Participants: Hyde Park, NY
Series Code: OTR
Program Code: OTR001011
|
00:32 Let congregation stand for a call to worship.
00:37 Praise ye the Lord, praise God in His sanctuary. 00:42 Praise Him in the firmament of His power. 00:45 Praise Him for His mighty acts. 00:47 Praise Him according to His excellent greatness. 00:51 Praise Him with the sound of trumpet. 00:54 Praise Him with the psaltery and the harp. 00:56 Praise Him with the timbrel and dance. 00:59 Praise Him with string instruments and organs. 01:02 Praise Him upon the loud cymbals. 01:05 Praise Him upon the high sounding cymbals. 01:09 Let everything, amen. 01:11 Let everything that have breath, do what? 01:14 Praise ye the Lord. 01:34 Praise God, from whom 01:40 All blessings flow 01:51 Praise Him, all creatures here below 02:09 Praise Him above 02:16 Ye heavenly host 02:28 Praise Father, Son 02:37 And Holy Ghost 02:49 Amen, amen, amen. 03:27 Praise God. Amen. 03:30 It is with high honor our Father 03:32 we come to worship You in spirit and in truth. 03:36 Thank You for the privilege of calling You our Father. 03:39 And Father, we pray now that 03:41 our worldly cares we may set free. 03:44 And upon this day may we worship You. 03:47 We thank You for being here with us. 03:49 In the name of Jesus, we pray, amen. 03:58 Our hymn of worship is, "O day of rest and gladness." 04:03 Hymn 383. 04:30 O day of rest and gladness 04:37 O day of joy and light 04:43 O balm of care and sadness 04:49 Most beautiful, most bright 04:56 On thee the high and lowly 05:03 Who bend before the throne 05:09 Sing, Holy, holy, holy 05:16 To the Eternal One 05:25 Thou art a port protected 05:32 From storms that round us rise 05:39 A garden intersected 05:45 With streams of Paradise 05:52 Thou art a cooling fountain 05:59 In life's dry dreary sand 06:06 From thee, like Pisgah's mountain 06:13 We view our promised land 06:39 A day of sweet reflection 06:46 Thou art, a day of love 06:53 A day to raise affection 07:00 From earth to things above 07:08 New graces ever gaining 07:15 From this our day of rest 07:23 We seek the rest remaining 07:31 In mansions of the blest 07:50 Hallelujah, amen. Please be seated. 08:33 The sky shall unfold 08:47 Preparing His entrance 08:58 The stars shall applaud Him 09:09 With thunders of praise 09:19 The sweet light in His eyes 09:27 Shall enhance all awaiting 09:43 And we shall behold Him 09:54 Then face to face 10:04 O we shall behold Him 10:14 We shall behold Him 10:23 Face to face in all of His glory 10:37 We shall behold Him 10:46 We shall behold Him 10:55 Face to face 11:03 Our Savior and Lord 11:12 The angels shall sound 11:20 Sound the shout of His coming 11:29 And the sleeping shall rise 11:35 From their slumbering place 11:47 And those who remain 11:53 Shall be changed in a moment 12:05 And we shall behold Him 12:15 Then face to face 12:23 We shall behold Him 12:34 We shall behold Him 12:43 Face to face in all of His glory 12:56 We shall behold Him 13:06 We shall behold Him 13:15 Face to face 13:23 Our Savior and Lord 13:32 We shall behold Him 13:40 Our Savior and Lord 13:54 Savior and Lord 14:09 Amen. Well, beautiful, thank you. 14:12 All right. For sure. 14:14 Well, praise the Lord, Pastor Gilley, 14:16 you're having a good time? 14:17 Yes, we are having a good time. 14:19 All right. Hello everybody. 14:20 Hello. How you're doing? 14:22 How many, or anybody watch 3ABN? 14:24 Okay. If you don't, shame on you, all right. 14:26 But we're happy that you're here 14:29 and we're happy that our crew is here. 14:31 And we're able to take these programs around the world. 14:35 Isn't that amazing? Yeah. 14:36 The technology that God has allowed us 14:38 in the closing moments of earth's history 14:41 that people literally around the world, 14:43 virtually every continent Jim, can watch 3ABN, 14:46 can listen to it on radio, get it through the internet 14:49 and can watch what's happening here today at Northeastern. 14:53 So thank you for making-- giving us such a great welcome. 14:55 Everybody we see out here has been kind to us 14:58 and you are all happy in the Lord. 15:00 It's a privilege to be here. 15:01 And this crowd not only fills this auditorium, 15:05 but there's a great big overflow tents in the back. 15:08 And it's full and people are standing 15:11 all around this auditorium right now. 15:14 Quite a few years ago, 15:15 my daughter Melody and I were invited to come here 15:18 and one of the things they said, "We want you to sing a song," 15:21 but Molly, our general manager said, 15:24 "There's a pastor there named C.A. Murray, 15:26 and he says he's singing with you all." 15:28 And I said, "Well, I don't know C.A., 15:30 I don't know if he can sing or not 15:31 and I know most black people can sing, 15:33 but see, you know, there is an exception 15:36 to the rule, you know what I'm saying. 15:39 There's always an exception here or there" 15:41 so then she said "Well, he's going 15:43 to sing a song Melody wrote." 15:44 So we came here and I said, "I'm gonna hear him first." 15:47 Yeah. Well, he had heard her album 15:49 and he had his part down perfectly. 15:51 So that's where we met C.A. Murray, 15:52 who's now our production manager 15:54 and who has literally setup this whole production. 15:57 And so praise the Lord for Pastor C.A. Right. 16:01 And Danny, I have a special request 16:03 because I was not here to hear that. 16:07 And at 4 o'clock there's a great musical program 16:11 and if you can at all work it in, 16:13 I hope the three of you will sing that song again. 16:15 All right. We'll try. 16:17 All right. We'll just try to do that this afternoon. 16:18 Special request is, I'd love to hear it. 16:21 And speaking of the music, 16:22 we brought a lot of folk and in just a little bit 16:24 there's going to be some singers come up. 16:26 We're happy to introduce to you Reggie and Ladye Love Smith. 16:29 Many of you have seen Reggie and Ladye. 16:33 They travel a lot with the Gaither's 16:35 and you see them on the Gaither videos. 16:37 They just got back from Norway the other night. 16:39 They said, "We want to be here to camp meeting," 16:41 so they almost came straight from Norway here. 16:44 Then you have somebody in the-- 16:46 literally, I hadn't realized that lives here, 16:49 lived here for many years right in this area Dr. Yvonne Lewis. 16:53 Yes. And Dr. Lewis, well, she's taken over. 16:58 She's general manager of 3ABN "Dare to Dream." 17:01 It's our new minority network. 17:02 Anybody watch Dare to Dream here. 17:04 All right. Well, we'll tell you more about it this after noon 17:07 at 4 o'clock, because it's already on the air 24/7. 17:11 We'll tell you how you can tune in 17:13 or listen to Dare to Dream. 17:15 Dr. Lewis, has about eight gold and platinum records. 17:18 She has sang with Whitney Houston, 17:19 Roberta Flack, Luther Vandross, and a number of others 17:23 she's going to be providing music today also. 17:25 And they are going to be singing in 17:27 just a little bit here for church service. 17:28 And you know, when Reggie and Ladye will sing, 17:31 they're going to sing "Remember the Sabbath." 17:33 You remember that song. 17:35 That's from our Pillars program, 17:38 and so I'm looking forward to hearing that. 17:40 That's going to be a great time and we want to thank all of you 17:42 and here at Northeastern for allowing 3ABN 17:46 to be a part of your great camp meeting celebration. 17:49 Yes, it's a real honor to be here 17:52 with the Northeastern Conference with the Atlantic Union 17:56 and our President Don King 17:58 and with the President of the North American Division 18:02 Elder Dan Jackson. 18:03 And we appreciate these organizations 18:07 that we work very closely with them. 18:09 We love them, we support them, 18:11 and we pray that you would do absolutely the same as well. 18:14 We're going home together. All right. 18:16 We're preaching this message together. That's right. 18:19 And we are--we are not one set or another set, 18:21 we are all together-- All right. 18:23 Moving on towards the Gospel, 18:26 with the Gospel towards the Kingdom. 18:28 And you know what, we are to just 18:30 have a revival here this morning. 18:33 Well, we're already having one. 18:34 I think it's just going to get better. 18:36 Amen. All right. All right. 18:38 Well, we love being with you, we--I love the music 18:42 as we began this program. 18:43 I feel like we're having church today. 18:46 And God is going to bless as we continue our service. 19:07 Good morning my brothers and sisters. 19:10 Want to bring you greetings in the name of Jesus Christ, 19:13 my Savior and your Savior too. 19:16 Can you say amen? Amen. 19:18 Are you feeling really warm today? 19:20 Yes. Warm in the spirit, amen. 19:23 Amen. You know my fellow colleague here a while ago 19:26 he said, "If you're felling warm don't worry about it, 19:29 union presidents can take the heat." 19:32 And I said, "So can division presidents." 19:35 It's so good to see each one of you. 19:37 I want to bring you greetings 19:38 on behalf of 107,000 believers in the Atlantic Union, amen. 19:43 Amen. And on behalf of my colleagues 19:46 at the Atlantic Union, Elder Simons, Elder Thomasian, 19:49 we want to bring you greetings on this very special day. 19:54 I know God is going to bless us tremendously, 19:56 because He has promised to be here, amen. 19:59 Amen. Promised to be here. 20:00 How many would like to send your greetings 20:03 to all the rest of the 100,000 members of the Atlantic Union. 20:07 Just wave your hands right now, so that 3ABN 20:10 can send that special message to all of our members. 20:13 Thank you so much. 20:14 And we thank God for 3ABN 20:16 and the tremendous work that they are doing. 20:18 At this time, I'm going to call on the new officers 20:23 of the Northeastern Conference of Seventh-day Adventist 20:27 and they are going to come forward with their spouses. 20:31 First I will call on Dr. and Mrs. Daniel 20:35 and Fritze Honore to join me here on the platform. 20:51 Amen. 20:54 Then I'm going to call on Dr. and Mrs. Oswald 20:57 and Marcia Euell to also join us here as well, 21:01 the new secretary of the Northeastern Conference, 21:08 and his spouse Marcia. Amen. 21:17 Amen. And now I'm going to call on 21:20 the new treasurer of the Northeastern Conference 21:23 Elder and Mrs. Edson and Delaverony Bovell. 21:33 Sister Delavern, thank you so much. 21:38 Ladies and gentlemen, you have here before you 21:41 the three new executive officers of the Northeastern Conference. 21:47 It gives me great pleasure to present them to you 21:50 on this first camp meeting for them 21:52 here at Northeastern camp meeting. 21:54 Can the Church say amen? Amen. 21:59 We want to wish them God's blessings. 22:02 We want to wish them God's speed. 22:03 We want to wish them God's every guidance and direction 22:09 as they give leadership to this great conference. Amen. 22:12 And I know by God's grace and by His spirit. 22:15 Not by might nor by power, but by God's Spirit 22:19 said the Lord, they are going to lead this conference 22:22 to greater heights and newer heights 22:24 by the grace of Lord Jesus Christ. 22:26 What do you say? 22:27 And so I'm going to ask them at this time 22:29 if they would kneel with me as we have a special word of prayer 22:34 to ask God's blessing and guidance 22:37 as they give leadership to this conference. 22:43 Going to ask my colleague Elder Dan Jackson 22:46 from the North American division to join me 22:48 as we kneel and offer special prayer 22:52 for these dear loved ones. 22:56 Our loving father and our God in the wonderful 23:00 and marvelous name of Jesus Christ, we come today. 23:04 In our hands we bring nothing, but simply to the wondrous, 23:07 glorious and wonderful cross of Jesus we cling this morning. 23:14 Lord, we lean upon You because we have none other. 23:18 Like the disciples said of all they said, 23:20 "Lord to whom shall we turn, 23:23 for we have no one else to turn to, but Jesus Christ." 23:28 So we look to You today Lord, 23:31 and we plead on behalf of Elder Honore, 23:36 Elder Euell, Elder Bovell and their spouses 23:42 and all of their fellow officers and departmental directors, 23:47 all of the office staff, the pastors, the teachers, 23:52 the colporteurs, every employee, 23:55 every lay member of this conference Lord, 23:57 I pray that You will pour out Your Holy Spirit upon them. 24:03 Pour out the power from above. 24:05 May Northeastern Conference never be the same, 24:09 but by Your power and Your Spirit will go forward. 24:14 Lord, we thank You for the tremendous work 24:16 that has already been done 24:18 for many years of this conference, 24:20 and for those who have given 24:22 outstanding leadership to this great conference. 24:25 We pray that You will bless them too. 24:28 Right now Lord, we ask that You will lay Your hand 24:31 upon these men and their spouses. 24:34 Give them wisdom Lord, give them courage we pray. 24:38 We all need courage in these last days of earth's history 24:42 to stand firm, to stand firm, to stand firm. 24:48 We thank You Lord for Your presence with us today. 24:53 We thank You for this camp meeting 24:56 and we know that You're gong to bless. 24:58 In the wonderful and precious, 25:00 and glorious name of Jesus Christ we pray. 25:03 And for His sake let the people of God say-- 25:06 Amen. Amen and amen. 25:48 Good morning church of God. Good morning. 25:51 It gives me great pleasure this morning. 25:53 So welcome each and everyone of you, 25:56 as we recharge our batteries to become empowered to witness. 26:01 That is our theme. 26:02 My fellow officers and I take great pleasure 26:05 in welcoming each of you today 26:08 and we send greetings to our worldwide church 26:10 who is watching live on 3ABN. 26:14 Before I sit, we want to give a special tribute this morning, 26:17 because we want to continue building 26:20 on what has been done before. 26:22 But for the past ten years we have been served 26:24 by good administration. 26:27 And we would like to invite Pastor Trevor Baker 26:29 who has served this conference with distinction. 26:48 Please welcome Pastor Baker and his wife Eunice. 27:03 I would also ask Pastor Larry Bailey 27:05 and Sister Diane Bailey to join us. 27:30 These servants of God have given their utmost best 27:33 to move the work of God forward. Amen. 27:35 Our church is a movement and from time to time 27:38 people are asked to move on 27:40 to other position and to other places, 27:41 but that does not diminish the work they have done. Amen. 27:44 So this morning Pastor Baker and Pastor Bailey, 27:47 from the bottom of our hearts we say thank you 27:49 for your distinguished service to the people of our conference. 28:42 I join our new President Dr. Honore in affirming 28:46 these two men of God, honoring them 28:49 for their service, their committed wives. 28:52 Can you put your hands together again? 28:55 God has blessed their ministry. 28:59 They have worked well to this conference 29:01 and we give God the glory and we give Him the praise. 29:05 We wish them well. 29:06 We wish God's continued blessings upon their lives 29:10 as they continue to work in the cause of Christ. Amen. 29:15 I too join with my fellow administrators 29:17 and express my appreciation 29:20 to Elder and Mrs. Baker and Elder and Mrs. Bailey 29:24 for their many years of dedicated service 29:27 to the Northeastern Conference. Amen. 29:29 May God continue to bless you abundantly. Amen. 29:35 We send our greetings as well to Elder Ebenezer Agboka 29:38 who is traveling overseas, but if he's watching on 3ABN, 29:42 let's send him a greeting. Thank you. 30:37 Remember the Sabbath to keep it Holy 30:46 Honor the day 30:51 That our Lord commands us to cease our toiling 31:00 And we obey that we may know Him 31:12 And learn His patient ways 31:19 Keeping the Sabbath holy 31:25 In all our day 31:35 So enter His temple with high thanksgiving 31:45 Worship the Lord 31:49 And fill up this house 31:53 With your voices ringing 31:58 Let them be heard 32:03 For we adore Him 32:10 And lift our hearts in praise 32:17 Keeping the Sabbath holy 32:24 In all our days 32:34 Remember the Sabbath to keep it Holy 32:41 Honor the day 32:48 That our Lord commands us to cease our toiling 32:55 And we obey 33:01 That we may know Him 33:08 And learn His patient ways 33:16 Keeping the Sabbath holy 33:23 In all our days 33:55 Glory be to the Father 34:00 And to the Son 34:04 And to the Holy Ghost 34:10 As it was in the beginning 34:16 Is now, and ever shall be 34:22 World without end 34:26 Amen, amen 34:58 Holy, holy, holy 35:04 Lord God Almighty 35:09 Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee 35:21 Holy, holy, holy 35:27 Merciful and mighty 35:33 God in three Persons 35:39 Blessed Trinity 35:54 Holy, holy, holy 36:01 Though the darkness hide Thee 36:06 Though the eye of sinful man 36:12 Thy glory may not see 36:22 Holy Thou art holy 36:28 There is none beside Thee 36:34 Perfect in power in love, and purity 36:58 As it was in the beginning 37:03 Is now, and ever shall be 37:09 World without end 37:13 Amen, amen 37:20 Holy, holy, holy 37:26 Lord God Almighty 37:31 All Thy works shall praise Thy Name 37:37 In earth, and sky, and sea 37:43 Thousands and ten thousands 37:48 Bowing down before Thee 37:53 Who was, and is, 38:01 And evermore shall be Amen 39:04 He is Lord. 39:06 He is Lord 39:13 He is Lord 39:21 He has risen from the dead 39:28 And He is Lord 39:34 Every knee shall bow 39:42 And every tongue confess 39:43 Every tongue confess 39:51 That Jesus Christ 40:00 Jesus, Jesus 40:07 How I trust You 40:13 How I prove 40:20 Him more and more 40:27 Jesus, Jesus 40:37 Precious Jesus 40:41 O for grace 40:48 To trust Him more 40:56 O for grace 41:03 To trust Him more 41:15 When the Assembly of God's people come together 41:21 on the Holy Sabbath day in holy convocation 41:25 there is a special blessing that we receive on this day 41:30 that we cannot receive on any other day. 41:33 It is my privilege at this time to invite God's people 41:37 here and all around the world to join us in prayer 41:41 as we enter before the throne of the Majesty on high. 41:46 I would ask you to stand right where you are, 41:50 and I want you to just touch somebody 41:54 because the word of God says that when we touch 41:57 and agree concerning anything 42:00 that oh father, who listens to us from above, 42:05 He will do according to how we ask. 42:09 Jesus once said, "Moses shortly, I say to you, 42:15 he who believes in Me, the works that I do, 42:20 will he also do, and greater works 42:24 than these he will do, because I go to My Father." 42:28 And whatsoever-- say whatsoever. Whatsoever. 42:32 "And whatsoever you ask in My name 42:38 that I will do that the Father may be glorified in the sun." 42:44 If you ask for any thing-- somebody say anything. 42:47 Anything. "If you ask for anything 42:50 in my name, I will do it." 42:55 This is the pledged word of God, brother's ands sisters. 42:59 And it is all privilege to enter into the throne room of God 43:03 and ask for the promises to be fulfilled in our lives. 43:07 Let's bow our heads as we pray. 43:10 Holy God, we praise Your name. 43:16 Lord of all we bow before You. 43:19 All on earth your scepter claim. 43:23 All in heaven above adore you. 43:27 Infinite is your vast domain, 43:31 everlasting is your rain. 43:35 We worship You today oh father. 43:38 We lift You up and we adore you. 43:42 We thank You for being our Creator. 43:46 We thank You for being our Redeemer. 43:49 We thank You for being our sustainer. 43:53 We thank you for interceding on our behalf. 43:56 We thank You for redeeming us in Calvary. 44:00 We thank You for the forgiveness of sins. 44:03 We thank You Lord, for the promise 44:05 of the soon coming of Jesus. 44:08 We thank You that this trivial of all today, 44:12 one day it's gonna transform into glory 44:16 as we're transported from glory to glory 44:21 in the presence of the Almighty One. 44:24 Oh father, we lift up your people before you today. 44:28 Many of the concerns of those who have come 44:32 and those who are watching us all round the world. 44:36 There are some amongst us, oh God, who are facing challenges. 44:41 Some are facing physical challenges, 44:45 but Father we know that You are the healer. 44:48 We know you healed yesterday, 44:51 You can heal today and You will heal tomorrow. 44:54 So in the name of Jesus, we ask You, oh Father, to protect those 45:01 who are suffering from different infirmities. 45:05 Touch their bodies right now 45:07 and heal them for Your power and Your grace. 45:11 Oh Lord, there are some who are going through 45:13 relational difficulties, difficulties at home. 45:18 We ask for reconciliation, 45:21 we ask for homes to come back together. 45:24 We ask for forgiveness among our brethren. 45:27 Some of us have treated 45:30 treacherously our brothers and sisters, 45:33 but Lord, today we come in the name of Jesus 45:37 and we ask that You forgive us 45:39 for trespassing against one another. 45:42 And we ask for reconciliation to come among Your people, 45:47 oh heavenly Father. 45:49 Lord, we lift up every church 45:51 we presented in this encampment today. 45:55 Many of its challenges that your people face, 45:59 so we ask for empowerment from above, 46:02 so that we be in empowerment to be witnesses for You. 46:06 Lift the proof of all discipleship 46:09 be shown in our relationships. 46:13 Let everyone who sees us may know 46:16 that we are Your disciples, because we love one another. 46:20 Oh Father, we lift up the one who you have chosen 46:24 to break the bread of life before us today. 46:27 We ask that You empower him with power from above. 46:31 We ask that You touch his lips 46:33 with a coal from the burning alter. 46:36 So that while have he speaks to us 46:38 our hearts be transform, our souls be refreshed 46:42 and our minds be transported heavenward. 46:45 Oh God, there are some in here who are feeling depressed. 46:51 Some around the world who are feeling like giving up. 46:55 We ask in the name of Jesus that You may touch them 46:59 so they know that there is balm in Gilead, 47:04 that can heal the sin sick soul, while I cast out all my soul. 47:09 Rejoice in the Lord Father, lift up Your people, 47:13 empower Your people, strengthen Your people. 47:17 Grab the power that only the Holy Spirit can give. 47:21 And when this encampment has come to an end today, 47:26 let everyone may have said, 47:30 we've been in the presence of the Almighty One. 47:35 Oh God, whatever we are failed of asking of You today. 47:41 We ask that by Your mercy and by Your grace, 47:45 You may granted unto us anyhow because we ask these mercies 47:50 and we give thanks in the mighty name, in the matchless name, 47:57 in the only name, in the name of Jesus. 48:02 Let the church say, amen. Amen. 48:13 Jesus, Jesus 48:19 How I trust you 48:25 How I prove 48:31 Him more and more 48:39 Jesus, Jesus 48:46 My precious, precious Jesus 48:51 O for grace O for grace 48:57 To trust Him more 49:05 O for grace 49:10 To trust Him more 50:11 When peace like a river 50:18 Attendeth my way 50:24 When sorrows like sea billows roll 50:38 Whatever my Lord 50:44 You have taught me to say 50:51 It is well, it is well with my soul 51:08 Though Satan should buffet 51:15 Though trials should come 51:22 Let this blessed assurance control 51:36 That Christ has regarded 51:43 My helpless estate 51:50 And He shed His own blood 51:59 For my soul 52:29 My sin, oh the bliss 52:35 Of this glorious thought 52:43 My sin not in part 52:49 but the whole is nailed to the cross 52:59 And I bear it no more 53:06 Praise the Lord, praise the Lord 53:13 O my soul 53:20 It is well 53:27 With my soul 53:33 Praise the Lord 53:40 O my soul 53:48 He was nailed to the cross 54:02 Praise the Lord 54:07 O my soul! 54:15 It is well 54:22 With my soul 55:35 And Lord haste the day when my faith shall be sight 55:41 And Lord haste the day when my faith shall be sight 55:46 The Lord haste the day when my faith shall be sight 55:54 It is well with my soul 56:02 Even so, it is well with my soul 56:05 Even so, it is well with my soul 56:11 It is well with my soul 56:13 It is well 56:14 Even so, it is well with my soul 56:17 It is well with my soul 56:25 it is well with my soul 56:30 It is well, it is well with my soul 56:37 With my soul 56:45 It is well with my soul 56:52 With my soul 58:15 And Lord haste the day 58:22 When my faith shall be sight 58:29 And the clouds be rolled back as a scroll 58:41 The trump shall resound 58:51 And the Lord shall descend 58:59 Even so it is well 59:06 It is well 59:12 With my soul 59:28 It is well with my soul 59:38 It is well, it is well 01:00:18 Amen. 01:00:27 I invite the ushers to come forward at this time 01:00:33 as we prepare to receive the gifts you hav bought. 01:00:39 In commissioning His disciples to go into all the world 01:00:44 and preach the gospel to every creature, 01:00:47 Christ assigned to men the work of extending 01:00:50 the knowledge of His grace. 01:00:53 But while some go forth to preach, 01:00:56 He calls upon others to answer 01:00:59 His claims upon them for offerings 01:01:02 with which to support His cause in the earth. 01:01:05 He has placed means in the hands of man 01:01:10 that His divine gifts may flow through human channels. 01:01:16 Let us pray. We thank you heavenly Father 01:01:21 for this wonderful Sabbath day. 01:01:24 We thank You for the opportunity 01:01:26 that we now have to return our gifts to You. 01:01:30 We ask that You would bless them, 01:01:32 may they be used efficiently to finish Your work 01:01:36 even here in the Northeastern Conference 01:01:38 and throughout the world we pray 01:01:40 in Your worthy name, amen. 01:02:00 His Name is Wonderful 01:02:05 His Name is Wonderful 01:02:11 His Name is Wonderful 01:02:17 Jesus My Lord 01:02:22 He is the Mighty King 01:02:27 Master of Everything 01:02:33 His Name is Wonderful 01:02:38 Jesus My Lord 01:02:44 He's the Great Shepherd 01:02:48 The Rock of all ages 01:02:54 Almighty God is He 01:03:05 Bow down before Him 01:03:10 Love and Adore Him 01:03:16 His Name is Wonderful 01:03:21 Jesus My Lord 01:03:27 He's the Great Shepherd 01:03:31 The Rock of all ages 01:03:37 Almighty God is He 01:03:50 Bow down before Him 01:03:55 Love and adore Him 01:04:00 His Name is Wonderful 01:04:06 Jesus my Lord 01:04:14 He is Wonderful 01:04:21 Thy name of Jesus 01:04:29 My Lord 01:05:07 When I am down and, oh my soul so weary 01:05:15 When troubles come and my heart burdens be 01:05:23 And I am still and wait here in the silence 01:05:31 Until you come and sit awhile with me 01:05:41 You raise me up so I can stand on mountains 01:05:49 You raise me up to walk on stormy seas 01:06:00 And I am strong when I am on your shoulders 01:06:09 You raise me up to more than I can be 01:06:41 Thank you Lord 01:06:51 You raise me up so I can stand on mountains 01:06:59 You raise me up to walk on stormy seas 01:07:07 And I am strong when I am on your shoulders 01:07:18 You raise me up to more than I can be 01:07:28 There is no life 01:07:32 No life without its hunger 01:07:37 Each restless heart beats so imperfectly 01:07:45 But then You come and I am filled with wonder 01:07:53 Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity 01:08:00 You raise me up so I can stand on mountains 01:08:08 You raise me up to walk on stormy seas 01:08:16 And I am strong when I am on your shoulders 01:08:26 You raise me up to more than I can be 01:08:38 You raise me up 01:08:45 To more than I can be 01:09:15 The scripture reading for today will be taken 01:09:17 from the book of Genesis 3, Genesis 3. 01:09:24 For those of us who have our Bibles or iPad 01:09:28 or iPhone or kindle 01:09:32 and all our smart device Genesis 3, 01:09:38 allow me to read in your hearing verses 7 through 9. 01:09:44 After you found it, will you please stand. 01:09:48 The book of Genesis 3, 01:09:51 allow me to read in your hearing verses 7 through 9. 01:09:58 And the Bible read us, 01:10:01 "And the eyes of them both were opened, 01:10:05 and they knew that they were naked. 01:10:08 And they sewed fig leaves together 01:10:11 and made themselves aprons. 01:10:14 And they heard the voice of the Lord God, 01:10:18 walking in the garden in the cool of the day, 01:10:21 and Adam and his wife hid themselves 01:10:25 from the presence of the Lord God 01:10:27 among the tree of the garden. 01:10:31 And the Lord God called unto Adam 01:10:34 and said unto him, "Where are thou?" 01:10:39 Hear in the reading of God holy word 01:10:41 may the Lord add a rich blessing to the reading, 01:10:45 to the hearing and mostly to the doing of His work. 01:10:48 Amen. You may be seated. 01:10:59 The time has come now to introduce 01:11:02 our speaker for today. 01:11:05 I have the privilege of meeting him personally 01:11:07 a few months ago in Tampa, Florida, 01:11:09 where we were gathering 01:11:10 for the church ministries convention. 01:11:12 He strikes me as an honest and humble person. 01:11:16 And so when I ask him what he would want me to say? 01:11:19 He said, just keep it simple. 01:11:21 And it goes with his personality. 01:11:24 He would not want me to tell you today 01:11:26 that he got his degrees from Canadian University College. 01:11:31 He would not want me to tell you 01:11:33 that he's been the president of three conferences in Canada. 01:11:36 He would not want me to say to you 01:11:37 that he was a union president of Canadian Union 01:11:41 or that perhaps he served years 01:11:43 as a missionary in Sri Lanka and India. 01:11:47 He just wants me to tell you that he's a servant of God. 01:11:51 And I'm happy to relay that message to you 01:11:54 that this servant of God has been married happily 01:11:57 for many years to his wife Donna who is with us. 01:12:00 I would invite her to stand 01:12:01 so that the Northeastern family can greet her. 01:12:04 Amen. Amen. 01:12:10 They have three children and four grandchildren. 01:12:14 And that something they would love to share with you. 01:12:17 It gives me great pleasure today 01:12:20 to welcome to Northeastern Conference 01:12:22 the president of the North American division, 01:12:25 Pastor Daniel Jackson. In the few moments 01:12:28 he will share the word with you, but before he stands, 01:12:32 we're going to hear a musical message 01:12:36 from our crowd to pre-dispose the message for today. 01:12:42 May God bless your hearing and understanding 01:12:44 because of this ministry, amen. 01:13:11 Beams of heaven as I go 01:13:17 Through this wilderness below 01:13:23 Guide my feet in peaceful way 01:13:30 Turn my midnights into days 01:13:36 When in the darkness, I would grope 01:13:42 Faith always sees a star of hope 01:13:49 And soon from all life's grief and danger 01:13:55 I shall be free some day 01:14:02 I do not know how long 'twill be 01:14:08 Nor what the future holds for me 01:14:15 But this I know, if Jesus leads me 01:14:21 I shall get home some day 01:14:28 I do not know how long 'twill be 01:14:35 Nor what the future holds for me 01:14:41 But this I know, if Jesus leads me 01:14:48 I shall get home some day 01:15:00 Harder yet may be the fight 01:15:06 Right may often yield to might 01:15:13 Wickedness awhile may reign 01:15:20 Satan's cause may seem to gain 01:15:26 There is a God that rules above 01:15:32 Sith hand of power and heart of love 01:15:39 If I am right, He'll fight my battle 01:15:45 I shall have peace some day 01:15:52 There is a God that rules above 01:15:59 Sith hand of power and heart of love 01:16:05 If I am right, He'll fight my battle 01:16:12 I shall have peace some day 01:16:21 Burdens now may crush me down 01:16:29 Disappointments all around 01:16:36 Troubles speak in mournful sigh 01:16:44 Sorrow through a tear stained eye 01:16:52 There is a world where pleasure reigns 01:17:00 No mourning soul shall roam its plains 01:17:10 And to that land of peace and glory 01:17:19 I want to go some day 01:17:28 I do not know how long 'twill be 01:17:36 Nor what the future holds for me 01:17:43 But this I know, if Jesus leads me 01:17:50 I shall get home some day 01:17:57 I do not know how long 'twill be 01:18:03 Nor what the future holds for me 01:18:10 But this I know, if Jesus leads me 01:18:16 I shall get home some day 01:18:32 I do not know 01:18:40 How long 'twill be 01:18:46 Nor what the future holds for me 01:18:52 But this I know, if Jesus lead me 01:18:59 I shall get home some day 01:19:02 I shall get home 01:19:09 I shall get home some day 01:19:18 If Jesus lead me 01:19:25 I shall get home 01:19:33 Some day some day 01:19:41 I shall get home 01:20:27 I don't know about you 01:20:30 but I'm here doing a standing ovation. 01:20:39 You know what I came on to the camp ground today, 01:20:42 one of the first persons I met was Elder Danny Shelton 01:20:47 and he said to me are you going to go 01:20:50 and arouse the saints today. 01:20:52 You're going to have them raise the roof. 01:20:56 I told him I don't have to be present to do that 01:20:59 you should have been here two weeks ago. 01:21:18 I want to praise and honor God 01:21:22 for the wonderful music that we have had this morning, 01:21:28 it has been glorious, don't you agree? 01:21:34 I want to raise a banner in your mind this morning, 01:21:39 I want to raise a banner 01:21:42 because if I shall get home one day, 01:21:47 it will be because this banner is in my mind and in my heart. 01:21:54 And on that word, on that banner rather, 01:21:57 there will be a saying that goes like this, 01:22:01 "There is only one true north, 01:22:06 and that is the cross of Jesus Christ." Amen! 01:22:11 In the Seventh Day Adventist Church 01:22:13 the true north is not the Sabbath, 01:22:17 it is not judgment, it is the cross of Jesus Christ. 01:22:22 Amen! It is not the health message, 01:22:25 it is not dependant on how much tofu you didn't eat 01:22:29 or you did eat today, it is on the cross of our Lord 01:22:33 and Savior Jesus Christ and all of these other things 01:22:38 as significant as they are, they must be preached, 01:22:43 caught and lived through the lens of the cross of Jesus. 01:22:49 Would you bow your head with me as we pray? 01:22:53 Our heavenly Father, we raise Your name, 01:22:58 we honor You, You are the King of Kings 01:23:01 and the Lord of Lords, You are the one 01:23:04 who is the fountain of love, the source of our salvation. 01:23:09 Today sir we would see Jesus. 01:23:12 We do not want to see man, 01:23:13 we don't want to hear the words of humanity, 01:23:16 we want to hear the elevated words baved by Your Spirit. 01:23:22 So we come to You acknowledging how much we need You 01:23:27 and we appeal for Your Spirit to be here, 01:23:30 in Jesus name, amen. 01:23:34 Want to talk to you this morning about trees, 01:23:37 sounds like a funny subject. 01:23:39 But you go anywhere in New York State 01:23:41 and you see trees, wonderful beautiful trees. 01:23:45 You know when I was a boy 01:23:47 we had a big maple tree in front of our house. 01:23:51 It demonstrates that boys don't always know 01:23:53 what they think they know, because in the lightning storms 01:23:57 and the thunderstorms I would go and sit under the tree, 01:24:02 because I love lightning and thunder, I have all my life. 01:24:06 The reality is this, and you know may that's why 01:24:09 I became a Division President 01:24:11 because I like lightening and thunder. 01:24:21 God expresses His love to us, through the trees. 01:24:26 Ellen White makes a statement in the book Steps to Christ, 01:24:28 she says," God is love is written 01:24:31 upon every opening bud 01:24:33 upon every spire of springing grass, 01:24:36 the lovely birds making the air vocal with their happy songs, 01:24:40 the delicately tinted flowers in their perfection 01:24:44 perfuming the air, the lofty trees of the forest 01:24:48 with their rich foliage of living green all testify 01:24:53 to the tender fatherly care of our God 01:24:56 and to His desire to make His children happy. 01:25:01 Amen! I want to talk to you this morning about three trees. 01:25:05 Three trees that have shaped the history of humanity. 01:25:09 Three trees that have had great significance 01:25:12 and impact on your life and on mine. 01:25:15 We read as our scripture this morning Genesis 3, 01:25:19 the core of that scripture was verse 8 and it read like this, 01:25:23 "Then the man and his wife, heard the sound of the Lord God 01:25:27 as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day 01:25:30 and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden." 01:25:35 They were hiding under the trees, 01:25:38 they were hiding in the trees from the Creator, 01:25:41 from the greatest lover of their soul, 01:25:43 but this story had its origin, 01:25:46 it's beginnings under another tree. 01:25:48 It was perhaps the noblest of any tree 01:25:51 to have ever graced this planet. 01:25:53 Full of beauty and symmetry 01:25:56 and vested with all the productive energy 01:25:59 that only our missions creative genius can engender, 01:26:04 imagine standing under its lush and loaded branches, 01:26:09 its fruit beautiful and inviting, 01:26:12 looking at this tree from a historical perspective, 01:26:15 this one tree offered a tantalizing enticement, 01:26:20 a power so great that it could change 01:26:23 the beauty of all that God had done in His creative act. 01:26:27 This tree offered a power that used in the wrong way 01:26:32 could bring untold misery to the human family, 01:26:36 the greatest power ever extended to the human family 01:26:40 right there at that spot. 01:26:42 The power to choose. 01:26:47 It was the place of choice, the ultimate in an eternal 01:26:52 God's expression of giving freedom. 01:26:55 And make no bones about it, 01:26:58 God is no courser of the human spirit. 01:27:01 God will never force you to do anything 01:27:05 that you do not choose to do. 01:27:09 Salvation does not come 01:27:12 because God forces you to accept His will. 01:27:15 It comes because of your choice. 01:27:18 Now think of Eve and then think of Adam, 01:27:21 can you imagine them standing there all be at different times 01:27:25 in the midst of that lush foliage, 01:27:27 that only God Himself could have made 01:27:30 and choice presents itself. 01:27:34 Would they obey God or would they obey the deceiver. 01:27:37 Like all of us who have followed them, 01:27:39 they had a choice to rely upon their own ingenuity 01:27:44 and strength or to place themselves 01:27:46 under the protective care of God. 01:27:49 Now listen to the magnificent statement 01:27:50 from the little book called, Mount of Blessings, 01:27:53 as she talks about how we can be defended against evil, 01:27:59 she makes this statement, "He who is in beude, 01:28:02 with the spirit of Christ abides in Christ 01:28:05 the blow that is aimed at him falls upon the savior, 01:28:11 who surrounds him with his presence 01:28:13 whatever come to him comes from Christ, 01:28:16 he has no need to resist evil for Christ is his defense, 01:28:21 nothing can touch him except by our Lord's permission 01:28:25 and all things that are permitted 01:28:27 work together for good to them that love God. 01:28:31 Adam and Eve could not have completely understood 01:28:36 the eternally bitter consequences 01:28:38 that they're caving in their fruit eating 01:28:41 that day would bring to the human family, 01:28:44 but you and I are all too familiar 01:28:46 with those consequences. 01:28:48 We are witnesses and we experience 01:28:50 the flood of bitterness that has come 01:28:52 to humanity because of sin. 01:28:54 We know that all the tears the anguish, the sorrow, 01:28:58 the crying and the dying lead back to Adams distrust 01:29:02 or mistrust of God's word 01:29:04 to his rejection of man's true relationship with God. 01:29:09 You and I have become airs of that bitterness 01:29:14 and they call that place Dutch Bar, 01:29:18 it is a little community located 01:29:20 just south of that city of Batticaloa, Srilanka. 01:29:24 I stood on the beautiful shore at Dutch Bar with a young man 01:29:28 I had my arm around his shoulder, he said to me, 01:29:31 "Do you see those trees pastor?" They're 25 to 30 feet high. 01:29:36 He said, "Do you see those trees pastor? 01:29:38 The water came right in over top of those trees." 01:29:42 He said," I lost 25 members of my family 01:29:47 that day in five minutes, including his dear wife 01:29:52 who he could not find for a long time 01:29:54 until he searched in a nearby community 01:29:57 and found her stacked like cardboard 01:29:59 among bodies outside of a hospital 01:30:02 but in her hand she was clutching her wedding sari. 01:30:07 She had gone back into the house 01:30:10 to get her wedding sari and died as a result of it. 01:30:14 Now read Paul's statement of Roman 5:12 through 19 01:30:19 and you begin to understand the consequences 01:30:22 of Adam and Eve's rebellion against God. 01:30:25 You begin to see the consequences 01:30:27 that you and I face that that young man faced. 01:30:29 As we stood there on the shores of the ocean 01:30:32 and the beautiful sunny day 01:30:34 the pain of the moment was palpable. 01:30:38 Romans 5:12, "Wherefore as by one man sin 01:30:44 entered into the world and death by sin 01:30:47 and so death passed up on all men for that all have sinned." 01:30:52 Without the intervention of God, 01:30:55 we won't have been bound endlessly 01:30:58 to a round of seeking but never finding, 01:31:01 of speaking but never hearing a response, 01:31:04 of wandering in a wilderness of human invention, 01:31:07 but never finding a home a place of refreshing, 01:31:12 or the Eden tree, or the Eden tree, 01:31:16 and how it has infected and affected the human family. 01:31:21 But then there is a second tree. 01:31:24 We move through history to the time of the Exodus. 01:31:27 And this is a fantastic story, it is a marvelous example 01:31:31 of the principle of healing and redemption 01:31:34 that is so much apart of what God is about. 01:31:37 Exodus 15:22 through 26 reads like this, 01:31:42 "Then Moses lead Israel onward from the red sea 01:31:46 and they went into the wilderness of Shur, 01:31:48 and they went three days into the wilderness 01:31:50 and they found no water, when they came to Marah 01:31:54 they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter, 01:31:58 therefore it was named Marah and the people murmured 01:32:01 against Moses saying, "What shall we drink?" 01:32:05 And he cried to the Lord and the Lord showed him a tree 01:32:11 and he threw it into the water and the water became sweet. 01:32:14 The Lord made for them a statue and an ordinance 01:32:18 and there he proved them saying, 01:32:20 "If you will diligently hearken 01:32:22 unto the voice of the Lord your God, 01:32:24 and do that which is right in His eyes 01:32:27 and give ear to His commandments and keep all His statues, 01:32:30 I will put none of the diseases upon you, 01:32:32 which I put upon the Egyptians for I am the Lord your healer." 01:32:37 This is the story of divine intervention 01:32:40 of God bringing His people up out of bondage for 430 years, 01:32:45 the people of Israel have been held in cruel bondage in Egypt 01:32:50 and now they are being lead out of that land 01:32:52 and during the time of their deliverance, 01:32:55 God had demonstrated to them so many times 01:32:59 on so many occasions His mighty power and grace 01:33:03 before their amazed eyes he had laid out before them 01:33:07 His determination to give them their freedom 01:33:10 under His leadership and freedom had come, 01:33:13 with the glorious occasion of their own freedom 01:33:17 with delirious joy and exuberance 01:33:20 they had raised the chorus of the song of Moses 01:33:22 that we find in the Exodus 15, 01:33:25 the words at the beginning of the song go like this, 01:33:27 "I will sing to the Lord for He has triumphed gloriously 01:33:31 the horse and it's rider He has thrown into the sea, 01:33:35 the Lord is my strength and my song 01:33:37 and He has become my salvation. 01:33:39 He is my God and I will praise Him 01:33:42 and there we're many, many more versus 01:33:45 and the wonderful thing about the song of Moses is that 01:33:48 by God's grace you and I are going to add versus to that 01:33:51 when we call it the song of Moses and the lamb, 01:33:54 in the glorious works that God is doing in delivering us, 01:33:58 with those beautiful words of gratitude 01:34:02 still there in their ears, 01:34:04 and with the memory of the parted sea 01:34:06 and the dry ground fresh in their mind 01:34:08 they make their way to freedom. 01:34:11 They're three days into the journey, 01:34:14 three days of being under the direct leadership of God, 01:34:17 three days of being a renewed nation, three days of freedom. 01:34:22 Oh! How it must have been? Delicious. 01:34:28 The day was hot, the day is hot, 01:34:35 but the day was hot. 01:34:37 Out on the sandy plain they came to a painful conclusion, 01:34:42 they were fast running out of water, 01:34:45 their supplies had dwindled down to almost nothing. 01:34:48 And as they surveyed the horizon, 01:34:50 there was no body of water in sight. 01:34:52 Only one person in the camp was 01:34:55 aware of a body of water close by 01:34:57 and the knowledge of that particular place 01:34:59 did not bring any pleasure to him, it brought him dread. 01:35:04 He was hoping that the Lord would choose 01:35:06 not to lead the people in that direction 01:35:09 but to his amazement as he looks up at the sky, 01:35:13 he sees the cloud headed right 01:35:16 in the direction of the springs at Marah. 01:35:20 And the people at first must have been very excited 01:35:24 because they would be able to slake their thirst, 01:35:27 they had great anticipation and expectation, 01:35:30 however their joy soon turned to anxiety 01:35:34 and murmuring as they had discovered 01:35:36 that they had been lead to a bitter spring. 01:35:39 You know the reality is this, that our anticipation 01:35:42 and expectation of events and places 01:35:45 does not always bring about a desired fulfillment, does it? 01:35:49 You see sometimes moments of time 01:35:51 that seemed the whole great potential, 01:35:53 don't turn out that way. 01:35:57 We were on our way back to India 01:35:59 and we decided that we would take our children 01:36:02 to the Lourdes Museum in Paris. 01:36:06 Now that I'm a grandfather I know that, 01:36:08 if you're going to take teenagers to a museum, 01:36:11 you're going to be in trouble 01:36:14 because when they saw the Mona Lisa, 01:36:16 they thought it was a bust, to coin a phrase. 01:36:22 The whole time we were in the museum 01:36:23 they were very unhappy and the whole chaotic episode 01:36:28 came to a conclusion as I stood on the steps 01:36:31 of the Lourdes Museum in Paris, 01:36:33 this great wonderful museum and said to my daughter, 01:36:38 "How many young people get brought to a place 01:36:41 of such high culture?" 01:36:42 And she looked at me in the eye steadfastly 01:36:45 and said, "How many kids get dragged around here 01:36:48 by their parents?" 01:36:52 It just didn't turn out to be what we thought it would. 01:36:58 At Marah, the people's expectations 01:37:00 and anticipation of cool refreshing streams of water 01:37:04 evaporated with the bitter springs of the water 01:37:07 and there is nothing worst. 01:37:08 The Bible says that Moses cried unto the Lord 01:37:11 and he expected a benevolent response, 01:37:14 but scripture renders those startling words 01:37:17 and God showed him a tree. 01:37:20 It's a puzzling and an amazing answer. 01:37:22 It defies our understanding the Lord showed him a tree. 01:37:27 How would you feel about that kind of response? 01:37:30 I believe many of us would have thrown up our hands 01:37:33 and we would have said, "I hate to ask you this question, 01:37:37 but what does this tree have to do with this water?" 01:37:42 And what would you like me to do with the tree? 01:37:45 Or you've got to be kidding. 01:37:48 But if you are a student of the word of God, 01:37:51 if you are one who reads and believes the scripture, 01:37:54 you discover that this kind of response 01:37:57 is given by God over and over again. 01:38:00 Read 2nd Chronicles 20 and you discover 01:38:04 that a nation about to be mutilated comes to the temple 01:38:08 to the most holy place of their faith 01:38:10 and they stand on the steps of the temple 01:38:12 and their king utters these words, 01:38:14 "We do not know what to do with this vast enemy 01:38:17 that is coming against us but our eyes are upon you". 01:38:24 And one would have thought that 01:38:25 God would have given them every ornament. 01:38:27 He would have given them every sword, 01:38:29 every spear, every shield, 01:38:31 every human implement of war available. 01:38:34 They would have been trained better than any army. 01:38:39 God said, "Get the choir." 01:38:47 Get the choir. 01:38:49 Now this is a mighty choir, but I want to tell you 01:38:53 if I was the general of an army, 01:38:54 they wouldn't scare me in the least. 01:38:59 But they stood on the plains outside the city 01:39:02 and they sang the glory of God and in God's name 01:39:07 a great victory was brought on behalf of his people. 01:39:12 Read 2nd Kings 3 and discover that 01:39:16 an army who was not willing to listen to the voice of God, 01:39:19 an army under the leadership of three rebellious kings, 01:39:23 an army way out in the desert, 01:39:25 discovers they don't have an water either 01:39:27 and then one of them the king of Israel, 01:39:29 it always makes me kind of choke up a little bit 01:39:32 because I can't understand how anybody could ask 01:39:34 such a dumb question. He asked the question, 01:39:36 "Well isn't there a prophet around here somewhere?" 01:39:41 Off course they had just left the prophet 01:39:43 and ignored the prophet, isn't there a prophet? 01:39:46 God told those armies out in the middle of the desert, 01:39:49 "Get on your knees and dig with your bare hands" 01:39:54 and they dug holes out in the middle of the desert 01:39:56 and were lead to understand that the grace of God was present 01:40:00 and at the time when the evening sacrifice 01:40:03 was being offered in the sanctuary 01:40:05 at that very time those holes filled with water 01:40:09 and those people survived. 01:40:10 Read the story of Matthew 14, camp meeting time, 01:40:15 5,000 people present and no food, 01:40:20 but a little lad has some food 01:40:23 and Jesus takes the insignificance of the loaves 01:40:26 and the fishes and transforms them into the sufficient. 01:40:30 How many trees has God shown you? 01:40:35 How many will He show you in the future? 01:40:38 The whole issue of divine appointment comes here. 01:40:41 We fail to recognize as Christians 01:40:45 that God is attempting to speak to us everyday, 01:40:48 but often when we get the promptings of His Spirit, 01:40:51 we say to ourselves, "Oh that's ridiculous, 01:40:54 I could never do that". And so we don't 01:40:57 and we miss huge blessing after blessing. 01:41:00 You see, this is not uncommon, 01:41:03 this story of the trees is not uncommon 01:41:06 in God's dealing with the human family, 01:41:08 people facing terrible circumstances 01:41:10 coming asking pleading for help 01:41:13 and God inevitably responds with solutions 01:41:15 that defy human logic and common sense. 01:41:18 The fact is I'm aided by God's Holy Spirit, 01:41:22 we do not think as He thinks, we do not see as He sees, 01:41:26 and we do not plan as He plans. 01:41:29 Brother-in-law of mine went out 01:41:31 and found himself an antique old table. 01:41:33 He thought it was the most wonderful table he'd ever seen. 01:41:36 He purchased it brought it home and said some day 01:41:39 I will refinish that table according to oil 01:41:42 and he put covers and blankets over it 01:41:44 and one day when they were alone his boys said, 01:41:48 "Let's do something to surprise dad." 01:41:52 And they went and found a can of black automotive paint 01:41:58 and they painted the table black. 01:42:02 I will tell you that they still are alive. 01:42:09 But let me say this, when we look beyond 01:42:12 our foolishly conceived and often childish solutions 01:42:16 and enter into the realm of true faith, 01:42:19 we come face to face with the God 01:42:21 who can take the smallest, simplest and weakest object 01:42:25 and turn it into a mighty object of redemption. 01:42:31 He plead with God and God showed him a tree. 01:42:36 A young woman in Hamilton, Ontario 01:42:38 by the name of Sandra Silver woke up one morning, 01:42:41 the Lord had said to her that night go to Sacramento. 01:42:47 She went to her father and said, 01:42:48 the Lord seems to be telling me to go to Sacramento 01:42:52 and he who was not a practicing Seven-day Adventist 01:42:56 or particularly a Christian at that moment said, 01:42:59 "Well, if God told you to do that you better go." 01:43:02 So she got on a plane and she traveled to Sacramento 01:43:06 and then she started to understand what is was, 01:43:09 that the Lord wanted from her. 01:43:11 She was instructed to go see a woman 01:43:14 that she had previously been studying the Bible with, 01:43:17 but she couldn't remember the woman's name 01:43:18 and she couldn't remember where she lived in that city. 01:43:21 Nonetheless she bought a car and she headed out 01:43:23 to where she thought it might be and in her confusion 01:43:27 she pulled in to a gas station 01:43:29 and a vehicle pulled right in behind her, 01:43:31 a young man who had seen her 01:43:32 at the previous stop like got out 01:43:34 and came to her window 01:43:35 and said to her, "You look like you're lost." 01:43:39 And she said, "You're a smart man." 01:43:43 He said, "Who are you looking for?" 01:43:45 By that time, the name of the person came to her mind 01:43:49 and she looked at the young man and said, 01:43:50 I studied the Bible with this lady sometime ago 01:43:53 and the Lord seems to be telling me 01:43:55 that I should go and see her". 01:43:57 And he said, "Well, what's her name?" 01:43:59 And she spit out the name and the young man 01:44:02 stepped back from the car and he said, 01:44:06 "That's my grandmother." That's my grandmother. 01:44:13 The grandmother was dying. 01:44:16 And she had been praying in her concern for her grandson 01:44:22 that God would bring somebody into her life 01:44:25 and back to minister to her, that is not natural. 01:44:30 No. That is not coincidence. 01:44:33 No. That is God using somebody who is willing to listen. 01:44:38 Yes. His ways are beyond our ways. Yes. 01:44:44 Paul says Romans 11:33, "All the depths of the riches 01:44:48 both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God 01:44:50 how unsearchable are his judgments 01:44:53 and his ways past in finding out, 01:44:55 how difficult this is for us who have been thought 01:44:58 to believe in our own sufficiency, 01:45:00 our self sufficiency." 01:45:01 We want to analyze, scrutinize and even criticize God 01:45:05 until we can shape Him into just the kind 01:45:08 of predictable God that we want him to be. 01:45:12 The reality is however as Isaiah describes, 01:45:15 "To whom will you like in God or what likeness 01:45:18 will you compare him to" and God says of Himself, 01:45:22 "I am God and there is none like me." 01:45:25 Moses cried out to the Lord and he showed him a tree. 01:45:29 And quickly he cuts it down and throws it into the water 01:45:33 and the waters became sweet 01:45:36 and the people drank of that sweet water. 01:45:44 These words from a little book called, Spiritual Gifts, 01:45:47 "The children of Israel seemed to possess 01:45:49 an evil heart of unbelief. They were unwilling 01:45:52 to endure hardships in the wilderness. 01:45:55 When they met with difficulties along the way 01:45:57 they would regard them as impossibilities, 01:46:00 their confidence in God would fail, 01:46:03 and they could see nothing before them but death. 01:46:07 He was ready to be a present help to them, 01:46:09 but they seemed unwilling to trust the Lord any farther 01:46:12 than they could witness before their eyes 01:46:15 the continual evidences of His power." 01:46:19 What a lesson there is for 01:46:21 Seventh-day Adventist living in 2012. 01:46:24 I want to tell you I hear it all the time 01:46:27 of churches going down. 01:46:29 There's evil in the church and I'm not going to deny 01:46:32 that there are problems in the church 01:46:33 and indeed some evil in the church. 01:46:37 But I want you to know that as enfeebled 01:46:40 and defective as it may be, 01:46:43 the church is still the object of God's supreme 01:46:47 regard on this earth and it will not fail. 01:46:56 There are many obstacles, many things that seem like 01:47:00 the impending do of the organization 01:47:03 or at some of our schools etc, etc, etc... 01:47:07 And all that I could say is God showed him 01:47:10 a tree or the tree at Marah. 01:47:15 Interestingly enough, our experience as individuals 01:47:20 is similar to the experience at Marah 01:47:22 as we attempt to move along the way without God. 01:47:26 Aren't all normal human beings seek happiness, 01:47:29 seek to find a way into a promise land of their own 01:47:32 devising of their own expectations 01:47:35 so often in our attempts to seek 01:47:37 and find our ideals and physical in... 01:47:42 Boy I got tongue tied. 01:47:44 Let me try that again, our philosophical 01:47:46 and physical and intellectual sweet spots, 01:47:50 we wind up finding bitterness. 01:47:52 We search and we study for ways to correct the problem, 01:47:56 to fill the void, to quench the thirst, 01:47:58 but humanly speaking we come up empty, 01:48:02 we come up dry every time. 01:48:03 We build all kinds of solutions but the screams 01:48:07 that we find are all too often bitter. 01:48:10 And why is that? What answer could there be? 01:48:13 God Himself gives us an answer recorded in Jeremiah 2:13, 01:48:18 "For my people have committed two evils, 01:48:22 they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters 01:48:25 and have hewn themselves cisterns, 01:48:28 broken cisterns that can hold no water. 01:48:32 Human ideas, human schemes, human wisdom. 01:48:36 Now we may fail to find the vision of God, 01:48:38 because we cannot envision Him based upon our experiences, 01:48:43 added to that our intimate knowledge of who we are. 01:48:47 A combined experience in inner knowledge 01:48:50 may sometimes bring us to the place of despair 01:48:52 and so we cry out in our hopelessness. 01:48:56 How are we to move beyond the current circumstances? 01:48:59 How may we find the fresh streams? 01:49:01 How can we see things as God sees them? 01:49:04 And not as imperfectly as we envision them. 01:49:08 A woman came home one day 01:49:10 and she walked into the door of the home 01:49:12 that her and her husband were renovating. 01:49:14 She saw her husband standing at the stove 01:49:17 and there was a cord that seemed to be running 01:49:19 between him and an electrical outlet 01:49:22 and he was dancing around frantically. 01:49:24 They had just been renovating the house as I've said 01:49:27 and so there were bare wires everywhere. 01:49:29 She literally swung into action, she picked up a small 2X4 01:49:33 and ran over and whacked him in the arm 01:49:36 broke his arm in two places, up to that point 01:49:39 he had been happily listening to his iPod. 01:49:51 How can we see God and how can we see things 01:49:56 as God sees them and not as we imperfectly envision them. 01:50:01 1st Corinthians 3:18 and 19, "Let no one deceive himself 01:50:07 if anyone among you seems to be wise enough in this age, 01:50:10 let him become a fool that he may become wise. 01:50:13 For the wisdom of God is foolishness with this world." 01:50:18 The book, Steps to Christ, "It is impossible 01:50:20 for us of ourselves to escape 01:50:23 from the pit of sin into which we have sunken. 01:50:26 Our hearts are evil and we cannot change them." 01:50:29 Education, culture the exercise of the will, 01:50:32 human effort all have their proper sphere, 01:50:36 but here they are powerless. 01:50:39 Now they may produce an outward correctness of behavior 01:50:42 but they cannot change the heart, 01:50:44 they cannot purify the springs of life. 01:50:49 And so we try and we fail and we fail and we try 01:50:53 and in our exhaustion we cry out, 01:50:55 "Help me God, help me God". 01:50:59 And He shows us a tree. 01:51:02 Galatians 3:13, "Christ has redeemed us 01:51:06 from the curse of the law." 01:51:08 Having become a curse for us 01:51:10 for it is written cursed is everyone 01:51:13 who hangs upon a tree. 01:51:16 Now, listen to Peter, "He himself bore our sins 01:51:19 in his body on the tree that we might die to sin 01:51:22 and live to righteousness by his wounds 01:51:25 you and I have been healed. 01:51:28 This tree, this precious cross of Jesus 01:51:31 gives you and me the opportunity to choose again. 01:51:35 Thank God that He did not cut off grace 01:51:37 or choice at the Eden tree. 01:51:39 Thank God that Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit 01:51:42 went on in the statement of Romans 5, 01:51:45 to make this statement, "For if by one mans 01:51:48 offence death reigns through the one much more 01:51:51 those who receive abundance of grace 01:51:54 and the gift of righteousness will reign in life 01:51:57 through the one Jesus Christ." 01:52:01 At the cross, you and I have the opportunity of looking 01:52:05 into the face of God and saying I'll be your's forever 01:52:09 take me use me I trust my life with you eternally 01:52:13 and God responds by saying, "I am the Lord, who heals you." 01:52:19 You see friends, here's the story 01:52:21 and here's how we have to get it right 01:52:23 as Seventh-day Adventist in how we preach 01:52:26 and how we teach and how we live. 01:52:29 The cross of Jesus is the tree 01:52:32 that God threw into the ocean of human need, 01:52:36 it reverses the bitterness of the man or the woman 01:52:39 who stands alone without God, it is God's solution. 01:52:44 So what am I to do with the tree? 01:52:47 This precious gift of Calvary, Matthew records Jesus 01:52:51 answer in Matthew 10:38 and 39, 01:52:54 "And he who does not take up his cross 01:52:56 and follow me is not worthy of me, 01:52:59 he who finds his life will lose it 01:53:00 and he who loses his life for my sake will find it." 01:53:04 And then the Apostle Paul, 1st Corinthians 1:18, 01:53:08 "For the message of the cross is foolishness 01:53:11 to those who are perishing, 01:53:12 but to us who believe are being saved 01:53:16 it is the power of God." 01:53:20 So what am I to do with the tree? 01:53:23 I am called to take the tree everywhere with me 01:53:25 that I go, into the pool of my despair 01:53:29 I cast the tree, into the slew of my pain, 01:53:32 I carry it, into the oceans of my wild emotions 01:53:37 I carry the tree, in times of temptations, 01:53:40 and failure, and heartache, I carry the tree. 01:53:43 In times when I'm over my head 01:53:45 and the waters of uncertainty and frustration, 01:53:47 I bring the tree. Into the moments of my joy 01:53:51 I hear the splash of the tree 01:53:53 in the refresh waters of the salt. 01:53:57 Colossians 1:19 and 20, 01:54:00 "For it pleased the father that in him 01:54:02 all the fullness should dwell 01:54:04 and by him to reconcile all things to himself by him 01:54:09 whether things on earth or things in heaven 01:54:11 having made peace, through the blood of his cross. 01:54:14 And Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ, 01:54:19 nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ lives in me 01:54:24 and the life I now live in the flesh 01:54:26 I live by the faith of the son of God 01:54:28 who loved me and gave himself for me". 01:54:31 And Galatians 6:14, "But God forbid 01:54:34 that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord 01:54:38 Jesus Christ by whom the world has been crucified 01:54:41 to me and I too the world." 01:54:43 Friends, we have a message to give to our world. 01:54:46 It is a message that is focused on the true north, 01:54:50 the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did through His life, 01:54:53 death and resurrection and what He's doing 01:54:56 for you and me even now as we are here. 01:54:58 We have a message to the world that goes like this, 01:55:01 "None are so sinful that they cannot find strength, 01:55:04 purity and righteousness in Jesus, who died for them. 01:55:07 He is waiting to strip them of their garments stained 01:55:11 and polluted with sin and to put upon them 01:55:13 the white robe of righteousness. 01:55:15 He bids them live and not die." 01:55:19 The Calvary tree provides hope 01:55:21 for you and me not only now, but eternally. 01:55:25 Praise His holy name. 01:55:27 Three trees and the waters of the salt. 01:55:30 You know, I have done many evangelistic campaigns, 01:55:33 I don't call myself an evangelist, 01:55:35 but I've done many campaigns 01:55:37 and one evening in Winnipeg, Manitoba, 01:55:39 I kind off proved that I wasn't, you know they say 01:55:44 that white preachers don't know 01:55:45 how to open the door, you know. 01:55:50 And I stood there and I made an alter call 01:55:53 and a woman came forward 01:55:55 there were a number who came forward. 01:55:57 We baptized 66 people in that campaign, 01:55:59 but one woman came forward and was a dear Muslim lady 01:56:03 and she came forward and I asked her this question, 01:56:06 "Are you sure you want to do this?" 01:56:13 I was concerned about her and her family, 01:56:17 but she looked into my face and said, 01:56:19 "Pastor, when I think of all that Jesus has done for me, 01:56:23 how can I not take this cup, how can I not take this step?" 01:56:27 And I said, "So I really should be ashamed of myself 01:56:30 for asking that question and she said, yes." 01:56:36 And we baptized her in the name of the Father, 01:56:38 the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 01:56:41 How many of you today, 01:56:44 want to reaffirm your commitment 01:56:49 to the true north, to the cross of Jesus Christ, 01:56:53 I want to invite you to stand if you would. 01:56:59 You see before Jesus comes again, 01:57:02 the glorious message of the grace of the great 01:57:06 God will encircle this earth like a flaming fire. 01:57:10 There will be missionaries of hope everywhere. 01:57:13 Perhaps there are some today who have never committed 01:57:15 for the very first time their life to the Lord 01:57:18 Jesus Christ and what He's done for them. 01:57:20 I want to invite you in the closing 01:57:22 seconds of this program to come forward. 01:57:25 You've never given your life to Jesus 01:57:27 really committed to the cross before, 01:57:30 I want to invite you to come forward. |
Revised 2014-12-17