Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: SSH
Program Code: SSH021629A
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00:00 (MUSIC)
00:32 >>GOOD MORNING, FRIENDS. WELCOME AGAIN TO SABBATH SCHOOL 00:34 STUDY HOUR COMING TO YOU HERE FROM THE GRANITE BAY SEVENTH-DAY 00:37 ADVENTIST CHURCH IN THE AREA OF SACRAMENTO. 00:40 A VERY WARM WELCOME TO OUR FRIENDS JOINING US ONLINE - OUR 00:43 EXTENDED SABBATH SCHOOL CLASS - AND ALSO THOSE WATCHING ON THE 00:46 VARIOUS TELEVISION NETWORKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND AROUND 00:49 THE WORLD. THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF OUR 00:51 STUDY THIS MORNING - AND ALSO TO THE MEMBERS HERE AT GRANITE 00:54 BAY CHURCH AND THOSE WHO ARE VISITING, VERY GOOD TO SEE YOU 00:56 AGAIN ON THIS BEAUTIFUL SABBATH MORNING. 00:59 WE'VE BEEN STUDYING THROUGH OUR LESSON QUARTERLY DEALING WITH 01:01 THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH IN THE COMMUNITY. 01:04 TODAY WE FIND OURSELVES ON LESSON #3 ENTITLED JUSTICE AND 01:08 MERCY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT - PART 1. 01:11 NOW, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE JOINING US WHO DON'T HAVE A COPY 01:14 OF THE LESSON, YOU CAN GO TO THE AMAZING FACTS WEBSITE, JUST 01:17 AMAZINGFACTS.ORG . CLICK ON THE LINK THAT SAYS 01:21 SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY HOUR AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DOWNLOAD OUR 01:25 LESSON AND FOLLOW ALONG WITH US AS WE STUDY. WE ALSO HAVE A FREE 01:29 OFFER THAT GOES ALONG WITH THE PROGRAM - A BOOK ENTITLED THE 01:32 JESUS DIFFERENCE - AND WE'LL MAKE THIS AVAILABLE TO ANYBODY 01:35 (IN NORTH AMERICA) WHO CALLS AND ASKS. IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE 01:38 BOOK, GIVE US A CALL ON OUR RESOURCE PHONE NUMBER. 01:40 THE NUMBER IS 866-788-3966 AND YOU CAN ASK FOR OFFER #814. 01:47 THAT NUMBER AGAIN IS 866-788-3966 - ASK FOR OFFER 01:53 #814 AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND YOU THIS BOOK AS A PART OF YOUR 01:57 STUDY DURING OUR LESSON QUARTERLY. 02:01 AT THIS TIME WE'D LIKE TO INVITE OUR SONG LEADERS TO COME FORWARD 02:04 AND THEY'LL JOIN ME AND WE'LL BEGIN OUR TIME TOGETHER BY 02:06 LIFTING OUR VOICES IN PRAISE. >>THANK YOU, PASTOR ROSS, WE ARE 02:13 READY TO SING AND WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE TOO. 02:16 THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE JOINING US, LIKE YOU DO EVERY WEEK, FROM 02:19 ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD AS OUR EXTENDED 02:22 SABBATH SCHOOL FAMILY. WE ARE GOING TO START WITH 02:27 SHALL WE GATHER AT THE RIVER. IF YOU HAVE A HYMNAL AT HOME, 02:30 PULL IT OUT AND JOIN WITH US - #432. 02:33 WE WILL DO THE FIRST, THE SECOND, AND THE FOURTH STANZAS. 02:37 JOIN WITH US. (PIANO MUSIC) 02:43 >>SHALL WE GATHER AT THE RIVER WHERE BRIGHT ANGEL 02:50 FEET HAVE TROD, WITH ITS CRYSTAL TIDE FOREVER FLOWING BY THE 03:00 THRONE OF GOD? YES, WE'LL GATHER AT THE RIVER, 03:09 THE BEAUTIFUL, THE BEAUTIFUL RIVER; GATHER WITH THE SAINTS 03:16 AT THE RIVER THAT FLOWS BY THE THRONE OF GOD. 03:25 ON THE MARGIN OF THE RIVER, WASHING UP ITS SILVER SPRAY, WE 03:36 WILL WALK AND WORSHIP EVER, ALL THE HAPPY GOLDEN DAY. 03:46 YES, WE'LL GATHER AT THE RIVER, THE BEAUTIFUL, THE BEAUTIFUL 03:53 RIVER; GATHER WITH THE SAINTS AT THE RIVER THAT FLOWS BY THE 04:03 THRONE OF GOD. SOON WE'LL REACH THE SHINING 04:10 RIVER, SOON OUR PILGRIMAGE WILL CEASE, SOON OUR HAPPY HEARTS 04:20 WILL QUIVER WITH THE MELODY OF PEACE. 04:29 YES, WE'LL GATHER AT THE RIVER, THE BEAUTIFUL, THE BEAUTIFUL 04:37 RIVER; GATHER WITH THE SAINTS AT THE RIVER THAT FLOWS BY THE 04:46 THRONE OF GOD. >>THANK YOU FOR JOINING WITH US 04:53 AND AT THIS TIME PASTOR ROSS WILL CONTINUE WITH 04:56 OUR SABBATH SCHOOL. >>BEFORE WE GET TO OUR STUDY, 05:05 LET'S BOW OUR HEADS FOR A WORD OF PRAYER. 05:07 DEAR FATHER IN HEAVEN, WHAT A PRIVILEGE IT IS FOR US TO BE 05:10 ABLE TO OPEN UP THE BIBLE AND TO STUDY TOGETHER. 05:12 AND ONCE AGAIN WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD GUIDE OUR HEARTS AND OUR 05:15 MINDS AS WE LOOK AT THIS LESSON DEALING WITH THE GREAT 05:19 CONTROVERSY AND THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF HOW WE CAN BE INVOLVED 05:23 IN STANDING UP FOR THE TRUTH AND STANDING UP FOR YOU. 05:26 SO WE ASK YOUR BLESSING UPON OUR TIME TOGETHER. 05:28 IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. OUR TEACHER THIS MORNING 05:31 IS PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR. >>WELCOME. HOW IS EVERYBODY? 05:36 >>GOOD. >>IT'S GOOD TO BE HOME. 05:38 IN THE LAST TEN DAYS I'VE BEEN TO MICHIGAN, NEW YORK, AND 05:41 TENNESSEE YESTERDAY, CHICAGO YESTERDAY - FOR JUST FLYING - 05:46 AND IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO SLEEP IN YOUR OWN BED. 05:50 YEAH, AMEN. AND SO WE'RE GLAD YOU CAN 05:53 JOIN US TODAY FOR OUR STUDY. WE'RE CONTINUING - FOR SABBATH 05:56 SCHOOL STUDY - WE'RE CONTINUING OUR STUDY DEALING WITH 05:59 THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH IN THE COMMUNITY. 06:01 A LOT OF VERY GOOD AND PRACTICAL INFORMATION. 06:03 AND TODAY'S LESSON, IN PARTICULAR, IS LESSON #3 TALKING 06:08 ABOUT JUSTICE AND MERCY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT - AND THIS IS PART 06:12 1 - AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE 06:16 SUBJECT AND THE THEME OF THE CHURCH IN THE COMMUNITY 06:18 HAVING A VOICE OF JUSTICE AND MERCY. 06:22 AND SO, IF - WE HAVE A MEMORY VERSE IF YOU WANT TO JOIN ME. 06:26 THIS IS A LONG ONE AND SO YOU MAY WANT TO READ IT RIGHT OUT OF 06:29 YOUR PAGE 1 IN YOUR QUARTERLY, AND IT'S PSALM 146, VERSES 7 TO 06:34 9, AND FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE WATCHING - YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A 06:38 LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE CHANNEL SURFING AND START WATCHING THE 06:43 PROGRAM. I MET SOME THIS LAST WEEK AND 06:46 OTHERS, THIS IS PART OF THEIR REGULAR STUDY. 06:48 YOU CAN GET THESE QUARTERLIES - YOU CAN LOOK ONLINE UNDER 06:52 SABBATH SCHOOL BIBLE STUDY GUIDE. 06:53 YOU CAN FIND THEM, I THINK, IF YOU GO TO THE GRANITE BAY SDA 07:00 WEBSITE. THERE MIGHT BE A LINK THERE THAT 07:02 WILL TAKE YOU TO WHERE YOU CAN DOWNLOAD AND STUDY THE GUIDE. 07:05 GO TO YOUR LOCAL SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH AND I'LL BET 07:07 THEY'LL SHARE ONE WITH YOU AND YOU CAN JOIN THEM AND STUDY 07:10 ALONG WITH THEM. AND SO IT'S, ONCE AGAIN, PSALM 07:13 146, VERSE 7, AND THIS IS IN THE NIV. WOULD YOU SAY IT OUT LOUD 07:16 WITH ME? "HE UPHOLDS THE CAUSE OF THE 07:20 OPPRESSED AND GIVES FOOD TO THE HUNGRY. THE LORD SETS PRISONERS 07:25 FREE, THE LORD GIVES SIGHT TO THE BLIND, THE LORD LIFTS UP 07:30 THOSE WHO ARE BOWED DOWN, THE LORD LOVES THE RIGHTEOUS. 07:35 THE LORD WATCHES OVER THE FOREIGNER AND SUSTAINS THE 07:38 FATHERLESS AND THE WIDOW," - WELL, THERE'S A LOT COMPASSED IN 07:42 THERE REGARDING WHAT THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH IS. 07:47 AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN BY LOOKING AT A FEW VERSES. 07:51 CHRISTIANITY IS, SORT OF, SUMMARIZED IN MICAH 6:8, WHICH 07:57 SAYS, "HE HAS SHOWN YOU, O MAN, WHAT IS GOOD; AND WHAT DOES THE 08:01 LORD REQUIRE OF YOU BUT TO DO JUSTLY, TO LOVE MERCY, AND TO 08:06 WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD?" LOVING MERCY - THAT DOESN'T MEAN 08:09 JUST LOVING MERCY FOR YOURSELF, IT MEANS BEING 08:13 MERCIFUL TO OTHERS. 'BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL FOR" 08:17 - WHAT'S THE REST OF THAT? SO WHEN IT SAYS 'BLESSED ARE THE 08:20 MERCIFUL' IT MEANS THOSE WHO ARE SHARING MERCY WITH OTHER PEOPLE. 08:25 NOW, EVEN IN THE LAWS OF MOSES - YOU KNOW, MANY GOVERNMENTAL LAWS 08:29 AND A LOT OF BASIC SOCIAL LAWS ARE BASED ON THE LAW OF MOSES - 08:32 NOT JUST THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, WHICH WERE WRITTEN BY GOD, BUT A 08:36 LOT OF THE CIVIL LAWS THAT WERE WRITTEN BY MOSES. 08:40 AND IF YOU START, FOR INSTANCE IN EXODUS 22:21, YOU'LL SEE THAT 08:43 WE'RE GOING TO JUST LOOK - THERE'S, KIND OF, A BOUQUET OF 08:47 DIFFERENT LAWS THAT ARE HERE. "YOU SHALL NEITHER MISTREAT A 08:51 STRANGER NOR OPPRESS HIM, FOR YOU WERE STRANGERS IN THE LAND 08:55 OF EGYPT." - NOW WHEN IT SAYS 'STRANGER' WHAT DOES IT MEAN? 08:58 YOU EVER TOLD YOUR KIDS 'WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T TALK TO 09:01 >>STRANGERS. >>STRANGERS'? WELL, DOES IT MEAN 09:06 YOU'RE NEVER TO TALK TO STRANGERS, OR ARE YOU JUST 09:08 TELLING YOUR CHILDREN TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT PEOPLE YOU DON'T 09:10 KNOW? MAKE SURE MOM AND DAD SAY 'OKAY', BUT WHEN IT SAYS 09:15 'STRANGER', WHAT DOES IT MEAN IN THE CONTEXT OF THE BIBLE? 09:20 THEY WERE A NATION OF BELIEVERS - OF JEWS. 09:24 PEOPLE THAT WERE NON-JEWS - I MEAN A LOT OF NATIONS DID 09:27 COMMERCE BY GOING THROUGH ISRAEL. 09:28 YOU SEE, GOD PUT ISRAEL AT THE INTERSECTION - THE CROSSROADS, 09:32 REALLY - OF THREE CONTINENTS: AFRICA, ASIA, AND EUROPE ALL 09:38 COULD INTERSECT THROUGH THE JORDAN VALLEY THERE - 09:40 A LOT OF CARAVANS - A LOT OF TRAFFIC. 09:42 THEY'D MEET A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE OUT OF TOWN AND, BASICALLY, 09:45 HE'S SAYING SHOW MERCY TO PEOPLE WHO ARE FOREIGNERS - 09:49 WHETHER THEY ARE FOREIGNERS WHO HAVE COME TO STAY WITH YOU OR 09:52 FOREIGNERS WHO ARE TRAVELING THROUGH, YOU'RE TO BE WITNESSES 09:54 TO THEM BY SHOWING MERCY, BY BEING KIND, BY BEING HOSPITABLE. 09:58 AND SO THIS IS WHAT IT'S TALKING ABOUT WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT THE 10:01 STRANGER. THERE'S BEEN A LOT IN THE NEWS 10:03 LATELY ON THE SUBJECT OF IMMIGRATION, TALKING ABOUT 10:08 PEOPLE THAT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT OR PEOPLE COMING FROM A 10:10 DIFFERENT CULTURE OR DIFFERENT BACKGROUND. AND CHRISTIANS OUGHT 10:13 TO BE GOOD TO EVERY CHILD OF ADAM, AMEN? AND SHOW KINDNESS TO 10:19 THEM. SO HE SAID, 'REMEMBER, DO NOT AFFLICT THEM. 10:23 YOU ARE STRANGERS. YOU ARE IN A FOREIGN LAND.' 10:27 AND GOD'S PEOPLE HAVE BEEN A NATION OF PILGRIMS. 10:31 MOSES, WHEN HE HAD HIS SONS, HE TALKED ABOUT 'I'M A STRANGER IN 10:34 A STRANGE LAND.' JOSEPH, WHEN HE HAD HIS SONS IN EGYPT, HE 10:38 HIGHLIGHTED THAT, 'I'M AWAY FROM HOME.' AND, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD 10:43 NAME THEIR SONS, TALKING ABOUT BEING WANDERERS. 10:46 EVEN ABRAHAM SAID HE LOOKED FOR A CITY THAT HAD FOUNDATIONS - 10:49 THAT HE HAD NO PERMANENT DWELLING HERE. 10:52 THEY SAW THEMSELVES AS STRANGERS. 10:54 AND SO GOD'S PEOPLE OUGHT TO SHOW LOVE AND KINDNESS TO OTHER 10:56 STRANGERS OR TRAVELERS OR IMMIGRANTS. 11:00 YOU SHALL NOT AFFLICT ANY WIDOW OR FATHERLESS CHILD. 11:04 NOW WE'RE GOING TO SAY QUITE A BIT IN THIS STUDY ABOUT THE 11:08 WIDOW AND THE FATHERLESS - AND I'LL DELVE A LITTLE DEEPER INTO 11:10 THAT AS WE GET TO IT. "YOU SHALL NOT AFFLICT ANY 11:14 WIDOW OR FATHERLESS CHILD." - AN ORPHAN - "IF YOU AFFLICT 11:18 THEM IN ANY WAY, AND THEY CRY AT ALL TO ME, I WILL SURELY HEAR 11:22 THEIR CRY; AND MY WRATH WILL BECOME HOT, AND I WILL KILL YOU 11:26 WITH THE SWORD; YOUR WIVES SHALL BE WIDOWS, AND YOUR 11:29 CHILDREN FATHERLESS." NOW WHAT IS GOD SAYING THERE? 11:35 IT'S TOUGH WHEN YOU'RE - YOU'RE MARRIED AND - ESPECIALLY BACK IN 11:39 BIBLE TIMES, AS A WOMAN, IF YOU LOST YOUR HUSBAND, THERE WAS A 11:44 LONELINESS THERE AND THAT PERSON SHOULD RECEIVE APPROPRIATE 11:49 MERCY. IF YOU'RE A CHILD AND YOU'VE LOST YOUR FATHER. 11:53 I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU OUT THERE LOST YOUR FATHER'S EARLY 11:56 OR WHILE YOU WERE YOUNG - IT CAN BE DEVASTATING. 11:59 AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THE OTHER KIDS TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY DID 12:02 THAT WEEK WITH THEIR FATHERS AND - AND TO BE FATHERLESS - THE 12:05 BIBLE HAS A LOT TO SAY ABOUT THAT. 12:07 AND YOU SHOULD HAVE COMPASSION AND SHOW MERCY ON PEOPLE IN 12:10 THOSE SITUATIONS. GOD SAID, 'OTHERWISE, MAYBE YOUR 12:14 WIVES WILL BE WIDOWS AND YOUR CHILDREN WILL BE FATHERLESS.' 12:18 WHAT IS GOD SAYING BY THAT THREAT? 12:22 IT'S THE OLD AMERICAN-INDIAN PROVERB, 'DON'T CRITICIZE YOUR 12:26 NEIGHBOR UNTIL YOU'VE WALKED A MILE IN THEIR MOCCASINS.' AND 12:31 TRY TO EMPATHIZE WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND SAY, 'YOU KNOW, IT'S 12:35 PROBABLY TOUGH FOR THEM.' SHOW THEM MERCY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, 12:39 PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR SHOES. THAT'S WHAT SYMPATHY COMES FROM 12:42 - 'PATHOS' - EMPATHY - IT MEANS TO FEEL WHAT THEY FEEL. 12:46 EXODUS 23 - WE'RE KIND OF JUMPING AROUND NOW. 12:49 IN A MOMENT I'M GOING TO HAVE SOMEONE READ PROVERBS 14:31 - 12:53 WHO'S GOT THAT? SOMEONE? 12:56 DOES SOMEONE HAVE - OH, DOWN HERE, OKAY. 12:59 I'M GOING TO READ EXODUS 23:2, "YOU SHALL NOT FOLLOW A CROWD TO 13:03 DO EVIL; NOR SHALL YOU TESTIFY IN A DISPUTE SO AS TO TURN ASIDE 13:08 AFTER MANY TO PERVERT JUSTICE." IT'S TALKING ABOUT DO NOT DO 13:12 WHAT THE MOB DOES JUST BECAUSE THE MOB IS DOING IT. 13:16 YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE ADVERTISING METHODS THAT MADISON AVENUE USES 13:20 - IT'S CALLED THE BANDWAGON - AND THE BANDWAGON IS BASICALLY 13:24 SELL A PRODUCT BY SAYING, 'EVERYBODY'S USING IT. 13:28 EVERYBODY'S DOING IT. IT MUST BE REALLY GOOD.' AND YOU 13:31 DON'T REALLY LOOK AT IT FOR ITS OWN VALUE, IT'S JUST THE IDEA 13:33 THAT THIS IS THE POPULAR THING. I USED TO WONDER, YOU KNOW, WHEN 13:37 YOU SEE KIDS GOING AROUND WITH PURPLE MOHAWKS - I THOUGHT, 13:41 'WHAT KID EVER WOKE UP IN THE MORNING AND LOOKED IN THE MIRROR 13:44 AND SAID, 'I'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING WITH MY HAIR. 13:47 I THINK I'M JUST GOING TO DYE IT PURPLE AND MAKE A MOHAWK.' YOU 13:51 KNOW HOW THEY DO IT? IT BECOMES A TREND. 13:53 SOME OF THEIR STARS AND THEIR IDOLS BEGIN TO DO IT. 13:56 AND WHEN THE FADS - FASHIONS CHANGE - IT'S ALL THIS IDEA OF 14:01 GETTING ON THE BANDWAGON. 'OH, DON'T DRESS THAT 14:04 WAY ANYMORE, THAT'S OUT. THIS IS WHAT'S IN AND YOU'RE 14:07 SUPPOSED TO WEAR YOUR SHIRT INSIDE-OUT. 14:09 THAT'S WHAT EVERYONE'S DOING NOW. 14:10 OH, LOOK AT THAT. YOUR SHIRT'S NORMAL! 14:11 THAT'S AWFUL - EVERYBODY'S WEARING IT INSIDE-OUT.' 14:14 SO BANDWAGON MENTALITY, BUT SOMETIMES A CROWD WOULD BEGIN TO 14:19 PERSECUTE SOMEONE WHO WAS INNOCENT JUST BECAUSE IT WAS 14:21 POPULAR. OTHER PEOPLE GOT SWEPT UP IN IT. 14:23 SOME OF THE SAME CROWD THAT WAS SAYING, 'HOSANNA TO THE SON OF 14:29 DAVID', LATER WAS SAYING, 'CRUCIFY HIM! CRUCIFY HIM!' 14:33 AND THEY WERE JUST FOLLOWING THE CROWD. 14:36 'WHAT ARE WE YELLING ABOUT? OH, SOUNDS GOOD. 14:38 I'LL YELL TOO.' AND THEY ALL BEGAN TO SHOUT FOR JESUS' BLOOD. 14:43 DO NOT FOLLOW A CROWD TO DO EVIL. 14:45 "NOR SHALL YOU TESTIFY IN A DISPUTE SO AS TO TURN ASIDE 14:49 AFTER MANY" - DON'T FOLLOW THE CROWD - "AFTER MANY TO PERVERT 14:52 JUSTICE." GOD LOOKS FOR PEOPLE WHO WILL 14:55 STAND UP EVEN THOUGH EVERYONE ELSE IS BOWING DOWN. 14:58 CAN YOU THINK OF SOME FAMOUS PEOPLE IN THE BIBLE WHO STOOD UP 15:00 AGAINST THE CROWD? SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO? 15:04 WHO ELSE? ON MOUNT CARMEL - ELIJAH? 15:10 DO SOME OF YOU REMEMBER THE STORY IN THE BIBLE OF A PROPHET 15:13 NAMED MICAIAH? KING JEHOSHAPHAT AND KING AHAB 15:17 HAD A BIG PEP RALLY TO GO TO BATTLE, BUT IT WASN'T OF THE 15:20 LORD AND ALL THESE FALSE PROPHETS SAID, 'GO, GO' AND THEY 15:24 WERE ALL GETTING EXCITED AND SOMEONE EVEN TOLD MICAIAH, 15:26 'PLEASE DON'T SAY ANYTHING NEGATIVE. 15:28 EVERYBODY IS OF ONE SPIRIT. WE NEED UNITY. 15:32 JUST GO ALONG SO WE'LL HAVE UNITY IN THE BATTLE. 15:34 DON'T RUIN THEIR MORALE.' AND MICAIAH SAID, 'LOOK, I'M GOING 15:37 TO SAY WHAT GOD TELLS ME TO SAY.' AND SO - AND HE WENT TO 15:41 JAIL FOR IT. HE WAS RIGHT. AHAB DIED IN THE BATTLE. 15:44 IT WAS A DISASTER. JEHOSHAPHAT NEARLY DIED - BUT HE STOOD UP. 15:50 AND SO GOD WANTS PEOPLE WHO WILL STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT, 15:53 REGARDLESS OF WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING. 15:55 HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT GOING TO BE FOR US IN THE LAST DAYS? 15:59 WILL THE MAJORITY BE FOLLOWING GOD OR WILL THE MAJORITY BE 16:03 FOLLOWING THE BEAST? >>THE BEAST. 16:05 >>YEAH, IT'S GOING TO BE STRAIGHT IS THE GATE AND NARROW 16:09 THE WAY THAT LEADS TO LIFE. SO YOU HAVE TO LEARN EARLY ON 16:11 IN YOUR CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE TO STAND FOR YOUR PRINCIPLES. 16:14 I REALLY ADMIRE YOUNG CHRISTIAN MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE IN 16:16 COLLEGES WHERE EVERYBODY AROUND THEM IS COMPROMISING MORALS AND 16:21 THEY TAKE A STAND AND SAY, 'NO.' 'WELL, COME ON. 16:24 WHAT - ARE YOU CRAZY, YOU FANATIC?' 16:25 'I'M A CHRISTIAN. I DON'T DO THAT. 16:26 I'M NOT GOING THERE. I'M NOT READING THAT. 16:29 I CAN'T TAKE THAT TEST' - OR - 'I CAN'T TAKE IT THAT DAY.' AND 16:33 SO WHEN THEY STAND UP FOR WHAT'S RIGHT, I THINK THE LORD'LL BLESS 16:36 - HEAVEN'LL REJOICE - THE LORD'LL BLESS THEM. 16:39 THEN IT GOES ON TO SAY - I'M STILL IN EXODUS 23 - "IF YOU 16:45 MEET YOUR ENEMY'S OX OR HIS DONKEY GOING ASTRAY, YOU SHALL 16:49 SURELY BRING IT BACK TO HIM AGAIN. 16:52 IF YOU SEE THE DONKEY OF ONE WHO HATES YOU LYING UNDER ITS 16:56 BURDEN, AND YOU WOULD REFRAIN FROM HELPING IT, YOU SHALL 16:58 SURELY HELP HIM WITH IT." SO, THE BIBLE SAYS 'LOVE YOUR 17:04 ENEMY' 'OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD'. AND SO YOU'VE GOT THIS 17:07 NEIGHBOR THAT JUST HAS BEEN GIVING YOU FITS AND HE'S, YOU 17:10 KNOW, YOU'VE GOT A DISPUTE - HE'S YOUR ENEMY - FOR WHATEVER 17:14 REASON, YOU MAKE UP YOUR OWN SCENARIO IN YOUR MIND - AND THEN 17:18 YOU'RE ON YOUR WAY TO MARKET THAT DAY AND YOU SEE HE'S ON HIS 17:20 WAY TO MARKET AND YOU SEE HE'S LOADED HIS DONKEY DOWN A LITTLE 17:23 TOO MUCH AND THE DONKEY TRIPS AND - YOU KNOW, A DONKEY, WHEN 17:25 IT'S GOT A LOAD, IT CAN CARRY QUITE A BIT, BUT DONKEYS AREN'T 17:28 VERY GOOD AT GETTING UP IF THEY FALL UNDER THEIR LOAD. 17:31 YOU HAVE TO BASICALLY COMPLETELY UNPACK THEM, GET THEM UP AGAIN, 17:35 AND THEN RE-LOAD THEM AND IT'S VERY WORK-INTENSIVE. 17:37 BUT IF YOU GET A COUPLE OF MEN, YOU CAN HELP, KIND OF, PUSH AND 17:40 PROD AND GET THE DONKEY UP AGAIN AND ON THE ROAD. 17:44 HE SAID, 'SO IF YOU SEE YOUR NEIGHBOR IS TRYING TO TUG AND 17:46 PULL AND GET THE DONKEY UP AGAIN AND SOMEONE MIGHT BE NEEDED TO 17:52 HELP LIFT THE HINDQUARTERS OF THE BEAST, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO 17:56 SAY, 'GOOD FOR YOU. YOU'RE MY ENEMY. 17:59 SERVES YOU RIGHT.' AND WALK BY - EVEN THOUGH HE'S YOUR ENEMY OR 18:03 SHE'S YOUR ENEMY. YOU HELP THEM. WHO KNOWS, MAYBE YOU'LL KILL 18:07 YOUR ENEMY WITH KINDNESS. WHAT THAT MEANS IS YOU'LL 18:09 STOP BEING ENEMIES. AND SO, YOU - IT SAYS IF YOU 18:14 HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S IN - AND YOU FIND YOUR ENEMY'S DONKEY, 18:16 SAY, 'OH, ISN'T THAT SO AND SO'S DONKEY WANDERING? 18:19 WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO HELP. THAT'S HIS PROBLEM. 18:23 I WANT BAD THINGS TO HAPPEN TO HIM OR HER.' NO, YOU'RE SUPPOSED 18:26 TO DO THE JUST THING. DO YOU SEE THE PRINCIPLE? 18:30 DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU - EVEN IF IT'S 18:34 YOUR ENEMY - IS WHAT MOSES IS SAYING HERE. 18:37 "YOU SHALL NOT PERVERT THE JUDGMENT OF YOUR POOR IN HIS 18:41 DISPUTE. KEEP YOURSELF FAR FROM A FALSE 18:44 MATTER; DO NOT KILL THE INNOCENT AND RIGHTEOUS. 18:49 FOR I WILL NOT JUSTIFY THE WICKED. 18:51 AND YOU SHALL TAKE NO BRIBE, FOR A BRIBE BLINDS THE DISCERNING 18:55 AND PERVERTS THE WORDS OF THE RIGHTEOUS." 18:58 SO HE'S TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO COURT - THEY HAD 19:01 COURT BACK THEN AND OFTEN, YOU KNOW, THE JUDGES WERE THE 19:03 PRIESTS AND THEY WOULD LISTEN TO A DISPUTE. 19:05 YOU REMEMBER IT SAID SAMUEL WAS HONEST BUT HIS SONS TOOK BRIBES 19:10 AND THEY BEGAN TO PERVERT AND SOMEONE SAID, 'YOU KNOW, THE 19:13 RICH PEOPLE ARE GETTING BETTER JUSTICE THAN THE POOR PEOPLE 19:16 BECAUSE THEY COULD GIVE FAVORS TO THE JUDGES AND THEY COULD 19:19 SEND THEM ON VACATIONS AND THEY GOT TREATS.' 19:22 IT'S KIND OF LIKE THESE LOBBYISTS IN WASHINGTON. 19:25 WE JUST HAD SOMEBODY - I GUESS THIS LAST WEEK - ANOTHER 19:27 POLITICIAN - IT HAPPENS FREQUENTLY - WAS INDICTED FOR 19:30 TAKING BRIBES AND USING THEIR POWER - CLOSING THEIR EYES TO 19:34 WHAT THE TRUTH WAS, FOR PERSONAL GAIN. 19:37 GOD SAYS YOU NEED TO DO THE RIGHT THING BECAUSE IT'S THE 19:39 RIGHT THING AND DON'T BE - DON'T RESPECT A PERSON BECAUSE OF 19:43 THEIR WEALTH - BECAUSE OF THEIR POSITION. 19:45 DO NOT NEGLECT A PERSON WHO IS POOR - SAY, 'OH, IT DOESN'T 19:47 MATTER IF I TAKE CARE OF THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE POOR AND THEY 19:50 CAN'T HELP ME. THERE'S NO CONNECTIONS.' AND NOW 19:54 I WAS GOING TO HAVE SOMEONE READ PROVERBS 14:31. GO AHEAD, TERRY. 19:59 >>"HE WHO OPPRESSES THE POOR REPROACHES HIS MAKER, BUT HE WHO 20:03 HONORS HIM HAS MERCY ON THE NEEDY." 20:06 >>NOW, IF YOU HAVE MERCY ON THE POOR, IT SAYS THAT HONORS GOD - 20:12 IT PLEASES GOD. DID JESUS HAVE A LOT OF CONVERTS 20:18 THAT CAME FROM THE RICH, OR WERE THEY TYPICALLY AMONG THE POOR? 20:23 AND SO, IF WE WANT TO BE CHRIST-LIKE, WE NEED TO SHOW 20:25 MERCY TO THE POOR. NOW YOU NOTICE THERE'S TWO 20:28 EXTREMES HERE - SHOWING MERCY TO THE POOR - HELPING THEM, CARING 20:33 - AND THEN THERE'S THOSE WHO OPPRESS THE POOR. 20:35 WELL, MAYBE YOU MIGHT SAY, 'WELL, I'M - I'M KIND OF 20:37 NEUTRAL. I DON'T OPPRESS THE POOR, BUT 20:41 I ALSO DON'T SHOW THEM MERCY.' WELL, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES 20:45 SIMPLY BY NEGLECTING YOU ARE OPPRESSING. 20:49 DOESN'T THE BIBLE SAY, 'WHEN I WAS HUNGRY'? 20:52 MATTER OF FACT, I'M GOING TO GET TO THAT IN A LITTLE BIT SO 20:53 I DON'T WANT TO JUMP AHEAD TO IT. 20:54 LEVITICUS 19:10, "AND YOU SHALL GLEAN YOUR VINEYARD" - I'M 20:59 SORRY, "YOU SHALL NOT GLEAN YOUR VINEYARD, NOR SHALL YOU GATHER 21:02 EVERY GRAPE OF YOUR VINEYARD; YOU SHALL LEAVE THEM FOR THE 21:06 POOR AND THE STRANGER: I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD." 21:09 NOW WE'VE GOT SOME SQUIRRELS AND BIRDS IN OUR BACKYARD. 21:13 I'D LIKE TO TEACH THEM TO READ THE BIBLE. 21:15 (LAUGHTER) ESPECIALLY LEVITICUS, BECAUSE WHEN THEY GLEAN, THEY 21:22 DON'T LEAVE ANYTHING FOR US. THEY JUST COMPLETELY PICKED 21:26 ALL THE CHERRIES ON OUR TREE. I DIDN'T GET A SINGLE 21:28 CHERRY FROM THE TREE. HUH? >>FOR YEARS. 21:31 >>FOR - OH NO, WE'VE GOTTEN A COUPLE BUT THEY USUALLY DON'T - 21:33 THEY'RE PRETTY QUICK. THEY DON'T LEAVE MUCH FOR US. 21:37 AND - BUT I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO TEACH THEM TO READ THE BIBLE 21:39 YET. THE IDEA WAS - GLEANING MEANS 21:44 - AFTER YOU'VE HARVESTED THEY CALLED - THE GLEANINGS WERE LIKE 21:46 THE EDGES OF THE FIELD OR SOME THAT WAS LEFT BEHIND OR MISSED, 21:50 AND THE IDEA IS DON'T GO OVER IT TWICE. 21:53 NOW THERE'S SEVERAL VERSES HERE - IT TALKS ABOUT AFTER YOU BEAT 21:55 ALL THE OLIVES OFF YOUR TREE AND YOU GATHER THEM, THEY WOULD PUT 21:59 A BIG TARP OR CLOTH UNDERNEATH THE TREE, THEY'D BEAT AND SHAKE 22:02 ALL THE OLIVES DOWN - THEY'D GATHER THEM - HE SAID, 'DON'T GO 22:05 OVER THE BRANCHES A SECOND TIME. YES, THERE'LL BE SOME THAT 22:08 YOU'VE MISSED. LEAVE THEM FOR THE POOR.' DO YOU KNOW THE STORY 22:13 OF RUTH? HOW DID BOAZ FIRST MEET RUTH. HE TOLD THE YOUNG MEN - IT 22:20 WAS FUNNY - HE SAW THE POOR WOMEN IN THE TOWN AND THE WIDOWS 22:24 - AND RUTH WAS A WIDOW AND HER MOTHER WAS A WIDOW AND DO YOU 22:28 KNOW HOW THEY GOT THEIR FOOD DURING HARVEST? 22:30 AFTER THE MEN WENT THROUGH - THEY'RE DOING THE HEAVY WORK - 22:32 THEY'RE DOING THE BIG HARVEST, THE BIG SHOCKS OF GRAIN - THE 22:36 WOMEN WOULD COME AND GET WHAT THEY DROPPED. 22:38 THAT WAS THE GLEANINGS OR THINGS THAT HAD BEEN MISSED. 22:41 AND BOAZ WAS SUCH A MERCIFUL MAN, HE TOLD HIS HARVESTING MEN, 22:45 'LET A LOT OF IT FALL.' DO YOU REMEMBER THAT? 22:49 HE SAID, 'LEAVE SOME BEHIND. LEAVE A LITTLE EXTRA. 22:51 ACT LIKE YOU'RE DROPPING IT.' AND HE SAID FOR THE POOR - AND 22:55 RUTH CAME HOME AND NAOMI WAS SO HAPPY SHE SAID, 'MAN, I'VE JUST 22:58 GOT THIS WHOLE SHAWL - THIS TARP - FULL OF GRAIN.' 23:01 BECAUSE BOAZ DELIBERATELY WAS LEAVING EXTRA. 23:04 NOW DOES GOD LIKE THAT? >>YES. 23:06 >>WHEN WE SHOW MERCY TO THE POOR - AND SO THAT'S WHAT HE SAID 23:10 WHEN - AND DON'T - DON'T TAKE ALL THE GLEANINGS. 23:14 LEAVE SOMETHING FOR THE POOR. NOT JUST THE POOR, YOU KNOW, 23:16 EVEN THE CREATURES DO THAT. AND THEN IT SAYS IN DEUTERONOMY 27 - 23:21 THESE ARE JUST SCATTERED PRINCIPLES THAT THE BIBLE 23:24 SHARES. DEUTERONOMY 27:19, "CURSED IS 23:28 THE ONE WHO PERVERTS THE JUSTICE DUE THE STRANGER, THE 23:32 FATHERLESS, AND WIDOW." THERE YOU HAVE IT AGAIN. 23:34 "AND ALL THE PEOPLE WILL SAY, 'AMEN!'" 23:37 NOW, YOU REMEMBER ONE OF THE THINGS THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO 23:39 WHEN THEY CAME INTO THE PROMISED LAND? 23:41 THEY WERE INSTRUCTED BY JOSHUA THAT SIX OF THE TRIBES - I 23:44 FORGET WHICH ONES THEY WERE - WOULD BE ON MOUNT EBAL AND SIX 23:47 WOULD BE ON MOUNT GERIZIM AND ONE WAS CALLED THE MOUNTAIN OF 23:51 BLESSING AND ONE WAS CALLED THE MOUNTAIN OF CURSING. 23:54 AND FROM THE MOUNTAINS THEY WOULD SAY THESE BLESSINGS AND 23:57 THESE CURSINGS. AND AFTER THEY SAID IT, THE 23:59 OTHER TRIBE WOULD SAY 'AMEN!' AND, BASICALLY, THEY WERE IN THE 24:03 LAND SAYING, 'WE ARE GOING TO LIVE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE 24:07 IN THE LAND.' ONE OF THE THINGS THEY WOULD SAY IS 'CURSED IS THE 24:09 ONE WHO PERVERTS JUSTICE DUE TO THE STRANGER, THE FATHERLESS, 24:14 AND THE WIDOW AND ALL THE PEOPLE WILL SAY, 'AMEN!'' 24:17 SO GOD NOT ONLY SAYS HE WON'T BLESS YOU, IF WE DON'T SHOW 24:21 JUSTICE, HE SAYS THERE'S A CURSE. THAT'S PRETTY SERIOUS, 24:25 ISN'T IT? IN A MOMENT SOMEONE IS GOING TO READ FOR ME HEBREWS 4:4 24:29 AND 5 - OKAY, KATRINA? I'M GOING TO READ GENESIS 2. NOW WE'RE 24:32 TALKING ABOUT UNDER THE HEADING OF UNIVERSAL CONCERNS FROM AMONG 24:36 GOD'S PEOPLE - ONE OF THEM BEING THE SABBATH. NOW SOME PEOPLE 24:39 SAY, 'WELL, THE SABBATH WAS MADE FOR THE JEWS.' IS THAT WHAT THE 24:41 BIBLE SAYS? JESUS SAID THE SABBATH WAS MADE FOR - 24:45 >>MAN. >>MAN. IS THAT HOW YOU SPELL 24:47 JEW? M-A-N? THAT WORD THERE, I THINK, IS ANTHROPOS, AND IT 24:51 MEANS - IT'S WHERE WE GET ANTHROPOLOGY - THE STUDY OF 24:54 MANKIND. AND SO IT MEANS IT WAS MADE FOR HUMANITY - FOR 24:59 EVERYBODY. AND, OF COURSE, GENESIS 2:1, "THUS THE HEAVENS 25:03 AND THE EARTH, AND ALL THE HOST OF THEM, WERE FINISHED. 25:05 AND ON THE SEVENTH DAY GOD ENDED HIS WORK WHICH HE HAD DONE, AND 25:08 HE RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORK WHICH HE HAD 25:11 DONE. THEN GOD BLESSED THE SEVENTH DAY AND SANCTIFIED IT, 25:14 BECAUSE IN IT HE RESTED FORM ALL HIS WORK WHICH GOD HAD CREATED 25:17 AND MADE." HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE IN THE WORLD THEN? 25:19 >>TWO. >>TWO. 25:21 HOW MANY RACES OF THE WORLD ARE RELATED TO THOSE ORIGINAL TWO? 25:25 >>ALL. >>EVERYBODY. AND SO WHEN WE TALK 25:28 ABOUT THE PRINCIPLE OF THE SABBATH AND ALLOWING PEOPLE TO 25:31 HAVE REST AND NOT OPPRESSING PEOPLE AND NOT - NOW CHILDREN OF 25:34 ISRAEL, THEY WERE SAVED FROM HARD LABOR AND GOD'S PEOPLE 25:40 OUGHT TO BE CONCERNED WITH, ALSO, OTHER PEOPLE'S REST. 25:48 IN THE NOTES IN THE LESSON - I COPIED THIS - IT SAID, "INDEED, 25:51 THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH TELLS US THAT GOD'S A CREATOR AND REST 25:54 PROVIDER OF ALL WHO LIVE ON THE PLANET. 25:56 IF WE TRULY OBSERVE THE SABBATH, WE'LL NOT REMAIN SATISFIED ONLY 25:59 WITH OUR OWN REST AND REDEMPTION, BUT THE ULTIMATE 26:02 RESTORATION AND IN THE NEW EARTH AS WELL. 26:06 GO AHEAD, READ FOR US HEBREWS 4:4 AND 5. 26:10 >>"FOR HE HAS SPOKEN IN A CERTAIN PLACE OF THE SEVENTH DAY 26:13 IN THIS WAY: 'AND GOD RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS 26:17 WORKS'; AND AGAIN IN THIS PLACE: 'THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.'" 26:23 >>ALRIGHT, VERY GOOD. EVEN THE NEW TESTAMENT SAYS, 26:27 'THERE REMAINS A SABBATH FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD.' SO YOU'VE 26:29 GOT THE SABBATH IN THE OLD TESTAMENT; YOU'VE GOT THE 26:31 SABBATH AND IT TELLS YOU HE SPOKE IN A CERTAIN PLACE ON THE 26:33 SEVENTH DAY - EVERYBODY CAN HARKEN BACK TO THAT. 26:37 THE WHOLE WORLD STILL KEEPS THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH, RIGHT? 26:40 NOW IN THE COMMANDMENT DOES IT SAY WHO'S SUPPOSED TO REST? 26:46 SON, YOUR DAUGHTER - >>MANSERVANT. 26:50 >>MANSERVANT. MAIDSERVANT, STRANGER - 26:55 >>OX AND ASS. >>YOUR OX - YOUR ANIMALS - AND, 26:59 NOW IN THAT COMMANDMENT, DO YOU REALIZE IT ALSO SAYS IN THAT 27:03 COMMANDMENT THAT YOUR LAND IS SUPPOSED TO REST? WERE THEY 27:08 SUPPOSED TO HARVEST ON SABBATH? >>NO. 27:10 >>THEY WERE TOLD TO KEEP THE SABBATH IN SEED TIME AND 27:13 HARVEST. THEY WEREN'T TO BE SOWING SEEDS. DOES THE BIBLE 27:17 HAVE OTHER SABBATHS FOR THE LAND? 27:19 >>YES. >>BESIDES THE WEEKLY - DO YOU 27:22 REALIZE EVERY WEEK THE LAND WAS TO GET A LITTLE BIT 27:24 OF REST - ONE DAY? BUT ALSO, EVERY SEVENTH YEAR 27:27 THE LAND WAS TO GET A REST. AND SO THE SABBATH COMMANDMENT 27:31 TELLS US THAT AS CHRISTIANS WE ARE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT PEOPLE 27:36 BEING OVERWORKED - THE STRANGER, FAMILIES, ANIMALS, THE LAND - 27:42 IT'S SOMETHING THAT REALLY CARES ABOUT THE HEALTH AND THE 27:44 VITALITY AND THE REST OF ALL CREATURES AND ALL CREATION. 27:48 AND IN THE NEW EARTH - WILL THAT ALL BE RESTORED? 27:51 AND THAT WAS REFERRED TO IN OUR LESSON IN ISAIAH 66, VERSES 22 27:55 AND 23 - THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH. 27:58 AND SO, THE SABBATH TRUTH - WHEN YOU'RE SHARING THE SABBATH, YOU 28:01 DON'T SAY, 'I'VE GOT - OUR DENOMINATION HAS THIS BELIEF 28:04 THAT WE MADE UP.' IS THAT OUR - IS THAT THE REASON WE BELIEVE 28:08 THE SABBATH OR IS IT GOD'S IDEA AND IT'S A PRINCIPLE OF TRUTH 28:12 THAT'S FOR ALL PEOPLE? SO DON'T EVER FEEL LIKE THAT 28:16 'WELL, THIS IS JUST OUR DENOMINATIONAL - WE'VE GOT A 28:19 MONOPOLY - WE'VE GOT A BRAND. THIS IS OUR SLOGAN.' THE SABBATH 28:23 TRUTH IS PART OF THE JUSTICE OF CHRISTIANITY FOR ALL PEOPLE. 28:27 >>AMEN. >>AND I ALWAYS THINK IT'S SAD. 28:30 EVEN SUNDAY-KEEPING CHRISTIANS - CHRISTIANS THAT KEEP THE FIRST 28:32 DAY OF THE WEEK AS THEIR SABBATH - THEY USED TO KEEP IT, YEARS 28:37 AGO, MORE CAREFULLY THAN MANY SABBATH-KEEPERS KEEP THE SABBATH 28:41 NOW. I'VE GOT FRIENDS, YOU PROBABLY 28:43 KNEW SOME TOO, THAT THEY HAD CLOTHES THEY ONLY 28:46 WORE ON SUNDAY. THEY NEVER RAN AROUND ON SUNDAY. 28:48 THEY NEVER WENT TO THE STORE ON SUNDAY. 28:50 THEY NEVER WENT TO THEIR FIELDS ON SUNDAY. 28:52 IT WAS A DAY OF REST. AND THEY KEPT IT MORE CAREFULLY 28:55 THAN SOME ADVENTIST SABBATH KEEPERS ARE KEEPING THE TRUE 28:59 BIBLE SABBATH, WHICH IS THE SEVENTH DAY, TODAY. 29:02 WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT? >>YES. 29:03 >>AMEN. >>THAT'S UNFORTUNATE. 29:05 BUT TODAY, WHAT'S SAD, IS EVEN THOSE THAT ARE CHRISTIANS IN 29:09 OTHER FAITHS, THEY'RE MISSING THE REST BECAUSE RIGHT AFTER 29:12 CHURCH THEY'RE BACK IN THE WORLD DOING EVERYTHING AGAIN AND 29:15 THEY'RE WORKING AND THEY'RE FARMING AND JUST - THEY SAY, 29:18 'OH, WELL, I'VE GOT TO, BECAUSE' - FOR THIS REASON OR THAT REASON 29:21 - IT'S USUALLY A FINANCIAL GAIN - AND THEY'RE LOSING A BLESSING 29:24 BY DOING THAT. COLOSSIANS 2:16, "SO LET NO ONE 29:30 JUDGE YOU IN FOOD OR IN DRINK, OR REGARDING A FESTIVAL OR A 29:33 NEW MOON OR SABBATHS, WHICH ARE SHADOWS OF THINGS TO COME, BUT 29:39 THE SUBSTANCE IS OF CHRIST." NOW, THERE WERE SOME CEREMONIAL 29:43 SABBATHS: THE JEWISH ANNUAL FEASTS CAME ONCE A YEAR. 29:48 THEY CAME AFTER SIN. THEY ARE NAILED TO THE CROSS. 29:53 THE SABBATH OF THE WEEK, DID IT COME BEFORE OR AFTER SIN? 29:58 IT'S PART OF GOD'S PERFECT PLAN. IT CAME BACK IN CREATION. 30:01 ARE WE GOING TO STILL KEEP IT IN HEAVEN WHEN THINGS ARE PERFECT? 30:03 >>AMEN. >>YEAH. 30:05 DOES GOD WANT US TO KEEP IT NOW? BUT THERE WERE CERTAIN 30:08 CEREMONIAL SABBATHS THAT WERE NAILED TO THE CROSS AND THOSE 30:11 ARE THE ONES THAT ALL POINTED TO CHRIST. 30:13 NOW, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR A PERSON TO KEEP THE SABBATH AND - IF 30:16 THEY DON'T HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD OR IF THEY'RE 30:18 OPPRESSING THE POOR, THEY'RE MISSING THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF IT. 30:22 I'VE GOT SOME VERSES I THINK YOU'LL FIND INTERESTING. 30:24 IF YOU LOOK, FOR INSTANCE, IN ISAIAH 8:4 - I'M SORRY, I MEANT 30:27 AMOS 8:4 - AMOS 8:4, "HEAR THIS, YOU WHO SWALLOW UP THE NEEDY, 30:35 AND MAKE THE POOR OF THE LAND FAIL, SAYING: 'WHEN WILL THE NEW 30:38 MOON BE PAST, THAT WE MAY SELL GRAIN? 30:40 AND THE SABBATH THAT WE MAY TRADE WHEAT?" 30:43 'WHEN WILL THE SABBATH BE PAST?' SOMETIMES YOU SEE THE KIDS, 30:48 THEY'RE KIND OF SAYING, 'IS THE SABBATH OVER YET?' 30:50 THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE CLOCK SAYING, 'OH SABBATH - WHEN'S IT 30:52 GOING TO BE? IS IT SABBATH? LET'S HURRY UP AND HAVE SUNDOWN 30:54 WORSHIP.' IT'S LIKE WE CAN SPEED UP SABBATH BEING OVER. 30:59 BUT THE PEOPLE BACK IN GOD'S TIME AND IN THE TIME OF AMOS, 31:03 ANYWAY, THEY WERE SWALLOWING UP THE NEEDY. 31:06 THEY WERE KEEPING THE SABBATH, BUT THEY'RE NOT ENJOYING IT - 31:09 THEY'RE NOT GETTING A BLESSING. THEY'RE SAYING, 'WHEN WILL IT 31:11 BE OVER SO WE CAN GET BACK TO WORK?' 31:13 - "MAKING THE EPHAH SMALL AND THE SHEKEL LARGE," - IN OTHER 31:17 WORDS, THEY FALSIFIED THEIR WEIGHTS. 31:21 WHAT THE GRAIN THAT THEY WOULD GIVE PEOPLE - A SHEKEL IS A 31:24 WEIGHT - AND EPHAH IS A MEASUREMENT OF GRAIN. 31:26 IT'S BASICALLY SAYING THEY'D PUT A BIG WEIGHT ON IT AND MAKE IT 31:29 LOOK LIKE IT WAS HEAVIER THAN IT WAS AND THEY WERE CHEATING THE 31:32 PEOPLE - "FALSIFYING THE SCALES BY DECEIT, THAT WE MAY BUY THE 31:38 POOR FOR SILVER, AND THE NEEDY FOR A PAIR OF SANDALS - EVEN 31:41 SELL THE BAD WHEAT?" - THEY NOT ONLY WERE NOT SELLING 31:45 RIGHT QUANTITIES, THEY WERE SELLING STUFF THAT HAD GONE BAD 31:48 - TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE POOR - SELLING THE RICH THE GOOD AND 31:51 SELLING THE POOR THE BAD - OR THE MOLDY - WHEAT. 31:55 "THE LORD HAS SWORN BY THE PRIDE OF JACOB: 'SURELY I WILL NEVER 31:58 FORGET ANY OF THEIR WORKS.'" - GOD SEES WHEN WE ARE BEING 32:02 UNJUST IN OUR DEALINGS. YEARS AGO, I WAS IN THE 32:05 FIREWOOD BUSINESS AND A ZEALOUS CHRISTIAN. MATTER OF FACT, ONE 32:12 OF OUR FRIENDS WHO'S BEEN TO CHURCH HERE A FEW TIMES, DAVE 32:14 BOATRIGHT, WAS IN BUSINESS WITH ME. 32:15 SOME OF YOU KNOW DAVE BOATRIGHT AND CINDY - AND WHEN WE 32:19 ADVERTISED OUR FIREWOOD, WE ALWAYS SAID, 'A FULL CORD' - A 32:25 CORD IS 128 SQUARE FEET OF WOOD, IT'S USUALLY IN THREE TIERS - 32:29 DEPENDS ON IF IT'S 16-INCH WOOD - IF IT'S 12-INCH WOOD IT WOULD 32:32 BE FOUR TIERS - ANYWAY, IT'S 128-SQUARE FEET NO MATTER HOW 32:34 YOU CUT IT - THAT'S A CORD OF WOOD. AND SO WE USED TO 32:37 ADVERTISE, 'PRESSED DOWN, SHAKEN TOGETHER, RUNNING OVER.' AND WE 32:43 ALWAYS GAVE PEOPLE EXTRA SO THEY'D NEVER HAVE DOUBT, 32:46 'IS THIS A CORD OF WOOD?' AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT? 32:47 WORD SPREAD AROUND, 'WHY, YOU BUY A CORD FROM BATCHELOR OR 32:50 BOATRIGHT, YOU'RE GOING TO GET A FULL CORD OF WOOD.' WE COULDN'T 32:52 KEEP UP WITH THE ORDERS AND WE WOULD, YOU KNOW PASS THESE 32:56 THINGS OUT AND SAY, 'WE WANT TO DO UNTO OTHERS AS WE WOULD WANT 32:58 THEM TO DO UNTO US.' AND THE LORD BLESSED. 33:01 SO IF YOU'RE HONEST WITH PEOPLE AND IF YOU TREAT PEOPLE THE WAY 33:04 THAT YOU WANT TO BE TREATED, IN YOUR BUSINESS DEALINGS - BUT IF 33:07 YOU'RE STINGY AND IF YOU'RE CUNNING AND IF YOU EXPLOIT 33:11 PEOPLE, GOD WON'T BLESS. AMEN? 33:16 THAT'S WHAT - THE PRINCIPLES IT'S TALKING ABOUT HERE. 33:18 ALRIGHT, PROPHETIC VOICE - PART 1 - AND IF YOU LOOK HERE IN 33:21 PROVERBS 31, IT'S TALKING ABOUT NOT ONLY DOING THESE THINGS, BUT 33:26 WE NEED TO BE WILLING TO SPEAK UP. 33:28 "OPEN YOUR MOUTH FOR THE SPEECHLESS," - PROVERBS 31:8 - 33:32 "OPEN YOUR MOUTH FOR THE SPEECHLESS, IN THE CAUSE OF ALL 33:35 WHO ARE APPOINTED TO DIE. OPEN YOUR MOUTH, JUDGE 33:38 RIGHTEOUSLY, AND PLEAD THE CAUSE OF THE POOR AND NEEDY." 33:42 YOU KNOW, THE BROTHERS OF JOSEPH WERE GOING TO KILL HIM. 33:45 THEY WEREN'T JUST GOING TO SELL HIM, THEY WERE GOING TO KILL 33:47 HIM. AND REUBEN WASN'T EXACTLY SURE 33:50 WHAT TO DO BECAUSE HIS BROTHERS WERE VIOLENT. 33:52 I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER, SIMEON AND LEVI WENT INTO A TOWN 33:54 AND KILLED A WHOLE TOWN. AND REUBEN DELIVERED JOSEPH FROM 33:59 THEIR HAND AND SAID, 'DON'T KILL HIM. JUST PUT HIM IN THE PIT 34:01 HERE.' AND HE PLANNED ON COMING BACK TO GET HIM LATER. 34:04 SO HE SPOKE - HE DIDN'T REALIZE WHILE HE WAS GONE THEY SOLD HIM. 34:07 BUT THAT'S ONE OF MANY CASES YOU CAN THINK OF IN THE BIBLE WHERE 34:10 SOMEONE NEEDED SOMEONE ELSE TO SPEAK UP FOR THEM AND TO STOP - 34:16 THERE'S A LOT OF STORIES IN HISTORY - EVERYTHING FROM 34:20 POCAHONTAS TO OTHERS WHO HAVE SPOKEN UP IN BEHALF OF OTHERS 34:26 THAT WERE GOING TO BE SLAIN. SO WE NEED TO USE OUR VOICE. 34:29 - "OPEN YOUR MOUTH, JUDGE RIGHTEOUSLY, AND PLEAD THE 34:31 CAUSE OF THE POOR AND NEEDY." ISAIAH 1:13 - 34:36 THESE ARE SOME FAMOUS VERSES - IT SAYS, "BRING 34:39 NO MORE FUTILE SACRIFICES; INCENSE IS AN ABOMINATION TO ME. 34:43 THE NEW MOONS, THE SABBATHS, AND THE CALLING OF ASSEMBLIES - I 34:46 CANNOT ENDURE" - WHAT, GOD DOESN'T WANT THE SABBATHS? 34:49 THE SACRIFICES - DIDN'T HE - WHY IS GOD SAYING THAT? 34:54 HE'S SAYING, 'YOU DO ALL THESE THINGS AND YOU DO IT WITH A 34:56 WRONG HEART - IT'S - YOU DON'T GET A BLESSING. 35:02 IF YOU - YEAH - THE PEOPLE - KEEP IN MIND, THE PEOPLE WHO 35:06 KILLED JESUS WANTED TO HURRY UP AND HAVE HIM KILLED SO THEY 35:10 COULD GO HOME AND KEEP THE SABBATH. NOW, HOW MUCH BLESSING 35:14 DO YOU THINK THEY REALLY GOT THAT SABBATH DAY? 35:16 DID THEY GET ANY CREDIT FOR KEEPING THAT SABBATH WHEN THEY 35:20 HAD JUST COMMITTED TERRIBLE INJUSTICE BY CRUCIFYING JESUS? 35:24 THEY SAID, 'OH, IT'S ALMOST SUNDOWN, WE'VE GOT TO GO KEEP 35:26 THE SABBATH.' GOD SAYS, 'PRETENDING TO WORSHIP ME WHEN 35:32 YOU'RE UNJUST - THERE'S NO BENEFIT IN THAT. YOU SEE WHAT 35:36 THE PRINCIPLE IS? THIS IS WHY THESE LESSONS ARE SO IMPORTANT. 35:40 "I CANNOT ENDURE...YOUR NEW MOONS AND YOUR APPOINTED FEASTS 35:43 MY SOUL HATES; THEY ARE A TROUBLE TO ME, I AM WEARY OF 35:46 BEARING THEM. WHEN YOU SPREAD OUT YOUR HANDS," - WHAT DOES 35:49 THAT MEAN? THEY USED TO SPREAD OUT THEIR HANDS IN PRAYER - IN 35:53 THE HEBREW CULTURE THERE - "WHEN YOU SPREAD OUT YOUR HANDS, I 35:56 WILL HIDE MY EYES FROM YOU; EVEN THOUGH YOU MAKE MANY PRAYERS, I 36:00 WILL NOT HEAR." - WHY? - "YOUR HANDS ARE FULL OF BLOOD." 36:05 SO HERE THEY WERE, GUILTY OF INNOCENT BLOOD, BUT THEY'RE 36:08 PRAYING LONG PRAYERS. AND GOD SAYS, 'WHO ARE YOU KIDDING? 36:10 THAT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING TO ME. 36:12 IF YOU'RE NOT LIVING THE LIFE AND LIVING A GODLY LIFE AND 36:16 CARING FOR THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED AND SPEAKING UP FOR 36:19 THOSE WHO ARE BEING TRODDEN DOWN, YOUR RELIGION IS VAIN. 36:23 IT DOESN'T DO ANY GOOD. WE ALL GET THAT, RIGHT? 36:27 ALRIGHT, AND THEN YOU LOOK - GO TO VERSE 16 - ISAIAH CHAPTER 1, 36:31 VERSE 16 - YOU ALL KNOW THIS, "WASH YOURSELVES, MAKE 36:34 YOURSELVES CLEAN; PUT AWAY THE EVIL OF YOUR DOINGS" - IT'S NOT 36:38 TALKING ABOUT THEIR DOCTRINES - "THE EVIL OF YOUR DOINGS FROM 36:41 BEFORE MY EYES. CEASE TO DO EVIL, LEARN TO DO GOOD;" - 36:45 NOW THIS IS AN IMPORTANT VERSE - "LEARN TO DO GOOD." 36:49 WHEN A PERSON COMES TO THE LORD AND THEY HAVE BEEN A PAGAN OUT 36:52 IN THE WORLD THEIR WHOLE LIFE, AFTER ACCEPTING JESUS, ARE THEY 36:55 GOING TO KNOW EVERYTHING? >>NO. 36:57 >>OR IS THERE A LEARNING PROCESS? 36:59 THEY CALL THAT SANCTIFICATION. THAT MEANS YOU MAY HAVE TO STUDY 37:03 TO FIND OUT, 'WELL, WHAT DOES THE LORD WANT OF ME?' 37:05 AND YOU LEARN - "CEASE TO DO EVIL, LEARN TO DO GOOD; SEEK 37:10 JUSTICE, REBUKE THE OPPRESSOR;" - THAT MEANS SPEAK UP AGAINST 37:14 THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSING - "DEFEND THE FATHERLESS, PLEAD 37:18 FOR THE WIDOW." SOMETIMES IN THE SCHOOLYARD, EVERYONE'S AFRAID TO 37:21 SPEAK UP TO THE BULLY AND CALL THE BULLY A BULLY. 37:25 AND I REMEMBER ONE TIME, I WAS ON THE STREETS IN PALM SPRINGS - 37:30 I JUST - I NEVER FORGOT THE COURAGE OF THIS YOUNG MAN. 37:36 I CAME UP THE STREETS - I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN WHAT WAS 37:39 HAPPENING, BUT I CAME UPON JUST AFTER IT HAPPENED, BUT THESE 37:42 THREE THUGS - YOUNG DRUG GANG PEOPLE - HAD JUST ROUGHED UP AN 37:50 OLD MAN AND HE WAS ON THE GROUND AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WERE 37:55 MISBEHAVING AND HE SPOKE UP AGAINST THEM - HE SAID, 'OH YOU 38:00 GUYS NEED TO CALM DOWN' - WHATEVER - AND THEY JUST - THEY 38:02 BEAT HIM UP A LITTLE BIT AND HE WAS ON THE GROUND AND THIS ONE 38:05 YOUNG MAN, WHO WAS NOT ANY BIGGER THAN ANY OF THEM, HE CAME 38:10 UP AND HE STOOD UP AGAINST THEM. HE SAID, 'YOU GUYS THINK YOU'RE 38:13 TOUGH DOING THIS TO THIS OLD MAN?' 38:14 HE SAID, 'WHY DON'T YOU DO IT TO ME?' 38:16 AND THERE WAS THREE OF THEM. NOW I'M JUST WATCHING THIS. 38:20 I CAME ON IT, BUT I WAS - HE SCARED THEM. 38:25 HE WAS SO BOLD AND SO BRAVE THEY ALL TALKED TO HIM - HE SAID, 38:29 'ALRIGHT, YOU'RE REALLY TOUGH' - AND HE TOOK HIS SHIRT OFF - HE 38:31 WAS BULGING MUSCLES - LITTLE GUY BUT BULGING MUSCLES - HE SAID, 38:34 'ALRIGHT, COME ON SHOW ME HOW TOUGH YOU ARE. 38:35 YOU WANT TO DO THIS?' THEY ALL TURNED 38:36 AND THEY WENT AWAY. >>AMEN! 38:38 >>AND I THOUGHT, 'WOW, THAT TAKES COURAGE TO DO THAT.' BUT 38:41 HE WAS INCENSED THAT THEY WERE DOING THIS TO AN OLD MAN. 38:46 AND HIS WIFE WAS THERE TOO, BUT THEY BASICALLY ROUGHED UP THE 38:50 OLD MAN AND I THOUGHT THAT'S COURAGE WHEN YOU DO SOMETHING 38:54 LIKE THAT. I HAD A FRIEND THAT HIS NAME WAS JAY - IF YOU EVER 39:00 READ MY BOOK HE'S IN THE BOOK - AND HE WAS FROM BROOKLYN, NEW 39:03 YORK - AND WE WERE ALL SITTING AROUND THIS WATERFALL AND THERE 39:09 WERE, LITERALLY, A HUNDRED PEOPLE AROUND THIS BIG WATERFALL 39:12 - SUNBATHING, SWIMMING - SOME PEOPLE WERE DRINKING - AND THIS 39:16 ONE GUY JUMPED OFF THIS ROCK AND HE DIDN'T COME BACK UP AND I 39:22 WASN'T WATCHING THE MINUTE IT HAPPENED, I WAS THERE WITH JAY 39:25 - AND JAY JUMPED IN TO PULL THE GUY OUT. 39:28 NOW THE REASON THIS IS SO AMAZING IS JAY COULD NOT SWIM. 39:33 BUT HE THOUGHT, 'THAT GUY NEEDS HELP AND HE FIGURED, 'I'LL GET 39:35 DOWN THERE AND I'LL WALK OUT UNDERWATER.' BUT HE DID - HE 39:40 PULLED THE GUY - HE HAD HIT HIS HEAD AND HE WAS UNCONSCIOUS AND 39:42 JAY HAD SPOTTED IT. AND I THOUGHT, 'BOY, THAT TAKES 39:44 COURAGE TO RISK YOUR LIFE LIKE THAT.' AND HE COULDN'T SWIM. 39:49 HE JUST - IN NEW YORK - HE JUST NEVER LEARNED. 39:50 AND HERE I COULD SWIM AND I WAS WATCHING. 39:54 I DIDN'T SEE WHAT HAPPENED. ANYWAY, BUT - SO THAT'S COURAGE. 39:57 YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU CARE FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR. 40:00 ALRIGHT, SOMEONE'S GOING TO READ JAMES 1:27 IN JUST A MOMENT. 40:04 I'M GOING TO READ MATTHEW 18. NOW, WE TOLD YOU WE'RE GOING 40:07 TO TALK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE FATHERLESS AND THE WIDOW - IN 40:11 LUKE 18 JESUS TALKED ABOUT AN EXAMPLE WHERE POOR WIDOWS DON'T 40:15 GET JUSTICE AND HE SPOKE A PARABLE TO THEM THAT PEOPLE 40:20 OUGHT TO ALWAYS PRAY AND NOT LOSE HEART. 40:22 NOW, HIS PARABLE'S ABOUT PRAYER, BUT HE USES A STORY THAT WAS 40:25 COMMON IN THOSE DAYS. "THERE WAS IN A CERTAIN CITY A 40:28 JUDGE WHO DID NOT FEAR GOD NOR REGARD MAN. NOW THERE WAS A 40:32 WIDOW IN THAT CITY; AND SHE CAME TO HIM SAYING, 40:35 'GET JUSTICE FOR ME FROM MY ADVERSARY.'" - SOMEONE WAS 40:38 TAKING ADVANTAGE OF HER OR WASN'T PAYING OR TOOK HER 40:41 PROPERTY - OR WHATEVER IT WAS - AND SHE'S LOOKING FOR JUSTICE - 40:45 THE RIGHT THING TO BE DONE. BUT SHE'S POOR. 40:47 SHE CAN'T BRIBE HIM. SHE'S A WIDOW. 40:49 HE DOESN'T CARE - WHY? BECAUSE HE DOESN'T REGARD GOD. 40:53 A JUDGE WHO REGARDS GOD IS GOING TO CARE. 40:55 THAT'S WHAT CHRISTIANITY'S ALL ABOUT. 40:58 AND SHE SAID, "'GET JUSTICE FOR ME FROM MY ADVERSARY.' AND HE 41:01 WOULD NOT FOR A WHILE; BUT AFTERWARD HE SAID WITHIN 41:04 HIMSELF, 'THOUGH I DO NOT FEAR GOD NOR REGARD MAN, YET BECAUSE 41:07 THIS WIDOW TROUBLES ME I WILL AVENGE HER, LEST BY HER 41:11 CONTINUAL COMING SHE WEARY ME.'" - SHE JUST KEPT COMING AND 41:15 COMING AND COMING AND HE SAID, 'ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT!' 41:18 THERE'S SOMETHING THERE TO BE SAID FOR PERSISTENCE, BUT YOU 41:20 NOTICE IT WASN'T UNCOMMON FOR PEOPLE WHO WEREN'T CONVERTED, TO 41:24 NOT SHOW JUSTICE TO THE POOR, TO THE WIDOWS, TO THE FATHERLESS. 41:28 GO AHEAD, READ FOR US JAMES 1:27. 41:31 >>JAMES 1:27, "PURE AND UNDEFILED RELIGION BEFORE GOD 41:35 AND THE FATHER IS THIS: TO VISIT ORPHANS AND WIDOWS IN THEIR 41:39 TROUBLE, AND TO KEEP ONESELF UNSPOTTED FROM THE WORLD." 41:43 >>THE ORPHANS, THE FATHERLESS, AND THE WIDOWS. 41:47 ANY OF YOU EVER READ THE STORY ABOUT GEORGE MUELLER, WHO 41:52 STARTED THOSE ORPHANAGES IN ENGLAND AND HOW HE SUSTAINED 41:56 THOSE ORPHANAGES FOR, I THINK, THIRTY OR FORTY YEARS OF HIS 41:59 LIFE, FROM PRAYER AND HE NEVER ASKED FOR MONEY, NEVER SENT OUT 42:04 AN APPEAL LETTER - AND GOD ALWAYS SEEMED TO BRING THE FOOD 42:07 THAT THEY NEEDED, THE MONEY THEY NEEDED, THE CLOTHES THEY NEEDED 42:10 FROM DAY TO DAY. AND HE JUST BELIEVED - HE SAID, 42:12 'THE BIBLE HAS A LOT TO SAY ABOUT HOW GOD CARES FOR THE 42:15 FATHERLESS AND IF I PRAY, HE WILL CERTAINLY ANSWER MY 42:19 PRAYER.' NOW HE JUST HAD LIKE A RECKLESS FAITH. I MEAN, THEY 42:22 WOULD BE TOTALLY OUT OF FOOD. HE WOULDN'T TELL ANYONE. 42:24 HE SAID, 'I'LL TELL THE LORD.' AND ALL OF A SUDDEN A TRUCK FROM 42:26 THE BAKERY WOULD SHOW UP. ANY OF YOU EVER READ HIS BOOKS? 42:28 JUST INCREDIBLE MIRACLES OF PRAYER. IT'S VERY INSPIRING. 42:31 IF YOU HAVEN'T, READ SOME OF THOSE BOOKS ON GEORGE MUELLER. 42:34 YOU'LL BE ENCOURAGED. HE WAS A REAL MAN OF FAITH. 42:37 WHY DOES IT SAY SO MUCH ABOUT THE WIDOWS? WHY DON'T YOU HEAR 42:41 'SHOW MERCY TO THE WIDOWERS'? ANYWHERE IN THE BIBLE WHERE IT 42:46 SAYS, 'TAKE CARE OF THE WIDOWER? >>NO. 42:50 >>WELL, IF - IF A WOMAN LOST HER HUSBAND IN THAT AGRICULTURAL 42:56 SOCIETY, WITH THE HEAVY WORK ON A FARM - I KNOW THIS IS NOT 43:00 POLITICALLY CORRECT - I WAS TALKING TO PASTOR ROSS - I READ 43:02 SOME STATISTICS THIS WEEK THAT SAID THAT THE AVERAGE MAN HAS 43:07 50% MORE BRUTE STRENGTH THAN A WOMAN. 43:11 THEY CAN KIND OF TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES A LITTLE BETTER. 43:15 BUT WOMEN IN THAT CULTURE COULD BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF. 43:17 I KNOW THERE ARE PROBABLY CASES WHERE A MAN WAS RAPED BY A 43:21 WOMAN. NOT TOO MANY, BUT IT DOES 43:24 HAPPEN THE OTHER WAY, DOESN'T IT? 43:26 AND SO WOMEN NEED TO BE PROTECTED. 43:29 THEY - THEY'RE - THEY WERE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF AND IF THEY DIDN'T 43:33 HAVE A HUSBAND WHO WAS THEIR ADVOCATE, THAT WAS THE 43:36 HOUSE-BAND TO HELP WATCH OVER THEM, THEN - THIS IS IN THE DAYS 43:40 BEFORE THEY HAD TASERS AND MACE SPRAY AND PEPPER SPRAY AND ALL 43:43 THOSE THINGS TO PROTECT THEM - AND THEY NEEDED MEN - AND THEY 43:47 COULDN'T GET WORK OFTEN AND IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE CHILDREN THEY 43:52 HAD NO ONE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM. 43:54 AND SO THEY NEEDED PEOPLE TO SHOW THEM MERCY. 43:57 THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT THAT: 1 PETER 3:7: "HUSBANDS, LIKEWISE, 44:01 DWELL WITH THEM WITH UNDERSTANDING, GIVING HONOR TO 44:06 THE WIFE, AS TO THE WEAKER VESSEL," - IT DOESN'T MEAN 44:10 WEAKER MORALLY, OR WEAKER SPIRITUALLY, IT MEANS WEAKER 44:12 WHAT? PHYSICALLY. 44:14 AND SO THEY NEED TO BE PROTECTED AND THIS IS - THE BIBLE TALKS 44:18 ABOUT PROTECTING THE WIDOWS ALL THROUGH THE BIBLE. 44:21 YOU KNOW, WHEN THE TITANIC WAS DOWN, REPORTEDLY THE CAPTAIN 44:25 SAID, 'WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH LIFE BOATS.' HE TOLD THE CREW, 'WE'D 44:28 BETTER GET THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST.' TODAY THAT 44:31 WOULD BE VERY SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE TO SAY THAT, RIGHT? 44:34 >>NO. >>SHOULDN'T BE! YOU KNOW WHAT I 44:39 MEAN? YOU ALL KNOW WHAT I MEAN? DO I NEED TO SPELL 44:42 IT OUT FOR YOU? OKAY. 44:44 PROPHETIC VOICE #3 - ISAIAH 58 - THIS IS A GREAT CHAPTER. 44:48 I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TIME TO READ ALL THIS. 44:50 LET ME READ THE FIRST FEW VERSES HERE, "CRY ALOUD, SPARE NOT; 44:53 LIFT UP YOUR VOICE LIKE A TRUMPET; TELL MY PEOPLE THEIR 44:56 TRANSGRESSION, AND THE HOUSE OF JACOB THEIR SINS. 44:59 YET THEY SEEK ME DAILY, AND DELIGHT TO KNOW MY WAYS, AS A 45:02 NATION THAT DID RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND DID NOT FORSAKE THE 45:05 ORDINANCE OF THEIR GOD. THEY ASK OF ME THE ORDINANCES OF 45:08 JUSTICE; THEY TAKE DELIGHT IN APPROACHING GOD." 45:11 SO IN THIS WHOLE CHAPTER - ISAIAH CHAPTER 58 IS A GREAT 45:14 CHAPTER - BUT WHY DON'T YOU JUST JUMP, FOR INSTANCE, TO VERSE 6? 45:19 WELL, LET'S SEE, VERSE 5, "IS IT A FAST THAT I HAVE CHOSEN, A DAY 45:24 FOR A MAN TO AFFLICT HIS SOUL?? IS IT TO BOW DOWN HIS HEAD LIKE 45:27 A BULRUSH, AND TO SPREAD OUT SACKCLOTH AND ASHES? 45:30 WOULD YOU CALL THIS A FAST, AND AN ACCEPTABLE DAY TO THE LORD?" 45:33 - FOR A PERSON TO, YOU KNOW, FAST, BY JUST DENYING THEMSELVES 45:36 FOOD, COVERING THEMSELVES WITH ASHES, SIT ON SACKCLOTH - "IS 45:38 NOT THIS THE FAST THAT I HAVE CHOSEN:" - WHAT IS THE FAST THAT 45:42 WILL GET GOD'S ATTENTION? "TO LOOSE THE BONDS OF 45:45 WICKEDNESS, TO UNDO THE HEAVY BURDENS, TO LET THE OPPRESSED GO 45:50 FREE, AND THAT YOU BREAK EVERY YOKE? IS IT NOT TO SHARE YOUR 45:54 BREAD WITH THE HUNGRY, AND THAT YOU BRING TO YOUR HOUSE THE POOR 45:58 WHO ARE CAST OUT; WHEN YOU SEE THE NAKED, THAT YOU COVER HIM, 46:01 AND NOT HIDE YOURSELF FROM YOUR OWN FLESH?" 46:04 - MEANING YOUR BROTHERS AND YOUR SISTERS - "THEN YOUR LIGHT" - HE 46:08 PROMISES - "THEN YOUR LIGHT WILL BREAK FORTH LIKE THE MORNING, 46:11 YOUR HEALING SHALL SPRING FORTH SPEEDILY, AND YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS 46:15 SHALL GO BEFORE YOU; THE GLORY OF THE LORD SHALL BE YOUR REAR 46:17 GUARD. THEN YOU SHALL CALL, AND THE LORD WILL ANSWER; YOU SHALL 46:21 CRY, AND HE WILL SAY, 'HERE I AM.'" NOW WHY DO PEOPLE FAST? 46:25 SOME PEOPLE FAST FOR HEALTH REASONS. 46:28 BUT IN THE DAYS OF ESTHER, WHY DID ESTHER TELL THE PEOPLE TO 46:30 FAST. >>TO PRAY. 46:32 >>THEY NEEDED PRAYER ANSWERED AND IT WAS LIFE OR DEATH. 46:35 THERE WAS A CRISIS. YOU - DID A MAN ONCE HAVE A 46:38 DEMON-POSSESSED SON AND JESUS SAID 'THIS KIND DOES NOT COME 46:41 FORTH EXCEPT BY PRAYER AND FASTING.' SO THEY WOULD PRAY 46:44 BECAUSE THEY NEEDED DIFFERENT THINGS. 46:46 IT WASN'T JUST FOR HEALTH REASONS. 46:47 WHAT DOES GOD SAY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FAST? 46:50 IF YOU'RE GOING TO START FASTING AND SAY, 'WELL, HEY, LORD, 46:52 ANSWER MY PRAYER. I HAVEN'T EATEN FOR TWO DAYS. 46:54 I'VE BEEN FASTING. I'M WEARING HUMBLE CLOTHING. 46:57 I'M NOT WATCHING TELEVISION. I'M FASTING.' AND GOD IS SAYING, 47:01 'WELL, THAT'S NICE, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I'D REALLY LIKE YOU TO DO? 47:03 YOU'VE GOT THIS POOR NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR. 47:07 THE MOTHER, YOU KNOW, SHE DOESN'T HAVE CLOTHES FOR THE 47:09 KIDS. THERE'S NO FOOD ON THE SHELF. 47:12 SO WHILE YOU'RE DENYING YOURSELF OF FOOD, WHY DON'T YOU TAKE IT 47:15 NEXT DOOR TO THEM? THAT WOULD REALLY MAKE ME HAPPY. 47:18 THEN YOU'LL CALL UNTO ME AND I WILL ANSWER.' YOU SEE WHAT GOD 47:21 IS SAYING? SO THE FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT 47:23 FAST WE COULD PARTICIPATE IN AS CHRISTIANS, IS THE ONE OF REALLY 47:27 LIVING CHRISTIAN LIVES - LOVING YOUR NEIGHBOR. 47:30 WHAT ARE THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS? 47:32 LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS 47:34 YOURSELF. YOU SEE WHAT HE'S SAYING HERE? 47:37 'THIS IS THE FAST THAT I'VE CHOSEN. 47:39 SHARE YOUR BREAD WITH THE HUNGRY. 47:41 WHEN YOU SEE THE NAKED, COVER THEM. 47:43 AND HE SAYS WHEN YOU DO THESE THINGS, "THE GLORY OF THE LORD 47:45 SHALL BE YOUR REAR GUARD." 47:47 - GOD'LL PROTECT YOU - "YOU SHALL CRY, AND HE WILL SAY, 47:50 'HERE I AM.' IF YOU TAKE AWAY THE YOKE FROM YOUR MIDST," - 47:54 THAT MEANS PUTTING A BURDEN ON PEOPLE - AND THE 47:56 "POINTING OF THE FINGER, AND SPEAKING WICKEDNESS," - GOSSIP - 48:01 "IF YOU EXTEND YOUR SOUL TO THE HUNGRY AND SATISFY THE AFFLICTED 48:05 SOUL, THEN" - HERE'S THE PROMISE - "YOUR LIGHT SHALL DAWN IN THE 48:08 DARKNESS," - YOU'LL BE BRIGHT AND YOUR LIFE WILL BE 48:11 ILLUMINATED. YOUR DEPRESSION MAY GO AWAY. 48:13 YOUR DARKNESS WILL BE AS THE NOONDAY. THE LORD WILL GUIDE YOU 48:16 CONTINUALLY, AND SATISFY YOUR SOUL IN DROUGHT, AND STRENGTHEN 48:20 YOUR BONES; YOU SHALL BE LIKE A WATERED GARDEN, AND LIKE A 48:23 SPRING OF WATER, WHOSE WATERS DO NOT FAIL. 48:25 THOSE" - NOT ONLY WILL HE BLESS YOU, THOSE WHO BE OF YOU, YOUR 48:29 CHILDREN - LISTEN - "THOSE FROM AMONG YOU SHALL BUILD THE OLD 48:32 WASTE PLACES; YOU SHALL RAISE UP THE FOUNDATIONS OF MANY 48:35 GENERATIONS; AND YOU SHALL BE CALLED THE REPAIRER OF THE 48:38 BREACH, THE RESTORER OF STREETS TO DWELL IN." 48:42 NOW, WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT REPAIRING THE BREACH, THERE IS A 48:44 BREACH IN GOD'S LAW THAT NEEDED REPAIRING. 48:47 YOU READ ON, HE TELLS WHAT THAT IS, "IF YOU TURN AWAY YOUR FOOT 48:50 FROM THE SABBATH, FROM DOING YOUR PLEASURE ON MY HOLY DAY, 48:53 AND CALL THE SABBATH A DELIGHT, THE HOLY DAY OF THE LORD 48:56 HONORABLE, AND SHALL HONOR HIM, NOT DOING YOUR OWN WAYS, NOR 49:00 FINDING YOUR OWN PLEASURE, NOR SPEAKING YOUR OWN WORDS," - THEN 49:03 HERE COMES THE PROMISE - "THEN YOU SHALL DELIGHT YOURSELF IN 49:05 THE LORD; AND I WILL CAUSE YOU TO RIDE ON THE HIGH HILLS OF THE 49:08 EARTH, AND FEED YOU WITH THE HERITAGE OF JACOB YOUR FATHER. 49:12 THE MOUTH OF THE LORD HAS SPOKEN.'" AND SO, THAT CHAPTER 49:15 IS JUST FULL OF ALL THE BLESSINGS OF CARING AND SHARING 49:18 JUSTICE WITH OTHERS. ALRIGHT - AND THEN THERE'S ONE 49:23 MORE VERSE HERE - PROVERBS 21:13 - WHOEVER SHUTS HIS EARS TO THE 49:28 CRY OF THE POOR WILL ALSO CRY AND NOT BE HEARD. 49:32 NOW, IS THERE ANYONE HERE WHO CAN FEED ALL THE POOR IN INDIA? 49:36 SO WHEN HE SAYS 'THE CRY OF THE POOR' HOW DO YOU APPLY THAT? 49:41 GOD WILL, USUALLY EVERY WEEK, BRING YOU IN CONTACT WITH PEOPLE 49:46 WHO HAVE SOME NEED. AND YOU PRAY FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT 49:50 TO HELP YOU RECOGNIZE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO SHOW THE 49:54 LOVE OF GOD TO THOSE PEOPLE. IT MAY NOT BE FOOD. 49:57 THEY MIGHT NEED CLOTHES. THEY MIGHT NEED SOME ENCOURAGEMENT. 50:00 THEY MIGHT NEED A LIFT - THEY'RE HITCHHIKING - I'M NOT TELLING 50:02 ALL THE LADIES YOU WANT TO DO THAT BUT, I MEAN, JUST ALL KINDS 50:04 OF THINGS. BUT JUST CARING ABOUT PEOPLE 50:06 THAT ARE IN NEED - SHOWING YOUR CHRISTIAN LOVE. 50:09 IT MIGHT BE SOME - HELPING SOMEBODY CARRY THEIR BAG - THAT 50:12 THEY'RE WEAK. IT'S JUST SHOWING THE LOVE OF 50:15 JESUS IN THE PRACTICAL THINGS OF LIFE. 50:17 A FORCE FOR GOOD - LUKE 7:11, "NOW IT HAPPENED, THE DAY AFTER, 50:23 THAT HE WENT INTO A CITY CALLED NAIN; AND MANY OF HIS DISCIPLES 50:26 WENT WITH HIM, AND A LARGE CROWD. 50:29 AND WHEN HE CAME NEAR THE GATE OF THE CITY, BEHOLD, A DEAD MAN 50:31 WAS BEING CARRIED OUT, THE ONLY SON OF HIS MOTHER; AND SHE WAS A 50:35 WIDOW." - SO HERE'S A WIDOW AND SHE'S 50:37 LOST HER ONLY SON WHO COULD SUPPORT HER LATER IN LIFE. 50:40 JESUS IS SO MOVED - LARGE CROWD COMES - WAS WITH HER - "WHEN THE 50:45 LORD SAW HER, HE HAD COMPASSION ON HER AND SAID TO HER, 'DO NOT 50:49 WEEP.' THEN HE CAME AND TOUCHED THE OPEN COFFIN, AND THOSE WHO 50:53 CARRIED HIM STOOD STILL. AND HE SAID, 'YOUNG MAN, I SAY 50:56 TO YOU, ARISE.' SO HE WHO WAS DEAD SAT UP AND BEGAN TO SPEAK. 51:01 AND HE PRESENTED HIM TO HIS MOTHER." 51:03 YOU GOT THAT PICTURE? THIS IS GREAT. SOMEONE'S GOING TO READ 51:05 FOR US A VERSE HERE, IN A MOMENT. OKAY. 51:08 YOU'VE GOT THE COLLISION OF TWO PROCESSIONS. 51:12 JESUS AS A SON OF LIFE IS IN ONE, OUT OF THE CITY COMES A 51:17 PROCESSION WHERE A WOMAN IS CARRYING A SON OF DEATH. 51:21 THESE TWO PROCESSIONS MEET, JESUS SEES THE WOMAN WEEPING AND 51:24 HE IS SO MOVED HE STOPS THE PROCESSION AND HE COMPLETELY 51:28 RUINS THE SERMON FOR THE PASTOR - HE WAS GOING TO DO AT THE 51:30 FUNERAL. HE RESURRECTS THE BOY. 51:35 PASTOR'S GOING, 'WHAT DO I DO WITH MY NOTES NOW?' 51:37 AND HE PRESENTS HIM BACK TO HIS MOTHER. 51:39 DOES JESUS CARE ABOUT WIDOWS? >>AMEN. 51:42 >>HE DOES. AND THIS BOY, IF SHE WAS A WIDOW, HE WAS FATHERLESS, 51:45 TOO, WASN'T HE? >>YES. 51:47 >>AND HE RESTORES HIM TO LIFE. ALRIGHT, GO AHEAD AND READ 51:49 OUR NEXT VERSE FOR US. >>PSALM 82, VERSE 3, "DEFEND THE 51:53 POOR AND FATHERLESS. DO JUSTICE TO THE AFFLICTED AND NEEDY. 51:57 >>AMEN. AND THAT'S SELF-EXPLANATORY. 52:00 I'M GOING TO READ ONE MORE - 1 JOHN 3:17, "BUT WHOEVER HAS THIS 52:06 WORLD'S GOODS, AND SEES HIS BROTHER IN NEED, AND SHUTS UP 52:09 HIS HEART FROM HIM, HOW DOES THE LOVE OF GOD ABIDE IN HIM?" 52:14 YOU KNOW, JESUS SAID, AS I MENTIONED - MATTHEW CHAPTER 25 - 52:17 IT STARTS WITH VERSE 31 - THAT PARABLE - HE SAID, IN THE GREAT 52:20 JUDGMENT DAY, WHAT'S HE GOING TO SAY? 52:23 YOU KEPT THE SABBATH, YOU PAID YOUR TITHE' - IS HE GOING TO GO 52:28 THERE? - 'YOU WERE VEGETARIAN' (LAUGHTER) 52:32 - OH, YOU KNOW WHAT HE SAYS? THOSE THINGS ARE ALL GOOD - 52:34 DON'T MISUNDERSTAND - I DON'T WANT TO BE SARCASTIC, EVEN 52:36 THOUGH I JUST WAS - I DON'T LIKE DOING THAT. 52:38 HE SAYS, 'I WAS HUNGRY AND YOU FED ME; I WAS NAKED AND YOU 52:43 CLOTHED ME; I WAS SICK OR IN PRISON AND YOU MINISTERED TO ME; 52:47 I WAS A STRANGER AND YOU TOOK ME IN.' AND WHEN WE MINISTER TO 52:52 THESE THINGS HE SAYS, 'WELL DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT, 52:55 ENTER INTO THE JOY OF THE LORD.' SO IT'S LOOKING AT THE NEEDS IN 52:59 THE WORLD AROUND US AND CHRIST SAID, 'INASMUCH AS WE TAKE CARE 53:01 OF THOSE NEEDS, WHO ARE WE REALLY BLESSING? HE SAID, 53:05 'INASMUCH AS YOU'VE DONE IT FOR THEM, YOU'VE DONE IT FOR ME.' 53:08 BECAUSE JESUS FEELS THE RELIEF OF HIS CHILDREN THAT YOU 53:12 AND I MINISTER TO. SO WE HAVE RUN OUT OF TIME FOR 53:15 OUR LESSON, BUT I WANT TO REMIND THOSE, BEFORE WE GO OFF THE AIR, 53:18 WE DO HAVE A VERY SPECIAL BOOK. THIS IS BY OUR FRIEND, THE LATE 53:21 DR. HERBERT DOUGLASS, IT'S CALLED THE JESUS DIFFERENCE . 53:24 WE WILL SEND IT TO YOU FREE. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE BOOK. 53:27 IT'S A GREAT OFFER. DON'T MISS THIS. 53:28 IT'S OFFER #814 AND JUST CALL THE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN, WHICH 53:32 IS 866-788-3966 - THAT'S 866-STUDY-MORE - WE'LL SEND IT 53:38 TO YOU FREE. PLEASE READ IT AND THEN SHARE IT WITH SOMEONE ELSE. 53:41 GOD BLESS YOU UNTIL WE STUDY HIS WORD TOGETHER AGAIN NEXT TIME. 53:46 (MUSIC) 54:04 >>HAVE YOU EVER HEARD THE EXPRESSION BEFORE, 'THEY EAT 54:06 LIKE A BIRD' TALKING ABOUT SOMEBODY WHO HAS A MINUSCULE 54:09 APPETITE? WELL YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK 54:11 TWICE NEXT TIME YOU USE THAT EXPRESSION. 54:14 FOR EXAMPLE, TAKE THE HUMMINGBIRD: IN ORDER FOR IT TO 54:17 MAINTAIN ITS INCREDIBLE METABOLISM, IT HAS TO EAT ABOUT 54:20 50-PERCENT OF ITS BODY WEIGHT EVERY DAY. 54:23 TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, IF A HUNDRED-POUND WOMAN WAS TO EAT 54:27 LIKE A HUMMINGBIRD, SHE WOULD HAVE TO EAT 50 POUNDS OF SUGAR A 54:30 DAY JUST TO MAINTAIN HER BODY WEIGHT. IMAGINE THAT. 54:34 MAYBE YOU DON'T WANT TO IMAGINE THAT, BUT PERHAPS YOU'LL WANT TO 54:38 CONSIDER THIS ANOTHER WAY: THE HUMMINGBIRD TYPICALLY CONSUMES 54:41 BETWEEN FOUR TO SEVEN CALORIES A DAY, ON THE OTHER HAND, A HUMAN: 54:44 ABOUT 3,500 CALORIES A DAY. BUT IF YOU WERE TO EAT LIKE A 54:48 BIRD - A HUMMINGBIRD - YOU'D HAVE TO EAT OVER 54:51 150,000 CALORIES A DAY. THAT'S LIKE A MAN - 170 POUNDS 54:58 THAT WOULD BE EATING 3,000 OREO COOKIES. UNDER NORMAL 55:02 CONDITIONS, A HUMMINGBIRD NEEDS TO EAT EVERY FIVE OR TEN 55:05 MINUTES, BUT THERE'S ACTUALLY ONE TIME DURING THE YEAR THE 55:08 HUMMINGBIRD WILL EAT ITS ENTIRE BODY WEIGHT EVERY DAY. 55:12 YOU SEE, ONCE A YEAR THEY MAKE THIS MIGRATION 500 MILES ACROSS 55:16 THE GULF OF MEXICO FROM TEXAS TO THE YUCATAN PENINSULA. 55:22 IN ORDER TO DO THAT, THE HUMMINGBIRD FEASTS ON NECTAR AND 55:25 GORGES THEMSELVES ON THIS NECTAR FOR ABOUT A WEEK, DOUBLING THEIR 55:29 BODY WEIGHT. THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THEY CAN 55:31 STORE ENOUGH CALORIES TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR 70-WING BEATS 55:35 PER SECOND OR ROUGHLY 4 MILLION WING BEATS ON THAT JOURNEY. 55:40 YOU KNOW, IN THE SAME WAY, FRIENDS, AS WE NEAR THE END OF 55:42 TIME, WE NEED TO BE FEASTING AND GORGING OURSELVES ON THE NECTAR 55:46 OF GOD'S WORD. WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT STRENGTH TO 55:49 GET US THROUGH THE TIMES OF TROUBLE THAT ARE AHEAD. 55:51 SO WHEN IT COMES TO THE BIBLE AND YOUR PERSONAL DEVOTIONS, IF 55:54 YOU'RE GOING TO EAT LIKE A BIRD, EAT LIKE A HUMMINGBIRD. 55:58 (MUSIC) 56:20 >>CAN'T GET ENOUGH AMAZING FACTS BIBLE STUDY? 56:22 YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEEK TO ENJOY MORE 56:25 TRUTH-FILLED PROGRAMMING, VISIT THE AMAZING FACTS MEDIA LIBRARY 56:29 AT 'AFTV.ORG'. AT 'AFTV.ORG' YOU CAN ENJOY 56:35 VIDEO AND AUDIO PRESENTATIONS AS WELL AS PRINTED MATERIAL ALL 56:39 FREE OF CHARGE, 24 HOURS A DAY 7 DAYS A WEEK, RIGHT FROM YOUR 56:43 COMPUTER OR MOBILE DEVICE. VISIT 'AFTV.ORG'. 56:50 >>AMAZING FACTS HAS IMPACTED MY LIFE. 56:52 >>AND I JUST PRAISE GOD FOR AMAZING FACTS. 56:54 >>AMAZING FACTS ACTUALLY DID HAVE AN IMPACT ON MY LIFE. 56:56 >>THIS WHOLE PROCESS - GETTING TO WHERE I AM TODAY - I FELT 56:59 GOOD ABOUT THAT. I DIDN'T FEEL CONDEMNED, I FELT - 57:02 >>I BEGAN READING THE BIBLE AND - 57:04 >>I GOT BAPTIZED INTO A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST - 57:06 >>I REALIZED THAT THERE HAD TO BE MORE TO LIFE. 57:08 >>GOD IS REALLY DOING THIS. >>THE LIFE THAT HE'S GIVEN ME. 57:11 >>THIS MESSAGE WAS SO POWERFUL. >>I'LL FOLLOW CHRIST 57:12 WHEREVER HE GOES. >>AMAZING FACTS. MORE THAN 45 57:17 YEARS OF PROCLAIMING GOD'S MESSAGE AROUND THE WORLD. 57:21 >>AND THEN THE LOGO POPS ACROSS AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS . 57:25 I'VE LISTENED TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT MINISTERS, BUT THIS 57:28 WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT HE'S ACTUALLY SAYING SOMETHING WHERE 57:31 I HAD TO GRAB MY BIBLE AND ACTUALLY PICK IT UP AND I'VE 57:34 NEVER HEARD THIS BEFORE. LET ME - LET ME LOOK 57:36 THROUGH AND FIND THIS. THEN I JUST COULDN'T GET ENOUGH. 57:39 >>AND SO I STARTED DOING BIBLE STUDIES. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF 57:42 THESE GUYS STARTED BEING CHANGED, INCLUDING MYSELF. 57:46 >>MY QUESTION WAS, 'WHY DID THAT HAPPEN TO ME, GOD?' 57:49 THE LORD WAS ABLE TO REACH OUT AND - AND I ACTUALLY SAW HIM AS 57:53 A FATHER. >>I LOST EVERYTHING AND THAT WAS 57:56 WHEN I REALIZED THAT IT WAS GOD MISSING IN MY LIFE. 57:59 >>I WENT TO A PROPHECY SEMINAR, WHICH KNOCKED ME OUT. 58:03 THIS MESSAGE WAS SO POWERFUL AND SO IRREFUTABLE, I JUST WENT, 58:07 'THIS IS REAL. THIS IS - THIS IS AMAZING.' 58:13 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2016-07-13