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Shawn Brummund: Hello and
welcome to another edition of
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the Sabbath School Study Hour
right here in the Granite Bay
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Hilltop Seventh Day Adventist
Church in the metropolitan area
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of Sacramento, California.
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It is so good to be able to
have all those who are watching
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either livestream or those who
are watching on the different,
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various broadcasts
in which are carrying
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this particular program.
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It is always nice to be
able to have you join us.
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We're glad that you have decided
to invest in the next one hour
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into studying one of my favorite
Bible books, which is the Bible
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book of Hebrews.
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And so, we're coming back to our
quarterly study, and the title
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is "The Message of Hebrews."
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And so, if you've been following
along with this, of course,
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you've been blessed as
we've been getting together
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from week to week.
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And if you're joining us
for the very first time, we know
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that you're going to be blessed
today, as we look at a very
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powerful lesson, lesson number
11, which is "Jesus: Author and
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Perfector of Our Faith."
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And so please stay with
us as we continue to study.
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I also would like to give a
special welcome, of course, to
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our church family that is
joining us here in person, and
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always nice to be able to have
both our church members, as well
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as friends of the church, and
visitors that so often come and
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join us from out
of town, as well.
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I want to also encourage you
to take advantage of a free gift
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offer that we have for you here,
today, which is "Determining the
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Will of God," by our lead
pastor, Pastor Doug Batchelor.
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And if you've
never read this, this is
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a very, very helpful book.
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It will help you, by faith, to
be able to understand God's will
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and leading in your life.
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And so, all you need to
do is dial 1-866-788-3966.
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Again, that's 1-866-788-3966.
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And when you call in,
ask for offer number 778.
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We'll be happy
to get that to you.
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If you live in North America
or the various U.S. territories,
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we can have
that sent out to you.
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Now, another way that you could
also get this is a digital form.
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And so, that's
available to be able to download
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for free, as well.
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You just need to text the code
SH025, and you want to dial that
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to 40544, and that'll connect
you to a link on the Internet
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that will give you a free down
link and download copy of this.
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Again, if you're in the U.S.
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and its various territories,
we can get that to you.
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And then there's also a website
that you can see on the screen
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there that's available for
you to be able to get online
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anywhere in the world and
download a free digital copy
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for you, as well.
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Father in heaven, we are
thankful for the opportunity to
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be able to come together and
worship you here this day, and
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we want to thank you for
your Bible that you give to us.
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We thank you that we have a
Word in which we can count on.
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We want to pray that as we study
your Word today that it will
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take its effect in the way that
you have always designed, to be
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written upon our heart, that
we might walk with you, and we
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might not sin against you.
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And so, God, we want to
pray for that special blessing.
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And again, be our
teacher and be with Pastor Doug,
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even as he teaches today.
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In Jesus' name, we pray
these things, God, amen.
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Doug Batchelor:
Good morning, friends.
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Good to see each of you
here this Sabbath morning at the
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Granite Bay
Hilltop Church, again.
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I know Pastor Shawn also
welcomed already those who are a
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part of the wider audience.
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You know, we have also not
only people who are watching on
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Facebook, and YouTube, and all
the various, different networks.
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We're on the Good News
Network, Amazing Facts.
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These programs air on 3ABN, Hope
Channel, and we're thankful for
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all of that, but we also have a
number of online members around
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the country and
other parts of the world.
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We want to greet you, as well.
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You know, sometimes I--we've
got a great team of teachers and
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preachers here, and
sometimes, because I'm the lead
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pastor--they used to
call it senior pastor.
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I don't know when they
officially changed that.
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But I prefer not being called
senior at this point in my life,
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anything.
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So, I like--lead is okay.
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But I get to choose sometimes.
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And I said, "I want to
teach the lesson today."
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The lesson today is
on Hebrews chapter 11.
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We'll get to
that in just a minute.
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Of course, we're continuing, and
this is not only dealing with
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the chapter 11 in Hebrews, but,
of course, this is lesson 11,
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and lesson 11 has a memory
verse, and the lesson title is
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"Jesus: The Author and
Perfecter of Our Faith."
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Our memory verse--and if
you want to repeat it after me,
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memory verse is
Hebrews 12, verse 2.
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Hebrews 12, verse 2, and we're
doing it here from the New King
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James Version.
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You ready?
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"--looking unto Jesus,
the author and finisher of our
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faith, who for the joy that
was set before Him endured the
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cross, despising the shame, and
has sat down at the right hand
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of the throne of God."
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Now, that's where--our
last passage is from Hebrews 12.
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We're actually going to be
starting in Hebrews chapter 10
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to get into Hebrews 11.
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So, if you have your Bibles--my
Bible conveniently today, when I
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open it up, it
covers all of Hebrews 11.
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And so, we're
going to do our best.
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There are 40
verses in Hebrews 11.
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We have four verses from Hebrews
10 and three verses from Hebrews
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12, so we're going to do
our best to cover 47 verses.
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It's a very simple study today,
but we're going to do our best
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to expound on this.
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It's not possible to delve
into all of it because there are
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about a dozen different Bible
heroes that are mentioned in
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this passage, and I could preach
a sermon on any one of them.
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I have, in fact.
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So, we're going to do
our best, with God's help,
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to get through this.
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So, go ahead and join me
now in Hebrews chapter 10,
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and beginning with verse 35,
"Therefore do not cast away your
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confidence, which
has great reward."
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Now, let's pause right here and
remind ourselves, why is Paul,
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the author of Hebrews,
why did he write the book?
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What's the purpose of Hebrews?
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There were a lot of Hebrew
or Jewish Christians that had
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accepted Jesus, that are
meeting now with persecution.
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Their families are leaving them.
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Do you know, it's still true
today, in many Orthodox Jewish
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families, that if someone in the
family becomes a Christian, they
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are disowned and even shunned.
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Even when I started dating
Karen, my Jewish grandparents
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said, "Couldn't you have
found a nice Jewish girl?
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Do you have to
meet a goyim girl?"
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And when they met Karen, then
they were very happy, and they
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loved her.
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But they're so very sensitive
to--you know, when you look at
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the world religions, the Jews
have had an incredible impact on
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the world, but comparatively
they're very small.
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You've got 2.2 billion
Christians in the world.
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And, you know, you've
got--I don't know what it is.
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There's 1.7 billion Catholics.
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You have 1.7 billion Muslims.
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There's only 16 or 17
million Jews in all the world.
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And so, they want to retain
their identity, and they've been
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scattered around the world
on three different occasions.
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They've been
disowned from their property
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and had to come back again.
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And so, they're very sensitive
to maintaining their identity.
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And now when these Jews have
become Christians, they felt
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like they had
abolished their identity.
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Paul was making it very clear.
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"No, when you are a Jew and
you become a Christian, you're a
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fulfilled Jew now."
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This was the whole
purpose of your Judaism.
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So, he's making that
case, and he's telling them,
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"Do not be discouraged.
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Do not abandon your faith."
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And he's about to give them a
great list of all these heroes
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from the Bible that held fast.
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So, that's why he says here
in chapter 10, "Do not cast away
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your confidence.
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Don't be discouraged.
It has a great reward.
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For you have need of endurance."
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What does Jesus say?
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"He that endures to
the end will be saved."
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"So that after you have done the
will of God, you might receive
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the promise: 'For yet a little
while, And He is coming will
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come.'" What's that promise?
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Eternity that is, of course,
fulfilled with the coming of the
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Lord.
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"For He who is coming
will come and will not tarry."
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Now, he's quoting from Habakkuk.
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By the way, all through the
book of Hebrews, Paul does an
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enormous amount of referencing
quotations of the Old Testament
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which was, of
course, believed by the Jews.
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So, he's using the Old Testament
as a foundation to say, "This is
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the Messiah that
it all pointed to."
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"For yet a little while, And He
who is coming will come and will
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not tarry.
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Now the just
shall live by faith."
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That's one of
Paul's favorite passages.
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You read in Romans 1:17, "For in
it the righteousness of God is
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revealed from faith to faith.
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As it is written, 'The
just shall live by faith."
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The word faith in chapter
11 appears about 25 times.
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I think once or twice it uses
the word belief, but this is the
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faith chapter in the
Bible, no question about it.
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The word faith appears more
than any other time, any other
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passage or section of Scripture
here in Hebrews, starting with
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verse 10, verse 35
through chapter 12, verse 3.
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That would amount up to about
27 or 28 references to faith or
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belief.
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So, it tells you about
how crucial it is to believe.
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The just shall
live by his faith.
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Paul there is quoting
Habakkuk chapter 2, verse 3.
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He also mentions this again
in not only Romans 1:17, in
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Galatians 3:11.
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The just shall live by faith.
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How many of you have heard
about righteousness by faith?
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Now, you don't get
saved without righteousness.
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The problem with sin
is it's wrong-teousness.
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We've all sinned.
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The way we become
righteous is by our works?
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Or we're righteous by what?
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By faith.
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And it's through faith
we embrace and obtain that
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righteousness, and
there's two different
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kinds of righteousness.
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You've got a righteousness that
you received as a gift, where
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you are justified.
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You come just like you are,
and God looks at you just as
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if--that's where
you get justification.
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He looks at you--at least that's
how the evangelists explain
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it--just as if
you had never sinned.
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And then you get sanctification.
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You are made righteous.
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And because of your faith in his
righteousness, you begin to be
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transformed, and you
live a new righteous life.
00:11:29.78\00:11:33.46
And so, he emphasizes the
importance of righteousness by
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faith here.
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"But if anyone draws back--"
Again, he's pleading, don't let
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go, don't lose your faith.
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"'If anyone draws back, My
soul has no pleasure in him.'
00:11:42.96\00:11:46.13
But we are not of those
who draw back to perdition--"
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And how do you show
you're drawing back?
00:11:49.04\00:11:51.61
Go back to
perdition, your life of sin.
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"We are not of those who draw
back to perdition, but of those
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who believe to the
saving of the soul."
00:11:57.81\00:12:01.22
The fruit of
your belief is what?
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The saving of your soul.
00:12:03.72\00:12:05.82
That's how important that is.
00:12:05.85\00:12:07.69
Hebrews 12, verse 12.
00:12:07.72\00:12:09.02
Now this is, I'm jumping ahead
a chapter just to quote a verse
00:12:09.06\00:12:11.56
that goes along with this.
00:12:11.59\00:12:12.89
"Therefore strengthen
the hands that hang down,
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and the feeble knees."
00:12:15.40\00:12:17.03
He's saying, "Hang on.
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Do not become discouraged."
00:12:18.53\00:12:19.87
Now, the way you and I move
around in this world, in our
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lives, is we operate and we
know truth through our senses,
00:12:22.80\00:12:28.61
through our eyes, and through
our ears, and our sense of
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touch, and taste, and smell.
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And so, that's how we
perceive our environment and our
00:12:33.92\00:12:36.82
worldview.
00:12:36.85\00:12:38.22
For the Christian, the most
important sense is the sense of
00:12:38.25\00:12:40.76
faith.
00:12:40.79\00:12:42.99
That's how we know
where a person stands.
00:12:43.02\00:12:47.46
"The just shall live by faith."
00:12:47.50\00:12:49.23
So, moving on now here, let's
begin by going to Hebrews--now
00:12:49.26\00:12:55.00
we're in Hebrews 11.
00:12:55.04\00:12:56.34
Let's jump into Hebrews 11,
read the first three verses.
00:12:56.37\00:13:00.11
"Now faith is the substance of
things hoped for, the evidence
00:13:00.14\00:13:04.18
of things not seen."
00:13:04.21\00:13:06.98
All right, he's
going to talk about faith,
00:13:07.02\00:13:09.12
and he's defining faith.
00:13:09.15\00:13:10.45
What is faith?
00:13:10.49\00:13:11.79
It's the substance of things
hoped for, the evidence of
00:13:11.82\00:13:14.89
things not seen.
00:13:14.92\00:13:16.46
If you have something in hand,
you can't say, "Well, I've got
00:13:16.49\00:13:19.53
faith there's a
floor under me right now."
00:13:19.56\00:13:21.33
Well, I don't need faith.
00:13:21.36\00:13:24.03
I feel it under
me. I see it under me.
00:13:24.07\00:13:26.57
Faith is when you believe in
something that maybe isn't seen,
00:13:26.60\00:13:31.41
but there's an
evidence for your faith.
00:13:31.44\00:13:33.44
Reading on here.
00:13:37.78\00:13:39.65
"For by it," this is verse 2,
"the elders," and he's getting
00:13:39.68\00:13:43.52
ready to give a list of
the elders, "obtained a good
00:13:43.55\00:13:45.75
testimony," meaning
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.
00:13:45.79\00:13:49.59
"By faith we understand the
worlds were framed by the word
00:13:49.62\00:13:52.46
of God, so the things that are
seen were not made from things
00:13:52.49\00:13:56.13
that are visible."
00:13:56.16\00:13:58.17
Now, do you realize that even
though 2000 years have gone by
00:13:58.20\00:14:02.57
since Paul said this, and
roughly 6000 years have gone by
00:14:02.60\00:14:08.51
since Adam, that the great
scientists and philosophers then
00:14:08.54\00:14:13.82
have the same problem that they
have today, is how do you get
00:14:13.85\00:14:17.59
something from nothing?
00:14:17.62\00:14:20.22
Nothing in the world that
we observe today shows us where
00:14:20.26\00:14:23.12
something comes from nothing, or
something happens with no cause.
00:14:23.16\00:14:29.36
What was the great cause
that brought the universe
00:14:29.40\00:14:31.67
into existence?
00:14:31.70\00:14:33.07
Scientists can't explain that.
00:14:33.10\00:14:34.40
The Bible says God spoke.
00:14:34.44\00:14:37.01
I can't explain
it, but I believe it.
00:14:37.04\00:14:39.01
Why do I believe it?
00:14:39.04\00:14:40.41
Because I have evidence from the
other things I read in the Bible
00:14:40.44\00:14:44.55
that God is faithful
and what he says is true.
00:14:44.58\00:14:47.12
I'm going to believe that.
00:14:47.15\00:14:48.52
So, I think I've got more
evidence than an evolutionist
00:14:48.55\00:14:53.69
who says that something came
from nothing with no reason.
00:14:53.72\00:14:58.99
Sometime in the distant
past, they got the same issue.
00:14:59.03\00:15:03.57
We believe it by
the Word of God, right?
00:15:03.60\00:15:06.13
And then you've got the
Scriptures that assure that.
00:15:06.17\00:15:08.90
Look at Psalm 33, verse 6.
00:15:08.94\00:15:11.37
"For by the word of the Lord the
heavens were made, And all the
00:15:11.41\00:15:14.78
host of them by the
breath of His mouth.
00:15:14.81\00:15:17.28
For He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded," this is verse 9.
00:15:17.31\00:15:21.75
"He commanded, and it
stood fast," by the word of God.
00:15:21.78\00:15:25.69
You know, they had a program on
NOVA about the universe, and it
00:15:25.72\00:15:32.93
was talking about string theory,
the latest theory and all of
00:15:32.96\00:15:38.17
matter is string theory.
00:15:38.20\00:15:41.60
And in a nutshell, string theory
is the idea in theoretical
00:15:41.64\00:15:45.21
physics that reality is
made up of infinitesimally small
00:15:45.24\00:15:49.41
vibrating strings that
are producing anywhere from
00:15:49.44\00:15:54.05
subatomic to very loud sounds,
smaller than atoms, electrons,
00:15:54.08\00:16:01.32
or quarks.
00:16:01.36\00:16:03.12
And they haven't proven it,
but this is the big theory now.
00:16:03.16\00:16:06.66
And the bottom line, they're
basically saying that all of the
00:16:06.70\00:16:10.03
universe came into
existence through sound.
00:16:10.07\00:16:14.10
Well, the Bible
says, "God said."
00:16:14.14\00:16:17.34
Wouldn't that mean the
Word brought it into existence?
00:16:17.37\00:16:21.91
All right, Hebrews 11, verse 6.
00:16:21.94\00:16:24.75
We're jumping from verse 3
'cause it's going to be hard to
00:16:24.78\00:16:27.08
go--wow, you know, I don't want
to do that, but look--so, you go
00:16:27.12\00:16:30.52
to verse 4.
00:16:30.55\00:16:32.89
"By faith Abel--" Now, it's
getting ready to list a number
00:16:32.92\00:16:36.62
of individuals.
00:16:36.66\00:16:38.16
It's going to talk
about Abel--and this is in
00:16:38.19\00:16:40.70
alphabetical order, not
in the order they appear.
00:16:40.73\00:16:42.86
Abel, Abraham, Barak, Daniel,
David, Gideon, Jephthah, Jesus,
00:16:42.90\00:16:50.51
Joseph, Moses, Noah, Rahab,
Samson, Samuel, and then it
00:16:50.54\00:16:55.11
alludes to several others.
00:16:55.14\00:16:57.58
It alludes to Shadrach, Meshach,
Abednego, Isaiah, Daniel,
00:16:57.61\00:17:02.52
Joshua, in the
stories that it shares.
00:17:02.55\00:17:06.96
But it begins by saying,
"By faith Abel offered a more
00:17:06.99\00:17:09.79
excellent sacrifice than Cain,
through which he obtained--"
00:17:09.82\00:17:14.30
Now, Cain is mentioned,
but he's not mentioned
00:17:14.36\00:17:16.13
as an example of faith.
00:17:16.16\00:17:17.90
"--through which he obtained
witness that he was righteous--"
00:17:17.93\00:17:20.60
Notice, righteous by faith.
00:17:20.64\00:17:22.37
Faith in what?
00:17:22.40\00:17:23.71
In the lamb.
00:17:23.74\00:17:25.07
Abel offered a lamb.
00:17:25.11\00:17:26.61
Through the blood of the
lamb, he believed that God would
00:17:26.64\00:17:28.34
forgive him.
00:17:28.38\00:17:30.05
"--testifying of his gifts; and
through it he being dead still
00:17:30.08\00:17:33.92
speaks" by his example.
00:17:33.95\00:17:36.38
So, it's the blood
of Abel speaks to us.
00:17:36.42\00:17:39.42
Then he goes to Enoch.
00:17:39.45\00:17:41.09
"By faith Enoch--" And
then verse 5 of chapter 11.
00:17:41.12\00:17:44.86
"-- was taken away so that he
did not see death, 'and was not
00:17:44.89\00:17:49.10
found, because God had taken
him'; for before him, before he
00:17:49.13\00:17:53.10
was taken he had this
testimony, that he pleased God."
00:17:53.13\00:17:56.40
And then here it makes
a very powerful statement.
00:17:56.44\00:18:00.51
"But without faith it is
difficult to please God."
00:18:00.54\00:18:03.31
Let me read it again.
00:18:03.35\00:18:06.48
"But without faith
it's harder to please God."
00:18:06.51\00:18:12.59
"But without faith, it's
impossible to please Him."
00:18:12.62\00:18:19.93
If is a dirty word to God.
00:18:19.96\00:18:23.70
You remember when a thief on
the cross said, "If you are the
00:18:23.73\00:18:27.97
Christ, save yourself and us"?
00:18:28.00\00:18:29.80
He was not saved.
00:18:29.84\00:18:31.14
The father came to Jesus
and said, "Lord, if you can do
00:18:31.17\00:18:35.08
anything, help my son."
00:18:35.11\00:18:37.01
Jesus stopped him in his tracks
and said, "If you believe, all
00:18:37.05\00:18:40.52
things are possible."
00:18:40.55\00:18:42.72
"But without faith it is
impossible to please God."
00:18:42.75\00:18:47.02
You don't want to go
to your grave hoping.
00:18:47.06\00:18:50.06
You want to believe that you
have a saving relationship with
00:18:50.09\00:18:54.73
Jesus.
00:18:54.73\00:18:56.70
So, he says, "Without faith,
it's impossible to please God;
00:18:56.73\00:18:59.53
for he who comes to God must
believe that He is, and that He
00:18:59.57\00:19:03.64
is a rewarder of those
who diligently seek Him."
00:19:03.67\00:19:07.01
The Bible says, "Do not let
the doubleminded man think that
00:19:07.04\00:19:09.54
he'll receive anything of God."
00:19:09.58\00:19:11.11
When you ask, ask in faith,
believing that you'll receive,
00:19:11.15\00:19:14.02
and you'll have the
things that you pray for.
00:19:14.05\00:19:16.72
And so, faith is crucial
in the Christian experience.
00:19:16.75\00:19:20.82
Now, faith is not this reckless
idea that, you know, you're not
00:19:20.86\00:19:26.33
going to balance out your
request and your prayers with
00:19:26.36\00:19:28.86
other promises in
the Bible and criteria.
00:19:28.90\00:19:34.00
Faith is saying, "I believe the
Word of God, and I'm going to
00:19:34.04\00:19:36.40
order my life in
harmony with it."
00:19:36.44\00:19:40.11
If you knew that the stock
market was going to crash in one
00:19:40.14\00:19:46.75
week--it might, I don't
know--and all of the banks were
00:19:46.78\00:19:51.35
going to close, if you
don't take your money out of the
00:19:51.39\00:19:55.09
market and out of the bank
between now and next week, you
00:19:55.12\00:19:57.83
didn't really believe it.
00:19:57.86\00:20:00.83
Isn't that right?
00:20:00.86\00:20:03.53
If you believed that the tornado
warning--I'm talking to those
00:20:03.57\00:20:09.00
who are listening
in the Southwest there,
00:20:09.04\00:20:10.54
mid-America--the tornado warning
on the television and the radio
00:20:10.57\00:20:15.64
was accurate, and you don't
take shelter, you don't really
00:20:15.68\00:20:17.91
believe.
00:20:17.95\00:20:21.08
If you believe that sinners
will be eternally lost, and the
00:20:21.12\00:20:27.52
righteous will be eternally
saved, and we are righteous by
00:20:27.56\00:20:29.82
faith, and you do not take
God up on His terms, you don't
00:20:29.86\00:20:33.63
really believe it or you
don't care about eternity.
00:20:33.66\00:20:37.63
So, when the Bible says those
who believe in Jesus, it means
00:20:37.67\00:20:40.40
believe in His teachings.
00:20:40.44\00:20:42.27
You know how you
say believe another way?
00:20:42.30\00:20:44.54
Same thing for faith.
00:20:44.57\00:20:46.01
Be live, he who be lives in Him.
00:20:46.04\00:20:49.68
It means to be
and to live in Christ.
00:20:49.71\00:20:52.18
That's what belief is.
00:20:52.21\00:20:54.75
So, what's happening now, you
notice we're going through--Paul
00:20:54.78\00:20:58.62
stops every now
and then he expands.
00:20:58.65\00:21:00.26
He just expanded after talking
a little bit about Enoch.
00:21:00.29\00:21:02.62
"Without faith it's
impossible to please God."
00:21:02.66\00:21:05.13
He's going through what we call
the Hall of Faith in the Bible.
00:21:05.16\00:21:10.70
It's the--you've got all
of your great heroes here.
00:21:10.73\00:21:15.04
You know, they've got a National
Baseball Hall of Fame museum in
00:21:15.07\00:21:21.18
Cooperstown, New York.
00:21:21.21\00:21:23.71
It serves as a central point of
the history of baseball in the
00:21:23.75\00:21:26.98
United States, and it displays
baseball-related artifacts and
00:21:27.02\00:21:30.69
exhibits honoring those
who have excelled in the sport.
00:21:30.72\00:21:34.42
Among fans, the Hall of
Fame means it is the pantheon of
00:21:34.46\00:21:38.93
players, managers, umpires,
executives, and pioneers who
00:21:38.96\00:21:42.90
have been
inducted into the Hall.
00:21:42.93\00:21:44.47
They're the greats in the game.
00:21:44.50\00:21:47.90
They've also got a
Football Hall of Fame.
00:21:47.94\00:21:51.04
There's a Tennis Hall of Fame.
00:21:51.07\00:21:53.88
There is an Aviation
Hall of Fame in Oklahoma.
00:21:53.91\00:21:57.21
Did you know that?
00:21:57.25\00:21:58.61
Did you know who was inducted
into the Aviation Hall of Fame
00:21:58.65\00:22:01.98
October 7, 1996?
00:22:02.02\00:22:03.89
George E. Batchelor.
00:22:03.92\00:22:06.45
Karen, you gave it away.
00:22:06.49\00:22:10.79
My dad.
00:22:10.83\00:22:13.23
Kind of neat to know that
you're in the Hall of Fame.
00:22:13.26\00:22:16.70
And here now we're going through
the Hall of Faith, they call it.
00:22:16.73\00:22:21.54
It is a pantheon of
the great heroes of faith.
00:22:21.57\00:22:24.87
And it doesn't list them
all, you'll notice as we go on.
00:22:24.91\00:22:27.21
All right, so moving on, we
talked about Enoch, and then you
00:22:27.24\00:22:32.28
go down a little bit, and it
says in verse 7--oh, by the way,
00:22:32.31\00:22:35.48
the last part of verse
6, I can't leave that out.
00:22:35.52\00:22:40.32
It says, "He who comes to
God must believe that He is,"
00:22:40.36\00:22:44.16
believe He's real, "and that
He is a rewarder of those who
00:22:44.19\00:22:48.73
diligently seek Him."
00:22:48.76\00:22:52.47
Some people seek God, but
they're never going to make it,
00:22:52.50\00:22:54.74
because it's a
pretty lazy seeking.
00:22:54.77\00:22:57.61
The Bible says you--and this is
Jeremiah chapter 29, verse 13.
00:22:57.64\00:23:01.41
"You will search for Me, and you
will find Me, when you search
00:23:01.44\00:23:04.41
for Me with all of your heart."
00:23:04.45\00:23:07.15
And if you spend 15 minutes in
your Bible once a week, and 90
00:23:07.18\00:23:13.25
hours a week in front of the
television, you're not seeking
00:23:13.29\00:23:16.39
God with all of your heart.
00:23:16.42\00:23:19.53
Is that clear?
Does that make sense?
00:23:19.56\00:23:22.03
I mean, if you're seeking
God with all of your heart, it
00:23:22.06\00:23:23.67
should be a priority in
your pursuit, in your study.
00:23:23.70\00:23:28.04
Those who diligently--the word
diligently there in the Greek,
00:23:28.07\00:23:31.17
it represents
almost a rule book.
00:23:31.21\00:23:32.84
It's like to the point of
perspiration, the diligently
00:23:32.87\00:23:36.31
seeking after God.
00:23:36.34\00:23:39.91
All right, then
we go to verse 7.
00:23:39.95\00:23:41.92
"By faith Noah, being divinely
warned of things not yet seen--"
00:23:41.95\00:23:46.29
What was not seen?
00:23:46.32\00:23:48.52
The flood was not seen, rain
was not even seen, but he was
00:23:48.56\00:23:52.03
divinely warned.
00:23:52.06\00:23:53.66
"He moved with godly fear, and
he prepared an ark to the saving
00:23:53.70\00:23:58.37
of his house, to
the saving of his
00:23:58.40\00:24:00.34
household, by which he condemned
00:24:00.37\00:24:01.94
the world and be--" By his
example, he said, "The world is
00:24:01.97\00:24:05.14
going to be condemned.
00:24:05.17\00:24:06.47
It's going to be destroyed
because of the wickedness."
00:24:06.51\00:24:08.61
And he "became heir
of righteousness which
00:24:08.64\00:24:11.28
is according to faith."
00:24:11.31\00:24:13.85
Now, the Bible
says Noah found grace.
00:24:13.88\00:24:15.58
So, was Noah saved
by faith or by grace?
00:24:15.62\00:24:18.32
Both.
00:24:18.35\00:24:21.89
The grace he received was
demonstrated by faith, and his
00:24:21.92\00:24:25.49
faith was demonstrated by works.
00:24:25.53\00:24:27.03
He built an ark.
00:24:27.03\00:24:31.17
"By faith Abraham," and it
spends several verses talking
00:24:31.20\00:24:34.30
about Abraham because Abraham,
of course, is one of the great
00:24:34.34\00:24:37.27
central axles upon which major
religions of the world turn.
00:24:37.31\00:24:43.41
The Jews, Muslims, Christians,
all look at Abraham as the
00:24:43.45\00:24:52.22
father of the
faithful, as they say.
00:24:52.25\00:24:55.86
"By faith Abraham obeyed when he
was called to go out," meaning
00:24:55.89\00:24:59.06
coming from Ur of the Chaldees,
"to the place which he would
00:24:59.09\00:25:02.30
receive as an inheritance.
00:25:02.33\00:25:04.43
And he went out, not
knowing where he was going."
00:25:04.47\00:25:07.47
God said, "I want you
to go out from the place
00:25:07.50\00:25:09.04
you've spent all your life."
00:25:09.07\00:25:10.37
And that's tough moving.
00:25:10.41\00:25:11.77
It's really tough
moving when you're like,
00:25:11.81\00:25:13.11
you know, 70 years old.
00:25:13.14\00:25:14.58
When Abraham left,
he was like 70, 75.
00:25:14.61\00:25:18.61
And God says, "I want you to
go to this land called Canaan."
00:25:18.65\00:25:22.98
Lord, can you
send me some pictures?
00:25:23.02\00:25:24.35
Can I look on Google Earth?
00:25:24.39\00:25:26.12
Are there any
Facebook sites I can go to,
00:25:26.15\00:25:28.32
to find out more about it?
00:25:28.36\00:25:29.66
I would like to get
some testimonies online,
00:25:29.69\00:25:31.73
see what the reviews are."
00:25:31.76\00:25:34.20
He had none of that, and he
said, "God's telling me to go.
00:25:34.23\00:25:38.73
I'm going to go."
00:25:38.77\00:25:40.50
And believe me, it was all
that God promised it would be.
00:25:40.54\00:25:44.71
And he went out to the place
that he would receive as an
00:25:44.74\00:25:47.71
inheritance, not
knowing where he was going.
00:25:47.74\00:25:50.71
You know, being a follower
of Christ means sometimes you go
00:25:50.75\00:25:53.82
and you don't know
where you're going.
00:25:53.85\00:25:56.65
You're living day by day.
00:25:56.69\00:25:57.99
You say, "God is
doing something in my life.
00:25:58.02\00:25:59.55
He's leading me.
00:25:59.59\00:26:00.96
I'm not exactly sure
where He's leading or why."
00:26:00.99\00:26:05.29
I just finished
a really good book.
00:26:05.33\00:26:07.76
It's an old classic.
00:26:07.83\00:26:09.10
How many of you read "The
Cross and the Switchblade"?
00:26:09.13\00:26:11.40
I think I read it
years ago, but I'd forgotten,
00:26:11.43\00:26:13.20
so I read it again.
00:26:13.23\00:26:14.67
And it's amazing how David
Wilkerson--he died about 12
00:26:14.70\00:26:18.84
years ago.
00:26:18.87\00:26:20.94
He just got impressed pastoring
a small country church, saw a
00:26:20.98\00:26:24.28
"Time" magazine article about
the gangs and some gangs that
00:26:24.31\00:26:27.18
were going to prison,
and they were just kids.
00:26:27.22\00:26:29.52
And God said, "I want
you to go to New York."
00:26:29.55\00:26:31.19
And he tried to tell his church
that God had told him to go to
00:26:31.22\00:26:34.76
New York and work
with these young people.
00:26:34.79\00:26:36.52
And they all said, "How
are you going to do that?"
00:26:36.56\00:26:39.63
And through a
series of miracles,
00:26:39.66\00:26:41.56
God led him to New York.
00:26:41.60\00:26:43.70
He said he didn't even know why.
00:26:43.73\00:26:45.03
Drove into town,
said, "Okay, I'm here.
00:26:45.07\00:26:46.37
I don't know what to do."
00:26:46.40\00:26:47.70
And he would pull up right
in front of the building where
00:26:47.74\00:26:49.50
there was someone he
was supposed to talk to.
00:26:49.54\00:26:51.57
Got arrange these
incredible appointments.
00:26:51.61\00:26:53.24
He didn't know
where he was going.
00:26:53.27\00:26:54.94
And the end of the story
is, that after several years of
00:26:54.98\00:26:57.21
following by faith, they ended
up having several centers called
00:26:57.25\00:27:00.28
Teen Challenge to try to help
young people, get them off drugs
00:27:00.32\00:27:03.69
and lead them to Christ, and
they did a wonderful ministry.
00:27:03.72\00:27:06.72
But half the time he said,
"I don't know why I'm here.
00:27:06.76\00:27:09.09
I don't know what
I'm supposed to say.
00:27:09.12\00:27:10.73
I don't know what I'm
doing, but God told me to go."
00:27:10.76\00:27:13.13
Sometimes in Christianity, you
go, and you don't know exactly
00:27:13.16\00:27:15.40
know why or where.
00:27:15.43\00:27:18.70
So, it goes on to say--I'll
tell you one more story.
00:27:18.73\00:27:26.68
You know, it's sort of a miracle
how I ended up here, and it all
00:27:26.71\00:27:33.85
can be traced back to
when I lived in a cave.
00:27:33.88\00:27:37.45
I, one day, got out on the
road in Palm Springs and said,
00:27:37.49\00:27:39.92
"I'm going north."
00:27:39.95\00:27:41.26
People would pick
me up, and they'd say,
00:27:41.29\00:27:42.59
"Where are you goin?"
I'd say, "I don't know."
00:27:42.62\00:27:44.83
This is after I
became a Christian.
00:27:44.86\00:27:46.16
But I said, "I feel like
I'm supposed to go north."
00:27:46.19\00:27:48.06
And it kept happening until
I got picked up by someone.
00:27:48.10\00:27:50.40
And I said,
"Where are you going?"
00:27:50.43\00:27:53.07
And he said, "Well, don't
you know where you're going?"
00:27:53.10\00:27:55.37
I said, "I'm not
sure. I'm going north."
00:27:55.40\00:27:56.87
I said, "Maybe I'll
move into a redwood tree."
00:27:56.91\00:27:58.64
That's honestly what I
said. I'd been living in a cave.
00:27:58.67\00:28:02.31
I heard about someone
that lived in a redwood tree.
00:28:02.34\00:28:04.11
And I said, "So,
where are you going?"
00:28:04.15\00:28:06.08
They said, "Well, we're going to
a little town out in the middle
00:28:06.11\00:28:07.92
of nowhere called Covelo."
00:28:07.95\00:28:10.22
And I said, "Are
there any redwoods?"
00:28:10.25\00:28:13.72
They said, "Not too many."
00:28:13.76\00:28:15.42
I said, "Do
they have any caves?"
00:28:15.46\00:28:16.83
Said, "Yeah,
probably up by the river."
00:28:16.86\00:28:18.83
I said, "I'll go to Covelo."
00:28:18.86\00:28:20.76
And I can see now
that God led me there.
00:28:20.80\00:28:22.66
I ended up pastoring
that church in that town.
00:28:22.70\00:28:24.83
I was converted there, met
the people I needed to meet that
00:28:24.87\00:28:27.47
studied with me,
and I got baptized.
00:28:27.50\00:28:29.34
And I didn't know
where I was going.
00:28:29.37\00:28:33.64
I just went out on the
road, put out my thumb.
00:28:33.68\00:28:35.11
"And where are you
going? Oh, that sounds good.
00:28:35.14\00:28:37.61
I'll go there."
00:28:37.65\00:28:39.95
So, you know, sometimes you've
just got to--people tell me, you
00:28:39.98\00:28:43.22
know, "I'm living
in this bad situation.
00:28:43.25\00:28:44.95
I can't get out, and I
don't know how to get out."
00:28:44.99\00:28:46.72
I say, "Yes, you can."
00:28:46.76\00:28:47.99
I mean, if you've got to walk
out on the road, put out your
00:28:48.02\00:28:50.03
thumb, you can get out of it.
00:28:50.06\00:28:52.56
I mean, if you want to, all
things are possible to people
00:28:52.59\00:28:54.73
who believe.
00:28:54.76\00:28:57.13
Abraham went out.
00:28:57.17\00:28:58.73
"By faith he dwelt in the land,"
I'm in verse 9, "of promise as
00:28:58.77\00:29:02.10
in a foreign country, dwelling
in tents with Isaac and Jacob,
00:29:02.14\00:29:05.64
the heirs with him
of the same promise."
00:29:05.67\00:29:08.14
They all get in the
promised land and saying, "Your
00:29:08.18\00:29:10.05
descendants, the Messiah
would come through your seed.
00:29:10.08\00:29:13.31
"For he waited for a city that
had foundations, whose builder
00:29:13.35\00:29:16.22
and maker is God."
00:29:16.25\00:29:17.92
Abraham never
founded a city like Cain did.
00:29:17.95\00:29:21.19
He traveled around and migrated
like a shepherd 'cause he said,
00:29:21.22\00:29:23.73
"I'm looking for the
city of foundations."
00:29:23.76\00:29:25.79
By the way, New Jerusalem will
completely encase the territory
00:29:25.83\00:29:29.26
that God gave to
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
00:29:29.30\00:29:31.33
They will inherit that city,
and that land is in the city.
00:29:31.37\00:29:35.87
Then it diverts a little
bit, and it talks about Sarah.
00:29:35.90\00:29:37.74
And it says, "By faith Sarah
herself also received strength
00:29:37.77\00:29:42.21
to conceive seed, and she bore a
child when she was past the age,
00:29:42.24\00:29:46.25
because she judged Him
faithful who had promised."
00:29:46.28\00:29:49.32
Now, when God first
told Sarah that, she laughed.
00:29:49.35\00:29:52.09
God said, "You laughed."
She said, "I didn't laugh."
00:29:52.12\00:29:53.96
He said, "Yes, you did."
She laughed in her heart.
00:29:53.99\00:29:55.89
She said, "I
didn't laugh out loud."
00:29:55.92\00:29:58.03
And then she finally came to
believe that God would do for
00:29:58.06\00:30:00.13
her what he had promised.
00:30:00.16\00:30:02.53
It says these all died in faith.
00:30:02.56\00:30:07.20
And from that one man, Isaac,
verse 12, you got, you know, a
00:30:07.24\00:30:10.51
whole nation, more
than the stars of the sky.
00:30:10.54\00:30:12.67
"These all died in faith, not
having received the promises,
00:30:12.71\00:30:16.08
but having seen them afar off--"
00:30:16.11\00:30:17.95
They were
living for the promise.
00:30:17.98\00:30:19.28
Now how many of you
believe Jesus is coming?
00:30:19.31\00:30:22.22
You have faith
that Jesus is coming.
00:30:22.25\00:30:24.79
Some of you may die in that
faith, having seen it afar off,
00:30:24.82\00:30:29.02
but it will still be
true for you, won't it?
00:30:29.06\00:30:32.26
And so, they're all going to get
their inheritance, but they died
00:30:32.29\00:30:34.66
before they saw it visualized,
but they still ordered their
00:30:34.73\00:30:38.03
life according to that promise.
00:30:38.07\00:30:41.27
There are millions of people who
have ordered their lives based
00:30:41.30\00:30:44.11
upon faith that
this life is temporary.
00:30:44.14\00:30:46.04
This is not the important life.
00:30:46.07\00:30:47.98
This is not the
one that lasts forever.
00:30:48.01\00:30:50.51
Most people in the world
live as though this is it.
00:30:50.55\00:30:53.88
The Christian orders his
life knowing this is not it.
00:30:53.92\00:30:57.85
And we may not receive it in
this life, but it is going to
00:30:57.89\00:31:02.22
come, and we will receive
it in the resurrection, right?
00:31:02.26\00:31:07.73
"These all died in faith, not
having received the promises,
00:31:07.76\00:31:11.33
but having seen them afar off
and were persuaded of them, and
00:31:11.37\00:31:14.94
embraced them, and confessed
that they were strangers and
00:31:14.97\00:31:17.37
pilgrims on the earth."
00:31:17.41\00:31:18.74
They said, "This life is not
it. I'm just passing through."
00:31:18.77\00:31:22.18
"For those who say such things
declare plainly they seek a
00:31:22.21\00:31:24.71
homeland.
00:31:24.75\00:31:26.31
And truly if they had called to
mind the country from which they
00:31:26.35\00:31:29.08
had come, they would have
had an opportunity to return.
00:31:29.12\00:31:32.25
But now they desire a better
country, that is a heavenly.
00:31:32.29\00:31:35.82
Therefore God is not ashamed to
be called their God, for He has
00:31:35.86\00:31:39.03
prepared for them a city."
00:31:39.06\00:31:40.36
And Jesus said if we are
ashamed of Him in this evil and
00:31:40.40\00:31:43.67
adulterous generation,
He will be ashamed of us.
00:31:43.70\00:31:46.37
But if we proclaim and profess
Him in this evil and adulterous
00:31:46.40\00:31:50.14
generation, He will proclaim and
profess us before the Father and
00:31:50.17\00:31:53.48
the angels in heaven.
00:31:53.51\00:31:54.81
And you see that
happening in the book of Job.
00:31:54.84\00:31:58.05
The Lord says to the
devil, "Have you beheld
00:31:58.08\00:32:00.05
my servant Job?"
00:32:00.08\00:32:01.38
Job was not ashamed
of God, and God said,
00:32:01.42\00:32:03.65
"I'm not ashamed of him.
00:32:03.69\00:32:04.99
I'm going to declare his
name before the sons of God, the
00:32:05.02\00:32:07.99
angels in heaven,
and the devil himself."
00:32:08.02\00:32:11.09
And so, God is saying don't live
in this world as though you're
00:32:11.13\00:32:14.00
ashamed of Jesus,
because you don't want Him
00:32:14.03\00:32:17.23
to be ashamed of you.
00:32:17.27\00:32:19.03
Amen?
00:32:19.07\00:32:23.10
They desire a better country.
00:32:23.14\00:32:26.64
And it goes on to
say, "By faith Abraham,"
00:32:26.68\00:32:29.64
it returns to Abraham again.
00:32:29.68\00:32:32.41
"By faith Abraham," verse 17,
"when he was tested, he offered
00:32:32.45\00:32:36.65
up Isaac, and he who had
received the promises offered up
00:32:36.69\00:32:41.06
his only begotten son--" You
notice there that Paul is making
00:32:41.09\00:32:44.96
a pretty clear connection
between Abraham and God so
00:32:44.99\00:32:47.73
loving the world He
gave His only begotten Son.
00:32:47.76\00:32:51.60
"--of whom it was said,
'In Isaac your seed shall be
00:32:51.63\00:32:53.74
called.' He concluded that God
was even able to raise him from
00:32:53.77\00:32:57.31
the dead, in which he received
him in a figurative sense,"
00:32:57.34\00:33:00.88
Isaac being a type of Christ.
00:33:00.91\00:33:03.51
And we talked about that in
the series we're doing, cover to
00:33:03.55\00:33:06.11
cover.
00:33:06.15\00:33:07.38
"By faith Isaac blessed Jacob
and Esau concerning things to
00:33:07.42\00:33:11.45
come.
00:33:11.49\00:33:13.29
By faith Jacob, when he was
dying, he blessed each of the
00:33:13.32\00:33:17.39
sons of Joseph."
00:33:17.43\00:33:18.66
You notice it doesn't talk about
all 12 there, but he blessed the
00:33:18.69\00:33:20.93
sons of Joseph.
00:33:20.96\00:33:23.13
You know, Ephraim and Manasseh
said, "You are going to be
00:33:23.16\00:33:25.20
numbered among
the tribes of Israel."
00:33:25.23\00:33:28.07
The other brothers might
not have gone through that when
00:33:28.10\00:33:29.94
Jacob died, but
Jacob's prophecy came true.
00:33:29.97\00:33:34.41
Ephraim and Manasseh were
treated as the children of
00:33:34.44\00:33:39.08
Jacob, and they
became independent tribes.
00:33:39.11\00:33:43.25
And then it says, making mention
of, and then "By faith Joseph,
00:33:43.28\00:33:47.96
when he was dying, made mention
of the departing of the children
00:33:47.99\00:33:50.79
of Israel, and gave instructions
concerning his bones."
00:33:50.83\00:33:53.60
He said, "God
will surely visit you."
00:33:53.63\00:33:55.36
He didn't say when, but
He said, "He will visit you."
00:33:55.40\00:33:58.67
"Take my bones,
don't bury me here.
00:33:58.70\00:34:00.30
Embalm me and take my
coffin to the promised land."
00:34:00.34\00:34:04.94
You know, it never says Joseph
ever went home again when he was
00:34:04.97\00:34:07.11
sold as a slave.
00:34:07.14\00:34:08.94
Said, "I want to be
buried and back at home."
00:34:08.98\00:34:12.35
And by faith, he
made that declaration.
00:34:12.38\00:34:15.12
Did it come true?
00:34:15.15\00:34:16.79
Did they carry his
bones back and bury him?
00:34:16.82\00:34:18.69
Did God visit the
children of Israel in Egypt?
00:34:18.72\00:34:20.79
And these all had faith.
00:34:20.82\00:34:24.53
Verse 23, now it
talks about Moses.
00:34:24.56\00:34:27.00
"By faith Moses, when he was
born, was hidden three months by
00:34:27.03\00:34:30.93
his parents, because they
saw he was a beautiful child."
00:34:30.97\00:34:34.50
And that always makes me laugh
because what if he wasn't a
00:34:34.54\00:34:38.77
beautiful child?
00:34:38.81\00:34:42.21
Anyway, they looked at him and
they said, "We just can't obey
00:34:42.24\00:34:46.05
the Pharaoh's command."
00:34:46.08\00:34:48.52
"And they were not
afraid of the king's command.
00:34:48.55\00:34:51.55
By faith Moses, when he became
of age, he refused to be called
00:34:51.59\00:34:55.69
the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
choosing rather to suffer
00:34:55.72\00:34:58.69
affliction with the people
of God than to enjoy the passing
00:34:58.73\00:35:01.93
pleasures of sin."
00:35:01.96\00:35:03.47
When he's talking about
faith, notice that he's making a
00:35:03.50\00:35:06.00
reference to faith to turn away
from sin, faith not to make this
00:35:06.03\00:35:13.01
your kingdom, but we're
looking for a better country.
00:35:13.04\00:35:17.31
He esteemed the
reproaches of Christ.
00:35:17.35\00:35:19.21
Now wait a second.
00:35:19.25\00:35:20.55
It says Moses--what did
Moses know about Christ?
00:35:20.58\00:35:24.09
You look in Deuteronomy chapter
18, Moses prophesies of Christ,
00:35:24.12\00:35:27.72
doesn't he?
00:35:27.76\00:35:29.16
He saw Christ.
00:35:29.19\00:35:30.49
He saw His day coming.
00:35:30.53\00:35:31.76
"--esteeming the reproaches
of Christ were of greater riches
00:35:31.79\00:35:35.20
than the treasures of Egypt."
00:35:35.23\00:35:36.80
Now, Egypt had, during the
time of Moses, Egypt was at its
00:35:36.83\00:35:40.57
zenith of wealth and splendor.
00:35:40.60\00:35:42.94
The pyramids
back then were glazed.
00:35:42.97\00:35:44.87
They weren't all
bumpy, rocky, rough.
00:35:44.91\00:35:47.64
They were all beautifully glazed
brick surface that shone in the
00:35:47.68\00:35:52.05
sun, and everything
was in its splendor.
00:35:52.08\00:35:53.75
Moses could have
been the king of all that.
00:35:53.78\00:35:56.99
And he said, "I would
rather have God's kingdom than
00:35:57.02\00:36:01.36
the world as my kingdom."
00:36:01.39\00:36:03.12
So, like Jesus, he turned away
from the earthly kingdoms when
00:36:03.16\00:36:06.63
he was tempted, choosing rather
to suffer affliction with the
00:36:06.66\00:36:10.13
people of God than to enjoy
the passing pleasures of sin.
00:36:10.17\00:36:15.64
He esteemed the reproach
of Christ greater riches.
00:36:15.67\00:36:18.31
"By faith he forsook Egypt,
not fearing the wrath--" Like
00:36:18.34\00:36:21.81
Abraham, by faith he went out.
00:36:21.84\00:36:24.41
"--not fearing the wrath of the
king; for he endured seeing Him
00:36:24.45\00:36:27.35
who is invisible.
00:36:27.38\00:36:29.22
By faith he kept the Passover
and the sprinkling of blood, yet
00:36:29.25\00:36:33.25
lest he who destroyed the
firstborn should touch them."
00:36:33.29\00:36:36.89
They had faith in the
blood that they would be saved.
00:36:36.93\00:36:40.16
"By faith they passed through
the Red Sea as by dry land,
00:36:40.20\00:36:43.90
whereas the
Egyptians, attempting to do so,
00:36:43.93\00:36:45.57
were drowned."
00:36:45.60\00:36:46.97
Why did the sea not swallow them
up, but it did swallow up the
00:36:47.00\00:36:50.91
Egyptians?
00:36:50.94\00:36:52.67
They had faith in God,
and they were following God.
00:36:52.71\00:36:54.88
The Egyptians were
following the Israelites.
00:36:54.91\00:36:58.01
The Israelites
were following God.
00:36:58.05\00:37:00.22
See the difference?
00:37:00.25\00:37:02.62
"By faith, the walls
of Jericho fell down."
00:37:02.65\00:37:04.75
Now, here it would normally say
Joshua, but it's just telling
00:37:04.79\00:37:08.56
you about the event.
00:37:08.59\00:37:09.89
"By faith the walls of Jericho
fell down after they were
00:37:09.92\00:37:13.13
encircled for seven days."
00:37:13.16\00:37:14.60
Now, think about that.
00:37:14.63\00:37:17.40
Now, can you imagine any
military officer ever gathering
00:37:17.43\00:37:22.44
his generals and
saying, "Here's the plan.
00:37:22.47\00:37:26.11
We're gonna march across that
river that's over our heads."
00:37:26.14\00:37:28.54
"How are we going to do that?"
00:37:28.58\00:37:31.25
"Don't worry,
God told us to do it.
00:37:31.28\00:37:32.58
He'll take care of it.
00:37:32.61\00:37:33.98
And after we march across that
river, we're going to go to that
00:37:34.02\00:37:36.28
big walled city, and we're
going to march around quietly
00:37:36.32\00:37:39.52
and blow a horn.
00:37:39.55\00:37:42.49
And then after seven days of
doing that, on the seventh day
00:37:42.52\00:37:44.93
we'll do it seven times, and
then we're all going to shout,
00:37:44.96\00:37:47.36
and then we'll win."
00:37:47.40\00:37:50.87
No general's ever tried
that again, but that's what
00:37:50.90\00:37:54.07
God told them to do.
00:37:54.10\00:37:55.50
So, by faith, they obeyed what
would normally be a very strange
00:37:55.54\00:37:59.11
military plan, and God blessed,
and the walls did come down.
00:37:59.14\00:38:05.71
And then he mentions,
"By faith the harlot Rahab--"
00:38:05.75\00:38:10.22
So, it mentions Sarah.
00:38:10.25\00:38:11.65
It mentions Rahab, a
couple of women here.
00:38:11.69\00:38:13.52
"--did not perish--" You
know, we are saved by faith.
00:38:13.56\00:38:17.56
He said, "If you believe
in me, you will not perish."
00:38:17.59\00:38:21.10
"She did not perish with those
who did not believe," meaning
00:38:21.13\00:38:23.63
the Canaanites, "when she
received the spies with peace."
00:38:23.67\00:38:29.34
Now, Rahab is an interesting
study in this chapter on faith
00:38:29.37\00:38:34.91
because it tells us that Rahab
is not only mentioned as an
00:38:34.94\00:38:39.75
example of faith.
00:38:39.78\00:38:42.78
The Bible tells
us in James--well,
00:38:42.82\00:38:44.65
let me read it to you.
00:38:44.69\00:38:45.99
James chapter 2, verse 25.
00:38:46.02\00:38:47.32
"Likewise was not Rahab the
harlot justified by works when
00:38:47.36\00:38:52.66
she received the messengers
and sent them out another way."
00:38:52.69\00:38:55.96
Martin Luther said he would
like to use the book of James to
00:38:56.00\00:38:58.70
start his fire.
00:38:58.73\00:39:01.14
I know that
shocks you to hear that.
00:39:01.17\00:39:02.94
He didn't.
00:39:02.97\00:39:04.21
He said it's really difficult
for him because Martin Luther
00:39:04.24\00:39:06.57
was all about faith.
00:39:06.61\00:39:07.91
He had come out of the works
orientation of Catholicism, and
00:39:07.94\00:39:10.48
then he'd read James where
it says by works, by works,
00:39:10.51\00:39:13.88
by works.
00:39:13.92\00:39:15.48
And that really bothered
him because here it says that
00:39:15.52\00:39:18.12
Rahab--now what does a woman
represent in Bible analogy?
00:39:18.15\00:39:22.72
The church.
00:39:22.76\00:39:23.99
Rahab is saved by faith because
she received the two messengers
00:39:24.03\00:39:28.43
sent by Joshua.
00:39:28.46\00:39:30.13
How do you say Joshua in Greek?
00:39:30.17\00:39:34.00
Jesus, same name.
00:39:34.04\00:39:37.17
Two messengers sent by Jesus,
the two witnesses, the law and
00:39:37.21\00:39:40.78
the prophets, Moses and Elijah.
00:39:40.81\00:39:43.11
She receives these
two messengers by faith.
00:39:43.14\00:39:46.18
But then she shows her
faith by doing the works.
00:39:46.21\00:39:51.05
She protects them. She
lets them down the wall.
00:39:51.09\00:39:54.02
She brings
everybody into her house.
00:39:54.06\00:39:55.42
She hangs the red
rope in her window.
00:39:55.46\00:39:57.26
She'd done something that
she's told to do by these two
00:39:57.29\00:39:59.76
messengers.
00:39:59.79\00:40:01.06
Because of faith,
she does the works.
00:40:01.10\00:40:02.93
That's how it
happens for the Christian.
00:40:02.96\00:40:04.30
First you've got the
faith, then you have works.
00:40:04.33\00:40:07.84
She demonstrated her
faith when she says when the--
00:40:07.87\00:40:12.31
you can read here.
00:40:12.34\00:40:14.08
It tells us that she
declares--and this is Joshua 2,
00:40:14.11\00:40:17.95
verse 8.
00:40:17.98\00:40:19.31
"Before the men lay down, she
came up to them on the roof and
00:40:19.35\00:40:21.92
said, 'I know that the Lord has
given you the land and that the
00:40:21.95\00:40:25.72
terror of you
has fallen upon us.
00:40:25.75\00:40:27.62
We heard what the Lord did for
you against the Egyptians.'" She
00:40:27.66\00:40:31.69
had the evidence of what God had
done, and she had faith that God
00:40:31.73\00:40:34.73
was going to bring the people
all the way in, and her only way
00:40:34.76\00:40:37.53
of escape was to make peace
with Joshua, which she did.
00:40:37.57\00:40:43.84
So, James says faith
without works is dead.
00:40:43.87\00:40:48.21
I think Will Rogers is the one
who said even if you're on the
00:40:48.24\00:40:50.55
right track, you'll get
run over if you just sit there.
00:40:50.58\00:40:54.18
People said, "I've got
faith." They don't do anything.
00:40:54.22\00:40:56.38
Well, you don't
really have faith.
00:40:56.42\00:40:59.82
And then after Rahab was
mentioned, as happens to me
00:40:59.85\00:41:03.83
often, as happened this
very moment, Paul figures, "I'm
00:41:03.86\00:41:07.40
running out of time."
00:41:07.40\00:41:10.23
And he said,
"What shall I more say?"
00:41:10.27\00:41:12.83
I don't know of
any of you that used
00:41:12.87\00:41:14.74
to hear Byron Speers preach.
00:41:14.77\00:41:16.64
That was a great Adventist
evangelist you can still listen
00:41:16.67\00:41:19.51
to his teach--Amazing Facts has
copied all of his tapes, with
00:41:19.54\00:41:21.58
the family's permission, to
CDs or audio you can listen to.
00:41:21.61\00:41:29.32
He would preach 90 minutes, use
100 Scriptures, and read all the
00:41:29.35\00:41:32.52
Scriptures, never hold a
Bible, and do it all by memory.
00:41:32.55\00:41:35.76
But while he was preaching,
whenever he paused, he'd say,
00:41:35.79\00:41:38.23
"And what shall I more
say," quoting this passage.
00:41:38.26\00:41:41.43
"And what shall I more say?"
00:41:41.46\00:41:42.76
So, Paul was
saying, "I don't have time.
00:41:42.80\00:41:47.97
" I've only gotten to Rahab.
00:41:48.00\00:41:50.97
And so, going back here,
you read in verse 32, "And what
00:41:51.01\00:41:55.64
shall I more say?
00:41:55.68\00:41:56.98
For the time would fail me
to tell of Gideon and Barak and
00:41:57.01\00:42:01.98
Samson and Jephthah, also of
David--" Many sermons on David.
00:42:02.02\00:42:06.49
He can't preach them all now.
00:42:06.52\00:42:08.06
"--and Samuel and the prophets."
00:42:08.09\00:42:10.86
And he summarizes and he says,
"--who through faith subdued
00:42:10.89\00:42:14.73
kingdoms, and worked
righteousness, and obtained
00:42:14.76\00:42:17.23
promises, and
stopped the mouths of lions."
00:42:17.27\00:42:19.83
Who's he talking about there?
00:42:19.87\00:42:22.04
Samson, David, and Daniel,
all killed lions or stopped
00:42:22.07\00:42:25.77
the mouths.
00:42:25.81\00:42:27.11
"--quenched the
violence of the fire."
00:42:27.14\00:42:28.51
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
00:42:28.54\00:42:30.05
"--escaped the edge of the
sword--" That could be David
00:42:30.08\00:42:32.75
and many others.
00:42:32.78\00:42:34.12
"--out of weakness were
made strong, became valiant in
00:42:34.15\00:42:36.89
battle, turned to flight
the armies of the aliens--" That
00:42:36.92\00:42:39.69
could be many of the judges.
00:42:39.72\00:42:41.89
"Women received their
dead raised to life again."
00:42:41.92\00:42:44.76
That's talking about the
resurrections that were done by
00:42:44.79\00:42:47.86
Elijah and Elisha.
00:42:47.86\00:42:49.93
"Others were tortured, not
accepting deliverance, that they
00:42:49.96\00:42:53.23
might obtain a
better resurrection."
00:42:53.27\00:42:55.40
Many of the prophets.
00:42:55.44\00:42:56.87
"Still others had trials of
mockings and scourging, yes, of
00:42:56.91\00:43:00.58
chains and imprisonment.
00:43:00.61\00:43:02.68
They were stoned," like
Zechariah between the altar
00:43:02.71\00:43:05.85
and the porch.
00:43:05.88\00:43:07.42
"They were sawn in
two," like Isaiah the prophet.
00:43:07.45\00:43:09.98
"They were tempted."
00:43:10.02\00:43:11.49
Even these
prophets were tempted.
00:43:11.52\00:43:13.19
"They were slain with the sword.
00:43:13.22\00:43:14.82
They wandered about in
sheepskins and goatskins, being
00:43:14.86\00:43:17.89
destitute,
afflicted, tormented."
00:43:17.93\00:43:20.80
You know, living a life of
faith could also be a life of
00:43:20.83\00:43:23.73
persecution and trial.
00:43:23.77\00:43:26.20
"--of whom the
world was not worthy.
00:43:26.23\00:43:28.87
They wandered in deserts
and mountains," like Elijah, "in
00:43:28.90\00:43:32.64
dens and caves of the
earth," like your pastor.
00:43:32.67\00:43:36.11
"And these having obtained--"
Sorry, I couldn't miss that.
00:43:36.14\00:43:39.45
I did live in a cave, you know.
00:43:39.48\00:43:41.08
"These all, having obtained
a good testimony through faith,
00:43:41.12\00:43:45.32
did not receive the promise."
00:43:45.35\00:43:47.29
Paul is saying to these Jewish
readers, "You have seen the
00:43:47.32\00:43:51.06
fulfillment of all
they pointed to in Jesus."
00:43:51.09\00:43:56.23
Amen?
00:43:56.26\00:43:58.33
God having provided something
better for us, that they should
00:43:58.37\00:44:01.64
not be made
perfect apart from us.
00:44:01.67\00:44:04.41
Our last verses.
00:44:04.44\00:44:05.81
"Therefore,"
chapter 12, verse 1.
00:44:05.84\00:44:07.34
"Therefore we also, since we are
surrounded by so great a cloud
00:44:07.38\00:44:11.18
of witnesses--"
This is the Hall of Fame.
00:44:11.21\00:44:12.81
It's just itemized.
00:44:12.85\00:44:14.58
Well that is--what's the summary
of everything he's saying now?
00:44:14.62\00:44:17.62
Listen to this.
00:44:17.65\00:44:19.22
"Let us lay aside every weight
and the sin that does so easily
00:44:19.25\00:44:24.63
beset us, and let us run
with endurance the race that is
00:44:24.66\00:44:28.93
set--" Don't give up.
00:44:28.96\00:44:30.37
That's the appeal he's making.
00:44:30.40\00:44:31.77
Don't give up.
00:44:31.80\00:44:33.10
"Let us run with endurance
the race that is set before us."
00:44:33.13\00:44:35.60
How do we lay aside the sin?
00:44:35.64\00:44:37.07
How do we run the race?
00:44:37.11\00:44:38.67
"Looking unto Jesus, the author
and finisher of our faith."
00:44:38.71\00:44:42.88
Look at His example.
See Him on the cross.
00:44:42.91\00:44:45.08
"--who for the joy that was set
before him endured the cross,
00:44:45.11\00:44:48.72
despising the shame,
and he has sat down at
00:44:48.75\00:44:51.69
the right hand of God."
00:44:51.72\00:44:53.02
Our best friend, our Savior
is at the right hand of God.
00:44:53.05\00:44:55.56
Amen?
00:44:55.59\00:44:56.89
Wow, what a wonderful passage.
00:44:56.93\00:44:58.26
I wish they had three
lessons on this one subject.
00:44:58.29\00:45:00.20
We're out of time.
00:45:00.23\00:45:02.16
So, I want to remind our friends
who are watching, if you'd like
00:45:02.20\00:45:04.37
our free offer, it's called,
"Determining the Will of God,"
00:45:04.40\00:45:07.87
a book we'll send you.
00:45:08.20\00:45:10.01
Ask for offer number 778,
and the number you would call to
00:45:10.04\00:45:14.08
receive that is 866-788-3966.
00:45:14.11\00:45:16.24
That's 866-Study-More, and I
think you can even text us, or
00:45:16.28\00:45:25.05
you can download it by texting
SH025, and you text that to
00:45:25.09\00:45:30.13
40544.
00:45:30.16\00:45:32.73
Outside North America, you can
just go to study.aftv.org/SH025.
00:45:32.76\00:45:35.66
That's a lot of information,
but that'll be on the screen.
00:45:35.70\00:45:43.64
God bless you, friends.
00:45:43.67\00:45:44.97
We'll study His Word
together again next week.
00:45:45.01\00:45:47.44
announcer: Don't forget to
request today's life-changing
00:45:49.71\00:45:52.11
free resource.
00:45:52.15\00:45:53.58
Not only can you receive
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You can download a digital
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To get your digital copy of
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the key word on your screen to
40544 or visit the web address
00:46:02.86\00:46:07.83
shown on your screen, and
be sure to select the digital
00:46:07.86\00:46:10.80
download option
on the request page.
00:46:10.83\00:46:12.40
It's now easier than ever
for you to study God's Word with
00:46:12.43\00:46:16.81
Amazing Facts, wherever
and whenever you want, and most
00:46:16.84\00:46:19.91
important to
share it with others.
00:46:19.94\00:46:21.94
¤¤¤
00:46:21.98\00:46:30.29
female: One day, my
daughter and my son come to me.
00:46:30.32\00:46:32.29
It was on a Sunday.
00:46:32.32\00:46:33.89
And they told me that they
were going to go by his friend's
00:46:33.92\00:46:36.02
house.
00:46:36.06\00:46:37.59
My daughter asked her brother
if she could go along with him,
00:46:37.63\00:46:40.43
just to get out of the house.
00:46:40.46\00:46:41.76
And I says, "I want
you to know that I want
00:46:41.80\00:46:43.63
you guys to be careful."
00:46:43.67\00:46:45.17
And I says, "I want
you to know that I love you
00:46:45.20\00:46:47.00
and I always will."
00:46:47.04\00:46:48.34
And I said, "And
I'll see you tonight."
00:46:48.37\00:46:49.67
It was at 12:30.
00:46:49.70\00:46:51.01
Usually 11:30, 12:00 they
usually come back to the house,
00:46:51.04\00:46:53.68
but they never returned.
00:46:53.71\00:46:55.94
At nighttime, we
got a knock on our door.
00:46:55.98\00:46:57.68
It was about 2 in the morning.
00:46:57.71\00:47:00.25
And it was a
sheriff and a coroner there.
00:47:00.28\00:47:03.25
And they told me
and my husband, he said,
00:47:03.28\00:47:05.59
"I want you two to sit down."
00:47:05.62\00:47:06.99
And he's like, "I've got some
bad news for you," and he says,
00:47:07.02\00:47:09.42
"I know it's going to be hard.
00:47:09.46\00:47:11.03
He said, "Your children both got
into a car accident tonight."
00:47:11.06\00:47:16.50
He said, "And both of
them died right on impact."
00:47:16.53\00:47:20.60
I felt numb.
00:47:20.64\00:47:22.37
My world didn't
seem the same anymore.
00:47:22.40\00:47:23.64
For a while, after a while I had
a void in my life because I knew
00:47:23.67\00:47:27.88
I would never see them again.
00:47:27.91\00:47:30.35
My husband was
asleep in the living room,
00:47:30.38\00:47:32.01
and he must've woke up.
00:47:32.05\00:47:33.65
He turned on the
TV and watching it.
00:47:33.68\00:47:35.25
And so he comes in the
bedroom, and he says, "Dorothy,
00:47:35.28\00:47:37.52
you've got to get up."
00:47:37.55\00:47:38.85
I said, "Why?
What'd you wake me up for?
00:47:38.89\00:47:40.19
You know I got to sleep."
00:47:40.22\00:47:42.12
He said, "No, you've
got to see this guy on TV.
00:47:42.16\00:47:43.89
He's something else."
00:47:43.93\00:47:45.23
So, I got up,
and I went in there.
00:47:45.26\00:47:46.56
I sat down, and he says--I seen
this guy there, and it's the
00:47:46.59\00:47:49.06
first time I ever seen him.
00:47:49.10\00:47:50.50
He said he's
from "Amazing Facts."
00:47:50.53\00:47:52.03
He said, "Something about this
guy, what he's talking about.
00:47:52.07\00:47:53.90
He's really
hitting me in my heart."
00:47:53.94\00:47:55.57
He said, "And the more he
talked, the more I sit up here
00:47:55.60\00:47:59.04
and listen."
00:47:59.07\00:48:00.58
I watched Doug
Batchelor, I would cry.
00:48:00.61\00:48:01.91
I thought, "Man."
00:48:01.94\00:48:03.41
And I wasn't
crying because I was sad.
00:48:03.45\00:48:04.75
I was crying
because I was happy.
00:48:04.78\00:48:06.88
And I also loved his humor.
00:48:06.92\00:48:08.22
And he said, "Well,
God has humor, too."
00:48:08.25\00:48:10.69
And I said, "I imagine he does."
00:48:10.72\00:48:12.95
As I got to know more about Doug
Batchelor, watching his show,
00:48:12.99\00:48:16.52
the void that I had for a long,
long time finally was filled.
00:48:16.56\00:48:21.16
God did answer my prayer,
but he did it in his own time.
00:48:21.20\00:48:24.70
Since I gave myself, put my life
with Christ, you know, I went
00:48:24.73\00:48:27.70
through a brain surgery, I went
through a heart attack, and now
00:48:27.74\00:48:30.71
I have arthritis, which
is most part of my body.
00:48:30.74\00:48:34.98
And even though I'm in a lot of
pain, I don't have no feelings
00:48:35.01\00:48:39.95
at all against God.
00:48:39.98\00:48:41.42
I think, matter of fact,
because of that, it's drawing me
00:48:41.45\00:48:44.59
closer to Him.
00:48:44.62\00:48:46.12
I thank Doug Batchelor from
Amazing Facts, who is one who
00:48:46.15\00:48:50.43
played a very big part in my
conversion and turning my life
00:48:50.46\00:48:54.83
more to God, even
though all the suffering
00:48:54.83\00:48:58.17
I went through, you know.
00:48:58.20\00:49:00.77
He helped me to just
keep strong, keep going,
00:49:00.80\00:49:05.14
and keep my eyes on God.
00:49:05.17\00:49:09.11
Thank you for changing my life.
00:49:09.14\00:49:10.98
¤¤¤
00:49:12.88\00:49:15.48
announcer: Amazing
Facts, Changed Lives.
00:49:15.52\00:49:18.45
¤¤¤
00:49:18.49\00:49:22.69
Jennifer: When I was
a teenager growing up,
00:49:22.72\00:49:24.79
I was getting into
all sorts of trouble.
00:49:24.83\00:49:27.30
I was drinking, smoking.
00:49:27.36\00:49:30.40
I would look for love
in all the wrong places.
00:49:30.43\00:49:33.23
I thought that those were
ways that could make me happy,
00:49:33.27\00:49:36.94
and it didn't.
00:49:36.97\00:49:38.27
It just made everything
worse. I was very confused.
00:49:38.31\00:49:40.71
I didn't know who I was.
00:49:40.74\00:49:42.18
I had no identity whatsoever and
just I had such a hole in me,
00:49:42.21\00:49:46.01
such hurt that I would do
anything and everything just to
00:49:46.05\00:49:50.02
try to fill that void.
00:49:50.05\00:49:51.52
I was making a lot of bad
decisions, a lot of bad choices.
00:49:51.55\00:49:55.49
I got pregnant
when I was 19 years old,
00:49:55.52\00:49:57.86
and I was a single mother.
00:49:57.89\00:49:59.59
And to try to prove to myself
and the world that I can make it
00:49:59.63\00:50:04.63
on my own, I
became an exotic dancer.
00:50:04.67\00:50:07.47
My mom, she started sending me
links to Amazing Facts Ministry,
00:50:07.50\00:50:11.34
just sermons, and seminars,
and Bible studies, and YouTube
00:50:11.37\00:50:14.48
videos with Doug Batchelor.
00:50:14.51\00:50:16.08
And I started watching it.
00:50:16.11\00:50:17.55
And beforehand, I
would delete them.
00:50:17.58\00:50:19.71
But now here I am watching,
and I couldn't get enough of it.
00:50:19.75\00:50:22.92
My heart was on fire.
I wanted more and more.
00:50:22.95\00:50:25.42
So, instead of going to the
club, I would go to the website,
00:50:25.45\00:50:28.46
the Amazing Facts website,
and then I would go to the Bible
00:50:28.49\00:50:31.23
studies, and I would go after
one, study one, which would make
00:50:31.26\00:50:35.93
me want to study another one.
00:50:35.96\00:50:37.27
So, I'd study another one and
another one, and I went through
00:50:37.30\00:50:39.90
the whole set.
00:50:39.93\00:50:41.40
And that wasn't enough for me.
00:50:41.44\00:50:43.44
I wanted more, so I
just, I would do it again.
00:50:43.47\00:50:45.77
I would read the whole set over
again, and I was learning so
00:50:45.81\00:50:48.54
much, and I just
couldn't get enough of it.
00:50:48.58\00:50:50.55
And this made me where I
didn't even want to go to work.
00:50:50.58\00:50:53.08
I just had this
fire in my heart.
00:50:53.11\00:50:55.02
And then it got to where I was
on the interstate to go to work,
00:50:55.05\00:50:58.69
and then I pulled over, and God,
He just, He told me like, He's
00:50:58.72\00:51:05.09
like, "Jennifer, we
can't do this anymore."
00:51:05.13\00:51:08.23
And so, I told Him, I
said, "God, I know this is you.
00:51:08.26\00:51:11.97
I know that you're
speaking to me right now."
00:51:12.00\00:51:14.84
And for the first time ever,
my eyes were opened, the whole
00:51:14.87\00:51:18.47
situation, and how
I was living my life.
00:51:18.51\00:51:21.01
And I went home, and
I got down on my knees,
00:51:21.04\00:51:23.48
and I fell before God.
00:51:23.51\00:51:25.65
I started to beg
him, "God, please take me
00:51:25.68\00:51:28.55
out of this lifestyle.
00:51:28.58\00:51:30.19
And if you do, I
promise you I will serve you
00:51:30.22\00:51:32.09
for the rest of my life."
00:51:32.12\00:51:33.82
And so, for the first time in my
life, I was healing, and I was
00:51:33.86\00:51:37.29
learning, and I was coming to a
knowledge of the truth, and that
00:51:37.33\00:51:40.33
truth was Jesus Christ
Himself and that He loved me."
00:51:40.36\00:51:43.73
So, as I'm going about these
studies, Amazing Facts comes to
00:51:43.77\00:51:47.57
my local church, and Pastor
Wyatt Allen, he puts on this
00:51:47.60\00:51:51.77
evangelistic series, and he
makes a call for baptisms, and
00:51:51.81\00:51:57.81
I'm impressed, you know, that
I need to do this, and I want to
00:51:57.85\00:52:03.62
make this decision for Christ,
to rededicate my life to Him.
00:52:03.65\00:52:08.19
My life has been completely
changed in so many ways, just
00:52:08.22\00:52:12.76
seeing where God has taken me on
this journey, where He took me
00:52:12.79\00:52:18.13
from this--to this lost,
confused girl to this woman who
00:52:18.17\00:52:22.27
knows who she is,
her identity in Christ.
00:52:22.30\00:52:25.11
¤¤¤
00:52:25.14\00:52:29.38
Jennifer: My name is Jennifer.
Thank you for changing my life.
00:52:29.41\00:52:33.52
¤¤¤
00:52:33.55\00:52:39.29
announcer: Amazing
Facts, Changed Lives
00:52:44.43\00:52:47.40
Nita: I'm Tlingit
Indian from Sitka, Alaska.
00:52:52.73\00:52:56.67
My Tlingit name is--
00:52:56.71\00:52:59.94
It was a very depressing
time for the people of Alaska.
00:53:00.04\00:53:03.81
A lot of alcohol,
abuse was taking place.
00:53:03.85\00:53:08.92
And unfortunately, my mother
got caught up in the alcohol.
00:53:08.95\00:53:14.62
It made myself and
my siblings grow up in
00:53:14.66\00:53:21.10
a pretty horrible environment.
00:53:21.13\00:53:26.60
It was really
hard to understand God.
00:53:26.63\00:53:31.57
It was really hard to
understand what love was.
00:53:31.61\00:53:35.81
I ended up having a child in my
12th grade and leaving home when
00:53:35.84\00:53:45.15
I was 15 years old.
00:53:45.19\00:53:47.26
But somehow,
someway, we made it.
00:53:47.29\00:53:50.19
And I became a loner.
00:53:50.23\00:53:51.53
I became a hermit.
00:53:51.56\00:53:53.40
So, I went up to the biggest
marijuana county, to Humboldt
00:53:53.43\00:53:58.10
County, and
started my new career.
00:53:58.13\00:54:02.60
Things weren't right, though.
00:54:02.64\00:54:04.14
No matter how nice I kept
thinking life was, living up on
00:54:04.17\00:54:08.58
top of the mountain, not having
to worry about wearing clothing,
00:54:08.61\00:54:13.38
just waking up and watching the
plants grow, searching still for
00:54:13.42\00:54:20.82
more and more.
00:54:20.86\00:54:23.06
I went to the post office, and
I was standing there by myself.
00:54:23.09\00:54:28.00
I looked down, and here was
this, what is called a handbill,
00:54:28.03\00:54:33.03
a post card, and the letters on
it grabbed by attention, and it
00:54:33.07\00:54:38.77
said, "Revelations."
00:54:38.81\00:54:40.21
I never heard
Revelation taught before.
00:54:40.24\00:54:43.58
And I thought, "Gosh,
that would've been so good."
00:54:43.61\00:54:46.88
I looked at the time
and the date, and I said,
00:54:46.92\00:54:49.05
"Wow, that's today."
00:54:49.08\00:54:54.49
And for six weeks I sat there in
the front seat of that building
00:54:54.52\00:55:01.80
and could not believe
the things that I heard.
00:55:01.83\00:55:05.47
And I found this hunger that
I had in my heart for decades
00:55:05.50\00:55:12.07
being filled.
00:55:12.11\00:55:13.88
I was actually like a starving
child, you know, wanting to get
00:55:13.91\00:55:18.45
in to learn more
about Revelations.
00:55:18.48\00:55:20.65
And I chose to be
baptized on April 3rd.
00:55:20.68\00:55:27.29
Even though I chose to
serve God, I kept falling.
00:55:27.32\00:55:32.03
I was going to Bible studies
four times a week, and just so
00:55:32.06\00:55:37.03
hungry to learn
as much as possible.
00:55:37.07\00:55:41.94
God just overnight had me
studying the Word of God through
00:55:41.97\00:55:47.18
AFCOE.
00:55:47.21\00:55:48.81
And the miracles that happened
through AFCOE is so incredible.
00:55:48.84\00:55:53.58
The only preacher I was
listening to was Pastor Doug
00:55:53.62\00:55:56.82
Batchelor, who I
didn't even call by his name.
00:55:56.85\00:56:00.52
I called him the cave man.
00:56:00.56\00:56:03.12
And then here all of a sudden,
I'm sitting in front of him in
00:56:03.16\00:56:07.86
his classroom,
learning from him.
00:56:07.86\00:56:12.30
On October 11th, I sat there,
though, in my room saying,
00:56:12.33\00:56:17.37
"Lord, here I am
studying your Word.
00:56:17.41\00:56:20.01
But what am I doing here?
00:56:20.04\00:56:25.15
What do I need to do?
00:56:25.18\00:56:27.38
What is it you want me to do?
00:56:27.42\00:56:29.62
And that night, about 1 in the
morning, God spoke to me, and he
00:56:29.65\00:56:33.72
said, "I want you to
write a note to Pastor Doug
00:56:33.76\00:56:37.93
and tell him what you do."
00:56:37.96\00:56:39.39
I sat there and I says, "No,
I'm not going to write a note.
00:56:39.43\00:56:41.23
I'm not going to write a note."
00:56:41.26\00:56:43.03
And I said, "Okay."
00:56:43.06\00:56:44.50
So, I ripped off a piece of
paper, and I wrote on the note,
00:56:44.53\00:56:48.64
and I said, "I'm an
experienced fashion designer.
00:56:48.67\00:56:50.61
I can sew anything. I
can make any patterns.
00:56:50.64\00:56:54.24
If there's any way that I can be
of any service to you, God told
00:56:54.28\00:56:59.35
me to be bold and tell you."
00:56:59.38\00:57:01.32
And I walked up, and I handed
him the note, and he didn't know
00:57:01.35\00:57:04.19
what it was, but
he said, "Thank you."
00:57:04.22\00:57:05.75
And four hours later, I got a
phone call from Amazing Facts.
00:57:05.79\00:57:10.39
Pastor Doug told me that I
was an answer to their prayers.
00:57:10.43\00:57:14.03
They had been looking for a
wardrobe stylist for their new
00:57:14.10\00:57:18.53
film that they're producing.
00:57:18.57\00:57:20.30
male: Action! Two, three!
00:57:20.34\00:57:23.71
Nita: Amazing Facts has
changed my life in the direction
00:57:23.74\00:57:28.61
that God wants me to go.
00:57:28.64\00:57:31.58
And now out of all the knowledge
that was taught to me, I'm able
00:57:31.61\00:57:36.79
to go out into this world and
share the gospel and finish the
00:57:36.82\00:57:41.99
work for Jesus Christ.
00:57:42.02\00:57:43.86
Doug: Friends, it's because
of God's blessing and your
00:57:43.89\00:57:48.56
support that thousands of others
like Nita have found Jesus
00:57:48.60\00:57:52.90
and everlasting life.
00:57:52.93\00:57:54.80
¤¤¤
00:57:54.84\00:58:01.88
¤¤¤
00:58:03.81\00:58:13.56
¤¤¤
00:58:13.59\00:58:23.53
¤¤¤
00:58:23.57\00:58:27.14