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 SEYC Group Has Sabbath School and Church  Services at the Laurelbrook Seventh-day Adventist Church on October 3, 2009 began with an extended Sabbath School song service led by the group from the Southeast Youth Conference Group. Joel Kurtz, a senior from Southern Adventist University, had a session about choices in place of the regular Sabbath School program. The audience was divided into groups of four or five and asked to answer some questions. First, each group was asked to share names and one choice each person had made. Other students in the SEYC group went to as many groups as possible to assist them in the discussions. He commented that even students had more choices in their lives than when they were smaller children.
The next group question was how a person can make the right choices. Each group then reported on what they had discussed when a microphone was passed around by Chuckie (senior). Maureen’s group reported that we should learn on God. Vasti (senior) reported that her group thought we should use prayer and Bible study and study all the available possibilities.
Joel asked the group how people actually make decisions. Robin Hughes responded that it was based on feelings of the moment, Doyce Hughes that it depended on the urgency of the situation, Shymone Moses that too often it was based on what we want to do. Clifton Brandt brought that we must so saturate ourselves with God’s Word that we instinctively know what to do.
Joel summed up the discussion by saying that our decisions can be made on feelings, other people, or God’s Word. “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death.” (Proverbs 14:12) “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed [be] the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.” (Jeremiah 17:5) “Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
The groups were then invited to discuss the question “Can right choices lead to bad results?” Yes, the story of Joseph, especially the section dealing with Potiphar’s wife. Yes, the Apostle Paul. Yes, the story of Job. Joel commented that Jesus didn’t promise us an easy road but a rough walk leading to the right destination. If you are suffering but have made choices based on the Bible, you should not be discouraged.
He closed with Hebrews 11:24-26 NIV “24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.” Joel closed with prayer.
When services resumed at 11:00, Joel Reeves from the SEYC had the invocation or opening prayer. Clayton Brandt welcomed everyone and made the necessary announcements. Vespers will be at 6:45, a walk at 3:00, and a Bible study at 1:00. One of the group explained that the SEYC was a part of the General Youth Conference. Everyone then sang “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”. Clayton Brandt had the Morning Prayer and called for the offering, which was for local church budget; and Roger Westfall and Daryll Ellis collected the offering. The congregation sang the doxology, and Clayton Brandt prayed for the offering.
For the scripture reading, one of the SEYC group read 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 “1 ¶ Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians [which is] in God the Father and [in] the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace [be] unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 ¶ We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; 3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; 4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. 5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. 6 ¶ And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: 7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God–ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. 9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; 10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, [even] Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”
Two of the group played “O Sacred Head Now Wounded” as a string duet for special music. Clifton Brandt told the children a story about how God protected someone. These people lived right beside a huge tree on Towering Fir Court. Their little girl lived on the side of the house facing the tall tree. One evening the father had a dream about the tree falling towards him. The impression came to him to move his daughter’s bedroom. Then the dream and the impression occurred again.
On Christmas Eve, the family returned late to the house in a snowstorm. The night before, the little girl had rearranged her bedroom so her bed was on the other side of the room from the tree. Snow accumulated on the tree, and it crashed into the house. His daughter was pinned under the tree, but had she not moved her bed she would have been right under the tree truck. Rescuers came but couldn’t seem to liberate her from the tree. Finally, they thought of a wrecker company that had huge air pillows that could raise the tree. The daughter was saved with a broken arm, but the father hadn’t listened to God’s voice speaking to him.
Joel Reeves, one of the SEYC group, preached on “More Than Theory” and gave a call to those who want to commit their lives to God to come forward. The SEYC group played an instrumental number while the congregation responded. The congregation sang “I Will Draw Nearer to Jesus”, and the congregation was then dismissed.
Personnel Other Than Students:
Clayton Brandt – local church elder, Laurelbrook maintenance man working in the vehicle shop
Clifton Brandt – local church elder, Laurelbrook maintenance man assigned to the water, sewer, and boiler systems
Daryll Ellis – Laurelbrook graduate presently working at nearby Majestic Stone Company
Doyce Hughes – Laurelbrook Nursing Home C.N.A. presently studying for his L.P.N.
Robin Hughes – Laurelbrook Nursing Home C.N.A.
Roger Westfall – vice-president for personnel, in charge of housekeeping for the Laurelbrook Nursing Home
Shymone Moses – principal of the Laurelbrook Elementary School
Following are notes on the sermon:
1. I was homeschooled without studying the sciences because we didn’t have a lab.
2. I got to studying chemistry all the time, nearly daydreaming and sleeping chemistry. I had a special shirt with the Periodic Table and other essential things on it, not usable during tests.
3. In a lab, you take the theories you learn and put them into practice.
4. 1 Thessalonians 1:5 “For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.”
5. Unbelieving Jews stirred up a mob and took the owner of the house to the authorities and said that these men were turning the world upside down.
6. To many of us the gospel is just a theory. Have you experienced the power of God in your life for yourself?
7. As a teenager, I questioned everything my parents taught me. This is good – to be asking questions.
8. I decided to live 100% for God or 100% for the world. Many try to have it halfway.
9. How could I know if the Bible was true? I was well-educated in the Bible. The Old Testament had many specific prophecies that were literally fulfilled in the life of Jesus and subsequent history. Reading in the gospels, I saw the promises of Jesus’ return.
10. 40 prophets from all different backgrounds over 1500 years wrote the Bible; they wrote on controversial topics of the day. The Lord inspired them.
11. God’s Word has a power to create new hearts in us in place of the filthy hearts we have.
12. If you want to experience the power of God in your life, you have to be a Bible student. But sometimes in the early morning the Bible is about as boring as a telephone book. Exciting things like video games or movies create an unhealthy excitement that unfits us for God’s Word.
13. We need to keep our minds emptied of trash and read God’s Word first thing in the morning.
14. In July and August, I went colporteuring in Lodi, California. One woman admitted that her daughter had died in a car accident and didn’t know to explain the loss to her younger children.
15. Another summer I worked as a counselor at a Young Disciples camp. As I prayed for my campers, I noticed that God was blessing me.
16. God blesses us as we witness to others.
17. The Reformers had a passion for God. We need people like that today to communicate the gospel. But you can study the Bible merely to get information, not to know the Author of the Bible.
18. 1 Thessalonians 1:5 says that power comes from the Holy Spirit helping us with Bible study and prayer.
19. I went to the Amazing Center for Evangelism and went to Wisconsin and Indiana as a Bible worker. I became friends with Andy, a young man, who had a degree in philosophy.
20. I told him I thought the Bible the most logical book in the world. I started with Daniel 2 (the empires), continued with Daniel 7, and studied the story of the cross. Eventually, Andy was baptized and is going to church.
21. Sometimes you wonder how you can relate to non-Adventists if you grew up in an Adventist background. We can learn to relate nearly anyone using the Bible.
22. One girl named Britanny was interested in Bible studies, an uncle who was an ex-Adventist sent her a book against the Sabbath, but eventually she was baptized and still active in the church. The gospel is not just a theory but has the power to change lives.
23. All of us need Jesus Christ. We want more of Jesus every day.
24. 1 Thessalonians 1:5 “For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.”
25. God is longing to give us the Holy Spirit to change our lives.
26. I pray each of us sees our sinful condition.
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