Laurelbrook’s church service on February 1, 2020 began with a welcome by Clayton Brandt. Clifton Brandt is slated to take over the religious liberty position.
Leilani (senior) played introduction for the service. Douglas Na’a had the invocation. The congregation sang “Marching to Zion”. Clayton Brandt had the Morning Prayer; the congregation sang “Hear Our Prayer, O Lord”.
Lindsey (junior) announced the time for the church offerings had come. Daryll Ellis and Daryen (senior) collected the tithes and offerings. Any money not designated for a particular purpose went toward the local church budget. The congregation sang “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow”. Lindsey prayed for the offering.
Dorka Ellis told the children a story about friends. But she had one very special friend. One day her friend decided to become like a sister to her. Jesus can also be a very good friend.
Meliana Waterlily Na’a and friends had the special music, singing “O Praise His Name”. Clayton Brandt read the scripture reading – Jeremiah 8:7 “Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.”
Douglas Na’a had the sermon on knowing the times we are living in and how to react to them. Meliana Waterlily Na’a and friends had a final song. Douglas Na’a had the closing prayer.
Personnel Other Than Students
Clayton Brandt – works with Laurelbrook’s heavy equipment / local church elder
Daryll and Dorka Ellis – Daryll works at one of the nearby stone companies and is a local church deacon / Dorka is his wife
Douglas Na’a – Spiritual Retreat speaker / director of the School of Evangelism for It Is Written and Southern Adventist University
Meliana Waterlily Na’a and friends – Douglas Na’a family and friends
Following are some notes on the sermon:
- Exited to see young people bring their Bible, rare these days.
- Tomorrow 100 million people will be viewing the Super Bowl. As a consequence, this event will cost $17 billion, the cost of 45 new hospitals or four-year school tuition for 388,000 students.
- Paul used sports to explain Christianity, saying that Christians should use racing to help them be better Christians.
- Thinking of the Super-Bowl, here are some lessons. First, there are two teams, including a visiting team invading territory.
- Second, two teams cause confusion and problems with fans looking on.
- But there is always a third team – umpires. This team brings order according to the book and do not belong to either team. Their work is governed by a commissioner living in New York City.
- God has a third team.
- 2 Corinthians 5:20 “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”
- This third team stands out in dress. God’s people in the End Times will stand out because they are not of this world.
- A second characteristic of this team – they must follow the book of rules for that particular game instead of the crowd looking on. Christians should be moved only by the Word of God.
- Ellen White says that no other book than the Bible can expand the facilities of your mind.
- God is looking for people governed by His rules.
- 3rd characteristic – umpire knows the time and keeps track of the time. As Christians we should know the time and lets the world know how close the End of Time is.
- 1 Chronicles 12:32 “And of the children of Issachar, [which were men] that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them [were] two hundred; and all their brethren [were] at their commandment.”
- These people knew what action to take because they knew the times they were living in.
- We have to understand prophecy because this locates us in the time we are living in, the period when the beast is getting ready to take over the world.
- Alexander the Great was about to destroy Jerusalem. The priests knew this and welcomed him. They showed Alexander he was a fulfilment of prophecy. He spared Jerusalem.
- An empire for God knows the times he/she is living in.
- Jeremiah 8:7 “Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.”
- The birds know the seasons and promptly respond. But God’s people don’t know the time they are living in.
- We are living on the edge of the End of Time.
- Be a part of God’s third team.