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Doug Batchelor: Hi friends,
want to welcome you to our
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"Sabbath School Study Hour."
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And it is such a joy to be able
to come together with you each
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week like this, and especially
now during this global pandemic.
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We've just seen
that our online students,
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the number of them has gone
through the roof, if you will.
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And it's just a wonderful
opportunity to be able to gather
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with you, and you might be
watching this lesson on the day
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it is presented 'cause
we are streaming this live,
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on one of the
various satellite networks,
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or on Facebook, or
YouTube, or one of the
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other delivery platforms.
00:01:07.86\00:01:09.83
You may be watching it the
same day the rest of the country
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normally studies the lesson,
after it's been edited and
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added the closed captioning.
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But whatever the
format or the time,
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we're just so thankful that we
can come together with you and
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study the Word of God.
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And it is a blessing.
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You know, today's sort of
special because we're coming to
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the end of our quarter that
we've been dealing with on the
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subject of
making friends for God,
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and sharing your
faith, and witnessing.
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And we do have a free
offer we want to tell you about,
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and that offer is a book
written by yours truly called
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"12 Steps to Revival."
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We all know that
before the Lord comes,
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God's people earnestly
need to experience revival.
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We need to return to
the faith that was once
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delivered to the saints.
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And as you go through this book,
it'll give you some of the keys
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so you can
experience a personal revival.
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And if followed, we
think it'll bleed out into
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the churches as well.
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It is free for you.
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If you'd like a
copy of this book,
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you can simply call the number
866 if you're in North America,
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866-788-3966.
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That's 866-STUDY-MORE,
and you can get it,
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you can download it by texting,
and this would be I suppose
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anywhere in the world you
can go online and download this,
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text "SH001" to 40544
and get your copy of the book
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"12 Steps to Revival."
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Don't just get it, then read it,
and you might even pass the link
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onto your friends and they will
also be blessed in turn as well.
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Well, you know, before we get
into our lesson study for today,
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I think we're going to
be blessed right now by some
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special music by
one of our members here,
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Emma Quedzuweit.
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¤ I need thee every hour, ¤
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¤ most gracious Lord. ¤
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¤ No tender voice like
thine can peace afford. ¤
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¤ I need thee, O I need thee. ¤
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¤ Every hour I need thee. ¤
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¤ O bless me now, my
Savior, I come unto thee. ¤
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¤ I need thee every
hour, stay thou nearby. ¤
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¤ Temptations lose their ¤
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¤ power when thou art nigh. ¤
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¤ I need thee, O I need thee. ¤
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¤ Every hour I need thee. ¤
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¤ O bless me now, my Savior, ¤
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¤ I come to thee. ¤
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¤ I need thee every
hour, in joy or pain. ¤
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¤ Come quickly and
abide, or life is vain. ¤
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¤ I need thee, O I need thee. ¤
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¤ Every hour I need thee. ¤
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¤ O bless me now, my Savior, ¤
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¤ I come to thee. ¤
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¤ I need thee every
hour, teach me thy will, ¤
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¤ and thy rich
promises in me fulfill. ¤
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¤ I need thee, O I need thee. ¤
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¤ Every hour I need thee. ¤
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¤ O bless me now, my Savior, ¤
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¤ I come to thee. ¤¤
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Doug: Thank you, Emma.
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I need thee every hour.
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She has such a beautiful voice.
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By the way, Emma is the daughter
of one of our pastors here at
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Granite Bay, we call him "Pastor
John Q" 'cause some people can't
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say Quedzuweit.
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And his wife Cathy, and
just so glad she's sharing
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her gifts with us.
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You know, before we
dive into the lesson,
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and that's our last lesson
in the quarterly talking about
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making friends for God, thought
we'd give you a little preview
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of what's coming up.
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So, for our next quarter,
we're going to be studying the
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subject of education.
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All of life is about education.
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And so, about the importance
of getting that knowledge and an
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education that not only
benefits us here in this life,
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but education that you actually
take with you from this life
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on into eternity.
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And so, very important study.
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By the way, you can
go to the Sabbath School
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study guides online.
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And usually once
the studies begin,
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they post the lesson so you can
actually download them from week
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to week, study
them right online.
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Or if you're in an area
where you have a neighborhood
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Seventh-day Adventist Church,
we invite you to go there,
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ask them for a copy.
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And some of you are not where
you have a local Seventh-day
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Adventist Church.
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We have a number of people
who are watching right now,
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you are part of the
online Granite Bay membership.
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We want to welcome you as
well, and it's so exciting.
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We hear people that are way
out in the outback of Australia,
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or they're up in
the Yukon of Canada,
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and there's no local church, but
they do have satellite internet.
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And so, they are some
of our online members.
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If you're in that group
where you do not have a local
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Adventist church
that you can attend,
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you'd like to know, "How do I
become part of the Granite Bay
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Hilltop
Seventh-day Adventist Church?"
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then you can just go
to granitebaysda.org.
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Say, "What do I do to become
one of your online members?"
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And we'd love to
welcome you as a family and like
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to be your pastor.
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If you don't have
anywhere you can attend,
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then do that.
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All right, well, we're
going to get into our lesson.
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The lesson today is the last
in our quarter on making friends
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with God, it's lesson
number 13, and the subject is
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"A Step in Faith."
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Now, we have a memory verse.
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Memory verse comes through
us from Philippians chapter 2,
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verse 5 to 7, one of the
great passages in the Bible.
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"Let this mind be in you."
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He says, "Let it be
in you," welcome it.
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"Which was also in Christ Jesus,
who being the form of God,
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being in the form of God, did
not consider it robbery to be
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equal with God, but He
made Himself of no reputation,
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taking the form of a
bondservant and coming in the
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likeness of men."
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Christ laid aside His divinity
when He came into this world.
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People wonder sometimes
when Jesus said in Matthew 24,
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speaking of the Second Coming,
"No man knows the day or the
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hour, not even the Son, but
the Father only," they thought,
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"How could Jesus be God
the Son and not know all things
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including the
date of His return?"
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Well, when Christ was on earth,
as it says here in Philippians,
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He laid aside His divinity.
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He made Himself
of no reputation.
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He came in the form of a man.
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And when Jesus was a
baby, He did not have all of the
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knowledge of the Library
of Congress swirling around
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in His head.
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He had to learn
to walk, and talk,
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and eat just
like other children.
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And the only way that He had
supernatural enlightenment is
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the way that you and I have
it as revealed from the Father
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in the Spirit.
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So, He lived as a man among man,
guided and Spirit-filled to show
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us how to live.
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You know, there's a beautiful
quote as we enter into the
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lesson, and it's from
the book "Desire of Ages."
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By the way, it's page 131.
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I'd like to share that with you.
00:10:02.40\00:10:04.27
"Never can the cost of our
redemption be realized until
00:10:04.30\00:10:07.64
the redeemed shall
stand with the redeemer
00:10:07.67\00:10:11.14
before the throne of God.
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Then as the glories of the
eternal home burst upon our
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enraptured senses, we shall
remember that Jesus left all of
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this for us, that He not
only became an exile from the
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heavenly courts, but for us
He took the risk of failure and
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eternal loss when
He came to this world.
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There were times He was tempted
to believe that He would not
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succeed, that He
could lose it all.
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He took that risk
of eternal failure.
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Then we will cast our crowns
at His feet and raise the song,
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'Worthy is the Lamb that
was slain to receive power
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in riches, and
wisdom, and strength,
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and honor, and
glory, and blessing.'"
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Quoting there from
Revelation 5, verse 12.
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Once we get to heaven, we will
understand the sacrifice and the
00:10:56.08\00:11:01.79
commitment that Jesus made,
when we see all the glories.
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Right now, we don't
appreciate what it was for Him,
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the condescension of Christ to
leave the glories of heaven and
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come to our world to save us.
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And we'll probably wish at
that point that we had served
00:11:14.34\00:11:16.37
Him better here in this life.
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Now, being a Christian
requires a total commitment.
00:11:19.21\00:11:24.15
Jesus said that, "Whoever's
going to come after Me
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must deny himself
daily, take up his cross."
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Cross meant you are
crucified with Christ,
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that you are to deny yourself,
that we're to all pray that
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prayer that Jesus prayed
in the garden of Gethsemane,
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"Lord, not my will,
but thy will be done."
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And that's the biggest battle
that anybody really faces,
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it's a total consecration.
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You've probably heard that story
before about the chicken and the
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pig on the farm,
obviously a parable.
00:11:55.14\00:11:58.85
And they were
talking to each other,
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and the chicken said
to the pig, "You know,
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that farmer has
been so good to us,
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he feeds us so well."
00:12:05.69\00:12:07.39
And the pig says,
"You know, you're right."
00:12:07.42\00:12:08.89
He says, "Every
day like clockwork,
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he feeds us until
we can't eat anymore.
00:12:10.26\00:12:11.59
He's been so good."
00:12:11.63\00:12:13.03
And the chicken says, "We
ought to do something nice
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for the farmer."
00:12:15.33\00:12:17.23
And the pig said, "Well,
what do you have in mind?"
00:12:17.27\00:12:19.40
He said, "I think he'd
really appreciate it if we would
00:12:19.43\00:12:22.27
provide for him a
bacon and eggs breakfast."
00:12:22.30\00:12:27.78
And the pig thought about
that for a minute and he said,
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"Well, for you,
that's a contribution.
00:12:30.35\00:12:33.88
But for me, it's
total commitment."
00:12:33.92\00:12:36.45
And that's what it
means to be a Christian.
00:12:36.48\00:12:38.89
We put our lives on the
line, it is a total commitment.
00:12:38.92\00:12:42.29
So, the love that Jesus
offers us the Bible tells us
00:12:42.32\00:12:46.56
is a self-sacrificing love.
00:12:46.59\00:12:48.50
And you can also read
there in Philippians chapter 2,
00:12:48.53\00:12:52.27
verse 5, I'm going to read
a little farther this time.
00:12:52.30\00:12:54.00
And it says, "Let this mind be
in you which was also in Christ
00:12:54.04\00:12:58.11
Jesus, who being in the form of
God did not consider it robbery
00:12:58.14\00:13:03.08
to be equal with God, but
made Himself of no reputation,
00:13:03.11\00:13:06.41
taking the form
of a bondservant."
00:13:06.45\00:13:09.02
He came as a servant.
00:13:09.05\00:13:10.72
He said, "I'm
your Lord and Master,
00:13:10.75\00:13:12.55
but I come unto you
as one that serves."
00:13:12.59\00:13:15.39
"Made Himself of no reputation
in the form of a bondservant,
00:13:15.42\00:13:18.89
and coming in
the likeness of men.
00:13:18.93\00:13:22.03
And being obedient
to the point of death,
00:13:22.06\00:13:26.17
even the death of the cross.
00:13:26.20\00:13:28.20
Therefore, because He
humbled Himself the most,
00:13:28.24\00:13:31.84
God has highly exalted Him and
given Him a name that is above
00:13:31.87\00:13:37.98
every name, and that
at the name of Jesus,
00:13:38.01\00:13:40.78
every knee should
bow of those in heaven,
00:13:40.82\00:13:43.72
of those on earth,
and those under the earth,
00:13:43.75\00:13:46.35
and that every tongue
should confess that Jesus Christ
00:13:46.39\00:13:50.26
is Lord to the
glory of the Father."
00:13:50.29\00:13:52.96
You know, Christ, who
made Himself the lowest,
00:13:52.99\00:13:56.80
will be exalted the highest.
00:13:56.83\00:13:59.30
You probably heard it said
before that he that humbles
00:13:59.33\00:14:01.74
himself will be exalted,
and he that exalts himself
00:14:01.77\00:14:05.27
will be humbled.
00:14:05.31\00:14:06.84
The one who humbled himself the
most in the universe is Jesus,
00:14:06.88\00:14:11.98
He will be exalted the highest.
00:14:12.01\00:14:13.82
The one who exalted
himself the highest,
00:14:13.85\00:14:16.22
the devil, will
be humbled the most.
00:14:16.25\00:14:18.72
And following that
great White Throne Judgement,
00:14:18.75\00:14:21.82
Satan is going to be judged.
00:14:21.86\00:14:24.46
And all the sins that he
has caused the world and all who
00:14:24.49\00:14:28.03
have ever lived to commit, he
will embrace and pay the penalty
00:14:28.06\00:14:32.30
for those sins.
00:14:32.33\00:14:33.87
The Bible tells us
that--God tells us in Ezekiel,
00:14:33.90\00:14:36.17
"I will bring forth a
fire from the midst of thee,
00:14:36.20\00:14:38.97
and it will devour thee.
00:14:39.01\00:14:40.74
And I will bring thee to ashes
on the earth in the sight of
00:14:40.78\00:14:42.81
them that behold thee."
00:14:42.84\00:14:44.38
In the sight of all.
00:14:44.41\00:14:46.48
Satan, who wanted to
be worshipped as God,
00:14:46.51\00:14:48.28
is going to be humbled and
cast into the lake of fire.
00:14:48.32\00:14:50.32
And it says, "He will burn
day and night forever and ever,"
00:14:50.35\00:14:53.49
there meaning
until he is forever gone.
00:14:53.52\00:14:56.22
And, "But he who sinned the
most will suffer the longest."
00:14:56.26\00:14:59.76
But Jesus, who
humbled Himself the most,
00:14:59.79\00:15:02.26
is going to be
exalted the highest."
00:15:02.30\00:15:04.37
And so, you see this
incredible reversal of fortunes.
00:15:04.40\00:15:07.64
And this was
evident at the cross.
00:15:07.67\00:15:09.50
There at the cross, you
see the devil's love of power.
00:15:09.54\00:15:12.54
And there at the cross,
you see Christ's power of love.
00:15:12.57\00:15:15.58
There at the cross, you see
Jesus the king humbling Himself
00:15:15.61\00:15:20.38
even to the point of the cross.
00:15:20.42\00:15:22.82
Being stripped,
crown of thrones,
00:15:22.85\00:15:25.72
humiliated, spit
upon, derided by His people,
00:15:25.75\00:15:27.96
and the devil was
heaping all of that on Him.
00:15:27.99\00:15:32.16
Well, all of that now is going
to come back on the devil in the
00:15:32.19\00:15:35.10
end, and Jesus is going to be
at the right hand of the Father.
00:15:35.13\00:15:39.37
And so, this is
something that we will share in
00:15:39.40\00:15:41.97
in one way or another.
00:15:42.00\00:15:43.97
That's right, all of us.
00:15:44.01\00:15:45.47
If we choose to follow
Jesus, if we deny ourselves now,
00:15:45.51\00:15:48.18
we will be
exalted with Him then.
00:15:48.21\00:15:51.38
The Bible teaches he that
humbles himself will be exalted.
00:15:51.41\00:15:54.75
It says that if we're
willing to suffer with Him now,
00:15:54.78\00:15:59.35
we will share in
His glory in the future.
00:15:59.39\00:16:02.42
He that seeks to save
his life will lose it.
00:16:02.46\00:16:05.79
If you live for yourself, put
yourself first like the devil
00:16:05.83\00:16:09.46
did, you lose everything.
00:16:09.50\00:16:11.27
But if you put Christ
first, you get everything.
00:16:11.30\00:16:15.10
That's why the Bible
says it's more blessed
00:16:15.14\00:16:16.67
to give than receive.
00:16:16.71\00:16:18.01
And the first and
most important thing that
00:16:18.04\00:16:19.81
we give is our hearts.
00:16:19.84\00:16:21.48
It is more blessed to give your
life than to live for yourself.
00:16:21.51\00:16:25.25
If you give your life,
then you get the blessings.
00:16:25.28\00:16:28.52
And the greatest blessings come
in giving and serving others.
00:16:28.55\00:16:32.62
So Jesus, who was equal
with God from all eternity,
00:16:32.65\00:16:37.13
made himself of no reputation.
00:16:37.16\00:16:38.86
Now, some people wonder because
it tells us that everything is
00:16:38.89\00:16:43.57
going to be done to the
glory of the Father that somehow
00:16:43.60\00:16:47.90
Jesus has lesser glory.
00:16:47.94\00:16:50.61
God the Father, the Son, God
the Spirit are all omniscient,
00:16:50.64\00:16:57.01
they're omnipotent, and God
the Father and the Spirit anyway
00:16:57.05\00:17:01.52
are omnipresent.
00:17:01.55\00:17:02.88
Christ is omnipresent
through God the Spirit.
00:17:02.92\00:17:05.35
Jesus took on the form
of a human that He keeps.
00:17:05.39\00:17:08.46
He retains that even
after his resurrection.
00:17:08.49\00:17:10.93
But they're all equal,
the differences are in the
00:17:10.96\00:17:16.73
roles that they share.
00:17:16.77\00:17:18.53
But Jesus, you know, some people
say Jesus is not fully God,
00:17:18.57\00:17:21.27
that he was begotten, meaning
that at some point in the remote
00:17:21.30\00:17:25.04
ancient recesses of time,
that there was just the Father,
00:17:25.07\00:17:29.28
and He brought forth
Jesus, He begot Him in some way.
00:17:29.31\00:17:32.58
Well, that will mean that
He brought Him into existence.
00:17:32.61\00:17:34.75
That means He was created, and
that would mean that Jesus did
00:17:34.78\00:17:37.99
not create all things because
He was created by someone else.
00:17:38.02\00:17:41.42
And so, as a result
of that, then you're
00:17:41.46\00:17:45.03
denying the Trinity truth.
00:17:45.06\00:17:46.36
But you can read
here in that book,
00:17:46.39\00:17:48.06
"Desire of Ages," "In
Christ is life original,
00:17:48.10\00:17:51.20
unborrowed, underived."
00:17:51.23\00:17:54.54
And that's "Desire of Ages" 530.
00:17:54.57\00:17:56.14
Yeah, life is original in Him.
00:17:56.17\00:17:57.91
He did not receive
it from the Father.
00:17:57.94\00:18:01.21
Christ is the creator.
00:18:01.24\00:18:02.84
All things that were
made were made by him.
00:18:02.88\00:18:04.68
And so, just giving us a
picture of what Jesus sacrificed
00:18:04.71\00:18:08.82
when He came to this earth.
00:18:08.85\00:18:11.05
And you look at the commitment,
talking about sacrifice,
00:18:11.09\00:18:14.79
there's several examples in the
Bible of people who were willing
00:18:14.82\00:18:16.99
to walk away that
they might serve God.
00:18:17.03\00:18:19.89
Every Jew looks back to
Abraham as the one who went out
00:18:19.93\00:18:24.23
by faith, not
knowing where he went.
00:18:24.27\00:18:26.10
'Cause God called him, he walked
away from a very comfortable
00:18:26.13\00:18:30.01
life in Ur of the Chaldees,
where he had great wealth.
00:18:30.04\00:18:34.38
And as a result of that,
he was then honored by God.
00:18:34.41\00:18:38.71
But he became a stranger
and a pilgrim because he looked
00:18:38.75\00:18:42.42
for an eternal city.
00:18:42.45\00:18:44.02
And then you read
about Moses, and this is in
00:18:44.05\00:18:46.79
Hebrews 11, verse 24.
00:18:46.82\00:18:49.26
"By faith Moses,
when he became of age,
00:18:49.29\00:18:52.43
he refused to be called
the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
00:18:52.46\00:18:55.63
choosing rather to suffer
affliction with the people of
00:18:55.66\00:18:58.80
God than to enjoy the
passing pleasures of sin,
00:18:58.83\00:19:02.30
esteeming the reproaches of
Christ's greater riches than
00:19:02.34\00:19:05.54
the treasures in Egypt,
for he looked to the reward.
00:19:05.57\00:19:10.11
He looked beyond to the
ultimate eternal reward.
00:19:10.15\00:19:12.28
Jesus looked to the reward
when He came to our world.
00:19:12.31\00:19:15.12
You know what that reward was?
00:19:15.15\00:19:17.09
Jesus wasn't saying, "Oh, I'm
going to sacrifice everything to
00:19:17.12\00:19:19.42
come to this world so I can
have a golden crown and live
00:19:19.45\00:19:23.06
on golden streets."
00:19:23.09\00:19:24.39
The joy that was set
before Jesus was our salvation.
00:19:24.43\00:19:29.06
Jesus endured all the suffering
on the cross and the living
00:19:29.10\00:19:32.90
among men for 33 and a half
years so that he could have us
00:19:32.93\00:19:37.07
with him in the kingdom.
00:19:37.11\00:19:39.21
That was the joy
that was set before Him.
00:19:39.24\00:19:41.78
Moses walked away
from--I remember years ago going
00:19:41.81\00:19:46.01
to Cairo, Egypt.
00:19:46.05\00:19:47.55
And I understand they've
just completely rebuilt the
00:19:47.58\00:19:50.49
Cairo Museum.
00:19:50.52\00:19:52.05
I want to go someday
and see the new museum.
00:19:52.09\00:19:54.06
But it was rather
primitive when we went,
00:19:54.09\00:19:56.06
but we saw the
treasures of King Tut.
00:19:56.09\00:19:58.26
Now, King Tut was a
rather poor king in Egypt.
00:19:58.29\00:20:01.46
I mean, you look at the pyramids
that were built and they were
00:20:01.50\00:20:06.50
just so massive.
00:20:06.53\00:20:08.00
King Tut was built in a
tomb carved underground.
00:20:08.04\00:20:10.71
It was comparatively small.
00:20:10.74\00:20:12.77
It was ridiculously
small compared to the massive
00:20:12.81\00:20:16.61
monuments and tombs that
were built by the Pharaohs.
00:20:16.64\00:20:20.98
And well, Tut was a pharaoh,
but he died probably at 19,
00:20:21.02\00:20:25.85
and so didn't have much,
but they found his treasures
00:20:25.89\00:20:29.06
undisturbed
after over 3,000 years.
00:20:29.09\00:20:32.56
And you look at
the gilded, staggering,
00:20:32.59\00:20:37.07
splendid treasures
of King Tut there at the
00:20:37.10\00:20:40.67
Cairo Museum, gold everywhere.
00:20:40.70\00:20:44.17
And Moses lived during a
time in Egypt where he could've
00:20:44.21\00:20:46.71
had much more of that.
00:20:46.74\00:20:48.64
It was the richest kingdom in
the world bar none at that time,
00:20:48.68\00:20:51.38
and the greatest prestige and
power and architecture unrivaled
00:20:51.41\00:20:58.82
by any other empire.
00:20:58.85\00:21:01.16
And Moses walked away from all
of that to follow the south end
00:21:01.19\00:21:04.09
of northbound sheep.
00:21:04.13\00:21:06.49
And he humbled
himself like that,
00:21:06.53\00:21:08.70
and God then said he was willing
to do that because he was
00:21:08.73\00:21:12.37
looking for his
treasures in heaven.
00:21:12.40\00:21:14.60
If we're going to follow
the Lord and be His witnesses,
00:21:14.64\00:21:18.54
the most important step is
that step of total commitment
00:21:18.57\00:21:21.94
that we make.
00:21:21.98\00:21:23.28
Once we are
crucified with Christ,
00:21:23.31\00:21:25.41
we are not afraid of anything.
00:21:25.45\00:21:27.12
I know that you might feel some
natural fear for witnessing,
00:21:27.15\00:21:30.05
but when you're
really dead to self,
00:21:30.09\00:21:33.36
you're not so much worried
about what people think of you.
00:21:33.39\00:21:35.82
You're more interested
in what they think of God.
00:21:35.86\00:21:38.33
And you're--you
become more bold.
00:21:38.36\00:21:40.86
You know, there's several times
in the Bible the apostles prayed
00:21:40.90\00:21:43.23
for the Holy Spirit,
and in their prayer for the
00:21:43.26\00:21:46.03
Holy Spirit, they specifically
prayed for boldness.
00:21:46.07\00:21:48.60
You can read about
that in Acts chapter 4,
00:21:48.64\00:21:52.14
and you can read about
it when Paul talks about
00:21:52.17\00:21:55.14
the armor of God.
00:21:55.18\00:21:56.48
He says, "And pray for
me that I might be bold."
00:21:56.51\00:21:58.98
And so, I think one of the
things that we need to remember
00:21:59.01\00:22:01.72
is, Christians, make
that complete commitment.
00:22:01.75\00:22:05.52
Don't be afraid to try.
00:22:05.55\00:22:07.42
I think I'd rather do something
wrong than succeed at doing
00:22:07.46\00:22:10.09
nothing very well.
00:22:10.13\00:22:11.83
And so, take a
risk, step out in faith,
00:22:11.86\00:22:14.73
and be willing to
share your faith with others.
00:22:14.76\00:22:16.97
All right, so under the section
called--we were just looking at
00:22:17.00\00:22:20.97
Jesus's self-sacrificing love.
00:22:21.00\00:22:22.90
Under the section
called "Commitment's Call,"
00:22:22.94\00:22:25.71
let's look at some verses here.
00:22:25.74\00:22:27.81
In Matthew 9:9, you can see how
people were willing to walk away
00:22:27.84\00:22:31.51
and follow Jesus.
00:22:31.55\00:22:33.18
"Jesus passed by from there
and he saw a man named Matthew
00:22:33.21\00:22:36.02
sitting at the tax office.
00:22:36.05\00:22:38.52
And He said to him, 'Follow Me.'
00:22:38.55\00:22:40.36
So, he arose and followed Him."
00:22:40.39\00:22:43.36
It sounds like he walked
away from the cash register.
00:22:43.39\00:22:45.76
Maybe there's others, or
he had some attendants that
00:22:45.79\00:22:48.70
were helping him.
00:22:48.73\00:22:50.03
But he heard the call of Jesus,
and this publican who'd just
00:22:50.07\00:22:52.27
become tired and empty
of the life of the publican,
00:22:52.30\00:22:58.27
he walked away from all of that
and was willing to follow Jesus.
00:22:58.31\00:23:01.48
So, he arose
and he followed Him.
00:23:01.51\00:23:03.61
And then you can
look in Matthew 8,
00:23:03.65\00:23:06.68
verse 21, "Another
one of His disciples said,
00:23:06.72\00:23:09.92
'Lord, let me first
go bury my Father.'"
00:23:09.95\00:23:12.82
And Jesus said,
00:23:12.85\00:23:14.16
"Look, if you're
going to follow Me,
00:23:14.19\00:23:15.49
it's got to be
priority right now."
00:23:15.52\00:23:17.46
He said, "Follow me,"
meaning follow me now.
00:23:17.49\00:23:21.83
"Let the dead
bury their own dead."
00:23:21.86\00:23:23.90
Now, He wasn't saying
this man could not go to his
00:23:23.93\00:23:25.37
father's funeral.
00:23:25.40\00:23:26.80
The way this is
understood in the Hebrew,
00:23:26.84\00:23:28.70
it's actually written in Greek,
but in the Hebrew culture,
00:23:28.74\00:23:30.54
when a person's
parents were aging,
00:23:30.57\00:23:32.94
they'd say, "I need to stay
and bury my father or bury my
00:23:32.97\00:23:35.68
mother," because
they had become weak.
00:23:35.71\00:23:39.98
And he said, "Look,
I want to follow you,
00:23:40.02\00:23:41.48
but you know, I need to
take care of this or that."
00:23:41.52\00:23:43.08
You know, as important as it
is to honor your father and your
00:23:43.12\00:23:45.39
mother, Jesus said, "Whoever
doesn't love Me more than
00:23:45.42\00:23:49.59
father, mother,
husband, wife, children,
00:23:49.62\00:23:51.36
houses, lands is
not worthy of Me."
00:23:51.39\00:23:53.66
And I know it
sounds pretty harsh,
00:23:53.70\00:23:55.93
but he says serving
Jesus needs to be numero uno,
00:23:55.96\00:24:00.34
as they say.
00:24:00.37\00:24:01.67
Seek ye first
the kingdom of God.
00:24:01.70\00:24:03.77
It's got to be the priority."
00:24:03.81\00:24:05.67
He said, "Let the
dead bury the dead,
00:24:05.71\00:24:07.01
but you follow Me."
00:24:07.04\00:24:08.78
Now, what did
Christ mean when He said,
00:24:08.81\00:24:10.31
"Let the dead bury the dead"?
00:24:10.35\00:24:11.68
I used to read
that and, in my mind,
00:24:11.71\00:24:14.02
I would conjure up these images
of zombies conducting funerals,
00:24:14.05\00:24:16.95
the dead burying the dead.
00:24:16.99\00:24:18.95
But He's talking about
those who do not have Christ,
00:24:18.99\00:24:22.19
do not have life, those who
are dead in trespasses and sins.
00:24:22.22\00:24:24.99
He said, "Look, let lost people
who are not following Me take
00:24:25.03\00:24:27.60
care of those
things, but you follow Me."
00:24:27.60\00:24:30.20
And every now and then, I'll get
a question and someone will say,
00:24:30.23\00:24:35.97
"Pastor Doug, you know, I
work--I work at a hospital,
00:24:36.00\00:24:40.28
and there's
people that need service,
00:24:40.31\00:24:43.45
they need treatment every day.
00:24:43.48\00:24:46.51
And so, on the Sabbath Day,
00:24:46.55\00:24:48.68
someone needs to
take care of them."
00:24:48.72\00:24:50.19
And I say, "Well, are you ever
able to trade your schedules?"
00:24:50.22\00:24:54.39
If you're a nurse or you're
a doctor and you're working
00:24:54.42\00:24:56.06
in a hospital,
those people do need care,
00:24:56.09\00:24:58.06
are there people there
that do not keep the Sabbath?
00:24:58.09\00:25:00.83
"Oh yeah."
00:25:00.86\00:25:02.46
I said, "Let the
dead bury the dead."
00:25:02.50\00:25:05.20
Hopefully, that's not a
good--such a good analogy
00:25:05.23\00:25:08.87
for a hospital,
but you get the point.
00:25:08.90\00:25:10.74
If people aren't serving the
Lord and they don't know Him,
00:25:10.77\00:25:13.64
let them work on
Sabbath, say, "Look,
00:25:13.68\00:25:15.18
I'll take your place on
Sunday," and trade with them.
00:25:15.21\00:25:18.05
But you don't want to be missing
all of your time with God.
00:25:18.08\00:25:20.72
Another person,
Mark chapter 1, verse 16,
00:25:20.75\00:25:23.72
it says, "He walked by
the Sea of Galilee and He saw
00:25:23.75\00:25:26.82
Simon and Andrew his brother
casting the net into the sea,
00:25:26.86\00:25:30.09
for they were fishermen.
00:25:30.13\00:25:31.43
And Jesus said to them,
'Follow Me and I will make you
00:25:31.46\00:25:35.83
become fishers of men.'"
00:25:35.86\00:25:37.20
Now, you might be thinking,
00:25:37.23\00:25:38.80
"How do they
know to follow Him?"
00:25:38.83\00:25:40.24
Well, this is taking place,
notice Jesus is baptized in
00:25:40.27\00:25:43.30
the Jordan down by the
northern part of the Dead Sea.
00:25:43.34\00:25:47.48
Many of the
disciples--Peter, James,
00:25:47.51\00:25:50.25
John, Andrew--they were
all witnesses of his baptism.
00:25:50.28\00:25:53.21
They had met
Jesus at some point.
00:25:53.25\00:25:55.35
They had heard
John the Baptist say,
00:25:55.38\00:25:57.09
"This is the Son of God.
00:25:57.12\00:25:58.99
This is the Lamb of God that
takes way the sin of the world."
00:25:59.02\00:26:01.22
So, they knew who Jesus was.
00:26:01.26\00:26:02.72
So, when they saw Him later
and He walked by them and said,
00:26:02.76\00:26:05.76
"Follow Me," they understood
that what His commitment was,
00:26:05.79\00:26:10.57
He is the Messiah.
00:26:10.60\00:26:12.03
And they walked away from their
nets and they followed Him.
00:26:12.07\00:26:16.27
"Immediately left their
nets and they followed Him.
00:26:16.30\00:26:19.61
And when He had
gone a little farther,
00:26:19.64\00:26:21.51
He saw there James
the son of Zebedee,
00:26:21.54\00:26:24.28
and John his brother.
00:26:24.31\00:26:25.95
They were in their
boat mending their nets.
00:26:25.98\00:26:27.78
And immediately, He called
them and they left their father
00:26:27.82\00:26:31.79
Zebedee in the boat
with the hired servants,
00:26:31.82\00:26:34.66
and they went after Him."
00:26:34.69\00:26:36.52
Some people, some family
members would not understand
00:26:36.56\00:26:40.10
putting God first like this.
00:26:40.13\00:26:42.36
I used to wonder, when
Uriah came home from the battle,
00:26:42.40\00:26:47.74
the battle was still
going on with the Ammonites,
00:26:47.77\00:26:50.81
and David asked for
a report on the battle,
00:26:50.84\00:26:53.48
David couldn't understand
why Uriah did not go home
00:26:53.51\00:26:56.91
to see Bathsheba, who was
one of the most beautiful women
00:26:56.95\00:27:00.15
in the land.
00:27:00.18\00:27:01.68
And David even was
mystified, he said,
00:27:01.72\00:27:04.25
"Look, I brought you
home from the battle,
00:27:04.29\00:27:05.99
I'm giving you
a couple days R&R.
00:27:06.02\00:27:07.99
How can you slept at
the gate with my servants,
00:27:08.02\00:27:09.86
you didn't go home?
00:27:09.89\00:27:11.49
I even offered
you a catered meal."
00:27:11.53\00:27:13.80
Remember, David was trying
to get him to go home and sleep
00:27:13.83\00:27:16.13
with his wife because Bathsheba
was now pregnant with David's
00:27:16.16\00:27:17.90
baby, and he was trying
to get a--create a coverup.
00:27:17.93\00:27:22.20
And Uriah gave the
most remarkable answer.
00:27:22.24\00:27:25.27
He said, "The ark of God
and my Lord's commanders,
00:27:25.31\00:27:29.91
Joab and the soldiers are out
in the field dwelling in tents.
00:27:29.94\00:27:34.05
So, will I go home, and eat and
drink and sleep with my wife?"
00:27:34.08\00:27:38.89
Said, "I'll not do this thing.
00:27:38.92\00:27:41.06
I'm going to make God's battle
and God's kingdom my priority."
00:27:41.09\00:27:44.13
And you wonder, "How many wives
would understand that logic?"
00:27:44.16\00:27:48.50
"What?
00:27:48.53\00:27:50.10
You were right up the street?"
00:27:50.13\00:27:51.43
You see, the Bible tells us that
David could see Uriah's house
00:27:51.47\00:27:54.37
from his house, that's
how they got in trouble.
00:27:54.40\00:27:56.54
"You were right up
the street and you did not
00:27:56.57\00:27:59.07
come home and see me?"
00:27:59.11\00:28:00.78
But he had--he had a concept
if the battle wasn't won,
00:28:00.81\00:28:04.05
it won't be a good
example for my men of putting
00:28:04.08\00:28:06.55
God's kingdom first.
00:28:06.58\00:28:07.98
Zebedee could've said,
"What are you boys doing?
00:28:08.02\00:28:10.82
I'm your aging father.
00:28:10.85\00:28:12.15
You're going to leave
me here with the servants
00:28:12.19\00:28:13.49
and follow Jesus?"
00:28:13.52\00:28:15.22
You know what
this tells us, friends?
00:28:15.26\00:28:17.29
That there is a priority
in seeking first God's kingdom
00:28:17.33\00:28:21.63
that should go above
every other earthly priority.
00:28:21.66\00:28:26.17
Now, you know, I think that a
lot of people might use that as
00:28:26.20\00:28:29.30
an excuse to not take care of
their families and their spouse
00:28:29.34\00:28:32.71
and stuff, but you know, you
need to--you need to also take
00:28:32.74\00:28:36.58
care of your family,
you need to love them,
00:28:36.61\00:28:38.55
that's part of
God's commandment.
00:28:38.58\00:28:39.95
But when He calls us
is what I'm talking about.
00:28:39.98\00:28:42.28
When God calls us to follow Him,
you shouldn't have any family
00:28:42.32\00:28:45.99
member interrupt
that call, is that clear?
00:28:46.02\00:28:48.32
When God calls us to follow
him, this is what we're talking
00:28:48.36\00:28:51.49
about, not
neglecting our families.
00:28:51.53\00:28:53.46
And so, you read on
here, there's another one,
00:28:53.50\00:28:56.23
Mark chapter 10, verse 28:
00:28:56.26\00:28:58.33
"Then Peter began to say to him,
00:28:58.37\00:28:59.80
'See, we have left
all and followed You.'
00:28:59.83\00:29:03.27
And Jesus answered and said,
'I tell you that there's no one
00:29:03.30\00:29:08.28
who has left houses, or
brothers, or sisters, or father,
00:29:08.31\00:29:11.55
or mother, or wife, or children,
or lands for My sake and the
00:29:11.58\00:29:15.52
gospel's who will not receive
a hundredfold now in this time
00:29:15.55\00:29:19.49
houses, and
brothers, and sisters,
00:29:19.52\00:29:21.79
and mothers, and children,
and lands with persecutions.
00:29:21.82\00:29:25.29
And in the age to
come, eternal life.
00:29:25.33\00:29:28.93
But many who are
first will be last,
00:29:28.96\00:29:32.33
and the last will be first.'"
00:29:32.37\00:29:34.74
You know, friends,
this is reminding us that it
00:29:34.77\00:29:37.47
costs something to follow Jesus.
00:29:37.51\00:29:39.71
But Jesus said it
pays more than it costs.
00:29:39.74\00:29:43.45
Will you have to make
sacrifices to follow Jesus?
00:29:43.48\00:29:47.78
Yes, you sometimes--it
may cost you houses and lands,
00:29:47.82\00:29:51.02
but He says, "You're going
to get more houses and lands."
00:29:51.05\00:29:53.62
Not only in
heaven, but in this life.
00:29:53.66\00:29:56.59
You know, when I
followed the Lord,
00:29:56.62\00:29:59.46
both my mother and my father
for different reasons thought
00:29:59.49\00:30:03.00
that I had lost it.
00:30:03.03\00:30:04.47
And they kind of
wrote me off as crazy.
00:30:04.50\00:30:07.30
And they thought
I'd become a fanatic.
00:30:07.34\00:30:09.57
And I'm sure from
their perspective, I had.
00:30:09.60\00:30:12.27
But you know,
there's a Psalm in the Bible,
00:30:12.31\00:30:14.68
it says, "If your
father and mother forsake you,
00:30:14.71\00:30:17.08
the Lord will take you up."
00:30:17.11\00:30:19.28
And when I made a decision
to follow the Lord first in the
00:30:19.31\00:30:22.25
little town
where I was baptized,
00:30:22.28\00:30:24.89
Covelo, said there was all of
these old saints in the church.
00:30:24.92\00:30:28.62
They all adopted me.
00:30:28.66\00:30:30.13
And all of a
sudden, I had more fathers,
00:30:30.16\00:30:32.49
and mothers, and grandmothers,
and grandfathers than I could
00:30:32.53\00:30:35.50
shake a stick at.
00:30:35.53\00:30:36.77
Now, eventually my mother and
father kind of reconciled with
00:30:36.80\00:30:38.63
me, but at first
there it was tough,
00:30:38.67\00:30:41.80
the whole family just
thought, "Doug has gone crazy."
00:30:41.84\00:30:44.14
And I think they liked it better
when I was using drugs and
00:30:44.17\00:30:48.21
living in the
mountains and being a hippie.
00:30:48.24\00:30:50.71
But when I became a
Christian, I think maybe they
00:30:50.75\00:30:53.01
were convicted by it.
00:30:53.05\00:30:54.92
But you end up getting more.
00:30:54.95\00:30:56.32
And when you become a Christian,
all of a sudden you get this
00:30:56.35\00:30:58.55
family, this whole church,
this household of mothers,
00:30:58.59\00:31:02.62
and fathers, and brothers, and
sisters that often are willing
00:31:02.66\00:31:05.93
to share their houses and lands.
00:31:05.96\00:31:07.86
And yeah, a lot of these people
would take us home for dinner
00:31:07.86\00:31:10.33
and share their homes.
00:31:10.37\00:31:13.03
But not everybody that
Jesus followed accepted.
00:31:13.07\00:31:17.04
We've got that sad
story of the rich young ruler.
00:31:17.07\00:31:22.08
You can look at Mark
chapter 10, verse 21 and 22.
00:31:22.11\00:31:25.41
This young man
came to Jesus, he said,
00:31:25.45\00:31:28.48
"Good master, what good thing
should I do that I might have
00:31:28.52\00:31:31.29
everlasting life?'
00:31:31.32\00:31:33.49
And Jesus said,
'Why do you call Me good?
00:31:33.52\00:31:35.16
None is good but
one, and that is God.
00:31:35.19\00:31:37.03
But if you
would enter into life,
00:31:37.06\00:31:38.79
keep the commandments.'
00:31:38.83\00:31:40.13
He said, 'Which ones?'"
00:31:40.16\00:31:41.36
And then Jesus began to recite
the commandments on the second
00:31:41.40\00:31:44.17
table of stone, talking
about love for your fellow man.
00:31:44.20\00:31:47.44
Said, "You know, honor
your father and mother,
00:31:47.47\00:31:50.24
do not kill, do not
steal, do not commit adultery."
00:31:50.27\00:31:52.21
And he said, "Oh, every
Jewish boy had those memorized."
00:31:52.24\00:31:56.04
He said, "Lord, all these
I've kept from my youth up."
00:31:56.08\00:31:58.11
Well, he thought
he'd been keeping them.
00:31:58.15\00:32:00.28
Jesus said, "Really?"
00:32:00.32\00:32:01.85
Said, "Okay, do
you want to follow Me?
00:32:01.88\00:32:03.52
You want treasure in heaven?
00:32:03.55\00:32:04.95
Here you go.
00:32:04.99\00:32:06.32
Go sell everything you
have, give it to the poor,
00:32:06.35\00:32:07.72
follow Me, and you'll
have treasure in heaven."
00:32:07.76\00:32:10.26
Oh, when he heard
that, he suddenly,
00:32:10.29\00:32:12.96
his whole expression changed.
00:32:12.99\00:32:14.96
And you know, the Bible
says if you read this in Mark
00:32:15.00\00:32:16.63
chapter 10, Jesus,
this is verse 21, "Jesus,
00:32:16.67\00:32:20.70
looking at him,
loved him and said,
00:32:20.74\00:32:24.11
'One thing you lack.'"
00:32:24.14\00:32:25.74
There's only one thing in
making a total commitment.
00:32:25.77\00:32:28.28
"Go your way,
sell whatever you have,
00:32:28.31\00:32:30.68
give to the poor.
00:32:30.71\00:32:32.01
You'll have treasure in heaven.
00:32:32.05\00:32:33.35
Take up your
cross and follow Me."
00:32:33.38\00:32:35.05
One thing is a
complete surrender.
00:32:35.08\00:32:36.65
When you surrender
your heart, that one thing,
00:32:36.69\00:32:39.55
God gets your refrigerator
when He gets your heart.
00:32:39.59\00:32:42.62
God gets your closet
when He gets your heart.
00:32:42.66\00:32:45.53
God gets your bank book
when He gets your heart.
00:32:45.56\00:32:47.93
Now, sometimes we look at
all the externals and think,
00:32:47.96\00:32:51.03
"Oh, I've got to change
this and this and this."
00:32:51.07\00:32:52.77
And really what you
need is a change of heart.
00:32:52.80\00:32:54.44
That's the one thing.
00:32:54.47\00:32:55.77
But his heart was
set on his riches.
00:32:55.80\00:32:58.67
And it says, "He
went away grieved,
00:32:58.71\00:33:01.14
for he had great possessions."
00:33:01.18\00:33:03.35
Think about that.
00:33:03.38\00:33:04.68
People think, "If I
only had great possessions,
00:33:04.71\00:33:06.01
I'd be happy."
00:33:06.05\00:33:07.35
The Bible record is he
walked away from Jesus with his
00:33:07.38\00:33:09.02
great possessions,
but grieved, unhappy.
00:33:09.05\00:33:12.69
He didn't follow.
00:33:12.72\00:33:14.92
You know, there would
be--we don't even know his name.
00:33:14.96\00:33:16.66
You know, his
name could be Stanley,
00:33:16.69\00:33:19.19
and there could be a book in
the Bible called the book--the
00:33:19.23\00:33:21.33
gospel according to Stanley
'cause Jesus asked him to follow
00:33:21.36\00:33:24.70
just like the
apostles, but he didn't.
00:33:24.73\00:33:28.07
We hear about
Matthew, Mark, Luke,
00:33:28.10\00:33:30.54
John, and Andrew, Peter,
and the others who walked away
00:33:30.57\00:33:35.24
and they followed Jesus.
00:33:35.28\00:33:36.58
But unfortunately, some say no.
00:33:36.61\00:33:38.28
And you would
hope he repented later,
00:33:38.31\00:33:40.58
but there's no record of that.
00:33:40.62\00:33:42.28
So, then we look at
people who they weren't even
00:33:42.32\00:33:45.55
really looking for God.
00:33:45.59\00:33:47.19
And God, He
didn't just call them,
00:33:47.22\00:33:48.82
He kind of really
arrested their attention,
00:33:48.86\00:33:52.96
and that would be like
the case of the Apostle Paul.
00:33:52.99\00:33:55.26
Look in Acts chapter 9, you
can find when he had his road
00:33:55.30\00:33:59.13
to Damascus experience here.
00:33:59.17\00:34:01.47
"And as he journeyed,
then he came near Damascus."
00:34:01.50\00:34:05.54
He's on his way to Damascus
to arrest men and women who
00:34:05.57\00:34:09.41
had--these are Jews
who had turned to Christ.
00:34:09.44\00:34:12.78
He's harassing the church.
00:34:12.81\00:34:15.58
And he confesses later in his
testimony that he would imprison
00:34:15.62\00:34:19.52
them and when
they were executed,
00:34:19.55\00:34:22.39
doesn't just
say Steven, he says,
00:34:22.42\00:34:23.89
"When they were executed,"
it happened many times,
00:34:23.93\00:34:26.39
"I would bear
witness against him."
00:34:26.43\00:34:28.80
So, Paul basically was involved
in rounding people up and having
00:34:28.83\00:34:32.13
them either imprisoned, maybe
tortured to give up their faith,
00:34:32.17\00:34:35.24
or executed.
00:34:35.27\00:34:36.64
And he's on his way to
Damascus to continue this
00:34:36.67\00:34:39.94
vicious attack on Christianity.
00:34:39.97\00:34:43.01
He was rabid.
00:34:43.04\00:34:44.48
Paul was a fanatic
about destroying Christianity.
00:34:44.51\00:34:48.48
I think it's 'cause he had
been fighting his conscience
00:34:48.52\00:34:50.89
about following Jesus.
00:34:50.92\00:34:52.29
And in order to
fight his conscience,
00:34:52.32\00:34:54.42
he had to be even more
passionate about persecuting.
00:34:54.46\00:34:56.83
And while he's on his way, as he
got over the hill and you could
00:34:56.86\00:35:00.96
see Damascus down below,
suddenly a light shone around
00:35:01.00\00:35:05.17
him from heaven.
00:35:05.20\00:35:06.87
It says brighter than the sun
when he shares his testimony.
00:35:06.90\00:35:10.61
And he fell to the ground.
00:35:10.64\00:35:12.21
He could've been riding a horse.
00:35:12.24\00:35:14.24
And he heard a
voice saying to him,
00:35:14.28\00:35:16.31
"Saul, Saul, why
are you persecuting me?"
00:35:16.34\00:35:21.52
And he said,
"Who are you, Lord?"
00:35:21.55\00:35:23.52
He knew it was a divine
voice, so he said, "Lord."
00:35:23.55\00:35:25.65
And he said, "I am Jesus who you
are persecuting," the very one
00:35:25.69\00:35:31.03
he'd been fighting to
eradicate his followers.
00:35:31.06\00:35:34.46
"I am Jesus who
you are persecuting.
00:35:34.50\00:35:36.36
It is hard for you
to kick against a goad."
00:35:36.40\00:35:39.47
See, goad was a sharp stick that
they often used when following
00:35:39.50\00:35:42.10
oxen to drive them as they
pull the cart or pull the plow.
00:35:42.14\00:35:45.57
And sometimes, the oxen
would kick the sharp stick and
00:35:45.61\00:35:48.44
they would cut themselves.
00:35:48.48\00:35:50.11
And Jesus Is just saying,
"You're just hurting yourself
00:35:50.15\00:35:53.65
by fighting
against your conscience."
00:35:53.68\00:35:56.25
Says, "Is it hard for you
to kick against the goads?"
00:35:56.28\00:35:58.95
So, he trembling
and astonished, he said,
00:35:58.99\00:36:02.32
"Lord, what do
you want me to do?"
00:36:02.36\00:36:04.59
Now, Jesus could've said,
"Here's what I want you to do.
00:36:04.63\00:36:07.50
I want you to go
down into Damascus,
00:36:07.56\00:36:11.60
and I want you to
go up to the street,
00:36:11.63\00:36:13.44
and I want you to knock
on the door of the church,
00:36:13.47\00:36:15.04
and I want you to
baptize yourself."
00:36:15.07\00:36:16.37
And He didn't do that.
00:36:16.40\00:36:17.97
He said, "I am not going to tell
you everything I want you to do
00:36:18.01\00:36:20.88
'cause this is extraordinary for
Me to talk to you personally.
00:36:20.91\00:36:24.35
Usually, I speak to
you through people."
00:36:24.38\00:36:26.45
It's rare when God
speaks to us in person.
00:36:26.48\00:36:28.98
It's even rare when He
speaks to us through angels.
00:36:29.02\00:36:31.99
Typically, God
speaks to us, yes,
00:36:32.02\00:36:33.69
through people.
00:36:33.72\00:36:35.02
God said, "Go into the
town and it will be told you
00:36:35.06\00:36:39.03
what you must do."
00:36:39.06\00:36:40.46
So, then you read a little later
in Acts chapter 10 that God
00:36:40.50\00:36:44.80
then appears to one of
the disciples in Damascus
00:36:44.83\00:36:46.67
whose name was Ananias.
00:36:46.70\00:36:49.07
And he said,
Ananias, "Here I am, Lord."
00:36:49.10\00:36:51.97
He said, "I got
a mission for you.
00:36:52.01\00:36:53.54
I want you to go
to Straight Street.
00:36:53.58\00:36:55.51
There is someone
staying in the house there,
00:36:55.54\00:36:58.11
and his name is Saul, and I want
you to baptize him because he's
00:36:58.15\00:37:02.28
praying and I see him praying."
00:37:02.32\00:37:04.19
He's repented of his sins."
00:37:04.22\00:37:05.69
And Ananias is going, "Uh Lord,
that's the hitman who's been
00:37:05.72\00:37:09.56
sent to Damascus to arrest us.
00:37:09.59\00:37:11.76
Why would I want to do that?"
00:37:11.79\00:37:13.66
He said, "Don't worry
about it, he's my chosen vessel.
00:37:13.70\00:37:17.47
He's been converted.
00:37:17.50\00:37:18.80
He's now on our side."
00:37:18.83\00:37:20.14
Says, "Go down there
and go, doubting nothing,
00:37:20.17\00:37:22.77
for I have sent him."
00:37:22.80\00:37:24.41
And so, Ananias goes
and he baptizes Paul.
00:37:24.44\00:37:28.64
And you notice what
God says to Ananias,
00:37:28.68\00:37:32.58
He actually uses
the word, He says,
00:37:32.61\00:37:34.95
"Arise therefore, and go."
00:37:34.98\00:37:37.62
And he says, "Lord,
what do you want me to do?"
00:37:37.65\00:37:40.86
Paul, God says to
Paul, "Arise and go."
00:37:40.89\00:37:44.23
He says to Ananias,
"Arise therefore, and go."
00:37:44.26\00:37:47.50
Now, does that sound familiar?
00:37:47.50\00:37:50.33
God says to
Jonah, Jonah chapter 1,
00:37:50.37\00:37:52.80
first verses, "The Word of
the Lord came to Jonah the son
00:37:52.83\00:37:54.80
of Amittai,
saying, 'Arise and go.'"
00:37:54.84\00:37:58.97
When Jesus ascended to heaven,
He said, 'Go therefore.'"
00:37:59.01\00:38:02.91
So, here we are, friends,
we've spent 13 months studying,
00:38:02.94\00:38:10.32
a quarter of the year, studying
our Sabbath school quarterly.
00:38:10.35\00:38:14.36
Wasn't that fun?
00:38:14.39\00:38:15.76
Well, what do we do
about what we've studied?
00:38:15.79\00:38:18.09
Is it just going
to be head knowledge,
00:38:18.13\00:38:20.46
or does it become heart
knowledge until we put it
00:38:20.50\00:38:22.46
into action?
00:38:22.50\00:38:23.80
You know what the Lord is
saying to every one of us as
00:38:23.83\00:38:25.57
I've shared
these things with you.
00:38:25.60\00:38:27.07
"Now arise and go."
00:38:27.10\00:38:29.10
And if we do not
arise and go, what happens?
00:38:29.14\00:38:31.57
What happened to Jonah when
he made no effort to share his
00:38:31.61\00:38:34.71
faith with anybody?
00:38:34.74\00:38:36.58
He didn't want to
go tell the Ninevites.
00:38:36.61\00:38:38.71
Says he ran the other way.
00:38:38.75\00:38:41.32
And can you run from God?
00:38:41.35\00:38:43.02
How did it work for
Paul to run from God?
00:38:43.05\00:38:44.69
Didn't work very well.
00:38:44.72\00:38:46.52
God had to strike him
down, struck him with blindness.
00:38:46.55\00:38:49.92
How did it work for
Jonah to run from the call
00:38:49.96\00:38:52.79
to share his faith?
00:38:52.83\00:38:54.10
It didn't work very well.
00:38:54.13\00:38:55.63
You know, he
ended up in a storm,
00:38:55.66\00:38:57.17
then he ended up in a whale
at the bottom of the ocean.
00:38:57.20\00:39:00.94
Then he ended up in
Nineveh before it was over.
00:39:00.97\00:39:03.71
And you can read in Acts
9:26, going back to Paul,
00:39:03.74\00:39:07.71
and it says, "When
Saul came to Jerusalem,
00:39:07.74\00:39:11.18
he tried to join the disciples,
but they were afraid of him,
00:39:11.21\00:39:14.12
and they did not
believe he was a disciple.
00:39:14.15\00:39:16.65
But Barnabas took him and
brought him to the apostles.
00:39:16.69\00:39:20.12
And he declared to them how he
had seen the Lord on the road,
00:39:20.16\00:39:23.56
and that he had spoken to him,
how he had preached boldly in
00:39:23.59\00:39:26.96
Damascus in the name of Jesus."
00:39:27.00\00:39:28.53
They said there's
evidence that Paul has been
00:39:28.56\00:39:30.13
dramatically converted.
00:39:30.17\00:39:32.30
He had already
started to preach boldly.
00:39:32.33\00:39:34.34
We talked about
boldness a minute ago.
00:39:34.37\00:39:36.47
"In the name of Jesus."
00:39:36.50\00:39:38.44
And Acts chapter
13, verse 2 and 3,
00:39:38.47\00:39:42.04
"As they ministered
and fasted together,
00:39:42.08\00:39:44.78
the Holy Spirit said, "'Now,
separate to me Barnabas and Saul
00:39:44.81\00:39:49.48
for the work that
I've called them to do.'
00:39:49.52\00:39:51.42
And having fasted and
prayed, they laid hands on them
00:39:51.45\00:39:55.59
and sent them away."
00:39:55.62\00:39:57.09
This is talking
about when somebody was,
00:39:57.13\00:39:59.43
you know, ordained or
commissioned for a special work.
00:39:59.46\00:40:02.10
And this is a place where
you see both Barnabas and Saul,
00:40:02.13\00:40:04.50
who ends up becoming
Paul, they're sent out
00:40:04.53\00:40:08.70
to do missionary work.
00:40:08.74\00:40:10.17
So, he goes
from being, you know,
00:40:10.21\00:40:12.61
an adversary to the
church to being an advocate.
00:40:12.64\00:40:15.78
He goes from being a
menace to being a missionary.
00:40:15.81\00:40:20.12
This is one of the most dramatic
180s that you see anywhere
00:40:20.15\00:40:23.82
in history is what
happened to the Apostle Paul.
00:40:23.85\00:40:26.15
And so, then he set out,
and Paul goes and he starts
00:40:26.19\00:40:29.06
to share Christ.
00:40:29.09\00:40:30.56
He walked away from his
comfortable life as a Pharisee.
00:40:30.59\00:40:34.36
Read in Romans 1:1, now you
look and you see this in Paul's
00:40:34.40\00:40:38.43
letter several times.
00:40:38.47\00:40:40.17
"Paul, a
bondservant of Jesus Christ,
00:40:40.20\00:40:43.10
called to be an apostle,
separated to the gospel of God."
00:40:43.14\00:40:47.58
He was separated.
00:40:47.61\00:40:49.11
God says, "I have set you
apart for a special mission."
00:40:49.14\00:40:51.75
And this is something for
each believer that we have.
00:40:51.78\00:40:55.95
You look in
Galatians chapter 1, verse 15,
00:40:55.98\00:40:58.79
"But when it please God who
separated me from my mother's
00:40:58.82\00:41:02.86
womb," kind of
like what Jeremiah said,
00:41:02.89\00:41:05.56
"I've called you
from your mother's womb."
00:41:05.59\00:41:08.26
"He separated me from my
mother's womb and called me
00:41:08.30\00:41:11.23
through His grace to
reveal His Son in me,
00:41:11.27\00:41:13.57
that I might preach
Him among the Gentiles
00:41:13.60\00:41:16.34
to reveal His Son in me."
00:41:16.37\00:41:17.74
Now, what God did for Paul,
is that just unique for Paul?
00:41:17.77\00:41:20.84
He may not get
your attention, friends,
00:41:20.88\00:41:23.24
through lightning on
the road to Damascus.
00:41:23.28\00:41:25.45
He may not strike
you down like that.
00:41:25.48\00:41:27.32
You may not hear a
voice like Jonah did,
00:41:27.35\00:41:29.12
but every believer is
separated by God for the purpose
00:41:29.15\00:41:34.72
of showing forth
the Son in their lives.
00:41:34.76\00:41:37.39
This is what he said.
00:41:37.43\00:41:39.06
"To reveal His Son in me."
00:41:39.09\00:41:40.60
God wants to
reveal His Son in you,
00:41:40.63\00:41:42.53
that's what a Christian is.
00:41:42.56\00:41:44.17
You've sung that song before,
"Live out thy life within me,
00:41:44.20\00:41:48.04
oh Jesus King of kings."
00:41:48.07\00:41:50.81
"That I might preach
Him among the Gentiles,
00:41:50.84\00:41:53.64
and I did not immediately
confer with flesh and blood."
00:41:53.68\00:41:57.45
He says, "The
Holy Spirit called me."
00:41:57.48\00:41:59.08
2 Timothy 1, verse 11: "To which
I was appointed a preacher,
00:41:59.11\00:42:04.59
an apostle, and a
teacher of the Gentiles."
00:42:04.62\00:42:06.99
Paul was given a special work,
00:42:07.02\00:42:09.06
he was separated from the
Pharisees for the Gentiles.
00:42:09.09\00:42:12.56
It's kind of
interesting that Peter also,
00:42:12.59\00:42:15.23
he was called to do a
special work among the Gentiles,
00:42:15.26\00:42:17.60
he was called from the
fishermen to reach the Gentiles.
00:42:17.63\00:42:21.47
And you can read
in Acts chapter 28,
00:42:21.50\00:42:25.57
verse 28, "'And therefore let it
be known to you that salvation
00:42:25.61\00:42:29.61
of God has been
sent to the Gentiles,
00:42:29.64\00:42:32.68
and they will hear it.'
00:42:32.71\00:42:34.08
And when He said these words,
00:42:34.12\00:42:36.08
the Jews departed and had a
great dispute among themselves.
00:42:36.12\00:42:38.62
And Paul dwelt
there," speaking of in Rome,
00:42:38.65\00:42:42.42
"two whole years."
00:42:42.46\00:42:44.73
And he said he
was in a rented house,
00:42:44.76\00:42:46.83
"And he received
all who came with him,
00:42:46.86\00:42:49.66
preaching the kingdom of God
and teaching the things which
00:42:49.70\00:42:52.63
concern the Lord Jesus
Christ with all confidence,
00:42:52.67\00:42:55.70
no one forbidding him."
00:42:55.74\00:42:57.47
This was one of the most
productive times for Paul
00:42:57.51\00:42:58.87
when he was a
prisoner, think about that.
00:42:58.91\00:43:02.01
The Roman
guard, he's a prisoner,
00:43:02.04\00:43:04.45
he's kind of under house
arrest, he's got a rented home.
00:43:04.48\00:43:06.65
People come and go to see him.
00:43:06.68\00:43:08.38
They bring him food, and he's
able to give Bible studies and
00:43:08.42\00:43:11.75
do work, and he kind of does
it as a slave or as a prisoner.
00:43:11.79\00:43:17.53
Sort of a picture of each of us.
00:43:17.56\00:43:20.40
Said, "Look, I
am a slave of God.
00:43:20.43\00:43:23.77
I am a prisoner of God.
00:43:23.80\00:43:25.63
And I'm going to
be doing His work."
00:43:25.67\00:43:28.04
And so, we're willing,
willing to be servants.
00:43:28.07\00:43:31.71
And you can read in 2
Timothy 4, verse 5 through 8,
00:43:31.74\00:43:36.78
these were some of the
last words that Paul wrote,
00:43:36.81\00:43:38.75
"But you be
watchful in all things,
00:43:38.78\00:43:41.02
endure afflictions, do
the work of an evangelist,
00:43:41.05\00:43:43.72
fulfill your ministry."
00:43:43.75\00:43:45.42
What was topmost in
Paul's mind talking to Timothy?
00:43:45.45\00:43:47.82
Sharing the gospel, doing
the work of an evangelist.
00:43:47.86\00:43:51.09
"Fulfill your ministry, for I
am already being poured out as
00:43:51.13\00:43:55.00
a drink offering, and the
time of my departure is at hand.
00:43:55.03\00:43:58.30
I fought the good fight,
I have finished the race,
00:43:58.33\00:44:01.50
I have kept the faith.
00:44:01.54\00:44:03.30
Finally, there is laid up for
me the crown of righteousness,
00:44:03.34\00:44:05.81
which the Lord the
righteous judge will
00:44:05.84\00:44:08.18
give to me on that day.
00:44:08.21\00:44:09.98
And not to me only, but to all
who have loved His appearing."
00:44:10.01\00:44:13.85
You know, that's one thing
about Seventh-day Adventists,
00:44:13.88\00:44:16.32
it's not that we just believe
that Jesus is coming again.
00:44:16.35\00:44:19.65
Many Christians
believe He's coming again.
00:44:19.69\00:44:21.56
It says we--for those
who look for His coming.
00:44:21.59\00:44:26.23
The Bible calls
it the blessed hope.
00:44:26.26\00:44:28.60
And Paul says all
those who love His appearing.
00:44:28.63\00:44:33.03
Adventists, the people in the
last generation of all people,
00:44:33.07\00:44:36.30
should love His appearing.
00:44:36.34\00:44:38.07
Don't ever be apologetic about
being an Adventist and talking
00:44:38.11\00:44:40.34
about the Advent
or the Second Coming,
00:44:40.38\00:44:42.31
because especially the
people who live when the Lord is
00:44:42.34\00:44:45.31
at the door ought to be
excited about the imminence
00:44:45.35\00:44:48.48
of Jesus coming, amen?
00:44:48.52\00:44:50.59
I think I heard an echo
out there online somewhere,
00:44:50.62\00:44:53.32
said amen.
00:44:53.36\00:44:55.02
And then the demands of love.
00:44:55.06\00:44:56.89
2 Corinthians 5:14:
"For the love of Christ
00:44:56.93\00:45:00.46
compels us because we judge
thus that if one died for all,
00:45:00.50\00:45:05.50
then all died."
00:45:05.53\00:45:06.87
Because He died
for us, we die to self,
00:45:06.90\00:45:09.07
and we're willing to go
out there and share the gospel.
00:45:09.10\00:45:11.54
And in 1 Corinthians 9:16,
"Yes, woe to me if I preach
00:45:11.57\00:45:16.21
not the gospel."
00:45:16.24\00:45:17.58
He felt the message
all pent up within him.
00:45:17.61\00:45:20.18
I read this in
Jeremiah this week,
00:45:20.22\00:45:22.35
he says, "I cannot restrain it.
00:45:22.38\00:45:24.15
I cannot hold back.
00:45:24.19\00:45:25.65
I must share the
Word of the Lord."
00:45:25.69\00:45:27.82
1 Corinthians 13,
verse 4: "Love suffers long,
00:45:27.86\00:45:32.83
it is kind.
00:45:32.86\00:45:34.13
It does not envy, it
does not parade itself,
00:45:34.20\00:45:36.46
it is not puffed up.
00:45:36.50\00:45:38.07
And so, we are to be meek and
humble in the way that we share,
00:45:38.10\00:45:41.40
but we want to share."
00:45:41.44\00:45:43.64
Matthew 10, verse 37, and
I read this a little earlier,
00:45:43.67\00:45:48.84
"He that loves father
and mother more than Me
00:45:48.88\00:45:51.11
is not worthy of Me.
00:45:51.15\00:45:52.81
He who loves son or
daughter more than Me
00:45:52.85\00:45:54.78
is not worthy of Me.
00:45:54.82\00:45:56.45
And he who does not take
his cross and follow after Me
00:45:56.48\00:45:58.99
is not worthy of Me."
00:45:59.02\00:46:00.59
A service of God and
following Jesus needs
00:46:00.62\00:46:03.83
to have the priority.
00:46:03.86\00:46:05.53
And then, you know, when you
get to the end here and you read
00:46:05.56\00:46:08.56
in John chapter 21, Jesus
helps us identify that love
00:46:08.60\00:46:11.77
must be the spring of action.
00:46:11.80\00:46:13.50
He's talking to Peter.
00:46:13.54\00:46:14.87
And Peter we know had denied
Jesus three times publicly.
00:46:14.90\00:46:18.54
And He, Christ, you
know, was reminding Peter,
00:46:18.57\00:46:22.28
"You said in front of the
disciples at the Last Supper,
00:46:22.31\00:46:24.58
'Though all of
these should forsake thee,
00:46:24.61\00:46:27.22
I will never forsake thee.'"
00:46:27.25\00:46:28.82
And so, because of that,
it says, "When they had eaten
00:46:28.85\00:46:32.52
breakfast," John 21:15,
"Jesus said to Simon Peter,
00:46:32.55\00:46:36.52
'Simon son of Jonah, do
you love Me more than these?'"
00:46:36.56\00:46:40.60
It's interesting, he emphasizes
son of Jonah 'cause Jonah
00:46:40.63\00:46:42.70
ran from proclaiming the Lord.
00:46:42.73\00:46:44.90
"Do you love Me
more than these?"
00:46:44.93\00:46:47.04
He said, "Yes, Lord,
you know I love you."
00:46:47.07\00:46:49.77
He would not compare
himself with the apostle,
00:46:49.80\00:46:51.81
he said, "You know I love You."
00:46:51.84\00:46:53.31
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
00:46:53.34\00:46:54.94
Then He said to him
again a second time,
00:46:54.98\00:46:58.11
"Simon son of
Jonah, do you love Me?"
00:46:58.15\00:47:02.08
And he said, "Lord,
You know I love You."
00:47:02.12\00:47:05.35
And He said to
him, "Tend My sheep."
00:47:05.39\00:47:10.16
Verse 17, He
said the third time,
00:47:10.19\00:47:12.43
"Simon son of
Jonah, do you love Me?"
00:47:12.46\00:47:14.40
Peter was grieved because
he said it the third time.
00:47:14.46\00:47:17.20
Said, "Are You
doubting my answer?"
00:47:17.23\00:47:19.53
"Do you love Me?"
00:47:19.57\00:47:21.90
He said, "Lord,
You know all things.
00:47:21.94\00:47:25.47
You know that I love you."
00:47:25.51\00:47:27.04
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs.
00:47:27.08\00:47:29.11
Feed my sheep.
00:47:29.14\00:47:30.75
So, assuredly I say to
you, when you were younger,
00:47:30.78\00:47:33.28
you girded yourself,
you walked where you wish.
00:47:33.31\00:47:35.42
But when you're old, you will
stretch forth your hands and
00:47:35.45\00:47:38.32
another will gird you and carry
you where you do not wish."
00:47:38.35\00:47:41.69
This He spoke signifying by
what death He would glorify God.
00:47:41.72\00:47:45.79
And when He spoke
these things, He said,
00:47:45.83\00:47:48.70
"Follow Me."
00:47:48.73\00:47:50.27
So, those are the words
that Jesus said to Peter in the
00:47:50.30\00:47:52.47
beginning, "Follow Me and I
will make you a fisher of men."
00:47:52.50\00:47:54.94
Oh, there is that night
when Peter denied the Lord.
00:47:54.97\00:47:57.47
And Jesus said, "Follow Me,"
and He gave him another chance
00:47:57.51\00:48:01.51
to profess his
love and to follow Him.
00:48:01.54\00:48:04.81
And then finally,
you've got love's commitment.
00:48:04.85\00:48:07.28
Look in the 1 chapter
of Revelation verse 9.
00:48:07.32\00:48:11.75
"I, John, both your brother and
companion in the tribulation in
00:48:11.79\00:48:15.92
the kingdom and
the patience of Jesus,
00:48:15.96\00:48:18.83
was on the island
that is called Patmos."
00:48:18.86\00:48:20.50
He says, "I was a prisoner
for the Word of God and the
00:48:20.53\00:48:22.93
testimony of Jesus Christ."
00:48:22.96\00:48:24.57
They were not afraid
to suffer for Christ.
00:48:24.60\00:48:26.84
And you can read
again in Acts 9:16,
00:48:26.87\00:48:31.54
God said that he told Paul, "I
will show Him how many things he
00:48:31.57\00:48:36.18
must suffer for My name's sake."
00:48:36.21\00:48:38.45
And then John, 1
John 3, verse 16 and 18,
00:48:38.48\00:48:42.48
"By this we know love, because
He laid down His life for us.
00:48:42.52\00:48:47.42
And we also want to lay
down our lives for the brethren.
00:48:47.46\00:48:50.26
But whoever has this world's
goods and sees his brother
00:48:50.29\00:48:53.93
in need and shuts
up his heart from him,
00:48:53.96\00:48:55.63
how does the love
of God abide in him?
00:48:55.66\00:48:57.63
My little children, let us
not love in word or in tongue,
00:48:57.67\00:49:01.04
but in deed and in truth."
00:49:01.07\00:49:03.87
Now, Jesus said, "If
you know these things,
00:49:03.91\00:49:05.94
you're happy if you do them."
00:49:05.97\00:49:08.08
Friends, I hope that we
can put this into practice.
00:49:08.11\00:49:10.68
Want to thank you for
joining us in our study today,
00:49:10.71\00:49:12.88
and we're looking forward to
studying our new quarterly on
00:49:12.91\00:49:16.08
education in
the quarter to come.
00:49:16.12\00:49:18.02
Don't forget
about the free offer,
00:49:18.05\00:49:20.02
we'll send it to you.
00:49:20.06\00:49:21.36
You can either text or call,
00:49:21.39\00:49:22.69
or ask for "12
Steps to Revival."
00:49:22.72\00:49:24.99
And just call 866-STUDY-MORE
and this will be yours.
00:49:25.03\00:49:30.63
Well, and of course, you
can download this book by going
00:49:30.67\00:49:34.00
to amazingfacts.org.
00:49:34.04\00:49:37.11
God bless you, friends,
00:49:37.14\00:49:38.44
we're out of time
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00:49:38.47\00:49:39.77
Lord willing, we'll
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00:49:39.81\00:49:41.64
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¤¤¤
00:50:19.08\00:50:29.06
Doug: What can be more
irresistible than a kitten?
00:50:29.09\00:50:31.63
These guys might look cute
now, but some of their ancestors
00:50:31.66\00:50:34.73
have grown into man eaters.
00:50:34.73\00:50:37.07
[roaring]
00:50:37.10\00:50:41.30
We're here in a lion
park in South Africa now,
00:50:41.34\00:50:43.37
where we can view these
creatures in relative safety,
00:50:43.41\00:50:45.77
but there's a reason they're
known as the king of beasts.
00:50:45.81\00:50:48.74
So, what is it that people find
so enchanting and frightening
00:50:48.78\00:50:52.28
about lions?
00:50:52.31\00:50:53.62
Is it their speed, their
claws, their sharp teeth,
00:50:53.65\00:50:56.45
or all of the above?
00:50:56.48\00:50:58.02
Might also be some of the
stories about man eating lions,
00:50:58.05\00:51:00.59
like in 1898
right here in Africa,
00:51:00.62\00:51:04.26
they were building a bridge
over the Tsavo River in Kenya,
00:51:04.29\00:51:07.50
and two brother lions terrorized
the construction process,
00:51:07.56\00:51:11.23
eating 135 workers.
00:51:11.27\00:51:15.77
Did you know lions are mentioned
in the Bible over 100 times?
00:51:15.80\00:51:19.41
And you can find them all the
way from Genesis to Revelation.
00:51:19.44\00:51:22.34
It's usually in reference
to their ferocity and how
00:51:22.38\00:51:25.71
dangerous they are.
00:51:25.75\00:51:27.05
Of course, Samson killed
a lion with his bare hands.
00:51:27.08\00:51:29.15
David killed a lion.
00:51:29.18\00:51:30.62
There are man
eating lions in the Bible.
00:51:30.65\00:51:32.82
The way that they punished
criminals was by throwing them
00:51:32.85\00:51:35.22
in the lion's den.
00:51:35.26\00:51:36.99
And early Christians
were even fed to lions.
00:51:37.03\00:51:39.39
But amazingly, as
the Bible mentions,
00:51:39.43\00:51:42.20
not all lions are to be feared.
00:51:42.23\00:51:44.10
There have been a few
friendly lions in history.
00:51:44.13\00:51:46.63
For example, in
the 1950s, a couple,
00:51:46.67\00:51:50.21
Georges and Margaret Westbeau,
who lived up at a ranch near
00:51:50.24\00:51:53.74
Seattle, Washington,
adopted an abandoned lion cub.
00:51:53.78\00:51:57.71
They named it Little Tyke
'cause they felt sorry for it.
00:51:57.75\00:52:00.58
But they discovered as
they tried to feed her,
00:52:00.62\00:52:03.62
she refused to
eat any meat at all.
00:52:03.65\00:52:06.32
They were concerned, thinking
there was no hope for this
00:52:06.35\00:52:09.29
little lioness to survive,
and everybody told them the same
00:52:09.32\00:52:12.33
because we know in the
wild, lions survive on almost
00:52:12.36\00:52:15.43
entirely meat diet.
00:52:15.46\00:52:17.37
Then someone showed the
Westbeau that verse in the Bible
00:52:17.40\00:52:20.40
that talks about in heaven,
the animals are vegetarians,
00:52:20.44\00:52:23.74
and the lion will
eat straw like the ox.
00:52:23.77\00:52:26.44
That encouraged them, and so
they began to feed Little Tyke
00:52:26.47\00:52:30.55
a purely vegetarian diet.
00:52:30.58\00:52:32.58
Not only did she
survive, she thrived,
00:52:32.61\00:52:35.85
growing into a lion
that was over 352 pounds and
00:52:35.88\00:52:39.45
over 10 feet long.
00:52:39.49\00:52:41.49
In fact, zoologists that
examined Little Tyke when she
00:52:41.52\00:52:44.56
was full grown said they have
never seen such perfect specimen
00:52:44.59\00:52:47.83
of a lioness in their
life, a pure vegetarian.
00:52:47.86\00:52:52.00
You know, when we hear
incredible stories about that
00:52:52.03\00:52:54.30
of Little Tyke, it reminds
us that God's original plan was
00:52:54.34\00:52:57.74
to make a world of total peace.
00:52:57.77\00:53:00.18
It describes it here in
the Bible in Isaiah chapter 11,
00:53:00.21\00:53:03.41
verse 6, "The wolf also
will dwell with the lamb,
00:53:03.45\00:53:06.68
the leopard will lie
down with the young goat,
00:53:06.72\00:53:08.95
the calf and the young
lion and the fatling together.
00:53:08.98\00:53:11.92
And a little
child will lead them."
00:53:11.95\00:53:13.96
Nothing is going to hurt
and destroy in the new heavens
00:53:13.99\00:53:17.03
and the new earth that
God is going to create.
00:53:17.06\00:53:18.99
Wouldn't you like to live in
a kingdom where there's perfect
00:53:19.03\00:53:21.23
peace, where there's no
more death or killing or pain?
00:53:21.26\00:53:24.23
God says that He
wants you in that kingdom.
00:53:24.27\00:53:27.24
The Lamb of God made it possible
for you to have an encounter
00:53:27.27\00:53:31.57
with the Lion of
the tribe of Judah.
00:53:31.61\00:53:34.04
Wouldn't you like
to meet Him today?
00:53:34.08\00:53:36.91
¤¤¤
00:53:36.95\00:53:46.65
male announcer: Amazing Facts,
00:53:46.69\00:53:48.02
changed lives.
00:53:48.06\00:53:50.73
Diamond Garcia: Hi, my
name is Diamond Garcia,
00:53:54.96\00:53:56.33
and I am from the
beautiful islands of Hawaii.
00:53:56.36\00:53:58.37
I was raised in a
very dysfunctional family,
00:53:58.40\00:54:02.47
like most families.
00:54:02.50\00:54:03.81
Being in that
environment, I would lie,
00:54:03.84\00:54:06.61
cheat, steal, rob houses,
cheat in school and tests,
00:54:06.64\00:54:10.81
and lie to teachers,
and getting into fights,
00:54:10.85\00:54:13.48
and all kinds of stuff.
00:54:13.52\00:54:15.45
One day, I was asked to take
this little box of something,
00:54:15.48\00:54:19.55
and I had to walk down the
road and give it to someone,
00:54:19.59\00:54:22.26
and they would give me
money and I'd walk back home.
00:54:22.29\00:54:24.79
And I later
realized I was dealing drugs.
00:54:24.83\00:54:29.10
Growing up in that
environment, I thought that,
00:54:29.13\00:54:31.07
you know, being an adult was a
life of drinking and smoking and
00:54:31.10\00:54:34.34
partying, and
that's just adults did.
00:54:34.37\00:54:38.84
When I looked at my family
and saw the road that they were
00:54:38.87\00:54:41.44
going down, getting
arrested, getting beaten up,
00:54:41.48\00:54:44.15
coming home drunk and
puking all over the floor,
00:54:44.18\00:54:47.45
I just didn't
want that for myself.
00:54:47.48\00:54:51.45
Growing up, I had a grandma who
was baptized as a Christian in
00:54:51.49\00:54:54.29
her 20s, but then she wasn't
a real practicing Christian.
00:54:54.32\00:54:57.13
And so, one day,
I was at her house,
00:54:57.16\00:54:59.96
and there was a
box of various books.
00:55:00.06\00:55:01.96
And I went to the bottom of
that box and found a book called
00:55:02.00\00:55:04.37
"The Great Controversy."
00:55:04.40\00:55:06.07
And I picked it up and I
said, "This is interesting."
00:55:06.10\00:55:08.77
And I opened to the first
page of that book and it said,
00:55:08.80\00:55:11.84
"If thou hadst known."
00:55:11.87\00:55:13.74
I had no clue what
it meant, and so I said,
00:55:13.78\00:55:16.81
"You know what?
00:55:16.85\00:55:18.15
Forget this."
00:55:18.18\00:55:19.48
I put the book down, I
just walked away, did my thing.
00:55:19.51\00:55:21.48
But then something
told me, "You know,
00:55:21.52\00:55:22.82
Diamond, go back to that book."
00:55:22.85\00:55:24.25
And so, I went back to
the book, picked it up,
00:55:24.29\00:55:26.65
went to the last two
chapters, and I read it.
00:55:26.69\00:55:30.13
And I said to my
grandmother, I said,
00:55:30.16\00:55:32.79
"What church is this from?
00:55:32.83\00:55:34.23
I want to go to that church."
00:55:34.30\00:55:35.63
So, she brought me
down to the local church,
00:55:35.66\00:55:37.30
and then I walk
in from the backdoor.
00:55:37.33\00:55:39.70
And the piano's
off-key, people are off-key,
00:55:39.73\00:55:42.27
it's like, "Man, this is
really kind of--I don't want
00:55:42.30\00:55:45.31
to be here."
00:55:45.34\00:55:46.64
And I got to the
front of the church,
00:55:46.68\00:55:48.74
and I sat down, I was listening
to the sermon and the whole
00:55:48.78\00:55:51.48
service, it was so boring to me.
00:55:51.51\00:55:53.18
But then someone gives me this
set of DVDs and it was called
00:55:53.21\00:55:56.95
"The Prophecy Code."
00:55:56.99\00:56:00.56
It was through
watching Doug Batchelor explain
00:56:00.59\00:56:02.62
the truths found in the Bible
that really brought me to Christ
00:56:02.66\00:56:05.33
and brought me to
realize that, you know what?
00:56:05.36\00:56:08.36
There is a life
better than my family's life.
00:56:08.40\00:56:12.30
My second week at
church on Sabbath,
00:56:12.33\00:56:14.90
there was one person
there, he basically told me,
00:56:14.94\00:56:17.77
"Hey Diamond, do you
want to make some money?"
00:56:17.81\00:56:19.57
And I said, "Sure."
00:56:19.61\00:56:21.31
I said, "What do you do?"
00:56:21.34\00:56:22.64
He says, "Well,
I'm a colporteur.
00:56:22.68\00:56:24.01
We go door to door and
we sell Christian books."
00:56:24.05\00:56:26.58
I said, "Oh, okay.
00:56:26.61\00:56:28.42
Well, that sounds interesting.
00:56:28.45\00:56:29.85
I do want to
make some money, too."
00:56:29.88\00:56:31.45
And so he said, "Okay, well,
why don't you come with me?"
00:56:31.49\00:56:33.72
We drove out to
the neighborhood,
00:56:33.76\00:56:35.86
parked the car, and
that night was just raining,
00:56:35.89\00:56:38.39
it was pouring and pouring,
it could not stop raining.
00:56:38.43\00:56:41.30
He prayed, he said, "God,
this is Diamond's first night.
00:56:41.33\00:56:44.27
If it's Your will, stop the rain
so we can go knocking on doors."
00:56:44.30\00:56:47.04
And as soon as he said
amen, the rain just stopped.
00:56:47.07\00:56:50.34
I was just thinking in my head,
"Is this guy a prophet or what?
00:56:50.37\00:56:54.44
I mean, he just prayed and
asked God and it happened."
00:56:54.48\00:56:58.31
And so I was so--I was so happy,
I grabbed the books and I went
00:56:58.35\00:57:01.62
to the first door.
00:57:01.65\00:57:02.95
And the first door I went
to, the person gave me 50 bucks.
00:57:02.98\00:57:04.89
That night was actually a
big night for me because it was
00:57:04.92\00:57:08.02
where I saw God's power work
in stopping the rain and people
00:57:08.06\00:57:11.86
actually giving
me lots of money.
00:57:11.89\00:57:14.66
I then became a
colporteur or a canvasser,
00:57:14.73\00:57:16.30
and I save money to pay
for my way through academy.
00:57:16.33\00:57:19.20
And when my church began
to see how God was using me,
00:57:19.23\00:57:23.24
they immediately recognized
that it was God's Spirit moving
00:57:23.27\00:57:26.04
and they put me,
you know, preaching,
00:57:26.07\00:57:28.04
and teaching,
and sharing my faith.
00:57:28.08\00:57:30.25
And I've been engaged in
ministry for the past six to
00:57:30.28\00:57:32.25
seven years now, and God has
taken me all over the world on
00:57:32.28\00:57:34.85
multiple continents,
sharing my testimony,
00:57:34.88\00:57:37.55
how God has brought
me out of darkness into
00:57:37.59\00:57:39.75
his marvelous light.
00:57:39.79\00:57:41.19
It's a total contrast
as to how I was before.
00:57:41.22\00:57:44.13
And now, you know,
it's a total contrast.
00:57:44.16\00:57:47.60
My name is
Diamond, and Amazing Facts
00:57:47.66\00:57:49.96
has helped to change my life.
00:57:50.00\00:57:52.67
¤¤¤
00:57:52.70\00:58:02.68
¤¤¤
00:58:02.71\00:58:12.69
¤¤¤
00:58:12.72\00:58:22.70