Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: SSH
Program Code: SSH021441
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00:01 (MUSIC)
00:36 >>HELLO FRIENDS. WELCOME TO SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY HOUR. 00:38 MY NAME IS JEAN ROSS. I'M ONE OF THE PASTORS OF THE 00:40 GRANITE BAY SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH. IF THIS IS THE 00:43 FIRST TIME YOU'RE JOINING US, YOU MIGHT NOTICE THAT THINGS ARE 00:46 A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN MAYBE WHAT YOU'RE USED TO. 00:49 FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AMAZING FACTS FILMED THIS SABBATH SCHOOL 00:52 PROGRAM AT SACRAMENTO CENTRAL SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH, 00:56 BUT RECENTLY PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR JOINED THE PASTORAL 00:59 STAFF HERE AT THE GRANITE BAY CHURCH. 01:01 NOW THE GRANITE BAY CHURCH IS IN THE PROCESS OF MOVING TO A NEW 01:04 LOCATION AND WHEN WE MOVE TO OUR NEW LOCATION, WE'LL BE ABLE TO 01:08 RECORD AND BROADCAST OUR SERVICES ON A REGULAR BASIS. 01:12 BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE'RE RECORDING THIS PROGRAM HERE AT 01:14 THE AMAZING FACTS STUDIOS IN ROCKLIN, CALIFORNIA. 01:18 NOW, IF YOU'D LIKE TO FOLLOW ALONG WITH OUR SABBATH SCHOOL 01:21 STUDY, WE'RE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT THE BOOK OF JAMES. 01:25 THIS LESSON'S QUARTERLY IS ALL ABOUT THE BOOK OF JAMES. 01:27 YOU CAN DOWNLOAD TODAY'S LESSON BY GOING TO THE 01:30 GRANITE BAY CHURCH WEBSITE. IT'S SIMPLY 'GRANITEBAYSDA.ORG'. 01:36 YOU CAN CLICK ON THE LINK THAT SAYS 'SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON' - 01:38 WE'RE LOOKING AT LESSON #2 - AND YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THAT AND FOLLOW 01:41 ALONG WITH OUR STUDY TODAY. I'D ALSO LIKE TO WELCOME OUR 01:45 LOCAL CHURCH MEMBERS HERE FROM THE GRANITE BAY CHURCH. 01:48 THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THIS VERY SPECIAL PROGRAM. 01:51 NOW, BEFORE WE OPEN UP GOD'S WORD, LET'S JUST BOW OUR HEADS 01:54 AND ASK FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO GUIDE US. 01:56 DEAR FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE 01:59 TO GATHER TOGETHER TO STUDY YOUR WORD. 02:02 AND WE DO RECOGNIZE THE BIBLE IS YOUR BOOK, SO WE ASK FOR THE 02:04 HOLY SPIRIT TO COME AND GUIDE OUR HEARTS AND OUR MINDS. 02:07 LEAD US INTO A DEEPER AND FULLER UNDERSTANDING OF THIS VERY 02:10 IMPORTANT MESSAGE CONTAINED IN THE BOOK OF JAMES, FOR WE ASK 02:14 THIS IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO INVITE 02:18 PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR TO COME UP AND LEAD US IN OUR STUDY FOR 02:21 TODAY. >>THANK YOU PASTOR ROSS. AND I'M 02:31 SAYING 'GOOD EVENING, FRIENDS' - THIS IS A SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY 02:33 TIME, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY EVENING HERE IN CALIFORNIA. 02:35 I WANT TO WELCOME THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING VIA THE INTERNET - OUR 02:40 EXTENDED CLASS THAT MAY BE WATCHING ALL OVER THE WORLD ON 02:42 SATELLITE - AND WE'RE GLAD THAT YOU'VE JOINED US FOR OUR STUDY 02:45 HOUR TOGETHER. IN A MOMENT WE'LL GET TO OUR 02:48 LESSON ON THE BOOK OF JAMES, BUT AS OUR CUSTOM, WE HAVE A FREE 02:52 OFFER WE'D LIKE TO TELL YOU ABOUT. THIS IS A CLASSIC BOOK 02:54 BY JOE CREWS THAT WILL HELP ENHANCE TODAY'S STUDY. 02:57 IT'S CALLED, 'THE BROOK DRIED UP: WHY DO CHRISTIANS SUFFER?' 03:02 IT'S BASED ON THE EXPERIENCE OF ELIJAH AND, SOMETIMES, WHEN YOU 03:05 GO THROUGH TRIALS - AND OUR LESSON TALKS ABOUT THAT TODAY. 03:09 IF YOU'D LIKE A COPY OF THIS, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS CALL THE 03:11 NUMBER 866-788-3966 - THAT SHOULD BE ON YOUR SCREEN - 03:16 THAT'S 866-STUDY-MORE. ASK FOR OFFER #161 - IT'S FREE. 03:21 ONCE AGAIN, JUST PLEASE READ IT AND THEN SHARE IT WITH A FRIEND. 03:24 NOW, IF YOU HAVE YOUR LESSON - AND YOU MIGHT WANT TO JOIN US - 03:29 WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING INTO LESSON #2 THAT'S TALKING ABOUT 03:32 THE BOOK OF JAMES. WE'VE JUST BEGUN OUR STUDY AND, 03:36 AS OUR CUSTOM, WE'D LIKE TO START OUT WITH A MEMORY VERSE 03:39 AND THE MEMORY VERSE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES. 03:41 IT'S FROM HEBREWS 12, VERSE 2. AND THIS IS COMING TO US FROM 03:45 THE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW PLACES 03:48 WHERE I PREFER WHAT THE NIV SAYS HERE, AS THE LESSON WRITER DID. 03:54 HEBREWS 12:1 AND 2 AND IT SAYS, "LET US" - DIDN'T GIVE YOU A 04:00 CHANCE TO FIND IT. YOU READY? "LET US FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS, 04:05 THE AUTHOR AND PERFECTER OF OUR FAITH, WHO FOR THE JOY THAT WAS 04:09 SET BEFORE HIM, ENDURED THE CROSS, SCORNING ITS SHAME AND 04:14 HAS SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE THRONE OF GOD. 04:17 NOW, I LIKE THE WAY THIS IS WORDED: "LET'S FIX OUR EYES" - 04:21 IT'S LIKE FASTENING OUR EYES ON JESUS. 04:25 THERE USED TO BE A TIGHTROPE WALKER WHO WAS CALLED 'THE GREAT 04:30 BLONDIN' - HE'S ONE OF THE FEW THAT DIED OF OLD AGE. 04:32 MANY OF THE TIGHTROPE WALKERS MET UNPLEASANT ENDS, BUT THIS 04:38 ONE, HE ACTUALLY WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AND ON SEVERAL 04:41 OCCASIONS HE CROSSED NIAGARA FALLS AND HE DID IT WITH A 04:45 WHEELBARROW AND HE DID IT FREEHAND AND A NUMBER OF WAYS. 04:48 AND SOMEONE ASKED HIM ONE TIME, 'AREN'T YOU TERRIFIED WHEN YOU 04:52 START GETTING OUT THERE IN THE MIDDLE AND THE LINE IS STARTING 04:54 TO WOBBLE AND YOU FEEL THE WIND AND THE MIST IS BILLOWING UP?' 04:58 YOU KNOW, NIAGARA FALLS ACTUALLY USED TO HAVE MUCH MORE WATER 05:01 GOING OVER BACK WHEN HE DID THIS, THAN IT DOES NOW. 05:04 MOST OF IT'S REDIRECTED NOW FOR IRRIGATION AND FOR POWER. 05:08 AND HE SAID, 'I DON'T LOOK AT ANY OF THAT.' HE SAID, 'I FIX A 05:13 SILVER STAR AT THE OPPOSITE END AND HE SAID, 'I DON'T LOOK DOWN, 05:17 I DON'T LOOK AT MY FEET.' HE SAID, 'I FIX MY EYES ON THE STAR 05:20 AND THAT'S HOW I GET THROUGH THE STORM.' AND THAT'S REALLY THE 05:24 SECRET TO THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. WE NEED TO FIX OUR EYES ON 05:27 JESUS. HOW CAN WE LAY ASIDE THE SIN AND 05:30 THE WEIGHT THAT BESETS US? BY FIXING OUR EYES ON JESUS. 05:34 AND SO, THAT'S OUR MEMORY VERSE AND THAT'S ONE OF THE 05:36 THEMES THAT JAMES HAS HERE FOR US. 05:39 AND WITH THAT, MAYBE JUST A LITTLE REVIEW OF SOME OF WHAT WE 05:43 TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK WHEN WE INTRODUCED THE LESSON. 05:47 WHO WAS THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK OF JAMES? WE'VE GOT FOUR 05:51 JAMESES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. REMEMBER LESSON 1? 05:54 "JAMES, THE BROTHER OF JESUS." AND SO THIS WAS PROBABLY THE 05:59 OLDEST OF JOSEPH'S ORIGINAL SONS. 06:04 AND, AT FIRST, HE WAS NOT A BELIEVER. 06:08 HE DIDN'T SEEM TO HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN WHAT JESUS WAS 06:11 DOING. HE SEEMED VERY CONFUSED. 06:13 BUT SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY HE HAD A REAL CHANGE OF HEART AND 06:16 WE SHOWED YOU THE VERSES WHERE, EVEN AFTER THE RESURRECTION, AT 06:19 ONE POINT, JESUS PERSONALLY APPEARED TO HIM LIKE HE DID THE 06:23 TWO ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS, LIKE HE DID WITH PETER, AND LIKE HE 06:28 DID WITH MARY MAGDALENE. I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE HEARD 06:32 THAT CONVERSATION. BUT WITH THE DEATH OF JAMES, THE 06:37 BROTHER OF JOHN, YOU NOTICE THAT JAMES, THE BROTHER OF JESUS, 06:41 SEEMS TO TRANSITION INTO A PATRIARCHAL LEADERSHIP, 06:44 ESPECIALLY OF THE CHURCH IN JERUSALEM. 06:47 HE MAY HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE MORE SAGE AND SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE 06:50 CHURCH BUT, YOU NOTICE, HE'S SORT OF CHAIRING THE BOARD FOR 06:53 THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. 06:56 AND THE LETTER HE WROTE WAS PROBABLY WRITTEN SOMEWHERE 07:00 BETWEEN 45 AND 48 AD, MAKING IT ONE OF THE EARLIEST NEW 07:05 TESTAMENT EPISTLES, OR LETTERS, TO THE CHURCH. IT'S ALSO NOT 07:09 WRITTEN TO A SPECIFIC PERSON. IT'S NOT WRITTEN TO A SPECIFIC 07:12 CONGREGATION, LIKE CORINTHIANS OR THESSALONIANS. 07:16 IT'S WRITTEN TO THE SAINTS THAT ARE EVERYWHERE. 07:19 AND SO, THIS IS A LETTER REALLY WRITTEN FOR ANYBODY WHO 07:23 IS SEEKING TO LIVE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. IT IS TRUE THAT, AT THE 07:28 TIME JAMES WROTE HIS BOOK, THE PERCENTAGE OF JEWISH CHRISTIANS 07:34 OUTNUMBERED THE PERCENTAGE OF GENTILE CHRISTIANS. 07:39 BY THE TIME PAUL WROTE SOME OF HIS BOOKS AND, CERTAINLY BY THE 07:42 TIME JOHN HAD THE VISION OF REVELATION, THINGS HAD FLIPPED 07:45 AND THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH WERE NOW GENTILES. 07:50 AND TALK ABOUT IMMIGRATION. I MEAN, IT WAS - ALL OF A SUDDEN 07:55 THEY STARTED WELCOMING A FEW GENTILES, WHEN PETER TALKED TO 07:58 CORNELIUS, YOU KNOW, AND HIS HOUSEHOLD. 08:00 AND THEN PAUL BEGAN TO INVITE GENTILES TO COME TO THE 08:02 SYNAGOGUE, BUT IT JUST WENT LIKE FIRE. AND THE JEWS WERE THE 08:06 FIRST EVANGELISTS. SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, WHY 08:10 DID GOD CALL THE JEWISH PEOPLE? I JUST WANT TO TIE OFF THIS 08:14 POINT AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO THE LESSON A LITTLE MORE. 08:17 ONE OF THE PRINCIPLE REASONS THAT JESUS CALLED THE JEWISH 08:20 NATION: THROUGH THEM THE MESSIAH WAS GOING TO COME. 08:24 GOD TOLD ABRAHAM, 'THROUGH YOUR SEED ALL THE NATIONS WOULD BE 08:27 BLESSED.' AND HE WANTED THEM TO BE INSTRUMENTAL IN ANNOUNCING 08:32 AND INTRODUCING THE SAVIOR. DID THAT HAPPEN AT PENTECOST? 08:37 YOU KNOW, AS MUCH RESISTANCE AS HE HAD FROM HIS OWN PEOPLE, 08:40 GOD'S WILL IS ALWAYS FULFILLED. 08:43 AND THERE WAS A REMNANT OF FAITHFUL IN THAT UPPER ROOM AND 08:46 HE USED THEM TO PROCLAIM AND ANNOUNCE AND INTRODUCE JESUS. 08:50 AND THEN, BECAUSE THEY POURED OUT THE HOLY SPIRIT ON PENTECOST 08:54 - IT SAYS IN ACTS CHAPTER 2:5, "AND THERE WERE DWELLING IN 08:58 JERUSALEM JEWS, DEVOUT MEN, FROM EVERY NATION UNDER HEAVEN." 09:03 THAT MEANS JEWS THAT WERE LIVING AND DOING BUSINESS ALL OVER THE 09:06 ROMAN EMPIRE, AS FAR AWAY AS TARSHISH, SPAIN. 09:10 AND I THINK YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD ME TELL YOU BEFORE MY 09:12 GRANDFATHER'S NAME WAS 'TARSHIS - TARSHIS' THAT WAS THE 09:16 FARTHEST - THAT WAS THE JEWISH WAY OF SAYING 'TIMBUKTU' BECAUSE 09:19 IT WAS, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GET TO THE BORDER OF SPAIN - IT WAS 09:23 BY THE GATE OF HERCULES BY SPAIN - THEN THEY KEPT SAILING. 09:26 THEY WENT OFF INTO NO MAN'S LAND AND, NOT UNTIL BEYOND COLUMBUS 09:30 DID THEY REALLY KNOW WHAT WAS IN THE WEST WHEN THEY KEPT GOING. 09:33 AND SO THEY HAD JEWS - THEY'VE SEEN EVIDENCE OF JEWISH SETTLERS 09:39 THAT WERE IN NORTH AFRICA, IN SPAIN, THROUGH GERMANY - SO WHEN 09:43 IT SAYS, 'THROUGHOUT THE ROMAN EMPIRE,' THEY WERE EVERYWHERE. 09:46 SO WHEN PETER PREACHED TO THOSE JEWS AND THEY ACCEPTED JESUS, 09:50 AFTER THE FEAST WHAT DID THEY DO? THEY TOOK THIS KNOWLEDGE 09:53 BACK AND IT JUST, ALMOST INSTANTLY, WENT VIRAL, AS WE 09:58 WOULD SAY. THAT'S HOW THINGS WENT VIRAL BACK THEN. 10:01 IT WAS A BRILLIANT IDEA FOR GOD TO DO IT THE WAY HE DID. 10:04 SO, WHEN JAMES WRITES THIS LETTER, HE EXPECTED IT TO BE 10:07 CIRCULATED WIDELY. AND WE SHOWED YOU LAST WEEK, 10:10 MANY OF THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS READ FROM THE BOOK OF JAMES AND 10:13 BELIEVED IT TO BE PART OF THE SACRED CANON. 10:16 NOW, SOMETHING I DIDN'T SAY IN OUR INTRODUCTION, WHAT DOES THE 10:21 NAME 'JAMES' MEAN? NOW, WHEN YOU SAY A HEBREW NAME 10:28 WITH A GREEK PRONUNCIATION, YOU'RE GOING TO SOMETIMES COME 10:31 UP WITH SOMETHING DIFFERENT. THAT REALLY MIXED ME UP WHEN I 10:34 FIRST STARTED READING THE NEW TESTAMENT - KING JAMES. 10:37 SOME OF THE MODERN TRANSLATIONS ADJUST FOR THAT - AND YOU READ 10:41 THE NAME 'NOAH' IN THE GREEK AND WHAT DOES IT SAY? NOE. 10:45 AND YOU READ 'ELIJAH' AND IN THE GREEK IT'S 'ELIAS.' AND YOU READ 10:52 THE NAME 'YASHUA,' IT'S JESUS. YEAH, WELL THEY - OR THEY SAY 10:58 'JOSHUA.' BUT THEN YOU ALSO TAKE THE NAME 'JAMES' - YOU KNOW 11:03 WHERE JAMES IS? THE NAME JAMES IS ONE OF THE VERY FAMOUS 11:07 HEBREW NAMES. IT'S 'JACOB' OR 'IAKOBOS.' 11:12 THAT'S MORE HOW A JEW MIGHT SAY IT. 11:15 AND SO, WHEN YOU SAY THE NAME 'JAMES,' YOU'RE REALLY 11:18 SAYING 'JACOB.' IT'S JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE READ IT 11:21 MORE IN THE GREEK - COMING FROM THE GREEK THAN - HOW MANY OF YOU 11:26 KNOW WHAT YOUR NAME IS IN A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE? 11:29 LIKE MY DAD'S NAME AND OUR SON'S NAME 'GEORGE' IS 'JORGE' IN 11:33 SPANISH, YOU KNOW, AND SO AS YOU GO FROM COUNTRY AND COUNTRY AND 11:35 - LIKE IN RUSSIA WE MET A LOT OF PEOPLE NAMED 'MICHAEL' - IT'S 11:40 'MIKHAIL' OR 'MISCHA' AND IT'S INTERESTING WHEN YOU GO FROM 11:46 LANGUAGE TO LANGUAGE, HOW A BIBLE NAME, KIND OF, IS 11:50 PRONOUNCED DIFFERENTLY. WELL, WHEN WE SAY JAMES, YOU REALLY - 11:53 IT'S 'IAKOBOS' OR 'JACOB.' AND SO, THAT'S WHAT THE NAME MEANS. 11:58 ALRIGHT, FIRST SECTION UNDER SUNDAY 'FAITH LASTS.' NOW, WE'RE 12:03 GOING TO HAVE SOME OF YOU READ SOME VERSES. 12:04 IT'LL BE A MOMENT OR TWO BEFORE I GET TO IT, BUT THE FIRST ONE 12:07 IS JOB 23:10. LET ME JUST LOCATE WHO HAS THAT FORTUNE COOKIE. 12:13 OKAY, WE'LL GET YOU A MICROPHONE. GO AHEAD, 12:15 HOLD YOUR HAND UP FOR A SECOND SO THEY CAN SEE WHERE YOU ARE. 12:17 OKAY. AND YOU'LL BE THE FIRST ONE WE 12:19 READ - THAT READS FOR US - IN JUST A MOMENT. 12:21 I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY DELVING RIGHT INTO JAMES. 12:25 JAMES 1, VERSES 2 AND 3, "MY BRETHREN, COUNT IT ALL JOY WHEN 12:32 YOU FALL INTO VARIOUS TRIALS, KNOWING THAT THE TESTING OF YOUR 12:36 FAITH PRODUCES PATIENCE." NOW, HOW MANY OF YOU'VE EVER 12:39 PRAYED THAT GOD'LL TEST YOUR FAITH? 12:42 DOES THAT EVER SOUND PLEASANT? HOW MANY OF YOU WANT JOY? 12:48 WE ALL WANT JOY? BUT, NOTICE, HE SAID, "COUNT IT ALL JOY." 12:53 HOW MUCH JOY? COMPLETE JOY - THE BEST JOY. 12:57 "WHEN YOU FALL INTO VARIOUS TRIALS." 13:00 I STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THAT POINT YET, BUT I KNOW THIS IS 13:03 SOMETHING THE BIBLE CLEARLY TEACHES. WHY? 13:06 BECAUSE YOU CAN'T BE SAVED UNLESS YOUR FAITH IS PERFECTED 13:10 AND HE SAYS THAT THESE TRIALS TEST YOUR FAITH AND IT PRODUCES 13:15 PATIENCE. THERE IS A SANCTIFYING, 13:18 PURIFYING, TRANSFORMING INFLUENCE THAT WE EXPERIENCE AS 13:23 WE GO THROUGH TRIALS. HOW DO YOU GET A PEARL? 13:27 BY PLACING AN IRRITATION IN AN OYSTER AND THE OYSTER TAKES THAT 13:33 IRRITATION AND WORKS IT OVER AND COVERS IT UP AND EVENTUALLY IT 13:38 TURNS INTO SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL. VERY RARELY, WHILE YOU'RE GOING 13:44 THROUGH TRIALS, DO WE APPRECIATE IT. 13:47 BUT HOW MANY OF YOU CAN NOW LOOK BACK ON SOMETHING THAT YOU WENT 13:50 THROUGH, MAYBE IN YOUR YOUTH OR AT SOME POINT IN YOUR LIFE WHERE 13:55 YOU SAID, 'THAT WAS REALLY DIFFICULT.' BUT NOW YOU LOOK 13:57 BACK AND YOU SAY, 'YOU KNOW, I'M A BETTER PERSON BECAUSE OF 14:00 THAT.' AT THE TIME YOU DIDN'T ENJOY IT. 14:03 I THANK THE LORD THAT I WENT TO MILITARY SCHOOL. 14:09 NOW, I'M NOT RECOMMENDING OTHER PEOPLE, BUT COMPARED TO THE WAY 14:11 I WAS GROWING UP, BECAUSE I WAS WITH A SINGLE MOM IN NEW YORK 14:15 CITY AND MY BROTHER AND I WERE RUNNING THE STREETS. 14:17 WE HAD NO DISCIPLINE, NO SELF-CONTROL - WE WERE OUT OF 14:19 CONTROL AND SPENDING A COUPLE OF YEARS IN NEW YORK MILITARY 14:23 ACADEMY WAS TOUGH. I CRIED - HOMESICK - AND WHEN 14:28 YOU'RE NEW THERE THE DISCIPLINE WAS - I'D NEVER GONE THROUGH 14:31 ANYTHING LIKE IT. IT WAS A SHOCK FOR ME - TO HAVE 14:33 THAT MUCH DISCIPLINE - COMPARED TO A VERY INDULGENT MOTHER. 14:37 AND I CALLED AND BEGGED HER TO TAKE ME HOME AND SHE WOULDN'T DO 14:41 IT. AND NOW I LOOK BACK AND I THINK, 'PRAISE THE LORD I WENT 14:46 TO MILITARY SCHOOL.' I CAN MAKE MY BED. I CAN SHINE MY SHOES. 14:51 I GOT OUT OF MILITARY SCHOOL - I CAME HOME VACATIONS, I CALLED MY 14:55 MOTHER 'SIR.' THEY JUST DRILL IT INTO YOU. 14:58 BUT, YOU KNOW, THE DISCIPLINE AND SELF - CONTROL THEY MAKE YOU 15:02 LEARN, NOW LOOKING BACK, I DIDN'T ENJOY IT AT THE TIME BUT 15:05 NOW LOOKING BACK I THINK, 'THAT WAS REALLY GOOD. 15:08 I REALLY NEEDED THAT.' AND SO - AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S OTHER 15:11 TRIALS WE GO THROUGH. AND THEN THE LORD CAN WORK THOSE 15:14 THINGS TOGETHER FOR GOOD. JAMES ACTUALLY IS QUOTED BY 15:18 PETER. IT'S VERY SIMILAR, ANYWAY, 15:20 1 PETER 1:6, "IN THIS YOU GREATLY 15:24 REJOICE, THOUGH NOW FOR A LITTLE WHILE, IF NEED BE, YOU HAVE BEEN 15:28 GRIEVED BY VARIOUS TRIALS, THAT THE GENUINENESS OF YOUR FAITH," 15:32 - NOTICE THE CONNECTION AGAIN - FAITH AND TRIALS? 15:34 - "BEING MUCH MORE PRECIOUS THAN GOLD THAT PERISHES, THOUGH IT 15:38 IS TESTED BY FIRE, MAY BE FOUND TO PRAISE, HONOR, AND GLORY AT 15:43 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST," NOW, YOU NOTICE AGAIN IN THAT 15:48 YOU GREATLY REJOICE, THOUGH FOR A LITTLE WHILE, YOU'RE 15:51 GRIEVED BY TRIALS. GREATLY REJOICE. 15:54 THIS WAS A CONSTANT THEME THEY HAD. 15:56 YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE READY NOW. 15:58 YOU'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND READ FOR US JOB 23:10, I THINK. 16:02 >>JOB 23:10, "BUT HE KNOWS THE WAY THAT I TAKE; WHEN HE HAS 16:08 TESTED ME, I SHALL COME FORTH AS GOLD." 16:11 >>YEAH, THAT SOUNDS VERY MUCH LIKE WHAT PETER SAID, 'GOLD THAT 16:14 PERISHES, THOUGH IT'S TESTED BY FIRE.' YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU MINE 16:18 GOLD, VERY RARELY - NOW HERE WE ARE IN CALIFORNIA AND WE'VE ALL 16:22 HEARD STORIES, ESPECIALLY IN THIS AREA, AROUND SACRAMENTO. 16:25 THIS WAS THE EPICENTER OF THE GOLD RUSH - THIS AND SACRAMENTO. 16:29 THEY DIDN'T FIND MUCH GOLD IN SACRAMENTO, THAT'S WHERE THE 16:31 SHIPS CAME IN BUT, YOU KNOW, FROM SACRAMENTO WAS, SORT OF, 16:34 THE LAUNCHING GROUND FOR A LOT OF GOLD DISCOVERIES AROUND HERE. 16:37 AND YOU MIGHT FIND A NUGGET LAYING ON THE GROUND. 16:40 WE ALL WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT. MATTER OF FACT, I HEARD ABOUT A 16:43 PATHFINDER GROUP THAT WAS UP IN FEATHER FALLS WALKING DOWN THE 16:47 RIVER AND THE PATHFINDER LEADER TOLD THE KIDS, 'THEY USED TO GET 16:51 GOLD OUT OF THIS CREEK.' AND RIGHT AFTER HE SAID THAT, ONE OF 16:54 THE KIDS LOOKED DOWN AND HE SAID, 'DOES IT LOOK LIKE THIS?' 16:57 AND HE PICKED UP A NUGGET AND THEY COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. 17:01 THEY SAID, 'YES, THAT'S GOLD.' AND THE KIDS SPENT THE REST OF 17:04 THE DAY SCOURING THE CREEK AND NOBODY ELSE FOUND ANY GOLD. 17:09 BUT JUST AT THE VERY MOMENT THAT SOMEONE SAID THAT, THE KID 17:12 LOOKED DOWN AND HE SAID, 'IS THAT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE?' 17:16 BUT USUALLY WHEN YOU GET GOLD IT COMES OUT OF THE GROUND DIRTY 17:20 AND IT'S MIXED UP WITH OTHER THINGS AND THEY'VE GOT TO 17:23 PULVERIZE IT - I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER SEEN HOW THEY DO 17:25 THIS. THEY GRIND IT DOWN TO POWDER, 17:28 THEY SEPARATE IT WITH WATER AND THEY SOMETIMES USE CHEMICALS AND 17:31 THEN THEY USE HEAT AND THEY SMELT IT AND SKIM IT AND THERE'S 17:34 A WHOLE REFINING, PURIFYING PROCESS. 17:37 NOW TODAY THEY'VE GOT A LOT MORE SOPHISTICATED TECHNIQUES AND 17:40 THEY HAVE CHEMICALS THAT THEY USE BUT, IN BIBLE TIMES, ONE OF 17:44 THE THINGS THEY USED WAS IT WAS BEATEN AND IT WAS BURNED AND 17:48 THEN YOU HAD YOUR PURE GOLD. AND SO - EVEN JOB SAID THAT. 17:54 THAT 'YOU'LL TRY ME. WHEN I'M TESTED I'LL COME FORTH 17:58 LIKE GOLD.' AND, BY THE WAY, JOB IS THE OLDEST BOOK IN THE BIBLE 18:01 SO THIS REFINING OF GOLD GOES WAY BACK. 18:04 NOW, DID JESUS TELL US THAT WE MIGHT EXPECT TO ENCOUNTER 18:08 TRIBULATIONS AND TRIALS AS BELIEVERS? 18:11 A COUPLE WAYS THAT COMES. ONE IS, YOU CAN HAVE TRIALS JUST 18:14 BECAUSE RAIN AND SUNSHINE COMES INTO EVERY LIFE. 18:18 IT MIGHT TAKE THE FORM OF A FINANCIAL REVERSE. 18:20 IT MIGHT BE A HEALTH PROBLEM. IT MIGHT BE A PROBLEM WITH 18:23 SOMEONE YOU LOVE OR WITHIN YOUR FAMILY. 18:25 BUT THEN THERE'S PROBLEMS OF BEING PERSECUTED BECAUSE OF YOUR 18:28 FAITH. THERE ARE OUTSIDE THINGS. AND JESUS WAS ALSO TALKING ABOUT 18:33 THOSE KIND OF TRIALS. PETER WAS TOO, I THINK, PARTLY. 18:38 "BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO ARE PERSECUTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS' 18:40 SAKE, FOR THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN." 18:43 BLESSED. NOW, WHAT DOES BLESSED MEAN? HAPPY. JOYFUL. 18:48 "BLESSED ARE YOU WHEN THEY REVILE AND PERSECUTE YOU, AND 18:53 SAY ALL KINDS OF EVIL AGAINST YOU FALSELY" - NOTICE, YOU'RE 18:56 ONLY BLESSED IF THEY SAY IT FALSELY. 18:58 IF YOU'RE GETTING BAD THINGS SAID ABOUT YOU BECAUSE YOU 18:59 DESERVE IT, YOU'RE NOT BLESSED. NOW SOMETIMES WE THINK IT'S 19:04 FALSE. IT MAY NOT ALWAYS BE. 19:07 BUT WHEN THEY SAY IT FALSELY "FOR MY SAKE." HE SAID, 19:12 "REJOICE" - AND WHAT KIND OF GLAD? - "BE EXCEEDINGLY GLAD." 19:17 WHAT STRONGER WORDS CAN JESUS USE? 19:20 BE EXCEEDINGLY GLAD FOR "GREAT IS YOUR REWARD IN HEAVEN. 19:24 FOR SO PERSECUTED THEY THE PROPHETS THAT WERE BEFORE YOU." 19:28 SO EVEN JESUS SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY GO THROUGH TRIALS 19:31 IN LIFE. DON'T BE DISCOURAGED BY THIS. 19:33 IF YOU'RE BEING PERSECUTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS' SAKE, REJOICE. 19:37 AGAIN, ACTS 5:40. DID THE DISCIPLES EXPERIENCE THAT? 19:42 DID JAMES HIMSELF GO THROUGH THAT? 19:44 YOU READ IN ACTS 5 - AND AFTER THE DISCIPLES WERE TRIED, THE 19:49 APOSTLES, IN PARTICULAR, AND THE SANHEDRIN, "AND THEY AGREED 19:53 WITH HIM," - WITH GAMELIEL - "AND WHEN THEY HAD CALLED FOR 19:56 THE APOSTLES AND BEATEN THEM, THEY COMMANDED THAT THEY SHOULD 20:00 NOT SPEAK IN THE NAME OF JESUS, AND LET THEM GO. 20:04 SO THE DISCIPLES LEFT MOANING AND COMPLAINING" - 20:07 IS THAT WHAT HAPPENED? 20:10 "THEY DEPARTED FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE COUNCIL, REJOICING" - 20:13 THEY HAD JUST BEEN BEATEN - "REJOICING THAT THEY WERE 20:17 ACCOUNTED WORTHY TO SUFFER SHAME FOR HIS NAME." 20:21 ANY OF YOU EVER GET ANY MEDICINE? 20:24 NOW THEY'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, SOPHISTICATED CHEMICALS THAT TRY 20:28 TO DIFFUSE THINGS BETTER, BUT I REMEMBER I USED TO PICK UP THIS 20:33 MEDICINE FOR MY MOM AND MY BROTHER AND MAYBE EVEN ME AT 20:36 TIMES AND IT ALWAYS SAID ON IT 'SHAKE WELL BEFORE USING.' AND I 20:41 THINK THAT GOD PUTS THAT LABEL ON MOST BELIEVERS. 20:45 HE CAN'T REALLY USE US UNTIL HE SHAKES US UP A LITTLE BIT. 20:49 LOOK AT SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT GOD HAS CALLED INTO LEADERSHIP. 20:53 DID HE SHAKE THEM PRETTY GOOD BEFORE THEY WERE USED? 20:56 BEFORE DAVID COULD BE KING, WHAT DID HE GO THROUGH? 21:00 OH, IT WAS WONDERFUL AS A BOY ON THE HILLS OF BETHLEHEM, BUT 21:02 AFTER HE KILLED GOLIATH, MAN, THINGS GOT REALLY BAD. 21:06 HE WAS HIDING OUT AND RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE AND HAVING 21:10 ALL THESE NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCES. 21:12 WHAT ABOUT JOSEPH BEFORE HE CAME TO THAT ZENITH OF LEADERSHIP? 21:16 DID GOD SHAKE HIM WELL BEFORE USING? 21:19 AND THEN YOU LOOK THROUGH HISTORY AT PEOPLE LIKE LINCOLN 21:22 AND MANY OTHERS I COULD NAME, THE TRIALS THAT THEY WENT 21:25 THROUGH AND THE PERSONAL LOSS AND HOW GOD WAS ABLE, THEN TO 21:28 USE THAT TO, THROUGH THEM, BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS. 21:34 1 PETER 4:12, STILL TALKING ABOUT THIS SAME THEME THAT WE 21:39 JUST SAW IN 1 PETER 1:6 GOING DOWN TO 1 PETER 4:12, "BELOVED, 21:44 DO NOT THINK IT STRANGE CONCERNING THE FIERY TRIAL WHICH 21:47 IS TO TRY YOU, AS THOUGH SOME STRANGE THING HAPPENED TO YOU;" 21:51 - CAN I PAUSE RIGHT HERE? THERE'S A LOT OF DEAR, SINCERE 21:57 CHRISTIANS OUT THERE THAT BELIEVE SOMETHING CALLED 'THE 21:59 SECRET RAPTURE.' THESE ARE SINCERE CHRISTIANS. THE SECRET 22:03 RAPTURE IS THE IDEA THAT THE CHRISTIANS ARE NOT GOING TO GO 22:06 THROUGH ANY GREAT TIME OF TROUBLE AT THE END OF TIME. 22:09 VIRTUALLY ALL CHRISTIANS - PRE-TRIB, POST-TRIB, 22:13 MID-TRIBULATION THEORISTS - YOU NOTICE 'PRE-TRIB, POST-TRIB' - 22:19 TRIB STANDS FOR TRIBULATION - 'MID-TRIB' - ALL OF THE MAIN 22:22 GROUPS OF CHRISTIANS BELIEVE IN TRIBULATION. 22:26 THEY JUST ARE SAYING, 'WHEN IS THE RAPTURE GOING TO TAKE PLACE? 22:29 THE SECOND COMING? WHEN ARE WE CAUGHT UP?' 22:31 NOW WE BELIEVE, WITH MANY OTHER GOOD CHRISTIANS, THAT THE LORD 22:35 COMES AT THE END OF THE TRIBULATION. 22:38 JESUS SAID, 'HE THAT ENDURES TO THE END, THE SAME WILL BE SAVED. 22:41 AND, AT THAT TIME, MICHAEL WILL STAND UP AND THERE'S A GREAT 22:44 TIME OF TROUBLE SUCH AS THERE NEVER HAS BEEN' - THIS IS DANIEL 22:47 CHAPTER 12 - 'EVER SINCE THERE WAS A NATION, EVEN UNTO THAT 22:50 SAME TIME.' SO THE BIBLE CLEARLY FORETELLS 22:53 THERE'S GOING TO BE A GREAT TIME OF TROUBLE. 22:56 BUT THOSE WHO BELIEVE THAT THE CHURCH IS GOING TO GET 'CAUGHT 22:59 AWAY' BEFORE JESUS COMES, AND THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, THEY ARE 23:04 GOING TO BE AMAZED AT THE FIERY TRIALS THAT ARE TRYING THEM AS 23:08 THOUGH SOME STRANGE THING HAS HAPPENED TO THEM. 23:11 IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY CAN'T BE SAVED, BUT I THINK THEY'RE GOING 23:13 TO BE SHOCKED. BY THE WAY, WHAT'S THE SAFER OF 23:15 THE BELIEFS? TO BRACE YOURSELF IN YOUR FAITH 23:18 THAT YOU MIGHT BE HERE FOR THE TRIALS AND THEN BE WRONG? 23:24 I'LL BE HAPPY IF ALL OF A SUDDEN I'M CAUGHT UP. YEAH, BUT - 23:27 THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT, PREPARE FOR WHAT COULD BE A SERIOUS 23:30 PROBLEM AND IF THE BEST HAPPENS, GREAT. BUT WE KNOW FROM THE 23:33 BIBLE THAT - LET ME PUT IT TO YOU THIS WAY: THE SEVEN LAST 23:39 PLAGUES, THEY'RE SYNONYMOUS WITH THE GREAT TRIBULATION, RIGHT? 23:42 WERE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL IN EGYPT WHEN THE TEN PLAGUES FELL? 23:47 YOU NOTICE, MANY, IF NOT ALL, OF THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES ARE 23:50 PARALLELS OF THE PLAGUES THAT FELL ON EGYPT. 23:54 THE ISRAELITES WERE STILL IN EGYPT WHEN THE PLAGUES FELL BUT 23:58 HE PROTECTED THEM THROUGH THE PLAGUES. 24:00 DID GOD FEED ELIJAH DURING THE DROUGHT? 24:03 CAN GOD FEED HIS PEOPLE IN THE WILDERNESS? 24:06 SO I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES, I JUST WANT 24:08 TO BE FAITHFUL AND GOD'LL TAKE CARE OF US. 24:10 BUT A LOT OF BELIEVERS ARE GOING TO BE AMAZED. 24:14 I DIDN'T FINISH READING THAT VERSE. 24:15 "AS THOUGH SOME STRANGE THING HAPPENED TO YOU" - STILL IN 1 24:18 PETER 4:13 - "BUT REJOICE TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU PARTAKE OF 24:23 CHRIST'S SUFFERINGS, THAT WHEN HIS GLORY IS REVEALED, YOU MAY 24:27 ALSO BE GLAD WITH EXCEEDING JOY." 24:30 WON'T WE BE THANKFUL WHEN JESUS COMES IF WE HAVE FAITHFULLY AND 24:35 PATIENTLY ENDURED SUFFERING FOR HIS SAKE? I'M WORKING ON IT. 24:41 I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT, YOU KNOW, IF I'VE GOT ANY LITTLE 24:43 ACHE OR PAIN, I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW ABOUT IT. 24:46 AND WE ALL KNOW SOMEBODY THAT, WHEN YOU ASK THEM HOW THEY'RE 24:48 DOING, YOU'RE SORT OF SORRY YOU ASKED. THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE 24:52 STRENGTHENED MY FAITH THE MOST ARE WHEN I MEET AND TALK WITH 24:56 CHRISTIANS AND I KNOW THEY'RE STRUGGLING AND I KNOW THEY'RE 25:01 SUFFERING AND THEY DON'T COMPLAIN. YOU KNOW WHEN A 25:04 CHRISTIAN'S LIGHT SHINES THE BRIGHTEST? THROUGH TRIALS. 25:09 AND, TYPICALLY, CHRISTIANS ARE THE BEST WITNESS IN TRIALS. 25:14 SO WHEN YOU'RE GOING THROUGH A TRIAL, YOU MAY NOT UNDERSTAND 25:17 RIGHT AWAY WHY, BUT JUST TRUST HIM. 25:21 PAUL AND SILAS - ACTS 16:25 - "BUT AT MIDNIGHT PAUL AND SILAS 25:24 WERE PRAYING AND SINGING HYMNS TO GOD, AND THE PRISONERS WERE 25:28 LISTENING TO THEM." THEY WERE LISTENING. 25:30 THEY KNEW THEY JUST GOT BEATEN BECAUSE THEY BEAT THEM RIGHT 25:32 THERE AT THE JAIL - PUT THEM IN THE STOCKS - INNERMOST CELL - 25:35 THEY HEARD ALL KINDS OF MOANING AND CRYING FROM THAT CELL BEFORE 25:38 AND NOW THERE'S SINGING AND PRAYER AND PRAISE. 25:41 WHAT IN THE WORLD? AND WHAT DID GOD DO THEN? 25:44 OPENED EVERYBODY'S DOORS. 25:47 AND SO, WHEN WE ARE FAITHFUL WITNESSES THROUGH TRIALS, GOD 25:51 CAN USE OUR FAITHFULNESS TO LIBERATE OTHERS. 25:54 SO IF WE LEARN TO REJOICE AND BE GRATEFUL AND PRAISE GOD THROUGH 25:59 OUR TRIALS, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT US AND SAY, 26:01 'HOW CAN YOU BE HAPPY IN YOUR TRIALS? 26:05 I AM NOT HAPPY EVEN WHEN I DON'T HAVE TRIALS. 26:09 WHAT HAVE YOU GOT THAT I'M MISSING? 26:11 IT'S A TREMENDOUS WITNESS FOR THE WORLD. PHILIPPIANS 1:6, 26:15 "BEING CONFIDENT OF THIS VERY THING, THAT HE WHO HAS BEGUN 26:20 A GOOD WORK IN YOU WILL COMPLETE IT UNTIL THE DAY OF 26:24 JESUS CHRIST;" SO SALVATION'S A PROCESS, ISN'T IT? 26:29 AND IT'S ONE THAT IS BEING COMPLETED. 26:31 NOW, WE'RE GOING TO TALK MORE ABOUT THIS IN OUR NEXT SECTION - 26:33 UNDER MONDAY - DEALING WITH PERFECTION. 26:36 THE WORD 'PERFECTION IS REALLY TALKING ABOUT A PROCESS OF 26:39 COMPLETION AND IF YOU WANT TO TURN OVER THERE, WE'RE NOW 26:44 READING FROM JAMES 1:4. YOU NOTICE THAT WE'RE VERY 26:46 SLOWLY MAKING OUR WAY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JAMES. 26:49 THERE'LL BE FIVE CHAPTERS IN JAMES AND WE GOT THROUGH ONE 26:54 LAST WEEK AND NOW WE'RE GOING TWO AND THREE - 26:56 NOW WE'RE IN VERSE 4. YOU NOTICE THAT? 26:57 THERE'S ACTUALLY A METHOD TO WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE. 26:59 VERSE 4, "BUT LET PATIENCE HAVE ITS PERFECT WORK, THAT YOU MAY 27:05 BE PERFECT AND COMPLETE, LACKING NOTHING." 27:10 IF YOU'RE LIKE ME, THE WORD 'PERFECT' CAN SCARE YOU. 27:14 ANYONE ELSE HERE? AND WHEN I FIRST STARTED READING 27:17 THE BIBLE - WHEN I READ THERE IN MATTHEW AND JESUS SAID, 'BE YE 27:20 THEREFORE PERFECT AS YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN IS PERFECT' I THOUGHT, 27:22 'BE PERFECT LIKE MY FATHER IN HEAVEN? THAT'S GOD. 27:26 BE PERFECT LIKE GOD?' I DIDN'T HAVE A VERY GOOD 27:30 CONCEPT OF SIN BACK THEN, BUT I KNEW I WAS A LONG WAY FROM THAT. 27:34 AND I THOUGHT, 'WOW, I MAY AS WELL JUST THROW MY HANDS IN THE 27:36 AIR RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WHO CAN BE PERFECT LIKE GOD?' BUT, YOU KNOW 27:42 - AND SOMETIMES THINGS ARE LOST A LITTLE BIT IN TRANSLATION. 27:45 YOU AND I SAY 'PERFECT' - AT LEAST IN ENGLISH - AND WE OFTEN 27:49 THINK OF SOMETHING THAT IS JUST STERILE, FACTORY FRESH - IT'S 27:54 BEEN INSPECTED UPSIDE DOWN AND, YOU KNOW, MICROSCOPE AND THERE'S 27:58 NO FLAWS AND DOESN'T - OPERATES PERFECTLY - THE WAY YOU WANT A 28:04 NEW CAR TO OPERATE, RIGHT? YOU DON'T WANT ANYTHING WRONG 28:07 WITH IT. AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO BUY A NEW 28:09 CAR AND YOU SEE A BLEMISH, YOU GO BACK TO THE SALESMAN AND SAY, 28:13 'I WANT A DIFFERENT ONE.' RIGHT? SO WE'RE THINKING THAT GOD IS 28:18 LOOKING US OVER THAT WAY AND HE'S SAYING, 'I'LL TAKE YOU HOME 28:21 WHEN YOU'RE PERFECT.' AND IT SCARES US. 28:24 YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD FOR ME, SOMETIMES, TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE 28:28 EXACTLY WHAT GOD IS SAYING AND MEANING BY 'PERFECT' BUT ARE 28:32 THERE EXAMPLES IN THE BIBLE OF PEOPLE THAT REACHED WHATEVER 28:35 THEY NEEDED TO REACH TO MAKE IT TO HEAVEN? DID ELIJAH MAKE IT? 28:40 JAMES LATER TALKS ABOUT ELIJAH AND HE SAID, 'ELIJAH WAS A MAN 28:43 SUBJECT TO LIKE PASSIONS AS YOU AND ME, BUT HE PRAYED.' 28:47 AND WHERE WAS ELIJAH SUBJECT TO LIKE PASSIONS? 28:50 DID ELIJAH GET DISCOURAGED AND ASK TO DIE? 28:53 DID HE GET SCARED AND RUN FROM AN ANGRY WOMAN? YEAH. 28:57 I MEAN, AFTER HE STOOD UP TO THE PROPHETS AND YET IT SAYS HE 29:00 PRAYED AND IT DIDN'T RAIN FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS - AND HE 29:02 WENT TO HEAVEN IN A FIERY CHARIOT. 29:04 I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT A PERFECT CHRISTIAN LOOKS LIKE. 29:11 PROBABLY SOMETHING LIKE SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO 29:14 WHO, WHEN THEY WERE TRIED - THEY LOVED THE LORD SO MUCH 29:18 THEY'D RATHER DIE THAN BOW DOWN. 29:21 OR LIKE DANIEL, WHEN HE LOVED THE LORD SO MUCH HE'D RATHER DIE 29:24 THAN CLOSE HIS WINDOWS AND NOT PRAY TO GOD. 29:27 SO IT'S LOVING THE LORD SO MUCH THAT WE'RE WILLING TO STAND UP 29:30 FOR HIM AND IF WE FAITHFULLY ENDURE TRIAL NOW, THEN WHEN BIG 29:37 TESTS COME, LIKE THE ONES THAT DANIEL, SHADRACH AND MESHACH ALL 29:41 FACED, THEN WE'LL KNOW WHAT TO DO THEN. SO YOU'VE GOT THAT - 29:45 YOU'VE GOT THAT EXAMPLE, IN THE BIBLE, OF THE - THE DIFFERENT 29:48 PATRIARCHS AND PEOPLE THAT WE KNOW ARE IN THE KINGDOM - 29:52 THAT WALK WITH GOD, LIKE ENOCH, AND IT FRIGHTENS US. 29:56 BUT IT REALLY MEANS, 'TO BE COMPLETE.' SO THE GREEK WORD FOR 30:00 'PERFECT' IS 'TELEIOS' AND IT SIMPLY MEANS 'SPIRITUAL 30:04 MATURITY' OR 'COMPLETENESS.' AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE 30:08 GROWING INTO. PHILIPPIANS 2:13 - SOMEONE LOOK 30:12 UP FOR ME - WHO'S GOT EPHESIANS 4:13? 30:15 WE'LL GIVE YOU THE MICROPHONE NEXT - THAT'S EPHESIANS 4:13 - 30:20 I'M GOING TO READ PHILIPPIANS 2:13, "FOR IT IS GOD WHO WORKS 30:24 IN YOU" - YOU KNOW, HE SAYS, 'WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION 30:27 WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING?' AND THEN YOU READ IN VERSE 13, 30:30 "FOR IT IS GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU BOTH TO WILL AND TO DO FOR HIS 30:34 GOOD PLEASURE." YOU KNOW, THAT OUGHT TO MAKE US FEEL BETTER. 30:37 IS IT US WORKING WHEN IT SAYS 'WORKING OUT OUR SALVATION WITH 30:41 FEAR AND TREMBLING? FOR GOD WORKS IN YOU.' WHEN 30:45 GOD'S SPIRIT IS IN YOU, HE WILL SPEAK TO YOU AND HE WILL GUIDE 30:49 YOU AND HE WILL GIVE YOU THE STRENGTH. 30:52 IF WE'RE SEEKING AFTER HIM, HE'LL GIVE US THE STRENGTH WE 30:55 NEED TO RESIST THE TEMPTATIONS AND TO BE VICTORIOUS. 31:00 OKAY, I THINK WE'RE READY, GO AHEAD." 31:03 >>"TILL WE ALL COME TO THE UNITY OF THE FAITH AND OF THE 31:07 KNOWLEDGE OF THE SON OF GOD, TO A PERFECT MAN, TO THE MEASURE OF 31:11 THE STATURE OF THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST;" 31:14 >>WELL THAT'S A PRETTY HIGH IDEAL WE JUST READ THERE IN 31:16 EPHESIANS 4:13, "TILL WE ALL COME TO THE UNITY 31:20 OF THE FAITH" - ARE WE PERFECTLY UNITED? 31:23 "AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SON OF GOD." - 31:26 ETERNAL LIFE IS KNOWING HIM - "TO A PERFECT MAN" - OR WOMAN - 31:30 "TO THE MEASURE OF THE STATURE OF THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST." 31:36 A LOOSE TRANSLATION WOULD BE, 'COMING TO THE PLACE WHERE WE 31:39 ALLOW JESUS TO LIVE OUT HIS LIFE IN US. NOW WOULD YOU AGREE 31:43 THAT'S PROBABLY - YOU'VE ARRIVED - IF YOU'VE COME TO THE PLACE 31:47 WHERE YOU TRUST THE LORD TO LET HIM LIVE OUT HIS LIFE IN YOU. 31:50 IT'S LIKE THAT SONG, 'LIVE OUT YOUR LIFE WITHIN ME.' NOW, HOW 31:54 MANY EXPECT PAUL TO BE IN HEAVEN WHEN WE GET THERE? 31:58 DIDN'T HE SAY, 'I FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT. 32:00 I'VE FINISHED MY COURSE. I'VE KEPT THE FAITH. 32:03 HEREAFTER THERE IS LAID UP FOR ME A CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.' 32:06 2 TIMOTHY, BEFORE HIS EXECUTION, PAUL SPEAKS WITH GREAT 32:09 CONFIDENCE THAT HE HAS ASSURANCE THAT HE'S GOING TO BE IN THE 32:11 KINGDOM. I THINK AT THAT POINT HIS FAITH 32:14 WAS PROBABLY SEALED. I MEAN, HE'D BEEN THROUGH SO 32:16 MUCH. YOU READ ABOUT WHAT PAUL WENT 32:17 THROUGH. TALK ABOUT TRIALS, YOU KNOW? IN THE SEA FOR THREE DAYS, 32:21 SHIPWRECKED, STONED - WHAT, TWO OR THREE TIMES? 32:24 - BEATEN WITH RODS AND - IT JUST - IN TERROR IN THE COUNTRY AND 32:29 TERROR IN THE CITY AND FASTINGS OFTEN IN COLD AND NAKEDNESS. 32:33 I MEAN, IT JUST GOES ON AND ON - THE TRIALS THAT HE ENDURED. 32:36 AND THEN HE ALWAYS SAYS, 'I THANK THE LORD FOR THIS AND I 32:40 THANK THE LORD FOR THAT.' AND HE'S WRITING FROM PRISON. 32:44 AND YOU THINK, 'WOW.' HE JUST LEARNED TO TRUST THE LORD 32:47 WHATEVER HE WAS GOING THROUGH. 'I'VE LEARNED IN WHATEVER STATE 32:49 I'M IN, TO BE CONTENT.' WHETHER IT'S EVEN CALIFORNIA. 32:53 WHATEVER STATE YOU'RE IN YOU CAN BE CONTENT. 32:56 PHILIPPIANS - WHAT DID PAUL SAY? DID HE COUNT HIMSELF PERFECT? 33:00 PHILIPPIANS 3:12, "NOT THAT I HAVE ALREADY ATTAINED, OR AM 33:05 ALREADY PERFECTED;" - THAT'S THAT WORD 'TELEIOS' - "BUT I 33:09 PRESS ON, THAT I MAY LAY HOLD OF THAT FOR WHICH CHRIST JESUS HAS 33:13 ALSO LAID HOLD OF ME." NOW DIDN'T JESUS CALL PAUL? 33:18 "BRETHREN, I DO NOT COUNT MYSELF TO HAVE APPREHENDED;" - 'I HAVE 33:22 NOT ARRIVED.' HE'S SAYING - "BUT ONE THING I DO, FORGETTING THOSE 33:26 THINGS WHICH ARE BEHIND" - WHEN YOU LOOK BACK AT YOUR FAILURES 33:29 DO YOU GET DISCOURAGED? DON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME DOING THAT. 33:33 DO IT LONG ENOUGH TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT, CONFESS IT, REPENT OF IT, 33:37 AND MOVE ON BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE DEVIL - IF YOU'VE GOT TO 33:40 LEARN FROM PAST EXPERIENCE, YOU MIGHT CONSIDER HOW IT ENDED LAST 33:43 TIME. DON'T LET THE DEVIL GET YOU TO 33:46 KEEP REVIEWING AND REHEARSING YOUR PAST. 33:49 I MEAN, HOW DID GOD USE SOMEONE LIKE MARY MAGDALENE WHEN SHE HAD 33:53 HER SORDID REPUTATION AND CAST SEVEN DEVILS OUT AND IF SHE 33:57 WANTED TO SHE COULD HAVE STAYED DEPRESSED FOREVER, LOOKING BACK. 34:00 YOU HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD AND IF YOU'RE BORN AGAIN YOU'RE REALLY 34:04 A DIFFERENT PERSON, AREN'T YOU? SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP 34:07 LOOKING BACK AT WHO YOU USED TO BE. 34:09 I DON'T REMEMBER WHO IT WAS, I'VE HEARD SEVERAL PASTORS QUOTE 34:12 THIS BUT 'I'M NOT WHAT I OUGHT TO BE AND I'M NOT WHAT I'M GONNA 34:17 BE, BUT THANK GOD I'M NOT WHAT I USED TO BE.' 34:21 AND SO, IT'S, YOU KNOW, SHOWING PROGRESS. 34:25 "FORGETTING THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE BEHIND AND REACHING FORWARD 34:27 TO THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE AHEAD, I PRESS TOWARD THE GOAL FOR THE 34:31 PRIZE OF THE UPWARD CALL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS. 34:35 THEREFORE LET US, AS MANY AS ARE MATURE" - NOW THAT WORD 'MATURE' 34:39 THERE IS THAT WORD 'TELIOS' AGAIN. 34:42 NOTICE IT DOESN'T SAY 'PERFECT,' IT SAYS 'MATURE.' SAME WORD. 34:46 "HAVE THIS MIND; AND IF IN ANYTHING YOU THINK OTHERWISE, 34:50 GOD WILL REVEAL EVEN THIS TO YOU." 34:52 SO IT'S TALKING ABOUT THIS MATURITY - THIS GROWING IN THE 34:55 FAITH - AND IT'S JUST LIKE A PLANT, IF IT'S TAKEN CARE OF. 35:00 YOU KNOW, A BABY DOESN'T WORRY ABOUT GROWING. 35:02 IF A BABY IS BREATHING, IF A BABY IS BEING FED, AND IF A BABY 35:07 IS REGULARLY BEING CLEANSED, THE BABY DOESN'T TRY TO GROW. 35:12 THE GROWING WILL HAPPEN AUTOMATICALLY IF THE BABY IS 35:14 GETTING THE NATURAL THINGS OF BREATHING AND FOOD AND FRESH AIR 35:19 AND SUNSHINE, SOME EXERCISE AND LOVE, IT'LL GROW. 35:23 AND IF WE'RE FEEDING ON THE MILK OF THE WORD - NOT ALWAYS MILK, 35:27 IF YOU'RE GROWING YOU NEED THE MEAT OF THE WORD TOO. 35:30 IF WE'RE SHARING OUR FAITH - EXERCISING - IF WE'RE BREATHING 35:34 IN PRAYER WILL WE BE GROWING TOWARDS THAT COMPLETENESS THAT 35:38 JESUS TALKS ABOUT? SO DON'T WORRY. 35:41 NOW, THERE'S A TIME - IF YOU SEE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THE FRUITS 35:46 OF THE SPIRIT, YOU HAVE THE FRUITS OF THE FLESH IN YOUR 35:50 LIFE, THEN YOU CAN SAY, 'LORD,' - THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT - WHAT 35:54 IS IT - 2 CORINTHIANS 13? THAT WE SHOULD EXAMINE OURSELVES. 35:58 DON'T SPEND ALL YOUR TIME SCRUTINIZING YOURSELF, BUT 36:00 PERIODICALLY YOU SHOULD DO AN INVENTORY AND SAY, YOU KNOW, AM 36:04 I GROWING? AND - ALRIGHT, NEXT SECTION - UNDER TUESDAY. 36:09 'ASKING IN FAITH.' NOW WE'RE GOING TO READ JAMES 1:5 AND 6, 36:13 "IF ANY OF YOU LACKS WISDOM, LET HIM ASK OF GOD, WHO GIVES TO ALL 36:19 LIBERALLY AND WITHOUT REPROACH, AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO HIM. 36:24 BUT LET HIM ASK IN FAITH, WITH NO DOUBTING, FOR HE WHO DOUBTS 36:28 IS LIKE A WAVE OF THE SEA DRIVEN AND TOSSED BY THE WIND." 36:31 NOW WE'LL BE REPEATING THIS VERSE A LITTLE MORE LATER IN THE 36:34 LESSON, BUT THE FIRST THING I WANT YOU TO KNOW, IF ANYONE 36:37 LACKS WISDOM, LET HIM ASK OF GOD. 36:39 WHAT DID - CAN YOU THINK OF A BIBLE STORY OF SOMEONE THAT 36:42 LACKED IT AND ASK FOR IT? DID HE GET IT? 36:45 DOES GOD GIVE YOU WISDOM ALWAYS BEFORE YOU NEED IT OR SOMETIMES 36:51 WHEN YOU NEED IT? DO YOU THINK SOLOMON ALWAYS KNEW 36:53 WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO WITH TWO WOMEN BOTH CLAIMING TO BE THE 36:57 MOTHER, OR DID GOD GIVE IT TO HIM WHEN HE NEEDED IT? 37:01 CAN YOU BE A STUDENT AND IGNORE DOING YOUR HOMEWORK, AND THEN 37:07 WHEN THE TIME OF THE EXAM COMES SAY, 'LORD, PLEASE GIVE ME 37:10 WISDOM?' THAT'S NOT HOW HE WANTS US TO 37:14 CLAIM THAT PROMISE BECAUSE WISDOM IS DIFFERENT THAN 37:17 KNOWLEDGE AND GOD WANTS US TO TAKE ADVANTAGE - THAT'S RIGHT, 37:21 WE'VE GOT TO STUDY TO SHOW OURSELVES APPROVED. 37:24 GOD WANTS US TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE TIME HE'S GIVEN TO 37:26 ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE AND THEN WISDOM IS SOMETHING - THE GIFT 37:29 HE'LL GIVE YOU - THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL BRING THINGS TO YOUR 37:32 REMEMBRANCE, THAT YOU'VE STUDIED. 37:34 SO IF YOU'VE STUDIED AND CRAMMED FOR A TEST, PRAY THE HOLY SPIRIT 37:36 WILL HELP YOU REMEMBER IT. HE WILL. I'VE SEEN THAT. 37:39 AND THEN, IN ADDITION, THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL TELL YOU HOW TO 37:42 INCORPORATE THE KNOWLEDGE - HOW TO APPLY IT TO YOUR LIFE. YOU 37:47 READ VERSES IN THE BIBLE AND YOU SAY, 'WHAT DO I DO WITH THIS? 37:50 AND THEN YOU MEET SOMEONE DURING THE DAY AND, IF YOU'VE PRAYED 37:52 AND ASKED FOR WISDOM, GOD'LL HELP YOU KNOW HOW TO APPLY THE 37:56 SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU'VE RECEIVED IN THOSE SITUATIONS. 37:59 SO SOMEONE LOOK UP FOR ME, PLEASE, MARK 11. I THINK WE GAVE 38:04 THAT OUT TO A PERSON. WHO'S GOT MARK 11? YOU'VE GOT THAT 38:07 KATRINA? OKAY? LET'S GET YOU A MICROPHONE OVER THERE.I'M 38:10 GOING TO READ MATTHEW 21, VERSE 21 - TALKING ABOUT ASKING AND 38:16 ASKING IN FAITH. "SO JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID TO 38:20 THEM, 'ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, IF YOU HAVE FAITH AND DO NOT 38:24 DOUBT, YOU WILL NOT ONLY DO WHAT WAS DONE TO THE FIG TREE, BUT 38:29 ALSO IF YOU SAY TO THIS MOUNTAIN, 'BE REMOVED AND BE 38:32 CAST INTO THE SEA,' IT WILL BE DONE. 38:34 AND WHATEVER THINGS YOU ASK IN PRAYER, BELIEVING, YOU WILL 38:38 RECEIVE.'" WELL THAT'S A PRETTY BIG - SOMETIMES WE THINK THAT 38:42 JESUS MAYBE OVERSTATED THAT. DID HE REALLY MEAN THAT? 38:47 NOW, I THINK - YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD ME SAY THIS BEFORE - I 38:50 READ THIS, THAT IF YOU'VE GOT FAITH YOU CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS, 38:52 AND WHEN I FIRST READ THAT I THOUGHT, 'THAT'D BE A PRETTY 38:54 GOOD TRICK. I COULD GO ON THE ROAD AND MAKE 38:56 A LOT OF MONEY IF I COULD DO THAT.' YOU COULD PRAY AND TELL 38:59 MOUNTAINS TO RELOCATE. CHANGE THE GEOGRAPHY. 39:02 IT'D REALLY MESS UP GOOGLE EARTH IF YOU COULD DO THAT. 39:05 BUT IS THAT REALLY WHAT JESUS WAS TALKING ABOUT? 39:09 HE SAID, 'YOU CAN SAY TO THIS MOUNTAIN, 'BE PLUCKED UP AND 39:12 CAST INTO THE SEA.'' BUT WHAT DOES THE LORD - WHAT OTHER THING 39:15 DOES THE LORD TELL US MIGHT BE CAST INTO THE SEA? OUR SINS. 39:19 WHAT IS THE MOUNTAIN THAT MOST OF US HAVE PROBLEMS WITH? 39:22 ISN'T IT A MOUNTAIN OF GUILT AND SIN AND THAT IS A BURDEN? 39:27 YOU'VE READ 'PILGRIM'S PROGRESS.' 39:28 HE HAD THIS BURDEN ON HIS BACK. AND IF YOU HAVE FAITH - 39:31 WHAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN PRAY? 39:34 WHAT'S THE MOUNTAIN THAT'LL KEEP US OUT OF HEAVEN? THAT BLOCKS - 39:36 ISN'T IT SIN? THAT'S THE ONLY THING. IT'S SELFISHNESS AND 39:41 PRIDE WHICH, SORT OF, SUMMARIZES WHAT SIN IS. 39:44 AND IF YOU FAITH - IF YOU HAVE PRAYER - IF YOU HAVE FAITH, 39:48 JESUS SAYS, YOU CAN PRAY AND THAT CAN BE REMOVED. 39:53 FAITH IN WHAT? WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH. 39:58 ALRIGHT, GO AHEAD AND READ FOR US MARK 11:24. 40:02 >>"THEREFORE I SAY TO YOU, WHATEVER THINGS YOU ASK WHEN YOU 40:06 PRAY, BELIEVE THAT YOU RECEIVE THEM, AND YOU WILL HAVE THEM." 40:10 >>HOW IMPORTANT IS FAITH TO JESUS? YEAH, IT'S CRUCIAL. 40:18 FOR HIM IT WAS A NON-NEGOTIABLE. EVEN WHEN HE HUNG ON THE CROSS, 40:22 YOU HAD TWO THIEVES THAT BOTH OF THEM ASKED FOR DELIVERANCE. 40:27 ONE OF THEM SAID, 'IF YOU ARE THE CHRIST, SAVE YOURSELF AND 40:31 US.' DIDN'T HE ASK TO BE SAVED? AND THE OTHER ONE SAID, 'LORD, 40:36 WHEN YOU COME INTO YOUR KINGDOM, REMEMBER ME.' ONE SAID I BELIEVE 40:40 YOU'RE A LORD AND I BELIEVE YOU'RE A KING AND WHEN, NOT IF, 40:43 YOU COME INTO YOUR KINGDOM. ONE PRAYED A PRAYER OF FAITH. 40:46 JESUS TURNED TO HIM AND SAID, 'YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN 40:48 PARADISE.' THE ONE WHO SAID 'IF' DID NOT GET THE GIFT. 40:52 YOU REMEMBER THERE'S A STORY IN MARK CHAPTER 9 WHERE A YOUNG 40:55 FATHER CAME TO CHRIST AND, JUST SO YOU WON'T FEEL BAD, EVEN THE 41:00 DISCIPLES DID NOT HAVE ALL OF THEIR PRAYERS ANSWERED. 41:03 THIS - NINE OF THE DISCIPLES WERE LEFT DOWN IN THE VALLEY. 41:06 JESUS WENT UP THE MOUNTAIN WITH PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN. 41:09 WHEN HE CAME DOWN THERE WAS A BIG CROWD GATHERED AROUND THE 41:11 DISCIPLES. THIS FATHER HAD A BOY THAT WAS 41:13 DEMON POSSESSED AND THE DEMON SOMETIMES CAST HIM IN THE FIRE 41:16 AND CAST HIM IN THE WATER AND THEY BROUGHT HIM TO THE OTHER 41:20 NINE APOSTLES AND SAID, 'PLEASE HELP.' WELL, THEY HAD GONE OUT 41:23 BEFORE CASTING OUT DEVILS AND IT WORKED. THEY'D COME BACK FROM 41:27 SOME OF THEIR MISSIONARY EXPEDITIONS AND THEY TOLD JESUS, 41:29 'EVEN THE DEVILS ARE SUBJECT UNTO US.' IT WAS WONDERFUL. 41:33 BUT THE DISCIPLES PRAYED AND THE DEMON DIDN'T COME OUT. 41:37 AND SO, BY THE TIME JESUS CAME, THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS WERE 41:40 MAKING FUN OF THE DISCIPLES AND SAYING, 'WELL, WHERE'S ALL YOUR 41:42 FAITH?' 'WHERE'S THIS MOUNTAIN-MOVING 41:43 FAITH?' 'NOTHING HAPPENED WHEN YOU 41:45 PRAYED.' 'MAYBE IT'S NOT REAL.' AND THEY - JESUS, HE CAST OUT 41:51 THE DEVIL OUT OF THE BOY. GREAT CONVULSIONS HAD HAPPENED. 41:54 THE DISCIPLES CAME TO JESUS LATER AND SAID, 'WHY COULDN'T WE 41:58 CAST THEM OUT?' HE SAID, 'THIS KIND COMES FORTH 42:02 ONLY BY PRAYER AND FASTING.' BUT, YOU KNOW, THE IMPORTANT 42:04 PART OF THAT STORY I LEFT OUT - WHEN THE FATHER CAME TO JESUS HE 42:08 SAID, 'LORD, IF YOU CAN DO ANYTHING TO HELP MY SON.' AND 42:12 JESUS SAID, 'IF YOU BELIEVE, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.' HE SAID, 42:17 'LORD, IF YOU CAN DO ANYTHING.' JESUS DIDN'T ANSWER HIS PRAYER 42:20 UNTIL HE CORRECTED HIM. HE SAID, 'IF YOU BELIEVE.' 42:23 SO IS AN 'IF' ACCEPTABLE TO JESUS? NO. 42:28 YOU'VE GOT TO COME IN FAITH. FAITH'S VERY IMPORTANT. 42:30 NOW THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE'LL NEVER BE TEMPTED WITH DOUBT. 42:33 ALRIGHT, WHO HAS JOB 28:28? SOMEONE HERE? 42:37 ALRIGHT, WE'LL GET YOU A MICROPHONE. 42:40 JESUS SAID, 'IF YOU BELIEVE ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.' NOW, WHAT 42:43 IS IT THAT WE ARE TO PRAY FOR IN FAITH? 42:46 JAMES SAYS, 'IF ANY OF YOU LACKS?' WISDOM. 42:50 DO WE ALL NEED WISDOM EVERY DAY? WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF WISDOM? 42:54 PROVERBS 9:10, "THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF 42:58 WISDOM." NOW WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO FEAR THE LORD? 43:04 DOES IT MEAN 'BE AFRAID OF?' WELL, I USED TO SAY, 'NO, NO, IT 43:09 DOESN'T MEAN THAT AT ALL.' BUT YOU CAN LOVE SOMEONE AND STILL 43:12 FEEL AWE. THE BIBLE WRITERS - WHO IN THE 43:19 BIBLE SAW GOD FACE TO FACE - OR AT LEAST VERY CLOSE? 43:24 MOSES, EZEKIEL, DANIEL, JOHN THE APOSTLE, TALK ABOUT THE 43:32 GLORIFIED CHRIST, ABRAHAM, AND MANY OF THEM WERE TERRIFIED. 43:41 WHEN MOSES SAW THE LORD AT THE BURNING BUSH HE FELL DOWN AND 43:44 EZEKIEL FELL DOWN AND DANIEL FELL DOWN AND JOHN FELL DOWN AT 43:48 AN ANGEL. MANOAH AND HIS WIFE - AND SO, WHEN PEOPLE SAW 43:53 THE LORD, IT FRIGHTENED THEM. AND SO, TO FEAR GOD, I THINK, IT 43:59 MEANS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, 'TO REVERE' BUT IT'S A RESPECT 44:04 RECOGNIZING HOW AWESOME HE IS. AND SO, IT SAYS - YOU'RE GOING 44:09 TO GO AHEAD AND YOU'RE GOING TO READ JOB 28:28, I THINK. 44:12 >>"AND TO MAN HE SAID, 'BEHOLD, THE FEAR OF THE LORD, THAT IS 44:15 WISDOM, AND TO DEPART FROM EVIL IS UNDERSTANDING.'" 44:19 >>OKAY, SO HOW DO YOU SHOW YOUR FEAR OF GOD? 44:24 BY TURNING FROM EVIL. SO WHEN THE BIBLE IS TELLING US 44:27 TO PRAY FOR WISDOM, THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF 44:31 WISDOM. WELL, ONE WISE THING TO DO IS TO 44:33 DEPART FROM EVIL. NOW, IF YOU LOOK IN JAMES 2:15 - 44:40 JAMES 2:15, "IF A BROTHER OR SISTER IS NAKED AND DESTITUTE OF 44:46 DAILY FOOD, AND ONE OF YOU SAYS TO THEM, 'DEPART IN PEACE, BE 44:50 WARMED AND FILLED,' BUT YOU DO NOT GIVE THEM THE THINGS WHICH 44:53 ARE NEEDED FOR THE BODY, WHAT DOES IT PROFIT?" 44:57 SO NOW HE'S TALKING ABOUT SOME PRACTICAL TEACHINGS ABOUT, YOU 45:01 KNOW, NOT JUST SAYING, 'OH, I'VE GOT FAITH AND I'VE GOT WISDOM.' 45:05 HE'S SAYING, PART OF REAL CHRISTIANITY IS ALSO DOING 45:08 SOMETHING. JUST SAYING, 'BE WARMED AND FILLED. 45:11 I'LL SAY A PRAYER FOR YOU.' AND I USED TO PICK UP A LOT OF 45:17 HITCHHIKERS AND I VOWED WHEN I GOT MY FIRST CAR, ACTUALLY I 45:23 VOWED ON THE ROAD THAT IF I EVER GOT A CAR THAT I WOULD PICK UP 45:27 EVERY HITCHHIKER I SAW, WHICH WAS A FOOLISH VOW. 45:30 BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE YOUNG AND YOU'RE BORED AND YOU'RE ON THE 45:32 ROAD AND YOU'RE DESPERATE AND YOU PRAY THOSE THINGS. 45:34 I THINK THE LORD'S FORGIVEN ME FOR THAT. 45:36 I DID PICK UP QUITE A FEW AND DAVID'S HERE WITH ME AND HE AND 45:40 I DID SOME HITCHHIKING TOGETHER AND, MATTER OF FACT, I REMEMBER 45:43 ONE TIME WE HITCHHIKED FOR MILES WHERE WE WALKED BACKWARDS - 45:47 HITCHHIKING - AND THE NEXT DAY WE COULDN'T STAND UP BECAUSE THE 45:49 MUSCLES IN THE BACKS OF OUR LEGS WERE SO SORE. I THINK WE EVEN 45:52 HITCHED A RIDE ON A PLANE PART WAY ON ONE OF THOSE TRIPS. 45:55 YEAH WE DID. THAT'S HARD TO DO. BUT YEAH, IT WAS GOOD. 46:00 BUT I USED TO SAY, 'IF I GET A CAR I'LL PICK UP EVERYONE.' BUT, 46:05 YOU KNOW, AS TIME GOES BY AND YOU, SORT OF, GO FROM BEING A 46:07 HIPPIE TO A YUPPIE AND YOU'RE A LITTLE MORE DISCRIMINATING. 46:10 YOU GO FROM A VOLKSWAGEN THAT BARELY RUNS, INTO A CAR THAT'S 46:13 FAIRLY NEW AND I NOTICED THAT I WASN'T PICKING UP EVERY 46:17 HITCHHIKER. SOMETIMES I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, 46:18 I'M ONLY GOING A LITTLE WAY AND THEY HAD THREE BACKPACKS AND A 46:21 DOG AND SO I'D DRIVE BY THEM, BUT I'D PRAY FOR THEM. 46:27 I'D SAY, 'LORD, PLEASE SEND SOMEBODY TO PICK THEM UP.' AND I 46:31 THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE I GET CREDIT FOR PRAYING FOR THEM. 46:36 BUT JAMES SAID - AND THERE MAY BE TIMES - HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE 46:39 GONE BY AN ACCIDENT ON THE ROAD? YOU MAYBE CAN'T DO ANYTHING - 46:41 IT'S NOT WRONG TO SAY A PRAYER. AND I REMEMBER OUR KIDS USED TO 46:45 SAY, 'COULD WE PRAY FOR THEM?' THEY'LL SEE THE AMBULANCE, YOU 46:48 KNOW, AND THAT'S THE TENDER HEART OF A CHILD. 46:51 BUT REAL CHRISTIANITY DOESN'T JUST DRIVE BY AND PRAY - KIND OF 46:54 LIKE THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN - THE PRIEST AND THE 46:58 LEVITE THAT WENT BY, THEY JUST STOPPED OR THEY JUST WENT ON BY. 47:01 THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING, BUT THE GOOD SAMARITAN ACTUALLY DID 47:05 SOMETHING. PSALM 111, VERSE 10, "THE FEAR 47:08 OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM; A GOOD UNDERSTANDING 47:11 HAVE ALL THOSE WHO DO HIS COMMANDMENTS." 47:13 - AGAIN, NOTICE THE CONNECTION - FEAR OF THE LORD, WISDOM, DO HIS 47:17 COMMANDMENTS - "HIS PRAISE ENDURES FOREVER." 47:20 THAT'S THE KEY TO REAL HAPPINESS. 47:22 'GREAT PEACE HAVE THEY THAT LOVE THY LAW AND NOTHING WILL OFFEND 47:25 THEM.' JAMES 1:19 AND 20 - WE'RE JUMPING AROUND A LITTLE BUT, 47:29 JUST TRYING TO STAY WITH SOME OF THESE THEMES. 47:32 JAMES 1:19 AND 20, "SO THEN, MY BELOVED BRETHREN, LET EVERY MAN 47:37 BE SWIFT TO HEAR, SLOW TO SPEAK," - GOOD, PRACTICAL IDEAS 47:42 HERE - "SLOW TO WRATH; FOR THE WRATH OF MAN DOES NOT PRODUCE 47:45 THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD. THEREFORE LAY ASIDE ALL 47:48 FILTHINESS AND OVERFLOW OF WICKEDNESS, AND RECEIVE WITH 47:51 MEEKNESS THE IMPLANTED WORD, WHICH IS ABLE TO SAVE YOUR 47:55 SOULS" SO JAMES SAYS FAITH COMES BY HEARING - THAT'S SAVING FAITH 48:00 - AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD. 48:03 SO THIS, THE FAITH AND THE WORD, SAVES YOUR SOULS. 48:06 AND SOMEBODY SAID ONE TIME - I THINK IT WAS GEORGE MUELLER - 48:11 YEAH, I GOT HIS NAME HERE - "FAITH DOESN'T OPERATE IN THE 48:13 REALM OF THE POSSIBLE, THERE'S NO GLORY FOR GOD IN THAT WHICH 48:17 IS HUMANLY POSSIBLE. FAITH BEGINS WHERE MAN'S POWER ENDS." 48:22 AND AGAIN IT SAYS, "FAITH SEES THE INVISIBLE, BELIEVES THE 48:26 INCREDIBLE, RECEIVES THE IMPOSSIBLE." 48:29 AUGUSTINE SAID, "FAITH IS TO BELIEVE WHAT WE DO NOT SEE AND 48:34 THE REWARD OF FAITH IS TO SEE WHAT WE BELIEVE." 48:38 AND F.B. MEYER, "UNBELIEF PUTS CIRCUMSTANCES BETWEEN US AND 48:42 GOD, BUT FAITH PUTS GOD BETWEEN US AND OUR CIRCUMSTANCES." 48:47 I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD QUOTE. 48:49 ALRIGHT, WE'RE GOING ONTO THE NEXT DAY. 48:51 I WANT TO TRY AND COVER AS MUCH AS WE CAN. 48:52 JAMES 1, VERSES 6 THROUGH 8 - YOU NOTICE IN SOME OF THESE 48:56 OTHERS WE'RE USING JAMES TO INTERPRET JAMES. 48:59 AND SOMEONE IS GOING TO LOOK UP FOR ME 1 JOHN 3:22 AND WHO'S GOT 49:05 THAT ONE? OH YOU GOT IT? OKAY, YOU'LL BE NEXT. 49:08 SO JAMES 1:6, "BUT LET HIM ASK IN FAITH, WITH NO DOUBTING," - I 49:12 TOLD YOU WE'D BE REPEATING THAT BECAUSE THIS SECTION'S TALKING 49:15 ABOUT THE FLIP SIDE OF FAITH - "LET HIM ASK IN FAITH, WITH NO 49:19 DOUBTING, FOR HE WHO DOUBTS IS LIKE A WAVE OF THE SEA DRIVEN 49:22 AND TOSSED BY THE WIND." - NOW SOME PEOPLE, THEIR FAITH IS AT 49:26 THE MERCY OF CIRCUMSTANCES, JUST LIKE A SHIP WITHOUT A RUDDER IS 49:31 BLOWN ABOUT WHEREVER THE WIND AND THE WAVES CARRY IT. 49:34 FAITH IS NOT CONTROLLED BY EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES, FAITH IS 49:38 CONTROLLED BY THE ENGRAFTED WORD. 49:41 IT'S WHAT JESUS SAYS THAT DETERMINES OUR FAITH. 49:44 WHEN JESUS SAYS TO PETER, 'WALK TO ME ON THE WATER.' DO 49:47 LOGISTICS CONTROL PETER'S DOING THAT? 49:50 NO, LOGISTICS AND SCIENCE AND REASON HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO 49:56 DO WITH OBEYING A COMMAND LIKE THAT, OR TO MARCH AROUND JERICHO 50:00 FOR SIX TIMES ON THE SEVENTH DAY AND BLOW A TRUMPET AND SHOUT. 50:05 YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE FAITH BECAUSE THAT'S NOT NORMALLY THE STRATEGY 50:08 FOR WINNING A BATTLE. AND SO YOU CAN GO THROUGH A 50:10 HUNDRED EXAMPLES IN THE BIBLE WHERE YOU CAN'T LET YOUR FAITH 50:14 BE CONTROLLED BY CIRCUMSTANCES OR YOU'LL NEVER GET THERE. 50:17 AND HE GOES ON TO SAY, "FOR" - HERE'S THE FLIP SIDE OF FAITH - 50:21 "LET NOT THAT MAN SUPPOSE THAT HE WILL RECEIVE ANYTHING FROM 50:24 THE LORD; HE IS A DOUBLE-MINDED MAN, UNSTABLE IN ALL HIS WAYS." 50:28 SO WHEN GOD SAYS, 'I WANT YOU TO DO THIS AND MOVE FORWARD.' AND 50:31 YOU GO, 'WELL, BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE MUCH SENSE. 50:33 I KNOW YOU SAID TO DO IT BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM VERY PRACTICAL.' 50:37 AND THEN IT USES AN EXAMPLE IN NUMBERS 13:30 - 50:41 AND THIS IS IN YOUR LESSON. WHEN THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL CAME 50:45 TO THE BORDERS OF THE PROMISED LAND, THEY SENT OUT TWELVE 50:48 SPIES. WE KNOW THE NAMES OF TWO OF THEM. MOST OF YOU PROBABLY 50:53 COULD NOT NAME THE OTHER TEN. BUT WE KNOW JOSHUA AND CALEB. 50:56 AND AFTER THEY LOOKED OVER THE PROMISED LAND, TWO OF THEM WERE 51:01 LOOKING THROUGH THE EYES OF FAITH. 51:03 TEN OF THEM LOOKED AT THE OBSTACLES - AND THERE WERE 51:06 OBSTACLES ANYONE WOULD HAVE SEEN - BIG CITIES, BIG WALLS, 51:10 FORTIFICATIONS, LARGE PEOPLE, LARGE ENEMIES - BUT TWO OF THEM 51:14 SAID, 'GOD SAID THIS IS OUR LAND. HE'S GOING TO LEAD US IN. 51:16 WE BELIEVE HIM AND SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO BRING BACK A REPORT AS 51:19 IF IT WAS GOING TO BE OURS.' NOTICE, THEY LOOKED AT THE 51:22 PROMISED LAND AS IF IT WAS GOING TO BE THEIRS AND OUT OF THOSE 51:26 TWELVE SPIES, THE ONLY ONES WHO ENDED UP GETTING TO THE PROMISED 51:29 LAND ARE THE ONES THAT LOOKED THROUGH THE EYES OF FAITH. 51:32 THEY BROUGHT BACK A POSITIVE REPORT. 51:34 THE TWELVE - OR THE TEN SPIES THAT SAID, 'I DON'T THINK WE CAN 51:37 MAKE IT' - LET ME READ THIS FOR YOU HERE - NUMBERS 13:30, "THEN 51:41 CALEB QUIETED THE PEOPLE BEFORE MOSES," - THEY WERE BEGINNING TO 51:43 MOAN AFTER THE TEN SPIES GAVE A BAD REPORT - "AND SAID, 'LET US 51:47 GO UP AT ONCE AND TAKE POSSESSION, FOR WE ARE WELL ABLE 51:51 TO OVERCOME IT.'" NOTICE, YOU'VE GOT ONE REPORT, 'WELL ABLE TO 51:55 OVERCOME.' AND THEN THE OTHER SPIES, THEY COME BACK AND THEY 51:59 RETORT, "WE ARE NOT ABLE TO GO UP AGAINST THE PEOPLE, FOR THEY 52:03 ARE STRONGER THAN WE.'" ONE WAS LOOKING AT FAITH AND ONE WAS 52:07 LOOKING AT THE CONSEQUENCES. UNSTABLE - THE FLIP SIDE OF 52:13 FAITH IS IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE. JESUS SAID, 'BE IT UNTO YOU 52:18 ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH. BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU PRAY FOR. 52:21 THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, THEY SAID, 'WOULD GOD THAT WE HAD 52:24 DIED IN THIS WILDERNESS. WHY DID HE LEAD US OUT HERE?' 52:28 AND DID GOD ANSWER THAT PRAYER? THE GENERATION THAT SAID, 'WOULD 52:30 GOD THAT WE DIE IN THE WILDERNESS,' DIED IN THE 52:32 WILDERNESS. JOSHUA AND CALEB THAT SAID, 52:34 'WE ARE WELL ABLE,' THEY MADE IT TO THE PROMISED LAND. 52:37 THEY GOT TO REST IN THEIR INHERITANCE. 52:39 AND SO, THAT'S WHY FAITH IS SO IMPORTANT, BECAUSE CHRIST SAID, 52:44 'ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE IF WE BELIEVE.' JOHN 15:7, "IF YOU 52:50 ABIDE IN ME AND MY WORD ABIDE IN YOU, YOU WILL ASK WHAT YOU 52:54 DESIRE, AND IT SHALL BE DONE FOR YOU." IF HIS WORD ABIDES IN US, 52:57 WE'RE NOT GOING TO ASK FOR THE WRONG THING - AND IT'LL BE DONE. 53:01 ALRIGHT, YOU'RE GOING TO READ 1 JOHN FOR US. 53:05 >>"AND WHATEVER WE ASK WE RECEIVE FROM HIM, BECAUSE WE 53:09 KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS AND DO THOSE THINGS THAT ARE PLEASING 53:12 IN HIS SIGHT." >>THANK YOU. 53:14 SO HERE HE SAYS, 'AND MY WORD ABIDES IN YOU' AND THEN JOHN 53:18 SAYS IN 1 JOHN 3:22 THAT WHATEVER WE ASK WE RECEIVE 53:23 BECAUSE WE'RE - BASICALLY, HE SAYS WE'RE WALKING IN HIS WILL. 53:26 AND SO, IF WE'RE WALKING IN THE LIGHT AND IF GOD'S WORD IS IN US 53:29 AND WE'RE IN TUNE WITH HIS SPIRIT, OUR PRAYERS ARE GOING TO 53:32 BE IN HARMONY WITH THE MIND OF CHRIST AND WILL HE ANSWER THOSE 53:35 PRAYERS? IF THEY ARE PRAYED PERSISTENTLY 53:38 AND PATIENTLY AND IN FAITH, HE'LL ANSWER OUR PRAYERS. 53:42 HE REALLY DOES. LUKE 17:5 AND 6 AND THE APOSTLES SAID TO THE 53:48 LORD, 'INCREASE OUR FAITH.' SO THE LORD SAID, 'IF YOU'VE GOT 53:51 FAITH LIKE A MUSTARD SEED YOU CAN SAY TO THIS MULBERRY TREE, 53:55 'BE PLUCKED UP BY THE ROOTS AND PLANTED IN THE SEA.' AND IT WILL 53:57 BE DONE FOR YOU.' NOW, A MUSTARD SEED WAS JUST ONE OF THE 54:01 SMALLEST - ALMOST A MICROSCOPIC SEED IN THE PLANT KINGDOM AND SO 54:06 JESUS PICKED THAT OUT BECAUSE IT COULD GROW INTO A BIG BUSH. 54:10 AND IF YOU'VE GOT FAITH - WHAT MAKES A MUSTARD SEED A BIG BUSH 54:15 IS IT HANGS ON - IT'S NOURISHED. IF IT'S GETTING THE SUNLIGHT AND 54:21 IT'S GETTING THE WATER, IT WILL GROW. 54:23 AND SO THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT THIS - CHRIST SAID, IF YOU HAVE FAITH 54:27 - IF YOU'VE GOT THAT SEED OF FAITH - KEEP WALKING WITH HIM 54:29 AND IT WILL GROW AND ALL THINGS BECOME POSSIBLE. 54:34 AT ONE POINT HE TALKS ABOUT A MOUNTAIN BEING THROWN INTO THE 54:36 SEA AND HERE HE TALKS ABOUT A MULBERRY BUSH. 54:39 SO YOU'VE GOT VEGETABLE AND MINERAL. AND IT SAYS IF WE DENY 54:45 HIM, BETTER FOR US THAT A MILLSTONE WERE PLACED ABOUT OUR 54:48 NECK AND WE WERE CAST IN THE SEA. THAT WOULD BE ANIMAL, 54:51 MINERAL AND VEGETABLE, WOULDN'T IT? YOU DO IT THAT WAY. 54:54 LAST SECTION - I'M JUST ABOUT OUT OF TIME BUT I WANT TO READ 54:56 JAMES 1, VERSES 9 THROUGH 11, "LET THE LOWLY BROTHER GLORY IN 55:00 HIS EXALTATION, BUT THE RICH IN HIS HUMILIATION, BECAUSE AS A 55:05 FLOWER OF THE FIELD HE WILL PASS AWAY. 55:07 FOR NO SOONER HAS THE SUN RISEN WITH A BURNING HEAT THAN IT 55:10 WITHERS THE GRASS; ITS FLOWER FALLS, AND ITS BEAUTIFUL 55:13 APPEARANCE PERISHES. SO THE RICH MAN ALSO WILL FADE 55:16 AWAY IN HIS PURSUITS." JAMES IS TELLING US DO NOT 55:19 BECOME PREOCCUPIED WITH THE CARES OF THIS LIFE. 55:22 DON'T BECOME DISTRACTED WITH RICHES AND JESUS SAID, 'IT'S A 55:26 HARD THING FOR A RICH MAN TO GET INTO THE KINGDOM. 55:29 WE'VE RUN OUT OF TIME, LISTENING FRIENDS, SO I WANT TO ENCOURAGE 55:32 YOU ONCE AGAIN, WE DO HAVE A FREE OFFER. 55:33 'THE BROOK DRIED UP' - WE'LL SEND YOU THIS. 55:36 IT'S A WONDERFUL BOOK BY JOE CREWS. 55:38 JUST CALL 866-788-3966 - ASK FOR OFFER #161 AND, GOD WILLING, 55:44 WE'LL STUDY TOGETHER AGAIN NEXT WEEK. 55:50 >>DID YOU KNOW THAT NOAH WAS PRESENT AT THE BIRTH OF ABRAHAM? 55:53 OKAY, MAYBE HE WASN'T IN THE ROOM, BUT HE WAS ALIVE AND 55:57 PROBABLY TELLING STORIES ABOUT HIS FLOATING ZOO. 56:00 FROM THE CREATION OF THE WORLD TO THE LAST DAY EVENTS OF 56:03 REVELATION, 'BIBLEHISTORY.COM' IS A FREE RESOURCE WHERE YOU CAN 56:07 EXPLORE MAJOR BIBLE EVENTS AND CHARACTERS. 56:11 ENHANCE YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE BIBLE AND DRAW CLOSER TO GOD'S 56:14 WORD. GO DEEPER. VISIT 'BIBLEHISTORY.COM'. 56:32 >>THROUGHOUT RECORDED HISTORY TALES OF GHOSTS AND SPIRITS 56:36 COULD BE FOUND IN FOLKLORE IN NEARLY EVERY COUNTRY AND 56:40 CULTURE. EGYPTIANS BUILT PYRAMIDS TO HELP 56:44 GUIDE THE SPIRITS OF THEIR LEADERS. 56:47 ROME SANCTIONED HOLIDAYS TO HONOR AND APPEASE THE SPIRITS OF 56:50 THEIR DEAD. EVEN THE BIBLE TELLS OF A KING 56:54 THAT USED A WITCH TO CONTACT THE SPIRIT OF A DECEASED PROPHET. 56:58 TODAY ANCIENT FOLKLORE OF SPIRITS AND APPARITIONS HAVE 57:02 GONE FROM MERE SUPERSTITIONS TO MAINSTREAM ENTERTAINMENT AND 57:07 REALITY. SCIENTIFIC ORGANIZATIONS 57:10 INVESTIGATE STORIES OF HAUNTINGS AND SIGHTINGS, TRYING TO PROVE, 57:14 ONCE AND FOR ALL, THE EXISTENCE OF GHOSTS. 57:21 EVEN WITH ALL THE NEW-FOUND TECHNOLOGY AND CENTURIES OF 57:24 STORIES ALL OVER THE WORLD, THERE IS STILL NO CLEAR-CUT 57:29 ANSWER. SO HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT'S TRUE? WHY DO THESE STORIES 57:38 PERSIST? DOES IT EVEN MATTER? WE INVITE YOU TO LOOK INSIDE AND 57:46 FIND OUT FOR YOURSELF. VISIT 'GHOSTTRUTH.COM'. 57:57 >>IF YOU'VE MISSED ANY OF OUR AMAZING FACTS PROGRAMS, VISIT 57:59 OUR WEBSITE AT 'AMAZINGFACTS.ORG'. 58:02 THERE YOU'LL FIND AN ARCHIVE OF ALL OUR TELEVISION AND RADIO 58:04 PROGRAMS INCLUDING 'AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS.' ONE LOCATION. 58:08 SO MANY POSSIBILITIES. AMAZINGFACTS.ORG. 58:13 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2014-12-17