Participants:
Series Code: GYC
Program Code: GYC180013A
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00:01 Music...
00:33 Acts of the Apostles 00:36 chapter 11, 00:40 page 105 00:44 talking about persecution that is arising 00:51 and the danger that was approaching the church 00:56 there was danger that the disciples would linger there 01:01 in Jerusalem too long 01:04 not just persecution but also success 01:07 unmindful of the Savior's commission 01:09 to go to all the world 01:12 are you awake tonight? 01:14 Audience: Yes. 01:15 Listen to this, 01:17 "Forgetting that strength to resist evil 01:24 is best gained by aggressive service. " 01:31 I heard one "Amen. " 01:34 Audience: Amen. 01:35 "Forgetting that strength to resist evil 01:39 is best gained by aggressive service. " 01:43 They began to think that they had no work so important 01:46 as that of shielding the church in Jerusalem 01:49 from the attacks of the enemy. 01:52 Pause... 01:55 Another gem here, 01:57 this gem... one of the brethren shared with me 02:03 Christ's Object Lesson, page 384, 02:08 "The completeness of Christian character... " 02:11 hooo... ooo... help us Holy Ghost. 02:15 "The completeness of Christian character 02:19 is attained when the impulse to help and bless others 02:27 springs constantly from within... " 02:30 Man! did you hear that? 02:33 Pause... 02:35 more pause... 02:36 "The completeness of Christian character is attained 02:41 when the impulse to help and bless others 02:43 springs constantly from within... 02:47 when the sunshine of heaven fills the heart 02:50 and is revealed in the countenance. " 02:53 Lord, have mercy, 02:55 so, I'm not crazy after all. 02:58 Pause... 03:01 more pause... 03:07 This... 03:13 seemingly strange concept 03:16 that the things that God wants us to achieve 03:21 and in fact, God has purposed 03:24 that we would attain and achieve 03:28 are not always necessarily gained 03:31 by continuously focusing on those things. 03:36 Jesus taught, I believe and lived this principle, 03:43 in Matthew chapter 23 verses 11 and 12, 03:46 the Bible says, 03:48 "But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 03:52 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; 03:56 and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. " 04:01 That's backwards, isn't it? 04:03 No one thinks that the way to the top... is by going down. 04:10 You didn't get on the elevator 04:13 if you stayed in one of the hotels around here 04:16 and you stayed on the 15th, 18th, 19th, 20th floor and said, 04:20 "Well, let me go down to the 1st floor. " 04:25 You expected to go up in order to get up 04:29 but in the kingdom of God, Jesus says, 04:34 "If you want to be great, you must be a servant... slave" 04:39 pause... 04:43 this... 04:47 concept, huh, 04:52 is expressed not only in the words of Christ 04:56 but all through Scripture, one more time, 04:59 Matthew chapter 16, verses 24 and 25, 05:02 "Then said Jesus unto His disciples, 05:04 'If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, 05:07 take up his cross, and follow Me. 05:10 For whosoever will save his life shall... lose it: 05:16 and whosever will lose his life for My sake shall find it. " 05:22 Pause... 05:25 Jesus always agrees with Scripture 05:28 or Scripture always agrees with Jesus 05:31 either way you look at it. 05:33 In the 21st chapter of Numbers, you remember the story, 05:38 the Israelites began to complain about God's guidance. 05:43 He was taking too long to get them to their destination 05:48 or so they believed 05:49 and they began to murmur and complain 05:52 about God's guidance and His goodness 05:54 and so, God says, 05:55 "Okay, you want to see what it's like without me?" 05:58 So, He removes the protective covering 06:02 that rested over the children of Israel 06:07 and danger that existed but had been kept at bay 06:12 by unseen forces, 06:14 was at once allowed to come into the camp. 06:18 Fiery serpents begin to bite the individuals there in the camp 06:24 and the solution seemed to be completely illogical. 06:29 Pause... 06:31 "Moses, get a... an enormous pole 06:35 and make a serpent out of brass 06:38 and put that serpent on the pole 06:40 and then allow the word to go out through the... 06:43 through the camp that whoever looks will live. 06:46 Pause... 06:52 Now, if you sit here tonight and say that that was reasonable 06:56 and logical, I know you're lying. 06:58 Pause... 07:02 Let some snakes up in here tonight... 07:04 pause... 07:08 and nobody will be concerned with the message. 07:12 Everybody will be concerned with getting up... 07:15 out of here as quickly as you possibly can 07:18 and if a snake is hanging on your leg, 07:21 your attention will be fixed on that serpent 07:25 and trying to relieve yourself. 07:27 Is that true, yes or no? 07:30 Pause... 07:32 And yet, God asked the children of Israel to do something 07:35 that was completely illogical... 07:37 listen to me tonight my friends, 07:39 stop looking at what is attacking you... 07:43 what is hurting you, 07:45 what is perhaps going to take your life 07:48 stop looking at that which is... 07:50 which is killing you 07:52 and instead... look and live at this serpent on a pole. 07:57 Pause... 08:00 Many of us are like... 08:03 I've... I've got to believe some of the children of Israel were 08:08 you've got to be out of your mind. 08:09 Pause... 08:11 I'm looking for where the serpents are. 08:13 "If I can just stop these snakes from biting me, 08:18 my life will be all right. " 08:20 "If I can just put down the pornography, 08:23 everything will be all right. " 08:24 "If I can just leave the alcohol alone, 08:27 everything will be fine. " 08:28 "If I can just get this better job, 08:30 everything will... will... 08:32 will flow in the proper direction. " 08:34 If I can just get this sin out of my life, 08:37 then everything will be all right. " 08:40 But Jesus says, "Stop fixating on your problem 08:44 and start fixating on me. " 08:46 Pause... 08:51 Joshua and the children of Israel 08:55 have entered into the Promised Land 08:59 and the fortress city of Jericho was there 09:02 and the Bible tells the story... you remember it, 09:07 that Joshua gets a group of soldiers together 09:12 and they go up to the wall 09:13 and they measure the length... the width... 09:16 the breadth of the wall 09:19 and they get some mathematicians together 09:21 and they began to calculate just at what points they can... 09:26 they can apply pressure 09:27 so that they will be able to break through, 09:29 you remember that story, right? 09:31 You're like, "No, we never heard that one. " 09:33 Pause... 09:36 That's because that's not how it went, Beloved, 09:40 God said, "I want you to march around the city. " 09:44 Laughter... 09:46 woooo... 09:48 "I want you to march around the city. " 09:50 "You want me to do... what?" 09:52 "March around the city... " 09:53 "But Lord, we're going to be sitting ducks... 09:56 pause... 09:59 we're going to be bait... target practice. " 10:02 God says, "Don't worry, 10:04 just do what I'm asking you to do. " 10:06 "But how is this helping us 10:09 towards our end and our desire... goal... 10:12 it doesn't make sense. " 10:14 "Just do what I'm asking you to do... day one... 10:16 day two... day three... day four... day five... 10:19 day six... day seven... 10:21 and you remember the song that all the... 10:24 of the little children sing, 10:26 "The walls came... " what? 10:28 they came tumbling down 10:31 not because Israel focused on the wall 10:36 but because Israel did what God asked 10:41 as improbable as it seemed. 10:44 Pause... 10:46 The story of Jehoshaphat 10:48 and the innumerable foes that he was facing... 10:52 Israel at the Red Sea... 10:55 Gideon with 300 men... 10:58 over and over again these stories 11:01 are trying to impress a most powerful lesson 11:04 upon our hearts and upon our minds, Beloved, 11:08 and the lesson is 11:10 that the way to accomplish that which we desire 11:14 is not always going to be the way that we think. 11:17 Pause... 11:21 Just think about the disciples. 11:24 Pause... 11:25 Acts chapter one, 11:27 "Are you now going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" 11:30 "Jesus, you're going to set up an earthly kingdom... " 11:33 beside the fact that was twisted theology. 11:36 Pause... 11:39 Jesus said, "I am going to set up an everlasting kingdom 11:43 and you know how I'm going to do it?" 11:45 They said, "Yes, yes, tell us Jesus. " 11:47 "I'm going to go to the cross and die. " 11:50 Pause... 11:54 Judas probably voiced what everyone was thinking, 12:00 "You must be out of Your mind, 12:03 pause... 12:05 how on earth can going to the cross 12:08 establish an everlasting kingdom?" 12:11 Pause... 12:16 Someone may be asking themselves tonight, 12:18 "Well, okay Conway, I'm listening to you... 12:21 I'm listening... 12:22 I'm looking at you cross-eyed 12:28 and I don't know but, tell me, 12:30 if I'm not supposed to focus on my problems 12:35 and if I'm not supposed to focus and be consumed 12:38 with my problems and my desires or even my destination, 12:44 then what, pray tell, am I to focus on?" 12:48 Pause... 12:52 1st Kings chapter 3... 12:54 the Bible says in 1st Kings chapter 3 verse 5, 13:02 "In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: 13:09 and God said, 'Ask what I shall give thee. '" 13:14 Oh, don't you like that? 13:15 How many of you like God to come and say that to you? 13:19 Pause. 13:21 "Ask what it is that I shall give thee. " 13:25 Pause... 13:27 Verse 6, "And Solomon said, 13:29 'Thou has shewed unto thy servant 13:32 David my father great mercy, 13:34 according as he has walked before thee 13:36 in truth, and in righteousness, 13:38 and in uprightness of heart with thee; 13:40 and thou has kept for him this great kindness, 13:45 that thou has given him a son to sit on his throne, 13:48 as it is this day. " 13:50 I want to paint the picture for you a little bit, 13:53 Solomon was a king, he was a... what? 13:56 He was a king. 13:58 Now, who was the first king of Israel? 14:01 Audience: Saul. 14:03 Saul... 14:05 and how did that work out for him? 14:07 Pause... 14:09 Very shortly after Saul was anointed... 14:13 perhaps, just a few years 14:15 Saul proved that he was unworthy to be king 14:18 and David was anointed as king. 14:21 My suspicion is that the word got out, 14:25 somehow that God's hand was on David 14:30 and even if no one said anything, 14:34 it was evident to everyone including Saul 14:38 that God's hand was on David for a unique and special work 14:42 that work would be to replace him one day as king. 14:47 Pause... 14:49 David becomes king 14:51 and David's... 14:53 David's reign endured a coup. 14:57 David's kingdom was stolen from him 15:03 at the hands of his own son, Absalom. 15:09 Pause... 15:12 Murder and intrigue... 15:14 Saul's attempted murders of David... 15:17 Absalom's attempted murder of David... 15:20 Absalom's murder of his oldest brother 15:24 who stood in line to the throne, 15:26 Solomon, even before he was anointed, 15:29 had his older brother to proclaim himself king 15:33 before David persuaded... urged by Bathsheba and Nathan 15:39 that something strange was going on in the nation, 15:42 David rushes and places Solomon on the throne 15:46 and has him anointed and declared to be king. 15:49 All of this, Beloved, simply to say that Solomon's throne 15:56 was not secure 15:58 humanly speaking, are you with me tonight? 16:02 His throne was most certainly not secure 16:06 and so, it would have been a reasonable request 16:11 for Solomon to say, "Establish my throne... " 16:15 based on what had happened to his father, 16:20 and based on what had happened to Saul before him, 16:23 it would have been a logical request. 16:26 "Lord, I want to do Your will 16:29 and I understand what You have prophesied, 16:31 but I can only walk in Your will 16:34 if You establish and secure my throne... " 16:37 but Beloved, tonight, that's not what Solomon asked. 16:40 Pause... 16:42 more pause... 16:44 verse 7, "Now, O LORD my God, thou has made thy servant king 16:49 instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: 16:54 I know not how to go out or come in. 16:57 And Thy servant is in the midst of Thy people 17:00 which Thou has chosen, a great people, 17:03 that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. " 17:06 Verse 9, 17:08 "Give therefore Thy servant an understanding heart 17:12 to judge Thy people, 17:14 that I may discern between good and bad: 17:17 for who is able to judge this Thy so great a people?" 17:24 Verse 10, 17:26 "And the speech pleased the Lord, 17:31 that Solomon had asked Him this thing. 17:36 And God said unto him... " verse 11, 17:40 "Because thou has asked this thing, 17:45 and has not asked for thyself long life, 17:49 neither has asked riches for thyself, 17:52 nor has asked the life of thine enemies; 17:55 but has asked for thyself understanding 17:58 to discern judgment; Behold... " 18:01 Verse 12, "I have done according to thy words: 18:04 lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; 18:08 so that there was none like thee before thee, 18:10 neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. 18:14 And I have also given thee 18:19 that which thou hast not asked, 18:22 both riches, and honor: 18:26 so that there shall not be any among the kings 18:30 like unto thee all thy days. " 18:35 Pause... 18:39 Friends, I'd like to refer to this 18:41 as the "Solomon Principle" 18:44 the what? 18:46 The Solomon Principle. 18:47 Pause... 18:49 Solomon asked God for something that would benefit others 18:55 when it would have been reasonable for him 18:58 to ask God for something that would purely benefit himself. 19:03 Solomon's request pleased God 19:08 because at the heart of Solomon's request, 19:11 were the people of God 19:13 and the Bible says that the thing pleased the Lord, 19:18 oh, tonight, would that our prayers would please God. 19:23 Pause... 19:25 Would that God would have a smile on His face 19:29 when He listens to our prayers. 19:32 Pause... 19:35 How do your prayers sound? 19:36 Think about it. 19:40 How do they sound? 19:43 I'm going to suggest something to you 19:47 but I want to help you to understand 19:50 what I'm going to suggest. 19:52 Pause... 19:55 The Bible tells us... Jesus says that we should ask. 19:59 We should do what? 20:01 We should ask, 20:04 when we have a request, we should ask. 20:07 I'm not saying, "Don't ask God. " 20:11 But what I'm suggesting tonight 20:15 is that, after you have asked God, 20:19 you trust that He will do what He has promised 20:23 that He would do for you, 20:24 pause... 20:27 and I am challenging you tonight, 20:29 to turn the focus of your prayers off of yourself 20:35 pause. 20:39 There are parents who are praying for their children 20:42 Pause... 20:45 God has heard your prayer, 20:46 please Him by praying for someone else's children. 20:51 Pause... 20:54 There are some who are praying for their marriages, 20:57 God has heard your prayer. 21:00 Please Him by praying for someone else's marriage. 21:05 Pause... 21:07 I want you to think about this and consider this, 21:09 dear Brothers and Sisters, 21:11 pause... 21:13 what is the key to God opening heaven's windows 21:18 was if we were to pray as fervently and earnestly 21:23 for others as we have prayed for ourselves. 21:28 Pause... 21:31 What if I am praying for someone else's... 21:34 listen to me... 21:36 what if I'm praying for someone else's victory 21:39 as passionately as I have prayed for my own. 21:43 Pause... 21:47 Are you with me tonight? 21:48 Pause... 21:52 what if I place my desire in the hands of God 21:58 and then say, "Lord, give me that which will benefit others" 22:03 or better yet, 22:04 "Lord, give Bob that which I have requested for myself... " 22:09 "Lord, I know that I'm praying 22:11 and I'm asking that you would work my job situation out, 22:14 but work Jack's job situation out as well, Father. " 22:18 Pause... 22:20 "Lord, I know that I'm praying that you would... 22:22 you would recover and you would heal me, 22:24 but Father, I'm also praying that you would heal 22:27 Brother Jerry. " 22:31 Pause... 22:32 more pause... 22:36 Philippians chapter 2 verse 3, 22:38 "Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; 22:41 but in lowliness of mind 22:44 let each esteem others better than themselves. " 22:50 Pause... 22:53 Verse 4, "Look not every man on his own things, 22:58 but every man also on the things of others. " 23:03 Pray Beloved, 23:07 for the good of others becomes key to our good. 23:13 seeking victory for others becomes the key to our victory. 23:22 Pause... 23:24 In fact, I believe that in Scripture, 23:26 Jesus demonstrated this principle... 23:29 not just in Scripture but even beyond in the great controversy 23:34 listen to me, 23:37 "God's method of securing His throne 23:42 was to step out of His throne. " 23:47 Pause... 23:48 It makes sense... 23:51 seeking the good of humanity 23:54 was the way that God established before the entire universe, 23:59 that He is worthy... 24:01 pause... 24:04 some more pause 24:09 I said it the other night... 24:11 when we are concerned for the welfare of others, 24:15 that's, I believe, when we're most like Jesus. 24:17 Pause... 24:21 How can we have this experience? 24:24 Pause... 24:27 Number one, know your limitations. 24:32 What's number one? 24:34 Pause... 24:36 In 1st Kings chapter 3 verse 9, 24:39 Solomon says, 24:42 "Who is able to judge this thy so great a people?" 24:48 In other words, Friends, 24:51 Solomon acknowledges 24:54 that the task that lays before him... 24:57 he, in his own strength, is unable to perform. 25:03 Are you with me tonight? 25:04 Pause... 25:07 We must acknowledge our own limitations, 25:12 we must know our limitations because when we are aware, 25:15 when we acknowledge... 25:17 when we know our limitations, 25:18 then, Beloved, we can lean on the hand of Almighty God. 25:24 We can depend on Him to do what only Divinity can do. 25:29 Pause... 25:33 I've got to say this, 25:35 because I know at this movement, we don't talk about failure 25:43 pause... 25:47 we don't talk about... 25:49 when I was at the first GYC, Pine Springs Ranch, California, 25:57 we don't talk about the people who were there, 26:00 who are not even in the church anymore, 26:04 pause... 26:07 we don't talk about the leaders who have fallen 26:11 pause... 26:16 I won't even say their names, 26:19 because we want to disassociate ourselves from that failure, 26:26 that's not what we're about, 26:28 we're about victory but failure is real. 26:31 It's real... 26:36 and knowing our limitations... 26:40 knowing our limitations is not a bad thing, 26:43 we always talk about being able to accomplish 26:47 that which is impossible 26:48 and that's good and I believe that, 26:51 but we also ought to know 26:52 that we are erring, mortal human beings 26:56 and that we need the power of Almighty God 26:59 for with God all things are possible. 27:02 Pause... 27:05 Beloved, Jesus did not say when He was preaching, 27:08 "Remember Lot's wife" because He didn't love her, 27:13 He didn't say, "Remember Lot's wife" 27:16 because He wanted her to become... 27:20 or the people's minds to become fixated on her, 27:22 He said, "Remember Lot's wife" 27:24 as a warning... 27:25 her eyes were fixed on the wrong thing. 27:30 Pause... 27:32 Learn from her mistake. 27:34 Pause... 27:39 Some of us are here tonight and you're uncomfortable. 27:43 Pause... 27:45 Nobody knows you're uncomfortable 27:47 but you do. 27:49 You're uncomfortable because you have a persona 27:54 and everybody sees you 27:56 and everybody thinks a certain way about you 27:58 and your greatest fear is that you would lose that. 28:03 Pause... 28:05 What happens if people know my weaknesses? 28:08 What happens if people know 28:10 I'm not the person I project myself to be, 28:13 will they still love me? 28:15 And I've got to say tonight beloved, 28:17 that the way we have treated those who have fallen 28:20 says, "no. " 28:21 Pause... 28:25 So, we've got young people who crave authenticity... 28:29 who are playing roles 28:31 because you are afraid that you will lose your community. 28:38 Pause... 28:40 Afraid that people would turn their backs on you, 28:42 your phone won't ring anymore, 28:44 you won't be asked to volunteer at GYC, 28:47 or serve in a position anymore. 28:50 Pause... 28:53 Something is wrong with that. 28:56 Pause... 28:59 We need to be a people who understand our limitations 29:04 not so that we can glory in our weaknesses, 29:06 but rather, that we may glory in the power of Christ 29:10 who was able to deliver us from our weaknesses. 29:13 "I've been wrestling with this thing called 'pornography' 29:16 and I'm going to... I'm going to link all of my... 29:20 my... my electronic devices... my... 29:22 my computer at home... 29:24 my laptop... my phone... 29:25 I'm going to link them up to a service 29:27 and every week, it's going to print out in your e-mail 29:31 and it will tell you what I've been doing 29:33 because I understand my limitations, 29:37 I understand my weakness 29:40 and I need divine power 29:42 but I also need to know that there's someone 29:45 who loves me in spite of my weakness 29:48 not just the God Who I cannot see 29:52 but a brother or a sister who I can. " 29:54 Pause... 29:59 Beloved, we must know our limitations. 30:01 Pause... 30:04 Number two, 30:08 We must target the invisible. 30:14 We must do... what? 30:15 Pause... 30:18 Solomon's prayer, my friends, dealt with his heart. 30:27 It dealt with his... what? 30:29 Pause... 30:32 I want you to think with me tonight, 30:34 when you pray, are your prayers focused on your heart 30:40 or are your prayers focused on what issues out of your heart? 30:45 There is a difference. 30:48 We can pray and say, 30:52 "Lord, help me not to be short with my children. " 30:55 "Lord, help me to speak kind words to my spouse. " 30:58 "Lord, help me to be patient. " 31:01 I want to suggest to you tonight, 31:04 pause... 31:08 that our prayers must mature beyond that. 31:10 What do I mean? 31:12 We must learn to pray towards the invisible. 31:16 "Lord, fix my heart. " 31:20 My impatience is a symptom of the brokenness of my heart. 31:27 Pause... 31:29 "Lord, I'm speaking unkind words 31:32 because there is unkindness in my heart... 31:36 pause... 31:39 fix my heart, Lord, 31:40 transform me, change me at the heart level.. " 31:45 and when our prayer is focused on the invisible, 31:50 we... we... we graduate beyond praying about our behaviors 31:55 to praying about what flows... or what... what... 32:00 we graduate to praying about the... the very source 32:04 from which all of the issues of life flow. " 32:07 Beloved, I hope you understand the difference 32:10 between those prayers. 32:11 Pause... 32:15 And I believe tonight that it is in service 32:18 that God reveals to us 32:21 that we need heart-level transformation 32:25 not merely an adjustment in behavior. 32:28 You know, patchwork religion. 32:31 Pause... 32:33 Beginning by changing this or that habit, 32:35 pause... 32:38 but all the while, beginning in the wrong place, 32:41 what we need is a radical transformation of heart 32:44 and here's what I've got to say, Beloved, 32:46 there are two ways that we come through this experience, 32:50 one of them is through our failures 32:52 where God reveals our brokenness 32:55 because He reveals and exposes our weaknesses. 32:58 Number two is, through looking into the face of Jesus. 33:02 Pause... 33:05 The more we look at Jesus, 33:07 the more undone we see ourselves as being... 33:10 the more unlike Him... 33:13 the closer we come to Jesus, 33:15 the more unChrist-like in our own eyes we become 33:19 and we fall down and say, "Lord, help me. " 33:22 And the work that God wants to do 33:24 is at the heart level, are you listening to me tonight? 33:28 Pause... 33:31 more pause... 33:35 some more pause... 33:40 I'm going to ask my musicians to come on out. 33:44 Pause... 33:50 One night... I like to try my hand at cooking 33:57 my family says... I'm the best cook in the family. 34:02 Pause... 34:06 I like that 34:08 and I like the exercise that every now and then 34:11 and so, sometimes as the day is going on 34:14 and I'm in the office... I'm visiting... 34:18 I'm doing whatever responsibilities 34:20 fall for that day and I get an idea in my mind, 34:26 I'm going to... 34:27 I'm going to make a special recipe for the family, 34:31 something we've never had before, 34:33 we like to try new things 34:34 and so I find out where I'm going to pick up 34:38 all of my necessities 34:40 in order to... to make this particular recipe and... 34:44 and then I'll drive to a particular grocery store 34:48 that... that has these particular ingredients. 34:51 You know, you can't just go to Walmart for everything, 34:55 you got to go to some specialty stores 34:59 and so, so, I find myself in these grocery stores 35:02 and I'm picking up all of these... these unique and... 35:05 and special ingredients 35:07 and as I'm gathering them together 35:09 all the while I'm thinking... this is going to be great 35:12 when I'm cooking this up, 35:16 no matter where my family is in the house, 35:19 they're going to smell it, they're all going to come down, 35:22 they're going to say, "Dad, what is that?" 35:23 My daughter Abigail is going to come and take the lid off 35:27 and smell, "Oooh, Dad, that smells good! 35:29 What did you put in it?" 35:31 Then we're all going to sit down around the dinner table 35:34 and I'm going to... 35:36 you know, it's not just the meal... 35:37 it's the presentation, right? 35:39 So, I'm going to plate everything just nice and... 35:43 we're all going to sit down around the table 35:46 and as we are seated there around the table, 35:48 they will take bite after bite and everybody's going to say, 35:52 "Mmmmm... Dad, this is so good, 35:54 pause... 35:56 oh! you are such a wonderful cook... " 35:59 and my wife is going to say, "Thank you, honey, 36:01 I really had a long day, 36:04 I'm just so glad that you came home 36:06 and you prepared dinner for everyone, 36:08 thank you so very much... " 36:10 and I'm going to smile, and I'm going to say, "Yes!" 36:13 Ding... 36:16 Audience: Laughing. 36:19 I pull up into the driveway 36:22 it's dark now, the... the lights are on 36:25 and I'm still rolling this picture around in my mind 36:28 and I... I get out of the car and I grab the grocery bags 36:32 and I come to the door, I put the key in the... 36:34 in the door knob, I turn it, I open the door, 36:37 I come in, 36:38 and my children are hanging on the walls 36:41 there is peanut-butter-and- jelly-sandwich crust 36:46 on the floor that I have to step over, 36:49 just to make it inside of the house, 36:52 dishes all piled up on the table, 36:55 dishes are piled up in the sink, 36:59 there's stuff from yesterday that's on the stove 37:02 and I'm wondering, "What on earth is going on?" 37:05 Sounds like a zoo, feels like a zoo, 37:10 "Where is your mom at?" 37:12 "Well, mom is upstairs, 37:15 she's been upstairs for a while. " 37:16 "Have you guys eaten?" 37:18 "Yeah, we had peanut butter. " 37:19 "Peanut butter and jelly? 37:20 Pause... 37:22 I have some gourmet-level stuff for you 37:25 and you have peanut butter and jelly?" 37:27 I'm upset. 37:30 The Spirit of God says, "Calm down... 37:35 have prayer with the children because it's late, 37:40 make sure they brush their teeth, 37:43 make sure they lay down in their beds 37:47 then come downstairs and clean... 37:51 pick up the peanut butter and jelly crust, 37:54 wash the dishes... " 37:57 and I began to do this 38:00 pause... 38:01 the kitchen is sparkling clean 38:04 and the... the house is clean 38:07 and the groceries are seated there, 38:09 are... are... are setting there on the table 38:12 and I sit down and I take a breath, 38:14 after I finish everything, oh, I'm exhausted, 38:17 this night did not go like I planned. 38:20 My wife comes down and now I got to look really tired, 38:26 "Huh, ah... " pull out a chair, 38:32 throw up a leg, "Ah... " 38:34 pause... 38:35 "Oh honey, thank you... " 38:37 I'm "huh... it was a long day. " 38:39 I want some sympathy now, 38:43 but all the while I'm upset 38:46 because this didn't go quite the way I planned 38:50 and... and my wife begins to say, 38:51 "Honey, I was just on the phone with so-and-so... " 38:54 someone that our family has been ministering to, 38:56 that we'd been working with, 38:58 "I was on the phone for the last two-and-a-half hours 39:01 ministering to them in a time of crisis... " 39:04 and my balloon is deflated. 39:05 I felt bad, I was... I was disturbed 39:12 but when I find out that my wife was in ministry 39:17 I am deflated... 39:18 you had no right to feel and think the way that you did 39:22 and then I'm wrestling with God, 39:26 "What is it that's... that's taking place here? 39:28 What's this feeling 39:29 that I'm experiencing deep down in my heart? 39:32 And God says, 39:33 "Steven, you wanted to be treated like a king tonight, 39:37 but I wanted your wife and your family 39:39 to be treated like royalty tonight. " 39:41 Pause... 39:44 "You wanted to be served by your family 39:47 telling you how wonderful of a chef you are 39:49 and how thankful for you they are 39:51 but I needed you to serve your wife tonight. " 39:54 Pause... 39:57 I said, "Lord, am I that selfish?" 40:03 And God says, "Yes, you are. " 40:07 Piano. 40:10 "But Lord, it wasn't a bad thing 40:11 to want the family to sit around the table and have dinner. " 40:14 "No, no, no, I'm not saying it was a bad thing, 40:17 but Steven, in order for me to reveal 40:19 what's lurking in the depths of your heart 40:22 I had to use this experience to show you yourself. 40:27 It was only through performing these acts of service 40:31 that I could reveal to you what was lacking in your life 40:36 so that you would turn to me and say, 40:38 "Father, take it out of me. " 40:40 Take it out of me... 40:45 Pause... 40:52 Beloved, this type of service that reaches the heart 40:59 is what each and every one of us needs 41:02 so that we can hear the voice of God speaking to us, 41:06 pause... 41:10 not about merely changing behaviors 41:13 but about radically transforming our hearts 41:16 piano... 41:20 and then, we can surrender as we never have before 41:24 we can pray as we never have before, 41:27 and when we pray 41:30 we can trust that God will do for us 41:33 what we could never do for ourselves 41:36 because without Him 41:38 we would not have even known ourselves. 41:40 Piano... 41:44 more piano... 41:51 We want to ask the Saint Martine's to sing a song 41:55 and then I'm going to make a very specific appeal, 42:00 please listen to the words of this song. 42:04 Piano... 42:15 Violin and piano... 42:26 more violin and piano... 42:43 Here our earnest prayer O Lord, 42:52 Hear our humble cry 42:59 Precious loving caring, Lord, 43:08 On Whom we rely 43:15 Ever loving, ever living, God, 43:23 Of Whom no one can compare 43:31 All we ask is that You hear 43:39 our prayers. 43:46 Give us strength most Holy Lord, 43:54 Strength to meet this day 44:02 Lead us by Your Holy Word 44:09 Guide us in Your way 44:15 For our life is filled with winding turns 44:23 We have often lost our way 44:32 All we ask is that You lead 44:39 today. 44:43 Piano... 44:47 Give us love that's true, O Lord, 44:54 Trusting as a child 45:01 Love for all we see O Lord, 45:09 Pure and undefiled 45:16 But to heal the heart 45:19 and not turn away 45:24 Anyone who is in need 45:32 All we ask is teach us love 45:39 indeed. 45:45 Oooo oooo ooooo oooo ooo oooo oooo ooo ooo 45:54 ooo oooo ooo ooo ooooo ooo ooooo... 46:02 hmmm... hmmmm... hmmm... hmmm... hmmm... hmmm... hmmm 46:09 hmmm... hmmmm... 46:17 When you take me home my Lord, 46:25 When this life is through 46:31 Let me bring Your children, Lord, 46:39 To their home with You 46:43 When I stand with You 46:48 May they be there too 46:52 Give me love for them in love... 47:02 All I ask is that you say, 47:11 "Well done" 47:19 Lord, please let me hear You say, 47:27 "Well done. " 47:35 Violin... 47:39 Amen. 47:42 How many of you want to hear the words, "Well done... " 47:46 pause... 47:48 Oh, I do... I do... 47:51 We cannot reach the ends of the earth 47:56 until we have first reached the end of ourselves 48:00 and I'm so glad tonight 48:02 that there is a Savior Who is gracious and patient enough 48:06 to work with us... 48:07 He gives us a path to trod, 48:14 they're going to put something up on the screen tonight, 48:16 tonight's appeal is very specific, 48:20 it's for those who want to give a year of service, 48:27 piano... 48:31 I'm not saying it has to be 2019... 48:33 ah, I don't know when the Lord will prompt you 48:37 but tonight you feel, 48:38 "Lord, I need to experience this radical heart transformation, 48:45 and I need to experience victory in my life 48:48 the way that I never have 48:50 through aggressive service, 48:52 Lord, I'm willing to set aside 48:55 the things that I've set up... priorities, perhaps, 49:00 and I want to give myself to this one year. " 49:05 The General Conference has a program called, 49:10 "One Year in Missions" 49:11 and I'm excited to say that here in North American Division, 49:15 there are several Unions that have adopted this 49:18 and the Conferences in those Unions, by God's grace, 49:21 are adopting this 49:22 but if you are interested tonight, 49:24 we normally don't say, "Pull out your cell phones... " 49:30 we tell you, "Turn them off and put them away" 49:33 but what we want you to do 49:35 because we want to be sure that we can chronicle your commitment 49:39 yes, the angels in heaven will 49:42 but we want to be able to encourage you. 49:45 If God is calling you to give one year in Missions, 49:51 one year towards aggressive service, 49:54 and I'm going to make this appeal too, 49:58 we need missionaries to go overseas... the 10/40 Window, 50:02 yes, all of that but we also need urban missionaries. 50:06 We need those who are willing to sacrifice 50:09 and go into the inner cities. 50:12 Do you know that there are children 50:14 starving in the inner cities? 50:16 Piano. 50:21 One year... one year 50:26 to experience God in ways that you never have, 50:30 one year to completely lay it all on the line 50:34 for the Lord Jesus Christ, 50:36 music... 50:38 now I want to ask you if that's your heart's desire 50:40 aggressive service 50:42 so that I can experience the loving... 50:45 the loving Lord Jesus as I never have 50:48 and so that I can have things exposed in my life 50:52 that I would never have exposed 50:54 without this type of service. 50:57 Now, I want to ask you to come down front... 51:00 one year... 51:03 just one... 51:05 to serve the Lord... 51:08 dedicate yourself completely to Him, 51:10 for some it may be overseas, 51:13 for others, it will be right here 51:15 in the urban jungles of North America 51:18 where men and women, 51:19 boys and girls are dying every day 51:22 without knowing this precious message 51:25 that the loving Jesus Christ has given to us. 51:29 I just spoke with my brother the other day 51:33 and he told me that 25 people here in America, 51:38 25 people are dying because of Opioid overdoses... 25 a day. 51:44 That's one person every hour 51:48 who's dropping dead because of addiction. 51:51 Piano... 51:54 Can God count on an army of young people here at GYC... 51:59 can God count on some people who say, 52:02 "Lord, I'm willing to give one year... " 52:04 one year. 52:07 Piano... 52:09 You've been focused on your studies, 52:11 you've been focused on climbing the ladder, 52:14 in terms of... in terms of your job 52:17 and you've been focused on doing a whole lot of things 52:20 but perhaps the way to fulfillment 52:22 and perhaps the way to experiencing life 52:25 the way God intended you to experience it, 52:27 is not in those endeavors alone 52:30 but it's in radical and aggressive service 52:33 for the Lord Jesus Christ 52:34 and you can experience purpose and fulfillment 52:37 by giving yourself away, 52:39 that's what Jesus meant 52:40 when He said that the one who loses his life for My sake 52:44 will find it. 52:46 Piano... 52:49 One year 52:53 one year... 52:56 I've talked to young people 52:58 who have already made decisions like this, 53:01 their parents did not understand... 53:04 in fact, their parents thought that they were crazy 53:06 but you know what? God provides. 53:08 God takes care of the things that you cannot take care of 53:14 and I cannot take care of in our own strength, 53:18 God steps in and He does what we can't... 53:20 can't do on our own 53:22 and what God does is, He convinces those 53:26 so that they take note that we have been with Jesus. 53:29 They understand that we are not out of our minds 53:32 but in fact, we are, for the first point in our lives 53:35 entered into our right minds 53:37 because we are giving ourselves to the King of kings, 53:40 to the Lord of lords. 53:45 One year... one year... 53:49 in the Bible there's a principle 53:52 that... where God asks for a part that symbolizes the whole, 53:57 one year... just a small portion but it symbolizes so much more 54:02 it symbolizes, "Lord, I'm willing to lay self aside 54:07 and I'm willing to put You first in my life. 54:11 One year... one year... 54:16 if the Spirit of the Lord is calling you, 54:19 then come and join us here down front... 54:23 one year... just one... 54:29 Jesus has given so much for us, Beloved, 54:34 and He continues to give 54:37 what would keep you from giving just one year? 54:43 Every head is bowed and every eye is closed, 54:49 "Loving Father and our God 54:53 You and You alone know our hearts. 54:58 Piano... 55:02 You know our hearts and you know the work 55:05 that needs to be done on the heart level 55:08 for each and every one of us that's in this place tonight. 55:11 Piano... 55:14 You also have a purpose and a plan 55:16 for each and every one of our lives 55:18 but if we neglect to pick up the blood-stained banner 55:23 of Prince Immanuel, 55:24 if we neglect to enter into this type of service, 55:28 then, Father, it's possible for us to live 55:32 without having ever really lived... 55:38 it's possible for us to exist here on this earth, 55:41 without ever discovering our purpose, 55:44 Lord, tonight, our prayer 55:46 is that You would reveal these things to us 55:49 as we yield ourselves to You 55:52 just as surely as there is a place in heaven 55:57 for each and every one of us, 55:59 we are told that there is a place here on this earth 56:03 in your vineyard where we can labor for you 56:07 I pray that you would take the decisions of those 56:10 who are standing here 56:12 and the decisions of those who have texted tonight 56:16 and I pray that you would seal those decisions, Father, 56:20 I pray that you would now prepare the places 56:26 where each one of us will go, 56:28 prepare the souls that each and every one of us will reach 56:32 piano... 56:35 thank you for your grace, 56:37 and it's our prayer that when you look at us tonight, 56:41 you will be pleased as you were when you looked at Solomon 56:44 that you will give us... 56:47 because we have a heart for others 56:51 all that we could have asked for, 56:55 thank you dear Lord 56:59 for hearing and answering this humble request, 57:02 for we ask all of these things in the precious name of Jesus, 57:08 let all of God's people say, 'amen. '" |
Revised 2019-05-02