Participants:
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP191026A
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00:11 >> Let's bow our heads and pray. Dear Heavenly Father, we just want to thank you 00:16 for this wonderful Sabbath day and just thank you for all that you've been doing for us, 00:20 for bringing us here today. We just ask that you be with us during this time of worship 00:25 and praise. In Jesus' name, amen. 00:29 Happy Sabbath, Church. Happy Sabbath. 00:32 So, we're gonna do a quick warm-up. 00:35 We tried this in the summertime, so I believe that you can do it. 00:38 It's a song that you already know. 00:40 Can you give me an "F"? ♪♪ 00:43 ♪ Hallelu, hallelu, hallelu, hallelujah ♪ >> ♪ Praising the Lord 00:50 >> ♪ Hallelu, hallelu, hallelu, hallelujah ♪ >> ♪ Praising the Lord 00:58 >> ♪ Praising ♪ Hallelujah >> ♪ Praising the Lord 01:04 >> ♪ Hallelujah >> ♪ Praising the Lord >> ♪ Hallelujah 01:09 >> ♪ Praising the Lord >> Amen. So, you guys are ready to worship and praise, 01:16 is that correct? >> Amen. >> Amen. Alright. 01:18 So, I just invite you to stand as we sing "Open the Eyes of My Heart Lord." 04:06 You may be seated. Christ alone. 12:20 Amen. Christ alone. He is Lord of all and He's 12:25 always with us through the storm. 12:28 And he also sent us a comforter, the Holy Spirit. 12:31 So, as we're about to sing this song, I just invite you to stand 12:35 and come forward if you have any burdens or prayer requests or 12:39 any praises that you would just like to bring before our Lord, 12:42 because He will take us through whatever storm that we're going 12:46 through. So please stand as we sing 12:48 "Holy Spirit Rain Down." 17:03 ♪♪ 20:30 >> Thank you, brass. Thank you, organ. Thank you, boys and girls. 20:34 Good to see you on this beautiful Sabbath. Oh, it's just hard to believe 20:39 that, a few months ago, where were we? We were in the 20:42 Howard Performing Arts Center? We'd have our children stories up front on the big stage. 20:48 Well, here we are back, and I must tell you, 20:52 we didn't share the secret with you while it was happening. 20:54 We can only tell you the secret now. 20:56 Shh! We can only tell you the secret 20:59 now, and that is while you were gone, we put 21:04 a little camera right there on the front of the balcony. 21:08 It has, now, sound-absorbent panels there, but right in the middle, 21:13 we put a secret camera, and it took a picture every day. It not only took a picture 21:18 every day, it took a picture every hour. It not only took a picture 21:22 every hour, it took a picture every minute. Do you want to see 21:26 what the workmen were doing while we were away? Yeah. Okay. 21:30 Let's put them on the screen. Make sure they're on the screens down here, guys, as well. 21:34 Here we go. ♪♪ 22:33 Wow! Hey! [ Applause ] So, here's the question, 22:41 boys and girls. I wonder how fast Jesus could build a house. 22:45 Well, I sure hope he can do a house fast, because he said, "I'm going away 22:49 and I'm gonna make a house for you and I'm gonna make a house for you 22:51 and I'm gonna make a house for you and I'm gonna make a house for you and you and you 22:53 and you and you and you and you. And when I'm done, I'm coming back." 22:59 I have no idea how long it takes Jesus to make a house, but what I know is, He loves you 23:05 with all his heart and He can hardly wait to get back so that He can take 23:09 all his little boy- and girl-friends and all his all his mommy and daddy friends 23:13 and take us to the houses. The mansions -- "In my Father's house are many mansions." 23:18 He's going to take us to live there with him forever and ever. And to that, I say 23:26 "Thank you, Jesus." Aren't you glad He's coming soon? 23:30 Yep. Me too. Aren't you glad He's got a house ready for you 23:33 and mommy and daddy, too? Yep, me too. Who would like to thank 23:37 Jesus? Who would like to thank Jesus for getting us ready 23:44 when He comes? Sissy, I saw your -- >> Thank God for making 23:50 creatures big and small. >> God made creatures big and small. 23:55 That's a beautiful prayer to pray. I saw another hand 23:58 right over here. Sissy? Did I see your hand over here? 24:01 Was your hand up? Yep. Come on up here. Let's have a prayer 24:05 in the microphone. We've just had a prayer that we could all hear up front, 24:08 but now let's do one in the microphone. What's your name, sissy? 24:11 >> Ziana. >> Ziana. Let's close our eyes and fold 24:14 our hands as Ziana thanks Jesus for the houses. >> Thank you, Jesus, 24:20 for helping us from making the beautiful houses. Thank you for helping us 24:29 having good ideas and making the houses beautiful and nice-looking. 24:34 >> Amen. >> And thank you, Jesus. Amen. >> Amen. Thank you, Ziana. 24:39 As you go quietly and reverently back to your seats, you can say, "Thank you, 24:41 Jesus," just as she prayed. Thank you for the houses you're making for us. 24:47 ♪♪ 25:24 ♪♪ >> ♪ I've got good news to 25:33 bring ♪ ♪ And that is why I sing 25:36 ♪ All my joys with you, I'll share ♪ 25:41 ♪ I'm gonna take a trip ♪ On the old Gospel ship 25:45 ♪ And go sailing through the air ♪ 25:56 ♪ Oh, I'm gonna take a trip on the old Gospel ship ♪ 26:00 ♪ I'm going far beyond the sky ♪ I'm gonna shout and sing ♪ Until the heavens 26:09 >> ♪ Ring >> ♪ Ring >> ♪ When I'm bidding this world 26:13 goodbye ♪ >> ♪ Goodbye >> ♪ Goodbye 26:16 >> ♪ Goodbye >> ♪ Oh, I can scarcely wait ♪ I know I won't be late 26:25 ♪ I'll spend all my time in prayer ♪ ♪ And when my ship comes in 26:32 ♪ I'll not be seen again ♪ As I'm sailing through the air ♪ 26:38 ♪ Oh, I'm gonna take a trip on the old Gospel ship ♪ ♪ I'm going far beyond the sky 26:46 ♪ I'm gonna shout and sing ♪ Until the heavens >> ♪ Ring 26:51 >> ♪ Ring >> ♪ When I'm bidding this world goodbye ♪ 26:56 >> ♪ Goodbye >> ♪ Goodbye >> ♪ Goodbye 27:03 >> ♪ If you're ashamed of me ♪ You really ought not be ♪ It's time to give yourself 27:09 some care ♪ >> ♪ If it's too much fault you find ♪ 27:13 ♪ Then you'll be left behind >> ♪ You'll be left behind >> ♪ When I'm sailing through 27:22 the air ♪ >> ♪ Sailing through the >> ♪ Sailing through the air 27:29 ♪ Oh, I'm gonna take a trip on that old Gospel ship ♪ ♪ I'm going far beyond the sky 27:37 ♪ I'm gonna shout and sing ♪ Until the heavens >> ♪ Ring 27:42 >> ♪ Ring >> ♪ When I'm bidding this world ♪ 27:45 >> ♪ When I'm bidding this world ♪ >> ♪ When I'm bidding this world 27:50 goodbye ♪ >> ♪ Goodbye >> ♪ Goodbye 27:53 >> ♪ Goodbye ♪♪ 28:11 ♪ If sorrows fill your day ♪ With troubles on the way >> ♪ And your road is weary with 28:22 despair ♪ >> ♪ Your journey won't be long ♪ 28:29 ♪ If you live a life of song ♪ And go sailing through the air ♪ 28:37 ♪ Your journey won't be long ♪ If you live a life of song >> ♪ A life of song 28:47 >> ♪ A life of song >> ♪ And go sailing through the ♪ 28:56 >> ♪ Sailing through the >> ♪ Sailing through the air ♪ Oh, I'm gonna take a trip 29:03 on that old Gospel ship ♪ ♪ I'm going way beyond the sky ♪ I'm gonna shout and sing 29:12 ♪ Until the heavens >> ♪ Ring >> ♪ Ring 29:15 >> ♪ Ring >> ♪ Ring >> ♪ When I bid this world 29:26 >> ♪ Goodbye >> ♪ Goodbye >> ♪ Goodbye 29:32 ♪ Goodbye 29:45 ♪♪ 34:25 >> Thank you, brass. Thank you, brass. Thank you, choir. 34:29 Thank you, congregation. And, really, here's the whole point of 34:33 this worship service today. Thank you, God. Thank you, God. 34:37 You have done all things well. They're setting us up for our Gen Z guests 34:43 that I have the privilege of interviewing in a few moments. And you're going to have the joy 34:47 of seeing four phenomenal pieces of creation. This is Creation Sabbath 34:52 the world over. And, so, you're going to look at some human creation, gifts 34:56 straight from the Creator. And I know you're gonna be blessed. 35:02 Thank you, gentlemen. Bless you. You got it. You nailed it. 35:09 Let's pray. God, we're just saying these words to you. 35:12 Praise and honor to the Father. Praise and honor to the Son. Praise and honor to the Spirit. 35:17 Ever three and ever one. One in mind and one in glory 35:21 while unending ages run. Oh, God, you have truly done all things well, 35:28 and you're not even through yet, to which we say hallelujah in Jesus' name. 35:35 Amen. Listen, would it be alright, 35:39 in the midst of all of this, if we talk about God 35:44 and Major League Baseball? Is that okay? 35:48 I mean, this is the World Series season, isn't it? 35:53 Have you noticed about God -- whatever he starts, 35:59 he finishes? 36:00 Have you noticed that about God? Have you noticed about Major League Baseball 36:06 pitchers -- whatever they start, they do not finish? I mean, once upon a time -- 36:15 This name might ring a bell to you baseball aficionados. The name Cy Young, 36:22 the greatest pitcher in the history of baseball. And those of you that aren't 36:27 hanging around American baseball as much, just bear with me. Cy Young -- get this -- the 36:32 greatest pitcher -- he actually finished, from the 1st inning all the way 36:37 through the 9th inning, 749 different games. That's a huge number, because 36:43 I found out this last week doing a little study for this. Good Major League 36:48 pitchers today only finish between 1 and 2 games a season. Man, that's incredible. 36:56 749? Now, I'll tell you, there's another little factor involved, and that is -- 37:01 Major League Baseball has invented something called the closer. 37:06 You ever heard about the closer? Wikipedia defines the closer this way. 37:11 He's a pitcher, alright. "The closer is a relief pitcher who specializes in getting 37:16 the final outs in a close game when his team is leading by a margin of three runs or less." 37:22 Now, look, if they have four or five runs, the manager is going to leave the pitcher in all the 37:25 way to the end. He said, "This boy can finish this game." 37:28 But if it's a little dicey and this team -- the opponents are coming on strong, the 37:32 manager will send the starting pitcher to the dugout and he'll bring in his closer, 37:36 and the closer's task is to finish what the starting pitcher began. 37:45 Now, we're talking about God and baseball, but gets even better, 37:50 because listen to this. Do you know how they rank a closer doing his 9th-inning 37:55 job very well? They call what he does the save. The save. 38:05 I'm happy to report to you today that the greatest closer in the history of baseball 38:11 was a New York Yankee. I see I'm the only one here, but that's okay. 38:16 [ Laughter ] I grew up in Japan, and my dad grew up 38:22 in New York City. And Dad was a Yankee fan from the very beginning. 38:26 I never knew there was another baseball team on Earth. It was just 38:28 Yankees, Yankees, Yankees. So I've been a Yankee fan all my life. 38:31 So, the number-one closer in the history of baseball -- Mariano Rivera. 38:38 Guess how many games he saved, he won, he closed. 652 saves. 38:48 But guess what. I know a God in the universe who has way 38:52 more saves than that. Can you give me a "hallelujah"? Hallelujah. Yep. 38:58 I know a God who has found out that when He needs a project done 39:03 and He needs to finish it, he always sends in his champion closer. 39:08 When He decides He's going to create the universe and a planet called Earth, 39:11 He sends in his champion closer and He gets creation. When He decides, a few thousand 39:18 years later, "We've got to save the whole human race," He sends in his champion 39:21 closer for that win. And there is Jesus with the win. When He decides, one day, 39:26 to bring all His children back, guess what He's going to do. He's going to send in His 39:31 champion closer to bring them home for the big win, the big "W." 39:36 I'm telling you what. All those saves, it's no wonder we call 39:40 Jesus "save-ior." Yeah, the greatest closer in history, the greatest finisher, 39:48 if you prefer that word. The greatest savior in all the universe, 39:55 and that's our Lord Jesus, to which I say "amen." Oh, I'd love to hear an "amen" 40:00 from you right now. I say "amen" for the greatest closer 40:03 in the history the universe. Amen. I want to take you to our theme text. 40:07 Before my two new young Gen Z friends join me on the platform, open your 40:11 Bible, please, to near the end of the New Testament, the little Book of Philippians. 40:15 Paul is in prison. He's manacled to a Roman guard, one of those Legionnaires, 40:21 and Paul is writing to one of his favorite little churches. This is a church plant 40:24 that Paul pulled off, and he is affectionately tied to these young Christians 40:28 in Philippi. And, so, he writes to them, and you'll see his style with 40:33 him. The line is coming, but let's just get a run at it 40:37 with Verse 4, okay? So, I'm in the NIV. You got your phone, 40:39 pull your phone out. You got to see this. You didn't bring a phone either? 40:42 Well, pull the pew Bible out in front of you, turn it to Page 790, 40:47 and you'll get this. Let's go. Philippians 1:4. "In all my prayers for all of 40:53 you," the prisoner is writing, "I always pray with --" What's that word? 40:57 What's the next word? It's "joy." Do you know what? 40:59 That's his favorite word. That's his theme word in the letter to Philippi. 41:03 Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice. Joy, joy. Glad, glad. That is Paul's theme, 41:08 and he's manacled. He's gonna be dead. I've been in the prison where he 41:11 was. Okay, Verse 4. "In all my prayers for all of 41:16 you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the Gospel 41:20 from the first day until now." And here it comes. Oh, I love Verse 6. 41:24 "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it 41:28 on, will carry it on to completion, will finish it by the day of Christ Jesus." 41:34 Amen. You know why? Because whenever God starts something, He finishes it. 41:40 I'm telling you the gospel truth. When He starts something, 41:42 He will finish it. I love Eugene Peterson, speaking of sports. 41:46 I love his color commentary on this line from "The Message: Bible." 41:50 Put it on the screen for you. This is great. Eugene Peterson. 41:53 "There has never been the slightest doubt --" This is Paul speaking now. 41:57 "There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God 42:00 who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a --" Oh, I love 42:04 this -- "a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears." 42:10 Amen. Man, isn't that great? That is powerful. The God who has started His 42:15 great and good work in you -- Hey, listen, I'm talking about you, by the way. 42:19 And I'm not talking about yesterday and I'm not talking about mañana. 42:22 I mean, He's at work in your life right now, that God. Whatever He started -- 42:28 I have no idea what He started in your life. Some of you have been asking -- 42:32 "God, lookit -- I'm a student here in this university. I'm trying to grasp these great 42:36 themes in the class. This is the career track that I've chosen. 42:39 But I'm not getting it. This stuff is just not coming through to me. 42:42 God, you've got to help me." I want to tell you something, my friend. 42:45 Don't you dare give up. Don't you give up, because God started this journey 42:48 with you at Andrews University and He's going to finish this journey with you. 42:52 He can bring you through, and one day, the light bulb will go on and God will say, 42:56 "See? I told you. You would have bailed out too early." 43:01 Some of you are fighting an addiction that is not going to let you go. 43:05 That addiction is like a ball and chain, and you don't know -- You can't shake it. 43:09 It's always there when you wake up. It's always there when you go to 43:12 bed, that addiction, and you're saying, "I'm ready to throw in the towel. 43:15 I'm quitting on this whole Christianity thing." Don't you dare. 43:19 The God who has begun a good work in you is going to bring it to completion 43:22 by the day of Christ Jesus. He's going to finish what He starts. 43:25 Don't you bail on Him. Trust me. Some of you are praying 43:30 for God to give you a closer relationship with Him. You say, "Listen, I want you 43:33 to raise the bar. I want to really -- I want to really know you, God, 43:37 like I've never known you before, but it just doesn't feel like my prayer life 43:42 is going anywhere." Don't you give up. Are you kidding? 43:45 He has started something in you and He's promised, "If I start it, I will" what? 43:50 "I will finish it. I will finish it for you." Man! I'm telling you, whatever 43:55 it is God is doing in your life -- And I have no idea. Don't miss Paul's 43:59 good-news point. God will send in his champion closer to finish the job 44:04 and to earn the save and to give you the win. Isn't that good? 44:09 He earns the save, and you get the win. You get the "W," 44:14 but He earns the save. Wow. Whatever God starts -- That's the deal, folks. 44:19 Whatever God starts, He finishes. And Jesus has 44:22 always been his His champion closer. "I want to create the world, I 44:26 need my champion closer. Christ, go in. Want to save the human race, 44:30 I need my champion closer. Where are you, Jesus? Let's go. You want for the final rescue? 44:35 I'm gonna send in my champion closer, Jesus, again." He always wins 44:42 when He sends His champion in. Isn't that good news? Come on, tell me. 44:46 Is that good news or what? That is absolutely incredible. Whatever you're going through 44:50 right now, He can finish it. Some of you are about ready to throw in the towel. 44:54 Your marriage is on the rocks and you're saying, "I cannot go forward. 44:59 I am suing for divorce. I will not be able to pull this baby off." 45:06 Don't give up. Do not give up. A relationship has gone sour for some of you who are younger, 45:12 and you're not even in marriage, but a relationship has gone sour, and you thought, "Man, 45:15 this was the one that Jesus was leading me to. I can't believe it, because 45:18 this is not working out." Don't give up. He's not through with you yet. 45:24 What He starts, He finishes. You can lean on Him. It's just like an artist. 45:28 When an artist starts, generally, an artist finishes. Unless you're an amateur artist, 45:32 and then you got all these canvases that are half done and you never finished them. 45:36 But we've got some pro artists today. They're not even from the art 45:39 department, but we went to the art department and we said, "Give us two 45:42 shining artists on this campus," and they did not pick art majors. 45:45 They picked an architecture major and a photography major. And they're right here, 45:51 and I want them to come up. We started working on this last spring, to be ready 45:55 for this day. Come on, Jo-Elisa Clarke, from Belize. 45:58 Come on up. 45:59 Second-year architecture. Nick Collard, come on up. 46:05 Second-year photography, from the, as I said first service, 46:08 thriving metropolis of Berrien Springs. 46:10 You grew up in this town. Welcome home. Hey, listen, guys, we're 46:14 surrounded by four of your pieces of art. We're going to 46:17 take these in order. But one thing I've noticed is that if you really want good 46:23 artwork, it isn't just...sign it, "You want this?" No, you put hours. 46:28 Come on, Nick, tell us. You got two -- You've got these first two paintings, 46:31 because you'll see why. So, how much time do you spend on this? 46:36 >> On each, 25. >> 25 hours. >> Hours. 46:39 >> Yeah, so, if we were sitting in that studio with you... would be boring or what? 46:45 Well, maybe not. Were you bored? >> No. >> Good. That's good. 46:52 25 hours. Would you like to watch Nick do that in 60 seconds? 46:57 Let's watch Nick do it in 60 seconds. Look on that big screen. 48:07 Come on, Nick. Pull that cover off. Let's go. Pull that cover off and let's 48:14 take a look at the original. There it is on the screen, but we want to have it right here 48:18 in front of us. Yep, you got it. Yeah. Wow. That is so dramatic, Nick. 48:26 God has obviously gifted both of you. You know, by the way, I just 48:30 need to insert this right here. Sometimes, we choose career paths and assume 48:34 that that's where all our gifts are, in that career path. Not so, not so. 48:37 You see two people here who have chosen different career paths. They didn't go into art, 48:41 but God is already gifted them in another area, so they will have twin gifts 48:45 that will be operating all the way through their lives -- the gift of art 48:48 and their career choices. Yeah. So, Nick, this is -- We're looking 48:53 at the face of Jesus here. Why did you choose that pose? 48:57 >> It's kind of the traditional -- kind of the 49:00 traditional pose. >> Mm-hmm. 49:01 >> I think. I was working with a model. 49:04 >> Yeah. >> And I just told him to, you 49:07 know, assume the traditional pose and gaze upward. 49:11 And so he kind of gave me what you see. >> Yeah. Mm-hmm. It is finished. 49:17 You know, this is a classic case of the champion closer being sent in to score 49:23 the save, the win. By the billions of human beings -- billions 49:27 got saved in that champion closer stepping in. If he hadn't stepped in, we'd 49:31 have been lost. Yeah. Let's go over here to your 49:36 other drawing. We're not gonna do time lapse on this one, but this is 49:41 as dramatic. This is another case of the closer at work. 49:47 And I like the way you drew this. 49:51 We'll put it on the big screen for everybody. 49:53 Those of you watching the live stream and you're seeing 49:55 this, you're seeing amazing artwork right now. 49:57 Nick, stand in front of this one now. 49:59 Why did you have Jesus with his back to us? 50:02 >> Starting off the project, I wanted to create an emotional connection 50:07 between the subject matter and the viewer. And in this particular one, 50:12 I wanted it to be with the lamb, so I had the lamb facing forward and Christ facing away, 'cause 50:18 I wanted -- The lamb is actually symbolic of humanity in this one, so I wanted the viewer 50:23 to connect with the lamb. >> Yeah, that's the Lamb of God dying for all of us little 50:28 lambies and sheepies, right? Yeah. Another closer. The whole sacrificial system 50:32 is closed now. It's over. No more sacrificing. 50:35 Dynamite. Jo-Elisa, let's turn this way with you. 50:41 So, we're gonna do a time lapse for you, but we're saving that to the end. 50:47 Let's do this one, because this is following a chronological sequence. 50:50 We've got Calvary. That's the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus. 50:53 Let's take off your covering board and let's look at what you've done here. 50:58 Ah! The Lord Jesus himself, the champion closer. And you know what strikes me, 51:05 Jo-Elisa? If there hadn't been this, this would have been no good. 51:11 Paul says, in 1 Corinthians 15, "If it's just the death of Christ, there's not enough." 51:16 We have to have death destroyed, and, here, you've captured it. What do you think 51:22 Jesus is thinking of in that -- It's almost a beatific smile there. 51:25 What do you think he's thinking of? 51:28 >> I think He is relieved that... 51:29 >> Relieved. Oh, I'd be relieved. 51:31 >> ...his mission here on Earth is completed 51:33 so that we may be saved. 51:35 >> Nobody can take it away. When He walked out of that, it was over. 51:38 Devil lost. He knew it. He knew it. It's curtains 51:41 for him, eventually. Oh, I love that. Holy Spirit just... 51:45 But now we want to look at your time lapse, because this is the only 51:49 painting done in full color. You're gonna watch 60 seconds of her taking 20-some hours to do 51:54 this. Alright, let's go. 53:06 Now, you're gonna watch this. Watch this. We're going to expose this. 53:10 Yeah, go ahead. You can thank her for that. [ Applause ] 53:13 Yep. We're gonna expose this now. 53:17 Look at the dramatic color in the original now. 53:20 So, now you're going to see the dramatic color, 53:22 and we're gonna put that on the big screen for you. 53:24 Isn't that something? Alright, Jo-Elisa, stay right 53:27 here, because you did this down in Belize. 53:29 >> Yes, sir. >> Mm-hmm. 53:31 And your family was there, and you told me, "I put my 53:34 family --" Show us where your family is. 53:37 >> My family is waiting for the Second Coming and waiting for Jesus 53:41 and that day. >> These are your actual family members... 53:44 >> Yes, sir. >> ...who are watching right now, live-streaming from Belize? 53:47 >> Yes, sir. >> Oh, that is so special. Isn't that something? 53:50 But you know what? That's the point about the closure. 53:54 When the closer gets the win, it's not just for you and me. It's for the entire family. 53:58 It's for everybody. And the good news, as Pastor José, said a moment ago, 54:04 we got to get this news out. We just got to get it out. And one day, Jo-Elisa -- 54:09 One day, you're going to meet the savior. Nick, one day, 54:13 you're going to meet the savior. Come on over here, guys. You're going to meet the savior, 54:16 and he's going to say, "Hey, guys, not bad. I kind of like that artwork. 54:21 We have a copy of it here in the palace." Wouldn't that be something? 54:25 We have a copy of it in the palace." That's our closer. 54:29 Thank you for doing what we couldn't do just talking. You showed us that the champion 54:34 always comes in for the win at the end. God bless you both. 54:37 Put your hands together for these two artists. [ Applause ] 54:48 Yep. That's the gospel truth. Whatever God starts, He finishes. 54:54 Whatever God starts, He finishes. So, what's He doing in your 54:58 life? I have no idea. I'm looking in your faces. 55:01 They look fairly happy, glad to be in God's presence this morning, but I have no clue. 55:06 Those of you watching on live stream right now, I have no clue what's going on 55:10 in your life, but here's what we all need to know. Whatever it is that 55:14 God has started He will bring to completion by the day of Christ Jesus. 55:19 He will bring it to completion by this moment. It'll all be done and completed, 55:24 and you get the "W." He gets the save. You get the "W." 55:29 There's only one condition to this, and that condition is this. 55:31 Listen very carefully. He can only finish what He starts 55:36 if you let Him go the whole way. If you pull Him out for your own relief pitching, it's curtains. 55:44 We could have done that in here. We could have said, "Hey, great roofers, great carpet layers, 55:48 great carpenters, fine painters, electricians. Whoo! We got the best. 55:52 But you know what? We changed our minds. We don't want you changing 55:57 our interior. We're going back to the way it was. 56:01 Goodbye." 56:02 We could have done that, because when people are there 56:06 by your invitation, you can send them away. 56:08 But we would have been fools to do that, 56:11 because they were finishing a work inside of us that one day 56:14 would look this beautiful. Don't ever tell Jesus, 56:17 "Get out of my life." Please don't ever tell Him. 56:21 He's the champion closer. He's the only way you win 56:25 in the end. You need Him, and He loves you. 56:29 He loves you with all His heart. So, here's the prayer to pray. 56:33 Dear God, whatever you started in my life -- that addiction, that marriage, my lost child, my 56:41 lost grandchild -- whatever you have started in my life, 56:47 I'm begging you to finish it. I'm giving you permission to finish it. 56:51 Send in your champion closer so that he might save me. Lord Jesus, save me. 56:58 And He will save you every single time. 57:06 We've been really blessed by the financial support 57:08 that comes from our viewers and we've made a conscious decision 57:11 not to continually appeal to you for that support. 57:14 Fact is, as everyone in the industry will tell you, 57:17 we're needing to make constant upgrades to our technology. 57:20 So, if God has blessed you and you'd like to further 57:23 the work of this ministry, we invite you to partner with us. 57:25 Not a single penny of your donation will go to me. 57:28 Every bit of your gift goes to the mission of blessing 57:31 your community and our world. You can donate on our website, 57:35 newperceptions.tv, or call the number. 57:37 You know the number -- 877-HIS-WILL. 57:40 Again, that number is 877 -- the two words HIS-WILL. 57:45 And may the God who has blessed you continue to pour into 57:47 your life the gifts of His joy and His hope. 57:51 Thank you. And I'm looking forward 57:52 to seeing you right here again next time. 57:59 ♪♪ |
Revised 2024-01-24