Good morning. Good morning.
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How are we doing today?
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Are we awake? Yeah.
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Amen.
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I'm trying to see
how many of us are awake
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by your response.
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It seems like some are
still sleeping but that's okay.
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Amen. Amen.
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I'm so happy to be here
today, because every day
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that we are alive is another day
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we get to
experience the love of Christ.
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And it's also another day
that we can tell someone else
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about the love of Christ.
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Let us have a word of
prayer and then we will do
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our devotional
thought for today.
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Heavenly Father,
we thank You so much
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that You have given
us another day of life.
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Lord, we have
health, we have strength
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but most of all we
have peace because we know
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that we are reconciled
with You through Jesus Christ.
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May we today and
this morning Lord,
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learn something new that
we can use in our own lives
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as we minister to others.
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Help us to see what
we can personally rise up
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because we have
been saved for service
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and it's in the name of
Jesus that we pray, amen.
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So calling men and
women to the mission field.
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If we went like in the
call to the mission field
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to the call to
receive on our cell phones
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the intensity and the response
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might be
different for everybody.
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So for some the
call to the mission field
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might be that
really loud ring tone.
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And for some of us will
quickly pick-up the phone
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andwe will say, hello Lord,
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yes, I'm ready to
work for You today.
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I was waiting
for Your phone call.
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For others if we're too
busy or we're not quite ready
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to pick-up we'll
just say to ourselves
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I'll pick-up that
phone call little bit later
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or I'll just call Him back.
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For others the call
might be more like a vibration.
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And some of us will
pick-up that call and we'll say,
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Father, I almost
missed Your phone call
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but, yes, I'll
labor for You today.
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For others it might be
the perfect excuse to say
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I'm sorry I missed
Your call, it was on vibrate
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or unfortunately
the call might be missed
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because the phone was on silent.
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Now in my life
it's been all three
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because my phone was on silent
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until I was
baptized in June 2009.
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And then it was
switched to vibrate
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and one day I was in class,
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I was working on my
PhD in New York City
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and the
vibration started to go off
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and the Lord said I
need you to work for Me.
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And I sat in class and
it was a chemistry class
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so there were reactions
every where on all sides
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and I said, okay,
Lord, I'll work for You.
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No problem, because by
trade I was a forensic scientist
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with the New York
City police department.
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And so it was great.
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During the day I'll go to
work and during the weekends
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I will server
the Lord, no problem.
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Then in March 2011
the ringtone went off
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and it was loud and clear.
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And God said I need you
to work for Me fulltime.
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Now that one I
didn't pick-up right away.
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I said you know, what,
I'll have to call You back
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on that later, God.
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But then He called again
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and eventually in September 2011
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I resigned as a forensic chemist
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with the New York
City police department
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and I went to work
for the Lord fulltime.
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And so when I speak
with you this morning
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about God calling
us to the mission field
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am I speaking to
you from a perspective
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that I can't relate to?
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I'm speaking to you
because I can relate
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and I can share with
you thousands of testimonies
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in my little time
how God has provided
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and how God has
used me to do His work.
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But I'm least excited in sharing
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what God has done for me
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than I'm and what God can
do for every one of us in here
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because God wants
us all to work for Him.
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Let's turn in our Bibles
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to John 20:19-23.
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John 20:19-23
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and it says,
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"Then the same day at evening,
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being the first day of the week,
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when the doors were shut
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where the
disciples were assembled
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for fear of the Jews, came Jesus
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and stood in the
midst, and saith unto him,
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Peace be unto you.
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And when he had so said,
he shewed unto them his hands
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and his side.
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Then were the disciples
glad, when they saw the Lord.
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Then said Jesus to them
again, Peace be unto you,
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as my Father hath sent
me, even so send I you.
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And when he had said
this, he breathed on them,
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and saith unto them,
Receive ye the Holy Ghost.
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Whosoever sins ye remit,
they are remitted unto them,
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and whosoever sins ye
retain, they are retained."
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So let's reflect all the events
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that led up to this moment.
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Here in this room we have 11 men
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but these weren't ordinary
men who were ordinary witnesses.
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We have 11 men who witnessed
the life of Jesus Christ,
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the Son of God, the Messiah,
the Savior of the whole world.
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These men have the
privilege of walking with Jesus
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for three and half years.
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They witnessed Him feeding 5,000
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with five loafs and two fishes,
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the resurrection of
Lazarus from the dead,
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Jesus walking on
water these men could say
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that the blind can
see, the lame can walk,
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the deaf can hear
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and the gospel is
being preached to the poor.
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Even John and his gospel
in the last verse he says,
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if we could write down
everything that Jesus did
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the world couldn't
contain all the books
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and then he says amen.
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Talk about the clincher I
can't wait to get to heaven
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so hear what else
Jesus did while He was there.
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So there weren't ordinary
men who were ordinary witnesses.
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In my previous occupation
when we would have evidence
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we have to record
every single detail.
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What did it look like,
what did it smell like,
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what was it wrapped in.
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Because we were
eyewitnesses to evidence
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that could turn
someone's life upside down.
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And these men were eyewitnesses
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to evidence that
turned the world upside down.
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And because Jesus was basing
the future hopes of His church
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on this little band of witnesses
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He asks them before
His suffering and death
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who do you say that I'm?
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Because if you are
going to preach the gospel
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you have to believe that I'm
the Savior of the whole world.
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Now Peter response,
You're Christ, the Son of God.
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But because they fail to see
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that the deaf and
suffering of Christ
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was just as important
as His life in ministry
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these men are
locked in the upper room
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discouraged and hopeless.
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Acts of the Apostle
says, "Crushed by despondency,
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grief, and despair,
the disciples met together
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in the upper chamber,
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and closed and
fastened the doors,
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fearing that the fate
of their beloved Teacher
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might be theirs."
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These men were afraid.
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Their faith cannot see
beyond their disbelief.
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Have you experienced that?
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And if you haven't
experienced its coming
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because there comes a
point in every single life
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where our faith comes
in contact with the crises
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and it's in the crises
that our character is revealed.
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Because if we never came
in contact with the crises
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how would we
know our characters?
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How would we
know we were impatient
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if we were never stuck in
traffic on the way to work,
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on the day when we relate?
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How will we know we were selfish
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if someone never
asks us for our last item?
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It's through the crises where
our characters are revealed.
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And it was in this moment that
Christ comes to His disciples
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and He says on to
them, Peace be unto you.
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Consider what was going on
in their mind at that time.
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They were probably
feeling the most disloyal
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for deserting their
master, the most doubtful
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about Him being the Messiah
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and the most
fearful about their future.
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And Jesus walks into the
midst and He doesn't say,
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I told you I would
suffer what you guys doing here?
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He doesn't say, I told you
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I would rise
again on the third day.
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Oh, yeah, Peter, where is Peter?
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Peter, I told you
would deny Me three times.
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He walks into the
midst and He says,
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Peace be unto you.
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Not once but twice.
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And then He says, as
the Father has sent me,
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so send I you.
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Despite what was going on
in their current condition
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Christ says I'm
sending you to work.
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So what are some things
that we can keep in mind
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when Christ calls us as men
and women to the mission field?
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And the first thing
is that Christ calls us
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in our current condition.
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He calls us where
we are at that time.
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The disciples were
probably at that moment
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feeling very low spiritually.
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They probably felt so disloyal
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but instead of throwing
them away and casting them aside
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Christ calls them
for the mission field.
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I don't know about you but that
brings joy to me this morning
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because that shows me
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that when I feel
the least spiritually
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God sees the
potential to do a great work.
00:12:41.29\00:12:45.19
God sees in me something
that I can't see in myself.
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When I was first baptized
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I felt so
inadequate for all of--
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all of you all who
are born Adventist.
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I didn't know there
was a gene for Adventism,
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apparently there is
because that's the term
00:12:58.49\00:13:00.49
that's used a lot.
00:13:00.52\00:13:02.13
And there is all these
words 2,300 days, bees, horns,
00:13:02.16\00:13:05.80
kingdoms, it just sound like
a modern day fairytale to me,
00:13:05.83\00:13:09.20
just in a make sense.
00:13:09.23\00:13:11.57
But God used the little
that I knew and He blessed it.
00:13:11.60\00:13:16.51
And as long as I
kept my eyes on Jesus
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and I focused on Him God
began to add more and more.
00:13:19.98\00:13:25.59
We should never feel
that, you know, what,
00:13:25.62\00:13:27.35
I can be a
witness for the Master
00:13:27.38\00:13:29.57
because I don't know enough.
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I believe that the
less we know intellectually
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is the more we cry
out for the Holy Spirit.
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Because we have less
confidence of what's in here
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and more confidence
in who lives in here.
00:13:44.92\00:13:51.23
We can consider the demoniacs
00:13:51.26\00:13:54.63
whom Jesus
delivered in Decapolis.
00:13:54.66\00:13:56.96
Now these men they
were so overtaken by Satan
00:13:56.99\00:14:01.09
that they no
longer looked like humans,
00:14:01.12\00:14:02.88
they look like wild beast.
00:14:02.91\00:14:05.23
And when Jesus walks into
this-- they get off the boat
00:14:05.26\00:14:08.47
and He knew what these men do.
00:14:08.50\00:14:09.73
The disciples go running
00:14:09.76\00:14:11.38
and Christ
delivers these two men.
00:14:11.41\00:14:14.33
And these men who
terrorize the whole city
00:14:14.36\00:14:18.12
were now clothed and
sitting at the feet of Jesus.
00:14:18.15\00:14:22.22
But because others in
the city were not ready
00:14:22.25\00:14:24.64
to receive the gospel
they forced Jesus out the city.
00:14:24.67\00:14:28.91
And these two men they
wanted to go with Jesus,
00:14:28.94\00:14:31.84
they wanted to learn
more but Christ told them
00:14:31.87\00:14:34.67
to stay where they were
00:14:34.70\00:14:36.36
and to share what
had happened to them.
00:14:36.39\00:14:40.54
These were the
first two missionaries
00:14:40.57\00:14:43.11
that Jesus sent in this region.
00:14:43.14\00:14:46.12
And they never heard a
sermon that came from His mouth
00:14:46.15\00:14:50.49
but all they knew was
what Christ had done for them.
00:14:50.52\00:14:54.42
All they knew was
what they had experienced.
00:14:54.45\00:14:58.17
And because of that experience
they were able to prepare
00:14:58.20\00:15:02.11
the region for Jesus.
00:15:02.14\00:15:03.98
Because when He came back
00:15:04.01\00:15:05.70
the people were
ready to receive Him.
00:15:05.73\00:15:09.07
God wants us to do
something as simple
00:15:09.10\00:15:12.16
as sharing the love of Christ.
00:15:12.19\00:15:15.30
I was doing intercity health
work in Detroit, Michigan,
00:15:15.33\00:15:19.15
and I have a opportunity
to sit down with the lady
00:15:19.18\00:15:21.45
who came for health consultation
00:15:21.48\00:15:23.08
because I
specialize in health ministry.
00:15:23.11\00:15:25.60
And she thought she
was coming to talk about
00:15:25.63\00:15:27.53
fruits and vegetables
00:15:27.56\00:15:29.62
but God had been
working on her heart
00:15:29.65\00:15:31.87
before she came.
00:15:31.90\00:15:33.77
And when she came to the center
00:15:33.80\00:15:35.04
and be began to sit and talk
00:15:35.07\00:15:36.48
she shared her testimony,
she had it all at one point.
00:15:36.51\00:15:40.98
She had
restaurant, she had stores,
00:15:41.01\00:15:42.96
she had house and cars
00:15:42.99\00:15:45.12
but she also had
an unfaithful spouse.
00:15:45.15\00:15:48.61
And when she found out
00:15:48.64\00:15:50.85
instead of
turning to the Savior,
00:15:50.88\00:15:53.16
she turned to drugs.
00:15:53.19\00:15:56.00
And next thing she knew 12
years of her life was gone.
00:15:56.03\00:16:02.51
At that moment and
time what she needed to hear
00:16:02.54\00:16:05.99
was that God has forgiven her.
00:16:06.02\00:16:09.70
At that moment and time
she needed to hear that--
00:16:09.73\00:16:12.85
you know, what, I
can move on with my life
00:16:12.88\00:16:15.85
because of the
freedom that I have in Christ.
00:16:15.88\00:16:19.21
This is what the
world needs to hear.
00:16:19.24\00:16:22.83
This is the witness
for which the Lord calls
00:16:22.86\00:16:26.37
and for want of which
the world is perishing.
00:16:26.40\00:16:29.59
Consider Paul when he
was Athens, was in Athens
00:16:29.62\00:16:33.86
he made logic with
alliance, logic with logic,
00:16:33.89\00:16:36.67
philosophy with
philosophy, science with science
00:16:36.70\00:16:39.59
that at the end of his
time he had little fruit.
00:16:39.62\00:16:43.77
But when he went to comment
00:16:43.80\00:16:46.06
and he determined not to
know anything except Christ
00:16:46.09\00:16:49.09
and Him crucified
he had much success.
00:16:49.12\00:16:54.76
In choosing men and
women for His service
00:16:54.79\00:16:58.08
God does not ask whether
they possess worthy wealth,
00:16:58.11\00:17:02.82
learning or eloquence
and that makes me very happy
00:17:02.85\00:17:07.59
because I'm very poor
and God owns everything
00:17:07.62\00:17:11.62
so I don't have
enough worthy wealth
00:17:11.65\00:17:14.57
and I'm so happy that He
doesn't choose on learning
00:17:14.60\00:17:16.95
because I'm not very smart
00:17:16.98\00:17:18.13
despite with my
testimony sounds like
00:17:18.16\00:17:20.36
I just read very well.
00:17:20.39\00:17:22.76
And I'm so happy He doesn't
choose based on eloquence
00:17:22.79\00:17:25.93
because sometimes
I say the wrong words
00:17:25.96\00:17:28.04
at the wrong time.
00:17:28.07\00:17:30.31
He chooses us
based on our humility.
00:17:30.34\00:17:34.50
He says can I teach them?
00:17:34.53\00:17:37.09
Will they walk in My ways
and will they represent Me?
00:17:37.12\00:17:42.35
So when God wants
us to work for Him,
00:17:42.38\00:17:45.05
when He calls us
to the mission field
00:17:45.08\00:17:47.28
He calls us in
our current condition
00:17:47.31\00:17:52.69
but also if
Satan can't distract us
00:17:52.72\00:17:58.37
and make us believe
that you know, what,
00:17:58.40\00:18:00.42
I don't know we're
not to work for him.
00:18:00.45\00:18:02.50
He will distract us on
what we have done in the past.
00:18:02.53\00:18:05.77
Remember he is the
accuse of the brethren
00:18:05.80\00:18:09.58
and he will make us think
00:18:09.61\00:18:11.07
you're gonna use her
or him to do Your work.
00:18:11.10\00:18:14.96
Have you seen what
she's done in the past?
00:18:14.99\00:18:18.16
How can she
possibly represent You?
00:18:18.19\00:18:22.31
But when I think of that
and when I go into God's word
00:18:22.34\00:18:26.16
I'm reminded that
the greatest sinners,
00:18:26.19\00:18:29.40
the greatest servants
were the greatest sinners
00:18:29.43\00:18:32.86
who are saved by great God.
00:18:32.89\00:18:36.42
Let's listen
Noah, he was a junk.
00:18:36.45\00:18:41.89
Abraham was too old.
00:18:41.92\00:18:45.25
Jacob was a liar.
00:18:45.28\00:18:48.60
Lia was tender, right.
00:18:48.63\00:18:52.08
Gideon was afraid.
00:18:52.11\00:18:54.48
David had an affair
and he was a murderer.
00:18:54.51\00:18:58.44
Moses had a stuttering problem.
00:18:58.47\00:19:01.46
Rehab was a prostitute.
00:19:01.49\00:19:03.92
Elijah was suicidal.
John who ran from God.
00:19:03.95\00:19:06.79
The Samaritan
woman had many husbands.
00:19:06.82\00:19:09.09
The disciples fell
asleep. Paul was too religious.
00:19:09.12\00:19:13.52
And Lazarus was dead.
00:19:13.55\00:19:16.44
But God still did a great work.
00:19:16.47\00:19:20.38
One of my favorite
verses in the Bible
00:19:20.41\00:19:23.45
is when the angels
tell the woman at that tomb,
00:19:23.48\00:19:26.72
go tell the disciples and Peter.
00:19:26.75\00:19:30.58
Because that mean
that God calls us by name
00:19:30.61\00:19:33.65
even when we fill Him miserably
00:19:33.68\00:19:36.01
He still wants to save us
and use us to do a mighty work.
00:19:36.04\00:19:41.38
God calls us in
our current condition
00:19:41.41\00:19:44.29
and then He
gives us our mission.
00:19:44.32\00:19:46.96
Acts 1:8 says, "And you
shall be witness on to me
00:19:46.99\00:19:51.88
in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria
00:19:51.91\00:19:55.96
and on to the other
most parts of the earth."
00:19:55.99\00:19:58.83
Then when we look
at that on the map
00:19:58.86\00:20:00.39
we know that Jerusalem
is in the region of Judea
00:20:00.42\00:20:03.64
and then Samaria
is the next region
00:20:03.67\00:20:05.73
and then we the other
most parts of the earth.
00:20:05.76\00:20:08.77
Now Jerusalem was
considered the most hardest
00:20:08.80\00:20:11.81
and unpromising
field because it was there
00:20:11.84\00:20:15.30
that Jesus have
begun to plant seeds
00:20:15.33\00:20:17.81
but we know, He
wasn't well received
00:20:17.84\00:20:19.72
by the Jews
priests and the Rabbi's.
00:20:19.75\00:20:23.14
So if we were to
liken Jerusalem to us today
00:20:23.17\00:20:27.75
the hardest and
most promising field
00:20:27.78\00:20:29.89
in our missionary experience
00:20:29.92\00:20:32.93
it would be our
hearts, it would be ourselves.
00:20:32.96\00:20:39.53
Because the warfare against self
00:20:39.56\00:20:42.25
is the greatest
battle that was ever fought.
00:20:42.28\00:20:46.38
The yielding of
self, surrendering all
00:20:46.41\00:20:49.27
to the will of God
requires a struggle
00:20:49.30\00:20:53.22
but the soul must submit to God
00:20:53.25\00:20:55.74
before it came to
renewed and holiness.
00:20:55.77\00:20:59.38
So before we go out wanting
to minister to everyone else,
00:20:59.41\00:21:04.55
is it well with our souls.
00:21:04.58\00:21:08.23
Because what good would it be
00:21:08.26\00:21:10.51
if we went and
we share the gospel
00:21:10.54\00:21:12.69
and then we
never made it to heaven
00:21:12.72\00:21:14.30
to see all the
people that we met
00:21:14.33\00:21:16.54
while we were here on earth.
00:21:16.57\00:21:19.86
What a man is has more
influence than what he says.
00:21:19.89\00:21:25.65
You see the reason why
Jesus was so successful
00:21:25.68\00:21:28.99
in His labors is because
He lived what He preached.
00:21:29.02\00:21:35.05
He took time to
commune with God.
00:21:35.08\00:21:38.28
He knew where His soul stood.
00:21:38.31\00:21:41.33
He knew, you know,
what, I can't commune--
00:21:41.36\00:21:43.85
I can't go and serve
and minister to others
00:21:43.88\00:21:46.81
if I have not connected
with my heavenly Father.
00:21:46.84\00:21:51.03
And no one was
more busy than Jesus was
00:21:51.06\00:21:54.42
but He made time
to connect with God.
00:21:54.45\00:21:58.43
He made time to
consider himself.
00:21:58.46\00:22:03.30
In order for us to
affectively labor for the Master
00:22:03.33\00:22:07.23
we ourselves must have
a relationship with God.
00:22:07.26\00:22:11.71
Everyone in
here us as Christians
00:22:11.74\00:22:14.31
we should be the most kind,
00:22:14.34\00:22:16.90
the most unselfish
and the most curious.
00:22:16.93\00:22:21.26
The strongest
argument in favor of the gospel
00:22:21.29\00:22:25.04
is the loving and
the lovable Christian.
00:22:25.07\00:22:29.19
You really want to minister,
you really want to go out there
00:22:29.22\00:22:32.06
and share the
gospel of Jesus Christ
00:22:32.09\00:22:34.24
we ask Christ to
come into our hearts
00:22:34.27\00:22:36.67
and to teach us how
to be loving and lovable.
00:22:36.70\00:22:41.62
Because how can we
love others if we don't know
00:22:41.65\00:22:44.14
the one who is the
author of love itself.
00:22:44.17\00:22:47.74
How can we go out and share
00:22:47.77\00:22:49.74
well, how good Jesus is
if we never experienced it
00:22:49.77\00:22:52.97
in our own lives.
00:22:53.00\00:22:56.00
When Christ is in
us it brings a healing
00:22:56.03\00:22:59.87
and a life giving current.
00:22:59.90\00:23:03.16
How else would Peter
shadow be able to heal people?
00:23:03.19\00:23:07.86
Is because Christ was
in him and it spread out.
00:23:07.89\00:23:13.00
And when we want to
minister, when we want to serve
00:23:13.03\00:23:15.94
we first have to make
sure is my-- is my soul
00:23:15.97\00:23:19.11
right with Jesus.
00:23:19.14\00:23:21.44
Am I joyful?
00:23:21.47\00:23:23.97
Because what other see around us
00:23:24.00\00:23:26.23
is what they think of Christ.
00:23:26.26\00:23:29.54
So what are we
saying about our Savior?
00:23:29.57\00:23:32.84
Are we saying that He is
the source of all our joy
00:23:32.87\00:23:37.25
if we are just as
unhappy as everyone else?
00:23:37.28\00:23:41.06
Are we saying He is the provider
00:23:41.09\00:23:43.63
when we are always complaining
about something we don't have?
00:23:43.66\00:23:47.98
Are we saying
that we can trust Him
00:23:48.01\00:23:51.02
when we go through life just
as confuse as the next person
00:23:51.05\00:23:54.95
instead of
trusting God's promises?
00:23:54.98\00:23:58.77
Before we go out
and save the world
00:23:58.80\00:24:01.55
self examination is
something that we can all do.
00:24:01.58\00:24:06.79
As we seek to draw others
00:24:06.82\00:24:08.64
within the circle of Christ love
00:24:08.67\00:24:12.01
the purity of our language,
our usefulness for service
00:24:12.04\00:24:17.94
and our joyfulness will be
a witness to others around us.
00:24:17.97\00:24:23.32
When I was in college
00:24:23.35\00:24:24.86
I remember there
was one gentleman
00:24:24.89\00:24:26.67
and this was
before I was converted
00:24:26.70\00:24:28.64
and I would sit
in the lunch room
00:24:28.67\00:24:29.99
and every day this
gentleman will come
00:24:30.02\00:24:32.62
doing hot wheels,
he was always happy.
00:24:32.65\00:24:35.59
He would heart
wheels, he would sing
00:24:35.62\00:24:37.78
and it would frustrate me.
00:24:37.81\00:24:39.82
And I will say, I'm
trying to enjoy my lunch
00:24:39.85\00:24:41.63
what is this guy doing,
00:24:41.66\00:24:43.03
doing cart west
through the lunch room.
00:24:43.06\00:24:46.04
But then eventually
Christ got hold of me
00:24:46.07\00:24:49.88
and eventually I have
said now with this guy
00:24:49.91\00:24:51.58
who began to
speak and I asked him
00:24:51.61\00:24:54.03
why are you always so happy?
00:24:54.07\00:24:58.08
And he said, you know,
what, its Jesus Christ.
00:24:58.11\00:25:02.99
He's done so much for me.
00:25:03.02\00:25:04.99
He changed my whole life that
I just can't contain myself.
00:25:05.02\00:25:09.90
And so sometimes we
don't have to say a word
00:25:09.93\00:25:13.31
but when we reflect
00:25:13.34\00:25:14.71
the love of Christ in
our hearts that's enough.
00:25:14.74\00:25:18.27
Someone once
said preach the gospel
00:25:18.30\00:25:20.87
and when necessary use words.
00:25:20.90\00:25:25.15
So Jerusalem the hardest
and most unpromising field
00:25:25.18\00:25:29.22
for the disciples for us
today that would be our hearts.
00:25:29.25\00:25:35.56
And then Jesus says
Judea, where is our Judea?
00:25:35.59\00:25:41.41
That would be our families
00:25:41.44\00:25:44.10
because sometimes we
can become so immersed
00:25:44.13\00:25:46.73
and going overseas
00:25:46.76\00:25:47.93
and there is nothing
wrong with going overseas
00:25:47.96\00:25:49.79
because I'm from New
York and I'm here in Australia
00:25:49.82\00:25:53.28
but sometimes you miss the
work that lies closes to us.
00:25:53.31\00:25:58.37
Sometimes in our homes
if we're fathers and mothers
00:25:58.40\00:26:02.80
our children are lost.
00:26:02.83\00:26:06.63
Our first
missionary field as parents--
00:26:06.66\00:26:09.56
I'm not a parent by
the way, but if you are,
00:26:09.59\00:26:11.99
if you want to be
one day it's your home.
00:26:12.02\00:26:16.01
Because if you
aren't raising your kids
00:26:16.04\00:26:18.75
the TV is raising your
kids, the radio, or their peers
00:26:18.78\00:26:24.81
and Satan would get a
hold of that and will change
00:26:24.84\00:26:27.31
the whole course of their lives.
00:26:27.34\00:26:30.74
But if you as a parent
00:26:30.77\00:26:32.73
if you set that
tone in your home,
00:26:32.76\00:26:35.00
if you have morning
and evening devotionals,
00:26:35.03\00:26:37.43
if you speak with your children
you are doing a mighty work.
00:26:37.46\00:26:42.49
An Adventist home it says
00:26:42.52\00:26:43.83
"No work
entrusted to human beings
00:26:43.86\00:26:47.21
involves greater or
more far-reaching results
00:26:47.24\00:26:50.65
than does the work
of fathers and mothers."
00:26:50.68\00:26:54.58
No other work is far-reaching
00:26:54.61\00:26:57.97
than that of
fathers and mothers.
00:26:58.00\00:27:01.79
And if you are a son or daughter
00:27:01.82\00:27:04.64
are we fulfilling God's command
00:27:04.67\00:27:06.29
where it says to honor
your father and mother.
00:27:06.32\00:27:09.56
I know I had a
hard time doing that
00:27:09.59\00:27:11.88
because I don't
have a very happy home.
00:27:11.91\00:27:14.75
I wasn't raised in
a functional family,
00:27:14.78\00:27:18.48
very dysfunctional
00:27:18.51\00:27:20.69
and God had to do a
lot of work on my heart
00:27:20.72\00:27:23.15
to forgive my parents.
00:27:23.18\00:27:25.38
And every day sometimes I
still have to ask and pray
00:27:25.41\00:27:28.22
Father, teach me
how to love them.
00:27:28.25\00:27:31.54
But our mission
field, our Judea's are those
00:27:31.57\00:27:35.74
that are
sometimes in the next room.
00:27:35.77\00:27:38.86
How often do we say, I love you.
00:27:38.89\00:27:42.07
Do we wait for crises
00:27:42.10\00:27:44.29
before our family
members hear those words?
00:27:44.32\00:27:47.64
Do we wait till
they are in the coffin
00:27:47.67\00:27:50.24
before we say how
much we appreciated them?
00:27:50.27\00:27:54.72
Let's put time
into our families.
00:27:54.75\00:28:00.46
Samaria well, should be
the next region after Judea.
00:28:00.49\00:28:04.92
For us that
would be our family--
00:28:04.95\00:28:07.46
that would be our
friends and our neighbors.
00:28:07.49\00:28:11.92
When I was in
Detroit I did some Bible work
00:28:11.95\00:28:15.62
and missionary
work with the church.
00:28:15.65\00:28:17.60
And there was a gentleman
there powerful testimony,
00:28:17.63\00:28:20.47
he was immerged in the
world and unfortunately
00:28:20.50\00:28:23.09
before he could get
out he was in a party scene
00:28:23.12\00:28:26.63
and someone
shot him in the back.
00:28:26.66\00:28:28.71
And in one night the
course of his life changed
00:28:28.74\00:28:31.25
because now he is
forever in a wheelchair.
00:28:31.28\00:28:34.27
But God still uses
him to do the mighty work.
00:28:34.30\00:28:36.92
He has a powerful testimony.
00:28:36.95\00:28:39.13
And one day I was
walking into church
00:28:39.16\00:28:41.15
and I was extremely
busy-- I believe I had to preach
00:28:41.18\00:28:43.59
and so we are just running
to church to grab something
00:28:43.62\00:28:45.46
and so I could leap
quickly to go somewhere else.
00:28:45.49\00:28:47.94
And I said, happy Sabbath
00:28:47.97\00:28:49.03
and I kept going
as happy Sabbath.
00:28:49.06\00:28:50.27
How are you doing?
And I kept running on.
00:28:50.30\00:28:53.48
And in my mind I though he said
happy Sabbath I'm doing well
00:28:53.51\00:28:58.87
because I had not
conquered Jerusalem.
00:28:58.90\00:29:02.63
But later on that afternoon
when I sat down with him
00:29:02.66\00:29:04.91
he said you know, what,
00:29:04.94\00:29:06.53
Sister Monica have a
bone to pick with you.
00:29:06.56\00:29:09.53
And I said,
00:29:09.56\00:29:11.39
I don't like when people
have bones to pick with me
00:29:11.42\00:29:13.87
because I don't eat
meat and that's the problem.
00:29:13.90\00:29:17.92
And he says this
morning you said happy Sabbath
00:29:17.95\00:29:20.92
and you asked me how I was doing
00:29:20.95\00:29:23.67
and I said terrible
and you walked right by me.
00:29:23.70\00:29:29.49
In that moment I
miss an opportunity
00:29:29.52\00:29:34.86
to share the love of Jesus
00:29:34.89\00:29:37.89
because I was so
wrapped up in myself.
00:29:37.92\00:29:41.43
I was in such a
hurry to do something
00:29:41.46\00:29:44.09
that I missed it
to serve a friend,
00:29:44.12\00:29:48.71
to serve someone
who looked up to me,
00:29:48.74\00:29:52.40
someone who just
needed an encouraging word.
00:29:52.43\00:29:55.50
And how often do we do that?
00:29:55.53\00:29:57.85
We take for granted our
friends and our neighbors.
00:29:57.88\00:30:01.29
We don't think that they
might need an encouraging word
00:30:01.32\00:30:04.61
and we hurry pass them.
00:30:04.64\00:30:07.27
But Jesus the busiest
man in the whole world
00:30:07.30\00:30:10.40
was never in a hurry
00:30:10.43\00:30:14.32
yet no one left Him unfulfilled.
00:30:14.35\00:30:18.14
Let's think about it.
00:30:18.17\00:30:19.95
Mary said, if You
would have come earlier
00:30:19.98\00:30:22.02
my brother Lazarus
he wouldn't have died.
00:30:22.05\00:30:25.27
But Jesus was
still on time, amen.
00:30:25.30\00:30:29.34
Let's think about on his
way to see Jairus' daughter
00:30:29.37\00:30:33.39
and that going through
the crowd and the woman
00:30:33.42\00:30:36.16
who have the issue of
blood touches His robe
00:30:36.19\00:30:38.77
and He said who touched me
00:30:38.80\00:30:40.12
and the disciples are
like, look at the multitude.
00:30:40.15\00:30:42.58
What do you
mean who touched You?
00:30:42.61\00:30:43.77
We have to go
see Jairus' daughter.
00:30:43.80\00:30:46.68
But she was healed.
00:30:46.71\00:30:48.64
Jairus' daughter was healed.
00:30:48.67\00:30:51.34
And Christ was never in a hurry.
00:30:51.37\00:30:54.74
No way in the word of God
does it say and Jesus ran.
00:30:54.77\00:31:00.82
He took His time and
so we should take our time
00:31:00.85\00:31:04.76
ministering to our
families and to our neighbors.
00:31:04.79\00:31:09.36
How can we
minister to our neighbors?
00:31:09.39\00:31:11.75
We can start by
saying hello, good morning.
00:31:11.78\00:31:15.68
And we can start by smiling
00:31:15.71\00:31:18.22
because when we
smile to someone else
00:31:18.25\00:31:21.71
that might be the only
smile they get that day.
00:31:21.74\00:31:26.07
For some people the
hug that you give them
00:31:26.10\00:31:28.72
might be the only
hug they get that day.
00:31:28.75\00:31:32.87
Can you imagine, they
say that if you get 16 hugs
00:31:32.90\00:31:37.42
I believe it is,
don't quote me on it,
00:31:37.45\00:31:39.49
that it helps you to
lower your blood pressure.
00:31:39.52\00:31:42.07
Sixteen hugs a day.
00:31:42.10\00:31:43.91
When I heard that I
just started hugging people.
00:31:43.94\00:31:46.37
I don't even know them,
I just say, give me a hug,
00:31:46.40\00:31:48.53
give me hug, I
need to get my quota in.
00:31:48.56\00:31:51.41
But those are the
little things that we can do
00:31:51.44\00:31:53.95
to those that we know,
those who are our friends,
00:31:53.98\00:31:56.58
those who are our neighbors,
to show how much we care
00:31:56.61\00:31:59.87
and to show that
Jesus loves them.
00:31:59.90\00:32:02.70
when we see our friends
going down the wrong path
00:32:02.73\00:32:05.63
let's not take the
approach of godly work on them,
00:32:05.66\00:32:09.54
Jesus will won't
work on their hearts.
00:32:09.57\00:32:12.02
Jesus wants to use
you to save your friends
00:32:12.05\00:32:15.56
and to save your neighbors.
00:32:15.59\00:32:18.41
In Ministry of
Healing it says that,
00:32:18.44\00:32:20.11
"We should study how
you can best help those
00:32:20.14\00:32:23.87
who take no interest
in religious things."
00:32:23.90\00:32:27.99
We should study how to serve
00:32:28.02\00:32:30.14
those who don't
believe in Christ.
00:32:30.17\00:32:32.83
Sometimes we thing,
they don't believe in Christ
00:32:32.86\00:32:35.20
I got to run. I can't help them.
00:32:35.23\00:32:39.15
But what we should
do is see the points
00:32:39.18\00:32:41.10
where we can
connect with them on.
00:32:41.13\00:32:43.54
They might not believe in Christ
00:32:43.57\00:32:44.93
but you know,
what, last time I said
00:32:44.96\00:32:47.24
we all get hungry
and we all like to eat.
00:32:47.27\00:32:51.24
Maybe I can just
invite them over for dinner.
00:32:51.27\00:32:54.65
Maybe I can invite
them over to a health talk.
00:32:54.68\00:32:58.29
The health message is
one of the easiest ways
00:32:58.32\00:33:01.19
that we can reach the
hearts of men and women.
00:33:01.22\00:33:04.22
Because everyone is sick
these days, almost everyone
00:33:04.25\00:33:08.76
and our health message is
the right arm of the gospel.
00:33:08.79\00:33:14.30
How do we reach our
neighbors and friends?
00:33:14.33\00:33:18.53
Just by taking
time and by finding ways
00:33:18.56\00:33:24.03
that we can save them
through the power of Christ.
00:33:24.06\00:33:28.22
Judea and then the
other most parts of the earth,
00:33:28.25\00:33:33.14
what is that mean for
us today, everyone else.
00:33:33.17\00:33:37.63
So when I first
started to do God's work,
00:33:37.66\00:33:40.46
when I first thought
of literature evangelism
00:33:40.49\00:33:42.96
and this was when
I was still working
00:33:42.99\00:33:44.81
and I woke up one day
and I had some glow tracks
00:33:44.84\00:33:47.72
and I said Lord, I'm gonna
give this to someone today.
00:33:47.75\00:33:51.91
I'm not gonna put
it in their mailbox
00:33:51.94\00:33:53.61
though there is
nothing wrong with that.
00:33:53.64\00:33:54.83
I'm not just gonna you
know, slide it, you know,
00:33:54.86\00:33:56.92
on the table though there
is nothing wrong with that.
00:33:56.95\00:33:59.50
I said, Lord,
give me the courage
00:33:59.53\00:34:01.20
to hand it to somebody.
00:34:01.23\00:34:03.79
And so I went to the bus stop
00:34:03.82\00:34:05.97
and there are a couple
of people that were there
00:34:06.00\00:34:08.09
and my heart was beating
like crazy and I was afraid
00:34:08.12\00:34:11.23
and I said, Lord, I
don't know who to give this to.
00:34:11.26\00:34:13.58
And so I just
waked up to one gentleman
00:34:13.61\00:34:15.34
and I walked,
hey, how are you doing
00:34:15.37\00:34:17.02
and I just gave it
to him and I left them.
00:34:17.05\00:34:20.19
And I said oh, Lord,
hopefully that blesses him.
00:34:20.22\00:34:23.77
And he comes back over to me
00:34:23.80\00:34:25.71
and he says what
church are you from?
00:34:25.74\00:34:28.80
And ask camera
says no I answered
00:34:28.83\00:34:31.19
I'm a Seventh-day
Adventist Christian
00:34:31.22\00:34:32.69
have you heard of us?
00:34:32.72\00:34:35.27
And he says yes, I grew up
at the Seventh-day Adventist
00:34:35.30\00:34:39.76
but I left the church.
00:34:39.79\00:34:42.43
And on the back of the card
00:34:42.46\00:34:44.09
I stamped the
church that I attended
00:34:44.12\00:34:46.51
and he said thank
you so much for this.
00:34:46.54\00:34:49.40
I want to start
going back to church.
00:34:49.43\00:34:52.81
So the other most
parts of the earth
00:34:52.84\00:34:55.33
it could be the bus driver,
00:34:55.36\00:34:57.97
it could be the person
on the chair next to you,
00:34:58.00\00:35:01.17
it could be the
co-worker that you pass by
00:35:01.20\00:35:03.35
every single day and
you never even look at them.
00:35:03.38\00:35:07.18
We should pray and ask God
for opportunities to minister
00:35:07.21\00:35:12.74
and they will come.
00:35:12.77\00:35:15.56
Right before I left my
job about two weeks before
00:35:15.59\00:35:19.08
I got into a car
accident and I expected it
00:35:19.11\00:35:22.79
because when you're getting
late to work for the Lord
00:35:22.82\00:35:25.24
to do anything
things are going to go wrong
00:35:25.27\00:35:27.44
because the enemy will be upset.
00:35:27.47\00:35:30.88
And I got into this accident
00:35:30.91\00:35:32.25
and I said, oh,
great, this is wonderful.
00:35:32.28\00:35:35.30
I asked the Lord well,
00:35:35.33\00:35:36.75
hopefully I can
minister to this person
00:35:36.78\00:35:39.74
and so we got out,
we exchanged details,
00:35:39.77\00:35:41.81
and I had Steps to Christ
00:35:41.84\00:35:43.35
and after we
exchanged insurance information
00:35:43.38\00:35:45.77
I gave him the Steps to
Christ and we began to talk.
00:35:45.80\00:35:49.33
And he also grew up
00:35:49.36\00:35:51.86
in the
Seventh-day Adventist church.
00:35:51.89\00:35:54.40
There are many
who have left the fold
00:35:54.43\00:35:56.70
that God wants to call them back
00:35:56.73\00:35:58.73
and He wants to use us to do it.
00:35:58.76\00:36:01.54
And he said things happened.
00:36:01.57\00:36:04.22
I started to work on the
Sabbath and after a while
00:36:04.25\00:36:06.81
I just drifted away.
00:36:06.84\00:36:09.62
And after we had
that conversation
00:36:09.65\00:36:11.68
I encouraged him.
00:36:11.71\00:36:13.28
You grew up in
this wonderful message.
00:36:13.31\00:36:15.89
You know that you to
back our Sabbath day,
00:36:15.92\00:36:17.93
Jesus loves you He
wants you to come back.
00:36:17.96\00:36:20.43
Won't you come back?
00:36:20.46\00:36:22.23
And I said a prayer with him.
00:36:22.26\00:36:24.26
Now I don't know what
happened after we left
00:36:24.29\00:36:27.36
but God knows what happens.
00:36:27.39\00:36:29.97
And sometimes
all God want us to do
00:36:30.00\00:36:32.29
is plant that little seed
and God will give the increase.
00:36:32.32\00:36:38.31
He doesn't need us to
do everything all at once.
00:36:38.34\00:36:42.12
Sometimes He just wants
us to play a little part.
00:36:42.15\00:36:47.77
In the United States
there is the Golden Gate Bridge.
00:36:47.80\00:36:51.27
Is anyone familiar
with the Golden Gate Bridge?
00:36:51.30\00:36:53.28
Very popular
bridge in California.
00:36:53.31\00:36:56.02
Its also the number
one bridge for suicides,
00:36:56.05\00:36:59.09
suicidal jerks in America.
00:36:59.12\00:37:01.25
Number one, people will
fly, people will take buses,
00:37:01.28\00:37:04.92
people will drive
to this bridge to die.
00:37:04.95\00:37:08.51
This bridge it was
open in 1937 and since then
00:37:08.54\00:37:14.09
more than 1,400 people
have jumped from this bridge.
00:37:14.12\00:37:19.34
This bridge is 75 meters high
00:37:19.37\00:37:23.88
and when you hit
the top of the water
00:37:23.91\00:37:26.44
you're hitting at a speed
of 120 kilometers per hour.
00:37:26.47\00:37:31.57
As you would expect
most people die upon impacts
00:37:31.60\00:37:35.96
but some people
don't and Kevin Hines
00:37:35.99\00:37:40.89
was one of those
men who didn't die.
00:37:40.92\00:37:45.01
And when he shares his testimony
00:37:45.04\00:37:47.35
he shares that he was
on his way to the bridge,
00:37:47.38\00:37:50.40
he was on the
bus and he was crying
00:37:50.43\00:37:53.78
and he purposed in
his mind, he said, God,
00:37:53.81\00:37:57.32
if one person stops me
on the way to this bridge
00:37:57.35\00:38:01.60
I won't jump.
00:38:01.63\00:38:03.80
If one person will
tell me how much they care
00:38:03.83\00:38:06.96
I won't do it.
00:38:06.99\00:38:09.46
As you would expect no
one stops, no one asked him.
00:38:09.49\00:38:13.95
he gets to the bridge
and he stood on the bridge
00:38:13.98\00:38:17.54
for 40 minutes.
00:38:17.57\00:38:20.84
No one asked him what was wrong.
00:38:20.87\00:38:23.97
Someone did come
up and they asked him
00:38:24.00\00:38:26.69
if will take a picture of them.
00:38:26.72\00:38:30.02
And he took the
picture and it was than point
00:38:30.05\00:38:32.97
that he realized that
no one cared and he jumped.
00:38:33.00\00:38:37.45
But someone did care and
His name was Christ Jesus
00:38:37.48\00:38:42.83
and He saved him.
00:38:42.86\00:38:45.29
But what about the
people who don't make it?
00:38:45.32\00:38:49.27
What about the people who
are just waiting for us to say,
00:38:49.30\00:38:53.54
how are you doing?
00:38:53.57\00:38:55.66
Why are you crying?
00:38:55.69\00:38:58.11
Where a society
that's so engrossed
00:38:58.14\00:39:00.48
with virtual
friends and Facebook friends
00:39:00.51\00:39:03.01
and Instagram and
Twitters that we fail to see
00:39:03.04\00:39:06.06
the ones who
walk by us everyday.
00:39:06.09\00:39:10.24
Our mission field
sometimes it's not some where
00:39:10.27\00:39:13.73
over in Africa though there
is nothing wrong with that.
00:39:13.76\00:39:16.88
Sometimes it's in some intercity
00:39:16.91\00:39:19.13
thought there is
nothing wrong with that.
00:39:19.16\00:39:21.53
Sometimes it's the
person that's right next to us
00:39:21.56\00:39:24.36
that we miss
00:39:24.39\00:39:26.12
because we are on our phones,
00:39:26.15\00:39:29.79
over engrossed in ourselves.
00:39:29.82\00:39:34.64
None need wait until
call to some distant field
00:39:34.67\00:39:39.12
before beginning to help others.
00:39:39.15\00:39:42.10
Doors of service are
open everywhere, all around us
00:39:42.13\00:39:46.89
are those who are
in need of our help.
00:39:46.92\00:39:49.90
The widow, the orphan,
the sick and the dying,
00:39:49.93\00:39:54.23
the heart sick, the
discouraged, the ignorant
00:39:54.26\00:39:57.60
and the outcast on every hand.
00:39:57.63\00:40:01.24
And God just wants us to help
00:40:01.27\00:40:03.69
meet whatever
need that they have
00:40:03.72\00:40:06.09
because some people
won't hear the gospel
00:40:06.12\00:40:09.26
unless you meet a simple need.
00:40:09.29\00:40:12.43
We were knocking on doors
in Detroit and we met one lady
00:40:12.46\00:40:16.94
and she was hungry
and she needed clothing.
00:40:16.97\00:40:20.50
And we took her request
and at the end of her request
00:40:20.53\00:40:23.32
we ask that we could
pray for her and she said no.
00:40:23.35\00:40:26.99
Because plenty of people
always want to pray for her
00:40:27.02\00:40:29.71
but no one ever helps her.
00:40:29.74\00:40:32.28
She was also an alcoholic.
00:40:32.31\00:40:34.76
We went back the next
day with food and clothing.
00:40:34.79\00:40:39.85
And we handed everything to her
00:40:39.88\00:40:42.41
and she just started to cry.
00:40:42.44\00:40:45.34
And she said you are
the first group of people
00:40:45.37\00:40:48.45
who helped me in my need.
00:40:48.48\00:40:51.47
And when we left
there we asked her,
00:40:51.50\00:40:53.70
can we pray for you?
00:40:53.73\00:40:55.40
And she said, please do.
00:40:55.43\00:40:57.87
Same lady we met a simple need
00:40:57.90\00:41:01.87
and she was
able to accept prayer
00:41:01.90\00:41:04.22
and she was able to accept help
00:41:04.25\00:41:06.27
to get deliverance from alcohol.
00:41:06.30\00:41:08.99
A simple need that
God want us to meet
00:41:09.02\00:41:12.41
when it comes
to different people
00:41:12.44\00:41:14.24
so it can open their hearts
to receive more of the gospel.
00:41:14.27\00:41:19.88
Jesus calls in
our current condition,
00:41:19.91\00:41:23.31
Jesus then gives
us the mission fields
00:41:23.34\00:41:26.99
but then He also
equips us for service
00:41:27.02\00:41:30.51
and I'm happy about that
because I feel very powerless.
00:41:30.54\00:41:35.63
But when He gives
us the Holy Spirit
00:41:35.66\00:41:38.44
we can do anything in His name.
00:41:38.47\00:41:41.94
When we believe in
Christ as our Savior
00:41:41.97\00:41:45.01
the Holy Spirit
now becomes our guide,
00:41:45.04\00:41:48.43
our counselor, our
sanctifier, and our witness.
00:41:48.46\00:41:53.96
The Holy Spirit teaches us
00:41:53.99\00:41:56.35
what to say and
who to say it to.
00:41:56.38\00:42:00.28
I won't dwell
them to this too much
00:42:00.31\00:42:01.88
because we have a
seminar on the Holy Spirit.
00:42:01.91\00:42:04.22
And I encourage everyone,
00:42:04.25\00:42:06.09
so please go to
that workshop if you can
00:42:06.12\00:42:09.99
because it's the Holy Spirit
that teaches us how to work.
00:42:10.02\00:42:14.28
It's the Holy Spirit
that impresses upon us.
00:42:14.31\00:42:18.14
There was one time
when I was at a booth
00:42:18.17\00:42:21.67
and a lady came to the booth
and she began to speak with me
00:42:21.70\00:42:25.44
and she had health problems
00:42:25.47\00:42:27.48
but she was
concerned about her sister
00:42:27.51\00:42:29.62
and then all the
sudden something said
00:42:29.65\00:42:32.24
keep talking about her
00:42:32.27\00:42:33.82
and move it from
her sister to herself.
00:42:33.85\00:42:37.36
And we began to speak
and then all of a sudden
00:42:37.39\00:42:40.27
she began to
share her struggles.
00:42:40.30\00:42:42.53
The hatred that
she have for her sister
00:42:42.56\00:42:45.51
and she blows out
and she starts crying
00:42:45.54\00:42:48.52
and we have to
rush to a separate room
00:42:48.55\00:42:51.85
and she began to share
00:42:51.88\00:42:53.09
how she wanted to murder
her sister the other night
00:42:53.12\00:42:57.93
and how she had
hatred for her sister.
00:42:57.96\00:43:01.78
And so we prayed
and we spoke together
00:43:01.81\00:43:06.02
but if I had not
prayed for the Holy Spirit
00:43:06.05\00:43:09.88
the opportunity
would have been missed.
00:43:09.91\00:43:13.46
The Holy Spirit is what
equips us to do God's work.
00:43:13.49\00:43:17.96
When the disciples were
waiting for the Holy Spirit
00:43:17.99\00:43:21.89
they did not wait in idleness
00:43:21.92\00:43:24.85
but they were
preparing their hearts
00:43:24.88\00:43:26.70
to receive the Holy Spirit.
00:43:26.73\00:43:29.14
They were repenting before God.
00:43:29.17\00:43:31.48
They were
confessing their unbelief
00:43:31.51\00:43:34.18
and they were asking
God to help prepare them
00:43:34.21\00:43:36.72
for the work that they
were getting ready to do.
00:43:36.75\00:43:39.55
For three and half years
they missed a lot of things
00:43:39.58\00:43:43.43
that Jesus was
trying to tell them
00:43:43.46\00:43:45.94
and at that moment they just
wished that they could go back
00:43:45.97\00:43:49.48
and they could hear once again
00:43:49.51\00:43:51.62
and they could see what
Christ was trying to teach them.
00:43:51.65\00:43:56.13
Let's not miss this
opportunity to work for Christ.
00:43:56.16\00:44:01.40
Let's not look back on our lives
00:44:01.43\00:44:04.29
five, ten, fifteen,
twenty years from now
00:44:04.32\00:44:07.48
and say I wish I
could have lived those years
00:44:07.51\00:44:09.70
working for the Lord.
00:44:09.73\00:44:11.74
Let's take
advantage of it today.
00:44:11.77\00:44:15.43
Let this weekend
be the opportunity
00:44:15.46\00:44:19.06
to really train ourselves
00:44:19.09\00:44:20.60
so we can be
equipped to do God's work.
00:44:20.63\00:44:24.70
The greatest want of the
world is the want of men.
00:44:24.73\00:44:29.96
Men who will not
be bought or sold,
00:44:29.99\00:44:33.39
men whose in their in most souls
00:44:33.42\00:44:35.73
are true and honest,
00:44:35.76\00:44:38.12
men who do not fear to
call sin by its right name,
00:44:38.15\00:44:42.36
men whose
conscious is as true to duty
00:44:42.39\00:44:45.33
as the needle to the pole,
00:44:45.36\00:44:47.28
and men who will
stand for the right
00:44:47.31\00:44:49.61
though the heavens fall.
00:44:49.64\00:44:52.46
That's what
Christ wants of us today.
00:44:52.49\00:44:55.54
He wants us to labor for
our brothers and sisters.
00:44:55.57\00:45:00.70
For those who are
not yet in the fold.
00:45:00.73\00:45:05.00
We're not sent to
do battles for God
00:45:05.03\00:45:09.88
but to be used by
God to do His battles.
00:45:09.91\00:45:14.43
God can equip us to
do mighty things for Him
00:45:14.46\00:45:17.43
as long as we
respond to the call.
00:45:17.46\00:45:21.06
Will you answer when
the ringtone is super high
00:45:21.09\00:45:25.07
or will you switch it to vibrate
00:45:25.10\00:45:28.32
or will you worse
yet turn it to silent?
00:45:28.35\00:45:33.63
When God calls us this weekend
to do a might work for Him
00:45:33.66\00:45:37.47
let's pick-up on the first ring
00:45:37.50\00:45:40.82
because He wants us to
do a mighty work for Him.
00:45:40.85\00:45:44.20
Let's pray.
00:45:44.23\00:45:46.01
Heavenly Father,
we thank You so much
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that though we have
failed you in many ways
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You still desire to
use us to do a mighty work.
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Be with us this weekend,
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may we take some time
not thinking about ourselves,
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not thinking about
what we are missing
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but focusing in on the work
that You would have us to do.
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And it's in the name of
Jesus that we pray, amen.
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