Restoration 2022

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Advent HOPE Sabbath School

Prayer by Gem Castor

Gem Castor

He is Faithful

Yes we almost forgot the people in the zoom so welcome everyone.

Good evening and by the way I'm just impressed by the attentiveness of these people.

It's a very good class to the very detail.

And I could not be more excited that the restoration this year is focusing so much on prayer.

I believe that all of us here will not be here if not for prayer.

If not for 1 person that had been praying for us, maybe 1 or 2, and I believe that without my mother's prayer I would not be here right now.

And especially in such a time as this we need prayer more than ever and as we all know it's not because of the speaker it's not because even of the organizer it's only because of the power of the Holy Spirit that we are able to be blessed every time we come together.

So with that being said, can we spend just 1 minute praying with 1 another?

If you came with a person that you're comfortable with, you could just turn to that person and let's pray that God will pour upon us His Spirit, that He'll reveal more and more of His beautiful character to us tonight.

Let's let's turn to the person nearest us and for those of you who are watching in zoom join us as well.

Dear Father, Lord I pray may our eyes be turned towards you.

Help us, Lord, to fix our eyes on the 1 whose eyes is fixed on us.

And thank you so much, Lord, for giving us your Holy Spirit.

May You hide me behind your cross that I may not be seen or be heard, but Jesus and Jesus alone be seen, be heard, be lifted up and exalted.

Father, we praise you and we thank you for reminding us over and over again.

Without you we are nothing, but when we have you we have everything.

We give you back all the praises the glory and the honor we pray all this in the loving and precious name of your son Jesus all your children say amen.

Friends isn't it a blessing to discover more and more of the beautiful character of our Lord huh And I believe each 1 of you have a glimpse that you have seen yesterday that you have not seen before and it's such a joy hearing people saying, Jem I have not seen this before and I did not know that that Jesus is this amazing.

Friends another stories, group of stories that I'll be sharing with you this evening.

You remember how many men that we were talking about last night?

It's about 3 women So it means to say that it's 3 times the length of the top compared to last night.

Friends, I'll be talking about This group of women here that really inspired me and 1 of them really moved my heart.

At the moment I first read this story, I actually broke down.

But these 2, I did not even realize that their story is as significant as this.

And so without further ado, I'd like to introduce to you the first woman.

And when you look at the story, the story somehow started with Jesus on a mission and she was not even the main character.

But later on I began to see it was about her.

I guess by now you know I'm talking about.

Oh, my auntie Marlene there, she got it right.

Friends, this is the woman who has the the blood issue for 12 years.

On the way to the ruler's gyros house, he had met in the crowd a poor woman who for 12 years had suffered from a disease that made her life a burden.

And friends, remember she spent all her money going to the doctors wanting for a cure but then she was just pronounced incurable.

Friends just imagine 12 years and she was hemorrhaging.

12 years and hemorrhaging it's a miracle that she's still alive.

And friends remember if it's a woman's monthly cycle they are pronounced what?

Unclean and they could not, they're like the leper but temporarily.

Lepers are like permanent not unless they found a cure.

So every time that they had this menstrual cycle, they're unclean.

Friends, for 12 long years, she did not have that much association with the people around her, with her family.

And friends, people who have leprosy, yes they could not lift up, what's this, lift up a spoon or a fork but this woman is even worse.

A friend of ours from Chattanooga when we presented this beautiful narrative she said, Jem, you know what I want to sit down.

I want to sit down in the audience because I could really relate to that woman.

This friend of ours, she has cancer, Gabe.

I think she has cancer, the same situation of that woman.

And she has been bleeding for like 6 to 8 months.

Not 12 years but 6 to 8 months and she described to us the situation.

Just even getting up it takes a lot of strength.

The moment she gets up it will take her more minutes to recover.

And going from this spot to the microphone, it will take her at least 15 to 30 minutes.

And while she's there standing, it will take her a few more minutes to recover from the strength that she has lost.

Friends, can you imagine the life of this woman?

It's not just a life of seclusion, but a life of just like powerlessness.

And she's not just depleted of power, of strength, she's depleted of friends, she's depleted of association, and she's also depleted of hope.

And this is 1 amazing thing when Jesus is in the scene.

But her hopes revived when she heard of the cures that Christ performed.

Friends, that's why it's important to be talkative about Jesus.

Inspired by the Spirit, friends, it's really important to talk about the goodness of what God has done in our lives.

Okay, it says there, she felt assured that if she could only go to him, she would be healed.

And friends, it says here, in weakness and suffering, now you could picture out how difficult it was for her.

By the testimony of that woman who just suffered for 6 to 8 months.

Now you could picture out friends in weakness and suffering she came to the seaside where he was teaching and tried to press through the crowd but in vain.

Friends if you're not feeling well the midst of the crowd is not the most conducive place to be in.

I loved to go to the mall when I was younger, but now it just takes away my strength when you are surrounded by a lot of people.

When you are surrounded by a lot of people.

When you are surrounded by a lot of people when you are sick it's even worse.

So it took a lot of strength in her but I believe friends but that even going there it was not her strength that sustained her.

Listen friends, she tried to press through the crowd but in vain.

Again she followed him to the house of Levi Matthew but was still unable to reach him.

She had begun to despair when in making his way through the multitude.

Peace in the Storm

Dear Father, as we begin our time of prayer, may you teach us, Lord, how to pray.

May you even teach us how to ask for the filling of your Holy Spirit.

So, friends, let's spend this minute, at the end of 1 minute, I will sing a song.

It means to say that we'll have to wrap up our prayers.

Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary pure and holy, Tried and true, with thanksgiving, I'll be the living sanctuary, Lord, for You.

O dear Father, Lord, may that song be not just a song, but a prayer and an experience as well.

Father, I pray that may you prepare our hearts.

May you empty us of anything that will hinder us from receiving your fullness.

Lord, I ask in a very special way that may you hide me behind your cross.

I may not be seen or be heard, but Jesus and Jesus alone be seen, be heard, be lifted up and exalted.

Father, once again we pray, fill us with your Spirit for we ask this in the loving and precious name of your Son Jesus, all your children say, Amen.

When I told you that there's a lot of prayer that were offered especially at the beginning of the year it was it was really amazing We had for those of you who had not attended GYC.

We had a very interesting GYC this year It's like half of the number of GYC attendants this year.

But it was a beautiful, beautiful time of prayer, especially during New Year's.

And New Year's, we welcomed the New Year from 10.30 p.m.

They didn't want to end, but I had to end it because I had to lead out 6 a.m.

And after that we went, we stayed in, we stayed in Houston.

And I was asked to do another week of prayer.

And after Houston, we waited for a few days and then we flew again to Chattanooga for another week of prayer.

And after Chattanooga, I flew back to Berrien Springs to do a week of prayer in Andrews.

And I believe that God is really calling His people to pray.

Because we're living in such a very interesting times right now.

And that is why there's so much prayer that is offered for God is setting up the stage because He's about to do something really powerful.

And I've been seeing things after things unfold, especially in our church.

So friends, before we continue on any further, I'd just like to establish 1 thing.

That should be a cause of rejoicing my dear friends.

And I love this beautiful verses that is found in Psalms.

You know this beautiful verse, but let's go back and review this.

Okay It says here, by the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the hosts of them by the breath of his mouth.

And everything that He says will come to pass.

And just imagine walking with Jesus when He was here on earth.

If you knew what you knew while you were walking with Jesus, I believe friends, everything will change.

Just imagine you were 1 of those disciples that are walking with Jesus.

They've been walking with Jesus 33, no, no, 3 years, 3 years and a half they've been walking with Jesus and yet they did not take Him at His word.

Jesus told them that He's going to die 3 times.

And by the way, friends, the story that I'll be sharing with you is found in Desire of Ages, page 39.

And it's found also in Matthew 14, Mark 6, and John 6.

I will not go into the details of the story.

I just want to focus on the beautiful lesson that the Lord somehow somehow gave to me and and it was just enlightening, friends.

Remember, Jesus just performed a powerful miracle by feeding the 5, 000.

He fed the 5, 000 with how much materials?

The 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish fed not 5, 000, but I believe there's more than 20, 000.

And in God's accounting, the world could not contain God's accounting, 5 loaves of bread, 2 fish fed at 20000 plus 12 baskets overflow.

And yet after that, remember after that account, if you read this beautiful story, Desire of Ages, after that account, they somehow wanting To follow the crowd's desire of crowning Jesus as King.

And Jesus saw what's about to happen and Jesus stopped them.

The moment Jesus stopped them, there was some bitterness in the hearts of the disciples.

It says here friends, this is 1 sad line here.

Thus the disciples reasoned until they brought upon themselves great spiritual darkness.

They reasoned until they were brought into great spiritual darkness.

They questioned, could Jesus be an imposter as the Pharisees asserted?

And thinking, how could they think of Jesus being an imposter?

They've been sleeping in the same house with Jesus, eating at the same table.

And every miracle that Jesus performed, they're in the front seat.

Give Him Praise

When people ask me if there's an instrument that I play, I just tell them I play the DVD.

I was just inspired by the testimony of Brittany.

It's just so encouraging, friends, knowing that it's not because of our skills, it's not because of our talent, it's Jesus in us that makes the difference.

And as I see that, she was just like, I don't know about you.

She might not be jumping up in excitement, but I could just sense the joy.

And Francis, it's the thing that I realized that the Lord wants to dwell in us before we could share Him.

And just imagine how the Lord opens up door after door after door.

And I believe this is what the Lord desires for each 1 of us.

If we be a church like that, my dear friends, just imagine coming to a church, coming to a church whose every member is overflowing with Christ.

Everyone is not so excited about that, huh?

Oh friends, God has just been so good and He always is.

So we started the restoration last night by asking the Lord to somehow dig deep into our hearts and expose to us What are the things that He needs to make right with Him that none of the blessings will ever be withheld.

So as we continue on with this morning's talk, I'd like to invite all of us again, since I have a very good excuse right now to ask you to pray because this is about prayer.

So let's offer more prayer this week than any other restoration.

So turn to the person beside you and let's ask once again that the Lord will pour upon us His Spirit and let us praise Him.

Let us start by praising Him, by thanking Him for who He has been and who He is to each and every 1 of us.

Yes, dear Father, may the praises of our lips, may the thanksgiving of our hearts will be a sweet, sweet sound to your ears.

Lord, once again we ask that may you prepare our hearts for what you're about to do to us and through us and in us today.

We ask this in the loving and precious name of your Son Jesus all your children say, Amen.

Friends, can you imagine if every worship it started with this?

If every meeting will be started with us Bowing before God, really intentionally asking for His presence.

Sometimes our prayer is just very casual or very, what do you call this?

We just come before God's presence and we do not really seek him, seek him with all of our hearts.

And it's nice when everything is silence and we know the reason why we're here is because of him.

It's not because of the organizers, it's because of him.

And friends, and that's I believe true worship would really begin.

And I remember leading out in GYC prayer room, I think I've shared this before, but I'd like to share this again.

And you don't have any choice, I'm speaking.

I remember people will ask me, Jam, why is it different when we sing in the prayer room compared to the time when we're singing in the church?

And at first I did not have the answer for that.

But then I realized, friends, that when we are in the prayer room, every thought, every heart is really set to worship God.

When we are in the prayer room, when you look, when anyone here has been to the GYC prayer time.

Okay, so a lot of the people here, and for those of you who have not been there yet, there's another GYC in 2022 in Arizona.

But I just love to see people really experience the beauty of true worship in the presence of God.

And friends, it's amazing because the last GYC, there were people who were interviewed.

When I spoke in their church, they only have like 8 members and she's the only youth.

She's the only youth And so her pastor decided to bring her to GYC and I saw her being interviewed.

And she was the 1 who gave the last testimony of her experience in the prayer room.

She said, you know what, the moment I stepped in to the prayer room, And by the way, have you been to the Houston Convention Center?

I don't know if you've been there in 2019, GYC.

This time, they opened the other ballroom, so it's 2 ballrooms.

And I'm thinking, I'm small, friends, but when I got in, I felt smaller.

So when she got in there, when she walked in, she said, wow, wonderful sound system, because the music is just wonderful.

And then she realized, oh, there's no sound system.

I only have the mic, but whenever we sing, I put down the mic.

I don't want people to just hear my voice.

I want to hear how angels sing together with God's people.

And friends, this is the thing that I realize.

1 thing that really makes a total difference is when God's people's hearts are only set to worship Him.

So I praise God that we could start our worship with that.

And I pray that every worship will be started with that.

So this morning, friends, I'd like to share something that's quite a struggle for me when I came into the prayer ministry.

And I observed as well, this is 1 of the struggles.

This is not something that's quite major as I saw it was.

I don't know about you, but the first time I came into the prayer ministry, I have a lot of prayer requests, I have a lot of confessions.

When it comes to praising God, it's just like 1 round and we're done.

And remember, praising and thanksgiving is quite different.

And thanksgiving is about what God has done for us.

For His Glory

And 1 question, is the theme song growing on you?

And it's so amazing to somehow make that a reality in our lives, to really need God every moment of the day, every hour.

Friends, have you noticed that God desires us to be needy of Him?

This is the God that we serve, an amazing God.

A God who is way above and beyond our imagination.

And I know that Catherine has just prayed, but this is week of prayer.

So let's be on our knees once again and let us ask that that need will continue to grow and that we'll see Him for who He is.

Let's turn to the person beside us and let's offer our prayers to Him.

Before we go into our time of prayer, let's sing the song, As the deer panteth for the water.

Dear Father, we pray that you will be alone in our hearts' desire.

May this be not just our prayer, may this be our experience.

For we ask all this in the loving and precious name of your Son Jesus and with the anointing power of your Holy Spirit all your children say Amen So friends this this morning we have established that Giving praise to the Lord is a serious business in his sight.

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Series

Prayer by Gem Castor

From Garbage to Gold

Transcript

Parent Series

Parent Conference

Sponsor

Recorded

Parts

He is Faithful

53m

Peace in the Storm

52m

Give Him Praise

59m

For His Glory

54m

Sunday Morning Devotional

28m

Gentle Healer

54m

Relentless Pursuit

53m

From Garbage to Gold

38m

Greater Works Than This

55m

Give Him Back His Throne

40m

How Big is God

45m

Sound Doctrine