Hello, and welcome to
3ABN On the Road today.
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We're coming
alive from the great,
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big city of Chicago, Illinois.
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And we're here to Shiloh
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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And I'm standing
with Pastor Famous Murray,
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and it's thank you for
letting us come here today
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and be apart of
your Sabbath school,
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your divine worship service
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and joining in
fellowship this afternoon.
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Danny, it is a privilege
to have you and the 3ABN
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ministry here at
Shiloh this weekend.
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Oh! We are rejoicing.
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Well, I'll tell you what,
you got a great crowd here,
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a great group of people.
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I can tell they love Jesus
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because they have
been smiling already.
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Nobody is fighting
or hitting each other,
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so it looks like they are
all in good spirit this morning.
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This is the type of
congregation that we have
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here, loving
congregation. Yeah, loving.
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They love each
other, they love those
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who come and worship with us.
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Well, I don't
know about you pastor,
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but I think that Christians
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and Seventh-Day Adventist
Christians we have an end
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times message to
give to the world.
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I think we ought
to be the happiest,
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most excited people
on planet earth. I agree.
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And so, I like it, I
like to go to the church
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where people talk back to you.
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You know, I'm saying,
that you don't just sit here
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and I tell
people only get nervous,
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two things can make me nervous.
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Now I've been in this 22
years going on 23 talking
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in front of
thousands of people sometimes
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and live
programs around the world,
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but only two things
make me nervous you know,
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what that is? What are they?
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Number one English teachers,
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they scare me to death.
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If you are an English teacher,
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I don't want to know about it
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till after the programs today.
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And secondly is when
the audience is too quite,
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now that makes me nervous.
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I don't want to
feel like I'm by myself.
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We're up here today all
in this together, aren't we?
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We're about her
fathers business,
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so our prayer
today is that we uplift
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and magnify and glorify
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the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ,
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because Jesus says I,
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if I be lifted
up from this earth,
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will draw all men unto me.
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Pastor tell us a little
bit about Shiloh Church,
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where you are located,
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little bit about your outreach.
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Do you have church
school and maybe there are folk
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watching here, that's
looking for home church.
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Yes, we're located on
the south side of Chicago,
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7000 South Michigan Avenue.
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We have been here
for quite a few years.
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As a matter of fact
last year we celebrated
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our hundred anniversary.
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So the Lord has been
good to us here. Amen! Great!
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By the grace of God,
we try to make sure that
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we carry a
holistic religious approach.
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As a matter of fact
we attend to every aspect
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of the human life.
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Including education we
have a wonderful school here,
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this church carry
the educational program
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for this school
for number of years,
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but recently the school
has become an area school
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and now we are
grade one K through eighth
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and of course we have a special
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high school program going
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on over there, so we
have some wonderful teachers,
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wonderful young
people that the Lord is using
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to prepare them to carry
this message across the world.
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All right, again we
appreciate what you do
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and the light that you are
shining here in South Side,
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Chicago and
today around the world.
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And I know that you
have a burden for souls.
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And I know that
you believe that Jesus
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is coming very soon. Yes, we do.
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We do, we believe
that this church should be
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about the masses
business. All right.
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And that is to share
the good news of the soon
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coming Savior to a
dying world. All right.
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We have that responsibility
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and we are just happy that
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we can partner with 3ABN to help
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carry this message to the world.
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All right, what
I like you to do,
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I know there are folk
at home right now that
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they are going through a
lot of things in their lives,
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whether its
domestic, whether its health
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problems, spiritual issues.
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There are people that
are watching from around
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this world, they
are incarcerated,
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can't get out and go to church,
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people in hospital beds.
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And I know there are
many needs and we believe the
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Seventh-day Adventist
Christians that God can
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supply all of our needs, right,
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according to his riches
and glory through Christ Jesus.
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So we're gonna ask you
to say not only special
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blessing for
folks at home today,
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but also for the
anointing of the Holy Spirit
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upon the programs through
out the day here at Shiloh.
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Why don't we do that
right now. Let us pray.
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Father in heaven, we,
first of all surrender
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ourselves to you,
asking that those things that
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will prevent, thee
anointing of your Holy Spirit
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upon our lives to
use us to your names
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on in glory be removed.
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We confess that
we're but sinners in need
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of Your saving
grace and Your mercy.
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We asked you Lord
that you might through
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the 3ABN move into homes
where there are problems,
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where there are
burdens, where there are
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heartaches, where
there are crushed aspiration.
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We pray dear Lord
that you will lift those
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burdens from their hearts,
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give them that
freedom that they are in
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search for this morning.
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So that they might
indeed unite with this worship
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service throughout
this day and be blessed,
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mend those homes,
bring those husbands,
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wives and children together.
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Lord, so that home might
be a reflection of heaven.
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Lord, where there are
financial difficulties,
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where there are those
who are incarcerated, Lord,
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we pray that you will
be near and dear unto them,
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bring about those
essentials that they
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might recognize
that you can even work
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in the prison, you
can work in the hospital,
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you can work in broken homes,
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you can work where
ever you are needed.
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So father we pray
today that each participant
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on the program throughout
this day will be anointed
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by your Holy Spirit
and Lord we pray that
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you will do that
which only you can.
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We thank you for
our brother Shelton,
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we thank you for
the 3ABN program.
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And we ask your
complete blessing,
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your complete
anointing upon every facet,
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every face, every person,
every worry that shall be
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presented here today.
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This is our prayer, in
Christ name we pray, amen.
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Amen, thank you Pastor Murray.
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You are welcome. God bless you.
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We're gonna have... you
all like special music. Yes.
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All right, we have a young
man here name Todd Matthews.
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Anybody know
Todd, oh, all right.
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Todd's among friends,
Todd why don't you come
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out now, you are
among friends here today.
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And I was going to
announce that he was
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going to sing a song,
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then I saw he had
a violin out here.
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So I ask him if he could
sing and play at the same time.
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I don't know that he
will do that, he probably can,
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looks like a guy
of many talents to me.
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Todd where are you from?
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And I don't know if this mic is,
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here you share this one with me,
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where are you from?
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I'm from Chicago, Illinois.
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All right, what do you do?
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I'm a violinist and
I'm also a music teacher.
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Music teacher,
where do you teach?
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I teach at
Chicago State University
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and I also have a private
studio in Homewood, Illinois.
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All right, well,
we're so privilege
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to have you here today
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and what song you are
gonna be doing for us.
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"Great is Thy Faithfulness".
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Thank you. Amen.
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[music]
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Wow!
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What a gift, isn't
that amazing talent. Amen.
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I'd love to be able to
play like that Pastor Murray,
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I'll do everything it takes,
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except all the hard work
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and that way
people feel sometimes.
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My brother,
Tommy, plays a piano,
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he's really great on the piano
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and I've had
people and he has played
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ever since he was a little boy
00:14:47.43\00:14:48.61
and people will
come up and say, oh,
00:14:48.62\00:14:50.19
I give anything
to play like that.
00:14:50.20\00:14:51.72
Well, I don't want
to work at it so hard,
00:14:51.73\00:14:53.55
but I didn't
have to spend 40 years
00:14:53.56\00:14:55.75
of my life, I would
like to play that well,
00:14:55.76\00:14:57.77
what a great talent.
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Once again and I want to
introduce we didn't while
00:14:58.86\00:15:01.87
ago Pastor Famous Murray,
your wife and I don't know
00:15:01.88\00:15:05.15
if you both of you
can just standup for a
00:15:05.16\00:15:07.16
second and maybe look
back to our camera here.
00:15:07.17\00:15:10.13
We want folks to
know we appreciate.
00:15:10.14\00:15:11.63
And Murray also and I
know there is another,
00:15:13.23\00:15:16.98
Murray that sings but I
got a feeling you can sing too.
00:15:16.99\00:15:20.35
All right she does, all right.
00:15:20.36\00:15:22.08
Right now, I'd like to
bring out Alicia Roberts
00:15:22.09\00:15:25.61
and Alicia, where are you from?
00:15:25.62\00:15:30.49
I'm here from
Chicago. From here Chicago,
00:15:30.50\00:15:32.60
you are born and
raised in Chicago? Yes.
00:15:32.61\00:15:35.11
All right you look like you
are happy excited Christian.
00:15:35.12\00:15:38.33
You love Jesus? Yes I do.
00:15:38.34\00:15:40.90
All right and what do you do?
00:15:40.91\00:15:43.13
I'm a student, I go to school.
00:15:43.14\00:15:44.66
You are a student, all right.
00:15:44.67\00:15:46.00
What grade you are in?
00:15:46.01\00:15:46.98
I'm a freshmen in college.
00:15:46.99\00:15:48.25
A freshman in
college, all right,
00:15:48.26\00:15:49.84
isn't it wonderful
that she is already got
00:15:49.85\00:15:51.97
here perspectives right?
00:15:51.98\00:15:54.08
She is not out
singing in the world today,
00:15:54.09\00:15:56.05
but she is
singing here for Jesus.
00:15:56.06\00:15:58.28
And that's her testimony,
00:15:58.29\00:15:59.99
Jesus is shining
out of you today.
00:16:00.00\00:16:02.23
You are gonna be
doing a beautiful song
00:16:02.24\00:16:03.77
"He's Been Faithful". Yes.
00:16:03.78\00:16:06.03
In my moments of fear
00:16:22.72\00:16:28.98
Through every pain every tear
00:16:28.99\00:16:33.61
There's a God
whose been faithful to me
00:16:33.62\00:16:43.63
When my strength it was all gone
00:16:43.64\00:16:49.38
When my heart had
no song still in love
00:16:49.39\00:16:57.54
He's proved faithful to me
00:16:57.55\00:17:04.91
Every word he's
promised, is true
00:17:04.92\00:17:14.30
What I thought was impossible
00:17:14.31\00:17:19.84
I see my God do
00:17:19.85\00:17:27.44
He's been
faithful, faithful to me
00:17:27.45\00:17:39.28
Just looking back
his love and mercy I see
00:17:39.29\00:17:49.84
Though in my
heart I have questioned
00:17:49.85\00:17:55.08
even failed to believe
00:17:55.09\00:17:59.21
Yes, he's been
faithful, faithful to me
00:17:59.22\00:18:08.74
When my heart it's looked away
00:18:16.41\00:18:21.66
The many times I could not pray
00:18:21.67\00:18:27.23
Still my God, He
was faithful to me
00:18:27.24\00:18:35.85
All the days I
spent so selfishly
00:18:35.86\00:18:41.04
reaching out for what pleased me
00:18:41.05\00:18:46.22
Even then my God
proved faithful to me
00:18:46.23\00:18:55.84
Every time that
I come back to him
00:18:55.85\00:19:04.84
Oh, I always find then
his arms are open while
00:19:04.85\00:19:10.89
And they know once again
00:19:10.90\00:19:15.98
He's been
faithful, faithful to me
00:19:19.29\00:19:30.88
Oh, just looking back,
his love and mercy I see
00:19:30.89\00:19:40.70
Though in my
heart I have questioned
00:19:40.71\00:19:46.99
even failed to believe
00:19:47.00\00:19:50.93
Yes, he's been faithful
00:19:50.94\00:19:54.19
Though in my
heart I have questioned
00:19:57.24\00:20:06.56
even failed to believe
00:20:06.57\00:20:10.49
Yes, he's been faithful
00:20:10.50\00:20:15.14
Lord in my heart
I have questioned
00:20:15.15\00:20:19.94
you even failed to believe
00:20:19.95\00:20:28.04
You are so
faithful, faithful to me
00:20:28.05\00:20:40.17
You are so faithful,
you are faithful to me.
00:20:40.18\00:20:53.10
Wow!
00:20:58.44\00:20:59.41
Thank you Alicia,
beautiful, what a gift, wow!
00:21:00.69\00:21:04.67
Aren't you glad
God's been faithful to you?
00:21:04.68\00:21:08.30
Ellen White makes a statement,
00:21:08.31\00:21:09.61
we have nothing to fear
for the feature, why not?
00:21:09.62\00:21:14.19
Look back in the past
00:21:14.20\00:21:15.49
and see where God
has guided, right?
00:21:15.50\00:21:17.02
Where he has provide,
where He has guided for us,
00:21:17.03\00:21:19.29
so we have nothing to fear,
00:21:19.30\00:21:20.44
because God has been faithful.
00:21:20.45\00:21:23.24
I'm so thankful for that
00:21:23.25\00:21:24.74
and you can come and
sing for down at 3ABN.
00:21:24.75\00:21:28.60
In fact our Pastor
John Lomacang would probably
00:21:28.61\00:21:31.82
buy her one way ticket
down to Southern Illinois
00:21:31.83\00:21:34.72
to sing in his church
all the time you know,
00:21:34.73\00:21:36.89
in our local church down there.
00:21:36.90\00:21:38.75
But we will invite her
00:21:38.76\00:21:42.00
and Todd to
come at 3ABN anytime,
00:21:42.01\00:21:43.91
we are around, they can get down
00:21:43.92\00:21:45.45
and do some music
because they have got talents
00:21:45.46\00:21:47.63
and world needs to hear,
needs to see that God has
00:21:47.64\00:21:50.81
people with talents
and gifts and abilities
00:21:50.82\00:21:53.31
on his side, they are not
all out in the world, are they?
00:21:53.32\00:21:56.01
They are in his side and
I'm glad this folk are on
00:21:56.02\00:21:58.36
God side because they
could do lot of damage
00:21:58.37\00:22:00.19
against because of God
out in the world, right?
00:22:00.20\00:22:02.23
So we need to be
praying for them.
00:22:02.24\00:22:04.11
God will protect them and
keep them faithful for sure.
00:22:04.12\00:22:07.38
Now we would like to
bring out Michael Duncan
00:22:07.39\00:22:09.44
and Michael he is an
elder here at the Shiloh
00:22:09.45\00:22:13.31
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:22:13.32\00:22:15.43
and great meeting
you here this morning.
00:22:15.44\00:22:20.84
I see that they have
put double mics on you,
00:22:20.85\00:22:22.88
so I don't know if
you are gonna give us
00:22:22.89\00:22:24.43
a double message or what
all that means this morning.
00:22:24.44\00:22:26.72
But tell me little bit
about yourself Michael.
00:22:26.73\00:22:30.38
Well, I'm
originally from Gary, Indiana
00:22:30.39\00:22:32.28
which is just about an
hour away here from Chicago.
00:22:32.29\00:22:35.06
I've been living and
working in the Chicago
00:22:35.07\00:22:37.09
area now for about
past 15 years or so.
00:22:37.10\00:22:39.97
Okay, what kind
of work do you do?
00:22:39.98\00:22:41.51
I actually do software training
00:22:41.52\00:22:43.43
for Software
Company. Really, all right.
00:22:43.44\00:22:46.01
So today you have been asked
00:22:46.02\00:22:47.54
to give the
Sabbath school lesson.
00:22:47.55\00:22:49.91
We are looking forward to it.
00:22:49.92\00:22:51.15
He seems soft spoken,
but I have a feeling when he
00:22:51.16\00:22:53.78
gets round up, we
are gonna hear, don't we?
00:22:53.79\00:22:56.51
All right, thank you. Thank you.
00:22:56.52\00:22:59.90
As you know our
Sabbath school lesson study
00:22:59.91\00:23:01.79
for this week is taken
from Ecclesiastes the 9th
00:23:01.80\00:23:05.17
Chapter, where Solomon
he speaking to us about
00:23:05.18\00:23:09.83
death and he is also
speaking to us about life.
00:23:09.84\00:23:14.50
He makes some rather
perplexing statements
00:23:14.51\00:23:16.65
and so I would like you
to just bow your heads for a
00:23:16.66\00:23:18.52
moment, as we invite the
Holy Spirit to be with us
00:23:18.53\00:23:21.61
as we study the word of God.
00:23:21.62\00:23:22.82
Our father, who head in heaven,
00:23:26.15\00:23:29.12
oh we just give you
thanks for your holy word
00:23:29.13\00:23:30.90
which is a lamp unto our feet
00:23:30.91\00:23:33.66
and a light unto our path.
00:23:33.67\00:23:36.05
But we realize that
we cannot understand it
00:23:36.06\00:23:37.75
without the aid of your
Holy Spirit and so we ask
00:23:37.76\00:23:40.72
now that you would come
00:23:40.73\00:23:41.74
and give a
spiritual comprehension.
00:23:41.75\00:23:45.83
Lord bless us
with the understanding
00:23:45.84\00:23:47.17
that we need to the joy
and rejoicing of our hearts,
00:23:47.18\00:23:50.57
because we ask in
Jesus name and for His sake
00:23:50.58\00:23:53.90
we pray, amen. Amen.
00:23:53.91\00:23:56.44
It was about four years ago,
00:23:58.66\00:24:01.82
I made a good friend,
a co-worker whose cubicle
00:24:01.83\00:24:06.68
sat directly next to my
own, his name was Scott.
00:24:06.69\00:24:11.41
Just to tell you
little bit about Scott,
00:24:11.42\00:24:14.60
in terms of a description
he was about six feet
00:24:14.61\00:24:17.35
tall, about 225
pounds of muscle.
00:24:17.36\00:24:23.52
He was captain of
his football team in high
00:24:23.53\00:24:25.44
school, captain of his
football team in college
00:24:25.45\00:24:28.91
NBA, employee of the
year in the department
00:24:28.92\00:24:33.80
where I worked, had a
lovely wife, two daughters,
00:24:33.81\00:24:37.67
one two years old,
the other was 6 years old.
00:24:37.68\00:24:41.47
Scott, he is people person.
00:24:41.48\00:24:45.21
In December of 2005
on the evening of our
00:24:45.22\00:24:50.60
Christmas day, I took
it off from Ohio airport on
00:24:50.61\00:24:54.62
a vacation out of the
country and returned on
00:24:54.63\00:24:57.38
January the 3rd of 2006
only to receive the news
00:24:57.39\00:25:03.90
that my friend and co-worker.
00:25:03.91\00:25:06.91
Scott Nogress had had
gone into the hospital
00:25:06.92\00:25:09.19
at 5 AM on Christmas day.
00:25:09.20\00:25:13.37
He was diagnosed
with autoimmune hemolytic
00:25:13.38\00:25:17.86
anemia, a very rear
blood disease where by your
00:25:17.87\00:25:22.59
body just wakes up
one day and suddenly
00:25:22.60\00:25:24.64
the signs to begin attacking
00:25:24.65\00:25:26.23
your own red blood
cells destroying them.
00:25:26.24\00:25:30.41
Seven days later, my
friend Scott had past away.
00:25:30.42\00:25:38.34
Scott was 42 years old.
00:25:38.35\00:25:41.79
In our lesson for this
week the question is asked.
00:25:41.80\00:25:47.15
How do we make sense
of things like this that
00:25:47.16\00:25:48.96
defy all rational explanation?
00:25:48.97\00:25:52.71
If there are two
things that characterize
00:25:52.72\00:25:54.67
the human experience,
one is that we have limited
00:25:54.68\00:25:56.70
knowledge and two that we
have limited understanding.
00:25:56.71\00:26:01.71
And because of that the
Bible tells us in Hebrews
00:26:01.72\00:26:03.91
the 11th Chapter
and verse 6 that without
00:26:03.92\00:26:05.84
faith it is
impossible to pleased God.
00:26:05.85\00:26:12.98
We must learn to trust
in the goodness of God for
00:26:12.99\00:26:16.81
the things that we
simply cannot explain.
00:26:16.82\00:26:21.04
In Ecclesiastes, the 9th
Chapter Solomon is making
00:26:21.05\00:26:23.90
some observations about life,
00:26:23.91\00:26:26.24
but as you page
through the scriptures
00:26:26.25\00:26:27.74
what you find is
that he is making
00:26:27.75\00:26:29.77
these observations from a
00:26:29.78\00:26:31.49
secular perspective
in order to help us to
00:26:31.50\00:26:36.10
understand the
futility and the meaninglessness
00:26:36.11\00:26:40.01
of our life that
is lived without God.
00:26:40.02\00:26:44.92
And sun is
outline in God's hands.
00:26:44.93\00:26:47.48
Solomon focuses on
death, while at the same time
00:26:47.49\00:26:50.09
speaking to us about
life and exactly how we should
00:26:50.10\00:26:54.14
live it, beginning
with the very first verse.
00:26:54.15\00:26:58.83
I'm reading from the
New King James, it says,
00:26:58.84\00:27:00.44
"For I considered
all that is in my heart,
00:27:00.45\00:27:02.63
so that I could declare it all,
00:27:02.64\00:27:05.87
that the righteous and
the wise and their works
00:27:05.88\00:27:10.52
are in the hand of God".
00:27:10.53\00:27:12.44
And that's good news.
00:27:12.45\00:27:14.07
But then he follows
with this peculiar statement.
00:27:14.08\00:27:16.32
He says people know
neither love nor hatred
00:27:16.33\00:27:19.15
by anything
that his before them.
00:27:19.16\00:27:21.11
If you read that in the
New Living translation it says,
00:27:21.12\00:27:23.92
"But no man knows whether
or not God will favor him".
00:27:23.93\00:27:30.56
Christianity does
not guaranty freedom from
00:27:30.57\00:27:34.70
tragedy, misfortune, pain,
00:27:34.71\00:27:39.09
suffering or death in this life.
00:27:39.10\00:27:42.96
When we talk about
suffering immediately
00:27:42.97\00:27:45.26
of course the story
of Job comes to mind.
00:27:45.27\00:27:47.82
And as I page
through the scriptures
00:27:47.83\00:27:50.45
and as I consider
the experience of Job,
00:27:50.46\00:27:53.62
it seems to me that
no where is he given any
00:27:53.63\00:27:56.05
specific explanation as to
the reason for his suffering.
00:27:56.06\00:28:02.01
After having lost his health,
00:28:02.02\00:28:04.76
after having lost his wealth,
00:28:04.77\00:28:06.47
after having lost his children,
00:28:06.48\00:28:08.48
even his wife said to him,
00:28:08.49\00:28:10.04
why don't you curse God and die.
00:28:10.05\00:28:13.97
He turns to his wife and say,
00:28:13.98\00:28:15.14
you speak as a foolish woman,
00:28:15.15\00:28:16.54
shall we not receive
good at the hand of God
00:28:16.55\00:28:18.50
and not also receive evil.
00:28:18.51\00:28:22.02
"The Lord giveth,
the Lord taketh away.
00:28:22.03\00:28:23.54
Blessed be the
name of the Lord".
00:28:23.55\00:28:25.30
The Bible tells us that
in all of his affliction
00:28:25.31\00:28:29.05
Job sinned not with his lips,
00:28:29.06\00:28:31.92
neither did he
charged God falsely.
00:28:31.93\00:28:36.86
Job is a model of faith
in the midst of suffering.
00:28:36.87\00:28:42.73
The one thing that we
need to keep upper most
00:28:42.74\00:28:44.30
in our mind is
that relative to sin
00:28:44.31\00:28:48.72
and the effects
that it has had on us.
00:28:48.73\00:28:51.92
We are prone to think
about our individual experience.
00:28:51.93\00:28:55.08
However what we must
bare in mind is that the one
00:28:55.09\00:28:57.86
who has suffered most
of all as a result of the
00:28:57.87\00:29:01.19
entrance of sin is
none other than God himself.
00:29:01.20\00:29:05.40
From the Book Education
page 263 we read these words.
00:29:07.69\00:29:11.67
"Those who think of
hastening or hindering
00:29:11.68\00:29:14.20
the gospel think
of it in relation
00:29:14.21\00:29:16.46
to themselves and to the world.
00:29:16.47\00:29:18.16
Few think of
its relation to God.
00:29:18.17\00:29:20.71
Few give thought to
the suffering that sin
00:29:20.72\00:29:24.46
has caused our Creator.
00:29:24.47\00:29:27.90
The sufferings of
Christ did not begin or end
00:29:27.91\00:29:31.74
with His
manifestation in humanity.
00:29:31.75\00:29:36.48
The cross is a
revelation to our dull senses
00:29:36.49\00:29:41.05
of the pain that,
from its very inception,
00:29:41.06\00:29:44.30
sin has brought to
the heart of God. Amen.
00:29:44.31\00:29:47.89
When we considered
from the perspective
00:29:47.90\00:29:50.49
then we can come to realize
that no matter what we are
00:29:50.50\00:29:53.32
experiencing in this
life, we are not alone.
00:29:53.33\00:29:56.17
In Isaiah the 53rd Chapter,
00:29:57.41\00:29:58.82
"Jesus is
called a man of sorrows
00:29:58.83\00:30:01.24
acquainted with grief."
00:30:01.25\00:30:03.94
We are told in
Hebrews the 4th Chapter
00:30:05.45\00:30:06.96
in verse 15, that we
had not an high priest
00:30:06.97\00:30:09.34
who cannot be touched
00:30:09.35\00:30:10.68
with the feeling
of our infirmities,
00:30:10.69\00:30:12.64
but that He was
in all points tempted
00:30:12.65\00:30:15.00
like as we are and yet
00:30:15.01\00:30:17.42
in spite of it he did not sin.
00:30:17.43\00:30:21.29
Jesus sympathizes yet empathizes
00:30:21.30\00:30:24.48
with the human experience.
00:30:24.49\00:30:26.48
In fact in the second Chapter
00:30:26.49\00:30:27.75
of the Book of Hebrews
we are told, "Forasmuch then
00:30:27.76\00:30:30.46
as the children are
partakers of flesh and blood,
00:30:30.47\00:30:32.84
he also himself
likewise took part of the same.
00:30:32.85\00:30:37.64
Inasmuch as He has
suffered being tempted,
00:30:37.65\00:30:40.25
He is able to succor.
00:30:40.26\00:30:41.69
That word means
He is able to assist,
00:30:41.70\00:30:44.23
He can come to the aid up,
00:30:44.24\00:30:45.89
He can comfort all
of us who in this life
00:30:45.90\00:30:49.82
experienced suffering.
00:30:49.83\00:30:51.47
We are prone to
ask the question,
00:30:52.82\00:30:55.36
why do bad things
happen to good people.
00:30:55.37\00:30:58.90
When in fact perhaps
the question that we really
00:30:58.91\00:31:01.00
should ask is why do good things
00:31:01.01\00:31:04.78
happen to bad people.
00:31:04.79\00:31:06.17
You remember in
Matthew the 19th Chapter
00:31:07.56\00:31:09.15
a rich young ruler came to Jesus
00:31:09.16\00:31:10.59
and he asked a question.
00:31:10.60\00:31:11.87
Good master, what must I do
00:31:11.88\00:31:13.77
that I may inherit eternal life?
00:31:13.78\00:31:15.84
And Jesus look
at him and he said,
00:31:15.85\00:31:17.85
why callest thou me
good, there is none good
00:31:17.86\00:31:21.56
but one God who is in heaven.
00:31:21.57\00:31:25.20
In Romans the 3rd
Chapter we are told
00:31:25.21\00:31:26.91
that there is none
righteous, no not one,
00:31:26.92\00:31:29.60
none that understand
it, none that of himself
00:31:29.61\00:31:33.02
seek it after God.
00:31:33.03\00:31:35.50
You see the good
news is only good news
00:31:35.51\00:31:38.46
to those who know that
they need a Savior. Amen.
00:31:38.47\00:31:43.27
In Matthew the 9th
Chapter you remember that
00:31:43.28\00:31:44.88
Jesus was sitting at
meat, He was dining it,
00:31:44.89\00:31:47.11
and He was
criticized by the publican...
00:31:47.12\00:31:49.54
well, by the Pharisees that is
00:31:49.55\00:31:51.73
and by the
religious leaders of His day,
00:31:51.74\00:31:53.50
because He is
dining with publicans,
00:31:53.51\00:31:55.22
tax collectors, prostitutes,
00:31:55.23\00:31:57.25
outcasts and known sinners.
00:31:57.26\00:31:59.59
And Jesus knowing
their thought declared
00:31:59.60\00:32:01.87
"They that behold
need not a physician
00:32:01.88\00:32:04.06
but they that are sick
00:32:04.07\00:32:05.06
I came not to
call the righteous,
00:32:05.07\00:32:08.26
but sinners to repentance."
00:32:08.27\00:32:11.76
You see there is
only two kinds of people
00:32:11.77\00:32:13.56
in the world,
those who know Jesus
00:32:13.57\00:32:16.71
and those who do not know Jesus.
00:32:16.72\00:32:19.00
Those who need
Jesus includes everybody,
00:32:19.01\00:32:23.59
but unfortunately
not everybody knows
00:32:23.60\00:32:25.65
that they need Jesus.
00:32:25.66\00:32:27.78
And, you know,
interestingly enough
00:32:27.79\00:32:29.12
one of the most
difficult challenges,
00:32:29.13\00:32:31.48
one of the
biggest problems that God
00:32:31.49\00:32:33.58
has is saving religious people.
00:32:33.59\00:32:37.26
I grew up in the
Seventh-day AdventistChurch.
00:32:38.90\00:32:42.10
Attended Sabbath
school AY, prayer meeting,
00:32:42.11\00:32:46.47
didn't smoke, didn't
drink, didn't do drugs,
00:32:46.48\00:32:48.32
not sleeping around.
00:32:48.33\00:32:49.43
One of the dangerous of
growing up in the church
00:32:49.44\00:32:52.46
is that at some point,
we begin to develop the idea
00:32:52.47\00:32:57.07
that we are not quite as sick
00:32:57.08\00:33:01.20
or as twisted as everybody else.
00:33:01.21\00:33:05.00
But when we read
the scriptures Romans
00:33:06.12\00:33:08.55
the 3rd Chapter we
find that we all stands
00:33:08.56\00:33:10.52
spiritually on the same plateau.
00:33:10.53\00:33:12.74
We measure
equally below the mark.
00:33:12.75\00:33:15.82
Isaiah, Isaiah
declares that all of our
00:33:15.83\00:33:19.45
righteousness
is as filthy racks.
00:33:19.46\00:33:22.82
Without Christ,
none is able to make it.
00:33:22.83\00:33:27.26
The lesson tells us that from,
00:33:27.27\00:33:29.41
from the human perspective,
00:33:29.42\00:33:31.61
from the human
perspective when we think
00:33:31.62\00:33:34.21
about eternity, our
lives on this earth are really
00:33:34.22\00:33:39.03
incredibly brief, you know,
00:33:39.04\00:33:40.54
one of my favorite
passages of scripture
00:33:40.55\00:33:42.12
has become
Psalms the 90th Chapter.
00:33:42.13\00:33:44.26
I would like you
turn there Psalms
00:33:44.27\00:33:45.66
the 90th Chapter
and I want you to notice
00:33:45.67\00:33:48.07
in Psalms 90
verses 9 through 12.
00:33:48.08\00:33:52.37
Dealing with his issue
of brevity of life address
00:33:52.38\00:33:55.61
in our lessons
Psalms the 90th Chapter
00:33:56.73\00:34:02.53
and notice verse 9.
00:34:02.54\00:34:04.48
In the New King James
the scripture reads us
00:34:10.73\00:34:13.96
follows from Psalm 90
beginning at the 9th verse,
00:34:13.97\00:34:18.49
"for our days have
passed away in your wrath,
00:34:19.94\00:34:24.79
we finish our years
like a sigh as a tale
00:34:24.80\00:34:28.31
that is told.
00:34:28.32\00:34:30.45
The days of our
lives are seventy years,
00:34:30.46\00:34:33.23
threescore years and ten.
00:34:33.24\00:34:34.25
And if by reason of strength
00:34:34.26\00:34:35.60
they are eighty years,
00:34:35.61\00:34:37.03
yet their boast is
only labor and sorrow,
00:34:37.04\00:34:40.57
it is not the best
years of our lives,
00:34:40.58\00:34:43.92
for it is soon cut
off, and we fly away.
00:34:43.93\00:34:45.98
Who knows the
power of your anger?
00:34:45.99\00:34:49.47
For as the fear, of
you so is your wrath.
00:34:49.48\00:34:54.26
And here is the key, verse 12,
00:34:54.27\00:34:56.44
so then addressing the Lord,
00:34:56.45\00:34:59.31
"Teach us to
number our days aright,
00:34:59.32\00:35:02.37
that we may apply
our hearts unto wisdom."
00:35:02.38\00:35:06.07
James the 4th Chapter
says, "What is your life,
00:35:06.08\00:35:07.95
but a vapor that appeareth
00:35:07.96\00:35:09.33
for a moment and vanisheth away.
00:35:09.34\00:35:13.11
For some whimsical
reason I sat down one day
00:35:13.12\00:35:15.06
and just decided to calculate
00:35:15.07\00:35:16.35
how many days I have been alive
00:35:16.36\00:35:18.68
starting from my
birth adding a day
00:35:18.69\00:35:20.82
for each leap year
14552 days and thanking God
00:35:20.83\00:35:25.33
for it 14553 days
and thanking God for it.
00:35:25.34\00:35:29.89
Truly His mercies
are new every morning.
00:35:29.90\00:35:34.72
In light of the brevity of life,
00:35:34.73\00:35:36.07
Solomon gives
us some admonition.
00:35:36.08\00:35:39.02
In the very 2nd verse
we are told in our lesson
00:35:39.03\00:35:42.56
that here is the prime example,
00:35:42.57\00:35:44.53
the 2nd verse
where he seems to say
00:35:44.54\00:35:46.66
that all suffer the same faith.
00:35:46.67\00:35:48.49
Here is the prime
example of how important
00:35:48.50\00:35:50.88
it is to read the scripture
00:35:50.89\00:35:52.84
in its appropriate context.
00:35:52.85\00:35:55.89
If we take these verses
out of their appropriate
00:35:55.90\00:35:58.40
context we can begin
to think that the Bible
00:35:58.41\00:36:00.50
teach us something
that it does not teach.
00:36:00.51\00:36:03.46
What we must do,
is we must take a look
00:36:03.47\00:36:06.10
at each verse of
scripture in the context
00:36:06.11\00:36:07.93
of what the entire Bible
has to say on that subject.
00:36:07.94\00:36:11.87
And then after looking
at what all of the Bible
00:36:11.88\00:36:14.69
has to say on any given subject,
00:36:14.70\00:36:16.43
we make our decision
as to what the scripture
00:36:16.44\00:36:18.81
is saying to us based on
the weight of the evidence.
00:36:18.82\00:36:22.49
And we must allow
the clearest verses
00:36:22.50\00:36:24.25
of scripture to interpret
those verses of scripture
00:36:24.26\00:36:27.24
that seem to be
questionable in our minds
00:36:27.25\00:36:31.05
and certainly this verse appear
00:36:31.06\00:36:34.25
some what questionable
because Solomon seems
00:36:34.26\00:36:36.44
to be telling us that
death is the end of it all.
00:36:36.45\00:36:40.92
Solomon seems to be telling us
00:36:40.93\00:36:42.27
that there is no difference
between the righteous,
00:36:42.28\00:36:45.12
the wicked, the good and evil.
00:36:45.13\00:36:46.36
Here is how it reads from
the New Living translation.
00:36:46.37\00:36:49.65
The same destiny he says
ultimately waits everyone
00:36:49.66\00:36:53.06
whether righteous
or wicked, good or bad,
00:36:53.07\00:36:55.07
ceremonially clean or unclean,
00:36:55.08\00:36:57.76
whether religious
00:36:57.77\00:36:59.07
or whether you be irreligious.
00:36:59.08\00:37:02.03
Good people
receive the same treatment
00:37:02.04\00:37:04.09
as sinners and people
who make promises to God
00:37:04.10\00:37:07.89
are treated the
same as those who do not.
00:37:07.90\00:37:13.00
Is that true?
00:37:13.01\00:37:14.82
Is death the end of it all?
00:37:14.83\00:37:17.69
We will turn to
Daniel, Daniel Chapter 12
00:37:17.70\00:37:19.83
and let's look at the
answer to that question.
00:37:19.84\00:37:22.78
In Daniel Chapter 12
00:37:22.79\00:37:23.95
I want you to
notice the 2nd verse.
00:37:23.96\00:37:25.96
Daniel speaks to us
and gives us greater light
00:37:29.14\00:37:32.36
and
understanding on what we find
00:37:32.37\00:37:34.51
in the Book of Ecclesiastes,
Daniel the 12th Chapter,
00:37:34.52\00:37:39.07
and reading in the 2nd verse.
00:37:39.08\00:37:41.97
The Book of Daniel declares
00:37:45.14\00:37:47.56
and many of those that
sleep in the dust of the earth
00:37:47.57\00:37:51.24
shall awake, some
to everlasting life,
00:37:51.25\00:37:55.72
and then some he says to shame
00:37:55.73\00:37:59.52
and everlasting contempt.
00:37:59.53\00:38:02.07
Turn to Revelation, Revelation
00:38:02.08\00:38:03.37
the 22nd Chapter and verse 12.
00:38:03.38\00:38:06.10
And in Revelation
22:12 we see the same
00:38:06.11\00:38:08.99
separation there
is more after death.
00:38:09.00\00:38:13.86
In Revelation the 22nd Chapter
00:38:13.87\00:38:16.09
reading from the 12 verse.
00:38:16.10\00:38:17.72
The Bible says, Jesus
is speaking and He declares
00:38:18.84\00:38:24.57
"Behold, I am coming quickly,
00:38:24.58\00:38:27.11
and my reward is with
me, to give to every man
00:38:27.12\00:38:32.44
according as his work shall be."
00:38:32.45\00:38:36.35
So you see that there is
a separation but you know
00:38:36.36\00:38:38.81
what's interesting, you
don't even have to leave
00:38:38.82\00:38:41.29
the Book of Ecclesiastes
to know that Solomon
00:38:41.30\00:38:44.75
does not believe that
death is the end of it all.
00:38:44.76\00:38:47.65
When you get to
the 12th Chapter,
00:38:47.66\00:38:49.93
he declares in the
13th and 14th verse.
00:38:49.94\00:38:52.30
Let us here the
conclusion of the matter,
00:38:52.31\00:38:56.36
"Fear God and
keep His commandments,
00:38:56.37\00:38:58.61
for this is the
whole duty of man.
00:38:58.62\00:39:00.89
For God will bring
every work into judgment
00:39:00.90\00:39:03.41
and every secret thing
whether it would be good
00:39:03.42\00:39:07.59
or whether it would be evil."
00:39:07.60\00:39:09.14
So there is a
separation so even to understand
00:39:09.15\00:39:11.46
Ecclesiastes the 9th
Chapter we need to look
00:39:11.47\00:39:13.68
at the
Ecclesiastes the 9th Chapter
00:39:13.69\00:39:15.22
in the context
of the entire book.
00:39:15.23\00:39:17.78
The Bible is clear,
there is not one faith to all,
00:39:17.79\00:39:22.71
there is more beyond.
00:39:22.72\00:39:25.10
Our lesson I like the statement,
00:39:25.11\00:39:26.55
our lesson author declares.
00:39:26.56\00:39:28.77
The good news is
that through Jesus
00:39:28.78\00:39:32.33
here is the good news
after all the pessimism
00:39:32.34\00:39:34.74
and synergism that we
find in the first 8 verses.
00:39:34.75\00:39:37.36
He says, the good
news is that through Jesus
00:39:37.37\00:39:40.37
every human being
has the opportunity
00:39:40.38\00:39:44.75
to live forever.
00:39:44.76\00:39:47.75
Christ died as the substitute
00:39:47.76\00:39:51.32
for all of humanity
with no one left out
00:39:51.33\00:39:57.44
that's the message to
our friends and neighbors.
00:39:57.45\00:39:59.88
Turn to Romans the 5th Chapter
00:39:59.89\00:40:02.02
and you see Paul
further expounding on this,
00:40:02.03\00:40:03.92
Romans Chapter 5 and
in Romans the 5th Chapter.
00:40:03.93\00:40:08.83
I want to you
notice what he tells us
00:40:08.84\00:40:13.52
beginning in the 18th
verse, Romans the 5th Chapter
00:40:13.53\00:40:19.73
and note carefully verse 18.
00:40:19.74\00:40:23.36
Paul declares.
00:40:26.17\00:40:28.65
"Therefore as
through the offence of one
00:40:28.66\00:40:34.93
and that's
reference of course to Adam
00:40:34.94\00:40:37.38
judgment came to all men
resulting in condemnation,
00:40:37.39\00:40:43.49
even so, in other words
likewise or in the same way
00:40:44.61\00:40:48.75
through one man's righteous act
00:40:48.76\00:40:51.40
and that's the
reference to Christ.
00:40:51.41\00:40:55.06
The free gift came to all men
00:40:55.07\00:40:57.99
resulting in
justification of life.
00:40:58.00\00:41:01.21
In another words
just as all were affected
00:41:01.22\00:41:03.38
by the sin of
Adam, all are benefited
00:41:03.39\00:41:07.10
by the sacrifice
of Jesus Christ. Amen.
00:41:07.11\00:41:10.08
In Romans of 3rd
Chapter the Bible says
00:41:10.09\00:41:11.82
"All have sinned and come
short of the glory of God."
00:41:11.83\00:41:14.45
And then when we go over
to Romans the 6th Chapter
00:41:14.46\00:41:16.11
and the 23rd verse
the scripture says,
00:41:16.12\00:41:18.81
"That the wages of sin is death"
00:41:18.82\00:41:22.84
And if you put two and
two together, all have sinned,
00:41:22.85\00:41:25.70
the wages of sin is death.
00:41:25.71\00:41:27.72
Then the
question becomes why is it
00:41:27.73\00:41:30.29
that we are all not dead
if all have sinned. Amen.
00:41:30.30\00:41:36.01
And the answer is Hebrews
00:41:36.02\00:41:37.56
the 2nd Chapter in verse 9.
00:41:37.57\00:41:38.97
The Bible says that
Jesus by the grace of God
00:41:38.98\00:41:42.28
tasted death and
that is the second death
00:41:42.29\00:41:45.94
for every man.
00:41:45.95\00:41:49.15
Notice this
interesting statement
00:41:49.16\00:41:50.24
this comes from
Desire of Ages page 660.
00:41:50.25\00:41:55.27
"To the death of Christ
00:41:55.28\00:41:57.73
we owe even this earthly life.
00:41:57.74\00:42:01.72
The bread that we
eat is the purchase
00:42:03.13\00:42:06.62
of His broken body
and His spilled blood.
00:42:06.63\00:42:11.95
Never saint or
sinner eats his daily food,
00:42:11.96\00:42:14.68
but he is nourished by the body
00:42:14.69\00:42:16.79
and the blood of Jesus Christ.
00:42:16.80\00:42:19.07
The cross of Calvary
is stamped on every loaf.
00:42:19.08\00:42:23.38
It is reflected in
every water spring."
00:42:23.39\00:42:28.52
In other words even if we decide
00:42:28.53\00:42:32.60
that we want
nothing to do with God,
00:42:32.61\00:42:34.99
we are all eternally
indebted to Jesus Christ. Amen.
00:42:35.00\00:42:39.24
The three score and
ten the second probation
00:42:39.25\00:42:41.28
that we enjoy on this
earth whether we choose
00:42:41.29\00:42:43.43
to serve God or
not, this was purchased
00:42:43.44\00:42:46.56
by the sacrifice of Christ.
00:42:46.57\00:42:48.36
You see the good news
of the gospel is not about
00:42:48.37\00:42:50.48
what God will do for us,
if we do something first.
00:42:50.49\00:42:54.09
The good news of
the gospel is about
00:42:54.10\00:42:56.08
what God has
already done for us. Amen.
00:42:56.09\00:43:00.16
Through the
sacrifice of Jesus Christ,
00:43:00.17\00:43:04.11
that's would it's about.
00:43:04.12\00:43:05.59
I heard one radio
preacher make the statement.
00:43:05.60\00:43:07.30
Religion can be
summed up in one word, do.
00:43:07.31\00:43:10.18
The gospel can be
summed up in one word,
00:43:10.19\00:43:12.96
done. Amen.
00:43:12.97\00:43:18.36
How do we reconcile the fact
00:43:18.37\00:43:20.50
that bad things do happen
00:43:20.51\00:43:22.12
however to "Good people."
00:43:22.13\00:43:26.12
And the good
things appear to happen
00:43:26.13\00:43:29.48
to bad people you remember
00:43:29.49\00:43:30.60
that the Psalm has lament this,
00:43:30.61\00:43:32.69
until he gain some
insight from the Lord.
00:43:32.70\00:43:36.17
I think of the
tragedy, children,
00:43:36.18\00:43:39.97
caught in the cross fire
of war, natural disaster,
00:43:39.98\00:43:42.68
famine, flood, earthquake,
00:43:42.69\00:43:44.85
taking the lives of thousands.
00:43:44.86\00:43:48.53
I think of the tragedy
00:43:48.54\00:43:51.18
of a Tuesday morning
8:45 AM, September 11.
00:43:51.19\00:43:57.83
I think of the
disaster of Hurricane Katrina
00:43:57.84\00:44:00.91
devastating Mississippi
and New Orleans, Louisiana.
00:44:00.92\00:44:05.57
I think of an
earthquake that originated
00:44:05.58\00:44:08.27
in Prince William Sound, Alaska,
00:44:08.28\00:44:11.42
ascending joint walls of water
00:44:11.43\00:44:14.10
some 30 feet high
across the Pacific Ocean,
00:44:14.11\00:44:17.27
a giant Tsunami devastating
00:44:17.28\00:44:19.74
multiple
countries taking the lives
00:44:19.75\00:44:22.11
of over 250,000 people.
00:44:22.12\00:44:28.37
We cannot conceive of it.
00:44:28.38\00:44:30.82
And when we consider
it and we ask ourselves,
00:44:30.83\00:44:33.23
if there is a God in heaven.
00:44:33.24\00:44:34.89
Our neighbors ask us,
if there is a God in heaven
00:44:34.90\00:44:38.40
why doesn't He do something
00:44:38.41\00:44:40.94
about all of these
disasters and catastrophe?
00:44:40.95\00:44:44.17
Why does He
allow innocent people
00:44:44.18\00:44:46.97
to suffer as they do?
00:44:46.98\00:44:49.52
Well, let me ask you a question?
00:44:49.53\00:44:52.15
What if, what if God
were to stop every disaster
00:44:52.16\00:44:58.40
and every
catastrophe in this world?
00:44:58.41\00:45:00.64
What if God were to
prevent anything bad
00:45:00.65\00:45:05.03
from happening to
us here on this earth?
00:45:05.04\00:45:08.01
What we need to
realize is that the issue
00:45:08.02\00:45:09.72
of the Great Controversy
is that God's character
00:45:09.73\00:45:13.69
has been called into question.
00:45:13.70\00:45:16.59
And if God were to
prevent every disaster,
00:45:16.60\00:45:19.71
every catastrophe,
00:45:19.72\00:45:21.80
then we would never
see the evil of sin.
00:45:21.81\00:45:26.63
And without
seeing the evil of sin
00:45:26.64\00:45:28.58
we would never be
able to really make
00:45:28.59\00:45:30.79
an intelligent choice
between the plan of God
00:45:30.80\00:45:35.09
and the plan of Satan.
00:45:35.10\00:45:37.52
And so He must
allow some things.
00:45:37.53\00:45:40.35
We have yet to see
what Satan would do
00:45:40.36\00:45:42.72
to this earth if God
were to completely allow him
00:45:42.73\00:45:46.14
to have full sway. Amen.
00:45:46.15\00:45:48.46
And we should thank
the Lord for it. Amen.
00:45:48.47\00:45:52.38
We need to
recognize that these things
00:45:52.39\00:45:54.44
are the work of the enemy.
00:45:54.45\00:45:56.76
Insurance companies
refer to acts of God.
00:45:56.77\00:45:58.76
These things are
the works of the devils.
00:45:58.77\00:46:02.64
And when we
recognize it in that context
00:46:02.65\00:46:04.69
and when we read the
Bible realizing this,
00:46:04.70\00:46:07.19
then we can have
hope, because we know
00:46:07.20\00:46:10.31
that our lives
truly are in God's hands.
00:46:10.32\00:46:13.98
We are not just
victims of circumstance,
00:46:13.99\00:46:17.11
we have some one
that we can turn to.
00:46:17.12\00:46:19.83
As the Apostle Paul
says in 1st Thessalonians
00:46:19.84\00:46:22.50
Chapter 4 that I
would not have you ignoring
00:46:22.51\00:46:26.01
concerning those
that fall to sleep,
00:46:26.02\00:46:28.31
so that you sorrow not
as those that have no hope.
00:46:28.32\00:46:30.94
Those who do not know
God, but on the contrary,
00:46:30.95\00:46:35.23
we have a hope
because we know there is a God
00:46:35.24\00:46:37.68
and that God is
in control. Amen.
00:46:37.69\00:46:40.12
Now here is the
interesting thing.
00:46:40.13\00:46:41.94
The Bible makes it
clear that God is in control.
00:46:41.95\00:46:46.22
However not everybody believes
00:46:46.23\00:46:48.11
that God is in control.
00:46:48.12\00:46:50.30
But the fact that we
choose not to believe it,
00:46:50.31\00:46:53.05
does not change the fact.
00:46:53.06\00:46:56.09
Just like whether we
choose to believe Christ
00:46:56.10\00:46:58.37
died for our sins or
not, it doesn't change
00:46:58.38\00:47:00.87
the fact that He did it.
00:47:00.88\00:47:04.29
But here's the kicker,
if we choose to believe
00:47:04.30\00:47:08.88
that God is in control.
00:47:08.89\00:47:10.03
If we choose to
believe that Christ has paid
00:47:10.04\00:47:13.45
the penalty for all of our sin,
00:47:13.46\00:47:15.64
it does make an
incredible and dramatic
00:47:15.65\00:47:19.37
difference in our
own personal experience,
00:47:19.38\00:47:22.84
that's where we get our hope.
00:47:22.85\00:47:25.07
I want to share
with you a statement.
00:47:25.08\00:47:27.09
This comes from Ministry
of Healing page 488 and 489.
00:47:27.10\00:47:33.18
The Father's
presence encircled Christ,
00:47:33.19\00:47:36.75
and nothing befell Him
00:47:36.76\00:47:39.38
but that which
infinite love permitted.
00:47:39.39\00:47:44.52
For the blessing of the world,
00:47:44.53\00:47:46.07
these things were allowed,
00:47:46.08\00:47:47.37
here was His source of comfort,
00:47:47.38\00:47:51.46
it is for us also.
00:47:51.47\00:47:53.63
He who is imbued
with the Spirit of Christ,
00:47:53.64\00:47:56.28
and that's a
reference to us here today,
00:47:56.29\00:47:58.29
He who is imbued
with the Spirit of Christ
00:47:58.30\00:48:00.16
abides in Christ.
00:48:00.17\00:48:02.46
Whatever comes to him
comes from the Savior,
00:48:02.47\00:48:06.25
who surrounds him
with His presence.
00:48:06.26\00:48:10.16
Nothing can touch him
00:48:10.17\00:48:11.49
except by the
Lord's permission. Amen.
00:48:11.50\00:48:15.82
All our sufferings and sorrows,
00:48:15.83\00:48:18.45
all of our
temptations and trials,
00:48:18.46\00:48:22.43
all of our sadness and grieves,
00:48:22.44\00:48:24.75
all of our persecutions
and privations, in short,
00:48:24.76\00:48:28.88
all things work
together for good.
00:48:28.89\00:48:33.56
Desire of Ages page 126,
00:48:33.57\00:48:35.94
"In every trial
God has a purpose,
00:48:35.95\00:48:39.36
He has a reason, He has a plan,
00:48:39.37\00:48:42.49
He is attempting to
accomplish something
00:48:42.50\00:48:44.86
for our good."
00:48:44.87\00:48:46.33
Think of the experience
of Daniel who is thrown
00:48:46.34\00:48:48.43
into prison into a lions den,
00:48:48.44\00:48:51.19
not because he
did something wrong,
00:48:51.20\00:48:52.45
but because he did
something right. Amen.
00:48:52.46\00:48:55.02
Think of the
experience of John the Baptist,
00:48:55.03\00:48:56.66
who is thrown into
prison and finally beheaded,
00:48:56.67\00:48:58.72
not because he did
something good, bad,
00:48:58.73\00:49:02.42
but because he did
something good, amen.
00:49:02.43\00:49:06.05
Think of the
experience of Joseph,
00:49:06.06\00:49:08.62
faithful Joseph,
who is sold as the slave
00:49:08.63\00:49:11.89
to Midianite merchants
and carry down to Egypt.
00:49:11.90\00:49:14.62
And I can almost
imagine the hot tears of agony
00:49:14.63\00:49:18.21
streaming down his
face as he watch the tents
00:49:18.22\00:49:21.82
and feels of his
homeland gradually
00:49:21.83\00:49:24.21
disappearing in the distance.
00:49:24.22\00:49:27.49
Being carried down to Egypt,
00:49:27.50\00:49:28.75
he became a servant of Potiphar.
00:49:28.76\00:49:31.00
But I want you to know
00:49:31.01\00:49:32.88
that experience changed Joseph.
00:49:32.89\00:49:35.18
He committed himself to
God on his way to Egypt.
00:49:35.19\00:49:38.11
And as a result of that
00:49:39.17\00:49:40.21
God blessed
everything that he did.
00:49:40.22\00:49:42.04
It seem like
everything that Joseph touched
00:49:42.05\00:49:44.95
seem to turn to gold.
00:49:44.96\00:49:46.94
And so because of that Potiphar,
00:49:46.95\00:49:48.61
the Bible says knew
not all that he had except
00:49:48.62\00:49:50.69
the food that he ate, he
left everything to Joseph
00:49:50.70\00:49:54.76
to be managed in
all of his state,
00:49:54.77\00:49:57.92
but the day comes.
00:49:57.93\00:49:59.42
The Bible tells us the Joseph
00:49:59.43\00:50:00.69
was a handsome young man
00:50:00.70\00:50:01.78
and Potiphar's
wife comes in and says
00:50:01.79\00:50:03.75
come lie with me.
00:50:03.76\00:50:06.37
Joseph immediately responds
00:50:06.38\00:50:07.36
how can I do
this great wickedness
00:50:07.37\00:50:09.29
and sin against God.
00:50:09.30\00:50:10.46
He wasn't thinking
about the consequences of sin.
00:50:10.47\00:50:13.83
He was thinking about
hurting his Savior. Amen.
00:50:13.84\00:50:18.46
And so he ends
up being lied down
00:50:18.47\00:50:20.13
and cast into prison.
00:50:20.14\00:50:22.22
And you know the story,
00:50:22.23\00:50:23.95
there was a baker and
there was butcher or a butler
00:50:23.96\00:50:26.80
and they forget about him after
00:50:26.81\00:50:27.87
he had interpreted their dream
00:50:27.88\00:50:28.90
and then the king had a dream
00:50:28.91\00:50:29.93
and certainly
Joseph comes to mind
00:50:29.94\00:50:31.29
and so he goes to Pharaoh,
00:50:31.30\00:50:33.54
the ruler of then the most
powerful nation on the earth
00:50:33.55\00:50:36.74
and he interprets the dream
00:50:36.75\00:50:37.81
and as a result of that
00:50:37.82\00:50:39.69
Joseph becomes second in command
00:50:39.70\00:50:42.16
in the nation of Egypt. Amen.
00:50:42.17\00:50:44.28
And now his
brothers come down to Egypt
00:50:44.29\00:50:46.16
because of the famine
in order to purchase food.
00:50:46.17\00:50:48.25
And Joseph is not vindictive,
00:50:48.26\00:50:49.80
he is not
attempting to get revenge.
00:50:49.81\00:50:53.11
But on the contrary he did test
00:50:53.12\00:50:55.35
their characters and
saw that they had changed
00:50:55.36\00:50:57.02
and then afterwards
he revealed to them,
00:50:57.03\00:51:00.04
the grace that
God had it upon him.
00:51:00.05\00:51:03.56
And he says these
words so beautiful to me.
00:51:03.57\00:51:05.98
He says you meant it for evil,
00:51:05.99\00:51:11.06
but God meant it for good. Amen.
00:51:11.07\00:51:13.82
You intended to hurt me,
00:51:13.83\00:51:16.38
but God turned it into
blessing not just for me,
00:51:16.39\00:51:20.07
but for you as well
00:51:20.08\00:51:22.00
and so whatever our experience,
00:51:22.01\00:51:23.47
we must keep in mind Romans,
00:51:23.48\00:51:24.73
the 8th Chapter
write that all things
00:51:24.74\00:51:27.26
truly for the Christian
work together for good.
00:51:27.27\00:51:30.05
And so when we are in midst
00:51:30.06\00:51:31.74
of difficulty look
for the blessing. Amen.
00:51:31.75\00:51:35.24
In all things the
Bible says give thanks.
00:51:35.25\00:51:40.07
God is working
on our characters.
00:51:40.08\00:51:42.37
He is preparing us
for a place in eternity.
00:51:42.38\00:51:47.61
Job makes an
interesting statement
00:51:47.62\00:51:48.96
as well that sound very similar
00:51:48.97\00:51:51.48
to what Solomon makes,
00:51:51.49\00:51:53.41
if you turn to
Job the 9th Chapter,
00:51:53.42\00:51:56.60
Job the 9th Chapter and
verse 22, Job Chapter 9.
00:51:56.61\00:52:03.17
And looking at the 22nd verse.
00:52:08.54\00:52:11.24
You remember that
after Job had suffered
00:52:17.10\00:52:19.34
so much calamity
his friends miserable
00:52:19.35\00:52:22.87
counselors came to him
ostensibly to comfort him,
00:52:22.88\00:52:27.38
but only added to his grief.
00:52:27.39\00:52:30.68
And so Job
himself begins to make
00:52:30.69\00:52:33.16
some peculiar statements
in Job the 9th Chapter
00:52:33.17\00:52:35.76
beginning with the 22nd
verse the New King James reads,
00:52:35.77\00:52:38.50
"It is all one
thing; therefore I say,
00:52:38.51\00:52:42.34
He and he's talking about God,
00:52:42.35\00:52:44.52
He destroys the
blameless and the wicked.
00:52:44.53\00:52:49.02
If the scourge slay suddenly,
00:52:49.03\00:52:50.60
he laughs at the
plight of the innocent.
00:52:50.61\00:52:53.07
The earth is given
into the hand of the wicked,
00:52:53.08\00:52:56.83
he covers the
faces of its judges.
00:52:56.84\00:53:01.45
Job is experiencing suffering
00:53:01.46\00:53:02.83
and we also in the
midst of suffering,
00:53:02.84\00:53:05.33
our perspective tends to change.
00:53:05.34\00:53:08.14
But if we hold to God,
00:53:08.15\00:53:10.18
He indeed can bring
a blessing out of it.
00:53:10.19\00:53:12.58
From the book of gospel workers
00:53:12.59\00:53:13.57
we read these words,
"Faith is trusting God,
00:53:13.58\00:53:18.44
believing that He loves us
00:53:18.45\00:53:21.75
and knows what is
for our best good.
00:53:21.76\00:53:25.48
Thus instead of
choosing our own way,
00:53:25.49\00:53:30.60
it leads us to
choose God's way." Amen.
00:53:30.61\00:53:36.04
The writer of
the lesson points out
00:53:36.05\00:53:37.73
and the once he has outlined.
00:53:37.74\00:53:39.78
That the most important decision
00:53:39.79\00:53:42.53
of our lives on this earth
00:53:42.54\00:53:44.33
is the decision to
place our trust in Christ.
00:53:45.76\00:53:50.66
God upholds universes,
00:53:50.67\00:53:51.93
He sets stars in the heavens,
00:53:51.94\00:53:55.63
maintains the planets
in mathematical precision
00:53:55.64\00:54:00.74
as they orbit around the sun.
00:54:00.75\00:54:03.29
Is He not capable of handling
00:54:03.30\00:54:05.71
the circumstances
of your life? Amen.
00:54:05.72\00:54:08.79
And so why then
do we not trust Him?
00:54:08.80\00:54:11.42
Church attendance,
believing in Jesus alone
00:54:11.43\00:54:15.59
that is His existence
00:54:15.60\00:54:16.73
and the fact that
he died for our sins
00:54:16.74\00:54:18.74
does not make us a Christian.
00:54:18.75\00:54:23.00
We must have a vital
connection with Christ.
00:54:23.01\00:54:27.44
Arnold Valentin
Wallenkampf his book entitled
00:54:27.45\00:54:29.68
whatever Christian
should know about being justify.
00:54:29.69\00:54:32.17
Tells an
interesting story about a family
00:54:32.18\00:54:34.04
that had an apple
tree in their backyard
00:54:34.05\00:54:35.77
that begin to
bare its first fruit.
00:54:35.78\00:54:39.82
One apple, Jack,
son of the family
00:54:39.83\00:54:45.40
was told by his
mother be careful
00:54:45.41\00:54:47.55
why you are playing
in the backyard that you,
00:54:47.56\00:54:49.60
you don't as you
are tossing the ball
00:54:49.61\00:54:51.07
about strike the tree.
00:54:51.08\00:54:53.27
Well, year long the
inevitable happened,
00:54:53.28\00:54:57.61
Jack was in the
backyard with friends
00:54:58.83\00:55:00.32
and playing ball and
totally oblivious to the fact
00:55:00.33\00:55:03.95
that they were near the tree
00:55:03.96\00:55:05.03
and the ball eventually
bounced and struck the tree,
00:55:05.04\00:55:09.66
knocked off the apple,
00:55:09.67\00:55:12.52
but rather than to confess
00:55:12.53\00:55:13.69
what it happened
Jack goes into the house
00:55:13.70\00:55:16.47
and he finds his
mothers sewing basket.
00:55:16.48\00:55:20.03
He pulls out of
the spool of thread,
00:55:20.04\00:55:22.84
and he ties a
little bit of thread
00:55:22.85\00:55:24.94
to the stem of
green apple and then
00:55:24.95\00:55:27.59
ties it back to the twig,
00:55:27.60\00:55:28.89
so now once
again the green apple
00:55:28.90\00:55:31.44
is hanging on the tree.
00:55:31.45\00:55:34.06
Mother from time
to time would look out
00:55:36.03\00:55:37.67
the back window at the
tree anxious for the day
00:55:37.68\00:55:41.25
that would come
when it would be right
00:55:41.26\00:55:43.22
for picking and eating,
but as day after day past
00:55:43.23\00:55:47.34
eventually she
begin to notice that the,
00:55:47.35\00:55:49.28
the apple didn't
look as fresh on the tree
00:55:49.29\00:55:52.14
as it once did.
00:55:52.15\00:55:54.65
And so she steps out of
the house to the backyard
00:55:54.66\00:55:57.16
and she walks up to the tree
00:55:57.17\00:55:58.42
and now she
notices that it is nearly
00:55:58.43\00:56:02.40
hanging by a thread.
00:56:02.41\00:56:05.01
It is not attached to the tree,
00:56:06.53\00:56:07.74
it is receiving no nourishment,
00:56:07.75\00:56:10.32
it is not vitally
connected to the branch.
00:56:10.33\00:56:16.29
Jesus said, Jesus said
in John the 15th Chapter,
00:56:16.30\00:56:20.79
I'm divine, ye are the branches,
00:56:20.80\00:56:25.88
he that abided in me
00:56:25.89\00:56:27.54
and I'm him the same
will bring forth much fruit
00:56:27.55\00:56:32.39
but without me, He says
ye can do nothing. Amen.
00:56:32.40\00:56:38.74
When we realize this,
00:56:38.75\00:56:39.72
we will have a
greater appreciation
00:56:39.73\00:56:42.04
for the sacrifice
of Christ for our sins.
00:56:42.05\00:56:46.63
We will notice that
the author of the lesson
00:56:48.09\00:56:50.02
comments on the
condition of those in death.
00:56:50.03\00:56:55.02
As Adventists we like to quote.
00:56:55.03\00:56:57.57
Ecclesiastes Chapter 9 and
verse 5 from the King James,
00:56:57.58\00:57:00.09
"The living know,
that they shall die,
00:57:00.10\00:57:01.59
the dead know not any thing."
00:57:01.60\00:57:03.31
But in reality
00:57:03.32\00:57:04.64
Solomon was not
intending to teach
00:57:04.65\00:57:07.22
a doctrine concerning
the State of the Dead.
00:57:07.23\00:57:09.11
What he was really
saying in this passage
00:57:09.12\00:57:11.73
is the fact that it
is better to be alive
00:57:11.74\00:57:14.08
than it is to be dead.
00:57:14.09\00:57:15.99
At least the living know
that they are going to die,
00:57:16.00\00:57:18.70
but there are numerous texts
00:57:18.71\00:57:20.26
in the rest of
the Bible that give us
00:57:20.27\00:57:22.20
a doctrine concerning
the State of the Dead.
00:57:22.21\00:57:24.40
Psalms the 145th
Chapter verses 1 through 6,
00:57:24.41\00:57:28.71
would be a good
verse that we could use.
00:57:28.72\00:57:31.21
And then also as we
page through Psalms 103
00:57:31.22\00:57:34.18
and Psalms the 115th Chapter,
00:57:34.19\00:57:36.02
we also find, as we compare
scripture with scripture,
00:57:36.03\00:57:39.04
precept upon
precept, line upon line,
00:57:39.05\00:57:40.78
we have numerous
verses of scriptures
00:57:40.79\00:57:42.95
that we can use in
order to understand
00:57:42.96\00:57:46.54
that very important doctrine.
00:57:46.55\00:57:48.80
The lesson asks,
00:57:50.11\00:57:51.30
how do we comfort those
00:57:51.31\00:57:52.70
to whom life has
dealt a cruel below.
00:57:52.71\00:57:57.15
In as much as
Solomon is telling us that,
00:57:57.16\00:57:59.31
you know, the same faith appears
00:57:59.32\00:58:00.47
to come to all
that eventually death
00:58:00.48\00:58:04.63
is what we are
facing, he goes onto say,
00:58:04.64\00:58:07.12
so then enjoy your life.
00:58:07.13\00:58:08.63
It almost sounds
like he is promoting
00:58:08.64\00:58:10.41
a hedonistic philosophy,
eat, drink and be merry,
00:58:10.42\00:58:14.67
for tomorrow we may die.
00:58:14.68\00:58:16.66
In the 9th Chapter
there and in the 10th verse
00:58:16.67\00:58:20.29
and this is our memory verse.
00:58:20.30\00:58:21.32
When he declares
00:58:21.33\00:58:22.38
"Whatsoever thy
hand findeth to do,
00:58:22.39\00:58:24.85
do it with all thy might,
00:58:24.86\00:58:28.13
for there is no
work, no knowledge,
00:58:28.14\00:58:29.93
no wisdom in the grave
00:58:29.94\00:58:31.80
that is where you are going."
00:58:31.81\00:58:32.79
In other words apply yourself,
00:58:32.80\00:58:35.71
apply yourself to
the purpose of your life,
00:58:35.72\00:58:39.00
because so soon it's
all going to be over.
00:58:39.01\00:58:41.34
What everyday that God
00:58:41.35\00:58:42.69
has given you to
do, exert yourself.
00:58:42.70\00:58:46.44