Participants:
Series Code: UBP
Program Code: UBP000015S
|
00:02 ♪ ♪
00:14 Hi, I'm Cami Oetman, Vice President for Adventist World 00:17 Radio at the General Conference. I am super excited to be with 00:21 you tonight. Only a few months ago, friend, our world was 00:24 completely a different place. Since then we have been in the 00:28 midst of a global shutdown, a worldwide pandemic. We are 00:32 living in uncertain times as people are still afraid about 00:36 the effect it has made. People fear for themselves and for 00:40 their loved ones. We have all seen the stock markets crash. 00:44 Potential economic disaster might be just around the corner. 00:47 Riots have been popping up around the nation. You may be 00:52 afraid of what the future holds. Our minds are flooded with 00:55 unanswered questions. Will the economy collapse? Will I be able 00:59 to feed my family or have a place to live? What's next? 01:03 Bible prophecy clearly reveals God's plan for the future. 01:07 Friends, I believe we are now in that future. What does he expect 01:13 from us in times like these? Let's begin with prayer. 01:17 Heavenly Father, King of the universe, King of our hearts. 01:21 Thank you for bringing all of your precious people together 01:24 at this camp meeting Lord in such a magnificent way. May we learn 01:28 something new about you and what you expect of us in times like 01:32 these. In Jesus' precious, powerful name, Amen. 01:35 I love that our heavenly Father gives us prophetic warning, not 01:42 to scare us, but to prepare us. He does not leave us in the dark 01:47 ever. God desires for us to put our full trust in his word. 01:53 In Matthew 24 Jesus lays out the many signs that we will see 01:57 right before he comes again. And when you read that list of 02:00 verses you see these prophecies are being fulfilled before our 02:05 very eyes today. The final sign will prove beyond a shadow of a 02:10 doubt that indeed we are living in the very last days of this 02:14 world's history. And what is it? Let's read in Matthew 24:14:... 02:31 This is the final sign. Then in Revelation 14:6 it says:... 02:48 Friends, this is our calling in times like these. God's message 02:54 is going forward. In my travels with Adventist World Radio my 03:01 small video crew and I document miracles in the most remote 03:05 corners of this world. In Habakkuk 1:5 it says this:... 03:10 God says this: 03:24 God is doing exactly that right now. Shocking things, things 03:30 you would never imagine could be possible. These are the 03:34 experiences that I'm going to share with you tonight. God is 03:38 reaching the unreachable. I was there to witness it all with my 03:42 own eyes and see first-hand how God has no walls, no borders, 03:49 and no limits. Let me show you what I mean. Come with me to the 03:54 Philippine Islands. Here we find a group of terrorist rebels 03:58 hidden throughout the mountain tops. For the past 49 years they 04:03 have been protecting and dominating these areas with 04:06 guerilla warfare. They call themselves the New People's Army 04:12 or the NPA. These men and women are determined to overthrow the 04:17 government. Over 40,000 locals have died in this war between 04:22 the NPA and the government military troops. These mountain 04:27 natives have traditionally been pagans. Each family is only 04:31 allowed to have three children. If a fourth child is born that 04:37 child is immediately buried alive. This is a culture where 04:42 13 year olds are forced to marry and men can pay 400 Philippine 04:46 pesos to swap wives. This is equal to about eight dollars in 04:51 U.S. currency. Like all of us these people need Jesus and his 04:57 life-saving principles. Less than three years ago Adventist 05:02 World Radio began broadcasting Bible messages from the coastal 05:07 cities to the jungle mountain tops and some of the NPA rebels 05:11 tuned in to this Christian station and became intrigued. 05:15 As they listened to the stories of Jesus' love their hearts were 05:20 softened. One of the top commanders sent four of his 05:25 soldiers to find the radio broadcaster and bring him to 05:29 their remote camp. They did just that. Let's watch what happened. 05:35 Find out how AWR radio has gone past the steel cold guns 05:44 straight into the heart of ruthless rebels. 05:48 This is AWR 360. 05:52 ♪ ♪ 06:05 Adventist World Radio has been broadcasting God's last day 06:10 message to the unreached people groups of the world in their own 06:13 languages from its very beginning. AWR began 48 years 06:17 ago in 1971 and our mission and vision have grown beyond all 06:23 expectations. I believe Jesus is coming very, very soon and all 06:28 God's people must take part in spreading the gospel all around 06:32 the world, all around this old ball of mud. Our expanded focus 06:35 of AWR 360 Broadcast to Baptism reaches people not only through 06:40 the radio but also through most media platforms, cell phone 06:43 evangelism and mobile medical clinics. Now incredible results 06:48 are happening all over the world because of this enhanced 06:50 direction, which, by the way, was the dream of Allen Steele 06:54 the founder of Adventist World Radio. 06:56 One of those meetings took place on the island of Mindoro in the 07:01 Philippines. Along with the broadcast many meetings took 07:05 place and more than 2000 were baptized. Then soon after over 77 07:10 new villages turned their lives over the Lord as the layman 07:14 radio host kept preaching. But then some of the new listeners 07:19 made a surprise visit to one of our AWR radio broadcasters, 07:23 Robert Dulay. As he was biking home one day he saw four 07:29 strangers at his front door. They told him they were rebels. 07:34 On March 29, 1969, the New People's Army was formed. Armed 07:41 with weapons they gradually infiltrated the country. Their 07:45 goals had been to overthrow the government and establish a 07:49 Maoist style communist regime. They regularly ambush police 07:55 and military forces. Are these men and women to be feared for 07:59 their brutality, to be rejected and abandoned with God calling 08:04 his faithful to go out into the highways and byways to preach 08:08 there too? 08:09 They pleaded with us to send someone to the village to preach 08:13 as they had been listening to the radio and wanted to know 08:15 more about Jesus. 08:18 It is now four months later. AWR 360 is heading to the forbidden 08:23 mountain area in the midst of where these rebels live. Where 08:29 Jesus went he often healed those around him. In like manner, we 08:32 are bringing in a team of medical laymen who are committed 08:36 to following God's healing message across the Philippines. 08:39 Helping take the medical supplies to the staging point 08:42 is the Philippine military, the Fourth Division Scorpion Unit. 08:46 Seeing the good work that AWR has done in reaching the rebel 08:50 soldiers they put forth their full support of what we are 08:54 doing. They load the supplies and before we head out we have a 08:57 prayer, AWR, the medical laymen, and the military, all praying 09:04 hand in hand to our God for his blessing on what we are about to 09:08 do. Finally after a long and difficult drive we reach the 09:12 staging point. As we wait we notice many porters coming down 09:17 the trail. They will help carry the supplies the rest of the way 09:20 up the mountain. This will be a long trip with a very heavy load 09:25 Some of the porters are members of the rebel group. Once again 09:31 we have a prayer. And then the supplies are loaded for the 09:34 journey ahead. We say goodbye to the laymen and the villagers as 09:39 they make their way up the trail It will be a tiresome trek 09:42 through the jungles, rivers and mud. It will take at least eight 09:48 hours for some to reach the village. For others it will be 09:51 an overnight walk. The next morning we board a small mission 09:57 helicopter and it takes us to the top of the mountain. I smile 10:02 as I relive God's miracle and how he reached the rebellious, 10:06 militant minded soldiers that we were about to meet face to face. 10:10 As the helicopter comes to a halt I look at the crowd 10:14 gathered before us. They are lit with smiles. We are welcomed and 10:20 the natives eagerly give us a tour. It's amazing to see how 10:24 these precious people live. Then I sit down with Efron the first 10:28 one who started listening to AWR. 10:32 My life was always on edge. 10:35 I did many things I would rather not talk about. But one day as I 10:40 was listening to the radio something different came on. 10:46 It was AWRs health program. As I listened I discovered that these 10:51 people were helping many with their health problems. They also 10:54 talked about the supreme Healer, one whose life was devoted to 10:58 others rather than himself. 11:00 This thought appealed to him and he felt the need to share it 11:04 with others. Then he began to wonder, who are these people 11:09 who are sharing this loving message? He knew he had 11:13 to find out for himself. 11:15 I had to know more. So I sought out the speaker of this program. 11:20 I sent fellow members of my unit to invite him to the mountain 11:24 top. The road they took down many times had been used to hurt 11:29 or injure, but this time it was different. My friends asked him 11:35 Please come preach to us in the mountains. 11:49 As they met Efron shared how he has a desire to learn more 11:54 about Jesus and AWR 360 was happy to oblige. Many laymen 12:01 pastors also climbed the mountain to preach and soon many 12:06 new rebels heard about God through the radio and Bible 12:10 studies. And they too have a need to share it with others. 12:17 And then the day came when Efron himself walked down the mountain 12:21 with one final request. 12:25 I want to be baptized and so do many others. 12:31 And so on top of this once dangerous mountain laymen 12:34 doctors healed those who were sick and the mouths were cleaned 12:39 by the volunteer dentists. Our AWR 360 team spoke with many 12:44 villagers and prayed with many more. Additional rebels arrived 12:50 because they were interested in witnessing what was going on. 12:54 Our team preached to them and then it was time to baptize 12:58 those who had made their decision for Christ. It was a 13:02 joyous walk to the baptismal site and I believe all of heaven 13:07 was rejoicing with us as we watched Pastor McKey baptize 13:11 five rebel generals along with 60 other soldiers. These men who 13:18 were once killers in the land have now died to self. They have 13:23 laid down their earthly weapons and exchanged them for heavenly 13:28 rewards. What I witnessed today was truly a miracle. In one of 13:35 the most dangerous places on earth Adventist World Radio 13:38 boldly went forth so yearning ears could hear the mercy and 13:43 forgiveness of Jesus. Lives are changed for eternity and now 13:48 many more have a new hope of heaven forever. And this is only 13:54 the beginning. Friends the far reaching work of AWR is only 13:59 possible with your fervent prayers and generous financial 14:04 support. Every donation is so important. Visit our website now 14:08 to donate online. Keep in touch with AWR. We want and need you 14:13 with us. Remember it is only working together that we will 14:17 reach the whole world with the good news of our Lord and Savior 14:21 He is coming back so soon. This is AWR 360. 14:29 On that day alone our team witnessed the baptisms of 60 14:35 rebel soldiers and five of their top generals. And that was just 14:40 the beginning. There have been hundreds more since. The latest 14:44 number. Get this! I just checked with Pastor Dulay in the 14:48 Philippines and God's truth has now been taken over to 118 14:55 villages. These terrorists have laid down their AK-47 guns in 15:00 exchange for a Bible and a new life in Christ. Many of them 15:07 have learned a new trade like farming and selling goods in the 15:11 outdoor markets while sharing their new way of life. My video 15:16 crew and I had the opportunity to film several of their 15:20 personal testimonies and recreate them into short 15:24 documentary films. I want to tell you about one of them right 15:29 now because I cannot resist sharing Daniel's testimony. 15:32 His father was a commander in the NPA and his uncle and 15:37 cousins also had joined the troops. Daniel grew up through 15:41 the ranks. It was the only life that he knew. At age 13 he 15:47 killed for the very first time. Soon after he was given the 15:52 important title The Executioner. He became really good at killing 15:59 and was promoted to the lead hit man throughout all of the 16:02 Philippines. He told us that he cannot even count the number he 16:07 has killed as there have been too many. From politicians to 16:12 military soldiers, policemen and local criminals. The more he 16:16 killed the more numb inside he became never wanting to 16:21 remember their faces. But one day he was given a termination 16:27 order for a Christian pastor. Abducting the pastor, he 16:31 isolated him in the forest jungle. The pastor was begging 16:34 for his life. Even though Daniel was stunned by the kindness in 16:39 this man's eyes, he pulled the trigger. You see, Daniel always 16:45 completed his killing assignments. He was known for 16:48 getting the job done. But Daniel could not forget the pastor's 16:52 face and the memory tormented him. He could find no rest. NPA 17:00 soldiers are allowed to leave their hidden posts to go home 17:04 to their families for three days every two months. So the next 17:09 time Daniel entered his house he heard a radio playing loudly. 17:14 His wife and children were listening to a Christian Bible 17:19 program. He recognized the station as Adventist World Radio 17:23 and because he knew other NPA comrades who were listening to 17:28 that very same station and had given up fighting and were 17:33 baptized, but this was the first time he really listened. Daniel 17:38 heard stories about a loving Savior who would leave his 99 17:41 sheep and go out and search of the one that was lost. Daniel's 17:48 heart was moved by what he heard and in that moment he understood 17:53 that he was one of the lost sheep. His heart softened and 17:59 Daniel and his wife took Bible studies and were baptized along 18:04 with four more generals of the NPA. Daniel is now on a mission 18:10 to share Jesus with thousands of other NPA troops in the 18:14 jungle mountains so they too can have better lives filled with 18:19 peace and the hope of life eternal. Even executioners are 18:25 coming to Jesus in times like these. Now in one of those 18:30 remote villages high up in the mountain tops lives an 18:34 influential pagan chief by the name of Perfecto. Spiritualism 18:40 and local lore were his way of life. Sometimes people would 18:44 visit the village and try to convert him to Christianity. 18:47 But what they said was different from what they 18:51 practiced and the confusion annoyed him. He would tell them 18:55 Go away. Then he would find comfort in his prized possession 19:00 his radio. He only listened to one station because it played 19:05 the music that he liked. One day after his favorite song ended 19:10 a new program came on which caught his attention. The 19:14 broadcaster was talking about the seventh day Sabbath as the 19:18 true day of worship. Well this was new to him and was different 19:22 from other Christians, that annoyed him, had professed. 19:26 Happily he went to the Sunday keepers in his village and he 19:30 proudly proclaimed, You guys have been worshipping on the 19:33 wrong day. Well this pagan chief was shocked. He did not 19:37 anticipate the response he got. Perfecto thought he had 19:41 outwitted his neighbors but something unexpected happened. 19:45 They showed a genuine interest in what he shared. The next day 19:51 the whole village showed up to their pagan chief's home to 19:55 listen to his radio with him. Everyone loved the program so 20:00 much that it became a daily gathering. Perfecto became 20:04 convicted. He was convinced that what he was hearing was the 20:08 truth. He sought out the radio broadcaster and informed him 20:12 that his whole village wanted to be baptized, all 77 of them. 20:18 The Bible truth not only changed his life but the lives of his 20:24 entire village. I'll never forget seeing Perfecto coming up 20:29 out of the baptismal water, raising his hand towards heaven 20:34 along with 1400 additional souls who had joined him in the ocean 20:41 giving their lives to Christ. Isn't it exciting to live in 20:45 times like these? God is doing something spectacular. He is 20:50 calling out to all his lost sheep. Now come with me to 20:55 Zambia, a country in southern Africa where my three 20:59 videographers and I entered the highest maximum security prison 21:03 in all of the country. As soon as we entered they confiscated 21:08 our camera equipment and put us in a holding room. The guards on 21:13 duty were not aware of our invite and told us that no media 21:17 is ever allowed inside their prison walls. But once they 21:22 confirmed that we were Adventist World Radio they escorted us 21:25 onto their prison grounds. This was unprecedented. We had a 21:31 chance to worship and pray with these convicted felons. You 21:36 could that their hardened hearts had become softened. God had 21:41 already been bringing his gospel truth to these prisoners through 21:45 the radio airwaves into their jail cells. The prison averages 21:51 around 2400 inmates and get this! Over 1150 of them are now 21:58 baptized Seventh-day Adventists. Can you believe it? Out of the 22:02 250 death row prisoners more than 50 have accepted Jesus. That's a 22:08 lot of the prison who are now Bible-believing, Jesus-loving, 22:13 peace-filled Christians. They have the hope in Jesus. Even 22:20 Zambia's general commissioner met with us to express his 22:24 appreciation for AWR changing the atmosphere of his prison 22:29 camp. Hallelujah! Isn't God incredible?! He is reaching the 22:35 unlikely in the deepest darkest corners of this earth. That's 22:39 what Jesus does in times like these. The gospel brings eternal 22:44 hope even to these inmates on death row today. Now during this 22:50 trip, when we were visiting the prison in Zambia, AWR had over 22:55 1070 evangelistic sites. Yeah! A thousand of these were just in 23:01 the capitol city of Lusaka alone This has never happened before. 23:06 And at the end of three week 18,000 were baptized. Isn't that 23:13 amazing! Matthew 24:14 is coming true friends. This gospel 23:19 of the kingdom will be preached in all the world. People are 23:22 hungry for the straight truth from the Bible no matter their 23:26 culture or where they live. It is a human desire to need the 23:32 Lord. Now in times like these it is possible for the gospel to 23:36 leap, literally leap, across all barriers through radio, 23:39 television and the internet. Just like we are doing here 23:44 together tonight, right now. Many people can receive text 23:48 messages and biblical presentations right on their 23:52 cell phone. God is reaching people in every way possible. 23:57 From remote villages to barren deserts to wealthy homes in 24:02 gated communities, from maximum security prisons to the cities 24:06 with their teaming masses. The gospel is going forth in 24:10 remarkable ways. Millions are being stirred as never before 24:15 with a sense of urgency. Times are changing. Millions are 24:21 turning from the uncertainty of this world to seek for a better 24:25 world to come. Many have sacrificed all to take the 24:30 gospel to the far regions of this world. God is on the move. 24:35 He is doing something special. He is fulfilling prophecy. 24:40 We are on the verge of the kingdom tonight friends. 24:44 Let's travel now together to the island of Madagascar off the 24:49 coast of Africa. There it is flooded with blatant 24:53 spiritualism. Ronja was dedicated as a baby to the devil 24:58 and as she grew evil spirits dominated everything in her life 25:02 She became a witch and excelled in supernatural powers and 25:07 status. These spirits enabled Ronja to be able to stop bullets 25:13 and produce medicines for healing the sick She became very 25:18 popular and very wealthy. She would even dive down to the 25:22 bottom of a river to meet with the spirits and commune with 25:26 them for days without coming up for air. This was not a happy 25:32 life for Ronja but a torturous one. One day, overhearing two 25:38 people talk about the one almighty God Ronja became 25:43 intrigued. She questioned these two people because she thought 25:46 her gods were the most powerful. As she began listening to AWR 25:52 radio programs to learn more the spirits were furious with her. 25:56 She attempted to disconnect from them. Strangely, however, when 26:01 the radio played Adventist messages and Christian music 26:04 they left and never returned. Ronja was once known as a witch 26:10 throughout the land but is now known as a powerful Bible 26:14 evangelist. You know we are told that in the end time 26:19 spiritualism will become more and more prevalent. But not just 26:23 in Africa, but all over this planet. We are warned to stay 26:27 away from such practices. It is not innocent fun, friends. God 26:32 warns us to:... 26:41 Don't think that Satan doesn't know Bible prophecy. He knows it 26:45 better than humans. Even the devil worshippers know that it 26:50 is the midnight hour. My colleague Sue and I were on an 26:54 early flight from Palm Springs to Denver. It was a very small 26:59 plane. And I sat down next to a very distinguished looking 27:02 businessman. He introduced himself as Nick with a lovely 27:07 British accent. He shared that he was flying to one of his 27:11 homes in Colorado at a popular ski resort. After we exchanged 27:16 some pleasantries I simply commented, Wow, God has really 27:21 blessed you. I saw his whole body grimace. He retorted, No 27:29 the goddess has. Hmm. Next a two-hour friendly but frank 27:36 conversation took place. Nick had devoted his life to goddess 27:40 worship at a young age. He told me point blank, Christians are 27:44 the enemy which makes you my enemy. We are on opposing sides 27:49 for I am a soldier of the goddess. Well I turned to him 27:54 and said, I am a soldier for the one Almighty God. You are not my 28:01 enemy, Nick. Satan is. The Bible tells us who wins this war. 28:06 Now my friend Sue was only two rows ahead of me and overheard 28:11 our conversation and began to pray. Praise God for prayer 28:16 warriors. Now years ago, Nick continued, a goddess gave me 28:22 step-by-step instructions on building my software company for 28:25 this fight. She has made me very wealthy and successful and since 28:31 I gave myself over to her in my childhood I've had no choice but 28:35 to follow her directions. Nick and I went on to discuss free 28:40 will, what happens at death, the truth about apparitions, 28:44 and Satan's deceptions. I shared my view of a loving, mighty, 28:50 personal God who protects and provides, whereas he described 28:55 his view of God as a tormentor and fiercely cruel. He shared 29:00 many pieces of his life with me including how dead family 29:04 members appear to speak with him I shared from the Bible how the 29:08 dead know not anything, how evil angels impersonate and 29:13 harass. I said, Nick, only God can rid you of this torment. 29:18 Why don't you fall on your knees and ask him to prove himself to 29:22 you because he will. He's real and cares about you, Nick. 29:26 Give him a try. Nick divulged, I've been training my whole life 29:32 annihilate the Christians and it's positioned to happen soon. 29:35 The goddess is about to emerge and rise up from the earth. 29:41 Friends, we are in the center of the great controversy battle 29:46 right now with little time left on this earth. Even goddess 29:51 worshippers know time is short. I responded to Nick. Yes, I 29:58 believe that Bible prophecy tells us that some of those who 30:01 stand for Bible truth will be persecuted before Jesus returns. 30:04 But at the second coming believers will receive eternal 30:09 life in heaven with perfect bodies and there's no more pain 30:13 or suffering. I said, Nick, what is your end game? He appeared 30:18 stunned and became silent, then finally admitted, The goddess 30:26 has never revealed that to me. I will need to ask her. Nick was 30:33 increasingly intrigued with what he describes as a warm glow 30:38 around me. He said, I don't understand, While we have been 30:42 talking you have been exuding a glow around you and there's like 30:46 a rod of strength within you. I looked at him in the eyes and 30:52 I said, Nick, that's Jesus and you can have him too. You know 30:59 after that flight I called my dad and my dad reminded me of 31:05 page 612 in The Great Controversy where it says this: 31:26 Our God instructs us in Isaiah 58:1 that we are to have 31:33 voices like trumpets to loudly proclaim his name, his truth 31:39 We are not to hold back or be afraid of sharing his gospel 31:43 message. My friends, God empowers you. He has chosen you 31:48 to be his ambassadors to your beautiful country. Today I want 31:53 to encourage you to be bold in Jesus. Stand up for him. The 31:59 Holy Spirit will give us the power to reach every soul. Do 32:03 you believe that he is mighty enough to do that. I want to 32:07 look in Ephesians 3 verses 20-21 Let's look together. 32:35 Friends, I want you to think big I want you to ask God for big 32:42 because as big as you think and ask God can do exceedingly, 32:47 abundantly more. Believe in his power, believe in his ability, 32:53 his desire to shine through you because that is when miracles 32:57 happen, just like the one's I've been telling you about. We are 33:01 God's light-bearers. In Testimonies Volume 5 it says:... 33:19 Jesus specifically commands us to go, preach, teach and baptize 33:26 So how powerful is our God? How mightily can his work through 33:34 humans affect the planet when we adhere to his will? Page after 33:40 page in the Bible we read of incredible examples. When people 33:46 stand up for the truth and are faithful in following the Lord's 33:50 lead they are greatly rewarded. Let's look at a favorite Bible 33:55 story of Joshua and the walls of Jericho falling down. It is 34:00 recorded in Joshua 6:1-27. This example vividly demonstrates 34:07 the miraculous power of God when his people follow his direction. 34:12 The strategy to conquer Jericho was unique and laid out by God 34:18 himself. The key was that Joshua followed his instructions to the 34:23 letter. Jericho was one of the strongest fortresses in the area 34:27 Wealthy palaces and temples of luxury, vice and idol worship 34:32 dominated the land. This was all in defiance of the God of Israel 34:37 So Christ appeared to Joshua and promised victory over this 34:42 impenetrable city. In direct obedience to the divine command 34:47 Joshua marshalled the armies. They were instructed that no 34:52 assault was to be made. You see God's plan was to use the most 34:55 unexpected, innocent method of operation. His ways are not 35:02 always our ways. God does use surprises and catches people 35:07 off guard. In this incident, God simply used feet and voices. 35:13 When the people did finally shout the massive walls 35:18 collapsed instantly. Do you realize that God had given them 35:23 the victory before they even began to march? That's found in 35:27 Joshua 6:2 and 16. It was when the people of God by faith 35:32 followed the commands of God that the walls of solid stone 35:37 with the massive towers tottered and heaved from their very 35:42 foundations and with a crash fell in ruin to the ground. The 35:48 apostle Paul assures us in Romans 15:4: For everything 35:54 that was written in the past was written to teach us so that 35:58 through endurance and the encouragement of the scriptures 36:02 we might have hope. Obedience to God's commands brings victory 36:08 friends. When we face something seemingly insurmountable, 36:13 insurmountable odds, we must learn that our Jericho victories 36:18 are won only when we are faithful. There's a vast 36:23 difference between God's way and man's way. From a military 36:28 standpoint it was irrational to storm Jericho with simple 36:32 marching and trumpet blasts. But we need never to question God's 36:36 purpose or instructions. We must have faith that God is who he 36:42 says he is and will do what he says he will do. There is an 36:47 uncompromising relationship between God's grace and our 36:51 faith. Hebrews 11:30 says:... 37:01 Historically their faith had frequently wavered but in this 37:06 moment the children of Israel believed and trusted in God's 37:10 promises. They were saved by faith and so are we yet faith 37:16 must be evidenced by obedience. A saving faith impels us to 37:22 obey God. This story beautifully illustrates how God keeps his 37:28 every promise always has, always will. The walls of 37:34 Jericho fell because God said they would. God's promises to us 37:39 today are just as certain, friends. They are exceedingly 37:44 great and wonderfully precious. The Israelites had not gained 37:47 the victory by their own power. No. But wholly by God. It was 37:54 impressed upon Israel that in the conquest of Canaan they were 37:58 not to fight for themselves, but simply be instruments in the 38:02 will of God. What is the will of our heavenly King today? Just 38:08 like Joshua we are to lift up our trumpets and be his 38:12 instruments to complete his will Jesus is coming soon and has 38:17 commissioned us to go, preach, teach and baptize every nation, 38:22 kindred, tongue and people. Jesus wants you to reach the 38:27 precious souls of your neighbors and communities. Friends, we 38:32 must do our part by proclaiming his straight testimony. What is 38:37 straight testimony? In Last Day Events on page 45 it says:... 39:18 End of quote. So what work is the most important? Proclaiming 39:24 the three angels' messages? And why is that? Because it is to be 39:29 the last warning to this dying world. Well, wait. Let's think 39:35 about who doesn't want our world warned? The enemy of God, Satan. 39:40 He feverishly builds up walls and places road blocks in the 39:45 way of us spreading the gospel. But these barriers, borders and 39:50 obstacles tumble down just like the wall of Jericho when we call 39:55 on the power of Jesus. With God as our leader the gospel truly 40:02 has no limits. Right now there are people around this world 40:08 needing hope, looking for a Savior. Because of this weighty 40:13 capacity we are compelled to carry out the great commission. 40:18 My friends, we as Christians know there is only one perfect 40:23 Christ crucified, one empty tomb, one risen Redeemer who is 40:31 coming back soon. I want to really be vulnerable with you 40:36 right now. I know where many of you are coming from. Does the 40:41 great commission feel overwhelming to you personally? 40:44 I know that it once felt paralyzing to me. I'm going to 40:53 give you a sneak peek into my spiritual walk. You see I had 40:58 spent many years intently focused on worldly pursuits and 41:03 not spiritual things. I'm so grateful that Jesus never stops 41:07 wooing and pursuing each one of us. Once I truly fell in love 41:13 with him, I had the urge to share my joy with everyone. But I was 41:18 so nervous, scared, even speechless. I remember one of 41:24 the first times I decided to push through my fear and at 41:28 least be open to maybe witnessing to a stranger. Truly 41:33 on one hand, I prayed Lord, please use me. And on the other hand I 41:40 am thinking Mmm, please don't bring anybody my way today 41:44 because I'm not ready. I don't know what to say. Okay. So. 41:50 several years ago I was the last to board onto a Southwest plane. 41:55 There are no assigned seats on this airline so the only seat 41:59 left on the entire plane was a middle seat at the very front. 42:04 I could immediately see why no one sat there. A huge, massive 42:11 man meaning tall, 7 feet tall, was absorbing most of the space. 42:16 He was listening to his head phones behind dark sun glasses 42:20 and was covered in tattoos. As I squeezed in beside him I could 42:26 smell alcohol. I wasn't even thinking about witnessing at 42:30 this point. But when the beverage cart came by this young 42:34 man took his head phones off to ask for a drink and this broke 42:39 the silence. He turned and passed me my sparkling water 42:42 We exchanged a few words. I prayed, Lord if you want me to 42:47 share something then make it possible. And then, he asked. 42:53 What is your purpose of your trip? Okay. Here's my chance. 42:59 It's now or never. Um, I'm on my way to a Bible conference. 43:05 I could not believe this piqued his interest. Oh really? What do 43:10 you believe about the Bible? Oh yikes! I thought to myself. So I 43:15 began to share what little I knew and friends let me tell you 43:19 Let me just say this. If we wait to share until we think we are 43:27 ready with every answer to every question we will never 43:31 share anything. Be assured, God will give you the words. Or you 43:38 simply say, That's a great question. I need to study that 43:42 more myself. Just be honest. As this towering man listened to my 43:49 inexperienced sharing I was stunned to see a small tear 43:55 begin to stream down from under his sun glasses and slowly roll 43:59 down his cheek. He revealed the biggest surprise to me. He said, 44:06 From what you are sharing I know you are a Seventh-day Adventist. 44:10 My heart stopped. Well, yes, I replied. He continued, As a 44:19 child I attended Adventist schools but left it long ago. 44:22 I have been feeling so lost and empty. I know God sat you next 44:28 to me today. And as we stood up to retrieve our overhead luggage 44:34 he requested, Will you pray for me? Yikes! Another thing that I 44:42 was scared of. Praying out loud? I felt so exposed and visible to 44:48 everyone around me, but thought okay Lord help! As this 7-foot 44:54 man and I made our way off the plane we were suddenly 44:58 in the center 44:59 of the airport terminal and because he towers over everyone 45:03 he drew the immediate attention of every single person passing 45:07 by as he is at least a foot taller than everyone else. I was 45:12 not comfortable with praying out loud at this point in my life, 45:15 let alone in front of the eyes of staring crowds but I said 45:19 Okay Lord and I went for it. We stood facing each other, 45:23 closed our eyes and prayed to the King of the universe to draw 45:28 us closer to him and his truth. I will never forget the moment 45:33 my prayer finished and we opened our eyes filled with tears and 45:39 we stared for a brief moment at each other realizing God had 45:43 done something really special for both of us that day. I look 45:48 forward to seeing my gentle giant friend in the kingdom of 45:52 heaven. When we stay open to the Holy Spirit's leading he will 45:57 prompt us to witness and we must trust in our God who's mighty 46:02 enough to keep his every promise promises like he will speak 46:06 through you when you have no words. Ever since this 46:11 experience I claim Matthew 10:20. 46:19 It is in these moments that we open ourselves up to the highest 46:23 experiences on this earth, being used for and by the Divine Power 46:31 of the universe. Don't miss out on such opportunities. You will 46:36 be blessed not only on earth but as a reward in heaven. A pastor 46:42 in Tanzania encouraged his members to use a Christian radio 46:45 program as a witnessing tool to share the messages with their 46:49 friends and family. So Mama Niambi took this to heart and 46:54 began carrying her little radio with her wherever she went. 46:57 Now Mama Niambi had a garden located by the town's bar. Daily 47:04 as she tended to her plants and vegetables she set down her 47:08 radio and turned the volume up. Inside the nearby bar the owner 47:13 began to listen and take interest. He became so 47:17 intrigued with what he heard coming from the radio in the 47:21 garden he decided to find the channel on his own radio so he 47:25 could hear it better. While serving his customers, he 47:29 listened intently to the broadcast. Soon he was not the 47:33 only one listening. The drunkards who daily came by sat 47:38 down and started to listen and ask questions. Finally they all 47:44 agreed to meet together and listen to the radio instead of 47:47 drinking alcohol. The owner and his customers daily met in the 47:52 bar with their Bibles and radio. As the Adventist World Radio 47:57 program presented Bible based messages, straight truth, the 48:02 men discovered precious, precious truths they had never 48:05 heard before. After a few weeks, the owner decided to give his 48:10 life to Jesus. He was baptized along with 20 of his customers. 48:18 It was a joyous day. After their baptism this new little 48:23 congregation decided to change their bar into a place of 48:27 worship. They meet together every Sabbath to sing praises 48:32 and study the Bible. Mama Niambi often joins them with a heart 48:37 full of joy for what God was able to do through her 48:41 witnessing. A place of frivolity and drunkenness is now a place of 48:48 praise and worship to our Creator. These men heard the 48:54 truth, confirmed it in their Bible and committed to following 48:58 it. It can be as easy ad that. People whose hearts are opened 49:04 are quickly accepting truths. It doesn't have to take years. 49:07 Jesus is coming. What an amazing testimony to the power of the 49:13 gospel shining through one woman's daily devotion to share 49:17 truth. And this was without her even speaking one word. Friends, 49:23 allow yourself to be used by him and he will. With your willing 49:28 heart God can make miracles happen. I believe we have but a 49:34 short window of opportunity to reach hearts that are currently 49:38 open. With all the crises happening the world is primed 49:43 tonight. People are craving truth that they can put their 49:47 wholehearted trust in. They need to know who they can bank their 49:51 eternal lives on. Jesus Christ only. Let's not feed them 49:57 watered down processed food. Let's have them feast on the 50:02 nourishing hearty word of God. We know the gospel satisfies 50:07 the hungering soul. I encourage you to invite every person the 50:13 Lord brings to your mind. As a member of this church, a 50:17 believer in Jesus Christ, a Seventh-day Adventist, this is 50:21 your personal role God has assigned you right now. What an 50:26 incredible witnessing tool he has provided. It will take all 50:31 of us working together in many different capacities to finish 50:34 the work. But we can do it. Not all of us are evangelists or 50:41 pastors or teachers, but we all have a capacity to do something. 50:45 It only took Mama Niambi to turn the radio dial and turn up 50:50 the volume. Remember there are no starless crowns in heaven. 50:55 Imagine that you have just reached the sea of glass for the 51:01 very first time. You are stunned by the beauty and peace that 51:06 surrounds you. As your eyes gaze out over the sparkling water you 51:12 hear someone calling your name. An angel is guiding a group of 51:18 people towards you. And as they approach you see tears streaming 51:23 down their smiling faces. You do not recognize them all but each 51:28 of them begins thanking you for sharing Jesus with them and 51:33 because of you they chose heaven Let us not be ashamed of our 51:40 King or be concerned about being peculiar. Every person who makes 51:45 God the ruler of their life in this world will be considered 51:49 peculiar. But this is a faith we need, this is the experience 51:53 that we must have. We must stand out from the world right now 51:57 and be different if we are to be the sons and daughters of God. 52:01 the heirs of heaven. The whole universe is watching you with 52:08 inexplicable interest as the closing scenes of the great 52:11 controversy come to pass. What decision will you make? Who will 52:18 share God's saving truth with in times like these? What is more 52:24 important than being loyal, loyal to and witnessing for our 52:30 Redeemer? All through the ages God has had moral heroes and he 52:36 has them now. Those like Joshua who are not ashamed to be his 52:41 peculiar people. Now believers from around the world are 52:46 standing up for Jesus at all costs even at the risk of their 52:51 own lives. The Seventh-day Adventist movement is the only 52:56 church spreading God's end time message, his three angels' 53:01 messages in full, the everlasting gospel in its 53:05 entirety throughout the whole world just as Jesus commands us 53:10 to do. We must stand up for all God's truth. As his remnant 53:16 people we must live a life of prayer, Bible study and 53:20 witnessing to others. We need to be the generation of the leaders 53:26 who are not ashamed of the gospel. We need a Spirit filled 53:31 army of believers that hate to be lukewarm and will stand on 53:36 God's holy word above all else. This generation needs to 53:42 proclaim salvation is in Jesus' name alone. Amen. We need to 53:49 understand the incredible power in prayer. Friends, prayer is an 53:54 act of war. Our communication with Jesus is our armor, our 53:59 shield in this great controversy battle. We need to learn to 54:03 fight on our knees. We must have the kind of personal 54:09 relationship with Jesus that will help us through the 54:12 upcoming trials. We know that they are just ahead. Let's do 54:18 our very best to represent Jesus and share his words of salvation 54:21 to others today. Please understand that God has called 54:26 you for such a time as this. If you have ever doubted your 54:31 Adventism doubt it no more. Stop sitting on the fence. Satan 54:37 wants you to believe your doubts and doubt your beliefs. 54:42 No matter what you've done Jesus has more than enough mercy to 54:47 cover you. Jesus will finish what he started in you long ago 54:51 as a child. Just ask him. All he needs is permission and he will 54:57 come in to fill your life so that you can fill others with 55:03 hope in him. Our God is able. He's more than capable to keep 55:08 his every promise. Only the Lord knows how many countless lives 55:12 will be touched by your living example and your word of 55:18 witnessing hope and truth. In times like these lift up your 55:24 trumpet, loud let it ring, Jesus is coming again. 55:28 Pray with me. 55:30 Heavenly Father, may each one personally petition I will go. 55:38 Lord, use us mightily in these last days to spread your three 55:44 angels' messages. I pray that we are your generation of believers 55:49 that are not ashamed of your truth. May we draw our courage 55:53 from your precious promises and not compromise under pressure 55:57 but proclaim you to the whole world. I pray for unity among 56:03 those that love you. Prepare, strengthen and sustain us. May we 56:09 as Seventh-day Adventists lift you up so high that all who look 56:13 to you will see their Savior, their Redeemer, their eternal 56:19 King. I pray these things with all my heart. In Jesus' 56:23 precious, most powerful name Amen. 56:29 ♪ ♪ 56:45 What is in your hand right now? You may not know it but this is 56:48 a tool that is already saving many lives for eternity. AWR 360 56:53 cell phone evangelism is circling the globe. Every week 56:57 people are accepting the Sabbath truth by the mobile apps We Chat 57:01 and WhatsApp. AWR challenges you to join this mighty ministry so 57:07 that we are united in fulfilling the great commission. To learn 57:11 how to become a cell phone evangelist go to AWR.org and 57:15 click on our training tab. Together let's be laborers with 57:19 God so that soon we will welcome our Savior coming to take us 57:23 home. This is AWR 360. |
Revised 2021-10-14