Participants: Carissa McSherry
Series Code: SSH
Program Code: SSH021628A
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00:00 (MUSIC)
00:34 >>WE'RE STARTING A NEW LESSON QUARTERLY - ACTUALLY, 00:37 THIS IS THE SECOND LESSON IN OUR NEW LESSON QUARTERLY ENTITLED 00:40 THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH IN THE COMMUNITY , SO I HOPE THAT ALL OF 00:44 YOU HERE HAVE THE LESSON QUARTERLY. 00:46 AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE THREE WEEKS AHEAD OF WHAT IT ACTUALLY SAYS, 00:49 AS FAR AS THE DATES GO, IN THE LESSON QUARTERLY. 00:51 AND, FOR OUR FRIENDS WHO ARE JOINING US, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A 00:54 COPY OF THE STUDY, YOU CAN GO TO THE AMAZING FACTS WEBSITE - JUST 00:57 AMAZINGFACTS.ORG - AND YOU CAN DOWNLOAD TODAY'S LESSON - IT'S 01:02 LESSON #2 ENTITLED RESTORING DOMINION - AND YOU CAN STUDY 01:05 ALONG WITH US. WE ALSO HAVE A FREE OFFER THAT 01:08 WE'D LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT. IT'S A BOOK WRITTEN BY PASTOR 01:10 DOUG BATCHELOR CALLED WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? 01:13 AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND THIS TO ANYBODY WHO CALLS AND ASKS. 01:16 THE NUMBER TO CALL IS 866-788-3966 AND YOU CAN ASK FOR 01:22 OFFER #603. AGAIN, IT'S 866-788-3966 - ASK 01:29 FOR #603 - AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND THIS TO ANYBODY 01:33 HERE IN NORTH AMERICA. WELL, BEFORE WE GET TO OUR 01:35 STUDY, WE ALWAYS LIKE TO BEGIN WITH LIFTING OUR 01:38 VOICES IN PRAISE. AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE THE 01:40 CHORISTERS TO COME FORWARD AND MEET ME HERE ON STAGE AND 01:42 THEY'RE GOING TO LEAD US IN SOME WONDERFUL HYMNS THIS MORNING. 01:46 (SOFT PIANO MUSIC) >>THANK YOU PASTOR ROSS. 01:49 IT IS LOVELY TO BE HERE AND WE'VE BEEN WARMING UP OUR VOICES 01:53 AND WE'RE READY TO SING WITH YOU. 01:55 ALL AROUND THE WORLD WE KNOW YOU LOVE YOUR HYMNS, AND WE DO AS 01:59 WELL, SO LET'S JOIN TOGETHER ON OUR FIRST ONE, STANDING ON THE 02:03 PROMISES . YOU'LL FIND THAT IN - #518 IN 02:07 YOUR HYMNALS - AND WE'LL DO ALL THREE STANZAS. JOIN WITH US. 02:11 (MUSIC) >>STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF CHRIST MY KING, 02:23 THRU ETERNAL AGES LET HIS PRAISES RING; GLORY IN THE 02:29 HIGHEST I WILL SHOUT AND SING, STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF GOD. 02:37 STANDING, STANDING, STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF CHRIST MY 02:45 SAVIOR; STANDING, STANDING, I'M STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF GOD. 02:58 STANDING ON THE PROMISES THAT CANNOT FAIL, WHEN THE HOWLING 03:04 STORMS OF DOUBT AND FEAR ASSAIL, BY THE LIVING WORD OF GOD I 03:09 SHALL PREVAIL, STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF GOD. 03:16 STANDING, STANDING, STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF CHRIST MY 03:24 SAVIOR; STANDING, STANDING, I'M STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF GOD. 03:38 STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF CHRIST THE LORD, BOUND TO HIM 03:43 ETERNALLY BY LOVE'S STRONG CORD, OVERCOMING DAILY WITH THE 03:49 SPIRIT'S SWORD, STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF GOD. 03:56 STANDING, STANDING, STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF CHRIST MY 04:04 SAVIOR; STANDING, STANDING, I'M STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF GOD. 04:19 >>AREN'T YOU THANKFUL FOR THE PROMISES THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US 04:24 THAT WE CAN STAND ON? THEY ARE SURE AND 04:26 THEY WON'T FAIL. WHATEVER HE SAID, HE WILL DO. 04:30 AND WHAT A WONDERFUL HEAVENLY FATHER. 04:32 WE CAN TRUST HIM JUST AS A CHILD TRUSTS A PARENT. 04:36 WHAT HEAVENLY MUSIC STEALS OVER THE SEA ENTRANCING THE SENSES 04:42 WITH A SWEET MELODY. THIS IS ONE OF MY 04:46 FAVORITE SONGS. I LOVE THIS SONG FOR THE HARMONY 04:49 AND THE WORDS - JUST IMAGINE BEING IN HEAVEN AS WE SING THIS. 04:53 YOU WILL FIND IT - #452 - #452 - WE'LL DO ALL THREE STANZAS - 04:59 WHAT HEAVENLY MUSIC . (PIANO MUSIC) 05:16 >>WHAT HEAVENLY MUSIC STEALS OVER THE SEA! 05:25 ENTRANCING THE SENSES LIKE SWEET MELODY! 05:35 'TIS THE VOICE OF THE ANGELS BORNE SOFT ON THE AIR; FOR ME 05:47 THEY ARE SINGING; THEIR WELCOME I HEAR. ON THE BANKS OF OLD 06:00 JORDAN, HERE GAZING I STAND, AND EARNESTLY LONGING, I STRETCH 06:12 FORTH MY HAND; SEND A CONVOY OF ANGELS, DEAR JESUS, I PRAY! 06:27 LET ME JOIN THAT SWEET MUSIC; COME, TAKE ME AWAY. 06:39 THOUGH DARK ARE THE WATERS AND ROUGH IS THE WAVE, IF JESUS 06:52 PERMIT, THE WILD SURGES I'LL BRAVE; FOR THAT HEAVENLY MUSIC 07:06 HATH RAVISHED ME SO, I MUST JOIN IN THAT CHORUS! 07:18 I'LL GO! LET ME GO! >>AT THIS TIME, PASTOR ROSS 07:31 WILL LEAD US IN PRAYER. >>LET US BOW OUR 07:39 HEADS FOR PRAYER. DEAR FATHER IN HEAVEN, WHAT A 07:42 PRIVILEGE IT IS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO GATHER IN YOUR 07:44 PRESENCE TO OPEN UP YOUR WORD. AND FATHER, WE ASK THE HOLY 07:47 SPIRIT TO COME AND GUIDE OUR HEARTS AND OUR MINDS. 07:49 FATHER, WE WANT TO BE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU WANT US TO BE. 07:52 WE WANT TO BE THAT LIGHT ON A HILL IN OUR COMMUNITY, SHINING 07:55 FORTH THE LOVE OF JESUS AND SHARING THE TRUTHS OF YOUR WORD. 07:58 SO WE INVITE YOU TO BE WITH US NOW AS WE STUDY ABOUT HOW THE 08:02 CHURCH CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN SHARING THE GOOD NEWS WITH 08:05 OTHERS, FOR WE ASK THIS IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. 08:08 OUR LESSON TODAY WILL BE BROUGHT TO US BY THE ASSISTANT AFCOE 08:12 DIRECTOR - AFCOE IS THE AMAZING FACTS CENTER OF EVANGELISM - AND 08:15 CARISSA MCSHERRY IS ONE OF OUR TEACHERS WITH THE PROGRAM AND WE 08:19 THOUGHT THIS LESSON, IN PARTICULAR, LEANS TO THE SUBJECT 08:23 MATTER THAT SHE TEACHES AT AFCOE, DEALING WITH PERSONAL 08:25 EVANGELISM AND SHARING. AND SO, THANK YOU, CARISSA, WE 08:29 APPRECIATE YOU BEING WILLING TO SHARE WITH US TODAY. 08:35 >>GOOD MORNING. >>GOOD MORNING. 08:38 >>HAPPY SABBATH. ARE YOU ENJOYING THIS NICE COOL 08:41 SUMMER WEATHER? WE CANNOT COMPLAIN. 08:44 IT'S BEEN A BLESSING. TODAY, AS WAS MENTIONED, WE'RE 08:47 GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE TOPIC OF RESTORING DOMINION . 08:51 YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU THINK OF THE WORD 'DOMINION' IT DOES NOT 08:54 SOUND VERY POSITIVE, CORRECT? WHEN WE THINK OF DOMINION, WE 08:58 THINK OF AUTHORITY, WE THINK OF POWER - OF DOMINANCE 09:03 - OF AGGRESSION. BUT IS THAT THE ORIGINAL 09:06 BIBLICAL MODEL OF DOMINION? TODAY WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING 09:10 AT THREE COMPONENTS ABOUT DOMINION. 09:13 FIRST WE'LL BE CONSIDERING WHAT IS THE ORIGINAL BIBLICAL 09:16 DEFINITION OF DOMINION, WHEN WILL DOMINION BE FULLY RESTORED, 09:22 AND HOW CAN WE OVERCOME THE DEVIL'S DOMINION OVER OUR LIVES? 09:28 BUT AS WE BEGIN, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, WOULD YOU JUST BOW YOUR 09:30 HEADS WITH ME FOR ANOTHER WORD OF PRAYER? 09:33 HEAVENLY FATHER, GOD, WE ARE HERE ON YOUR BEAUTIFUL SABBATH 09:36 DAY. LORD, WE DELIGHT TO GATHER AND 09:38 TO PRAISE YOUR NAME, LORD, FOR YOUR BLESSINGS AND 09:41 FOR YOUR PRESENCE. AND NOW, FATHER, AS WE STUDY 09:44 YOUR WORD, MAY YOUR SPIRIT OPEN AND GUIDE OUR HEARTS, 09:48 IS OUR PRAYER. IN CHRIST'S NAME, AMEN. 09:53 THIS WEEK, OUR MEMORY TEXT WAS FOUND IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 09:57 IF YOU HAVE YOUR QUARTERLY, PLEASE OPEN IT UP WITH ME AND 09:59 WE'RE GOING TO READ THAT MEMORY TEXT TOGETHER. 10:03 IT IS FOUND IN GENESIS CHAPTER 1 AND VERSE 26 - GENESIS CHAPTER 1 10:09 AND VERSE 26 - PLEASE READ WITH ME THERE. 10:14 "THEN GOD SAID, 'LET US MAKE MAN IN OUR IMAGE, ACCORDING TO OUR 10:20 LIKENESS; LET THEM HAVE DOMINION OVER THE FISH OF THE SEA, OVER 10:25 THE BIRDS OF THE AIR, AND OVER THE CATTLE, OVER ALL THE EARTH 10:30 AND OVER EVERY CREEPING THING THAT CREEPS ON THE EARTH.'" SO 10:35 THAT, AGAIN, IS THE PREMISE FOR OUR DISCUSSION TODAY. 10:39 AS WE BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT DOMINION, I WANT TO FIRST SET A 10:43 FRAMEWORK FOR THIS DISCUSSION AND THEN WE'LL LOOK AT SOME OF 10:46 THE SPECIFICS FOR HOW THIS APPLIES TO OUR LIFE TODAY. 10:51 YOU SEE IN SABBATH AFTERNOON, THE QUARTERLY BRINGS OUT A 10:53 BEAUTIFUL PASSAGE FROM THE BOOK SIGNS OF THE TIMES - FROM THE 10:58 MAGAZINE - NOVEMBER 4 - THIS IS 1908 AND IT READS, "NOT ONLY 11:04 MAN, BUT THE EARTH ALSO HAD, BY SIN, COME UNDER THE CONTROL OF 11:08 THE WICKED ONE AND WAS TO BE RESTORED BY THE PLAN OF 11:13 REDEMPTION. AT HIS CREATION, ADAM WAS PLACED 11:16 IN DOMINION OVER THE EARTH, BUT BY YIELDING TO TEMPTATION, HE 11:20 WAS BROUGHT UNDER THE POWER OF SATAN AND THE DOMINION WHICH HE 11:24 HELD, PASSED TO HIS CONQUEROR. THUS, SATAN BECAME 11:28 THE GOD OF THIS WORLD. HE HAD USURPED THAT DOMINION 11:32 OVER WHICH THE EARTH HAD BEEN ORIGINALLY GIVEN TO ADAM. 11:35 BUT CHRIST" - AREN'T YOU THANKFUL TODAY FOR THOSE TWO 11:40 LITTLE WORDS? - THE DOMINION THAT WAS TAKEN 11:43 OVER BY THE DEVIL, "BUT CHRIST, BY HIS SACRIFICE, PAYING THE 11:50 PENALTY OF SIN, WOULD NOT ONLY REDEEM MAN, BUT WOULD RECOVER 11:54 THE DOMINION WHICH HE HAD FORFEITED. 11:57 ALL THAT WAS LOST BY THE FIRST ADAM WILL BE RESTORED BY THE 12:02 SECOND." AMEN? I PRAISE GOD FOR 12:06 THAT RESTORATION. YOU SEE, IT WAS AT THE CROSS 12:10 WHEN JESUS DIED, THAT THAT DOMINION WAS ASSURED. 12:15 BUT IT WILL NOT BE UNTIL THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST 12:19 THAT THAT DOMINION WILL BE COMPLETE. 12:23 IN OTHER WORDS, DOES THE DEVIL STILL ROAM TO AND FRO ON THE 12:26 EARTH TODAY, SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR? 12:30 ABSOLUTELY, BUT WE SEE THAT THERE WILL COME A TIME WHERE 12:33 CHRIST WILL HAVE THAT FULL DOMINION OVER THE EARTH WHERE, 12:37 ONE DAY SOON, EVERY KNEE WILL BOW AND CONFESS THAT CHRIST IS 12:42 LORD. TURN WITH ME TO THE BOOK OF DANIEL. 12:46 WE ARE GOING TO, AGAIN, LOOK AT THIS RESTORATION OF DOMINION - 12:50 THIS FRAMEWORK - THIS MORNING AND WE'LL BEGIN IN DANIEL 12:53 CHAPTER 7. DANIEL CHAPTER 7 - BEAUTIFUL 12:59 PICTURE IS GIVEN IN VERSES 13 AND 14. 13:03 WE SEE THAT AT THE BEGINNING - OR I SHOULD SAY, THE COMPLETION 13:06 OF THE 2300-YEAR PROPHECY. JESUS IS BROUGHT BEFORE THE 13:12 FATHER DURING THE JUDGMENT HOUR. IN VERSE 13 OF DANIEL CHAPTER 7 13:18 WE READ, "I WAS WATCHING IN THE NIGHT VISIONS, AND BEHOLD, ONE 13:23 LIKE THE SON OF MAN, COMING WITH THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN! 13:27 HE CAME TO THE ANCIENT OF DAYS, AND THEY BROUGHT HIM NEAR BEFORE 13:31 HIM." AGAIN, WHEN IS THIS SPEAKING OF? 13:35 THIS IS SPEAKING OF 1844, THE JUDGMENT HOUR. IN VERSE 14, 13:42 "THEN TO HIM WAS GIVEN DOMINION AND GLORY AND A KINGDOM, THAT 13:46 ALL PEOPLES, NATIONS, AND LANGUAGES SHOULD SERVE HIM. 13:50 HIS DOMINION IS AN EVERLASTING DOMINION, WHICH SHALL NOT PASS 13:55 AWAY, AND HIS KINGDOM THE ONE WHICH SHALL NOT BE DESTROYED." 14:02 NOTICE THE LANGUAGE THAT IS USED HERE IN DANIEL CHAPTER 7. 14:07 IN DANIEL CHAPTER 2 - WHAT IS THE EMPHASIS OF DANIEL 14:10 CHAPTER 2? WHAT DO WE SEE OCCURRING 14:14 IN DANIEL CHAPTER 2? THERE IS AN IMAGE, IS THERE NOT? 14:22 NEBUCHADNEZZAR HAS A DREAM AND IN THIS IMAGE YOU SEE BABYLON, 14:26 MEDO-PERSIA, GREECE, AND ROME. YOU SEE THESE GREAT KINGDOMS 14:29 THAT ARE RISING UP. AT THE CONCLUSION OF MENTIONING 14:34 EACH OF THESE KINGDOMS, A WARNING IS GIVEN, BUT 14:38 THEY WILL PASS AWAY. BUT THEIR DOMINION 14:41 WILL NOT LAST. BABYLON RISES, AND 14:43 IT FALLS. MEDO-PERSIA RISES AND IT FALLS. 14:45 GREECE RISES AND IT FALLS. ROME RISES AND IT FALLS. 14:49 AND YET, HERE WE SEE, IN DANIEL CHAPTER 7, THAT JESUS WILL COME 14:54 BEFORE THE FATHER - THAT JESUS WILL RECEIVE DOMINION AND HE 14:59 WILL HAVE THE KINGDOM THAT NEVER FALLS. 15:02 IS THAT GOOD NEWS TODAY? AMEN. 15:05 JESUS HAS THE KINGDOM THAT WILL NOT FAIL. 15:11 SO THAT, AGAIN, IS OUR FRAMEWORK FOR OUR DISCUSSION TODAY. 15:14 AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE SPECIFICS. 15:18 HOW DOES THE DEVIL'S DOMINION APPLY TODAY? 15:22 TURN WITH ME IN YOUR BIBLES TO GENESIS CHAPTER 1. 15:26 WE ARE IN GENESIS CHAPTER 1 AND WE'LL BE CONTINUING THE PASSAGE 15:30 FROM OUR MEMORY TEXT - GENESIS CHAPTER 1, VERSES 27 AND 28 - 15:40 GENESIS CHAPTER 1, VERSES 27 AND 28 - AND THE BIBLE SAYS, "SO GOD 15:49 CREATED MAN IN HIS OWN IMAGE; IN THE IMAGE OF GOD HE CREATED HIM; 15:54 MALE AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM. 15:57 THEN GOD BLESSED THEM, AND GOD SAID TO THEM, 'BE FRUITFUL AND 16:01 MULTIPLY; FILL THE EARTH AND SUBDUE IT; HAVE DOMINION OVER 16:05 THE FISH OF THE SEA, OVER THE BIRDS OF THE AIR, AND OVER EVERY 16:09 LIVING THING THAT MOVES ON THE EARTH.'" HELP ME OUT HERE: AFTER 16:16 JE- EXCUSE ME - AFTER ADAM AND EVE WERE CREATED, WHAT DID GOD 16:21 IMMEDIATELY DO? HE GAVE THEM...? 16:25 >>DOMINION. >>DOMINION, CORRECT. 16:29 AND THAT DOMINION ENTAILED A JOB. THEY HAD EMPLOYMENT. 16:35 THEY HAD A PURPOSE, DID THEY NOT? 16:38 HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD LITTLE CHILDREN SAY, 'I THINK 16:43 MOMMY AND DADDY ONLY WANTED KIDS SO THEY COULD TAKE OUT THE 16:45 GARBAGE.'? THEY ONLY WANTED KIDS SO SOMEONE 16:49 COULD MOW THE LAWN, RIGHT? MAYBE YOU WERE THAT CHILD. 16:54 MAYBE YOU WERE THE PARENT - ABSOLUTELY - HEARING YOUR CHILD 16:57 SAY THAT. IS THAT WHY GOD CREATED ADAM? 17:02 'WELL, I NEED A GARDENER. IT'S A BIG WORLD SO I'M GOING TO 17:04 CREATE A MAN TO TAKE CARE OF MY GARDEN.' 17:07 IS THAT WHY GOD CREATED ADAM? NO, BUT IS IT IMPORTANT FOR 17:15 EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US TO HAVE A ROLE - TO HAVE SOMETHING, AGAIN, 17:22 THAT GIVES US THAT PURPOSE AND THAT MEANING? 17:26 A STUDY WAS DONE BY THE PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE, LOOKING 17:30 AT 6,000 PARTICIPANTS AND THEY LOOKED TO SEE WHAT THEIR 17:36 SELF-REPORTED PURPOSE IS IN LIFE? WHAT BRINGS THEM JOY? 17:40 DID THEY HAVE MEANING TO THEIR LIVE? 17:43 THEN THEY DID A FOLLOW-UP STUDY ABOUT NINE YEARS LATER TO SEE 17:47 WHAT THE RESULTS WERE. HOW DID HAVING A PURPOSE IN YOUR 17:51 LIFE AFFECT YOUR LONGEVITY AND YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE? 17:56 THEY FOUND, IN THIS FOLLOW-UP STUDY, 569 OF THE PARTICIPANTS 18:04 HAD PASSED AWAY, WHICH WAS ABOUT 9-PERCENT OF THE SAMPLE. 18:08 I'M NOT SURE I WOULD WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS STUDY, RIGHT? 18:11 BUT WHAT THEY DISCOVERED IS THOSE WHO HAD DIED HAD REPORTED 18:16 LOWER PURPOSE IN LIFE AND FEWER POSITIVE RELATIONS THAN DID THE 18:23 SURVIVORS. IN OTHER WORDS, IF WE DO NOT 18:27 HAVE A PURPOSE IN LIFE, WE ARE MORE LIKELY TO DIE EARLY. 18:33 WE HAVE A DECREASED LONGEVITY, A DECREASED ENJOYMENT IN LIFE. 18:39 IS IT IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE A PURPOSE? 18:42 ABSOLUTELY, AND GOD RECOGNIZED THAT EVEN IN THIS PRE-FALLEN 18:46 WORLD, EVEN IN THIS PERFECT UNIVERSE, MAN STILL NEEDED A 18:50 PURPOSE - SOMETHING THAT HE COULD ACCOMPLISH. 18:55 YOU SEE, AT EVERY SINGLE STAGE OF LIFE THE QUESTION IS ASKED, 18:59 'WHAT IS MY PURPOSE?' MAYBE YOU REMEMBER THOSE TEENAGE 19:04 DAYS AND YOU'RE ABOUT TO LEAVE THE HOME AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT 19:07 COLLEGE OR EMPLOYMENT, 'WHAT SHOULD I DO FOR MY OCCUPATION?' 19:11 THE UNDERLYING QUESTION IS 'WHAT IS MY PURPOSE?' 19:18 YOU MEET MIDDLE AGE AND MAYBE THAT MID-LIFE CRISIS COMES AND 19:22 THE UNDERLYING QUESTION, YET AGAIN, IS 'WHAT IS MY PURPOSE? 19:26 YOU MEET RETIREMENT AND YOU QUESTION 'WHAT IS MY PURPOSE?' 19:33 AND THAT, AGAIN, IS WHAT WE MUST ESTABLISH - 19:36 WHAT IS OUR PURPOSE IN LIFE? IF WE BASE OUR PURPOSE OFF OF 19:42 OUR EMPLOYMENT, OFF OF OUR OCCUPATION, OFF OF 19:46 RELATIONSHIPS, WILL WE EVER BE SATISFIED? NO. 19:53 THE JOB MARKET CRASHES. THE ECONOMY CRASHES. 19:56 RELATIONSHIPS FALL APART. WHO, THEN, MUST WE 20:00 FIND OUR PURPOSE IN? IN JESUS CHRIST, CORRECT? 20:06 A PURPOSE FOUND IN JESUS CHRIST WILL SATISFY ONLY AS IT IS MET 20:13 IN JESUS CHRIST. PSALMS 138, VERSE 8 - AND THE 20:17 REVISED STANDARD VERSION TELLS US THIS: "THE LORD WILL FULFIL 20:22 HIS PURPOSE FOR ME;" - THE LORD WILL FULFIL HIS PURPOSE FOR ME - 20:29 IN OTHER WORDS, I FIRMLY BELIEVE TODAY, JUST AS GOD HAD A PURPOSE 20:33 FOR ADAM IN THE GARDEN, GOD HAS A PURPOSE FOR OUR LIVES TODAY. 20:41 CHRIST'S OBJECT LESSONS - THIS IS FOUND ON PAGE 326 - AND THIS 20:46 MOTIVATES AND INSPIRES ME EVERY DAY. WE ARE TOLD, "EACH HAS HIS 20:55 PLACE IN THE ETERNAL PLAN OF HEAVEN. EACH IS TO WORK IN 20:59 COOPERATION WITH CHRIST FOR THE SALVATION OF SOULS. 21:03 NOT MORE SURELY IS THE PLACE PREPARED FOR US IN THE HEAVENLY 21:07 MANSIONS THAN THERE IS A SPECIAL PLACE DESIGNATED ON EARTH WHERE 21:13 WE ARE TO WORK FOR GOD." IS THIS TRUTH? 21:20 NOT MORE SURELY DOES GOD HAVE A MANSION PREPARED FOR YOU IN 21:24 HEAVEN THAN GOD HAS A PLAN - THAN GOD HAS A PURPOSE FOR YOU 21:29 ON EARTH TODAY. IT'S REASSURING, IS IT NOT? 21:34 GOD HAS A PLAN FOR OUR LIVES. YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT HAVE 21:39 THOUGHT, 'WHAT IF MY PURPOSE IS JUST GARDENING?' ADAM WAS NOT 21:44 TOLD TO GO CONQUER THE WORLD, HE WAS GIVEN A SHOVEL, RIGHT? 21:49 HE WAS TOLD TO GO AND WORK IN THE GARDEN AND IT MAY HAVE 21:52 SEEMED LIKE A MENIAL TASK - A VERY SMALL ACCOMPLISHMENT, BUT 21:58 YOU SEE, ANY TASK THAT IS DONE TO THE GLORY OF GOD IS GREAT. 22:04 THE GREATEST PURPOSE THAT WE CAN FIND IS IN SERVANTHOOD. 22:09 HELEN KELLER ONCE SAID, 'I LONG TO ACCOMPLISH A GREAT AND NOBLE 22:14 TASK, BUT MY CHIEF DUTY IS TO ACCOMPLISH SMALL TASKS AS THOUGH 22:21 THEY WERE GREAT AND NOBLE.' I WANT TO DO SOMETHING HUGE, I 22:27 WANT TO DO SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT, BUT JESUS, IF YOU 22:29 WANT TO GIVE ME A SHOVEL AND HAVE ME GARDEN, I WILL DO IT. 22:33 WHATEVER WE DO, MAY WE DO IT WITH ALL OF OUR MIGHT. 22:39 IN MONDAY'S LESSON THEY BEGIN TO LOOK AT DOMINION. 22:43 AGAIN, WHAT IS THE BIBLICAL DEFINITION OF DOMINION AND HOW 22:47 CAN WE APPLY THE BIBLICAL PRE-SIN DEFINITION IN OUR SPHERE 22:52 OF INFLUENCE TODAY? WE FIND THAT DOMINION IS 22:58 THE HEBREW WORD 'RÂDÂH'. IT INFERS THAT THERE IS A RIGHT 23:03 AND A RESPONSIBILITY TO RULE. IT IMPLIES THAT THERE IS A 23:07 HIERARCHY OF POWER AND OF AUTHORITY. 23:12 TURN WITH ME IN YOUR BIBLES TO GENESIS CHAPTER 2 - GENESIS 23:16 CHAPTER 2 AND WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT VERSE 15. 23:20 IN THIS PASSAGE, WE WILL AGAIN SEE THE EXPLANATION OF WHAT 23:25 DOMINION ENTAILS. THIS IS IN GENESIS 23:28 CHAPTER 2 AND VERSE 15. THE BIBLE SAYS, "THEN THE LORD 23:39 GOD TOOK THE MAN AND PUT HIM IN THE GARDEN OF 23:42 EDEN" - TO DO WHAT? - "TO TEND AND KEEP IT." 23:51 HE PUT HIM IN THE GARDEN TO TEND IT AND TO KEEP IT. 23:56 AGAIN, THAT IS THE BEST DEFINITION OF DOMINION. 23:59 WE SEE IT EXEMPLIFIED HERE: HE GAVE HIM TO TEND IT AND TO KEEP 24:05 IT. AGAIN, LOOKING AT THE HEBREW IN THESE WORDS, 'TO TEND', WHICH 24:11 FOR SOME OF YOU ALSO IS TRANSLATED AS 'TO DRESS', MEANS 24:16 'TO WORK; TO SERVE; TO TILL.' TO KEEP (SHAMAR) REFERS 'TO HEDGE 24:25 ABOUT; TO GUARD; TO PROTECT; TO ATTEND; TO LOOK NARROWLY AFTER; 24:33 TO PRESERVE, REGARD, AND RESERVE.' IN OTHER WORDS, HERE 24:38 ADAM IS GIVEN HIS DOMINION AND HIS ROLE IS TO PROTECT, TO 24:43 SERVE, TO NURTURE. IS THAT A POSITIVE UNDERSTANDING 24:49 OF THE WORD 'DOMINION'? THAT SERVANT LEADERSHIP OF SORTS. 24:54 AGAIN, OFTEN WE THINK OF DOMINION, WE HAVE VERY NEGATIVE 24:57 CONNOTATIONS. WE THINK OF HITLER. 25:00 WE THINK OF SADDAM HUSSEIN WHEN WE THINK OF DOMINION. 25:03 BUT THIS IS THE BIBLICAL MODEL OF DOMINION - IT IS SERVANT 25:07 LEADERSHIP. TO SERVE, TO NURTURE, TO 25:10 ENCOURAGE - THIS MODEL, GIVEN IN THE PRE-SIN MODEL, IS THE MODEL 25:17 THAT CHRIST LONGS FOR HIS PEOPLE TO FULFIL TODAY. TURN WITH ME IN 25:23 YOUR BIBLES TO THE BOOK OF 1 PETER. WE ARE IN 1 PETER CHAPTER 25:28 5 AND WE'LL BE LOOKING AT VERSES 2 THROUGH 5. 25:33 1 PETER CHAPTER 5 AND WE'LL BE LOOKING AT VERSES 2 THROUGH 5. 25:41 AS WE READ THESE PASSAGES TOGETHER, CONSIDER WITH ME WHAT 25:45 IS THE DEFINITION OF DOMINION AS FOUND IN THIS PASSAGE? 25:51 HOW CAN IT BE EXEMPLIFIED IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE TODAY? 25:56 WE ARE IN 1 PETER CHAPTER 5 AND WE WILL CONTINUE WITH VERSES 2 26:01 THROUGH 5. THE BIBLE SAYS, "SHEPHERD THE 26:08 FLOCK OF GOD WHICH IS AMONG YOU, SERVING AS OVERSEERS, NOT BY 26:14 COMPULSION BUT WILLINGLY, NOT FOR DISHONEST GAIN BUT EAGERLY'; 26:21 NOR AS BEING LORDS OVER THOSE ENTRUSTED TO YOU, BUT BEING 26:26 EXAMPLES TO THE FLOCK; AND WHEN THE CHIEF SHEPHERD APPEARS, YOU 26:30 WILL RECEIVE THE CROWN OF GLORY THAT DOES NOT FADE AWAY." 26:37 YOU SEE, AGAIN, LEADERSHIP - DOMINION - IS DEFINED IN THIS 26:42 PASSAGE. DO NOT LORD OVER THEM. 26:46 DO NOT ASSERT YOUR AUTHORITY, RATHER LEAD BY EXAMPLE. 26:53 RATHER, NURTURE - RATHER ENCOURAGE - RATHER SUPPORT - 26:58 JUST LIKE ADAM WAS CALLED TO DO IN THE GARDEN OF OLD. 27:05 WOULD IT NOT BE POWERFUL IF THIS PASSAGE WAS FULLY APPLIED IN OUR 27:08 FAMILIES, IN OUR CHURCHES, IN OUR HOMES TODAY? 27:14 THE BIBLICAL MODEL OF DOMINION - DID JESUS DEMONSTRATE THIS 27:19 MODEL? ABSOLUTELY. IMAGINE AGAIN, HERE HE IS, 27:25 THE LORD OF THE UNIVERSE, THE INFINITE AND ALL-POWERFUL GOD, 27:30 AND YET THERE HE IS, NAKED AND BEAT ON A CROSS. 27:34 JESUS WAS WILLING TO GO THROUGH THAT ABSOLUTE SURRENDER - TO 27:39 DEMONSTRATE WHAT IS TRUE SERVANT LEADERSHIP. 27:43 YOU SEE, THE JEWS OF OLD LOOKED AT JESUS AND SAID, 'HE CAN'T 27:48 POSSIBLY BE THE MESSIAH. WE ARE LOOKING FOR A CONQUERING 27:52 KING THAT'LL COME IN HERE AND DESTROY AND BEAT UP THE ROMANS.' 27:56 TO THEM, THAT WAS DOMINANCE. TO THEM, THAT WAS POWER. 28:01 BUT DOES JESUS VIEW IT THE SAME WAY? 28:05 TO HIM, DOMINANCE - TO HIM, POWER IS SURRENDERING HIS LIFE 28:10 ON THE CROSS. THAT IS THE EPITOME OF TRUE 28:14 LEADERSHIP AND THAT IS THE EXAMPLE THAT WE ARE 28:17 CALLED TO FOLLOW TODAY. IN TUESDAY'S LESSON: WE BEGIN TO 28:23 SEE THAT THERE WAS A FALL FROM DOMINION. 28:27 WE SEE HOW SATAN CAME AND TEMPTED ADAM AND EVE; HOW THEY 28:31 STEPPED OUT OF THE BOUNDARIES THAT GOD HAD GIVEN TO THEM AND, 28:35 AS A RESULT OF THEIR ACTIONS, SATAN BEGAN TO DOMINATE. 28:40 HE TOOK OVER THE RULERSHIP OF THIS WORLD. 28:45 THE QUARTERLY BRINGS OUT, "EVEN THOUGH SIN CAUSED HUMANITY TO 28:50 LOSE THE LEVEL OF DOMINION GIVEN AT CREATION, OUR ORIGINAL 28:54 DOMINION WAS NOT ENTIRELY LOST BECAUSE OF SIN. 28:59 THERE IS PLENTY THAT IS WITHIN OUR CURRENT BOUNDARIES OF 29:03 RESPONSIBILITY. YOU SEE, ALTHOUGH THE DEVIL 29:06 ASSUMED DOMINION OF THIS EARTH, GOD APPOINTED ADAM TO BE 29:11 A CARETAKER OF THE WORLD. DO WE STILL NEED TO BE 29:14 CARETAKERS OF THIS EARTH TODAY? DOES GOD VIEW IT 29:18 AS IMPORTANT TODAY? ABSOLUTELY. 29:22 IN FACT, WE READ IN REVELATION CHAPTER 11, VERSE 18, THAT GOD 29:27 WILL DESTROY THOSE WHO DESTROY THE EARTH. 29:31 IN OTHER WORDS, GOD STILL LOOKS AT HIS CREATION AND SAYS, 'THAT 29:34 IS VALUABLE TO ME.' THE HEAVENS DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD. 29:40 WE STILL SEE THE WORK OF THE CREATOR THROUGH HIS CREATION. 29:47 OFFICIAL GENERAL CONFERENCE STATEMENT ON THE ENVIRONMENT 29:51 SAYS THIS - I FOUND IT RATHER INTERESTING - IT SAYS, 29:55 "HUMANKIND WAS CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, THUS REPRESENTING 29:58 GOD AS HIS STEWARDS, TO RULE THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT IN A 30:03 FAITHFUL AND FRUITFUL WAY. THE ECOLOGICAL CRISIS IS ROOTED 30:07 IN HUMANKIND'S GREED AND REFUSAL TO PRACTICE GOOD AND FAITHFUL 30:12 STEWARDSHIP WITHIN THE DIVINE BOUNDARIES OF CREATION. 30:16 WE CALL FOR RESPECT OF CREATION, RESTRAINT IN THE USE OF THE 30:20 WORLD'S RESOURCES, REEVALUATION OF ONE'S NEEDS AND THE 30:25 RE-AFFIRMATION OF THE DIGNITY OF CREATED LIFE. 30:31 IT'S TRUE, IS IT NOT? WE DO HAVE A ROLE. 30:35 WE SHOULD, AGAIN, RESPECT THE CREATION - THE PAINTING THAT THE 30:39 ARTIST HAS GIVEN TO US. DID JESUS USE NATURE TO 30:46 DEMONSTRATE THE RELATIONSHIP THAT HE DESIRES TO HAVE WITH US? 30:52 DID JESUS OFTEN POINT TO NATURE IN HIS PARABLES? 30:57 I THINK, AGAIN, OF JESUS SITTING THERE ON THE HILLSIDE AND HE'S 31:02 WANTING TO EXPLAIN TO THE DISCIPLES ABOUT THE GLORY OF 31:05 GOD, ABOUT THE BEAUTY OF THE UNIVERSE, ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP 31:09 WITH THE FATHER, AND YET, HERE SITS A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE 31:13 BICKERING OVER WHO IS GOING TO BE THE LEADER. 31:16 AND HE WANTS TO EXPLAIN IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY CAN 31:20 UNDERSTAND IT WITH THEIR FINITE MINDS. 31:24 AND SO, HERE JESUS SITS AND HERE HE IS CONTEMPLATING 'HOW DO I 31:28 DESCRIBE THE GLORIES OF GOD TO THIS GROUP OF MEN?' 31:33 AND THE PICTURE IS PAINTED OF JESUS SITTING THERE AND LOOKING 31:36 TO HIS SIDE AND SAYING, 'CONSIDER THE LILIES. 31:42 I WANT TO SHOW YOU A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE BUT YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND 31:45 IT. LET'S LOOK AT THE FLOWERS, THIS 31:47 LITTLE FINGERPRINT OF GOD, AND SEE HOW THE LILIES RELATE TO 31:52 OUR CONNECTION WITH GOD TODAY. WE FIND, IN DESIRE OF AGES THAT 31:58 JESUS OFTEN WENT UP INTO THE MOUNTAINSIDE AND HE SPENT THE 32:03 MORNINGS IN NATURE - HIS TIME WITH GOD - ALONE. 32:08 ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS TO DO - ONE OF MY FAVORITE PASTTIMES, 32:13 IS GOING CAMPING WITH MY FAMILY. 32:16 AND, EARLY IN THE MORNING, BEFORE ANYONE ELSE IS UP AND, 32:19 HOPEFULLY BEFORE THE BEARS ARE TOO, I LIKE TO GO OUT INTO A 32:24 MEADOW AND TO JUST SIT NEXT TO THE MEADOW OR NEXT TO A LAKE AND 32:29 JUST LOOK FOR OBJECT LESSONS THAT TEACH ME ABOUT THE KINGDOM 32:33 OF GOD AND TO SING MY HEART OUT TO GOD, THERE IN NATURE, WHERE 32:37 NO ONE ELSE CAN POSSIBLY HEAR ME. 32:39 BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY TIME THAT I SING IN PUBLIC. 32:42 AGAIN, WHEN NO ONE CAN HEAR, BUT SINGING TO GOD OF HIS PRAISES. 32:46 AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S WHAT GOD CALLS US TO TODAY - TO LOOK 32:49 AT HIS CREATION AND SAY, 'WHAT CAN THAT TEACH ME ABOUT THE 32:52 FATHER'S LOVE. HOW CAN THE BEAUTY OF HIS 32:55 CREATION, THOUGH MARRED WITH SIN, HOW CAN THE BEAUTY OF HIS 32:59 CREATION TEACH ME OF THE FATHER TODAY? ON THURSDAY'S LESSON THE 33:07 FOCUS IS ON THE RESTORATION OF DOMINION. 33:12 YES, OF COURSE, AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, JESUS WILL COME AND 33:16 THAT SECOND COMING - THE GLORY OF THE FATHER - AND JESUS WILL 33:20 AGAIN RESTORE DOMINION TO THE EARTH. 33:23 EVERY KNEE WILL BOW BEFORE HIM. THERE WILL BE NO MORE SIN. 33:27 THERE'LL BE NO MORE DEATH, NO MORE PAIN, NO MORE SUFFERING. 33:31 BUT CAN DOMINION BE RESTORED IN OUR LIVES TODAY? 33:37 COULD THERE BE SOMETHING THAT IS DOMINATING US, RATHER THAN THE 33:43 POWER AND THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST? 33:47 IN PSALMS 119, VERSE 133 WE READ, "DIRECT MY STEPS BY YOUR 33:53 WORD, AND LET NO INIQUITY HAVE DOMINION OVER ME." 34:00 PSALMS 19 AND VERSE 13 SAYS, "KEEP BACK YOUR SERVANT ALSO 34:04 FROM PRESUMPTUOUS SINS; LET THEM NOT HAVE DOMINION OVER ME." 34:11 ROMANS CHAPTER 6 AND VERSE 14 - TURN WITH ME THERE - WE'RE GOING 34:16 TO TURN TO ROMANS CHAPTER 6 AND VERSE 14. 34:20 AGAIN, IT IS CONTINUING THIS THEME OF DOMINION - ROMANS 34:25 CHAPTER 6 AND VERSE 14 - AND THE BIBLE SAYS, "FOR SIN SHALL NOT 34:40 HAVE DOMINION OVER YOU, FOR YOU ARE NOT UNDER LAW BUT UNDER" - 34:46 WHAT? - "UNDER GRACE." SIN SHALL NOT HAVE 34:51 DOMINION OVER YOU. NOTICE, DOES GOD SAY 'SOMEDAY 34:55 WHEN I COME IN THE HEAVENS AND WHEN I REGAIN THIS EARTH, SIN 34:59 WILL NOT HAVE DOMINION OVER YOU.' DOES HE PUT IT 35:03 IN THAT FUTURE TENSE? NO. 35:06 INSTEAD, JESUS IS SAYING, 'I WANT YOU TO EXPERIENCE VICTORY 35:09 IN YOUR LIFE TODAY. I DON'T WANT SIN TO HAVE 35:15 DOMINION OVER YOU ANY MORE. I WANT YOU TO EXPERIENCE THE 35:19 FREEDOM OF A LIFE FULLY AND COMPLETELY SURRENDERED TO ME. 35:26 TURN WITH ME IN YOUR BIBLES TO JOHN CHAPTER 16. 35:30 AGAIN, JESUS IS SPEAKING TO HIS FOLLOWERS SOON BEFORE HIS 35:34 CRUCIFIXION. WE ARE IN JOHN CHAPTER 16 AND 35:40 WE'LL BE CONSIDERING VERSES 32 AND 33. 35:45 JOHN CHAPTER 16, CONSIDERING VERSES 32 AND 33. 35:56 AGAIN, REMEMBER THAT JESUS IS TOWARDS HIS CLOSING HOURS. 36:00 HE IS LONGING TO GIVE THEM A MESSAGE THAT WILL SUSTAIN THEM - 36:05 THAT WILL ENCOURAGE THEM, ESPECIALLY AS THE CLOSING SCENES 36:10 ARE UPON THEM. IN VERSE 32 WE READ, "INDEED THE 36:14 HOUR IS COMING, YES, HAS NOW COME, THAT YOU WILL BE 36:20 SCATTERED, EACH TO HIS OWN, AND WILL LEAVE ME ALONE. 36:24 AND YET I AM NOT ALONE, BECAUSE THE FATHER IS WITH ME." 36:28 - VERSE 33 - "THESE THINGS I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU, THAT IN ME 36:32 YOU MAY HAVE" - WHAT? - "PEACE. IN THE WORLD YOU WILL" - NOTICE 36:39 IT DOES NOT SAY 'YOU MIGHT' OR 'IT COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN' - 36:42 "IN THE WORLD YOU WILL HAVE TRIBULATION; BUT BE 36:48 OF GOOD CHEER," - WHY? - "I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD." 36:55 'YES, IN THE WORLD YOU WILL HAVE TRIALS. 36:58 YES, THERE WILL BE TEMPTATIONS, BUT DO REMEMBER THAT MY DOMINION 37:01 IS ASSURED - THAT MY KINGDOM IS THE ONE THAT WILL LAST FOREVER. 37:08 BE OF GOOD CHEER, I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.' YOU KNOW 37:14 WHAT AMAZES ME ABOUT THIS PASSAGE? 37:17 JOHN 16 AND VERSE 33, WAS IT WRITTEN - OR WAS IT SPOKEN, I 37:22 SHOULD SAY, PRIOR TO THE CRUCIFIXION OR FOLLOWING THE 37:27 CRUCIFIXION? PRIOR TO THE CRUCIFIXION. HERE IS JESUS 37:34 CHRIST KNOWING THAT SOON HE WILL BE IN A GARDEN PLEADING WITH 37:40 GOD, 'IF THERE'S ANY OTHER WAY, HELP ME NOT TO DRINK THIS CUP.' 37:45 JESUS KNOWING THAT SOON THE PRESENCE OF THE FATHER WILL BE 37:49 WITHDRAWN, KNOWING THAT SOON HE WILL BE BEATEN, HE WILL BE 37:53 MOCKED, HIS DISCIPLES WILL ABANDON HIM - KNOWING THAT SOON 37:58 HE WILL GO THROUGH HIS DARKEST HOUR AS THERE HE HANGS ON A 38:01 CROSS AND HE LONGS TO HEAR THE ASSURANCE FROM THE FATHER. 38:05 HE LONGS TO HAVE HIS FATHER SAY, 'THIS IS MY BELOVED SON IN WHOM 38:10 I AM WELL PLEASED.' AND YET, THE HEAVENS ARE SILENT, AND YET HE 38:16 GOES INTO THAT GRAVE WONDERING IF HE WILL COME OUT AGAIN. 38:22 BUT NOTICE THAT JESUS CAN SAY, BY FAITH, 'I HAVE OVERCOME THE 38:29 WORLD.' EVEN THOUGH HIS DARKEST HOUR WAS BEFORE HIM, BY FAITH 38:35 JESUS COULD SAY, 'I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.' YOU KNOW, 38:42 BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IT IS THE SAME FOR US TODAY. 38:46 SOMETIMES, IN THEORY, WE SAY, 'WELL, THAT'S WONDERFUL. 38:51 SIN CAN BE OVERCOME. IT DOESN'T NEED TO HAVE DOMINION OVER ME. 38:55 I CAN EXPERIENCE THAT FREEDOM.' AND WE SEE IT AS THEORY, BUT 39:00 WHEN IT BECOMES APPLICATION WE SAY IT'S IMPOSSIBLE. 39:04 'I'VE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH THIS SIN FOR YEARS. 39:08 I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS FAMILY PROBLEM FOR DECADES. 39:13 IT'S NICE JESUS CAN HAVE VICTORY, BUT HOW CAN IT BE 39:17 EXPERIENCED IN MY LIFE?' AND YET, BY FAITH, EVEN IN HIS 39:22 DARKEST HOUR, JESUS CAN SAY, 'I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.' NOT, 39:28 'I MIGHT'. NOT, 'I'LL TRY'. 'I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.' AND 39:37 I BELIEVE IT'S THE SAME IN OUR LIVES TODAY. 39:40 WHEN THE DEVIL, LIKE THAT ROARING LION, RAISES UP HIS 39:44 HEAD, WE CAN AGAIN SAY, 'SIN SHALL NOT HAVE DOMINION OVER ME. 39:49 THROUGH THE GRACE OF JESUS CHRIST, I HAVE OVERCOME THE 39:56 WORLD.' THE STORY IS TOLD OF A CIVILIAN THAT WAS LOOKING ON AS 40:05 NAPOLEON WAS PREPARING HIS ARMY FOR BATTLE. 40:10 THE BATTLE THAT THEY WERE ABOUT TO FACE WAS ONE IN WHICH IT 40:15 SEEMED IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO WIN. 40:19 YOU SEE, THE OTHER ARMY WAS MUCH STRONGER, THEIR WEAPONS FAR 40:24 GREATER, THE NUMBERS WERE AGAINST THEM. 40:29 AND YET, AS THIS CIVILIAN LOOKED ON, HE SAW A GROUP OF SOLDIERS 40:34 THAT WERE EXCITED - THAT WERE SINGING - THAT WERE JOKING AS 40:40 THEY PREPARED FOR THE WAR THAT WOULD OCCUR THE NEXT DAY. 40:46 THE CIVILIAN LOOKED ON IN SURPRISE AND HE SAID, 'THIS 40:49 DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. DON'T YOU KNOW THAT TOMORROW 40:52 YOU'RE GOING TO WAR? DON'T YOU KNOW THAT THE ENEMY 40:56 IS SO MUCH GREATER THAN YOU? HOW COULD YOU BE HAPPY WHEN 41:03 CERTAIN DEATH FACES YOU TOMORROW?' 41:07 AND YET, THE SOLDIERS TURNED TO HIM WITH A SMILE AND THEY SAID, 41:13 'WE ARE NOT AFRAID OF DEATH, FOR OUR COMMANDER HAS NEVER LOST A 41:20 BATTLE. IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW GREAT 41:24 THE OTHER ARMY IS, IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW POWERFUL 41:27 THEY MAY SEEM. WE ARE NOT AFRAID OF DEATH. 41:32 BRING ON ANY TRIAL, ANY TRIBULATION, BECAUSE, YOU SEE, 41:35 WE SERVE A COMMANDER THAT HAS NOT LOST A BATTLE.' I BELIEVE 41:41 TODAY, BY FAITH, WE CAN CLAIM THE SAME, CAN WE NOT? 41:46 WHEN THOSE BATTLES - WHEN THOSE TRIALS - WHEN SIN SEEKS TO HAVE 41:50 THAT DOMINION OVER US AGAIN TODAY, WE CAN SAY, BY FAITH, 41:55 'NO, SATAN. BECAUSE YOU SEE, I SERVE A GOD - 41:59 I SERVE A COMMANDER WHO HAS NOT LOST A BATTLE.' GOD WILL - 42:04 GOD CAN BE VICTORIOUS IN US. BY FAITH I HAVE 42:11 OVERCOME THE WORLD. YOU SEE, WE HAVE BECOME SO 42:18 DESENSITIZED TO THE DEVIL'S DOMINION, TO THE FALL FROM 42:24 PERFECTION THAT IS EXPERIENCED IN THIS EARTH. 42:29 WHEN ADAM FIRST SAW A LEAF FALL FROM THE TREE AND DIE, WHAT WAS 42:34 HIS RESPONSE? HE WAS HEARTBROKEN - TEARS - HE 42:40 CRIED AS WE CRY TODAY WHEN WE LOSE A LOVED ONE. 42:44 AND YET, TODAY, WHEN WE SEE LEAVES FALL FROM A TREE, WHAT DO 42:47 WE SAY? ISN'T AUTUMN BEAUTIFUL? THE FALL WEATHER IS GORGEOUS. 42:56 WE HAVE BECOME SO DESENSITIZED TO THE EFFECTS OF SIN AROUND US. 43:03 IMAGINE ON THAT DAY WHEN THE EARTH IS FULLY RESTORED. 43:09 IMAGINE ON THAT DAY WHEN ADAM WILL SEE THAT NEWLY CREATED 43:13 EARTH - WHEN SIN WILL BE NO MORE BUT THE LORD WILL HAVE COMPLETE 43:19 DOMINION OVER HIS HANDIWORK YET AGAIN. 43:23 I WANT TO READ TO YOU A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL PASSAGE 43:28 FROM ADVENTIST HOME . THIS IS FOUND IN PAGES 540 AND 43:32 541, ABOUT WHAT THAT REUNION WILL BE LIKE WHEN ADAM COMES 43:38 INTO THIS RESTORED EARTH YET AGAIN. 43:42 PICTURE THIS SCENE WITH ME IN YOUR MINDS AS I READ. 43:48 "AFTER HIS EXPULSION FROM EDEN, ADAM'S LIFE ON EARTH WAS FILLED 43:53 WITH SORROW. EVERY DYING LEAF - EVERY VICTIM 43:57 OF SACRIFICE - EVERY BLIGHT UPON THE FAIR FACE OF NATURE - EVERY 44:02 STAIN UPON MAN'S PURITY WERE FRESH REMINDERS OF HIS SIN. 44:09 IMAGINE, AGAIN, ADAM LIVED FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS FOLLOWING HIS 44:13 SIN AND HE HAD TO WATCH AS BABIES DIED, AS THE WORLD 44:19 DECAYED, AS PEOPLE ACCUSED HIM: 'WHY DID YOU SIN? 44:23 WHY DID YOU EAT THAT PIECE OF FRUIT?' 44:26 FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS HE EXPERIENCED THIS DEFEAT IN HIS 44:31 LIFE. "FAITHFULLY," - IT SAYS - "DID HE REPENT OF HIS SIN AND 44:37 TRUST IN THE MERITS OF THE PROMISED SAVIOR. 44:40 AND HE DIED IN THE HOPE OF RESURRECTION. 44:44 THE SON OF GOD REDEEMED MAN'S FAILURE AND FALL AND NOW, 44:49 THROUGH THE WORK OF ATONEMENT, ADAM IS REINSTATED IN HIS FIRST 44:53 DOMINION. PICTURE THIS WITH ME NOW, TRANSPORTED WITH JOY, HE 45:01 BEHOLDS THE VERY TREES THAT WERE ONCE HIS DELIGHT. THE VERY TREES 45:07 WHOSE FRUIT HE HIMSELF HAD GATHERED IN THE DAYS OF 45:10 INNOCENCE AND JOY. HE SEES THE VINES THAT HIS OWN HANDS HAVE 45:17 TRAINED - THE VERY FLOWERS THAT HE ONCE LOVED TO CARE FOR. HIS 45:23 MIND GRASPED THE REALITY OF THE SCENE. HE COMPREHENDS THAT THIS 45:28 IS INDEED EDEN RESTORED, MORE LOVELY NOW THAN WHEN HE WAS 45:34 BANISHED FROM IT. THE SAVIOR LEADS HIM TO THE TREE OF LIFE 45:39 AND HE PLUCKS THE GLORIOUS FRUIT AND HE BIDS HIM TO EAT IT. HE 45:47 LOOKS ABOUT HIM AND BEHOLDS THE MULTITUDE OF HIS FAMILY 45:52 REDEEMED, STANDING IN THE PARADISE OF GOD. THEN HE CASTS 45:59 HIS GLITTERING CROWN AT THE FEET OF JESUS AND, FALLING UPON HIS 46:03 BREAST, EMBRACES THE REDEEMER. HE TOUCHES THE GOLDEN HARP AND 46:08 THE VAULTS OF HEAVEN ECHO THE TRIUMPHANT SONG, 'WORTHY, 46:12 WORTHY, WORTHY, IS THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN AND THAT LIVES AGAIN.' 46:19 THE FAMILY OF ADAM TAKE UP THE STRAIN AND CASTING THEIR CROWNS 46:23 AT THE SAVIOR'S FEET, THEY BOW BEFORE HIM." CAN YOU IMAGINE 46:29 THAT BEAUTIFUL SCENE? IMAGINE WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE, BY THE 46:34 GRACE OF GOD, ONE DAY SOON TO LOOK ON AS THE FIRST ADAM MEETS 46:40 THE SECOND ADAM. THE ONE WHO DIED SO THAT EDEN COULD BE 46:46 RESTORED, SO THAT THE DOMINATION WOULD NO LONGER BE UNDER THE 46:50 RULE OF SATAN BUT THAT JESUS COULD, ONCE AGAIN, RULE OVER 46:54 THIS WORLD IN SERVANT LEADERSHIP. IMAGINE, AGAIN, THE 46:59 PRIDE THAT ADAM MUST HAVE HAD AS HE TRAINED THE VINES, AS HE 47:05 NURTURED THE FRUIT, AS HE VIEWED THE BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS AND NOW 47:10 JESUS COMES TO HIM AND HE SAYS, 'YOU KNOW THIS TREE OF LIFE, 47:13 THAT YOU COULD NO LONGER PARTAKE OF, THAT I HAD TO BLOCK YOU FROM 47:18 LEST YOU LIVE ETERNALLY IN YOUR SIN?' AND JESUS TAKES A PIECE OF 47:23 FRUIT FROM THAT TREE AND HE SAYS, 'EAT, ADAM, 47:29 BECAUSE YOU SEE, ALL THINGS HAVE BECOME NEW.' I WANT TO BE THERE 47:37 ON THAT DAY, DON'T YOU? TO SEE THE BEAUTY OF THAT DAY - 47:42 SIN NO LONGER HAVING DOMINION BUT JESUS REIGNING IN OUR LIVES. 47:47 THE STORY IS TOLD OF A MISSIONARY. 47:52 HE WAS RAISED IN A VERY AFFLUENT FAMILY, A FAMILY THAT WAS 47:57 LOVING, THAT WAS NURTURING - A FAMILY THAT ALWAYS DESIRED HIS 48:03 GOOD - THAT WAS AFFIRMING. BUT YOU SEE, THIS MAN HAD A 48:07 BURDEN - A BURDEN FOR A GROUP OF UNREACHED PEOPLE. 48:13 AND HE WENT BEFORE HIS FATHER AND HE TOLD HIM OF HIS BURDEN. 48:16 YOU SEE, THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE KNEW NOTHING OF GOD. 48:19 AND HE LONGED TO GO AND TELL THEM THE STORY OF REDEMPTION. 48:24 AS HE GOES BEFORE HIS FATHER AND HE PLEADS, THE FATHER, AT FIRST, 48:30 IS HESITANT TO GIVE HIM PERMISSION BECAUSE, YOU SEE, 48:33 THESE PEOPLE WERE QUITE A WAYS AWAY. 48:37 THE SON WOULD LIKELY HAVE TO ENDURE GREAT TRIBULATIONS AND 48:41 TRIALS AND DEATH. COULD HE LET HIS SON GO? 48:49 AND YET, FINALLY, THE FATHER GIVES HIS BLESSING AND THE SON 48:54 BEGINS HIS JOURNEY. THE STORY IS TOLD THAT WHEN 49:00 THIS SON ARRIVED, YOU MAY HAVE EXPECTED HE WOULD 49:02 RECEIVE A HERO'S WELCOME. AND, AT FIRST, THERE WAS SOME 49:06 GREETING, BUT IT WAS NOT LONG BEFORE POLITICAL 49:10 RIOTS BEGAN TO OCCUR. IT WAS NOT LONG BEFORE THIS 49:15 MISSIONARY HAD TO FLEE FOR HIS LIFE. 49:20 THERE HE WAS, NOW A REFUGEE IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY, BUT STILL 49:26 LONGING TO RETURN TO THIS UNREACHED GROUP OF PEOPLE. 49:30 THEY WERE THE BURDEN OF HIS HEART. 49:34 ONCE THE UPRISING CALMED DOWN, HE SOON WAS ABLE TO RETURN. 49:40 THE FOCUS OF HIS LIFE - ALL OF HIS ENERGY - WAS DEVOTED IN 'HOW 49:45 CAN I HELP THESE PEOPLE? HOW CAN I SHOW THEM 49:48 WHO GOD TRULY IS? HOW CAN I NURTURE THEM? 49:52 HOW CAN I HELP THEM WHEN THEY'RE SICK? 49:54 HOW CAN I ENCOURAGE THEM WHEN THEY'RE DEPRESSED?' 49:57 AS YOU COULD IMAGINE, ALL OF THIS CARETAKING COULD QUICKLY 50:01 BECOME DRAINING. SO THIS MISSIONARY MADE IT A 50:04 POINT TO GO OFF INTO NATURE EVERY DAY. 50:09 AND AS HE WAS THERE IN NATURE, HE WOULD READ THE LETTERS THAT 50:12 HE HAD RECEIVED FROM HOME - THE LETTERS THAT SAID, 'SON, I'M 50:18 PROUD OF YOU.' 'SON, YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB.' 50:23 'SON, I CARE ABOUT YOU. I'M WITH YOU.' 50:28 AND HE WOULD READ THESE LETTERS OVER AND OVER AND 50:31 OVER AGAIN UNTIL, QUITE LITERALLY, THEY WERE MEMORIZED. 50:37 THE LETTERS FROM HOME THAT HE TREASURED WITH ALL HIS HEART. 50:41 BUT IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE, YET AGAIN, THERE WAS A POLITICAL 50:44 UPRISING. THIS MISSIONARY COULD HAVE FLED. 50:49 HE COULD HAVE GONE HOME, BUT THIS TIME HE CHOSE NOT TO FLEE. 50:55 THIS TIME HE SAID, 'I WILL REMAIN EVEN AT THE COST OF 51:00 DEATH.' SOON HE WAS INDEED CAPTURED. 51:05 SOON HE WAS INDEED BROUGHT TO TRIAL. 51:10 BUT BEFORE THE VERDICT WAS READ, IT WAS CLEAR. 51:16 HE KNEW HE WOULD BE SENTENCED TO DEATH. 51:22 IMAGINE THIS MISSIONARY, AS HE IS BEING LED TO HIS DEATH, HOW 51:29 HE LONGED TO RECEIVE YET ANOTHER LETTER FROM HOME. 51:33 HOW HE LONGED TO, YET AGAIN, READ THOSE WORDS, 'SON, I CARE 51:36 ABOUT YOU.' 'SON, I'M PROUD OF YOU.' 'SON, YOU'RE DOING A GOOD 51:42 WORK.' HE LONGED TO HEAR THOSE WORDS AGAIN, BUT YOU SEE, HEAVEN 51:48 WAS SILENT AS JESUS HUNG UPON THAT CROSS. 51:56 NO WORDS FROM HEAVEN, NO LETTERS OF AFFIRMATION - HEAVEN WAS 52:01 SILENT AS JESUS HUNG UPON THAT CROSS. 52:05 YOU SEE, JESUS DID NOT HAVE TO COME. 52:09 JESUS COULD HAVE SAID, 'IT WAS YOUR CHOICE, YOUR FAULT. 52:13 NOW YOU REAP THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR OWN DECISIONS.' BUT, 52:17 RATHER, JESUS LOOKED AT THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE AND, EVEN THOUGH 52:20 HE WAS STILL IN PERFECTION, EVEN THOUGH HE'S IN HIS FATHER'S 52:23 PRESENCE, HE SAYS, 'MY HEART IS NOT SATISFIED AS LONG AS MY 52:28 PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING.' AND JESUS WENT AS THAT MISSIONARY, WILLING 52:35 TO GIVE ALL SO THAT WE CAN EXPERIENCE THE FREEDOM OF A LIFE 52:41 LIVED IN JESUS CHRIST. I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT DAY WHEN 52:45 JESUS WILL COME AND WHEN JESUS WILL TRULY MAKE ALL THINGS NEW - 52:52 WHEN WE WILL SEE THAT DOMINION IS FULLY RESTORED AND THAT THIS 52:57 EARTH WILL BECOME THE DWELLING PLACE OF GOD. 53:01 DO YOU LOOK FORWARD TO THAT DAY? AMEN. 53:05 WHAT A SACRIFICE JESUS GAVE. MAY WE BE WILLING TO SACRIFICE 53:09 AND TO LOVE OTHERS AS HE CONTINUES TO LOVE US. 53:16 TODAY WE AGAIN HAVE A FREE OFFER THAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO 53:20 READ - TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF. IT'S BY PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR 53:24 AND THE QUESTION IS, WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? 53:28 WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE? THIS IS FREE OFFER #603. 53:33 I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO CALL AND YOU CAN CALL 866-STUDY-MORE 53:38 - 866-STUDY-MORE - SO WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE ADVANTAGE 53:41 OF THIS OFFER AND THEN ALSO GO TO AMAZINGFACTS.ORG - THERE ARE 53:45 MANY OTHER GREAT FREE RESOURCES AND BIBLE STUDIES THAT WE WOULD 53:48 ENCOURAGE YOU TO CHECK OUT - AMAZINGFACTS.ORG . 53:52 THIS WEEK MAY GOD BLESS US AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW IN GRACE AND IN 53:57 KNOWLEDGE OF HIM. (MUSIC) 54:17 >>HAVE YOU EVER HEARD THE EXPRESSION BEFORE, 'THEY EAT 54:19 LIKE A BIRD' TALKING ABOUT SOMEBODY WHO HAS A MINUSCULE 54:22 APPETITE? WELL YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK 54:24 TWICE NEXT TIME YOU USE THAT EXPRESSION. 54:27 FOR EXAMPLE, TAKE THE HUMMINGBIRD: IN ORDER FOR IT TO 54:30 MAINTAIN ITS INCREDIBLE METABOLISM, IT HAS TO EAT ABOUT 54:33 50-PERCENT OF ITS BODY WEIGHT EVERY DAY. 54:37 TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, IF A HUNDRED-POUND WOMAN WAS TO EAT 54:40 LIKE A HUMMINGBIRD, SHE WOULD HAVE TO EAT 50 POUNDS OF SUGAR A 54:44 DAY JUST TO MAINTAIN HER BODY WEIGHT. IMAGINE THAT. 54:47 MAYBE YOU DON'T WANT TO IMAGINE THAT, BUT PERHAPS YOU'LL WANT TO 54:51 CONSIDER THIS ANOTHER WAY: THE HUMMINGBIRD TYPICALLY CONSUMES 54:54 BETWEEN FOUR TO SEVEN CALORIES A DAY, ON THE OTHER HAND, A HUMAN: 54:58 ABOUT 3,500 CALORIES A DAY. BUT IF YOU WERE TO EAT LIKE A 55:01 BIRD - A HUMMINGBIRD - YOU'D HAVE TO EAT OVER 55:04 150,000 CALORIES A DAY. THAT'S LIKE A MAN - 170 POUNDS 55:11 THAT WOULD BE EATING 3,000 OREO COOKIES. 55:15 UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, A HUMMINGBIRD NEEDS TO EAT EVERY 55:18 FIVE OR TEN MINUTES, BUT THERE'S ACTUALLY ONE TIME DURING THE 55:20 YEAR THE HUMMINGBIRD WILL EAT ITS ENTIRE BODY WEIGHT EVERY 55:24 DAY. YOU SEE, ONCE A YEAR THEY MAKE 55:27 THIS MIGRATION 500 MILES ACROSS THE GULF OF MEXICO FROM TEXAS 55:32 TO THE YUCATAN PENINSULA. IN ORDER TO DO THAT, THE 55:36 HUMMINGBIRD FEASTS ON NECTAR AND GORGES THEMSELVES ON THIS NECTAR 55:41 FOR ABOUT A WEEK, DOUBLING THEIR BODY WEIGHT. 55:44 THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THEY CAN STORE ENOUGH CALORIES TO HELP 55:46 THEM WITH THEIR 70-WING BEATS PER SECOND OR ROUGHLY 4 MILLION 55:51 WING BEATS ON THAT JOURNEY. YOU KNOW, IN THE SAME WAY, 55:54 FRIENDS, AS WE NEAR THE END OF TIME, WE NEED TO BE FEASTING AND 55:58 GORGING OURSELVES ON THE NECTAR OF GOD'S WORD. 56:00 WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT STRENGTH TO GET US THROUGH 56:03 THE TIMES OF TROUBLE THAT ARE AHEAD. 56:04 SO WHEN IT COMES TO THE BIBLE AND YOUR PERSONAL DEVOTIONS, IF 56:07 YOU'RE GOING TO EAT LIKE A BIRD, EAT LIKE A HUMMINGBIRD. 56:11 (MUSIC) >>AMAZING FACTS, THROUGH 56:34 YOUR FAITHFUL SUPPORT, HAS HAD A MAJOR IMPACT ON SOME OF THE 56:38 LARGEST NON-CHRISTIAN LOCATIONS IN THE WORLD. 56:42 AFCOE GLOBAL OPENED UP CENTER OF EVANGELISM SCHOOLS IN INDIA, THE 56:45 UKRAINE, THE UNITED KINGDOM, AND EVEN IN THE PHILIPPINES. 56:50 >>IT'S PEOPLE ON THE GROUND, IN THE CHURCH, ON THE DOOR, IN THE 56:54 HOME, DOING BIBLE STUDIES, WITNESSING TO PEOPLE, WINNING 56:58 THEM TO JESUS, LEADING THEM TO BAPTISM - IN ENGLAND, IN INDIA, 57:02 IN AFRICA - OR ANYWHERE AROUND THE WORLD - BUT YOU'RE SEEING 57:04 CHANGE, ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, TAKE PLACE. 57:10 >>YOU KNOW, EVERY WEEK WE HEAR THE MOST INCREDIBLE STORIES FROM 57:13 ALL OVER THE GLOBE, OF LIVES THAT ARE BEING CHANGED AND 57:16 HEARTS THAT ARE BEING TRANSFORMED BY THE POWER OF THE 57:18 WORD. AND NONE OF IT COULD HAPPEN 57:20 WITHOUT THE BLESSING OF GOD AND OUR PARTNERSHIP - YOUR 57:24 TEAMWORK WITH THIS MINISTRY. GOD BLESS YOU. 57:33 (MUSIC) >>DID YOU KNOW THAT NOAH 57:34 WAS PRESENT AT THE BIRTH OF ABRAHAM? 57:37 OKAY, MAYBE HE WASN'T IN THE ROOM, BUT HE WAS ALIVE AND 57:41 PROBABLY TELLING STORIES ABOUT HIS FLOATING ZOO. 57:44 FROM THE CREATION OF THE WORLD TO THE LAST-DAY EVENTS OF 57:47 REVELATION, 'BIBLEHISTORY.COM' IS A FREE RESOURCE WHERE YOU CAN 57:51 EXPLORE MAJOR BIBLE EVENTS AND CHARACTERS. 57:54 ENHANCE YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE BIBLE AND DRAW CLOSER TO GOD'S 57:57 WORD. GO DEEPER. 58:00 VISIT THE AMAZING BIBLE TIME LINE AT 'BIBLEHISTORY.COM'. 58:06 >>FOR LIFE-CHANGING CHRISTIAN RESOURCES VISIT AFBOOKSTORE.COM 58:12 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2016-07-07