Participants: Jim Reinking
Series Code: LDS
Program Code: LDS000028
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00:34 And I want to begin with the text
00:35 that ought to be well familiar to all of us. 00:38 It's in Revelation 12:17. 00:41 You know this text, don't you? 00:43 "And the dragon was wroth" 00:45 That's an old English word for angry. 00:49 "The dragon was wroth with the woman, 00:51 and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, 00:54 which keep the commandments of God, 00:56 and have the testimony of Jesus." 01:00 In fact that is basically 01:02 the message of Revelation Chapter 12. 01:04 We have conflict, we have war 01:07 and we have an enemy that is angry. 01:12 Actually needs a little bit of angry management, 01:15 if you think about it. 01:16 And by the way, God has committed Himself 01:18 to providing a little bit of angry management. 01:22 He is not gonna let you get totally out of control, 01:25 but nevertheless he is angry 01:27 and he is angry with whom? 01:28 He is angry with the people of God. 01:31 And though we know that God has His people 01:33 scattered throughout Christianity 01:36 we believe that Seventh-day Adventist are unique 01:39 that God's purpose in the reformation, 01:42 now follow me, that God's purpose on the reformation 01:45 will find it's full fulfillment through the advent movement. 01:49 When all things will be restored 01:51 Jesus refers to this the Matthew 17:10. 01:55 And the work of God will be finished on earth. 01:59 Yes indeed Satan is angry, 02:02 he is angry with God's remnant people 02:04 who keep the commandments of the God 02:06 and have the testimony of Jesus which Revelation 19:10 02:11 identifies as the Spirit of Prophecy. 02:14 And by the way, we believe that Ellen White was called 02:17 to that prophetic ministry. 02:20 The evil one, the evil one has declared war against us 02:24 and he is working to undermine our sense of identity 02:27 as God's remnant people to confuse our understanding 02:31 of the message entrusted to us 02:34 and to silence the prophetic voice 02:36 among us thus preventing us 02:38 from fulfilling the worldwide mission 02:40 we've been called to. 02:42 While we are in our Laodicean condition-- you know about 02:47 the Laodicean condition don't you? 02:49 Take Revelation 3 out this afternoon 02:51 if you want to re-familiarize yourself 02:54 with the seventh church it's the last church 02:57 and as we have it in sequence there chapter 1-3. 03:01 Well, we remain in our Laodicean condition, 03:04 my friend, he is working feverishly to derail 03:08 and destroy this movement. 03:11 Though we must never forget that the Lord Jesus will defend 03:15 and preserve His people, 03:17 we cannot afford to be passive. 03:20 We must act our part boldly 03:22 in the love and the Spirit of Jesus 03:24 in defending our message and mission. 03:29 And my friend, there is a defense 03:30 that needs to be put up, 03:32 because remember again, whose ought to get us? 03:36 Who is angry with us? 03:39 Who is determined to take us down? 03:43 Satan, yes. Satanist, yes. 03:49 And so my friend, as we talk about our Laodicean condition 03:52 and all these things that are taking place against us 03:56 it means that one of our greatest needs 03:59 is for revival and reformation 04:03 is one of if not the most important of our needs. 04:07 And I want to remind you of some of the elements 04:10 that are vital in the process of revival and reformation. 04:16 Number one, it is a call 04:18 to a re-committed relationship with Jesus Christ. 04:22 In a committed relationship with Jesus 04:25 and if we're in the committed relationship with Jesus 04:27 it means that we are going to have 04:29 a daily experience in the Word of God. 04:33 The Bible is foundation 04:35 to our relationship with the Jesus Christ. 04:37 And number three, I would add 04:39 the importance of the study of the Sprit of Prophecy. 04:43 The prophetic gift is vital 04:47 if there is gonna be revival among us as the people. 04:51 And number four, we need to be active in prayer. 04:53 And if we're in this relationship 04:55 I mean if you're not, if you are 04:57 in the relationship you know 04:58 that there is this interaction 05:01 that must take place between two individuals 05:04 and suddenly it's true in a relationship 05:06 with God through Jesus Christ 05:08 that is why our prayer life is so vitally important to us. 05:13 And number five, if we are really 05:15 in the committed relationship 05:17 we will be sharing our faith, our faith with others. 05:22 My friend, as we talk about the importance 05:25 of the scriptures, the Bible, 05:27 the Bible is fundamental to our understanding, 05:31 to understanding our message 05:33 and is vital to every genuine revival. 05:37 The Scriptures alone are the foundation of our teachings 05:41 and must continue to be so. 05:44 This we must never lose sight of. 05:48 It is our fidelity to the scriptures 05:51 in our commitment to Jesus 05:52 that will preserve us 05:54 from the dissections of the evil one. 05:57 We must through faith make God's word 06:00 the foundation of our individual experiences 06:03 the focal point of our worship services 06:06 and in the process I believe we need 06:08 to reexamined the vital role 06:11 of our Sabbath school programs within the church, 06:16 uniquely designed 06:19 where we can come together in small groups 06:21 to open the Word of God to discuss the Word of God. 06:25 My friends, Sabbath school is vital in our process 06:29 of continuing the study of the scriptures 06:31 and to make them the focal point of the life of the church. 06:34 Worship is important, but it cannot take the place. 06:38 I believe on bias I'll admit it 06:41 cannot take the place of our Sabbath schools. 06:44 Seem now I don't know if you agree with me or not? 06:47 I guess it doesn't really matter, 06:49 because I'm the one up here preaching. 06:52 And then I take you to this statement 06:54 that Ellen White makes in the book 06:56 Christian Experience and Teaching of Ellen G. White 07:00 where she says "We have nothing to fear for the future, 07:04 except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, 07:08 and His teaching in our past history." 07:14 We have nothing to fear except if we forget, 07:20 we forget our past history, if we forget who we are, 07:26 that God historically establish this movement 07:30 and that He entrusted us with a message 07:33 and He has commissioned us to take it, 07:35 take it to the whole world. 07:38 My friend, it's a drift that's taking place in the church 07:43 and we're losing impart a sense of again this throaty 07:48 of the place of our message as relates 07:50 to our commitment to Jesus Christ 07:53 and we must not let that happen. 07:57 We must never forget that the things 08:00 that the elements that make up 08:02 the essence of our message 08:06 my friend, have our historically sound. 08:10 God has entrusted us with, with that message. 08:13 This morning I want to focus in on the prophetic gift 08:16 that is been so vital in our experience as a people. 08:20 I invite you to your Bibles 08:21 and turn with me the Daniel Chapter 9, 08:24 Daniel 9 we're gonna be looking at verse 10. 08:27 And as we come to Daniel 9:10 we find that Daniel 08:30 is an interstitial prayer for his people. 08:33 He is been in captivity with many of his people, 08:36 in Babylon some 70 years. 08:40 And he knows that the time of restoration has come 08:43 and so we find that impart 08:45 he is confessing the sins of his people. 08:49 And notice what we find as we look at Daniel 9:10 08:53 he confesses "Nor have we obeyed 08:56 the voice of the Lord our God, 08:58 to walk in His teachings which He set before us 09:02 through His servants the prophets." 09:09 That was one of the great mistakes 09:11 of God's people in the Old Testament. 09:15 Indeed the people of God 09:16 in past ages had paid an awful price 09:20 for neglecting or rejecting 09:23 the prophetic gift in their midst. 09:25 And my friend, we cannot afford to make the same mistake. 09:29 We must reject an emphasis in our time on a spirituality 09:35 that is not clearly linked to God's word. 09:41 It's what I called the Oprah Winfrey 09:44 spirituality, mentality. 09:47 And as in many churches 09:49 and it's seeping into our church as well. 09:52 It's an emphasis on a spirituality 09:54 again that is not embedded in the teachings 09:57 the foundational teachings of the Word of God. 10:00 And my friend, you can always count on it 10:03 in the life of the church 10:04 if somehow the Bible is been undermined, 10:07 is becoming secondary in the life of the church. 10:10 You have to know that something is not right. 10:14 It's not just a fuzzy warm feeling. 10:16 Oh yes, I believe that there is joy in the love 10:18 and the grace of Jesus to be sure. 10:22 But my friend, that love and joy 10:24 that we find in Jesus will always recognize 10:26 how vitally important the Bible 10:29 is to us individually and to us as a people. 10:34 Historically we've been known as the people of the book 10:38 and may that never change. 10:40 When I was in Kenya 10:42 during the series of meeting years ago, 10:45 I was in the conference 10:46 where they had over 180,000 members. 10:50 I have never been in that size of conference 10:52 in my life and they said, 10:53 you know, we're gonna advertise 10:55 that the Adventist are having meetings. 10:57 And when the people hear 10:58 that Adventist are be going to putting on meetings 11:00 they are going to becoming 11:01 by the hundreds and the thousands, 11:04 because they know that when Adventists put on meetings 11:08 that they are going to get 11:10 the true teachings of the Word of God. 11:13 Now that's a great reputation to treasure. 11:17 And my friend, that goes again 11:19 to the heart of our identity too, doesn't it? 11:24 We also must recognize that there is a danger 11:28 that the Spirit of Prophecy is becoming marginalized among us 11:32 as a people and it's been relegated 11:35 to the backwaters of the church. 11:36 And I'm speaking specifically here in North America, 11:39 I'm not gonna speak for other parts of the world, 11:42 but I know something about the church here in America. 11:45 It's as if its inspired messages are irrelevant 11:50 to the life of the church for too many. 11:53 Some are simply neglecting or ignoring 11:56 the messages given us by God through this agency 12:00 and often it's stemming from confusion 12:03 or misunderstanding of the proper role 12:05 of the prophetic gift in the church. 12:08 Others have given themselves over to unbelief 12:12 and have rejected the inspired councils 12:14 that God has given us. 12:17 The pendulum swing, the pendulum swing 12:20 that's taken place among us as a people in recent decades 12:23 particularly as it relates to our understanding 12:26 of righteousness by faith has contributed, 12:30 I believe significantly to the problem. 12:33 Rightfully we reject extremism of legalism, 12:37 but many have gone to the opposite extreme 12:41 where practical godliness as reflected in Christian values 12:45 and lifestyle issues have come to be seen 12:47 as legalistic and irrelevant. 12:52 As a result the practical councils 12:55 that we find in the Spirit of Prophecy 12:58 that call us out of the world 13:01 as a distinctive people are too often looked 13:05 upon with suspicion or outright rejection. 13:10 I remember it was back, 13:11 I believe it was the summer of 1990 13:13 I was in workers meeting, pastors meeting 13:17 that summer and I remember that one of our pastors 13:20 have been appointed to make a presentation. 13:22 And during the course of his presentation 13:24 it's the first time that I've been heard the idea, 13:27 let alone heard it articulated as it was, 13:31 but a pastor publicly declared that he believed 13:37 that it was inappropriate for us ever 13:40 to quote the Spirit of Prophecy publicly. 13:49 And in the intervening years 13:51 it's seems that many others have become confused 13:54 about the role of the Spirit of Prophecy 13:55 in the life of the church as well. 13:58 Knowing the conference president that period of time, 14:02 I know that Jerry do not buy into what was being represented. 14:07 If you've ever heard of the Jerry Potter preached 14:10 and do you know 14:11 it has been a year and a half since we've lost him. 14:17 You know, that he was a sound Biblical preacher Jerry was, 14:23 but had a high regard for the Spirit of Prophecy 14:25 in his councils and actively used it in his preaching 14:30 and we are blessed, 14:32 we are blessed here in this church 14:34 that we have a pastor 14:37 that believes in the scriptures and the message 14:40 and believes in a sound use of the Spirit of Prophecy. 14:46 Because you see, if we shutdown the voice of the messenger, 14:51 if it's inappropriate ever for her voice to ever be heard 14:54 in the life of the church 14:56 whether we're talking about in the worship service, 14:58 it was being preached, or in our Sabbath schools 15:02 then where is that voice gonna be heard for many of us? 15:05 Unfortunately we're not students of the word 15:08 or of the Spirit of Prophecy as we really ought to be, 15:12 you know, that, I'm saying that by observation, but it's a fact. 15:16 It's like, she is not relevant 15:19 and she is my friend, she is relevant. 15:25 Unfortunately there are those knowingly or unknowingly 15:29 who are working as revisionist of the message 15:32 that the Spirit of God has affirmed among us time 15:35 and time again throughout our history. 15:38 Its happening, it's happening. 15:43 Impart as a result we have an upcoming generation 15:49 that understand little of the prophetic gift. 15:53 Often they are unacquainted with the Spirit of Prophecy 15:56 and I've heard little of his councils in the church. 15:59 And again as we talked about that 16:00 pendulum swing a few moments ago, 16:02 I understand the pendulum swing 16:04 it does affect our understanding 16:07 our appreciation of the gift of prophecy. 16:10 But my friend, I understand, 16:12 you know, some decades ago that they were those 16:16 who felt that it was been stuff down their throats. 16:23 And some of you know this. It did happen. 16:26 But let me tell you the same thing 16:28 is done with the Word of God. 16:30 Are we going to cast out the baby with the bathwater 16:33 just simply because somebody has misused the Bible 16:36 or the Spirit of Prophecy? 16:38 And my friend, the answer is no. 16:40 We are not going to as a people. 16:46 We're not, are we? 16:50 See, sometimes it seems like we're bouncing off the walls 16:53 from the trends come and go, but my friend, 16:57 if we keep our eyes focused on Jesus, 17:01 if we keep our eyes focused on the teachings 17:04 and the Revelation of His word 17:06 and if we take council from the Spirit of Prophecy 17:10 we will be blessed, 17:13 and we will be kept in balance. 17:18 Now we won't be tossed to and fro with the latest trend 17:23 that seems to watch over the church from time to time. 17:30 Impart as I said we have a generation 17:34 that knows little about the Spirit of Prophecy. 17:37 What does that say for the Church in 20-30 years 17:42 if the Lord today to have a generation 17:46 that knows almost nothing about this gift. 17:53 It's troubling and that's important 17:56 why I'm preaching on it this morning. 18:00 What does a future hold for the church 18:02 without the benefits of the inspired guidance 18:05 that has been such a blessing 18:07 to this people, to God's people it has. 18:10 I bear witness of it in my own experience. 18:14 My relationship with Jesus has been enriched. 18:19 First of all by the Scriptures, 18:20 but secondarily by the councils 18:22 that we find in the Spirit of Prophecy 18:26 and then if you compare the same witness. 18:29 My understanding of scripture has been deeply enriched 18:33 by the Spirit of Prophecy 18:35 for it bares witness to the truth. 18:42 And so without the benefit of these inspired councils 18:46 too many are going through a drift 18:49 away from the centrality of the message. 18:52 Now you know I'm an evangelist, 18:54 so the message is pretty close at heart to what I do. 18:58 You see, those of us in ministry 19:00 and church leadership have a responsibility 19:04 before God to hold the line 19:06 against the incursions of the enemy. 19:10 We have a responsibility. 19:13 I know I don't share these concerns alone. 19:17 I'm not alone in them. 19:19 Several years ago Max and I had a conversation after church. 19:24 Our former conference president 19:26 and we were talking about this very issue 19:28 and Max was telling me, he said, 19:30 we've been discussions about this at the conference office 19:32 what are we gonna do? 19:34 You look at the ABC sales, 19:36 talk to Herman Schreven our ABC manager 19:39 and he has told me, he said, man, 19:41 in the last 20 years the sales of Ellen G. 19:44 White books has gone down dramatically. 19:49 And Max says we're trying to find a way to, 19:52 to arouse the interest of our people 19:55 in the Spirit of Prophecy. 20:02 So how do we relate to the ministry 20:07 of Ellen White as a prophet? 20:09 Is she a prophet or something less? 20:12 Was she inspired in the sense 20:14 of Biblical prophets were inspired? 20:16 Are there different levels of inspiration 20:20 and what is her relationship to the Bible anyway? 20:23 Take your Bible and turn with me to John 16:12. 20:27 John 16:12, the setting, 20:30 the setting we will find is the upper room, 20:33 Jesus is spending these last quite moments 20:35 with His disciples and over and over again 20:38 He comes to back to the theme of the promise 20:41 of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth. 20:44 And here John 16 beginning with verse 12 He said, 20:48 Jesus said, "I have many more things to say to you, 20:51 but you cannot bear them now." 20:55 Think of it after three and a half years 20:57 as His closest disciples Jesus is saying to them 21:02 there is more and there is much more, 21:06 but you're not ready to here it, you're not ready. 21:11 And my friend, they wouldn't be ready to hear 21:12 what Jesus had to say and tell they went 21:15 through initially it was to them crushing 21:17 when Jesus died on the cross of Calvary 21:21 and then that wondrous joy 21:23 when Jesus was resurrected on the third day. 21:28 I don't know that we can really appreciate 21:30 what those disciples went through. 21:32 And in the process their hearts were open, 21:34 their minds were open to receive a greater revelation. 21:39 And I believe in a similar fashion 21:41 that Jesus is saying to us today 21:44 to you and I as a people of God 21:47 that there is much more, 21:49 there are deeper understandings 21:52 to be gained in this precious message 21:54 that we have been entrusted with. 21:57 But my friend, let it not be said of us 21:59 as it was of the disciples of long ago that 22:02 but they could not bare it. 22:05 You see when we're in this loving relationship 22:07 with Jesus Christ there is a thirsty 22:11 and there is a longing to know 22:13 the heart and the mind of the Savior. 22:17 And my friend, again that is not just something 22:20 that's floating out there in space it's concretely founded 22:25 in the teachings of the Word of God. 22:28 It's like falling in love. 22:31 I remember when I fell in love with Donna. 22:34 Yeah I do remember. I do remember. 22:37 Man, I couldn't spend enough time with her. 22:41 You know, I have my studies 22:42 and now we were eating together, 22:44 we were doing everything we possibly could do together. 22:47 I just was fascinated with this then young woman. 22:50 I didn't need to say that way did I, 22:52 but anyway we were both young 22:55 I just was fascinated with her. 22:57 I couldn't get enough of, you know, the conversations, 23:00 the interaction really getting to know her. 23:03 And my friends, so it is in the relationship 23:04 with Jesus with God, 23:07 we can't get enough of, of getting to really know 23:10 who Jesus is, who God the Father is. 23:13 And my friend, that is where 23:14 the Bible is so vitally important. 23:16 How else are we going to learn 23:17 what is in the heart and the mind of God 23:20 through Jesus Christ except through the Word of God. 23:25 And that's when the dangers of the worship movement 23:28 that has overtaken much of the Christian world 23:30 and they are some positive things 23:32 in the worship movement. 23:34 I mean, let's, you know, let's be fair about it. 23:37 But again that tendency, 23:40 you know, it's like, I'd like to put it this way, 23:44 that when we come and worship 23:45 we're in a conversation with God. 23:48 And in the extremes of the worship movement 23:50 we are dominating the conversation. 23:54 It's all about me, all about my praises, 23:57 all about what I have to say. 24:00 Sadly I was in a church were one of the elders told me, 24:04 it was just oh, I probably should identify how long ago, 24:08 but I was in the church one of the elders told me, 24:11 you know, they had a wonderful praise program. 24:14 I love music, I happen to do praise, 24:17 praise music here once in a while on occasion, 24:22 but the elder told me 24:23 the pastor typically is left about 15 minutes to preach. 24:28 And I don't know ]how you feel about that, 24:30 but 15 minutes is not a sermon, 24:32 15 minutes is hardly getting started on the devotion. 24:38 So anything I said again, anything that tends 24:41 to undermine the centrality of Christ 24:44 and the teachings of this book 24:46 we have to be on guard against. 24:52 It's vital, absolutely vital. 24:56 Let me get back to my notes here. 24:58 Let me take you to John 16 25:01 and looking at the first part of verses 13 25:04 where it says "But when he, when he, 25:08 the Spirit of truth, comes, 25:10 he will guide you into all the truth." 25:14 Notice, how vital this whole subject 25:17 was to Jesus on that occasion. 25:19 There is many more things I'd like to say you, 25:21 you're not ready to hear them 25:24 but you just wait I'm gonna send the Spirit, 25:28 I'm gonna be sending the Holy Spirit to you. 25:30 The Spirit of truth which is a phrasing 25:34 that are used I think four or five times 25:38 that night in that setting 25:40 He kept coming back to the Spirit of truth 25:42 that I'm gonna send to you. 25:44 And He says when the Spirit of truth comes 25:46 He will guide you into all the truth. 25:49 My friend, as a people we are the beneficiaries 25:52 of centuries of Christian development 25:58 and as we talk about the reformation 26:01 we are the recipients of the blessings 26:03 that come out of the reformation 26:05 as it was novel it was actually 26:09 revolutionary for it's period of time. 26:12 It had political and religious ramifications 26:16 on Europe itself as you look at it historically, 26:19 but this idea of, you know, the people of God 26:23 having the scriptures in their own language 26:25 and that we really ought to go by what the Bible teaches, 26:28 not what the church teaches, but what the Bible teaches. 26:31 That is a part of our heritage, 26:34 we do see ourselves in like of the reformation, 26:36 we see ourselves as the part of the reformation 26:39 and we believe as the prophecies 26:41 indicate very clearly that in the end times 26:43 and we are in the end times 26:47 that all things would be restored. 26:49 Jesus said it again in Matthew 17:10. 26:53 If you not acquainted with the Elijah message 26:55 get acquainted with it. 26:58 I believe that's a message that God has given to us. 27:02 And so this movement stands for something, 27:04 this church stands for something. 27:08 Again though we recognize 27:09 there are many Christians on the various churches. 27:12 My friend, this church is unique. 27:16 We don't say that with pride or arrogantly, 27:22 but ought to with humility recognizing the responsibility 27:26 that it lays upon each one of us. 27:29 I tell you, what a blessing it is 27:32 that you and I somewhere in our experience 27:35 came to know Jesus, came to know 27:36 something about this message. 27:38 It impacted our lives on some fundamental level 27:42 and so we are here in fellowship. 27:46 I still love the message, amen. 27:51 Anybody else out there? I still love the message. 27:55 I've known it, I've been raised with it, 27:56 I'm not grown weary with it, I'm not grown tired of it. 28:00 You know, in this typically, you know, I'm preaching 140, 28:03 40 times a year that's a lot, 28:06 but doing this I'm into my 28th year. 28:10 Don't you try to guess my age now, 28:13 I'm younger than you think I'm. 28:14 But anyway, so I've been preach in a long time, 28:17 I have not grown weary with the message, 28:22 because I don't have a grown weary with the messenger. 28:27 And I believe many of you have that same conviction. 28:32 You see when we become casual 28:35 about our relationship with Jesus 28:38 it always leads to casualness in regards to the teachings 28:42 of the Word of God into the prophetic gift. 28:45 There is that direct cause affect relationship. 28:49 So Jesus promised I gonna send you the Holy Spirit 28:51 when he comes, he will guide you into all the truth. 28:56 And my friend, that means experientially each one of us 28:59 are in this growing experience, growing in Jesus, 29:03 growing in an understanding of Jesus 29:05 in our understanding of the message. 29:08 And it cannot be limited alone to what happens in this place, 29:13 it means that we must have a viable 29:15 and active devotional life right? 29:19 We need to be studying the Word of God, 29:20 we need to learn how the study the Word of God 29:24 and we need to be into the Spirit of Prophecy 29:27 in the process of it. 29:29 Let me take you and yes I'm gonna quote 29:31 from the Spirit of Prophecy this morning, 29:33 beginning with early writings page 78 29:36 where Ellen White one of those beautiful statements 29:39 where she says "I recommend to you dear reader, 29:42 the Word of God as the rule of your faith and practice. 29:46 By that Word we are to be judged. 29:50 God has promised, in that Word, 29:54 to give visions in the last days." 29:58 What's that mean? 29:59 That God in His word has promised 30:00 to give us visions in the last days. 30:03 She seems to be referring to a Biblical passage. 30:06 Anybody having idea 30:07 where we would find this passage? 30:08 I think some of you do. 30:09 It's in the Book of Joel Chapter 2 30:11 what is it verses 27, 28 somewhere in their. 30:14 It talks about in the last days 30:16 before the great and terrible day of the Lord 30:18 that refers to the coming of Jesus, 30:20 that there would be prophetic dreams 30:22 and there would be prophetic visions. 30:24 So the prophetic visions 30:26 that we believe some 2,000 of them 30:29 that were given to Ellen G.White 30:30 we believe is a fulfillment of Bible prophecy. 30:34 It is biblical, 30:36 it's not actual Biblical, it's Biblical. 30:39 "Not" these visions "were not given 30:43 for a new rule of faith." 30:47 And so one of the things I'd love about being able 30:50 to have this privilege of preaching this message 30:53 and have done so far so long. 30:56 I never want-- I can always stick to the Bible. 30:59 I tell every truth vital truth to us 31:02 as a people is sound biblically, 31:07 have that confidence. 31:12 And how did we come about, 31:14 how did this come about in the Church 31:16 in the Adventist Church? 31:18 Is it because we were just so much smarter 31:20 than anybody else? 31:22 We were just brighter than other Christians? 31:25 No, my friend, I think it bars witness, 31:27 I know what we think, I know that it bares 31:28 witness to the fact that God has been at work 31:31 among us from the very beginning. 31:35 The Spirit of God, the Spirit of truth 31:37 where God is into all the truth 31:39 has borne witness to us of the truth 31:42 and has bidden us to take this message 31:44 to the whole world. 31:48 I believe that and the day 31:49 I start believing it's the day I am lost. 31:52 It's says "not for new rule of faith, 31:55 but for the comfort of His people." 31:58 Notice first of all, it's given to comfort us. 32:02 And my friend, I have found such weak comfort 32:05 through the councils of the Spirit of Prophecy 32:07 that book Steps to Christ is one that 32:09 I always return to time and time again. 32:12 Whenever I feel I need a little bit of 32:16 been reenergized in my spiritual life 32:18 is to the Steps to Christ that I often go to 32:21 and there are other books like Desire of Ages. 32:23 But for the comfort of His people, 32:26 and further more another reason 32:28 why this beautiful gift has been given 32:30 is "to correct those who err from Bible truth." 32:36 Okay, to correct those. 32:39 My friend, we're not in the age 32:40 where some of us really want to go through 32:42 any correction whatsoever. 32:46 But it's a part of our Christian growth. 32:50 And so, my friend, when there are new theories of truth 32:55 then we must always, we always must be sure to 32:59 look carefully what the Bible is teaching. 33:02 But, my friend, secondarily 33:03 we must be looking at what the councils are in regards 33:07 to the matter as we find it in the Spirit of Prophecy. 33:12 And that is one other things that's concerns me 33:14 when the voice of the messenger is often so silent 33:21 and the more we become in time ignorant of the councils 33:25 that we have in the Spirit of Prophecy 33:27 the more we're set in ourselves up for, 33:31 we're setting ourselves up for trouble, we are. 33:36 This gift has kept us on track 33:39 time and time again as you look over the history of this church. 33:45 It is kept us faithful to the mission 33:49 to which we've been called. 33:51 It's kept us faithful to the message 33:54 that we've been entrusted with in the Bible. 33:56 It has over and over again. 34:00 And so the Bible is so vital, 34:02 the Bible must always be our first study 34:05 and the Spirit of Prophecy must be secondary 34:07 in our preaching, in our personal devotional life. 34:10 The Bible is not a substitute for the Bible, 34:12 but it enriches, enriches our experience 34:15 and our understanding of the Bible. 34:18 Earlier this year I was in the Loveland, 34:21 Colorado area holding a series of meetings. 34:23 Doris, Doris was attending my meetings. 34:25 I had the privilege of baptizing her. 34:27 I don't usually baptize, 34:29 I usually look to the pastor to do that, 34:31 but the circumstances 34:36 required my involvement and so I was involved. 34:39 And, you know, about three weeks after her baptism 34:43 I was on the phone, the series was over, 34:45 but I kept in touch and she, she said, you know, 34:49 I've gotten these beautiful books, 34:51 because I introduced people to Ellen G White. 34:54 I preached openly in the meetings. 34:57 And she got the hold of Desired of Ages 34:59 and several other of her books and immediately she is a reader 35:03 and she told me in just about three weeks 35:05 she had read 2,000 pages into the Spirit of Prophecy. 35:12 And she was glowing as she was sharing with me. 35:14 You know, on page such and such of Desired of Ages. 35:17 I mean this woman was inspired she was telling me. 35:21 And my friend, she was inspired of the Holy Spirit. 35:28 What we think she just was a genius 35:30 and she just kind of came up with this stuff. 35:34 And my friend, if she is not a genius 35:36 and most of us would probably agree, 35:37 she was Godly woman, 35:39 but it didn't come out of anything inherently 35:42 within her then on some level 35:44 it bares witness to the Spirit of God 35:48 that was at work in her life and ministry. 35:56 I don't know how long it's been 35:57 since she you been into the books, 36:00 that's important. 36:03 Again as I move on and I must move on. 36:10 Well, that's the life of an evangelist 36:12 you're she always moving on. 36:14 So the question comes, since the Bible 36:16 is our only rule of faith and practice 36:19 does that mean that the prophetic gift 36:21 has no authority. 36:24 And my friend, my response would be 36:26 you're not gonna back it up. 36:27 Does she have any authority whatsoever her writings that is, 36:30 the revelations given to her? 36:33 And my answer is that she authoritatively 36:36 her councils authoritatively affirms Bible truth. 36:44 Some feel we should go by the Bible 36:46 and the Spirit of Prophecy 36:47 is only good for devotional reading. 36:50 My friend, the difference is found only in the function, 36:54 inspiration is inspiration, the difference is in function. 36:58 It's like the Godhead. 37:00 Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all divine, 37:02 but they have each one unique functions 37:05 as it relates particularly to our salvation, we see that. 37:09 And so her ministry 37:12 impart was given to keep us on track Biblically 37:16 and to keep us from following away from the truth, 37:20 affirming Biblical truth. 37:22 And I'll give you an example of this in own history, 37:24 going back to the General Conference 37:25 of 1888 in Minneapolis, Minnesota 37:30 these two young men A.T. Jones and Dr. Waggoner were, 37:34 they were doing the devotional program. 37:37 This was not really part of the agenda 37:39 of the General Conference in 1888, 37:42 but the Spirit of God was moving in a markedly manner, 37:46 you know, God has this way 37:48 of giving us midcourse corrections. 37:50 I think that's what was going on 37:52 and I think historically God keeps bringing us back 37:57 to the importance of righteousness by faith, 38:00 a proper understanding of righteousness by faith. 38:03 The imputed that's where we are accounted 38:05 righteous through Jesus by accepting Him, 38:08 we accept the righteousness that is His. 38:11 And the beautiful power process by which His life, 38:16 His righteousness is being imparted to us 38:20 something that I don't often I hear it being preached 38:24 that's no refection on anybody specifically, 38:27 but, you know, it's the imputed 38:29 and imparted righteousness, is that process by which 38:31 we become like Jesus. 38:33 And for some that we're in attendance 38:35 and some that got word of what 38:37 was being shared in the devotions 38:39 this became quite controversial. 38:40 What do you mean? 38:42 You know the truth as we've been teaching and preaching it, 38:47 it really wasn't all that relevant. 38:50 It did, it breed controversy. 38:54 And my friend, Ellen White 38:56 through her prophetic gift affirmed that 39:00 what A.T. Jones and Dr. Waggoner 39:03 were preaching was straight from God. 39:08 And that is often how her gift has function within the Church 39:13 is to affirm, to a firm Bible truth. 39:17 So was she a prophet? 39:21 Is it wrong to refer to her as a prophet? 39:26 Let me take you to 1 Selected Messages 39:30 and page 34, 39:31 you gonna find the whole section there 39:32 that deals with some of these primary issues 39:35 in which she said "To claim to be a prophetess 39:37 is something that I have never done. 39:41 If others call me by that name, 39:43 I have no controversy with them. 39:45 But my work has covered so many lines 39:48 that I cannot call myself other than a messenger, 39:51 sent to bear a message from" whom 39:55 "from the Lord" to whom? 39:58 "To his people." 39:59 My friend, this we must never forget 40:03 we must get beyond the instrumentality. 40:05 She was a woman, she was a godly woman, 40:09 a dedicated woman. 40:11 I mean, think of stuff to you're ministering 40:12 the responsibility that was placed on her shoulders. 40:18 We must get beyond the human instrumentality 40:21 and recognize that it is the voice of God Himself, 40:25 it is the Lord Himself that is speaking to us. 40:31 "To His people, and to a work in any line that He points out." 40:36 When in evangelism I am talking about 40:38 this matter of the gift of prophecy 40:40 as it relates to the Bible. 40:41 I use the illustration, by the way 40:43 I am in to see my optometrist on Tuesday, I am over do. 40:48 I think I'm gonna have to upgrade my prescription. 40:53 And anyway I use this example, 40:55 you know, without my glasses I can look at the page 40:58 I could see that there is letters there, 41:01 but I really can't read it. 41:04 But when I put these glasses on 41:08 every thing comes into sharp focus. 41:11 I ask you, did to this instrument 41:15 did this put the words there in the book? 41:19 No. 41:21 It didn't really add, it just brought into focus 41:25 that which I couldn't otherwise have perceived 41:28 and comprehended and that is one of the fundamental reasons 41:33 why the Spirit of Prophecy is so very vital to us. 41:37 And then I take you on Selected Messages, 41:40 book 1 still page 32. 41:41 "Why have I not claimed to be a prophet? 41:44 Because in these days many who boldly claim 41:47 that they are prophets are a reproach 41:50 to the cause of Christ and because my work includes 41:52 much more than the word prophet signifies." 41:57 There is some really key statements in here 41:59 about this whole issue, was she a prophet or not. 42:03 And one other statement on this matter from page 36 42:06 she says "My commission embraces the work of a prophet, 42:11 but it does not end there." 42:15 So it includes the work of a prophet. 42:18 She did not choose to use that terminology. 42:21 I don't believe it's improper to refer to her 42:24 as a prophetess or as a messenger 42:27 which is the terminology I think that she would prefer to use. 42:32 You know this is a part of the 28 fundamental believes 42:34 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 42:37 I wondered at that time did we really need, 42:39 they were 27 and then we've added 28, 42:43 do we really need to put this down? 42:45 Yeah we do. 42:48 We needed to put it down that this is what 42:50 this church stands for, this is what we believe biblically. 42:53 And number seven, in the fundamental believes 42:56 just give you the actual official position 42:59 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 43:01 I'm sharing this because there is so much confusion 43:03 over this matter. 43:05 It says "One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophecy. 43:08 This gift is an identifying mark of the remnant Church 43:11 I was manifested in the ministry of Ellen G. White. 43:15 As the Lord's messenger, her writings are a continuing 43:19 and authoritative source of truth which provide 43:24 for the Church comfort, guidance, 43:26 instruction and correction." 43:29 And then it goes on to say "They also make clear 43:33 that the Bible is the standard by which all teaching 43:36 and experience must be tested." 43:41 It's a good clear statement on the whole matter. 43:44 And then in 2 Chronicles 20:20. 43:49 I add, and the words of Scripture says 43:53 "Believe in the Lord your God, so you shall be established, 43:58 believe His prophets, so shall you prosper." 44:03 Again I refer you to what happen in ancient Israel, 44:06 we were there in Daniel 9:10. 44:09 Look at the awful consequence that came to them 44:11 as a people as they were turning themselves off 44:14 to the messages that God in love and mercy 44:17 was sending to them through the prophetic gift. 44:21 I said again this must not happen to us as a people. 44:27 We must not go down that same road. 44:31 We will not prosper, God cannot bless us 44:37 if we do not recognize how vitally important 44:41 the prophetic gift is beginning with the Word of God 44:45 and inclusive of the ministry of Ellen G. White. 44:50 We can afford to be wishy-washy about this whole thing. 44:55 We must be absolutely clear in our thinking. 44:58 Revelation-- John 16:13 45:03 as we continue just a little bit more in the Word of God. 45:06 The first part that we've read. 45:07 " But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, 45:10 He will guide you into all the truth 45:12 for He will not speak on His own initiative, 45:15 " the spirit will not speak on its own initiative 45:18 "but whatever He hears, He will speak 45:22 and He will disclose to you what is to come." 45:25 Now, that tie that into verse 12 45:27 where we were just a little bit ago. 45:29 Where Jesus said, "I have many more things to say to you, 45:31 but you are not ready to hear them." 45:35 So when it says that the spirit is not speaking on 45:37 His own initiative, but whatever He hears, 45:40 He speaking, who is He hearing from? 45:47 What is the Spirit hearing? 45:49 That He then He's communicating to us. 45:53 Who is that send us a Holy Spirit anyway? 45:56 Jesus did. 45:59 And my friend, what He is hearing 46:01 is what Jesus wants to be revealed to us as a people. 46:06 What He hears, but whatever hears 46:09 He will speak and He will disclose it to you, 46:13 He will reveal it you, is what the scriptures tell us, 46:19 reveal it to us. 46:20 Let me take you on the volume 5 46:22 the Testimonies page 667. 46:27 But because of the nature of this presentation 46:29 I am using the Spirit of Prophecy 46:31 more than I normally would 46:33 in a typical sermon on the Sabbath morning. 46:35 But you know why, I think you can handle it. 46:38 It's all right isn't it? 46:40 It's all right. 46:42 In which he said "One stood by my side and said 46:45 'God has raised you up and has given you words to speak 46:48 to the people and to reach hearts 46:51 as He has given to no other one. 46:55 He will make you a means through which to communicate 46:58 His light to the people. 47:00 It is Satan's special object to prevent this light 47:04 from coming to the people of God, 47:06 who so greatly needed it amid the perils of these last days." 47:12 And my friend, some by attitude 47:14 and some actually will state it. 47:16 Oh we don't really need this, 47:18 apparently we out grown this yet this 19th centuries stuff, 47:21 let's get on with it. 47:27 Let's get on with it. 47:30 Some act as if what she has to say 47:33 what God has revealed through her is irrelevant to us. 47:37 My friend, as the end approaches as we advance, 47:42 I hope we're advancing 47:45 we need the gift even more so 47:49 than back there at the beginning. 47:51 Well, we need to the get all along, 47:53 but we needed even more so today, 47:57 even more so today. 48:00 And then what else I'm gonna take you on to, oh yeah, 48:04 1 Selected Messages page 48. 48:07 Notice she says "The very last deception of Satan 48:10 will be to make of none effect the testimony 48:13 of the Spirit of God." 48:14 Remember we have an evil one that is angry with us, 48:18 who is determine to take us down, 48:20 who is gonna oppose us at every step. 48:25 And so this is-- and she said 48:26 "The very last deception of Satan 48:29 will be to make of none effect 48:31 the testimony of the Spirit of God. 48:34 Satan will work ingeniously to unsettle 48:39 the confidence of God's remnant people." 48:43 His people the Church "in the true testimony." 48:49 My friend, we know the design, 48:51 we know this because we have this insight biblically 48:53 and we have the insights from the councils 48:55 of the Spirit of Prophecy. 48:57 His working ingeniously to undermine and to undercut 49:03 the benefit of this gift to us as a people. 49:07 Are we gonna let him get away with it? 49:10 I hope not. 49:11 "The workings of Satan will be to unsettle 49:14 the faith of the Churches in them." 49:17 And my friend, that's what he is about, 49:19 he is trying to unsettle our faith 49:21 in regard to the testimonies that have been given to us. 49:25 To question the validity of the testimonies 49:28 that had been given to us. 49:29 To model on and to confuse the whole matter. 49:32 My friend, this gift has been given to prepare us 49:34 for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. 49:37 In volume 5 of the Testimonies page 654 49:42 she says "As the end draws near 49:44 and the work of giving the last warning to the world extends, 49:48 it becomes more important for those who accept present truth 49:52 to have a clear understanding of the nature 49:56 and influence of the Testimonies, 49:58 which God in His providence has linked." 50:01 What has God in His providence has done? 50:04 He's linked the Testimonies. 50:07 Talking about the prophetic gift the ministry of Ellen White 50:10 "Has linked the Testimonies with the work 50:13 of the third angle's message from its very rise." 50:19 My friend, without the ministry of Ellen G. White 50:21 we would not be the people that we are, 50:23 we will not be the church that we are, 50:25 we will not be the seventh largest world church as we are 50:32 if it wasn't for the influence of Ellen White 50:36 and again recognize indeed she was a challenge, 50:39 she was the means by which God was speaking to us 50:44 as the people directing us giving us a vision. 50:48 You know, that Bible says the people perish without a vision. 50:53 And we must have it. 50:56 John 16:14, 15 and then one other text and we'll wrap it up. 51:03 In John 16:14 Jesus continues 51:06 when He is talking about the Holy Spirit, 51:09 "He will glorify me." 51:13 That's fundamental to the ministry of the Spirit. 51:15 He will glorify me, He will bear witness to me. 51:17 "For He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you." 51:22 So when we talk about the ministry the Holy Spirit 51:26 and, my friend, the Spirit of Prophecy 51:28 is the ministry of the Holy Spirit 51:31 in a very unique and powerful way in the end times 51:34 in which Jesus is disclosing and revealing things to us. 51:42 "He will glorify me, 51:44 for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. 51:46 All things that the Father has are Mine therefore I said 51:49 that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you." 51:54 And so, my friend, one of the vital parts 51:58 of the ministry of the Holy Spirit 52:00 is that is going to point us to Jesus. 52:03 It's going to lead us into a 52:05 deeper relationship with the Savior, 52:08 its points to Jesus as our intercessor 52:11 in the heavenly sanctuary. 52:13 It points to Jesus as our coming King, 52:17 our deliver and our victor. 52:23 I take you back to Revelation 12:17, 52:27 you know, usually we make this connection. 52:29 Revelation 12:17 they will keep the commandments of God 52:31 and they will have the testimony of Jesus 52:34 and then of course we want to define this biblically, 52:36 so we go to Revelation 19:10 where it says 52:39 the "Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy." 52:41 That's where we get the terminology 52:43 the Spirit of Prophecy. 52:45 But as I've been thinking through this in recent years 52:48 I have come to appreciate with renewed meaning 52:55 the term of Revelation 12:17 52:58 as it relates to the prophetic gift. 53:01 What we have in the ministry and in the councils of-- 53:07 they are given to us through Ellen White 53:08 what we have is the testimony of Jesus. 53:15 In those books, those revelations 53:19 Jesus is speaking to us as a people, 53:22 Jesus is addressing us as His people. 53:27 He is giving us instruction 53:29 and again He is giving us council. 53:32 So we must not forget that we are a prophetic movement 53:37 that God has been at work among us 53:39 and has called us to take His message through the world. 53:42 Oh my friend, let's seek Jesus through His Word, 53:44 let's seek Jesus through the councils 53:46 He has given us through the testimony of His spirit. 53:49 And my friend, if you haven't been spending time 53:52 in the prophetic gift 53:53 I encourage you to begin systematically 53:57 to study the testimonies that we have been given. 54:01 Dust off the books 54:03 if there is somewhere there in your house unused. 54:07 I'm not saying let's put our Bibles aside. 54:10 I'm not saying that whatsoever, 54:11 the Bible must always be the focal point. 54:14 But my friend, we need benefit 54:17 of spending time with Jesus 54:20 through these precious revelations and affirmations 54:24 that have been given to us in the Spirit of Prophecy. 54:28 Let's pray shall we? 54:31 Father, again it's a privilege 54:34 that we've been able to be here this Sabbath morning. 54:38 That worship has been sweet. 54:42 Not only the fellowship that we've enjoyed 54:44 together as believers, 54:47 but fellowship that comes by means of Your spirit 54:50 and knowing that You're present among us. 54:55 And Lord, we acknowledge this morning, 54:58 we acknowledge that, Lord, 55:01 we have fallen short of Your glory. 55:05 We acknowledge this morning 55:06 we are sinners in need of the saving grace of Jesus. 55:10 But we further knowledge that You have called us 55:14 and we have answered 55:18 and we pray that You will bless us as Your people. 55:21 Be with us in this coming week 55:23 is our prayer in Jesus name, amen. 55:31 If My people 55:37 which are called by My name 55:41 Shall humble themselves 55:45 Shall humble themselves and pray 55:57 If My people 56:02 which are called by My name 56:07 Shall seek My face 56:11 and turn from their wicked ways 56:21 Then will I hear from heaven 56:28 Then will I hear from heaven 56:34 And will forgive 56:42 their sin 56:49 If my people 56:54 which are called by My name 56:59 Shall humble themselves 57:03 Shall humble themselves and pray 57:10 I will forgive their sins 57:17 I will forgive their sins 57:23 I will forgive their sins 57:36 And heal their land |
Revised 2014-12-17