wondering where everyone is gone
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and then all of a
sudden Barnabas sees them.
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Paul, I think
we've got a problem.
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What is it,
Barnabas? Take a look.
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Look down the street.
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And there they come,
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the people of the
city have run out of town
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and they have gone to
grab the priest of Zeus.
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They said this amazing
thing happened in town, priest,
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and this man has been healed.
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We think they might be
the Gods comedown to earth.
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What do you think we should do?
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And the priest of
Zeus or Jupiter says,
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hey, we ought to
offer a sacrifice.
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So here comes the crowd with
an ox and a bunch of flowers.
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Barnabas pulls on Paul sleeve,
he said, this is a problem.
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I think they are
going to worship us.
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What a disaster of
an evangelist meeting.
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I mean, there they are
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to preach the
gospel of Jesus Christ
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and now they are about to slay
the bull for Paul and Barnabas.
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They are gonna
worship human beings.
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It's a disaster up until
Paul realizes what's going on.
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Acts 14:14 "Which
when the apostles,
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Barnabas and Paul, heard
of, they rent their clothes,
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and ran in among
the people, crying out."
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I mean, they were
in agony over this.
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they tore their clothes over it.
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They were so upset
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and that's before you
could run over to Wal-Mart
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and buy another set for $11.95.
00:11:14.44\00:11:17.67
It's hard to get new
clothes. They are upset.
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Verse 15, now
watch what happens.
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"And saying, Sirs,
why do ye these things?
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We also are men of
like passions with you,"
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let me pause there for a moment.
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If there are
only a few big secrets
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to successful witness
that's one of them right there.
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It's helping people see
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that you too are
sinners saved by Christ.
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You are not unusual,
you are not high and mighty,
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you don't sit on a pedestal
and you are not a religious
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know at all, you
are just like them.
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That secret
alone goes a long way.
00:11:49.30\00:11:51.84
"Why do ye these things?
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We also are men of
like passions with you,
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and preach to you"
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now listen to this,
here comes Paul's message.
00:11:57.61\00:12:00.72
"We preach to you
00:12:00.75\00:12:02.08
that you turn from these
vanities unto the living God,
00:12:02.12\00:12:05.45
which made heaven,
and earth, and the sea,
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and all things
that are therein."
00:12:07.82\00:12:10.53
Now if that sounds familiar
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and it opt to
Seventh-day Adventist Christians
00:12:12.83\00:12:15.90
Paul is preaching
the first angel's message
00:12:15.93\00:12:19.90
to the people in Lystra.
00:12:19.93\00:12:21.80
He uses the
three angels' messages.
00:12:21.84\00:12:23.81
I find that interesting.
00:12:23.84\00:12:25.17
Verse 16, "Who in times
past suffered all nations
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to walk in their own ways."
00:12:30.45\00:12:31.91
There is the theme of
the Great Controversy.
00:12:31.95\00:12:34.65
God has allowed
sin to run its course
00:12:34.68\00:12:37.09
so that He can deal
with it for all time.
00:12:37.12\00:12:39.95
Paul preaches
the prophetic message
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in the context of
the Great Controversy
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and we should note,
he is not on home turf.
00:12:45.26\00:12:48.36
He is in a foreign culture
00:12:48.40\00:12:50.03
speaking to people
who do not think like him.
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He comes with
God's prophetic message
00:12:52.50\00:12:54.47
in the context of
the Great Controversy.
00:12:54.50\00:12:56.97
Verse 17, "Nevertheless,"
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now here comes a
big, big principle,
00:12:59.91\00:13:02.88
"Nevertheless he" that's God
00:13:02.91\00:13:06.25
"left not
himself without witness,
00:13:06.28\00:13:09.02
in that he did good, and
gave us rain from heaven,
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and fruitful seasons,
00:13:13.32\00:13:14.66
filling our hearts
with food and gladness."
00:13:14.69\00:13:17.73
Paul says to them wait a minute,
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don't worship me.
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Worship Him that made,
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I mean there it is
again three angels' messages.
00:13:22.36\00:13:24.60
Don't worship me,
worship Him that made.
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If you pay
attention you will see that
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that is who your
heart has been desiring.
00:13:29.34\00:13:32.01
He's left witness
of Himself everywhere.
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There is another big
evangelistic principle.
00:13:34.98\00:13:37.65
It's to understand that
God has not left Himself
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without witnessing any time,
in any place, in any culture.
00:13:40.25\00:13:44.32
He speaks to
human hearts everywhere.
00:13:44.35\00:13:47.52
Here's how God works.
00:13:47.56\00:13:48.89
I mean, if I would
have sum up the principle
00:13:48.92\00:13:50.63
found in this story for
witness and soul winning
00:13:50.66\00:13:53.40
the principle is so simple.
00:13:53.43\00:13:54.86
It's this, before you
witness God gets there first.
00:13:54.90\00:14:01.00
It's so simple.
00:14:01.04\00:14:02.77
God goes in, God
stirs up the hearts,
00:14:02.80\00:14:06.31
He wakes people up,
He gets their attention
00:14:06.34\00:14:09.21
and then He
sends in the preacher
00:14:09.24\00:14:11.41
with a handcrafted message
from the mouth of God Himself
00:14:11.45\00:14:14.98
that God knows will
appeal to those hearts
00:14:15.02\00:14:17.15
that He has woken
up and He sends us
00:14:17.19\00:14:19.59
and to help these
people connect the dots.
00:14:19.62\00:14:22.19
He sends us in to help
them see whose voice it is
00:14:22.22\00:14:25.49
that they have been
hearing, that's the principle.
00:14:25.53\00:14:28.53
If you catch on to it
it's explosive for evangelism.
00:14:28.56\00:14:32.93
If you miss this principle
that God gets there first
00:14:32.97\00:14:36.57
and then He sends you in,
00:14:36.60\00:14:38.37
if you miss it you
start making some mistakes.
00:14:38.41\00:14:44.25
I was reading the New
York Times a little while ago,
00:14:44.28\00:14:47.95
October of last
year to be precise.
00:14:47.98\00:14:50.79
There is this
headline in the paper
00:14:50.82\00:14:52.35
that got my attention.
00:14:52.39\00:14:54.19
It was in the US news section.
00:14:54.22\00:14:56.66
It said, "Thou shalt not kill."
Now that got my attention.
00:14:56.69\00:15:01.50
I mean, there is
the Ten Commandments
00:15:01.53\00:15:02.86
in the New York Times.
00:15:02.90\00:15:04.37
A postmodern secular
journal and they are talking--
00:15:04.40\00:15:07.50
and this is not in
the religion section
00:15:07.54\00:15:09.40
and it's not in
the opinion section,
00:15:09.44\00:15:11.07
it's in the US news section.
00:15:11.11\00:15:12.94
And I sat up and I took note.
00:15:12.97\00:15:14.41
I thought look at that,
00:15:14.44\00:15:16.18
every responds to
the Ten Commandments
00:15:16.21\00:15:18.41
because God's
character is revealed there
00:15:18.45\00:15:20.88
and people either like
it or they don't like it
00:15:20.92\00:15:22.92
but they have to deal with it.
00:15:22.95\00:15:24.55
It keeps showing up
because the image of God
00:15:24.59\00:15:27.29
has not been scrubbed
out of the human heart
00:15:27.32\00:15:29.49
even after 6,000 years of sin.
00:15:29.52\00:15:31.96
Hasn't been--
00:15:31.99\00:15:33.33
we still want to look at it.
00:15:33.36\00:15:34.93
So I got excited.
00:15:34.96\00:15:36.30
Here is one of
the Ten Commandments
00:15:36.33\00:15:37.67
in the New York
Times, "Thou Shalt Not Kill"
00:15:37.70\00:15:41.27
except that wasn't the headline.
00:15:41.30\00:15:43.91
The headline said
this, Thou Shalt Not Kill,
00:15:43.94\00:15:50.55
except in church.
00:15:50.58\00:15:53.82
Now it really had my attention.
00:15:53.85\00:15:56.82
I cancel an
appointment so I could read it.
00:15:56.85\00:16:00.59
If it was you I apologize.
00:16:00.62\00:16:04.03
Listen to the article,
"First the percussive sounds
00:16:04.06\00:16:07.13
of sniper fire and
the thrill of the kill.
00:16:07.16\00:16:11.47
Then the gospel of peace.
00:16:11.50\00:16:13.77
Across the country,
00:16:13.80\00:16:15.14
hundreds of
ministers and pastors
00:16:15.17\00:16:16.50
desperate to
reach young congregants
00:16:16.54\00:16:18.47
have drawn concern and criticism
00:16:18.51\00:16:20.04
through their use of an
unusual recruiting tool,
00:16:20.08\00:16:22.48
the immersive and
violent video game Halo.
00:16:22.51\00:16:26.15
The latest iteration
00:16:26.18\00:16:27.52
of the immensely
popular space epic,
00:16:27.55\00:16:29.62
was released nearly
two weeks ago by Microsoft
00:16:29.65\00:16:31.85
and has already
passed $300 million in sales.
00:16:31.89\00:16:34.86
Those buying it
must be 17 years old,
00:16:34.89\00:16:36.96
given it is rated M
for mature audiences.
00:16:36.99\00:16:40.40
But that has not
prevented leaders at churches
00:16:40.43\00:16:42.86
and youth centers across
Protestant denominations,
00:16:42.90\00:16:45.73
including churches
00:16:45.77\00:16:47.77
that have cautioned
against violent entertainment,
00:16:47.80\00:16:50.91
from holding heavily
attended video games nights
00:16:50.94\00:16:54.14
and stocking their centers
with multiple game consoles."
00:16:54.18\00:16:57.15
I just want to
point something out,
00:16:57.18\00:16:58.51
just for the record.
00:16:58.55\00:17:00.92
Here is a secular
paper the New York Times
00:17:00.95\00:17:04.19
and when God's people
began to compromise on principle
00:17:04.22\00:17:07.39
who points it
out, the secular mind.
00:17:07.42\00:17:10.19
Why?
00:17:10.23\00:17:11.56
They pointed out
because the image of God
00:17:11.59\00:17:12.96
has not be scrubbed
entirely out of their hearts
00:17:12.99\00:17:15.03
and they can see
00:17:15.06\00:17:16.40
when there is a
problem with what we are doing.
00:17:16.43\00:17:19.30
"The alliance"
this is here continues,
00:17:19.33\00:17:21.60
"The alliance of popular culture
00:17:21.64\00:17:23.57
and evangelism is
challenging churches
00:17:23.61\00:17:26.34
much as bingo
games did in the 1960s.
00:17:26.37\00:17:30.08
And the question
fits" now here it comes,
00:17:30.11\00:17:32.98
"the question
fits into a rich debate
00:17:33.01\00:17:35.18
about how far churches should
go to reach young people."
00:17:35.22\00:17:41.79
He asked the
question a few more times.
00:17:41.82\00:17:43.93
Little later on the
question arises he said
00:17:43.96\00:17:46.83
"What price to appear
relevant?" What price?
00:17:46.86\00:17:52.77
Now I want to
allow the New York Times
00:17:52.80\00:17:57.21
to set the table for our
Bible study this morning.
00:17:57.24\00:17:59.84
Can I do that?
00:17:59.87\00:18:01.21
I know, we'll go
right back to the Bible
00:18:01.24\00:18:02.58
but can we allow
the New York Times
00:18:02.61\00:18:04.18
to ask the
question this morning,
00:18:04.21\00:18:06.18
how far do we go to
embrace popular culture?
00:18:06.21\00:18:11.02
Now, before we begin to
answer it let me say this
00:18:11.05\00:18:14.19
so that I don't come off
its some kind of an extremist.
00:18:14.22\00:18:18.43
I do believe
00:18:18.46\00:18:19.79
that when we preach
the gospel of Christ
00:18:19.83\00:18:21.46
we need to
speak it in a language
00:18:21.50\00:18:23.40
that the people we speak to get,
00:18:23.43\00:18:25.37
that they understand.
00:18:25.40\00:18:26.77
We need to speak to
them and tell Jesus did this.
00:18:26.80\00:18:29.40
Use stories people understood
from their everyday life,
00:18:29.44\00:18:32.41
we need to do that.
00:18:32.44\00:18:33.98
Let me also say for the
record that these churches
00:18:34.01\00:18:37.28
had set up the violent videogame
00:18:37.31\00:18:38.98
which is basically made
up of shooting each other.
00:18:39.01\00:18:41.98
Some of the kids
in the article said
00:18:42.02\00:18:43.35
we go because it's so
much fun to blow each other up.
00:18:43.39\00:18:48.02
I want to say from
the bottom of my heart
00:18:48.06\00:18:50.49
that not for one second
00:18:50.53\00:18:51.86
do I doubt the motive of
the people that did that.
00:18:51.89\00:18:54.53
I don't doubt
00:18:54.56\00:18:55.90
the motive of these
pastors not for a moment.
00:18:55.93\00:18:58.03
I think their
hearts are sincere.
00:18:58.07\00:18:59.40
I think they
want the right thing.
00:18:59.43\00:19:00.87
They have noticed that
their churches are emptying
00:19:00.90\00:19:03.41
and that the young
people are not there
00:19:03.44\00:19:05.51
and it breaks their hearts
00:19:05.54\00:19:07.01
because I know
that these pastors
00:19:07.04\00:19:09.71
want these kids in
the kingdom of God.
00:19:09.74\00:19:11.81
I know that. I
don't question the motive.
00:19:11.85\00:19:14.42
It's so easy to question
people's motives and say,
00:19:14.45\00:19:16.99
the devil sent so and so
to our church to destroy it.
00:19:17.02\00:19:20.46
That's not always the case.
00:19:20.49\00:19:21.82
Sometimes we just
misunderstand the principles.
00:19:21.86\00:19:24.99
I don't question the
motives of these pastors
00:19:25.03\00:19:28.40
but I do have a
question about the method
00:19:28.43\00:19:33.07
because I think the method
is based on a misunderstanding
00:19:33.10\00:19:36.07
of how God
actually works with us.
00:19:36.10\00:19:39.61
You see what God has
asked us to do is to help people
00:19:39.64\00:19:42.38
find what they are
already looking for.
00:19:42.41\00:19:44.95
That's what happened in Lyster.
00:19:44.98\00:19:46.31
Paul says, hey, you are looking
for God, you got it wrong
00:19:46.35\00:19:50.22
you latched on
to the wrong thing.
00:19:50.25\00:19:52.25
Paul could see
that the human heart
00:19:52.29\00:19:53.72
so desperate for worship
they would latch on to anything
00:19:53.76\00:19:56.19
that came along and he
recognize their principle
00:19:56.22\00:19:59.86
and he says to them,
I'm here to help you find
00:19:59.89\00:20:02.36
what you are
already looking for.
00:20:02.40\00:20:04.70
God has given us that
job to go into the community
00:20:04.73\00:20:07.64
find the people
that God is speaking to
00:20:07.67\00:20:09.37
and help them find
what they are looking for.
00:20:09.40\00:20:11.71
The principle is so simple.
00:20:11.74\00:20:13.51
God gets there first
00:20:13.54\00:20:14.94
and He sends us in
to connect the dots.
00:20:14.98\00:20:18.15
Our job as
Christians is not to make--
00:20:18.18\00:20:22.82
now follow me
carefully and I will explain it.
00:20:22.85\00:20:25.95
Our job is it
making sense so far?
00:20:25.99\00:20:28.12
Amen.
00:20:28.16\00:20:29.49
All right, two
people think it make sense.
00:20:29.52\00:20:32.89
Our job is not to make
secular people spiritual.
00:20:32.93\00:20:38.13
That's not our job.
00:20:38.17\00:20:40.14
Our job is to
find the secular people
00:20:40.17\00:20:43.10
that God is waking spiritual.
00:20:43.14\00:20:45.81
That's our job.
00:20:45.84\00:20:47.34
In 1 Corinthians
Chapter 2 Paul lays out for us
00:20:47.38\00:20:50.11
exactly how it works.
00:20:50.15\00:20:52.08
He says in 1 Corinthians
2:14, "The natural man
00:20:52.11\00:20:56.48
does not receive the
things of the Spirit of God."
00:20:56.52\00:21:01.12
He says in verse
13 that when he spoke,
00:21:01.16\00:21:04.13
when he
preached he did not do it
00:21:04.16\00:21:06.26
in the words which
man's wisdom teaches
00:21:06.29\00:21:09.03
but which the
Holy Ghost teaches.
00:21:09.06\00:21:11.83
Paul recognized the principle.
00:21:11.87\00:21:13.97
I mean, what the
Bible tells us is,
00:21:14.00\00:21:16.07
there is no magic
button in the human heart
00:21:16.10\00:21:19.27
that you as a
human being can go to
00:21:19.31\00:21:21.78
and push and suddenly make
a secular person spiritual.
00:21:21.81\00:21:25.71
There is no way that we
can go to a secular person
00:21:25.75\00:21:28.08
and make them
interested in spiritual things.
00:21:28.12\00:21:30.09
The natural man does not receive
00:21:30.12\00:21:32.22
the things of the Spirit of God.
00:21:32.25\00:21:35.82
That's God's job.
00:21:35.86\00:21:37.53
God pushes the
button, He wakes up the heart
00:21:37.56\00:21:40.60
and now they are
interested in spiritual things.
00:21:40.63\00:21:44.17
That's how God works people say
00:21:44.20\00:21:46.67
but now you are
narrowing your focus, pastor,
00:21:46.70\00:21:48.90
shouldn't you be
going after everybody.
00:21:48.94\00:21:50.91
Yes, I do go after everybody
because I've discovered
00:21:50.94\00:21:53.44
that God is
speaking in this last hour
00:21:53.48\00:21:55.38
to just about everybody.
00:21:55.41\00:21:57.65
If they have not just spurned
the voice of the Holy Spirit
00:21:57.68\00:22:00.12
God is making just
about everybody interested
00:22:00.15\00:22:02.62
in spiritual
things at some level.
00:22:02.65\00:22:06.96
I'll never forget Beverly.
00:22:06.99\00:22:09.22
After a meeting one night
00:22:09.26\00:22:11.06
she came to me
tears in her eyes.
00:22:11.09\00:22:13.70
She said, pastor,
I've got this big decision
00:22:13.73\00:22:15.73
that I have got to make
and it's a terrible decision.
00:22:15.76\00:22:18.30
I said, what is
that problem, Beverly?
00:22:18.33\00:22:21.00
She said, pastor,
00:22:21.04\00:22:23.37
my mother is on the
other side of the country
00:22:23.41\00:22:25.57
and she is not well
and the doctors are saying
00:22:25.61\00:22:27.48
she is not gonna make it.
00:22:27.51\00:22:29.44
She is dying and yet here I am
in these evangelistic meetings.
00:22:29.48\00:22:34.72
And I have waited 52
years to hear this message.
00:22:34.75\00:22:38.65
I knew, I was
out there somewhere.
00:22:38.69\00:22:40.26
My heart has been craving it
00:22:40.29\00:22:41.82
and I don't want
to miss any of this.
00:22:41.86\00:22:43.76
What am I going to do?
00:22:43.79\00:22:45.63
She said, I have
resolved in my heart
00:22:45.66\00:22:47.60
that God wants
this moment to happen
00:22:47.63\00:22:50.10
and so I'm going to stay
for the rest of these meetings
00:22:50.13\00:22:52.87
and God will take
care of my mother.
00:22:52.90\00:22:54.60
I'm not missing this.
I have waited 52 years.
00:22:54.64\00:22:58.67
In every street, in
every city in America
00:22:58.71\00:23:01.31
there are people that have
waited 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years
00:23:01.34\00:23:04.85
to hear the gospel
of the Jesus Christ.
00:23:04.88\00:23:07.42
They might not
recognize His name even.
00:23:07.45\00:23:09.75
They might not know what we know
00:23:09.78\00:23:11.92
but God has been
speaking to their hearts
00:23:11.95\00:23:14.42
and He sends us in to
help connect the dots.
00:23:14.46\00:23:18.43
I'll never forget
Diane. I rang Diane's doorbell.
00:23:18.46\00:23:22.33
We were knocking on doors
00:23:22.36\00:23:23.70
inviting people
to take Bible study.
00:23:23.73\00:23:25.67
And I was with a
friend and to be honest
00:23:25.70\00:23:27.77
I wanted to go home.
00:23:27.80\00:23:29.14
I was tired and we had
00:23:29.17\00:23:30.51
a few doors
slammed in our faces.
00:23:30.54\00:23:33.07
We rang the bell
and she opened the door
00:23:33.11\00:23:34.91
and I said, hi, I'm
Shawn from It Is Written.
00:23:34.94\00:23:39.35
She burst into tears.
00:23:39.38\00:23:41.55
It's not the first time
00:23:41.58\00:23:42.92
a woman has burst into
tears when I introduce myself.
00:23:42.95\00:23:47.46
I said, are you
okay? She said, I am okay.
00:23:47.49\00:23:51.19
How did you know?
00:23:51.23\00:23:53.50
I said, how did I know
what? She said, follow me.
00:23:53.53\00:23:56.43
I followed her
into the living room
00:23:56.46\00:23:58.53
and there was a Bible
open on her coffee table
00:23:58.57\00:24:00.67
and the pages had
obviously been wet.
00:24:00.70\00:24:03.61
She said, I have
been on my knees all night
00:24:03.64\00:24:05.14
reading this book.
00:24:05.17\00:24:06.54
All night reading
this book begging God
00:24:06.57\00:24:08.81
to send somebody to my
house to explain what it means.
00:24:08.84\00:24:13.78
I've never felt
so small in my life
00:24:13.82\00:24:16.69
and I started to catch on.
00:24:16.72\00:24:18.05
It takes me a long time
to catch on the most things.
00:24:18.09\00:24:21.52
But I don't wake people up,
00:24:21.56\00:24:23.56
God wakes them up
and He sends us in.
00:24:23.59\00:24:26.66
I mean, listen to
how the disciples worked.
00:24:26.70\00:24:29.56
Desire of Ages, page 349
has this astounding statement.
00:24:29.60\00:24:35.07
"As Jesus ministered
to the vast multitudes
00:24:35.10\00:24:37.54
that gathered about Him,
00:24:37.57\00:24:38.91
His disciples
were in attendance,
00:24:38.94\00:24:40.34
eager to do His bidding
and to lighten His labor.
00:24:40.38\00:24:42.98
They assisted in
arranging the people,
00:24:43.01\00:24:44.75
bringing the
afflicted ones to the Savior,
00:24:44.78\00:24:46.65
and promoting
the comfort of all."
00:24:46.68\00:24:49.18
Now there is a
felt needs ministry.
00:24:49.22\00:24:51.89
They are attentive to the needs
of those people, felt needs
00:24:51.92\00:24:56.02
but it doesn't stop there.
00:24:56.06\00:24:57.76
Next statement.
00:24:57.79\00:24:59.49
"They watched for
interested hearers,
00:24:59.53\00:25:03.67
explained the
Scriptures to them,
00:25:03.70\00:25:06.43
and in various ways
worked for their benefit."
00:25:06.47\00:25:09.47
What did they look for?
00:25:09.50\00:25:10.84
They wandered the crowd
looking for interested hearers.
00:25:10.87\00:25:14.98
If you wander a city
looking for interested hearers
00:25:15.01\00:25:17.51
you will not run out
of them but you'll notice
00:25:17.55\00:25:20.15
the disciples were not trying
to make the hearers interested
00:25:20.18\00:25:23.15
they were
looking for the hearers
00:25:23.18\00:25:25.35
that were interested.
00:25:25.39\00:25:27.06
They are already
hearing the voice of Jesus.
00:25:27.09\00:25:29.56
That's who they are focused on.
00:25:29.59\00:25:31.93
Take a look at how
it works in the Bible
00:25:31.96\00:25:34.63
and ever most every
single case you can see it.
00:25:34.66\00:25:37.23
Who did Peter baptize on the day
00:25:37.27\00:25:39.13
of Pentecost, Acts Chapter 2?
00:25:39.17\00:25:40.94
The Bible says
it was "devout men
00:25:40.97\00:25:42.54
from of every
nation under heaven."
00:25:42.57\00:25:44.01
They were already in
tuned to the voice of God.
00:25:44.04\00:25:46.07
They already
sensed spiritual things.
00:25:46.11\00:25:48.84
Who was Peter's
first gentile convert?
00:25:48.88\00:25:51.58
It's a man named Cornelius,
a devout man the Bible says.
00:25:51.61\00:25:55.05
He feared God, he was
giving money to God's people.
00:25:55.08\00:25:57.95
He had already had a vision
and then God sends in Peter.
00:25:57.99\00:26:02.36
In Acts Chapter--
00:26:02.39\00:26:03.76
oh, I don't
remember what chapter it is.
00:26:03.79\00:26:05.29
I'm like the apostle Paul,
00:26:05.33\00:26:06.96
you know, how he
is always saying,
00:26:07.00\00:26:08.33
somewhere it is written.
00:26:08.36\00:26:09.70
I can never
remember where either.
00:26:09.73\00:26:12.90
There is this
story where the angel--
00:26:12.93\00:26:14.74
oh, it's Acts Chapter 8.
00:26:14.77\00:26:16.64
The angel comes
to Philip and says,
00:26:16.67\00:26:18.37
you know what, I've got a
Bible study well under way.
00:26:18.41\00:26:20.81
I got a guy in a chariot
reading the Book of Isaiah
00:26:20.84\00:26:23.11
and he is coming up on
the stuff about Messiah.
00:26:23.14\00:26:25.45
God's already set it up
00:26:25.48\00:26:26.82
now He is gonna sends
you in to connect the dots.
00:26:26.85\00:26:29.35
You go tell them
the truths so he knows
00:26:29.38\00:26:31.09
whose voice it is he's
been hearing in his heart.
00:26:31.12\00:26:35.26
God's method is
simple, He get's there first.
00:26:35.29\00:26:39.39
You want success in witnessing
become a sanctified snoop
00:26:39.43\00:26:44.57
when you hang around people.
00:26:44.60\00:26:46.40
Listen carefully to
them, look at everything.
00:26:46.43\00:26:49.37
Now most of you will
never have me in your home again
00:26:49.40\00:26:52.44
but when I come in I'm
looking at your bookshelf.
00:26:52.47\00:26:54.64
I want to know
what you've been reading
00:26:54.68\00:26:56.01
because bookshelf is
a map of the human mind.
00:26:56.04\00:26:58.35
I look at the
pictures on the wall.
00:26:58.38\00:27:00.08
I listen very
carefully because somewhere,
00:27:00.12\00:27:02.45
somehow God spoke to
you before I got there
00:27:02.48\00:27:05.35
because I can't convert you,
I can only show you the truth
00:27:05.39\00:27:08.16
that God wants you to hear
after He wakes up your heart.
00:27:08.19\00:27:13.03
But in recent years
00:27:13.06\00:27:15.63
in some corners
we've become more hesitant.
00:27:15.66\00:27:18.73
We started to think
backwards and now we think
00:27:18.77\00:27:20.84
that we have to make
the hearers interested,
00:27:20.87\00:27:24.57
instead of look for
the interested hearers.
00:27:24.61\00:27:27.38
And again I believe
firmly in being relevant.
00:27:27.41\00:27:30.65
I believe firmly
in speaking a language
00:27:30.68\00:27:32.45
that people understand.
00:27:32.48\00:27:34.45
But you don't change the message
00:27:34.48\00:27:35.82
that how God handcrafted
to address the people
00:27:35.85\00:27:38.15
who's heart's He
has been speaking to.
00:27:38.19\00:27:40.89
See, we've lost
sight of the fact sometimes
00:27:40.92\00:27:42.62
that God has a plan.
00:27:42.66\00:27:44.39
We started rewriting it
00:27:44.43\00:27:45.76
thinking that we have
to come up with something
00:27:45.79\00:27:47.20
to reach the last generation
00:27:47.23\00:27:48.56
because God
forgot all about them.
00:27:48.60\00:27:51.70
God has had a plan since
long before we were born.
00:27:51.73\00:27:54.20
The Bible says the
Lamb is the Lamb slain
00:27:54.24\00:27:56.37
before the
foundation of the world.
00:27:56.40\00:27:58.07
The plan of
salvation was well thought out
00:27:58.11\00:28:00.48
by the infinite mind before
we ever came on the scene.
00:28:00.51\00:28:03.24
He knows what He is doing.
00:28:03.28\00:28:05.28
And when God gave us
this message in this book
00:28:05.31\00:28:07.65
He didn't
consider every generation
00:28:07.68\00:28:09.42
except the last one.
00:28:09.45\00:28:11.12
I mean, you picture
God calling Gabriel back.
00:28:11.15\00:28:13.56
Gabriel, go get the
angels. We made a big mistake.
00:28:13.59\00:28:17.13
When we gave the last day church
00:28:17.16\00:28:18.86
the three angels' messages
00:28:18.89\00:28:20.30
we forgot all about the
postmodern secular mind.
00:28:20.33\00:28:23.57
It's never gonna
work. Let's regroup.
00:28:23.60\00:28:25.33
I mean, God
doesn't change His mind.
00:28:25.37\00:28:27.37
Amen? Amen.
00:28:27.40\00:28:28.74
He doesn't change His mind.
00:28:28.77\00:28:30.11
God wakes up the heart, He
has a message for those people
00:28:30.14\00:28:33.11
and when those two
things come together
00:28:33.14\00:28:35.04
it has explosive power.
00:28:35.08\00:28:37.71
It explodes. You can't lose.
00:28:37.75\00:28:39.68
I mean, we could try and
dream of our own methods.
00:28:39.71\00:28:41.95
We could think
of our way to do it.
00:28:41.98\00:28:43.79
We could come up
with our own message.
00:28:43.82\00:28:46.35
I could put out
pizzas and videogames
00:28:46.39\00:28:49.86
and I could open a Starbucks
and I would get a crowd
00:28:49.89\00:28:55.60
but it's not the crowd
00:28:55.63\00:28:56.97
that's been waking up
at 3 o'clock in the morning
00:28:57.00\00:28:58.73
hearing the voice of God
pleading them to come home.
00:28:58.77\00:29:02.74
God doesn't make a mistake.
00:29:02.77\00:29:04.84
He knows the power
of the heart He changes
00:29:04.87\00:29:07.54
and the messenger He sends.
00:29:07.58\00:29:09.54
He knows the power of it.
00:29:09.58\00:29:10.91
You know, who else
knows the power of it?
00:29:10.95\00:29:14.22
Lucifer sees it. He sees
it. He knows as well as we do.
00:29:14.25\00:29:19.05
In Revelation 18 God plans
to light up the whole world.
00:29:19.09\00:29:22.96
He sees it.
00:29:22.99\00:29:25.06
I don't know if you've
noticed what his plan is.
00:29:25.09\00:29:27.73
He knows that if
God changes the heart
00:29:27.76\00:29:29.53
the people are seeking God.
00:29:29.56\00:29:31.63
And what does He do?
00:29:31.67\00:29:33.00
He doesn't open a Starbucks,
00:29:33.03\00:29:34.37
he gives him a
spiritual message.
00:29:34.40\00:29:36.50
In Revelation Chapter 13
00:29:36.54\00:29:39.07
he sets up a
false system of worship.
00:29:39.11\00:29:41.91
Then he has a second beast
come along and work miracles.
00:29:41.94\00:29:44.48
He even
counterfeits the second coming.
00:29:44.51\00:29:47.48
And He almost feel sorry
for the devil, don't you?
00:29:47.52\00:29:49.35
He forgot to
read all the studies.
00:29:49.38\00:29:50.72
It said, that you can't reach
the postmodern secular mind
00:29:50.75\00:29:53.66
with religious themes.
00:29:53.69\00:29:55.49
But working on
it for 6,000 years
00:29:55.52\00:29:58.66
he knows the
power, so what he does
00:29:58.69\00:30:01.00
is try to get to those hearts
before God's messengers do.
00:30:01.03\00:30:04.87
He wants to speak to them first.
00:30:04.90\00:30:07.80
Could it really be...
00:30:07.84\00:30:11.17
that the devil
understands better than we do?
00:30:11.21\00:30:14.74
Is that possible?
00:30:14.78\00:30:16.91
Why do we think
in the last moment
00:30:16.95\00:30:18.55
we got to change the message?
00:30:18.58\00:30:21.68
There is this
amazing story in the Bible
00:30:21.72\00:30:23.45
aimed directly at God's
last day remnant church.
00:30:23.49\00:30:25.65
I believe it with all my heart.
00:30:25.69\00:30:27.69
It's found in the Book of Jonah.
00:30:27.72\00:30:30.43
God goes to this
reluctant prophet.
00:30:30.46\00:30:33.50
Jonah? Yes,
Lord, what? What is it?
00:30:33.53\00:30:38.00
Jonah, I want you to arise--
00:30:38.03\00:30:41.50
I can't help it.
00:30:41.54\00:30:42.87
Every time I read that I think,
00:30:42.90\00:30:44.24
you know, that's
like free advertising
00:30:44.27\00:30:45.61
for David Asscherick, Arise.
00:30:45.64\00:30:47.18
I want you to
arise and go to Nineveh.
00:30:51.21\00:30:56.42
Every time God calls
you to spend yourself
00:30:56.45\00:30:58.49
for the
salvation of somebody else
00:30:58.52\00:31:00.22
it's always a call up.
00:31:00.26\00:31:02.42
Always a call up.
00:31:02.46\00:31:03.79
If I be lifted up, Jesus
said, I'll draw all men to Me.
00:31:03.83\00:31:06.59
The highest point in
history is the cross.
00:31:06.63\00:31:09.46
I want you to
arise and go Nineveh.
00:31:09.50\00:31:11.20
You want me to go where?
I want you to go to Nineveh.
00:31:11.23\00:31:16.17
Lord, what exactly do You want
me to preach when I get there?
00:31:16.20\00:31:20.88
Well, I want You to
preach sin and repentance
00:31:20.91\00:31:24.55
and I want you
to preach judgment
00:31:24.58\00:31:26.58
and My mercy and My love.
00:31:26.61\00:31:28.58
Lord, I can't do that,
00:31:28.62\00:31:29.95
I mean, go to Nineveh
and preach those things.
00:31:29.98\00:31:31.45
Don't you understand
00:31:31.49\00:31:32.82
that is not a Judah
Christian culture in Nineveh?
00:31:32.85\00:31:35.56
Those people worship fish.
00:31:35.59\00:31:38.93
I can't go in
there with that message.
00:31:38.96\00:31:40.66
Lord, that would
be a big mistake.
00:31:40.70\00:31:42.76
I can't--
00:31:42.80\00:31:44.13
fish, I mean, what
am I even gonna eat
00:31:44.17\00:31:45.50
when I get to Nineveh.
00:31:45.53\00:31:46.87
I don't think those
people are vegetarians.
00:31:46.90\00:31:49.20
Pretty sure they sneak
00:31:49.24\00:31:50.57
and shall be past into
the Caesar salad dressing.
00:31:50.61\00:31:53.17
I can't go to a place like that.
00:31:53.21\00:31:57.25
Jonah, I want you to go.
00:31:57.28\00:31:59.35
Lord, I can't relate to
the fish worshiping people.
00:31:59.38\00:32:02.02
I'll tell you what, Jonah,
you go and I'm pretty sure
00:32:02.05\00:32:06.02
by the time you get there
you are gonna have a fish story
00:32:06.05\00:32:08.22
or two that you can
work into your sermon.
00:32:08.26\00:32:09.96
What did Jonah run from?
00:32:15.70\00:32:18.53
Buckle your
seatbelts for a second
00:32:18.57\00:32:19.97
I want to look at
something in the Book of Jonah.
00:32:20.00\00:32:23.07
Why was he reluctant,
00:32:23.10\00:32:24.44
because he is
afraid of public speaking?
00:32:24.47\00:32:27.01
I don't believe it.
00:32:27.04\00:32:28.38
It says in Jonah 1:3
00:32:28.41\00:32:31.75
that Jonah left the
presence of the Lord.
00:32:31.78\00:32:36.75
What does that mean?
00:32:36.79\00:32:38.69
Can't disappear
from God's eyesight.
00:32:38.72\00:32:40.92
Psalm 139 says, "Whither
shall I flee from thy presence?"
00:32:40.96\00:32:43.69
What's he fleeing?
What's he running from?
00:32:43.73\00:32:48.36
Can't get away
from God's presence.
00:32:48.40\00:32:50.70
There is this
rule in Bible study
00:32:50.73\00:32:52.40
that says the first time
00:32:52.43\00:32:53.77
something is
mentioned in the Bible
00:32:53.80\00:32:55.14
it's very important
and it sets the stage
00:32:55.17\00:32:57.14
for understanding the concept.
00:32:57.17\00:32:59.37
The first time you hear
00:32:59.41\00:33:00.74
of somebody leaving
the presence of the Lord
00:33:00.78\00:33:02.11
its Cain in Genesis Chapter 4.
00:33:02.14\00:33:05.48
And Cain in Genesis Chapter 4
00:33:05.51\00:33:06.98
leaves the presence of the Lord.
00:33:07.02\00:33:08.35
And again you can't
get out of God's eyesight
00:33:08.38\00:33:10.72
so that can't
be what's going on.
00:33:10.75\00:33:13.76
God says in Genesis 3
down into that think verse 24,
00:33:13.79\00:33:18.99
the Bible says that
God took two Cherubim
00:33:19.03\00:33:21.26
and put them at
the gates of Eden
00:33:21.30\00:33:22.66
and there was a brilliant
flashing presence between them.
00:33:22.70\00:33:25.10
When it says God
place those Cherubim there
00:33:25.13\00:33:27.50
it's actually
the root word Shakan,
00:33:27.54\00:33:29.94
same root word is Shekinah.
00:33:29.97\00:33:32.01
God calls the
Tabernacle at the gates of Eden,
00:33:32.04\00:33:35.11
two Cherubim and
the brilliance presence.
00:33:35.14\00:33:36.81
There was a sanctuary
service at the gates of Eden.
00:33:36.85\00:33:41.88
What did Cain leave?
00:33:41.92\00:33:43.25
He left the
presence of the Lord.
00:33:43.28\00:33:45.29
What did Johan leave?
00:33:45.32\00:33:46.99
It's interesting, you dig
into history and you discover
00:33:47.02\00:33:49.96
that in Jonah's day
there is this belief
00:33:49.99\00:33:52.56
that if you have
the gift of prophecy
00:33:52.59\00:33:54.30
and you step over
the national boarder
00:33:54.33\00:33:56.93
outside of Israel the
gift of prophecy would stop
00:33:56.97\00:34:01.07
like your cell
phone went out of range.
00:34:01.10\00:34:03.77
Because the sanctuary
was in the land of Israel
00:34:03.81\00:34:06.17
and if you got
away from the sanctuary
00:34:06.21\00:34:07.68
you would lose
the gift of prophecy.
00:34:07.71\00:34:09.54
What is Johan running away from?
00:34:09.58\00:34:11.21
Two things.
00:34:11.25\00:34:12.58
He is running
away from the sanctuary
00:34:12.61\00:34:14.45
and he is running away
from the sprit of prophecy.
00:34:14.48\00:34:16.92
That's what he is
running away from.
00:34:16.95\00:34:18.65
Says in Johan Chapter 2
that when Jonah came back twice
00:34:18.69\00:34:22.69
he says when he is repenting,
I will return to Your temple.
00:34:22.72\00:34:27.06
Satan sits on the sidelines
he knows what would happen
00:34:27.10\00:34:29.33
if Jonah went in and preach
God's message to the people
00:34:29.36\00:34:31.97
God had prepared.
00:34:32.00\00:34:33.64
We know historically
00:34:33.67\00:34:35.00
that Nineveh had already
had an earthquake and a plague
00:34:35.04\00:34:37.24
and that the
king had already gone
00:34:37.27\00:34:38.71
from worshiping many gods to one
00:34:38.74\00:34:40.64
before Jonah ever got there.
00:34:40.68\00:34:43.14
And the devil
makes him uncomfortable
00:34:43.18\00:34:45.41
with the Spirit of
Prophecy in the sanctuary.
00:34:45.45\00:34:48.45
And isn't it astounding
then in his last moments
00:34:48.48\00:34:52.09
when the devil knows
the power of the message
00:34:52.12\00:34:54.76
God has put in our hands
00:34:54.79\00:34:56.79
that he goes
after the same thing.
00:34:56.83\00:35:00.16
Goes after the same
thing from Cowan Ken Wright
00:35:00.20\00:35:03.23
to Glacier View,
00:35:03.26\00:35:05.43
the Spirit of
Prophecy and the sanctuary.
00:35:05.47\00:35:11.01
He is trying to
silence the message
00:35:11.04\00:35:12.67
that can change the
world because he knows
00:35:12.71\00:35:14.34
God offered the
three angels' messages
00:35:14.38\00:35:17.28
and God wakes up the hearts.
00:35:17.31\00:35:20.18
And when you bring
God's three angels' messages
00:35:20.22\00:35:22.45
to the world in the last moments
00:35:22.48\00:35:24.12
they will recognize
the face of God in it.
00:35:24.15\00:35:27.19
Our job is not to
wake everybody up,
00:35:27.22\00:35:29.22
God's doing that.
00:35:29.26\00:35:30.59
Our job is to
tell them the truth
00:35:30.63\00:35:32.69
and show them Jesus in
the three angels' message.
00:35:32.73\00:35:35.03
Lift high the cross
00:35:35.06\00:35:36.40
and then give them
the message God wrote,
00:35:36.43\00:35:38.17
He didn't make a mistake.
00:35:38.20\00:35:40.37
He doesn't make mistakes.
00:35:40.40\00:35:43.37
I was in Minneapolis, oh,
I don't know 10 or 20 times
00:35:43.41\00:35:49.04
and I was in the
airport its five o'clock
00:35:49.08\00:35:51.61
and I get to my gate
00:35:51.65\00:35:52.98
and I always go to my gate early
00:35:53.01\00:35:54.35
because I want the
overhead bin space.
00:35:54.38\00:35:56.69
I want to be the
first one on the plane.
00:35:56.72\00:35:59.29
And I'm there early
00:35:59.32\00:36:00.66
and of course a
lightening storm blows in
00:36:00.69\00:36:02.32
and there is
thunder and lightening
00:36:02.36\00:36:03.76
and I watched
the gate attendant.
00:36:03.79\00:36:05.13
She picked up the
phone and I heard her say,
00:36:05.16\00:36:06.73
what do you mean?
00:36:06.76\00:36:08.53
What do you
mean weight critical?
00:36:08.56\00:36:10.77
I can't--
00:36:10.80\00:36:12.13
you mean I got to
ask the volunteers
00:36:12.17\00:36:13.50
to get off this plane
00:36:13.54\00:36:15.20
and I'm listening to
this and I'm thinking--
00:36:15.24\00:36:17.87
no, I heard her say, you
know, we need to find how much?
00:36:17.91\00:36:19.97
A hundred pounds.
00:36:20.01\00:36:21.54
So now I'm thinking
there is a thunderstorm
00:36:21.58\00:36:23.28
and the plane is within
100 pounds of being safe.
00:36:23.31\00:36:26.98
I don't want to
be on that plane.
00:36:27.02\00:36:29.88
So the minute
she hung up the plane
00:36:29.92\00:36:31.25
I stepped up the podium,
I said, I'm volunteering.
00:36:31.29\00:36:33.96
I volunteer to give up my seat.
00:36:33.99\00:36:36.42
I don't have to get
there till tomorrow anyway.
00:36:36.46\00:36:38.29
She said, hallelujah.
00:36:38.33\00:36:39.79
Well, she didn't say
hallelujah but she was close.
00:36:39.83\00:36:43.67
And she gave me a free
ticket and a meal voucher.
00:36:43.70\00:36:47.00
I went to the food fair
and I showed the meal voucher.
00:36:47.04\00:36:49.37
I met a lady who is wonderful.
00:36:49.40\00:36:50.74
She said, I know exactly
00:36:50.77\00:36:52.11
how much you can
get for that voucher.
00:36:52.14\00:36:53.48
And it's like down to a sign.
00:36:53.51\00:36:54.84
She spent every last
penny of the voucher.
00:36:54.88\00:36:56.81
I had a plate of food this high.
00:36:56.85\00:37:00.22
I had a leisurely
meal, I went back to my gate.
00:37:00.25\00:37:03.12
It's now 8:15 and
there is a big crowd there.
00:37:03.15\00:37:06.39
Turn out they
cancelled the flight altogether.
00:37:06.42\00:37:09.26
And as I approached
the gate some guys sees me
00:37:09.29\00:37:11.76
and he yells loud
enough for everybody to hear,
00:37:11.79\00:37:13.96
that's the guy who
got the free ticket.
00:37:14.00\00:37:15.83
I was popular.
00:37:23.24\00:37:26.61
I got on the plane
and I sat in my seat
00:37:26.64\00:37:28.48
and I did air
passenger's prayer.
00:37:28.51\00:37:31.81
I don't know if you know about
the air passenger's prayer.
00:37:31.85\00:37:34.22
You watch the people
coming down the aisle
00:37:34.25\00:37:35.88
and you think okay, Lord,
00:37:35.92\00:37:37.52
please I want a little gymnast
in the middle seat beside me
00:37:37.55\00:37:42.79
not the 800
pound football player.
00:37:42.82\00:37:46.43
Don't want to ride all the
way back to L.A. like this.
00:37:46.46\00:37:49.73
And I'm praying
and you know what,
00:37:49.76\00:37:51.10
the seat is empty in the middle
00:37:51.13\00:37:53.07
and then the plane
get stalled on the ground
00:37:53.10\00:37:55.04
more lightening and thunder
00:37:55.07\00:37:56.40
and they couldn't put
any more else in the plane,
00:37:56.44\00:37:58.34
no one is allowed
to work on the tarmac.
00:37:58.37\00:38:00.28
Apparently they
are allowed to leave
00:38:00.31\00:38:01.64
the suitcases on
the tarmac though
00:38:01.68\00:38:03.01
because when I opened it
like fish fell out of it.
00:38:03.04\00:38:05.58
There was so much
water inside my suitcase.
00:38:05.61\00:38:09.08
And I sat there
the plane got stalled
00:38:09.12\00:38:10.89
and then we tried to
pull away, got stalled
00:38:10.92\00:38:12.69
and finally they open
the door and a lady gets on
00:38:12.72\00:38:14.56
and comes and takes
the seat across from me.
00:38:14.59\00:38:17.13
Now this lady is the model
00:38:17.16\00:38:20.30
for the original
Chatty Cathy Doll.
00:38:20.33\00:38:23.10
She has no filter
between her brain and her mouth
00:38:23.13\00:38:25.23
whatsoever, nothing.
00:38:25.27\00:38:27.40
If she thinks it she
says it and I'm tired,
00:38:27.44\00:38:30.11
I was hoping for a
little rest on the plane
00:38:30.14\00:38:31.97
and she sits down, she says,
00:38:32.01\00:38:33.34
oh, look the tray
table goes up and down
00:38:33.38\00:38:35.41
and look there is a little
00:38:35.44\00:38:36.78
thing in here the
window that goes up and down
00:38:36.81\00:38:38.31
and look there is a
plane at the gate next to us.
00:38:38.35\00:38:40.08
Hey, there's people
getting on and off of it.
00:38:40.12\00:38:41.65
There is a magazine
here in the seat pocket.
00:38:41.68\00:38:43.69
Where are you flying to today?
00:38:43.72\00:38:46.79
Oh, Lord, I said, why?
00:38:46.82\00:38:51.33
I think the Lord smiles
00:38:51.36\00:38:52.69
because preachers
deserve that once in a while.
00:38:52.73\00:38:55.33
And we sat and talked,
I took my headphones out,
00:38:59.83\00:39:02.70
I was listening to Rachmaninoff.
00:39:02.74\00:39:04.11
I wanted to
listen to Rachmaninoff,
00:39:04.14\00:39:05.47
I couldn't hear
over the chatter and...
00:39:05.51\00:39:09.01
she turned to me
she said, you fly often.
00:39:09.04\00:39:12.15
I said, yeah, quite a bit.
00:39:12.18\00:39:14.12
She says, I don't,
this is my first time.
00:39:14.15\00:39:17.25
I said, I kind of guessed.
00:39:17.29\00:39:21.26
Said, I won't travel much
but I've decided to take a trip
00:39:21.29\00:39:27.00
because my
husband has just died...
00:39:27.03\00:39:28.63
and I got to get away.
00:39:32.30\00:39:35.40
And now I get it, I understand
three hours in the airport
00:39:35.44\00:39:39.61
and I understand
repeated thunder and lightening.
00:39:39.64\00:39:43.58
I get it.
00:39:43.61\00:39:44.95
I see the
angels hustling a woman
00:39:44.98\00:39:46.65
through the airport to
get her to that plane on time.
00:39:46.68\00:39:50.25
It's not in our hands.
00:39:50.29\00:39:52.79
God wakes up the heart and
then He sends in the messenger.
00:39:52.82\00:39:58.13