Hello, it's good to
see you all here today.
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My name is David Sherwood
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and I work for the ARISE
Institute in Troy, Michigan,
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small mission
training institute.
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And it's a privilege for me
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to be here today
to share the Lord--
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the word of God with you,
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and let's get
started. Let's pray.
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Father in Heaven, we
just thank You so much
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for giving us this opportunity
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to open Your
word together, Lord.
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Lord, I pray that You would
come into each one of our hearts
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and speak to us and
show us practical things
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from Your word that we can
apply directly to our lives
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to enhance our
relationship with You.
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And thank You for hearing
and answering this prayer
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'cause we prayed in
the name of Jesus, amen.
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Question for you all today.
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What is the most noble work in
which man or woman can engage?
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In your estimation,
what is the most noble work
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in which man or
woman can engage?
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Some of you may
say soul winning,
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some of you
might say witnessing.
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They're all very good answers.
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And I believe that
there is even better answer.
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And we're gonna look
at a quote from this book
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called "Child
Guidance," and it says this.
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"Every act of life,
however unimportant,
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has its influence in
forming the character."
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It goes on to
say, "A good character
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is more precious
than worldly possessions
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and the work of forming it
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is the noblest in
which man can engage."
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In another book
called "Education,"
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the same author
gives similar definition
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of the most noble act that
men or women can engage in.
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She says that,
character building
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is the most important work
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that has been
entrusted to human beings.
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This is above
spreading the gospel even.
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Building our own characters,
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developing our character into
that of a Christlike character
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is the most
important, the most noble thing
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that we can do
here as human beings.
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When was the last time
you spent some serious time
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thinking about your character?
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I remember the first time
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that I really gave
serious thought to my character.
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It was the day that I was going
to my future in-law's house
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to ask them for their blessing
to marry their daughter.
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My character was running
through my mind a lot that day.
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And as you can-- as you
probably would agree that
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that's gonna be a stressful
day probably for anyone,
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but the situation that I
was in was slightly different.
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I became a
Christian about five years ago
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and through my course of study,
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I came to the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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I studied with many
different denominations
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and met very good people
in all of those churches,
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but they couldn't
give me the answers
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that I needed from the Bible.
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And I ended up in
this, in the Adventist Church
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because it most closely
taught what scripture teaches.
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And my in-laws,
future in-laws weren't happy
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with the choice of
church that that I'd chosen
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because it wasn't a
"mainstream" church.
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And their daughter
also became a Christian
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about a year after I did
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and started
attending this church as well.
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So needless to say they weren't
happy with us necessarily.
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I'd known Jeannie
for about three years,
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and we've dated
about three years
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before I have any
thoughts about spiritual things.
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And at that time, you
know, her parents loved me,
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you know, I was like
a part of their family.
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It was because of
this decision that I made
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to follow what the
Bible was convicting me of,
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that caused Jeannie and
I to break up for a year.
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We just were on different paths.
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We broke up on good terms.
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And we didn't
speak for an entire year.
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I went through
a year of studying
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and towards the
end of that year,
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I decided I
wanted to be baptized
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and I called up
Jeannie on the phone
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and I invited her
to come to my baptism.
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And to my
surprise, she agreed to come.
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And now what I
didn't know is that
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she had spent that whole year
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studying and
studying and studying
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and asking pastor after
pastor and fellow Christians,
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the questions
that had been raised
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when we started studying
together the year before
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and she too could not find
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any of the answers
to those questions.
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And she came to my baptism
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and there was a
powerful ceremony.
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Pastor
Asscherick did the message
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and I gave my testimony
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and my very good friend
Clyde McCoy did the music
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and about 150 of my
family members and friends
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that are non-Christians
came to my baptism.
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And after it was all over,
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I could see Jeannie in
the back of the church crying.
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So I went back and we
talked for an hour that day
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and she agreed to come
to a series of meetings
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that was going to be
taking place in my church
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that Pastor Asscherick
was going to be doing.
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She came to the meetings.
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She succumbed and she relented
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and she finally allowed
the Lord to convince her
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and to bring her in to a
truthful relationship with God
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and she was not following,
you know, the word of God.
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And she was then baptized
into the Adventist Church
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and we were back
together soon after that.
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And then came the point where
we knew we wanted to be married
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and I had to
approach her parents now.
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Once Jeannie joined this church,
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her parents, like I
said before were not happy.
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Up until that point,
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Jeannie had never
seen her father cry.
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And they had over the
course of about two months,
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four or five conversations
where he was sobbing.
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Tears of frustration and rage.
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The same with her mother,
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trying to convince
her that she's been crazy.
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They said that she was
destroying ther family.
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Her family didn't
attend the church themselves.
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So this is the
state that we were in
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when we wanted to be married.
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Her parents were
vehemently against
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the spiritual
decisions we had made,
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the convictions that we had,
the church that we're attending.
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But I knew that I
had to approach them
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and ask them if they
could give me their blessing
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to marry their
daughter before I asked her.
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So I didn't know too.
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I was thinking
about my character.
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I called someone I admire
very much Dr. Samuel Pipim
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and I told him the situation.
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And I said, "What do I
do?" I said, "If they say no.
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If they throw me
out of their house
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and ask me these questions.
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Does that mean I
can't marry her?"
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And he said, "Well, I don't
think that's going to happen."
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And so we talked for a while
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and he says, "You know,
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I think they just need
to spend some time with you,
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so they can see your character."
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He said, "Is there
anytime coming up soon
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where you're
gonna be able to spend
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some quality time with them?"
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I was like, "Well, the
next two weeks from now
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we're gonna go on a
cruise together for a week."
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He said, "I think
that is from the Lord."
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We went on this
cruise and it was phenomenal.
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I had very good conversations,
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just spent some
very quality time.
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I had some very
meaningful discussions.
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There's one more conversation
that we had before this cruise
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and I wasn't a
part of it this time
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instead of just my
wife, for my girlfriend then
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and the look in their eyes
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I knew that it
wasn't my in-law speaking.
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Her mother looked
across the table from me
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with tears of rage in
her eyes and pointed out me
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and said, "You will never
be accepted into this family."
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Said, "You are stealing
our daughter away from us."
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And I didn't know what to
say. The Lord shut my mouth.
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I looked back and my wife says,
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"I don't know, how you didn't
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just flip the
table over and walk out."
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But the Lord was giving me grace
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and He was letting me know,
this isn't that I'm talking."
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So anyway after this cruise,
I went to ask them the question.
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I called my good friends
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and I told them to pray
for me as I was going in
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and I didn't
know if they're gonna
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throw me out of their house
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or I didn't know
what they're gonna do.
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So I went, called
them up on the phone
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and I was on my way there
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and said, "I was
gonna come over."
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And I never go over
there without Jeannie.
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And so they knew something
was up and said, "Okay."
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So I ended up going, sat down,
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very awkward
conversation to start.
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And I said, "Well,
the reason I'm here.
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I said, "You know, that
Jeannie and I were spending
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a lot of time together again
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and that's how we
really love each other.
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And I think, you
know, I came to ask you,
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if you would be
willing to give your blessing."
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Before I could get
out to the last word,
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Jeannie's
mother said, "I would."
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And I just-- And then
she had a smile on her face.
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And her dad looked at me
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and he said,
"Yeah, you know, Dave,
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I would give my blessing, too."
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He says, "We don't agree
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with all of the
decisions that you're making."
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He said, "But we can't
argue with your character."
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And so it was that day that
I realized how important it is
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that we spent time
contemplating our character,
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because that's the first
sermon I will ever preach.
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It's with our
character, with our actions.
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Today we're gonna
consider a familiar Bible story
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about a man who is serious
about forming his character.
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I'm going to use
the survey of the story
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to evaluate our own character
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and to determine what we can do
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to further
develop our character.
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Some practical things.
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We're gonna start in 1 Samuel
17 is where the story is found.
00:11:59.40\00:12:02.91
And you all know that
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in 1 Samuel 17 is
the story of what?
00:12:04.34\00:12:08.27
David and Goliath.
00:12:08.30\00:12:09.73
1 Samuel 17, we know that,
00:12:11.98\00:12:14.84
you know, how the story goes.
00:12:14.87\00:12:16.43
The Israelites
and the Philistines,
00:12:16.46\00:12:19.68
they all drew up in
all of their battle gear,
00:12:19.71\00:12:24.80
ready to fight
between this Valley of Elah.
00:12:24.83\00:12:28.22
Goliath, the champion of Gath
00:12:28.25\00:12:29.65
was challenging
the Israelite army.
00:12:29.68\00:12:33.85
He challenged the
Israelites to send out one man
00:12:33.88\00:12:36.41
to engage in a fight with him
00:12:36.44\00:12:37.89
and it was a
winner take all battle
00:12:37.92\00:12:39.66
and he was
cursing the Israelites,
00:12:39.69\00:12:41.06
the Bible says by
its gods, taunting them.
00:12:41.09\00:12:44.70
So that went on for 40 days.
00:12:44.73\00:12:47.41
And the
Israelites were terrified.
00:12:47.44\00:12:49.69
While this is going
on, Jesse, David's father,
00:12:52.42\00:12:54.75
asked him to go and get a report
00:12:54.78\00:12:59.68
of what was going
on at the battlefield
00:12:59.71\00:13:02.01
and to bring some
supplies to his brothers
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that were there as well.
00:13:05.41\00:13:10.39
David got a lamb
cider for his little flock,
00:13:10.42\00:13:13.46
made sure they were secure
00:13:13.49\00:13:14.86
before he took off
for the battlefield.
00:13:14.89\00:13:17.21
When he arrived,
he saw that the army
00:13:17.24\00:13:18.61
was going out from
the camp to battle,
00:13:18.64\00:13:20.17
so he left his
supplies with a supply keeper,
00:13:20.20\00:13:23.52
made sure the supplies were safe
00:13:23.55\00:13:24.92
then he went out to
the battlefield to see
00:13:24.95\00:13:27.53
to get the information
for his report to his father.
00:13:27.56\00:13:31.94
And upon
catching up with the army,
00:13:31.97\00:13:34.38
he was informed by
some of the soldiers
00:13:34.41\00:13:37.13
that this giant
have been cursing
00:13:37.16\00:13:39.23
the army of the living God.
00:13:39.26\00:13:40.63
And the king saw it, offered
up a few handsome rewards
00:13:42.79\00:13:47.15
for the man who was
able to slave this giant.
00:13:47.18\00:13:50.13
So this is the
scenario and let's--
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we're gonna pick up the story
00:13:55.04\00:13:56.41
and read a
little bit from the word
00:13:56.44\00:13:58.07
in verse 32 of 1 Samuel 17.
00:13:58.10\00:14:01.67
1 Samuel 17:32 says
this, "Then David said to Saul,
00:14:01.70\00:14:07.98
'Let no man's heart
fail because of him,
00:14:08.01\00:14:10.31
your servant will go and
fight with the Philistine.'
00:14:10.34\00:14:13.51
And Saul said to
David, 'You are not able to go
00:14:13.54\00:14:15.97
against this
Philistine to fight with him,
00:14:16.00\00:14:17.46
you are a youth,
and a man of war--
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and he a man of
war from his youth.'
00:14:20.02\00:14:22.26
But David and said to Saul,
00:14:22.29\00:14:24.25
'Your servant used to
keep his father's sheep,
00:14:24.28\00:14:25.91
and when a lion or a bear came
00:14:25.94\00:14:27.31
and took a lamb
out of the flock.'
00:14:27.34\00:14:28.71
I went out after
it, and struck it,
00:14:28.74\00:14:30.11
and delivered the
lamb from his mouth.
00:14:30.14\00:14:32.04
And when it rose against me,
00:14:32.07\00:14:33.47
I caught it by its beard,
and struck it and killed it.
00:14:33.50\00:14:36.95
Your servant has
killed both lion and bear.
00:14:36.98\00:14:39.21
And this
uncircumcised Philistine
00:14:39.24\00:14:40.79
will be like one of them,
00:14:40.82\00:14:42.42
seeing he has defied the
armies of the living God.
00:14:42.45\00:14:46.46
Moreover David said,
'The Lord, who delivered me
00:14:46.49\00:14:48.94
from the paw of the lion
and from the paw of the bear,
00:14:48.97\00:14:51.70
He will deliver me from
the hand of the Philistine.'
00:14:51.73\00:14:54.98
And Saul said to David,
'Go, and the Lord be with you.'
00:14:55.01\00:14:59.27
So Saul clothed
David with his armor,
00:14:59.30\00:15:02.02
and he put a
bronze helmet on his head
00:15:02.05\00:15:04.47
and he also closed
him with a coat of mail.
00:15:04.50\00:15:06.68
David fastened his sword to
his armor and tried to walk,
00:15:06.71\00:15:09.43
for he had not tested them.
00:15:09.46\00:15:11.15
And David said to Saul,
'I cannot walk in these,
00:15:11.18\00:15:13.95
for I have not tested
them.' So David took them off.
00:15:13.98\00:15:17.08
Then he took his
staff in his hand
00:15:17.11\00:15:19.29
and he chose for himself
00:15:19.32\00:15:20.80
five smooth
stones from the brook,
00:15:20.83\00:15:22.65
and put them in
a shepherd's bag,
00:15:22.68\00:15:24.05
in a pouch which he had,
and his sling was in his hand.
00:15:24.08\00:15:27.05
And he drew near
to the Philistine.
00:15:27.08\00:15:30.17
So the Philistine came, and
began drawing near to David,
00:15:30.20\00:15:32.65
and the man who bore
the shield went before him.
00:15:32.68\00:15:35.54
And when the Philistine
took about and saw David,
00:15:35.57\00:15:38.54
he disdained him,
for he was only a youth,
00:15:38.57\00:15:40.76
ruddy and good-looking.
00:15:40.79\00:15:42.19
So the Philistine said to David,
00:15:42.22\00:15:43.60
'Am I a dog that you
come to me with sticks?'
00:15:43.63\00:15:46.40
And the Philistine
cursed David by his gods.
00:15:46.43\00:15:48.83
And the
Philistine said to David,
00:15:48.86\00:15:50.23
'Come to me, and I
will give your flesh
00:15:50.26\00:15:51.67
to the birds of the air
and the beasts of the field.'
00:15:51.70\00:15:54.23
Then David said
to the Philistine,
00:15:54.26\00:15:55.91
'You come to me with a sword,
00:15:55.94\00:15:57.31
and with a spear,
and with a javelin.
00:15:57.34\00:15:58.78
But I come to you in the
name of the Lord of hosts,
00:15:58.81\00:16:01.46
the God of the armies of
Israel, whom you have defied.
00:16:01.49\00:16:04.69
This day the Lord will
deliver you into my hand,
00:16:04.72\00:16:06.82
and I will strike you
and take your head from you.
00:16:06.85\00:16:09.26
And this day I
will give the carcasses
00:16:09.29\00:16:11.07
of the camp of the Philistines
to the birds of the air
00:16:11.10\00:16:13.11
and the wild
beasts of the earth,
00:16:13.14\00:16:14.69
that all the earth may know
that there is a God in Israel.
00:16:14.72\00:16:18.89
Then all this
assembly shall know
00:16:18.92\00:16:20.52
that the Lord does not
save with sword and spear,
00:16:20.55\00:16:22.72
for the battle is the Lord's,
00:16:22.75\00:16:24.54
and He will give
you into our hands.
00:16:24.57\00:16:27.47
So it was, when the
Philistine arose and came
00:16:27.50\00:16:29.99
and drew near to meet David,
00:16:30.02\00:16:31.42
and David hurried and ran toward
the army to meet the Philistine.
00:16:31.45\00:16:34.54
Then David put his hand in
his bag and took out a stone,
00:16:34.57\00:16:37.77
and he slung it and struck
the Philistine in his forehead,
00:16:37.80\00:16:40.75
so that the stone
sank into his forehead,
00:16:40.78\00:16:42.70
and he fell on
his face to the earth.
00:16:42.73\00:16:45.63
So David prevailed
over the Philistine
00:16:45.66\00:16:47.31
with a sling and a stone,
00:16:47.34\00:16:49.43
and struck the
Philistine and killed him.
00:16:49.46\00:16:51.61
But there was no
sword in the hand of David.
00:16:51.64\00:16:53.81
Therefore David ran and
stood over the Philistine,
00:16:53.84\00:16:56.32
took his sword and drew it
from its sheath and killed him,
00:16:56.35\00:16:59.58
and cut off his head with it.
00:16:59.61\00:17:00.98
And when the Philistines saw
00:17:01.01\00:17:02.38
their champion
was dead, they fled.
00:17:02.41\00:17:04.76
Now the men of Israel
and Judah arose and shouted,
00:17:04.79\00:17:07.12
and pursued the
Philistines as far as
00:17:07.15\00:17:08.77
the entrance of the
valley of the gates of Ekron.
00:17:08.80\00:17:10.94
And the wounded
of the Philistines
00:17:10.97\00:17:12.48
fell among the road to Shaaraim,
even as far as Gath and Ekron.
00:17:12.51\00:17:18.36
Then the children of Israel
00:17:18.39\00:17:19.76
returned from the
chasing of the Philistines,
00:17:19.79\00:17:21.16
and they plundered their tents.
00:17:21.19\00:17:22.56
And David took the
head of the Philistine
00:17:22.59\00:17:24.14
and brought it to Jerusalem,
00:17:24.17\00:17:26.35
but he put his
armor in his tent."
00:17:26.38\00:17:29.90
Powerful. I didn't
grew up in a church.
00:17:29.93\00:17:33.20
First time, I read that
story I think I was in my '20s.
00:17:34.96\00:17:39.41
Powerful story.
00:17:39.44\00:17:40.89
Even just the story in itself
is powerful on the surface.
00:17:43.74\00:17:47.49
When we dig into
the meat of the story,
00:17:47.52\00:17:49.60
there is even-- this
story is just packed,
00:17:49.63\00:17:52.45
the practical
things about character.
00:17:52.48\00:17:55.63
That's what we're
gonna look at today.
00:17:55.66\00:17:57.54
We're gonna look
at five different
00:18:04.10\00:18:08.15
characteristics that
David exhibits in the story.
00:18:08.18\00:18:12.79
Five aspects of
Christian character
00:18:12.82\00:18:17.21
that we could aspire to,
00:18:17.24\00:18:19.78
and we're gonna look
into it as how can we shape,
00:18:19.81\00:18:22.27
how can we allow God to shape us
00:18:22.30\00:18:24.46
to have these
characteristics in our life?
00:18:24.49\00:18:29.12
The first characteristic
that David exhibits
00:18:29.15\00:18:32.55
is that he always stood in
his own God given personality.
00:18:32.58\00:18:37.20
So today we need to stand in
our own God-given personality.
00:18:37.23\00:18:41.30
From the book
"Ministry of Healing"
00:18:44.70\00:18:47.49
within like three
pages of this book
00:18:47.52\00:18:49.60
starting, I believe in page 497,
00:18:49.63\00:18:52.33
there's a powerful commentary
00:18:52.36\00:18:54.71
on Christian
character development.
00:18:54.74\00:18:57.58
Here's a quote from that book.
00:18:57.61\00:19:00.25
It says, "None should consent
00:19:00.28\00:19:02.68
to be mere machines,
run by another man's mind.
00:19:02.71\00:19:07.04
Stand in your God-given--
own God-given personality."
00:19:07.07\00:19:11.89
When Saul agreed to
let David fight Goliath,
00:19:13.43\00:19:16.40
he dressed him in his own armor.
00:19:16.43\00:19:19.48
The Bible says that
David was unable to go forward
00:19:19.51\00:19:22.79
because he was encumbered
by this big suit of armor.
00:19:22.82\00:19:26.07
He hadn't tested it.
00:19:26.10\00:19:27.47
He hadn't tried to
moving in it before.
00:19:27.50\00:19:28.87
Fortunately, David realized
this from the very beginning
00:19:30.52\00:19:33.09
that, huh, this
isn't gonna work.
00:19:33.12\00:19:34.49
If I'm gonna go fight this guy,
00:19:34.52\00:19:35.89
I'm not gonna
able to do it in this.
00:19:35.92\00:19:37.29
However, many Christians today,
00:19:40.61\00:19:43.45
they desire to do
the work of the Lord,
00:19:43.48\00:19:45.39
but they insist on doing
it in someone else's armor.
00:19:45.42\00:19:48.98
And they wonder why they
aren't having the success
00:19:50.59\00:19:53.42
the Lord wants to give them.
00:19:53.45\00:19:54.82
As I said before, I work
at a mission training school
00:19:56.87\00:19:59.34
called ARISE in Troy, Michigan.
00:19:59.37\00:20:01.23
And something that we need
to be very intentional about
00:20:03.37\00:20:08.93
is that people
know from the get-go
00:20:08.96\00:20:10.49
that they need to
fight in their own armor,
00:20:10.52\00:20:12.97
they need to fight
in their own stand,
00:20:13.00\00:20:14.57
in their own spiritual,
their own God-given personality.
00:20:14.60\00:20:19.23
The reason why many people,
sometimes come to our school
00:20:19.26\00:20:22.55
is because they've seen
people like, David Asscherick
00:20:22.58\00:20:25.29
and they see
people like, Nathan Renner
00:20:25.32\00:20:26.69
who are the founders and
the directors of the school
00:20:26.72\00:20:29.42
and they admire their ministry.
00:20:29.45\00:20:32.72
Something we're
very intentional about
00:20:32.75\00:20:34.27
when people come to our
school is to let them know that
00:20:34.30\00:20:36.77
we are not making
disciples of David Asscherick.
00:20:36.80\00:20:39.45
We are not making
disciples of Nathan Renner
00:20:39.48\00:20:40.94
or disciples of Matt Parra,
00:20:40.97\00:20:42.34
disciples of any of the
staff members that are there
00:20:42.37\00:20:43.92
and they may have heard speak
00:20:43.95\00:20:45.32
or worked
within ministry before.
00:20:45.35\00:20:49.17
We're making
disciples of Jesus Christ.
00:20:49.20\00:20:51.10
It's our job to give
these people the tools to use
00:20:55.22\00:20:59.26
to be able to work in
their God-given personality.
00:20:59.29\00:21:04.74
Praise the Lord that he
has made us all so different.
00:21:04.77\00:21:07.96
How boring would this world
be is if we were all the same?
00:21:07.99\00:21:12.83
And I think the
fact that He has,
00:21:12.86\00:21:14.23
God has created such a variety
of different personalities
00:21:14.26\00:21:18.10
should tell us that
there is someone alive,
00:21:18.13\00:21:24.45
someone waiting for you,
00:21:24.48\00:21:29.40
for your own
God-given personality
00:21:29.43\00:21:31.12
to communicate the gospel.
00:21:31.15\00:21:34.89
God didn't make us all different
00:21:34.92\00:21:36.40
and give us all different
personalities for no reason.
00:21:36.44\00:21:39.98
Our purpose on this earth
is for the salvation of men.
00:21:40.01\00:21:42.58
God can do that through
everyone's unique personality.
00:21:45.84\00:21:48.97
In fact, I believe that
00:21:49.00\00:21:50.37
there is someone
waiting for each one of us,
00:21:50.40\00:21:53.13
more than one person waiting
00:21:53.16\00:21:54.53
where because our own
God-given personalities
00:21:54.56\00:21:56.74
are what will best communicate
the gospel to that person.
00:21:56.77\00:22:00.81
So we see the first
aspect of molding our character
00:22:00.84\00:22:05.70
is to realize that Jesus
Christ made us how we are,
00:22:05.73\00:22:11.68
to work through the
personality that He has given us
00:22:11.71\00:22:15.68
for the salvation
of those around us.
00:22:15.71\00:22:17.66
We must fight our spiritual
battle in our own armor.
00:22:21.93\00:22:25.33
David's appearance probably
was not as flashy as Saul's was
00:22:25.36\00:22:32.29
in all of his
array of battle gear
00:22:32.32\00:22:34.29
with his helmet
and his coat of mail
00:22:34.32\00:22:36.65
and sword and the shield.
00:22:36.68\00:22:39.63
I mean, David went
out in shepherd's cloths.
00:22:39.66\00:22:42.84
Wasn't nearly as flashy
00:22:42.87\00:22:44.24
as Saul would have
looked out in battle.
00:22:44.27\00:22:48.68
But it was affective for David.
00:22:48.71\00:22:51.41
Not all of us will be called
to preach to thousands of people
00:22:53.07\00:22:56.94
in a flashy evangelistic
series with lights and cameras.
00:22:56.97\00:23:01.77
But the stones that you
have are more than sufficient
00:23:01.80\00:23:07.92
to win souls to Christ,
00:23:07.95\00:23:10.24
to defeat the
giants in your life.
00:23:10.27\00:23:12.21
So we can't look to the pastors
00:23:18.48\00:23:21.06
and to the
professional evangelists
00:23:21.09\00:23:22.98
and think that we
could never do what they do
00:23:23.01\00:23:25.11
because there's good news,
00:23:25.14\00:23:26.61
God's not asking you to
do what someone else is doing
00:23:26.64\00:23:29.50
in the way that
they're doing it.
00:23:29.53\00:23:31.18
He is asking you to do His work
00:23:31.21\00:23:33.39
in the way that
only you can do it.
00:23:33.42\00:23:37.71
We need to stand in our
own God-given personality.
00:23:37.74\00:23:40.83
The second characteristic
we're gonna take a look at
00:23:44.68\00:23:46.68
from this story is that
00:23:48.98\00:23:50.93
David was continually
cultivating his mind.
00:23:50.96\00:23:58.41
We don't necessary
see it in 1 Samuel 17,
00:23:58.44\00:24:01.32
but we know that
part of the reason
00:24:03.54\00:24:05.46
why David was so bold when
he busted upon the battlefield,
00:24:05.49\00:24:11.43
was that because he
had been continually
00:24:11.46\00:24:15.14
cultivating his mind
with the word of God.
00:24:15.17\00:24:17.65
Now, was David a
diligent Bible student?
00:24:20.37\00:24:23.11
Of course, he was.
Now how do we know that?
00:24:25.98\00:24:29.06
He wrote much of
the Book of the Psalms.
00:24:29.09\00:24:33.58
We look in Psalm 119 and 148.
00:24:39.25\00:24:42.60
Let's go there
together. Psalm 119 and 148.
00:24:42.63\00:24:45.65
Psalm 119 and 148 says this,
00:24:54.17\00:24:58.03
"My eyes are awake
through the night watches
00:24:58.06\00:25:00.22
that I may
meditate on Your word."
00:25:00.25\00:25:03.84
You see that David says
he meditates on his word.
00:25:03.87\00:25:06.41
He stays up late
00:25:06.44\00:25:07.81
because he is
meditating on the word of God.
00:25:07.84\00:25:09.75
If you go further in the
chapter to verse 161 and 162,
00:25:09.78\00:25:15.52
you'll see he says
something equally as powerful.
00:25:19.59\00:25:21.29
He says, "Princes
persecute me without a cause,
00:25:21.32\00:25:24.80
but my heart stands
in awe of Your word.
00:25:24.83\00:25:27.47
I rejoice at Your word as
one who finds great treasure."
00:25:27.50\00:25:31.39
David's communicating to us here
00:25:31.42\00:25:33.99
that he finds the
word of God as a treasure.
00:25:34.02\00:25:39.17
We can easily deduce that
00:25:39.20\00:25:41.51
when David came
upon this battle scene,
00:25:41.54\00:25:44.36
his life
previously have been spent
00:25:44.39\00:25:45.92
meditating upon the word of God.
00:25:45.95\00:25:48.10
So the question was,
00:25:48.13\00:25:49.50
was David a
diligent Bible student?
00:25:49.53\00:25:50.90
Of course, he was.
00:25:50.93\00:25:52.30
If you would to
survey, even the Psalm 119,
00:25:52.33\00:25:55.96
you could see just the things
00:25:55.99\00:25:57.36
that David says
about the word of God.
00:25:57.39\00:25:59.35
In verse 9, he looks to
the word of God for cleansing.
00:25:59.38\00:26:02.54
In verse 11,
protection from sin.
00:26:02.57\00:26:04.82
Verse 25, for revival.
00:26:04.85\00:26:06.45
Verse 28, for strength.
00:26:06.48\00:26:08.39
41, for salvation,
00:26:08.42\00:26:09.97
he says he looks to
the word of God for.
00:26:10.00\00:26:11.97
Verse 43, for enlightenment.
00:26:12.00\00:26:14.35
Verse 49, for hope.
00:26:14.38\00:26:15.80
50, for comfort in life.
00:26:15.83\00:26:17.47
58, for mercy.
00:26:17.50\00:26:19.22
105, for direction.
00:26:19.25\00:26:21.84
169, for understanding,
00:26:21.87\00:26:23.73
and 170, for
deliverance from sin.
00:26:23.76\00:26:26.62
We can see that David
would have been very familiar
00:26:29.03\00:26:33.12
with the word of
God, with scripture.
00:26:33.15\00:26:35.31
He would have been continually
cultivating his mind.
00:26:35.34\00:26:37.59
David would have
been very familiar
00:26:42.44\00:26:43.81
with the stories in scripture.
00:26:43.84\00:26:46.84
He would've been
very aware for instance
00:26:46.87\00:26:49.00
of the covenant
with-- made with Abraham.
00:26:49.03\00:26:51.78
Part of that which it
read from Genesis 12:3,
00:26:51.81\00:26:54.12
it says, "And I will
bless those who bless you,
00:26:54.15\00:26:57.02
and the one who
curses you I will curse.
00:26:57.05\00:27:01.22
And in all your families on
the earth shall be blessed."
00:27:01.25\00:27:04.50
It says in Genesis 12:3.
00:27:04.53\00:27:08.18
This would've been ringing
in David's ears, I think.
00:27:08.21\00:27:10.47
It says, "And the one who
curses you, I will curse."
00:27:10.50\00:27:13.11
David knew when
he saw this giant
00:27:13.14\00:27:15.60
cursing the people of God.
00:27:15.63\00:27:17.66
He knew that the Lord in Heaven
00:27:17.69\00:27:19.28
already put a
curse on this giant.
00:27:19.31\00:27:22.35
He says later on it the
battle-- we read in 1 Samuel 17
00:27:22.38\00:27:25.52
that David says the
battle is the Lord's.
00:27:25.55\00:27:28.16
He already knew that
this giant was defeated.
00:27:28.19\00:27:30.15
He just had to be
willing to defeat him.
00:27:30.18\00:27:31.70
David would've been
familiar with the story
00:27:35.74\00:27:37.21
from the Book of Numbers,
00:27:37.24\00:27:38.61
particularly chapters 13 and 14
00:27:38.64\00:27:40.01
which describe
Israel's fear of the Canaanites.
00:27:40.04\00:27:43.60
And here resulting rebellion
against God at Kadesh Barnea.
00:27:43.63\00:27:48.39
You might
remember the story too.
00:27:48.42\00:27:49.79
God had just delivered
Israel from the hand of fairy,
00:27:49.82\00:27:51.57
drowned the whole
army in the Red Sea
00:27:51.60\00:27:53.17
and they were out
in the wilderness.
00:27:53.20\00:27:54.57
They were about to
enter the Promised Land
00:27:57.60\00:27:59.36
and so they sent ten
spies into the Canaan land
00:27:59.39\00:28:02.74
and they saw that everything
was promised was there
00:28:02.77\00:28:04.63
that the fruit
trees were as magnificent,
00:28:04.66\00:28:06.35
there was a land flowing
with milk and honey was perfect.
00:28:06.38\00:28:09.48
There was one problem.
00:28:09.51\00:28:12.19
Do you remember what
that one problem was?
00:28:12.22\00:28:14.78
They were giants in the land.
00:28:14.81\00:28:16.94
So that they came
back and they were afraid
00:28:16.97\00:28:19.09
and they were trembling because
there were giants in the land
00:28:19.12\00:28:21.39
and even though
the Lord had told them
00:28:21.42\00:28:22.88
to go and take the
land, they weren't going.
00:28:22.91\00:28:28.45
Because of that rebellion,
because that generation
00:28:28.48\00:28:30.55
didn't trust in the Lord,
they died in the wilderness.
00:28:30.58\00:28:34.64
David would've been
very familiar with the story.
00:28:34.67\00:28:38.07
So he happens on the scene
00:28:38.10\00:28:39.58
where he sees the
cowering Israelite army
00:28:39.61\00:28:42.68
with one giant there facing them
00:28:42.71\00:28:45.66
and I had to imagine he
was going out of his mind,
00:28:45.69\00:28:48.53
thinking what on
earth are you guys doing,
00:28:48.56\00:28:50.76
don't you remember?
00:28:50.79\00:28:52.83
This guy, this giant,
he is already defeated.
00:28:52.86\00:28:55.66
Who's gonna go?
I'll go, I'll go.
00:28:55.69\00:28:58.83
Like I said, these
words, these stories
00:29:06.33\00:29:08.57
must have been
ringing in David's ears
00:29:08.60\00:29:11.23
when he was
seeking this situation.
00:29:11.26\00:29:13.57
In verse 21 in Genesis, it says,
00:29:17.19\00:29:19.47
"See, the Lord your God
has placed the land before you,
00:29:19.50\00:29:22.38
go up, take
possession, as the Lord,
00:29:22.41\00:29:26.18
the Lord, God of your
fathers, has spoken to you.
00:29:26.21\00:29:28.32
Do not fear or be dismayed."
It's Deuteronomy 1:21.
00:29:28.35\00:29:31.97
He also would've been thinking.
00:29:33.85\00:29:35.22
David's mind would've
been filled with the words.
00:29:35.25\00:29:36.95
"The Lord will
cause your enemies
00:29:36.98\00:29:38.60
who rise up against you
to be defeated before you,
00:29:38.63\00:29:41.60
they shall come
out against you one way
00:29:41.63\00:29:44.44
and shall flee
before you seven ways."
00:29:44.47\00:29:46.69
I imagine David
could have gone out
00:29:47.63\00:29:49.00
text after text
after text that he had read
00:29:49.03\00:29:51.99
telling him that this
giant is already defeated.
00:29:52.02\00:29:54.96
That's why he was so bold.
00:29:57.76\00:29:59.25
That's why he was
able to accomplish things
00:29:59.28\00:30:00.65
that he was able to accomplish
00:30:00.68\00:30:02.05
because he was
continually cultivating
00:30:02.08\00:30:03.48
his mind with the word of God.
00:30:03.51\00:30:05.33
So what you is, we'll ask today?
00:30:08.89\00:30:11.19
We have giants in our lives.
We have spiritual problems.
00:30:11.22\00:30:14.76
We have things in our
lives that are preventing us
00:30:14.79\00:30:17.38
from advancing in
our Christian walk.
00:30:17.41\00:30:21.42
We have to say
the same as David did.
00:30:21.45\00:30:23.22
The battle is the Lord's.
00:30:23.25\00:30:25.01
The curse is
already upon this trial.
00:30:25.04\00:30:27.16
We are able to overcome.
We just have to be willing.
00:30:27.19\00:30:31.08
And that power and
that boldness only comes
00:30:31.11\00:30:34.67
through cultivating our
minds in the word of God.
00:30:34.70\00:30:38.22
Point number 3.
00:30:38.25\00:30:42.18
David always
overcame the inclination
00:30:42.21\00:30:44.64
to seek an easy task.
00:30:44.67\00:30:49.47
A quote from the same Book
"Ministry of Healing" it says,
00:30:49.50\00:30:52.46
"Remember that
in whatever position
00:30:52.49\00:30:54.16
you may serve you
are revealing motive,
00:30:54.19\00:30:57.30
developing character.
00:30:57.33\00:30:59.23
Whatever your work,
do it with exactness,
00:30:59.26\00:31:01.40
with diligence,
00:31:01.43\00:31:02.80
overcome the inclination
to seek an easy task."
00:31:02.83\00:31:07.61
Do you remember what David was
00:31:07.64\00:31:09.01
going to the battlefield
for in the one first place?
00:31:09.04\00:31:12.15
His father had sent him.
00:31:12.18\00:31:13.60
And he was to go and get
a report about the giant.
00:31:13.63\00:31:15.56
See what was going
out at the battlefield
00:31:15.59\00:31:16.96
and he's to bring
these supplies with him
00:31:16.99\00:31:18.36
to get to his brothers.
00:31:18.39\00:31:20.78
Now, would anybody
have thought less of David
00:31:20.81\00:31:24.31
if when he arrived,
00:31:24.34\00:31:26.12
he dropped off the
supplies and said, "Whoa, man,
00:31:26.15\00:31:29.23
I'm glad that I
don't have to be here
00:31:29.26\00:31:31.07
and be involved
with the situation.
00:31:31.10\00:31:32.47
I'm going back to my sheep."
00:31:32.50\00:31:34.79
Would anyone have thought
less of David if he did that?
00:31:34.82\00:31:38.01
Of course, not. That's
what he was called to do.
00:31:38.04\00:31:41.13
But you see David was different.
00:31:41.16\00:31:43.74
He didn't was not ever
overcome for the inclination
00:31:43.77\00:31:47.01
just to do the easy task.
00:31:47.04\00:31:50.71
So many times we just
do, I know in my life,
00:31:50.74\00:31:53.40
especially when I was younger,
00:31:53.43\00:31:56.37
I always did just
enough to appease the people
00:31:56.40\00:31:59.45
I needed to appease.
00:31:59.48\00:32:01.72
When I was in high
school, I played a lot of sports
00:32:01.75\00:32:04.44
and my parents told me that,
00:32:04.47\00:32:05.84
if you want to keep
continue to play sports,
00:32:05.87\00:32:07.25
you need to have a B average.
00:32:07.28\00:32:09.50
Guess what I got in
school? A B average.
00:32:09.53\00:32:12.55
They would've said
you need a B+ average.
00:32:12.58\00:32:14.06
I would've got a B+ average.
00:32:14.09\00:32:15.46
If they said you need A average,
I would've got an A average.
00:32:15.49\00:32:17.38
If they said you
need a C average,
00:32:17.41\00:32:18.78
I would've got a C average.
00:32:18.81\00:32:21.66
And I think that's a natural
human condition for many people
00:32:21.69\00:32:25.33
just seeking to
do the easy task.
00:32:25.36\00:32:28.65
You know, and people
get around this inclination
00:32:28.68\00:32:31.23
by saying things like,
00:32:31.26\00:32:32.63
"Oh, I just work
smarter not harder."
00:32:32.66\00:32:36.79
But the truth is that
God is looking for people
00:32:36.82\00:32:38.86
that work smarter and harder,
00:32:38.89\00:32:40.89
not seeking the easy task.
00:32:43.96\00:32:48.28
I think many Christians today
00:32:48.31\00:32:49.68
have the
mistaken assumption that
00:32:49.71\00:32:51.41
their secular work ethic.
00:32:51.44\00:32:53.06
The work ethic that they
exhibit in their secular jobs
00:32:53.09\00:32:56.30
has no impact on
their spiritual work ethic.
00:32:56.33\00:33:00.59
Many people I've seen
00:33:00.62\00:33:02.76
and I've been guilty of
even in my life in the past.
00:33:02.79\00:33:06.34
taking pride in how much work
00:33:06.37\00:33:10.30
you cannot do and
still keep your job.
00:33:10.33\00:33:15.06
Looking to do the least amount
and still receive the paycheck.
00:33:15.09\00:33:18.57
If we're not diligent
00:33:22.85\00:33:24.81
in the small everyday
responsibilities of our lives,
00:33:24.84\00:33:30.01
how can God trust us with
the salvation of His children?
00:33:30.04\00:33:32.45
David's secular job was
tending his father sheep.
00:33:39.61\00:33:42.94
It would be an
understatement to say that
00:33:45.29\00:33:47.62
David carried out his
daily responsibilities
00:33:47.65\00:33:49.75
with exactness and diligence.
00:33:49.78\00:33:52.15
That would be a
tremendous understatement.
00:33:52.18\00:33:54.73
Before he left
for the battlefield,
00:33:54.76\00:33:56.59
he made sure that his
flock was taken care off.
00:33:56.62\00:34:00.28
Before he went out
to the battlefield,
00:34:00.31\00:34:01.68
he made sure that the supplies
00:34:01.71\00:34:03.09
would be there
when he came back.
00:34:03.12\00:34:06.48
And then we find out
that when he's out by himself,
00:34:06.51\00:34:09.81
out in the field
somewhere, out in the pasture
00:34:09.84\00:34:11.72
with his flock
that he has had bears
00:34:11.75\00:34:13.96
and lions come to
attack him and take his sheep.
00:34:13.99\00:34:17.37
Would anyone have
thought less of David?
00:34:17.83\00:34:19.23
If he said, well that's a bear.
00:34:19.26\00:34:20.68
You know, he is
taking one of my lambs.
00:34:20.71\00:34:22.08
What do you want
me to do about it?
00:34:22.11\00:34:24.14
Of course, not.
00:34:24.17\00:34:25.72
But David, no, that
wasn't enough for him.
00:34:25.75\00:34:28.19
He went to this bear,
00:34:28.22\00:34:29.59
went to this lion
in the power of God
00:34:29.62\00:34:31.86
and he killed the
lion, and he killed the bear
00:34:31.89\00:34:33.36
and saved the lamb, one lamb.
00:34:33.39\00:34:36.42
Because he did a secular job
00:34:36.45\00:34:38.42
even with
diligence and with exactness.
00:34:38.45\00:34:42.47
Luke 16:10 says,
00:34:46.98\00:34:48.35
"He was
faithful in what is least
00:34:48.38\00:34:50.15
is faithful also in much."
00:34:50.18\00:34:53.32
How often do we
seek to be faithful
00:34:56.46\00:34:58.61
and what is least?
00:34:58.64\00:35:00.37
How often do we seek
to go above and beyond
00:35:04.39\00:35:06.76
what we're called to do?
00:35:06.79\00:35:08.58
When I first read the story
00:35:11.39\00:35:12.80
and read the
quotes from this book,
00:35:12.83\00:35:14.60
it pierced me to the heart.
00:35:14.63\00:35:17.43
Not too long after that
I heard someone say this
00:35:17.46\00:35:19.34
and I really liked it,
00:35:19.37\00:35:21.67
it was a-- a
means to help get over
00:35:21.70\00:35:25.32
the inclination
to seek the easy task
00:35:25.35\00:35:27.47
and here's what it
was, it says make--he said,
00:35:27.50\00:35:29.00
"Make a list at the beginning
of every week of all the things
00:35:29.03\00:35:32.73
that you should do,
00:35:32.76\00:35:34.64
but you don't
necessary have to do.
00:35:34.67\00:35:37.66
Make that list in an everyday,
do one of those things."
00:35:37.69\00:35:43.12
That's been a
safeguard to ensure
00:35:43.15\00:35:45.06
that we're not just
seeking to do the easy task.
00:35:45.09\00:35:48.50
Moving on
characteristic number four,
00:35:51.49\00:35:55.08
that we see from the story
00:35:55.11\00:35:57.35
is that David
shaped his circumstances
00:35:57.38\00:36:00.49
and wasn't shaped by them.
00:36:00.52\00:36:03.01
So the practical advice
we can obtain from the story
00:36:03.04\00:36:05.17
is to be, is to
shape circumstances,
00:36:05.20\00:36:07.58
don't be shaped by
your circumstances.
00:36:07.61\00:36:10.18
Ministry of
Healing, page 500, it says,
00:36:12.43\00:36:14.34
"Man can shape circumstances,
00:36:14.94\00:36:16.53
but circumstances should
not be allowed to shape the man.
00:36:16.56\00:36:20.76
We should seize
upon circumstances
00:36:20.79\00:36:22.38
as instruments by which to work.
00:36:22.41\00:36:25.39
We are to master them,
00:36:25.42\00:36:26.99
but should not
permit them to master us."
00:36:27.02\00:36:31.78
Only when we begin to
see adverse circumstances
00:36:31.81\00:36:36.63
as opportunities to mold
us in the likeness of Christ,
00:36:36.66\00:36:42.42
we'll be able to
avoid adverse being--
00:36:42.45\00:36:45.24
we'll be able to avoid
00:36:45.27\00:36:46.64
being adversely
affected by those circumstances.
00:36:46.67\00:36:51.01
We need to
change our perspective.
00:36:51.04\00:36:53.01
We need to see the
trials and the things
00:36:53.04\00:36:54.80
and the giants and the bears
00:36:54.83\00:36:56.20
and the lions that
come into our life,
00:36:56.23\00:36:58.24
not as paralyzing things
that cause us not to know
00:36:58.27\00:37:01.54
what to do like,
the Israelite army.
00:37:01.57\00:37:05.93
We need to look at them
00:37:05.96\00:37:07.33
as opportunities
for spiritual growth.
00:37:07.36\00:37:10.57
When we start to see
those things that way,
00:37:10.60\00:37:12.36
we start to want to
shape these circumstances
00:37:12.39\00:37:14.46
instead of being shaped by them.
00:37:14.49\00:37:18.18
We will be on our way to
00:37:18.21\00:37:19.61
developing that
Christian character
00:37:19.64\00:37:22.30
that we've been talking about.
00:37:22.33\00:37:25.76
David again is a
powerful example of this point.
00:37:25.79\00:37:30.75
In 1 Samuel 17:48 it says,
00:37:30.78\00:37:32.75
"So it was, when
the Philistines arose
00:37:32.78\00:37:34.85
and came near and
drew near to meet David,
00:37:34.88\00:37:36.39
that David hurried
and ran toward the army
00:37:36.42\00:37:39.30
to meet the Philistines."
00:37:39.33\00:37:42.53
So he saw that big giant get up
00:37:42.56\00:37:44.52
and he didn't
like take a step back.
00:37:44.55\00:37:46.82
He got up and he was taken on.
00:37:46.85\00:37:50.35
How are we when
trials come into our life?
00:37:50.38\00:37:52.96
Do we take a step back?
00:37:52.99\00:37:54.36
Do we try not
to think about them
00:37:54.39\00:37:56.71
or do we confront them head
on with the Lord at our side?
00:37:56.74\00:38:00.09
When trials arise in our
life, we must recognize them
00:38:06.77\00:38:08.94
as opportunities
and not roadblocks.
00:38:08.97\00:38:11.63
We must say with David.
00:38:14.64\00:38:16.02
"You come to me with a sword,
00:38:18.41\00:38:19.89
and with a spear, and a javelin,
00:38:19.92\00:38:22.10
but I come to you
in the name of the Lord
00:38:22.13\00:38:24.79
and the battle is the Lords."
00:38:24.82\00:38:30.13
The fifth point.
00:38:30.16\00:38:32.91
The fifth
characteristic that we see
00:38:32.94\00:38:34.61
through this story of David,
00:38:34.64\00:38:38.54
the advice that we can take,
00:38:38.57\00:38:40.56
a spiritual point that
we can take from the story
00:38:40.59\00:38:42.68
is to be not
satisfied with a low standard.
00:38:42.71\00:38:46.27
Ministry of Healing, page
498, same book it says this,
00:38:49.41\00:38:53.13
"Many who are
qualified to do excellent work
00:38:53.16\00:38:55.66
accomplish little
because they attempt little.
00:38:55.69\00:38:59.59
Thousands pass through life
00:38:59.62\00:39:00.99
as if they had no great
object for which to live,
00:39:01.02\00:39:03.95
no high standard to reach.
00:39:03.98\00:39:06.19
One reason for
this is the low estimate
00:39:06.22\00:39:10.26
which they
place upon themselves.
00:39:10.29\00:39:12.79
Christ paid an
infinite price for us,
00:39:12.82\00:39:17.50
and according to the price paid
00:39:17.53\00:39:18.98
He desires us
to value ourselves.
00:39:19.01\00:39:24.40
Be not satisfied with
reaching a low standard."
00:39:24.43\00:39:27.79
The little shepherd boy who
was only asked to bring food
00:39:31.37\00:39:34.31
for his brothers and return
with report about the giant
00:39:34.34\00:39:38.86
was not satisfied
with that low standard.
00:39:38.89\00:39:43.14
Instead of bringing
only food to the battlefield,
00:39:43.17\00:39:45.25
he brought a sling.
00:39:45.28\00:39:46.65
And instead of returning with
just report about the giant,
00:39:49.70\00:39:52.59
he brought his head.
00:39:52.62\00:39:55.84
He wasn't satisfied
with the low standard.
00:39:55.87\00:39:58.05
Jesus Christ
paid an infinite price
00:40:01.20\00:40:05.12
for us when He died
on the cross of Calvary,
00:40:05.15\00:40:07.63
and then commissioned
us as the appointed agency
00:40:09.85\00:40:12.33
for the salvation of men.
00:40:12.36\00:40:14.85
What higher value
could be possibly received
00:40:17.84\00:40:20.22
and what higher calling could
we have possibly been giving?
00:40:20.25\00:40:25.57
You're qualified
to do powerful things
00:40:32.24\00:40:36.04
for the kingdom of
God simply by the fact
00:40:36.07\00:40:38.12
that God has called
you to do powerful things.
00:40:38.15\00:40:40.83
You are qualified.
00:40:40.86\00:40:42.23
You've heard the same before.
00:40:42.26\00:40:43.63
God does not call the
equipped, He equips the called.
00:40:43.66\00:40:50.19
The minute you put your will
00:40:52.60\00:40:53.97
on the side of
God's who were equipped
00:40:54.00\00:40:56.43
for everything that
you will come into contact
00:40:56.46\00:40:57.83
as long as you're
depending on His power.
00:40:57.86\00:41:03.35
So we have the
power of God in our lives.
00:41:03.38\00:41:08.29
We are qualified to do whatever
it is he would have us to do.
00:41:08.32\00:41:13.32
And I tell you, it
is not a low standard.
00:41:13.35\00:41:16.36
It's an infinite standard.
00:41:16.39\00:41:18.19
We've talked about three points.
00:41:26.46\00:41:28.93
Three practical
things that we can take away
00:41:28.96\00:41:30.70
from the story to begin to
improve our Christian character,
00:41:30.73\00:41:38.18
to begin to improve the
sermon that is our life.
00:41:38.21\00:41:45.66
When I read the
story, when I read this book
00:41:45.69\00:41:48.83
that talks about
Christian character development.
00:41:48.86\00:41:52.46
I looked back in my life
00:41:52.49\00:41:54.77
and I had sorrow in
my heart for the example
00:41:54.80\00:41:57.83
that I've been leading.
00:41:57.86\00:42:01.81
I looked back in my life,
00:42:01.84\00:42:03.21
I taught in a public
high school for four years
00:42:03.24\00:42:05.86
before I began
working with ARISE.
00:42:05.89\00:42:11.12
And I didn't have a low standard
00:42:11.15\00:42:15.83
for the things that
I was interested in.
00:42:15.86\00:42:17.60
I like teaching. I
like to preparing lessons.
00:42:17.63\00:42:20.68
But there are
things, you know, like
00:42:20.71\00:42:22.49
keeping track of
attendance and handing in,
00:42:22.52\00:42:28.16
you know, the reports that
I needed to on a weekly basis.
00:42:28.19\00:42:31.63
The bookkeeping things,
00:42:31.66\00:42:33.03
the things that I didn't
find necessarily enjoyable
00:42:33.06\00:42:36.97
I had a very low standard.
00:42:37.00\00:42:39.88
But I was calling
myself a Christian at the time.
00:42:39.91\00:42:44.74
The problem was there
weren't many Christians
00:42:44.77\00:42:47.18
in the school I was teaching at.
00:42:47.21\00:42:50.72
And so it almost was a
joke, it almost was a game.
00:42:50.75\00:42:54.59
How many attendance
reports can I not turn in
00:42:54.62\00:42:56.62
before I had to be
talk to by the principle
00:42:56.65\00:43:03.03
because I knew that
I was a good teacher,
00:43:03.06\00:43:05.17
I was doing what I
needed to do in the classroom
00:43:05.20\00:43:08.10
and so I could
slack on the other things.
00:43:08.13\00:43:13.70
Well, we find here the teaching
of this story that we should not
00:43:13.73\00:43:17.73
and we cannot be overcome
00:43:17.76\00:43:19.60
by the inclination
to seek an easy task.
00:43:19.63\00:43:27.01
What I didn't
realize at the times is that,
00:43:27.04\00:43:30.32
my life was preaching
a sermon to these people
00:43:30.35\00:43:34.46
and I wasn't necessarily doing
anything spectacular for them
00:43:34.49\00:43:37.74
to say, "Hmm, I
wonder why he is different.
00:43:37.77\00:43:40.76
I wonder why he doesn't complain
00:43:40.79\00:43:42.29
about the monotonous bookkeeping
things that we have to do.
00:43:42.32\00:43:44.97
I mean, we're just
here to teach, you know.
00:43:45.00\00:43:49.27
I wish they
could've said that about me,
00:43:49.30\00:43:50.71
I wish hey could have said."
00:43:50.74\00:43:53.33
Man, what--
what's up with that guy?
00:43:53.36\00:43:56.64
Nothing seems to get him down.
00:43:56.67\00:44:00.12
He doesn't mind taking
care of the monotonous things.
00:44:00.15\00:44:04.46
That wasn't the
example that I gave.
00:44:04.49\00:44:09.62
If I'd been
continually cultivating my mind
00:44:09.65\00:44:12.36
more at that time,
I would've realized.
00:44:12.39\00:44:18.77
The sermon of my
life wasn't preaching
00:44:18.80\00:44:20.50
what I wanted it to preach.
00:44:20.53\00:44:22.37
God uses
circumstances in our life
00:44:38.59\00:44:42.52
as opportunities for us to grow.
00:44:42.55\00:44:46.53
There are people here today that
are in adverse circumstances.
00:44:46.56\00:44:50.48
You might have a
giant in your life.
00:44:50.51\00:44:55.11
What is your reaction?
00:44:55.14\00:44:57.61
Is your action
like that of David?
00:44:57.64\00:45:03.43
When that giant rises up,
00:45:03.46\00:45:04.87
are you running to that
giant to meet it head-on?
00:45:04.90\00:45:10.23
Or are you more
like the Israelites
00:45:10.26\00:45:12.49
who cowered and
cried for 40 days
00:45:12.52\00:45:14.93
in the face of the trial?
00:45:14.96\00:45:16.92
Not knowing what to
do, not trusting in God
00:45:16.95\00:45:19.99
that he could use
them to conquer the trial.
00:45:20.02\00:45:23.95
God wants to use the trials
in our lives to help us to grow.
00:45:29.37\00:45:35.30
That's His chosen tool.
00:45:35.33\00:45:39.49
That's why in James 2 it says,
00:45:39.52\00:45:42.38
"Brethren, count it all to joy
00:45:42.41\00:45:43.78
when you fall
into various trials,
00:45:43.81\00:45:47.29
for the trials are
there testing of your faith."
00:45:47.32\00:45:52.93
A patience have
its perfect work,
00:45:52.96\00:45:54.33
that you maybe
perfect lacking nothing.
00:45:54.36\00:45:58.67
And finally not being
satisfied with a low standard.
00:46:04.74\00:46:10.63
You're qualified to do
powerful things for the Lord.
00:46:10.66\00:46:15.56
It doesn't matter
00:46:15.59\00:46:18.08
if you have a big shiny
coat of armor or five stones.
00:46:18.11\00:46:25.45
He's given you
your own personality,
00:46:25.48\00:46:28.68
your own God-given
personality in which to stand.
00:46:28.71\00:46:31.99
We'll just have to be
willing to go forward.
00:46:32.02\00:46:34.98
There was a teacher who
taught in public high school
00:46:43.66\00:46:49.36
in inner city
very bad part of town.
00:46:49.39\00:46:54.96
Everyday she would sit in
her second floor classroom
00:46:54.99\00:46:58.78
looking out her
window at lunchtime,
00:46:58.81\00:47:01.35
and everyday she
would see the same boy
00:47:01.38\00:47:03.02
sitting on the bench
outside during lunch.
00:47:03.05\00:47:08.12
Just on a broken down bench,
00:47:08.15\00:47:10.57
you know, there's a chain-link
fence all around the property
00:47:10.60\00:47:13.98
and he would be
out there everyday
00:47:14.01\00:47:16.15
eating his lunch
and reading a book.
00:47:16.18\00:47:19.87
And she always
thought it was curious
00:47:19.90\00:47:21.27
because people in the school
00:47:21.30\00:47:22.67
they didn't read
books on their leisure time.
00:47:22.70\00:47:28.40
So she started
noticing this boy even more
00:47:28.50\00:47:30.64
throughout the
school and she noticed that
00:47:30.67\00:47:33.12
he dressed
differently than his classmates.
00:47:33.15\00:47:36.76
You know, his pants
weren't down around here,
00:47:36.79\00:47:39.12
they were up at his waist.
00:47:39.15\00:47:41.87
And he always
had his clothes iron
00:47:43.99\00:47:45.53
and they were clean
and meticulously kept.
00:47:45.56\00:47:50.64
She noticed that, he called
his teachers by sir and ma'am
00:47:50.67\00:47:57.57
which is unheard
of in the school.
00:47:57.60\00:47:59.96
One day, they were going into
the building at the same time
00:47:59.99\00:48:02.82
and this young man
actually ran up ahead of her
00:48:02.85\00:48:05.35
to open the door for
her, and she was flabbergasted
00:48:05.38\00:48:11.41
and didn't know what to say
00:48:11.44\00:48:14.08
'cause these kinds of thing
didn't happen in the school.
00:48:14.11\00:48:20.50
She was thinking even
more and she went to look
00:48:20.53\00:48:22.81
you know, in this boy's records.
00:48:22.84\00:48:26.12
She wondered how his
grades were and she looked.
00:48:26.15\00:48:28.89
She is thumbing
through the records
00:48:28.92\00:48:30.29
and just seeing some terrible
report cards and grade reports.
00:48:30.32\00:48:36.50
She comes to one that has
almost all A's all the way down,
00:48:36.53\00:48:40.46
pulls it out, sure enough.
00:48:40.49\00:48:42.49
It is this boy's grade report.
00:48:42.52\00:48:46.63
She could not understand.
00:48:46.66\00:48:48.03
She would tell her
friends about this boy
00:48:48.06\00:48:51.28
and they didn't believe her.
00:48:51.31\00:48:52.78
So maybe it's
figment of your imagination,
00:48:52.81\00:48:56.03
maybe this boy
isn't really real.
00:48:56.06\00:48:57.98
She said, "No, he is real."
00:48:58.01\00:49:00.09
She said, "I got
a talk to this kid."
00:49:00.12\00:49:02.18
She didn't have
many of her classes,
00:49:02.21\00:49:03.81
so she said, "I got make--
00:49:03.84\00:49:05.21
I just got to find a
way to talk to this kid."
00:49:05.24\00:49:09.76
So the next day, you know,
00:49:09.79\00:49:11.16
she was sitting
in her classroom,
00:49:11.19\00:49:16.53
looking out the window,
00:49:16.56\00:49:18.30
sees the boy there
reading again, seeding an apple.
00:49:18.33\00:49:23.05
And then he see--she sees
three older boys approaching him
00:49:23.08\00:49:27.52
and they're laughing
at him, pointing at him
00:49:27.55\00:49:31.20
and went up to him
00:49:31.23\00:49:32.60
and they smacked the
book out of his hand,
00:49:32.63\00:49:36.76
they hit the
apple out of his hand,
00:49:36.79\00:49:40.22
they kind of
picked him up by his shirt
00:49:40.25\00:49:41.65
and threw him down on
the ground in the dirt.
00:49:41.68\00:49:44.49
They took the rest of his lunch
and just walked away laughing.
00:49:44.52\00:49:50.05
And the teacher
sat up in a classroom,
00:49:50.08\00:49:51.79
it was like, Whoa,
what's just happened?
00:49:51.82\00:49:55.35
The teacher thought,
"Okay, now I'm gonna see,
00:49:55.38\00:49:57.85
I'm gonna see
this boy's true colors.
00:49:57.88\00:50:00.50
I'm gonna see he's gonna get up
00:50:00.53\00:50:01.90
and he's gonna be mad and
he's gonna go and do something,
00:50:01.93\00:50:04.86
try to do
something with this guy.
00:50:04.89\00:50:06.26
I'm gonna see this
boy's true colors now."
00:50:06.29\00:50:07.85
But he got up,
brushed off his clothes dirt,
00:50:10.36\00:50:15.84
straightened out his
shirt, picked up his book,
00:50:15.87\00:50:21.14
dusted off his apple,
00:50:21.17\00:50:23.50
sat back down on the
bench, began to read again.
00:50:23.53\00:50:25.62
She couldn't believe.
00:50:29.04\00:50:31.20
The next day, the
same thing happens.
00:50:31.23\00:50:35.13
The boys come over
and laughing and pointing,
00:50:35.16\00:50:37.37
knocks his stuff out,
pushes him down on the ground,
00:50:37.40\00:50:39.29
takes his lunch and walk away.
00:50:39.32\00:50:40.91
She couldn't believe it
happened two days in a row.
00:50:42.01\00:50:43.38
Now this time she darts
up, she runs down the stairs,
00:50:43.41\00:50:46.52
by the times she gets
there, the older boys were gone.
00:50:46.55\00:50:49.03
He's already
brushed himself off.
00:50:49.06\00:50:50.66
He's sitting down
and he's reading again.
00:50:50.69\00:50:52.24
And she walked up to the boy
00:50:55.14\00:50:56.51
and she sat down
and she said, "Hi."
00:50:56.54\00:51:01.47
And he sheepishly
said, you know, "hello."
00:51:01.50\00:51:03.31
She said, you know, "I have
my classrooms right up there
00:51:06.38\00:51:09.20
and I've been
watching you, you know,
00:51:09.23\00:51:11.16
for a while now that
you lunch down here everyday
00:51:11.19\00:51:13.70
and you're reading, and I
noticed you in school too,
00:51:13.73\00:51:17.81
like how polite
you are and you call
00:51:17.84\00:51:20.25
people by sir
and ma'am just like,
00:51:20.28\00:51:22.23
you always dress
so neatly and I even,
00:51:22.26\00:51:24.89
you know, I've to confess
like I looked up your grades
00:51:24.92\00:51:26.74
to see like, what
kind of student you are
00:51:26.77\00:51:28.18
and I saw like,
you're-- you're a great student.
00:51:28.21\00:51:30.89
She said, "Look
around, look around you."
00:51:33.62\00:51:36.08
And he looked around
and he saw chain-link fence
00:51:37.36\00:51:42.48
with barb wire
with security guards.
00:51:42.51\00:51:44.57
Loud like, bass music playing.
00:51:46.09\00:51:48.44
Lots of cussing and swearing
going on in the background.
00:51:52.02\00:51:55.28
She said, "How
are you so different?
00:51:57.86\00:52:01.53
How are you so different?
00:52:03.73\00:52:06.20
How are you that
the way that you are
00:52:06.23\00:52:08.11
in the midst of all this?"
00:52:08.14\00:52:11.05
And the boy said, "Well."
00:52:15.22\00:52:16.59
He said, "Not
many people know this,
00:52:18.51\00:52:20.25
but I only moved to
this country four years ago,
00:52:20.28\00:52:28.00
and in my country, my
dad, my father was a king.
00:52:28.03\00:52:32.79
And in my country,
there is a military coup
00:52:35.71\00:52:39.63
and the military came
and they took my father
00:52:39.66\00:52:44.48
and they took my mother
and they put them in prison.
00:52:44.51\00:52:46.46
And they were
there for a long time.
00:52:50.81\00:52:53.18
And finally, they let me go
to see my mother and father,
00:52:53.21\00:52:58.61
one last time
before they are executed.
00:52:58.64\00:53:01.30
And I went into the
prison and my mother
00:53:08.23\00:53:11.75
threw her arms
around me and kissed me.
00:53:11.78\00:53:13.93
And then my father
threw his arms around me
00:53:17.53\00:53:19.62
and he kissed me
and we were crying
00:53:19.65\00:53:22.14
and he held me by
my shoulders like this
00:53:22.17\00:53:27.95
and he said, 'Son,
00:53:27.98\00:53:30.30
you have to
promise me one thing.
00:53:33.09\00:53:34.72
You have to
promise me one thing.'
00:53:37.45\00:53:39.09
And I said, 'What is
it? You know, of course.'
00:53:40.98\00:53:43.52
'Son, you have to promise
me that no matter where you go,
00:53:44.96\00:53:50.50
no matter what you do, no
matter what happens to you,
00:53:50.53\00:53:55.84
you have to remember one thing.
00:53:55.87\00:53:57.60
You have to remember that
you are the son of the king.'
00:54:00.45\00:54:05.36
He said, 'That's
why I'm the way I am,
00:54:10.25\00:54:14.08
because I'm the
son of the king.'"
00:54:14.11\00:54:15.48
All of you here today,
00:54:27.42\00:54:29.61
are sons and
daughters of the king.
00:54:29.64\00:54:31.69
The first sermon of
your life is your character.
00:54:36.72\00:54:40.83
The first sermon that you ever
00:54:43.72\00:54:45.09
preach to anyone
is your character.
00:54:45.12\00:54:47.24
King David was only able to
accomplish such amazing things
00:54:52.16\00:54:57.66
because no matter
how small the detail.
00:54:57.69\00:54:59.76
He did it with
the intimate knowledge
00:55:06.35\00:55:07.90
that he was the son of the king.
00:55:07.93\00:55:09.94
If you're tempted to think
00:55:18.62\00:55:22.05
that you don't have what it
takes to win souls for Christ,
00:55:22.08\00:55:26.34
remember that
God has purposefully
00:55:26.37\00:55:28.57
given you a unique personality
00:55:28.60\00:55:34.22
for the explicit purpose of
winning souls to His kingdom.
00:55:34.25\00:55:37.11
You're the son of the king.
00:55:38.83\00:55:40.20
If you slack in
your-- the continual
00:55:42.67\00:55:44.64
cultivation of your mind,
the reading of God's word.
00:55:44.67\00:55:50.10
Remember, you're
the son of the king.
00:55:50.13\00:55:53.76
Those are instructions
from your father, the king.
00:55:56.11\00:55:58.25
If you continually overcome
00:56:02.99\00:56:05.29
with the inclination
to seek the easy task,
00:56:05.32\00:56:09.46
remember you're
the son of the king.
00:56:09.49\00:56:12.61
If you allow the circumstances
of your life to shape you
00:56:18.28\00:56:22.87
instead of
shaping them yourself,
00:56:22.90\00:56:27.26
remember you're
the son of the king.
00:56:27.29\00:56:28.66
And finally, if you're satisfied
00:56:31.42\00:56:33.24
the status quo of your life,
00:56:33.27\00:56:36.69
with a low standard
that you set for yourself.
00:56:36.72\00:56:38.84
Remember, that the king paid
00:56:41.48\00:56:43.03
an infinite price
for you to be here.
00:56:43.06\00:56:44.96
You are the son of
the king. Let's pray.
00:56:49.86\00:56:53.62
Father in Heaven,
we thank You so much
00:56:57.09\00:57:00.01
for accepting us as
Your sons and Your daughters
00:57:00.04\00:57:05.01
and pray that You
would never let us forget,
00:57:05.04\00:57:07.49
that we are the sons
and daughters of the king.
00:57:07.52\00:57:14.76