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Rod Thompson:
Good morning, everyone.
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Welcome to the Granite Bay
Hilltop Church Sabbath School
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Study Hour.
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I'm Pastor Rod Thompson.
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I'm going to be leading our
study this morning but before we
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get into that, let me point you
to our free offering for today.
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It is a small pocketbook
called, "From Stress to Joy."
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"From Stress to Joy," and
you can get that by dialing
00:00:59.69\00:01:02.36
866-788-3966.
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That's 866-Study-More, and
ask for Free Offer number 705.
00:01:06.66\00:01:14.17
If you live
outside of North America,
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you can also go to your
cell phone and text the code
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"SH031" to number 40544.
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We are continuing our study in
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"Rest in Christ," and today we
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are going to be looking
at "Rest in Family Ties."
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But before we get to that,
we've got some special music
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with Emma Q.
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¤¤¤
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¤ I feel quite sure if I
did my best I can maybe ¤
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¤ impress you with
tender words or harmonies, ¤
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¤ a clever rhyme or two. ¤
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¤ But if all I've done
in the time we've shared ¤
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¤ is turn your eyes on me, ¤
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¤ then I've failed in
what I've been called to do. ¤
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¤ There's someone
else I want you to see. ¤
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¤ Will you love
Jesus more when we go ¤
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¤ our separate ways? ¤
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¤ When this moment is memory, ¤
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¤ will you remember His face? ¤
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¤ Will you look back and
realize you felt His love ¤
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¤ more than you did before? ¤
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¤ I pray for
nothing less than for you ¤
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¤ to love Jesus more. ¤
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¤¤¤
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¤ We like to keep
these memories in frames ¤
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¤ of gold and silver, ¤
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¤ to reminisce a
year from now about ¤
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¤ this time we shared. ¤
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¤ But above all else
I hope you will come ¤
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¤ to know the Father's love, ¤
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¤ and when we see the
Lord face to face you'll ¤
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¤ hear Him say, "Well done." ¤
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¤ Will you love
Jesus more when we go ¤
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¤ our separate ways? ¤
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¤ When this moment is memory, ¤
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¤ will you remember His face? ¤
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¤ Will you look back and
realize you felt His love ¤
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¤ more than you did before? ¤
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¤ I pray for
nothing less than for you ¤
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¤ to love Jesus more. ¤
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¤ Will you love
Jesus more when we go ¤
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¤ our separate ways? ¤
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¤ When this moment is memory, ¤
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¤ will you remember His face? ¤
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¤ Will you look back and
realize you felt His love ¤
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¤ more than you did before? ¤
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¤ I pray for
nothing less than for you ¤
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¤ to love Jesus more. ¤
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¤ I pray for nothing less than ¤
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¤ for you to ¤
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¤ love Jesus more. ¤¤
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¤¤¤
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Rod: I want to invite
you to open up your Bibles
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to 1 Corinthians chapter 3.
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1 Corinthians chapter
3, and let's begin with
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a word of prayer.
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O loving Father, Lord, oh,
that we would love You more.
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Lord, we've opened up the word
of life and we are praying and
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asking that the Holy
Spirit would guide us and,
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Lord, help us to enter into that
rest that You desire for us.
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And we ask in
Jesus's name, amen.
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I want to start off this morning
by asking you a question:
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has sin separated us from God?
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Has sin separated us from God?
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We know the answer
to that is yes, right?
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We believe that, we know that.
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But sin has also
separated us from each other.
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Sin brings with it
selfishness, pride,
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envy, jealousy, hatred, anger,
and sometimes even murder.
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Sin has done a
major number on us and,
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brothers and sisters,
I don't know about you,
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but I am sick to death
of what sin has done in me.
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What it has done in you.
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You have your Bibles open
to 1 Corinthians chapter 3.
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Notice what the Apostle
Paul says in verse 1: "And I,
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brethren, could not speak to you
as to spiritual people but as to
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carnal, as to babes in Christ.
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I fed you with milk
and not with solid food;
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for until now you were
not able to receive it,
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and even now you
are still not able;
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for you are still carnal.
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For where there
are envy, strife,
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and divisions among
you, are you not carnal,
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behaving like mere men?"
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Brothers and sisters,
the apostle Paul is speaking
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to the church.
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He is writing
to us, and he says,
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"You are carnal."
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There's envy, there's
strife, there's contentions,
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there's mistrust,
among the children of God.
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In Romans chapter
7, verse 14 and 15,
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Paul says, "For we know
that the law is spiritual,
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but I am carnal, sold under sin.
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For what I am
doing, I do not understand.
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The things that I will to
do, that I do not practice;
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but the things I
don't want to do,
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that I do."
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Now, please don't
misunderstand Paul.
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He is not using
that as an excuse to sin,
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but rather he is pointing
out a very real reality.
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And that reality is that we are
in the very fight of our lives.
00:10:03.16\00:10:12.34
And Paul says to the Ephesians,
"We don't fight against flesh
00:10:12.37\00:10:18.85
and blood," amen?
00:10:18.88\00:10:20.85
"We fight against principalities
and powers and wickedness
00:10:20.88\00:10:23.85
in high places.
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We are fighting against a carnal
nature and evil spirits that are
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trying to lead us to
follow that evil nature."
00:10:32.36\00:10:37.30
He goes on in Romans chapter
7, verse 24 and 25 to say,
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"O wretched man that I am.
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Who is going to save me
from this body of death?"
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And praise God, he
gives us the answer.
00:10:49.31\00:10:53.28
He says, "Oh, I thank God
for Jesus Christ our Lord.
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So then, with the mind I
myself serve the law of God,
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but with the
flesh the law of sin."
00:11:03.69\00:11:07.66
Here we see that Paul is telling
us that there's two different
00:11:07.66\00:11:11.63
laws that are at work here.
00:11:11.67\00:11:14.10
There is the law of
God which is spiritual,
00:11:14.14\00:11:17.74
and there is the law
of sin which is carnal.
00:11:17.77\00:11:23.91
And brothers and
sisters, it often appears,
00:11:23.95\00:11:27.15
doesn't it, that the
law of sin is winning.
00:11:27.18\00:11:31.92
Satan is doing everything
that he can to destroy us and
00:11:31.95\00:11:36.22
to destroy our families.
00:11:36.26\00:11:39.76
And it doesn't take a lot of
effort to see what sin has done
00:11:39.79\00:11:45.47
to the family.
00:11:45.50\00:11:48.07
We see the results
right from the beginning.
00:11:48.10\00:11:52.07
Adam and Eve sinned against God
and when they heard Him in the
00:11:52.11\00:11:56.75
Garden they ran and
they hid themselves.
00:11:56.78\00:11:59.41
Sin had separated them from God.
00:11:59.45\00:12:02.12
And sin also
separated them from each other.
00:12:02.15\00:12:05.09
They began to blame others.
00:12:05.12\00:12:08.12
Adam says to God, "The
woman that You gave me,
00:12:08.16\00:12:10.86
she gave to me and I ate."
00:12:10.89\00:12:15.26
He's blaming
God, "It's Your fault.
00:12:15.30\00:12:17.40
You gave her to me."
00:12:17.43\00:12:19.07
He's blaming her.
00:12:19.10\00:12:20.54
Eve blames it on the serpent.
00:12:20.57\00:12:22.80
Sin has separated us from
God and it has separated us
00:12:22.84\00:12:25.27
from each other.
00:12:25.31\00:12:29.61
And then they have children.
00:12:29.64\00:12:32.61
And there's contention
and strife and envy and hatred
00:12:32.65\00:12:40.79
and Cain murders Abel.
00:12:40.82\00:12:45.03
And just three
chapters later, in chapter 6,
00:12:45.06\00:12:51.03
verse 5, it says: "Then the Lord
saw that the wickedness of man
00:12:51.07\00:12:54.70
was great on the earth, and that
every intent of the thoughts
00:12:54.74\00:12:58.14
of his heart was
only evil continual."
00:12:58.17\00:13:01.54
It took a very short time for
sin to enter the world and there
00:13:01.58\00:13:06.61
was murder and now there's
division among all of the people
00:13:06.65\00:13:10.79
and there's only wickedness in
their hearts and in their minds,
00:13:10.82\00:13:14.62
and God destroys the entire
world except eight people.
00:13:14.66\00:13:23.26
But, brothers and sisters, those
eight people took their carnal
00:13:23.30\00:13:28.30
nature with them
through that flood.
00:13:28.34\00:13:32.61
And when they came out the other
side and they began multiplying
00:13:32.64\00:13:36.88
on the face of the earth, once
again it didn't take very long
00:13:36.91\00:13:40.88
for wickedness to step
in, sin, and rebellion.
00:13:40.92\00:13:45.95
Nimrod rebels against
God and the carnal nature is
00:13:45.99\00:13:54.10
winning the fight.
00:13:54.10\00:13:56.63
And so, God has to bring further
separation and He confuses
00:13:56.67\00:14:01.70
their language.
00:14:01.74\00:14:05.64
You have the story
after that of Abraham.
00:14:05.67\00:14:09.38
And we see the
difficulties that Abraham faced.
00:14:09.41\00:14:14.02
We see the failures of Abraham.
00:14:14.05\00:14:17.82
He tries to fulfill God's
promise to him in his own power,
00:14:17.85\00:14:25.53
in his own way of having the son
of promise that God had promised
00:14:25.56\00:14:30.27
with his wife's servant, Hagar.
00:14:30.30\00:14:37.27
And immediately, it
brings strife into the family.
00:14:37.31\00:14:43.78
Eventually, Abraham
and Sarah, his wife,
00:14:43.81\00:14:48.08
do have the son of promise and
immediately that brings strife
00:14:48.12\00:14:52.22
and contention into the family.
00:14:52.25\00:14:56.22
There is feuding between
the mothers of the two sons,
00:14:56.26\00:15:00.56
and even the sons themselves.
00:15:00.60\00:15:05.27
And then Isaac has
two sons, Jacob and Esau,
00:15:05.30\00:15:10.47
and there is contention.
00:15:10.51\00:15:13.27
There is fighting
for the supremacy,
00:15:13.31\00:15:16.34
for both the love of the
parents and the blessing of God.
00:15:16.38\00:15:20.18
And Jacob deceives his brother
into giving him his birthright.
00:15:20.22\00:15:25.65
He tricks his father into giving
him the blessing of the elder
00:15:25.69\00:15:30.46
son, and now Jacob has to
flee because his brother is
00:15:30.49\00:15:36.83
contemplating killing him.
00:15:36.87\00:15:41.47
And then Jacob enters into
his own strife and contention.
00:15:41.50\00:15:46.31
He falls in love with Rachel.
00:15:46.34\00:15:50.41
But his father-in-law,
Laban, tricks him into marrying
00:15:50.45\00:15:55.22
Rachel's older sister, Leah.
00:15:55.25\00:15:58.35
And then the problem is
compounded even further where he
00:15:58.39\00:16:02.76
makes a deal with
Jacob and he says,
00:16:02.79\00:16:06.06
"I'll give you Rachel also if
you'll serve me for seven more
00:16:06.09\00:16:08.73
years," and
Jacob agrees to that.
00:16:08.76\00:16:15.00
But the problems--
the envy, the strife,
00:16:15.04\00:16:18.81
the contention,
the hatred--continues.
00:16:18.84\00:16:28.32
Leah has a couple of sons,
and Rachel becomes jealous.
00:16:28.35\00:16:34.62
And so, Rachel
can't have any children.
00:16:34.66\00:16:38.86
She's barren so she
gives Jacob her handmaid,
00:16:38.89\00:16:42.36
Bilhah, and she has
a couple of children.
00:16:42.40\00:16:46.97
And then Leah becomes jealous.
00:16:47.00\00:16:50.57
She sees that she's no longer
having children and so she gives
00:16:50.61\00:16:54.54
Jacob her handmaid, Zilpah, and
she has a couple of children.
00:16:54.58\00:17:03.75
And finally, Rachel eventually
has Joseph and then eventually,
00:17:03.79\00:17:09.99
another son.
00:17:10.03\00:17:13.73
But, brothers and sisters,
what is the result of this
00:17:13.76\00:17:17.23
blended family?
00:17:17.27\00:17:20.57
There is
contention, there is strife,
00:17:20.60\00:17:24.24
there is hatred.
00:17:24.27\00:17:27.08
Won't you turn with me in
your Bibles to James chapter 4.
00:17:27.11\00:17:31.65
James chapter 4, and I want you
to notice what it says starting
00:17:31.68\00:17:40.86
in verse 1.
00:17:40.89\00:17:43.29
He asks a very
important question.
00:17:43.32\00:17:47.03
He says, "Where do wars
and fights come from among you?
00:17:47.10\00:17:52.40
Do they not come from your
desires for pleasure that war
00:17:52.43\00:17:56.47
in your members?
00:17:56.50\00:17:59.04
You lust and you do not have.
00:17:59.07\00:18:01.28
You murder and
covet and cannot obtain.
00:18:01.31\00:18:03.71
You fight and war.
00:18:03.75\00:18:05.68
Yet you do not have
because you do not ask.
00:18:05.71\00:18:07.78
You ask and do not receive
because you ask amiss and that
00:18:07.82\00:18:10.59
you may spend it
on your pleasures.
00:18:10.62\00:18:12.42
Adulterers and adulteresses!
00:18:12.45\00:18:14.76
Do you not know that
friendship with the world is
00:18:14.79\00:18:16.26
enmity with God?
00:18:16.29\00:18:17.93
Whoever therefore wants to
be friends of the world makes
00:18:17.96\00:18:19.53
himself an enemy of God.
00:18:19.56\00:18:21.40
Or do you think that
the Scriptures say in vain,
00:18:21.43\00:18:24.97
'The Spirit who dwells
in us yearns jealously'?
00:18:25.00\00:18:28.27
But He gives more grace.
00:18:28.30\00:18:30.74
Therefore He says:
'God resists the proud,
00:18:30.77\00:18:32.87
but gives grace to the humble.'"
00:18:32.91\00:18:35.94
Here, we see that James is
showing us there's contention,
00:18:35.98\00:18:40.48
there's
difficulties, there's wars,
00:18:40.52\00:18:42.72
there's problems among
us, even among God's family,
00:18:42.75\00:18:46.76
even among his children, even
among our immediate families.
00:18:46.79\00:18:51.93
And that brings
us to today because,
00:18:51.96\00:18:56.83
brothers and sisters, we still
have the same problem today that
00:18:56.87\00:19:00.90
they had back then, don't we?
00:19:00.94\00:19:03.94
And so here is the question that
we need to answer today: this
00:19:03.97\00:19:10.28
quarter, we are doing this study
on "Rest in Christ," but if
00:19:10.31\00:19:16.18
there is
contention, if there's strife,
00:19:16.22\00:19:18.62
if there is
difficulty in the family of God,
00:19:18.65\00:19:23.09
if there's jealousy and envy
within our immediate families,
00:19:23.12\00:19:29.03
then how are we
going to find rest?
00:19:29.06\00:19:32.93
How can we find
rest in family ties?
00:19:32.97\00:19:38.14
We want to answer
that question today,
00:19:38.17\00:19:40.01
and the best way to do that
is by looking at the greatest
00:19:40.04\00:19:43.75
example in the Bible of a
dysfunctional family because,
00:19:43.78\00:19:50.85
brothers and sisters,
we can relate to that,
00:19:50.89\00:19:53.42
can't we?
00:19:53.46\00:19:56.73
I'd like to read to you
if you have your Quarterly,
00:19:56.76\00:20:01.56
look with me on Sabbath
afternoon's lesson and let's
00:20:01.60\00:20:05.67
look at the
second paragraph there.
00:20:05.70\00:20:09.67
It says, "We get to choose many
things in life but we don't get
00:20:09.70\00:20:16.14
to choose our family.
00:20:16.18\00:20:19.38
No one is perfect and none
of us have perfect families and
00:20:19.41\00:20:22.82
perfect family relationships.
00:20:22.85\00:20:25.79
Some of us are
blessed by parents,
00:20:25.82\00:20:28.29
siblings, and other family
members that reflect God's love,
00:20:28.32\00:20:32.36
but many have to settle
for less than the ideal.
00:20:32.39\00:20:36.26
Family relationships often
are complicated and painful,
00:20:36.30\00:20:39.67
leaving us restless, hurt,
and carrying loads of emotional
00:20:39.70\00:20:44.77
baggage that we, in
turn, offload on others.
00:20:44.81\00:20:48.21
How can we find rest in
this area of our lives?"
00:20:48.24\00:20:54.15
That's a good question.
00:20:54.18\00:20:55.42
How are we gonna find rest
in family ties when there is sin
00:20:55.45\00:21:00.92
that is separating us, causing
us to contend with each other,
00:21:00.96\00:21:06.53
strive with each other, cause
hurt and pain and struggles
00:21:06.56\00:21:11.00
within the family?
00:21:11.03\00:21:15.94
So as we look at this
dysfunctional family of Jacob
00:21:15.97\00:21:21.21
today, we can imagine the
rivalry between the mothers.
00:21:21.24\00:21:30.49
You've got Leah and
her handmaid, Zilpah.
00:21:30.52\00:21:36.12
You've got Rachel
and her handmaid, Bilhah.
00:21:36.16\00:21:41.83
And you can imagine
these mothers contending with
00:21:41.86\00:21:48.30
each other for
the love of Jacob.
00:21:48.34\00:21:51.17
And you can imagine that
that contention spilled over
00:21:51.21\00:21:56.88
into the children.
00:21:56.91\00:22:00.42
Imagine for a moment that
Leah and Zilpah's children
00:22:00.45\00:22:10.39
on one side contending with
Rachel and Bilhah's children
00:22:10.43\00:22:16.73
on the other side.
00:22:16.77\00:22:18.70
You can imagine there constantly
being a strife between them.
00:22:18.73\00:22:23.94
But then imagine that
Leah's children start fighting
00:22:23.97\00:22:29.61
with Zilpah's children.
00:22:29.64\00:22:33.21
Or perhaps Rachel's children
start fighting with Bilhah's
00:22:33.25\00:22:37.02
children, and then somebody
from the other side gets
00:22:37.05\00:22:41.06
in the middle of it.
00:22:41.09\00:22:43.02
You can imagine that
those that were fighting,
00:22:43.06\00:22:45.56
now join forces and
contend with the other.
00:22:45.59\00:22:49.46
That reminds me of
that very famous verse,
00:22:49.50\00:22:52.60
"The enemy of my
enemy is my friend."
00:22:52.63\00:22:57.11
You can see and you can
even feel the contention
00:22:57.14\00:23:03.41
between the family.
00:23:03.45\00:23:05.61
Now, we already talked about
the difficulties in the family
00:23:05.65\00:23:08.38
of Abraham,
Isaac, and now Jacob.
00:23:08.42\00:23:11.55
But let me ask you a question.
00:23:11.59\00:23:15.22
If there is contention and all
of this strife in the family,
00:23:15.26\00:23:20.03
how can it be that
in Hebrews chapter 11,
00:23:20.06\00:23:23.83
what we call the Hall of
Faith, how is it that Abraham,
00:23:23.87\00:23:27.87
Isaac, and Jacob are referred
to as "Heroes of the Faith"?
00:23:27.90\00:23:35.54
And the simple answer is that
God's champions of faith often
00:23:35.58\00:23:41.15
fall short of the glory of God.
00:23:41.18\00:23:44.32
They often make mistakes.
00:23:44.35\00:23:47.92
And the fact is that these three
men are in Hebrews chapter 11
00:23:47.96\00:23:55.60
not because of the
dysfunction in their family,
00:23:55.63\00:24:00.20
but in spite of it.
00:24:00.24\00:24:03.24
They learned often the hard way
about faith and love and trust
00:24:03.27\00:24:10.55
in God, as they wrestled
with their family issues.
00:24:10.58\00:24:17.05
Put yourself in
Joseph for a moment,
00:24:17.09\00:24:20.56
one of the sons of Jacob.
00:24:20.59\00:24:22.76
Joseph is a type of Christ.
00:24:22.79\00:24:26.49
I want you to notice
what it says in the book,
00:24:26.53\00:24:31.03
"Patriarchs and Prophets," page
209: "Jacob unwisely manifested
00:24:31.07\00:24:37.44
his preference for Joseph.
00:24:37.47\00:24:41.31
And this excited the
jealousy of his other sons.
00:24:41.34\00:24:46.15
As Joseph witnessed the
evil conduct of his brothers,
00:24:46.18\00:24:49.95
he was greatly troubled.
00:24:49.98\00:24:53.76
He ventured gently to
remonstrate with them,
00:24:53.79\00:24:59.29
but only aroused still further
their hatred and resentment.
00:24:59.33\00:25:04.77
He could not endure to see them
sinning against God and he laid
00:25:04.80\00:25:09.20
the matter before his father,
hoping that his authority
00:25:09.24\00:25:12.61
might lead them to reform."
00:25:12.64\00:25:16.68
And you can imagine how
Joseph pleaded with them
00:25:16.71\00:25:22.18
to get right with God.
00:25:22.22\00:25:26.12
And then in that same book,
"Patriarchs and Prophets," page
00:25:26.15\00:25:29.22
210, it says this: "As
the lad," that's Joseph.
00:25:29.26\00:25:32.63
"As Joseph stood
before his brothers,
00:25:32.66\00:25:36.46
his beautiful countenance
lighted up with the spirit of
00:25:36.50\00:25:39.87
inspiration, they could
not withhold their admiration,
00:25:39.90\00:25:44.87
but--but they did not choose
to renounce their evil ways and
00:25:44.91\00:25:52.58
they hated the purity
that reproved their sins.
00:25:52.61\00:25:57.75
The same spirit that
actuated Cain was kindled
00:25:57.79\00:26:03.96
in their hearts."
00:26:03.99\00:26:05.73
And you can imagine that
if Joseph is a type of Christ,
00:26:05.76\00:26:10.13
and Joseph was hated by
his brothers because his purity
00:26:10.17\00:26:16.00
pointed out their sin, you can
imagine what it did to Christ,
00:26:16.04\00:26:22.51
as they saw His
purity and His love.
00:26:22.54\00:26:27.62
And so Joseph's
brothers sold him into slavery.
00:26:27.65\00:26:32.82
But as he was being
carried away to Egypt,
00:26:32.85\00:26:38.13
he made a decision
right there in that moment,
00:26:38.16\00:26:42.96
in his heart, that he was going
to serve the God of his father,
00:26:43.00\00:26:48.70
no matter what happened to him.
00:26:48.74\00:26:52.17
And even in the midst
of anguish and hurting,
00:26:52.21\00:26:57.85
Joseph begins to
find rest for his soul.
00:26:57.88\00:27:05.22
Why?
00:27:05.25\00:27:08.32
Because he had
put his trust in God.
00:27:08.36\00:27:11.63
In Deuteronomy chapter 4,
Moses is warning the children of
00:27:11.66\00:27:19.83
Israel not to worship idols,
not to get involved in idolatry.
00:27:19.87\00:27:27.34
And he says to
them that if they do,
00:27:27.38\00:27:33.68
then God is going to
scatter them among the heathen.
00:27:33.72\00:27:40.12
And in Deuteronomy
chapter 4, verse 29,
00:27:40.16\00:27:43.16
he says this: "But from there,"
that is from being scattered
00:27:43.19\00:27:49.46
among the world, "you will seek
the Lord your God and you will
00:27:49.50\00:27:54.54
find Him if you seek Him
with all of your heart and
00:27:54.57\00:27:57.87
all of your soul."
00:27:57.91\00:28:00.04
Here we see that Moses is
telling us that if we seek God
00:28:00.08\00:28:06.68
we will find Him.
00:28:06.72\00:28:09.68
Psalm 14, verse 2 says: "The
Lord looks down from heaven upon
00:28:09.72\00:28:13.25
the children of men to see
if there are any who understand,
00:28:13.29\00:28:16.52
if there are any who seek God."
00:28:16.56\00:28:19.29
In Isaiah 55, verse 6, it
says: "Seek the Lord while He
00:28:19.33\00:28:22.36
may be found.
00:28:22.40\00:28:23.70
Call upon Him while He is near."
00:28:23.73\00:28:26.87
And if you
remember last week's lesson,
00:28:26.90\00:28:29.97
we looked at that
phrase, "Come to Me."
00:28:30.01\00:28:34.78
It came from that
verse in Matthew chapter 11,
00:28:34.81\00:28:37.78
verse 28, where Jesus said,
"Come to Me all you who are
00:28:37.81\00:28:41.48
weary and heavy-laden,
and I will give you rest."
00:28:41.52\00:28:44.49
Brothers and
sisters, if we come to God,
00:28:44.52\00:28:47.52
we can find rest for our souls.
00:28:47.56\00:28:54.83
We must come to Him.
00:28:54.83\00:28:58.50
That is a prerequisite to
us finding rest for our souls.
00:28:58.53\00:29:04.94
Notice what it
says again in that book,
00:29:04.97\00:29:08.68
"Patriarchs and Prophets,"
page 213: "Joseph believed that
00:29:08.71\00:29:17.72
the God of his
fathers would be his God.
00:29:17.75\00:29:21.86
He then and there gave himself
fully to the Lord and he prayed
00:29:21.89\00:29:25.56
that the keeper of
Israel would be with him in
00:29:25.59\00:29:28.46
the land of his exile."
00:29:28.50\00:29:30.67
Joseph was determined
that he was going to place
00:29:30.70\00:29:34.10
his trust in God.
00:29:34.14\00:29:38.11
You know, Joseph
had a promising future.
00:29:38.14\00:29:41.68
He had relatively a life of ease
being the favored son of Jacob.
00:29:41.71\00:29:49.88
But things were about to change.
00:29:49.92\00:29:54.86
But then and there, Joseph
realized that his life was in
00:29:54.89\00:30:01.86
God's hands and in
the providence of God,
00:30:01.90\00:30:06.84
even that experience in Egypt
was going to bring him blessing.
00:30:06.87\00:30:14.51
And he could claim that promise
of Romans 8:28 that God can take
00:30:14.54\00:30:21.42
all things and turn it into
something good for those who
00:30:21.45\00:30:24.59
love Him and are called
according to His purpose.
00:30:24.62\00:30:29.66
"Patriarchs and
Prophets," page 214,
00:30:29.69\00:30:33.40
goes on to say: "He
would serve the Lord with
00:30:33.43\00:30:36.23
an undivided heart.
00:30:36.26\00:30:37.97
He would meet the trials of his
lot with fortitude and perform
00:30:38.00\00:30:41.07
every duty with fidelity.
00:30:41.10\00:30:43.87
One day's experience
had been the turning point
00:30:43.91\00:30:46.78
in Joseph's life.
00:30:46.81\00:30:49.11
Its terrible calamity had
transformed him from a petted
00:30:49.14\00:30:52.68
child to a man,
thoughtful, courageous,
00:30:52.71\00:30:57.02
and self-possessed."
00:30:57.05\00:30:59.52
Brothers and sisters, each and
every one of us needs to have
00:30:59.55\00:31:02.42
that kind of an experience.
00:31:02.46\00:31:06.16
I'd like you to turn with me in
your Bibles to Hebrews chapter
00:31:06.19\00:31:09.33
12, just back a couple of pages.
00:31:09.36\00:31:12.57
Hebrews chapter 12, and I'd
like you to notice what it says
00:31:12.60\00:31:19.11
starting in verse 3.
00:31:19.14\00:31:22.84
The apostle Paul says to
us: "For consider Him," that is
00:31:22.88\00:31:28.05
Christ, "who endured such
hostility from sinners against
00:31:28.08\00:31:33.39
Himself, lest you become weary
and discouraged in your souls.
00:31:33.42\00:31:39.46
You have not yet
resisted to bloodshed,
00:31:39.49\00:31:42.20
striving against sin.
00:31:42.23\00:31:44.93
And you have forgotten the
exhortation which speaks to you
00:31:44.97\00:31:47.80
as to sons: 'My son, do not
despise the chastening of the
00:31:47.84\00:31:50.87
Lord, nor be discouraged
when you are rebuked by Him;
00:31:50.91\00:31:54.84
for whom the Lord
loves He chastens,
00:31:54.88\00:31:57.71
and scourges every
son whom He receives.'
00:31:57.75\00:32:01.18
If you endure chastening,
00:32:01.22\00:32:03.35
God deals with you as with sons;
00:32:03.39\00:32:05.75
for what son is there
whom a father does not chasten?
00:32:05.79\00:32:09.89
But if you are
without chastening,
00:32:09.92\00:32:13.40
of which all
have become partakers,
00:32:13.43\00:32:16.30
then you are
illegitimate and not sons.
00:32:16.33\00:32:19.13
For furthermore, we have had
human fathers who corrected us,
00:32:19.17\00:32:23.74
and we paid them respect.
00:32:23.77\00:32:26.21
Shall we not much more readily
be in subjection to the Father
00:32:26.24\00:32:29.84
of spirits and live?
00:32:29.88\00:32:31.98
For they indeed for a few
days chastened us as seemed best
00:32:32.01\00:32:35.38
to them, but He for our
profit, that we may be partakers
00:32:35.42\00:32:40.42
of His holiness."
00:32:40.46\00:32:45.19
Here we can see that Paul
is telling us that God allows
00:32:45.23\00:32:51.20
difficulties and
allows difficult people into
00:32:51.23\00:32:56.74
our lives to transform us.
00:32:56.77\00:33:01.38
He uses those as the tools to
mold us more and more into the
00:33:01.41\00:33:06.58
image of Christ, and
Joseph is about to enter into
00:33:06.61\00:33:12.99
the schoolhouse of God.
00:33:13.02\00:33:18.56
He would be
tempted by a seductress,
00:33:18.59\00:33:23.33
but God would be glorified in
the faithfulness of his servant.
00:33:23.37\00:33:28.34
Joseph understood something
that we all need to learn,
00:33:28.37\00:33:33.04
and that is simply this:
there is nowhere you can go,
00:33:33.07\00:33:37.68
there is
nothing that you can do,
00:33:37.71\00:33:42.08
that God isn't there,
that God doesn't see it.
00:33:42.12\00:33:47.42
Jonah had to learn
that lesson the hard way.
00:33:47.46\00:33:49.89
He tried to run away from God.
00:33:49.92\00:33:56.80
But, of course, there
was a price to be paid
00:33:56.83\00:34:01.30
for doing what is right.
00:34:01.34\00:34:05.67
And you know the story.
00:34:05.71\00:34:10.08
Joseph would suffer for
his principled decision.
00:34:10.11\00:34:19.45
He would be thrown into prison.
00:34:19.49\00:34:22.19
Turn with me to Luke chapter 6.
00:34:22.22\00:34:25.69
Luke chapter 6.
00:34:25.73\00:34:28.93
I'd like you to notice
something that Jesus says to us.
00:34:28.96\00:34:35.47
Luke chapter 6,
starting in verse 27.
00:34:35.50\00:34:44.85
Jesus says: "But I say
to you: Love your enemies,
00:34:44.88\00:34:52.55
do good to those who hate
you, bless those who curse you,
00:34:52.59\00:34:58.49
and pray for those
who spitefully use you.
00:34:58.53\00:35:01.63
To him who strikes
you on the one cheek,
00:35:01.66\00:35:03.90
offer the other also.
00:35:03.93\00:35:05.93
And from him who
takes away your cloak,
00:35:05.97\00:35:07.74
do not withhold
your tunic either.
00:35:07.77\00:35:10.51
Give to
everyone who asks of you.
00:35:10.54\00:35:12.74
And from him who takes away
your goods do not ask them back.
00:35:12.77\00:35:15.48
And just as you
want men to do to you,
00:35:15.51\00:35:17.85
you also do to them likewise.
00:35:17.88\00:35:19.85
But if you love
those who love you,
00:35:19.88\00:35:24.25
what credit is that to you?
00:35:24.29\00:35:28.09
For even sinners
love those who love them.
00:35:28.12\00:35:32.19
And if you do good to
those who do good to you,
00:35:32.23\00:35:35.26
what credit is that to you?
00:35:35.30\00:35:37.70
For even sinners do the same.
00:35:37.73\00:35:41.17
And if you lend to those with
whom you hope to receive back,
00:35:41.20\00:35:44.74
what credit is that to you?
00:35:44.77\00:35:46.91
For even sinners lend to
sinners to receive as much back.
00:35:46.94\00:35:50.08
But love your
enemies, do good, and lend,
00:35:50.11\00:35:54.55
hoping for nothing in return;
and your reward will be great,
00:35:54.58\00:35:58.99
and you will be
sons of the Most High.
00:35:59.02\00:36:01.72
For He is kind to the
unthankful and the evil.
00:36:01.76\00:36:04.73
Therefore be merciful, just as
your Father also is merciful."
00:36:04.76\00:36:09.70
Brothers and sisters, here we
see that Jesus is showing us you
00:36:09.73\00:36:14.44
can't control the
choices, the decisions,
00:36:14.47\00:36:18.71
of others.
00:36:18.74\00:36:20.98
But you can choose
how you will respond,
00:36:21.01\00:36:24.78
even if you live in
a dysfunctional family,
00:36:24.81\00:36:28.68
you can still
have rest in Christ.
00:36:28.72\00:36:34.86
And so the question is, how are
we going to respond when someone
00:36:34.89\00:36:41.26
says something that hurts us?
00:36:41.30\00:36:44.73
When there's strife and
contention in the family,
00:36:44.77\00:36:48.70
and the question is how does
Joseph who is a type of Christ,
00:36:48.74\00:36:52.91
how does he respond?
00:36:52.94\00:36:56.41
Now, obviously, his
conditions were not ideal,
00:36:56.44\00:37:02.52
but they were real.
00:37:02.55\00:37:05.62
And rather than
feeling sorry for himself,
00:37:05.65\00:37:09.96
rather than becoming
angry and lashing out,
00:37:09.99\00:37:13.36
rather than trying to
fix the problem himself,
00:37:13.40\00:37:17.80
he puts himself in the hands
of God and he trusts that God is
00:37:17.83\00:37:22.50
going to work
things out for him.
00:37:22.54\00:37:26.51
And instead of becoming bitter
and angry with his brothers,
00:37:26.54\00:37:32.75
he forgives them.
00:37:32.78\00:37:35.45
And rather than spending his
time in despair or in depression
00:37:35.48\00:37:40.02
or committing suicide, Joseph
spends his time helping others.
00:37:40.06\00:37:47.66
So much so, that the guards
notice that he is helpful to
00:37:47.73\00:37:57.11
them in encouraging the
other prisoners and they,
00:37:57.14\00:38:01.94
so to speak, promote him.
00:38:01.98\00:38:07.25
He is given freedoms within the
prison that others don't have.
00:38:07.28\00:38:13.09
And Joseph has the opportunity
to help others and you know
00:38:13.12\00:38:17.36
the story.
00:38:17.39\00:38:18.69
There were two men that had
dreams and God blessed Joseph
00:38:18.73\00:38:22.60
with the ability to interpret
dreams and he tells them
00:38:22.63\00:38:27.74
what's going to happen to them.
00:38:27.77\00:38:29.30
And one is going to be
restored to service of the king,
00:38:29.34\00:38:32.71
and the other is going to
lose his life for the things
00:38:32.74\00:38:36.08
that he has done.
00:38:36.11\00:38:39.01
Now notice what
it says in that book,
00:38:39.05\00:38:40.82
"Patriarchs and Prophets,"
this time on page 219: "Joseph
00:38:40.85\00:38:44.59
gradually gained the confidence
of the keeper of the prison and
00:38:44.62\00:38:48.86
was finally entrusted with
the charge of all the prisoners.
00:38:48.89\00:38:53.66
It was the part
he acted in prison,
00:38:53.70\00:38:57.50
the integrity of his daily life
and his sympathy for those who
00:38:57.53\00:39:01.77
were in trouble and distressed
that opened the way for his
00:39:01.80\00:39:06.74
future prosperity and honor.
00:39:06.78\00:39:10.31
Every ray of light that we
shed upon others is reflected
00:39:10.35\00:39:14.52
back to ourselves.
00:39:14.55\00:39:16.65
Every kind and sympathizing
word spoken to the sorrowful,
00:39:16.69\00:39:21.22
every act to
relieve the oppressed,
00:39:21.26\00:39:24.83
and every gift to the needy,
if prompted by a right motive,
00:39:24.86\00:39:29.36
will result in
blessing to the giver."
00:39:29.40\00:39:35.97
And Joseph says to the one who's
going to be restored to service
00:39:36.00\00:39:43.04
to the king, he
says, "Remember me.
00:39:43.08\00:39:46.05
When you stand before
the king, tell him about me,
00:39:46.08\00:39:50.39
that I've been falsely
accused, and please help me get
00:39:50.42\00:39:53.39
out of this place."
00:39:53.42\00:39:57.29
But you know, it
didn't work that way, did it?
00:39:57.33\00:40:01.70
At first.
00:40:01.73\00:40:03.47
Joseph spent
another two years in prison.
00:40:03.50\00:40:10.11
But all that while, he
was obedient to his masters.
00:40:10.14\00:40:18.98
He did the will of
God from the heart,
00:40:19.01\00:40:24.59
and the Bible says
that God was with him.
00:40:24.62\00:40:30.16
You see, brothers and sisters,
life on planet Earth isn't fair,
00:40:30.19\00:40:35.96
and God is not always rewarded.
00:40:36.00\00:40:40.54
And evil is not
always immediately punished.
00:40:40.57\00:40:44.87
It was that way for Joseph
and it is that way for us.
00:40:44.91\00:40:50.51
Turn with me in your
Bibles to Ephesians chapter 6.
00:40:50.55\00:40:55.78
Ephesians chapter 6, the
apostle Paul is speaking to the
00:40:55.82\00:41:00.29
church in Ephesus.
00:41:00.32\00:41:02.76
He's speaking to us
and notice what he says,
00:41:02.79\00:41:07.86
starting in verse 5.
00:41:07.93\00:41:10.50
He says,
"Bondservants," that's Joseph.
00:41:10.53\00:41:13.94
That's you and me,
slaves to sin and addiction.
00:41:13.97\00:41:19.17
"Bondservants, be obedient
to those who are your masters
00:41:19.21\00:41:22.34
according to the flesh,
with fear and trembling,
00:41:22.38\00:41:25.08
in sincerity of
heart, as to Christ;
00:41:25.11\00:41:27.78
not with
eye-service, as men-pleasers,
00:41:27.82\00:41:30.79
but as bondservants of
Christ, doing the will of God
00:41:30.82\00:41:35.09
from the heart, with
goodwill doing service,
00:41:35.12\00:41:39.59
as to the Lord, and not to
men, knowing that whatever good
00:41:39.63\00:41:42.03
anyone does, he will
receive the same from the Lord,
00:41:42.06\00:41:44.87
whether he is a slave or free."
00:41:44.90\00:41:48.97
Here we see that Paul is telling
us that it doesn't matter what
00:41:49.00\00:41:54.31
someone says to
you or does to you.
00:41:54.34\00:41:57.65
Yes, those
things are hurtful, yes,
00:41:57.68\00:41:59.78
they cause pain, yes, they cause
us to have a lot of baggage that
00:41:59.81\00:42:02.85
we carry around with us.
00:42:02.88\00:42:05.69
But in spite of
that, we have a choice.
00:42:05.72\00:42:09.69
We can choose whether or
not to love them in spite
00:42:09.72\00:42:13.19
of their failures.
00:42:13.23\00:42:15.63
And he says we do it
not to men, but we do it as
00:42:15.66\00:42:21.24
working unto God.
00:42:21.27\00:42:23.57
Jesus said, "Whatever you've
done for the least of these,
00:42:23.61\00:42:26.57
you've done to Me."
00:42:26.61\00:42:29.91
I'd like you to look with me
if you have your Quarterly study
00:42:29.94\00:42:32.81
with you, let's go
to Thursday's lesson
00:42:32.85\00:42:36.32
and I'm running out of time.
00:42:36.35\00:42:37.65
I've got to hurry.
00:42:37.69\00:42:39.95
But I'd like you to notice
what the last chapter says
00:42:39.99\00:42:42.22
on Thursday's lesson.
00:42:42.26\00:42:44.63
"Our relationships are miniature
reflections of the great
00:42:44.66\00:42:49.60
controversy
between Christ and Satan.
00:42:49.63\00:42:53.44
This means, then, that there
are no perfect relationships.
00:42:53.47\00:42:58.44
Every relationship must have
grown dynamics and Satan has
00:42:58.47\00:43:01.98
a vested interest in
using all our relationships,
00:43:02.01\00:43:04.58
especially those closest to
us to his advantage in order to
00:43:04.61\00:43:09.68
hurt and frustrate
God's will for our lives.
00:43:09.72\00:43:12.69
We can be thankful that we are
not left to fight these battles
00:43:12.72\00:43:15.69
on our own.
00:43:15.72\00:43:17.56
God's Word sets out principles
for our relationships:
00:43:17.59\00:43:20.86
His promise to give us
wisdom is also extended to our
00:43:20.90\00:43:24.53
relationships, and
He--as He was with Joseph,
00:43:24.57\00:43:27.64
He promises to be with us,
when our relationships prove
00:43:27.67\00:43:31.54
to be complex."
00:43:31.57\00:43:40.02
You see, brothers and sisters,
God never claims to take away
00:43:40.05\00:43:48.46
the trouble.
00:43:48.49\00:43:51.89
He doesn't
promise you a rose garden,
00:43:51.93\00:43:55.76
but He promises to
be with you in the midst
00:43:55.80\00:43:58.77
of it all, amen.
00:43:58.80\00:44:00.64
Hebrews chapter 13, verse
5, says: "Let your conduct be
00:44:00.67\00:44:03.84
without covetousness, be content
with such things as you have,
00:44:03.87\00:44:07.91
for He Himself has
said, 'I will never leave you
00:44:07.94\00:44:10.88
nor forsake you.'"
00:44:10.91\00:44:13.52
God did not leave Abraham alone
when he went to rescue Lot.
00:44:13.55\00:44:21.69
Those three Hebrew boys were
not alone in the fiery furnace.
00:44:21.72\00:44:26.29
Daniel was not
alone in the lion's den.
00:44:26.33\00:44:29.83
David was not
alone fighting Goliath.
00:44:29.86\00:44:32.93
Joseph was not alone
setting in the prison,
00:44:32.97\00:44:36.50
and you are not alone in
whatever strife and contention
00:44:36.54\00:44:40.81
and difficulties
that you are facing.
00:44:40.84\00:44:44.11
God is with you.
00:44:44.15\00:44:46.68
Turn with me in your
Bibles to Matthew chapter 7.
00:44:46.72\00:44:49.45
Matthew 7.
00:44:49.48\00:44:51.82
I want you to
notice what Jesus says,
00:44:51.85\00:44:56.39
starting in verse 24.
00:44:56.42\00:44:59.79
Matthew 7, verse 24: "Therefore
whoever hears these sayings of
00:44:59.83\00:45:06.70
Mine, and does them, I
will liken him to a wise man who
00:45:06.74\00:45:08.80
built his house on a
rock: and the rain descends,
00:45:08.84\00:45:12.24
the flood came, the winds
blew and beat on that house;
00:45:12.27\00:45:14.98
and it did not fall, for
it was founded on the rock.
00:45:15.01\00:45:18.18
But everyone who
hears these sayings of Mine,
00:45:18.21\00:45:20.72
and does not do them, will be
like a foolish man who built his
00:45:20.75\00:45:23.32
house on the sand:
the rain descended,
00:45:23.35\00:45:25.59
the floods came, the winds
blew and beat on the house;
00:45:25.62\00:45:27.72
and it fell.
00:45:27.76\00:45:29.06
And great was its fall."
00:45:29.09\00:45:32.39
You see, brothers and sisters,
you cannot control what anyone
00:45:32.43\00:45:35.96
else says or does, but you
can control how you respond.
00:45:36.00\00:45:40.70
And in the power of God, you
can live that righteous life.
00:45:40.74\00:45:45.54
Christ wants to live
His life through you,
00:45:45.57\00:45:48.94
and if you build your
life on the rock of Christ,
00:45:48.98\00:45:52.51
you have a firm
foundation to stand.
00:45:52.55\00:45:55.32
And even in the midst of
dysfunction in the family,
00:45:55.35\00:45:58.62
even amongst strife and
difficulties and challenges,
00:45:58.65\00:46:01.76
you can have rest.
00:46:01.79\00:46:03.99
You can have peace in God
if you place your trust in Him.
00:46:04.03\00:46:09.76
Romans chapter 12, verse
18 says: "If it is possible,
00:46:09.80\00:46:13.94
as much as it depends on you,
live at peace with all men."
00:46:13.97\00:46:20.21
In Matthew chapter
11, verse 28, Jesus said,
00:46:20.24\00:46:23.81
"Come unto Me all you
who are weary and heavy laden
00:46:23.85\00:46:28.05
and I will give you rest."
00:46:28.08\00:46:31.59
So, brothers and sisters,
even in the midst of sin,
00:46:31.62\00:46:35.39
even in the midst of the strife
and contentions of family life,
00:46:35.42\00:46:41.16
we can still
find rest in Christ.
00:46:41.20\00:46:45.57
I'd like to close with a quote
from "The Spirit of Prophecy,
00:46:45.60\00:46:49.00
Volume I," chapter 14.
00:46:49.04\00:46:51.67
In talking about
the story of Joseph,
00:46:51.71\00:46:55.21
it says this: "Here is an
example to all generations who
00:46:55.24\00:46:59.01
shall live upon the earth.
00:46:59.05\00:47:01.18
Although they may be
exposed to temptations,
00:47:01.22\00:47:03.79
yet they should ever realize
that there is a defense at hand.
00:47:03.82\00:47:06.79
And it will be their own
fault if they are preserved.
00:47:06.82\00:47:11.59
God will be a present
help, and His Spirit a shield.
00:47:11.63\00:47:15.16
Although surrounded with
the severest temptations,
00:47:15.20\00:47:18.30
there is a source of
strength to which they can apply
00:47:18.33\00:47:20.60
and resist them.
00:47:20.64\00:47:22.60
How fierce was the
assault upon Joseph's morals.
00:47:22.64\00:47:25.64
It came from one of influence,
the most likely to lead astray,
00:47:25.67\00:47:29.38
yet how promptly
and firmly he resisted.
00:47:29.41\00:47:33.82
He suffered for his
virtue and integrity,
00:47:33.85\00:47:36.89
for she who had led him astray,
revenged herself upon the virtue
00:47:36.92\00:47:40.29
she could not subvert and by her
influence caused him to be cast
00:47:40.32\00:47:44.83
into prison by
charging him with a foul wrong.
00:47:44.86\00:47:48.33
Here Joseph suffered because he
would not yield his integrity.
00:47:48.36\00:47:53.30
He had placed his reputation and
interests in the hands of God.
00:47:53.34\00:47:58.37
And although he was suffered
to be afflicted for a time,
00:47:58.41\00:48:02.34
to prepare him to fill
for an important position,
00:48:02.38\00:48:06.58
yet God safely guarded that
reputation that was blackened by
00:48:06.61\00:48:10.99
a wicked accuser, and
afterward, in His own good time,
00:48:11.02\00:48:15.82
caused it to shine."
00:48:15.86\00:48:19.83
And God can do the same for you.
00:48:19.86\00:48:24.03
I want to close by reminding you
of our free offer this morning,
00:48:24.07\00:48:29.20
this pocketbook
called, "From Stress to Joy."
00:48:29.24\00:48:33.94
You can receive that by
calling 866-788-3966 and ask
00:48:33.98\00:48:38.48
for Offer Number 705.
00:48:38.51\00:48:41.38
If you're outside of
North America or you just desire
00:48:41.42\00:48:45.19
a digital download, you can text
"SH031" to the number 40544.
00:48:45.22\00:48:53.46
Brothers and sisters,
you can have rest in Christ,
00:48:53.50\00:48:57.60
in spite of
everything going on around you.
00:48:57.63\00:49:01.84
You want that kind of joy?
00:49:01.87\00:49:04.44
You want that kind of peace?
00:49:04.47\00:49:08.18
Let's pray.
00:49:08.21\00:49:09.78
O loving Father, we
thank You for this study today.
00:49:09.81\00:49:13.11
Thank You for
the reminder, Lord,
00:49:13.15\00:49:15.52
that our joy,
our peace, our rest,
00:49:15.55\00:49:18.29
doesn't come from
others, but it comes from You.
00:49:18.32\00:49:21.29
And, Lord, in spite of
everything that's going on
00:49:21.32\00:49:23.56
around us, we can have rest,
even in our families today.
00:49:23.59\00:49:29.13
And it seems, Lord, that we have
the greatest contentions with
00:49:29.16\00:49:33.10
those that we love the most.
00:49:33.13\00:49:35.77
Forgive us and help us to
exemplify Christ to our families
00:49:35.80\00:49:41.51
and we pray and ask
it in Jesus's name, amen.
00:49:41.54\00:49:46.65
male announcer: Don't forget
to request today's life-changing
00:49:46.68\00:49:49.88
free resource.
00:49:49.92\00:49:51.35
Not only can you receive
this free gift in the mail,
00:49:51.39\00:49:53.42
you can download a digital
copy straight to your computer
00:49:53.46\00:49:55.92
or mobile device.
00:49:55.96\00:49:57.26
To get your digital
copy of today's free gift,
00:49:57.29\00:50:00.06
simply text the keyword on your
screen to 40544 or visit the web
00:50:00.10\00:50:04.63
address shown on your
screen and be sure to select the
00:50:04.67\00:50:08.70
digital download
option on the request page.
00:50:08.74\00:50:10.47
It's now easier than ever
for you to study God's Word with
00:50:10.51\00:50:13.98
Amazing Facts
wherever and whenever you want.
00:50:14.01\00:50:17.31
And most important,
to share it with others.
00:50:17.35\00:50:21.52
announcer: "Amazing
Facts", Changed Lives.
00:50:25.25\00:50:28.32
male: I met my ex-wife
and her family were real big
00:50:33.06\00:50:36.20
into drugs.
00:50:36.23\00:50:37.83
And it started out with them
wanting me to go to the doctor
00:50:37.87\00:50:40.44
to help get them drugs.
00:50:40.47\00:50:42.37
And, you know, I'm noticing
they're going to the doctor,
00:50:42.40\00:50:45.01
they're coming back with, like,
60 pills and they're selling
00:50:45.04\00:50:47.44
these pills for,
like, a thousand bucks.
00:50:47.48\00:50:49.74
And I'm thinking, "Wow, this is
a lot of money I'm giving these
00:50:49.78\00:50:53.48
people, so I'm just going
to start selling it myself."
00:50:53.52\00:50:55.68
The problem with that was we
had all this money but we was
00:50:55.72\00:50:59.25
absolutely miserable.
00:50:59.29\00:51:01.26
She would go out and sleep
with other guys to get drugs and
00:51:01.29\00:51:05.03
that ended my marriage.
00:51:05.06\00:51:07.56
But during this time, I have
to get a job to build back up
00:51:07.60\00:51:10.53
to where I was at,
to open my shop again.
00:51:10.57\00:51:13.07
So I get a job at Food
City and when I get this job at
00:51:13.10\00:51:16.30
Food City, there's
my wife now, Rebecca,
00:51:16.34\00:51:19.21
she's a cashier there.
00:51:19.24\00:51:20.81
And when I walk in, she's the
most beautiful girl I've ever
00:51:20.84\00:51:23.78
seen in my life.
00:51:23.81\00:51:25.51
I was, like, "Man, I could
never have a girl like that.
00:51:25.55\00:51:28.42
Wow, she's so beautiful."
00:51:28.45\00:51:30.29
But as I'm working with her,
she's actually kind of mean to
00:51:30.32\00:51:33.32
me and she's saying, "I don't
want anything to do with you.
00:51:33.36\00:51:37.36
Get away from
me," stuff like that.
00:51:37.39\00:51:39.36
But, you know, I just keep being
nice to her and keep trying to
00:51:39.39\00:51:42.33
give her my phone number
and it's around Christmas Eve,
00:51:42.36\00:51:46.20
we'd just been dating
for a little while and
00:51:46.23\00:51:47.97
moved in together.
00:51:48.00\00:51:49.64
My ex-wife shows up
with my three children
00:51:49.67\00:51:52.21
that I had by her.
00:51:52.24\00:51:53.78
And she's like,
"Here's your kids.
00:51:53.81\00:51:55.71
Here's their birth certificates.
00:51:55.74\00:51:57.18
Here's their
Social Security cards.
00:51:57.21\00:51:58.75
I'm done."
00:51:58.78\00:52:00.32
And we're starting a family,
we already have three kids.
00:52:00.35\00:52:02.75
During this time, we spent the
next year watching nothing but
00:52:02.78\00:52:06.72
"Amazing Facts" on YouTube.
00:52:06.76\00:52:08.59
I didn't even know they
even had a website at this time.
00:52:08.62\00:52:11.33
I just knew that this little
guy on YouTube was super-smart,
00:52:11.36\00:52:14.86
was teaching Bible,
and I wanted to follow him.
00:52:14.93\00:52:18.17
I wanted to be a Christian.
00:52:18.20\00:52:19.50
I gave my life to God now
because of these truths that
00:52:19.53\00:52:22.17
I'm learning
from Doug Batchelor.
00:52:22.20\00:52:24.44
Just because Doug taught it
didn't make me real sure about
00:52:24.47\00:52:27.28
going to this church and I
really didn't want anything
00:52:27.31\00:52:30.25
to do with it, but I called
the guy up and I'm telling him,
00:52:30.28\00:52:32.95
and I'm not very
nice about it, actually.
00:52:32.98\00:52:35.72
I'm telling him, "Look, we was
thinking about coming to your
00:52:35.75\00:52:38.15
church," and he's
really nice and he's,
00:52:38.19\00:52:40.42
like, "Well, you're
more than welcome to.
00:52:40.46\00:52:42.36
We'd like to have you come."
00:52:42.39\00:52:44.06
And I'm like, "Well, hold on.
00:52:44.09\00:52:45.39
I'm going to lay
down some ground rules."
00:52:45.43\00:52:47.03
I'm telling him,
I said, "Look here,
00:52:47.10\00:52:48.56
I'm covered in tattoos and I'm
a tattoo artist," and he don't
00:52:48.60\00:52:51.77
say, "Well, you know,
wow, I didn't know all that.
00:52:51.80\00:52:54.57
Don't come to my church."
00:52:54.60\00:52:55.90
He says, "You're
more than welcome.
00:52:55.94\00:52:57.57
We would love to have you.
00:52:57.61\00:52:59.31
Please come."
00:52:59.34\00:53:01.31
He asked me what I
want to do and I said,
00:53:01.34\00:53:03.28
"Well, I want to preach."
00:53:03.31\00:53:05.58
I said, "I have
all these truths,
00:53:05.61\00:53:07.28
I have all this knowledge,
stuff I'd never known before.
00:53:07.32\00:53:10.05
Stuff if I'd have had when I
was younger that would have been
00:53:10.09\00:53:12.72
life-changing to me."
00:53:12.75\00:53:14.99
I said, "I've got to
share this with the world."
00:53:15.02\00:53:17.33
I said, "I want to
preach, I want to teach."
00:53:17.36\00:53:19.29
He gives me the
book, says, "Study that."
00:53:19.33\00:53:21.96
Well, now that
I'm a Bible worker,
00:53:22.00\00:53:23.73
I'm able to go reach people
that most of the normal churches
00:53:23.77\00:53:27.24
wouldn't even
bother to even speak to.
00:53:27.27\00:53:29.84
I'm able to go out and reach the
people who have lived the life
00:53:29.87\00:53:33.01
that I've lived.
00:53:33.04\00:53:34.74
I'm able to let 'em
know that I am like you.
00:53:34.78\00:53:37.55
I've been there, I've done that.
00:53:37.58\00:53:39.58
I want to show you
what my life is like now.
00:53:39.61\00:53:42.38
I want to teach you this Bible.
00:53:42.42\00:53:44.79
I want to show you
what Jesus can do for you.
00:53:44.82\00:53:47.19
It's not too late.
00:53:47.22\00:53:49.12
¤¤¤
00:53:49.16\00:53:59.10
¤¤¤
00:53:59.13\00:54:03.77
¤¤¤
00:54:03.81\00:54:05.27
announcer: "Amazing
Facts", Changed Lives.
00:54:05.31\00:54:09.18
female: Well, my conversion
story is when I was in the
00:54:12.91\00:54:17.15
Philippines, I just graduated as
a nurse and afterwards I did not
00:54:17.19\00:54:22.66
have any religion and one time
I found myself inside a small
00:54:22.69\00:54:28.20
church, Catholic
church, in Manila,
00:54:28.23\00:54:33.30
and before a big cross.
00:54:33.34\00:54:35.74
And I was kneeling before and
I could hear Jesus telling me to
00:54:35.77\00:54:41.71
enter the convent, save
myself and also my family.
00:54:41.74\00:54:46.41
And I said, "Lord, I would
like to follow You all the way."
00:54:46.45\00:54:49.25
At that point, I
seemed to be happy externally,
00:54:49.28\00:54:53.22
but because inside the
convent we don't read the Bible,
00:54:53.25\00:54:57.39
we don't study
about the Word of God.
00:54:57.43\00:54:59.63
We prayed the rosaries, we
also at the same time studied
00:54:59.66\00:55:03.67
the lives of the
saints and also our founders,
00:55:03.70\00:55:08.00
and the encyclicals of
the Pope and the Virgin Mary.
00:55:08.04\00:55:12.34
And so I do not know the
truth and I had this torture of
00:55:12.37\00:55:15.38
conscience, the guilty feelings
that cannot be resolved.
00:55:15.41\00:55:20.08
So I would confess to the
priest in the confessional box,
00:55:20.12\00:55:23.35
saying, "Father, forgive me.
00:55:23.39\00:55:25.85
Since my last
confession was last week.
00:55:25.89\00:55:29.02
Since then I have committed the
following sin including the root
00:55:29.06\00:55:33.46
cause: why am I falling
and falling in that same sin
00:55:33.50\00:55:36.87
over and over again."
00:55:36.90\00:55:39.60
And still for 21 long
years, I struggle and I struggle
00:55:39.63\00:55:44.67
and I struggle.
00:55:44.71\00:55:46.24
I realized that I
was totally empty,
00:55:46.27\00:55:49.91
I was totally
helpless and hopeless.
00:55:49.94\00:55:53.25
And so depressed and so
desperate that I would like
00:55:53.28\00:55:57.29
already to end my life.
00:55:57.32\00:55:59.35
I was working for five
years as dean of the University
00:55:59.39\00:56:03.29
of San Agustin College
of Nursing in Iloilo City,
00:56:03.32\00:56:06.70
one of the islands
in the Philippines.
00:56:06.73\00:56:10.43
After five years I received
a commission from my parents to
00:56:10.47\00:56:15.20
help my sister who is
being a battered woman.
00:56:15.24\00:56:19.84
This is one of the reasons why
I came over to United States.
00:56:19.87\00:56:24.75
It is because my
sister needs my help.
00:56:24.78\00:56:29.52
As I was working in
the hospital in New York,
00:56:29.55\00:56:31.85
my boss set up--and he was
so gracious enough to give me
00:56:31.89\00:56:35.76
an invitation to
the Millennium Prophecy.
00:56:35.79\00:56:38.69
As I was listening to Pastor
Doug Batchelor's presentation,
00:56:38.73\00:56:43.06
my heart really
was beating so fast,
00:56:43.10\00:56:46.27
and my mind, I'm
able to grasp the truth,
00:56:46.30\00:56:49.84
that this is the truth that
I've been longing to hear all my
00:56:49.87\00:56:55.14
life, that I have
been seeking for so long.
00:56:55.18\00:56:59.25
My personal
relationship with Jesus,
00:56:59.28\00:57:02.38
I can see Jesus as
my personal Savior.
00:57:02.42\00:57:06.35
He is not only the Savior
of the whole world but He is
00:57:06.39\00:57:10.33
my personal Savior.
00:57:10.36\00:57:12.83
He was the one who delivered me
mightily from the depths of sin,
00:57:12.86\00:57:18.90
from the mighty clay.
00:57:18.93\00:57:20.87
Pastor Doug
Batchelor has been used by the
00:57:20.90\00:57:23.54
Lord in my conversion.
00:57:23.57\00:57:25.91
The Amazing
Facts, I owe to them.
00:57:25.94\00:57:28.74
The Lord really blessed this
ministry and I'm so proud I was
00:57:28.78\00:57:34.08
able to attend this
Millennium Prophecy.
00:57:34.12\00:57:38.15
My life has never been the same.
00:57:38.19\00:57:40.92
It has given me
the peace, the joy,
00:57:40.96\00:57:43.46
that never--I have
never tasted in my life,
00:57:43.49\00:57:48.56
and now I am set free
to be able to work for Him
00:57:48.60\00:57:53.27
and to follow Him.
00:57:53.30\00:57:55.64
¤¤¤
00:57:55.67\00:58:05.65
¤¤¤
00:58:05.68\00:58:15.66
¤¤¤
00:58:15.69\00:58:25.67