AOY 2014: Now Is the Time

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Army Of Youth

Plenary

Randy Skeete

The Twisted Mind of God

The twisted mind of God, not the forgetful mind of God, the twisted mind of God.

Our Father in heaven, we thank you for life.

Today, all over the world, thousands of people died.

You kept us alive, not to give us more time to sin, but to extend your probationary mercy, that we may sense and see that you have a purpose for our lives individually, dear God.

As the Eloite writes in Christian Service page 9 paragraph 3, a distinct work is assigned to every Christian.

And so dear God, I ask you in the name of Jesus, who used to be 17, he was 18, he was 19, dear God, when he walked this earth, he understands what it means to be youthful.

In His name, possess my mind, put your words into my mouth, O loving Father, that the words I speak may be your words.

I offer myself to you as an unresisting instrument.

Take all the glory and give us all possible blessings.

In Jesus name we pray, let God's people say, amen and amen.

Let's go to Isaiah 55, we shall read verses 8 and 9.

While you're looking for Isaiah, it's in the Old Testament for those of you who are struggling.

Now, the text of the Bible may be on here electronically.

Samsung, Nokia, iPhone, WhatsApp phone, whatever kind of phone it is.

If someone sees you walking down the street and you're doing this, will they assume you're going to church reasonably?

If they saw you walking down the road with this, even if you weren't reading it, just walking with it, what assumptions might the person make?

What might they assume about your character?

They do not make those assumptions when they see you this way.

The only questions they may ask is, is this a Samsung, a Nokia, an iPhone, and could I steal it and run off with it?

And we're going to Isaiah 55 in a minute.

This is an opportunity to witness for God.

A lot of people, old and young, hide behind the phone So no 1 knows they're Christians.

Every opportunity you get, let people know Who you are.

Let your moderation be known to how many people?

Isaiah 55, 8 and 9, reading the King James Version, the Bible says, For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Give me an estimate in hundreds of miles, perhaps hundreds of light years.

The Bible says as heaven is higher than earth, so are my thoughts, are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

In other words, God does not think the way we think.

The Bible says in Amos chapter 3 verse 3 can 2 walk together finish the verse Except they be agreed.

I keep getting answers from this side none from that side.

I Want some answers from this side It's not enough to be good-looking.

Can 2 walk together except they be agreed.

Now, in order for this group to walk with God and that group's mind is different from God's mind, somebody's mind has to what?

Now what does God say of himself in Malachi chapter 3 verse 6?

Now having said that, have you ever heard of the firstborn in the Bible?

What can you tell me about the firstborn?

Did the firstborn have certain privileges?

Give me 1 privilege a double portion of the inheritance from the father.

What else did the firstborn take over in the absence of the father?

Benjamin Ng

Now Is the Time

In the pen of inspiration, Ellen White writes that where there are gatherings and meetings for people of God, Satan is also in the midst of them, trying to put people to sleep.

It was Satan in the Garden of Gethsemane that caused the disciples to slumber, while Christ in His most important time was making the decision for humanity.

And so I pray that if you are having your eyes closed, it's because you're praying for me, amen?

But before we get into the message, I would like to ask that you please bow your heads with me for a word of prayer.

Father in heaven, Lord, I pray that you would please be with us at this time.

I pray that you would please guide us with your Holy Spirit.

And Lord, I pray that you would please open our hearts and our minds as we open the Bible.

As we read, as we study, may that still, small voice speak to our hearts and our minds at this time.

Thank you for your prayer in Jesus' name, amen.

I'd like to ask you to turn with me in your Bibles to Romans chapter 13.

Romans chapter 13, and we're starting in verse 11.

Help me press B first, please, thank you.

If you don't know what this verse is about, this is actually the theme text that we've chosen for all our meetings in this weekend and the few days that we'll be spending together.

I'd like for us to read together verse 11, 12, 13, and 14.

Okay, Romans chapter 13, starting in verse 11.

And that knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

The night is far spent, the day is at hand.

Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying, but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof." You know, this is the theme that we've chosen for our conference here in this weekend.

The Bible says that knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

I believe that we are all people of time.

We react and act according to the time that we are living in.

And I'm led to believe that this morning the reason why many of you are here in this conference.

And I say many because everybody has different reasons for why they're here.

But I believe that many of us are here because we realize the time that we are living in, amen?

But I want to just review for you quickly, and I want to ask you this question if you don't know.

But do you know the time that we are living in today?

Do you understand the signs that God has given to us in the scriptures to help us to understand that we don't have much time left.

And so I'd like to draw your attention to the slides real quick, starting in the book Hosea chapter 4, verses 1 to 3.

I want to run through these slides very quickly because I want to get everybody up to speed to help you to understand the times that we are living in today.

Because I believe If you understand that, you will understand the decision that you need to make today.

Hosea chapter 4, verses 1 to 3, the Bible says, hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel.

For the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land.

There is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.

Friends, I believe that's the time that we're living in today.

Christians abound, churches abound, but there are many people, majority of the Christians out there, have no idea of the truth or the mercy of God.

Verse 2, by swearing and lying and killing and stealing and committing adultery, they break out and blood toucheth blood.

Therefore, this is what the Lord is going to do, shall the land mourn and everyone that dwells therein shall languish.

With the beasts of the field, with the fowls of heaven, yea, the fishes of the sea also, shall they be taken away." Because of what God's people or the people in this earth are not doing, because there's no mercy, because there's no truth, Because there's no knowledge of God in the land, there are 3 things that God says that he will do that will languish, the beasts of the field, the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea.

Then also in Zephaniah, We have a very similar text.

I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the Lord.

I will consume the fowls of the heaven and the fishes of the sea and the stumbling blocks with the wicked and I will cut off man From off the land saith the Lord.

So here in Zephaniah, we are given 1 extra element and who is it?

Because there is no knowledge, because there is no truth, God is going to make all these things languish.

In other words, they will begin to grow dim, or they're going to get less and less.

Friends, do you know the time that you are living in?

I want to show you, starting with the beasts.

In 2000, I'm sorry, the text here is very difficult to read, but in January 16, 2011, hundreds of cows just died.

People say it's because of something they ate, but you know, they couldn't find it in research.

In Vietnam, in January 17, I believe that is, 2011, thousands of buffalo died.

The birds of the air in Arkansas, January 3, 2011, were reporting many places where birds were just falling dead.

And they said because there was a fireworks.

After hundreds of years of fireworks, now the birds decide to drop dead.

In Texas, 2011, January 6, same thing happened.

People were reporting this strange phenomenon that was taking place.

Beasts of the earth, the birds of the air were just dropping dead for no reason.

They did not find anything in them to cause their death.

And I wanted to go through this very quickly because I don't have much time and I know that if I say too much, you'll also fall asleep as well.

It's not a rice field or a paddy field or anything.

September, I'm sorry, I cannot see the dates there, I was hoping it would be there.

I can't read the country there, I'm sorry.

If you can read it, please say it for me.

All these things, I don't know if you realize or not, but this is not when you were 10 years old or 5 years old, this is just 3 years ago.

As you're looking at all of these things, my question to you is, do you understand the time that we are living in?

Do you understand that these things are taking place on our earth just a few years ago?

It was not 50, it wasn't 100, my friends.

This is recent history, and my question to you this morning is do you understand the time that you are living in?

England, 2011, hundreds of crabs washed up dead.

Jason Sliger

What the Lord Saith Unto Me

You know, 1 of the most amazing things about being a Seventh-day Adventist is that you can travel anywhere in the world and have church family.

I was actually here for Y2K, which was a very unmonumental moment in the history of this earth.

But it's good to be back with you again here in Malaysia to serve the Lord, to study His Word, to grow, and to be ready for His soon coming.

Scripture tells us in Psalms chapter 122, verse 1, I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord.

This place has been arranged as the house of the Lord, and the Bible tells us to come with gladness in our hearts.

Well, as you already know, my name is Jason Sligar.

I'm from northern Michigan, right underneath the UP, the Upper Peninsula.

I'm in 1 of the most beautiful places in Michigan.

I might be a little biased, but that's what I think.

When I left to come to Malaysia, I drove to the airport in a snowstorm and I know that's hard for you all to imagine.

We had quite a bit of snow on the ground slipping and sliding all over the place.

They had to de-ice the plane and all that fun stuff.

And after 2 days here I am in the beautiful tropics.

The wonders of modern travel and technology.

You know, back in Ellen White's time, it'd take a couple of months to get to Malaysia on a boat sailing across the ocean.

But with modern technology, we are able to come together as a family.

I have a wife and 2 beautiful children who I unfortunately had to leave behind.

I have a daughter 3 years old, her name is Evangeline.

We named her that because it means 1 who bears the gospel and that's what we want our daughter to do.

I have a son who is 1, his name is Christian, which means to be like Christ and we named him that because that's what we want him to be, to be like Christ.

And right now it is about 10 to midnight and they are fast asleep in their beds.

But those of you sitting here this morning or this afternoon will not be going to sleep.

You have come here to hear the word of the Lord and so we won't delay it any longer.

I invite you to bow your heads with me, and we will start with a word of prayer.

Father in heaven, we have come with gladness in our hearts into the house of the Lord this morning.

We are in anticipation of the moving of the Holy Spirit.

It has already taken place in the morning worship and in Sabbath school.

But Father, we as your children have chose to tarry just a little longer to have that upper room experience.

So Lord, we invite you to be with us here this morning.

Put your words in my mouth, in Jesus' name.

It was late 1 evening, after a long day of ministering, healing the sick, preaching the gospel, a well-dressed man, wealthy, in a high-ranking position in society, intrigued with the simplicity and the power of Jesus, came to him with a request for a midnight conversation.

Nicodemus chose the cover of darkness because he was fearful of the effects that an interview with Jesus might have on his social position and his religious rank.

But it's interesting that we are told in the spirit of prophecy that Nicodemus was not alone in his interest in Jesus.

This is from the Bible Echo, October 8, 1894.

It says, in the times of Christ, there were many priests that believed on him, but they would not acknowledge him for fear they would be turned out of the synagogue.

They feared the disgrace if they followed the footsteps of Christ.

What was the motivation for concealing this belief in Christ, both with Nicodemus and the other priests who believed in Jesus?

Well, they feared the social implications of acting on their convictions.

They wanted Jesus, but they also wanted what the world had to offer.

And maybe in some way, you can identify with this great paradox in the innocence and openness of your heart.

The desire for Jesus, but also the desire for acceptance in the world.

So I ask you a question this morning, and this is the theme of our study.

What does it take to stand up against the pressures of our time?

Many people had a hard time with it in the time of Christ.

They believed in him, but they feared the social implications of coming out in that belief.

What does it take to stand against the social pressures of our time?

I believe quite simply put, what it requires is moral courage.

Now I'm not talking about the type of courage of a soldier on the battlefield who fights some valiant battle for the sake of freedom, suffers some sort of physical malady because of that.

I'm not talking about the courage of the athlete who fights in the, or plays in the last part of the game even though he is hurt.

Both of these may be admirable, but this is not the courage I'm talking about.

The courage that I'm talking about is the courage that it takes to stand up against the pressures of our time.

It's hard to define, but it's easier to illustrate.

And so I invite you to go with me in your Bibles to the book of 1 Kings 22.

1 Kings Chapter 22, the last chapter of the great historic book.

1 Kings, Chapter 22, here we will look at an example of moral courage.

In 1 Kings chapter 22, we find a short little story about a obscure prophet of God.

An Ephraimite, most likely from the city of Samaria.

His name is Micaiah, which means who is like God.

If you ever have a son, Micaiah is a good name to give him.

Micaiah came at a time when the atmosphere was cold and dark and wicked.

The king at the time was Ahab, who has become synonymous with corrupt leaders.

Ahab, in just the previous chapter, in chapter 21, the Bible tells us there that he sold his soul to work wickedness.

This was the man that was on the throne at this time.

He was a spineless man who was weak and wicked, which is a very dangerous combination.

And it was to this time and to this man that Micaiah, who is like God, was to address him.

But before we get into the story of Micaiah, let me just give you a little historical background.

In chapter 22 in verse 1, we find that there has been 3 years of peace in Ahab's kingdom.

He understood what most dictators understood, and that is if you keep the people engaged in war, you will maintain their loyalty to you.

And so he was looking for some place to go make war, to make battle, and he came up with this idea of making war against Ramoth Gilead.

Now 3 years prior to this, Ahab went into battle with a man, and when he went into battle with him, he was able to get back many of the cities that rightfully belonged to him, but Ramoth-Gilead was 1 of the cities that he was not able to get back.

And so he wanted to go make war and get this city that rightfully belonged to him.

He needed somebody to come along with him.

In fact, it was a family member that he chose to come along, a man who was a skilled military general and was feared for his leadership.

We pick up the story in verse 4, the Bible says this, and he said, this is Ahab, said unto Jehoshaphat, wilt thou go with me to battle?

To Ramoth-Gilead, and listen to this, and Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.

Basically, he was saying, whatever you want, I'm here.

Now, lest you get a bad perspective on Jehoshaphat, let me just say something to him, say something about him.

He ruled in the south, Ahab ruled in the north, and Jehoshaphat, if you read, there's a chapter in the Spirit of Prophecy on Jehoshaphat, and if you read that chapter, you'll find he was actually a spiritual man.

He was the 1 who led the Reformation, a revival and reformation in Judah.

He was a man of God who wanted to keep the wickedness of Ahab in the north from infiltrating what was happening in the south.

But unfortunately, at some point in his reign, Jehoshaphat had a lapse in his better judgment, and he let his son, Jehoram, marry a young lady by the name of Athaliah, who just so happened to be the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel.

And through this unequally yoked marriage, this man of God was connected with the most wicked man at that time in Earth's history.

And no doubt he probably felt some sort of family obligation to help him in this battle.

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Plenary

What the Lord Saith Unto Me

Transcript

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Parent Conference

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