Participants: Pr. Mike Thompson
Series Code: CSH
Program Code: CSH021427
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00:01 (MUSIC) >>WELCOME TO SACRAMENTO CENTRAL
00:46 SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH. WE'RE SO GLAD THAT YOU ARE 00:50 TUNING IN. WHETHER THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME 00:52 OR YOU JOIN US EVERY WEEK IT DOESN'T MATTER. 00:55 WE'RE JUST GLAD THAT YOU ARE READY TO STUDY GOD'S WORD 00:58 TOGETHER AND SING SONGS AS WE PRAISE OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. 01:03 WE'VE GOT SOME GOOD SONGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE SINGING 01:05 TOGETHER THAT HAVE COME IN - THE REQUESTS HAVE COME IN FROM 01:08 AROUND THE WORLD AND IF THIS IS YOUR REQUEST WE ARE SO EXCITED 01:13 TO SING THAT WITH YOU TODAY. THE FIRST ONE IS #109 - 01:17 'MARVELOUS GRACE' - IT IS TRULY MARVELOUS GRACE THAT WE ARE 01:21 GOING TO SING ABOUT - ALL THREE STANZAS. 01:23 AND THIS IS FROM MOSES, SUKLA, AND JOSEPH IN AUSTRALIA, KELLY, 01:27 LEON, AND MICHAEL LUKE IN NEW ZEALAND, AND DR. SYLVESTER IN 01:31 SAUDI ARABIA AND THERE WAS A WHOLE LIST OF NAMES FOR THIS 01:35 SONG. IT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES. 01:38 JOIN WITH US. ALL THREE STANZAS - #109. 01:41 (MUSIC) 04:27 >>THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PICKING THAT LOVELY SONG. 04:29 IF YOU HAVE A FAVORITE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SING WITH US ON AN 04:32 UPCOMING PROGRAM, IT'S VERY SIMPLE. 04:35 ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GO TO OUR WEBSITE AT 'SACCENTRAL.ORG', 04:39 CLICK ON THE 'CONTACT US' LINK, AND YOU CAN SEND IN ANY SONG 04:42 THAT IS IN THE HYMNAL AND WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO SING THAT 04:45 FOR YOU ON AN UPCOMING PROGRAM AND IF WE DON'T KNOW IT WE'RE 04:49 GOING TO ALL LEARN IT TOGETHER - LIKE OUR NEXT ONE IS OUR NEW ONE 04:54 - RIGHT ACROSS THE PAGE, #110. I MADE THIS VERY EASY FOR YOU 04:58 TODAY. THIS IS FROM RALPH AND BERDIE IN 05:00 THE BAHAMAS AND THAT WAS IT. SO THIS IS DEFINITELY A NEW ONE 05:05 SO WE ARE ALL GOING TO LEARN THIS TOGETHER - #110 - BEAUTIFUL 05:09 - 'GOD'S FREE MERCY STREAMETH' - ALL FOUR STANZAS. 05:14 (MUSIC) 07:54 >>'LIFE IS DARK WITHOUT THEE, DEATH WITH THEE IS 07:57 BRIGHT.' THAT'S THE HOPE FOR THE CHRISTIAN, ISN'T IT? 08:01 WITHOUT HIM LIFE IS MEANINGLESS AND DARK AND EVEN IF YOU WERE ON 08:06 YOUR DEATHBED BUT YOU HAVE JESUS, IT'S BRIGHT AND YOU HAVE 08:10 SUCH A FUTURE TO LOOK FORWARD TO. 08:14 AT THIS TIME LET'S BOW OUR HEADS FOR PRAYER. 08:18 FATHER IN HEAVEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING US HERE TODAY 08:21 TO SING AND TO WORSHIP YOU WITH OUR HEARTS. 08:26 WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LOVING US, FOR DYING FOR US, AND I PRAY 08:30 YOU WOULD BE WITH EACH ONE HERE - THOSE THAT CAN HEAR MY VOICE 08:34 ON THE RADIO - THOSE THAT ARE IN THE FARTHEST PARTS OF THE WORLD 08:39 - FATHER WE ALL COME TOGETHER AND WE WORSHIP YOU AND WE JUST 08:43 PRAY THAT YOU WILL BRING US SAFELY HOME TO HEAVEN ONE DAY 08:47 VERY SOON. IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. 08:52 AT THIS TIME OUR LESSON STUDY IS GOING TO BE BROUGHT TO US - 08:56 THERE WE GO - BY PASTOR MIKE THOMPSON. 08:58 HE IS OUR HEALTH AND VISITATION PASTOR HERE AT SACRAMENTO 09:01 CENTRAL. 09:04 >>THANK YOU VERY MUCH DEBBIE AND THE REST OF THE SINGERS. 09:06 GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL. AND I TOO WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME 09:09 YOU TO 'CENTRAL STUDY HOUR'. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MICHAEL, 09:14 SAME TO YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU. 09:17 BEFORE WE BEGIN WE HAVE A FREE OFFER HERE. 09:21 IT'S CALLED 'THE TRINITY' AND IT'S OFFER #166 AND IF YOU CALL 09:28 1-866-STUDY-MORE OR 1-866-788-3966 AMAZING FACTS 09:36 WILL SEND THIS TO YOU ABSOLUTELY FREE IF YOU LIVE IN THE 09:39 CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 09:42 IT'S ACTUALLY WRITTEN BY PASTOR DOUG HIMSELF. 09:45 THE TRINITY OR THE GODHEAD, IT'S KIND OF A CONTROVERSIAL SUBJECT 09:51 EVEN AMONG SOME SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS. 09:53 WE'LL BE MENTIONING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TRINITY THIS MORNING. 09:57 ONE GOD, YET THREE BEINGS - YOU KNOW, IT'S A BIT HARD 10:00 TO PUT TOGETHER SOMETIMES. 10:02 BUT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT - BUT NONETHELESS, EVEN IF YOU 10:05 DON'T UNDERSTAND IT, IT'S TRUE, RIGHT? 10:09 BECAUSE THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH. 10:12 WE DON'T ALWAYS GO BY THE THINGS WHICH WE CAN SEE. 10:16 WE, AS CHRISTIANS, WE WALK BY FAITH. 10:19 THERE'S THINGS OUT THERE WE DON'T SEE BUT THEY'RE THERE 10:23 NONETHELESS. SO SEND FOR 'THE TRINITY' BY 10:25 PASTOR DOUG AND AMAZING FACTS WILL SEND THAT TO YOU. 10:29 WE ARE BEGINNING A NEW QUARTERLY, IT'S CALLED 'THE 10:34 TEACHINGS OF JESUS'. AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE THIS 10:39 MORNING OF LOOKING AT THE VERY FIRST LESSON AND REVIEWING IT 10:42 WITH YOU AND IT'S CALLED, 'OUR LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER'. 10:48 THIS WAS ACTUALLY JESUS' FAVORITE THEME THAT HE LOVED TO 10:53 PRESENT WAS THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD AND US BEING HIS CHILDREN. 11:00 AND THERE'S A MEMORY TEXT ON THE FIRST PAGE IN THE LESSON. 11:05 IT'S FROM 1 JOHN 3:1 AND WE'RE REMINDED, "BEHOLD WHAT MANNER OF 11:10 LOVE THE FATHER HATH BESTOWED UPON US THAT WE SHOULD BE CALLED 11:15 THE CHILDREN OF GOD. THEREFORE THE WORLD DOES NOT 11:19 KNOW US BECAUSE IT DID NOT KNOW HIM." IT'S TRUE, RIGHT? 11:26 AND - VERY LAST LITTLE SENTENCE AT THE END - LAST TWO SENTENCES 11:30 AT THE END OF THE INTRODUCTORY PAGE - IT SAYS, "THIS WEEK WE 11:33 WILL EXPLORE WHAT JESUS TAUGHT ABOUT OUR FATHER 11:37 AND ABOUT HIS INFINITE LOVE FOR US. 11:40 WE WILL LOOK, TOO, AT THE CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER, 11:43 WITH THE SON, AND WITH THE HOLY GHOST." 11:45 THAT LAST PART THERE - WE'LL BE ABLE TO TOUCH ON IT JUST AT THE 11:48 END IF WE GET THERE SO I WANT TO KEEP MOVING. 11:51 BUT THE GODHEAD IS SOMETHING WE CAN SPEND A WHOLE BOOK ON SO 11:56 BEAR WITH ME TODAY, YOU'LL ONLY GET THE BARE BONES. 11:59 BUT SUNDAY'S LESSON - SECTION - 'OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN' - LET'S 12:04 TURN TO MATTHEW 7, VERSES 9 THROUGH 11 AND HERE WE HAVE SOME 12:11 WELL-KNOWN WORDS - A PROMISE TO US FROM JESUS FROM HIS SERMON ON 12:15 THE MOUNT. MATTHEW 7, VERSES 9 THROUGH 11. 12:20 HE SAYS - AND HE'S ILLUSTRATING HERE GOD'S CARE AND HIS 12:23 WILLINGNESS TO HELP US - "OF WHAT MAN IS THERE OF YOU, WHOM 12:28 IF HIS SON ASK BREAD, WILL HE GIVE HIM A STONE? 12:33 OR IF HE ASK A FISH, WILL HE GIVE HIM A SERPENT?" 12:39 - WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME FATHERS THAT ARE PERVERSE ENOUGH 12:43 TO DO THAT BUT NOT GOD. VERSE 11, "IF YE THEN, BEING 12:47 EVIL, KNOW HOW TO GIVE GOOD GIFTS UNTO YOUR CHILDREN, HOW 12:51 MUCH MORE SHALL YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN GIVE GOOD 12:55 THINGS TO THEM THAT ASK HIM?" YOU KNOW, THAT'S A VERY POWERFUL 13:03 AND REASSURING PROMISE. BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, THE 13:09 TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL IN THIS DIVINE PROMISE HERE NEVER EVEN 13:15 GETS OFF THE GROUND FOR SOME PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY DON'T 13:20 BELIEVE THAT GOD CAN POSSIBLY TAKE SUFFICIENT NOTICE OF THEM. 13:27 MAYBE YOU'VE BEEN THERE ONCE IN A WHILE. 13:29 YOU'RE GOING THROUGH A TRIAL AND IT'S ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT AND 13:31 YOU THINK, 'IS GOD REALLY TAKING NOTICE OF ME NOW?' 13:36 WELL, HE DOES, BUT IT'S EASY FOR US IN OUR HUMANNESS TO THINK, 13:40 'DOES HE REALLY CARE THAT MUCH? 13:43 AND SOME PEOPLE, ON TOP OF THAT, THEY THINK, 'YOU KNOW, GOD HAS 13:46 SO MANY OTHER BEINGS CLAMORING FOR HIS ATTENTION, HOW CAN HE 13:53 POSSIBLY TAKE SUFFICIENT NOTICE TO TAKE IN - HAVE SUFFICIENT 13:57 INTEREST IN MY NEEDS WHEN I'M JUST A TINY, TINY SPECK IN THIS 14:03 VAST UNIVERSE? AND GOD IS WAY OUT THERE SOMEWHERE. YES, HE'S 14:09 CALLED MY HEAVENLY FATHER BUT HEAVEN SEEMS SO FAR AWAY. 14:13 CAN HE REALLY SEE ME AND DOES HE REALLY CARE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING 14:16 ON?' WELL, IF THERE'S ANYBODY HERE THIS MORNING OR ANYBODY 14:20 LISTENING OR ANYBODY WATCHING, I NEED TO TELL YOU THIS. 14:25 I MEAN, I REALLY NEED TO TELL YOU, THAT WHEN WE THINK LIKE 14:29 THIS AND THEN, BECAUSE THOSE ARE OUR THOUGHTS AND WE ACT OUT OUR 14:33 THOUGHTS, WE GREATLY DISAPPOINT OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. 14:40 WE REALLY - WE WOUND HIM AND WE HURT HIM AND WE BRING SORROW TO 14:44 HIM BECAUSE HE'S GIVEN EVERYTHING IN JESUS AND THAT 14:49 CROSS IS A GUARANTEE - IT'S AN EMBLEM OF HOW MUCH HE LOVES US 14:57 AND WHAT HE'S DONE TO SAVE US AND IT'S ALSO A GUARANTEE THAT 15:01 IF HE'S GIVEN THAT MUCH, WHICH IS EVERYTHING, HOW MUCH MORE 15:06 WILLING AND ABLE IS HE TO GIVE US THE FAR LESSER THINGS THAT WE 15:10 NEED IN LIFE? HE'S GIVEN US HIS SON AND EVERYTHING ELSE. 15:15 I MEAN, THAT'S SMALL CHANGE. BUT, NONETHELESS, THOSE 15:18 SMALL-CHANGE TRIALS CAN SEEM VERY DAUNTING FOR US AT TIMES. 15:23 BUT HE DOES - HE TAKES A PERSONAL INTEREST IN OUR LIVES 15:26 AND HIS WILLINGNESS AND ABILITY TO BE KIND TO US AND TO PROVIDE 15:31 EVERY LEGITIMATE NEED - NOW, NOTICE I SAID 'LEGITIMATE' - 15:34 EVERY LEGITIMATE NEED - GOD WILL DO THAT. YOU MAY NOT GET ALL 15:39 YOUR WANTS - 'LORD, I WANT A BMW' OR 'I WANT THIS'. 15:45 DON'T BOTHER PRAYING THOSE PRAYERS. 15:49 HE ACTUALLY MAY GIVE YOU ONE FOR SOME REASON, BUT - GOD SURPRISES 15:54 US SOMETIMES - BUT YOU'LL GET WHAT YOU NEED. 15:58 "AND THE LOVING KINDNESS AND COMPASSION AND AFFECTION AND 16:01 WATCH CARE THAT OUR HEAVENLY FATHER HAS TOWARDS US IS, I SAY 16:04 AGAIN, IT WAS JESUS' FAVORITE THEME - WAS, 'YOU HAVE A FATHER 16:11 IN HEAVEN THAT LOVES YOU SO INFINITELY AND I LOVE YOU TOO 16:16 AND I'M HERE TO BE A DEMONSTRATION OF THAT. 16:18 JESUS SPOKE THAT TO THE MULTITUDES. 16:20 AND WHILE GOD IS THE ALMIGHTY SOVEREIGN LORD OF THE UNIVERSE, 16:28 TERRIBLE IN MAJESTY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS - HIS EYES ARE A 16:35 FLAME OF FIRE. BEFORE HIS FACE HEAVEN AND EARTH 16:39 FLEE AWAY AND THERE IS FOUND NO PLACE FOR THEM. 16:43 HE SPEAKS AND HE SHAKES THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. 16:46 HE WALKS UPON THE MOUNTAINS AND LIGHTNINGS IGNITE BENEATH HIS 16:50 FEET AND THE MOUNTAINS MELT BENEATH HIM. 16:53 HE'S A GOD WHO IS TERRIBLE IN MAJESTY. 16:55 IT'S A CONSUMING FIRE AND, WHILE IT'S GOOD FOR US TO HAVE THAT 17:02 HEALTHY RESPECT FOR GOD, AND HE'S WORTHY OF IT, YET AT THE 17:07 SAME TIME, HE'S THE MOST KIND, CARING AFFECTIONATE BEING 17:15 ANYWHERE IN THIS VAST CREATION. AS I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS 17:21 THIS WEEK I THOUGHT, 'OH, I'VE GOT A GOOD THOUGHT FROM THE 17:24 SPIRIT OF PROPHECY THAT WILL GO ALONG WITH THIS.' AND 'STEPS TO 17:27 CHRIST' PLEASE, MIKE. SO I KIND OF PRIDED MYSELF ON 17:31 FINDING THIS PASSAGE AND THEN I FOUND OUT IT'S ALREADY FURTHER 17:34 ON IN THE LESSON SO - I'M GOING TO READ IT NOW, THOUGH. 17:38 IT'S 'STEPS TO CHRIST' PAGE 100 AND IT'S IN THE CHAPTER 'THE 17:44 PRIVILEGE OF PRAYER' AND IT'S SPEAKING HERE OF GOD'S - THIS 17:47 GREAT GOD BUT HIS INFINITE CARE - PERSONAL CARE FOR EACH ONE OF 17:52 US. IT'S A WELL-KNOWN STATEMENT. 17:55 IT SAYS, "KEEP YOUR WANTS, YOUR JOYS, YOUR SORROWS, YOUR CARES 18:03 AND YOUR FEARS BEFORE GOD. YOU CANNOT BURDEN HIM. 18:09 YOU CANNOT WEARY HIM. HE WHO NUMBERS THE HAIRS OF YOUR 18:14 HEAD IS NOT INDIFFERENT TO THE WANTS OF HIS CHILDREN. 18:20 THE LORD IS VERY PITIFUL AND OF TENDER MERCY. 18:25 HIS HEART OF LOVE IS TOUCHED BY OUR SORROWS" - TOUCHED BY OUR 18:30 SORROWS - "AND EVEN BY OUR UTTERANCES OF THEM." 18:34 SO WE'RE TOLD HERE TAKE TO HIM EVERYTHING THAT PERPLEXES THE 18:42 MIND. "NOTHING IS TOO GREAT FOR HIM TO 18:45 BEAR FOR HE HOLDS UP WORLDS" - THERE WE SEE THE OTHER SIDE OF 18:48 HIM - HE HOLDS UP THE UNIVERSE AND YET, AT THE SAME TIME, HE 18:52 COMES AND HE PICKS US UP AND HE SAYS, 'IT'S OKAY. 18:55 IT'S ALRIGHT. DON'T WORRY.' WHAT A WONDERFUL 18:58 GOD. WE'RE NOT DONE YET. "THERE IS NO CHAPTER IN OUR 19:03 EXPERIENCE TOO DARK FOR HIM TO READ. 19:07 THERE IS NO PERPLEXITY TOO DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO UNRAVEL." 19:13 - DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING UNRAVELING RIGHT NOW AND YOU 19:15 THINK, 'HOW ON EARTH - HOW ON EARTH?' WELL, GOD CAN TO THAT. 19:20 - "NO CALAMITY CAN BEFALL THE LEAST OF HIS CHILDREN, NO 19:25 ANXIETY HARASS THE SOUL, NO JOY, CHEER, NO SINCERE PRAYER CAN 19:31 ESCAPE THE LIPS OF WHICH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS UNOBSERVANT 19:35 OR IN WHICH HE TAKES NO IMMEDIATE INTEREST. 19:39 HE HEALETH THE BROKEN IN HEART AND BINDETH UP THEIR WOUNDS." 19:44 - THIS PARAGRAPH CONCLUDES WITH THE FOLLOWING: "THE RELATIONS 19:48 BETWEEN GOD AND EACH SOUL ARE AS DISTINCT AND FULL AS THOUGH 19:53 THERE WERE NOT ANOTHER SOUL UPON THE EARTH TO SHARE HIS 19:56 WATCH CARE, NOT ANOTHER SOUL FOR WHOM HE GAVE HIS BELOVED SON." 20:03 I WON'T COMMENT ANYMORE ON THAT BECAUSE IT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF, 20:08 DOESN'T IT MICHAEL? IT DOES. 20:12 SO I'D LIKE US TO TAKE THE EXAMPLE OF MOSES - MOSES COMES 20:19 TO MY MIND AS SOMEBODY WHO UNDERSTOOD THIS MYSTERIOUS 20:26 BLENDING OF GOD'S HIGH AND ALMIGHTY, MAJESTIC AND HOLY 20:31 LORDSHIP AND YET THAT BLENDED WITH HIS PARENTAL WATCH CARE 20:37 OVER HIS FRAIL, WAYWARD, AND EARTHLY CHILDREN. 20:41 MOSES GOT A GRASP OF THAT. 20:43 AS A SERVANT OF GOD, MOSES LEARNED EARLY TO REVERENCE HIS 20:48 MAKER AND TO WALK HUMBLY BEFORE HIM. 20:51 HE WAS A CONSUMING FIRE, ESPECIALLY WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED 20:55 GOD AT THE BURNING BUSH - DO YOU REMEMBER THAT? 20:58 AND GOD TOLD HIM 'TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES, MOSES, FOR YOU'RE 21:02 STANDING ON HOLY GROUND.' HE TOOK THEM OFF STRAIGHTAWAY, 21:05 RIGHT? FELL ON HIS FACE. 21:09 MOSES UNDERSTOOD THE SACREDNESS AND THE HOLINESS OF GOD 21:16 FIRSTHAND, AS ONE WHO ASCENDED INTO GOD'S PRESENCE ON 21:21 MOUNT SINAI. IMAGINE THAT. 21:26 AND YET, WHILE MOSES STILL MAINTAINED AN ABSOLUTE STRICT 21:31 AND REVERENTIAL RESPECT TOWARD THE ALMIGHTY ONE, MOSES, AT THE 21:37 SAME TIME, WAS ABLE TO ENTER INTO A VERY CLOSE AND A VERY 21:43 EXTREMELY, TENDER, AFFECTIONATE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD BECAUSE HE 21:49 ALSO KNEW THE GREAT CREATOR AS HIS FRIEND AND HIS HEAVENLY 21:54 FATHER AND HE KNEW HIM AS A LOVING AND MERCIFUL FATHER. 22:01 IT SAYS IN EXODUS 33:11, "AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES FACE 22:08 TO FACE, AS A MAN SPEAKETH UNTO HIS FRIEND." 22:12 - NOW, IN THE SAME SECTION HERE YOU'LL SEE WHERE GOD SAYS, 'NO, 22:16 YOU CAN'T LOOK AT MY FACE AND LIVE.' SO MOSES WASN'T EXACTLY 22:21 LOOKING RIGHT INTO GOD'S FACE WITH THE GLORY SHINING, BUT AS 22:25 FAR AS A HUMAN BEING COULD POSSIBLY GET HE HAD THAT, IF YOU 22:30 LIKE, THAT FACE-TO-FACE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, THE GREAT 22:35 CREATOR AND YET HIM WHO WAS - I DON'T SAY THIS IN A SICKLY, 22:41 SENTIMENTAL WAY - HE WAS HIS DADDY, 22:45 YOU KNOW? HE WAS HIS DADDY. 22:49 AND WE CAN KNOW GOD - WE CAN KNOW GOD THE ALMIGHTY AS ONE 22:55 SITTING ON HIS THRONE, AGAIN AS THIS CONSUMING FIRE, WE CAN KNOW 22:58 HIM LIKE THAT AND WE NEED TO BECAUSE AS GOD'S PEOPLE WE'VE 23:01 LOST A LOT OF REVERENCE FOR GOD THE WAY WE SO OFTEN WALK INTO 23:05 HIS HOUSE. IT MIGHT AS WELL BE SAFEWAY. 23:09 IT MIGHT AS WELL BE A CAR AUCTION SOMETIMES, I MEAN IT'S 23:13 TOO BAD. I WON'T DWELL ON THIS, BUT I WAS 23:16 DOWN AT THE IMMIGRATION PLACE JUST OVER A WEEK AGO WITH MY 23:21 WIFE. WE HAD TO GO AND RENEW OUR GREEN 23:23 CARDS. YES, WE ARE LEGAL RESIDENTS. 23:28 AND THERE WAS ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN HUNDRED PEOPLE IN THERE - IT WAS 23:31 A PRETTY BIG ROOM - AND, YOU KNOW, WE WALKED IN AND 23:35 AS SOON AS WE GOT THROUGH THAT DOOR THE RECEPTIONIST MAN SAID 23:38 TO US, 'LET ME SEE YOUR IDENTIFICATION.' SO WE SAID, 23:44 'HERE'S OUR IDENTIFICATION.' SO WE WERE WHISPERING. 23:46 WE SAT DOWN AND NOBODY WAS MUTTERING. 23:49 EVEN THE LADIES WHO CALL PEOPLE OVER FOR THEIR PICTURES AND 23:51 FINGERPRINTS - IT WAS , 'COME OVER HERE PLEASE.' 23:55 IT WAS A GOVERNMENT BUILDING. 23:57 AND I SAID TO MY WIFE, 'THERE'S MORE REFERENCE IN HERE THAN 23:59 THERE IS AT CHURCH.' AND THERE WAS. 24:02 SO, I DON'T WANT TO GET SIDETRACKED BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN 24:05 WE COME INTO THIS HOUSE WE DON'T SEE HIM, BUT WHO'S HERE? 24:11 GOD. AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT ANY OLD 24:14 THING, WON'T WE? SOMETIMES. 24:16 SO WE NEED TO KNOW GOD REVERENTLY AS MOSES DID AND, 24:21 YET, AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN WE ARE WASHED CLEAN IN THE BLOOD OF 24:28 JESUS AND CLOTHED IN HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, WE CAN KNOW WHAT 24:34 IT IS TO APPROACH GOD SAFELY AND JOYFULLY AS A LITTLE CHILD COMES 24:44 TO THEIR MOMMY AND THEIR DADDY ASSURED THAT THEY'RE GREATLY 24:50 LOVED AND THAT CHILD COMES CONFIDENT THAT THEY WILL BE 24:53 RECEIVED WITH THE FONDEST AFFECTION. 24:57 I WENT TO BABY SIT MY LITTLE BOYS FOR TWO HOURS ON THURSDAY 25:01 AND OPENED THE DOOR - I PULLED UP OUTSIDE THEIR HOUSE AND THE 25:04 DOOR OPENS AND OUT COMES WEEMO JUST RUNNING, YOU KNOW? 25:07 HE THREW HIMSELF AT ME AND I PICKED HIM UP AND THERE HE WAS 25:09 AND HIS FEET WERE UP HERE AND I SNUGGLED HIM AND I THOUGHT HE 25:13 HAS AN ABSOLUTE - HE HAS ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT THAT GRANDPA 25:16 LOVES HIM JUST AS MUCH TODAY AS YESTERDAY. 25:19 AND I DID, YOU KNOW, AND I SAW IN THAT HOW GOD WILL EMBRACE US 25:24 WHEN WE COME TO HIM. WE NEED TO SEE HIM LIKE THAT. 25:27 AND MORE THAN THAT, WE NEED TO EXPERIENCE THAT BECAUSE 25:30 IT GIVES US CONFIDENCE IN HIM AS ONE WHO CARES FOR US BECAUSE 25:33 WHAT IS THE THEME? 'OUR LOVING AND HEAVENLY 25:35 FATHER.' PSALM 103:13, "LIKE AS A FATHER PITIETH HIS CHILDREN, 25:40 SO THE LORD PITIETH THEM THAT FEAR HIM." OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON. 25:45 MONDAY AND TUESDAY - I'VE KIND OF COMBINED THESE. 25:49 'OUR LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER' - MONDAY AND ALSO 'HIM REVEALED BY 25:53 THE SON,' WHICH IS TUESDAY. THERE'S A VERSE, JOHN 14, VERSE 26:00 9 - THE LATTER PART OF VERSE 9, JESUS SAID, "HE THAT HATH SEEN 26:03 ME HATH SEEN THE FATHER;" REMEMBER, PHILIP CAME AND HE 26:08 SAID, 'LORD,' - YOU KNOW - 'SHOW US THE FATHER.' HE SAID, 'I'VE 26:11 BEEN WITH YOU ALL THIS TIME. DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND YET? 26:14 IF YOU'VE SEEN ME, YOU'VE SEEN THE FATHER. 26:20 BUT SUCH A REVELATION OF A LOVING, HEAVENLY FATHER AS SEEN 26:24 IN THE EARTHLY LIFE AND MINISTRY OF JESUS, WAS NEEDFUL NOT ONLY 26:30 FOR HIS DISCIPLES, BUT FOR EVERY HUMAN BEING UPON THIS EARTH - 26:35 AND STILL IS - TO GET THAT UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT A LOVING 26:39 AND KIND GOD IS. WE SEE THAT IN JESUS AND THE 26:42 WORLD IS WAITING FOR A REVELATION OF THAT THROUGH US, 26:48 RIGHT? BECAUSE JESUS IS IN HEAVEN. 26:51 BUT GOING BACK TO JESUS' DAY, JESUS WAS THAT REVELATION, AND 26:56 THIS REVELATION THROUGH CHRIST, OF THE CHARACTER OF GOD - HIS 27:01 LOVE AND HIS COMPASSION AND HIS KINDNESS, THIS REVELATION 27:07 THROUGH CHRIST WAS ALSO NECESSARY, NOT JUST FOR US HERE, 27:11 BUT FOR THE WHOLE UNFALLEN UNIVERSE, SO THAT IN THE FINAL 27:18 RESOLVING OF THE GREAT CONTROVERSY BETWEEN GOD AND 27:24 SATAN, JUDGMENT WILL BE GIVEN IN FAVOR OF GOD AND THE WHOLE 27:31 UNFALLEN UNIVERSE AND THOSE DOWN HERE AND EVEN THE DEVIL AND HIS 27:36 ANGELS AND EVERY HUMAN BEING THAT HAS EVER FOLLOWED THE 27:40 DEVIL, EVERYBODY FINALLY, ONE DAY, INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE WALLS 27:47 OF THE NEW JERUSALEM WILL BOW DOWN AND SAY, 'GOD, YOU'RE A 27:50 GOOD GOD AND SATAN, HE'S THE BAD GUY.' BUT THAT WOULD NEVER BE IF 27:57 IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR THE REVELATION OF GOD FIRST IN JESUS 28:01 CHRIST DOWN HERE AND THEN TO THE WHOLE UNIVERSE BECAUSE, AS YOU 28:05 KNOW, IN THE GREAT CONTROVERSY, SATAN - CAN YOU GET ME 'DESIRE 28:08 OF AGES,' MIKE? SATAN HAS REALLY DONE A - SHOULD 28:13 I SAY - A GOOD JOB AT MAKING GOD LOOK BAD. 28:18 AND SO THE CROSS - THE LIFE OF JESUS - THIS IS 'DESIRE OF AGES' 28:21 PAGE 22, "THE EARTH WAS DARK THROUGH MISAPPREHENSION OF GOD 28:30 THAT THE GLOOMY SHADOWS MIGHT BE LIGHTENED, THAT THE WORLD MIGHT 28:34 BE BROUGHT BACK TO GOD. SATAN'S DECEPTIVE POWER WAS TO 28:40 BE BROKEN. THIS COULD NOT BE DONE BY FORCE. 28:47 THE EXERCISE OF FORCE IS CONTRARY TO THE PRINCIPLES OF 28:51 GOD'S GOVERNMENT. HE DESIRES ONLY THE SERVICE OF 28:57 LOVE AND LOVE CANNOT BE COMMANDED. 29:01 IT CANNOT BE WON BY FORCE OR AUTHORITY. 29:05 ONLY BY LOVE IS LOVE AWAKENED. TO KNOW GOD IS TO LOVE HIM. 29:12 HIS CHARACTER MUST BE MANIFEST IN CONTRAST TO THE CHARACTER OF 29:15 SATAN." - THAT WAS THE ISSUE, YOU SEE, 29:17 IN THE GREAT CONTROVERSY - WHO IS TRULY THE GOOD ONE AND WHO IS 29:21 TRULY THE BAD ONE - "THIS WORK" - THIS REVEALING OF WHO 29:28 WAS GOOD AND WHO WAS BAD - "THIS WORK ONLY ONE BEING IN ALL THE 29:33 UNIVERSE COULD DO." - AND WHO WAS THAT ONE BEING? 29:39 JESUS, YES - "ONLY HE WHO KNEW THE HEIGHT AND DEPTH AND THE 29:46 LOVE OF GOD COULD MAKE IT KNOWN. UPON THE WORLD'S DARK NIGHT, THE 29:52 SON OF RIGHTEOUSNESS MUST RISE WITH HEALING IN HIS WINGS." 29:59 AND SO JESUS, THE SON OF RIGHTEOUSNESS CAME, WITH HEALING 30:04 IN HIS WINGS, TO BRING HEALING, NOT JUST FROM THE DISEASE OF SIN 30:11 AND ALL THE TERRIBLE SUFFERING THAT IT BRINGS, BUT ALSO, AS 30:16 WELL, THE HEALING - TO HEAL THE SEPARATION THAT SIN HAS BROUGHT 30:23 BETWEEN GOD AND THE CREATURES THAT HE HAS MADE - HIS EARTHLY 30:29 CHILDREN. AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN THE LOYAL 30:34 ANGELS - WELL, I'LL LEAVE THAT FOR A MOMENT. 30:36 LET ME LEAVE THAT FOR A MOMENT. SO JESUS CAME TO DO THIS 30:42 REVEALING - WITHOUT THE USE OF FORCE, WHICH WE READ IS CONTRARY 30:46 TO GOD'S WAYS AND GOD'S CHARACTER. 30:49 JESUS CAME WITH BUT TWO WEAPONS TO UNDERTAKE THIS TREMENDOUS 30:55 CHALLENGE. TWO WEAPONS - FIRST WEAPON WAS 30:59 TRUTH - DIVINE TRUTH - AND THE SECOND WEAPON WAS DIVINE LOVE. 31:06 AND WE MIGHT WELL AS, 'HOW COULD TWO SUCH THINGS' - YOU KNOWN, IT 31:13 SEEMS ALMOST WEAK AND FLIMSY - 'LOVE - HE'S GOING TO DEFEAT 31:15 THIS TYRANT WITH LOVE AND TRUTH. 31:19 HOW COULD TWO SUCH THINGS AS LOVE AND TRUTH PREVAIL AGAINST A 31:23 DEVIL WHOSE WEAPONS INCLUDED AND STILL DO INCLUDE CRUELTY, FORCE, 31:31 FEAR, COERCION, AND HIS MASTERFUL ABILITY TO DECEIVE THE 31:41 HUMAN RACE - A WHOLE RACE - WHICH ALREADY HAD A NATURAL BENT 31:46 TOWARD EVIL BECAUSE OF THE CONSEQUENCE OF ADAM'S SIN. 31:51 NOT ADAM'S GUILT BUT ADAM'S SIN. ADAM HANDED ON THE LEGACY TO HIS 31:56 CHILDREN THAT THEY HAD FALLEN NATURES. 31:58 SO SATAN CAME DOWN HERE TO FORCE, TO COERCE, TO BULLY 32:04 PEOPLE - WITH A RACE THAT WAS ALREADY WEAK BECAUSE THEY WERE 32:07 ALREADY SINFUL BEINGS. COULD JESUS PREVAIL WITH LOVE AND 32:13 TRUTH? WELL, THE ANSWER IS 'YES HE DID.' AND IT WILL BE 32:15 SEEN ESPECIALLY IN THE FUTURE. 32:19 BUT AT THE BEGINNING OF HIS MINISTRY WHEN JESUS CAME DOWN 32:22 HUMANLY, WITH JUST LOVE AND TRUTH, ALL THE ODDS WERE JUST 32:26 TOTALLY STACKED AGAINST HIM. BUT HE CAME. 32:33 HE CAME NONETHELESS AND HE DECLARED THE NATURE OF HIS 32:36 MISSION AS SOON AS HE BEGAN HIS EARTHLY MINISTRY HE WAS RIGHT 32:40 THERE AT THE SYNAGOGUE IN NAZARETH, YOU REMEMBER? AND HE 32:44 WENT, AS HIS CUSTOM WAS, AND THEY BROUGHT TO HIM THE SCROLL 32:47 OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH AND FROM ISAIAH 61 HE READ THIS PASSAGE 32:52 HERE, WHICH IS ACTUALLY IN LUKE 4:18 AND I WANT TO READ IT. 32:57 HERE JESUS IS READING THE NATURE OF HIS MISSION AND YOU'LL SEE IN 33:01 HERE THERE'S TRUTH AND THERE'S LOVE, WHICH COME THROUGH. 33:05 THIS IS WHAT HE IS COME TO DO THROUGH THESE TWO THINGS. 33:08 LUKE 4:18, HE SAYS, "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE 33:15 HE HATH ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR;" - TRUTH 33:20 - "HE HATH SENT ME TO HEAL THE BROKENHEARTED," - LOVE - "TO 33:26 PREACH DELIVERANCE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERING OF 33:30 SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET AT LIBERTY THEM THAT ARE BRUISED." 33:34 TO SET THEM FREE - A FALLEN RACE UNDER THE POWER OF SATAN - WITH 33:37 JUST LOVE AND TRUTH. HERE WAS AN AGENDA WHICH WAS 33:43 TOTALLY OUT OF KEEPING - THIS WAS THE DIVINE AGENDA WHICH WAS 33:48 TOTALLY OUT OF KEEPING WITH THE PICTURE THAT SATAN HAD PAINTED 33:54 OF GOD AS THIS TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE TYRANT. 34:00 AND THIS IS THE PICTURE THAT SATAN HAD ESPECIALLY, WHICH WAS 34:05 THE OPPOSITE TO THIS PROPHECY FROM ISAIAH 61, DECLARING THE 34:08 NATURE OF CHRIST'S MISSION AND SATAN HAD VERY POWERFULLY 34:14 PAINTED THE OPPOSITE PICTURE AND IMPLANTED INDELIBLY IN THE MIND 34:18 OF THE JEWS WHO HAD SUCH A MISCONCEPTION OF GOD - THEY, TOO 34:22 SAW HIM AS A TYRANT. AND TIME AFTER TIME JESUS HAD TO 34:26 BATTLE AGAINST THIS MINDSET WITH THE PHARISEES AND THE SCRIBES AS 34:32 THEY WOULD WALK PAST PEOPLE WHO WERE SICK IN THE STREET. 34:36 JESUS WOULD STOP AND HELP THEM BUT THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES 34:38 WOULD WALK BY BECAUSE 'YOU'RE SICK, YOU'RE BLIND, YOU HAVE 34:41 LEPROSY BECAUSE OF YOUR SINS. GOD HATES YOU.' HE HAD TO COME 34:49 WITH TRUTH AND LOVE TO COMBAT ALL THAT AND CHANGE THE 34:52 LANDSCAPE. BUT HE DID. ARE YOU GLAD? 34:58 WE READ THIS - THESE ARE THE GLORIOUS RESULTS - 35:02 AND ALL THE RESULTS ARE NOT IN YET. 35:04 WE'RE GOING TO SEE IT IN A GREATER FULLNESS. 35:07 2 CORINTHIANS 4:6, "FOR GOD, WHO COMMANDED THE LIGHT TO SHINE OUT 35:15 OF DARKNESS, HATH SHINED IN OUR HEARTS, TO GIVE THE LIGHT OF THE 35:21 KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD" - THAT'S WHAT NEEDED TO BE SEEN TO 35:25 GIVE THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE FACE 35:29 OF SATAN'S TERRIBLE PROPAGANDA TO BRING THE LIGHT - "TO GIVE 35:32 THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE FACE OF 35:37 JESUS CHRIST." SO EVERYONE THAT CAME TO JESUS 35:41 FOR HEALING - THAT THEY WOULD LOOK IN THAT FACE AND THEY'D SEE 35:48 THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD. WHAT KIND OF A GOD? 35:54 AN ALMIGHTY GOD, YES, WHO COULD STILL THE WINDS AND THE STORMS. 35:58 BUT A GOD WHO IS, ACCORDING TO OUR LESSON, A LOVING HEAVENLY 36:02 FATHER. EVERY PERSON THAT CAME TO HIM, 36:08 THEY'RE UNDER CONDEMNATION BECAUSE THE PHARISEES HAVE SAID, 36:13 'YOU WRETCH! YOU'RE GOING TO GO TO GEHENA. 36:17 YOU'RE GOING TO BURN. YOU WRETCH!' 36:20 AND THESE PEOPLE WERE LOADED DOWN WITH GRIEF AND HOPELESSNESS 36:25 AND DESPAIR. THAT MAN THEY LET DOWN THROUGH 36:28 THE ROOF - DO YOU REMEMBER? HE WAS SICK - HE WAS SICK 36:31 BECAUSE HE'D BEEN A BAD BOY. HE'D LIVED OUT ON THE TOWN FOR 36:34 TOO LONG AND HE WAS SICK. HE WAS PAYING A PRICE. 36:37 BUT THE THING THAT WEIGHED HEAVIEST ON HIS HEART WAS HIS 36:40 SINS. AND THEY LET HIM DOWN THROUGH 36:43 THAT ROOF AND JESUS STOPPED WHAT HE WAS DOING AS THIS MAN JUST 36:47 COMES DOWN AND JESUS COULD READ, RIGHT AWAY, THIS MAN'S LIFE 36:50 STORY AND HE COULD READ HIS HEART. 36:52 BEFORE HE SAID ANYTHING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 'I'M GOING TO FIX YOUR 36:55 LEGS. I'M GOING TO FIX YOUR ULCERS.' 36:57 HE SAID, 'SON, BE OF GOOD CHEER. YOUR SINS BE FORGIVEN YOU.' SEE? 37:04 WHEN THAT MAN - ELLEN WHITE SAYS THE HE JUST LAID BACK ON HIS 37:08 LITTER AND HE JUST - HE DIDN'T CARE IF HE HAD NO LEGS. 37:15 HE DIDN'T CARE IF HE HAD ULCERS. HE WAS FORGIVEN. 37:19 AND WHEN THAT MAN LOOKED IN THE FACE OF JESUS CHRIST, WHAT DID 37:23 HE SEE? HE SAW THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD AS 37:28 THE ONE WHO HAD SPREAD FORTH THE HEAVENS THROUGH THE WORD OF HIS 37:31 MOUTH, BUT ALSO A GOD WHO IS ALSO - WHAT DOES THE LESSON SAY? 37:36 'A LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER.' WONDERFUL, ISN'T IT? 37:44 BUT THAT WAS NEEDFUL FOR THIS WORLD. 37:49 JESUS HAS GONE BACK TO HEAVEN, BUT THAT MISSION STATEMENT STILL 37:54 STANDS FROM LUKE 4:18. I TOLD YOU THIS A MINUTE AGO, HE 37:59 WANTS US TO BE HIS HANDS AND HIS FEET AND HIS VOICE AND HIS FACE. 38:03 AND FOR US TO GO AND DO THOSE THINGS SO PEOPLE LOOK IN OUR 38:06 FACE AND NOT SEE US BUT SEE JESUS. 38:09 AS THEY LOOK AT JESUS THEY WILL SEE THE FATHER. 38:12 SO THIS WAS NEEDFUL ON THIS EARTH BUT ALSO, AGAIN, I'VE 38:14 ALLUDED TO THIS, THIS REVELATION OF GOD WAS NECESSARY, 38:18 AGAIN, FOR THE GREAT CONTROVERSY. THAT THE WHOLE 38:21 UNFALLEN UNIVERSE - THAT EVERY INTELLIGENCE OUT THERE AS WELL 38:24 AS DOWN HERE, WOULD ONE DAY DECLARE SATAN'S GUILT AND GOD'S 38:27 INNOCENCE AND DECLARE EVERYONE THAT GOD IS LOVE. 38:34 YOU NOTICE THE CONFLICT OF THE AGES SERIES, ALL FIVE VOLUMES, 38:36 THEY BEGIN WITH 'PATRIARCHS AND PROPHETS' - 'GOD IS LOVE,' AND 38:41 THE VERY LAST SENTENCE OF 'GREAT CONTROVERSY' IT IS 'GOD IS LOVE' 38:48 AND, OF COURSE, THE CENTERPOINT REVELATION - DON'T MISS THIS - 38:55 THE CENTERPOINT REVELATION OF GOD THE FATHER'S LOVE - HIS 39:01 BOUNDLESS LOVE, AS WITNESSED IN THE EARTHLY SOJOURN AND MINISTRY 39:05 OF JESUS CHRIST WAS ULTIMATELY SEEN IN WHAT PLACE? AT CALVARY. 39:15 THAT'S WHERE IT ALL CAME TOGETHER. 39:21 AND ROMAN SOLDIERS STOOD AROUND THAT CROSS AND SCOFFERS LOOKING 39:25 AT THIS MALEFACTOR - NOT REALIZING, FOR A SECOND, 39:32 WHAT WAS GOING ON. 39:36 ONE DAY THEY WILL, BUT EVEN THOUGH HUMAN BEINGS DIDN'T 39:40 UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON - A REVELATION OF GOD'S LOVE - THE 39:43 WHOLE UNFALLEN UNIVERSE WAS LOOKING DOWN UPON THIS TINY 39:48 SPECK OUT THERE ON THE EDGE OF THE MILKY WAY GALAXY - THIS 39:52 LITTLE PLANET - THE THEATER OF THE UNIVERSE. 39:55 AND ANGELS AND BEINGS OF UNFALLEN WORLDS AND SYSTEMS, 39:59 THEY WERE LOOKING, AMAZED - TOTALLY AMAZED THAT THIS GOD, 40:07 WHO THEY'D REMAINED FAITHFUL TO BUT, NONETHELESS, SATAN HAD DONE 40:12 SUCH A GOOD JOB, THERE WERE STILL A FEW LITTLE QUESTIONS, 40:17 YOU KNOW? YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? 40:21 BUT WHEN SATAN OVERREACHED AND CRUCIFIED THE SON OF GOD, ELLEN 40:29 WHITE SAYS, IN GREAT CONTROVERSY, HIS MASK WAS TORN 40:33 OFF AND THEY SAW JUST WHAT HE REALLY WAS AND THEY SAW WHAT GOD 40:41 WAS REALLY LIKE. THEY KNEW GOD WAS GOOD - AFTER 40:45 THE CROSS, EVERY ANGEL THAT CAME BEFORE HIS THRONE AGAIN AND 40:48 EVERY UNFALLEN BEING THAT CAME BEFORE HIS THRONE MUST HAVE SEEN 40:52 GOD THROUGH DIFFERENT EYES EVEN THOUGH THE VIEW THEY HAD OF HIM 40:57 WAS ALWAYS WONDERFUL UNTIL THE CROSS. 41:01 WHEN JESUS DIED ON THAT CROSS, AND HE CRIED OUT 'IT IS 41:05 FINISHED!' HE RANG THE DEATH KNELL OF THE 41:09 DEVIL AND SOON THE DEVIL WILL ACTUALLY SUFFER THAT WHICH WAS 41:16 DETERMINED WHEN JESUS POURED HIMSELF OUT FOR US AT CALVARY. 41:20 LET'S MOVE ON TO WEDNESDAY, 'THE COMPASSIONATE CARE OF OUR 41:22 HEAVENLY FATHER'. I WANT TO READ FROM PSALM 18, VERSE 5. 41:32 IT SAYS, "THE SORROWS OF HELL COMPASSED ME ABOUT: 41:38 THE SNARES OF DEATH PREVENTED ME." 41:43 HAVE YOU EVER FELT LIKE THE SORROWS OF HELL OR THE GRAVE 41:47 COMPASSED YOU ABOUT AND THE SNARES OF DEATH WERE JUST ABOUT 41:50 READY TO TAKE YOU DOWN INTO A BLACK HOLE? 41:55 WE CAN USE THAT AS FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE TO DESCRIBE SOME 41:58 TERRIBLE CRISIS OR SOME TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE YOU'RE GOING THROUGH 42:02 IN LIFE - ANGUISH AND SORROW AND GRIEF AND YOU NAME IT. 42:08 WELL, YOU KNOW, IN THE BOOK OF PSALMS, AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, 42:11 THERE'S A LOT OF HEART CRIES. 42:14 THERE'S JOYFUL CRIES IN THE BOOK OF PSALMS BUT THERE ARE SOME 42:17 AWFUL SORROWFUL ONES AS WELL AND HERE'S ONE OF DAVID'S. 42:23 HERE DAVID EXPRESSES HIS ANGUISHED HEART CRY RELATED TO 42:28 HIS MALTREATMENT AT THE HANDS OF SAUL. REMEMBER THAT? 42:33 WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH DAVID THERE? 42:35 SAUL WAS HUNTING HIM LIKE A DOG. AND, AGAIN, PERHAPS YOU CAN 42:39 RELATE TO DAVID'S PAIN AND DISTRESS RIGHT NOW. 42:42 BUT IF SO, REMEMBER THIS - REMEMBER, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. 42:50 YOU ARE NEVER ALONE. YOU STILL HAVE A COMPASSIONATE 42:54 CARING HEAVENLY FATHER. WE STARTED THERE AND WE'RE STILL 42:59 TALKING ABOUT IT. HE SEES, HE KNOWS, HE CARES AND 43:04 YOU CAN TURN TO HIM WHEN YOU'RE THE OBJECT OF INJUSTICE AND 43:09 CRUELTY AT THE HANDS OF OTHERS AS DAVID WAS. 43:14 AND HERE, BACK IN PSALM 18 WE MOVE TO VERSE 6 AND THIS IS WHAT 43:18 HE SAYS - HE SAYS, "IN MY DISTRESS I CALLED UPON THE LORD, 43:25 AND CRIED UNTO MY GOD: HE HEARD MY VOICE OUT OF HIS TEMPLE, AND 43:31 MY CRY CAME BEFORE HIM, EVEN INTO HIS EARS." 43:37 THAT STATEMENT FROM CHRIST'S - 'STEPS TO CHRIST' ONE HUNDRED - 43:41 PAGE 100 - MEMORIZE THAT - THAT'S NOT HARD TO REMEMBER, 43:44 RIGHT? 'STEPS TO CHRIST' PAGE 100 - 43:47 THAT'S WHERE THAT BEAUTIFUL STATEMENT WAS. 43:49 THERE'S NOTHING THAT ESCAPES OUR HEAVENLY FATHER'S IMMEDIATE 43:52 INTEREST AND ATTENTION. AND IT WAS THE SAME WITH DAVID. 43:55 GOD SAW AND GOD WORKED IT OUT. 43:57 PSALM 18, VERSE 16, FINALLY DAVID SAYS ABOUT GOD, "HE SENT 44:05 FROM ABOVE, HE TOOK ME, HE DREW ME OUT OF MANY WATERS." 44:10 - OR IN THE MARGIN IT SAYS, 'GREAT WATERS.' VERSE 17, "HE 44:15 DELIVERED ME FROM MY STRONG ENEMY, AND FROM THEM WHICH HATED 44:18 ME: FOR THEY WERE TOO STRONG FOR ME." 44:20 - VERSE 19, "HE BROUGHT ME FORTH ALSO INTO A LARGE PLACE; 44:25 HE DELIVERED ME, BECAUSE HE DELIGHTED IN ME." 44:30 SO GOD - THERE'S TWO THINGS HERE I WANT US TO NOTICE: GOD NOT 44:33 ONLY SHOWED CARE AND COMPASSION TO DAVID WHEN HE WAS INNOCENT OF 44:39 DOING ALL WRONG - WHEN SAUL WAS CHASING HIM, AND YET GOD, BEING 44:45 WHAT HE IS, HE ALSO SHOWED CARE AND COMPASSION TO DAVID WHEN 44:50 DAVID WAS ACTUALLY SUFFERING THE CONSEQUENCES OF HIS OWN SINS - 44:55 HIS OWN HEINOUS SINS OF ADULTERY AND MURDER. 44:59 GOD FORGAVE HIM BUT THERE WERE CONSEQUENCES. 45:02 BUT EVEN THERE GOD WAS WITH HIM. IN RETREATING FROM JERUSALEM IN 45:07 THE MIDST OF AN INSURRECTION - YOU REMEMBER THAT? 45:11 - AN INSURRECTION AGAINST HIM INVOLVING HIS OWN SON ABSALON. 45:15 WE READ THE FOLLOWING OF HOW GOD STILL LOOKED UPON DAVID. 45:22 ANOTHER BOOK, MIKE. THE ONE UNDERNEATH THE TOP ONE. 45:26 THANK YOU. MIKE'S MY GOOD FRIEND, UNLESS 45:30 YOU HADN'T NOTICED BY NOW. MINISTRY OF HEALING PAGE 11. 45:38 THIS IS BEAUTIFUL. I MEAN, IF YOU'RE SMARTING AND 45:42 HURTING AS A CONSEQUENCE OF SOME WRONGDOING AND YOU'RE FEELING 45:49 JUST ROTTEN, THIS IS FOR YOU. "OUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS NEVER 45:56 UNMINDFUL OF THOSE WHOM SORROW HAS TOUCHED." 46:00 - WHETHER OTHERS HAVE BROUGHT IT UPON YOU OR WHETHER YOU'VE 46:02 BROUGHT IT UPON YOURSELF - "WHEN DAVID WENT UP THE MOUNT OLIVET, 46:09 HE WEPT AS HE WENT UP AND HE HAD HIS HEAD COVERED AND HE WENT 46:14 BAREFOOT. THE LORD LOOKED PITYINGLY UPON 46:19 HIM. DAVID WAS CLOTHED IN SACKCLOTH 46:23 AND HIS CONSCIENCE WAS SCOURGING HIM. 46:27 THE OUTWARD SIGNS OF HUMILIATION TESTIFIED TO HIS CONTRITION. 46:33 IN TEARFUL, BROKEN UTTERANCES, HE PRESENTED HIS CASE TO GOD AND 46:38 THE LORD DID NOT FORSAKE HIS SERVANT." 46:42 - LISTEN TO THIS - "NEVER WAS DAVID DEARER TO THE HEART OF 46:48 INFINITE LOVE THAN, WHEN CONSCIENCE SMITTEN, HE FLED FOR 46:54 HIS LIFE FROM HIS ENEMIES WHO'D BEEN STIRRED TO REBELLION BY HIS 46:58 OWN SON." HE HAD IT COMING, RIGHT? REALLY HE DID. 47:04 AND GOD, AT THE SAME TIME, DIDN'T PREVENT THAT. 47:08 HE TOLD HIM, 'THE SWORD SHALL NOT DEPART FROM YOUR HOUSE.' GOD 47:11 DOES NOT TAKE SIN LIGHTLY. HE FORGAVE HIM, BUT THERE HAD TO 47:14 BE CONSEQUENCES. HE WAS THE KING. 47:17 "BUT NEVER WAS DAVID DEARER TO THE HEART OF INFINITE LOVE 47:23 THAN, WHEN CONSCIENCE SMITTEN, HE FLED FOR HIS LIFE FROM HIS 47:27 ENEMIES WHO HAD BEEN STIRRED TO REBELLION BY HIS OWN SON. 47:32 THE LORD SAYS, 'AS MANY AS I LOVE I REBUKE AND CHASTEN. 47:37 BE ZEALOUS, THEREFORE, AND REPENT." 47:41 IT SAYS, "CHRIST LIFTS UP THE CONTRITE HEART AND REFINES THE 47:45 MOURNING SOUL UNTIL IT BECOMES HIS ABODE." 47:49 SEE GOD BRINGS GOOD OUT OF IT, RIGHT? 47:52 YOU MAY FEEL SMITTEN AND SCOURGED BY YOUR OWN CONSCIENCE 47:56 AND YOU'D PROBABLY DESERVE IT, BUT GOD HE WILL USE THAT TO 48:00 PURIFY YOU AND MAKE THAT HEART THAT HAS BEEN REBELLIOUS AGAINST 48:04 GOD, GOD'S OWN ABODE IN SUCH A WAY IT PROBABLY COULDN'T HAVE 48:09 HAPPENED UNLESS YOU'VE GONE THROUGH THAT EXPERIENCE. 48:14 ANYWAY, WE CAN KNOW THAT DAVID FOUND COMFORT IN GOD, BUT LET'S 48:19 NOT OVERLOOK THE FACT HERE THAT DAVID ALSO, I MEAN, HE FOUND 48:25 COMFORT IN THE COMPANION - IN THE COMPASSION AND COMPANIONSHIP 48:30 OF THE LOYAL FRIENDS HE HAD WHO REMAINED BY HIS SIDE. 48:34 HE WENT OUT THERE BUT HE WASN'T ALONE. SO HE HAD HUMAN 48:38 COMPANIONSHIP AND SUPPORT, OF COURSE IT DOESN'T TAKE 48:40 THE PLACE OF DIVINE, BUT STILL THEY WERE THERE. 48:43 AND IT'S ALSO THROUGH HUMAN INSTRUMENTALITIES THAT GOD WANTS 48:46 TO DEMONSTRATE TO US HIS COMPASSIONATE CARE. 48:52 NOW LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING - I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING AND YOU 48:55 COULD PROBABLY RELATE TO THIS: HAVE YOU EVER PRAYED TO GOD IN 48:58 YOUR DISTRESS AND YOU LOOK FOR AN ANGEL TO COME DOWN THROUGH 49:02 THE ROOF OR SOMETHING BUT, INSTEAD, THERE'S A KNOCK AT THE 49:04 DOOR AND IT'S NOT A DIVINE ANGEL COMING DOWN THROUGH THE CEILING 49:08 BUT IT'S ANOTHER HUMAN BEING ON YOUR DOORSTEP WHO'S COME 49:11 AT THAT MOMENT TO ANSWER YOUR PRAYER? 49:15 HAVE YOU HAD SOMETHING LIKE THAT? 49:16 THERE WAS A LADY WHO WAS RECENTLY - SHE'S GOING TO BE 49:20 BAPTIZED - I WAS MEETING WITH HER THE OTHER DAY. 49:23 SHE SAID, 'YOU KNOW, MY LIFE WAS THIS, THAT AND IT WAS THE OTHER. 49:25 IT WAS TERRIBLE. SO I WAS PRAYING. 49:28 I WAS PRAYING TO GOD FOR HELP, FOR GUIDANCE, FOR LIGHT - AND 49:31 THERE WAS A KNOCK ON MY DOOR AND IT WAS A COUPLE OF AFCOE 49:34 STUDENTS.' YOU KNOW, SHE MAYBE THOUGHT THAT GOD WOULD SEND A 49:41 THUNDERBOLT DOWN, YOU KNOW, AND THIS HAND WOULD WRITE WITH 49:44 LETTERS OF FIRE ON THE WALL BUT, NO, HE SENT TWO AFCOE STUDENTS. 49:48 GOD OFTEN WORKS LIKE THAT. I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS - WHEN WE 49:52 - HELEN IS SOMEWHERE AROUND - WHEN WE WERE - I WAS A NEWBOLD 49:56 STUDENT - THIS WAS A LONG TIME AGO. 49:58 DEBBIE WAS THIS BIG - TWO AND A BIT - AND RACHEL WAS THREE 50:02 SOMETHING AND WE HAD IN THE PANTRY - I THINK A JAR OF DRIED 50:08 GARBANZOS? NOT MY FAVORITE - AND A JAR OF 50:12 DRIED GREEN PEAS - NOT MY FAVORITE. 50:15 THIS WAS IN THE OLD DAYS WHEN YOU PAID THE MILK MAN. 50:19 WE HAD ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY THE MILK BILL AND THAT WAS IT. 50:23 TWO LITTLE KIDS, A WIFE, AND ME BUT, YOU KNOW WHAT? 50:27 I WAS ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT EXCITED BECAUSE I WAS THINKING, 50:31 'WHAT'S GOD GOING TO DO?' SO WE GET UP THE NEXT MORNING 50:36 AND LEFT THE MONEY OUT FOR THE MILKMAN AND WE PRAYED - GOT THE 50:39 LITTLE GIRLS AROUND AND WE SAID, 'LORD, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY DON'T 50:42 HAVE ANYTHING TO EAT.' AND SO I WENT OFF TO COLLEGE AND HELEN 50:46 STAYED HOME AND LATER THAT MORNING THERE WAS A KNOCK ON THE 50:49 DOOR AND THERE WAS ONE OF THE STUDENTS WIVES - ONE OF THE 50:51 THEOLOGY STUDENT'S WIVES WITH A LOAF OF BREAD. 50:54 'I'VE JUST BEEN BAKING SOME BREAD. 50:55 I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT LIKE THIS.' 'OH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.' AND 50:59 THEN LATER IN THE MORNING HELEN WENT TO GO LOOK - WE'RE IN A 51:02 MARRIED STUDENT HALL. SHE JUST WENT OUT THE APARTMENT 51:05 AND THERE, ON THE DOOR, WAS AN ENVELOPE. 51:07 SHE PULLED IT OFF, OPENED IT UP, AND THERE WAS MONEY IN THERE TO 51:10 BUY A WEEK'S GROCERIES. YOU SEE? 51:14 I KNOW YOU CAN ALL RELATE AND TELL STORIES LIKE THAT. 51:19 SO WHY AM I ADDING THIS? BECAUSE. 51:23 BECAUSE WE, AS YOU AND I, AS GOD HAS HEARD OUR PRAYERS AND 51:34 BECAUSE HE'S OUR LOVING, CARING, COMPASSIONATE HEAVENLY FATHER, 51:38 AND HE HAS ANSWERED OUR PRAYERS - SOMETIMES DIRECTLY FROM HIM. 51:41 YOU KNOW, HE SPEAKS TO YOU SOMETIMES. 51:43 BUT AS HE, VERY OFTEN, HAS SENT HUMAN INSTRUMENTALITIES TO YOUR 51:47 DOOR WITH, LET'S SAY A LOAF OF BREAD OR SOMETHING OF THE LIKE, 51:51 WE NEED TO BE WILLING OURSELVES TO TAKE ON THAT ROLE WHEN 51:58 SOMEBODY WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT IS ALSO PRAYING TO GOD, 52:02 'LORD, I NEED HELP. IF YOU'RE REALLY THERE, HELP 52:06 ME.' YOU NEED TO BE THE ONE WHO'S WILLING - AS YOU HAVE 52:10 RECEIVED YOU NEED TO GIVE - TO BE THE ONE, IF HE CALLS YOU AT 52:13 2:00 IN THE MORNING - SOMETIMES HE MIGHT - TO GET UP AND GO OUT 52:17 AND GO TO THAT PLACE. GO TO THAT HOUSE. 52:19 CALL THAT PERSON AND UNDERSTAND THAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO THE 52:25 GREAT HONOR AND UNIQUE PRIVILEGE OF NOW BEING HIS INSTRUMENT, IN 52:29 HIS HANDS, TO BE A DEMONSTRATION OF HIS LOVE AND COMPASSION TO 52:36 SOME OTHER STRUGGLING HUMAN BEING. IS GOD GOOD? HE IS. 52:44 >>EVERY DAY WE MAKE HUNDREDS OF DECISIONS. 52:46 SOMETIMES THESE CHOICES ARE MUNDANE. 52:49 WHAT WILL YOU HAVE FOR BREAKFAST? 52:50 OR WHAT WILL YOU WEAR FOR WORK? 52:52 BUT SOMETIMES THESE DECISIONS CAN HAVE AN ETERNAL IMPACT: LIKE 52:56 WHEN YOU SET UP AN ESTATE PLAN THAT SUPPORTS GOD'S WORK. 53:01 WE NEED TO MOVE QUICKLY, FRIENDS, TO ENSURE AS MANY SOULS 53:05 AS POSSIBLE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR CHRIST. 53:09 AND WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO INCLUDE YOUR EVANGELISM VALUES IN YOUR 53:12 ESTATE PLAN TODAY, AMAZING FACTS CAN DO EVEN MORE TO EXPAND GOD'S 53:16 KINGDOM THROUGH YOUR FAITHFUL STEWARDSHIP. 53:19 I'D LIKE TO OFFER YOU A FREE GIFT ENTITLED, 'PROVIDE AND 53:23 PROTECT' WHICH IS A TREMENDOUS RESOURCE TELLING ABOUT LIFE AND 53:26 DEATH DECISIONS CONNECTED WITH YOUR ESTATE PLAN. 53:30 CONTACT OUR PLANNED GIVING DEPARTMENT AT 800-436-2695 OR 53:35 VISIT 'ENDURINGLEGACY.ORG' AND YOU CAN HAVE THE PEACE OF MIND 53:41 THAT COMES FROM KNOWING YOUR HOUSE IS IN ORDER. 53:45 >>WELL, MY CONVERSION STORY IS WHEN I WAS IN THE PHILIPPINES I 53:50 JUST GRADUATED AS A NURSE AND AFTERWARDS I DID NOT HAVE ANY 53:55 RELIGION AND ONE TIME I FOUND MYSELF INSIDE A SMALL CHURCH - 54:01 CATHOLIC CHURCH IN MANILLA - AND BEFORE A BIG CROSS AND I WAS 54:08 KNEELING BEFORE AND I COULD HEAR JESUS TELLING ME TO ENTER THE 54:13 CONVENT, SAVE MYSELF, AND ALSO MY FAMILY. 54:18 AND I SAID, 'LORD, I WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW YOU ALL THE WAY.' AT 54:21 THAT POINT I SEEMED TO BE HAPPY, EXTERNALLY, BUT BECAUSE INSIDE 54:26 THE CONVENT WE DON'T READ THE BIBLE - WE DON'T STUDY ABOUT THE 54:29 WORD OF GOD, WE PRAY THE ROSARIES. 54:33 WE ALSO, AT THE SAME TIME, STUDY THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS AND ALSO 54:37 OUR FOUNDERS AND THE ENCYCLICALS OF THE POPE, 54:42 AND THE VIRGIN MARY. AND SO I DO NOT KNOW THE TRUTH 54:45 AND I HAD THIS TORTURE OF CONSCIENCE - THE GUILTY FEELINGS 54:50 THAT CANNOT BE RESOLVED. SO I WOULD CONFESS TO THE PRIEST 54:53 IN THE CONFESSIONAL BOX SAYING, 'FATHER, FORGIVE ME. 54:57 SINCE MY LAST CONFESSION WAS LAST WEEK - SINCE THEN I HAVE 55:01 COMMITTED THE FOLLOWING SIN INCLUDING THE ROOT CAUSE, 'WHY 55:05 AM I FALLING AND FALLING IN THAT SAME SIN OVER AND OVER AGAIN?' 55:11 AND STILL, FOR 21 LONG YEARS I STRUGGLE AND I STRUGGLE AND I 55:16 STRUGGLE. I REALIZED THAT I WAS TOTALLY EMPTY. 55:21 I WAS TOTALLY HELPLESS AND HOPELESS AND SO DEPRESSED AND SO 55:26 DESPERATE THAT I WOULD LIKE ALREADY TO END MY LIFE. 55:31 I WAS WORKING FOR FIVE YEARS AS DEAN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SAINT 55:35 AUGUSTINE COLLEGE OF NURSING IN OOLA OOLA CITY, ONE OF THE 55:39 ISLANDS IN THE PHILIPPINES. AFTER FIVE YEARS I RECEIVED MY 55:45 COMMISSION FROM MY PARENTS TO HELP MY SISTER WHO IS BEING A 55:50 BATTERED WOMAN. THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I 55:53 CAME OVER TO THE UNITED STATES. IT IS BECAUSE MY SISTER NEEDS MY 55:59 HELP. AS I WAS WORKING IN THE HOSPITAL 56:02 IN NEW YORK, MY BOSS, SERAPHIN, HE WAS SO GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO 56:06 GIVE ME AN INVITATION TO THE 'MILLENIUM OF PROPHECY'. 56:10 AS I WAS LISTENING TO PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR'S PRESENTATION, 56:15 MY HEART REALLY WAS BEATING SO FAST AND MY MIND - I AM ABLE TO 56:20 GRASP THE TRUTH THAT THIS IS THE TRUTH THAT I'VE BEEN LONGING TO 56:26 HEAR ALL MY LIFE - THAT I HAVE BEEN SEEKING FOR SO LONG. 56:31 MY PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS - I CAN SEE JESUS AS MY 56:36 PERSONAL SAVIOR. HE IS NOT ONLY THE SAVIOR OF THE 56:40 WHOLE WORLD, BUT HE IS MY PERSONAL SAVIOR. 56:44 HE WAS THE ONE WHO DELIVERED ME MIGHTILY FROM THE DEPTHS OF SIN 56:50 - FROM THE MIRY CLAY. PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR HAS BEEN 56:54 USED BY THE LORD IN MY CONVERSION. 56:57 THE AMAZING FACTS - I OWE TO THEM. 57:00 THE LORD REALLY BLESSED THIS MINISTRY AND I'M SO PROUD I WAS 57:05 ABLE TO ATTEND THIS 'MILLENIUM OF PROPHECY'. 57:09 MY LIFE HAS NEVER BEEN THE SAME. IT HAS GIVEN ME THAT PEACE - 57:14 THAT JOY THAT NEVER - I HAVE NEVER TASTED IN MY LIFE. 57:20 NOW I AM SET FREE TO BE ABLE TO WORK FOR HIM AND TO FOLLOW HIM. 57:38 >>DID YOU KNOW THAT NOAH WAS PRESENT AT THE BIRTH OF ABRAHAM? 57:41 OKAY, MAYBE HE WASN'T IN THE ROOM, BUT HE WAS ALIVE AND 57:45 PROBABLY TELLING STORIES ABOUT HIS FLOATING ZOO. 57:48 FROM THE CREATION OF THE WORLD TO THE LAST DAY EVENTS OF 57:51 REVELATION, 'BIBLEHISTORY.COM' IS A FREE RESOURCE WHERE YOU CAN 57:55 EXPLORE MAJOR BIBLE EVENTS AND CHARACTERS. 57:58 ENHANCE YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE BIBLE AND DRAW CLOSER TO GOD'S 58:01 WORD. GO DEEPER. 58:04 VISIT THE AMAZING BIBLE TIMELINE AT 'BIBLEHISTORY.COM'. 58:09 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2014-12-17