SWYC 2014: What We Believe: Back to Basics

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GYC Southwest

Laurel Damsteegt

Plenary

By Every Word

Taariq Patel

The First Angel’s Message

Questions and Answers- Part 1

Adam Patel

The Storm Is Here

Thom Mayer

Modern Medium- Part 3

Overcoming Trials

A Muslim and His Christian Mother

We all have questions and we know you have the answers. So, Lord, and press upon our hearts and on the hearts of anyone in this room to help answer these questions cuz you're the great giver. And so, Lord, I just pray that you send your spirit to be here with us and to give us the answer in Jesus' name, amen. Amen. Give each of guys mind. Okay? I'll just sit down since, there you go. Someone's not here yet. Okay. So this is the, the first question. It says, I am a youth. What do you do when you know that your church is sleeping and you try to do things to wake them up, but no one supports or listens to you? Would it be okay to go to another church that is more active and on fire? Gotta think about this one. Don't leave. I mean, stay there. I think God has you there for that purpose. And sometimes we feel like it's, it's, it's not going anywhere, but just keep praying because the Lord can prepare that soil. Right? Amen. And when we present the seeds of truth, they can take root. So, and part of that preparation really is befriending those people and showing them that you really care. And, and not just leveling a rifle at 'em and, and blasting truth, right? There's a methodical science to, to the gospel. And we should employ that, I Think. And to, to get you back there, I just think of the story of Jeremiah. He was placed in a situation where he had a consistent message from the beginning to the end. And how many people to Jeremiah? Pretty much nobody listened to him. He had, he was in a dead church that didn't move, but he didn't move either. That's right. And I think with you, staying there, but number one, always listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Number one, if you were here for mourn, devotion, pray, pray and pray again, cuz God may have you move, but with the majority of time through biblical examples, he would have you stay cuz you're the light, as my brother said. But also, we gotta remember that when we go through trying times, we're not, God not only wants to save, use us to save others, he wants to save us in the process. So with you being there, going through the trial of your faith, it's your purging process. And if you're not there, what want to you, what's, what's gonna cause you to see the wickedness within you. Because if you're in that position, then you're all of a sudden you're face-to-face with your impatience, you're face-to-face with your short temper. All these things that may have not been revealed had you not been in that church. Amen. Praise the Lord. Amen. Amen. Okay, so next question. If we are aware that spiritual formation is being promoted at our con at conference events, what should we do? Warn others, confront the leaders, or just be quiet. Okay. Again, okay. So the question is, if we are aware that spiritual formation is being promoted at a conference event, should, what should we do? Warn others, confront the leaders, or just be quiet. I'll ta I'll take a step. Just Be quiet. Just be quiet. Wrong answer. Sorry brother. I mean outta all the answers, that was the wrong one. I, I'm trying to be quiet because I, I'm growing in God's grace and I'm new to a, to the Adventist church, right? Three and a half years. And I know with me coming in, I'm very zealous and I've made a lot of mistakes in the past with my for the Lord. So I'm trying to be, I'm asking God even in my heart now for wisdom with this answer, but I know to be quiet is the wrong answer. The question. Oh yeah. You need, you got set up, bro. If we're aware that spiritual formation, sorry, sit in advance. Do we stay quiet, do something about it, confront Leaders. I I would like to take a stab at that. I think spiritual formation is a two edged sword. It has a lot of bad reputation among conservative people, but in actuality, some of that is excellent. It's learning to meditate, it's learning to get close to God. And so you have to be really, really careful about what kind of spiritual formation is being promoted before you discourage anyone to become more spiritual. That is a really important thing to do. And sometimes people get excited because they see the, the, the name spiritual formation or emerging church or some of these types of things. But pray for wisdom to be able to encourage deep spirituality, the right kind of meditation, walking with the Lord, prayer. These are all part of what people consider to be spiritual formation. And we just don't wanna be on the wrong side. So just make sure you know what you are, are opposing before you oppose anything. Amen. Amen. Can we ask what, what can you guys define what spiritual formations lot of us are asking? What is That was my question too? Amen. Us spiritual formation. Well, I'm not an expert on this, you know, but what what I understand is like the seminary, I happen to be, my husband teaches at the seminary, and so I hear a few rumblings here and there. And essentially their motive is to make the pastors more spiritual people to, to get them into the word in a devotional way, to learn to listen to the Lord's voice to them personally. And that is a lot of their motivation. Sometimes the method gets a little messed up, but they're, they're working on it and they have changed some of that. And sometimes we give them a hard time without understanding the whole picture. And so that's why I say it's always good to, to ask a few questions. I I'm, I'm currently a student at puc and there has been some kind of, I guess a lot of talk about a class up there that they're given spiritual formations and, but the class I took the name from my understanding is derived from more of the Ignatius Loyola kind of spiritual exercises sort of teachings. And so you get things like contemplative prayer, different types of things to, to take your imagination and you have a spirit guide that leads you, it's a brand new way of approaching Christianity through eastern mysticism. So there's a blend of this spiritualism within the faith. Now people are trying to get creative, they want to feel God and all this kind of stuff. So they, they're not just willing to just go back to the basics. Right? So that's, that's what I, I'm understanding right now about it. Amen. Amen. And if, if that's the truth, then we need to steer clear because what the devil specializes in is 99% truth and 1% error. If it's got that 1%, we need to just, Bible says what fellowship had light with darkness. And so if any of that's going on, and, and if it's 99% good and, and you know, they're preaching the Bible, but it's got that mysticism that my brother's talking about it stay clear. Amen. It's of the devil. Yes. Amen. And I would agree with that. I just say ask questions before you criticize. Amen. Yeah. Amen. Amen. Amen. So, spiritual formation, that's definitely bad. We have guidance in that and, but just ask questions because I guess there are spiritual, they take the name spiritual formation, but it's not complete mysticism as as it was stated. So next question, it says, can babies be saved or will they die from the sins of their parents? If they, if their parents don't repent, can babies be saved or will they die from the sins of their parents if their parents don't repent When it comes to judgment regarding to babies? That's the question, right? Babies, at the end of the day, our answer, we don't know. Okay. However, we do understand from the writings of Spirit policy is that we do have a promise that she says if the parents put their children under their grace, these are the similar expressions that she used, then basically God will protect them. Okay. But to say children are going to be saved or not saved because parents did not repent or did repent, I believe it will be hard for us to judge. I think some of these things we need to leave, just leave it up to God to make his ultimate righteous, just and fair judgment. Amen. Yep. One thing for sure, I'm sure God will do what is the best. Amen. If so, we need to trust him in that. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Yeah, I would agree as well, just looking throughout the Bible, God, God is just, and he's, he's open. He, he invites us to be part, become part of that judgment, even though we don't, we don't have to, but, but it is because he's just he and he has nothing to hide. So we can definitely trust May, maybe this person is confused with the idea of the Bible says the iniquity of the father will be visited to the next, in, next to the third and the fourth generation. Right Now, in order to quickly understand that text that is really talking about the consequences of the father's sin. If the father's lived as alcoholic, children might have weak body because of his, you know, bad behavior. Right? So in that sense, the result can be passed on, but Bible made it very clear, son will not be punished for his father's sin. But those demons that were attacking the Father, they're the same ones. Amen. They come right down the line. So whatever your father struggled with, chances are you're gonna struggle with that too. And I think that means that as well. I'm looking at a verse in Ezekiel chapter 18, verse 20. It says, the soul that sin, it shall die. The son shall not bear the inequity of the father. Neither shall the father bear the inequity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. So I don't know if this offers cla clarification to some point, but God is saying that yeah, there are I guess, hereditary weaknesses that are passed along, but each person is responsible for their own sin. I would just like to not so much answer that question, but just to talk about children in new earth. I think it's one of the most precious pictures of the resurrection to think of a child being given back to his mother. Amen. And it's just wonderful to think of little children with wings flying down from the walls, which are some of the pictures we have there. So we definitely know children will be there. Amen. But it's not to us to demarcate who goes and who doesn't go. I mean people all the time when people die, that's the first question, are they gonna be saved? And we try to decide ourselves whether a person's gonna be saved or not. And that's really not our business, it's, it's God is the judge. And we just pray that and rest our case with, with God at that point. Amen. By the way, I want to go back to the previous question regarding spiritual formation. Let me ask you, how many of you understand, how many of you do not understand what spiritual formation is? Raise your hands. Okay. How many of you do understand what spiritual formation is? Okay. What about those people down rising? Raising your hands? Now, I do believe that this is going to be very important topic, just to answer the question, what is spiritual formation? Basically utilizing or using Eastern meditation for Christian purpose and they use what they call mantra is basically very similar to self-hypnosis. Okay? So I believe that our people needs to be informed and need to be warn they need to be educated because there's a slight possibility or a big possibility. This may play a major part in omega apostasy. So I, I would like to recommend to S W Y C or you know, two other speakers, we gotta study into this and warn our people. Amen. Okay? Yep. Amen. Amen. David Fielder, actually there's a little pamphlet called Modern Mysticism, if you haven't heard of that, there's, yeah, she's got it right there. That those pamphlets right there explain a lot about that. Elg, We have some, we don't have that many, but we have some upstairs that are free on mysticism. So we're upstairs world and we have a number of those. We As Well, we do have other questions. If you guys have questions regarding this, please see our panelists or other people involved as well. So let's keep moving forward. I'm excited about this question I'm still learning about about the Bible, so I don't fully understand everything yet. But someone told me that Satan was cast down to the earth and then God created the garden of Eden on Earth afterwards. This makes it hard for me to see God's love if he would create us in the grounds of the enemy. It's like leaving your child in a room with a lion. Please help me understand how God's love is still shown in this. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Thank you. Good question. Great Question. Yeah. So in, in simpler terms, was Satan cast out to this, down to this earth first and then we were created? Is that understanding correct? If Satan was cast down to this earth before the creation, Yes, That's first. You're saying Satan was just spending time swimming? I know that's kind of, kind of funny, but as far as I know, yeah, as far as I know, according to Revelation chapter 12, verse nine, it says he was cast down to the, the earth right? And says to deceive the world. So he came here to deceive. So if you came here and there's no one, there's no need to deceive. So it doesn't make any sense. Well, I think to the, maybe the heart of the question really is why did God create us in the midst of a war? Have you asked yourself that question, why this war takes place in heaven? And then it's like God went off and he did this creation over here, and then he put, and then he allowed Satan access to that. Why? I, I really believe that we were created to be the jury. Amen. Because there was only two sides in heaven, the angels in God. And if God would've destroyed Satan right there forever, it would've been a question in everybody's mind are, do we really have free will? But he told Satan he was gonna lay him before kings. Right. And no, you, not that you'll judge angels, the scriptures say, so I believe that we were created for a purpose, and that purpose is to vindicate the character of God. Amen. That's Right. Amen. So to not look at it as God threw us in a room with a lion, but rather created us as part of the healing process to heal from sin. Amen. So that this thing could play out and everyone could see and forever it, you know, be put out. Amen. Also, really quick there, there's always been this illusion that when Satan tempted Eve in the garden, that man was at a disadvantage. Eve at that point was, but really Adam was the champion of God made in the image of God. If anybody was at a disadvantage, it was Satan and that's why he planted it plant so well to get Eve away from him. But Adam and Eve really weren't at a disadvantage because they were created perfect. They had the indwelling of the spirit. They were walking with God. And so if, if anything, Satan had the greatest disadvantage in that scenario. Mm. And so when, when Adam and Eve fell, it really shocked the universe. It was, it was a shocking thing. Just like when Goliath fell before, before all of Israel and, and the Philistines, that was a shock. They never expected that to happen. So it was the same with Adam when he fell, the whole universe was stunned because God created him with everything, the ability to not be deceived and forewarned them and everything. Okay. Our final question, how do you know that Ellen White is a prophet? That's a good one. How do you know that Ellen White is a prophet? Good One. As a newbie, you know, as a newbie in the church, I form our relationship with the God, with the Bible first. Amen. It, it was, and I think we all need to do that. But here's why I love Ellen White. I always read the Bible first and I label with the Holy Spirit. And after hours could be days or weeks when the Holy Spirit reveals something to me and I'm rejoicing, then I read Ellen White and she confirms exactly what the Holy Spirit never fails. Plus, you know, you listen to the message tonight, what she wrote hundreds of years ago is actually being fulfilled right now For me, my personal experience was I got outta rehab. I said, Lord, you're gonna have to show me about the Sabbath or l and y, everything, because God showed me that he existed. So I figured if he can talk to everybody, Ellen White Isaiah, he could talk to me. So I said, Lord, show me Ellen White. And I doubted her big time, but I, I prayed and I read her writings with a very skeptical point of view, very skeptical, but, and I was looking for stuff, but when I read, I found actually the opposite. That my heart was being like enriched and enlisted and lifted up. This is just my experience from what I read from Ellen White. And I agree with what my brother said at first was my approach as well. But my personal experience is, is, is just that the more I started to read and ask God about her and line it with scripture, the more I felt my own personal conviction. So I think it's very important that you have your own personal conviction from the Holy Spirit. So both of the Patel Brothers, it's you. You would suggest having a personal experience with the writings of Ellen and White. Amen. Yes. This, there are many ways to prove the Ellen and White is a true prophet, but this is one of the ways, okay, in the Bible there are many time prophecies, right. Especially referring to God's people. Yes. I I believe the first one, 120 Noahs flood. Okay? And then 400 years in the land, Egypt, right? And then 70 years of Babylonian captivity and 490 years for the coming of the Messiah, right? And then 2,300 days, right? And there are more, but you hear the, some major ones. Now, when you study the Bible, you always look for pattern or meaning. Things are things that repeat itself. Okay? Check this out. Just about almost every time, prophecies that, especially dealing with girls, people, God always provided a prophet in the beginning of time, prophecy. And at the end of time prophecy, for example, 120, Noah's Flood, who was a prophet in the beginning, Noah, who was a prophet at the end, Noah, 400 years in land of Egypt. Who was the prophet in the beginning? Abraham. Okay. He was the one that gave the message. But who was there at the end to deliver the people out of the land of Egypt? It was Moses's. So you had prophet in the beginning, prophet at the end, and then 70 years of Babylonian captivity. It was Jeremiah. Jeremiah and who was at the end? Well, yeah, you can saying Daniel, but it was more, he may not be considered as prophet, but it was more like Nehemiah. You understand Ezra, right? And then you have 409 years of prophecy, right? For the coming of the Messiah, who was a prophet, gave a message, Daniel in the beginning, who was at the end to proclaim that it's fulfillment. John Baptist. John the Baptist. So check it out. You, we always had profit in the beginning, profit at the end for these major time prophecies. Right? And the biggest one, the, the biggest one, the most important one is 2,300 days. If God provided profit in the beginning, at the end of every prophecy, he should also do the same. Amen. Right? Amen. So who was the prophet in the beginning of 2,300? Daniel. So tell me, who was the prophet? 18 when 2020 days fulfilled around 1844. Amen. So you do all the tests of the prophet to see which one fulfills. Amen. Amen. It comes out to be Alan G. White. Amen. Amen. And just like, I guess a la a final question for this one. If I never read an read a book on Ellen White, which would be a, a good one to start off with, desire, Great controversy. Hey. Amen. Amen. My personal favorite Is desire of ages. So basically just grab a book and read. Get the whole set. Get the whole set. Amen. Amen. Thank you. Thank you for all of you guys who, who put in questions our panelists can come down. Thank you so, so much for, for these questions. And I, I pray that each of you guys were today this evening. This media was brought to you by audio verse, a website dedicated to spreading God's word through free sermon, audio, and much more. If you would like to know more about audio verse or if you would like to listen to more sermons, please visit www.audio verse.org.

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Plenary

Questions and Answers- Part 1

Parent Series

Parent Conference

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Other Teachings in Series

By Every Word

The First Angel’s Message

Questions and Answers- Part 1

The Storm Is Here

Modern Medium- Part 3

Overcoming Trials

A Muslim and His Christian Mother

Sound Doctrine