"Open and Closed Doors" - Pastor Stephen Bohr

others let's just bow our heads for a moment of prayer father heaven we thank you for the privilege of being here at this camp meaning we thank you for your word Asher guide in this world that is so confused father we ask that through your word you will speak to our minds and hearts this morning give us listening ears and open hearts we thank you for the privilege of belonging to this special people for this special time oh Lord I ask that you will help us to witness for you help us not to hide your truth under a bushel but to let our light shine on a hill so that everyone can see it we thank you Father for hearing our prayer for we ask it in the precious name of Jesus amen the title of our study this morning is open and closed doors as we begin I would like to mention that God's mode of operation with human beings with Nations and with cities has a pattern and I'd like to go through that pattern in six points as we begin our study and then we will give examples of how this works out in different episodes of history first of all God establishes a certain time during which the door of Mercy is open for cities for nations for churches for individuals and for the world because God's Way of operation is the same for cities nations churches individuals and for the world so God establishes a time period where the door of Mercy of probate or probation is open now while the door of Mercy or probation is open God gives abundant light to those cities nation churches individuals and to the world with a purpose of leading these entities to repentance and to obedience to God toward the end of each period of probation God sheds great light upon these specific entities but God sets a limit to probation God's love is endless but his patience and forbearance are not when the period of probation comes to a close for these cities nations churches individuals and for the world God takes a look at the heavenly judgment ledger and pronounces the sentence in the door of probation closes and then after a period of time the sentence that God dictates in the judgment is executed speedily so this is the mode of operation of God when it comes to dealing with cities nations churches individuals and with the world in its entirety I'd like to read a statement that we find in the journal youths instructor for February 1st 1894 where Ellen White describes this mode of operation by God his this is how it reads God keeps a reckoning with nations as well as with individuals he allows nations a certain period of probation and gives them evidences of his requirements of his supremacy and makes known to them his laws which are to be the rule of his kingdom in the government of Nations all this he does that heathen nations may not be given up to the struck unwarned and without light but after he has given them evidence and light and they still persist in insolence toward him then when iniquity is full as in the case of the amorite God takes the matter into his hand and his judgments are no longer withheld that's the mode of operation of God now what I want to do is give you several biblical examples of this modus operandi of God of course the most common biblical example that is used is the story of the flood you have all of the elements that I've mentioned in the story of the flood as you know God gave the antediluvian world a period of probation of 120 years actually even before this God had given the antediluvian world great light I don't know if you're aware of this but at the time of the flood there were eight generations of righteous people living on the earth simultaneously who knew the story of creation and the story of the fall they were witnesses for God in the world the names of those are Adam Seth Enosh Kenan Mahalalel Jared Enoch and Methuselah Methuselah died the year of the flood all of these individuals were living simultaneously during those 1 during that period before the flood but at the end of the period of probation God gave the greatest light through the preaching of Noah but as we know his message was ignored it was slighted it was mocked in fact the last act of God was to have the animals March to by twos in perfect order into the ark and yet even that did not convince those who live before the flood to come into the ark so then at the conclusion of the hundred and twenty years after God had given light and at the very end great light and after the light had been rejected and ignored the Bible tells us in Genesis 716 that the door of the ark closed now I might mention that the message of Noah was a judgment message in fact in Genesis 6:3 where God says my spirit shall not contend with man for ever that word contend most of the references in the Old Testament are translated judgment let me ask you when Noah finished his message how many groups were there in the world to those inside the ark and those outside was his message a message of judgment that divided the world into two groups absolutely so the door probation closes but then we find a period of seven days during which there's a time of trouble for those inside the ark where their faith is tested and those outside the ark become more and more daring with each day that passes but finally the sentence that had been pronounced when the door closed was executed and the antediluvian world was destroyed so we have all of these common denominators in the story of the flood of course this judgment fell on the entire world but the Bible also mentions the same process when it comes to cities we heard Tim talk about cities this morning let's talk about Sodom and Gomorrha did God give abundant light to these cities absolutely I'm going to read from the book education page 187 for years and years even before God destroyed the cities God gave light to the inhabitants of these cities in education page 187 the spirit of prophecy writes in Abraham's influence extended beyond his own household wherever he pitched his tent he set up beside it the altar for sacrifice and worship when the tent was removed the altar remained and many a roving Canaanite whose knowledge of God had been gained from the life of Abraham his servant tarried at that altar to offer sacrifice to Jehovah the people knew about Abraham and his piety they had his story they knew the story even Sodom knew the story of how Abraham had defeated four kings and all of their armies with just 318 men and had recovered the loot the people of the cities of the plain had the testimony of LOD 2nd Peter chapter 2 verses 7 8 tells us and delivered righteous LUT who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked for that righteous man dwelling among them tormented his righteous soul from day today by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds they had abundant light but at the very end in fact the night before the destruction of the cities came the greatest light to the cities two angels visited the city of Sodom now you're probably aware that God was actually performing an investigation of the cities notice Genesis chapter 18 20 and 21 Genesis 18 20 and 21 and the Lord said because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and because their sin is very grave now notice this I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it then has come up to me and if not I will know of course God knew this simply is explaining that God is doing an examination of the cities he's performing an investigative judgment of the cities to see if they have crossed the boundary between grace and destruction so two angels come to the city and what does the city do the Bible tells us they're all of the men of the city gaturro gathered around Lots house and wanted to have homosexual relationships with the angels who were in large house that must have some message for our day and age in Genesis 19 verse 9 we find the following words about what the men of the city did says both young and old the men said to lot stand back then they said this one came in to stay here and he keeps acting as a judge now we will deal worse with you than with them that is worse with lot than with the Angels so they pressed hard against the man lot and came near to break down the door but now I want you to notice there's a closed door with that door closed probation it closed for the city Genesis 19 verse 10 but the men reached out their hands and pulled lot into them and shut the door and they struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness both small and great so that they became weary trying to find door the door for the city's had closed God had performed a work of judgment he had given much light great light at the very end but probation came to a close for the cities of the plain in the book conflict and courage page 53 we find these words on the night prior to their destruction the cities of the plain rioted in pleasure lot was derided for his fears and warnings but it was these scoffers that perished in the flames that very night the door of mercy was forever closed to the wicked careless inhabitants of Sodom and then of course the next morning the judgment that had been pronounced when the door closed was executed in the description is in Genesis 19 verse 24 and verse 28 where it says then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah from the Lord out of the heavens so he overthrew those cities all the plain all the inhabitants of the cities and what grew on the ground and then Abraham looks at the cities it says then he looked towards Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the plain and he saw and behold the smoke of the land which went up like a smoke of a furnace a period of probation great light given to the civilization the light rejected God checking his ledger of judgment finding the civilization or the world or the individual wanting the door is closed and then the sentence is executed we find another example of this this is not the case of a city or of the world this is the case of a nation or a civilization let's talk for a few moments about the Amorite God gave the amorite 400 years of grace let's read Genesis chapter 15 and verses 13 through 16 God set a limit to their period of grace Genesis 15 13 through 16 then he said to Abram know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs and will serve them and they will afflict them for hundred years and also the nation whom they serve I will judge this is about Egypt afterwards they came they shall come out with great possessions now as for you you shall go to your fathers in peace but shall be buried at a good old age but in the fourth generation they shall return here and now notice for the iniquity of the amorite is not yet complete the door of Mercy was still open the cup was not yet filled the cup of their iniquity let me ask you during these 400 years did the amorite have light abundant light absolutely I read from patriarchs and prophets page 434 although the Amorite swirlied Allah ters whose life was justly forfeited by their great wickedness God spared them 400 years to give them unmistakable evidence that he was the only true God the maker of heaven and earth all his wonders in bringing Israel from Egypt were known to them notice this last great light they knew about the plagues in Egypt they knew about the opening of the Red Sea they knew that the Egyptians had been swallowed up by the waters she continues sufficient evidence was given they given they might have known the truth had they been willing to turn from their idolatry and licentiousness but they rejected the light and clubbed to they're ions and so the time of probation for the amorite scheme to an end and destruction came upon that civilization in sketches from the life of Paul page 318 we find these words for more than 400 years he spared them but when instead of turning to repentance they hardened their hearts in iniquity and made war upon his people their day of probation closed and the mandate went forth for their utter extinction and now notice this comment there was a judgment of the Amorite God looked at his ledger to see if the cup of iniquity was full she continues this statement with unerring accuracy the infinite one keeps a record of the impiety of nations and individuals long is his mercy tendered to them with calls to repentance but when their guilt reaches a certain limit which he has fixed then mercy seizes her pleadings and the ministration of wrath begins do you see this pattern cities civilizations the world let's take another example of a nation which was also a city let's talk about the city and the nation of Babylon did God give Babylon much light so that they could turn from their wicked ways and follow the ways of Lord absolutely Daniel was in Babylon for the entire history of Babylon the three young men who were thrown into the fiery furnace they were witnesses for God the seven years of insanity of Nebuchadnezzar were the Pearl reason is taken away and then he's restored to the throne miraculously because in seven years there were many people who probably wanted to take the throne but God preserved his throne all were powerful witnesses that God was the true God and yet we know that even Nebuchadnezzar slighted ignored and mocked the messages but praise the Lord after seven a seven-year detour Nebuchadnezzar saw the light and I believe that we'll see him in the kingdom won't it be interesting to see Nebuchadnezzar in the kingdom but now we need to go to their ever the very end of the history of the Babylonian Kingdom Daniel chapter five verses 18 through 23 has the story the story of Belshazzar the last king of Babylon very quickly the door of Mercy was coming to a close in Daniel chapter 5 verses 18 through 23 Daniel is called before King Belshazzar to tell him the meaning of the writing that has appeared on the wall and this is what Daniel tells bel says o king the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and majesty glory and honor and because of the majesty that he gave him all peoples nations languages trembled and feared before him whom ever he wished he executed whoever whoever he wished he kept alive whomever he wished he set up and whoever he wished he put down but when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened in Pride he was deposed from his kingly throne and they took his glory from him then he was driven from the sons of men his heart was made like the beasts and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys they fed him with the grass like oxen and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men and appoints over it whom he chooses and now notice the key verse verse 22 but you his son Belshazzar have not humbled your heart although you knew all this debauch azor have much great light before that fateful night yes by the way did God take a look at the ledger of Babylon to see if Babylon had crossed the line Daniel 525 through 29 then the fingers of the hand were sent from him and this writing was written and this is the inscription that was written many many Tekel upharsin this is the interpretation of each word here's daniel many God has numbered your kingdom and finished it it's actually before Babylon was destroyed the decision was made tickle you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting what does weight and the balances mean you have been judged your nation has been judged and you have been found wanting parents your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians and then shortly after that according to verses 30 and 31 that very night Belshazzar king of the Chaldeans was slain and to rious the Meade received the kingdom being about 62 years old let's talk about the door that was closed to the Jewish nation did God give the Jewish nation an abundance of light he gave them wise men he gave them prophets he gave them messengers he gave them all kinds of religious institutions did God give the Jewish nation a special night light at the end of their probation by the way did God give the nation a probationary period what was that probationary period seventy weeks are determined on your city and on your people so God gave the Jewish nation a period of probation during that time God sent them many many messengers at the end of this period God gave them the greatest light he sent them John the Baptist he sent them to twelve he sent them the seventy and ultimately sent them Jesus what greater light could they have gotten and yet what did they do with the light they slighted the light they mocked the light they rejected the light and so we find that sentence was pronounced against them let's read about that sentence in Matthew 23 and verses 32 through 36 Matthew 23 32 to 36 this these are the woes on the scribes and the Pharisees the religious leaders notice the terminology that Jesus uses and incidentally this is being given just a handful of days before Jesus went to the cross before he was rejected fill up then the measure of your father's guilt does that sound pretty final fill up the measure of your father's guilt serpents brood of vipers how can you escape the condemnation of Hell and I want you to notice that even after this Jesus promised to send them messengers even after he was crucified he promises to send them wise men and messengers for an additional period verse 34 therefore indeed I send you it's a future tense I will send you prophets wise men and scribes some of them you will kill and crucify crucify this is after the crucifixion of Christ and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues like they did to Peter and John and will persecute from city to city who is that the persecutor from city to city Saul of Tarsus and then Jesus pronounced the sentence then on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth from the blood of righteous abel to the blood of zechariah son of berechiah whom you murdered between the temple and the altar assuredly I say to you all these things will come upon this generation and what was the final straw even after Jesus was rejected messengers were sent to the Jewish theocracy the last light that they received was Stephen the Bible says that his face shone like an angel he preached in Acts chapter 7 a powerful sermon about the history of Israel trying to convince them to to accept the Messiah to give their lives to the Lord but they rejected the message and they stoned the last prophet that was sent to literal Israel I want to read from Ellen White by the way Jesus had already predicted that the sentence would be executed when Jerusalem would be destroyed fact in Luke 19 41 to 44 it reads as Jesus is descending the slope to Jerusalem now as he draw near he saw the city and wept over it saying if you had known even you especially in this your day the things that make for your peace but now they are hidden from your eyes for the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you surround you and close you in on every side and level you and your children within you to the ground and they will not leave in use one stone upon another and then it gives the reason because you did not know the time of your visitation because Jesus was rejected and of course the execution of the sentence that had already been pronounced when Stephen was stoned at the end of the seventy weeks was executed in the year 70 when the Romans came and destroyed the city and more than a million Jews died at the hands of the Roman armies Ellen White commenting about the destruction of Jerusalem in great controversy 28 and 29 describes the condition of the city you seen when the Dore probation closes folks it's a jungle out there it was a jungle after the door to the ark closed it was a jungle after the door to of the cities of the plain closed and after Jerusalem rejected the Messiah and probation closed for the nation the nation was under the total control of Satan notice this expression the long-suffering of God toward Jerusalem only confirm the Jews in their stubborn and penitence in their hatred and cruelty toward the disciples of Jesus they rejected the last offer of mercy then God withdrew his protection from them and removed his restraining power from Satan and his angels and the nations was left to the control of the leader she had chosen that's not gonna happen with the world as well Ellen White says that when the holy spirit is withdrawn from the world Satan will have full control of the finally in penitent the story of Jerusalem will be repeated she continues writing then God withdrew his protection from them and removed his restraining power from Satan and his angels and the nation was left to the control of the leader she had chosen her children had spurned the grace of Christ which would have enabled them to subdue their evil impulses and now these became the conquerors Satan aroused the fiercest and most debased passions of the soul men did not reason they were beyond reason controlled by impulse and blind rage they became satanic and their cruelty in the family and in the nation among the highest and lower classes alike there was suspicion Envy hatred strife rebellion murder there was no safety anywhere friends and kindred betrayed one another parents slew their children and children their parents by the way the only other time that God totally withdrew his spirit was from France during the French Revolution do you want to know what the world's gonna be like read the chapter the Bible and the French Revolution in the great controversy she continues writing the rulers of the people had no power to rule themselves uncontrolled passions made them tyrants the Jews had accepted false testimony to condemn the innocent son of God now false accusations made their own lives uncertain by their actions they had long been sane cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us now their desire was granted the fear of God no longer disturbed and Satan was at the head of the nation and the highest civil and religious authorities were under his sway by the way Jesus had already predicted that the door was going to closed for the Hebrew theocracy because they rejected the Messiah but the door would be open for the Gentiles it's interesting Luke chapter 13 verses 25 through 29 through verse 30 we find these interesting words Jesus is speaking to the Jewish nation when once the master of the house has risen up and shut the door and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door saying Lord Lord opened for us and He will answer and say to you I do not know you where you are from who was he speaking to listen to this then you will begin to say we ate and drank in your presence and you taught in our streets among what streets did Jesus preach then of the Jewish nation but he will say I tell you I do not know you where you are from depart from me all you workers of iniquity there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets of the kingdom and yourselves thrust out and then she he speak he speaks of the Gentiles they will come from the east and the west from the north and the south and sit down in the kingdom of God and indeed there are last who will be first and those who are first that will be last are you seeing the pattern cities nations the world and we're going to see churches individuals God follows the identical same plan he gives all a period of probation gives light at the very end a great light then he looks at his ledger based on the decision to accept or reject the light the sentence is pronounced the door closes and then the sentence is executed what could we say about the United States of America let's talk about churches now and the door of probation for churches Allen White wrote and this sock quotation was read by him this morning I found it in for spirit of prophecy 398 the greatest and most favored nation upon the earth is the United States and I know that you would argue would say the greatest is New Zealand in New Zealand you know is a spectacularly beautiful country but the reason why the United States is the greatest and most favored is because that's where the gospel was transferred from Europe to the new world it's all about the message the greatest and most favored nation upon the earth is the United States a gracious Providence has shielded this country and poured upon her the choicest of heavens blessings by the way is the United States going to get a special dosage of light just before probation closes what is it called the loud cry it has light but it's going to have much more light than what she has received she continues writing here the persecuted and oppressed have found refuge here the Christian faith in its purity has been taught the people have been recipients of great light and unrivaled mercies but these gifts have been repaid by ingratitude and forgetfulness of God I know I lived there the United States is no longer a nation of Christians it is greatly a nation of pagans it's had great light but it's rejected like Protestantism has rejected the light she continues writing now listen here's the judgment part the infinite one keeps a reckoning with nations and their guilt is proportioned to the light rejected a fearful record now stands in the register of heaven against our land speaking about the United States and she's dealing with slavery here by the way in this statement but then she says but the crime which shall fill up the measure of her iniquity that means that the door probation will close for the nation for prop apostate presentism she says is that of making void the law of God and I want to read this interesting statement have you ever read all of the statements where Ellen White says that national apostasy Tim read this this morning you know that's all why I tell you he's he was stealing my thunder just kidding he was he was taking the Lord's Thunder both of us are she uses that statement national apostasy to national ruin time and again in her writings she states the people of the United States have been a favorite people but when they restrict religious liberty surrender Protestantism and give countenance to potpourri all three of those are happening the measure of their guilt will be full and now listen and national apostasy will be registered in the books of heaven does god measure Nations does he give them a period of probation does he give them great light has God give Protestantism great light and yet one by one all of them are going back to Rome that restricted religious liberty and stands opposed to everything that Protestantism fought for here's another statement when Protestant churches shall unite with the secular power to sustain a false religion for opposed in which their ancestors endure the fiercest persecution then the papal Sabbath will be enforced by the combined authority of church and state there will be a national apostasy which will end only in national ruin it's always referring to Protestant America one last statement last events page 134 when the state shall use its power to enforce the decrease and sustain the institutions of the church then we'll Protestant America have formed an image to the papacy and there will be a national apostasy which will end only in national ruin which means the execution of the sentence the destruction are you seen the pattern of course this could never happen with the remnant Church let me say this I am a loyal member of the seventh-day Adventist Church I have ministerial credentials I love this church love this message but God has not chosen no Church unconditionally did you understand what I'm saying did God choose the Jewish nation he did did he choose them unconditionally no they had to fulfill the mission I'm going to read you a couple of statements I'm not saying that this is going to happen what I'm saying is that we need to be wide awake and make sure that it doesn't happen she wrote in a testimonies page 247 our position in the world is not what it should be we are far from where we should have been had our Christian experience been in harmony with the light and the opportunities given us and had we from the beginning constantly pressed onward and upward had we walked in the light that has been given to us had we followed on to know the Lord our path would have grown brighter and brighter but many of those who have had special light are so conformed to the world that they can scarcely be distinguished from world they do not stand forth as God's peculiar people chosen and precious it is difficult to discern between him that serveth God and hurt him that serveth him not are you acquainted with the message to the Church of Laodicea of course the Church of Laodicea are the Lutheran's right and the Methodists and the Presbyterians the Jones Witnesses the Mormons the Baptist the Pentecostals that is Laodicea well they're included according to the spirit of prophecy but Ellen White says it expects to the seventh-day Adventist Church as a corporate entity what does the faithful and true witness a Taleo seein if you don't accept the message I will spew you out of my mouth that sounds pretty final we need to make sure that we're not spewing out of God's mouth we need to make sure that this church experiences a revival such as never has been seen in the history of the world let me read you this statement volume 8 of the testimonies page 247 in the balances of the sanctuary the seventh-day Adventist Church is to be weighed that judgment language she will be judged by the privileges and advantages that she has had if her spiritual experience does not correspond to the advantages that Christ at infinite cost has bestowed on her if the blessings conferred have not qualified her to do the work and Trust it to her on her will be pronounced the sentence found wanting by the light bestowed the opportunity is given will she be that's a sobering statement God does not choose any entity any city any nation unconditionally and say you know you're standing till the end no matter what you do with the light that I give you we just need to make sure that Leo does he has a revival now let me mention also there's a closing of the door of probation for individuals you know it's a sobering thought that the door of probation for the world is going to close while people are alive it's one thing to be judged after you're dead after your life record is finished it's another thing to be judged while you're alive and the final generation would be judged while they're alive but you know something let's not talk about the closing of the door probation for the world because as we are alive we could sin away God's door of grace let me mention the case of Nero the judgment of an individual according to the spirit of prophecy the Apostle Paul had a an interview with Nero and here is the description she gives as you know Paul gave him a sermon about the coming judgement the need to repent she says never before had Nero heard the truth as he heard it on this occasion never before had the enormous guilt of his own life been so revealed to him the light of heaven pierced the sin polluted chambers of his soul and he trembled with terror at the thought of a tribunal before which he the ruler of the world would finally be arraigned and his deed deeds received their just reward if he had accepted Jesus all of that would have been forgiven she continues writing he feared the Apostles God and he dared not pass sentence upon Paul against whom no accusation had been sustained a sense of awe restrained for a time his bloodthirsty spirit she continues for a moment heaven was opened to the guilty and hardened Nero and its peace and purity seemed desirable that moment the invitation of mercy was extended even to him but only for a moment was the thought of pardon welcomed then the command was issued that Paul be taken back to his dungeon and as the door closed upon the Messenger of God the door of repentance closed forever against the emperor of Rome no ray of light from heaven was ever again to penetrate the darkness that enveloped him soon he was sucked to suffer the retributive judgments of God his last opportunity and of course the Apostle Paul also gave a long sermon to Felix the governor it says in acts 24 verse 25 now as the Apostle reasoned about righteousness self-control and the judgment to come Felix was afraid and answered go away for now when I have a convenient time I will call you listen to Ellen White's comment about this a ray of light from heaven had been permitted to shine upon Felix when Paul reasoned with him concerning righteousness temperance and a judgment to come that was his heaven-sent opportunity to see and to forsake his sins but he said to the messenger of God go thy way for this time when I have a convenient season I will call for the he had slighted his last offer of mercy never was should you receive another call from God soft today we hear his voice let us not harden our hearts today is the day of salvation but you know there's another door of probation that closes as Adventist you know we're experts about talk talking about the close of probation for the world you know an endtime events and I talk a lot about that I think we should discuss these things we talk about preparing for the close of probation but you know what when we die our probation closes so if you don't get to the point of the close of probation for the world but you should die today your probation closed sobering thought for people are saying well I'll accept Jesus someday there's time there's no time I don't know if I'm going to be alive thirty seconds from now that's why the Bible says that we have to make a commitment now right away Hebrews chapter 9 verse 27 says as it is appointed for men to die once but after this what the judgment when the ledger will be examined I want to end by reading a statement that we find review and Herald September 17 1901 and I hope that as we talking about these examples that we have personalized these things because God not only judges cities he not only judges civilizations he not only judges nations he not only gives churches denominations the opportunity to share the message but God also deals in the same way with individuals with us individually Ellen White wrote God bears long with the rebellion in apostasy of his subjects even when his mercy is despised and his love scorned and derided he bears with men until the last resource for leading them to repentance is exhausted but there are limits to his forbearance from those who to the end continue in obstinate rebellion he removes his protecting care Providence will no longer shield them from Satan's power and now comes this statement they will have sinned away their day of grace where is your spiritual experience today or is mine have we made a total complete unreserved personal individual commitment to Jesus Christ do we have the forgiveness of sin have we pleaded for the Holy Spirit to come into our lives to cleanse our lives and to give us the victory over sin has God impacted our lives in a significant way in our witness to other people if that hasn't happened today is the day when it needs to happen now is the time when it needs to happen I want to ask this morning how many of you would like me to have a closing prayer asking the Lord to give you and me individually a personal living experience with Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord is that the desire of your heart praise the Lord that's the reason why we're here let us pray father in heaven we realize that your love is endless but your patience has limits you do everything in your power to save us only we can stand in the way father we have a group of your children gathered here a group of your children who love you a group of your children who have made a commitment to you Oh father I ask that you will come to this place and you will fulfill the desire of each heart of those who have raised their hand perhaps we have things that have distracted us from our commitment a full commitment to Christ we ask that you'll take those things we want to get rid of them we want to have an unreserved and total commitment to Jesus everything we are everything we have we want to put in the altar of sacrifice I ask father that you will bless those who are gathered here that you will bless this magnificent marvelous seventh-day Adventist Church that is going through so many trials Satan wants to have this church he's struggling with all of his power to have it I asked Lord that you will not give the devil his way the church might get experienced a revival such as never has been seen and the Reformation such has never been seen because when that happens we can be amazed at the results thousands upon thousands will come into your remnant church we long for that day Lord use us through the power of your spirit so that that can be a reality we thank you Father for having been with us for answering our prayer for we ask it in the precious name of Jesus amen

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Published: Sat Oct 07 2017