Good morning, friends.
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Welcome to
Sabbath School Study Hour
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here at the Granite Bay
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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in Sacramento, California.
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I'd like to welcome my friends
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joining us across the
country and around the world,
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as well as our regular
online Sabbath School members.
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We're delighted
that you've tuned in
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to study our
lesson with us today.
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And, of course, I'd also like
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to welcome our
regular Sabbath School members
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here in person as well
as those who are joining us,
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our visitors that are here,
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very warm welcome to all of you.
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As many of you know
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that's been attending
for the last few weeks,
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we started a new series
talking about the family.
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And the topic today,
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lesson number four,
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our lesson is
entitled "Family Seasons."
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And topic number
four is "When Alone."
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And that's going to
be our study for today.
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But before we get to our lesson,
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we'd like to let you know,
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if you don't have a copy
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of today's
Sabbath School lesson,
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you can download for
free a copy of the lesson
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at lesson.aftv.org.
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Again, that's lesson.aftv.org,
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lesson number four,
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and you can study along with us.
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We also have a free offer
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we'd like to let you know about.
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This is a premium gift
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that we would like to
make available to those
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who are viewing
online in North America,
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a book written by Pastor Doug
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entitled "Marriage
Divorce and Remarriage."
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If you'd like to
get a copy of this book,
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the number to
call is 866-788-3966,
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and ask for offer number 831,
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or you can download a
digital copy of this book.
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We'll send you a link
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as to where you
can go to download.
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Just a fantastic book,
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dealing with the
subject of marriage,
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divorce and remarriage.
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Well, before we get
to our lesson today,
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I'm delighted that our orchestra
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is here with us,
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and we're going to begin
by lifting our voices in song.
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I'd like to
invite our song leaders
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to come forward.
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We'll be singing number 310
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in the
Seventh-day Adventist hymnal,
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"I Would Draw Nearer to Jesus."
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We'll be singing the
first and third verses.
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Please sing with us.
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I would draw nearer to Jesus
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In His sweet presence abide
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Constantly trying to serve Him
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Safe and secure at His side
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I would draw nearer to Jesus
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I would draw nearer to Him
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Fully surrendered each moment
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I would draw nearer to Him
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I would draw nearer to Jesus
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Seeking His strength to be true
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Willing to tell of His goodness
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Gladly His blest will to do
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I would draw nearer to Jesus
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I would draw nearer to Him
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Fully surrendered each moment
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I would draw nearer
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to Him
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Thank you for singing.
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Let's bow our heads
for a word of prayer.
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Dear Father in
heaven, again we thank you
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that we have this opportunity
to gather in your house
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to worship You
on this special day
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that You have set apart for us
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to worship You in a special way.
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We do ask that
You'll bless our time now
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as we open up the Word in study,
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for we ask this
in Jesus' name, amen.
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Our lesson today is
going to be brought to us
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by Pastor Doug.
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Morning! Morning!
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Happy Sabbath.
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Want to welcome everybody
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who is here at our
Granite Bay Church.
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I'm glad you're
studying God's Word
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with us today, and our friends
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who are joining
us on television,
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we have some of you
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who are part of our
online Sabbath School class,
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and some of our online
members from around the world.
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Good to see you as well.
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We enjoyed
being with our friends
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at the White
Memorial Church this last week
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and the number of people
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there said that
they watch every week,
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and we just claim you as family.
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We're continuing in our
Sabbath School quarterly
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dealing with family seasons.
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And today we've got
an interesting lesson
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and it's on "When Alone."
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Now in this lesson,
we're going to be talking about
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a lot of
aspects of what it means
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to be alone as a Christian.
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Some of those deal
with just loneliness.
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We're going to be talking
about alone through divorce.
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Some people are
alone through singleness.
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Some are alone by
a command of the Lord
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and so,
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a very important study
for dealing with loneliness.
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Now, we have a memory verse,
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and the memory verse
comes from Genesis Chapter 28.
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I'm sorry, Genesis 2:18.
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Genesis 2:18,
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and this is in the
New King James Version.
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If you'd like to say
that with me, that'd be great.
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Are you ready?
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"And the Lord God said,
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'It is not good
that man should be alone,
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I will make a helper
comparable to him.' "
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I don't know how
many of you have heard
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the story of Robinson Crusoe.
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Robinson Crusoe is a book
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written by Daniel Defoe
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many years ago,
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and it actually is
based on a true story.
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It's about a young man
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by the name of
Alexander Selkirk.
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He was born in Scotland.
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And he was a son of a tanner.
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He was very adventurous
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and he decided that he wanted
to run away and go to sea,
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so he did and he
joined up with some ships,
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and over a short period of time
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he ended up
becoming a sailor on a ship
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with a famous
captain, William Dampier.
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Now, Dampier was going
up and down the Pacific
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raiding Spanish ships.
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England was at war
with Spain during the time.
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And along the way, Selkirk,
who was a little bit hotheaded,
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got into a
pretty fierce argument
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with Captain Dampier.
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And when they
got near an island,
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they stopped at an
island called San Fernando,
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that's 400 miles
off the coast of Chile
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to get some
water and provisions.
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It was a deserted island,
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but they could
get some water there.
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He said,
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"I'd rather live by
myself on this island
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than sail anymore with you."
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And because of his
pride and his anger,
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the captain said, "Good
enough, we're leaving you here."
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And so they put
him off on the island
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and gave him some gunpowder
and some basic provisions.
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He had a knife, and
an axe, and a flintlock.
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I think I've got
a little note here
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that tells us.
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"When Selkirk was put ashore,
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he had with him
clothes and bedding,
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a flintlock, some
gunpowder, bullets,
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a hatch and a knife, a kettle,
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a few books of Bible.
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He tried to stay busy,
but for the first eight months
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he had to bear up
against terrible melancholy,
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and the terror
of being left alone
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in such a desolate island
for the rest of his life."
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Have you ever
thought, what would it be like
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if you were the
only one left on earth?
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Sometimes I'm actually
excited about that thought,
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but not everyone's that way.
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He tried to stay busy.
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But the first eight
months he had a real struggle.
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He built two huts
with palmetto trees.
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He covered them with long grass
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and aligned them
with the skins of goats,
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which were
abundant on the island.
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When his clothes wore out,
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he made himself new
ones with goat skins.
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When his gunpowder was spent,
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he created fire by
rubbing sticks together
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upon his knee.
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At first, he was plagued
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with great
numbers of cats and rats
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that bred on the island
because when ships came ashore,
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sometimes rats got off the ships
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and cats got off the ship.
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And a few have
escaped and multiplied.
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But he tamed many of the cats
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so that they would lie
about his shack in hundreds,
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and soon
delivered him from the rats.
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He also tamed some of the goats
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and he diverted
himself now and then,
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and he'd sing and
dance with them and his cats.
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So he had last came to conquer
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all the
inconveniences of his solitude
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and to be very happy.
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So Kirk remained
there on the island
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for four and a half years.
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Finally, in February 1790,
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he was discovered by
Captain Woodes Rogers,
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another famous captain
in the sailing ship Duke,
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whose pilot happened to
be his old captain Dampier.
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Now the rest of the
story is after Dampier,
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who was captain
dropped him off on the island,
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they left, their ship sank
and most of the crew perished
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except Dampier
and a few officers.
00:10:05.63\00:10:08.64
And so if Selkirk
had stayed on the ship,
00:10:08.67\00:10:10.41
he likely would
have died with the crew.
00:10:10.44\00:10:13.31
But now captain Woodes Rogers,
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and by the way something else
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that was interesting is,
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when he first got
back on board, the ship,
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he had gone four years
without talking to people,
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talk to the goats and the cats.
00:10:23.62\00:10:25.69
And he would kind of
speak, it took a while for him
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to get regular
speech rhythm going again,
00:10:27.79\00:10:30.03
because if you
don't talk to anybody,
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you start to lose the art.
00:10:33.26\00:10:35.46
And, but they had
conquered some Spanish ships.
00:10:35.50\00:10:40.24
And so they made Selkirk
00:10:40.27\00:10:41.50
captain of one of
the Spanish ships,
00:10:41.54\00:10:44.27
and Dampier was his pilot.
00:10:44.31\00:10:46.04
So he ended up being the captain
00:10:46.07\00:10:47.74
of his former adversary.
00:10:47.78\00:10:49.54
It's very interesting story.
00:10:49.58\00:10:51.18
They got back to
England and eventually
00:10:51.21\00:10:52.85
when Daniel
Defoe heard the story,
00:10:52.88\00:10:54.75
He's like, this is a great story
00:10:54.78\00:10:55.95
and he wrote,
00:10:55.98\00:10:57.19
wrote a book
called Robinson Crusoe.
00:10:57.22\00:10:59.72
So, have you ever
felt lonely before?
00:10:59.75\00:11:03.73
Ecclesiastes 4:9,
00:11:03.76\00:11:07.30
Two are better than one,
00:11:07.36\00:11:08.96
because they have a
good reward for their labor.
00:11:09.00\00:11:11.83
For if they fall, one
will lift up his companion.
00:11:11.87\00:11:15.47
But woe to him who is alone
00:11:15.50\00:11:17.41
when he falls,
00:11:17.44\00:11:18.94
for he will have
no one to help him up.
00:11:18.97\00:11:22.01
Again, if two lie down together,
00:11:22.04\00:11:23.45
they will keep warm,
00:11:23.48\00:11:24.88
but how can one be warm alone?
00:11:24.91\00:11:27.88
Though one might be
overpowered by another,
00:11:27.92\00:11:29.85
two can withstand him,
00:11:29.88\00:11:31.42
and a threefold cord
is not quickly broken."
00:11:31.45\00:11:34.99
So here in
Ecclesiastes, it's Proverbs,
00:11:35.02\00:11:36.96
it's talking about
how important it is
00:11:36.99\00:11:38.39
to have friends
and companionship.
00:11:38.43\00:11:42.10
Now, when Jesus sent
out the disciples preaching,
00:11:42.13\00:11:45.03
how did He send them?
00:11:45.07\00:11:47.47
Two by two.
00:11:47.50\00:11:48.50
Let's look at some
of these verses here.
00:11:48.54\00:11:50.77
Mark 6:7,
00:11:50.81\00:11:52.04
"He called twelve to Himself,
00:11:52.07\00:11:53.41
and He began to send them out
00:11:53.44\00:11:54.88
two by two,
00:11:54.91\00:11:56.38
and He gave them
power over unclean spirits."
00:11:56.41\00:11:59.61
And again, later,
after these things,
00:11:59.65\00:12:01.35
the Lord
appointed 70 others also,
00:12:01.38\00:12:03.45
and He sent them out how?
00:12:03.49\00:12:05.59
Two by two,
00:12:05.62\00:12:06.99
to go before his face
into every city and place
00:12:07.02\00:12:09.22
where he
himself was about to go.
00:12:09.26\00:12:11.79
Now, why did the Lord send
out the disciples two by two?
00:12:11.83\00:12:14.00
Well, for one thing,
when we train people at AFCOE,
00:12:17.33\00:12:20.30
we send them out two
by two, survival method.
00:12:20.34\00:12:23.20
When one is
making a presentation,
00:12:23.24\00:12:24.67
another one is praying.
00:12:24.71\00:12:25.71
If one gets discouraged,
00:12:25.74\00:12:26.78
ostensibly the other
one will encourage them.
00:12:26.81\00:12:30.38
Two heads are better than one.
00:12:30.41\00:12:31.68
You ever heard that.
00:12:31.71\00:12:33.18
And so sometimes you're making
a decision about what to do,
00:12:33.21\00:12:35.55
which way to go and
the combined judgment,
00:12:35.58\00:12:37.65
you can make better decisions.
00:12:37.69\00:12:38.95
And, you know,
00:12:38.99\00:12:40.59
while I don't
agree with their message,
00:12:40.62\00:12:43.76
I do admire the method
00:12:43.79\00:12:46.46
of Jehovah Witnesses
and Latter-day Saints
00:12:46.49\00:12:49.43
because they send
people out two by two.
00:12:49.46\00:12:52.03
We believe in sending people out
00:12:52.07\00:12:54.10
two by two and we do that
00:12:54.14\00:12:55.34
as I mentioned in
our evangelism training.
00:12:55.37\00:12:57.34
This was a method
that Jesus recommended.
00:12:57.37\00:13:01.04
Now in a moment someone's going
to read to me from Mark 14.
00:13:01.08\00:13:03.95
You'll have that, Hoftis? Okay.
00:13:03.98\00:13:05.68
I'm going to read Luke 10:1.
00:13:05.71\00:13:08.75
I'm sorry, I'm
going to read John 16:32.
00:13:08.78\00:13:11.45
"Indeed the hour is
coming, yes, is now come,
00:13:11.49\00:13:14.96
that you will be
scattered, each to his own,
00:13:14.99\00:13:17.23
and will leave Me alone.
00:13:17.26\00:13:19.89
And yet I am not alone,
00:13:19.93\00:13:21.76
because the Father is with Me."
00:13:21.80\00:13:23.73
So how did Jesus
deal with loneliness?
00:13:23.77\00:13:27.54
He said, "Well,
I'm never really alone
00:13:27.57\00:13:28.70
because God is with me.
00:13:28.74\00:13:31.27
God is my companion."
00:13:31.31\00:13:33.44
And then Philippians 4:11-13.
00:13:33.48\00:13:36.95
Paul was often
imprisoned by himself.
00:13:36.98\00:13:39.48
And he said, "Not that
I speak in regard to need,
00:13:39.51\00:13:41.88
for I have learned
in whatever state I am,
00:13:41.92\00:13:44.12
to be content:
00:13:44.15\00:13:45.45
I know how to be abased,
and I know how to abound.
00:13:45.49\00:13:48.12
Everywhere and in all things
00:13:48.16\00:13:49.69
I have learned both to
be full and to be hungry,
00:13:49.72\00:13:51.83
both to abound
and to suffer need.
00:13:51.86\00:13:53.93
I can do all
things through Christ
00:13:53.96\00:13:55.90
who strengthens me."
00:13:55.93\00:13:57.20
So if you are a
believer, are you ever alone?
00:13:57.23\00:14:00.94
No, right?
00:14:00.97\00:14:02.07
Go ahead, read for us
please, Mark 14:33 and 34.
00:14:02.10\00:14:05.61
"And He took Peter,
James, and John with Him,
00:14:05.64\00:14:08.81
and He began to be
troubled and deeply distressed.
00:14:08.84\00:14:12.98
Then He said to them,
00:14:13.01\00:14:14.58
'My soul is
exceedingly sorrowful,
00:14:14.62\00:14:17.19
even to death.
00:14:17.22\00:14:18.55
Stay here and watch.'"
00:14:18.59\00:14:20.96
Isn't that an astounding thought
00:14:20.99\00:14:22.86
that here the Creator
of all men was lonely,
00:14:22.89\00:14:26.96
and He wanted
people to be with Him,
00:14:27.00\00:14:29.46
to support Him.
00:14:29.50\00:14:30.87
You know, the Bible says,
00:14:30.90\00:14:31.90
Christ was tempted in all points
00:14:31.93\00:14:33.47
as we are, yet without sin.
00:14:33.50\00:14:35.14
Was He tempted with loneliness?
00:14:35.17\00:14:38.61
He was 100% human.
00:14:38.64\00:14:40.78
Did God create humans to enjoy
and thrive in companionship?
00:14:40.81\00:14:45.98
What happens to a person
00:14:46.01\00:14:47.35
when they live
all their time alone?
00:14:47.38\00:14:50.95
I'm an expert.
00:14:50.99\00:14:52.65
I can tell you about it.
00:14:52.69\00:14:55.52
I've shared with you before,
00:14:55.56\00:14:56.83
there's probably
not too many people here
00:14:56.86\00:14:58.96
that can tell me,
00:14:58.99\00:15:00.40
I have spent five
or six days by myself
00:15:00.43\00:15:03.53
where I did not
hear another human voice,
00:15:03.57\00:15:05.80
no radio, no telephone, no TV,
00:15:05.83\00:15:07.80
there were no
cell phones back then,
00:15:07.84\00:15:10.64
and no human input.
00:15:10.67\00:15:13.88
So I'd go several stretches
where I'm all by myself.
00:15:13.91\00:15:17.11
Do you know when you
live all by yourself,
00:15:17.15\00:15:18.95
you become eccentric.
00:15:18.98\00:15:22.02
You start to
develop unbalanced ideas.
00:15:22.05\00:15:26.96
We sometimes by communication,
00:15:26.99\00:15:29.16
we start to balance
our wisdom off each other
00:15:29.19\00:15:31.76
and it sort of
keeps you in the middle.
00:15:31.79\00:15:34.93
And God does something
about social interaction.
00:15:34.93\00:15:41.10
You know, they discovered
that in the animal kingdom,
00:15:41.14\00:15:44.84
the smartest
animals are social animals.
00:15:44.87\00:15:50.18
They found that some
00:15:50.21\00:15:51.25
of the most highly
intelligent dolphins
00:15:51.28\00:15:55.12
are social animals.
00:15:55.15\00:15:56.99
They're always in pods.
00:15:57.02\00:15:58.29
They swim
together, they interact,
00:15:58.32\00:15:59.82
they communicate,
they play games together,
00:15:59.85\00:16:01.82
and it does something to
build their intelligence,
00:16:01.86\00:16:04.49
and it gives them balance.
00:16:04.53\00:16:05.56
They work in
cooperation with each other.
00:16:05.59\00:16:08.36
And there's several
different groups of monkeys
00:16:08.40\00:16:10.00
and different animals
00:16:10.03\00:16:11.13
that when they work in
social groups like that,
00:16:11.17\00:16:13.17
there's combined intelligence.
00:16:13.20\00:16:15.80
And so God designed
00:16:15.84\00:16:18.44
that we should not be alone.
00:16:18.47\00:16:21.31
He told Adam and Eve to
be fruitful and multiply.
00:16:21.34\00:16:24.18
So when the Bible says,
00:16:24.21\00:16:25.21
it's not good that
man should be alone.
00:16:25.25\00:16:26.98
It didn't just mean
that man needed a woman.
00:16:27.02\00:16:31.39
It's also a broader principle
that people need people
00:16:31.42\00:16:35.09
and that we are
social creatures.
00:16:35.12\00:16:37.26
In America, we're a
little more independent
00:16:37.29\00:16:39.56
than some countries.
00:16:39.59\00:16:41.23
You know, you go to India,
you go to the Philippines,
00:16:41.26\00:16:44.10
you go to China,
00:16:44.13\00:16:45.13
a lot of
countries where I traveled,
00:16:45.17\00:16:46.37
they've got large families,
00:16:46.40\00:16:47.77
and family is very important.
00:16:47.80\00:16:50.04
And they each spent a lot
of time in family functions.
00:16:50.07\00:16:52.41
Even if you go down
south of the border,
00:16:52.44\00:16:55.18
in the Mexican families,
00:16:55.21\00:16:57.31
they get together, and
they have large families
00:16:57.35\00:16:59.08
and the
interactiveness is part of life,
00:16:59.11\00:17:01.72
that they communicate.
00:17:01.75\00:17:02.78
You come north
00:17:02.82\00:17:03.82
and we're an
independent country.
00:17:03.85\00:17:07.32
You know, there's a
lot of reasons for that.
00:17:07.36\00:17:08.99
America, a lot of people
came from different places,
00:17:09.02\00:17:11.06
so they didn't
always interconnect.
00:17:11.09\00:17:13.40
And we had a large land without,
00:17:13.43\00:17:15.43
wasn't so heavily populated.
00:17:15.46\00:17:17.53
And,
00:17:17.57\00:17:18.93
it just seems like we developed
a little more independently.
00:17:18.97\00:17:22.74
But there are a lot of
folks that are very lonely.
00:17:22.77\00:17:25.14
It's not God's plan for that.
00:17:25.17\00:17:26.78
That's part of why
we have church, amen?
00:17:26.81\00:17:29.78
So that we could have fellowship
00:17:29.81\00:17:32.11
and spend time together.
00:17:32.15\00:17:34.48
So, yeah,
00:17:34.52\00:17:36.55
you never
really need to be alone
00:17:36.58\00:17:38.95
if you're a believer.
00:17:38.99\00:17:40.59
You read in Matthew 28,
00:17:40.62\00:17:41.86
one of the last
words in the New Testament,
00:17:41.89\00:17:44.43
teaching them to
observe all things
00:17:44.46\00:17:46.26
that I've commanded you and...
00:17:46.29\00:17:51.33
There was a Chinese gentleman
00:17:51.37\00:17:53.54
who converted from
Buddhism to Christianity.
00:17:53.57\00:17:56.17
His name was Lo Wong.
00:17:56.20\00:17:58.84
And when he finally got
to Matthew and he read it.
00:17:58.87\00:18:01.38
He learned some English,
00:18:01.41\00:18:02.91
it said, lo, I
am with you always.
00:18:02.94\00:18:05.11
It was very special to him.
00:18:05.15\00:18:09.48
He said, "Lo, I
am with you always,
00:18:09.52\00:18:11.15
even to the end of the age."
00:18:11.19\00:18:14.06
And so God is promising.
00:18:14.09\00:18:15.56
I am always with you.
00:18:15.59\00:18:18.13
So are we ever really alone?
00:18:18.16\00:18:20.10
And then you
read in Hebrews 13:5,
00:18:20.13\00:18:22.76
"Let your conduct be
without covetousness,
00:18:22.80\00:18:25.47
be content with
such things as you have.
00:18:25.50\00:18:27.67
For He Himself has said,
00:18:27.70\00:18:29.44
'I will never leave
you or forsake you.'"
00:18:29.47\00:18:32.44
Now that's Hebrews 13:5.
00:18:32.47\00:18:35.41
What verse in the Bible
is Paul quoting in Hebrews
00:18:35.44\00:18:38.81
where he says, "I
will never leave you
00:18:38.85\00:18:40.08
or forsake you?"
00:18:40.12\00:18:43.92
We can't find it in the gospels.
00:18:43.95\00:18:45.85
Do you realize that
Paul is quoting something
00:18:45.89\00:18:47.52
Jesus obviously said,
00:18:47.56\00:18:48.72
but the gospel
writers did not write down
00:18:48.76\00:18:50.76
that exact phrase.
00:18:50.79\00:18:52.76
But we believe Paul,
00:18:52.79\00:18:54.83
if you have a
red letter edition,
00:18:54.86\00:18:56.60
when you read
Hebrews 13:5 it's in red,
00:18:56.63\00:18:59.07
"I will never leave
you or forsake you."
00:18:59.10\00:19:01.94
You don't find that
in the four gospels,
00:19:01.97\00:19:03.30
but you do find it in Hebrews.
00:19:03.34\00:19:05.41
And so Jesus made that promise.
00:19:05.44\00:19:07.18
But it's kind of
like that when He said,
00:19:07.21\00:19:08.61
I'm with you always, right?
00:19:08.64\00:19:10.21
To the end of the world.
00:19:10.25\00:19:11.81
All right, so as a principle,
00:19:11.85\00:19:13.95
God does not want
us to live as islands.
00:19:13.98\00:19:16.18
Now before I go too
deep into the lesson,
00:19:16.22\00:19:18.65
I think it might be good
to mention at this point.
00:19:18.69\00:19:20.96
Is it always bad to be alone?
00:19:20.99\00:19:25.29
Now, being alone
sometimes is a wonderful thing.
00:19:25.33\00:19:28.40
Who is it?
00:19:28.43\00:19:29.43
Isaiah that said,
00:19:29.46\00:19:31.53
"Woe to them that
join house to house
00:19:31.57\00:19:33.84
and lay field to
field till there is no place
00:19:33.87\00:19:36.54
where a man may be
alone in the earth."
00:19:36.57\00:19:39.74
That Jesus sometimes rise up
00:19:39.77\00:19:41.68
a great while before
it was day and go alone.
00:19:41.71\00:19:44.98
And even asked the
disciples, He said, you know,
00:19:45.01\00:19:47.62
we've been so busy
with the multitudes.
00:19:47.65\00:19:49.18
He says, we need
to come to a desolate,
00:19:49.22\00:19:51.25
an isolated
wilderness place so we can rest.
00:19:51.29\00:19:55.16
John the Baptist,
00:19:55.19\00:19:56.29
where did he go
for his ministry?
00:19:56.32\00:19:59.03
To the wilderness
00:19:59.06\00:20:00.30
and he spent a
lot of time out there
00:20:00.33\00:20:02.26
in the cathedral
canyons of God's creation.
00:20:02.30\00:20:06.30
I think it's good
sometimes for people
00:20:06.33\00:20:09.00
to get out by themselves
00:20:09.04\00:20:10.21
and spend some
time alone with God.
00:20:10.24\00:20:12.57
I think that when you
enter into your closet to pray,
00:20:12.61\00:20:15.38
matter of fact, there's a quote,
00:20:15.41\00:20:16.64
Karen showed this
to me this morning.
00:20:16.68\00:20:18.85
If you go to your lesson,
I'm going to jump to Friday.
00:20:18.88\00:20:21.45
Friday usually
doesn't have a subject,
00:20:21.48\00:20:23.25
it sort of got
like further thoughts.
00:20:23.28\00:20:25.75
And then if you go to
Friday in your lesson,
00:20:25.79\00:20:28.02
it talks about Enoch.
00:20:28.06\00:20:29.96
And it says, "In the
midst of a life of active labor,
00:20:29.99\00:20:33.09
Enoch steadfastly maintained
his communion with God.
00:20:33.13\00:20:37.20
The greater and
more pressing his labors,
00:20:37.23\00:20:39.40
the more constant and
earnest were his prayers.
00:20:39.43\00:20:43.27
He continued to exclude himself
00:20:43.30\00:20:45.14
at certain
periods from all society.
00:20:45.17\00:20:47.88
After remaining for a
time among the people,
00:20:47.91\00:20:50.08
laboring to benefit them
by instruction and example,
00:20:50.11\00:20:53.08
he would withdraw, to
spend a season in solitude,
00:20:53.11\00:20:56.82
hungering and thirsting
for that divine knowledge
00:20:56.85\00:21:00.22
which God alone can impart.
00:21:00.26\00:21:02.89
Communing thus with God,
00:21:02.92\00:21:04.23
Enoch came more and more
to reflect the divine image."
00:21:04.26\00:21:06.93
How did he do that?
00:21:06.96\00:21:08.50
He got away from it
all and from everybody.
00:21:08.53\00:21:11.83
It's sometimes, I think
creates a healthy balance
00:21:11.87\00:21:15.04
in our character,
00:21:15.07\00:21:16.10
not only to know
how to deal with people,
00:21:16.14\00:21:18.61
but are you
comfortable by yourself.
00:21:18.64\00:21:20.84
It's not a bad thing.
00:21:20.88\00:21:22.28
I mean, even in a
family, in a marriage,
00:21:22.31\00:21:24.61
for you to say, I need
some, what's the word for it?
00:21:24.65\00:21:27.32
Alone time.
00:21:27.35\00:21:29.52
And every now and then,
00:21:29.55\00:21:30.89
Karen will say, "Doug, you
just need to go to Covelo."
00:21:30.92\00:21:33.92
And I'll hop in the truck
00:21:33.96\00:21:34.96
and I'll drive
up there by myself.
00:21:34.99\00:21:36.39
And I'll spend a
couple of days in praying,
00:21:36.42\00:21:38.16
you know, it's wonderful
00:21:38.19\00:21:39.59
just to be alone with God,
00:21:39.63\00:21:41.40
and you read and get
out in the woods and, and...
00:21:41.43\00:21:46.53
You wouldn't
believe some of the places
00:21:46.57\00:21:48.00
I've been by myself
out in the wilderness
00:21:48.04\00:21:50.47
and I just think, oh, man,
00:21:50.51\00:21:52.37
you see such wonderful things.
00:21:52.41\00:21:54.84
But then you know
what the problem is,
00:21:54.88\00:21:56.34
you see such
wonderful things you think.
00:21:56.38\00:21:58.85
I wish I could
show this to someone
00:21:58.88\00:22:00.28
or share this with someone.
00:22:00.32\00:22:03.05
But I said, "Lord, thank
you for showing this to me."
00:22:03.08\00:22:05.02
So it's not
always wrong to be alone.
00:22:05.05\00:22:07.76
The Bible says that
actually can be a problem
00:22:07.79\00:22:10.46
if you can never be alone.
00:22:10.49\00:22:14.10
All right, so then we
go to the next section,
00:22:14.10\00:22:18.07
the unmarried life.
00:22:18.10\00:22:21.04
And someone's going to
read for me in a moment,
00:22:21.07\00:22:22.60
Luke 23:29. Okay.
00:22:22.64\00:22:25.47
I'm going to
read Jeremiah 16:1-2.
00:22:25.51\00:22:27.84
Now, this is talking about,
00:22:27.88\00:22:29.44
there is a time to
choose to be unmarried.
00:22:29.48\00:22:33.65
A little later in the lesson
00:22:33.68\00:22:34.75
we'll talk about
those who are unmarried
00:22:34.78\00:22:36.15
just by circumstances.
00:22:36.18\00:22:37.85
And this is some people
who are been told by the Lord.
00:22:37.89\00:22:41.22
Jeremiah 16:1-2,
00:22:41.26\00:22:42.56
"The word of the
Lord came to me, saying,
00:22:42.59\00:22:45.13
'You shall not take a wife,
00:22:45.16\00:22:47.36
nor shall you have sons
or daughters in this place.'"
00:22:47.40\00:22:50.30
Now why did God tell
Jeremiah not to marry?
00:22:50.33\00:22:54.50
You don't ever hear
about Mrs. Jeremiah.
00:22:54.54\00:22:56.84
Why?
00:22:56.87\00:22:57.91
He didn't tell everybody that.
00:22:57.94\00:22:59.61
What's the
general order for humans?
00:22:59.64\00:23:03.18
It is a good thing,
00:23:03.21\00:23:04.25
he that finds a
wife finds a good thing.
00:23:04.28\00:23:05.85
And if you're
married, he that finds,
00:23:05.88\00:23:06.95
she that finds a husband
finds hopefully a good thing.
00:23:06.98\00:23:10.02
And so that's the
normal order of things,
00:23:10.05\00:23:12.52
but it's not the absolute.
00:23:12.55\00:23:13.96
Now, why did he
tell Jeremiah that?
00:23:13.99\00:23:16.42
What time did Jeremiah live in?
00:23:16.46\00:23:19.03
What happened
during Jeremiah's life?
00:23:19.06\00:23:22.53
Nebuchadnezzar came
00:23:22.56\00:23:23.63
and it was foretold many times
00:23:23.67\00:23:25.57
to Jeremiah that I am
going to destroy in a big way.
00:23:25.60\00:23:29.40
The city, that the city
is going to be besieged,
00:23:29.44\00:23:31.54
there's going to be starvation,
00:23:31.57\00:23:32.71
there's going to be cannibalism.
00:23:32.74\00:23:34.31
There's going to be bloodshed,
there's going to be plague.
00:23:34.34\00:23:37.01
The people are
going to be carried off,
00:23:37.05\00:23:38.88
the houses will be burned,
the temple will be burned.
00:23:38.91\00:23:42.45
He said, you better not marry.
00:23:42.48\00:23:45.52
Are there other
times in the Bible
00:23:45.55\00:23:46.89
where God has that?
00:23:46.92\00:23:48.86
Jesus said in Matthew 24,
00:23:48.89\00:23:51.39
speaking of the
tribulation in the last days,
00:23:51.43\00:23:54.36
"Woe to them who are pregnant
00:23:54.36\00:23:56.40
and those who are nursing babies
00:23:56.43\00:23:57.90
in those days."
00:23:57.93\00:23:59.33
Now we're not in those days.
00:23:59.37\00:24:02.60
Sometimes I'll
have young couples
00:24:02.64\00:24:03.87
come to me and they'll say,
00:24:03.91\00:24:05.47
"Pastor Doug,
00:24:05.51\00:24:08.58
we read these
verses in the Bible.
00:24:08.61\00:24:10.15
We think we're near the
end, should we have children?"
00:24:10.18\00:24:13.38
You know what I tell them?
00:24:13.42\00:24:15.18
I say, "I don't know."
00:24:15.22\00:24:17.09
You got to be very
careful about telling people
00:24:17.12\00:24:19.99
how to run their lives that way.
00:24:20.02\00:24:22.39
If you know Adventist history,
00:24:22.42\00:24:24.19
you know, the Adventist Church
was born out of the belief
00:24:24.23\00:24:26.23
in the eminence of Jesus coming,
00:24:26.26\00:24:27.96
and I do believe
Jesus is coming soon,
00:24:28.00\00:24:29.70
but there were several times
00:24:29.73\00:24:31.37
where James White
counseled couples,
00:24:31.40\00:24:33.60
we're so close to the end,
00:24:33.64\00:24:35.60
we shouldn't even have children.
00:24:35.64\00:24:38.01
And he later
repented of that, he said,
00:24:38.04\00:24:39.44
I shouldn't have said that.
00:24:39.47\00:24:40.48
Of course, he
and Ellen had four.
00:24:40.51\00:24:43.45
So how many of you
have gray hair thought
00:24:43.48\00:24:48.02
Jesus would
have come before now?
00:24:48.05\00:24:52.32
Or any of you
remember like World War II?
00:24:52.35\00:24:56.16
Couple of you alive back then.
00:24:56.19\00:24:58.83
When nuclear bomb,
they said, this is it.
00:24:58.86\00:25:03.53
We don't have any children now,
you know the world's ending.
00:25:03.57\00:25:07.60
Of course, kids born back
then now are grandparents.
00:25:07.64\00:25:11.07
So you got to be
careful about saying,
00:25:11.11\00:25:12.87
you know when that time is.
00:25:12.91\00:25:13.98
Every individual needs to
pray about when they think
00:25:14.01\00:25:16.21
that time comes.
00:25:16.24\00:25:18.05
Go ahead, read
your verse for us.
00:25:18.08\00:25:20.72
Luke 23:29,
00:25:20.75\00:25:22.58
"For indeed the days are coming
00:25:22.62\00:25:24.42
in which they will say,
00:25:24.45\00:25:26.45
'Blessed are the barren,
00:25:26.49\00:25:28.12
wombs that never bore,
00:25:28.16\00:25:29.99
and breasts
which never nursed!'"
00:25:30.03\00:25:32.96
Now, when did Jesus
make this statement?
00:25:32.99\00:25:36.03
He's on the way to the cross.
00:25:36.06\00:25:37.43
It's a short little sermon,
Jesus preaches to the women
00:25:37.47\00:25:40.34
who are weeping as they
see Him bearing His cross,
00:25:40.37\00:25:43.51
to the place of
crucifixion and He says,
00:25:43.54\00:25:45.21
"Don't weep for me."
00:25:45.24\00:25:47.14
Now, why did He tell them that?
00:25:47.18\00:25:48.98
Because Jerusalem
was going to be destroyed
00:25:49.01\00:25:52.11
in the generation,
so the days are coming.
00:25:52.15\00:25:55.15
And the same thing that happened
00:25:55.18\00:25:56.28
in the days of
Nebuchadnezzar happened again
00:25:56.32\00:25:58.99
in the days of Titus
00:25:59.02\00:26:01.32
when the city was burned,
00:26:01.36\00:26:03.22
the people were besieged,
00:26:03.26\00:26:05.33
the temple was destroyed,
it all happened again.
00:26:05.36\00:26:08.96
So He said, "There's a time
when it may not be a good idea
00:26:09.00\00:26:11.50
to start families."
00:26:11.53\00:26:12.90
So let me give you
some examples of that here.
00:26:12.93\00:26:15.80
If you read 1 Corinthians,
00:26:15.84\00:26:18.04
as Paul writes to
the church in Corinth,
00:26:18.07\00:26:20.64
persecution had arose.
00:26:20.68\00:26:23.28
See, it was later
00:26:23.31\00:26:25.18
in the ministry
of Peter and Paul,
00:26:25.21\00:26:27.48
Rome began to
crack down on the Jews.
00:26:27.52\00:26:30.32
And as they
crack down on the Jews,
00:26:30.35\00:26:31.85
you can read in
Acts where it says,
00:26:31.89\00:26:32.99
"All the Jews had
been expelled from Rome."
00:26:33.02\00:26:35.16
It started slowly
because the Roman,
00:26:35.19\00:26:36.96
the Jews were beginning to rebel
00:26:36.99\00:26:38.16
against the Roman Empire,
00:26:38.19\00:26:40.00
and they could
see it was fomenting
00:26:40.03\00:26:41.90
and it was going to
turn into rebellion,
00:26:41.93\00:26:44.20
that a great
persecution happened
00:26:44.23\00:26:47.24
from the Romans
against the Jews,
00:26:47.27\00:26:48.60
because
Christians shared so much
00:26:48.64\00:26:51.24
with the Jewish religion.
00:26:51.27\00:26:52.94
Christianity really was,
00:26:52.97\00:26:54.21
the Jews sought as a
sect or a branch of Judaism.
00:26:54.24\00:26:58.68
They were monotheistic,
they worshiped the same God,
00:26:58.71\00:27:01.05
Jesus was a Jew,
they read a Jewish book,
00:27:01.08\00:27:03.72
they kept the Jewish Sabbath.
00:27:03.75\00:27:05.92
And so, they
really put Christians
00:27:05.95\00:27:08.46
in the same group.
00:27:08.49\00:27:10.89
And Paul said, look,
persecution is beginning,
00:27:10.93\00:27:13.86
1 Corinthians 7:8,
00:27:13.90\00:27:16.16
"I say to the
unmarried and to the widows:
00:27:16.20\00:27:18.23
It's good for them
to remain even as I am."
00:27:18.27\00:27:22.80
All right, let me
just pause right there.
00:27:22.84\00:27:24.51
Was Paul married?
00:27:24.54\00:27:27.88
Maybe once, we don't know.
00:27:27.91\00:27:30.41
Now, some wonder if Paul
isn't married at some point
00:27:30.45\00:27:32.91
because what seems
Paul may have been part,
00:27:32.95\00:27:35.38
he was a Pharisee
00:27:35.42\00:27:36.45
and he was part of the Sanhedrin
00:27:36.48\00:27:37.82
and somewhere in
the Jewish Talmud,
00:27:37.85\00:27:39.99
it said to be
part of the Sanhedrin,
00:27:40.02\00:27:41.39
you have to be married.
00:27:41.42\00:27:43.49
It's kind of
like where Paul says
00:27:43.53\00:27:44.66
that a pastor should be
the husband of one wife.
00:27:44.69\00:27:46.43
He kind of drew that
from what they had is
00:27:46.46\00:27:49.26
you're going to
be spiritual leader,
00:27:49.30\00:27:50.67
you need to understand family.
00:27:50.70\00:27:52.93
And...
00:27:52.97\00:27:56.57
We just hired a
new youth pastor.
00:27:56.60\00:27:58.97
But I can't tell
you who it is yet.
00:27:59.01\00:28:01.84
But one of the
criteria was, the board said,
00:28:01.88\00:28:04.08
"We want someone who is married,
00:28:04.11\00:28:06.68
that has a
little bit of experience
00:28:06.72\00:28:08.88
because they're
going to be helping lead
00:28:08.92\00:28:10.72
the young
families and the children."
00:28:10.75\00:28:13.72
So, Paul may have been married,
his wife could have died.
00:28:13.76\00:28:19.19
He may have been married,
00:28:19.23\00:28:20.23
but when he
converted to Christianity,
00:28:20.26\00:28:22.83
the things fell apart.
00:28:22.86\00:28:24.50
But he never did remarry.
00:28:24.53\00:28:26.77
And some may argue
that he was never married,
00:28:26.80\00:28:28.64
but evidently when he
writes these words here,
00:28:28.67\00:28:30.71
he's not married at
this point, because he says,
00:28:30.74\00:28:32.94
to the unmarried,
00:28:32.97\00:28:33.94
"I asked that they
remain even as I am, single.
00:28:33.98\00:28:37.88
But if they cannot
exercise self control,
00:28:37.91\00:28:40.68
let them marry."
00:28:40.72\00:28:41.72
Now one reason
that some people think
00:28:41.75\00:28:42.95
Paul at least had
been married at some point
00:28:42.98\00:28:45.82
is because he sure
seemed to give a lot
00:28:45.85\00:28:47.69
of counsel on marriage,
00:28:47.72\00:28:49.16
and you think he must have known
00:28:49.19\00:28:50.43
something about it.
00:28:50.46\00:28:51.49
"It's good for them
to remain even as I am,
00:28:55.16\00:28:57.03
but if they cannot exercise
self control, let them marry.
00:28:57.07\00:29:01.20
For it is better to marry
than to burn with passion."
00:29:01.24\00:29:04.74
So God kind of
designed everybody that,
00:29:04.77\00:29:06.88
you know, once you
reach the teenage years,
00:29:06.91\00:29:09.41
the hormones begin to surge
00:29:09.44\00:29:11.05
and God
naturally programmed people
00:29:11.08\00:29:13.65
to start craving
that opposite sex.
00:29:13.68\00:29:17.89
And if that didn't happen,
none of us would be here.
00:29:17.92\00:29:22.76
Right?
00:29:22.79\00:29:23.93
And so there's
that natural desire.
00:29:23.96\00:29:25.96
Now, if you don't eat...
00:29:25.99\00:29:28.16
Sex is a physical desire,
00:29:28.20\00:29:29.90
but it's different
because if you don't eat,
00:29:29.93\00:29:31.47
that's a physical desire to you,
00:29:31.50\00:29:32.57
you will die.
00:29:32.60\00:29:34.87
But even though sex is a desire,
00:29:34.90\00:29:36.81
if you don't fulfill
it, you will not die.
00:29:36.84\00:29:39.81
You may think so, but you won't.
00:29:39.84\00:29:42.58
And so, it's something
that should be controlled
00:29:42.61\00:29:44.91
until it is fulfilled in
the marriage relationship.
00:29:44.95\00:29:49.05
And if not there,
the Bible's pretty clear
00:29:49.08\00:29:51.32
that you're
supposed to live a pure life
00:29:51.35\00:29:53.59
and Paul talks about that.
00:29:53.62\00:29:55.46
1 Corinthians 7:25,
00:29:55.49\00:29:58.33
"Now concerning the virgins..."
00:29:58.36\00:30:00.20
This is during
that same time period
00:30:00.23\00:30:01.56
when the
persecution was beginning.
00:30:01.60\00:30:03.43
Paul is beginning to
advise families of Christians,
00:30:03.47\00:30:06.90
you better think
about the rough world
00:30:06.94\00:30:09.20
you're going to bring
your spouse and children into
00:30:09.24\00:30:11.17
if you marry.
00:30:11.21\00:30:12.37
"Concerning virgins: I have
no commandment from the Lord,
00:30:12.41\00:30:15.84
yet I give my judgment,"
00:30:15.88\00:30:17.05
Paul is speaking
by permission here,
00:30:17.08\00:30:19.38
"As one whom the Lord,
00:30:19.41\00:30:21.48
in His mercy has
made trustworthy.
00:30:21.52\00:30:23.99
I suppose
therefore that this is good
00:30:24.02\00:30:25.85
because of the present distress"
00:30:25.89\00:30:27.62
that he's talking about,
00:30:27.66\00:30:28.76
the persecution
that it started to happen
00:30:28.79\00:30:30.36
and against Jews and Christians,
00:30:30.39\00:30:31.99
"That it is good for a
man to remain as he is.
00:30:32.03\00:30:35.90
If you're bound to
wife, if you're engaged,
00:30:35.93\00:30:37.80
don't seek to be loosed.
00:30:37.83\00:30:38.87
You've made a
covenant of engagement.
00:30:38.90\00:30:41.44
If you loose from a wife..."
00:30:41.47\00:30:43.17
Sometimes the wives would
leave through either divorce
00:30:43.20\00:30:45.61
or separation.
00:30:45.64\00:30:46.64
"Do not seek a wife.
00:30:46.68\00:30:48.68
But even if you do
marry, you have not sinned,
00:30:48.71\00:30:51.65
and if a virgin
marries, she has not sinned.
00:30:51.68\00:30:53.48
Nevertheless such will
have trouble in the flesh,
00:30:53.52\00:30:56.12
but I would spare you."
00:30:56.15\00:30:57.25
He said, "I'm trying
to save you the problems
00:30:57.29\00:30:58.62
that if you marry now
00:30:58.65\00:30:59.72
during these
difficult times of persecution,
00:30:59.75\00:31:02.32
it may be harder."
00:31:02.36\00:31:04.53
"But this I say,
brethren, the time is short,
00:31:04.56\00:31:07.13
so that from now on
even those who have wives
00:31:07.13\00:31:09.73
should be as
though they had none,
00:31:09.76\00:31:11.60
for those who weep even
as though they did not weep,
00:31:11.63\00:31:14.30
those who rejoice as
though they did not rejoice,
00:31:14.34\00:31:16.91
those who buy as
though they did not possess,"
00:31:16.94\00:31:19.51
and because they
had to maybe flee
00:31:19.54\00:31:21.01
and leave their possessions.
00:31:21.04\00:31:24.08
"And those who use this
world is not misusing it.
00:31:24.11\00:31:28.18
For the form of this
world is passing away.
00:31:28.22\00:31:30.12
But I want you
to be without care."
00:31:30.15\00:31:31.69
Don't be encumbered
with the cares of this life.
00:31:31.72\00:31:34.02
"He who is unmarried cares
for the things of the Lord.
00:31:34.06\00:31:36.36
You are free to go
out and do mission work.
00:31:36.39\00:31:38.49
How he might please the Lord.
00:31:38.53\00:31:40.00
He who is married cares
about the things of the world,
00:31:40.03\00:31:42.00
how he might please his wife.
00:31:42.03\00:31:44.93
And there is a difference
between a wife and a virgin.
00:31:44.97\00:31:48.00
The unmarried man cares
about the things of the Lord,
00:31:48.04\00:31:50.31
that she may be holy
both in body and in spirit."
00:31:50.34\00:31:53.11
There it's
talking about that purity.
00:31:53.14\00:31:55.01
"But she who is married cares
about the things of the world,
00:31:55.04\00:31:57.35
how she might
please her husband.
00:31:57.38\00:31:59.11
" I've seen this
happen many times
00:31:59.15\00:32:00.58
where you got
some AFCOE graduate,
00:32:00.62\00:32:04.09
he's on fire and
he's out winning souls
00:32:04.12\00:32:06.35
and then some woman lands him.
00:32:06.39\00:32:09.96
And unless she's mission minded,
00:32:09.99\00:32:12.23
she says, oh, man, you
got to get a better job.
00:32:12.26\00:32:13.76
You can't be a missionary.
00:32:13.80\00:32:15.00
How you are ever going to build
a house or buy a car on that?
00:32:15.03\00:32:18.33
And pretty soon he gets
pulled out of the Lord service
00:32:18.37\00:32:20.77
because he must please his wife.
00:32:20.80\00:32:21.90
And I've seen it the other way.
00:32:21.94\00:32:22.87
You get some young
lady, she's a Bible worker,
00:32:22.90\00:32:24.47
she's a soul
winner, but meets a guy
00:32:24.51\00:32:26.74
and next thing you
know, she has 62 children,
00:32:26.78\00:32:29.21
and she's not giving
Bible studies anymore.
00:32:29.24\00:32:32.88
Now, that's an exaggeration,
but, you know what I'm saying.
00:32:32.91\00:32:35.15
So Paul is saying, you
know, you're a little more free.
00:32:35.18\00:32:38.75
They were saying, look,
00:32:38.79\00:32:39.79
let's take the
gospel to the world.
00:32:39.82\00:32:41.26
But once they got married,
00:32:41.29\00:32:42.49
and with the persecution it
became a little more difficult.
00:32:42.52\00:32:45.53
Now, I'm going to read something
00:32:45.56\00:32:47.00
that Jesus says about this.
00:32:47.03\00:32:50.30
The disciples said, you know,
00:32:50.33\00:32:52.10
they're asking Him a question
00:32:52.13\00:32:53.27
about marriage
and divorce and Jesus
00:32:53.30\00:32:54.80
threw something
in Matthew 19:12,
00:32:54.84\00:32:56.74
He doesn't
mention it anywhere else.
00:32:56.77\00:32:59.24
"For there are eunuchs..."
00:32:59.27\00:33:00.58
Now, we all know
what a eunuch is.
00:33:00.61\00:33:01.71
Now, there are eunuchs,
00:33:01.74\00:33:04.45
Daniel was a eunuch
in the palace of Babylon.
00:33:04.48\00:33:07.08
That was foretold by Isaiah
that the children of Hezekiah
00:33:07.12\00:33:10.55
would be captured
by the king of Babylon
00:33:10.59\00:33:12.09
and made eunuchs in his palace.
00:33:12.12\00:33:14.12
And the eunuchs
were often the wise men.
00:33:14.16\00:33:16.26
And they made him eunuch
00:33:16.29\00:33:17.33
so because coming
and going in the palace,
00:33:17.36\00:33:19.93
King has his harem there.
00:33:19.96\00:33:23.10
He wanted to know
all the king's children
00:33:23.13\00:33:24.43
were the king's children.
00:33:24.47\00:33:26.37
And so Jesus says,
00:33:26.40\00:33:28.67
"There are eunuchs who are
born from their mother's womb."
00:33:28.70\00:33:31.37
There are some people who...
00:33:31.41\00:33:33.38
They just have no
desire in that respect.
00:33:33.41\00:33:36.71
"And there are eunuchs
who were made eunuchs by men."
00:33:36.75\00:33:38.85
Some are captured and
they're forced into that.
00:33:38.88\00:33:41.78
"Then there are eunuchs who
have made themselves eunuchs."
00:33:41.82\00:33:44.32
That could mean either
by practice or by procedure.
00:33:44.35\00:33:49.02
And then Jesus
said, and He says,
00:33:49.06\00:33:50.89
"For the kingdom of heaven sake,
00:33:50.93\00:33:53.90
and then he is
able to accept it,
00:33:53.93\00:33:56.56
let him accept it."
00:33:56.60\00:33:58.73
And so Jesus said,
you know, there are some.
00:33:58.77\00:34:00.74
Now, was Christ married?
00:34:00.77\00:34:04.07
It's a trick question.
00:34:04.11\00:34:05.11
No, technically,
00:34:05.14\00:34:07.01
to the church who
is the bride of Christ,
00:34:07.04\00:34:09.84
so.
00:34:09.88\00:34:11.48
Now there's, you know,
00:34:11.51\00:34:12.81
I don't believe that
goes around in the world today
00:34:12.85\00:34:15.18
that Jesus really was
married to Mary Magdalene.
00:34:15.22\00:34:18.45
There's not a shred of
historical, or a scientific,
00:34:18.49\00:34:22.86
or biblical evidence for that.
00:34:22.89\00:34:25.66
It just made for
good movie telling.
00:34:25.69\00:34:28.16
And they found
some cryptic gospel
00:34:28.20\00:34:29.96
where Jesus
something about kissing Mary.
00:34:30.00\00:34:32.77
I'm going to talk today
about Mary kissing Jesus' feet.
00:34:32.80\00:34:34.67
That doesn't mean
they were married.
00:34:34.70\00:34:36.37
And so they've tried to
build this whole crazy scenario
00:34:36.40\00:34:39.77
out of some
apocryphal piece of papyr,
00:34:39.81\00:34:43.55
and that's all it says.
00:34:43.58\00:34:45.18
So no, Jesus was not married.
00:34:45.21\00:34:47.42
So all right, let's
go to a difficult part.
00:34:47.45\00:34:49.58
It says when a marriage ends.
00:34:49.62\00:34:53.32
Genesis 24:14.
00:34:53.36\00:34:56.02
First of all,
00:34:56.06\00:34:57.13
how does God feel about divorce?
00:34:57.16\00:35:00.66
Maybe I ought to read
Malachi before I read Genesis.
00:35:00.70\00:35:03.23
I'm going to read Malachi 2:15.
00:35:03.26\00:35:05.87
And in a moment, someone's
going to read John 4:17.
00:35:05.90\00:35:10.21
All right, Malachi 2:15.
00:35:10.24\00:35:12.51
"And this is the
second thing you do:
00:35:12.54\00:35:15.01
You cover the altar
of the Lord with tears
00:35:15.04\00:35:17.01
with weeping and crying,
00:35:17.05\00:35:18.61
so He does not
regard the offering anymore
00:35:18.65\00:35:20.72
nor receive it with
goodwill from your hands.
00:35:20.75\00:35:23.49
You say, 'For what reason?'
00:35:23.52\00:35:24.92
Because the Lord
has been a witness
00:35:24.95\00:35:26.52
between you and
the wife of your youth,
00:35:26.55\00:35:29.16
with whom you have
dealt treacherously,
00:35:29.19\00:35:31.96
yet she is your companion
and your wife by covenant.
00:35:31.99\00:35:35.93
But did He not make them one,
having a remnant of the Spirit?
00:35:35.96\00:35:40.17
And why one?
00:35:40.20\00:35:41.80
He seeks godly offspring.'
00:35:41.84\00:35:43.17
" God wants
families to stick together,
00:35:43.20\00:35:45.17
He wants godly offspring.
00:35:45.21\00:35:46.78
So we all know as it's
more difficult on children
00:35:46.81\00:35:48.94
that have been through divorce.
00:35:48.98\00:35:50.81
"Therefore take
heed to your spirit,
00:35:50.85\00:35:53.11
and let none deal treacherously
with a wife of his youth.
00:35:53.15\00:35:57.29
'For the Lord God of
Israel says he hates divorce,
00:35:57.32\00:36:00.66
for it covers one's
garment with violence,'
00:36:00.69\00:36:02.79
says the Lord of hosts.
00:36:02.82\00:36:04.03
'Therefore take heed your spirit
00:36:04.06\00:36:05.73
that you do not
deal treacherously.'
00:36:05.76\00:36:08.86
" Now Moses made in
his law a provision that
00:36:08.90\00:36:11.67
if there was some
uncleanness found in a woman
00:36:11.70\00:36:14.44
or technically the
woman with a husband,
00:36:14.47\00:36:17.01
there could be a
certificate of divorce.
00:36:17.04\00:36:19.24
This was not God's plan,
00:36:19.27\00:36:20.84
but Jesus said
00:36:20.88\00:36:21.88
because of the
hardness of your hearts,
00:36:21.91\00:36:23.51
He permitted this.
00:36:23.55\00:36:25.11
It was not His ideal, obviously.
00:36:25.15\00:36:28.95
But by the time of Christ,
00:36:28.98\00:36:30.22
they had
actually written laws that
00:36:30.25\00:36:31.85
if a wife burned
her husband's food,
00:36:31.89\00:36:34.79
he could write a
certificate of divorce.
00:36:34.82\00:36:37.49
I mean, the reasons for
divorce had become really bad.
00:36:37.53\00:36:41.80
And they had no social services.
00:36:41.83\00:36:44.97
Once a woman had been
married for several years
00:36:45.00\00:36:48.00
and she was divorced.
00:36:48.04\00:36:49.07
Sometimes they were divorced
00:36:49.10\00:36:50.11
because they
couldn't have children.
00:36:50.14\00:36:52.21
Why did Elkanah
take a second wife?
00:36:52.24\00:36:55.04
Because Hannah
at first was barren
00:36:55.08\00:36:56.85
and he felt like,
I've got to have children,
00:36:56.88\00:36:58.45
who's going to run
the farm when I'm old.
00:36:58.48\00:37:00.42
I mean, that was the only thing,
00:37:00.45\00:37:01.45
you had to have children.
00:37:01.48\00:37:03.82
And so, and look
at all the hardship
00:37:03.85\00:37:05.25
it brought into that family.
00:37:05.29\00:37:06.55
Sometimes they would
just divorce their wife
00:37:06.59\00:37:08.26
and get another one
00:37:08.29\00:37:09.52
that they thought
would be more prolific.
00:37:09.56\00:37:12.06
And so,
00:37:12.09\00:37:13.46
God says you are
breaking the covenant
00:37:13.50\00:37:15.63
dealing treacherously.
00:37:15.66\00:37:18.30
That's like the word treason
with the wife of your youth.
00:37:18.33\00:37:21.87
But having said that,
00:37:21.90\00:37:23.74
are there times when
even God commanded divorce?
00:37:23.77\00:37:28.24
Yeah.
00:37:28.28\00:37:29.28
Let's look at Genesis 21:14.
00:37:29.31\00:37:32.58
"So Abraham rose
early in the morning,
00:37:32.61\00:37:34.42
and took bread
and a skin of water,
00:37:34.45\00:37:36.58
and he put it on
the shoulder of Hagar.
00:37:36.62\00:37:40.19
And he gave it the boy
to Hagar and sent her away.
00:37:40.22\00:37:44.19
And she departed
00:37:44.23\00:37:45.16
and wandered in the
Wilderness of Beersheba."
00:37:45.19\00:37:48.23
God told Abraham after
there was internal strife
00:37:48.26\00:37:52.20
between Sarah, and
Isaac, and Hagar, and Ishmael.
00:37:52.23\00:37:55.37
He said, "You need
to put away Hagar."
00:37:55.40\00:37:58.34
That word put away
is the word divorce.
00:37:58.37\00:38:01.58
He obviously,
00:38:01.61\00:38:02.64
he was in a marriage
relationship with her,
00:38:02.68\00:38:05.61
but this was never God's plan.
00:38:05.65\00:38:08.72
You know, when we're in Africa,
00:38:08.75\00:38:11.19
and when the Adventist church
is doing evangelism over there,
00:38:11.22\00:38:15.06
they still practice polygamy.
00:38:15.09\00:38:17.69
And so the church has
been faced with a conundrum.
00:38:17.73\00:38:19.69
What do you do
when you have somebody
00:38:19.73\00:38:22.43
who comes from some of
these paganistic religions,
00:38:22.46\00:38:25.60
and they accept the truth,
00:38:25.63\00:38:26.70
but they've got
two or three wives,
00:38:26.74\00:38:29.10
typically it was the
chiefs that had multiple wives
00:38:29.14\00:38:32.01
and a lot of children.
00:38:32.04\00:38:35.18
And the church grappled
with that because you think,
00:38:35.21\00:38:37.08
you know, what do you do?
00:38:37.11\00:38:38.25
And they said, finally
they came up and they said,
00:38:38.28\00:38:40.82
you need to keep the first wife,
00:38:40.85\00:38:42.72
but you need to
continue supporting
00:38:42.75\00:38:44.92
the other wives and children.
00:38:44.95\00:38:46.82
But you can only have one wife.
00:38:46.86\00:38:49.46
We ran into this
00:38:49.49\00:38:50.56
when I was pastoring
on the Navajo Reservation.
00:38:50.59\00:38:53.80
I met this
gentleman, and they said, "Yeah,
00:38:53.83\00:38:56.26
this is his wife a
little while later,"
00:38:56.30\00:38:57.67
they said, "Yeah,
this is his wife ago."
00:38:57.70\00:38:58.97
Oh, which one is it?
00:38:59.00\00:39:00.07
They said, "Yeah,
he married sisters."
00:39:00.10\00:39:03.51
And that creates
some difficult situations.
00:39:03.54\00:39:07.38
All right, go
ahead and read for us,
00:39:07.41\00:39:09.01
John 4:17 and 18.
00:39:09.04\00:39:11.08
John 4:17 and 18,
00:39:11.11\00:39:13.38
"The woman answered and
said, 'I have no husband.'
00:39:13.42\00:39:16.82
Jesus said to her,
'You have well said,
00:39:16.85\00:39:20.06
'I have no husband,'
00:39:20.09\00:39:21.79
for you have had five husbands,
00:39:21.82\00:39:24.23
and the one whom you now
have is not your husband,
00:39:24.26\00:39:28.03
in that you spoke truly."
00:39:28.06\00:39:29.90
All right.
00:39:29.93\00:39:32.33
Now, back when I
first joined the church,
00:39:32.37\00:39:33.70
I was led to believe
no one actually said it,
00:39:33.74\00:39:36.87
but just the feeling was that
00:39:36.91\00:39:38.64
when a person had
been through a divorce,
00:39:38.67\00:39:40.01
that was sort of
the unpardonable sin.
00:39:40.04\00:39:42.91
That doesn't say
that in the Bible.
00:39:42.94\00:39:46.61
Do we have
examples like Abraham?
00:39:46.65\00:39:50.09
How about David?
00:39:50.12\00:39:51.29
Did David had
more than one wife?
00:39:51.32\00:39:54.12
When David
sinned with Bathsheba,
00:39:54.16\00:39:55.96
that was
adultery, that was a sin,
00:39:55.99\00:39:57.59
it must not have
been the unpardonable sin.
00:39:57.63\00:39:59.29
And what do you do if...
00:39:59.33\00:40:00.43
Let's suppose you divorce
without biblical grounds.
00:40:00.46\00:40:02.93
We'll get to
that in just a moment,
00:40:02.96\00:40:04.30
and then you remarry.
00:40:04.33\00:40:05.77
Is there any
forgiveness in those categories?
00:40:05.80\00:40:08.70
Oh, there can be but
it forever creates a taint
00:40:08.74\00:40:12.37
on your credibility.
00:40:12.41\00:40:14.98
Here, Jesus reveals Himself
to the woman at the well.
00:40:15.01\00:40:19.38
And He says,
"You've had five husbands
00:40:19.41\00:40:20.78
and the one you're living with,
you're not even married to."
00:40:20.82\00:40:22.72
But does He show her
that He's the Messiah?
00:40:22.75\00:40:26.29
And then does He
use her in ministry
00:40:26.32\00:40:29.19
in reaching other people?
00:40:29.22\00:40:30.93
So He forgives her.
00:40:30.96\00:40:32.63
God meets you where you're at.
00:40:32.66\00:40:34.36
And I meet people, they say,
00:40:34.40\00:40:35.46
"Pastor Doug, I've
been married six times.
00:40:35.50\00:40:36.80
Can God forgive me,
00:40:36.83\00:40:37.83
and I was a
pagan, I didn't know."
00:40:37.87\00:40:41.17
And I heard a pastor say once,
00:40:41.20\00:40:42.67
you cannot
unscramble scrambled eggs.
00:40:42.70\00:40:45.57
Everybody comes to the
Lord a little bit scrambled.
00:40:45.61\00:40:48.64
Now, if you grow
up in the church,
00:40:48.68\00:40:50.88
you're a little
more responsible.
00:40:50.91\00:40:53.85
A lot of people came to
Christ and they didn't know.
00:40:53.88\00:40:57.19
David when he
sinned with Bathsheba.
00:40:57.22\00:40:59.42
Nathan the Prophet came,
he confronted him with a sin.
00:40:59.45\00:41:04.19
There was terrible
punishment for the sin.
00:41:04.23\00:41:07.23
Not only did the baby die,
00:41:07.30\00:41:10.07
but there were three
other sons of David that died
00:41:10.10\00:41:12.47
and he lost a lot of
respect from his people.
00:41:12.50\00:41:15.20
But you know what it
says after the baby died?
00:41:15.24\00:41:17.47
First it says, you've
taken the wife of Uriah.
00:41:17.51\00:41:21.71
But then after that,
00:41:21.74\00:41:22.84
and after David spent
seven days on his face praying,
00:41:22.88\00:41:25.48
it says, David
comforted his wife.
00:41:25.51\00:41:30.35
And he and Bathsheba
ultimately had Solomon
00:41:30.39\00:41:33.66
who became the next king.
00:41:33.69\00:41:35.82
So was David and...
00:41:35.86\00:41:37.03
Were David and
Bathsheba forgiven?
00:41:37.06\00:41:39.56
Yes. Was it a sin?
00:41:39.59\00:41:40.70
A terrible sin,
but he was forgiven.
00:41:40.73\00:41:44.40
And so we need to just
keep perspective on this.
00:41:44.43\00:41:48.67
And then you read in Matthew 19.
00:41:48.70\00:41:50.17
You can also read about
this in the Sermon on the Mount.
00:41:50.21\00:41:53.34
He says, "Have you not read that
00:41:53.38\00:41:54.84
He that made
them at the beginning
00:41:54.88\00:41:56.31
'made them male and
female,' and he said,
00:41:56.34\00:41:58.48
'For this reason a man
leaves his father and mother
00:41:58.51\00:42:01.28
and has joined his wife.
00:42:01.32\00:42:02.58
The two shall become one flesh.
00:42:02.62\00:42:04.75
So then, they are no
longer two but one flesh.
00:42:04.79\00:42:07.16
Therefore what God
has joined together,
00:42:07.19\00:42:09.32
let not man separate.'
00:42:09.36\00:42:11.86
And they said to him,
00:42:11.89\00:42:12.93
'Why then did Moses command
00:42:12.96\00:42:14.13
to give a certificate of divorce
00:42:14.20\00:42:15.43
and put her away?'
00:42:15.46\00:42:16.63
Said Moses, because of
the hardness of your hearts,
00:42:16.67\00:42:19.33
permitted you to
divorce your wives,
00:42:19.37\00:42:21.27
but from the
beginning it was not so.
00:42:21.30\00:42:23.61
And I say to you,
whoever divorces his wife,
00:42:23.64\00:42:26.01
except for sexual immorality,
00:42:26.04\00:42:28.04
and marries
another commits adultery,
00:42:28.08\00:42:30.15
and whoever marries her
00:42:30.18\00:42:31.31
who is divorced
commits adultery.'
00:42:31.35\00:42:33.31
" So if a person is
in a state of singleness,
00:42:33.35\00:42:37.32
because their spouse
is either abandoned them,
00:42:37.35\00:42:40.92
and you can't force
another person to do anything,
00:42:40.96\00:42:43.16
everybody's free,
00:42:43.19\00:42:45.13
but they've been abandoned.
00:42:45.16\00:42:46.53
Or if once spouse,
00:42:46.56\00:42:48.16
sometimes if they
have their mind made up,
00:42:48.20\00:42:49.53
I'm leaving, and
I'm going to divorce.
00:42:49.56\00:42:51.33
Maybe they found someone
else and they get married,
00:42:51.37\00:42:54.17
and you find yourself alone.
00:42:54.20\00:42:55.77
You're not alone if
you're with the Lord.
00:42:55.80\00:42:58.31
And in a church, we often talk
about the context of family,
00:42:58.34\00:43:01.41
but we need to be
sensitive to people
00:43:01.44\00:43:03.41
who are alone
because of divorce,
00:43:03.45\00:43:06.65
or because of
singleness, or because of death.
00:43:06.68\00:43:10.62
And we need to
remember to integrate
00:43:10.65\00:43:12.19
everybody as part of the family,
00:43:12.22\00:43:13.99
all of those.
00:43:14.02\00:43:15.06
Amen?
00:43:15.09\00:43:16.26
All these people need to be
treated as part of the family.
00:43:16.29\00:43:20.60
We see that Jesus
dealt with it this way.
00:43:20.63\00:43:24.87
Death and loneliness,
00:43:24.90\00:43:25.97
like there's so much more
I could say about the other,
00:43:26.00\00:43:27.77
you need to get the free offer
00:43:27.80\00:43:29.14
that we're mentioning
because it talks about it,
00:43:29.17\00:43:31.24
death and loneliness.
00:43:31.27\00:43:32.91
Isaiah 57:1-2,
00:43:32.94\00:43:35.38
"The righteous perishes,
and no one takes it to heart.
00:43:35.41\00:43:38.95
Merciful men are taken away,
00:43:38.98\00:43:41.48
while no one considers
00:43:41.52\00:43:42.92
that the righteous
is taken away from evil,
00:43:42.95\00:43:45.62
and he will enter into peace
00:43:45.65\00:43:46.99
and they will
rest in their beds,
00:43:47.02\00:43:48.36
each one walking
in his uprightness."
00:43:48.39\00:43:51.73
And so the Bible
talks about a situation
00:43:51.76\00:43:53.73
where even good people die.
00:43:53.76\00:43:56.90
And ultimately
someone may be alone
00:43:56.93\00:43:59.47
because their spouse has died.
00:43:59.50\00:44:01.97
Not always but typically,
00:44:02.00\00:44:04.61
women live a
little longer than men.
00:44:04.64\00:44:07.21
I think that the
average lifespan of women
00:44:07.24\00:44:09.04
in North America is
about two or three years.
00:44:09.08\00:44:11.05
I see some doctors
here that might correct me,
00:44:11.08\00:44:13.25
longer than men.
00:44:13.28\00:44:15.18
The gap used to be much bigger
00:44:15.22\00:44:16.62
because more men
died in working accidents,
00:44:16.65\00:44:18.92
but there's more
safety precautions now
00:44:18.95\00:44:20.52
so we're closing the gap.
00:44:20.56\00:44:21.96
But women do physiologically
live longer than men,
00:44:21.99\00:44:24.56
but not always that way.
00:44:24.59\00:44:26.59
You know, I know a lot of men
that just outlive their wives,
00:44:26.63\00:44:29.66
but we have
people who are lonely,
00:44:29.70\00:44:33.70
that maybe they're
single and you know,
00:44:33.74\00:44:35.20
it's really tough sometimes
00:44:35.24\00:44:36.64
when if somebody loses
their spouse and they're 35,
00:44:36.67\00:44:40.78
and they're widowed.
00:44:40.81\00:44:42.48
There's a good chance
00:44:42.51\00:44:43.48
they're going to have
a lot of life together.
00:44:43.51\00:44:44.78
They may say,
"Well, I'll remarry."
00:44:44.81\00:44:47.48
It's not as likely
00:44:47.52\00:44:49.75
after they've been
married to somebody for 50 years
00:44:49.78\00:44:52.19
or something that, you know,
00:44:52.22\00:44:53.29
you're set in
your ways, your whole,
00:44:53.32\00:44:55.09
all your memories are
filled with this one individual.
00:44:55.12\00:44:58.03
And it's especially hard
00:44:58.06\00:45:00.16
when you've been
married to someone that long
00:45:00.20\00:45:02.56
and then they're gone.
00:45:02.60\00:45:03.70
I remember
talking to one dear saint,
00:45:03.73\00:45:05.67
she was married for 50-60 years
00:45:05.70\00:45:07.40
to the same person and they die.
00:45:07.44\00:45:08.74
And she said,
"Oh Brother, Doug,"
00:45:08.77\00:45:10.41
She said, "I forget
that he's not alive.
00:45:10.44\00:45:11.87
And I'll walk down the hall
00:45:11.91\00:45:12.91
and I'll just
shout out his name Jack,
00:45:12.94\00:45:14.31
because I need his
help with something,
00:45:14.34\00:45:15.51
and then I'm hit with
the truth that he's gone."
00:45:15.54\00:45:18.71
And it's a
terrible wave of sadness,
00:45:18.75\00:45:21.18
so it's very difficult.
00:45:21.22\00:45:22.72
And we need to show love
for our widows and widowers
00:45:22.75\00:45:25.25
that are in the church
00:45:25.29\00:45:27.29
and help bring them
00:45:27.32\00:45:29.69
and involve them in the
things that are happening.
00:45:29.72\00:45:34.13
But, you know,
00:45:34.20\00:45:36.13
you can still get
married even after 130,
00:45:36.16\00:45:42.30
Abraham did.
00:45:42.34\00:45:44.37
So Sarah died, and
Abraham took Keturah.
00:45:44.41\00:45:48.28
Not only did he
get married again,
00:45:48.31\00:45:50.81
he then had a whole
litter of kids with Keturah.
00:45:50.85\00:45:55.35
So the miracle was not so much
Abraham's age or Sarah's age.
00:45:55.38\00:46:01.69
Revelation 21:4,
00:46:01.72\00:46:03.46
"And God will wipe away
every tear from the eyes,
00:46:03.49\00:46:06.13
there will be no more
death, sorrow or crying,
00:46:06.16\00:46:08.73
neither will
there be any more pain."
00:46:08.76\00:46:10.90
You know, one of
the beautiful things
00:46:10.93\00:46:12.03
that we read about loneliness
00:46:12.07\00:46:14.70
and the lack of loneliness
is how does the Bible end,
00:46:14.74\00:46:17.87
we're separated
from God from our sins.
00:46:17.91\00:46:22.18
But the Bible says in heaven,
00:46:22.21\00:46:23.55
God Himself will be with us
and we'll never be alone again.
00:46:23.58\00:46:27.88
We'll not see that...
00:46:27.92\00:46:29.48
That's just to me
is a wonderful truth,
00:46:29.52\00:46:31.82
we'll see Him face to face.
00:46:31.85\00:46:33.59
You ever thought about that?
00:46:33.62\00:46:34.69
Also, we find comfort
00:46:38.03\00:46:39.19
if a person is
widowed in the resurrection,
00:46:39.23\00:46:41.46
1 Thessalonians 17.
00:46:41.50\00:46:43.57
Now, you know,
when I go to work,
00:46:43.60\00:46:45.87
I kiss Karen, goodbye.
00:46:45.90\00:46:47.20
I say, I see you later.
00:46:47.24\00:46:48.40
Sometimes I say, I'll see
you at lunch or sometimes I say,
00:46:48.44\00:46:50.91
I'll see you
later in the afternoon.
00:46:50.94\00:46:52.77
Sometimes I get on a plane,
I say, I'll see you in a month.
00:46:52.81\00:46:55.98
That's the worst case
scenario, that's happened twice.
00:46:56.01\00:46:59.08
And it's really tough.
00:46:59.11\00:47:01.15
But she gets through it.
00:47:01.18\00:47:03.82
Okay, I get through it, okay,
00:47:03.85\00:47:05.29
because you know,
you get back together
00:47:05.32\00:47:07.39
and you count down the days.
00:47:07.42\00:47:10.26
If you believe the Bible,
and your loved one is saved,
00:47:10.29\00:47:14.00
are we going to
get back together?
00:47:14.00\00:47:16.00
So you look at it as
a temporary separation.
00:47:16.03\00:47:19.60
People always
ask me, "Pastor Doug,
00:47:19.63\00:47:21.00
will we be married in heaven?"
00:47:21.04\00:47:23.37
I said, "Well, the Bible says,
00:47:23.41\00:47:24.51
there'll be no new
marriages in heaven.
00:47:24.54\00:47:27.24
It says they neither marry,
that's a verb, act of marrying,
00:47:27.28\00:47:31.31
or are they given in marriage.
00:47:31.35\00:47:32.45
But when Adam and
Eve get to heaven,
00:47:32.48\00:47:34.38
does God give
them divorce papers?
00:47:34.42\00:47:35.82
So if you have
the standard person
00:47:38.79\00:47:41.16
where you've got one
marriage, there's no baggage,
00:47:41.19\00:47:43.02
no interruptions, they're
married 60 years, they die.
00:47:43.06\00:47:45.63
Karen's grandparents,
Ed's parents were married,
00:47:45.66\00:47:51.47
how long, Bonnie, 72 years?
00:47:51.50\00:47:54.14
About 72 years.
00:47:54.17\00:47:55.97
They died in the
same room on the same day,
00:47:56.00\00:47:59.11
within two hours of each other,
00:47:59.14\00:48:01.91
and they were always
afraid that one would die
00:48:01.94\00:48:03.58
without the other.
00:48:03.61\00:48:05.71
And what's their
next conscious thought?
00:48:05.75\00:48:08.75
Ten minutes apart,
00:48:08.78\00:48:09.92
and next thing they know
00:48:09.95\00:48:11.45
they're back
together again, right?
00:48:11.49\00:48:13.05
Resurrected.
00:48:13.09\00:48:14.12
Do you think they're
going to get to heaven and say,
00:48:14.16\00:48:15.66
"Well, I'm glad to
be through with you now.
00:48:15.69\00:48:17.96
I don't have to be
married to you anymore.
00:48:17.99\00:48:19.83
That's what the Lord said.
00:48:19.86\00:48:23.13
I know one lady,
00:48:23.16\00:48:24.23
she'll say it right
in front of her husband.
00:48:24.27\00:48:25.43
She said, Jesus said,
"Man, I married you 30 years,
00:48:25.47\00:48:27.80
when I get to
heaven, I'm on my own.
00:48:27.84\00:48:30.64
They're teasing
each other but...
00:48:30.67\00:48:32.27
So I think that
that command doesn't mean
00:48:32.31\00:48:33.88
you can't be
with the one you love.
00:48:33.91\00:48:35.34
Now, there're probably
no new births in heaven.
00:48:35.38\00:48:38.65
Because the Bible tells us
00:48:38.68\00:48:39.78
God is going to populate
the world with a redeemed,
00:48:39.81\00:48:42.22
He told Adam and Eve be
fruitful and fill the earth.
00:48:42.25\00:48:44.22
At some point they
would have been full.
00:48:44.25\00:48:46.45
And, you know, God
doesn't need us to forever,
00:48:46.49\00:48:48.96
like bunnies
procreate, you know,
00:48:48.99\00:48:51.49
through the universe.
00:48:51.53\00:48:53.83
But that doesn't mean
that the married people
00:48:53.86\00:48:57.00
who have not had
interruptions won't still be
00:48:57.03\00:48:59.73
free to choose to be together.
00:48:59.77\00:49:01.57
Then we've got
those who are single,
00:49:01.60\00:49:04.74
either by choice
or just circumstances.
00:49:04.77\00:49:07.84
They find year by year goes by,
they haven't found that person,
00:49:07.88\00:49:12.41
and they wonder
if they ever will.
00:49:12.45\00:49:14.65
I'd say, first of
all choose to be content
00:49:14.68\00:49:17.82
until God's timing to be happy.
00:49:17.85\00:49:21.29
I know several people got
married first time like 50.
00:49:21.32\00:49:25.13
Moses didn't get
married until he was 40.
00:49:25.16\00:49:27.96
Isaac was 40, Jacob was 60.
00:49:28.00\00:49:31.30
And then he got four wives.
00:49:31.33\00:49:32.53
So be careful what you pray for.
00:49:32.57\00:49:35.60
So,
00:49:35.64\00:49:36.67
I also always thought
it was interesting that
00:49:36.71\00:49:38.47
Jacob found Rachel at a well,
00:49:41.51\00:49:45.21
Moses found his wife at a well,
00:49:45.25\00:49:49.82
Isaac's wife
was found at a well,
00:49:49.85\00:49:53.02
and so for those who are single,
00:49:53.05\00:49:54.19
I would say, hang out
by the water fountain.
00:49:54.22\00:49:56.56
You never know
you might get lucky.
00:49:56.59\00:49:59.09
But sometimes that you
just feel so loneliness,
00:49:59.13\00:50:01.90
you want somebody, and you
say, "Why isn't it happening?
00:50:01.93\00:50:04.70
Is that am I not attractive?
00:50:04.73\00:50:06.63
Is it my character?
00:50:06.67\00:50:08.20
You wonder, "Is there
something wrong with me?"
00:50:08.24\00:50:10.27
I'll tell you what?
00:50:10.31\00:50:11.51
You 're better being alone than
being in the wrong marriage.
00:50:11.54\00:50:13.51
So don't rush to get
married if you're single.
00:50:13.54\00:50:16.71
I've met people, it's
just their main burden in life
00:50:16.75\00:50:18.65
is they got to get married.
00:50:18.68\00:50:19.68
Anybody they saw
out, please marry me.
00:50:19.71\00:50:22.52
And it ends up being a disaster.
00:50:22.55\00:50:24.89
So you're much better off
00:50:24.92\00:50:26.42
being alone with the Lord than
married to the wrong person.
00:50:26.45\00:50:31.59
Isaiah 45, I'm
sorry, Isaiah 54:5,
00:50:31.63\00:50:34.46
"For your Maker
is your husband."
00:50:34.50\00:50:36.93
That would be if
you're a man or woman,
00:50:36.97\00:50:38.37
God is technically your husband.
00:50:38.40\00:50:39.67
Amen?
00:50:39.70\00:50:41.04
The Lord of hosts.
00:50:41.07\00:50:42.30
Hosea 2:19 and 20,
00:50:42.34\00:50:44.24
"I will betroth
you to me forever."
00:50:44.27\00:50:46.61
So you're not alone.
00:50:46.64\00:50:48.38
The Lord is your spouse.
00:50:48.41\00:50:50.21
Yes, I will betroth you to
me in righteousness and justice,
00:50:50.25\00:50:53.25
in love and kindness and mercy.
00:50:53.28\00:50:55.25
I will betroth you
to me in faithfulness."
00:50:55.28\00:50:59.09
But it's like, there's a
little boy who is going to bed
00:50:59.12\00:51:02.79
and he was nervous
and it was raining outside
00:51:02.82\00:51:05.89
and he said,
00:51:05.93\00:51:07.93
"Dad can you lay in
bed with me, I'm scared."
00:51:07.96\00:51:10.13
And he says, "You're not
alone, Jesus is with you.
00:51:10.17\00:51:12.30
He said, "Yeah, but I
want someone with skin."
00:51:12.33\00:51:15.94
So the single people
out there I say, you know,
00:51:15.97\00:51:17.81
the Lord is with you in this.
00:51:17.84\00:51:19.07
Yeah, I want someone, people,
00:51:19.11\00:51:20.54
somebody with skin on, you know.
00:51:20.58\00:51:22.84
I want a real person.
00:51:22.88\00:51:25.45
Psalm 72:12,
00:51:25.48\00:51:26.82
"For he will deliver
the needy when he cries,
00:51:26.85\00:51:29.28
the poor also with no helper.
00:51:29.32\00:51:30.72
You're never
really alone with God.
00:51:30.75\00:51:32.32
I've got more I can
say but I'm out of time.
00:51:32.35\00:51:34.09
We do have a good
book that talks more about
00:51:34.12\00:51:36.02
some of the things
that said about singleness,
00:51:36.06\00:51:37.73
marriage, divorce, remarriage.
00:51:37.76\00:51:39.29
This is really a premium offer.
00:51:39.33\00:51:41.13
If you don't have this,
00:51:41.16\00:51:42.30
we encourage you
to go and ask for it,
00:51:42.33\00:51:43.90
we'll send it to you for free.
00:51:43.93\00:51:46.47
And ask for...
00:51:46.50\00:51:47.54
When you call the
number, it's 866-788-3966.
00:51:47.57\00:51:51.87
That's 866-Study-More.
00:51:51.91\00:51:53.64
If you want to be able
to download a PDF of this,
00:51:53.68\00:51:56.01
you can text "SH125."
00:51:56.04\00:51:59.35
That's SH125 texted to 40544.
00:51:59.38\00:52:04.72
And if you call
in, it's offer 831.
00:52:04.75\00:52:06.96
God bless you, friends.
00:52:06.99\00:52:08.02
We're out of time for
today's study, Lord willing,
00:52:08.06\00:52:10.23
we will do it
again next Sabbath.
00:52:10.26\00:52:13.73
Don't forget to request today's
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It's now easier than ever
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00:52:36.75\00:52:39.82
with Amazing Facts
00:52:39.85\00:52:41.12
wherever and whenever
you want and most important,
00:52:41.16\00:52:44.36
to share it with others.
00:52:44.39\00:52:45.89
Amazing Facts changed lives.
00:52:50.57\00:52:53.47
Early 1980s, all the
baby boomers were turning 21.
00:52:58.44\00:53:02.01
The nightclub
scenes were exploding,
00:53:02.04\00:53:03.88
and I started
entertainment lighting company.
00:53:03.91\00:53:06.48
I was the president,
00:53:06.51\00:53:07.55
and there were six
divisions doing the raves
00:53:07.58\00:53:10.09
in the '80s and '90s,
you know, in some warehouse,
00:53:10.12\00:53:12.75
where you're setting
up lighting, and fog,
00:53:12.79\00:53:14.39
and, you know, who knows
00:53:14.42\00:53:15.82
what's going on in
there, and nightclub,
00:53:15.86\00:53:18.13
nightclub
installations, I loved it,
00:53:18.16\00:53:21.03
and it was who I was.
00:53:21.06\00:53:23.06
Bought a new house out of town,
00:53:23.10\00:53:24.40
and we moved
about two, three times,
00:53:24.43\00:53:26.63
but we were always
going to different churches.
00:53:26.67\00:53:29.37
We're in a Lutheran church,
00:53:29.40\00:53:30.57
and then we are in
the Methodist church,
00:53:30.61\00:53:32.14
I think we went to three
different Baptist churches.
00:53:32.17\00:53:34.51
My wife was raised Catholic,
I was raised Methodist.
00:53:34.54\00:53:37.35
Currently, I've been out
00:53:37.38\00:53:38.38
reading all the
Helen Zille books,
00:53:38.41\00:53:40.08
and watching all
the Left Behind movies.
00:53:40.12\00:53:42.35
So I really wanted to understand
00:53:42.38\00:53:43.72
what the Book of
Revelation was all about,
00:53:43.75\00:53:45.35
but nothing really
ever made sense to me.
00:53:45.39\00:53:47.62
One day Pastor
Lloyd Logan came knocking,
00:53:47.66\00:53:50.69
and he had that Net 99 flyer.
00:53:50.73\00:53:53.66
We were preparing for
an evangelistic series.
00:53:53.70\00:53:57.80
And different people were
going different directions
00:53:57.83\00:54:00.34
with those handbills
00:54:00.37\00:54:01.97
to invite
people to the meetings.
00:54:02.00\00:54:04.74
I saw that coming at me,
00:54:04.77\00:54:06.01
you know, all the
colors, and I thought,
00:54:06.04\00:54:07.71
"Oh, no, this is
some kind of cult thing."
00:54:07.74\00:54:10.05
And she said,
"Thank you very much,
00:54:10.08\00:54:11.51
I'm not much interested myself,
00:54:11.55\00:54:14.18
but my husband like
that kind of thing."
00:54:14.22\00:54:16.62
Then Lloyd said,
00:54:16.65\00:54:17.65
"Would you give
it to him please?"
00:54:17.69\00:54:19.55
And I said, "Okay, I will."
00:54:19.59\00:54:21.96
So I took the pamphlet
and I put in on the counter.
00:54:21.99\00:54:25.29
Gary came home
and he walked by it.
00:54:25.33\00:54:27.10
Ran to the
kitchen to quickly eat,
00:54:27.13\00:54:29.30
and take a
shower, and go back out,
00:54:29.33\00:54:30.90
and work a show.
00:54:30.93\00:54:32.30
Two, three days
went by like this,
00:54:32.33\00:54:33.80
and I moved that
brochure from the counter,
00:54:33.84\00:54:37.34
put it on the dining table,
put it back on the counter,
00:54:37.37\00:54:41.24
in fact I actually
threw in the garbage.
00:54:41.28\00:54:43.01
As I threw it in
that garbage can,
00:54:43.04\00:54:45.21
I could hear him,
and see his face saying,
00:54:45.25\00:54:48.08
"Would you give
it to him, please?"
00:54:48.12\00:54:50.05
And I actually
took the garbage out,
00:54:50.09\00:54:51.89
and that night lying in bed,
00:54:51.92\00:54:53.66
I kept seeing his face and
hearing his voice and thinking,
00:54:53.69\00:54:56.86
"Oh, boy, I got to get that
brochure out of the garbage."
00:54:56.89\00:55:00.93
And I took that,
00:55:00.96\00:55:01.90
and I put it right
underneath remote control,
00:55:01.93\00:55:05.23
bright colors, he'll see it.
00:55:05.27\00:55:07.14
I finally sat
down in my living room,
00:55:07.17\00:55:08.84
and I picked up the remote,
00:55:08.87\00:55:10.04
I saw that angel
holding up that scroll.
00:55:10.07\00:55:12.57
Wow, cool, what is this?
00:55:12.61\00:55:15.01
And I was in the kitchen
cooking, I thought, "Oh, no."
00:55:15.04\00:55:18.98
And I looked at it,
and I turned it over,
00:55:19.01\00:55:21.38
and then I saw
a little building,
00:55:21.42\00:55:22.48
little church building,
00:55:22.52\00:55:23.82
and it wasn't too far away,
it was about six houses down.
00:55:23.85\00:55:27.12
And it said, "Friday night."
00:55:27.16\00:55:28.66
And I certainly wasn't going.
00:55:28.69\00:55:30.66
I mean, it wasn't
my intention to go.
00:55:30.69\00:55:32.59
I didn't have any
shows going on that night.
00:55:32.63\00:55:34.60
And so I thought it
was a one night deal,
00:55:34.63\00:55:36.90
and I went, and as I
heard about the Millennium Man,
00:55:36.93\00:55:39.90
I was just blown away.
00:55:39.93\00:55:41.84
I didn't want it to end,
00:55:41.87\00:55:42.94
I knew what I was hearing
was all from the Scripture,
00:55:42.97\00:55:45.71
and it wasn't
based on Hollywood movies
00:55:45.74\00:55:47.51
or other books
that were written.
00:55:47.54\00:55:49.24
They said, "Come
again tomorrow night."
00:55:49.28\00:55:50.98
And I thought, "Wow, great!
00:55:51.01\00:55:52.51
Two nights.
00:55:52.55\00:55:53.55
So I tried to
tell my wife about it,
00:55:53.58\00:55:55.12
and she still wasn't interested,
00:55:55.15\00:55:57.25
and then she decided to come.
00:55:57.29\00:55:58.49
I started to hear the truth,
you know, I started to get fed.
00:55:58.52\00:56:02.12
Every night after the seminar,
00:56:02.16\00:56:03.83
he would hand us an
Amazing Facts study guide.
00:56:03.86\00:56:06.80
I couldn't do those fast enough.
00:56:06.83\00:56:08.43
The business kept us
going seven days a week,
00:56:08.46\00:56:11.53
and it was night and day.
00:56:11.57\00:56:13.03
Crew working all
around the clock,
00:56:13.07\00:56:14.87
and so when we finally
heard the Sabbath message,
00:56:14.90\00:56:17.21
you know,
00:56:17.24\00:56:18.31
so far everything has
been true right from the Bible.
00:56:18.34\00:56:20.38
Church on Saturday, no
work, anyway it all clicked.
00:56:20.41\00:56:24.55
Both our heads
turned at each other,
00:56:24.58\00:56:26.48
our jaws dropped open.
00:56:26.51\00:56:28.08
I said, "We can't do that."
00:56:28.12\00:56:31.15
And the first thing that
came out of my mouth was,
00:56:31.19\00:56:32.95
"We have to."
00:56:32.99\00:56:34.26
I knew that it
would be a sacrifice,
00:56:34.29\00:56:36.83
and I was in fear about it.
00:56:36.86\00:56:39.36
We didn't know how
we're going to do it,
00:56:39.39\00:56:40.93
but we talked to
the pastor about it,
00:56:40.96\00:56:44.20
and the pastor said,
"We'll just pray about it,
00:56:44.23\00:56:46.00
and God will open door."
00:56:46.03\00:56:47.37
I didn't want to give up
all the connections I made,
00:56:47.40\00:56:50.24
all the
networking, all the money,
00:56:50.27\00:56:52.07
all the investment.
00:56:52.11\00:56:53.58
We went to the
board and asked them
00:56:53.61\00:56:55.04
if they would
consider closing on Saturday,
00:56:55.08\00:56:57.61
and they agreed to.
00:56:57.65\00:56:58.75
So we closed the
store front on Saturday,
00:56:58.78\00:57:01.05
but we were still
doing productions,
00:57:01.08\00:57:02.82
and that kind of bothered us.
00:57:02.85\00:57:04.25
So a couple of months later,
God opened a door for my wife,
00:57:04.29\00:57:07.99
she exited the
company, I prayed about it,
00:57:08.02\00:57:10.46
and God opened
a door for me too.
00:57:10.49\00:57:12.29
Gary, shortly
after, was offered a job
00:57:12.33\00:57:15.70
being paid more
money than he made
00:57:15.73\00:57:17.73
as an owner of the company.
00:57:17.77\00:57:19.83
He said,
00:57:19.87\00:57:21.30
"I will give you a $1,000 raise,
00:57:21.34\00:57:22.87
and you will never
work another weekend."
00:57:22.90\00:57:25.44
And we were able
to keep the Sabbath
00:57:25.47\00:57:27.68
and enjoy the
wonderful blessings
00:57:27.71\00:57:30.21
that God had for
us on the Sabbath day.
00:57:30.25\00:57:32.75
And my kids
never again had to say,
00:57:32.78\00:57:34.65
"Quit talking about work."
00:57:34.68\00:57:36.08
After the seminar,
we'd go over, my wife and I,
00:57:36.12\00:57:37.99
and my children
were all baptized
00:57:38.02\00:57:39.79
into the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:57:39.82\00:57:41.76
Even if I gave up everything,
00:57:41.79\00:57:43.16
I knew that God would
have something better.
00:57:43.19\00:57:45.59
I have much more understanding,
00:57:45.63\00:57:48.53
and there's much more depth
00:57:48.56\00:57:50.40
in my Christian
walk with the Lord.
00:57:50.43\00:57:52.83
We started an Amazing
Facts Bible school at a church
00:57:52.87\00:57:55.77
that allows anybody to
understand the Scripture,
00:57:55.80\00:57:58.44
to understand the end times.
00:57:58.47\00:58:00.14
Church changed my
life dramatically,
00:58:00.18\00:58:02.44
and I'm very happy and
excited to be a part of it.
00:58:02.48\00:58:04.95