I have with me here my friends
00:00:31.96\00:00:33.86
who are going to share a
little bit about their lives
00:00:33.90\00:00:36.03
and how God has called
them into sacrificial service.
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Jasmine, you are
here from quite far away.
00:00:39.50\00:00:43.94
You are...
00:00:43.97\00:00:45.31
You were born in a
refugee camp in Thailand.
00:00:45.34\00:00:48.84
Is that right? Yes.
00:00:48.88\00:00:50.68
Jasmine was born
as a refugee of...
00:00:50.71\00:00:52.81
She's part of the
Karen ethnic people group
00:00:52.85\00:00:55.68
who are originally from Myanmar
00:00:55.72\00:00:58.02
and she had a childhood
that was scarred by war,
00:00:58.05\00:01:03.36
trapped between the rebels
and the government forces.
00:01:03.39\00:01:06.73
She had to flee multiple times
with her family for her life.
00:01:06.76\00:01:11.20
And in this situation,
00:01:11.23\00:01:12.60
it's hard to
maintain your faith.
00:01:12.63\00:01:14.60
It's hard to understand
why these things are happening.
00:01:14.64\00:01:17.34
So, Jasmine, what
was it that kept you
00:01:17.37\00:01:20.11
in that rather difficult
00:01:20.14\00:01:21.94
and challenging
time close to the Lord?
00:01:21.98\00:01:25.75
Happy Sabbath, everyone.
00:01:25.78\00:01:28.25
And most of all,
00:01:28.28\00:01:29.78
I think the Holy Spirit's
basically are my parents
00:01:29.82\00:01:33.19
most of the time,
00:01:33.22\00:01:34.56
because my parents
were lay missionary,
00:01:34.59\00:01:36.89
so I have to stay
with my grandparents.
00:01:36.93\00:01:39.96
So the Holy Spirit basically,
00:01:40.00\00:01:42.43
you know, working in my heart
00:01:42.46\00:01:44.83
and, you know,
following God's voice
00:01:44.87\00:01:47.67
and maintain my faith.
00:01:47.70\00:01:50.61
So God really
adopted you in a way
00:01:50.64\00:01:53.14
in that challenging time
00:01:53.17\00:01:54.51
while your parents were
working as missionaries.
00:01:54.54\00:01:56.54
Now, your family
had an opportunity
00:01:56.58\00:01:58.48
to flee that situation.
00:01:58.51\00:02:00.35
When you were 16, you
came to the United States.
00:02:00.38\00:02:03.59
And I know you struggled
a little bit with English
00:02:03.62\00:02:05.65
at the time.
00:02:05.69\00:02:07.02
You went to school,
00:02:07.06\00:02:08.39
but you really learned
English while canvassing, amen?
00:02:08.42\00:02:11.89
What a blessing.
00:02:11.93\00:02:13.26
Now, God gave
you the opportunity
00:02:13.29\00:02:15.13
to go to college
here in the United States.
00:02:15.16\00:02:17.37
And He very clearly
spoke to you in that time.
00:02:17.40\00:02:20.97
What happened? Share about that?
00:02:21.00\00:02:22.64
So the first two weeks
when I went to my college,
00:02:22.67\00:02:26.14
I have dreams
about the persecution
00:02:26.17\00:02:29.68
and, you know,
people try to kill me
00:02:29.71\00:02:32.88
because I was
going back to Thailand
00:02:32.91\00:02:36.08
to the Karen people,
00:02:36.12\00:02:37.85
and they don't like me
to do mission work there.
00:02:37.89\00:02:40.82
So they try to get rid of me.
00:02:40.86\00:02:44.03
So I dreamed the
soldiers tried to kill me.
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You know, we're going
to get rid of Jasmine.
00:02:46.36\00:02:47.90
You know, I saw a lot
of things just like that.
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And then in 2015,
00:02:51.77\00:02:54.07
a group of the college students
00:02:54.10\00:02:56.47
and we went to
the mission trip there
00:02:56.50\00:02:59.34
and starts since then,
00:02:59.37\00:03:02.41
you know, I pray to God
00:03:02.44\00:03:03.78
and God changed me
through the mission trip.
00:03:03.81\00:03:06.65
And I became...
00:03:06.68\00:03:10.15
God told me to change my
major to elementary education.
00:03:10.19\00:03:14.49
So I know that for
sure, and I prayed.
00:03:14.52\00:03:17.13
So long story short,
00:03:17.16\00:03:18.79
He answered my
prayer in the same week
00:03:18.83\00:03:20.90
through my team members,
00:03:20.93\00:03:22.26
so I know that
He's calling for me
00:03:22.30\00:03:24.93
and then as soon as
I came back to State,
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I changed my major
00:03:28.44\00:03:29.77
and now I'm going to
give my life to Jesus
00:03:29.80\00:03:34.01
to serve education.
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You know, to serve my people
through education, teaching.
00:03:36.88\00:03:40.82
Amen.
00:03:40.85\00:03:42.18
You know, it's wonderful to see
00:03:42.22\00:03:43.59
what happens when we are willing
00:03:43.62\00:03:45.22
to let God take
control of our lives.
00:03:45.25\00:03:48.62
Jasmine felt a
clear call from God
00:03:48.66\00:03:50.69
to serve the
people back in Thailand,
00:03:50.73\00:03:53.46
her people as a teacher,
00:03:53.50\00:03:55.50
so she sacrificed
her personal dreams
00:03:55.53\00:03:58.07
and changed her major and said
00:03:58.10\00:03:59.43
I will follow
God's will for my life.
00:03:59.47\00:04:01.70
And God gave her these dreams.
00:04:01.74\00:04:03.07
And we don't know
if that is something
00:04:03.10\00:04:04.44
that is going to
happen or what is going on,
00:04:04.47\00:04:06.71
but we know that
God has a clear call
00:04:06.74\00:04:08.31
in Jasmine's life
00:04:08.34\00:04:09.68
and she's willing to follow
and we give Him all the glory.
00:04:09.71\00:04:12.78
So you are going there in March.
00:04:12.81\00:04:14.45
Is that correct?
00:04:14.48\00:04:15.82
March, yes. Yes.
00:04:15.85\00:04:17.19
And how long
will you serve there?
00:04:17.22\00:04:19.05
It's going to be
a long-term mission.
00:04:19.09\00:04:20.96
Long-term mission. Praise God.
00:04:20.99\00:04:22.79
Jasmine has felt a call from God
00:04:22.82\00:04:25.19
and is willing to
sacrifice the comforts
00:04:25.23\00:04:27.76
and the convenience
00:04:27.80\00:04:29.13
of living here
in the United States
00:04:29.16\00:04:30.57
to serve Jesus,
00:04:30.60\00:04:31.93
where He calls her to serve.
00:04:31.97\00:04:33.84
Hundred years ago,
00:04:33.87\00:04:35.20
the missionary Eric B.
Hare went to the Karen people.
00:04:35.24\00:04:39.41
And through his work,
00:04:39.44\00:04:41.58
Jasmine's great
grandparents were converted.
00:04:41.61\00:04:45.28
And now she is called to be
a missionary to her own people
00:04:45.31\00:04:48.38
going back
serving sacrificially,
00:04:48.42\00:04:50.95
to build up schools
and churches for the Lord.
00:04:50.99\00:04:54.92
Next to Jasmine, our
friend Ostap is here.
00:04:54.96\00:04:58.13
Ostap is also
from another country,
00:04:58.16\00:05:01.83
you're from the Ukraine.
00:05:01.86\00:05:03.26
And you came to
the United States
00:05:03.30\00:05:04.63
in the '90s, after
the fall of communism,
00:05:04.67\00:05:07.24
and your family came over here,
00:05:07.27\00:05:09.27
and you had an
opportunity to kind of get
00:05:09.30\00:05:12.01
on your individual
American dream track.
00:05:12.04\00:05:15.21
And so you went to college,
00:05:15.24\00:05:16.95
and you got a really
good job in corporate America
00:05:16.98\00:05:19.58
working for a
national large company.
00:05:19.61\00:05:22.48
But something happened
one day, tell us about this?
00:05:22.52\00:05:26.99
It seemed to me like
00:05:27.02\00:05:28.46
I had come to a point
00:05:28.49\00:05:30.29
where I had to ask
myself, "Is this it?
00:05:30.33\00:05:32.53
Have I arrived?
00:05:32.56\00:05:33.90
And is this really everything
that God wants me to do?
00:05:33.93\00:05:37.33
And will I be able to
be a disciple for Him?"
00:05:37.37\00:05:41.70
And so, how do I
continue to share my faith
00:05:41.74\00:05:45.37
in corporate America
00:05:45.41\00:05:46.74
where religion is
not on the policy,
00:05:46.78\00:05:49.31
you cannot share your religion.
00:05:49.34\00:05:51.31
And how do you
reach the people next door
00:05:51.35\00:05:53.82
when you're in your
office all day long.
00:05:53.85\00:05:56.89
You're in your office
40, 50, 60 hours a week.
00:05:56.92\00:06:00.59
So you felt this, this emptiness
00:06:00.62\00:06:03.86
that you want to
do something for God,
00:06:03.89\00:06:05.63
and you felt like this
is, this cannot be everything.
00:06:05.66\00:06:08.60
What else can there be?
00:06:08.63\00:06:09.96
And so God gave you
00:06:10.00\00:06:11.33
through a couple
of divine appointments
00:06:11.37\00:06:13.64
and interventions.
00:06:13.67\00:06:15.00
He made it very clear
to you to start a ministry.
00:06:15.04\00:06:16.77
Share about that to us?
00:06:16.81\00:06:18.54
By God's grace,
00:06:18.57\00:06:19.91
Amazing Facts
reached out to me and said,
00:06:19.94\00:06:21.84
"Listen, we have a school
00:06:21.88\00:06:23.21
that's really going to transform
00:06:23.24\00:06:24.58
your life.
00:06:24.61\00:06:25.95
It's going to give you the tools
00:06:25.98\00:06:27.32
that you need for evangelism."
00:06:27.35\00:06:28.68
And so I enrolled in AFCO.
00:06:28.72\00:06:30.12
And through that experience,
00:06:30.15\00:06:31.49
I had a chance to go to Thailand
00:06:31.52\00:06:32.95
to do mission work.
00:06:32.99\00:06:34.52
And there the
Lord really showed me
00:06:34.56\00:06:36.89
what excitement
and what joy it is
00:06:36.93\00:06:39.93
to really serve and
to share the gospel.
00:06:39.96\00:06:42.90
I had come back to
the States after Thailand.
00:06:42.93\00:06:46.13
Amazing Facts
sent me an invitation
00:06:46.17\00:06:48.04
to go out to Clanton, Alabama
to do mission work once again,
00:06:48.07\00:06:51.71
to do Bible work
together with Wyatt Allen.
00:06:51.74\00:06:54.74
He was the speaker and
evangelist for that time
00:06:54.78\00:06:58.08
and he together with I, we
would visit church members,
00:06:58.11\00:07:01.72
we would visit the neighbors
00:07:01.75\00:07:03.12
and the host family there
00:07:03.15\00:07:05.12
that I was staying
with Bob and Don Ernest.
00:07:05.15\00:07:08.12
They told me, "Listen,
00:07:08.16\00:07:09.49
you have got to
listen to God's leading.
00:07:09.52\00:07:12.49
We believe that
you need to start
00:07:12.53\00:07:13.96
your own ministry."
00:07:14.00\00:07:15.63
I had no idea how
to start a ministry.
00:07:15.66\00:07:17.93
I didn't know what
the first step would be.
00:07:17.97\00:07:20.47
But Bob says, "I'm
impressed by the Lord
00:07:20.50\00:07:23.14
to tell you to study Isaiah
58, and God will do the rest."
00:07:23.17\00:07:27.58
And out of that
grew that ministry,
00:07:27.61\00:07:30.45
build and restore,
you're here, you've done,
00:07:30.48\00:07:32.01
you've been part of
the outreach as well
00:07:32.05\00:07:33.62
this week, and we
praise God for that.
00:07:33.65\00:07:35.92
So what is it?
00:07:35.95\00:07:37.39
You know, you could have success
00:07:37.42\00:07:38.99
in corporate America.
00:07:39.02\00:07:40.39
But what keeps you
now on this faith journey
00:07:40.42\00:07:42.66
where you are living by faith
00:07:42.69\00:07:44.03
without the
security of a salary,
00:07:44.06\00:07:46.39
just month by month
trusting in the Lord.
00:07:46.43\00:07:48.70
Why are you willing to do that
00:07:48.73\00:07:50.40
instead of the comfortable
corporate America job?
00:07:50.43\00:07:55.17
When we taste and see
that the Lord is good,
00:07:55.20\00:07:57.74
we cannot hold back
00:07:57.77\00:07:59.21
but to go forward
and to share with others.
00:07:59.24\00:08:01.21
Amen?
00:08:01.24\00:08:02.74
And there is no
greater sense of accomplishment
00:08:02.78\00:08:05.01
and satisfaction
00:08:05.05\00:08:06.38
when you make an appeal
00:08:06.41\00:08:07.88
and you see that
one individual stand
00:08:07.92\00:08:10.19
and come to the front
00:08:10.22\00:08:11.55
and commit their
life to the Lord,
00:08:11.59\00:08:12.95
when they are ready to accept
00:08:12.99\00:08:14.82
the calling that
God has for them.
00:08:14.86\00:08:16.66
My biggest fear was,
00:08:16.69\00:08:18.29
Lord, if I don't
respond to the calling
00:08:18.33\00:08:20.96
that You have for me now,
00:08:21.00\00:08:22.83
will I have a second chance?
00:08:22.86\00:08:25.50
Well, praise God that
you made that decision
00:08:25.53\00:08:27.30
to follow Lord's
leading and He has a call,
00:08:27.34\00:08:29.37
God has a call
00:08:29.40\00:08:30.74
for each and every one of us
00:08:30.77\00:08:32.11
to do something for Him.
00:08:32.14\00:08:33.78
Let us be willing to give
our lives to Him in service.
00:08:33.81\00:08:36.85
Now next to you, Ostap, is Puia.
00:08:36.88\00:08:39.45
Puia, you are a pastor.
00:08:39.48\00:08:42.58
You are part of the
Chesapeake Conference,
00:08:42.62\00:08:45.09
but currently you're at Andrews.
00:08:45.12\00:08:46.45
Tell me about yourself
and your experience there?
00:08:46.49\00:08:48.49
Yes.
00:08:48.52\00:08:49.86
So I was born in
a beautiful country
00:08:49.89\00:08:51.49
called Myanmar,
00:08:51.53\00:08:52.86
formerly known as Burma.
00:08:52.89\00:08:54.23
And my family
moved here in 2012.
00:08:54.26\00:08:56.77
And I worked as a youth pastor
in the Chesapeake Conference
00:08:56.80\00:08:59.27
for a little over a year
00:08:59.30\00:09:00.64
and thanks to the sponsorship
of the Chesapeake Conference.
00:09:00.67\00:09:02.84
Currently I'm
studying Masters of Divinity
00:09:02.87\00:09:04.54
at the seminary in
Andrews University.
00:09:04.57\00:09:06.51
Now in your
program at the seminary,
00:09:06.54\00:09:08.91
you have a requirement
00:09:08.94\00:09:10.28
of doing some
evangelistic activities,
00:09:10.31\00:09:12.88
and usually people
take about a week or so
00:09:12.91\00:09:15.28
to fulfill those requirements.
00:09:15.32\00:09:17.19
But God made it very clear
for you to do something else.
00:09:17.22\00:09:20.19
Share about what
happened? That's right.
00:09:20.22\00:09:21.82
A part of the MDA
program at the seminary
00:09:21.86\00:09:23.76
is a requirement to do a
field evangelism practicum
00:09:23.79\00:09:26.73
where you could join
a team of evangelists
00:09:26.76\00:09:29.63
or be a part of an
evangelistic outreach
00:09:29.66\00:09:32.57
here in the United
States or join a short term,
00:09:32.60\00:09:34.94
one-week mission trip.
00:09:34.97\00:09:36.30
But I felt impressed by God
00:09:36.34\00:09:37.97
to go back to my
country Myanmar and do more.
00:09:38.01\00:09:41.91
And so I prayed to
God and God opened door
00:09:41.94\00:09:44.15
and last school year,
00:09:44.18\00:09:46.72
I went back to
my country Myanmar,
00:09:46.75\00:09:48.38
and I spent the whole semester,
00:09:48.42\00:09:52.52
four months doing
public evangelisms
00:09:52.55\00:09:54.46
while taking
online classes full time.
00:09:54.49\00:09:57.23
And we conducted
three public evangelisms,
00:09:57.26\00:10:00.60
three weeks of prayers
00:10:00.63\00:10:01.96
and about three or
four weekend revivals.
00:10:02.00\00:10:04.47
And as a result, we
baptized over 20 people.
00:10:04.50\00:10:07.90
And if I may
share an amazing story
00:10:07.94\00:10:09.87
that took place during my trip.
00:10:09.90\00:10:11.97
In one of the
schools that I visited
00:10:12.01\00:10:13.51
was a Buddhist student
00:10:13.54\00:10:15.68
who had not
accepted Jesus as his Savior.
00:10:15.71\00:10:18.55
And after listening
to my presentations,
00:10:18.58\00:10:21.45
and my talk about
how much God loves us,
00:10:21.48\00:10:23.25
and the fact that He exists.
00:10:23.28\00:10:25.12
See in the Buddhist faith,
they don't believe in God,
00:10:25.15\00:10:27.12
and they don't
believe in a Creator God.
00:10:27.16\00:10:28.92
And so he came to me
afterwards and he said,
00:10:28.96\00:10:31.99
"Pastor, I want
to get baptized."
00:10:32.03\00:10:33.36
Wow.
00:10:33.40\00:10:34.73
So I asked him what
prompted the decision.
00:10:34.76\00:10:37.10
And he told me
that two years earlier,
00:10:37.13\00:10:39.27
about two years
earlier he had a dream.
00:10:39.30\00:10:42.10
And in his dream,
God instructed him,
00:10:42.14\00:10:44.24
God told him that three
people would come to him
00:10:44.27\00:10:46.81
to lead him to the truth.
00:10:46.84\00:10:48.64
And by this time
when I visited the school,
00:10:48.68\00:10:51.01
he had already
been studying the Bible,
00:10:51.05\00:10:52.98
and two key
individuals had been influential
00:10:53.01\00:10:55.85
in his process of
learning more about God.
00:10:55.88\00:10:59.19
And in the end, he
came to me and he said,
00:10:59.22\00:11:01.36
"Pastor, you
are the third person
00:11:01.39\00:11:03.63
that I saw in my dream
three years, two years earlier
00:11:03.66\00:11:06.63
that God told me
00:11:06.66\00:11:08.00
that would bring
me to the truth."
00:11:08.03\00:11:09.36
And so, it was
just amazing to see
00:11:09.40\00:11:10.80
that God had already
had the plan mapped out
00:11:10.83\00:11:13.64
for my whole journey.
00:11:13.67\00:11:15.00
And I guess it goes to show
00:11:15.04\00:11:16.37
that sometimes
ministry may not be always easy,
00:11:16.40\00:11:19.41
you know, in the context
00:11:19.44\00:11:20.78
of studying full
time online class
00:11:20.81\00:11:23.11
and doing full time evangelism,
00:11:23.14\00:11:25.35
as challenging as it was,
as long as God is with us.
00:11:25.38\00:11:28.98
God has already gone
before us to prepare the way.
00:11:29.02\00:11:32.92
So I think that's the
lesson that I took away.
00:11:32.95\00:11:34.59
And the church says, amen.
00:11:34.62\00:11:37.13
When we make
ourselves available to God
00:11:37.16\00:11:39.66
to be used by Him.
00:11:39.69\00:11:41.23
When we say, "Lord,
this day is your day.
00:11:41.26\00:11:44.20
Lead me to the right person."
00:11:44.23\00:11:45.83
He will use you in special ways.
00:11:45.87\00:11:48.60
Sacrifice your
education for God.
00:11:48.64\00:11:51.21
I don't say, give it up.
00:11:51.24\00:11:52.57
I'm saying, let God
guide you in what to study.
00:11:52.61\00:11:55.68
Let God guide
you in where to live.
00:11:55.71\00:11:57.68
Let God guide
you in what you do.
00:11:57.71\00:12:00.22
And He will take you on
a journey you could only,
00:12:00.25\00:12:02.45
you could never dream off.
00:12:02.48\00:12:04.32
And He will lead you to people
who are seeking for a truth.
00:12:04.35\00:12:07.16
He will give you a fulfillment
00:12:07.19\00:12:08.72
that only can come
from the Holy Spirit.
00:12:08.76\00:12:11.29
He will give you joy
that will last eternally.
00:12:11.33\00:12:14.50
I want to encourage you,
00:12:14.53\00:12:15.86
make a decision
00:12:15.90\00:12:17.23
to take sacrificial
initiative for Christ,
00:12:17.27\00:12:19.37
to surrender your
plans to the Lord,
00:12:19.40\00:12:21.24
and live a life of service
00:12:21.27\00:12:23.37
fulfilled with the joy of Jesus.
00:12:23.41\00:12:25.61
God bless you.
00:12:25.64\00:12:26.98
Amen.
00:12:27.01\00:12:29.21
Hello, GYC, on behalf
00:12:29.24\00:12:30.71
of the General
Conference Youth Department,
00:12:30.75\00:12:32.48
we want to wish all of you a
wonderful and Happy New Year.
00:12:32.51\00:12:36.18
I love your theme this
year, "By Many or By Few."
00:12:36.22\00:12:39.89
Those words were spoken
by a young man named Jonathan
00:12:39.92\00:12:42.42
who lived dangerously for God.
00:12:42.46\00:12:44.49
You know,
there's a lot of reasons
00:12:44.53\00:12:45.86
why I love that story.
00:12:45.89\00:12:47.23
I mean, I love
it because you know,
00:12:47.26\00:12:48.60
if you think about it,
00:12:48.63\00:12:49.96
Jonathan was actually showing us
00:12:50.00\00:12:51.33
how to reach and
retain our young people.
00:12:51.37\00:12:53.67
Because when Jonathan
went to attack the Philistines,
00:12:53.70\00:12:56.17
the Bible says the young people
00:12:56.20\00:12:57.87
who were the
young soldiers of Saul,
00:12:57.91\00:12:59.84
who were hiding in the caves
00:12:59.87\00:13:01.21
or who had joined the enemy side
00:13:01.24\00:13:02.58
actually joined Jonathan,
00:13:02.61\00:13:04.58
in being able to
defeat the Philistines
00:13:04.61\00:13:07.05
and move forward as
God had asked him to do.
00:13:07.08\00:13:09.88
Right there, I
believe is the secret
00:13:09.92\00:13:11.95
to reaching this generation.
00:13:11.99\00:13:13.69
We need courageous
leaders just like you GYC
00:13:13.72\00:13:16.62
to be willing to go forward
with the three angels' message.
00:13:16.66\00:13:19.39
And when the younger
generation sees this,
00:13:19.43\00:13:21.16
they get inspired,
00:13:21.20\00:13:22.53
and they want to be a
part of what God is doing
00:13:22.56\00:13:24.30
to take the
three angel's message
00:13:24.33\00:13:25.73
around the world.
00:13:25.77\00:13:27.10
People often ask
me, what is the mission
00:13:27.14\00:13:29.04
of the General
Conference Youth Department?
00:13:29.07\00:13:31.11
And it's very simply this.
00:13:31.14\00:13:32.87
We believe that
every single young person
00:13:32.91\00:13:35.54
is a missionary sent by God
00:13:35.58\00:13:38.38
to either go across the sea,
00:13:38.41\00:13:40.18
or across the street
with a three angels' message.
00:13:40.22\00:13:42.85
You are a missionary.
00:13:42.88\00:13:44.29
So young people on behalf
00:13:44.32\00:13:45.65
of the General
Conference Youth Department,
00:13:45.69\00:13:47.02
we want to say Happy
New Year again to you.
00:13:47.06\00:13:48.86
We want to
encourage you to make sure
00:13:48.89\00:13:50.33
you go to the booths
00:13:50.36\00:13:51.69
and learn some of
these incredible initiatives
00:13:51.73\00:13:53.76
that are out there,
00:13:53.80\00:13:55.13
so you can be a
missionary for Jesus.
00:13:55.16\00:13:56.70
Also don't forget,
00:13:56.73\00:13:58.07
something very
special is happening
00:13:58.10\00:13:59.50
at GC session this year.
00:13:59.53\00:14:01.40
At GC session, we
are actually having
00:14:01.44\00:14:03.47
a Youth Congress
00:14:03.51\00:14:04.84
at the same
time in Indianapolis.
00:14:04.87\00:14:07.21
You can actually go
to this Youth Congress,
00:14:07.24\00:14:09.58
impact Indianapolis
with the Gospel of Jesus,
00:14:09.61\00:14:11.78
get involved,
00:14:11.81\00:14:13.15
get connected
with other young people
00:14:13.18\00:14:14.52
from around the world,
00:14:14.55\00:14:15.88
and then go back
equipped and trained
00:14:15.92\00:14:17.82
to make an impact in your city.
00:14:17.85\00:14:19.39
So don't miss out on
impact at the GC session
00:14:19.42\00:14:23.66
coming up very soon in 2020.
00:14:23.69\00:14:25.76
Also,
00:14:25.79\00:14:27.13
I'm very happy to tell
you that after GC session,
00:14:27.16\00:14:30.33
we are actually
going to be launching
00:14:30.37\00:14:32.03
one year in
mission in Indianapolis
00:14:32.07\00:14:35.14
and some of the
surrounding cities.
00:14:35.17\00:14:37.27
This means that
after GC session,
00:14:37.31\00:14:39.84
you can get
involved for one year
00:14:39.87\00:14:42.84
as a missionary full
time for the Lord Jesus.
00:14:42.88\00:14:45.91
Make sure you follow
up at campushope.com,
00:14:45.95\00:14:49.78
and also take a look
right underneath here
00:14:49.82\00:14:51.69
at all the details for that.
00:14:51.72\00:14:53.32
So again, make sure you like us
00:14:53.36\00:14:54.92
at GC Youth
Ministries on Facebook page.
00:14:54.96\00:14:57.39
We love you young people.
00:14:57.43\00:14:58.76
I wish I could be
there with you in the flesh,
00:14:58.79\00:15:00.93
but I'm with you in spirit.
00:15:00.96\00:15:02.30
We love GYC.
00:15:02.33\00:15:03.67
God bless you young people.
00:15:03.70\00:15:05.53
And for those of
you who don't know us,
00:15:05.57\00:15:06.90
we are the InVerse team.
00:15:06.94\00:15:08.27
We are privileged to be
00:15:08.30\00:15:09.64
part of the Hope channel family.
00:15:09.67\00:15:11.01
We have a TV show that
talks about the Sabbath school.
00:15:11.04\00:15:13.98
And a lot of us are
familiar with the GYC family.
00:15:14.01\00:15:16.78
And so it's kind of
a weird intersection
00:15:16.81\00:15:18.41
between InVerse and GYC.
00:15:18.45\00:15:20.78
I want to ask for
us to get warmed up
00:15:20.82\00:15:22.55
to look to the
person next to you
00:15:22.58\00:15:24.29
and say Happy Sabbath.
00:15:24.32\00:15:25.65
Welcome to Sabbath School.
00:15:25.69\00:15:27.52
If you like them,
shake their hands,
00:15:27.56\00:15:28.92
if you don't like them,
shake your hands anyway.
00:15:28.96\00:15:30.93
I want to welcome my panelists,
00:15:41.97\00:15:43.30
really good friends of mine.
00:15:43.34\00:15:45.81
We are the InVerse team.
00:15:45.84\00:15:47.18
I chose friends
00:15:47.21\00:15:48.54
from different
parts of the world.
00:15:48.58\00:15:49.91
We're all kind of from
America except for Jonathan,
00:15:49.94\00:15:51.28
but we adopt him as an American.
00:15:51.31\00:15:53.18
And we all represent
different parts of the world.
00:15:53.21\00:15:55.58
And so, I represent all of Asia.
00:15:55.62\00:15:58.19
So all you Asian
friends out there,
00:15:58.22\00:15:59.99
I am your representative,
00:16:00.02\00:16:02.29
the largest
continent in the world.
00:16:02.32\00:16:03.93
And so, to my far
left here or far right
00:16:03.96\00:16:06.26
is Sebastian Braxton.
00:16:06.29\00:16:07.63
Say hi.
00:16:07.66\00:16:09.00
Aloha.
00:16:09.03\00:16:10.37
And share a little
bit about who you are
00:16:10.40\00:16:11.73
for about five seconds.
00:16:11.77\00:16:13.84
Five seconds, who are you?
00:16:13.87\00:16:15.40
Oh, Sebastian Braxton,
00:16:15.44\00:16:17.24
CEO for the New Life Challenge
and live in North Carolina.
00:16:17.27\00:16:21.71
Husband to
Candace, father of four.
00:16:21.74\00:16:24.75
Okay, he's got a
background from the Caribbean,
00:16:24.78\00:16:26.51
so he represents
all of Inter-America
00:16:26.55\00:16:28.78
to his innocence.
00:16:28.82\00:16:30.15
Okay to his right, to his right.
00:16:30.19\00:16:33.56
Hi everyone, I'm Israel Ramos,
00:16:33.59\00:16:35.06
and I am the Public
Campus Ministry Director
00:16:35.09\00:16:37.56
for Michigan,
00:16:37.59\00:16:39.19
and happy to be here with you.
00:16:39.23\00:16:41.96
Okay, from
representing all of the,
00:16:42.00\00:16:44.77
the Latino world...
00:16:44.80\00:16:46.40
And Inter-America.
And Inter-America.
00:16:46.43\00:16:49.64
Okay, to his right.
00:16:49.67\00:16:51.44
Hi, everyone, I'm Sikhu Daco
00:16:51.47\00:16:53.24
and I'm Senior
Editorial Assistant
00:16:53.27\00:16:55.14
for InVerse
00:16:55.18\00:16:56.51
which is the young
adult Bible study guide
00:16:56.54\00:16:58.25
being produced by
the General Conference.
00:16:58.28\00:17:00.58
And she represents the
whole continent of Africa.
00:17:00.62\00:17:03.39
Africa is not a country.
00:17:03.42\00:17:04.75
It is a
continent. Amen, everyone?
00:17:04.79\00:17:06.19
Amen. Amen.
00:17:06.22\00:17:07.79
Amen.
00:17:07.82\00:17:09.16
Oh, that got some
emotions from the floor.
00:17:09.19\00:17:11.96
There are people
here from Africa.
00:17:11.99\00:17:13.33
Okay. Amen.
00:17:13.36\00:17:14.70
Amen.
00:17:14.73\00:17:16.06
To my left, to my left.
00:17:16.10\00:17:17.43
I'm Jonathan, I'm a pastor,
00:17:17.47\00:17:18.80
I work
00:17:18.83\00:17:20.17
for the General Conference
Ministerial Association
00:17:20.20\00:17:21.54
and GYC missions.
00:17:21.57\00:17:22.90
And my wife Amanda is amazing.
00:17:22.94\00:17:25.04
And I miss her.
00:17:25.07\00:17:26.71
Hi love, if she's watching,
00:17:26.74\00:17:28.54
and it's great to be
here with you, Justin.
00:17:28.58\00:17:30.75
Great to have you with us.
00:17:30.78\00:17:32.68
Jonathan is
originally from Austria.
00:17:32.71\00:17:34.68
And so he represents all of...
00:17:34.72\00:17:36.22
Europe. Europe.
00:17:36.25\00:17:37.59
All of Europe.
00:17:37.62\00:17:38.95
We also have another
panelist Kelly Williams,
00:17:38.99\00:17:40.32
and she is currently in Africa.
00:17:40.36\00:17:41.69
She just got married, so
want to shout out to Kelly,
00:17:41.72\00:17:44.06
congratulations.
00:17:44.09\00:17:45.43
Bura Chara, got new name.
00:17:45.46\00:17:46.80
Bura Chara,
that is her new name.
00:17:46.83\00:17:48.43
So good morning, everyone.
00:17:48.46\00:17:49.80
I want to ask if
you have your Bibles
00:17:49.83\00:17:51.17
not if you have your Bibles,
you should have your Bibles.
00:17:51.20\00:17:52.73
Please turn your
Bibles to Daniel Chapter 1.
00:17:52.77\00:17:56.67
Daniel Chapter 1.
00:17:56.71\00:17:58.04
We are entering
into a new quarter
00:17:58.07\00:18:00.28
of this Sabbath.
00:18:00.31\00:18:02.31
And we want to introduce to you
00:18:02.34\00:18:03.95
also the new Bible study guide
00:18:03.98\00:18:06.98
produced by the
General Conference,
00:18:07.02\00:18:08.35
our office for young
adults for Sabbath School,
00:18:08.38\00:18:11.02
Bible study
guide called InVerse.
00:18:11.05\00:18:12.85
You should have received one
00:18:12.89\00:18:14.36
coming here into
this GYC auditorium.
00:18:14.39\00:18:17.36
If you have one,
can you just raise it up
00:18:17.39\00:18:19.06
and show us
that you have a copy?
00:18:19.09\00:18:21.16
Okay, now this one
that you have in your hands
00:18:21.20\00:18:23.60
is on the Book of Nehemiah.
00:18:23.63\00:18:25.63
We just covered these,
00:18:25.67\00:18:27.10
the topic of Ezra and
Nehemiah in the adults.
00:18:27.14\00:18:29.97
For the young adults,
00:18:30.01\00:18:31.34
we looked at the topic
of the Book of Nehemiah,
00:18:31.37\00:18:34.34
from an angle of leadership.
00:18:34.38\00:18:36.31
How to change your local church,
00:18:36.34\00:18:38.01
how to change the world,
00:18:38.05\00:18:39.38
how to change the
institutions around you
00:18:39.41\00:18:41.32
using the
principles of leadership
00:18:41.35\00:18:43.12
from the Book of Nehemiah.
00:18:43.15\00:18:44.55
There are no dates there.
00:18:44.59\00:18:45.92
So even though
it is a past topic,
00:18:45.95\00:18:48.36
it is not an
expired topic, if you will,
00:18:48.39\00:18:51.36
and you can use that in
your personal Bible study
00:18:51.39\00:18:52.99
or whatnot.
00:18:53.03\00:18:54.36
More instructions
00:18:54.40\00:18:55.73
regarding the new
young adult Bible study guide
00:18:55.76\00:18:57.40
will be shown in the video
after the end of this session.
00:18:57.43\00:18:59.67
But for this quarter
00:18:59.70\00:19:01.04
we are looking at
the Book of Daniel.
00:19:01.07\00:19:02.60
In the InVerse curriculum
of the four quarters out there,
00:19:02.64\00:19:05.67
two of them follow the
adult Bible study guide,
00:19:05.71\00:19:08.61
while two diverged and
go into young adult topics.
00:19:08.64\00:19:12.01
For quarter one of 2020,
00:19:12.05\00:19:13.75
we will be
studying the Book of Daniel.
00:19:13.78\00:19:15.62
So by now you should have turned
00:19:15.65\00:19:16.99
to the Book of Daniel,
00:19:17.02\00:19:18.35
I think my
panelists are all set.
00:19:18.39\00:19:19.72
We'll have a word of prayer,
00:19:19.75\00:19:21.09
we'll ask the
Lord for His blessing
00:19:21.12\00:19:22.46
upon the reading.
00:19:22.49\00:19:23.83
I want to ask
Sikhu, can you pray for us?
00:19:23.86\00:19:26.06
Loving Father, I
would like to thank You
00:19:26.09\00:19:27.73
for the opportunity that it is
00:19:27.76\00:19:29.10
to come in Your presence
and to open the Holy Bible.
00:19:29.13\00:19:33.23
Lord, we pray
that the Holy Spirit
00:19:33.27\00:19:34.60
would be our teacher now.
00:19:34.64\00:19:36.04
Help us to glean
lessons from Your Word
00:19:36.07\00:19:38.61
that would prepare us
00:19:38.64\00:19:40.71
for the times
that we're living in.
00:19:40.74\00:19:42.24
We pray these
things in Your name, amen.
00:19:42.28\00:19:44.21
Amen. Amen.
00:19:44.25\00:19:45.58
Daniel Chapter 1,
Braxton, if you don't mind
00:19:45.61\00:19:47.05
verse 1 reading there for us.
00:19:47.08\00:19:49.15
Why don't you just read
one verse down the line.
00:19:49.18\00:19:51.15
And if you don't
want to read just say skip
00:19:51.19\00:19:52.65
and we'll skip over you, Israel.
00:19:52.69\00:19:54.02
Okay. All right.
00:19:54.06\00:19:55.39
Thank you. Okay, Sebastian.
00:19:55.42\00:19:56.76
Daniel Chapter 1,
beginning in verse 1,
00:19:56.79\00:19:58.79
"In the third year
00:19:58.83\00:20:00.16
of the reign of
Jehoiakim king of Judah,
00:20:00.20\00:20:03.33
Nebuchadnezzar king of
Babylon came to Jerusalem
00:20:03.37\00:20:06.17
and besieged it.
00:20:06.20\00:20:07.87
And the Lord gave Jehoiakim
king of Judah into his hand,
00:20:07.90\00:20:11.34
with some of the
articles of the house of God,
00:20:11.37\00:20:13.94
which he carried
into the land of Shinar
00:20:13.98\00:20:15.91
to the house of his god,
00:20:15.94\00:20:17.85
and he brought the articles
00:20:17.88\00:20:19.21
into the
treasure house of his god.
00:20:19.25\00:20:21.68
Then the king
instructed Ashpenaz,
00:20:21.72\00:20:23.69
the master of his eunuchs,
00:20:23.72\00:20:25.45
to bring some of
the children of Israel
00:20:25.49\00:20:27.56
and some of the
king's descendants
00:20:27.59\00:20:29.82
and some of the nobles,
00:20:29.86\00:20:31.39
young men in whom
there was no blemish,
00:20:31.43\00:20:34.56
but good-looking,
gifted in all wisdom,
00:20:34.60\00:20:37.63
possessing knowledge
and quick to understand,
00:20:37.67\00:20:40.44
who had ability to
serve in the king's palace,
00:20:40.47\00:20:43.64
and whom they might teach
the language and literature
00:20:43.67\00:20:46.21
of the Chaldeans."
00:20:46.24\00:20:47.58
Very good.
00:20:47.61\00:20:48.94
Verse 5, Israel, one
verse each, thank you.
00:20:48.98\00:20:51.85
All right.
00:20:51.88\00:20:54.45
"And the king appointed them
00:20:54.48\00:20:55.82
a daily provision
of the king's meat
00:20:55.85\00:20:57.59
and of the wine which he drank,
00:20:57.62\00:20:59.35
so nourishing them three years
00:20:59.39\00:21:01.62
that at the end thereof
00:21:01.66\00:21:02.99
they might stand
before the king."
00:21:03.02\00:21:05.13
"Now among these were
of the children of Judah,
00:21:05.16\00:21:07.40
Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah."
00:21:07.43\00:21:11.37
"And the chief of the
eunuchs gave them names:
00:21:11.40\00:21:13.44
Daniel he called Belteshazzar,
Hananiah, he called Shadrach,
00:21:13.47\00:21:17.04
Mishael, he called Meshach,
00:21:17.07\00:21:18.57
and Azariah he called Abednego."
00:21:18.61\00:21:19.94
Verse 8,
00:21:19.97\00:21:21.31
"But Daniel
purposed in his heart
00:21:21.34\00:21:22.68
that he would not defile himself
00:21:22.71\00:21:24.18
with the portion of
the king's delicacies,
00:21:24.21\00:21:26.55
nor with the
wine which he drank,
00:21:26.58\00:21:28.52
therefore he requested
of the chief of the eunuchs
00:21:28.55\00:21:31.25
that he might
not defile himself."
00:21:31.29\00:21:33.59
Verse 9, Sebastian.
00:21:33.62\00:21:35.66
"Now God had brought
Daniel into the favor
00:21:35.69\00:21:38.73
and goodwill of the
chief of the eunuchs."
00:21:38.76\00:21:42.06
"And the prince of the
eunuchs said unto Daniel,
00:21:42.10\00:21:44.20
'I fear my lord the king,
00:21:44.23\00:21:46.40
who had appointed
your meat and your drink.
00:21:46.43\00:21:49.07
For why should he see your faces
00:21:49.10\00:21:50.71
worse liking than the
children which are your sorts?
00:21:50.74\00:21:54.11
Then shall you make me
endanger my head to the king."
00:21:54.14\00:21:57.81
"Then said Daniel to Melzar,
00:21:57.85\00:21:59.71
whom the prince of the
eunuchs had set over Daniel,
00:21:59.75\00:22:01.98
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah."
00:22:02.02\00:22:04.05
"Test your
servants for ten days,
00:22:04.09\00:22:06.02
let us be given
vegetables to eat
00:22:06.05\00:22:07.52
and water to drink."
00:22:07.56\00:22:08.89
Verse 13.
00:22:08.92\00:22:10.26
You still with us
out there, verse 13?
00:22:10.29\00:22:12.13
Yes, verse 13,
00:22:12.16\00:22:13.76
"Then let our appearance
be examined before you,
00:22:13.80\00:22:16.10
and the
appearance of the young men
00:22:16.13\00:22:17.47
who eat the portion
of the king's delicacies,
00:22:17.50\00:22:19.83
and as you see fit,
00:22:19.87\00:22:21.20
so deal with your servants."
00:22:21.24\00:22:24.14
"So he consented
with them in this matter,
00:22:24.17\00:22:26.54
and tested them ten days."
00:22:26.57\00:22:29.58
"And at the end of ten days
00:22:29.61\00:22:30.95
their countenances appeared
fairer and fatter in flesh
00:22:30.98\00:22:34.08
than all the children
00:22:34.12\00:22:35.45
which did eat the
portion of the king's meat."
00:22:35.48\00:22:37.99
"Thus Melzar took away
the portion of their meat,
00:22:38.02\00:22:40.39
and the wine
which they should drink,
00:22:40.42\00:22:41.76
and gave them pulse."
00:22:41.79\00:22:43.19
"As for these four youth,
00:22:43.22\00:22:44.56
God gave them learning and skill
00:22:44.59\00:22:45.93
in all literature and wisdom,
00:22:45.96\00:22:47.66
and Daniel had understanding
in all visions and dreams."
00:22:47.70\00:22:50.93
Verse 18, "Now at
the end of the days,
00:22:50.97\00:22:52.30
when the king had said
that they should be brought in,
00:22:52.33\00:22:54.07
the chief of the eunuchs
00:22:54.10\00:22:55.44
brought them in
before Nebuchadnezzar."
00:22:55.47\00:22:57.31
"Then the king interviewed them,
00:22:57.34\00:22:58.67
and among them
all none was found
00:22:58.71\00:23:00.78
like Daniel,
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
00:23:00.81\00:23:04.58
therefore they
served before the king."
00:23:04.61\00:23:07.92
"And in all matters of wisdom
00:23:07.95\00:23:09.75
and understanding the
king enquired of them,
00:23:09.78\00:23:12.29
he found them ten times better
00:23:12.32\00:23:14.69
than all the
magicians and astrologers
00:23:14.72\00:23:17.03
that were in all the realm."
00:23:17.06\00:23:19.19
"And Daniel continued
00:23:19.23\00:23:20.56
even unto the first
year of king Cyrus."
00:23:20.60\00:23:22.83
Okay, this is Daniel Chapter
1. Thank you for reading.
00:23:22.86\00:23:24.97
And for some of you
this is your first time,
00:23:25.00\00:23:26.33
maybe for the majority of us.
00:23:26.37\00:23:27.80
We have read Daniel
Chapter 1 a bazillion times,
00:23:27.84\00:23:31.61
and this is an
Adventist convention.
00:23:31.64\00:23:34.94
We've probably talked
about Daniel a million times,
00:23:34.98\00:23:36.44
some of you out there are like,
00:23:36.48\00:23:37.81
"Ah, I'm tired of Daniel 1.
00:23:37.85\00:23:39.18
I know we got
to be vegetarian, "
00:23:39.21\00:23:40.55
and skip over and want to
get to Daniel 2, 7, 8, 9, 11.
00:23:40.58\00:23:43.69
That's what I want to get into.
00:23:43.72\00:23:45.09
But Daniel 1 is what sets it up.
00:23:45.12\00:23:47.12
So I'm gonna ask
the panel this morning
00:23:47.16\00:23:49.12
from what you have
studied this week on Daniel 1,
00:23:49.16\00:23:52.46
what have you mined out?
00:23:52.49\00:23:53.83
What are some
things you'd like to share
00:23:53.86\00:23:55.30
from Chapter 1?
00:23:55.33\00:23:57.17
If I may just give a
little bit of the backdrop here.
00:23:57.20\00:23:59.13
So we are in the
year 605 BC around there,
00:23:59.17\00:24:03.81
and the King Nebuchadnezzar
has been besieging Jerusalem,
00:24:03.84\00:24:08.31
taking people captive.
00:24:08.34\00:24:09.78
And we have to understand
00:24:09.81\00:24:11.15
that the context in
which Daniel grew up
00:24:11.18\00:24:12.78
was the wicked one.
00:24:12.81\00:24:14.15
We had, you know,
in 2 Chronicles 36
00:24:14.18\00:24:16.18
gives us insight here,
00:24:16.22\00:24:17.55
you have Jehoiakim
who reigned for 11 years,
00:24:17.59\00:24:19.42
did what was evil and
his kids did what was evil.
00:24:19.45\00:24:22.22
It was not a very
faithful time in Israel.
00:24:22.26\00:24:24.79
It was like the
last moments in Judah
00:24:24.83\00:24:26.90
before the exile happened.
00:24:26.93\00:24:28.93
And so in this situation,
00:24:28.96\00:24:30.30
Daniel and his
friends, teenagers
00:24:30.33\00:24:32.27
are taken captive
because of their background
00:24:32.30\00:24:34.90
and their education
00:24:34.94\00:24:36.27
taken to Babylon
on a long journey
00:24:36.30\00:24:39.01
through the
desert a couple months,
00:24:39.04\00:24:40.48
not a very pleasant experience.
00:24:40.51\00:24:42.24
And so, this is the
situation they're brought into,
00:24:42.28\00:24:44.71
and they're brought into,
you know, into Babylon to,
00:24:44.75\00:24:48.32
to be used by
the king's pleasure
00:24:48.35\00:24:50.35
in a different way.
00:24:50.39\00:24:51.72
Yes. Yes, Sikhu.
00:24:51.75\00:24:53.09
Can I, can I go one,
00:24:53.12\00:24:54.46
like go a little bit
further back than Jehoiakim,
00:24:54.49\00:24:57.23
his background in
Chapter 35 of 2 Chronicles.
00:24:57.26\00:25:00.16
Chapter 35 of?
00:25:00.20\00:25:01.53
2 Chronicles. 2 Chronicles.
00:25:01.56\00:25:03.67
You have Josiah.
00:25:03.70\00:25:06.13
And there was this
revival that took place
00:25:06.17\00:25:08.74
where Josiah, you know,
reinstituted the Passover
00:25:08.77\00:25:11.27
and people worshiping God.
00:25:11.31\00:25:12.64
And it says,
00:25:12.67\00:25:14.01
actually, in verse 18 of
Chapter 35 in 2 Chronicles,
00:25:14.04\00:25:17.15
"That there was no
Passover like to that
00:25:17.18\00:25:19.11
kept in Israel
00:25:19.15\00:25:20.48
from the days of
Samuel the Prophet."
00:25:20.52\00:25:22.28
So this was like a crazy revival
00:25:22.32\00:25:24.45
that happened.
00:25:24.49\00:25:25.82
And going by the timeline,
00:25:25.85\00:25:28.02
Daniel and his
three friends' parents
00:25:28.06\00:25:30.76
would have been alive
when this was happening.
00:25:30.79\00:25:33.19
So they were part of this
great revival that happened.
00:25:33.23\00:25:35.96
And it seems from the story
00:25:36.00\00:25:37.80
that the revival that
happened in their lives
00:25:37.83\00:25:39.33
at that time,
00:25:39.37\00:25:40.70
even though they
went through this,
00:25:40.74\00:25:42.07
this horrible king,
00:25:42.10\00:25:43.44
and you know,
they're now being punished
00:25:43.47\00:25:44.81
for their sin as a nation,
00:25:44.84\00:25:46.17
that Daniel's
parents gleaned something
00:25:46.21\00:25:48.81
from that revival experience
00:25:48.84\00:25:50.45
that they passed
on to their children
00:25:50.48\00:25:52.65
so that their children
were then able to be faithful
00:25:52.68\00:25:54.18
in the future.
00:25:54.22\00:25:55.55
So Daniel's parents
went to GYC for many years
00:25:55.58\00:25:57.59
and they're lying.
00:25:57.62\00:25:58.95
So these are, this
is a next generation
00:25:58.99\00:26:00.32
after GYC.
00:26:00.36\00:26:01.69
Yes, okay, great, great.
00:26:01.72\00:26:03.06
Okay, Israel?
00:26:03.09\00:26:04.73
Something, one of the principles
00:26:04.76\00:26:06.09
that strikes me
from the very beginning
00:26:06.13\00:26:08.00
in terms of what
Jonathan and Sikhu are saying
00:26:08.03\00:26:10.20
is the fact that
here we have the principle
00:26:10.23\00:26:13.50
that excellence is
not developed in a moment.
00:26:13.54\00:26:16.00
But it's the process
00:26:16.04\00:26:17.37
of what takes place in the home.
00:26:17.41\00:26:18.74
Excellence is not
developed in the moment
00:26:18.77\00:26:20.14
but developed in the...
00:26:20.18\00:26:21.51
It's a process that
takes place in the home.
00:26:21.54\00:26:23.08
Process that
takes place in the home.
00:26:23.11\00:26:24.45
And you know, in the home.
00:26:24.48\00:26:25.81
And what
happens most of the time
00:26:25.85\00:26:27.28
is that we think
that Christianity
00:26:27.32\00:26:30.19
is best revealed when
it's revealed in public,
00:26:30.22\00:26:33.19
and we admire people
who die for their faith
00:26:33.22\00:26:35.69
and who suffer for their faith.
00:26:35.72\00:26:37.83
But there's a lot to
be said about the fact
00:26:37.86\00:26:40.10
that Daniel and
his three friends
00:26:40.13\00:26:42.76
developed the
characters that they had,
00:26:42.80\00:26:44.60
this character of excellence,
00:26:44.63\00:26:46.60
they developed that long
before crisis even took place.
00:26:46.63\00:26:50.61
And so, it's important I think
00:26:50.64\00:26:52.37
the lesson that
that comes out here
00:26:52.41\00:26:53.74
is the fact
00:26:53.78\00:26:55.11
that unless we are
Christians in the home,
00:26:55.14\00:26:57.88
we're not Christians at all.
00:26:57.91\00:26:59.71
Because our tests are only that,
00:26:59.75\00:27:02.78
they're only tests,
00:27:02.82\00:27:04.15
a reflection or a
revelation, sorry,
00:27:04.19\00:27:06.15
of something that
has already taken place
00:27:06.19\00:27:08.52
deep inside for a
long period of time.
00:27:08.56\00:27:10.69
Yes, it's totally
piggybacks on Sikhu,
00:27:10.73\00:27:12.19
your message this
morning in a sense.
00:27:12.23\00:27:14.20
Sebastian, let me ask you,
00:27:14.23\00:27:15.56
in what area of excellence
is manifested in Chapter 1?
00:27:15.60\00:27:19.97
Well, I think what we
see in Daniel Chapter 1
00:27:20.00\00:27:21.97
is this issue of self-control,
or what we call temperance,
00:27:22.00\00:27:26.07
and the fact that Daniel,
00:27:26.11\00:27:27.74
his integrity
drives him to be faithful
00:27:27.78\00:27:30.71
even in this very small area
00:27:30.75\00:27:32.48
of things that
God has asked them
00:27:32.51\00:27:34.75
to dispense away
00:27:34.78\00:27:36.12
with in terms of
eating and drinking.
00:27:36.15\00:27:38.69
So when we see this,
00:27:38.72\00:27:40.06
it's a very odd way
to start a prophetic book
00:27:40.09\00:27:42.52
in relation to diet choices.
00:27:42.56\00:27:44.29
You guys all catch that?
00:27:44.33\00:27:45.66
He said, it's a very odd way
00:27:45.69\00:27:47.26
to start a book of
prophecy to talk about diet.
00:27:47.30\00:27:50.33
Yes.
00:27:50.37\00:27:51.70
Why? Why? Why? Why is it? Why?
00:27:51.73\00:27:53.07
Keep on.
00:27:53.10\00:27:54.44
Well, I think for many of us,
00:27:54.47\00:27:55.80
we would not put
the two together.
00:27:55.84\00:27:57.17
We would see no relationship
00:27:57.21\00:27:58.81
with the prophetic
gift that Daniel has
00:27:58.84\00:28:00.88
and what's
manifested in the book with,
00:28:00.91\00:28:03.04
I'm not going to eat this
00:28:03.08\00:28:04.41
and I'm not going to drink this.
00:28:04.45\00:28:05.78
But in actuality it shows us
00:28:05.81\00:28:07.48
that temperance is
the foundational virtue
00:28:07.52\00:28:11.52
in terms of character building,
00:28:11.55\00:28:13.32
that this here
starts at Chapter 1.
00:28:13.36\00:28:15.06
It says self-control
underlies the development
00:28:15.09\00:28:17.59
of all other virtues
00:28:17.63\00:28:19.29
that Daniel is going to show us
00:28:19.33\00:28:20.80
throughout the
rest of this book.
00:28:20.83\00:28:22.16
So let's hash
that out a little bit.
00:28:22.20\00:28:23.53
What in the world is temperance?
00:28:23.57\00:28:24.90
Like some people read
Chapter 10 or Chapter 1,
00:28:24.93\00:28:26.87
and they're
like, I'm a vegetarian.
00:28:26.90\00:28:28.47
I'm a vegan. I'm a fruitarian.
00:28:28.50\00:28:30.41
I'm an oxygenarian. I'm
a waterterian, whatever.
00:28:30.44\00:28:33.44
And then like look,
00:28:33.48\00:28:34.81
I only drink like
gluten free water.
00:28:34.84\00:28:36.88
So I understand prophecy better.
00:28:36.91\00:28:40.02
Is that what Daniel
Chapter 1 is saying facetiously?
00:28:40.05\00:28:42.22
No. Right?
00:28:42.25\00:28:43.59
So and then you
get in Adventism,
00:28:43.62\00:28:45.85
we hashed diet so much,
00:28:45.89\00:28:49.66
that there's all
this reaction against diet
00:28:49.69\00:28:51.93
and so people are pro anyway.
00:28:51.96\00:28:54.50
So let's hash out
a temperance, Sikhu?
00:28:54.53\00:28:58.20
I think one of the things that,
00:28:58.23\00:28:59.57
that stands out to me
talking about that excellence
00:28:59.60\00:29:01.37
that they showed
00:29:01.40\00:29:02.74
in terms of their
temperance in verse 4.
00:29:02.77\00:29:05.74
The reason why
these young people
00:29:05.77\00:29:08.58
are among the
group that was selected.
00:29:08.61\00:29:09.98
It says, children
in whom was no blemish,
00:29:10.01\00:29:11.75
well favored,
skillful in wisdom,
00:29:11.78\00:29:14.22
cunning in knowledge,
00:29:14.25\00:29:15.72
understanding science,
00:29:15.75\00:29:17.35
they had ability to
stand in the king's palace
00:29:17.39\00:29:19.55
that they might,
00:29:19.59\00:29:20.92
so they could teach
them and train them.
00:29:20.96\00:29:22.29
So these young
people that was selected,
00:29:22.32\00:29:25.16
they actually, they
had already demonstrated
00:29:25.19\00:29:28.93
commitment level to
their studies, right?
00:29:28.96\00:29:31.90
And they were,
so their temperance
00:29:31.93\00:29:33.64
wasn't just in
what they ate and drank.
00:29:33.67\00:29:36.10
But they apply
themselves to their studies,
00:29:36.14\00:29:39.44
they apply themselves
to, to what they were,
00:29:39.47\00:29:42.34
their exercise
00:29:42.38\00:29:43.71
because of their ability
to stand in the king's place.
00:29:43.75\00:29:45.81
So I think underlying
all of the other areas
00:29:45.85\00:29:49.38
where
temperance manifests itself
00:29:49.42\00:29:50.79
is what you eat and drink.
00:29:50.82\00:29:52.15
It's like the basic,
00:29:52.19\00:29:53.52
but then it
pervades everything else,
00:29:53.56\00:29:54.92
you know, if you're,
00:29:54.96\00:29:56.29
if you can be disciplined
in the way that you eat,
00:29:56.32\00:29:58.13
when you eat, what you eat,
00:29:58.16\00:30:00.30
then that
discipline can transcend
00:30:00.33\00:30:02.96
to all the other
areas of your life,
00:30:03.00\00:30:04.67
your studies, your
relationships, etc.
00:30:04.70\00:30:06.67
Jonathan?
00:30:06.70\00:30:08.04
I think we have to recognize
00:30:08.07\00:30:09.40
that temperance is self-control.
00:30:09.44\00:30:10.91
Okay. And that
is a gift from God.
00:30:10.94\00:30:13.24
It's not, well, you know,
00:30:13.27\00:30:14.61
we uplift Daniel
and his friends a lot
00:30:14.64\00:30:16.54
because they're so amazing
00:30:16.58\00:30:17.91
and they're so
faithful and they are.
00:30:17.95\00:30:19.35
But we have to also recognize
00:30:19.38\00:30:20.78
that
faithfulness is only something
00:30:20.82\00:30:22.58
that is possible
when Christ lives in you.
00:30:22.62\00:30:24.69
It comes through surrender,
00:30:24.72\00:30:26.05
it is God who
gives you the gifts
00:30:26.09\00:30:27.52
and the ability to be faithful
and to have self-control.
00:30:27.56\00:30:30.73
Now, when it comes to temperance
00:30:30.76\00:30:32.09
in this situation,
00:30:32.13\00:30:33.46
and in any
situation in our lives,
00:30:33.50\00:30:35.06
self-control is only necessary
because we are out of control.
00:30:35.10\00:30:38.27
Sin has made us out of control.
00:30:38.30\00:30:40.54
And we know that a gift to
the spirit is self-control.
00:30:40.57\00:30:42.80
So as we give our lives to God,
00:30:42.84\00:30:44.17
He helps us to be
balanced in our life,
00:30:44.21\00:30:46.78
to not exaggerate, to
not go to extreme left,
00:30:46.81\00:30:49.44
to extreme right in
anything that we do,
00:30:49.48\00:30:51.21
but to go according to His will,
00:30:51.25\00:30:53.31
and according with
the laws of nature,
00:30:53.35\00:30:55.48
according with the principles
00:30:55.52\00:30:57.15
that God has
given us in His Word.
00:30:57.19\00:30:58.69
So it is a gift from God,
and He's helping us to be...
00:30:58.72\00:31:03.32
He is taking
control of our lives really
00:31:03.36\00:31:05.73
in this situation.
00:31:05.76\00:31:07.10
You know, I think that,
00:31:07.13\00:31:08.56
you know, and I
agree with Jonathan.
00:31:08.60\00:31:10.60
But I think to get
even more practical hands
00:31:10.63\00:31:12.80
on with temperance,
00:31:12.83\00:31:14.17
you're looking at
doing away with things
00:31:14.20\00:31:16.47
that you know are not harmful.
00:31:16.50\00:31:18.11
But temperance
demands a definite aim.
00:31:18.14\00:31:20.71
And so based on that aim
of what your goal is, you say,
00:31:20.74\00:31:23.38
"Well, this is
harmful to my goal.
00:31:23.41\00:31:25.28
So I'm going to get
rid of that altogether,
00:31:25.31\00:31:27.12
but the things that
are helpful to my goal,
00:31:27.15\00:31:28.92
I'm going to use
judiciously with wisdom.
00:31:28.95\00:31:32.15
So that a person may say,
00:31:32.19\00:31:33.52
well, Bible study
is helpful for my goal
00:31:33.56\00:31:35.86
to living a Christ like life.
00:31:35.89\00:31:37.23
But that doesn't mean
00:31:37.26\00:31:38.59
Bible study 16
hours a day, right?
00:31:38.63\00:31:40.60
So that's your heavenly
minded and no earthly good.
00:31:40.63\00:31:43.06
That's not helping
you reach your goal
00:31:43.10\00:31:44.53
because Jesus was
very useful in the world.
00:31:44.57\00:31:47.14
And so I think
00:31:47.17\00:31:48.50
that's where temperance
practically meets the road.
00:31:48.54\00:31:51.31
It's like, well, is
this really helping me,
00:31:51.34\00:31:53.24
but I think you
have to define the aim.
00:31:53.27\00:31:55.48
And for Daniel, that
aim was to represent God
00:31:55.51\00:31:59.21
as the people that
they were called to be.
00:31:59.25\00:32:01.08
And so, God says
00:32:01.12\00:32:02.65
do away with
these things completely.
00:32:02.68\00:32:04.89
And yet use wisely
00:32:04.92\00:32:06.25
the things that
are available to you.
00:32:06.29\00:32:08.06
Let me ask you guys
and we're all friends here.
00:32:08.09\00:32:09.82
Yeah.
00:32:09.86\00:32:11.19
Sound like you're
on international TV,
00:32:11.23\00:32:12.56
can find thousands
of people right here.
00:32:12.59\00:32:15.63
What are areas
that that you all,
00:32:15.66\00:32:17.87
you four have maybe
struggled in temperance?
00:32:17.90\00:32:22.14
Why don't you go first?
00:32:22.17\00:32:23.51
I'll go first.
00:32:23.54\00:32:26.04
Amen, Sebastian.
00:32:26.07\00:32:28.68
I'm just
kidding. I'm just kidding.
00:32:28.71\00:32:30.05
I think...
00:32:30.08\00:32:31.41
Sebastian, you put
me on the spot, man.
00:32:31.45\00:32:32.78
I got to...
00:32:32.81\00:32:34.28
I think, I think for me, um,
00:32:34.32\00:32:38.42
you know, one of the areas
I definitely struggle with,
00:32:38.45\00:32:40.66
I argue with my
wife all the time
00:32:40.69\00:32:42.26
that she has the sweet tooth.
00:32:42.29\00:32:44.49
But definitely,
sweets are a struggle,
00:32:44.53\00:32:47.23
you know, just because,
00:32:47.26\00:32:48.73
you know, I've been a
vegan on a plant-based diet
00:32:48.76\00:32:51.50
for like 16 years,
00:32:51.53\00:32:52.87
but you can be
an unhealthy vegan.
00:32:52.90\00:32:54.47
Yes.
00:32:54.50\00:32:55.84
So you're going
here like, oh, man,
00:32:55.87\00:32:57.21
this apple pie...
00:32:57.24\00:32:58.57
Say that one more
time. Say that one more time.
00:32:58.61\00:33:00.28
You can be a what?
00:33:00.31\00:33:01.64
And people are like, "Look,
00:33:01.68\00:33:03.01
man this is a new
veggie fried chicken,
00:33:03.04\00:33:05.68
but it's vegan."
00:33:05.71\00:33:07.05
It's like, it's
like, so I think for me,
00:33:07.08\00:33:09.98
you know, when I got married,
00:33:10.02\00:33:11.35
my wife was just becoming vegan,
00:33:11.39\00:33:13.66
you know, I had
somehow convinced her,
00:33:13.69\00:33:15.89
but she actually
ate vegetables, right?
00:33:15.92\00:33:18.56
And she's looking at
the stuff I'm eating like,
00:33:18.59\00:33:20.23
oh yeah Tofutti ice
cream and Tofurkey sandwiches
00:33:20.26\00:33:23.90
like so where's the vegetables
if you're a vegetarian?
00:33:23.93\00:33:28.17
And so I think for me,
00:33:28.20\00:33:30.14
you know, learning
to control the fact
00:33:30.17\00:33:31.84
that just because it's vegan
people come Oreos are vegan.
00:33:31.87\00:33:35.24
You know, this,
yeah, that's vegan but...
00:33:35.28\00:33:37.21
Dude, Oreos are vegan?
00:33:37.25\00:33:38.68
Yeah.
00:33:38.71\00:33:41.45
You can join us
up, room number 740.
00:33:41.48\00:33:47.29
But the main focus
00:33:47.32\00:33:49.46
I see in my life
is learning that.
00:33:49.49\00:33:52.66
Again, temperance has that aim
and my goal is to be healthy.
00:33:52.69\00:33:55.96
That's why I made that choice
to be vegan and vegetarian
00:33:56.00\00:33:58.40
but yet, I'm
making even vegan choices
00:33:58.43\00:34:01.17
that are
intemperate, that are unhealthy.
00:34:01.20\00:34:03.44
And so for me that's
been a big struggle of mine
00:34:03.47\00:34:06.31
is really getting
off of the sweets,
00:34:06.34\00:34:08.84
I love desserts,
00:34:08.88\00:34:10.28
especially vegan
pastries and things like that.
00:34:10.31\00:34:12.71
So I avoided
certain people's booths here
00:34:12.75\00:34:14.68
who were giving out muffins
in order to help my struggle.
00:34:14.72\00:34:17.75
Appreciate your
vulnerability this morning,
00:34:17.79\00:34:21.02
your transparency.
00:34:21.06\00:34:23.06
I think in Daniel
Chapter 1, we often look this,
00:34:23.09\00:34:25.09
look at this as
a dietary chapter.
00:34:25.13\00:34:27.53
And in Adventism, we all,
00:34:27.56\00:34:29.36
you know, judge each other
and try not to judge each other
00:34:29.40\00:34:31.57
by our diet.
00:34:31.60\00:34:32.93
But I would say, Sebastian,
because you asked the question.
00:34:32.97\00:34:35.84
One area, well, which
I believe our generation
00:34:35.87\00:34:39.11
really struggles with
00:34:39.14\00:34:40.48
and I personally
also do on a daily basis
00:34:40.51\00:34:43.55
is the consumption of media.
00:34:43.58\00:34:46.08
And this is the
greatest challenge
00:34:46.11\00:34:47.45
I believe.
00:34:47.48\00:34:48.82
This is what youth
ministers are saying all over
00:34:48.85\00:34:50.52
on what is judicious,
00:34:50.55\00:34:52.09
how do you know
what is judicious?
00:34:52.12\00:34:53.52
How not just what content
00:34:53.56\00:34:55.12
but how much when it is
00:34:55.16\00:34:57.83
and that self-control
as Jonathan brought out.
00:34:57.86\00:35:00.20
It's not just about what you eat
00:35:00.23\00:35:02.10
and what you watch,
00:35:02.13\00:35:03.47
but it's also how much you watch
00:35:03.50\00:35:05.07
and when you watch it,
00:35:05.10\00:35:06.63
and the self-control demarcation
00:35:06.67\00:35:08.30
and those principles
00:35:08.34\00:35:10.07
have still yet to be
ironed out fully in my life.
00:35:10.11\00:35:14.34
And I think that's something
00:35:14.38\00:35:15.71
that we all have to
really dialogue about,
00:35:15.74\00:35:17.68
and especially
for our generation,
00:35:17.71\00:35:19.05
especially with
these dumb phones.
00:35:19.08\00:35:20.75
I mean, they're smart
phones, but they're dumb phones
00:35:20.78\00:35:22.98
and social media and whatnot.
00:35:23.02\00:35:24.35
Israel, your confession time.
00:35:24.39\00:35:25.72
Something I'm
not going to confess.
00:35:25.75\00:35:27.09
You're not going to confess? No.
00:35:27.12\00:35:28.49
But, you know, we've
talked about the fact
00:35:28.52\00:35:30.96
that temperance is
essentially self-control.
00:35:30.99\00:35:34.23
Yes.
00:35:34.26\00:35:35.60
And self-control takes place
00:35:35.63\00:35:38.03
even, I mean,
there's a foundation
00:35:38.07\00:35:41.34
of what the Bible says
00:35:41.37\00:35:42.70
in terms of
what we ought to eat.
00:35:42.74\00:35:44.21
And then there's
self-control beyond that.
00:35:44.24\00:35:45.94
You know, you
could be a waterterian
00:35:45.97\00:35:47.31
and still not have
self-control with that.
00:35:47.34\00:35:49.64
Sure.
00:35:49.68\00:35:51.01
The more distilling,
00:35:51.05\00:35:52.38
I guess what
I'm trying to say is
00:35:52.41\00:35:53.75
distilling the
limitations of what we,
00:35:53.78\00:35:56.48
what is good and what is harmful
00:35:56.52\00:35:58.49
is just actually the beginning.
00:35:58.52\00:36:00.69
I think the idea or the
concepts of self-control
00:36:00.72\00:36:04.23
just transcends everything.
00:36:04.26\00:36:05.69
You know, we
experience this all the time,
00:36:05.73\00:36:07.56
with our words,
00:36:07.60\00:36:08.93
with our
actions, with our habits.
00:36:08.96\00:36:10.30
Yes.
00:36:10.33\00:36:11.67
All of this is an
exercise in temperance.
00:36:11.70\00:36:13.40
What I love about
the Book of Daniel,
00:36:13.44\00:36:14.90
especially in
this beginning chapters
00:36:14.94\00:36:16.57
is the fact that
it gives us the why.
00:36:16.60\00:36:19.67
Right? It gives us a why.
00:36:19.71\00:36:21.04
In other words, when
we think about temperance,
00:36:21.08\00:36:23.14
we think it's easy for us
00:36:23.18\00:36:24.81
to think that the
purpose of temperance is health,
00:36:24.85\00:36:27.75
the purpose of
self-control is longevity.
00:36:27.78\00:36:30.45
And so people, oftentimes,
even myself, we think,
00:36:30.49\00:36:34.36
well, look at that person,
00:36:34.39\00:36:35.72
they're
vegetarian, they died early,
00:36:35.76\00:36:37.09
you know,
00:36:37.13\00:36:38.46
so your whole
argument goes into the trash.
00:36:38.49\00:36:40.60
And then our
response is typically,
00:36:40.63\00:36:42.86
well, they would
have died sooner,
00:36:42.90\00:36:44.50
you know,
that's kind of what we,
00:36:44.53\00:36:46.07
you know, those extra,
you know, they died young,
00:36:46.10\00:36:48.20
but they would have died
as babies if they were not,
00:36:48.24\00:36:50.07
you know, so.
00:36:50.11\00:36:52.17
So the purpose of the
purpose, Daniel answers for us,
00:36:52.21\00:36:55.91
what is the
purpose of self-control
00:36:55.94\00:36:58.61
or really not just self-control,
00:36:58.65\00:37:00.82
but faithfulness
00:37:00.85\00:37:02.18
because even above self-control
is faithfulness, right?
00:37:02.22\00:37:05.25
Surrender to God,
as Jonathan was saying.
00:37:05.29\00:37:07.09
And the Book of
Daniel opens up to us,
00:37:07.12\00:37:09.89
the reason for why
temperance is necessary.
00:37:09.92\00:37:13.36
And we catch that in
the very first few verses,
00:37:13.40\00:37:15.60
the Bible says that
something is going on,
00:37:15.63\00:37:18.10
that Nebuchadnezzar
has overthrown Jehoiakim.
00:37:18.13\00:37:21.50
And it is in this context,
00:37:21.54\00:37:23.91
that the life or
the narrative of Daniel
00:37:23.94\00:37:25.81
is exposed.
00:37:25.84\00:37:27.18
What that tells me is this,
00:37:27.21\00:37:29.18
that whether we're
dealing in a moment of crisis
00:37:29.21\00:37:32.75
or normal times
00:37:32.78\00:37:34.78
what we would
consider normal times,
00:37:34.82\00:37:36.69
there is a story
that is taking place.
00:37:36.72\00:37:39.15
The war between Nebuchadnezzar
and Jehoiakim is not a war
00:37:39.19\00:37:41.96
between two individuals,
00:37:41.99\00:37:43.63
but it is a war
between good and evil.
00:37:43.66\00:37:45.86
Notice how the Bible says
00:37:45.89\00:37:47.23
that it is God
who gave Jehoiakim
00:37:47.26\00:37:49.46
to Nebuchadnezzar.
00:37:49.50\00:37:50.87
And so what happens is that
every single day of our lives,
00:37:50.90\00:37:53.97
we are experiencing,
00:37:54.00\00:37:55.37
we are participating
in the Great Controversy
00:37:55.40\00:37:58.61
and the decisions that we make
00:37:58.64\00:37:59.97
regarding how we
relate to others,
00:38:00.01\00:38:01.88
and regarding the
treasures that God gives to us,
00:38:01.91\00:38:04.31
the gifts how we
manage those gifts
00:38:04.35\00:38:07.05
is a reflection
of whether or not
00:38:07.08\00:38:09.02
God is truly in
control of our lives.
00:38:09.05\00:38:11.39
And so the actions
are a manifestation
00:38:11.42\00:38:14.06
or a test regarding my loyalty,
00:38:14.09\00:38:17.26
my proclaimed loyalty to God.
00:38:17.29\00:38:18.93
And I think
it's important for us
00:38:18.96\00:38:20.83
to notice that,
00:38:20.86\00:38:22.20
that temperance or
any Christian virtue
00:38:22.23\00:38:26.43
is really a test
00:38:26.47\00:38:28.30
that allows me to examine myself
00:38:28.34\00:38:30.54
to know whether or not
00:38:30.57\00:38:31.97
I am living up
to that proclamation
00:38:32.01\00:38:34.01
of what it means
to be a Christian.
00:38:34.04\00:38:35.38
Let me ask of all
the Christian virtues,
00:38:35.41\00:38:36.95
why is it
temperance in the beginning?
00:38:36.98\00:38:39.41
What is the connection?
00:38:39.45\00:38:40.78
What is the actual connection
00:38:40.82\00:38:42.15
between self-control
and spiritual understanding?
00:38:42.18\00:38:45.85
What's the connection?
00:38:45.89\00:38:47.22
I would say there's a connection
00:38:47.26\00:38:48.59
between self-control and power.
00:38:48.62\00:38:49.96
I think there's,
in this narrative,
00:38:49.99\00:38:51.33
there's an exercise of power.
00:38:51.36\00:38:53.63
And, you know, think
about what Daniel's...
00:38:53.66\00:38:56.67
And we're getting
ahead of ourselves,
00:38:56.70\00:38:58.03
but think about
00:38:58.07\00:38:59.40
what Daniel's
gonna do in his life.
00:38:59.43\00:39:00.80
He's going to
go through Babylon.
00:39:00.84\00:39:02.17
He's going to go
through the next king.
00:39:02.20\00:39:03.54
He's going to surpass,
00:39:03.57\00:39:04.91
he's going to
transcend kingdoms,
00:39:04.94\00:39:06.71
and in reality,
00:39:06.74\00:39:08.21
even though these kings
are in charge of the world
00:39:08.24\00:39:11.55
at that time,
00:39:11.58\00:39:12.91
the greatest empires
of the world at that time.
00:39:12.95\00:39:15.32
The power that
Daniel has as a leader,
00:39:15.35\00:39:18.12
and on top of that,
as a slave is incredible.
00:39:18.15\00:39:21.02
Yeah.
00:39:21.06\00:39:22.39
And so God is saying,
look, Daniel, as a slave,
00:39:22.42\00:39:24.33
you're going to have
more power than kings.
00:39:24.36\00:39:26.43
And I need to make
sure that you are a person
00:39:26.46\00:39:28.63
that has the
ability to control yourself.
00:39:28.66\00:39:31.17
Yeah, Jonathan?
00:39:31.20\00:39:32.53
I mean, I'm spot-on
what Israel is saying,
00:39:32.57\00:39:33.90
I believe in temperance
has such a huge impact
00:39:33.94\00:39:37.31
on our character development,
00:39:37.34\00:39:38.67
because it has to do with
the way we make decisions.
00:39:38.71\00:39:42.48
Every decision has
to do with temperance.
00:39:42.51\00:39:44.88
What decision I
make in each situation
00:39:44.91\00:39:47.68
is defined by what my,
00:39:47.72\00:39:49.62
where my values lie
00:39:49.65\00:39:50.99
and who is in
control in my heart.
00:39:51.02\00:39:53.25
And so, as I
surrender my life to God
00:39:53.29\00:39:55.46
and ask Him to give me
00:39:55.49\00:39:56.83
the ability to
be faithful to Him,
00:39:56.86\00:39:59.93
He will guide me every step.
00:39:59.96\00:40:01.30
We see that with
Daniel in Chapter 1
00:40:01.33\00:40:02.70
and the chapters beyond as
well and his friends as well.
00:40:02.73\00:40:05.60
He was taken,
00:40:05.63\00:40:06.97
you know, away
from his situation
00:40:07.00\00:40:08.34
into this trial.
00:40:08.37\00:40:10.04
He was tested,
00:40:10.07\00:40:11.41
but by God's
grace, he was triumphant.
00:40:11.44\00:40:13.11
And he had the
ability given by God
00:40:13.14\00:40:16.88
to remain faithful
00:40:16.91\00:40:18.91
and make that conscious decision
00:40:18.95\00:40:21.48
with the small
and the large things
00:40:21.52\00:40:23.42
to stay faithful and balanced,
00:40:23.45\00:40:26.52
but this is, I guess,
again, I'm stressing this point.
00:40:26.55\00:40:29.02
It is something that God gave,
00:40:29.06\00:40:30.39
you mentioned God gave Jehoiakim
00:40:30.43\00:40:32.03
the king of Judah into his hand.
00:40:32.06\00:40:33.40
But when we
look down to verse 9,
00:40:33.43\00:40:35.60
who is it that
gives Daniel favor?
00:40:35.63\00:40:37.63
It is God gave
Daniel fear and compassion.
00:40:37.67\00:40:40.27
And then in verse 17,
00:40:40.30\00:40:42.40
it is God who gives
him learning and skill,
00:40:42.44\00:40:43.77
not the vegetables.
00:40:43.81\00:40:45.14
Now this is not to say
00:40:45.17\00:40:46.51
that healthy living
doesn't affect the brain.
00:40:46.54\00:40:47.88
It absolutely does.
00:40:47.91\00:40:49.24
But ultimately, it
is God who does this,
00:40:49.28\00:40:51.15
so it's beautiful to
see that our decision making
00:40:51.18\00:40:54.78
when we are connected with God,
00:40:54.82\00:40:56.35
we'll be on the
straight and narrow
00:40:56.38\00:40:58.55
and it's just a
beautiful promise as well
00:40:58.59\00:41:00.32
as we see in the life of Daniel.
00:41:00.36\00:41:02.12
Just to, I know, we brought
00:41:02.16\00:41:03.49
into the temperance conversation
00:41:03.53\00:41:05.06
more than what
you eat and drink,
00:41:05.09\00:41:06.83
but just to bring it back
down to what you eat and drink.
00:41:06.86\00:41:09.96
What you eat and drink
does affect your ability
00:41:10.00\00:41:12.10
to make good decisions,
your clarity of thought,
00:41:12.13\00:41:15.64
and starting
Chapter 1 with Daniel,
00:41:15.67\00:41:19.34
making right
decisions in diet, specifically.
00:41:19.37\00:41:23.91
And then you go on
through the rest of the book,
00:41:23.95\00:41:25.61
and God is able to
use him to reveal truths
00:41:25.65\00:41:28.28
that to this day,
00:41:28.32\00:41:29.65
we're still gleaning from
00:41:29.68\00:41:32.09
that Daniel had the
clarity of mind for God
00:41:32.12\00:41:34.29
to be able to speak to him
00:41:34.32\00:41:35.66
and for him to
comprehend what God was saying.
00:41:35.69\00:41:37.39
And so, maybe sometimes
God is trying to talk to me,
00:41:37.43\00:41:39.79
but I'm on a sugar high
and I'm just like, "Ah, "
00:41:39.83\00:41:41.93
and I can't understand
what God is trying to say.
00:41:41.96\00:41:43.93
Sure, sure. Let me ask you.
00:41:43.97\00:41:45.60
I mean, sometimes we look
at temperance and self-control,
00:41:45.63\00:41:48.10
we automatically think,
I mean, temperance is like,
00:41:48.14\00:41:51.01
I've had this image
of a very straight laced,
00:41:51.04\00:41:53.68
kind of weird, awkward,
00:41:53.71\00:41:55.74
you know, person,
you know, and just like,
00:41:55.78\00:41:58.31
"Oh, it's 4 o'clock, I
need to drink my water."
00:41:58.35\00:42:00.12
You know, what that's like.
00:42:00.15\00:42:01.82
That's kind of the
weird image I have.
00:42:01.85\00:42:03.99
Why is it that pop culture
00:42:04.02\00:42:06.42
makes fun of
temperance and self-control?
00:42:06.45\00:42:09.16
What is, why is that the
norm and we have to what,
00:42:09.19\00:42:12.73
what are we fighting against?
00:42:12.76\00:42:15.50
Sebastian?
00:42:15.53\00:42:16.87
I think when you,
00:42:16.90\00:42:19.47
when you look at the way
00:42:19.50\00:42:20.84
that temperance is
oftentimes portrayed
00:42:20.87\00:42:23.77
some reason it's
typically associated
00:42:23.81\00:42:26.21
with these fringe
kind of ideas, right,
00:42:26.24\00:42:28.71
these fringe
kinds of ways of living.
00:42:28.74\00:42:30.61
And I think a lot
of people feel like
00:42:30.65\00:42:32.61
that is presenting an ideal
00:42:32.65\00:42:34.25
that just
doesn't seem attainable,
00:42:34.28\00:42:35.82
it doesn't seem adaptable.
00:42:35.85\00:42:37.65
So it's like the
first time I was exposed to,
00:42:37.69\00:42:40.29
you know, healthful living.
00:42:40.32\00:42:42.12
They're like, "Oh, you
need this Champion juicer,
00:42:42.16\00:42:43.73
and you need this and this."
00:42:43.76\00:42:45.09
And you're
thinking, "Dude, like,
00:42:45.13\00:42:46.46
unless I can come
up with 800 bucks,
00:42:46.49\00:42:47.83
like, I'm never going
to be able to be healthy."
00:42:47.86\00:42:50.27
And to me, it
reminds me of a story
00:42:50.30\00:42:53.20
that Charles Spurgeon
told about how this lady
00:42:53.23\00:42:56.54
had come to the church
00:42:56.57\00:42:57.91
and was saying that
she needed financial help.
00:42:57.94\00:43:01.58
And when she left the church,
00:43:01.61\00:43:06.08
the pastor had
collected an offering
00:43:06.11\00:43:08.12
and was going to her
house to give her the money.
00:43:08.15\00:43:10.12
And so when he
knocked on her door,
00:43:10.15\00:43:11.49
no one answered.
00:43:11.52\00:43:12.85
And then at noon prayer,
00:43:12.89\00:43:14.22
she showed up
back at the church.
00:43:14.26\00:43:15.59
And the pastor said,
"Well, I came to your house,
00:43:15.62\00:43:17.93
I remember that you had a need,
00:43:17.96\00:43:19.29
and we collected
an offering for you.
00:43:19.33\00:43:20.66
Were you home?"
00:43:20.70\00:43:22.03
And she said,
"What time was it?"
00:43:22.06\00:43:23.40
"It was about 12
o'clock, you know, 11 o'clock?
00:43:23.43\00:43:24.77
Said, "Well, yeah, I was home."
00:43:24.80\00:43:26.30
"Well, you didn't
hear the knocking?"
00:43:26.33\00:43:27.70
"I did, but I
thought you were the person
00:43:27.74\00:43:29.57
coming for the rent.
00:43:29.60\00:43:31.14
So I didn't answer the
door because she couldn't pay."
00:43:31.17\00:43:33.64
So in her, in her mind,
00:43:33.68\00:43:35.61
Spurgeon makes the
point that many times
00:43:35.64\00:43:38.11
when we are
presenting the gospel
00:43:38.15\00:43:39.55
and we're presenting the truth,
00:43:39.58\00:43:40.95
people feel like
00:43:40.98\00:43:42.32
I don't have enough
to pay those demands.
00:43:42.35\00:43:44.05
I don't have
enough to take to live up
00:43:44.09\00:43:45.59
to that standard
00:43:45.62\00:43:46.96
of what they're
presenting as temperance,
00:43:46.99\00:43:48.59
therefore, they don't
answer, they're not responding,
00:43:48.62\00:43:51.06
because it seems like
you're bringing more demands
00:43:51.09\00:43:53.50
rather than more
grace to reach it,
00:43:53.53\00:43:55.66
more ways to accomplish it.
00:43:55.70\00:43:57.03
And so because I
think pop culture looks at
00:43:57.07\00:43:59.43
and it says,
that's not realistic.
00:43:59.47\00:44:01.04
You're not really like,
00:44:01.07\00:44:02.40
are you really living
that way in your house?
00:44:02.44\00:44:04.47
And if you are,
00:44:04.51\00:44:05.84
that's just weird and right
00:44:05.87\00:44:07.21
and a lot of
people aren't interested
00:44:07.24\00:44:08.58
in being weird.
00:44:08.61\00:44:09.94
They want to be
able to be themselves
00:44:09.98\00:44:11.31
and be temperate
at the same time.
00:44:11.35\00:44:12.81
Many ways pop culture
glorifies intemperance,
00:44:12.85\00:44:16.02
the passionate, the
extreme, the wildness,
00:44:16.05\00:44:20.62
that because it accentuates
00:44:20.66\00:44:22.26
the sensual parts
of the carnal nature.
00:44:22.29\00:44:24.56
I think, it's just a,
is a way for our culture
00:44:24.59\00:44:28.06
and sinful nature to,
00:44:28.10\00:44:30.23
in a way deal
with the fact that...
00:44:30.27\00:44:33.03
This is who we are.
00:44:33.07\00:44:34.40
This is who we
are, we can't change.
00:44:34.44\00:44:35.80
We can't change,
it's not possible.
00:44:35.84\00:44:37.17
Right.
00:44:37.21\00:44:38.54
But the beauty of the gospel
00:44:38.57\00:44:39.91
is that there is a God
who gives you the power
00:44:39.94\00:44:42.34
to overcome and have victories.
00:44:42.38\00:44:43.91
I mean, it is He
who works in you to work
00:44:43.95\00:44:45.91
and will of His good pleasure.
00:44:45.95\00:44:47.65
So it's just a beautiful
thing. That's the gospel.
00:44:47.68\00:44:50.05
I mean, this is what
the world needs and desires,
00:44:50.09\00:44:53.39
but at the same
time makes fun of
00:44:53.42\00:44:55.32
because they
think it's unachievable.
00:44:55.36\00:44:56.69
Sure.
00:44:56.73\00:44:58.06
Because they look at
themselves as a source of power.
00:44:58.09\00:44:59.43
Sikhu?
00:44:59.46\00:45:00.80
And this might be
beating a dead horse
00:45:00.83\00:45:02.16
but in verse 10 of Chapter 1...
00:45:02.20\00:45:03.83
Verse 10?
00:45:03.87\00:45:05.20
After they had made the petition
00:45:05.23\00:45:06.57
the prince of the
eunuchs said to Daniel,
00:45:06.60\00:45:07.94
"I fear my lord the king,
00:45:07.97\00:45:09.30
who hath appointed
your meat and your drink:
00:45:09.34\00:45:10.67
for why should he see your faces
00:45:10.71\00:45:12.17
worse liking than
the other children
00:45:12.21\00:45:13.54
which are of your sort?"
00:45:13.58\00:45:14.91
That there was a
prevalent understanding
00:45:14.94\00:45:18.55
of what it took to be healthy,
00:45:18.58\00:45:20.25
or what it took
to, you know, be,
00:45:20.28\00:45:22.65
you know, look
juicy or whatever,
00:45:22.68\00:45:24.35
you know, and...
00:45:24.39\00:45:26.96
Juicy.
00:45:26.99\00:45:30.99
And looking
juicy one's desirable.
00:45:31.03\00:45:33.09
Okay.
00:45:33.13\00:45:34.46
So there was this
understanding right
00:45:34.50\00:45:35.96
and, to go against,
00:45:36.00\00:45:38.33
it's hard to go
against the grain, right?
00:45:38.37\00:45:40.74
To be a pioneer,
00:45:40.77\00:45:43.57
obeying what God
has asked you to do.
00:45:43.61\00:45:45.57
But here's the crazy thing right
00:45:45.61\00:45:46.94
is after Daniel and his friends
00:45:46.98\00:45:49.01
are faithful to what
God has called them to,
00:45:49.04\00:45:51.41
it becomes evident
00:45:51.45\00:45:52.78
that the diet
that they have chosen
00:45:52.81\00:45:54.15
is actually most beneficial
00:45:54.18\00:45:56.02
for, you know,
00:45:56.05\00:45:57.39
enhancing your
intellectual capabilities
00:45:57.42\00:45:59.35
with the blessing
of God on top of it,
00:45:59.39\00:46:01.36
you know makes it 10
times even greater, right?
00:46:01.39\00:46:03.99
But being the first
one to take that step
00:46:04.03\00:46:06.76
can be hard
00:46:06.80\00:46:08.13
when everybody else around
you is doing something different
00:46:08.16\00:46:10.73
and when
everybody else around you
00:46:10.77\00:46:12.83
when science says
differently, right?
00:46:12.87\00:46:15.90
When all education and
learning says differently,
00:46:15.94\00:46:18.67
and being the one to stand
00:46:18.71\00:46:20.04
on the truth of the Word of God,
00:46:20.08\00:46:22.24
in spite of what
the world is saying
00:46:22.28\00:46:24.48
can be hard.
00:46:24.51\00:46:26.18
But that's what
Daniel and his friends do,
00:46:26.21\00:46:28.68
they stand for what
the Word of God says
00:46:28.72\00:46:32.19
in spite of
everything else around them
00:46:32.22\00:46:34.79
saying that it's not so.
00:46:34.82\00:46:36.52
Israel?
00:46:36.56\00:46:37.89
You know, it's, the
question that you're asking,
00:46:37.93\00:46:40.23
why is it that sometimes
00:46:40.26\00:46:42.36
people are so
against temperance?
00:46:42.40\00:46:45.87
It's not because
temperance is weird
00:46:45.90\00:46:47.40
as not necessarily
because temperance is weird.
00:46:47.44\00:46:51.17
I mean, if you
look at society today
00:46:51.21\00:46:52.67
people embrace weird.
00:46:52.71\00:46:54.41
How many weird people do
you see every day, right?
00:46:54.44\00:46:58.21
And people want to be,
00:46:58.25\00:46:59.58
they see if
something looks cool on TV...
00:46:59.61\00:47:01.12
How many weird
people do I see every day?
00:47:01.15\00:47:02.62
Yeah. You see a
lot of people, right?
00:47:02.65\00:47:05.15
Probably not.
00:47:05.19\00:47:06.52
Probably not where you work,
I'm sure not where you work,
00:47:06.55\00:47:08.79
but when you go to
the grocery store, etc.
00:47:08.82\00:47:12.56
We, you know, we
come across people
00:47:12.59\00:47:14.30
all the time who
want to be weird.
00:47:14.33\00:47:17.43
So weirdness is
actually the new cool.
00:47:17.47\00:47:19.23
I mean, it's all,
weirdness has always been cool.
00:47:19.27\00:47:21.24
Let me express myself
00:47:21.27\00:47:22.60
the way I want to express myself
00:47:22.64\00:47:24.14
even if I look like an idiot.
00:47:24.17\00:47:25.54
I mean, this is, you know,
00:47:25.57\00:47:26.91
this is the way we
live in society today.
00:47:26.94\00:47:28.64
I think the reason
00:47:28.68\00:47:30.01
why people are so
against temperance
00:47:30.05\00:47:33.62
at the end of the day,
00:47:33.65\00:47:35.28
is because our
culture has one goal,
00:47:35.32\00:47:38.12
and that is to make sin normal.
00:47:38.15\00:47:42.22
If you think about
it, that's the goal,
00:47:42.26\00:47:43.73
I mean, we want
because of our lustful natures,
00:47:43.76\00:47:47.40
we want to make it
okay that it's fine,
00:47:47.43\00:47:49.83
it's normal, it's cool.
00:47:49.86\00:47:51.60
It's all right to have
multiple partners and to,
00:47:51.63\00:47:54.77
you know, have
intimacy before marriage,
00:47:54.80\00:47:57.77
because we can't
control ourselves.
00:47:57.81\00:47:59.71
That's why we make up
those norms and those rules.
00:47:59.74\00:48:01.24
That's right.
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:48:01.28\00:48:02.61
And so the bottom
line is that the reason
00:48:02.64\00:48:04.38
why people are
so anti temperance
00:48:04.41\00:48:07.78
is because the human
heart is naturally anti
00:48:07.82\00:48:11.02
things that cut
against our heart.
00:48:11.05\00:48:13.32
And I think that's
really foundationally
00:48:13.36\00:48:15.59
the bottom-line
reason why we're against it.
00:48:15.62\00:48:17.56
You know, after
hearing you guys talk,
00:48:17.59\00:48:18.93
I mean, there's this desire
00:48:18.96\00:48:20.46
that I need more
self-control in my life,
00:48:20.50\00:48:24.80
because you all feel
that in some capacity,
00:48:24.83\00:48:26.80
in some area of your life,
that we need more temperance,
00:48:26.84\00:48:29.20
we need more self-control,
00:48:29.24\00:48:30.64
and the one temptation
00:48:30.67\00:48:32.84
is I just got to
hunker down and try harder
00:48:32.87\00:48:35.41
and try to be
vegan again in 2020
00:48:35.44\00:48:37.55
for like the
millionth and tenth time
00:48:37.58\00:48:39.58
and then resolve again,
00:48:39.61\00:48:41.18
and then break it tomorrow.
00:48:41.22\00:48:42.55
So what are some principles?
00:48:42.58\00:48:44.19
What can you do
00:48:44.22\00:48:45.75
to get more
self-control in your life,
00:48:45.79\00:48:48.46
more temperance in your life?
00:48:48.49\00:48:50.83
I guess the basic one.
00:48:50.86\00:48:52.93
Jonathan said
right from the beginning
00:48:52.96\00:48:54.70
that this temperance
is a fruit of the Spirit
00:48:54.73\00:48:58.17
like self-control
00:48:58.20\00:48:59.53
and coming to God and asking
00:48:59.57\00:49:01.30
that God would
give us this gift,
00:49:01.34\00:49:04.61
you know that comes with
us through the Holy Spirit
00:49:04.64\00:49:06.64
and it would help us
to have self-control,
00:49:06.68\00:49:08.78
and recognizing that
God is able to do it.
00:49:08.81\00:49:11.15
So now it's not trust,
not, I'm trying to do it,
00:49:11.18\00:49:15.02
but I'm trusting
that God can do it in me.
00:49:15.05\00:49:17.55
Yes.
00:49:17.59\00:49:18.99
You know, God works
through the natural laws
00:49:19.02\00:49:21.22
that He has created.
00:49:21.26\00:49:22.59
And so,
00:49:22.62\00:49:23.96
while He occasionally
does miracles in lives,
00:49:23.99\00:49:25.69
I know people who
have given up smoking,
00:49:25.73\00:49:27.50
you know, overnight
and those kinds of things,
00:49:27.53\00:49:29.16
but in general when
it comes to temperance,
00:49:29.20\00:49:31.97
God wants to
develop our characters
00:49:32.00\00:49:33.90
and that's why He
works through the process.
00:49:33.94\00:49:36.47
We got to embrace the
process, but it is a process.
00:49:36.50\00:49:39.41
I cannot climb
Mount Everest tomorrow.
00:49:39.44\00:49:42.61
If I want to do that, I need to,
00:49:42.64\00:49:44.05
you know, climb the
hill in my backyard first
00:49:44.08\00:49:46.88
and climb maybe,
you know, in Maryland
00:49:46.92\00:49:48.55
there are not
that many mountains
00:49:48.58\00:49:49.92
but you know, I
got to step by step
00:49:49.95\00:49:52.02
with the Lord experience growth.
00:49:52.05\00:49:55.32
So, you know, in 2020, if
you're struggling with diet,
00:49:55.36\00:49:58.63
say I want to replace one
item in my diet this month
00:49:58.66\00:50:01.80
and just grow from
that, in that direction
00:50:01.83\00:50:04.00
or when it comes to your problem
00:50:04.03\00:50:05.60
with social
media or with phones,
00:50:05.63\00:50:08.50
only your problem then,
00:50:08.54\00:50:11.77
you know, maybe
it's time to say,
00:50:11.81\00:50:13.98
kid, from this
time to this time,
00:50:14.01\00:50:15.78
these two hours, I
won't touch my phone,
00:50:15.81\00:50:17.78
you know, make that a thing.
00:50:17.81\00:50:19.48
And so, it's a
step by step process
00:50:19.51\00:50:21.78
and myself as well.
00:50:21.82\00:50:23.15
Amen.
00:50:23.18\00:50:24.52
So, you know, I believe
that God works the process
00:50:24.55\00:50:27.52
and we got to
embrace that process
00:50:27.56\00:50:29.46
and not expect,
00:50:29.49\00:50:30.83
okay, I'm going to
do everything overnight.
00:50:30.86\00:50:33.63
That's overwhelming.
We can't handle it.
00:50:33.66\00:50:35.26
But God works in the process.
00:50:35.30\00:50:36.70
And He's very gracious
and helpful as we trust Him.
00:50:36.73\00:50:39.33
Sebastian?
00:50:39.37\00:50:40.70
I was just going to say
00:50:40.74\00:50:42.07
one of my
favorite quotes is that,
00:50:42.10\00:50:43.44
that which at first is difficult
00:50:43.47\00:50:45.04
when done
repeatedly becomes easy.
00:50:45.07\00:50:47.58
You know, a lot of
times we are committed
00:50:47.61\00:50:49.78
to this perfectionistic mindset
00:50:49.81\00:50:51.78
that I have to get
it right the first time.
00:50:51.81\00:50:53.98
But we realize that
the journey to success
00:50:54.02\00:50:56.42
is always met with
failure along the way.
00:50:56.45\00:50:58.85
And I think if we can be okay
with not making it right away,
00:50:58.89\00:51:02.56
then that principle is something
00:51:02.59\00:51:04.03
that we can
practically live about
00:51:04.06\00:51:05.59
to develop temperance to say,
00:51:05.63\00:51:06.96
look, it's going to
be difficult at first.
00:51:07.00\00:51:10.13
But if I just keep showing
up repeatedly trying to do this,
00:51:10.17\00:51:14.80
following that, um,
00:51:14.84\00:51:16.17
you know, Proverbs
24:16 of just keep getting up,
00:51:16.20\00:51:19.47
eventually is
going to become easy.
00:51:19.51\00:51:22.14
And so to me,
that's a very simple step,
00:51:22.18\00:51:24.85
you know,
practical way to get there.
00:51:24.88\00:51:26.68
I love that Proverbs, Sebastian,
00:51:26.72\00:51:28.25
I'm going to ask that we
turn to Romans Chapter 12.
00:51:28.28\00:51:31.32
This quarter on Daniel,
the adult Bible study guide,
00:51:31.35\00:51:35.02
which was
written by someone else,
00:51:35.06\00:51:36.39
but the young adult
InVerse Bible study guide
00:51:36.42\00:51:38.16
was written by
Pastor David Shin of Alaska.
00:51:38.19\00:51:41.56
And he makes this
connection in Romans 12:1.
00:51:41.60\00:51:45.63
When asked the question,
00:51:45.67\00:51:47.00
how can you practically
develop more temperance,
00:51:47.04\00:51:49.87
more self-control?
00:51:49.90\00:51:51.54
He goes to Romans 12:1.
00:51:51.57\00:51:54.38
And, Israel, if you don't mind,
00:51:54.41\00:51:55.74
can you read that for us?
00:51:55.78\00:51:57.11
"I beseech you
therefore, brethren,
00:51:57.15\00:51:58.65
by the mercies of God,
00:51:58.68\00:52:00.45
that you present your
bodies a living sacrifice,
00:52:00.48\00:52:03.79
holy, acceptable to God,
00:52:03.82\00:52:06.05
which is your
reasonable service."
00:52:06.09\00:52:08.19
And he makes this connection
and connection in verse 1,
00:52:08.22\00:52:10.93
that it says in verse 1,
00:52:10.96\00:52:12.39
therefore by the mercies of God,
00:52:12.43\00:52:14.03
meaning from
Chapters 1 through 11,
00:52:14.06\00:52:16.93
Paul has talked
00:52:16.97\00:52:18.30
about this process of salvation,
00:52:18.33\00:52:20.04
the dynamics of
salvation, and therefore,
00:52:20.07\00:52:22.54
and he connects it
because of these mercies
00:52:22.57\00:52:24.87
because of the
salvation process,
00:52:24.91\00:52:26.74
now, present yourself,
00:52:26.78\00:52:28.11
present your body
as a living sacrifice.
00:52:28.14\00:52:31.08
Meaning, now for all
that God has done for me,
00:52:31.11\00:52:34.58
just open yourself up
00:52:34.62\00:52:36.58
to how God will just
move through your body,
00:52:36.62\00:52:39.25
move through your mind,
00:52:39.29\00:52:40.62
move through the
habits of your life.
00:52:40.66\00:52:42.26
And then understanding
opening yourself to the grace
00:52:42.29\00:52:44.96
and mercy of God
00:52:44.99\00:52:46.33
allows you to
be an open conduit.
00:52:46.36\00:52:48.26
And so rather
than hunkering down
00:52:48.30\00:52:50.97
and trying
harder and gratifying,
00:52:51.00\00:52:54.74
that's a word.
00:52:54.77\00:52:57.31
Was a lot of animals look like.
00:52:57.34\00:52:58.84
We just got to
embrace Chapters 1 through 11
00:52:58.87\00:53:02.61
and present
ourselves a living sacrifice
00:53:02.64\00:53:05.61
which Paul says is your what?
00:53:05.65\00:53:07.42
Reasonable service?
00:53:07.45\00:53:10.69
What are other virtues
00:53:10.72\00:53:12.55
that we see in
the Book of Daniel?
00:53:12.59\00:53:14.09
We looked at Daniel Chapter 1,
00:53:14.12\00:53:15.46
and this entire quarter
00:53:15.49\00:53:16.83
we're going to look
at different chapters
00:53:16.86\00:53:18.19
and we're out of time,
00:53:18.23\00:53:19.56
we don't have to
look at each chapter.
00:53:19.59\00:53:20.93
What are other virtues
00:53:20.96\00:53:22.30
that the Book of
Daniel manifests?
00:53:22.33\00:53:23.93
Jonathan?
00:53:23.97\00:53:25.30
On the Chapter 2,
00:53:25.33\00:53:26.67
we see the clash of
pathetic versus prophetic.
00:53:26.70\00:53:29.17
Yes.
00:53:29.20\00:53:30.54
You see that,
00:53:30.57\00:53:31.91
how human wisdom and
really satanic religion
00:53:31.94\00:53:35.78
comes to clash with
the mighty Word of God.
00:53:35.81\00:53:41.02
As Daniel is, you know,
00:53:41.05\00:53:43.18
showing what this dream
that Nebuchadnezzar had means
00:53:43.22\00:53:45.35
in the future.
00:53:45.39\00:53:46.72
It just reveals
how useless our ideas
00:53:46.76\00:53:50.56
and our religions of this world
00:53:50.59\00:53:52.83
are compared to the Word of God.
00:53:52.86\00:53:54.73
It's about prayer
life in Daniel Chapter 2.
00:53:54.76\00:53:56.70
Any other verses that we see?
00:53:56.73\00:53:58.07
Like in Chapter
3, your faithfulness.
00:53:58.10\00:53:59.50
Faithfulness, Daniel 3.
00:53:59.53\00:54:01.74
I think in Daniel Chapter 9,
00:54:01.77\00:54:03.14
you see intercessory prayer
00:54:03.17\00:54:04.74
for the church is very critical.
00:54:04.77\00:54:06.11
Loves the church
00:54:06.14\00:54:07.48
and he's praying for the church.
00:54:07.51\00:54:08.84
This is the whole
premise of Daniel.
00:54:08.88\00:54:10.21
Yes, they're are the prophecies,
00:54:10.25\00:54:11.58
but they're also the character
that we need for the last days
00:54:11.61\00:54:14.48
to endure
through the prophecies.
00:54:14.52\00:54:16.02
That's the premise
of the Book of Daniel.
00:54:16.05\00:54:18.32
At this time I'm
going to look at,
00:54:18.35\00:54:19.69
we're going to look at a
video which actually looks
00:54:19.72\00:54:21.09
at the whole
InVerse Bible study process.
00:54:21.12\00:54:23.56
Thanks so much for
joining us this morning.
00:54:23.59\00:54:25.19
How many of you want to say,
00:54:25.23\00:54:26.56
Lord, give me more self-control?
00:54:26.59\00:54:29.96
Amen.
00:54:30.00\00:54:31.33
God bless you guys.
00:54:31.37\00:54:32.70
There are lot of people
00:54:40.48\00:54:41.81
wondering how
to study the Bible.
00:54:41.84\00:54:44.08
This is where InVerse comes in.
00:54:44.11\00:54:46.21
This is the best of the Bible,
00:54:46.25\00:54:47.68
best of the
Bible within the text,
00:54:47.72\00:54:49.48
the best of the
Bible into the text
00:54:49.52\00:54:51.32
from different Bible verses,
00:54:51.35\00:54:52.69
the best of the
Spirit of Prophecy,
00:54:52.72\00:54:54.92
the best of your
observations done through prayer
00:54:54.96\00:54:57.23
and devotional life,
00:54:57.26\00:54:58.59
the best of the
Bible through discussions
00:54:58.63\00:55:00.93
on Sabbath School,
00:55:00.96\00:55:02.30
and the best of the Bible
00:55:02.33\00:55:03.67
through your
experience with Jesus.
00:55:03.70\00:55:05.47
We're using the
best of the digital
00:55:05.50\00:55:07.30
and best of the analog
00:55:07.34\00:55:08.67
and seeing how
they come together
00:55:08.70\00:55:10.21
for a personal experience.
00:55:10.24\00:55:13.14
Like have you ever
been in a Bible study
00:55:16.95\00:55:18.31
where people are
all saying like Sunday
00:55:18.35\00:55:20.12
and who's going to read
Monday, is Joe around for...
00:55:20.15\00:55:22.58
Oh, Joe's late
for Sabbath school,
00:55:22.62\00:55:24.15
we just skip on to Wednesday,
we've taken out the dates.
00:55:24.19\00:55:27.16
It's not about the dates.
00:55:27.19\00:55:28.52
It's about the
stages of Bible study.
00:55:28.56\00:55:31.43
Different props
for different aspects
00:55:31.46\00:55:33.63
of the Bible study experience.
00:55:33.66\00:55:37.67
So the first
stage of Bible study
00:55:37.70\00:55:39.03
is the introduction.
00:55:39.07\00:55:40.40
We're actually
reading the Bible verse,
00:55:40.44\00:55:41.77
it's uploading the
Bible text into your own mind.
00:55:41.80\00:55:44.51
The second
stage is the inScribe.
00:55:49.84\00:55:51.65
We're actually writing
it out with your own hand.
00:55:51.68\00:55:54.15
You're using
those handwriting skills
00:55:54.18\00:55:56.12
that you learn in first grade
00:55:56.15\00:55:57.49
and applying it
spiritually for yourself.
00:55:57.52\00:56:00.09
As I'm demonstrating,
writing this Bible text now.
00:56:00.12\00:56:05.46
I mean, even though
00:56:05.49\00:56:06.83
this was just the demonstration,
00:56:06.86\00:56:09.16
I'm seeing things here
that I've never seen before.
00:56:09.20\00:56:12.57
And that's really attests
to the power of Scripture.
00:56:12.60\00:56:18.64
The third stage is now
you look at back at the text
00:56:18.67\00:56:21.28
that you wrote with your hand.
00:56:21.31\00:56:22.74
And now you're
looking at observations,
00:56:22.78\00:56:24.48
circling repetition,
00:56:24.51\00:56:25.88
underlining things
00:56:25.91\00:56:27.25
that you just
feel are so important,
00:56:27.28\00:56:28.68
or you just know
God is speaking to you
00:56:28.72\00:56:31.55
in this
particular context right now.
00:56:31.59\00:56:35.96
So now we're actually circling
all those elements of like,
00:56:35.99\00:56:39.36
here I see men and women
and all who can understand,
00:56:39.39\00:56:42.50
men and women and all, I
see that's repetition there.
00:56:42.53\00:56:45.57
Then there's these
really important parts
00:56:45.60\00:56:47.67
that they read
distinctly from the law of God.
00:56:47.70\00:56:51.17
They gave the sense
00:56:51.21\00:56:52.54
and they
understand their reading.
00:56:52.57\00:56:53.91
So it just shows you
there's different principles
00:56:53.94\00:56:55.28
that emerge here.
00:56:55.31\00:56:56.64
We need to actually
read it out loud, distinctly.
00:56:56.68\00:57:00.88
There is the,
understand the sense of it.
00:57:00.92\00:57:04.05
And then there's
the actual principle
00:57:04.09\00:57:06.92
of understanding itself.
00:57:06.96\00:57:08.52
Those three things
emerging from verse 8.
00:57:08.56\00:57:13.16
The next stage is inTerpret,
00:57:13.19\00:57:14.53
where now you're
applying these Bible principles
00:57:14.56\00:57:16.60
that you've
distilled from the text
00:57:16.63\00:57:18.53
and applying them
to your personal life.
00:57:18.57\00:57:21.37
The inSpect stage
00:57:21.40\00:57:22.74
looks at how
scripture interpret scripture
00:57:22.77\00:57:24.77
and looking at
different parts of the Bible
00:57:24.81\00:57:26.68
and how they
interact with each other.
00:57:26.71\00:57:30.65
The inVite section
is the most important.
00:57:30.68\00:57:32.85
It's looking at where is
Jesus in this entire passage,
00:57:32.88\00:57:36.28
and centering the Lord Jesus
00:57:36.32\00:57:38.42
as the Lord of
your life personally,
00:57:38.45\00:57:40.59
and also in the Bible texts.
00:57:40.62\00:57:42.92
At the inSight stage,
00:57:42.96\00:57:44.29
we look at the
writings of Spirit of Prophecy
00:57:44.33\00:57:46.39
from Ellen White,
00:57:46.43\00:57:47.76
what she has to
say about this topic.
00:57:47.80\00:57:49.66
The last stage
is the inQuire stage
00:57:52.83\00:57:54.77
where there are
discussion questions
00:57:54.80\00:57:56.37
that allow you to
share with your friends,
00:57:56.40\00:57:58.97
your observations,
00:57:59.01\00:58:00.34
and different
reflection questions
00:58:00.38\00:58:01.88
on the topic.
00:58:01.91\00:58:03.24
It's definitely more intense.
00:58:03.28\00:58:04.95
But this is Bible
study on your own terms
00:58:04.98\00:58:07.38
at your own pace.
00:58:07.42\00:58:09.38
Obviously, he trusts on you.
00:58:09.42\00:58:10.85
We're very excited to
have different resources
00:58:10.89\00:58:12.49
that complement the
Bible study of InVerse.
00:58:12.52\00:58:15.09
We have a TV show
produced by Hope channel
00:58:15.12\00:58:17.56
that has young adults
00:58:17.59\00:58:18.93
and I actually host a show
with different friends of mine,
00:58:18.96\00:58:20.80
representing from
different parts of the world
00:58:20.83\00:58:22.43
where we actually go
00:58:22.46\00:58:23.80
through the
Bible study with you.
00:58:23.83\00:58:25.40
We also have a podcast
00:58:25.43\00:58:26.77
that you can listen
to the audio version
00:58:26.80\00:58:28.14
of the talk show
00:58:28.17\00:58:29.50
so that while
you're running outside
00:58:29.54\00:58:30.87
or working out or
cleaning the house,
00:58:30.91\00:58:32.31
you can join our conversation
00:58:32.34\00:58:34.28
through the Bible text as well.
00:58:34.31\00:58:35.78
The amazing part
about this Bible study
00:58:40.38\00:58:41.88
is that it takes Bible
study from all different angles.
00:58:41.92\00:58:44.65
You're reading the Bible texts,
00:58:44.69\00:58:46.25
you're studying the Bible texts,
00:58:46.29\00:58:47.62
you're writing
the Bible text out,
00:58:47.66\00:58:49.26
you're looking at where is Jesus
00:58:49.29\00:58:50.63
in the Bible text,
00:58:50.66\00:58:51.99
what the Spirit of
Prophecy has to say
00:58:52.03\00:58:53.50
about the Bible text,
00:58:53.53\00:58:54.86
and then discussing
it in a group of friends.
00:58:54.90\00:58:56.97
But the most important thing
00:58:57.00\00:58:58.33
is applying the Bible texts
for your own personal life.
00:58:58.37\00:59:04.14
Dive deeper into the verse.
00:59:04.17\00:59:06.54
That's why we are
calling it InVerse.
00:59:06.57\00:59:09.61