Good morning ASI
family, good morning.
00:01:00.97\00:01:03.81
This is a special
privilege for me to
00:01:04.48\00:01:07.32
introduce to you the
speaker of our worship
00:01:08.26\00:01:11.87
service Elder Michael Ryan.
00:01:11.88\00:01:15.70
Elder Ryan currently
serves as General Vice
00:01:17.83\00:01:22.07
President of the
General Conference, Director of
00:01:22.08\00:01:26.04
Strategic Planning
for the World Church
00:01:26.05\00:01:29.17
and he also Chairs
the GC Missions Committee.
00:01:30.35\00:01:35.38
Elder Ryan is
uniquely qualified to deliver
00:01:38.06\00:01:44.32
God's message to us today.
00:01:44.33\00:01:46.44
Having served 16
years in Overseas Mission
00:01:47.62\00:01:51.71
Service with his
wife Genie and 15 years as
00:01:51.91\00:01:56.11
Director of Global Missions.
00:01:56.12\00:01:59.91
For ASI Dr. Ryan has
been a true loyal supporter,
00:02:02.74\00:02:11.55
his passion and focus
from the first time I met
00:02:13.58\00:02:17.41
him has always been
on how better to share
00:02:17.42\00:02:22.31
Christ to the
masses of the world.
00:02:22.49\00:02:25.93
He has been an
invaluable resource and
00:02:28.43\00:02:30.92
friend to many others
in ASI leadership when ask.
00:02:30.93\00:02:36.90
Mike and Genie are
the parents of two grown
00:02:38.85\00:02:42.69
daughters, two son-in-laws
and one granddaughter.
00:02:42.70\00:02:46.43
Elder Ryan, on behalf
of our ASI family both
00:02:48.60\00:02:53.04
here, those watching
on television and perhaps
00:02:53.05\00:02:56.67
online I welcome
you this morning to the
00:02:56.68\00:03:00.72
pulpit for our
service, thank you.
00:03:00.73\00:03:05.07
Keep your lamps
trimmed and burning,
00:03:16.59\00:03:20.50
Keep your lamps
trimmed and burning,
00:03:20.51\00:03:24.64
Keep your lamps
trimmed and burning,
00:03:24.65\00:03:29.28
The time is drawing nigh.
00:03:29.85\00:03:32.61
Keep your lamps
trimmed and burning,
00:03:33.08\00:03:37.00
Keep your lamps
trimmed and burning,
00:03:37.01\00:03:40.93
Keep your lamps
trimmed and burning,
00:03:40.94\00:03:45.59
The time is drawing nigh.
00:03:45.83\00:03:48.72
Children, don't get weary,
00:03:49.05\00:03:53.14
Children, don't get weary,
00:03:53.27\00:03:57.31
Children, don't get weary,
00:03:57.32\00:04:01.60
'Til your work is done.
00:04:01.78\00:04:05.50
Children, don't get weary,
00:04:06.16\00:04:10.22
Children, don't get weary,
00:04:10.23\00:04:14.37
Children, don't get weary,
00:04:14.38\00:04:18.64
'Til your work is done.
00:04:18.65\00:04:22.28
Christian journey soon be over
00:04:22.29\00:04:25.92
Christian journey soon be over
00:04:26.30\00:04:30.71
Christian journey soon be over
00:04:31.35\00:04:35.08
Christian journey soon be over
00:04:35.09\00:04:38.99
Christian journey soon be over
00:04:39.00\00:04:43.77
The time is drawing nigh.
00:04:44.09\00:04:46.82
Christian journey soon be over
00:04:47.12\00:04:51.20
Christian journey soon be over
00:04:51.21\00:04:55.31
Christian journey soon be over
00:04:55.32\00:05:00.13
The time is drawing nigh.
00:05:00.42\00:05:03.27
Keep your lamps
trimmed and burning,
00:05:03.78\00:05:07.53
Keep your lamps
trimmed and burning,
00:05:07.54\00:05:11.42
Keep your lamps
trimmed and burning,
00:05:11.43\00:05:17.68
The time is drawing nigh.
00:05:18.20\00:05:31.07
Thank you for
that special number,
00:05:43.38\00:05:44.86
actually my favorite
part of ASI is the part
00:05:45.86\00:05:50.05
of the program
where the children
00:05:50.06\00:05:51.64
come up and perform.
00:05:51.65\00:05:52.62
Do you like that? Yes.
00:05:52.63\00:05:54.46
I was speaking at a
camp meeting recently
00:05:54.89\00:05:57.66
and a little boy came
flying down the Isle and
00:05:58.42\00:06:02.23
threw his angel wings
at his mother and he says
00:06:02.24\00:06:04.29
I am not wearing
those on the platform.
00:06:04.30\00:06:05.93
And then I thought
well that's interesting,
00:06:08.47\00:06:10.28
so then I watched him
disappear and about two
00:06:10.88\00:06:14.22
seconds later he came
flying around the corner
00:06:14.23\00:06:16.39
and ran back and
grabbed those wings
00:06:17.30\00:06:20.63
and he said I am wearing them.
00:06:21.57\00:06:23.24
He says all the
rest of kids have them.
00:06:23.25\00:06:24.77
You need to understand
that kids have the right
00:06:27.55\00:06:29.70
to change their mind.
I heard about the teacher
00:06:29.71\00:06:34.28
who asked the class
did you go on summer
00:06:34.29\00:06:38.71
vacation and
little Johnny said yeah,
00:06:38.72\00:06:42.25
he said we went to Minneapolis,
00:06:42.26\00:06:43.44
Minnesota and she
said that's wonderful.
00:06:43.45\00:06:46.12
Can you spell that,
he thought about that for
00:06:46.85\00:06:49.46
second, he said,
come to think of it,
00:06:49.47\00:06:50.63
he said I think we went to Iowa.
00:06:50.64\00:06:51.95
The church needs
young people who have
00:06:55.76\00:07:01.55
the right to change their mind.
00:07:01.56\00:07:03.52
This morning I wanna
take just a thoughtful
00:07:06.55\00:07:09.22
few minutes to
consider the evidence of the
00:07:09.23\00:07:13.93
world versus the
evidence of the word. Lets pray.
00:07:13.94\00:07:22.34
Our Father in
heaven we have come to your
00:07:24.60\00:07:28.45
sanctuary today
to receive a blessing
00:07:28.46\00:07:31.78
and we are
confident that we will.
00:07:34.88\00:07:36.39
Because we've invited
your Holy Spirit to be
00:07:37.92\00:07:40.01
here today, in our
hearts, in our minds and
00:07:40.02\00:07:45.11
give us that which we need.
00:07:45.12\00:07:47.20
In Christ name we pray amen.
00:07:48.31\00:07:50.83
I was traveling
in northern India,
00:07:53.19\00:07:55.97
visiting a number of
new churches that had
00:07:57.04\00:07:58.94
been established and
we came to this little
00:07:58.95\00:08:01.67
village and they actually
hadn't built a church yet.
00:08:01.68\00:08:04.61
And so we were
worshiping in the Head
00:08:05.16\00:08:06.59
Elders house and as
we came in I noticed that
00:08:06.60\00:08:10.16
the place was packed.
The entire living room,
00:08:10.17\00:08:13.06
the bedroom, kitchen,
people outside the doors
00:08:13.66\00:08:17.38
looking in the windows
and it was just stuffed.
00:08:17.39\00:08:21.25
So we kind of
worshiped and saying
00:08:21.57\00:08:23.56
and prayed and spoke
together and finally as
00:08:23.57\00:08:26.70
the worship came to
an end I asked the Head
00:08:26.71\00:08:28.92
Elder, how did the church become
00:08:28.93\00:08:32.46
established in this village.
00:08:32.47\00:08:33.92
He looked at me and
said oh! I was hoping
00:08:34.14\00:08:36.07
that you would ask me that.
00:08:36.08\00:08:37.08
And then he told me,
he said you know one day
00:08:38.96\00:08:40.62
he said I got up and
he said my son was sick
00:08:40.63\00:08:43.60
and the next day my
son grew just a little bit
00:08:45.48\00:08:49.03
worse and the
next day he was worse,
00:08:49.04\00:08:51.29
and the next day he
was worse and after a
00:08:51.30\00:08:52.88
couple of weeks he
couldn't even get out of bed.
00:08:52.89\00:08:54.50
He said one day
my uncle came to me
00:08:55.96\00:08:57.82
and he said what
all have you done,
00:08:59.27\00:09:00.97
he said well he said
we have taken him to the
00:09:01.61\00:09:03.21
doctor, to the
hospital, to the specialist.
00:09:03.22\00:09:05.55
As a matter of fact
its gotten to the point
00:09:05.93\00:09:07.35
where we called in
the, the healer and he came
00:09:07.36\00:09:10.97
but there absolutely is nothing
00:09:11.50\00:09:13.46
that's been affective.
We have tried if all the
00:09:13.70\00:09:15.79
evidence says
that its impossible,
00:09:15.80\00:09:18.00
then the uncle kind
of smiled at him and he
00:09:19.79\00:09:21.40
said well you know
he said there is a young
00:09:21.41\00:09:24.08
man who has come to
our village and he said,
00:09:24.09\00:09:29.38
he claims to be a
worshiper and to know
00:09:29.71\00:09:35.47
the creator of the
world. And he said there have
00:09:35.77\00:09:38.94
been people in our
village who had not
00:09:38.95\00:09:41.00
only been blessed
spiritually but they
00:09:41.01\00:09:43.04
have been blessed physically.
00:09:43.05\00:09:44.20
He said I think you
have to bring your son,
00:09:45.35\00:09:46.94
he said oh no I can't
bring my son, he is too sick.
00:09:46.95\00:09:50.25
The uncle said I
think you should come,
00:09:54.25\00:09:56.16
he will pray for your
son. And so they agreed
00:09:56.48\00:09:59.98
upon a time and on
that time that young man
00:09:59.99\00:10:02.29
said I got my bicycle
he said, I rode through the
00:10:02.30\00:10:05.01
village I went out
that dirt road I went on the
00:10:05.02\00:10:07.08
asphalt road several
kilometers and I came
00:10:07.09\00:10:09.40
to the village of my
uncle. He says I came into that
00:10:09.41\00:10:11.69
village, he says and
there I met this young man.
00:10:11.70\00:10:14.04
He invited me and he
says well he said I only
00:10:14.28\00:10:16.31
know one thing to
do, he says and that's to
00:10:16.32\00:10:18.19
pray to the
creator of the world.
00:10:18.20\00:10:19.63
He said we got down on
our knees, so I thought
00:10:20.01\00:10:21.85
well you know he might
pray for five or 10 minutes.
00:10:21.86\00:10:24.00
He said but he prayed
for 10 minutes, 15, 20,
00:10:24.63\00:10:26.96
25 minutes, he said
after about 30 minutes
00:10:26.97\00:10:29.50
of praying
specifically for my son.
00:10:29.51\00:10:32.26
He said, okay we
can stand up now,
00:10:33.03\00:10:35.50
he said I believe
you should go home.
00:10:35.79\00:10:37.52
He said I am just
impressed that the Lord
00:10:38.41\00:10:40.11
has answered our
prayer and your little boy is
00:10:40.12\00:10:42.50
going to be standing on
the front porch to meet you.
00:10:42.51\00:10:44.67
He said you can't
imagine, he said the
00:10:45.87\00:10:48.52
hope that began to
fill my heart, he said my
00:10:48.53\00:10:51.08
uncle and I we
ran off that porch,
00:10:51.09\00:10:53.11
we jumped on our
bicycles and we began
00:10:53.45\00:10:55.16
to ride down that asphalt road.
00:10:55.17\00:10:56.83
He said I was quite a
bit younger than my uncle,
00:10:57.41\00:10:59.28
he said I out rode him,
he said I got to the dirt
00:10:59.52\00:11:02.24
road I made the
turn. He said we were,
00:11:02.25\00:11:03.75
we were going as
fast as we could.
00:11:04.12\00:11:05.68
He said I came
through the village, came
00:11:06.67\00:11:08.22
around the spirit
tree and he said when
00:11:08.23\00:11:11.50
I came around that tree
passed the corner of the
00:11:11.51\00:11:13.55
barn, he said I
stopped the bicycle.
00:11:13.56\00:11:15.97
He says because on the
front porch was my son.
00:11:16.23\00:11:18.81
He said after that he says
00:11:22.08\00:11:23.49
the spirit tree was cut down,
00:11:23.50\00:11:25.05
he said and we
began to study about
00:11:27.05\00:11:29.79
the God and the
creator of the world.
00:11:29.80\00:11:31.92
And then he looked
at me and he smiled
00:11:33.24\00:11:34.58
and he said I want
you to remember this.
00:11:34.87\00:11:36.77
He said never the
less always trust him,
00:11:37.68\00:11:40.58
never the less,
always trust him.
00:11:42.01\00:11:43.53
There's an interesting
story if you will open
00:11:44.00\00:11:45.57
your Bibles found
in Luke the 5 chapter
00:11:45.58\00:11:48.18
and I want to just run
through this just a little
00:11:48.39\00:11:50.09
bit not read every detail of it.
00:11:50.10\00:11:51.79
It's a story
that's familiar to us.
00:11:52.08\00:11:53.82
It starts in verse 1
and basically the first few
00:11:54.99\00:11:58.84
verses they all say
that Jesus was preaching
00:11:58.85\00:12:01.63
and he stepped out on
the boat of Simon Peter
00:12:02.37\00:12:05.41
and he said Peter
would you mind pushing
00:12:06.07\00:12:07.64
the boat out a little
bit. And those first few
00:12:07.65\00:12:12.99
verses they indicate
that really there is no record
00:12:13.00\00:12:17.62
of what Jesus
was preaching about.
00:12:17.63\00:12:19.50
All it says in those
first few verses is that Jesus
00:12:20.30\00:12:23.25
came to an end of his preaching.
00:12:23.26\00:12:25.63
He was preaching
about the gospel.
00:12:25.84\00:12:28.08
He was preaching about hope,
00:12:29.11\00:12:30.33
and he came to an
end of his preaching
00:12:32.77\00:12:34.52
and then it records
that Jesus said to Peter,
00:12:35.94\00:12:38.36
Peter, push your
boats out into the deep
00:12:38.37\00:12:42.77
and let your
nets down for a catch.
00:12:44.43\00:12:46.75
Now it doesn't
really record everything
00:12:49.32\00:12:53.90
probably that
Peter was thinking.
00:12:53.91\00:12:55.92
Because I am sure
that as Christ said that,
00:12:57.12\00:12:58.93
that suggestion fell on
the ears of many people.
00:12:59.14\00:13:02.59
And I can just
imagine being a companion of
00:13:03.40\00:13:05.66
Peter and working on
the nets, cleaning them
00:13:05.67\00:13:08.69
and then all of a
sudden I hear this hey take the
00:13:08.70\00:13:10.85
nets back in, dump them in the
00:13:10.86\00:13:12.65
water again and for a catch.
00:13:12.66\00:13:16.08
And I'm sure there is
quite a few people that
00:13:17.03\00:13:18.79
probably were
thinking you got to be kidding.
00:13:18.80\00:13:21.57
It doesn't really
record what Peter exactly was
00:13:22.47\00:13:28.06
thinking but there is
an indication of what he
00:13:28.07\00:13:31.08
was thinking in
verse 5. Because we look at
00:13:31.09\00:13:34.26
verse 5 Peter said
he looked at Jesus and
00:13:34.27\00:13:37.13
Peter said, Lord we
have been fishing all
00:13:37.14\00:13:42.31
night and we have
caught how much zero.
00:13:42.32\00:13:48.19
We haven't caught anything,
00:13:49.00\00:13:50.27
I'm sure he was thinking look,
00:13:52.15\00:13:53.30
why don't I
stick with the fishing,
00:13:53.31\00:13:54.81
you stick with the preaching.
00:13:55.10\00:13:56.33
He said because you
don't catch fish in the
00:13:56.71\00:13:58.77
day time you
catch fish at night.
00:13:58.78\00:14:01.12
But there is that little word,
00:14:04.16\00:14:06.37
that little word
that comes in there that
00:14:08.47\00:14:10.81
I love in the King
James version because it says
00:14:10.82\00:14:13.58
Peter said never the less.
00:14:14.19\00:14:17.11
Because you have
asked me we will go out and
00:14:19.14\00:14:23.31
cast our nets into the
deep, never the less and
00:14:23.32\00:14:27.49
of course we know the
rest of the story they pushed
00:14:27.50\00:14:29.25
the boats out they
cast their nets into deep.
00:14:29.26\00:14:30.96
They caught so
many fish that when they
00:14:31.34\00:14:32.68
began to pull them in
the nets the nets tore,
00:14:32.69\00:14:35.14
they put them in two
boats. He called his partners
00:14:35.27\00:14:37.89
the boats began to
sink, but you know it doesn't
00:14:37.90\00:14:40.99
indicate that Peter
was part of that action
00:14:41.00\00:14:42.79
because it said that
Peter was found at the
00:14:42.80\00:14:44.56
feet of Jesus and he
was there he said Lord,
00:14:44.57\00:14:47.43
I am a sinful man
and you know that was the
00:14:47.44\00:14:50.65
time that Jesus
said look come with me
00:14:50.66\00:14:54.60
I will make you fishes of men,
00:14:55.32\00:14:57.71
never the less I
believe with all of my heart
00:14:59.00\00:15:01.92
that now as never
before in the history of
00:15:03.22\00:15:06.11
our church we need a
never the less generation.
00:15:06.12\00:15:10.25
This morning I would
like to speak with you
00:15:13.38\00:15:14.83
about three aspects
of the Christian journey.
00:15:14.84\00:15:17.16
God calling his
people to a never
00:15:18.57\00:15:21.13
the less experience.
The first aspect that
00:15:21.14\00:15:24.91
I wanna talk to you
about is that never the
00:15:24.92\00:15:28.17
less to believe that
the gospel, the hope of the
00:15:28.18\00:15:32.82
gospel includes
you and it includes me.
00:15:32.83\00:15:34.83
Number two, I would
like to talk to you about
00:15:36.08\00:15:38.42
the fact that we need
to live and believe God's
00:15:38.43\00:15:42.64
word the Bible.
And number three,
00:15:42.65\00:15:46.04
I would like to talk
with you about never the less
00:15:46.90\00:15:50.07
regardless of the
evidence of mission.
00:15:50.08\00:15:52.31
He's calling us
to be his witness.
00:15:53.97\00:15:56.46
Lets take a look at
the first item, you know
00:15:57.97\00:16:00.36
not too long ago I
was looking at some
00:16:00.52\00:16:02.58
information that
was generated from a
00:16:02.59\00:16:05.81
research project
conducted at Andrews University,
00:16:05.82\00:16:08.44
it was a world survey
and there was pieces of
00:16:08.73\00:16:11.05
that information
that caused me a little
00:16:11.06\00:16:13.44
concern, one area
that caused me a little
00:16:13.45\00:16:16.49
concerned as I looked at
that it said I discovered
00:16:16.50\00:16:19.14
that there was
a large percentage
00:16:19.15\00:16:21.11
of Seventh-day
Adventist around the world.
00:16:21.12\00:16:23.97
That I was comfortable
with, that indicated that
00:16:24.56\00:16:28.25
they were not
confident of their salvation.
00:16:28.26\00:16:31.40
He said I am not, I
am not, I don't have the
00:16:32.64\00:16:34.33
assurance of my
salvation, that I have no
00:16:34.34\00:16:38.14
idea who is in
the audience today.
00:16:38.15\00:16:40.73
There maybe some
here today who said well,
00:16:41.77\00:16:43.24
I am not real confident.
Pastor, you don't know
00:16:43.25\00:16:46.01
my background, I want
to review just a little bit
00:16:46.02\00:16:49.27
if I can the character
and personality of God.
00:16:49.39\00:16:51.93
I wanna call those
of you that have the
00:16:52.54\00:16:54.61
question today
to a never the less
00:16:54.62\00:16:56.78
experience to say
because he said I trust him.
00:16:56.79\00:16:59.70
First look at some
text, open your Bibles to
00:17:00.00\00:17:02.02
Isaiah, the first
chapter and verse 18.
00:17:02.03\00:17:04.82
What is they say,
it says come on lets be
00:17:04.83\00:17:07.44
reasonable, lets talk together.
00:17:07.45\00:17:08.82
I don't care if your
sins are like scarlet,
00:17:09.50\00:17:12.40
I will cleanse
them and I will give you
00:17:12.66\00:17:14.24
righteousness and
I will clean them up.
00:17:14.25\00:17:16.18
When you look at
Romans the 8th chapter
00:17:18.00\00:17:21.57
and you start reading
in verse 35 and to the end
00:17:21.79\00:17:24.40
of the chapter
there, Paul begins a
00:17:24.41\00:17:26.99
description of my
relationship with Jesus.
00:17:27.00\00:17:30.51
He indicates that
there's not anything that can
00:17:31.21\00:17:33.16
separate us from
Jesus love, nothing.
00:17:33.17\00:17:35.64
Find it in there, he
goes through a description,
00:17:36.98\00:17:39.24
height, depth, principalities of
00:17:39.47\00:17:41.53
darkness, this
and that, tragedies;
00:17:41.54\00:17:43.14
nothing can
separate you from God's love
00:17:43.15\00:17:46.43
that's what it says.
I also like the text in
00:17:46.44\00:17:51.27
Ezekiel the 18th
chapter starting in verse 20,
00:17:52.62\00:17:56.37
it indicates
that every man woman
00:17:57.62\00:18:00.30
will die for their
sins. You won't die for your
00:18:00.90\00:18:02.71
son's sins or he for
yours, but you're gonna
00:18:02.72\00:18:04.92
die for your
own. But when you look
00:18:04.93\00:18:06.62
at verse 21 it says that
if you will accept my plan
00:18:06.63\00:18:10.62
that you will
live according to what
00:18:11.52\00:18:13.69
I have asked you to do,
I will forgive those sins
00:18:13.70\00:18:18.15
and I will give
you life and not death.
00:18:18.16\00:18:20.72
And then the news gets
even better in verse 22
00:18:22.13\00:18:24.84
because it indicates
there that if you will
00:18:24.85\00:18:27.22
take that life
that Jesus will not
00:18:27.23\00:18:30.60
recall those sins anymore.
00:18:30.61\00:18:33.17
Is that good news,
now these aren't my words
00:18:33.18\00:18:36.29
they happen to be
what the Bible says.
00:18:36.30\00:18:37.89
Most popular text
in the world John 3:16,
00:18:39.02\00:18:41.53
For God so loved the
world that he gave his
00:18:41.83\00:18:43.29
only begotten Son that what,
00:18:43.30\00:18:44.84
whoever believes in
him they are not going
00:18:45.78\00:18:47.69
to perish but they are
going to have eternal life.
00:18:47.70\00:18:49.80
I also like the
description that John
00:18:50.88\00:18:52.98
the Revelator gives,
you look at chapter 6 of the
00:18:52.99\00:18:56.33
book of Revelation
and there is a description
00:18:56.34\00:18:59.73
there of the
opening of the 6th seal.
00:18:59.74\00:19:02.78
Now I don't plan to
get into the opening of the
00:19:02.79\00:19:04.53
seals today but it
really is a descrition of the
00:19:04.54\00:19:07.73
world at the end of
time. Great tragedies are
00:19:07.74\00:19:11.09
happening all over the place
00:19:11.10\00:19:12.44
things are in
turmoil, the leaders of the
00:19:12.84\00:19:15.38
world are living in
fear, they're asking that the
00:19:15.39\00:19:17.70
mountains fall on
them. Matter of fact in verse
00:19:17.71\00:19:20.80
17 it says who then
shall be able to stand,
00:19:20.81\00:19:23.89
well I'm happy that
John doesn't leave us
00:19:25.00\00:19:26.69
hanging in the air
because as you come
00:19:26.70\00:19:30.08
down in chapter 7
you find that John is in
00:19:30.09\00:19:34.50
vision and he's standing
around the throne of God.
00:19:34.51\00:19:38.47
And there's an Elder
that comes up to John
00:19:41.13\00:19:43.33
and the Elder says who
are these people that are
00:19:43.34\00:19:46.59
dressed in white
robes and John said well,
00:19:46.60\00:19:49.43
I don't really know
you know the answer to that
00:19:49.44\00:19:51.34
better than I do,
why don't you tell me.
00:19:51.35\00:19:53.39
And then the Elder says to John,
00:19:54.65\00:19:56.15
John these are
the people who came
00:19:56.80\00:20:00.11
through that great
tribulation, we just read
00:20:00.12\00:20:02.47
about in chapter 6,
the end of the world.
00:20:02.48\00:20:04.53
And he said they're
standing here today for
00:20:05.46\00:20:07.52
one reason, they are
standing here because
00:20:07.53\00:20:11.44
they took their
dirty, filthy rags and they
00:20:11.45\00:20:14.41
washed them in
the blood of the lamb
00:20:14.42\00:20:16.22
and Jesus gave
them life and not death,
00:20:16.87\00:20:19.22
that's why they're here.
00:20:20.40\00:20:21.52
You know regardless of
the evidence we need to
00:20:24.36\00:20:29.09
say never the
less I'll trust him.
00:20:29.10\00:20:31.56
I've had people come
to me and they will say
00:20:32.67\00:20:34.15
but Pastor you
don't know my background,
00:20:34.33\00:20:35.93
while if you just
know the things that I've
00:20:36.32\00:20:38.08
done, if you have any
idea what I've been into
00:20:38.09\00:20:41.56
you wouldn't be up
preaching like this.
00:20:42.42\00:20:44.05
Friends, this is
not my words, we need
00:20:44.35\00:20:47.12
generation in the
church that accepts the fact
00:20:47.13\00:20:49.89
that Jesus has
paid the sacrifice.
00:20:49.90\00:20:52.08
He has paid the
sacrifice and if you
00:20:53.17\00:20:55.70
happen to be one
of those here seated
00:20:55.71\00:20:57.49
that have that little
doubt I challenge you to
00:20:58.63\00:21:01.43
have a never
the less experience.
00:21:01.44\00:21:03.30
I want to come
to item number two.
00:21:03.99\00:21:05.53
I want to talk
about living by the Bible.
00:21:09.21\00:21:14.73
How then shall I live,
how am I going to live,
00:21:16.44\00:21:21.34
you can be assured that
for every truth there is
00:21:23.09\00:21:25.42
in the Bible that the
devil has a deception.
00:21:25.43\00:21:27.84
There is another way,
he will make sure that
00:21:28.55\00:21:30.89
there is evidence
that leads you another way
00:21:30.90\00:21:32.62
or there is no evidence for what
00:21:32.94\00:21:34.21
God want you to do.
You know I can't help it
00:21:34.22\00:21:36.56
turn to the Book of
Hebrews in chapter 11
00:21:36.57\00:21:39.72
and just review
some names very quickly
00:21:39.95\00:21:41.98
with you, you
can flip over in your
00:21:41.99\00:21:44.39
Bible to Hebrews 11, Noah
00:21:44.40\00:21:48.07
thought it had never
rained, never the less.
00:21:51.03\00:21:55.89
He spent a 120 years preaching
00:21:56.42\00:21:59.34
and building an
ark. Abraham promised
00:21:59.55\00:22:04.17
to be the father of a
great nation, never the
00:22:04.99\00:22:08.30
less he was willing to
sacrifice his son Isaac.
00:22:08.31\00:22:10.79
Joseph though he was
the second citizen of
00:22:11.90\00:22:15.78
Egypt and
surrounded by the power and the
00:22:15.79\00:22:18.79
glory and the wealth
never the less he gave
00:22:18.80\00:22:23.31
instructions to his
family, he said when
00:22:23.32\00:22:25.32
I die take my bones with you,
00:22:25.33\00:22:29.21
I am going with God's plan.
00:22:29.22\00:22:31.02
I think of Moses who
the heir to the throne of
00:22:31.03\00:22:35.89
Egypt, again
everything that the earth could
00:22:35.90\00:22:39.47
offer was his.
Never the less he refused
00:22:39.48\00:22:43.77
to be called the son
of Pharaoh's daughter.
00:22:43.78\00:22:47.28
I think also of the
Israelites they had never
00:22:48.48\00:22:51.26
seen a sea open up
but never the less when it
00:22:51.27\00:22:56.09
opened up they walked through
00:22:56.10\00:22:57.63
those columns of water.
The Israelites had never
00:22:57.64\00:23:01.08
seen a wall
tumble down when people
00:23:01.09\00:23:04.83
shouted but never the
less they circled that
00:23:04.84\00:23:08.94
city seven times,
they blew the trumpets and
00:23:08.95\00:23:11.92
they shouted and
the wall came down.
00:23:11.93\00:23:14.13
I think of Elijah in
the midst of no evidence
00:23:14.96\00:23:19.26
that there was going
to be a drought never the
00:23:20.01\00:23:23.16
less he told the King
it's not going to rain.
00:23:23.17\00:23:25.50
And then a few years
later in the evidence
00:23:26.53\00:23:30.21
that there was no
rain coming he stood before
00:23:30.22\00:23:33.02
the King and said, never
the less it's gonna rain.
00:23:33.03\00:23:35.45
People who prayed
were to be fed to the
00:23:37.79\00:23:41.55
lions, never the less
Daniel he prayed three
00:23:41.56\00:23:46.92
time a day, turn in
you Bibles with me if you
00:23:46.93\00:23:50.62
will to the 2 book
of Timothy, I want us to
00:23:50.63\00:23:55.74
look at chapter 3
and verses 1 to 5.
00:23:55.75\00:23:58.92
Just to kind of
scan through that.
00:23:58.93\00:24:00.68
Its interesting as this
passage begins that Paul
00:24:01.42\00:24:04.27
says this passage
refers to the end of time,
00:24:04.28\00:24:07.93
that's what it
says, look at it, read it,
00:24:08.53\00:24:10.13
at the end of time. I
like to believe that we
00:24:10.54\00:24:13.53
are living at
that time right now.
00:24:13.54\00:24:14.71
At the end of time
and then Paul begins to
00:24:15.67\00:24:19.47
describe what will
be considered to be
00:24:19.48\00:24:23.16
ordinary living and
I think we've all read
00:24:23.17\00:24:26.81
this passage. He
begins to say that at the
00:24:26.82\00:24:29.15
end of time is
gonna be perilous times,
00:24:29.16\00:24:31.09
people are
gonna love themselves,
00:24:31.39\00:24:32.89
they gonna be
covetous, boasters, proud,
00:24:33.13\00:24:34.93
blasphemers, disobedient,
without natural affection,
00:24:34.94\00:24:37.94
you can go on down
through the list there.
00:24:37.95\00:24:39.29
Lovers of pleasure
more than lovers of God
00:24:39.62\00:24:43.57
and you can read the
list of the description that
00:24:44.59\00:24:47.15
Paul says this is
going to be ordinary living.
00:24:47.16\00:24:49.88
Its how people are
going to say that you
00:24:50.38\00:24:52.20
have to behave.
Its going to be the
00:24:52.21\00:24:54.26
thing that you have to
do. You know its interesting,
00:24:54.27\00:24:57.90
we live in a world
that wants it both ways.
00:25:00.21\00:25:03.22
They want to enjoy
the wisdom of the world
00:25:05.20\00:25:09.04
and yet they want to
be found as people who
00:25:09.54\00:25:11.78
have a reputation of
being people of the word.
00:25:11.79\00:25:13.93
They want to
have it on both sides.
00:25:14.39\00:25:16.08
I am reminded of a
little boy whose behavior had
00:25:16.67\00:25:18.66
become such that the
teacher had to ask him
00:25:18.67\00:25:20.94
Johnny, what's the
definition of a lie.
00:25:21.18\00:25:23.19
Johnny said well,
he said a lie is an
00:25:24.27\00:25:27.03
abomination on to the Lord and a
00:25:27.04\00:25:28.83
very present help
in time of trouble.
00:25:28.84\00:25:30.46
We want to have it both ways,
00:25:33.39\00:25:34.97
we want to have it both ways.
00:25:36.65\00:25:38.06
Recently I got a
new Webster's dictionary
00:25:38.91\00:25:41.16
and as I was kind of
looking up some words
00:25:42.02\00:25:44.72
I suddenly came across
the word in run, in run.
00:25:44.95\00:25:49.42
Now when I said that
word I saw a number of
00:25:50.48\00:25:52.27
you go yeah you
shook your head and I was
00:25:52.28\00:25:54.39
expecting to read a
definition and said a
00:25:54.40\00:25:56.11
company that went bankrupt.
00:25:56.12\00:25:57.24
But you know that's not
the definition they gave,
00:25:57.97\00:25:59.90
they used it as a
synonym for dishonesty.
00:25:59.96\00:26:03.07
A lack of
integrity, in the dictionary
00:26:03.17\00:26:06.38
that has become
ordinary behavior.
00:26:06.65\00:26:09.29
You know what
interesting as you come
00:26:10.07\00:26:11.18
down to the end of that passage
00:26:11.19\00:26:12.57
2 Timothy verses 1 to
5, Paul in one translation
00:26:12.58\00:26:17.06
says but never the
less, from such stay away.
00:26:17.07\00:26:22.24
That's not what God is
calling us to, that's not
00:26:23.41\00:26:26.15
the lifestyle that
he is calling us to.
00:26:26.16\00:26:28.33
You know the Bible
it warns us of those who
00:26:29.70\00:26:33.74
would so embrace the
idol of their own thinking.
00:26:33.75\00:26:38.35
Their own supposed
knowledge that they
00:26:39.73\00:26:42.78
cast aside the
treasures of God's word and they
00:26:42.79\00:26:47.30
take on the wisdom of the world.
00:26:47.31\00:26:50.18
In the world today
there is a great debate on
00:26:51.17\00:26:53.31
origins and
creation. You know Richard
00:26:53.32\00:26:57.16
Dawkins can write
his book entitle The God
00:26:57.17\00:27:01.24
Delusion, Christopher
Hitchens can write his
00:27:01.25\00:27:04.83
book God Is Not
Great, Jerry Coyne,
00:27:04.84\00:27:10.31
Why Evolution Is
True, Sean Carroll,
00:27:11.05\00:27:15.76
The Making of the
Fittest, and they can fill
00:27:16.34\00:27:20.60
their books with the theories
00:27:20.61\00:27:23.12
of radio metric
dating. Stacked sequence,
00:27:23.13\00:27:28.69
heat dissipation,
plate tectonics and they
00:27:29.83\00:27:33.57
can describe those
theories in the statistical
00:27:33.58\00:27:37.51
language of being
significant at the 0.05
00:27:37.52\00:27:40.59
level, T scores and
canonical correlation
00:27:40.60\00:27:43.25
and two way
analysis of variants,
00:27:43.44\00:27:45.29
but never the less the
world was created in six
00:27:45.84\00:27:49.88
literal contiguous days, amen.
00:27:50.20\00:27:52.83
God's word he's
calling us to a never the less
00:27:54.32\00:27:57.94
experience, take it, read it,
00:27:57.95\00:28:00.88
place it in your hearts.
00:28:01.21\00:28:02.55
I want to talk to
you about the third area,
00:28:05.84\00:28:07.95
God has called
us regardless of the
00:28:12.32\00:28:16.83
evidence of mission
to be his witnesses.
00:28:16.84\00:28:20.61
I've had opportunity
to be part of a lot of
00:28:24.50\00:28:28.06
discussions
regarding church growth.
00:28:28.07\00:28:29.74
And I've had people
come up to me and say
00:28:30.42\00:28:31.80
well I really don't have
any talents, I don't have
00:28:31.81\00:28:34.18
any wisdom, I don't
have any gifts in this
00:28:34.19\00:28:38.06
area, God hasn't blessed
me what can I possibly do.
00:28:38.07\00:28:40.84
Do yo know our
neighbors, do you know the kind
00:28:40.99\00:28:44.43
of environment I
live in, its impossible.
00:28:44.44\00:28:48.36
All the evidence
that's collected says
00:28:48.37\00:28:50.07
you can't do this.
You know this morning
00:28:50.08\00:28:52.95
I am happy to be
a member of a church
00:28:52.96\00:28:54.70
that have had
pioneers to this movement they
00:28:55.81\00:28:57.53
have had a never
the less experience.
00:28:57.54\00:28:59.72
They have set
that example for us,
00:29:01.39\00:29:03.23
can you imagine
those early pioneers just a
00:29:03.97\00:29:05.78
few of them studying the Bible.
00:29:05.79\00:29:07.31
You know William
Miller going through
00:29:07.82\00:29:09.12
the truce and Ellen
and James White and those
00:29:09.13\00:29:11.34
those early pioneers
and as they study this
00:29:11.55\00:29:14.26
and wow we have got to proclaim
00:29:14.27\00:29:16.10
this to other
people. Can you imagine as
00:29:16.11\00:29:18.91
they looked out
into the nearest town,
00:29:18.92\00:29:21.91
the nearest city,
the state, the united,
00:29:21.92\00:29:23.87
what were they
thinking? I recall some of those
00:29:24.46\00:29:27.58
stories Joseph Bates,
this is at an early time
00:29:27.59\00:29:32.04
he was developing a
little pamphlet on the Sabbath.
00:29:32.71\00:29:34.98
It was at a time
when really he had some
00:29:36.54\00:29:39.05
questions about
Ellen White being a prophet
00:29:39.06\00:29:41.92
and Ellen White had
some questions about
00:29:42.63\00:29:44.29
his theory on the
Sabbath. That's how early I am
00:29:44.30\00:29:47.04
talking about, and
as he was working on his
00:29:47.05\00:29:49.94
little tract his wife
came into him and she says
00:29:49.95\00:29:52.16
dear we don't have any flower.
00:29:52.17\00:29:53.43
Could you buy some,
oh! Sure I will be glad to.
00:29:54.36\00:29:56.35
He went down to the
store reached in his
00:29:56.61\00:29:58.07
pocket pulled out a
little coin and it was the only
00:29:58.08\00:30:01.15
one he had and the guy
said well that will buy
00:30:01.16\00:30:03.58
five pounds of flower.
He got that took it home
00:30:03.59\00:30:05.62
and when he handed it
to his wife, she looked
00:30:06.00\00:30:07.92
at it and she burst
into tears and she said,
00:30:07.93\00:30:10.75
is this what we have come to.
00:30:11.60\00:30:13.23
You were a sea
captain that sailed the world,
00:30:15.14\00:30:17.35
when you brought
home flowers it was by the
00:30:17.36\00:30:19.07
barrel full and
she left the room.
00:30:19.08\00:30:22.28
As she continued
working on that little
00:30:23.11\00:30:24.68
track he was impressed to go
00:30:24.69\00:30:26.57
down to the post
office. Got up went down
00:30:26.58\00:30:29.18
there, postmaster
said sure enough you have a
00:30:29.19\00:30:31.66
letter but you own
me five cents postage.
00:30:31.67\00:30:34.93
Well I don't have
five cents, well I know you
00:30:35.99\00:30:39.62
I'll trust you, no, no,
he said you open it up as
00:30:39.63\00:30:43.39
I am impressed that
there is money there.
00:30:43.40\00:30:44.87
That postmaster opened
up the letter and it was
00:30:45.52\00:30:47.29
the $10 bill with a
note it said I am impressed
00:30:47.30\00:30:49.65
that you have
sacrificed all for the gospel
00:30:49.66\00:30:51.68
and you need this
money. Well Joseph Bates went
00:30:52.84\00:30:57.61
down to the grocery
store and he brought a
00:30:57.62\00:31:01.11
wagon load of grocers.
Don't try that with $10 now,
00:31:01.12\00:31:03.88
and he said
deliver to this address and
00:31:07.90\00:31:09.55
when you get there he
said there will be a lady
00:31:09.56\00:31:11.02
who says you have
the wrong address.
00:31:11.03\00:31:12.66
He snuck in the back
door and continued to
00:31:13.60\00:31:15.47
work on his track
and sure enough after a
00:31:15.48\00:31:18.30
short time his wife
came blowing into the
00:31:18.31\00:31:20.76
room and she
said there is someone
00:31:20.77\00:31:22.17
delivering
groceries, I told them they have
00:31:22.18\00:31:24.11
that wrong address.
I don't exactly what
00:31:24.12\00:31:28.55
happened, but I can
only imagine that there
00:31:28.56\00:31:31.47
he stood up, he
embraced his wife and
00:31:31.48\00:31:33.99
they had a never
the less experience.
00:31:34.00\00:31:37.38
I have also been in
the archives of General
00:31:42.30\00:31:44.07
Conference, had the
privilege of reading
00:31:44.08\00:31:46.81
letters from those
early converts that were up in
00:31:46.82\00:31:50.39
the North Eastern
part of the United States
00:31:50.40\00:31:52.23
and they spread
out across America.
00:31:52.24\00:31:54.00
They wrote letters to
Ellen and James White,
00:31:54.79\00:31:56.54
come to Iowa, come
to Montana to Oregon to
00:31:56.55\00:31:59.28
California to Oklahoma, Kansas.
00:31:59.29\00:32:02.03
We have started a
group of believers here,
00:32:02.63\00:32:04.67
help us organize the church.
00:32:05.13\00:32:06.94
I think of the
comment that Ellen White made,
00:32:08.87\00:32:11.41
she says this work
will go forward but its
00:32:12.28\00:32:14.07
gonna go forward in
the spirit of sacrifice.
00:32:14.08\00:32:17.00
In the spirit of
sacrifice, the Three Angels
00:32:18.35\00:32:21.91
message Revelation
14, that message spread
00:32:21.92\00:32:24.71
across America. About the 1880s
00:32:24.72\00:32:27.68
it came to the
attention of our church leaders
00:32:29.12\00:32:31.53
that Matthew 28
didn't say go to the United
00:32:32.70\00:32:36.05
States, but it said
go to the whole world.
00:32:36.06\00:32:39.45
Take this message to everybody,
00:32:40.01\00:32:41.53
every kindred,
nation, tongue, any culture,
00:32:42.25\00:32:44.62
you can take it every where.
00:32:44.63\00:32:45.70
When you look at that
generation there was a
00:32:47.32\00:32:49.00
generation that
provided us with an
00:32:49.01\00:32:50.96
example of an never
the less experience.
00:32:50.97\00:32:52.69
It echoes down through
time and it calls us today.
00:32:52.87\00:32:56.01
I think of people
like Abraham Luria,
00:32:57.03\00:32:58.75
he was a shepherd and
a woodcutter that lived
00:33:00.38\00:33:03.09
in Sacramento or San Francisco.
00:33:03.65\00:33:06.22
He came so do some
evangelism meanings
00:33:06.67\00:33:08.69
and there he night by
night gave his heart to
00:33:09.48\00:33:11.83
the Lord Jesus
Christ and he became
00:33:11.84\00:33:13.52
convinced that
Jesus was coming again.
00:33:13.53\00:33:15.30
He was coming soon
and so then after he was
00:33:16.05\00:33:18.85
baptized, he wrote a
letter to the General
00:33:18.86\00:33:20.50
Conference which I
have held that a letter
00:33:20.51\00:33:21.92
a copy of it in my
hand. And he said, send me as
00:33:21.93\00:33:26.28
a missionary to Asia,
he said its come to my
00:33:26.29\00:33:29.41
attention that there
is not anyone in Asia that
00:33:29.42\00:33:31.52
knows this message, send me.
00:33:31.53\00:33:32.95
I also read a letter
that came back from the
00:33:33.77\00:33:35.39
General Conference and basically
00:33:35.40\00:33:37.32
it said two things.
One, you are too old
00:33:37.33\00:33:40.06
and number two, we
don't have any money
00:33:41.37\00:33:44.03
and that's a
common message from the
00:33:44.04\00:33:45.21
General
Conference. We don't have any
00:33:45.22\00:33:49.15
money, did that
stop Abraham Luria,
00:33:49.16\00:33:51.47
it didn't stop Abraham Luria,
00:33:52.33\00:33:53.46
he sold all the things
he had, he went down by
00:33:53.47\00:33:55.20
his own tickets.
He got on a boat he
00:33:55.21\00:33:56.99
sailed to Manila,
Singapore, Bangkok
00:33:57.00\00:33:58.60
settled in Hong Kong
there he printed his own
00:33:58.86\00:34:01.03
literature, he
developed Bible study guides,
00:34:01.04\00:34:02.77
he worked year after
year and pretty soon he
00:34:02.78\00:34:05.07
wrote a letter to
the General Conference he
00:34:05.08\00:34:06.46
said send a
missionary, because even though
00:34:06.47\00:34:09.75
the evidence said
I couldn't go and the
00:34:09.76\00:34:12.03
evidence said it
was impossible never the
00:34:12.04\00:34:14.06
less God's
provided a harvest, amen.
00:34:14.07\00:34:17.27
Today if we were
worshiping in Hong Kong
00:34:19.40\00:34:22.22
instead of here, I can
take you out to a lonely
00:34:22.23\00:34:24.89
hill side and show you
the grave of Abraham Luria,
00:34:24.90\00:34:28.70
he never came home. He
lies there in that port
00:34:28.71\00:34:31.87
city on the edge of
that great nation of China
00:34:31.88\00:34:35.10
where just about 15
years ago we had 18000
00:34:36.25\00:34:38.88
active members.
Today nearly 400,000
00:34:38.89\00:34:42.12
and in Asia
more than two million
00:34:42.68\00:34:45.20
Seventh-day
Adventist. Would Abraham Luria
00:34:45.21\00:34:47.80
say the sacrifice was
worth it never the less,
00:34:47.81\00:34:50.36
would you say that.
I also think of that
00:34:51.37\00:34:54.22
farmer in the state
of Kansas, his name was
00:34:54.37\00:34:56.61
George Ripple.
The pastor came by
00:34:56.62\00:34:59.12
to visit him and
they prayed together,
00:34:59.13\00:35:03.14
then George said
you know the Lord placed
00:35:03.70\00:35:05.22
a burden on my
heart. He said there is no,
00:35:05.23\00:35:07.75
no members no one
that knows the Three Angels
00:35:08.43\00:35:11.11
message on the
continent of South America.
00:35:11.12\00:35:13.50
I think the Lord
wants me to do this,
00:35:14.91\00:35:16.27
they separated the
Pastor went to pastor
00:35:16.59\00:35:18.68
his other 16 churches
and they never met again.
00:35:18.69\00:35:22.59
Because George
Ripple sold everything,
00:35:23.37\00:35:24.90
took his family to
New Orleans, they bought
00:35:24.91\00:35:26.46
tickets on a boat
and they went to Buenos
00:35:26.47\00:35:28.22
Aires, Argentina.
And in 1894 when he
00:35:28.23\00:35:30.54
put his foot on the
continent he was one
00:35:30.55\00:35:32.74
Seventh-day Adventist
for 35 million people.
00:35:32.75\00:35:35.67
All the evidence said
is not possible how can
00:35:36.50\00:35:38.70
you do this,
you're just one person.
00:35:38.71\00:35:40.24
Not long ago I was
at River Platt College
00:35:40.95\00:35:42.99
and I asked him take me
up to that little church,
00:35:43.37\00:35:45.38
I wanna see it.
We drove up there
00:35:45.39\00:35:48.75
I got out, went into
the church, is not big
00:35:48.76\00:35:50.67
stepped out of the
church went over to the
00:35:52.43\00:35:53.80
cemetery and walked
down the road and there
00:35:53.81\00:35:56.12
I stood at the foot of
the grave of George Ripple.
00:35:56.13\00:36:00.47
I realized that
George Ripple and his wife
00:36:01.67\00:36:03.39
they never went home.
They gave their life that
00:36:03.40\00:36:05.63
this message might be
known on the continent.
00:36:05.64\00:36:07.65
South America as I
stood through that day
00:36:09.29\00:36:11.74
I couldn't help but
wonder what it would
00:36:11.75\00:36:13.12
be like George
Ripple could be alive today,
00:36:13.13\00:36:16.15
what would be it like.
I like to take him to the
00:36:16.16\00:36:19.70
city of St. Paul and
stand on the hill and
00:36:19.71\00:36:21.34
there to realize
that there are more than
00:36:21.35\00:36:23.12
1000 Seventh-day
Adventist churches in that city.
00:36:23.13\00:36:25.45
To realize that there
is 1.3 million members in
00:36:26.37\00:36:28.64
Brazil, to realize that there is
00:36:28.65\00:36:29.85
800,000 members in Peru.
00:36:29.86\00:36:32.16
To make that realization
would you say that the
00:36:34.58\00:36:36.42
sacrifices worth
it, somewhere he had a
00:36:36.43\00:36:38.92
never the less experience.
He and his wife they lie
00:36:38.93\00:36:42.56
in a grave in South
America in Argentina
00:36:42.57\00:36:44.71
they are waiting for
Jesus to come and its
00:36:44.72\00:36:46.43
not gonna be long
and we're gonna meet Him.
00:36:46.44\00:36:48.13
Was it worth it never
the less, I also stood at
00:36:48.57\00:36:52.15
that cemetery the
north east portion of it at
00:36:52.16\00:36:55.47
Solusi college and I
have stood there at the
00:36:55.48\00:36:58.00
graves of the early
pioneers and I recalled
00:36:58.01\00:37:01.86
how they sold
everything they had in
00:37:01.87\00:37:03.44
the North Eastern
part of the United States.
00:37:03.45\00:37:05.26
They took boats to
South Africa, now they
00:37:05.61\00:37:07.26
brought covered wagons and oxen.
00:37:07.27\00:37:09.04
And they
traveled many miles across
00:37:10.48\00:37:12.02
South Africa into Zimbabwe,
00:37:12.03\00:37:13.43
City of Bulawayo went
20 miles east of the city
00:37:14.06\00:37:16.41
and there they
established Solusi
00:37:16.42\00:37:17.94
Training Institute.
And as I stood there that
00:37:17.95\00:37:20.38
day I couldn't help
over to be like how exciting
00:37:20.39\00:37:23.63
if they were
alive. What would they say
00:37:23.64\00:37:25.84
if they realize that
there are 5 million members
00:37:25.85\00:37:28.96
on the continent,
about nearly 6 million on the
00:37:28.97\00:37:30.94
continent of
Africa. Graduate schools and
00:37:30.95\00:37:33.44
churches,
hospitals, would they say the
00:37:33.45\00:37:38.60
sacrifice was
worth it, never the less,
00:37:38.61\00:37:43.33
never the less. I
believe that God's calling
00:37:44.83\00:37:48.42
a generation to
never the less experience.
00:37:48.43\00:37:51.51
I know that you
know there are people her
00:37:52.01\00:37:54.00
from all over,
probably the world and I had
00:37:54.01\00:37:58.05
people come to me
and say I don't know.
00:37:58.06\00:37:59.88
You know its really difficult
00:38:00.97\00:38:03.07
in our neighborhood,
its really difficult in this
00:38:03.08\00:38:05.93
particular area.
In the last six months
00:38:05.94\00:38:09.01
I have been on a
little itinerary in planning
00:38:09.02\00:38:12.41
sessions for certain
countries in which we
00:38:12.42\00:38:15.00
do not have
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:38:15.01\00:38:17.13
I am not going to
name those countries on
00:38:18.42\00:38:20.01
television, it doesn't
do our members any good
00:38:20.02\00:38:23.23
over there, but I
think most of you know
00:38:23.24\00:38:26.34
where they're at.
And its very easy to
00:38:26.35\00:38:29.66
come out there and
to meet people who go,
00:38:29.67\00:38:31.81
oh that's impossible
all the evidence says,
00:38:31.82\00:38:33.43
you can't do
this. Don't you know we
00:38:33.44\00:38:34.88
been trying to do
something here for 100
00:38:34.89\00:38:36.24
years, never the less,
lets put a plan together.
00:38:36.25\00:38:39.50
You know we have
talked about 15 years
00:38:41.06\00:38:42.80
ago going to the
10/40 Window and we were
00:38:42.81\00:38:48.00
going to place an
emphasis there is a
00:38:48.01\00:38:49.44
church I want to give
you just a little report
00:38:49.45\00:38:51.86
on that, just very, very brief.
00:38:51.87\00:38:54.44
We had nine percent of our
00:38:55.83\00:38:56.92
membership in that window.
00:38:56.93\00:38:58.57
In 1990, in the past
15 years the membership
00:39:00.44\00:39:04.56
inside that window
has grown 240 percent
00:39:04.57\00:39:08.29
while the membership
in the rest of the world
00:39:08.86\00:39:10.77
has grown 87 percent.
And so I am just telling
00:39:10.78\00:39:14.56
you that God is
performing miracles
00:39:14.57\00:39:18.35
when we place ourselves
into spirit of sacrifice.
00:39:18.36\00:39:21.87
Incidentally I
want to thank you,
00:39:22.75\00:39:25.55
I want to thank ASI
for playing a role in
00:39:26.37\00:39:30.38
making a lot of that happen.
00:39:30.39\00:39:31.62
Thank you, I want to
thank you as Seventh-
00:39:32.09\00:39:34.61
day Adventist
church members for your
00:39:34.62\00:39:36.51
faithfulness and ties
and mission offerings.
00:39:36.52\00:39:38.98
Some of you say well
is that really make a
00:39:39.44\00:39:40.77
difference, I wanna
tell you it makes a huge
00:39:40.78\00:39:42.92
difference because in
that spirit of sacrifice
00:39:42.93\00:39:46.44
God performs miracles.
And today I can tell you
00:39:46.75\00:39:50.35
of thousands of thousands of new
00:39:50.36\00:39:52.34
congregations
that are worshiping
00:39:52.35\00:39:53.69
in the 10/40
Window. Among them the
00:39:53.70\00:39:55.42
Muslims, the
Hindus, the Buddhist,
00:39:55.43\00:39:56.95
the animist, the
communist and there
00:39:56.96\00:39:59.53
they are for the
first time somebody a little
00:39:59.54\00:40:01.91
worker or a layman
has gone there and they
00:40:01.92\00:40:04.07
have written history
in heaven because they
00:40:04.08\00:40:06.29
had a never the less experience.
00:40:06.30\00:40:08.09
You want to be part of
that, you want to be part
00:40:09.06\00:40:11.91
of that, I wanna call
you to that this morning.
00:40:11.92\00:40:14.02
A new generation to have a never
00:40:16.35\00:40:18.39
the less
experience. Let me conclude
00:40:18.40\00:40:21.06
by just tell you little story,
00:40:22.12\00:40:23.46
I was in
Northern Mexico and we had
00:40:24.44\00:40:28.21
gone there because we
wanted to visit 12 new
00:40:28.22\00:40:32.31
churches that
had been established.
00:40:32.32\00:40:34.05
The work is not
easy in North Mexico
00:40:34.37\00:40:36.70
and we had come to
a camp meeting where
00:40:38.28\00:40:40.49
the 12 churches
were coming together
00:40:40.50\00:40:42.55
and it was a
retired worker that had gone
00:40:44.22\00:40:47.93
there and
established these 12 churches.
00:40:47.94\00:40:51.40
And I suppose that
day they were about 1200
00:40:52.11\00:40:54.18
people there and
they were going to have
00:40:54.19\00:40:58.90
quite a day of
it, singing, praying,
00:40:58.91\00:41:00.65
preaching but one of
the special events that they
00:41:00.66\00:41:03.42
were going to baptize 47 people.
00:41:03.43\00:41:05.30
And it just happens
to be the culture in that
00:41:06.12\00:41:08.04
particular area
that when you have a
00:41:08.30\00:41:10.66
baptism that each
person is going to be
00:41:10.67\00:41:12.41
baptized stands
before the microphone and
00:41:12.42\00:41:14.26
they give a little testimony.
00:41:14.27\00:41:15.35
And so I was there
seated on the front row
00:41:16.49\00:41:18.43
and this long line and
they began to give their
00:41:18.44\00:41:20.85
little short testimonies.
Well just after one or
00:41:20.86\00:41:23.38
two people this great
big guy stood in front
00:41:23.39\00:41:26.31
of the
microphone. He was bigger then
00:41:26.32\00:41:28.27
I was and kind of
gruff and he said,
00:41:28.28\00:41:32.32
well there are a
lot of you that are
00:41:32.33\00:41:33.42
surprised to see me here today.
00:41:33.43\00:41:34.93
He says let me tell
you how this happened,
00:41:35.92\00:41:37.45
he said I was in my
house one day he said
00:41:38.14\00:41:41.33
I was drinking a beer
and he said I heard this
00:41:41.34\00:41:44.82
little knock on the
door. I opened up the door
00:41:44.83\00:41:47.81
and here stood a
little boy about this tall and
00:41:48.13\00:41:50.82
under his arm he had
a great big Bible and he
00:41:50.83\00:41:53.11
said to me not
hello, how are you?
00:41:53.12\00:41:56.53
Good afternoon, his
first words were mister,
00:41:57.54\00:42:00.80
do you wanna
study the Bible with me.
00:42:01.18\00:42:02.89
And he thought well
what harm can there be
00:42:06.54\00:42:08.53
in studying the
Bible, but this little guy
00:42:08.54\00:42:09.89
he said I opened up
the door ushered him in
00:42:10.20\00:42:11.91
and he said you know
day after, day after,
00:42:14.00\00:42:15.73
day the little boy
came back and studied with
00:42:15.74\00:42:17.11
me I gave my heart
to the Lord Jesus Christ
00:42:17.12\00:42:19.47
and never the less I
am gonna be ready when
00:42:19.48\00:42:21.98
Jesus comes, amen.
You know the amazing
00:42:21.99\00:42:26.00
part of that was of
those 47 people there were
00:42:26.01\00:42:28.43
7 people who gave
the same testimony about
00:42:28.44\00:42:30.60
the same little boy,
amen. At the end of that
00:42:30.61\00:42:33.03
baptism Elder Miranda
stood up and he said it's
00:42:33.04\00:42:35.80
a custom here to
invite anyone else who would
00:42:35.81\00:42:37.72
like to prepare for baptism.
00:42:37.73\00:42:39.02
Who is it that
would like to prepare.
00:42:39.03\00:42:40.45
I turned around to see
if there might be someone
00:42:43.38\00:42:45.16
that would come
forward and to my great
00:42:45.17\00:42:48.06
shock there was a
little boy this tall on the
00:42:48.07\00:42:50.95
second row who had
stood up seven times in
00:42:50.96\00:42:53.32
recognition then came
up to the front and said,
00:42:53.33\00:42:55.31
yes, I wanna be baptized.
00:42:55.32\00:42:57.19
And then I found out
you can't baptize people
00:42:57.67\00:43:00.08
in Mexico unless you're
12 he was a 11 years old.
00:43:00.09\00:43:02.50
Never the less, a
generation called to that.
00:43:04.07\00:43:08.26
Friends, I don't
know, I don't know you're
00:43:09.65\00:43:14.06
situation here this morning,
00:43:14.07\00:43:15.62
but if you need the
confidence that Jesus
00:43:18.75\00:43:20.36
has forgiven you I beg
you to claim that never
00:43:20.37\00:43:23.24
the less experience.
If some of the theories
00:43:23.25\00:43:27.27
of the world and
practices as if made a
00:43:27.28\00:43:29.27
little in roads into your life,
00:43:29.28\00:43:30.69
I pray that you will
say no I will have a never
00:43:30.70\00:43:33.25
the less
experience. I am going to live
00:43:33.26\00:43:34.58
by God's word, I am
gonna believe what he
00:43:34.59\00:43:36.31
teaches and if you
been called to mission which
00:43:36.32\00:43:41.41
every person here as
because that's what this
00:43:41.42\00:43:43.49
church is about. I
would ask you to have
00:43:43.50\00:43:46.26
a never the less experience,
00:43:46.27\00:43:47.31
I don't care
what the evidence is.
00:43:47.32\00:43:48.92
You can all be
stacked up at never
00:43:48.93\00:43:50.33
the less trust
Him. This gospel of the
00:43:50.34\00:43:52.79
kingdom shall be
preached in all the
00:43:52.80\00:43:54.04
world for a
witness Jesus is coming,
00:43:54.05\00:43:56.18
never the less, never the less,
00:43:57.09\00:43:59.35
never the less, amen.
00:43:59.36\00:44:02.56
Let us stand as we
sing trust and obey
00:44:11.28\00:44:14.28
for there is no
other way, let us stand.
00:44:14.29\00:44:17.76
When we walk with the
00:44:20.28\00:44:22.33
Lord in the light of His Word,
00:44:22.34\00:44:26.99
What a glory He
sheds on our way!
00:44:27.00\00:44:31.90
While we do His good will,
00:44:32.77\00:44:35.93
He abides with us still,
00:44:36.46\00:44:39.32
What an
inspiration, lets bow our heads.
00:47:54.11\00:47:56.95
Abba Father, it has
been good to be in your
00:47:58.60\00:48:01.72
house this morning.
Our hearts have been
00:48:01.73\00:48:04.43
stirred and they have
been thrilled, they have
00:48:04.44\00:48:07.01
been challenged.
We want to respond
00:48:07.02\00:48:10.16
to your call, we are
thankful that as we look
00:48:10.17\00:48:13.01
around the world
and we see so many
00:48:13.02\00:48:15.02
negative things,
things that would discourage
00:48:15.03\00:48:17.18
us and causes to
doubt. You have challenged us
00:48:17.19\00:48:21.77
this morning to say
never the less at that
00:48:21.78\00:48:25.22
word I will act.
I will do what you
00:48:25.23\00:48:28.05
ask me to do even if
its looks impossible,
00:48:28.06\00:48:31.15
even if others don't understand.
00:48:31.96\00:48:33.92
Lord we ask that you
would fill us with your
00:48:34.98\00:48:36.75
spirit, we thank you for the
00:48:36.76\00:48:38.88
challenge that we received.
00:48:38.89\00:48:40.55
We confess our humbleness,
00:48:41.54\00:48:43.57
our weakness our sinfulness,
00:48:43.58\00:48:45.41
we are thankful for your mercy,
00:48:46.25\00:48:48.34
for your grace and
for your cleansing power.
00:48:48.75\00:48:51.91
Fill us with your
spirit Lord, we long to see
00:48:52.63\00:48:55.91
this work
finished. We long to reflect
00:48:55.92\00:48:58.93
your character and your glory
00:48:58.94\00:49:00.39
so that we may go
home. We long to see you
00:49:00.40\00:49:03.80
coming in the clouds of glory.
00:49:03.81\00:49:05.72
For this we pray in the
00:49:06.65\00:49:07.62
wonderful name of Jesus, amen.
00:49:07.63\00:49:10.89