OYC 2010: Awakened Hope

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Oregon Youth for Christ

OYC 2010 Morning Devotion

Christopher Camacho

Abiding Hope

It's still a little bright for my morning eyes.

We should be morning people, should we not?

As the Israelites came out of Egypt, Before they got to Mount Sinai, God was teaching them a very profound lesson.

He would rain manna down from heaven At what time?

Teaching them that they need to wake up early in the morning, get down on their knees, and seek the Word of God and His guidance before they would start the day.

Even Jesus gave us an example, did he not?

The Bible says that early in the morning before the sun rose, even for a whole night, he would pray for the strength that he could be filled with the Holy Spirit, that he may speak the words that the people needed to speak.

There's a story of a missionary, and I found it very profound and very fitting to the message I'm going to present today.

He was assigned in the missionary field, and when he got there, they were excited, and they started showing him around.

And as they showed him around, they finally came to this car, they said, you know, this is gonna be your transportation.

And he was so excited, it was a very nice car.

And they said, well, there's just 1 catch.

Everywhere he went he would park the car up on a hill or if there was no plate and if there was no hill in the village that he was at, he would get some of the villagers to help him push the car so he'd go on his way.

Well, at the end of the 6 years, His term was up and a new missionary was coming into the field.

He showed the missionary around and then he comes to the car.

And he says, well, there's 1 catch with the car.

But you have to jumpstart it because it doesn't start.

Well, this missionary, he did the same thing.

He went around the car, he looked at it, he popped open the hood, he looked at the motor and got down on the ground and looked like he was fidgeting with some wires and comes up off the ground, gets in the car, puts the key in the ignition and the car starts.

We, like that missionary, need to be plugged in to Christ.

The only source of power that we have is by abiding in Jesus.

And that's my message today is abiding hope.

Turn your Bibles with me if you would to John chapter 15.

You know, there's a lesson which we need to learn today.

And so often we seem preoccupied with results.

Even in our Christian experience, we look at how well we pray and how well we study.

You know, We keep our hearts and minds fixed upon other things and our Krishna experience is looking at our own actions instead of looking at Jesus Christ and his working in our lives.

How many of us are going to the Word of God looking for Him to guide us?

And it's so important for us to understand this Because in order for us to abide in Jesus, there's no other way but to go through the Bible.

It's only through the word of God that we're going to have the source of life.

We seek God as a giver rather than the gifts that He gives.

You know, there's no special formula, no special technique to attain.

The secret is that we need to abide by trusting and obeying Him.

Let us bow our heads for a moment of prayer.

Father God in heaven, we thank you so much for bringing us here this blessed morning.

We ask that your spirit be with us today, Father, to guide us, that our hearts and minds may be lifted up to you, that all that we do will glorify thy name.

Lord, we pray that You forgive us for our sins, that You cleanse us from unrighteousness, that You'll create in us a new heart and renew a right spirit within us.

And within our heart, Father, You'll fill it with the transcript of Your character, Your law, that all that we do will bring glory, honor and praise to your holy name.

And we ask this all in Jesus' name, amen.

Again, turn your Bibles with me to John chapter 15.

Now in this chapter, Jesus is gonna speak a parable to his disciples.

I like to interact with the people, so don't be afraid to talk.

It's a parable is a story that illustrates a deeper truth, but using common things that are around us.

All right, and that's what Jesus was doing here.

And he goes on to say, I mean, what was Israel's main occupation?

They were doing agriculture, growing vines, grapes.

Jerusalem was known for their grapes besides being shepherds.

And Jesus uses this illustration as what?

So how do we know which 1 is true and which 1 is not?

He says, I am the true bind and my Father is the husbandman.

And those who would follow Christ must believe in Him, and they must open their heart to receive Him as an abiding guest.

Jesus says in Revelation 3.20, He says, Behold, I stand at the door and knock.

You know, Jesus has prepared a banquet table for us.

Boris Jovinov

Hope for the Hopeless

Our Heavenly Father, we know it's early in the morning.

But we know that You have been here before anyone stepped foot into this building.

We invite the Holy Spirit to be present here with us, especially the teaching element.

That we may truly understand and comprehend Your message.

Father, may my mind, may my conscience, just be humbled.

May our minds be vulnerable to the guidance of Your Holy Spirit.

May we apply the things which we learn, that this may not just be vain words spoken from the pulpit.

Hide me in the cleft of the rock that only you and your message may be seen.

Lord, you know I need your help to be able to present this message, for it's a holy message and I'm not a holy person.

We believe you have already answered this prayer, in Jesus' name.

There were 4 friends, myself and 3 others, growing up.

We were all born in the same hospital within 4 months of each other.

Both our parents, from all of us, our parents come from Yugoslavia and they immigrated.

They are the youngest in their families and they have 2 older sisters.

There's no chance that you could have separated us when we were kids.

I remember Friday nights, we have prayer meeting at church and we'd be like, somehow, we don't even talk, but we got this arrangement happening, yeah?

We sneak outside and then we're in the backyard of the church wrestling matches, you know?

And then we come home and my new church pants are just done.

And mom's just like, oh yeah, yeah, you're going to get it.

And the funny thing was, when 1 of us would get in trouble, the others would automatically just be like, no, no, he didn't do it, it was us.

Maybe they deserve it, but it's like, no, I'm gonna get hit, not my brother, no, not him.

Now, it's not good to lie, but we were close.

I remember once we were in the park and we were maybe 10, 11 years old, maybe 12, I don't think so, yeah, about 11.

And there's 4 of us little ratbags walking around, you know, trying to act tough.

And then I remember there's like a 17 year old, you know, the big kid.

And 1 of our friends, 1 of the 4, he was just like short-fused.

You ever met people that are short-fused?

Ever since he was a kid, you just look at him a little different.

He's kind of real defensive about something, right?

So we're walking, minding our own business.

And then our friend, he spots these guys.

And this big guy walked up to him and pushed him.

And us 4, we were like, oh, we're not having this.

So there's this group of 18-year-olds, 17-year-olds, and a group of 11-year-olds.

And here we are trying to, you know, no way you're going to be touching my brother.

Although we had this, I guess you can say violence, which is not godly.

We're like, man, we really need to be better Christians.

I remember even as 8 years old, Man, we really need to get our act on.

But time went on, and us 4 tight brothers, 3 of us became backsliders.

I was a backslider, but on Sabbath I'd be pretending like I'm a faithful 1.

And through life's circumstances, the Lord was able to really just grab a hold of my life.

But for the other 2, it seems that He has not done that yet.

I'm still praying, and I believe they will be in that kingdom.

People in my home church, for people who were once in the church, once in the faith and left, we consider things to be hopeless for them.

I've seen it many times unfortunately, where there will be someone who's never known God.

He comes into church, real dirty, scruffy, and just, you know, looking for something better.

And you'll get a bunch of church people just be so nice to him and try to nurture him and things like that.

But then someone will come in who they once knew.

And all we hear is, oh, do you know what he did?

We view backsliders, missing members, as hopeless.

1 of my Bible heroes was a hopeless backslider.

We're gonna learn a little bit about him.

But this is where I really, really want to focus in on.

But there is very little emphasis in how can I actually truly bring someone who knew the truth, who decided to run away from truth, back to truth?

There's very little emphasis in what can I do to bring someone back who knows the truth?

He knows it intellectually, but for some reason, he's departed from the faith.

The Bible, in the Bible, there was the same situation.

And let's see how God went about bringing this person back to the faith.

Exodus is the second book in the Bible, right after Genesis, and we're going to be talking about this man called Moses.

Now if I ask you, who do you think Moses, well pardon me, what do you think Moses looks like?

How many of you ever consider him to be like this really stunning good-looking guy?

Peter Chung

The Audacity of Hope

Our Father and God in heaven, Father, we thank Thee for allowing us to gather together safely this Sunday morning for Your morning manna.

And so, Father, I ask that I decrease and You increase and that your Holy Spirit be here in marked manner.

Father, in spite of myself and my frailties and my my errors, errorful ways, Father, in spite of myself, Father, may your people be blessed by the preaching of the Word, that your Spirit be manifest in the sacred desk.

Father, we are living near the crisis hour.

Soon and very soon, your people will be called to do a most special work in a time of great opposition.

And so, Father, today we ask that our hearts and minds and actions be touched by your word, that we may be prepared today to stand so that when that great hour comes, when the call goes, who shall be able to stand, We will be there as your generation to vindicate your character.

2008 is perhaps a very pivotal year in the history of the United States.

It was a time of most challenging circumstances.

All throughout the world, there was cynicism towards the United States as reneging its advocacy for democracy and freedom.

Scandals of Personal liberties were rampant.

And there were 2 major wars that the United States was fighting.

Inside the United States, there was much hopelessness.

But then arose a candidate for the United States that motivated the masses.

His charismatic demeanor and his his oratory skills gathered together people of every race and ethnicity, every social background, and they motivated together.

People in the midst of crisis, people in the midst of adversity saw hope in the horizon.

And so people mobilized and made sacrifices and went door to door.

They set up Facebook promotions and Twitter promotions and they advertised all around that a change was coming, that there was an audacity of hope in the scene that will restore the United States to its once great splendor.

You know, it's interesting what the Bible says in placing our hopes in presidents and politicians.

In Psalms 146 verse 3 the Bible says, put not your trust in princes nor in the Son of Man in whom there is no help.

Psalms 118 verse 9, the Bible says, it is better to trust in the Lord than to put your confidence in princes.

So although there was much hope placed upon this man, And brothers and sisters, if John McCain became president, I would still quote this text, because I'm not a Democrat or a Republican, amen.

But the world does not realize there's another that is to bring true hope and change to this world.

There is a head of state that has yet to assert his full authority on this earth that is to come to bring a change to this world.

And who is this head of state knows that the Bible says in Isaiah chapter 9, Isaiah chapter 9, Isaiah chapter 9 starting with verse 6.

And the Bible says in Isaiah chapter 9, starting verse 6, for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it and to establish it with a judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this." So the true counselor, the true president is Jesus Christ himself.

And what hope is he seeking to bring to you and I?

What's this change that he's seeking to provide for this hopeless world today?

A world with economic crisis, a world of home foreclosures, a world of H1N1 viruses and child prostitution, a world of wars and rumors of wars.

What is this Jesus seeking to bring in hope?

Notice what the Bible says in Titus chapter 2.

And the Bible says, For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." So what is the blessed hope, brothers and sisters?

When Jesus comes to the clouds of glory, that is the blessed hope of this audacity of hope where a change is coming to this world.

But under what condition will this blessed hope come about?

Notice what the Bible says in Matthew 24.

Brothers and sisters, is it okay if we study the Bible today going from text to text?

You see, Jesus' followers, his disciples, were meeting outside the temple, and they went to Jesus privately, and they were also seeking for a hope.

At that time in Judea and Israel, Israel or Judah at that time were oppressed by the Romans.

They had great social problems and great social ills.

Notice the Bible says in Matthew 24 starting in verse 3, when you're there please say amen.

The Bible says, And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately saying, Tell us when shall these things be?

And what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world." So we read in Titus that the blessed hope is the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Here the disciples are asking what are the signs of the coming and the end of the world?

So the end of the world is connected with the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And so Jesus says and he answers and he gives them a Daniel and Revelation seminar.

I want to be hearing Jesus giving you a Daniel and Revelation seminar.

In verse 4 Jesus says, and Jesus answered and said unto them, take ye that no man deceive you.

For many shall come in my name saying, I am Christ and shall deceive many.

And so Jesus says that there's gonna be a time period when many will come as though they are saying that they are Christ and deceive many.

We've seen it with the cult of Jim Jones.

We've seen it with the Heaven's Gate cult that committed suicide thinking that their spirits will go to heaven through a UFO.

We've seen it through even recently, I saw recently a few years ago in nightline.com that there is a man in Russia who has established a commune where people from all around the world have gathered together thinking that he is Jesus.

And so we see here the frequency that many are claiming to be false Christ.

Verse 6, And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars.

See that ye not be troubled, for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in diverse places.

All these are the beginning of sorrows." You see, the word sorrows in original Hebrew means birth pains or labor contractions.

You see, when a child is about to come, the contractions come more and more frequently.

And have you noticed, brothers and sisters, during this time, especially this year in 2010, that the labor pains of earthquakes have grown more and more in greater frequency.

Even last year, I was so surprised when Samoa and the Philippines and Indonesia, in a space of 2 weeks, natural disasters happened.

And this year, in 2010, we see here in Haiti and Chile and all these diverse places, more and more earthquakes are of greater frequency.

Do you know in 2008 that in yahoo.com, The Associated Press reported that in 2008, that never before in Earth's history have so many natural disasters caused so much property damage in the world.

You see, brothers and sisters, we're living in some serious times.

Verse 9, Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you, and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

And then shall many be offended, and shall betray 1 another, and shall hate 1 another.

And many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many.

And so the time before this blessed hope happens is a time of immense crisis.

But what message will usher in this blessed hope?

What message will allow to bring hope to the whole world in a period of great crisis and uncertainty?

Notice what the Bible says in Matthew 24, verse 14.

Matthew 24, verse 14, the Bible says, and this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations and then shall the end come." You see, in order for that blessed hope to happen, those that are part of Jesus' election staff, those that are part of Jesus' ground forces that will knock on doors, that will advertise the coming of the new head of state must publish this message to all the world and then a change is going to come.

But notice the circumstances of this gospel.

You see, the Christian message is already worldwide.

Every continent in the world has access to the Christian message, even in periods or places of persecution.

People could go to the internet and hear powerful messages of truth.

I could think of the reports of audio verse where nations such as Iran and Saudi Arabia, they too are listening in to the wonderful words of life.

And So we already know that the message of the gospel is to all the world, but why has that blessed hope not come yet?

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OYC 2010 Morning Devotion

Hope for the Hopeless

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Abiding Hope

30m

Hope for the Hopeless

55m

The Audacity of Hope

40m

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