Let me just share with you a burden and a challenge.

I believe with all my heart that Jesus is coming very soon. When we look around and we see all the natural disasters that are happening—everything from the very tragic tsunami in Japan a number of months ago, the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, the terrible tragedies that have occurred around the world in different situations, even the hurricane that recently came up the east coast of the United States —I tell you, natural disasters are telling us that the Lord’s coming is soon. Some people may say that that’s just a coincidence, but I really believe that these things are happening to bring us to a full knowledge that Jesus is coming soon.

Then there are the man-made disasters. There are political problems worldwide. It used to be that governments would be able to handle things rather easily, but now problems are far larger than any government can really handle. There are also economic problems. Most of the world is on a paper-thin edge economically, and anything could happen. The stock markets fluctuate dramatically. Then you have the social breakdown in many cultures, disrespect for authority and God’s guidance in a nation, and you begin to see that even in that area things are disintegrating. All these problems tell us that Jesus is coming soon.

Another source of concern is the ecumenical movements that are moving in a very strange way to bring about the culmination of the great controversy such as we understand it as Seventh-day Adventists. So we should always be close friends with anyone trying to promote religious liberty and freedom of conscience, and be very careful about associating ourselves with organizations that will eventually curtail our religious freedom. We should be friends to everyone, but be careful not to engage in activities that will restrict our religious freedom. Many countries do presently provide religious freedom to their citizens, and I praise God for that, but in the same breath I would urge that we not allow ourselves to be complacent about maintaining those freedoms.

In addition to the problems of the world there are many personal challenges that can be discouraging and distract us from God. I tell you, the devil is trying to do everything he can to distract young people, to take them away from focusing on God and a relationship with Him. It may be schoolwork, it may be some hobby that you have, or maybe some activity that isn’t good, that’s trying to distract you. It may be internet. There may be external challenges at school or work. There may be problems at home. Maybe parents don’t understand the vibrant faith that you have in Jesus. Maybe you’re facing some kind of persecution.

I don’t know what it is, but the devil’s going to use that to try to discourage you. He does not want you to focus your attention on God. Whatever your challenge, God wants you to focus on Him and use those many things which God has put in your hands with which to share the gospel, and not let life’s challenges distract you from the real purpose that he has for you. The Lord wants you to be encouraged in His special calling to young people. He does not want you to get discouraged.

I don’t want you to get discouraged because the devil’s going to be after you. He’s going to try to discourage you in every possible way. I want to draw your attention to 2 Corinthians 12:8, 9. Paul was talking about a problem he had. In verse eight he tells how he asked the Lord to take the problem away from him three times. We don’t know exactly what that problem was. There has been speculation that it may have been an eyesight problem or maybe some other physical difficulty, but we’re not told exactly. But Paul pled with the Lord, “Take this problem away! It’s really oppressing me. It’s really a problem. Take it away, Lord!” Three times, and the Lord didn’t just take it away. The Lord’s response to this request is recorded in verse nine. The Lord said, “My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”

We all tend to become discouraged by all the challenges and problems that are an inescapable part of life. In those moments the Lord encourages us, “Don’t be discouraged, for in your weakness you can become strong if you lean upon me.” Paul goes on to say in verse 10, “I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong.” So when you’re facing some real challenges and discouragement, I urge each of you to realize that when you lean on Jesus, when you give Him everything that He desires from you, then in your weakness you become strong for him. Remember that as you face the next challenge that is presented before you.

About 19 years ago I left the United States with my family to go work in Russia. As I was preparing to go my father gave me a beautiful encouragement, because he knew that I might get discouraged. He pointed me to Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 8, pp. 10-12. I want you to take these beautiful thoughts as personal encouragement. “Obstacles to the advancement of the work of God will appear, but fear not. . . . Nothing can stand in His way. His power is absolute, and it is the pledge of the sure fulfillment of the promises to His people.” Then it says, “The plans of the enemies of this work may seem to be firm and well established, but He can overthrow the strongest of these plans and in His own time and way He will do this, when He sees that our faith has been sufficiently tested and that we are drawing near to Him and making Him our counselor.” Don’t be afraid, young people. Be of good courage. You may not be a huge army of people, numbering in the thousands and thousands, but God is going to work through you even if you are few in number. He’s going to use you in a powerful way. So don’t be afraid about obstacles that come. When we make God our counselor, when we are weak in Him, we can become strong.

It continues, “The darkest days, when appearances seem so forbidding, fear not. Have faith in God.” Then it tell us not be despondent in God’s service. Don’t be discouraged. Don’t be downhearted. Don’t just give up. Know that God is with you. Then at the very end it says, “Press together. My brethren, allow nothing to come in that will separate you from one another or from God. Talk not of differences of opinion, but unite in the love of the truth as it is in Jesus.” Then the quotation my father gave me closes with these two powerful sentences, “When in faith we take hold of His strength He will change, wonderfully change, the most hopeless, discouraging outlook. He will do this for the glory of His name.” So I want you to be encouraged. That particular quotation was given to me by my father before I left for Russia, and he wrote at the very end, “God has the answers. All my love, Dad.” That was October 28, 1992. It’s still very fresh in my mind, and I know that God will continue to give me the strength I need as I submit myself completely to Him. I know He’s going to give you the strength to move forward in a very dynamic and powerful way.

Because we are coming to the end of time, we are really asking our church members to submit themselves to the Lord in revival and reformation; to understand what it means to truly allow the Lord to humble your heart, and to bring you into a right relationship with Him. In 2 Chronicles 7:14, God was speaking directly to Solomon, who was about to dedicate the great temple. He said, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land.” I think it’s important that we see all the verbs in that particular verse. The Lord is asking us to humble ourselves, pray, seek his face, and turn from our wicked ways. And then He will hear, forgive, and heal. As you are dynamically involved in relationships with each other and outreach activities, remember that the Lord wants you to humble yourself before Him and seek Him in prayer.

I’m reminded of a beautiful quotation from the Spirit of Prophesy. Selected Messages, Vol. 1, p. 121 says, “A revival of true godliness among us is the greatest and most urgent of all our needs. To seek this should be our first work.” So I’m urging you to spend time making a deep commitment to the Lord in prayer. There is nothing more powerful than a group of young Seventh-day Adventists who are committed to Jesus, humbling themselves and allowing God to work through them. We believe in you, and I know that God will bless you as you humble yourself before Him.

This revival of true godliness going to happen, and it is already started. It is spreading across the globe. We’re told in the Spirit of Prophesy that a revival will only start in answer to prayer. That’s why I’m asking that you spend very quality time in this tremendous prayer initiative. We are asking people to pray together at 7 o’clock in the morning and at 7 at night. Pray for the Holy Spirit. Pray for the outpouring of the latter rain, for when the latter rain is poured out this work—this message—is going to go like wildfire around the world.

The Great Controversy tells us what will happen just before the Lord comes, and before the judgments and the ten plagues come upon the earth. In The Great Controversy, p. 464, it talks about people who will be coming out of churches and joining God’s people. Then it says, “Before the final visitation of God’s judgments upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times. The Spirit and power of God will be poured out upon his children.” I believe that God is going to pour out His Holy Spirit upon you. You are going to find that God is going to just fill your life with such power and use you in a most miraculous way.

I want to encourage you not to get involved in just a feel-good kind of religion. Make sure that your spiritual values and your understanding are based upon the Word of God. Make sure that the Word of God is the foundation of all that you do. The Word of God is one of the most wonderful gifts given to us as Christians and as Seventh-day Adventists. In addition to that, God’s inspired messages in the Spirit of Prophesy are another great gift given to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Now, I don’t want you to use the Spirit of Prophesy to bang people over the head. Use it in love to powerfully show people the truths God has given us. It is a wonderful blessing that God has given to us. Use those beautiful books Steps to Christ and Desire of Ages to reinforce your complete dependence on the Lord, for when you are weak and rely on Jesus, and take hold of His promises in faith—then you are strong.

Be very careful to not get too connected with movements that might be so emotional that they forget to base their beautiful truths on the Word of God. It’s so important for God’s Word to be lifted up, and for people to understand that the Word of God is the foundation of our beautiful faith and trust in Him. Be careful about these movements that try to bring about a kind of some existential or emotional feeling. There are movements that are floating through even the Seventh-day Adventist Church, having to do with what’s called “spiritual formation,” “contemplative prayer” (different kinds of prayer labyrinths that you walk through), and all this kind of thing. Be careful about those things, because the Lord expects us to have a simple faith and a simple approach to Him. The devil uses a lot of so-called “spiritual activities” to try to draw you into spiritualistic and mystic substitutes for really knowing God, which is not the kind of thing that you want. What you want is a strong, convicting, beautiful relationship with the Lord. You want the kind of power that is going to make you strong when you are weak. You want the kind of power that the Holy Spirit can exercise to change your life with the justification and sanctification that He brings, to help you become more and more like Jesus.

I heard a story that illustrates this life-changing power when I was in the Seychelles, back in May. Seychelles is a beautiful nation with only about 80,000 people. They have many islands, and they are in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Tanzania. There are about 500 church members in Seychelles. The story was told to me about Brother and Sister Boniface. Somehow, Sister Boniface heard something of the truth of the Seventh-day Adventist message. She wanted to learn more, and know what God had in store for her, so she contacted the Seventh-day Adventist pastor and he began to study the Bible with her.
This made her husband, Brother Boniface, extremely angry and bitter. He was incensed that this pastor was coming into his home to study the Bible with his wife. You see, Brother Boniface was connected with the occult. He was dabbling with the devil. He was also an alcoholic. He would get so mad at his wife over the lessons, but she and the pastor continued to study the truths of God together. Soon Sister Boniface’s heart was so thrilled with the truth she heard that she wanted to be baptized.

Sister Boniface asked for baptism. The day was set. The pastor decided on a particular time, and the church members gathered themselves together for the service. As the baptism progressed Brother Boniface showed up. He was angry, he was swearing, and he was drunk. His appearance made a huge disruption, and then something very dramatic happened. In a fit of rage and anger, Brother Boniface jumped into the water at the baptism. He looked the pastor in the eye and he said, “Pastor, you baptize me too!”

I don’t encourage our pastors to do what this pastor did, but obviously the Holy Spirit was directing him, and he recognized that God was working in a dynamic way on a man who had resisted the influence of the Holy Spirit. And so, that pastor, that brave pastor, after baptizing Sister Boniface, baptized Brother Boniface as well. Brother Boniface came out of that water a changed person, because when you are weak and you lean on the Lord in faith you become strong in the Lord. Brother Boniface is now the head elder of the Valdedor Church in the Seychelles. He allowed the Lord to work in his life in such a dramatic way that God blessed him and helped him to realize that when he is weak, then He is strong.

I want to challenge each of you to truly allow the Lord to make you a wonderful witness for Him and to allow the Lord to use you. God can use you like Gideon’s army. If He can use 300 people to completely put in disarray the enemy, God can use you in a dramatic and powerful way at the very end of time. So I want to encourage you to stay close to the Lord. Keep your hand firmly in His hand, and don’t get discouraged, for the Lord has great plans for you.

I want to leave with you a beautiful verse that means so much to me, Joel 2:21. It says, “Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things.” I believe that He will do great things for you.