Participants: Jim Reinking
Series Code: LDS
Program Code: LDS000023
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00:47 We're an anchor for those
00:50 who are hurting 00:54 We're a harbor for those 00:57 who are lost 01:00 Sometimes it's not always easy 01:07 bearing Calvary's cross 01:13 We've been ridiculed by those 01:17 who don't know Him 01:20 And mocked 01:22 by those who don't believe 01:26 Still I love standing up 01:29 for my Jesus 01:33 Cause of all that He's done for me 01:39 That's why I am not ashamed of the Gospel 01:46 The Gospel of Jesus Christ 01:52 I am not afraid to be counted 01:59 But I'm willing to give my life 02:05 See I'm ready to be 02:08 all He wants me to be 02:13 Give up the wrong for the right 02:18 No I am not ashamed of the Gospel 02:24 No I am not ashamed 02:28 of the Gospel of Jesus Christ 02:44 For every moment His hand 02:48 has held mercy 02:51 For all the love that's He's show 02:54 on my life 02:57 A simple thanks doesn't say what I'm feeling 03:03 Now I get tears in my eyes 03:11 So, as for me, I'm gonna keep on believing 03:17 In the one who's been so faithful to me 03:24 I'm not out to please this 03:26 whole world around me 03:30 I've got my mind on eternity 03:36 That's why I am not ashamed of the Gospel 03:44 The Gospel of Jesus Christ 03:49 No I am not afraid to be counted 03:57 But willing to give my life 04:02 See I'm ready to be 04:06 all He wants me to be 04:10 Give up the wrong for the right 04:16 No I am not ashamed of the Gospel 04:22 No I am not ashamed 04:26 of the Gospel of Jesus Christ 04:41 No I am not ashamed of the Gospel 04:48 No I am not ashamed of the Gospel 04:54 I've got too much behind me 04:59 to let this world blind me 05:02 To some He's a name, 05:05 but to me He's my everything 05:09 I am not ashamed of the Gospel 05:14 No, I am not ashamed of the Gospel 05:20 of Jesus Christ 05:32 Of Jesus Christ 05:54 You know, it's like Elder Bob Parker once said, 05:57 we--you know we can miss the mark by 18 inches 06:01 as preachers and evangelist and that is the, 06:04 this is between the mind and the heart 06:08 and both need to be engaged, don't they? 06:11 And as we talked about last night 06:13 we certainly have a message that is intellectually sound 06:16 and you know for those of us 06:18 who are particularly intellectual, 06:19 you know, orientation, 06:20 you know, we just love the intellectual part 06:22 of the message and it is a beautiful thing. 06:26 But the heart must be engaged as well 06:28 and that is the power of the union 06:31 between the spoken word 06:33 and the power of the gospel in music. 06:36 And I-- you know there are just new answers that 06:39 or expressed in song that the spoken word 06:42 just can quite reach. 06:44 Have you noticed that? 06:46 So anyway-- so we're talking about loving the Jesus, 06:50 talking about not being ashamed that the gospel, 06:53 well, we love the Lord Jesus Christ, 06:55 we will love His appearing. 06:58 We will look forward with great anticipation 07:01 to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. 07:04 And as we began sharing last night 07:06 you know, that is the beauty of the biblical message. 07:09 It is a message that is founded in the gospel 07:11 and then essential part of the gospel, is prophecy. 07:16 It's not the gospel or prophecy 07:19 there are part and parts of the same, 07:22 for what Jesus did at the cross of Calvary, 07:24 place out over time. 07:26 As I shared last night it means two fundamentals things 07:29 what Jesus did at Calvary means, 07:31 there is an end coming to the horrible mess 07:34 that we are in because of sin. 07:36 All the suffering and pain and the death is going on and-- 07:40 and He give a moment 07:41 it's coming to an end my friend, that is actually good news. 07:45 And then we have this wonderful future 07:48 that God has planned for us in that new heaven 07:51 and new earth that we just touched on last night. 07:53 We are gonna get into much more details 07:55 about those things but anyway it's-- 07:57 it's a wonderful thing if we understand it 08:00 in his it's proper-- proper context. 08:02 Take your Bibles and turn with me 08:03 the 2 Peter Chapter 3, 08:06 2 Peter 3 and beginning with verse-- 08:10 we'll be looking at verses 3 and 4 to begin with, 08:14 the subject is entitled 08:15 "Where is the promise of His coming." 08:18 Where is the promise of His coming, 08:20 2 Peter 3 and beginning with verse 3, 08:23 where it's says, well, I'm in 1 John, 08:26 so let me move over to the next page, 08:27 where it's says, "No this first of all 08:30 that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, 08:36 following after their own lusts." 08:38 You notice what their agenda is all about, 08:41 just pleasing themselves doing their own thing. 08:44 And they will be saying verse 4, 08:46 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming?" 08:49 where is it? 08:50 "For ever since the fathers fell asleep, 08:52 all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation." 08:58 And something they think about isn't it? 09:00 You know, since the very beginnings 09:02 of the advent movement we have been declaring 09:06 the eminent return of Jesus Christ, 09:09 the eminent return of Jesus. 09:11 The very foundations of this moment 09:13 the advent moment are founded on the belief 09:16 that we are living in the last days, 09:18 the closing hours of earth's history. 09:21 And we have been proclaiming this message 09:23 for over one hundred and sixty years 09:26 from our very subjected human perspective. 09:29 That seems like a very longtime, doesn't it? 09:32 We've been proclaiming it for again a longtime. 09:36 But not only are there-- 09:38 are there those outside of the church scoffing 09:41 at the idea of the coming of Jesus the promise of it. 09:45 But they are those even within the church 09:47 that are asking the question, where is it? 09:49 Is it really gonna happen, 09:50 we've been preaching this so long? 09:52 Well it ever happen? 09:54 Well, I'm gonna take you back in time, 09:56 you know, it's interesting 09:57 as you look at our movement historically, 10:00 there's some parts that-- but I remember J.F. Kennedy, 10:04 how many of you remember J.F. Kennedy 10:05 when he began the run for president of the United States. 10:09 And I remember-- I remember some of the things 10:12 that were being said in the church 10:13 at that period of time, 10:14 do some of you that go back remember 10:16 what they were saying, First Roman Catholic President. 10:19 Oh, we know prophecy is got to be fulfilled, 10:22 we know the end has to be right upon us, right? 10:27 And then right on heals of that I-- 10:29 I remember some talking about 1964. 10:32 Do you know 1964? 10:33 At least for some it was a very important year. 10:37 Because it marked a 120 years since 1844, 120 years 10:42 and I remember the text being quoted from Matthew 24, 10:45 where Jesus said, "As it was in the days of Noah 10:48 so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man." 10:51 And since Noah preached his message for 120 years 10:54 and then the end took place. 10:56 You've got kidding now Roman Catholic president 10:58 and then you've got-- 11:01 a 120 years we've been proclaiming it. 11:03 You know, this kind of stuff goes on, it goes on. 11:08 Then there are those, those who talk about the fact 11:12 we are on the verge of the 7th Millennium. 11:17 In fact, I've heard somebody put a date to it, 11:19 it's just a few years from that. 11:21 Did you know that? 11:22 All these dates I mean I wish people will get the-- 11:25 you know Matthew 24, 11:27 Jesus said, "No man knows day or the hour." 11:32 So this idea of day setting 11:33 we know, we are in the time of the end 11:35 we just don't know the day or the hour of it. 11:37 But they are those who say, 11:38 we're on the verge of the 7th Millennium 11:40 and of course we know the 7th Millennium 11:42 we're gonna be spending in heaven. 11:46 And we have seen these things come and go. 11:48 And let me tell you it is like crying wolf, wolf 11:53 and for those who us have gone through those experiences, 11:56 you go through enough of these experiences 11:57 it gets to the point where you-- 11:59 where you just want to say, 12:00 please spare me, please spare me. 12:05 When we preach the-- when we preach the prophecies 12:09 and they are biblical 12:11 and that's I pointing out there truly Christ centered 12:13 if properly understood. 12:15 When we preach the prophecies we need to do so responsibly. 12:21 And have been guilty sometimes are making predictions 12:27 we've been guilty of you know making representations 12:31 that I know some have come to regret. 12:35 I remember being in a workers meeting, 12:37 it would be the summer of 1972, 12:40 I would guess that you were there 12:42 because it was at my wedding 12:44 and I remember he happened to be an evangelist 12:47 and he had a-- he was appointed to speak to us pastors 12:52 and I remember that he was 12:54 predicting an eminent financial crisis, 12:58 the whole financial system was gonna go down 13:00 because we were leaving the gold standard. 13:04 J. R. was his first two initials and I remember that 13:08 and here we are right in another financial crisis. 13:13 So what are we're gonna do with it? 13:16 We can't totally ignore it 13:17 but we know that is part of the size 13:20 that we expect to be taking place 13:21 before the coming of Jesus, can we say this is it? 13:25 No, we have to be responsible in a representation of prophecy. 13:29 Do I hear an, amen out there at all? 13:31 Amen. 13:32 Yeah, we need to be responsible about it. 13:34 Could it happen? It could. 13:36 The point is we must be ready, regardless. 13:39 Amen. 13:41 But let us be careful 13:42 because we give the message a bad name. 13:45 We give prophecy you know, these representations 13:49 under mind the significance of prophecy. 13:53 And when these things come and go, 13:54 nothing really, really comes of it, 13:57 nothing really happens. 14:00 I remember-- I remember 14:01 when I was at college and I don't have any idea, 14:04 if you're hearing some of these things 14:05 but I sure was picking it up. 14:08 You know, how can we as a church 14:11 continue to be talking about the amendment return of Jesus 14:16 when it has been so long? 14:19 How can we be-- 14:20 be talking about His eminent return? 14:23 And some have concluded 14:24 that we can no longer in good faith, 14:27 we can no longer continue to proclaim the message 14:30 as we have and as a result 14:32 through significant segments of the church, 14:35 the message has been torn down and we lost to a certain extent 14:40 the sense of the urgency 14:42 of the times that we are living in. 14:44 And within the sense of the mission 14:46 that we've been called to as Christians, 14:50 and let me tell you this is a message 14:51 not just for Seventh-day Adventist Christians, 14:54 this is a message for all people of faith, 14:57 because it's biblical, amen. Amen. 15:00 It's not exclusively ours, 15:02 but God is very specially called us 15:05 for the purpose of getting this message out. 15:08 And others would have to stop those archaic, 15:11 those archaic 19 century practices 15:14 of evangelizing and proclaiming the prophecies. 15:20 Where are we in the stream of time? 15:23 This is gonna be the question 15:24 we are gonna be spending time out. 15:25 Where are we in the stream of time? 15:27 Are we indeed in the last days? Are we truly in the last days? 15:31 Is it just something we say, 15:32 something that's in the list of the things 15:34 that we supposedly believe? 15:37 Where are we in the stream of our time? 15:40 And my friend, as we look at the inspiration 15:43 it becomes clear we are in a time of delay. 15:48 We are in a time of delay. 15:51 You see the reason for the delay, 15:52 really should be a concern 15:53 for every true believer in Jesus Christ, 15:57 who looks forward to the coming of Jesus. 15:59 If indeed there is a delay, why is there a delay? 16:02 And I take you back to 2 Peter 3, 16:04 as we pick it up verse 9, in verse 9. 16:08 We're gonna read the first part of it. 16:10 I want you to notice the response 16:11 that we find in the word of God to this question, the mockers, 16:14 you know, where is the promise of His coming? 16:16 And here is the answer verse 9, 16:17 "The Lord is not slow about His promise, 16:20 as some count slowness, but His patient toward you, 16:25 not wishing for any to perish." 16:28 The Lord is not slow about His promise 16:30 as some would count slowness. 16:34 Right, some would count slowness. 16:36 You see, we have a very limited subject 16:39 due of time, don't we? 16:42 God has His own view about time, right? 16:47 The one who inhabits eternity, 16:50 I mean, the angels pass to Him 16:53 as if they were today 16:55 and what is going to be 16:56 as if they that already happened. 16:58 So God has a perspective about time 17:02 that we can't really, fully appreciate it, understand. 17:06 So this time the issue we really out not get too, 17:10 too carried away with, don't you think? 17:13 God has His timing and notice the first reason 17:17 we find is we look at verse 9, 17:19 why the promise has not yet been fulfilled 17:22 is because it says, 17:24 of the patience of God toward you, toward us. 17:29 Let me ask you the question, 17:31 where would you and I be, individually 17:33 where would be as a people 17:35 if it wasn't for the patience of God? 17:39 And the patience God speaks of the mercy of God, 17:41 doesn't it? 17:42 Of His great love and compassion is behind. 17:46 Really, why there's a delay is fundamental 17:48 to why there is a delay His patience toward you. 17:51 He doesn't wish for any to perish. 17:55 And by the way that's why we do evangelism 17:58 is because of the deep love that God has for those 18:01 who are lost and the tremendous desire 18:04 that He has that all would come to repentance, 18:08 yes, He would have all here 18:09 in Corvallis come to repentance. 18:14 You know, we were talking about this the other Jill, 18:16 and I-- we put up 49,000 broaches 18:18 wouldn't be wonderful, if we got 15%. 18:20 Wow, where will we have the meetings? 18:23 If we had just 10% response from the 49,000, 18:27 I mean-- we could still have a problem, wouldn't we? 18:29 We would figure it out, believe me, 18:30 we would figure it out, wouldn't we Jill, 18:32 by God's grace. 18:34 If we had 1% return but we don't see that, 18:38 this is the times that we live in, 18:40 this is the good old United States 18:42 its part of the culture, its part of the prosperity 18:46 I guess that is a part of-- of our way of life. 18:50 And at some point that all that sense of-- 18:53 you know, and that's gonna be disturbed at some point. 18:56 It's gonna disturb that sense of security 18:59 and I think things are gonna open up. 19:01 So what do we do? 19:04 It's tough, you know, they are not coming up 19:07 by the hundreds and thousands 19:08 we are not seeing Pentecost today, 19:09 not in the United States. 19:11 So we're just gonna wait, we're not gonna do anything. 19:15 No we're not just going to do anything 19:17 because the love of Jesus is a dynamic force in ones life. 19:23 And collectively the dynamism of the love and grace of Jesus, 19:29 is what moves us to share, 19:33 to reach out not just to share the doctrine of it 19:38 but to share the experience from it 19:42 that experience that is against centered in Jesus Christ 19:45 that is centered in the relationship. 19:51 And it's vital, absolutely vital. 19:54 I remember my-- my oldest son who is 27, 19:57 just turned 27, David was three months old 19:59 when I began this work. 20:00 So you can figure out the math on that. 20:02 Three months old when we-- 20:04 when we went on the road fulltime my family 20:07 until he was halfway through his first grade year. 20:11 That was an interesting experience 20:12 to put my two sons through. 20:15 And when you're in ministry 20:16 often you are one of the first ones at that meeting 20:18 and you're usually one of the very last 20:21 you often end up turning the lights off, 20:23 making sure the doors locked as you leave. 20:26 And I remember this one occasion, 20:27 David was probably three or four 20:30 he could have been five I guess but that age preschool 20:33 and I have been visiting with people 20:36 as at end of the meeting and David came up to me finally 20:40 and he took a hold that me and he look at me and said, 20:42 daddy, you are so poking. 20:46 You know and my oldest son is ADHD 20:49 that's the Attention Deficit Hyperactive 20:53 its part of the disorder, 20:56 you know my son was always on the go, 20:58 always knew at some point he would channel 21:00 that all that energy into something productive 21:04 and these in the process of that I believe. 21:06 But anyway so why, 21:07 you know, he wanted to get going. 21:11 I don't know how you feel about 21:12 this matter of the coming of Jesus 21:14 but I know that some of us, I hope most of us maybe 21:20 and all of us have that sense 21:22 when we think about that-- that earnest desire that, 21:26 it will happen that Jesus will come. 21:30 But you see sometimes we get just a little bit 21:32 too comfortable in the here 21:34 and now we get just a little bit too comfortable 21:37 let's be honest about it. 21:39 You know, most of us have a really pretty good ear, 21:45 maybe too good. 21:48 And so-- so have we lost our sense of anticipation. 21:53 And again why has a Lord not come? 21:56 Let me share with you a statement 21:57 this is from volume 2 The Testimonies, page 194 22:01 and notice the date of the statement 1868. 22:03 That's quite a long time ago from our perspective. 22:07 And this is what inspiration tells us, 22:09 "The long night of gloom is trying, 22:12 but the morning is" is what? 22:16 The word defer that's another word for delay. 22:20 The morning is delayed in, in what? 22:23 In mercy out of love. God is never arbitrary. 22:29 It is out of mercy, 22:30 it is out of His love that it is deferred 22:33 and this was been said back 1868. 22:36 "Because if the Master should come" 22:38 this is the reason. 22:39 "If the Master should come 22:40 so many would be found unready." 22:44 God can hardly stand the idea that His children would be lost. 22:49 And He sees there are 22:50 so many that are lost who are not ready, 22:52 if He should come they would be lost. 22:55 And He's not willing. 22:57 My friend, God is not going to act 23:00 prematurely in bringing it to an end. 23:04 God has a very specific plan, He has a very specific purpose 23:08 that's gonna be carried 23:09 and is been carried out in the end time. 23:11 There are certain things that have to be in place 23:15 before it ends 23:17 and that's where our understanding 23:19 of an insights prophecy are so vital, 23:23 because it helps us to understand 23:25 some of those essential things that are a part of God's plan 23:28 that must take place before the end happens. 23:33 And so--So many would be found unready, 23:36 as a reason and it goes on say 23:38 "God's unwillingness to have His people." 23:40 Now this gets a little bit closer to home. 23:41 That's you and me who profess the name of Jesus. 23:46 "God's unwillingness to have His people perish, 23:49 has been the reason of so long a delay." 23:55 So long a delay 1868, it's been even longer today 24:01 and that tells us that Jesus could have come long ago. 24:04 Of course you know, that one to be our advantage 24:06 because we would never been here 24:09 and if that means we will never be there. 24:13 But how long are we really let this go on 24:15 for future generations it's a never endless thing 24:17 if we begin to think about it. 24:20 My friend, Jesus sacrifice opens up 24:22 this whole wonderful future. 24:25 It's gonna happen in due time it's gonna happen. 24:27 2 Peter 3 and looking at verse 15, 24:32 2 Peter 3:15 and regard talking about the patience of God. 24:37 "Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation." 24:43 And it is for the purpose of our salvation. 24:46 Just again consider in your own experience, 24:49 many of us know something about the patience of God. 24:52 God has waited for some of us a longtime 24:55 before we responded 24:57 and before we came to Him, right. 24:59 I say it again where would we be 25:01 without the patience of Jesus? 25:05 Which means, if God's patience with us 25:07 we are to be patience with one another, 25:09 shouldn't we? 25:12 And for the same reason that He is patience 25:14 because of love. 25:16 Love is not something to be hold something, 25:18 love is something to be spread and shared 25:24 and that is what gives 25:26 the proclamation of the message a power, 25:30 when as the love of Jesus, 25:31 experienced and shared by His people. 25:35 That is what you know 25:37 that's often the element that's missing. 25:39 It's really are, it really-- this is all about people. 25:43 It's all about you, it's all about me, 25:47 it's all about the people out there in Corvallis, 25:49 it's all about those are lost. 25:51 You know, again we do evangelism 25:54 because of the high price that God paid for our redemption. 25:58 It is because what Jesus was willing to do at Calvary, 26:01 the value He place on a single soul 26:05 is the reason why we do, what we do. 26:10 And there is no other reason 26:11 and if there are another fundamental reason, 26:13 then it really in some ways a departure 26:17 from that fundamental reason 26:18 of why we do, what we do? 26:20 So it is vital. It's important. 26:25 These are my two sons, David and Kevin. 26:27 David on the right side 26:29 we had this from a couple of years ago, 26:32 we have been to Bend, Oregon. 26:33 We have gone to ski and it rained the whole time. 26:39 It was slushy and so anyway but anyway then at Bend 26:45 and but I'm going back, 26:46 I'm gonna share a story about them 26:47 going back to the spring of 2004, 26:49 my youngest son Kevin, 26:50 the one on the left side there Kevin and called him my-- 26:54 used to call him my mellow fellow Kevin 26:57 decided to try living on his own. 26:59 He moved in with some friends at a duplex. 27:03 And one evening my oldest son 27:05 David was there with Kevin and some of their friends, 27:08 they were playing videogames and-- 27:09 you know having a good time together. 27:11 When some suddenly somebody burst in 27:13 through the front door with a gun drawn 27:15 a young man with a gun drawn. 27:18 And he came in nobody knew him, 27:19 but he came in demanding to know where is it? 27:24 In fact he came over to my oldest son 27:27 and he pointed that gun right in his face 27:31 and he cocked it and he said, I want to know where it is? 27:34 What they didn't know my son's didn't know 27:37 that previous renters have been dealing in drugs. 27:40 So we don't know if they were after drugs, 27:42 money or just what it was but he was intense. 27:46 And in fact he then turning the gun 27:49 pointed towards my youngest son and fired it. 27:53 That bullet lodged in the wall. 27:56 My sons kept this from their parents 27:58 for a period of time. 28:02 But finally shared it and I will tell you those of you 28:05 who are parents you understand 28:07 I just had that's sinking feeling, 28:10 I just was so thankful 28:11 that you know something horrible hadn't happen 28:13 but it could have happened. 28:15 Had been the preacher that I'm I couldn't help 28:17 but saying to my son 28:18 I turned to preach too much at them. 28:21 Okay, you know there is a disadvantage growing up 28:23 and a preachers home because, you know, 28:25 you are living with a preacher. 28:27 So you know I tried to modulate that a little bit 28:30 but I couldn't help to saying to them David, 28:31 Kevin, if that have been the end of your days, 28:34 where would you have spend the eternity, 28:36 because that was in my heart and have this in my mind 28:40 because I want them to be saved, 28:42 I want them to be there. 28:48 Let's look at 2 Peter 3 again, 28:51 let's read verse 9 we didn't read all of it. 28:55 2 Peter 3:9, 28:58 "The Lord is not slow about His promise, 29:00 as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, 29:03 not wishing for any to perish 29:06 but for all to come to repentance." 29:09 We've been talking this, for all to come to repentance. 29:12 In 1 Timothy 2:4 it says, 29:14 "Of God who desires all men to be saved 29:17 and to come to the knowledge of," what? 29:21 He wants them to be saved 29:22 and He wants them to come to the knowledge of the truth. 29:25 And the truth is about whom? It's a truth about God. 29:28 It's a truth about God 29:30 and when He is done for the human race, 29:32 it's the truth about His love, 29:34 it is a truth about His salvation. 29:37 And every thing, every element or truth 29:40 that we find in this book, this powerful dynamic book 29:44 in some way relates us 29:47 to a deeper understanding of who God is, 29:50 what's in His mind and what is in His heart 29:53 toward us His children 29:56 that's what it really is all about. 29:58 But He wants all to the come to the knowledge of the truth. 30:02 And my friend, that's what we're sharing, 30:03 we're sharing something about the truth, 30:05 the truth as it is in Jesus Christ. 30:08 There is no other truth than that 30:10 which is been given to us. 30:12 And He longs, He longs for us to be ready, 30:15 and He longs for us to help 30:17 others to be ready for His coming. 30:20 In Acts of the Apostles page 110 30:22 a statement that was given in 1911, 30:25 I'm giving you a little bit of the historical background 30:28 by giving you the dates. 30:30 Inspiration tells us "Long has God waited 30:34 for the spirit of service 30:36 to take possession of how much to the church? 30:40 "Of the whole church so that everyone 30:43 shall be working for Him 30:45 according to his or hers ability." 30:50 God never ask us to do something 30:52 for which we are not qualified to do 30:55 and thus we have talents 30:56 and we have gifts-- spiritual gifts. 30:59 That qualify us to play our-- 31:02 do our part in sharing the message. 31:07 And that's why I said the announcement 31:08 I know if we picked it up. 31:10 I said let's go together, okay. 31:13 This is just to sit back 31:14 and let's let the evangelist preach, 31:16 let him do all of the work, 31:18 we're paying him to do 31:19 and then the pastor his getting paid too he can help out. 31:24 No, this is for all of us and I invite you, 31:27 be a part of the spiritual process. 31:28 There is a blessing in this, 31:30 there is true joy, be a part of it. 31:33 I tell you this is gonna be-- there is joy in this. 31:36 The next six weeks 31:37 that we are gonna be spending together. 31:39 We're gonna have people to-- to get to know, 31:42 that we are gonna make some really wonderful decisions. 31:45 I tell you-- it really, 31:46 it's just all about people 31:47 I just finish a series at Thousands Oaks, California. 31:50 I had an Syrian orthodox believer coming 31:55 44 years of old, he was an engineer 31:58 didn't know that about two months before that series 32:00 he had brain cancer and had an operation. 32:04 And was continuing, 32:05 has similar neurological problems 32:07 that became a little more apparent 32:08 as we were going through. 32:11 That one night three weeks into the series 32:14 he had a grand mal seizure 32:15 right in the middle of our series of meetings 32:18 and I tell you we just paused to pray for him, for Edwin. 32:23 And I tell you that the Lord was just 32:26 you know and he was opened 32:28 I think what he was going through really opened him up. 32:32 And I remember as we were talking about his faith 32:36 and his up brain he said, it was so ritualistic. 32:39 You know, its some ritualistic 32:41 and I said, yeah, yeah, the Bibles with golden case 32:44 and they had jewels over them 32:45 and the priest probably kissed that Bible at certain point 32:48 and he said, yeah, 32:49 but they never taught us anything. 32:51 Didn't teach us anything from the Bible 32:54 and he was just thrilled 32:56 to be hearing night by night 32:57 the truth to discover the beautiful truths 33:00 that we just sometimes say for granted 33:02 for the word of the God and the excitement, 33:04 here he has a grand mal seizure, 33:05 911 is called the ambulance shows up, 33:08 they stabilize him they want to take him to the hospital, 33:10 he said, I came to hear the subject 33:11 I'm going back in and he did. 33:19 It's about people who don't know. 33:23 Same series of meeting I had two-- 33:26 two Muslims who came to our meetings. 33:30 And I remember Mona 33:32 she was struggling with this all the world religions 33:34 but she was wondering something 33:36 about Christianity it had been in the process of learning 33:38 about Christianity for sometime 33:40 but she was trying to sort this all out I said, 33:42 Mona, you know you try to figure 33:44 this out about all of the world religions, 33:46 Buddhism and all of it it's gonna take you a lifetime 33:48 and you still won't figured out, 33:50 it really comes down to this one fundamental issue. 33:54 Most religions will agree there is a problem with sin 33:57 and the question is, does one need a Savior? 34:02 Does one need a Savior? 34:03 And I said there is only one world religion 34:05 that offers a Savior it's the Christian religion. 34:09 And you know that-- 34:11 that is what let her to make a decision 34:14 and when she made her decision to be baptized into Jesus Christ 34:18 and by the way it was fascinating, 34:20 when several weeks into this series 34:23 she made the discovery that Jesus in His humanity was a Jew. 34:28 She hadn't known that. 34:31 And you could imagine, 34:32 you know, but you know that she was alright with that. 34:35 And then her older brother John 34:37 who was coming and studying the Bible I tell you-- 34:40 it was a thing a beauty to see 34:42 what the spirit of Jesus was doing 34:44 in their life and experience. 34:47 And to see Mona make that experience 34:49 and that's her testimony. 34:50 And my friend Mike Brownfield 34:52 one of the pastors in that church 34:54 said to me I wish I had a videotape for 15 minutes 34:57 just spontaneously she was sharing her decision for Jesus. 35:01 She said, I decided I needed a Savior. 35:05 That was a great decision to make, 35:08 I needed a Savior. 35:09 So that's all what is all about, isn't it? 35:12 But how its gonna happen? 35:14 You know, each of us working for His service it says, 35:18 "When the member of the church of God 35:20 do their appointed work in the needy fields 35:22 at home and abroad, 35:23 in fulfillment of gospel commission, 35:25 the whole world will soon be warned 35:27 and the Lord Jesus will return to this earth 35:30 with power and great glory." 35:32 One of the things that is a part an essential part 35:35 of God's plan is that the message 35:38 must go to the whole world. 35:39 We talk about this so we know this, don't we? 35:42 And when He gone through the whole world 35:44 under the mighty power of the Holy Spirit 35:45 it will be finished, this called the latter rain. 35:49 When it is finish that He will come. 35:52 That is where-- what the prophecies tell us, 35:54 He will come but He has ordained 35:57 and He has purpose that He is going to finish 36:00 His work through His people. 36:03 He could do it through angels, He could Himself do it. 36:07 He is always behind it but my friend, 36:09 He's ordained us for this purpose to share it 36:15 and its not gonna be done and-- 36:17 and well that gives a lot of responsibly on us 36:20 but remember all of God's biddings are in their beliefs 36:25 that which God ordains us to do He qualifies 36:28 and empowers us to do 36:32 through the grace of Jesus, right? 36:33 Amen. 36:35 So we're not looking you know, 36:37 go out there and finish it. 36:38 No, we must make ourselves available. 36:41 And so there's gonna be a sweeping revival 36:42 that's gonna come, that's gonna prepare 36:44 the way for the work to be done. 36:47 So God-- God has given us a prophetic message 36:50 He has to prepare us for the coming of Jesus. 36:55 It's an interracial part-- 36:56 prophecy is an interracial part of God's last day message 37:00 and we will establish as a people for this purpose. 37:03 We will. 37:04 Take a look at 2 Peter 3:10. 37:08 2 Peter 3:10 it's says, 37:10 "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, 37:13 in which the heavens will pass away with a roar 37:16 and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, 37:19 and the earth and its works will be burned up." 37:22 I mean that's-- that's kind of stuff. 37:23 If you really just focus in on that's kind of fearful 37:26 the world's gonna coming to an end 37:27 it's gonna be burned up is what it's talking about. 37:31 And I can remember when I was living in places 37:34 like Washington as a little kid preschool 37:37 probably four or five years of age 37:38 I was playing it was summer 37:39 I was playing several blocks 37:41 away they were building a church, 37:43 a Lutheran church if I remember correctly 37:46 and they had all these mounts of dirt. 37:48 It was just perfect playground for boys of my age 37:52 with all the little cars and stuff 37:53 and so I was there with some of my playmates, 37:56 playing and I happen casually to look up into the blue sky 38:00 and I saw this cloud 38:01 which in my childish imagination 38:03 I probably been hearing in the Sabbath school 38:05 or maybe my from my mother 38:09 but I looked over the sky and I saw this cloud 38:11 which in my childish imagination looked like a man's hand. 38:16 And I thought to myself 38:17 and I forgot all about playing immediately, 38:20 I thought you know Jesus is coming. 38:23 I got up and I began running to home 38:25 and I was thinking 38:26 I don't know that I'm ready. 38:28 When I was at four or five years, 38:29 I don't know if I'm ready. 38:31 And so I'm going through I'm reviewing my life you know, 38:34 you know reviewing my life 38:36 because I was this mischievous little kid. 38:38 Okay, mischievous maybe I had hyper active things too 38:41 that my oldest son inherited probably from me. 38:44 And so I'm running home, 38:45 I'm going through reviewing my life, yeah, 38:47 you know I'm getting in trouble 38:49 and but then I began to think yeah, 38:52 but you know at night 38:53 when you're sleeping you can't get into trouble. 38:56 So I thought like it was like scales 38:58 of baby weight out you know, 39:00 because you seem like you did a lot of sleeping at that age, 39:03 you know, and his parents should say 39:06 praise the Lord they do a lot of sleeping 39:08 those little once that are active, right? 39:11 But you know and it's not really 39:13 that way we don't weight out that way. 39:16 But think about it 39:17 how so being it really would be on one hand 39:20 when Jesus really does come 39:21 and again the vital question is, 39:23 are we going to be ready? 39:26 I will refer you to do parable 39:29 of the other virgins, the ten virgins. 39:34 Remember that in Matthew 25 remember it's says, 39:38 "While the bridegroom tarried 39:41 they all" wise and foolish, they all what? 39:45 "Slumbered and slept." 39:48 My friend, were asleep? Were asleep? 39:53 And God is trying to stir us. 39:55 And that's why some of these things are happening, 39:57 He's trying to stir people. 39:58 He is trying waken them up to things. 40:01 Not in the church but outside of the church, 40:04 He's trying to stir us up, He's trying to waken us. 40:09 And again we must-- 40:10 we must be ready for His coming. 40:12 Take a look at 1 Thessalonians 5, 40:15 1 Thessalonians 5:2-6. 40:21 1 Thessalonians Chapter 5 40:24 and here it is if we begin with verse 2. 40:28 Where, it's says, "For you yourselves" 40:30 you yourselves "know full well that the day of the Lord 40:33 will come just like a thief in the night. 40:36 While they are saying, 'Peace and safety,' 40:38 then destruction will come upon them suddenly, 40:41 like labor pains upon a woman with child 40:43 and they shall not escape." 40:46 It's gonna come suddenly 40:48 it is as over and over in the scriptures. 40:51 It's gonna be unexpected. 40:55 And what a shame it would be having known this message 40:58 that it would be catch us by surprise 41:00 when it really does happen. 41:03 That would be pretty horrible 41:04 wouldn't that actually having known 41:06 but yet you know, we have been asleep. 41:09 Because of verse 4 says, 41:10 "But you, brethren, are not in darkness, 41:13 that the day would overtake you like a thief, 41:16 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. 41:19 We are not of night nor of darkness, 41:20 so then let us not sleep as others do, 41:23 but let us be alert and sober." 41:27 In other words he is saying 41:28 we got wake up, we got to wake up. 41:33 And again it's a beautiful thing, 41:34 it's a wonderful thing, it's starling yes-- 41:39 it does mean that final crisis is gonna come, 41:42 yes it means that, 41:43 but remember the consummation of all our hopes 41:47 is what it really is all about. 41:51 Because we're talking about the coming 41:53 the return of Jesus 41:55 and that's the one that loved us 41:58 with an everlasting love. 42:00 He is the one that died for us. 42:02 He is the one that has captivated us 42:06 and brought us to Himself 42:08 and He is the one that is returning. 42:12 This is so relational I don't know 42:14 how much more relational prophecy can be then that. 42:17 Don't you think? 42:19 He hasn't forgotten us. He's coming back for us. 42:24 You know, when-- when I was younger 42:27 I seemed to be always to be finding. 42:29 I am time at 15-16 I seemed to be finding out 42:31 I went through a series of girlfriends 42:33 and they all seemed to be living miles away. 42:35 I don't know what that says like. 42:36 About I was little bit Mosses like 42:37 so they want a lot of young Christian women 42:41 of my age where I was at. 42:43 But I found myself writing these voluminous letters. 42:47 I remember my first girlfriend Linda Streeter 42:49 who lived in Stanwood, Washington. 42:51 I met her at camp meeting, 42:53 camp meetings are wonderful thing you know. 42:54 I met her at Auburn camp meeting. 42:56 And so she was going to Auburn Academy 42:59 I was a freshman that year. 43:01 So were writing these letters, this pre-email, 43:04 believe it or not young people pre-email. 43:07 We didn't have cell phones 43:08 and what this is called 43:09 with something you rarely ever did. 43:12 I remember sneaking down to a payphone 43:15 and making a long distance, I just have talk to her. 43:19 I haven't seen her, I haven't talk to her for-- 43:21 I just had talked to her and I didn't know the operator 43:23 when I said charge it to my home number. 43:25 He would actually call up that number 43:27 and my father answer the phone. 43:30 And but did I hear a lecture he let it go through but-- 43:33 but did I get a lecture about you 43:35 just don't make long distance call, Jim. 43:37 Don't ever do that again. 43:41 So, you know, I would read these letters 43:43 she would send 43:45 and oh, you know I'd been in my room 43:47 that I would write, you know, 43:48 I go through one draft, two draft 43:50 I wanted her to know that I was articulate. 43:52 So sometimes it was three drafts I'd to send it all. 43:55 And then I would wait with anticipation for her to write. 44:00 Eventually, she stopped writing 44:02 that was pretty horrible at that point to go through 44:05 but let me tell you going through that process. 44:08 As wonderful as those letters were 44:10 it was never the same 44:12 as when I was able to be with her 44:15 even to hold her hand, you know. 44:18 And my friend, as wonderful as God's word is 44:21 and it's wonderful as thou should be 44:22 as this Sabbath morning and another Sabbaths. 44:25 My friend it is not the same 44:28 as it's going to be when Jesus comes 44:30 and we see Him face to face. 44:33 And we're in the presence of a power 44:37 that is so overwhelming and yet so loving 44:42 or just gonna be filled with joy 44:44 just over flowing with joy. 44:47 But you know that begins here now. 44:50 That's what's really it's all about. 44:55 And so, oh yes Katrina. I remember Katrina. 44:58 Do you remember Katrina? 45:00 2004 wasn't it somewhere back then 2005 45:03 I guess it was. 45:04 I remember they were interviewing a lady 45:05 who was living on the Gulf Coast. 45:10 You know, all the damage that taking place. 45:12 This is I think Mississippi coastline. 45:15 And so they're interviewing her 45:17 and she is talking about the fact, 45:19 you know, we've lived here 45:20 for a very long time for decades 45:21 they actual lived there. 45:23 In a beautiful home right there on the coastline. 45:25 And she said, "We've heard these warnings 45:27 before, they come and gone." 45:30 But she said, "You know, we always get these warnings 45:33 but the storms would come." 45:34 And but in the background 45:38 you could see they didn't survived this one. 45:40 The house was totally devastated. 45:43 They heard the warnings 45:45 so often they just kind of came to ignore it. 45:50 That surely couldn't happen to us, could it? 45:53 Could it? 45:55 I'd hope it wouldn't happen to us. 45:57 Matthew 24:44 45:58 "For this reason you be ready too, 46:00 for the Son of Man is coming at an hour 46:02 when you do not think He will." 46:05 When we think He isn't, it couldn't happen now 46:08 it couldn't happen now. 46:09 It is the very time in which it could happen. 46:11 Going through the Testimonies page 255, 46:14 the statement 1873. 46:16 "Faith in the soon coming of Christ is waning. 46:19 'My Lord delayeth His coming' 46:21 is not only said in the heart, but expressed in words 46:23 and most decidedly in works." 46:25 Stupidity in the sense of a stupor. 46:29 Okay, the word stupor is what it should be used here. 46:32 "In this watching time 46:34 it's sealing the senses of God's people 46:36 as to the signs of the times." 46:37 That's a danger, particularly those of us 46:40 who known us for so many years, 46:41 those of us who have been raised in it, 46:43 we've heard this, we've would known this, 46:45 we refer to preach, 46:46 that we read it in Sabbath school. 46:48 You know, we know these things about 46:51 but just kind of after a while, you know, you've heard it 46:55 so often it just kind of rolls off your back. 46:59 That's the danger of it. 47:02 And you know, there is one that wants us 47:03 to just roll off a back 47:04 I was holding a series in little Cathlamet, Washington 47:07 back in the spring of 2004. 47:08 I had a Pentecostal couple attending 47:10 and in new process 47:12 we covered up Spirit of Prophecy 47:14 had some of the Ellen White's writings. 47:17 And Trina picked up 47:18 a few of her books took them home 47:21 and the first one she read 47:23 was this book right here this compilation 47:26 "Last Day Events." 47:27 Then take about a few days to read it 47:29 and she came back early to the meeting 47:31 one night before anybody was coming. 47:33 And she told me, she said, I just read this book 47:35 and I've got a couple of questions 47:36 I want to ask you. 47:37 She said, first of all she said, 47:39 "I want to know do you people really believe this?" 47:42 I'll tell you this thing has so stirred her, 47:45 what she had read in this book 47:47 about the end times had so stirred her, 47:49 she wanted to know, do you people 47:50 really believe this? 47:53 Of course I tried to assure her that we did 47:55 but then her next question was 47:57 if you do what are you doing about it? 48:01 What are you doing about it? 48:03 That really caused me to search my heart. 48:06 What are we doing about it? 48:09 And then I want to end the 2 Peter 3:11, 12. 48:14 2 Peter Chapter 3 48:17 and I'm gonna end here in this chapter. 48:20 And beginning what did I say? 48:22 Its 2 Peter not 1 Peter we want. 48:24 2 Peter 3 and I said verse 11 here it is. 48:27 It says "Since all these things 48:29 are to be to be destroyed in this way, 48:32 what sort of people ought you to be 48:35 in holy conduct and godliness." 48:39 One of the crucial questions in all this 48:41 is how do we get ready for the coming of Jesus? 48:44 And by the way we've started a revival this morning 48:48 when we were doing evangelism 48:49 and I were doing the revival Sabbath morning 48:51 for the church. 48:52 And the next presentation, next Sabbath morning 48:56 the revival is Christ our righteousness 49:00 in which I'll share with you 49:01 how we get ready for the coming of Jesus. 49:06 Holy conduct and godliness, what is that talking about? 49:09 Holy conduct comes out of a holy relationship 49:13 I'll say that much. 49:14 Verse 12 "Looking for 49:15 and hastening the coming of the day of God." 49:19 Now we're looking for but it says we have to hasten 49:22 and we can hasten it by making ourselves 49:24 available to be used of God, right? 49:31 Last statement, in which it says 49:34 "Christ is waiting with longing desire 49:37 for the manifestation of Himself" 49:41 the manifestation of Himself where? 49:44 In His church. 49:46 He is not waiting for us to become 49:48 more doctrinally clear, 49:51 He is waiting for the manifestation 49:55 for us to make ourselves available 49:57 for the manifestation of Himself. 49:59 You see, there is far more 50:01 in this matter of sharing the gospel 50:03 with the whole world than just-- getting up 50:06 and proclaiming it and preaching and teaching it 50:08 that it is a part of it, it is a part it. 50:10 But there is something that is much deeper, 50:12 much more powerful, 50:13 it must come out of one's heart, 50:15 it must come out of one's experience. 50:17 And it must not just be the pastor or the evangelist, 50:19 it must be our collective experience in Jesus. 50:23 Jesus Manifested through us 50:25 that's what we're talking about. 50:28 And my friend, that is a thing of beauty. 50:31 The doctor never approach, doesn't really focus in on that 50:34 so much but it's Christ in you 50:37 the hope of glory that we're talking about. 50:41 "So it's the manifestation of Himself in His church. 50:43 When the character of the Savior." 50:45 And the character of the Savior is in the word, 50:49 "love, compassion, and mercy." 50:53 "When the character of the Savior 50:54 shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, 50:57 then He will come to claim His own. 51:02 It is the privilege of every Christian, 51:03 not only to look for, 51:04 but to hasten, the coming of our Lord. 51:07 Were all who profess His name bearing fruit to His glory, 51:10 how quickly the whole world would be sown 51:13 with the seed of the gospel. 51:15 Quickly the last great harvest would be ripened, 51:18 and Christ would come." 51:19 In the last moments we know, they will be very rapid ones, 51:22 but they're gonna come out of the people, 51:25 us revived and stirred 51:28 by the love and grace of Jesus 51:30 the outpouring of the Holy Spirit 51:31 and all of those things we know. 51:34 It's our privilege to experience. 51:37 Here now, here now and let it begin here. 51:42 Yeah, they're longing in your heart, 51:43 your long to see Jesus, the long that to see Him come, 51:47 just raise your hand where you're at 51:49 and I want you to listen as we conclude 51:52 as Janice sings this beautiful song 51:55 "When the Time Comes." 52:14 Cleanse me, Lord 52:19 Of all my silly, sad charades 52:26 How I want to be 52:31 all and only Yours 52:36 Take away the clutter 52:39 in my life everyday 52:45 And make me like a child at play 52:58 Give me joy 53:02 I love to laugh and cry with You 53:08 You've become a friend 53:13 with me all the time 53:19 Help me to be patient 53:22 as I watch and as I pray 53:29 Growing in Your love each day 53:36 Lord, show me the way 53:41 When the time comes 53:46 I want Him to know me 53:50 When the time comes 53:55 I want to be there 53:58 When the time comes 54:04 I want to be ready 54:11 When Jesus 54:16 comes to take me, 54:19 take me home 54:36 Fill me, Lord 54:42 I want Your love to overflow 54:48 Running free through me 54:53 to a lonely world 54:58 Let me share that simple truth 55:02 that sets people free 55:07 How I want them all 55:11 to see Lord 55:16 how it can be 55:20 When the time comes 55:24 I want Him to know me 55:29 When the time comes 55:33 I want to be there 55:36 When the time comes 55:43 I want to be ready 55:50 When Jesus comes to take me 55:58 When my Jesus 56:05 comes to take me 56:08 When Jesus 56:16 comes to take me 56:21 Take me home |
Revised 2014-12-17