Hello, and
welcome to another edition
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of the Sabbath School Study
Hour right here taking place
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at the Granite Bay
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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in the greater area of
Sacramento, California.
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It's always good to have
everyone join us together,
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both, those who
are with us live here
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in the Granite
Bay Church, of course,
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that join us each
and every Sabbath.
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Always good to have everybody
that's joining us live stream
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and the various Facebook pages
that are taking place right now
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as well as those who
are watching this program
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in the future on
various television networks.
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It's always good to have
each and every one of you.
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It's always good to
have our online members,
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those who are
guests and visitors,
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and perhaps you are
watching this program
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for the very first time,
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and we want to give a
special welcome to you,
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and pray and
trust that this program
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will be a blessing for you
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as we continue to study
a very important subject
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and that is the
topic of stewardship.
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Now, as we look at
this particular topic,
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today is no small lesson study
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because basically we are
looking at the conclusion
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of this
particular topic Stewardship.
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And so we are going to be
looking at lesson number 13,
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and that is entitled
The Results of Stewardship.
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What are the
results of stewardship?
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And, so I look forward
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to continuing to
study this important topic
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and as we come
to its conclusion.
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Now, before we
invite our singers out,
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we always like to share
with you a special free gift
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that we can give out
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and today is a very practical
one as well as spiritual
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it's entitled
From Stress to Joy.
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Just simply dial 1-866-788-3966.
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Again that's 1-866-788-3966
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and ask for offer number 705.
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We will be happy to
send that out to you.
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We're just so blessed to be
able to have our singers here
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today as they bless us in song
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and help us to be able to
praise the Lord in that way,
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and so we're
going to invite them out
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even right now
as we continue on.
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I'd rather have
Jesus than silver or gold
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I'd rather be His
than have riches untold
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I'd rather have
Jesus than houses or lands
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I'd rather be led by
His nail-pierced hand
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Than to be the
king of a vast domain
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Or be held in sin's dread sway
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I'd rather have Jesus
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Than anything
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This world affords
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Today
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I'd rather have Jesus
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Than men's applause
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I'd rather be faithful
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To His dear cause
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I'd rather have Jesus
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Than worldwide fame
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I'd rather be true
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To His holy name
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Than to be the king
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Of a vast domain
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Or be held in sin's
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Dread sway
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I'd rather have Jesus
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Than anything
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This world affords
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Today
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He's fairer than lilies
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Of rarest bloom
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He's sweeter than honey
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From out the comb
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He's all that my hungering
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Spirit needs
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I'd rather have Jesus
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And let Him lead
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Than to be the king
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Of a vast domain
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Or be held in sin's
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Dread sway
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I'd rather have Jesus
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Than anything
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This world affords
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Today
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Thank you so much for
singing along with us,
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and at this time Pastor Shawn
will have our opening prayer.
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Father in heaven,
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we are thankful to
be able to come together
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and to be able to
ask for Your Holy Spirit
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to be with us that
Your will be done today
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as we continue
to study Your Word
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and You write Your
Word upon our heart.
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We thank You for Pastor Marshall
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as he is going to be teaching us
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our lesson study here today.
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We want to pray that You will
be with him in a special way,
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anoint him with Your Spirit.
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Be with each and every person
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that is here in
Granite Bay Church
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as well as
those who are watching
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on this program even right now,
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God, that Your Holy Spirit
will help them and teach them,
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and help them to be able to see
the light and the love of Jesus
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in everything that
we study here today.
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In Jesus' name, we
pray for these things, God.
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Amen.
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Thank you, Pastor Shawn.
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Good morning and Happy Sabbath.
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You know, we are so
blessed to study these lessons.
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Each topic that we
covered, it's like a marathon.
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You know, at each stage
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there's just so
much that you're covering
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and there is so much
that you are taking in.
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And it's no different
than when we finish the lesson.
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So I am hoping to kind
of bring things together
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as we look at this lesson study
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as we close this
topic on stewardship.
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We are looking at the
results of stewardship.
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All the things that
we've been studying,
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now we're gonna
look at the results
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of what life is like as
a steward for Jesus Christ,
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and so we're gonna
look at the results.
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Now, we all love results, right?
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In anything that we do
there is always results.
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You know, if you are
someone who enjoy sports,
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you always like to
look at the standings
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of your favorite teams,
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wins versus the loses,
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because you want to know
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how they stack up
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in relationship
to the other team.
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So we are
looking at the results.
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You know, it's very
interesting this last week,
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you know, I peruse
the news once in a while
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to look at different articles
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or what's happening
and what's going on.
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And in doing so I noticed,
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it said, this
headline was kind of like
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for this little video clip,
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it said, "70 foot shot
wins state championship game."
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And I thought, "Oh, I
got to see the results."
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And all it was just like
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a 30 second clip
of the end of the game
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and that was amazing
to see this amazing man
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actually take a pass from
the other side of the court
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and throw it 70
feet with a second left
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and actually make it.
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And I had to
watch that several time
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just the results of that game.
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You know, just a few
weeks ago we had what?
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We had the Winter
Olympics, remember that?
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You know, people that
are really into the Olympics,
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they love to see the
results, the final results,
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which country
had the most medals
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in the Olympic Games.
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And I too, I didn't really
watch much of the Olympics
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but I caught some of the results
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of some of the events
that I enjoyed looking at also.
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And then finally,
you know, medical,
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you know, when
we go to the doctors
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and we go with loved
ones, or we go ourselves,
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you know, they do a
lot of different tests
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to figure out what's
going on and what are we doing?
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We are really waiting for what?
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What's on our minds?
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It's the results.
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What's going to come in?
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What's it going to say
so that we know how to pray
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and we understand certain things
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that may change our lives,
00:09:04.87\00:09:06.17
you know, results are important.
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And here in this lesson,
00:09:09.18\00:09:10.81
we're gonna look
at some key results
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of the life of the steward.
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Now, I have some volunteers
that are going to read
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some passages of
scripture this morning
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and as we look at
this topic of stewardship,
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but results are important.
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In every stage of
life, results are important.
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Matter of fact,
I want to look at
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the scripture reading for
this morning that's kind of
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starts this issue of
the results of stewardship,
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it says, "Having
your conduct honorable..."
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This is 1 Peter 2:12,
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this kind of starts the lesson,
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it says, "Having your conduct
honorable among the gentiles,
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that when they speak
against you as evildoers,
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they may by your good words
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which they
observe, glorify" whom?
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"Glorify God in
the day of visitation."
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We're looking at the works,
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the results of the
life of the Christian.
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Everybody is going
to observe these things
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in the last days
of earth's history,
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and they are going
to give glory to God
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and, you know, when we
live the life of a steward,
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it's not always easy,
00:10:19.31\00:10:21.95
but we want
others to observe Christ.
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We want others to
observe these results
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so that God
truly may be glorified.
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You know, I'm gonna
jump right to Sunday
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and I want to look at a passage,
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I have someone
reading 1 Titus 1:1,
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as Paul begins to share
or Titus shares with us.
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First, it's Titus 1:1.
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"Paul, a servant of God
and an apostle of Jesus Christ,
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according to the
faith of God's elect
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and the
acknowledging of the truth
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which is after godliness."
00:10:57.29\00:10:59.95
Okay, interesting
what Paul has to say.
00:10:59.95\00:11:03.39
The first result that
we're going to look at
00:11:03.39\00:11:05.69
in relationship to stewardship.
00:11:05.69\00:11:07.40
Living the life of a steward
00:11:07.40\00:11:09.90
is the result
of godliness, okay.
00:11:09.90\00:11:14.37
This godliness comes from Christ
00:11:14.37\00:11:16.77
as we're going to find
out as Paul shares with us
00:11:16.77\00:11:19.04
right here in Titus 1:1
00:11:19.04\00:11:22.08
and it is aligned,
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we'll understand
that it is aligned
00:11:23.24\00:11:25.48
with faith and truth.
00:11:25.48\00:11:29.18
Paul starts out by
saying, he is a what?
00:11:29.18\00:11:30.95
He is a bondservant.
00:11:30.95\00:11:33.49
What's a bondservant?
00:11:33.49\00:11:35.06
An essence of
bondservant is a steward,
00:11:35.06\00:11:38.56
one who belongs to God,
00:11:38.56\00:11:40.16
one who has placed his life
00:11:40.16\00:11:41.60
willingly under the
authority of Christ.
00:11:41.60\00:11:45.83
So Paul starts his
passage and he says, listen,
00:11:45.83\00:11:48.17
Paul or Titus
talking about it, it says,
00:11:48.17\00:11:51.44
"Paul, a bondservant of God
00:11:51.44\00:11:53.38
and an apostle of Jesus Christ,
00:11:53.38\00:11:55.64
according to" what?
00:11:55.64\00:11:57.58
"According to
faith of God's elect
00:11:57.58\00:12:01.38
and acknowledgement of the truth
00:12:01.38\00:12:03.85
which accords with godliness."
00:12:03.85\00:12:06.79
Two areas here in
the result of godliness
00:12:06.79\00:12:10.49
for the life of a steward,
00:12:10.49\00:12:11.93
faith and truth,
Paul being a steward.
00:12:11.93\00:12:17.90
That word accord
00:12:17.90\00:12:19.03
is very interesting
to me in this passage
00:12:19.03\00:12:22.37
because the word
accords just means
00:12:22.37\00:12:25.17
in accordance with
or in relationship to.
00:12:25.17\00:12:29.74
So you are looking
at faith and truth.
00:12:29.74\00:12:32.58
These two
things blended together
00:12:32.58\00:12:35.55
give us this
picture of godliness
00:12:35.55\00:12:37.95
or this result of godliness
for the life of a steward.
00:12:37.95\00:12:44.59
Truth and faith coming together
00:12:44.59\00:12:47.66
in the life of a
steward of Christ produces what?
00:12:47.66\00:12:51.17
Godliness.
00:12:51.17\00:12:52.87
Friends, one who is godly
00:12:52.87\00:12:55.74
is one that lives
after God's own heart.
00:12:55.74\00:13:00.08
Not his heart, not her
heart, but God's own heart.
00:13:00.08\00:13:05.91
And Paul writing to
Timothy brings this out also.
00:13:05.91\00:13:08.72
Notice with me,
you have your bibles,
00:13:08.72\00:13:10.42
I would like you to
open also to 2 Timothy.
00:13:10.42\00:13:14.22
Because we are told
00:13:14.22\00:13:15.26
in the last days
of earth's history,
00:13:15.26\00:13:17.16
there is going to be
those walking about that
00:13:17.16\00:13:18.79
have a form of godliness,
00:13:18.79\00:13:21.96
but that says
they deny its power.
00:13:21.96\00:13:25.13
So here are the
result of stewardship
00:13:25.13\00:13:27.47
is true godliness based upon
two elements, faith and truth.
00:13:27.47\00:13:32.57
But then Paul
identifies to Timothy
00:13:32.57\00:13:35.31
that in the last
days there is going to be
00:13:35.31\00:13:37.08
those that walk about
with a form of godliness
00:13:37.08\00:13:41.22
but they deny its power.
00:13:41.22\00:13:43.05
Notice with me, 2
Timothy 3:4, 5, and 7.
00:13:43.05\00:13:49.59
I'll read verse 1 to kind of
give us the context of, what,
00:13:49.59\00:13:52.89
you know, Paul here
is sharing with Timothy,
00:13:52.89\00:13:54.60
he says, "But know
this, that in the last days
00:13:54.60\00:14:00.30
perilous times will come."
00:14:00.30\00:14:02.44
And then he goes on to describe
00:14:02.44\00:14:03.97
what these
perilous times include,
00:14:03.97\00:14:06.11
you know, "for men will
be lovers of themselves,
00:14:06.11\00:14:08.38
lovers of
money, boasters, proud,
00:14:08.38\00:14:10.28
blasphemers" and he goes on.
00:14:10.28\00:14:12.25
And notice verse 4, he says,
"Traitors, headstrong, haughty,
00:14:12.25\00:14:17.55
lovers of
pleasure rather than" what?
00:14:17.55\00:14:19.65
"Lovers of God."
00:14:19.65\00:14:21.89
Okay?
00:14:21.89\00:14:23.49
Then he goes on, he says,
"Having the form of godliness
00:14:23.49\00:14:28.13
but denying its power
and from such people,"
00:14:28.13\00:14:31.70
he says to Timothy, what?
00:14:31.70\00:14:33.47
"Turn away."
00:14:33.47\00:14:34.87
It's really, you
want to be careful
00:14:34.87\00:14:36.64
to make sure that the godliness
00:14:36.64\00:14:38.41
that you see is true godliness
00:14:38.41\00:14:41.94
versus this kind
of false godliness
00:14:41.94\00:14:44.88
that Paul says it's
going to be out there
00:14:44.88\00:14:48.45
in front in the last
days of earth's history.
00:14:48.45\00:14:52.05
And he breaks this down
00:14:52.05\00:14:53.72
but I want you
to notice verse 7,
00:14:53.72\00:14:55.49
he describes, okay,
this false godliness
00:14:55.49\00:15:00.23
which denies its power.
00:15:00.23\00:15:01.56
He says, "Always learning
00:15:01.56\00:15:03.63
and never able to come
to a knowledge of the" what?
00:15:03.63\00:15:07.30
"The truth."
00:15:07.30\00:15:09.17
Now this is interesting to me,
when I looked at these passages
00:15:09.17\00:15:12.01
in relationship to godliness,
00:15:12.01\00:15:14.04
I wanted to look at
a few different words.
00:15:14.04\00:15:17.21
One of those back,
if you go to verse 5,
00:15:17.21\00:15:19.81
he says,
"Denying, okay, its power."
00:15:19.81\00:15:24.15
I have to look
up that word 'its'
00:15:24.15\00:15:25.82
and I found that
actually in the Greek
00:15:25.82\00:15:27.72
it's in the nominative form
00:15:27.72\00:15:29.89
and so the word 'its'
00:15:29.89\00:15:31.23
actually is
describing a definite person.
00:15:31.23\00:15:34.86
So it's not really
its power, it's his power.
00:15:34.86\00:15:40.90
And you think about it,
00:15:40.90\00:15:42.34
who is the "his"
that we are talking about.
00:15:42.34\00:15:45.51
If you go back to verse 4,
00:15:45.51\00:15:48.08
it says, "Traitors,
headstrong, haughty,
00:15:48.08\00:15:50.51
lovers of pleasure
rather than lovers of" who?
00:15:50.51\00:15:53.38
"Of God."
00:15:53.38\00:15:54.42
So Paul is
actually saying to Timothy,
00:15:54.42\00:15:56.28
having a form of godliness
but they deny God's power.
00:15:56.28\00:16:01.52
They deny His power.
00:16:01.52\00:16:04.09
And then he gets into
that even further in verse 7
00:16:04.09\00:16:06.80
when he says, "This
is what it looks like."
00:16:06.80\00:16:09.73
He says, "They
are always learning
00:16:09.73\00:16:13.44
and never able to come to
a knowledge of the truth."
00:16:13.44\00:16:16.94
I had to look at that phrase
00:16:16.94\00:16:18.11
"to come to a
knowledge of the truth"
00:16:18.11\00:16:20.44
and actually it
literally means to come
00:16:20.44\00:16:22.98
into the knowledge of the truth.
00:16:22.98\00:16:26.55
So you have a group of people
00:16:26.55\00:16:27.98
that have the form of godliness,
00:16:27.98\00:16:30.25
but they are really
denying God's power,
00:16:30.25\00:16:33.49
still learning but
they never really come
00:16:33.49\00:16:36.22
into a knowledge of the truth,
00:16:36.22\00:16:38.33
that settling into the truth
00:16:38.33\00:16:40.76
and that's what stewardship,
00:16:40.76\00:16:41.93
this whole lesson on stewardship
00:16:41.93\00:16:43.63
was really about.
00:16:43.63\00:16:44.73
It's about being a
steward for Christ.
00:16:44.73\00:16:46.57
It's about coming
into a knowledge of God
00:16:46.57\00:16:50.21
and God's power,
00:16:50.21\00:16:51.51
and how is that applicable
practically in my life?
00:16:51.51\00:16:57.01
And so Paul says,
"Listen, be careful"
00:16:57.01\00:17:00.22
and his idea of
coming into the truth.
00:17:00.22\00:17:03.62
You know, it's
really, it is to come
00:17:03.62\00:17:07.29
to an understanding
of meaning of something
00:17:07.29\00:17:10.63
with special
emphasis upon the process.
00:17:10.63\00:17:15.36
Okay, in other words,
00:17:15.36\00:17:16.33
this coming into the
knowledge of the truth
00:17:16.33\00:17:19.13
is really a process of learning,
00:17:19.13\00:17:22.24
and applying, and growing
00:17:22.24\00:17:24.57
so that the power
of God may change me.
00:17:24.57\00:17:28.08
How many of us
want to be changed?
00:17:28.08\00:17:31.25
It's a process, isn't it?
00:17:31.25\00:17:34.42
You know, I was in a big...
00:17:34.42\00:17:37.35
Well, let me put it this way,
math wasn't my greatest subject
00:17:37.35\00:17:42.19
because in math
there is always a what?
00:17:42.19\00:17:45.46
There is a process to
arrive at the answer, okay?
00:17:45.46\00:17:50.30
The result being the answer,
00:17:50.30\00:17:52.93
but there is this process
that you have to go through.
00:17:52.93\00:17:55.67
And I didn't get it, you know.
00:17:55.67\00:17:57.54
Matter of fact, when you work
00:17:57.54\00:17:58.77
with young people
sometimes on math,
00:17:58.77\00:18:00.48
they always want
to get to the answer.
00:18:00.48\00:18:02.88
As like here, let
me throw out an answer,
00:18:02.88\00:18:04.65
and when you ask them, well,
what does your work look like?
00:18:04.65\00:18:07.55
Show me how? Okay?
00:18:07.55\00:18:10.22
You've arrived at
this answer, they struggle.
00:18:10.22\00:18:14.46
Okay.
00:18:14.46\00:18:15.59
Because we are not used
to going through that process
00:18:15.59\00:18:18.79
to actually arrive at the result
00:18:18.79\00:18:22.13
which in this
case is the process
00:18:22.13\00:18:24.90
of understanding
and learning truth,
00:18:24.90\00:18:26.74
so that the result as
a steward will be, what?
00:18:26.74\00:18:30.41
Godliness, godliness.
00:18:30.41\00:18:34.64
And so, in high school,
00:18:34.64\00:18:36.48
I remember there
was a teacher though.
00:18:36.48\00:18:38.91
It was a first time
a teacher ever told me
00:18:38.91\00:18:40.98
to go to the back of the book
00:18:40.98\00:18:42.12
and look at the answer first.
00:18:42.12\00:18:44.09
I thought, I get to
start with the right answer
00:18:44.09\00:18:48.42
and it opened up
a whole new world,
00:18:48.42\00:18:50.43
I was like, "Oh, I
can start with the answer.
00:18:50.43\00:18:52.33
Now, let me learn how
to arrive at that answer."
00:18:52.33\00:18:56.77
And oftentimes God
does that in scripture.
00:18:56.77\00:18:58.87
He gives us the
answer and He says,
00:18:58.87\00:19:00.34
"Now, I want you to study
further so that you can" what?
00:19:00.34\00:19:04.34
"Come into the
knowledge of the truth
00:19:04.34\00:19:06.74
and arrive at that
answer in your personal life."
00:19:06.74\00:19:10.31
This is the result of
stewardship, stewardship.
00:19:10.31\00:19:15.08
Paul brings this
out, matter of fact,
00:19:15.08\00:19:16.89
notice, this is
not the first time
00:19:16.89\00:19:18.19
he talks about this
00:19:18.19\00:19:19.25
coming into a
knowledge of the truth.
00:19:19.25\00:19:20.86
If you go to 1 Timothy 2:1-10.
00:19:20.86\00:19:24.83
Notice with me, 1 Timothy
00:19:24.83\00:19:27.56
in his first epistle to Timothy.
00:19:27.56\00:19:30.33
He writes here, 1 Timothy 2,
00:19:30.33\00:19:35.37
okay, verses 1 through 10.
00:19:35.37\00:19:41.31
It says, "Therefore
I exhort first of all
00:19:41.31\00:19:44.68
that supplications,
prayers, intercessions,
00:19:44.68\00:19:47.12
and giving of
thanks be made for all men.
00:19:47.12\00:19:51.55
For kings and for
all who are in authority,
00:19:51.55\00:19:54.56
that we may lead
00:19:54.56\00:19:55.62
a quiet and
peaceable life in our" what?
00:19:55.62\00:19:59.09
"Godliness." I love this.
00:19:59.09\00:20:00.96
When you put faith
and truth together,
00:20:00.96\00:20:03.77
the result is godliness.
00:20:03.77\00:20:05.47
Stewardship is really putting
faith and truth into practice,
00:20:05.47\00:20:09.94
so that you arrive at
the result of godliness.
00:20:09.94\00:20:13.24
And he says another result here
00:20:13.24\00:20:15.31
just on the side is
quietness and peace.
00:20:15.31\00:20:19.95
Think about that, a person
who is living that godly life
00:20:19.95\00:20:23.59
through faith and
coming into the truth,
00:20:23.59\00:20:26.69
they experience a
quietness and a peace.
00:20:26.69\00:20:30.09
A peace is we
always think about, right?
00:20:30.09\00:20:31.53
That passes all understanding.
00:20:31.53\00:20:35.60
Paul goes on, he
says and reverence,
00:20:35.60\00:20:40.04
"For this is good and acceptable
00:20:40.04\00:20:43.10
in the sight of God our Savior,
00:20:43.10\00:20:44.74
who desires all men to be saved
00:20:44.74\00:20:47.18
and to come into the
knowledge of the truth."
00:20:47.18\00:20:50.21
Here we see it again,
what's God's greatest desire?
00:20:50.21\00:20:54.35
God's greatest desire for us
00:20:54.35\00:20:55.85
is that He wants us
to be saved, bottom line.
00:20:55.85\00:20:59.55
And to do so, He says,
00:20:59.55\00:21:00.86
"I want you to come into
a knowledge of the truth.
00:21:00.86\00:21:04.39
I want you to go
through the process
00:21:04.39\00:21:07.03
so that this may be
a result in your life,"
00:21:07.03\00:21:10.27
this result being godliness.
00:21:10.27\00:21:12.23
And now, Paul is gonna talk
about it in practical terms.
00:21:12.23\00:21:16.44
As they go through the
process, we see change.
00:21:16.44\00:21:19.61
Notice verse 7, I'm
gonna jump to verse 7,
00:21:19.61\00:21:22.54
it says, "For
which I was appointed
00:21:22.54\00:21:24.05
a preacher and an apostle,
00:21:24.05\00:21:26.05
I am speaking the truth
in Christ and not lying,
00:21:26.05\00:21:29.45
a teacher of the
gentiles in" what?
00:21:29.45\00:21:32.12
"Faith and truth."
00:21:32.12\00:21:33.29
We see these
things brought together
00:21:33.29\00:21:35.26
just like in Titus 1:1.
00:21:35.26\00:21:38.96
And then He goes on and He says,
00:21:38.96\00:21:40.30
"I desire therefore
that men pray everywhere,
00:21:40.30\00:21:42.86
lifting up holy hands,
without wrath and doubting,
00:21:42.86\00:21:45.37
in like manner also that
the women adorn themselves
00:21:45.37\00:21:48.04
in modest apparel, with
propriety and moderation,
00:21:48.04\00:21:51.14
not with braided hair, or gold,
or pearls, or costly clothing,
00:21:51.14\00:21:55.38
but which is proper for
a women professing" what?
00:21:55.38\00:21:59.01
"Godliness."
00:21:59.01\00:22:00.45
One who exhibits faith and truth
00:22:00.45\00:22:03.05
"which with" what?
00:22:03.05\00:22:04.82
"Good works."
00:22:04.82\00:22:06.45
So here we see it
practically applied to the life.
00:22:06.45\00:22:09.66
There are certain
things that happen in the life,
00:22:09.66\00:22:11.53
not only internally but what?
00:22:11.53\00:22:14.10
Externally, okay.
00:22:14.10\00:22:16.40
This is true godliness.
00:22:16.40\00:22:18.70
This is godliness that
does not deny His power.
00:22:18.70\00:22:24.57
So result number one of
stewardship is godliness.
00:22:24.57\00:22:29.94
The second result,
00:22:29.94\00:22:32.95
we are going to
come to in just a minute,
00:22:32.95\00:22:34.18
I have someone
read Proverbs 3:5,
00:22:34.18\00:22:37.95
but before so I want to go
back to our scripture reading,
00:22:37.95\00:22:40.59
you know, stewardship is
an expression of a godly life
00:22:40.59\00:22:46.70
in good times and in hard times,
00:22:46.70\00:22:49.26
it's consistent.
00:22:49.26\00:22:52.20
Okay, consistent.
00:22:52.20\00:22:53.97
And this is kind of
what the scripture reading
00:22:53.97\00:22:55.60
as we read just a
little bit earlier
00:22:55.60\00:22:57.17
starts to kind of
bring out and encapsulate.
00:22:57.17\00:23:00.54
And I'll read it again
so that we kind of get it,
00:23:00.54\00:23:02.81
kind of in our minds, it
says, "Having your conduct
00:23:02.81\00:23:05.21
honorable among the gentiles
00:23:05.21\00:23:07.28
that when they speak
against you as evildoers."
00:23:07.28\00:23:10.99
And believe me, we
are living in a day
00:23:10.99\00:23:13.02
where good is
evil and evil is good,
00:23:13.02\00:23:15.56
and people really don't know
00:23:15.56\00:23:18.06
and we say all things
about different kinds of people
00:23:18.06\00:23:20.93
and especially
those that live for God.
00:23:20.93\00:23:23.97
But they are told,
00:23:23.97\00:23:25.03
they are going to be
spoken against as evildoers,
00:23:25.03\00:23:28.50
that they may by your good works
00:23:28.50\00:23:31.21
which they, what?
00:23:31.21\00:23:32.44
Observe.
00:23:32.44\00:23:34.78
Glorify, who?
00:23:34.78\00:23:35.94
God, in the day of visitation.
00:23:35.94\00:23:39.18
It's truly awe
for the glory of God.
00:23:39.18\00:23:42.48
True godliness is
about glorifying God
00:23:42.48\00:23:45.42
in whatever we
do, wherever we go,
00:23:45.42\00:23:48.32
whatever we
say, it's consistent,
00:23:48.32\00:23:50.96
and God is gaining
the honor and the glory.
00:23:50.96\00:23:54.60
Now, I'm gonna actually
move to Tuesday's lesson
00:23:54.60\00:23:56.97
and I have someone
reading here Proverbs 3:5
00:23:56.97\00:24:00.87
and then we're
gonna actually come back
00:24:00.87\00:24:02.64
to Monday's
lesson on contentment.
00:24:02.64\00:24:04.47
But we're gonna first
talk about trust, Proverbs 3:5.
00:24:04.47\00:24:09.91
"Trust in the Lord
with all thine heart,
00:24:09.91\00:24:14.28
and lean not unto
thine own understanding."
00:24:14.28\00:24:18.05
Trust in the Lord with what?
00:24:18.05\00:24:20.62
All your heart.
00:24:20.62\00:24:22.12
As we live the
life of a stewardship,
00:24:22.12\00:24:24.53
result number two is trust.
00:24:24.53\00:24:28.16
A steward develops
00:24:28.16\00:24:30.40
a complete trust in God.
00:24:30.40\00:24:35.20
In hard times, as we're talking
and in challenging times,
00:24:35.20\00:24:40.51
Jesus told us some of the
signs before He comes again.
00:24:40.51\00:24:44.31
We are told there
is going to be wars
00:24:44.31\00:24:46.11
and rumors of
wars in Matthew 24.
00:24:46.11\00:24:49.05
He also said, "Listen,
nation will rise against nation.
00:24:49.05\00:24:53.36
There will be famines,
there will be pestilences,
00:24:53.36\00:24:56.16
there is going to be
earthquakes in various places."
00:24:56.16\00:24:59.06
Are we not seeing these things?
00:24:59.06\00:25:01.50
And we're seeing these
things increase exponentially
00:25:01.50\00:25:05.87
as we're approaching
the second coming of Christ.
00:25:05.87\00:25:09.14
Definitely, enough
things to worry about,
00:25:09.14\00:25:13.51
not including
all the small things
00:25:13.51\00:25:15.14
we face from day to day,
00:25:15.14\00:25:17.55
enough things to worry about.
00:25:17.55\00:25:19.31
There is enough things
00:25:19.31\00:25:20.45
in our world to
be depressed about,
00:25:20.45\00:25:23.08
yet in the
middle of all of this.
00:25:23.08\00:25:27.02
I want you to turn
with me to Matthew 24,
00:25:27.02\00:25:29.36
in the middle of
what Jesus has to say.
00:25:29.36\00:25:32.26
He also says
something very interesting,
00:25:32.26\00:25:34.60
Matthew, 24, Matthew 24:6.
00:25:34.60\00:25:40.74
Love to hear
those pages turning,
00:25:44.41\00:25:46.98
Matthew 24:6,
00:25:46.98\00:25:49.84
Jesus says in the
middle of all of these things
00:25:49.84\00:25:51.98
that we can be worried about,
that we can be depressed about,
00:25:51.98\00:25:54.32
that we can be anxious about
as they exponentially grow,
00:25:54.32\00:25:58.52
Jesus says
something very interesting,
00:25:58.52\00:26:00.76
"And you will hear of
wars and rumors of wars."
00:26:00.76\00:26:03.06
He says what?
00:26:03.06\00:26:04.13
See that you are not troubled.
00:26:04.13\00:26:09.63
Now in the midst of
all this chaos, Jesus says,
00:26:09.63\00:26:13.84
"No, but you
shouldn't be" what, "Troubled."
00:26:13.84\00:26:17.71
In other words,
you should be trusting.
00:26:17.71\00:26:22.31
Remember the
disciples on the boat
00:26:22.31\00:26:23.75
in the midst of a storm, right?
00:26:23.75\00:26:26.72
And were they not troubled?
00:26:26.72\00:26:29.12
And yet Jesus is in the
back of that boat sleeping away,
00:26:29.12\00:26:33.42
not troubled at all.
00:26:33.42\00:26:34.76
Why was He not troubled?
00:26:34.76\00:26:36.16
Because He trusted.
00:26:36.16\00:26:38.19
The life of a steward,
one of those other results
00:26:38.19\00:26:41.30
is this complete trust in God
00:26:41.30\00:26:44.30
no matter what the situation.
00:26:44.30\00:26:45.93
So Jesus says, "When
you see all these things..."
00:26:45.93\00:26:48.00
He says, "Listen,
please do not be troubled."
00:26:48.00\00:26:51.24
And that word troubled
means to be in a state of fear
00:26:51.24\00:26:56.31
associated with surprise.
00:26:56.31\00:27:01.05
Have you ever
been surprised so much
00:27:01.05\00:27:03.15
so that you were
little taken back?
00:27:03.15\00:27:07.09
Okay, maybe even fearful
because something just happened
00:27:07.09\00:27:11.09
out of the blue that
you weren't expecting.
00:27:11.09\00:27:15.20
And it takes you
back kind of on your heels
00:27:15.20\00:27:18.60
but Jesus says, we
shouldn't be this way,
00:27:18.60\00:27:22.17
because we should have trust.
00:27:22.17\00:27:23.27
You know, God
doesn't leave us hanging.
00:27:23.27\00:27:25.81
He is going to tell
us what's going to come.
00:27:25.81\00:27:27.74
He is going to tell us
what's going to happen.
00:27:27.74\00:27:29.48
He is telling us
what's taking place,
00:27:29.48\00:27:31.38
and if we live
the life of stewards,
00:27:31.38\00:27:33.55
we will develop this
continual and complete trust,
00:27:33.55\00:27:37.45
no matter what the situation is,
00:27:37.45\00:27:40.36
no matter what the situation is.
00:27:40.36\00:27:41.96
The steward of
Christ trusts in Christ,
00:27:41.96\00:27:46.23
therefore, he or
she is not troubled.
00:27:46.23\00:27:50.53
Now I've got another verse,
00:27:50.53\00:27:51.67
it's going to be
read in just a second
00:27:51.67\00:27:53.30
in relationship to
this in Isaiah 26:3 and 4.
00:27:53.30\00:27:58.27
And I love the words
here of the Prophet Isaiah
00:27:58.27\00:28:02.31
as he is under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
00:28:02.31\00:28:04.95
The Spirit of God is
leading him and guiding him
00:28:04.95\00:28:07.88
and he writes about God,
the Father and Jesus Christ.
00:28:07.88\00:28:11.12
And he writes about this trust
that all stewards should have.
00:28:11.12\00:28:16.16
And I want you to
notice this passage,
00:28:16.16\00:28:17.89
Isaiah 26:3 and 4.
00:28:17.89\00:28:22.13
"Thou wilt keep
him in perfect peace,
00:28:22.13\00:28:25.20
whose mind is stayed on thee:
because he trusteth in thee.
00:28:25.20\00:28:29.77
Trust ye in the Lord for ever:
00:28:29.77\00:28:32.31
for in the Lord Jehovah
is everlasting strength."
00:28:32.31\00:28:36.58
Says trust in the Lord, right?
00:28:36.58\00:28:37.98
Those who keep their
minds stayed on the, right?
00:28:37.98\00:28:43.55
They trust in you.
00:28:43.55\00:28:45.89
And he ultimately says,
as a result of this trust,
00:28:45.89\00:28:49.39
there is another thing
that's connected to this trust,
00:28:49.39\00:28:52.36
that is perfect peace
and everlasting strength.
00:28:52.36\00:28:57.67
You know, I don'
think we really comprehend
00:28:57.67\00:28:59.67
and I speak for myself.
00:28:59.67\00:29:01.87
Comprehend is, you
know, perfect peace
00:29:01.87\00:29:07.44
to wrap our minds
around perfect peace,
00:29:07.44\00:29:11.58
or everlasting strength.
00:29:11.58\00:29:15.85
You know, there
is times in our lives
00:29:15.85\00:29:17.22
when we just feel at a point
where we're just totally weak.
00:29:17.22\00:29:21.16
Lord, what do I do?
00:29:21.16\00:29:22.49
And yet, the Lord says,
00:29:22.49\00:29:23.46
"Listen, if you keep
your mind stayed on Me,
00:29:23.46\00:29:27.66
you will understand what
everlasting strength is like."
00:29:27.66\00:29:32.03
You will understand
what perfect peace is like.
00:29:32.03\00:29:38.81
You know, I shared
some time ago about India
00:29:38.81\00:29:41.24
and I had the
opportunity to go to India.
00:29:41.24\00:29:43.31
And this is not about me
but there is a friend of mine
00:29:43.31\00:29:45.15
who actually
stayed a lot longer.
00:29:45.15\00:29:47.22
Matter of fact, he
was originally there
00:29:47.22\00:29:48.82
and he was there for
a period of ten years,
00:29:48.82\00:29:51.29
he and his family,
00:29:51.29\00:29:52.59
and their girls kind of
grew up there in Northern India.
00:29:52.59\00:29:56.62
And he shared
with me one experience
00:29:56.62\00:29:59.19
after I had come
back some years later,
00:29:59.19\00:30:01.26
he was, I wanted to know,
00:30:01.26\00:30:02.46
you know, how did
things go after I left?
00:30:02.46\00:30:04.13
I was only there for
a short time, a year.
00:30:04.13\00:30:06.27
And after I came back
00:30:06.27\00:30:07.64
and then when finally
they come back to the States
00:30:07.64\00:30:09.64
and I was like,
"How did things go?"
00:30:09.64\00:30:11.17
Because they had,
there was one point in time
00:30:11.17\00:30:13.71
when they had to
move from where they were
00:30:13.71\00:30:16.98
up to the northern part of India
00:30:16.98\00:30:19.28
because things were
getting really challenging.
00:30:19.28\00:30:23.49
And he had to send
his family away first,
00:30:23.49\00:30:26.12
I mean there were death threats,
00:30:26.12\00:30:27.59
it gotten so bad to the point
00:30:27.59\00:30:29.39
where he had death
threats on his life
00:30:29.39\00:30:31.23
and he had guards
literally around the house.
00:30:31.23\00:30:35.16
There was
definitely a gate there
00:30:35.16\00:30:37.13
but the gate or the wall was,
00:30:37.13\00:30:38.47
you know, only so high
00:30:38.47\00:30:40.07
so, you know,
kids would sit on that,
00:30:40.07\00:30:42.24
you know, wall all the time
00:30:42.24\00:30:44.04
when we do something in the yard
00:30:44.04\00:30:45.11
and we would have
like 300 people there.
00:30:45.11\00:30:46.88
And he was the only family,
the only English family or,
00:30:46.88\00:30:50.28
you know, white
family that out of like
00:30:50.28\00:30:52.98
five million
people, ten million people
00:30:52.98\00:30:54.95
and they all spoke
Hindi, he spoke Hindi fluently.
00:30:54.95\00:30:58.12
And yet he is
getting these death threats
00:30:58.12\00:31:01.96
and so they had to put
guards around the house
00:31:01.96\00:31:03.79
and he sent his family up north.
00:31:03.79\00:31:05.36
He said, "But
Marshall, that's not it though."
00:31:05.36\00:31:08.83
You know, it was at that time
that I had the greatest peace
00:31:08.83\00:31:12.93
I have ever experienced.
00:31:12.93\00:31:15.27
When he had all
these death threats,
00:31:15.27\00:31:16.97
he is experiencing what Isaiah
talks about when he says what?
00:31:16.97\00:31:20.64
If we keep our
mind stayed on Him,
00:31:20.64\00:31:23.04
He will keep us in what?
00:31:23.04\00:31:24.68
Perfect peace.
00:31:24.68\00:31:26.45
He will keep us
in perfect peace,
00:31:26.45\00:31:27.98
no matter the situation.
00:31:27.98\00:31:29.42
And I was amazed,
00:31:29.42\00:31:30.39
you know, I thought
about that day after day,
00:31:30.39\00:31:33.22
Lord, to have that
peace, perfect peace
00:31:33.22\00:31:38.76
and to experience
everlasting strength,
00:31:38.76\00:31:43.13
the type of
complete trust in God.
00:31:43.13\00:31:45.50
This type of
complete trust in God
00:31:45.50\00:31:48.20
is associated very
closely with contentment.
00:31:48.20\00:31:52.11
This is kind of why I
wanted to talk about trust first
00:31:52.11\00:31:56.41
before we talk
about contentment.
00:31:56.41\00:31:58.85
Because when we have
complete trust in God,
00:31:58.85\00:32:02.32
that's when
ultimately we will be content
00:32:02.32\00:32:05.55
no matter what the situation.
00:32:05.55\00:32:08.42
And so, okay, the first result
00:32:08.42\00:32:10.06
is godliness of
life of a steward.
00:32:10.06\00:32:13.90
The second result is
trust, a complete trust in God.
00:32:13.90\00:32:19.27
And now the third thing
00:32:19.27\00:32:20.34
we're going to talk
about is this contentment.
00:32:20.34\00:32:24.97
You know, I really appreciate
00:32:24.97\00:32:26.81
if you turn with me in
your Bibles to Psalm 23.
00:32:26.81\00:32:31.41
You know, often
times we hear this Psalm,
00:32:31.41\00:32:33.62
most of the time
read when we experience
00:32:33.62\00:32:36.38
a memorial of some kind.
00:32:36.38\00:32:37.99
We always, you
know, turn in those times
00:32:37.99\00:32:40.89
to this passage in Psalms 23,
00:32:40.89\00:32:43.69
because it's in those times
that people are looking for,
00:32:43.69\00:32:46.90
you know, contentment, comfort.
00:32:46.90\00:32:51.70
And I look at Psalm 23,
00:32:51.70\00:32:53.60
it's kind of a
psalm of contentment.
00:32:53.60\00:32:56.27
So if you look at
this with me carefully,
00:32:56.27\00:32:58.57
it's very interesting
what David has to say
00:32:58.57\00:33:00.74
and David went
through a lot of things.
00:33:00.74\00:33:02.88
And you read all over the
Bible about the life of David.
00:33:02.88\00:33:06.05
You know, Pastor Doug preached
00:33:06.05\00:33:07.15
the whole series on
the life of David in,
00:33:07.15\00:33:08.88
and you realize
all of these things
00:33:08.88\00:33:11.02
that David experienced.
00:33:11.02\00:33:12.72
He writes this psalm
even in the midst of all,
00:33:12.72\00:33:15.49
that he says, "The
Lord is my shepherd."
00:33:15.49\00:33:18.99
He says, "I shall not want?"
00:33:18.99\00:33:21.56
Sounds like contentment to me.
00:33:21.56\00:33:23.26
"I shall not lack" Why?
00:33:23.26\00:33:25.17
Because the Lord comes first.
00:33:25.17\00:33:27.37
See, when I
completely trust in God,
00:33:27.37\00:33:29.67
He is first, then
contentment follows.
00:33:29.67\00:33:33.21
He says, "The
Lord is my shepherd
00:33:33.21\00:33:34.54
I shall not want.
00:33:34.54\00:33:35.58
He makes me to lie
down in green pastures.
00:33:35.58\00:33:38.31
He leads me
beside the still waters.
00:33:38.31\00:33:40.58
He restores my soul.
00:33:40.58\00:33:42.55
He leads me in the
paths of righteousness
00:33:42.55\00:33:45.15
for his namesake."
00:33:45.15\00:33:46.55
Notice, in every case
here, who comes first?
00:33:46.55\00:33:49.96
God comes first and
God supplying comes second,
00:33:49.96\00:33:54.36
and David's
response is contentment.
00:33:54.36\00:33:59.40
I shall not want.
00:33:59.40\00:34:01.27
He makes me to lie
down in green pastures,
00:34:01.27\00:34:03.87
beside the still
waters and he goes on.
00:34:03.87\00:34:06.54
Notice verse 4,
"Yay, though I walk
00:34:06.54\00:34:08.64
through the valley
of the shadow of death,
00:34:08.64\00:34:10.61
I will fear no evil.
00:34:10.61\00:34:12.98
In other words, he says,
"I will not be troubled."
00:34:12.98\00:34:16.38
Just like what Jesus said
00:34:16.38\00:34:17.55
in the last days
of earth's history,
00:34:17.55\00:34:18.95
His stewards do not
need to be troubled.
00:34:18.95\00:34:23.36
He goes on, "I
will fear no evil,
00:34:23.36\00:34:24.89
for you are with me.
00:34:24.89\00:34:26.29
Your rod and your
staff, they comfort me.
00:34:26.29\00:34:28.90
You prepare a table before me
00:34:28.90\00:34:31.10
and the
presence of mine enemies.
00:34:31.10\00:34:32.60
You anoint my head with
oil, my cup runs over surely."
00:34:32.60\00:34:37.41
And ultimately
in the end he says,
00:34:37.41\00:34:38.81
"Surely, goodness
and mercy shall follow me
00:34:38.81\00:34:41.71
all the days of my life
00:34:41.71\00:34:44.95
and I will dwell in the
house of the Lord forever."
00:34:44.95\00:34:48.28
I long for that day
00:34:48.28\00:34:49.68
when we can dwell in the
house of the Lord for how long?
00:34:49.68\00:34:52.62
Forever, but David's
writing a psalm of contentment
00:34:52.62\00:34:56.36
because God is with
him every step of the way
00:34:56.36\00:34:59.96
and he recognizes
it, and he longs for it,
00:34:59.96\00:35:02.76
and he desires God to be
there every step of the way.
00:35:02.76\00:35:05.70
Now, that doesn't mean
00:35:05.70\00:35:06.74
that David
didn't have his moments
00:35:06.74\00:35:09.10
like we all have our moments
where we slip and we fall.
00:35:09.10\00:35:14.34
We have a, you
know, a lapse in faith,
00:35:14.34\00:35:16.85
a lapse in trust
but we are talking about
00:35:16.85\00:35:19.48
the general train of the life.
00:35:19.48\00:35:22.78
And if you look at
David's life generally speaking,
00:35:22.78\00:35:25.92
he trusted in God and
God gave him contentment
00:35:25.92\00:35:31.13
with whatever the situation was,
00:35:31.13\00:35:32.99
he was going to be content.
00:35:32.99\00:35:35.10
Notice with me 1
Timothy 6:6 and 7.
00:35:35.10\00:35:40.24
1 Timothy 6:6 and 7.
00:35:40.24\00:35:43.20
Back to Timothy
again, back to Timothy.
00:35:49.61\00:35:54.02
1 Timothy 6:6 and 7,
Paul again writing to Timothy,
00:35:54.02\00:35:58.32
he says what?
00:35:58.32\00:35:59.42
"Now godliness with" what?
00:35:59.42\00:36:01.89
"Contentment is great gain"
00:36:01.89\00:36:05.96
not just gain, it's great gain.
00:36:05.96\00:36:10.63
Notice the convergence of these
two results of stewardship.
00:36:10.63\00:36:15.10
The first result we
talked about godliness,
00:36:15.10\00:36:17.54
the result we
currently are speaking about
00:36:17.54\00:36:19.44
is contentment
and what Paul does is,
00:36:19.44\00:36:21.34
he says, let me bring
this thing together for you
00:36:21.34\00:36:25.58
and help you to realize
00:36:25.58\00:36:27.38
that as you experienced
00:36:27.38\00:36:29.42
the results of these two things,
00:36:29.42\00:36:32.52
you will experience great gain,
00:36:32.52\00:36:38.13
"For a steward to be
truly content with everything."
00:36:38.13\00:36:43.23
Means that they have to
give up control of everything,
00:36:43.23\00:36:48.97
trusting that God will
see him or her through...
00:36:48.97\00:36:53.11
everything.
00:36:53.11\00:36:56.28
Contentment, I don't have to
be in control, God's in control.
00:36:56.28\00:37:02.05
I don't have to be
worry about anything
00:37:02.05\00:37:04.09
because God will
take care of everything.
00:37:04.09\00:37:07.46
Because He has promised
00:37:07.46\00:37:08.89
and as I choose to
live the life of a steward
00:37:08.89\00:37:11.99
and giving over
everything to God,
00:37:11.99\00:37:14.56
God gives everything in return.
00:37:14.56\00:37:18.17
Remember what Jesus said,
00:37:18.17\00:37:19.90
"Seek ye first
the kingdom of God,
00:37:19.90\00:37:22.57
and his righteousness,
00:37:22.57\00:37:24.71
and all these things
shall be added unto you."
00:37:24.71\00:37:27.74
We can be content with
whatever the situation,
00:37:27.74\00:37:32.81
whatever the
challenge, we can be content
00:37:32.81\00:37:38.22
because we are
stewards of Christ,
00:37:38.22\00:37:40.79
and stewards of
Christ will be content.
00:37:40.79\00:37:45.16
So you got the first one,
00:37:45.16\00:37:46.29
I am going back over
these so we get done.
00:37:46.29\00:37:48.53
The first one as we're
concluding this lesson,
00:37:48.53\00:37:50.37
the first result of stewardship
is godliness, true godliness.
00:37:50.37\00:37:54.67
The second result of
stewardship is trust,
00:37:54.67\00:37:58.74
complete trust in God.
00:37:58.74\00:38:00.61
And the third is contentment,
to be content in all things,
00:38:00.61\00:38:06.45
to not feel like we
have to be in control
00:38:06.45\00:38:09.45
and believe me there are times
00:38:09.45\00:38:10.55
when I feel I
have to be in control,
00:38:10.55\00:38:13.36
and the Lord
reminds me, no, you don't.
00:38:13.36\00:38:16.83
You know, I had an
accident about year and half ago
00:38:16.83\00:38:20.53
and the vehicle I was
in flipped three times.
00:38:20.53\00:38:25.13
I've never been in a vehicle
before that has lost control.
00:38:25.13\00:38:29.87
And believe me when you
are sitting in that seat,
00:38:29.87\00:38:33.17
there is nothing you can
do, you are just turning.
00:38:33.17\00:38:36.98
But, you know,
God was in control,
00:38:36.98\00:38:39.71
literally a miracle.
00:38:39.71\00:38:40.95
We passed this huge street sign,
00:38:40.95\00:38:42.98
the back end of it
flipped right past it,
00:38:42.98\00:38:45.75
right over a tree,
it didn't hit anything
00:38:45.75\00:38:48.16
but you could see the marks.
00:38:48.16\00:38:49.46
I mean a guy from the newspaper
is like, "How did this happen?"
00:38:49.46\00:38:51.03
I am like, I have no idea.
00:38:51.03\00:38:53.46
And for me to
get out of that car
00:38:53.46\00:38:55.00
and the person sitting
next to me was sleeping.
00:38:55.00\00:38:57.20
To get out of that car
00:38:57.20\00:38:59.03
and to walk
away with no bruises,
00:38:59.03\00:39:00.60
no scratches, nothing.
00:39:00.60\00:39:01.80
Who was in control?
00:39:01.80\00:39:04.04
God was completely in control.
00:39:04.04\00:39:07.21
When we trust Him completely,
00:39:07.21\00:39:09.54
we can be content
in every situation
00:39:09.54\00:39:12.55
and this is what
stewards live by.
00:39:12.55\00:39:15.25
These are the results
of the life of a steward.
00:39:15.25\00:39:18.49
And in the end,
the fourth result,
00:39:18.49\00:39:21.46
we're going to hear those words,
00:39:21.46\00:39:22.76
I'm kind of jumping
right to the end here.
00:39:22.76\00:39:25.16
I want to bring this
out a little stronger
00:39:25.16\00:39:27.96
is the fourth result
00:39:27.96\00:39:29.26
and that is to hear
the words we want to hear.
00:39:29.26\00:39:32.27
This is Thursday's lesson
00:39:32.27\00:39:34.40
in this lesson of the
results of stewardship.
00:39:34.40\00:39:38.17
We hear the
words we want to hear.
00:39:38.17\00:39:41.41
And in just a minute
we're going to hear those words
00:39:41.41\00:39:43.28
read to us, Matthew 25:21.
00:39:43.28\00:39:47.28
The words of Jesus is
what we're going to hear
00:39:47.28\00:39:50.62
when He comes in
the clouds of glory
00:39:50.62\00:39:52.69
to take the
redeemed of the earth home.
00:39:52.69\00:39:56.52
These are the words
00:39:56.52\00:39:59.03
and I hope we
desire to hear these words,
00:39:59.03\00:40:03.00
Matthew 25:21.
00:40:03.00\00:40:06.00
"His Lord said to him,
00:40:06.00\00:40:07.77
"Well done, good
and faithful servant,
00:40:07.77\00:40:10.61
you were
faithful over few things,
00:40:10.61\00:40:13.04
I will make you
ruler over many things,
00:40:13.04\00:40:15.51
enter into the
joy of your Lord."
00:40:15.51\00:40:20.05
This is the conclusion
00:40:20.05\00:40:22.18
when Jesus comes in
the clouds of glory.
00:40:22.18\00:40:24.59
We're talking
about the conclusion
00:40:24.59\00:40:26.19
of the study of stewards
00:40:26.19\00:40:28.09
but here in Matthew 25,
00:40:28.09\00:40:30.33
we're talking about the
conclusion of the whole matter
00:40:30.33\00:40:34.10
when Jesus comes in
the clouds of glory.
00:40:34.10\00:40:36.60
He's got a declaration to
make, and believe it or not,
00:40:36.60\00:40:39.93
He is going to
make that declaration
00:40:39.93\00:40:42.24
and that declaration is
very special to His stewards.
00:40:42.24\00:40:47.01
They have given up everything,
they have walked away,
00:40:47.01\00:40:49.38
they have given control over,
they are living faithfully,
00:40:49.38\00:40:52.55
they are growing into
a knowledge of the truth,
00:40:52.55\00:40:55.25
and they are going
to hear these words,
00:40:55.25\00:40:57.22
"Well done, thou good
and faithful servant."
00:40:57.22\00:41:01.69
I long to hear those
words from the mouth of Jesus,
00:41:01.69\00:41:07.10
that I've been the
steward that by His grace
00:41:07.10\00:41:11.20
He is making me to be,
that He is making us to be,
00:41:11.20\00:41:14.40
"Well done, thou good
and faithful servant."
00:41:14.40\00:41:18.94
Do you realize that Matthew 25
00:41:18.94\00:41:22.88
is a continuation of Matthew 24.
00:41:22.88\00:41:27.02
You know, Matthew 24:45 and 46,
00:41:27.02\00:41:31.75
Jesus poses a question
and the question is this,
00:41:31.75\00:41:36.62
He says, "Who then is a
faithful and wise servant?
00:41:36.62\00:41:40.26
Whom his master made
ruler over his household,
00:41:40.26\00:41:43.53
to give them food in due season,
00:41:43.53\00:41:45.63
blessed is that servant."
00:41:45.63\00:41:47.64
Now, we're
talking about servants,
00:41:47.64\00:41:48.90
we're really talking
about God's stewards.
00:41:48.90\00:41:52.81
And he is saying, "Who
then is faithful and wise."
00:41:52.81\00:41:56.58
And then he says,
"Blessed is that servant."
00:41:56.58\00:41:58.41
And this is in the
context of the second coming.
00:41:58.41\00:42:02.02
Do you know where
Jesus answers that question?
00:42:02.02\00:42:04.55
He answers this very
question in Matthew 25.
00:42:04.55\00:42:08.62
The first parable is
about the wise and the unwise.
00:42:08.62\00:42:12.16
The second parable is about
00:42:12.16\00:42:13.66
the faithful and the unfaithful.
00:42:13.66\00:42:16.10
And the third parable is about
the blessed and the cursed.
00:42:16.10\00:42:19.57
So really Matthew 25
00:42:19.57\00:42:21.64
is a continuation of Matthew 24,
00:42:21.64\00:42:25.04
and it all revolves around
the second coming of Christ.
00:42:25.04\00:42:28.71
And the faithful steward
is going to hear the words,
00:42:28.71\00:42:34.92
so will the wise steward,
so will the blessed steward.
00:42:34.92\00:42:39.85
They are all going
to hear these words,
00:42:39.85\00:42:42.02
"Well done, thou
good and faithful servant.
00:42:42.02\00:42:45.16
You were faithful
over a few things,
00:42:45.16\00:42:47.73
I will make you
ruler over many things."
00:42:47.73\00:42:52.13
And then what
does he say at the end?
00:42:52.13\00:42:53.84
"Enter into the
joy of your Lord."
00:42:53.84\00:42:57.97
What a day
that's going to be like
00:42:57.97\00:42:59.44
when those
pearly gates swing open,
00:42:59.44\00:43:03.71
and the dead in
Christ have risen,
00:43:03.71\00:43:06.18
and those that are alive
00:43:06.18\00:43:07.68
that still remain are going
to be risen up into the clouds
00:43:07.68\00:43:10.82
and they are going
to taken into heaven,
00:43:10.82\00:43:12.39
and those pearly gates
are going to swing open,
00:43:12.39\00:43:14.56
and what is God's
stewards going to do?
00:43:14.56\00:43:17.79
They are going to enter.
00:43:17.79\00:43:20.16
They are gonna enter the
home they have longed for,
00:43:20.16\00:43:23.97
the home that
they have lived for,
00:43:23.97\00:43:26.17
the home that
they have hoped for,
00:43:26.17\00:43:28.04
it's all going to be real.
00:43:28.04\00:43:30.07
It all is real to
a steward of Christ.
00:43:30.07\00:43:35.84
Gonna hear those words.
00:43:35.84\00:43:38.05
What a day when those
pearly gates swing open
00:43:38.05\00:43:40.32
and we enter into
the joy of your Lord.
00:43:40.32\00:43:43.05
And for Jesus to say that,
for Jesus to sit there and say,
00:43:43.05\00:43:47.26
"Oh, you know, they
are going to open them."
00:43:47.26\00:43:48.49
And He is going to say
that, "You guys can all enter."
00:43:48.49\00:43:51.89
Oh, man!
00:43:51.89\00:43:53.29
There are so many
things I want to see in heaven.
00:43:53.29\00:43:55.56
So many places I want to run to,
00:43:55.56\00:43:58.23
but He is going to say
00:43:58.23\00:43:59.30
enter into the joy of your Lord.
00:43:59.30\00:44:03.47
At the end of the lesson,
00:44:03.47\00:44:06.17
and I'm gonna
actually read it right here,
00:44:06.17\00:44:07.91
it's on page 105 of our lesson,
00:44:07.91\00:44:11.81
this is in Thursday's lesson.
00:44:11.81\00:44:14.15
There is a powerful statement
from the book Desire of Ages
00:44:14.15\00:44:16.92
and it's page 523,
Desire of Ages, page 523,
00:44:16.92\00:44:22.29
it says, "When
Christ's followers
00:44:25.69\00:44:28.06
give back to the Lord His own,
00:44:28.06\00:44:32.33
they are accumulating treasure
which will be given to them
00:44:32.33\00:44:38.07
when they shall hear the words."
00:44:38.07\00:44:40.44
So, right now what
are we accumulating?
00:44:40.44\00:44:43.81
In our stewardship,
00:44:43.81\00:44:46.45
in our ongoing
relationship with Jesus Christ,
00:44:46.45\00:44:50.12
what are we accumulating?
00:44:50.12\00:44:52.49
We are accumulating treasure.
00:44:52.49\00:44:54.79
You may not
think you are rich now,
00:44:54.79\00:44:56.62
you may not think you have
all the things you need now,
00:44:56.62\00:45:00.20
you may not think,
you know, you can make it
00:45:00.20\00:45:02.93
but the Lord says, "Listen,
if you are following Me,
00:45:02.93\00:45:05.50
believe it or not,
you have all these things.
00:45:05.50\00:45:07.57
They're just accumulating,
you know, it's like interest.
00:45:07.57\00:45:13.11
We love to see the
accumulate if it's on our side.
00:45:13.11\00:45:17.55
We don't like to see
the accumulation of interest
00:45:17.55\00:45:19.61
if it's the other way
00:45:19.61\00:45:22.22
but we love to see the
accumulation of interest
00:45:22.22\00:45:25.09
on our side, don't we?
00:45:25.09\00:45:28.16
Because we know what?
00:45:28.16\00:45:29.22
We're accumulating a treasure
00:45:29.22\00:45:30.69
that may help
future generations,
00:45:30.69\00:45:34.63
but more than that
00:45:34.63\00:45:35.70
is the
accumulation of this treasure.
00:45:35.70\00:45:39.20
She goes on to say,
00:45:39.20\00:45:42.54
"They accumulate the treasure
which will be given to them
00:45:42.54\00:45:45.21
when they shall
hear the words..."
00:45:45.21\00:45:47.64
We're waiting for the
day when He says here,
00:45:47.64\00:45:49.28
listen, "Here's the treasure
you've been accumulating."
00:45:49.28\00:45:54.35
And He says, "Well, done
now good and faithful servant,
00:45:54.35\00:45:57.39
enter into the joy of your Lord.
00:45:57.39\00:46:00.72
In the end..."
00:46:00.72\00:46:02.99
And I'm reading the last part
of the lesson here on Thursday.
00:46:02.99\00:46:05.36
"In the end
stewardship is a life lived
00:46:05.36\00:46:08.16
in which the two
greatest commandments,
00:46:08.16\00:46:10.63
love for God and
love for our neighbors
00:46:10.63\00:46:13.34
are the
motivations and driving forces
00:46:13.34\00:46:16.14
in all that one does."
00:46:16.14\00:46:20.21
It's following
after Jesus Christ.
00:46:20.21\00:46:24.15
The life of the
steward is all about
00:46:24.15\00:46:25.75
following after Jesus Christ.
00:46:25.75\00:46:28.75
So the results,
looking at the results,
00:46:28.75\00:46:31.42
the results are in,
on the life of a steward,
00:46:31.42\00:46:34.59
result number one, godliness.
00:46:34.59\00:46:38.03
Result number two,
complete trust in God.
00:46:38.03\00:46:42.23
Result number
three, contentment,
00:46:42.23\00:46:45.07
being content in all things.
00:46:45.07\00:46:47.97
And result number four,
00:46:47.97\00:46:50.37
hearing the words
we all want to hear.
00:46:50.37\00:46:53.81
"Well done..."
00:46:53.81\00:46:55.14
From the lips of Jesus,
00:46:55.14\00:46:57.08
"Well done, thou
good and faithful servant,
00:46:57.08\00:47:00.35
enter into the
joy of your Lord."
00:47:00.35\00:47:02.22
Now I want to
share something with you,
00:47:02.22\00:47:03.92
God does not lie, right?
00:47:03.92\00:47:05.15
The Bible says God does not lie.
00:47:05.15\00:47:07.56
God is looking for His stewards
00:47:07.56\00:47:09.72
that He can make
this declaration about
00:47:09.72\00:47:13.53
because He's going
to make the declaration.
00:47:13.53\00:47:17.40
Just like in
creation when He said,
00:47:17.40\00:47:19.40
listen, everything is very good,
00:47:19.40\00:47:22.90
He's just
waiting for His stewards
00:47:22.90\00:47:25.44
to allow Him to do all
these things in their lives
00:47:25.44\00:47:29.01
so that He again can
make the declaration.
00:47:29.01\00:47:33.55
"Well done thou good..."
00:47:33.55\00:47:35.65
He's turned it
all the way around,
00:47:35.65\00:47:36.95
brought it full
faith, full circle.
00:47:36.95\00:47:39.09
"Well done, thou
good and faithful servant,
00:47:39.09\00:47:41.92
enter into the
joy of your Lord."
00:47:41.92\00:47:44.16
May God bless us
00:47:44.16\00:47:46.13
as we continue
to be His stewards.
00:47:46.13\00:47:50.67
May people observe these
characteristics in our lives,
00:47:50.67\00:47:57.47
godliness, trust in God,
contentment in all things,
00:47:57.47\00:48:03.95
and that will hear those words,
00:48:03.95\00:48:05.51
"Well done, thou good
and faithful servant."
00:48:05.51\00:48:11.35
Let's have a word
of prayer together.
00:48:11.35\00:48:13.86
Father in heaven, we thank You
so much for this Sabbath day.
00:48:13.86\00:48:17.79
Lord, we thank You
that You've given us
00:48:17.79\00:48:19.69
in Your Word an understanding
of true stewardship,
00:48:19.69\00:48:24.40
each aspect of the life
of what a steward looks like,
00:48:24.40\00:48:29.40
and, Lord, may in the end
these results be our results,
00:48:29.40\00:48:34.31
in our lives for Your
honor and for Your glory.
00:48:34.31\00:48:39.01
We thank You so much
for Your many blessings
00:48:39.01\00:48:42.05
and we thank You so much
00:48:42.05\00:48:43.08
that we've had
this time to study.
00:48:43.08\00:48:45.45
Lord, help us to come
into a knowledge of this truth
00:48:45.45\00:48:50.06
more and more as we
see the day approaching
00:48:50.06\00:48:52.83
when You'll will come
in the clouds of glory.
00:48:52.83\00:48:55.00
We thank You and we praise You
00:48:55.00\00:48:57.33
in the precious and
holy name of Jesus, Amen.
00:48:57.33\00:49:02.10
I'd like to remind our viewers
and those that are watching,
00:49:02.10\00:49:05.27
we do have a
free offer for today,
00:49:05.27\00:49:08.18
it's From Stress to Joy.
00:49:08.18\00:49:11.38
It's offer number 705
00:49:11.38\00:49:14.22
and you can get
that by just calling
00:49:14.22\00:49:16.22
1-866-788-3966.
00:49:16.22\00:49:21.06
Again, that's offer number 705
00:49:21.06\00:49:23.32
and it can be mailed
anywhere in North America.
00:49:23.32\00:49:25.53
If you're outside North America,
00:49:25.53\00:49:27.03
just go to amazingfacts.org
00:49:27.03\00:49:28.83
and you can find
this and download it
00:49:28.83\00:49:30.63
and truly learn to live
00:49:30.63\00:49:32.80
a stress free
life in Jesus Christ.
00:49:32.80\00:49:36.67
May God bless you.
00:49:36.67\00:49:37.71
Can you hear me
now? Can you hear me now?
00:49:48.28\00:49:51.85
Can you hear me now?
00:49:51.85\00:49:54.16
Actually I know
they can't hear me
00:49:54.16\00:49:55.39
'cause there's no
cell phone reception here.
00:49:55.39\00:49:57.86
We're right now standing in
what is known as a quiet zone
00:49:57.86\00:50:01.80
and there's a very
good reason for that.
00:50:01.80\00:50:04.30
Hidden nestled among the
jungle mountains of Puerto Rico
00:50:04.30\00:50:07.20
is a giant
Sentinel, an aluminum ear
00:50:07.20\00:50:10.44
1,000 feet across
located 10 mile south
00:50:10.44\00:50:13.94
of the coastal city of Arecibo,
00:50:13.94\00:50:15.91
this enormous
space age parabolic dish
00:50:15.91\00:50:18.58
is aimed at the sky, listening.
00:50:18.58\00:50:21.58
Build in 1963 by
Cornell University,
00:50:21.58\00:50:24.45
the Arecibo Observatory dish
is one of the largest curved
00:50:24.45\00:50:27.92
focusing antennas on earth.
00:50:27.92\00:50:30.46
The dish surface is made of
00:50:30.46\00:50:32.13
nearly 40,000
perforated aluminum panels
00:50:32.13\00:50:35.20
each measuring about
three feet by six feet
00:50:35.20\00:50:37.57
and supported by a
mesh of steel cables.
00:50:37.57\00:50:39.90
The vast antenna
surface covers 18 acres
00:50:39.90\00:50:43.14
or about the same
size as 26 football fields.
00:50:43.14\00:50:46.37
When the huge telescope
switches to radar mode,
00:50:46.37\00:50:49.11
it beams out a powerful
signal of one million watts
00:50:49.11\00:50:52.38
towards the planets,
moons, asteroids, and comets.
00:50:52.38\00:50:55.62
The faint echo of
the signal bouncing off
00:50:55.62\00:50:57.72
its astronomical targets
is collected by the huge dish
00:50:57.72\00:51:01.36
and then amplified
allowing scientists to create
00:51:01.36\00:51:04.23
scanner like images
and maps of the object
00:51:04.23\00:51:06.86
but another primary purpose
00:51:06.86\00:51:08.43
for the Arecibo
Observatory is SETI.
00:51:08.43\00:51:11.13
SETI set is an acronym
00:51:11.13\00:51:12.20
for Search for
Extraterrestrial Intelligence.
00:51:12.20\00:51:15.94
They're listening
for messages from above.
00:51:15.94\00:51:18.61
For over 50 years,
00:51:18.61\00:51:20.04
radio astronomers have used
00:51:20.04\00:51:21.78
the world's
largest radio telescope
00:51:21.78\00:51:23.71
to study the radio signals
emanating from the cosmos.
00:51:23.71\00:51:27.48
While listening
to the strange songs
00:51:27.48\00:51:29.45
buried in the heart of
distant stars and quasars,
00:51:29.45\00:51:32.22
they're also listening
00:51:32.22\00:51:33.39
and analyzing every signal
for signs of intelligent life.
00:51:33.39\00:51:38.06
It's really astonishing
when you think about it
00:51:38.06\00:51:40.10
that for more than 50 years now,
00:51:40.10\00:51:41.76
the Arecibo Observatory
has been scanning the heavens,
00:51:41.76\00:51:45.77
spending millions of dollars
00:51:45.77\00:51:47.37
wondering if there's
intelligent life out there.
00:51:47.37\00:51:50.07
Yet in more than half
a century of listening
00:51:50.07\00:51:52.31
SETI has not
identified a single radio signal
00:51:52.31\00:51:55.58
that seems to come from
extraterrestrial intelligence.
00:51:55.58\00:51:59.41
Perhaps they're
missing the forest
00:51:59.41\00:52:00.72
because the
trees are in the way.
00:52:00.72\00:52:02.85
Some messages have actually
already come from space.
00:52:02.85\00:52:05.99
You know, the Bible
tells us in the Book of Romans,
00:52:05.99\00:52:08.06
"Faith comes by hearing
00:52:08.06\00:52:09.42
and hearing comes
by the Word of God."
00:52:09.42\00:52:12.03
It seems often when
God wants to talk to us,
00:52:12.03\00:52:14.00
He has to take us where we
can actually hear His voice.
00:52:14.00\00:52:17.13
When God wanted
to speak to Elijah,
00:52:17.13\00:52:19.23
He ended up down in
the deserts of Mount Sinai.
00:52:19.23\00:52:21.94
There was a fire, an
earthquake, and a wind
00:52:21.94\00:52:24.34
but God was not in earthquake
or the fire or the wind,
00:52:24.34\00:52:27.71
but God spoke
through a still small voice.
00:52:27.71\00:52:30.55
Jesus wants to talk you,
He has a plan for your life,
00:52:30.55\00:52:33.68
but you need to
have a quiet place
00:52:33.68\00:52:35.18
where you can hear Him.
00:52:35.18\00:52:36.25
Oh, it's for you.
00:52:39.82\00:52:41.19
Amazing Facts changed lives.
00:52:50.33\00:52:53.07
I'm Tlingit Indian
from Sitka, Alaska.
00:52:58.61\00:53:02.68
My Tlingit name
is Wahchdustid Clou.
00:53:02.68\00:53:05.95
It was a very depressing
time for the people of Alaska,
00:53:05.95\00:53:09.95
a lot of alcohol
abuse was taking place,
00:53:09.95\00:53:15.59
and unfortunately my mother
got caught up in the alcohol.
00:53:15.59\00:53:21.20
It made myself and my siblings
00:53:21.20\00:53:26.63
grow up in
00:53:26.63\00:53:29.20
a pretty horrible environment.
00:53:29.20\00:53:32.91
It was really
hard to understand God.
00:53:32.91\00:53:37.55
It was really hard to
understand what love was.
00:53:37.55\00:53:41.62
I ended up having a child
00:53:41.62\00:53:47.09
in my 12th grade
00:53:47.09\00:53:49.36
and leaving home
when I was 15 years old.
00:53:49.36\00:53:53.16
But somehow someway we made it
00:53:53.16\00:53:56.33
and I became
alone, I became a hermit,
00:53:56.33\00:53:59.13
so I went up to the
biggest marijuana county,
00:53:59.13\00:54:03.87
to Humboldt County
and started my new career.
00:54:03.87\00:54:08.98
Things weren't right though,
00:54:08.98\00:54:10.58
no matter how nice I
kept thinking life was,
00:54:10.58\00:54:14.25
living up on
top of the mountain,
00:54:14.25\00:54:17.12
not having to worry
about wearing clothing,
00:54:17.12\00:54:21.42
just waking up and
watching the plants grow,
00:54:21.42\00:54:25.03
searching still
for more and more.
00:54:25.03\00:54:28.36
I went to the post office
00:54:28.36\00:54:32.70
and I was
standing there by myself,
00:54:32.70\00:54:34.34
I looked down
00:54:34.34\00:54:36.17
and here was this what is
called handbill, a postcard
00:54:36.17\00:54:41.38
and the letters on
it grabbed my attention
00:54:41.38\00:54:44.35
and it said Revelations.
00:54:44.35\00:54:46.51
I never heard Revelation
taught before and I thought,
00:54:46.51\00:54:50.39
"Gosh, that would
have been so good."
00:54:50.39\00:54:53.36
I looked at the time
and the date and I said,
00:54:53.36\00:54:56.26
"Wow, that's today."
00:54:56.26\00:55:00.56
And for six weeks I sat there
00:55:00.56\00:55:03.60
in the front
seat of that building
00:55:03.60\00:55:08.64
and could not believe
the things that I heard,
00:55:08.64\00:55:12.77
and I found this hunger
00:55:12.77\00:55:16.58
that I had in my heart
for decades being filled.
00:55:16.58\00:55:20.48
I was actually
like a starving child,
00:55:20.48\00:55:23.72
you know, wanting to get into,
00:55:23.72\00:55:25.32
learn more about Revelations
00:55:25.32\00:55:27.92
and I chose to be
baptized on April 3rd.
00:55:27.92\00:55:33.83
Even though I chose to
serve God, I kept falling.
00:55:33.83\00:55:38.47
I was going to Bible
studies all four times a week
00:55:38.47\00:55:42.20
and just so hungry to
learn as much as possible.
00:55:42.20\00:55:48.48
God just overnight had
me studying the Word of God
00:55:48.48\00:55:53.38
through AFCOE and the miracles
00:55:53.38\00:55:56.12
that happens through
AFCOE is so incredible.
00:55:56.12\00:56:00.12
The only preacher
I was listening to
00:56:00.12\00:56:02.29
was Pastor Doug Batchelor
00:56:02.29\00:56:04.63
who I didn't
even call by his name,
00:56:04.63\00:56:07.10
I called him the caveman
00:56:07.10\00:56:09.43
and then here all of a sudden
I'm sitting in front of him
00:56:09.43\00:56:14.34
in his classroom
learning from him.
00:56:14.34\00:56:18.81
On October 11th, I sat
there though in my room saying,
00:56:18.81\00:56:24.01
"Lord, here I am
studying Your Word
00:56:24.01\00:56:27.52
but what am I doing here?
00:56:27.52\00:56:32.59
What do I need to do?
00:56:32.59\00:56:34.22
What is it You want me to do?"
00:56:34.22\00:56:36.12
And that night
about one in the morning
00:56:36.12\00:56:38.93
God spoke to me and He said,
00:56:38.93\00:56:41.60
"I want you to write
a note to Pastor Doug
00:56:41.60\00:56:44.23
and tell him what you do."
00:56:44.23\00:56:45.57
I sat there and I said, "No,
I'm not going to write a note
00:56:45.57\00:56:47.27
and I'm not
going to write a note."
00:56:47.27\00:56:48.97
And I said, "Okay."
00:56:48.97\00:56:50.14
So I ripped up a piece of
paper and I wrote on the note
00:56:50.14\00:56:53.88
and I said, "I'm an
experienced fashion designer,
00:56:53.88\00:56:57.15
I can sew anything I
could make, any patterns,
00:56:57.15\00:57:00.38
if there's any way that I
can be of any service to you.
00:57:00.38\00:57:05.62
God told me to be
bold and tell you."
00:57:05.62\00:57:07.36
And I walked up and
I handed him the note
00:57:07.36\00:57:09.89
and he didn't know what
it was but he said thank you.
00:57:09.89\00:57:12.43
And four hours later
00:57:12.43\00:57:13.56
I got a phone call
from Amazing Facts.
00:57:13.56\00:57:16.97
Pastor Doug told me that I
was an answer to their prayers.
00:57:16.97\00:57:20.87
They had been
looking for wardrobe stylist
00:57:20.87\00:57:24.27
for their new film
that they're producing.
00:57:24.27\00:57:27.08
Action.
00:57:27.08\00:57:28.38
Two, three.
00:57:28.38\00:57:30.85
Amazing Facts
has changed my life
00:57:30.85\00:57:34.42
in the direction
that God wants me to go.
00:57:34.42\00:57:38.22
And now out of all the knowledge
00:57:38.22\00:57:40.32
that was taught to me,
00:57:40.32\00:57:42.89
I'm able to go
out into this world
00:57:42.89\00:57:45.16
and share the gospel
00:57:45.16\00:57:47.76
and finish the
work for Jesus Christ.
00:57:47.76\00:57:52.57
Friends, it's
because of God's blessing
00:57:52.57\00:57:54.80
and your support
that thousands of others
00:57:54.80\00:57:57.37
like Nida have found
Jesus and everlasting life.
00:57:57.37\00:58:00.98