Welcome back, we're in
the middle of our study
00:00:02.46\00:00:04.80
of the Sabbath School
Lesson and Brother Johnny,
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you have Tuesday, you
want to pick it up for us? YES!
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Well the title for
Tuesday's lesson is
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"The Division of
the Hebrew Nation"
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You know when you read the Book
of Judges, it's just amazing
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and you say, "Why? Why?"
Because "And the children
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of Israel did evil again
in the sight of the Lord."
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And then it talks to you
about eventually it gets to the
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kings... "And this king
did more evil than the kings
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that were all before him."
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So there was this back
and forth that was going on.
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Now, when you get to the lesson
for Tuesday, it talks about
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the path of apostasy
and its dire consequences,
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and we're going to talk
about Rehoboam which is in
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1 Kings 12:1-16... So
I would like to read this
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in a moment, but first I
would like to give you a little
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background because this is the
time after the death of Solomon.
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You remember Solomon
- the Lord blessed him
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with great wisdom - in so
much that the Queen of Sheba
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came to see Solomon because
she heard of all the wisdom
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of Solomon and she came
and traveled far to see if
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what she heard was true!
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So when you get to 1 Kings 10,
after she looked at everything,
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I would like to read
a few things to set the
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background to all this.
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After she looked at
everything and questioned
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Solomon about all
these wonderful things
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that she wanted answers for,
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and Solomon answered her wisely.
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Look at what happened
in 1 Kings 10 beginning
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in verse 4... "And
when the Queen of Sheba
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had seen all of the wisdom
of Solomon - the house that he
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had built, the food on
his table, the seating of his
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servants, the service of
his waiters and their apparel,
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his cupbearers and his
entryway by which he went
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up to the house of the Lord,
there was no more spirit in her.
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And then she said to the
king, "It was a true report
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which I heard in my
own land about your words
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and your wisdom;
however, I did not believe
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the words until I came
and saw with my own eyes,
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and indeed the
half was not told me.
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Your wisdom and
prosperity exceeds
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the fame of which I heard.
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Happy are your men and
happy are these your servants,
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who stand continually
before you and hear your wisdom.
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Blessed be the Lord your God..."
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(Notice when God gives
a gift to us, a blessing,
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it's for the people to
praise the Lord) and blessed
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be the Lord your God
who delighted in you,
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setting you on the throne
of Israel because the Lord
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has loved Israel forever,
therefore, He made you king
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to do justice
and righteousness."
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So what was he supposed to
do? Justice and righteousness.
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But when you get to chapter
12, apparently there was a
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change that happened
because in his time of apostasy
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he began and took
many strange women;
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and he set up shrines for idols
and began to worship idols.
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And when you get
to 1 Corinthians 12,
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the stage is set and
the people are very upset
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about the conditions -
they were taxed heavily.
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1 Kings... Yes, in 1
Kings 12, thank you very much.
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Did I say second?
You said 1 Corinthians.
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1 Corinthians! There's a
text that I may be sharing
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later in 1 Corinthians.
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Now 1 Kings 12... thank you.
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Let's go ahead and read
verses 1-16 really quick
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because time is short.
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"And Rehoboam went to
Shechem, for all Israel
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had gone to
Shechem to make him king.
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So it happened, when
Jeroboam the son of Nebat
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heard it (he was still in
Egypt, for he had fled from
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the presence of King Solomon
and had been dwelling in Egypt),
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that they sent and called him.
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Then Jeroboam and the
whole assembly of Israel came
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and spoke with
Rehoboam, saying, "Your father
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made our yoke heavy;
now therefore, lighten the
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burdensome service of
your father, and his heavy yoke
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which he put on us,
and we will serve you."
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(now this is during the time
of his apostasy - that things
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changed for Israel -
before, everybody was happy
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because the king was a
wise ruler and brought justice
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to Israel, but things changed)
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"So he said to them, depart
for three days (that's what
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Rehoboam said) then come back
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to me and the people departed.
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Then King Rehoboam
consulted the elders who stood
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before his father
Solomon while he still lived,
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and he said, "How do you advise
me to answer these people?"
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"And they spoke to him, saying,
"If you will be a servant
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to these people today, and
serve them, and answer them,
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and speak good words
to them, then they will be
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your servants forever."
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Wise counsel,
but for some reason
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he was not happy with that.
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And it says in verse 8...
"But he rejected the advice
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which the elders had given him,
and he consulted the young men
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who had grown up with
him, who stood before him.
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And he said to them,
"What advice do you give?
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How should we answer
this people who have spoken
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to me saying, "Lighten the yoke
which your father put on us?"
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Then the young men
who had grown up with him,
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spoke to him, saying, "Thus
you should speak to this people
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who have spoken to you, saying,
"Your father made our yoke
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heavy, but you make it lighter
on us - thus you shall say
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to them: "My little
finger shall be thicker than
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my father's waist!
And now, whereas my father
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put a heavy yoke on
you, I will add to your yoke;
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my father chastised
you with whips, but I will
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chastise you with scourges!"
(and in the King James it says
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"scorpions")
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So Jeroboam and all the people
came to Rehoboam the third day,
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as the king had directed,
saying, "Come back to me
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the third day."
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Then the king
answered the people roughly,
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and rejected the advice
which the elders had given him;
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and he spoke to them according
to the advice of the young men,
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saying, "My father made
your yoke heavy, but I will add
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to your yoke; my father
chastised you with whips,
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but I will
chastise you with scourges!"
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So the king did not listen
to the people; for the turn
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of events was from the Lord,
that He might fulfill His word,
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which the Lord had spoken
by Ahijah the Shilonite to
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to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
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Now when all Israel saw that
the king did not listen to them,
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the people
answered the king saying:
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"What share have we in David?
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We have no
inheritance in the son of Jesse.
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To your tents, O Israel!
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Now, see to your
own house, O David!"
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So I had to read all this
to give you the background
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here because here you
have advice from the elders
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that had been from
Solomon... they had experience,
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and they gave him wise advice.
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But when he heard the young
men... to answer them roughly
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and treat them
WORSE than his father did,
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he decided to
listen to the young men.
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So here was a marvelous
opportunity for Rehoboam
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to be able to set things
in such a way that the people
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of Israel would be his
servants - they would delight
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in serving him because
he lightened their burden.
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But he chose something
different and it caused division
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in the land.
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So, this helps us
to understand, as well,
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I like to bring it home, as they
say, I like to bring it home.
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This also helps us to understand
that God gives all of us
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opportunities. Yes
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He gives us choices - choose
this way or choose this way.
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And if we choose
the way of the Lord,
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there will be a blessing for us.
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And if we
choose the way of evil,
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there will be bad
results, and I don't know,
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I have chosen badly sometimes
and I have had bad results.
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I don't know if
anyone else would raise
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their hand to that
fact, but when we don't do
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the Lord's will - bad results.
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So Rehoboam brought,
through his reign, division
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among the people and set
the stage for terrible, terrible
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consequences that happened
during the time of his reign.
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And of course, had Rehoboam
listened to the counselors,
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and understood the
divine will concerning Israel,
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they would have listened
to the request of the people
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for decided reforms
in the administration
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of the government.
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So the hour of opportunity came
to him and he did not listen,
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and, therefore, bad results.
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And so, I would like to leave
it there and I would like to
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reserve some time for the rest,
Sister Mollie and Pastor John.
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Pastor Dinzey, I want
you to know you laid a very
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good foundation here concerning
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the divisions in
the Old Testament.
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We find divisions
in the Old Testament.
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And division was never
God's plan for His people.
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What was God's original
plan for His people? Unity.
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Unity - I love
the word "harmony."
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For His people to be
holy, God's original vision,
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harmony for His people to
be holy and to be a witness...
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Jill, I think you covered
this earlier - to be a witness
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to all the nations around them.
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Remember God's original
purpose for the nation of Israel
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that the people would see the
blessings of God on that nation,
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and that nation would
be in unity and in harmony
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and something I
want to repeat...
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It's Deuteronomy 4:6...
"The nations around them..."
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(around the nation
of Israel would say)
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"Surely this great nation is a
wise and understanding people."
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Well Johnny, do you think
that with the decision that
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was made by the king, do
you think that the nations
00:10:03.10\00:10:05.87
around him were
going to say that?
00:10:05.90\00:10:07.77
No, what did it do? It
plunged them into deeper
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disunity - deeper disharmony.
00:10:11.44\00:10:14.44
Now the lesson that I'm
covering today is Wednesday,
00:10:14.48\00:10:18.41
and it takes you
into the New Testament.
00:10:18.45\00:10:21.72
The title of this is
"Schisms... Johnny asked me if I
00:10:21.75\00:10:25.32
was going to use that word,
that just means "divisions."
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I think I can say
that word easier...
00:10:28.42\00:10:31.06
"Divisions in the
Church of Corinth"
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Paul was going to address this.
00:10:33.86\00:10:36.43
We see divisions
in the Hebrew nation.
00:10:36.46\00:10:41.50
We're going to
look at divisions in the
00:10:42.74\00:10:45.44
New Testament
Church, but precious people,
00:10:45.47\00:10:48.31
we've got divisions
in our church today.
00:10:48.34\00:10:51.28
And the purpose for the Old
Testament is for us to learn.
00:10:51.31\00:10:55.02
All Scripture is
given by inspiration of God
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and it's for us to learn.
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Let us learn from the bad
mistakes that they made there.
00:11:00.02\00:11:03.43
Let us look into the
church at Corinth and let's
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learn from those
mistakes so that we, today...
00:11:07.10\00:11:09.80
Pastor Lomacang,
wouldn't you love to have total
00:11:09.83\00:11:12.13
division in unity and
harmony in our church?
00:11:12.17\00:11:15.50
And I'm thinking of the
church here in Thompsonville,
00:11:15.87\00:11:18.87
we've got a good
church here! Yes! Amen!
00:11:18.91\00:11:21.14
But every one of us
needs to look into our hearts
00:11:21.18\00:11:24.01
and ask God - "Oh
Father, if there's divisions
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in my heart,
search them out." Amen!
00:11:27.25\00:11:29.15
So in the first four
chapters, I want you to go to
00:11:29.18\00:11:33.09
1 Corinthians the first
chapter, we're going to look at
00:11:33.12\00:11:37.49
verses 10-13, but in the first
four chapters of 1 Corinthians,
00:11:37.53\00:11:42.80
the Apostle Paul appeals
to the believer for unity.
00:11:42.83\00:11:48.54
See, Paul was at
Ephesus, he had been in Corinth,
00:11:48.57\00:11:52.71
established the church in
Corinth, now he's in Ephesus,
00:11:52.74\00:11:55.98
and while he's in
Ephesus, he hears that there are
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divisions - that
there are problems
00:12:00.18\00:12:01.98
in the church at Corinth.
00:12:02.02\00:12:04.02
Now this is what
the Apostle Paul did...
00:12:04.05\00:12:06.22
Thank goodness, he was a
great orator, but he was a great
00:12:06.25\00:12:10.46
oratition - that's not the word,
00:12:10.49\00:12:12.46
he could write a
beautiful letter!
00:12:12.49\00:12:14.43
That's what I want to say!
00:12:14.46\00:12:15.93
He wrote so many of the
books in the New Testament,
00:12:15.96\00:12:19.73
and these books that he's
writing - most all the time
00:12:19.77\00:12:23.91
they're addressing problems,
issues that were in the
00:12:23.94\00:12:28.44
churches. So let's read
here in 1 Corinthians 1:10-13...
00:12:28.48\00:12:33.48
He says, "Now I plead with you,
00:12:33.52\00:12:35.45
(now that's
sincere, isn't it, sincerity)
00:12:35.48\00:12:38.15
"I plead with you, brethren,
by the name of our Lord Jesus
00:12:38.19\00:12:42.06
Christ, that you all speak
the same thing, and that there
00:12:42.09\00:12:46.03
be no... what?
What is that word?
00:12:46.06\00:12:48.03
Division...So what
problem is he addressing?
00:12:48.06\00:12:51.23
He's addressing divisions
among you, but that you be
00:12:52.20\00:12:57.04
perfectly joined
together in the same mind
00:12:57.07\00:12:59.37
and in the same judgment.
00:12:59.41\00:13:01.24
For it has been declared to
me concerning you, my brethren,
00:13:01.28\00:13:05.95
by those of Chloe's
household, that there are
00:13:05.98\00:13:09.85
contentions among you."
00:13:09.88\00:13:11.29
Now I'd say this, that
each of you says, "I am of Paul"
00:13:11.32\00:13:17.76
or "I am of
Apollos," or "I am of Cephas,"
00:13:17.79\00:13:21.63
or "I am of Christ."
(and he asked this question)
00:13:21.66\00:13:25.17
Is Christ divided? Was
Paul crucified for you?
00:13:25.20\00:13:29.34
Or were you baptized
in the name of Paul?"
00:13:29.37\00:13:32.24
So what is
causing this disunity?
00:13:32.27\00:13:35.48
People are lining up behind men.
00:13:35.51\00:13:40.35
They are putting their
allegiance behind a man,
00:13:40.38\00:13:44.89
and what is the
purpose of Paul's letter?
00:13:44.92\00:13:48.42
It's to bring them,
even if they're behind him,
00:13:48.46\00:13:52.66
he says, "No, you need to
bring your allegiance to Christ
00:13:52.69\00:13:57.73
and Christ alone."
00:13:57.77\00:13:59.10
Put your
allegiance behind Paul...
00:13:59.13\00:14:01.24
His solution was to
remind them that they were
00:14:01.27\00:14:05.67
Christians, followers of
Christ and not of human beings.
00:14:05.71\00:14:10.71
And I want to just
make this statement,
00:14:10.75\00:14:12.85
ya'll have heard
this statement...
00:14:12.88\00:14:14.45
How often will man
disappoint you? EVERY time.
00:14:14.48\00:14:19.19
Will Christ ever
disappoint you? No.
00:14:19.22\00:14:21.69
Now let me ask you this...
00:14:21.72\00:14:23.06
Have you ever seen the
devastation that a fall of the
00:14:23.09\00:14:30.23
spiritual leader can cause? Yes.
00:14:30.27\00:14:33.44
People that had their
eyes on that spiritual leader
00:14:33.47\00:14:38.27
when the spiritual leader
falls, they become disappointed,
00:14:38.31\00:14:43.35
and disillusioned and instead
of leaving the spiritual leader,
00:14:43.38\00:14:50.02
what are they prone to
do? They'll leave the church.
00:14:50.05\00:14:53.52
They'll leave God.
00:14:53.56\00:14:54.89
And I'm thinking about
all that disappointment.
00:14:54.92\00:14:58.76
In 1844, you all know
the disappointment of 1844.
00:14:58.79\00:15:01.96
The disappointment of 1844
and were the people disappointed
00:15:05.27\00:15:10.04
Pastor Lomacang? Oh yes.
00:15:10.07\00:15:11.41
Okay, how many
people... I asked you about
00:15:11.44\00:15:13.94
this earlier - how many people?
00:15:13.98\00:15:15.54
Well it was
estimated about 75,000 left the
00:15:15.58\00:15:18.68
early Advent movement.
00:15:18.71\00:15:20.05
They made their decisions
to follow it not based on
00:15:20.08\00:15:24.12
their dedication to
Christ, but based on their
00:15:24.15\00:15:27.06
dedication to
William Miller's views.
00:15:27.09\00:15:29.06
So great disappointment
and a great many people
00:15:29.09\00:15:33.76
were just left devastated.
00:15:33.80\00:15:35.90
Oh, but thank God for
that group that they were
00:15:35.93\00:15:40.47
disappointed but
here is what they did...
00:15:40.50\00:15:43.54
They dug more deeply
into God's word and they found
00:15:43.57\00:15:51.91
a sure foundation
and stability to continue
00:15:51.95\00:15:56.65
establishing this
movement. That's right.
00:15:56.69\00:15:59.22
And that movement is the
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:15:59.25\00:16:03.93
so although many were
disillusioned, they did what
00:16:03.96\00:16:08.06
Paul is saying to do here.
00:16:08.10\00:16:10.23
They put their allegiance
behind the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:16:10.27\00:16:15.47
Paul speaks clearly to those
in Corinth - that no matter
00:16:15.50\00:16:20.08
how worthy... Now
we have men and women
00:16:20.11\00:16:22.71
that we need to
love, we need to admire,
00:16:22.74\00:16:25.55
we need to respect them, but
we don't put our eyes on them.
00:16:25.58\00:16:29.25
They are not the one who we
are looking to as our example.
00:16:29.28\00:16:33.62
Who is our only
example? Jesus Christ.
00:16:33.66\00:16:35.46
Our only example has got
to be the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:16:35.49\00:16:39.19
It is Christ and Him crucified
that is the source of all truth.
00:16:39.23\00:16:46.00
Paul pleads with us that
there be no division among us.
00:16:46.03\00:16:51.57
That we be perfectly
joined together of the same mind
00:16:51.61\00:16:55.74
and the same judgment.
00:16:55.78\00:16:57.38
In Corinthians, Paul is
addressing members of the
00:16:57.41\00:17:00.78
same church.
00:17:00.82\00:17:02.15
I've got just a
minute, but I want us to
00:17:02.18\00:17:05.12
look at something else...
00:17:05.15\00:17:06.69
I want us to look at something
that Paul says in Romans 12:18.
00:17:06.72\00:17:12.09
You don't have to turn to it.
00:17:12.13\00:17:13.60
What he says, "If it is
possible, as much as depends
00:17:13.63\00:17:19.10
on you, live peaceably
with what? With all men.
00:17:19.13\00:17:23.04
You see, I am in a situation
now where I have moved.
00:17:23.07\00:17:26.88
I was in an
Adventist environment;
00:17:26.91\00:17:29.64
I worked at an
Adventist ministry;
00:17:29.68\00:17:33.01
of course I
attended an Adventist church;
00:17:33.05\00:17:35.02
all of my buds are Adventists,
I've moved to where all
00:17:35.05\00:17:39.32
family is and, you know, none
of my family are Adventists.
00:17:39.35\00:17:42.92
None of Hal's
family are Adventists.
00:17:42.96\00:17:44.83
We have a
wonderful Adventist Church in
00:17:44.86\00:17:47.20
Decatur, Alabama, but
you know something I can do?
00:17:47.23\00:17:50.57
I can agree on the areas, I
can agree on with my family,
00:17:50.60\00:17:55.34
and what we have determined
00:17:55.37\00:17:57.14
to do is live in peace
and harmony with each other
00:17:57.17\00:18:01.21
because there are
areas we don't agree on.
00:18:01.24\00:18:04.21
Now I don't compromise by
any means and don't hear me say
00:18:04.25\00:18:08.38
compromise, but what I do...
if I try to force my beliefs
00:18:08.42\00:18:14.06
down their throat - you
know what I've just done?
00:18:14.09\00:18:16.26
I've just alienated them, but
if I love them and let my light
00:18:16.29\00:18:20.46
so shine around them,
then that loving hand is more
00:18:20.50\00:18:25.10
apt to draw them into the
truth God has blessed us with
00:18:25.13\00:18:29.34
than if I try to
force if on them.
00:18:29.37\00:18:31.61
So to the degree that we can,
00:18:31.64\00:18:33.98
let us live at peace
with everybody. Amen!
00:18:34.01\00:18:36.98
Thank you Mollie, thank you
Jill, Shelley and Pastor Dinzey.
00:18:37.01\00:18:40.48
And now we're on
Thursday... "Wolves Will Come"
00:18:40.52\00:18:44.69
Wolves! Wow! That's
a very cautious word.
00:18:44.72\00:18:48.96
We've heard about the
dragon, we've heard about Satan,
00:18:48.99\00:18:53.40
but WOLVES - a
completely different identity.
00:18:53.43\00:18:57.07
And there's a statement
that we've heard before...
00:18:57.10\00:18:59.17
Wolves in... what kind of
clothing? Sheep's clothing.
00:18:59.20\00:19:03.34
I want to begin with Acts 20,
00:19:03.37\00:19:05.54
if you have your
Bibles, go there with me.
00:19:05.57\00:19:07.08
This is a very interesting topic
how Paul, the Apostle, warns
00:19:07.11\00:19:10.71
the Ephesian elders
about the conditions
00:19:10.75\00:19:15.22
that they are going
to be confronted with,
00:19:15.25\00:19:16.58
and the amazing
thing about that...
00:19:16.62\00:19:18.45
Ephesus denotes the beginning
00:19:18.49\00:19:20.49
of the push of the
Christian movement.
00:19:20.52\00:19:22.39
The Church at Ephesus,
the very first one, the push.
00:19:22.42\00:19:25.43
At the very onset of
the Christian Church,
00:19:25.46\00:19:28.86
Satan loaded his guns
to come after the Christian
00:19:28.90\00:19:32.03
by bringing people in.
00:19:32.07\00:19:33.40
Now before we talk
about the solution to wolves,
00:19:33.44\00:19:37.07
we're going to talk
about the identity of wolves.
00:19:37.11\00:19:39.31
How do you find them out?
00:19:39.34\00:19:40.68
Let's start with Acts 20:25...
"And indeed now I know that
00:19:40.71\00:19:45.35
you all among whom I
have gone preaching the
00:19:45.38\00:19:48.42
kingdom of God,
will see my face no more.
00:19:48.45\00:19:51.12
(in other words, I'm leaving)
00:19:51.15\00:19:52.49
Therefore I testify to you
this day that I am innocent
00:19:52.52\00:19:56.12
of the blood of all men."
00:19:56.16\00:19:57.76
(Ezekiel 33... "I'm
going to tell you the
00:19:57.79\00:20:01.36
truth so when the accountability
comes, it's not on my hand.")
00:20:01.40\00:20:04.37
Therefore take heed
to yourselves and to all
00:20:05.30\00:20:08.97
the flock, among which the Holy
Spirit has made you overseers,
00:20:09.00\00:20:13.98
to shepherd the church
of God which He purchased
00:20:14.01\00:20:17.25
with His own blood.
00:20:17.28\00:20:18.61
For I know this, that
after my departure savage wolves
00:20:18.65\00:20:22.62
will come in among
you, not sparing the flock.
00:20:22.65\00:20:25.75
Also from among
yourselves men will rise up,
00:20:25.79\00:20:30.06
speaking perverse
things, (that's confusing,
00:20:30.09\00:20:32.93
corrupt things) and it says...
to draw away the disciples
00:20:32.96\00:20:37.17
after themselves.
00:20:37.20\00:20:38.53
Therefore watch (what did
they say we should do? watch)
00:20:38.57\00:20:42.27
and remember that for
three years I did not cease to
00:20:42.30\00:20:45.81
warn everyone night
and day with tears."
00:20:45.84\00:20:49.44
Paul was serious, so now
in his departure, he's saying,
00:20:49.48\00:20:52.98
"Be careful, be careful."
00:20:53.01\00:20:55.05
So I want to do is I
want to begin by identifying
00:20:55.08\00:20:57.69
four particular areas
where we could identify wolves
00:20:57.72\00:21:00.56
because the
Bible makes it clear...
00:21:00.59\00:21:02.66
A wolf in the little kiddy
story - I forgot what they call
00:21:02.69\00:21:08.16
... fairytales, remember
growing up, the little tale of
00:21:08.20\00:21:10.73
Red Riding Hood...
you know, for those of you
00:21:10.77\00:21:14.47
who never heard about
it, don't worry about it.
00:21:14.50\00:21:16.20
But the whole
purpose of it was - the wolf
00:21:16.24\00:21:18.11
camouflaged himself
to make him look like
00:21:18.14\00:21:20.04
Little Red Riding
Hood's grandmother,
00:21:20.08\00:21:21.81
until he turned
around, he had on the external
00:21:21.84\00:21:24.35
garments, but his internal
intentions were quite vicious,
00:21:24.38\00:21:27.78
savage as it were
denoted in the Bible.
00:21:27.82\00:21:31.12
First of all, how
to identify a wolf?
00:21:31.15\00:21:32.79
Their exterior
actions camouflaged
00:21:32.82\00:21:38.26
their interior intents.
00:21:38.29\00:21:41.10
Their external actions
camouflaged their internal
00:21:41.13\00:21:44.87
intents - in other
words, they do things that seem
00:21:44.90\00:21:47.24
so innocuous, but in fact,
00:21:47.27\00:21:48.80
it's very
intentional and very vicious.
00:21:48.84\00:21:50.67
Paul talks about this
in 2 Corinthians 11:13...
00:21:50.71\00:21:54.44
So the first warning
is, don't take the external
00:21:54.48\00:21:57.81
as evidence to the internal.
00:21:57.85\00:22:00.72
Don't let the external
fool you; listen carefully
00:22:00.75\00:22:04.75
because out of the abundance
of the heart what happens?
00:22:04.79\00:22:07.32
... the mouth speaks.
00:22:07.36\00:22:09.02
Give that person time to
reveal who they really are.
00:22:09.06\00:22:12.13
The Apostle Paul, 2
Corinthians 11:13...
00:22:12.16\00:22:15.16
"For such are false
apostles, deceitful workers,
00:22:15.20\00:22:19.87
(here's the exterior)
transforming themselves
00:22:19.90\00:22:22.57
into apostles of Christ.
00:22:22.60\00:22:24.07
And no wonder! (here's
the exterior camouflaged)
00:22:24.11\00:22:26.91
For Satan himself transforms
himself into an angel of light.
00:22:26.94\00:22:30.91
Therefore it is no great
thing if his ministers (so when
00:22:30.95\00:22:34.12
somebody says "I'm a
minister," I say, "what kind?"
00:22:34.15\00:22:36.22
what kind? we'll talk
about that in a moment)
00:22:36.25\00:22:38.72
also transform
themselves into ministers of
00:22:38.75\00:22:42.12
righteousness whose end will
be according to their works."
00:22:42.16\00:22:45.53
In the Book of Titus
1:16... "They profess to know
00:22:46.70\00:22:50.50
God, but in works they
deny Him, being abominable
00:22:50.53\00:22:54.30
disobedient and disqualified
for every good work."
00:22:54.34\00:22:57.77
"They say they know Me."
But when you examine their
00:22:57.81\00:23:01.21
intentions when you
examine their fruit,
00:23:01.24\00:23:03.65
because we are told
by their fruits how?
00:23:03.68\00:23:05.71
"By their fruit
we will know them."
00:23:05.75\00:23:07.72
The second identity is
exactly, they look the part,
00:23:07.75\00:23:11.45
but they don't
produce the fruit.
00:23:11.49\00:23:15.02
"By their fruit
you will know them."
00:23:15.06\00:23:16.93
They look the part,
but examine the fruit.
00:23:16.96\00:23:19.66
That's so vitally important
because people today...
00:23:19.69\00:23:22.93
I'm a New Yorker and I'm a
fan of... I shouldn't say fan
00:23:22.96\00:23:28.07
because that's short
for fanatic, but I enjoy
00:23:28.10\00:23:29.94
my New York teams - I'm a
fan of the New York Knicks.
00:23:29.97\00:23:33.21
There, I said it!
00:23:33.24\00:23:34.58
And I have some
New York Knicks shirts.
00:23:34.61\00:23:37.05
Now if I put on the entire
uniform, somebody might say,
00:23:37.08\00:23:40.45
"Do you play for the
New York Knicks?" No.
00:23:40.48\00:23:43.55
Because they'll check the
roster and my name is not there.
00:23:43.59\00:23:46.35
The Lord doesn't have
those who are camouflaged
00:23:46.39\00:23:50.63
in His roster - He
hasn't called them.
00:23:50.66\00:23:53.60
He hasn't chosen them
and they have an intentional
00:23:53.63\00:23:58.70
intent on the inside
that can only be found or
00:23:58.73\00:24:04.74
discovered when we
listen to what they're saying
00:24:04.77\00:24:07.78
and when we
examine their fruits.
00:24:07.81\00:24:09.34
Third thing... They don't
listen to the shepherd's voice.
00:24:09.38\00:24:13.01
John 10:16...
"Other sheep I have which
00:24:13.05\00:24:15.85
are not of this fold."
00:24:15.88\00:24:17.22
We're not talking about
the sheep - we're talking about
00:24:17.25\00:24:19.12
the leaders because
there are sheep everywhere.
00:24:19.15\00:24:22.36
Do we agree that God's people
are in every denomination?
00:24:22.39\00:24:24.53
Absolutely! They are
everywhere, but the problem
00:24:24.56\00:24:26.16
is that the leaders are
not always of God's fold.
00:24:26.19\00:24:29.70
"Other sheep I have
that are not of this fold.
00:24:29.73\00:24:32.03
Them also I must bring
and they will hear My voice;
00:24:32.07\00:24:35.17
and there will be one
flock and one shepherd"
00:24:35.20\00:24:37.77
or one fold and one shepherd.
00:24:37.81\00:24:39.17
So the point is - they don't
listen to the shepherd's voice,
00:24:39.21\00:24:42.41
and the Prophet Jeremiah
talked about - here's one...
00:24:42.44\00:24:46.51
Jeremiah 23:21...
"I have not sent these
00:24:46.55\00:24:50.75
prophets, yet they ran.
00:24:50.79\00:24:52.62
I have not spoken to
them, yet they prophesied."
00:24:52.65\00:24:56.02
And today, we live in a
world of prophetic confusion.
00:24:56.06\00:24:58.73
And people say, "Well this
is good prophecy," and they say,
00:24:58.76\00:25:01.20
"What makes your
prophecy so true?"
00:25:01.23\00:25:02.93
When we speak a prophecy,
it must be supported by
00:25:02.96\00:25:05.43
Scripture because no
prophecy of Scripture is of any
00:25:05.47\00:25:08.50
private
interpretation. That's right.
00:25:08.54\00:25:10.41
So whatever the prophecy
is, it must be supported by
00:25:10.44\00:25:13.64
the word of God
beginning to end. Absolutely.
00:25:13.68\00:25:15.98
So we have to make
sure that if somebody says,
00:25:16.01\00:25:18.11
"I'm a shepherd or I
am a follower of Christ,
00:25:18.15\00:25:20.62
or I'm a sheep of His fold,"
and they speak differently,
00:25:20.65\00:25:24.05
they are a wolf - a savage wolf.
00:25:24.09\00:25:26.42
The other one, they claim
to know Jesus, but the sign
00:25:26.45\00:25:29.92
of allegiance
to Him is rejected.
00:25:29.96\00:25:32.29
They claim to know Him.
00:25:32.33\00:25:33.96
Here's the
evidence 1 John 2:3...
00:25:34.00\00:25:36.77
"Now by this we
know that we know Him,
00:25:36.80\00:25:39.33
if we keep His commandments.
00:25:39.37\00:25:42.67
He who says (I'm going
to say it with enthusiasm)
00:25:42.70\00:25:45.87
HE WHO SAYS, whatever a
minister says, "I know Him,
00:25:45.91\00:25:51.11
and does not
keep His commandments,
00:25:51.15\00:25:53.38
(the Scripture says)
He is a liar and the truth
00:25:53.42\00:25:57.15
is not in Him." That's
God's discretionary evidence.
00:25:57.19\00:26:00.29
So if somebody says,
"Are you an American citizen?
00:26:01.06\00:26:03.12
Let me see your
passport, are you an American?
00:26:03.16\00:26:04.83
Were you... Are you?
Let me see your passport.
00:26:04.86\00:26:06.36
Let me see your
birth certificate."
00:26:06.39\00:26:07.73
The sign of allegiance
and identity must be there,
00:26:08.23\00:26:11.10
am I right? Yes.
00:26:11.13\00:26:12.47
So what are the ways
that we can be discretionary,
00:26:12.50\00:26:15.70
and we could be furnished
with the Scriptural tools
00:26:15.74\00:26:18.81
because don't make decisions
about people whether or not
00:26:18.84\00:26:21.51
they are true or false -
on your feelings; on your
00:26:21.54\00:26:25.55
prejudices - we
may not like a person;
00:26:25.58\00:26:28.98
we may not like the way
they sound or the way they
00:26:29.02\00:26:31.19
sing or the way they preach,
or we may have an aversion
00:26:31.22\00:26:33.99
towards their denomination.
00:26:34.02\00:26:36.52
Never make a
decision based on that.
00:26:36.56\00:26:38.19
Always make your decision
based on God's word - the only
00:26:38.23\00:26:41.06
level of discretion.
00:26:41.10\00:26:42.56
The other thing is they teach
that God is also not specific.
00:26:42.60\00:26:47.80
They teach that
God is not specific.
00:26:47.84\00:26:49.70
How many times have you
heard people say, "I know that's
00:26:49.74\00:26:52.41
your truth and this is
my truth; you've got your
00:26:52.44\00:26:54.81
points in the Bible to
back up what you believe;
00:26:54.84\00:26:56.18
I have my points to
back up what I believe."
00:26:56.21\00:26:57.65
I have a letter in my cabinet
to this very day of a pastor
00:26:57.68\00:27:01.15
of a large church who has
said, "You have your Scriptures
00:27:01.18\00:27:03.05
to back up what you
believe and I have mine."
00:27:03.08\00:27:04.42
I said, "Brother, we don't
have Scriptures that back up
00:27:04.45\00:27:06.89
two points of controversy.
00:27:06.92\00:27:08.69
Either mine is
according to the Scriptures,
00:27:08.72\00:27:10.53
or yours is.
00:27:10.56\00:27:11.89
They claim allegiance, but they
teach that God is not specific.
00:27:11.93\00:27:15.23
Here's one of the evidences...
00:27:15.26\00:27:16.83
Some people say it
doesn't matter what day...
00:27:16.87\00:27:18.37
you pick a day and make
that holy; I'll pick a day
00:27:18.40\00:27:20.20
and make this holy,
but the identifying mark is
00:27:20.24\00:27:23.04
"The seventh day is the
Sabbath of the Lord your God,"
00:27:23.07\00:27:26.51
so it is not the day YOU PICK,
it's the God to whom you are
00:27:26.54\00:27:30.48
connected because He has
already selected that day.
00:27:30.51\00:27:32.75
Exodus 20:10... one of the ways
we have to keep this in mind is,
00:27:32.78\00:27:37.29
and since I have
less than a minute...
00:27:37.32\00:27:38.85
Shelley, I understand
how you feel. You are fine.
00:27:38.89\00:27:42.46
To resolve the issues that
come to us from savage wolves,
00:27:42.49\00:27:48.50
we have to take heed to
ourselves and to the teachings
00:27:48.53\00:27:51.33
of God's word to the doctrines.
00:27:51.37\00:27:52.90
1 Timothy 4:16...
"We have to continue in
00:27:52.93\00:27:55.80
them for in so doing, we will
both save ourselves and those
00:27:55.84\00:28:00.11
who hear us.
00:28:00.14\00:28:01.68
The other thing - we have
to establish ourselves firmly
00:28:01.71\00:28:05.01
on God's word - all Scripture
is given by inspiration of God.
00:28:05.05\00:28:08.38
How much? ALL!
00:28:08.42\00:28:09.92
So when somebody says,
"I'm a New Testament Christian,"
00:28:09.95\00:28:11.62
I say, "You've missed
four-fifths of the story."
00:28:11.65\00:28:14.16
All Scripture!
00:28:14.19\00:28:15.52
And finally... we
must remain allegiant
00:28:15.56\00:28:18.63
to Christ and walk
in the light with Him.
00:28:18.66\00:28:21.80
He says, "Walk in the
light as I am and in the light,
00:28:21.83\00:28:25.23
and darkness will not
come upon you," John 12:35
00:28:25.27\00:28:29.70
Amen! Thank you so
much each one of you.
00:28:29.74\00:28:32.67
What a wonderful study
of God's Word talking about
00:28:32.71\00:28:35.14
the disunity as we saw
it progress through the
00:28:35.18\00:28:38.05
children of Israel and then
into the kings, then into the
00:28:38.08\00:28:40.92
New Testament Church and
Pastor John, all the way down
00:28:40.95\00:28:43.52
to today where we need
to be careful and we need to
00:28:43.55\00:28:46.25
check everything
against the word of God,
00:28:46.29\00:28:48.79
and what God says.
00:28:48.82\00:28:50.16
We have just a few moments
left here at the end of our
00:28:50.19\00:28:52.33
program and I want
to give each one of you
00:28:52.36\00:28:54.16
an opportunity if you
have something that you'd
00:28:54.20\00:28:56.06
like to share regarding your day
00:28:56.10\00:28:57.63
or someone else's day,
just a closing thought.
00:28:57.67\00:28:59.63
My closing thought is
this... Sin brings discord and
00:28:59.67\00:29:04.11
I think we've all
touched on this in some way that
00:29:04.14\00:29:06.71
our responsibility is to unity.
00:29:06.74\00:29:11.51
That means that we
must study the word of God,
00:29:11.55\00:29:14.65
pray for the Holy Spirit
to lead us and that God will
00:29:14.68\00:29:19.55
give us understanding
and then pray that God will
00:29:19.59\00:29:22.86
empower us by the Holy
Spirit to walk in obedience.
00:29:22.89\00:29:26.29
Amen! Brother Johnny...
00:29:26.33\00:29:27.80
Yes, you know they
were talking about divisions
00:29:27.83\00:29:34.07
and unity and I read something
that really stayed in my mind
00:29:34.10\00:29:40.08
and it says... Really it's the
absence of Christ in the heart
00:29:40.11\00:29:44.75
that brings division.
00:29:44.78\00:29:46.88
So when people start
pulling their own way...
00:29:46.92\00:29:49.45
"My way is the right
way," you know, we were recently
00:29:49.48\00:29:52.32
in New York - I came to
the conclusion as you're
00:29:52.35\00:29:55.39
driving down the expressway
that people were like,
00:29:55.42\00:29:58.09
"I'm first, I'm first,
I'm second and I'm third,"
00:29:58.13\00:30:02.30
and it was me, me, me.
00:30:02.33\00:30:03.93
And so when we allow
Christ to reign in our hearts,
00:30:03.97\00:30:07.34
is when all of us can
come into unity. Amen.
00:30:07.37\00:30:10.41
And so we need
Christ in our hearts. Amen!
00:30:10.87\00:30:13.31
Miss Mollie. Just
a quote concerning...
00:30:13.34\00:30:18.31
Do you believe that God
has entrusted the Seventh-day
00:30:18.35\00:30:22.42
Adventist Church with teachings,
that we're responsible
00:30:22.45\00:30:29.29
to share with the world. Amen!
00:30:29.32\00:30:30.76
I just wanted to
make this statement...
00:30:30.79\00:30:32.59
"As Seventh-day Adventists
because God has entrusted us
00:30:32.63\00:30:37.40
with an end-time
message for an end-time people,
00:30:37.43\00:30:40.47
we can't take for granted
our unity of faith and mission.
00:30:40.50\00:30:45.81
Divisions and quarrels
can undermine the unity
00:30:45.84\00:30:49.84
of our church which
undermines the effectiveness
00:30:49.88\00:30:54.28
of our message - we
cannot allow that." Amen!
00:30:54.32\00:30:57.29
Thank you and finally,
we have to allow God's word
00:30:57.32\00:31:02.12
to keep us solidly established.
00:31:02.16\00:31:04.26
2 Timothy 2:15...
"Be diligent to present
00:31:04.29\00:31:09.26
yourselves approved to God."
00:31:09.30\00:31:10.97
(make sure that your
decisions are to be faithful
00:31:11.00\00:31:13.60
to God) a worker who
does not need to be ashamed,
00:31:13.64\00:31:17.01
rightly dividing
the word of truth."
00:31:17.04\00:31:19.27
If the word of God is
your guide, He will be
00:31:19.31\00:31:22.14
like the GPS that will get you
to your heavenly destination.
00:31:22.18\00:31:25.11
Amen! Thank you all so
much, Shelley and Pastor Johnny,
00:31:25.15\00:31:29.15
Mollie and Pastor John.
00:31:29.18\00:31:30.65
Thank you for
sharing from your experience,
00:31:30.69\00:31:32.25
and from the word of God.
00:31:32.29\00:31:33.62
And we are so glad that
you joined us today as well.
00:31:33.66\00:31:36.29
Go to the Lord
Jesus, make that decision
00:31:36.32\00:31:38.66
as Greg and I have
made and we have made here
00:31:38.69\00:31:40.86
at 3ABN - make the decision
found in Joshua 24:15...
00:31:40.90\00:31:44.70
"Choose you this
day, whom you will serve.
00:31:44.73\00:31:47.97
As for me and my house,
we will serve the Lord."
00:31:48.00\00:31:51.07
We hope you join us
next week as we look at Jesus
00:31:51.11\00:31:53.74
High Priestly Prayer in John 17,
00:31:53.78\00:31:56.68
that prayer for unity. Bye, bye.
00:31:56.71\00:31:59.58