AOY 2013: By Every Word

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Army Of Youth

Plenary

Benjamin Ng

The Faith of Jesus

Our Father in heaven, Lord we are here at the end of quite a long day for most of us.

Our bodies are tired and weary, our minds have been concentrating.

But I pray that you would please once again pour out your spirit upon us.

That you might be able to speak directly to our thoughts and our feelings this evening.

And Lord, we have done all that we can to shut out the world.

May you please, Lord, grace us with thy presence.

I want to continue actually last night from where we began and I don't think we quite finished.

As we looked in Revelation chapter 14 and verse 12, the Bible says, here is the patience of the saints, here are they that keep the commandments of God and what?

And then we went over to Romans chapter 10.

If you've forgotten what that verse says, I'd like to invite you to turn with me in your Bibles back to Romans chapter 10 and verse 17 again.

As we're looking at this topic of faith, where does faith begin?

The Bible here in Romans chapter 10 verse 17 says, So then faith cometh by what?

So I can almost guarantee you at this moment that just as I have said that, as I've been reading from the Bible you are increasing in what?

So this is the beginning point of our faith.

So faith comes by hearing, and when we hear the Word of God, somehow it does something supernatural to our thoughts and our feelings, and our faith is increasing.

Now I want you to come with me to a parable this evening where we'll spend most of our time.

Friends, I want to present to you this evening that Romans 10 17 gives us a beginning point where we can begin our journey of faith.

But if you are still at the point of just hearing the Word of God, then this parable is for you.

Maybe it is a parable that is familiar to most of you, if not all of you.

But verse 5 begins by saying, A sower went out to sow his seed, and as he sowed, some fell by the wayside, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

And some fell upon a rock, and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.

Verse 7, and some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and what?

And verse 8, and other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bear fruit a hundredfold.

So here, my friends, is a parable of what we call the 4 grounds.

And here the sower goes out and he just scatters his seed wide and far, anywhere and everywhere without a thought to where the seed would land.

And sure enough, it fell on 4 types of ground.

If you jump with me down to verse 11, as we jump straight into the interpretation, the Bible says that Jesus said, the parable is this, the seed is what?

So the sower goes out to sow and he is scattering his seed far and wide as all good Christians should do as Jesus Christ has done.

And He has thrown out that seed, He's given the Word of God to everybody and then it says in verse 12, those by the wayside are they that what?

So, if you hear the word of God, what is happening?

Because Romans 10, 17 says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

So here it says that those that are on the wayside, they hear.

If you jump down with me to verse 13, it says they on the rock are they?

Now friends, what do these 4 grounds represent?

A conference, a youth conference, Even though we're all young at heart, it's still a youth conference, amen?

Let us comfort those that are only young in heart.

But do you hear the word of God in the nightclub, yes or no?

Do you hear the word of God in the movie theaters, yes or no?

Do you hear the word of God in the bars, in the shopping centers?

So where do you hear the word of God normally?

So friends, what do these 4 grounds represent?

Christians Tonight I want to make the application if you will allow me to That tonight the 4 grounds represent those people that are sitting and standing in Wismar MCA.

But in verse 12, it says, those that are by the wayside, are they that hear, and then cometh the devil and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

That is quite a graphic representation, don't you think?

How is the devil able to take the word of God out of your heart?

How is he able to reach his hand into your heart and take it out?

So let's get a deeper understanding of what this means.

Unnatural Inclinations

This evening our topic is entitled unnatural inclinations Unnatural Inclinations and before we get into the word, I just want to ask that you please once again bow your heads with me for a word of prayer Father in heaven, thank you so much for bringing us to this moment, your Sabbath day.

Father, thank you Lord for watching over us throughout these past few days as we've been together.

And I thank you that you've kept us in good health and strength.

Lord, even now I want to pray for those that might be on their way.

And Lord, also I pray that you'd please be with us now as we open your word once again.

Will you please guide and bless our time together, for we pray in Jesus' name.

Please turn with me in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 5.

We're going to be reading the last verse of Matthew Chapter 5.

Matthew chapter 5 and we're reading verse 48.

The Bible here says, Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is Perfect.

Quite a high standard for us as humans, isn't it?

But I know that the God of the Bible does not require something of us that we through his strength are not able to attain.

And yet we also see examples in the Bible of this.

If you come with me in your Bibles to Job, Job chapter 1, we see examples that God himself declares that there are perfect people or that at least in times past there were perfect people.

Job happens to be the first book written in the Bible, although it is not the first book listed in the Bible.

But it was Moses who wrote this book as he was sitting there taking care of the sheep and the goats and whatever else that was out there in the wilderness for 40 years Before he led the children of Israel out of Egypt But in Job chapter 1 and verse 1, the Bible says this, There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was perfect and upright, 1 that feared God and escheweth evil.

Friends, the Bible records that there lived perfect people in times past.

And if it was possible in the past with men and women who walked with God, surely it is possible today.

But yet it even comes down, I mean this is Moses writing about Job But yet if you come down with me to verse 6 Now there was a day when the sons of god came to present Themselves before the Lord and Satan came also among them and the Lord said unto Satan whence comest thou?

Then Satan answered the Lord and said from going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and down in it Verse 8 and the Lord said unto Satan has thou considered my servant Job That there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, 1 that feareth God and is Jewish, evil.

You don't get a better recommendation than that amen look if your friends say you're perfect how much did you pay them Right But when God says you're perfect now my friends that is something to covet if God declares you perfect that no 1 else can stand in the way.

This God himself declares of Job, a man while living on the earth.

And friends, I believe with all my heart today, the God of the Bible is still the same.

The pen of inspiration writes that there are Enochs living amongst us today.

Otherwise, how could this man walk straight into heaven?

There are Enochs, Sister White declares, living amongst us today.

So, the question that I have this evening for us is how is that possible?

If you think it is not possible, then you shortchanged yourself already.

You're setting yourself up for a failure.

When you think, you know, and this is, I mean, let me give you an example.

And then my mom says, you are, but you're just very lazy.

And you know, my dad is a doctor, my mom's a nurse, and I'm like, okay, doctors must earn a lot.

You know, Australia, the entrance exam, the entrance score you have to get is 99 point something percent.

So for those that are doctors, I really admire you.

I was not smart enough, probably not hardworking enough to be a doctor.

But when you think that way, You set yourself up for a failure, don't you?

When you say, I can't do it, well, then your mind does not try as hard.

And so this evening, I wanted to start off by presenting to you a very clear picture in the Bible that it is possible.

But I believe with all my heart that it is possible.

Now, then you're probably wondering, well, Ben, what is your definition of perfect?

I want you to come with me to Romans chapter 8.

Romans chapter 8 declares something along the similar lines.

Romans chapter 8 and we're reading verse 1.

Romans chapter 8 and we're looking at verse 1.

The Bible says, there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Now friends, if you don't have any condemnation, do you think that's like describing a person who's perfect?

I mean, if you have no condemnation at all, and it says you are in Christ Jesus, you're walking after the Spirit, the likelihood of you being perfect is pretty close to 100%, amen?

But you see, Romans 7 describes something very interesting about human nature, Which I'm sure all of us can relate to.

Please come back with me to Romans chapter 7, and we're going to look at verse 15.

And I know that some people, when they read this, they go, well, that's describing me.

And that Paul, he's saying, well, that's him.

If even Paul, the apostle, the prophet, who wrote most of the New Testament, is saying this is exactly who I am.

Verse 15, For that which I do, Paul is saying, I allow not.

But what I hate, that do I." Are you confused?

Maybe we might be here in Romans 7 for a little while.

For that which I do, what I am doing, he's saying, that which I do, present tense, I allow not.

MC Shin

Following Jesus

Our loving Heavenly Father, you are our Creator, you are our Father, you are our Redeemer and our Savior.

You loved us so much that you gave your only begotten son to die on that cross so you can inherit the kingdom of God.

Dear Lord, we ask that you will be with us throughout this hour.

I ask that you will forgive my sin, Lord.

Cleanse my lips and mouth with the cord that from heavenly sanctuary lie.

I also pray that you'll be with our congregations.

Remove the stony hearts from their heart and give them heart of flesh.

They will see how wonderful it is to hear your words.

This is our prayer in Jesus' precious name.

This morning's message is titled, The Heavenly Messenger.

My son, the first son, Michael, He caught cold the day before yesterday.

And last night, he was crying at least, I think, twice, around 1 o'clock and 3 o'clock.

And he would not stop crying because he was hurting and just keep coughing for like an hour.

So my wife and I, we couldn't really sleep.

That's why my voice is kind of husky this morning.

I hope that you bear with me this morning.

The third gospel of the New Testament, Luke chapter 1.

Luke chapter 1, verse 5, the Bible says, There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, A certain priest named Zacharias of the course of Abia, and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinance of the Lord, blameless." Yesterday we heard Pastor Ben's message about how we had so many righteous people in the past.

They were blameless and they were perfect before the Lord.

Here's another example that we found is a couple were godly and they were fully committed themselves to the Lord.

And they had no child because that Elizabeth was barren.

And they both were now well stricken in years.

And it came to pass that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

And a whole multitude of people were praying without at the time of incense.

And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

But the angel said unto him, fear not, Zacharias, For thy prayer is heard, and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

And thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice at his birth.

For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink.

And he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

And he shall go before him in the spirit and the power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedience to the wisdom of the just, To make ready a people appeared for the Lord and Zechariah said unto the angel Whereby shall I know this for I am an old man and my wife shall well stricken in years And angel answered and said unto him I am hope Gabriel the stand in the presence of God and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee this glad tiding.

10, 000 times 10, 000 so many angels But when God has this glad tiding to Zacharias and Elizabeth Guess who God sent it to him?

Now before we go there, I want to show you a few.

It says, from among the faithful in Israel who had long waited for the coming of the Messiah, the forerunner of Christ arose.

The aged priest Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth were both righteous before God.

And in their quest and holy lives, the light of faith shone out like a star amid the darkness of those evil days.

To this godly pair was given the promise of a son who should go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways Next line to the question of Zacharias The angel said I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God and am sent to speak unto thee and to show thee this glad tiding.

500 years before, Gabriel had made known to Daniel the prophetic period, which was to extend to the coming of Christ.

The knowledge that the end of this period was near, had moved Zacharias to pray for the Messiah's advent.

Advent, now the very messenger through whom the prophecy was given had come to announce its fulfillment.

John the Baptist went forth in the spirit of power of Elijah to prepare the way of the Lord and to turn the people to the wisdom of the just.

He was a representative of those who live in this last days, to whom God has entrusted sacred truth to present before the people, to prepare the way for the second appearing of Christ.

The angel Gabriel directed from heaven gave a discourse upon health reform to the father and mother of John.

He said that he should not drink wine or strong drink and that he should be filled with the Holy Ghost from his birth.

That was John the Baptist, and the message, the glad tiding was given to his father and mother.

Chapter 1, Book of Luke, chapter 1, Verse 26.

The Bible says, In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary.

And the angel came unto her and said, Hail, thou art highly favored.

And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

And the angel said unto her, fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favor with God.

And Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest.

And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Then saith Mary unto the angel, how shall this be?

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the higher shall overshadow thee.

Therefore also that holy things which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month with her who was called Baron.

For with God, nothing shall be impossible." Mary was a humble young lady, living in a small town, known as a wicked and terrible city in Israel.

That's why when people heard Jesus was from Nazareth, They were like, what good thing can come out from this city?

But yet God found this young lady and planned a baby in her womb.

The 4, 000 years that people, since the Adam and Eve fail, they were waiting for the Messiah to come and deliver them from their sins.

And in this special message, God had picked who?

Zacharias well knew how to Abraham in his old age.

A child was given because he believed him faithful who had promised.

But of a moment, the aged priest turns his thought to the weakness of humanity, he forgets that what God has promised, he is able to perform.

What a contrast between this unbelief and the sweet childlike faith of Mary, the maiden of Nazareth, whose answer to the angels' wonderful announcement was, be unto me according to thy word." God had sent this special message and plan to this young lady and not just any ordinary angels but he sent Gabriel.

In the book of Daniel chapter 9, we find a prayer of Daniel.

The 13th Disciple

But as is my custom, I'd just like to ask that you would please, once more, bow your heads with me before we get into the Word of God.

Our Lord and Savior, as we are about to open your Holy Bible, May you please draw close to us now.

Father, I pray that you would hedge about this building and hedge about this room, your holy angels.

May there be no room for him in this place.

Hover over us with your Holy Spirit, and may you speak to us directly from thy word this morning.

Our topic for this morning is entitled The 13th Disciple.

And friends, before we open the Bible, I want to share with you something that has stuck in my mind.

Ever since I began my internship to finish or complete my theology degree, I went to a church to preach and that afternoon the senior pastor of the church there in Atlanta, Georgia, he shared a phrase with us, all the young people that were sitting there, And this phrase has forever stuck in my mind.

And I want to share with you this morning.

Friends, maybe you already know this, but there is no commitment without sacrifice.

There is no such thing as genuine commitment if it does not involve some sort of sacrifice along the way.

As a bride walks down the aisle, as she looks at the man that is about to be her husband, She knows that there is sacrifice involved.

And as that man is standing there looking at his beautiful bride, walking down the aisle towards him, He knows that there is some sort of sacrifice involved.

I'm sure those that are single will understand this as well.

What sort of sacrifice is involved in a marriage?

Now, I hope it is good sacrifice you're thinking about.

If you're single and you sleep on a double bed or a king-size bed, you're blessed.

My guy friends, I'm sorry, I need to spend time with my wife.

But at any stage of the marriage, do you go like this?

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Plenary

The Heavenly Messenger

Transcript

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