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What is my purpose?

identityAGONIZE & ORGANIZE

Adventist Young AdultTM Publication

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Editorʼs NoteI do not agonize. There are times in my life when a token degree of pain is felt in my heart—even a concern for a situation may be born from the pain felt—however, never anguish.

The other day I read a powerful sermon entitled the “The Call to Anguish” by David Wilkerson author of the well read book The Cross and the Switchblade.”. This whetted my mindʼs appetite. In his sermon he clearly defines anguish, “Anguish means extreme pain and distress, the emotions so stirred that it becomes painful. Acute deeply felt inner pain because of conditions about you, in you, or around you. Anguish, deep pain, deep sorrow. Agony of God heart...”

I never experience this. I know I should.

Many times what I thought was anguish should have been identified as concern. “There is a great difference between anguish and concern,” Wilkerson says, “Concern is something that begins to interest you, you take an interest in a project or a cause or a concern or a need.” There is nothing wrong with having concern, but sometimes concern falls short of sufficient.

I challenge you and myself to daily consider our “concern” for our church and pray that God change it into anguish. Out of Godʼs anguish comes greatness, like the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, in the book of Nehemiah, and Gladys Aylward who once said, “"I wasn't God's first choice for what I've done for China. I don't know who it was. It must have been a man--a well educated man. I don't know what happened. Perhaps he died. Perhaps he wasn't willing. And God looked down...and saw Gladys Aylward, and God said, 'Well, she's willing.'" What is God calling you to do for the church and have prayed for anguish? I am.

“Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet thy commandments are my delights” (Ps 119:143).

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Andrea Gray

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MISSIONSTwo women who went to Kenya

GYC REPORT“No Turning Back” challenges Young Adults

AYA CONFERENCEAn photographic update from the “Remember” conference

ARISE REPORTACTS does make a difference

INTER-PROVINCE REPORTSTestimonies and updates from across the province

PLAYLISTAdd these audio sermons on your “to share” playlist

LEADERSHIP KEYNOTEThe true soldier of Christ keep watch—ever awake, ever prepared

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IMPRINTS OF

KENYAand the stories they ensue

I saw what I saw and I can't forget it I heard what I heard and I can't go back I know what I know and I can't deny it...

We've done what we've done and we can't erase it We are what we are and it's more than enough We have what we have but it's no substitution...

I say what I say with no hesitation I have what I have and I'm giving it up I do what I do with deep conviction...

Lyrics from Sarah Groves “I Saw What I Saw”

They Took My Heart page 5

Iʼm Just Not Enough page 15

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IMPRINTS OF

KENYAand the stories they ensue

feel like I left part of myself behind.  As Iʼm assuming I didn't leave it in the Heathrow Airport, I can only conclude that I left my heart in Kenya. So I decided to compile this list of things Kenya taught me, to try to bring some closure to the sadness I"m feeling.

1. I learnt that the most important thing when visiting a country is developing relationships.

Eric Rajah modeled that...he and his wife showed me things that I will take to heart for the rest of my life. Everywhere we went, every hotel we stayed at, he would bring out the security staff, the housekeeping staff, the waiters, etc...etc...and thank them and give them a gift.  They loved it-— we loved it!!  And neither of us will ever forget it.

2. I learnt to ask questions. 

One of the schools on the Masai Mara was built by A Better World because Eric saw a man teaching a group of kids under a tree, and stopped his driver, got out and asked what this man was doing.  Today, they have a beautiful school, accessible clean water (women used to have to trek miles to get water) and, in a culture where women's education is traditionally discouraged, almost half the students are female. 

3. I learned you don't need rules on the road. I'm being tongue-in-cheek here, of course. But there's a real testament to our safari drivers that they got us safely all around Kenya...and managed to look completely unconcerned and slightly bored.  Plus, people don't seem to have road rage here. They're cutting each other off, passing each other with only a hair's breadth between them and oncoming traffic, and NO ONE GETS MAD!!!  In fact, they have special waves and signals to help each other out.  Our Canadian drivers could learn a lot...(They also have speed bumps on the highway, which I personally find hilarious.)

4. I learned about hospitality. 

If a Masai warrior came to my house and wanted to see what it looked like inside, I would, in the words of Desirea "call the police"!!!! And yet, these people brought us into their homes, answered all our probing questions, and made us feel welcome. Wherever our vans went, little kids would run out of their homes and wave wildly. Their homes weren't anything great by our standards, but it was their home...and we were honored to be allowed to step into their world for a little while...

5. I learned that there are some exceptional teenagers at PAA.

I'm kind of afraid of teenagers, even when I was a teenager (talk

about AWKWARD) but this trip with this particular group

showed me that we could learn a lot from them. They have a perspective on life that is refreshing...and the comedy that they provided was top-notch

(Jayden's amazing skills at dancing come to

mind...)

6.I learned that we're somewhat spoiled by Canada's

healthcare.

Sure, we have long wait times...but at least we get a bed to ourselves. We visited the labor and delivery floor in Nakuru hospital. Often there were indeed two women to a bed. And I've had patients complain that they didn't have a room to themselves...

7. I learned the value of medications.

I know this makes me sound kind of like an addict, but I don't know what I would have done without Cold and Sinus medication, Pepto-Bismol, and Imodium. Glorious Imodium. If it were personified, it would be a knight in shining armour riding a horse named Pepto.

TheyTook My Heart

by: Sarah Reiswig

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Continue on page

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Learning and ServingThere is no doubt in my mind that public post-secondary institutions are in desperate need of converted, Spirit-led, and prayerful young people who will enter into these campuses for the main purpose of soul winning. Young people are needed who allow God to re-prioritize their lives, so that reaching the lost is the primary reason to pursue a post-secondary education. Receiving a degree becomes the icing on the cake.

Much is to be said about public campus ministry that is both encouraging and challenging. If you are going to school, or know of someone who is in school I encourage you to read 3 Selected Messages chapter 26. It’s awesome.

When I began applying for school, the Lord really laid on my heart the need for a campus ministry at Red Deer College. An avenue through which people who were searching for answers could come in a non-threatening environment and learn that the Bible is trustworthy and thus the God of the Bible is trustworthy and He cares for them – personally.

This past fall I was told that there was a possibility that Pastor Steven Conway could come to Red Deer College to lecture.

I was excited at the impact that God could make in the lives of those who came, but I was also nervous because I had never organized an event of this nature on campus. The Lord really impressed on me the need to pray, for He would help me. And He did. The Lord led in the planning and the preparation, but I would not have been able to do it without my friends.

Red Deer College, Red Deer

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Though this is often how it is carried out, it is not how God intended it to be. Often we are looking to do a great work for God - individually -when there are ways we can serve by helping our brethren right where we are. There are many ministries, many roles around us that need help. Not everyone is going to be a Paul – in fact, there was only one Paul… think of all the people who labored faithfully for the lost and are never mentioned in the Bible. Were their efforts any less significant? I don’t fully understand this completely, but I think our efforts in ministry would be much more effective if we worked together to help each other in the needs around us now, rather then letting opportunities pass by while we wait for God to make us like Paul. Interestingly enough, Paul spent around fifteen years in Jerusalem, learning and serving, before he ever began his ministry of apostleship.

A handful of my classmates and acquaintances from school came to Pastor Conway’s presentation and loved it. The meeting provided an opportunity to invite people to our Bible study on campus and a couple of them have attended. One man in particular is so excited and thankful for the opportunity to study the Bible at school that he asked if he could bring his daughter even though she is not attending the college.

You may be a young person in a church with primarily people older than you. I want to encourage you to serve Jesus, right where you are. Help a ministry that is struggling: teach Sabbath school, attend prayer meeting, or help at the soup kitchen. As we step into the roles that need to be filled, not for the purpose of becoming great, but for the purpose of learning and serving, we experience what it truly means to be the body of Christ.

Ashleigh Brown

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generation youthfor ChristBaltimore MDDecember 31, 2010- January 2, 2011

Luke 9:62 says, “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Being at GYC was a brand new experience for me. I always knew that there were other Adventists in the world, but the fact that there were over 5,000 young people in that one convention center was unbelievable. Each of the presentations were spirit-filled and I was deeply blessed by each of them. It was also interesting to see some of the big speakers that I had never heard of before like Samuel Pipim, Sebastien Braxton, Nathan Renner, etc.(No, I had never heard of them before GYC, and Iʼve been Adventist all my life!).

The food was... well, it was food, and weʼll leave it at that.

One of the most amazing experiences I had while I was there was the Sabbath afternoon outreach. I was very hesitant to go out on this task because I am not one to go flag down strangers for anything... or so I thought.

On the bus out, I was paired with a girl my age who happened to be somewhat of a veteran at outreach and colportering. This was possibly the best and the worst thing that happened to me.

She quickly pulled me out my comfort zone and

helped me to begin telling people about Jesus. She did this by introducing us to the person at the door, and then going silent and turning to me to finish the presentation.

After the first few doors I gained a bit of confidence and it turned out to be a fantastic experience. We sang as we went between houses, met a lot of people, and were even able to pray with some. I say it was a bad experience because I was forced out of my shell of comfort, but God had already prepared another zone for me to dwell in, I had to adjust to the change. I am most grateful for that experience.

There were two sessions that spoke to me in particular. The first one was about Radical Commitment by Dr. Pipim and it really motivated me to do something with the knowledge, education, and experience that God has given me. The powerful testimonies from the other young people who have used their talents for God was absolutely inspiring, and at that meeting, I committed to do the same. The other really good session was actually the Sabbath morning sermon by Pastor Ted Wilson. He spoke about the role of young people in the church, and how much more we need to be involved.

The Spirit really convicted me through that message, and I committed to do more for God within his church instead of being a young, lukewarm, bench sitter beginning with using what I know about education (as a teacher) to teach Sabbath School.

MY GYC EXPERIENCE by: Wayne Thomas

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Photographs provided by: Semeka Photos

I enjoyed my time spent in the Prayer Room. When I first heard of this room, I decided to go and see what it was about. I stayed for a total of 5 minutes and then walked out. I found that it was too crowded and too awkward with and did not understand the idea of “popcorn prayer”. On the last day of GYC, I went early in the morning during devotional time, and there was only five people there. I began to understand the concept, and even to share prayers of my own. Once I fully grasped the concept, I loved it, and stayed for half an hour. After that first session I rushed off to breakfast and then rushed back for session two. I felt truly blessed at that moment as I prayed with my brothers and sisters in Christ for the many issues that we are all facing. After the invigorating Sunday charge by Pastor Asherick, thousands of young people (myself included) committed that we would NOT turn back from our Lord and Savior, and we would not turn back to the world.

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NO

TURNING I was able to determine that the liquid on the road was antifreeze and just about all of it had poured out meaning that the tank was punctured somewhere. At that point, I did the only thing I knew to do... I called my dad back in Edmonton who is an avid mechanic. He explained that the car would not be drivable.

At this point it was about 5:00 PM on a Sunday which meant that everything was closed or would be closing soon. We were able to find a gas station and get a phone book, and as God had planned it, a friend that had left before us was at that same Gas station, so we had someone there for support.

After packing everything up, we set off for Toronto. Everything was going well until we were about an hour outside of Baltimore and we saw something in the road. We were able to swerve and avoid it, but the other half of our convoy was traveling two cars behind and did not see the object until it was too late. They ran right over it at about 120Km/h. We all pulled off the Interstate to see what was happening. It turned out that just a few minutes before, a van had lost its front right tire in the center lane, and the driver didnʼt pick it up. Our friends were a little shaken, but no one was hurt however their car was in pretty bad shape. Parts of their vehicle were bent, broken, and leaking. The girls stayed in our rental van and prayed while a few of us got out to go check on our other friends. They tied up the hanging bumper and attempted to start the car again, but when they did that, it started to shake.

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BACK

Unfortunately his Nissan Cube couldnʼt do much for us in the way of transportation. He stayed at a McDonalds with the girls and we went back to wait for the tow truck with the guys. By then the State Trooper had arrived and determined that the whole thing was an accident so no one was at fault. This meant very expensive out-of-pocket repairs! They were towed in to a mechanic shop and we brought them back to the meeting place. There we prayed and looked for alternatives to get everyone home. It was finally decided that everyone who had work or school Monday morning would get into the van, and after that, anyone who wanted to go back home could go. Four people ended up staying behind. The solution was that they would spend the night at an Inn and reassess the situation in the morning. The rest of us began the journey back together.

After driving for a while we hit New York, and the worst snow blowing snow and driving conditions I had seen in a while. We had to slow down to about 50 km/h on the interstate and follow our friend in the Cube because he had better headlights. As we were driving the large 18-wheeler trucks were zooming by nearly forcing us off of the road! When we got to Buffalo, the snow had stopped and we were able to pick thing up a bit. I got back to my cousinʼs apartment at 6:30 am and slept all day.

That evening we had another conversation about Christ and the Bible, and I was able to give her some of the resources that I had picked up at GYC. I keep in touch with her and she is just gorging herself on

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Patriarch and Prophets while reading the Old Testament. My youth pastor who used to live in Toronto suggested some nearby churches that she could attend. I am happy to say that she has found one and she attends Sabbath School every week.

As for my new friends who had to stay back in Maryland, when they went into an inn and told the manager their story. They then asked if they could possibly stay in the lobby. God came through for them, and the manager gave them a free room for the night, and the gave her a copy of the Great Controversy! So many lives were touched by the Spirit that night.

The next day they learned that the damage to the car was too extensive to be repaired where they were, so the car had to be sent to another city.They were able to get in contact with the pastor of the local church and he housed them for a few days until they could take a bus back home to Toronto. God is so good!

It was not until I began writing about my experience that I saw the points where God was CLEARLY directing and guiding me. Not only did God give me an uplifting experience, but he also gave me many new friends who are just as passionate about working for Him. I must admit that when I began writing this, I was feeling down and my week did not start off so well, but just reflecting on my GYC experience made a huge difference in my mood and my attitude toward everything.

It is sad how we forget how He has led us in the past and we allow ourselves to believe Satan’s lies and deceptions which only serve to discourage us. I know that I serve a RISEN Savior.My first GYC experience has only helped to solidify this fact. It is my prayer that God will continue to bless the GYC ministry and that many more young people will have their first experience at GYC 2011 in Houston, TX.

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AYA NOVEMBER CONFERENCE 2010REMEMBER

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8. I learned that I don't really need a watch to be on time.

Andrea (my friend who accompanied me) had brought two watches, I had brought none. Within the first few days, both her watches went kaput. We learned to tell time by the sun (it always rose at about 6:30) and by listening to see if the other people we were with were getting up, etc. We were only late once, and that was when her watches were still working.

9. I learned that I don't need to be a parent to love a child so much my heart hurts.

There are 6000 orphans wandering the streets of Nakuru on any given night.

There are 64 orphanages in this same city working frantically to make a dent in this number. I met two exceptional little boys at the orphanage we visited; Greg, who is about 10-going-on-22 and Jonathan with the bright eyes and the dimples. They both latched onto me the first day, and I was smitten. I'm sponsoring them, not because I'm a great person, but because I can't bear to let them go. Come to think of it, they're probably the thieves who took the part of me that's now missing. Little rascals...thank you...

Kenya, I don't know why you let this wasteful, wealthy-by-comparison, ignorant North American girl see your secrets. I certainly didn't deserve it. But now that you've shown me your breath-taking scenery, your amazing wildlife, let me meet your beautiful people and wonderful children...I don't want to let you down. I want to take this experience with me and not waste it. I want to do something with it, however small, because it will matter to someone...

...and because you now have my heart.

TheyTook My Heart

continued story from page 5

I’m Just Not Enough

Andrea, when will you notice Me?

The mid-afternoon African sun erases the memory of the ever familiar Albertan winter as I observe the salt and pepper mix: Canadians intermingling with the orphans. Somewhat fearful to move forward, I am perturbed, “ Lord, I canʼt! What if I canʼt let go, what if—” and remain a few feet behind the rest of the group.

Looking ahead I see their hands hungrily grasp ours...and our hearts. They stare searchingly into our faces looking for something that has been taken away from them—a smile.

“I donʼt have enough hands, God! Iʼm just not enough!” The thought becomes my heart beat, like a drum resonating the sounds of war. Syncopating itself over and over. My breath shortening, my frustration erupting: “GOD WHAT CAN I DO, REALLY?”

A delicate little hand gently, yet perfectly,reposes itself in mine.

A bolt of electricity shoots up my arm disrupting my battle with God. I stare in to the face of my past, my present my future.

by: Andrea Gray

His eyes donʼt search for something lost like the other do. His hand did not hungrily grasp mine, like the other did. My eyes search for whom has taken my heart. My hand grasps his hoping that his little hand will never let go of mine.

More hands are always needed, Andrea, but you are here now.

My eyes open and I see You for real this time. I recall the obedient voice of Isaiah “Here I am Lord, send me” (Isa 6:8).

“Yes, I am here Lord. You have sent me.” With his hand in mine I confidently take my first step.

“Whatʼs your name?” I crouch to his level, still holding his hand.

I can barely hear him; heʼs so small and frail, yet with all his might he smiles ”Kibet”

Only later do I learn what his name means, “born mid-afternoon”, just like my heart for Africa born that mid-afternoon in Kenya.

continued story from page 5

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t all started at the beginning of last year. My new year's resolution was to spend at least an hour with God every day. I soon began mulling over the idea of going to a bible college

but was not quite sure if this would ever become a reality but curious all the same. As time wore on the conviction became stronger and stronger until at ACTS in April 2010 it culminated in putting out my fleece (Judg 6:37), so to speak. I asked God that if He really wanted me to attend a bible college He would send at least two Godly people to tell me over the weekend.

God doesnʼt always work in the way we expect Him to and over the course of the weekend, He answered my prayer in His own way. On Friday the congregation had been asked to turn to a bible verse but my eyes fell to Psalms 102:13 across the page from the intended verse. “You will arise…” ARISE was one of the bible colleges I had been considering and they had a booth at ACTS. What a strange coincidence, I kept it in mind but brushed it off as my own imaginings, after all, it was only one and I had asked for two and I had asked for people to tell me. Yet again, on Sunday something similar happened, this time Psalm 7:6 another verse with ʻariseʼ. This time I couldnʼt disregard the impressing of the Holy Spirit.

I now knew that God was directing my path to a Bible College and He had even specified which Bible College but my journey had only just begun.

and Go ForthARISEby: Andrew Jurello

I

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I had a wife and baby girl to take care of. I needed to convince my wife that uprooting our family for four months and moving to California with no income made perfect sense. I prayed, and God eventually moved on her heart to be willing to support me in the adventure. I applied to ARISE and was accepted, the next few months was a whirlwind of Godʼs hand in our lives working out the little details that allowed us to attend ARISE. My work didnʼt like it but they allowed me 4 months leave during the busiest time of the year, we asked God to sell one of our vehicles so we would have financial security but He reduced our living expenses instead.

Finally the day came, ARISE began, we had a wonderful time, no struggles, victories like never before, you wouldnʼt believe the number of souls I won for Christ, no arguments ever again and we now live happily being the most powerful evangelists Alberta has ever seen!

Well… not quite. My wife and I have learned that when God is about to bestow a spiritual blessing in our lives, the devil launches his biggest attacks. By week two, I was ready to go home, I didnʼt belong, I hadnʼt connected with anyone, I wasnʼt adjusting well, the baby was cranky, my wife was nagging and surely God wasnʼt really in all of this, it really was just my imagining all along. In my despair, I sought God, begging Him to reveal to me the next step in the journey, I was directed to the story of Elijah running from the wicked queen Jezebel (represented by my wife) after his mountain top experience at Mt. Carmel and God brought me to 1 Kings 19:4-8. God did it for me again “Arise and eat because the journey is too great for you…”

How good God is! I didnʼt know all the answers but I knew that God had brought me to this place because He has a journey in store for me and somewhere in my journey I would need this spiritual food that I would be eating for the next four months. God is so good to give us way markers in our life, things that we know for certain, things that surpass our emotions. The next four months wasnʼt easy, I struggled to find bible studies in outreach, I struggled in my daily scripture memorisation, I struggled with the responsibility of a family and completing all

of my evening assignments, but I knew that God had brought us here and that He would sustain me. Praise God, I made it through, by His grace with excellence.

I have no regrets. Me going to a Bible College for 4 months was and is the highest point in my spiritual walk. Iʼve never

been closer to God or known so much about, well, everything; or at least everything that matters. Now the hard part has begun. Just as when Jesus left He sent out His disciples “to go and make disciples of all nations”(Matt 28:19) and they left their “Spiritual Bubble”, I too have left the “Spiritual Bubble” at ARISE. What I choose to do is up to me. I have the world at my feet & God on my side. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31).

By the time you read this “ACTS for Christ” should be happening and it will be a year since my ARISE journey started. It might be time to step back and evaluate objectively who you are in Godʼs eyes. Do you need more? Are you lacking? God may or may not give you an answer in the same way as He answered me. He may just ask you to wake up ½ hr earlier and read the Bible, but if you seek Him, I mean seriously seek Him, He will give you the direction you are asking for.

I had a wife and baby girl to take care of. I needed to

convince my wife that uprooting our family for

four months and moving to California with no income

made perfect sense.

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Why not make an investment with Him. What have you got to loose? Temporary things, transient stuff, a job. You will receive better!

Here is a quote I personally draw comfort from Ellen White's "Ministry of Healing" pg.478.

“Many are unable to make definite plans for the future.  Their life is unsettled.  They cannot discern the outcome of affairs, and this often fills them with anxiety and unrest.  Let us remember that the life of God's children in this world is a pilgrim life.  We have not wisdom to plan our own lives.  It is not for us to shape our future.  ʻBy faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went."  Hebrews 11:8ʼ”

Christ in His life on earth made no plans for Himself.  He accepted God's plans for Him, and day by day the Father unfolded His plans.  So should we depend upon God, that our lives may be the simple outworking of His will.  As we commit our ways to Him, He will direct our steps.Too many, in planning for a brilliant future, make an utter failure.  Let God plan for you.  As a little child, trust to the guidance of Him who will "keep the feet of His saints."  1 Samuel 2:9.  God never leads His children otherwise than they would choose to be led, if they could see the end from the beginning and discern the glory of the purpose which they are fulfilling as co-workers with Him.

“Though none go with me, still I will follow…No turning back, no turning back”

ADD TO YOUR PLAYLIST

Stir me, oh, stir me, Lord, till prayer is pain,Till prayer is joy, till prayer turns into praises;

Stir me, till my heart and will and mine, yea, all,Is wholly Thine to use through all the days.

Stir till I learn to pray exceedingly ;Stir, till I learn to wait expectantly.

“Stir Me” is a five part sermon series by Helen Roseveare, missionary to Congo, that will lead you to knees, asking God to stir yo to live a life dedicated to His service

The series can be found at: pathway2prayer. com or at sermonindex.com.

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!Operation: Vigilant Guardian

Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

b by: Steve Simon

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To prepare one must be mobile, alert, watchful and attentive to detail so that events have no opportunity to conspire against you. The antithesis of this could be characterised by sleep or a lack of vigilance. Thus the question must then be asked, what prevents us from fostering a vigilant attitude and what are the symptoms that characterise unwatchfulness? In other words, if we were national security agents ('watchmen unto the house of Israel'); what threatens the personal and national security of spiritual Israel.

Sleep, blurred vision, silence and a general lack of awareness seem to characterise those who have been appointed to be guardians and watch. The watchmen exhibit physical and behavioural dispositions contrary to guardianship. These include:

Operation: Vigilant GuardianBasic Training

Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me (Ezk 3:17).

Being prepared and preparing are a fundamental part of growing up, often indicating independence. When I was young I can remember insisting on preparing for school without parental assistance and preparing my school bag the night before for the following days school activities, so that I would not have to panic and scramble in the morning.

As we grow older and mature, the necessity to prepare increases in line with developing responsibility. We prepare and plan for college, we prepare for career choices, we prepare for life's eventualities by purchasing insurance. We prepare for death by making a will.

With our everyday lives involving considerable preparation (most of it not intrinsic to our eternal salvation) it would make sense that spiritual preparation would follow a similar trajectory. As we grow in spiritual maturity, knowledge received necessitates practice and consequently the burden of preparation increases with understanding.

The question is, how and why do we prepare? How: because preparation takes vital energy and dedicated effort which must be judiciously exercised in order to be effective. Why: because spiritual maturity demands that childlike tendencies like unpreparedness be relegated to the past (1 Cor 13:11).

Operational Analysis

His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber ( Isa 56:10-12).

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1. Blindness: An inability to see affairs from Gods perspective (Luk 24:13-31, 2 Kings 6:15-17). This for the professed Christian is tantamount to blindness. The blind are at a lost as to the work of Christ's revelation in their lives, around them and in the world. This is important, as blindness (which is equated with darkness, 2 Cor 4:3, 4, 1 John 2:10,11) needs to be separated from true discerning sight and revealing light (Isa 5:20, 21). As a professed Christian this blindness is the closest one can come to true blindness whilst literally still seeing with 20/20 vision.

2. Ignorance: Oblivious to their predicament and the impending danger surrounding them (2 Pet 3:4-8) they are content in disobedience, 'willingly ignorant'. With an absence of consequence to make them accountable to themselves, others or indeed God they become bold in their recalcitrance (Eccl 8:11).

3. Speechlessness: An inability to reprove, instruct, warn or testify (Ezk 3:26). A guard dogs voice is his bark, like an alarm alerting dwelling occupants to potential threats or actual intrusions from without and within (Isa 58:1). Having a voice to warn or bare witness also has a redemptive quality (Ezk 3:17-21). We demonstrate the regard we have for redemption by redeeming others. In giving life we demonstrate practical appreciation for the life that resides in us. Like a mute dog a voiceless watchman leaves the house vulnerable to intrusion by salvation unfriendly enemy combatants like false doctrine, disobedience and disbelief.4. Sleepiness: Spiritual lethargy and indolence especially when salvation is at hand. An inability to tell the time, the closeness of the end and the close of probation (Rom 13:11-14- being in the flesh is here equated with sleep, also see Matt 25:1-13). The best way to accurately see the time on a clock is to be awake. If one goes to sleep with the presumption that they will wake-up on time there is always the potential that the alarm will fail to sound, you may not hear the alarm or you will over sleep. The only 100 percent full proof preparation strategy is to stay awake. To be ready for the day one must have been awake in the night.

Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us

watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep

in the night; and they that be drunken are

drunken in the night (1Th 5:4-8).

"

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Guardian InstructionsWe have explored selected components that reveal the character of those who are not watching. But how do those appointed to watch awake and remain awake.

In preparation for an impending crisis whose events were to test the disciple, Jesus said 'Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak' (Matt 26:41). Mk 13:32-37 illuminates the same message in parable form. Having heard this parable prior to their Gethsemane experience the disciples should have understood that Christ was asking them to join Him in preparation for a crisis because His departure was imminent. Christ was about to draw sustaining power from the Father and was inviting His disciples to receive of this very same preserving power.

Knowing this Jesus had appointed them to 'watch and pray' with Him. In seeing Christ's suffering and the burden of sin, the disciples would have been strengthened for the impending crisis that would 'weigh them in the balances'. Their unrealised experience can be our daily experience as we spend watchful hours with Jesus.

We need to cooperated with Christ, guarding the avenues of our minds so that, by faith, as we watch and pray our sanctified imaginations can (without the mentally and spiritually debilitating influences of popular literature, film, music) experience the scenes the disciples missed. Enabling us to escape Satan inspired delusions of self confidence and thus 'stand' (1 Cor 10:11, 12).

In the first chapter of The Great Controversy we are reminded of an unnamed man in Jerusalem, deliberately unnamed perhaps so that we can visualise ourselves in his position. He testified against the city and its inhabitants for seven years before its destruction in AD70. They beat, imprisoned and no doubt tortured this man in an effort to silence his straight testimony which accorded with the words and warnings of Jesus in Matthew 24. However, ironically he lost his life as a result of the Roman onslaught in AD70. (Great Controversy p.30)

If watching and praying enables one to stand and the unnamed man died in the siege of Jerusalem in AD70, the pertinent question to ask is; was he watching?. The answer would have to be an emphatic 'no', despite how much he suffered and testified for the cause. He saw and acknowledged the signs, suffered for the signs, testified about the signs but was ultimately destroyed by the crisis that the signs foretold. Furthermore, the Great Controversy reveals that not one Christian died in the destruction. Profession is tested and revealed in the crucible of crisis.

It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones. As we thus dwell upon His great sacrifice for us, our confidence in Him will be more constant, our love will be quickened, and we shall be more deeply imbued with His spirit. If we would be saved at last, we must learn the lesson of penitence and humiliation at the foot of the cross (The Desire of Ages p.83).

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Signs can be enamouring and dramatic but Jesus was looking for an altogether different standard of watching from his disciples that night (Luk 11:29). The recognition or watching of signs along with testifying faith (achieved through continually and persistently beholding Christ) acts upon the received word of God enabling one to be 'accounted worthy to escape all these things... and to stand before the son' (Luk 21:36).

Standard Operation ProcedureLike a dutiful soldier, commanded to watch, with his sight fixed on the terrain looking for the enemy, spiritual watchfulness is a position of duty. It involves unnerving vigilance to events around you so that your adversary can't gain an advantage (1 Pet 5:8). It's all about battle experience and preparedness: The more we watch, the more experienced we become to noticing changes, nuances and anomalies in our personal and extended spiritual environment. If a detrimental pattern of behaviour or thought is developing in our character we are quick to spot and curtail its advance in our lives through prayer. This is what Peter meant when he said 'watch unto prayer' (1 Pet 4:7).

As we stand on the walls of Zion surveying the edge of eternity, the same warning given to the disciples comes to us to fulfil all the conditions for watching and prayer because events will test our weak fleshly tendencies. In the flesh Satan can find some element of un-confessed sin in the those that are not watching to use as leverage in temptation and discouragement in time of crisis.

Watchmen can't afford to be weak in the flesh. If they are weak the city falls. Like Jesus, the true watchman watches and prays enabling the Father to take control of the flesh so that one day we like Jesus can say 'for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me' (John 14:30). There was no sinful trait in Jesus that Satan could use to distract His watching, for himself and the lives of others.

If we want to be true watchers and remain vigilant guardians, ever awake and prepared, Jesus' claim and testimony against Satan in John 14:30 has to become our standard operating procedure in our spiritual experience.

b'And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch' (Mk 13:37).

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Adventist Young Adults

Our Objective:It is our objective to seek to (1) train young adults to work for and with other young adults, (2) recruit young adults to help their church and those “who profess to be Sabbath keepers,” and (3) work “for those who are not of the faith.”

Our Vision:“The Advent Message to all the world in this generation”

Our Mission:In seeking to reach these objectives, young adults are called upon to pray together, study the Word together,  fellowship together in Christian social interaction; act together, in small groups, to carry out well-laid plans for witnessing, develop tact skills, and talents in the Masterʼs service, and encourage one another in spiritual growth.

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in the appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even to the death of the cross...Do all things without complaining or disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and per versed generation, among whom you shall shine lights in the world., hold fast to the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or laboured in vain.

Please visit our website for more information on AYA and / or other  information regarding Young Adults in Alberta: adventistyoungadults.org

Also, email your entries for the newsletter to the address below:    ayainfo.ab@gmail.com