Participants:
Series Code: GYC
Program Code: GYC180001A
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00:34 Please stand as we sing together.
00:55 Have you heard the story told 00:59 Of the man whose heart was sold 01:03 To save my dying soul? 01:07 Oh, what love untold 01:11 To the end He's always sought me 01:15 To the end He's always loved me 01:19 To the end I long to follow 01:24 For He bore my cross of sorrow 01:28 I will stay here in the hollow of His care 01:33 And I will go anywhere, to the end 01:40 This witness I will bear 01:44 To the end 01:52 In the grove I heard Him say 01:56 "Oh my Father please just stay" 02:00 Through broken hearted pain 02:04 He did pave the way 02:08 To the end His heart is faithful 02:12 To the end His hand is able 02:16 To the end I can now follow 02:20 For He bore my cross of sorrow 02:24 I will stay here in the hollow of His care 02:30 And I will go anywhere, to the end 02:36 This witness I will bear 02:41 To the end 02:48 As they took Him off to die 02:53 There His friendship I denied 02:57 Forgiveness in His eyes 03:01 He did not despise 03:04 To the end His love constrains me 03:08 To the end He has restored me 03:12 To the end I will still follow 03:16 For He bore my cross of sorrow 03:20 I will stay here in the hollow of His care 03:26 And I will go anywhere, to the end 03:33 This witness I will bear 03:37 This witness I will bear, to the end 03:49 Please be seated. 03:53 Happy Sabbath. 03:55 Eric and I are here to represent to you GYC Beyond. 04:01 Three years ago, 04:02 we started a program called GYC Ambassador, 04:06 where we focused on a small group of you, 04:08 who were willing to commit 04:10 one year to serve Christ and reach their peers. 04:13 And we saw some wonderful results 04:15 from your work. 04:17 I remember how we got the results 04:19 and then we had over 300 Bible study contacts 04:22 that were being followed up on and worked with. 04:25 And from those we had 36 baptisms, praise God, 04:28 and even a church plant. 04:30 So that's a very exciting time and we said, 04:32 "Hey, we wanna take this to the next level." 04:35 And so last year we started an initiative 04:37 called GYC Beyond, 04:40 which provides different resources 04:42 and materials to support the mission work. 04:43 But, Eric, tell me a little bit more, 04:45 what is GYC Beyond? 04:48 So really it is called GYC Beyond is an ideology. 04:52 GYC Beyond represents 04:54 any person who considers themselves 04:56 a part of this generation, of young people or old, 04:59 who want to be a part of hastening Christ return, 05:03 who want to be a part 05:04 of working for the sake of the gospel, 05:05 who want to be a part 05:07 of taking sacrificial initiative 05:08 for Christ. 05:10 So basically, everyone in this room. 05:11 Amen. Amen. 05:13 That's right. Amen? 05:14 You are a GYC, right? That's right. 05:15 So last year, we did a couple of things 05:17 that we wanted to, try use to, 05:20 empower everyone 05:22 who came to the previous GYC, 05:23 and anyone viewing at home or anywhere around the world 05:26 to do ministry. 05:27 And we worked on two things, 05:29 the first one we worked on was a workbook 05:30 which we made available 05:32 to have people be involved in ministry year-round. 05:35 And we'll talk a bit about that in a moment. 05:37 We also worked on a podcast, which was a lot of work. 05:41 But it was something that was a real blessing. 05:42 We had 21 episodes over the year, 05:46 and we made it available on Google Play, 05:49 podcast on iTunes, 05:51 podcast we made it available on AudioVerse, 05:53 and we had thousands and thousands of views. 05:56 And the focus more than anything else 05:58 was looking, and interviewing, 06:00 and talking with people who are just like you and I. 06:03 We have careers, we're students, 06:06 we're people going about everyday lives. 06:08 And not everyone's a pastor, not everyone's a Bible worker 06:11 and so we had podcast on, how to use media for God, 06:14 how to do medical missionary work, 06:17 how to work with refugees. 06:19 And we just really want to broaden the idea 06:21 of what is ministry for us today. 06:24 So I can still listen to those now? 06:25 Amen. Absolutely. 06:27 Just look it up on gycweb.org/beyond. 06:30 All right, wonderful. 06:31 So tell me more about this workbook that you mentioned? 06:33 Yes, 06:34 so along with what we're doing, 06:37 we did this workbook. 06:38 And we worked through it over year, 06:40 and we thought of ourselves 06:42 this is such a great resource that we developed, 06:45 but we need to take it beyond. 06:47 And so we developed a workbook 06:49 called the GYC Activate workbook, 06:52 and so this year we're pleased to announce 06:54 that we're doing something you may have seen already, 06:56 called GYC Activate workshops. 06:59 Now I don't have one on me, 07:00 but many of you should have picked one up 07:02 as you registered. 07:04 Does anyone have this? 07:05 If you have it, hold it up for a moment. 07:06 The Activate workbook, 07:08 I see them all throughout our participants. 07:11 And something that we're doing this year 07:13 with this workbook 07:14 will be something as we never really done before. 07:17 Many times you come to a conference like this 07:19 and you kind of have cookie-cutter seminars, 07:21 cookie-cutter approaches to ministry 07:23 and we thought how can we really rework this 07:26 completely from ground up. 07:27 And so we're pleased to announce 07:29 this GYC Activate workshop program 07:31 is replacing our small groups that we did before 07:34 that'll be a similar format 07:35 but a completely different kind of progression. 07:37 And we're focusing on three areas, 07:40 number one, finding your calling, 07:42 number two, fueling your passion, 07:45 and number three, fulfilling your dreams. 07:47 And each night we'll work in succession 07:49 going through the workbook. 07:50 And you gonna have an amazing time, 07:51 it's gonna help you find ways to do ministry, 07:54 in whatever your passion, your calling, your career is. 07:58 And we're just super excited to see where that goes. 08:00 Praise the Lord. 08:01 I'm really excited for this opportunity 08:03 for all of us 08:04 to find what God wants us to do for Him, 08:07 and how to step by step get to accomplish those goals 08:11 for Jesus. 08:12 Is there anything else we need to know about this workshop? 08:15 Yes, absolutely. There's a couple things. 08:17 If you have been involved in GYC Beyond 08:19 over the past year, 08:21 please go by the GYC booth. 08:23 And either share your testimony, 08:25 you will be recording it there 08:27 or on the screen we may have a slide 08:28 with a number you can text your name 08:30 and what you did over the year, 08:33 just to give us some encouragement, 08:35 we may use those in the future just to share with others 08:38 and inspire others with what has been going on. 08:40 And then more than anything else, 08:42 we need volunteers to help and lead the small groups. 08:45 You've got about 60 table leaders right now, 08:48 but we need another hundred plus volunteers, 08:51 who would be willing to be table leaders. 08:53 Very simple, we'll have training, 08:55 we'll message you in the app shortly 08:56 with the time and place, 08:57 and if you're interested in being a table leader, 08:59 show up, and we'll train you in on that. 09:01 So it'll be sometime tomorrow afternoon. 09:03 We're excited to see how God will use you 09:06 to fulfill your dream for Him. 09:08 God want us to dream big, so that we can go home. 09:11 Amen? 09:12 God bless you. 09:14 The time has come for us 09:16 to be able to experience what GYC is all about, 09:20 which is receiving the Word of the God 09:22 into the personal life, 09:24 and the personal heart of everyone here tonight. 09:27 Our speaker for this evening's presentation 09:29 is Moise Ratsara. 09:32 He is a pastor in Kalamazoo, Michigan, 09:34 which is home to Western Michigan University, 09:36 and we have some of the students 09:38 from his congregation who are here, 09:40 and we want to give them a special welcome. 09:43 He's also the president of our organization, 09:45 and it is time for us 09:47 to be able to hear from our president 09:50 what is on his heart. 09:51 The most important aspect of GYC is Bible study. 09:56 And so our prayer is that as he speaks to us tonight 09:59 from the Word of God, 10:00 that our hearts will be drawn closer to Him, 10:03 and that we'll make commitments to be more like Him. 10:06 We'll have a special music and then following that, 10:08 the next voice that you'll hear 10:10 will be that of Pastor Moise Ratsara. 10:32 If You had not come 10:36 Tender Baby King 10:40 And humbly left Your throne 10:45 To reach someone like me 10:49 If You had not walked 10:53 Upon this broken ground 10:57 Where on earth would I be now 11:04 If You had not come 11:15 If You had not come 11:19 To seek the sick and lame 11:23 To set the captives free 11:27 To break the prisoner's chains 11:31 I'd still be in the dark 11:36 Grappling for the door 11:40 Longing for some way somehow 11:46 But love came for me 11:50 Love rescued me 11:54 Love called my name 11:58 Love took my place 12:02 Sweet Lamb of God 12:07 I'm bowing down 12:11 My eyes have seen 12:15 I'm finally free 12:19 Love came for me 12:30 If You had not come 12:34 Willing spotless Lamb 12:38 My sin would be too much 12:42 For You to take me as I am 12:47 But all the blood of Christ 12:51 That washes over me 12:55 Flowing from His hands 12:58 His feet 13:03 I don't have to worry where I'd be 13:09 'Cause love came for me 13:13 Love rescued me 13:17 Love called my name 13:21 Love took my place 13:25 Sweet Lamb of God 13:29 I'm bowing down 13:33 My eyes have seen 13:38 I'm finally free 13:42 Love came for me 13:51 This manger King 13:55 My everything 14:00 Love came for me 14:20 Amen. Amen. 14:24 Thank you, Amaris and your team, 14:25 for that special music. 14:28 And once again, 14:29 I wanna welcome you to GYC, and happy Sabbath. 14:34 It is such a privilege to be in this place 14:37 and I want to thank above all, 14:41 our Lord and Savior, 14:43 for making sure that we made it through a year. 14:46 So many people started this year, 14:49 began this year, and did not finish it. 14:52 And by God's grace we thank Him that we can be alive 14:55 and still have a chance to take the gospel 15:00 to the entire world in our generation. 15:05 I also want to thank you all, 15:06 our participants, for travelling. 15:09 Some of you drove all the way from Canada 15:12 for 24 hours, straight. 15:16 Some of you came from all sorts of different places, 15:19 and if you noticed we have flags on the stage. 15:23 These flags represent each country 15:26 that is present at this GYC. 15:29 I don't know about you, but I praise the Lord, 15:31 because as you look at the stage, 15:34 these are nations from all over the world, 15:37 that are at this GYC in Houston. 15:42 We praise the Lord for that, and God is good. 15:47 Also we would like to tell you 15:48 that I'm gonna make a baptismal appeal 15:51 at the end of my message today. 15:55 I always want to give you a heads up, 15:58 so that you can think about it. 16:00 I always wanna give you an opportunity 16:03 to respond to the gospel and to the Word of God. 16:07 But before we begin, 16:09 why don't we have a word of prayer together? 16:13 Dear, Heavenly Father, 16:15 we're gathered here... 16:22 and we want You to be in this place. 16:27 We want You to be lifted up. 16:30 My friends here have traveled from far, 16:33 some from this Houston town, 16:36 not to hear about men's ideas 16:39 or what we think is good or bad but to hear the Word of God. 16:44 So I pray that word will be spoken in spite of me. 16:50 In Jesus' name we pray, amen. 16:54 I grew up as a missionary kid, 16:57 travelling all across the continent of Africa 17:00 and we had a wonderful time 17:03 going to all sorts of different countries. 17:06 But for some of you 17:07 who might have grown up as missionary kids, 17:09 you know that some of the places 17:11 that you go to are not safe. 17:14 We went to all sorts of different countries, 17:17 and for about 12 years of our lives, 17:19 either we were in conflict or running from war. 17:24 I remember this one time 17:26 we were in the country called Congo, 17:28 the capital city of that country 17:30 was Brazzaville. 17:32 We have just escaped from another country 17:35 by the name of DRC, 17:37 which at the time was named Zaire. 17:40 We had escaped from a dictator 17:41 that was about to be overthrown, 17:43 and here we were starting our life 17:46 in this country of Congo 17:48 almost right in the centre of Africa. 17:52 My family were there 17:54 and we were starting to do our ministry 17:55 when we heard 17:57 that war was about to break. 18:02 We started to see gunfire, and looking outside, and bombs, 18:06 and the earth was shaking, 18:08 and we knew that if we did not get out of that place, 18:12 either we were gonna be dead, kidnapped, 18:14 or something worse 18:16 that we did not want to think about. 18:19 Our plan was very straightforward, 18:21 we decided we were going to go to a UN refugee camp 18:26 on the other side of the country. 18:30 In order to go to that UN site, 18:32 we had to go through a lot of back roads 18:36 through the country side. 18:38 We also knew that we'll be going 18:40 through some rebel territory, 18:42 and that we could literally die 18:44 any moment without knowing it. 18:47 But we knew 18:49 that we wanted to make it out alive, 18:51 so as we counted the cost, 18:54 we decided to go by faith. 18:57 We went into the car, 18:59 and there we were driving one afternoon 19:02 going through all sorts of different roads, 19:05 evading different things and seeing gunshots 19:08 and all of those different things all around us. 19:12 And I cannot describe to you 19:14 the feeling that I had in my heart, 19:16 it was even worse than, 19:18 I don't think fear could describe it, 19:21 maybe terror could come closer to it. 19:24 But I was frozen. 19:27 As we travel and going to this UN campsite, 19:31 this refugee camp site, 19:33 I remember as we were going through this one road, 19:35 we saw in the sky helicopters that were coming 19:40 in great number. 19:43 We also saw across in it, 19:45 we looked at the field and we saw people lining up 19:48 boarding some of the helicopters 19:50 that were coming. 19:52 I remember asking the guy who was driving us 19:55 through the countryside, and I said, 19:58 why don't we just stop over there, 20:00 and escaped this country? 20:03 Why don't we just take one of those helicopters? 20:05 And, you know, instead of going to a refugee camp, 20:09 why don't we just go with these guys? 20:13 I remember, he looked at me and he says, 20:15 well, you know, these people are Americans, 20:19 and in their country, wherever you are in the world, 20:23 if they know where you are, they leave no man behind. 20:28 Leave no man behind. 20:32 As a matter of fact, 20:33 it's part of the creed of the US army 20:35 that they leave no man behind. 20:41 At the time, I didn't know 20:43 even where the United States was. 20:46 All I cared about really was my life. 20:49 But I knew that this nation 20:53 left no man behind. 21:00 Today, my friends, 21:01 we are living in a Great Controversy. 21:05 If you'll turn your Bibles with me 21:08 to the Book of Revelation, 21:10 Revelation 12:7. 21:16 Today we are living in a war, 21:20 the war of all wars. 21:23 And it begins this way in Revelation 12:7, 21:27 if you're there, so I know you're there, 21:29 if you could say good, amen. 21:30 Amen! 21:32 Praise the Lord. 21:33 Revelation12:7, 21:36 this is what the Bible says. 21:39 It says, "And war broke out in heaven: 21:42 Michael and his angels fought with a dragon, 21:46 and the dragon and his angels fought, 21:50 but they did not prevail, 21:51 nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 21:57 So the great dragon was cast down, 21:59 that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, 22:02 who deceives" part of the world. 22:05 Is that what the Bible says? 22:08 "The whole world. 22:13 He was cast out to the earth, 22:16 and his angels were cast out with him. 22:19 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, 22:21 'Now salvation, and strength, 22:24 and the kingdom of our God, 22:25 and the power of His Christ have come, 22:29 for the accuser of our brethren, 22:32 who accused them before our God day and night, 22:37 has been cast down, 22:40 and they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, 22:42 and by the word of their testimony, 22:44 and they did not love their lives" 22:46 to the what, my friends? 22:49 Oh, I only heard 10% of you. 22:51 They did not love their lives to the what? 22:54 "Death." Amen. 22:56 "Therefore rejoice, O heaven, 22:58 and you who dwell in them. 23:02 But woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea, 23:07 for the devil has come down to you, 23:10 having" what type of wrath? 23:13 "Great wrath, 23:14 because he knows that he has 23:16 but a short time." 23:22 The Great Controversy. 23:26 Oh, we know it so well. 23:30 We see it today in our society. 23:34 The devil is mad at society, 23:42 we see it as well in our church. 23:46 The devil is not happy about the Church of God, 23:50 even though he knows he's a defeated foe, 23:53 but he's a sore loser. 23:56 And he will do whatever he can to distract us, 24:00 because he has come down 24:02 with what kind of wrath, my friends? 24:04 A great wrath, 24:06 because he knows that his time is short. 24:11 We see it as well, my friends, in our schools, 24:15 the Great Controversy. 24:20 We see it so many times. 24:24 In our schools today, 24:26 you can either find Christ or you can find the devil. 24:32 The Great Controversy is alive in our schools. 24:37 But also the Great Controversy, 24:39 this war between good and evil is very alive as well, 24:42 in our families. 24:47 More than anything, 24:48 that I have seen in my short life 24:51 is the attack upon families, 24:55 little children, who maybe not have a present, 24:58 don't have both sets of parents. 25:02 A little child who wants to study the Bible 25:04 and learn more about God, 25:06 but the parents have no time 25:07 and are too busy to read or teach him about Jesus. 25:13 We see all sorts of conflicts in our family, 25:15 the Great Controversy. 25:19 But more than that, we see it in ourselves 25:23 the things we want to do, but know we shouldn't do, 25:27 we do them anyways. 25:30 We know what we should be doing, 25:31 but we don't do those things 25:33 because there's something in us called self... 25:39 and it robs us of our peace. 25:44 In the midst of all of this Great Controversy, 25:47 according to the Word of God, 25:50 this war between good and evil, 25:53 a war between life and death 25:56 in the midst of all of this God has always had a creed, 26:02 leave no man behind, 26:05 no matter the cost. 26:08 Leave no man behind in this conflict, 26:12 no matter the cost. 26:14 No matter the cost. 26:18 What makes it even hard for God 26:20 to accomplish this mission here today in 2018, 26:24 is that above all the thing that He hates the most 26:27 resides in the person that He loves the most, 26:31 and that is you. 26:34 He does not like sin, 26:38 but He loves you. 26:42 That is what makes it complicated. 26:44 What else makes it complicated 26:45 is that the devil does not play fair. 26:50 Something else that makes even more complicated 26:53 is that sin must be allowed to bear its fruits of death. 27:00 In the midst of this great conflict, 27:02 and all of this complication, 27:04 God has one creed to leave no man behind, 27:06 but here are his obstacles. 27:10 But the worst thing about our day to day, 27:13 is that we feel that we are safe 27:17 because we come to GYC. 27:20 We feel that we are saved 27:22 because we have our names in the church books. 27:26 We feel that we are in need of nothing, 27:32 while we need Christ. 27:35 And the whole world at times is being deceived. 27:39 And in the midst of this Great Controversy, 27:42 God still has to preserve our freedom of choice. 27:55 I don't know about you, my friend, 27:56 but if it was not 27:59 for this creed that God has to leave no man behind, 28:02 I would be lost. 28:07 Jesus looking at the span of time 28:09 and seeing this conflict and all these challenges, 28:12 God seeing all of this decided 28:14 that He was going to pay the ultimate price... 28:20 because one of you was worth all of heaven. 28:28 I hope you realize, GYC, 28:30 I just don't want to stand here and preach a sermon 28:33 and then you forget about it. 28:34 I want you to realize and myself to realize as well, 28:38 what the cost is of losing one soul for Christ. 28:46 There was a woman 28:47 who was praying for her children, 28:51 she had raised them in the way that they should go, 28:53 and she has been praying, 28:55 she had been praying and praying. 28:56 But unfortunately, 28:58 one of her sons decided to go another route. 29:02 He decided to go the way of the world, 29:04 the way of the world that's more appealing to him, 29:06 pleasure came faster, 29:08 and all those different things that he wanted to experience. 29:13 And his mother will be there praying for her son, 29:17 that her son will come back to the faith 29:19 that he was taught. 29:22 One day, almost to the point of frustration, 29:28 she started to pray and as she was praying, 29:31 she says, "Lord, show me Your heart. 29:36 Show me Your heart." 29:39 I want to tell you, 29:40 be careful when you pray that prayer, 29:42 Lord, show me Your heart. 29:45 This woman, there she was praying, 29:47 and she fell asleep as she was praying, 29:49 and she had a dream. 29:51 In her dream, she was in a beautiful city, 29:54 wonderful city, 29:56 all sorts of things you could imagine. 30:00 She was in New Jerusalem. 30:03 Right there in their horizon 30:05 through those transparent walls, 30:08 she would look out, 30:09 and as she looked out she saw like 30:11 it was a black line in the horizon. 30:15 As she kept looking out there, she started to notice 30:17 that the line was getting thicker and thicker. 30:22 Soon, she realized that that line were actually people, 30:26 running for the holy city. 30:30 As she kept looking over there and as she saw, 30:32 she started to recognize some of the people. 30:35 But one of the person, 30:36 the people that she recognized 30:39 was the face of her son. 30:45 Her son recognized that mama was on the other side, 30:48 and her son started to run towards mama. 30:52 And he went, he went there, 30:54 and as he was running towards the wall, 30:56 he did not know that there was a wall there. 30:58 So he hit it, 30:59 and he tried to scream and say, let me in. 31:07 With a mother's heart she was pleading for her son, 31:10 come in... 31:14 but she could not get him in. 31:19 This was going on back and forth, 31:21 and she was pleading and the son was pleading, 31:23 please mama, let me in, let me in. 31:29 This was going on, 31:31 and then the voice from behind said, 31:35 destroy him, destroy him. 31:41 The strange work of God. 31:47 She woke up from that dream. 31:49 And as she woke up from that dream, 31:50 she was so shaken up, she did not know what to do. 31:54 And then a voice told her, 31:58 you weep for your son... 32:03 but think about all of those people 32:05 that are left behind. 32:08 In essence, 32:10 they're God's children too. 32:15 Now, you have seen my heart. 32:20 God suffers 32:23 and will never forget someone who is left behind 32:26 because He has scars in paradise. 32:32 The cost of leaving one person behind for Christ 32:36 was so immense, 32:38 that we know this verse so well, 32:40 John 3:16, 32:41 for who loved the world, my friends? 32:44 "For God so loved the world 32:46 that He gave His only begotten Son, 32:50 so that whosoever believes in Him 32:53 shall not," do what? 32:54 "Perish but have everlasting life." 32:58 The creed of God, 33:01 leave no man behind, 33:04 no matter the cost. 33:15 Jesus came to this earth, 33:19 and He had to live a sinless life 33:23 among men. 33:27 He died the worst of death. 33:31 The cross was so abhorrent to a Roman citizen, 33:34 by the way, that it was a taboo word. 33:39 He endured being spat on the face, 33:43 scourged with pieces of metal 33:46 ripping His back, nailed to a cross. 33:53 A carpenter who worked with wood 33:55 is hanged on that wood 33:58 that He created and worked with. 34:03 He is hanging there among two criminals, 34:06 and you can know that these guys were the real deal, 34:11 because they were on that cross. 34:15 But none of that 34:16 was greater than the pain of losing you. 34:20 So He died of a broken heart. 34:26 I want to tell you, my friends, 34:28 that you are of precious value to God. 34:33 But more than that, 34:34 this world is of precious value to God. 34:40 We cannot leave no man behind 34:42 no matter what the cost might be, 34:44 for Christ paid an infinite price 34:50 that you and I might have the chance 34:55 of not being left behind. 35:03 But I have very good news for you today, my friends, 35:07 not only Christ died on the cross, 35:11 He did something else and I want you to go with me 35:13 to Acts Chapter 1, Acts 1:8. 35:19 Acts 1:8. 35:33 In Acts 1:8, 35:38 the context of the story 35:39 is that Christ had died on the cross, 35:42 He was crucified and risen, 35:45 but He had something else to give to this world 35:47 so that you and I can accomplish our mission. 35:52 In verse 4, let us begin in verse 4, 35:56 Acts 1:4, it said, 35:58 "And being assembled together..." 36:00 I hope you don't mind 36:02 I will put it in our GYC context. 36:07 "And being assembled together at GYC, 36:13 He commanded them 36:18 not to depart from Houston, 36:22 but to wait for the promise of the Father 36:27 which he said, 'You have heard from me, 36:31 for John truly baptized with water, 36:33 but you my friends will be baptized 36:36 with the Holy Spirit, 36:38 not many days from now. 36:42 Therefore, when they had come together, 36:46 at GYC, Houston, 36:49 they asked for one thing saying, 36:50 'Lord, will You at this time 36:52 restore the kingdom of Israel?'" 36:54 They were chasing the devil's rabbits. 36:58 Focusing on all sorts of different things, 37:02 but this is what God says to us, here today, 37:05 "And He said to them, 37:06 it is not for you to know the times or the seasons, 37:10 which the Father has put in His own authority. 37:13 But you shall receive" what, my friends? 37:16 "Power." 37:18 Do you believe that at this GYC we can receive power? 37:23 Do you believe that at this GYC, 37:25 we can experience Pentecost again? 37:32 When the Holy Spirit has come upon you, 37:37 and you shall be, 37:38 this word is so key witnesses to me, 37:43 in Houston, 37:47 in Los Angeles, in Moscow, 37:53 in Beijing, in Cairo, 37:59 in Rio de Janeiro, 38:01 in Paris, in Quebec, 38:07 to the end of the earth. 38:14 Our greatest need today, my friends, 38:18 is the Holy Spirit. 38:22 The disciples, 38:24 when they had gathered together, 38:25 they were focusing on a kingdom, 38:31 while God wanted to give them power 38:34 and citizenship to a heavenly country, 38:39 in which no man is left behind. 38:44 God wanted to give them the Holy Spirit. 38:46 And I tell you, my friends, today, 38:48 we need the Holy Spirit more than any time before. 38:53 I don't know about you, 38:55 but I don't even like reading the news anymore, 38:58 even our own publications at times. 39:09 If we will only ask for this one thing 39:11 the Holy Spirit in our communities, 39:14 in our families, in our schools. 39:20 More than 60% of young Seventh-day Adventists 39:23 like you and I leave the Adventist church 39:29 when they go to college. 39:33 You, my friend, are very rare breed. 39:38 I said this the other time, 39:39 but most of my friends that I went to college with 39:42 are not in the church anymore. 39:47 We need to leave no man behind in our schools. 39:52 But we also need to leave no man behind in our churches. 39:58 I'm a pastor. 40:02 Some members have never received the visitation 40:05 from the pastor or the elder in 30 years. 40:09 Yet we look forward to their tithe, 40:12 participation, and organizing all sorts of events, 40:16 but we will not even give the time 40:18 to visit with them. 40:22 There are so many people in our local churches, 40:26 young people who should not be left behind. 40:34 I'm also talking to you, 40:35 because maybe you're not a pastor, 40:37 but you have a great commission, 40:39 not a great option. 40:44 We are all called to win souls for Christ. 40:54 And I want to tell you, my friends, 40:56 don't depend upon someone else for your spiritual walking, 41:01 for you to be active in soul winning. 41:05 By your zeal many will be inspired. 41:09 You're a leader, if you come to GYC, 41:12 you're a leader. 41:15 As long as you're surrendered to Christ, and follow His word, 41:19 and follow His church, 41:21 you are in the majority 41:23 because when God is in your life, 41:24 you are in the majority. 41:30 We need to leave no man behind in our families. 41:37 Some of our family members don't even know 41:39 we're Seventh-day Adventists and what that means? 41:45 For some of us, let's be honest, 41:47 we've been a bad example. 41:52 But, you know what, my friends, there's hope 41:54 because as long as there's the Holy Spirit, 41:57 He can change us. 42:03 But most importantly, 42:07 we ourselves must not be left behind. 42:14 If we want to take the gospel to the end, 42:18 and survive the end, we need the Holy Spirit. 42:26 And how do we have the Holy Spirit, my friend? 42:28 We must be emptied of self, 42:32 by beholding the matchless love of God in His Word, 42:37 abiding in His Word. 42:41 In order to be filled with the Holy Spirit, 42:43 we must be emptied. 42:45 And to be emptied, we can only be emptied 42:47 as we lay self on the altar of the cross, 42:52 and pierce it to that cross. 42:57 Leave no man behind, GYC. 43:01 There was a pastor who lived by this creed. 43:04 There he was living in a communist country, 43:08 and he decided that he wanted this country 43:11 even though it was under communism, 43:13 to know about Jesus Christ. 43:17 But he paid a heavy price. 43:19 They decided to rally all the spiritual leaders 43:23 and this pastor they decided to take him 43:26 and put him in a cell under the police department. 43:31 There he was for many days, 43:33 and the food that they gave him 43:35 was just a piece of toast, and excuse me, 43:39 with human waste. 43:43 The main guard would bring it to him, 43:46 almost joyfully to break him. 43:56 As time went by, they decided, 43:57 well, some of these people are not being broken, 44:00 so let us take them to a remote place 44:03 apart from their families. 44:06 But before we send them to this remote location, 44:09 why don't we invite their families for an hour 44:14 to talk to them, and maybe they will give some, 44:16 they will put some sense into them. 44:21 This pastor just before he was put in prison, 44:24 told his family, if I go to prison, 44:28 and I hear that you, 44:32 yourselves went to prison for Jesus Christ, 44:36 I will be the happiest man on this world. 44:42 If you don't give up the faith, even if you are sent to prison, 44:46 I will be the happiest man. 44:50 And there he was. 44:52 So there came the time 44:54 for to take all the spiritual leaders away. 44:56 They invited the families and as the families gathered, 45:01 they had tables across the yard. 45:06 And there they were, as they had tables, 45:09 they were... 45:10 The family members were meeting 45:12 with the pastors, the evangelists, 45:14 and all those spiritual leaders for about an hour. 45:18 And this pastor's family was there waiting to see him. 45:24 Five minutes passed by, he didn't show up, 45:28 10 minutes passed by he wasn't there, 45:31 15 minutes, 30 minutes, he wasn't showing up. 45:38 All the other families 45:39 were meeting their family members, 45:42 and no one was showing up. 45:47 Until 45 minutes later, 45:49 there was a man who walked up to the table 45:51 where the family was, 45:54 brought in something in a bag and laid it on the table. 45:59 When they opened the bag, 46:01 the wife could only recognize her husband 46:05 through his blue eyes. 46:08 He was so frail that he had to be carried. 46:13 At that moment the wife knew 46:15 that the only thing that her husband would like 46:17 would be a Bible. 46:19 So she tried to slip in a Bible right next to him, 46:22 and at that point, 46:23 one of the guards saw her and said, 46:26 "Do you know, I can kill you?" 46:29 She says, "Well, you can kill me, 46:30 but you cannot separate me from the love of God." 46:36 They took the husband, took him away, 46:39 put him in some remote place, 46:41 but this man lived by the creed, 46:43 leave no man behind. 46:45 So in that prison, 46:46 he kept preaching about the gospel. 46:50 The guards got tired of him. 46:52 So they decided to play a trick on him. 46:56 They told him today is going to be your last day. 47:01 They brought him to the yard, 47:05 and they were getting ready to execute him. 47:10 The man was there, 47:11 and he in his frail body, stood straight 47:17 and was ready to die. 47:21 The guards were so astonished by this man, 47:24 though he seemed like he had no strength, 47:27 he was apart from his family, he was starving, 47:30 he had almost nothing, yet, 47:32 he was still willing to die for the gospel, 47:37 that no man may be left behind. 47:41 The guards thought he was crazy 47:42 so they threw him out of the prison. 47:45 This man started to find his way, 47:47 and he found his family, and the local church. 47:53 There in this local church, 47:54 an older lady came to him and said, 47:56 "Pastor, I want you to come and see my son 48:01 because he's dying." 48:05 The pastor said, "Oh, yes, 48:07 I want to make sure I meet your son." 48:11 So there, the pastor went to the home, 48:13 and the lady brought him to the room. 48:19 And there was her son almost dying. 48:24 When he looked at who the son was, 48:28 it was the man in the prison, 48:30 who gave him the piece of toast and human waste. 48:38 It was that jail guard. 48:44 He was so shocked that he says, 48:45 "Lord, I cannot disappoint you today. 48:49 I can't. 48:52 I can't." 48:56 But if you live by the creed, the man got on his knees, 49:01 prayed for the man who tortured him, 49:05 and prayed for his healing, 49:10 because he knew the cost of leaving a man behind. 49:19 Today, my friends, 49:21 I want to give you an opportunity 49:22 as I invite my friend Naomi, 49:28 she's going to have a special piece for us. 49:30 And as she sings for us, 49:32 I'm going to make a very straightforward appeal. 49:38 These appeals are between you and the Lord Jesus Christ. 49:45 And as Naomi begins to sing, 49:47 I want you to listen to the words of the song 49:50 and then we'll have our appeal. 50:03 Be still my soul 50:10 The Lord 50:13 Is on your side 50:19 Bear patiently 50:27 The cross of grief 50:32 Or pain 50:36 Leave to your God 50:44 To order 50:47 And provide 50:52 In every change 50:59 He faithful will remain 51:07 Be still... Please, come in here. 51:11 And I will not leave one soul behind, 51:13 and I want to focus on bringing one soul to Jesus Christ 51:18 and bring them to GYC. 51:22 I want to invite you to stand. 51:24 Through thorny ways 51:27 Leads to a joyful end 51:34 My second appeal. 51:39 I want to be on your team. 51:42 I want to be part of your movement. 51:46 Praise the Lord 51:47 for this courageous young people, who are here. 51:49 But there are more of you out there. 51:54 This is a decision between you and the Lord, 51:58 and He will not disappoint you. 52:00 He has never failed at leaving a man behind 52:05 when they have chosen Him to be the Lord of their life. 52:12 God knows no failure, my friend. 52:16 And as you're here, God is gonna bless you. 52:23 Those of you who are here in the front, 52:24 who've made a decision for baptism. 52:28 After this service, I'll come down 52:30 and I'd like to meet with you, but I also have an appeal. 52:35 And this is my last appeal. 52:39 For some of you, 52:40 you know that you're called 52:44 to give your life a missionary service 52:51 and go to the ends of the earth. 53:00 I want you to count the cost of this appeal. 53:07 If you are willing to say today, 53:09 "Lord, I want to dedicate a year, 53:12 two years, three years, four years, five years, 53:18 seven years maybe to missionary service 53:25 in a place that you know the Lord has been calling you. 53:30 It might even be right here in Houston, 53:33 it might be in a place in an undisclosed location. 53:39 But, you know, 53:41 you need to take a stand for Christ, 53:43 and give your life and use your talents 53:46 to bring the gospel to the end of the earth. 53:49 If that is you, 53:50 I'll invite you as well to come home. |
Revised 2019-03-21