Participants:
Series Code: ASIC
Program Code: ASIC180002A
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00:02 Music...
00:19 In your Programs is a Bio for our opening Speaker. 00:24 Pastor John Bradshaw 00:27 so I'm not going to read the Bio to you 00:29 but I'll give you some things from my own experience. 00:31 I've known Pastor Bradshaw since let's see... 00:36 I'm General Manager now, before that, I was an employee, 00:39 I was on the Board and a Partner of: It is Written 00:43 and I was actually on the Committee 00:45 that got to vote him in 00:47 as Speaker/Director for It is Written. 00:48 He is a writer... he's a voice and video artiste, 00:53 he's a husband and father, 00:56 now, I should warn you, he does have a bit of an accent 00:59 okay... he's... he's from the deep south 01:03 and I mean... the really deep south... 01:06 he's from New Zealand. 01:08 As a friend, I can tell you something 01:11 that he would never tell you and that is that... 01:14 that John is entirely dedicated to serving God entirely. 01:19 He's committed to spreading the everlasting gospel, 01:23 this isn't just a job to him... 01:25 it's not "just a good thing to do... " 01:28 it's who he is... it is absolutely who he is 01:32 so after our special music tonight, 01:34 the next voice you'll hear will be Pastor John Bradshaw. 01:38 Piano... 01:47 more piano... 01:55 Last night I lay a-sleeping 01:58 There came a dream so fair, 02:02 I stood in old Jerusalem 02:06 Beside the temple there. 02:09 I heard the children singing, 02:12 And ever as they sang, 02:16 Me thought the voice of angels 02:20 From heaven in answer rang 02:24 the voice of angels 02:30 From heaven in answer rang. 02:35 Jerusalem! Jerusalem! 02:42 Lift up your gates and sing, 02:47 Hosanna in the highest! 02:56 Hosanna to your King! 03:02 Piano. 03:11 And then me thought my dream was changed, 03:16 The streets no longer rang, 03:20 Hushed were the glad Hosannas 03:24 That the little children sang. 03:28 The sun grew dark with mystery, 03:33 The morn was cold and chilled, 03:37 As the shadow of a cross arose 03:42 Upon a lonely hill. 03:46 As the shadow of a cross arose 03:52 Upon a lonely hill. 03:58 Jerusalem! Jerusalem! 04:05 Hark! How the angels sing, 04:10 Hosanna in the highest! 04:17 Hosanna to your King! 04:23 Piano... 04:28 more piano... 04:34 And once again the scene was changed; 04:39 New earth there seemed to be; 04:43 I saw the Holy City 04:47 Beside the tideless sea. 04:51 The light of God was on the streets 04:56 and the gates were open wide, 05:00 And all who would might enter, 05:04 And no one was denied. 05:09 No need of a moon or the stars by night, 05:16 Or the sun to shine by day; 05:21 It was the new Jerusalem 05:26 That would not pass away. 05:33 It was a new Jerusalem 05:41 That would not pass away. 05:48 Jerusalem! Jerusalem! 05:55 Sing for the night is o'er! 06:01 Hosanna in the highest! 06:06 Hosanna for ever more! 06:12 Hosanna 06:15 in the highest! 06:24 Hosanna 06:29 for ever 06:35 more! 06:40 Piano. 06:44 Audience: Clapping. 06:48 Amen... amen... good evening everyone. 06:51 Audience: Good evening. 06:53 Welcome to Rain S I 2018. 06:55 Audience: Laughter. 06:56 Enjoyed that little display we had earlier? 06:57 For all I know it might be still going on. 06:59 I thought tonight we could be competing 07:01 with the thunder in here, 07:02 I could hear it earlier. 07:04 I think it's okay, I mentioned it to somebody 07:06 and that person said, 07:07 "It's like the Holy Spirit coming down like the rain. " 07:10 I said, that's okay, that's what we want. 07:13 Well, let's pray and expect God to bless us tonight, shall we? 07:17 To bless us more tonight, let's pray. 07:19 "Our Father in heaven, we come to You in the name of Jesus 07:23 and we are grateful that we can. 07:25 We thank You that we can be in this place tonight 07:29 where the focus is on salvation 07:32 and seeking the lost 07:35 and blessing the lives and lifting people up 07:39 and being involved in ministry on the front lines... 07:44 financially invested... we are grateful. 07:48 We thank You for soul winning and evangelism... 07:52 Your great gift to the end-time church 07:56 and we pray that because we being here tonight 08:00 we would hear your voice and we would be encouraged. 08:03 Lord, I pray knowing that You will not rely 08:08 on the limitations of fallen humanity tonight 08:12 and I pray Your Spirit would not be restricted by that, 08:16 but that You would speak to us and bless us. 08:20 We love You... we thank You... we praise You 08:24 and we pray in Jesus' name, 08:26 please say with me, amen. " 08:29 Audience: Amen. 08:30 Every so often you meet somebody who will admit 08:35 to things that certain other people wouldn't admit to. 08:39 I was in a Camp Meeting earlier in the year 08:41 and spoke with a Pastor who happened to mention 08:43 that he was a musician 08:44 and as you do, we talked a little more 08:46 and I said, "What is it that you played?" 08:48 Or "What is it that you play?" 08:50 He said, "Played... played. " 08:52 I said, "Okay, what was it that you played?" 08:54 And he said, "I was a drummer. " 08:56 He didn't look the type... 08:59 I said, "You were... you were a drummer?" 09:02 I mean, "What sort of drummer?" 09:03 He said, "I was a drummer in a heavy metal band. " 09:05 Ha ha... ha... and he didn't look the type 09:08 which I think, on the balance, is a really good thing. 09:11 Not everybody wants you to know 09:13 about some things from their past... 09:14 I'm not trying to suggest that would be the most shameful thing 09:17 by any means but it was interesting. 09:19 There are some things people won't admit to. 09:22 Many of us here are old enough to remember 1977, 09:26 that's when Saturday Night Fever came out 09:28 and you won't find a person at this Convention 09:30 who will admit to have "bought the double album. " 09:32 Audience: Laughter. 09:35 And some of you did, 09:37 many of you thank God... 09:39 because you walked a better path... didn't 09:41 but some of you did but you won't admit it, 09:43 there aren't many people who will admit 09:45 to having worn once a powder-blue polyester suit... 09:48 Audience: Laughter. 09:49 Or bell bottoms. 09:51 Audience: Laughter. 09:52 I don't think you should admit to that, frankly, 09:54 better that you admit to being a heavy-metal drummer. 09:56 Audience: Laughter. 10:00 1975... 10:02 a craze swept the United States, 10:06 I just wonder how many people would admit 10:08 to have been part of this. 10:09 A business man... 10:11 well he was an Advertising Executive to begin with, 10:14 his name was Gary Dahl... D A H L. 10:17 Gary Dahl grew sick and tired of hearing his friends 10:21 talk about the trouble they were having with their pets, 10:24 cats that roamed the neighborhood, 10:26 dogs that dug in the garden, 10:29 dogs that shed and left hair or fur 10:33 or whatever it was they left everywhere they went 10:35 he said, "Man, you all should get a better pet" 10:38 and that's when he came up with the idea... 10:41 a pet you don't have to feed... 10:43 a pet that doesn't shed, 10:45 a pet that doesn't make noise in the middle of the night 10:47 or any time at all for that matter, 10:48 a pet that won't cost terribly much to buy 10:51 and if you wanted to buy one, you could buy it from him 10:55 and along with a bed of straw and a cardboard box... 10:59 a little carry container... 11:01 for just $3.95 Mr. Dahl started marketing "The Pet Rock. " 11:06 Audience: Silent. 11:09 Did you buy one? 11:12 Audience: Laughter. 11:15 Out yourself... one honest person here... 11:18 Audience: Laughter. 11:20 Two... I'm concerned for this year's Convention. 11:24 Audience: Laughter. 11:25 Because some of you all are sitting on your hands. 11:27 Audience: Laughter. 11:29 The Pet Rock... what a craze, huh? 11:31 Now, he made a lot of money, 11:33 he ended up losing a lot of money, 11:35 in his words, "Wackos" came out of the woodwork to sue him 11:38 and he spent money on lawsuits that, I think, 11:40 were largely frivolous, 11:41 he would drive to Rosarita Beach ten miles south of the border... 11:45 the California border... into Mexico, 11:47 he'd load up with the rocks... bring them back 11:49 and... and it was just like that... 11:51 he was selling rocks... 11:53 he tried to sell a few more fascinating things after that 11:56 one... one... he would this is interesting... 12:00 he told a tube of sand... and you don't remember this 12:03 because for some strange reason, it wasn't successful, 12:06 and next to it there was another tube of sand, 12:09 he said, "This is the male tube and this is the female tube" 12:12 and he says, "This is... you know... 12:14 you can grow your own beach 12:15 if you just put the sand together. " 12:17 Audience: Laughter. 12:22 He demonstrated... lightning does not always strike twice. 12:25 Of course people bought pet rocks 12:27 because what they were doing is, buying into the gimmick... 12:29 buying into the fad... 12:31 a pet rock... 12:33 you know, you like to think 12:36 when you get together with other business types 12:38 or entrepreneurial types 12:39 that you come away with great ideas... 12:41 great ministry ideas... 12:42 maybe some good business ideas 12:44 maybe some... I don't know... 12:45 ideas to enhance your personal life, 12:48 Pet Rock... who would have thought that would fly 12:51 but the Pet Rock was business... finish the phrase... 12:55 it was "Business... " 12:56 Audience: Unusual. 12:57 Yes it was... it was Business Unusual 13:00 and sometimes, "Business Unusual" comes along 13:03 because somebody just has a bright idea, 13:06 it might be motivated by making money, 13:08 it might simply be... 13:10 be... because you looked at something 13:12 and you said, "Wait, there's a better way" 13:16 and you can think of many products that you think... 13:20 "I could have thought of that" 13:21 or "I might have thought of that" 13:23 somebody looked at what you'd been looking at for years 13:26 and just saw a difference... business unusual... 13:29 sometimes "Business Unusual" is pressed upon us 13:33 by the simple fact that the times they are... are changing 13:36 pause... 13:37 then so... a few years ago, 13:39 you could do your shopping without even leaving home... 13:41 the Internet came along... 13:42 and what is so fascinating is that you can go online 13:46 and order your groceries 13:49 and your food could be delivered to your doorstep. 13:54 What an amazing concept! 13:57 When I was this big, 14:00 my mother used to get on our telephone, 14:02 which was a telephone connected to the wall with a curly cord 14:05 and she would call Phyllis at the IGA downtown... 14:10 make her order over the phone 14:13 and the man who ran the supermarket would deliver it. 14:15 So, business unusual isn't always very unusual 14:19 but we started to shop online 14:20 and Amazon changed the world 14:22 after Walmart changed the world, 14:23 business unusual... 14:25 you know what's odd? 14:27 I remember when... a... a few years ago 14:31 when the kids were younger than they are now 14:32 and we explained to them, we said, 14:35 "We used to stay at this hotel... " 14:38 it was all that happened to be back there, 14:39 we used to stay at this hotel, 14:41 we would go to Conventions at this hotel. 14:42 "Oh, would you?" "Yes, we would. " 14:43 And let me tell you this, 14:45 when we were looking for restaurants, 14:46 in fact, this was at a town that later on we lived in 14:49 and so there was a point of reference 14:51 and when we looked for a place to eat 14:53 we would go downstairs 14:55 and we'd go to the foyer and go to the front desk 14:58 and they had a card with recommendations on it 15:01 and you read it and you took down the address 15:04 and then somebody either had a map or you asked for directions 15:08 and they looked at us like we had two heads 15:10 not between us but two each... 15:12 then they looked at us and they said, 15:15 "You didn't just Google?" 15:17 Audience: Laughter. 15:19 Things changed... Business Unusual... 15:22 it's all different now. 15:24 Pause. 15:26 Sometimes, our business practices change 15:30 because of great ideas or because of circumstances. 15:33 Here we are... it is 2018, 15:38 I'd like to hope that nobody watches this 20 years from now 15:44 and says, "2018... remember that?" 15:47 I'd like to think that doesn't happen. 15:49 I'd like to think we're going to be out of here by then. 15:52 Audience: Amen. 15:53 So, we all like to think we're going to be out of here by then, 15:58 that's what we all wanted to think, 16:00 so, the question we've got to ask ourselves is, 16:05 "What are we doing to ensure 16:08 that we're going to be out of here by then?" 16:10 You see, if you're producing... let me try to think of something 16:16 shoes... no one here is doing that... 16:20 if you're producing shoes 16:22 and you're producing a 100 pairs of shoes a day, 16:27 and yet, you want to take California by storm 16:32 with your shoes, 16:34 you know you're going to have to produce 16:36 more than a 100 pairs of shoes a day, 16:38 something's got to change 16:39 and so, you know that you needed an injection of cash 16:43 and you need to hire more staff 16:45 and you've got to buy more equipment... 16:46 things have got to change 16:48 because if you don't do something different 16:51 in the way you do your business, 16:52 you are going to end up 16:54 with exactly the same results am I right? 16:55 Absolutely! 16:57 So here we are... these many years 17:00 after the church was called into existence by God 17:02 and we're doing what we're doing 17:03 and we're doing it how we're doing it, 17:05 and it would seem then 17:08 that what we have done that has brought us this far... 17:11 if we're on a trajectory like this 17:13 and I know there are some variables 17:15 I will consider those with you, 17:16 if we're on this trajectory, then, the likelihood is, 17:20 we're going to stay on this trajectory 17:22 if we just keep doing what we're doing 17:26 so that in 20 years, we can come back here 17:29 and hear somebody say, 17:32 "I hope we're not here in 20 years" 17:34 and we could all say, "Amen" all over again. 17:35 Ladies and Gentlemen, 17:38 there is no way in the world we can be satisfied 17:41 with the status quo... we just cannot 17:44 and that's not to criticize the status quo, 17:46 that's not to say that what we're doing is bad 17:49 or wrong or foolhardy, 17:51 it's simply to say, 17:53 "If we are serious about getting out of here 17:56 and getting home to where we belong, 17:58 we are going to have to change gears, 18:01 we are going to have to kick it up a notch. " 18:03 We just must because the Law says, 18:06 "If you keep doing what you're doing 18:09 how you've been doing it, 18:10 you are damned to achieve the same results 18:14 that you've been achieving. " 18:15 So, with that in mind, let's consider a Bible story, 18:18 we're going to the book of Numbers and chapter 11, 18:21 Numbers chapter 11, 18:23 we're going to start at the beginning of the chapter, 18:25 that would be verse 1 in most chapters, 18:26 Numbers chapter 11 and verse 1 18:29 and while you're turning, I'll start reading, 18:31 if you have a Bible, open it up, 18:32 if you have a Device, turn to Numbers chapter 11 18:34 and we'll begin in verse 1, where the Word of God says, 18:38 "And when the people complained" 18:40 now, that's something that doesn't happen in church today, 18:41 that was yesterday... 18:43 it's an old-fashioned concept, 18:46 "And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD." 18:50 Oh, my Brother, my Sister, 18:52 we could take an hour to talk about that. 18:54 "When the people complained, it displeased the LORD: 18:59 and the LORD heard it; and His anger was kindled... " 19:04 I read that... and I think about me to be honest with you 19:10 and I say, "Oh, my goodness, 19:12 Lord there has to be a better way than the complaining I do" 19:15 and if we all thought like that 19:17 and if we all gave our complaining to God, 19:19 and invested a fraction of the energy 19:22 we invest in complaining... in ministry, 19:25 I tell you what... it would be business unusual 19:27 it would be business unusual 19:29 and so the Word of God says that people complained... 19:31 the Lord heard it... He was not happy... 19:33 "the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them 19:36 that were in the uttermost part of the camp. " 19:37 Can you imagine if that happened today? 19:39 Why did God do that? 19:41 Why did God incinerate people who were complainers? 19:44 I shall tell you why God did that... because He loves us. 19:47 God did that because He is good... 19:50 it's not because He was unkind or ruthless 19:53 or hateful or spiteful... 19:55 God knows... He wants us to get to heaven 20:00 and He'll do whatever it takes to get our focus off ourselves 20:04 and off our unpleasant circumstances 20:07 and on to the only One who can do anything meaningful about it. 20:11 "And fire came... " 20:13 and this was God's way of saying, 20:15 "Look up... don't look down... look to Me... not to yourselves, 20:18 look to God and not those unpleasant things 20:21 that you don't like. " 20:22 They cried to Moses, Moses prayed, 20:24 the fire was quenched 20:25 and he called the name of the place, Taberah... 20:27 that mean "burning" 20:28 you don't even need to be a scholar to know that 20:31 because the fire of the Lord burned among them, 20:33 that's what happened 20:34 and so, we come down and what do you read? 20:36 You read some amazing things... 20:38 I'm losing my Monitor... 20:39 I don't know if that was playing or not... but it was describing 20:41 and we read in Numbers chapter 11 20:43 and... and... and... and verse... we'll find it... 20:46 oh my goodness... verse... man! 20:52 the "mixed multitude" at least we can blame them... 20:57 pause... 21:00 "they fell a lusting" 21:02 and the children of Israel caught the disease, 21:05 "and they wept again, and said, 21:08 who will give us flesh to eat?" 21:10 Here they were on their vegetarian diet 21:12 that God had them on... 21:14 preparing them for the Promised Land... 21:16 I see a parallel... I hope you do too. 21:18 Audience: Agreeing. 21:20 "We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely... " 21:23 and then they spoke about the cucumbers and the melons 21:25 and the leeks and the onions and the garlic... 21:26 "But now our soul is dried away" 21:28 listen to this... 21:29 this is one of the most staggering statements 21:33 that you'll read in the whole Bible, 21:34 "there is nothing at all, 21:36 beside this manna, before our eyes. " 21:42 Can you imagine that? 21:43 It was their lifeline and they were saying, 21:46 "We've got nothing to eat" except, of course, for this 21:49 which is given to keep us alive. " 21:51 Isn't that remarkable 21:54 some of the things that we complain about. 21:55 You complain about the Pastor, thank God you have one, 21:58 I mean, in most cases... thank God you have one. 22:00 You complain about your spouse, you're lucky to have her, man! 22:05 Audience: Laughter. 22:09 How spoiled for choice were you back in the day? 22:12 The things we complain about... 22:15 you complain about your kids... 22:17 ah, what if you didn't have any? You'd complain about that. 22:20 And here they were complaining about the greatest blessing 22:23 that God was giving to them, other than the gift of life 22:27 and this was sustaining life... 22:28 they complained... 22:30 and God describes the manna and so on 22:32 and then, Moses in those days... 22:36 "here's the people we... that complain" 22:38 Moses was unhappy and he cries out to God, 22:40 he said, "Why You're doing this to me? 22:42 Why have I not found favor in Your sight? 22:44 You are laying the burden of all the people upon me... " 22:46 it was Moses' turn... 22:47 "have I... did I give birth to these people? 22:50 Have I begotten them that you should say to me, 22:53 'Carry them in your bosom, 22:54 as a nursing father beareth a sucking child?' 22:57 Man! how am I going to find food? 23:00 There are too many people, it's too heavy, 23:02 if you deal with me like this, kill me, I pray thee, 23:08 out of hand, if I have found favor in Your sight. " 23:12 Can you imagine praying that prayer? 23:14 Pause. 23:16 Well, the Lord said to Moses, 23:18 "Get 70 men of the elders of Israel, 23:21 people you know to be the elders of the people... 23:24 officers over them, 23:25 bring them to the tabernacle of the congregation, 23:27 that they may stand there with thee, 23:28 and I will come down and talk with thee there: 23:30 and I will take of the spirit that is upon thee, 23:32 and I will put it upon them; 23:34 and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, 23:37 that you will bear it not thyself alone. " 23:40 God promised something great was going to take place 23:44 and he demonstrated to Moses that He was with Moses 23:47 at every step in that journey. 23:48 Well, let's drop down here, they talk about the meat 23:51 that God's going to provide it for them somehow, 23:54 those 24... we're narrowing in our point here, 23:56 "And Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD, 24:00 and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, 24:03 and set them round about the tabernacle. " 24:06 "And the LORD came down in a cloud and spoke to him, 24:14 and took of the spirit that was upon him... " 24:17 that is... that was upon Moses... 24:20 "and gave it to the 70 elders: 24:24 and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, 24:29 they prophesied, and they did not cease... " 24:34 which is interesting because 24:35 most every other translation of the Bible says, 24:37 they prophesied and that was it... 24:39 they were one and done... 24:40 they stopped prophesying and they prophesied... so no more, 24:43 you can work that one out in your own time. 24:45 Pause. 24:47 So, this was a blessing, there are a number of things 24:49 that we could deduce from this, let me tell you this... 24:51 let me tell you this, church member, 24:53 let me tell you this Christian friend, 24:55 there are times when you will look around and... 24:57 and you are going to be convinced 24:59 that you have "just cause" to complain. 25:01 You are convinced that the church is going to hell 25:04 because of what you see in your little corner of the world. 25:06 You are convinced that everybody is mad except you 25:09 and when you have those thoughts... 25:10 it's probably good to double check. 25:12 Audience: Laughter. 25:14 You are convinced that it's not like it was in the good old days 25:18 and it may well be that it's not 25:20 but I want you to see what God demonstrates here in the Bible. 25:24 Moses hears them complaining and they are complaining 25:29 and he's done with carrying the burden 25:31 and he goes to God and cries out and what does God do? 25:35 In the midst of his distress, 25:39 in the midst of his discouragement, 25:42 God pours out his Holy Spirit in a marked way... 25:48 in an unusual way... 25:50 in a meaningful way and God is saying to Moses, 25:53 "Hey Moses, I am in the middle of this thing, 25:57 this is still my people, 25:59 you don't have to like what you see, 26:02 you don't have to agree with everything that's going on 26:04 but it's my people 26:07 and if you want to transpose that to another key, 26:09 God will be saying to you today, 26:11 "You may not like everything that you see... 26:13 but it is still my church. " 26:17 I believe that. 26:19 If I didn't believe it, I would leave. 26:21 This is still God's church 26:25 and it doesn't matter where on the color palette 26:29 you color yourself, 26:30 you can hear people next to you... 26:32 nearby you bellyaching like nobody's business, 26:35 listen... if we simply coveted to get our noses down 26:40 and our tails up 26:41 and put our shoulders to the grindstone, 26:43 it would be Business Unusual. 26:46 We would see a flurry of soul-winning activities 26:49 like we've never seen before 26:51 and I want to point out something here 26:53 that I think is crucial. 26:54 "They prophesied and... " 26:56 they either did cease or they didn't cease... 26:57 depending on which version of the Bible you are reading 26:59 "But there remained two of the men in the camp, 27:02 the name of the one was Eldad, 27:05 and the name of the other was Medad: 27:08 and the spirit rested upon them; 27:12 they were of them that were written, 27:14 but went not out unto the tabernacle: 27:16 and they prophesied back in the camp. " 27:19 Moses called 70... for some reason 68 came. 27:22 These two fellows were detained or they didn't get the message 27:26 or something and they prophesied back there, 27:29 "And then, a young man ran and told Moses, and said, 27:34 Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp" 27:36 we don't know what tone of voice he was using, 27:39 we simply know that he was reporting the facts 27:43 and of all people, Joshua the son of Nun... 27:45 Moses' number two... 27:47 "One of his young men, answered and said, 27:52 My lord Moses, forbid them. " 27:56 And Moses... we're going to read in just a moment, 28:01 did not want to do that. 28:02 In fact, let me read that verse, I'll make this point 28:05 and then I'll double back around and make another one. 28:07 "Moses said to him, Enviest thou for my sake? 28:11 would God that all the LORD's people were prophets, 28:14 and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!" 28:17 Now there's... 28:18 I think, at least two points that we can make here, 28:20 Number 1 is this, if you have anything to do with the work, 28:23 it is not your role to limit the activity of others, 28:28 of course you want to provide guidance, 28:30 pause 28:33 I find it interesting... we're in a place here 28:34 where there are a lot of people representing 28:36 supporting ministries 28:37 and yet you can go to... sometimes in the field... 28:39 and you define the field, 28:41 and you can discover that among leadership 28:43 there is no love for supporting ministries, 28:45 you know, 28:47 that attitude has got to be an abomination in the sight of God. 28:52 It just has to be... 28:54 as though there is any group of leaders 28:56 who can actually get the work done all by themselves... 28:59 it's madness... 29:00 what God is saying here is, 29:02 "Don't envy because there's somebody 29:06 not in your direct jurisdiction... 29:09 who is getting on and doing the work, 29:12 don't do that, 29:14 thank God for what God is doing wherever God is getting it done, 29:19 wherever He is getting it done, 29:21 we don't need less Eldad and less Medad... we need more, 29:26 we need more people in more places 29:29 who are filled with the Holy Spirit of God, 29:31 can you say "Amen"? I know you can... 29:33 we need more... we need more people raising up, 29:36 now, I don't want you to take my remarks out of context 29:39 obviously, we are all part of a whole 29:42 and we need to plug into that "whole" 29:44 and understand where we fit into that "whole... " 29:46 understand that unity in the church is absolutely essential 29:50 but God isn't bound by our boundaries 29:53 and God wants to work in unusual ways. 29:56 This was unusual... so unusual that Joshua said, 29:59 "We got to put a stop to that. " 30:01 But Moses, as wise as he was said, 30:03 "No you don't want to put a stop to that" 30:06 and I want you now to notice what Moses said, 30:08 he said, "would God that all the LORD's people were prophets, 30:13 and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!" 30:17 You know what Moses was praying for? 30:20 He was praying for Business Unusual. 30:22 Moses knew... here we have 68 men... 69... 30:27 two over there who are prophesying, 30:29 what about the others... 30:31 what about the others? 30:32 What if God had so many people in such a powerful way 30:36 that His Spirit did something the likes of which 30:39 we have never seen before? 30:40 Can you imagine it? 30:43 Listen, if we go on the way we're going on 30:47 with a few people active 30:50 and a bunch of people who are just spectators, 30:53 if we go on with churches where people come 30:56 merely for the performance 30:58 and not to plug in and be active, 31:00 if we continue to educate people 31:03 that church members are consumers 31:05 and the... I'm going to use the word "clergy... " 31:08 the clergy... because I think it fits the concept, 31:10 the clergy are the producers... 31:12 we are going to be wandering in the wilderness 31:14 for another 1,000 years. 31:16 It's God's plan to pour out His Spirit on everybody 31:21 so that everybody takes her or his meaningful place 31:25 in the front lines of the work sharing one's faith 31:30 and this is what I love about the church, 31:32 there are places where people clamor for office, 31:35 they want to be the Pastor or the Senior Pastor 31:38 or the Elder or the Head Elder or the Deaconess 31:40 or the Head Deaconess or the Choir Leader or whatever it is 31:43 and there are people... some of them who get a little miffed 31:46 when they don't get to be what they wanted to be. 31:48 Well, here is the wonderful thing, 31:50 The highest you can climb in church 31:51 is sharing your faith with somebody else, 31:53 that's the highest you can climb 31:55 and you don't need anybody's permission to do that. 31:58 You don't need the permission... 31:59 you don't need a position to do that, 32:02 you can share your faith wherever you are 32:05 at any time... day or night you have God's permission. 32:09 Moses said, "Would God that He would pour out His Spirit 32:14 on everybody... " 32:15 and the fact of the matter is, 32:16 "God wants to pour out His Holy Spirit, 32:19 He has said, "If you then being evil 32:21 know how to give good gifts to your children, 32:23 how much more will your heavenly Father 32:27 give the Holy Spirit to them that ask. " 32:30 Moses knew... 32:32 Business Unusual... it's not better plans... 32:35 although better plans are great, 32:37 it's not more workers on the payroll, 32:39 although that may be a blessing too, 32:42 it's not better programs... 32:44 although better programs never hurt nobody, 32:46 it is more of God's Holy Spirit 32:50 coursing through the veins of the church, 32:53 coursing through the veins of church members, 32:56 it is people on fire for God whose primary urge... 33:01 whose number one priority is sharing Christ when they can, 33:06 any place they can... 33:08 because we know Jesus said, "This gospel of the kingdom 33:11 shall be preached in all the world, 33:13 for a witness to all nations 33:15 and... " what's the next word? 33:17 "and then shall the end come. " 33:19 That's when... and as long as we sit around like bumps on a log 33:24 the work won't ever get done except... 33:28 my last statement of course doesn't take into account 33:32 that God has a plan... 33:33 God's going to get the work done, 33:35 you know what I read some place? 33:37 I read that the Holy Spirit is going to pour down 33:39 with such great measure... 33:40 in such great measure 33:43 that many people are going to look around 33:45 and see this outpouring of the Holy Spirit 33:48 and call it fanaticism. 33:50 Can you imagine what that looks like? 33:53 Can you imagine being part of that? 33:56 Can you imagine? 33:58 You know God wants to see the church rise up 34:02 and do something different. 34:05 That's my statement, 34:08 you can check the validity of that 34:10 and I think that's true 34:12 because I've read what you all have read in the Bible 34:15 about the gospel going to earth's remotest boundary, 34:17 we haven't done that yet 34:19 and it's not just that God wants to see the gospel go 34:23 go to the earth's remotest boundaries, 34:24 if we really believe that that's what God wanted, 34:28 we'd crank up the printing presses 34:30 and send The Great Controversy and a set of Bible Studies... 34:33 It is Written Bible Studies to everybody in the world. 34:36 Pause. 34:38 We'd just had a great big offering 34:41 and then mail them out and we'd say, 34:43 "That's it... the gospel has gone to the world. " 34:44 But you know that that's not exactly what God's asking. 34:48 We could mail them all DVDs... 34:50 there it is, the gospel's gone all over the world, 34:53 if we really believed, 34:55 that's what God was trying to get done. 34:57 Bible Studies... DVDs... 35:01 that's it... Jesus is coming back 35:03 but we know there's more to it than that. 35:08 I was really fascinated to read that in Nebraska... 35:13 about five miles from Union College, 35:17 scientists at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, 35:21 produced... I believe this was last year, 35:23 might have been this year, 35:25 a flash of light or a beam of light 35:26 that was... let me read it, I wrote it down here, 35:30 one billion times brighter than the surface of the sun. 35:34 I wonder how they did that. 35:37 Now... now, that only lasted 35:39 for 30 billions of a millionth of a second, 35:41 but still, that's a really bright light 35:44 and when we talk about light, 35:46 we know how vital light is. 35:49 First day of creation, what did Jesus say? 35:52 "Let there be... " 35:55 that Jesus is the light of the world. 35:58 Now we know that 36:00 but the plot thickens when we listen to Jesus say 36:04 in Matthew chapter 5, 36:06 "You are the light of the world. " 36:08 That's when the plot thickens. 36:10 Jesus never said, "You are the Preacher of the world. " 36:15 Pause. 36:17 Although I'll be the last one to say, 36:19 "Let's sack all the preachers" I'm in favor of preachers 36:21 but he said, "You are the light of the world. " 36:25 He didn't even say, "You are the Bible Study of the world. " 36:29 Pause. 36:30 Although we know that 36:32 sharing the Word of God is sharing light. 36:33 It was David who wrote, 36:35 "The entrance of Your Word gives light... " 36:37 "God's Word is a lamp to our feet and a... " tell me... 36:40 "a light to our path. " 36:41 God is calling for Business Unusual. 36:46 We just can't go on doing exactly what we've done 36:50 the... the same way... " 36:52 now see, when I say, "the same way" 36:54 that didn't cause our methods into question 36:56 and our methods have got us this far. 36:58 Pause. 37:00 It's not the message or the method, 37:02 it's the messenger... 37:04 Jesus said, "You are the light of the world. " 37:08 The Prophet Isaiah wrote this, 37:11 "Behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, 37:14 gross darkness the people: 37:16 but the Lord shall arise upon thee, 37:18 and His glory shall be seen upon thee. " 37:23 And when you go to Revelation chapter 18 and verse 1, 37:26 you'll read that God's Spirit is poured out into His people 37:29 with such amazing power that the earth is lit up 37:31 with the manifestation of the glory of God. 37:34 That's the fourth angel's message. 37:36 The earth lit up by God's Spirit shining out of God's people. 37:44 My friend, I would say to you that is Business Unusual. 37:48 It seems to me, of course, 37:51 there are plenty of people committed to that ideal 37:52 but so many that are not... 37:54 so many that are not 37:56 and this is why the shaking will come 37:58 and tribe after tribe will go out 38:00 and company after company will come in 38:02 and then we'll have a people that are radiant. 38:04 I'm not... I'm not angling for that day 38:06 but it's going to take place. 38:07 Business Unusual... 38:09 Moses was there with 68 of his brothers, 38:12 the Spirit of God was poured out, 38:15 two more over there in the camp... 38:17 not right there with Moses and the boys, 38:19 "Ah, there's a problem. " 38:20 Moses said, "No problem, we need more of that not less. " 38:23 We need more of God's Spirit being poured out... not less. 38:26 We need more people being raised up by God 38:30 under the unction of the Holy Spirit of God... not less. 38:33 Not less... the world must see in God's people 38:39 a revelation of the character of God. 38:42 It must... 38:43 you can imagine then, can't you if we... 38:46 if we possess Christ in our hearts by faith 38:48 and then we share the Word of God, 38:50 can you imagine that? 38:52 Can you imagine sitting down with a Bible Study 38:55 and God's Spirit has you... 38:56 it's no guarantee... but it makes this book irresistible, 39:02 when God has you... 39:03 and you indeed are the light of the world, 39:06 not just talking about it, not thinking about it, 39:08 not hoping for it but experiencing it... 39:11 Business Unusual... 39:13 it has to be the missing link, it has to be... 39:16 our doctrine is solid... 39:18 sorry if you don't like it, it's solid. 39:22 Sorry if you're busy finding fault with it, 39:25 it's you who's wrong not the church. 39:27 It's solid... so it's not the doctrine that's the problem. 39:31 Is it the methods that the... 39:33 we simply haven't come up with a new program, 39:35 E.M. Bounds said, "The church is looking for better methods, 39:38 God is looking for better men. " 39:40 We just came back from Manila, 39:43 we led a team of 41 on a It is Written Mission Trip 39:45 it was fantastic... 39:47 three-and-a-half-thousand people were baptized... 39:48 that's credit to the work of the church in Manila, 39:50 Central Luzon Conference... it was fantastic. 39:53 I'm standing in the pool baptizing people 39:56 just this last Sabbath and as they come... 39:59 I... I've never seen so many pastors in a pool 40:01 baptizing at one time 40:03 and as they would come to me, I would say to them, 40:04 "How did you hear about God?" 40:07 And person after person... I'd like to tell you "everyone" 40:12 not every one... only 90% or so, 40:15 90% of them said, "My friend told me. " 40:19 "My friend invited me... " 40:21 I should have... "Did you come to the meetings?" 40:23 "Yes. " 40:24 "How long have you been coming to the church?" 40:26 "Ten years. " 40:27 I said, "What took you so long?" 40:29 She said, "Well, you know, I just was never ready but... 40:31 but now I'm ready and 40:33 I'm just so glad to be getting baptized today. " 40:35 I said, "How did it begin?" 40:37 she said, "My friend asked me. " 40:39 "My friend... " 40:41 You know here in the United States, 40:43 we talk about the Philippines, 40:45 we talk about places like Peru as though they're aberrations, 40:48 well they are, 40:50 inasmuch as people are willing to share their faith, 40:53 of course it's not one world and one field is different 40:55 and the other field is different... understand that... 40:58 but can you imagine, 40:59 if everybody in your church including you, 41:02 was praying and looking for ways 24 hours a day 41:05 seven days a week to share Jesus with others. 41:08 Would it change things? 41:10 Man! it would change things, it would be Business Unusual. 41:14 Unfortunately, we... we... we're too often like the squid, 41:18 that 20 million people have watched this on YouTube. 41:21 In a restaurant somebody gets served a bowl of food 41:24 and a squid is on top of it, it is a dead squid, of course, 41:27 that I never had figured out why anybody wants to eat squid, 41:30 I tried octopus once... not lately... 41:32 Audience: Laughter. 41:35 and I would... I would have been better off 41:36 chewing on my rubber boots, it was terrible stuff 41:39 and so the person reaches for the soy sauce... 41:42 what is it I said? It was a squid... 41:46 the squid is there looking squid-like 41:49 just sitting on the... on the food 41:52 and the person... the diner... you ought to look at this... 41:56 it will creepy you out... 41:57 the diner takes the soy sauce and sprinkles soy sauce on it, 42:01 and the squid comes to life. 42:03 It looks like one of these... 42:05 one of these boys on the cardboard on the street 42:07 break dancing, 42:09 it is just all over, like Michael Flatley... 42:12 it's just... it's river dance on the plate... 42:14 pause... 42:16 there's a lot of activity in that bowl but the squid is dead 42:22 and I wonder if far too often, 42:27 we don't confuse activity and life. 42:31 Pause. 42:33 Jesus told us, "You are to be the light of the world" 42:39 that can only happen one way. 42:42 As Christ pours His Spirit out as we yield to that... 42:48 and pray, "Lord, fill me up, 42:50 fill me up... " 42:53 if we got a 100% of the people in church 42:56 praying for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, 42:58 Business Unusual... 43:00 Yes, we ought to plan bigger, we ought to strategize... plan, 43:04 get your brightest minds, 43:06 come up with better resources and pro-action... 43:08 think about the technology and the times... 43:10 of course, but without the Holy Spirit of God 43:14 it's just business as usual. 43:17 Same song... different verse... 43:19 that's all it is... 43:21 pause 43:24 we are standing as close to the edge of eternity as we want. 43:29 The X-Factor, of course, is God's timetable 43:33 and what God is going to do 43:35 but we are standing as close to the coming of Christ as we wish, 43:38 if you want to be filled up with the Holy Spirit of God, 43:40 you can be... today... 43:42 tonight... you may be... 43:43 and you may receive more tomorrow, 43:46 no matter who you are, where you're from, 43:48 what your background, what your educational level 43:50 or your attainments in this world 43:51 and God would use all of us, 43:53 every one of us in the most powerful way. 43:56 Business Unusual... 43:59 I think it's time... and if the Holy Spirit has us 44:04 if Eldad and Medad rise up and we don't try and push them down, 44:10 and if there are more Eldads and more Medads 44:14 who are prophesying in the camp or wherever it is they are 44:17 because they are filled with the Holy Spirit, 44:18 it's a new day. 44:21 Thank God this is not a mystery, thank God it's not unattainable, 44:26 he's not asking us to climb the highest mountain, 44:28 simply yield and let Christ fill us 44:32 and let His Spirit empower us 44:34 and let the power of heaven re-make us 44:38 and then use us in incredible ways 44:40 God will do it, the work will be done. 44:42 You know, some time ago, 44:45 Alexander Graham Bell had a vision... not even a vision... 44:48 a dream... 44:50 he said, "I have heard articulate speech 44:53 produced by sunlight 44:54 I've heard a ray of the sun laugh and cough and sing. " 44:57 What Alexander Graham Bell had done with the telephone... 45:01 he believed could be done with a photo phone. 45:03 He said, "You ought to be able to send a message with lights" 45:07 and now with fiber optics, that's exactly what happens, 45:11 your text message 45:12 goes to a "receiving station" let's call it... 45:15 that electro-magnetic wave is converted to light 45:18 and then along with millions of messages, 45:20 it travels across the Pacific Ocean... 45:23 let's say to China from where we are here, 45:25 some messages getting off along the way... 45:28 the process is converted at the other end 45:31 and it happens in 1/20th of a second 45:34 pause... 45:36 because your message is sent as light. 45:39 We have a wonderful message, 45:42 here it is... the Three Angels' Messages. 45:46 Sell it... never... keep it... always... 45:49 love it... share it... 45:51 but I tell you something, 45:52 when it goes forward as light, 45:55 the message will be accompanied by a power 45:58 the likes of which we have never seen. 46:02 Let us pray tonight that God would have us 46:06 and use us and pour out His Spirit upon us 46:10 and that as Jesus wished, 46:12 we truly would be the light of the world. 46:16 Piano... 46:24 more piano... 46:28 piano... 46:37 O Love... O Love... 46:43 O Love that will not let me go 46:53 O Love... 46:56 I rest my weary soul in thee; 47:02 I give thee back the life I owe, 47:09 That in thine ocean depths its flow 47:16 May richer, fuller be. 47:22 Piano... 47:28 O Joy... O Joy... 47:35 O Joy 47:38 that seeks me through the pain, 47:45 I cannot close my heart to thee; 47:52 I trace the rainbow through the rain, 47:59 And feel the promise is not vain, 48:05 That morn shall tearless be... 48:11 That morn shall tearless be, 48:19 O Love... 48:26 O Love 48:31 that did not let me go... 48:39 O Love... 48:42 I rest my weary soul in thee; 48:52 I give thee back the life I owe, 49:00 I give thee back the life I owe... 49:08 I give thee back the life I owe, 49:16 That in thine ocean depths its flow 49:24 May richer, fuller be. 49:33 That morn shall tearless see... 49:42 O Love... O Love... 49:50 O Love... 49:57 O Love... O Love.. 50:05 O Love 50:09 that will not let me go 50:17 go... 50:21 that will not 50:29 let me go. 50:37 Music. |
Revised 2018-12-18