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Jean Ross: Good
morning, friends.
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Welcome to "Sabbath School Study
Hour" here at the Granite Bay
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Seventh Day Adventist Church
in Sacramento, California.
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I'd like to welcome our
online members and our friends
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who are joining us for our
study time across the country
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and around the world.
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We started a new
lesson dealing with two books
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in the Old
Testament, Ezra and Nehemiah.
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Today we find ourselves
on lesson number three,
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very important study.
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It's called God's Call.
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Now, if you're joining us,
maybe for the first time in our
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Sabbath School Study
Hour and you don't have a copy
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of the lesson, you
can download one for free.
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Just simply go
to lesson.aftv.org.
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Again, that's lesson.aftv.org.
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You'll be able to download
lesson number three entitled
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God's Call, and you
can study along with us.
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We also have a free offer
we'd like to let you know about,
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a book written by Pastor Doug.
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It's entitled "Determining
The Will Of God," and this is
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our free offer for today.
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If you would like to receive
it, the number to call is
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866-788-3966 and you want to ask
for Offer Number 778, or you can
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download a copy of the book for
free by simply texting the code
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SH025 to the number 40544.
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You'll then get a link as
to where you can go to download
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a copy of the book,
"Determining The Will Of God."
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We'd also like to welcome
our regular church members right
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here in our church this morning.
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We're glad you're here,
here to study the Word together.
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But before we get to our lesson,
I'd like to invite our song
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leaders to come and
they're going to be leading us
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in our song for
our study time today.
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¤¤¤
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female: Happy Sabbath.
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The song this morning is 524,
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"Tis So Sweet
To Trust In Jesus."
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¤¤¤
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¤ 'Tis so sweet
to trust in Jesus, ¤
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¤ just to take
Him at His word; ¤
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¤ just to rest
upon His promise, ¤
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¤ just to know,
Thus saith the Lord. ¤
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¤ Jesus, Jesus,
how I trust Him! ¤
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¤ How I've proved
Him o'er and o'er! ¤
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¤ Jesus, Jesus,
precious Jesus! ¤
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¤ O for grace to
trust Him more! ¤
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¤ O how sweet to
trust in Jesus, ¤
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¤ just to trust
His cleansing blood; ¤
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¤ just in simple
faith to plunge me ¤
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¤ 'Neath the
healing, cleansing flood! ¤
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¤ Jesus, Jesus,
how I trust Him! ¤
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¤ How I've proved
Him o'er and o'er! ¤
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¤ Jesus, Jesus,
precious Jesus! ¤
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¤ O for grace to
trust Him more! ¤
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¤ Yes, 'tis sweet
to trust in Jesus, ¤
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¤ just from sin
and self to cease; ¤
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¤ just from Jesus
simply taking life and rest, ¤
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¤ and joy and peace. ¤
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¤ Jesus, Jesus,
how I trust Him! ¤
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¤ How I've proved
Him o'er and o'er! ¤
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¤ Jesus, Jesus,
precious Jesus! ¤
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¤ O for grace to
trust Him more! ¤
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¤ I'm so glad I
learned to trust thee, ¤
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¤ precious
Jesus, Savior, friend; ¤
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¤ and I know that
thou art with me, ¤
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¤ wilt be with me to the end. ¤
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¤ Jesus, Jesus,
how I trust Him! ¤
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¤ How I've proved
Him o'er and o'er! ¤
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¤ Jesus, Jesus,
precious Jesus! ¤
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¤ O for grace to
trust Him more! ¤¤
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Jean: Dear Father in heaven,
we thank You once again that
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we're able to gather together
in Your house on this beautiful
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Sabbath that You've given us
to open up Your Word and study
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a very important lesson,
something dealing with the call
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that You're given to us as
individuals to share the gospel,
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to be Your
ambassadors here in this world.
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So, bless our time,
bless our study today.
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For we ask this in
Jesus's name, amen.
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Our lesson this morning
is going to be brought to us
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by Pastor Luccas, our youth
pastor here at Granite Bay.
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Thank you, Pastor.
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Luccas Rodor: Happy Sabbath.
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It's so good to
be here with you all.
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Today's lesson is a
very beautiful lesson.
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I hope you've
studied throughout this week.
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It's a beautiful
lesson, a deep study actually
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about God's
calling for our life.
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And that being said, I'd
just like to emphasize this free
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offer and the reason for that is
because determining the will of
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God is exactly what we're
going to be talking about today.
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It's the grand theme of
our study this, this past week.
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Since we started this new
lesson, you might have noticed
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that it's a very deep lesson.
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It's a very historical lesson.
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It talks a lot about dates.
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It talks a lot about
events in history, about names.
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There are certain prophets and
kings here that are connected.
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So, you really need to study at
home because well, if you show
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up just for Sabbath school,
or if you only listen to the
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Sabbath School lesson
in, you know, in 40 minutes,
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you will miss out on a lot.
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So, don't forget
to study at home.
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We're going to
get right into it.
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We're going to have a
brief recap right now about the
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previous two lessons, the
previous two weeks since they're
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the beginning of what
we're going to talk about today.
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Now, the previous two lessons,
they introduce the main Bible
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themes that we're going to
be studying throughout the next
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quarter, the main Bible themes
and the main Bible characters.
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So, we know that Ezra and
Nehemiah, they play the decisive
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role in what we're going
to be studying throughout
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the whole quarter.
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But we also understand that as
we're told by Prophet Jeremiah,
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we know that after 70 years--
and again, this is a recap.
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After 70 years, he
had prophesied that
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what would happen?
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The exile would end, the
children of Israel would be able
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to return home to
Jerusalem to Israel.
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And this is a process that
begins in the year 606 and 605,
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and it goes down
to 537 and 536 B.C.
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Now, the important
thing here, and, of course,
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the dates are important.
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The names are important,
but the most important thing is
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for you to understand
this week is that God calls
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and God uses people in His plan.
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Ultimately, this story, this
lesson, it's not about Ezra.
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It's not about Nehemiah.
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It's not about
Artaxerxes or about, you know,
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Darius or Cyrus.
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Ultimately, this study
is about how God calls us
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and how God has perfect control
and sovereignty over time.
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God knows when
things need to happen.
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And we see that
through this study
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where God uses multiple people.
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The Lord uses Jeremiah,
the Lord uses Ezra, Nehemiah.
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The Lord uses Zerubbabel.
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He uses even pagan kings such
as Cyrus and Darius, you know,
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and Xerxes and Artaxerxes.
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So, we see that
God, He is limitless.
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God has no limits.
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He can use anyone, and
you know what that means?
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That means that He
can even use me and you.
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Isn't that beautiful?
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He can use even me,
and He can use even you.
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Now, they say that the two most
important days in anyone's life
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are, first of all,
the day that you're born.
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That's a very
important day, right?
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The day you're born.
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And secondly, the day you
find out why you were born,
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the day you
figure out your purpose.
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What have you been born for?
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Why did God create you?
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Now, this question, this aspect
of life has to do with God's
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calling, the calling of God.
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Now, each person is individuals.
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Each individual is a singular
exclusive, unique being.
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Your father's DNA links to your
mother's DNA, but the product,
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it's not a copy of
the parents, is it?
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I know I'm not a
copy of my mom or my dad.
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The product, the end
product, it's not a direct copy.
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What comes out in the end
is a unique, an exclusive,
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a singular being.
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And your singularity, this
is what the Bible teaches, your
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singularity, your uniqueness,
reaches its maximum potential,
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its maximum potential, when you
understand that you are unique
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and when you submit your life,
when you submit your talents
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and your gifts to God's will,
when you strive to understand
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what His will is for your life.
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And we find this
over again in the Bible.
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We find that
many times there are
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different people
writing mystified.
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For example, we find the
psalmist in Psalm 39 saying,
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"Your eyes have seen my
substance, being yet unformed.
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And in Your book,
they are all written."
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Mystified, the psalmist writes.
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Look, You've seen
all the days of my life.
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To Ananias in the Book of
Acts in the New Testament,
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we find the Lord saying,
speaking about the calling
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of Paul now, God says, "Go, for
he is a chosen vessel of mine."
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Now, do you think that God's
foreknowledge, that His, God
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seeing the future, do you
think that that only applies
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to Paul and to David?
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Of course not, that
applies to all of us.
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The Bible tells us that the
Lord, He has counted our days.
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He knows what
is going to happen.
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And this foreknowledge, in this
foreknowledge, He has a plan,
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a plan even for me and for you,
a mission for me and for you.
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It's also not surprising that
when we frustrate God's plan,
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when we go outside of
what His will is for our life,
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it's a it's a big
disaster, isn't it?
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We see that it
also in the Bible.
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For example, King Saul,
God had a plan, didn't He?
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And King Saul
frustrated that plan.
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And look at the
end, it was disastrous.
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Look at Jonah.
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How--what would have happened,
let's imagine, what would have
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happened if he hadn't run
away at first, if he had gone?
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We know that the Lord did
end up saving the Ninevites,
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but we find a very, a very
sour, a very unhappy prophet
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at the end of the book.
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What would have happened
if he had submitted his will
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to the Lord?
00:12:09.26\00:12:11.06
When we frustrate God's plan,
only disaster comes from that,
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only disaster comes from that.
00:12:14.20\00:12:17.40
The question that we have to
come out from all of this study,
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the true question, and
we're going to get into it.
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But I want you to ask
yourself this, not only now,
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but throughout the week,
the question that we have
00:12:25.57\00:12:28.01
to have after a study like this
is, "Well, then what is God's
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calling from my life?
00:12:31.18\00:12:33.38
What does He want from me?"
00:12:33.42\00:12:35.18
I really believe that one
of the most important prayers
00:12:35.22\00:12:37.22
that anyone can pray
throughout their life is,
00:12:37.25\00:12:39.09
"Lord, where do I fit in?
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What is my place in Your plan?"
00:12:41.69\00:12:44.86
I'm sure that many of you,
if not all, have prayed that
00:12:44.89\00:12:48.60
or asked the Lord that in one
moment or another in your life.
00:12:48.63\00:12:51.30
I know I have multiple times.
00:12:51.33\00:12:53.10
I still pray it sometimes.
00:12:53.13\00:12:54.90
What is Your will,
Father, for my life?
00:12:54.94\00:12:57.07
What do You want?
00:12:57.11\00:12:58.77
Show me my place
according to Your will.
00:12:58.81\00:13:01.48
He has for each
person, a very special place
00:13:01.51\00:13:04.11
in His grand plan
for the human race.
00:13:04.15\00:13:07.12
And what's more, all are
called, everyone is called,
00:13:07.15\00:13:10.92
and some are called
for very decisive roles.
00:13:10.95\00:13:14.56
Some of us are called
for very decisive roles.
00:13:14.59\00:13:18.19
Ezra and Nehemiah,
that's what we study, you know,
00:13:18.23\00:13:21.30
in this whole lesson and
this week, Ezra and Nehemiah,
00:13:21.33\00:13:23.63
they were called
for different functions.
00:13:23.67\00:13:25.83
They had different abilities,
different backgrounds, training,
00:13:25.87\00:13:28.84
different personalities.
00:13:28.87\00:13:30.57
Ezra, for
example, he was a scribe.
00:13:30.61\00:13:32.57
The Bible tells us in Ezra 7:10,
the Bible tells us his attitude.
00:13:32.61\00:13:37.55
Look at what we read here,
"For Ezra had prepared his heart
00:13:37.58\00:13:41.05
to seek the law of the Lord and
to do it, and to teach statutes
00:13:41.08\00:13:44.95
and ordinances in Israel."
00:13:44.99\00:13:47.06
So Ezra, he knew
what he was good at,
00:13:47.09\00:13:48.99
and that's also
something important in life.
00:13:49.02\00:13:50.96
What talents, what
gifts has God given you?
00:13:50.99\00:13:53.06
Recognize them and employ
them in the service of the King,
00:13:53.09\00:13:56.70
in the service of heaven.
00:13:56.73\00:13:58.50
So Ezra, the Bible
tells us that he determined
00:13:58.53\00:14:00.84
his heart to seek
the law of the Lord.
00:14:00.87\00:14:03.74
And not only to seek
it, there are many of us
00:14:03.77\00:14:05.94
that only study the Bible.
00:14:05.97\00:14:07.61
Is that enough?
00:14:07.64\00:14:09.88
It's not, because
when you study the Bible,
00:14:09.91\00:14:13.18
you're not
studying something abstract.
00:14:13.21\00:14:16.12
It's not an abstract study.
00:14:16.15\00:14:17.92
You're studying the
person, you're getting to have
00:14:17.95\00:14:19.89
a relationship with Him.
00:14:19.92\00:14:21.69
And because of
that, you want to teach,
00:14:21.72\00:14:23.43
you want to show other people.
00:14:23.46\00:14:25.06
And this is
what happens to Ezra.
00:14:25.09\00:14:26.70
The Bible tells us that
Ezra, he determined his heart,
00:14:26.73\00:14:29.96
not only to study the law of
the Lord, but to do what else?
00:14:30.00\00:14:33.50
To teach it, to teach it.
00:14:33.54\00:14:36.10
And so, he was using
a very decisive role.
00:14:36.14\00:14:38.97
The New Testament
gives us three lists,
00:14:39.01\00:14:41.38
three major lists of gifts.
00:14:41.41\00:14:43.71
And of course, God,
He can add more gifts
00:14:43.75\00:14:46.11
to these lists.
00:14:46.15\00:14:47.45
Is God limited to the gifts
that we find here in the Bible?
00:14:47.48\00:14:50.92
Of course not.
00:14:50.95\00:14:52.82
If any new need should arise,
the Lord would add more and more
00:14:52.85\00:14:55.39
and more gifts to these lists.
00:14:55.42\00:14:59.13
But we find that
the supreme gift,
00:14:59.16\00:15:01.20
the supreme fruit, is what?
00:15:01.23\00:15:03.20
The fruit of the Spirit.
00:15:03.23\00:15:05.00
We find in Galatians 5:22 and
23, we find what the Lord says
00:15:05.03\00:15:10.17
about this, but the fruit of
the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
00:15:10.21\00:15:14.01
longsuffering, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness,
00:15:14.04\00:15:16.58
gentleness, self-control.
00:15:16.61\00:15:18.75
And what I mean to say by
this is, we can't all have
00:15:18.78\00:15:20.92
the same gifts.
00:15:20.95\00:15:22.62
You know, some
people are good at singing.
00:15:22.65\00:15:26.02
I know I'm not, I wish I was.
00:15:26.05\00:15:28.62
That's not my gift.
00:15:28.66\00:15:31.09
My gift isn't singing.
00:15:31.13\00:15:32.83
There's some people that
can preach, that can teach.
00:15:32.86\00:15:34.73
Other people are
amazing greeters.
00:15:34.76\00:15:36.77
Now, we don't all
have the same gifts.
00:15:36.80\00:15:39.33
To some, the gift
of singing was given.
00:15:39.37\00:15:41.50
To others, the gift of
preaching or teaching was given.
00:15:41.54\00:15:43.71
To others, the gift of greeting.
00:15:43.74\00:15:46.01
To others, the gift of being
a good host, of being a good
00:15:46.04\00:15:48.48
companion, of listening.
00:15:48.51\00:15:50.51
Have you ever been around
someone that's a good listener,
00:15:50.55\00:15:52.88
that can hear you very well?
00:15:52.91\00:15:54.45
Some people have that gift.
00:15:54.48\00:15:56.25
Now, we can't all have these
gifts, but the supreme fruit of
00:15:56.28\00:15:58.65
the Spirit, that is something
that God expects of us.
00:15:58.69\00:16:01.72
Love, that is something that we
should all have because that's
00:16:01.76\00:16:04.83
not something that you can
live as a Christian without.
00:16:04.86\00:16:08.06
A great problem to many
Christians is that many,
00:16:08.10\00:16:11.20
and I don't know what
kind of Christian you are.
00:16:11.23\00:16:13.30
I know that
sometimes I even do this.
00:16:13.34\00:16:15.17
But many Christians, they spend
their time lamenting a gift
00:16:15.20\00:16:18.57
that they don't have.
00:16:18.61\00:16:20.34
"Lord, why
couldn't I sing better?
00:16:20.38\00:16:22.21
Lord, why
couldn't I teach better?
00:16:22.24\00:16:24.15
Oh, Lord, why couldn't I
be bold enough to greet?"
00:16:24.18\00:16:26.95
Have you ever done
something like that?
00:16:26.98\00:16:28.92
Kind of complained to
God, "Lord, look at that person
00:16:28.95\00:16:30.59
singing so beautifully.
00:16:30.62\00:16:32.35
How I wish I could do that."
00:16:32.39\00:16:34.19
I've done that a few times after
hearing myself sing and then,
00:16:34.22\00:16:37.03
"Lord, why can I sing better?"
00:16:37.06\00:16:39.63
Many Christians, they spend a
lot of time complaining for the
00:16:39.66\00:16:42.16
gifts that they don't have and
in the end, they don't employ,
00:16:42.20\00:16:45.17
they don't use the
gifts that they do have.
00:16:45.20\00:16:48.17
What did we learn from
the the parable of the talents
00:16:48.20\00:16:51.54
in the Bible?
00:16:51.57\00:16:53.58
The one who used his
gift, more was given to him,
00:16:53.61\00:16:56.48
more gifts were given.
00:16:56.51\00:16:58.51
And the one that didn't
use it, well, what happened?
00:16:58.55\00:17:01.15
He lost, even
what he had, he lost.
00:17:01.18\00:17:03.55
So, do you want more gifts?
00:17:03.59\00:17:05.32
Do you want more responsibility?
00:17:05.35\00:17:07.06
Use what you have.
00:17:07.09\00:17:08.76
Start with what
you have in your hands.
00:17:08.79\00:17:10.86
The calling of Ezra and
Nehemiah, they were beautiful
00:17:10.89\00:17:14.10
callings for decisive roles.
00:17:14.10\00:17:15.93
Ezra was able to use his gift to
train and to teach the children
00:17:15.96\00:17:19.33
of Israel for 13
years in Jerusalem and those
00:17:19.37\00:17:22.90
must not have been
easy years for Ezra.
00:17:22.94\00:17:26.24
He went there, and
he taught those people.
00:17:26.27\00:17:28.54
The Bible says, and the
word here is word qum in Hebrew,
00:17:28.58\00:17:32.45
to determine his heart.
00:17:32.48\00:17:34.58
And due to this, the Lord
was able to use him powerfully.
00:17:34.62\00:17:36.89
Nehemiah had a
different personality.
00:17:36.92\00:17:40.06
When you find Nehemiah, he
had a strong, almost aggressive,
00:17:40.09\00:17:42.86
isn't it right, almost
aggressive personality.
00:17:42.89\00:17:45.86
And that the traits, the
character traits, the talents
00:17:45.89\00:17:48.36
that God gave him, they
were different from Ezra,
00:17:48.40\00:17:50.90
but they were no less
important because to Nehemiah
00:17:50.93\00:17:53.34
the gift of
leadership was given.
00:17:53.37\00:17:55.97
Even before he arrives in
Jerusalem, he had to rack up
00:17:56.00\00:17:59.17
the, you know, the
nerve, the boldness,
00:17:59.21\00:18:01.84
the courage to speak to whom?
00:18:01.88\00:18:03.95
To the king, to Artaxerxes
and ask him to allow him to go.
00:18:03.98\00:18:08.25
And how long did
he pray for this?
00:18:08.28\00:18:10.19
What does the lesson say?
00:18:10.22\00:18:12.22
He had pray for
about four months.
00:18:12.25\00:18:14.09
He heard the news coming from
Jerusalem that, and we studied
00:18:14.12\00:18:16.86
this last week, he heard
the news that the things,
00:18:16.89\00:18:19.33
things were not going.
00:18:19.36\00:18:21.06
They were not happening
in Jerusalem and he cried,
00:18:21.10\00:18:22.96
and he prayed, and he
poured himself before the Lord.
00:18:23.00\00:18:25.00
And he was waiting
for the right moment.
00:18:25.03\00:18:27.00
And because he was a
cupbearer, he had a good contact
00:18:27.04\00:18:29.64
with the king.
00:18:29.67\00:18:31.51
He had proximity to the king.
00:18:31.54\00:18:33.17
One day the king came and
said and saw that he was sad,
00:18:33.21\00:18:35.04
and said, "Well,
why are you sad?"
00:18:35.08\00:18:36.91
Now, the Bible says that
Nehemiah had that moment.
00:18:36.95\00:18:39.01
He did what?
00:18:39.05\00:18:41.12
He prayed to the Lord.
00:18:41.15\00:18:42.98
And this is where you see
the humanity of the person,
00:18:43.02\00:18:44.89
the man behind
the book, you know?
00:18:44.92\00:18:47.12
Because I can't imagine this,
a moment where the king comes
00:18:47.16\00:18:50.56
and says,
"What's mad, you're sad."
00:18:50.59\00:18:52.59
And then he hears,
"Hold on a bit, king."
00:18:52.63\00:18:54.66
He goes out, he kneels down, he
prays, and then he comes back.
00:18:54.73\00:18:57.00
I don't see that happening.
00:18:57.03\00:18:58.70
I see Nehemiah.
00:18:58.73\00:19:00.67
You know that
lightning prayer where he said,
00:19:00.70\00:19:02.24
"Lord, please bless me.
00:19:02.27\00:19:03.81
Lord, please help me.
00:19:03.84\00:19:05.27
Lord, please save me."
00:19:05.31\00:19:06.88
You know those
lightning prayers?
00:19:06.91\00:19:08.44
I imagine Nehemiah
at that moment saying,
00:19:08.48\00:19:10.05
"Lord, please use me
right now," and he gets into it.
00:19:10.08\00:19:11.68
And he says, in a very
diplomatic form, he says,
00:19:11.71\00:19:13.55
"You know, king, I would like
to go back to help my people."
00:19:13.58\00:19:16.02
And because of his proximity,
his responsibilities, the
00:19:16.05\00:19:18.95
talents that God had
given him of leadership,
00:19:18.99\00:19:21.29
of administration, he was
the perfect man for that job.
00:19:21.32\00:19:25.26
The team trusted him.
00:19:25.29\00:19:26.53
This was the same team that had
halted the construction before.
00:19:26.56\00:19:30.40
So, Nehemiah had to be very
careful of how he worded this,
00:19:30.43\00:19:34.14
but the Lord helped him.
00:19:34.17\00:19:35.64
The Lord used him.
00:19:35.67\00:19:37.14
You see, there are some
gifts that are more visual
00:19:37.17\00:19:40.08
than others.
00:19:40.11\00:19:41.81
Obviously, the gifts of singing
or of preaching, they're more
00:19:41.84\00:19:44.65
visual because while people
are, you know, you're teaching
00:19:44.68\00:19:46.92
people, you're
singing to people.
00:19:46.95\00:19:49.18
And sometimes people
with more visual gifts,
00:19:49.22\00:19:51.75
they tend to belittle
people with other gifts.
00:19:51.79\00:19:55.52
Imagine if perhaps Nehemiah,
who was you know a cupbearer
00:19:55.56\00:19:58.59
to the king, if he had
belittled, I don't know,
00:19:58.63\00:20:01.33
maybe someone with a
very important talent
00:20:01.36\00:20:03.43
back in Jerusalem.
00:20:03.47\00:20:05.90
We can't belittle other people
because their gifts aren't
00:20:05.93\00:20:08.30
as visual, perhaps, as our own.
00:20:08.34\00:20:10.41
All are used.
00:20:10.44\00:20:12.31
God can use all in the most
extraordinary and powerful ways.
00:20:12.34\00:20:15.51
It is vital for us to
recognize the gifts and the work
00:20:15.54\00:20:19.18
that people
previously have done.
00:20:19.21\00:20:21.72
Nehemiah, he was only able
to do what he did and Ezra,
00:20:21.75\00:20:24.95
because they stood atop
the shoulders of Zerubbabel,
00:20:24.99\00:20:27.66
the shoulders of
Jeremiah, Daniel, the people
00:20:27.69\00:20:30.83
who had come before.
00:20:30.86\00:20:32.69
I believe it was Thomas Edison
who said that he was only able
00:20:32.73\00:20:35.43
to invent what he invented and
do what he did because he stood
00:20:35.46\00:20:39.47
atop the shoulders of giants,
the men who had come before him,
00:20:39.50\00:20:43.07
and figured it out, and found
out, and discovered the things
00:20:43.10\00:20:45.84
that he used to invent,
you know, what he did invent.
00:20:45.87\00:20:49.98
Sometimes we have to stand
atop the shoulders of giants.
00:20:50.01\00:20:54.95
When it comes to how God handles
prophecy, prophetic timing,
00:20:54.98\00:21:00.32
it's a beautiful thing because
we see, apparently humanly,
00:21:00.36\00:21:03.63
we see some
disconnected points in history.
00:21:03.66\00:21:07.00
And sometimes people ask,
00:21:07.03\00:21:08.83
"Well, how is all
this coming together?"
00:21:08.86\00:21:10.80
Well, when you look behind
the scenes you have the master
00:21:10.83\00:21:13.10
guider, the master king
who has control of all time.
00:21:13.13\00:21:17.84
As we study the Bible,
it becomes obvious that God
00:21:17.87\00:21:20.61
has perfect
control over time, always.
00:21:20.64\00:21:23.61
God knows what is happening.
00:21:23.65\00:21:25.65
The lesson gives us a
list of people and it's just so
00:21:25.68\00:21:28.05
impressive that these people
were there when the prophecies
00:21:28.08\00:21:31.25
were being
meant to be fulfilled.
00:21:31.29\00:21:33.82
For example, we find
Noah commissioned to build
00:21:33.86\00:21:36.96
the ark during
the time of the flood.
00:21:36.99\00:21:39.23
I didn't know if you, I
don't know if you know this,
00:21:39.26\00:21:41.20
but Enoch, when he named
Methuselah, Methuselah's name
00:21:41.23\00:21:43.67
literally means after
this one, the waters will come.
00:21:43.70\00:21:46.53
Did you know that?
00:21:46.57\00:21:48.47
His name was a
prophecy for the flood and Noah
00:21:48.50\00:21:50.87
was there to fulfill that.
00:21:50.91\00:21:52.74
You find Abraham called out of
his father's, his father's land.
00:21:52.77\00:21:55.61
Moses, what a calling.
00:21:55.64\00:21:58.45
Joshua, Samuel, Hosea, and Amos,
Ezekiel and Daniel, Haggai and
00:21:58.48\00:22:03.55
Zechariah, Ezra, Nehemiah,
John the Baptist, Stephen.
00:22:03.59\00:22:06.99
More recently, Ellen White.
00:22:07.02\00:22:09.46
Do you see that God
is in control of time?
00:22:09.49\00:22:12.53
And here's the beautiful thing
about God, God is transparent.
00:22:12.56\00:22:15.66
He doesn't do things, you know,
in a backhanded sort of way.
00:22:15.70\00:22:18.43
He doesn't hide what He's doing.
00:22:18.47\00:22:20.34
The Bible tells us
that God doesn't do anything
00:22:20.37\00:22:22.60
without first doing what?
00:22:22.64\00:22:25.01
Revealing His will to
His servants, the prophets.
00:22:25.04\00:22:27.84
We're not left in the dark.
00:22:27.88\00:22:30.85
Not only is God in
control, God allows us to know,
00:22:30.88\00:22:34.55
He tells us what
He is going to do.
00:22:34.58\00:22:37.62
That is the kind
of God that we have.
00:22:37.65\00:22:40.69
Jeremiah prophesied the return
of the people from captivity
00:22:40.72\00:22:43.76
after a period of 70 years.
00:22:43.79\00:22:46.09
God did not leave them
in the dark as to how long
00:22:46.13\00:22:48.23
they would be in exile.
00:22:48.26\00:22:50.17
To that end, God first
raised up Zerubbabel, then Ezra,
00:22:50.20\00:22:53.70
and then 13 years later after
Ezra, He raised up Nehemiah.
00:22:53.74\00:22:57.67
However, from Jeremiah
all the way down to Nehemiah,
00:22:57.71\00:23:03.14
God used many people, maybe even
some people that we don't know,
00:23:03.18\00:23:08.25
people that are not
mentioned in the Word,
00:23:08.28\00:23:10.55
but God used many people.
00:23:10.59\00:23:12.89
Now, the chronology
places Artaxerxes' intervention
00:23:12.92\00:23:16.56
in 457 B.C.
00:23:16.59\00:23:18.93
And this is where the lesson, it
becomes, timing becomes crucial.
00:23:18.96\00:23:24.43
Now, again, this is a
deep lesson, a very historical
00:23:24.47\00:23:26.87
lesson, so please bear with me.
00:23:26.90\00:23:28.80
But chronology places
Artaxerxes' intervention
00:23:28.84\00:23:31.47
in 457 B.C., because--
00:23:31.51\00:23:34.68
and this is why
it's so important to us--
00:23:34.71\00:23:36.95
because this decree
given by this king in 457,
00:23:36.98\00:23:42.35
it's tied to another prophecy.
00:23:42.38\00:23:45.59
Which prophecy?
00:23:45.62\00:23:48.06
The prophecy of Daniel chapter
9, verse 25 of the 70 weeks.
00:23:48.09\00:23:52.33
Look at what it says.
00:23:52.36\00:23:53.93
"Now therefore, understand
that from the going forth of the
00:23:53.96\00:23:57.63
command to restore and
rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah,
00:23:57.67\00:24:01.04
the prince, there shall
be seven weeks and 62 weeks."
00:24:01.07\00:24:04.51
Two items are
interconnected here, okay?
00:24:04.54\00:24:06.78
And when we study this,
of course, we don't have
00:24:06.81\00:24:08.58
the time to go in depth.
00:24:08.61\00:24:10.38
We don't have time
for a seminary here,
00:24:10.41\00:24:12.18
but two things here
remain broadly crucial.
00:24:12.21\00:24:16.45
First of all, the date
itself, the date itself.
00:24:16.48\00:24:19.75
Since there were three
individual decrees given
00:24:19.79\00:24:22.16
in three different moments
by three different kings,
00:24:22.19\00:24:24.83
why do we use this one, 457?
00:24:24.86\00:24:27.50
If we have a decree given by
Cyrus, and then we have another
00:24:27.50\00:24:30.93
decree given by Darius,
and then we have another decree
00:24:30.97\00:24:33.54
now here given by Artaxerxes.
00:24:33.57\00:24:35.40
Why do we use this last one,
457, to understand Daniel 9:25.
00:24:35.44\00:24:41.74
There are a few reasons, okay?
00:24:41.78\00:24:43.81
And here, this is important for
you as an Adventist here, or you
00:24:43.85\00:24:48.58
if you're studying to become,
or studying to understand
00:24:48.62\00:24:51.92
who the Adventists are.
00:24:51.95\00:24:53.92
It's important for you to
understand these dates and the
00:24:53.96\00:24:57.73
reasons why we use this year
because the way we understand
00:24:57.76\00:25:01.36
these 490 years and the way
we understand the 2300 years,
00:25:01.40\00:25:05.57
that's crucial.
00:25:05.60\00:25:07.17
That's basically who we are.
00:25:07.20\00:25:08.84
If you take that away, if you
track that from the Adventist
00:25:08.87\00:25:10.84
message, there will be
simply no Adventist message.
00:25:10.87\00:25:14.11
So, it's crucial for
you to understand this.
00:25:14.14\00:25:17.18
Now, the reason why we use
this date, the date of 457 B.C.
00:25:17.21\00:25:22.12
is well, first of all, only the
decree of Artaxerxes includes
00:25:22.15\00:25:27.29
the concern--includes concern
for the city of Jerusalem.
00:25:27.32\00:25:30.73
The previous two decrees, they
didn't say much about the walls,
00:25:30.76\00:25:34.56
they didn't say
much about the city.
00:25:34.56\00:25:36.36
They were talking about what?
00:25:36.40\00:25:37.70
The temple.
00:25:37.73\00:25:39.03
They were mostly
talking about the temple.
00:25:39.07\00:25:41.24
Then when Artaxerxes gives his
decree, we find that he mentions
00:25:41.27\00:25:44.31
the reconstruction of Jerusalem,
the rebuilding of the city.
00:25:44.34\00:25:49.11
That's one of the reasons why
we use this the date, 457 B.C.
00:25:49.14\00:25:53.52
If we use any other date, if you
use any other date for the 490
00:25:53.55\00:25:57.79
years of Daniel, that wouldn't
lead us to Messiah the prince.
00:25:57.82\00:26:02.42
If you use any other date,
it wouldn't take it to anywhere.
00:26:02.46\00:26:05.13
Anything
significant in history, it fits.
00:26:05.16\00:26:08.33
It's a very good fit
and it stands to reason
00:26:08.36\00:26:11.50
because it's what
we believe to be true.
00:26:11.53\00:26:14.07
So, King Artaxerxes, he
gives this decree in 457 B.C.,
00:26:14.10\00:26:18.71
as a decree to rebuild the walls
of Jerusalem and therefore,
00:26:18.74\00:26:23.01
we believe that that is the
beginning date of the second
00:26:23.04\00:26:26.25
thing that we're
going to mention here,
00:26:26.28\00:26:28.62
which is the day year principle.
00:26:28.65\00:26:30.72
Have you ever wondered why,
I don't know maybe you have,
00:26:30.75\00:26:33.25
maybe you haven't.
00:26:33.29\00:26:35.02
I know that when I was younger,
I used to see us interpreting
00:26:35.06\00:26:37.66
these time schemes, and I
wanted to understand why we use
00:26:37.69\00:26:41.30
the day year principle.
00:26:41.33\00:26:43.23
And it's very simple.
00:26:43.26\00:26:44.97
The Bible gives us these
principles in Numbers 14:34
00:26:45.00\00:26:47.67
and Ezekiel 4:5 and 6.
00:26:47.70\00:26:50.54
Many people tend to
interpret this literally.
00:26:50.57\00:26:53.24
They'll say, well, there's 490
years, there's 70 weeks, right,
00:26:53.27\00:26:56.75
let's interpret this literally.
00:26:56.78\00:26:58.78
The problem with that is
that you don't get anywhere.
00:26:58.81\00:27:01.15
With a literal interpretation,
how much is 490 days literally?
00:27:01.18\00:27:05.12
That's about a year and a half,
a little bit more than a year
00:27:05.15\00:27:08.12
and a half,
perhaps, right around there.
00:27:08.16\00:27:11.46
What happened in
the year 456, 455?
00:27:11.49\00:27:15.60
Nothing significant, certainly
not a Messiah, the prince.
00:27:15.63\00:27:19.23
So, if you interpret this
literally, you get nowhere.
00:27:19.27\00:27:22.47
We have to
understand that in the Bible,
00:27:22.50\00:27:24.57
prophecy is interconnected.
00:27:24.61\00:27:27.01
If you want to understand,
for example, Revelation,
00:27:27.04\00:27:29.88
where do you go?
00:27:29.91\00:27:31.85
Daniel, Daniel
and the Old Testament.
00:27:31.88\00:27:34.92
If you want to understand the
ten plagues, where do you go?
00:27:34.95\00:27:38.32
The seven plagues, I'm sorry.
00:27:38.35\00:27:40.59
You go to the ten
plagues of Exodus.
00:27:40.62\00:27:42.42
So, one thing in the
Bible is connected to the other.
00:27:42.46\00:27:44.96
It has to be that way,
otherwise, we get nowhere,
00:27:44.99\00:27:47.96
prophecy will mean nothing.
00:27:48.00\00:27:50.13
It will be just someone
coming up with ideas and that's
00:27:50.17\00:27:52.87
what the world is
full of around us.
00:27:52.90\00:27:54.60
We find many people coming
up with the craziest ideas
00:27:54.64\00:27:57.24
because they're not
being guided by the Bible,
00:27:57.27\00:27:59.61
by connecting the
dots in the Bible itself.
00:27:59.64\00:28:03.28
The 70 weeks end in the year
34 AD, when Stephen is martyred,
00:28:03.31\00:28:08.75
when the Jewish nation of
the time they rejected Jesus,
00:28:08.78\00:28:12.22
they rejected
God's chosen servant.
00:28:12.25\00:28:15.66
The half of the week,
that coincides with what?
00:28:15.69\00:28:20.06
The death of
Jesus, the crucifixion.
00:28:20.10\00:28:22.30
And that's where we
believe that Jesus, He confirmed
00:28:22.33\00:28:24.63
a covenant with many.
00:28:24.67\00:28:26.47
And we read that in Daniel 9:27.
00:28:26.50\00:28:28.74
Now, Adventists, and please
again, we don't have all the
00:28:28.77\00:28:32.24
time in the world to go into
this so please bear with me.
00:28:32.27\00:28:36.04
Adventists have been
severely criticized in their
00:28:36.08\00:28:40.85
understanding of this prophecy,
severely criticized, especially
00:28:40.88\00:28:46.45
in this part of the 70
weeks that have been determined.
00:28:46.49\00:28:49.29
And the main argument
used against Adventists is
00:28:49.32\00:28:52.59
in the interpretation
of the word "determined."
00:28:52.63\00:28:57.37
We literally believe that
the word "determined" means
00:28:57.40\00:29:00.27
to be cut off,
it has been cut off.
00:29:00.30\00:29:02.84
And that's how we understand
that this prophecy of 490 years
00:29:02.87\00:29:05.67
given in Daniel
chapter 9, it is cut off from
00:29:05.71\00:29:09.11
the larger time
period prophecy of where?
00:29:09.14\00:29:11.88
Daniel chapter 8
of the 2300 years.
00:29:11.91\00:29:14.95
So, we believe that it has been
cut off, one thing is part of
00:29:14.98\00:29:18.59
the other and that's
where we've been criticized.
00:29:18.62\00:29:21.22
They say that the interpretation
of this word that we use is
00:29:21.26\00:29:26.09
wrong because it's only used
once in the whole Hebrew Bible.
00:29:26.13\00:29:29.60
It's only used here in Daniel,
and that's the main argument
00:29:29.63\00:29:32.20
given against us in
this-- in regard to this,
00:29:32.23\00:29:35.27
that this word, it's
only used once in the whole
00:29:35.30\00:29:38.31
Hebrew Bible here by Daniel,
00:29:38.34\00:29:40.24
and that it
doesn't mean cut off.
00:29:40.28\00:29:41.98
It means to be determined or
decreed, and that would change
00:29:42.01\00:29:44.58
everything because if the word
is determined, then it doesn't
00:29:44.61\00:29:47.18
have to do with the larger time
prophecy of Daniel chapter 8.
00:29:47.22\00:29:50.52
So, that's the
criticism, you understand?
00:29:50.55\00:29:52.59
They say that we use, or
we interpret the word wrong,
00:29:52.62\00:29:55.32
the word "determined" incorrect.
00:29:55.36\00:29:57.86
Now, the question is
how solid is this argument?
00:29:57.89\00:30:01.03
It is a fact.
00:30:01.06\00:30:02.30
Unfortunately, or fortunately,
however you want to see this,
00:30:02.33\00:30:04.77
it is a fact that this
word is only used once.
00:30:04.80\00:30:07.37
In the whole Hebrew Bible,
this word, which is the word
00:30:07.40\00:30:09.54
"shatach," it's only used
once in the whole Hebrew Bible.
00:30:09.57\00:30:14.51
But nevertheless,
and again, this is going
00:30:14.54\00:30:18.15
to get a bit amusing.
00:30:18.18\00:30:20.48
But first, this other words,
other words, such as decree,
00:30:20.52\00:30:23.89
or such as determined,
they appear in the Hebrew Bible,
00:30:23.92\00:30:26.82
and they are not
the word shatach.
00:30:26.86\00:30:29.29
So, one of the questions is,
well, why didn't Daniel use it?
00:30:29.32\00:30:32.16
If what he wanted to
mean was decree or determined,
00:30:32.19\00:30:35.73
70 weeks are determined for
you, well, why didn't he use
00:30:35.76\00:30:39.13
these other words?
00:30:39.17\00:30:40.94
Why did he go with this more
obscure, this more mysterious
00:30:40.97\00:30:43.10
word, shatach?
00:30:43.14\00:30:45.04
He should have used, I mean,
if he wanted to mean determined
00:30:45.07\00:30:47.51
or if he wanted to
mean decreed, shouldn't he
00:30:47.54\00:30:49.44
have used those words?
00:30:49.48\00:30:51.51
That's what you would expect.
00:30:51.55\00:30:53.18
But no, he uses this less
known, this more obscure word
00:30:53.21\00:30:56.45
called shatach.
00:30:56.48\00:30:58.19
Secondly, while
shatach isn't used anywhere
00:30:58.22\00:31:00.26
in Hebrew Scripture,
it appears numerous times
00:31:00.29\00:31:03.26
in Jewish writings,
such as the Mishnah,
00:31:03.29\00:31:05.66
the Jewish Bible
Commentary, which was compiled.
00:31:05.69\00:31:08.36
It already existed in
oral form, but it was compiled
00:31:08.40\00:31:11.03
in the first two centuries AD.
00:31:11.07\00:31:13.77
And that word
"shatach" is there.
00:31:13.80\00:31:16.20
And while the Hebrew and
the Mishnah isn't exactly alike,
00:31:16.24\00:31:21.41
the Hebrew in the Old Testament,
they are very similar.
00:31:21.44\00:31:24.08
And there the word
shatach is used many times.
00:31:24.11\00:31:28.02
In fact, it's used 12
times and ten of those 12 times,
00:31:28.05\00:31:32.69
it refers to the
cutting off of animal parts,
00:31:32.72\00:31:35.82
according to the dietary laws.
00:31:35.86\00:31:37.76
Of the 19 times that this word
is used as a noun in the noun
00:31:37.79\00:31:40.90
form, not as a verb,
but as a noun 19 times,
00:31:40.93\00:31:43.87
18 times it appears
as that which is cut off.
00:31:43.90\00:31:48.50
Not only this,
Strong's concordance gives
00:31:48.54\00:31:51.11
its primary root to cut off.
00:31:51.14\00:31:53.44
Whiting's translation, which is
a very well-known translation,
00:31:53.48\00:31:56.48
has it as cut off.
00:31:56.51\00:31:58.48
Gesenius is the
standard key lexicographer,
00:31:58.51\00:32:01.28
defines it as to cut off.
00:32:01.32\00:32:03.28
The Chaldeal Rabbinic
Dictionary of Stoycius defines
00:32:03.32\00:32:06.82
it as to cut, to cut
away, to cut into pieces,
00:32:06.86\00:32:09.79
to engrave or to cut off.
00:32:09.82\00:32:11.76
The earliest versions of the
Vulgar or the Septuagint define
00:32:11.79\00:32:14.83
the verb here,
shatach, as cutting off.
00:32:14.83\00:32:17.07
Theodotion's Greek version of
the word renders it to cut off.
00:32:17.10\00:32:20.87
Even more versions
use the term "cut off."
00:32:20.90\00:32:24.67
Do you get the point?
00:32:24.71\00:32:27.24
Cut off is a
perfectly good explanation.
00:32:27.28\00:32:30.18
It's a perfectly good
interpretation of this word
00:32:30.21\00:32:32.58
shatach, perfectly fine.
00:32:32.61\00:32:34.98
Actually, it's
the best one we have.
00:32:35.02\00:32:37.32
So, to say that this word isn't,
that it doesn't mean that,
00:32:37.35\00:32:42.19
well, then we would be
playing a guessing game.
00:32:42.22\00:32:44.99
That would be the guessing game
not to interpret it as cut off.
00:32:45.03\00:32:49.43
As the lesson tells
us, there are many reasons
00:32:49.46\00:32:54.37
why we believe
that the 70-year--
00:32:54.40\00:32:56.84
the 70-week prophecy of Daniel 9
00:32:56.87\00:32:59.04
and the 2300-year
prophecy of Daniel chapter 8,
00:32:59.07\00:33:03.14
they belong together.
00:33:03.18\00:33:05.25
First of all, both are
time prophecies, right?
00:33:05.28\00:33:07.35
That by itself
doesn't mean much,
00:33:07.38\00:33:09.15
but both our time prophecies.
00:33:09.18\00:33:10.95
Second, the terminology,
vision, understanding,
00:33:10.99\00:33:13.49
link them together.
00:33:13.52\00:33:15.19
Both interpretations
were given by whom?
00:33:15.22\00:33:18.06
Gabriel, the same
person, the same angel,
00:33:18.09\00:33:20.76
the same messenger
is interpreting them.
00:33:20.80\00:33:23.33
Lastly, and this to me is the
most important reason, the only
00:33:23.37\00:33:26.63
part of the vision of chapter 8,
the only part of the vision of
00:33:26.67\00:33:31.37
chapter 8 of the 2300 years that
was not explained is exactly
00:33:31.41\00:33:37.01
this one of the 2300 years.
00:33:37.05\00:33:39.08
The rest of the vision
in chapter 8 is explained
00:33:39.11\00:33:40.88
by Gabriel.
00:33:40.92\00:33:42.62
Why didn't he
explain the 2300 years?
00:33:42.65\00:33:44.89
And then you go to
chapter 9, a few years later,
00:33:44.92\00:33:48.76
then you have
the interpretation.
00:33:48.79\00:33:51.26
Daniel chapter 8
contains two parts.
00:33:51.29\00:33:53.33
You have a vision and you have
an interpretation of the vision.
00:33:53.36\00:33:56.53
Daniel chapter 9
doesn't really have a vision.
00:33:56.56\00:33:58.67
It only has an interpretation,
and the interpretation,
00:33:58.70\00:34:01.40
it has to do with something.
00:34:01.44\00:34:03.74
What was the only thing that
had not been interpreted yet?
00:34:03.77\00:34:07.11
The vision of the 2300 years.
00:34:07.14\00:34:09.08
Do you see how one
is tied to the other?
00:34:09.11\00:34:11.85
This might be a bit confusing,
and I urge you to study more
00:34:11.88\00:34:14.92
on this, this good part of
your comprehension of Adventism
00:34:14.95\00:34:19.65
and of the Bible prophecies,
they will be hinged upon
00:34:19.69\00:34:22.96
this matter of
Daniel chapter 7, 8 and 9.
00:34:22.99\00:34:27.03
But we believe that these
two prophecies, the cutting off
00:34:27.10\00:34:31.00
of this period of 490 years,
they have to do with the vision
00:34:31.03\00:34:35.27
of the 2300
years that go from 457.
00:34:35.30\00:34:38.51
What happened in 457?
00:34:38.54\00:34:40.68
Artaxerxes issued in a decree
that the walls of Jerusalem
00:34:40.71\00:34:45.05
should be built.
00:34:45.08\00:34:46.98
And from then on, we start
counting not only the 490 years
00:34:47.02\00:34:49.22
in the year 34, but
we end in the year 1844
00:34:49.25\00:34:53.29
with the 2300 years.
00:34:53.32\00:34:55.89
That is one of our most
basic beliefs and this is why
00:34:55.92\00:34:58.96
we believe it.
00:34:58.99\00:35:01.16
Praise the Lord.
00:35:01.20\00:35:03.06
For all these reasons and
more, we believe that these two
00:35:03.10\00:35:04.93
prophecies, they belong
together, Daniel 8 and 9,
00:35:04.97\00:35:08.44
they are tied together.
00:35:08.47\00:35:11.74
The next, the next topic that we
find in the lesson, and this is
00:35:11.77\00:35:15.98
something that I really
want to get into, is the topic
00:35:16.01\00:35:19.05
of biblical election.
00:35:19.08\00:35:21.65
This might be as confusing,
or maybe even more confusing,
00:35:21.68\00:35:26.92
then about all the dates.
00:35:26.96\00:35:29.39
Because when it comes to dates,
really it's a matter of you
00:35:29.42\00:35:31.43
sitting down concentrating,
and trying to figure out what
00:35:31.46\00:35:34.60
prophecies it's talking about.
00:35:34.63\00:35:36.70
When it comes to election,
there's just so much debate.
00:35:36.73\00:35:39.27
When it comes to how God chooses
people or what God's choosing
00:35:39.30\00:35:42.64
people means,
there's just so much debate.
00:35:42.67\00:35:44.87
It's so controversial that
it might be a bit intimidating
00:35:44.91\00:35:48.18
for a few people.
00:35:48.21\00:35:50.71
God's election in the
Bible has nothing to do
00:35:50.75\00:35:52.88
with predestination,
as many would believe.
00:35:52.91\00:35:55.15
We're not talking
here about predestination
00:35:55.18\00:35:57.25
in a certain sense.
00:35:57.29\00:35:58.99
God has chosen how
many for salvation?
00:35:59.02\00:36:02.16
All, all are chosen.
00:36:02.19\00:36:04.33
What does John 3:16 tell us?
00:36:04.36\00:36:06.23
For God so loved the
world that He gave His only Son,
00:36:06.26\00:36:09.26
that whosoever, whosoever
is an all-inclusive word.
00:36:09.30\00:36:13.77
Whosoever, does
whosoever exclude anyone?
00:36:13.80\00:36:16.57
Whosoever except, except Luccas.
00:36:16.60\00:36:19.74
Whosoever except my Brazilians.
00:36:19.77\00:36:22.74
Whosoever except
the Granite Bay Church.
00:36:22.78\00:36:25.08
No, whosoever is
an all-inclusive word.
00:36:25.11\00:36:29.28
All are chosen.
00:36:29.32\00:36:31.45
All are on God's
map of salvation.
00:36:31.49\00:36:34.46
Everyone is on His radar.
00:36:34.49\00:36:36.99
Now, the only way that
you can not be on that map,
00:36:37.03\00:36:42.16
or not be on that radar
of salvation, if you choose
00:36:42.20\00:36:45.43
for yourself to
exclude yourself.
00:36:45.47\00:36:48.90
That's the only way because
God does not violate our will.
00:36:48.94\00:36:53.71
So, when we're talking about
God's election, first of all,
00:36:53.74\00:36:56.51
we're talking about
when it comes to salvation,
00:36:56.54\00:36:59.61
it's for everyone.
00:36:59.65\00:37:01.25
In theology, this is
called soteriology, the doctrine
00:37:01.28\00:37:03.82
of salvation, all
right, how God saves us.
00:37:03.85\00:37:06.42
All are chosen,
all are on the map.
00:37:06.45\00:37:08.69
Now, on the other hand, and this
is something that I struggled
00:37:08.72\00:37:12.63
for a while when I was
younger is about God's free will
00:37:12.66\00:37:17.20
because God also has
free will, doesn't He?
00:37:17.23\00:37:20.67
I should hope so.
00:37:20.70\00:37:22.67
God also has free will.
00:37:22.70\00:37:24.47
And the fact that God has
free will means that He has
00:37:24.51\00:37:27.48
the freedom of choosing whoever
He wants for certain roles.
00:37:27.51\00:37:31.71
When it comes to salvation,
God doesn't meddle with that.
00:37:31.75\00:37:34.82
Everyone is chosen,
everyone should be saved.
00:37:34.85\00:37:37.12
But when it comes to some
certain roles, then some people
00:37:37.15\00:37:41.26
are chosen, some specific,
particular people are chosen.
00:37:41.29\00:37:48.56
For example, it was Paul, not
Peter, that God chose to write
00:37:48.60\00:37:53.03
14 books in the New Testament
because of his training,
00:37:53.07\00:37:57.04
his background, his knowledge.
00:37:57.07\00:37:59.24
He prepared himself for this.
00:37:59.27\00:38:00.98
And that teaches me something,
that natural talent placed under
00:38:01.01\00:38:03.88
God's hand, placed and submitted
to God's Word, that talent,
00:38:03.91\00:38:07.88
that natural talent,
becomes divine talent.
00:38:07.92\00:38:11.49
Now, you might be good
at something, you might be
00:38:11.52\00:38:13.42
very good.
00:38:13.46\00:38:15.02
You might have a
very good talent.
00:38:15.06\00:38:16.56
Trust me, it can get better.
00:38:16.59\00:38:18.16
You know how?
00:38:18.19\00:38:19.63
By submitting it to God
because in the end, my friends,
00:38:19.66\00:38:22.60
actually, before I say
this, let me say something else.
00:38:22.63\00:38:24.67
You might have a very good
talent, but at the same time,
00:38:24.70\00:38:26.94
maybe you are not
good at something.
00:38:26.97\00:38:30.07
Trust me, God can still use you.
00:38:30.11\00:38:32.91
Maybe you try to
imagine, "Well, what can I do?
00:38:32.94\00:38:36.21
I'm in a church with 600 people.
00:38:36.24\00:38:38.05
I'm in, you know, there
are so many people around me.
00:38:38.08\00:38:40.05
I live in a city
with I don't know, two,
00:38:40.08\00:38:41.95
three million
people, ten million people.
00:38:41.98\00:38:43.85
What can I do? How
can I be used by God?
00:38:43.89\00:38:46.45
I can't sing. I can't preach.
00:38:46.49\00:38:48.16
I can't, I don't
know, I can't be a deacon.
00:38:48.19\00:38:49.99
I can't be an
elder. I can't be this.
00:38:50.03\00:38:51.79
I can't be--what do I do?"
00:38:51.83\00:38:53.53
Look, what matters is not--what
determines God's usage of you
00:38:53.56\00:38:57.83
and how you can be of service
is not your ability or your
00:38:57.87\00:39:01.64
disability, but
your availability.
00:39:01.67\00:39:06.01
That's it because the rest,
while it could be important, you
00:39:06.04\00:39:09.61
know, a natural talent could
be very important, very good.
00:39:09.64\00:39:12.75
But if you're not
available, it's for nothing.
00:39:12.78\00:39:16.05
If Ezra, or Nehemiah, or Moses,
if they had been good at all
00:39:16.08\00:39:20.49
that they were good at, but they
hadn't been available to God,
00:39:20.52\00:39:23.69
well, how would He use them?
00:39:23.73\00:39:26.09
He couldn't use them.
00:39:26.13\00:39:28.83
Romans 9:13, this is a
very confusing texts for many.
00:39:28.86\00:39:33.27
Romans 9:13 tells us that God
loved Jacob and He hated Esau.
00:39:33.30\00:39:38.24
This, my friends, has
no soteriological meaning.
00:39:38.27\00:39:40.91
What I mean by
that is, this doesn't--
00:39:40.94\00:39:43.18
the issue here isn't salvation.
00:39:43.21\00:39:45.21
God didn't love Jacob
for salvation and hate Esau,
00:39:45.25\00:39:48.95
condemning him to
death, eternal death without
00:39:48.98\00:39:53.05
a choice from Esau.
00:39:53.09\00:39:55.09
That's not what
we're talking about.
00:39:55.12\00:39:56.89
What we're talking
about is that God chose Jacob
00:39:56.93\00:39:59.36
for a specific
role inside His plan.
00:39:59.39\00:40:02.50
Does that make sense?
00:40:02.53\00:40:04.37
God chose Jacob, He loved Jacob.
00:40:04.40\00:40:06.60
This is classic
Semitic literature, all right?
00:40:06.63\00:40:09.94
God loved Jacob for a purpose.
00:40:09.97\00:40:13.98
That doesn't mean that God hated
Esau for him to die forever
00:40:14.01\00:40:16.58
for no reason
whatsoever without a choice,
00:40:16.61\00:40:19.81
without a say in the matter.
00:40:19.85\00:40:21.85
That's not what
we're talking about.
00:40:21.88\00:40:23.72
The issue isn't
salvation, but different roles
00:40:23.75\00:40:25.69
inside the plan of salvation.
00:40:25.72\00:40:28.16
Now, we've studied a little
bit about these prophets, the
00:40:28.19\00:40:33.09
calling of Ezra and Nehemiah.
00:40:33.13\00:40:35.30
We've studied a little
bit of how this prophecy
00:40:35.33\00:40:38.30
played out in their life.
00:40:38.33\00:40:40.57
The prophecy given by Daniel
a few years before played out in
00:40:40.60\00:40:43.47
the life of Ezra and Nehemiah.
00:40:43.51\00:40:45.81
Wouldn't it be cool for you
to fulfill prophecy and to know
00:40:45.84\00:40:48.28
that you're fulfilling prophecy?
00:40:48.31\00:40:50.35
Imagine how it was for them.
00:40:50.38\00:40:52.45
I don't know if they
were thinking about this
00:40:52.48\00:40:54.85
as it was happening,
if it dawned upon them.
00:40:54.88\00:40:56.75
It's always easier with, you
know, after the things happen.
00:40:56.79\00:40:59.52
You know, it's always
easier for you to determine.
00:40:59.55\00:41:01.96
But it must have been so amazing
to fulfill a prophecy that had
00:41:01.99\00:41:04.46
been given, to fulfill the
beginning of that spectacular
00:41:04.49\00:41:07.83
prophecy that one day,
the Savior, the Messiah,
00:41:07.86\00:41:10.73
He would come and they
could know the exact year.
00:41:10.77\00:41:15.07
It must have been spectacular.
00:41:15.10\00:41:17.64
We've studied that.
00:41:17.67\00:41:19.64
We've also studied a little
bit how God considers salvation.
00:41:19.67\00:41:22.01
All are chosen, all are on
God's map, unless we decide
00:41:22.04\00:41:24.85
to exclude ourselves.
00:41:24.88\00:41:26.65
We've seen how God, He can, and
this is where we talked about
00:41:26.68\00:41:29.15
election, He does elect
some people for specific roles.
00:41:29.18\00:41:32.55
But the important thing that
we have to come to, now at the
00:41:32.59\00:41:37.29
end with eight minutes,
what we have to understand is,
00:41:37.33\00:41:40.30
"What is my responsibility?
00:41:40.33\00:41:42.60
What do I have to do now?
00:41:42.63\00:41:44.60
What does God expect from me?
00:41:44.63\00:41:46.70
How am I responsible?"
00:41:46.74\00:41:48.57
Do you know what etymology--
00:41:48.60\00:41:50.54
I don't know if
I'm saying that right.
00:41:50.57\00:41:52.54
But the meaning of
the word "responsibility,"
00:41:52.57\00:41:55.11
you know what that means?
00:41:55.14\00:41:57.15
The ability of response.
00:41:57.18\00:41:59.61
That's what the word, its roots
mean, the ability of giving
00:41:59.65\00:42:02.68
a good answer, a good response.
00:42:02.72\00:42:04.92
So, what is my--what
should be my good response?
00:42:04.95\00:42:08.82
How should I?
00:42:08.86\00:42:10.99
Be it choosing Nehemiah, be it
choosing Ezra, or certain other
00:42:11.03\00:42:15.16
individual for certain roles, in
God's plan He wants us to know,
00:42:15.20\00:42:19.23
He wants me to know that
He can bless and transform me.
00:42:19.27\00:42:23.54
Not only can He
transform me and make--
00:42:23.57\00:42:26.11
and give me a blessing,
00:42:26.14\00:42:28.14
but He can make me a blessing.
00:42:28.18\00:42:30.05
That's my
calling, to be a blessing.
00:42:30.08\00:42:32.15
Ultimately, the
saints are called to what?
00:42:32.18\00:42:34.62
To be a blessing to this dark
world, to take light where there
00:42:34.65\00:42:37.45
is darkness, to take joy
where there's sadness and anger,
00:42:37.49\00:42:41.72
peace to where there is anger.
00:42:41.76\00:42:43.93
Ezra and Nehemiah, and
here you have the difference
00:42:43.96\00:42:46.93
between certain people.
00:42:46.96\00:42:48.73
Ezra and Nehemiah,
did they kind of ponder?
00:42:48.76\00:42:50.83
Were they reluctant
to answer God's call?
00:42:50.87\00:42:53.00
No, they weren't.
00:42:53.03\00:42:54.87
They went readily.
00:42:54.90\00:42:56.60
They wanted it.
00:42:56.64\00:42:58.51
But you do find a few
others that they were kind
00:42:58.54\00:43:00.18
of reluctant.
00:43:00.21\00:43:01.88
Remember Moses?
00:43:01.91\00:43:03.78
Moses was very reluctant.
00:43:03.81\00:43:05.75
Moses had been in
the desert for 40 years.
00:43:05.78\00:43:07.78
He was 80 years old.
00:43:07.82\00:43:09.28
Who starts
thinking of a grand scheme
00:43:09.32\00:43:12.72
for their life when they're 80?
00:43:12.75\00:43:14.99
Maybe someone
does, okay, maybe you do.
00:43:15.02\00:43:17.76
I don't know.
00:43:17.79\00:43:19.56
I know that when I'm 80, I
want to be up and kicking still.
00:43:19.59\00:43:21.23
I want to be
doing a lot of stuff.
00:43:21.26\00:43:22.86
But usually, you don't
have someone, you know,
00:43:22.90\00:43:25.57
thinking of the next 40 years,
a plan for the next 40 years
00:43:25.60\00:43:29.10
when they're 80 years old.
00:43:29.14\00:43:31.27
So Moses, he was
like, "Is God blind?
00:43:31.31\00:43:33.68
Is He, you know,
doesn't He know how old I am?
00:43:33.71\00:43:36.08
Doesn't He know
that I'm already tired.
00:43:36.11\00:43:38.18
I'm heavy of tongue?"
00:43:38.21\00:43:39.85
And actually, I'm
going to mention that.
00:43:39.88\00:43:41.75
Moses, he came up
with his best arguments.
00:43:41.78\00:43:44.49
He used his sociological
argument, his knowledge
00:43:44.52\00:43:46.72
about others.
00:43:46.76\00:43:48.69
"Lord, they're not
going to believe me.
00:43:48.72\00:43:50.49
Who am I to teach
them to talk to them?
00:43:50.53\00:43:52.59
Look at me. I used
to be a prince there.
00:43:52.63\00:43:54.10
They hate me. I
killed one of the officials.
00:43:54.13\00:43:56.03
They drove me out.
00:43:56.06\00:43:58.00
Who am I--no
one's going to hear me."
00:43:58.03\00:43:59.53
That's a sociological
argument which God destroyed,
00:43:59.57\00:44:02.30
God broke that argument.
00:44:02.34\00:44:04.27
He said, "Look, when You
go there, You just tell them
00:44:04.31\00:44:06.74
that I Am sent you,
Yahweh, the Eternal One."
00:44:06.78\00:44:14.12
Man, sometimes
I've seen, you know,
00:44:14.15\00:44:16.35
I've seen movies
about Moses's calling.
00:44:16.38\00:44:19.35
And at that moment at the
burning bush, there isn't one
00:44:19.39\00:44:22.72
time that goes by that
I either read it or see it
00:44:22.76\00:44:25.89
that I don't--tears
don't come to my eyes.
00:44:25.93\00:44:29.13
Imagine being in
the presence of Yahweh.
00:44:29.16\00:44:33.34
Imagine Him knowing
your name and you hearing Him
00:44:33.37\00:44:36.04
call you by name.
00:44:36.07\00:44:38.04
We know that He knows us by
name, but imagine hearing it,
00:44:38.07\00:44:42.04
that He remembered,
and He is going to use you
00:44:42.08\00:44:44.05
as a chosen vessel.
00:44:44.08\00:44:46.21
Moses, he gives first a
sociological argument, then when
00:44:46.25\00:44:49.32
that's been destroyed, he gives
a psychological argument, his
00:44:49.35\00:44:52.15
knowledge, not about others now,
but as knowledge by himself.
00:44:52.19\00:44:56.66
"Lord, look at me.
00:44:56.69\00:44:59.43
I'm heavy of
tongue, I'm heavy of speech.
00:44:59.46\00:45:02.60
I've been here shouting at
sheep for the past 40 years,
00:45:02.63\00:45:07.10
now You're going to put me
to shout in front of Pharaoh?
00:45:07.14\00:45:09.60
It's not going to work,
Lord, that's not going to work.
00:45:09.64\00:45:13.88
Too old, my abilities not
qualified for this project that
00:45:13.91\00:45:18.15
Yahweh is giving me."
00:45:18.18\00:45:20.48
Which Yahweh, and when
you read it, God appears
00:45:20.52\00:45:23.02
very optimistic about this plan.
00:45:23.05\00:45:26.96
Moses was the
doubter in the story.
00:45:26.99\00:45:29.19
He's the one saying,
"I don't know, Lord."
00:45:29.22\00:45:32.56
The Lord insisted with him.
00:45:32.59\00:45:34.56
The Lord did insist with him.
00:45:34.60\00:45:37.17
The Lord knew Moses
better than he knew himself.
00:45:37.20\00:45:40.44
And here's something important
for you, the Lord knows you
00:45:40.47\00:45:42.47
better than you know yourself.
00:45:42.50\00:45:44.51
He knows that in the future if
you do follow His plan, as hard
00:45:44.54\00:45:47.64
as it may be, you will be happy.
00:45:47.68\00:45:50.41
You'll be happy that you did.
00:45:50.45\00:45:52.28
You'll be happy that you did.
00:45:52.38\00:45:54.42
You know, many times I've heard
people use arguments about,
00:45:54.45\00:45:58.19
you know, "Well, why can't I
just live my life, the pleasures
00:45:58.22\00:46:00.26
that I want to
and do what I want?
00:46:00.29\00:46:02.29
At the very end,
I'll come to God."
00:46:02.32\00:46:05.16
And well, first of all, you know
that, you know that you don't
00:46:05.19\00:46:09.40
know when you'll die.
00:46:09.43\00:46:11.33
That's uncertain to us.
00:46:11.37\00:46:13.20
Who can guarantee that I
will have time to come to God?
00:46:13.23\00:46:17.41
But most of all, I think,
for example of the difference
00:46:17.44\00:46:20.71
between Isaac in the Bible
and the thief on the cross,
00:46:20.74\00:46:25.15
the good thief, who
lived a better life?
00:46:25.18\00:46:29.18
Isaac, he was born,
raised, and he lived
00:46:29.22\00:46:32.62
a relationship with God.
00:46:32.65\00:46:34.59
Both will be in
heaven, we know this,
00:46:34.62\00:46:36.93
but who lived a better life?
00:46:36.96\00:46:38.79
The one that walked with God.
00:46:38.83\00:46:41.06
So, we're not only talking about
salvation, we're talking about
00:46:41.10\00:46:43.77
quality of life here and now,
a quality of life that God gives
00:46:43.80\00:46:49.17
you by walking with Him, by
having a relationship with Him.
00:46:49.20\00:46:52.94
Looking back at the end of his
life, I'm certain that Moses, he
00:46:52.97\00:46:56.04
was, he would admit
that this was his greatest
00:46:56.08\00:46:58.85
and best decision.
00:46:58.88\00:47:01.02
He could have
said no, couldn't he?
00:47:01.05\00:47:02.88
Of course he could.
00:47:02.92\00:47:04.75
He could have said,
"Look, Lord, I know--"
00:47:04.79\00:47:07.09
And he tried, in the end, he
even gave the excuse that it's
00:47:07.12\00:47:09.66
not a psychological, it's really
an excuse given on laziness.
00:47:09.69\00:47:12.03
"Lord, I know all this,
but please send another."
00:47:12.06\00:47:15.00
But God knew Moses
better than he knew himself.
00:47:15.03\00:47:17.27
Moses could have insisted.
00:47:17.30\00:47:19.20
He could have run away
from God, but he didn't.
00:47:19.23\00:47:22.80
And I'm sure that at the end,
looking back, he would tell you,
00:47:22.84\00:47:25.57
he would admit that
was the best decision.
00:47:25.61\00:47:27.98
Imagine to be a companion to
God, to hear His voice, to see
00:47:28.01\00:47:31.65
His back at least, to have
Him, to have God have his back.
00:47:31.68\00:47:39.22
That's a privilege and
Moses would be the first one
00:47:39.25\00:47:41.92
to admit that.
00:47:41.96\00:47:45.33
God comes--when God
appears to Moses, He says,
00:47:45.36\00:47:47.40
"Moses, what do you
have in your hands?"
00:47:47.46\00:47:49.30
And this is where it
gets real for you and for me.
00:47:49.33\00:47:51.60
"Moses, what do you
have in your hands?"
00:47:51.63\00:47:53.34
What did he have?
00:47:53.37\00:47:55.27
A staff, a symbol of
his pathetic wanderings
00:47:55.30\00:47:58.34
in the desert for 40 years.
00:47:58.37\00:48:01.01
A symbol of his
simpleness, shepherd.
00:48:01.04\00:48:07.02
But God transformed that staff
in an instrument of omnipotence.
00:48:07.05\00:48:11.45
Where was the power though?
00:48:11.49\00:48:13.56
Was it in the staff?
00:48:13.59\00:48:15.42
No, the power was with God.
00:48:15.46\00:48:18.06
So, today God's calling
to you might be a question.
00:48:18.09\00:48:21.83
He might be asking
you, "Look, my dear friend,
00:48:21.86\00:48:24.17
what do you have in your hands?"
00:48:24.20\00:48:26.87
Maybe not a lot of money.
00:48:26.90\00:48:31.57
Maybe not many gifts
or talents to be used.
00:48:31.61\00:48:37.28
Maybe a painful
history, a painful past,
00:48:37.31\00:48:40.35
traumas, heartache.
00:48:40.38\00:48:44.32
The power isn't in
what is in your hands,
00:48:44.35\00:48:47.32
the power is with God.
00:48:47.36\00:48:49.49
Sister White tells us that
anyone that submits himself or
00:48:49.52\00:48:53.33
herself to the Lord,
anyone that places themselves
00:48:53.36\00:48:56.90
in His hands become
instruments of omnipotence.
00:48:56.93\00:49:02.74
You can become an
instrument of omnipotence.
00:49:02.77\00:49:05.31
That is God's calling for you.
00:49:05.34\00:49:07.61
My deep and profound prayer for
each one of us here is that we
00:49:07.64\00:49:10.78
learn to become
instruments of omnipotence,
00:49:10.81\00:49:13.68
regardless of what
we hold in our hands.
00:49:13.72\00:49:16.62
May God bless
you. May He use you.
00:49:16.65\00:49:18.15
May He teach you and
educate you and show you what
00:49:18.19\00:49:21.39
His calling for your life is.
00:49:21.42\00:49:23.49
May God bless you.
00:49:23.53\00:49:25.43
Thank you so
much for being with us
00:49:25.46\00:49:27.76
for this Bible
Study Hour this week.
00:49:27.76\00:49:30.53
I hope you return next week.
00:49:30.57\00:49:32.47
And study your lesson, we
have a great lesson to learn,
00:49:32.50\00:49:34.57
a lot to learn.
00:49:34.60\00:49:36.27
May God bless you.
00:49:36.30\00:49:38.24
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announcer: Amazing
Facts, changed lives.
00:50:14.74\00:50:18.81
female: I was born
into a family of criminals.
00:50:22.25\00:50:25.15
When I got older and I started
breaking the rules, no one ever
00:50:25.19\00:50:28.39
taught me about "Thou shalt
not steal, Thou shalt not lie,
00:50:28.42\00:50:31.66
Thou shalt not commit
adultery," anything like that.
00:50:31.69\00:50:34.93
When I became a runaway at 14, I
was just a wild and lost child.
00:50:34.96\00:50:41.90
I had somebody tell me, "Hey,
you want to earn some money
00:50:41.94\00:50:44.31
cleaning this guy's kitchen?"
00:50:44.34\00:50:46.47
So, I went to this house
on a different side of town
00:50:46.51\00:50:48.44
than I was used to.
00:50:48.48\00:50:50.55
Someone kept giving me alcoholic
drinks, and being 115 pounds and
00:50:50.58\00:50:55.05
14 years old, it really didn't
take much time before I was
00:50:55.08\00:50:58.42
so inebriated that I
had no control over what was
00:50:58.45\00:51:02.02
going on around me.
00:51:02.06\00:51:04.33
He took me to another
location, another town
00:51:04.36\00:51:07.20
and I was put in isolation.
00:51:07.23\00:51:09.40
I would come out to
be abused between three
00:51:09.43\00:51:11.37
and eight times a day.
00:51:11.40\00:51:13.23
I was degraded.
00:51:13.27\00:51:14.94
I was humiliated, that I
had no value as a human being.
00:51:14.97\00:51:17.34
And I learned very quickly that
what I felt and what I thought,
00:51:17.37\00:51:21.78
and how this made me feel,
did not matter to him at all.
00:51:21.81\00:51:25.15
If I even thought about not
doing what he wanted me to do,
00:51:25.18\00:51:30.82
I would have a gun to my
head and knife to my throat.
00:51:30.85\00:51:36.19
There was one time in
particular where he had been
00:51:36.22\00:51:40.86
tormenting me psychologically.
00:51:40.90\00:51:43.60
And one day he said, "Oh,
you'll never kill yourself.
00:51:43.63\00:51:46.47
You'll never do it."
00:51:46.50\00:51:49.20
And almost defiantly
I was like, Yes, I will.
00:51:49.24\00:51:52.01
And he handed me a Bible and
full of pills, and I took them.
00:51:52.04\00:51:55.31
While I was overdosing and I
had been overdosing all night,
00:51:55.34\00:51:58.88
I cried out to a God
that I didn't even believe in
00:51:58.91\00:52:01.88
and at that very moment
in the most powerful way,
00:52:01.92\00:52:05.32
God shone His light on me.
00:52:05.35\00:52:07.99
And He gave me peace
of mind like I never had.
00:52:08.02\00:52:11.39
And He let me know right then
and there while I was on that
00:52:11.43\00:52:14.20
bathroom floor that He
was real, and He was love.
00:52:14.23\00:52:17.37
And that I did not
know how at that time,
00:52:17.40\00:52:19.83
but He was going to help me.
00:52:19.87\00:52:21.84
A little less than a year
later, I became pregnant at 15.
00:52:21.87\00:52:25.54
I loved my son
with my whole heart.
00:52:25.57\00:52:27.78
He also became something that
my abuser could use against me
00:52:27.81\00:52:32.05
in order to pump
more fear and coercion.
00:52:32.08\00:52:36.32
I had finally got away from my
abuser, and I had finally built
00:52:36.35\00:52:40.59
up a support system to
help me stay on the move
00:52:40.62\00:52:43.16
and stay on the run.
00:52:43.19\00:52:45.33
And I was at my grandmother's
house and on my son's
00:52:45.36\00:52:47.50
third birthday, he took my son.
00:52:47.50\00:52:54.44
And when I called
the police and said,
00:52:54.47\00:52:56.71
"My son's just been kidnapped,"
they said, "He's the father,
00:52:56.74\00:52:58.64
we can't do anything about it."
00:52:58.67\00:53:01.14
After my son was
gone, I lost my mind.
00:53:01.18\00:53:03.95
I started doing drugs and
within a month and a half,
00:53:03.98\00:53:06.58
I robbed a convenience store.
00:53:06.61\00:53:08.92
So, I was sentenced
to 70 months, five years,
00:53:08.95\00:53:12.29
ten months in prison.
00:53:12.32\00:53:15.19
And it was the best
thing that ever happened to me.
00:53:15.22\00:53:18.96
I started attending the
church services in prison
00:53:18.99\00:53:22.00
seven days a week.
00:53:22.03\00:53:23.73
It blew my mind.
00:53:23.77\00:53:25.90
I was hooked.
00:53:25.93\00:53:27.77
And then we went through,
it was millennium of prophecy
00:53:27.80\00:53:30.54
and net 99 that just solidified
my faith in such a powerful way.
00:53:30.57\00:53:37.31
And I knew God,
that God was leading me.
00:53:37.35\00:53:40.35
Even the guards there commented
on how much I had changed.
00:53:40.38\00:53:44.49
And since I started doing
the studies on Amazing Facts,
00:53:44.52\00:53:48.36
I was so excited about what I
was learning that I was coming
00:53:48.39\00:53:51.26
back from there and
trying to convert my hardened
00:53:51.29\00:53:55.20
criminal friends with
the Storacles of Prophecy.
00:53:55.23\00:53:58.33
Every question I ever had, every
worry, everything that I ever
00:53:58.37\00:54:02.90
wondered about, the
Bible answered everything,
00:54:02.94\00:54:06.21
and it was so clear
and so easy to understand.
00:54:06.24\00:54:10.05
It's been 11 years
since I've been out of prison.
00:54:10.08\00:54:12.95
I am married to an
amazing, wonderful man, my first
00:54:12.98\00:54:16.02
non-abusive relationship
and my whole entire life.
00:54:16.05\00:54:19.15
Before we got married,
we watched the Millennium of
00:54:19.19\00:54:21.66
Prophecy series together, and it
was just such a blessing to be
00:54:21.69\00:54:27.03
able to see him
learn and see him grow.
00:54:27.10\00:54:31.37
And I feel like my life now is
just a gift, that every single
00:54:31.40\00:54:34.44
thing that happened to me bad
in the past is nothing compared
00:54:34.47\00:54:38.51
to the the joy, and the
happiness, and the stability
00:54:38.54\00:54:42.18
that I have now.
00:54:42.21\00:54:44.38
My name is Christine Vanorder
and my life has been changed
00:54:44.41\00:54:46.61
by Jesus Christ
and "Amazing Facts."
00:54:46.65\00:54:51.19
¤¤¤
00:54:51.22\00:54:57.29
¤¤¤
00:55:11.24\00:55:16.21
¤¤¤
00:55:16.24\00:55:21.42
Doug Batchelor: Today's
smartphones are a virtual
00:55:21.45\00:55:23.39
universe of information that
fits in the palm of your hand.
00:55:23.42\00:55:26.32
It's a good thing we
have opposable thumbs.
00:55:26.35\00:55:28.76
With it, you can buy
your groceries, take care of
00:55:28.79\00:55:31.83
your exercise regime,
watch a video, listen to music.
00:55:31.86\00:55:35.86
You can surf the
international World Wide Web,
00:55:35.90\00:55:38.70
which may not
always be a good thing.
00:55:38.73\00:55:41.30
And you know, there is more
computer processing technology
00:55:41.34\00:55:44.24
and power in a little smartphone
today than was used by NASA
00:55:44.27\00:55:48.31
to put a man on the moon.
00:55:48.34\00:55:50.55
And I almost forgot, you
can also use these to make
00:55:50.58\00:55:52.58
a phone call.
00:55:52.61\00:55:54.42
But who does that anymore?
00:55:54.45\00:55:56.18
Today communication is
not in complete sentences.
00:55:56.22\00:55:58.35
It's all about short message
servicing or SMS texting.
00:55:58.39\00:56:03.59
That's right, there are about
2.5 billion people in the world
00:56:03.63\00:56:07.10
today that are communicating
with their fellow humans
00:56:07.13\00:56:09.63
in short bites called texting.
00:56:09.66\00:56:12.23
That's more data that is
being used than those who are
00:56:12.27\00:56:14.64
surfing the web, or
even playing video games.
00:56:14.67\00:56:17.57
And friends, nowhere is
this more true than right here
00:56:17.61\00:56:19.91
in the Philippines.
00:56:19.94\00:56:21.91
Even though the Philippines
has about 100 million people,
00:56:21.94\00:56:24.41
they are responsible for the
largest number of text messages
00:56:24.45\00:56:27.12
of anywhere in the world.
00:56:27.15\00:56:29.42
They're the 12th
largest country, but they send
00:56:29.45\00:56:31.79
400 million text
messages every day.
00:56:31.82\00:56:35.89
Wow, that's a lot
of finger fatigue.
00:56:35.92\00:56:39.26
Even though the greatest
number of texters is here in the
00:56:39.29\00:56:42.00
Philippines, the record for the
fastest texture in the world is
00:56:42.03\00:56:44.70
from Brazil, a young man by the
name of Marcel Fernandes Filho.
00:56:44.73\00:56:48.84
He was able to text
25 very complicated words
00:56:48.87\00:56:51.44
in a little
more than 18 seconds.
00:56:51.47\00:56:54.24
Wow, it takes me longer than
that to just say, "I love you"
00:56:54.28\00:56:57.38
to my wife and
press send, all thumbs.
00:56:57.41\00:57:01.48
One of the neat things
about texting is you can text
00:57:01.52\00:57:03.59
just about anywhere.
00:57:03.62\00:57:05.62
If you're surrounded
with people, you want to send
00:57:05.65\00:57:07.42
a personal message, you text.
00:57:07.46\00:57:09.12
You're in a crowded subway
or an airport, you can text.
00:57:09.16\00:57:11.16
If you're surrounded by noise,
or nosy people, you can text.
00:57:11.19\00:57:15.03
Just don't text
while you're driving.
00:57:15.06\00:57:17.30
That's what's so wonderful,
friends, you can always text God
00:57:17.33\00:57:20.50
a message of
prayer from your heart.
00:57:20.54\00:57:22.90
When you're wondering,
"What school do I go to?
00:57:22.94\00:57:24.87
What job do I take?
00:57:24.91\00:57:26.94
Who am I supposed to date that
may be a future life partner?"
00:57:26.98\00:57:29.28
Your prayers
don't have to be long.
00:57:29.31\00:57:31.15
The shortest prayer in
the Bible is three words.
00:57:31.18\00:57:33.25
When Peter
prayed, "Lord, save me."
00:57:33.28\00:57:35.72
Jesus answered his prayer.
00:57:35.75\00:57:37.79
And it doesn't
matter how fast you can text
00:57:37.82\00:57:39.72
when you're talking to God.
00:57:39.75\00:57:41.66
He'll know what you're asking
for and hear your prayer before
00:57:41.69\00:57:43.76
you have a chance to say
amen and press the send button.
00:57:43.79\00:57:46.46
In fact, friends, you'll bring
joy to God when you send Him
00:57:46.49\00:57:49.26
regular messages
from your heart to His.
00:57:49.30\00:57:52.40
So, why don't you
talk to Him right now?
00:57:52.43\00:57:56.30
¤¤¤
00:57:56.34\00:58:06.31
¤¤¤
00:58:06.35\00:58:16.32
¤¤¤
00:58:16.36\00:58:24.87
CC BY ABERDEEN CAPTIONING
1-800-688-6621 WWW.ABERCAP.COM
00:58:24.90\00:58:29.90