Participants: Pr. Jëan Ross
Series Code: SSH
Program Code: SSH021643A
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00:03 (MUSIC)
00:37 >>GOOD MORNING, FRIENDS, WELCOME TO SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY HOUR. 00:41 A VERY WARM WELCOME TO OUR FRIENDS JOINING US ACROSS THE 00:43 COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD - PART OF OUR EXTENDED SABBATH 00:46 SCHOOL CLASS - AND ALSO THE MEMBERS HERE AT THE GRANITE BAY 00:49 CHURCH AND THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE VISITING - A VERY WARM WELCOME 00:52 TO YOU. WE'RE GLAD TO SEE YOU ALL 00:53 HERE AGAIN TODAY, AS WE STUDY TOGETHER. NOW, OUR NEW LESSON 00:57 QUARTERLY IS DEALING WITH THE BOOK OF JOB. TODAY WE FIND 01:00 OURSELVES ON LESSON #4, WHICH IS ENTITLED GOD AND HUMAN SUFFERING 01:06 SO THAT'S GOING TO BE THE FOCUS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING 01:07 AT HERE IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS. BUT BEFORE WE GET TO THE LESSON, 01:10 I'D LIKE TO LET THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WATCHING KNOW ABOUT 01:13 OUR FREE OFFER FOR TODAY. IT IS A BOOK ENTITLED: 01:16 THE BROOK DRIED UP: WHY DO CHRISTIANS SUFFER? 01:20 WHEN THE BROOK DRIED UP - AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO RECEIVE THIS FREE 01:23 OFFER, JUST GIVE US A CALL ON OUR RESOURCE PHONE NUMBER. 01:26 THE NUMBER IS 866-788-3966 - AND YOU CAN ASK FOR OFFER #171. 01:34 THAT NUMBER, AGAIN, IS 866-788-3966 - ASK FOR OFFER 01:38 #171 - AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND YOU THE BOOK. 01:41 FOR THOSE OUTSIDE NORTH AMERICA, YOU CAN ALSO PARTICIPATE IN OUR 01:45 FREE OFFER BY GOING TO THE AMAZING FACTS WEBSITE - JUST 01:48 AMAZINGFACTS.ORG - AND YOU CAN DOWNLOAD A 01:51 .PDF VERSION OF THE BOOK AND YOU CAN READ ALONG WITH US. 01:55 WELL, BEFORE WE GET TO OUR STUDY, AS WE NORMALLY DO, I'D 01:58 LIKE TO INVITE OUR SONG LEADERS TO COME JOIN ME HERE ON STAGE 02:01 AND WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN BY LIFTING OUR VOICES IN PRAISE. 02:04 (PIANO MUSIC) >>LIKE A RIVER GLORIOUS IS GOD'S 02:25 PERFECT PEACE, OVER ALL VICTORIOUS, IN ITS BRIGHT 02:35 INCREASE; PERFECT, YET IT FLOWETH FULLER EVERY DAY, 02:47 PERFECT, YET IT GROWETH DEEPER ALL THE WAY. 02:57 TRUSTING IN JEHOVAH, HEARTS ARE FULLY BLEST FINDING AS HE 03:09 PROMISED, PERFECT PEACE AND REST. 03:16 HIDDEN IN THE HOLLOW OF HIS BLESSED HAND, NEVER FOE CAN 03:28 FOLLOW, NEVER TRAITOR STAND; NOT A SURGE OF WORRY, NOT A SHADE OF 03:42 CARE, NOT A BLAST OF HURRY TOUCH THE SPIRIT THERE. 03:54 TRUSTING IN JEHOVAH, HEARTS ARE FULLY BLEST FINDING AS HE 04:06 PROMISED, PERFECT PEACE AND REST. 04:13 EVERY JOY OR TESTING COMES FROM GOD ABOVE, GIVEN TO HIS CHILDREN 04:27 AS AN ACT OF LOVE; WE MAY TRUST HIM FULLY, ALL FOR US TO DO; 04:42 THOSE WHO TRUST HIM WHOLLY FIND HIM WHOLLY TRUE. 04:51 TRUSTING IN JEHOVAH, HEARTS ARE FULLY BLEST FINDING AS HE 05:03 PROMISED, PERFECT PEACE AND REST. 05:11 TRUSTING IN JEHOVAH, HEARTS ARE FULLY BLEST FINDING, AS HE 05:24 PROMISED, PERFECT PEACE AND REST. 05:32 >>AMEN. THANK YOU FOR SINGING WITH US. 05:34 THIS MORNING WE HAVE A SPECIAL MUSIC BY CHUCK HOLTRY, SO I'D 05:37 LIKE TO WELCOME HIM UP AT THIS TIME. (GUITAR MUSIC) 05:46 >>THERE IS A ROAD THAT LEADS US FROM THE LOWLANDS OF THIS LIFE 05:54 TO GATES OF PEARL AND STREETS OF GOLD, IMMORTAL HAPPY LIFE. 06:03 AND ONE HAS GONE BEFORE US SO WE SURELY KNOW THE WAY AND WITH 06:11 ARMS OUTSTRETCHED HE LEADS HIS CHILDREN HIGHER EVERY DAY. 06:20 COME HIGHER, MY CHILDREN, COME HIGHER THE GUIDE LIGHT IS MOVING 06:33 ON. COME HIGHER, MY CHILDREN COME 06:41 HIGHER EVERY STEP YOU TAKE GOES DEEPER IN MY HEART. 06:53 RICH OR POOR WILL FIND THIS ROAD TO THEM AN OPEN DOOR FOR THE 07:01 RICHEST AND THE POOREST JESUS CHRIST HAS GONE BEFORE. 07:09 AND ONLY AS IT NARROWS THAT, FOR US, A CHOICE IS MADE EITHER DROP 07:18 THE TREASURE OR MYSELF FALL IN THE OPEN GRAVE. 07:25 COME HIGHER, MY CHILDREN, COME HIGHER THE GUIDE LIGHT IS MOVING 07:38 ON. COME HIGHER, MY CHILDREN COME 07:46 HIGHER EVERY STEP YOU TAKE GOES DEEPER IN MY HEART. 07:57 SOME MAY CHOOSE THE TREASURES, MAYBE HOUSES MAYBE LANDS OR A 08:04 SELFISH HEART A CHERISHED SIN, GRASPED TIGHTLY IN THEIR HANDS. 08:12 WHAT WILL YOU GIVE FOR JESUS? WHO'S THE RIVAL IN YOUR HEART? 08:20 THE CALL COMES TO SURRENDER OR FOR US THE ROAD WILL PART. 08:29 COME HIGHER, MY CHILDREN, COME HIGHER THE GUIDE LIGHT IS MOVING 08:42 ON. COME HIGHER, MY CHILDREN, COME 08:50 HIGHER EVERY STEP YOU TAKE GOES DEEPER IN MY HEART. 09:01 EVERY STEP YOU TAKE GOES DEEPER IN MY HEART. 09:12 >>AMEN. >>BEAUTIFUL SONG. 09:14 WELL, BEFORE WE GET TO OUR STUDY, I INVITE YOU TO BOW YOUR 09:16 HEADS FOR A WORD OF PRAYER. DEAR FATHER, WHAT A PRIVILEGE IT 09:20 IS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO GATHER IN YOUR PRESENCE TO TALK ABOUT A 09:23 SUBJECT THAT TOUCHES ON ALL OF OUR LIVES - THAT OF SUFFERING. 09:26 SOMETIMES WE ASK QUESTIONS AS TO WHY WE'RE GOING THROUGH TRIALS 09:30 AND DIFFICULTIES, BUT YOUR WORD DOES GIVE US THE ANSWERS, SO WE 09:33 ASK THAT YOU BLESS OUR TIME TOGETHER, IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. 09:38 AGAIN, WELCOME TO OUR SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY HOUR THIS MORNING. 09:42 FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE REGULAR ATTENDEES HERE AT OUR SABBATH 09:45 SCHOOL TIME AND ALSO THOSE OF YOU WATCHING ONLINE AROUND THE 09:48 WORLD, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THINGS LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT TODAY ON 09:51 STAGE, KIND OF GOING ALONG WITH A SOLDIER-TYPE THEME. 09:56 THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT. THIS WEEKEND WE'RE DOING A 09:59 SPECIAL SERIES ENTITLED MIGHTY MEN OF GOD . 10:02 IT ACTUALLY STARTED LAST NIGHT - IT'S A MEN'S MINISTRY EMPHASIS 10:05 SERIES AND WE'LL CONTINUE WITH THAT DURING OUR 11:00 WORSHIP 10:09 HOUR THIS MORNING AND THEN, ALSO, THIS AFTERNOON. 10:12 THUS, YOU CAN SEE THE STAGE LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN 10:14 MAYBE WHAT YOU'RE USED TO. 10:16 NEVERTHELESS, WE DO HAVE OUR REGULAR SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON 10:20 AND WE WANT TO BE STUDYING THAT TOGETHER. 10:21 JUST A REMINDER TO OUR FRIENDS WHO WERE JOINING US ONE MORE 10:24 TIME, OUR FREE OFFER FOR TODAY IS A BOOK ENTITLED WHEN THE 10:28 BROOK DRIED UP: WHY DO CHRISTIANS SUFFER? 10:30 IF YOU'D LIKE TO RECEIVE THIS FREE OFFER, GIVE US A CALL ON 10:32 THE RESOURCE PHONE NUMBER - IT'S 866-788-3966 AND YOU CAN ASK FOR 10:37 OFFER #171 AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND THAT TO YOU. 10:42 NOW, OUR LESSON FOR TODAY IS LESSON #4 AND IT'S ENTITLED: GOD 10:48 AND HUMAN SUFFERINGS . WE DO HAVE A SCRIPTURE READING 10:53 THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT TOGETHER, AND IF YOU HAVE 10:55 YOUR LESSON QUARTERLIES, I'LL GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN 10:57 TO IT - I BELIEVE IT'S ON PAGE 30, WHERE YOU'LL FIND LESSON #4. 11:01 OUR SCRIPTURE READING IS MATTHEW CHAPTER 6, VERSE 34. 11:06 IT IS THE WORDS OF JESUS IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 6, VERSE 34 - 11:10 JESUS SAID, "THEREFORE DO NOT WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW, FOR 11:14 TOMORROW WILL WORRY ABOUT ITS OWN THINGS. SUFFICIENT FOR THE 11:18 DAY IS ITS OWN TROUBLE." NOW, IN SABBATH AFTERNOON - IN 11:23 THE LESSON QUARTERLY - WE HAVE JUST A FEW COMMENTS THAT I WANT 11:26 TO MENTION THERE OUT OF OUR READING. 11:28 IT SAYS, 'UNLIKE EVERY OTHER BOOK IN THE BIBLE, THE BOOK OF 11:30 JOB IS COMPLETELY REMOVED FROM THE CONTEXT OF THE LAND AND THE 11:35 PEOPLE OF ISRAEL. AND THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT. 11:38 IT SAYS THE MOST IMMEDIATE REASON IS THAT MOSES WROTE THE 11:41 BOOK OF JOB AND THE BOOK OF GENESIS WHEN HE WAS IN MIDIAN. 11:45 NOW, YOU REMEMBER THE STORY, HE FLED FROM EGYPT AFTER KILLING 11:48 THE EGYPTIANS AND HE WENT TO MIDIAN, AND THAT'S WHERE THE 11:52 HOLY SPIRIT MOVED UPON HIM AND HE WROTE THESE BOOKS. 11:55 THERE'S ANOTHER REASON WHY YOU DON'T FIND ANY REFERENCE, IN 11:58 JOB, TO ISRAEL OR TO THE EXODUS - OBVIOUSLY, THE EXODUS HADN'T 12:02 HAPPENED AT THAT POINT, BUT THERE'S ANOTHER REASON. 12:05 ONE OF THE KEY THEMES IN THE BOOK OF JOB IS THAT OF HUMAN 12:08 SUFFERING. AND HUMAN SUFFERING IS UNIVERSAL. 12:12 IT'S NOT LIMITED TO ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE. 12:14 IT'S NOT LIMITED TO ONE SPECIFIC POINT IN TIME, SO THE BOOK OF 12:17 JOB IS FOR EVERYONE. IT'S NOT ONLY THE HISTORY OF 12:20 GOD'S PEOPLE, ALTHOUGH THEY ENDURED SUFFERING, BUT IT'S FOR 12:23 ALL OF GOD'S PEOPLE THROUGHOUT ALL OF TIME. 12:26 SO OUR SCRIPTURE READING THEN, MATTHEW CHAPTER 6:34, JESUS 12:30 SAYS, "THEREFORE DO NOT WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW." 12:34 NOW, IS THAT A SUGGESTION BY JESUS OR IS THAT A COMMAND BY 12:38 JESUS? IT'S A COMMAND. 12:40 JESUS SAYS, 'DON'T WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW.' 12:42 IT'S NOT ALWAYS THE EASIEST THING NOT TO WORRY ABOUT 12:45 TOMORROW OR THE FUTURE, JESUS SAYS, "SUFFICIENT FOR THE DAY IS 12:50 ITS OWN TROUBLE." NOW, WHY IS IT THAT 12:52 CHRISTIANS ARE NOT TO WORRY? THERE ARE THREE REASONS, 12:55 IN PARTICULAR, WHY WE AS CHRISTIANS, SHOULD NOT WORRY. 12:58 THE FIRST IS IN ROMANS CHAPTER 8, VERSE 28, WHICH SAYS, "ALL 13:03 THINGS" - CAN YOU FINISH THE VERSE? - "ALL THINGS WORK 13:06 TOGETHER FOR" - >>GOOD. 13:08 >>"FOR GOOD TO THOSE WHO LOVE GOD, TO THOSE WHO ARE CALLED 13:12 ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE." SO THE PROMISE THAT WE FIND IN 13:16 SCRIPTURE IS THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD FOR THOSE 13:19 WHO ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE. 13:21 WHAT IS THE PURPOSE THAT GOD HAS FOR US, AS BELIEVERS? 13:26 THERE ARE REALLY TWO THINGS THAT GOD HAS PURPOSED FOR EVERY ONE 13:30 OF US. NUMBER 1: THAT WE REVEAL THE 13:32 LIKENESS OF CHRIST'S CHARACTER. CAN SUFFERINGS HELP TO REVEAL 13:37 CHRIST'S CHARACTER IN OUR LIVES? YES. 13:41 THE SECOND IT TO WORK FOR THE ENLARGEMENT OF HIS KINGDOM. 13:44 SO, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE GOING THROUGH TRIALS AND DIFFICULTIES, 13:47 GOD HAS A PURPOSE IN ALLOWING THESE THINGS TO COME TO US. 13:50 NUMBER 1, IT'S REVEALING CHRIST'S CHARACTER TO THE WORLD 13:53 THROUGH SUFFERING, BUT IT'S ALSO WORKING FOR THE ENLARGEMENT OF 13:57 HIS KINGDOM BY WITNESSING, ESPECIALLY IN TRIALS WHEN WE 14:01 HAVE FAITH AND PATIENCE AND CONFIDENCE IN GOD. 14:04 THERE'S ANOTHER REASON WHY A CHRISTIAN IS NOT TO WORRY - 2 14:08 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 12, VERSE 9 SAYS, "MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT 14:13 FOR THEE." ISN'T THAT A WONDERFUL PROMISE? 14:16 WHATEVER THE TRIAL, WHATEVER THE DIFFICULTY, GOD SAYS, "MY GRACE 14:19 IS SUFFICIENT FOR THEE." NOW, THE WORD GRACE THERE IS NOT 14:22 ONLY GOD'S UNMERITED FAVOR, BUT IT ALSO HAS THE CONNECTION 14:25 OF GOD'S SUSTAINING POWER. SO GOD'LL GIVE US STRENGTH - 14:29 HE'LL GIVE US POWER TO FACE EVERY TRIAL AND DIFFICULTY THAT 14:33 COMES OUR WAY, IF WE KEEP OUR HEARTS CENTERED UPON HIM. 14:36 AND THEN, THIRDLY - THE THIRD REASON WHY CHRISTIANS OUGHT NOT 14:39 TO WORRY: 1 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 10, AND VERSE 13, "BUT GOD IS 14:44 FAITHFUL, WHO WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO BE TEMPTED BEYOND WHAT YOU 14:47 ARE ABLE, BUT WITH THE TEMPTATION WILL ALSO MAKE THE 14:52 WAY OF ESCAPE, THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO BEAR IT." 14:56 JESUS KNOWS OUR HEARTS. HE KNOWS OUR FRAME. 14:59 HE KNOWS WHAT WE CAN ENDURE. AND SO GOD IS NOT GOING TO ALLOW 15:02 US TO BE TEMPTED OR TESTED OR TRIED TO THE POINT WHERE WE 15:07 CANNOT ENDURE, BUT WITH THE TRIAL HE ALWAYS HAS A WAY OF 15:10 ESCAPE TO SUSTAIN AS WE TRUST IN HIM. THREE REASONS WHY 15:15 CHRISTIANS OUGHT NOT TO WORRY - GOD IS WORKING ALL THINGS OUT 15:19 FOR OUR GOOD, HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR US, AND HE KNOWS 15:23 WHAT WE CAN ENDURE. AMEN? 15:27 THE QUESTION IS OFTEN ASKED, AND TIES INTO OUR LESSON HERE, 'IF 15:30 GOD IS GOOD, WHY DOES GOD ALLOW BAD THINGS TO HAPPEN TO PEOPLE.' 15:35 HAVE YOU HAD THAT QUESTION BEFORE? 15:36 I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THAT - MATTER OF FACT, YOU CAN JUST 15:39 GO ONLINE AND YOU CAN TYPE IN 'WHY DOES GOD LET BAD THINGS 15:42 HAPPEN TO PEOPLE?' AND YOU'LL COME UP WITH ALL 15:43 KINDS OF ANSWERS, BUT THERE WERE FOUR IN PARTICULAR THAT I 15:46 NOTICED THAT I WANTED TO MENTION. 15:48 THE FIRST REASON THAT'S GIVEN AS TO WHY BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO 15:51 PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY GOOD PEOPLE, OR CHRISTIANS, ONE OF THE 15:55 REASONS IS: 'ALL ARE SINNERS AND THEREFORE DESERVING OF SOME 15:59 DEGREE OF SUFFERING.' WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT ANSWER? 16:04 WE'RE ALL SINNERS AND SO, IF WE SUFFER, WELL, WE PROBABLY 16:07 DESERVE IT. NOW, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THIS WAS 16:10 THE PREDOMINANT VIEW IN THE TIME OF JESUS. 16:12 THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS FELT THAT IF SOMETHING BAD HAPPENED TO YOU 16:15 OR IF YOU WERE SUFFERING, IT WAS BECAUSE OF SOME HIDDEN SIN THAT 16:18 YOU HAD IN YOUR HEART OR IN YOUR LIFE. 16:21 IT WAS ALSO THE VIEW THAT WE SEE REVEALED WHEN JOB'S FRIENDS CAME 16:26 AND SAT DOWN TO CONSULT WITH JOB. 16:28 WHAT DID THEY SAY TO JOB? THEY SAID, 'YOU MUST HAVE SOME 16:30 TERRIBLE WICKEDNESS WITHIN YOU BECAUSE OF ALL OF THESE TERRIBLE 16:33 THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED TO YOU.' BUT IS THAT THE POSITION 16:36 THAT THE BIBLE GIVES WITH REFERENCE TO WHY BAD THINGS 16:39 HAPPEN TO PEOPLE? NO, NOT AT ALL. 16:41 IN JOHN, CHAPTER NINE, VERSE 1 - FROM VERSE 1 TO VERSE 3 WE HAVE 16:45 THESE WORDS - IT SAYS, "NOW AS JESUS PASSED BY, HE SAW A MAN 16:49 WHO WAS BLIND FROM BIRTH." - YOU REMEMBER THE STORY - "AND 16:52 HIS DISCIPLES ASKED HIM, SAYING, 'RABBI, WHO SINNED, THIS MAN OR 16:57 HIS PARENTS, THAT HE WAS BORN BLIND?'" - DO YOU UNDERSTAND 17:01 THEIR QUESTIONING HERE? THIS MAN IS BLIND, THEREFORE HE MUST BE A 17:05 GREAT SINNER. BUT IF HE WAS BORN BLIND, HOW 17:09 COULD HE BE GUILTY OF SIN BEFORE HE WAS EVEN BORN? 17:12 WELL, THEN, IT MUST BE THE SINS OF THE PARENTS AND THAT'S THE 17:15 REASON HE'S SUFFERING.' HOW DID JESUS RESPOND TO THIS? 17:19 JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID, 'NEITHER THIS MAN NOR HIS 17:22 PARENTS SINNED.' - AND THEN HE SAID, 'BUT THAT THE WORKS OF GOD 17:26 SHOULD BE REVEALED IN HIM.' SO JESUS MADE IT QUITE CLEAR THAT 17:30 NOT ALL SUFFERING IS THE RESULT OF OUR OWN SINS; SOMETIMES THESE 17:35 THINGS HAPPEN. NOW, THE ANSWER - SPECIFICALLY 17:37 AS TO WHY THESE THINGS HAPPEN - WE'LL GET TO IN JUST A FEW 17:40 MOMENTS, BUT NOTICE JESUS SAYS EVEN IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING, 17:43 GOD IS ABLE TO WORK THINGS OUT TOWARDS HIS GLORY. 17:47 AND, OF COURSE, THAT VERSE THAT WE LOOKED AT EARLIER, 'ALL 17:50 THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THOSE WHO LOVE GOD.' ALRIGHT, 17:54 ANOTHER REASON THAT'S OFTEN GIVEN AS TO WHY BAD THINGS 17:56 HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE, AND THIS IS THE REASON: 'GOD'S REASONS 18:00 CANNOT BE UNDERSTOOD BY HUMANS SO DON'T EVEN ASK.' WHAT DO YOU 18:05 THINK OF THAT REASON? SO BAD THINGS ARE HAPPENING TO YOU, 18:08 WELL, YOU CAN NEVER UNDERSTAND GOD'S REASONS - DON'T EVEN ASK. 18:11 IS THAT KIND OF THE WAY GOD FEELS? NO, NOT AT ALL. WHAT DOES 18:14 - ISAIAH CHAPTER 1, VERSE 18 - GOD SAYS, "'COME NOW, AND LET 18:17 US'" - DO WHAT? - "'REASON TOGETHER,' SAYS THE LORD." 18:21 AND THEN WE ALSO FIND IN JOHN CHAPTER 15, VERSE 15 - JESUS, 18:25 SPEAKING TO HIS DISCIPLES SAID, "NO LONGER DO I CALL YOU 18:27 SERVANTS, FOR A SERVANT DOES NOT KNOW WHAT HIS MASTER IS DOING; 18:33 BUT I HAVE CALLED YOU FRIENDS, FOR ALL THINGS THAT I HEARD FROM 18:36 MY FATHER I HAVE MADE KNOWN TO YOU." 18:40 ISN'T THAT AN INTERESTING VERSE? 18:42 JESUS REFERRED TO HIS DISCIPLES AND HE SAID, 'YOU ARE FRIENDS.' 18:44 MEANING, 'I AM REVEALING TO YOU WHY GOD IS ALLOWING THINGS TO 18:49 HAPPEN. I'M PULLING BACK THE CURTAIN TO 18:51 REVEAL THE GREAT CONTROVERSY IN GOD'S DEALINGS WITH MANKIND. 18:54 WELL, ANOTHER REASON THAT'S SOMETIMES GIVEN, AS TO WHY BAD 18:57 THINGS HAPPEN TO PEOPLE: 'GOD DOESN'T NEED TO JUSTIFY HIS 19:01 ACTIONS TO THOSE THAT HE CREATED.' WHAT DO YOU THINK OF 19:06 THAT REASON? GOD DOESN'T HAVE TO JUSTIFY HIS 19:08 ACTIONS TO US BECAUSE WE WERE CREATED BY HIM. 19:12 WELL, THAT'S NOT IN HARMONY WITH THE BIBLE EITHER. 19:14 ROMANS CHAPTER 14, VERSE 11, "FOR IT IS WRITTEN: 'AS I LIVE, 19:18 SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE 19:22 SHALL CONFESS TO GOD.'" NOW THIS IS TALKING ABOUT THAT FINAL 19:26 JUDGMENT THAT OCCURS AT THE END OF THE 1000-YEAR PERIOD, KNOWN 19:29 AS THE MILLENNIUM, WHERE THE GREAT CONTROVERSY IS REVEALED TO 19:33 EVERYONE, EVEN THE WICKED, AND THEY GET TO SEE GOD'S DEALINGS 19:38 WITH MANKIND. AND, AS A RESULT OF SEEING GOD'S 19:41 COMPASSION AND GOD'S LOVE, THROUGHOUT THE GREAT 19:44 CONTROVERSY, AS IT HAS BEEN REVEALED, EVERY KNEE ENDS 19:47 UP BOWING AND EVERY TONGUE CONFESSING THAT 19:50 JESUS CHRIST IS LORD. SO GOD WANTS US TO CHOOSE 19:53 TO SERVE HIM BASED UPON UNDERSTANDING. 19:56 DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? BASED UPON REASON. OUR FAITH HAS EVIDENCE. 20:00 EVIDENCE IS BASED UPON GOD'S CHARACTER - GOD'S LOVE. 20:04 ALRIGHT THEN, A FOURTH REASON THAT IS GIVEN - I THINK THIS IS 20:07 THE BEST OUT OF THE REASONS THAT I'VE GIVEN THIS MORNING: 20:09 'GOD VALUES FREEDOM OF CHOICE. THAT'S WHY THERE IS SUFFERING IN 20:15 THE WORLD TODAY.' LET'S THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MINUTE. 20:18 GOD VALUES FREEDOM OF CHOICE. 20:21 WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF EVERY TIME SOMEBODY CHOOSES TO DO SOMETHING 20:25 THAT'S GOING TO BRING SUFFERING UPON THEMSELVES OR SOMEBODY 20:28 ELSE, GOD VETOES THAT CHOICE AND DOESN'T ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN? 20:33 WHERE IS FREEDOM? RIGHT? ARE YOU WITH ME? 20:36 SO GOD HAS GIVEN US FREEDOM, NOT ONLY TO CHOOSE TO DO THE RIGHT 20:39 THING, BUT GOD HAS GIVEN US FREEDOM TO CHOOSE TO DO THE 20:42 WRONG THING. AND IF WE CHOOSE TO DO THE WRONG 20:45 THING, THAT NATURAL CONSEQUENCES OF THOSE BAD CHOICES IS 20:49 SUFFERING. AND, NOT ONLY IS IT SUFFERING 20:51 THAT COMES TO US, BUT THE CHOICES WE MAKE OFTEN 20:55 BRING SUFFERING TO OTHERS. ISN'T THAT TRUE? 20:58 I MEAN, THINK OF THE CHOICE THAT ADAM AND EVE MADE BACK IN THE 21:00 GARDEN OF EDEN. DID THAT MAKE SUFFERING 21:02 UPON US AND UPON THE WORLD? YES IT DID. 21:05 BUT GOD VALUES FREEDOM OF CHOICE AND, IF GOD WERE TO REMOVE ALL 21:10 BAD CHOICES OR ALL SUFFERING, WELL, THEN, WHERE WOULD BE THE 21:14 FREEDOM TO CHOOSE? AND, AFTER ALL, GOD IS LOVE. 21:18 LOVE CANNOT BE FORCED. YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE TO LOVE GOD. 21:23 AND SO, GOD RESPECTS FREEDOM. 21:25 WE FIND IN DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 30, VERSE 19, GOD SAYS, '"HAVE 21:29 SET BEFORE YOU LIFE AND DEATH, BLESSING AND CURSING; THEREFORE 21:34 CHOOSE LIFE, THAT BOTH YOU AND YOUR DESCENDANTS MAY LIVE.' AND 21:38 THAT FAMOUS VERSE IN JOSHUA CHAPTER 24, VERSE 15, "...CHOOSE 21:42 FOR YOURSELVES THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE." 21:47 NOW WE CAN SEE AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IN THE EXPERIENCE OF JESUS. 21:51 WHEN JESUS WAS BEING ARRESTED THERE IN THE GARDEN OF 21:55 GETHSEMANE, THE SOLDIERS CAME AND, AT FIRST, PETER PULLED THE 21:59 SWORD AND WENT UP AGAINST THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND THE ROMANS AND 22:04 BEGAN SWINGING HIS SWORD AND CHOPPED OFF THE HIGH PRIEST'S 22:07 SERVANT'S EAR. AND JESUS SAID TO PETER, 'PUT AWAY THE SWORD. 22:11 HE WHO LIVES BY THE SWORD SHALL DIE BY THE SWORD.' AND THEN 22:14 JESUS SAID SOMETHING INTERESTING. 22:16 HE SAID, 'DO YOU NOT NOW KNOW THAT I CAN CALL TWELVE LEGIONS 22:19 OF ANGELS TO COME AND DELIVER ME FROM THE ROMANS - FROM THE CHIEF 22:23 PRIESTS?' NOW, A LEGION WAS 5,000 SOLDIERS. 22:27 TWELVE WOULD BE 60,000, SO JESUS COULD HAVE CALLED FOR 60,000 22:32 ANGELS TO COME AND DELIVER HIM FROM THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS - THE 22:36 JEWISH RELIGIOUS LEADERS - AND THE ROMANS, BUT WHY DIDN'T JESUS 22:41 DO THAT? BECAUSE JESUS RESPECTED 22:44 THE FREEDOM OF CHOICE. ARE YOU WITH ME? 22:48 JESUS ALLOWED HIS ENEMIES TO CHOOSE TO REJECT HIM. 22:54 JESUS ALLOWED HIS ENEMIES TO CHOOSE TO EVEN BRING SUFFERING 22:57 UPON HIMSELF BECAUSE JESUS RESPECTS FREEDOM. 23:01 DOES THAT MAKE SENSE WITH EVERYBODY? 23:04 NOW SOMEBODY MIGHT ASK THE QUESTION: 'WELL, IF JESUS 23:07 RESPECTS FREEDOM OF CHOICE AND HE LETS EVERYBODY CHOOSE AND, AS 23:11 A RESULT, THERE'S SUFFERING OR THERE IS BLESSING, BASED ON OUR 23:13 CHOICE, WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES INTERCESSORY PRAYER MAKE, RIGHT? 23:18 IF SOMEBODY'S GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE A DECISION AND GOD'S 23:20 GOING TO LET THAT PERSON MAKE THE DECISION, WHAT DIFFERENCE IS 23:24 INTERCESSORY PRAYER? WHY SHOULD I PRAY FOR SOMEBODY ELSE?' 23:27 WELL, INTERCESSORY PRAYER DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND HERE'S 23:30 WHY: IN THE GREAT CONTROVERSY BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL, THERE ARE 23:33 CERTAIN RULES OF ENGAGEMENT, SO TO SPEAK. 23:36 THERE ARE THINGS THAT GOD WILL NOT ALLOW SATAN TO DO. 23:39 WE CAN BE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT. 23:41 DO YOU REMEMBER THE STORY OF JOB? 23:42 THERE WAS THIS GATHERING IN HEAVEN AND GOD WON'T ALLOW SATAN 23:46 TO TAKE JOB'S LIFE, ALTHOUGH HE DID ALLOW HIM TO SUFFER? 23:49 SO THERE ARE CERTAIN RULES - THINGS THAT GOD WILL NOT ALLOW 23:52 SATAN TO DO. NOW, WHEN IT COMES TO THIS GREAT 23:54 CONTROVERSY, WHEN WE PRAY AND INTERCEDE ON BEHALF OF SOMEBODY 23:59 ELSE, THAT ENABLES GOD TO DO MORE TO INFLUENCE THAT PERSON, 24:03 TO HELP ENCOURAGE THAT PERSON TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE. 24:07 AND WHEN THE DEVIL SAYS, 'FOUL PLAY! YOU'RE BREAKING THE RULES. 24:11 YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT.' GOD SAYS, 'YES, I HAVE A RIGHT 24:14 TO DO THAT BECAUSE SOMEBODY'S INTERCEDING FOR THAT PERSON.' 24:17 YOU UNDERSTAND? SO INTERCESSORY PRAYER 24:21 DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT IN THIS 24:24 GREAT CONTROVERSY THAT WE'VE BEEN STUDYING ABOUT. 24:27 ALRIGHT, WELL MOVING RIGHT ALONG THEN, ON SUNDAY THE LESSON IS 24:30 ENTITLED GOD IN NATURE AND WE HAVE A SCRIPTURE THAT WE'RE 24:33 GOING TO READ HERE, ROMANS CHAPTER 1, VERSES 18 THROUGH 20 24:37 AND WE'LL GET TO THAT IN JUST A MINUTE. 24:38 BUT IN SUNDAY'S LESSON, THE SECOND PARAGRAPH SAYS "NO 24:42 QUESTION, THE NATURAL DOES REVEAL MUCH TO US ABOUT THE 24:46 EXISTENCE OF GOD. MODERN SCIENCE, TOO, HAS 24:49 REVEALED TO US DETAILS ABOUT THE MARVELS OF CREATION THAT OUR 24:53 ANCESTORS, EVEN JUST 300 YEARS AGO, MUCH LESS 3,000 YEARS AGO, 24:57 COULD NOT EVEN HAVE BEGUN TO IMAGINE. 25:01 IT'S INTERESTING, THERE IS AN IRONY HERE AND THAT IS, THE MORE 25:04 COMPLEXITY THAT SCIENCE FINDS IN LIFE, THE LESS LIKELY BECOMES 25:09 THE MEANS SCIENCE CLAIMS FOR ITS ORIGIN - THAT OF ACCIDENT AND 25:12 CHANCE." NOW ISN'T THAT INTERESTING? THE MORE WE 25:15 DISCOVER ABOUT THE HUMAN BODY OR THE CELL OR THE THINGS OF 25:18 NATURE, THE MORE IT TESTIFIES OF A MASTER DESIGNER THAT ORGANIZED 25:23 AND PUT ALL OF THESE THINGS TOGETHER. ALRIGHT, LET'S READ 25:25 ROMANS CHAPTER 1, BEGINNING IN VERSE 18. 25:28 >>"FOR THE WRATH OF GOD IS REVEALED FROM HEAVEN AGAINST ALL 25:32 UNGODLINESS AND UNRIGHTEOUSNESS OF MEN, WHO SUPPRESS THE TRUTH 25:38 IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, BECAUSE WHAT MAY BE KNOWN OF GOD IS MANIFEST 25:45 IN THEM, FOR GOD HAS SHOWN IT TO THEM. 25:49 FOR SINCE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD HIS INVISIBLE ATTRIBUTES 25:55 ARE CLEARLY SEEN, BEING UNDERSTOOD BY THE THINGS THAT 26:00 ARE MADE, EVEN HIS ETERNAL POWER AND GODHEAD, SO THAT THEY ARE 26:07 WITHOUT EXCUSE." >>ALRIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU. 26:10 NOTICE THE PART IN THE VERSE THERE, IT SAYS, "FOR SINCE THE 26:14 CREATION OF THE WORLD HIS INVISIBLE ATTRIBUTES ARE CLEARLY 26:17 SEEN." SO THERE IS EVIDENCE OF GOD'S 26:20 CREATIVE WORK IN THE THINGS AROUND US. 26:23 NOW HOW DOES CREATION REVEAL TO US GOD? 26:26 AND I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE YOU FOUR QUICK OR FIVE QUICK 26:29 EXAMPLES OF HOW CREATION REVEALS GOD: #1) THE LOCATION OF THE 26:34 EARTH. IT'S PRETTY IMPORTANT THAT 26:36 PLANET EARTH BE LOCATED JUST WHERE IT IS, ESPECIALLY 26:39 IN RELATION TO THE SUN. WE'RE AT JUST THE RIGHT DISTANCE 26:42 FROM THE SUN TO GET EXACTLY THE AMOUNT OF HEAT NEEDED TO SUSTAIN 26:46 LIFE HERE ON THIS PLANET. #2) THE ROTATION OF THE EARTH. 26:51 HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR THE EARTH TO TURN? 26:53 24 HOURS. HAVE YOU EVER STOPPED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN 26:56 IF THE EARTH SLOWED DOWN? LET'S SAY IT TOOK 36 HOURS FOR 27:02 THE EARTH TO MAKE A COMPLETE CIRCUIT. 27:04 THAT WOULD RESULT IN INTENSE HEAT - LONGER DAYS - AND INTENSE 27:09 COLD - LONGER NIGHTS. SO EVEN THE ROTATION OF THE 27:13 EARTH IS PERFECTLY DESIGNED BY GOD. 27:16 WHAT ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE EARTH? 27:18 THE SIZE OF THE EARTH IS RATHER IMPORTANT. 27:20 IF THE EARTH WERE THE SIZE OF THE MOON, THERE WOULDN'T BE 27:24 SUFFICIENT GRAVITATIONAL PULL FOR US TO HAVE AN ATMOSPHERE. 27:27 WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HAVE WATER. 27:29 IF THE EARTH WAS DOUBLE THE SIZE THAT IT CURRENTLY IS, THE 27:33 ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE WOULD INCREASE TO ABOUT 30 POUNDS PER 27:37 SQUARE INCH. THAT'S LIKE LIVING 70 FEET 27:40 UNDER WATER - THAT WOULD BE THE ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE. 27:43 SO THE SIZE OF THE EARTH IS IMPORTANT. 27:46 POINT #4) THE MOON IS JUST THE RIGHT DISTANCE FROM THE EARTH - 27:50 NOT TOO CLOSE, NOT TOO FAR. IF THE MOON WAS 50,000 MILES 27:56 CLOSER OR FURTHER THAN THE 280 - 238,900 MILES FROM EARTH, THE 28:04 OCEAN TIDES WOULD COMPLETELY SUBMERGE THE CONTINENTS TWICE A 28:09 DAY, BUT THE MOON IS JUST THE RIGHT DISTANCE AWAY. AND THEN, 28:13 OF COURSE, THE ATMOSPHERE ON EARTH IS PERFECT FOR LIFE. 28:17 IF IT WASN'T FOR OUR ATMOSPHERE, WE WOULD HAVE DEADLY RADIATION - 28:21 NOTHING TO SHIELD US FROM THE RADIATION FROM THE SUN. 28:24 NOW JOB CHAPTER 12, VERSE 7 SAYS THIS: "BUT NOW ASK THE BEASTS, 28:30 AND THEY WILL TEACH YOU; AND THE BIRDS OF THE AIR, AND THEY WILL 28:33 TELL YOU; OR SPEAK TO THE EARTH, AND IT WILL TEACH YOU; AND THE 28:37 FISH OF THE SEA WILL EXPLAIN TO YOU. 28:40 WHO AMONG ALL THESE DOES NOT KNOW THAT THE HAND OF THE LORD 28:43 HAS DONE THIS, IN WHOSE HAND IS THE LIFE OF EVERY LIVING THING, 28:47 AND THE BREATH OF ALL MANKIND?" SO THERE, JOB, WE READ THAT 28:51 NATURE REVEALS TO US THE AUTHOR OF ALL CREATION. 28:56 IT IS GOD. IT IS THE CREATOR. 28:59 NOW SCIENCE REVEALS THE CREATOR - AND HERE'S WHY: SCIENCE IS 29:05 GOVERNED BY CERTAIN LAWS, FOR EXAMPLE: THE LAW OF GRAVITY. 29:09 AND A DEFINITION OF SCIENCE THAT WE HAVE IS THE STUDY OF THE 29:12 NATURAL WORLD BASED UPON FACTS LEARNED THROUGH EXPERIMENTS AND 29:17 OBSERVATIONS. SO, IN LOOKING AT THE NATURAL 29:20 WORLD, WE CAN TAKE NOTE OF CERTAIN OBSERVATIONS AND 29:24 WE CAN DO EXPERIMENTS. THERE ARE THREE, IN PARTICULAR 29:27 THAT HELP TO TESTIFY OF A CREATOR. 29:29 THE FIRST IS THAT ALL MATERIAL HAS A SOURCE. 29:32 ISN'T THAT TRUE? I COME HOME ONE EVENING AND 29:36 THERE IS A PLATE OF FOOD IN THE MICROWAVE READY TO BE HEATED. 29:41 WELL, THAT'S EVIDENCE THAT MY WIFE HAS MADE A SPECIAL MEAL AND 29:45 PUT IT IN THE MICROWAVE FOR ME TO EAT WHEN I GET HOME. 29:47 I WOULDN'T COME AND OPEN UP THE MICROWAVE AND SEE A PLATE OF 29:49 FOOD AND GO, 'OH, LOOK AT THAT. PLATE OF FOOD MADE ITSELF.' 29:54 ALL MATERIAL COMES FROM SOMEWHERE, RIGHT? IT HAS A 29:57 SOURCE. SO THAT'S A LAW OF SCIENCE. ANOTHER IS THAT LIFE 30:01 ONLY COMES FROM LIFE. LIFE COMES FROM LIFE. 30:07 NOW, SOMEBODY MIGHT SAY, 'WELL, WHAT ABOUT A SEED? 30:09 ISN'T A SEED DEAD?' WELL, WHERE DOES 30:11 THE SEED COME FROM? THE SEED COMES FROM LIFE. 30:14 IT COMES FROM A PLANT, DOESN'T IT? 30:16 BUT YOU DON'T GET LIFE FROM SOMETHING THAT IS NOT LIFE OR IS 30:19 NOT LIVING. SO THAT'S ANOTHER PRINCIPLE 30:22 - ANOTHER LAW OF SCIENCE. AND THEN, THIRDLY, 30:24 INTERDEPENDENCY COMES FROM DESIGN. ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT 30:28 LAW OF SCIENCE. AND THE GREATER THE 30:30 INTERDEPENDENCY, THE GREATER THE NEED FOR A DESIGNER. 30:34 THINK OF A WATCH - THESE OLD-FASHIONED WRIST WATCHES WITH 30:36 ALL OF THE DIFFERENT COGS AND THE GEARS. 30:39 IN ORDER FOR THAT TO WORK NICELY TOGETHER, HARMONIOUSLY, SOMEBODY 30:44 HAD TO DESIGN THAT AND PUT IT ALL TOGETHER. 30:47 I THINK OF THE AUTOMOBILE WITH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PARTS WITH 30:50 MANY OF THEM MOVING AND THEY'RE INTERACTING WITH OTHER PARTS. 30:53 SOMEBODY HAD TO DESIGN THAT. SOMEBODY HAD TO PUT 30:55 THAT ALL TOGETHER. THAT IS A LAW OF SCIENCE. 30:58 AND WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT THE HUMAN BODY AND TALKING ABOUT 31:01 THE CELLS AND HOW ALL OF THIS WORKS TOGETHER, THAT'S EVIDENCE, 31:04 INDEED, THAT THERE IS A CREATOR GOD. 31:07 SOMEBODY PUT THIS ALL TOGETHER. 31:09 SO CREATION TESTIFIES OF THE CREATOR. 31:13 ONE OF THE ILLUSTRATIONS THAT I LIKE TO USE, WITH REFERENCE TO 31:17 GOD'S CREATIVE POWER IN PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER, IS SOMETHING 31:20 THEY DON'T OFTEN THINK ABOUT, BUT IT'S THE EAR OF THE BAT. 31:25 A LITTLE ANIMAL - A LITTLE INSECT - NOT INSECT BUT EATS 31:28 INSECTS - A LITTLE - IT'S NOT A RODENT, IS IT? 31:31 >>MAMMAL. >>FLYING - IT'S A MAMMAL. 31:33 THE BAT, FLYING AROUND EATING THESE INSECTS, HE HAS THESE 31:37 GIANT EARS. NOW HOW DOES THE 31:39 BAT LOCATE ITS PREY? IT USES ECHOLOCATION, RIGHT? 31:44 SENDS OUT THESE HIGH-PITCHED SQUEALS AND, AS THESE SOUND 31:49 WAVES BOUNCE BACK FROM WHATEVER IT IS THAT HE'S TRYING TO GET, 31:53 THE BIG EARS OF THE BAT PICK UP THAT ECHO THAT COMES BACK. 31:57 BUT AS SCIENTISTS STUDIED THIS, THEY BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT THE 32:00 EARS OF THE BAT ARE VERY, VERY SENSITIVE - AND THEY HAVE TO BE 32:05 IN ORDER TO PICK UP THOSE FAINT ECHOS THAT COME BACK FROM THEIR 32:07 HIGH-PITCHED SCREAMS. BUT THE QUESTION WAS ASKED, 'IF 32:11 THE EARS ARE SO SENSITIVE TO PICK UP THE ECHO, WHY IS IT THAT 32:16 THE LOUD NOISES THAT THE BAT MAKES DOESN'T DEAFEN THE BAT?' 32:20 THEY DID SOME STUDIES AND FOUND OUT, SURE ENOUGH, THE VOLUME OF 32:24 THE NOISE MADE BY THE BAT, BASED UPON THE SENSITIVITY OF ITS EAR, 32:28 WOULD INDEED DEAFEN THE BAT. SO THEY DID SOME FURTHER STUDY 32:32 AND WHAT THEY FOUND IS THERE ARE THREE LITTLE BONES IN THE EAR OF 32:35 THE BAT THAT CONNECT THE EARDRUM TO THE INNER EAR. 32:38 AND, ON THE MIDDLE BONE, THERE IS A TINY LITTLE MUSCLE AND JUST 32:42 BEFORE THE BAT LETS OUT ONE OF THOSE HIGH-PITCHED SCREAMS, THE 32:47 LITTLE MUSCLE PULLS TIGHT AND IT SEPARATES THE BONE FROM THE 32:51 EARDRUM TO THE INNER EAR. SO WHEN THE BAT SCREAMS, IT 32:55 ACTUALLY DOES NOT HEAR THE SCREAM. 32:58 AND, AS SOON AS IT'S DONE SCREAMING, THE LITTLE MUSCLE 33:00 RELAXES AND ALL THE BAT HEARS IS THE ECHO BOUNCING BACK. 33:06 AND THE BAT CAN DO THIS MORE THAN A HUNDRED TIMES A SECOND. 33:11 NOW THAT'S MASTER DESIGN, ISN'T IT? 33:13 >>AMEN. >>THAT TESTIFIES THAT THERE IS A 33:15 CREATOR THAT IS CONCERNED EVEN ABOUT THE LITTLE CREATURES 33:18 THAT HE HAS MADE. ALRIGHT, ON MONDAY'S LESSON WE 33:22 HAVE THE THEME CALLED NOTHING CAME FROM ITSELF . 33:27 AND WE HAVE A VERSE HERE - REVELATION CHAPTER 4, VERSE 11, 33:31 AND I'M GOING TO HAVE SOMEBODY READ THAT FOR US - REVELATION 33:33 CHAPTER 4, VERSE 11. >>"YOU ARE WORTHY, O LORD, TO 33:38 RECEIVE GLORY AND HONOR AND POWER; FOR YOU CREATED ALL 33:41 THINGS, AND BY YOUR WILL THEY EXIST AND WERE CREATED." 33:46 >>ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. YOU'LL NOTICE, THE READING HERE 33:48 IS FROM REVELATION CHAPTER 4 AND REVELATION CHAPTER 4 IS REALLY 33:51 A DESCRIPTION OF THE HEAVENLY THRONE ROOM. 33:53 THE CHAPTER BEGINS BY DESCRIBING GOD SEATED UPON HIS THRONE, 33:56 SURROUNDING THE THRONE ARE THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES, ALL WITH 33:59 DIFFERENT FACES - THE FACE OF A LION, THE FACE OF AN OX, THE 34:03 FACE OF A MAN, THE FACE OF A FLYING EAGLE. AND THEN, IN FRONT 34:06 OF THE THRONE, THERE ARE SEVEN BURNING LAMPS OF FIRE. 34:09 THEN THERE'S THE DESCRIPTION OF THE 24 ELDERS AND THEN YOU HAVE 34:12 ALL THE ANGELS THERE ON THE SEA OF GLASS. 34:15 AND WHEN ALL OF THE CREATED BEINGS SEE GOD IN HIS GLORY - IN 34:19 HIS MAJESTY - THEIR RESPONSE IS 'YOU ARE WORTHY TO RECEIVE GLORY 34:24 AND HONOR AND POWER; FOR YOU HAVE CREATED ALL THINGS.' NOW, 34:28 THERE ARE TWO THINGS IN THE VERSE THAT I WANT YOU TO NOTE: 34:30 NOT ONLY IS GOD THE CREATOR, BUT IT ALSO SAYS THAT HE IS THE 34:34 SUSTAINER. YOU HAVE CREATED ALL THINGS, IT 34:39 SAYS, 'AND BY YOUR WILL THEY EXIST' - MEANING GOD 34:42 SUSTAINS ALL THINGS. SO HE'S THE SOURCE AND THE 34:45 SUSTAINER OF ALL THINGS. IT'S ONE THING TO, YOU KNOW, 34:51 CREATE A CHILD; IT'S ANOTHER THING TO SUSTAIN THAT CHILD 34:56 - ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE TEENAGERS. 34:58 LIKE ME, I HAVE TEENAGERS - BOY, MY BOYS, THEY EAT - THEY CAN EAT 35:02 A LOAF OF BREAD AT ONE SITTING. IT TAKES A LOT OF MONEY, RIGHT, 35:04 TO SUSTAIN THE CHILDREN. AND SO GOD NOT ONLY CREATED 35:08 THINGS IN THE BEGINNING, BUT HE SUSTAINS ALL THINGS. 35:11 HE SUSTAINS HIS CREATION. COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 1, VERSES 16 35:15 AND 17 SAYS, "FOR BY HIM ALL THINGS WERE CREATED THAT ARE 35:19 IN HEAVEN AND THAT ARE ON THE EARTH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE, 35:22 WHETHER THRONES OR DOMINIONS OR PRINCIPALITIES OR POWERS. 35:25 ALL THINGS WERE CREATED THROUGH HIM" - SPEAKING OF CHRIST - "AND 35:28 FOR HIM. AND HE IS BEFORE ALL THINGS, 35:30 AND IN HIM ALL THINGS CONSIST." - ALL THINGS HOLD TOGETHER. 35:35 SO GOD IS NOT ONLY THE CREATOR BUT HE IS THE SUSTAINER. 35:37 HE IS CONCERNED ABOUT OUR LIVES. HE IS CONCERNED ABOUT ALL OF HIS 35:40 CREATION, FROM THE SMALLEST ATOM TO THE LARGEST SUN OR STAR, GOD 35:46 IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE THINGS THAT HE HAS MADE. 35:49 ANOTHER INTERESTING FACT IS EVERY SECOND THE SUN EMITS FOUR 35:53 HUNDRED TRILLION TRILLION WATTS OF POWER - EVERY SECOND. 35:58 NOW ALL THAT POWER DOESN'T REACH EARTH, BUT THAT IS ENOUGH POWER 36:02 EMITTED BY THE SUN EVERY SECOND TO POWER EVERYTHING ELECTRIC ON 36:06 EARTH FOR FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND YEARS. THAT'S THE 36:10 AMOUNT OF ENERGY RELEASED BY THE SUN IN ONE SECOND. 36:13 AND, OF COURSE, WHERE DID ALL THAT ENERGY COME FROM? 36:15 WELL, GOD IS THE ONE THAT SUSTAINS THAT. 36:17 GOD KEEPS THE SUN BURNING, PROVIDING LIGHT AND HEAT FOR OUR 36:20 WORLD. JOHN CHAPTER 1, VERSES 1 TO 3 - 36:24 IT SAYS, "IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD," - WHO'S THE WORD? 36:27 >>CHRIST. >>THE WORD IS JESUS - "AND THE 36:30 WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD. HE WAS IN THE BEGINNING 36:34 WITH GOD." - THEN IT SAYS, "ALL THINGS WERE 36:36 MADE THROUGH HIM, AND WITHOUT HIM NOTHING WAS MADE THAT WAS 36:40 MADE." NOW THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING 36:43 PARALLELS BETWEEN THE ACCOUNT THAT WE HAVE OF CREATION IN JOHN 36:46 CHAPTER 1 AND WHAT WE READ IN GENESIS CHAPTER 1. BOTH BEGIN 36:51 WITH 'IN THE BEGINNING'. GENESIS CHAPTER 1 - "IN THE 36:54 BEGINNING GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH." 36:57 IN JOHN CHAPTER 1, "IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD." 37:01 HOW DID GOD CREATE IN GENESIS CHAPTER 1? 37:04 IT SAYS, "AND GOD SAID, 'LET THERE BE LIGHT.'" IN JOHN 37:09 CHAPTER 1 IT SAYS, "IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, AND THE 37:13 WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD." 37:15 IT'S ALSO INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT LATER ON IN JOHN CHAPTER 1, 37:19 SPEAKING OF THE WORD - SPEAKING OF JESUS - SAYS, "IN HIM WAS 37:22 LIFE, AND THE LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN." 37:25 IN GENESIS CHAPTER 1, WHAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT GOD CREATES 37:28 AFTER CREATING THE EARTH? "'LET THERE BE LIGHT.' 37:32 AND THERE WAS LIGHT." SO JOHN IS DIRECTING OUR 37:34 ATTENTION BACK TO GENESIS CHAPTER 1, AND HE'S EMPHASIZING 37:37 THE FACT THAT JESUS, THE WORD, IS INVOLVED IN CREATION. 37:42 SO NOT ONLY IS JESUS OUR CREATOR, HE IS ALSO OUR 37:45 REDEEMER. WE BELONG TO JESUS TWO TIMES - 37:49 FIRST BY CREATION, AND THEN BY REDEMPTION. 37:52 ALRIGHT, MOVING ON THEN, WITH TUESDAY'S LESSON, IT'S CALLED 37:56 THE EARLIEST BOOKS AND WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT A VERSE HERE IN 37:59 JUST A MOMENT. IT'S JOHN CHAPTER 16, VERSE 38:01 33, SO IF YOU WANT TO GET THAT READY. IN THE MIDDLE OF 38:05 TUESDAY'S LESSON THERE IT SAYS, "JOB DEALS WITH THE UNIVERSAL 38:09 ISSUE OF HUMAN PAIN AND SUFFERING. AND GOD KNEW THAT 38:13 THIS WOULD BE A BIG QUESTION FOR HUMANS AND, THUS, RIGHT FROM THE 38:15 VERY START IN HIS WORD HE HAD MOSES PEN THE STORY OF JOB." 38:19 GOD LET US KNOW, VERY EARLY ON, THAT WE ARE NOT LEFT ALONE IN 38:24 OUR PAIN AND IN OUR SUFFERING, BUT HE'S THERE. 38:27 HE KNOWS ALL ABOUT IT AND HE - AND WE CAN HAVE HOPE THAT HE 38:31 WILL MAKE THINGS RIGHT IN THE END. 38:33 ALRIGHT, LET'S LOOK AT JOHN CHAPTER 16, VERSE 33. 38:38 >>THESE THINGS I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU, THAT IN ME YOU MAY HAVE 38:41 PEACE. IN THE WORLD YOU WILL HAVE TRIBULATION; BUT BE OF GOOD 38:46 CHEER, I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD." 38:49 >>ALRIGHT, SO HERE JESUS MAKES IT VERY CLEAR - HE SAYS, 'IN THE 38:52 WORLD YOU SHALL HAVE' - WHAT? TRIBULATION. 38:54 WHY IS IT THAT WE HAVE SUFFERING AND TRIBULATION IN THIS WORLD? 38:57 BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE. 39:00 AND, BASED UPON THE CHOICES THAT PEOPLE MAKE, WELL, THAT BRINGS 39:03 SUFFERING AND PAIN. AND WE'RE ALL SHARING A CERTAIN 39:05 DEGREE OF SUFFERING BECAUSE OF THE CHOICE THAT OUR PARENTS MADE 39:09 - ADAM AND EVE - WAY BACK THERE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN. 39:12 BUT, DESPITE THE TRIBULATION AND THE PAIN THAT WE SEE IN OUR 39:15 WORLD TODAY, JESUS PROMISES TO GIVE US COURAGE AND STRENGTH. 39:19 HE WILL SUPPORT US. HE WILL EMPOWER US. 39:22 THERE IS THE PROMISE, THOUGH, THAT GOD WILL NOT ALLOW 39:24 SUFFERING TO CONTINUE FOREVER. ISAIAH CHAPTER 65, VERSE 17, 39:30 "FOR BEHOLD," - GOD SAYS - "I CREATE NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW 39:33 EARTH; AND THE FORMER SHALL NOT BE REMEMBERED OR COME TO MIND." 39:37 THAT'S GOOD NEWS, RIGHT? 39:39 ONE DAY JESUS IS GOING TO COME AND HE'S GOING TO PUT AN END TO 39:42 SUFFERING AND PAIN AND SORROW. THE QUESTION IS, 'WELL, WHY 39:45 DOESN'T JESUS COME AND PUT AN END TO THESE SUFFERINGS?' 39:48 WELL, 2 PETER CHAPTER 3, VERSE 9, "THE LORD IS NOT SLACK 39:52 CONCERNING HIS PROMISE," - IT'S TALKING ABOUT THE SECOND COMING 39:55 - "AS SOME COUNT SLACKNESS, BUT HE IS LONGSUFFERING TOWARD US, 40:01 NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH BUT THAT ALL SHOULD COME 40:04 TO REPENTANCE." WHY HAS JESUS NOT YET COME? 40:07 THE BIBLE SAYS HE'S LONGSUFFERING, NOT WILLING THAT 40:10 ANY SHOULD PERISH BUT THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE. 40:13 JESUS IS WAITING 'TIL THE VERY LAST MOMENT, WANTING TO GIVE 40:15 AS MANY PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO COME TO REPENTANCE 40:19 BECAUSE HE'S NOT WILLING THAT ANY BE LOST. 40:22 BUT, HAVING SAID THAT, THE BIBLE IS QUITE CLEAR THAT THE TIME 40:25 WILL COME WHERE JESUS SAYS, 'HE THAT IS HOLY, LET HIM BE HOLY 40:29 STILL; HE THAT IS FILTHY, LET HIM BE FILTHY STILL.' 40:32 AND PROBATION CLOSES AND JESUS COMES. 40:35 MATTER OF FACT, THAT'S OUR NEXT VERSE. 40:36 DANIEL CHAPTER 12, VERSE 1 - IT SAYS, "AT THAT TIME MICHAEL 40:40 SHALL STAND UP," - WHO'S MICHAEL? 40:42 - THE PROPHETIC NAME OF JESUS - "MICHAEL SHALL STAND UP, THE 40:45 GREAT PRINCE WHO STANDS WATCH OVER THE SONS OF YOUR PEOPLE;" - 40:49 NOTICE, JESUS STANDS WATCH OVER HIS PEOPLE - "AND THERE SHALL BE 40:52 A TIME OF TROUBLE, SUCH AS NEVER WAS SINCE THERE WAS A NATION, 40:55 EVEN TO THAT TIME. AND AT THAT TIME" - HERE'S THE 40:58 PROMISE - "AND AT THAT TIME YOUR PEOPLE SHALL BE DELIVERED, EVERY 41:02 ONE WHO IS FOUND WRITTEN IN THE BOOK. AND MANY OF THOSE WHO 41:06 SLEEP IN THE DUST OF THE EARTH SHALL AWAKE, SOME TO EVERLASTING 41:08 LIFE, SOME TO SHAME AND EVERLASTING CONTEMPT." 41:12 SO THERE IS COMING A TIME WHERE JESUS SAYS PROBATION IS CLOSED. 41:17 'HE THAT'S HOLY, LET HIM BE HOLY STILL; HE THAT'S FILTHY, LET HIM 41:20 BE FILTHY STILL.' THE SAME IDEA IS PORTRAYED IN REVELATION 41:23 CHAPTER 7, WHERE IT DESCRIBES FOUR ANGELS HOLDING BACK THE 41:27 FOUR WINDS OF THE EARTH AND AN ANGEL IS SEEN COMING FROM THE 41:30 EAST AND SAYS TO THE FOUR ANGELS, 'DON'T LET THOSE FOUR 41:33 WINDS OF STRIFE GO 'TIL WE HAVE SEALED THE SERVANTS OF GOD ON 41:37 THEIR FOREHEADS.' SO GOD IS HOLDING BACK THIS FINAL TIME OF 41:41 TROUBLE SO THAT THOSE PEOPLE CAN MAKE A DECISION FOR HIM. 41:46 THAT SEALING HAS TO TAKE PLACE. MATTHEW CHAPTER 24, VERSES 7 AND 41:50 8 - IT SAYS, "FOR NATION WILL RISE AGAINST NATION, AND 41:52 KINGDOM AGAINST KINGDOM. AND THERE WILL BE FAMINES, 41:55 PESTILENCES, AND EARTHQUAKES IN VARIOUS PLACES. 41:57 ALL THESE ARE THE BEGINNING OF SORROWS." 42:01 SO, BEFORE JESUS COMES, THERE WILL BE A TIME OF TROUBLE. 42:04 THERE WILL BE A TRIBULATION HERE ON THE EARTH. 42:07 ALRIGHT, WELL THEN THAT BRINGS US TO OUR WEDNESDAY LESSON 42:10 ENTITLED THE DILEMMA . THE DILEMMA WE SEE HERE IN THE 42:13 BOOK OF JOB AND, BASICALLY, IT'S THE QUESTION: 'IF GOD IS GOOD, 42:16 WHY DOES HE ALLOW BAD THINGS TO HAPPEN TO PEOPLE?' 42:19 AND OUR VERSE THERE IS JOB CHAPTER 6, VERSE 4. 42:23 WOULD SOMEBODY READ THAT FOR US? JOB CHAPTER 6, VERSE 4. 42:27 >>"FOR THE ARROWS OF THE ALMIGHTY ARE WITHIN ME; MY 42:31 SPIRIT DRINKS IN THEIR POISON; THE TERRORS OF GOD ARE ARRAYED 42:38 AGAINST ME." >>ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. 42:40 HERE IS JOB SPEAKING IN HIS SORROW AND HE SAYS IT SEEMS THAT 42:43 'THE ALMIGHTY IS AGAINST ME' AND 'THE TERRORS OF GOD ARE ARRAYED 42:47 AGAINST ME' - MEANING, 'LORD, WHY ARE YOU ALLOWING THESE 42:50 THINGS TO HAPPEN?' NOW, JOB NEVER QUESTIONED THE 42:53 EXISTENCE OF GOD, NOR DID HE QUESTION GOD'S CREATIVE POWER 42:58 AND GOD'S ABILITY TO SUSTAIN. JOB WAS ASKING, 'LORD, WHY? 43:02 WHY ARE THESE THINGS HAPPENING TO ME?' 43:05 AND, OF COURSE, HIS FRIENDS, THEY WERE - THEY WERE SPEAKING 43:09 WORDS OF DISCOURAGEMENT BY SAYING, 'JOB, YOU MUST BE A 43:11 GREAT SINNER. THERE IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE 43:13 HIDING IN YOUR HEART.' WE READ ON IN JOB CHAPTER 10, VERSE 8 - 43:17 JOB SAYS, "YOUR HANDS HAVE MADE ME AND FASHIONED ME," - AND THEN 43:22 HE GOES ON TO SAY, "YET YOU WOULD DESTROY ME. REMEMBER, I 43:26 PRAY, THAT YOU HAVE MADE ME LIKE CLAY." SO HERE, JOB THINKS THAT 43:31 IT'S GOD THAT IS TRYING TO DESTROY HIM. 43:33 WELL, IF YOU GO BACK A LITTLE EARLIER IN THE BOOK OF JOB AND 43:35 YOU READ ABOUT THIS MEETING THAT TOOK PLACE WITH THE 43:39 REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNFALLEN WORLDS AND SATAN CAME 43:41 REPRESENTING EARTH. WHO WAS THE ONE THAT WAS 43:44 REALLY TRYING TO DESTROY JOB? IT WAS SATAN. 43:47 IT WAS GOD THAT WAS PROTECTING JOB FROM SATAN. 43:51 BUT, AT FIRST, JOB DOES NOT UNDERSTAND THIS AND HE BEGINS TO 43:54 ASK THESE QUESTIONS AND HE'S WONDERING, 'WHY LORD? 43:57 WHY ARE THESE THINGS HAPPENING TO ME?' 43:59 AND GOD KEEPS QUIET AS JOB ASKED THESE QUESTIONS. 44:03 AND, FINALLY, AFTER JOB IS THROUGH ASKING ALL THESE 44:06 QUESTIONS, GOD FINALLY RESPONDS TO JOB. 44:08 AND YOU FIND THIS IN JOB CHAPTER 38. 44:11 I REALLY LIKE THIS PASSAGE. GOD DOES NOT EXPLAIN TO JOB 44:15 ABOUT THIS GREAT CONTROVERSY AND THE MEETING THAT TOOK PLACE. 44:18 INSTEAD, GOD SAYS, "THEN THE LORD ANSWERED JOB OUT OF THE 44:22 WHIRLWIND," - THIS IS JOB 38, VERSE 1 - "WHO IS THIS WHO 44:25 DARKENS COUNSEL BY WORDS WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE? NOW PREPARE YOURSELF 44:32 LIKE A MAN; I WILL QUESTION YOU, AND YOU SHALL ANSWER ME. 44:35 WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I LAID THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE EARTH?" 44:39 AND THEN GOD GOES ON TO TALK ABOUT HOW THAT THE SONS OF GOD 44:42 SANG FOR JOY WHEN THE EARTH WAS MADE AND HE TALKS ABOUT THE 44:45 POWER AND THE GLORY AND THE MAJESTY OF ALL THE THINGS THAT 44:48 GOD HAD CREATED. AND HE SPEAKS OF HIS CARE AND 44:51 COMPASSION FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT HE HAS MADE. 44:54 AND, AFTER GOD GETS THROUGH TALKING ABOUT HIS POWER AND HIS 44:57 GLORY AND HIS CREATIVE ABILITY, FINALLY JOB RESPONDS. 45:01 HE SAYS, 'I'VE HEARD ABOUT YOU WITH MY HEARING, BUT NOW MY EYES 45:05 HAVE SEEN YOU. THEREFORE, I REPENT IN DUST AND 45:09 ASHES.' WHEN GOD REVEALED HIS POWER AND HIS GLORY, SUDDENLY 45:12 JOB BEGAN TO REALIZE, 'A GOD THAT CARES SO MUCH TO CREATE ALL 45:17 THESE THINGS; SURELY HE CARES FOR ME. 45:20 AND EVEN THOUGH I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THESE THINGS ARE 45:22 HAPPENING TO ME, I CAN HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT GOD LOVES ME AND 45:26 THAT THERE IS A REASON FOR THIS AND THAT ONE DAY GOD WILL REVEAL 45:30 HIS PLAN TO ME.' OF COURSE, IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, READ 'ALL 45:34 THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THOSE THAT LOVE GOD.' SO, YES, 45:38 AS A CHRISTIAN, WE DO FACE TRIALS AND DIFFICULTIES. 45:41 TROUBLES COME OUR WAY. AND YET, WE HAVE THE PROMISE 45:44 THAT GOD WILL BE WITH US THROUGH EVERY TRIAL. 45:48 YOU KNOW, OUR FAMILY HAD AN EXPERIENCE A NUMBER OF YEARS 45:50 AGO; MY DAD GOT DIAGNOSED WITH A VERY RARE AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE. 45:55 AND FINALLY WE GOT THE DIAGNOSIS AND IT WAS A BIG WORD AND I 46:00 THOUGHT, 'WELL, THAT'S INTERESTING. 46:01 AT LEAST WE KNOW WHAT IT IS. I WONDER WHAT THE TREATMENT 46:03 IS.' WELL, THEN, LATER ON THAT EVENING, MY SISTER GAVE ME A 46:06 CALL AND SHE SAID,' DID YOU LOOK UP WHAT DAD HAS? 46:09 ON THE INTERNET? DO SOME RESEARCH?' 46:10 I SAID, 'NO.' SO I WENT ALONG AND I GOOGLED THIS BIG WORD: 46:13 POLYCHONDRITIS AND I BEGAN TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON IT. 46:16 AND THE MORE I STUDIED THIS, THE MORE MY HEART SANK. 46:21 IT WAS A DISEASE THAT THEY HAD NO CURE - AND THE BODY, SORT OF, 46:26 ATTACKS THE CARTILAGE AND IT DESCRIBES THAT AFTER SO MANY 46:30 MONTHS YOU END UP GOING BLIND. THEN, AFTER SO MANY MONTHS, YOU 46:35 CAN'T BREATHE - OR YOU CAN'T BREATHE RIGHT - AFTER SO MANY 46:39 MONTHS YOUR HEARING GOES BAD AND EVENTUALLY YOU DIE 46:43 AND THERE'S NO CURE. I TELL YOU, OH MAN, I PRAYED 46:46 THAT NIGHT LIKE NEVER BEFORE. I SAID, 'LORD, HOW CAN THIS BE?' 46:50 YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT UNTIL WE FACE TRIALS AND SUFFERINGS THAT OUR 46:53 PRAYERS TAKE ON A GRAVITY AND AN URGENCY - ISN'T THAT TRUE? 46:58 WE DON'T PRAY THE WAY WE SHOULD PRAY UNTIL WE HAVE A SENSE OF 47:01 OUR NEED - THAT WE REALLY NEED GOD'S HELP. SO OUR FAMILY BEGAN 47:06 PRAYING - I BEGAN PRAYING - AND WE DID EVERYTHING WE COULD. 47:09 FORTUNATELY, HE WAS ABLE TO GO TO MAYO CLINIC AND THEY FOUND 47:13 OUT THAT THIS AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE WAS ACTUALLY PIGGYBACKING ON 47:16 ANOTHER DISEASE - AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE - THAT COULD BE TREATED. 47:20 SO, AS THEY TREATED THE OTHER DISEASE, IT ALSO TOOK CARE OF 47:23 THE POLYCHONDRITIS, AND WE PRAISE GOD FOR THAT. 47:26 HE'S DOING WELL. IT WAS ANSWERED PRAYER. 47:27 BUT, THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE, WE ALL LEARNED A LESSON. 47:31 I REMEMBER MY DAD SHARED A DREAM HE HAD RIGHT IN THE MIDST OF 47:34 THIS AND IN THE DREAM HE SAW HIMSELF STANDING WITH A SMALL 47:38 GLASS OF WATER IN HIS HAND. AND HE REALIZED THAT THE WATER 47:43 IN THE GLASS REPRESENTED HIS LIFE. BUT, AS HE LOOKED A LITTLE 47:46 CLOSER, HE NOTICED A CRACK ON THE SIDE OF THE GLASS AND THE 47:48 WATER WAS SEEPING OUT OF THE CRACK AND IT WAS BEGINNING 47:51 TO LOWER IN THE GLASS. AND, OF COURSE, HE WAS TRYING TO 47:53 STOP THE WATER FROM COMING OUT OF THE CRACK AND HE PRAYED AND 47:56 HE SAID, 'LORD, PLEASE, MY LIFE IS DRAINING AWAY. 47:59 PLEASE DO SOMETHING.' BUT IT SEEMED ALL - THE MORE HE TRIED 48:02 TO STOP THE WATER, THE MORE IT RAN UNTIL FINALLY HE HEARD A 48:06 VOICE, 'LOOK UP.' AND HE LOOKED UP AND HE WAS STANDING ON THE 48:10 BEACH AND SPREAD OUT BEFORE HIM WAS THE GIANT OCEAN. 48:15 AND THE MESSAGE WAS: 'YOU'RE SO WORRIED ABOUT YOUR LITTLE LIFE, 48:18 BUT GOD'S GOT AN ETERNITY WAITING FOR YOU.' YES, WE GO 48:23 THROUGH TRIALS AND SUFFERINGS, AND IT'S DIFFICULT FROM OUR 48:26 POSITION WHERE WE ARE, BUT LET'S TRUST IN GOD'S GOODNESS BECAUSE 48:30 HE SEES THE BIG PICTURE, AMEN? HE KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING FROM 48:34 THE BEGINNING TO THE END AND WHATEVER THE TRIAL, WHATEVER 48:36 THE CHALLENGE, WHATEVER THE DIFFICULTY, WE CAN TRUST IN GOD. 48:41 HE WILL SEE US THROUGH. THAT'S THE MESSAGE - 48:43 >>AMEN. >>OF THE GREAT CONTROVERSY. 48:45 WE CAN PUT OUR CONFIDENCE IN GOD. 48:48 WELL, FRIENDS, WE'RE OUT OF TIME FOR OUR STUDY THIS MORNING. 48:51 I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REMIND YOU ABOUT OUR FREE OFFER, A BOOK 48:54 ENTITLED WHY DO CHRISTIANS SUFFER ? 48:56 AND, FOR THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING, YOU CAN CALL THE RESOURCE PHONE 48:59 NUMBER: 866-788-3966 AND YOU CAN ASK FOR OFFER #171 AND WE'LL BE 49:05 HAPPY TO SEND THAT TO YOU. WELL, LET'S CLOSE OUR TIME OF 49:09 STUDY WITH A WORD OF PRAYER. DEAR FATHER, THANK 49:12 YOU FOR YOUR WORD. THANK YOU FOR REVEALING TO US, 49:15 IN SCRIPTURE, YOUR GREAT LOVE. THAT, NOT ONLY DID YOU MAKE US, 49:18 BUT YOU SUSTAIN US AND YOU CARE FOR US. 49:21 AND, EVEN THOUGH WE GO THROUGH TRIALS AND DIFFICULTIES, YOU 49:24 HAVE PROMISED TO BE WITH US, TO GIVE US GRACE - BUT, ULTIMATELY. 49:27 YOU HAVE PROMISED A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH - WHERE THERE'LL 49:30 BE NO MORE PAIN, NO MORE SORROW, NO MORE DEATH, BUT FOREVER WE'LL 49:33 BE WITH YOU AND WITH THOSE THAT LOVE YOU. 49:36 KEEP US FAITHFUL, FOR WE ASK THIS IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. 49:40 (MUSIC) >>FRIENDS, IF YOU'RE SCARED OF SNAKES, THIS MAY NOT 49:53 BE FOR YOU. I'M HERE AT A REPTILE PARK 49:56 OUTSIDE OF DURBIN, SOUTH AFRICA AND I'M HOLDING MY FRIEND 49:59 HERE, WHO'S A RED-TAIL BOA. SNAKES ARE FOUND ALL OVER THE 50:03 WORLD AND THEY COME IN ALL SIZES. 50:06 SNAKES CAN BE FOUND THROUGH THE TREES, THEY CRAWL ON THE GROUND, 50:09 THEY LIVE UNDER THE GROUND, AND THEY SWIM IN THE WATER. 50:11 VERY INTERESTING CREATURES. SOME SNAKES ARE VENOMOUS. 50:16 NOT MY FRIEND HERE. BUT THE BLACK MAMBA - VERY POISONOUS. 50:20 MATTER OF FACT, THEIR BITE IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS 'THE KISS 50:23 OF DEATH'. THEY CAN GROW 15-FEET LONG AND 50:25 CAN TRAVEL UP TO SEVEN MILES AN HOUR. 50:28 THEY DON'T CALL THEM BLACK MAMBAS BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF 50:30 THEIR SKIN, BUT THE INTERIOR OF THEIR MOUTH IS BLACK. 50:33 SNAKES ALSO COME IN ALL SIZES - LIKE THIS BOA OR A PYTHON - THEY 50:37 CAN GROW TO GREAT SIZES. MATTER OF FACT, IN SOUTH 50:39 AMERICA, THEY FOUND SOME FOSSILS OF A SNAKE THAT THEY 50:43 CALL 'TITANIBOA'. THEY BELIEVE IT WAS AS BIG AS 50:46 50-FEET LONG AND WEIGHED AS MUCH AS A CAR. SAY 'CHEESE!' 50:52 A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SCARED OF SNAKES. 50:53 I USED TO LIVE ON A MOUNTAIN IN A CAVE AND I RAN INTO SNAKES 50:56 FREQUENTLY. THEY NEVER BOTHERED ME 50:57 UNLESS I WAS BOTHERING THEM. IN THE BIBLE, THE SNAKE IS 51:01 OFTEN A SYMBOL OF THE DEVIL. IN REALITY, IT'S JUST A SYMBOL. 51:04 THEY'RE ANIMALS JUST LIKE OTHER ANIMALS, BUT IT SAYS THEY WERE 51:07 CURSED TO GO UPON THEIR BELLY BECAUSE THEY WERE THE FIRST 51:09 MEDIUM THAT THE DEVIL USED TO TEMPT ADAM AND EVE. 51:12 IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS CHAPTER 21, IT TELLS THE STORY OF HOW, 51:16 WHEN THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE GOING THROUGH THE WILDERNESS, 51:18 THEY BEGAN TO COMPLAIN ABOUT GOD'S MANNA AND IT SAYS THE LORD 51:22 ALLOWED THESE FIERY SERPENTS TO GO AMONG THE PEOPLE AND MANY 51:25 WERE BITTEN AND THE VENOM WAS DEADLY. 51:28 I SHOULD PROBABLY MENTION AT THIS POINT, THAT BREAD THEY WERE 51:30 COMPLAINING ABOUT IS A SYMBOL FOR THE WORD OF GOD. 51:33 AS MANY OF THE PEOPLE WERE DYING FROM THIS PLAGUE OF SERPENTS, 51:36 THEY WENT UNTO MOSES AND SAID, 'WHAT SHALL WE DO?' 51:39 GOD TOLD MOSES TO MAKE A BRONZE SERPENT AND PUT IT ON A POLE AND 51:42 LIFT IT UP, THAT WHOEVER LOOKED UPON THE SERPENT, 51:45 THEY WOULD BE HEALED OF THEIR VENOM. 51:48 THIS IS WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT, BECAUSE JESUS SAYS, IN THE 51:50 GOSPEL OF JOHN CHAPTER 3, VERSES 14 AND 15, "AS MOSES LIFTED UP 51:56 THE SERPENT IN THE WILDERNESS, EVEN SO THE SON OF MAN MUST BE 51:59 LIFTED UP, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT 52:03 HAVE ETERNAL LIFE." THEY NEEDED TO LOOK AND TO LIVE. 52:07 YOU SEE, THOSE ANCIENT SHEPHERDS, WHEN THEY WOULD KILL 52:09 A VENOMOUS SNAKE, THEY WOULD CARRY IT OFF ON THEIR STAFF AND 52:12 BURY IT, SO A SERPENT ON A POLE REPRESENTED A DEFEATED SNAKE. 52:17 IT'S TALKING ABOUT DEFEATING THE DEVIL, FRIENDS. 52:20 HAVE YOU BEEN BITTEN BY THE SERPENT? WE ALL HAVE. 52:22 THE ONLY CURE FOR THE VENOM OF SATAN IS TO LOOK IN FAITH AT 52:26 JESUS. HE THEN DEFEATED THE DEVIL. 52:29 HE TOOK THE VENOM OF SIN IN HIS BODY TO PROVIDE THE ANTIDOTE IN 52:33 HIS BLOOD. SO FRIENDS, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO 52:35 LOOK TODAY AND LIVE. (MUSIC) 52:47 >>AMAZING FACTS, CHANGED LIVES. >>I WAS HEADING SOUTH 52:58 ON INTERSTATE 5. THIS COMMERCIAL COME ON KFBK 53:02 RADIO ABOUT A REVELATION SEMINAR BY AMAZING FACTS. 53:06 I BEGAN - MY CHEST BEGAN TO TIGHTEN UP. 53:09 I BEGAN SWEATING PROFUSELY. I HAD DIFFICULTY IN BREATHING. 53:14 THERE WAS THIS BIG REST AREA AND, AT THIS TIME, I PULLED INTO 53:17 THERE - I THOUGHT 'WELL, MAYBE I'M HAVING A HEART ATTACK.' 53:20 I GOT OUT OF MY TRUCK, WALKED INTO THE MEN'S RESTROOM THERE 53:24 AND PUT COLD WATER ON MY FACE. AND THEN, FINALLY, 53:27 THINGS SUBSIDED. A WEEK LATER, AGAIN, I HEARD 53:30 THIS AMAZING FACTS COMMERCIAL COME ON THE RADIO - IN FACT, THE 53:33 MEETINGS WERE GOING TO START THAT VERY NIGHT. 53:36 THIS - AND, AGAIN, IMMEDIATELY I HAD THESE SAME SYMPTOMS. 53:39 I THOUGHT, 'YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T MY HEART. 53:41 I HAVE TO GO TO THAT MEETING.' AND, AS I WAS GOING DOWN TO 53:44 SACRAMENTO, I DECIDED TO PARK AND GO INSIDE. 53:48 WELL, I GOT IN AND (CHUCKLES) WALKED INTO THE FURTHERMOST REAR 53:53 SEAT THEY HAD - IN THE PEW THERE - AND THIS PARTICULAR 53:59 EVANGELIST, HIS NAME WAS KIM KJAER - IT WAS LIKE TAKING ONE 54:03 LAYER OFF AT A TIME - OF AN ONION. 54:06 HE LAID IT OUT SO PERFECTLY THAT WE COULD ALL UNDERSTAND IT. 54:09 AND I WAS REALLY MOTIVATED. I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. 54:12 WELL, I FINISHED. I DIDN'T MISS A MEETING. 54:14 IN FACT, ON THE FIFTH NIGHT THEY HAD AN ALTAR CALL AND MY KNEES 54:19 STOOD RIGHT UP AND I WALKED FORWARD AND I GAVE MY HEART TO 54:21 JESUS CHRIST. I'VE LEARNED, THROUGHOUT THIS 54:25 WHOLE THING, THAT WHEN YOU - WHEN YOU LEAVE THE DEVIL'S 54:28 TERRITORY, HE GETS PRETTY ACTIVE IN CAUSING A LOT OF PROBLEMS. 54:33 WELL, I HAD THE EVANGELISTS COME OUT AND THEY HAD PRAYER WITH ME 54:38 ABOUT MY BUSINESS. I WOULD FIND A SICK BUSINESS AND 54:41 MAKE IT WELL AND THEN MARKET IT. I FINALLY ENDED UP WITH A 54:45 BUSINESS THAT I REALLY ENJOYED - THAT WAS ONE THAT WAS 54:48 BUILDING EQUESTRIAN CENTERS. AND THEY SAID TO ME, 'STEVE,' 54:52 HE SAID, 'YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GOING TO REALLY KEEP THE SABBATH 54:55 YOU'VE GOT TO SHUT YOUR DOORS ON SABBATH.' WELL, I DID. 54:58 AND SO, I SOLD THE BUSINESS TO MY BROTHER. IT TOOK ME 22 YEARS 55:02 TO BUILD THAT BUSINESS AND HE LOST IT IN 33 MONTHS. 55:07 MY SON, WHO WAS MY BUSINESS PARTNER, I'D BEEN GIVING HIM 10 55:10 PERCENT OF THE BUSINESS EVERY YEAR. 55:12 HE THOUGHT I'D JUST FALLEN OFF THE BRIDGE. 55:17 MY SON DIDN'T TALK TO ME FOR FIVE AND A HALF YEARS. 55:20 AND THEN A FEW OTHER THINGS HAPPENED. 55:22 I HAD AN EX-EMPLOYEE LIVING IN MY GUEST HOUSE - 55:25 HE KIND OF WATCHED AFTER OUR PLACE. 55:27 AND HE SAID, 'STEVE,' HE SAID, 'THERE'S AN ALLIED MOVING VAN 55:30 BACKED UP TO YOUR FRONT DOOR OF YOUR HOME.' I SAID, 'YOU'RE 55:34 KIDDING!' I SAID, 'WHAT DO YOU MEAN?' 55:36 HE SAID, 'THEY'RE MOVING EVERYTHING OUT OF YOUR HOUSE 55:39 INTO THIS TRUCK AND YOUR WIFE IS OUT THERE SUPERVISING THEM.' AND 55:43 WHEN I WENT HOME AND OPENED THE FRONT DOOR, MY VOICE ECHOED IN 55:46 THAT HOUSE. THERE WASN'T ANY FURNITURE LEFT ANYWHERE. 55:49 THERE WAS ONE BED LEFT IN THE HOUSE. 55:52 I KNEW MY WIFE WAS UPSET BECAUSE OF MY COMING TO THIS CHURCH, BUT 55:56 I HAD NO IDEA THAT SHE WOULD MOVE OUT LIKE THIS. 55:59 THAT WAS A TOTAL SHOCK TO ME. IT WAS SOME TIME THERE - I 56:03 LOCKED MYSELF IN THE BEDROOM AND I BEGAN READING THE BIBLE. 56:07 I SPENT ABOUT A HALF A YEAR - JUST EVERY NIGHT, GETTING HOME 56:10 AND I WOULD STUDY. IT ALLOWED ME TO HAVE A PERSONAL 56:14 RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST. WELL, TO MAKE A LONG STORY 56:18 SHORT, I MET CRYSTAL AND SHE WAS A GODLY WOMAN. 56:22 THAT WAS THE LORD'S DOING, NOT MINE. 56:25 AND HE WAS JUST THERE TO LET ME KNOW, 'I'M WITH YOU ALL THE WAY. 56:28 EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME TRIALS AND YOU'RE GOING TO 56:30 HAVE SOME HARDSHIPS, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I'LL BE WITH YOU.' 56:34 BECAUSE, NO MATTER WHAT I DO NOW, HE IS MY LEADER. 56:39 HE'S THE LEADER OF MY MARRIAGE, HE'S THE LEADER OF EVERYTHING IN 56:41 MY LIFE TODAY. THAT ONE MEETING WITH THE 56:45 AMAZING FACTS SEMINAR CHANGED MY ENTIRE LIFE AND, TO THIS DAY, 56:50 I'M STILL ON FIRE FOR GOD. I'M STILL WITNESSING 56:52 TO MY NEIGHBORS. MY NAME IS STEVE JOHNSON, AND 56:55 IT'S BECAUSE OF YOU THAT AMAZING FACTS HAS CHANGED MY LIFE. 57:07 >>CAN'T GET ENOUGH AMAZING FACTS BIBLE STUDY? 57:10 YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEEK TO ENJOY MORE 57:12 TRUTH-FILLED PROGRAMMING, VISIT THE AMAZING FACTS MEDIA LIBRARY 57:17 AT 'AFTV.ORG'. AT 'AFTV.ORG' YOU CAN ENJOY 57:22 VIDEO AND AUDIO PRESENTATIONS AS WELL AS PRINTED MATERIAL ALL 57:26 FREE OF CHARGE, 24 HOURS A DAY 7 DAYS A WEEK, RIGHT FROM YOUR 57:30 COMPUTER OR MOBILE DEVICE. VISIT 'AFTV.ORG'. 57:37 >>IN SIX DAYS GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. 57:41 FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS MAN HAS WORSHIPED GOD ON THE SEVENTH DAY 57:45 OF THE WEEK. NOW, EACH WEEK, MILLIONS OF 57:48 PEOPLE WORSHIP ON THE FIRST DAY. WHAT HAPPENED? 57:52 WHY DID GOD CREATE A DAY OF REST? 57:54 DOES IT REALLY MATTER WHAT DAY WE WORSHIP? 57:56 WHO WAS BEHIND THIS GREAT SHIFT? DISCOVER THE TRUTH BEHIND GOD'S 58:00 LAW AND HOW IT WAS CHANGED. VISIT SABBATHTRUTH.COM. 58:07 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2016-10-12