Participants: Doug Batchelor
Series Code: SSH
Program Code: SSH021513
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00:00 (MUSIC)
00:33 >>GOOD EVENING, FRIENDS, AND WELCOME AGAIN TO 00:35 SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY HOUR. 00:37 WE'RE GLAD THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO JOIN US AS WE'VE BEEN GOING 00:39 THROUGH OUR STUDY IN THE BOOK OF PROVERBS. 00:40 A VERY SPECIAL WELCOME TO OUR CHURCH MEMBERS - MEMBERS OF THE 00:43 GRANITE BAY CHURCH - THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT AGAIN AND JOINING 00:45 US HERE AT THE AMAZING FACTS STUDIO FOR OUR TUESDAY EVENING 00:49 PRAYER MEETING WHEN WE'RE ACTUALLY - WHILE WE'RE ACTUALLY 00:51 STUDYING THROUGH THE LESSON STUDY. 00:54 TODAY WE FIND OURSELVES IN LESSON #13. 00:57 BUT BEFORE WE GET TO THE LESSON, LET'S JUST BEGIN WITH A WORD OF 00:59 PRAYER. DEAR FATHER, ONCE AGAIN WE THANK 01:01 YOU THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER TOGETHER TO STUDY THE 01:03 BIBLE. AND LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR ALL 01:06 OF THE WISDOM THAT WE HAVE LEARNED IN THE BOOK OF PROVERBS 01:09 AND BLESS OUR TIME AGAIN, TODAY, AS WE FINISH UP THIS VERY 01:12 IMPORTANT STUDY, FOR WE ASK THIS IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. 01:16 WE HAVE A FREE OFFER THAT GOES ALONG WITH THE STUDY TODAY. 01:21 IT'S ENTITLED THE CHRISTIAN AND ALCOHOL . 01:23 WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND THIS TO ANYBODY WHO CALLS AND ASKS. 01:26 THE NUMBER TO CALL FOR OUR FREE OFFER IS 866-788-3966 AND YOU 01:33 CAN ASK FOR OFFER #142. THAT NUMBER, AGAIN, IS 01:36 866-STUDY-MORE OR 788-3966 AND, AGAIN, IT'S OFFER #142. 01:43 YOU CAN ASK FOR THE BOOK THE CHRISTIAN AND ALCOHOL AND WE'LL 01:46 BE HAPPY TO SEND THAT TO ANYBODY WHO CALLS AND ASKS. YOU CAN ALSO 01:49 READ THE BOOK FOR FREE ONLINE AT THE AMAZING FACTS WEBSITE. 01:52 TALKING ABOUT THE AMAZING FACTS WEBSITE, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A 01:55 COPY OF TODAY'S LESSON, YOU CAN GO TO THE AMAZING FACTS WEBSITE 01:58 AND YOU CAN CLICK ON SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY HOUR AND YOU CAN 02:02 DOWNLOAD LESSON #13, WHICH WE'RE GOING TO BE STUDYING TOGETHER 02:05 HERE. WELL, AS MENTIONED EARLIER, WE 02:08 HAVE COME TO THE END OF OUR STUDIES ON THE BOOK OF PROVERBS. 02:11 WE HAVE OUR FINAL PRESENTATION TONIGHT. IT'S GOT AN INTRIGUING 02:14 TITLE - IT'S CALLED WOMEN AND WINE AND THE KEY PASSAGE OF 02:19 SCRIPTURE FOR THIS STUDY IS PROVERBS CHAPTER 31. 02:22 NOW WE HAVE A MEMORY TEXT AND THAT'S PROVERBS CHAPTER 31 AND 02:26 IT'S VERSE 3 AND VERSE 4. YOU CAN FOLLOW ALONG WITH ME IF 02:30 YOU'D LIKE, PROVERBS 31, VERSES 3 AND 4. 02:33 IT SAYS, "DO NOT GIVE YOUR STRENGTH TO WOMEN, 02:36 NOR YOUR WAYS TO THAT WHICH DESTROYS KINGS. 02:39 IT IS NOT FOR KINGS, O LEMUEL, IT IS NOT FOR KINGS TO DRINK 02:43 WINE, NOR FOR PRINCES INTOXICATING DRINK." 02:48 NOW IT'S VERY INTERESTING, WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE BOOK OF 02:51 PROVERBS, IT BEGINS WITH THE INSTRUCTION AND THE TEACHINGS OF 02:55 A FATHER TO HIS SON AND THE BOOK ENDS - OVER HERE IN CHAPTER 31 - 03:00 WITH THE ADMONITIONS AND THE TEACHINGS OF A MOTHER FOR HER 03:04 SON. NOW WHO IS THIS LEMUEL THAT WE 03:07 READ ABOUT OVER HERE IN OUR SCRIPTURE READING? 03:09 APPARENTLY, ACCORDING TO THE PASSAGE, IT SPEAKS OF HIM AS 03:12 BEING A KING. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SCHOLARS 03:15 WHO THINK THAT 'LEMUEL' MIGHT JUST BE ANOTHER NAME FOR KING 03:18 SOLOMON. AND THE ADMONITION THAT'S BEING 03:21 GIVEN HERE WOULD COME FROM SOLOMON'S MOTHER - WE'RE GOING 03:24 TO TALK ABOUT HER IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS - A WOMAN THAT HAS GREAT 03:26 WISDOM, AS YOU'LL READ THROUGH THE VARIOUS COMMENTS MADE. 03:30 NOW PROVERBS CHAPTER 31, YOU HAVE THE ASSOCIATION OF WINE AND 03:33 WOMAN, AND THIS ISN'T BY ACCIDENT. 03:37 THE POINT IS BEING MADE HERE - THIS IS A MOTHER SPEAKING TO HER 03:39 SON, QUITE POSSIBLY YOU HAVE BATHSHEBA SPEAKING TO SOLOMON 03:44 THE KING AND SHE IS WARNING THE KING TO BE AWARE OF INFLUENCES 03:49 THAT MIGHT COME UPON HIM IN HIS DECISION MAKING. 03:52 IN ORDER TO BE AN EFFECTIVE RULER, THE KING HAD TO BE 03:55 CAREFUL BASED UPON THOSE WHO ARE INFLUENCING HIM, OR WHAT 03:59 INFLUENCES HE OPENS HIMSELF UP TO. NOW, DID KING SOLOMON 04:04 HAVE A PROBLEM WITH A LOT OF WIVES? YES HE DID. 04:09 WERE THEY TYPICALLY A GOOD INFLUENCE ON THE KING OR DID 04:12 THEY DRAW HIM AWAY FROM THE WORSHIP OF THE TRUE GOD? 04:15 SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND - IF LEMUEL IS SOLOMON - YOU CAN 04:19 UNDERSTAND HOW HIS MOTHER HAS WORDS OF COUNSEL IN THIS 04:22 SUBJECT. WELL, LET'S BEGIN BY GOING TO 04:25 PROVERBS CHAPTER 31 AND WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S GOING TO READ 04:30 FOR US FROM VERSE 1 THROUGH TO VERSE 3. 04:33 THIS IS WHERE WE'LL OPEN OUR STUDY. 04:35 PROVERBS CHAPTER 31 AND BEGIN READING HERE IN VERSE 1. 04:39 >>"THE WORDS OF KING LEMUEL, THE UTTERANCE WHICH HIS MOTHER 04:43 TAUGHT HIM: WHAT, MY SON? AND WHAT, SON OF MY WOMB? 04:48 AND WHAT, SON OF MY VOWS? DO NOT GIVE YOUR STRENGTH TO 04:51 WOMEN, NOR YOUR WAYS TO THAT WHICH DESTROYS KINGS." 04:55 >>AS I MENTIONED A LITTLE EARLIER, PROVERBS BEGINS WITH 04:57 THE INSTRUCTION OF A FATHER. IT ENDS WITH THE INSTRUCTION OF 05:00 A MOTHER. PROVERBS BEGINS BY THE FATHER 05:02 TELLING HIS SON 'YOU NEED TO ACQUIRE WISDOM.' AND THEN IT 05:07 DESCRIBES CERTAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF WISDOM. 05:09 BUT HERE IT ENDS WITH THE MOTHER APPLYING THIS WISDOM TO REAL 05:14 LIFE SITUATIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES. 05:17 SO IT IS THE COUNSEL OF A MOTHER, QUITE POSSIBLY, AS 05:21 MENTIONED EARLIER, BATHSHEBA MIGHT BE GIVING COUNSEL TO HER 05:24 SON SOLOMON, WHO IS THE KING. VERSE 2 IT SAYS, "WHAT, MY SON? 05:28 AND WHAT, SON OF MY WOMB? AND WHAT, SON OF MY VOWS?" 05:32 IN OTHER WORDS, THE QUESTION IS ASKED, 'WHAT COUNSEL CAN I GIVE 05:35 YOU, MY SON?' IT'S SORT OF THE QUESTION THAT'S 05:37 BEING POSED. AND THEN THE COUNSEL SHE GIVES, 05:40 WE FIND FIRST IN VERSE 3, "DO NOT GIVE YOUR STRENGTH TO WOMEN, 05:42 NOR YOUR WAYS TO THAT WHICH DESTROYS KINGS." 05:45 ONCE AGAIN, SHE IS WARNING ABOUT THE INFLUENCE OF EVIL WOMEN ON 05:50 THE KING. OF COURSE, THAT COUNSEL IS 05:53 RELEVANT FOR ANY TIME WHICH WE ARE LIVING IN. 05:55 THE COUNSEL OF A GODLY WOMAN IS TO BE GREATLY CHERISHED, BUT THE 06:00 COUNSEL OF AN EVIL WOMAN, WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF. 06:02 THE INFLUENCE CAN DESTROY. NOW, DID KING SOLOMON KNOW 06:06 SOMETHING ABOUT THE INFLUENCE OF WOMEN? 06:08 HE HAD HOW MANY WIVES? 700 WIVES AND 300 CONCUBINES. 06:12 NOW DID GOD FORESEE THE DANGER IN MULTIPLYING MANY WIVES FOR 06:17 THE KING? YES HE DID. 06:19 MATTER OF FACT, YOU CAN READ IN DEUTERONOMY 17, VERSE 17 - THIS 06:22 IS WHERE MOSES IS TALKING TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AND HE'S 06:25 REFERRING TO A TIME WHEN THEY WANTED TO ESTABLISH THEMSELVES 06:28 OR HAVE A KING AND HE SAID, 'NEITHER SHALL THE KING MULTIPLY 06:31 WIVES FOR HIMSELF, LEST HIS HEART IS TURNED AWAY.' WELL, 06:36 THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED WITH SOLOMON. 06:38 IF YOU READ THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES YOU CAN READ THE 06:41 EXPERIENCE THAT SOLOMON HAD. NOW, CAN YOU THINK OF SOME OTHER 06:44 BIBLE CHARACTERS, IN PARTICULAR, KINGS WHO WERE INFLUENCED IN A 06:48 NEGATIVE WAY BY THEIR WIFE? WELL, I THINK OF AN OLD 06:52 TESTAMENT CHARACTER. HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD OF 06:55 AHAB AND HIS WICKED WIFE - >>JEZEBEL. 06:58 >>JEZEBEL - YOU GOT IT. NOW, OF COURSE, AHAB WAS THE 07:01 KING OF ISRAEL BUT HE ENDED UP MARRYING JEZEBEL. 07:03 JEZEBEL WAS THE DAUGHTER OF ETHBAAL WHO WAS A KING OF ONE OF 07:08 THE PAGAN NATIONS SURROUNDING ISRAEL. 07:10 AND GOD HAD ALSO TOLD, THROUGH THE PROPHET MOSES, THAT THE 07:14 KINGS WERE NOT TO TAKE UNTO THEMSELVES WIVES FROM THE 07:16 VARIOUS NATIONS SURROUNDING THEM. 07:18 NOW UNDER JEZEBEL'S INFLUENCE, NOT ONLY DID SHE LEAD AHAB TO 07:23 WORSHIP IDOLS, BUT EVEN MORE, THROUGH HER INFLUENCE, AHAB 07:27 EVENTUALLY PERSECUTED THE PROPHETS OF GOD. 07:30 AND YOU REMEMBER THE STORY WITH ELIJAH - EVEN AT THE POINT OF A 07:33 DEATH DECREE THAT JEZEBEL HAD PRONOUNCED AGAINST ELIJAH 07:37 BECAUSE HE WAS A PROPHET OF THE TRUE GOD. 07:39 SO THERE WE HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF A WICKED WOMAN LEADING ASTRAY HER 07:42 HUSBAND. NOW IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, DO WE 07:45 HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF A KING WHO WAS ALSO INFLUENCED, BY HIS 07:48 WIFE, TO EVENTUALLY PERSECUTE ONE OF GOD'S PROPHETS? 07:52 I'M THINKING OF HEROD. CORRECT. 07:55 AND WHAT WAS THE NAME OF HIS WIFE? HERODIAS. 07:57 NOW HERE - IT'S ALMOST LIKE A SOAP OPERA WHEN YOU GET TO IT. 08:01 HERODIAS WAS ACTUALLY MARRIED TO SOMEBODY BY THE NAME OF PHILIP. 08:05 PHILIP WAS THE BROTHER OF HEROD BUT, I GUESS, HEROD THOUGHT THAT 08:10 HERODIAS NEEDED TO BE HIS WIFE AND HERODIAS THOUGHT THE SAME 08:14 THING AND SO JOHN THE BAPTIST CONDEMNED HEROD AND HERODIAS FOR 08:18 THIS. HE SAID, 'THIS IS NOT RIGHT. 08:20 YOU HAVE TAKEN YOUR BROTHER'S WIFE. 08:21 YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THIS. NOW HEROD FEARED JOHN THE 08:23 BAPTIST. HE BELIEVED HIM TO BE A PROPHET. 08:25 HEROD HATED JOHN THE BAPTIST AND THROUGH HER INFLUENCE, HEROD HAD 08:29 JOHN ARRESTED AND PLACED IN PRISON BUT HEROD WAS UNWILLING 08:35 TO TAKE HIS LIFE BECAUSE HE FELT LIKE 'THIS IS, INDEED, A PROPHET 08:38 OF GOD.' BUT THEN, AS THE STORY GOES, ONE DAY HEROD HAD A 08:41 BIRTHDAY. YOU REMEMBER THAT? AND HERODIAS CAME UP WITH A PLAN 08:45 THAT INVOLVED HER DAUGHTER, SALOME. 08:48 SO THE DAUGHTER OF HERODIAS CAME AND DANCED BEFORE THE KING AND 08:51 THE KING SAID, 'I'LL GIVE YOU ANYTHING YOU WANT, UP TO HALF OF 08:53 MY KINGDOM.' THEN SHE WENT BACK TO HER MOTHER AND SHE SAID, 08:56 'WHAT DO WE WANT?' AND THE MOTHER SAID, 'I WANT THE 08:58 HEAD OF JOHN THE BAPTIST ON A SILVER PLATTER.' AND EVEN THOUGH 09:01 HEROD DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO DO IT, HE'D GIVEN AN OATH AND SO 09:05 JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS PUT TO DEATH. 09:07 IT'S VERY INTERESTING WHEN YOU SEE THESE QUEENS INFLUENCING 09:10 THEIR HUSBANDS, THE KING, TO PERSECUTE THE PEOPLE OF GOD. 09:14 IN BIBLE PROPHECY, WHAT DOES A WOMAN OFTEN REPRESENT? 09:17 >>THE CHURCH. >>A CHURCH. 09:19 WHAT ABOUT A KING? WHAT DOES A KING OFTEN REPRESENT? 09:21 A POLITICAL POWER OR A NATION. 09:24 THROUGHOUT HISTORY, WHENEVER A CHURCH HAS LOOKED TO THE POWER 09:27 OF THE STATE TO ENFORCE HER DECREES AND DOCTRINES, IT ALMOST 09:32 ALWAYS RESULTS IN PERSECUTION FOR SOME GROUP OF PEOPLE. 09:36 SO THERE'S AN INTERESTING PARALLEL THAT WE SEE IN BIBLE 09:38 PROPHECY WHEN WE GET TO THE BOOK OF REVELATION AND THE VARIOUS 09:42 EXAMPLES THAT ARE SET FORTH, BOTH IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AND 09:44 SOME THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. 09:46 MATTER OF FACT, LET'S GO TO REVELATION AND LOOK AT HOW THIS 09:49 EXAMPLE PLAYS OUT IN THE END OF TIME. 09:52 REVELATION CHAPTER 17 IS WHERE WE'RE GOING - REVELATION CHAPTER 09:56 17 - AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO READ HERE VERSE 1 AND VERSE 2 - 10:00 REVELATION CHAPTER 17 AND VERSE 1 AND VERSE 2. 10:04 JOHN WRITES, "THEN ONE OF THE SEVEN ANGELS WHO HAD THE SEVEN 10:09 BOWLS CAME AND TALKED WITH ME, SAYING TO ME, 'COME, I WILL SHOW 10:11 YOU THE JUDGMENT OF THE GREAT HARLOT WHO SITS ON MANY WATERS," 10:16 - IN BIBLE PROPHECY, WATERS REPRESENT MULTITUDES AND NATIONS 10:19 AND KINDREDS AND TONGUES. A WOMAN REPRESENTS A CHURCH. 10:22 SO HERE IS A CHURCH THAT HAS GREAT INFLUENCE OVER MULTITUDES 10:26 AND NATIONS AND KINDREDS AND TONGUES. 10:28 VERSE 2 SAYS, "WITH WHOM THE KINGS OF THE EARTH COMMITTED 10:31 FORNICATION," - NOW, WHO WOULD BE THE KINGS OF THE EARTH? 10:35 THAT WOULD REPRESENT THESE VARIOUS POLITICAL POWERS - "AND 10:37 THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH WERE MADE DRUNK WITH THE WINE OF 10:41 HER FORNICATION." NOW REMEMBER, PROVERBS CHAPTER 10:43 31 TALKS ABOUT WOMEN AND WINE AND IN REVELATION CHAPTER 17 WE 10:48 HAVE A WOMAN WHO IS MAKING ALL NATIONS DRINK THE WINE OF THE 10:52 WRATH OF HER FORNICATION. IN BIBLE PROPHECY, A WOMAN, 10:55 SYMBOLIZING THE CHURCH, IS TO BE MARRIED TO CHRIST. 10:59 BUT WHEN THE CHURCH LEAVES HER ALLEGIANCE TO JESUS AND FORMS AN 11:02 ALLIANCE WITH A POLITICAL POWER, SHE IS GUILTY OF COMMITTING 11:06 SPIRITUAL FORNICATION AND THAT'S THE GREAT SIN, DESCRIBED HERE, 11:09 OF BABYLON. SHE'S LEFT HER ALLEGIANCE TO JESUS. 11:12 SHE'S LOOKING TO THE STATE AND, AS A RESULT, SHE'S PERSECUTING 11:16 THE FOLLOWERS OF GOD. WE'LL EXPLORE THAT THEME A 11:19 LITTLE BIT MORE AS WE WORK OUR WAY THROUGH OUR STUDY. 11:21 OKAY, NOW COMING TO SUNDAY'S LESSON. 11:23 THE TITLE OF THE LESSON THERE IS A TOAST TO LIFE. 11:27 AND THE KEY PASSAGE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT IS 11:30 PROVERBS CHAPTER 31, VERSES 4 AND 5 - PROVERBS 31, VERSES 4 11:36 AND 5 AND, KATRINA, I THINK YOU HAVE THOSE VERSES FOR US. 11:38 >>"IT IS NOT FOR KINGS, O LEMUEL, IT IS NOT FOR KINGS TO 11:43 DRINK WINE, NOR FOR PRINCES INTOXICATING DRINK; LEST THEY 11:47 DRINK AND FORGET THE LAW, AND PERVERT THE JUSTICE OF ALL THE 11:50 AFFLICTED." >>NOW HERE THE FOCUS SHIFTS A 11:53 LITTLE BIT TOWARDS THE DANGERS OF ALCOHOL AND THIS IS COUNSEL 11:58 THAT A MOTHER IS GIVING TO HER SON AND SHE SAYS, 'WATCH OUT FOR 12:01 WINE. DON'T DRINK WINE. DON'T DRINK ALCOHOL.' NOW, OF 12:04 COURSE, IN OUR SOCIETY TODAY, THE DRINKING OF ALCOHOL IS 12:07 PORTRAYED AS LIVING THE GOOD LIFE. 12:10 MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE SPENT ON COMMERCIALS ADVOCATING AND 12:14 PROMOTING ALCOHOL AND THOSE PRESENTING ALCOHOL ARE ALWAYS 12:18 HAPPY INDIVIDUALS. YOU NEVER SEE THE DRUNKARD OR 12:21 SOMEBODY WHO HAS LOST ALL OF THEIR INCOME AS A RESULT OF 12:24 ALCOHOL. AND SO THERE IS THIS FALSE IDEA 12:26 THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED TO SOCIETY THAT SOMEHOW, IF YOU'RE LIVING 12:32 THE GOOD LIFE, YOU NEED TO INDULGE IN ALCOHOL. 12:35 BUT THE BOOK OF PROVERBS WARNS US AGAINST THIS DEADLY 12:38 DECEPTION. THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THAT 12:40 PROVERBS TALKS AGAINST DRINKING ALCOHOL. 12:42 MATTER OF FACT, IF YOU GO TO PROVERBS CHAPTER 23 AND VERSE 30 12:45 - ACTUALLY, BEGINNING IN VERSE 29 - LET ME JUST READ A FEW 12:49 VERSES HERE. IT SAYS, "WHO HAS WOE? WHO HAS SORROW? 12:53 WHO HAS CONTENTIONS? WHO HAS BABBLING? 12:56 WHO HAS WOUNDS WITHOUT CAUSE? WHO HAS REDNESS OF EYES? 13:00 THEY THAT TARRY LONG AT THE WINE; THEY THAT GO TO SEEK MIXED 13:05 WINE. LOOK NOT UPON THE WINE WHEN IT 13:08 IS RED, WHEN IT GIVES ITS COLOR IN THE CUP, WHEN IT MOVES ITSELF 13:12 ARIGHT. AT THE LAST IT BITES LIKE A 13:15 SERPENT AND IT STINGS LIKE AN ADDER." 13:18 SO PREVIOUSLY IN THE BOOK OF PROVERBS - PROVERBS 23 AND OTHER 13:21 PLACES - THE BIBLE WARNS US ABOUT THE DANGERS OF ALCOHOL. 13:25 NOW MAYBE YOU'VE HEARD SOME PEOPLE SAY, 'WELL, A LITTLE BIT 13:28 OF WINE IS GOOD FOR MY HEALTH.' HAVE YOU HEARD THAT BEFORE? 13:31 I GUESS THE QUESTION IS: IS IT THE ALCOHOL THAT'S GOOD FOR YOUR 13:34 HEALTH OR IS IT THE GRAPE JUICE THAT'S GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH? 13:38 IT'S REALLY THE GRAPE JUICE. THERE IS NO REAL VIRTUE IN 13:41 ALCOHOL. MAYBE IF YOU PUT IT ON THE 13:43 OUTSIDE OF YOUR SKIN AS A DISINFECTANT IT COULD HAVE SOME 13:45 VALUE, BUT NOT INSIDE THE BODY BY NO MEANS. 13:48 BUT WE KNOW THAT GRAPES AND THE JUICE OF THE GRAPE IS VERY 13:51 BENEFICIAL. IT HAS A NUMBER OF GOOD HEALTH PROPERTIES. 13:54 THE FACT THAT THE BOOK OF PROVERBS ENDS WITH THIS WARNING 13:58 NOT TO DRINK WINE, I THINK, IN ITSELF, IS RATHER SIGNIFICANT. 14:02 USUALLY WHEN SOMEBODY WRITES SOMETHING AND THEY COME TO THEIR 14:05 FINAL PARAGRAPH, IT'S SORT OF AN EMPHASIS OF SOME OF THE KEY 14:08 POINTS THAT THEY WANT YOU TO REMEMBER FROM WHATEVER IT IS 14:12 THAT THEY'RE WRITING. AT THE END OF THE BOOK OF 14:14 PROVERBS - THAT'S ALL OF THE WISDOM THAT'S GIVEN - IS A VERY 14:17 PRACTICAL APPLICATION: DON'T DRINK ALCOHOL. 14:20 NOW A COUPLE OF SPECIFIC THINGS RELATED TO THOSE VERSES - 14:24 PROVERBS 31, VERSE 4 SAYS IT'S NOT FOR KINGS. 14:27 NOW THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN A POSITION OF 14:31 AUTHORITY AND THE REASON BEING IS ALCOHOL, AS WE ALL KNOW, 14:34 PERVERTS JUDGMENT. THE LAST THING YOU WANT IS TO 14:37 STAND BEFORE A JUDGE WHO COMES STUMBLING OUT OF A ROOM ON THE 14:40 SIDE - YOU KNOW HE'S KIND OF DAZED AS YOU LOOK INTO HIS EYES 14:44 AND HE'S GOING TO PRONOUNCE WHETHER YOU'RE INNOCENT OR 14:46 GUILTY. YOU WANT SOMEBODY OF A CLEAR 14:48 UNDERSTANDING - CLEAR REASONING CAPABILITIES. 14:51 YOU DON'T WANT SOMEONE INDULGING IN ALCOHOL. 14:53 DO CHRISTIANS TODAY NEED TO HAVE CLEAR DISCERNMENT IN OUR WORLD? 14:59 THE BIBLE TELLS US IN 1 PETER CHAPTER 5, VERSE 8, "BE SOBER, 15:03 BE VIGILANT; BECAUSE YOUR ADVERSARY THE DEVIL," IS WALKING 15:06 AROUND LIKE A ROARING LION, SEEING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR. 15:11 WELL, THERE IT IS. THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT WE NEED 15:13 TO BE SOBER - RECOGNIZE THAT THE DEVIL IS TRYING TO DECEIVE. 15:16 AND VERSE 5 SAYS DON'T DRINK LEST YOU FORGET THE LAW. 15:21 NOW THE LAW OF GOD, OF COURSE, IS THE STANDARD OF GOOD AND 15:23 EVIL. THOSE WHO ARE IN A POSITION OF 15:26 AUTHORITY, THEY'RE TO LOOK OUT FOR THE NEEDS OF THOSE WHO ARE 15:29 OPPRESSED AND THOSE WHO ARE AFFLICTED. 15:32 ALCOHOL - SOMEBODY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL, TENDS 15:36 TOWARD SELFISHNESS. AFTER PEOPLE DRINK, THEY START 15:41 MAKING DECISIONS THAT ARE QUITE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THEY'D 15:44 NORMALLY MAKE IF THEY WEREN'T DRUNK. 15:47 AND WE CAN SEE THIS DEMONSTRATED JUST IN OUR SOCIETY AROUND US. 15:50 JAMES CHAPTER 1, VERSE 27 SAYS, "PURE AND UNDEFILED RELIGION 15:55 BEFORE GOD THE FATHER IS THIS: TO VISIT ORPHANS AND WIDOWS IN 15:58 THEIR TROUBLE, AND TO KEEP ONESELF UNSPOTTED FROM THE 16:02 WORLD." SO AS THE CHRISTIAN, WE ARE TO 16:05 BE LOOKING OUT FOR THE NEEDS OF OTHERS. 16:07 WE ARE TO BE MINISTERING TO THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED AND 16:09 AFFLICTED. AGAIN, AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, 16:11 ALCOHOL AFFECTS A PERSON'S ABILITY TO REASON AND THEIR 16:15 DISCERNMENT. JOB DESCRIBED HIMSELF AS LOOKING 16:19 OUT FOR THE NEEDS OF THOSE WHO WERE OPPRESSED. 16:21 HE SAYS, 'I HAVE BEEN EYES TO THE BLIND AND I'VE BEEN FEET TO 16:24 THE LAME.' SO WINE DISTORTS A PERSON'S JUDGMENT. 16:29 NOW YOU REMEMBER THE STORIES OF NOAH AND LOT? 16:31 WHAT HAPPENED AS A RESULT OF THE TWO OF THEM GETTING DRUNK? 16:35 SOME BAD THINGS HAPPENED TO THE FAMILY. 16:37 YOU KNOW, MY GRANDFATHER - JUST A WONDERFUL PERSON - WE ALWAYS 16:40 ENJOYED GOING TO VISIT HIM, BUT HE HAD A DRINKING PROBLEM AND 16:45 WHENEVER HE WAS SOBER, THE GRANDKIDS WOULD LOVE TO GATHER 16:47 AROUND AND HE'D TELL STORIES AND WE'D JUST HAVE A GREAT TIME. 16:50 BUT WHEN GRANDFATHER WOULD START DRINKING, THERE WAS A CHANGE 16:54 THAT CAME OVER HIM. I REMEMBER AS A CHILD, BECOMING 16:57 RATHER AFRAID OF MY GRANDFATHER - SOME OF THE DECISIONS HE WOULD 17:02 MAKE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO 17:05 HIS FAMILY AND TO HIMSELF, AND SO I'VE SEEN FIRST HAND - AS I'M 17:09 SURE YOU HAVE - THE DANGERS OF ALCOHOL. 17:12 BUT SOMEBODY MIGHT SAY, 'WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? 17:14 I JUST DRINK ON SOCIAL OCCASIONS. 17:17 I'M NOT AN ALCOHOLIC. JUST A LITTLE BIT IN MODERATION - 17:20 IS THERE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT? 17:23 WELL, I GUESS THE QUESTION WE NEED TO CONSIDER IS SHOULD A 17:25 CHRISTIAN SUPPORT THAT KIND OF INDUSTRY? 17:28 WHEN A PERSON BUYS ALCOHOL, OF COURSE, A BIG PORTION OF WHAT 17:32 THEY PAY FOR GOES TOWARDS ADVERTISING AND PROMOTING 17:35 SOMETHING THAT IS BRINGING PAIN AND SORROW TO SO MANY PEOPLE. 17:40 1 THESSALONIANS CHAPTER 5, VERSE 22 TELLS US "ABSTAIN FROM EVERY 17:43 FORM OF EVIL." SO THERE IS PLENTY OF SCRIPTURAL 17:47 EVIDENCE TO ENCOURAGE US TO BE TRUE AND FAITHFUL - TO BE SOBER 17:51 AND NOT TO INDULGE IN ALCOHOL - NOT TO DRINK ALCOHOL. 17:55 SOMETHING ELSE INTERESTING, THERE WAS A SPECIAL PROHIBITION 17:58 IN THE OLD TESTAMENT PRONOUNCED AGAINST DRINKING ALCOHOL FOR THE 18:03 PRIESTS. THE PRIESTS WERE NOT TO DRINK ALCOHOL. 18:06 YOU'LL READ THIS IN LEVITICUS CHAPTER 10 AND VERSE 9. 18:10 LET ME JUST READ IT FOR YOU. 18:12 IT SAYS, "DO NOT DRINK WINE NOR STRONG DRINK, THOU, NOR THY SONS 18:14 WITH THEE, WHEN YOU GO INTO THE TABERNACLE OF THE CONGREGATION, 18:17 LEST YE DIE: IT SHALL BE A STATUTE FOR EVER THROUGHOUT YOUR 18:21 GENERATIONS: AND THAT YE MAY PUT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HOLY AND 18:24 UNHOLY, AND BETWEEN UNCLEAN AND CLEAN;" SO THE PRIESTS - 18:30 ESPECIALLY IN THEIR SERVICES OF THE SANCTUARY - WERE TOLD THAT 18:33 THEY WEREN'T TO DRINK ANY WINE OR STRONG DRINK. 18:36 I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT IN 1 PETER CHAPTER 2, VERSE 9, PETER, 18:39 WHEN SPEAKING OF THE CHURCH, HE SAYS, "YOU ARE A ROYAL 18:42 PRIESTHOOD, AN HOLY NATION." THE CHURCH TODAY NEEDS TO BE 18:48 ABLE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THAT WHICH IS HOLY AND THAT WHICH IS 18:51 UNHOLY AND WE WANT TO BE SHARING THE TRUTHS OF GOD'S WORD TO THE 18:55 WORLD. WE NEED TO HAVE CLARITY OF 18:58 THOUGHT. OKAY, MOVING ON - MONDAY'S 19:00 LESSON TALKS ABOUT A TOAST TO DEATH AND IF SOMEONE WOULD READ 19:05 FOR US PROVERBS 31, VERSES 6 AND 7. 19:09 >>"GIVE STRONG DRINK TO HIM WHO IS PERISHING, AND WINE TO THOSE 19:12 WHO ARE BITTER OF HEART. LET HIM DRINK AND FORGET HIS 19:16 POVERTY, AND REMEMBER HIS MISERY NO MORE." 19:19 >>ALRIGHT, WELL THIS IS A VERSE THAT SOMETIMES WE HEAR, 'WELL, 19:22 IT'S ALRIGHT TO DRINK A LITTLE BIT OF ALCOHOL.' 19:24 BUT NOTICE THE ONES TO WHOM THE ALCOHOL IS GIVEN - 19:27 THOSE WHO ARE READY TO DIE. NOW BACK IN BIBLE TIMES, THEY 19:30 DIDN'T HAVE THE PAINKILLERS THAT, OF COURSE, WE HAVE TODAY. 19:34 THERE WAS A MIXTURE THAT THEY HAD OF INTOXICATING DRINKS THAT 19:38 WAS USED TO DEADEN PAIN, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO WERE 19:42 FACING DEATH. YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER THE STORY 19:44 WHEN JESUS WAS ON THE CROSS - IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 27, VERSE 34 - 19:48 HOW THEY OFFERED HIM SOUR WINE MINGLED WITH GALL. 19:52 GALL WAS A STRONG, INTOXICATING DRINK WHERE THEY WOULD MIX IN 19:57 CERTAIN TYPES OF HERBS FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEADENING PAIN. 20:00 IT WAS THE BIBLICAL FORM, IF YOU LIKE, OF MORPHINE. 20:03 AND SO THE ADMONITION IS ALCOHOL OR WINE ARE FOR THOSE WHO ARE 20:08 READY TO DIE. IT'S NOT FOR THE CHRISTIAN. 20:11 AND THEN VERSE 7 SAYS DRINK AND FORGET POVERTY AND MISERY. 20:16 NOW SOMEBODY WHO IS IN FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES OR IS FEELING 20:22 MISERABLE, WHEN THEY DRINK, DOES THAT MAKE THEIR SITUATION BETTER 20:26 OR WORSE? >>WORSE. 20:28 >>QUITE OFTEN IT MAKES IT WORSE. SO DRINKING DOESN'T SOLVE 20:31 ANYTHING. IF ANYTHING, IT JUST ADDS INSULT 20:34 TO INJURY. IT MAKES THINGS WORSE. 20:37 ALSO, SOMETHING TO NOTE HERE, THE EXPRESSION IN PROVERBS 31 20:43 WHERE IT SAYS GIVE STRONG DRINK TO THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING - IN 20:47 THE BOOK OF PROVERBS, THE WORD 'PERISHING' AS IT RELATES TO 20:50 PEOPLE, IS OFTEN USED IN REFERENCE TO THE WICKED, MEANING 20:54 THAT THE RIGHTEOUS - THIS IS NOT SOMETHING FOR THE RIGHTEOUS, BUT 20:57 THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE WICKED WOULD DO. 20:58 FOR EXAMPLE, IN PROVERBS CHAPTER 10, VERSE 28 - IT SAYS, "THE 21:02 HOPE OF THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL BE GLADNESS: BUT THE EXPECTATION OF 21:05 THE WICKED SHALL PERISH." AND THERE'S MANY OF THEM. 21:08 PROVERBS 11, VERSE 7 - IT SAYS, "WHEN A WICKED MAN DIETH, HIS 21:13 EXPECTATION SHALL PERISH: AND THE HOPE OF UNJUST MEN 21:16 PERISHETH." SO THE IDEA OF GIVE THE WINE TO 21:20 THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING - IN THE BOOK OF PROVERBS, 'THOSE WHO 21:23 PERISH' IS OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE WICKED. 21:25 CHRISTIANS SHOULDN'T HAVE ANY PART IN THAT. 21:27 NOW HERE'S AN INTERESTING STATEMENT THAT WE HAVE IN OUR 21:30 LESSON AND IT COMES FROM THE BOOK TEMPERANCE AND IT'S 21:32 ON PAGE 12. I'M GOING TO READ THIS TO YOU. 21:35 IT SAYS, "SATAN GATHERED THE FALLEN ANGELS TOGETHER TO DEVISE 21:38 SOME WAY OF DOING THE MOST POSSIBLE EVIL TO THE HUMAN 21:41 FAMILY. ONE PROPOSITION AFTER ANOTHER 21:45 WAS MADE UNTIL FINALLY SATAN, HIMSELF, THOUGHT OF A PLAN. 21:48 HE WOULD TAKE THE FRUIT OF THE VINE, ALSO WHEAT AND OTHER 21:52 THINGS GIVEN BY GOD AS FOOD, AND WOULD CONVERT THEM INTO POISONS, 21:56 WHICH WOULD RUIN MAN'S PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND MORAL POWERS AND SO 22:00 OVERCOME THE SENSES THAT SATAN SHOULD HAVE FULL CONTROL. 22:04 UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF LIQUOR, MEN WOULD BE LED TO COMMIT 22:08 CRIMES OF ALL KINDS." AND HOW TRUE IS THAT STATEMENT. 22:13 WE SEE THE RESULTS OF THAT ALL AROUND US TODAY. 22:16 I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH THIS AFTERNOON, FROM THE CENTER FOR 22:19 DISEASE CONTROL, THEY HAVE A WHOLE LIST OF THE DANGERS OF 22:24 ALCOHOL AND HERE'S A FEW THINGS THAT ARE MENTIONED THERE. 22:26 THEY SAY 1 IN 10 DEATHS OF PEOPLE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 22:31 20 AND 64 IS DUE TO ALCOHOL. THE LONG-TERM HEALTH RISKS OF 22:36 DRINKING ALCOHOL INCLUDE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, HEART DISEASE, 22:41 STROKE, LIVER DISEASE, DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS, CANCER, LEARNING AND 22:45 MEMORY PROBLEMS, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, SOCIAL PROBLEMS, 22:49 ADDICTION, AND MUCH MORE. SO THE QUESTION IS: SHOULD A 22:54 CHRISTIAN BE INVOLVED IN THIS? AND I THINK THE ANSWER IS PRETTY 22:57 CLEAR. THE ANSWER WOULD BE 'NO.' 22:59 ON TUESDAY'S LESSON WE SHIFT GEARS A LITTLE BIT AND THE FOCUS 23:03 NOW MOVES TO A VIRTUOUS WOMAN. SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF A 23:06 VIRTUOUS WOMAN. SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT PROVERBS 23:10 CHAPTER 31, READING FROM VERSE 10 THROUGH TO VERSE 12. 23:15 >>"WHO CAN FIND A VIRTUOUS WIFE? FOR HER WORTH IS FAR ABOVE 23:21 RUBIES. THE HEART OF HER HUSBAND SAFELY 23:24 TRUSTS HER; SO HE WILL HAVE NO LACK OF GAIN. 23:27 SHE DOES HIM GOOD AND NOT EVIL ALL THE DAYS OF HER LIFE." 23:32 >>NOTICE A FEW OF THE WORDS SPOKEN WITH REFERENCE TO THE 23:35 INFLUENCE OF A GODLY WOMAN. OF COURSE, FIRST OF ALL, IT SAYS 23:39 THERE IN VERSE 10 THAT SHE IS PRICELESS. 23:42 YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD THE SAYING BEFORE, 'THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE 23:45 CRADLE RULES THE WORLD.' AND HOW TRUE THAT IS. 23:49 JOHN WESLEY, THE GREAT EVANGELIST AND PREACHER, HE 23:52 ACCREDITED HIS MOTHER FOR THE DIRECTION OF HIS LIFE. 23:56 IT WAS HER GODLY EXAMPLE AND INSTRUCTION THAT LAID THE 23:58 FOUNDATION FOR HIS MINISTRY AND THAT IS TRUE IN MANY CASES. 24:02 VERSE 11 TALKS ABOUT A GODLY WOMAN THAT CAN BE TRUSTED AND 24:06 HOW WONDERFUL IT IS TO BE ABLE TO TRUST - TO KNOW THAT YOUR 24:13 SPOUSE HAS GOT YOUR BACK COVERED. 24:16 THAT BRINGS A WONDERFUL BLESSING. 24:18 GENESIS CHAPTER 2, VERSE 18, GOD, IN THE CREATION OF ADAM AND 24:22 EVE: "IT IS NOT GOOD THAT THE MAN SHOULD BE ALONE; 24:25 I WILL MAKE HIM A HELPER COMPARABLE TO HIM." 24:28 NOW YOU REMEMBER THE STORY: GOD CAUSED A DEEP SLEEP TO COME UPON 24:33 ADAM AND WHILE ADAM SLEPT, GOD OPENED UP HIS SIDE AND TOOK OUT 24:36 A RIB AND WITH THE RIB, GOD MADE EVE. 24:39 AND THEN GOD BROUGHT EVE TO ADAM AND HE PERFORMED THE FIRST 24:42 WEDDING, RIGHT THERE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN. 24:44 NOW IT'S KIND OF SIGNIFICANT: HERE YOU HAVE THE WIFE OF THE 24:48 MAN COMING FROM THE SIDE OF THE MAN. 24:51 SOMEBODY ONCE SAID, 'ALL WOMEN COME FROM MAN AND ALL MEN COME 24:56 FROM WOMAN.' IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, AFTER 24:59 ADAM AND EVE, ALL MEN COME FROM WOMAN. 25:01 SOMETHING ELSE INTERESTING ABOUT THE STORY OF THE CREATION OF 25:05 ADAM AND EVE: JESUS, IN THE BIBLE, IS SOMETIMES REFERRED TO 25:09 AS 'THE SECOND ADAM.' THE CHURCH IS DESCRIBED AS 'THE BRIDE OF 25:13 CHRIST.' IN THE SAME WAY THAT EVE, THE BRIDE OF ADAM, CAME 25:18 FROM THE SIDE OF ADAM, SO WHEN JESUS WAS ON THE CROSS AND HE 25:24 DIED - SOMETIMES IN THE BIBLE DEATH IS LIKENED UNTO SLEEP. 25:27 JOHN TELLS US THAT THEY OPENED UP THE SIDE OF CHRIST AND WHAT 25:32 CAME FROM THE SIDE OF CHRIST? >>WATER AND BLOOD. 25:33 >>WATER MIXED WITH BLOOD AND THE BLOOD REPRESENTS JUSTIFICATION, 25:40 THE WATER REPRESENTS SANCTIFICATIONAL CLEANSING. 25:42 FROM THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST COMES THE BRIDE OF CHRIST - 25:47 THE CHURCH. 25:48 SO THIS VIRTUOUS WOMAN THAT WE TALK ABOUT HERE IN PROVERBS 31, 25:51 IS ALSO A SYMBOL OF THE BRIDE OF CHRIST, OR THE CHURCH. 25:55 NOW VERSE 12, SPEAKING OF THIS GODLY WOMAN, IT SAYS THAT SHE IS 26:00 COMMITTED TO HER HUSBAND "ALL THE DAYS OF HER LIFE." 26:02 SO MARRIAGE IS TO BE A LIFELONG COMMITMENT. 26:06 AND, OF COURSE, WE KNOW THE TWO INSTITUTIONS THAT GOD CREATED 26:09 BEFORE SIN EVER ENTERED THE WORLD WERE MARRIAGE AND THE 26:11 SABBATH - BOTH OF WHICH THE DEVIL HAS DONE HIS VERY BEST TO 26:15 TRY AND DESTROY. AND YET THERE'S A WONDERFUL 26:18 BLESSING IN MARRIAGE AND, OF COURSE, THE SYMBOLISM THERE AS 26:20 IT CONNECTS WITH THE CHURCH AND THE CHURCH'S DEVOTION AND 26:24 COMMITMENT TO CHRIST NEEDS TO BE LIFELONG. 26:28 NOW, A COUPLE OF OTHER ASPECTS OF THIS VIRTUOUS WOMAN, BROUGHT 26:33 TO LIGHT HERE IN PROVERBS 31, THIS WOMAN ALSO REPRESENTS 26:36 WISDOM. THE WORD FOR 'WISDOM' IN THE 26:39 HEBREW IS IN THE FEMININE NOUN, WHICH IS KIND OF INTERESTING. 26:43 SO WISDOM, HERE, IS PICTURED AS A WOMAN OR A WIFE THAT HAS 26:47 BECOME A LIFELONG COMPANION. NOW THERE ARE SOME SIMILARITIES 26:51 BETWEEN WISDOM AND A VIRTUOUS WOMAN AND I'M JUST GOING TO 26:56 MENTION A FEW OF THEM. YOU HAVE THESE IN YOUR LESSON. 27:00 POINT #1 - IT SAYS SHE IS PRECIOUS AND WORTH FINDING - 27:05 THAT IS PROVERBS 31, VERSE 10 - IT SAYS, 27:07 "WHO CAN FIND A VIRTUOUS WIFE?" 27:09 AND THEN IF YOU COMPARE THAT TO WISDOM IN CHAPTER 8, VERSE 35, 27:13 IT SAYS, "FOR WHOEVER FINDETH ME" - SPEAKING OF WISDOM - 27:16 "FINDETH LIFE, AND SHALL OBTAIN FAVOR OF THE LORD." 27:19 SO POINT #1 - SHE'S PRECIOUS AND SHE'S WORTH FINDING. 27:23 POINT #2 - HER WORTH IS MORE THAN RUBIES. 27:26 THAT, OF COURSE, IS PROVERBS 31, VERSE 10 AGAIN, WHERE IT SPEAKS 27:31 ABOUT HER PRICE IS ABOVE THAT OF RUBIES. 27:34 AND CHAPTER 8, VERSE 10, TALKING OF WISDOM IT SAYS, "RECEIVE MY 27:38 INSTRUCTION AND NOT SILVER AND KNOWLEDGE RATHER THAN CHOICE 27:43 GOLD FOR WISDOM IS BETTER THAN RUBIES." 27:47 SO WE BEGIN TO SEE THAT THIS VIRTUOUS WOMAN IN PROVERBS 27:50 CHAPTER 31 BECOMES A SYMBOL OF WISDOM AND THEY'RE USED 27:54 INTERCHANGEABLY. POINT #3 - SHE PROVIDES FOOD FOR 27:58 HER HOUSEHOLD - THAT'S PROVERBS 31, VERSE 14. 28:02 IT SAYS, "SHE IS LIKE THE MERCHANTS' SHIPS; SHE BRINGETH 28:04 HER FOOD FROM AFAR." AND THEN, THAT RELATING TO 28:08 WISDOM, WE READ IN VERSE 19 OF PROVERBS CHAPTER 8, "MY FRUIT IS 28:14 BETTER THAN GOLD, YEA, THAN FINE GOLD; AND MY REVENUE THAN CHOICE 28:18 SILVER." - TALKING ABOUT WISDOM - MY FOOD 28:21 OR MY FRUIT - IS BETTER THAN GOLD. 28:24 AND THEN POINT #4 - IS SAYS SHE IS STRONG - SPEAKING OF THE 28:27 VIRTUOUS WOMAN - PROVERBS 31, VERSE 17 - "SHE GIRDETH HER 28:31 LOINS WITH STRENGTH, AND STRENGTHENETH HER ARMS." 28:34 WITH REFERENCE TO WISDOM, WE READ IN CHAPTER 8, VERSE 14, 28:38 "COUNSEL IS MINE, AND SOUND WISDOM: I AM UNDERSTANDING; 28:42 I HAVE STRENGTH." SO THE VIRTUOUS WOMAN IS 28:45 DESCRIBED AS HAVING STRENGTH AND WISDOM IS DESCRIBED AS HAVING 28:48 STRENGTH. AND THEN POINT #5 - OUT OF THESE 28:51 SIX POINTS LISTED HERE - SHE IS WISE - PROVERBS CHAPTER 31, 28:56 VERSE 26 - IT SAYS, "SHE OPENETH HER MOUTH WITH WISDOM; AND IN 29:00 HER TONGUE IS THE LAW OF KINDNESS." 29:03 WITH REFERENCE TO PROVERBS, PROVERBS CHAPTER 8, VERSE 1 29:07 SAYS, "DOTH NOT WISDOM CRY AND UNDERSTANDING PUTS FORTH HER 29:11 VOICE?" SO LIKEWISE, WISDOM SPEAKS JUST 29:15 LIKE THIS VIRTUOUS WOMAN SPEAKS IN WISDOM. 29:19 AND THEN POINT #6 - SHE IS PRAISED. 29:22 PROVERBS CHAPTER 31, VERSE 28 SAYS, "HER CHILDREN ARISE UP, 29:26 AND CALL HER BLESSED; HER HUSBAND ALSO, AND HE PRAISETH 29:29 HER." AND THEN WITH REFERENCE TO 29:31 WISDOM - CHAPTER 8, VERSE 34, "BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT HEARETH 29:35 ME," - SPEAKING OF WISDOM - "WATCHING DAILY AT MY GATES, 29:38 WAITING AT THE POSTS OF MY DOORS." 29:41 SO, IT'S QUITE CLEAR - IF YOU PUT ALL THE VARIOUS COMPARISON'S 29:44 TOGETHER OVER HERE - THIS VIRTUOUS WOMAN REPRESENTS THE 29:48 CHURCH. IT ALSO REPRESENTS WISDOM. 29:51 NOW IN REVELATION, WE HAVE A DESCRIPTION OF TWO WOMEN. 29:54 WE HAVE ONE, REPRESENTING GOD'S TRUE CHURCH, FOUND IN REVELATION 29:57 CHAPTER 12, AND WE HAVE THE OTHER THAT WE JUST LOOKED AT A 30:00 FEW MOMENTS AGO IN REVELATION CHAPTER 17. 30:03 NOW I WANT YOU TO TURN IN YOUR BIBLES TO REVELATION CHAPTER 12 30:06 AND LET'S NOTICE SOME OF THE SIMILARITIES OF THE WOMAN 30:09 DESCRIBED IN REVELATION 12 TO THOSE CHARACTERISTICS THAT WE 30:13 READ ABOUT FOR A VIRTUOUS WOMAN. REVELATION CHAPTER 12 - WE'RE 30:18 NOT GOING TO READ THE ENTIRE CHAPTER BUT LET ME START IN 30:21 VERSE 1 AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO READ THROUGH TO VERSE 6. 30:24 REVELATION CHAPTER 12, BEGINNING IN VERSE 1 - JOHN WRITES, "NOW A 30:29 GREAT SIGN APPEARED IN HEAVEN: A WOMAN CLOTHED WITH THE SUN," - 30:34 IT SAYS THAT SHE HAS "THE MOON UNDER HER FEET, AND ON HER HEAD 30:38 A GARLAND OF TWELVE STARS." - A WOMAN IN BIBLE PROPHECY 30:42 REPRESENTS A CHURCH. SHE IS CLOTHED WITH THE SUN - 30:45 WHO DO YOU THINK THE SUN REPRESENTS? 30:47 >>CHRIST. >>IT REPRESENTS JESUS. 30:49 THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF THE SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS ARISING WITH 30:51 HEALING IN HIS WINGS. THAT IS A REFERENCE TO CHRIST. 30:55 SO THE CHURCH - GOD'S TRUE CHURCH IS PURE - SHE'S CLOTHED 30:58 WITH CHRIST - CLOTHED WITH THE SUN. 31:01 IT SAYS SHE HAS THE MOON UNDER HER FEET. 31:03 WHAT DO YOU SUPPOSE THAT MOON MIGHT REPRESENT? 31:06 IT WOULD REPRESENT THE SCRIPTURES. 31:08 OF COURSE, THE MOON DOESN'T HAVE ANY LIGHT IN AND OF ITSELF, BUT 31:10 THE MOON IS A REFLECTION OF THE SUN. 31:13 WHERE DO WE FIND THE CLEAREST REFLECTION OF JESUS TODAY? 31:17 ISN'T IT IN HIS WORD? ABSOLUTELY. 31:20 SO HERE IS A CHURCH - A VIRTUOUS WOMAN - SYMBOLIZED BY THIS 31:22 VIRTUOUS WOMAN IN CHAPTER 12. SHE'S STANDING UPON THE MOON - 31:26 SHE'S STANDING UPON THE WORD OF GOD. 31:27 IT SAYS SHE HAS A GARLAND OF TWELVE STARS. 31:30 THE NUMBER TWELVE IN THE BIBLE IS SIGNIFICANT - OF COURSE, 31:33 TWELVE REPRESENTS THE CHURCH. YOU'VE GOT THE TWELVE TRIBES OF 31:36 THE OLD TESTAMENT; YOU'VE GOT THE TWELVE APOSTLES OF THE NEW 31:38 TESTAMENT, SO THESE TWELVE STARS REPRESENT THE CHURCH. 31:41 NOW LOOK AT VERSE 2: IT SAYS, "THEN BEING WITH CHILD, SHE 31:44 CRIED OUT IN LABOR AND IN PAIN TO GIVE BIRTH." 31:47 NOW WE'LL READ A LITTLE BIT LATER ON IN VERSE 5 THAT THIS 31:51 CHILD IS ACTUALLY CHRIST AND THE WOMAN DESCRIBED HERE IN VERSE 1 31:55 IS THE OLD TESTAMENT CHURCH RIGHT AT THE TIME OF CHRIST'S 31:58 BIRTH. WE'RE GOING TO READ ABOUT THE 32:00 NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH A LITTLE LATER IN THE CHAPTER. 32:02 BUT THEN THE SCENE CHANGES AND YOU HAVE THE ADVERSARY OF THE 32:05 CHURCH AND OF CHRIST - VERSE 3 - IT SAYS, "AND ANOTHER SIGN 32:08 APPEARED IN HEAVEN: BEHOLD, A GREAT, FIERY RED DRAGON HAVING 32:12 SEVEN HEADS AND TEN HORNS, AND SEVEN DIADEMS ON HIS HEADS." 32:16 VERSE 4 SAYS "HIS TAIL DREW A THIRD OF THE STARS OF HEAVEN 32:19 AND THREW THEM TO THE EARTH. 32:21 AND THE DRAGON STOOD BEFORE THE WOMAN WHO WAS READY TO GIVE 32:23 BIRTH, TO DEVOUR HER CHILD AS SOON AS IT WAS BORN." 32:26 NOW, WHO DOES THIS DRAGON REPRESENT? 32:28 WELL, WE DON'T HAVE TO GUESS, YOU JUST READ ON IN THE CHAPTER 32:31 - IT CLEARLY TELLS YOU THE DRAGON REPRESENTS SATAN. 32:33 SO HERE YOU HAVE THE BIRTH OF JESUS AND SATAN IS TRYING TO 32:37 DESTROY JESUS AS SOON AS HE IS BORN. 32:40 WHAT POWER DID SATAN WORK THROUGH TO TRY AND DESTROY JESUS 32:43 AT HIS BIRTH. IT WAS THROUGH HEROD. 32:46 REMEMBER THE DECREE THAT HEROD PASSED TO KILL ALL THE LITTLE 32:49 BABY BOYS TWO YEARS AND UNDER? WAS HE SUCCESSFUL? 32:52 NO, GOD DELIVERED CHRIST. 32:54 AND, OF COURSE, HE GAVE A DREAM TO JOSEPH AND JOSEPH TOOK MARY 32:57 AND THE BABY DOWN INTO EGYPT WHERE THEY WERE PROTECTED. 33:01 NOW VERSE 5 - CHAPTER 12, VERSE 5 - IT SAYS, "SHE BORE A MALE 33:05 CHILD WHO WAS TO RULE ALL NATIONS WITH A ROD OF IRON. 33:08 AND HER CHILD WAS CAUGHT UP TO GOD AND HIS THRONE." 33:12 NOW THE PHRASE 'RULE WITH A ROD OF IRON' IS A MESSIANIC PHRASE 33:15 WITH REFERENCE TO THE MESSIAH - OR REFERENCE TO CHRIST. 33:18 NOW WE MIGHT WONDER, 'WELL, HOW DOES JESUS RULE WITH A ROD OF 33:21 IRON?' IT ALMOST SOUNDS A LITTLE 33:23 VINDICTIVE OF CHRIST COMING AND HE'S GOING TO BEAT THE WICKED 33:27 WITH A ROD OF IRON. WELL, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT FOR 33:29 JUST A FEW MOMENTS, PSALM 23 - SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS THE 33:33 PSALM OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD - "THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD, I 33:36 SHALL NOT WANT" - IN THAT PSALM, DAVID SAYS "THY ROD AND THY 33:39 STAFF" - WHAT DO THEY DO? >>COMFORT. 33:42 >>"THEY COMFORT ME." NOW THE SHEPHERD WOULD HAVE THE 33:45 STAFF - THAT'S THE PART THAT HAS THE CROOK ON THE TOP - AND THAT 33:47 WOULD PRIMARILY BE USED TO GUIDE THE SHEEP. 33:50 IF A SHEEP WAS WANDERING CLOSE TO SOMETHING OF DANGER - A FAST 33:54 FLOWING RIVER - THE SHEPHERD COULD REACH OUT AND HE COULD 33:57 PULL THE SHEEP BACK WITH HIS CROOK. 34:00 THE ROD, ON THE OTHER HAND, WAS OFTEN USED TO PROTECT THE SHEEP 34:04 OR DEFEND THE SHEEP. SO WHEN A BEAR WOULD COME TO 34:07 STEAL ONE OF THE LAMBS, THE SHEPHERD WOULD GRAB HIS ROD AND 34:10 HE WOULD GO TO THE DEFENSE OF HIS SHEEP. 34:12 NOW AT THE END OF TIME, ACCORDING TO THE BOOK OF 34:15 REVELATION, THERE IS A DEATH DECREE THAT IS PASSED AGAINST 34:17 GOD'S PEOPLE - REVELATION CHAPTER 13 - BUT BEFORE THAT 34:21 DEATH DECREE CAN BE ENACTED, JESUS, THE GOOD SHEPHERD, WILL 34:25 COME TO THE DELIVERANCE OF HIS SHEEP. 34:28 JESUS COMES TO DEFEND AND TO PROTECT HIS SHEEP - TO DELIVER 34:32 THEM - AND IN THE PROCESS, THE WICKED ARE DESTROYED. 34:35 IN THAT SENSE, JESUS COMES WITH A ROD OF IRON. 34:39 HE BRINGS DELIVERANCE FOR HIS PEOPLE AND, IN THE PROCESS, THE 34:42 WICKED ARE DESTROYED. THE BIBLE SAYS THEY ARE 34:44 DESTROYED WITH THE BRIGHTNESS OF CHRIST'S COMING. 34:46 SO IT'S NOT A VINDICTIVE PICTURE OF JESUS, 34:49 BUT IT'S A PROTECTING PICTURE OF JESUS. 34:52 JESUS IS COMING TO THE DEFENSE OF HIS PEOPLE. 34:54 SO AFTER THE BIRTH OF CHRIST, WE HAVE VERSE 5 TALKING ABOUT HER 34:58 CHILD IS CAUGHT UP TO GOD AND TO HIS THRONE. 35:00 THAT'S REFERRING TO THE ASCENSION OF JESUS. 35:02 NOW VERSE 6 SAYS, "THEN THE WOMAN FLED INTO THE WILDERNESS," 35:05 - SO NOTICE THAT THE CHURCH - THE TRUE CHURCH - FACES 35:09 PERSECUTION AND, AS A RESULT, SHE GOES INTO THE WILDERNESS 35:12 "WHERE SHE HAS A PLACE PREPARED BY GOD, THAT THEY SHOULD FEED 35:17 HER THERE ONE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY DAYS." 35:20 VERY INTERESTING PROPHETIC TIME PERIOD THERE THAT REPRESENTS, 35:22 ROUGHLY, THE TIME PERIOD FROM ABOUT 538 TILL 1798 - TWELVE 35:27 HUNDRED AND SIXTY YEARS OF PERSECUTION THAT CAME UPON THOSE 35:31 THAT WERE HOLDING TO THE TRUTHS OF GOD'S WORD. 35:34 AND THEN IT GOES ON TO TALK ABOUT, DURING THIS TIME PERIOD, 35:37 HOW THIS CONFLICT AND PERSECUTION AND IT GIVES YOU A 35:40 LITTLE MORE ON THE WAR IN HEAVEN THAT YOU READ ABOUT FROM VERSE 7 35:43 ONWARDS, BUT IF YOU LOOK IN VERSE 17 OF REVELATION CHAPTER 35:47 12, YOU HAVE A DESCRIPTION OF GOD'S PEOPLE RIGHT AT THE END OF 35:50 TIME. NOTICE THE DESCRIPTION THAT'S GIVEN - REVELATION 12, 35:54 VERSE 17 - IT SAYS, "AND THE DRAGON (SATAN) WAS ENRAGED WITH 35:58 THE WOMAN (THE CHURCH), AND HE WENT TO MAKE WAR WITH THE REST 36:02 OF HER OFFSPRING," - NOTICE THE CHARACTERISTICS - THOSE "WHO 36:06 KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD AND HAVE THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS 36:09 CHRIST." SO AT THE VERY END OF TIME, GOD 36:13 WILL HAVE A PURE CHURCH - A VIRTUOUS CHURCH. 36:17 SHE'S PURE - SHE'S CLOTHED WITH THE SUN. 36:20 SHE'S FOLLOWING THE TEACHINGS THAT WE FIND IN THE SCRIPTURES. 36:24 SHE IS LOYAL TO GOD EVEN IN THE FACE OF PERSECUTION. 36:27 SHE IS TRUSTING IN JESUS TO PROVIDE FOR HER - TO DEFEND HER 36:31 - AND HERE AT THE END OF TIME SHE'S OBEDIENT TO GOD'S 36:34 COMMANDMENTS. SHE KEEPS THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD. 36:37 SHE HAS THE TESTIMONY - THE TESTIMONY IS DESCRIBED LATER IN 36:40 REVELATION CHAPTER 19, VERSE 10 AS THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. 36:43 SHE IS REMAINING FAITHFUL TO GOD AT A TIME OF WIDESPREAD 36:46 APOSTASY. WELL, NOW WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A 36:49 LOOK AT A FEW MORE VERSES THAT DESCRIBE THIS VIRTUOUS WOMAN, 36:53 AND I'M GOING TO BE READING FROM VERSE 13. 36:55 BEGINNING IN VERSE 13, WE'RE GOING TO WORK OUR WAY DOWN TO 36:58 VERSE 19 - WE'RE IN PROVERBS CHAPTER 31 - BEGINNING NOW IN 37:02 VERSE 13 IT SAYS, "SHE SEEKS WOOL AND FLAX, AND WILLINGLY 37:08 WORKS WITH HER HANDS. SHE IS LIKE THE MERCHANT SHIPS, 37:11 SHE BRINGS HER FOOD FROM AFAR. SHE ALSO RISES WHILE IT IS YET 37:16 NIGHT, AND PROVIDES FOOD FOR HER HOUSEHOLD, AND A PORTION FOR HER 37:21 MAIDSERVANTS. SHE CONSIDERS A FIELD AND BUYS 37:24 IT; FROM HER PROFITS SHE PLANTS A VINEYARD. 37:27 SHE GIRDS HERSELF WITH STRENGTH AND STRENGTHENS HER ARMS. 37:31 SHE PERCEIVES THAT HER MERCHANDISE IS GOOD, AND HER 37:35 LAMP DOES NOT GO OUT BY NIGHT. SHE STRETCHES OUT HER HANDS TO 37:40 THE DISTAFF, AND HER HANDS HOLD THE SPINDLE." 37:44 NOW, IN VERSE 19, WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT THE DISTAFF, THAT IS AN 37:48 INSTRUMENT THAT WAS USED FOR WEAVING THREAD. 37:52 SO SHE IS PRODUCTIVE WITH HER HANDS - SHE'S BUSY WEAVING - 37:56 SHE'S BUSY MAKING CLOTH - SHE'S BUSY MAKING RAIMENT. 37:58 NOW, THE FIRST POINT THAT'S NOTED IN THESE VERSES IS THAT 38:02 THIS VIRTUOUS WOMAN, WHICH SYMBOLIZES WISDOM - IT ALSO 38:05 SYMBOLIZES THE CHURCH - IS NOT LAZY. IT IS AN ACTIVE CHURCH. 38:08 TO BE SPIRITUAL DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE NEED TO BE IDLE. 38:12 TO THE CONTRARY, LUKE CHAPTER 16, VERSE 10 SAYS, "HE WHO IS 38:17 FAITHFUL IN WHAT IS LEAST IS FAITHFUL ALSO IN MUCH; AND HE 38:22 WHO IS UNJUST IN WHAT IS LEAST IS UNJUST ALSO IN MUCH." 38:25 SO THE CHURCH, WHILE WE WAIT FOR THE COMING OF JESUS, WE ARE NOT 38:30 TO BE IDLE. WE'RE, RATHER, TO BE BUSY. 38:33 THERE'S A WORK TO BE DONE AND THAT'S HIGHLIGHTED HERE IN THESE 38:36 PASSAGES. NOW WHY IS THIS WOMAN, DESCRIBED 38:40 IN PROVERBS 31, ALWAYS WORKING? THERE ARE THREE REASONS WHY 38:44 SHE'S ALWAYS WORKING THAT I WANT TO JUST EMPHASIZE. 38:47 NUMBER ONE: SHE WANTS TO PLEASE HER HUSBAND. 38:50 SHE LOVES HER HUSBAND. SHE'S COMMITTED TO HER HUSBAND. 38:54 HER HUSBAND TRUSTS IN HER AND SHE WANTS TO PLEASE HER HUSBAND, 38:59 SO SHE'S BUSY. THE QUESTION IS, DO CHRISTIANS 39:02 TODAY WANT TO PLEASE JESUS? SHOULD WE WANT TO PLEASE JESUS? 39:08 SHOULD WE DO THOSE THINGS THAT JESUS WANTS US TO DO? 39:11 ABSOLUTELY. REVELATION CHAPTER 14:12, 39:15 SPEAKING OF GOD'S PEOPLE AT THE END OF TIME, IT SAYS THEY KEEP 39:18 THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD AND THEY HAVE THE FAITH OF JESUS. 39:20 THE FAITH OF JESUS IS BEST DESCRIBED IN WHAT JESUS PRAYED 39:24 IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE WHERE HE SAID, 'FATHER, NOT MY 39:27 WILL BUT THY WILL BE DONE.' SO GOD'S PEOPLE, AT THE END OF 39:30 TIME, HIS BRIDE IS EAGER TO PLEASE CHRIST - WILLING TO DO 39:35 WHATEVER IT IS THAT JESUS ASKS HIS CHURCH TO DO. 39:38 POINT NUMBER TWO: SHE FEEDS HER HOUSEHOLD - SHE FEEDS HER 39:42 FAMILY. THE CHURCH IS TO BE FEEDING NOT 39:45 ONLY THE HOUSEHOLD OR THE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH, BUT THE 39:49 WORLD WITH THE TRUTHS OF GOD'S WORD. IN THE BIBLE, BREAD IS 39:54 SOMETIMES LIKENED UNTO THE WORD OF GOD. THE CHURCH IS TO PROVIDE 39:58 THE WORD - IT IS TO SHARE THE TRUTH OF JESUS TO THE WORLD. 40:02 MATTHEW CHAPTER 24, VERSE 45 ONWARD TALKS ABOUT THE MASTER OF 40:07 THE HOUSEHOLD WHO IS TO PROVIDE MEAT IN DUE SEASON - THAT IS, 40:11 FEEDING THE WORD OF GOD TO THE PEOPLE. 40:14 AND THEN, THIRDLY, WHY IS SHE ALWAYS WORKING? 40:17 BECAUSE SHE WANTS HER LIGHT TO SHINE. 40:19 REMEMBER THE VERSE THAT TALKS ABOUT A LAMP THAT DOESN'T GO OUT 40:22 AT NIGHT? NOW, IN THE BIBLE, WHAT DOES A 40:24 LAMP OFTEN REPRESENT? THE WORD OF GOD. 40:27 THE CHURCH IS ALWAYS TO BE HOLDING UP THE WORD OF GOD, 40:31 WHICH IS THE LAMP OR THE LIGHT. 40:33 JESUS SAID, 'IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 5, VERSE 16, "LET YOUR LIGHT SO 40:37 SHINE BEFORE MEN, THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS AND GLORIFY 40:41 YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN." SO WHY IS THE CHURCH TO BE BUSY? 40:46 BECAUSE SHE WANTS TO PLEASE JESUS. 40:48 BECAUSE THERE IS A WORK OF FEEDING THE WORLD WITH THE WORD 40:51 OF GOD, AND SHE'S LETTING HER LIGHT SHINE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT 40:54 JESUS ASKED HER TO DO. IN REVELATION CHAPTER - CHAPTER 40:58 1, VERSE 13, YOU HAVE A PICTURE OF JESUS IN HEAVEN, STANDING IN 41:03 THE FIRST COMPARTMENT OF THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY. 41:06 HE'S DRESSED IN THE HIGH PRIEST'S ROBE - REVELATION 41:09 CHAPTER 1 - AND IN VERSE 13, JESUS IS DESCRIBED AS STANDING 41:13 AMONGST THE SEVEN BRANCHED CANDLESTICKS. 41:15 AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER - REVELATION CHAPTER 1 - THE SEVEN 41:18 BRANCHED - OR THE SEVEN CANDLESTICKS - SEVEN BRANCHED 41:21 CANDLESTICKS - ARE DESCRIBED AS BEING THE CHURCH - THE 41:24 CANDLESTICK REPRESENTING THE CHURCH. 41:26 NOW, IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING THAT THE CHURCH HERE IN 41:29 REVELATION CHAPTER 1 IS DESCRIBED AS A LAMPSTAND. 41:31 NOW, WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A LAMPSTAND? 41:34 IT IS TO HOLD UP THE LIGHT. WHO IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD? 41:39 >>JESUS. >>IT IS JESUS. 41:41 THE WORK OF THE CHURCH IS TO HOLD JESUS UP BEFORE THE WORLD. 41:44 BUT, IN ORDER FOR THE CHURCH TO HOLD JESUS UP BEFORE THE WORLD, 41:48 IN ORDER TO HAVE FIRE ON THE LAMPSTAND, WHAT DO YOU NEED IN 41:53 THE LAMP? >>OIL. 41:54 >>YOU NEED TO HAVE OIL. WHAT DOES THE OIL REPRESENT IN 41:56 THE BIBLE? >>HOLY SPIRIT. 41:58 >>THE HOLY SPIRIT. IN ORDER FOR THE CHURCH TO DO 42:01 THE WORK OF HOLDING JESUS UP TO THE WORLD, WE NEED TO BE FILLED 42:05 WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. WE NEED THAT OIL WITHIN US. 42:07 AND JESUS GAVE THIS SAME IDEA WHEN HE SPOKE TO NICODEMUS IN 42:12 JOHN CHAPTER 3. HE SAID, 'AS MOSES LIFTED UP THE 42:15 SERPENT IN THE WILDERNESS, EVEN SO MUST THE SON OF MAN BE LIFTED 42:18 UP.' OUR WORK AS A CHURCH IS TO LIFT JESUS UP TO THE WORLD. 42:23 I'M GOING TO BE READING NOW THE NEXT PORTION IN PROVERBS 31 - 42:27 THIS IS FROM VERSE 20 THROUGH TO VERSE 25 - STILL GIVING US 42:32 CHARACTERISTICS OF A VIRTUOUS WOMAN. 42:35 IT SAYS, SHE EXTENDS HER HAND TO THE POOR, YES, SHE REACHES OUT 42:38 HER HANDS TO THE NEEDY. SHE IS NOT AFRAID OF SNOW FOR 42:41 HER HOUSEHOLD, FOR ALL HER HOUSEHOLD IS CLOTHED WITH 42:44 SCARLET. SHE MAKES TAPESTRY FOR HERSELF; 42:47 HER CLOTHING IS FINE LINEN AND PURPLE. 42:50 HER HUSBAND IS KNOWN IN THE GATES, WHEN HE SITS AMONG THE 42:53 ELDERS OF THE LAND. SHE MAKES LINEN GARMENTS AND 42:57 SELLS THEM, AND SUPPLIES SASHES FOR THE MERCHANTS. 43:00 STRENGTH AND HONOR ARE HER CLOTHING; SHE SHALL REJOICE IN 43:05 TIME TO COME." SO SOME ADDITIONAL CHARACTERISTIC THAT'S 43:09 - CHARACTERISTICS THAT'S MENTIONED HERE - YOU'LL NOTICE 43:12 IN VERSE 20 IT SAYS SHE HELPS THE POOR - SHE HAS COMPASSION ON 43:17 THE NEEDY. THE CHURCH - THE BRIDE OF CHRIST - 43:20 IS TO HAVE COMPASSION ON THE NEEDY. 43:23 JESUS SAID, 'IF YOU'VE DONE THIS UNTO THE LEAST OF THESE MY 43:26 BRETHREN, YOU HAVE DONE IT UNTO ME.' I LIKE THE PARABLE THAT 43:30 JESUS TOLD OF A GOOD SAMARITAN WHO WENT TO HELP A MAN WHO HAD 43:33 FALLEN AMONGST THIEVES. IT SAYS THE MOTIVATION OF THE 43:36 SAMARITAN TO HELP THE MAN WAS THAT HE HAD COMPASSION ON HIM. 43:40 IN THE PARABLE, THE GOOD SAMARITAN REPRESENTS JESUS. 43:43 JESUS CAME TO OUR WORLD TO SAVE US BECAUSE HE HAD COMPASSION 43:46 UPON US. THE CHURCH IS TO HAVE COMPASSION 43:49 UPON THE WORLD AND WE ARE TO BE REACHING OUT, SHARING WITH THEM 43:53 THE GOOD NEWS OF SALVATION. VERSES 21 AND 22 - PROVERBS 31 - 43:59 IT TALKS ABOUT THIS VIRTUOUS WOMAN BEING CLOTHED IN SCARLET 44:03 AND PURPLE. NOW, IN THE BIBLE, SCARLET AND 44:06 PURPLE WERE COLORS THAT WERE USED BY ROYALTY. 44:09 SO A VIRTUOUS WOMAN, SYMBOLIZING WISDOM OR THE BRIDE OF CHRIST, 44:14 IS ROYALTY BECAUSE JESUS IS THE KING. 44:17 AND IF YOU'RE THE BRIDE OR THE WIFE OF JESUS, THEN YOU'RE THE 44:20 QUEEN - THEN YOU HAVE ROYALTY. BUT IN REVELATION THERE IS 44:25 ANOTHER WOMAN DESCRIBED IN REVELATION CHAPTER 17. 44:28 SHE THINKS SHE IS THE BRIDE OF CHRIST FOR SHE IS CLOTHED IN 44:32 PURPLE AND SCARLET, BUT SHE'S NOT TRULY THE BRIDE OF CHRIST. 44:36 LET'S GO TO THAT, IF YOU WOULD, REVELATION CHAPTER 17, VERSE 4. 44:39 HERE YOU HAVE THIS OTHER WOMAN THAT'S SPOKEN OF - REVELATION 44:44 CHAPTER 17 - AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO READ HERE VERSE 4 - 44:48 THIS IS THE WOMAN WHOSE NAME IS BABYLON. 44:52 IT SAYS, "THE WOMAN WAS ARRAYED IN PURPLE AND SCARLET, AND 44:56 ADORNED WITH GOLD AND PRECIOUS STONES AND PEARLS, HAVING IN HER 45:00 HAND A GOLDEN CUP FULL OF ABOMINATIONS AND THE FILTHINESS 45:03 OF HER FORNICATION." SO HERE IS A COUNTERFEIT CHURCH 45:08 THINKING THAT SHE IS A QUEEN - THINKING THAT SHE IS THE BRIDE 45:11 OF CHRIST, BUT IN REALITY SHE IS GUILTY OF SPIRITUAL FORNICATION. 45:15 REMEMBER, I SAID EARLIER, THE GREAT SIN OF BABYLON IS HER 45:18 LOOKING TO POLITICAL POWERS - LOOKING TO THE STATE TO ENFORCE 45:21 HER DOCTRINES AND DECREES? THAT'S SPIRITUAL FORNICATION. 45:25 SHE THINKS SHE'S THE BRIDE OF CHRIST BUT SHE IS NOT. 45:28 IN OTHER WORDS, I THINK THE WARNING WE CAN TAKE FROM THAT - 45:31 NOT EVERY CHURCH THAT MIGHT HAVE A CROSS ON THEIR STEEPLE IS 45:34 NECESSARILY BEING FAITHFUL TO THE TRUTHS OF GOD'S WORD. 45:38 WE NEED TO COMPARE ALL THINGS BY WHAT DOES THE SCRIPTURE SAY? 45:42 'TO THE LAW AND TO THE TESTIMONY, IF THEY SPEAK NOT 45:45 ACCORDING TO THIS WORD, THERE IS NO LIGHT IN THEM.' NOW VERSES 23 45:49 AND 24 TALK ABOUT HER HUSBAND, WHO IS KNOWN AT THE GATE. 45:53 IF THE WOMAN REPRESENTS THE CHURCH, HER HUSBAND, OF COURSE, 45:56 WOULD BE CHRIST. HE IS KNOWN. SOMETHING ELSE INTERESTING IN 46:00 VERSE 24, IT SAYS SHE MAKES LINEN AND SHE SELLS IT. 46:03 SHE PREPARES THESE WHITE GARMENTS. 46:06 IN THE BIBLE, WHAT DOES RAIMENT OFTEN REPRESENT? 46:09 RIGHTEOUSNESS. SO THE CHURCH IS TO GIVE THE 46:12 RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST TO OTHERS. 46:15 VERSE 25 SAYS, "STRENGTH AND HONOR ARE HER CLOTHING;" - 46:20 THAT'S INTERESTING - THE STRENGTH AND THE COMFORT OF THE 46:24 CHURCH IS IN THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. 46:27 IT IS NOT OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT SAVES US, BUT IT IS THE 46:30 RIGHTEOUSNESS OF JESUS. WE WANT TO BE CLOTHED IN HIS 46:33 RIGHTEOUSNESS. ONE OF MY FAVORITE VERSES IS 46:36 JEREMIAH CHAPTER 23, VERSE 6. IT SAYS, "IN HIS DAYS JUDAH 46:39 SHALL BE SAVED, AND ISRAEL SHALL DWELL SAFELY: AND THIS IS HIS 46:44 NAME WHEREBY HE SHALL BE CALLED, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS ." 46:49 NOW, OF COURSE, WHEN A YOUNG WOMAN MARRIES A YOUNG MAN, 46:54 DEPENDING ON WHAT CULTURE THE PERSON MIGHT BE IN, BUT SHE 46:58 USUALLY ASSUMES THE NAME OF HER HUSBAND. 47:01 SO HERE YOU HAVE THIS VIRTUOUS WOMAN SYMBOLIZING THE CHURCH, 47:06 MARRIED TO CHRIST. SHE RECEIVES HIS NAME. 47:09 HE BECOMES THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 47:11 WE ARE SAVED BY THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. 47:15 AND THEN ON THURSDAY, PROVERBS CHAPTER 31 FROM VERSE 26 TO 31 47:21 GIVES US A FEW MORE CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS VIRTUOUS 47:24 WOMAN. WOULD YOU READ THAT FOR US? 47:27 >>"SHE OPENS HER MOUTH WITH WISDOM, AND ON HER TONGUE IS THE 47:30 LAW OF KINDNESS. SHE WATCHES OVER THE WAYS OF HER 47:34 HOUSEHOLD AND DOES NOT EAT THE BREAD OF IDLENESS. 47:37 HER CHILDREN RISE UP AND CALL HER BLESSED; HER HUSBAND ALSO, 47:41 AND HE PRAISES HER: 'MANY DAUGHTERS HAVE DONE WELL, BUT 47:46 YOU EXCEL THEM ALL.' CHARM IS DECEITFUL AND BEAUTY IS 47:50 PASSING, BUT A WOMAN WHO FEARS THE LORD, SHE SHALL BE PRAISED. 47:54 GIVE HER OF THE FRUIT OF HER HANDS, AND LET HER OWN WORKS 47:59 PRAISE HER IN THE GATES." 48:00 >>NOTICE THE CHARACTERISTICS - A FEW OF THE CHARACTERISTICS 48:04 MENTIONED HERE - FIRST ONE, VERSE 26 - TWO CHARACTERISTICS 48:06 THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED: SHE HAS WISDOM AND SHE IS KIND. 48:10 THE CHURCH IS TO HAVE WISDOM - WISDOM FOUND IN THE WORD OF GOD 48:14 - AND THE CHURCH IS TO BE KIND TO OTHERS AND THAT'S THROUGH 48:17 WITNESSING OR SHARING. VERSE 27 TALKS ABOUT HER BEING 48:20 WATCHFUL AND HAVING BREAD. SO THE CHURCH IS TO WATCH. 48:25 JESUS, IN MATTHEW 25, SEVERAL TIMES SAID, 'WATCH, BE READY, 48:31 FOR YOU KNOW NOT THE DAY NOR THE HOUR WHEN THE SON OF MAN COMES.' 48:33 SO THE CHURCH IS ALWAYS TO BE WATCHING FOR THE BRIDEGROOM TO 48:37 COME - WATCHING FOR HER HUSBAND - AND SHE IS TO BE FEEDING 48:40 PEOPLE ON THE BREAD. THAT, OF COURSE, BEING THE WORD OF GOD. 48:43 VERSE 28 AND VERSE 29 - IT SAYS SHE'S BLESSED BY HER CHILDREN 48:47 AND HER HUSBAND. CHRIST WANTS TO BLESS THE CHURCH. 48:51 THE CHRISTIAN IS NOT TO SEEK WORLDLY PRAISE, BUT WE RATHER 48:56 WANT THE PRAISE OF GOD. WE WANT TO PLEASE GOD. 48:58 WE DON'T WANT TO PLEASE MAN. WHAT DID THE DISCIPLES SAY WHEN 49:02 THEY WERE TOLD BY THE LEADERSHIP OF ISRAEL NOT TO PREACH IN 49:06 CHRIST'S NAME? THEY SAID, 'WHAT ARE WE TO DO? 49:08 IT IS BETTER FOR US TO PLEASE GOD THAN TO PLEASE MAN.' THAT IS 49:13 THE ATTITUDE OF THE CHURCH - TO PLEASE GOD, NOT MAN. 49:16 IT SAYS HERE THAT HER CHARM - OR CHARM IN GENERAL - AND BEAUTY IS 49:19 PASSING, BUT A VIRTUOUS WOMAN HAS THE FEAR OF THE LORD. 49:23 HER FEAR ENDURES FOREVER. REVELATION CHAPTER 14, THE FIRST 49:26 ANGEL'S MESSAGE, BEGINS WITH 'FEAR GOD AND GIVE GLORY TO 49:30 HIM.' THAT IS, REVERENCE GOD, RESPECT GOD. 49:33 THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ENDURE FOREVER. 49:35 AND THEN, FINALLY, VERSE 31, FINISHES UP. 49:37 IT SAYS HER OWN WORKS WILL PRAISE HER. 49:40 IN REVELATION CHAPTER 22, VERSE 12, JESUS, NOW COMING AS KING OF 49:44 KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS - HE'S COMING TO RECEIVE HIS BRIDE. 49:47 JESUS SAYS, "BEHOLD, I AM COMING QUICKLY;" - REVELATION 22:12 - 49:51 "AND MY REWARD IS WITH ME, TO GIVE EVERY ONE ACCORDING TO HIS 49:55 WORK." SO THE WORKS OF THE HAND REWARDS WHEN JESUS COMES. 50:01 A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS AS WE FINISH UP WITH OUR STUDY HERE ON 50:04 PROVERBS CHAPTER 31, AND ALSO WITH THE WHOLE BOOK OF PROVERBS 50:07 THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT, HERE IT'S DESCRIBED THAT A WOMAN'S 50:12 TRUE BEAUTY - AND SO IT IS IN THE CHURCH - THE CHURCH'S TRUE 50:14 BEAUTY IS FOUND IN HER CHARACTER, WHICH IS MANIFEST IN 50:18 THE THINGS THAT SHE SAYS AND THE THINGS THAT SHE DOES. 50:21 THE CHURCH IS TO VALUE - CHRISTIANS, INDIVIDUALLY, ARE TO 50:25 VALUE THOSE HEAVENLY TREASURES - THAT BEAUTY OF CHARACTER THAT 50:29 REVEALS CHRIST IN US, THE HOPE OF GLORY. THERE IS AN 50:33 INTERESTING STATEMENT THAT COMES FROM THE BOOK AMAZING GRACE - 50:36 IT'S PAGE 81 - I'M GOING TO FINISH WITH THIS. 50:39 IT SAYS, "A GREAT NAME AMONG MEN IS AS LETTERS TRACED IN SAND; 50:43 BUT A SPOTLESS CHARACTER WILL ENDURE TO ALL ETERNITY." 50:47 THE GOAL OF THE CHRISTIAN IS TO HAVE A SPOTLESS CHARACTER - TO 50:52 REFLECT THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST - AND THAT'S DESCRIBED 50:55 BEAUTIFULLY HERE IN PROVERBS 31 WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT A VIRTUOUS 50:59 WOMAN. SO NOT ONLY DO WE SEE SOME PRACTICAL GUIDELINES FOR 51:02 EVERYDAY LIVING, BUT WE ALSO SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE: JESUS IS THE 51:07 BRIDEGROOM, THE CHURCH IS THE BRIDE, THE CHURCH NEEDS TO BE 51:10 COMMITTED AND FULLY DEVOTED TO CHRIST BECAUSE CHRIST IS WANTING 51:13 TO PERFECT HIS CHARACTER IN US. NOW, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT 51:17 I WANT JESUS TO PERFECT HIS CHARACTER IN ME, AMEN? 51:21 I WANT HIS GLORY TO SHINE OUT TO THE WORLD. 51:24 THAT'S WHAT BEING A CHRISTIAN IS REALLY ALL ABOUT. 51:26 I'D LIKE TO REMIND OUR FRIENDS WHO ARE WATCHING US ABOUT THE 51:28 FREE OFFER. THE BOOK IS ENTITLED THE 51:31 CHRISTIAN AND ALCOHOL , WRITTEN BY PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR. 51:33 TO RECEIVE A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK, JUST CALL OUR RESOURCE 51:37 LINE AT 866-788-3966 AND YOU CAN ASK FOR OFFER #142. AGAIN, THAT 51:46 NUMBER IS 866-788-3966 OR 866-STUDY-MORE - ASK FOR OFFER #142 51:54 - A BOOK ENTITLED THE CHRISTIAN AND ALCOHOL . 51:56 ONCE AGAIN, FRIENDS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. 51:59 WE'RE OUT OF TIME FOR TONIGHT, BUT HOPEFULLY YOU'LL JOIN US 52:03 AGAIN NEXT WEEK WHILE WE CONTINUE OUR STUDY IN A 52:06 BRAND-NEW LESSON QUARTERLY. LET'S CLOSE WITH PRAYER. 52:09 DEAR FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORD. 52:12 WE THANK YOU FOR THE BEAUTIFUL PICTURE THAT IS PORTRAYED OF 52:14 YOUR CHURCH IN THE LAST DAYS - FAITHFUL AND TRUE TO YOU. 52:19 FATHER, WE LONG FOR THE DAY WHEN JESUS COMES AND THERE'LL BE NO 52:22 MORE PAIN OR SORROW OR SICKNESS, BUT YOU'LL MAKE ALL THINGS NEW. 52:25 FATHER, WE WANT TO BE CLOTHED IN THE SPOTLESS ROBE OF CHRIST'S 52:28 RIGHTEOUSNESS AND SO, LORD, WE ASK FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO COME 52:32 AND FILL OUR HEARTS AND OUR LIVES AND MAY WE BE TRUE IN 52:35 LIFTING UP THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD, JESUS, TO THE WORLD 52:40 BECAUSE WHEN JESUS IS LIFTED UP, OTHERS WILL BE DRAWN TO HIM. 52:44 THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US IN OUR STUDY TODAY. 52:46 WE ASK FOR YOUR BLESSING AS WE GO OUR SEPARATE WAYS. 52:49 IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. >>AMEN. 52:51 >>THANK YOU AGAIN, FRIENDS, FOR JOINING US. 52:53 HOPE TO SEE YOU NEXT WEEK. >>AMAZING FACTS CHANGED LIVES. 53:07 >>I FELT LIKE I WAS RECEIVING SOME ANGEL MESSAGES IN AROUND MY 53:12 SON'S DEATH. MY SON JESSE WAS JUST 31 YEARS 53:15 OLD SO I DIDN'T EXPECT HIM TO DIE BEFORE I DID. 53:20 BUT IN NOVEMBER OF 2009 WE DECIDED TO HAVE THANKSGIVING 53:25 WITH HIM WHEN WE NORMALLY GO TO A FAMILY TO HAVE THANKSGIVING. 53:29 I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS GOING TO BE THE VERY LAST TIME THAT I WOULD 53:32 SEE MY SON ALIVE. IN APRIL OF 2010 I WAS URGED TO 53:37 CALL HIM ON THE DAY THAT HE DIED. I DIDN'T MAKE THAT CALL. 53:42 I WAS TOO BUSY. I THOUGHT I HAD TILL THE NEXT 53:44 MORNING TO CALL HIM AND IT TURNS OUT THAT I DIDN'T. 53:48 AND THEN MY HUSBAND'S FATHER WAS PASSING AWAY IN A NURSING HOME, 53:52 SLOWLY - NOT EATING, TAKING HIS MEDICINE - JUST WASTING AWAY. 53:58 >>WE WERE PUTTING OUT AMAZING FACTS BIBLE STUDY GUIDES AND WE 54:05 HAD SENT OUT CARDS AND WE HAD THIS CARD, BUT WHEN I KNOCKED ON 54:12 SUE AND KIRK'S DOOR BY MISTAKE - >>AND WE WERE CONVINCED THAT 54:18 THIS WAS THE RIGHT HOUSE AND IT OBVIOUSLY TURNED OUT, TO OUR 54:22 SURPRISE, TO BE THE WRONG HOUSE. >>WHEN THEY CAME BY, WE WEREN'T 54:26 EXPECTING THEM. THEY TOLD ME ABOUT THESE 54:30 PAMPHLETS - THESE AMAZING FACTS THAT EXPLAINED THEIR DOCTRINE. 54:38 >>WELL, TO OUR SURPRISE, WHEN THEY ANSWERED THE DOOR, THE 54:41 GENTLEMAN, WHEN HE SAW WHAT WE WERE DOING HE SAID, 'WELL, WE 54:46 WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THESE STUDIES. 54:48 >>ANYTHING ABOUT THE LORD THAT INCREASES MY FAITH IS ALWAYS 54:53 OPEN. >>THESE LESSONS CAME AT A TIME 54:58 WE DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE SEARCHING. 55:00 WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE NEEDED. 55:02 WE WERE JUST HURTING FROM THE GRIEF THAT WE'D BEEN THROUGH. 55:05 WHEN I SAW THE STUDIES BY AMAZING FACTS ABOUT THE SABBATH, 55:10 IT STRUCK A CHORD WITH ME BECAUSE I REMEMBERED WHEN I HAD 55:14 TALKED TO MY MOTHER AS A CHILD ABOUT THE SABBATH - ABOUT SEEING 55:20 THAT TRUTH WHEN I WAS ONLY EIGHT YEARS OLD AND ASKING HER WHY WE 55:24 DIDN'T HONOR THE SABBATH DAY AND SHE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS JUST NOT 55:29 THE WAY THAT THEY DID THINGS. WELL THAT WASN'T A GOOD ENOUGH 55:34 EXPRESSION - A GOOD ENOUGH EXPLANATION. 55:36 THERE WAS NO SCRIPTURAL BASIS FOR WHAT SHE TOLD ME. 55:40 SHE JUST SAID TO FORGET IT. AND I WENT THROUGH ALL OF THE 55:43 STUDIES THAT WE HAD GOTTEN AND I WANTED MORE. 55:46 SO I DECIDED THAT, WELL, IF THEY PUT OUT THESE AMAZING FACTS 55:51 BIBLE STUDIES, THERE MUST BE SOMETHING ONLINE ABOUT THEM, 55:55 SO I DECIDED TO CHECK IT OUT. 55:56 I WENT ON THE COMPUTER TO AMAZING FACTS AND IT SAID IT 56:00 RIGHT DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BIBLE STUDIES, AMAZINGFACTS.ORG. 56:04 I CHECKED IT OUT AND THERE WAS FREE BIBLE STUDIES THERE. 56:06 IT WAS THE VERY SAME ONES THAT WE HAD BEEN STUDYING. 56:09 AFTER FINDING THE AMAZING FACTS BIBLE STUDIES ONLINE - AND I DID 56:13 THEM ALL - I THINK THERE WERE 27 - 28 BIBLE STUDIES, I FELT LIKE 56:17 I WAS FINALLY SEEING THE TRUTH AFTER ALL THESE YEARS. 56:21 WE ORDERED THE AMAZING FACTS DVDS LIKE THE COSMIC CONFLICT 56:27 AND THE FINAL EVENTS - PROPHECY FOUNDATIONS AND DIFFERENT 56:33 MATERIALS LIKE THAT. WE WENT THROUGH THEM AND ENJOYED 56:37 ALL OF THEM AND THEY IMPACTED OUR LIVES EVEN MORE. 56:41 >>WELL, I WORKED AT THE POST OFFICE. 56:44 I KNEW KIRK AND SUE FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND I WASN'T ALLOWED 56:48 TO TALK TO ANYONE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND BIBLE STUDIES AND 56:52 THINGS LIKE THAT BECAUSE THEY TOLD US NOT TO. 56:55 BUT ANYWAY, WHEN SUE CAME IN AND TALKED ABOUT IT, SHE TALKED 56:58 ABOUT THE SABBATH AND I TOLD HER - I SAID, 'WELL SUE, I GO TO 57:00 CHURCH ON SATURDAY.' >>SO I INVITED MYSELF. 57:04 SHE WAS EXCITED, OF COURSE, TO HAVE ME GO. 57:07 MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH STARTED GOING THAT VERY NEXT SABBATH AND 57:11 IT WASN'T BUT JUST FOUR MONTHS AFTER THAT THAT WE WERE BAPTIZED 57:14 IN THE CHURCH AND IT FELT LIKE THE MOST GLORIOUS EXPERIENCE I 57:18 COULD HAVE EVER HAD. >>THE THING THAT TOUCHES MY 57:23 HEART THE MOST IS MERWYN AND I HAD BEEN DOING THIS FOR, OH, THE 57:27 LAST YEAR AND A HALF OR TWO YEARS, AND SUE IS NOT THE ONLY 57:31 ONE THAT HAS RESPONDED TO AMAZING FACTS. 57:34 WE'VE HAD SEVERAL OTHERS THAT HAVE RESPONDED AND HAVE BEEN 57:36 BAPTIZED SO THIS IS WHAT REALLY MAKES IT EXCITING. THERE'S TIMES 57:42 IT'S DISCOURAGING, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS EVERY TIME YOU 57:45 SEE SOMEBODY IN THE WATER BEING BAPTIZED, IT'S A THRILL. 57:48 >>I KNOW THAT JESUS LOVES ME. AFTER ALL OF THE TRAGEDY THAT 57:52 I'VE BEEN THROUGH, HE MADE SURE THAT THE TWO MEN CAME AND 57:56 BROUGHT THE AMAZING FACTS BIBLE STUDIES TO ME AND MY HUSBAND. MY 58:01 LIFE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. IT IS FOREVER CHANGED AND I AM 58:06 FOREVER PART OF THE FAMILY OF GOD. 58:14 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2015-03-21