Participants:
Series Code: SSP
Program Code: SSP180013A
|
00:01 The Bible tells us, "In the beginning was the Word,
00:03 and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." 00:07 It says, "To receive with meekness the implanted Word, 00:11 which is able to save your souls. 00:13 And to be diligent to present yourself approved to God 00:17 rightly dividing the Word of truth." 00:20 Join us now for the 3ABN Sabbath School Panel. 00:25 Our study today is "Stewardship Motives of the Heart". 00:31 Hello and welcome to our 3ABN Sabbath School Panel. 00:34 So glad to have you tune in. 00:36 I hope you've been tuning in. 00:37 If not, remember this network because we are committed 00:41 to the undiluted three angles' messages 00:44 and even in the topic of 00:46 "Stewardship Motives of the Heart," 00:48 that message is interwoven 00:50 through every one of these messages. 00:52 So glad to have my panel with me. 00:54 Mollie, good to have you here. Thank you. 00:55 Shelley, Jill, and Danny, my good friend 00:59 and the president, the founder of 3ABN, 01:01 it's always good to have you 01:03 either on the panel or on the basketball court. 01:05 All right. 01:06 And I've been learning lately, 01:07 it's good to have you on my team. 01:09 I'm very glad to have you on our team today. 01:11 You know, we are studying a lesson 01:13 that has been a blessing and this is the last one. 01:15 Isn't that sad, that's an up and down phase. 01:17 It's like a reverse smile 01:19 because we've learned quite a bit, have we not? 01:21 We have. Absolutely. 01:22 And every one of our panelists and we've had different people. 01:25 I think at some times Greg was here 01:27 and also Pastor Kenny Shelton was here. 01:31 But today we're gonna be capping off the lesson 01:33 entitled "The Results of Stewardship". 01:36 We've been talking about that all three months now 01:40 but the results of stewardship now 01:41 as where we're headed today. 01:43 If you want a copy of the lesson, 01:44 go to the following website, ABSG.Adventist. org 01:50 and download a copy. 01:52 But if you already have one, 01:53 you might want to join with one of the local Adventist churches 01:56 or if you don't have one, 01:57 go there and become a part of 01:59 their Bible study fellowship Sabbath school class 02:02 and I know that you'll grow in the Lord. 02:05 But before we go any further, 02:06 we're gonna do a couple of things. 02:08 We're gonna have prayer first. 02:09 Mollie, I'm gonna have you do that, 02:11 and then after that we're gonna read our memory text, 02:13 and then we're gonna dive 02:14 into the study of God's Word together. 02:16 Let's pray. 02:17 Holy Father, we come before You in the name of Jesus. 02:20 And, Father, we are so grateful for Your presence. 02:22 And, Father, we pray for every person 02:25 that's listening to us, that's watching us Holy God, 02:28 that You'll prepare their hearts even now, 02:30 that as this word goes forth, 02:32 it will be planted in our hearts, 02:34 it will take root and it will grow 02:36 and it will produce bountifully for Your kingdom. 02:38 Now, Father, I commend all of this into Your hands, 02:41 ask You Lord to touch us, anoint us, 02:43 let the words that we say bring health, 02:46 healing and deliverance to all that hear. 02:48 This is my prayer in Jesus' name, amen. 02:50 Amen. Amen. 02:52 Amen. 02:53 Stewardship, the results of stewardship. 02:56 This has been a lesson that's amazing. 02:58 But I'd like us to begin with 1 Peter 2:12, 03:01 if you have your Sabbath school lesson. 03:02 That's the memory text which really is the umbrella 03:05 under which all the study continues to go forward. 03:09 Let's read that memory text together. 03:11 And we are told, "Having your conduct honorable 03:14 among the Gentiles, 03:16 that when they speak against you as evildoers, 03:20 they may by your good works which they observe, 03:24 glorify God in the day of visitation." 03:29 When I talked about this lesson or when I studied the lesson, 03:32 I've been learning that... 03:33 When we study the lesson 03:35 and some of you probably had the same experience. 03:36 When you study the lesson in preparation for it, 03:39 more inspiration comes when you sit down. 03:41 Have you noticed that? Yes. 03:43 And as I sit here, the Lord brought me a thought. 03:48 "A godliness is not a debt, it is an eternal asset." 03:52 Yes. 03:54 But godliness will always cost you something. 03:58 But godliness is never a debt but an eternal asset. 04:02 And so when you think about godliness and stewardship 04:06 or stewardship and godliness, 04:07 I think together it brings to us 04:11 the reality that godliness with contentment is what? 04:16 Great gain. Great gain. 04:20 Through the years finagle that text and spun it around. 04:24 It doesn't say great gain with contentment is godliness, 04:29 which many people 04:30 in this materialistic world would think. 04:31 Great gain, I got all I need, 04:33 the rich fool with his bountiful. 04:35 I've got all I need, now I'm content, 04:37 therefore I must be godly. 04:39 It says, "Godliness with contentment is great gain." 04:43 And so we've learned also 04:44 that sometimes it's better to have a little, 04:46 a little that a righteous man has 04:48 is better than all the riches of a person 04:50 that is evil or even have that, 04:52 have access to those things by manipulating, 04:56 or by squandering, or by some kind of unusual practice 05:02 in his or her life." 05:04 The results of godliness. 05:06 What is godliness? 05:07 Let's start with that. 05:08 Godly people live a godly lifestyle. 05:12 Amen. 05:14 And we talked about habits in one of our lessons. 05:17 A godly lifestyle is developed by consistent habits, 05:21 making decisions, making choices 05:23 at critical intersections. 05:26 My wife has a saying. She always says that. 05:27 She says, "Everything in life is a test." 05:30 Everything. 05:31 If you lived your life and thought all day long, 05:33 this is just a test, that's just a test. 05:35 I mean, you won't say that to a person, 05:37 I know you're testing me, it will get irritating. 05:39 But if you think of every decision you make as a test, 05:42 it's kind of like, being in a... 05:45 What did they call? A maze. 05:47 Every intersection you come to has a decision 05:49 you have to make, go right or go left. 05:51 And also in life, every decision you make 05:54 as a Christian will either build on your eternal values 05:58 or begin to erode your eternal values. 06:02 So you have to think of those choices you make 06:04 as stewardship choices. 06:06 Are the decisions I'm about to make, 06:08 investing in my eternal value, 06:10 or are they taking away like a bad investment? 06:13 Are they chiseling away 06:15 like credit card debt and high interest rates? 06:17 Are they taking away from my value? 06:20 I mentioned this before and it just came back to me. 06:23 Benjamin Franklin said that. 06:25 He says, "When you subtract 06:27 your good habits from your bad habits, 06:29 then your real value, 06:31 your actual value comes to the forefront." 06:33 Your real value, when you subtract one from the other, 06:36 your real value comes to the forefront. 06:38 But now one of the things 06:40 that we have to discover is the age in which we live. 06:43 We live in, I would say probably hands down. 06:47 I think we're catching up to the antediluvians 06:49 because their thoughts were only evil continually 06:52 and we're working really hard on that in our world. 06:54 But in the age in which I've experienced through the years, 06:58 I think we live in one of the most 06:59 ungodly ages of human history. 07:02 In our country, on the heels of capitalism, 07:06 on the foundation of capitalism 07:08 is destroying morality at an alarming rate. 07:11 But that's no surprise to God. 07:12 Look at 2 Timothy 3. 07:14 Not a surprise to God at all the way that our world is... 07:18 the way that our world is being developed. 07:20 And we have a saying in America. 07:22 This is a capitalistic saying by far, 07:25 "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of" what? 07:27 "Happiness." The pursuit of happiness. 07:30 But in the kingdom of God, it is the pursuit of godliness, 07:36 not the pursuit of happiness, the pursuit of godliness, 07:39 because those who pursue godliness... 07:41 When you discover the scriptures, 07:42 those that pursued godliness often ended up 07:45 in prisons, or in dungeons, 07:47 or in some kind of adverse condition, 07:49 but their record was preserved 07:51 to this very day to let us know. 07:53 As Paul says, "All those that live godly in Christ Jesus 07:57 shall suffer persecution." 07:58 Look at Timothy's... 08:00 Look at Paul's outline 08:01 to the young protege named Timothy. 08:04 2 Timothy 3:1. 08:06 "But know this, or this know also..." 08:09 Mollie, I want you to read that for us. 08:10 I knew you're about to drink something. 08:11 But I like the way the King James Version 08:13 outlines that, this is locked in my head. 08:16 One through what? One through nine. 08:18 All right. Ready? Go. 08:20 "This know also, 08:22 that in the last days perilous times shall come. 08:24 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, 08:27 covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, 08:30 disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 08:33 without natural affection, 08:35 trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, 08:39 despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, 08:44 highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, 08:47 having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: 08:51 from such turn away. 08:52 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, 08:55 and lead captive silly women laden with sins, 08:59 led away with divers lusts, ever learning, 09:01 and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 09:04 Now as Jannes and Jambres understood Moses, 09:09 so do these also resist the truth: 09:12 men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 09:18 But they shall proceed no further: 09:20 for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, 09:24 as theirs also was." 09:26 You know, Jannes and Jambres, I want to bring them out. 09:28 In all this, we don't talk about them very, very much. 09:31 When the Lord told Moses to cast down his rod 09:35 and became a serpent. 09:38 Jannes and Jambres 09:40 through illusion resisted in the very same way. 09:43 The devil created an illusion. 09:45 And I remember one day, I thought to myself, "Wow. 09:47 Can the devil create life?" 09:50 Because the Lord gave Moses 09:51 that ability to create out of his rod the serpent. 09:56 Can the devil also do the same thing? 09:58 And I was just battling to try to figure out. 10:00 Wow, how could he do the same thing God did? 10:03 Ellen White says, "No, the devil has no power 10:06 to create life, 10:07 but he creates an illusion." 10:08 Yes. 10:10 And that's why we have to be 10:11 very, very careful in our modern days. 10:12 It's no longer called magic as much, 10:14 it's called illusion, illusionist. 10:16 What that setting the ground for 10:18 is for the marvelous working of Satan, illusions. 10:23 So but the point that is being made is this list, 10:26 this list is a book rather than just a sermon. 10:29 I stopped and took the time to explain 10:31 what we covered here. 10:33 Thank you, Mollie, for... 10:34 And I was quoting that in my head with you 10:36 because the King James Version 10:37 has been the version I was raised with. 10:40 It's an amazing thing when people hate, 10:43 despise those that are good. 10:46 I mean, if you're not good that's one thing, 10:48 but don't despise those that are good. 10:51 And we're living in the day and age 10:52 where people that are godly are being despised. 10:54 I mean, think about the media today. 10:57 The media is motivated to make a person 10:59 who's making good choices seem like an evil individual. 11:02 That's right. Think about it. 11:05 Okay, here goes. 11:07 If you stand for morality... 11:08 All right. 11:10 You are listed as old, out-of-date, 11:14 out of step with society, a bummer, 11:17 you don't want people to be free. 11:19 If you stand up for marriage with one woman and one man... 11:24 If you don't stand up, 11:26 if you don't support all these immorality, 11:27 same sex marriage and all the stuff, 11:29 you're being seen as a person that just don't like people 11:32 and you're called a hater. 11:33 Hate bunker, yeah. 11:35 And this called what, phobia... 11:37 What's the phrases that they use? 11:39 Homophobia? Homophobia. 11:40 Yeah. Sure. No, we're not homophobic. 11:43 We're spiritually centered and that's the society. 11:48 Any time you decide to take a moral stand, 11:52 talk show hosts will belittle you, 11:54 the newspaper will belittle you, 11:56 people will try to subvert your decisions, 11:58 they will try to undermine you, 12:00 all for the sake of preserving godlessness, 12:04 that's the generation which we live. 12:06 So as I said before, 12:07 Job however was a man in his age... 12:11 As Job 2:3 says, "He was blameless and upright." 12:16 Yes. 12:17 "One who feared God and shunned evil." 12:20 In a perverse generation, 12:22 we think that Job lived in an easy generation. 12:24 No, Job lived in a very ungodly generation. 12:27 But I like what the Lord said about Job and the devil. 12:30 Focused on Job saying, 12:31 "He will serve you as long as you're good, 12:34 but if anything falls down, 12:35 Job will curse you to your face and die." 12:38 But he did not. 12:39 And the Bible says in Job 1:1. 12:41 "He was one who feared God, 12:43 he was blameless and he was upright." 12:45 And we know the stories. 12:46 The Lord gave the devil permission to test him. 12:50 I thought about that. I said, Lord... 12:54 I think in our lives sometimes when the test come our way, 12:57 how many times have we failed God? 12:59 But how many times has God got our attention 13:01 and restored us and put us back on the footing 13:04 where He's receiving the glory? 13:07 Remember these points. 13:09 Being godly does not mean that we are perfect. 13:13 It means that we are allowing 13:14 our choices to honor and glorify God. 13:18 Faithful stewardship is not a form of godliness 13:22 but its access to the power 13:24 that is available through the Holy Spirit. 13:26 All that live godly in Christ Jesus 13:28 will suffer persecution but remember, 13:30 "Godliness is not a debt but an eternal asset." 13:34 Amen. Mollie? 13:35 You know, Pastor Lomacang, 13:37 that makes me think of the Bible, 13:39 the scriptures in the Bible that talks about 13:42 a wide road and a narrow path. 13:44 Amen. Matthew 7. 13:45 And we are on that narrow path. Thank you, Lord. 13:49 Well, the results of stewardship. 13:52 Pastor Lomacang talked about godliness 13:55 and I want to talk about contentment. 13:58 Contentment, one of the results of our, 14:02 that we are going to find 14:03 for being a good steward of the resources 14:07 God has blessed us with as we are going to be content. 14:11 Now let me give you the definition of contentment. 14:13 "A state of happiness." 14:15 How many of you want to be happy? 14:16 Amen. Of satisfaction? 14:18 That's a good feeling. 14:19 When you just feel... 14:21 Sometimes when I go home from work, 14:23 it's the days that I have accomplished the most. 14:27 I got the most done for the kingdom of God. 14:32 That's great satisfaction, isn't it? 14:34 Fulfillment, wellbeing, peace and tranquility. 14:39 Now, where does that come from? 14:40 Contentment. 14:42 And that's, contentment comes from us 14:45 being good stewards of all of the blessings of God, 14:49 the giftings and the blessings God has given us. 14:52 And you might say, 14:54 "Well, I don't feel contentment." 14:56 That's because you aren't recognizing that these gifts, 15:00 callings, anointings, blessings that God has blessed you with, 15:04 God knows exactly what you need. 15:07 So let me read this quote to you. 15:09 "God wants us to know that our gifts 15:13 are not an accident of genetics or experience. 15:18 He knew what He was doing when He made each of us 15:25 and He has intentionally given us the gifts 15:29 we have in the measure that we have." 15:31 You may be discontent because you have, 15:35 God has graced you with the gift of hospitality. 15:39 And what you say, you really want to do 15:41 is be able to sing or play the piano. 15:44 No, God knows what will make you the happiest. 15:48 He knows the gifts, the callings, 15:51 the gracings and the abilities 15:53 that will make you be the most content. 15:57 You know the scripture in Psalms 139:14. 16:01 It says, "We are" what? 16:03 "Fearfully and wonderfully made." 16:07 Well, who made you? 16:09 God made you. 16:10 He designed you. 16:11 He sculpted you. 16:13 He knows exactly what it will take for you to be, 16:17 you're very happiest. 16:19 Do you know where you're gonna find 16:20 yourself to be the most happy? 16:22 Right in the center of God's perfect will for your life. 16:26 You again... 16:28 The Lord may have in His heart for you, 16:31 His desire for you, 16:33 His calling on your life 16:34 is for you to teach children's church. 16:37 But you're saying, 16:38 "I don't want to teach those little kids, 16:40 I want to be on the pulpit. 16:42 I want to teach the big kids. 16:43 But God knows exactly what it would take 16:46 for you to be the most fulfilled, 16:48 for you to have that contentment. 16:52 Let's look at the Apostle Paul. 16:54 We're in Philippians 4:11. 16:57 Let's see what the Apostle Paul says. 17:00 He says, "Not that I speak in regard to need, 17:05 for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content." 17:11 Well, I learned in whatever state 17:13 I was in to be content 17:15 because I was in Alabama and I was perfectly content, 17:19 then I moved to the State of Florida, 17:21 I was perfectly content. 17:22 Okay. But you know what? 17:24 When I moved to the State of Illinois, 17:26 I know but it's not what this means, 17:28 but then came great contentment 17:30 where I feel like God placed me 17:33 in the center of His perfect will for my life 17:35 and there came great content. 17:37 But now listen at this. 17:39 These were the words of the Apostle Paul. 17:42 Remember what he said, I've learned. 17:44 Really, it's whatever condition, 17:45 whatever circumstance, whatever situation, 17:48 I find myself, and Paul says I am content. 17:52 Paul was writing from a lonely cell. 18:00 He was writing to the Christians from his cell, 18:03 he was in Philippi. 18:04 "Those are challenging words 18:07 and far easier to say than to live out. 18:10 Paul knew what he was talking about. 18:13 However, when it came to suffering and tribulation, 18:17 few people had, had it as bad as the Apostle Paul. 18:20 I'm just gonna read you 18:22 a very short portion of scripture 18:24 out of 2 Corinthians 11. 18:27 Paul tells us this, "From the Jews five times 18:32 I received forty stripes minus one." 18:35 What verse you're in? 18:37 It's verse 24, the big part. 18:40 And verse 25. 18:41 "Three times I was beaten with rods, 18:44 once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked" 18:48 for Paul to have found contentment 18:51 under such circumstances. 18:55 We have to know that his contentment 18:59 didn't come from his exterior. 19:01 That's right. There is no way... 19:04 He was in a lonely jail cell 19:07 and he writes to the Christians at Philippi, 19:10 no matter what circumstance I find myself in, 19:13 I'm content. 19:15 He has been... 19:17 He was treated worse. 19:18 His description of how he had, the things that he had suffered 19:22 are worse than any other 19:24 that we find in the Word anyway. 19:26 And he still says, "I am perfectly content." 19:32 Listen to this in Psalms 121:1-2. 19:36 For Paul to have found contentment, 19:39 in any circumstance he found himself in. 19:42 He wasn't receiving his contentment 19:45 from external circumstances. 19:47 Something had to be in Paul internally. 19:53 Psalms 121:1-2. 19:56 "I will lift up my eyes to the hills, 20:00 from whence comes my help?" 20:02 My help comes from who? The Lord. 20:04 "My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. " 20:07 And then Isaiah 26:3, I think we quote this scripture 20:12 so often here at 3ABN. 20:15 "You will keep him in perfect peace 20:19 whose mind is stayed on you because you trust in Him. " 20:23 So Paul finds himself perfectly content. 20:27 That means he's in absolute peace. 20:29 Remember, the definition of contentment, 20:32 happy, satisfied, fulfilled, wellbeing, peaceful, tranquil. 20:38 Find yourself in perfect peace 20:40 if your mind is stayed upon the Lord. 20:43 It wasn't Paul's external situation, 20:47 it was his internal commitment to the Lord. 20:51 Paul also speaks of his contentment in 1 Timothy 20:56 and it's in chapter 6. 20:59 He begins with a description of true godliness. 21:03 Then Paul warns Timothy about 21:06 those who think that godliness is the means to financial gain. 21:11 That's verse 5. 21:12 He describes corrupt teachers 21:15 who will divert believers from true faith in Christ 21:18 by arguing over words, creating trivial controversies 21:23 and pursuing get quick rich schemes. 21:26 Now, we looked at the definition of contentment 21:31 but don't you think this describes discontentment? 21:35 That would be the opposite of contentment, 21:37 is what Paul is describing here. 21:40 The opposite of contentment, unhappiness, dissatisfaction, 21:44 turmoil, misery, sadness. 21:46 Paul describes these men as obsessed with disputes 21:51 from which come in the strife reviling evil suspicions, 21:56 useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds 21:59 and destitute of the truth. 22:01 Godless evil men exhibit 22:03 the characteristics of discontentment 22:06 and who use the gospel as a means of their natural gain. 22:11 Paul then clarifies the meaning of godliness. 22:16 And emphasizes 22:17 that it is the opposite of these troublemakers, 22:20 he was laying a foundation to do a contrast for Timothy. 22:25 He then tells us, this is first, in verse six. 22:29 1 Timothy 6:6. 22:31 And I think Pastor Lomacang, you used this scripture. 22:35 Now "Godliness with contentment is" what? 22:39 "It's great gain. " 22:41 They were looking at using the gospel for gain 22:45 and we see that even today. 22:47 But he is saying godliness. 22:49 And what did Pastor Lomacang tell us? 22:51 Godliness was living in right relationship with God, 22:55 being obedient. 22:58 So let's go back to Paul's in his address to the church 23:02 in Philippians. 23:03 So go to Philippians 4. 23:06 I'm going to look at a few scriptures here. 23:08 Philippians 4:11. 23:10 "Not that I speak in regard to need, 23:13 for I have learned in whatever state I am in to be content." 23:16 Verses 12 and 13. 23:18 Paul says, "I know how to be abased, 23:21 and I know how to abound. 23:22 Everywhere and in all things I have learned 23:25 both to be full and to be hungry, 23:27 both to abound and to suffer need. " 23:30 And this is what he says, "I can do" what? 23:33 "All things through Christ who strengthens me." 23:36 And then Philippians 4:6 and 7, "Be anxious for nothing, 23:40 but in everything by prayer and supplication, 23:43 with thanksgiving, 23:44 let your requests be made known to God, 23:46 and the peace of God, 23:48 which surpasses all understanding, 23:51 will guard your hearts and minds 23:53 through Christ Jesus." 23:55 Another one of the benefits of being a good steward, 23:59 godliness and contentment. 24:01 Amen. Amen. 24:02 Thank you, Mollie. 24:03 I always enjoy listening to your teaching 24:05 and that was very good. 24:07 We're talking about the results of stewardship. 24:11 So when you use the resources that God has given you, 24:14 your time, your talents and your treasures for... 24:18 According to the biblical model, 24:21 what He asks us to do? 24:22 We're going to find that we will have godliness. 24:25 We're going to find that we will have contentment. 24:27 And one of the results of stewardship 24:30 is that you trust God and it's interesting. 24:35 That doesn't make sense that, if you're a good steward, 24:38 you have as a result trust. 24:40 It's because trust grows. 24:43 You know, when you first hear... 24:45 When you first hear of the concept of tithing 24:48 and that you are to return 24:49 that portion that belongs to God 24:51 and you're not making it on a 100% 24:53 and you're sitting there 24:55 thinking, "Oh, my goodness. " 24:57 So you give, return that 10% to God. 25:01 And guess what happens? 25:02 As He stretches that 90% you realize, 25:06 yes, 90% under God's blessing goes further than a 100%. 25:10 So trust begets trust. 25:12 And one of the results of stewardship is trust. 25:15 I do want to repeat the scripture. 25:17 I'm surprised it's not here in our quarterly, 25:21 but let's look at Isaiah 26:3, one of my favorite verses. 25:27 And he says in Isaiah 26:3. 25:31 He's praying to the Lord. 25:33 "You O Lord will keep him in perfect peace, 25:38 him or her in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, 25:44 whose mind is focused on You because..." 25:48 Why are we focusing on God? 25:51 Because He trusts in you. 25:54 As we trust in the Lord 25:56 and keep our mind focused on Him, 25:58 trust brings that perfect peace. 26:02 Let's look at Proverbs 3:5 and 6. 26:05 Proverbs 3:5 and 6. 26:08 You know this one by heart? Oh, yeah. 26:11 "Trust in the Lord" with how much? 26:13 "All your heart and lean not on your own understanding, 26:16 in all your ways acknowledge Him, 26:18 And He shall direct your paths." 26:21 You know, there's only one person, 26:24 only one being that we can truly trust Him. 26:27 That's right. 26:28 And He is perfect being knows the end from the beginning 26:33 and everything that He does is for our eternal benefit. 26:38 God doesn't just do it for your benefit here. 26:41 Everything He allows to happen in your life, 26:43 everything that He does in your life 26:45 is for your eternal benefit. 26:48 You can trust in His power and His ability. 26:50 You can trust in His mercy, and His goodness, and His love. 26:54 You can trust in God's consistency. 26:58 You know, if you have a broken foot or a broken leg, 27:02 what do you have to rely on to get around? 27:04 Crutches. Crutches. 27:06 Our lives are broken with sin, 27:09 we need to rely on the scriptures. 27:12 That's good. 27:13 Think of that, is that, we don't want 27:15 to try to prop ourself up with our own understanding, 27:18 we need to rely on the scriptures. 27:22 God gave us intelligence. 27:24 He created us in His image. 27:26 He gave us intelligence. 27:28 But the interesting thing is, 27:30 do you realize that His plan of salvation, 27:32 everything about God's plan is total dependence upon Him. 27:36 And so it's easy to trust in the Lord 27:39 when, maybe we have no control over something, 27:43 but when we've got something that we do have control over 27:47 and we have to trust according to what God's Word says. 27:50 It takes a little bit more. 27:52 But we need to acknowledge Him. 27:55 I have recently, I say recently the last year or two. 27:59 I've become aware how many people pray? 28:02 O Lord be with us through the night, 28:03 Lord be with us through this day, 28:05 Lord be with, be with him and... 28:08 He is with us. 28:09 The Bible says, "He will never leave us or forsake us." 28:13 I mean, He's promised 28:15 never to leave us or forsake us. 28:16 So when it says acknowledge Him in all of your ways, 28:20 practice the presence of God, 28:22 recognize that He is with you always 28:27 and He will make a level path for your feet as you do that. 28:33 Psalms 16:11, one of my favorite verses. 28:37 It says, "You will show me the path of life, 28:43 and in Your presence is fullness of joy, 28:47 at Your right hand are pleasures evermore." 28:51 Proverbs 4:18 says 28:52 "That the path of the righteous grows brighter, 28:55 it shines brighter, every day God is leading us." 28:59 Now, why should we trust in the Lord? 29:03 Isaiah 55:9 gives us a good reason 29:07 to put our trust in the Lord 29:09 and not in mankind, not in princes, 29:11 not in our own abilities. 29:15 But He says in Psalm 55:9. 29:19 This is the Lord speaking. 29:21 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, 29:25 so are my ways higher than your ways 29:28 and my thoughts than your thoughts." 29:31 God's wisdom, God's knowledge 29:33 is exponentially greater than ours, exponentially. 29:38 There is no way... 29:41 God has given us the ability to know truth but it's only... 29:45 I mean, He's given us truth 29:47 but we only have the ability 29:49 to the limitations of our finite being, right? 29:52 This is why, you know, people who think they intellectual, 29:56 snobbery is so foolish, 29:58 because I don't care how much 30:00 you know, God knows so much more. 30:02 And we have a tendency... 30:04 Do we not? 30:06 People seem to have a tendency 30:07 to try to make God conform to their plans. 30:10 We should be striving to fit into His plan. 30:13 Paul said this in 1 Corinthians 3... 30:16 Excuse me, 1 Corinthians 13:12. 30:20 This is such a wonderful scripture. 30:25 In 1 Corinthians 13:12. 30:29 Paul is talking about us now in our current condition. 30:34 And he says, "Now we see in a mirror" how? 30:38 Earthly. "Dimly, darkly, dimly." 30:41 But then when Christ returns face to face... 30:46 Now I know... 30:48 This is Paul who wrote the bulk of the New Testament. 30:52 Now I know in part, 30:55 but then I shall know just as I am also known. 31:01 Did you know Corinth who was known for their fine mirrors? 31:05 They made mirrors out of copper. 31:09 And so this was... 31:11 They beat them out of... 31:12 They polished brass is what it was actually. 31:15 So they had these polished brass and these... 31:17 They gave a pretty fine reflection. 31:19 I mean, these were good quality mirrors 31:21 but no substitute for the real person. 31:23 And what happens to brass? 31:25 It tarnishes easily. 31:27 See, the more I study about the love of God, 31:30 somebody, I've got someone who keeps encouraging me 31:35 from the Bahamas. 31:36 They will say, write a book on the love of God, 31:38 write a book. 31:40 And the more I study about the love of God, 31:42 the more I realized how little I know about the love of God. 31:45 We only know in part and God's image has been 31:50 tarnished by people who say wrong things. 31:54 Paul is actually speaking here in context 31:57 about the gifts of the spirit. 31:59 These just... 32:00 As we exercise the gifts of the spirit, 32:02 even good stewardship, 32:04 we're just reflecting the Lord dimly, are we not? 32:07 But then he says, "We will see face 32:10 to blessed face with our beloved Savior, 32:13 we will see Him." 32:14 And I love what 1 John 3:2 says. 32:17 "Beloved now" right now... That's right. 32:20 "We are the children of God, 32:22 but it's not yet been revealed what we shall be, 32:24 but we know that when He is revealed, 32:28 when He comes, we shall be like Him, 32:31 for we shall see Him as He is." 32:33 Our complete maturity 32:35 and our perfect knowledge will be attained then. 32:39 We will know Him fully. 32:41 So what should our motto be? 32:43 Trust in the Lord with all of our heart. 32:46 Love Him with all of your heart, soul, 32:48 mind and strength, 32:50 because everything that He does is for your benefit. 32:55 And as you become a good steward of the Lord, 32:59 you will find the godliness that God gives to us, 33:04 the contentment that we enjoy, and the peace that we enjoy 33:09 from trusting in Him, it's just amazing. 33:12 I want to read something that Ellen White wrote 33:16 in Gospel Workers, page 25. 33:18 She's talking about the apostles. 33:21 And you know, we know that their character, their motives, 33:26 and their intentions were good. 33:29 But listen what she says. 33:31 "They were by nature as weak and helpless 33:34 as any of those now engaged in the work, 33:37 but they put their whole trust in the Lord. 33:40 Wealth they had, 33:42 but it consisted of mind and soul culture, 33:47 and this every one may have who will make 33:50 God first and last and best in everything." 33:55 So one of the great results 33:58 of being a good steward is trust. 34:01 Amen. Thank you so much. 34:03 Shelley, what a blessing. 34:05 You think about the results of stewardship, godliness, 34:08 contentment, trust 34:09 and all of those are worked in our lives 34:12 by the power of the Holy Spirit. 34:13 Amen. 34:15 Praise God that He wants to work with us. 34:16 I have Wednesday which is our influence. 34:19 And at first glance you think, 34:21 "What does our influence have to do with stewardship?" 34:23 But really our influence, it's stewardship on display. 34:28 Amen. 34:29 The opening scripture 34:30 that I want to turn to is Ephesians 5. 34:32 If you want to turn, you're at home, Ephesians 5:8. 34:37 "For you were once darkness, 34:39 but now you are light in the Lord." 34:43 Every single one of us were in darkness, 34:45 the darkness of sin 34:47 and Christ pulled us out of that 34:49 into His marvelous light, 34:51 now we are light in the Lord. 34:53 Then it says, "Walk as children of light." 34:56 In the Greek, the word for a walk literally means 34:59 how I conduct my life. 35:02 So you could almost then say, 35:04 now that we're light in the Lord, 35:06 we are to live as children of light. 35:10 Does it matter how we live? 35:12 Absolutely, because of our influence on others. 35:17 What is influence? 35:18 If you look at the dictionary, 35:20 it says, "Influence is the power 35:22 to change or affect someone. 35:25 The power to cause changes 35:27 without forcing them to happen." 35:30 Influence is not control. 35:33 We exert influence 35:35 simply by being who God has called us to be. 35:40 The closer other people come to us, 35:42 the greater our influence would be over them and vice versa. 35:47 The attempt to influence is not a conscious thought, 35:50 it happens unconsciously, just by us being who we are. 35:54 We influence obviously our family members, 35:56 spouse, and kids, neighbors, coworkers, 35:59 church, friends, strangers, enemies. 36:03 We influence everybody at some level 36:06 with whom we come in contact. 36:08 We don't have any choice that we do influence other people 36:11 but we can choose whether our influence is for good 36:15 or whether it's for evil. 36:18 There's a bumper sticker that said, 36:20 "Don't follow me, I'm lost too." 36:25 You think about an influence for evil. 36:27 I think about Eve on her husband Adam 36:30 in the Garden of Eden. 36:31 And the Bible says she was deceived 36:32 but she took the fruit and she ate 36:36 that she went against God's direct command. 36:39 Adam was, you could say influenced in a negative way 36:43 by his wife's decision 36:46 and he made the choice to take other fruit 36:48 and eat as well. 36:50 But by contrast we can be an example for good. 36:54 1 Corinthians 11:1. 36:57 We're gonna lay two foundational scriptures here 36:59 and then we'll look at four characteristics of people 37:02 who have a godly influence. 37:04 But before we get to those four characteristics, 37:06 let's look at these two scriptures. 37:08 Shelley, do you have it, 1 Corinthians 11:1? 37:10 "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ." 37:15 Yes. 37:16 In the Greek imitate would be one who mimics another. 37:19 We are to imitate Christ. 37:22 And other people... 37:23 Now it's not by our choice 37:25 but other people can imitate us based on the influence. 37:28 It depends on how strong that influence, 37:30 how much you want to imitate the person. 37:32 But we are only safe to follow if we follow Christ. 37:37 The key is, our lives, our character, our habits, 37:41 our thoughts are to represent the Lord Jesus Christ. 37:45 There's one more scripture I want to look at here. 37:48 This is 1 Timothy 4:12. 37:53 1 Timothy 4:12. 37:56 This used to be my favorite scripture 37:58 when I was a young person 37:59 and you're probably saying, Jill, you're still young. 38:02 But especially when I was a teenager in early 20, 38:04 I loved this scripture. 38:06 It says, "Let no one despise your youth." 38:10 Right. 38:12 Now whether we're young or old, this scripture applies to us. 38:15 But be an example. 38:17 In the Greek example means a pattern, a figure or a model. 38:22 We are called to be a pattern of the Lord Jesus 38:25 for other people, no matter what age we are, 38:28 we are called to be an example of the Lord Jesus. 38:30 That's right. 38:31 And then it list six things 38:33 that we're supposed to be an example of. 38:35 We're to be an example in word. 38:37 Our word should build other people up, 38:39 not tear people down. 38:41 Miss Mollie, you quote this all the time, 38:43 Ephesians 4:29. 38:44 "Let no corrupt communication... 38:47 "Proceed out of your mouth, 38:48 but that which is good to the use of edifying, 38:51 that it may minister grace to the hearers." 38:53 Yes. 38:54 So we're to be an example of Christ 38:56 in the words that we speak. 38:58 We're to be an example of Christ 39:00 in the conduct that we have. 39:02 That word literally means the behavior. 39:04 So how we live our lives, we are to be an example. 39:09 We're to be an example of Christ 39:11 in the love we exhibit for other people, 39:14 in the spirit that we have, 39:15 in the faith that we possess because we know Hebrews 11:6, 39:19 "If we don't have faith, 39:20 it is impossible to please God." 39:23 And finally we're to be an example 39:25 of the Lord Jesus Christ in purity. 39:28 So let's look at four characteristics 39:30 of a godly steward. 39:31 This is by no means comprehensive, just a few. 39:34 Number one, godly person with godly influence 39:39 would love other people. 39:41 John 13:34 and 35. 39:46 John 13:34 and 35. 39:53 I need to get there. 39:54 "A new commandment I give to you, 39:56 that you love one another, as I have loved you, 39:59 that you also love one another. 40:02 By this all will know that you are My disciples, 40:05 if you have love for one another." 40:08 Now if we are called to imitate Christ 40:12 and He is the perfect example, 40:14 and we are called then to love our brothers and sisters 40:18 just as Christ has loved us, we are called to love others. 40:23 If you care for someone, 40:24 you will give them encouragement, 40:26 you will give them time, you will give them love, 40:29 you will also tell them the truth. 40:31 Amen. 40:33 We sometimes think love is just a nice easy feeling 40:37 and it's just, but love involves principle 40:40 and love also involves, 40:41 if you love someone to tell them the truth. 40:45 Number two, characteristics of people with godly influence. 40:49 They have integrity. 40:51 Let's look at Titus 2. 40:53 Titus 2. 40:55 And, Pastor John, you want to get that for us? 40:56 Sure. 40:57 Titus 2, if you can read verses 7 and 8. 41:01 All right. 41:03 Bible says, "In all things showing yourself 41:06 to be a pattern of good works, in doctrine showing integrity, 41:10 reverence, incorruptibility, 41:13 sound speech that cannot be condemned, 41:16 that one who is, 41:19 that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, 41:22 having nothing evil to say of you." 41:25 Now did you notice that? Wow, it's been... 41:26 Even an opponent, someone who is opposed to you 41:29 having nothing evil to say of you. 41:32 In Greek nothing literally means not even one. 41:36 Now, I don't know about you but I'm sure, 41:39 not just opponents 41:41 but even friends would have more than 41:43 one evil thing to say about me, right? 41:45 And I think about my own life and character and how I live. 41:49 So I read this verse, I need to grow. 41:52 We all. 41:54 People with godly influence have integrity. 41:56 Integrity means you have character. 41:59 You practice what you preach. 42:01 Integrity means you have authenticity, 42:04 you are genuine and real. 42:06 Integrity means you have honesty, 42:09 you are truthful and upright. 42:12 Integrity means you have humility, 42:14 willingness to admit when you are wrong. 42:18 Integrity means that you are trustworthy. 42:21 Now let's look quickly at our last two points. 42:24 Point number three, they reveal Christ. 42:27 I think Jesus said, "I am the light of the world." 42:30 In Matthew 5:14, He says, 42:32 "You are the light of the world. 42:35 Let your light so shine before men 42:37 that they may see your good works 42:39 and glorify your Father which is in heaven." 42:43 Well, Jesus is the light of the world. 42:44 We are called, we can't force light to shine 42:47 but we can let it shine. 42:49 We can allow Jesus as He comes in us. 42:52 Colossians 1:27, 42:53 "Christ in you, the hope of glory." 42:55 As He lives in you, 42:57 you can allow His light to shine forth to someone else. 43:01 And the final characteristic 43:03 is they choose to not cause their brother to stumble. 43:08 Romans 14:13. 43:10 I have New King James Version here 43:12 but I like it in the New American Standard. 43:14 It says, "Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, 43:17 but to determine this, not to put an obstacle 43:20 or a stumbling block in a brother's way." 43:25 So God calls us not to put even with our influence, 43:28 not to put an obstacle or stumbling block 43:30 in someone else's way. 43:32 We're involved in the great controversy, 43:35 the battle really between good and evil. 43:38 And in the midst of that, God is calling for us. 43:42 As Christians, God is calling for you 43:44 at home to make a stand for the Lord Jesus Christ, 43:47 to know that your influence will count for Him. 43:51 1 Corinthians 4:9, 43:53 "We are made a spectacle to the world, 43:56 both to angels and to men." 43:58 And we are to be examples of our Lord Jesus Christ. 44:01 Amen. Amen. 44:03 I'm always amazed that, Jill, 44:05 how organized she is and how she can 44:07 get through these points most of it actually. 44:09 But as we end our quarter on stewardship motives 44:12 from the heart, the end result is, 44:15 what voice... 44:16 When we hear Jesus, what's He gonna say to us? 44:19 Matthew 12:30, "He that is not with me is against me, 44:23 and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. 44:27 So there's only two sides in this great controversy 44:30 between good and evil. 44:32 So it all comes down to, not the knowledge 44:34 that we have but the motives of our heart. 44:36 Have we given our life to the Lord Jesus Christ 44:39 completely and said, Lord, take me just as I am. 44:42 We do our best, He'll do the rest, 44:44 but we have to confess our sins, 44:46 come to Him and He's faithful and just to forgive us 44:48 from our sins. 44:50 At the second coming of Christ we will hear. 44:52 Matthew 5:21 says, "His Lord said unto him, 44:55 'Well done thou, good and faithful servant" right? 44:58 "Thou has been faithful over a few things, 45:01 I will make you ruler over many." 45:03 Then he says, "Enter thou into the joy of the Lord." 45:07 Now that's really what we want to hear. 45:09 Am I right? Everyone of us here. 45:10 Can you imagine what it would be like 45:12 in the second coming to look up 45:14 and Jesus coming in the clouds of glory 45:17 and as the saints go forward, He says, 45:20 enter because everyone going in. 45:22 Enter into the joy of the Lord. We think we're happy now? 45:25 Right? Wait till then. Wait till then. 45:28 We might see some of our saints 45:30 that are little tight 45:31 and getting lose and happy and... 45:32 Mollie always says, "Doing that happy dance, right? 45:35 Or on the other hand and we hope and pray 45:37 this is not for any of us. 45:40 Matthew 7:23, "And then will I profess unto them, 45:44 I never knew you: depart from me, 45:46 you workers of iniquity." 45:48 And that is sad. 45:50 But I want to tell you something. 45:51 We here at 3ABN we're dedicating, 45:54 I've dedicated 2018 to the year of present truth. 45:58 And the reason we're doing that... 45:59 In the very beginning, John, 46:01 when I was impressed to build a television station 46:03 to reach the world, 46:04 this impression to give an undiluted 46:07 three angels' messages, 46:08 I didn't know what that meant 46:10 because far as I knew our church is the only one 46:11 giving three angels' messages. 46:14 Why diluted? 46:16 It's the times in which we're living. 46:17 Right now when I looked in the past 33 years, 46:21 we've seen a lot change. 46:22 God hasn't changed and His law hasn't changed, 46:25 but His people have changed. 46:28 And this is what we have to do. 46:29 It's a calling impart and so we are dedicated 46:32 into giving present truth to the lost and dying world. 46:36 I won't attempt to go into John, 46:38 the three angels' messages because you have done it 46:39 so beautifully and folks can go to our website. 46:42 But present truth is the three angels' messages. 46:45 End times message for an end times people. 46:47 God loved us enough that He gives us a warning message, 46:51 that's out of love to say, 46:53 look, you don't have to be lost. 46:55 Satan cannot deceive you if you keep your eyes on Me. 46:59 Turn your eyes upon Jesus, right? 47:00 Look full in His wonderful face. 47:02 If we do that, we will not be deceived. 47:05 So the trouble that I'm seeing is, 47:08 because of the way the climate, 47:10 the spiritual climate in the world today. 47:12 Satan knows that his time is short. 47:15 It's getting inside the church. 47:17 Political correctness has no business in the church. 47:21 Absolutely. That's right. 47:22 Leave in politics, right? Absolutely. 47:24 But we tend to allow to come into the church. 47:27 The trouble is, I put here, 47:29 most SDA seem to think that because we as a church 47:32 have long taught obedience 47:34 to the Ten Commandments of God including the Sabbath, 47:37 we will not be deceived in the near future, 47:40 when a National Sunday Law is passed. 47:42 So logically we think or we, they, who may ever it is, 47:47 who may ever we're talking about here, 47:49 I hope it's not me but I've to put myself 47:52 and the rest of you. 47:53 Logically we think 47:54 there will be a light into the world... 47:56 We will be a light into the world 47:57 to stand for God's commandment 47:59 and be counted among those that hear. 48:01 Well done thou good and faithful servant. 48:03 But I want to tell you, if that's what you're thinking, 48:06 we really need to refocus and re-look at where we are. 48:10 Satan is way too smart for that. 48:12 Do we dare think that, he says, oh, I have one people, 48:16 a remnant group of people 48:17 and they are just waiting for this time, 48:19 they are gonna be all perfect and ready, 48:21 they are gonna be the bride of Christ 48:23 and then when these things happen 48:24 and Sunday Laws are passed, 48:26 they are gonna stand up and be counted. 48:28 It's what we do today decides whether we're gonna be ready 48:32 when this time comes or how do we know 48:34 we'll even live till tomorrow. 48:35 So we have to be ready today. 48:38 But Matthew 24:24. 48:40 Now, I've read this scripture lot of times and so of you. 48:42 "For there shall arise 48:44 false christs and false prophets 48:45 and shall show great signs and wonders, 48:48 and so much that if it were possible, 48:50 they shall deceive the very elect." 48:52 Now, how many of us 48:54 consider ourselves the very elect? 48:56 We really want to, right? 48:58 We really want to be but the devil 49:00 is the great deceptor, 49:01 that's who he is, he's the father of lie. 49:03 So deception by definition is someone 49:06 who's out to deceive. 49:07 So Satan is not gonna be happy with those who profess. 49:11 And I've done that and I'd think, boy, 49:12 I want to be part of the elect. 49:14 I'm those who keep the commandments of God 49:16 and have the faith of Jesus. 49:17 So we tend to put that Seventh-day Adventist Church 49:21 because we keep all the commandments of God. 49:23 Well, if that's what you're thinking, 49:25 let me rattle your cage for just a moment if I may. 49:28 But it says... 49:29 Well, who would have believed... 49:30 John, you hit on while ago. 49:32 Who would have believed, only a few years ago 49:34 many SDAs would support same sex marriage and abortion? 49:38 Now, aren't these also commandments of God? 49:41 Aren't they, the seven commandments of God? 49:43 So if we're saying that we are remnant folk, 49:47 remnant people, remnant church, that God is coming back, 49:50 that's the church who keeps the commandments of God 49:52 and have the faith of Jesus. 49:54 And yet we're not keeping these commandments, 49:56 are we really remnant people or a remnant church? 50:00 So I'm gonna give you some, 50:02 a few little shocking things here. 50:04 Did you know that we now have colleges and universities, 50:07 stick with me for a minute, 50:08 that support gay and lesbian students, 50:10 allowing them to be openly gay, promote their agenda on campus, 50:14 while at the same time 50:16 not allowing those opposed to this lifestyle 50:19 and opportunity to call sin by its right name. 50:22 Would you have ever thought that? 50:24 We have pastors, would you have ever believed? 50:27 Remnant church, would you have ever believed 50:29 that we have pastors who are now petitioning 50:32 the General Conference leaders. 50:34 I just talked to one last week, 50:35 the General Conference leader. 50:36 Are petitioning the General Conference leaders 50:39 for permission to do 50:41 same sex marriages in our churches. 50:43 Now, if you don't think we're at the end of time, 50:49 let me give you something to think about. 50:51 Did you ever think... 50:53 No matter what you read in the Bible 50:55 about all these terrible things it's gonna happen 50:57 and how people will be so deceived. 50:59 Did you ever in your wildest imagination, 51:02 Shelley, Mollie, Jill, John, folks at home, 51:05 everything that we would live in a generation 51:08 right before Jesus comes, 51:09 when people don't know what gender we are. 51:12 We don't know if we are boy or girl. 51:13 We don't know if we're male or female. 51:15 Now it's funny, a five and six year old child, 51:18 first grader knows if he's boy or girl, 51:20 but by the time we get 25, we don't know. 51:22 And we don't know because there are so many 51:25 genders out there that people are telling us about, 51:28 but people within the church, this is, 51:31 this political correctness is coming in the church 51:33 because as you already mentioned, 51:35 we don't want to offend others, so we're being careful. 51:38 So we don't want to call sin by its right name. 51:41 Now, I do want to say, 51:42 homosexuality is not any bigger sin 51:44 than any other sin, but it is sin 51:47 and it needs to be called by its right name. 51:50 So 10 to 20 years ago I wrote down, 51:52 "If a preacher talked about sin or transgression of God's laws, 51:56 he would just get a room, big room full of amens." 51:59 Today, if he does that, 52:00 he's considered politically incorrect 52:03 and he's gonna find himself in hot water. 52:05 But as I said earlier, 52:07 there's no room for political correctness in the church. 52:10 That's right. Now let me really... 52:12 Well, I'm gonna have to finish, 52:13 it looks like my time has gone here. 52:15 So I'm gonna jump up just a little bit. 52:16 But I want to say this that people are saying, 52:19 why are you harping on this 52:21 and why are you harping on that? 52:23 For Seventh-day Adventists have promoted the Sabbath... 52:27 Shelley and I 52:28 about 12 years ago wrote a book called 52:29 the "Ten Commandments Twice Removed", 52:31 because our people wanted to get the message out 52:34 of keeping all of God's commandments, 52:36 over 10 million of those are in print 52:38 have been distributed around the world. 52:41 But now I want to fast forward you to 12 years later, Shelley. 52:44 I've written a book called "Spiritual Vigilantes". 52:47 But in this book, as part of the book, 52:50 I talk about how same sex marriage 52:53 became law of the land here in the United States of America 52:56 and I talk about abortion 52:58 and people within the church are writing and saying, 53:03 you shouldn't be putting this information out. 53:05 We also talk about keeping the seventh day Sabbath. 53:08 But isn't it interesting, 53:10 we're all about promoting what we believed, 53:12 everyone else, but if it hits us in the face, 53:15 we're not so sure we want to hear that. 53:18 But I'm happy to tell you that we have reports of people 53:21 who already from reading this book have said, 53:24 that I'm now keeping the Sabbath because, 53:26 see, we name... 53:27 We'd only just talk about those things, 53:29 we talk about those from a biblical standpoint. 53:31 But sin is sin, whether it's adultery, 53:34 whether it's infidelity, whether it's lying, 53:37 whether it's gossiping, all sin is sin. 53:39 So we're not picking on any one sin. 53:41 But right now to see whatever sin is creeping into church, 53:44 we have to as the ministry and as individuals 53:47 and members of this church stand up 53:50 and give a wake up call to a lost and dying world. 53:53 So what I find out 53:55 is that people want to know the truth. 53:58 And we want to give the truth but we can't give something 54:02 that we don't have ourselves. 54:03 I don't have time to get the whole quote, 54:05 but I had a quote from Ellen White. 54:07 She says, "Near the end of earth's history, 54:10 a special bestowal of the spirit of grace 54:13 is promised to prepare the church 54:15 for the coming of the Son of man. 54:16 This outpouring of the Spirit 54:18 is likened to the falling of the latter rain." 54:20 Now she says this. 54:23 "Before the final visitation of God's judgments 54:25 upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord 54:28 such a revival of primitive godliness 54:30 as has not been witnessed since apostolic times. 54:33 The Spirit and power of God 54:35 will be poured out upon His people." 54:37 So what we are running into and what we're... 54:39 I am happy to say is happening. 54:41 John, there is a great tribulation about to fall, 54:45 but the latter rain is beginning to fall. 54:47 And when the latter rain falls, 54:49 it just separate the wheat and the chaff, 54:50 and suddenly everybody is gonna know where we stand. 54:53 But if we're gonna be ready, we have to be ready today. 54:57 Not look forward to 54:58 when the Sunday Law is passed or when... 55:00 So the question today, "Where will you be, 55:03 what voice when Jesus speaks will we hear, 55:06 enter in or will we hear, depart from His?" 55:09 My prayer that each and every one of us hear Jesus say, 55:12 enter into the joy of the Lord. 55:14 Amen. 55:15 But on that note, Danny, let me give you 55:17 about a minute more because we're winding up here. 55:18 And I think that will give us enough time to go ahead 55:20 and each person could summarize what we talked about. 55:22 But that's a powerful thing. 55:24 Any closing thoughts on that, since you're on a roll? 55:26 Well, I just... 55:27 When I do it, I want people to know 55:29 what I share is out of love. 55:30 I am not condemning people 55:31 or trying to call out colleges or people, 55:34 but I want to know that we're not immune 55:37 as Seventh-day Adventist Christians 55:38 that we don't, because we know the commandments of God. 55:41 We're not immune. Satan has a plan to destroy us. 55:43 Who does he hate the most on earth? 55:45 Those who are standing up for God 55:48 and keeping the commandments of God. 55:50 So it's a prayer. 55:51 Well, I may sound like I'm harsh. 55:54 Please I'm doing this in love. 55:55 And I intend to give a wake up call 55:57 to get us thinking, 55:59 where am I and how will I stand 56:01 when I stand in the presence of God? 56:03 Amen. Amen. Praise the Lord. 56:05 Well, I'm gonna just come with the line. 56:06 Jill, summarize what you have covered for us 56:08 as we close out this wonderful lesson on stewardship. 56:11 Our influence is incredible because as we follow Jesus 56:15 and as we walk with Him, 56:17 then our influence will point other people to Jesus. 56:20 That's right. Shelley? Amen. 56:21 And when you think about being a good steward, 56:23 this, this is an... 56:25 I mean, people see that, it has strong influence. 56:29 Simply that, as good stewards... 56:32 One of the results of stewardship 56:34 is that we learn to trust more and more 56:38 and we enjoy the perfect peace of the Lord. 56:40 Mollie? 56:41 The results of stewardship contentment. 56:43 But, Danny, from what you're saying, 56:45 the results of being a good steward 56:47 for all that God had entrusted to us, 56:49 is that we'll be obedient to His Word. 56:52 Amen. That's right. 56:53 Friends, remember godliness will always cost you something, 56:55 but godliness is not a debt, it is an eternal assert. 57:00 And all of us together, we're looking 57:02 as we examine our lives this quarter, 57:04 this lesson has caused each one of us 57:05 to examine our lives in so many areas. 57:07 And thank you, Danny, 57:08 for casting the vision as we entered into 2018, 57:12 that this is the year of... 57:13 Present truth. Present truth. 57:15 The truth is always present 57:17 because Jesus is never, "a was." 57:20 He is and He is to come. 57:22 May the stewardship of God's Holy Spirit 57:24 guide you to be ready when Jesus comes. 57:27 God bless you until we see you again. |
Revised 2018-03-29