Participants: Taj Pacleb
Series Code: ROHB
Program Code: ROHB000015
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00:40 Our message tonight is entitled Revelations Spirit of Prophecy.
00:44 We're talking about personal testimony of Jesus Christ. 00:48 Brothers, just as when you study the Bible 00:50 you can't help but notice 00:53 that our God is a God of connection, 00:57 a God of personal relationship, 01:01 a God that loves to commune 01:04 and communicate with His children. 01:06 Can you say, amen? 01:08 In fact we see this in a very beginning of time 01:10 in the Book of Genesis Chapter 1. 01:12 We read how this world came from the hands of the Creator. 01:16 It was a perfect environment. 01:18 Mankind had face to face fellowship, 01:20 face to face communion and communication with his maker. 01:25 This was God's original plan 01:28 and His original relationship that desired-- 01:30 that He desired with man. 01:32 But sadly and tragically sin had interrupted this perfect plan, 01:36 this perfect relationship and because of sin 01:39 man was now unfit to dwell 01:42 in the presence of the purity of God. 01:46 Sin had cut us off from God. 01:48 As result we could no longer have that 01:50 face to face communion and communication, 01:53 but friends, God in love 01:55 still wanted to communicate with His children 01:58 though they have rebelled against Him and His holy law. 02:02 And so He found another way 02:03 to keep in touch with the human race. 02:06 Notice what that way was. 02:08 In the Book of Acts 3:21 the Bible says, 02:12 that "God has spoken 02:13 by the mouth of all his holy prophets" 02:16 since when? "Since the world began." 02:18 In other words since the very beginning of time 02:20 when sin came into the world, God then found another way 02:23 to keep in touch with His children 02:25 and that was through the mouth of His holy prophets. 02:30 In fact the Bible tells us in the Book of Amos 3:7, 02:33 "Surely the Lord God does nothing, 02:35 unless He reveals His secrets to" who? 02:39 "His servants the prophets." 02:41 And so we find that this was God's means 02:44 of communication with the human race, 02:46 because of sin He could no longer commune face to face. 02:49 And so he would handpick people whom He can trust, 02:52 these were called in the Bible prophets, 02:54 these were the spokesmen and the spokeswomen of God. 02:58 God will reveal His secret plans to them 03:00 and they in turn would communicate them 03:03 to the entire human race. 03:05 Now friends, I want you to notice the next question. 03:08 Now what happened to the gifts of the spirit 03:11 after all the apostles died and passed off the scene? 03:15 After early Apostolic Church came in and went, 03:18 what happened to all the gifts of the Holy Spirit? 03:20 Oh friends, history makes it clear 03:21 that not many generations past 03:23 onto the church began to compromise with pagan teachings. 03:27 During this time known as the Dark Ages, 03:29 the church began to adopt pagan rights 03:31 discarding fundamental Bible truths 03:33 they compromised with the Word 03:35 and during this time known as the Dark Ages 03:37 as I mentioned, Bibles were literally changed 03:41 to monastery purpose, did you know that? 03:43 And the common people were forbidden 03:45 to read or even own a Bible. 03:47 In fact if you're caught with portion of the scripture 03:49 during the Dark Ages 03:50 you and your family could be burnt alive. 03:53 Can you imagine that, friends? 03:54 That's why it was the Dark Ages 03:56 because when you take with the light of the word of truth 03:59 what do you have as a result? 04:00 You have the Dark Ages. 04:02 And only the priest were allowed to read an interpret it 04:05 and during this time of compromise we learned before 04:07 that the law of God, the Ten Commandments 04:10 was replaced with the traditions of man and the church, 04:14 totally disregarded the Holy Law of God. 04:17 Now here's the question. 04:18 What happens to the gifts of the spirit, 04:22 specifically the prophetic gifts of spirits, prophetic vision, 04:26 what happens to it when the church 04:28 or any church disregards the Law of God? 04:32 Friends, this is what happens. 04:33 God removes the gifts of the spirit 04:36 because when a church is not living and teaching the truth, 04:40 God is not going to bless them with gifts 04:43 that will enable them to reach out 04:45 to the world with the false message. 04:47 He wouldn't do that, friends. 04:49 And so God would remove the gifts of the spirit 04:51 including the gift of prophets if the church 04:54 or if the people disregards His Holy Law. 04:57 How do we know? 04:58 Because the Bible tells us so in Lamentations 2:9. 05:01 Please write it down. 05:02 The Bible says, "The law is no more, 05:05 and her prophets no longer find" what? 05:10 "Visions from the Lord." 05:11 Friends, what happens when the church, the people of God 05:13 what happens when they say the law is no more? 05:15 What happens when they break God's law 05:17 and disregard the Ten Commandments? 05:18 Gods removes the prophetic gifts. 05:21 And the prophets no longer find visions from the Lord. 05:24 And here is the reason, friends, 05:25 God is not gonna give us more light 05:28 if we're not already living up to the light 05:30 that He has already given to us. 05:33 He's not gonna give us more unless we start to apply 05:36 the things He's already given to us. 05:38 And here's the reason it's not the mercy. 05:40 Here's is the reason because information 05:43 without application results in condemnation. 05:48 Did you catch that? 05:50 If God was to give us more information 05:52 and He knows that we're not gonna apply to our lives 05:55 that information instead of being a blessing will be a curse 05:58 because it will result in more condemnation upon us 06:00 if we're not living up to it 06:02 because Jesus said, to whom much is given much is required. 06:06 God holds us accountable to follow the truth 06:10 that He has so graciously given to us. 06:13 And so if the church has disregarded the law of God 06:15 and not following the teachings 06:17 that God has already given to them 06:18 God is gonna remove the prophetic gift, 06:20 He's not gonna give them more truth 06:22 because that truth will end up condemning them even more. 06:25 Jesus said in John 3:19, "This is the condemnation 06:28 that light is coming to the world 06:31 but men love darkness rather than light." 06:33 You see friends, when we say no to the light 06:36 and we choose darkness that light is gonna end up 06:39 condemning us even more in the judgment. 06:41 And so friends during the Dark Ages 06:43 many of the gifts of the spirit 06:44 including the gift of the prophets 06:46 was absent in the medieval church, 06:49 because the church disregarded the law of God. 06:51 They replaced Sabbath worship, 06:54 Saturday, seventh day of the week 06:56 with Sunday the first day of the week. 06:58 They governed this, the second command 06:59 that had to do with bowing down and worshiping image. 07:02 And so therefore God remove the prophetic gift. 07:05 And by the way, friends, that prophetic gift is absent 07:07 in most churches in our world today, why? 07:10 Because the law of God 07:11 is still being broken by most churches today. 07:13 Isn't that right? 07:14 I mean most churches all they keep is nine commandments 07:17 but in breaking the fourth commandment 07:19 the Sabbath commandment 07:20 they're disregarding the law of God 07:22 and when they teach that 07:23 oh, we don't have to obey God's law, 07:24 we're not under the law but under grace 07:26 or the law was nailed to the cross. 07:28 This is the same antinomian spirit of a Lucifer. 07:32 And so because most churches are still breaking in the law of God 07:36 no wonder why there is an absence 07:38 of the true gifts of the spirit. 07:41 And, friends, in many of these churches 07:42 only the counterfeit gifts exist. 07:44 I want you to remember, friends, for every truth there is what? 07:48 A counterfeit and that includes the gifts of the spirit, 07:51 the gifts of tongues, the gifts of prophesying, 07:52 the gifts of healing, the gifts of-- 07:54 all of the gifts, friends, there is a truth and genuine 07:58 and there is a false counterfeit. 08:01 And we're gonna talk about the gift of tongues. 08:02 I believe that there is a true gift of tongues 08:04 but friends, let me tell you there is also a counterfeit 08:06 in the world, in a Christian world today. 08:08 We will look at that more in detail on another night. 08:10 But, friends, I want you to notice, 08:12 would this special gift be lost to God's people forever? 08:18 Absolutely not. 08:19 The Bible prophesies that in the Book of Acts 2:17, 08:24 the Lord says, "It shall come to pass in the" which days? 08:27 "The last days, says the Lord, 08:30 that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, 08:32 your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, 08:35 and your old men shall dream dreams 08:38 and your young men shall see visions." 08:40 So God is saying that in these last days 08:42 in the final hours of this world's history 08:44 God is gonna pour out the Holy Spirit 08:46 and He is going to restore the gifts of the spirit 08:50 to His remnant church, His people 08:52 that are keeping the law 08:54 and the people that have the faith of Jesus Christ. 08:57 Now friends, listen, 08:58 this prophecy was partially fulfilled 09:01 on the day of Pentecost. 09:02 That's what Peter is hoarding it on the day of the Pentecost. 09:04 It was partially fulfilled then 09:06 but its greater fulfillment is at the end of time 09:10 with the remnant of that early Apostolic Church 09:13 that was there during the time of Pentecost. 09:16 And how do we know? 09:17 Because the Bible prophesize it about it in Revelation 12:17. 09:21 Notice with me, "And the dragon was wroth with the woman," 09:25 friends, who is the woman? 09:27 But which church specifically? 09:29 The early Apostolic Church, 09:32 the church during the wilderness. 09:33 In other words the church the original church, 09:35 the bride of Christ, the church of the apostles. 09:38 Satan the dragon was angry with that church 09:40 but then notes, "and went to make war" with who? 09:44 Not the woman because she has already passed off the seed. 09:48 "But now the dragon seeks 09:50 to make war with the remnant of her seed," 09:54 that is her off spring. 09:56 And notice how they're described? 09:59 "Which keep the commandments of God, 10:01 and have," the what? 10:03 "The testimony of Jesus Christ." 10:05 So we find that just as God had an original church, 10:09 the early Apostolic, Church the woman 10:11 they had all the gifts of the spirit 10:14 and they had a pure faith directly from the lips of Jesus. 10:18 So to God is gonna have all remnant 10:21 or an end time church that is just like the original. 10:25 Because remind me what is the word remnant mean? 10:28 Do you remember? 10:29 The word remnant means that which remains 10:33 or the leftovers, the last part 10:35 and is just like the original. 10:38 Do you remember that we studied it before. 10:39 And how when you go to a fabric store 10:42 you find a remnant sale, 10:43 the remnant is the last piece of cloth 10:45 on the board of cloth 10:46 and that last piece is the exact same 10:49 as the first piece or the original. 10:53 So God had a original church the early Apostolic Church, 10:55 the church of the disciples, 10:57 that had all the gifts of the spirit, 10:59 they had a pure faith so to there's gonna be remnant 11:02 and the characteristic of the remnant 11:04 is that they are the last ones 11:05 but they have the same pure faith 11:08 just like the early Apostolic Church, 11:09 this is the beloved bride of Christ, the church of God 11:13 they have all the gifts of the spirit 11:14 because the original had all the gifts of the spirit 11:18 and they are just like the original. 11:20 And friends, if that's clear would you please say, amen. 11:22 Now notice this is not a church 11:24 that is disregarding the law of God. 11:27 They are not saying what other churches are saying. 11:29 Oh, you don't have to worry about the law 11:30 it's been nailed to cross. 11:31 The Bible tells that the remnant keep the commandments of God 11:35 and because they have the law 11:37 they're gonna have the prophets as well. 11:39 They keep the commandments of God 11:40 and have the testimony of Jesus Christ 11:44 and remind me what is that? 11:46 It's the Spirit of Prophecy. 11:47 Let's read it again, Revelation 19:10, 11:49 "I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren 11:52 that have the testimony of Jesus." 11:54 Stop right there. 11:55 Tell me in that verse who has the testimony of Jesus? 11:59 Who has it? Thy brethren, is that right? 12:03 So keep that in mind, the brethren are the ones 12:06 that have the testimony of Jesus. 12:08 And then it says, "Worship God 12:10 for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." 12:14 So when the Bible tells us that the remnant 12:15 has the testimony of Jesus it simply means 12:17 they a have the Spirit of Prophecy. 12:19 They not only have pastors and teachers and apostles 12:21 and evangelists, they also have prophets. 12:24 Because God's gifts all them 12:26 would remain in His church to the very end of time. 12:29 And it says in this verse 12:30 that it's the brethren that has this testimony. 12:34 It is the who, again? 12:36 Now here's the question, who's the brethren? 12:38 Notice what the Bible says, Revelation 22:9. 12:41 "For I am your fellow servant, 12:42 and of your brethren the prophets," 12:46 So who is the brethren, friends? 12:48 We'll let the Bible interpret itself, 12:51 the brethren have the testimony of Jesus, 12:54 the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy 12:57 and the Bible makes it clear 12:58 that the brethren are called the prophets. 13:02 And when you study the Bible 13:03 you'll notice that at every major event 13:06 God always rose a prophet 13:09 and He reviewed to that prophet what He was going to do 13:13 so that the prophet could warn the world 13:15 so that they could be ready for that event. 13:17 Do you remember during the time of Noah? 13:19 God was going to send a worldwide flood. 13:22 But before He did it he rose up a prophet by the name of Noah, 13:25 revealed to know His plans and Noah preached 13:27 and prophesied to the world 13:29 because he wanted the world to be ready for the event. 13:32 Not only that but when God was going to deliver 13:34 His people out of Egyptian bondage 13:36 He also rose a prophet, his name was what? 13:39 Moses was risen up to tell the people 13:41 so that they could get ready for the Exodus 13:44 for leaving Egyptian bondage. 13:46 When Jerusalem and God's people 13:48 were about to be destroyed by the Babylonians, 13:51 God also rose up another prophet, 13:52 what was his name, do you remember? 13:54 Jeremiah, amongst others 13:56 Jeremiah was called the weeping prophet 13:58 God used him to tell the people, to warn them 14:03 so that they could get ready for this event. 14:05 And, friends, you remember what they did to Jeremiah. 14:07 They threw him in a pit. 14:09 What did they do to Noah? 14:10 They laughed at him and mocked at him. 14:12 Oh, you see friends, all throughout the Bible 14:13 the prophets were always persecuted, 14:15 their words were always twisted and taken out of context. 14:19 You see it wasn't a popular or easy job to be a prophet. 14:22 Can you say, amen? 14:23 We see this over and over 14:24 and by the way that's the same thing with the last day prophet. 14:27 It's not an easy job. 14:28 Now, I want you to notice 14:29 when Jesus was going to come into the world 14:31 God also rose up another prophet to tell the world 14:35 so that they could be ready for the first coming of Jesus 14:37 that prophet name was John the Baptist 14:39 the forerun of Christ. 14:42 Don't you see, friends, before every major event 14:44 God always raise up a prophet to warn the people, 14:47 to give a present truth message? 14:49 Hey, what kind of message? 14:50 A present truth message for the time 14:53 that builds upon the messages that God had given in the past 14:58 through the previous prophets. 15:00 So God always rose up a prophet, 15:01 they give a present truth message. 15:03 When probation was about to close upon the Jewish nation, 15:06 when the 70 week prophecy was almost fulfilled 15:08 and God was gonna take the gospel to the Gentiles, 15:11 during that time God rose up another prophet 15:13 his name the Apostle Paul. 15:15 As an apostle as well as a prophet to the Gentiles 15:18 before every major event, 15:20 God raise up a prophet to warn the people. 15:22 And, friends, if this is the consistent pattern 15:24 tell me why would God change 15:27 and not send a prophet before the main event of it all 15:32 which is the second coming of Christ in the last days? 15:36 Can you say, amen? Amen. 15:37 I mean surely if God did it for other events, 15:40 surely He is gonna do it for the main event of it all, 15:42 the second coming of Christ. 15:44 He would raise up a prophet in these last days 15:47 with a present truth message that builds upon the messages 15:51 that God has already given in the past 15:52 so that people could be ready for the second coming of Christ. 15:56 And friends, we are gonna see tonight 15:57 that indeed God rose up an end time last day prophet. 16:01 Can you say, amen? 16:02 Not to take the place of the Bible, 16:03 not to be in addition to the Bible 16:05 but simply to bring God's people back to the Bible 16:09 just as every prophet that God rose up 16:11 always built upon the work of those who came before Him. 16:15 And so, here's the next question, 16:17 now that we laid that solid rock foundation, 16:21 the next question is this, 16:23 how can you spot a true prophet of God? 16:26 How can you tell between the genuine and a counterfeit 16:29 because remember Jesus warned us in Matthew 24 16:31 that there will be many false prophets in the last days. 16:34 Now, friends, think about that for a moment. 16:35 If there is gonna be false prophets in the last days 16:38 that implies that there also 16:39 is going to be true prophets, right? 16:42 Otherwise, Jesus would have said, don't listen to anyone. 16:44 But He didn't say that, He said, beware of false prophets. 16:48 If there are false ones, there also has to be true ones 16:51 and so how can we tell a true prophet. 16:53 Not based upon on their claims or their following or miracles 16:58 but based upon the tests of the word of God. 17:02 Notice what Bible says, in 1 John 4:1. 17:06 Please write it down. 17:07 1 John 4:1, the Bible says, 17:08 "Beloved, believe not every spirit, 17:11 but try the spirits," but do what? 17:14 Another word for try is test, test the spirits. 17:18 "Whether they are of God because many false prophets 17:22 are gone out into the world." 17:24 So the Bible tells us don't believe everything you hear, 17:26 don't be so gullible, friends, don't be so naive. 17:29 You must test it out. 17:31 Use your brain, test it out 17:33 because there are many false prophets 17:35 and deceptions in these last days. 17:38 And then it says in 1 Thessalonians 5:20, 21. 17:41 Now this is an important verse for our study tonight. 17:43 We are gonna read it at least three times tonight. 17:45 And in this passage, there are three steps 17:48 that we need to follow this evening. 17:50 How many steps? 17:51 Notice what it says, 1 Thessalonians 5:20, 21. 17:54 Step 1, "Do not despise prophesying." 17:59 In other words, don't close your mind to it 18:01 because I know, in our day and age 18:03 prophets have a cultic connotation, is that right? 18:06 When we talk about prophets oh, they're so cultish. 18:09 No friends, Bible says, "Do not despise prophesying," 18:13 That's first step. 18:15 Number 2, "Test all things." 18:18 And then number 3, "Hold on to that which is good." 18:23 Can you say, amen? 18:24 So when it comes to the claims of prophets 18:27 these are the three things God expects us to do. 18:29 Don't despise it, don't close your mind to it 18:32 but rather test it. 18:33 But, friends, don't open your mind so much 18:36 that your brain falls out. 18:39 Amen. Amen. 18:40 Some times people open their minds so much 18:42 that their brain literally falls out. 18:43 They accept anything. No, don't do that. 18:45 Don't despise it but at the same time 18:47 don't open your mind so much 18:48 that you accept any thing but rather test it 18:50 and if it passed the test then receive it as a gift of God. 18:55 Hold on to that which is good. 18:57 And if that makes sense would you please say, amen? 18:59 And so now the next question is this, 19:01 what then are the tests 19:03 of how to tell a true prophet from a false? 19:08 Friends, I want to give you five biblical texts tonight. 19:11 How many? 19:12 And friends, notice what the first one is, 19:14 and I hope you'll write them down. 19:16 Biblical test of a true prophet. 19:17 Test number one, of a prophet is truly of God. 19:20 Their prophecies will be accurate. 19:22 In other words they will prophesy accurately 19:25 because God does not make mistakes. 19:27 Notice in Jeremiah 28:9, Jeremiah 28:9, it tells us, 19:32 "When the word of the prophet shall come to pass, 19:35 then shall the prophet be known, 19:37 that the Lord hath truly sent him." 19:41 So when a prophet claims to be speaking for God, 19:43 what they say must come to pass. 19:46 In other words a true prophet must be 100 percent accurate, 19:49 100 percent of the time 19:51 because as I mentioned, God does not make mistakes. 19:55 You see, Satan also gives prophecies. 19:58 He can-- you know, people can guess the future 20:01 and sometimes be right. 20:03 But a true prophet is gonna be right all the time 20:05 because God doesn't make mistakes. 20:07 That's the first test. Now friends, 20:09 in this test you must remember something very important. 20:12 And that is that some of God's prophecies 20:15 are conditional in nature. 20:18 Some of God's prophecies are what? 20:20 In other words they don't always come to pass 20:24 because the people whom it is given to receives it 20:28 and repents because of the message 20:30 therefore it's a conditional prophecy. 20:32 Let me give you a primary one, 20:35 prime example of this in the Bible. 20:37 The Bible tells us, that Jonah was a prophet of God. 20:41 Jesus even said it that Jonah was a true prophet. 20:43 Now Jonah prophesied that Nineveh 20:45 was gonna be destroyed in 40 days. 20:48 But was Nineveh destroyed in 40 days, yes or no? 20:50 No, his prophecy did not come to pass. 20:53 Would that make him a false prophet? 20:56 No. Why? Because his prophecy was conditional. 21:00 You see the people that he preached to received it 21:02 and repented therefore the prophecy didn't come to pass 21:06 because there was a conditional prophecy. 21:07 And please write down Jeremiah 18:7-10 21:10 and there in that passage 21:12 you will find the conditional nature of prophecy. 21:14 That's Jeremiah 18:7-10 21:17 and so we see that with this first test prophetic accuracy 21:23 this test by itself would be insufficient 21:26 to really tell you true from a false prophecy 21:29 because of the conditional nature 21:31 of some of God's prophecies. 21:32 And that's the reason why there is more than one test. 21:34 Could you say, amen? 21:35 That's why there's five because 21:36 the true prophet must past all of them. 21:38 So notice the second one, 21:40 the second test is that a true prophet 21:41 will be faithful to what God has reviewed in the past, 21:45 through His previous prophets. 21:47 In other words biblical faithfulness. 21:50 They will not teach anything that would 21:51 contradict the word of God and the revelations 21:54 that the Lord has given in the past. 21:56 Notice what it says in 1 Corinthians 14:32-33" 22:02 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to their own ideas." 22:08 Is that what it says? 22:10 The spirits of the prophets are subject to miracles 22:13 and healings and signs and wonders. 22:16 No, friends, what is it subject do? 22:19 "The spirit of the prophets are subject to the prophets." 22:24 In other words, the truthfulness the test of their ministry 22:27 is subject to what God has already reviewed in the past 22:31 through His previous prophets. 22:33 The spirit of prophets is subject to the prophets why? 22:36 "For God is not the author of" what? 22:38 "Confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints." 22:42 In other words, a true prophet of God 22:44 would not contradict the prophets of the past. 22:47 You see, God's prophets in the Bible 22:49 always pointed back to the words of previous prophets. 22:52 In other words, the new light that God would give 22:55 would never contradict or do away with old light. 22:58 Let me give you an example of this. 23:00 Here's a little lantern that someone gave me 23:02 and if I had to turn on this lantern 23:05 the light shining from this lantern 23:08 this is new light, isn't it? 23:11 Now, as I turn this light on did it do away with the lights 23:13 that are already shining in this room, yes or no? 23:15 No, it didn't get rid of the light that is already here. 23:18 It simply added to the brightness of the light 23:23 that was already shining to begin with. 23:26 And, friends, in the same way 23:27 the new light from new prophets 23:31 would never contradict old light, 23:33 because if it did that would be confusion 23:36 and God is not the author of confusion 23:40 but of peace in all the churches of the saints. 23:44 And if that make sense would you please say, amen? 23:46 And so we find that's our second test. 23:48 It would be in a harmony with every thing 23:51 that God has spoken in the past. 23:52 Now, the third test, is that a true prophet of God 23:55 would always exalt Jesus Christ 23:58 not himself, not a man, not a church but the blessed Jesus. 24:02 Notice in 1 John 4:2 "By this you know the Spirit of God, 24:07 every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ 24:10 has come in the flesh is of God." 24:14 And so a true prophet of God would point to Jesus 24:17 the reality of Christ coming in the flesh that thy 24:20 as a vicarious substitute a sacrifice 24:24 for the sins of the entire human race. 24:27 It would always-- a true prophet 24:28 will always point to Christ not to self. 24:30 Why? Because remember, it's the testimony of Jesus. 24:34 It's Jesus testimony, His words. 24:36 And so if its Jesus testimony who it's gonna lead us to? 24:40 It's gonna lead us to Jesus. 24:42 And so a true prophet just like John the Baptist 24:45 they are not gonna do it to glorify themselves, 24:47 they are not gonna do it to try to make money. 24:49 They are gonna do it to point people 24:51 and lead people to Jesus Christ. 24:53 John the Baptist said in John 3:30 24:55 "He must increase, but I must decrease." 25:00 So a true prophet will always point to Jesus 25:02 as the Savior the sacrifice the Lord of the word. 25:06 And friends, so any prophet 25:08 that says Jesus was just a prophet is a false prophet. 25:11 And here is the reason why, friends. 25:13 Based upon the claims of Jesus Christ Himself, 25:17 Jesus claimed to be God. 25:20 There is no reading around that, friends. 25:22 This was the basis of His crucifixion. 25:25 He claimed to be God. He claimed deity as His own. 25:30 And so any one that says, oh, Jesus was just a prophet 25:33 doesn't know what they are talking about 25:34 because based upon his own claims 25:37 either he is God or he is a liar. 25:40 And if he is a liar then he can't be a prophet of God. 25:42 Are you with me? 25:43 And so a true prophet always point to Jesus 25:45 as the way the truth and the life 25:47 because its Jesus own testimony. 25:50 Their attitude to be like John the Baptist 25:51 He must increase but I must decrease. 25:55 Then test number four, a prophet of God 25:58 would always lead God's people back to obedience 26:01 to the holy law of God. 26:02 In other words, they would be commandment keeping 26:04 in harmony with the law. 26:06 Notice what it says, in Isaiah 8:20, 26:10 "To the law and to the testimony! 26:12 If they do not speak according to this word, 26:16 it is because there" is how much light in them? 26:18 "No light in them." 26:20 And you could read the same thing in Deuteronomy 13:1-5. 26:22 Write that down look it up later. 26:24 So a true prophet must speak according to the law 26:28 that's the Ten Commandments and the testimony 26:30 that's the prophets of the past who belong to the testimony 26:34 it would be in harmony. 26:36 And friends, when you look upon and study the- 26:38 the lives of the prophets of the Bible 26:40 you will find that, they are always bringing 26:42 the disobedient people of God 26:45 back into obedience to God and to the law of God. 26:49 And so test number four it would be commandment keeping. 26:53 Now the fifth test, that a true prophet 26:55 would bear good fruit to the glory of God. 26:59 Jesus said in the Book of Matthew 7:20 27:02 "Wherefore by their fruits, you shall know them." 27:05 Not by their following not by-- not by 27:08 what people are saying but by their own fruits 27:10 you shall know if it's a good or a bad tree. 27:13 In other words, their life and their message 27:16 must bear good fruit to the glory of God. 27:19 The end result of their life in ministry 27:21 is the salvation of souls, 27:25 the blessing of humanity and it's not going to be 27:27 for their own personal game. 27:30 And so there we find, there we find five biblical texts 27:33 of how to tell a true prophets. 27:35 So now back to the question. 27:36 How do you--how do you spot a true prophet? 27:38 Once again not based upon their claims, 27:40 not based upon miracles, 27:41 not based upon what other are saying 27:43 or they are flowing or how much money they have 27:46 but based upon the tests of the word of God. 27:49 Now friends, if someone claims to be a prophet 27:51 and they've only passed four of the five tests 27:53 are they a true prophet? Yes or no. 27:54 Absolutely not. 27:56 They must pass how many of the five tests? 27:58 All five, in order to be a true prophet of God. 28:02 And, friends, if that's clear so far, 28:04 would you please say amen? 28:06 Now friends, here is the next question, 28:07 "Are the teachings of modern prophets 28:10 meant to be an addition to the Bible 28:14 or to take the place of the Bible?" 28:16 Absolutely not, friends. 28:18 The word of God stands alone. 28:20 The biblical canon was closed in the Book of Revelation. 28:23 The Bible stands all by itself 28:25 above any of the book in the world. 28:28 And friends, so the teachings of modern prophets 28:31 are not meant to be an addition to the Bible, 28:33 not to take the place of the Bible 28:35 but simply to lead God's people back to the word of God. 28:40 Can you say, amen? 28:41 And so here is the next question, 28:43 now that we have laid that solid foundation." 28:45 Does God's remnant church 28:48 have the gift of prophets or prophecy in their midst." 28:54 If they didn't it wouldn't Be the remnant church, friends, 28:57 because the remnant church is just like the original, 29:00 the original had all the gifts including prophets 29:02 and if the remnant is true like the original 29:04 they too would have the prophet in the last days and so friends, 29:08 I have good news for you tonight. 29:10 The last church is the exact same as the first church. 29:13 The Seventh-day Adventist church 29:15 does have the special gift in their midst. 29:20 And allow me to share with you tonight 29:22 the history of how God sought to keep in touch 29:26 with His people in a very special way 29:28 here in these last days through His prophetic gift. 29:30 Here is the question. 29:31 "Has God blessed the Seventh-day Adventist church 29:34 with the gift of prophecy in the last days?" 29:37 Let me give you the history now. 29:38 God began to give visions through a weak and feeble girl 29:43 by the name of Ellen Harmon 29:44 later to be known as Ellen G. White. 29:47 God handpicked her, 29:48 to do a very special work in these last days. 29:51 And friends, Seventh-day Adventists believe 29:53 that God gave her a special gift. 29:55 She is not God, she is not to be reviewed or worship or pray to 29:58 she is simply the recipient of a very special gift. 30:02 And friends, listen many have misunderstandings 30:05 about the ministry and the role of Ellen White 30:08 in the Seventh-day Adventist church. 30:10 And so let me just introduce you to her 30:12 if you never heard about her before. 30:13 She was born on November 26 30:16 in the year 1827 in the state of Maine. 30:19 She was born into a Methodist family. 30:21 She belonged to the Methodist church. 30:23 And she was the youngest of eight children. 30:26 And when she was in third grade, which grade? 30:28 She suffered a terrible injury that left her in the hospital 30:33 and forced her to have to dropout of school. 30:36 She could no longer continue in her education 30:39 so the highest grade she went to is third grade. 30:42 And the doctor said that she didn't have long to live 30:45 but God preserved her life. 30:47 He chose the weakest of the weak. 30:48 And by the time she was age 17 about two months 30:52 after the great disappointment in 1844, 30:55 God began to give her visions 30:56 to share with the disappointed people 30:59 that believe that Christ was going to come. 31:01 And in her first vision she saw God's people, 31:04 the advent people walking on a narrow road leading to heaven. 31:10 And there was a great light in--at the end of the path. 31:13 And in vision she saw that as long as the people 31:15 kept their eyes on the light, kept their eyes on Jesus 31:19 they were able to walk safely and securely 31:21 on the narrow road through the darkness of their disappointment 31:24 but she didn't saw in vision 31:26 that all those who took their eyes off of Jesus, 31:29 off of the light they fell off of the path. 31:32 And, friends, I want you to notice how 31:33 Ellen White felt when she first received the vision. 31:36 "When this work was first given me, 31:38 I begged the Lord to lay the burden on some one else." 31:41 Friends, she didn't ask for it even. 31:42 She didn't want it. 31:43 God is the one that chooses who gets what gift. 31:46 She says, "The work was so large and broad and deep 31:49 that I feared I could not do it. 31:51 But by his Holy Spirit the Lord has enabled me 31:54 to perform the work which He gave me to do." 31:58 Remember friends, God is the one that determines 32:00 who gets what gifts. 32:02 And when a person is humble and weak and feeble, 32:05 our weakness can be made perfect in the strength of God 32:08 and that's one of the reasons why I believe that 32:10 the Lord chose her one of the weakest of the weak. 32:12 And so, even though she felt inadequate 32:15 and physically incapable by faith 32:18 she accepted a mission from God 32:19 that will last the rest of her life. 32:21 Ellen White received 32:22 more than 2,000 prophetic visions and dreams. 32:25 Some of them lasting a few minutes others several hours. 32:28 Not only that but she wrote over 100,000 pages 32:33 contained in over 50 books 32:35 and she lectured the thousands on three different continents. 32:39 Some of the last years of her life 32:41 were spent in the state of California. 32:43 And I want you to notice what one Californian historian 32:46 have to say concerning the ministry of Ellen White. 32:48 Now, friends, George Wharton James 32:50 he was not a Seventh-day Adventist 32:52 but yet in his book about California 32:55 he commented about Ellen White 32:56 because she lived in California during this time 32:58 and I want you notice what he said concerning her. 33:00 "This remarkable woman, though almost entirely self-educated, 33:05 has written and published more books and in more languages 33:08 which circulate to a greater extent than the written works 33:12 of any other woman in history." 33:15 Friends, you need to know that the writings of Ellen White 33:18 she is the most translated woman author of all time period. 33:23 She is the most translated American author of all time 33:26 and her writings are the fourth most 33:29 translated piece of literature in the world. 33:31 Friends, you know what the most translated 33:32 piece of literature is, the Bible. Can you say, amen? 33:35 The second dictionaries, the third encyclopedias 33:40 and then right after that the fourth 33:42 the writings of Ellen G. White 33:43 and friends, listen she only had a third grade education. 33:48 How could this be unless God was the one 33:51 that gave to her this special gift. 33:54 Can you say, amen? 33:55 Now friends, I want to make it clear 33:57 what her role is in the Seventh-day Adventist church. 33:59 The Seventh-day Adventist church doesn't revere her 34:01 as a saint or pray to her or worship her in any such ways. 34:04 No, friends. You see in these last days. 34:07 Satan has spread many lies concerning 34:10 the gift in her life. 34:12 And so, what is the truth? 34:13 Here is the truth, friends, Ellen White didn't found 34:15 the Seventh-day Adventist church. 34:17 The Holy Spirit rose it up by a group of many people 34:19 from many different denominations. 34:21 The Seventh-day Adventist church doesn't hold 34:23 and esteem the writings of Ellen White above the Bible 34:26 and not even equal to the Bible. 34:27 We receive our doctrine directly from the word of God. 34:30 In fact, I want you to notice Seventh-day Adventist believe, 34:33 here's the book that states our official stands 34:36 upon the writings of Ellen White and this is what it says. 34:39 "The writings of Ellen White are not a substitute for Scripture. 34:44 They cannot be placed on the same level. 34:46 The Holy Scriptures stand alone." Can you say, amen? 34:51 "The unique standard by which her 34:53 and all other writings must be judged 34:56 and to which they must be subject to. 34:59 The Bible is the supreme standard. 35:02 Seventh-day Adventists fully support 35:03 the reformation principle of sola scriptura, 35:05 the Bible as its own interpreter 35:08 and the Bible alone as the basis of all doctrines." 35:13 And friends-- it's clear the Bible is clear 35:16 we are clear that the word of God is the chief authority. 35:18 Can you say, amen? 35:20 In this seminar we've been teaching 35:21 from the Bible and the Bible alone. 35:23 We are not concerned what a church teaches 35:24 or what a person says. Only what God says. 35:27 But friends, listen the same Bible also says, 35:31 that in the last days God's church is gonna have 35:34 all the gifts of the spirit. Can we say, amen? 35:36 This same Bible says that God will restore this gift 35:40 that it will remain and be conformed 35:41 in the church to the last days. 35:43 And so we believe that part of the Bible too, amen. 35:46 I mean we don't pick and choose we believe the whole thing. 35:48 And so if the Bible teaches it then we must look for 35:51 the fulfillment of it in these last days. 35:54 And so the question is how does the church view 35:57 the writings of Ellen White? 35:59 We view it like this, friends. 36:02 We view it as a magnifying glass. 36:05 And friends, what is the purpose of a magnifying glass? 36:08 A magnifying glass purpose is simply to make clearer 36:13 and larger, isn't that right? 36:14 If I take this magnifying glass 36:16 and put it over the Bible is this magnifying glass 36:18 gonna change the Bible, yes or no? 36:21 Is it gonna add something into the Bible 36:23 that is not already there? 36:25 Is it gonna take away something that's in the Bible? 36:27 What is it gonna do? 36:29 It simply gonna make it clearer and larger 36:32 that which is already in the Bible. 36:34 That's how we view the writing of Ellen White, friends. 36:36 It's a magnifying glass. 36:38 Not like the Mormon's who esteem Joseph Smith 36:40 as a more of an authority over the Bible no way. 36:44 It's a magnifying glass, 36:45 to bring us back to the word of God. 36:48 And, friends, listen the only thing left one on this man to do 36:52 in hearing a message like this is to do exactly 36:55 what the Bible teaches when it comes to end time prophets 36:59 and what is that? 37:01 Three things, let's review, 1 Thessalonians 5:20,21 37:05 three steps, notice what it is. 37:07 "Do not let despise prophesying." 37:10 In other words don't close your mind to it, friends. 37:11 It may sound strange you've never heard this before 37:14 but don't close your mind, don't despise prophesying. 37:16 Number two, test all things. 37:20 And how do we test it? 37:21 By the word of God. Can you say, amen? 37:23 And then if it pass, "The test of the Bible." 37:26 Number three, "Hold on to that which is good." 37:30 And so this is what God is calling us to do tonight. 37:32 Can you say, amen? 37:33 And by the way we compare her writings 37:36 with the Bible test and teachings. 37:38 We don't test her or anything else, 37:41 by what others have said about her. 37:43 Because let me tell me friends, 37:44 Satan has--has put together many websites 37:47 that have completely taken her words 37:49 and writings out of context. 37:51 Twisted her writings and even fled a light 37:54 about things that she had written and said. 37:57 And friends, Satan has attacked and so 37:58 we don't test someone based upon what websites 38:01 or what other people have said about that person. 38:03 No, friends, we go to the horse's mouth, right? 38:06 We go to the source and we read the writing for ourselves 38:11 and we compare it with what the Bible has to say. 38:14 Because friends, listen that Satan has always 38:16 attacked the true prophets of God. 38:18 Jeremiah as we mentioned was thrown into a pit. 38:21 John the revelator was exiled to the-- 38:23 to the island of Patmos. 38:24 You see all the prophets of-- the true prophets of God 38:27 were always persecuted by Satan 38:29 and if that's what happened to the prophets of the past, 38:31 why should we expect anything different 38:34 for an end time prophets. 38:35 Are you with me, yes or no? 38:37 And notice what it says in 2 Chronicles 24:19 38:41 the Bible says, "Yet he sent prophets to them, 38:44 to bring them again unto the Lord 38:45 and they testified against them 38:47 but they would not" what? "They would not give ear." 38:51 They wouldn't listen to the words of prophets. 38:53 You see friends, to be a spokesperson for God 38:56 is never easy especially in the last days 39:00 when the world is most wicked. 39:01 Satan you can be sure will attack like never before 39:04 and that's exactly what's happened with many websites 39:07 and many lies that are being spread in the world today. 39:10 And so, friends, I want you to notice 39:12 Mrs. White was never one that put herself out there 39:15 and said you need to listen to me 39:17 because I'm a prophetess of God. 39:18 Never friend, she was humble like John the Baptist. 39:21 In fact, notice what she said, "I have felt for years 39:25 that if I could have my choice and please God as well, 39:29 I would rather die than have a vision, 39:33 for every vision places me under great responsibility 39:36 to bear testimonies of reproof and of warning." 39:39 She said, if she could have her choice and still please God, 39:42 she would rather die than have a vision. 39:44 I mean this is not something that she wanted. 39:46 It was something that God could trust her with. 39:48 And then she says, "Which has ever been against my feelings, 39:52 causing me affliction of soul that is inexpressible. 39:55 Never have I coveted my position, 39:58 and yet I dare not resist the Spirit of God 40:01 and seek an easier position." 40:04 And so she is very humble, friends. 40:06 She said I'm just the messenger of the Lord 40:08 and even though I'm not worthy 40:10 I dare not resist the spirit of God 40:12 that is placing this special gift upon me. 40:14 Now let's put some of her writings 40:17 and some of her teachings to the test, the biblical test. 40:20 Here is the first one. 40:21 Did she ever place her words above the Bible? 40:24 If she did she will be a false prophet. 40:26 Just like Joseph Smith is a false prophet friends, 40:28 because those who claim to believe those writings say 40:32 it's above the Bible. 40:33 That's false, friends. 40:35 She never did, in fact notice what 40:36 she said in her own writings. 40:38 "Little heat is given to the Bible 40:40 and the Lord has given a" what kind of light? 40:43 "A lesser light to lead men and women 40:45 to the 'Greater Light.'" 40:47 Friends, what is the greater light? 40:48 Jesus and the Bible 40:50 and she says that she is a lesser light 40:52 to lead men and women to the greater light 40:54 that is Christ Jesus and the word of God. Friends, 40:56 she championed the Bible as the final authority 40:59 on all doctrinal issues. 41:02 In fact, notice what she wrote in the book 41:04 The Faith I Live By, 41:05 she said that, "The Holy Scriptures 41:06 are to be accepted as an authoritative, 41:10 infallible revelation of His will. 41:13 They are the standard of character, 41:15 the revealer of doctrines, and the test of experience." 41:19 And, friends, if you can believe 41:20 that would you please say, amen. 41:21 It's the Bible, friends. 41:22 In fact notice another one, in another book, 41:24 Fundamentals of Christian Education, 41:26 she said that, "The Bible is the only 41:28 rule of faith and doctrine. 41:29 And there is nothing more calculated 41:32 to energize the mind, and strengthen the intellect, 41:34 than the study of the word of God. 41:36 No other book is so potent to elevate the thoughts, 41:40 to give vigor to the faculties, as the broad, 41:42 ennobling truths of the Bible. 41:44 If God's word were studied as it should be, 41:46 men would have a breadth of mind, 41:47 a nobility of character, and a stability of purpose, 41:50 that is rarely seen in these times." 41:53 Can you say, amen, friends? 41:54 She championed the word of God 41:56 as the final authority on all doctrinal issues. 41:59 She said no other book is like the word of God. 42:02 She did not say read my writings about the Bible absolutely not. 42:05 Now here is the next question, 42:06 do her writings harmonize with the Bible? 42:08 Absolutely, yes. 42:10 But don't take my word for it. 42:11 Read yourself friends, and you will find that 42:14 she always is pointing us back to Jesus in the word. 42:17 Now, friends, she has written as I mentioned 42:18 over 100,000 pages, over 50 different books 42:23 and friends, I want to share with you a few of those books 42:25 I have up here tonight. 42:27 One of my favorite books that she wrote 42:29 a master piece it's called "The Desire of Ages." 42:32 It's a book on the life of Christ. 42:34 It takes Matthew, Mark, Luke and John 42:35 puts it all together into chapter form 42:37 and it just magnifies the beauty of the gospels 42:41 and friends, in the Library of Congress 42:44 they said there are the ten thousand volumes 42:46 they had on the life of Christ 42:48 the very best one for personal 42:51 discernment and spirit application 42:53 is the Desire of Ages written by Ellen G. White. 42:57 Friends, listen there is 800-- there is 835 pages in this book 43:03 and in 835 pages there are 3,955 Bible texts 43:11 all in its contexts. 43:13 Friends, you'd be hard justifying 43:14 any of the book in the world 43:15 that has that amount of scripture 43:17 than the Bible itself. 43:18 Can you say, amen? 43:19 And friends, I have read this book over and over 43:21 its one of most beautiful books. 43:22 It always leads me back to the Bible 43:24 and it brings me close to Jesus. 43:25 Friends, you need to pick up this book, 43:26 it is a powerful book on the life of Jesus Christ. 43:29 Oh, friends, it will cause you to weep. 43:31 It will bring you back to-- 43:32 it will cause you to fall in love with Jesus. 43:35 It is a powerful book. 43:36 Now friends, she wrote a book-- another book entitled 43:38 the book called Education. 43:41 And this is a powerful book that is used 43:43 even by many secular professionals 43:46 in the educational field 43:47 as one of the best guides to true education, 43:50 because she wrote not just while educating the mind 43:53 but also the hand and the heart and the whole being. 43:57 And friends, she wrote many books on education. 43:59 When she herself only had a third grade education 44:03 how could that be, unless God was the one 44:05 that gave her the vision. 44:07 Can you say, amen? 44:08 Powerful book on education, 44:09 brilliant pick it that up take a look at it. 44:11 She wrote another book called the Great Controversy. 44:13 And, friends, of all her books that's-- 44:15 she said that one is the most important one 44:17 is the book the Great Controversy 44:19 magnifies the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation 44:23 and it gives us in detail 44:24 what's going to happen in these last days. 44:26 And friends, she went through much affliction 44:28 in trying to get this book out there. 44:30 In fact, she said in her own words 44:31 that she could only write about one page a day 44:33 because she was so sickly and the devil was attacking her, 44:36 she had to write one page one day 44:37 and she would have to rest like three days. 44:39 And through great pains 44:41 the book the Great Controversy was given to us. 44:44 And friends, that is a very powerful, 44:46 very solemn book talking about church history, 44:49 magnifying the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation. 44:51 She wrote another book, 44:53 a beautiful book one of my favorites 44:54 a small classic book called Steps to Christ. 44:57 Thirteen chapters which are 13 steps 45:00 of how to have a personal relationship with Jesus. 45:04 This book has been translated in over 45:06 a 150 languages around the world. 45:08 Billions of copies all around the world 45:11 had lead millions of people to a deeper understanding 45:15 of how to have a personal daily abiding relationship with Jesus. 45:19 Friends, I have read this book I can't tell you how many times. 45:21 Every time I read it I learn something new, 45:24 takes me back to the Bible 45:25 and I learn to get closer to Christ. 45:27 In fact we are gonna give each one of you 45:30 this book on your way out tonight 45:31 so that you can see for yourself, 45:33 just how beautiful and how in harmony 45:35 it is with the word of God. 45:37 She wrote another book called Ministry of Healing 45:39 talking about the healing ministry of Jesus. 45:41 Very powerful book. 45:42 Another book called, Councils on Health, 45:44 magnifying biblical principles of health. 45:46 And friends, those who applied the teachings in this book 45:50 secular magazines have said that 45:52 those who apply these principles 45:54 live on average 10 years longer, 45:57 than the average person. 45:59 How many would like to add a decade to your life? 46:01 Friends, God has given us these things 46:03 and it's beautiful. 46:04 Now, friends as we continue here is the next question. 46:07 Do her writings uplift Jesus? 46:10 Absolutely, yes. 46:12 Let me share with you a quotation from a book 46:13 she wrote called Gospel Workers. 46:15 This was a book to teach God's people 46:17 how to be more effective gospel workers, 46:20 missionaries and witness for Christ. 46:23 How to win our loved ones 46:24 and she said one of the greatest things 46:25 you can do to win your loved ones is this, notice. 46:28 "Lift up Jesus, 46:31 you that teach the people, 46:32 lift Him up in sermons, in songs, in prayer 46:35 let all your powers be directed to pointing souls, 46:38 confused, bewildered, and lost, to 'the Lamb of God.'" 46:43 Friends, she was a woman that truly love Jesus 46:46 and she always was pointing people 46:48 not to herself not to a church 46:49 but to Jesus alone. 46:50 She passed that test. Next test. 46:52 Did she accurately predict the future? 46:54 Absolutely, yes. 46:56 Though her writings most of it is 46:58 over a 100 years old only now is science catching up 47:03 on some of the things she wrote 100 years ago. 47:05 Let me give you an example, 47:07 back in the 1800s when she lived and wrote 47:09 people had no idea that sugar and fat 47:12 contributed to coronary heart disease. 47:16 They had no idea that our diet affects our-- 47:18 the quality of our lives. 47:20 And during this time of gross ignorance-- 47:23 ignorance on health she wrote about a diet 47:25 of whole grains, fruits, nuts and vegetables 47:29 and this is the same diet 47:31 that now the American Heart Association recommends. 47:34 It is an anticancer diet 47:36 that can actually reverse diabetes 47:38 and get you off of much medication 47:41 and she wrote this when doctors were actually prescribing 47:45 swine's flesh to their patients 47:47 to help them get healthy. 47:50 And, friends, God used her to expound upon 47:52 the principles of health that are in the word of God 47:55 and why because God loves us 47:57 he wants us to be healthy, happy and holy people. 48:01 He wants us to be the head and not the tail. 48:02 Can you say, amen? 48:04 In fact, I want you to notice 48:05 what one professor of nutrition 48:06 at Cornell University had to say 48:09 concerning the writings of Ellen White. 48:10 Dr. Clive McCay he was not a Seventh-day Adventist, 48:14 he was a secular professor of nutrition 48:17 and notice what he said 48:18 concerning the writings of a third grader. 48:20 Here is what he said, 48:21 "In spite of the fact that the works 48:23 of Mrs. White were written long before 48:26 the advent of modern scientific nutrition, 48:29 no better over-all guide is available today." 48:35 Friends, this is a professor at a heart university 48:39 talking about the writings of a third grader. 48:43 Friends, God was the one 48:44 that revealed these things to her. 48:46 Can you say, amen? 48:47 How do the third grader know so much? 48:49 Because she had God as her guide 48:51 and friends, as a result National Geographic 48:54 I have this magazine right here, 48:55 you can see it if you want. 48:56 It ran an article, this is a secular magazine 48:59 and few years ago they run an article 49:01 the secrets of living longer 49:03 and they talked about three people groups 49:05 that live a lot longer than the average person in the world. 49:08 And off the three people groups that they-- 49:10 that they showed in the article 49:11 only one was religious group 49:13 it was the Seventh-day Adventist church 49:16 and this secular article made it clear 49:19 that the Seventh-day Adventist church members who-- 49:22 because of their faith in Jesus 49:24 and because of the principles of health 49:25 that they apply to their lives 49:27 magnify by the writings of Ellen White 49:29 they live on average from seven to ten years longer 49:33 than the average American. 49:34 Friends, you want to add a decade to your life? 49:36 God has given us the secret 49:39 the healing ministry of Christ. 49:42 And friends, back-- way back in 1864, 49:46 Ellen White wrote, 49:47 "Tobacco is a poison of the most deceitful and malignant kind. 49:50 It is all the more dangerous 49:51 because its effects upon the system are so slow, 49:54 and scarcely perceivable." 49:56 Now, friends, this is not a surprise to us, right? 49:59 But in 1864 the doctors laughed at her. 50:02 They said, you don't know what you are talking about. 50:04 You know why because in 1864 medical doctors 50:07 were actually prescribing tobacco smoke to their patients 50:11 that have problems breathing. 50:14 They said this is gonna help you out. 50:16 And here is the third grader is saying no, 50:18 this is wrong she was going against the doctors 50:20 they laughed at her and it was only a-- 50:23 it took the world about 100 years to finally catch up 50:27 to what God had already revealed. 50:29 And it wasn't until 1957 50:31 that the American Heart Association concluded 50:34 that smoking was not a-- was not a curative 50:37 it was a causative factor in lung cancer. 50:40 Once gain God's prophet was one step ahead of the world. 50:43 She even predicted natural disasters. 50:44 I want you to notice, 50:45 "In 1903, Ellen White warned that San Francisco 50:48 and Oakland would be visited by the Lord 50:49 because they were fast 50:50 becoming like Sodom and Gomorrah." 50:52 The wickedness taking place in these cities 50:54 that judgments would fall she said 50:55 that she saw this in vision she wrote this in 1903 50:58 in a book Last Day Events and then in 1906, 51:01 the great San Francisco earthquake took place, 51:04 the city was destroyed and burnt 51:06 the prediction came true and the prophet wept. 51:10 She even predicted the American Civil War. 51:14 God showed her in vision American killing other Americans 51:17 and she said that a war would take place long in its duration 51:21 and she was saying this when the politicians of her day 51:25 including President Lincoln, 51:27 they were certain that there would be no war 51:30 and if there was it would be very short. 51:32 That's what the politicians were saying. 51:34 But she was going against it all she was saying, no. 51:36 God showed me that there is gonna be war 51:38 and it's gonna be long in its duration. 51:40 You see the prophet was right, 51:43 even when the specialists were saying otherwise. 51:46 There are many other things 51:47 she prophesized of that house and is coming a pass, 51:50 we don't have time to go through tonight 51:51 but I'm gonna let you study it and read it for yourself. 51:53 Next question, do her writings bear good fruit? 51:58 Absolutely, yes. 52:00 Her writings, her council and her leadership 52:03 has lead to the fastest growing 52:06 Christian denomination in the world right now. 52:09 The Seventh-day Adventist church is the fastest growing 52:10 Christian denomination in the world 52:12 and it's because of our faith in Jesus 52:14 but also the principles of evangelism 52:16 that she wrote in many books. 52:18 Not only that but here writings 52:19 in council leadership has lead to the-- 52:21 denomination that has the farthest reach 52:24 more than any other church in the world 52:26 reaching more countries with the gospel 52:28 than any other church. 52:29 Not only that 52:31 but her ministry has also led to the largest 52:33 protestant educational system in the world, 52:36 Adventist education largest part 52:38 of educational system in the world. 52:40 And her ministry is also led 52:41 to the largest protestant health system 52:44 in the United States of America. 52:45 In fact, I want you notice some of these comparisons 52:49 in 1915, in the year that Ellen White died 52:51 this is-- this was the-- was taking place 52:54 in the Seventh-day Adventist church. 52:55 The membership was about 100,000, 52:57 we had about 37 publishing houses, 52:59 34 sanitariums those were health institutions. 53:02 There are about 70 colleges and academies. 53:05 Over 500 elementary schools and the writings-- 53:09 her writings were translated in over 36 languages 53:12 this was in 1915 in the year that she died. 53:15 But since then the Seventh-day Adventist church 53:18 has grown explosively in fruitfullness. 53:21 We have over 71,000 churches around the world. 53:25 A membership of over 17 million 53:27 we are in over a 209 countries in the world. 53:30 We have over 7,800 schools, 53:34 over a 173 hospitals and sanitariums, 53:36 14 media centers spreading the gospel through satellite, 53:40 internet and radio throughout the whole world. 53:43 Publishing houses we have over 63 around the world 53:45 and ADRA stands for Adventist Disaster 53:48 and Relief Association we've done over 53:51 1,889 projects have been funded by ADRA. 53:56 Beneficiaries over 40 million people and over $281 millions 54:00 have been spend to bring relief to places 54:03 that have experienced disasters, 54:05 natural disasters all around the world. 54:07 Friends, I don't know about you 54:08 but that sounds a good fruit. 54:10 Can you say, amen? 54:11 In fact, it sounds like great fruit. 54:14 And friends, listen the ministry 54:15 of the Seventh-day Adventist church 54:17 touches people not just spiritually 54:20 but in every single aspect of our lives 54:22 because you know why Jesus not only preach 54:25 He also healed people. 54:26 Can you say, amen? 54:27 In fact, did you know right here 54:28 in Kahului Seventh-day Adventist church 54:30 we have one of the strongest health programs 54:33 in the United States 54:34 the CHIP program complete health improvement program 54:37 some of you have been through it. 54:38 Nancy Laura has been leading out amongst others 54:41 and friends it's a powerful, powerful program. 54:43 If you want to help reverse type two diabetes 54:45 and start getting off medication 54:47 and just living a more vibrant healthy life. 54:51 God has given us the answers through His word 54:54 and through the special insight 54:55 He has given to us in these last days. 54:57 Can you say, amen? 54:59 And her council on family 55:01 and parenting has mended many broken homes. 55:05 Friends if you any problems in your marriage 55:06 pick up the book Adventist Home read it. 55:08 Friends, it expounds upon 55:09 the principles of relationships in the Bible. 55:11 Powerful book if you are having problems with your children 55:13 pick up the book Child Guidance, 55:15 powerful book that talks about prenatal care giving. 55:18 And how to raise our children in the fear 55:20 and admonition of the Lord and friends, 55:22 even those in the world recognize a special gift 55:26 has been given through the ministry of Ellen White. 55:28 I want you to notice what U.S 55:29 News and world report had to say, 55:31 this was in 2009 this article they brought 55:34 they came out with and in this article 55:36 they talked about 11 health habits 55:39 that help you live to 100. 55:41 And notice what one of those health habits was, 55:43 they said, if you want to live to a 100, 55:46 "Live like a Seventh Day Adventist. 55:48 Americans who define themselves as Seventh-day Adventists 55:51 have an average life expectancy of 89, 55:54 about a decade longer than the average American. 55:56 One of the basic tenets of the religion 55:58 is that it's important to cherish the body 56:01 that's on loan from God." 56:02 Which means no smoking, alcohol abuse, 56:06 or overindulging in sweets. Amen. 56:08 Oh, some of you didn't say 56:09 amen on that one, that's all right. 56:13 Followers typically stick to a vegetarian diet 56:18 based on fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts, 56:21 and get plenty of exercise. 56:23 They're also very focused on family and community." 56:26 And friends this is exactly what the Bible teaches 56:29 and God has blessed in a very special way. 56:32 Now friends, as we close tonight 56:34 we see very clearly that both the Christian 56:37 as well as the non-Christian world has benefited 56:40 by the ministry of Ellen G. White. 56:43 Her life and labors closed in 1915 56:45 when she died at the old ripe age of 87 years old. 56:50 Remember when she was in third grade, 56:51 doctor said she only has months to live. 56:53 But God preserved her life 56:56 because of her faith and trust in her Savior Jesus Christ. 57:00 She is buried at the Oak Hill Cemetery, 57:01 in Battle Creek, Michigan. 57:02 If you notice her grave very simple, 57:05 very simple, friends. 57:07 She is not reviewed as a God or a saint. 57:08 No, she was simply a messenger of the Lord. 57:11 In a few weeks, after she passed away a news paper said, 57:14 "She showed no spiritual pride and she sought no filthy lucre." 57:19 In other words, she didn't get rich friends, 57:20 she was only sacrifice. 57:22 Giving of her own means to just pouring out her life 57:25 for the work with Jesus. 57:27 And the secular news papers said, 57:29 she lived the life and did the work 57:30 of a worthy prophetess the most admirable 57:33 of the American succession. 57:36 She is simply a humble servant of the Lord that love people. 57:40 She is not the Sprit of Prophecy friends 57:42 the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Prophecy. 57:45 She was simply the recipient of a special gift 57:48 and her legacy to the world is a gift from God. 57:51 A good God who wants to keep in touch 57:54 with you and I in a special intimate way in the last days. 57:57 And friends, in closing how shall we respond 58:00 to God's end time gift. 58:02 How shall we respond 58:04 to that which we have heard tonight? 58:05 Friends, tonight I'm not going to ask you 58:06 to accept Ellen White as a prophet 58:09 but what I'm going to ask you to do 58:10 is exact with the Bible tells us to do. 58:13 Three things friends before we close here, 58:15 1 Thessalonians 5:20, 21 let's read it together shall we? 58:19 The Bible says, "Do not despise prophesying. 58:23 Test all things, Hold on that which is good." 58:29 Three things, friends, 58:31 don't close your mind don't be despise it, 58:32 don't let it off don't ignore it. 58:34 Number two, test it, read it, check it out 58:37 compare with the teachings of the Bible 58:40 and if it pass the test hold on 58:43 we see it as a gift from God. 58:44 And friends, the reason 58:45 I'm not gonna ask you accept Ellen White 58:46 because it takes time, to do this. 58:48 It takes a personal investment of your time, 58:52 but friends, let me bare my testimony tonight. 58:55 I have done exactly what the Bible have said, 58:57 I have read her writings compared with scripture 58:59 and she meets the tests of the prophets. 59:02 She did the work of a prophet. 59:04 God's end time church will have a prophet, 59:06 you are not going to know that 59:08 until you test for yourself. |
Revised 2014-12-17