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Jean Ross: Good
morning, friends.
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Welcome again to
"Sabbath School Study Hour."
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A very warm welcome to
our friends joining us across
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the country and
around the world,
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our extended
Sabbath School class.
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Also, I'd like to welcome our
members and visitors right here
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at the Granite Bay Church.
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Thank you for joining us today.
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As you know, we've been studying
through the book of Job,
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as part of our
Sabbath School quarterly.
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And we're nearing the
end of our study together.
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Today, we are on
lesson number 13 entitled
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"The Character of Job."
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So, for our friends
who are watching us,
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if you don't have a
copy of our study today,
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just go to the
Amazing Facts website,
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amazingfacts.org, and download
lesson number 13 entitled
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"The Character of Job," and
you can study along with us.
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We also have a free
offer that goes along
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with our program today.
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It's a book entitled "Assurance:
Justification Made Simple."
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And this book is
written by Pastor Doug.
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And if you'd call our
resource phone number,
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we'll be happy to
send it to you for free.
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The number to call is ...
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and you can ask
for offer number 727.
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Well, it's time for us to begin
by lifting our voices in praise.
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I'd like to invite our song
leaders to come and lead us in
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some hymns this morning.
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Shemekah Bruton: Good
morning, and thank you
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for joining us for "Sabbath
School Study Hour" today.
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We want to invite you to
join us for our song service.
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We're going to
start out with number 149,
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"Once in Royal David's City,"
and we'll sing all four verses.
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¤¤¤
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¤ Once in royal David's city ¤
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¤ stood a lowly cattle shed, ¤
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¤ where a mother laid her baby ¤
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¤ in a manger for his bed. ¤
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¤ Mary was that mother mild, ¤
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¤ Jesus Christ
her little child. ¤
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¤ He came down to
earth from heaven, ¤
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¤ who is God and Lord of all. ¤
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¤ And his
shelter was a stable, ¤
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¤ and his cradle was a stall. ¤
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¤ With the poor, and mean, ¤
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¤ and lowly lived on
earth our Savior holy. ¤
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¤ And through all
his wondrous childhood, ¤
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¤ he would honor and obey, ¤
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¤ love and watch
the lowly mother ¤
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¤ in whose gentle arms he lay. ¤
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¤ Christian children ¤
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¤ all must be mild, ¤
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¤ obedient, good as he. ¤
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¤ And our eyes at
last shall see him ¤
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¤ through his
own redeeming love. ¤
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¤ For that Child
so dear and gentle ¤
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¤ is our Lord in heaven above. ¤
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¤ And he leads his children on ¤
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¤ to the place
where he is gone. ¤
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¤¤¤
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Jean: Amen, beautiful music.
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From time to time,
before we do our lesson,
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we like to highlight some
various mission activity that
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maybe one of our church
members are involved in,
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or Amazing Facts is involved in.
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And this coming week at
the office at Amazing Facts,
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we're having a workers' meeting,
and we're bringing together our
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evangelists that travel around
doing evangelistic meetings,
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and also our
international AFCOE directors.
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Amazing Facts has a number
of AFCOE training centers around
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the world, and one of
our evangelists and also the
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director of the Africa AFCOE
program is Lowell Hargreaves,
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and his wife is
here with us today.
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And I thought this would be
a great opportunity to kind of
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share a little bit about what's
happening in the work over
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in Kenya, Africa.
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So, Lowell, we're
delighted that you're here.
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And I know that you've got
some things to share with us,
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and you can even
show us some pictures.
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Thank you.
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Lowell Hargreaves:
Yes, and good morning.
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Good to be here
with you in California.
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And for those of you watching,
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we bring you
greetings from Africa.
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My wife and I have been in
Kenya for the last over a year.
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AFCOE has a training program,
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an evangelism
training program in Africa.
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We were in the
Philippines a few years ago,
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and while we were there, leading
out in the AFCOE Philippines,
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PAFCOE, we had a
man come from Kenya,
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his name is
Kenneth, Kenneth from Kenya.
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Went through the training.
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And after finishing the
training in the Philippines,
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he said, "We need
this program in Africa."
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And through his
influence and invitation,
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we eventually
went to Nairobi, Kenya
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to do an evangelistic meeting.
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We weren't planning to
start an AFCOE in Kenya.
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We were actually
targeting Zambia.
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But God brought us to Kenya
to do an evangelistic meeting,
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and we were going to do
this meeting together with
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the largest church there
in Kenya, the Nairobi Central
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Seventh Day Adventist
Church, 6,000 member church.
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And when we arrived there,
we discovered that they had
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targeted a slum in Nairobi,
where they wanted to start
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a church, plant a church.
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And so, they assigned us to do
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the evangelistic
meeting in the slum.
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And I remember
they took us out there,
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you're seeing a
picture of the area,
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and we stood on this little
sort of like a little hill,
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a little mound, and they said,
"We're going to have the stage
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here, and out over there
is going to be the audience."
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Now, they told me that
this used to be a dump.
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And as I stood on the
top of this little hill,
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you could smell the dump because
it was--they had covered--you
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know, they had
covered over sometimes,
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and then they'd cover over more.
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But there was a whole area
behind me where it was just open
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dump, and you
could smell the stench.
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And I thought to myself, "We're
going to have an evangelistic
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meeting here on
top of this dump?"
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And I've done evangelism in many
places over the world over the
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last 20 years, but I had never
done an evangelistic meeting on
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top of a dump in a slum.
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And I'll have to
confess I was discouraged.
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I felt like quitting.
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One of the times in my
experience where I felt like,
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"Why do a meeting?
Who's going to come?"
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There were some goats
that came walking through,
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and I thought, "I'm coming out
here to preach to the goats."
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We did set up our--they
covered over the open sewer,
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and they set up, you
can see in the picture here,
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this rustic stage.
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I would stand up
there on the stage,
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you can see my
screen off to the side,
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a sheet that they strung up.
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And across from me, a
little farther down the hill,
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they had this
tent with the chairs.
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And we had about 100, 150
people that came every evening
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for the meeting.
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You can see the picture here.
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There's the song leader,
leading out with the singing.
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And after 4 weeks
on top of that dump,
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I want you to look
carefully at this picture.
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Watch now the next picture.
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There today is a
Seventh Day Adventist church
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thanks to that meeting.
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We baptized about
50, they put up a church,
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they're still trying to raise
money to buy the spot there
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where the church is sitting.
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But today, we have a Seventh
Day Adventist church there
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in that slum.
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And if you were to
go to the church today,
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it's a simple tin church,
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you will discover
it's already too full.
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It's completely full on Sabbath,
and they have people sitting
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outside the church.
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And so, I praise God for
what he did there in the slum.
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There's another
picture of the church,
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it's the nicest
church in the slum,
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in that area, surrounded
by other tin churches.
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But the Seventh Day Adventist
church is one of the prettiest.
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Well, because of that
meeting, the central church
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there in Nairobi
invited us to start AFCOE
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and AFCOE training in Kenya.
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And we began early this year.
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And probably the most--two
of the most effective programs
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we're doing with
AFCOE Africa are our
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Sunday training
for church members.
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We call it iShare, 12 Sundays of
training in personal evangelism.
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You can see here the group.
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In our last training, we
had almost 100 church members
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that came through every
Sunday to learn the principles
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of personal evangelism.
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And after 12
Sundays, we sent them out
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to do a group Bible study.
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We teamed them
up in teams of two,
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and they would pick two
church members to join them,
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so a team of four.
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And they would go out and do
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a 26-part Storacles
Bible Lesson series.
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You can see them here
holding their Storacle Lessons.
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Here's another
picture of those lessons.
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We had a whole van-load full
of Amazing Facts lessons printed
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there in Kenya.
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And our students go
out and share those.
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They are doing
those lessons right now.
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In fact, from our previous
iShare session we did earlier
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this year, there
have already been hundreds
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of people baptized.
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I met a lady recently who went
through our training on Sunday.
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She had just
finished her Bible studies,
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she and her partner.
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And I said, "So, are
you going to have results?"
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She says, "Yes, we
have one ready for baptism."
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I said, "Then what?"
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She says,
"We're already planning
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our next Bible study series."
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They had been infected
with the evangelism virus.
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Once you do evangelism,
you never want to quit.
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The other very
effective program that we have,
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we're doing there in
Kenya, is child evangelism.
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This is a picture of a
child evangelistic campaign,
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again in the slum.
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We had 300 children, many of
them not members of our church,
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in the local Seventh Day
Adventist church every night
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for one month, learning
the Adventist doctrines,
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the Bible
doctrines, the Bible teachings.
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And after one month of meetings,
we give these children,
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those that come
faithfully, a gift.
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You can see a
picture here of the children
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holding their gifts.
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And for many of
them, this is so rewarding
00:12:04.59\00:12:07.96
because these are slum children
that have almost nothing.
00:12:07.99\00:12:12.19
And they come, some of them
don't even have matching shoes.
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They have one
shoe from one color,
00:12:16.46\00:12:18.77
another shoe from another color.
00:12:18.80\00:12:20.37
They're just glad they
have shoes, slum children.
00:12:20.40\00:12:23.81
And as they learn the
teachings of the Bible,
00:12:23.84\00:12:26.07
these children, they go
home, and they become little
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missionaries in their homes.
00:12:28.61\00:12:29.94
They tell their
parents, "You know,
00:12:29.98\00:12:31.31
the Bible says we're supposed
to keep the Sabbath holy.
00:12:31.35\00:12:33.68
The Bible says
when you die, you sleep.
00:12:33.72\00:12:37.35
The Bible says
Jesus is coming soon.
00:12:37.39\00:12:40.06
The Bible says these are
the things we shouldn't eat."
00:12:40.09\00:12:42.79
So, they become little
missionaries in their homes.
00:12:42.82\00:12:45.46
And many of them make
a commitment for Christ.
00:12:45.49\00:12:48.80
Here's a picture of
one who was baptized.
00:12:48.83\00:12:51.13
There were many children
baptized at the end of our child
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evangelistic meeting.
00:12:54.00\00:12:55.87
Right now, our
children, my wife and I,
00:12:55.90\00:12:58.87
we have two children
that are still with us,
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they are our teachers there
at our training at AFCOE Africa.
00:13:00.74\00:13:04.81
They are doing evangelistic
meetings for children as I'm
00:13:04.85\00:13:08.42
speaking in two
different slums in Nairobi.
00:13:08.45\00:13:12.82
They have about 250 children,
each of them in their respective
00:13:12.85\00:13:17.26
2 different sites, and
they're doing child evangelistic
00:13:17.29\00:13:21.16
meetings right now.
00:13:21.20\00:13:23.73
There are so
many needs in Africa.
00:13:23.77\00:13:26.03
You can look at the
picture, and you can see
00:13:26.07\00:13:27.90
some of the conditions there.
00:13:27.94\00:13:30.94
And yet, we praise God for the
privilege we have to share the
00:13:30.97\00:13:34.11
gospel of hope with
people who need hope.
00:13:34.14\00:13:38.18
Here is an interesting statement
from the book "Gospel Workers."
00:13:38.21\00:13:41.12
"The work of God in this earth
can never be finished until the
00:13:41.15\00:13:46.42
men and women comprising our
church membership rally to the
00:13:46.45\00:13:50.83
work, and unite their
efforts with those of ministers
00:13:50.86\00:13:54.96
and church officers."
00:13:55.00\00:13:56.50
We have a work to do.
You have a work to do.
00:13:56.53\00:13:59.87
God wants to use
you as a soul winner.
00:13:59.90\00:14:03.64
And that's what
AFCOE is all about,
00:14:03.67\00:14:06.04
teaching church members
the principles of soul winning.
00:14:06.07\00:14:10.65
And so, on
behalf of Amazing Facts,
00:14:10.68\00:14:12.75
for those of you that support
the ministry of Amazing Facts
00:14:12.78\00:14:15.98
and the training of
AFCOE, we express to you
00:14:16.02\00:14:19.45
our hearty thanks today.
00:14:19.49\00:14:21.36
The children of
AFCOE send their thanks,
00:14:21.39\00:14:24.49
children of Africa, salamat.
00:14:24.53\00:14:28.30
God bless you.
00:14:28.33\00:14:31.07
Jean: Amen. Thank
you, Lowell, amen.
00:14:31.10\00:14:33.67
It's encouraging to hear those
great mission reports of things
00:14:33.70\00:14:36.84
that are currently
happening around the world.
00:14:36.87\00:14:39.61
Well, before we
get to our study,
00:14:39.64\00:14:40.94
I invite you to bow your
heads for a word of prayer.
00:14:40.98\00:14:43.55
Dear Father, once again, what
a privilege to be able to gather
00:14:43.58\00:14:46.08
in your house
to study your Word.
00:14:46.11\00:14:47.68
And we ask for the Holy Spirit
once again to come and speak to
00:14:47.72\00:14:50.79
our hearts and guard our minds
as we open up the Scriptures,
00:14:50.82\00:14:53.59
and we look at the story of Job,
and in particular the faith of
00:14:53.62\00:14:56.86
Job, his character
demonstrated in this experience.
00:14:56.89\00:15:00.13
Be with us this
morning in Jesus' name, amen.
00:15:00.16\00:15:04.03
Our lesson today
will be brought to us
00:15:04.07\00:15:05.73
by Pastor Marshall McKenzie.
00:15:05.77\00:15:07.30
Thank you, Marshall.
00:15:07.34\00:15:12.64
Marshall McKenzie: Good
morning, and happy Sabbath.
00:15:12.67\00:15:16.88
You know, the book of Job,
as we've been going through it,
00:15:16.91\00:15:19.61
is packed full of information.
00:15:19.65\00:15:23.45
And that just draws
us closer to Christ.
00:15:23.49\00:15:26.59
It's amazing when you
dig into Job's experience.
00:15:26.62\00:15:30.09
And this morning, what we're
going to do is actually zero in
00:15:30.13\00:15:33.23
specifically on
the character of Job,
00:15:33.26\00:15:35.36
something we really
haven't done through the lesson.
00:15:35.40\00:15:38.83
Just like Satan kind of zeroed
in on the character of Job to
00:15:38.87\00:15:44.84
defeat or to overthrow him, and
ultimately to bring disgrace to
00:15:44.87\00:15:50.68
God, we're going to study it
because we want to understand
00:15:50.71\00:15:54.12
the truths of Job's character so
that we can exhibit these truths
00:15:54.15\00:15:59.42
to glorify God,
and to exalt him,
00:15:59.45\00:16:02.59
especially living in the
last days of earth's history.
00:16:02.62\00:16:05.59
You know, character is crucial.
00:16:05.63\00:16:09.20
It's crucial in
business dealings,
00:16:09.23\00:16:12.27
it's crucial in friendships,
00:16:12.30\00:16:14.60
it's crucial in
relationships, right?
00:16:14.64\00:16:16.74
Character is very
central, it's very important.
00:16:16.77\00:16:20.61
Just in life in
general, character is something
00:16:20.64\00:16:24.25
of great value.
00:16:24.28\00:16:26.11
But most importantly, in
our relationship with God,
00:16:26.15\00:16:29.98
character is very crucial.
00:16:30.02\00:16:33.69
We need not underestimate
the development of Christian
00:16:33.72\00:16:36.99
character, and that's something
we're going to unpack as we go
00:16:37.03\00:16:40.30
through lesson number
13, "The Character of Job."
00:16:40.33\00:16:43.70
But before we dive
right into the lesson,
00:16:43.73\00:16:45.73
I actually want to read to you a
statement from a powerful little
00:16:45.77\00:16:48.97
book entitled
"Christ Object Lessons."
00:16:49.00\00:16:51.27
If you haven't read it,
I encourage you to read it.
00:16:51.31\00:16:53.98
If you have, I encourage you to
go back and take a look at it.
00:16:54.01\00:16:57.15
This is a powerful
statement, it's from page 332.
00:16:57.18\00:17:00.62
It says, "A character
formed according to the divine
00:17:00.65\00:17:03.92
likeness is the only
treasure that we can take
00:17:03.95\00:17:08.89
from this world to the next."
00:17:08.92\00:17:12.06
A character that is
according to the divine likeness
00:17:12.09\00:17:16.23
is the only treasure.
00:17:16.26\00:17:17.77
In other words,
there's no other treasure.
00:17:17.80\00:17:19.47
House, lands, cars, wealth, none
of it will we be able to take
00:17:19.50\00:17:24.61
from this world to the next.
00:17:24.64\00:17:26.47
What we will be able to take is
a character that is formed after
00:17:26.51\00:17:32.58
the likeness of Christ.
00:17:32.61\00:17:35.78
It goes on in
the statement to say,
00:17:35.82\00:17:37.42
"Those who are under the
instruction of Christ in this
00:17:37.45\00:17:41.66
world will take
every divine attainment
00:17:41.69\00:17:44.59
with them to the
heavenly mansions.
00:17:44.63\00:17:46.96
And in heaven, we are
continually to improve."
00:17:47.00\00:17:50.47
That's interesting.
00:17:50.50\00:17:51.87
Even in heaven, we
will continually improve.
00:17:51.90\00:17:55.37
How important
then is the development
00:17:55.40\00:17:57.97
of character in this life?
00:17:58.01\00:18:00.81
In other words, the study of Job
and the study of Job's character
00:18:00.84\00:18:04.98
is really important for us
because it's the only thing
00:18:05.01\00:18:09.38
each of us--our characters
00:18:09.42\00:18:11.25
is what we will take
from this world to the next.
00:18:11.29\00:18:14.79
So, this lesson is very
central to our development.
00:18:14.82\00:18:19.49
You know, Job had quite
the character when you dive
00:18:19.53\00:18:21.66
into the lesson, and we
start to unpack his character.
00:18:21.70\00:18:26.23
And from it, we'll learn
incredible truths that help us,
00:18:26.27\00:18:29.50
or will help us to develop a
character that is heaven-bound
00:18:29.54\00:18:34.41
and heaven-ready.
00:18:34.44\00:18:36.18
That's the kind of
character we want, right?
00:18:36.21\00:18:38.38
We don't live
really for this world.
00:18:38.41\00:18:40.48
We live for the world to come.
00:18:40.52\00:18:42.42
Jesus is coming soon.
00:18:42.45\00:18:44.32
So, we want characters that are
heaven-bound and heaven-ready.
00:18:44.35\00:18:49.09
Job was heaven-bound,
and Job was heaven-ready.
00:18:49.12\00:18:53.53
His character was tested, but we
see the level of his character
00:18:53.56\00:18:59.70
when we study this lesson.
00:18:59.73\00:19:01.47
Matter of fact, I want to read
to you--there's an important
00:19:01.50\00:19:04.01
question right in the
lesson if you have your lessons.
00:19:04.04\00:19:06.37
By the way, I encourage
you to bring your lesson
00:19:06.41\00:19:08.58
and bring your Bible, okay?
00:19:08.61\00:19:11.48
Two important things.
00:19:11.51\00:19:12.81
So, we're going to turn
here in the lesson to page 104.
00:19:12.85\00:19:15.25
And as we start to
unpack the character of Job,
00:19:15.28\00:19:18.45
it starts with an
important question, okay?
00:19:18.49\00:19:21.39
A question we need to ask as
we begin to unpack the character
00:19:21.42\00:19:26.06
of Job in this lesson.
00:19:26.09\00:19:28.26
Page 104 in the lesson
says, "Who was this man?"
00:19:28.30\00:19:32.17
Simple question,
"Who was this man,
00:19:32.20\00:19:36.27
who did not understand why all
these things were happening to
00:19:36.30\00:19:39.57
him, who knew that what was
happening to him wasn't fair,
00:19:39.61\00:19:45.58
who expressed anger and
frustration over it all,
00:19:45.61\00:19:48.65
and yet stayed faithful
right through to the end?"
00:19:48.68\00:19:53.05
Who was this man who
experienced all these things,
00:19:53.09\00:19:56.39
and yet, through it all,
he was faithful unto the end?
00:19:56.42\00:20:00.40
And as I read that, I thought
about specifically in Matthew
00:20:00.43\00:20:05.00
chapter 24, verse 13,
Jesus specifically says,
00:20:05.03\00:20:08.37
"Those who endure unto
the end, they shall be," what?
00:20:08.40\00:20:13.21
"They shall be saved."
00:20:13.24\00:20:14.54
Job, in all of his trials
and all of his circumstances,
00:20:14.58\00:20:18.08
as we're reading
through the book of Job,
00:20:18.11\00:20:19.91
begin to understand
that Job's character
00:20:19.95\00:20:22.78
of faithfulness
shines through and through.
00:20:22.82\00:20:25.39
And he was
faithful unto the end.
00:20:25.42\00:20:27.29
And I hope that's our desire,
that by the grace of God,
00:20:27.32\00:20:30.66
we'll want to be faithful
to God unto the very end.
00:20:30.69\00:20:33.53
It also reminded me of a
passage in 2 Timothy chapter 4,
00:20:33.56\00:20:37.63
verse 7, where
the Apostle Paul says,
00:20:37.67\00:20:40.24
"I have fought the good fight."
00:20:40.27\00:20:41.94
Towards the end of his life,
"I have fought the good fight,
00:20:41.97\00:20:45.14
I have finished the
race, I have kept the faith."
00:20:45.17\00:20:50.61
That's a powerful passage.
00:20:50.65\00:20:52.75
In other words, Job
looks back over his life,
00:20:52.78\00:20:55.45
he was faithful to the end.
00:20:55.48\00:20:56.82
Paul looks back over
his life, he says to us,
00:20:56.85\00:20:59.39
"I have kept the faith. I
have been faithful to the end."
00:20:59.42\00:21:02.22
This is a
characteristic of God's people.
00:21:02.26\00:21:05.69
This is brought out in
this lesson as we'll go
00:21:05.73\00:21:09.46
through it together.
00:21:09.50\00:21:11.07
So, who was this man?
00:21:11.10\00:21:12.70
If you have your Bibles,
00:21:12.73\00:21:14.04
I want you to turn
with me to Job chapter 1.
00:21:14.07\00:21:17.67
Who was this man? Job chapter 1.
00:21:17.71\00:21:20.51
And we're going to
actually take a look at verse 1,
00:21:20.54\00:21:23.01
verse 8, and then we're going
to look at chapter 2, verse 3.
00:21:23.04\00:21:28.08
The lesson brings out
very simply who this man was.
00:21:28.12\00:21:31.09
And then, as we go on,
it begins to unpack it more
00:21:31.12\00:21:33.69
and more for us, the lesson.
00:21:33.72\00:21:36.46
Job chapter 1, verse 1 says,
"There was a man in the land of
00:21:36.49\00:21:40.30
Uz whose name was Job,
and that man was," what?
00:21:40.33\00:21:45.20
"That man was
perfect," or blameless,
00:21:45.23\00:21:48.27
"and he was upright,
and one who feared God."
00:21:48.30\00:21:52.17
And what? "And shunned evil."
00:21:52.21\00:21:54.41
He turned away from evil.
00:21:54.44\00:21:56.48
We see the same character
brought out in verse 8.
00:21:56.51\00:22:00.08
It says, "Then the
Lord said to Satan,
00:22:00.12\00:22:03.52
'Have you
considered my servant Job?'"
00:22:03.55\00:22:05.92
Of course he has.
00:22:05.95\00:22:07.39
He's been walking to
and fro over the earth,
00:22:07.42\00:22:09.76
and he zeroes in on this
man, who has this character.
00:22:09.79\00:22:15.66
And then God
describes it for us,
00:22:15.70\00:22:17.63
that, "There is none
like him on the earth,
00:22:17.67\00:22:21.40
a blameless and upright man, one
who fears God and shuns evil."
00:22:21.44\00:22:26.84
There's no one
like this, like Job.
00:22:26.88\00:22:31.65
Then we get to
chapter 2, verse 3,
00:22:31.68\00:22:33.38
and we see this again.
00:22:33.42\00:22:35.35
"Then the Lord said to Satan,
'Have you considered my servant
00:22:35.38\00:22:38.39
Job, that there is
none like him on the earth,
00:22:38.42\00:22:41.29
a blameless and upright man, one
who fears God and shuns evil?
00:22:41.32\00:22:47.86
And still he holds
fast to his integrity,
00:22:47.93\00:22:51.47
although you
incited me against him
00:22:51.50\00:22:53.50
to destroy him without cause.'"
00:22:53.54\00:22:56.27
Four areas of Job's
character are highlighted,
00:22:56.30\00:23:01.81
really kind of
defining his character.
00:23:01.84\00:23:03.81
The first one was
that he was blameless.
00:23:03.85\00:23:06.31
The second one was what?
That he was--he was upright.
00:23:06.35\00:23:12.29
The third one was
that he--that he what?
00:23:12.32\00:23:16.02
That he feared God.
00:23:16.06\00:23:17.69
And the fourth, ultimately,
was that he shunned evil.
00:23:17.73\00:23:21.73
He lived his life turning
consistently away from evil.
00:23:21.76\00:23:26.60
And so, the lesson is going
to unpack these things for us
00:23:26.63\00:23:30.57
as we go further
and further into it.
00:23:30.61\00:23:32.77
Matter of fact,
in Sunday's lesson,
00:23:32.81\00:23:34.61
if you have your lessons, you
turn over to Sunday's lesson,
00:23:34.64\00:23:40.02
it begins to kind of define
these terms so that we can kind
00:23:40.05\00:23:44.25
of wrap our minds around it, and
really get a grasp and a picture
00:23:44.29\00:23:48.46
of who this man was,
answering that simple question.
00:23:48.49\00:23:55.13
The word "blameless," as the
lesson kind of identifies and
00:23:55.16\00:23:58.90
brings to our attention, refers
to a person that has reached a
00:23:58.93\00:24:02.67
degree of
development that heaven expects,
00:24:02.70\00:24:06.71
not what the earth expects,
but a degree of development that
00:24:06.74\00:24:12.15
heaven expects of him
or her at any given time.
00:24:12.18\00:24:17.19
The word that is associated to
it in the New Testament is the
00:24:17.22\00:24:21.59
word "full grown" or "mature."
00:24:21.62\00:24:25.99
You know, I look forward to
the day when my children--now,
00:24:26.03\00:24:30.17
I know, we all want our
children to stay little.
00:24:30.20\00:24:34.14
But I look forward to the
day when they are full-grown,
00:24:34.17\00:24:38.51
when they're mature adults.
00:24:38.54\00:24:41.84
And I get pieces of that as
my oldest son is growing up.
00:24:41.88\00:24:45.38
We have these
interesting conversations.
00:24:45.41\00:24:49.22
Here, the word "blameless"
means full grown, mature.
00:24:49.25\00:24:53.56
And when I read this,
00:24:53.59\00:24:54.96
I thought about 1 Corinthians
chapter 13, verse 11.
00:24:54.99\00:24:59.36
In 1 Corinthians
chapter 13, verse 11,
00:24:59.39\00:25:01.90
Paul says, "When I was a
child, I spoke as a child,
00:25:01.93\00:25:07.97
I understood as a
child, I thought as a child.
00:25:08.00\00:25:11.84
But when I became a," what?
00:25:11.87\00:25:15.01
"When I became a man,
when I made this transition,"
00:25:15.04\00:25:18.68
he says, "I put
away childish things,"
00:25:18.71\00:25:22.08
1 Corinthians
chapter 13, verse 11.
00:25:22.12\00:25:24.15
Here, what's interesting is
that the Apostle Paul uses the
00:25:24.19\00:25:28.36
example of an earthly transition
to explain in a way a transition
00:25:28.39\00:25:34.00
of character
that each Christian,
00:25:34.03\00:25:37.07
each believer in
Christ, should go through.
00:25:37.10\00:25:40.90
And this is a
heavenly transition.
00:25:40.94\00:25:42.40
We're preparing to be
heaven-bound and heaven-ready.
00:25:42.44\00:25:46.47
Job, when it defines
his character as blameless,
00:25:46.51\00:25:50.48
he's one who's
made this transition.
00:25:50.51\00:25:54.02
He's one who's making
consistently this transition.
00:25:54.05\00:25:58.75
Matter of fact, if you
turn with me in your Bibles to 1
00:25:58.79\00:26:01.62
Corinthians, you'll want
to keep your fingers in Job,
00:26:01.66\00:26:02.99
but we'll go and
look at the context
00:26:03.02\00:26:05.06
of 1 Corinthians chapter 13.
00:26:05.09\00:26:08.90
We're not going to go
through the whole chapter,
00:26:08.93\00:26:10.77
but we're just going to
read the verses around verse 11.
00:26:10.80\00:26:13.60
1 Corinthians chapter 13,
and we're going to look at the
00:26:13.64\00:26:18.34
verses around this verse
we just got done reading.
00:26:18.37\00:26:24.15
And I'm actually
going to start with verse 9,
00:26:24.18\00:26:26.38
1 Corinthians, so
we understand this.
00:26:26.41\00:26:28.65
1 Corinthians
chapter 13, verse 9 says,
00:26:28.68\00:26:31.35
"For we know in
part, for we know in part,
00:26:31.39\00:26:35.59
and we prophesy in part.
00:26:35.62\00:26:38.63
But when that which is
perfect or complete has come,
00:26:38.66\00:26:43.87
then that which is in
part will be done away.
00:26:43.90\00:26:47.77
When I was a
child, I spoke as a child,
00:26:47.80\00:26:50.17
I understood as a
child, I thought as a child.
00:26:50.21\00:26:53.78
But when I became a man,
I put away childish things.
00:26:53.81\00:26:57.51
For now we see
in a mirror dimly,
00:26:57.55\00:26:59.95
but then face to face.
00:27:00.05\00:27:02.62
Now I know in part,
but then I shall know just
00:27:02.65\00:27:06.52
also as I am known," 1
Corinthians chapter 13,
00:27:06.55\00:27:11.76
verse 9 through 12.
00:27:11.79\00:27:14.30
And Paul's unpacking this
transition that actually is
00:27:14.30\00:27:19.07
described that Job is going
through in the word "blameless,"
00:27:19.10\00:27:23.17
this transition from being a
child of Christ and moving into
00:27:23.20\00:27:27.68
being a full grown
Christian, a mature Christian,
00:27:27.71\00:27:31.78
who in character is
described as being--Job
00:27:31.81\00:27:35.18
was described as being what?
00:27:35.22\00:27:37.35
Blameless.
00:27:37.39\00:27:38.69
He was going
through this transition.
00:27:38.72\00:27:42.39
Job was blameless.
00:27:42.42\00:27:44.93
Job's character was one that
was in line with what heaven
00:27:44.96\00:27:49.10
expected, not
what earth expected.
00:27:49.13\00:27:54.07
He was making this transition.
00:27:54.10\00:27:56.34
Jesus also talks about this
in Luke chapter 6, verse 40.
00:27:56.37\00:28:00.41
He says, "A disciple
is not above his teacher,
00:28:00.44\00:28:04.65
but everyone who
is perfectly trained
00:28:04.68\00:28:08.35
will be like his teacher."
00:28:08.38\00:28:11.25
In other words, when we
begin to first learn of Christ,
00:28:11.29\00:28:15.96
we begin the
character development process.
00:28:15.99\00:28:18.99
But at some point--we will
always continue to develop,
00:28:19.03\00:28:22.56
but at some point, we make
a transition from just being
00:28:22.60\00:28:26.43
taught to actually teaching.
00:28:26.47\00:28:30.94
We make this transition.
00:28:30.97\00:28:33.91
Matter of fact,
in Hebrews chapter 5,
00:28:33.94\00:28:36.08
verse 12, Paul has
something to say about
00:28:36.11\00:28:39.91
the Hebrew Christians here.
00:28:39.95\00:28:42.38
He says, "For though by this
time you ought to be teachers."
00:28:42.42\00:28:47.69
In other words, you
should be making this transition
00:28:47.72\00:28:50.36
in your character.
00:28:50.39\00:28:51.69
You should be blameless.
00:28:51.73\00:28:55.00
"You ought to be teachers.
00:28:55.03\00:28:56.36
You need someone," he
says, "to teach you again
00:28:56.40\00:28:59.43
the first principles
of the oracles of God."
00:28:59.47\00:29:02.77
And then he says,
"You have come to need milk
00:29:02.80\00:29:06.44
and not solid food,"
what is Paul describing?
00:29:06.47\00:29:08.78
If they need milk
and not solid food,
00:29:08.81\00:29:13.38
where are they
still at in character?
00:29:13.42\00:29:18.02
They're still babes.
00:29:18.05\00:29:19.89
And yet, Paul says they
need to make this transition.
00:29:19.92\00:29:23.69
They need--you should be moving
from being taught to actually
00:29:23.73\00:29:27.73
becoming teachers.
00:29:27.76\00:29:29.43
Your character should
be developing and growing.
00:29:29.46\00:29:33.17
And that's what it means when
it identifies Job's character as
00:29:33.20\00:29:37.41
one that is blameless.
00:29:37.44\00:29:41.01
This also moves us--by the
way, you've heard the phrase,
00:29:41.04\00:29:44.51
you know, so heavenly-minded
that you're no what?
00:29:44.55\00:29:47.55
Earthly good.
00:29:47.58\00:29:48.88
Job wasn't so heavenly-minded,
and the lesson brings this out,
00:29:48.92\00:29:53.92
that he was no earthly good.
00:29:53.96\00:29:56.36
Matter of fact, this helps
us with the transition from the
00:29:56.39\00:29:59.53
word "blameless"
to the word "upright."
00:29:59.56\00:30:02.76
Okay, and the lesson in
Sunday helps us define the word
00:30:02.80\00:30:05.67
"upright," which is
straight, level, just, right.
00:30:05.70\00:30:10.34
In a way, Job could be
actually called a good citizen.
00:30:10.37\00:30:18.68
But he wasn't just a
good citizen on earth,
00:30:18.71\00:30:22.92
he was preparing
to be a citizen where?
00:30:22.95\00:30:26.45
In heaven.
Heaven-bound, heaven-ready.
00:30:26.49\00:30:30.03
Character is crucial.
00:30:30.06\00:30:31.69
So, Job is upright.
00:30:31.73\00:30:36.43
Notice with me
in Monday's lesson,
00:30:36.46\00:30:38.03
I'm going to turn the page
and I want to read a verse.
00:30:38.07\00:30:40.20
You turn with me in your
Bibles, Job chapter 29, verse 7.
00:30:40.24\00:30:44.17
And Job actually
starts to unpack this,
00:30:44.21\00:30:46.64
that he was upright,
he was a good citizen,
00:30:46.68\00:30:48.58
he was straight, he was level,
he was just, he was right.
00:30:48.61\00:30:52.05
If you turn with
me to Job chapter 29,
00:30:52.08\00:30:54.55
we're going to
look there at verse 7.
00:30:54.58\00:31:00.09
Job chapter 29, verse 7 says,
"When I went out to the gate
00:31:00.12\00:31:04.19
by the city, when I took
my seat in the open square,"
00:31:04.23\00:31:09.26
what's Job describing?
00:31:09.30\00:31:12.63
Job's actually describing
a position or a place of
00:31:12.67\00:31:16.94
administration in
his local community.
00:31:16.97\00:31:21.64
In other words,
Job was a leader.
00:31:21.68\00:31:24.01
He wasn't just
preparing for heaven,
00:31:24.05\00:31:26.15
but in his
preparation for heaven,
00:31:26.18\00:31:28.25
he became a good
citizen even on planet earth.
00:31:28.28\00:31:33.62
He was upright
in the open square.
00:31:33.66\00:31:39.13
In the lesson, I'm
going to read from page 106.
00:31:39.16\00:31:43.80
And it says here, "Such
seats, when he takes his seat,"
00:31:43.83\00:31:46.94
as we read in verse 7, "he takes
his seat in the open square."
00:31:46.97\00:31:50.97
It's actually a place or a
position of administration.
00:31:51.01\00:31:55.31
Now, for those of you
that are sitting here,
00:31:55.34\00:31:58.61
those of you that
are administrators,
00:31:58.65\00:32:00.75
you'll want to pay close
attention in relationship
00:32:00.78\00:32:04.65
to this aspect
of Job's character.
00:32:04.69\00:32:08.52
Interesting.
00:32:08.56\00:32:09.86
Such seats would usually
be given to the senior and
00:32:09.89\00:32:14.00
respected
members of the society.
00:32:14.03\00:32:16.97
And among them, Job
was highly esteemed.
00:32:17.00\00:32:22.07
Notice with me Job
29, verses 8 through 10.
00:32:22.10\00:32:25.21
When we talk
about highly esteemed,
00:32:25.24\00:32:27.74
notice the rest of these verses,
in relationship to describing
00:32:27.78\00:32:31.31
Job as he functioned as
an administrator within his
00:32:31.35\00:32:34.98
community, how respected
he was because he was upright.
00:32:35.02\00:32:41.26
Verse 8 through 10, it says,
"The young men saw me and hid."
00:32:41.29\00:32:45.03
By the way, it's not
because they were running away
00:32:45.06\00:32:47.86
from him in terror, okay?
00:32:47.86\00:32:50.70
This was out of respect.
00:32:50.73\00:32:52.30
He had the respect of young
men, but then the verse goes on
00:32:52.33\00:32:56.54
and says, "And the
aged arose and stood."
00:32:56.57\00:33:01.04
So, now we transition.
00:33:01.08\00:33:02.51
He had the
attention of the youth,
00:33:02.54\00:33:04.78
he had the
attention of the aged,
00:33:04.81\00:33:07.52
and then it goes on, it
doesn't just stop there.
00:33:07.55\00:33:09.58
It says, "The princes
refrained from talking."
00:33:09.62\00:33:13.12
He also has the
attention of who?
00:33:13.15\00:33:15.76
Of the princes,
the royalty, everybody.
00:33:15.79\00:33:22.60
He has their attention.
00:33:22.63\00:33:23.93
And then it goes on,
"They refrained from talking,
00:33:23.97\00:33:28.60
and they put their
hands on their mouths."
00:33:28.64\00:33:31.04
This is a respectful silence.
00:33:31.07\00:33:33.94
It's like you've
probably heard some time ago,
00:33:33.98\00:33:36.14
I don't hear it often
anymore, but that commercial,
00:33:36.18\00:33:38.68
"When E.F. Hutton speaks,
everybody listens," okay?
00:33:38.71\00:33:44.62
When Job would take
his seat at the gate,
00:33:44.65\00:33:49.49
in his administrative--in
his administrative position,
00:33:49.52\00:33:56.73
everybody would pay attention.
00:33:56.77\00:33:58.87
The young, the aged,
the princes would have
00:33:58.90\00:34:02.30
this respectful silence.
00:34:02.34\00:34:05.07
And then notice verse 10,
"The voice of even the nobles,
00:34:05.11\00:34:09.24
the voice of the
nobles was hushed,
00:34:09.28\00:34:11.98
and their tongues stuck
to the roof of their mouth."
00:34:12.01\00:34:14.85
This is describing them in awe.
00:34:14.88\00:34:19.65
They can't say anything.
00:34:19.69\00:34:22.86
You know, you have that
person of great importance.
00:34:22.89\00:34:25.63
When somebody of great
importance enters the room,
00:34:25.66\00:34:29.30
people just kind
of can't say anything.
00:34:29.33\00:34:34.10
Maybe there's somebody
that you've greatly respected,
00:34:34.14\00:34:36.47
and you finally had
the chance to meet them,
00:34:36.50\00:34:40.98
and you just--you
can't get the words out.
00:34:41.01\00:34:43.75
You'd love to say
something intelligible,
00:34:43.78\00:34:47.65
but sometimes that's challenging
when you're in front of people
00:34:47.68\00:34:51.32
that you've looked up
to and that you've valued,
00:34:51.35\00:34:53.52
that have great stature.
00:34:53.56\00:34:55.49
That was Job. This
was the character of Job.
00:34:55.52\00:34:58.66
He was one that
was close to God,
00:34:58.69\00:35:02.63
and people around him
knew it from the youth,
00:35:02.66\00:35:07.70
to the aged, to the
princes, to the nobles.
00:35:07.74\00:35:12.97
What a character.
00:35:13.01\00:35:15.21
And that's the character that
God wants us to have so that he
00:35:15.24\00:35:19.81
will gain the
glory and the honor.
00:35:19.85\00:35:21.42
And people will listen
not because of who we are,
00:35:21.45\00:35:26.35
but because of what God
has made us to be and be like.
00:35:26.39\00:35:31.96
We'll have the
respect of the youth.
00:35:31.99\00:35:34.73
You know,
sometimes we think, "Oh,
00:35:34.76\00:35:36.36
I'm past the age, I
can't reach the youth anymore."
00:35:36.40\00:35:41.94
Job could reach the youth.
00:35:41.97\00:35:43.51
He had their attention.
00:35:43.54\00:35:45.44
He could reach nobles,
princes because he was upright,
00:35:45.47\00:35:49.54
he was blameless.
00:35:49.58\00:35:53.35
It's powerful when you actually
stop to process who this man
00:35:53.38\00:35:59.15
really was, who
this man really was.
00:35:59.19\00:36:04.79
You know what's also interesting
as I move my papers around?
00:36:04.83\00:36:08.70
What's also interesting
is that Job was respected
00:36:08.73\00:36:12.87
not because of what he did.
00:36:12.90\00:36:14.77
You know, sometimes we
look for respect just because
00:36:14.80\00:36:18.84
of a position we may be in.
00:36:18.87\00:36:20.44
But Job's character,
it was about who he was,
00:36:20.48\00:36:24.48
not what
about--not about what he did.
00:36:24.51\00:36:28.38
It wasn't about his position.
00:36:28.42\00:36:30.72
People respected him
for who he really was.
00:36:30.75\00:36:34.32
Job grew in
favor with God and man.
00:36:34.36\00:36:38.26
Have you ever heard
that phrase in the Bible?
00:36:38.29\00:36:40.96
We see it in a
few different places,
00:36:41.00\00:36:43.30
but one I'm just going to
highlight is our example in
00:36:43.33\00:36:46.80
everything, and who is that?
00:36:46.84\00:36:48.94
That's Jesus Christ.
00:36:48.97\00:36:50.54
So, when you go
to Luke chapter 2,
00:36:50.57\00:36:52.07
verse 52, you
don't have to turn,
00:36:52.11\00:36:53.51
but I'll read you
the verse, it says,
00:36:53.54\00:36:55.08
"Jesus increased
in wisdom and stature,
00:36:55.11\00:36:59.48
and in favor with God first,
00:36:59.51\00:37:03.15
and then with man."
00:37:03.18\00:37:06.09
Job wasn't so heavenly-minded
that he was no earthly good.
00:37:06.12\00:37:09.76
He was of great value on
earth, but to God's purposes,
00:37:09.79\00:37:14.30
for God's purposes.
00:37:14.30\00:37:16.50
And so was Jesus. He
was like his creator.
00:37:16.53\00:37:21.60
He was like Christ.
00:37:21.64\00:37:23.51
Now, notice with me, I do want
you to turn to Proverbs because
00:37:23.54\00:37:26.84
Proverbs unpacks this even more.
00:37:26.88\00:37:29.81
These characteristics of Job
that are--that are brought to
00:37:29.84\00:37:33.52
the forefront in Job, you
see them all over Proverbs.
00:37:33.55\00:37:37.29
But just one specific place
because this verse will begin to
00:37:37.32\00:37:41.62
help us make a transition,
okay, to Tuesday's lesson,
00:37:41.66\00:37:45.39
which is heart and eyes.
00:37:45.43\00:37:48.16
So, in Job
chapter 3--or Proverbs,
00:37:48.20\00:37:50.83
excuse me, Proverbs chapter
3, verse 1 starts by saying,
00:37:50.87\00:37:54.54
"My son, do not forget
my law, but let your heart
00:37:54.57\00:37:59.07
keep my commands.
00:37:59.11\00:38:01.28
For length of days," get
this, "for length of days,
00:38:01.31\00:38:06.82
and long life, and
peace they will add to you.
00:38:06.85\00:38:12.35
Let not mercy and
truth forsake you.
00:38:12.39\00:38:14.22
Bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your
00:38:14.26\00:38:17.96
heart, and so find favor, find
favor and high esteem in the
00:38:17.99\00:38:26.17
sight of God and," whom?
00:38:26.20\00:38:29.24
"In the sight of man.
00:38:29.27\00:38:31.47
Take my commands and
put them on your heart.
00:38:31.51\00:38:36.58
Let your heart
keep my commandments."
00:38:36.61\00:38:40.75
And as we do this,
this is what Job was doing,
00:38:40.78\00:38:44.32
he says, "That we will find
favor and high esteem in the
00:38:44.35\00:38:50.03
sight of God, and
in the sight of," whom?
00:38:50.06\00:38:52.99
Man.
00:38:53.03\00:38:55.10
Powerful passage.
00:38:55.13\00:38:56.60
Look at with me, I'm
going to jump to the lesson now,
00:38:56.63\00:38:58.77
to page 106.
00:38:58.80\00:39:02.74
And there's a quote in the
lesson that helps to bring this
00:39:02.77\00:39:07.51
out even more so.
00:39:07.54\00:39:10.08
It's found in a book called
"Education," it's page 142.
00:39:10.11\00:39:15.78
Says, "God has given to--God has
given in his word a picture of a
00:39:15.82\00:39:22.22
prosperous man,"
this is referring to Job,
00:39:22.26\00:39:26.06
"one whose life
was, in the truest sense,
00:39:26.09\00:39:29.46
a success."
00:39:29.50\00:39:31.97
How many of us want to
experience success in our lives?
00:39:32.00\00:39:36.27
Or at the end of our
days, we want to look back,
00:39:36.30\00:39:39.04
and we can see that,
looking back on our lives,
00:39:39.07\00:39:41.48
it was in the
truest sense a success.
00:39:41.51\00:39:46.75
"A man whom both heaven
and earth delighted to honor."
00:39:46.78\00:39:52.65
This is incredible.
He's talking about Job.
00:39:52.69\00:39:55.39
But how many of us
want that character,
00:39:55.42\00:39:58.33
where we can look back
and say, "In the truest sense,
00:39:58.36\00:40:00.70
my life has been a success"?
00:40:00.73\00:40:04.00
You know, I hear lots of
people talking about success,
00:40:04.03\00:40:06.30
and what defines success,
and how do we have success.
00:40:06.33\00:40:10.77
In its truest sense, it's having
a character that is blameless,
00:40:10.81\00:40:16.08
that is upright, that
fears God, and that shuns evil.
00:40:16.11\00:40:22.52
That kind of
character, in the truest sense,
00:40:22.55\00:40:25.65
will give all of us, no
matter where we are in life,
00:40:25.69\00:40:28.66
truest success, real success
for God's honor and glory.
00:40:28.69\00:40:36.97
Before I jump
into Tuesday, though,
00:40:37.00\00:40:38.67
there's one other point that I
want to bring your attention to
00:40:38.70\00:40:42.07
in relationship to
the character of Job.
00:40:42.10\00:40:45.44
If we turn in our Bibles, we're
going to go back to Job chapter
00:40:45.47\00:40:48.58
29, we're going
to look at verse 14.
00:40:48.61\00:40:53.55
Job chapter 29, verse 14.
00:40:53.58\00:41:01.56
And I love this verse
in the middle of what Job
00:41:01.59\00:41:05.19
is doing as he
relates with other people.
00:41:05.23\00:41:08.60
He says, "I put on," what?
00:41:08.63\00:41:11.57
"I put on
righteousness, and it," what?
00:41:11.60\00:41:16.30
"It clothed me."
00:41:16.34\00:41:18.77
Whose righteousness, by
the way, is Job speaking about?
00:41:18.81\00:41:21.44
Because the Bible tells
us, in relationship to man,
00:41:21.48\00:41:24.68
we've all sinned and fallen
short of the glory of God.
00:41:24.71\00:41:27.52
So, what
righteousness did Job put on?
00:41:27.55\00:41:30.35
Whose
righteousness did Job put on?
00:41:30.39\00:41:33.25
Christ's righteousness,
God's righteousness.
00:41:33.29\00:41:35.89
By faith, Job was
putting on continually
00:41:35.92\00:41:41.86
the righteousness of Christ.
00:41:41.90\00:41:45.03
Job knew that there was no
righteousness in and of himself.
00:41:45.07\00:41:49.00
It was impossible.
00:41:49.04\00:41:50.74
For any of us,
it's not possible.
00:41:50.77\00:41:53.01
Only through faith in Christ
can we ultimately put on the
00:41:53.04\00:41:56.98
righteousness of God, and
walk in that righteousness.
00:41:57.01\00:42:00.48
And that's described actually
in other places of the Bible.
00:42:00.52\00:42:02.92
In Psalms
chapter 119, verse 172,
00:42:02.95\00:42:05.25
it says that, "All your
commandments are righteousness."
00:42:05.29\00:42:10.29
Okay, Proverbs
chapter 3, remember?
00:42:10.33\00:42:12.56
"My son, let your
heart keep my," what?
00:42:12.59\00:42:16.13
"Keep my commandments."
00:42:16.16\00:42:17.57
He's talking about
putting on his righteousness.
00:42:17.60\00:42:21.34
He's talking about being
clothed in his righteousness.
00:42:21.37\00:42:27.21
And then another passage.
00:42:27.24\00:42:28.54
In Acts chapter 13, verse
10, Paul goes on to describe
00:42:28.58\00:42:33.48
righteousness as the
straight ways of the Lord,
00:42:33.52\00:42:37.32
or the right ways of the Lord.
00:42:37.35\00:42:39.79
Remember the word "upright"?
00:42:39.82\00:42:41.46
One of the definitions
of the word "upright"
00:42:41.49\00:42:43.39
is straight, level, right.
00:42:43.43\00:42:48.20
Righteousness is the
straight ways of the Lord.
00:42:48.23\00:42:51.17
Righteousness are the
right ways of the Lord.
00:42:51.20\00:42:54.17
This is what, by faith,
Job was continually putting on.
00:42:54.20\00:43:00.11
And this is brought out
especially in Tuesday's lesson,
00:43:00.14\00:43:02.88
when we talk
more about the heart,
00:43:02.91\00:43:05.58
getting to the heart.
00:43:05.61\00:43:09.02
In Job here, with
his heart he served God,
00:43:09.05\00:43:17.06
with his heart.
00:43:17.09\00:43:19.39
Notice with me Job
chapter 31, verse 7 through 9.
00:43:19.43\00:43:23.23
Or 7 and 9, Job
chapter 31, verse 7 and 9.
00:43:23.26\00:43:28.00
"If my step has
turned from the way,
00:43:28.04\00:43:31.11
or my heart
walked after my eyes,
00:43:31.14\00:43:33.98
or if any spot adheres
to my hands," then verse 9,
00:43:34.01\00:43:38.45
he says, "if my heart
has been enticed by a woman,
00:43:38.48\00:43:42.85
or if I have lurked at my
neighbor's door," here Job
00:43:42.88\00:43:48.66
begins to unpack that it wasn't
just his actions with his hands
00:43:48.69\00:43:52.56
and his feet that
mattered, it was what?
00:43:52.59\00:43:56.56
His heart as well.
00:43:56.60\00:43:59.20
In Psalms chapter 51, verse
6, David writes that God desires
00:43:59.23\00:44:03.97
truth in the inward parts.
00:44:04.01\00:44:07.48
In the hidden part, he says
he will make us to know wisdom.
00:44:07.51\00:44:12.05
You know, there was a lawyer in
the New Testament that answered
00:44:12.08\00:44:18.65
a question that
Christ had asked him.
00:44:18.69\00:44:22.36
In Luke chapter 10, verse
27, here's the answer the lawyer
00:44:22.39\00:44:26.49
gives to a question that
Christ specifically asks.
00:44:26.53\00:44:30.37
He says, "You shall love the
Lord your God with all your,"
00:44:30.40\00:44:32.87
what?
00:44:32.90\00:44:34.30
"With all your
heart, with all your soul,
00:44:34.34\00:44:37.74
with all your strength,
and with all your mind."
00:44:37.77\00:44:40.08
And then he says, "And
your neighbor as yourself."
00:44:40.11\00:44:44.58
Jesus said to the lawyer,
upon this answer by the lawyer,
00:44:44.61\00:44:48.15
he says, "You
have answered rightly.
00:44:48.18\00:44:50.72
Do this and you will," what?
00:44:50.75\00:44:53.22
You'll live.
00:44:53.25\00:44:54.82
You'll live.
00:44:54.86\00:44:56.19
It's not just about what we
do with our hands and our feet,
00:44:56.22\00:44:59.36
but our service comes,
should come from the heart.
00:44:59.39\00:45:04.07
We should treasure God's
commands within our hearts.
00:45:04.10\00:45:07.64
By faith, we should be
living on a day to day basis.
00:45:07.67\00:45:12.61
In the lesson, we
didn't read the memory text,
00:45:12.64\00:45:15.78
and there's a reason for that.
00:45:15.81\00:45:17.95
Because now is where
the memory text really fits
00:45:17.98\00:45:21.25
into this lesson.
00:45:21.28\00:45:23.28
Because the memory
text says, "Do you see--"
00:45:23.32\00:45:25.72
This is from James
chapter 2, verse 22.
00:45:25.75\00:45:27.92
It says, "Do you see that faith
was working together with his
00:45:27.96\00:45:33.16
works, and by works
faith was made perfect?"
00:45:33.19\00:45:38.97
Job wasn't just acting.
00:45:39.00\00:45:41.27
He was living by faith.
00:45:41.30\00:45:43.67
And by faith,
he was able to act.
00:45:43.71\00:45:46.27
And he acted in
accordance with God's will.
00:45:46.31\00:45:50.45
He was found
blameless, he was found upright.
00:45:50.48\00:45:53.35
He was one that feared God.
00:45:53.38\00:45:57.42
Job understood that the
deeper meaning of holiness,
00:45:57.45\00:46:01.62
the deeper meaning of
right and wrong and God's law,
00:46:01.66\00:46:06.93
Job knew that God
cares about the heart,
00:46:06.96\00:46:12.20
about our thoughts,
not just about our actions.
00:46:12.23\00:46:16.37
1 Samuel chapter
16, verse 7 says,
00:46:16.40\00:46:19.74
"For the Lord does not see
man--for the Lord does not see
00:46:19.77\00:46:24.85
as man sees, for
man looks at the," what?
00:46:24.88\00:46:29.15
"The outward appearance."
00:46:29.18\00:46:30.49
But God, where
does God look, though?
00:46:30.52\00:46:33.05
God looks at the heart.
00:46:33.09\00:46:34.39
When he looks at all of us,
he looks right at our heart.
00:46:34.42\00:46:38.79
He goes beyond the
hair, he goes beyond the skin,
00:46:38.83\00:46:43.00
he looks right to the heart.
00:46:43.03\00:46:45.83
And he gets right to the heart
of the issue when he does that.
00:46:45.87\00:46:50.47
As a matter of fact,
within God's very law,
00:46:50.51\00:46:52.64
we see this brought out.
00:46:52.67\00:46:53.98
In Exodus chapter
20, verse 17, it says,
00:46:54.01\00:46:56.44
"You shall not covet
your neighbor's house,
00:46:56.48\00:46:59.41
you shall not covet
your neighbor's wife,
00:46:59.45\00:47:03.08
nor his male
servant, nor his ox,
00:47:03.12\00:47:06.05
nor his donkey, nor anything
that is your neighbor's."
00:47:06.09\00:47:09.52
In other words, don't even let
your heart covet those things.
00:47:09.56\00:47:14.93
Because if you do,
it's just a matter of time
00:47:14.93\00:47:17.53
before your actions what?
00:47:17.57\00:47:20.64
Follow.
00:47:20.67\00:47:22.70
And you want
to--you know that phrase,
00:47:22.74\00:47:24.21
"keeping up with the Joneses"?
00:47:24.24\00:47:26.81
You know, we go after,
"Oh, my neighbor has this.
00:47:26.84\00:47:28.81
Ooh, I really want that.
00:47:28.84\00:47:30.61
Oh, my neighbor has
this, I got to have that."
00:47:30.65\00:47:32.61
And with our
minds, we begin to covet.
00:47:32.65\00:47:40.12
The just shall
live by what? By faith.
00:47:40.16\00:47:44.86
Job lived by faith.
00:47:44.89\00:47:47.00
And it affected
his relationships.
00:47:47.03\00:47:51.67
It affected his relationships.
00:47:51.70\00:47:54.07
Notice with me Job chapter
31, verses 13 through 15.
00:47:54.10\00:47:57.67
And I'm going to
kind of cruise through.
00:47:57.71\00:48:00.64
Job chapter 31,
verse 13 through 15,
00:48:00.68\00:48:03.48
he says, "If I have despised
the cause of my male or female
00:48:03.51\00:48:09.28
servant when they
complained against me,
00:48:09.32\00:48:13.25
what then shall I
do when God rises up?
00:48:13.29\00:48:17.26
When he punishes,
how shall I answer him?
00:48:17.29\00:48:20.66
Did not he who made me
in the womb make them?"
00:48:20.70\00:48:26.94
You know, Job was
far ahead of his time.
00:48:26.97\00:48:29.64
God is always far
ahead of our time.
00:48:29.67\00:48:33.91
He says, "Did not the same
one fashion us in the womb?"
00:48:33.94\00:48:40.32
He's bringing them all together.
00:48:40.35\00:48:42.35
He's like, "You know that poor
man on the side of the street?
00:48:42.38\00:48:45.59
We are no different.
00:48:45.62\00:48:48.52
That beggar, we
are no different."
00:48:48.56\00:48:52.83
We're all equal in
relationship to how God sees.
00:48:52.86\00:48:58.13
He died for all of
us, not just some of us.
00:48:58.17\00:49:03.17
And Job sees this.
Job understands this.
00:49:03.20\00:49:08.18
Matter of fact, notice
with me Job chapter 29.
00:49:08.21\00:49:10.58
He unpacks this even more
just earlier in the chapter.
00:49:10.61\00:49:14.02
Job chapter 29, I'm
just going to read 12,
00:49:14.05\00:49:16.75
13, and then 15
through 17, Job chapter 29.
00:49:16.79\00:49:21.52
He says, "Because I delivered
the poor who cried out,
00:49:21.56\00:49:25.83
the fatherless, and
the one who had no helper,
00:49:25.86\00:49:29.50
the blessing of a
perishing man came upon me.
00:49:29.53\00:49:33.64
And I caused the
widow's heart to sing for joy.
00:49:33.67\00:49:37.21
I put on righteousness,
and it clothed me.
00:49:37.24\00:49:41.51
My justice was like
a robe and a turban."
00:49:41.54\00:49:44.28
Notice verse 15, he
says, "I was eyes to the blind.
00:49:44.31\00:49:51.12
I was feet to the lame.
00:49:51.15\00:49:53.86
I was a father to the poor,
and I searched out the case
00:49:53.89\00:49:59.06
that I did not know."
00:49:59.09\00:50:01.50
This is incredible.
00:50:01.53\00:50:03.26
"I broke the
fangs of the wicked,
00:50:03.30\00:50:05.70
and plucked the
victim from his teeth."
00:50:05.73\00:50:10.37
Job was all about saving man.
00:50:10.41\00:50:14.61
Why? Because God saved him.
00:50:14.64\00:50:19.11
And it didn't
matter who they were,
00:50:19.15\00:50:21.55
it didn't matter
where they came from,
00:50:21.58\00:50:23.28
it didn't matter
what their background was.
00:50:23.32\00:50:25.52
He saw man, wherever
they were, and he reached out
00:50:25.55\00:50:30.69
in each situation.
00:50:30.73\00:50:32.73
A person like this gains a lot
of respect from a lot of people.
00:50:32.76\00:50:37.93
And Job had a lot of respect
from a lot of people because of
00:50:37.97\00:50:42.00
this character that he
was consistently developing,
00:50:42.04\00:50:46.78
he was consistently developing.
00:50:46.81\00:50:50.61
In the lesson on page
107, the lesson on page 107,
00:50:50.65\00:50:59.69
you know, Job was doing
things that people in his day,
00:50:59.72\00:51:04.36
many had a hard time with.
00:51:04.39\00:51:06.16
And the lesson kind of
points this out when it says,
00:51:06.19\00:51:08.60
"The ancient world was
not a place where concepts
00:51:08.63\00:51:11.97
of universal
rights and universal laws
00:51:12.00\00:51:15.20
were understood or followed."
00:51:15.24\00:51:17.97
You know, even the Jews
had a hard time with this,
00:51:18.01\00:51:20.81
didn't they?
00:51:20.84\00:51:22.51
"We're the superior nation,
00:51:22.54\00:51:26.45
and everybody
should be looking to us."
00:51:26.48\00:51:30.32
Job didn't live his life that
way because it wasn't about Job.
00:51:30.35\00:51:36.99
Job knew it was about God.
00:51:37.03\00:51:39.83
It was all about God.
00:51:39.86\00:51:42.36
And that's who we
need to be all about.
00:51:42.40\00:51:46.07
That's what our characters
need to be all about, why?
00:51:46.10\00:51:49.57
Because when
Jesus comes one day,
00:51:49.60\00:51:51.47
we're going to see him what?
00:51:51.51\00:51:53.07
Face to face.
00:51:53.11\00:51:54.41
Remember Paul talked
about this in 1 Corinthians 13?
00:51:54.44\00:51:57.15
One day, we're going to
see our maker face to face,
00:51:57.18\00:52:00.98
and will our characters line up?
00:52:01.02\00:52:04.09
Will our characters line
up? We need to be about God.
00:52:04.12\00:52:09.42
Job was about God. He
wasn't just about himself.
00:52:09.46\00:52:16.43
And the lesson really
brings that out more and more.
00:52:16.46\00:52:20.24
And I'm going to close, I
want to go to Matthew chapter 7.
00:52:20.27\00:52:23.54
Because on Wednesday, we don't
even have time to get through
00:52:23.57\00:52:25.44
everything in this lesson, but I
just want to mention one thing.
00:52:25.47\00:52:29.78
Job's life was
founded on the rock.
00:52:29.81\00:52:35.72
Job's life was
founded on the rock.
00:52:35.75\00:52:40.02
Jesus talks about this.
00:52:40.06\00:52:41.62
What does that
mean, founded on the rock?
00:52:41.66\00:52:46.13
For any of you who are builders,
you understand the importance of
00:52:46.16\00:52:50.37
a good foundation, right?
00:52:50.40\00:52:53.90
Otherwise, trials, storms,
whatever, fires will come.
00:52:53.94\00:53:00.24
We need a good foundation.
00:53:00.28\00:53:02.01
Job developed a good foundation,
00:53:02.04\00:53:04.61
and that
foundation was upon Christ.
00:53:04.65\00:53:07.18
I'm going to turn
to Matthew chapter 5.
00:53:07.22\00:53:09.98
Chapter 7, excuse me.
00:53:10.02\00:53:11.95
Matthew chapter 7,
verse 22 through 27,
00:53:11.99\00:53:15.39
it says, "Many will
say to me in that day,
00:53:15.42\00:53:18.59
'Lord, Lord, have we
not prophesied in your name,
00:53:18.63\00:53:21.96
cast out demons in your name,
00:53:22.00\00:53:23.30
and done many
wonders in your name?'
00:53:23.33\00:53:25.50
And then I will declare
to them, 'I never knew you.
00:53:25.53\00:53:28.34
Depart from me, ye
workers of,'" what?
00:53:28.37\00:53:30.77
"Those who practice lawlessness
or workers of iniquity."
00:53:30.81\00:53:34.31
Then Jesus goes on,
he says, "Therefore."
00:53:34.34\00:53:37.48
After saying this, "Therefore,
whoever hears these sayings
00:53:37.51\00:53:41.62
of mine and does them, I
will liken him to a wise man
00:53:41.65\00:53:46.79
who built his
house on the," what?
00:53:46.82\00:53:48.86
"Who built his
house on the rock.
00:53:48.89\00:53:51.46
And the rain
descended, and the floods came,
00:53:51.49\00:53:53.86
and the winds blew
and beat on that house,
00:53:53.90\00:53:56.03
and it did not fall, for
it was founded on the rock."
00:53:56.06\00:54:02.97
The opposite, Jesus goes on to
say that those who build their
00:54:03.00\00:54:08.31
houses on the sand, when the
winds come and the storms come,
00:54:08.34\00:54:13.35
he says great was
the fall of that house.
00:54:13.38\00:54:16.42
It's important for us
to be building on the rock.
00:54:16.45\00:54:20.49
Job was building on the rock.
00:54:20.52\00:54:23.49
Job had a faith in Christ.
00:54:23.53\00:54:26.03
His eyes were ever to God,
and God affected his life in
00:54:26.06\00:54:31.27
tremendous ways that had
an effect on other people
00:54:31.30\00:54:34.60
around him.
00:54:34.64\00:54:36.44
As not only Job was
getting ready for heaven,
00:54:36.47\00:54:40.78
those who were around him
also were preparing for heaven
00:54:40.81\00:54:44.98
because of his influence,
because of his character,
00:54:45.01\00:54:48.38
because of how he walked
00:54:48.42\00:54:50.25
and lived his life
each and every day.
00:54:50.29\00:54:53.12
May we by faith truly cling
to the rock of our salvation.
00:54:53.15\00:54:59.53
And may we have the
characters that Job had.
00:54:59.56\00:55:03.87
Because in the last days,
Satan's going to put a spotlight
00:55:03.90\00:55:06.57
on them just like he
did on the life of Job.
00:55:06.60\00:55:10.41
And by the grace of God, may our
lives reflect the life of Christ
00:55:10.44\00:55:15.18
every moment of
every day we live,
00:55:15.21\00:55:18.95
until he comes again.
00:55:18.98\00:55:21.08
Powerful study,
the character of Job,
00:55:21.12\00:55:23.69
incredible as we look at
it and we study it further.
00:55:23.72\00:55:26.35
I'd like to remind
you, those that are viewing,
00:55:26.39\00:55:30.46
of the free offer,
Doug Batchelor's book,
00:55:30.49\00:55:34.83
"Assurance:
Justification Made Simple."
00:55:34.83\00:55:37.17
It's offer number 727.
00:55:37.20\00:55:39.80
For this, you can call ...
00:55:39.83\00:55:44.87
to get your free copy.
00:55:44.91\00:55:47.18
May God bless you.
Have a wonderful Sabbath.
00:55:47.21\00:55:49.68
male announcer:
Amazing Facts, changed lives.
00:55:54.78\00:56:01.19
female: My mother
passed away when I was three.
00:56:03.16\00:56:06.36
And my paternal grandparents
decided they would care
00:56:06.39\00:56:10.53
for my two older
sisters and I so that my father
00:56:10.57\00:56:14.47
would have time to mourn.
00:56:14.50\00:56:16.84
We never really had a mother
or a strong fatherly figure,
00:56:16.87\00:56:20.21
and I'm not blaming my dad.
00:56:20.24\00:56:21.81
I'm just saying
that's how things worked out.
00:56:21.84\00:56:26.05
When I was in high
school, my older sister got into
00:56:26.08\00:56:31.92
an argument with our father,
00:56:31.95\00:56:34.66
and my sister and I decided
that we would take her side.
00:56:34.69\00:56:40.70
And so, that caused
a split in our family.
00:56:40.73\00:56:46.40
For 4 years, we
lived in the same house,
00:56:46.43\00:56:49.20
we ate from the same pot,
we used the same restroom,
00:56:49.24\00:56:52.87
we walked by each other,
but we never said anything
00:56:52.91\00:56:55.61
to our father, and he
never said anything to us.
00:56:55.64\00:56:59.91
A year later, I had decided
I would move out for college.
00:56:59.95\00:57:04.09
He wasn't very happy with that.
00:57:04.12\00:57:06.62
We got booted out of the house.
00:57:06.65\00:57:10.26
We went back to apologize, but
we weren't really accepted back.
00:57:10.29\00:57:16.80
I have felt so
alone a lot of my life.
00:57:16.83\00:57:20.24
I felt like I've had
to fend more for myself.
00:57:20.27\00:57:23.20
I've been
missing a fatherly love.
00:57:23.24\00:57:26.74
I don't have family with me.
I don't have a lot of things.
00:57:26.78\00:57:34.08
But I have a God,
and I've been fulfilled,
00:57:36.72\00:57:40.92
I've been satisfied.
00:57:40.96\00:57:42.86
God has been my Father.
00:57:42.89\00:57:44.83
¤¤¤
00:57:44.86\00:57:51.67
announcer: Together, we have
spread the gospel much farther
00:57:55.24\00:57:58.84
than ever before.
00:57:58.87\00:58:00.44
Thank you for your support.
00:58:00.48\00:58:02.94
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00:58:03.71\00:58:05.88