SWYC 2009: Watch and Pray

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GYC Southwest

SWYC 2009 Plenary Sessions

Adam Ramdin

Watch

Father in heaven, Lord, as we're gathered here together this morning on this beautiful Sabbath day, it is our humble prayer that as we contemplate for the next few moments the pages of scripture, words from above, that you would truly speak to each and every 1 of our hearts.

I pray, Lord, that as your word is spoken, that it may not be my words that are spoken, may it be yours.

Today if you have a question you don't know the answer to, what do you do?

You don't know the answer, you go to www.google.com, type in your question, can be any random question, and invariably, Google will spit you the answer out within about 2 seconds.

About 2 years ago, I was with a friend of mine, and he was with his little boy, he was only about 5 years old, and they were reading something, and the dad said, oh, I don't quite know what that is.

Little four-year-old boy says to his daddy, oh, daddy, let's Google it.

If we don't know the answer to a problem, we just simply Google it and we're accustomed, we're used to getting our answers, how quick?

We are not the generation today that has to go to the shelf and go to Encyclopedia Britannica and find the right volume and turn to something and look for a definition.

We are what some people call the now generation.

We like things straight away, we like things quick, we like things right now.

This morning I was contemplating this and I typed into Google, as you do, now generation.

The lyrics say this, we are the now generation, we are the generation now.

I want money, I want it, I want it, want it.

Fast internet, stay connected in a jet, Wi-Fi podcast, blasting out an SMS, text me, I'll text you back, Check me on iChat, it's all about HTTP.

This is the now generation, the generation now.

We like things now, We don't like having to wait for answers.

We like things right away And that's how we operate in society in this morning as we take a look We're gonna look in the book of Habakkuk and see what God has to say as it relates I believe to our society today and the way that we operate today Habakkuk if you're there in your Bibles Habakkuk chapter 1 we're pretty much gonna stay in this passage of scripture this morning.

We're going to read down through it, and there's a particular few verses that we're going to focus on in a few moments.

The book of Habakkuk was written Prior to the book of Daniel.

Daniel was written during the time of the Babylonian captivity of God's people.

And the book of Habakkuk was written, I'm not sure exactly when, but it was about 50 or 60 years prior to the Israelites going to Jerusalem.

At this time in Israel's history, Israel was not a very good place to live.

It was not a nation that was following God's law.

It was not a nation that was doing the right thing, so to speak.

And we pick up Habakkuk in chapter 1, verse 2, where Habakkuk says, read with me down, says, Oh Lord, how long shall I cry and thou wilt not hear?

Even cry to your violence and thou wilt not save.

Here Habakkuk is crying to God, a prayer that I'm guessing maybe some of us have prayed throughout our life saying, Lord, how long am I gonna cry?

How long am I gonna pray and you don't hear me?

Praying to God and it seems like the answer is not coming at all.

And he's praying to God and notice what he says in verse 3, why do you show me iniquity and cause me to behold grievance for spoiling and violence are before me and there are that raise up strife and contention.

Verse 4, he continues, therefore the law is slacked, judgment never goes forth, and the wicked compasses about the righteous and wrong judgment proceedeth.

He's describing Israel and what was taking place at the time.

The law is slacked, the law wasn't being followed, the law wasn't being obeyed, judgment was not being executed.

The wicked were prospering while the righteous were suffering.

And the Bible says, and wrong judgment proceeds.

He was describing Israel as it was at the time.

And he was saying to God, Lord, how long are you gonna watch this and do nothing?

Some of you may be able to relate that to today.

As you look out upon the world today, and you see that the way the world is, and you see the way society operates in the big picture, it seems like the wicked prosper while the righteous don't.

In society as a whole, you may even come closer and you may look at the Christian world and say, It seems that in the Christian world, it seems that those that don't really adhere to the law of God and follow it seem to prosper while those that try don't seem to.

You may even come closer and look at your church, maybe your local congregation, and sometimes you wonder to God, how long is something gonna keep on going on and it seems like you are doing nothing about it whatsoever.

How long are you gonna have to pray for that certain thing and God seems like he's not answering his prayer.

There's silence from the courts of heaven.

So Habakkuk is here in Habakkuk chapter 1, verses 1 to 4, and he's speaking to God.

Now if Habakkuk was in the New Testament, verse 5 would be in red.

Because in verse 5, the conversation switches.

Verses 1 to 4, Habakkuk is speaking to God.

Lord, how long are you gonna let this take place?

Verse 5, the person speaking switches, and now it's God who is the 1 speaking.

And so verse 5, if we're in the book of Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John, would be written in red.

We're following Habakkuk's train of thought.

And in verse 5, the Bible says, behold you among the heathen and regard.

And wonder marviously, and God says, I will work a work in your days, which you won't believe, though it be what?

Says, hey, I'm gonna tell you what I'm gonna do, but guess what?

You're not gonna believe what I'm about to tell you.

Habakkuk had a question for God, and God's almost forewarned him.

Yeah, I'm gonna answer your question, but I just wanna let you know before I answer you that you may not understand or believe what I'm about to tell you.

He's preempted Habakkuk, He's preempted us.

Though you, which you will not believe though it be told you.

Verse 6, now we have the solution to the problem.

God says, okay, your problem was Israel is in sin and no one's obeying the law.

God says, okay, I'm gonna give you an answer, you're not gonna believe it.

And now I'm gonna give you the exact answer, verse 6.

And the Bible says, for lo, I raise up the who?

The Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation which shall march through the breadth of the land and possess the dwelling places that are not theirs.

God says, listen, this is my answer to the problem, the solution, I'm gonna raise up the Chaldeans, the Babylonians, and they're gonna come through the land, they're gonna march through, and they're gonna possess everything that is not theirs.

I'm sure this kind of took Habakkuk back for a little bit.

The Chaldeans, I've heard stories about this heathen, pagan nation that does not obey God.

I've heard stories about how they sacrifice this and sacrifice that and God just said, I, God Almighty, I'm gonna raise up The Babylonians to come to Israel, to come to Jerusalem, to come to the temple where the Shekinah glory rests and possess it when it doesn't belong to them.

Their judgment and their dignity proceeds from who?

Ivor Myers

It’s Time to Run to the Mountains

Heavenly Father, we ask in a special way today that you would speak to our hearts.

Father, I ask that you would speak through me.

Father, it is no small thing to stand before your people.

As the surgeon who is preparing to do a heart surgery, So is the work of the minister in the pulpit.

And so Lord, give me a delicate hand and speak through me, Lord.

As you operate on the hearts of your people, we pray this in Jesus' name, amen.

I'd like for you to open your Bible to the book of Luke chapter 21 Luke chapter 21 beginning with verse 34 Luke chapter 21 verse 34 the Bible says and take heed to yourselves Lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

For as a snare it shall come upon all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

Pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to do what?

Escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man.

Jesus tells us that we need to watch and pray that we may be found worthy to do what?

Escape and to stand before the Son of Man.

Why do we as human beings down in this time of earth's history need especially to watch and pray?

I want you to notice with me the book of Isaiah chapter 14.

Isaiah chapter 14, beginning with verse 12, the Bible says, how art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning?

Which did weaken the nations for thou has said in thine heart?

I will ascend into heaven I will exalt my Throne above the stars of God I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north the Hebrew there har Meaning mount moed meaning congregation Lucifer desired to sit upon the Har-Moed of God, the Mount of the congregation.

And what we find, what we know from our studies in the Bible Is that Lucifer was able to pull 1 third of the congregation of heaven?

1 third of the congregation in heaven when you hear the term congregation, what do you think of?

There was a church in heaven a church of angels and if a church of angels was so shaken that 1 third of them were deceived, holy, intelligent, thinking angels, how much more ought we, sinful, weak humanity, Down in the very end of time, how much more are we to be what?

You see, we understand that this is the very same thing that Lucifer will attempt to do in the last days.

The Bible tells us that the enemy of God will seek to sit in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

He's going to try to do the same thing with the mount of the congregation on earth.

By the way, how many of you are glad to be part of the mount of the congregation on earth?

That's what you are, you are part of the mount of the congregation and any effort to remove you from the mount of the congregation is the same effort that Lucifer waged in heaven.

If you hear someone telling you, leave the church.

That's nothing new, It happened in heaven.

Watch, Jesus says, watch and pray that you may be found worthy to escape these things.

In the last days, there will be a shaking.

God tells us that these final events will come upon the world as a snare.

This battle that the book of Revelation speaks about, the battle of Armageddon, the last day conflict, beloved, is a battle that is going to revolve around the people of God, and I believe the signs are upon us.

In fact, I want you to notice with me Matthew chapter 24 verse 15 Matthew chapter 24 Verse 15 Matthew 24 verse 15 the Bible says when ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation Spoken of by Daniel the prophet stand in the holy place Whosoever read of them understand by the way pause right here what we see here is a mirror image of what happened where in?

Heaven Lucifer wanted to sit on top of the mount of the congregation.

Now we're being told when you see him trying to do the same thing in the congregation on earth, in the holy place on earth, know that the Time is what?

How many of you believe that time is near?

When you see these things, Matthew 24 verse 15, or verse 16, then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains.

The title of my message this morning, it's time to run to the mountains.

Pastor, I've heard these messages before.

It's interesting here, the word here for flee, did you see that word there in verse 15?

The word there for flee, If you look up in the Strong's Concordance, the word actually means escape.

Jesus said, pray that you may be found worthy to do what?

And here he says, when you see these things, it's time to flee to the mountains or what?

How many of you want to escape the things that are coming up on this earth?

Why does God call us to run to the mountains?

It's almost as though he's saying, Listen, the great controversy began where?

And it's as though God is saying in these final times, I wanna talk to you in the mountains.

You ever notice how being up in the mountains just gives you that kinda clear mind, that peace, that you feel that closeness with God.

There's a reason why God tells us to go to the mountains.

Because there is where we can have undisturbed communion with God, There is where we can learn about the character of our God.

Have you ever wondered what mountain you're gonna run to in a time of trouble?

Some people are already setting up their mountains.

I got a bedding, because Man, I hate to sleep on the floor, so I set up my bedding and just when everything is right, I know my mountain.

While you ponder that, I wanna suggest to you that there are some prime mountains that God desires his people to run to in the last days.

Mountains that are crucial for us to run to.

You wanna know where these mountains are?

I believe, beloved, that it is in the mountains that we ultimately prepare for that final battle.

You see, beloved, when we run to Mount Moriah, and I'm talking about running to and fro in the scripture now, when we run to Mount Moriah, there we see the story of Abraham.

And what we learn at Mount Moriah is that Abraham was so dedicated to God that he was willing to sacrifice his son.

And the angel stopped him when his hand was coming down and he said, stop, now I know that you what?

Beloved, when we run to Mount Moriah, we learn the fear of God, something that is most definitely needed by the people of God in the last days.

How many of you want the fear of God living in your hearts?

Not only, beloved, should we run to Mount Moriah, I suggest that we run to Mount Sinai as well.

I say God suggests that we run to Mount Sinai as well.

An Out-of-Body Experience

Open with me if you will to Matthew chapter 26.

It says, he took with him Peter and the 2 sons of Zebedee and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

Then saith he unto them, my soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.

And he went a little further and fell on his face and prayed saying, oh my father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.

Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.

And he cometh unto the disciples and findeth them asleep.

There were such heavy things going on in the garden that the disciples could not stay awake.

And he saith unto Peter, What, could you not watch with me 1 hour?

Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation.

The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is what?

Spirit of Prophecy, volume 3, page 98, says this.

The evidence of the weakness of his disciples excited the pity and sympathy of the Son of God.

He questioned their strength to endure the test they must undergo in witnessing his betrayal and death.

He did not sternly upbraid them for their weakness, but in view of their coming trial, he exhorted them, watch and pray that you enter not into temptation.

Then his spirit moving in sympathy with their frailty, he framed an excuse for their failure in duty toward him.

The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

A time is coming where there will be a time of trouble upon this world such as never been seen.

And at this time, the people of God cannot afford to have this verse be a reality.

I want you to listen to what Paul says here.

But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my members.

And then he says in verse 24, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

How many of you would like to be delivered from this flesh?

I want to let you know that you do not have to wait until the resurrection to be delivered from this flesh.

God has a plan to deliver us even now, while we are in the flesh, from the flesh.

This is totally necessary, beloved, because in the last days we cannot afford to be weak in the flesh.

The title of our study this morning, an out-of-body experience.

In the book of Genesis, we are told that God made man in his what?

And we understand that the devil comes along and he Destroyed the image of God in man By the way this morning is gonna be an intense Bible study.

That's what we're doing this morning Amen, so I hope you have your Bibles open and you're following with me This this this The enemy came in and destroyed the image of God in man.

It is at this point that man became subject to the flesh.

How does God Plan to restore man in his image.

To restore Broken man because that's what happened to us the image of God was shattered in us Mankind became broken by sin God wants to do something with mankind.

I want you to notice with me Romans chapter 5, verse 1.

The Bible says, therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

To be made right or to be made righteous.

God's plan To restore man, to fix man is to justify him.

How many of you want to be declared righteous?

We are told that we are justified by what?

We're also told down in verse 9, much more now than being justified by his what?

We shall be saved from wrath through him.

And so we are justified or we are made right or we are fixed by faith.

You see, all this, beloved, is leading us to a very powerful point.

That if I wanna be fixed, if I wanna be made right, I must be justified by what happened where?

In fact, you'll remember in the Old Testament story where God told Moses to make a brazen serpent and put it upon a pole.

And what were the children of Israel supposed to do when they were bitten?

They were to look at the serpent on the pole.

They were to fix Their gaze upon the serpent on the pole.

And when they fixed their eyes upon the serpent on the pole, what happened to them?

Lord, I don't want to get to the end times and be weak in the flesh.

Lord, I wanna be fixed, I wanna be right, I wanna be a strong Christian.

Jesus tells us that we must pick up our what?

In other words, what Jesus is telling us when He says pick up your cross is that self must Die.

Do you know that's the only way to be fixed?

Designated to fix us, beloved, is through cruci...

The Ninth Hour

Heavenly Father, Lord I tremble before you and before your people today, Lord.

Fearful of the inadequacy of words to express what needs to be expressed and understood.

Lord, I am frail and I'm only human And the words that I have brought together to present this, Lord, are simply inadequate to truly relay what you experienced on our behalf.

And so Lord, I'm asking this night that you would send your Holy Spirit, Lord, to go above Lord, to go above and beyond the mere words, that the principle may hit the hearts of your people.

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SWYC 2009 Plenary Sessions

It’s Time to Run to the Mountains

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