Participants: Shelley Quinn (Host), Paul Ratsara
Series Code: IAA
Program Code: IAA000483A
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00:01 Is your past dark, is your present uncertain?
00:04 And maybe you feel that your future is hopeless. 00:07 If you are feeling alone and abandoned by family 00:11 and maybe even by God, please join us on Issues and Answers 00:15 today, because you will find God has an answer. 00:50 Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn, welcome again to 00:53 Issues and Answers. I am so excited about todays 00:56 program because our special guest is also a special friend, 01:00 a personal friend, and we are so excited to have 01:04 Dr. Paul Ratsara, who is a pastor and the president 01:08 of the Southern Africa Indian Ocean Division of the 01:12 Seventh-day Adventist Church. 01:14 Paul, thank you so much for joining us. 01:17 I am so happy to be here. Oh, and I am so glad 01:22 that you've come such a long distance to share with us. 01:25 Yes, it is long. Let me ask you just a couple of questions 01:28 because some people may not know you. 01:33 You've been on 3ABN quite a lot, but we had so many 01:36 new viewers month to month. Ok, yeah. 01:37 How many years did you pastor? 01:40 Ok, I started actually to work for the church in 1980. 01:47 Ah! That would be 36 as a teacher, and then, and also as a 01:54 Bible Teacher and pastoring starting in 1984. 01:59 Eight four...And that is now... will soon to be 32. 02:04 And how many years have you served as the president 02:09 of the Southern Africa Indian Ocean Division? 02:12 I started in 2005, to be 11 years soon. 02:19 Wonderful. How many conferences are in your division? 02:26 Actually we will start with the churches and congregations. 02:30 We have 23,000, more than 23,000 congregations. 02:38 That means organized churches and organized companies 02:42 and those companies are groups and many of them are 02:46 big like full fledge churches. 02:50 Amen! Yes, and we have now more than 40 conferences. 02:58 Four zero, 40. Yes. Yes. And they knew this is what 03:01 keeps you on the road all the time. That's true. 03:03 I know that you and Joanne, your lovely wife, 03:05 my precious friend travel, just seems like non-stop. 03:10 Yes. But praise the Lord, He's tapped you on the shoulder 03:15 and called you into service. And I believe He has done so 03:18 because you are a man of integrity and a man of prayer. 03:22 You once told me, I think the first time I met you, 03:26 you shared how, you learned that if you waited until 03:31 you went into the office, which is quite early 03:33 each morning, if he is in. If you waited till then to pray, 03:37 that something would always interrupt that prayer time. 03:40 Yes! So you started getting up quite early in the morning 03:42 to pray. What hour do you arise to pray? 03:45 Ah, my habit is to actually asking God to wake me up 03:50 when I go to bed. I say Lord, I am your child, 03:55 you know how much time I need so, would you wake me up 04:00 like you did with Jesus Christ and Isaiah? 04:03 It is said that God woke him up. So that is my plan, 04:09 I don't use an alarm clock, I don't condemn alarm clock, 04:13 but that is my decision. So generally it is between 04:19 three to four o'clock in the morning. 04:22 And then you spend a couple of hours in prayer 04:24 before you go into the office. That's the plan. 04:28 Well, today we are going to be studying, 04:31 doing a little study in Genesis and we are going to be 04:36 talking about someone who felt alone and abandoned 04:40 by family and God. Paul, would you like to begin? 04:44 Yes, you know I've been thinking a lot about 04:49 our relationship with the Lord. Because to me 04:53 that is the most important thing, that we are in Christ. 04:58 We are in God. So I studied this in the Bible, 05:04 and I studied the characters in the Bible. 05:08 And I tried to learn from them maybe things to be 05:13 avoided and things to be followed. 05:16 Yes. And today I just want to learn from the life 05:21 of Jacob...Very rich experience indeed. 05:27 And we can turn in our Bibles, and that is in Genesis chapter 05:33 27 and 28, and we are going to learn from the life of this man. 05:39 The beginning was not that good, and I believe that 05:45 we can learn from that as well, and through this we can know 05:50 even better, the character of God, and we can have hope 05:55 because the life of Jacob, we can think of his past. 06:01 We can think of his present and we can think of his future, 06:05 how God dealt with that. 06:08 So right in Genesis chapter 27 and verse 41, it is the summary 06:17 of the problem of Jacob in his home, the home of his parents. 06:47 That is very serious, can you imagine having two children, 06:52 two sons, and one hates the other one. 06:58 Not just a simple hatred, actually Esau wanted to kill 07:03 Jacob. These were fraternal twins. Definitely! Definitely! 07:08 Just think of a family, they just had two children, 07:13 and Jacob and Esau they... I mean Esau hated him 07:19 and he wanted to kill because of what has happened. 07:23 Jacob actually cheated Esau and Esau was not amused 07:29 and he decided to kill him. 07:31 And this is not an empty threat, because knowing Esau, 07:34 he was used to blood, he was a hunter and for him to kill 07:41 was not something very difficult. 07:44 So the parents knew that this was a serious matter 07:49 and they tried to find a solution. 07:51 What should be done to avoid this? 07:55 Shall we reconcile them? And they found out that 08:00 maybe that would not be the solution because Esau 08:03 will not knowing himself. So the only solution found 08:08 is to separate them, to separate them. 08:11 So they said well Jacob, you must leave, 08:17 you must leave, you cannot be here, 08:19 otherwise we will lose you, or both of you. 08:22 So that is the solution, that was the condition of the family, 08:27 the situation of the family, it was quite dysfunctional. 08:30 There are two camps actually, the camp of Esau, 08:35 of Isaac the father, and Esau, and the camp of Jacob and 08:41 Rebecca, which is very bad, it is not good to have two camps 08:46 at home. We must be united in discipline and love, 08:51 otherwise we may encounter such a problem. 08:54 If I could just interject this comment. 08:56 It shows us, when parents have a favorite, 09:00 as Isaac favored Esau, Rebecca favored Jacob. 09:05 It puts a strain on the relationship of the children. 09:09 So this is something that you know, we know that God 09:13 loves unconditionally, we need to learn as parents, 09:18 we need to learn not to show favoritism to their children. 09:21 I think that is the first lesson that we can learn here. 09:25 As parents, we need to not to show favoritism, 09:29 it does not help the children, it does not help us, 09:33 and we need to ask God to help us to avoid this. 09:37 We need to love all the children alike. 09:41 Sometimes you know as human beings, you have some 09:45 inclination toward one, but we should never yield to that 09:48 temptation. We need to ask God to be fair and to love 09:53 everybody unconditionally. Amen! 09:55 And because of that mistake in a way, that actually worsened 10:01 the situation here. Yes. And the house was divided, 10:06 and because of that, Jacob had to leave. 10:10 And now they remained with Esau, and Esau had a plan 10:16 and his plan was not good. 10:18 Going back to verse 41, he said the days of mourning 10:22 for my father are at hand, then I will kill my brother Jacob. 10:29 So, that was a decision for Jacob to leave. 10:36 It was a very difficult moment for the parents, 10:40 especially for the mother. 10:42 We know that Jacob was very close to the mother... 10:45 Well, and here she is loosing her husband in death. 10:48 Isaac, and now she is going to lose her favorite son, 10:52 and be left with Esau. Yeah, that was very hard 10:57 but under the circumstance, they decided that that was 11:01 the only solution. And in chapter 28, in chapter 28, 11:08 now verse 10 and verse 11, we read this journey. 11:16 Actually the running away of Jacob from the paternal home. 11:25 And we read this: 11:49 This passage is so rich. Jacob then started his journey, 11:56 and it was a long journey, it was a long trip and it was hard 12:01 in the wilderness and it was dangerous. 12:05 So he walked and walked, and walked and finally the sun 12:09 started to set and I would suggest that the sun 12:16 that is talked about here is... yes, it was literal, 12:19 but it kind of sort of present the life, the darkness that 12:24 start to come...Represents the darkness in the life of Jacob 12:31 because at that moment, his life was dark. 12:36 Darkened by discouragement. His past was so dark, 12:41 thinking of what he did, he cheated his father, he cheated 12:49 his brother, and he did all these things so it was so heavy 12:53 on him, his past...So he was tired physically, yes, 12:57 but he was also tired mentally and especially spiritually. 13:02 So he felt alone, he felt tired, he was so down. 13:07 And you know, when you thing about having to use a stone 13:11 for your pillow, that's not much rest for your head, 13:14 so that's two, this kind of compares, he couldn't rest 13:18 in his head because of all these thoughts that were 13:21 churning and physically he had to lay on a stone. So definitely 13:26 you see, Jacob was a son of a millionaire, 13:32 or even billionaire, Isaac. If you go to chapter 26 13:36 that describes the wealth of Isaac, and for him, 13:42 the son of a millionaire, just to use a stone to be a pillow, 13:47 that means he went really down and down, and down. 13:51 So he was tired, he was discouraged, he felt lonely, 13:58 alone in the middle of nowhere. And there as well, we can think 14:06 of him thinking of being separated with God 14:12 because of his sins, because of what he did, 14:18 he felt, that well, there is no hope for me. 14:22 I'm not only far from my family, the earthly family, 14:29 but also, the heavenly family. So, in that condition, 14:34 he was tired and then he fell asleep. Discouraged, tired, 14:40 lonely. For him, the chance was God, so he went to this place. 14:47 For him, the past was dark and also definitely his present 14:53 was very uncertain, and his future was kind of hopeless. 14:58 And let's see, what was the response of God to this 15:04 loneliness. You know that you are talking to someone, 15:08 I know that there is someone who is listening right now... 15:10 I felt this myself, in the past, where you feel that you are 15:17 separated from God and it's a... It's bad enough to be separated 15:22 from your family, but if you feel that there is a barrier 15:24 between you and God, it's such a hopeless type of feeling so... 15:28 And actually my favorite author, Ellen White comments on this, 15:35 and said that even he prayed... He didn't have first the courage 15:42 to pray in the first place, and then he tried to pray 15:45 but he did not find peace. Actually he could not forgive 15:50 himself. He was so down, he thought that it was too far 15:56 and he slept with that condition. 16:01 And maybe those of us who are watching this television, 16:05 this program, who may be in that circumstance, 16:08 that situation now. We may feel lonely, we may feel 16:12 discouraged, and when you think of the past, it is dark. 16:17 Things that we have done in the past, 16:20 we think of the present, we have a lot of uncertainties, 16:25 of the future, we don't see light, 16:28 and that was the situation of Jacob. 16:33 But I have good news for us. Amen! 16:35 And the good news is that God reacted, actually acted, 16:40 to address the condition, the condition of Jacob. 16:46 So we read in verse 12, the response of God, 16:57 and it is amazing Shelley, this is verse 12. 17:02 "Then he dreamt and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth 17:10 and it's top reached to heaven, and there the angels of God 17:17 were ascending and descending on it." 17:20 Let's analyze this verse. 17:23 This is so encouraging, "Then he dreamt". 17:27 So in his dream, he looked and he saw a ladder, 17:34 a ladder, probably the longest ladder ever existed because 17:41 the length of this is the distance between the earth 17:46 and heaven. What was the problem of Jacob? 17:52 In his mind, he was separated from God. 17:56 Yes. So the first thing God showed him is a ladder. 18:01 Just to link him with heaven. And this ladder, Jesus Christ 18:08 said, that is himself. 18:10 This is Jesus Christ the mediator who came here 18:15 on earth and committed just to be the ladder. 18:21 Just to be the bridge between God and us. 18:27 So God showed him Jesus Christ. That is the solution, 18:34 our solution is Jesus Christ. 18:37 So Jacob look at the ladder, you are not alone. 18:43 You are not separated. Yes, you have done this, 18:46 you have done this but I'm still here. 18:48 I would like to give you another chance. 18:51 So the ladder represented Jesus Christ in the book of 18:56 John, the gospel of John. Jesus Christ talked about this 19:01 when He talked to Nathaniel. He said, you will see, 19:04 this is ladder, Jesus Christ. So Jacob looked at this 19:11 important ladder, and the ladder was not empty. 19:16 Yes! It was not empty. You see a ladder would be 19:21 enough just to show that he is linked now to heaven. 19:27 But on top of that, you know when God wants to talk to us, 19:31 sometimes he even over does it to make a point. 19:36 He said, you are not alone. So we read this... 19:40 The company of Angels. Yes! He said, and it's top 19:43 reached to heaven and there the angels, not one angel. 19:50 Angels of God, not just standing there, but ascending 19:56 and descending on it. So a lot of movement up and down, 20:02 and up and down on this ladder just to show that the angels 20:09 were present. He was not alone, he thought that he was alone, 20:15 but God said no, you are not alone. The angels are here. 20:21 That's wonderful. Sometimes when we feel discouraged, 20:25 when we feel that we are alone, we should never forget 20:29 that we are not alone. Amen! 20:32 Jesus Christ is there, the angels are there. 20:37 And Jacob continued to look, and not only he saw the angels, 20:45 there in verse 13. "And behold, the Lord stood 20:53 above it and said, the Lord." 20:56 You see, a ladder would be good enough, the angels, 21:02 that is even better. but God did not stop there, 21:08 God himself showed up and He was there, 21:13 on top of the ladder, and He was not quiet, He was not 21:19 silent. Our God talked and He introduced Himself. 21:26 He introduced Himself. You know God has many names... 21:30 Yes He has. And it is just like Him...I am thinking of God as a 21:36 business person, business woman or business man 21:40 who has more than one business Card. 21:42 And I have seen them, they choose which one to give to 21:49 a typical individual according to the message that they 21:54 want to convey, and the same thing with the name of God. 21:58 God has many names, and He decides to choose a name 22:04 according to the circumstance, and according to the message 22:07 that He wants to convey. So here God decided to 22:13 introduce Himself. He said I am the Lord God of Abraham 22:19 your father, and the God of Isaac. 22:23 What is the meaning of this name? 22:27 When you go to Exodus chapter 3:15, the meaning of this name 22:35 is clear, that this means God is the God of history. 22:41 God controls history. That means God of the past, 22:48 God of the present, and God of the future. 22:51 So He's telling Jacob, Jacob, I know your past, 22:57 I know your present, and even your future. 23:01 I'm the God of the past, I'm the God of the present, 23:07 I'm the God of the future, if you just come to me 23:12 I know how to deal with the past, 23:14 I can delete the past if you just come to me. 23:20 I know how to deal with the present and even the future. 23:25 As long as you are with me you should not be afraid. 23:30 Because not only I can control the future, 23:34 but I can make the future, I am a future maker. 23:39 Amen! Halleluiah! I am a future maker! 23:42 That's right! So Jacob understood that through the name 23:51 of God. So God said, I am the Lord God of Abraham 23:57 you father, and the God of Isaac, that means I am the God 24:03 of the past, I'm the God of the present, 24:06 I'm the God of the future. Let's pause for a moment here 24:10 and apply this into our lives. 24:15 You see, our God is the God of the past, God, with God, 24:23 it's beyond time, it's not limited by time, but many times 24:27 we see God through our human eyes. 24:31 Since we are limited by time, we think that God is also 24:36 limited by time, but He's beyond time even though 24:40 through Jesus Christ we decided to be in time 24:44 for incarnation, but it's beyond time. 24:47 And time for Him, He can control time, He is everlasting 24:53 God, the past, the present, the future, it is our human 24:58 language. But for Him, He is an everlasting God, 25:04 He is an eternal God. 25:06 On top of that, through Jesus Christ, God has given us the 25:14 remedy of the past. Amen! Full Forgiveness. 25:18 You see, if you feel that you have done something wrong 25:24 and in your mind, you said no that is too bad, 25:28 there is no way that God can accept me, 25:32 maybe you have done too much things in my life, 25:36 there's no hope for me. 25:38 Let me tell you, with God there's no such thing 25:46 that He cannot repair, and actually God is specialist 25:53 in mending broken things. Amen! 25:57 Broken things. He has done that many times and even He can 26:03 create out of nothing. So broken things He knows 26:09 how to mend. So if we have a broken life, 26:12 that is the time to come to God, to hand ourselves 26:17 in the hands of a specialist. He's expert in mending 26:21 broken things. How we are you going to do this? 26:23 It is through repentance, asking God for forgiveness. 26:29 You know God can push the delete button when we 26:35 confess our sins. Ha, ha, push the delete button. 26:37 I love it. He can push that one and He is going to erase 26:42 and He said He is going to drop that in the deep of the sea. 26:47 Yes. Yes. So, we don't need to be discouraged, 26:53 we need to come to God, ask for forgiveness 26:56 and through the blood of Jesus, we will be washed, 27:01 we will be forgiven and we will be given the strength 27:10 to carry on, to carry on. So that is the past, 27:15 and the present, we can elaborate more on that but 27:19 let me just summarize on this. As long as we are with God, 27:24 our present is sure. Not that we will not have 27:27 troubles, but He is bigger than all the troubles. 27:31 Absolutely. And put together, in the future, we have no worry 27:35 because God is with us. 27:36 Paul, thank you so much, this is gone by too fast 27:39 but we are going to ask you to come back again next week 27:41 and we just so appreciate you being here. 27:44 For those of you at home, remember, 27:47 He is the God of past, the God of the present, 27:51 the God of the future. 27:52 Nothing that you have ever done, that you could confess 27:56 to the Lord is going to catch Him by surprise. 27:58 He knows the end from the beginning, 28:00 He know what you've done but He wants to shine His light 28:04 into your darkness. 28:05 Join us next time so that you can see how He took 28:07 a broken man Jacob, who felt alone and abandoned 28:15 and He gave him a rich life. 28:18 God has a plan for your life as well. 28:21 We'll see you next time. |
Revised 2017-01-26