Now let’s find our Bibles and turn to the book of Philippians in chapter 2, Philippians chapter 2, and then of course we’re going to be opening our notebook here and we’re going to be on page 71 there.

I just have a few words to plug in the blanks there and so we’ll be paying attention of course to the scripture we’re going to look at today and I think this is a real important message here, not because I’m giving it, but because of the way it fits in with what the Lord has been doing this week. Well, you look like a great bunch of young people, I’ll tell you what.

And not only that, I’ve been impressed with you all week long. I looked around, I told somebody, I said, I think we have a cross-section here. We have young people at different levels of the Christian life.

I haven’t been able to talk to a whole lot of you, but I’m excited that you’re here. And I was excited to hear about a teen conference on revival. Didn’t that sound like a good idea to you?

Well, yeah, I think it’s a great idea. And of course, as Brother Jim said, we’ve had the war at our church and Christian school several times. We’ve seen God move in a memorable and powerful way.

And the idea of getting a bunch of teenagers together to talk about revival, wow, that’s tremendous. One reason for that is because of your potential. Now, I know as Christian teenagers, you’ve been told over and over again about your potential.

You know, that means what you can be. Now, there’s some subtle things in the word potential that might be a little insulting. You know, when somebody says you’ve got a lot of potential, it seems to be saying you’re not much right now.

You know, I see in you that there’s at least an outside possibility that you might amount to something someday. But, of course, when we say potential, I want to tell you something about that. You’re a teenager.

You’ve got fantastic potential to affect the whole world. And I mean that. You really do.

But you know what? I think I’ve got potential. What do you think?

I think I do. I’m 59 years old. And that doesn’t look too old to me, because that’s what I am.

But I’m 59 years old. But I’m going to tell you what, I think I’ve got a whole lot more potential than what I have seen God do in my life yet. And the reason is that the mystery is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

And hope means potential. And I’m not kidding you about this. If we can have a personal revival or a youth group revival or a church revival through the teenagers back home, the whole world can be impacted.

Because, you know what, it’s not really about you. It’s about Christ in you. And, you know, there’s no limit to what God can do through you because it’s God doing it.

And that’s really what all these sessions are really about. But I’m excited to be here. I’m excited to have Pastor Mrs. Mark Kneeler from Juniata Baptist Church,

who has been my co-worker for many years. He and his own children are here. And then our youth group is here.

I understand about the same number of kids came to this conference as went to camp this year. And we don’t have pony rides this week or anything to try to get you to come. And so I was excited about that.

I know the ones who are here and I see a lot of potential in them. And even if I were not here this week, I’d be really excited about them being here. I’d be praying for them every day and I’m looking forward to some great things.

Now, look at this. We’re going to read several verses, starting in verse 12 of Philippians 2, that’s really about what the goal of everything is. Where are we headed? And you know, there are many things that we’ve spoken about

that almost seem as if they are an end in themselves, but they are not. Now, I’m treading carefully here, because I don’t want anybody to misunderstand. But did you know victory over sin is not an end in itself?

Did you know that Christ-likeness in this life is not an end in itself? Now, I think all of you are theologically educated enough to realize this, that in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye like that, I will be wholly sanctified and Christ-like at the trumpet sound like that. And the Christian life isn’t really just getting saved, having Christ in you, and learning over the years how to lean on him and have him live his life out through you

and become Christ-like day by day. I mean, that is the Christian life, but it’s not an end in itself. Now, we just heard a testimony, and I was really happy for that young lady to be as transparent as she was, to tell you the truth.

Fifteen minutes ago, I was asked to give a testimony. She has a great testimony. I’d heard it before, but I went right with God.

Then she came out and told us what the sin was and about getting it right. Now, you know, one thing that would subtly say to me in the back of my mind is, you know what, you can get this thing of the Christ life, you can get a handle on it, and you can abide in Christ and walk in the Spirit, and yet you still have the potential to fall. Don’t you?

See, a lot of things about her have to do with the past and her understanding this victory over sin and having victory over sin, but this very week she messed up. You know why? Because the danger, because the problem is always there.

Because we live in a body of sinful flesh. Oh, wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? The next verse says, I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Meaning this, there is deliverance. But you know what? Every day I live the Christian life, it’s a deliverance. every day I’m a decent husband it’s deliverance every day I live holy, it’s deliverance every day, it’s not once and for all at the revival conference in 2007 that I got deliverance and I’ve been perfect ever since, no way I had a fella ask me a question right on the campus of this college once he says, I’m trying to understand this

do you mean if I recognize myself to be dead to sin and alive to God that all of a sudden the struggle is over the battle is over I said no I said that’s not what that means what we’re talking about here is how to fight the battle you know have you ever given somebody counsel that you didn’t even understand before you said it when I told him that I thought that’s right we’re talking about

we don’t fight the battle with our flesh by struggling and disciplining and working harder in our flesh we struggle or we fight the battle by saying, I cannot win the battle. It’s not I, but Christ. I’m going to trust him for the victory.

Not trying, but trusting. That’s how you win. And you know, I understand the next day or so, that student at PCM told somebody that he finally got it.

But you know what? It’s an ongoing thing, and it’s a means to an end. We’re going to read what the goal is. And let’s start

now with verse 12. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings, that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights

in the world. You know what the Lord’s plan was for these several days? That he would get a hold of our lives, that we would go out of this very sacred and revered place. And I have so many memories and so many wonderful thoughts and feelings when I walk in these doors, that we’d go

away for this conference as lights in this dark world. Let’s pray. Oh Lord, let your will be done.

Let this goal be fulfilled. Let us not only understand, but yield and make us lights in the world. We pray in Jesus name.

Amen. Well, that’s point one there. If you’re into writing everything down.

The goal of revival is that we would be lights in the world. A great revival verse is Acts 1.8, but ye shall receive power. After that, the Holy Ghost has come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me. In both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the uttermost

part of the earth. I’ve always taken about those days when the Lord Jesus, risen from the dead, prepared his disciples for their future life and ministry. I’ve always taken about the times when he looked these men square in the eye as if he meant what he was saying and said to fishermen, said to poor men, said to men with all kinds of limitations, the uttermost part of the earth.

Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. And he meant it. He looked him right in the eye.

He said, you will receive power. After that, the Holy Ghost has come upon you. And there’s revival.

And I’m going to make you into my witnesses. All over this great city, this great hardened city. This city that cried out for my blood not many weeks ago.

This city that crucified me. in Jerusalem, and then in all Judea, the entire province, then in Samaria, the next province of the Roman Empire, and then men to the uttermost part of the earth. And he meant it when he said that. And he was saying, you know, when my will is fulfilled in your life

and I have total control of you, I’m going to do miracles through you. I’m going to make you lights in the world. Now, I probably don’t need to tell you that the Lord Jesus, in the very beginning of his ministry, said that this was his goal for our life. in Matthew of course chapter 5 I’m going to read the verses and if you can look them up or just

listen Matthew 5 14 Jesus said to his disciples at that first great sermon the sermon on the mount he said ye are the light of the world then he said neither do men light a candle oh no he said you’re the light of the world a city that is on a hill cannot be hid neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick. And it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven. He was saying, don’t hide the difference between you and everybody else. The world is dark and you’re the lights of the world.

You know, a little light can have a lot of influence on darkness. Well, I came home from somewhere just a few weeks ago, and it was late at night, like two, I can’t remember just one, but it was two or three in the morning. And my wife left the door open.

That was nice of her. And so I came in, and I turned on the garage light. I come through a door that goes through the garage, and the garage light did not come on because I didn’t want to trip over anything that was in the garage.

The garage light did not come on, so I thought, well, you know what? The lights burned out. I may not be as diligent around the house as I ought to be.

We have a couple of light bulbs in the garage, and if one burns out, I neglect to replace it often. And so that means there’s only one left, and when it burns out, that’s the end. So I thought, well, all right, it’s my own problem.

I didn’t, you know, replace the light bulb. Well, it didn’t come on. Well, I went to the, I felt my way up to the door that goes into the house, went inside, turned on a light, and it didn’t come on.

So I thought, you know what, we don’t have any power. So I crept down carefully through the furniture to our bedroom, and I noticed that nothing was on. I mean, the little lighted clock didn’t tell a time.

So I said the obvious. I said to my wife, who was trying to sleep, I said, you know, there’s no power. And she said, yes, it went off about 11 o’clock.

And I said, well, it’s about 2 o’clock in the morning, no power. And I was worried about something. we have a sump pump in our basement.

Everybody in Michigan has a sump pump. Do you know what a sump pump is? Okay, our problem at our house is this, that most of the year, our sump pump works all day long. I’m not talking about constantly, but at periodic times during the day, it’ll start

working because water is trying to get into our basement. So when the power goes off, that often means a flooded basement. So it makes me a little nervous when there’s no power in there. We do do have out in the shed in the back a generator, but there’s a lot of work involved in getting all

that going. But I had noticed that we had had a dry season. I didn’t think we’d have the problem.

I hadn’t noticed the sump pump going off, but I wanted to find out. The sump pump’s in the basement. Now, remember, it is pitch black, and there’s no moonlight.

There’s nothing. And I’m talking about you can’t see anything. Yeah, you might as well be blind. So we have a lantern that we put, of all places up on a shelf next to the place where you go down into the basement, this deep set

of steps. So I take my life into my own hands just to make sure that we’re not going to have a problem in the basement. I open the door and then I sit down on the step and I feel over where the shelf is, where the lantern is.

I feel like this and I find the shelf and I recognize this, that’s not the lantern. I recognize this, that’s not the lantern. Somebody has moved the lantern. so my wife’s name is a tony tony where’s the land she says it’s on the shelf okay so i come down just i can’t see a thing and i’m telling you if i fell down those steps i break

my neck and i don’t make it to the teen conference on revival so i’m feeling down here and i i finally felt something that i knew was stuck on the far end and the land the lantern’s not there so now what do I do? A candle. I know maybe where there are matches in the pitch black.

I’m up there. Finally, when I’m up there, Brother Fisher, I remember that just a few weeks ago, I was initiated into the real world by getting a cell phone. See, I don’t, I haven’t had a cell phone, but guess what?

A cell phone has a light. Whoa. So I happen to remember that. And I put, I fell

around, pushed a button, and the light on the cell phone came on. It’s almost like a flashlight. And so I come back to the basement, and I find the lantern, which has been placed way, way over here, and I’m in the wrong place.

I won’t tell you who did it, but I live just with me and my wife. But moved to a very dangerous place where somebody shouldn’t be fooling around in the dark, but I got the lantern, turned it on, checked out. Sump up was fine.

Lights came on in about an hour. No problem, Okay, but I’m going to tell you what that is, a little thing, cell phone like this. But if we had total darkness in this room, there’s no windows in here.

There was no light coming in from the lobby, and it was pitch black in here. This will shed a lot of light. You can see a lot.

So the light never has to be the majority, but it has not to be hid. And the Lord Jesus was telling his disciples, you are going to be entirely different than anybody else if you’ll follow me. But don’t hide the difference.

That difference is going to be the reason that you are in the world. Because you are lights in the world. If you read the whole Sermon on the Mount, and I won’t go into that, that’s the emphasis from the beginning.

He says, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Now the world says, blessed are the rich. Jesus said, blessed are the poor.

He says, and I may not get these all in order, blessed are the meek. The world says, blessed are the dynamic. He says, blessed are they that mourn.

And the world says, blessed are they that laugh. He’s saying your standard of the good life is going to be the opposite of the rest of the world. But don’t hide it.

You’re the salt of the earth. You’re the light of the world. See, then he goes on and he says, your standard of righteousness is going to be different.

The Pharisees say, don’t commit adultery. I say, don’t lust after a woman. The Pharisees say, don’t kill.

I say, don’t hate. you’re going to have a very much higher standard of righteousness. Then he says, you know what they will do? They will pray to be seen of men,

but you’re going to pray in secret, only seen by the Father. You go through the Sermon on the Mount, the whole thing about it is, if you follow me, you’re going to be different than the rest of the world. But that’s your power.

Your difference is your strength. It’s your reason to live. And if you will live the normal life of a disciple of Jesus Christ, which is revival, You will be a light in the world.

Now, this thing, the words of the Bible are so precise. He says, ye are lights in the world. And then he said, ye shall be witnesses unto me.

He didn’t say you will witness. He said you will be a witness. He didn’t say you will shine the light.

He said you will be a light. And you know what that means? That means both life and lip.

Life and witness. the change in your life coupled with the words of your mouth. You know, back here in Philippians 2, he says, Among whom ye shine his lights in the world. But verse 16 says, Holding forth the word of life

using your mouth to witness for Jesus Christ. And yet, having a life that certainly does draw attention to the fact that you are somebody different. Now, you know, there’s some obvious ways that sometimes we preachers hit on all the time, that Christians ought to look different than the world, like they’re clothes. And I agree with all of those standards,

and we uphold them, and I’m for them. And you know what? Clothes are a means of communication.

Did you know that? Clothes are a means of communication. Everybody says something by the way they look and by how they dress.

Everybody does. This isn’t just preaching at the conference on revival. This is absolutely the truth.

I’m talking about lost people agree with it. They really do. They dress like they do on purpose because they have a message.

Now, you know that. And they’re not proud. They are proud.

Excuse me. They’re absolutely proud of what they stand for. Now, I’m just going to pick this out.

I don’t see anybody doing this. But if I offend you, I’m sorry. Okay, but here’s what it is.

If somebody has everything pierced and some piece of jewelry stuck through almost every piece of flesh available on your body. And you know, they’re hanging everywhere and you better watch out in a thunderstorm. And tongue and ears.

And you’re like that. You know, a person like that, they’re ashamed of it, aren’t they? You know, they go to school, they go to the mall and they go, don’t look at me.

No, they’re not. They’re just walking as arrogant as they can be. And I don’t know what the statement is.

But they’re making a statement and they want you to understand what they’re saying by what they wear. And you know what? Our clothes certainly ought to be something that says what we’re trying to say with our mouth.

That speaks of a holy God and of redemption in Christ. Certainly should. But what I’m starting to say now is that, you know what, it’s a whole lot deeper than what you wear.

Or how long or short your hair is. Or the doily on your head. It’s a whole lot more serious than something simple as that.

I don’t go to movies. I don’t watch DVDs. I don’t do this.

I don’t do that. Well, good for you. I agree with you.

But the light in the world is not just somebody who doesn’t do things. You know, if you never talk to anybody about the Lord Jesus Christ from your heart, not just because you’re disciplined to do so, because it’s soul winning night. If you don’t ever confess Jesus Christ, and you just live so good, and you think that people looking at you will say, you know what, I’m really impressed with her.

She wears long skirts. You know what I think? there’s something special about him.

He doesn’t have a ring in his nose. You know, I have really noticed that that guy working in this place, he doesn’t listen to rock music. I’m impressed with him. If you think that’s the way the world looks at you because of the way you dress and act,

you are really confused. You know what they may think? They may think you’re a religious nut.

You know what else they may think? They may think you think you’re better than they are. And if you don’t open your mouth and hold forth the word of life, they will never know the reason for the difference in you.

See, a light in the world is someone who is different. Because if light was the same as darkness, it would be no good. And they have a bright shining light from the inside out.

And yet they are regularly talking to people about the Lord Jesus Christ so people know why they’re different. And there is no need in the world as great as the need for us to be the light of the world. Now on your sheet here, I go through a section in the book of John.

I won’t go through with you by reading right now, but I’ll mention it to you about this thing. John chapter 1 says, In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And then it says that the light shines in darkness.

And then it speaks of Jesus Christ. He’s the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. And then in a later chapter, he says, As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. And then in John chapter 8, he says,

I am the light of the world. He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. And then in John chapter 12, he says, As long as you have the light, believe in the light so that you might be the children of light.

Meaning that the light of the world is Jesus Christ. But that in a secondary way, I’m the light of the world. I’m the light of the world as I reflect his light.

You know, the book of Malachi, last book of the Old Testament, speaks of the Messiah as the son of righteousness. Okay, and I read Genesis 1 and it says there were two great lights that were created. The sun to rule the day and the moon to rule the night.

Remember that? So at least in my mind, I picture myself as part of the moon. And the moon’s light is not from the moon.

The moon’s light is from the sun. And when Jesus Christ was in the world, he was the light of the world. He was that bright sun of righteousness.

And now there has been a sunset. And the Lord Jesus isn’t in this world anymore. But through his people, the moon, he reflects his light into the world.

And now we are the light of the world. Not when we’re carnal. Not when we’re disobedient.

Not when we conform to the world. Not when we turn our light out. Not when we hide our light.

Not when we refuse to witness. But when we’re in a state of revival. We are the lights of the world, which is the greatest need ever.

And I’m going to tell you what. Someone says, how did the team conference on revival go? Well, we’re going to find out in a few days.

We’re not talking about attendance. We’re not talking about size of the offering. We’re not talking about how many people came forward or went backward.

We’re not talking about testimonies. We’re talking about did they send forth lights into the world. And you know what? You don’t understand how your home, your school, those of you in public school, actually in Christian school too,

how your neighborhood will be impacted if you go home as a flaming light. You have no idea the power of it. The fact is, folks, I teach here at the college ministry very often, and I am sure glad for when I do that.

It’s a great thing to do. But I’m going to tell you what. I have a class that I’ve taught a couple times on the history of revival. I’m going to tell you, the great national revivals in America

have often been characterized by young people taking the lead. Really, the great awakening. Great awakening. In his accounts, Pastor Jonathan Edwards tells how the young people were converted,

It got on fire for God, began winning souls. And it was a very important part of the Great Awakening that shook all the colonies and prepared us for the coming of our independence and brought so many thousands of souls into the kingdom. It was when young people became lights in the world.

You know, I hate to use the word again, potential. But I see a lot of potential in young people, not just you here. But I’m seeing young people brought up in the wrong way in some Christian homes who have found themselves empty, some of them disillusioned with Christianity, but they get a hold of revival truth and find out that Christ really lives in them and they don’t have to live this dull, restrictive, purely by the flesh standards type life

that they can live the Christian life with Christ living through them. I’ve seen them come alive. I’ve seen them in college come alive.

I’ve seen the potential for another great awakening. In the second great awakening, During a time when this longest of our national revivals began to wane, a young attorney by the name of Charles G. Finney was converted in Adams, New York. He was actually going to the Presbyterian Church before he got saved,

and he made fun of the pastor’s sermons and of the people’s prayer meetings. One time he walked into the prayer meeting. He wasn’t saved.

Everybody knew he wasn’t saved. He didn’t have a Christian background, and he was pretty pagan, and he walked into the prayer meeting. They had asked him, this is not a good idea, to direct the choir, Because he had musical ability, but he wasn’t saved. Well, one prayer meeting he walked in, and someone looked at him and said,

Mr. Finney, would you like us to pray for you tonight for your conversion? He said, no, I wouldn’t.

And they said, well, why would you not want us to pray for your conversion? Do you want to go to hell? He said, no, the reason I wouldn’t like you to pray for my conversion is because I’ve been coming to your prayer meetings, and I don’t see any value in having you pray, because your prayers don’t make any difference.

and he rebuked them about the way they prayed. And I won’t get on a rabbit trail about that. And he didn’t believe that they even believed their prayers would be answered.

They were not a good guy, but the young people of the church liked him. A pretty dangerous situation. Finally, Finney did get saved and the gospel did get through to him.

And he went out into the woods one day and he couldn’t stand it any longer. And he told God as he took his Bible out into the woods, and this isn’t the right way to put it, but he wasn’t converted. He said, Dear God, I’m going to get converted today or die in the attempt.

He went out there, God spoke to him, and he came back a changed man. You know what happened? The young people in the church got revived through Finney’s conversion.

And so many times you’re just looking for it. When you read revival history, you look for young people who become lights in the world, like Evan Roberts over there in Wales at the Great Welsh Revival 100 years ago. I’m just saying, God will use you.

If you’ll be revived, it won’t just be so that you don’t get hassled by your parents anymore. It won’t just be so you can be the highlight of the youth group. And instead of being the one they pray for, you’re the one up in front leading in prayer.

It’s not little things like that. It’s something really big. And that’s Jesus Christ reflecting His light in you.

You know, some of you go to public school. I tell you what, there have been amazing things. I’m sorry you go to public school.

But there have been amazing things happen with kids who have to go there. And I wish you didn’t have to go there. When they got fired up and became lights in the world.

But some of you don’t have anything to do with those things. That’s fine. Some of you will even say, I don’t know unsaved people.

I don’t know unsaved people. We go to a fundamental church. I go to a Christian school.

I’m homeschooled. I’m protected. I’m sheltered.

I don’t know unsaved people. You liar. What about your neighbors?

Do you have neighbors? Do you live in prison? Do you live on an island?

Is there a moat around your house? What about your neighbors? Well, I’m going to tell you what. I remember one time I got fired up, went home from Bible college, and went around our block, our whole block, simple thing, knocked on the door,

and said, I’m Rick Flanders. I live over here on Westridge Road. You may know our family.

I don’t know if you do or not. But I’m studying for the ministry at Bible college. And I came home with a burden that all the people in our neighborhood would know how to go to heaven.

And I’d just like to give you a little piece of literature. And you know what? Everybody in that little trip around the block received it very gladly from me, and I got some good witnesses out there.

Did you know you don’t have to have a gimmick? You can be straight out. You can go to your neighbor and say, you know what?

I went to the Teen Revival Conference over in Milwaukee. Maybe you knew I was away, but I came back with a burden for you. And really, I don’t know if you folks are saved or not, and I wonder if you’ll let me talk to you or if you’ll read this literature. And I’m going to tell you, there’ll be a tremendous impact in the world if we go home revived as lights in the world,

in our school, in our neighborhood, and yes, in our church. How many times a church in deep trouble, I’m talking about spiritual trouble, has been transformed and brought back to where it ought to be through the testimony of revived teenagers. It has happened so many times.

Why is it that Jim Vengelran wastes his time with teenagers? I mean, Jim McGillard is a good preacher. Don’t you think so?

I think he’s a tremendous preacher. I remember when I first got to talk to him, I tried to talk him into a week of regular meetings, revival meetings in our church, and he was pretty booked up. He has done that for us now since then.

But what I’m saying is, why would he do that? I’ll tell you why. Revival often begins with a youth group.

Often does. I’ll tell you what, you have a move of God in something like the War of Special Forces among the young people that really gets a hold of them and turns them into lights in the world, that whole church is going to be impacted. Yeah, I’m going to tell you what. Something important is happening here that has to do with back home, school, neighborhood, church,

the whole world. The whole world. And, you know, I’m thinking about a man who’s a light in the world.

His name is Stephen Kovac. If I know a servant of God who is humble and unassuming but very knowledgeable about the Bible with a passion for revival, It’s Pastor Stephen Kovac, who has planted a little church. There’s a great story about it, but I won’t take the time to tell that story.

But he and I and another man traveled over to this area for a reason. Actually, I think to Chicago. You know what?

Stephen Kovac was such an inspiration as he took every opportunity to witness as we came along the road. Every time he stopped for gas, get a little something to drink, a little snack. He would be up there talking to the person behind the counter.

We gave out tracks, too. But what an earnest soul winner he was. he didn’t just say read this this is a tract or I’d like to give this to you he’d have a conversation where he’d find out more about them and tell them what God had done in his life oh that’s a wonderful fact Stephen Kovach is a light in the world did you know on the road on your way home you could be lights in the world matter of fact

I think it’d be a sin brother Gilmore I think it’d be a travesty if we talked for two or three days about revival here and went all the way home and walked right past all these lost folks and could care less. Didn’t give out a single track, didn’t open our mouth, went home, said, oh yeah, yeah, we had a great conference, it was great. I went to the altar 14 times. I’ll

tell you what, this old world isn’t being benefited by your trips to the altar if God doesn’t change you into a witness for him. But that’s exactly what he plans to do, and that’s what he will do. And you know, I want to just say this, then I’m going to move on to the next couple things, And that is, you know what? Every one of you, I think, is thinking about your future,

and you ought to think about a Christian college that emphasizes revival. You know, when I went to Christian college, I had a college where there was a lot of revival atmosphere there. But I began to wonder, I wonder why they don’t have a college that’s kind of like the college Jesus had. For three and a half years, he trained 12 men to go into the ministry

and to do what he was doing. And his classes were on things like praying. I said you know I got a four year curriculum and I don’t have anywhere on my curriculum a class on praying and it was about the Holy Ghost and it was about so why don’t we get trained like that I’m going to tell you Baptist College of Ministry is the kind of college I dreamed of when I was in school

you know I remember a visit that I made here one of the first ones I sat down and I noticed everything that was going on and I sat at lunch first of all my lunch experience was very unique for a Christian college because every time I had lunch, sat at the table with students, I had an intelligent conversation with them. Now, that’s really unusual. Always did.

And I sat at this table and I said, hey, you know what? You don’t have some big college campus. You’re not on some beach.

You know, you don’t have a brand new, you know, gym. And I said, you all come here because you love the Lord. I said, that must mean that there are no bad kids here.

That’d be different. There must not be no bad kids here. Well, they all kind of smirked at me.

So there must have been a few bad kids. I don’t know. I remember another time I was sitting there and I didn’t mean to make trouble.

I didn’t make trouble. I had found out more and more about faith-based mate finding. Okay.

I’d like to talk to you about that. Just there’s only one thing that bothers me about that. And that’s the word mate.

My son John is laughing about that. In the Bible, the word mate never appears when it comes to a marriage partner. As a matter of fact, mate is what we use to refer to chimpanzees.

And did you know a husband is not a male wife? And a wife is not a female husband? And that they have opposite and different job descriptions?

So I avoid the word mate. And I don’t know what you’re going to do about that. But I’ll throw that out to you.

But anyway, I heard more about that and about the standards they had here about boy-girl things. And I brought them up and I asked questions and I was given straight answers. Then I just looked at everybody.

I know I should have done this. I said, what do you think about that? And I remember a girl right over here looked at me and I’m sure she’s graduated now.

She said, well, Pastor Flanders, I wouldn’t want to make a mistake about who I marry. Pretty good answer, eh? Tell you what.

And you ought to really be thinking about coming to this college or a college like this one. And there isn’t any other college like this one. So anyway.

Now, okay, that’s the goal. And look at this contrast. I’m not going to take time on all this.

Right in our verses, between the world and the sons of God. Take a look at this. Up here in verse 12, it says, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Okay, my life should be a life of respect and walking in the fear of God. fear and trembling. Now let me keep reading.

Verse 14. Do all things without murmurings and disputings. You know, the world is full of murmurings and disputings.

Full of it. And I don’t have to prove that to probably most of you. Murmuring, that’s complaining.

Disputing, that’s arguing. That’s what goes on all day long at workplaces. You know, I hate to tell you this, but before I was a Christian.

I was a professional griper. And I was good at it. I was clever. When I

went to public school, I would find ways of complaining. And I would find ways of mocking those in authority over me and the teachers. And I was good at it.

And I enjoyed it. I complained and griped as a hobby. Went off to Christian college, got put in a dormitory. Back in those

days, they had a sign on every dormitory room door that said, griping not tolerated. And I looked at that and I went, now I was a new Christian when I went off to Christian college and I was really afraid they’d expel me anyway, but I was sure when I saw that. You know why? It’s because this world, I mean, they gripe about the boss, they gripe about the government, they gripe about the taxes,

about the speed limit, they gripe about their parents, they gripe about their wife, gripe, murmuring. But you know what? You find somebody who doesn’t murmur and complain. They shine as a light

in the world. Fear and trembling. That’s on the sons of God’s side.

Murmurings and disputing. That’s the world. Let’s keep going.

That ye may be blameless and harmless. The sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation. Okay?

The world is crooked and perverse. Do you think that’s true? I mean, memorize that verse and meditate on it today.

Crooked and perverse. Crooked and perverse. Is that what this nation, this world is about?

Oh yeah, it is. But not you. What are we to be?

Blameless and harmless. You know, I go out into life every day where I don’t want to hurt a flea. I don’t want to lift my little finger against anybody in the world. Now, I may have to reprove

them. I may have to confront people like Brother Ingram said, but it’s out of love. And I’m not living my life for myself or to do any harm. I will be blameless and harmless if I find that I am to

be blamed. I will be contrite. I will break down. I will ask forgiveness because I don’t want to be

blamed. I don’t want to be guilty of wrong. And I don’t want to do any harm. What a difference that will be blameless and harmless, living in fear and trembling versus crooked and perverse with

murmurings and disputings. What a change that would be. Second thing, the responsibility for revival. All right, God wants me to be a light in the world, and I really ought to be, and something inside me

makes me want to be a light for Jesus Christ. But now who’s responsible to revive me? Am I supposed to ride all the way to Milwaukee, come into these sections, and then you know what? God has got to

zap me? Am I going to sit there in the surface and say, well, I heard Sam’s, Brother Sam’s here, and he’s pretty animated up there, and I enjoyed him, but it didn’t get me. Didn’t get me.

I didn’t move. I didn’t even move in my heart. Didn’t get me.

Well, okay. Let’s see if Flanders can do me anything. Pastor Ben Gelderen, Jim, rest of them.

Didn’t get me yet. And there’s already been preached about the hardness of your heart. That’s dangerous.

But what I’m saying is, whose responsibility is it for you to have a revival? Well, the verse says, up there, verse 12. This is a pretty interesting verse. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only,

but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Now, in the book of Philippians, salvation is not referring to the salvation of our soul from hell. Matter of fact, I won’t take time to show that to you.

Salvation is a very big word. In my old Schofield reference Bible, there is a reference there to a note on Romans 1.16, which shows the wide application of the word salvation. Salvation is about the whole thing.

It’s about salvation from the penalty of sin, yes, but also salvation from the power of sin. And in chapter 1, he says, I just know that through your prayers, this is going to work out to my salvation. Not to Paul getting saved when it comes to his eternity, but about his growth and becoming Christ-like. So when he says, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

he’s saying, it’s your responsibility to have a revival. He says, you know, you always were very obedient to God when I was with you. But now even more in my absence, isn’t that interesting he said even more?

Even more in my absence, I want you to work out your own sanctification, salvation, revival. I want you to take responsibility for your growth and for your victory. It’s your responsibility to be revived.

Now, we might say it this way. You know, Jim Van Gilderen says, you know, you were really good when we were there with the team and we had the war in your Christian school. Man, your testimonies were great, and some of you may have even traveled with me somewhere else.

But you know what? Not only in my presence should you obey God, but even more in my absence. Now, you know, I wonder about that, Brother Hurth.

Even more in my absence? And then the obvious answer to the question that comes up there is this. You know what?

In my presence is a limited period of time. I’m the pastor of your church. I’ve been there 34 years.

Doesn’t look like a very limited time there. 34 years. God’s moving me on to a different ministry now.

But even the pastor of your church is only with you for a certain period of time. Sundays, Wednesdays, and so on. Your parents are only around for a certain period of time. One reason why this happens to happen, this revival matter has to happen even more in the preacher’s absence,

is because there’s a whole lot more time when he’s absent. And the war moves on, but I’m going to tell you what, if something good happens in your life that sparks something that is ongoing, life on, then we’ve got something, lifelong. Yeah, let’s not talk about the war.

Let’s talk about the Teen Revival Conference. And so one of the men, me, stands up and says, you’re doing pretty good this week. But you know what?

Just like you’re having a revival in my presence, in our presence, even more when you go home. Work out your own revival. And let it go places we could never take you.

Let it take you around the world. Let it fill you with His power. Let it mean the salvation of a multitude.

You know, I like the school here. I taught this seminary class this last January. And on Friday, the class was over after the finishing part of it.

I was going to say after the exam, but it was a take-home exam. Long story there. But I was glad to hear about two guys in my revival class. I’m going to tell you, Brother Van Gelden, this didn’t happen in my seminary,

who talked after a week or several, many hours of discussion about the history of revival. And they looked at each other and they said, let’s go soul winning. Went out and I think they led 11 men, people to Jesus Christ.

Pretty good, huh? I’m going to tell you that’s exactly what ought to happen. God says it’s your responsibility.

Your responsibility. It’s not, you know what, I’ll tell you what, those preachers at the Teen Revival Conference, they’re a whole lot better preachers than our youth director. Tell you, we get a whole lot more there than we get from our pastor, Baloney Phui.

Those are Greek words. Baloney Phui. He said, in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

It’s your responsibility to keep the revival going. And you know how to do it. Sure you do. But then verse 13 says,

For it is God which worketh in you, both the will and the do of his good pleasure. Meaning this, whose responsibility? It’s yours, but it’s also God’s.

And you know what that means? Every time you stop and decide, you know, I don’t want to live this halfway, good for nothing, rebellious teenage life. I want to be somebody for God.

I want to be a light in the world. Do you know what? That’s not just you.

That’s God. That’s God in you. Who’s given you the will. You know, powerful, wonderful, eternal, important things are happening every minute in this conference,

in your heart, in your mind, in your life. There are thoughts going through your mind right now that may result in the salvation of 10,000 souls in a foreign country one day. And I’m not kidding you about that. There are decisions being made in your heart and mind, whether you came forward or not, about marriage and boy-girl relationships that’s going to keep you pure and put you with somebody, and you’ll be the greatest team,

one of the greatest teams the world has ever seen, a man and wife, out as lights in the world. And I’m saying that the thoughts going through your mind are God working in your life. Because it’s God working in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure.

Now I hurry to this. Number three, the bottom line of revival. Okay, watch.

The goal of revival is that I be light in the world. Number two, the responsibility is mine and it’s God’s. And God’s working that in my life.

You want to know what God’s doing in your life? That’s exactly what he’s doing. He’s bringing you to revival so you’ll be a witness for him.

No question, that’s what it is. Number three, the bottom line of revival. What is it? Verse 12, wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only,

but now much more in my absence. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Obedience to God.

That’s it. Now watch. We have talked about a lot of things yesterday and today. Getting right about sin, having a clean heart, yielding all to Christ,

trusting in Him for the power for holiness and victory over sin. We’ve learned a lot of doctrine. But you know what?

Some of us are smarter than other people. How many of you have ever noticed that in any group, some are smarter than other people? Okay.

So you’ve noticed the dummies too, haven’t you? Okay. Not you, of course.

Okay. Now, you know, some people can get it. I mean, in detail.

They can quote scripture. They can explain it to you. They can draw a chart.

Here’s how we live the Christian life. Here’s what carnality is. Here’s what spirituality is.

Here’s how to get from here. But a lot of people, huh? Do I have to understand all of those books on the table back there to be a revived Christian?

No. There’s a bottom line. And the bottom line is absolute obedience to Jesus Christ. You know, if a young person was in another conference or at another camp, and he came forward and he didn’t know anything about revival or the terms of revival, he came to an altar and he just said,

Jesus Christ, I surrender my life without strings. And I will obey you. And Lord, I’ll do anything you want me to do if you show me what it is and help me do it.

I’ll tell you what, a revival happened in that kid’s life. And later on, he’s going to learn about being filled with the Spirit. He is filled with the Spirit, he just doesn’t know it.

He’s going to learn about witnessing. But you know what the bottom line is? Absolute obedience to Jesus Christ.

That’s how we become a light in the world. And anyone who surrenders absolutely to Jesus Christ will be a light in the world. And there’s an example given to us.

Oh, the ultimate example. I hope you have your Bible open. Look at verse 5.

These are verses that come before what we’ve been reading. The example is the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Verse 5.

Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus. In other words, he’s saying, I want you right now to stop and think like Jesus Christ. And then these words are so beautiful, they could be poetry.

They are so powerful. They should probably be placed on the wall of the lobby of every church in America. They should be up on your wall at home. these beautiful words but they are more than beautiful words they are descriptions of absolute obedience listen to this let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God now Jesus Christ started at the highest height

he was in the form of God He didn’t think it was robbery to be considered equal with God. You know why? He is equal with God.

He is God. In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God and the Word was God.

He is the second person of the Trinity. I and my Father are one. He is God.

And for all eternity, He has been God and He is God. Being in the form of God, the highest heights, He thought it not robbery to be equal with God. He was not embarrassed to say, I am equal with God, because he was co-equal with the Father.

Now watch this, from the highest heights, watch as he comes down. But made himself of no reputation. You know, we do a whole lot to protect our reputation.

I know I do, and I’m ashamed of it. The fact that I am careful about my reputation. There’s going to be reasons for that, but can you imagine this?

At my very best, who am I? I am Rick Flanders. I’ve been a gospel preacher for quite a few years. I have maybe had some impact on the world,

and I’ve got a pretty good education. I’ve got a nice wife. I’ve got good kids.

But he is God. And he made himself, made himself, it was voluntary, of no reputation. He came into this world and the woman, the Virgin Mary, was born in the most poor and unassuming circumstances.

Unreal. He made himself of no reputation. And took upon him the form of a what?

Took upon him. Are you looking at this? Jesus Christ, who came from the highest heights, being in the form of God.

It wasn’t robbery to say he was equal with God because he was. he made himself of no reputation and he took upon him the form of a what? He didn’t come to earth as king.

He didn’t come to earth as preacher. He came to earth as a servant serving others. When he was going from one place to another to preach the word of God he could not pause he could not go past a need. When there was a funeral he broke up the funeral and he bound the heart of the weeping widow

by raising her son from the dead. When they were hungry, he said, don’t send them away. We’re going to feed them. The Lord Jesus could not go through his life in ministry without stopping to meet every need

because he was a servant. Now look at this. Keep going. It says, he took upon him the form of a servant

and was made in the likeness of men. You know why it says that? Because men are made to be servants.

Take a look at the design of your body. We aren’t made like animals. We are made to serve.

If you were to look at our bodies, how I am able to get around on two feet standing up. I can jump over things. I can climb things.

You look at my arms and my hands, which are wonderfully made with the thumb working in conjunction with four fingers. I can do work. Matter of fact, if you look at the human body, you would say, that machine is made to work as a servant.

So he came to earth as a servant. And the Bible says down here, he was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became what?

Obedient. He was the one who ought to be obeyed. He is Lord.

He is to be obeyed. But you know what? He started out at the highest heights in the form of God.

And he made himself of no reputation. And he came to earth as a servant. And as a servant, he became obedient.

He became obedient. The Lord Jesus Christ obeyed. But now listen to this.

It continues. The Bible says he became obedient unto death. Now, I don’t remember exactly how old I was when I got my first job.

But I’ve had quite a few different jobs before I went into the ministry. And I know how to obey the boss. And if you’re smart, you know how to obey the boss. We remember a guy, it’s so long ago, nobody from Junietta will know who this is,

who had a job at Dairy Queen in Carroll. And a lot of kids from our Christian school and church got a job from a couple who owned the Dairy Queen up there. And it was a good place to make money.

But one day he was sitting there with his hands in his pocket, standing there, just kind of looking around. And the boss came up to him and said, what do you think you’re doing? And he said, resting.

You know what? The boss let him rest from here on out. Fired him.

And yet, most Christian young people at our church, they know how to work. They know how to obey the boss. Let’s say you had a job.

Let’s say you had normal things to do. You had shelves to stock. Maybe you had a room to mop.

But you know what? You were just there to do what the boss says. You know what?

Your test of obedience to the boss is what he would ask you to do. What if you came in the morning and you were going to stock these shelves? And he says, you know what?

I don’t need you to do that today. I’ve got another job for you. What is it?

What if it has to do with cleaning out the toilets? Let’s say, and I don’t want to be gross, but at youth meetings, you always got to be gross a little bit. But let’s say something had happened.

And that was in the men’s room. And they’re going to have you clean up the mess. Something had happened.

Let your imagination go wild. And the boss says, I want you to get in there. And I want you to stay in there until you clean that thing up.

And you’re in there gagging, but you do it. Clean the whole thing up and you’re done. That shows how obedient you are.

But what if we push the envelope? What if the boss came in and he ordered you to do something where you would risk your life? Right then we’d be thinking, wait a minute.

I like Dairy Queen. And I like you and I want to be a good employee. But I’m not going to risk my life for this minimum wage job.

And off we go. Would anybody blame you? I’m not saying that you should risk your life on a Walmart type job or something no, but I’m saying when you’re called upon to do something farther than the ordinary it’s a test of your obedience now our Lord was obedient to his father unto death and he said nevertheless he said if it be possible let this cup pass from me in other words, if there’s any one other way to save the world

let this cup pass from me but there was no other way he said not my will but thine be done but then it says this he became obedient unto death even the death of the cross I heard on the news a couple years ago that Mel Gibson had made a movie and that it was controversial it was about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ naturally what I thought. I know why it’s controversial. It’s because Mel Gibson messed

the story up, and all the Christians are up in arms, and they’re putting it on the news. Then I found out, no. They said the movie was controversial because Mel Gibson made it look as if the death of Jesus Christ was the responsibility of the Jewish leaders.

Duh. That would be like writing a book or making a film and saying that Abraham Lincoln was shot by a southern sympathizer. Duh.

It’s history. They were telling about all these people who were offended by this anti-Semitism of telling history. And then I listened more carefully, and you know they did the big hype, and then I found out that they were telling about the gruesome scene of Christ’s diamond cross. I’m going to tell you, I have never seen that film, and I never want to,

and I never want you to see it. And one reason for that is this. It is our enemy who delights in how gruesome it was that Jesus died. And I remember when I was first saved, I read in the book of Matthew about how he died,

and I broke down and cried, Brother Gilmore. I didn’t have pictures, but I had an imagination. And I couldn’t believe he would do that for me, that he would let them do that to him, and that they would be so wicked as to do that to the Son of God.

And I don’t want to see it. Besides that, of course, probably everybody knows that the whole story is perverted with Catholic legend. It isn’t really the real thing.

But you know what? People have seen it. I’ve talked to people who have seen it.

And they’ll say, oh, it was horrible. It was horrifying. But I’ll tell you what.

You know what that is? It’s the death of the cross. And you know what?

The death of the cross might have been the most horrible death anyone has ever died. When they laid Jesus Christ down on that cross, the Bible says in the book of Matthew that they gave him vinegar mingled with gall. in the book of Mark it says it was wine mingled with myrrh now these are two descriptions of the same mixture what that mixture is young people is a painkiller a painkiller they always gave to men before crucifying them because the suffering would be so extreme

that even these hard-hearted soldiers thought we can at least give him a little morphine. We can at least give him a painkiller. So it won’t be that bad.

And then the book of Matthew, the Bible says what they gave him. That mixture, the painkiller, he tasted it. He could tell what it was.

And he would not drink. And the book of Mark it says, but he received it not. And my Lord had a chance to lessen the death of the cross by just a little bit.

But he wouldn’t do it. He wouldn’t do it. He was saying, I will take absolutely 100% of the suffering of the death of the cross for the salvation of the world and to please my Father.

He became obedient. And came to see the progression in Philippians 2. He was as high as he could be.

He was God. He made himself of no reputation. He became a servant.

He became an obedient servant and obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore, God hath highly exalted him, but it’s an example of absolute obedience. In this building, I think it was two summers ago, my wife and I were coming back from our fishing vacation in the UP of Michigan, where we fish in a lake that’s on the borderline between Michigan and Wisconsin.

And for some reason, we decided to come down on Sunday and visit Milwaukee. It’s because it’s such a beautiful place, and when you’re up north, and all you see is eagles and loons and fish and wildlife all day long, you want to get down to Milwaukee and see what they’ve got to offer. Now, Milwaukee has something to offer that the UP doesn’t have, and that’s my grandchildren and my son and his wife.

and as you know, John Flanders is on the staff here. So we came down for that. And of course, we were here for Sunday morning.

I sat right up there in the front. Pastor was doing a series. He’s good at doing series. And I remember they had pictures up on the wall

like we’re seeing over here. And some of the pictures were from the Holy Land. I’ve been to the Holy Land twice. And they were showing, I remember that morning,

one of the places where Jesus suffered. I don’t remember if it was where he was scourged. We saw that place.

They actually know where it is. That’s not just guesswork. They know where it is, where he was scourged or where he was held for trial.

I don’t remember what we were looking at it. The pastor was preaching about the sufferings of Christ and that he was willing to suffer everything that was required of him for our salvation, and he didn’t hold back. But God was talking to me about something that I don’t think was even in pastor’s outline.

And the Lord was showing me how often I pray for a little relief. I’ll say, Lord Jesus, I will suffer for you. But Lord, don’t let it go that far.

I’ll lose this, but don’t let me lose that. And then I was overwhelmed with guilt that my Savior went to the cross. And he wouldn’t taste the painkiller.

And he wouldn’t stop the fellas with the whips. And he wouldn’t send 10,000 angels to kill the soldiers. He took it all.

And I said, Lord Jesus, I can’t look at your face and say, give me a little relief. And you know what? I came to the front right over here.

And I knelt down and I said, dear Lord Jesus, I am making an absolute commitment now that I will do your will in every detail. And I will suffer everything that you want me to suffer bar none. because of what you were willing to do for me. And I cannot ask you to give me painkiller or to spare me,

not after what you did for me. And I’m going to tell you, at the altar, I don’t think anybody else came forward that morning. At the altar, preparation was made for me for experiences in the future.

And not only that, a very, very important transaction took place in my life. And I’m going to tell you something. God wants to make us lights in the world. but that doesn’t happen until absolute surrender and often times absolute surrender comes from a time of prayer where you say Jesus Christ you are my Lord you purchased me with your blood I withhold nothing from you and if you will help me I will obey you in every detail I want not to hold anything back

I want to never say no to you ever again Lord I know I’m weak but you are strong and you can help me but dear Lord when it comes to a matter of decision I am deciding I will obey you Absolutely, I’m going to tell you what, that’ll be revival and you’ll go home as a light in the world. You won’t be the same person. That’s why I suggest that you make today the day you make your absolute surrender,

which of course may involve confessing sin, getting right with other people, putting things out of your life. But the bottom line is the Lordship of Jesus Christ. I will obey you.

You are my Lord. And I know things have been done a little bit different this week, but I’d like to suggest that it happened up here. Happened right up here.

You and God. Kneel down. Absolute surrender.

Putting my life on the line. Maybe you’ve done it before, but do it a little deeper this time. Say, the death of the cross.

I am yours. My only reason for being is to serve and obey you. Come and tell him that. And I don’t know that we should have any kind of particular forum about this matter, but I’m going to suggest it right now that if this is time for you to make an absolute surrender to Jesus Christ about that, Regardless of what anybody else does, in your group or anywhere in your youth group or anywhere in this room,

I’d like to suggest you get up right now on your feet, ask somebody to let you by, find a place at the altar. We’re not going to stare at you. We’re going to pray in a moment. But without music, without our heads bowed, I’d like to ask the first of you to just step right up here and come down here

and say, Dear God, this is what you brought me to the conference for, absolute surrender, and I’m going to give it to you. Is there anybody like that? Just come on.

You just come on. And we’ll stand and pray in just a moment. Amen I knew there would be I knew there would be and do you know this is a tremendously significant moment when God gets a hold of a man or a woman there is no limit as to what he’s going to do through that life and an absolutely surrendered life is set on fire of the Holy Ghost it becomes a light in the world a bright light beyond our imagination

of how powerful that light can be oh Lord let it happen now why don’t we just stand up others are coming up why don’t we just stand up and ask the Lord to have his way oh Lord have your absolute way you have the right you are the one who was all the way up and came all the way down and Lord we owe you our obedience Lord may this absolute surrender result in revival in lives and in many other things happening

may the words that are spoken here in front be words of sincerity and of depth and of absolute commitment of lives that you will take up as they rise to their feet and begin using immediately Lord let that happen we have our heads bowed there was a pause there a moment of people moving but you know we’re talking to God and he’s talking to us if you’re going to say yes to Jesus Christ and capital Y-E-S well then you come on right now

You come on right now. That’ll probably determine who you marry, where you end up living in the world, and how powerfully God uses you. You know, the Lord Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane knelt down.

He said, Not my will, but thine be done. And immediately God started using his body, the body he received in the womb of the Virgin Mary, for that for which he was given that body. In other words, he immediately began to suffer for our sins. And I’ve seen it, that a young person or a grown-up who surrenders their life absolutely to God,

He begins using that life as a light in the world immediately. Not after Bible college, not when you get home, but I mean immediately the rest of the day in this conference. Begins using them immediately as they surrender all to him. Others, I’m sure, ought to come,

because this kind of thing, absolute surrender, can mean a struggle. There could be a battle. There could be saying no.

But you know what? When you say no, you can change your mind and say yes. There could be somebody saying, get me out of here, get me out of here.

But did you know what? The same voice that butters those words can say, Lord, no, I surrender. Let him stay until I sell out.

I surrender. All to Jesus, I surrender. I’m going to surrender the pulpit by us singing, all to Jesus, I surrender.

If there’s an instrumentalist, that would be good. But if not, we can just sing it a cappella. And we know the first stanza.

and we will sing it. And you know what? When we make absolute surrender, there can be questions that need to be asked. And probably before you go eat lunch, you probably ought to find your youth director or one of the preachers up here or me

and say, I need to talk to you. And let’s let the job be done thoroughly, the goal of revival, that we would be lights in the world. With our heads bowed, sing all to Jesus.

And let’s mean it. Let’s sing it with all our hearts and mouths and lungs, all to Jesus. I surrender.

Ready?