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Doug Batchelor: Hello, friends,
Pastor Doug Batchelor here.
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Want to welcome you to our
"Sabbath School Study Hour."
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And I want to welcome friends
who are watching right now on
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AFTV, on Facebook, The
Amazing Facts Facebook.
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We're even streaming on the
Granite Bay website, on YouTube.
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We're doing all we can
to get the message out.
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And you can see we're in a
little different location than
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our regular church.
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We've been broadcasting the last
few months since the pandemic
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hit from the
Amazing Facts worship room.
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And after I'm done with the
lesson here, then we're driving
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over to our church service,
where we're meeting right now,
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we'll be streaming there as well
from the Granite Bay Bayside
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Adventure Church.
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And so, it's just been
very interesting times we're
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living in.
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I'm so thankful we can come
together, study God's Word, and
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talk about witnessing.
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And this is a very important
subject, "Making Friends
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For God."
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Because right now, people are
very open to spiritual things
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with all the unrest and
the turmoil in the world.
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And it's a great time to
study how do we share our faith.
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But before we get delving into
our lesson, let's go ahead and
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begin with a word of prayer.
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Loving Father, we are thankful
for the good news, and the
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gospel, and just the power
of the truth to transform lives.
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I pray that You be with us
now as we study the science of
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salvation, and talking about
how to share our faith and to do
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things in a winsome way to
try to attract people to Christ.
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And so, bless in
Jesus' name, amen.
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Now, first thing I'd like to
mention is our lesson today is
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going to be "Seeing
People Through Jesus' Eyes."
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We want to see people through
the eyes of Christ, and it's
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lesson number three.
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We have an offer, we think it'll
go well with that, and this is a
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free book that I wrote.
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I wrote this a few years ago as
a sharing book, and they printed
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extra copies
because it was very popular.
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It's really a book on faith, and
it's called "Who Do You Think
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You Are?"
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And it's full of stories and
illustrations on faith and how
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you can reach people.
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if you'd like to know more about
this or you like a free copy,
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just simply call the
number, 866-788-3966.
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That's 866-STUDY-MORE.
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And if you call and ask for
offer number 787, if you want,
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you can also get this book,
you can have it texted to you.
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And simply text
"SH143" to 40544.
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And if we're mailing it,
that's only for the US and
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its territories.
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All right, now into our lesson,
the lesson is lesson number
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three, and it's dealing
with making friends for God.
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We have a memory verse, and
the memory verse is from Matthew
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chapter 4, verse 19.
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"And Jesus said to them, 'Follow
Me and I will make you fishers
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of men.'"
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Now, He not only said
this at one time to the four
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fishing brothers, namely Peter
and Andrew, James and John, and
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they left their nets
and they followed Him.
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But later on, He said it more
specifically, and this is Luke
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chapter 5, to Peter.
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Peter said, "Lord, depart
from me, I am a sinful man."
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Jesus said, "Don't fear, follow
Me and I will make you a fisher
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of men."
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And this is just a wonderful
truth because I don't know for
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those listening out there how
much you know about fishing, but
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it's a very
interesting industry.
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I read an amazing fact not
too long ago, it was January 5,
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2019, the owner of a Tokyo-based
sushi restaurant chain paid
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$3.1 million for one fish, $3.1
million for one fish, a fish
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they were going
to carve up and eat.
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It was a 612 pound blue fin
tuna, and that comes to about
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$5,000 per pound.
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And I guess fish is
pretty expensive over there at
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certain seasons.
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But how much more is a man worth
than a goat, or a sheep, or a
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dove, or a fish?
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And Jesus said to Peter,
James, John, and Andrew, "You're
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excited about
catching a net full of fish.
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I will make you fishers of men."
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Now, there are some things that
we can learn from fishing that
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tell us a little
bit about evangelism.
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For one thing,
fishing is an addiction.
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Do you know anybody
that's a fishaholic?
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I've got some friends
that they just love fishing.
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Maybe they did it with
their dads growing up and they
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just--they
can't stop themselves.
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And whenever they get a chance,
they take their fishing boat and
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they take their fishing gear,
and they go out to the lake, and
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they love spending
the weekend fishing.
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I heard about a barbershop that
had a sign on the door, it said,
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"Closed next Monday
due to the weather."
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And a friend said, "Well, how
do you know what the weather's
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going to be next Monday?"
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He said, "Well, if it's
raining, I'm going fishing.
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If it's sunny,
I'm going fishing.
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It all depends on the weather."
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In other words, he was
going fishing no matter what.
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I remember hearing a funny story
about a game warden that was
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running his patrol, patrolling
the lakes and the mountains.
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And it was not fishing season,
and so he was very surprised
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when he heard
this loud explosion.
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And he went towards
the sound and he heard the
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explosion again.
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And pretty soon, it
led him out towards a lake.
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So, he hears this explosion
again, and he goes off and he
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looks on the edge of the lake
and he sees a guy sitting out
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there in a boat.
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And he's lighting sticks of
dynamite, and he's tossing the
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sticks of
dynamite off in the water.
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And it goes boom, and these
fish float up to the surface, he
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scoops up the fish, and
he puts them in his boat.
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Well, the game
warden is outraged.
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Not only is it not fishing
season, but that's totally
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illegal, you
can't fish like that.
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So, he jumps in a little canoe
that happened to be there on the
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shore, he paddles out to the
fellow, and he says, "Who do you
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think you are?
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You can't do
that, this is illegal.
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This is not fishing season."
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And the man doesn't say
anything, he very calmly lights
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another stick of dynamite, and
he tosses it in the boat of the
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game warden.
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He says, "Do you want to
talk or do you want to fish?"
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So, that kind of illustrates
that when people are determined
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to fish, you can't stop them.
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If every Christian felt that
strongly about soul winning,
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that it's something--it's
our greatest pleasure, it's our
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pastime, our lives are built
around it--I've got a friend
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that he's a contractor.
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But the only reason he's
a building contractor is to
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subsidize his fishing addiction.
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That whenever he has a chance,
he wants to go out fishing.
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Now, you know, there's some
things that you can learn about
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soul winning from fishing.
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And first of all, I'm just going
to go through some high points.
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If you're going to catch fish,
you've got to go to where the
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fish are.
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Many times I've been out in
the ocean, I've just marveled.
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My dad used to have three boats
in our backyard growing up.
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And he liked to
take us out fishing.
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That was deep sea fishing, but
we would also fish right off the
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dock in the bay there
in Miami, in Biscayne Bay.
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And you can't catch a fish if
you're on dry land, you've got
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to go to where the fish are.
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Now, that doesn't mean you
get in the water with the fish.
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You could be caught like Jonah.
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But Christians need to--like
Jesus, we need to go and reach
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out to sinners
and try to reach them.
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You can't wait for them
all to come to the church.
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Something else about
fishing, you have to be patient.
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Fishermen do not give up easy.
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They cast out their line, and if
only once out of every ten times
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of going out and trolling,
and casting out their bait, and
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hooking their line, if they only
catch a fish once out of every
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ten times, they consider
themselves successful fishermen.
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And so, we give up so easy.
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We knock on a door, we get
turned away, knock on a door,
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get turned away.
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Fishermen don't get discouraged.
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Someone said, "A bad day fishing
is better than a good day at
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the office."
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And when you love it, you're
excited to be doing it, even if
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you don't catch
something every time.
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So, you have to be patient.
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You need to be patient
in working with people.
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If a fisherman catches a
fish, he tries to pull it in too
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quick, you pull the hook
out or you break the line.
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You got to reel them in slowly.
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And when you're working
with souls, it takes patience.
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Maybe this is why Jesus
said it's like--fishing is
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soul winning.
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Fish are attracted to light.
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I remember going fishing with
a friend--now, I'm a vegetarian,
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but I like to go fishing.
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I just don't eat the fish.
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But I remember going fishing
with a friend in Hawaii, and we
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went fishing all night.
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And that was some of the best
fishing 'cause he docked his
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boat off the south point of the
big island of Hawaii, it's all
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black on the water, and
it's black out in the hills.
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And we're there floating in the
ocean, you can see the land not
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far away.
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And he dropped a waterproof
12-volt bulb off the back of the
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boat into the water, and he
actually lowered it down about
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15 feet or so.
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And first we saw nothing, but
gradually we saw 1, and then 2,
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and then 10, and then 50, and
pretty soon there were thousands
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of fish that were
swarming around our light.
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And we had to lower our lines.
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We had these fishing lines
that had three or four hooks on
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one line.
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And we would drop them in and
we'd reel them in, we'd catch
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two or three fish every time we
dropped the line in because they
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are attracted to light.
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In our excitement, we kicked the
jumper cables that hooked the
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lightbulb to the
battery, the light went off.
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In just a matter of a few
seconds, all the fish were gone.
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The Bible says,
"Let your light shine."
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Something else about
fish, fish like good food.
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Fish like fresh bait.
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You don't give them old
stale bait, you don't give them
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dead bait.
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If you have a live worm or
cricket you can put it on the
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hook, and it kicks and wiggles,
a lot more chance you're going
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to catch the fish.
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You know one of the best
ways to catch a fish is with a
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live fish.
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I remember one time, I was
out in the ocean with my friend
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Steve and on his fishing boat,
and I just caught a tuna about
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that big.
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It put up quite a fight.
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Now, it's not that
big for ocean fish.
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If you're
catching bass, that's big.
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And he took my fish, and he very
dexterously hooked a hook on the
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back of my fish and wrapped
it with some wire so my fish was
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still alive and kicking, but it
had a hook attached to its back,
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he threw my fish back out
again, and we began to troll.
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And we were dragging him slowly.
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And soon, splash, 300-pound
marlin that went after our fish.
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Sometimes, it takes a
live fish to catch a fish.
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You know who the
best soul winners are?
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New Christians, people that have
been recently caught, they are
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so excited about their
faith, they've got enthusiasm.
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And they're telling all of
their friends, and they end up
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becoming some of the best
evangelists, people who still
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have that first love.
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Something else is that when you
catch fish, predators come in.
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I've seen it happen more than
once, we're reeling in trophy
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fish, and sharks because you're
fighting a while, there's some
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blood in the water, the sharks
smell it, they come, they try to
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eat your fish before
you get it to the boat.
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Many people remember the famous
book by Ernest Hemmingway called
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"The Old Man and the Sea."
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He caught the biggest fish
in his life, but while he was
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catching that fish, the sharks
came and basically took it all
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apart before he
could get it in the boat.
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The devil's going to try
and stop you if you're catching
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fish, and so you
can't be discouraged.
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Another thing, you catch more
fish when you work together.
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I remember reading--by the way,
we'll try and post these notes
00:12:36.75\00:12:40.82
online if you're not getting it
all 'cause some of this is not
00:12:40.86\00:12:43.63
in the lesson.
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I remember once, we were reeling
in a big marlin in the Pacific
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Ocean, and it just
took more than one of us.
00:12:49.06\00:12:54.17
One is steering the boat,
another other one is getting the
00:12:54.20\00:12:56.27
gaff ready to get him, another
one's taking pictures, and
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another one is reeling.
00:12:58.67\00:13:01.28
And sometimes, their arm
got so tired, this is not a
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championship, we
would switch people.
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Championships,
you can't do that.
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And when the disciples had
their nets filled, it says they
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beckoned to their friends.
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And James and John came over to
help Peter and Andrew, and they
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all worked together to
bring the net to shore.
00:13:17.29\00:13:20.13
You know, the best way to
do evangelism is when all the
00:13:20.16\00:13:22.46
people in the church use their
gifts together, and that's when
00:13:22.50\00:13:25.77
you see great success.
00:13:25.80\00:13:27.97
So, I just thought I'd throw
that in for free, just some of
00:13:28.00\00:13:30.01
the things.
00:13:30.04\00:13:31.74
Jesus talks about fishing for
men, and you might wonder why
00:13:31.77\00:13:34.14
did He say that.
00:13:34.18\00:13:35.78
All right, in our lesson under
the first section, it says the
00:13:35.81\00:13:37.78
second touch.
00:13:37.81\00:13:39.75
It's talking about
making friends for God.
00:13:39.78\00:13:41.55
And I'll read this to
you, Mark chapter 8, verse 22.
00:13:41.58\00:13:44.19
And I'll just read through verse
25, "Then He came to Bethsaida,
00:13:44.22\00:13:49.69
and they brought Him a blind
man and begged Him to touch him.
00:13:49.72\00:13:54.13
So, He took the blind man by the
hand and led him out of town."
00:13:54.20\00:13:57.33
There are just
maybe too many people.
00:13:57.37\00:13:59.60
"And when He had spat on his
eyes, He put His hands on him
00:13:59.63\00:14:02.00
and He asked him
if he saw anything.
00:14:02.04\00:14:05.37
And he looked up, he said,
'I see men like trees walking.'
00:14:05.41\00:14:10.31
And then He put His hands on his
eyes again and made him look up,
00:14:10.35\00:14:14.22
and he was restored, and
he saw everyone clearly."
00:14:14.25\00:14:18.49
Now, this is an interesting
story because it's only one of
00:14:18.52\00:14:21.36
the few cases in the Bible where
it seems like a healing happened
00:14:21.39\00:14:24.69
in degrees.
00:14:24.73\00:14:27.50
And when it says he saw men like
trees walking, I don't know that
00:14:27.56\00:14:33.67
that is a symbolic statement.
00:14:33.70\00:14:35.80
I think that simply means that
when you see things, but they're
00:14:35.84\00:14:38.51
fuzzy, you know, a tree from
a distance, it's got all these
00:14:38.54\00:14:40.78
leaves, said they
looked like trees walking.
00:14:40.81\00:14:43.91
He said, "Oh,
things are looking blurry."
00:14:43.95\00:14:46.58
And so Jesus, now
why did Jesus do that?
00:14:46.61\00:14:48.38
He could've
healed him all at once.
00:14:48.42\00:14:50.65
I think maybe He was
illustrating to us that
00:14:50.69\00:14:52.99
sometimes people's spiritual
eyes do not open all at once,
00:14:53.02\00:14:56.52
that it happens in degrees.
00:14:56.56\00:14:58.69
Even Jesus told the apostles,
"There's many things I have to
00:14:58.73\00:15:01.93
say to you, but you're not
able to bear it right now."
00:15:01.96\00:15:05.27
And so, He sometimes
taught them things in degrees.
00:15:05.30\00:15:09.74
They didn't fully understand
His mission until after
00:15:09.77\00:15:12.21
His resurrection.
00:15:12.24\00:15:14.24
Even then, they did
not completely understand
00:15:14.28\00:15:16.44
His mission.
00:15:16.48\00:15:18.38
Finally, He sent them to the
Gentiles, and that was another
00:15:18.41\00:15:20.15
new revelation.
00:15:20.18\00:15:22.18
And so, sometimes God opens our
eyes little by little as we can
00:15:22.22\00:15:24.05
handle it.
00:15:24.09\00:15:25.95
Another thing is if a person's
been in dark for a long time,
00:15:25.99\00:15:28.32
you turn the lights up full
power, and it just turn--they'll
00:15:28.36\00:15:31.83
turn away and
they can't handle it.
00:15:31.86\00:15:33.83
So, sometimes Jesus heals
us in degrees so that we can
00:15:33.86\00:15:37.73
handle that.
00:15:37.77\00:15:39.63
Now, I said that's one of a
couple examples in the Bible.
00:15:39.67\00:15:42.84
You look in 2 Kings chapter 4,
verse 32, "And when Elisha came
00:15:42.87\00:15:47.81
into the house, there was the
child lying dead on his bed."
00:15:47.84\00:15:51.88
You remember the boy of
the Shunammite woman died.
00:15:51.91\00:15:56.42
And the woman laid him on
the bed of Elisha in his upper
00:15:56.45\00:15:59.79
room there.
00:15:59.82\00:16:01.92
And he comes in
and the boy's dead.
00:16:01.96\00:16:03.79
"He went therefore and he shut
the door behind the two of them.
00:16:03.83\00:16:06.66
He prayed to the Lord, he went
up and he lay on the child, and
00:16:06.70\00:16:09.30
he put his mouth on his mouth,
and his eyes on his eyes, and
00:16:09.33\00:16:12.87
his hands on his hands, and he
stretched them out on the child.
00:16:12.90\00:16:16.44
And the flesh of
the child became warm."
00:16:16.47\00:16:19.14
He was dead and cold.
00:16:19.17\00:16:21.18
And so, Elisha's basically using
his own body to warm the child,
00:16:21.21\00:16:23.88
but still there was no
sign of life other than the body
00:16:23.91\00:16:27.58
growing warm.
00:16:27.62\00:16:30.09
He returned, he walked back and
forth in the house, and again he
00:16:30.12\00:16:33.82
went up and he
stretched himself on him.
00:16:33.86\00:16:36.26
And the child sneezed seven
times, and the child opened
00:16:36.29\00:16:41.06
his eyes."
00:16:41.10\00:16:43.30
And so, he sneezed seven times,
and that means he was completely
00:16:43.33\00:16:45.70
healed, and he opened his eyes.
00:16:45.73\00:16:49.04
So, here you've got another
healing that happens in degrees.
00:16:49.07\00:16:52.07
You know, the Lord can
heal a person instantly.
00:16:52.11\00:16:54.78
The Lord can heal a
person through medical means.
00:16:54.81\00:16:58.65
When Isaiah told Hezekiah or the
physicians of Hezekiah to put a
00:16:58.68\00:17:02.95
lump of figs on the boil,
and he was using medical means.
00:17:02.98\00:17:07.32
The Lord can heal a person, it
might take the healing process.
00:17:07.36\00:17:12.03
You know, sometimes we pray God
heals us, and God says, "Okay,
00:17:12.06\00:17:14.50
I'm going to heal you, and
it's going to take three days."
00:17:14.56\00:17:16.93
And so, I think the Lord is
reminding us that God has a lot
00:17:16.97\00:17:20.80
of different ways, and sometimes
a person doesn't get healed
00:17:20.84\00:17:23.44
until the resurrection morning.
00:17:23.47\00:17:26.27
And so, here these healings
were happening in degrees.
00:17:26.31\00:17:30.71
Now, something interesting about
this blind man is that he was
00:17:30.75\00:17:33.62
brought to Jesus.
00:17:33.65\00:17:35.95
And in your lesson, you'll
notice it says, "Approximately,
00:17:35.98\00:17:38.92
there are 25 distinct healing
miracles in the New Testament
00:17:38.95\00:17:42.82
performed by Jesus.
00:17:42.86\00:17:45.06
In more than half of these, a
relative or a friend brings the
00:17:45.09\00:17:49.23
individual to Jesus for healing.
00:17:49.26\00:17:51.87
Many people will never come
to Jesus unless someone else of
00:17:51.90\00:17:55.40
faith brings them."
00:17:55.44\00:17:58.07
You know, that's one of
our missions is to bring people
00:17:58.11\00:18:01.04
to Christ.
00:18:01.08\00:18:03.08
And if you have a friend that's
sick, and you know, this is
00:18:03.11\00:18:05.15
often a great opportunity
to introduce spiritual things.
00:18:05.18\00:18:08.05
I've had friends and neighbors
that didn't really have any
00:18:08.08\00:18:10.49
religion or any spiritual
inclination, but I went to see
00:18:10.52\00:18:13.76
them in the hospital.
00:18:13.79\00:18:15.99
And after visiting with them, I
say, "Do you mind if I pray for
00:18:16.02\00:18:19.26
you before I leave?"
00:18:19.29\00:18:21.70
I've only had one tell me no,
and hundreds have said yes, they
00:18:21.73\00:18:25.30
appreciate it.
00:18:25.33\00:18:27.34
And some have been very
moved, and some have thanked me
00:18:27.37\00:18:29.10
afterwards, said,
"Thank you so much, Pastor."
00:18:29.14\00:18:31.54
And so, you're actually through
the sickness, the sickness is an
00:18:31.57\00:18:34.81
opportunity to
witness to them about Jesus.
00:18:34.84\00:18:38.68
So, you're bringing them to
Christ through the sickness.
00:18:38.71\00:18:43.02
Now, you can look for
instance in 9--Mark 9:17.
00:18:43.05\00:18:46.29
Says, "One in the crowd answered
and said, 'Teacher, I brought
00:18:46.32\00:18:50.93
You my son, who
has a mute spirit.'"
00:18:50.96\00:18:55.03
And so, here's a
parent bringing a child.
00:18:55.06\00:18:57.87
You can read in Mark 2, verse 3,
"Then they came to Him, bringing
00:18:57.90\00:19:02.60
a paralytic who was
carried by four men."
00:19:02.64\00:19:06.37
Now, here you've got one person,
this is the paralytic, he's
00:19:06.41\00:19:09.91
brought to Jesus, they finally
let him down through the roof,
00:19:09.94\00:19:12.15
and Jesus heals him, but
here's four people bringing him.
00:19:12.18\00:19:15.98
Then you can read in Mark 10,
verse 13 through 16, "Then they
00:19:16.02\00:19:20.86
brought little children to Him,
that He might touch them and
00:19:20.89\00:19:23.66
bless them."
00:19:23.69\00:19:25.49
This is not even really a
healing, it's just parents
00:19:25.53\00:19:27.23
bringing their
children to Jesus.
00:19:27.23\00:19:29.33
You know, we all need to bring
our children to Christ that He
00:19:29.36\00:19:31.37
might work in their
lives to heal and to save them.
00:19:31.40\00:19:34.30
And so, a lot of people never
come to Jesus unless someone
00:19:34.34\00:19:36.77
else brings them.
00:19:36.81\00:19:39.21
Now, sometimes it's
more than one person.
00:19:39.24\00:19:43.04
And I've often seen that a
person's salvation may be the
00:19:43.08\00:19:47.38
result of several, several
different individuals having a
00:19:47.42\00:19:51.02
role in bringing them to Christ.
00:19:51.05\00:19:54.89
It's like these four men
who carried their one friend to
00:19:54.92\00:19:58.09
Jesus, he was paralyzed.
00:19:58.13\00:20:00.76
And I often thought those four
stretcher bearers were like the
00:20:00.80\00:20:04.60
four gospels, Matthew, Mark,
Luke, and John, and it's in the
00:20:04.63\00:20:08.24
gospel message.
00:20:08.27\00:20:10.57
Four represents
something universal.
00:20:10.61\00:20:12.87
And so, we're talking about the
universal, everlasting gospel
00:20:12.91\00:20:14.88
that is brought--brings
people to Christ.
00:20:14.91\00:20:17.81
Think about the story
of Naaman in the Bible.
00:20:17.85\00:20:20.52
I was studying that, and if you
know the story about Naaman the
00:20:20.55\00:20:22.98
leper, who was healed by Elisha,
well, first there's a message
00:20:23.02\00:20:26.59
from a little girl in his house.
00:20:26.62\00:20:29.52
Then Elisha gives him a
message from his servant.
00:20:29.56\00:20:32.93
Then Naaman's own servants come
to him and say, "Why not wash
00:20:32.96\00:20:36.43
and be clean?"
00:20:36.46\00:20:38.73
Finally, he surrenders,
he washes, he's cleansed from
00:20:38.77\00:20:41.24
his leprosy.
00:20:41.27\00:20:43.04
But you notice it's
a series of messages.
00:20:43.07\00:20:45.21
So, when you talk to someone
about Jesus and you witness for
00:20:45.24\00:20:47.34
Christ, your message may be one
of many messages that it takes
00:20:47.38\00:20:51.11
to reach that person.
00:20:51.15\00:20:53.65
Often when I'm praying for other
people or loved ones I want to
00:20:53.68\00:20:56.72
see saved, I say, "Lord, bring
into their lives the people that
00:20:56.75\00:21:00.19
they need to hear."
00:21:00.22\00:21:02.36
It's not always just one person.
00:21:02.39\00:21:04.43
Bring the experiences, bring the
people that have messages for
00:21:04.46\00:21:06.80
them that are going to
reach them and help bring them
00:21:06.83\00:21:10.60
to Christ.
00:21:10.63\00:21:12.83
And so, we need to be praying
and bringing others to Jesus
00:21:12.87\00:21:15.97
through our prayers.
00:21:16.00\00:21:18.14
Bring them before the throne.
00:21:18.17\00:21:20.51
So, next section is
under lessons in acceptance.
00:21:20.54\00:21:24.98
And this is very relevant today
because it tells a story about
00:21:25.01\00:21:28.32
the Samaritan woman.
00:21:28.35\00:21:30.82
Now, just to understand a
little bit about history of the
00:21:30.85\00:21:33.29
Samaritans, and this will help
you when you read the parable of
00:21:33.32\00:21:36.19
the good Samaritan and some
other issues in the Bible, when
00:21:36.22\00:21:39.63
the tribes in the northern
kingdom, the ten tribes in the
00:21:39.66\00:21:43.00
north, the biggest tribe
was Ephraim, because of their
00:21:43.03\00:21:46.53
unfaithfulness, they began to
sacrifice and worship idols at
00:21:46.57\00:21:49.80
Bethel and Dan.
00:21:49.84\00:21:52.27
And as a result of that, finally
God sent the Assyrians that came
00:21:52.31\00:21:56.71
in and they took
them away captive.
00:21:56.75\00:22:01.28
And they were
carried off to Assyria.
00:22:01.32\00:22:03.42
And then it tells us that the
king of the Assyrians, he then
00:22:03.45\00:22:07.82
sent some of the Assyrians down
from Babylon and other places in
00:22:07.86\00:22:11.59
his territory
to inhabit Samaria.
00:22:11.63\00:22:15.36
Now, one reason the kings did
this, when he carried off all
00:22:15.40\00:22:17.60
the Jews as his servants,
they vacated their farms, their
00:22:17.63\00:22:21.37
vineyards, their houses, and
the king said, "Look, all that
00:22:21.40\00:22:23.77
produce, and all that income,
and all that grain that could be
00:22:23.81\00:22:27.98
coming to me, there's nobody
there now farming it, and I
00:22:28.01\00:22:30.65
don't want that
land to go to waste."
00:22:30.68\00:22:33.21
And so, before it all goes
to thorns and thistles, he sent
00:22:33.25\00:22:35.92
some of his people down, he
says, "Look, I'm giving you a
00:22:35.95\00:22:38.72
land grant.
00:22:38.75\00:22:40.69
You can have all the territory
that belonged to the Israelites.
00:22:40.72\00:22:42.99
You just pay taxes
on it and it's yours."
00:22:43.02\00:22:45.19
So, all these people came
in that were Assyrians and they
00:22:45.23\00:22:47.86
took over this country.
00:22:47.93\00:22:49.90
But in the interval while
the land was vacated, lions had
00:22:49.93\00:22:53.23
been multiplying.
00:22:53.27\00:22:55.90
And the Bible says that
there were some lions that were
00:22:55.94\00:22:58.94
killing the people, they
had a raft of lion attacks.
00:22:58.97\00:23:02.01
They figured the gods were mad.
00:23:02.04\00:23:04.28
And they said in their minds,
"Well, it must be because the
00:23:04.31\00:23:07.55
people here don't know the
nature of the gods of the land.
00:23:07.58\00:23:11.62
And so, the gods are mad
and they're sending lions to
00:23:11.65\00:23:14.72
punish us."
00:23:14.76\00:23:17.29
And so, they send this message
up to the king of Assyria, and
00:23:17.33\00:23:19.39
you can read about this
in 2 Kings 17, verse 28.
00:23:19.43\00:23:22.30
2 Kings 17:28 says, "Then one
of the priests whom they carried
00:23:22.33\00:23:27.04
away from Samaria came and
he dwelled in Bethel, and taught
00:23:27.07\00:23:30.54
them how they
should fear the Lord."
00:23:30.57\00:23:33.51
So, the king said, "Well,
maybe I should send one of these
00:23:33.54\00:23:35.74
priests from Bethel."
00:23:35.78\00:23:37.88
Now, these are
not the sons of Aaron.
00:23:37.91\00:23:40.05
These are the priests that had
been appointed by King Jeroboam
00:23:40.08\00:23:42.18
that had been kind of comingling
the worship of Jehovah with a
00:23:42.22\00:23:45.92
certain amount of Baal worship
and paganism and idolatry.
00:23:45.95\00:23:48.52
And he began to
teach the Samaritans.
00:23:48.56\00:23:52.39
And some of them intermarried
with these priests, and so they
00:23:52.43\00:23:56.13
had a little bit of
Jewish blood, but they were
00:23:56.16\00:23:58.10
mostly Assyrian.
00:23:58.13\00:24:00.17
They were a Semitic people.
00:24:00.20\00:24:02.37
And by the way, you might wonder
when you say anti-Semitic, what
00:24:02.40\00:24:05.41
does that mean?
00:24:05.44\00:24:07.38
That doesn't just mean
anti-Jewish, it means you're
00:24:07.41\00:24:09.91
against the Semitic people.
00:24:09.94\00:24:11.58
That would be the Arabs, the
Jews, the people who descended
00:24:11.61\00:24:13.55
from Shem, who was
an ancestor of Abraham.
00:24:13.58\00:24:17.89
And to be anti-Shemetic
is being anti-Semitic.
00:24:17.92\00:24:23.73
So, these were all people who
were descendants of Shem, but
00:24:23.76\00:24:28.36
they were comingling
the religion of Jehovah with
00:24:28.40\00:24:32.20
idolatry and Baal worship, and
the worship of the idols at Dan
00:24:32.23\00:24:35.70
and Bethel.
00:24:35.74\00:24:37.97
And so, the Jews, they didn't
care much for the Samaritans.
00:24:38.01\00:24:40.58
And things got really bad when
the Jews--the people of Judah
00:24:40.61\00:24:44.41
came back from Babylon.
00:24:44.45\00:24:46.75
See, the Assyrians never sent
the 12 tribes back or the 10
00:24:46.78\00:24:50.05
tribes back, but Cyrus the
Persian did send back the people
00:24:50.09\00:24:55.22
of Judah, Benjamin and Levi,
to the land of Judah to rebuild
00:24:55.26\00:24:58.26
the temple.
00:24:58.29\00:25:00.56
The Samaritans said,
"Oh, we worship your God.
00:25:00.60\00:25:03.53
Let us help you
build the temple."
00:25:03.57\00:25:06.00
And Nehemiah and Ezra
said, "No, we know what--you've
00:25:06.03\00:25:08.47
compromised, you've comingled
the worship of idolatry with the
00:25:08.50\00:25:11.41
true worship of Jehovah.
00:25:11.44\00:25:13.84
We don't want
any help, thank you."
00:25:13.88\00:25:15.84
Well, that so offended the
Samaritans that from that day
00:25:15.88\00:25:18.31
all the way down through the
time of Christ, the Jews and the
00:25:18.35\00:25:21.78
Samaritans became adversaries.
00:25:21.82\00:25:24.19
And there was a lot of racial
tension between those peoples.
00:25:24.22\00:25:29.02
And you can read about
that in the parable of the good
00:25:29.06\00:25:31.26
Samaritan, as well as this
story of the woman at the well.
00:25:31.29\00:25:34.86
So, if you read in John chapter
4, verse 6, "Now Jacob's well
00:25:34.93\00:25:38.73
was there.
00:25:38.77\00:25:40.87
Jesus therefore, being wearied
from His journey, He sat thus by
00:25:40.90\00:25:44.37
the well.
00:25:44.41\00:25:46.17
It was about the sixth hour."
00:25:46.21\00:25:47.98
Hopefully, there
was a shade tree nearby.
00:25:48.01\00:25:50.61
"And a woman of
Samaria came to draw water."
00:25:50.65\00:25:53.65
Now, this woman may have been
something of an outcast 'cause
00:25:53.68\00:25:55.68
typically the women came
together and they came early in
00:25:55.72\00:25:57.75
the morning, not
during the heat of the day.
00:25:57.79\00:26:00.49
And so, this woman, she
comes by herself to draw water.
00:26:00.52\00:26:04.13
And Jesus says,
"Give me a drink."
00:26:04.16\00:26:07.56
And you know, that was supposed
to be one of the most important
00:26:07.60\00:26:09.80
sacred duties is to give a
person a drink of water, you
00:26:09.83\00:26:12.33
would always say yes.
00:26:12.37\00:26:14.67
And that would also mean
that there was some bond or
00:26:14.70\00:26:16.44
friendship if you gave
a person a drink of water.
00:26:16.47\00:26:19.04
"For His disciples had gone
away into the city to buy food."
00:26:19.07\00:26:21.44
The reason they let Jesus stay
there and rest, they did not
00:26:21.48\00:26:24.45
want to have Jesus
risk contamination from
00:26:24.48\00:26:27.58
the Samaritans.
00:26:27.62\00:26:29.42
Now, you just got to know,
friends, in the time of Christ,
00:26:29.45\00:26:31.99
the Pharisees taught that the
Samaritans were so unclean that
00:26:32.02\00:26:34.59
if the shadow of a Samaritan
fell upon you, you could
00:26:34.62\00:26:38.53
be contaminated.
00:26:38.56\00:26:40.70
And so, they didn't want
Jesus to risk contamination.
00:26:40.73\00:26:43.20
They said, "You
stay here and rest.
00:26:43.23\00:26:44.97
We'll go, we'll buy some food
from the Samaritans, and we'll
00:26:45.00\00:26:47.47
try to avoid their shadows."
00:26:47.50\00:26:50.34
And here Jesus is talking to
a woman from the well, and she's
00:26:50.37\00:26:54.98
even surprised.
00:26:55.01\00:26:57.11
She says, "How is it that You,
being a Jew, are asking a drink
00:26:57.15\00:26:59.91
from me, a
Samaritan woman no less?
00:26:59.95\00:27:02.68
For the Jews have no
dealings with the Samaritans."
00:27:02.72\00:27:07.02
She said, "Haven't you heard?
00:27:07.06\00:27:09.39
We're supposed
to hate each other."
00:27:09.42\00:27:11.96
So, this is a very
important lesson from Jesus.
00:27:11.99\00:27:14.60
"'For the Jews have no
dealing with the Samaritans.'
00:27:14.63\00:27:16.30
And Jesus answered and said
to her, 'If you knew the gift of
00:27:16.33\00:27:18.20
God and who it is that say
unto you, 'Give Me a drink,' you
00:27:18.23\00:27:21.10
would have asked Him and
He would've given you the
00:27:21.14\00:27:23.07
living water.'"
00:27:23.10\00:27:24.91
Now, one thing the Samaritans
did believe, they believed the
00:27:24.94\00:27:27.51
five books of Moses, and they
did believe that the Messiah was
00:27:27.54\00:27:31.28
going to come.
00:27:31.31\00:27:33.31
And here Jesus is the Messiah,
and He's talking to her.
00:27:33.35\00:27:36.45
And so, here's a
lesson in acceptance.
00:27:36.48\00:27:39.59
You know, Jesus, He loved
everybody, and He was willing to
00:27:39.62\00:27:43.43
reach out to this woman.
00:27:43.46\00:27:45.56
Finally, she starts to talk
to him about, you know, what
00:27:45.59\00:27:49.50
mountain should we worship on.
00:27:49.53\00:27:51.73
And she's trying to enter into
a senseless dispute over whether
00:27:51.77\00:27:54.24
you should worship on
Mount Gerizim or Mount Zion.
00:27:54.27\00:27:57.54
Jesus settles the matter, He's
like, "Look, salvation is of
00:27:57.57\00:27:59.94
the Jew.
00:28:00.04\00:28:01.81
They're the ones God called.
00:28:01.84\00:28:03.65
He did not call the Samaritans.
00:28:03.68\00:28:05.85
God committed to the
Jews the sacred oracles.
00:28:05.88\00:28:07.78
But salvation is for everyone.
00:28:07.82\00:28:09.58
It's from the Jews,
but it's for everyone."
00:28:09.62\00:28:12.32
And then He says,
"Go call your husband."
00:28:12.35\00:28:15.09
And she thought, "Oh, how come
the conversation went there?"
00:28:15.12\00:28:19.79
Well, that was a sore spot
in her life because she had had
00:28:19.83\00:28:21.93
five husbands, and she was
living with a boyfriend she
00:28:21.96\00:28:23.70
wasn't married to.
00:28:23.73\00:28:26.33
And she said, "Sir, I
perceive You're a prophet."
00:28:26.37\00:28:30.17
And He finally--she said, "I
know that when Messiah comes,
00:28:30.21\00:28:34.24
He'll show us all things."
00:28:34.28\00:28:36.08
And Jesus said something to
her He did not even say to the
00:28:36.11\00:28:38.21
scribes and
Pharisees and the lawyers.
00:28:38.25\00:28:40.95
He said, "I who
speak to you am He."
00:28:40.98\00:28:44.79
And she was so astounded, the
Holy Spirit swept over her, she
00:28:44.82\00:28:46.96
realized that He was the
Messiah, that He was offering
00:28:46.99\00:28:49.76
her that living water.
00:28:49.79\00:28:51.73
She left her water pot, never
said she gave Him a drink, so
00:28:51.76\00:28:53.90
maybe she left it so He
could get His own water.
00:28:53.93\00:28:56.06
She left her water pot and she
went into town 'cause she now
00:28:56.10\00:28:59.10
had living water.
00:28:59.13\00:29:01.00
And she said, "Come see a man
who's shown me all things ever
00:29:01.04\00:29:03.47
I did."
00:29:03.51\00:29:05.54
And Jesus ended up ministering
to that whole town of Samarians.
00:29:05.57\00:29:09.31
I think He stayed there a few
days, talking to them about the
00:29:09.34\00:29:12.78
kingdom of God, and here
the disciples were trying to get
00:29:12.81\00:29:15.05
Jesus to avoid contact with
the Samaritans so He would not
00:29:15.08\00:29:17.85
be contaminated.
00:29:17.89\00:29:20.36
They ended up staying with
them and witnessing to them, and
00:29:20.39\00:29:22.96
there was a great revival, and
many of them accepted Jesus as
00:29:22.99\00:29:25.46
the Messiah.
00:29:25.49\00:29:27.96
And so, that tells us something
about sharing the gospel
00:29:27.96\00:29:30.80
with everybody.
00:29:30.83\00:29:33.74
You've got to
begin where you are.
00:29:33.77\00:29:35.97
Now, this is another very
important principle in making
00:29:36.00\00:29:38.51
friends for God.
00:29:38.54\00:29:40.71
I remember hearing a story where
a man was on a train, and he
00:29:40.74\00:29:45.98
recognized the famous evangelist
Billy Graham on the same train.
00:29:46.01\00:29:50.09
He was going to another
town to do a series, he was with
00:29:50.12\00:29:51.92
his team.
00:29:51.95\00:29:54.26
And he asked if he could
have a word with him, and he
00:29:54.29\00:29:56.39
said, "Absolutely."
00:29:56.42\00:29:58.39
He said, "I'm so
glad to talk to you."
00:29:58.43\00:30:00.36
He says, "You
have any tips for me?"
00:30:00.40\00:30:02.56
He says, "I am on my way to this
city, where I'm going to catch
00:30:02.60\00:30:04.73
an airplane, and I'm flying
overseas, and I'm going to
00:30:04.77\00:30:06.50
become a missionary, and I'm
going to bring souls to Jesus."
00:30:06.53\00:30:08.90
And Billy Graham
said, "That's wonderful."
00:30:08.94\00:30:10.91
He said, "Well, first thing I'll
ask is, how many people did you
00:30:10.94\00:30:14.58
reach in your hometown?"
00:30:14.61\00:30:17.11
Well, said, "What do you mean?"
00:30:17.15\00:30:18.85
He said, "Well, how many
have you led to Christ in your
00:30:18.88\00:30:20.58
family, or from your friends,
or the people you go to school
00:30:20.62\00:30:23.39
with, or your neighbors?"
00:30:23.42\00:30:27.56
He said, "Well, none yet, but
I'm going to go work--I'm going
00:30:27.59\00:30:29.76
to go do mission work
now among these primitive
00:30:29.79\00:30:32.29
people overseas."
00:30:32.33\00:30:35.10
And Billy Graham says,
"You probably ought to cancel
00:30:35.13\00:30:36.93
your ticket."
00:30:36.97\00:30:38.87
He says, "If you're not reaching
anybody in your hometown, then
00:30:38.90\00:30:41.10
you don't have assurance
that God is calling you to lead
00:30:41.14\00:30:44.41
people in a foreign country with
a foreign language and different
00:30:44.44\00:30:47.54
customs, it's
going to be even harder.
00:30:47.58\00:30:49.64
You've got to
start where you are."
00:30:49.68\00:30:51.75
And you know, this is
really what Jesus says.
00:30:51.78\00:30:53.72
You can read in Acts chapter 1,
verse 8, "But you will receive
00:30:53.75\00:30:57.75
power when the Holy Spirit has
come upon you, and you will be
00:30:57.79\00:30:59.85
My witnesses," notice the
sequence here, "in Jerusalem and
00:30:59.89\00:31:06.23
in all Judea, in Samaria,
and the ends of the earth."
00:31:06.26\00:31:10.87
Now, He starts in Jerusalem.
00:31:10.90\00:31:12.73
Where was the
Holy Spirit poured out?
00:31:12.77\00:31:14.57
In Jerusalem.
00:31:14.60\00:31:16.71
And then He said, "And Judea."
00:31:16.74\00:31:19.54
After you leave Jerusalem,
you're automatically in Judea,
00:31:19.57\00:31:21.81
that would mean
the neighborhood.
00:31:21.84\00:31:24.01
You start in your family, then
you go to the neighborhood and
00:31:24.05\00:31:27.55
your extended family.
00:31:27.58\00:31:30.12
And then He
said, "Then Samaria."
00:31:30.15\00:31:32.42
Well, they sometimes had
to work with the Samaritans.
00:31:32.45\00:31:34.89
They could understand the
language, but they considered
00:31:34.92\00:31:37.06
them pagans.
00:31:37.09\00:31:38.89
That'd maybe be
the workplace for you.
00:31:38.93\00:31:41.43
And then it says the
uttermost parts of the earth.
00:31:41.46\00:31:43.47
Now, it's interesting,
that creates sort of a sequence
00:31:43.50\00:31:45.63
for us.
00:31:45.67\00:31:47.27
You know, once you accept the
gospel, you would want to share
00:31:47.30\00:31:49.27
it with your spouse, your
children, your parents, your
00:31:49.30\00:31:51.97
sisters and
brothers, your family.
00:31:52.01\00:31:53.94
And I've seen a lot of people
that after they accepted Jesus,
00:31:53.98\00:31:55.91
they began to share
it with their family.
00:31:55.94\00:31:58.25
Sometimes, they're receptive,
and I've seen whole families
00:31:58.28\00:32:00.88
come in.
00:32:00.92\00:32:02.75
And then their neighbors, and
they go to their workplace, and
00:32:02.78\00:32:04.42
they might be sharing it with a
church of another denomination.
00:32:04.45\00:32:07.42
And then they'll say, "You
know, I'm feeling called to the
00:32:07.46\00:32:10.49
mission field."
00:32:10.53\00:32:12.23
At that point, then they
may go to the uttermost parts of
00:32:12.26\00:32:14.10
the earth.
00:32:14.10\00:32:15.96
You know, this is exactly what
happens in the book of Acts.
00:32:16.00\00:32:18.47
They start with the Holy
Spirit is poured out there in
00:32:18.50\00:32:20.87
Jerusalem, and then they begin
to preach in Judea, and then
00:32:20.90\00:32:24.84
they call the disciples to help
them 'cause the Holy Spirit was
00:32:24.87\00:32:27.48
poured out in Samaria.
00:32:27.51\00:32:29.68
And then it says the disciples
were scattered everywhere
00:32:29.71\00:32:31.88
preaching the Word, and
that's in Acts chapter 8.
00:32:31.91\00:32:34.65
And so, we want
that same sequence.
00:32:34.68\00:32:38.09
Jesus said Mark 5:19, after
Jesus saved the demoniac, he
00:32:38.12\00:32:41.26
said, "I want to come
with You in Your boat, You and
00:32:41.29\00:32:43.86
Your disciples."
00:32:43.89\00:32:45.86
And Jesus would not permit
it, but He said, "Go home to
00:32:45.89\00:32:48.43
your friends.
00:32:48.46\00:32:50.67
Tell them the great things the
Lord has done for you and how He
00:32:50.70\00:32:53.37
has had compassion for you."
00:32:53.40\00:32:55.57
Now, it's interesting here
in Mark 5, He says, "Go tell
00:32:55.60\00:32:58.71
your friends."
00:32:58.74\00:33:00.58
You read the same story in Luke
chapter 8, verse 39, He tells
00:33:00.61\00:33:03.28
the demoniac, "Go to your own
house and tell what great things
00:33:03.31\00:33:08.08
God has done for you."
00:33:08.12\00:33:10.22
So, you start in your home, then
you go and talk to your friends.
00:33:10.25\00:33:12.92
Start with those who are near.
00:33:12.95\00:33:14.76
Best place to use your gifts in
witnessing is do the work that
00:33:14.79\00:33:17.39
lies closest at hand.
00:33:17.43\00:33:19.69
Every day, we come in contact
with people that are in our
00:33:19.73\00:33:22.96
family, be witnesses
for them, our close friends.
00:33:23.00\00:33:27.54
Like I said, it might be a son,
a daughter, a spouse, parent,
00:33:27.57\00:33:30.87
grandparent, cousin.
00:33:30.91\00:33:34.21
And start in that circle.
00:33:34.24\00:33:35.98
Sometimes, they're the hardest
to reach, that's why it's a
00:33:36.01\00:33:37.88
great training ground.
00:33:37.91\00:33:39.65
Jesus said, "No prophet is
without honor except in his
00:33:39.68\00:33:41.68
own house."
00:33:41.72\00:33:43.89
And Jesus even had trouble
reaching His own brothers to
00:33:43.92\00:33:46.62
start with, but ultimately
they became believers.
00:33:46.65\00:33:51.16
So, begin where you are.
00:33:51.19\00:33:53.80
You can read in John 1, verse
40, "And one of the two who
00:33:53.83\00:33:58.10
heard John speak,
followed him, was Andrew, Simon
00:33:58.13\00:34:01.60
Peter's brother.
00:34:01.64\00:34:03.61
He first found his own brother."
00:34:03.64\00:34:05.84
That's the way to do it.
00:34:05.87\00:34:07.61
Simon said, "We've found the
Messiah," which is translated to
00:34:07.64\00:34:09.64
Christ, and he
brought him to Jesus.
00:34:09.68\00:34:12.68
Andrew's a great evangelist,
he begins by bringing his own
00:34:12.71\00:34:14.75
family to Christ.
00:34:14.78\00:34:17.05
You can see also this
continues, this expanding pool.
00:34:17.09\00:34:19.89
In John 6, verse 8, "Then one of
His disciples, Andrew, Simon's
00:34:19.92\00:34:25.93
brother, said to Him, 'There's
a lad here who has five barley
00:34:25.96\00:34:28.93
loaves and two small fish, but
what are they among so many?'"
00:34:28.96\00:34:34.74
Again, you got Andrew,
he's bringing people to Jesus.
00:34:34.77\00:34:38.57
How did Andrew know there was
a lad that only had five loaves
00:34:38.61\00:34:40.81
and two fish?
00:34:40.84\00:34:42.68
He was talking to
people big and small.
00:34:42.71\00:34:44.81
He was always making friends.
00:34:44.85\00:34:46.75
You know, you never see Andrew
standing on top of the roof
00:34:46.78\00:34:48.85
preaching like Peter, but
you always see Andrew kind of
00:34:48.88\00:34:52.95
networking, he's doing
more of the friendship sort
00:34:52.99\00:34:56.26
of evangelism.
00:34:56.29\00:34:58.26
And then you can read again
in John 12, verse 20, "Now there
00:34:58.29\00:35:03.83
were certain Greeks among
those who came to worship at
00:35:03.87\00:35:06.87
the feast.
00:35:06.90\00:35:08.87
And they came to Phillip, who
was from Bethsaida and Galilee,
00:35:08.90\00:35:11.01
and asked them saying,
'Sir, we would see Jesus.'"
00:35:11.04\00:35:14.01
Now, these are Greeks, these are
Greek believers in Jehovah, but
00:35:14.04\00:35:16.48
they'd like to know about Jesus.
00:35:16.51\00:35:18.41
And Phillip's not exactly sure
how to handle this, and so it
00:35:18.45\00:35:22.35
says, "Phillip
came and told Andrew.
00:35:22.38\00:35:25.15
He said, 'Andrew, you
know what to do about this one
00:35:25.19\00:35:27.82
on one evangelism.'
00:35:27.86\00:35:29.89
He told Andrew, and in turn
Andrew and Phillip told Jesus."
00:35:29.92\00:35:33.36
And they brought
these Greeks to Jesus.
00:35:33.40\00:35:36.06
Now, onto the next section, and
this is an interesting section,
00:35:36.10\00:35:41.80
I'm glad it's in the
lesson, it says dealing with
00:35:41.84\00:35:45.27
difficult people.
00:35:45.31\00:35:47.98
When you're sharing your faith
and you're making friends for
00:35:48.01\00:35:52.81
Jesus, and you're dealing
with different people in unique
00:35:52.85\00:35:56.38
situations, remember title
of our lesson is talking about
00:35:56.42\00:35:59.59
seeing Jesus--seeing
people through Jesus' eyes.
00:35:59.62\00:36:03.59
Sometimes, you're going to run
through people that you might
00:36:03.63\00:36:07.13
think they're not worth it.
00:36:07.20\00:36:10.10
I'm especially sensitive to that
because the first few times I
00:36:10.13\00:36:14.44
came to visit an Adventist
church, I had long hair and a
00:36:14.47\00:36:20.08
beard, and I was
really rough looking.
00:36:20.11\00:36:24.28
I think I was wearing
overalls with no shirt on.
00:36:24.31\00:36:27.45
This was Palm Springs,
it was pretty hot there.
00:36:27.48\00:36:30.55
And I had hiking boots on, and
I was pretty scruffy looking.
00:36:30.59\00:36:34.29
I literally had come out of the
hills, and I went into one of
00:36:34.32\00:36:38.96
the nicer churches in a very
expensive city, Palm Springs,
00:36:38.99\00:36:42.86
where the movie stars hung out.
00:36:42.90\00:36:45.43
And I could tell I made
a few people uncomfortable.
00:36:45.47\00:36:47.60
And I'll bet there's some people
there that thought, "Don't waste
00:36:47.64\00:36:50.14
your time, this fellow's on
drugs," or who knows what they
00:36:50.17\00:36:52.67
were thinking.
00:36:52.71\00:36:54.88
But I could just tell
that some people were a little
00:36:54.91\00:36:56.95
intimidated, or they stood off.
00:36:56.98\00:37:00.28
And they never would've guessed,
yes, the Lord can reach even him
00:37:00.32\00:37:03.72
and that he would
become a preacher someday.
00:37:03.75\00:37:07.19
And so, but I've
caught myself judging people.
00:37:07.22\00:37:12.29
And you've got to be
very careful not to do that.
00:37:12.33\00:37:14.20
I'll tell you a little
story, it actually condemns me.
00:37:14.20\00:37:17.13
Before the radio program,
sometimes I would stop, do a
00:37:17.17\00:37:22.20
live program, I used to--now, we
broadcast here in the building,
00:37:22.24\00:37:26.44
but used to broadcast
from a studio we rented in
00:37:26.47\00:37:29.01
downtown Sacramento.
00:37:29.04\00:37:31.18
And I had a regimen where every
Sunday night, I'd go eat lunch
00:37:31.21\00:37:33.85
with one of the men in the
church, give me a chance to just
00:37:33.88\00:37:36.99
bond with one of
the men in the church.
00:37:37.02\00:37:39.32
And this one evening there--for
whatever reason, I couldn't find
00:37:39.35\00:37:44.29
anybody, but I still thought,
"Well, I'm going to go to
00:37:44.33\00:37:46.73
Chipotle and eat a burrito,
and just meditate on the amazing
00:37:46.76\00:37:50.57
fact for that night's program."
00:37:50.60\00:37:54.00
And just before I walked into
the restaurant, I parked my car,
00:37:54.04\00:37:57.67
somebody walked up to
me and they panhandled me.
00:37:57.71\00:38:01.98
Now, I used to
panhandle all the time.
00:38:02.01\00:38:03.81
You ask people for spare change.
00:38:03.85\00:38:05.65
And sometimes I help
people, and sometimes I don't.
00:38:05.68\00:38:08.05
And this person came up and they
said, "Hey, could I have some
00:38:08.08\00:38:10.35
spare change?
00:38:10.39\00:38:11.92
I'm hungry, I'd like some food."
00:38:11.95\00:38:14.16
And I sized him up and
I thought, "I think he's
00:38:14.19\00:38:16.39
using drugs."
00:38:16.42\00:38:18.53
And I said, "No
thanks, not tonight."
00:38:18.56\00:38:20.96
And I went across the
street, and I sat down, I got
00:38:21.00\00:38:23.77
my burrito.
00:38:23.80\00:38:25.60
And I watched then from across
the street, he was in front of
00:38:25.63\00:38:27.34
a drugstore.
00:38:27.37\00:38:29.40
And he panhandled, and
somebody gave him some money.
00:38:29.44\00:38:32.17
And then I saw him walk to
another corner, and he bought
00:38:32.21\00:38:36.51
food, and he walked away.
00:38:36.54\00:38:38.91
He really was hungry, and I
judged him by his appearance and
00:38:38.95\00:38:41.85
thought, "No, he's
going to go buy beer.
00:38:41.88\00:38:44.19
He's going to buy drugs."
00:38:44.22\00:38:46.25
And I totally misjudged him.
00:38:46.29\00:38:48.16
And I felt so ashamed.
00:38:48.19\00:38:50.19
And I wonder how often
we sometimes misjudge people
00:38:50.23\00:38:52.63
because we're looking on
the outside and God looks in
00:38:52.66\00:38:55.23
the heart.
00:38:55.26\00:38:57.13
You know, there's an interesting
quote in the book "Desire of
00:38:57.17\00:38:59.70
Ages" page 258.
00:38:59.73\00:39:02.57
"None have fallen so low, none
are so vile but they can find
00:39:02.60\00:39:05.37
deliverance in Christ."
00:39:05.41\00:39:07.74
You know, Solomon tells
us, "Where there is life, there
00:39:07.78\00:39:10.95
is hope."
00:39:10.98\00:39:12.85
If you're going to err,
err on the side of showing
00:39:12.88\00:39:15.45
people mercy.
00:39:15.48\00:39:17.12
Believe that they're worthwhile.
00:39:17.15\00:39:19.42
So, how do you deal
with difficult people?
00:39:19.45\00:39:21.26
And you see, the lesson
does admit that some people are
00:39:21.29\00:39:23.19
difficult to deal with.
00:39:23.22\00:39:25.46
In 2 John verse 10 and 11, "If
anyone comes to you and does not
00:39:25.49\00:39:30.43
bring this doctrine, do not
receive him into your house nor
00:39:30.47\00:39:34.87
greet him, for he who greets
him shares in his evil deeds."
00:39:34.90\00:39:38.74
How do you do--how do you
deal with a verse like this if
00:39:38.77\00:39:41.41
someone doesn't
bring this doctrine?
00:39:41.44\00:39:44.01
Does that mean if a Buddhist
comes to your house and he
00:39:44.05\00:39:45.78
doesn't believe this
doctrine, don't receive him?
00:39:45.81\00:39:49.28
No, John is talking about people
who had been Christians that had
00:39:49.32\00:39:52.02
turned away and they
were now spreading heresy.
00:39:52.05\00:39:54.99
And they weren't going
to give up their faith.
00:39:55.02\00:39:57.53
He said, "Don't encourage them."
00:39:57.56\00:40:00.56
You know, Jesus makes another
statement, He talks about when
00:40:00.60\00:40:04.13
He sent the
disciples out preaching.
00:40:04.17\00:40:06.60
Look in Luke chapter 9, verse
5, "And whoever will not receive
00:40:06.63\00:40:10.04
you when you go out of that
city, shake off the very dust
00:40:10.07\00:40:13.11
from your feet as a
testimony against them."
00:40:13.14\00:40:16.44
I've not seen that very often.
00:40:16.48\00:40:18.51
You know, the Jehovah
Witnesses actually do that.
00:40:18.55\00:40:21.22
If they go to a home and maybe
they go up a street, and if
00:40:21.25\00:40:25.42
everybody on that street slams
the door and says, "We're just
00:40:25.45\00:40:27.92
not interested," they will
actually go through a ritual
00:40:27.96\00:40:30.29
where they will shake the dust
off their feet as they go off to
00:40:30.33\00:40:34.13
the next street, and taking
these words of Jesus literally.
00:40:34.20\00:40:37.20
When Christ said that, He's
talking about when you're going
00:40:37.23\00:40:42.04
to people who are believers
in Jehovah, these are people who
00:40:42.07\00:40:44.57
know, and you're
sharing that I'm the Messiah.
00:40:44.61\00:40:47.81
And if you're sharing the truth
and you're sharing the best, if
00:40:47.84\00:40:50.11
they say, "We reject it,"
it doesn't mean they can't be
00:40:50.15\00:40:55.22
saved, it means
don't wear yourself out.
00:40:55.25\00:40:58.45
You know, the Bible
says, "Do not cast your pearls
00:40:58.49\00:41:00.82
before swine."
00:41:00.86\00:41:02.79
What are those pearls?
00:41:02.82\00:41:04.83
He says, "Don't give that
which is holy to the dogs."
00:41:04.86\00:41:06.86
The dogs return to their
own vomit, or they'll turn and
00:41:06.90\00:41:08.43
rend you.
00:41:08.46\00:41:10.23
And the dogs--the pigs will
return to wallowing in the mire.
00:41:10.27\00:41:13.34
He said don't waste your time
with people who are not open.
00:41:13.37\00:41:17.51
And that's why He's saying,
"Shake the dust off your feet.
00:41:17.54\00:41:20.28
Don't go back to that town.
00:41:20.31\00:41:22.74
Go somewhere
where it's productive."
00:41:22.78\00:41:24.71
See, Jesus said this when He
said, "If they persecute you in
00:41:24.75\00:41:26.98
one city, flee unto another."
00:41:27.02\00:41:29.75
Said, "Don't just stay there
and get persecuted, go somewhere
00:41:29.78\00:41:31.99
where they're open."
00:41:32.02\00:41:33.96
I know a successful businessman
and when he does evangelism, he
00:41:33.99\00:41:37.46
goes places where
they're baptizing thousands.
00:41:37.49\00:41:40.16
And someone said to him, "Well,
why don't you go to the places
00:41:40.20\00:41:43.16
where nobody's going?
00:41:43.20\00:41:44.97
Why don't you go to, you know,
places where the gospel's hard?"
00:41:45.00\00:41:47.20
And he says, "Look, I like to go
where the customers are buying."
00:41:47.24\00:41:50.04
That's a good practice.
00:41:50.07\00:41:51.81
He says, 'If you're going and
you're reaching nobody, well, go
00:41:51.84\00:41:55.18
somewhere where you
can reach somebody."
00:41:55.21\00:41:57.41
Now, having said that, I am glad
for missionaries who have the
00:41:57.45\00:42:01.95
long-term vision that go to
towns and villages where it's
00:42:01.98\00:42:05.49
very hard, and they've got the
long plan, and they settle down,
00:42:05.52\00:42:08.62
and they make friends, and
they start to plant churches.
00:42:08.66\00:42:11.26
And they realize they're
working in a difficult area.
00:42:11.29\00:42:14.86
But for evangelists, it's often,
you know, if you're going to
00:42:14.93\00:42:17.73
preach and you're going to
try to reach as many as you can,
00:42:17.77\00:42:19.73
then those people end up going
out, and you can multiply and
00:42:19.77\00:42:22.37
grow things exponentially.
00:42:22.40\00:42:24.74
Another thing about difficult
people, don't waste your time
00:42:24.77\00:42:29.18
with people that want to
just argue theology with you.
00:42:29.21\00:42:32.05
They're never getting anywhere,
never learning, never able to
00:42:32.08\00:42:34.25
come to a
knowledge of the truth.
00:42:34.28\00:42:36.48
2 Timothy 2, verse 23,
"But avoid foolish and ignorant
00:42:36.52\00:42:40.62
disputes, knowing
they generate strife."
00:42:40.66\00:42:44.96
You know, I know churches that
have gotten--argued about so
00:42:44.99\00:42:48.60
many things, and I've
seen churches get divided.
00:42:48.63\00:42:50.93
I remember hearing a story
by the Baptist preacher Adrian
00:42:50.97\00:42:55.00
Rodgers, he was talking about
a church that he knew one time
00:42:55.04\00:42:58.67
that became divided
over the American flag.
00:42:58.71\00:43:02.51
They had an American flag in the
church, and someone said, "That
00:43:02.54\00:43:05.38
looks like you're putting
the country ahead of God."
00:43:05.41\00:43:09.12
Someone said, "Well, let's put a
Christian flag on the other side
00:43:09.15\00:43:11.75
of the stage."
00:43:11.79\00:43:13.79
And so, they put a Christian
flag, they said, "Well, nowhere
00:43:13.82\00:43:15.82
in the Bible does it say you
should have a Christian flag.
00:43:15.86\00:43:17.73
And if you're going to have the
Christian flag, you should not
00:43:17.76\00:43:20.46
have the American flag and the
Christian flag on the same level
00:43:20.50\00:43:22.30
because that looks like we're
putting them on the even part."
00:43:22.33\00:43:25.40
So, they put the Christian
flag up a little higher.
00:43:25.43\00:43:27.64
Then that made some people
mad and they said, "You know,
00:43:27.67\00:43:29.80
according to the United States,
no flag is to rise higher in the
00:43:29.84\00:43:32.71
United States than
the American flag."
00:43:32.74\00:43:35.01
And so they said, "Well, let's
put them on the same level and
00:43:35.04\00:43:37.71
just put a piece of paper
underneath the Christian flag so
00:43:37.75\00:43:41.68
you'll know that
it's a little higher."
00:43:41.72\00:43:44.95
And he said they went round
and round, and several people
00:43:44.99\00:43:47.16
actually left the church
over arguing about the flags.
00:43:47.19\00:43:50.36
And they were totally
missing the point of the truth.
00:43:50.39\00:43:53.83
And so, you know, the
Bible tells us to avoid the
00:43:53.86\00:43:57.00
vain disputes.
00:43:57.03\00:43:59.07
Sometimes, we major in minors.
00:43:59.10\00:44:01.57
Someone once said, "The main
thing is to keep the main thing
00:44:01.60\00:44:03.87
the main thing in
dealing with difficult people."
00:44:03.91\00:44:06.94
You know, and
sometimes people are difficult.
00:44:06.98\00:44:09.91
They don't mean to be,
they're just challenging.
00:44:09.94\00:44:12.45
I was pastoring at this
one church where, you know, I'm
00:44:12.48\00:44:16.05
trying to do evangelism,
we've got a lot of people coming
00:44:16.08\00:44:18.59
every week.
00:44:18.62\00:44:20.46
I want to be at the door shaking
hands, meeting the visitors,
00:44:20.49\00:44:22.16
talking with them, trying
to get them into Bible studies.
00:44:22.19\00:44:24.36
And I had this one member, I'm
not even sure he was a member.
00:44:24.39\00:44:28.46
I don't think he was,
actually, but he came for years.
00:44:28.50\00:44:30.67
He would always be the first one
to the door, and then he would
00:44:30.70\00:44:32.87
monopolize my time
with silly questions.
00:44:32.90\00:44:36.94
And sometimes, he'd ask the
same question week after week.
00:44:36.97\00:44:39.77
And I knew the Lord loves him,
he loves everybody, but this
00:44:39.81\00:44:42.24
fellow was just
taking away my time.
00:44:42.28\00:44:45.91
And I used to have to pray
about, "Lord, what would you do
00:44:45.95\00:44:47.68
about this?"
00:44:47.72\00:44:49.32
Would Jesus be rude and say,
"Look, don't talk to Me now"?
00:44:49.35\00:44:51.05
And finally, I developed
an understanding with him.
00:44:51.09\00:44:53.32
I said, "Look, I want to talk to
you, but I need to talk to the
00:44:53.36\00:44:55.36
visitors first.
00:44:55.39\00:44:57.63
And so, can you do me a favor?
00:44:57.66\00:44:59.39
If you could wait there and
when I'm doing talking to the
00:44:59.43\00:45:01.40
visitors, I'll nod to you, you
can come over and you can ask
00:45:01.43\00:45:03.73
your weekly question."
00:45:03.77\00:45:05.77
I finally told him, "You
get one question a week."
00:45:05.80\00:45:09.17
And that
was--that seemed to work.
00:45:09.20\00:45:11.97
So, you know, you just need to
pray for wisdom so you can show
00:45:12.01\00:45:14.88
people love, and yet you
don't want the wrong people to
00:45:14.91\00:45:18.58
distract you with disputes or
monopolize your time so that you
00:45:18.61\00:45:22.32
can't be giving Bible studies to
people that will make progress.
00:45:22.35\00:45:25.89
If you've gone through the 27
Bible studies with somebody and
00:45:25.92\00:45:29.49
they still haven't made
this decision, maybe go through
00:45:29.52\00:45:31.86
another series of lessons.
00:45:31.89\00:45:34.20
But I know some Bible workers
that have been studying the
00:45:34.23\00:45:36.46
Bible with people for five
years, and you may want to move
00:45:36.50\00:45:38.90
on to more fruitful
territory after a while.
00:45:38.93\00:45:42.20
So, then finally, sensing
the providential openings.
00:45:42.24\00:45:48.21
You know, God will
providentially give us openings.
00:45:48.24\00:45:51.15
In 2 Corinthians 2, verse 12
and 13, Paul says, "Furthermore,
00:45:51.18\00:45:57.22
when I came to Troas to preach
Christ's gospel and a door was
00:45:57.25\00:46:01.16
opened to me by the Lord."
00:46:01.19\00:46:03.19
Paul sensed the
door of opportunity.
00:46:03.22\00:46:05.33
"I had no rest in my spirit
because I did not find Titus
00:46:05.36\00:46:07.50
my brother.
00:46:07.50\00:46:09.30
But taking my leave of them,
I departed from Macedonia."
00:46:09.33\00:46:12.57
Paul might be referring to that
vision where while he was in
00:46:12.60\00:46:15.14
Troas and he was praying about
what to do next, then he saw a
00:46:15.17\00:46:18.51
man saying, "Come over
to Macedonia and help us."
00:46:18.54\00:46:22.98
And when he inquired, it
looked like Macedonia was open.
00:46:23.01\00:46:26.11
The Holy Spirit prevented
them from going other places.
00:46:26.15\00:46:28.45
So, look for those providential
openings to do evangelism.
00:46:28.48\00:46:32.59
And you know, one reason that
we've got this new church here
00:46:32.62\00:46:35.66
now in Granite Bay, as
Sacramento Central began to grow
00:46:35.69\00:46:39.23
and we saw that we needed to
plant a new church, it was just
00:46:39.26\00:46:43.13
growing where we just had
no room left, and we could not
00:46:43.16\00:46:45.90
build on.
00:46:45.93\00:46:47.94
We prayed.
00:46:47.97\00:46:50.04
And we tried to open a church
here and tried to open a church
00:46:50.07\00:46:51.87
there, and the doors
just all seemed to close.
00:46:51.91\00:46:53.94
And finally, someone said,
"Well, you know, there is no
00:46:53.98\00:46:55.94
Adventist
Church in Granite Bay."
00:46:55.98\00:46:58.58
And we did a little research and
we said, "You know, God is just
00:46:58.61\00:47:01.58
opening this door."
00:47:01.62\00:47:04.22
And now, here we are a few years
later, and what started with a
00:47:04.25\00:47:06.32
group of 12 people has
now grown into 700 members.
00:47:06.35\00:47:09.72
God clearly was providentially
opening a door, and we had to
00:47:09.76\00:47:13.80
look for his opening.
00:47:13.83\00:47:16.13
Sometimes, you knock on doors
that are closed, and then you
00:47:16.16\00:47:18.37
say, "Ah, the Lord is opening
the door this way," and you need
00:47:18.40\00:47:21.67
to pray to recognize
those openings as well.
00:47:21.70\00:47:24.44
Acts chapter 8, verse 26,
"The angel of the Lord spoke to
00:47:24.47\00:47:29.28
Phillip, saying, 'Arise and go
down towards the south along the
00:47:29.31\00:47:32.55
road that goes from
Jerusalem to Gaza.'"
00:47:32.58\00:47:35.65
This is desert.
00:47:35.68\00:47:37.39
"So, he arose and he went.
00:47:37.42\00:47:39.19
And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a
eunuch of great authority under
00:47:39.22\00:47:42.09
Candace the queen of the
Ethiopians, who are charged of
00:47:42.12\00:47:45.56
her treasury, he had
come to Jerusalem to worship."
00:47:45.59\00:47:48.73
And here's this man reading from
the prophecy of Isaiah, and he's
00:47:48.76\00:47:51.93
reading out loud from the
prophecy in Isaiah chapter 53,
00:47:51.97\00:47:55.30
where it's talking
specifically about the Messiah.
00:47:55.34\00:47:59.77
And Phillip knows exactly what
he's reading, he said, "Do you
00:47:59.81\00:48:03.14
understand what you're reading?"
00:48:03.18\00:48:05.41
"Well, how can I except
some man explain it to me?"
00:48:05.45\00:48:08.02
Now, that's a
providential opening.
00:48:08.05\00:48:10.32
Then he hops up in the chariot,
leads him to Christ, and then
00:48:10.35\00:48:12.62
baptized him.
00:48:12.65\00:48:14.66
So, it was the Lord that led him
down there to the desert of Gaza
00:48:14.69\00:48:17.29
and to give that Bible study.
00:48:17.33\00:48:20.40
Paul was going through the
streets of Athens, and you can
00:48:20.43\00:48:24.13
read about this in Acts 17:16.
00:48:24.17\00:48:26.67
And he's there waiting, and
while he's there, he notices
00:48:26.70\00:48:29.40
that they've got an
idol to the unknown god.
00:48:29.44\00:48:31.94
And so, pretty soon the people
hear about Paul's preaching
00:48:31.97\00:48:36.48
about the resurrection, they
bring him into the big theatre
00:48:36.51\00:48:38.71
there in Athens.
00:48:38.75\00:48:40.95
And he's looking for an
opportunity to talk to them
00:48:40.98\00:48:43.79
about Jesus, and he
thinks, "Oh, how do I do this?
00:48:43.82\00:48:46.72
These guys are idolaters.
00:48:46.76\00:48:48.79
I did see that pedestal that was
dedicated to the unknown god.
00:48:48.82\00:48:52.26
And since that's an unknown god,
I don't know how I can offend
00:48:52.29\00:48:56.70
them by talking to them and
saying, I'm going to introduce
00:48:56.73\00:48:58.53
you to that
unknown god, that's Jesus."
00:48:58.57\00:49:00.94
So, Paul saw a providential
opening to take their own
00:49:00.97\00:49:03.74
religion and talk
to them about the Lord.
00:49:03.77\00:49:07.18
And he said, "Two--"
00:49:07.21\00:49:09.08
He said, "I found an altar to
the unknown god, therefore the
00:49:09.11\00:49:11.75
one whom you worship without
knowing, him I proclaim to you."
00:49:11.78\00:49:15.98
He was a master at
recognizing these openings.
00:49:16.02\00:49:18.99
Paul would--they'd be trying to
kill him, he'd preach from the
00:49:19.02\00:49:21.09
steps of the temple when
the mob was trying to kill him.
00:49:21.12\00:49:24.69
Friends, we've run out
of time for the lesson.
00:49:24.73\00:49:27.40
I want to mention
again we have a free offer.
00:49:27.46\00:49:30.07
If you'd like this Bible
study, simply call 866-788-3966,
00:49:30.10\00:49:36.04
wonderful book on faith called
"Who Do You Think You Are?"
00:49:36.07\00:49:39.51
We'll send it to
you for free if you ask.
00:49:39.54\00:49:41.51
God bless, we'll study His
Word together again next week.
00:49:41.54\00:49:43.01
male announcer: Don't forget
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40544, or visit the web address
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And be sure to select the
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It's now easier than ever
for you to study God's Word with
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"Amazing Facts" wherever
and whenever you want, and most
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important to
share it with others.
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announcer: Amazing
Facts, changed lives.
00:50:25.59\00:50:31.36
male: I come from
a Hindu background.
00:50:34.10\00:50:35.73
My mom is a preacher for
Shiva, who is a Hindu god.
00:50:35.76\00:50:38.33
My father is agnostic kind,
so me myself, I grew like as
00:50:38.37\00:50:41.94
an atheist.
00:50:41.97\00:50:44.41
In the year 2007, I had
an experience of being in
00:50:44.44\00:50:47.94
South India.
00:50:47.98\00:50:50.05
That was the first time I
experienced Christian people,
00:50:50.08\00:50:52.68
you know?
00:50:52.71\00:50:54.72
The majorities
were Christians there.
00:50:54.75\00:50:56.89
There were some Adventist youth
who invited me to be a part of
00:50:56.92\00:50:59.92
one of their midweek service.
00:50:59.95\00:51:02.96
They were presenting a video
of Pastor Doug Batchelor, "The
00:51:02.99\00:51:08.06
Richest Caveman."
00:51:08.10\00:51:10.53
I was moved, you know?
00:51:10.57\00:51:12.57
I do understand good and bad,
and I pictured myself into the
00:51:12.60\00:51:14.67
bad category than the good one.
00:51:14.70\00:51:17.14
I started experiencing
several dreams and which started
00:51:17.17\00:51:21.51
troubling me.
00:51:21.54\00:51:23.48
And you know, I kept
the website in my mind.
00:51:23.51\00:51:26.08
I went to the Internet cafe and
started browsing the website of
00:51:26.11\00:51:29.78
Amazing Facts.
00:51:29.82\00:51:31.92
And then I saw the
Bible study guide there.
00:51:31.95\00:51:34.76
Every day, I started taking
one of the lesson, and I was
00:51:34.79\00:51:38.29
baptized 2007.
00:51:38.33\00:51:41.06
After my conversion, I
straightly came to Spicer to do
00:51:41.10\00:51:44.40
my studies.
00:51:44.43\00:51:46.67
During the summer vacation, I
decided to go back home and give
00:51:46.70\00:51:49.10
my mom and my father a visit.
00:51:49.14\00:51:51.21
By that time, they knew that I
have converted to Christianity.
00:51:51.24\00:51:53.34
I was thrown out of the house.
00:51:53.38\00:51:55.61
We are not in good terms even
today, but sad part for them,
00:51:55.64\00:51:58.21
not for me.
00:51:58.25\00:52:00.35
During 2015, I was
diagnosed with leukemia.
00:52:00.38\00:52:07.36
I had only one professor and one
friend who was coming along with
00:52:07.39\00:52:11.39
me to the hospital every day.
00:52:11.43\00:52:14.20
When I asked this assistant
doctor what do you think is the
00:52:14.23\00:52:18.30
life span of a person like me,
then she said, "You'll be losing
00:52:18.33\00:52:20.94
weight, and you'll get sick
slowly, slowly if you don't go
00:52:20.97\00:52:24.27
for a treatment."
00:52:24.31\00:52:26.47
So, a year plus, one night I
decided--it was January 2015.
00:52:26.51\00:52:30.95
I said, "I am not going
for any treatment anymore."
00:52:30.98\00:52:35.22
I said, "Lord, you gave me one
year, so what I'll do is I'll
00:52:35.25\00:52:39.25
just do your
ministry, and that's okay."
00:52:39.29\00:52:43.36
And I never went for
any treatment after that.
00:52:43.39\00:52:46.33
I just left
everything right away there.
00:52:46.36\00:52:48.63
I didn't take even
one tablet, one medicine.
00:52:48.66\00:52:51.40
I'm standing in front
of you strong in 2018.
00:52:51.43\00:52:56.14
Nothing happened, I
don't know what happened.
00:52:56.17\00:52:58.74
I don't know--I don't know if
still there in my body or what,
00:52:58.77\00:53:01.68
I don't know.
00:53:01.71\00:53:03.75
I'm not dead yet.
00:53:03.78\00:53:06.11
I want to serve in India.
00:53:06.15\00:53:08.58
"Amazing Facts" team, especially
Pastor Doug, has really played a
00:53:08.62\00:53:11.99
very important element in
my life to give me an identity.
00:53:12.02\00:53:18.79
¤¤¤
00:53:18.83\00:53:25.70
¤¤¤
00:53:29.04\00:53:36.24
Doug: What can be more
irresistible than a kitten?
00:53:39.48\00:53:41.82
These guys might look cute now,
but some of their ancestors have
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grown into man eaters.
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We're here in a lion park in
South Africa now, where we can
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view these creatures in relative
safety, but there's a reason
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they're known as
the king of beasts.
00:53:56.50\00:53:59.10
So, what is it that people find
so enchanting and frightening
00:53:59.13\00:54:01.90
about lions?
00:54:01.94\00:54:03.94
Is it their speed, their claws,
their sharp teeth, or all of
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the above?
00:54:06.51\00:54:08.58
Might also be some of the
stories about man eating lions,
00:54:08.61\00:54:11.08
like in 1898 right here in
Africa, they were building a
00:54:11.11\00:54:14.92
bridge over the Tsavo River
in Kenya, and two brother lions
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terrorized the construction
process, eating 135 workers.
00:54:18.45\00:54:24.26
Did you know lions are mentioned
in the Bible over 100 times?
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And you can find them all the
way from Genesis to Revelation.
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It's usually in reference to
their ferocity and how dangerous
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they are.
00:54:35.50\00:54:37.67
Of course, Samson killed
a lion with his bare hands.
00:54:37.71\00:54:39.94
David killed a lion.
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There are man
eating lions in the Bible.
00:54:42.14\00:54:43.85
The way that they punished
criminals was by throwing them
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in the lion's den.
00:54:45.71\00:54:47.55
And early Christians
were even fed to lions.
00:54:47.58\00:54:49.65
But amazingly, as the Bible
mentions, not all lions are to
00:54:49.68\00:54:52.69
be feared.
00:54:52.72\00:54:54.56
There have been a few
friendly lions in history.
00:54:54.59\00:54:56.99
For example, in the 1950s,
a couple, George and Margaret
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Westbeau, who lived up at a
ranch near Seattle, Washington,
00:55:00.93\00:55:04.23
adopted an abandoned lion cub.
00:55:04.27\00:55:08.07
They named it Little Tyke
'cause they felt sorry for it.
00:55:08.10\00:55:10.47
But they discovered as they
tried to feed her, she refused
00:55:10.51\00:55:14.01
to eat any meat at all.
00:55:14.04\00:55:16.81
They were concerned, thinking
there was no hope for this
00:55:16.85\00:55:18.95
little lioness to survive,
and everybody told them the same
00:55:18.98\00:55:21.75
because we know in the
wild, lions survive on almost an
00:55:21.78\00:55:25.42
entirely meat diet.
00:55:25.45\00:55:27.86
Then someone showed the Westbeau
that verse in the Bible that
00:55:27.89\00:55:30.09
talks about in heaven, the
animals are vegetarians, and the
00:55:30.13\00:55:33.76
lion will eat straw like the ox.
00:55:33.80\00:55:36.93
That encouraged them, and so
they began to feed Little Tyke a
00:55:36.97\00:55:40.24
purely vegetarian diet.
00:55:40.27\00:55:42.67
Not only did she survive,
she thrived, growing into a lion
00:55:42.70\00:55:46.24
that was over 352
pounds and over 10 feet long.
00:55:46.27\00:55:51.31
In fact, zoologists that
examined Little Tyke when she
00:55:51.35\00:55:54.15
was full grown said they
have never seen such a perfect
00:55:54.18\00:55:57.45
specimen of a lioness in
their life, a pure vegetarian.
00:55:57.49\00:56:01.39
You know, when we hear
incredible stories about that of
00:56:01.42\00:56:04.36
Little Tyke, it reminds us that
God's original plan was to make
00:56:04.39\00:56:07.96
a world of total peace.
00:56:07.96\00:56:10.50
It describes it here in
the Bible in Isaiah chapter 11,
00:56:10.53\00:56:13.34
verse 6, "The wolf also will
dwell with the lamb, the leopard
00:56:13.37\00:56:17.27
will lie down with the young
goat, the calf and the young
00:56:17.31\00:56:20.48
lion and the fatling together.
00:56:20.51\00:56:22.81
And a little
child will lead them."
00:56:22.84\00:56:25.01
Nothing is going to hurt and
destroy in the new heavens and
00:56:25.05\00:56:27.78
the new earth that
God is going to create.
00:56:27.82\00:56:29.55
Wouldn't you like to live in
a kingdom where there's perfect
00:56:29.58\00:56:31.65
peace, where there's no
more death or killing or pain?
00:56:31.69\00:56:34.76
God says that He
wants you in that kingdom.
00:56:34.79\00:56:37.33
The Lamb of God made it possible
for you to have an encounter
00:56:37.36\00:56:41.23
with the Lion of
the tribe of Judah.
00:56:41.26\00:56:43.83
Wouldn't you like
to meet Him today?
00:56:43.87\00:56:45.60
¤¤¤
00:56:45.63\00:56:52.37
male announcer: Go into all the
world and preach the gospel to
00:56:54.08\00:56:56.48
every creature.
00:56:56.51\00:56:59.21
Through radio, television,
print, evangelistic events, and
00:56:59.25\00:57:01.92
the Internet, Amazing Facts
International is heeding the
00:57:01.95\00:57:04.75
call of Jesus to
go into all the world.
00:57:04.79\00:57:08.32
Millions of individuals in over
150 countries have been blessed
00:57:08.36\00:57:12.13
by the Word of God.
00:57:12.16\00:57:14.30
"Amazing Facts" has spawned new
spheres of influence in India,
00:57:14.36\00:57:17.13
Africa, China, and Indonesia.
00:57:17.17\00:57:19.83
With each new country come
hundreds of translated booklets,
00:57:19.87\00:57:23.17
study guides, and video
presentations produced in each
00:57:23.20\00:57:25.81
region for the
people of that region.
00:57:25.84\00:57:28.08
Armed with these precious
truths, gospel workers are
00:57:28.11\00:57:30.98
empowered to spread bright
rays of light on every path
00:57:31.01\00:57:34.62
they travel.
00:57:34.65\00:57:37.62
Please visit
reachtheworld.amazingfacts.org
00:57:37.65\00:57:39.89
to learn more about Amazing
Facts International and how you
00:57:39.92\00:57:42.79
can participate in this
excited soul-winning ministry.
00:57:42.82\00:57:45.93
That website again is
reachtheworld.amazingfacts.org.
00:57:45.96\00:57:50.67
Thank you for your support.
00:57:50.70\00:57:52.83
¤¤¤
00:57:56.81\00:58:05.68