Participants: C.A. Murray
Series Code: OTR
Program Code: OTR000826
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00:59 I'm gonna ask the pastor to come out,
01:02 because we share the same name. 01:05 I'm C.A. Murray. 01:07 Pastor Murray, good to see you. 01:08 Good to see you, Pastor Murray. 01:10 Good to be in your church, Pastor Murray. 01:11 Good to have you, Pastor Murray. 01:13 You're looking good, Pastor Murray. 01:15 Well, so are you, Pastor Murray. 01:16 I appreciate that, Pastor Murray. 01:18 Thank you, Pastor Murray. 01:19 You're wonderful fellow, Pastor Murray. 01:20 So are you, Pastor Murray. 01:22 I appreciate that. 01:23 Now I'm just Pastor Murray. 01:27 This is famous Murray. 01:31 So, I need to ask you. 01:32 I know what it feels like to be a Murray. 01:35 How does it feel to be famous? 01:38 Pastor Murray, it feels wonderful to be famous. 01:44 I don't know how long we've known each other, 01:46 it's been little, a good little while. 01:47 Yeah, quite a few years. 01:49 Yeah, quite a few years. 01:50 Both Oakwood college grads. 01:51 Yes, yes, we are. 01:53 Yeah, I dare say, I think 01:54 I got there a year or two before you. 01:55 Well probably about four or five years. 01:58 Yeah, no a year or two. 02:01 But I must say, I got there very, very young. 02:03 Praise the Lord. 02:04 Pastor, how long have you been here? 02:06 I've been here about two years now. 02:07 Uh-huh, so you're still on the honeymoon. 02:09 Praise the Lord. Oh, yes, yes. 02:11 That honeymoon will continue... 02:13 Amen. Are folks treating you good? 02:14 Oh, they're so wonderful congregation here. 02:17 Praise the Lord. Wonderful. 02:18 Tell us a little bit about the church, 02:19 some of the community needs. 02:21 What are you doing to meet the needs of the community? 02:22 Just tell us a little bit about that? 02:24 I'm grateful that 02:26 this church is very much involved in the community. 02:29 When I came here this church has a feeding program, 02:33 we spend thousands of dollars every year 02:35 to make sure that children and underprivileged families 02:40 have food on their tables. 02:42 We spend money also in helping individuals 02:46 with various needs rent, utility, 02:50 you name it, we are involved. 02:52 And of course, 02:53 our community service department 02:55 feeds over thousands of individuals every year. 03:01 So we are very much involved. 03:02 Amen, that's what I like here about urban churches 03:05 that are meeting the needs of the communities 03:07 that surround their church, 03:08 that means you are fulfilling the mission. 03:10 Yes, yes we are. 03:12 And in addition to that, 03:13 we have very strong health and temperance department, 03:16 who is involved in addressing 03:19 the physical need of the individual 03:22 do a lot of scanning, testing and what have you. 03:25 So that we can address some of the problems 03:28 that we are facing in the urban area 03:31 and especially with the black community 03:34 some of those medical issues that we are noted for. 03:37 Now, I'm gonna ask you the truth, 03:39 I want you to be honest to me, 03:40 just me and you, nobody is gonna know. 03:41 Okay. 03:43 'Cause you're not, you're not a native of Chicago, are you? 03:44 No, I'm not a native of Chicago, 03:47 however, I did live in Gary quite a few years. 03:51 As a matter of fact, that's where the Lord 03:53 led me to this truth in Gary, Indiana. 03:55 All right, so then this, the cold of Chicago 03:58 is not a great shock to you. 04:00 Well, let's put it in this way. 04:02 I've been out of this whether about 30 years. 04:05 So to come back into it, I had to make some adjustments 04:09 but nevertheless, the Lord is able. 04:11 Amen. Praise the Lord. 04:12 You got a wonderful church 04:14 and we gonna have a wonderful time this evening. 04:16 Pastor, God bless you. Thank you. 04:17 We'll talk a little bit more. 04:18 Okay, Pastor Murray. All right. God bless. 04:22 We were in the back just a little ago 04:24 and someone said, hey Pastor Murray. 04:25 We both whipped around 04:27 and I suspect we gonna have that problem 04:28 through out the course of the weekend, 04:30 I thank Pastor Murray. 04:32 My Famous name sake for allowing us 04:34 to be here in the Shiloh Church, 04:37 it's a wonderful church. 04:38 Next up is the youth director of the conference, 04:40 we are calling him out, this is Pastor Leon George, 04:44 the director of Youth 04:45 for the Great Lake Region Conference. 04:47 Pastor, good to have you here! 04:49 Thank you. 04:52 Have you brought your fans with you? 04:56 Praise the Lord. 04:57 Couple of things, 04:58 how long have you been serving as youth director? 05:00 I have been serving as a youth director 05:01 for three month now. 05:03 Oh, still a baby in the office. 05:05 That's right. 05:06 Let me ask this. 05:07 As you look at the challenge of youth 05:10 in this large metropolitan areas, 05:11 Chicago in particular. 05:13 What do you see as a number one problem 05:14 facing youth in our church today? 05:18 Well, the number one problem will be 05:22 drugs, alcohol and gangs. 05:26 Drugs, alcohol and gangs, I think we can say those are 05:29 pretty much universal on all of our large cities. 05:31 Indeed. 05:33 You just got in. 05:34 You're just getting your feet wet, 05:36 but what kinds of programs are you visioning 05:38 and envisioning to try to meet those challenges? 05:42 Well, some of the programs 05:44 that we are thinking about is support groups, 05:48 where young people face a lot of stress for moments. 05:52 And if they have people that they could turn to, 05:56 it will be an alternative to turn into gangs, 05:59 turn into drugs and alcohol. 06:01 So that's one of the major things we're looking at. 06:04 Do you have good youth leaders 06:06 around the conference people to support your program? 06:08 Oh, yes, most definitely and though we have Gordon, 06:12 we still have ongoing training program 06:16 through the master guide program. 06:18 And that continuously train leaders every year. 06:21 We invest master guides. 06:23 Praise God. Praise God. 06:25 So you got a great deal of work ahead of you. 06:29 But our God is able, doesn't He? 06:30 Definitely. Definitely. Praise the Lord. 06:33 Let's get the meeting started right with prayer. 06:36 Pastor, would you pray for us please? 06:37 Sure. 06:39 Almighty Father, we thank You this evening 06:43 for bringing us here amidst the rain 06:46 to the Shiloh Seventh-day Adventist Church. 06:50 We thank You for Your presence. 06:52 We pray that Your Holy Spirit 06:54 will now move among this people present. 06:58 And those who will be looking 07:00 at this program around the world, 07:03 we pray a special blessing this evening 07:06 upon Your word as it is delivered. 07:09 Father we pray that hearts will be moved and touched 07:13 and decisions will be made for time and for eternity. 07:18 Continues to bless and guide into proceeding this evening, 07:23 we pray in Jesus' name, amen. 07:26 Amen. Praise the Lord. 07:28 Pastor, thank you so much. 07:29 It's a pleasure. God bless you. 07:33 We have some music now, 07:35 coming from Sister Shawna Campbell 07:39 and she is going to be singing. 07:40 "He Touched Me." 07:56 He touched me Oh, 08:02 He touched me 08:06 And oh the joy 08:11 That floods my soul 08:18 Something happened 08:22 And now I know 08:29 He touched me 08:32 And made 08:37 Me whole 08:45 Shackled by 08:48 A heavy burden 08:56 'Neath a load of guilt 09:01 And shame 09:05 Then the hand of Jesus 09:12 Touched me 09:15 And now I am no longer 09:22 The same 09:25 He touched me 09:29 Oh Jesus touched me 09:36 And oh the joy 09:41 That floods my soul 09:48 Something happened 09:52 And now I know 09:57 Jesus touched me 10:03 And made 10:06 Me whole 10:13 Since I met this 10:16 Blessed Savior 10:22 Since He cleansed 10:24 And made me whole 10:32 I will never cease 10:36 To praise Him 10:40 I'll shout it 10:43 While eternity 10:47 Rolls 10:52 He touched me 10:55 Oh Jesus touched me 11:02 And oh the joy 11:07 That floods my soul 11:15 Something happened 11:19 And now 11:22 I know 11:29 Jesus touched me 11:36 And made 11:42 Me 11:48 Whole 12:03 Very well done. 12:05 The pastor said that 12:07 he had a wealth of talent in this church, 12:09 and I believe that is true. 12:13 We've got some more music coming right now. 12:14 And we got testimonies, 12:15 you're going to hear this stuff all night long, 12:17 you got to forgive me 12:18 'Cause we're just full of this stuff 12:19 of what God is doing and God's goodness. 12:22 Let's see we got "His Messengers" 12:24 they gonna be singing wonderful words of life, 12:27 and I'm told this is a fine sounding quartet. 12:31 Good looking bunch of brethren. 12:34 Gentlemen, good to have you here. 12:35 We gonna have you do one song then I got to interview, 12:37 then we'll bring you back, all right. 12:39 Very good, sing for Jesus. 12:45 Sing them over again to me Wonderful words of life 12:52 Let me more of their beauty see Wonderful words of life 12:59 Words of life and beauty Teach me faith and duty 13:07 Beautiful words, wonderful words 13:10 Wonderful words of life 13:14 Beautiful words, wonderful words 13:17 Wonderful words of life 13:23 Sweetly echo the Gospel call Wonderful words of life 13:30 Offer pardon and peace to all Wonderful words of life 13:37 Jesus, only Savior Sanctify us forever 13:45 Beautiful words, wonderful words 13:48 Wonderful words of life 13:52 Beautiful words, wonderful words 13:56 Wonderful words of life 14:32 Beautiful words, wonderful words 14:36 Wonderful words 14:38 Of life 14:51 Our subject for this evening 14:54 is by many or by few 14:59 subtitled any person, 15:04 any weapon, any situation. 15:08 I ask you to turn with me in the word of God 15:12 to 1 Samuel Chapter 13. 15:16 1 Samuel Chapter 13 15:21 and we'll read just couple of verses there 15:23 and move to 1 Samuel Chapter 14... 15:30 and finish this story. 15:35 1 Samuel 13:22 and 23, 15:42 then the first several verses of the ensuing chapter. 15:48 The word of God says, "And so it came about 15:52 on the day of battle 15:56 that there was neither sword nor spear 15:59 found in the hand of any of the people 16:02 who were with Saul and Jonathan. 16:05 But they were found with Saul and Jonathan his son. 16:12 And the garrison of the Philistines 16:14 went out to the pass out at Michmash." 16:18 Chapter 14:1, "Now it happened one day 16:21 that Jonathan the son of Saul 16:23 said to the young man who bore his armor, 16:25 "Come, let us go over to the Philistines' garrison 16:29 that is on the other side." 16:32 But he did not tell his father." 16:35 I'm reading from 1 Samuel 14:2, 16:39 "And Saul was sitting in the outskirts of Gibeah 16:42 under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron. 16:45 The people who were with him were about six hundred men. 16:51 Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, 16:53 the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, 16:56 the priest in Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. 16:58 But the people did not know that Jonathan had gone. 17:02 Between the passes, 17:04 by which Jonathan sought to go over 17:05 to the Philistines' garrison, there was a sharp rock..." 17:09 It simply means that there were two cliffs, 17:11 Philistines were on one mountain 17:13 sharp cliff valley in the middle, 17:15 Israeli forces on the other mountain. 17:20 "The name of one was Bozez, the other was Seneh. 17:24 The front of one face northward opposite Michmash, 17:28 the other southward opposite Gibeah." 17:30 So, you've got one mountain facing north, 17:32 one mountain facing south, 17:34 two armies are posing on each mountain, 17:36 nobody in the middle. 17:38 "Then Jonathan said to the young man 17:40 who bore his armor, 17:41 "Come, let us go over 17:42 to the garrison of these uncircumcised, 17:44 term of disrespect, 17:47 it may be that the Lord will work for us. 17:50 For nothing restrains the Lord 17:53 from saving by many or by few." 18:00 Father God, 18:02 speak to our hearts even this night. 18:05 Give us a word from the Lord 18:08 and we thank You in Jesus' name, amen. 18:14 In the year 1995 I've paid my second visit 18:18 to the city of London, England to preach there. 18:22 And it was a very memorable visit for number of reasons. 18:27 One, I embarrassed myself by trying to preach 18:30 on the same day that I flew, forgot all about jetlag. 18:34 Sat on the pulpit even as they were announcing 18:36 that I was getting up to speak and promptly felt asleep. 18:42 But I also remember the visit because as we were driving 18:47 through the city of London on the bus, 18:51 I noticed something that I had never seen before 18:54 or at least I hadn't noticed it before when I was in London 18:56 and that was all over the city of London, 19:00 I saw the word courage all over London, 19:05 on billboards, on placards, on walls, on storefronts, 19:09 everywhere I looked, I saw courage, 19:10 courage, courage, courage. 19:12 And, you know, as I'm thinking about the word courage, 19:14 I need to encourage you 19:15 may be looking for Danny Shelton, 19:16 he will be here all day tomorrow. 19:19 He has worked quite a lot this week 19:21 and when I think about courage, 19:23 I've got to think about our boss Danny Shelton 19:25 who is the man of courage. 19:27 So he will be with us all day on tomorrow 19:29 and ask me to tender to him to you for him 19:33 his love and he will be here, 19:36 his heart is here even this night. 19:38 But everywhere I looked, 19:39 I saw courage, courage, courage, 19:41 in red and white and red and gold 19:43 and blue and gold 19:44 all over there was this word courage. 19:46 And I thought to myself, you know, 19:48 what a nice motto to put up 19:50 before the people this word courage. 19:53 It seems so very nice as I thought about 19:55 the history of that rather small island England 19:58 and the long history of courageous acts 20:01 that have been done by the British people. 20:04 I said what a nice motto to put up all over the country. 20:08 I thought about the history of England, 20:09 Winston Churchill during the height of World War II, 20:11 when the Germans were bombing 20:13 the city of London every single day. 20:15 Winston Churchill got on the radio 20:17 to try to rally his people and he said, 20:21 "We will fight in the land, we will fight on the sea, 20:23 we will fight in the streets, we will never give up, 20:25 he said, this is indeed our finest hour." 20:29 Further back, I thought about the Spanish Armada. 20:32 You heard when Spain sent all of those ships 20:35 up to England to try of capture it 20:37 and this small British fleet 20:39 defeated this large Spanish fleet, 20:41 there was and there is this long 20:44 and courageous list of acts done by the British people 20:49 that prove that they are courageous. 20:52 Back in the mid of '90s, 20:55 things were not going that well in England. 21:01 Diana was still alive, Charles was alive 21:04 but rumors had got now that the marriage was dying. 21:10 We began to hear the name Camilla Parker Bowles 21:13 in the headlines. 21:15 Then Fergie was having some problems 21:17 and Margaret Thatcher was slipping from power 21:20 and it occurred to me that this putting up of the word 21:23 courage all over town was a way of the British people saying 21:27 that even though we are having problems 21:30 with Diana and Charles and Fergie 21:32 and things are not as glorious as they once were. 21:35 Let's keeps our heads up, let's keep our chins up 21:38 you know, pip pip, cheerio and all that sort of stuff. 21:43 And I thought about that, I said, you know, 21:44 that's something we ought to do in United States. 21:46 We ought to put up signs like that all over. 21:48 Churches ought to do that, 21:50 put up signs like courage and faith and hope. 21:53 In fact, we did a little of that 21:54 in the Northeastern Conference there in New York City. 21:57 You know, but truth is a terrible thing. 22:01 Because I got off of the bus and I got little closer 22:04 to some of those signs and as I got closer, 22:08 I found out that courage was a not a synonym 22:11 for a stout heart and a stiff upper lip. 22:15 No, no, no, no, courage was the synonym for Coors. 22:22 You all know what Coors is? 22:25 If you don't know what Coors is, 22:26 then think of it this way, Bud-wei-ser. 22:33 Courage was the thick brown foamy liquid 22:35 that the British down by the court every night 22:37 before they stumbled home from work. 22:40 The reason the word courage pastors 22:42 on so many billboards and so many walls is because 22:45 if you've been to the city of London, 22:46 you can attest that for a city of its size, 22:50 I don't think there is any city that has more beer halls 22:53 or taverns or bars or liquor establishments 22:56 or place to buy alcohol than the city of London. 23:00 Everywhere you turn, there's the place to get drunk 23:03 and on every other corner 23:04 there seems to be a bakery or sweetshop. 23:06 I don't think I've ever seen the town 23:08 with more beer halls and bakeries 23:11 than the city of London. 23:14 Now, Praise God as a Seventh-day Adventist pastor, 23:16 I had no time, taste, talent or inclination 23:18 to visit any of those beer halls, 23:20 but I did tried to hit as many of those bakeries 23:22 as I thought I could. 23:25 It is amazing to me that the people from England 23:28 don't have cirrhosis of the liver and or diabetes. 23:33 So now, when I hear about 23:35 being fortified with British courage, 23:37 I'm not as impressed I used to be. 23:43 For truly the jolly old Englanders 23:47 are full of courage. 23:51 But you will forgive my pejorative English, 23:53 it ain't nothing to be particularly proud of. 23:57 And if the truth been known 23:59 what passes itself of as courage in our world today 24:03 is also nothing to be particularly proud of. 24:09 Let me say something obiter dictum, 24:11 it's not in my notes, 24:12 it's just a passage occurs to me. 24:15 You know, we Seventh-day Adventists 24:16 have nothing to be ashamed off. 24:17 Do you know that? 24:19 We have nothing to be ashamed of. 24:20 We live in a world where everybody is out of a closet. 24:26 Nobody is ashamed of nothing. 24:32 God's people? 24:34 Nothing to be ashamed of, ladies and gentlemen. 24:37 Nothing to be ashamed of. 24:39 And what passes itself off as courage in our world today, 24:42 nothing to be ashamed of. 24:43 If a congressmen vote a tax hike 24:45 in an elections year, we call him courageous. 24:48 If a football or basketball player, 24:50 some making 10, 20, 30 million dollars a year, 24:53 sprains his ankle and plays in a big game, 24:55 we want to call him courageous. 24:56 Well, you are making a million dollars. 25:01 Some 45 years ago, 25:03 a famous Hollywood actress 25:04 did the very first nude scene in a movie 25:07 and she was universally praised 25:10 for having the courage 25:11 to take off her clothes in public. 25:19 Several years ago 25:20 I was at the Phil Donahue show in New York, 25:22 and it was the show about men who beat their wives. 25:26 And at the end of the show, 25:27 they were applauded for having the courage 25:29 to stand up in public and tell the world 25:32 that they beat their wives. 25:35 In fact, one courageous fellow said 25:37 "You know I give my wife a beating every year, 25:39 I don't care how good a woman is. 25:40 Every woman needs a beating once a year." 25:45 And they were those who applauded him. 25:50 My mother told me early on, 25:52 any man who hits a woman is a coward. 25:58 And I know enough about Spanish women 26:01 that any man hits a Spanish woman 26:04 ought never go to sleep. 26:11 But anything passes off itself for courage today. 26:17 We are so hero starved, we are so role model starved, 26:20 we are so hungry for somebody to imitate, 26:23 to emulate that anything passes itself off for courage. 26:27 If anybody does anything, we want to deify them 26:30 and make them a hero. 26:32 You got a fellow now down in Florida, 26:33 calls himself Jesus Christ. 26:36 He's got a following. 26:38 People are listening to him. 26:40 We are so starved for people to look up to 26:43 that anybody stands up for anything 26:44 no matter how twisted or banal, 26:46 or sick or degraded, they will get hailed 26:49 for having the courage of their convictions. 26:54 And if the truth be known, 26:55 there is precious little courage 26:56 in our world today. 26:58 Most people don't want to stand out. 26:59 Even some Adventists are ashamed of their faith. 27:05 Thank God, 27:06 it wasn't that way in this scripture lesson. 27:07 They realize that courage is something that exists 27:10 and after doing a conversation doesn't come in a bottle. 27:14 No, no, courage in 1 Samuel is shown in sweat, tears, 27:18 blood, toil, risk taking and maybe even death. 27:21 You see if you want to know about courage, 27:24 you don't ask somebody like Michael Jordan, 27:26 you ask Nelson Mandela. 27:29 Ask somebody that has to sacrifice something 27:31 for their belief. 27:33 As great as he is, 27:34 you don't ask Tiger Woods about courage, 27:36 you ask Lech Walesa or a Martin Luther King, 27:39 ask somebody who shed some blood 27:42 for what they believe. 27:45 I've heard people say, 27:47 well, I don't, you know, I go to work, 27:48 and I don't tell anybody about my faith, 27:50 I just try to live for Jesus, 27:51 I don't say anything, you are chicken. 27:56 The word of God says 27:57 let the redeemed of a Lord say so. 28:05 It was evident, 28:06 that there was very little courage 28:08 in Israel during the days of 1 Samuel Chapter 13 and 14. 28:14 Now Israel had recently elected a young, handsome king 28:20 who had won a minor battle with the Amalekites. 28:25 His name was Saul. 28:27 In fact Saul was bigger and stronger 28:31 and better looking than everybody else. 28:35 The election of Saul was ostensibly a beauty contest. 28:41 It's pretty promptly tells us, 28:42 when the men and the women saw this tall, gorgeous man 28:46 who is head and shoulders above everybody else, 28:49 it was the women who told their husbands 28:51 anybody who looks that good has got to be the king. 29:00 Now what was true, 29:01 Saul did have this kind of Arnold Schwarzenegger, 29:05 Steven Seagal, Denzel Washington, 29:08 Wesley Snipes kind of thing going 29:10 but the problem was with Saul, 29:13 it was all patina, it was all veneer, 29:16 it was all facade, inside Saul had no heart. 29:22 Now the Philistines are coming, 29:25 and the Philistines are not the Amalekites. 29:28 Amalekites were a militia, the Philistines were an army. 29:33 The Philistines could walk the walk, 29:35 and talk the talk. 29:37 You remember when Saul was rejected, 29:39 and the Lord went to find David, 29:41 he said "Man looketh on the outward appearance, 29:43 but God looketh on the heart. 29:48 The Philistines knew how to fight. 29:51 And in Chapter 13:5 of the same Book of 1 Samuel, 29:54 the Bible says the Philistines had 3,000 chariots, 3000. 30:00 The Philistine war chariot carried two men, 30:02 a driver and a archer. 30:06 So that's 6,000 men. 30:09 Then there are another 6,000 horsemen, 30:13 so that's 12,000 men. 30:16 Then they had 30,000 foot soldiers. 30:20 And then the Bible says 30:22 they had men as the sand of the sea. 30:24 Now that's a interesting little hormoneative thing that we do 30:26 when time is of essence and we got to move fast. 30:28 When you have a known number followed by an unknown number, 30:31 you simply double the known number 30:33 and it gives you general idea of what the unknown is. 30:35 So, if you got 6,000 chariot persons, 30:39 you got 6,000 horsemen that's 12,000, 30:42 then you got 30,000 footmen that's 42,000. 30:48 Now you got a number unknown as the sands of the sea, 30:51 so you just double a number, 30:52 you got 42,000 times two is 84,000. 30:56 So you got at least 84,000 Philistines, 30:59 I want you to get this, you got 84,000 Philistines, 31:02 who knew how to walk the walk, and talk the talk. 31:07 And to appose this massive mechanized army, 31:10 you read in your Bible, 2 Samuel 14:2, 31:14 Saul had had an army of 600 men. 31:19 Now wrap your brain around that. 31:22 You got 84,000 men minimum 31:28 and we got 600. 31:33 And the Bible says even though 600 followed him trembling 31:37 with good reason 31:39 because nobody had anything to fight with. 31:45 They got 84,000 guys with chariots, horses, swords, 31:51 spears, daggers, javelins, bows, arrows, 31:56 we got 600 guys with nothing. 32:05 So what are you supposed to do? 32:08 Throw stones at the Philistines, 32:11 spit on them, bite them? 32:14 You see, there is no equal in the English language 32:16 for what that is? 32:19 If I come to battle you, 32:22 and you've got a baseball bat, 32:26 and I've got a stick, 32:30 that's an unfair fight, it's unfair. 32:34 You got a club, I got a stick, 32:36 but if I'm brave, and I move pretty good, 32:40 I may stand a shot. 32:43 But if you got 84,000 guys 32:50 and I got 600, 32:52 there is no name, there is no word 32:55 in English language for what that is. 32:58 We don't have a word for that 33:00 except may be suicide. 33:07 Did you know that an army of 600 people 33:11 can hide inside an army of 84,000 people? 33:15 Those 600 people can run inside that army 33:17 and they never find them. 33:21 Logistically pastor, 33:24 physically 84,000 people cannot fight 600. 33:30 The numbers are too small. 33:32 If 84,000 guys drew their swords 33:37 and attack 600 people, 33:40 they would kill 10,000 of their own men. 33:46 That's like trying to killing a roach with hand granite, 33:50 you may get him, and you probably kill yourself. 33:58 I mean let's think about this. 34:04 Even God doesn't want us to be stupid. 34:09 I mean tender your apologetic to me, 34:11 where in a holy rite do you get punch 34:14 of the almighty for being a fool. 34:17 They got 84,000, we got 600. 34:23 Maybe serving Jesus 34:24 is not what it's cracked up to be. 34:28 Maybe when God says go, He doesn't mean go now. 34:32 Maybe following the Lord only gets us in the trouble, 34:36 so let's not be so hasty. 34:39 Maybe when God says go, He means wait a minute 34:42 or wait an hour or wait a couple of days 34:44 or maybe a week or a month or a couple of years. 34:46 Maybe the Philippines will just get tired. 34:48 Maybe they will forget we are here. 34:49 Maybe they will go away. 34:51 We just can't do it now. 34:53 How many times you have heard that excuse? 34:58 All the excuses in the world why we cannot serve the Lord 35:03 and the truth is when it comes to serving the Lord, 35:07 there is no excuse. 35:09 Well, I can't get the Sabbath off, 35:11 I lose my job and I got to eat. 35:15 Well, God knows you got to eat. 35:19 It's not about eating, it's about courage. 35:22 It's about having the courage of your convictions. 35:29 You know it's funny, 35:31 and I see my time's gonna run away from me. 35:33 When I came to 3ABN, they told me 3ABN was broke, 35:37 I thought it was denominationally broke. 35:39 Ray, pastor, you know denomination, 35:41 we never spend all the money. 35:43 You always save 5 percent. 35:44 Even in church, 35:46 you don't budget at 100 percent, 35:47 you save some. 35:48 So when you get to 95 you say, we broke. 35:50 You got 5 percent which you don't spend it. 35:53 Not at 3ABN. 35:55 When Danny say broke, he mean broke. 35:59 Went to a meeting my very first day, 36:01 Danny got up and said, we broke. 36:02 Somebody said, Praise the Lord. 36:07 I looked, you know, 36:10 he doesn't have any money, give glory to God. 36:15 Every dime we get we spend. 36:18 Save nothing and trust God to supply more. 36:22 After 22 years see this equipment, 36:26 big truck outside paid for, 36:28 owe nobody, nothing. 36:33 So either, he is insane 36:39 or he knows Jesus. 36:42 According to your faith, so be it on to you. 36:48 All the excuses in the world why we can't trust God 36:51 and yet the truth is 36:52 there is no excuse for not trusting God. 36:57 Fellow, and I don't have the statistics to show now, 36:59 but the fellow in Texas is still in courts, 37:02 been in courts since 1995, own three Texaco stations. 37:06 Three, doing well and the Texaco said listen, 37:10 you need to close those things down 37:12 because your contract says seven days a week. 37:14 He took out his figures, 37:15 he said, I'm a Seventh Adventist, 37:17 I'm making more in six days 37:19 than every other Texaco station is making in seven days. 37:23 And Texaco said we don't care. 37:27 Your agreement says seven days a week, 37:30 and if you don't open up we're gonna close you down. 37:32 He didn't open up and they did and they took it to court. 37:36 He went from being very, very wealthy 37:38 and doing really well 37:40 to spending all his moneys on lawyers. 37:43 But you know what? 37:45 He doesn't have the wealth he had, 37:47 but he got Jesus. 37:49 He's got piece at night, he's got a good paying job, 37:53 and he's got bank in heaven. 37:56 Amen. Amen. 37:57 See it's about courage, ladies and gentlemen, 37:59 it's about courage, 38:00 it's about standing up for Jesus 38:02 and Jesus says, if you'll stand up for me, 38:05 I will stand up for you. 38:08 But no, no Saul is a pragmatist you see. 38:10 Saul is sitting under a pomegranate tree in Migron, 38:13 Saul wasn't gonna be anybody's kamikaze pilot, 38:17 didn't plan on running any suicide mission. 38:19 No, no Saul like life too much. 38:22 You see the object of war as Saul saw was for you 38:25 not to die for your country. 38:27 The object of war in Saul's mind 38:29 was to get the other guy to die for his country. 38:32 And when you got odds of 84,000 to 600, 38:36 there is a distinct possibility that, 38:38 that is not gonna happen. 38:40 And so the Bible says, 38:41 Saul sat under a pomegranate tree to think things out. 38:44 I need to hustle along. 38:45 Ladies and gentlemen, I submit to you this evening 38:47 that there are times 38:49 when you get a clear thus saith the Lord. 38:53 You listening to me? 38:54 When you got a clear thus saith the Lord 38:56 that hesitation, vacillation, 38:59 equivocation, any amount of stumbling, 39:02 stammering, backing up, 39:03 turning your back, bowing your knee, 39:05 bending your neck is not only cowardly, 39:08 it's not only disloyal, it's sin. 39:10 When God says get up and go, you got to get up and go! 39:17 Over and over and over and over, over, 39:18 if there is one theme in a Bible, 39:20 one thing in a word of God is the theme to decide. 39:23 Choose you this day whom you'll serve. 39:25 Choose you this day, 39:27 why halt you between two opinions, 39:28 you cannot serve to masters. 39:29 I would that you're hot and cold. 39:31 Over and over and over 39:32 and over and over God says decide. 39:36 Write this down 39:37 third volume of the Testimonies, 39:38 page 497 Ellen White says, 39:40 "Even a wrong decision 39:45 is better than no decision at all." 39:48 Did you hear me? 39:50 Even a wrong decision, listen, 39:53 we are miller made several wrong decisions 39:56 but the Lord forgave him 39:58 because he didn't sit back on his good intentions, 40:00 he got up and he acted. 40:02 Even a wrong decision is better 40:05 than sitting by the dock of the bay 40:08 watching the tide roll away and wasting time. 40:16 Praise God, Saul had a son name Jonathan, 40:19 but Jonathan didn't know any of this 40:21 like father like son nonsense. 40:24 And praise God, you know, 40:25 our salvation is not held hostage to anybody or anything. 40:28 You're not to be what your parents were 40:30 or your cousins or your aunty or your siblings 40:32 or the neighborhood you grow up in, 40:34 all you got to do is be like Jesus. 40:41 Saul always played the odds, 40:45 Jonathan trusted the Lord. 40:48 The only person you got to imitate to emulate is Jesus 40:51 and day after day Jonathan would hear 40:53 this barrage of curses 40:55 coming from the Philistine mountain. 40:57 He'd hear this, just listening, he'd listen to this tones 41:01 and these jeers and these Philistine curses 41:03 coming against his God and his people 41:05 and something began to swell in his heart. 41:07 To put it in modern parlance, 41:09 Jonathan got tired of hearing the Philistine's talk trash. 41:14 Unlike Saul, Jonathan believed God. 41:17 Where Saul always wanted 41:19 to play the odds and the percentages, 41:21 Jonathan put the whole weight of his trust on his God. 41:25 You see Jonathan believe that the God of Abraham, 41:29 Isaac and Jacob was all too willing to be his God. 41:35 You see the God in here is not gonna do you any good 41:40 until the God in here gets in here 41:44 and is acted out in your life. 41:48 Courage and faith come 41:51 when you'll take God at His word 41:53 and step out on the faith that you got assure 41:59 that God's gonna give you more of what you need, 42:03 when you need it as long as you need it 42:06 every place, every time and everywhere you need it. 42:09 Odds don't mean anything to God. 42:11 Never have, never will. 42:13 In fact God many times, you know this yourself, 42:16 will set up the odds against you. 42:18 So that when you get over on the other side, 42:21 you have no doubt in your mind 42:23 that it was God who got you there. 42:26 You don't take any credit for yourself 42:28 because from your eyes it was impossible. 42:32 But all things are possible with God. 42:35 Victory is not in us, it is in God. 42:38 Jonathan remembered a theme 42:39 throughout that of Jewish history, 42:41 a theme not of fighting ability, 42:42 a theme not of faith or strategy or tactics 42:46 but rather a theme of pure child like faith, 42:49 faith in the God who could use any person, 42:52 any weapon, any situation 42:55 to bring about victory to His cause, 42:57 salvation to His people and glory to His name, 43:00 ladies and gentleman. 43:01 Sure the task is big, but Matthew 9:29 says to me, 43:06 "According to your faith, so be it unto you." 43:12 We serve a God who can use any person, any weapon, 43:16 any situation to bring about victory to His cause, 43:20 glory to His name and salvation to His people. 43:24 God used Moses to bring down pharaoh, didn't he? 43:27 He surely did, God used Esther to bring down Haman, didn't he? 43:30 God used David to bring down Goliath, didn't he? 43:33 God used Lincoln and Douglas to bring down slavery 43:36 in this country along with Martin Luther King 43:38 who brought down legalized prejudice. 43:42 He used Lech Walesa to bring down Polish communism. 43:46 Perestroika and Glasnost almost forgotten man 43:49 by the name of Gorbachev 43:51 to bring down communism in a Soviet Union. 43:53 And they don't always have to be willing participants. 43:57 God used Nebuchadnezzar. 43:59 God used Darius the Mede, God used Ram in a Thicket, 44:03 God used two she bears, God used a talking donkey, 44:06 God used the herd of swine, 44:08 God used the piece of sheep's wool, didn't he? 44:11 God used a bag of flower and a cruse of oil. 44:14 God used dry bones in a valley. 44:16 God used two she bears. God used five smooth stones. 44:19 God used crazy glue on a lion's jaw. 44:22 God used a scarlet coat. God used a city with no walls. 44:26 God used the deep Samaritan well. 44:28 God used the woman with seven husbands. 44:30 God used the mouth of a fish. 44:31 God used the hem of His own garment. 44:33 God used the cattle toller and Noah quadrahedron. 44:35 God used a rich young ruler, 44:37 God used a poor old widow with two mice. 44:39 God used the tricks to name Laban. 44:40 God used the broader name Esau. 44:42 God used the deceiver name Jacob. 44:44 God used the dreamer name Joseph. 44:45 God used the murderer name Joab. 44:47 God used an adulterer name David. 44:49 God used a an arrogant Herod, 44:51 God used the humble John the Baptist. 44:53 God used the fickle punches Pilate. 44:54 God used the timid Nicodemus. God used the dead Lazarus. 44:57 God used a leper Simon. God used the hotheaded James. 45:00 God used the cursing Peter. God used the Doubting Thomas. 45:03 God used the busy Martha. God used a lonely Cornelius. 45:06 God used the too young Timothy. God used the too old John. 45:09 God used a Christian killing Saul. 45:11 God used an ex-prostitute name Mary. 45:13 God used an assassin name Barabbas. 45:15 God used a thief on a cross. 45:16 God used a tax-collector name Zacchaeus. 45:18 God can use any person, 45:21 any weapon or any situation 45:26 to bring about victory to His cause, 45:28 glory to His name, and salvation to His people. 45:31 And I submit to you tonight that God can use 45:35 and is willing to use anybody in this room. 45:40 All you got to do is be willing. 45:46 Don't have to be black, don't have to be white, 45:49 don't have to be rich, don't have to be poor, 45:53 don't have to be fat, don't have to be thin, 45:56 don't have to be gorgeous, 46:00 all you got to be is willing. 46:05 God will use any person, any weapon, any situation 46:09 to bring about victory to His cause, 46:11 salvation to His people, glory to His name. 46:15 God can use whoever He chooses. 46:18 In fact, let it be known, 46:20 God can use people we don't even like. 46:26 It is just because you have no use for him, 46:28 it doesn't mean God can't use him. 46:30 Just because you don't love him, 46:33 doesn't mean they're not loved in heaven. 46:37 God can use a Louis Farrakhan, 46:43 He can. 46:45 If He can use Darius, He can use Louis. 46:50 God can use a Colin Powell. 46:55 You think God can use O.J. Simpson, 47:00 Bill Clinton, 47:02 dare I say Hillary, 47:08 Barack. 47:15 All God needs is one, doesn't need a multitude, 47:20 doesn't need a church board, 47:27 doesn't need a pastor, elder or deacon, needs one. 47:34 1645, Oliver Cromwell, 47:37 won control of the British parliament, 47:40 know his margin of victory. 47:42 One vote. 47:44 King Charles was beheaded 47:47 by a vote of the judges in England 47:49 several years later 68 to 67, 47:55 one vote lost his head over one vote. 48:00 France changed from a monarchy to a republic in 1875 48:05 by a vote of the deputies 353 to 352. 48:10 Fate of a nation hung on one vote. 48:15 During the American Revolution, 48:18 a bill actually went to the floor of congress 48:21 to have the official language of United States 48:24 changed to German. 48:27 Sprechen sie Deutsch. 48:30 It lost, one vote. 48:35 In 1845, the Senate voted to admit Texas to the union, 48:39 Texas, the great city of Texas got in, one vote. 48:44 President Andrew Johnson escaped impeachment in 1868, 48:49 one vote. 48:51 Rutherford Hayes was elected president 1876, 48:54 one electoral vote. 48:57 On November 8th 1923, 48:59 the Nazi party gathered in a Munich tavern. 49:03 They elected Adolf Hitler chairman 49:06 of the Nazi party, 49:08 his margin of victory, 49:12 one vote. 49:15 There is a statement so powerful 49:17 that it appears eight separate places 49:20 in the writings of Ellen G. White. 49:22 Eight times she writes this statement. 49:25 She says, "There is no limit 49:29 to the usefulness of one 49:35 who putting self aside makes room for the working 49:38 of the Holy Spirit upon his heart 49:39 and lives a life holy consecrated to God." 49:44 God doesn't need the both, He only needs one, 49:51 for nothing hinders the Lord from saving 49:54 by many or by few, 49:59 or by one. 50:01 You know, I find myself respecting 50:03 that armor-bearer as much as anybody, 50:06 because remember and I need to run this fast, 50:08 remember only Jonathan had a sword. 50:11 Jonathan says, 50:13 "Come let us go over to the philistine garrison." 50:15 He is talking about him and the armor-bearer. 50:17 Now, you got 84,000 people, 50:19 if 600 are afraid to go, 50:21 what is one gonna do? 50:27 And the armor-bearer doesn't have anything 50:29 and the armor-bearer says, 50:30 "Okay man, you want to go, 50:32 I got your back, I'm going with you." 50:35 Now, that's strange to me, that's strange, 50:37 because as much as Famous and I share the same name, 50:42 if he would have stepped out of his mind 50:44 and call me when I'll say, 50:45 "Hey Murray, come on up to Chicago, 50:47 God has called me to go over to Iraq 50:53 and find Sheik Abu, Sabu, Gabu 50:58 whoever and take him out." 51:02 Now, the whole American army is looking for this guy 51:06 and they can't find him 51:08 and a couple of Adventist preachers 51:09 don't go over there and find him. 51:14 See, as much as he is the brother in Christ, 51:19 my response is click, 51:26 because here is my reasoning. 51:28 My reasoning is if God told you to go, 51:34 what you calling me for 51:38 'cause while you're up talking to God, 51:40 I was sleep, I didn't hear any voice of God. 51:44 So here is what we're going to do. 51:47 I will drive you to the airport, 51:50 I'm gonna put you on a plane, 51:52 and I'm gonna pray for you, 51:54 and then I will come home 51:56 and talk to the congress president 51:58 and make sure your wife is taken care of, 52:01 'cause when you go, you ain't coming back. 52:05 You know, think it yourself. 52:06 If you read a newspaper and say and they woke up and said, 52:09 "Two Adventist preachers 52:10 got shot as they step off the plane." 52:13 You would cry then you'll say, 52:15 "You know, serves his right." Wouldn't you? 52:19 What are you all going to do? 52:21 The army can't do it, the navy can't do it, 52:23 the Murrays can't do it, 52:25 you got two Adventist preachers 52:26 never in their life ever held a gun. 52:29 I'm from New York City, I've never shot a gun. 52:31 Can I tell you a secret? 52:33 Since I got to 3ABN 52:34 that somebody had to go and give me a gun. 52:37 They said, you know Pastor Murray, 52:39 I love your preaching, I want to give you a gun. 52:44 Then I said, 52:46 "What about money?" 52:53 You know or a present. 52:55 I love your preaching, I want to give you a Bible. 52:59 No, I want to give you a gun. 53:02 Shot a gun first time this year, 53:04 shotski during Memorial Day, it's okay, 53:06 but I'm not like a big gun guy. 53:10 So the armor-bearer is saying, 53:11 "Jonathan you go and I'll go with you." 53:15 That's faith. 53:17 You see, obviously the armor-bearer 53:20 saw something in Jonathan that he could trust. 53:23 Ladies and gentlemen, there are people 53:24 who will never step foot in this church. 53:26 The only Jesus they will see is the Jesus they see in you 53:29 and if they don't see Jesus in you, 53:30 they ain't gonna see Jesus at all. 53:34 Everyday people are looking to see Jesus in us. 53:36 What are we showing them? 53:39 Obviously, Jonathan believed in God 53:42 that armor-bearer believed Jonathan believed in God, 53:45 so he believed in Jonathan and so they went down. 53:49 Now, listen to me, 53:50 you got two guys fighting 84,000 now. 53:54 You see, to my mind it would've been better 53:55 and more intelligent for Jonathan 53:57 just to jump off the mountain and kill himself 53:58 rather than climb down a mountain, cross a valley, 54:00 climb up the other side of mount 54:01 and have 84,000 men throw him off the mount. 54:08 But according to your faith, so be it unto you. 54:15 Now, I got two minutes on that clock. 54:17 Jonathan climbed down a mountain. 54:19 Read this when you get home. 54:22 Jonathan waded into that army 54:26 by himself. 54:28 The Bible says he slew 20. 54:32 Now 20 out of 84,000 54:33 is like moving a deck sheet on a Titanic, 54:34 that ain't a whole lot of people. 54:36 He slew 20 and then his armor-bearer slew some, 54:40 I don't know how, but he slew some, 54:44 and then God send an earthquake. 54:47 Did you hear me? 54:48 God sent an earthquake, 54:50 but let's look at the time lapse. 54:53 Earthquake didn't come 54:55 until Jonathan exercised his faith. 54:59 Had Jonathan not gone across that mountain, 55:02 the earthquake would have not come. 55:04 We got a church full of people waiting for God to move. 55:08 God is waiting for you to move. 55:11 God is waiting for us to exercise our faith. 55:14 According to your faith so it be done to you. 55:18 And when you move, He'll move, 55:22 and when you need, He'll supply, 55:25 and when you call, He will answer, 55:28 because nothing, nothing, 55:32 nothing, hinders our Lord 55:36 from saving by many or by few, 55:42 and our God will use any weapon, any person, 55:48 any situation to bring about victory to His cause, 55:54 glory to His name, and salvation to His people. 56:00 Shall we pray, Heavenly Father, 56:03 help us not to be timid anymore, 56:08 for we serve a great God, truly greater is he 56:13 that is in us than he that is in the world. |
Revised 2016-06-23