Bible tells us, "In
the beginning was the Word,
00:00:01.36\00:00:03.43
and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God."
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It says,
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"To receive with
meekness the implanted Word,
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which is able
to save your souls.
00:00:11.57\00:00:13.88
And to be diligent
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to present
yourself approved to God
00:00:15.28\00:00:17.71
rightly dividing
the Word of truth."
00:00:17.75\00:00:20.72
Join us now for the
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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Our study today is
00:00:25.35\00:00:27.26
Stewardship
Motives of the Heart.
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And we welcome all of you
to 3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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Thank you so much
for joining with us.
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We are so excited
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about these lessons
that we're studying.
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Our quarterly,
these three months
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that we're in
now, is on Stewardship
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and we are learning so much.
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Let me introduce
you to our panel.
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We have Pastor John Lomacang,
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Jill Morikone, Shelley Quinn,
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and Jill Morikone's
other half, Greg, I'm sorry,
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I have to say,
"She's the better half."
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I'd agree with
that, that's okay.
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Don't apologize.
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Greg Morikone, Greg,
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it is so good to
have you with us.
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Thank you, good to be here.
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Well, thank you so much.
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You know, we're
in the sixth lesson
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in our quarterly.
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And today, we're looking
at the marks of stewardship
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or the marks of a steward.
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And we are rightly
dividing God's Word
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and we want each of you
to be doing the same thing.
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And so I want to invite you,
if you don't have a quarterly,
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to go to, you can go to
the website and download it.
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You go to ABSG.Adventist.org.
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Download the lesson
and study along with us.
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But even better
than that, if there is
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a Seventh-day Adventist
Church in your community,
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go to that church and
ask them for a quarterly
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and then, you
know, on Sabbath morning,
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you can study with us.
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But you can also study with
your local Adventist church.
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It is, we learn so much
more when we're together
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in a group of people,
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is you get
everybody gets to share,
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so we encourage you to do that.
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Before we go into our
lesson though, we need to pray.
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Pastor Lomacang, let's
pray over our lesson today.
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Loving Father in heaven,
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whenever we
open the Word of God,
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we pray that we open our hearts.
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And the skill that
You've entrusted to us,
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may we convey that back to You
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and ask for the
Holy Spirit instead
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to guide our hearts and
minds, to be of one accord
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so that the stewardship
of communicating the gospel
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will be accomplished
through the faithful work
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that You accomplish and
carry forward through us.
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Bless us as we speak.
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May our minds be
furnished with an understanding
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that possesses our soul.
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And may those who are watching
and listening to the program
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be edified, and
Jesus be glorified.
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In your name we pray.
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Amen. Amen.
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You know, our
quarterly tells us,
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now we're going to
read our memory text
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in just a minute. The
quarterly tells us that
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stewards are
known by their brand
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or their distinctive mark
along the line of a retailer.
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And I was
thinking of a retailer,
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one that where
everybody's familiar with.
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So McDonalds, they
retail, they retail hamburgers,
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but they are a retailer.
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And we have been to Moscow.
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You can go
anywhere in the world,
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think about this.
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You see those golden arches,
what do you automatically know?
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McDonalds. That's right.
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There's McDonalds,
so that is the marks of,
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a distinctive mark of McDonalds.
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Now our memory text tells
us there is a distinctive mark
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about a steward.
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And I want us to
read that memory text now.
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The memory text is
1 Corinthians 4:1-2.
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Let's all read together.
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"Let a man so consider
us, as servants of Christ
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and stewards of
the mysteries of God.
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Moreover it is
required in stewards
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that one be found faithful."
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Don't you like
that word, faithful?
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So what is a mark of a steward?
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What is a mark that
will be found on a steward?
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They will be faithful.
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Now, how would you acquire
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a mark of faithfulness?
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And I was thinking about
that, how would you do that?
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You know, we
become what we behold.
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That's right. Yes.
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And so 2
Corinthians 3:18 tells us,
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"But we all, with unveiled face,
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beholding as in a
mirror the glory of the Lord,
00:05:05.60\00:05:09.20
are being
transformed into the same image
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from glory to glory, as
by the Spirit of the Lord."
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Our very
identities become so blended
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with the traits of Christ
as we behold Him in His Word
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that we become branded by Him.
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His attributes
become our attributes.
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You know, the Word says,
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"But he that is joined
unto the Lord is," what?
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"Is one spirit."
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So how many of you
would like to be branded,
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to have the same attributes
as the Lord Jesus Christ.
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And can we say that one
of His greatest attributes
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was His faithfulness.
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He was faithful even unto death.
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So that's the mark of
a steward, that branding.
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Now, on Sunday,
I have the honor,
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and the privilege of
looking at faithfulness.
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What does it
mean to be faithful?
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And I've got that definition,
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staying true to
what we know is right,
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especially in the
heart or in the heed
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of spiritual battle.
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In Hebrews,
faithful means to trust,
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to be solid or firm,
to be tested and tried
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and remain
firmly committed to God.
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Now, let me ask you this.
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Have any of you ever
been tested and tried
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and been tempted
to give up or give in
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when things really got bad?
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You ever had... Absolutely.
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I recall a time
when I was going through
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a really hard time.
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I mean, things
got, it seemed like
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everything was
falling down on every side
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and I didn't want
to fight any longer.
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I wanted to just
give up and quit.
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And I hope nobody
else is ever been there,
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but that's what I wanted.
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What would be the
opposite of faithful?
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Giving up and quitting, so that
would have been the opposite.
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And you know, in 1 Timothy 6:12,
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Paul is talking to
Timothy and here is what
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the Apostle Paul tells Timothy,
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"Fight the good fight of
faith, lay hold on eternal life,
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to which you were also called
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and have confessed
the good confession
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in the presence
of many witnesses."
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Fight the good fight of faith.
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Now when you're,
what you're really
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wanting to do is
give up and quit,
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you're not
wanting to read scriptures
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that tell you to fight.
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And so I got to thinking.
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"What did Paul know anyway?
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Did he ever have to fight?
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Wait a minute.
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I suppose Paul might have
had to fight a time or two,
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did he not?"
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Paul, the Apostle Paul
sanctified, let's look at
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what the Apostle
Paul had to fight.
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2 Corinthians 11.
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This is what Paul
says about himself.
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Now remember,
we're talking about
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marks of a steward faithfulness.
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Here's what Paul says,
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"Three times I was beaten
with rods, once I was stoned,
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three times I was
shipwrecked, a night and a day
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I have been in the
deep, in journeys often,
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in perils of waters,
in perils of robbers,
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in perils of my own countrymen,
in perils of the gentiles,
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in perils in the city, in
perils in the wilderness..."
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What verse are
you in, Miss Mollie?
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Chapter 11, 26 is
what I'm just reading.
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Thank you. Thank you.
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"In perils in the sea, in
perils among false brethren,
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in weariness and toil,
in sleeplessness often,
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in hunger and
thirst, in fasting,
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often in cold and nakedness."
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Now, was Paul fighting
the good fight of faith?
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Oh, yeah. Oh, he was.
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The opposite of giving up,
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being faithful is
what Paul was doing.
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So I looked at Paul,
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and I would just have
to say that Paul's battles
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made mine look
like a walk in the park.
00:09:02.27\00:09:05.17
Nothing to compare with it.
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To fight and win
the good fight of faith,
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we're going to have
to be found faithful.
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The Apostle
Paul had the branding
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of a faithful steward.
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One of our greatest
examples of a faithful steward
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would be faithful Abraham.
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Okay.
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In Hebrews 8:1, "By
faith Abraham obeyed
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when he was called
to go out to the place
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which he had
received as an inheritance.
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And he went out, not
knowing where he was going."
00:09:37.81\00:09:43.18
Romans 4:9, says about Abraham,
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"For we say that
faith was accounted
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to Abraham for righteousness."
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So faithful Abraham,
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one more branded
faithful steward.
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The reformer Martin Luther,
00:10:00.36\00:10:03.30
preparing to speak
before the emperor,
00:10:03.33\00:10:06.17
he drew near
the Holy Scriptures.
00:10:06.20\00:10:12.81
And with emotion he
placed his left hand
00:10:12.84\00:10:16.98
on the sacred volume
00:10:17.01\00:10:19.01
and raising his
right hand toward heaven,
00:10:19.05\00:10:22.88
swore to remain
faithful to the gospel
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and freely to confess his faith.
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And listen to this,
00:10:29.82\00:10:31.69
"Even should he seal his
testimony with his blood."
00:10:31.73\00:10:36.16
Think about the
martyrs, those early martyrs.
00:10:36.20\00:10:39.13
How many of them sealed
their faith with their blood?
00:10:39.17\00:10:44.24
Faithful, they were
branded as faithful.
00:10:44.27\00:10:47.91
They were stewards
that had been branded
00:10:47.94\00:10:51.78
with faithfulness.
00:10:51.81\00:10:53.15
The Lord Jesus Christ, we
see it in the Apostle Paul,
00:10:53.18\00:10:57.15
we see it in others, in
the great faith chapter,
00:10:57.19\00:11:01.69
we see it with Martin Luther,
00:11:01.72\00:11:04.09
we see it with so many
of these early martyrs.
00:11:04.13\00:11:07.60
There's a promise to
us in Revelation 2:10.
00:11:07.63\00:11:14.07
It says, "Be
faithful until death,
00:11:14.10\00:11:18.37
and I will give
you the crown of life."
00:11:18.41\00:11:21.61
Faithfulness is
a distinctive mark
00:11:21.64\00:11:24.28
of stewardship.
00:11:24.31\00:11:26.15
The way we take
on the attributes,
00:11:26.18\00:11:29.88
the way we receive
this mark, remember,
00:11:29.92\00:11:32.95
how many of you want
to branded as faithful
00:11:32.99\00:11:36.29
to receive that branding?
00:11:36.32\00:11:38.06
We become what we behold,
00:11:38.09\00:11:40.83
and as we behold our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
00:11:40.86\00:11:45.37
in His Word,
00:11:45.40\00:11:46.80
then that branding
is so impressed on us
00:11:46.84\00:11:50.37
that we have been predestined,
the scripture tells us
00:11:50.41\00:11:54.24
in Romans 8th chapter,
00:11:54.28\00:11:56.18
We have been predestined,
to be conformed of what?
00:11:56.21\00:12:00.48
To be conformed
to the very image
00:12:00.52\00:12:02.55
and likeness of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
00:12:02.58\00:12:06.02
My encouragement
to all of us today
00:12:06.05\00:12:08.72
is to spend time in
God's Word, allow that branding
00:12:08.76\00:12:13.60
to take place in our
lives that we would have
00:12:13.63\00:12:16.26
that branding of faithfulness,
00:12:16.30\00:12:18.20
and we would be like
Christ in His very image
00:12:18.23\00:12:21.00
and in His likeness.
00:12:21.04\00:12:22.44
Pastor Lomacang?
00:12:22.47\00:12:23.94
Wow, Mollie, you threw
me the ball really quickly,
00:12:23.97\00:12:26.21
I appreciate that.
00:12:26.24\00:12:27.81
But I won't take
that additional time
00:12:27.84\00:12:29.28
I'll leave it for
whoever is gonna come after me.
00:12:29.31\00:12:31.58
And I think that's you, Jill.
00:12:31.61\00:12:33.15
And you could
choose to pass it or...
00:12:33.18\00:12:34.52
I'll pass it on. Or
rally it out to Greg.
00:12:34.55\00:12:36.82
Loyalty, loyalty
is Monday lesson.
00:12:36.85\00:12:42.09
And loyalty is a
topic that, excuse me,
00:12:42.12\00:12:49.06
requires introspection,
00:12:49.10\00:12:51.30
looking in first
before we look out,
00:12:51.33\00:12:54.87
because all of
us, every one of us,
00:12:54.90\00:12:57.94
and those of you
who are listening
00:12:57.97\00:12:59.31
and watching the program,
00:12:59.34\00:13:00.68
everyone likes
people to be loyal.
00:13:00.71\00:13:05.51
One man once said, the
reason why he likes dogs,
00:13:05.55\00:13:11.05
and the other says
dog is man's best friend.
00:13:11.09\00:13:13.82
And he said the
reason why he likes his dog
00:13:13.86\00:13:15.69
is because he wags his
tail and not his tongue.
00:13:15.72\00:13:19.93
That's good. That's pretty good.
00:13:19.96\00:13:21.50
He wags his
tail, not his tongue.
00:13:21.53\00:13:23.00
Now there's something
about loyalty that draws us,
00:13:23.03\00:13:26.94
and there's something
about disloyalty that repels us.
00:13:26.97\00:13:31.57
But I think of
the number of examples
00:13:31.61\00:13:34.34
in the Bible of loyalty,
in this lesson particularly,
00:13:34.38\00:13:37.38
what it zeroes in on
is our loyalty to God.
00:13:37.41\00:13:41.08
Because Loyalty to each other
00:13:41.12\00:13:43.65
while it should
be unconditional,
00:13:43.69\00:13:46.79
we kind of tend to link
little conditions to loyalty.
00:13:46.82\00:13:50.09
"If you, then I
will. If you, then I will."
00:13:50.13\00:13:52.83
Now there are some ifs
and thens in God's Word.
00:13:52.86\00:13:55.63
"If My people, you
know, confess and forsake
00:13:55.66\00:13:58.63
their wickedness, then
I will hear from heaven."
00:13:58.67\00:14:00.37
That's not
loyalty, that's confession
00:14:00.40\00:14:02.80
that is needed for
forgiveness to follow.
00:14:02.84\00:14:05.74
And the Lord does not
forgive what we do not confess,
00:14:05.77\00:14:08.24
so that's not
the same as loyalty.
00:14:08.28\00:14:10.18
But let's begin by
looking at Matthew 6:24.
00:14:10.21\00:14:13.62
And the passage
that we're about to read
00:14:13.65\00:14:16.25
has showed up in
other lessons but it's hard
00:14:16.28\00:14:21.02
to talk about
stewardship and isolate any one
00:14:21.06\00:14:23.99
particular text for
any one particular lesson.
00:14:24.03\00:14:26.63
Because this lesson,
00:14:26.66\00:14:28.36
if I could give a
description to it,
00:14:28.40\00:14:30.30
it's not like a
frozen ice cube, excuse me,
00:14:30.33\00:14:34.90
but it pours
into all the lessons,
00:14:34.94\00:14:37.81
all the text seem
to pour into the lesson
00:14:37.84\00:14:40.64
from one end to the other.
00:14:40.68\00:14:43.01
Matthew says in
6:24, "No one can serve,"
00:14:43.04\00:14:48.48
how many masters? "Two masters,
00:14:48.52\00:14:51.62
for either he will hate
the one and love the other,
00:14:51.65\00:14:55.49
or else he will
be loyal to the one
00:14:55.52\00:14:58.29
and despise the other.
00:14:58.33\00:15:00.43
You cannot
serve God and mammon."
00:15:00.46\00:15:03.70
And I think of this
whole idea of master
00:15:03.73\00:15:05.63
because when the
Hebrews and Daniel,
00:15:05.67\00:15:07.80
when they were sold
unto slavery into Babylon,
00:15:07.84\00:15:13.61
there was a test.
00:15:13.64\00:15:15.14
You never know
whether a person is loyal
00:15:15.18\00:15:17.85
until the test comes.
00:15:17.88\00:15:19.88
In the Garden of Eden,
the reason for the tree
00:15:19.91\00:15:21.42
of the knowledge of
good and evil was to test
00:15:21.45\00:15:24.25
Adam and Eve's
not only obedience,
00:15:24.29\00:15:27.12
but loyalty.
00:15:27.16\00:15:28.69
And they, obviously we
know, failed the loyalty test,
00:15:28.72\00:15:32.06
and so all of us
had been impacted
00:15:32.09\00:15:33.70
in one way or the
other by their disloyalty
00:15:33.73\00:15:36.00
or their failure to be faithful.
00:15:36.03\00:15:38.53
But I think of the
Hebrews, and let's go
00:15:38.57\00:15:42.44
to the Book of
Daniel very quickly here.
00:15:42.47\00:15:44.57
It came to my mind,
it's not in my notes,
00:15:44.61\00:15:47.31
but that came to my
mind about the declaration
00:15:47.34\00:15:50.48
that the Hebrews made
00:15:50.51\00:15:51.85
when they were
on the Plain of Dura
00:15:51.88\00:15:54.58
when the golden
image was erected
00:15:54.62\00:15:58.05
and they were
called to make a decision.
00:15:58.09\00:16:03.66
And I would go to Daniel 3,
00:16:03.69\00:16:09.60
and I would look at
the end of verse 15.
00:16:09.63\00:16:12.87
You know, it's
amazing, Daniel has long verses,
00:16:12.90\00:16:15.77
you know, Paul has short verses,
00:16:15.80\00:16:17.27
Daniel has this long verses.
00:16:17.31\00:16:19.24
And the end of the
verse of Daniel 3:15, it says,
00:16:19.27\00:16:24.51
"But if you do not worship,
you shall be cast immediately
00:16:24.55\00:16:28.48
into the midst of a
burning fiery furnace.
00:16:28.52\00:16:31.49
And who is the God
00:16:31.52\00:16:33.36
who will deliver
you from my hand?
00:16:33.39\00:16:36.56
And Shadrach," verse
16, "Meshach, and Abednego
00:16:36.59\00:16:40.53
answered and said to
the king, 'O Nebuchadnezzar,
00:16:40.56\00:16:43.60
we have no need to
answer you in this matter.
00:16:43.63\00:16:47.60
If that is the case,
our God whom we serve
00:16:47.64\00:16:51.67
is able to deliver us
from the burning fiery furnace,
00:16:51.71\00:16:56.08
and He will deliver us
from your hand, O king.
00:16:56.11\00:16:59.95
But if not, let it
be known to you, O king,
00:16:59.98\00:17:03.42
that we do not serve
your gods, nor will we worship
00:17:03.45\00:17:07.09
the golden image
which you have set up.'"
00:17:07.12\00:17:09.76
And I wrote a statement
down, "We remain loyal to God
00:17:09.79\00:17:13.09
not because He
will, but because He can."
00:17:13.13\00:17:16.03
It's good. That's good.
00:17:16.06\00:17:17.63
We are loyal to God, not because
00:17:17.67\00:17:19.43
He will step in all
the time but He can.
00:17:19.47\00:17:22.17
And when He
doesn't, we have to maintain
00:17:22.20\00:17:23.71
a sovereignty.
00:17:23.74\00:17:25.07
The Lord chose to
save these loyal servants
00:17:25.11\00:17:28.48
in the fire, not from the fire.
00:17:28.51\00:17:31.81
And some people
might say, "Well, if I,
00:17:31.85\00:17:33.78
and this is the
question that always comes up.
00:17:33.82\00:17:35.45
They say, "Why do bad
things happen to good people?"
00:17:35.48\00:17:37.32
This is the perfect example.
00:17:37.35\00:17:39.19
These Hebrews did
nothing, they came into slavery,
00:17:39.22\00:17:41.82
they were bound into
slavery in a foreign land.
00:17:41.86\00:17:45.56
They were faithful in
all their duties, but still,
00:17:45.59\00:17:48.93
their
faithfulness prior to the test
00:17:48.96\00:17:51.83
was not sufficient
at the time of the test
00:17:51.87\00:17:54.30
because their
loyalty was now tested
00:17:54.34\00:17:56.54
even though they
were faithful and wiser
00:17:56.57\00:17:58.64
and carried out their duties
with great responsibility.
00:17:58.67\00:18:01.71
At the time of test,
the test of loyalty came,
00:18:01.74\00:18:04.78
here's my point.
00:18:04.81\00:18:06.15
We will as a church face
the future test of loyalty.
00:18:06.18\00:18:09.48
So it is in the little tests
00:18:09.52\00:18:11.82
that we are
prepared for the big test.
00:18:11.85\00:18:14.19
As one verse in the Bible,
and maybe Jill could pull it up
00:18:14.22\00:18:17.53
or maybe one of you
can but it talks about,
00:18:17.56\00:18:19.66
if we can't keep up with,
if we can't cross the Jordan
00:18:19.69\00:18:22.53
when the water is
low, what's gonna happen
00:18:22.56\00:18:24.83
when the Jordan rises?
00:18:24.87\00:18:26.20
You can't run with
the horsemen, how can...
00:18:26.23\00:18:28.10
With the footmen.
00:18:28.14\00:18:29.47
How can you
contend with the horse?
00:18:29.50\00:18:30.84
How can you
contend with the horsemen?
00:18:30.87\00:18:32.21
I think Jeremiah was
the one that said that.
00:18:32.24\00:18:34.54
So what we're seeing
is all the little tests
00:18:34.58\00:18:37.71
that we face in life,
whether it's family test,
00:18:37.75\00:18:40.85
relationship test,
whether financial test,
00:18:40.88\00:18:43.99
whether tests in
tithing and offerings,
00:18:44.02\00:18:47.12
whether church attendance,
or Sabbath School attendance,
00:18:47.16\00:18:52.56
every test we face
is a test of loyalty.
00:18:52.59\00:18:56.36
And it's sad that
people... I've always said this,
00:18:56.40\00:18:59.10
and I think it fits
right here, people in the world
00:18:59.13\00:19:02.50
would sit in a football
game in subfreezing weather
00:19:02.54\00:19:06.37
to watch a pigskin ball
kicked through two metal posts,
00:19:06.41\00:19:10.95
and folk won't even come
to a beautifully warm church
00:19:10.98\00:19:13.78
to sit on comfortable
pews to hear the Word of God
00:19:13.82\00:19:16.45
being proclaimed.
00:19:16.48\00:19:17.82
Something's wrong with that.
00:19:17.85\00:19:19.19
Your verse is
Jeremiah 12:5. Read it for us.
00:19:19.22\00:19:21.52
"If you have run
with the footmen,
00:19:21.56\00:19:22.89
and they have wearied you,
00:19:22.92\00:19:24.26
then how can you
contend with horses?
00:19:24.29\00:19:26.29
And if in the land of
peace, in which you trusted,
00:19:26.33\00:19:28.96
they wearied you,
then how will you do
00:19:29.00\00:19:30.63
in the
floodplain of the Jordan?"
00:19:30.67\00:19:33.54
What will you do
when the Jordan rising?
00:19:33.57\00:19:35.54
So if you were
in a place at peace
00:19:35.57\00:19:37.74
among your own
fellow worshippers
00:19:37.77\00:19:39.87
and you can't handle
the stresses of loyalty.
00:19:39.91\00:19:42.61
Now, loyalty
requires a cool mind
00:19:42.64\00:19:45.85
and so a person
might say, "You know,
00:19:45.88\00:19:47.42
I would not have said
that, had you not done that."
00:19:47.45\00:19:50.82
But I've learned
through the years
00:19:50.85\00:19:52.55
that each one of use
owns our own emotions.
00:19:52.59\00:19:55.29
Nobody owns Mollie's emotions.
00:19:55.32\00:19:57.39
You don't have a
button that I can press,
00:19:57.43\00:19:58.86
it's your button, you press it.
00:19:58.89\00:20:00.23
Am I right, Shelley? Yes.
00:20:00.26\00:20:01.66
So we sometimes will say,
"Well, if you hadn't done that,
00:20:01.70\00:20:03.37
I wouldn't have said that."
00:20:03.40\00:20:05.47
Those are tests of loyalty.
00:20:05.50\00:20:07.84
Loyalty to the
profession we have,
00:20:07.87\00:20:10.87
loyalty to am I who I say I am,
00:20:10.91\00:20:14.58
or is it just what I
say but now what I do."
00:20:14.61\00:20:17.48
And at one point or the other,
00:20:17.51\00:20:18.85
each one of us
including myself, yours truly,
00:20:18.88\00:20:21.05
have failed the test of loyalty
at one point or the other
00:20:21.08\00:20:24.19
in our growth
aspects of Christianity.
00:20:24.22\00:20:26.52
But you know what that's done?
00:20:26.55\00:20:27.89
That's reminded us that
when the finance is warmed up
00:20:27.92\00:20:29.79
the next time, you'll say,
"I'll be glad to go in it,"
00:20:29.82\00:20:33.36
because God has
shown Himself strong.
00:20:33.40\00:20:35.60
Go with me to 1 Chronicles 28:9,
00:20:35.63\00:20:39.73
loyalty to God is
without compromise.
00:20:39.77\00:20:42.70
1 Chronicles, what?
00:20:42.74\00:20:44.07
1 Chronicles 28:9.
00:20:44.11\00:20:48.01
Okay.
00:20:48.04\00:20:51.35
And the Lord says, "As
for you, my son Solomon,
00:20:51.38\00:20:55.25
know the God of your
father, and serve Him with a,"
00:20:55.28\00:20:58.89
what kind of heart?
"A loyal heart," verse 9,
00:20:58.92\00:21:02.62
"And with a willing mind,"
loyalty has to be willing,
00:21:02.66\00:21:05.29
it cannot be
forced, "for the Lord
00:21:05.33\00:21:08.26
searches all
hearts and understands
00:21:08.30\00:21:11.00
all the intent of the thoughts."
00:21:11.03\00:21:13.44
Not just what we
do but the intention.
00:21:13.47\00:21:15.74
"If you seek Him, He
will be found by you,
00:21:15.77\00:21:18.51
but if you forsake Him, He
will cast you off forever."
00:21:18.54\00:21:22.01
And unfortunately
Saul experienced that.
00:21:22.04\00:21:25.41
And for sometime, Solomon did,
00:21:25.45\00:21:27.42
but the Lord
didn't forsake Solomon,
00:21:27.45\00:21:29.28
Solomon forsook the Lord.
00:21:29.32\00:21:30.79
But here's what I
want to transition on,
00:21:30.82\00:21:32.35
2 Chronicles 16:9.
00:21:32.39\00:21:34.99
"God honors those
who are loyal to Him."
00:21:35.02\00:21:37.63
So many more
things, we should be getting
00:21:37.66\00:21:39.59
like 12 minutes each.
00:21:39.63\00:21:41.86
I'll be loyal to my one, my ten.
00:21:41.90\00:21:44.73
I'm going to give
just a beginning of it.
00:21:44.77\00:21:46.37
2 Chronicles 16:9, one
of my favorite passages,
00:21:46.40\00:21:50.37
"For the eyes of
the Lord run to and fro
00:21:50.41\00:21:54.84
throughout the whole
earth," can you see it?
00:21:54.88\00:21:56.98
Yes. Yes.
00:21:57.01\00:21:58.35
"To show Himself
strong on behalf of those
00:22:01.45\00:22:05.79
whose heart is loyal to Him."
00:22:05.82\00:22:09.06
Isn't that powerful? Amen.
00:22:09.09\00:22:10.86
So God wants to say,
"Yes, I brought John through.
00:22:10.89\00:22:15.16
Yes, I stood up for Shelley.
00:22:15.20\00:22:16.73
Yes, I was there for Mollie.
00:22:16.77\00:22:18.23
Of course, I was there for Jill.
00:22:18.27\00:22:20.34
When things turned against Greg,
00:22:20.37\00:22:21.70
I stood with him."
00:22:21.74\00:22:23.07
When men forsook
me, as Paul says,
00:22:23.10\00:22:24.47
they forsook me, but
the Lord stood by me.
00:22:24.51\00:22:27.91
And so when you want
God to be loyal to you,
00:22:27.94\00:22:30.91
be loyal to God.
00:22:30.95\00:22:32.48
Amen. Amen.
00:22:32.51\00:22:33.88
That's powerful,
Pastor, thank you so much.
00:22:33.92\00:22:36.82
God shows Himself
strong in our behalf.
00:22:36.85\00:22:39.22
What an incredible blessing.
00:22:39.25\00:22:40.89
I have Tuesday,
a clear conscience,
00:22:40.92\00:22:43.73
and if I were to
subtitle it, I would call it
00:22:43.76\00:22:46.80
living without
guilt, fear, or shame.
00:22:46.83\00:22:51.03
To me, that's what
a clear conscience is,
00:22:51.07\00:22:53.40
living without
guilt, fear, or shame.
00:22:53.44\00:22:57.11
They conducted a survey in 2016,
00:22:57.14\00:22:59.51
they had 700
respondents, and they asked them
00:22:59.54\00:23:02.28
for the top ten things,
00:23:02.31\00:23:04.35
if they could
only possess one thing,
00:23:04.38\00:23:06.38
what would it be?
00:23:06.41\00:23:07.75
And they compiled the list.
00:23:07.78\00:23:09.12
This is an order from
number one to number ten.
00:23:09.15\00:23:11.45
If they could possess
one thing, what would it be?
00:23:11.49\00:23:14.36
The thing most people
wanted to possess was happiness.
00:23:14.39\00:23:18.33
Number two on the list, money.
00:23:18.36\00:23:20.83
Number three, freedom, peace,
00:23:20.86\00:23:23.90
joy, balance, fulfillment,
00:23:23.93\00:23:27.54
confidence,
stability, and passion.
00:23:27.57\00:23:30.67
That was in
order from one to ten.
00:23:30.71\00:23:32.57
Now if Jill were to
put together a list,
00:23:32.61\00:23:34.78
my list would look
a little different.
00:23:34.81\00:23:36.81
I came up with five actually
that I would really want.
00:23:36.85\00:23:40.25
And I don't know
if they're in order
00:23:40.28\00:23:41.62
but my list would
be love, peace, health,
00:23:41.65\00:23:47.26
purpose, and a clear conscience.
00:23:47.29\00:23:50.73
To me, nothing else
really in the whole world
00:23:50.76\00:23:53.19
really matters.
00:23:53.23\00:23:55.06
You think about
in the beginning,
00:23:55.10\00:23:57.00
in the Garden of
Eden, when God created it.
00:23:57.03\00:23:59.37
What do we read in
Genesis 1, Genesis 2?
00:23:59.40\00:24:01.80
God said, it was good.
00:24:01.84\00:24:04.77
And then it was very good.
00:24:04.81\00:24:08.61
Perfect peace,
perfect contentment,
00:24:08.64\00:24:11.28
and harmony ruled
in the Garden of Eden.
00:24:11.31\00:24:14.32
And you could say Adam and Eve
walked with a clear conscience.
00:24:14.35\00:24:17.75
They lived without
guilt, fear, or shame,
00:24:17.79\00:24:20.59
but then something happened.
00:24:20.62\00:24:21.96
Let's take a look at Genesis 3,
00:24:21.99\00:24:24.23
and you know
where I'm going here,
00:24:24.26\00:24:25.99
the entrance of sin
into the Garden of Eden,
00:24:26.03\00:24:29.93
Genesis 3.
00:24:29.96\00:24:32.70
And we're actually not
gonna read the temptation
00:24:32.73\00:24:34.97
with the
serpent and all of that,
00:24:35.00\00:24:36.37
we're gonna pick
it up in verse 7,
00:24:36.40\00:24:38.07
this is right
after Eve has reached out
00:24:38.11\00:24:40.58
and eaten the fruit
and gave it to her husband.
00:24:40.61\00:24:43.55
Verse 7,
00:24:43.58\00:24:45.15
"Then the eyes of both of
them were opened," Adam and Eve,
00:24:45.18\00:24:48.38
"and they knew
that they were naked,
00:24:48.42\00:24:49.75
and they sewed
fig leaves together
00:24:49.78\00:24:51.45
and made themselves coverings.
00:24:51.49\00:24:53.29
And they heard the
sound of the Lord God
00:24:53.32\00:24:55.46
walking in the garden
in the cool of the day."
00:24:55.49\00:24:58.09
And you think previously,
when they heard God's voice,
00:24:58.13\00:25:00.90
I can imagine them
running to meet Him,
00:25:00.93\00:25:03.37
wanting to talk with God,
and here, what did they do?
00:25:03.40\00:25:06.94
"Adam and his
wife hid themselves
00:25:06.97\00:25:09.14
from the
presence of the Lord God
00:25:09.17\00:25:10.94
among the trees of the garden.
00:25:10.97\00:25:13.68
Then the Lord God called to Adam
00:25:13.71\00:25:15.21
and said, 'Where are you?'
00:25:15.24\00:25:17.21
He said, "I heard
Your voice in the garden,
00:25:17.25\00:25:19.41
I was afraid
because I was naked,
00:25:19.45\00:25:21.62
and I hid myself."
00:25:21.65\00:25:24.49
The entrance of sin
in the Garden of Eden
00:25:24.52\00:25:27.79
brought fear, shame, and guilt.
00:25:27.82\00:25:31.33
The entrance of sin
was the beginning of us
00:25:31.36\00:25:34.50
not having a clear conscience.
00:25:34.53\00:25:36.00
And as you go all the way down,
turn with me to 1 Timothy 4.
00:25:36.03\00:25:40.40
Many people, and at
home you might feel like
00:25:40.44\00:25:42.47
I'm in this condition right now,
00:25:42.50\00:25:44.21
many people are
in this condition,
00:25:44.24\00:25:45.67
and I can tell you
I have been here too,
00:25:45.71\00:25:48.08
where we're going to look.
00:25:48.11\00:25:49.44
I Timothy 4:1-2,
00:25:49.48\00:25:55.65
it says, "The Spirit expressly
says that in latter times
00:25:55.68\00:25:58.05
some will
depart from the faith,"
00:25:58.09\00:25:59.82
so some will have walked
with Christ but will turn away,
00:25:59.85\00:26:04.59
"giving heed to
deceiving spirits
00:26:04.63\00:26:06.06
and doctrines of demons,
speaking lies and hypocrisy,
00:26:06.09\00:26:10.37
having their own conscience
seared with a hot iron."
00:26:10.40\00:26:16.20
We go from Adam and
Eve in the Garden of Eden,
00:26:16.24\00:26:18.64
perfect unity, perfect
oneness with their Maker,
00:26:18.67\00:26:22.31
their Creator, that
unity, and that peace,
00:26:22.34\00:26:25.41
and clear conscience.
00:26:25.45\00:26:26.78
And we come to this
point, having the conscience
00:26:26.82\00:26:29.08
seared with a hot iron.
00:26:29.12\00:26:31.42
In the Greek, having
been seared is the word
00:26:31.45\00:26:35.02
we would translate in
English, but in the Greek,
00:26:35.06\00:26:36.96
it means to sear with
a hot iron to cauterize.
00:26:36.99\00:26:40.90
It literally refers
to branding a person
00:26:40.93\00:26:44.50
with a red hot
iron, scarring the flesh
00:26:44.53\00:26:47.77
and numbing or
deadening the senses.
00:26:47.80\00:26:52.37
It's like being
branded with a conscience,
00:26:52.41\00:26:55.14
but we're branded
with the marks of sin.
00:26:55.18\00:26:57.75
Now if you feel
like your branded
00:26:57.78\00:26:59.15
with the marks of
sin, your conscience is
00:26:59.18\00:27:01.35
as it were deadened,
00:27:01.38\00:27:03.05
you can't hear the
voice of God as much anymore.
00:27:03.08\00:27:06.52
Don't loose hope because
God can purify that conscience.
00:27:06.55\00:27:10.26
Let's look at Hebrews 10,
one of my favorite scriptures,
00:27:10.29\00:27:14.50
and I know I say this
all the time, Shelley.
00:27:14.53\00:27:17.27
Hebrews 10:19,
00:27:17.30\00:27:23.57
"Brethren, having
boldness to enter the Holiest
00:27:23.61\00:27:26.04
by the blood of Jesus,"
00:27:26.07\00:27:27.48
oh, aren't you
thankful for the blood of Jesus,
00:27:27.51\00:27:31.21
"by a new and living way
which He consecrated for us,
00:27:31.25\00:27:34.42
through the veil
that is His flesh,
00:27:34.45\00:27:36.02
and having a High
Priest over the house of God,"
00:27:36.05\00:27:38.85
I love verse 22,
"Let us draw near
00:27:38.89\00:27:41.96
with a true heart in
full assurance of faith,
00:27:41.99\00:27:45.23
having our hearts sprinkled
from an evil conscience
00:27:45.26\00:27:48.36
and our bodies
washed with pure water."
00:27:48.40\00:27:51.73
You feel like your
conscience is seared,
00:27:51.77\00:27:53.84
does it feel like it's branded
with that consciousness of sin,
00:27:53.87\00:27:57.81
God can clean it.
00:27:57.84\00:28:00.24
He can take an evil
conscience, sprinkle it,
00:28:00.28\00:28:03.65
and wash it with pure
water, and He can restore in us
00:28:03.68\00:28:07.95
that innocence that
Adam and Eve first had
00:28:07.98\00:28:10.52
in the beginning
with their Maker.
00:28:10.55\00:28:13.56
So in my remaining time, I
want to talk about seven keys
00:28:13.59\00:28:17.83
to developing a
clear conscience.
00:28:17.86\00:28:20.03
Seven ways that you and
I can live without fear,
00:28:20.06\00:28:23.40
guilt, or shame.
00:28:23.43\00:28:25.93
Number one, repent
and confess your sin.
00:28:25.97\00:28:28.50
Isaiah 59: 1-2,
we won't turn there,
00:28:28.54\00:28:31.11
but we know that scripture.
00:28:31.14\00:28:32.47
It says, "The Lord's
hand is not shortened
00:28:32.51\00:28:34.51
that it cannot save you,
00:28:34.54\00:28:36.48
nor His ear heavy
that He cannot hear you,
00:28:36.51\00:28:39.85
but your iniquity," or you sin,
00:28:39.88\00:28:42.12
"have separated
you from your God.
00:28:42.15\00:28:44.42
And your sins have
hidden His face from you
00:28:44.45\00:28:46.79
that He will not hear."
00:28:46.82\00:28:48.16
So if you feel like,
"Boy, my sins are a wall
00:28:48.19\00:28:50.96
between me and Jesus."
00:28:50.99\00:28:52.33
We claim, Miss
Molley, I John 1:9,
00:28:52.36\00:28:54.83
"If we confess our
sins, He's faithful
00:28:54.86\00:28:58.20
and just to forgive
us and to cleanse us
00:28:58.23\00:29:01.20
from all unrighteousness."
00:29:01.24\00:29:02.84
So your heart, your
conscience is deadened,
00:29:02.87\00:29:06.61
by the power of His
spirit, He forgives you.
00:29:06.64\00:29:09.68
Number two, allow
His blood to cleanse you.
00:29:09.71\00:29:12.91
Turn back one
chapter, we were in Hebrews.
00:29:12.95\00:29:15.85
Hebrews 9:14, it
says, "How much more
00:29:15.88\00:29:21.52
shall the blood of Christ,
who through the eternal Spirit
00:29:21.56\00:29:24.96
offered Himself
without spot to God,
00:29:24.99\00:29:27.43
cleanse your
conscience from dead works
00:29:27.46\00:29:30.63
to serve the living God?"
00:29:30.67\00:29:32.10
I love this because
it actually talks about
00:29:32.13\00:29:33.94
your conscience
and the dead works.
00:29:33.97\00:29:36.34
So to me, this is
talking about, our conscience,
00:29:36.37\00:29:39.07
it was seared with a
hot iron, it was dead
00:29:39.11\00:29:42.61
and yet the blood
of Jesus cleanses it
00:29:42.64\00:29:45.55
so that we can in turn
then serve the living God.
00:29:45.58\00:29:49.28
Number three,
allow Him to justify you.
00:29:49.32\00:29:52.15
Romans 5:1,
"Being justified by faith
00:29:52.19\00:29:54.76
we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ."
00:29:54.79\00:29:57.83
So when Jesus justifies
us, we are reconciled again
00:29:57.86\00:30:02.83
back to the
Father, we are brought
00:30:02.86\00:30:04.60
as we're back in
right relationships.
00:30:04.63\00:30:06.77
Sin brought fear, Adam and
Eve were afraid of the Father,
00:30:06.80\00:30:10.27
but then because of
Jesus and His justification,
00:30:10.31\00:30:13.38
we're no longer afraid of God.
00:30:13.41\00:30:14.81
He reconciles us.
00:30:14.84\00:30:16.81
We have peace again
with God the Father.
00:30:16.85\00:30:20.02
Number four,
allow Him to wash you.
00:30:20.05\00:30:24.92
1 Corinthians 6, I
like this scripture,
00:30:24.95\00:30:28.56
1 Corinthians 6:11...
00:30:28.59\00:30:34.73
Now before verse
11, it talks about
00:30:40.17\00:30:42.40
there're
adulterers and homosexuals,
00:30:42.44\00:30:44.77
thieves and
covetousness and drunkards,
00:30:44.81\00:30:47.11
there is a whole
list of sins listed here.
00:30:47.14\00:30:50.51
That they will not
inherit the kingdom of God.
00:30:50.55\00:30:52.85
And then the
next verse, verse 11,
00:30:52.88\00:30:54.65
"Such were some of you"
when I read this, Shelley,
00:30:54.68\00:30:57.39
I think that's all of
us, all of us at one point
00:30:57.42\00:31:00.76
or another have
fallen into one of this list
00:31:00.79\00:31:03.93
but we do not
have to stay there.
00:31:03.96\00:31:06.26
It says, "You were
washed, you were sanctified,
00:31:06.29\00:31:09.96
you were justified in the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ
00:31:10.00\00:31:13.17
and by the Spirit of our God."
00:31:13.20\00:31:15.24
Amen.
00:31:15.27\00:31:16.60
Number five, allow
His Word to cleanse you.
00:31:16.64\00:31:20.58
Ephesians 5:26, "He wants
to sanctify and cleanse her,"
00:31:20.61\00:31:24.11
meaning the church,
"with a washing of water
00:31:24.15\00:31:27.02
by the Word."
00:31:27.05\00:31:28.55
Allow God's Word,
spend time in His Word.
00:31:28.58\00:31:31.22
As you spent time in
His Word the old works,
00:31:31.25\00:31:35.22
the dead
conscience, I always think
00:31:35.26\00:31:37.56
it starts to
dissipate and become clean.
00:31:37.59\00:31:40.53
When you wash
something with water
00:31:40.56\00:31:42.03
pretty soon the dirt goes
away and what's left is purity.
00:31:42.06\00:31:45.63
Number six, allow
Him to write His Word
00:31:45.67\00:31:48.87
in your heart.
00:31:48.90\00:31:51.07
Hebrews 8:10, the
promise, we won't turn there
00:31:51.11\00:31:54.41
because of time but God promises
00:31:54.44\00:31:56.85
to write in our mind
and in our hearts His law.
00:31:56.88\00:32:01.82
So we go from at the
beginning Adam and Eve
00:32:01.85\00:32:05.12
walking in
intimacy with their maker,
00:32:05.15\00:32:07.72
we come down to our day,
00:32:07.76\00:32:09.46
us being seared with a hot iron,
00:32:09.49\00:32:11.83
our conscience is being deadened
00:32:11.86\00:32:14.20
and we come to
the point after God,
00:32:14.23\00:32:17.87
we ask for His forgiveness,
we repent and confess our sins,
00:32:17.90\00:32:21.40
we allow His
blood to cleanse us,
00:32:21.44\00:32:23.17
we allow Him to justify
us, we allow Him to wash us,
00:32:23.20\00:32:26.34
we allow the Word to cleanse us,
00:32:26.37\00:32:28.18
we come to the
point were His Word
00:32:28.21\00:32:30.88
is written again in my mind.
00:32:30.91\00:32:33.18
That's incredible, my conscience
00:32:33.21\00:32:35.38
that was deadened and
seared with a hot iron
00:32:35.42\00:32:37.62
is now written
with a law of God,
00:32:37.65\00:32:41.66
and the final verse, we
choose to make choices for Him.
00:32:41.69\00:32:45.29
Miss Shelley.
00:32:45.33\00:32:46.90
What verse went with
that make choices for you.
00:32:46.93\00:32:49.06
Roman's 13:14, "Put
on the Lord Jesus Christ
00:32:49.10\00:32:52.30
and make no
provision for the flesh."
00:32:52.33\00:32:55.30
Excellent, excellent.
00:32:55.34\00:32:57.01
Okay, so we're looking
at the marks of the steward
00:32:57.04\00:32:59.57
and we've had faithfulness
is one of the marks,
00:32:59.61\00:33:03.11
loyalty is one of the marks,
00:33:03.14\00:33:05.45
a clear conscience
is one of the marks,
00:33:05.48\00:33:08.68
and a very
important mark of a steward is
00:33:08.72\00:33:14.76
Wednesday's lesson
which is obedience.
00:33:14.79\00:33:19.09
You know, the lesson begins
talking about Cane and Abel.
00:33:19.13\00:33:22.53
God had put into effect
00:33:22.56\00:33:27.30
a system of offering
00:33:27.34\00:33:31.44
that He wanted
because we know that
00:33:31.47\00:33:35.28
without blood there is
no remission of sin, right?
00:33:35.31\00:33:38.25
So God put a
sacrificial system into place
00:33:38.28\00:33:41.82
and Cane and Abel
clearly knew, I mean
00:33:41.85\00:33:44.52
this was passed on, He,
God had to kill the lamb
00:33:44.55\00:33:47.56
to make
clothing for Adam and Eve
00:33:47.59\00:33:50.33
and so this is
when it all began.
00:33:50.36\00:33:53.19
But Cane and Abel both knew this
00:33:53.23\00:33:55.30
and Cane came and
in defiance of Lord
00:33:55.33\00:34:00.14
he knelt at the alter
and offered God the fruit
00:34:00.17\00:34:05.31
of his own labor
00:34:05.34\00:34:08.34
while Abel came
knelt at the alter
00:34:08.38\00:34:11.61
and offered the lamb,
the blood of the lamb,
00:34:11.65\00:34:14.68
which the lamb
represented Jesus Christ.
00:34:14.72\00:34:17.52
See, you can never
earn your salvation
00:34:17.55\00:34:20.96
by your own labor
00:34:20.99\00:34:22.32
and this is
what God was showing.
00:34:22.36\00:34:24.03
So we have one who is obedient
00:34:24.06\00:34:28.53
one who was disobedient
00:34:28.56\00:34:31.23
and the
interesting thing is that
00:34:31.27\00:34:34.04
Cane became jealous of Abel.
00:34:34.07\00:34:37.81
Abel was obedient, God
accepted Abel's sacrifice
00:34:37.84\00:34:44.78
but He didn't approve of
Cane's, so what did Cane do?
00:34:44.81\00:34:47.98
He murders his
brother. Very, very interesting.
00:34:48.02\00:34:51.62
I want to read
something directly
00:34:51.65\00:34:53.09
from the lesson because,
00:34:53.12\00:34:55.42
and I'll reserve my
comment for just a moment,
00:34:55.46\00:34:58.19
but the lesson says,
obedience starts in the mind,
00:34:58.23\00:35:03.03
it involves the delicate process
00:35:03.06\00:35:05.70
that mentally
accepting the responsibility
00:35:05.73\00:35:08.74
of carrying out the commands
from a higher authority.
00:35:08.77\00:35:13.21
Obedience stems
from a relationship
00:35:13.24\00:35:16.75
with an authority figure
00:35:16.78\00:35:19.51
and the willingness
to obey that figure.
00:35:19.55\00:35:23.08
In the case of our
relationship with God,
00:35:23.12\00:35:25.45
our obedience is a
voluntary loving action
00:35:25.49\00:35:31.53
that moulds our
behavior to moral obligations.
00:35:31.56\00:35:34.86
Obedience to God
must be as specific
00:35:34.90\00:35:39.23
as He directs and
not only as we think
00:35:39.27\00:35:41.40
or desire it should
be and the case of Cane
00:35:41.44\00:35:44.37
is a perfect example of
someone doing his own thing
00:35:44.41\00:35:48.04
instead of doing what God asks.
00:35:48.08\00:35:50.75
One of my favorite
scriptures, you know,
00:35:50.78\00:35:54.58
it wasn't until
I understood grace
00:35:54.62\00:35:57.62
that I accepted obedience.
00:35:57.65\00:36:02.32
Obedience is by grace,
00:36:02.36\00:36:04.53
it is only as
God is working in me
00:36:04.56\00:36:08.16
to willing to do
His good pleasure
00:36:08.20\00:36:10.87
that I can even obey, so
even obedience is by grace.
00:36:10.90\00:36:15.67
But 1 John 2:3-4 has become
one of my favorite scriptures
00:36:15.70\00:36:19.64
and it's so easy to remember.
00:36:19.67\00:36:21.21
Just remember
1-2-3-4, 1 John 2:3-4, he says,
00:36:21.24\00:36:27.38
"Now by this we
know that we know Him."
00:36:27.42\00:36:30.82
This is how John says,
00:36:30.85\00:36:32.75
"This is how we
know that we know Christ.
00:36:32.79\00:36:36.62
If we keep His commandments
and he who says, 'I know Him,'
00:36:36.66\00:36:41.86
and does not
keep His commandments
00:36:41.90\00:36:44.33
is a liar and the
truth is not in him."
00:36:44.37\00:36:47.80
You know, there
are people who say,
00:36:47.84\00:36:52.17
when we start
talking about obedience
00:36:52.21\00:36:55.38
you know what they'll say,
"Ah, you are preaching faith
00:36:55.41\00:36:59.25
plus works and
that's another gospel."
00:36:59.28\00:37:02.02
I've got someone that
writes me quite often say,
00:37:02.05\00:37:04.29
"You're
preaching another gospel."
00:37:04.32\00:37:06.29
I want to show you
something, let's, well,
00:37:06.32\00:37:09.12
let's look at 1 John 5:2-3
00:37:09.16\00:37:10.83
while we're
right there in 1 John.
00:37:10.86\00:37:13.50
John writes this, he
says, "By this we know that
00:37:13.53\00:37:15.66
we love the children
of God when we love God
00:37:15.70\00:37:18.97
and keep his commandments.
00:37:19.00\00:37:20.97
For this is the love of God.
00:37:21.00\00:37:23.34
That we keep His commandments."
00:37:23.37\00:37:25.07
Are we getting
this? That's right.
00:37:25.11\00:37:27.54
Loyalty is about
expressing our love for God
00:37:27.58\00:37:30.98
through obedience isn't it?
00:37:31.01\00:37:32.58
It's all about love.
00:37:32.61\00:37:34.15
This is the love of God
that we keep His commandments.
00:37:34.18\00:37:36.15
His commandments
are not burdensome.
00:37:36.18\00:37:39.12
Some people try
to turn love for God
00:37:39.15\00:37:43.19
into just an emotional reaction.
00:37:43.22\00:37:46.13
But let me tell you something,
00:37:46.16\00:37:47.90
love without
obedience is not love.
00:37:47.93\00:37:51.53
Let me repeat that,
00:37:51.57\00:37:53.34
love for God without
obedience is not love.
00:37:53.37\00:37:58.61
In 1 John 3:18, He says,
00:37:58.64\00:38:01.34
"My little children,
let us not love in word
00:38:01.38\00:38:04.61
or in tongue but
in deed and in truth."
00:38:04.65\00:38:08.28
Love for God is expressed
00:38:08.32\00:38:13.25
in our deeds of obedience
00:38:13.29\00:38:16.06
and His commands
are not burdensome.
00:38:16.09\00:38:18.56
You know, they were
been Rabbinical tradition
00:38:18.59\00:38:21.50
created thousands of little laws
00:38:21.53\00:38:25.47
that they had to keep the law.
00:38:25.50\00:38:28.20
Yes.
00:38:28.24\00:38:29.57
They did not bring life
00:38:29.60\00:38:31.24
because these were
not God's commandments,
00:38:31.27\00:38:33.44
they were man-made commandments.
00:38:33.48\00:38:35.84
But Jesus taught
us that obedience
00:38:35.88\00:38:38.18
is a heart attitude of love
00:38:38.21\00:38:40.85
and that who
supplies us the new heart?
00:38:40.88\00:38:44.49
Who puts His spirit in us?
00:38:44.52\00:38:46.32
God does. It's
God who does this.
00:38:46.35\00:38:49.42
So when the Holy Spirit
is living in our hearts,
00:38:49.46\00:38:54.76
He gives us the
power to walk out
00:38:54.80\00:38:59.13
and the strength to
walk out in obedience.
00:38:59.17\00:39:02.34
And love for God and love
for our brothers and sisters
00:39:02.37\00:39:08.04
is what motivates us and
makes obedience desirable.
00:39:08.08\00:39:14.12
You know, I mean that's
what, and let me tell you some,
00:39:14.15\00:39:17.05
any time we've think
that God's commandments
00:39:17.09\00:39:19.52
are burdensome,
guess what's happening?
00:39:19.55\00:39:21.89
We're putting our own desire,
our own will above God's.
00:39:21.92\00:39:27.50
Cause when you love Him
with all your heart, soul,
00:39:27.53\00:39:29.10
mind and strength,
you are going to obey.
00:39:29.13\00:39:33.23
Now I've got to get to this.
00:39:33.27\00:39:35.64
Romans 5, I'm trying
to check the clock here.
00:39:35.67\00:39:39.01
Romans, excuse me,
1:5, this is so critical,
00:39:39.04\00:39:45.25
I want to hit several
in Romans, Romans 1:5,
00:39:45.28\00:39:49.25
Paul writes, now
and I have to say this,
00:39:49.28\00:39:51.22
this is one of the
most important books
00:39:51.25\00:39:53.99
on the subject
of faith is Romans.
00:39:54.02\00:39:57.09
And Paul's
first mention of faith
00:39:57.13\00:40:00.56
is linked with obedience.
00:40:00.60\00:40:03.26
Look at this, "Through Him,
00:40:03.30\00:40:06.94
we have received
grace and apostleship
00:40:06.97\00:40:10.41
for obedience to the faith
00:40:10.44\00:40:14.28
among all nations for His name."
00:40:14.31\00:40:17.98
The literal translation here,
00:40:18.01\00:40:20.75
if you look at the
literal translation
00:40:20.78\00:40:22.58
of the Greek, he is saying,
00:40:22.62\00:40:25.39
"For the obedience of faith."
00:40:25.42\00:40:31.03
Obedience is the
very nature of faith,
00:40:31.06\00:40:36.97
faith is the central
and controlling principle
00:40:37.00\00:40:40.64
of obedience and like I said,
00:40:40.67\00:40:43.67
this is the
obedience to the commands,
00:40:43.71\00:40:45.97
to the doctrines of the
Christ and it is by grace.
00:40:46.01\00:40:49.71
So we are asked in the Bible
00:40:49.74\00:40:54.52
to turn away from
sinful disobedience,
00:40:54.55\00:40:57.29
to repent and turn
back to God to obey.
00:40:57.32\00:41:01.49
Now let's look,
see Paul's apostleship,
00:41:01.52\00:41:05.53
he was commissioned to
teach the obedience of faith,
00:41:05.56\00:41:09.96
so he starts of
Romans talking about
00:41:10.00\00:41:11.93
the obedience of faith.
00:41:11.97\00:41:13.30
Let's look at Romans 16,
will begin with verse 24,
00:41:13.34\00:41:17.11
because he is going to use
00:41:17.14\00:41:20.31
the very same terminology here.
00:41:20.34\00:41:24.88
It's like he is booked
into it, this book on faith,
00:41:24.91\00:41:27.82
it's obedience of faith.
00:41:27.85\00:41:30.49
He says in Romans 16:24,
00:41:30.52\00:41:32.89
"The grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ
00:41:32.92\00:41:34.46
be with you all, Amen.
00:41:34.49\00:41:35.82
Now to him who is
able to establish you
00:41:35.86\00:41:38.89
according to my gospel
00:41:38.93\00:41:40.26
and the
preaching of Jesus Christ,
00:41:40.30\00:41:41.70
according to the revelation
of the mystery kept secret
00:41:41.73\00:41:44.73
since the world began, but
now has been made manifested
00:41:44.77\00:41:48.54
by the prophetic scriptures
has been made know to all man
00:41:48.57\00:41:52.11
according to the commandment
of the everlasting God
00:41:52.14\00:41:54.84
for obedience to the faith
00:41:54.88\00:41:59.61
to God alone.
00:41:59.65\00:42:02.62
Wise, be glory
through Jesus Christ forever."
00:42:02.65\00:42:07.29
I mean, may I take
00:42:07.32\00:42:08.66
one of those extra
minutes that we have?
00:42:08.69\00:42:10.43
Okay, 'cause I want
to, see throughout Romans,
00:42:10.46\00:42:14.66
faith should be
read as obedient faith.
00:42:14.70\00:42:19.63
He always links
the two together,
00:42:19.67\00:42:22.40
there is absolutely no
evidence in the scriptures
00:42:22.44\00:42:26.37
and particularly in
Romans that Paul ever said
00:42:26.41\00:42:29.98
faith alone was
efficacious for salvation.
00:42:30.01\00:42:34.38
Many people want to
accept Christ as their savior
00:42:34.42\00:42:37.92
but they don't want
to accept Him as Lord.
00:42:37.95\00:42:41.39
They don't want to commit
and submit to His authority,
00:42:41.42\00:42:45.59
and if you want to be
saved, Jesus Christ has to be
00:42:45.63\00:42:48.93
Lord of your life.
00:42:48.96\00:42:50.30
You've got to walk in obedience,
00:42:50.33\00:42:53.07
so Romans 6:16 says this,
00:42:53.10\00:42:58.94
"Do you not know that to
whom you present yourself slaves
00:42:58.97\00:43:02.64
to obey you are that
ones slaves whom you obey
00:43:02.68\00:43:07.02
whether of sin
leading to death,"
00:43:07.05\00:43:10.05
so we can either obey sin
and where does that lead us?
00:43:10.09\00:43:13.69
To death. Down
the pathway to death.
00:43:13.72\00:43:16.26
"Or of obedience
leading to righteousness."
00:43:16.29\00:43:22.63
Wow!
00:43:22.66\00:43:24.00
Hallelujah, obedience,
righteousness is by faith,
00:43:24.03\00:43:27.44
obedience is by
grace through faith,
00:43:27.47\00:43:30.31
and obedience helps
us walk in that path
00:43:30.34\00:43:33.58
of righteousness.
00:43:33.61\00:43:34.94
One more scripture if I
can get it in 15 seconds,
00:43:34.98\00:43:38.21
Romans 10:16-17 says,
00:43:38.25\00:43:40.28
"They have not all
obeyed the gospel."
00:43:40.32\00:43:45.29
Boy, it's important that
the gospel is to be obeyed
00:43:45.32\00:43:48.29
for Isaiah says,
"Lord who has believed
00:43:48.32\00:43:50.16
our report so that faith,"
and that's obedient faith,
00:43:50.19\00:43:53.63
"comes by hearing
and hearing by the Word."
00:43:53.66\00:43:57.57
So the word of
God is life giving,
00:43:57.60\00:43:59.80
it's life transforming,
Christ is speaking to us
00:43:59.83\00:44:05.21
through the
Bible, and He bids us,
00:44:05.24\00:44:08.94
"If you love Me
keep my commandments,"
00:44:08.98\00:44:11.58
because obedience is
the mark of a steward.
00:44:11.61\00:44:14.18
Amen. Shelly, well, on fire.
00:44:14.22\00:44:16.42
Great job.
00:44:16.45\00:44:17.79
Is neat, isn't it,
to open the word of God.
00:44:17.82\00:44:20.16
Ho! Amen.
00:44:20.19\00:44:21.52
It's so exciting
there are so many treasures
00:44:21.56\00:44:22.89
to be dug up for sure.
00:44:22.92\00:44:24.73
Mine is a, in the
quarterly, Thursday and again
00:44:24.76\00:44:29.03
we are talking about
like Shelly was mentioning
00:44:29.06\00:44:31.67
the marks of a steward.
00:44:31.70\00:44:33.20
Faithfulness,
loyalty, a clear conscience,
00:44:33.23\00:44:35.47
obedience, and
mine is trustworthy.
00:44:35.50\00:44:38.77
So I know you can
really expound upon definitions
00:44:38.81\00:44:43.04
but the
definitions for trustworthy,
00:44:43.08\00:44:44.71
I have here reliable, honest,
00:44:44.75\00:44:49.05
deserving of trust.
00:44:49.08\00:44:52.79
Pastor, when
you came inside down
00:44:52.82\00:44:54.16
did you think about the
chair you were sitting on?
00:44:54.19\00:44:56.52
Much, I know I
didn't. Not really.
00:44:56.56\00:44:58.13
I just came, pulled
out my chair, sat down.
00:44:58.16\00:45:01.00
Now if you are to
pull your chair out
00:45:01.03\00:45:03.10
'cause we know chairs
are meant to be, right?
00:45:03.13\00:45:05.30
We sit in them.
00:45:05.33\00:45:06.67
And you were to
pull your chair out
00:45:06.70\00:45:08.17
and you sat in
it and it collapsed
00:45:08.20\00:45:09.70
and you fell down and nearly
hit your head on the floor.
00:45:09.74\00:45:12.21
So you got up, put the
chair kind of back together,
00:45:12.24\00:45:14.71
kind of put the screws
back, try to do a little welding
00:45:14.74\00:45:17.38
if the weld broke, and
then I was to sit in your chair,
00:45:17.41\00:45:21.65
I probably wouldn't just go...
00:45:21.68\00:45:24.02
And sit in, yeah,
just, yeah, oh, yeah,
00:45:24.05\00:45:26.65
because the chair had lost
it's trustworthiness to me,
00:45:26.69\00:45:30.79
so I'd probably look at it,
turning the chair upside down,
00:45:30.83\00:45:33.03
look at the screws,
check the welds may be,
00:45:33.06\00:45:35.16
you know, kind of
wiggle it a little bit,
00:45:35.20\00:45:37.70
because I'm in my
mind trying to figure out
00:45:37.73\00:45:39.33
the difference may be
between trust and trustworthy,
00:45:39.37\00:45:41.87
so as the steward
were to be trustworthy.
00:45:41.90\00:45:46.27
One of the thing, I know we
just have little bit of time
00:45:46.31\00:45:47.64
I'm going to hit this quick.
00:45:47.68\00:45:49.01
But in West
Virginia where I grew up,
00:45:49.04\00:45:50.45
we had steep banks.
00:45:50.48\00:45:52.35
A giant beech tree
was growing on this bank,
00:45:52.38\00:45:54.98
and up the side
of the beech tree
00:45:55.02\00:45:56.99
was an old grape
wine, a wild grape wine.
00:45:57.02\00:46:00.16
My sister, my dad and
myself, we cut the base
00:46:00.19\00:46:03.69
and once we cut the base,
00:46:03.73\00:46:05.59
it was sort of a
free swinging rope,
00:46:05.63\00:46:08.83
so again trying to build this
trustworthiness of this wine,
00:46:08.86\00:46:12.97
I didn't quit trust
it, we tugged on it.
00:46:13.00\00:46:15.20
Yeah, seems stable, it
was up way up in the tree,
00:46:15.24\00:46:18.44
so because it's on a bank,
wow, I mean you can get back
00:46:18.47\00:46:21.58
and run, run, run, run, run, run
00:46:21.61\00:46:23.61
and swing way
out over the garden,
00:46:23.65\00:46:26.11
almost to the creek.
00:46:26.15\00:46:28.32
So again we tugged
on it, seem pretty good,
00:46:28.35\00:46:30.65
we took several running jumps
00:46:30.69\00:46:32.15
and we swung on
that old grape wine
00:46:32.19\00:46:34.99
for many months until one time
00:46:35.02\00:46:37.39
one of my favorite
friends came over to my house
00:46:37.43\00:46:40.66
and took a muddy
swing and that wine broke.
00:46:40.70\00:46:44.87
And down he
went into the garden.
00:46:44.90\00:46:47.24
At that point,
that wine has lost
00:46:47.27\00:46:50.47
it's trustworthiness for us.
00:46:50.51\00:46:51.84
Of course, we
couldn't go back and attach it.
00:46:51.87\00:46:53.61
But again trustworthiness,
00:46:53.64\00:46:55.11
now that's for
things like a chair,
00:46:55.14\00:46:57.85
may be an old grape wine,
00:46:57.88\00:46:59.51
what are the qualities
of a trustworthy person?
00:46:59.55\00:47:03.69
I have several
here, they are honest,
00:47:03.72\00:47:06.52
they are authentic...
00:47:06.55\00:47:08.79
That's great. I like that.
00:47:08.82\00:47:10.16
They are
consistent, they have integrity,
00:47:10.19\00:47:14.66
they are
compassionate, they are kind,
00:47:14.70\00:47:18.23
they are resourceful,
they are connectors,
00:47:18.27\00:47:21.37
basically
building relationships,
00:47:21.40\00:47:23.44
they are humble,
and they are available.
00:47:23.47\00:47:26.68
I want to look at
a scripture Luke 16,
00:47:26.71\00:47:30.85
and lets look at verses 10-12,
00:47:30.88\00:47:34.92
Luke 16:10-12,
00:47:34.95\00:47:40.49
and it says, see, Shelly,
00:47:40.52\00:47:42.39
you have that don't you in your,
00:47:42.42\00:47:43.76
mine is the King James,
you have the New King James?
00:47:43.79\00:47:45.26
Yes, I do. Would
you mind to read that...
00:47:45.29\00:47:46.63
Certainly. 10-12?
00:47:46.66\00:47:48.06
"He who is
faithful in what is least
00:47:48.10\00:47:50.07
is faithful also in much,
00:47:50.10\00:47:52.17
and he who is
unjust in what is least
00:47:52.20\00:47:56.20
is unjust also in much.
00:47:56.24\00:47:58.17
Therefore if you
have not been faithful
00:47:58.21\00:48:02.38
in the
unrighteous mammon," or money,
00:48:02.41\00:48:05.95
"Who will commit to
your trust the true riches?"
00:48:05.98\00:48:10.62
Your spiritual riches, "And
if you have not been faithful
00:48:10.65\00:48:13.62
in what is another man's,
00:48:13.66\00:48:15.36
who will give you
what is your own?"
00:48:15.39\00:48:17.76
So the lesson asks,
00:48:17.79\00:48:19.13
if you're following
along in your lesson,
00:48:19.16\00:48:20.50
thank you, Shelly.
00:48:20.53\00:48:21.86
It asked the
question, the lesson asked,
00:48:21.90\00:48:23.63
what do these verses teach
us about being trustworthy?
00:48:23.67\00:48:28.10
I just marked put
several things down,
00:48:28.14\00:48:29.90
jotted several things down,
00:48:29.94\00:48:31.44
"Is to be trustworthy
in little or small areas,
00:48:31.47\00:48:35.01
we must be trusted in
much larger responsibilities."
00:48:35.04\00:48:38.85
I think many times
we don't think about
00:48:38.88\00:48:40.25
the little
things in life, do we?
00:48:40.28\00:48:42.55
I think about
small things like okay,
00:48:42.58\00:48:44.45
this table that
we're sitting at,
00:48:44.49\00:48:47.12
there's a lot of glue
that's involved to glue
00:48:47.16\00:48:48.69
all these little
pieces of wood together.
00:48:48.72\00:48:51.03
We don't think much about
glue, you know, someone can say,
00:48:51.06\00:48:53.29
"Oh, yeah, that
glue looks thick,
00:48:53.33\00:48:55.73
let's add a little bit of
water to it, it dilutes it,
00:48:55.76\00:48:58.20
and the glue is not as strong,
00:48:58.23\00:48:59.77
this may seem
little but it's major.
00:48:59.80\00:49:03.20
How many have you
been in an elevator?
00:49:03.24\00:49:06.04
Yes. I've been in the elevator.
00:49:06.07\00:49:07.88
Do you know what makes
an elevator go up and down,
00:49:07.91\00:49:09.54
what holds that thing?
00:49:09.58\00:49:10.91
Its cables. Cables.
00:49:10.95\00:49:12.28
Cables are made of what, Pastor?
00:49:12.31\00:49:14.12
Lots of strands of
steel. Lots of strands of steel.
00:49:14.15\00:49:16.55
That's right,
lots of little strands.
00:49:16.58\00:49:18.35
What if the cable,
all the little strands
00:49:18.39\00:49:21.42
that if they
talked together said, "Ah,
00:49:21.46\00:49:23.16
I'm not worth anything,
I'm not worth anything,
00:49:23.19\00:49:24.86
hey you buddy over
there, just one little strand
00:49:24.89\00:49:27.43
you hold up that elevator."
00:49:27.46\00:49:28.86
Boy that wouldn't work,
00:49:28.90\00:49:30.37
all the little things
means something, don't they?
00:49:30.40\00:49:31.93
I think of
these LED's behind us,
00:49:31.97\00:49:33.37
you're seeing the big LED wall,
that's made of, I don't know,
00:49:33.40\00:49:37.31
thousands and thousands
of light emitting diodes.
00:49:37.34\00:49:41.21
One little thing, you
add it all up together
00:49:41.24\00:49:43.08
makes a difference.
00:49:43.11\00:49:44.61
Pastor, you were talking earlier
00:49:44.65\00:49:46.18
and this goes to verse
11 of chapter 16 of Luke,
00:49:46.21\00:49:49.92
"If therefore you
have not been faithful
00:49:49.95\00:49:52.65
in the unrighteous things,
who will commit to your trust,
00:49:52.69\00:49:56.19
the true riches."
00:49:56.22\00:49:58.49
Pastor, I thinking in
our spiritual journey,
00:49:58.53\00:50:01.56
the little things
spiritually, I don't know
00:50:01.60\00:50:03.63
if you want to call
going to church as little
00:50:03.67\00:50:06.43
but you can say,
"Oh, I'll just may be
00:50:06.47\00:50:08.30
skip this Sabbath,
it's not going to matter,"
00:50:08.34\00:50:11.34
it does, doesn't it?
00:50:11.37\00:50:13.01
Yeah, well, every
little decision...
00:50:13.04\00:50:14.84
It does spiritually.
Spikes the problems, yeah.
00:50:14.88\00:50:16.51
Yup, it adds up and
makes a big difference
00:50:16.54\00:50:18.38
in our own lives.
00:50:18.41\00:50:20.38
So being trustworthy,
00:50:20.42\00:50:24.02
I think is a very important.
00:50:24.05\00:50:26.12
Well, time does go
by fast doesn't it?
00:50:26.15\00:50:27.52
Let's, let me read
this, "Being trustworthy
00:50:27.56\00:50:30.09
is a characteristic
of a good steward.
00:50:30.13\00:50:32.69
The trustworthy
steward understands
00:50:32.73\00:50:35.33
the deep
significance of his role,
00:50:35.36\00:50:38.17
he understands
that God is trustworthy,
00:50:38.20\00:50:42.37
and he will aim to be the same."
00:50:42.40\00:50:45.24
Let's look at 1 Kings 8,
00:50:45.27\00:50:49.34
chapter 8 verse 56,
00:50:49.38\00:50:52.41
1 Kings 8:56, "I
have characteristics
00:50:52.45\00:50:56.65
of being
trustworthy, one is reliable,"
00:50:56.69\00:50:59.65
and verse 56 says, let's see,
00:50:59.69\00:51:02.96
the last part of the verse
00:51:02.99\00:51:04.99
or we will read the
whole thing, verse 56,
00:51:05.03\00:51:06.59
"Blessed be the
Lord that hath given rest
00:51:06.63\00:51:08.90
unto His people Israel,
00:51:08.93\00:51:10.50
according to the all
that He has promised,
00:51:10.53\00:51:12.93
there hath not failed one
word of all His good promise
00:51:12.97\00:51:18.21
which He promised
by the hand of Moses,
00:51:18.24\00:51:19.91
His servant."
00:51:19.94\00:51:21.28
Did you catch that?
00:51:21.31\00:51:22.64
Not one word has failed
of God, that's reliable.
00:51:22.68\00:51:26.31
Integrity, let's go to 2 Kings
00:51:26.35\00:51:30.52
chapter 12, 2 Kings 12:15,
00:51:30.55\00:51:37.06
and basically in
summary of this text,
00:51:37.09\00:51:39.96
basically the man of the
temple were very faithful
00:51:40.00\00:51:44.17
with the temple money,
so no one had any concerns
00:51:44.20\00:51:46.97
about giving the money to
the keepers of the temple money
00:51:47.00\00:51:50.01
because they are using
putting it to good use,
00:51:50.04\00:51:52.41
so good integrity.
00:51:52.44\00:51:54.44
Proverbs 11:1
talks about honesty.
00:51:54.48\00:51:58.61
So characteristics
of being trustworthy,
00:51:58.65\00:52:00.92
again there's so many
things that we can put down,
00:52:00.95\00:52:02.72
I have reliable,
integrity and honesty.
00:52:02.75\00:52:07.86
Trustworthiness
comes from commitment
00:52:07.89\00:52:09.76
to honesty first.
00:52:09.79\00:52:11.56
Amen. Did you catch that?
00:52:11.59\00:52:13.09
Honesty first and that
00:52:13.13\00:52:15.56
He is reliably
truthful to everyone.
00:52:15.60\00:52:20.64
To everyone,
regardless of attachments
00:52:20.67\00:52:24.14
even when being honest
involves being disloyal to man.
00:52:24.17\00:52:29.58
That's hard to do,
you know that's hard to do
00:52:29.61\00:52:31.31
because you can be
honest to a certain point
00:52:31.35\00:52:32.95
and then it's
like, "Okay, you know,
00:52:32.98\00:52:34.55
I'm going to kind of
stick up from our brother here
00:52:34.58\00:52:36.08
just because, you
know, we're buddies."
00:52:36.12\00:52:37.85
Yeah. That's good.
00:52:37.89\00:52:39.22
So yeah, "So
even when being honest
00:52:39.25\00:52:41.99
involves being disloyal to man."
00:52:42.02\00:52:44.46
Boy, I just
pray in my own heart,
00:52:44.49\00:52:45.83
God I want to be always
the trustworthy man of God
00:52:45.86\00:52:48.90
that you want me to be.
00:52:48.93\00:52:50.93
Biblical examples, of course,
we have Jesus Christ, right?
00:52:50.97\00:52:54.57
He is the top, to me,
example of being trustworthy
00:52:54.60\00:52:59.24
and we can go back to
that 1 Kings reference
00:52:59.27\00:53:01.44
that we are talking about
00:53:01.48\00:53:02.81
where not one
word of God has failed.
00:53:02.84\00:53:04.81
We think about
all the prophesies
00:53:04.85\00:53:06.21
that have been fulfilled,
00:53:06.25\00:53:07.58
we know that we can rely on God.
00:53:07.62\00:53:09.98
We think of the story of Daniel,
00:53:10.02\00:53:11.35
that's mentioned in
our lesson quarterly.
00:53:11.39\00:53:14.72
Daniel 6:4, I put this down,
00:53:14.76\00:53:17.23
"They could find
no fault in him."
00:53:17.26\00:53:20.73
And here he stood for
several different monarchs,
00:53:20.76\00:53:23.90
you think about that
and here he wasn't killed.
00:53:23.93\00:53:26.40
They said, "Oh, we want you,
we've heard about you Daniel."
00:53:26.43\00:53:30.11
I have, how do we
become trustworthy?
00:53:30.14\00:53:33.21
Allow time, it
doesn't develop over night,
00:53:33.24\00:53:36.44
and we have to
give ourselves time
00:53:36.48\00:53:38.25
but we have to work at
it, it requires some effort.
00:53:38.28\00:53:41.22
Being faithful in
the little things,
00:53:41.25\00:53:43.49
both temporal and spiritual,
00:53:43.52\00:53:46.92
and commitment to
honesty to everyone.
00:53:46.96\00:53:50.56
We've heard especially
here in the United States
00:53:50.59\00:53:52.99
but the
President Abraham Lincoln
00:53:53.03\00:53:55.76
and his incredible honesty.
00:53:55.80\00:53:58.47
And there are many,
many stories told of him
00:53:58.50\00:54:01.30
were, one in
particular instance,
00:54:01.34\00:54:03.24
he had found that he
had over charged someone
00:54:03.27\00:54:05.87
and so he walked,
he didn't have a car,
00:54:05.91\00:54:08.14
of course, he walked
three miles to return,
00:54:08.18\00:54:11.51
I've heard from 2
pennies to 7 pennies,
00:54:11.55\00:54:13.75
I'm not sure which one it
is, but he walked all the way
00:54:13.78\00:54:16.79
to their house to
give them their 2 pennies
00:54:16.82\00:54:18.55
that night once
he closed the store.
00:54:18.59\00:54:20.62
But I think trustworthiness,
again if I go back to this
00:54:20.66\00:54:23.76
at the very beginning,
honest, authentic, consistent,
00:54:23.79\00:54:26.66
integrity, compassionate,
kind, resourceful,
00:54:26.70\00:54:29.50
relationship
builders, humble, available,
00:54:29.53\00:54:32.57
all very
important and in closing,
00:54:32.60\00:54:34.44
is trustworthiness important?
00:54:34.47\00:54:36.64
Yes, it is. Why?
00:54:36.67\00:54:38.31
Because God is trustworthy,
as a follower of Jesus Christ,
00:54:38.34\00:54:42.01
which each one of us are,
we are to represent Christ
00:54:42.04\00:54:45.51
to the world as
trustworthy servants of His.
00:54:45.55\00:54:47.98
Could I just add
one comment? Please.
00:54:48.02\00:54:50.55
You know, when
we are talking about
00:54:50.59\00:54:51.92
when Jesus keeps saying,
00:54:51.95\00:54:53.29
"If you're faithful in little,
you'll be faithful in lot.
00:54:53.32\00:54:55.82
You're unfaithful in the little,
00:54:55.86\00:54:57.29
you're unfaithful
in a lot, you know why?
00:54:57.33\00:54:59.89
The habit follows
you. Oh, that's good.
00:54:59.93\00:55:02.46
We develop a habit and
if you are not faithful
00:55:02.50\00:55:06.20
with little
things, then suddenly
00:55:06.23\00:55:08.50
if God tries to give you a lot,
00:55:08.54\00:55:10.01
you don't have to
habit of faithfulness,
00:55:10.04\00:55:12.17
you'll be unfaithful.
00:55:12.21\00:55:13.94
Aw, great God, I appreciated
that so much, very good.
00:55:13.98\00:55:16.85
Trustworthiness I
think of, you know,
00:55:16.88\00:55:20.02
what situational ethics are?
00:55:20.05\00:55:22.78
That's where you say,
"Okay, in this situation,
00:55:22.82\00:55:25.65
you can do
something that's not quite
00:55:25.69\00:55:27.96
on the up and up,
00:55:27.99\00:55:29.32
and that just
debunks that whole thinking.
00:55:29.36\00:55:33.03
Because, and
today we were looking at
00:55:33.06\00:55:36.70
the marks of the
steward and what is a steward?
00:55:36.73\00:55:39.97
It's one who acts in
the stead of another,
00:55:40.00\00:55:42.74
so we are all
stewards, who are, we are,
00:55:42.77\00:55:45.87
who are we as steward...
00:55:45.91\00:55:47.44
Jesus Christ. It's
the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:55:47.48\00:55:49.54
See, that's who
we are a steward off.
00:55:49.58\00:55:51.61
And I just wanted
to run through these
00:55:51.65\00:55:53.31
very quickly, here are marks
that every one of us should,
00:55:53.35\00:55:58.22
they should be
attributes in our lives,
00:55:58.25\00:56:00.79
first was
faithfulness, staying true
00:56:00.82\00:56:03.83
in the heat of the battle.
00:56:03.86\00:56:05.49
Pastor Lomacang, loyalty
to God not because He will
00:56:05.53\00:56:10.53
but because He can.
00:56:10.57\00:56:13.44
And then, Jill,
clear conscience,
00:56:13.47\00:56:15.87
living without
fear, guilt, or shame.
00:56:15.90\00:56:21.44
Shelly, obedience,
I loved what you said,
00:56:21.48\00:56:24.91
only as God is working in
us, both the will and to do,
00:56:24.95\00:56:29.32
can we even be obedient.
00:56:29.35\00:56:32.12
And you said this too,
00:56:32.15\00:56:33.82
"Love without
obedience is not love."
00:56:33.86\00:56:38.13
And then, Greg, you covered
trustworthiness so beautifully.
00:56:38.16\00:56:42.20
So those who are all
marks, attributes that all of us
00:56:42.23\00:56:47.34
need to be branded with as
servants of the living God.
00:56:47.37\00:56:51.91
Well, I want to thank all
of you, Greg, trustworthy,
00:56:51.94\00:56:54.84
reliable, honesty,
deserving of trust,
00:56:54.88\00:56:57.21
authentic, integrity, I
love that word integrity.
00:56:57.25\00:57:01.02
Thank you for
bringing that to us.
00:57:01.05\00:57:02.88
Shelley, Jill, Pastor
Lomacang, and thank all of you
00:57:02.92\00:57:06.62
for being with us
today, you know, we still,
00:57:06.65\00:57:09.39
we want to encourage
you to download your lesson
00:57:09.42\00:57:13.50
for next weekend
and be here with us.
00:57:13.53\00:57:15.46
You know, we are here every week
00:57:15.50\00:57:17.73
and we're here to help you.
00:57:17.77\00:57:19.13
We want to
encourage you also to attend
00:57:19.17\00:57:21.57
to your local
Seventh-day Adventist church
00:57:21.60\00:57:23.97
and until next week,
00:57:24.01\00:57:25.84
we pray that God will
continue to greatly bless you.
00:57:25.87\00:57:29.64