Participants: Bill Santos
Series Code: IIWC
Program Code: IIWC201303
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00:11 >>Announcer: It has stood the test of time.
00:15 God's book, The Bible 00:19 Still relevant in today's complex world. 00:23 It Is Written 00:26 Sharing messages of hope around the world. 00:39 Welcome to the It Is Written Canada television program, I'm Bill Santos, 00:43 thank you for watching. 00:45 In 1960, in what was considered a sidebar to the presidential campaign, 00:51 Massachusetts Senator John F. 00:54 Kennedy and Vice President Richard Nixon met for a series of four televised 00:59 debates. 01:01 When the last of the debates ended, one thing was for certain, the 01:05 United States' method of choosing a national leader had changed forever. 01:11 For many who watched the debates on television, particularly the first 01:16 debate in Chicago, the lingering image is that of a sickly-looking, 01:22 perspiring Nixon juxtaposed with the handsome Kennedy. 01:28 Having just recovered from a brief illness and forever battling his 5 01:33 o'clock shadow, Richard Nixon appeared gaunt and slightly haggard. 01:38 In contrast the younger Kennedy proved more telegenic than his 01:43 counterpart, immediately giving him the edge with the some 70 million 01:49 viewers. 01:51 Larry Bird, curator for political history at the Smithsonian said that 01:55 Nixon turned down makeup because Kennedy declined to use makeup". 02:03 To most debate watchers Senator Kennedy simply looked more presidential. 02:12 On election night Kennedy received 49.7% of the popular vote to Nixon's 02:18 49.5%, with the Democratic ticket polling only about 100,000 more votes than 02:24 the Republicans out of over 68 million votes cast. 02:29 Despite Nixon winning more states than Kennedy, the Electoral College vote 02:35 went to the Democrats by a 303-219 margin. 02:41 As president, Kennedy would make effective use of television, and was the 02:47 first president to hold live televised press conferences. 02:54 When he resurrected his own political career leading to his election to 02:58 the White House in 1968, Nixon would often travel to Florida or California 03:05 to insure that he was tanned for his TV appearances. 03:11 When it comes to height, every inch counts--in fact, in the workplace, 03:16 each inch above average may be worth $789 more per year, according to a study 03:26 in the Journal of Applied Psychology. 03:29 The findings suggest that someone who is 6 feet tall earns, on average, nearly 03:35 $166,000 more during a 30-year career than someone who is 5 feet 5 03:44 inches--even when controlling for gender, age and weight. 03:51 The height-salary link was found by psychologist Timothy A. 03:55 Judge, PhD, of the University of Florida, and researcher Daniel M. 03:58 Cable, PhD, of the University of North Carolina. 04:01 They analyzed data from four American and British longitudinal studies that 04:07 followed about 8,500 participants from adolescence to adulthood 04:13 and recorded personal characteristics, salaries and occupations. 04:19 Judge offers a possible explanation for the height bias: 04:51 As such, the biggest correlation between height and salary appeared in 04:57 sales and management positions--careers in which customer perception 05:03 has a major impact on success. 05:06 If customers believe a tall salesperson is more commanding, for example, 05:12 they may be more likely to follow the salesperson's wishes, according to 05:17 Judge. 05:19 Interestingly, they followed this study up with another that looks at 05:26 weight and income, very interesting, you can google it. 05:33 For centuries society has used little more than the exterior to determine who 05:38 would be the best ruler, mate or employee and the results have many times 05:46 been disastrous. 05:50 As the period of the judges comes to an end, the prophet Samuel, the 05:56 last judge had grown old. 05:59 Typically the leadership would have passed down to his sons - not this time 06:04 for the Bible tells us that Samuel's boys did not walk in the ways of their 06:09 father and that they had perverted justice. 06:12 The people wanted a leader none-the-less - God's system of Judges was not 06:19 doing it for them, they wanted a King! 06:22 The other nations had kings - why shouldn't Israel have a king? 06:26 So Samuel was approached and the demand was made: 1 Samuel 8:4 - 5 06:58 Samuel was not happy - all of his work ministering to the people seemed to have 07:05 been in vain - they wanted someone to do for them what God was prepared to. 07:13 1 Samuel 8: 7 - 9 07:53 The people would have their wish - but placing their trust in an earthly 07:57 King while turning their backs on the Heavenly King would come with a cost - 08:06 Samuel warns the people . 1 Samuel 8: 10 - 20 09:43 The people's choice was quite a specimen . 1 Samuel 9: 1 - 2 10:16 Saul looked good in the eyes of the Israelites - he had all of the physical 10:21 attributes you would want in a king and his reign got off to a good start - 10:28 but his heart was the problem. 10:30 Character flaws began to appear - paranoia, selfishness, 10:35 self-centeredness and violence. 10:38 It got so bad that God was forced to look for someone to replace Saul - but this 10:45 time the selection criteria would be different - God would look 10:50 at the heart. 10:53 Samuel breaks the news to King Saul. 10:57 1 Samuel 13: 13 - 14 11:35 "a man after His own heart" God's method of selecting a leader would 11:39 be in stark contrast to man's methods - this time God looked for someone 11:45 whose heart was completed committed to Him. 11:49 God instructs Samuel to go to Bethlehem to anoint the new king. 1 Samuel 16: 1 12:24 Samuel did what the Lord asked and came to Bethlehem - there he 12:28 invited Jesse and his sons to sacrifice with him - as they spend time together 12:38 Samuel is conducting his prophetic inspection of Jesse's sons. 12:45 The first to catch the eye of the prophet was Eliab - the oldest of the sons. 12:51 He was the one most like King Saul in stature and appearance but God says to 13:01 Samuel . verses 6 - 7 13:23 You see God was looking for a man with character - a man whose heart was 13:30 towards God. 13:32 God was not interested in the size of the man but in the condition of his 13:37 heart. 13:38 As each of Jesse's sons is paraded before Samuel it becomes clear to the 13:44 prophet that God's chosen one was not among these sons - puzzled Samuel 13:52 turns to Jesse and asks in verse 11 . 14:19 David had simply been overlooked - he was left to tend the sheep, besides 14:26 it would be much to dangerous to leave the sheep unattended. 14:30 His father had not seen kingly potential in his youngest son. 14:39 Samuel insists that David be called in from the field. 14:43 David makes his way from the field to the house . I Samuel 16: 12 - 13 15:17 The moment David walked in Samuel knew this was the one - he was a handsome 15:25 young man with red hair and beautiful eyes, but more important than his 15:29 external beauty was a heart that longed to know God. 15:40 I don't want to be misunderstood here, it is not that Saul was all bad 15:45 and David was all good. 15:47 They both were human beings with weaknesses and both had the same 15:51 potential. 15:53 But, as we will see as we go forward in this study, Saul more and more 16:00 followed his egocentric desires - while David, at least in his early life, 16:06 sincerely followed God's ways. 16:10 In his later years, even when he failed God miserably - he always 16:15 turned back to God. 16:18 We have some great lessons to learn from God. 16:21 Rather than accepting or rejecting people based on their status or lack of 16:27 it, how much money or little money they have, how clever or innocent 16:31 they are, they beauty or lack of it, we should look at their heart, their 16:38 character. 16:40 Not only the values they claim to uphold but those they actually live by. 16:47 If we would take time in making decisions on a spouse, business 16:52 associates and political leaders, and follow the example of Samuel - 17:00 looking to God for His choice for our lives we would be much better 17:05 served. 17:07 God's choice may not be the obvious one, in fact, at first glance God's 17:12 choice may not make much sense at all, but God can and will use anyone who 17:19 submits their heart and their life to Him. 17:26 The high honor that had been given to David did nothing to boost his ego - 17:31 he quietly went back to his job of tending sheep and waited for God to call 17:38 him from the field to the throne. 17:42 As humble and modest as before his anointing, David went back and 17:49 watched and cared for his sheep as tenderly as before. 17:55 As David spend his days out in the solitude of the fields contemplating God 18:01 and His marvelous works, David's heart and mind were developing and 18:07 strengthening for the role he was being called perform. 18:11 Each day David was coming into more intimate communion with God, his 18:16 mind was constantly penetrating into fresh themes to inspire his 18:22 songwriting. 18:24 His closeness with nature, his communion with God, in the care of his sheep, the 18:28 perils and deliverances, the sadness and joys, these all served not only 18:34 to mold the character of David and to influence his future life, but through 18:39 the psalms he authored, they would inspire love and faith in the hearts of 18:46 God's people through out the ages, bringing all of us nearer to the 18:50 ever-loving heart of God. 18:53 David in the beauty and vigor of his youth was preparing to take on one 18:58 the highest positions on earth. 19:00 The idea that the kingship of Israel would go to an underage shepherd boy made 19:08 no sense whatsoever in the world's mind. 19:12 But in God's mind it made perfect sense. 19:14 God not being impressed by physique or intellect, but by a heart completed 19:22 committed to Him, saw in David the perfect choice. 19:28 While David also possessed many external attributes, he was a man with unique 19:35 internal qualities. 19:41 W. 19:42 Michael Blumenthal, chairman of Unisys, was quoted in Forbes magazine 19:46 about the mistakes he made in hiring: In choosing people for top positions, 19:52 you have to try to make sure they have a clear sense of what is right and 19:56 wrong, a willingness to be truthful, the courage to say what they think and to 20:01 do what they think is right. 20:03 This is the quality that should really be at the top. 20:07 I was too often impressed by the intelligence and substantive knowledge of 20:12 an individual and did not always pay enough attention to the question 20:17 of how honest, courageous and good a person the individual really was. 20:24 When God looks at you does He see a heart committed to Him and His 20:32 ways. 20:34 Do you live your life in response to the desires of your heart or is your 20:39 heart completely committed to God? 20:44 2 Chronicles 16: 9 20:59 When God looks at you does he see a person totally devoted to Him, a person 21:06 committed to walking away from anything that is displeasing to God? 21:13 When God looks at you does he find a heart that is completely His? 21:20 Charles Spurgeon wrote: 22:27 Giving us time to develop and grow is all part of God's plan, remember no 22:35 matter how far you think you still have to grow, no matter how unprepared you 22:40 may feel, you have been chosen by God and He has a plan for your life. 22:50 Well, the Lord uses all kinds of unqualified people, doesn't He? 22:56 He can use you and me. 23:03 There was a concert violinist who wanted to demonstrate, a very 23:08 important point. 23:10 He rented a great hall in a city and announced that he would play a concert on 23:13 a twenty thousand dollar violin. 23:17 He had the place packed with violin lovers and he played (05:00) exquisitely 23:22 and they applauded just gloriously. 23:25 He bowed and took their applause, and then threw the violin to the ground 23:29 and stomped it into bits. 23:32 The audience was horrified. 23:33 And then he walked off the stage. 23:37 The stage manager came out and said uhm, Ladies and Gentlemen, to put you at 23:44 ease that was a twenty dollar violin, he will now return to play the twenty 23:55 thousand violin. 24:00 And you know what? 24:02 They couldn't tell the difference, and he made his point. 24:09 It isn't the instrument, it's the artist, right? 24:17 David was the only person in Scripture who is called "A man after God's own 24:21 heart. 24:23 " His name is mentioned more than one thousand times in the Bible, Jesus 24:30 is even referred in the Gospels as the "Son of David". 24:35 What does the Bible say about him? 24:38 What can we learn from David that will help us lead more devoted lives 24:44 for our Master? 24:45 I invite to join us over the next few weeks as we sty the life of David 24:51 and draw from his experience practical lessons that will help all 24:56 of us become men and women after God's own heart. 25:02 Let's pray; Father in Heaven thank you for the lessons of Scripture, 25:11 thank you for men like David whose lives have such practical 25:16 applications for us today. 25:21 May your Spirit impress upon our lives the lesson of committing our hearts 25:25 completely to you, may we be guarded against deceitful influences, 25:30 arrogance and pride, take control of our hearts and bless each and every 25:37 viewer in Jesus' name, Amen. 26:01 We'd like to make a DVD of this program available to you if you would like to 26:05 see it again or you'd like to refer it to a friend. 26:08 I've also written a book called David: Friend of God that has all of the 26:13 messages in this series that will be available at the end of this series. 26:17 But if you'd like to pre-order that book or receive your free DVD, you 26:24 can do so today. 26:26 Here's the information you need. 27:09 Before we leave today, I want to remind you that our Countdown to Eternity 27:13 Bible Prophecies seminar continues tonight at 7:00 o'clock at the Belleville 27:19 Seventh-Day Adventist Church. 27:22 So if you're in the area there, why not join us this evening at 7 p.m.? 27:27 Now, I know we have viewers across the country, so if you are 27:29 unable to physically be there, you can still watch those Bible prophecy 27:35 seminars on the internet. 27:37 Here's how you do that. 27:38 You can go to our website, itiswrittencanada.ca. 27:41 There is a tab that says "watch live" and you can access that from any 27:47 device, whether that be a desktop, a laptop, an iPhone, an Android, an 27:54 iPad, any mobile device. 27:57 Go to our website, itiswrittencanada.ca. 27:59 Click the "watch live" tab. 28:01 7 p.m. 28:02 eastern time we begin the Bible prophecies seminar at the Belleville 28:06 Seventh-Day Adventist Church. 28:08 You can also access that seminar via our Facebook page. 28:13 So no reason why you shouldn't be watching. 28:16 If you can be there, be there in Belleville. 28:18 If you can't, watch it over the internet. 28:21 We're having a great crowd. 28:22 Our prayer is that we will be back together again next week. 28:26 Until then, remember, it is written: Man shall not live by bread alone, but 28:34 by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. |
Revised 2015-02-06